Anything and Everything

We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be. (Kurt Vonnegut) Jemma Redgrave. Berena. Emily x JJ. Lana Parrilla. Swan Queen. Mirandy. Supercat. J/7. Bering & Wells. WH13 always. She/her, queer. ASD. Fan fic. Photography. Manips. Old as the hills in the distance.

[marxistprincess]

[mycha-12]

Lovely cast of the brilliant play!!

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[dinovia-grant]

Liz Friedman wrote an episode of this show and was consulting producer on two.

Liz Friedman, as in co-executive-producer of 91 episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess.

No wonder this show is so freaking good.

[absedarian]

Day 19 of Berena Drabble July

Prompt: Rub

Set in Spain, weeks after Bernie’s arrival but before they get back together

—————————————————

Serena notices the way Bernie is moving gingerly over breakfast. “Back giving you gyp? I could give you a back rub.”

Bernie looks almost startled. “That’s … not necessary, thank you.”

“I used to be quite good at it,” Serena teases, wondering why Bernie’s so reluctant to accept help.

“You were. It’s just …” Bernie shrugs. “It’s different now.”

“Let me help you, please.”

Bernie sighs and carefully pulls her shirt off. Serena gasps at all the scars that weren’t there before.

“Told you it was different now.”

Serena is glad Bernie can’t see the tears in her eyes as she starts working.

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Read on AO3

[absedarian]

Day 18 of Berena Drabble July

Prompt: Pattern

Set after Bernie is declared MIA

—————————————————

Serena lay in bed, watching the patterns of light cast by passing cars through the curtains, which fluttered in the gentle breeze. She lay awake, thinking about Bernie and missing her with an ache so profound that she knew it would never go away.

Missing in action.

Presumed dead.

That couldn’t be true. She’d feel it if Bernie was dead. Wouldn’t she? No, Bernie would be found and would come back, even if it wasn’t to her. Serena would be happy about that and still rue the day she’d sent Bernie away, never expecting that it would be for forever.

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Read on AO3

[absedarian]

to nobody’s surprise whatsoever, Jemma is still as lovely in person as she ever was, even if she’s in a hurry

[absedarian]

Day 17 of Berena Drabble July

Prompt: Embarrassment

Set after The Kill List aka Bernie’s return from Ukraine

——————————————————

Serena decided not to tell Bernie about the embarrassment she’s had to endure while Bernie was in Ukraine … but naturally, Jason tells Bernie everything anyway.

“Would you have told me?” Bernie asks later. “What you’ve been through because of me?”

“It wasn’t because of you,” Serena mutters against Bernie’s collarbone.

“It was and I’ll try to make it up to you.”

“You know what they say: For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?”

“Shakespeare?”

Serena looks up, sees Bernie trying not to grin. “Austen, and you know it.”

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Read on AO3

[absedarian]

Day 17 of Berena Drabble July

Prompt: Embarrassment

Set after The Kill List aka Bernie’s return from Ukraine

——————————————————

Serena decided not to tell Bernie about the embarrassment she’s had to endure while Bernie was in Ukraine … but naturally, Jason tells Bernie everything anyway.

“Would you have told me?” Bernie asks later. “What you’ve been through because of me?”

“It wasn’t because of you,” Serena mutters against Bernie’s collarbone.

“It was and I’ll try to make it up to you.”

“You know what they say: For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?”

“Shakespeare?”

Serena looks up, sees Bernie trying not to grin. “Austen, and you know it.”

——————————————————

Read on AO3

[ohwhatagloomyshow]

do you remember why you followed prev

yes :)

no :)

Remaining time: 4 days 4 hours

[absedarian]

Day 16 of Berena Drabble July

Prompt: Struggle

—————————————————

When Bernie returns home, she hears Serena grunting and swearing. Following the sounds, Bernie finds her in the kitchen, struggling to open a jar.

“Would you like some help?”

“No,” Serena grunts. “I’m fine.”

“I‘d be hap—“

“I can do this! Just because you’re— … Ouch!” Serena clenches her hand. “Cramp.”

“Allow me.” Bernie takes the jar and opens it with a firm twist.

“I’ve already loosened the lid for you.”

“You definitely have.”

“Bernie?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks for not saying ‘I told you so’.”

“I thought about it.”

“I know.”

Bernie grins and then they’re laughing in each other’s arms.

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Read on AO3

[absedarian]

Day 16 of Berena Drabble July

Prompt: Struggle

—————————————————

When Bernie returns home, she hears Serena grunting and swearing. Following the sounds, Bernie finds her in the kitchen, struggling to open a jar.

“Would you like some help?”

“No,” Serena grunts. “I’m fine.”

“I‘d be hap—“

“I can do this! Just because you’re— … Ouch!” Serena clenches her hand. “Cramp.”

“Allow me.” Bernie takes the jar and opens it with a firm twist.

“I’ve already loosened the lid for you.”

“You definitely have.”

“Bernie?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks for not saying ‘I told you so’.”

“I thought about it.”

“I know.”

Bernie grins and then they’re laughing in each other’s arms.

—————————————————

Read on AO3

[yesornopolls]

do you have any friends that are 4x your age or more?

Do you have any friends that are 4x your age or more?

Yes

No

Remaining time: 2 days 7 hours

[absedarian]

Day 15 of Berena Drabble July

Prompt: Beach

Set in Spain towards the end of their time there

—————————————————

Serena has a hard time remembering a time where she’s been this happy in her life, a time where she felt nothing but this unrestrained joy at being alive, at being in love and loved in return.

They’re walking hand in hand along the beach after a lovely dinner in this small Spanish coastal town they’ve escaped to for the weekend. The setting sun is making Bernie glow beside her, and when she looks at her, she’s unsurprised to see her looking back.

Bernie tugs her to a stop and wraps her arms around her. “You look happy.”

“I am.”

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Read on AO3

[absedarian]

Day 14 of Berena Drabble July

Prompt: Guess

Set in Spain, shortly after Bernie’s arrival there. Bernie makes another phone call (refers back to these drabbles from Spotlights VI: Drabble 25, Drabble 26)

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The first time Bernie calls Charlotte, Serena by her side, is the day after talking to Marcus, hoping Charlotte’s had enough time to digest the news.

“Hello, Lottie.”

“Mum,” Charlotte sobs. “I was hoping you’d call.”

Bernie laughs wetly. “Well, that’s new.”

“I’ve missed you ...”

They’ve been speaking for ten minutes when Cameron’s name comes up.

“What happened?” Bernie asks.

“I guess you’ve heard then? He’s … he’s changed a lot. I hardly recognise him anymore.”

“Did he really …?

“Kill someone?” Charlotte sighs. “I honestly don’t know, Mum. I don’t want to believe it but …”

“Yeah.” Bernie looks at Serena. “But …”

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Read on AO3

[beardedmrbean]

Next up someone is going to claim that the Narnia series isn't kids books.

Kids books is probably not the best way to word it, you can enjoy them at every age, including your childhood, as you get older you may find new truths in them, but they're still good for any age.

[cookingwithroxy]

I want you to understand this. I NEED you to understand this. My mother read me the hobbit as bedtime story, and I started pushing myself to read before pre-school so I could in fact read the hobbit for myself instead of having to wait for bedtime.

I didn't do so right away but jesus wept I PUSHED myself to learn to read SPECIFICALLY so I could read The Hobbit! It is, in fact, a children's story! And children only see page count as 'there is a lot of this fun story to read!'

[ayrki]

Wait until this motherfucker learns kids are out here reading 500+ page books! The scandal!

Like, I fucking hate the woman behind them, but ONE FUCKING THING that series that needs no mention did?

Convinced publishers in the early 2000’s that kids will in fact read longer books.

How do I know?

BECAUSE ONE OF MY FAVOURITE YOUNG ADULT AUTHORS SAID AS MUCH IN HER FUCKING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Literally was something like ‘thank you for showing publishers young readers will read longer novels so that I can up my word count!’

Did you ever notice that young adult novels DID very much get longer after 2000 and a certain bloated series displayed how voracious young readers are?

Of course you didn’t. So how about you shut the fuck up, Brendan, and listen to the fucking industry itself.

Even it had a come to Jesus moment a quarter of a fucking century ago, you pillock.

Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander is 776 pages and still has some of my favourite prose I’ve ever read, and I read it as a kid.

We’ve been reading long books for decades, you twat. Just because YOU couldn’t doesn’t mean the rest of us are as mediocre as you, Brendan.

[absedarian]

Also — insert gasp here — there are many, many kids who read books not specifically meant for children because they love *reading*. I was always reading something, and at some point you just grab anything that interests you. The Hobbit at 8, then The Lord of the Rings etc. I read The Mists of Avalon, famously a pretty long book, when it came out. I was 13 or so.

Children who love to read will read anything they can get their hands on, regardless of the length of the book, and often regardless of the subject matter.

[picsthatmakeyougohmm]

hmmm

[rubykgrant]

You BEHEAD Marie Antoinette?

[commodorecliche]

you CHOP her head like the GUILLOTINE??

[quadradaz]

OH OH CHAOS FOR FRANCE! CHAOS FOR FRANCE FOR 1000 YEARS!!!!

[petermorwood]

Pity I hadn’t seen this closer to Bastille Day… :-D

[lordeisonfire]

Sam Neill’s dream, if anyone wants a good cry.

[troger]

🖤

[kave-elott-ne-szolj-hozzam]

May we love in uninteresting times