#gen thoughts

[sacrilegious-doll]

Im like, 1/4 way through Twilight. Why is Edward always smirking and smug. And why is Bella obsessing over people being pale.

[dogsofardour]

Okay, so I'm thinking about the Polnareff siblings in relation to the fact that their mother died when J.P was young.

Things to establish(using the 1987-8 timeline):

J.P is about 23-4 in SDC, and Sherry was a high school student when she was murdered in 1985.

If we subtract the years here, Polnareff was about 21 when Sherry was about 15-18. This gives us three possibilities for the sibling age gap. Pol could have been between 3-6 years older than Sherry.

This is all important because it gives us a timeframe in which their mother couldn't have died. This would inform how much of a brother/parent role J.P would take for Sherry.

Further into speculation:

I'm leaning towards a 5 to 6 year gap, this is because it makes it that much easier for him to lift up Sherry and spin her around in the one flashback we see. Unfortunately, this means that Sherry would have been 15-16 when she was murdered (which breaks my heart).

For the sake of my heart, I'm going to say the Polnareff siblings lost their mom when J.P was 8 and Sherry was 2-3. I think their mother's death was a factor in how protective J.P was of Sherry, and how close they were as brother and sister.

Suddenly, there were only three people in the house. Suddenly, J.P has to become more responsible for his sister, make sure she's taken care of and happy while their father is working. I just have the feeling that Sherry might have thought of J.P as more emotionally available and dependable than their father (regardless of how good or bad a job their father was doing, since Sherry and J.P had a similar experience ((losing their mother)) rather than losing a wife, I think that's something that would cement a different type of understanding between the two of them).

Obviously every sibling bond is unique, but I think J.P and Sherry's bond makes her death just that much more...compoundedly awful. Because it isn't just his little sister dying, Sherry was probably his best friend, the person he was closest to, the only other person who understood the pain of losing their mother (who would probably ask: what was she like? do I look like her?). Someone he had to grow up that much faster for.

It just makes my heart ache.

[nuzgen]

Imagine just having a nice comfortable moment when you and your f/o just cuddle, not saying a word. Your fingers intertwine and maybe a kiss lands on one of your heads.

They'd give everything for you, and you should treat yourself the same way. ♥

[dogsofardour]

So, this is entirely because of a lovely conversation I had with some friends on a JJBA server: Eileen during the Lovers chapters.

From what we're given in canon Steely Dan is much more of a talker than a down and out fighter (at least as himself, not his stand), this could perhaps be taken advantage of!

Eileen stays behind with Jotaro, she can't exactly help Pol, Kak or Joseph, and she can focus on making sure Jotaro doesn't punch Dan's lights out.

Eileen is still rather anxious, Dan is very intent on humiliating Jotaro and she's scared he'll do the same to her. Why not, she doesn't want Joseph to die either, right? But she's still determined to distract Dan.

E: So is Dan your last name? Middle?

S.D: Don't be ridiculous, you think a mercenary would actually give someone their legal name?

E: Then why choose it?

S.D: I mean, my first name is Danyal.

E: Oh that's nice. Is that to make things easier? What about 'Steely' where did you get that?

It keeps the attention off of Jotaro, but Dan can tell she's nervous, not genuinely interested, etc. On top of that, Dan can test boundaries: can he use Eileen as a way to humiliate Jotaro, what type of person is Jotaro: would he be alright with Dan making her cry? Goad him in some sort of way?

I can't really speak to the extent or what exactly the humiliation would entail, but he certainly snatches her choker - threatens to destroy it (cut it up? dump it in the river?):

"It can't mean all that much to you, hm? More than an old man's life? What, is that a tear?"

[nuzgen]

I read @photiniainsummer 's fic,"Out of my head" again a bit ago and it just kinda stuck with me so I want to talk about it. I don't know why I like it as much as I do, my brain latched onto it.

I really liked how things were set up, a fun and nice atmosphere. The little details made the manor feel more alive. I liked the Chekhov's gun situation where it's established that Wilford tends to get himself out of things, as he says he "hasn't got the head for it". That's treated at the time as a fun gag, which makes him saying that to you in an emotional moment and that metaphorical gun going off have just that much more impact. Being a one shot, the memory of the phrase is just fresh enough to make it work but isn't so far back it can be easily forgotten. I think one of the things I like most is Wilford's characterization. It just feels right and is one of the things that can make or break a fic like this. I'm a very big fluff person, but what I love is some good angst. Once again if we do get a second part it would be great to have a bandaid over the bullet wound this gave me. As a fellow fic writer I am taking notes, this fic broke me thanks for coming to my Ted talk.

[dogsofardour]

tw: mild bullying, coping with aftermath of a traumatic event

After Eileen manifests the Hounds she is determined to treat her new companions right! She goes to the library everyday after school (like a little Matilda). Eileen stacks as many books as her little arms can handle, hobbles over to a study table, and pores over them for hours.

Eileen likes the picture books especially, because she's not a particularly strong reader (she's eight). Sure, her dogs are pink, blue and green, but eventually she identifies them as "Weimaraners".

When her mom gets curious about the borrowed books laying around, Eileen says she wants to be a veterinarian! At this point, she knows it would make her mom look at her funny if she brought up her Hounds, and she is actually considering it!

Eileen knows the Hounds aren't exactly...real dogs, but she wants to keep them healthy. They eat the treats she gives them, they like petting and belly rubs, they even give her kisses! Eileen has also figured out how to summon the Hounds, so when she thinks she's alone, they come out!

Nobuko gets worried that Eileen's new interest in dogs is leading up to a "can I have a doggy?" so she's pleasantly surprised when Eileen is satisfied 'playing pretend'. As a treat she gets Eileen a dog plushie for her birthday.

The Hounds serve as a primary support system for Eileen, especially in the aftermath of the break-in. She doesn't know it, but it's her soul trying to heal itself. By taking care of the Hounds she is also taking care of herself.

***

Eileen is bullied for not having a dad and not looking like everybody else, it started as aggressive but it's developed into an undercurrent of shunning in general. Sure, it used to make her cry, but she's grown accustomed to it. She 'stays in her lane' so to speak.

When the Hounds start preoccupying her thoughts, Eileen looks like an 'airhead'. So, she's made fun of for being dumb. Thankfully Eileen's interest in pets helped her find a couple of friends! At first the girls are weary, what if they get made fun of for hanging out with her? But Eileen's enthusiasm and expertise about dogs and animals shines through, so they take her in. She gives them cool facts, more details to make their play more accurate/immersive and is happy to be on the sidelines.

[dogsofardour]

Polnareff doesn't see Eileen as a little sister. The loss is still fresh, they don't have the history-- Eileen and Sherry might both have long hair and a generally sweet disposition (thinking about the tropical fish) but that's all.

They're friends! Best friends, if you ask Eileen, she bonds quickly with people she sticks with, and there's a special connection because of the trauma and adventure of those 50-ish days but... No, Polnareff doesn't think of Eileen as a little sister figure.

[dogsofardour]

Oh you bet Jotileen celebrate Mother's Day.

If Jot and Lee can't fly to Japan for it, they give Holly a phone call (including a rousing renditions of "The Best" by Tina Turner), and call a flower place to deliver a nice bouquet!

Thankfully, most of the time Jot and Lee can swing it, so instead Jotaro makes Holly breakfast in bed, Eileen takes Holly out shopping, and Holly can smother Jotaro with as much affection as she likes (and he won't complain about it).

Before they started dating, Jotaro would just get Holly a store bought card, but Eileen convinced him that even if a homemade card isn't 'perfect' and 'nice to look at' it's the way to go.

Sometimes, Holly catches a flight to New York to see her mama Suzie, in which case Jotileen don't have to go so far to see her! It's a lovely combo!

Holly just soaks up the affection like a sponge, it has to be one of her favourite days of the year!

Eileen loves the day on the whole but, well... Things with her mother are more complicated.

I might make an addition later.