#existingtm

tee hee

I'm VERY late on my "telling you whatever the fuck I want" homework. :')

As a present, I offer you one of the future dialogue scenes I've written for Inverse that may or may not be included in the main fic someday.

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"What troubles you?"

Harry didn't flinch—but only just. It was so difficult to find places and times to be alone. Apparently he'd had no luck this time as well.

"I was just... thinking. About the kids."

There was no need to specify which kids.

Albus was at his left side in a blink. Less than, really. His sigh was deep and melancholy.

"It is despicable—how much torment they are likely experiencing even as we speak. The thought does make it difficult to stay still."

"Then let's not. We should go back," Harry bit out. "At least try to rescue someone else. If we can't tear the place down—"

"We are of one mind."

Albus turned to look at him then, full on. Those bright blue eyes were as piercing as ever, even in the clear light of dawn.

"I sought you out for that very purpose. You will, I hope, forgive the lack of proper notice."

Notice was the furthest thing from Harry's mind. Already he felt sharper, better, knowing something was going to be done. That it would be himself and Albus who were acting.

Here you go!

I was reading this post and it occurred to me that the Phantomhive manor not being in use when O!Ciel returned with Sebastian is a sign that Queen Victoria didn't care about the Phantomhive's property so much as their other resources. O!Ciel returned to his manor in the same state it was left in during the attack, and Sebastian fixed it. Perhaps Victoria sent someone there at one time, but it seems to have been abandoned throughout the twins' captivity. Furthermore, O!Ciel and Sebastian were able to use the manor in secret for a time. No one came to check on the place until their presence was known.

I find this to be a reasonable sign that Victoria only had use for their other resources. Or none of them, but I feel your theory about her using the Phantomhives' resources is more plausible than that.

Left to decay

I've talked about it before but not with much detail.

Not only was the manor itself left in ruins, but the roads apparently needed repairs. Bridges, too, and getting trenches re-done. All the work that had been done while Vincent was there (ch132) was left to deteriorate. Only a couple months, probably, but weather and constant use will create a lot of wear and tear to roads and bridges. The roads are probably mostly dirt/gravel anyway, and those need constant maintenance to keep ruts from forming where the wheels usually roll along. And erosion, debris, etc. will start to refill trenches. Besides, we don't know what repair/building/digging projects were still just in the planning phase when Vincent was killed.

Some of the estate dwellers were still on the property, like the old man who was probably deemed too old and infirm to work on Tower Bridge, as well as some of his grandkids, who were too young/not skilled enough. I imagine that the vast majority of people who stayed would have been too old, young, or weak to be of much use to the queen.

Our earl might have found out that some of his residents left to work on the Tower Bridge project in London, but he might have figured they left simply because there were better work opportunities in London and elsewhere; he might have not known the queen relocated them... and allocated them. Or, if he knew the queen had used funds and resources (people), he might have automatically accepted it since Phantomhive Manor and the surrounding estate was in such a sorry state of affairs. It had been relinquished to her, so she had "every right" to do with it as she pleased. It's probably just never occurred to him she could have caused this to happen, with the intent to take the money and move people around.

He probably hired more people on as soon as he could. Perhaps a few previous residents returned once they found out it had been restored. And he made repairs as soon as he could, in order for the workers to transport their goods to market with ease again. Even in ch120, that old dairy farmer we see again and again is praising him for repairing those roads.

Even now, there are some younger adults, but a lot of the residents are very old or very young.

looking respectfully and disrespectfully at your tvd posting because same but i'm a coward

a story idea you haven’t written yet

and

19. the most interesting topic you’ve researched for a fic

Before I answer your most recent ask, my conscience demands that I answer this one!

[from JULY omg I am so sorry]

a story idea you haven’t written yet

I have the long-running Royal Arranged Marriage AU (in short, to protect the up-and-coming crown prince (Harry) from their enemies, Lily and James agree to marry him to a much-older Albus, who hasn't been in a relationship of any kind with anyone since his... entanglement with King Grindelwald fizzled out a decade ago. They marry. Chaos ensues.) but I don't know if this one will ever hit paper.

19. the most interesting topic you’ve researched for a fic

Note: You can only freely access them from the U.K. so you need a VPN if you don't live there. If it doesn't work, make sure to have connected to the VPN before opening the tab you want to use, as that affected my experience.

I don't use a VPN for my phone or laptop, etc. However, we use a VPN at work, so I might try to access it from there, during a break or something.

What's your favorite bit of imagery and/or symbolism in Black Butler?

Imagery/symbolism faves

That's difficult because there's so much great imagery to choose from. However, three images that come to mind as favorites are:

Undertaker's reveal as he opens up his mute's robes, so the sotobas come flying out. Because that's when I realized he was a badass.

The imagery of real Ciel reborn from a cereus bloom, suggesting the transcendence of transient youth and beauty. It's an amazing illustration that underscores just how much of an abomination he's become. As well as how delusional Undertaker has become, due to his grief over so many losses.