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thefiresofpompeii · 2 months

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death and the queen is the one of best series 4 episodes that never was. well, it does exist in audio form, but it’s so well made that i could practically see david tennant’s sad wet eyes in my mind’s eye. peak doctordonna comedy, peak doctor loneliness and vulnerability moments, peak strange aliens and cool pseudo-historical pseudo-mythical setting… although i believe it may have worked even better with eleven and amy (s5 roryless, obviously — she wouldn’t marry a random prince if rory was around) considering the sacrificial bride theme, the emphasis on marriage equaling death, and the fairytale atmosphere in the kingdom-that-shouldn’t-be which is a major theme during amy’s arc… eh, we can’t have everything we want. on the plus side, it definitely wouldn’t have been as funny.

and the drama!! that goodbye donna was heart(s)shattering. ten making the same mistake that he did in the sontaran stratagem; believing that no matter how close he gets to his companions, he will always be their second choice and they’ll abandon him whenever they happen to inevitably fall in love with another human. he doesn’t even let her finish talking, just assumes it’s a goodbye. grumbling in a jokey tone about the universe never giving him a break, “a chance to lick his wounds, maybe a spa day but no, giant cloud of alien death… just one more thing, so many more things”. god.

also, despite being an audio (so-called inessential material) it slots really nicely into fourteen’s character development and later conclusion — the chance to wind down finally came, after all those years, in the form of a home with donna noble. married to a man she truly loves, no ulterior motives or murderous plots. living with her best friend and beautiful, talented daughter. she got to be 1700s royalty for a few months, crown and all, but the only real kingdom worth reigning over consists of people who care about you.

^ listen to this ^

#jamie catches up #dw #doctor who #doctor donna #donna noble #ten #tenth doctor #catherine tate #david tennant #death and the queen #big finish #audio drama #doctor who audios #jamie.txt

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izartn · 2 months

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What's good about KnH is (besides its main char and bc of Maomao) the way it manages the power dynamics and what life was as a woman without falling into utter pessimism and powerlessness or full romanticism; which is a reason I usually avoid like the plague historical/pseudo-historical fiction with female leads.

Usually I'd be super skeeved out by the power Jinshi has over Maomao but the way the series presents both of them, their personalities and their agency (limited as it is for Maomao but it's there and it counts very much) it brings out all the best and interesting parts. I trust this series to get twisty with them bc it establishes so well Maomao own character and understanding of her situation and the ways Jinshi can and does or doesn't take advantage of his power over her.

Like. It's presented as a problematic element, but also unavoidable given their social situation and the world they live in, so I can trust given everything else this show has done when solving the mysteries and presenting us the situations of other women, that the romance will be treated with that same weight.

Honestly if you've read over what I like to read/watch in my tumblr you'll notice that twisty and even toxic/unhealthy dynamics are very much within my favorites, but it needs to be told in a certain way. And I'm much more difficult to satisfy when talking about het romance.

So to watch KnH, notice it's primarily about Maomao life and the various misteries/medicines/palace intrigue and the romance is playing second fiddle riffing on all the themes presented on the plot? And it's complex, and plays with messy power dynamics of gender and class, but never loses Maomao her personhood? Wow.

Also. Jinshi is so BL chara coded omg XD like, he's very clearly based on a kind of shojo ML prototype (hello tamaki suoh!) but it also pulls from BL in his case (nothing to do with their romances but I think of Yan Xiaohan re:his relationship with the imperial power, from Golden Terrace lol)

And yet his romance with Maomao wouldnt work near as well for what is trying to say if they weren't a man and woman (which I love in their case, is what has me fascinated). Yes~! Get into the meat of how fraught it is for a man and a woman to be together when the man has so much power over her. Get into it!!!!

He's so so messy and fun as a chara too. Sheltered and not at the same time, you really notice all the things he misses by way of his privilege of being a noble born man (and specifically royalty, last ep (19) left that very clear he was doing a ritual probably by proxy for the emperor and also bay exchanges people. Maomao noticed and buried that thought far far below her subconscious but we all now who he is lol). Like. The way he fumbles and ends up essentially harassing Maomao at the start sometimes, which is both played for comedic effect and also upsetting. Mmm.

Like I said, I like complexity.

Also that part when he buys Maomao contract and he goes to collect her and she's all dolled up, and the clear implication by everybody but our mains (who clearly prefer to live in willfully blind land although for Jinshi I think the subtext of what he's doing lands when he sees her) is that in any other case she'd be his concubine/side-wife. It's not their situation wight now, and she's put to work as a live-in maid and apothecary and put to study (he wants her to assist him in politics lol I love that, but also he's so so lonely) but it's very much what the palace rumor mill says.

LIKE. I love the messiness! It could go soooo badly, but it also could not and there's Maomao living at the edge bc despite herself and what she says, she wants more from life, but also as she says the rear palace isn't all that different from the high class brothels and ugh. That tension. She has to depend on the favor of a man as a women of low class but she also could lose her head! GAH. And then there's feels involved! Aaagh.

#the apothecary diaries #my thoughts #kusuriya no hitorigoto #KnH meta #meta #maomao #jinshi

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writers-potion · 1 month

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My Favorite Fantasy Tropes

MONSTER TROPES!

A deadly monster with a terrifying appearance bonds with a small child with its life.

An injured hero comes upon a monster, or a hero comes upon an injured monster and they understand each other. Giant vicious-looking monsters that answer to names you would give to a pet dog.

A character rescues or spares the life of a wounded or infant monster; later th fully- healed/matured creature returns the favor.

The horrifying eldritch creature that's been stalking the heroes turns out to be benevolent and actually, trying to protect them from something deadlier.

HERO TROPES!

The hero is the secret heir to a throne. It may be that he was whisked away and hidden as a child, his parents sent them away or were killed, etc.

There's someone in power in your book who might be described as "pure evil." This can feed into the "Good vs Evil" trope listed further down this list.

The hero refuses to give into the dark magic and instead ascends to a new level of power. This may change their hair to their dream color.

The hero falls in love with a princess/prince who turns out to be working with the real Dark Lord and killed her whole family just to rule the kingdom.

SETTING TROPES!

Pseudo-medieval European setting especially in places like the British Isles, France and Germany.

A library full of secret, lost, important knowledge. The characters may have to travel to this library, or they may stumble across it for some kind of revelation.

Ancient Japan/Chinese royalty setting where clues about the mystery is given out in subtle, secretive ways. Plus, the hero can't travel outside the palace.

A fantastical world can hide in plain sight without being discovered. When the secret is unmasked by the hero, he is trust into the world. Now, there's no going back.

CHARACTER RELATIONSHIP TROPES!

The characters involved don't know they're soulmates for part of the book but feel drawn to each other.

Twisting the original dynamic between characters from legends, myths and folklore

Semi-humanoid/ multi-race characters bonding with monsters/people of other race like elves, dwarves, goblins, etc.

Enemies-to-lovers

Marriages of convenience based upon political/power dynamic leverage

The main character(s), with a ton of romantic tension, must, for some reason, share a bed.

DARK FANTASY TROPES!

Magic is eveil and often The Corruption. Blood magic, human sacrifice and forsaken children are commonplace.

Magical artifacts with bad omens/curses attached to them. They require a grievous price in order to wield.

The gods are all assholes who pass time eating prayer chips and drinking soul-booze while placing bets and trolling the helpless mortals.

Organized religion of the country is Corrupt Church or Religion of Evil. The leader is totalitarian and strange cults prevail.

The dead find staying buried a little boring and resist any and all attempts to keep them buried, short of cremation or dismemberment.

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

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blouisparadise · 22 days

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Upon request, today we have a rec list of bottom Louis fics where Louis and Harry get married and have a wedding in the fic. If you enjoy our rec lists, please be sure to like and reblog this post to help spread the word. Happy reading!

1) The Nuptial Blessing | Explicit | 3,576 words

The sweet smell of strawberries and cinnamon engulfed the entire room. He held his breath as Louis walked down the aisle to the altar. His omega looked like a walking angel- an ethereal beauty not belonging to this world, yet he was for Harry to ravage tonight.

2) I Fell For You Like A Star Falls From The Skies | Not Rated | 6,433 words

Note: This fic is the fifth part in a series but can be read alone.

Love isn't instant. you don't lock eyes and know that you want to be with someone forever, life just doesn't work that way. But the love that Louis and Harry have for each other comes pretty damn close. Wedding bells are ringing for your favorite couple, and dammit are they ready to be Mr. and Mr. Styles.

3) Please, Don’t Say You Want Me | Teen & Up | 9,320 words

Prompt 496: ABO/royalty AU. Where Omega Prince Louis is forced to marry alpha King Harry by his father for the benefit of their kingdom. After the wedding, Harry lets Louis know that he didn’t want a mate and to not expect a relationship from him. Since they are already mated, Harry has to officially reject Louis’s omega to break ties. This practice is so taboo that he doesn’t know the omega has a maximum of a year left to live after rejection. As time goes on, the omega gets weaker and weaker.

4) Won't See It Coming Til It's Already Gone | Explicit | 12,631 words

“Tell me that this is a fake,” Peter says, slapping a handful of papers against Louis’ chest. He says something else, something loud and demanding, barely even pausing for a breath, but Louis doesn’t hear it. All he hears is the sound of his own breathing, the sound of his own heartbeat. Because this - this looks like a marriage certificate. For a minute, everything stills, quiets. Louis drags his eyes up, meets Harry’s gaze, fixed on him. Then the noise is back, shouting voices clamoring to be heard over each other, and Harry is still staring at him. The ring that Louis hadn’t been able to stop noticing in the loo weighs heavily on his hand. His left hand.

5) Falling Down For You | Explicit | 14,750 words

If there was an alpha that Louis wanted to call his, it would be Harry. But what happens when an arranged marriage, a hungry press, and doubts get in the way?

6) Dreams Can't Take The Place Of Loving You | Explicit | 15,496 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

In which Liam is the go-to ring guy, Niall's relentless, Zayn is family, and Harry and Louis are disgusting.

7) Life Won't Wait | Explicit | 20,327 words

Note: This fic is the third part in a series, so we'd read the other two fics first.

It’s not until the third attempt goes terribly, horribly wrong that Harry realizes Louis is doing it on purpose. All he can do is sit back in his chair, narrow his eyes, and watch as Louis pats the waiter on the back pseudo-helpfully, pretending like he’s actually doing something that makes up for the fact that he just deliberately tripped a waiter at one of the poshest restaurants in London and caused pasta to be spilled all over the place better. Like a pat on the back could make all of that better. Ten minutes later, they exit the restaurant with absolutely no grace. Harry lets Louis tug him along, shielding him from the worst of the paps, but he doesn’t let up on the glare he’s got going on, directed at Louis’ back. The gossip rags will all be screaming with headlines about how they’ve finally broken up for good, but it doesn’t matter right now.

8) Thawing Permafrost | Explicit | 22,556 words

Louis is from the frozen mountains of Glacien. Harry is from the searing desert of Calidius. They come from opposite worlds, but all it takes is an arranged marriage to bring them together as one.

9) Swept Me Off My Feet (Took My Heart And Took Me Down) | Explicit | 25,447 words

When Louis had decided to reopen his mother's bakery, he never thought a charming alpha would walk in through the door, let alone fall in love with him over tea, dessert and music.

10) You Are My Familiar | Explicit | 27,088 words

Louis loses his dog, and Harry takes in a stray. A whole year passes before they realize that it’s the same dog, and that kind of complicates things.

11) Ours Are The Moments I Play In The Dark | Mature | 30,830 words

Jane Austen’s Persuasion AU. Nine years ago Louis Tomlinson was persuaded to break off his engagement to Harry Styles, a poor sailor. Since then Louis has come to regret being so easily convinced to give up his one chance of happiness. Now Louis’ family is in debt and his childhood home is being sold. In a complete reversal of fortune, Harry has returned to England a wealthy bachelor looking to settle down. Events conspire to bring them together once more though Louis is- must surely be- the last man on earth that Captain Styles would think of now.

12) The List | Mature | 32,094 words

'In the weeks that follow, Harry opens his old journal more than he has in the past two years each time he remembers Venice or thinks about Louis. He always flips to the same random page in the middle of the book, marked by the picture of himself that Louis sent him a few days after they got home. There’s a message on the back that says, ‘Spontaneous looks good on you! See you soon,’ and it makes Harry’s chest warm each time he reads it. He wedges their list out from between the worn pages, and it feels silly staring down at a folded up piece of paper with a strange sense of nostalgia for experiences they’ve yet to have; for places they’ve never even been.'

13) If I Loved You Less | Explicit | 36,139 words

Beautiful omega Louis Tomlinson is set to make his come out in London society and determined to find a mate in his first Season. With the help and protection of his oldest friend, Lord Niall Mendes, he takes Society by storm. Being a wealthy and titled alpha means Lord Harry Styles has grown used to avoiding unmated omegas…until now. This Season he finds himself at every Society event just for a chance to speak with the omega with the flashing blue eyes. Louis has the aristocracy at his feet and all the suitors he could hope for, but his secrets may ruin his chance at a love match.

14) Show Me Life Like I've Never Seen | Mature | 42,948 words

Louis never expected to leave the small art studio three blocks down from his job with anything besides the painting he caught a glimpse of and simply couldn't forget.

15) What A Wicked Thing To Do (To Make Me Dream Of You) | Explicit | 44,444 words

Heirs Louis and Harry have been promised as mates to each other their whole lives. It’s expected that they will be the perfect pair to bring honor to their families. Louis cannot let that happen.

16) Tastes Like Summer, Smiles Like May | Explicit | 47,519 words

A cold prince, an alpha with nothing left to lose and a kingdom with a secret.

17) Lunar Waltz | Explicit | 56,795 words

Louis has to replace his (missing) twin brother and marry one of the most dangerous alphas of the kingdom.

18) Every Story Has Its Scars, Ours Is a Brand New Start | Mature | 62,865 words

Life as a devoted husband and an amazing father turned out to be a little different than Louis had expected. Everyone tells him it doesn't have to be that way; that he's worth more and that he's so much stronger than any one person trying to keep him down. It's all just words though until he meets the one person who makes him truly believe it.

19) I’ve Got You | Explicit | 62,988 words

As a reward for saving the king’s life, Harry is offered omega Prince Louis’ hand in marriage. Neither of them has any interest in the union going forward, and so they concoct a plan to prove to the king that they are far from a perfect match.

20) Mead Of Poetry | Explicit | 65,053 words

Under the pressure of continuing the Styles viscountcy line now that he is getting older, Harry sets himself three rules to finally settle down and marry: firstly, the omega needs to be reasonably attractive, secondly, they must be of great mind, thirdly, they cannot be anyone he would ever fall in love with. Enters Charlotte Tomlinson, the diamond of the first water of the upcoming season and seemingly the perfect candidate to the viscount’s plan, but her omega brother, Louis, is in Harry’s way. Louis only seeks to protect his sister and he sure is not going to let a rake play with her heart.

21) Now I'm Begging for Footnotes in the Story of Your Life | Explicit | 80,742 words

Harry and Louis are engaged, but a few months before the wedding Louis realises that they don't like each other, so instead of ending the engagement two of them go head-to-head in an all out prank war. In the battle of who will end the engagement first.

22) Billow And Breeze (Islands And Seas) | Explicit | 102,506 words

It was bright; that was the first thing Louis could recall. With a groan, he winced at the throbbing behind the sockets of his eyes and rubbed his temples in an effort to soothe the pain. Maybe he really did hit his head when he took his tumble. The omega squinted as he looked at the surrounding rolling hills and fog hanging over the countryside. As strange as it was, the world felt different, though it looked practically the same. Disoriented and confused, Louis padded through the moss and listened for his husband. “Liam?” he croaked shakily. Nothing but a symphony of woodland creatures met his ears. His footsteps were muted by mossy green grass beneath his feet and soil fragrant as he neared the crest of the hill. At the top, he froze, lips parted in horror and eyes widening at the expanse of empty farmland—not a soul in sight. It had only been less than ten minutes prior that he could see Inverness from the crest, but now there was nothing. “Impossible,” he whispered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief—his mind not quite able to make sense of it.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

#bottom louis #top harry #larry #fic recs #blp fic recs #wedding #marriage

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devildomditzy · 1 year

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“I can’t take you seriously.” For Diavolo cus i dont take him seriously (in a good way tbh) 🍨👹

You stare ahead at the demon prince in front of you as he downs his ice cream faster than you think you’ve ever seen done before. Honestly, it was kind of impressive.

It was anyone’s guess as to what he said to Barbatos to let him meet you alone at Madame Screams for what he referred to as an “ice cream social”. You’d bet money that he didn’t tell Barbatos, and the poor butler is currently running around like a hell hen with it’s head cut off looking for him.

You’d accepted his invitation, first; because you figured there would be consequences of some kind for saying no to the next lord of hell, second; because you figured the ‘social’ part of the ice cream social meant everyone would be coming. But no, you find yourself alone with the ruler of the entire realm in the center of a small cafe. A human and demon royalty, both currently being gawked at by every patron and the entire staff alike.

You don’t blame them. It’s probably not every day that they see the effective ruler of their government in person, let alone chowing down on a sundae like his life depended on it. But, you’d be lying if you said the stares weren’t starting to make you uncomfortable.

Diavolo gives a hardy laugh from his seat, startling you out of your concentration on his speedy consumption. Gosh, if he didn’t slow down, you were sure he was gonna choke.

“Isn’t this wonderful, MC? Just you and I enjoying ourselves out in the public! Now I know what it must feel like for regular citizens of the Devildom to ‘get out of the house’ so to say!”

You give a forced chuckle, trying your best to sound sincere. “Yeah, totally. This is…exactly how that feels.”

You try not to make eye contact with the people gathered around the two of you, but it’s almost impossible as they take out their D.D.D’s to film and photograph the two of you. You were starting to feel like a caged animal, and you wonder briefly if this is what the prince felt like at all times.

The notion begins to make you upset, but before you can dwell on it, you look up to find Diavolo smiling back at you, remnants of his ice cream attached to his upper lip in a pseudo mustache. You can’t stop the laugh that jumps forward from deep in your chest.

“May I know what you find so humorous?”, he questions, childlike wonder abundant behind his eyes. “I always love a good laugh!”

You wipe a small tear that formed in the corner of your eye away before speaking. “It’s just… I can’t take you seriously!”

His face drops instantly, and your blood freezes. Upsetting the leader hell was not on your to do list for the day, and you did not want to find out what it means if you do.

You begin to backpedal to the best of your ability, not wanting to get throwing into jail. Jail in hell was probably worse then regular jail. It was probably like, super jail. You don’t want to go to super jail in hell.

But before you can begin to flounder, Diavolo bursts into another good natured chuckle. “Good! I’m glad!”

You stare at him, shock and confusion perfectly married in your expression. “I’m sorry…you’re glad?”

He shakes his head fondly before continuing. “MC, can I be honest with you? When everyone around you holds you to such high standards at all times, it can become a bit…”

He seems to be searching for the right word, so you offer up the one that flashes through your mind.

“Draining?”

“Yes! Draining. That’s why I asked you to sneak out with me! I knew you wouldn’t make too much of a fuss being seen with me.” He puts his head on his hand, a warm smile gracing his features. “I feel like I can let loose with you around.”

“Oh!”, you light up in surprise. It hits you then how scary it must be to have to lead a whole dimension of demonic folk. Having everyone look to you for all the answers, having to make all the tough decisions. Then there was Lucifer and Barbatos, always expecting him to act regal, and uphold some airy sense of authority. The prince certainly did not have it easy.

“Then, I’m glad I could be of service. Let’s do this again some time, Lord Diavolo.”

“Please, call me Dia.”

“Okay”, you giggle, “Let’s do this again some time, Dia.”

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savoytrufflephd · 5 months

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Let’s explore canon parallels…

Thanks for the love on the earlier post! Clearly, like me, you can’t get enough of analyzing HIUH. Allow me to test that theory…

HIUH is both an easy and a hard read. On the one hand, the writing style makes is go down smooth. On the other hand, the plight of the characters burns (in all the best ways). And sometimes you just want to shake some sense into them!

I am obsessed with HIUH to a borderline unhealthy degree. I love the style and subtly of the writing (but that’s a whole topic for a different post). I love how frustrating and heartbreaking and hilarious (I’m looking at you, Ancel) it can be. I’m obsessed with how much it makes me feel.

Typically, when a chapter is posted, I read it once, then go back and read the previous chapter and the new chapter again, then reread my favorite little sections again and again. Sometimes, I start at the beginning of the story and read all the way through. It’s never not worth my time.

So, anyway, perhaps this obsession explains how very defensive I feel when I read people commenting on how unlikeable Laurent (or Damen) is, or how they can’t imagine feeling good about them getting back together. I mean, it’s fair for them to feel however they feel as readers, but also…

Of course they have to get back together, because they are MEANT TO BE!

Which brings me to the question of canon parallels.

Because we, as a fandom, know that they are MEANT TO BE because of Pacat’s trilogy, and more specifically, because they had SO MUCH to overcome. Only a couple that is MEANT TO BE still comes to be despite the fact that one killed the other’s brother and the other took the one as a slave had him nearly whipped to death. I mean, that’s a lot to get past.

And herein lies the genius of HIUH. Because Pacat was able to set up this drama by setting her story in a pseudo-historical world of kingdoms and old-fashioned, army-clashing warfare. It was neither farfetched nor unreasonable that Damen killed Auguste. And it was believable (to everyone but Damen) that Damen’s brother tried to have him killed in a coup. And it was fair enough that Laurent swore vengeance, which, combined with the trauma he had experienced, ultimately allows us to forgive his cruelty. Also, Damen may not have whipped slaves, but he owned them, so he ultimately lacks moral purity (despite a common desire to grant it to him in fanfic, which I totally understand, because he has honor! It’s hot!). And they all live in a world before therapy, so they’re just gonna have to kind of suck up their trauma and go on ruling.

But how do you plausibly transfer this meant-to-be-despite-all-odds to a modern-day setting?

You can make them both modern royalty (which is always fun), but you can’t make Damen own people or have Laurent be casually sadistic and still have us root for them. Laurent’s trauma can be the same (unfortunately, because shitty adults still get away with abuse), but he can’t take it out on Damen in the same way. And Damen can’t be a catalyst for the trauma to the same degree either, because it’s hard in modern setting to imagine him having justifiably killed August and then Laurent being able to move on.

So how can two people hurt each other so much and still come together in modern times? By being exes, it turns out! Who knew?

@thickenmyblood knew!

And from that amazing canon adaptation of the overall conceit, @thickenmyblood goes on to create so many other canon parallels. I’ll number them (in order to assure you this post isn’t actually endless), but I’m sure it’s not an exhaustive list:

1. Damen’s quest begins when his privileged world, which he has never examined very closely, gets turned upside down. His unquestioned acceptance of slavery becomes an unquestioned acceptance of toxic masculinity, which also parallels with Damen’s unquestioned pursuit of war glory (the Original Toxic Masculinity™). His complete inability to recognize what every single reader can see – that Laurent was abused by his uncle – becomes an unwillingness to hear about Laurent’s traumatic experiences or accept their mental health consequences. His quest to regain his throne becomes a quest to regain his sense of self, which leads him to therapy, which leads to a realignment of his priorities that ultimately puts a connection to Laurent high on his list (as in the books).

2. Which makes sense, I think, of why Damen still cares so much for Laurent in HIUH despite his recognition of Laurent’s behavior. As in the books, he, like a few of the people closest to Laurent, sees beneath the judgmental exterior to Laurent’s resilience, deep care for people like Nicaise, and well-hidden playfulness. Lest we forget, the running over the rooftops was a key moment for Lamen – the banter and wordplay they can still find in HIUH post-breakup gestures to that playful connection/reconnection.

3. Meanwhile, Laurent remains a survivor in both worlds, and alternates between dedicating almost everything he has to simply persisting despite his uncle and trying to carve about a more purposeful and livable existence, which he at the same time does not fully believe he deserves. He is willing to protect and fight for Nicaise in ways he isn’t always able to fight for himself.

4. Nicaise, as in canon, sometimes desperately appreciates that, sometimes need to push, push, push until Laurent gives up on him the way he can’t stop fearing Laurent will.

5. Meanwhile, just as in canon, the only means Laurent has found to protect himself is by keeping his deepest self hidden and feigning indifference and superiority when he feels vulnerable or hurt. Did Laurent break up with Damen to protect Nicaise? Yes, absolutely. But, as I argued in the previous post, Laurent also breaks up with Damen because he believes deep down that, in the long term, Damen could not love the real Laurent because the real Laurent is fundamentally unlovable.

6. And he clearly told himself Damen would be better off without him, and without Nicaise, too. Like in canon, he’s willing to sacrifice his own chance at happiness to let Damen have his. He probably figured he was letting Damen go back to his charmed and trauma-free life. Which was less charmed and trauma-free than Damen thought it was, as it turns out (thank you, Neo). Which just takes us right back to Damen’s canon obliviousness and rose-tinted glasses.

7. Consider also that Laurent comes to give Damen his first and second chances because he is so desperate for Damen’s help that he has to push aside his anger, pride, and fear and let Damen in just a little (calling him for that first date, showing up at his house looking for Nicaise + asking him to take Nicaise after the paperweight). This mirrors his decision to take Damen with him to the border. But, just as in canon, whenever he lets Damen in just a little, Damen surprises him and worms his way back into Laurent’s closely-guarded heart.

8. Similarly for Damen in canon and here, Laurent is easy to hate when he’s being icy, superior, and hurtful, but impossible for Damen to hate when he pays close enough attention to see Laurent’s vulnerability. A lot of this comes through in HIUH in Damen’s careful notice of Laurent’s body language. When not clouded by his own insecurities, Damen can still read Laurent like a book.

9. Also worth noting is the way @thickenmyblood translates the differences in how Damen and Laurent think. As in canon, Damen is very literal and practical, thinking in straight lines. He is well suited to the law. Laurent’s thinking is more complicated, theoretical, and more attuned reasoning born of trauma. He is well suited to academia. But since there is no court intrigue in this modern setting, these differences are displayed not only in their communication differences, but through the contemporary complexities of sexual orientation and gender expression. Laurent (and his friend group) navigate these things effortlessly, while Damen (and his friend group) find it needlessly confusing and easy to mock. But like in canon Damen really should have understood court betrayals for his own sake, so too should this Damen understand how his thinking and friend group have prevented him from being fair to those he loves and fair to himself.

10. And if we want to get really metaphorical, we can say that Kastor "kills" their father in this by forcing Damen to realize he wasn't as good a father as Damen cast him in his memory. Although in this case, the metaphorical killing of the father opens the possibility for a more genuine relationship between the brothers, instead of destroying it...

And let’s stop it there, yeah? (Off to read the user manual for my new dishwasher.)

#captive prince #captive prince fanfic #hiuh #damen x laurent #thickenmyblood #hand in unlovable hand #neither my wife nor child reads this fic and i suck at fandom these days but i need to talk about this masterwork #the sad thing is that i'm really excited about the dishwasher manual

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anonymoushouseplantfan · 1 year

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You know what's crazy is in the US like they didn't know Meghan the actress but then they kinda got to know Meghan the Duchess in waiting and thanks to SS that was a success cos it got her the ring and the wedding and then I'm guessing in the US unless you follow the RD closely and know their day to day work you won't have really known Meghan the Duchess (not that she did much but hey ho) and so when they loved to the US that was the perfect time to launch her Meghan the Duchess brand and start a fresh and instead she immediately started talking 💩 about them and causing non stop drama so I'm surprised that they're surprised their tactics didn't work in launching them in any kind of significant way in the US.

I don't think they would have ever or will ever get where she feels she deserves to be in life but they could have made a decent living and maintained some kind of royal connection by attending TTC and coronations and other royal events had they not immediately launched an attack the second they were out.

I don't think anyone or anything has harmed their brand more than themselves.

They're the definition of cutting your nose off to spite your face, they built themselves up as the best royals to ever royal and then immediately shattered the illusion people had of what being royalty is actually like - its like bringing out your own perfume and then immediately telling people perfume sucks and you should never use it cos its bad for you 🤣🤣

That’s why the Netflix series and the book were the beginning of the end for them. Before those were released Hollywood thought they would have a workable pair of pseudo-royals to work with. Even if relations with the family broke down behind the scenes, it wouldn’t take much to keep up the illusion of a royal connection-a dinner with Eugenie then a short visit to England with “private” events leaked to the press and an appearance at a family event once in a while. That’s all it would take.

But the bitterness revealed in the book and the documentary shattered that illusion. That’s why the “reconciliation pr” they are putting out now about Will “having” to forgive his brother and Harry being “brave” at the coronation is not gaining traction. None of it is believable after Spare. They showed who they really are and, like you say, the people they harmed the most was themselves.

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peprallyataroogas · 6 months

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Just saw the new Helluva Boss and...well, it started with a premonition, but now I've got a possible theory about the direction the writing has taken.

Simply put, Helluva Boss is what Hazbin Hotel would've been

Here's what I'm thinking:

A24 picks up Hazbin Hotel, and production gets underway shortly. Soon enough, the production bible for the first season is completed. A24 gets a good read of it...and throws out most of it, ordering the whole season rewritten from the ground up, keeping only a few general ideas for some of the cast.

VivziePop, incensed by her unfiltered creative genius being censored so, throws out her original plans for the second season of Helluva Boss, and effectively crams a square peg into a round hole, taking huge chunks of Hazbin Hotel and replacing character names and locations where necessary.

That's why this episode turned out the way it did. That's why they made Mammon into a Valentino figure to Fizz. That's why Fizzarolli's carefree, confident attitude was just a front, and why he ended up a victim of showbiz with no agency. This is a condensed Angel Dust plotline.

Going further, why do you suppose Blitzo and Stolas's relationship is the way it is? It effectively explores the ramifications of what Charlie and Vaggie's relationship would be: royalty falling in love with a sinner. Hell, Stolas could pass as a pseudo-Charlie at this point. What happened to the guy who was rooting for global warming? When'd he get replaced by this foppish goofball who loves musical theatre? How is he unable to enact his well-intended desires despite his assumed limitless power coming from his status as Hell's nobility, which even then his claim to is tenuous at best?

I dunno, maybe I'm spitballing now. There's no hard evidence pointing to this being factual, but it's just a thought that occurred to me as the episode played out. Lemme know what you think, if you've felt like this about the show before.

#helluva boss #helluva critical #no matter what please don't eat each other #or do i guess as if i can stop you

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olderthannetfic · 4 months

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Most bi4bi fantasy books feature implicitly heteroromantic characters. That's just what the numbers say. I could name a dozen books off the top of my head that are marketed as queer, feature a sexually liberated bi female POV, and culminate in an m/f endgame. (If the setting is pseudo-medieval with the main characters being royalty or nobility, this may be connected to the need to continue a bloodline, and that's easier to negotiate with a cis m/f couple, I guess.) However, I can't name a single book with a bi protagonist that doesn't end with m/f. I'm sure they exist but I'd have to dig very deep. I also have a pretty good idea of why there isn't more bi4bi in the m/m romance space, so that's not the space I'm talking about. This is an issue that almost always afflicts books with female protagonists that are hyped as queer but have no market-specific expectations of delivering an m/m or f/f endgame.

A lot of people on here see this discrepancy as natural because it reflects what they like, and they get super insecure when it's identified in any context. I'm biromantic and asking for more diverse rep, including more non-m/f endgames for bi4bi characters. I just want to be pleasantly surprised once in a while. Why so many baseless accusations of biphobia flung my way?

Mostly, because people are clearly experiencing very different media contexts and don't grasp how prevalent what you just described above is.

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cthulhusstepmom · 10 months

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As promised here's a quick guide to the Fae lore I'm using in my Fae!Soap au, most of it is based on some folklore somewhere but there are parts that are exclusively my invention which I'll specify.

The fae are essentially immortal creatures that can split their time between our world and the Other World.

Things that repel fairies: wearing an article of clothing inside out, salt circles, some talismans, horseshoes(if the fae is of the Unseelie Court or has ill intent to your person), tying knots in your hair, etc

Some things depend on the type of Fae(regional differences, what court of Fae they are, where they stand in the hierarchy): most fae are repelled by bread but Scottish fairies love the stuff and accept it as preferred offerings, bells will chase off members of the Unseelie court as well as any Fae that harbors ill intentions towards you (Seelie fae will sometimes wear bells), compliments and gifts have a 50/50 chance of being an effective repellent.

They are beholden to the laws of hospitality, names, invitations etc

Never ever accept a gift from a fae as it is an invitation into your space and they will take full advantage of it.

Iron, specifically in a shape of significance, will protect you from the powers of the Fae and will repel their touch.

Unless I specifically strike it down it's pretty much all folklore accurate

From here down is all my own lore that I've made.

Now gifts in this universe, this little bit is entirely my own thing. (I didn't find much folklore about people wanting to bone the Good Neighbors beyond the occasional pretty boy stolen by a fairie queen). Gifts can be taken by the fae in question one of these ways: they'll find offense in it and leave you alone, they'll accept it as an offering and stick around(mostly in actual folklore this applies to Brownies in Scottish and Irish tradition), or (in specifically Soap's case because I don't think any other member of the Fae would ever allow a human to court them and homeboy is down bad) they'll take it as a courting gesture.

Fae courting is a rather understated affair, a gift is given and amiably received and then they're officially an item. It is highly unusual for most of the Fae to be monogamous and they'll usually drift from partner to partner during their long lives. It is somewhat more common for stricter monogamy to be observed among royalty and they'll more often choose one partner for life.

When Fae mate they essentially have a ton of sex and release magical energy into the world at large, this magic will latch onto a plant and develop the plant spirit into an autonomous fae spirit over time in a pseudo-gestational period. When the spirit of the new fae has fully matured, the magical energy that has been stored within the plant converts into their body and they are born as a functioning, if like basically a baby in most ways, adult. These new fae are sheltered in the Otherworld for the first several hundred years of their existence.

While they don't really die of old age or sickness there are a few things that can kill and injure them. Direct contact with Iron, severe physical wounds(getting shot in vital areas or having limbs removed), Bleach and some other chemicals, etc.

They are omnivores however they cannot process grains, preservatives, or cooked meat very well. They are immune to natural toxins though there are a few herbs that they find distasteful and avoid.

These are some of the major tenets and mainly just my specific lore, there's definitely more and if anyone has specific questions just shoot me an ask or a comment and I'll get you.

@cr4shposts

The reason the subtext is weird is because I completely made that part up lol

#chlorine is a big no no for the Fae and thus Soap always drinks spring water and avoids communal showers #because there are small amounts of chlorine and chloramine in our water to make it safe for us to drink #the things you learn as a fish keeper #he also has a small bottle of water dechlorinator that he uses for emergencies but he doesnt like the aftertase so he prefers spring water #and bathing in a pool in the forest near base soooo maybe some Ghost following him into the forest at night shenanigans to come #cod mw2 #ghostsoap #ghost x soap #fae!soap #superstitious bastard!ghost

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samwisethewitch · 1 year

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I know this isn't the theme of my blog but as 1.) a genderqueer person, who 2.) has a media studies degree, I want to talk real quick about JK Rowling, the idea of separating art from the artist, and why you literally cannot consume media created by JKR without contributing to real harm against real people.

First let's talk about Death of the Author, because I see a lot of people misusing it online. Death of the Author is a theory from postmodern literary criticism that basically says that an author's intentions and personal beliefs shouldn't impact how readers interpret their work. Basically, this means that the author's own interpretation of the work is just as valid as any reader's interpretation, and vice versa.

Critics who subscribe to Death of the Author believe a work should only be judged by what actually appears in the text, not by what the author later claims it "really meant." So if, for example, an author becomes radicalized after publishing her books and later claims that her racist, pseudo-fascist villains were secretly a metaphor for trans people, Death of the Author would tell you that interpretation is utter bullshit and doesn't magically become canon just because the author said it.

I see a lot of people online equate Death of the Author with the concept of "separating art from the artist," but these are separate concepts. Death of the Author just means that the author's own interpretation of their work isn't any more valid than the audience's. Separating art from artist means we as an audience can appreciate a person's artistic achievements without condoning all of their actions and beliefs. So, for example, I can appreciate that HP Lovecraft revolutionized horror fiction while also acknowledging that he was horrifically racist -- and me condemning his racism doesn't change how influential his work was.

Setting aside that there's a huge debate over whether it's even possible to separate art from artist, the main difference between HP Lovecraft and JKR is that Lovecraft is dead and has in fact been dead for so long that his work is in the public domain. That means no matter how many times I read his work, watch films based on his stories, or talk about his role in the history of modern horror fiction, he doesn't make a penny. Whether I engage with his work or not does not change the fact that Lovecraft is dead and is not getting any money from me.

JKR very much is making money off people engaging with her work, and she's openly using that money to hurt people. (See here, here, here) As long as she's raking in Harry Potter dollars, she is going to keep turning around and funneling them into hate.

I don't want this post to get too long, so here's a quick rundown of some of the defenses I've seen and why they don't work:

"I only watch the movies on streaming services! I've already paid for the subscription, so it doesn't matter what I watch with it." That's not how streaming services work. Streaming services track views to determine what content is worth throwing more money at. This is why "hate watching" makes no sense. Streaming services don't care if you like what you watch. They only care about how many viewers it brings in, and if something gets a lot of watchers, they're going to renew contracts, greenlight sequels and spinoffs, and give more royalties to the creator.

"I only watch the movies when they run on cable." Again, not how this works. Like streaming services, cable networks track views to determine what programs are bringing in the most viewers. The reason these networks run the HP movies so often is because they know people will tune in to watch, which makes them more money. They're going to keep paying for rights to run these movies until they stop bringing in viewers.

"I checked out the books from my library! I thought we were supposed to support our local libraries!" In general, yes, libraries are great, but they also operate on supply and demand. That means if books are consistently checked out and have a long wait list, the library is much more likely to order new copies to meet the demand.

"I grew up on Harry Potter."/"It's my favorite book series."/Other appeals to nostalgia. Thankfully, the HP books genuinely don't actually do anything that hadn't already been done well, if not better, by other authors. If you're craving fictional wizard schools, allow me to recommend Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett and A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Last but not least, I want to remind everyone that JKR also publishes adult fiction under the pen name Robert Galbraith. Don't buy, rent, or borrow Galbraith books either.

#transphobia tw #transphobia #antisemitsm tw #antisemitism #terfs fuck off #terfs dni #fuck jkr #jk rowling #harry potter #robert galbraith #books #bookblr #media #lgbtq+#queer

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madneurologist · 6 months

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What’s your take on the family dynamic of Hugo meeting Varian’s aunt, uncles, his pseudo-adopted sister and her husband.

I apologize for every single typo you're going to find on this post

in regards of his family on the earth kingdom,

his heart would ache with pure envy wishing he had the same. varian has a huge extensive family while he has nothing, he doesn't even have a proper home nor family, he was abandoned in an orphanage and later he was left out to wander in the streets until donella found him, and even though he knows she loves him she still exploits him for her own advantage but he's too scared of being abandoned again so he never calls her out for it

at that point i don't think hugo knows about varian's past yet, therefore he still has this "wealthy spoiled boy" narrow view of him, so he grows resentful towards varian around that time. because, varian's so lucky in life, he has the tremendous advantage of growing up in a much more loving environment, advantage hugo did not recieve. he'd wonder that if he had grown up in better conditions he would now be doing great things, maybe he could've grown to be the royal engenieer from ingvarr, maybe doing great inventions to help other people instead of being an awful person to everyone

it goes like that for the first days they're staying with varian's family, he is more distant than usual and has been isolating himself due to the shame he feels for being envious over that. varian really doesn't notice it until much later because he hasn't been paying attention to hugo rather than his family members for the most part, so hugo can't help but feel left out, because everyone else in the team is having fun with varian's family but him

at some point varian tries to talk with him once he feels something is off- but hugo just pushes him away until varian gets rightfully frustated and gives up. it's not the first time hugo has done this with him to avoid showing vulnerability, but it still makes varian upset

now, hugo meeting eugene and rapunzel!

as for eugene, i'm one of those people who think it would be hilarious when they see each other at the castle, because of the criminal history they share with one another, like the whole deal about hugo dropping a piano on eugene years ago and eugene still being pissed about it?? that never gets old.

HOWEVER, i think their relationship goes deeper than that, not only because they met when hugo was still a kid but also because now that hugo has started to live with varian it's obvious this is new for him. finally having a home, proper food, and in general luxuries he always dreamed about as a kid, is overwhelming for hugo, and eugene gets it because he's been there too.

even if he's VERY skeptical, he can't help but feel empathy, specially when he sees hugo is really trying to make up for varian, so he shows his care in very subtle ways, sometimes more direct-like even if hugo maks fun of him or gets snappy thinking eugene is trying to ridiculize him when he says certain things that speak through his soul, making him feel vulnerable as ever-

as slowly as he realizes eugene is genuinely trying to be nice, he starts being nice too (in his own way)

finally as for raps *panting for breath*,

i have doubts about my take on this one, i'll just say whatever comes to my mind, sincere apologies

his first interaction with rapunzel gives him a bad feeling because of how kind she's being the whole time, even though he became good friends with princess nuru, he still couldn't help not distrusting royalty as a whole. and with rapunzel being queen, he feels a bit intimidated because of this, *yes* he does loosen up eventually when he gets to know her better, however even if he were to throw a snarky comment or two towards her, he's surprisingly respectful, not out of fear, but out of pure admiration

apart from this i believe that at the beggining he would get kind of spooked when realizing how good she is at reading people and being a positive influence on them, he finds it as annoying as it is amazing, esp when they have mushy talks about not having emotional barriers and opening your heart to the affection of others— in which he just wants to curl up and die

#varian and the 7 kingdoms #varian and the seven kingdoms #vat7k #varigo

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sparklecryptid · 7 months

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I've got an idea for a royal bastard that I think you might find interesting.

Basically, Regis learns that one of his flings might have produced a kid, the timing just about matches, and tries to track them down for some paternity tests. The problem is, the last reliable sighting was when the kid was, like, ten and nothing solid since then, because war and Nifs and refuges everywhere.

Not even Cor can seem to find them no matter where he looks.

What happened was that the kid realised that they were trans and might have figured out how to use magic for pseudo-hormone therapy and stuff, and since they already needed to get new papers as a refuge they just put their new name down everywhere, and maybe they fudged their birthday a little and look their surname is the most common one in Lucis it's not their fault.

Also, they don't really care about the royalty thing so they are not coming forth, no siree.

(I leave the gender of the hypothetical kid up to you)

Pan will go ahead and say that hearing his dead-name on the news attached to a photo of him when he was a little girl was not what he planned to witness when he turned on the news after he had spent a long ass day in the archives of the local university; but that is exactly what he saw.

Pan watches for a few more minutes. The news anchor goes on to say that this is 'leaked information' and that 'the little girl in the picture is supposedly related to King Regis somehow'. It is then Pan turns off the TV and is desperately thankful that he no longer goes by Rosalyne and that 'Ardent' is a very common last name.

It's not like his old name is on any of his official documents; the chances of anyone finding him is very slim.

That does nothing to stop the worry in his chest.

Pan is proven right to worry; because the next day his little brother - who is fucking adorable and a teenager - almost gets assassinated on a tour of the library Pan works at.

And Pan can't just let that happen. He can't! So if he sort-of on purpose electrocutes all of the would-be assassins in front of an audience then-

He had reason to okay?!

Noctis looks at the charred remains of his assassins, takes a moment to look at Pan, looks at his assassins again.

Finally the prince -amidst all the panic of their surroundings - speaks.

"Don't they train you to take them in alive?"

Pan blinks.

Noctis looks at him confused.

"You are a member of the Crownsguard aren't you?"

Pan barely holds back the panicked laughter that threatens to escape.

"Yes," Pan lies, "I am. I am going to go and phone the Lord Marshal now. Please don't die in the mean time."

And once he is sure he's out of sight and that others are there to protect Noctis Pan does the only reasonable thing.

He books it.

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