#mido writes

S - From the next chapter of With Smell Of Burning On Every Plume, my Dreamling fic inspired by the See You Up There movie

"See this soldier here, the one in the middle?" Phébus pointed at the drawing. "Who does he reminds you of?" "That's M. Gadling, M. Morphée's comrade who came for dinner a few months ago. Or if it's not him, it has to be his twin!" Lucienne exclaimed, confirming Phébus' thoughts. He went to snatch one of Morphée's watercolours, that the others had allowed him to frame for his little office, from his desk, and he shoved it in Lucienne's hands alongside his magnifying glass. "And this little symbol here, is it the same as this one?" he asked, gesturing in turn to the memorial drawing and to the watercolour. "They look identical," Lucienne certified.

N - From With Smell Of Burning On Every Plume too, a tiny bit before the previous snippet

"Not so fast, Labourdin!" Phébus exclaimed, stopping the mayor who had already moved to take down the other drawings. "I didn't look at them all, is it a two-drawings selection or a five-drawings one?" He went to the third sketch as Labourdin apologised profusely. This one made him grimace at first. So grandiloquent. So pompous. The gigantic triptych was strong, head on, imposing itself with heightened patriotism and the subtlety of a war cry; Phébus almost refused it immediately. But something stopped his hand. Something terribly ironic, in the way the people were holding up weapons like offerings, distressingly desperate, in the way the soldiers held their injured friends. Something profoundly sad, in the eyes of the soldier crowned with thorns. A sadness well known, that Phébus could feel in his chest, could taste on his tongue. Phébus had to make an effort to skip to the next drawing. An original one, shaped like a Greek temple. The public was meant to wander inside, the names would be written on the walls. Not a bad idea, but so neutral, so devoid of any emotion that Phébus dismissed it with a shrug. The last one didn't hold up much better. It was nice, sure. It shower a crying Victory, kissing a dead solder's forehead as she covered him with a French flag. It was sad, beautiful, simple. Truly an amazing drawing. Phébus shook his head. No matter what, he felt drawn to the triptych.

O - Still from With Smell of Burning on Every Plume (tbh it's the only WIP I'm actively working on lately x) )

"Oh, you hurt me my dear," Colin pouted. "Do you really think so lowly of me?" "What are you going to ask from me this time?" "Nothing!" he lied. "I want you, that's all," he purred, slipping into bed next to Désirée. He started roaming his hands on their body in what Désirée had once thought of as a very intimate and loving way, but they had long learnt it was just another part of Colin's seduction routine. They didn't reciprocate, simply staring into their husband's eyes with all the boredom and annoyance they felt. Colin's assurance faltered for a second, which he quickly hid behind one of those signature grins of his. "I missed you," he carried on. "Have your breasts always been this big?" Dear God, and to think they had once found him attractive.

W - Suspense, it's from... With Smell Of Burning On Every Plume! x)

"We're ruined, don't you care about that?" "Oh, darling," Désirée laughed. "It's not your business I don't care about! It's you!" "I don't get it," Colin spluttered. "Let me rephrase it: what you do isn't the problem, it's who you are." "What?" "I married you because I needed my brother to stop pestering me about marriage. I did find you charming at first, but it didn't last long. Did you really expect me to just wait for you like a love-struck perfect little wife while you cheated on me with half the city?" "I would never— sweetie, whoever spewed such lies about me, don't believe them, I've only ever been faithful to you!" Colin floundered; despair suited him beautifully. Désirée almost pitied him. "Actually, I have a list. I'd tell you there's no need hiring a lawyer for the divorce, with how discreet you were, but I don't think you'd be able to afford one anyway."