#simon butler

[kundst]

Loie Hollowell (US 1983) Red Earth (2020) Oilpaint, acrylic medium, and sawdust on linen over panel (33 x 23 cm)

The artwork with the highest yield in the Scorched Earth project. The proceeds from the auction are intended for refugees.

[wookiee-monster2]

Master Mogwai

Star Wars Gremlins mashup

art by Simon Butler

[nerdtrekdotcom]

Monstrous Lair: Troll Cave (system neutral)

Monstrous Lair: Troll Cave (system neutral)

Monstrous Lair: Troll Cave (system neutral)

This installment of the Monstrous Lairs-pdfs clocks in at 8 pages, 1 page front cover, 2 pages of advertisement, 1 page SRD, 1 page back cover, 1 page editorial/ToC, leaving us with 2 pages of content, so let’s take a look!

  Sometimes, you just need a bit of dressing for a wayside encounter – or something specific to a monster type. Finding…

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[bonusvampirus-blog]

Vaughn/Sandie/Simon for the ship meme

Thank you! :D 

Definitely some Book of Beasts spoilers in this one! 

Who made the first move? 

Alright, so, to provide context for my answer to this question, I do not OT3 Sandie/Simon/Vaughn in exactly the way that I OT3, say, Jack/Gwen/Ianto. I see Vaughn/Sandie as having a fundamentally different relationship with each other than either of them have with Simon, namely in that I see Vaughn/Sandie as married (They are definitely headed in that direction at the end of BoB anyway) and Simon as their shared boyfriend. Sandie has a husband and a boyfriend, and those are both important relationships, but they are different relationships, in all the ways that we typically think of them as different relationships. Ditto Vaughn having a wife and a boyfriend. 

So. After several nights of tearing my hair over the timeline, I’ve decided that the most plausible sequence of events is that changing political winds (I can easily imagine Henrietta keeping the Council at bay for three years, but then letting them go or even actively siccing them on Sandie out of bitterness after Malcolm disappeared.) caused Sandie to be charged with violating the Forth Rule after Malcolm was bound. Sandie was then called to London with the twins to answer for this crime and Renard was called to sit on the Council. This is when Renard took his stand against the Forth Rule, and he vacated his seat on the Council and returned to Scotland. Very shortly after this, Sandie fled to him with the twins and relied on his protection for several months. Sir Charles Wren, who knew about Vaughn's connection to Renard but no about Vaughn's feelings for Sandie, tasked Vaughn with going back to the abbey to spy on Sandie and Renard for him. Vaughn accepted the assignment with his own agenda in mind, and immediately went to Scotland and told Renard and Sandie all about his assignment and offered to be a double-agent for Renard.

And Renard was like “Okay, sounds awesome. Welcome to the chess game. You can be my other rook. Simon was the first one sorry he beat you by like two weeks. yes good.”

Sandie was a little less quick to trust Vaughn. She probably brought up the whole “You left without saying goodbye and then didn’t speak to me for three years! I gave up hope that you’d ever answer my phone calls and now I’m supposed to trust you with my life?! You have never even met my children! Why do you suddenly care about protecting them?” thing. 

And so Vaughn told her why he left, apologized a dozen times, and then he said It: “I love you. I’ve always loved you, and I’m always going to love you. So you can mistrust me or hate me or—please don’t hate me—but I’m going to help you either way. And your kids, because they’re yours. Nothing else they are matters.” 

Sandie walked out of the room without replying, but she was up all night processing what Vaughn said. She sort of knew. She had to admit that. And on some level, she’d felt the same way for a very long time, though maybe not since university. Sandie has always recognized her ability to love more than one person at once, but Malcolm was definitely not the type to ever be okay with sharing Sandie, even considering Malcolm’s relationship with Vaughn. And Sandie was fine with that. Monogamy was fine. And Vaughn is generally monogamous too, so it had to be one or the other. Malcolm made a move. Vaughn didn’t. Sandie married Malcolm, and until very recently, she was happy with that choice. 

As the sun was rising, Sandie knocked on Vaughn’s door, and Vaughn hadn’t slept either, though in his case, that wasn’t for lack of trying. She invited him on a walk, and he pulled on some warm clothes and off they went. They walked in silence for at least five minutes, and then Sandie finally said “I don’t hate you.” 

And Vaughn smirked. “That’s a start.” 

"Yes," Sandie said. "It is." And then they spent several months together at the abbey, rebuilding their relationship from the ground up. They both knew they loved each other, but after three years of not talking, they both needed a few months to make sure the foundation of their relationship is still sturdy before jumping into bed together. When they were satisfied that it was, they jumped into bed together. 

Simon was living at the abbey at this time too, of course, but at that point, all three of them were more interested in fortifying their friendship than in any other feelings Vaughn or Sandie might have had for Simon or vice-versa. 

Anyway, shit went down, (and I have a lot of headcanons about what that shit was, but this isn't the place for them) and Sandie left Scotland with the twins. Since Vaughn was, officially, in Scotland to spy on Sandie, Vaughn left Scotland too. Vaughn and Sandie both thought a thousand times about getting together officially in London, but they both knew that if they did that, Vaughn would be of no use against Sir Charles Wren and anything he might be plotting, and keeping Sandie and the twins safe had to come first, so the ten years of Relationship Purgatory happened. 

Anyway, after Book of Beasts, they get married. Because it has been ten fucking years and they want to. And they love each other and their relationship is complete and they don’t need anything more. 

But once they're married and everything has calmed down, they get very close to Simon again very quickly. They are Animare without their Guardian. He is a Guardian without his Animare. They are dear old friends who have been through Hell together. Vaughn and Sandie both know that they love Simon deeply and that he will always have a place in their life together. It takes them a few months to realize that they’d both like for him to have a place in their sex life. Vaughn has been openly bisexual since uni and although Simon has always identified as straight, Vaughn’s gotten vibes from him before, so he doesn’t see the harm in asking. They ask. Simon says yes. It takes the three of them a while to hammer out exactly what it means, but they do, in time, figure out exactly what it means. And it’s good.

Who said I love you first? 

Well, I covered in my last answer that the first time any of them said it to another, it was Vaughn saying it to Sandie. Once Simon got involved, I think he probably said it to Vaughn and Sandie (as a couple) first. More likely than not, at some point Simon gave Vaughn and Sandie a “No, I really need us to define this somehow,” speech, and it just sort of slipped out in the middle of that. 

Do they fight? 

Sometimes. Mostly over parenting styles. Sandie worries too much for Simon and Vaughn; Vaughn doesn’t worry enough for Simon and Sandie.

Also, I wouldn’t call it a fight, exactly, since the communication lines are very open and both sides are trying hard to make sure that the other side is getting what they need, but I imagine that a significant struggle in the relationship is that Vaughn and Sandie are not used to having any Guardian at all, at this point, let alone one who actually cares about their safety and happiness, and Simon is obviously fairly protective and loving by nature. I think Simon is probably most comfortable with a far more intense degree of emotional intimacy than Vaughn and Sandie are ready for after a decade of being constantly guarded. This isn’t anything that’s wrong with any of them, it’s just something they have to work with each other on. Vaughn and Sandie will learn to let someone in a little more and Simon will learn to give them a little more space and it will be fine. 

Big Spoon/Little Spoon?

Vaughn/Sandie. Simon prefers to play with their hair while their heads are in his lap. He really only spoons if one of them is in considerable emotional distress and he’s decided that this is the best position from which to inspirit them (and that is the only time Vaughn will consent to be the little spoon, anyway. Simon never likes being the little spoon.) 

Who remembers anniversaries? 

None of them really forget. 

Who’s the better cook? 

All three of them are terrible and banned from Jeannie’s kitchen for life. In a few years, they will discover that Matt is a pretty good cook, and he will take over those duties whenever Jeannie can’t perform them. 

Favorite activity? 

Honestly, they all three have different favorites. Sandie likes cuddling best. Simon likes talking and sex. Both equally and with both Sandie and Vaughn. Vaughn likes it when they actually go to the city and have a night out. 

How would they get engaged? 

A few days after Matt gets out of the hospital after Book of Beasts, he’ll announce that he wants a new wardrobe, Sandie and Vaughn will be only too happy to oblige, and the three of them will head to Glasgow. They’ll be dashing from shop to shop until suddenly Vaughn will stop in the middle of the path. When Sandie and Matt notice, they’ll ask him what’s wrong. He’ll say that there’s something he has to do and lead Sandie and Matt into a jewelers, and once inside, he’ll tell Sandie to pick out a ring. 

And then she’ll freeze for a moment, before just managing to say “Finally?” 

And he’ll close his eyes and sigh and say “Finally.” 

And then they’ll both probably cry because ten fucking years. The nearest employee will talk them into something way more extravagant than either of them had planned on getting, and they’ll cry some more and kiss each other a hundred times. 

Matt will be forever annoyed that he had to see this. Em will be forever annoyed that she didn’t get to see this. 

How do they picture their wedding?

Sandie and Vaughn are too old to want to spend too much money or energy on a wedding. They get married in a small ceremony in Largs, attended only by their family and close friends. (Including Duncan Fox. Sandie said no, but the twins knew she’d want him there, so they went and got him anyway, rules be damned. She was too happy to have Duncan there to be properly angry with the twins for disobeying her.) I doubt they’d get married in a church neither of them were members of, but it would have to be indoors, because it would probably happen in late January or early February and the chance of rain is high. 

How many kids do they want? 

They’re good. Between the three of them, they’ve got three teenagers. If Sandie were to get pregnant with another, they’d keep it (and it would definitely be Vaughn’s, because none of them are taking chances with the Forth Rule. Oral sex only for Simon and Sandie.) but they are definitely not going to actively try to have another. Now, if Sandie and Vaughn had gotten married ten years ago, they might have wanted one or two together. But it’s not ten years ago. It’s now. Vaughn and Sandie have the twins and Simon has Zach and their family is complete and perfect just as it is. 

Who falls asleep on the couch? 

Simon. In the winter especially, I imagine that often he goes to bed in his bed, but then his knee wakes him up in the middle of the night, and he ends up dozing off again an hour later while listening to audio books (Simon totally likes audio books.) and sitting in a chair with a heating pad (which will, of course, automatically turn off, so no worries). It’s not really a problem. He sets the alarm on his mobile and he knows by now to bring his mobile with him if he’s going to leave his bedroom in the middle of the night. 

Who makes friends with the neighbors? 

I’m guessing that the Calder* family has a reputation for being very rich, very artistic, and “probably witches.” These are not qualities that small-island Scottish fishermen find particularly relatable. I am sure that the members of the Calder* family all very friendly to the other residents of the island and that the other residents are likewise very friendly to them, but I can’t see any of them being friends with the other residents of the island, save maybe Jeannie. 

Out of the three members of my OTP, Vaughn probably has the best relationship with the neighbors, but again, it’s more politeness than friendship. I think Sandie and Simon both probably like the whole “being left alone” part of living on a sparsely-populated island.

Who is the adventurous eater? 

Vaughn, probably. He’s the best-traveled and the more adventurous in general, so. 

Who hogs the covers at night? 

Well, Simon has his own bed in his own bedroom and that’s not changing, so hogging the blankets would be a pretty impressive feat from him. Vaughn and Sandie share a bed, though, and honestly, it’s probably Sandie. 

Who forgets to do the dishes? 

None of them are going to be doing the dishes unless they’ve really made Jeannie mad. While Jeannie was away… probably Simon? Mostly because he hasn’t had to do dishes in the last ten years. Simon is also probably the least likely to offer to help Jeannie with the dishes when she is around. 

Who tries to surprise their partner more often? 

Vaughn. Vaughn loves surprising Sandie and he’ll probably convince Sandie that they need to arrange something for Simon’s birthday and events like that, too. 

Who leaves dirty laundry on the floor? 

Any adult that Jeannie caught doing that would be eating flavorless porridge for a week. 

But definitely Vaughn. 

Who stays up until 2am reading? 

Well, like I said, Simon probably wakes up in the middle of the night quite a bit in the winter. In terms of who hasn’t gone to bed yet, though… probably Sandie. 

Who sings in the shower? 

Vaughn. And he’s good. 

Who takes the selfies? 

Vaughn. And he sends them all to Simon and Sandie. He once got himself into a great deal of trouble because he took a selfie of himself and the twins making funny faces, and Sandie noticed that they were standing in front of an imperfect but very good copy of the Gallery of the Louvre. She immediately asked Vaughn if he’d been teaching her children more about fading, and he ignored the text until she marched into his studio and gave him an earful about it. (It was good for them, though. After she calmed down, they had a long talk together and with Renard, and they all agreed that, since Matt and Em knew how to fade anyway, it was probably better for Vaughn to guide them than for them to decide to try it without adult supervision or a full understanding of what they were doing.) 

When Vaughn and Sandie finally got engaged, he took a selfie of them together, with her showing off her ring, and Vaughn sent it to Sir Charles Wren. Renard wasn’t pleased, but Vaughn always felt pretty good about that decision. Sir Charles Wren would have found out soon enough anyway, and at least this way, he found out on Vaughn and Sandie’s terms. 

Who plans the date night? 

Vaughn, mostly. That’s the same whether it’s just him and Sandie or if it’s all three of them. Simon is very hesitant about planning things in the beginning because, well, Vaughn and Sandie are married and despite their assurances that Simon will never take up too much space in their life, Simon really doesn’t want to take up more space in their life than they’ve freely given him. As time goes on, Simon get a little bit more comfortable with it and does start planning things for the three of them to do together and taking them out. Never on Valentines Day or Sandie’s birthday, though. Vaughn has dibs on those days and Sandie, of course, likewise had dibs on Vaughn’s birthday. Simon will only be as involved as Vaughn or Sandie wants him to be. (That ranges from the three of them doing some stuff together and then Vaughn and Sandie having time as a couple, to Simon being involved in the planning and the three of them spending all day together.) 

[newsdock]

Bonneville (France) (AFP) - A French prosecutor has called for a one-year sentence and a 10,000-euro ($14,000) fine for a British ski instructor charged with teaching without proper qualifications in one of France's poshest ski resorts. The case against Simon Butler, who has been teaching clients how to ski in the French Alps for more than 30 years, goes to the heart of Europe's labour laws and has sparked outrage in his native country. Despite having the highest-rated British ski instructor's licence, Butler has stubbornly refused to obtain qualifications needed to teach in France, in the face of repeated convictions and fines. Source: AFP

[newsdock]

Bonneville (France) (AFP) - French prosecutors on Monday called for a year sentence and a fine of 10,000 euros for a British ski instructor charged with teaching without proper qualifications in one of France's poshest ski resorts. The case against Simon Butler, who has been a ski instructor in the French Alps for more than 30 years, goes to the heart of Europe's labour laws and has sparked outrage in his native country. Despite having the highest-rated British ski instructor's licence, Butler has stubbornly refused to obtain qualifications needed to teach in France, in the face of repeated convictions and fines. Source: AFP

[newsdock]

Grenoble (France) (AFP) - A British ski instructor who was arrested in one of France's poshest ski resorts for flouting local labour laws goes on trial Monday in a landmark case that has spawned accusations of protectionism. The case against 51-year-old Simon Butler goes to the heart of Europe's labour laws and has sparked outrage in his native country. Despite having the highest-rated British ski instructor's licence, Butler is for French authorities a repeat offender who stubbornly refuses to obtain the required qualifications despite repeated convictions and fines. Under French law, foreign instructors have to pass the Eurotest, an integral part of the training of ski instructors in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Austria and Britain. Source: AFP