#but. romana panic attack first

[stopmyhearts]

I'm gonna have to write Romana bleeding out in Leela's arms myself am I

[romana-after-dark]

Our Gentle Sins: Part 5

Dark!Logan Howlett x fem!reader

My god this header is ass but I was an emo kid what can I say

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Chapter summary: Past. You get sick Present. You can't help fall into him.

Warnings: This fic features non con, pregnancy, and themes of religous trauma. I will not be saying everything that happens to warm you, by clicking read more you are prepared for extremely dark themes and that you at 18+. You are responsible for your own media consumption.

2.6 words

a/n: Mean girls reference for mean girls day1!!

Before

This was terrible. Absolutely awful. You were feverish, dizzy, nauseous, diarrhea… all of it. You knew you should say you can’t work… you were barely functioning, you didn’t want to get your kids sick, but your anxiety simply didn’t allow it. When Charles greeted you this morning, you felt awful and considered asking if maybe it was possible for you to potentially go to your room early today…

And yet, when he greeted you and asked how you were, you lied and said a cheery, ‘wonderful!’.

For the last few weeks, you and Logan had lunch together almost every day. You started making extra for him and bringing him a fork, just in case he comes. This last week, however, he hasn’t shown. You didn’t blame him. What a man doesn’t want after kissing a woman is for her to freak out, lock herself in a changing room for 20 minutes and cry, then proceed to not speak as he drives her home. Not your best moment, if you were honest.

But it had taken you by surprise, and with a myriad of guilt swirling in your head, you’d worked yourself into a panic attack. It was happening so fast, so fucking fast and you weren’t ready. 

Logan was… you wanted him, you wanted him so fucking. The strong muscles busting out of his wife beater, the way his jeans hung low on his hips, the way that if you asked him to reach for something for you, you could see a trail of hair leading to something making you blush. Sinful thoughts swirled your head, always making your fingers trail over the cotton panties on under your night dress… but you couldn’t fathom him actually wanting you until that moment. When your lay in bed, pj’s looking like something out of little house on the prairie rather than the lingerie you were sure a man like Logan was used to. He was probably drowning in pussy, women who were far prettier and sexier than you.

Women who didn’t come with baggage

Women who didn’t do the things you had done.

It was no wonder he was avoiding you. He could slide himself into one of the many beautiful, mentally stable women here. He’d probably gone and done that as soon as you’d gotten home, realize you weren’t worth the- Oh fuck.

Rushing to the bathroom, you throw up, making it quick before cleaning up and getting it to gether for class. You could make it through the day. It would be fine.

It was not.

Most of your classes you just gave them reading time, or to work on other school work which they were grateful for. Occasionally, someone would come up and ask a question as you did your best to avoid breathing on them; if someone got sick because of you, you’d never forgive yourself, but your fear of rejection made it difficult to express your feelings. For all the talk about women being the emotional ones, somehow you were never allowed to express them. Even as a child, you were hit for crying, until you learned that voicing a need was disrespectful. You wouldn’t disrespect mr. xavier like that.

As your students filed out before lunch, you had grand plans of napping on your desk during lunch before you straight up passed out. Those plans proved silly when Logan walked into your room, looking like a kicked puppy.

“Logan, I’m sorry-” You were about to apolgize for the panic attack, but he started talking first.

“I know you probably hate me-” 

You both stop and blink. 

“No, I’m sorry. You took me out trying to do something nice-”

“No, no,” He interrupted. Logan stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I… shouldn't have done that, the kiss, I mean.”

Your face feels warm at the mention, but that honestly didn’t mean much. You’ve been warm all day. Still, you didn’t want Logan to think you were some crazy homeschooled jungle freak. All you wanted was to just be normal.

You try to stand. “That’s s-sweet of you…” That attempt didn’t get far, feeling dizzy as the room swirls around you. Vaguely, you can hear Logan call your name in a question, but it’s hard to hear over the muffled sound in your ears. For a moment, you’re falling, then rising again. Logan had you in his arms, and you cling to his plain white shirt as you come back to it. He’s already carrying you out of the room.

*

Logan is aware of the attention on them. Prying eyes of teachers and whispers from students, gossiping about the pretty little teacher in the arms of the local asshole. No one would get it. No one understood what he felt for you, not when he barely understood it himself. He came to apologize, to ask for things to go back to normal as if he could ever be normal about you, but the distance was killing him. He needed those lunch dates. He needed watching movies with you in the lounge tucked away on the other side of the couch like you were nervous. His gentle baby doll, needing him to guide her. He couldn’t live like he was now, not after tasting you.

Then he saw you there, looking flushed and unwell, and thank god he moved closer to you because you passed out into his arms. 

“Logan, what the hell did you-” Scott tried to talk to him, but Logan brushes passed with you in his arms.

“She’s sick. Can you figure out someone to take over the class?”

But Scott was insufferable, putting his hand on Logan’s arm to stop him. “I’m gonna need you to tell me what’s going on.”

“What the fuck does it look like?” Logan snapped, turning around quickly. He regretted it when your little hand tugged on his shirt, groaning. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m gonna get you to bed.” He looked over at Scott with a glare. “As soon as Mr. White knight lets me go.”

If Scott could take off his glasses, Logan was sure he’d see his eyes roll. “Just- fuck, why is she unconcious?”

“Because I drugged her.” Logan deadpans and waits for Scott to open his mouth. “No, dumbass she’s sick. She’s fucking burning up.”

To his horror, Scott reached for you, and on instinct Logan pulled away. When Scott glared at him, Logan aquiessed.

“Jesus… that’s not good…”

“Yeah, it’s not, so if you don’t mind, I’m going to take her to bed so she can rest.”

Logan felt Scotts eyes on his as he walked towards your room.

“Make good choices, Logan…”

*

Logan didn’t leave your side the rest of the day except to get you water. He called Remy to get your medicine, and the man showed up in a jiffy trying to fuss over you, but Logan practically kicked him out, saying you needed to rest. Truth was, Logan didn’t want anyone else touching you. You didn’t need anyone else, you only needed him. He was gonna take care of you. Logan kept a respectful distance as you sweated your fever out, sitting on the chair in the room and watching Tv after you deliriously requested bobs burgers. This was the last thing he expected you to watch.

He never touched you anywhere unnecessary, and when you asked for his help getting to the bathroom, he closed the door behind him to give you privacy. When he heard you washing your hands, Logan panicked a bit at the idea of you standing without his help in this state, and entered the bathroom to walk you back to your bed.

“I’ll be okay, Logan. I can walk by myself now. I'm not a doll.”

“Yeah, you are. My dolly.” He resisted the urge to kiss the top of your head as he tucked you into bed again.

“Lo?” You mumble, some song playing on the show in the background.

“Yeah, baby doll?” 

“Can you lay with me?”

He shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t. It was a step in the wrong direction, crossing boundaries that were blurring every day… but he could never say no to you. Not ever.

Which is why when Charles came in to check on you, and he found you asleep on Logan’s stomach, he knew he was in trouble.

“Staying away from her, are me?”

“Listen, Chuck I know it looks bad but she’s-”

Charles voice remained cool, but Logan knew he was in trouble. “Sick, yes, I’ve heard. Cyclops has informed me she fell sick. I’m glad you are taking care of her, by surely Gambit could have handled it.”

“Remy don’t know what the fuck she needs.” Logan snapped, sounding overly defensive. Yeah, logically Remy probably could’ve handled it, but he doesn’t know you like he does. Logan was the only person who could give you what you need.

“I believe Gambit is her friend. He would take care of her.”

“Cut to the chase, wheel. Am I in trouble?”

There was a pause of silence, Charles glancing to the TV, then back to Logan. “I told you before, I won’t tell you what to do. But has she told you about her past.?”

Logan swallowed, a bit of anger bubbling up in his at the little knowledge you gave him. “Some. She was homeschool, weird church stuff. Teen marriage.”

He nodded. “Her husband beat her, quite severely. Frankly, I can’t believe she survived it all. Parents, courts, police, medical, at every corner of her life this child was failed by the system, and she is a child, Logan.”

“She’s twenty thr-”

“And you still have 150 years on her, give or take. And considering how she was raised and the lock and key her husband kept on her, mentally she’s younger. I took a chance on her because she needed it. She has a good heart and is skilled at what she does even if she doesn’t know how to divide or what a mitochondria is. Just as I’ve taken in everyone here who is lost, a stray, abandoned by the ones who claimed to love them and cast aside by the world. There are many beautiful women here, Logan. You are a handsome man. You do not need to go after the girl about to fall apart.

But he didn’t understand. Charles could never understand. He didn’t get that Logan didn’t want the other women here, he didn’t want anyone but you. You were meant for him, and he was meant for you.

After

It was getting harder and harder to pretend that you weren’t pregnant. Harder to act like you were fine and getting through the day.

Harder to avoid Logan without making it obvious you were avoiding him, when all the students and teachers were well aware you and him used to eat lunch together and spend most of your free time with him or Remy.

Harder to ignore when you were vomiting in the morning. It was bad, it was so bad and you didn’t want to think about the future, but this was forcing you to content with the fact life was inside you. You didn’t want this baby… not like this, anyway. You had dreamed of this life, even dreamed of it with Logan. A baby in your, happy little job at the school, Logan by your side… You didn’t understand why he did what he did to you, what you did wrong. Why he had to disappoint you like everyone had. 

When the door to your bathroom opened, you didn’t have to look up. Soon, large hands were wrapped around your hair as you threw up, and you didn’t have it in you to tell him to go away. He wouldn’t listen anyway, he never did.

Logan could smell when you were throwing up, always lurking nearby and with his heightened smell, he was always on you. So, this had become the routine. He was allowed near you for this. Logan would hold your hair, rub your back and whisper gentle words while you got it out and for a moment you’d pretend, pretend he hadn’t violated you, that you weren’t scared of him. Pretend like you were a cute little married couple awaiting a little bundle of joy and attending church and he was the love you thought he could be, protecting you and caring for you. When it was over, Logan helps you brush your teeth and wash your mouth.

As you stare in the mirror, you don’t recognize yourself. You looked tired. Thinner. A mess as Logan stood behind you brushing your teeth. That’s when the bubble began to crack and you remembered that you let your rapist touch you again. That you were just as weak and pathetic as you had alway been. That you were trapped, always trapped, doomed by your body and your womb and your heart that was always bleeding for some sad soul and now you were beginning to rely on Logan again.

He wiped your mouth with his sleeve, rugged flannel gentle on your lips. Sweet as he ever was.

“I have to go, for a bit.” When you looked at him through the mirror, he clarified. “Maybe a month. Maybe less…”

You blink. “No.”

He blinks right back. “What do you mean, no?”

“I mean, you don’t get to do this. You don’t get to do what you did and then just leave me alone!”

“I’m not.” Logan turned you towards him, and you hated that you just wanted him to hug you. “I’m coming back. It’ll give you some space, and when I get back we can talk, and�� we can figure things out… and we can get you to a doctor, dolly.”

The idea of going to a doctor again, especially another OB/GYN, was scary… the idea that soon, you wouldn’t be able to hide what was happening was even scarier. But the idea of doing this alone, without Logan?

“No.” Your eyes fill with tears, already partially wet from the puke. “I need you now! You don’t get to just break me and walk away!”

There's silence for a beat, but then he sighs. You can see a softening of his features, maybe a little smile. He was happy you were depending on him. You knew you were falling down the wrong path, but it was so hard not to. You parents said this was who you were meant to be, that it was biological, Gods plan for men and women… were they right all along? “There’s a girl, western Washington area, pretty rural. Mutant. Her family is…. They think she’s possessed. Performing exorcisms on her. She’s not gonna live… Kurt and I are gonna help her, hopefully bring her back. She needs help, dolly. No one helped you, but we’re gonna help her.”

Logan knew that would get you. A girl in a strict religious family being abused? Yeah, it was a chapter out of your book. Most of the chapters, honestly.

You sat back against the counter, pajama dress still on. You close your eyes. “What if I end the pregnancy? You just gonna do it again?”

Slowly, he raises a hand to your face, and despite his efforts to be careful you still flinch. “What happened will never, ever happen again, Dolly. I could never really hurt you, don’t you understand that? You won’t get an abortion. I know it. But we’re gonna figure this out. You, me, our child.” A hand on your stomach. “A family.”

Thank you all so much for your love!!!! Dont forget to check out the spotify, and telling me more songs!!!!

A few questions about remy last chapter

Let me know your thoughts on the story below!!!

Comments mean the world! It's what keeps me writing. I dont need reblogs (although they are helpful to spread my work!) but interactive comments are s special. theorizing or noticing little things makes me melt.

@multiversed-daydreamer @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @del-ightfulling @miraclesabound @hindi-si-ikay @samsamsantos @madamerubrum @shybluebirdninja a @hornystan @rogueinmymind @accountforreading123 @yawnetu @princessanglophile @and-claudia @new-genesis1000 @teaganthemorningstar @oldloganslittleslut @zaggprincess2

[daughterofheartshaven]

So when I was first listening through Gallifrey as a teenager, I was fully team Romana all the way. This time around - look, at the end of Insurgency, she has a panic attack and basically decides to be a tyrant. Her goals are better than Darkel's, but I'm not sure about her means.

In teenage fandom and gender envy, I blipped past it, but Romana scares the shit out of me right now and I mean this in the most positive way possible. From what I remember, Insurgency is gonna be the start of a very long fall from grace...

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

I saw the Institute’s response to the hybrid question and I am wondering: how would the Gallifreyan legend of the hybrid creature who would stand over the ruins of Gallifrey and unravel the Web of Time influence a potential hybrid’s experience? Would they be faced with stigma or even fear?

Would a hybrid on Gallifrey experience prejudice due to the Prophecy of the Hybrid?

This really depends on who you ask, what era you're in, and how seriously anyone is taking the Matrix at that particular moment.

📜 The History of the Prophecy

For most of Gallifrey's history, the Matrix was less of an active warning system and more of a cryptic fortune cookie generator. It churned out prophecies constantly—some dramatic, some vague, and some that probably should have been in there but weren't (e.g. the Time War, which is a slight oversight).

The Hybrid prophecy itself dates back either to the Cloister Wars or to the very first recorded Matrix prophecy. Either way, it's old. But because the prophecy predicted an event so far into the future, it was essentially filed under "future people's problem", like microplastics, the heat death of the universe, or 90s Doctor Who novel worldbuilding.

During the isolationist age of Classical Gallifrey, the Hybrid prophecy was likely just a footnote—something that popped up in pub quizzes or late-night debates when someone wanted to sound clever. It's doubtful the average Gallifreyan cared. They were already opposed to outsiders, and since no one was allowed onto Gallifrey anyway, the idea of a Hybrid was probably just another reason to keep the doors locked.

When Romana opened up Gallifrey, introducing some unheard-of tolerance, a few traditionalists probably had a meltdown and yelled, 'But the prophecy!' To which everyone else likely replied, 'Wait, which prophecy was that again? There were so many!'

And then… well.

🔥 The Time War

This is when things get ugly.

The Time War turned Gallifrey from a bunch of dusty bureaucrats into a hyper-militarised panic factory, and suddenly, every prophecy they had previously ignored became extremely relevant—especially the ones that mentioned Gallifrey's destruction.

😡 Rassilon's Full-Blown Meltdown

Rassilon, being Rassilon, decided that the Hybrid was absolutely real and absolutely coming to destroy them all.

With Rassilon now ranting and raving about the Hybrid, the whole of Gallifrey was reminded of the prophecy and—since mass hysteria is a specialty of most sentient species—people got scared.

It didn't help that the Time War itself was already apocalyptic—Gallifrey was under constant attack, entire timelines were collapsing, and, 'We're all going to die!' was a reasonable statement of fact. The Hybrid prophecy had officially re-arrived, and suddenly, everyone wanted to know who it was referring to.

🚨 The Worst Time to Be a Hybrid

If you were a hybrid on Gallifrey during the Time War, things suddenly became very dangerous for you. Even if you had been completely ignored before, you were now:

Automatically associated with the worst case of racial profiling in Gallifreyan history.

Someone that paranoid Time Lords would happily turn to as a scapegoat for day-to-day problems.

One bad rumour away from incarceration, exile, or worse.

Not every Time Lord/Gallifreyan would have feared you, but they might be paranoid enough to make your life difficult.

🤔But Were You THE Hybrid?

Realistically, no.

Even if you were a hybrid, it's unlikely Rassilon would have considered you the Hybrid. Because a run-of-the-mill hybrid is hardly 'the great and terrible force that will unmake time itself'.

The Hybrid was meant to be world-endingly powerful, a legendary force of destruction. You're just some kid with a confusing genetic makeup. Unfortunately, that wouldn't have stopped people from making your life difficult. Fear spreads fast, and history shows that when people are scared, they don't always go after the actual threat—they go after whoever is convenient.

So, while Rassilon was looking for the Hybrid, you'd have to worry about the everyday paranoia of your neighbours, colleagues, and 'friends'.

🏫 So…

Before the Time War a hybrid on Gallifrey would face stigma, but not because of the prophecy—just because Gallifrey is Gallifrey. During the Time War things would get a lot more uncomfortable, a lot more dangerous, and a lot more unpredictable.

Related:

💬|👥🧬How would a hybrid fit in on Gallifrey?: Social, cultural, and academic integration of hybrids throughout Gallifrey's history.

💬|⚔️⌛How did the Time War start?: The complicated origins of the Time War.

💬|🍼👽How long would it take for a Gallifreyan-Human hybrid child to realise they're not human?: All the little clues a new hybrid might pick up on as they grow.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features: ⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[presidentdisastraofgallifrey]

Live-blogging Doctor Who: The Five Doctors

For starters, I love that One’s key feature is his very high hairline. Makes it easy to have anyone play him

And also him running through a well kept lawn from a flat black triangle is hilarious actually

Also, Two actually showing up to an event just for the brigadier ♥️ ♥️

Sarah????

Romana????

Wait did they just use Shada footage for this? Is THAT why there are screenshots of that out there?

Oh damn. I should have expected this but I did NOT

Seeing him next to the others, Ainley!Master’s clothes are actually surprisingly in keeping with time lord vibes

Susan???

“A cosmos without the Doctor scarcely bears thinking about” Sir that is a gay thing to say about your nemesis that you regularly try to kill

Presumably Susan has aged as much as the Doctor has. She’s not a kid anymore. So I like the idea that she still has an instinctive panic about daleks due to, you know, already helping fight them off and losing people to them twice now

Why is Sarah called a different version of her name in everything and, more to the point, why is the Doctor calling her Sarah Jane now when he has never done that??

It is convenient that Tegan already knows about regeneration

I adore One calling his future selves “young man.” It’s so very childish of him

Losing my mind at the Master’s Naruto run from lasers with his cape flying out behind

The narrative was really good about remembering Romana was also a time lord, but constantly forgets that Susan is too

I have come to the conclusion that Gallifreyan politics are just in turmoil with everyone acting like petty schoolchildren 100% of the time

See it’s 100% in character for the Master to be willing to destroy his own people

…he would have just failed like usual in the timelines child arc

I am actually laughing so hard at this robot that’s just a guy in a bodysuit jumping wildly with ziiip sound effects

You can tell it’s forbidden because it randomly bursts into flame

Intergalactic glitter. Of course it is.

I feel bad for that random Castellan. Falsely accused of something he finds horrifying, about to face the mind probe, then shot dead

Sarah really is addicted to adrenaline. She nearly fell off the thing, panicked a lot, then was immediately much more on board with this adventure

The Master flirts with math because of course he does

Poor Mike and Liz, they don’t get to be really here

Aww, Zoe and Jamie don’t get to be real either

Should Two know that Jamie and Zoe lost their memories? That happened at the very end of his life

“The _____ of Rassilon” will never not be funny

The brigadier got to hit the Master!

Wait it really was Borusa this time??

I don’t know what’s up with this secret lair room, but the vibes are fascinating. Not very Gallifreyan. Or, I don’t know, neo-Gallifreyan maybe. It’s neat

“The coronet of Rassilon lets you control others” They really should have known he was a tyrant

This plan does seem a bit out of character for Borusa. Not the ambition, but the plan itself is so reckless. And he dreads every appearance of the Doctor. I’m not convinced, unless a great many things have happened in his life that we missed

I refuse to believe Rassilon ever had those eyebrows or that facial hair

Yay ironic granting of what the villain desires! Now he gets to be stuck there forever. A bit disappointing, really. I liked Borusa

I do feel a little bad for the Master here. He really did just try to help at first

Ok but is Rassilon dead or not?

Lmao he never likes himself but apparently the others do actually like Five

HA Flavia immediately trying to make the Doctor be President again! He looks like he’s going to have a panic attack. Buddy.

And he ran away because that’s how he lives ♥️

[being-of-rain]

Thoughts from my Classic Who watch, season 17.

Thank god for Douglas Adams. Doctor 4 and Romana 2 were my favourite Tardis team when I watched the series for the first time as a youngun because of the way they were on the same wavelength, joking their way through the universe. From what I understand Douglas Adams as script editor was a large part of creating that characterisation, especially in Destiny of the Daleks which is filled with that sort of attitude and which Adams apparently did large rewrites for. Without the humour I really wouldn't care much for the story, but with it there's a lot of moments to enjoy. I say "Oh look! Rocks!" a lot.

City of Death was the story my brother and I watched the most as kids because we kept borrowing the DVD from our town's library. I hadn't watched it in years and years, and for this watchthrough I saw it with friends! Which was a lot of fun. I forgot just how much of it was shots of the cast running around Paris, they really wanted to show off their location filming. And hey, it was pretty location filming, so I can't blame them. I also love Scaroth's design, he's great. The Count and Countess Scarlioni are just fantastically enjoyable villains in general, between Pirate Planet and this Adams must be the best villain writer in Doctor Who. Oh and I always laugh at "Duggan!! ...I think that was possibly the most important punch in history."

The first episode of The Creature From The Pit is definitely one of the most episodes of all time. The Doctor gets attacked by tumbleweeds. K9 suddenly has a wildly different and upsetting voice. Romana avoids getting killed by just acting like she can order people around and it works. The Doctor knocks out some guards with a sneeze. It's called The Creature From The Pit. The rest of the story has it's ups and downs. All the astrology talk was fun. The way Romana was sometimes written as a generic companion who panics and needs the Doctor for everything was not (some writers just really didn't get her). K9 gets used as a bazooka sometimes which is hilarious. The way Erato's translator used people's larynx to communicate was cool as heck. And it's interesting how the final episode wraps up the villain of the story 5 minutes in, and introduces a different problem for the climax.

Nightmare of Eden had some cool ideas in it, but I'm not sure how well it communicated them. I don't know if I just wasn't paying enough attention, but I couldn't get a grasp of what and who was on which of the two ships. I guessed that the professor man was the villain of the story, but I didn't predict the other starship pilot was as well. It kind of made sense though. I think. Maybe I should rewatch this one 😂 not soon though, I wasn't That invested in it. The Doctor vanishing because he was pulled onto the wrong ship in the separation was good use of cliffhanger in the plot. But the way he got back to the right ship was hiding right behind one of the bad guys in a tiny tiny shuttle, which was hilarious. Video game guard levels of peripheral vision.

The Horns of Nimon is great actually. The hilariously bad/over the top acting is so much fun to watch. Soldeed steals the show obviously; his death scene is iconic but he acts that way in Every Single One of his scenes, it's magnificent. Romana is finally written like she's at the same level of competency as the Doctor again, even her own sonic screwdriver, and I think her outfit in this one might be my favourite Romana outfit (which says a LOT when you're talking about Romana's outfits). It's a shame Shada didn't get made because more Douglas Adams is never a bad thing, but this was still a nice note to leave the season on. (By the way, I didn't end up watching Shada as part of this watchthrough. Any of them.)

[geronimomo-spd]

NEVERLAND

OK SO i was about to do a reaction to Neverland before i jumped into Zagreus, but the cliffhanger was too cool to just stop, so i will start by saying a few things about Neverland and move on, Neverland was cool! i love 8th and charley that can't kill each other, the wholepeter pan connections were really good!! also fuck me with Charley wanting to get it over with please charley you wanted to liveeee

fave quotes of neverland: CHARLEY: It's all right, Doctor. I'm not afraid. It's like I said in the Tardis. My time is up. There is no alternative. Oh, Doctor, you rescued me from the R101. You gave me these last few wonderful months. The things that I've seen, the places I've been. I've lived more than I ever could dream of, and all thanks to you. And you're the sweetest, the kindest, most wonderful man I've ever met. And I'm sorry it's come to this, and I'm sorry it has to end like this, but if the Web of Time is destroyed then all the time I've had, everywhere I've been, all those fabulous, fantastic things we've done, they won't ever have happened at all. Don't let those times be taken away. Don't let it all go to waste. I know it's an awful, terrible thing, but I want you to do it. Oh, Doctor, please do it before it's too late. DOCTOR: Charley, I can't. You're my friend, and I love you. I can't look you in the eye and shoot you no matter what. CHARLEY: Doctor, I love you too, and this is no way to say goodbye, but please, please! Oh, what's wrong with you! You've saved the universe before, so do it again, the only way how. SENTRIS: That's right, Doctor. It won't take much. A quick burst of staser fire and all these troubles will be over. And if your conscience pricks a little, well, it'll all have been in the noblest possible cause. CHARLEY: Oh, shut up, Sentris! You think we're alike, don't you? That's why you took my form. But we're not. We both died before our time, whether we should or we shouldn't. It just doesn't matter. The difference is, I'm grateful for every second that I've had. Charlotte Pollard, Edwardian Adventuress. We measure our lives in love, and I've loved every minute. But you, and all the lost boys and girls in your Never Never Land, you're so fixated on what you might have missed out on, you've forgotten what living was like. I could get angry too. I'm so scared, you know, but we're born into love, not anger, and love never dies, however brief our lives might be. Now, Doctor! Do it now! DOCTOR: I can't, Charley. I can't! I'm sorry.

LIKE CHARLEY I LOVE YOU OUCH OUCH OUCH

DOCTOR: Because I'm the Doctor, and whatever happens, whatever the odds, I never ever, never give up. Brace yourself, Charley. wow WHAT A NOT AT AOO OMUNES AND CLEARLY NT BUILDING TO ANYTHING QUOTE WOW, but seroslly i love him so much

also there is one moment where the doctor is in the cell before they show him the future thing, and he throws exposition left right and center to get a step up from his enemies, and you can just hear him stomping on the ground!!!!!!! he is such a stompy doctor !!!!!!!

also i also headcanon this doctor to have panic attacks sometimes and i promise he hjad one when he went out of the future trauma machine, then not comforting Charley back and 😭 its all coming together damm it

ALSO ALSO ROMANA WAS INRREDIBLE I LOVED HER

i loved how she was in the doctor's corner but was still semi objective

as a first interduction to her i can really say i really liked her

also also of course: DOCTOR: Romana? This is Charley, one of my best ever friends. Charley, this is Romana, one of my best friends ever. CHARLEY: Hello. ROMANA: Hello.

I LOVED THAT I LOVE THAT SO MUCH, I LOVE HOW WE EVOLVED FROM 8 BEING LIKE "don't call people your best friends" TO MAKING A DISTINCON LIKE THAT OMG

ALSO Charley calling 8th Peter Pan!!!! like, exactly!! exactly!!!! this is exactly it i am eating gravel

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

Hostiles/Nevernor flash fics

i listened to most of TW3 yesterday (excluding Unity, which i'm planning on listening to later this week) and there are just??? so many small details between Romana and Narvin that DESTROYED ME, so uh.... this is how i cope, i guess??

it's basically just three missing moments from the first two stories bc it hits really hard how scared both of them are and i just... need more softness.

all three scenes below the cut! :)

~mid-Hostiles~

"We're right over the gravity wells," Trellick says as Narvin climbs the last bit of the way up and stands next to Romana

Romana glances over and feels a wave of sympathy. He's stubbornly not looking down, face pale and jaw clenched. She doubts Trellick would be able to tell how terrified he is, though, until his eyes flick down for a fraction of a second and he lets out a sound somewhere between a whimper and a frustrated groan before he squeezes his eyes shut momentarily.

He fumbles around without looking, reaching for Romana in a way that would be funny under any other circumstances. She grasps the hand he holds out, quickly stroking her thumb over his skin in the few moments they have to hold onto each other before they have to move again.

~after crossing the breach in Hostiles~

Romana lets out a heavy sigh of relief and calls across to Trellick, shouting for the other woman to come over now. She doesn't get a response as she runs over to where Narvin is collapsed on the ground, shaking. He'd said that he's afraid of heights, yes, and that does make sense, but it still shocks her a little to come closer and find him trembling head to toe, his breath coming in harsh little gasps and eyes wide as if he's seen something so simultaneously horrifying and beautiful that he can't process it.

Romana drops to her knees beside him and shouts again, "Trellick, come on! Narvin made it, he's here, you can come across now!" Like before, Trellick doesn't respond, and Romana starts to resign herself to the inevitable.

Shakily, almost whimpering, Narvin says her name, and Romana's gaze snaps back to him. He's half sitting up and his eyes look hardly focused as he watches her, and something in Romana's hearts twists as she puts an arm around him without even thinking.

"You're alright," she whispers in assurance, though it's also partly a question. He nods and drops his head against her shoulder.

"I'm fine, I- yes," he mutters. "I know, I know. Doesn't help much, though – let's make a point not to do anything like this ever again," he adds, his voice strained. Romana's seen him scared before, knows the choked, higher pitch his voice takes on when he's rambling and can't calm down. She gives a mirthless chuckle and nods her agreement.

They don't have time for panic attacks or comfort right now, she knows it, but she holds Narvin close for a few extra seconds nonetheless. It's barely a moment, one that will be nearly forgotten in just a couple hours, but for that moment it's their entire world.

~during Nevernor~

Romana stumbles over a piece of brush just as Narvin reaches for her, and instead of catching her hand he catches her before she falls over. Even after she's steady, he doesn't move away. "Romana-" he starts, then sighs as Romana forces her features into a well-practised mask of semi-composure. He raises one eyebrow, and the fact that he really does know her well enough to see through that without hesitation nearly causes her to break down right then and there.

"We don't have time for this, Narvin," she hisses, making a futile attempt to pull herself away before he can log the way she's trembling. She fails, of course, and Narvin just gives her arm a grounding squeeze.

"You need to relax," he says quietly. "You're no help to anyone like this."

Romana laughs, a little hysterically, but meets his gaze. "Hypocrite," she replies, no real sharpness in the retort.

"That's why I'm saying it," he responds. "I know you're terrified, so am I, but you can't do any good if you're panicking so much you can hardly even function." He's watching her with that odd concern that still feels unfamiliar even after all this time, even though she feels the same thing for him that he does for her – they know each other inside and out, yet the intimacy still startles her.

Romana swallows hard. "I don't remember the last time I was this scared," she admits, trying to sound self-deprecating, but even she knows it comes out far too shaky for that. It's a lie, too: she can think of plenty of times she's felt this kind of choking terror, but there's never been anyone who could see it before.

"I know," Narvin replies. "Just... try to breathe a little, eh?" He tries to smile, but it looks just as weak as Romana's knees feel, and she's honestly rather glad he's still partially supporting her. "You're not alone in this," he adds, and she's not sure if he means this, right now – the mangled, overlapping timelines and creatures hunting her – or the fear, or both. Any way, she could cry at that if she had more time.

She's so used to being alone, to dealing with things no one else can, to carrying that weight herself because that's what needs done. To have someone – Narvin, who somehow is still by her side even after everything – tell her otherwise still rattles her enough that she almost forgets the circumstances around them.

He takes her hand as they continue on, and neither of them lets go until they absolutely have to.

[bystander3]

Gallifreyan Rim: A Tale from the Time War (Pacific Rim AU) (16,012 words) by Bystander3

Chapters: 8/?

Fandom: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Gallifrey (Big Finish Audio), Pacific Rim (2013)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Relationships: Leela/Romana II

Characters: Romana II, Leela (Doctor Who), Irving Braxiatel, Narvin (Doctor Who)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Time War, Angst, Drift Compatibility, Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Jaeger Pilots, Kaiju, Leela vs Dalek violence, malnourished war prisoner, Panic Attacks

Summary: During the Time War, Time Lords in giant robots battle giant monsters bred by the Daleks. Romana and Leela could become one of the greatest jaeger piloting teams of all time – but they’ll have to learn to trust each other again first.

I’ve finally posted another chapter of my Gallifrey/Pacific Rim fusion AU story! This one goes some emotional places folks!

Chapter Summary: Time is running out for Romana and Leela, still trapped inside the mindscape of the Drift. Romana tracks Hound!Leela through the war-trenches of a Vampire Planet. But also, Leela goes to therapy? Kind of? And finally, Romana is forced to talk about her feelings, or else they both might die alone in the dark! 

Chapter 1: Prologue

Chapter 2: “Calibration” or “Talking with Sticks”

Chapter 3: “Interlude” or “Coffee and Freudian Psychology”

Chapter 4: “First Drift” or “Why PTSD & Giant Robots Don’t Mix”

Chapter 5: “Chaos” or “Putting the Shatter in Shatterdome”

Chapter 6: “Negotiation” or “Ends and Means”

Chapter 7: “Confinement” or “The Darkened Hallway” 

Chapter 8: “Devolution” or “The Mud-Filled Trenches” –New!–

Follow the links to read on AO3. Leave me a comment there and let me know what you think!

[lesbiandonnanoble]

Character meme! Rose Tyler, Narvin, and Leela :)

this is gonna be so long so i’m gonna put it below the cut but also keep in mind i do not know a lot about narvin because i’ve only listened to 5 episodes of gallifrey kshjdf

rose

What I like about them- i love that she’s lower class i’m not going to beat around the bush. as someone who worked 2-3 minimum wage jobs all through high school to help my family the story of her being in that same situation working a shitty retail job living w her mom REALLY resonated and then her still being able to go on all those amazing adventures and never losing any of herself??? i love that so much

What I dislike about them- she treated mickey like shit and i hate that

Favourite moment- in the impossible planet when 10 is about to go down the elevator and they have literally the most tender interaction known to man and she has that “it’s hard” about the future of space travel which is so good because sci fi almost never acknowledges that it would all be literally so difficult.. and then the forehead kiss on the helmet and “not if i see you first” its just !!!! aaaaa

Least favourite moment- i really didn’t like when she was getting jealous of sarah jane before they made friends :( as someone who loves sarah jane that made me sad

A situation with this character that I want to see explored more- everything that’s going on in pete’s world!! her brother, her mom being w a parallel universe version of her dad, etc. she’s living in a whole parallel universe!! they could have had her comment on the differences/how it’s like w a different family dynamic etc 

An interesting AU for this character- werewolf au.. just saying... we talk about this in the discord sometimes but au where she got bit during tooth and claw and it wasn’t like really bad or a big deal or anything she’s just werewolf

OTP (or OT3+ etc…. just… favourite ship)- her and 9 :’)

Other ships?- HER AND MARTHA HER AND MARTHA HER AND MARTHA

BROTP- her and mickey !! they’re best friends end of discussion and i wish they had been written better. also her and sj... once they make up

NOTP- her and tentoo :/ like im sorry but the way 10 just dropped him off with her and expected that to be okay and to replace him for her and the fact that they all conveniently forgot that tentoo is half donna?? like he’s not ten and to expect him to be like ten for her is uhm. i do not like it

A headcanon- that she’s sorta like a mom to tony and she takes him around and does little adventures with him and reads to him and all that :’)

narvin

What I like about them- i love that he’s a little bit rude !! i love that in a person. i love that he’s in a bad mood often. i also love that he is always .2 seconds away from a panic attack because i think he’s very relatable

What I dislike about them- mean to leela :( but apparently that changes later on... 

Favourite moment- i really liked the andred reveal not gonna lie and his reaction to that was uhm. SORTA great and sorta great voice acting as well as in terms of story/character. like that was. much to think about. and then he got SHOT which. i do like whump

Least favourite moment- whenever he calls leela mean names. :( also he’s sorta a cop 

A situation with this character that I want to see explored more- again i really don’t know a lot about him yet and i’m sure in like a year when i’ve listened to all of gallifrey i’ll have a WAY better answer to this question but as of now i think since the guy andred was pretending to be was like his only friend and then he found out that he was actually lying to him the whole time to get to see more of his reaction to that would have been good

An interesting AU for this character- ROLESWAP AU W HIM AND LEELA ROLESWAP AU W HIM AND LEELA ... HE’S the doctor’s companion(still a gallifreyan, just left home for a little while to travel and then came back) who’s trying to readjust to life on gallifrey AND trying to protect romana but the new cia coordinator(started out as an ambassador from another planet but now they let her stay??? and they’re just?? letting her into the government as a high ranking official even though she’s an alien??? outrageous) won’t get off his ass

OTP (or OT3+ etc…. just… favourite ship)- i truly do not know enough about him yet to really really answer this but i do think he’s sorta in love with romana AND leela AND brax a little bit

BROTP- i mean it WAS him and the guy andred was pretending to be.. before :(

NOTP- i really don’t know enough yet !! i dont :(

A headcanon- i just like the concept that even though he and brax don’t trust each other politically they DO get together sometimes to just be bastards about things and complain

leela

What I like about them- she literally just has such fuck off energy. she is blunt. she doesn’t know what the hell is going on. she has prophetic visions. she can and WILL go feral at any time. she’s literally the most off the shits possible character and i LOVE her.

What I dislike about them- in the show at least they didn’t do a lot with her development and after a while her character felt sorta flat :(

Favourite moment- im blanking on tv moments but i really like in zagreus where she’s just there being in love with romana, going apeshit trying to attack people, and eating dreamscape food and i LOVE that for her

Least favourite moment- when she left the doctor to be with andred. bleuugh. 

A situation with this character that I want to see explored more- definitely more about her family/planet/childhood!! i want to learn about the culture.. about what influenced her character.. parts of her tradition she kept and parts she left behind..

An interesting AU for this character- i do sorta have this one where its human au in the 80s and romana is running for office and she and leela are in love and have to like sorta sneak around and navigate the press and also leela is a trucker 

OTP (or OT3+ etc…. just… favourite ship)- her and romana of course... 

Other ships?- i mean. all four of them do sort of be in love in gallifrey dont they...

BROTP- her and 4 were pretty good... her and her k9 skjdhf

NOTP- her and andred. blech. disgosteng...

A headcanon- i just. h. in the above mentioned au she takes romana on overnight rides sometimes and they just drive for like 100 miles w the radio on really soft being in love.. 

[spinningsidetable]

The Odd Couple: 1/?

Pairing: Octavian/Leo (leotavian)

Genre/Warnings: Canon Compliant to a Point, Canon Parallel AU, Octavian Lives, Soulbond, Soulmates, Some Depictions of Violence and Injury

Rating: Teen and Up

Leo could open his eyes before he could breathe.

His lungs were still stitching themselves back together, air couldn't push its way inside yet. Leo could see the sky around him, he could see his flesh rebuilding itself; scars vanished as new skin replaced the burnt remains of the old. Finally, air rushed in and he could breathe again. Panic had nearly set in, feeling like it was divine punishment for all of his misdeeds to die so soon after living again. Part of him thought he likely deserved it. As soon as Leo was well and able he turned to look at his surroundings better. Leo had no idea where he was, the sky gave no hints, all he managed to figure out was he was on the back of Festus. Then another gasp of air took him by surprise, and Leo all but spun in place to look behind him. There, a slumped over frame of someone else. Leo was pretty sure his vocal chords had rebuilt themselves at that point, but he couldn’t speak. Who the hell? The frame lurched up, head tipping backwards; Leo watched in morbid fascination as skin and hair recovered muscle and bone. The person blinked, blinked pale eyes at Leo. And then promptly punched Leo in the nose. Leo jerked backwards with a loud yelp, bringing his hands up to hold at his face. Admittedly, Leo’d been punched in the face much harder, but even a toddler hitting you in the nose still hurt. “You scum!” The other figure yelped out, looking at Leo like he was the source of all problems. Actually, he might have been. Leo recognized this guy, the pissy weird Roman. He was still toting purple robes and armor, but they were tattered and burnt. “...You!” Leo said, pointing a finger. “You’re…that guy! Uh…” “Octavian!” The blond yelled. “My name is Octavian, and you attacked my city! You attack us, and then you kidnap me?!” “Okay, calm down Draco Malfoy,” Leo glared. It was a bit of an insult to the fictional character. “I didn’t kidnap anybody, okay? I’m as shocked to see you here as you are me. Actually, correction, I’m more surprised, I literally just died and came back to life. I was kind of hoping the first people I’d see were my friends or a pretty girl. Not…this.” Leo waved a hand at Octavian’s stupid face which was twisted in anger and confusion. “Then what happened? Huh? Answer me, Graecus!” Octavian was ordering Leo around like he was…well, a rich white boy with a sense of entitlement, so, yeah no, that made sense. “I,” Leo started slowly with extra exaggeration. “I, was in the process of committing non-suicide to blow the earth lady back to the dirt she came from. Everything I did was part of the plan. You here, are not.” Octavian’s expression dripped condescension. “The dirt isn’t where she came from, she is the earth, you plebeian.” “Oh my God,” Leo said flatly. “That is so not the issue right now, like... what the fuck, why are you on my dragon?” It seemed Octavian hadn’t taken the time to notice that yet, and looked down, and immediately went white…whiter in the face. Leo wasn’t certain if he just realized he had been recently blown to smithereens or the fact they were thousands of feet in the air. “I-…I was about to fire an onager at the Earth Mother and you…and,” his face twisted in confusion. “I think I got caught up in it somehow…” Leo had very little sympathy at this point. Well, less so. Which seemed hard to do. “So, let me get this straight, you tried to legitimately murder me, and... accidentally fucked yourself over?” “You declared war on Rome,” Octavian said like it explained everything, excused everything. “I was protecting my people, from you, from the Earth Mother. I feel no guilt in my actions.” “Bullshit, you were protecting your reputation - oh gods, it feels good to cuss, I’ve been holding this in since Hazel’s whole 1940s thing.” Leo paused in the middle speaking as realization kicked in. Admittedly, not the best time for his ADHD to rear back up. Octavian didn’t look amused. But, then again, Leo was pretty sure Octavian was unable to be amused. Except by suffering. “Swearing is the first resort of the last to succeed.” “Okay, I’m done with you, I have no idea why you’re here, I’m guessing the Physicians Cure did double duty somehow, so I’m just going to drop you on the first piece of land I see-“ Leo was cut off but two arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him backwards in his seat until he was arching off in pain. “You will do nothing of the sort, or I will personally hold you here until the air leaves your…your...” The grip began to slip, and Leo decided it was time for payback and lit himself on fire. Or, tried to.  Nothing happened. The arms went limp regardless. “What the fuck?” Leo coughed and rubbed at his throat, but Octavian wasn’t looking at him, but down at his hands. “I couldn’t do it…” Octavian stared down at his palms like they betrayed him. “What is wrong with me? I couldn’t hold you…” Leo stared at him for a minute, absentmindedly rubbing at his neck, before snapping out of his surprise and reaching over to smack the man in the side of the head. Octavian seemed to snap out of it, and grabbed Leo’s hand before he could do it again. And then The Thing happened. An electric current, or that’s what it sort of felt like, ran down Leo’s spine; Octavian seemed to be much the same way, because they pulled back from one another at the same time. That was weird, Leo thought with a frown, but chose to ignore it. He was just dead 5 minutes ago, he’d dealt with weirder. The astrolabe on Festus began to whir, due to Leo’s modifications of course (they’re not known for moving on their own) and Leo turned away from the towhead to check. They were over Ogygia, Leo realized with some glee. Then it hit him that he’d have to introduce Calypso to Octavian and it just got really strange in his brain. “We’re going down,” Leo said, adjusting himself in his seat. “If you strangle me again, I’ll burn your ass.” Even if he couldn’t, Leo was all about finding ways in the impossible. “Going down?” Octavian looked around nervously, but like he was pretending not to be. “This piece of junk can’t hold us-“ Leo held up a hand on fire. “Do not. Ever. Call him a piece of junk.” Octavian looked at him like he was sizing him up, “or what, scum?” “Or I remove yours,” Leo said smoothly, and that got the reaction he wanted. “Good boy.” Octavian turned red, and opened his mouth to likely yell or probably throw racial slurs, Leo had no idea, but Octavian seemed the type to vote red. “Festus, not you, you’re an asshole. Festus is a good boy. Come on, buddy, let’s go get her.” “Get who?” Octavian hissed, looking around like a woman was just randomly floating around. “What monsters have you been cohabiting with?” “Calypso,” Leo said, “my girlfriend. I think. Probably?” “Not the…actual Calypso, surely?” Octavian looked horrified by the very concept. “Who else?” Leo rolled his eyes. “She’s great, you’ll hate her. Which makes her great.”

“Who el- I’m not the actual Octavian! It isn’t a strange question!” “…There was an actual Octavian? Two people chose a name that stupid for a baby?” “Gaius Octavianus, later known as Augustus, ushered in the Pax Romana, expanded his empire-“ Leo realized his mistake, as Octavian continued talking until they reached the soils of Ogygia, no matter how many times Leo told him to shut up in every language he knew. Calypso was waiting on the shore as they touched down, and opened her mouth to say something to Leo, before noticing Octavian sliding off of Festus. “Who is this?” “Sea Witch, I am Octavian of New Rome, Augur, Centurion.” Octavian introduced himself, but did not endear himself, as her eyes narrowed slowly. “If you attempt to sing your bewitching tunes, seductress, I will be forced to send you back to the pits of Tartarus.” Calypso looked accusingly at Leo who shrugged helplessly at her. “Not part of my plan. I hate him too, trust me. He’s tried to kill me like, what?” Leo looked back at Octavian who looked like he sincerely considered the question. “At least 5 times,” Octavian nodded to himself. “Yes, roughly 5, though the majority were one long sustained effort that you avoided. Leo gestured at Octavian, looking at Calypso, while making a few rude hand gestures towards the Roman. “So, I say we ditch him and go?” But Calypso was looking at Leo oddly, and then back to Octavian. There was a frown on her face, and a deeply sad one in her eyes. “Uh...Caly? Babe? Sunshine?” Leo stepped closer, and reached his hand out to touch her shoulder, but she pulled away.

“…Calypso?” “I see, well, it figures…The same thing always happens…” Calypso crossed her arms and took a few steps backwards. She was closing herself off, Leo didn’t need to be a mind reader to know that. Leo looked at her packed gear behind her, and took a step towards it. “Don’t,” Calypso warned, her eyes closed like she was in pain. “I’m not coming with you.” Leo stared helplessly, blinking hard. “W-what are you talking about? I…Come on, look we…don’t need to date, we never have to do anything like that, but-“ “Leo, I appreciate that, I really do. I care about you, truly. But…,” The girl turned away, tear streaks began to run down her face. “I’m sorry. Please leave.”

Leo felt nearly hysterical, looking between her, and Octavian who seemed more disgusted than confused. “I don’t understand, I just want to help, did I do something wrong-“ “Your fate is not mine, Leo. It’s tied to another.” Calypso’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I understand I can leave with you, right this moment. I do, but…after so long… I want someone to come for me whose fate is my own. I know you don’t understand, but maybe someday you will. Please.” Leo’s shoulders sagged, but as he looked at her he realized he couldn’t change her mind. It was like Echo all over again, but worse. He didn’t want her to be trapped here any longer. He didn’t care if she never loved him, Leo just didn’t want her to have to be alone. “I’ll make sure the Gods free you,” Leo said finally, voice thick with emotion. “If you won’t come with me, I’ll make sure you can leave when you want to. I won’t forget you. I will never forget you, Calypso, I swear on that.” Calypso smiled, tears in her eyes, taking a few steps closer to him to wrap her arms around his frame, kissing him on the cheek. “Go live your life, Leo. We’ll meet again, I’m sure. Goodbye, for now.”

“Goodbye, sunshine.” Leo whispered against her hair, and kissed the side of her head. “For now.” It was a promise.

When they left, he flew away without looking back. Octavian was quiet, for all of about 10 minutes. “You dated a monster?” Octavian’s voice was full of judgement, and Leo wasn’t having it right now. Leo could keep a lot of things bottled up, but just hearing Octavian speak was like nails on a chalkboard. So, he turned around and grabbed the blond by the shirt, pulling him forward to headbutt the Centurion in his stupid face. But, stopped short, as Leo’s body stopped moving against his will and he was left with his face just inches from Octavian’s who looked similarly shocked and disturbed. Leo realized Octavian had raised his own hands to push Leo away, but were just resting on Leo’s shoulders. Leo snapped back, the extent of the problem beginning to dawn in horror. “What the…why couldn’t I hit you?”

“Same reason I couldn’t hurt you, I’m guessing.” Octavian muttered. “Something strange is happening. “ “So we….can’t hurt each other?” Leo changed his mind drastically, because at the moment, he was actually thrilled for a new problem for his brain to focus on. It saved him from having to think about Calypso.

“I hit you in the nose, and you hit me back” Octavian said curiously. “So it appears some is fine.” Leo frowned, tapping against the bronze back of Festus in thought. “Was it though? Or was it surprise and shock more than an actual wish to injure? Try hitting me again.” Octavian looked baffled but pleased with the request. “You’re asking me to punch you?” It was like Christmas for creepy faced Romans, from the tone in his voice. Leo rolled his eyes. “Just do it already, dillweed.”

Octavian pulled his fist back for the wind up, and threw it forward in what would have likely broken his nose if it had actually made contact. But, it didn’t. Octavian’s fist stopped a few inches from Leo’s face. Octavian glared at his own hand, and tried again, and again, until it just looked sad and silly. “Okay, stop hitting the sky, big Z might take offense.” Leo sighed. Octavian tried again, and then muttered something about it being J not Z, but Leo ignored him. “It's the Physicians Cure. That’s the only reasonable explanation. “ Leo said his thought process out loud, pulling a small journal out of his belt and began to write down what they were noticing. “The what? You mentioned it before, what is it?” Octavian asked with clear annoyance in his voice as he leaned over Leo’s shoulder to see what he was writing. “Don’t call me that.” “Then don’t act like one,” Leo shot back and kept writing. “The Physicians Cure was what brought me, and I’m assuming you, back to life. It should have only been enough for one singular life, and yet here we are. My guess is something relating to that is the reason we can’t purposely injure one another.” Octavian scoffed at the thought. “How did someone like you get your hands on something like that? The Gods would never truly smile on a Graecus-“ “I made a bargain with a few, including Apollo, so, you know. Shut up.” Leo mumbled, still making notes, and not even glancing at the blond behind him. Octavian leaned back, and crossed his arms. He was used to people in New Rome expressing dislike and disrespect towards him, but at the very least they feared him in some manner. Leo Valdez did not fear, respect, or seemingly care about his existence in general; never even bothering to learn his name before he fired on his city. Octavian had been on the Argo when Leo attacked, appraising the vehicle and assessing the likelihood for warfare. Leo Valdez paid him little regard, acting like Octavian was more a piece of gum on his shoe than well known Centurion who had served Camp Jupiter for 7 years. All Octavian ever wanted was to raise New Rome to true glory, but few saw his vision. He had almost been thankful to the Greeks, a war was a good way to inspire people, but then that seemingly backfired. “We have to cross the ocean,” Leo said after a moment of calculating. It wasn’t just their physical situation he was thinking about, it was their location. They had left the space around Ogygia, but their place in the world was still a mystery until now. They were about where Leo had shown up before in Greece, maybe Festus went there on purpose. “What?” Octavian frowned, his own train of thought being cut off. “What ocean?” “The ocean is a big body of sea water, the blue one with all the fish, ever heard of it?” Leo sighed, grabbing up the astrolabe and turning his back to Octavian. Octavian wished more than ever he could spear him through. “Mediterranean, then we cross the Atlantic.” Leo announced, before beginning to chew on the tip of a pen Octavian had no idea where came from. “But, I think we might want to avoid the Atlantic as much as possible. It was not super chill last time we went over it, and there were more people and better provisions. I need to reroute our course.” “So we go north, or go south?” Octavian asked after a moment to think about the situation, and Leo looked at him with a bit of surprise. “Well, there are only two reasonable paths if we’re currently in the Mediterranean. We go north, and cross the UK and Greenland, and cross into the Northwestern Passage from there before heading south towards New York.” Octavian held up two fingers. “Or, alternatively, we cross into Africa and head south towards the West Coast, before crossing the closest point towards Brazil, before heading north through the Caribbean.” Leo continued to stare at blankly. “What?” Octavian seemed offended, but then again he always did. “I’ve already graduated from University with honors. You think me stupid?” “You said it, not me.” Leo said, reappraising Octavian. Sure, he hated him, but Leo could use brains right now. “You’re right though. I would figure Africa is the safest bet. You’d probably not survive the northern temperatures this time of year. I might be able to make my own warmth, but you can't. Of course, heading east and crossing the Pacific is a possibility, but not a good one. We have no idea what kind of monsters are over there, not to mention a much much longer flight across open ocean.” Octavian wasn’t entirely sure how to take that. He wasn’t really expecting the other boy to think of his general well being. He certainly didn’t return the favor. If Octavian could shove him from the dragon and commandeer it, he would in a heartbeat. “Plus,” Leo mumbled. “I am…sort of not on good terms with a very mean snow lady and her brothers in Canada. Probably not the best place to cross.” Octavian nearly felt a bit disappointed, though not surprised. It was good information however, any enemy of Valdez was a friend of Octavian. “Fine, a journey West then. How long will this take, anyway? Not too dreadfully long, I’d hope.” Leo burst out laughing, and just shook his head without answering.  “Oh my gods…” “I’ll take that as 'significantly longer',” Octavian sighed. “I was eager to get away from you, can you blame me?” Leo snorted, but didn’t seem to disagree. “You’re not the first, no, so the sensation has worn off by now.” Leo readjusted himself, cracking his knuckles. ”Better buckle up. You should have been able to tell our speed by now, honor student, we’ll probably take at least a week, and that is a conservative guess. Festus is fast, but not airliner fast, which means if we don’t just go across the Sahara, it’ll take most of the day to reach Morocco. Plus, I’d recommend taking a pitstop for a day before actually crossing the Atlantic, to see if we can find anything usable. We’ll need to strap ourselves in, because crossing is going to take close to 24 hours, and sleep is going to not be an option. And, that’s just the general shit, I’m not including everything else that will without a doubt happen.”

“Everything else?” Octavian was honestly confused by the statement, and Leo looked over his shoulder and grinned evilly. “Not been out of the country, huh? You’re not in San Fran anymore, bub, there be monsters here like you’ve never seen.”

And there were. They’d spent a number of relatively quiet hours flying to reach land, happily uninterrupted hours, but as soon as they reached the port of Alexandria in Egypt, everything went to hell in a hand-basket. They found themselves clinging onto the dragon while making some rather intricate moves to dodge some weird sphinx like monstrosity that attacked them. It had multiple wings, multiple faces, and a good portion of it was lion. “Curses!” Octavian hissed. “I don’t have a weapon, give me a weapon!” “I thought you didn’t curse?” Leo laughed, and tossed a fireball at the thing, but it didn’t do much. “I don’t think I trust you that much. You have tried to kill me, what was it, you said 5 times?” “Yes, but I can’t now!” Octavian yelled in frustration. “Just give me something! Why does it look more Babylonian than Egyptian, it makes no sense!” Leo handed him a letter opener. If Octavian was the one with fire powers, Leo’s head would have likely gone up in flames with the strength of his glare. He threw it anyway, and it pierced the head of the monster, which fell to pieces of sand. Leo’s jaw dropped, and Octavian preened. “Shit, that was pretty cool. You throw knives?” Octavian nodded proudly, but felt a weird sensation as he watched Leo’s face turn into a smile. Embarrassment? No, surely not. “Okay, still hate you, but cool. I’m pretty sure Will can’t do that.” “Will?” Octavian frowned. “Who is that? Another jilted lover?” Leo’s face immediately turned to displeasure. “I’m 15 dude, I don’t have any lovers...jilted or otherwise. Will is one of the sons of Apollo, so, like…your half brother. But, Greek. So, like you, but infinitely better and less of a douche.” “Except he can’t throw knives?” Octavian called back with a smirk, and Leo quirked a brow in amusement or something else. “He’s a healer. I’ll take someone who helps people over one who destroys any day of the week, man.” “Your powers are the very epitome of destructive,” Octavian reminded him, and Leo looked away without responding. “I’m going to land, I need to repair Festus.” Leo sighed, patting on Festus and they began to descend into the outskirts of the busy African city. “No pithy comment?” Octavian said after they landed, and Leo shot him a look. “No snark? No general idiocy your people are so fond of?” “Wow,” Leo shook his head with a laugh, “if you say, ‘your people’ again…” “You’ll what?” Octavian challenged, stepping forward to cross the distance between them. They were both slim, but Octavian was older and taller by quite a bit. He stared down at Leo. “What will you do? You’re nothing.” A small breathy noise startled Octavian, who jerked back as Leo looked down at the ground and wiped at his face. “Oh, by the gods, are you crying?” Octavian stuttered out, horrified. He was not good with crying. “I…I didn’t, I mean...I-“ Leo looked up with a grin and completely tearless eyes, “gotcha.” Octavian opened and closed his mouth, and Leo patted him on the shoulder. “Word of advice? Anything you say to me? I’ve heard it already five times over, probably from my own family. That crying schtick? A trick I learned… at roughly age 9 to trick the nice foster families into giving me shit I wanted. And, my best friend is a daughter of Aphrodite, Venus, whatever. I’ve learned from the best.” Leo shoved a finger into Octavian’s chest, ignoring their size difference completely. “I may be nothing, but guess what? We’re both nothing.” Leo looked him straight in the eyes.  “And, my guess? That bothers you a hell of a lot more than it bothers me.” Octavian said nothing as Leo stepped around him and moved to start fixing Festus. Didn’t say a word until night had fallen. But, then it was dark out, and Octavian realized he was hungry.  Leo was still working on the bronze dragon, and hadn’t stopped. The dragon, with the stupidest name he’d ever heard, watched Octavian with some suspicion. Probably well warranted by now, having threatened his owner repeatedly.

“Do you have money?” Octavian fumbled about before just hitting himself and asking. Leo paused and looked up. “Why?”

“I want to go into town and get food and provisions, if you were intelligent, you would have realized that by now, but I suppose your people aren’t-“ Leo stood up and glared him down. “See, the thing that bugs me when you say that is I have no idea if you mean Greek demigods or if you mean Mexicans. But, knowing you, it’s probably both.”

Octavian tipped his chin up to sneer down at the shorter boy. “You think me so petty? You realize I served under Reyna, do you not?” “Yes,” Leo said without a moment of thinking about it. “You tried to overthrow her too, remember?” “I’m not racist,” Octavian ignored everything Leo said. It was true, after all. “I just think-“ “Nope,” Leo shook his head. “Nope, nuh uh, not happening, shut up and don’t finish that thought process. I’ll make you food, just stop talking.” Octavian paused, and glared silently, his feathers well ruffled by now. Leo sighed in relief, before sitting down on the sands, and pulling random items out of his belt. They surely couldn’t have all fit, so it was most likely enchanted. “I’m not racist,” Octavian said after a moment, and Leo looked at him like he was above to shove a fork through his eye, or would if he was able.  “The man my mother married was a legacy of Mars, from Senegal. My half siblings are mixed race. You may think you know me, but you don’t.” “That doesn’t mean you’re not racist,” Leo said, chin in his hand, appraising Octavian. “But, I’m tired of arguing. What do you want to eat? Any food allergies? I’m curious if I can poison you.” “No,” Octavian rolled his eyes, and Leo snickered. “That,” Leo pointed. “Is the first time I’ve ever seen you act like an actual teenager.” “…I’m 18, I am an adult.” He’d waited long for the day, after all. To finally be respected as an adult, instead of a child. “No, you’re one cat away from being a movie villain.” Leo crossed his legs. “Maybe, if you were an actual teenager, you’d be less obsessed with glory and honor and all that and learn to have fun for once. 18 going on 68, more like.” “I have fun, and I want…,” Octavian nodded to himself in thought. “Yes, I’d like tacos. They’re a fun food, yes?” “Tacos? Man, you’re practically Latino now. l was so very wrong about you, Herr Octavian!” Octavian narrowed his eyes, “you realize that just means Mister or sir, right?” “I actually had no idea, I just wanted to imply you’re a Nazi.” Leo said happily. “Calm your tuts, I’ll make something good.” “It’s no surprise,” Octavian sniffed derisively, dusting away some sand from his tattered robes. “I’d imagine your education doesn’t go above elementary school.” “You’d be correct,” Leo smiled, he was visibly less amused and more visibly perturbed. “That’s what happens when you’re orphaned.” He started to mix ingredients in a bowl that Octavian was also not sure where came from. It didn’t seem like it could have been pulled from anywhere. The Greek held the bowl, with his hand lit in flames to cook it. When it was done, Leo handed over a steaming plate. It smelled good.

“I made paella. You good?” Octavian nodded, assuming he was asking if Octavian found the meal choice acceptable, and took a bite. It was very good. “It’s sad,” Octavian said after he was finished eating, and Leo looked at him tiredly as he was eating. “You Greeks, you have no support for one another.” “Remind me to spit in your food next time,” Leo looked exhausted, and put down the food he was eating. “It seems to me that the Romans are the ones who don’t give a shit the second someone starts thinking for themselves.” “You have no long term support systems for demigods,” Octavian ignored Leo, waving a finger as though he was scolding a child. “You have no businesses, no real communities that I could see. You’re a summer camp, no more, no less. What do you do for the children that have been orphaned?” “I don’t know, wasn’t at camp very long, ask Percy.” Leo looked away, thinking. “Why do you care?” “You’re, as much as I hate to admit this, a better chef than I was expecting, especially with no real cooking instruments. In New Rome, we would support these talents. Maybe, you could open a restaurant, or shop of some nature. But, what will you there, once you’re older? I noticed there were no demigods over the age of 25 that I could see. Do you all die? Pretend to be human, and live a constantly thre-“ “I don’t know!” Leo cut him off, looking quite angry. “I have no idea, okay? I wasn’t expecting to live this long.” “That’s the problem,” Octavian didn’t stop his lecture, standing up to pace. “None of you have any foresight. You’re hotheaded, idiotic, disrespectful, chaotic-” “I’m going to bed,” Leo stood up abruptly and walked around to the other side of Festus. Octavian rolled his eyes before he could catch himself. “Think about my suggestions,” Octavian called over before laying back on the warm sands himself, like he was doing Leo a favor.

“Get bit by an asp and go Cleopatra yourself, asshat.” Leo grumbled from his side, annoyance clear in his voice.

Octavian waited a moment, before speaking. “…It was actually an Egyptian Cobra, not the European Aspis. In fact, it was likely neither, but rather a respectable concoction of poisons. You should read more. It is a common, but still unacceptable mistake that uneducated individuals make. Building a library would be the first step-” Leo tossed a wrench at him, but it missed. Octavian was awoken in the early morning light by a foot prodding him in the stomach, it didn’t hurt, but it wasn’t a great way to wake up either. “You rude-“ “Save it, we need to get going. A storm is coming, and I really don’t want to get stuck with you any longer than possible.” Octavian stood up gingerly, and eyed Leo, who noticed and exhaled sharply. “What?” “I need to brush my teeth.” Leo threw him a small bottle of mouth wash and a tooth brush, and while Octavian was mildly disgusted, it was better than nothing. He’d never had a cavity before, his teeth were in his opinion, flawless. He didn’t want to ruin that now.

They set off once again, but could see clouds in the distance. They were dark reds and beige and gray, with bright flashes of gold. “Beautiful,” Octavian breathed out, as the wind began whipping. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” “Yeah, well, it shouldn’t be there,” Leo eyed the same clouds with some trepidation. He hadn’t seen any weather forecasts in town that mentioned anything like it. “Another monster?” Octavian asked, and Leo tilted his head and bit a worrying lip. “I honestly don’t know…but, something tells me it isn’t that simple.” They flew until night fall, but managed to reach Morocco. The storm they saw had vanished once they left Egypt, which made Leo all the more paranoid. He hadn’t stopped fidgeting and tapping the entire way, and it was driving Octavian up the metaphorical wall. “Do you think there are others?” Leo asked in a rare moment of openness, looking like an actual uncertain 15 year old, in a way that bothered Octavian for some reason. “Other what?” “Gods,” Leo answered. “We have…Greeks, Romans…but, are there more than us?” “Egyptians, you mean?” Octavian was easily able to piece together the source of the boys discontent and pondered the question for a moment. “It’s plausible. There are Roman gods that are not versions of Greek. Greek, that have no dual Roman forms. If there are entirely separate deities in those situations, then it is likely that there are others.” Leo looked at him seriously for once, eyes searching his face, his posture. “Doesn’t that scare you?” “No,” Octavian answered honestly. “It doesn’t. Gods are not my concern; Rome is, my people are.” Leo shook his head and looked away, “aren’t we all?” “What?” Octavian asked, confused. This Graecus was more confounding than Jackson had been, who was simply like a fly that he wished to swat. “Demigods,” Leo said, looking back at him. “Don’t we have more in common than we have different? Aren’t we all your people then? Shouldn’t we support one another? Support systems, like you said. Communities.” “I-“ Octavian wasn’t sure how to reply. In fact, he was mostly taken back by the fact Leo had evidently given his suggestions some consideration the night before. Leo seemed to realize what Octavian was thinking, “you were right, maybe not how you meant, but ...it's true. As much as I really hate you.”

Octavian was very conflicted now. “We have no way to help each other, not really, not at Camp Half Blood. A satyr either gets us to camp when we’re young, or they don’t.” Leo swallowed hard, looking off into the distance.  “Before that, we’re just…with our human families, or alone. There are probably more of us alone, than not.” “Or in foster care,” Octavian added, remembering what Leo had said the previous day. The curly haired boy looked back at him and nodded. “In foster care, or worse,” Leo said. “It isn’t fair to us, or our parents, to be so vulnerable. How many mothers, fathers, siblings, have been killed…because we’re demigods? How many kids around the world?” “I don’t know,” Octavian answered after a moment. “I don’t know. If the numbers are similar world wide, then…thousands? Hundreds of thousands, even.”

“I don’t like that,” Leo said firmly. “You can go back to New Rome, deal with your people, but like I said. You’re right. I think we should have support. Or, in another generation, once me and all my friends are long dead, we’ll get another Luke.” “Luke?” Octavian echoed, he thought he had heard the name before but wasn’t sure where. “Luke Castellan, I wasn’t around then either, but he was the one who started the Titan war.” Leo explained, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “One guy thinks the Gods don’t care, that’s fine, but when 50, 100, hundreds do…” Octavian hadn’t really experienced this before, being told he was right while being told he was wrong, feeling vindicated and chastised. “R-Rome can,” Octavian started shakily, jutting out his chin once again in a shadow of his more prideful boasts. “We can…support others. But, under our ways.” Leo sighed, shaking his head and mumbling something under his breath. “That isn’t support, it’s oppression. Have you ever considered that you only think your ways are the right ways because you were born to it?”

“That sounded very Disney-esque of you,” Octavian deflected, and turned away. “I’m going to get firewood.” Leo looked at him wearily as he left. “You…don’t need to,” Leo said to himself, rolling his eyes and moving back to Festus. “I’m literally made of fire. Fucking asshole.” The next morning, they spent their time flying closer towards the Horn, until touching down outside a Senegalese market.  Octavian actually seemed rather happy for once with this particular pitstop. Like, actually happy and not sneery smirky “happy”. It was odd for Leo to witness. “You actually like your stepfather, don’t you?” Leo asked curiously, after Octavian got done speaking to a shop owner. “He’s preferable to my mother,” Octavian answered. “They’re both doctors, but his work actually matters.” “Is there a doctor who does meaningless work?” Leo asked, laughing in astonishment. “Like, what does that even mean?”

“It means she’s a psychologist,” Octavian said with a huff and crossed arms. “My stepfather is a neurosurgeon. He saves lives, she talks.” Leo stared at him like he saw something particularly disgusting on the floor of a mens bathroom, brows together and lips drawn back into a frown. “Doesn’t she, I don’t know, help people with mental health problems?” Octavian scoffed at the very concept, and Leo threw his arms up and walked away. Later, Octavian showed back up with bags full of herbs and spices and what looked like a headband. “Ladies appreciated my skill in speaking their language, and gave me gifts.” Leo rolled his eyes, and muttered something about them probably trying to get him to leave. “What are you doing?” “Trying to contact my friends,” Leo said, looking disappointingly into the fountain they had met back up at. The water gave nothing back to him. “I’ve been trying, but I haven’t been able to get through by any means. I even used a phone booth. Just static. Nothing in Alexandria, nothing in Morocco, nothing here either. “ Octavian walked over and sat next to him and looked into waters. “Let me try, I’m an augur. I have a more natural line to the Gods, than someone like yourself who spits in the face of our customs and rules.”

It didn’t work for him either. “I need a live chicken,” Octavian glared into the fountain. “And a ceremonial dagger.” “Nnnope,” Leo stood up, drying his hands off on his shirt. “No blood sacrifices, I put my foot down at blood sacrifices.” “You’re being unreasonable,” Octavian followed suit in standing, attempting to use his height as an advantage once again. “I guess that shouldn’t be surprising given your people-“Leo grabbed him by the shirt and shoved him hard into the fountain. It didn’t hurt, there was no injury or pain involves in the matter, but he was now soaking wet. So Octavian rushed up and grabbed the other boy and hauled him in with him. It was childish, but they ended up shoving and splashing and just generally making idiots of themselves until Octavian noticed Leo was laughing. That was not what Octavian had intended, he was planning on more of a near-drowning. Then, he noticed they were very close, and Leo’s palm was on his chest and his own hand was on Leo’s waist and everything froze. Octavian swallowed hard, and Leo met his eyes curiously. Big, dark brown eyes. “Hey, you boys,” someone called to them and Octavian thanked every deity he could name that he was saved before losing composure. “You need to stop,” a young woman said in English with an accent. “I’m apologize,” Octavian said back, in Wolof. She looked surprised, but smiled. “I don’t mind,” she said in her own language, “but some others here might not approve of two boys doing that together. I think young love is precious.” Octavian felt bile in his throat. He glanced over at Leo, who was brushing a curl of wet hair out of his eyes. The warm mid day light hit the water just right and reflected sunlight back onto Leo’s stomach and cheeks. His normally loose dirty off white tank top was wet and clinging and very nearly see through. The reflections of water looked like soft gold on his skin. “Oh no,” Octavian whispered, and got a weary look from his forced travel companion. He was 15, Octavian told himself. 15 and Greek. It was extremely unsightly, inappropriate, not to mention possibly illegal to harbor unfortunate emotional attachments to- “What? That stick almost fall out of your ass after having fun for 5 minutes?” Leo grinned toothily, and Octavian realized that he did in fact hate Leo Valdez. "No? What a shame."

[cosmickid-inmotion]

I was homeschooled my almost whole life and I never thought I would, but when we moved from Wisconsin to South Dakota my parents were sick of me and let me to to public school the last year and a half 😂 had to find a prom date within 3 months at a school and town I JUST MOVED TOO oksy here’s the stories (for context, my town has 500 people, the entire county (the school is the only one in the county) has 100 people, and my school was about 100. So prom is v much a community thing

I’m on the right in the red. My prom date asked me like 3 weeks before prom, we only had one convo before and it was about all time low 😂 but he’s the step brother of the girl in pink and these two girls suggested he ask me. We actually became pretty good friends until the two step siblings moved. Then they started dating. 👁️👄👁️ the girl was from Alabama funny enough. And for those of y’all familiar with Romana lore, the guy on the left in the pink? Few years later we had wild freaky sex that unlocked a lot of kinks including butt stuff, then I got dressed, gave finger guns, said “thanks for that” and left. Never saw him again ☠️☠️ this was junior year I the girl in pink has kissed three people in this picture bc not only has she kissed the guy in pink, and her step brother, but also me! My first kiss bc we played truth or dare and I dared her to kiss me ☠️☠️

Senior year, me, my brother, and my date (who my probably bisexual brother is eyeing ?!?!? I look like I’m crashing THEIR date 😭) my brother never went to that high school but he went as my friends date bc she needed a date and I wanted him there. My date flew out from Wisconsin bc he was a friend of mine from there, I was in love with him, first love and all that, and was gonna confess my love at prom. He proceeded to leave prom to meet up with a girl he met THROUGH ME, my brother left prom to essentially hunt him down and yell at him bc I had a panic attack and passed out 🫣 my date and I had a whole history and he fucked me up REALLY BAD for years, but he reached out a few years back and genuinely apologized, and I forgave him, and he seems to have changed. This was senior year.

Including two. First pic is me and my two dates! I had graduated but the girl in black was a sophomore and a good friend of mine and invited me to prom. Girl in purples date bailed on her A WEEK BEFORE PROM and so we adopted her into our throuple. Unfortunately my friendship with girl in black just kinda faded, no hard feelings. However, i included the Charlie’s Angels picture bc the two friends there I stil talk to regularly and when i was back in the state this week I saw both of them, 7 years latter 🥰

And finally, my last prom. My friend group was two years younger than me (small school things) lol. This is my friend Elizabeth, who as the time was still presenting male. She asked her dad if she could wear his old prom suit from the 70’s and his dad said yes, but his mom said “you’ll never find a girl who will let you wear that” so she asked me, knowing I’m weird like that 😂 probably the only time in history the girl picked her dress around the suit, instead of vice versa. Liz and I still keep in regular contact, and we actually met up with the two girls from the above picture last year, first time our friend group was all together since their graduation 🥰🥰 she doesn’t come back much since she isn’t out to the town, but it feels special she trusted us with this. A very classic look for both of us, we were a very popular couple that year around town, people telling me for months how much they liked it

*

The amount of people who have kissed between these pictures is wild I don’t think I can’t even get it all

One of these days I’m gonna show y’all all 4 prom looks from all 4 proms I went to

[witharthurkirkland]

The Siege of Paris

Summary: After a strange malfunction in the TARDIS the Doctor and Romana find themselves at the Battle of Wissembourg where they meet someone they didn’t expect. Now they’re trying to figure out why Irving Braxiatel is getting involved in the Franco-Prussian War.

Note: there are probably historical inaccuracies. I tried my best and I apologize for any mistakes.

Part 1 is here

Here is part 2 of 3

Thanks to Braxiatel’s influence (although he claimed that it was due more to Romana’s charm) the Doctor and Romana were allowed to stay with the army. Neither the Doctor nor Romana heard what Braxiatel said to his general to get his permission.

They were assigned shared living quarters (which were no more than spaces in a tent) with Braxiatel and the instruction seemed to be that they were to stay together, possibly to let one of them keep an eye on the others.

Romana, tired of her impractical dress, managed to get a uniform that fit her and “looked quite fetching”, according to Braxiatel, while the Doctor stubbornly refused to part with his clothes. Two hours of arguments later the Doctor changed into a uniform, keeping his scarf and hat. The soldiers all teased him about the scarf in the middle of the summer, but he only grinned and went on about Nostradamus.

The soldiers treated him as their private entertainment. No one took the Doctor seriously as if he was an uncle who wasn’t quite right in the head or a clown with an odd sense of humour.

Romana, on the other hand, commanded complete respect (especially after the second day) and there was a long-running bet that either Romana was Braxiatel’s relative or fiancée. There had been a brief bet about the Doctor, but it was resolved quickly enough.

On the second day after their arrival Romana found Braxiatel and the Doctor sitting next to each other in the shade of a tree. The day was hot and the soldiers who weren’t posted to watch for the enemy or sent away in search of provisions sat around, half sleeping.

“Can you give me a gun to train with, Braxiatel?” Romana asked.

Braxiatel smiled, rose to his feet and wordlessly handed her his rifle. Romana and the Doctor had both noticed that Braxiatel obeyed Romana without question, but neither of them ever brought it up in a conversation.

Several soldiers gathered around to watch.

“This should be good,” one of them muttered.

Romana turned the rifle over, studying it carefully, then she raised it to her shoulder and aimed at the dead branch of a tree. She fired and the bullet missed its intended target by several feet.

“Not as easy as it looks, is it?” someone said.

Braxiatel gave the Doctor a look. “This should be interesting.”

The Doctor frowned. He never approved of guns and he didn’t approve of this target practice.

Romana asked someone to help her reload the rifle and lifted it again.

This time the bullet hit the branch at the weakest point, breaking it into pieces.

Whistles and applause followed this.

Romana fired three more shots to make certain that she had complete control of the rifle. Once she was satisfied she returned the rifle to Braxiatel.

“Quite easy when you account for gravity and air resistance.”

Braxiatel gave her a knowing look and then gave the same to the Doctor. “Would you like to try, Doctor?”

“No, thank you. You know I don’t approve of guns.”

“How would you have us fight?” Braxiatel asked. He was aware of the tension that followed the Doctor’s words as well as the looks some of the men gave his naïve brother. “With pillows?”

The soldiers broke out into laughter. Some of them slapped the Doctor on the back and called him brilliant. He grinned foolishly all around at them.

But both Romana and Braxiatel could see that he was furious.

 ***

 “We should leave,” the Doctor said urgently to Romana. They were taking an evening stroll around the camp, supposedly to check the watch posts on Braxiatel’s orders

“And never find out what your brother is doing here?” Romana asked.

The Doctor stopped and let out an exasperated sigh. “Yes, I admit, you’ve got me there, but it could be just our imaginations. It’s possible that he just decided to follow my example. My inspiring example, I should say!”

Romana gave the Doctor a look. In the week they’d spent with the soldiers she’d seen enough of Braxiatel to understand the difference between him and his brother. The Doctor led a chaotic life, gallivanting through the universe with no purpose except to see new things, or help someone, or to just have fun.

Braxiatel, on the other hand, acted as if everything he did was a well-calculated move in a complicated chess game that no one knew he was playing with them. He managed to get his hands on good food and wine when supplies were hard to come by. He even contrived to eat it all out of silver plates with silver cutlery.

There was only one explanation Romana could think of for this and she wondered where Braxiatel’s TARDIS was. She didn’t even consider the possibility that Braxiatel had travelled in anything else.

The Doctor walked into a bush and spent five minutes pulling himself and his scarf out.

There was only one thing for it. She had to look for it herself. It was unlikely that seeing Braxiatel’s TARDIS would answer any of their questions, but it could be a good starting point.

 ***

 The Doctor woke up from the sound of shouting and jumped to his feet. Romana’s place was empty and he wondered how long she’d been awake. He didn’t listen to the shouting, dismissing it as the usual military nonsense and pompousness.

He emerged from his tent with an exaggerated yawn and grinned at the first soldier he saw.

“André! Good morning! Any chance of a breakfast? I remember once saying to –”

“Never mind your stories, Doctor!” Braxiatel interrupted, rushing to him. “Where is Romana?”

“No idea. She isn’t in our tent.”

“I know that. I just spent an hour looking for her in the camp.”

“She’s probably out on a stroll,” the Doctor shrugged.

“Doctor! This is serious! We’re in the middle of a war! The Prussians can attack any minute and Romana is gone!”

“Maybe she returned to the TARDIS.”

Braxiatel sighed. “I have patrols around it. No one saw or heard anything.”

“We can ask around to see if anyone saw her,” the Doctor said calmly, but he was starting to feel Braxiatel’s anxiety. How was it that panic was so infectious?

“We don’t have time! The men said –”

The rest of the sentence was drowned out by screams and suddenly there were soldiers all around them.

“Did you say Prussians could attack any minute –” the Doctor began.

“Stay close to me!” Braxiatel raised his rifle and fired. “Men! To me! We’re under attack! Defend your positions!”

The Doctor ducked behind Braxiatel as the other fired shot after shot.

“Fight, Doctor! Find a weapon and fight!” Braxiatel shouted.

“I’d really rather not, if it’s all the same to you.”

“It’s not! I can’t defend you!”

Several French soldiers ran forward. They attacked with a great deal of energy, as if taking the sudden appearance of the enemy as a personal insult. But there were too many soldiers attacking. The French were overwhelmed on all sides.

“Retreat!” someone shouted. “Fall back to the city!”

The Doctor grabbed Braxiatel by the arm and they ran, ducking and weaving past the soldiers, trees and flying bullets.

Wissembourg loomed ahead, surrounded by walls that no longer seemed impenetrable.

Braxiatel and the Doctor were the first ones to make it to the city. Braxiatel shouted orders to the soldiers, forgetting about ranks and taking command of the situation in the confusion.

The next group of soldiers that came brought bad news.

“They killed the General! They killed Douay!” someone gasped out while trying to catch their breath.

“There’s no time to mourn him now,” Braxiatel said. “We must –”

“Yes, thank you, lieutenant. I can take over from here.” The voice of command made Braxiatel turn and salute.

“Marshall.”

“Take up positions and prepare to fire on my command!” the Marshall shouted.

Braxiatel stepped aside and stood next to the Doctor out of the way of the other soldiers as they found places to stand around the perimeter of the town and load their weapons.

Despite all of the noise caused by many people moving around and preparing for an attack the soldiers were quiet. Their spirits were broken by that one death.

And then the Prussian artillery fired and cannonballs rained down on the city wall.

The Doctor grabbed Braxiatel and pulled him further into the city.

“I need to fight!” Braxiatel protested. “You might not want to, but I will!”

“Braxiatel, listen. Maybe Romana is here somewhere. We need to find her.”

“You go look. I’ll stay here.” He saw the Doctor’s expression and sighed. “Alright, point taken. We’ll both look.”

As they slipped away unseen by any of the soldiers the Doctor missed the smile on Braxiatel’s face.

They searched the city, desperate for any clues. The citizens were all confused and frightened. Some were searching for food. Some had gone to help fight the attackers, while others hid in their homes and barricaded their doors. Of Romana there was no sign.

The canons kept firing sporadically and more and more of the wall was turned to rubble. A couple of the buildings near the walls were also destroyed.

The Doctor noticed a big gap in the city wall in front of them that offered a way out. He ran ahead before he noticed that Braxiatel had stopped.

“You lost her!” Braxiatel exclaimed. “Do you know what you’ve done? We’re stuck on this stupid level 4 planet, in a war that has nothing to do with us that will turn bad very soon, cut off from our only way of getting out and you lost the President of Gallifrey!”

For several minutes neither of them breathed. Canons continued to fire. Soldiers screamed. Children wept. People shouted something.

“Did I ever tell you about the time when Caligula and I –”

“Doctor, please, not now.”

The Doctor sighed. “Romana is a clever girl. She can take care of herself,” he said calmly.

“This is war, Doctor,” Braxiatel replied in a tone of voice that was much more subdued, “not a puzzle you can solve with your brains.”

“I know. Jelly baby?” the Doctor offered his bag.

“Where did you – oh, never mind. Do you have any green ones?”

“I think so.” The Doctor searched his bag. “There!” He pulled one out and handed it to Braxiatel. “What will we do now?”

Braxiatel, who managed to eat a jelly baby with a grace a member of the royal family would have been proud of, considered his words before answering. “Wissembourg will be taken. Then the war will move further into France. There will be several battles and a siege, but it will all end in Paris.”

“Then that’s where we go.”

“Easier said than done in these conditions.”

“Are you giving up already, Braxiatel?”

“Of course not, Doctor.”

 ***

 They spent the day moving in what the Doctor judged to be Paris’ general direction. It took some careful maneuvering to slip out of the city and past the soldiers that were closing in.

When night fell they were deep in a forest.

The Doctor sat down next to a tree. “I suggest we take a short rest and keep going.”

“Agreed.” Braxiatel collapsed next to him. He tried to hide how tired he was, but the Doctor was watching him closely this time.

“You know this reminds me of a camping trip with –”

“Doctor, if you’re planning to name drop again…” Braxiatel warned in a fed up tone of voice.

“— the Brigadier and Sarah. Well, we also had a bunch of soldiers from UNIT with us. We weren’t really camping, to be honest. There was an animal that came out late at night and kidnapped little children and we were sent to investigate. We hid and waited for it to appear. Turned out it was just stealing children to feed and look after them, because its maternal instinct extended to humans. I never did find out what it was called or where it was originally from, because one of the soldiers got overenthusiastic and shot it.” There was a sad smile on the Doctor’s face. “And it will all happen in about 100 years or so, several hundred miles from here.”

“Doctor…” Braxiatel began and stopped.

“Yes?”

“Do you think you could keep your voice down?”

The Doctor grinned. “Not a problem,” he said in a theatrical whisper.

Braxiatel leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. “We have five hours before the sun rises and it will be light again.”

The Doctor searched his pockets and pulled out a yo-yo which he tossed into the air in front of him.

It was quiet, apart from the many noises made by various animals that live in a forest and come out to hunt for food at night.

The Doctor looked at Braxiatel. His brother’s eyes were still closed and his chest was rising and falling steadily.

“You’re getting too old for this,” the Doctor whispered really quietly.

Braxiatel opened one eye. “Maybe I am, Theta.” He closed his eye again.

The Doctor shifted a few inches closer to Braxiatel and continued to play with his yo-yo.

Twenty minutes later Braxiatel opened his eyes and rose to his feet. “Time to go.”

 ***

 They travelled onwards, slipping through forests at night and avoiding all roads. They hid whenever they heard soldiers coming their way. Twice they just barely avoided being captured.

The Doctor’s supply of jelly babies ran out on the third day and they had to look for something edible in the forest. They found fruit trees and devised ways of carrying more fruit with them.

Two weeks after Wissembourg they ran into the French army and ended up with no choice but to join them in their retreat.

“Very clever, Doctor,” Braxiatel mumbled. “I told you to keep your voice down.”

“This is why wearing uniforms was a bad idea,” the Doctor grumbled.

The soldiers spent all night and the early hours of the morning digging trenches. Braxiatel and the Doctor were forced to join this task. They worked side by side, not exchanging a single word. Occasionally someone would pass, shouting more orders and saying something about the position of the artillery that the Time Lords didn’t hear.

And then the sound of gunfire broke the sound of people moving huge quantities of dirt.

Braxiatel stood with a rifle in his hands, ready to fire as soon as the enemy appeared. The Doctor continued to dig as if nothing happened.

“They’re coming!” a soldier shouted.

“You there! Stop digging! Take your position!”

The Doctor pretended not to hear.

“I can see them,” Braxiatel said quietly and fired.

The Doctor sat down on the ground. His uniform was muddy as were his hands. He wiped one dirty hand over his face. “We can leave now,” he said quietly, “while they’re distracted.”

“Not yet.”

When he ran out of bullets, Braxiatel tossed the rifle aside and picked up the one that had been assigned to the Doctor. “I’m ready.”

They slipped away unseen: so engrossed was everyone in the battle. They walked through the trenches, passing soldiers and telling anyone who saw them that they had an urgent message for the General.

Their luck lasted three hours. Then it ran out.

“Yeah, right. Show me this message,” a captain demanded.

“It’s verbal,” the Doctor said, “and only for the General’s ears. It’s urgent.”

“As if I’m going to believe that.”

The Doctor threw a look at Braxiatel to see if he had any ideas as to how to handle this.

Braxiatel’s response was swift: he raised his rifle and shot the captain.

“Braxiatel!” the Doctor exclaimed angrily. He jumped up to the body on the ground and turned it over. The man was dead. “You didn’t have to do that!”

“Yes, I did. We’re getting out of here, Doctor. Now get up and let’s go!”

“Haven’t you had enough of killing, Braxiatel? How many people did you kill today? How many lives did you take? And this man was supposedly on your side!”

“No one is on my side.”

“Then why are you fighting this war? Just what are you doing here? Did you get so tired of negotiating peace that now you want to kill everyone you meet? Does life have no more meaning for you? Why not kill me too?”

“He’s fighting a war. He would’ve died anyway.”

Braxiatel’s cool attitude fired up the Doctor’s temper even more. “How dare you? This isn’t the Braxiatel I knew! Who are you? What happened to you?”

“Now isn’t the time.”

“Yes, it is!”

“Get down!” Braxiatel grabbed the Doctor and pulled him down as bullets flew overhead.

“What are you doing?” a soldier shouted. “This is no time for an argument! Back to your posts!”

Braxiatel raised his head. “Look at him, Theta,” he said quietly, his arms still on the Doctor’s shoulders. “Look at how he waves that around. I fired that shot to help us get out of here, to protect your life and he just fired on his own soldiers.”

“Brax, you –”

Braxiatel raised his rifle and shot the soldier. Then he got up and brushed himself off. “Anyone else?” He looked around.

The trenches were empty around them.

“Come on, Doctor, let’s go.”

“No. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Really? Now you want to throw a tantrum, Theta? You’re not a time tot.”

“I’m not a killer either.”

Braxiatel sighed. “Doctor, remember we’re looking for Romana. We don’t know what happened to her. Every moment we delay might cost her her life.”

“What happened to you, Brax?” the Doctor asked again, the anger no longer present in his voice.

Braxiatel shook his head. “Many things. I had to learn how to survive.”

The Doctor stared in horror at the corpse on the ground. “I’m not sure that’s called survival.”

“Now’s not the time for catching up, Doctor, or a debate about morals.” He looked down at the Doctor and then extended his hand. “I can’t even tell you most of it. I’ve already revealed too much. You have to trust me. Please.”

The Doctor looked at Braxiatel’s hand. “You’re from Gallifrey’s future, aren’t you?”

“Many, many years in the future. By rights, I shouldn’t be here.”

“You called Romana a President.”

“Yes, well…” Braxiatel made to retract his hand, but the Doctor grabbed it and pulled himself to his feet. Braxiatel nearly lost his balance.

“I don’t need to know any more,” the Doctor said. “I’ve heard enough. Looking at you, I dare not guess what happens to Gallifrey.”

Braxiatel controlled his face and kept it from revealing anything.

“Let’s go and find Romana.”

The rest of the day was spent moving through the trenches.