... hear the echoes of all our conversations

Robb x Gwen Master Archive [ 5 / 6 ]

kitoky — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 07:46:59 GMT

And when its time to pray
We'll be dressed up all in grey
With metal on our tongues
And silver in our lungs

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[x] Finally, I'm very sorry.

Robb x Gwen Archive
Part ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX
a.k.a. No, really it's getting REALLY dramatic.

The voices are hushed, barely above whispers.

“We were lucky … still don’t know how …”

“… I prayed every day … times I thought I would never see …”

“What are those tears for? … Hush.”

“ … I’ve missed you, so much … ”

“ … did not my letters … give you solace? I thought you would …”

“ … of course I liked them, did I not tell you … I kept every one …”

“ … under your pillow, I bet.” A bit of snickering laughter, some of it high with the threat of tears. Catelyn frowns, pausing just outside the door. The past two years, ravens would come, and there would always be missives to her and Rickon and the girls.

And always one small note, folded with great care, for one of their servants – in her eldest son’s looping scrawl.

There had never been a reply, however, at least not one bound up with the rest of the family’s correspondence, and Cat had never thought much on it. In truth, she had thought the past two years of war would calm their affection for one another, which she had deemed mere, harmless child’s play. Gwen was a good girl, sensible and practical of mind, she would not do something foolish and unseemly, unlike many of those other girls that served this household. And Robb, she knew – she knew because she had raised him – would not be so unscrupulous, so careless, especially given his own father’s transgression, so long ago.

And so Cat had sat her stitching, and minded her children, but looked away all those years, and thought, with some odd, sick relief, that this war would temper youthful heads and hearts. Gwen would meet a young baker, or maybe see that the stable boy had been mooning after her for quite a while now. Robb would return – alive, safe, yes, whole – and the perils of battle would make him see what was most important.

But then, that incident in the yard … and now, confirmation that Gwen had replied to all those letters, however surreptitiously …

“Are you hurt very badly?” Gwen asks, after their giggles have died down.

At this, Robb pauses, before answering carefully, “Not very.”

“That means yes.” Gwen clucks her tongue in disapproval.

“Small pains, given what has happened to many.”

There’s a long silence after the gruffness of his statement, before Gwen murmurs, “I am so sorry. But I am glad it was them, and not you. That may be selfish, but it is the truth of the matter, even though it is a terrible thing to say.”

“You are too good to be terrible.”

Catelyn pushes the door open a crack, in time to see her son and the girl standing close together, her hand stroking his face and her own expression soft with the sweet tenderness and reverence a woman only reserves for those most dear to her – a look, she knows, that Catelyn herself had given to her lord husband, just a few moments ago.

“Robb,” Catelyn says, straightening to her full height as she folds her hands in front of her. Both of them quickly separate – Gwen flushes darkly, Robb looks slightly abashed but otherwise … calm. Ah. And that’s the trouble, isn’t it? Had he been embarrassed or ashamed she could put a stop to this easily enough, be done with it in a heartbeat. “I wish to speak to you. Alone.”

“Lady Catelyn,” Gwen murmurs, dropping a deep curtsey, before shuffling away.

When the door closes, Catelyn eyes her son directly – he holds her gaze though, and she thinks, in the briefest of flashes, that this war did change him. “This is not Dorne,” she says, her tone level. “She may not be from Westeros but I know, even in her homeland that this is frowned upon.”

“I am aware of that.”

“And I will not stand for any other arrangement.”

Robb lifts his chin. “Nor I.”

“Then what do you propose?” Catelyn asks, spreading her hands, frustration reaching its peak.

“Before I left …” Here, he falters a bit, and suddenly he looks to her very much like the boy that left them, two years ago – young, innocent. Scared, and desperately fighting not to be, because he knows he cannot. “I did just that.”

“Robb,” Catelyn says, horrified.

“We’ve loved one another since we were children, Mother, I still – ”

“Robb.”

“Family, duty, honor. Tully words they may be, but we abide by them as well. And she is all of that, to me.” He chews his bottom lip, and says, quietly, “Mother – you have always said to us, that you never wanted us to be battered about, traded like chattel. You are right – Gwen is a good, sweet, girl. She’s been ever constant and true. I …” His voice trails off, and he shrugs, giving her a limp smile. He’s almost … blushing.

Cat pinches the bridge of her nose, hugging herself. Ah, what to do. What to do. It is easier when children are young, and cannot throw your own words back at you. The Seven help me. No, not youthful love anymore, is it?

“You have given me a lot to think on,” she mutters.

“But you will think on it?” Robb says, hopefully.

Cat rolls her eyes. “Just go and say hello to your sisters and brother,” she says, jerking her head towards the door. “They have missed you as much as I.”

Robb kisses her cheek, clearly grateful for this small offering. He’s limping from his leg wound, but he hurries away. The door shuts behind him and Catelyn sinks into the chair by the window, fretting. And I thought daughters would be trouble.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011 | fic added by amazing 3M, my captain, my king]

"Gods curse this winter," mumbles Lady Catelyn. "More than ten years, the Grand Maesters say. It's only the second and my bones ache as though they were Old Nan's." Gwen quietly takes her mantle when Catelyn shrugs it off and hangs it by the hearth to dry. After unpinning Lady Catelyn's hair, Gwen moves to prepare the bed warmers for the bed. She's thankful of the routine, which keeps Gwen's mind off of any worries about Lady Catelyn walking in on she and Robb a few days before. So far the lady hadn't brought it up with Gwen, something she was eternally grateful for. She wouldn't know what to do or say if she did.

"Are the girls abed?"

"Yes, milady. Abed, though perhaps not asleep."

Lady Catelyn nods at this. "Yes, and who's to blame them? It's been hard to sleep for two years. The girls have never seen a winter before now."

Gwen straightens herself after setting aside wood for the fire. "Might you need me for anything else, milady?" Lady Catelyn turns to her and with the flashes of firelight in her eyes, Gwen felt as though they were burning holes into her. After a long pause, something flickers in the lady's face and she shakes her head no.

The door opens and Lord Stark enters, and Gwen takes this moment to curtsey herself out. After grabbing the basket of clothes for the next day's wash, she closes the door behind her. Her grip on the handle slips and in that second, the basket slips off her hip and tumbles onto the floor. Sighing, she gathers everything up but stops at hearing her name.

"... Gwen? She's Tom's daughter. The Southron smithy, Tom. It's been years since he passed." To hear Lord Stark talking of her father makes her mind whir and her heart stop. It's true, Lord Eddard had always made an effor to invite those who served in the city to share his table from time to time: Farlen, Ser Rodrik, Hullen the Horse Master, and the Sept and Septa. Both Mikken and her father were both called to the table a few times, at least before Tom died of illness.

"But what do you think of her?" Lady Catelyn's voice sounded strained.

Lord Eddard responds with a chuckle.

"What's brought this on? Is she troubling you?" Gwen stills at this.

"No, no. She's the most capable maidservant this house has had in many years. As fond as I am of Gwen... I'm afraid your son is even more so."

"Rickon's known her all his life," says Lord Eddard, and Gwen hears the smirk in his tone. There's muffled laughter and a distinct sound of a smack on the arm. "I know it is Robb you speak of. But surely you've seen it before."

"I have, but I feel I've made a mistake in allowing it to go for so long," Catelyn says, and at this Gwen's throat closes. This was it - this was the end of it all. How did she think it would be any other way? A lord and a serving girl? Somewhere inside she always knew that it was near impossible - but whenever he would smile at her, tease her, just look at her - she felt like it could be. Gwen swallows her own crushing disappointment and takes the basket to leave - not caring to hear what she always knew.

-

Inside, Catelyn continues on. "Robb's a man now, and a man gone to war. It's time he did his duties, especially when King Robert has asked you to be Hand." Ned nods sullenly at the memory of Jon Arryn, cut down by an Other. The man was nearly thirty years his senior but fought as fiercely as a young buck. "The North will be his soon and what will others say to the idea of Robb and a serving girl."

"They'll say what they'll say," Ned says and Catelyn balks.

"You don't disapprove?"

"Of course I do, it would be easier to have Robb marry one of Lady Mormont's girls or Manderly's granddaughters down in White Harbor." Ned sighs, rubbing Cat's arms. "But winter is here and the Others beyond the wall - "

Catelyn watches him, noting all his hesitations - every flicker of his eyes back and forth as though he was living a memory. What brief letters he wrote to her had frightened her easily enough. The Others, hundreds of them awoken after thousands of years. "Ned?"

Ned swallows and looks down at her, seeing her. "It's a long, cold dark, Cat. If there is good to be found in what love Robb has for the girl, then let it be. I have taught him all that I can. Robb is a man grown, and more importantly he's of Stark and Tully."

Catelyn remembers the bright day of hers and her sister's wedding. There was no question that it was a union to further Robert's Rebellion. She was betrothed to Brandon Stark first after all, and although she sometimes wondered what it would have been like, she thanked the Maid that she was given Ned. Despite hard beginnings, her love for him blossomed even in the cold of the north. If all was proper, she would've been wife to Brandon Stark all those years ago. Oh, the strange games propriety and love played. And yet, she and Ned were only from two separate noble houses.

"And what of the bloodline?" She asks. "She can't even be traced back to any house. The girl's not even from Westeros."

Ned laughs, surprising her again. "Bloodlines, Cat? Bloodlines are a tool of the Targaryens. What those monsters did to keep their lines pure for years and years. The blood of the north is strong, Cat. The blood of the Starks runs deep. Look at Bran."

Her second son, Brandon who was named after her first betrothed, was being spoken of and whispered of all through Westeros. The Human Wolf, they said. The Knight of Wargs. His bond with his direwolf had awakened a deep spirit within him. The War of the Wights had only exacerbated it. He was a Warg of Old, a man that ran inside animals and felt their hunger and blood and being. The sigil of the Starks was the direwolf. Yes, Cat agrees. The blood is strong.

You wouldn't be able to tell with their children. Nearly all of them had the blue eyes and auburn hair of a Tully with the exception of Arya, who was an animal all her own. Arya, with her unnaturally tangled hair and dark stubborn eyes. Her beautiful Arya, who out of all the children, had only a match in Jon Snow.

Jon Snow. The mere thought made her blood boil, a name that stained Ned's honor so darkly. Ned's life was one of honor, the son of Lord Rickard Stark, fostered by Jon Arryn at the Eyrie whose house preached As High As Honor, brave Eddard Stark who rode with Robert Baratheon against the Mad King. And his one transgression, his only misdeed had to be at her cost. Jon Snow. What cuts deeper is his unbending resolution to tell her nothing. Nothing of the bastard's mother.

Never ask me about Jon. He is my blood and that is all you need to know.

In all her years with him, it was the one thing he denied her. And it was enough to plant the seed of hate for the bastard boy. Jon Snow, who's mother's honor was much more than hers.

Then she thinks of Robb and what children her eldest might sire on Gwen. Would they be bastards as well? Her son might marry her, title her Lady of Winterfell, but it is no hard thing to strip her of such should anything happen to Robb. The Starks were the strongest of the North, and even the smallest of houses would grapple to marry their own in alliance.

This is no small mountain to climb, Catelyn thinks. But perhaps that is the problem. She is thinking like a Southron, like the girl she grew to become in the riverlands. Even after twenty-five years in the North, she was still such a Tully. Cat looks at Ned, with his aged wrinkles and the scars all over his chest, a fresh one shining on his face. He looked more old and wounded than he did coming back from the rebellions, and yet he is younger somehow. Renewed.

These Old Gods are a wonder to be sure. The victory against the Others spread a great sigh of relief across the Seven Kingdoms. No one knew how they managed to overcome them, and for how long until the danger comes again - but this was a northern victory. Yes, the Seven Kingdoms won, but this was a northern victory. For two years, people have forsaken the Seven for the Old Gods, quickening even more when Robert's Host came riding back down the Kingsroad. It was a change of the tide.

And perhaps, it was not the only thing to change.

Is this what turned Ned so? What horrors has he seen that he would forsake duty? Did he even realize that Robb means to marry this girl? This is no young, fool's love, Ned.

"And should he want to wed her then?" Catelyn asks finally. Family. Duty. Honor. Will they forsake the last two completely? "Should he want to wed her, bed her, sire children on her?"

Ned wraps an arm around her waist and brushes his fingers through her hair. Even in the cold of winter, she warms.

"Ours is a gift, Cat," says Ned. "Others have not been so lucky. Your sister was a wretch even before Jon Arryn's death, Robert's whoring is done out of hate of the Lannister woman. My father, mother, brothers, sister - they're all dead, Cat. Long before their time. You are the only family I've left. Damn the Realm if I should forbid Robb what little happiness I can offer my firstborn."

Yes, it's always been family wasn't it, Ned? Catelyn smiles wryly, looking down at her fingers against his chest.

Yes, it really has been.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Oct 2011]

"What more would you have me do?"

Only Maester Luwin and Robb have read the missive from King's Landing, and it's a miracle that she's the third to lay eyes on it. They're in the Wolfswood for their morning ride, a tradition Robb had established for them early in their marriage, when Robb pulls out the slip of a letter and unrolls it. Unsuspecting, though curious, Gwen takes in the words smoothly even as they make her stomach drop.

"Another war," she sighs, trying to bottle the rising anger in her. Anger that was wholly irrational but not necessarily uncalled for. "When you returned from beyond the wall, I thought -- silly as it was -- that I'd have you back for good."

Robb takes her hands -- shaking hands -- in his own, grievously. "Thankful it is only Lannisters to be rid of."

"Lannisters and Paynes, and Cleganes -- Swyfts and Marbrands, and if we're quite unfortunate, all of Dorne as well," she mutters past the lump in her throat. She recalls the lessons that Maester Luwin had taught her, in the weeks before the wedding, to prepare her in order to greet highborn guests and people too large and too small to notice her. And soon she sees flashes, images of faceless men with banners of red and gold running down northmen and she wonders who would be the one to cut down Robb. She thinks of the wickedness of men and resolves that they were all much safer against Others than Lannisters.

"I'm coming with you," she says and credits Robb for the little surprise he allowed on his face. "I'm ill-equipped for anything but fixing horseshoes and swords, but it's some good however small."

"No, you're needed here. Rickon needs you here," Robb shakes his head.

"Rickon is sixteen and well off on his own!" Gwen argues, the real idea of being left to sit idly behind stone walls wearing away her patience. Her lord husband seemed to have cottoned on to this, only drawing out the silence by bring their faces together enough for the points of their noses to dance around each other.

She hates his next words, because they're the wrong ones. They're not the words that will let her keep him close, to tend to his pains or soothe his miseries - to avoid more long months of wondering herself. They're words that will cut through all her stubborn will and useless hopes.

"I need you here. Mother intends to ride to Riverrun to bring Uncle Edmure to Father's cause, and that leaves you to tend to Winterfell's needs. Rickon may not be a child, but he is naive in what is required to keep the new lords in order. And the Wall is not to be forgotten. They need men and supplies to maintain the watch. The south is in a storm but it won't do to lose the north." Robb takes advantage of her slump of defeat and plants a kiss at her brow. "Rickon is my heir, yes, but you are a Stark now as well. And there must always be a Stark in Winterfell."

Gwen nods, still fighting the coil in her chest. It was never a matter of understanding. She always understood the need - the order of things, but she could never force herself to take it in stride. There will always be a rather large part of her that fiercely hated it. Gwen tucks the letter back into Robb's gloved hand and takes defeated steps away, her feet leading her off to some place where she'll calm her sensibilities and prepare for the duties to which she'd become accustomed.
[ direct tumblr link | orig. posted Jan 2012 ]

The air is rank with the odd scent of fresh snow and burning flesh. The chaotic fires around the walls show the dark stains upon the stone, and one could conclude a fierce battle. Though weapons were wielded, not one was used to slay. The only evidence was of charred corpses and collapsed cottages.

Pained, Gwen's patient moans as she cakes on a salve onto his burns. She grimaces and grits her teeth having to resolve to using a rather unclean bandage to wrap him up, but it would do for now. The doors of the Great Hall opens and in comes Robb swiftly, a trail of ashes and a smell of death in his wake.
[ direct tumblr link | orig. posted Jan 2012 ]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted December 2011]

The wind howls against shut windows and even with the hearth lit and crackling, Gwen still shivers from the invisible cold. She tugs the thick needle through the heavy cloth, hoping the sacrifice of her freezing hands will give Robb new trousers. It was something she was pleased to discover from first working in the Stark household. The north was a vastly different creature than the south, and Septa Mordane gently taught her that every girl from poorhouse to court had to learn a seamstress's trade. Half of all of Sansa's clothes were sewn by her own hands and Gwen had a fair few lessons from the girl. In turn, Gwen found herself stitching up most of Arya's and the other Starks'.

Gwen is tucking away the spare thread when the door to their chambers open, and instead of Robb's immediate face, she sees Grey Wind bounding in. When once she would have tensed at being alone with the direwolf, she merely shakes her head now and smile. The beast had seen Robb through the war and she was thankful for it. Robb had told her countless stories of wights and Others, times he might have died if not for Grey Wind's ferocity and savagery.

"I suppose you expect some treats from now on, hmm?" she teases. The direwolf, sitting on his haunches beside the bed, pulls its mouth into a sickening smile - the furs around his mouth lined with blood from his meal. "Looks like someone else has taken care of that."

"He deserves no less," Robb's voice drifts into the room, and he shuts the door behind. Gwen can only nod her agreement and they fall into a comfortable silence. The last few days have been a trial. Tensions are high between the Starks and the Lannisters down south and Gwen knows Robb's concerned for his lord father. Some rumours are flying here and there about what's gone on. Some say Stannis plans a rebellion, others argue that Queen Cersei have only incestuous children with her twin brother, dead from the war. The Iron Throne is volatile.

Even so, that is the south and this is the north. What little comfort that brings.

Gwen rolls up the trousers and sets them aside, studying the way Robb's shoulders are stiff even unfastening his sword-belt and loosening his cloak. She slowly makes her way toward him, sliding her hand across his back then his shoulder, winding her away around to stand before him. "You're troubled," she says, not at all a mystery to either. "Your father?"

He nods, sighing, and lets her untie his jerkin and pull it off of him. "And the Karstarks." At this, Gwen swallows knowing the tension between the two kin houses were because of her. If it hadn't been for Robb's steadfast loyalty to her and Lord Stark's final commanding word, Rickard Karstark would easily see her gone or dead to make way for his own daughter to join their houses together. "But these are nothing for your worries."

"I've something for you," says Gwen, turning the subject elsewhere. She returns to the bedside and shows him the pants with particular pride. "Lord of Winterfell, now with hole-less trousers." He laughs, taking them from her with a kiss of thanks. Once he slides them on to see their fit, Gwen's smile drops a bit. The length of the legs fall far past his feet.

"You're getting very good at this," laughs Robb. Gwen doesn't react, only crosses her arms.

"Well, all those years away. I must've remembered you taller," Gwen smirks. "Is Bran not taller than you now?"

Robb scoffs his answer and Gwen comes up to him, giggling against his mouth. In moments, her hands are running inside his tunic, tracing the scars she only recently discovered. He's looking down at her with those heavy-lidded eyes and it makes her stomach churn. "I'll mend them tomorrow," she says, feeling suddenly shy.

"They've some use," Robb comforts, and at her confusion, he slides them off and tosses them over Grey Wind, blocking his face. Then he pulls Gwen, squealing and laughing, on top of him into bed.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted April 2012]

To their horror, concerns about the stores start in the 6th year of the winter. Despite the yearly harvests, cities and towns alike were wary of newcomers and new beggars. Winterfell was no exception, but it's different in the north. Everyone had their parts to play and in turn, they earn their shares. That was why the Harvests were in place in the north. Every reaping brought food in plenty to Winterfell, but more yet they brought material needs: clothes, tools, specialty trades.

Gwen had learned that it was a remarkable system, even when she was on the periphery. Now, after been in the heart of things, and when the supplies are so strained - it was an ideal system for ideal times. When White Harbor can offer an excess amount of sea goods, they traded for wood and iron tools. Winterfell's harvests ensured that these pacts were honored and they were year after year. Winter was coming, after all.

"They say there's a heavy tax on entry into King's Landing now," Rickon says, bouncing his little niece on his knees. "And travelers are more likely to be robbed before they even get to the gates. If they're brave enough to travel at all." More people come to Winterfell everyday, most of them fleeing The Gift and Last Hearth.

Soon, even Robb has to concede. "We can't hold this many, and we can't feed them either. They would have been better suited if they stayed where they were. The Harvest was meant to see them through." But even he didn't mention that Winterfell held a larger share, being the capital of the North.

"So we leave them to starve?" she asks, incredulous. She didn't need to be persistent, he already knew what must be done. These were Northmen, and it didn't matter where north they had come.

"We'll be lucky if we last the next two years," Robb sighs. "But it would've been what my father wanted."

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

Robb and Maester Luwin are interrupted by the Angry Cook of Winterfell who pleads, "My lord, this had got to be stopped." At Robb's confusion, Gage throws his hands up - a dangerous utensil in each. "With respect, milord. It is a pleasure seeing one of us common folk as a lady, but I oughta have a say in me own cupboards." Curious, Robb finds his mother outside of a pantry, her face melting into relief when she sees him. "The girl's proved a steady head on her shoulders all these years, and this was long overdue."

"What's going on?"

Now his lady mother is surprised. "She hasn't told you?" At his confirming 'no', she shakes her head at him - an amused glint in her eye. "Better you speak with her alone then." Robb waits until the door to the kitchens is shut behind him and that no one means to enter before he steels himself. Taking a grip on the handle of the pantry, he peeks inside.

"Gwen?"

She ignores him, or doesn't hear him - he isn't sure - but his lady wife is bustling around the large pantry taking this and that off of shelves and piling them here and there. Gwen doesn't have on her usual coyote fur-lined cloak and being that they were in their 5th year of winter, Robb grows more worried. There's a brazier burning in the kitchen but the heat dips enough in the pantry that he could see his breath. "Gwen!"

Finally she turns and greets him beaming. "Hello!"

Oh, gods, he was terrified.

"First, stop," says Robb, when he sees her going for a sack of flour. "Gage's angry you've messed with his stores and you should know just how angry that is. Mother's concerned as well - though she's more convinced you've cracked. So please, do tell me before I send for Maester Luwin again." Gwen stills and swallows, hand over her mouth, and after a moment Robb sees her shiver involuntarily. He doesn't dare move yet, and doesn't dare break from her gaze. Finally, she slowly trails her hand from her face to her stomach and waits with baited breath for him to realize. "Oh."

Gwen shakes her head and breaks into a grin that mirrors his own. He takes her face between his hands and kisses her soundly on the mouth. "Gods, but how -- you were ill a few weeks past, how. Why haven't you told me?"

"It was silly, stupid -- I was happy at first but then I got to thinking. The Grand Maesters in Oldtown says this winter's to last for over a decade and who knows even then. And then one day, Old Nan starts on with her stories again and stop -- don't laugh. Stop it!"

He doesn't stop, "You thought we were going to smother our children?" Gwen watches his eyes crinkle as he makes light of her panic and feels embarrassed about it all now. Robb unclasps his cloak and throws it around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get you out before Gage comes in a rage - though you're doing a fine job at freezing yourself and the baby."

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Feb 2012]

He had no recourse but to leave his lady wife so shortly after their argument. Greatjon Umber had called for him to help settle the warring small lords that had been recently raised to rule land from The Gift. And from Robb hears the small lords are volatile even without the addition of wildlings living on their land. Wildlings, grumbles Robb. Wildlings were the center of his and Gwen's argument. With Winterfell housing more people than it's used to when his lord father welcomed Mance Raydar's people to the north, they soon realized the conflict. There were too many additional people with too few places for them to stay. Some wildlings set to scour the land and the forest, other stayed within the walls of the city but either way, they had no real purpose here. They were wildlings, free and ungoverned, which means they gave and took and not by any lawful means - no system of living.

But because his father welcomed the wildlings on the condition that they do not violate the laws of the Old Gods, else they were to be banished beyond the wall again, that the tension has only stewed so far. Still, this meant whole wildling families had no work, earning no coin, and having no food than what was caught out in the Wolfswood. Gwen had come to him then, having just seen a group of wildlings living out of a tent just inside of the city gates - the wildling father with an ashen face and his children with too little meat to her tastes.

"Surely, we can offer them something? They can work in the castle, at least enough to earn them food." Gwen pleads behind their chamber doors.

"Whatever work we can spare for them won't make a difference, Gwen. They're wildlings, they're not likely to do work to earn something they already feel they've a right to."

Robb just sighs as Gwen chews on her lip, but otherwise says no more. They don't talk for a bit afterwards, and soon Ser Rodrik informs Robb of the petty warring up north. After three weeks away, and leaving Greatjon no more satisfied with the little lords than before, Robb finds himself home early one morning. Instead of riding into the city, raising the trumpets and worrying about duties, Robb falls back into the Wolfswood after ordering his men onward. There, he's pleased to see that he guessed right - that his lady wife had gone out to her morning ride even without him there. Riding aside her is Alyn of the houseguard, and Robb would be bothered by this if he didn't already know that Gwen wasn't pleased about the escort either.

Her face briefly lights up in surprise to see him, and Ser Rodrik excuses himself from Robb's side to take Alyn aside, leaving the lord and lady to their privacy. "Did it go well, with Tyrrk and Mill?" she asks with some awkwardness to her.

"Well enough, for now," Robb responds, eyeing his lady wife. "What is it you've done, Gwen?" And suddenly it's all very funny to him that he'd be surprised if she hadn't done anything.

After a big sigh, she confesses. "You took over two dozen men with you, I figure whatever food you would've eaten if the lot of you were still here could be given to the families. It wouldn't be missed and it made no real difference to our stores. There still wasn't enough for all of them, but it was something." At Robb's pensive look. "And Rohg, he accepted to work in the kitchens - he's clumsy, but he's willing and he's got children."

"... And what did Gage say too all this?"

"He might've been too red in the face to say anything at the time."

Robb chuckles, shaking his head. "Lady of Winterfell, Protector of Wildlings." Gwen beams.

On to part 6

Robb x Gwen Master Archive [ Part 4 / 6 ]

kitoky — Wed, 13 Dec 2017 07:40:37 GMT

Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely;
Crowned with lillies and laurels they go, but I am not resigned

Reference Guide:

[x] Gifs and graphics displayed are created by me, unless otherwise stated. Please do not re-post anywhere else. Let me know if a link is broken.

[x] Drabbles that are directly posted alongside the gif/graphic are written by me.

[x] Drabbles or fics that have been attached to the gif by other authors are linked. I encourage you to explore all the contributed writings! They're great!

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[x] Special thanks to anjali_organna and threemeows for their ongoing friendship and comaraderie.

[x] Finally, I'm very sorry.

Robb x Gwen Archive
Part ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX

a.k.a. Gwen lives in Westeros and it's getting really dramatic

They try to find Rickon everywhere, in the Godswood, in the stables, with Beth, but he was no where to be found. "Anywhere?" Robb asks when they meet outside Mikken's forge. Gwen shakes her head and Bran, atop of Hodor, suggests the crypt.

"He knows he isn't to be down there," Maester Luwin frowns.
"Yeah, he does," says Bran. "Hodor."

The air in the crypt is hard to breathe. Both Robb and Gwen take a torch to light their way with Hodor stomping along. "Why has he run off?" Gwen asks. Robb's shoulders slump just slightly.

"I told him I was to leave before the morning. He didn't like that at all." The tunnel splits in two and Robb sends them down one while he and the maester head off in the other. Bran tells Gwen about each stone figure: Lord Rickard and Brandon Stark, his grandfather and his uncle - both of whom had died before he was born. Gwen had never entered the crypts and neither had half of Winterfell. These were the ghosts of the Starks, a long line of hundreds, carved in stone.

Suddenly, Hodor cries out and a black shadow moves out of the darkness. Before she knew it, she was forced sideways - dropping the torch - and slams into the wall of the tunnel. "Shaggydog!" cries a voice she recognizes as Rickon's. The boy of six emerges from the shadows as well, all dirt and grime, a perfect match for the wild direwolf beside him baring its teeth.

"How many times have we told you to keep Shaggydog from hurting people!" Bran scolds from above Hodor, the giant stableboy was stilled in fear of the direwolf.

"It wasn't his fault, he didn't know who was coming!"
"It doesn't matter, Maester Luwin will have them all locked up in the godswood if that thing keeps on."
"Robb wouldn't let them do that."
"Yes, he would. He always listens to Maester Luwin --"

"What's happened?!" Robb and the maester come barreling to the chaos and Shaggydog bares his teeth once more. "Gwen!"
"I'm fine," she says, but she can feel pain shoot up from her ankle. "I stumbled is all."

Maester Luwin takes the torch while Robb takes her from under the legs to lift her. Bran calls "Shaggydog, to me!" and the direwolf follows them out of the crypt. Maester Luwin scolding Rickon the entire way, deciding that the only place for the beast was in the godswood.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted October 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted October 2011]

The moon is still high in the sky when she stirs from a fitful sleep. And she soon finds out why.

"Shh, easy. You're still hurt,"; Robb is just a blur to her as she blinks away the heaviness in her eyes. "I've come to tell you that I've named Maester Luwin castellan of Winterfell and to care for Rickon and Bran, until you're better. And only until you're better - I shan't hear that you've tired yourself. Be patient with Rickon, he is only a boy and misses his mother and father. Well, you know." He sighs, and she does. Rickon was the only Stark she had the privilege of seeing grow from babe to boy. She nods, swallowing, watching as Robb sits in silence.

"And?"

"And," his eyes find hers, the back of his fingertips trace her cheek. "I came to see you one last time."

"Not the last."

He doesn't answer.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

It's a fortnight before Lord Stark returns from his visit to the Wall. His company of thirty files into the yard and Lady Catelyn welcomes them all home with a hug and a kiss; Sansa following her lead and Arya grumbling about next time. Gwen watches from above, noticing the cheery smile on Bran's face as he dismounts. He was nearly fourteen and Lady Catelyn had a fit when Lord Stark deemed it appropriate for Bran to see the Wall. Rickon whined nearly the entire time they were gone.

Then Robb comes riding in behind Ser Desmond, but something is amiss. He has a tight frown on his lips, and his eyes were almost completely shadowed by the furrow at his brow. Gwen sees his forced smile when Hullen pats him on the shoulder and says a few words. And then he looks up and spots her, and her heart somersaults to her throat. His bright eyes are dark somehow, cold and frightened and it makes her uneasy to notice how different they are. Something's happened. But he's back and he's safe, so she throws up a smile, hoping to convey her happiness at the sight of him.

Grey Wind leaps back from his playful fight with his sisters when Robb starts to leave, Farlen's dogs barking their heads off at the scent of them. Later, when Gwen leaves Sansa from helping her dress for supper, Robb is waiting against the stone wall outside. "Gwen," he breathes, eyes flashing the same cold fear she saw earlier. Robb pulls her into him by the hand and Gwen becomes buried in a bundle of arms and fur. It wasn't unpleasant being back in his arms, only that the urgency and the need emanating from him worried her.

He doesn't talk about the journey, the Wall, any of it, even at her inquiries. Robb only holds her, a strong grip at her waist and the other pressing at the back of her head. "Robb," Gwen murmurs against his neck. His finger tips brush the curve of her ear and he presses a kiss against her temple. After what seemed like hours, Gwen relaxes, her worries melting away in the familiar feel of Robb.

Until he pulls away.

"Our house. Our words," says Robb, low and heavy - the blue of his eyes darker than she had ever seen. Her grip on his sleeve tightens.

Winter is coming.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

"And if you succeed?" Gwen asks, apprehensive.

"If King Robert's convinced that white walkers are roaming the north, Father believes we'll ride against them," says Robb. "Ser Alliser Thorne and Jon are riding down with proof of them, a hand severed from one of their own turned wight. It should be enough."

"What if it isn't?" Robb sighs, taking her hand in his hold on the table acknowledging her worries.

"Then Father intends to rally the northmen at least and he says he thinks even Jon Arryn may ride with him. The north still follows the old religion and long lines from the Crannogmen to the Dreadforts still heed the stories of the white walkers. You're familiar with them?" Gwen nods, remembering the constant tales Old Nan would tell her at the drop of a pin. Stories of the War of the Dawn, of Joramun who woke the giants, and Bran the Builder who rose Winterfell from the ground. "But if all goes well, King Robert will bring a host that could finish wights and wildlings both."

"And you, you'll be riding with them," she states, a fact she knows won't change.

"I'm a man grown and my place is by my father's side. Even Bran's old enough to squire for Ser Rodrik."

"But you're not dealing with wildlings or even another man's army," Gwen grabs his hand atop of hers and holds it firmly. "I saw you the day you came back from the Wall, you were shaken to your wits in a way that I've never seen." Robb's jaw clenches.

"Believe me when I say I'd much rather stay here and never set eyes on the Wall again. But Uncle Benjen is missing and so are dozens of other Nightsmen and if the wights are behind it all, we've to stop it," he says. "And this will allow me to show them what I can do, to be worthy of Winterfell."

"You already are," says Gwen, hating the idea of him facing death for what honor he does not need.

"Then let me be worthy of you."

With that Gwen feels far worse than before.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

It takes nearly two months for the force of the entire Seven Kingdoms to mass upon the plains of Winterfell. Banners of houses great and small littered the grounds for miles and miles, and if Gwen had thought no gathering could beat that of Lord Renly and Lady Maergary's wedding, she would be wrong. The enormity of the army makes her knees weak and her insides curdle knowing what all of it meant. All of the kingdoms will be marching against the north, against the monsters beyond the wall. Not giants nor shadowcats nor mammoths, they were facing a much more dangerous enemy - ghosts of a legend, shadows of a scary story.

The thought of Elyan and Robb, Jory Cassel and even Bran fighting against a walking dead made her anxious to the point of nausea. The northmen are set to lead as the vanguard marching toward the Wall. Robb told her nearly everything of the plans, a small way to comfort her or himself she wasn't sure.

And then the day comes when the largest army ever seen in the history of Westeros marches out, and Gwen feels as though the world is suffocating her. She dodges Robb as long as she can but eventually he corners her to say goodbye. It's the most difficult exchange she's ever had with him in all her years here, through all the pains growing up alongside him. Gwen thinks back on the people she's ever had to part from: her mother and father on their sickbeds, the kind Lady Morgana of Camelot, and her own brother time and time again.

" -- ask me to be brave, and I feel a coward all the same, but please. Ask me anything but to stand and watch you leave." The words tumble out of her and the look on Robb's face makes her ashamed. He was facing more important matters, fighting for the kingdoms, fighting against horrors, and she couldn't even see him off. But she hates it, she hates being the one left behind. Her face crumbles and breathing becomes impossible when Robb throws his arms around her, keeping her steady. This was wrong, she was supposed to be strong for him. It takes a bit to gather her wits and he must be embarrassed of what a mess she's become, but he only holds her until she faces him.

"If only I could keep you by me and safe as well," he whispers against her lips. "Wish me well and pray to all the gods there are that we win. And every night I'll know you're with me. Should anyone ask what keeps me on, I'll tell them I've a lady more gentle than the Maid, as sturdy as the Smith, and more kindly than the Mother."

His optimism exasperates her, but even she could not help but snort, "I'm no lady."

"Not yet," says Robb. "But once we are wed, what a fine lady you will be."

All Gwen could do was gape before Robb captures her lips with his own, and with that, she pours all her luck and whatever graces the Seven have to offer her to him. Bring him back to me.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

The girls line in a row to farewell the men. Sansa following Lady Catelyn's every gesture and the Septa and Septon offering blessings. Rickon stands off to the side and waves away the soldiers, hugging Bran goodbye, and being altogether more lordly than she had ever seen. Only Arya and Gwen weren't down below, the Lady Stark fearing that Arya would find a way to slip away unnoticed among the faceless troops. As a result, Arya was in a fouler mood than ever. "Mother never trusts me, why would I want to go to the Wall!"

Gwen knows it isn't a matter of what was up north rather than who. Syrio Forel, the Braavosi dancing master Lord Stark had commissioned for Arya in King's Landing, easily agreed to come north to Winterfell with the Starks. And Lord Stark was pleased to hear that the Braavos man had offered his services even further to ride with them against the cold dark. With already the promise of Jon as well, Arya had ample reason to sneak away unawares.

Lord Eddard Stark mounts his steed and together with King Robert and Lord Arryn, they lead their men out of the yard - the open field seemingly tiny with the numbers that filled it. Instead of following close behind his father, Robb takes a moment more to look up to her. His face is schooled in an expression of duty and courage, but Gwen knows the truth.

Go on then, she says. Be quick about it all so I might be selfish again. Gwen breaks his gaze and nods toward the column of men making their way down the way to the Kingsroad. It seemed harder for him to turn away from her than it was to watch him leave, but she must and she does. Her one last comfort is seeing Grey Wind bounding aside of Robb, heedless of the other mounts. Keep him safe, Grey Wind.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted December 2011]

... never seen snow of such heights. None of Farlen's dogs are eager to try to dig themselves out, and the horses are more than content to stay in their stalls. Remember the year of the storm? Rickon was still a babe, and Sansa swore up and down that it was well and truly winter. The snow's piled thrice higher than it was then. It's so silly to tell you this, you're having a much harder time up north. Is it odd to imagine you swimming in it? I do hope you're well. I'm a terrible comfort, but I want you safe nonetheless. Keep Grey Wind with you, he's remarkably perceptive and a steadfast guard. But you know that, don't you? With all my hopes,

-Gwen

Robb glances over the letter for the dozenth time since it was handed to him by Sam, his gloved fingers scratching at the beard at his mouth and he feels the grin that's made its way to his face. Once more and then I shall see to Father, he decides and again he reads Gwen's tidy words and nearly laughs at how he hears the melodic sound of her voice in his head, as if she were next to him speaking these very words.

King Robert's host had broken up into three at the Wall. Renly and Stannis were made to take the Eastwatch-by-the-Sea onward and the Karstarks and Lannisters from Shadow Tower. The Kingsguard remained by the king's side, and Robb was pleased to ride side by side with Arys Oakheart, the White Cloak that unhorsed him in the last tourney. They had only ridden out from Castle Black three days ago, but the endless cloudy skies make the journey feel like weeks.

Jon interrupts him then, having crept up from behind and smirking at him. "Your face has an odd sort of madness to it. I suspect it only to be a woman. Careful, Stark, or you'll find yourself stuck with a wife." His brother, Jon, had always ribbed him about anything and everything and it felt good to have him back - however dire the circumstances. Robb was struck with the blissful camaraderie of their youth, and it helps him being so far from home and so very cold.

"Who are you to say, Snow. You're already married," says Robb, slipping the letter inside his leather jerkin. "To the Wall and the Watch."

Jon shrugs, a lopsided smile on his complacent face. "And to the wind and the winter. The Wall is my citadel and the land beyond my play grounds. Aye, my wife is lovely." And strangely enough, Robb isn't surprised to see the contentment in his face. The Wall was always a dreaded place, however honorable their father made it to be. Perhaps it wasn't until now that the whole Seven Kingdoms realized just how honorable. Jon nods to the letter now hidden, "Well then? Who is she?"

"It's Gwen," Robb answers casually, spotting Ser Desmond across the campgrounds waving him off to see his father. He notices Jon's surprise out of the corner of his eye.

"Gwen? The serving girl? The one from the south," Jon recalls. At Robb's nod, he asks, "Still, even now?"

He thinks of the letter, of her voice, of her face among the crowd during the joust - eyes twinkling at his not-so-subtle gestures for her token. He remembers the tears saying goodbye, the need to keep her safe, their shy first kisses wrought with new-found eagerness and frightening juvenescence. Robb takes hold of the handle of his scabbard, wrapped in the cloth she had given him for the tourney.

"It's always been her."

Later, he asks for parchment and ink from Sam and lights a candle to pen his response.

... though I suspect Greatjon Umber would be willing to let me climb his shoulders to get through the snow. Bran's near unbearable to be around, though his energy is almost catching. I'm only afraid what horrors he might find from this. You'll find this letter without the others. Father wants to only write sparingly and if need be, but Jon's got a friend caring for the ravens. A Samwell Tarly of Horn Hill. A frighteningly large boy, but with a frighteningly larger heart - and he's clever, even. He's been a good friend to Jon and I'm glad for it. Jon says he'll be able to send whatever messages I want sending, within reason, of course. Thank you for all your comforts for they are most heartening. I shall keep your promise and trust you to as well. Honorably yours, my lady.

-Robb Stark

Wrapped inside the letter, Robb leaves a single fern leaf - one so robustly green and with bristles that felt like velvet against the skin - because beyond her love for flowers was her love for life. Life and hope in the bleak darkness.

To him, she was both.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

While Rickon is in his lessons, Maester Luwin gives her leave to send a raven. Gwen climbs the steps and opens the door to the rookery, feeling the cold more sharply here. She sees the windows are bare and and most are unable to be shut, the flurries of snow piling across the city and the land beyond to the south. As she passes the cages, the ravens call out to be tended to and fed though she knows Maester Luwin has already done so that morning. From the folds of her apron, she pulls out three small notes. One for Elyan, who is, for once in his life, yearning the stifling heat of a forge. She writes back to him, telling him that when he comes home, he's welcome to clear out Father's old smithy. But he needed to come home first and with every letter she sends, she hopes he does. She hopes they all do.

The other two notes are of Robb. One is the last letter she received, nearly a month and a fortnight past, with Robb's quick scrawl.

The farther north we travel, the darker it seems. Father intends to ride deeper into the Haunting Forest on the morrow. We've word of Qhorin Halfhand leading men from the Shadow Tower. Most of the Southron men are with the Halfhand, Elyan too, as I'm certain you know. Jon says it's a terrible ordeal out west, being so near the Frostfangs, and I fear Elyan much braver than I. Give my love to the girls and Rickon. Bran sends his as well, for all his lack of writing. I hope you well, love.

-Robb

Gwen palms the note, worrying the edges. He hadn't written since, though the maester had given Lady Catelyn a missive from Lord Stark three weeks past. He must be all right, she tells herself. She slips open the third note, her tentative words suddenly seeming uncomforting even to herself.

Arya's gotten better from her fever, Gwen wrote. Your mother wonders if it would be better for the girls to be more south, to take them to the Eyrie with Lady Arryn. I don't know if she ought to, the road's dangerous with nearly all the Kingdoms up north and I suppose a part of me doesn't want to be so far away. I don't know if you've gotten my letters, and I'm afraid we might run out of ravens if I send any more. Please write, if you have a moment. It will do my nerves a world of good. With all my prayers,

-Gwen

She's rolling up the letters to tie to a raven when a fluttering behind makes her turn. A raven comes flying inside, hopping from ledge to crate to table, back to the ledge, cawing loudly to be attended to. Gwen bites her lip, thinking of calling for Maester Luwin. Instead, she slowly makes her way towards the new raven. The bird bounds away onto one of the cages after she unties him, creating a raucous choir of calls from the other carriers. Gwen unrolls the slip, noting it being addressed to no one. Three words and a feeling of utter fear.

There are Others.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

The sounds of horns sends a chill through Gwen. Sansa looks from Septa Mordane to Gwen and gather her skirts to run out. They follow her in stride and soon everyone in Winterfell are gathered in the yard. The portcullis is raised and men file in, the standards of Stark and Tully, Baratheon and Lannister, and Umbers and Bolton fanning in the winter wind. Gwen looks for Robb's brown gelding, hoping to see him from afar. But she only catches sight of red cloaks and white stallions, mistaking Lady Catelyn's brother for Robb briefly. The people give a loud cheer to see Lord Stark, sporting a new scar across his cheek but otherwise looking no worse for the wear. Rickon beside her gives an excited shout and he starts jumping up down, Shaggydog pouncing back and forth alongside him.

But still no Robb. She sees Hullen without Harwin, and Ser Rodrik steers his mount with only one hand, the other missing from the wrist down. As more soldiers ride in, the people press back and Gwen finds herself behind broad shoulders and waving sticks.

And then across the field, she sees. A white palfrey rides in among dark steeds and upon it sat Robb, cloak-less and cheeks rosy from the ride. Gwen takes the sight of him in, the scratches and dents in his armor, the bandage around his leg. But he was alive. Alive and whole and back and gods if she didn't miss his face. She watches him scan the crowd, and she knows he's looking for her. Here, her mind screams. I'm here. You're here. Here.

Robb glance over her and back, and he sees her. He does. After greeting his mother and pushing Bran forward for her to fuss over, he makes his way through the crowd, only just acknowledging the welcome of the people he passed. She does the same, mumbling her apologies though she isn't all that sorry because she's waited and prayed to all the gods for this day for the past two years.

"Gwen," he says, stopping just in front of her. She could've taken up his sword then and bashed him over the head with it. "My lady."

She had forgotten his promise, too blissfully delirious over his return to concentrate on what it meant. "My lord," she breathes, and she pulls him into a kiss for all the see.

On to part 5.

Robb x Gwen Master Archive [ Part 6 / 6 ]

kitoky — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 08:51:41 GMT

'Cause they took your loved ones
But returned them in exchange for you
But would you have it any other way?

Reference Guide:

[x] Gifs and graphics displayed are created by me, unless otherwise stated. Please do not re-post anywhere else. Let me know if a link is broken.

[x] Drabbles that are directly posted alongside the gif/graphic are written by me.

[x] Drabbles or fics that have been attached to the gif by other authors are linked. I encourage you to explore all the contributed writings! They're great!

[x] I can't promise that all of these drabble attachments are PG.

[x] Special thanks to anjali_organna and threemeows for their ongoing friendship and comaraderie.

[x] Finally, I'm very sorry.

Robb x Gwen Archive
Part ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX
MODERN DAY SHIT?

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Sept 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

turn-the-key replied to your post: “Shhhh, just develop a new show with Angel and Richard and I’ll commission it myself. E4 is the perfect network for what I have in mind.” Richard Madden and Angel Coulby on E4???!! Damn it, Kit! Now ...

I don’t know you two or how you’re both able to read my mind, but carry on.

"If it turns out they really are corrupt, we're going to be in a load more of trouble," Detective Inspector Aleese Colbert says while they search out the warehouse. It was a pitiful, abandoned thing with one big hanger and five smaller rooms. She flashes her torch this way and that only seeing empty crates and a broken, old refrigerator.

"All our previous missing persons seem to be leading back one way or another to this company - however vague the connection, " replies their MI6 correspondent, Agent Rick Mullen. "One wire transfer between Truman and whoever it is inside Parliament seems to raise a red flag. Other than that, there's not much to go on."

"You'd be surprised at what we can do, Agent Mullen," Colbert throws him a smirk. "If one thing can be tracked, everything else can be as well. Meryn's got quite the hands once you set him in front of a computer."

The computer wiz in question shoots Mullen a grin and goes back to rifling through a upturned chest. "Here's the last room, no doubt there's not much in here either." He nods at them both and goes in alone. Mullen and Colbert stand just outside the open doorway, thinking about their sour luck and the dead end that is the warehouse.

"So DS Meryn has magic fingers," Mullen ventures. "What about you? What are your talents?" Behind them, DS Meryn dodges an attacker from behind the door.

"I talk to people," she says simply. "Face like this, my charming personality... folks like to chat quite a bit. You listen long enough, you find things out. Also, I can break legs." Mullen gives her an impressive nod of the head while Meryn takes hold of the baseball bat that was heading towards his face and commences a tug of war with the lackey. "So Agent Mullen, why is it that every single case with MI6 brings us you? Short-staffed?"

He shrugs. The baseball bat breaks and Meryn initiates running around in circles mode. "Drawing the shortest straw seems to be a skill of mine."

"I'm sorry working with us is such a displeasure."

"I'm not," he smiles, bright-eyed. "The other blokes would rather go out and get shot at, but I like living." Behind, the pursuer is getting hit by random objects that DS Meryn can manage to throw.

"Oh, excuse me- " Colbert finally notices the commotion and grabs a crowbar from the wall beside them. She and Agent Mullen enter the room and Meryn skids past allowing Colbert to clock the thug right in the nose. The man shakes the ground when he falls, unconscious. "Did you find anything?" She asks Meryn, who was sitting against a wall and catching his breath.

"No," he utters between breaths. "Nothing."

Before Colbert could show her apparent frustration, Mullen places a hand at her elbow. "Well," he says, gesturing towards the unconscious man. "We found him, let's see what he was doing in an abandoned warehouse and why he was so eager to kill DS Meryn."

"I'd like to know that first actually," Meryn breathes, throwing himself up to his feet. DS Meryn and Agent Mullen both take the man under the arms and drags him out to the car. Before they got in, Mullen taps the top of the car and says, "Nice shot" to Colbert.

With a one-shouldered shrug, she says, "It's a gift."

A knock at the door causes Agent Mullen to look up from his paperwork organized in giant stacks. The image of Inspector Colbert banishes all his miseries however and a grin splits his face. "Inspector!"

"You know, I was stopped and questioned four times on my way up here," she says, not a foot inside his office. Colbert fiddles with the visitor's badge on her shirt. "I thought these were just a formality."

"We take things very seriously here," he responds with the most unserious expression on the face of the Earth. "Come in, come in. What brings you here?"

Aleese Colbert settles herself in the one chair across from him, "Cole's found more dirt on our guy Truman. It looks like he's got monthly money transfers out of his company accounts to Dubai dating back sixteen months. There aren't any descriptions to the transfers, but the recipient seems to be a shoe factory - whether or not the factory is a cover is yet to be known."

"Why wasn't MI6 able to find those?"

She rolls her eyes, "MI6 don't have Cole Meryn. I do." It was true that she was very possessive of her partner, but it was mainly because she loved him like a brother and he could work a computer better than CIA and MI6 put together. They met 6 years ago on the Wolheim Case back when they both found themselves at Scotland Yard and have always been together since. "Now we can't hit Truman directly but we can talk to his head of accounts, who likes to follow a routine."

"And where would this head of accounts be right now?"

"At a corner bakery and cafe on Finsbury and Eaton Hill," she shrugs, nonchalantly.

He stands up and grabs his coat jacket. "Well, then, would you like some coffee, Inspector Colbert?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Sept 2011]

Be my mirror, my sword and shield

[ direct tumblr link | orig. posted Dec 2011 ]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Sept 2011 | not my photo]

Robb wakes with a sharp realization that Gwen wasn't in bed next to him. After glancing at the faint lights of 4:18 of the nightstand clock, he finds his footing on the wooden floors of their flat and makes his way towards the light coming from the hall. He follows the beam of it seeping from the slightly ajar doorway of the bathroom and peeks in, squinting against the brightness.

"Gwen?" He spots her on the floor between the tub and the loo, "What's gone on?" Gwen looks up at him and he suspected she'd been up for a bit since she looks much more awake than he feels. She waves him over to sit next to her and it's then he spots the bundle of fur next to her hip - its head tucked tightly between the curve of her bottom and the edge of the tub.

"Looks like your new mate has an aversion to storms," she says, a gentle hand on the back of the husky-wolf mix. He remembers hearing the thunder now, which started not long after they'd settled into bed. A week ago, Robb brought home the pup thinking she'd love it - they'd been living together for nearly 8 months and he thought it'd be a nice addition. She was less than pleased. He was certain Grey Wind ("You already named it?") would win her over, and he was sure she would soon see the benefits of having a dog guard the flat. He was starting to lose hope after a week but this might do the trick. Robb stared at her expectantly and she rolled her eyes. "Okay, he's awfully cute - when he's not hiding my shoes god knows where."

As if Grey Wind had caught on that they were talking about him, he lifted his head out of his hiding spot and climbed over Gwen's lap to get to Robb, his tail wagging excitedly. Robb doesn't hear any thunder now and surmises that their new pup is over his bout of fear. "Hey there, boy. Can't be real ferocious when you're wimpering over a storm, can you?" The husky barked in response - more of a yelp than anything - and goes off to sniff the floor. And before they knew it, Grey Wind started lifting his leg.

"No, Grey Wind!" Robb picks the pup up to stop him but it only causes the mess to spray everywhere. Gwen dodges it with a squeak as Robb tries to hold him over the loo. "Gwen --"

"Oh, no," she shakes her head. "My shift's over. You brought him home, Stark. You'll feed him yourself, you'll train him yourself." And promptly leaves for bed again.

[ direct tumblr link | orig. posted March 2012 | not my gif]

Gwen had spent her fair share of the holidays with the Starks before, and after the fourth year in a row, she supposes she's gotten used to the routine. The Starks themselves were a large family, with even larger acquaintances. Jon Umber was one of them - nicknamed 'Greatjon' in his old university years, and unfortunately for his son, Jr., who passed for 'Smalljon'. In truth, he wasn't small at all but smaller than his father. Besides the Umbers, were the Karstarks who apparently were distant cousins to Robb and the others. She's thankful she could keep who belonged to what family, based on how horribly she could remember their names.

She was expecting a whole lot of the same, really, this year. Just making her polite rounds, inquiring how everyone was - perhaps some detailed questions if she was confident they belonged to the right folk. But usually it ends up with her shuffling off in a corner with Arya, who was just as comfortable with all of it, even less, as she was. 'At least you're not related to the whole lot,' sighed Arya one year after one of their father's work buddies tugged on her hair and commented on she's the wild one. Gwen thought she was rather chuffed about that though, even if she vowed to gripe about anything related to family holidays.

Instead of the usual, Gwen found that the whole debacle was to be at some oceanside manor that belonged to the Tully's ('Mum's brother, been trying to reach out since Granddad died - Mum broke,' Robb explained briefly.) Needless to say it was a magnificent home. Which is how Gwen ended up in the large acre yard of the manor playing hopscotch around a puppy that Rickon begged for this Christmas and Mr. Stark relented just to quell Rickon's nagging. ('Everyone else's got one! And Bran could help me train it!' - 'I will not!') The place was expansive, which meant Gwen could go off and be by herself without being impolite - just enjoying the land, really. Grey Wind was lounging on a patch of grass he found comfortable and watched the pup lazily as it dived snout first in its own water bowl.

Eventually Robb comes out to join her, offering a glass of bubbly. "I'm starting to think you like the dogs better than us on holidays," he teases.

"I prefer them most of the time, actually," quips Gwen and Robb tugs at her tendril.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Feb 2012 | not my photo]

By the end of it all, her jeans are soaked through and there isn't an inch of the floor that wasn't covered in water. She tosses aside the mat that's well beyond saving. deciding that she'd make Robb pay for a new one. Grey Wind hops about in the tub and suddenly she's blinded by a spray of water as he shakes out his fur, only to get it sopping again. Honestly, she thinks. This was the opposite of what she expected. Aren't animals usually so distraught to have a wash? Granted, she's only ever grown up with cats. Even so...

The sound of the door startles her, and she groans. He wasn't to be home for another hour. Now there's no hiding this from him. Gwen's wondering if perhaps the cupboard under the sink might be able to fit her when she hears his throaty laughter. She only humors him by sticking her tongue out at him, trying to keep Grey Wind from eagerly leaving the tub to greet Robb.

And then she sees the mobile he tugs out of his trousers. "NO!" she's shrieking as she launches toward him, Grey Wind in tow.

If you can only see the beast you've made of me
I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free
Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart
Drag my teeth across your chest and taste your beating heart

There once lived beloved Little Red whose steps were haunted by a Bad Wolf...
[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Oct 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Sept 2011]

R: And here is the gorgeous Angel Coul-- can't see your face like that - ah, there. Forgive her, she hasn't learned recording etiquette yet.
A: Etiquette? You play catch with your camera!
R: (turns camera onto himself) Isn't she lovely?

A LOVER'S ALIBI → inspired by ♫; requested by me, deal with it
starring: angel coulby, richard madden
I walked a minute in your shoes,
They never would've fit
I figured there's nothing to lose

Nelle Cooper (Coulby) was always told that the residency was the hardest part to becoming a doctor. After the grunt work, ridicule, and making the necessary mistakes, Nelle was ready to be the doctor she always knew she was capable of becoming. Unfortunately, no one told her about the jump in responsibilities: eighteen patients in critical, five very incompetent residents under her wing, and two sixteen hour shifts back to back. Not one mistake is to be made, she's not new or inexperienced anymore. Years of wear and tear drives friends and family away and soon Nelle's only regular human contact is with the dead and the dying. And soon, the dead and dying come to define her.

Erik Dawson (Madden) is used to the fast life. In fact, you kind of had to be in order to work as an emergency paramedic. Four emergencies a day seems like an awful lot but it keeps him on his toes, even the ones where it's just a pair of delinquents bored out of their juvenile little minds. But sometimes the rush isn't enough and he turns to the club life: dark, free, and blissfully never-ending. Eventually, the shadows of his past will catch up to him just when he's out of gas. When a bomb crisis drives them together, will it be enough for them to wake up and smell the disinfectant?

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011]

Hector from Andromache's embrace went to arms,
And it was his wife who placed his helmet upon his head.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Oct 2011]

Thanks for the wild ride folks.

Robb x Gwen Master Archive [ Part 3 / 6 ]

kitoky — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 07:08:22 GMT

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

Reference Guide:

[x] Gifs and graphics displayed are created by me, unless otherwise stated. Please do not re-post anywhere else. Let me know if a link is broken.

[x] Drabbles that are directly posted alongside the gif/graphic are written by me.

[x] Drabbles or fics that have been attached to the gif by other authors are linked. I encourage you to explore all the contributed writings! They're great!

[x] I can't promise that all of these drabble attachments are PG.

[x] Special thanks to anjali_organna and threemeows for their ongoing friendship and comaraderie.

[x] Finally, I'm very sorry.

Robb x Gwen Archive
Part ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX
a.k.a. Actually we've decided that Gwen is gonna go to Westeros, and is happy.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted October 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Oct 2011]

Rickon is five now and must learn to ride. The wolfswood is a dangerous place these days crawling with wolves and wildlings alike, and Lady Stark could not be swayed to let Rickon ride outside Winterfell's walls. Instead, everyday, Robb and Gwen take Rickon to the godswood and allow the young Stark to ride Gwen's mare (a gift from her father for her eighteenth name day) slowly around the great red weirwood. Sometimes Bran comes as well, his horse Dancer, galloping, weaving behind and in front of Rickon. The direwolves do not accompany them, much to the dismay of Rickon, as the horses spook easily around the giant beasts.

Robb and Gwen spend the time beside the pond, sometimes dipping their feet in the heated waters. Robb tells her of Jon's last letter to them from the Wall, reporting that the place is still cold and dreary, and cold. He tells her that he misses his half-brother, that despite his mother's apparent hatred for Jon, they grew close and it didn't matter who his mother is.

"I am his brother and he is mine," says Robb, eyes far away. Gwen smiles, warmed to know Robb's thoughts and who he holds dear. The Starks are a good and wholesome family, not above bickering and but still full of love.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted October 2011]

“Gwen’s been with us for years. She’s as capable as anyone, maybe more so.”

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted November 2011]

They find the wimpering direwolf cubs when Robb and Jon take the girls hawking. Lady Catelyn gives Gwen clear instructions to look out for them, warning that the boys don't know when they're pushing too much. Even with Gwen's constant reassurances to the lady, she only eases when Lord Stark announces he'd accompany them. Arya and Bran ride ecstatically through the forest in their excitement and Rickon does his best to keep up.

Thankfully, Gwen was able to keep a slow pace seeing as though Sansa wasn't nearly as interested as her younger siblings. Robb begins the game at the lead of the pack but slowly meanders his way back to her side. Jon kept speed with Arya and Bran, purposely slowing them down before Rickon broke into tears. Lord Stark's falcon had managed to rip down a heron before Jory Cassel called them over to uncover a mysterious sight.

The giant dead corpse of a direwolf frightens Sansa and Arya scolds her for being stupid. "It's dead, isn't it?" Arya bites logically, and Gwen shoots her a look asking her play nicely. Lord Stark approaches the pile, the pups pawing at his boots and treading through his legs. After a curious conversation about direwolves hunting south of the Wall and Bran's distress at Lord Stark's order for the pups to be killed, Jon suggests the Stark children take them as their own using a clever argument about the Stark sigil.

Bran's face lights up at Lord Stark's agreement and she notices Robb is pleased as well. Rickon slowly emerges from Gwen's arms to take a pup as well and by the end of scuffle for the direwolves even Sansa is taken with one. "Shall we head back, my lord?" asks Jory. "The hawks look ready to devour the dogs."

Robb dumps one of them in Gwen's lap on the ride back, the wriggling pup nipping and licking the hand she has hold of it.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted October 2011]

It's after her twentieth name day that her father passes as a good, strong man of forty-eight. And even good, strong men fall ill to disease and soon the labor of his years catch up with him. His bed becomes his home and the thatched roof of their modest cot becomes his sky. His last days are peaceful, with only a little bit of regret that he could not have done more for the two most dear to him. At this, Elyan storms out and Gwen gnaws at her lip, a lump in her throat.

Weeks later, Gwen starts coming home to bundles of flowers set about the house, a desolate and lonely place now that her father has been honored and buried with the graces of the Seven and Elyan having left for the south soon after. Her brother had always been a uneasy creature, one looking beyond the horizon - itching to see what's behind it. Dissimilarly, their father always wanted them close, and Gwen tries not to recall all the arguments they had. So with a steel spine and wringing hands, she gives her little brother a kiss farewell and wishes him the happiness he could never find in Winterfell. That was nearly four days ago, and unless Elyan had quickly discovered that the horizon would lead him on an eternal chase, her only conjecture was that it was some mysterious other.

The first day, they were marigolds so rich in red and gold that it reminded her of Camelot's colors and Morgana's distaste for them. The next, she ends up in a sea of violet wildflowers, ones she's only ever seen in the wolfswood outside of Winterfell. The third are long lines of blossoming vines trickling up and around the wooden pillars. It lasts a week more until she finds that she has no sitting space in her home.

It's one morning that she spots the Stark boys with Theon Greyjoy practicing at swords and bows across the bailey that the puzzles fall in. Minding herself, she tries her best to mask the way she stomps up to Robb, who is waiting as Ser Rodrik instructs a duel between Greyjoy and Hullen's son, Harwin. He sees her, she knows - it's that ever so slight curve of his mouth - but before she can get a word in, Bran's come up to her, brandishing his bow with pride. "Gwen! Look what I've done! Those bolts there, those are mine. Here, see, I can do it again." The boy readies another arrow and Robb slowly meets her gaze over Bran's unkempt hair. A mistake on his part, seeing as he could never keep a secret long enough when confronted directly.

"So," he starts, meticulously slow. "This summer's full... of... flowers."

"Is that so?" she can't help the pull of her lips. "It's funny, I have noticed. They're growing so fast and in such numbers that I scarcely recognize my house."

He grins. "Do you like them?" At her look, he catches himself and becomes visibly abashed. "You've been very sad, and rightly so, but... with your brother gone now -- I thought perhaps -"

"They're lovely," says Gwen, a smile full and honest. "But no more or I swear, by your gods and mine, there won't be a single blossom left in all the north."

"I would pick all of Westeros for you," he declares, but agrees anyways.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted October 2011]

Lately, she considered herself lucky to be able to catch a glance at Robb when their paths briefly cross: a look outside the window when Ser Rodrik has them drilling at swords, colliding into him while he's on his way to his father while she attends to Old Nan, the brief welcoming of the bannerman in the Great Hall. The year's harvest was the largest she had seen since the last winter when she was only nine and her memories of Mother were still fresh. The cold was light and lasted only two years, something her father couldn't believe. He always had many stories to tell, her father.

She's on a run to the kitchens when she's pulled aside to a dark corner, her surprise melting into delight to see Robb grinning down at her. "You must be a stranger, your face is barely familiar to me," he teases.

"And yours," she brushes her fingertips through the scruff he's started to sport. Tucked away in their corner, they talk like they hadn't spoken in years - giggling, outright laughing followed by hushes. Did you hear? Mikken's got a new apprentice. He's terrible, you should be doing it. Bran's trying to take up the bow and arrow, but Theon keeps showing him up. He's showing up a seven year old! Must be he's having a hard time showing up Arya.

They're in the middle of laughing about a joke played on Farlen and his dogs when a throat's cleared. Gwen peeks over Robb's shoulder to see Sansa giggling and Lady Stark giving them a wry, but not disapproving, look. Robb has the decency to look sheepish and the mother-daughter pair pass.

"The last of the bannerman are here and tonight should be our final feast, unless the King on the Iron Throne comes here himself," Robb takes her by the chin and she feels as though the skin there is on fire. "I will see you again, Gwen." She is caught off guard by the genuine affection in his voice and a smile blossoms before she could stop it.

He combs his fingers through the hair at her nape and presses a prickly kiss to the side of her nose and then properly on her lips. It's a kiss filled with promise and just a little bit of hunger and leaves her yearning.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

Robb stops thinking the instant he catches sight of her, bundled up in her shawl and the heat of her small cot radiating from within. The light shapes her face and creates a crown on her hair making his breath catch. Her eyes, her smile, the faint freckles on her nose.

"Yes?" Her expectant grin tells Robb that he's been staring, and he flushes. Why was he here? Gods if he could remember. She leans against the frame, settling to await his answer.

His mind is blank beside the image of her.

"I had a reason," explains Robb, but it's all he can say. Gwen only laughs and so does he, even at his own embarrassment.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted April 2012]

It's a slow trek to King's Landing even on the Kingsroad and Gwen was having trouble keeping Sansa from fussing from anxiousness. "What if we'll be late and everything is over by then time we get there?" Gwen just tugs at her plait while she's twisting it and says, "The tourney will hardly start without your lord father present. We'll make good time, m'lady."

One night, Lady Catelyn sends the girls off to bed early because of a spat. Unfortunately that meant a rather tense evening in the tent. They bore the punishment well until the close quarters ended up in a throwing match of brushes and clothes and in some cases boots. Thankfully, a shout from Gwen was enough and the girls sheepishly crawled into their beds.

Later, as she finds herself unable to fall asleep, she hears voices outside. Then, Robb's head ducks into the tent. "Are the girls asleep?" At her nod, he beckons her out. "They'll be fine on their own for a time, would you mind a walk with me?" She worries her lip, thinking of leaving the girls by themselves. Sansa was only four-and-ten, and Arya even younger. Still... Suddenly, another head ducked into the tent.

"I'll keep an eye out, Gwen. You go on," Ser Desmond encouraged. Robb's wide grin tells her she has no proper excuse to refuse now.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

"I'll have you know that I'm an excellent lance," Robb protests, and Gwen giggles.

"Yes, yes. You've made a point of it a few dozen times now," says Gwen, her smile and her tone conveys a clear dubiousness. King Robert Baratheon called a tourney to celebrate Lord Renly's marriage to Margaery Tyrell of Highgarden. Their journey south begins early tomorrow morning and Sansa was so excited she could barely shut her eyes. Lady Stark has Gwen staying in the Keep tonight to attend to the girls at early sunrise.

"Won't you give me a token when I ride?" Robb asks.

"I have no token to give, my lord, nor will you be short of them I'm sure," she says though her face flushes at his request.

There's a tinge of disappointment masked by determination. "Well, I won't have a token at all then," he says. "I wouldn't care if it was a fine silk ribbon or a scrap of cloth so as long as it was yours."

The next day Old Nan scolds her for her disheveled apron, torn and ragged at the ends.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

With Arya occupied with her dancing master, it leaves Gwen to attend to Sansa more efficiently than she has for a while. Sansa shows a genuine enjoyment being in the south and Gwen sees the fascination and adoration in her eye with every knight that walks the streets. "It's just like in the songs, Gwen. So many beautiful knights and beautiful ladies. Jeyne says she feels so odd among the ladies here, but I know I could live here forever."

Sansa's dreams of glorious knights seemed to rival those of Bran's and it makes Gwen smile to see Sansa so animated. Her quarrels with Arya have lessened since coming south, though that might be because they barely saw each other outside of eating and sleeping together. "Oh, Gwen, won't you make my hair like the Southron girls? You're from the south, aren't you? Surely you've done it before."

"I have, my lady," answers Gwen and she finishes off combing through Sansa's hair before separating patches to be pinned. "Though not for some time."

"It doesn't matter, I'll look better than Jeyne Poole because I've got you," declares Sansa. "Ser Loras is riding against that giant Mountain tomorrow, and he'll beat him, I'm sure of it. Ser Loras is the most beautiful knight in the tourney. Oh, if only he looked at me like Robb looks at you, I'd be the happiest girl in the Seven Kingdoms."

Gwen fumbles with Sansa's hair hearing the last bit and she tries to bite down her smile.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Nov 2011]

Robb finds it a delight and a dismay that Gwen seemed to flourish in the south. With the festivities and the feasts, King's Landing was packed from Fishmarket to Dragon Gate, and the only opportunities to see her were when the Starks broke their fast together or brief glimpses of her as she sits with his brothers and sisters in the stands during the jousts. Mother did not care for him to enter into the melee, and although Loras Tyrell had ribbed him about it, he minded his lady mother's wishes. He was always the better lance besides.

King's Landing was a chance to show all the Seven Kingdoms his strength and his value, the future Lord of Winterfell, Warden of the North. He has a good run in the joust, defeating his first opponent - a squire to some lesser lord of House Florent - and the second, Ser Desmond of his father's own household guard. Ser Desmond gave him a grudging wrestle of congratulations after. "Don't know if this tells me you've grown too quickly or I've grown too old." He's unhorsed by Ser Arys Oakheart of the Kingsguard and Robb might've been angry about that fact longer if the White-Cloak didn't come up to him afterwards to pay him his dues. Robb made a note to remember Ser Arys.

He's crossing Maegor's when Gwen comes tumbling down a staircase in a dress so light and flowing, one befitting the heat of the south. He wonders if she ever misses the south, if she misses Camelot. Whenever he asks, Gwen shrugs and says, "I suppose I do in little ways." She stops at the bottom of the stairs when she spots him and her grin tells him she's as happy to see him as he is her.

"A great lance you turned out to be," she teases. "Defeated by a knight of the Kingsguard."

"The shame keeps me from facing the world," Robb agrees, solemnly. "Elyan advanced well in the melee." Gwen glows at this, so proud of the brother who left for the south three years ago. He knew they kept in touch, if only sparingly by raven. He did not know, however, if Gwen expected to see him here and as a participant in the tourney. They talk about the weeks past: the tiresome, formal suppers with the king and queen and their lot, how Sansa's developed a crush on Ser Loras, Bran's robust excitement of all the glory of knighthood.

"You look happy," observes Robb, a gentle look in his eye. Gwen hides her blush by ducking her chin.

"Elyan's here, good and well. The girls are happy - even Arya. She befriended a dancing master wherever it is he came from." She puffs out her chest, giving him a solid nod. "I suppose I am. But don't mistake me, I'll be glad to go home." Somehow it pleased him to know that she considered Winterfell home. She tugs at the cloth at his belt. "You know your run in the joust is over."

Robb smiles, patting it. "Well, might it give me luck in some other matter since it did me no good against Oakheart." Gwen looks affronted until she swats at his arm, laughing. He fights her off and jogs away to escape her, feeling more cheery than when he rode in the tourney.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

All those who come to serve Robb under the banners were a worthy addition to their cause but however valued a warrior they were, Robb and his council found some lacking in wit and other notable capacities.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Oct 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted August 2011]

There are still times when Robb feels like a green boy again, oblivious to the true duties of a lord - a lord of what was once one of seven kingdoms. The blood of the old Kings of Winter flows through his veins, their might strong in his bones but the grip on his sword slips. It is not battle that Robb fears he will fail. Strength in war only commands a passing loyalty. It is the strength of love that keep his bannermen by his side. They follow him out of honor and duty to his lord father now deceased, and Robb fears his strength to command will fail him. That he will take a giant misstep and fall completely.

These moments of doubt, far and few between, only last until Gwen is there - returned to his side however many times she must leave him. She has a quiet tenacity that reminds him of his father, who spoke little and listened much. "Your word must be strong, Robb, but so must your hearing. You need always learn to listen," Father had said. And he tries, he does - but sometimes he forgets, sometimes an anxiousness takes hold of his heart, his stomach, every brittle bone inside him and listening is hard. Gwen soothes him, in a blessed way that she does not know she does - something that both amuses and exasperates him. By his side, she counsels him so unlike the way his lady mother did, but her words have wisdom that once even Lord Karstark begrudgingly agreed.

He reads her face when she's done, a wonder that she does not bow her head as is her habit but he is grateful. He takes courage from her eyes, filled with such caring and love that Robb can't help but feel undeserving of it. Undeserving, but selfish, he finds himself. So he takes hold of the courage before it leaves him again and hardens to face his lords bannermen.

Strength in war. Strength in love.

These men serve him, Robb Stark, Lord of Winterfell, King in the North, out of duty, loyalty, and love.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted November 2011]

-How could it end like this?
-How could it not?

On to part 4.

Robb x Gwen Master Archive [ Part 2 / 6 ]

kitoky — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 08:39:57 GMT

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

Reference Guide:

[x] Gifs and graphics displayed are created by me, unless otherwise stated. Please do not re-post anywhere else. Let me know if a link is broken.

[x] Drabbles that are directly posted alongside the gif/graphic are written by me.

[x] Drabbles or fics that have been attached to the gif by other authors are linked. I encourage you to explore all the contributed writings! They're great!

[x] I can't promise that all of these drabble attachments are PG.

[x] Special thanks to anjali_organna and threemeows for their ongoing friendship and comaraderie.

[x] Finally, I'm very sorry.

Robb x Gwen Archive
Part ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX
a.k.a. Robb is still in Albion but then suddenly we decided Westeros was better?
Because we're idiots.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted August 2011 | not my gif]

theopensea: Well, Gwen thought. It's not a direwolf but it would certainly do.

The beast was an extremely active creature, and dogs were not very often thought of unless they were in the heart of a particularly frigid winter. Ofttimes, those of high nobility or lowly peasant would share their beds with a hound to achieve whatever extra heat they may provide. Her father once had one, a scrawny black thing that pranced about the forge when her father had set to do work. Gwen had no great love for the hound, and felt little grief when it had run off - never to return.

And yet this small pup, with sharp hearing and very friendly tongue, hopped to and fro around the meadow she and Robb had set themselves upon. Grey Wind gave the unseasoned dog a cursory sniff and paid no more attention to it after that. Robb did not say where he had acquired the young thing and Gwen did not ask, and eventually the hound grew and grew, as did Gwen's tolerance of the animal. It had no name, not uncommon in Camelot, however aghast Robb was to learning this fact. And so he gives it a name. "Daffy" he calls it, and Gwen raises a brow at his choice but only until she spots the dog pouncing on a bundle of daffodils on the hillside.

"It has as much love for flowers as you do," he notes and Gwen watches the hound fondly. She often goes to and fro the castle in the middle of the night - a consequence of Morgana's nightmares, and Daffy accompanies her, always alert and guarding her wherever she went. And Gwen suspects Robb is all the more grateful to the dog because of it.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011]

"I have to go back."
(five word mini-attachment by 3m)

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Oct 2011 | drabble attachment: (biathenas)]

No more calling like a crow for a boy,
For a body in the garden
No more dreaming like a girl so in love,
So in love with the wrong world

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011 | drabble attachment: (3m) (thetaoofzoe)]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

She tells herself that this is all for the best. He needed to get back to his own world and Merlin has finally been able to help. Gwen enters the room as Robb and Merlin prepare for his journey back and freezes upon seeing him. Her mouth opens but she has forgotten what she had intended to say. A final farewell? A wish of luck? A plead to stay? The words are stuck in her throat and she’s grateful when Merlin quietly excuses himself.

“Gwen?” says Robb, concerned.

She allows herself to look him over, from the crease in his brow to the set of his jaw, the fur-lined cloak he had refused to shed since his initial stumble into Camelot (’It’s all I have of home,’ he’d said). Gwen thinks of the sorrow in his eyes and his growing discontent. There was no future here for Robb Stark. Gwen steels herself and repeats: This is for the best.

fin.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011 | drabble attachments: (theopensea)]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

Inside my head,
Your voice is still resounding but what can I do?
The empty rooms feel cold when I am so used to being with you
Count the stars, watch the waves, absorb the summer sun,
And think of me

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011]

The journey is long and hard and vastly uncertain. The waves of the narrow sea makes Gwen's stomach coil in her gut and she has never felt more homesick for Camelot, for the tiny cottage she calls home and the forge her father had long since abandoned.

Gwen makes her way up the deck of the mighty Wind Chaser, a ship Uther had managed to commission with quite a bit of money from his coffers to secure his ward's safe passage across the Narrow Sea. The wood up above was had much more wear and tear, evidence that she has braved the waters for many years. Gwen feels a certain calmness up above, with the ringing of waves in her ears and the smell of salt through her senses. The motion of the sea doesn't quite churn her insides as it does down below. Every night after setting Lady Morgana to rest, she takes a moment to herself up here -- a moment to collect her thoughts and turn over her worries.

The waves crash loudly against the stern and she notes that she is not alone tonight. A lone figure stands to the side, buried in pelts, their attention focused on the darkening abyss of the ocean.

Robb Stark of Westeros. He, the catalyst that sent them on this journey westward to a land unknown and frightening. A month ago, the stranger arrives at court in Camelot, seeking audience with the king. The man claimed that a storm had taken him astray, leaving him swept ashore with one other comrade who's life was taken by the waves and the wind. Uther, learning of the stranger's Westeros roots, welcomed him with open arms. And after a few days of negotiations and dealings, the King of Camelot had not only given Robb Stark a good number of men but a ship to see him home. Gwen heard from Merlin that the king was hoping to win Westeros's friendship by graciously returning them their lord. ("Lord Stark's only from some part called Winterfell, and from what I hear, Westeros is a huge place - maybe even bigger than Albion, but Uther is certainly doing all he can," explained Merlin.)

Now, upon the deck, Gwen watched the man and saw little of the stony lord in council hall of the castle and more of a lost soul yearning for home. For a short time, she empathized with him - but only until she realized that the closer he was to home, the farther she was from hers. Of course, this was no real fault of his - it was not him in which her fate was tied, after all. It was her own Lady Morgana, who's curiosity piqued at the smallest whispers that Westeros still had some remnants of free magic. Gwen doubts the truth in these rumors, but she knows very little of what is outside her home city. Morgana, under the guise of wanting to establish good relations with those in Westeros in the name of Camelot, persuaded the usually stern Uther to allow her this small trip. And wherever the Lady Morgana pleases to go, Gwen was always made to come along. Perhaps, it was just as well. Morgana has been locked up inside her cabin for most of the trip and Gwen worries that her mistress's plans are more devious than ever before. But even then, what could she do? Merlin was by her side, at least - offering her a familiar comfort and a friendly smile. She had at least that.

"You look lost," a voice cuts through her thoughts. The man, Lord Stark, had spoken to her. What he said she doesn't know. But the look on her face must have proven him right. "It's easy to get lost out here.";

She doesn't know what to say, wondering at all if he realizes that she's a serving girl. "You must be anxious to get back home," she says. A safe and innocent presumption.

"Yes, for the most part," is his response. "And sometimes, I wish I could forget it all." Gwen is curious about what he means and it must have shown, because he continues on. "I have... quite a bit to do, back home. I'm ... anxious," he weighs the word on his tongue, "that I should I fail."

"It sounds like you believe you already have," she notes, unfortunately aloud. He looks to her then, truly seeing her for the first time. She gives a brief apologetic look before turning away.

"What's your name?"

"Gwen, my lord," she answers, dipping her head. "I am the Lady Morgana's maidservant."

"Maidservant?" his surprise is evident in his tone. "You speak rather plainly for a servant."

She flushed, "I'm sorry, my lord. My years of serving the lady has allowed me some freedom of familiarity that I mistakenly extend to others. Forgive me."

"Don't be," says Lord Stark. "Out here, it's questionable whether I am a lord - being so far from home. I have never felt less like a lord."

"Still a lord, just a bit more lost," she says as a way of comfort. It seemed to do some justice, because he smiles then - wide and unhesitating - and nods.

"Yes, Gwen," he agrees. Her name on his tongue sends a chill through her that she does not understand and blames on the wind. "My name is Robb Stark. Perhaps, we are to be lost together."

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted August 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Oct 2011 | drabble attachment: (theopensea)]

That's one memory that I choose to carry
Weary memory I can always see

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted August 2011]

On to part 3.

Robb x Gwen Master Archive [ Part 1 / 6 ]

kitoky — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 09:42:50 GMT

So believe it or not, on Tumblr, thenameismaynard posted this graphic of Robb/Gwen and I was like ?!?!?!?! YAAAAAASSSSS. I immediately jumped on the ship, started making graphics and manip gifs and it was glorious because it's a crackship and nothing can ruin it, right?

WRONG.

Game of Thrones got terrible and Robb got terrible and my motivation died a lot. Do I still love them and reminisce? Totally. Which is why I wanted to compile a masterlist so I can easily spiral down memory lane. (Because Gwen is still perfect and she deserves good things.) Without further ado...

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted Sept 2011]

Reference Guide:

[x] Gifs and graphics displayed are created by me, unless otherwise stated. Please do not re-post anywhere else. Let me know if a link is broken.

[x] Drabbles that are directly posted alongside the gif/graphic are written by me.

[x] Drabbles or fics that have been attached to the gif by other authors are linked. I encourage you to explore all the contributed writings! They're great!

[x] I can't promise that all of these drabble attachments are PG.

[x] Special thanks to anjali_organna and threemeows for their ongoing friendship and comaraderie.

[x] Finally, I'm very sorry.

Robb x Gwen Archive
Part ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX
a.k.a. Robb finds himself in Camelot.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011 | drabble attachment: (dfriendly)]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011 | drabble attachments: (3m/theopensea) (mylifeasafangirl)]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011 | drabble attachments: (3m) (mylifeasafangirl)]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011]

"I must thank you for welcoming me into your home... during all of this," says her charming house guest for the past week. "A lesser person would've left me out to the streets as it seems my money is no use to me here."

"Actually, you've thanked me several times already," she laughs and he as well, only if it was a quirk at the mouth. It's the closest he ever gets to really brightening up. She knows it must be an unsettling ordeal for him, so far away from home - a city called Winterfell in a land also unfamiliar to her. But what did she know of the world? She's only ever lived in Camelot. Not that she hasn't seen so many different people (she has Merlin to thank for that), but none quite as intriguing as Robb Stark of Winterfell.

"I hope I haven't been trouble," he interrupts her thoughts.

"Barely any. You've been my best guest thus far," Gwen grins at the thoughts of Arthur's last stay in her home during the jousting tournament. "If only they all were nearly as polite as you."

"Do you live alone?"

She pauses, memories of dad poking the hearth - still covered in dirt and grime from the forge, and of Elyan, who only travels farther and farther away. "Y-yes. It used to be my father and I, but... he's gone now. Passed." Gwen fiddles with the linen of her apron. She's never really talked about her father's death. She never realized how long it had been.

"I'm sorry," he offers his sympathy. "My own father also faces death. I only hope to get back before it's too late." His face grows dark and reminds Gwen how very little she knows of her kind stranger. She, too, hopes his father escapes the fate hers had unfortunately met. Gwen doesn't say it, because the moment has passed and his eyes tell her he's far away now - so impulsively and gently, she takes his hand in hers and the gesture conveys it just as well.

fin.

[direct tumblr link | original gif | orig. posted July 2011 | drabble attachment: (mylifeasafangirl)]

And the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead the way are blinding

theopensea asked: NO ONE HAS PROMPTED YOU ROBB/GWEN? WHAT IS THIS FUCKERY.

She fiddles with it inside her dress pocket, the cool metal easing her nerves just slightly. Perhaps it's too fast? Too forward? Too assuming? Gwen jerks her hand out of her pocket to take hold of the stirring spoon. The door opens, the already existing jitters making her jump and she throws a sheepish look at Robb's amused one. Robb tucks the pile of firewood aside the hearth and throws a few twigs in the fire. "We'll be needing more soon," says Robb. "I'll see if I can gather more the day after tomorrow."

Gwen nods vigorously and mumbles a "good, sounds good" when he does not see. "Food's almost done," she says, taking the pot out of the fire and placing it on the table to cool. Unfortunately that leaves her hands free to fidget, taking up her apron to wring, letting it drop, and taking it up again. She watches him pass over to the window to prop it open. He always does, being so unused to the heat. Where Gwen might wear her cloak inside, he would walk about with a single doublet.

"Is something wrong?" he asks, addressing her but facing shutter.

"No, nothing," she quickly says, grabbing the metal in her pocket. He's looking out and Gwen takes a moment to steel herself. It's been a full year since Robb Stark, former Lord of Winterfell, showed up on her doorstep, lost and brooding - a sharp contrast to Merlin's cheery, oblivious grin. It's well past the length of time she'd predicted it'd be before she would see him leave. Most all of them did. Elyan, her father... Lancelot - even Morgana. Gwen was well prepared to let him stay however long he needed, only day after day he came back. Then, he found work at the carpenter's. And if that didn't surprise her, the fact that one night she came home to find a newly polished table did. (The stools needed work, something Robb had discovered after attempting to sit.)

Gwen smiles back on the memory and flashes of more come unbidden: nights when she shivers in the cold only to hear him creep as quietly as he could to tend the hearth, times when she would ease the splinters out of his hands, and long evenings just talking. She knows enough about his past not to press: the lord father that was beheaded, the brothers he left behind, the mother hidden in a vale, and the sisters that were lost. And he, exiled to escape a far worse punishment. It was then Gwen realized he was here to stay, an uncommon occurrence. So it was now or never.

"It'll be winter again soon," she starts and pulls the key out in one motion. "I made another key - for you - so that, well, so that you could come and go at your leisure. And well, it -- you don't have to accept. It's just, I thought perhaps -- "

"Thank you." Robb's in front of her now, gently sliding the key out of her fingers. "I was starting to think you didn't want me here."

"No, of course not. I mean, I do," she takes a breath at his teasing grin. "It's been awhile since I -- since I haven't been alone and I've forgotten I've the only key. Although Merlin seems to always find a way in that I haven't quite figured out yet."

Robb slips the key inside a pocket and Gwen finds the tension relax through her shoulders. They enjoy their evening meal together talking about the castle gossip and roof work for Tyll's home and Gwen finds she's become accustomed to the routine and the company.

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted August 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011 | drabble attachment: (3m)]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011 | drabble attachment: (biathenas)]

The battle holds at the Ridge of Ascetir for ten dark days without sunlight. Morgana and Merlin raise thunderous clouds but there is no rain, and lightning is their deadliest misfortune. On the tenth day (night?), the sorcerers cease their magic and the clouds clear, the blinding sun reminding them of light in the sky. Merlin holds his position, unsure of what trick Morgana dares try. Arthur had fallen the night before, a stray spear lodged deep at his side and Robb effectively took command of the men.

A boom cuts through the air, but it is not thunder this time. Morgana's voice echoes and it shakes Gwen to the core.

"Hand over that traitorous queen and you will have your peace. You decide. Merlin, you can have your king or you can have your friend. What has it always been in the past?"

Merlin visibly swallows, a dark shadow crossing over his eyes. Robb pushes his gelding forward, dirty and bloody sword in hand.

"Lord Stark--" she utters, ready to give herself up - if only to stop the fighting, because Arthur is dying and Merlin is exhausted, but Robb throws her a look that silences her and addresses the faceless voice.

"Peace was never an option," the young lord spoke in a calm tone, sure that the witch could hear him - hear all of them. "I will not have Her Grace's death on my conscience and that is to be sure should we hand her to you. If you believed to get her so easily, well - I wouldn't count on it."

"So be it. Your death is of little consequence to Albion."

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted August 2011]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011 | drabble attachments: (3m) (mylifeasafangirl)]

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted July 2011 | drabble attachment: (theopensea)]

In the night I hear them talk, coldest story ever told
Somewhere far along this road he lost his soul

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011]

And I'll be wearing white
When I come into your kingdom
I'm as green as the ring on
My little cold finger

If I die young, bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river, at dawn
Send me away with
Words of a love song

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted August 2011]

"This is no quarrel of yours, Young Wolf."
"I'm afraid you'll find that it is."

There's so many wars we fought
There's so many things we're not
But with what we have
I promise you that
We're marchin' on

[direct tumblr link | orig. posted June 2011]

To part 2.

Cosplay Attempt: Casual Tomoe Hotaru/Sailor Saturn

kitoky — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 06:25:46 GMT

So for Halloween this year I decided to be casual Tomoe Hotaru from Sailor Moon -- but for some reason I just couldn't be just casual Hotaru, I also needed Saturn's glaive. I mean, otherwise I'd just be a girl wearing all black and that's not very interesting.

Behind the cut is what I eventually looked like and the process I went through to make Sailor Saturn's Glaive from pvc piping, cardboard, insulation foam, masking tape, gems, and spray paint.

In the end I looked like this -- (reference images here and here)

The outfit itself is fairly simple to put together -- a tight fitting turtle neck and black tights. I went with black jeggings instead since it's October and cold outside. Black slippers are also generally easy to find. The skirt I scored when I went thrifting earlier in the summer and it was my first time actually wearing it. So the outfit probably totaled = $45 by the end of it. I wasn't too pressed on spending that much money on a costume, since these are all things I can wear outside of "dressing up".

The staff was a little cheaper to make. I ended up buying pvc piping, silver and black spraypaint, sandpaper, (2) cans of insulation foam, and a roll of masking tape for roughly $35. My best friend found a giant box of cardboard from her work. The gems that decorate the handle of the staff were all of $2.

The work is what gets you. I planned it out pretty simply -- but the staff ended up being obnoxiously tall, which is not something you think about until you're trying to transport this fucker through doorways and into cars and where ever the hell I end up storing this thing after all is said and done. The entire staff from top to bottom came out to be about 6' 5". A whole foot and a half taller than me.

So first! I sketched everything out. The PVC pipe was originally 5' and I cut it down to 4'. Then I drew the outline shape of the bottom and the top scythe into cardboard.

This is the easy part - cut out the shape of the cardboard and (super) glue the narrow ends into the ends of the pipe. The insulation foam eventually put a lot of strain on the cardboard attachment, so I would advise also cutting so that you can glue parts of the cardboard to the outside as well. I didn't plan on the insulation foam being very heavy but you live and learn!

You start with spraying insulation foam on one side of the cardboard and waiting for it to dry fairly well (~30 mins-1hour) and then spraying on the other side. What you want to do is prop it up off the ground but giving it something to balance on so the board doesn't bend from the weight of the insulation foam. Tricky!! Plan on getting the insulation foam nice and big so that you have more to work with when you carve the shape. It's better to have excess than to have too little. I went through a can and a half of insulation foam on this project. (Please also be sure to wear gloves and wear goggles when you are spraying as insulation foam can be harsh on the eyes and skin.)

I gave my insulation foam about 1-2 days to completely be dry. Then you start carving. You can use a box cutter or a simple sharp knife. Adjustable box cutters give you more flexibility but my knife was efficient for what I wanted to get done. (Please be sure to wear goggles and wear a mask -- and cover the surface you are working on. Sweep up and clean up the area afterwards as polyurethane particles can get everywhere and inhaling this is B A D.)

Eventually you carve out the shapes using the cardboard as a reference for shape. I sanded down some of the areas to make it smoother but it's not necessary -- and sanding only releases more dangerous particles. Then I proceeded to cover the material with masking tape -- to accommodate some of the areas where the insulation foam didn't fully expand, as shown in the top left picture. In some areas of my taping, I didn't overlap enough, so later when the spray paint is dry and peeling, the masking tape will fall apart and shrink, exposing the material underneath so please sure to give enough overlap when taping.

Next I glued the flares onto the bottom of the staff -- cut out from cardboard. You try to cut as straight of an edge as possible so when you glue (super-glue), it sticks fairly consistently. There are 8 flares in total. I also (super)glued the gems onto the other end. Cardboard cut-outs of the designs on the scythe were glued as well. The color of the materials don't matter obviously since we're going to be spraypainting over everything.

WEAR GLOVES, GO BAREFOOT OR WEAR OLD SOCKS. Spray paint is harsh and the smell is very strong, so do this in an open area, very well-ventilated. I have an enclosed porch with all screen windows so I was able to do this at night (which is the time that I am not working and awake, etc.). Make sure you spray consistently and not too close or else you'll get drip marks while it dries. Follow the directions on your spray can exactly to get the best results. Wait until it's workably dry to flip and spray on all sides.

The masking tape lines look very sharp in this photo, but they aren't quite so distinct in person. The silver blends it well and no one's ever up close enough to notice them so it worked perfectly for me.

So there you have it. My first grand endeavor in prop-costume making! If you have any tips and advice for me, feel free to comment!

-Kit

Oops!

kitoky — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 22:57:25 GMT

I love how January of 2012 I posted that I was going to try and get back into livejournal.

And then proceed to not post anything for 2 years.
Oops.

O O P S.

Sorry, it's mostly because I don't produce anything remotely relevant for Livejournal so I'm just a complete failure. I haunt a lot of my old communities for when I feel like procrastinating and reading fic but it's mostly that. This is however my last semester of my undergraduate degree so maybe I'll get into doing more online stuff after that.

It's a 50-50 chance though, looking at my track record.

Hope everyone who's still watching me (for whatever odd reason) is doing well, and hope the new year has been good to you.

Kit

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

kitoky — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:43:48 GMT

I've decided to try and get back in the swing of LJ. My account has mostly always been a personal blog but I've found myself being less personal with the influx of friends I've gathered.

So unfortunately, I'm going to do a bit of cleaning out - mostly to weed out a lot of those who I've sort of interacted with only a handful of times and haven't spoken to for a considerable amount of time.

I apologize in advance if I take you off my friends-list.

At this time, I would just like to be more private with my personal life and only wish to share significant details with a few others that I know best.

-Kit

Fic: "Eye of the Storm" - PG

kitoky — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 20:09:06 GMT

Title: Eye of the Storm
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Ship: Zuko/Katara
Spoilers: Post-Southern Raiders
Word Count: 1645
Summary: One-shot. Katara deals with the aftermath of her rage.
Disclaimer: Written as a result of this unwritten meme on Tumblr. Prompted by nessismore. First Avatar fic? Yes.

Eye of the Storm

Katara doesn’t remember leaving the village in the mountain valley, doesn’t remember climbing on Appa and she doesn’t remember where they were headed. She wakes up in the saddle, quelling the immediate urge to panic. The red of the setting sun outlines Zuko’s silhouette, and Appa’s comforting roar reminds her of the days just passed. The wind pushes and pulls all around her but she feels heavier than usual.

And tired.

“How long was I asleep?” her own voice is barely audible to herself but somehow Zuko turns to look at her. She doesn’t know why, but he looks different – sadder and stronger – somehow. And his eyes… they’re different, different from the way he used to look at her even after he joined their gang.

“For a little while,” is all he says and turns back to the sun, but she catches the flash of concern there. Why was he worried about her? He had no reason to be. She didn’t need anyone looking after her, especially not him.

But she couldn’t find the energy to call him out on it. The moving wind bites at her eyes and her lids feel like boulders. “Where are we going? This isn’t the way back to the others.”

“To a safe place, we want to be closer to the Fire Nation capital come Sozin’s Comet. I know just the spot. It’s a perfect middle point between them and … where we were.”

Katara knows she should be protesting, how could she trust him? And an odd thought entered her mind: why not?

“You should get some rest while you can,” Zuko says with a glance over his shoulder. “We’ll be there in a few hours.” His words trigger a memory; one that she knows is recent but feels terribly old. The memory of her flying Appa, reins gripped tight in her palm, the bitter sting of the air in her nose. You should get some rest. We’ll be there in a few hours. You’ll need all your strength. And then she’d reassured him. She had all the strength in the world, at least for this. Especially for this. But somehow before they reached the ship of the Southern Raiders she had taken reprieve. How had that happened? She was ready, she was – and Zuko of all people had managed to convince her not to drive herself to an end before she even got there.

The last thing she remembers before falling fast into slumber is attempting to say, ‘Thank you.’

-

“This place looks desolate,” she says, hopping down from Appa and observing the empty vacation houses, all bright with reds and yellows looking sad and empty.

“For us, that’s a good thing,” he leads her to a particularly large estate, prominently larger than any of the others. “This is Ember Island, and this is my family’s place. Don’t worry, no one’s been here in a very long time. There’s a village nearby, but it’s far enough not to attract any wanderers.”

He had turned away from her when he reassured her that no one would bother her with that same sadness she saw on the way here. There was something about this place that haunted him, something that he was willing to bear to keep them safe – if it was safe. And then she remembered that day in the catacombs. Finding him there, a prisoner like she was. Her mother’s necklace.

That’s one thing we have in common.

“You helped me find Yon Rha. Why? To gain my trust?” She questioned him further with her gaze. Why risk it? For something as meaningless as revenge?

“I guess that was the initial goal, I was so desperate to get you to trust me – I just didn’t know how,” he placed a tentative hand at the back of his head, his facemask pulled down around his neck. “But in the end, I guess I always knew how. You told me, back then, back in Ba Sing Se – your necklace, your mother. So I did some digging – didn’t take much, Sokka’s a pretty talkative guy – and I knew. And because… I’d want to know, I mean – if it were my mother.”

If it were my mother.

But Zuko, she thinks. It was your mother, too. A different evil, a kinder fate, but it is just the same.

Katara tries to picture him these past three days – not as traitorous Prince Zuko, friend of the Avatar, but of herself – his feet in her shoes. Going to avenge his mother’s death. The images that flood her eyes are not of the Zuko before her, but of the Zuko of months gone by – of the angry boy with the angry burn, who chased them to the ends of the Earth and charred everything in his wake. That was a boy who lost his mother and suddenly Katara was frightened that that was what she was. How easily did she slide into his soles and trampled people with them. How far would she have gone?

“Aang was worried that I would kill him. Were you?”

Zuko crosses his arms, giving her a long look. “No, I knew you wouldn’t.” That made her uneasy, to think that he knew her and could predict her so easily. “But there was a moment where I wasn’t so sure.”

She knew exactly which moment he spoke of – the invasion on the Raiders ship, storming the bridge, ambushing the captain. It was a full moon, bright and powerful and terrifying. All that rage inside of her mixing with the pull of the moon, and then – her body automatically followed the stance. She could feel the tremor of the captain’s limbs underneath her fingertips and she used it, made him kneel. How could she have done it? After all this time, after what happened in the mountain forest. Hama. The technique was developed to do horrifying things, things that goes against life itself. But she had done it – to a man that was innocent of the crime in which they accused him. She wrung her fingers together at the thought and looked up to see him watching her intently. There was a question there, but he wouldn’t ask it – Zuko was not the others and he wasn’t without tact.

“It’s called bloodbending,” she finally says. “Water is an element of life. Where there is life, there is water and… we live. Shortly after we came to the Fire Nation, we ran into another waterbender, one from the South Pole. A friend of Gran Gran’s actually. She had me… she had me learn it.” Flashes of that night still haunted her, the light of the moon making everything strangely darker, the glint of Sokka’s sword plummeting towards Aang, and she could still hear Hama’s derisive laughter even after she woke from her fitful sleep. Hama, she had been everything Katara aspired to me – a master waterbender of the South Pole – and now she is everything Katara fears she’ll become. Old and alone and angry.

Zuko stays silent, listening. Katara moves to untie the cloth around her neck. “I swore I’d never use it. Swore no matter what that that was a line I couldn’t cross. But there, on that ship, knowing – thinking about him and what he did to her. I lost it, I lost control of myself.”

“I think I know a thing or two about that. My uncle, he’d always be the one to talk me down when I got worked up. He said every storm had a tranquility to them – that even a tornado had its eye. Sometimes you just had to face the storm to get to that peaceful side. You had to go through your storm to find your peace.” He gives her a comforting smile.

“I don’t think I’ve gotten my peace yet,” Katara says quietly.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get there,” he puts a hand on her shoulder. “I did.”

His touch was heavy, but it calmed her mind. Yes, he did. With many trials and many disappointments but yes, he did.

“You stay here, I’ll take Appa and bring the others. We should be back by sundown.”

“I’ll come with you – I, you don’t need to leave me here.”

Zuko stops her from following him. “I know, but you should take some time for yourself. I’ve watched you with the others, you’re always so guarded and in control. I know you’re worried about them half the time and the other half it’s the Fire Nation on your mind. Stay. Relax, enjoy your peace.” He smiles. “Besides it’s easier on Appa with one person.”

“But –,”

“Do you trust me?” The question catches her off guard. And it surprises her just as much when she doesn’t immediately say ‘No’.

His golden eyes bore into hers and she studies his face – the drape of his bangs, the scar against his left eye. Her fingers twitch to remember the feel of it under her skin. I have healing abilities. Katara remembers when she trusted him. It was so easy to in the short time they were in the catacombs. With his sad words to his sad story, it was so easy. And yes, he did betray them – betrayed her. Katara remembers how disappointed she was when he turned his fire onto Aang. He looks different now than he did then, all tired eyes and stiff shoulders. All that he did and all that he had to go through, that was his storm – it was a storm he created for himself and now, he’s found his tranquility and he’s almost done. And to think of all that Zuko did for her these past few days. Leading her, following her, supporting her even when the others didn’t. He stood steadfast by her side and he’s still there now – maybe he’ll always be from this day forward.

“Yes.”

Yes.

THE THEORY OF TOTEMS [an inception essay]

kitoky — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 05:54:14 GMT

title | the theory of totems [an inception essay]
author | kitoky
summary | my thoughts in response to an inquiry about my opinion on the wedding ring theory as cobb's real totem. my response turned into a gigantic, long essay that is gigantic and long and possibly boring and has many, many typos. Thank you, Tumblr, for this glorious Inception Day. originally posted at my tumblr.

So, this was started out as a "what is your opinion" type of deal sent to me by thisisapoet, and wildly became a huge essay that is huge. But I'm oddly proud of how it turned out so I'm posting it out for anyone who cares or is interested and don't mind me essaying on their dash. IT'S INCEPTION ~~DAY~~ WEEK, FOLKS. Because I can't contribute with beautiful graphics, I offer you BORING ESSAY OF DOOM.

[PLEASE REFER TO THIS POST.] And Megan's question: "KIT IS THIS REAL?"

Lol, well. The great thing about Inception is that there's certainly a possibility of many, many theories about the true nature of Dreaming and what actually occurs at the end of the film with Cobb. The fact of the matter is, we will never know and be sure about every aspect of the film unless we sit MY MASTER, CHRISTOPHER NOLAN down to drill him about everything and make copies of all his notes. I'm certainly not knocking this theory, and many people have come up with the wedding ring theory many times before and it's a very popular one -- but I don't particularly buy it, because I have quite a few qualms about it for the following reasons.

what is cobb's totem? | We may never truly know what Cobb's previous totem is, but it's safe to say that Cobb's totem from the time of Mal's death onwards is the spinning top. This is proven by how resilient he is, and how paranoid he is, by his constant checking to see if he's Dreaming. To further analyze all the possibilities of totems, we should fully understand what a totem is and how it works. Naturally, however, delving into specifics only raises other questions -- that will discussed as followed.

a totem: what it is, how it works | Per the film...

arthur: So. A totem. You need a small object, potentially heavy, something you can have on you all the time that no one else knows.
ariadne: Like a coin?
arthur: No, needs to be more unique than that. This is a loaded die. I can't let you touch it. That would defeat the purpose. See, only I can know the balance and the weight of this particular, loaded die. That way when you look at your totem, you know beyond a doubt that you're not in someone else's dream.

Per the Inception Shooting Script...

arthur: So. A totem. You need something small, potentially heavy...
ariadne: Like a coin?
arthur: Too common. You need something that has a weight or movement that only you know.
ariadne: What's yours?
arthur: (holds out a die) A loaded die. (ariadne reaches for it -- arthur snatches it away--) I can't let you handle it. That's the point. No one else can know the weight of balance of it.
ariadne: Why?
arthur: So when you examine your totem... You know, beyond a doubt, that you're not in someone else's dream.

By this basic definition we know that the key components of a totem is that 1) no one else knows or has touched a person's totem, and 2) it must be unique so that only he or she who has it. Based on these two key details, one can infer that no one else alive can be familiar with your totem. How does it apply to dreaming? I want to point out that, both in the film script and the shooting script, Arthur emphasizes the totem helps you know that you're not in someone else's dream. This is an extremely important point for a lot of people who theorize whether or not Cobb is still dreaming at the end of the film.

So, to clarify, we can use Arthur's die as an example. Let's say you're Arthur and you're smoking hot in that three-piece suit and you know your loaded die, IN REALITY, should always land on say... 4. Naturally, if you're in a dream and you're the Dreamer (ie, the one who can bend the dream to your preferences), you can easily roll your die and it will land on 4 because you know you're dreaming your own dream. If you, Arthur, were in someone else's dream -- you would expect to roll the die and find that it doesn't perfectly sit on 4 (ie. it lands on 2, 6, 1, etc) on all the test rolls. This suggests that you are not the dreamer, it is notyour dream.

I should note that like Dreamsharing, the idea of the totem is still not a definite, mastered idea. This can all be speculation. We know that Dreamsharing is relative new, only developed in Miles's days (and as old is Michael Caine is, it wasn't that long ago). Both Arthur and Cobb both talk about how new Dreamsharing really is. From the film, we infer that Mal is the one to create the idea of the totem - that thing to ground you to your reality. And it is very possible that other mindcriminals out there do not have totems of their own. The idea of the totem could be purely a feature in Cobb's group of mind crime. The only other person we know previously who has a totem is Arthur, who has an established past with Arthur. There are many speculations on Eames's pokerchip as a totem, but this is never verified. The only three canon totems are the top, the die, and the bishop.

the faults to the wedding ring theory | Again, I'm not saying that the theory is wrong. Christ Nolan may very well mean for Cobb's true totem to be the wedding ring, but from what we have before us, we don't know for sure. I've heard the theory several times and loved it. Went to the theater multiple times to trail Cobb's left hand in all the scenes for the sheer purpose of validating this theory, but in the end, I found I had too many qualms with it for it to rest peacefully in my head. The problem with the wedding theory is that it violates one of the key components of what a totem is, and how is it even supposed to work? There is no true way to "test" if you're in someone else's dream by way of your wedding ring. A person who knows Cobb well enough and has worked with him knows that he Dreams himself with a wedding ring. This caneasily be compromised if Cobb was pulled into someone's dream without realizing it. All they'd have to do is Dream him without a ring, the many perks to being the Dreamer.

A totem has to have a unique function for it to be valid (ie. Arthur's loaded die, Mal's ever perfect spinning totem, Ariadne's easily tipped bishop). In addition, we know at least that the wedding ring couldn't have been Cobb's previous totem (before Mal's death), because Mal (presumably) has touched his ring, knows it like it was her own heart. This couldn't have been his previous totem, but it could (if all else stands) be his current totem (post-Mal's death). It's implied that a totem must be tangible. Where is Cobb's ring in real life? How does it compare to the "dream ring"? Cobb has to know these differences in order to use it as a totem, else anyone could deceive him in the Dreaming. If this wasn't significant, why have a tangible - touchable totem at all? Why would Arthur need a specific loaded die? Why not recreate this die in the Dream only?

the spinning top: why it does and doesn't work | Cobb frequently uses the totem in the film, and it's clear that he relies on this top to tell him he is not dreaming. He pulls the top out in the hotel room in Tokyo, in the office at the workshop, in the bathroom of Yusuf's dream den, and most importantly, he pulls it out at the end when he sees his children for the first time in 2 years. This is a man who has a dependency on this particular totem, but does it work? Yes and no. And most of the no is more of wandering thoughts from speculations. Is the spinning top unique? We can presume yes, because I've certainly never seen a top quite like that - that looks and sounds very heavy, and by this we can assume that the top at least fits the criteria that it has unique features to it. Does no one else alive know the details about the totem? We can say, yes, since Mal is dead - no one else alive and able to Dream, would be able to recreate his totem exactly as it is.

So why does Cobb blatantly tell Ariadne how his totem worked? Was it a slip of the mind? A fond reminiscent to his long-dead wife? Or is it that significant? We know, quite plainly, that the totem continues to spin and spin. But is there more to it than that? Is there a certain heaviness to the totem, does it require an ever perfect spin? Assuming yes, Ariadne -- based on this cursory knowledge -- should not be able to recreate his totem in a Dream. And what if it wasn't a slip of the mind? What if Cobb pretty habitually break his own rules (a theme throughout the film)? The problem with the spinning top is that it has been touched by three different characters: Mal, Cobb, Saito. But does this compromise the totem?

Again. Yes and no. This all depends on the mechanics of Limbo. Very frequently, Limbo is referred to as a shared subconscious, much like how reality is a shared conscious. And we see from Cobb's, Mal's, and Saito's experience in Limbo that everyone has the potentiality of Dreaming in Limbo. Cobb and Mal both build their city, Saito creates his own perception of his castle. There is mutual control in Limbo, which means anyone can manipulate each other's totem in Limbo. During The Cobb's field trip to Limbo, Mal eventually loses sight of reality. She begins to believe that Limbo is her reality and by consequence, manipulates her totem in a way that tells her that lets it confirm that this is her reality (ie. she recreates her totem to drop as if it were reality). When Cobb goes searching for Mal's totem and touches it -- this is essentially the same as Cobb compromising Mal's totem in reality, simply because Mal is presumably molded it as though it were reality. Because of this, Cobb takes Mal's "reality" totem and manipulates it back into the "dream" totem with the perfect spin with enough believability in order to convince her that she is still dreaming and that they need to escape. This answers the question that yes, because even though the totem was touched in Limbo (and not reality), it still had the same compromising effect because Mal made Limbo her reality.

But what about Saito, you ask? At the beginning of the film, we see Saito spin Cobb's totem, and by the end of the film, we see that it still holds a perfect spin. How is this possible? It's possible because Cobb did not manipulate the totem - it still had the components of the "dream" totem. So when Saito spun it, it held a perfect spin. But did Saito compromise the totem for Cobb like Cobb did for Mal? In this case, no. Because Saito doesn't know how the totem holds in reality. In the end, when Saito comes out of Limbo, he would not be able to identify the difference between Cobb's "dream" totem and his "reality" totem unless Saito were to be able to get his hands on Cobb's totem in reality.

what then, is the controversy of the ending? | I'm actually wondering that myself, and it's easy to doubt yourself and the film by staring at the spinning top long enough. The thing is, remember, the totem tells you whether or not you're in someone else's dream. And the controversy, mostly, is whether or not Cobb is still dreaming. If Cobb is the Dreamer of his own dream, there is no way to use the spinning top as an indication of whether he is dreaming.He has absolute power over the totem as the Dreamer. He may very well be dreaming, but he has to realize it is not a dream in order for the totem to fall. If he's dreaming and he realizes it, he can control the top to keep spinning.

There are other theories that exist about the others "incepting" Cobb himself. What if Mal is alive up in reality and is trying to "wake him up"? This certainly is a very valid theory. It was very much explain the controversy of the spinning top at the end. Mal as the Dreamer, can very much control the top to drop or fall throughout the story of the film. Is this theory too far-fetched? Maybe. Is it plausible? It certainly is. Will we ever know? Not if we violate all standards of morality and probably a few laws to stalk and ambush Christopher Nolan.

Will we always go on to theorize about this film? I sure hope so.

Never die, Inception fandom.

... livejournal community promotion | POTO DAILY

kitoky — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 05:16:48 GMT

poto_daily
Being that I only mostly post here and pretty much very little any where else now.
I really need to scuttle back to susancaspian and do something there, what with
the new movie coming out soon. AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

... this is a harry potter survey | BECAUSE I'M BORED

kitoky — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:23:59 GMT

I actually found this on Tumblr, and found that it was obnoxiously long, so I'm transferring it over here because at least here I can do a lj-cut so I don't annoy the shit out of my followers/friends/people who stalk me.

Anyway.
HARRY POTTER SURVEY

List the books in order from your favorite to your least favorite.

1. Half-Blood Prince
2. Deathly Hallows
3. Chamber of Secrets
4. Goblet of Fire
5. Sorcerer's Stone
6. Prisoner of Azkaban
7. Order of the Phoenix

List the movies in order from your favorite to your least favorite.

1. Half-Blood Prince
2. Order of the Phoenix
3. Chamber of Secrets
4. Sorcerer's Stone
5. Prisoner of Azkaban
6. Goblet of Fire

Top 5 favorite characters?

1. Nymphadora Tonks
2. Luna Lovegood
3. Remus Lupin
4. Ron Weasley
5. The Weasley Twins (they're the same entity, let's face it)

Five least favorite characters?

1. Dolores Umbridge
2. Cho Chang
3. Lucius Malfoy
4. Gilderoy Lockhart
5. Ginny Weasley

Three favorite spells?

1. Lumos (listen, it's really handy)
2. I Solemnly Swear I Am Up To Good (it might as well be a spell)
3. Wingardium Leviosa (I'd never have to get up for anything!)

Three favorite potions?

1. Felix Felicis
2. Veritaserum
3. Draught of Living Death (I faint at the sight of blood, so really, it's the same idea)

Favourite member of the Golden Trio?

Ronald Weasley, he's hilarious. ;D

Favourite family?

The Tonks (because I'm so, so biased from fanfiction)

Favourite antagonist?

Voldemort (from A Very Potter Musical)
Voldemort (from the movies, Ralph Fiennes, omg)
Dolores Umbridge (from the books)

Favourite death eater?

Regulus Black (dude was honorable okay? that's brownie points)

Favourite chapter from your favorite book?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 29: The Phoenix Lament
(Not because of Dumbledore's death, but because Remus/Tonks was confirmed)

Favourite non-Hogwarts magical building?
The Ministry of Magic

Favourite Diagon Alley shop?
Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (duh!)

Favourite Hogsmeade shop?
Zonko's Joke Shop

Favourite Unforgivable Curse?
Imperius Curse

Favourite mode of wizard transportation?
To be cool, I would say by broom, but since I'm a wimp, I'm gonna say apparating.

Favourite Weasley?
The Twiiinnns

Favourite Order member?
Nymphadora Tonks

Favourite DA member?
Luna Lovegood

Favourite pet?
Hedwig

Favourite Hogwarts room?
Gryffindor Common Room

Favourite Hogwarts professor?
Professor Remus Lupin

Favourite non-human Hogwarts resident?
Peeves

Favourite Tri-Wizard champion?
Viktor Krum

Favourite house elf?
None. Seriously. I was mostly unimpressed. Okay, I'll say Dobby because of Deathly Hallows.

Favourite wizard sweet?
Chocolate frogs.

Favourite couple?
OMG. REMUS/TONKS. REMUS/TONKS. LIKE THERE WAS ANY OTHER CHOICE.

Favourite friendship?
Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody
Luna Lovegood and Harry Potter
THAT'S RIGHT, I HAVE TWO.

Biggest surprise of the series?
Remus/Tonks (and boy was I happy as hell)

Biggest letdown of the series?
Tonks and Remus dying. DDDD:

One character you wish lived?
Remus and Tonks (I CAN'T CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM. THEY DESERVED HAPPINESS)

Moment that will always make you cry?
Dumbledore's death in the Half-Blood Prince MOVIE (not the book) OR Remus/Tonks's death in DH, 'cuz I feel like I would bawl.

Your patronus would be a ______?
A penguin. It is ferocious.

Three things Amortentia would smell like to you?
... Oh shit. Well, coffee. Coffee. And, um, coffee.

You would use Felix Felicis to ______?
Go to the Harry Potter theme park in Florida, OMG.

Ron/Hermione or Harry/Hermione?
Please, I'm not even gonna answer this.

... (Ron/Hermione - but only in the HBP movie)

James/Lily or Snape/Lily?
James/Lily (mostly I don't care for Marauder shipping)

Do you think Harry Potter is better than Twilight?
... I can't even. Why is this question in here, this is Harry Potter, not Twilight.
Do you see me doing a Twilight meme? No.

Are you going to go see the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 in theaters?
LOL. No, I'm gonna wait for it to be on DVD. [rolls eyes]

Do you own the books/movies?
All the books (including the companion books: ie. quidditch through the ages, beedle the bard, etc) and only the first three movies.

Have you ever played any of the video games?
I played a trial version. I sucked.

Don’t they kind of suck?
Um, Idk. I just thought I sucked.

Do you think it would be cool to have a pet owl?
Frick yeah, but I'm gonna have to ask it to poo somewhere else.

How about a rat?
Not really.

Have you ever listened to the soundtrack?
The Prisoner of Azkaban soundtrack mostly.

Which house would you want to be in?
Ravenclaw, bitches. Circles have no end.

Do you like Draco?
Yes, especially in Half-Blood Prince when he had balls. I mean, scared shitless balls, but balls nonetheless.

Would you ever enter the Tri-Wizard Tournament?
LOL, no. I am not that in want of glory, 'cuz... no. LOL

Would you keep your money in Gringotts?
Those Goblins are super protective, so, um, yes.

What class would be your favourite?
Divination.

Do you think you would enjoy being a witch/wizard?
Mostly for the wand-waving.

Favourite movie set?
Gryffindor Common Room

Favourite movie scene?
The scene in Half-Blood Prince where Harry's with the Weasleys for the holidays and Remus and Tonks were obviously giving each other, "Let's go make out" signals.

Favourite scene in the movies not included in the books?
Attack on the Burrow, it was intense and poignant and Tonks called Remus sweetheart. Yes, I am bias as hell.

Scene you were most disappointed didn’t make it into the movie?
'But I don't care either, I don't care!' said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin's robes and shaking them. 'I've told you a million times...'
'And I've told you a million times,' said Lupin, refusing to meet her eyes, staring at the floor, 'that I am too old for you, too poor...too dangerous...'

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Death Eaters or Dumbledore’s Army?
Dumbledore’s Army!

Fred or George?
Excuse me?

The Ministry of Magic or Gringotts?
Gringotts.

Sirius or Lupin?
FUCK YEAH, REMUS.

Occlumency or Legilimency?
Legilimency is cooler.

Animagus or metamorphagus?
Metamorphmagus - you don't have to worry about being naked all the time.

Mermish or Parselmouth?
Parselmouth - less screeching.

Draco or Lucius?
Lucius, Draco hasn't grown into his balls very much.

Peter Pettigrew or Mundungus Fletcher?
Mundungus Fletcher

Whomping Willow or flying Ford Anglia?
Whomping Willow, are you kidding? The Whomping Willow fucked the Ford Anglia up.

Invisibility cloak or Pensieve?
I don't need a Pensieve. Invisibility Cloak.

Grimmauld Place or the Burrow?
Grimmauld Place -- but you know, spruced up. I just like how it's located.

Werewolf or Inferi?
Werewolf - more specifically Remus.

Herbology or Care of Magical Creatures?
Care of Magical Creatures

Professor Binns or Professor Umbridge?
LOL wut?

Peeves or Nearly Headless Nick?
Peeves

Hippogriff or Thestrals?
I probably couldn't see Thestrals so, hippogriff.

Durmstrang or Beauxbatons?
Durmstrang. ;DDD I don't wanna be with frilly little French girls okay? I'd rather have me some beefy manly men.

Portkey or Apparation?
Apparation

... what is this you have? | MERLIN FANFICTION?

kitoky — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:28:07 GMT

Merlin fic -- just filing these away, they're responses from camelot_love's drabble tag rounds. =DDD

Panic! To the Wardrobe
Prompt: Arthur/Gwen have to hide in the wardrobe. (from scarlettpeony)
Notes: PG-13, for the safe side. Post-The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen.

"Wh-- Merlin--- why is the door stuck?" They suddenly heard Gaius's voice from the other side of the door and Merlin just kind of panicked.

Because honestly, he has a bunch of lies going through his head (many of them less than worthy slash remotely believable excuses) and Merlin's vaguely remembered that Gaius has asked him to do a list of chores (that Merlin notices he doesn't make Gwen do even if she's been apprenticing for him for a month or so now) and to be honest, Merlin hasn't gotten done with even one of the tasks.

Instead of course, Merlin's spent all day making excuses and white lies so that Arthur and Gwen could have a moment together, and through a series of events and road blocks, they both had somehow ended up here in Gaius's quarters, and upon arriving they had found that the court physician was off on his own errand (one Merlin finds the old man does himself on occasion).

But that was two hours ago.

Now, two hours later (as the time turns), Gaius was trying to get into his own rooms through the jammed door, which Merlin now notices is only held by the rather poorly placed bench.

The door started to open, and Merlin panicks. With apologizing glances at Arthur and Gwen who were both trying to straighten themselves from whatever it is they were doing (Merlin doesn't, by any means, watch or even try to guess what it is they were up to), Merlin takes both by the elbow and ignores the protests----

"Merlin, get your---"

"Oh, Merlin, what are you---"

--- and shoves them into one of the empty wardrobes.

Merlin shuts the wardrobe just in time as Gaius springs the door open with a harsh scowl and ferocious eyebrows on his face.

"What is the meaning of this?" Gaius asks slowly, giving Merlin in a suspicious look.

"The meaning of---?" Merlin tries to play it off.

Gaius turns and gestures simply at the bench and the door, "What were you doing in here?"

"Oh," Merlin sputters, and with the many sadly believable excuses he has spinning in his head, he says, "Nothing."

Gaius gives him a more critical eye and Merlin could swear the man's eyebrows were at a humanly impossible angle. He shifts on his heels and leans against the wardrobe door as casually as possible while ignoring the whispered threats coming from Arthur through the wood.

"I... was cleaning the leech tank, ...for you," Merlin started.

"I didn't ask you to---"

"Yes, but the tank looked filthy. I mean, those little guys were contracting diseases and I know how concerned you get about them so I closed the door, nice and shut so they couldn't possibly escape and endanger themselves with the possibility of being stepped on..." Merlin rambled and he smiles a little when he hears Gwen's snort and Arthur's, "What an idiot..."

But Gaius seemed to be pleased with this turn of events and informs Merlin that he had only returned to grab a potion for one of the lesser lord's wife who had some joint discomfort or whatever and Merlin let out a huge breath when Gaius closed the door behind him as he left.

Arthur's the first to get out and gives Merlin a fell swoop to the back of the head, "What did you think you're doing shoving us in there? It's a cupboard and I am a grown man!"

Gwen steps gently out behind him, "Merlin just saved us again, Arthur. It's all right."

But Merlin was ignoring Arthur and Gwen entirely and made his way to his room and his bed and even though it was just before sundown he was ready to call it a day. To hell with Gaius's chores and Arthur and Gwen's blasted secret affair.

The Size of the Thing
Prompt: Arthur finds Gwen and Merlin under his bed. (from mustbethursday3)
Notes: PG-13 (for implied sexings). Post-The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen.

Guinevere's only vaguely aware as to how they got in this situation. Because goodness knows, when she snuck into Arthur's chambers to wait for him, she didn't expect to end up beneath his bed without him... or with Merlin.

But here she was, stretching her arm as far as she can to get to the object while fending off Merlin's skinnier and longer fingers. She entered Arthur's rooms to find Merlin bottom half sticking out from the side. Needless to say she was careful in questioning him. But Merlin's answer was neither disturbing nor worrying as it turns out the poor servant had been making potions deliveries for Gaius since most of the castle seems to have the season's illness.

"I ran into Arthur and he told me to go change his sheets for some odd reason," Merlin's voice was muffled from still being under the bed. "I told him I was running errands for Gaius --- sick people and all --- but he said it was urgent that I make up his bed."

Gwen fidgeted nervously at this, glad that Merlin wasn't in any view of her or he would figure it out immediately (or perhaps she was giving him too much credit since the poor fellow hadn't a clue as to why anyone would want to change their sheets in the middle of the day).

"I came straight here to gather his sheets when one of the potions fell out of my pocket." (pocket? she was certain he carried anything and everything in his neckerchief.) Merlin heaved a sigh. "It rolled under the bed and now I can't get to it."

So that was why Guinevere was trying to scuffle her way underneath the bed from the other side in attempts to get to the vial. In all honesty, she was worried about the sickness that's been going around. Nearly all of her neighbors contracted it and a small baby died of it not five days ago. Additionally, she was the one to make this batch of potions for Gaius early that morning. She tried to squirm a bit more but it feels as though her bodice is stuck on something, though with a few more inches she's sure that she can nudge the vial towards her.

"I must be getting bigger. I've fit in here before," Merlin mumbles and Gwen stops herself from wondering why Merlin had to be under the bed.

Just a little farther and she's starting to get that burning sensation at her shoulder blade.

"Merlin, please, move your hand so that I can--" Their fingers were colliding against one another and nearly nudges the vial farther away.

"No, no, no, I'm almost there. Gwen! Gwen! GWEN!"

"What the bloody hell is going on here?!" They hear Arthur's voice and wonders when he slipped in without them hearing. And before Merlin could ask, he feels himself being pulled out by the ankles and the grips on them were none too friendly. The sudden movement causes Merlin's hand to knock at the vial, making it roll closer to Gwen and she grabs it up with a triumphant "Ah-ha!"

Merlin felt himself being hauled by up the collar and he comes face to face with a rather angry looking Arthur. "Wh-- what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Arthur repeats, incredulous. "What do you think you were doing with Gwen?"

Merlin's face lifts from confusion as he realizes what that might've looked like. "Arthur--- I swear --- it's not what it looks like."

"It looked pretty damn clear that you--"

"I'VE GOT IT!" They turn to see Gwen popping her head from under the bed, tugging a piece of hair out of her smile with one hand and holding up the vial with the other.

"---were retrieving a dropped potions vial?" Merlin offered with an innocent look (yet smug look).

Gwen frowned at the sight of Arthur who had Merlin at the collar. "What are you doing to Merlin, Arthur?" The prince lets go immediately and scratches the back of his head.

"I..." he started, gesturing to the bed. "You two were..."

Gwen blanched, "Don't be ridiculous. It's Merlin."

Merlin nodded, "Yeah! ---- Wait." He gives Gwen a look at having been insulted. He plucks the vial from her hands. "I'd better get these delivered, it's getting late."

"I'll come help you or it'll take too long." Gwen says, but Arthur protests.

"Guinevere! But we---" But Merlin had already left and Gwen was halfway out of the door.

"Another time, Arthur," Gwen dismisses with a smirk on her face. "Maybe next time you'll change your own sheets, hmm?"

Lines in the Sand
Prompt: Arthur thinks Gwen would be better off with Lancelot. (from rubber_glue)
Notes: PG-13. Post-Fires of Idirsholas. Arthur/Gwen/Lancelot.

Arthur watches from the balcony as two people pack their horses for the journey ahead. He watches one particularly, one who fiddles half-heartedly at the strap of her saddle. He watches and grinds his teeth harder and clenches his crossed arms tighter, but only one image stops him from running down to the courtyard and dragging her back inside - to never let her go.

But he has to let her go. Or else...

"Arthur," he hears behind him. And he doesn't flinch, doesn't blink - only knows that it is Merlin. The only one who'll be left.

There is silence between them, and Arthur is ready to yell abuse at him again, until---

"Gwen --- she came to me," Merlin says slowly. "She said you --- that you said some things. A lot of things, actually."

Merlin pauses here, and Arthur knows he's waiting for a response. But he gives none and continues to watch as the other traveler takes a hold of her saddle and fastens it for her with an excited smile.

"Why are you driving her away?" Merlin asks. And with that question, Arthur clamps his eyes shut and brings a hand to the bridge of his nose. The images start flashing back, full-on and unrelenting and he hates them. He hates what it's done to him, hates what it makes him do to her, for her.

Arthur only vaguely remembers the moment that they're in his room, with her blissful smile and happy eyes, and only seconds later her face is crumbling and her eyes are broken because he's shouting. He's shouting at her, telling her things. This is ridiculous, us! What are we doing? This can never happen! You're a servant! This has to end! With a few confused shakes of her head and attempts to finger the front of his tunic, she protests: Arthur, we've talked about this before, haven't we? We can-- we -- But he quickly dismisses her, knowing if she started stuttering as she does, he won't be able to hold on to what he has to do in order to save them both.

I know you're still in love with Lancelot. He says coldly. And he sees a flash of surprise and confusion in her eyes, before turning sharply away from her. I see it every time he comes by here with the bounties. You want to leave with him, I know you do. I can see it every time you look at him. He doesn't. You'd be so happy with him. He wishes this isn't true. She takes an uneven breath and Arthur cringes at the sound until he hears, You can't mean that, Arthur---.

I do. He says sharply and he turns to her, and looks her straight in the eye and his resolve almost disappears at the tears and the heart break on her face. We are done here. This ends now. I cannot risk having you around anymore. Here's your chance. Go to your Lancelot. Leave with him, you will have no work here. I'll make sure of it.

She moves to protest and he shouts for her to leave him, an order. And he's shocked that with trembling hands and a distressed state of mind, she curtseys her leave. And it burns in him, when she crawls back into her subservient habits because she’s hurt and confused, and he hates that he drives her so easily back to that part of her despite spending months telling her: You're not just a servant, Guinevere!

And here he was. Telling her she's just that. A servant.

Arthur watches Guinevere from the balcony, saying her brave goodbyes to Gaius who is the only one there to see them off. They'll never have their goodbyes. Their last words will be harsh and cold and lies, but that is how it has to be. For her sake. She's better off with Lancelot, safe and away from him.

"Arthur," Merlin interrupts his thoughts again. "Please... tell me."

And he hesitates, but why would he? It’s Merlin. They’ve gone against sorcerers together, battled a dragon together, defied death itself --- together.

“My father sent me down to check the castle vaults the other night. My hand… brushed against that stone. That stone of Neahtid or what have you, and it lit up and I saw---,” he swallows hard. “Gwen, she was --- she was burning on a pyre. Screaming, burning.”

Merlin’s eyebrows shoot up and he asks, “Uther?”

“No,” Arthur shakes his head, and he remembers how the vision switches. “I did.”

In the vision, on the very spot that he stands now, he watched as Guinevere burns in the fire, with the people surrounding her, crying and cheering… and he doesn’t understand. His eyes were cold, filled with a bit of something but he doesn’t know what it is.

He doesn’t understand.

“Why---,” he finally looks at Merlin and knows he looks pathetic and vulnerable but for once he doesn’t care. He doesn’t understand. “Why would I do that to her?”

Merlin softens and thinks of something to say.

Arthur turns to see the pair mounting their horses and he says, determined and broken, “I love her.”

They fall into silence again as they both watch the two make their way to towards the gate. Lancelot leading while taking hold of the rein of Gwen’s horse. Arthur stares at the back of her head, the ripple of her cloak around the horse’s rear, the slump of her shoulders. He has watched her leave him before.

Now, he is watching her leave for good.

With a glance over her shoulder, their eyes meet. And there is longing there, and Arthur sees she is clinging to a hope for them.

But he wants her to be happy and to forget every notion of them, so he has no choice but to turn away from her.

And break both their hearts.

Parlor Tricks
Prompt: Arthur and Gwen are students at Hogwarts. (from starry_laa)
Notes: PG-13 (for slight nekkidness). AU (obviously).

Guinevere tried to relax herself and melt with the water surrounding her. The Prefects baths were slowly warming up with the steam of the water and Gwen sank down until only half her face was exposed. Frustrated, she blew bubbles and closed her eyes, leaning back at the tub's edge. Gwen sighed and peeked one eye at the bundle of clothes off to the side that had a letter in her pocket.

It was a letter (it's difficult for him to write, but he tries and she loves getting them) from her father, once again reporting on his excitement that their OWLs were coming up and how he's already bought her congratulations gift because he's certain that she'll do so spectacularly on them. Little did he know, Gwen was becoming increasing more anxious with each passing day.

To put it quite frankly, she was RUBBISH at magic. Sure, she could do some things, but they were mostly at the level of parlor tricks. Even when she was young and when the magic was generally more sporadic, all that ever happened was a sudden door slamming. But nothing else than that. Despite that, her father was beside himself when Professor Gaius came to their home in Rutland. The professor had chattered off delightful little things about how Gwen had a gift and how she could use these gifts to better her own life (something Tom wasn't opposed to - he certainly couldn't have Gwen growing up in his sort of line of work, no matter how much she loved helping him), and all she needed to do was attend a new and recently found (and by recently, they mean within the last two hundred years) school ...for sorcerers.

Gwen hadn't the heart to tell Tom she didn't want to attend the bloody school or be so far away from home for 9 months out of the year. "There will always be your holiday breaks," Tom encouraged. (And Gwen sighed at remembering this, since in his recent letter he suggested that she stay during the holidays to focus on her OWLs.) For the past five years, she's come to this bloody... Hogwarts, feeling homesick for months on end, barely fitting in, hardly ever talking to anyone but Merlin and Morgana (and even she's been absent as of late, having recently discovered an instant bond with another Slytherin girl named Morgause). Five years of trying to pretend to be something she's not, a witch.

She sits up in the water and wraps her arms around her knees, willing the ache in her head to go away, the heaviness in her chest to disappear, and the sting in her eyes to be gone. She feels like a fool being here, every time a charmed bird flutters past her ears in the halls or when the pitch is roaring with the cheers from the Quidditch match. She feels like a fool here, but she feels pathetic complaining about it.

"Oi, who's in here?" a voice calls and she squeaks, trying to hide herself from the one person she'd rather not have to deal with right now. Blast it, she left her wand with her robes. Squinting, she tried to cast a spell to form bubbles all around her -- a spell, thankfully, that was simple enough for her.

Arthur reaches the edge of the tub, his arms crossed. "This is the Prefect's bath," he says, not a bit smug at finding a wayward girl in the baths... who was naked.

"I am a Prefect," she bites back, satisfied at how his face falters.

"You're--- bu-- for who?"

She gives his boots a splash, "For Headmistress Hufflepuff, that's who! Now do you mind leaving?"

His fists are at his waist, "Hufflepuff's already got two Prefects, William and..." He trails off, trying to remember who was the other.

"Guinevere?"

"Yes, her!"

"That's me."

He gapes. "What? You're Guinevere? Merlin's Guinevere? My sister's Guinevere?"

"If defining me by other people helps you, then yes." She was vaguely aware that her bubbles were disappearing.

"How is it that I've never seen you around?"

"We were in Charms together yesterday."

"Well, it doesn't mean I saw -- "

"You set my cloak on fire."

She almost smiles at his horrified expression and remembers that she's not the only one who's rubbish at magic.

"Now please, get out of my bathroom, or I'll report you to Headmaster Gryffindor."

And with a grudging respect, he does.

Relief
Prompt: Sometime after THE HUG Gwen hugs Merlin and lets him know that she's glad he ALSO survived the Dragon. (little something that bothers me as she didn't even wave or look at him.) There's more to life then Arthur. (from mustbethursday3)
Notes: PG. Set during The Last Dragonlord. Arthur/Gwen. Merlin/Gwen Friendship.

There was something about the glint of his armor in the moonlight and how still the castle was before the joyful calling of the people to alert everyone that their prince was home. Their prince was alive. The blood rushes to her ears at the sight of Arthur and Merlin tiredly climbing their slope of the courtyard, and stomach is nearly to her throat at each step she skips down the stairs.

They were home, whole and alive, and her feet knew where to go on their own. Without thinking, without caring, she lets herself collide with Arthur, only minutely aware of the uncomfortableness of armor against her dress, and she whispered her greatest worry when he left her.

"I thought I'd lost you," she said. And was only met with a content sigh in her ear and strong arms around her back, and she knew for sure that he was here with her, solid and well.

"I wouldn't dare to leave you," Arthur responds finally, and she dips her head to smile inward at the love she feels from that. They hear muffled sounds behind them and Gwen knows that Gaius was giving Merlin an equally heartfelt welcome home.

Arthur notices the look she has in her eyes and smiles, "Go on. Merlin got roughed up out there, can't understand how he's still alive. But he's done good by me. Don't know what would happen if he wasn't there." He nods in the direction of his manservant, "Go on. I've to seek out my father. Surprise him with my being alive and all."

Gwen's smile grows wider at Arthur's charity for Merlin, so rare to hear these days, and she places one last subtle hand upon his mail, grateful to him. Grateful that he is home. Grateful for both of them.

She walks slowly over to Merlin, giving Arthur one last glance before he turns to enter the castle. Gwen comes to Merlin on his other side and takes him by the hand.

"Welcome home."

Merlin looks down at her in surprise, but his grin returns and she sees that he's somehow rejuvenated, as he always seems to be after he's almost died. "Ah, well, it was bound to happen. Arthur was really something out there."

Gwen squeezes his hand, "He said the same about you."

"Now, Gwen. I know I almost died, but no need to lie," Merlin scoffs at the thought, but Gwen only smiles wider at the antics of the two most important men in her life. She takes his hand and winds their elbows together, thankful that she hadn't lost another friend.

"I'm glad you're back," she says.

"Me too, Gwen. Me too."

if it's weird than it's | NOT A DREAM

kitoky — Mon, 24 May 2010 22:33:03 GMT

"... it's a nightmare," says my brother. But it's not a nightmare. It's just a really, really weird dream.

It starts off in a very typical teenage girl's bedroom and I'm with there with a friend --- who went unnamed, but let's call her Ann for the sake of this retelling --- and it's obviously Ann's bedroom. We're rifting through her closet/wardrobe for some reason and she's telling me about this curse that she has and why she doesn't have close friends. Apparently there's a monster attached to her that detaches itself and wreaks havoc whenever necessary. There's a trigger to it, but I don't remember it. The dream was rather detailed, it's just that I'm starting to forget the them. She tells me some frightening stuff about the beast, and instances where it detaches and destroys things, kills people. Oddly enough, I'm so totally running away screaming, but I remember feeling slightly intimidated. But this being my friend and all, I'm not gonna running from her.

We drift away from her closet and start talking on her bed. After a bit more details and more unease, I'm suddenly propelled to the opposite wall. (Think practically any supernatural horror film where the force is literally invisible.) Slumping down the wall and to the floor, I hear Ann's screaming and I'm like, "Dude, calm down." Until I see that she's being dragged up the wall by her ankles and I'm like, "Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit."

And that's when I ran away.

Next, I'm going through this maze type laboratory with this guy who's name I've forgotten so I'll call him Ed. There's a lot of turning down hallways, going through mini-offices, curtailing around desks, going through doors. The first door we went through is obviously the main entrance door, because it's thick and had warning symbols on it. So we're wandering around this lab area until the lights start flickering (and of course, no one else is there) and we this sudden growl sounds out and I'm like, "Oh shit. Beast, beast, beast, beast." And apparently Ed knows about this beast. (Was this beast a part of him too? Does it change to certain people, etc?) And he throws me over his shoulder and bolts back to the exit from the way we came, so there's a lot of backwards running and I'm watching behind us because I'm over his shoulder, you see, and all I hear is growling and all I see are the lights dying out from behind us as the beast storms after us.

We bust through the thick main entrance door and out into the bustling life of a large operating hospital and there are people around. Patients, nurses, doctors, staring at us until the beast breaks out into the mainstream -- and when I mean beast, I need to clarify that it's been invisible. So when it breaks out, all you see is the main entrance door fly open behind us, probably hurting a few people. Because Ed and I were thrown to the floor at the impact of the door flying up, I'm scrambling up and this head doctor guy comes over and decides to be a super douche and, "What do you think you're doing here?" And just when I was about to scream at him about the monster and how HE'S being a douche bag, Ed gets up and grabs him by the throat and it's clear that the monster is possessing him. Ed/Monster says some threatening words at me and I'm just like, "Oh shiiiiiiiit." And he pinches his index finger and thumb together and presses it to the doctor's forehead and the doctor's writhing in pain.

Right then, I'm totally confused because I don't know what this beast has against me but I'm like, "Dude, stop hurting people!" and to be a douchebag and prove a point, he drops the doctor and picks me up by the foot (that's right, the freaking foot) and pinches his fingers together and does the same to my big toe (LOL, wut?) and I feel my nerves protest and I'm just like, "Ohhhh daaaammmmmmnnnnnnn." He lets me go and grabs someone else to dick with. After the painstaking nerve attack wore off, I get all up in his face to make him stop hurting people and I look over his shoulder to see MISHA COLLINS (playing some guy, so his name isn't Misha, it's just Misha's face that I'm using BECAUSE IT'S MY DREAM, YOU SEE) coming out of the doorway we busted through and it's quite clear that he is the love of my life, because I run toward him instinctively and hug the living crap out of him.

Misha says a few poetic words and I think it's this point in the dream where it's established that the beast originally came from him and he's all deep remorse with heroic retribution. I look behind Misha to see the doctor had pulled open these steel walls to hack into the building's mainframe (because LOL, this is a hi-tech hospital). He turns to look at us, and with a flourish, says:

"I have the protect the principles of humanity." (Whatever that means.)

And he shoves this huge computer block into the mainframe and the hospital starts to go on lockdown. Everything instantly changes to this hue of red (like the movies!) and everyone starts panicking and running places and taking the elevators (and not the stairs, you dumbasses), and somehow in the hysteria Ed/Monster disappears and Misha's dragging me to this elongated hallway with about a dozen or so elevators on each side. Except, there's mass hysteria and half of the elevators broke down (THIS IS WHY THERE ARE STAIRS). So, of course, instead of TAKING the stairs, we wait for a working elevator. (Yeah, bets on who's NOT surviving a real crisis?) We're bunking out on the floor and Misha's all concerned for my well being in which, I'm rolling my eyes going, "Dude. I can handle it." There was actually a moment where he moved to run into an elevator and I follow, only for him to get out because there's not enough room so he let me have the spot to go up but I get out after him 'cuz I seriously don't want to go with complete strangers who probably think it's my fault that the doctor placed the whole hospital under lock down with a rampaging beast on the loose.

Okay, so not probably.

Definitely.

Another group come to share camping out in the hallway for an elevator with us and there's a little girl with one of those flat scooter things that they like to let us play with in gym time in elementary school. Like this except more square and less bumps. The group that joined us (let's call them group B -- and us group A). Her father gives her the scooter and tells us to go play, and it's clear he's trying to make everything completely casual and normal despite the fact that there's a crisis going on and the girl goes and does so, but failing at the whole sliding down the hallway thing. So a girl from our group (group A) goes and shows her how it's done, and it's a pretty serene moment.

After a bit, Misha gets up to pace up and down the hallway to look for a working elevator and I go to do the same and Misha sounds pretty tense about everything so I let him have his space 'cuz he needs it. I pressed the down button on one of the elevators and the doors instantly open to reveal not the elevator but stairs going down and there are numbers on the far wall. I shrug and walk away because obviously in a crisis situation, we don't use stairs. Like, ever. I look away for a second and Misha's gone and I can't find him so I'm sort of kind of really panicking and then I see Ann and she's all happy to see me and I'm sort of kind of not really all that happy to see her 'cuz the last time I saw her, her beast tried to slaughter the both of us, but I guess she forgives me for running out on her. She gives me this piece of paper with numbers on them and says, "It's from Misha." And this makes me really, really confused and sort of angry because he up and left leaving behind NUMBERS for me. NUMBERS.

I spend the next few moments pacing up and down, sort of not knowing what to do until the father from Group B come up and asks what's wrong and I hand him the piece of paper in frustration and of course he doesn't know what these numbers mean, but he reads them off as I'm pacing and he says, "E - 9 - 3" just as I lift my head to start through the pseudo-elevator doors at the far wall of the stairs and it's the exact same numbers, and if this were a cartoon the light bulb above my head would turn on. Finally, we're taking the stairs. So I lead groups A and B through the stairs and turning to go down when the father, let's call him Jim, stops me and tells me we have to go up instead of down because the next few numbers are those leading up. I'm like, "Um, okay." And so we go up, and through winding stairs and steel railways we come up this huge model globe that's made of steel bars and really tight rope netting. We climb up to the top from the middle and I got up and settled myself somewhere on top of India ( or a some random pacific islander country that I don't remember but the name had a B somewhere ) and I'm waiting for the others to climb up with me and suddenly I've got friends from real life in this dream plus A Very Potter Musical Draco Malfoy.

I'm settled in my little spot on the globe, and Idk how we all fit on there but apparently the model is big enough that we can all lay down comfortably. Next thing I know, Misha's climbing up and trying to get on the spot beside me and I help tug him up. Once he's settled, he grins up at me 'cuz he's all proud that I decipher'd his stupid little number code (which is stupid, btw) and I roll my eyes and give him a kiss smack on the lips (because this is MY DREAM, you see). Oh, and suddenly we have guns. Like, where did those come from? So apparently we're camping out on top of the globe until the beast comes and then we're machine gunning that son of a bitch down.

But the important thing is, I'm on top of the world with Misha Collins (and AVPM Malfoy). ;DDDDDD

... if anyone's curious about the | SUPERNATURAL S5 FINALE

kitoky — Fri, 14 May 2010 06:01:46 GMT

Here's what happened!

NOTHING.

... it's a movie review of | IRON MAN 2

kitoky — Thu, 13 May 2010 04:08:56 GMT

Saw Iron Man 2 with a friend. Thought everything about it was awesome, except Don Cheadle and Scarlett Johansson's hair.

And I don't know what they did with Scarlett's hair, but it looked really fake with the tight curls, I didn't like it. Scarlett's got beautiful hair, don't ruin it, guys.

But other than that, the movie was great---it was a really enjoyable action, popcorn flick just like the first movie, and I liked that they explored a bit more about the history of the company and PEPPER!!! She's so amazing, Gwyneth Paltrow never ceases to amaze me. I love how she sticks to being Pepper, Tony's frazzled and stressed assistant, even while running his company. The way she was freaking out in the car with Happy at the race track had me LOL'ing and I really loved that they made Hogan's role bigger in this movie because I so blatantly ship Pepper/Happy that it's not even funny. I mean, yeah, Tony and Pepper are cute but I just don't see them lasting. Tony's just not that type of person and Pepper's definitely not the type to settle with someone like Tony. I really love their friendship though and how Pepper worries about him.

AND THE TECHNOLOGY. Oh, man! All that tech is SO, SO COOL. The globe-atom building sequences, I was like, *ggaaaaassspppp*** Oooommmmgggg. I miss Jarvis though. I feel like Jarvis got dumbed down for the other characters to have screentime, because Jarvis is definitely a contender when it comes to top Iron Man characters. And it's Paul Bettany so, you know. That's an automatic win against... like, everything.

LOL. S.H.I.E.L.D. is completely badass. I love them a lot. Especially Agent Coulson. I want to marry him, seriously.

The previews had this movie called Inception. I'm gonna go see that. :)

... in celebration of | ANNA POPPLEWELL

kitoky — Tue, 11 May 2010 03:20:24 GMT

I'm pretty sure I picspam more women than men, because I find a lot of girls ridiculously pretty, and Anna Popplewell is definitely one of my girlcrushes. So here's a picspam in celebration of the fact that that she gets a cameo in Voyage of the Dawn Treader: HECK YEAH!

Picspammer's Note: Don't overdose on the pretty.
anna popplewell
being gorgeous

This is my "My sister, Susan, is no longer a friend of Narnia" picture.

Please take moment to appreciate her cleavage.

fin.

Please don't take these graphics. Please don't turn them into icons. Please don't edit them. Please don't repost them anywhere. Not Fanpop. Not tumblr (I have my own tumblr and I will post them). Do not hotlink. I can't emphasize just how important these are. If you want to link back, that's fine. Just don't repost. Do not claim credit from products coming from these images. Posting something without credit is still claiming credit. This is for fun and enjoyment. And to honor Anna Popplewell's cleavage.

Thank you.
[ resource | apopplewell.org ]

... yeah you made me feel | SHINY AND NEW

kitoky — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 22:47:18 GMT

For picspammy's challenge 19: second chance. Compare/Contrast of the "Like a Virgin" sequence in Glee 1x15 "The Power of Madonna" based on the three couples featured in the episode. Enjooooy. Also, my "Like a Virgin" play count (only) in iTunes is 286 currently.

Picspammer's Note: The set-up of this is kind of strange because I didn't know how to set it up so it flowed quite right, as it is, it's a compare-contrast picspam, so I tried to organize it in a manner in which we can see the differences between the scenes as the sequence plays. I don't know if I did it well enough but it was fun, regardless. Also, out of all the three, I really love Emma and Will's sequence the most. With Rachel and Jesse's as a close second.

glee - 'like a virgin'
rachel/jesse | emma/will | finn/santana

fin.

. please do not hot link .
. please do not edit .
. please do not tumblr .

... no matter how stained | IT IS WITH SIN

kitoky — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 07:52:57 GMT

For picspammy's challenge 19: second chance. Casting for Neon Genesis Evangelion (anime + manga). Some major spoilers!!

Picspammer's Note: Being a big fan of Supernatural and being mightily disappointed with how they are dealing with the story of the Apocalypse, I recently went back to my manga collection and pulled out Neon Genesis Evangelion which is a companion manga to the popular anime of the same name. The story deals with the very same Apocalypse based on the Judeo-Christian faith, but with several unique (and quite frankly, mind!fuck) twists. The story involves battles between Angels (the primary antagonists) and mechas called Evangelions (robots piloted by "Children"). There aren't major spoilers, depending on how you view them, but the discussion of each cast would reveal parts of the story in reflection of why I've casted this actor/actress for the role. The majority of discussion will be based off of the manga by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto.

The majority of the cast is based on the ability of the actor to portray these profound characters, so these choices may not particularly resemble the original character designs. Evangelion images are copyrighted to GAINAX and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto.

T h e C h i l d r e n

Shinji Ikari is our protagonist. He's your average guy who has been through some emotional strife, which has a negative impact on his character. He's also not your ideal hero. From the beginning he has low self-esteem and a bit of a coward, which can be attributed to having a rather rough childhood. His mother dies when he is very young and his father almost immediately abandons him to his uncle's care. Throughout the series he grows in confidence and starts to take initiative in his role to prevent the Third Impact, a catastrophic event that occurs when the Angels Adam and Lilith unite. Ultimately, what fuels his cooperation in fighting is due to his desire to be accepted and loved by his own father. He is the Third Child (third selected), chosen by the Marduk Institute an organization whose purpose is to identify pilots for the EVAs (mecha), and pilots EVA Unit 01.

In all honesty, I have only seen Nicholas Hoult in The Clash of the Titans, but from what I've seen of his work in Skins (from picspams mostly), I felt like he could handle the emotional strain that is required in portraying Shinji. Shinji goes through both mental and emotional trials throughout the series; from his traumatizing witness of his own mother's mysterious death, the guilt and anger he feels after his father orders him to kill his own friend in the midst of battle, and his ever growing resentment to the position he is in. As our protagonist, we experience all of his character growth. My decision on Nichols Hoult is also somewhat based on his resemblance to the actors that I have casted for Rei Ayanami and Kaworu Nagisa. For cross-cultural purposes, the character name of Shinji ("son of god") Ikari ("anchor") would be changed to Theodore ("gift of god") Wilhelm ("protector").

At the start, Rei Ayanami is as mysterious as they come (until you meet Kaworu). As the First Child (first selected), she pilots EVA Unit 00. Through Shinji, we discover that Rei is parent-less, and her existence remains a mystery until it is revealed later in the series that she was created, rather than born, from the salvaged remains of Yui Ikari (Shinji's mother). Arguably, devoid of a soul, her personality matches that of someone empty. Rei is often described as cold and unfeeling, only showing true physical emotion while interacting with Shinji's father, Gendo. However, through her frequent encounters with Shinji as the series goes on, we witness a growth of personality. This is often used as evidence in the theory/concept that Rei was begotten of Yui, through her interactions with the Ikari men. Something increasingly more mysterious about her is the fact that there are multiple hers. Because of her "creation", she is easily cloned and can be replaced by transferring her "soul" to another clone before dying. It is later revealed that Rei is the vessel for the Angel Lilith - between this and her unusual origin (her lack of an actual "soul"), it somewhat explains her unusual appearance (red eyes, strange hair color).

I chose Annasophia Robb for the role because of how slightly less known she is. It's obvious that if you see her face, you can probably remember where you've seen her from. But she's never been a "big name" so to speak. Based on her role in Race to Witch Mountain, she can play the "out of this world" type of being - something completely paranormal and all the same spiritual. I photoshopped her eyes to be red to better resemble Rei. Shinji and Rei obviously resemble each other a bit due to their mysterious connection through Yui. Likewise, she must also resemble Kaworu, who is essentially her counterpart. For cross-cultural purposes, the name of Rei ("spirit/soul") Ayanami to Echo ("nothing") Senka ("shadow").

I'll admit that Asuka is easily my least favorite character of the entire series (even above Gendo and Seele), but she has a personality that many can sympathize with. She is essentially a "prodigy", having a university degree at the age of 14. Asuka is the Second Child (second selected) and pilots EVA Unit 02, whose original development was based in the NERV-03 (Germany) until the unit along with its pilot are transferred to NERV Headquarters in Tokyo-03, Japan. Asuka is also essentially parent-less. Her mother, Kyoko, conceived Asuka through a sperm-bank after divorcing her husband because of their inability to have a child. Later, her mother commits suicide. Asuka frequently brags about her immense pedigree, saying that her mother chose a sperm donor of great caliber so Asuka is ideally "perfect". There is some merit to this, as our first encounter with Asuka is her 15 second defeat of an Angel while being shipped to Tokyo.

Asuka, broken down, is a rather aggressive girl who knows she's a badass --- but she knows how to put on the "sweet" front in order to advance. But even deeper below her two-faced, demanding nature, she is a hurt little girl who has had to grow up by herself after witnessing her mother's mental deterioration and eventual suicide. Because of this, she strives to be the best that she can be, and we see this through her competitive nature and drive. I could think of no one other than Leighton Meester for this role. From her continuing role as Blair Wardolf on Gossip Girl, I knew she had the stuff to be the equally HBIC Asuka Langley Soryu. What makes Leighton great for this role is her ability to put up a front on screen, and that is how Asuka goes through life, with a mask on her face. For cross-cultural purposes, Asuka ("scent of tomorrow") Langley ("from the meadow") Soryu ("river of all") would be changed to Essence ("scent") Blair ("battlefield") Jordan ("descending flow").

The sympathetic bad-boy of the story, Toji Suzuhara could pull at your heart strings because of his tragic story. First introduced as Shinji's antagonistic classmate and soon-to-be friend, you discover that his tough exterior is something he assumes in response to events in his life that are out of his control. We learn that he takes his resentment of the Evangelions out on Shinji, because his sister was injured and had to be hospitalized during one of the destructive battles between an Evangelion and an Angel. After an event that allows Toji to witness Shinji's distress in the midst of piloting the EVA, Toji and Shinji become friends. Later, he is revealed to be the Fourth Child (fourth selected), and accepts the role in order to give his sister better medical attention by conditioning her transfer to NERV's medical facilities. During his test run with EVA Unit 03, recently transferred from NERV-01 (Boston, Massachusetts), an Angel takes over the EVA trapping Toji inside while it goes rogue. Ultimately, the Angel is destroyed by EVA Uni 01 with the use of the Dummy Plug pilot.

In the anime, Toji is critically injured -- being rescued from Unit 03 and is hospitalized. In the manga, he actually dies (I cried like a baby). It was difficult to come up with an actor who had that rough and tumble exterior but had the emotional ability to convey a sense of vulnerability (shown by Toji's emotional breakdown to Shinji about his fear of being a pilot). And then I realized that the character John Tyree from Dear John and Toji are essentially one and the same. And Channing Tatum was a clear pick for the role. The actor was stereotypically the action-type of actor, but after seeing Dear John, I saw that Channing Tatum could give you a good manly emotional breakdown. For cross-cultural purposes, Toji ("second light") Suzuhara would be changed to Elior ("my light is God" -- shortened Eli) Regan ("tragedy").

Kaworu Nagisa appears before us as the Fifth Child and pilots EVA Unit 02 as a replacement for Asuka when her low synchronization rate deems her useless. He is sent by SEELE, the organization that sponsors and supports NERV. We find out that he is essentially a being to SEELE much like what Rei is to NERV. Kaworu, like Rei, is revealed to have numerous clones and is the vessel for the soul of the Angel Adam. Very little is actually known of his creation due to the character having less than 15 minutes of screentime in the entire anime series and only a handful of appearances in the manga. From what we do see of him, however, it is implied that he is essentially what Shinji is to be, in terms of personality and character. He is strong and confident but gentle. And through his gentleness, he befriends Shinji (and soon, it is more intimate). However, it is later revealed that Kaworu is an Angel, and he gets very close to possessing the Angel Adam (who is kept in the low levels of NERV Headquarters). Shinji is eventually forced to kill Kaworu, but not before Kaworu says, "In truth, death may be the only true freedom there is."

Ultimately, Kaworu is a being that has immense presence. He holds with him a sense of divinity due to his mysterious nature and Angelic purpose. He is also philosophical and easy-going, mostly because of his omnipotent knowledge of what was and what is to be. I chose Cameron Bright because: a) he resembled Annasophia Robb (Rei) and Nicholas Hoult (Shinji), b) he can portray a bit of an ethereal and unknown quality (as "Leech" in X3; The Last Stand), c) his promotional pictures from New Moon already had him with red eyes. Honestly, I was going back and forth with Nicholas Hoult and Cameron Bright with their respective roles. And ultimately, I felt Cameron was better in having a sense of mysteriousness. For cross-cultural purposes, Kaworu Nagisa ("the last angel and the last dead") would be changed to Damon ("death") Ryder ("messenger").

Kensuke Aida is your average teenage boy who's a huge fan of all things military. Labeled as an "otaku", we see him express his interest and his excitement over the Evangelions and the battles against the Angels repeatedly. He frequently says that, "it would be so cool to be a pilot!" Even with his experience with the Evangelions and the destruction they cause, he is oblivious to the realities and trials of the job. He is both a schoolmate and friend to Shinji and Toji, and as we find out later, a potential candidate for pilot, but not officially selected by the Marduk Institute yet. He is part of the "Other Children", as are the rest of the students in the very same school that they all attend. It is revealed that the Marduk Institute have corralled these potentials for their convenience.

Kensuke, throughout the series, is very much a comedic character who's personality can make us laugh whether it's because of his "fanboy" nature or his sarcastic friendship with Toji. He is very much a person who can restrain Toji's explosive anger -- but never incite it. Kensuke is ultimately a likable character, from his meaningful friendship to a formerly lonely, unsociable Shinji to his geeky military enactments by himself up in the mountains of the city. These characteristics are what I based my casting of Anton Yelchin on, his ability to portray a general likable character. From what I've seen of his work, Anton Yelchin is great at either playing the brilliant nerd (Star Trek) or the guy with the gun (Terminator Salvation). Oh, and he's a cutie pie. For cross-cultural purposes, Kensuke ("preserver of health") Aida ("room") would be changed to Tarmo ("energy") Geoffreys ("territory").

Hikari Horaki, much like Kensuke, is one of the "Other Children" as she is a student alongside the others discussed so far. And like Kensuke, she is "average" only due to the lack of exposure the character gets in the story. Little is really known of Hikari, but due to her being one of the Other Children, it is implied that she is at least motherless (a requirement for pilot candidacy). This is further implied in her ability to cook, which suggests that she can at least take care of herself (and traditionally, the father of the household). She is the class representative and is continually harping on Toji for his lack of everything when it comes to their school. It's revealed later that she has a crush on Toji, despite her outward opinion of the thug. Her relationship with Toji speaks a lot of her own character. We see that she is immensely caring, knowing that Toji, in reality, is a kind person. After asking Shinji and Asuka for advice on her crush, Shinji advises her to make him lunch (because the way to Toji's heart is through his stomach).

The day she makes Toji lunch is the day he leaves for his test run in EVA Unit 03. They part with a conversation -- with a reserved Toji and a hopeful Hikari -- and Toji leaves with his parting words, "When I come back, let's try to be friends, okay?" Their goodbye is bittersweet, giving Hikari hope that Toji may return her feelings (or he doesn't completely despise her), but unfortunately he is critically injured (in the anime) and ultimately dies (in the manga). Because of this Hikari is a character you wish could find happiness, because she has a type of unrequited love that you care about. When it comes to unrequited love, I could think of no one other than Allison Mack who plays nine whole seasons of unrequited love on Smallville. She does not physically look like Hikari, but she has what it takes to play the schoolgirl crush with a love that will never be returned because of tragedy. For cross-cultural purposes, Hikari ("light") Horaki ("-no meaning-") would be changed to Lyra ("star") Smith (standard surname).

** I took some artistic liberties with the ages of these students (originally 14 years old), and made them at a university/college age.

N E R V P e r s o n n e l

An essential character of the development of the story, Gendo Ikari can earn your hate or your sympathy. His sole purpose is what he does with the NERV organization, in a Third Impact initiated by the reunion of Adam and Lilith --- and to keep the attacking Angels from taking Adam. By way of the Human Instrumentality Project, a program that seeks to allow humans to ascend to God-hood. This program is backed by SEELE and Gendo works directly under them. It is later revealed that Gendo goes against and disobeys SEELE in order to initiate the Third Impact under his control in order to become God and resurrect his wife, and together create a better future for humanity. His story begins with his meeting of Yui Ikari, a brilliant bioengineer at a university, and he, a capable scientist. Together, they begin to envision a possible, brighter future for the world. Gendo, even more than a capable scientist, is an even more dangerous politician. He knows how to wheel and deal in the business of deceit and is not above using others for his own gains.

He is essentially cold and uncaring, and his love for Yui is highly debated. Many believe that he only married her for her ties to SEELE (she is believed to be the daughter of one of the "Old Men" in SEELE), but I personally find that his love for her is true. It's based on his almost sympathizing relationship with his long-dead wife that pushed me to finalize Ralph Fiennes as Gendo. He can definitely portray cold and uncaring (Harry Potter), and almost heartless (Schindler's List), but can also turn around to display a sort of misunderstood endearment (The Constant Gardener). And I knew if I casted Ralph as Gendo, I could only cast one person for Yui. For cross-cultural purposes, Gendo ("dark way") Ikari ("anchor") would be changed to Douglas ("dark") Wilhelm ("protector").

What can I say about my favorite character of the series? She's incredibly awesome, this Misato Katsuragi. However, in no way is she perfect. Misato Katsuragi is the second character you meet in the series as she picks up Shinji upon his arrival to Tokyo-03. We have two basic impressions: she drives a badass car and she's incredibly hopeless. But soon, we learn that she is also very caring to the Children of the organization, as shown through her insistence of becoming Shinji's guardian instead of letting him live alone. It's also in her decision to send Shinji home after his reckless disobedience to her orders in battle. She would rather give up their fighting chance than to see him die recklessly. What she does is driven by the events of the Second Impact, when a failed "contact experiment" with the Angel Adam failed causing a massive explosion that melted the icecaps of Antarctica. Misato and her father, a primary scientist in the project, were caught in the explosion and Misato is placed in an escape pod fit only for one by her father and she survives while he sacrifices himself. To this day, Misato's evidence in witnessing the event is in her father's absence and the long scar that runs down her chest.

Misato is ultimately a self-sacrificing person. She thinks of others before herself. This is partly revealed in the manner in which she lives sloppily, and in her outright anger when others do something reckless --- but feels that she can be reckless if she pleased. She believes that she does not have "the right" to live because of her father's sacrifice, something that is revealed not by herself but by the observation of the person that was closest to her, Ryoji Kaji. Whatever her motives are, she is great at her job as chief operations director, and commands the obedience of the Children with authority and care. And that is part of what makes her badass. When I think of someone who has authority, but with a lot of heart, I think of Zoe Saldana. This is seen in her roles in The Curse of the Black Pearl, Star Trek, and what little I have seen of Avatar. And casting Zoe as my favorite character is an extremely high honor if I do say so myself, but she can pull Misato off brilliantly. For cross-cultural purposes, Misato ("beautiful city") Katsuragi ("arrowroot castle") would be changed to Freya ("beauty") Maratine ("variation of Maranta; arrowroot").

Ritsuko Akagi, the head technician of Nerv and the chief of Project E. She works closely with Commander Ikari to ensure that the Evangelions are well maintained and the progress is unhindered. She is also in charge of Tokyo-03's defenses against the Angel attacks. Ritsuko follows in her mother's footsteps, Naoko Akagi, who was the former head scientist of GEHIRN (the organization preceding NERV). Ritsuko admires her mother's work, respected it, but she despises the fact that she is living in her mother's shadow, destined to continue Naoko's work and repeat her mistakes. Evident in her own self-repulsion at her involvement with Gendo and the aggressive attitude she takes with Rei at one point in the series. (The severity of this is better understood in light of the backstory of her mother.) Ritsuko is somewhat of a tragic beauty, something commented on by Ryoji Kaji in reference to the beauty mark beneath her left eye. She is a natural brunette, much like her mother, but is prominently dyed blonde in order to be UNLIKE her mother.

I've never been fond of Ritsuko, mostly because she lacks the sort of sympathetic side of her. But in complete observation, she is a very tragic beauty and hides behind her inherited intelligence (and possibly inherited instability). She understands and knows that Gendo is using her much like he used her own mother, but she continues to do as her mother has done and this causes a inner turmoil that we don't really witness. It's in this sort of self-inflicted torment that I felt Eva Green could accomplish really well. She has an intense sort of beauty to her, mostly through her eyes, and can very well rattle off fictional scientific jargon like no other. She can also pull off the reserved countenance of one that could do something about what she is getting into, but doesn't. For cross-cultural purposes, Ritsuko ("scientific profit") Akagi ("red tree") would be changed to Vidya ("science") Reeds ("red clearing").

Ryoji Kaji is an extremely likable, confident and caring male of the series. He's your typical playboy type of man and had a long-standing relationship with Misato since their college years. Despite his casanova attitude, however, one of his biggest personality faults is his inability to "truly" love. This is an issue more prominently discussed in the manga series rather than the actual anime. Kaji discusses his past with Shinji in one chapter about how he was an orphan due to the Second Impact, and that he grew up with his brother in a group of street kids that were thieves in order to live. One day, Kaji was caught stealing from a military facility and traded his own life by giving the soldiers the information of their group's hideout. Upon escaping the facility and going to the hideout, he found his friends (including his brother) all shot to death. Since then he, like Misato, believe he does not have a "right" to live, that he does not deserve true happiness because of his mistakes. This is ultimately why his relationship with Misato comes to an end. They both believe they are undeserving to be happy.

However, unlike Misato, Kaji is very easy-going, something very deceiving due to his position as a triple spy. That's right, you thought Snape was the original triple spy? No, my friend. Kaji can juggle with the best of them. He is first introduced as a NERV agent, acting as Asuka's guardian during her time training in NERV-Germany, but is later revealed to be investigating the NERV organization for the Japanese Ministry. And even later yet, he pits against Gendo and SEELE, finally revealing that he is seeking only "the truth". With such dangerous dealings and secrecy, Hugh Jackman came to mind because of his role in The Prestige, when he showed us that he could deal in the dark side of things. His cheery lightheartedness in Kate & Leopold shows he can pull off nonchalant playboy. And maybe I just want to see Zoe and Hugh play opposite of one another. ;D For cross-cultural purposes, Ryoji ("good reign") Kaji ("grasp") would be changed to Amin ("truthfulness") Michaels ("revelation").

Kozo Fuyutsuki represents a different sort of mysteriousness in that we are not sure how he particularly fits into the story. He is the former university professor to Yui Ikari and is first concerned with her involvement with Gendo, who he eventually becomes the right-hand man to. He becomes interested in Yui's work and begins to sponsor her until his superiors order him to do the same for Gendo, despite Kozo's own insecurity of the man. After the Second Impact, Kozo and Gendo scour the remains of the Antarctic and Kozo learns of Gendo and SEELE's motives. He plans to expose them, but Gendo offers him to join them in their project and Kozo accepts because of a threat from SEELE to make him "disappear". It is implied that Kozo was somewhat in love with Yui, drawn to her brilliance and gentle nature; this is based on his surprise and dismay when Yui announces her marriage to Gendo and because Rei takes the form of Yui in order to bring Kozo to Instrumentality.

From what we see of Kozo in the anime and in the manga, he is very submissive. Always very accepting of his fate and what he is led to do. In some ways, he might excuse his own cowardice because he "doesn't have a choice". But he never stops being a wise voice in Gendo's endeavors and never stopped honoring Yui's memory. Even so, he is not particularly an expressive man and his intentions are easily misunderstood. My first choice was Peter O'Toole, but decided that he was too old for such an active role. I ended up with Ian McKellen, even though he is only 9 years younger than Peter O' Toole, Sir Ian was more fit, physically, for the role. My decision on Ian McKellen was based on his work in the X-Men series, The DaVinci Code, and The Lord of the Rings. For cross-cultural purposes, Kozo ("structure") Fuyutsuki ("winter moon") would be changed to Serik ("support") Martis ("winter").

As one of the three main officers serving under Commander Ikari, Fuyutsuki, and Ritsuko, he is somewhat of a nerd more than the other two -- but he is a brilliant technician. On one occasion, he single-handedly saved the entire NERV headquarters due to his quick thinking and skillful work. It is revealed later, through his working in secret with Misato to give her information on the mechanization of the organization, that he has strong feelings for Misato -- proven when Rei takes the form of Misato and kisses Makoto bringing him to Instrumentality.

Casting Chris Pine in the role was both an accident and yet intentional. After seeing Star Trek, I wanted to see him in another sci-fi/military type of movie and watch him take action under extreme situations. I then started to picture him at the stations aiding in all the battles against the Angels. I more or less assigned Chris Pine to Makoto temporarily to test it out, and then I saw the pictures of Chris Pine in his glasses and struck gold. I did not, however, plan the interaction he would undoubtedly have with Zoe Saldana again. That was entirely accidental. ;D (Maybe.) For cross-cultural purposes, Makoto ("faith") Hyuga ("towards the sun") would be changed to Thomas ("honest") Baston ("heat").

Maya Ibuki gets a lot more fanfare than the other two technicians, admittedly because she's a nerdy, intelligent, FEMALE character originating in Japanese culture. She also gets much more action than the other two technicians, but only in working directly under Ritsuko in repairing the MAGI system. She is frequently monitoring the synchronization levels of the pilots during battles and is in charge of their neural attachment to the EVA Units. Ironically, despite the grim realities of her job, we frequently see her feel nauseous/vomit during particularly graphic events in the series.

It is clear that Maya admires Ritsuko greatly in her work, and it is only later revealed one of the OVAs, that Maya is in love with Ritsuko, shown by way of her ascension to Instrumentality. I don't want to say that no real thought went into casting Natalie Portman as Maya, but there wasn't as much analysis that went into it like the others. Mostly because I'm a huge Natalie Portman fangirl and think of her instantly if there's a role for "petite, intelligent" female with a short cut. Besides, who wouldn't want Natalie Portman working in conjunction with Chris Pine, hmm? Or having not-so-subtle eyesex with Eva Green. That's what I thought. For cross-cultural purposes, Maya ("spring") Ibuki ("breath") would be changed to Maya Pranley (variation of Pran; "breath").

Shigeru Aoba, the last of the three main officers, stands out even less the other two. All that is really known about him is he is a stereotypical metalhead and loves playing the guitar. So I'll be honest to say that I mostly casted him based on his physical appearance, because he doesn't have much else to go on. So that is how I landed with Karl Urban, who as you may have noticed, is also from Star Trek, and he was brilliant as Bones. Karl Urban has also played in sci-fi/military type of films, so he is good at conveying intensity in a crisis situation. For cross-cultural purposes, Shigeru ("man of luxury") Aoba ("green leaves") would be changed to Noah ("comfort") Siegfried ("Nibelungenlied").

G E H I R N P e r s o n n e l

Finally! You were probably all wondering who I had chose for Yui Ikari who I've mentioned several times during the course of the picspam in my analysis of other characters. Yui Ikari, although she dies before the start of the series, still plays such a prominent figure in what fuels the story and what fuels the actions of many of the characters already discussed. Yui Ikari represents the ultimate "good" in the story. All she has ever wanted was to make the world brighter for her baby boy, but by becoming a test subject for the initiation EVA Unit 01, she disappears into the Evangelion. We discover that her soul is bonded to the EVA unit while her remains were used in creation of Rei Ayanami. The events that lead up to this, however, is her union with Gendo and her partnership with him in their development of project E working from the organization GEHIRN, alongside Naoko Akagi, Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu, and Kozo Fuyutsuki. She was in no way involved in the Human Instrumentality Project, which was solely SEELE-based. Yui comes to Shinji in times of distress through her medium of the EVA Unit. Yui's spirit and soul lives on through the EVA, something we witness in the events of EVA going "rogue" and "being alive" in order to ensure the survival of its rightful pilot, Shinji.

Yui Ikari is a very pure figure and she represents the power of a mother's love. The presence of "mothers" is a very consistent and significant theme in the series, from Yui's desires for the future to the lack of actual mother figures to the majority of the characters is proof of that. So essentially, Yui Ikari must be portrayed by someone who can be motherly and be gentle and kind and optimistic, filled with hope and with a brilliance to her. I immediately felt Rachel Weisz was the one, and it fit so perfectly with casting Ralph Fiennes as Gendo because I've always wanted these two to work together ever since The Constant Gardener that it hurts me inside to think that there's only a slim chance that that would ever happen. In truth, the character of Tessa from The Constant Gardener has the same ideals as Yui. They both seek to make the world a better place for the generations that follow. And much like Justin, Gendo, after the death of his significant other, sinks deep within the work of his wife to seek the truth and to fulfill what his love sought to do. But mostly because I really love the chemistry Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz have. Oh and all three of the Ikari's (Ralph, Rachel, and Nicholas) are all British so, um, score on my part. (Not that I'm bragging, or anything...) For cross-cultural purposes, Yui ("the only one") Ikari ("anchor") would be changed to Glenys ("holy and pure") Wilhelm ("protector").

Naoko Akagi, other than what was mentioned in the analysis of Ritsuko, was the head scientist of the GEHIRN organization and her greatest achievement was the creation of the MAGI system, a system of three supercomputers named after the Three Wisemen who went to the Virgin Mary the night Jesus was born. Naoko imprinted into each computer a personality of herself; herself as a scientist, herself as a mother, and herself as a woman. Ultimately, the MAGI system of NERV Headquarters is a separate being and their decisions drive the actions of the entirety of Tokyo-03 to a certain extent. Naoko, after the incident with Yui Ikari, entered into an affair with Gendo Ikari and actually loved the man. It was only after Rei I (the first Rei clone) called Naoko an "old hag" and told her that Gendo also called her that, she realized that Gendo did not love her as he did Yui and was only involved with her to ensure her cooperation and that she performed at optimum capacity. In retaliation, Naoko strangles Rei and commits suicide.

Naoko's casting was based on who could play unstable but still had the resemblance to Eva Green, and who better than Helena Bonham Carter for the role. I don't really have any other explanation. Helena Bonham Carter is just perfect. She can be evil, and thrive in it, but she can also be vulnerable, and intelligent as hell. Because she's Helena Bonham Carter. For cross-cultural purposes, Naoko ("honesty") Akagi ("red tree") would be changed to Adila ("honest") Reeds ("red clearing").

There is an extensive backstory on Kyoko, despite the lack of any physical appearance in the series. A lot of what we know about Kyoko is told through Asuka. Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu was a key scientist in the GEHIRN-Germany branch. Conceiving Asuka through a sperm bank, everything suggests that Kyoko was a very loving mother and had only ever wanted children. When Asuka is four years old, Kyoko acts as a test subject for the initiation of EVA Unit 02, much like what Yui did for EVA Unit 01. And like Yui, part of her soul is bonded to the EVA, but Kyoko escapes Yui's demise. However, Kyoko returns mentally unstable and begins treating Asuka's dolls as her daughter instead of Asuka, herself, who Kyoko after the event refers to as "that other girl". She enters into a mental facility, only to commit suicide after discovering that her husband was having an affair with her doctor.

The bonding of Kyoko's soul to EVA Unit 02 like Yui's to EVA Unit 01 suggests that the soul's existence in the EVAs is why Shinji and Asuka's synchronization with the Evangelions are the highest out of all the pilots. It's also reason enough to suggest that because Kyoko's soul was only PARTIALLY bonded with EVA Unit 02, Asuka's synchronization levels declines significantly after she is psychologically attacked by an Angel leading to her mental breakdown. It was difficult to cast Kyoko in that there is no actual character design for her, so I based it off of the actresses who had some resemblance to Leighton Meester and was veteran to the sort of tragic roles. Eventually, I ended up with Julianne Moore who has enough experience to convey what little is revealed about Kyoko. For cross-cultural purposes, Kyoko ("mirror") Zeppelin ("-airship-") Soryu ("river of all") would be changed to Veronica ("true image") Jordan ("descending flow").

S E E L E

Keel Lorenz is the highest human power in the entire Evangelion universe. He is the leader of a society called SEELE, made up of 12 members. This secret organization contain the master puppeteers that ultimately control the United Nations, suggesting that the members of SEELE are made up of representatives from each major power (the ones identified are interestingly those belonging to the Allied Powers during World War II, which includes the US, the UK, France, and Russia). They have in their possession the Dead Sea Scrolls, acquired soon after the end of World War II, which they use to predict the arrival of the Angels and the events that lead to the Third Impact. They use this knowledge to stop the Angels and eventually initiate the Third Impact so that humans can ascend to God-hood (the goal of the Human Instrumentality Project).

Keel Lorenz is known as Seele 01, the leader of the pack and the one that is frequently featured when we see SEELE. The members of SEELE are constantly referred to as the "Old Men" by Gendo and Fuyutsuki, the two who interact with SEELE the most. Keel, himself, is a bit mysterious and the only thing we know of him is of his futuristic visors that seem to symbolize foresight/forethought. Based on his overarching authority and influence and the character design, I chose Brendan Gleeson right off the bat for Keel. They have the same general shape and facial features. And I think Brendan Gleeson would look kind of cool with those sort of visors. Ultimately, Brendan can portray authority -- the kind of authority that is never to be questioned because his word is absolute and his knowledge is infallible. For cross-cultural purposes, Keel Lorenz can actually stay the same. :)

[x] Please do not hotlink.
[x] Please do not edit images.
[x] Please ONLY link back to this post, do not repost elsewhere.
[x] DO NOT TUMBLR. I cannot stress this enough.
[x] Any questions/discussion, feel free to comment.

... watchtower is officially | ONLINE

kitoky — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:41:32 GMT

For picspammy's challenge 18: fifty. Fifty screenshots of Chloe Sullivan where I find her particularly drop dead gorgeous.

Picspammer's Note: To put it simply, I love her. A lot.
P.S. She's so pretty!!!! =DDDD The pictures lack a lot of
the first few seasons because there's too many to pick
from in the later seasons esp. in season 6 and 7.

fifty moments allison mack was
drop dead gorgeous as
chloe sullivan
smallville

fin.

. please do not hotlink images .
. please do not edit images .
. please do not tumblr .

... fifty ships i will | LIVE AND DIE BY [2/2]

kitoky — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 06:13:14 GMT

For picspammy's challenge 18: fifty. Part two of the 'spam. In this post, spoilers for the following fandom: sound of music, bbc north and south, friends, one tree hill, bleach, phantom of the opera, harry potter, life with derek, dollhouse, the village, beauty and the beast, troy, little women, howl's moving castle, babylon 5, avatar: the last airbender, sailor moon, gilmore girls, bbc merlin, smallville, the office, chronicles of narnia, csi: crime scene investigation.

( #26 - 50 )

50 ships i will live and die by [2/2]
(counting down from fifty to one)
♥ ♥ ♥

twenty-five the sound of music

CAPTAIN VON TRAPP: Well, we called off our engagement, you see, and...
MARIA: Oh, I'm sorry.
CAPTAIN VON TRAPP: Yes. You are?
MARIA: Mm-hmm. You did?
CAPTAIN VON TRAPP: Yes. Well, you can't marry someone when
you're in love with someone else... can you?
- (The Sound of Music, 1965)

WHY || She comes straight from the Abbey to become the governess to his seven motherless children, very fresh and naive about the world. But through the mischievousness of the children and her own awesomeness, she grows to share the joy of song and music to the children ... and to their father. And who couldn't love the wounded widower that slowly starts to fall in love with the right person so that his kids could have a mother again? I love Captain von Trapp. He's so dreamy! And when he sings "Edelweiss" I just want to melt! I really loved that when Maria runs away to the Abbey with The Baroness's encouragement, she eventually comes back knowing that she has to put aside her "unrequited" feelings for the Captain for the welfare of the children. Who knew the Captain was falling in love with her as well? Goodbye, Baroness. You are the weakest link.

twenty-four bbc north and south

"You're coming home with me?" - John Thornton (BBC North and South, 2004)

WHY || They don't kiss until the last five minutes of the series. Everything builds up from their first meeting to their different views about the state of Milton to his proposal to her "secret lover" and eventually, when Higgins finally tells him, Thornton express just lights up (OMG. RICHARD ARMITAGE, WHY SO SEXY?) and he whispers, "He was her brother." And it just was so, so good. I can't even express it into words. So when he's on his way back from Helstone and she's on her way back from Milton, and they meet at the train station... They're terribly meant to be. Although it's tragic what Margaret has to go through during the time beforehand. But through all their troubles, from the deaths of her parents to the troubles of his factory, they find each other and everything seems a bit brighter because they're holding hands now and not for a handshake.

twenty-three friends

RACHEL: You really think I didn't say "good-bye" because I don't care?
[ ... ]
ROSS: Fine! That why didn't you say something?
RACHEL: Because it is too damn hard, Ross! I cannot even begin to explain to you how much I am going to miss you! When I think about not seeing you everyday, it makes me not want to go! Okay? So if you think that, that I didn't say "good-bye" to you because you don't mean as much to me as everyone else, you're wrong. It's because you mean more to me. So there! All right? There's your good-bye!
- (Friends, 10x16 The One With Rachel's Going Away Party)

WHY || This couple should be on EVERYONE'S ship list because through ten years of heartbreaks and seeing the other happy with someone else and WANTING them to be happy, we all wanted to see them end up together and finally have the happiness that they both deserve with each other. And even through everything, their first confessions of love, from each break-up, to mistakenly saying someone's name at the altar, having a kid, working out their craziness... In the end, she got off that plane.

twenty-two one tree hill

LUCAS: It's you.
PEYTON: What?
LUCAS: When all my dreams come true, the one I want next to me. It's you. It's you, Peyton.
- (One Tree Hill, 4x09 Some Things You Give Away)

WHY || Admittedly, I haven't seen the first two seasons so I wasn't sure how the Brooke/Lucas went about but somewhere around 3rd and 4th season, I just fell in love with Lucas/Peyton, and it wasn't even the library scene which is a huge milestone for them, but all their scenes together really drew me, even from a friendship point of view or a girlfriend-boyfriend point of view. I think they're fantastically compatible and I think he keeps her grounded and happy despite all the heartbreak in her life and she keeps inspiring him and drives him despite all of his heartbreak in his life (because let's admit it, there's a lot of heartbreak on OTH).

twenty-one bleach

"Don't move. Just try taking one step. Just try coming after me. I--- I --- I will not forgive you." - Kuchiki Rukia (Bleach, "Ichigo Dies")

WHY || They're arguing constantly, but Rukia's such an adorable character and Ichigo's the protagonist. And I just love the angst that Rukia goes through with struggling with her Shinigami duties and having to involve Ichigo and her regrets of ruining his life. Not to mention her obvious feelings for him, because it's there even though she tries to hide it (because she's a Shinigami, a love with a human is impossible). And Ichigo obviously as feelings for her as way. It's in the way he's determined to save/see her even though she willingly leaves him (for his own good, really). I just really, really adore them. They're so great together.

twenty the phantom of the opera

let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears.
i'm here, with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you
- Raoul de Chagny (Phantom of the Opera, "All I Ask of You")

WHY || There's not many of us, I know. Because the majority is Phantom/Christine because "Awww, poor Phantom! Man, Gerard Butler is HOT." No. I am devoutly Raoul/Christine. I feel the Phantom is just super, super creepy that everyone excuses his crimes and his general stalkerness because of his ugliness and how he's been treated his whole life. That just doesn't work for me. I feel for him, really, I do. See ship #43, but I don't feel like Christine/Phantom are compatible. So here's the reason why I really love Raoul/Christine. He's willing to die for her and to save her from the Phantom who (in her right mind) she is terrified of. He's not perfect, per say. In the novel, he's quite the wimp and if it wasn't for the Persian, would've died a bit too quickly. But he had a good heart and they had the history of their childhood love and is rekindled when the two meet again. And in the movie, the way he goes to the Opera house despite his old age and sickly health, gets a token and visits her grave. He loves her, truly.

nineteen harry potter

HARRY: Sorry, I made you miss the carriages, by the way, Luna.
LUNA: That's all right. It was like being with a friend.
HARRY: Oh, well, I am your friend, Luna.
LUNA: That's nice.
- (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, 2009)

WHY || I am an absolute believer that Harry would be a bachelor for the entirety of his life much like Dumbledore did, but if he COULD have had a life with someone, it would be Luna Lovegood. I know, it seems strange, but it seems so OBVIOUS to me that they would be together. Even though she's completely off his radar until Order of the Phoenix, it's the way that they understand each other without even really knowing each other that make them really work. Especially during Order of the Phoenix when he was completely angsting over the fact that the Ministry is calling him a liar, and he has to deal with this Umbridge woman, and he witnessed Cedric die right in front of him, and the fact that his parents' murderer is back and wants him dead. During this time, Luna seems to be the only person who doesn't get on his nerves, doesn't make him edgy. She's spacey enough to keep his life in some sort of light, but wise enough to understand his feelings. This is quite obvious in the way that she approaches him about Sirius's death, and after the Final Battle of Hogwarts where she lets him have a moment to himself. And Harry is often described to be fascinated by her, or in appreciation of her and her friendship. He doesn't view her as everyone else does, as "Loony Lovegood". She's Luna to him, and the moment where he's in her room and he sees her ceiling, I really loved it. I loved that he gets mad that she gets treated so badly, and the moments that she pauses, because he's probably one of the very few people to care. And he's Harry Potter.

eighteen life with derek

"I've come to take you to prom." - Derek Venturi (Life With Derek, 3x13 Make No Prom-ises)

WHY || Whoever casted the two was clearly an only child, because these two actors have ridiculous sexual tension and chemistry on screen. And some of their scenes are clearly not-so-innocent. Yeah, they're stepsiblings, but that doesn't mean a romantic consequence is impossible. They bicker, yes, but there's something underlying it all that makes us Dasey fans question the legitimacy of their "sibling rivalry". It's the way he helps her get a cell phone in "The Poxfather" and the way they bond in the bathroom in "The Party". How he gets terribly upset that his best friend seems to have a crush on his "stepsister". How she gets all happy and giddy when he actually does something nice for her and their family. I mean, he comes to rescue her to take her to Junior Prom. And she's happy as hell and they look so damn great together. I mean "Summer School Blues". Come on! And when he quits his job and says, "Nobody talks to my stepsister like that! Except me." It's there. I don't care what anyone says. It's there.

seventeen dollhouse

"I'll wait for you right here." - Victor (Dollhouse, 2x04 Belonging)

WHY || HHHOOOOMMMGGG! They're soooo cuute. In a storyline where it's so mindnumbingly bizarre, and the fact that their love transcends personalities and awareness and EVERYTHING. It's so romantic. Joss Whedon knows how to pluck heartstrings. It also helps that Victor and Sierra are already pretty badass based on their imprints and even in their doll state, they're extraordinarily adorable beyond anything in the world. All their moments in season 2 really made me happy even if the plot was really rushed due to their impending cancellation. And to know that they had a kid in Epitaph Two made me so, so happy. They got a happy ending and they deserved it! My favorite moment for them was in Belonging when Priya is looking out into the dollhouse from Topher's lab and asking him about whether or not her feelings for that man were real or if it was just another imprint. It was such a great moment.

sixteen the village

"She is more capable than most in this village. And she is led by love.
The world moves for love. It kneels before it in awe."
- Edward Walker (The Village, 2004)

WHY || I'll ship anything M. Night. Because he does romance and subtle storylines so, so well. You could argue that the story revolved around these two, but it's almost not. It's about good and evil, although you don't realize this until later on. It's also another Bryce Dallas Howard movie, a movie that pretty much brought her on the radar for Hollywood and I'm happy she's getting so much more publicity because the girl deserves it. She's so gorgeous and such a great actress. And to star opposite of Joaquin Phoenix is a total score. There aren't many moments between them but the moments they do have in the film, they were GREAT. When Ivy talks to Lucius at Resting Rock and explains how he used to hold her hand, but don't anymore because he has feelings for her. And the moment in during the attack of Those We Do Not Speak Of, he grabs her hand and drags her inside and holds it until the event is over. How during the party when everyone is alarmed and rushing to find out what the trouble is, she's stuck in a crowd and can't make her way out, he pushes his way through and grabs her hand and leads her out. How he sits on her porch and keeps a watch out as she sleeps and their entire conversation on her porch and how in the middle of it all she proposes to him and he says yes and it's all so very, very sweet and I just love them together.

fifteen the beauty and the beast

New and a bit alarming
Who'd have ever thought that this could be?
True that he's no Prince Charming
But there's something in him that I simply didn't see
- Belle (Beauty and the Beast, "Something There")

WHY || Beauty and the Beast is my absolute favorite Disney movie. Or at least, absolute favorite Disney Princess movie. It's one of those rare movies where the couple actually have a courting period and they get to know each other and actually fall in love. It's none of that "fall in love at first sight" type of deals, because let's face it; he's a beast. (And oddly enough, I loved him more in his beast form because his human form is just GHASTLY.) And Belle is such a likeable character, and that DRESS! She eventually warms up to him after he saves her from the woods after she tries to escape. And then even more so when he realizes he loves her, but has to let her go because she's just simply not happy being trapped in the castle, even though she's his only chance of turning back into his human form again and saving his entire castle. And "Something There" is one of my favorite songs, like, ever.

fourteen troy

Hector from Andromache's embrace went to arms, and it was she who placed the helmet upon his head." - Ovid (Amores, I.9)

WHY || They represent a perfect love in the eyes of the Greeks in the tale of the Trojan War, a war that was supposedly started because of Helen's adultery. You've got Helen and Paris who are the sole cause of the war, while you have Hector and Andromache in the background. Hector, Troy's perfect prince. The one they will follow to their deaths, the one who puts the city and his people before anything else. And there's Andromache, his faithful wife. She's represents the perfect wife (something that contrasts sharply with Helen's actions), and remains faithful to Hector, even in his death. She understands his duties and she understands her duties as his wife. It's assumed that they were an arranged marriage. King Eetion gave Andromache up to marriage as a sort of treaty between Troy and Thebes, but I liked to think that through their marriage and having to come to terms with their roles in society and politics, they've come to understand and love one another. Their relationship during the Trojan war is much like your typical 1940's couple. The soldier is called to war, and fights in the hopes that he will see his sweetheart again once the war is over. And of course, they end rather tragically, but their love always appealed to me, especially in an imperfect story like the Trojan War. They're definitely my favorite couple in all of Greek Mythology.

thirteen little women

JO: Friedrich, this is what I write. My apologies if it fails to live up to your high standards.
FRIEDRICH: Jo, there is more to you than this. If you have the courage to write it.
- (Little Women, 1994)

WHY || I KNOW. "JO SHOULD'VE MARRIED LAURIE." I GET IT. STOP IT. I DON'T CARE. I'm surprised not more people understand why Jo/Bhaer works much better than Jo/Laurie. Because it seems quite obvious that Laurie didn't understand her passions of writing. It was like he only understood that she loved it, and liked it doing it as a hobby. So that was why, even in the books, when Laurie insists that they should marry and that she didn't have to write or work, I knew that Laurie wasn't the one for her. Jo is an iconic character, completely contemporary for her time. She wanted to write. Get her name out there. Be more than she can be. And Laurie was asking her to be just as anyone else. So, impulsively, of course, she runs away and meets Friedrich Bhaer, who understood her striving nature. And encouraged it, valued it. And even when she didn't think she could write anything else than what was expected of her, he told her that she should be more than she could be. And it was so perfect for her. she thrived on the things he showed her and taught her and she loved him. Yeah, she loved him. And wanted to marry him. Not Laurie. So seriously, people. Respect it. Louisa May Alcott did it right.

twelve dollhouse

MELLIE: God! You're going to be so clingy. Weeping and moping, texting me. It's too embarrassing.
PAUL: I'm not a piece of meat, you know! I have a heart.
- (Dollhouse, 1x06 Man on the Street)

WHY || Mostly because I absolutely love Mellie. And that plot twist in "Man on the Street" completely floored me. I was like, "oOOOMMMMMMGGGG!!" And I was done for. But then I felt for her. She seemed so real, and she absolutely loved Paul with all her being and he eventually fell in love with her, just to find out she's represented the very thing he wanted to destroy. Also, I just didn't see the Paul/Echo, at all. I know it happened, but I just don't see it. Paul's fixation on her shouldn't turn romantic, it just didn't work for me. Paul/Mellie seemed more realistic and was realistic, and even when he interacted with Madeleine Costley, I loved their tension. I felt like they could've really worked. But... in the finale. Oh Mellie. :( It was such a terrible end for her. Damn you, Joss Whedon! I wanted my OTP to have happiness! HAPPINESS! Do you know what that means?!

eleven howl's moving castle

HOWL: I feel terrible, like there's a weight on my chest.
SOPHIE: A heart's a heavy burden to bear.
- (Howl's Moving Castle, 2004)

WHY || Howl's Moving Castle is my favorite of all the Hayao Miyazaki films, he's a brilliant, brilliant man and storyteller and all the aspects of the movie really drew me into this world. It would seem that the sole focus of the movie was Sophie/Howl, but it almost wasn't. It was mostly about Sophie's development and Howl's development in character, and they kind of came together. I suppose it's very similar to Princess Mononoke in that sense. Sophie's the ordinarily plain girl who no one really pays any mind to, opposite of Howl who is the infamous casanova of sorts, who doesn't have a heart. Their relationship is almost predetermined since Sophie is inadvertently transported to Howl's past to figure out how to rescue him to find his heart. And they way she shouts to his younger form, "My name is Sophie. I can help you. Find me in the future." It seems to be a set-up and possibly the reason why he meets her, plain ol' Sophie. Her caring for Howl changes her self-confidence. She faces the Wizard Suliman head on in his defense, and he braves the Wizard's wrath to make sure she's okay. Howl fights in the war, something he's never wanted to do, to protect her and their little makeshift family in his moving castle. He greats a little garden for her own enjoyment, for her own happiness. They're so lovely together, I almost can't stand it. It also helps that the movie is accompanied by GORGEOUS music composed by Joe Hisaishi that really amplifies the Howl/Sophie.

ten babylon 5

"Tomorrow is Sunday, Delenn. And I am going on a Sunday drive."
- John Sheridan (Babylon 5, 5x22 Sleeping in Light)

WHY || THEY. THEY. THEY MAKE ME SQUISHY. They're the sole reason why I went through three seasons of Babylon 5 in like 1.5 weeks and they make up such a huge reason why Babylon 5 is my one and only sci-fi space show. I love that it's almost love at first sight, and yet it's not. They developed, through their interactions together, through their need to get through some odd scrape, or if Delenn has to struggle through dinner when Sheridan decides he is an awesome Minbari cuisine chef (he isn't). Also, Delenn is my favorite character. and John Sheridan is epic as hell. And they are perfect. JMS agrees. I honestly can't decide what moment of their's is my favorite because they're all so very lovely. I really love their first "date", but I also loved when Sheridan found out she was preggers. And when Delenn turned her freaking fleet on the Earth forces to protect Sheridan. That's love, baby. But then I really love their goodbye (though it wasn't a goodbye, it was a 'good night') in "Sleeping in Light" because it NEVER fails to make me bawl like a freaking little girl. Or how he faces his own death in "Comes the Inquisitor" or how she takes a knife in the back to protect him from her captors. Did I mention this adorable scene where she goes through all the English words for "grumpy" in describing how he's been acting to his face and it's just, so, so awesome. They are awesome. They make my soul happy and now I want to go watch "Severed Dreams" and "Falling Toward Apotheosis".

nine avatar: the last airbender

ZUKO: Thank you, Katara.
KATARA: (teary smile) I think I should be the one thanking you.
- (Avatar: The Last Airbender, 3x21 Sozin's Comet: Avatar Aang)

WHY || OH MY GOD. HOW CAN I EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THEM AND THEIR AWESOME? LIKE HOOOOMMMMGG. Ever since "The Waterbending Scroll", you can just SEE IT. CAN'T YOU SEE IT? I know there are Kataang's out there, but... NO. IT'S WRONG. BRYKE HAD IT ALL WRONG. Clearly they wanted to go ZUTARA but were threatened by letters from Kataangers so they felt they needed to go Kataang to save their own lives. BUT IN REALITY, IT WAS ZUTARA. IT'S TRUE. If "The Southern Raiders" wasn't OBVIOUS ENOUGH, let's go through the moments that make them canon. CANON PEOPLE. One: "I'll save you from the pirates." Two: "Your girlfriend run off on you?" / "It's not the girl..." (HE DOESN'T DENY IT). Three: "This is water from the spirit oasis at the North Pole. It has special properties..." Four: "Oh, everyone trusts you now? I was the first one to trust you remember?!" Five: "So, what's on your mind?" / "It's your sister." Six: "I will never forgive him. But I am ready to forgive you." Seven: "I'M NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND / SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND." (Lies.) Eight: "Then he'll forgive you. He will." Nine: "This way, no one else has to get hurt." Ten: ( the above photo quote ). IT'S SO OBVIOUS. I LOVE THEM SO, SO MUCH. ZUTARA! Goood, they're so good. In all their interactions, it's just exploding with sexual tension (AND THEY ARE CARTOONS, IT TAKES A LOT TO DO THAT). I'm holding out on the hope that they will do Zutara in the M. Night movies. That's right. I'm in the M. Night bandwagon. So suck it.

eight bishoujo senshi sailor moon

"You will be the brightest star in the sky for eternity..." - Chiba Mamoru (Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon)

WHY || They are my childhood couple. You have no idea how much I loved them while growing up. I mean, Sailor Moon was my girly girl show and I loved it to pieces, PIECES. And I NEVER fail to cry during the entire Sailor Moon R arc where Mamoru basically forgets her only to remember her, only to have weird dreams about her doom and break her heart. I mean, Mamoru does a lot of dumb things just to protect her and it makes for such great angst. I mean, Naoko Takeuchi is a freaking genius. Her romance in the series (mostly manga) is so, so good. And yes, Usagi is an honest to god one of the most annoying characters ever, but I LOVE HER. Her charming friendliness, her open heart, and her love for others. It's what makes her her, despite her bad grades, childish tendencies, and clumsy nature. She's not cliche, at all. And she is my favorite character, which is why I've only ever wished for her happiness with Mamoru with all his handsome Tuxedo Mask charms. Sigh~! Their transcends three generations. Their past, their present, and their future. So it's an epic love story. Oddly enough, it was their forbidden union that causes the entire tragedy of the Moon Kingdom and how we can even have a series in the present day. And even in their future as rulers of Neo-Tokyo, their love was the stuff of legends. So, from the age of 6, I have shipped them. They belong in my top ten. And they will always be.

seven gilmore girls

"Me. You. I just want you to know that I'm in. I'm all in." - Luke Danes (Gilmore Girls, 5x03 Written in the Stars)

WHY || The pairing gets unanimous votes here. Have you seen these two? You cannot watch the first episode and not think, "Aww, they're cute." Because they are. From the moment Lorelai comes bouncing into his diner and demands coffee and he already knows she's already had five previous cups, but gives her more anyways. And honestly? She's always proclaiming that Luke's coffee is the best, but he runs a diner in the podunk town, it can't be that good. She just really, really likes him. And for the longest time, she's been denying her own feelings for him because, "(scoff) Come on. It's LUKE." Luke, the guy she's known for years ever since she stumbled into town with little Rory. And ever since she gave him that horoscope written on a piece of paper, he's been in love with her ever since. And that was 8 years before they start dating. And even when they started dating, the fandom didn't absolutely fall apart. A lot of the time, the fans go, "Okay. So... they're together now. Now what?" But even after they got together, they didn't get old. They only got more interesting and we loved them more. From their dance at Liz's wedding to their first date to Lorelai proposing to Luke to Lorelai showing Luke that there's a hole in her house. Through all their trials and tribulations, we loved to see them together --- even when it broke our hearts. But, like a coffee addiction, they'll never die so as long as Gilmore Girls will always be the pop culture phenomenon that it is. Javajunkie, forever!

six bbc merlin

"She can't be your friend... let alone anything else." - Arthur Pendragon (Merlin, 2x03 The Nightmare Begins)

WHY || Honestly, I could say so much about them. Merlin is the most recent fandom and it was so easy to fall in love with them. I started watching the series when they were about halfway through series 2 and caught up pretty quickly. Admittedly, their relationship isn't the BEST developed pairing in the world, but I still love them a lot. Mostly due to the more subtle scenes between them. One of my favorites isn't even a scene with them, but rather with Arthur and Merlin where Arthur is describing the impossible relationship between Merlin and Morgana but his words take a double meaning that applies to himself and Guinevere. "She can't be your friend... let alone anything else." And it's so subtle and so sad, and SO perfect. I wish the writers developed their relationships more along those lines (much like how they are developing Merlin/Morgana --- although those two characters almost have to tiptoe around each other for obvious reasons). I'm not one who likes the open display of romantic love, like the majority of "The Once and Future Queen" and "Sweet Dreams". It's scenes between them in "Moment of Truth" and "The Beauty and the Beast Part II" and "The Curse of Cornelius Sigan" that I really love. Seeing as though in this universe, Arthur is only a prince not yet a king and Guinevere is the handmaiden to his father's ward, there's the issue of social class, and they have to be developed right, and the writers have only done it half right. But there's something about Bradley James and Angel Coulby that really make up for that. Their performances are brilliant and their behind the scenes stuff are adorable and I just LOVE THEM. How can you not? I've never cared about the Arthurian love triangle until BBC Merlin, and all the trials of Arthur/Gwen, I feel for them. And they are my current primary love.
** Respective animations belong to wikked_angel_78, forgottensophie, lostarkeo, peopleareshapes, sterni75, leona_leo.

five smallville

"My dad told me there are two types of girls—the ones you grow out of and the ones you grow into. I really hope I’m the latter. I may not be the one you love today, but I’ll let you go for now, hoping one day you’ll fly back to me, because I think you’re worth the wait." - Chloe Sullivan (Smallville, 2x16 Fever)

WHY || I was never all that big on the original Superman movies, the comic books, etc. So watching Smallville and see Chloe's unrequited love for Clark, it wasn't hard to latch onto that, since Chloe's already such a likeable character. I'm also a huge sucker for those "bestfriends turned loves" after a lot of unrequited angsting and AlMiles did that well (unfortunately, they decided to fail from season 6 onward). Their drama is a lovely sort. Unlike other shows on the CW, Smallville doesn't quite make it soap-operaish (although they've tried and have come very, very close), what with the alien hero and all. But as we watch their relationship grow, from their adolescence at Smallville High to breaking it into the Daily Planet to saving the world in general, they're really great doing it together. And I'm just sad that their destinies have taken them on two separate paths. I always remember my chest hurting whenever Chloe got hurt, or was doing something she felt she needed so she didn't get hurt, or whenever Clark had a puppy dog face with Chloe. Chloe's a primary example of unrequited love, but we still cheer for her anyways, because Allison Mack knows how to act. And she's so good that we're willing to defy comic book mythos for Clark and Chloe.

four harry potter

"It's different," said Lupin, barely moving his lips and looking suddenly tense. "Bill will not be a full werewolf. The cases are completely -"

"But I don't care either, I don't care!" said Tonks, seizing the front of Lupin's robes and shaking them. "I've told you a million times. . . ."

"And I've told you a million times," said Lupin, refusing to meet her eyes, staring at the floor, "that I am too old for you, too poor . . . too dangerous. . . ." - (Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Chapter 29: Phoenix Lament)

WHY || My Harry Potter OTP. This is half the reason why I absolutely loved reading The Half-Blood Prince. Seeing some sort of development in Tonks (who I love) and to find out (from Harry's point of view) that she was not, in fact, in love with Sirius, but Remus. REMUS. Hoooooooommmmmmmmggg. And when I read this part, the shipper in me was like, "YYYYEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS." And suddenly, they were my OTP. Because the idea of Remus/Tonks is SO, SO good. I love it so, so much. All that background angst from Remus and Tonks all making sense now after this chapter and I love how everyone's all, "You're an idiot, Remus. She loves you!" And he's all, "But, I'll ruin her life!! DD:" but Tonks goes all, "OMFG. YOU'RE ALREADY RUINING MY LIFE. LOOK AT MY HAIR." And stuff. And I just LOVE it. And at the end, with Dumbledore's funeral (okay, I know the last few chapters were supposed to be sad and solemn, but I couldn't, I was too excited over Remus/Tonks) and Remus and Tonks were holding hands with her bubblegum pink hair. It was so perfect and so sweet and I spent the entire summer reading Remus/Tonks fanfiction. One of which was this excellent fic called "Shifts" by Fernwithy and another called "Blood on the Moon" by portkey (who took it down and it broke, broke, broke, broke my heart). And of course, my heart broke 100x more after the Battle of Hogwarts because I just couldn't take it. I COULD NOT TAKE, JKR. WHY? WHY DO YOU BREAK HEARTS? My only consolation is that they died together, but it isn't much of one. They deserved a good life, especially Lupin and to see them both gone and with Teddy all alone, it just tore me up inside. That's why I can't say Deathly Hallows is my favorite book, even though it's so good. I just can't because it hurts too much remembering the descriptions of Tonks and Remus "sleeping".

three the office

"For a really long time that's all I had. Little moments with a girl who saw me as a friend. And, a lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl I work with but I think, even then I knew that... I was waiting for my wife." - Jim Halpert (The Office, 6x05 Niagara)

WHY || I mean. The above quote alone. It is one of the most beautiful TV wedding toasts I have ever heard in my entire life, and it was just so good and felt so genuine and you could just see the love in Jim and Pam's eyes during the entire Niagara episode(s). I cried, I really did. And I will never not cry during those episodes because they're so beautiful. The development of Jim and Pam is also lovely. Their relationship isn't one of those drama-filled ones, where they intentionally make you sit on the edge of your seat for 5 seasons until they FINALLY get together. I was really surprised that they got together by the end of season 3 and was happy that we kept seeing their developing relationship through seasons 4 and 5 until they finally get married. One of the best things about Jim and Pam is that they're such good friends just simply for the fact that they're stuck in the same office day in and day out. Their air high-five? Honestly? Have you ever seen anything cuter than that? It was through those high fives that I realized, "They're it. They're the power couple. That's love." And I love that I can get giddy over them over the smallest things, a subtle smile, a facial expression, raised eyebrows, pranking Dwight. They're so enjoyable to watch and 6 years later, they're married and have a little girl and we still want to see more from them. (Andy and Erin could never compete with the OTP that is Jim and Pam.)

two the chronicles of narnia

SUSAN: We never would have worked anyway...
CASPIAN: Why not?
SUSAN: Well, I am thirteen hundred years older than you.
- (Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian)

WHY || YES. That's right. I ship Susan/Caspian and there's nothing you or CS Lewis could say to make me change my mind. I adored their moments in the Prince Caspian movie, because it didn't overshadow the true meaning and purpose of the film. It was a sweet side storyline and I adored it. I didn't think I'd like it at all, because come on. Susan/Caspian? It's no where near anything in the books as I recall, but it worked for me. It worked and I fell so in love with it. And what made me happier yet is that there are other fans who also LOVES Susan/Caspian. That's right, folks. We have a COMMUNITY (susancaspian, so suck on that. My absolute favorite moment of theirs in the movie was at the very end, Caspian comes to retrieve Aslan and Peter and Susan and Susan gives him this heartbreaking look and it was so, so good. And I shipped them all the more. A very close second would be their farewell, where Susan and Caspian hug (NOT KISS!), HUG. And it was so cute because Ben Barnes and Anna Popplewell have this height difference and it was great. It was small and appropriate and so, so good. It also helps that Anna Popplewell was particularly gorgeous during the scene and THAT DRESS. And Ben Barnes has these eyes, these intense black orbs and I find them beautiful together. So yes, I am shallow. But I'm a happy shallow shipper, and Susan/Caspian is my #2, a couple that was created out of the whims of Andrew Adamson and his team of writers, AND I LOVE THEM ALL THE MORE FOR IT. HERE'S TO YOU, ANDREW. YOU ARE AMAZING IN ALL THAT YOU DO. Except, you could've left in the Archery scene, because it was fluffy and flirty and it would've made the shipper in me so completely happy.

ONE csi: crime scene investigation

GRISSOM: It's a beautiful sport.
SARA: Since when have you been interested in beauty?
GRISSOM: Since I met you.
- (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, 2x16 Primum Non Nocere)

WHY || When it comes to me wanting a couple to be together, it was none other than Grissom and Sara from CSI. Oddly enough I started off shipping Sara/Nick (having seen episodes of season 2 first), but it soon dissolved into Sara/Grissom the SECOND I watched "Crate n' Buriel" because they're so cute. They were a heartbreaking couple though, never seeming to be able to work out for some odd reason or another: he was old, she was young; he was going deaf, she was going to movies with hank; he wasn't ready, she was going off the deep end; his team was breaking up, she was a loose canon; and finally, their friend was buried alive. And finally, (theoretically) they got it together. And they were happy, as happy as they could be with their past coming back to bite them in the ass (or Lady Heather), and we still didn't get that many scenes with them together. We got little moments, and trust me, we weren't complaining. Little moments were better than no moments at all, or really vague, weird moments that we didn't know whether to take seriously or not (we always did, because we are hardcore believers of GSR) --- which was the majority of season 6. And when "Way to Go" rolled around. I screamed my head off in joy. The moment I saw Sara kneel beside the bed and she says, "I'm not ready to say goodbye." I was done for. I was a goner. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. Thank you, writers. THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT A DREAM COME TRUE. But of course it doesn't stop there, there are teary break rooms, "no, dear"s, sex without love conversations, beard-shaving, and bee-hive marriage proposals. Oh, the ship. It is lovely, and it will never sink. And it will only be a matter of time before Grissom and Sara are on the small screen once again (at the same time).

Thank you for sticking it out this long!

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... fifty ships i will | LIVE AND DIE BY [1/2]

kitoky — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 03:41:32 GMT

For picspammy's challenge 18: fifty. Basically, this took me forever. Here is part one. Enjoy. In this post, spoilers for the following fandom : harry potter, pirates of the caribbean, hamlet, the loss of a teardrop diamond, wicked, terminator salvation, glee, phantom of the opera, bbc merlin, star wars, troy, csi: crime scene investigation, as you like it, the legendary siblings, fullmetal alchemist, princess mononoke, house md, smallville, cowboy bebop, fruits basket, lord of the rings, a midsummer night's dream.

Picspammer's Note: This seriously took forever. Thank goodness we were not allowed honorable mentions or else I would probably end up shoot-ing myself. So without further ado, here are the 50 ships I will live and die by (so I honestly don't care if you guys disapprove because I've spent my entire spring break working on this). I ranked the ships by order of how much they make me heart ache and soar.

50 ships i will live and die by [1/2]
(counting down from fifty to one)
♥ ♥ ♥

fifty harry potter

"He's really nice, you know. He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang." - Hermione Granger (Goblet of Fire)

WHY || Okay, so. I know Hermione/Ron has always been JKR's greatest endgame, that was pretty clear throughout the entire series what with their bickering, subtle jealousy, and general teenager hormone-ness, but I sometimes found it taxing. So, no, I didn't particularly ship Ron/Hermione in the series (however, I did really love their relationship via the Half-Blood Prince movie), which is why I was able to love the idea of Hermione/Krum. I rather love the hints of them in the book, and it kind of exploded after the Goblet of Fire movie, because Stanislav is adorable. Absolutely, adorable. Edward Cullen loves Viktor Krum. I've always rather liked Hermione, even though she can be a bit trying sometimes since she's logical and practical and much more sensible than the hero we're supposed to be rooting for. And by Goblet of Fire, I wanted her to get a bit more attention than she does, since Ron doesn't seem to have the guts to do it yet, and it was rather fitting that the first boy to give her such attention was a professional, international quidditch player. The idea is just very cute. Popular jock and nerdy school girl. He gets jealous of Harry's relationship with her because of Rita, she's the one he has to save in the second task, he invites her to spend the summer with him! P.S. He's incredibly chivalrous, seriously. And they say chivalry is dead. Viktor's not dead!

forty-nine pirates of the caribbean

GIBBS: No, it's frightful bad luck to have a woman aboard.
JACK: It would be far worse not to have her.
- (The Curse of the Black Pearl, 2003)

WHY || Mostly because I DID NOT like any semblance of Jack/Elizabeth. It just did not work for me at all. I know the major ships were either Jack/Elizabeth or Will/Elizabeth or even Norrington (not gonna lie, love the man), but I don't see Jack really with anyone except perhaps Annamaria, who had Elizabeth's ferocity but none of her naiveté via Curse of the Black Pearl. And because I can see their past together. She has enough spunk to keep up with him, but rational enough to keep him from dying in the middle of whatever zany situation he tends to get himself in to. And she was played by Zoe Saldana, before she went on Hollywood's radar via Star Trek and Avatar. So I was rather disappointed when she didn't return for Dead Man's Chest, but understood that the writers wanted to put up the tension in the love triangle. P.S. He stole her boat and gave her a ship (... for a short time).

forty-eight hamlet

HAMLET: I did love you once.
OPHELIA: Indeed, my lord. You made me believe so.
HAMLET: You should not have believ'd me / for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock / but we shall relish of it / I lov'd you not.
OPHELIA: I was the more deceiv'd.
- (Hamlet, Act 3 - Scene 1)

WHY || When it comes to Shakespearean Tragedies, Hamlet is one of my favorites. And it's all due to the relationship of Hamlet and Ophelia, a relationship that is nothing other than tragic. Others might say that Romeo and Juliet made a better tragic couple and they may be right, but the story's been done so many times that it tends to get old. Even when we saw very little of her, I really love Ophelia's character. She's not your typical heroine, because she isn't. She's a tragic character. She's a simple woman who loved Hamlet, only to be heartbroken in his mad quest to avenge his father's murder. In retrospect, there is very little true romance to the pair, but their sad story is what attracts me to them. They may have had some bit of happiness when they were courting before the beginning of the play, before the death of Hamlet's father. It could be debated that Hamlet was flighty when it came to Ophelia, but I like to think that he cared for her, which only makes the tragedy even more tragic.

forty-seven the loss of a teardrop diamond

JIMMY: Fisher, I don't think you have ever had to swallow your pride. Pride is something that poor people have to swallow.
FISHER: ... How naïve you are.
- (The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond, 2008)

WHY || Tennessee Williams. You really either love or hate him. I personally like some of his works, although Streetcar Named Desire wasn't one of them. And it's debatable how legit this recently discovered script is. But I'm a huge, huge fan of Bryce Dallas Howard who plays Fisher and Chris Evans is yummy (as always). It's also one of those types of stories where the girl likes boy, boy gets infatuated with someone else, girl's pride gets in the way. Cue angst. My love for Bryce makes me bias of course, but I love the developing relationship between the two. It's in the way they speak to one another, the subtleness that they have. They can say a lot without saying much at all. Also, UST. Bryce and Chris. ♥

forty-six wicked

every moment, as long as you're mine
i'll wake up my body, and make up for lost time
- (Wicked, Act 2 - Scene 8)

WHY || How can you not ship them?! I mean. They're so epic! Unless you ship Glinda/Elphaba, of course, in which case, I completely forgive you. But I loved the idea of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Scarecrow having this sordid love affair. I love it. This ship is also canon in the actual novel by Gregory Maguire, although much more dark and much more tragic and much more adult. The fact that Fiyero can love Elphaba as she is, despite her bad rep and green skin really is something to behold. Even though, yes, he was rather strange looking in the novel, but everyone was, weren't they? In the novel, it's implied that the majority of their affair was just lust, but Fiyero was definitely fighting his "love" for Elphaba, what it really means. Their relationship wasn't sugarcoated, and felt real in an otherwise fictional world.

forty-five terminator salvation

"If you saved us once in another future, you can save us in this one." - Kate Connor (Terminator Salvation)

WHY || No. No. No. Not "Jon & Kate Plus 8". We are talking about robot-killing heroes not parents who exploit their children to become divas. A lot of what makes this ship for me is Bryce Dallas Howard and Christian Bale. The movie itself was a bit... dry, could you say? But the action was good and there were plenty of grimy yet very attractive people. Kate and John were already really established via T2: Judgment Day. They don't get many moments together, since the entire movie is about fighting a war against machines (and they're losing btw, which is why they're called The Resistance), but pregnant!Kate makes for hope and the way Kate is holding in all her emotions when she operates on him at the end makes her hardcore. She's amazing.

forty-four glee

"When I woke up I knew it was more than a dream, it was a message from God. Rachel was a hot Jew and the good Lord wanted me to get into her pants." - (Glee, 1x08 Mash-Up)

WHY || There are so maybe ships in GLEE, it's almost ridiculous, but for some reason, Rachel and Puck really does it for me. It doesn't particularly make sense, because by sense, it would most likely be Quinn/Puck and Finn/Rachel based on compatible personalities. But then "Mash-Up" came around and it was so, so good. I love that Rachel brings out that side of Puck, and even though in the end, they go their separate ways, it was still lovely to see Puck serenade "Sweet Caroline" to her and see her wash the slushie out of his hair. And they hug, btw. I don't really care about the kisses. They hug. And it's possibly the sweetest thing ever. Especially with Puck's previous quote that, "I mean, she makes me want to light myself on fire, but she's good." We completely understand, Puck. But she's a hot Jew, so get in her pants.

forty-three the phantom of the opera

Where in the world have you been hiding
Really, you were perfect
I only wish I knew your secret
Who is your great tutor
- Meg (Phantom of the Opera, "Angel of Music")

WHY || Okay, so this is completely out of left field, but everyone's so Phantom/Christine and I feel sort of bad because I'm super hardcore Raoul/Christine, and this was developed through many fan conversations with other Phantom of the Opera fans that weren't so die-hard Christine/Phantom either. And we really loved Meg Giry and the scene the end of the 2004 movie where she picks up his mask and how later in life she bids for the music box monkey. She's always the one who identifies the mischiefs of the Phantom from the stage, and I wouldn't doubt that she knows quite a bit about him from her mother. Also, in the novel, Erik agrees to give Meg a lead role so as long as Madame Giry did his bidding/note-delivering, so I choose to believe that he finds her voice tolerable and she competent. I just like the idea of her being fascinated by him despite his ugliness and him growing to love her over time after his failboat with stalking Christine.

forty-two harry potter

LUNA: And I don't know who you are.
NEVILLE: I'm nobody.
- (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)

WHY || Neville, the boy no one pays any mind to. Luna, the girl everyone knows for all the wrong reasons. They could work really well, JKR even admitted it herself! But alas, it was not meant to be canon. But neither is Harry/Hermione, so Neville/Luna is completely applicable. They're two outcasts, really. Luna could really get past Neville's shell (his clumsiness, his extreme shyness, his low self-confidence), and Neville enter her bubble (her weirdness, her idealism, her awkwardness). They are two people that could understand each other very well, if there were ever a moment that they were forced to understand each other. And who else loved the Ministry of Magic battle scene where Luna takes Neville's hand and compliments him on his shot at a Death Eater and seconds later when he takes her hand to lead her away from the collapsing shelves of prophesies? It's subtle moments like that that make them really cute.

forty-one bbc merlin

“You're probably not going to win the tournament,” Morgana warned, handing the ribbon over.

“Then I'll be the happiest loser in all of Camelot.”
- fiiishy ( The Happiest Loser )

WHY || This is my bandwagon ship. It's the ship that all your friends like for some god forsaken reason even though the characters NEVER interact, it's because we like both Sir Leon and Morgana and because they're rather pretty and by some biased logic from our parts that we decide that they are meant to be. Even though they're only aware of each other's existence. But with such good fanfic (like the one above by fiiishy) fueling the shipdom, it's pretty hard to resist. Besides, they are awfully pretty don't you agree? Remember, SIR LEON LIVES!

forty star wars

PADME: You're going to kill him, aren't you?
OBI-WAN: He has become a very great threat. (he gets up to leave)
Anakin is the father, isn't he? (silence) I'm so sorry.
- (Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith, 2005)

WHY || Admittedly, I didn't start shipping them until Revenge of the Sith when I decided that Anakin needs to stop being such a whiny little douchebag. Honestly, the entire movie, the only things I heard whenever Anakin spoke was, "ANGST!" and "WOE!" I soon discovered that there was a huge, huge fanbase for Obi-Wan and Padme though, which makes sense, since they've been good friends since Phantom Menace when, you know, Anakin was like... 10 (or some other arbitrary number to indicate that he was too young for Padme who was clearly a teenager and had curves, clear enough that the young boy asks if she's an angel). I suppose in a sense, Obi-Wan and Padme are tied because of the existence and purpose of Anakin as the Chosen One. But I can't help but think that all their scenes together (Obi and Padme), there were some serious vibes, especially in Revenge of the Sith (though it could be mistaken for tension), but I'll call it sexual. Sexual tension. :) If Anakin and Padme's relationship was a forbidden love, than Obi-Wan/Padme would be even more so, as Obi-Wan was less the rebellious type, and he would insist on keeping to the principles of the Jedi. So can you imagine the lovely angst that would come with keeping to his duty as a Jedi versus his internalized feelings for Padme? Can you? =D I can. Oh and Padme would just be turned on by the fact that OMG. IT'S EWAN MCGREGOR. Yes, I am shallow.

thirty-nine troy

She succumbed to this physical need but, even when she clamped her thighs greedily around his waist and tangled her fingers in his hair as he ground his hips against hers in like hunger, she convinced herself that honor had been left intact, for while she had given her body license to betray, her heart was kept firmly locked.

She guarded it jealously, even more so when she felt it threatened by a gesture of kindness from her Myrmidon captor. The thought of affection was absurd; the prospect of love impossible. She would not allow it.

And then, it happened. Slowly, almost like a creeping fog that one watches approach until suddenly it surrounds on all sides. She could not point to certain days, but only gesture to a vague span of time. In the absence of any specifics, she was left with the cumulative effect of waking up to find him watching her, feeling his breath pleasantly tickle her neck as he cradled her from behind... - Gaslight ( From Ashes Reborn )

WHY || Just read the above excerpt from one of the best written TROY fanfic that had ever existed and you will understand. I stumbled upon it one day, because I really love stories about Andromache and I kept reading, curious as to how this author could make a relationship work between Andromache and the loyal warrior whose leader killed her husband and spat on his honor and didn't give him burial. But it did. And it was very cleverly written, a mix of both actual mythology and cinematic TROY. The set-up is carefully put together and the author doesn't just throw the two of them together, making them fall in love easily, but the characters remain true to their nature and Hector isn't at all forgotten (which is extremely important). And it was with this impressively written fic that made me ship this couple, two people involved in the Trojan War, but have never met. I suppose that was how they could've worked so well.

thirty-eight csi: crime scene investigation

NICK: You know, when I was a kid, we used to make these things out of lunch trays and you know, lawn mower engines.
GREG: When I was a kid I used to make bombs... little bombs.
- (CSI, 8x02 A La Cart)

WHY || THEY ARE BISEXUAL. Let's just admit it. They're so cute together, how could you not love them? Okay, okay, okay. So there's no real canon to them, but anyone would be blind not to see how adorable their scenes together are. And how much flirty lightheartedness they have. It's great! Nick refers to Greg as "My Greggo." C'mon, we totally see through you, Nick. And Greg gets hurt and feels betrayed when Nick takes Archie out into the field instead of him. It's okay, Greggo! Nick didn't mean it, you can't banish him to the couch forever! :) I would love them more if they weren't overshadowed by my OTP in CSI.

thirty-seven as you like it

ROSALIND: Come, woo me, woo me, for now I am in a holiday humour and like enough to consent. What would you say to me now, an I were your very very Rosalind?
ORLANDO: I would kiss before I spoke.
- (As You Like It, Act 4 - Scene 1)

WHY || Ever since I saw a staged version of As You Like It put on by the Ohio Shakespeare Company, I have shipped them ever since, because they are so terribly cute. I mean love at first sight at a wrestling match, she escapes into the woods from being exiled by her uncle and she masquerades as a man and gets him to woo her in the pretense of helping him learn how to woo the actual her. I know, there's a headache for you. As if understanding Shakespeare wasn't hard enough, you add in weird funky plot and you're trying to enjoy it but it hurts. But it's oh-so good. Shakespeare really wrote great, great comedies, he's not all about tragedies as public school education has led us to believe. No, As You Like It is quite possibly my favorite comedy of his. And to think that Bryce Dallas Howard plays Rosalind in a movie directed by Kenneth Branagh? SCORE!

thirty-six the legendary siblings

ZHANG JING: Xiao Yu Er?
XIAO YU ER: My name is not Xiao Yu Er.
My name is Hai Li Xia (Shrimp in the Sea).
ZHANG JING: What? Hai Li Xia?
XIAO YU ER: I only want to make friends with you... friends that have just met.
Do you want to start over again?
ZHANG JING: ... All right, but my name is Xiao La Jiao (Little Pepper).
You have to be brave about spices.
Xiao Yu Er: It just happens that I only choose spice.
- (The Legendary Siblings, 1999)

WHY || I cried for them through this series. Zhang Jing was my favorite character right behind Xiao Yu Er. They start off on the wrong foot, and eventually she falls for him, but of course he's an incredibly devious boy, so he can't fall in love (because at that point he was actually in love with someone else) and Zhang Jing was left pawning for him, until he learns that the person he loves has fallen for someone else. After a period of angst (we all need that), he slowly but surely falls for Zhang Jing --- whether or not it's true love is debatable, but he starts to care for her. And after a series of very unfortunate events and a lot of heartbreak on Zhang Jing's part, from having him fall off a cliff to not believing he's dead, to finding him and finding that he's "lost his memory" and doesn't remember her to having to witness his wedding to a local village girl, she comes to accept that she has to let him go. She doesn't leave his side though, determined to help in his mission of defeating all the villains of the story (which is the real plot, not this romancy stuff). In the end, after all is said and done and tragedy leaves Xiao Yu Er's wife dead, Zhang Jing finally leaves him because her mission with him is done and because there's no point in staying. He'll never love her like she will always love him. But he goes after her, and they start over, as friends. And it's a beautiful new beginning to a beautiful suitable end. And I love them. A lot.

thirty-five fullmetal alchemist

"You say humans have no impact, no meaning. So tell me... how much of an impact I make on you!" - Scar (FullMetal Alchemist, "Holy Mother")

WHY || They are the last hope of their dying nations. Scar of Ishbal and Rose of Lior. Both their stories are tragic, and their relationship (however platonic) is only minuscule in relation to the scale of the overarching plot. But the moment Scar takes Rose's hand and presents her to the people of Lior as their "Holy Mother", I saw it and my eyes became saucers because they look really great. They were a symbol of their hope for their people (although Scar's plan was less than honorable, driven by his need to right the wrongs of his people by "saving" Lior. They would be fantastic.

thirty-four princess mononoke

SAN: It's over, the Forest Spirit is dead now.
ASHITAKA: Never. He is life itself. He is here with us now telling us, it's time for both of us to live.
- (Princess Mononoke, 1997)

WHY || It's Hayao Miyazaki and the man knows how to mix romance with the story. He never sacrifices the main plot for romance and that's something I really love. The couple would seem odd at first. The village prince and a wolf princess raised by wolf gods. But through their journey of saving the Forest Spirit, they meet and grow. San learns about the good in humans and Ashitaka the bad in them. My favorite scene of theirs isn't even really a scene with both of them. San and Moro stand over the cliff and Moro tells her, "That boy wanted to spend the rest of his life with you." and San hesitantly says, "... I hate humans. All of them." Which contrasts beautifully later on when San realizes that she loves him. Oh, and btw, it's an awesome movie. Watch it.

thirty-three house md

"I'm protecting myself. You asked me why I like you. You're abrasive and rude, but I figured everything you do, you do it to help people. But I was wrong. You do it because it's right. There are only two ways I can deal with things. One is in my control. That's to leave. Goodbye, House." - Cameron (House MD, 1x17 Role Model)

WHY || I was introduced to House MD solely for House and Cameron because a friend proclaimed that they were much like another favorite couple on another show. So I caved and I watched a few episodes and I was instantly taken with the two of them. He was the abrasive, rude, broken pessimist ("everyone lies"). And she was the compassionate, gentle idealist ("my opinions shouldn't be rejected just because people don't like me"). She wants to fix him, he doesn't want to be fixed. It's a great recipe for angst, and it works. And yes, I squee'd when they kissed, even if it was for blood. Unfortunately I haven't really watched since mid-season 4 because I hate the new ducklings.

thirty-two smallville

CHLOE: How will I know when to let go?
OLIVER: It's all about your heart. Just listen.
Right there between the beats. That's when you let go...
- (Smallville, 9x13 Warrior)

WHY || Green Arrow and Watchtower. I repeat: Green Arrow and Watchtower. Ever since they met in Clark's barn, I really love the sight of them together. And when Clark sends her in his place to the League and she becomes their watchtower? It's just... to awesome. Oliver and Chloe also have amazing sexual tension, and not to mention they're ridiculously beautiful on screen together. With the ever growing bridge between Clark and Chloe, Oliver seems to the person that won't likely push Chloe aside, won't likely take her help and her friendship for granted. And that's pretty big, since all Clark's done lately is take her for granted. How beautiful would their babies be? BEAUTIFUL.

thirty-one pirates of the caribbean

CALYPSO: I will be free, and when I am, I will give you my heart, and we will be together always... but if only you had a heart to give.
[ ... ]
CALYPSO: And what of your fate, Davy Jones?
DAVY JONES: My heart will always belong to you.
- (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, 2007)

WHY || The entire plot of Dead Man's Chest and At World's End was BECAUSE OF THEM. If it weren't for them, there wouldn't be a trilogy! Their storyline from DMC to AWE was so, so great. And even though I guessed it from miles away that Tia Dalma was Calypso, I loved how their story developed through the movies. And would never guessed how complicated it was. Their hurt feelings of so many generations survived for so long and it was only the cause for more hurt feelings, and more backstabbing, and their drama is so good because it's completely in the background. And because Bill Nighy is SO, SO brilliant as Davy Jones. The moment when he says, "My heart will always belong to you." I was like, "... OTP."

thirty bbc merlin

ARTHUR: This has to stop! The king would have your head if he'd find out. There's no point denying it.
MERLIN: Denying what?
ARTHUR: Your affections for the Lady Morgana.
- (Merlin, 2x03 The Nightmare Begins)

WHY || I could say; "Because they're so beautiful together." and that would be reason enough. Colin Morgan and his beautiful cheek bones and Katie McGrath and those piercing eyes. A frequent theme of the series is Morgana's struggle to come to terms with her magic, something that could sentence her to her death if Uther should find out. It's a deadly secret to keep and it's something that frightens her and tears her up inside. And then there's Merlin, who understands his magic a lot more than Morgana does her's, and he's better off because he has Gaius as his confidante, someone he can speak to about his magical issues and his trials. Morgana doesn't have that privilege. So in The Nightmare Begins when Merlin has to decide whether to reveal himself to Morgana, and to try and help her, it's so blatant how much chemistry they have. How much Merlin cares for her and wants to let her know she's not alone, never alone. And you can see how much Morgana trusts in Merlin (even though it should be Gwen), enough to tell him her own terrifying suspicions. Merlin's possibly the only person who could keep her from the dark side, but also one of the few who could drive her to it. Fires of Idirsholas broke my heart into a thousand pieces. A thousand.

*** Respective animations credit to mpgirl and wikked_angel_78.

twenty-nine cowboy bebop

"You sing off key." - Spike Spiegel
(Cowboy Bebop, "Ballad of Fallen Angels")

WHY || Admittedly, I feel like I haven't seen all the episodes of Cowboy Bebop, because I always seem to watch them out of order, but I've seen A LOT OF THEM and I might have seen all of them (minus the movie) and not even realize it. But every single episode I saw, it's always been Spike/Faye to me. They just make sense. She's spunky, he's sassy. And they both have their conflicts and they're both competing with one another, but their chemistry works and I think at one point Faye even admits her feelings for him (sort of... in a halfway sort of fashion). The most prominent Spike/Faye scene that really got me was at the end of "Ballad of Fallen Angels" when Spike dreams of Julia humming him a melody while he recovers from his injuries and he hears Faye hum the same tune. A lot of fans speculate that this compares his love for Julia as similar to his love for Faye. And I am inclined to agree.

twenty-eight fruits basket

"I was all alone when I saw you. You, who was lonelier than I..." - Sohma Kagura (Fruits Basket)

WHY || The majority of the fandom opt for Kyou/Tohru, and although Tohru is nice enough, I don't find her that appealing. Later on in the series, she soon got on my nerves - always so repetitive. Likewise, I didn't find Kyou/Tohru very fitting. Which is why when Kagura was introduced, I hooked onto her immediately, and her story was sweet and sad, but a lot of people just see her as the obsessed girl in Kyou's family that's obsessed with him and likes to physically abuse him. While, yes, all of these are true, her relationship with Kyou is actually quite lovely. Kagura's impulsive split personality and the Sohma family makes her life hard, but she notices that Kyou has it far worse than she does, so she played with him when they were younger, even when no one else would go near him. She admits to Rin at one point that she might've loved Kyou out of pity, but even after Kyou tells her that he cannot love her and she proclaims that she'll give up on him, it's clear that she cares for him very deeply, in a way that love out of pity grew into something more.

twenty-seven lord of the rings

"If you trust nothing else... trust this. Trust us." -
Arwen (Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 2002)

WHY || They're the power couple of the trilogy. Even though Arwen has such a small role in the novels, I really loved how they expanded her role in the movies, and it wasn't forced and it was fitting and it was perfect. So it was really easy to fall in love with Aragorn/Arwen, it's almost an absolutely perfect love how they interact with one another. The only flaw is he is mortal and she is not. And Viggo and Liv were absolutely amazing, their eyes expressed so much in all their scenes. There's not really much that I can say as to why they're so great. They just are. And the fact that Arwen gives up her grace and her immortality to spend a short life with him is really beautiful. Even when she lives much longer than he does. My favorite scene of theirs is definitely in Return of the King where Arwen sees Eldarion and older!Aragorn (btw, Viggo Mortensen is so flamin' in grey hair). And the sadness in her expression crushed me!

twenty-six a midsummer night's dream

For ere Demetrius look'd on Hermia's eyne,
He hail'd down oaths that he was only mine;
And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,
So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt.
- Helena (A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 1 - Scene 1)

WHY || This is another "girl loves boy, boy fancies someone else, boy pursues someone else, girl tries to make him see that she's the one for him" type of relationships. And their relationship is sweet and bittersweet in some senses. In the actual comedy, there's nothing to suggest that Demetrius was in love with Helena at the beginning of the play. We only know that they were previously courting before he was told to be engaged to Hermia, and he was like, "... Sure." And he does and Helena is heartbroken. And of course, chaos ensues when Helena seeks to show Demetrius that Hermia and Lysander are in love and that he should come back to her, and thanks to Puck, Lysander and Demetrius fall under a spell and are infatuated by Helena. In the end, Lysander is dismissed of the spell while Demetrius is still in love with her. That's the bittersweet part of it. They're finally together and "in love", but it's all due to the fact that Demetrius is still under a love spell.

( #01-25 )

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... shameless plug is | SHAMELESS

kitoky — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 07:41:52 GMT

Plugging a NARNIA REWATCH. This is based in the susancaspian community, but everyone is welcome so as long as you are respectful to our opinions and fangirly ways. We realize the majority aren't Susan/Caspian fans, but we are also rewatching the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe which obviously has no Susan/Caspian elements at all. It's a general Narnia Rewatch with only a ~~little~~ lot bias with Prince Caspian. For more information, select the banner or click here.

... because i have | FAITH IN YOU

kitoky — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:57:52 GMT

For picspammy's 17th challenge: FIVE. FIRST MERLIN PICSPAM. YES. I am now officially IN THE FANDOM. SPOILERS UP TO 2x06 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST PART II.

Picspammer's Note: Let's just face it. I really wanted to do this theme, and I picked out certain scenes that I felt Arthur was greatly moved by Gwen, and by my fangirl view starts to fall in love with her. And this is my first contribution to the fandom. :) Yay!

. 5 times arthur pendragon fell
in love with guinevere .
BBC Merlin
+++++

5. you always surprise me

ARTHUR: Guinevere!
GUINEVERE: Sire!
ARTHUR: That thing could've killed you!
GUINVERE: And it still might! ... Sorry, sire!
ARTHUR: No, my pleasure.
[ ... ]
GUINEVERE: I'll get you something to stop the bleeding.
ARTHUR: Guinevere! ... I wanted to say... just, uh, you... always surprise me.
GUINEVERE: ... Is that it, sire?
ARTHUR: That's it. Oh, and, uh, ... Thank you.
- (2x01 "The Curse of Cornelius Sigan")

REASON: It's the way he looks at her, even though he's exhausted and desperate in fighting all the gargoyles wreaking havoc to his kingdom. His mindset the last half of the episodewas simply to protect his kingdom and his people, and to have one of them rescue him (and having it be GUINEVERE no less), it reaffirms the view of his own duty as their prince. And he thanks her. Her, the servant. He doesn't even often thank Merlin who has done a lot more for the prat of a prince that he was.

4. i have faith in you

GUINEVERE: Food is scarce for these people. You shouldn't turn your nose up at it! Oh, no. I-I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I'm sorry!
ARTHUR: Gwen...
GUINEVERE: I'm sorry! I don't know what I was thinking! It won't happen again---
ARTHUR: Guinevere! ... Thank you. You're right. And you were right to speak up. I should've listened to you and Morgana, we need all the help we can get.
GUINEVERE: We'll be fine.
ARTHUR: How can you be so sure?
GUINEVERE: Because I have faith in you ---
ARTHUR: ... (looks at her in confusion)
GUINEVERE: I mean. We all do.
ARTHUR: ... Thank you.
- (1x10 "The Moment of Truth")

REASON: This is probably a pretty pivotal scene for the development of Arthur/Gwen, most likely because it seems to be their first meaningful scene. At this point, we understand that Guinevere has mostly been in the background observing Arthur's action as a prince and sees that he has such potential to be a good ruler one day. This is the first time we see Gwen voice it out loud, however, and who else would she voice it to? Arthur, himself. It comes out rushed and almost as if it's a reflex, because she believes in him -- he's come here to help his manservant's home village from bandits -- it's all the proof she needs really. On Arthur's end, he still has doubts and didn't start having those doubts when he first came to rally the villagers. He believed they could do this, until he realizes that it's going to be tough, but Gwen comes along to tell him that it'll be fine, that he was right to believe in these villagers. Because they also believe in him (minus Will but Arthur doesn't need him anyways).

3. i have everything to prove

ARTHUR: His lance pierced my armor!
GUINEVERE: You're losing too much blood!
ARTHUR: Do what you can. I have to be back on the course in five minutes or I forfeit the match.
GUINEVERE: You can't possibly joust! You're too badly injured!
ARTHUR: I have never withdrawn from a match. I do not intent to start now.
GUINEVERE: You would risk your life to protect your pride? You have nothing to prove, least of all to me.
ARTHUR: (looks at her) I have everything to prove. (Gwen looks between his eyes.) To myself.
- (2x02 "The Once and Future Queen")

REASON: This moment kind of does it for me, when it comes to the Arthur/Gwen-fest that is "The Once & Future Queen". There's something in the way that she worries over him, as opposed to "The Curse of Cornelius Sigan", and the way he looks at her after she says, "least of all to me," and responds with a determined, "I have everything to prove." As though he is winning this tournament not only for himself, but for her as well. Oh and btw. The music. OMG.

2. the man i am inside?

GUINEVERE: You're not going to die, Arthur. I'm telling you. Because I know that one day, you will be king. A greater king than your father will ever be. That's what keeps me going... you are going to live to be the man I've seen inside you, Arthur. I can see a Camelot that is fair and just. I can see a king that the people will love and be proud to be called their sovereign. For the love of Camelot, you have to live.
[ ... ]
GUINEVERE: I knew it. I said you'd be all right!
ARTHUR: I can remember you talking to me...
GUINEVERE: ... You can?
ARTHUR: Stroked my forehead...
GUINEVERE: I was tending to your fever!
ARTHUR: Never lost faith.
GUINEVERE: I was just talking.
ARTHUR: Tell me again what you said.
GUINEVERE: I don't remember.
ARTHUR: Yes, you do!
GUINEVERE: No, I don't.
ARTHUR: Come on! Something about... the man I am inside?
GUINEVERE: No! I never said that.
ARTHUR: Guinevere...
GUINEVERE: I have to get these washed!
- (1x13 "Le Morte d'Arthur")

REASON: Even having just woken up from being practically dead, he has the energy to flirt with Guinevere. Not Gwen. It's Guinevere. And even in his sleep, laying there DYING, he still hears her. Nothing like falling in love with your dreams, hmm? It's the way he teases her, smiling incessantly at her excuses and how she flushes nervously. It's almost too obvious how smitten he is with her.

1. don't ever change

ARTHUR: Guinevere!
GUINEVERE: I saw what you did, earlier... the people owe you a debt of gratitude.
ARTHUR: The people owe me nothing. Father's still going to impose the tax.
GUINEVERE: Will he not be persuaded?
ARTHUR: Not by me. Can't stand the sight of me.
GUINEVERE: That's not true. King loves you.
ARTHUR: You should've heard the way he spoke to me.
GUINEVERE: I'm sure he was angry, but you're still his son. Everyone appreciates what you did. They know you tried and they won't forget that.
ARTHUR: Maybe he's right? One day, I will be the King of Camelot. I cannot be a friend to the people as well as their ruler.
GUINEVERE: That is not true and you will prove it when you become king! You have a kind heart, Arthur. Don't ever change. Not for anyone.
- (2x06 "The Beauty and the Beast Part II")

REASON: This makes my brain explode. For the entire arc of "The Beauty and the Beast" with very little scenes between them, this ONE scene was worth it, honestly. Part of what makes this scene really great is the events leading up to it. Arthur actively defying his father's orders to protect the people (of his own accord), and Guinevere sees this and is proud of him, and she's the only one that goes to him after the event and tell him he did the right thing and this is significant in that it once again reaffirms his belief in his duty to the people. Interactively, however, it's the simple curve of his lips into a small smile that shows us how much he's fallen in love with this servant, his sole believer in everything, the one that will never lose faith in him and having her reaffirm his ideals and his beliefs, it's a support he's learned to rely on. It's in the way he gazes at her as she profusely proclaims that he will be an awesome, awesome king and tiny curve of the lips. It's simple, and it works for me. As if we didn't already know Arthur was head over heels for this girl.

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[ resources | Arthur & Gwen: Never Loved Another & Disparue & Merlin's Keep ]