An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
1869. After a failed part in a failed rebellion, Lithuanian noble Tauras Laurinaitis flees his homeland rather than risk being sent to Siberia. Guilt-ridden, he is determined to keep the memory of his country alive the only way he can: printing and smuggling books in a language now outlawed by the Russian Empire. But what happens when he catches the eye of a certain Prussian gendarme? Will Tauras be able to keep his smuggling, and his past, a secret?
I have a midterm exam tomorrow morning but this made me drop everything to read this chapter
More of my rambling and thoughts that contain spoilers below because I can't log into my ao3 and leave comments at the moment
The bond between Eduard and Jan is SO GOOD
"Anyone insults my son, they'll have me to answer to, understood?"
Eduard going back to help Jan not just for the con and the money but because Jan is afflicted by tuberculosis, Jan considering Eduard's concerns about the con, defending him, casually and openly calling him his son
Ugh Louis, you know how to make a character sketchy from just one appearance alone
There is so much suspense and tension in this chapter, between characters, within the plot development itself. Lithugraph you have truly mastered characterization, plot pacing and development, I really admire your writing and storytelling skills so much.
I was so stressed when Gilbert was making his connections about the contraband book and going to investigate the type samples. Gilbert is a smart man! But so is Tauras and and I have hope that he will pull something off.
JAN'S DEATH
I know he's a minor character but his character is so beautifully developed in the times we do see him, and this was such a heartbreaking farewell to him
Eduard's grief, calling him "dad," my heart cannot handle this chapter ending
Poor, sweet, smart, Eduard, what is next for him?
As usual, love the new chapter, and I will painfully wait for the next development
I cannot imagine what can come next especially as we near the end, but I am so excited to see what you create next
hi! I'm so happy I came across your account, your art and writing is just so *mwah* chef's kiss!! idk what your fans are called but I'm one of them now
My fans are called mentaly unstable and in need of a good long talk.
Thank you from the bottom of my cold slav heart mwah <3
Lots of thoughts today, but imagining first time experiences for the nations, Arthur's first time walking around England on his own, after CENTURIES of being hyper-involved with the crown, without supervision, and the first thing he does is buy himself sweet bread and sits himself down somewhere to eat it.
Like that rat-meme where it's just sitting and eating quietly, I just think Arthur would have enjoyed that immensely. And nowadays he buys or bakes sweet bread for special occasions, so sweet bread is somehow a little special treat to him :,)
as soon as i am free from the hell that is midterms you guys are getting so much swissfra content it's all I can think about while i'm in the library at 2am this is healthy
You can barely see the beardā¦. Sorry, Iām rewatching Hacksaw ridge, also that is buzzed down Francis btw. Below the cut you can see the beard better :,) Sorry, I got carried away
as soon as i am free from the hell that is midterms you guys are getting so much swissfra content it's all I can think about while i'm in the library at 2am this is healthy
based on my very very limited historical knowledge and interactions with other ship posts i've seen here are my thoughts on swissfra:
Austria and Switzerland were childhood sweethearts and first loves and all that but grew apart and Switzerland maybe took it harder watching Austria move on
And then Switzerland is involved with the swiss guards in France for centuries and somewhere there he grows closer with Francis even though he did not expect it at all, and then maybe they gradually grow into some kind of romance
Then with everything in the French revolutions and Napoleonic wars, end things because there's so much going on and Francis is going through it
and as Francis comes out of this era and later into his new closeness with Arthur, both Francis and Switzerland move on
and maybe for added drama, while Switzerland was in France, he saw how Francis had this drama and even flirtation with other nations (England, Scotland, etc.), and this romance not really being the forefront of their thoughts or priorities because they put so many other things in their lives before their feelings for each other?
or maybe Switzerland was just getting his bag and doing his job idk
i just love the idea of charismatic, smooth, Francis interacting with brash, straightforward, Switzerland, both confident in their own ways, Switzerland being immune to Francis' flirtations (for now!) and just going about his work, but over time something feels different and (oh no) there's that thumping in his heart he hasn't felt in centuries, he's carrying this guy on his back away from the battlefield and lecturing him on his posture and "how could you get hurt like this imagine if I wasn't there to-" and oh god he cares about Francis