#I want Jean Luc to have his family back so bad

[kassandragreyson]

Let’s talk about Jean Luc Picard and his fatherhood.

I know, it was said thousands time withing the franchise and by actors/characters and etc., but I want to explore the current Star Trek: Picard 3 season

Yeah yeah yeah, we all can pretend that this never happened and just assume that it is not canon, even though real canon without Rodenberry is impossible in anyway, but lets admit that we have this 3 season and live with that.

Its happening and honestly, I sort of like it. Sure, it is not the same vibe as tng, but hey, they had 7 seasons and full range movies to explore the characters while we have only short 3 seasons with 10 episodes each. This is not enough, but I give a huge credit for actors who are still trying to make it better and worth the time and resources. But in anyway, today it is not about capitalist bs and how it ruins our childhood lol.

Of course, giving Picard a son is a bald move, but honestly, so predictable. It is exactly what happened to Kirk when they introduced David Marcus. They wanted to give the character a new challenge, but at least they could have tried to be original. Trop that partners went through tough relationships (all these ups and downs between Picard and Crusher) and after 20 years it appears that one of them hid the child, wow shocking. *Sarcastic giggle*

But ok, that’s the Star Trek vibe and sort of expected move. It was done before, why not again but with a different outcome and atmosphere? What I do not really like is what they did to characters and their values.

I get it that Beverly cares for her son and wants to protect him at all costs. But Beverly I know would not do that. Yes, she is pretty much an independent lady, who does not need a “boyfriend” or maybe even husband. A partner - maybe. But unfortunately, Jean Luc could never be him as much as she wanted. He is way too much into his life just like her, so unless someone sacrifices their career or desires, it simply would not work. We have seen it; it did not work. They are two complete people with their own views on life, so we cannot expect them to push their boundaries and let their own selves go.

But hide Jean Luc’s child, pretending that he will drag the danger on him is hilarious. I mean, they all were in Star Fleet, they all knew the risks from the day one, Beverly knew the risks for Wesley when he joined Fleet and did not seem to have an issue with that.

I do not want to be mean or cruel but lets face it: she is a doctor in a future society, I will never believe that she did not calculate risks of this pregnancy and future outcomes in advance. The pregnancy was not a big surprise for her, you can not have sex and expect TV after. It is a baby if you do not use contraception or even if you use, it is still a baby to expect. My point is, if she accepted Jack and his birth, she should have accepted the risks for him as well.

Question is, why she decided to ruin all relationships with Jean Luc and live her “happily life” hiding Jack? I mean, that is too bs move for her character. She is so much better than that, better friend, better mom, better woman. It is not worth drama to picture her so selfish and ignorant.

Then it comes to Jack and all his “I do not want to see you Sir; you are not my father blah blah blah”. They all Picture Picard as someone who is horrible at fatherhood and sucks with kids. They all show him as “I do not need ANY family accept Star Fleet” and ect. But. There is but.

He is better that that. I do not want to say that he and his character must become a father, no, not all people want kids and a family and make all these sacrifices. And it was absolutely cool to draw Picard as a person who does not want kids and it is ok, it was a good line of his personality. It was. But now we have to face jack and deal with that.

Jean Luc Picard is the most caring for his family man. Whole crew of the Enterprise, his brother and nephew, Ro, random younger ensigns and other secondary characters. We have seen that while he does not feel comfortable with kids, he is pretty much paternal figure for all above.

I was thinking, why someone who is so good with being a father figure, would refuse to become a father one day? I do not think it is because he simply does not want it and that’s it. I think he has much deeper reasons than it appears and shown to us.

We know from season 2 that he had an internal conflict with love and being loved because he has witnessed a horrifying moment in his life (his mother) and it broke him so hard, that he was carrying all this weight through his whole adulthood.

So, what if being the father has its own roots as well?

I think it is all about the responsibility.

Think about it. Jean Luc is the top Capitan, he has to lead the best ship, he is the “golden boy” of the Star Fleet diplomacy and literary everyone is looking at him as a hero. A lot of stress comes with such honor. He cannot relax even with his crew, that is how much he is trying to be that person as everyone sees in him.  The only time when he is being himself if when he is alone. Even with his romantic partners it was hard for him to be true Jean Luc and not Capitan Picard all the time. Women within the Fleet and outside of it: they always have to share him and accept Capitan Picard as a third face in the relationships.

If such a man cannot allow himself to be real himself with non of his romantic partners, how we can expect him to want to become a father? That is what Jean Luc was thinking about. That he cannot be the Capitan for his child, he cannot play multiple character, not for his kid, not for a prospect wife/husband. He loves his found family, but god, he loves his life the way it is too. Jean Luc was not mentally ready for the child and he decided to leave this part of live aside, because he understood risks and consequent responsibilities too well.

But just because he let his fatherhood go, it does mean that he would not make a great dad.

Jean Luc is scared of kids only because of the coming with them responsibility, but it is same sort of challenge as anything else. Once it happens, you just go for it. And that what he would do if he would have a chance to.

I will never believe that he would abandon his kid, that he would refuse to see and help Bev, that he would not make changes in his own life. He risked his life because he had nothing to lose, only his own life, but if he would know about Jack, he would be mindful, because he would care for him. And it is not a sacrifice to start caring for someone and start to respect your life because of that. It is a life, that how it works.

Jack’s argument that Jean admitted in the pub few years ago that he does not need any other family, but Starfleet is nonsense. He did not know about him, how he could possibly say something else? He thought his life was straightforward. Well, it was not.

In season 7 tng “The Inner Light”, when Jean spent 40 years as Kamin, we have been shown, that even with all his ambitions and inner self, he made a great father when he got a chance to. He cared for his children, for his wife, raised grandchildren as well. He is a truly loving man and a father when he really wants it. He has never forgot about the Enterprise during these years, but he made a pretty good life with his family.

I do believe that his life as an officer brings all the risk on his head, but I also believe that if he would known about Jack, he would make it work.  

His character deserves better treatment than old 70s jokes of how bad he is as a father.

He is not the type of man who would asks his son to call him a Sir. He is a type that will bring a galaxy on your heads if you mess with his family and especially with his child.

[ovenproofowl]

a lot of people have said it, but I’m throwing in my two cents just to get it off my chest.

Picard season 3 was . Bad . For a LOT of reasons . It felt like - as many before me have expressed - a self-insert fanfic with the dullest self-insert in history.

Jack Crusher wasn’t much of a character but he could have had some promise if they hadn’t spent an aggravating amount of time having him decree how different he always felt, you guys. Did you get that part? He’d always felt different. That sort of dialogue might have flown if we were dealing with Picard’s adolescent son, but instead we’re dealing with a 24 year old played by a 35 year old who looks every bit his age. (It was a hard 24 years, we must assume.)

The reason that Jack Crusher didn’t work for me personally, though, wasn’t because of how cliché his character was. I would have let that pass much easier if it wasn’t for the big ol’ elephant in the room. And that is simply that :

JACK CRUSHER WAS NEVER NECESSARY

Jack may have served a purpose to the storyline that was presented if only because he was the sole reason there was a Big Bad to be defeated in the first place. Everyone wanted to kidnap him, he brought the old gang back together just to protect him and then later save him from said Big Bad which was also actually .. him. Everything Was About Jack. But I’m not talking about the main plot. I Really Don’t Want to Talk About the Main Plot. Ever. What I want to talk about is what Jack represented that made him so unnecessary:

He was intended to represent Jean-Luc Picard’s only reason to start living.

Personally, that really, really offended me. Picard didn’t need to have a biological kid to have a purpose. In fact, it’s been established time and time again that he wasn’t ever really dad material. More of a... weirdly intense uncle. For a while, he wasn’t a fan of kids at all. Eventually, though, Picard is seen to warm to the idea of letting children within his general vicinity. This starts in TNG and continues on in season 1 of Picard. The Only Categorically Good Season of this whole. show.

In season 1, we see flashbacks of Jean-Luc’s relationship with a young Elnor, how he would read him stories and have sword fights with him. He was an absent father to an adopted child he hadn’t even realised he’d adopted and yet Elnor still fought for his hopeless cause. In much the same way, Picard meets Dahj and then later, Soji. He feels a kinship with these androids because of their connection to Data. He wants to protect Soji becase he couldn’t protect Dahj and Soji even canonically questions whether she should allow Picard to act as her father figure before she begins to remember where she came from. Both of these dynamics were infinitely more interesting and a lot deeper rooted. Soji and Elnor were both young twenty-somethings without parental guidance but found that guidance through Picard. Soji had her connection to Jurati, too, and Elnor had his with Seven and Raffi and that’s what made the whole group so intriguing to follow. They all had interesting connections to each other that had so many avenues to explore.

Unfortunately, the show decided to more or less write Soji and Elnor out of the story come season 2. Elnor was killed off for the majority of the season and only brought back by Q intervention in the last episode. Soji wasn’t even a part of the story at all. And do you know what’s sad about that? What’s really sad? Season 2 was trying to sell us the exact same message as season 3. That Picard needed a reason to live. But, like, not that reason. Not the reasons he’d already been given in the form of his found family with his Romulan and android adopted children, or even the rest of the La Sirena crew. No no no, we can’t have that, better get rid of them. This time, Laris is the focal point. Picard had been avoiding a romantic relationship with her because of a never before mentioned dark history surrounding his mother’s suicide. Because, sure, at this point, why not? While we’re at it, let’s also kill off Rios in the most slap-in-the-face out of character way possible and fling Jurati at the Borg for good measure just so she won’t be around for season 3. Her character development into the Borg Queen was pretty intriguing, but we’ll totally ignore that they even exist post her departure, just for funsies. Oh, and Soji and Elnor? Best not mention them at all come that third and final season. Otherwise, people might get the crazy notion that Picard already had a reason not to hunker down and die at the vinyard at the tender age of 104.

Season 3 picks up where season 2 leaves off in that Picard is now in that aforementioned romantic relationship with Laris. Except, no he isn’t because he immediately gets an emergency call from his ex and literally never sees or talks to Laris ever again. There wasn’t even a throw-away line or implied reference to her, but by now I’m sure you know the reason for that.

That’s right, folks. Because if we were allowed to remember Laris and what she meant to Picard, then we might just remember that other thing. Say it with me now!!

JACK CRUSHER WAS NEVER NECESSARY!!

In summary, there were so many brilliant options to give Picard for signficant found family dynamics, but the show just wasn’t interested in any of them. Season 3 wanted a Picard who had given it all up, who was ready to die because he’d never had a family to pass on his legacy. They wanted him at his lowest so that we’d all rejoice to see him return to the TNG crew. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a massive TNG fan and I could rave about the fan service and nostalgia porn for hours on end. If season 3 had stood alone as a singular unconnected event, it might even have been passable as a warm hug from old and beloved characters with some fun new spins to their stories along the way, juust so long as you didn’t squint too hard at the actual attempt at plot writing going on in the background.

But the fact of the matter is, Picard season 3 came far too late into the game. Season 1 held the building blocks to something new and interesting. By the end of season 2, it was becoming clear we were never going to see those blocks stand. By season 3, those blocks were just scattered headstones in a graveyard.

They teased us with the potential new show of Captain Seven and her Number One Raffi Musiker and that might have just been okay. . .

. . .If the La Sirena Crew had been allowed to be a part of that future.

In closing: Picard season 3? Too little, too late, mate. 👎🏻

[ladysomething]

rushed back home. pretty sure I broke like 7 different basic driving rules from the driver manual in my country that even kids are aware of. also my best friend says he's never letting me drive ever again. he also says you're kinda a mastermind. I may not have a driver license for tomorrow, or a car to drive, but I do have new hatred and also a new level of crush (ness? English-is-not-my-first-language moment) for Max Verstappen. and my brother as well. he also pleged alliance and eternal honor to you, Madds.

5+1!!!!

1. honestly Charles, I get you. cramps are how some criminals should be punished. make them suffer for their wrongs. make them regret ever living. make them feel pain for comitting their crime. (says the lawyer. at this rate, for tomorrow I will loose not one but TWO licenses. who cares)

2. as stated beforehand, the Max crush that you've been cooking in me with this fic is absolutely massive. gigantic. astronomical. and let me tell you something. Max taking care of Charles during his pre-heat melted me. my ex boyfriends should learn from him, because that's the bare minimum and yet they didn't do shit. and Charles here has this lovely dumb idiot (affectionate) while he hates him. honestly goals. where do I buy one.

3. I kinda understand why Max distanced himself from Charles. sorta. actually barely. but the guilt trip that my man has to be going through has to be though. what reminds me

4. FUCK MATTHEW AND FUCK LANDO AND FUCK THE DOCTOR WHOSE NAME IS NOT WORTH OF ME TO REMEMBER. oh and FUCK FERRARI AND FUCK MCLAREN AND FUCK EVERYONE. GO TO HELL PIECES OF SHIT. yeah, that's it I think. my poor baby Charlie (IBEIDNDOSNDLSBDOWHEODIAJS I went batshit with that. just so you know. worried Max might be my favorite Max. maybe slightly behind horny, protective and obedient Max) did NOT deserve that and everyone should rot in the darkest pit of hell for that. no less. cramps for you all.

5. we love Jean-Luc in this house. that was the resolution the three of us got to. my man deserves a cold pillow on both sides, a cup of tea and the chance to see his family anytime and to be happy forever. please don't make me hate him, I love him too much.

+1. if you've told me at the beginning of the year that I would be eating dinner with both my brother and my roomie while we were reading a quite explicit Lestappen omega verse fi in TV, no less, I would've not only not believed you. but died of shame or something like that. my yearly choice of a dead dove do not eat fic (I've been learning about tags!!!) has united this household. who would have thought that.

+2. Max is down BAD. but you know what, so is Charles. they really are exactly like the other. when Charles said that he was feeling lonely all I could think of is how Max said the exact same. and the hospital part had me kicking my feet, jumping around excitedly. then I alarmedly had to go all the way up to see in which chapter we were. and after, I just felt scared. chapter 16 is my worst nightmare it seems. how funny.

+3. hun, how has been your hand? I hope you're feeling better 🩷 as much as I love weekly uptades I can't help but feel worried that you might push your hand a lot. the chapter was absolutely lovely but remember to rest please 🙏🏼 speaking on my behalf and the other two readers' (and I hope everyone else's) we don't want you to be hurt, regardless of the fic.

thank you for the early uptade, even if now I'm a reckless driver to my country's police. at least I didn't read it while I was working. I don't know how I could've managed that.

I will take eternal allegiance wherever I can get it. I am making men kneel before me, one at a time, and so I'm glad to add two more to my collection.

cramps as a form of punishment .... you get it.

no because that whole heat sequence with Max .. melted me. he's so written by a woman coded in this fic (which you'd hope. considering he is. lmao)

he's hurt!!! he's sad!!! Max is going through a phase right now ok

the doctors name is Leo, and funnily enough Charles got Leo the same week that chapter came out and I was like ... Charles reads wygig confirmed

THIS IS A JEAN-LUC STAN ACCOUNT and honestly????? I love that you all love him. maybe he should get his own fic one day. who knows.

+1. the war being over because you've bonded over the lestappen war .... there's something so cosmic about that.

+2. everyone being on the edge of their seats for 16 ... god I'm good.

+3. thank you for the well wishes! it's wayyyyy better now, thank god.

p.s. I think maybe your brother and your roommate would riot if you read it at work without them sooooo

[thesevenwondersofawitch]

Watching Star Trek Picard s3 ep9 Vox

"No one has seen or heard from the Borg in over a decade" Guess Picard and friends didn't tell anyone about Jurati😂

Oh shit, Deanna having to bring up the protocols Starfleet has in place has me alarmed

Damn, Beverly really can't catch a break when it comes to her sons

Poor Jack, now he has a distrust in betazoids

"What about the protocols of a father? Or you never issued those?" Well damn

I would be angry too

Oh shit, he's taking over people's minds to escape

Poor Beverly

She's hugging herself 😭

I forgot Data was alive 😂

Oh shit what more could there be to Jack?

OH HELL

IT'S THE BORG CUBE

OH SHIT STARFLEET IS ALL IN ONE PLACE

"Um, smack dab in the middle of frontier day, where pretty much every Starfleet vessel is running exercises with our faces pinned to their dartboard?"

'Its our only option Captain."

"Of course it is

Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god

IT'S THE ENTERPRISE

Wait, i feel like we've seen Shelby before

It's beautiful 😭(all the fireworks)

Ooooooh now I remember her😂

Regenerati😂

Oh shit, it's the Borg Queen 👀👀👀

Damn, he can't kill her

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE HELL YEAH

Oh no

Oh no no no

JACK'S BEEN ASSIMILATED

Huh, guess Lt Broccoli was right to fear transporters

HOLY SH-

OOOOOOO it's so so pretty( the green orb)

SEVEN

My poor baby 😭(her head must hurt so bad)

Oh shit

Poor Mura

Shit, La Forge's daughters are being assimilated

This has to be one of Geordi's worst fears

Oh my god, my heart is shaking with how awesome Seven looks as she fights

Also, where the heck is Raffi? I just want them to reunite again 😭 Is that too much to ask for?

I'm cackling that Seven said to shaw about all the gray hair and how assimilating must have skipped a generation 😭😂

Guess we'll never know what the dude wanted his family to know

"I've never been so happy to see so many wrinkles." I love Deanna 😂

RAFFI!!

"The Robot's right." I'm cackling

Data and Geordi look so offended

"Data can you try to be a little more positive?"

"I hope we die quickly.😃"

Oh fuck

Shaw got shot

Seven said Raffi's name😭 she wanted her safe

"it's it's not my ship anymore. It's yours."

He said her name😭

Her real name

Annnnnd Shaw's dead

The way her eyes keep darting towards Raffi

Oh my god

Are they gonna use voyager

THEY'RE USING THE ENTERPRISE-D

"Obviously we can't use the Enterprise-E." The way everyone turned to look at la forge and worf😂

Oh my god

I'm getting hit with those memories watching Next Gen for first time

They're back where it all started

I love how Deanna chastised Worf

I love how Data said hello to his chair

Picard missed the carpet the most😂

IT'S THE VOICE OF MAJEL BARRETT! Oh how I missed it

"Jean-Luc, wherever you go, we go." I have chills

Annnnnd now I have to wait for next week's episode to find out what happens with Raffi and Seven 😭 but I'm holding out hope they'll end up together in the end

This episode was awesome

[pixiedane]

Star Trek Picard and Trauma

I want to preface this by saying I am thoroughly enjoying S3. I've noticed a marked improvement in storycraft and pacing, the characters and relationships are lived in but not stagnant, and thus far the treatment of trauma has been respectful and moving. However, I've noticed some trends wrt whose traumas are centered and how they are presented.

Content warning for: childhood and generational trauma, loss, death, and spoilers for Star Trek: Picard through episode four.

Picard: This series is and always has been about Picard's trauma. He is also the only one who was allowed to have a traumatic arc in TNG and the films so the writers have a long history to work with. The story should and does center his trauma and the wild thing is he actually is better at interpersonal communication post S2! In S3 Eps 3 and 4 he uses actual words to describe his emotions and his needs to Beverly and to Jack. He diffuses the Shaw situation with a little smile that tells Shaw he understands and a request to work together. He allows himself to be vulnerable in small moments. It's growth.

Picard's main trauma response is fight. He's known as a diplomat but in times of danger or fear he fights. He spent all of Ep3 seeking a fight. Heroes fight so it's the easiest trauma response to write for/most common to see in a positive light.

Riker: Will's trauma was revealed in S1 but it was a plot point and character beat, we didn't see him dealing with it. Now we see the profound impact losing his son had on him, we see why he gave up his command, and why his family is fractured. Riker's trauma is painful to witness and Frakes is incredible in the role.

Riker's trauma response, now, is freeze. He's lost too much already to risk losing more. He's stuck in the trauma. That's why he prioritizes keeping the ship intact. That's why he can't record a goodbye message to Deanna. It's the opposite response to Picard's, which sets up a great conflict and then coming together.

Beverly: Like Dahj and Yvette before her, Beverly's trauma guides the narrative. Unlike Dahj and Yvette, Beverly has a point of view and is an active participant in the story. It's a huge step up from S1&2, and from TNG, and should be celebrated. That said, Beverly's trauma, and Beverly's story, is entirely related to men. Mainly to Jean-Luc, but also to Jack I, Wesley, and Jack II. "I lost my parents" including her mother as well as her father is the only nod to a woman. Beverly was raised by a single (grand)mom and became a single mom twice and none of that ends up in the story. Beverly's motherhood is all about Jean-Luc's fatherhood and that is a missed opportunity.

Beverly's main trauma response is flight. She literally fled the legacy of Picard. And that's been true all along, she's run away from relationships and emotional entanglements and regulations she doesn't agree with. But backed into a corner she fights. Sometimes with a phaser rifle, sometimes with a surgical implement, sometimes with her brain.

Shaw: I clocked Shaw's abrasive personality as a trauma response from the beginning and I guessed it was Borg related (to be clear that indicates good storytelling). He's now begun his atonement arc and has already won over the characters and audience.

Shaw's trauma response is "asshole" aka fight. He's a specific type of character that Hollywood loves to write.

Seven: I have so much to say about Seven. Seven's entire arc, since Voyager, is based in trauma. In Picard S1, Seven exhibited a fight trauma response. She was in a bad place emotionally and she responded by shooting, shouting, and drinking. She was alone, which is especially terrible for someone who grew up in the collective. But by the end she'd integrated into Picard's band of misfits. Then in S2, Seven exhibited a fawn trauma response. She was afforded respect and affection that she'd been starved for her whole life and she'd do whatever it took to keep it, even give up her own identity. And that, too, is related to her childhood, in which she wasn't allowed to have her own identity. Now in S3, she's exhibiting both fight and fawn. She's playing a part, a part she hates!, by putting up with Shaw's abuse because she doesn't want to lose her new Starfleet position and community (collective). But she's also fighting it, and she's spent every single episode so far stomping around the halls in a tear going after various bad guys. S3 Seven is closest to Voyager Seven because she was absolutely walking the line between fight and fawn throughout Voyager. It made her super complex then and it makes her super complex now. But Picard Seven is a Strong Female Character™ and I miss the vulnerability of Voyager Seven. Jeri Ryan is absolutely playing it, but I don't see it in the writing, the way it is for Picard, Riker, Shaw.

Worf: Worf is "working on himself" and I love that for him! It's not clear what prompted his zen makeover or what the end goal is. It is, perhaps paradoxically, still a fight trauma response. He's in the zone. I love his interactions with Raffi, but I also have concerns. I think she needs validation more than tough love and tea.

Raffi: Raffi wears her trauma like a cozy sweater and she is constantly and openly punished for it. Every single person she talks to in the first three episodes berates her for choices: the Orion drug dealer, her anonymous handler, her horrible ex Jae, her son by proxy, Sneed the Ferengi gangster, and no longer anonymous Worf. Raffi explicitly asks for support and the answer is always no! Finally, in Ep 3, Worf accepts her as his partner in crime, but he is so condescending about it! I love that he calls her by her full name but it does come across as judgement: no one will take you seriously if you are angry and sarcastic and go by a cute nickname. Raffi deserves so much better than this show ever gives her.

Like Shaw, Raffi's trauma response is to make her trauma everybody else's problem. Unlike Shaw, she gets absolutely no respect from the writers or the audience for it.

Deanna: We haven't seen Deanna's trauma onscreen in S3 (unlike Will, we did see some of it in S1) but we've heard about it. Unfortunately, it was described as literally mirroring Will's emotions which, YIKES.

Jack: My precious boy is truly his parents' son. Beverly's and Jean-Luc's childhood traumas created the circumstances of Jack's childhood trauma. Like Beverly he was raised by an older single mom to doctor the needy and marginalized. Like Jean-Luc, he was raised by a loving, frightened mother and an absent, distant father. Jack grew up to be precocious, independent, brave, and compassionate — and yearning for but equally afraid of commitment and connection. Beverly and Jack read codependent to me, but the ease with which they are integrating Jean-Luc back into their life (which, again, I see as due to his growth since S2 even if that's an accident) is promising. I'm excited for their circle to widen even more when they meet up with Deanna, Worf, Geordi. It won't be easy, Beverly's flight burned bridges, but I'm excited. I also demand more of the Jack and Seven dynamic. I half hope he tells her about his visions before he does his parents (tell someone Jack, I beg you). Seven is outside the TNG family, but connected to it through Picard, and that's what Jack needs. She will protect his identity separate from his status as Jean-Luc's and Beverly's son. And Seven totally needs a little brother so it's win win.

Conclusions so far: Obviously, we're only 4 episodes in, but they've laid the groundwork. I think it's safe to say the writers find it easier to write men's trauma with respect than they do women's. Again, Beverly's treatment is a gigantic improvement from Yvette's. But it's still centered on men (and the frank discussion of the personal trauma that led to her decisions was notably written by two women). And Raffi's treatment hasn't improved yet (I do have hopes! please don't dash them!). I'm most worried about Deanna. I hope she turns back into a person when we see her irl instead of on a screen.

[stellarred]

Deja Q's cut scene

Riker: Q, we can't have you just wandering around the ship. You will either work, or be confined to the Brig. Understood?

Q: Work? Hmph. You mean labor. I'm as old as Time itself. I've created celestial marvels, wrapped the Universe around my little--

Riker: Q, I'm warning you.

Q: And now I'm being sent away to row with the rest of the slaves.

Riker: You like the Brig? Okay. Have it your way then.

(Riker motions for a security officer.)

Q: Ok, fine! What are my chores today?

Riker: We need someone to clean out the residue from the walls of the photon torpedo tubes. The viscous sludge is slowing down the speed of the torpedoes, and it has to be scraped off the walls from time to time.

Q: You have got to be kidding me.

(Riker smiles as someone enters the room with a bucket filled with water and soap, and a cart full of scouring pads.)

Riker: Nope.

Q: Just wait until I get my powers back.

(Riker smiles at Q, and then looks at the officer that came with the cleaning supplies.)

Riker: You're a new face, Lieutenant. You're...?

The lieutenant nods.

Lt. Rowe: Lieutenant Michael Rowe, sir.

Riker: Excellent. Have fun, Q. Lieutenant Rowe, let me know when he's finished. It shouldn't take more than eight hours or so.

(Riker leaves Q and the lieutenant alone in the room.)

Lt. Rowe: Right this way, Q.

Q: Someone's head is going to roll in the Continuum for this humiliation. A god on his very knees scrubbing space sludge off a wall! I may never recover from this.

Lt. Rowe: It won't be so bad. I'm sure Commander Riker will appreciate your efforts. He's always impressed when someone does dirty jobs to keep the ship operations running well.

Q: It's not Riker I want to impress. Besides, who does he think he is making me the Enterprise janitor and forcing me to do gopher work? Since my former family dumped me here I've delivered orders and equipment, and now I'm cleaning out the bowels of Picard's ship! What's next? Cleaning toilets? What am I going to get out of this?

Lt. Rowe: Appreciation, maybe? Now, to get to the inner torpedo chamber, you need a wrench to undo these bolts.

(The lieutenant shows Q the tightly- closed hatch covering the entrance.)

Q: I won't do it, I tell you! I refuse!

Lt. Rowe: Not even for Picard? He might be nicer to you.

(Q hesitates for a second.)

Q: I'm hoping for much more than nicer.

Lt. Rowe: I see. I think I can inspire you to go this extra mile for your captain.

Q: Go the extra mile for Jean-Luc, uh, I mean Captain Picard?

Lt. Rowe: I'll tell you what. You do this, and I'll arrange a date with him. Candles, romantic ambience, and all.

Q: Ridiculous. Why would you do this for me? Starfleet would have you clapped in irons in a microsecond if they found out!

Lt. Rowe: Hey, don't you recognize a helping hand when you see one, Q?

(A flash of light, and another member of the Q Continuum is standing there, smiling.)

Q: Q! What are you doing here? No one from the Continuum is supposed to help me!

Q8: Well, let's just say someone back home owed me a favor. Now, will you degrade yourself like this for your human?

(Q8 disappears just as Riker returns)

Riker: Well, Q? Why aren't you scrubbing gunk off the walls? Are you going to get to work, or not!

Q: Hey, I'm the man, Riker. Hand me a wrench.

[worldcatlas]

PIC: Maps and Legends

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Picard.

It’s First Contact Day at the Utopia Planitia ship yards orbiting Mars, 14 years in the past. Surely an arbitrary date and nothing to worry about, right? On a completely unrelated note, this is before the ban on synths (some might say immediately before), so we get to see some robot friends at work. They wear identical red uniforms, made with a heavy red fabric, gloves, and long sleeves, indicating protective wear – sensible for shipyard workers! The matching red belts look sharp, too.

Did… did you guys all have your eyes open before I opened the door?

The human workers wear the same uniform, with the addition of comm badges and hard hats. Unfortunately, dressing the same as their constructed colleagues doesn’t make them friends, and some of the humans are blatantly droid-phobic.

Out here, we gotta make our own prejudices.

Which, on reflection, may be a way to soften the blow when the android F8 goes rogue and brutally murders them all with laser tools – including the armoured security officers, whose laser-tag-looking uniforms we barely get to see before they’re also on the ground. 

You might say it was… a F8 worse than death.

We jump back to the present (i.e, the future), where Laris, Zhaban, and Picard are discussing the Zhat Vash – the Romulan super secret police. On closer inspection, however, the conversation appears to be a pretense for Laris and JL to have yet another Best Sweater competition.

It’s giving seasonal, classic, and understated.

Two sweaters is not against the rules, and that’s bonus points for asymmetry. I think we have our winner.

Over in the B story, I hope you wanted more jumpsuits! The researchers aboard “The Artifact” (a name that is somehow just as scary as saying it’s a Borg cube) wear a tasteful light grey, which isn’t quite as cool as red, and the big downturned collars make me miss the turtleneck look back at Mars. Basically, they’re the same uniforms from earlier, but slightly worse in every way.

They just used “silhouette B” on the McCall’s pattern.

One researcher who does pull it off, however, is Dr. Soji Asha, who looks a lot like Dahj from episode 1…! We get some nice detail shots, and I actually really like how the collar looks open like this with her necklace underneath.

Stylish AND hiding plot-critical accessories. Okay, I’m coming back around on the grey jumpsuit.

Back at the château, Picard is visited by an old friend from the Stargazer. Dr. Moritz is clearly here on business, as he has worn his nicest silk shirt and a fancy long vest with intricate embroidered details. Unfortunately, his business is telling Picard some very bad news, so the sharp wardrobe barely softens the blow.

I’ll be honest with you, Jean-Luc: I look as good as your prognosis doesn’t.

Instead of sitting quietly with the news, or calling his family, or petting his dog, Picard instead decides to put on a nice suit of his own and go visit Starfleet HQ. He gets a very cute VISITOR badge from the baby at the front desk who doesn’t know who he is, and storms his way into the office of Admiral Clancy.

Quickly! I need a ship and a crew, but I don’t have time to explain the plot!

Clancy isn’t happy to see our hero, but at least she’s disappointed in a killer admiral’s uniform. The outer jacket is dark grey with the shoulders blocked out in black, with a sleek new comm badge on the wearer’s left, and a rank indicator on the right. The layer underneath bears the division colour – in this case, command red, in a nice burgundy hue. I kind of like how the red part looks like it drapes softly at the neck, though it also looks a tiny bit like a turtleneck that just got caught on the jacket when she was putting it on, and nobody has pointed it out yet.

What? Is there something on my face?

Back on the Borg cube, the researchers need additional PPE, so it’s time to don the Incredibly Flimsy Red Suits. Unlike the red onesies we saw at Utopia Planitia, these garments are made of a sheer, lightweight material that doesn’t really look like it will protect them from anything?? I’d guess radiation, but they also leave their heads completely exposed. Maybe it’s to protect from blood during dissection, although a gauzy, see-through fabric wouldn’t be my first choice of stain-shield.

Maybe Borgs can’t see red.

On the other hand, maybe we should stop asking questions and just listen to the Romulan overseer with the dorky haircut and overly complicated leather vest. He seems to be in charge.

The Nintendo Power Glove is a nice touch, too.

We need a break from all that intensity, so we check in on Picard and Dr. Jurati, who are having a nice cup of tea. Agnes wears not one but two tops with oddly angular collars, in a very flattering powder blue.

This is nice. No one dying, conniving, or being dissected.

Welp, back to business. The grouchy admiral from earlier tattles on Jean-Luc to Commodore Oh, who turns out to be a Romulan spy. Whoops! Her cover as a Vulcan Starfleet officer does, however, include this fantastic iteration of the early DS9/Voyager uniforms. 

The coloured top section now has a small notch in the middle of the chest, giving it a cool angular detail, but also belying the fact that these jackets never actually unzipped at the front. As well, a high collar has replaced the grey turtleneck, forcing the rank pips to relocate – like Admiral Clancy’s uniform, Oh’s rank is displayed on the right breast, opposite her comm badge. The overall effect really brings the Voyager-style costumes back from the brink of pyjamas, so that they’re believable as pseudo-military uniforms.

Oh, but also I’m totally upset about this betrayal.

As we know, Romulans love to gossip, and Oh can’t help telling her galpal “Lieutenant Rizzo” what Picard and pals are up to. Rizzo, a.k.a. Narissa, is not only another spy role-playing a Starfleet officer…

lol humans are so gullible

…But also sister to the dork-and-brooding Narek, so she goes to rub her new intel in his face. Narek, as usual, has shrouded himself in black, and also joined the “impractical zigzag collar” club. Shirts sure do look uncomfortable in the future!

I want to show off a bit of chest hair, but only in these three specific spots.

Meanwhile, Jean-Luc is trying to round out the party, so he grabs a bottle of Château Picard and goes to see Raffi. When we meet her, Raffi is rocking a Sarah Connor aesthetic in a cap and black tank top, drinking and space-vaping out on her own in the desert. She’s too cool, and her character design is fantastic.

10/10.

There’s something missing, though. It’s not quite futuristic. Too symmetrical.

Ah, there it is.

[armesstein]

Land Of Immortals – Chapter 20: A Touch of Evil

CW/TW!!! Contains content that may be triggering, please read at your own discretion. (Honestly I'm ready to be done writing about Polnareff's aunt because she's infuriating to write, omg...)

Also, for context, Polnareff is 12 in this chapter.

× × ———— × × ———— × × ———— × ×

His mind was lingering elsewhere when he acknowledged her (un)kind gesture. "I didn't mean to hurt him," he said in a saddened voice, "it was an accident. I didn't mean to, I swear."

Adel sat beside him on the loveseat and brought his head to her shoulder. "Awww, of course you didn't, darling. No one ever means to do these things. You were just angry, that's all."

"...did you see the bones...they were...will he ever walk again?"

"Unfortunately..." she muttered.

"Huh?"

"I said: Oh! Fortunately. He'll be fine."

Polnareff leaned his head away from her and sat up, staring at the floor. "I feel so bad for being angry. Why...why am I angry? They're just pearls, aren't they?"

"And why shouldn't you be? They're your mother's. That little rat tried to make off with them behind your back. If you ask me, he got what he deserved."

Those words didn't feel the least bit adequate coming from her. Polnareff quirked a brow, side-glancing at her. "Isn't that a bit much, though?"

Adel gasped, catching what she said as it would no doubt reveal her true nature. Can't have that. "Oh! Is it? Well, perhaps. He did deserve to be caught though."

"I don't know. Something feels so wrong about all of this. I can't place what."

"You're overthinking things." she assured him, confident that she was doing a brilliant job at covering her ass.

Polnareff furrowed his brows. "Maybe, but...what would maman say if she knew what I'd done? I think she'd want me to apologize and forgive him. I feel like I should."

Adel rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Wrong." she said. Polnareff looked at her confused. "I knew your mother better than anyone."

"You did?"

  "Of course I did." Adel waved a lazy hand, knowing full well she was lying through her teeth. "Her parents were farmers from Northern Ireland. All of them grew up in poverty, that is until she met your father. After that, she ran off and married him against her father's wishes, and never spoke to her family again. Jean-Luc's wealth went to her head, I think. Oh, which reminds me: she hated me, you know."

"My mom hated you? I don't think --

  "Well, she did." Adel's face contorted with anger. "She accosted me for everything. To her, I was no more than a mistake; a pebble in her shoe, you could say. I did nothing wrong, it isn't my fault I had a better upbringing than that...nevermind. You're lucky you don't have the opportunity of falling on her bad side anymore, what with her dead."

Polnareff looked away, unsure what to make of her insensitivity about his mother. "Still, I think she'd want me to do the right thing."

  Adel turned in her seat to face him, clearly annoyed. "You want to know what she would think of this whole experience? She'd despise your friend. She'd tell you to move on and never speak to him again, because he's trash. Which he obviously is, don't you think?"

"Well, what he did was wrong..."

  "Exactly. If you walked up to him like it never happened, and let him back into your life, she'd despise you for not doing the honorable thing and shutting that piece of shit out for good. Rhiannon believed you deserved better. And she's right! If you run off and forgive him now, he'll only keep taking advantage of you. Let me give you some advice in your mother's words: some doors are meant to be closed, so that others can open. Don't focus too much on that connard's betrayal. Your friendship has ended so that something new can replace it."

"Something new? Like what?"

A sinister laugh rumbled in Adel's chest. "How should I know? It's your life. I'm certain you'll figure it out sooner than later."

  Polnareff committed her words to thought. "Yeah, maybe you're right. Do you think things will ever get better? That I'll stop losing people who are close to me? I don't think I can take much more of that."

Adel shrugged. "Ahh, all things happen for a reason, mon ange." She let out a sigh and stretched her arms. "Well, I'd better run into town and get some cigarettes."

"Huh? I didn't know you smoked, auntie."

Adel's eyes trailed away from his. Everyone one knew she hated cigarettes, cigars, and smoke in general. "Well, that is, I do occasionally. I'll be back shortly, okay?"

Polnareff smiled. "Okay. I love you, auntie. Be careful."

  Adel cringed, not wanting to return those words. Hell, it wasn't like she felt the same anyway. "Uhh, feelings are mutual, cherie." She turned away from him, making her way to the front door. "Don't worry." she said under her breath. "After I take care of your snot-nosed little boyfriend, I'll be back shortly to finish the job with the two of you."

[jesternene]

Why is Sub Rosa about Addiction?

*** WARNING: Explicit content ***

When I first saw The Next Generation, I was warned about a certain episode in Season 7 called Sub Rosa. It was depicted as Beverly falling for a ghost and the erotic behavior was out of character and falls in the line of jokes because of how off hand it is. Even on IMDB, it is considered the 2nd worse episode of the entire series. I went in already with a bad frame of mind because of what I was told; however, when I first saw it, I ended up having a completely different view on what some called it the “sexy ghost episode”.

It is always nice to have a Beverly Crusher episode. I have enjoyed all of them and I think it is because of how Gates McFadden plays the character. She uniquely plays Beverly off as a strong independent woman but with a softer and more vulnerable side when needed. Example: In Lessons, she is curing Daren of a strain in her arm due to to much playing the Piano. Daren, unknown of Beverly’s feelings for Picard, begins to talk about how the Captain and her have been spending a lot of time together and how they seem to enjoy it. This moment is key because of how Beverly reacts. She talks to Daren professionally and even lends a little bit of advice, but the way Gates approached the character, you can tell just how much it hurts Beverly hearing Jean-Luc is growing closer to someone else; Almost as if someone had punched her in the gut. She remains pose but definitely inside she is hurting. It is brilliant and I think this is why so many fans love Gates and Beverly. Attached came 6 episodes before Sub Rosa and, as everyone knows, that is the episode where Jean-Luc and Beverly express (and turn down) their feelings to one another. This was a pivotal moment for the characters because after this they treated each other just a little bit differently then before; now enter Sub Rosa.

We all know the story: Beverly’s Nana has passed away and she is back to her home world to find out that her Nana’s lover is now interested (or shall I say obsessed) with Beverly. This is important because this is where I think the fans get confused on just how the context of the story is read. Yes, there are scenes about a lover and erotic moments but when you really think about what Ronin was doing, it actual comes off as an abuser who is using the women in this family for his own benefit; to the point they become addicted to him. As Beverly said, anaphasic energy is completely unstable and it needs an organic host to survive. He clearly figured out the Howard Women had what he needed and made sure he touched on their vulnerability (possibly loneliness) to trick them into doing exactly what he wanted. 800 years later, he has passed his obsession to every woman in her family, including her Nana. With Felisa Howard gone, it is now Beverly’s turn to enter the “Family Tradition” -- one thing Ronin did not expect was Beverly wasn’t as lonely as he thought. Her love for Jean-Luc and her crew helped her fight him off.

Of course, she almost didn’t fight him off. He was able to seduce her by telling her how much he loved her and how he will always take care of her. All she had to do was leave everything she knew behind and once they were together, she would always feel “loved”. This love isn’t sexual love, it is abuse and because they are molecular compatible, his seduction is like an addiction for her. If anyone knows someone who has had an addiction or has been an addict of some kind themselves, the addiction is a problem because of how well it makes you feel good that you have to have more. Addiction isn’t for the weak and even a Doctor like Beverly can fall short.

This scene is VERY important. When I first saw this, I thought to myself “She is tweaking!” and on some level she is. She is desperate for his touch and his feeling that she would do anything, like abandon Starfleet, to keep her addiction going. Unlike the women before her, however, she did have people that cared for her and intervened. As much as I felt Deanna was funny in this episode, going off on what Beverly was telling her, she did (later on) become concerned for her friend, feeling that Beverly was not thinking rationally and knew it was a mistake; but as a good friend, she needed her to make that mistake in order to learn from it. But Jean-Luc wasn’t going to sit back and let Beverly get hurt. After 25 years, and loving her for so long, he couldn’t let her do this alone. When Jean-Luc interrupts the merge with Ronin, this scene is also important because you can see how conflicted Beverly is. She tells him this is the new me and to leave her alone but Jean-Luc let’s her know that he loves how she use to be and he isn’t going anywhere. Even after Ronin steps in, Jean-Luc lets him know he isn’t going to make this easy for him, to the point where he harms Jean-Luc, thinking Beverly will go with him to stop Data and Geordi from unearthing Felisa’s coffin. Cue in another key moment, she doesn’t. She fights him and you can tell the effects are wearing off and she stays to save Jean-Luc. Her love for him is still evident and no addiction like Ronin can stop that.

The very end is the best part because of how bravely Beverly fights off Ronin and destroys him. Not only to save herself but to save her friends and crew. When Geordi’s life was in danger, she put herself in danger to save him. Like I said before, this is what Ronin didn’t expect; her love for other people. Just like some other addicts, they are to come out the other side because of the support and love of their friends and family and because of that support they are able to fend off the addiction. Even after she kills Ronin, she collapses and burst into tears. Not because she lost Ronin but because she felt ashamed of what she got herself into; even though part of it was not her fault (just like any addict). This is why in Picard’s log he states that her recovery will take more of a personal nature. It was going to take Beverly a long time to overcome what had happened to her; she was used and abused for someone elses benefit and she was going to have to come to terms with that.

Now can you see why this is more about addiction then just a sex driven crazy love story? Ronin was a fucking abuser, plain and simple. He only cared about himself and he didn’t care how much he was actually hurting the women as long as he got what he wanted. He made them think it was love by expressing those “erotic” feelings and because it made them feel so good, they did whatever he wanted. It is kind of a horrible way of thinking about it but it explains how Beverly can easily fall victim to it. Someone is addicted to something in their life, no matter how strong willed they may be. It can be drugs, alcohol, food, and in our day and age, even screen time. It is our way to suppress the feelings we may not want to feel; like loneliness that Beverly was probably feeling after what she and Jean-Luc went through in Attached. She was an easy target at this point.

I hope when people now see Sub Rosa, they can see it in a whole new light. Yes, some scenes are a little uncomfortable to watch and I am sure where uncomfortable to film (this is why Gates is an amazing actress and why Jonathon is a phenomenal director) but the story is there, you just have to look pass those oddly made scenes.

So, to recap here is why I love Sub Rosa:

Beverly looks AMAZING in her scenes. Her hair, her outfits, just perfect

The Love of Jean-Luc and Beverly are very important in this episode and it explores more on just how they truly feel about each other

The way Jonathon directed the episode, made it more hauntingly beautiful and the way Gates performed it just added to the mystery and the sadness.

Do you agree? Do you still see it as a funny oddly made Sexy Ghost Story? I would love to hear your thoughts!

[crystallhamptonhersheykiss]

Spoilers for The Owl House season 2 episode 3 Echos of the past.

While I didn't expect to get all the answers in one episode, especially this early in the season. I'm happy that were already getting some backstory and focus on King.

I think it's cool that through glyph combinations, the owl house gamg is able to learn more spells.

One thing I want to learn more about later is the history of the island. Lilith said the island wasn't on any of the maps. And Eda said it just appeared out of the mist. Maybe there was a spell put on the island to keep Kings family safe. And maybe it appeared to Eda because it knew she didn't want to hurt King.

While Eda had good intentions, she shouldn't have let the lie go on as long as it did. But with what she told Luz in episode 1 about how all she and king had was each other, I think it makes sense. With Eda being a fugitive she couldn't do or give King as much as she probably wanted to. And since we don't know what happened to Kings family, Eda probably thought lying to him was better than telling him she doesn't know where he came from or what happened to his parents. She just wanted him to be happy.

It was still heartbreaking to see how upset King got when Eda told him the truth. While it's not as bad as Hooty, King does get picked on and teased a lot. He really did think it was just everyone teasing him again. And then he realized he wasn't anyone. He doesn't know where he came from. He wants to find his Dad and learn what happened. I am happy that King forgave Eda and she promised not to lie to him anymore.

And while we learned how King and Eda met, we've got even more questions. What kind of creature is King and Jean luc? Is King a titan? Demon? Or something else? Why/how is the island hidden from all the maps? What happened to Kings dad? From the roar he could've been attacked by something and was afraid they were going to hurt King. How long was King alone? He said he heard a roar and went back to sleep.

I think this was another good episode. I I've seen some people disappointed with the explanation with Kings collar. But I think there's going to be more to King and his backstory then what we've gotten so far in this episode. And that's something else I'm looking forward too. Even though the season just started, if the first three episodes are any indication I think this will be a really good season for the show.

[the-goofball]

Meeting the Qowat Milat & Elnor

Excerpt from ‘The Last Best Hope’ by Una McCormack

[...] “Admiral,” said Raffi’s voice on the comm. “We’re now in orbit over Inxtis. We’ve received a communication from one of the settlements— Sordsol Township. We are invited to meet someone named Zani.”

He went down to the transporter room, where Raffi and [Romulan Cultural liaison officer] Tajuth were waiting. “Zani?” he said to Raffi. “Any idea who this might be?”

Raffi shook her head, nodded toward Tajuth, and put a finger to her lips. “Yeah, I have a hunch about that,” she said. “But let’s keep it close for the moment.”

Inxtis surprised Picard immediately. Beaming down with Raffi and Tajuth, he found himself standing in a long and pleasant valley. A wide slow river ran through; the fields on the gentle slopes were heavy with the harvest. The world’s sun shone lovingly down. It was the very end of summer, in a temperate region, and the greens all around were on the cusp. Picard caught the first hints of red and yellow and brown in the leaves of the trees. In a few weeks, he thought, he might return here to see that most glorious sight: a full and rich autumn. The poignancy of this was almost unbearable. This harvest that he could see would not be taken in; this autumn would be the last for Inxtis. This world was damned, and not through any crime or sin, but through an event on a cosmic, stellar scale. This time, he thought, the fault was in the stars. Raffi, ever alert to the immediacy of her surroundings, checked her tricorder and said, “Numerous life signs. We must be on the edge of the township.” Picard followed her, Tajuth behind, wondering where the buildings were. They saw a huge tree ahead, multitrunked, like a banyan tree, but with the individual trunks much wider, and much farther apart. Here he saw the first signs of civilization: wooden decks, interlocked, lay around the trunks, and hanging from the branches and between the trunks were wide sheer nets. Beyond other trunks, he saw other wooden decks, and behind the sheer nets, he saw the dark shapes of figures moving swiftly. He heard voices from amidst the trees, singing, speaking, and the sound of children playing. He understood, these were the homes.

Picard took a moment to orient himself. He had, over the past couple of years, become used to the claustrophobic nature of Romulan homes; the back doors and hidden passages that concealed even members of the same family from each other, as if the ties that would naturally bind each Romulan to the other must be disrupted, and a veil of secrecy thrown between each and every one of them. Doors, and partitions, and sound barriers, anything to prevent someone in one room knowing whether anyone was in the room next door. But this, here— this was the complete opposite. A house that lay open to all comers: that advertised its inhabitants, that let their voices carry on the air. How had this happened? What made them feel so secure, to live in this way, when so many other Romulans lived with such a sense of palpable fear?

As they came closer, they saw a very old Romulan woman sitting on a barrel, her back against the trunk of a tree almost as gnarled as she was. She saw them, sat up, placing her hands firmly upon her knees, and called out, “Zani! The humans are here! And they’ve been stupid enough to bring a damned tok’tzat with them!”

A voice from behind the nets called out, “I’m coming, Shai! Keep an eye on the tok’tzat!”

Picard heard Tajuth mutter something that from the plosives was surely a curse. Picard’s grasp of Romulan profanity had improved markedly in recent months, but some dialects were still a mystery to him, and Tajuth’s voice, Picard noticed, had gone oddly nasal, as if he had fallen back on some childhood accent. Raffi, hearing, smiled, as if something had been confirmed to her.

“Well, Raffi?” Picard said.

“Qowat Milat,” she murmured. “Well, I never thought I’d see this…”

“Say that again, please, Commander.”

She repeated the words, and he tried them on his tongue. Qowat Milat.

“Not bad!”

“Who are they exactly, Raffi?”

“They’re nuns, JL. Warrior nuns.” Putting her hand on his arm, she moved him away from Tajuth. “Guardians of truth. Traditional enemies of the Tal Shiar. Look at Tajuth. Red alert. A secret policeman’s lot is not a happy one.”

And, indeed, Tajuth— usually so unreadable— was manifestly on guard, his hand resting upon his weapon.

“Told you he was Tal Shiar,” said Raffi smugly. “They hate the Qowat Milat, and the feeling is mutual.”

The old woman, on her barrel, was watching Tajuth with her lip curled. She looked so fierce that Picard was not entirely sure that he would bet against her if it came to blows.

“What makes them such enemies, Raffi?”

“Well, these things are always complicated, but, as I understand it, there’s a fundamental difference in ideology. The Qowat Milat follow what they call the way of absolute candor…”

“What does that mean?”

One of the nets slung between the trees was pushed back, and a nun, younger than the one sitting on watch, came out, wiping floured hands upon her skirts. Raffi said, “I guess we’re about to find out.”

Picard glanced back at Tajuth. No, not a happy man. “Absolute candor. That doesn’t sound very Romulan.”

“And yet here they are,” said Raffi. “It’s a funny old universe, isn’t it?”

“Warrior nuns. Romulan warrior nuns. You know, Raffi, I am grateful.”

“Grateful?”

“That the universe can still delight me.”

The nun moved, with speed and grace, to greet her visitors. Standing in front of Picard, she held her hands together, palm to palm, and then opened them, slowly and with great care, as if they were a book, or as if she was offering something; her heart, perhaps. “Admiral Picard.”

“Zani?” he said, uncertainly.

She smiled. “Yes, I am Zani. Our house and our hearts are open to you, Picard.”

Picard was suddenly, and deeply, moved. He had not realized, until this moment, how often, on arrival at these worlds, he had been greeted with anger, demands, resentment, hostility. It was not that he expected gratitude— he had not taken on this mission for rewards or thanks— but he had hoped for moments of amity. Now it was being offered. Here, on this quiet and lovely world, a Romulan had offered the hand of friendship. Carefully, he copied her gesture: pressed his hands together; opened them to her. He tried to think of some suitable words. “Jolan tru,” he said. “We come in friendship, and with open hands.”

She looked delighted. She and Raffi exchanged the gesture, and Raffi said, “Qowat Milat. I am… Well. Wow.”

Zani laughed, a full laugh straight from the depths of her belly. Then her eye fell on Tajuth. “You are welcome, Starfleet— despite the company you keep.”

They did not get a chance to discuss this further. Something tiny but very fast-moving came rushing out of the house, pushing itself in the middle of their group. Picard, looking down, saw a boy; about four or five years of age, had he been human— small, serious, and extremely grubby.

“Are these the humans?” said the child. He looked steadily at Picard. “They’re ugly.”

“Thank you,” said Picard gravely.

“Absolute candor,” Raffi reminded him.

“I believe we were both included in that assessment, Raffi.” Awkwardly, Picard bent down on one knee. “Well, young man,” he said. “I am Admiral Jean-Luc Picard. And who are you?”

“Elnor,” said the boy. “I wanted a present.”

Raffi laughed. Picard panicked. “Um. Do you like books?”

“Wow, JL,” said Raffi, “you’re a natural…” She glanced at Zani. “That was a lie. Sorry.”

Zani nodded to show she understood the curious human tendency toward sarcasm. The boy stared at Picard. “Yes,” he said. “I like books.”

He shoved his filthy little hand into Picard’s and began to pull him toward the house. “You can come and read to me.”

Picard glanced over his shoulder to Zani, who said, “Yes, follow Elnor. He knows the way.” She looked back at Tajuth. “Your Tal Shiar friend can come too, if he’s feeling brave.” [...]

[puckwritesstuff]

Thanks in advance

2 & 4

8 & 9

13 & 14

46 & 50

Sorry if that too many questions.

That is not too many questions, let’s do this! Answers under the cut.

2. Favourite character?

Of the fics I've written: Drake Mallard, which would seem fairly obvious. Gyro Gearloose, however, is gaining in leaps and strides. I'm having an amazing time writing for him in this most recent fic.

Of all time: oh geez... Belle, Dick Grayson, Slade Wilson, Hermione Granger, Robin Goodfellow, Henry V, everyone on Babylon 5, Jean-Luc Picard, Q, Elim Garak, Josh Lyman, Toby Zeigler, Harry Lime, Eliot Spencer, Mara Jade Skywalker, Grand Admiral Thrawn...

I like a lot of characters ^_^

4. Favourite pairing?

I'm not going to say that I'm captain of the Fendrake ship, but I'm probably pretty high ranked. XD Though, to be completely honest, my favorite couples to write for are OC pairings in my original works.

8. Favourite fic from another author?

I tend not to go back to fics once I've finished reading them, so the term "favorite" doesn't necessarily apply, unless we're talking about "professional fanfic" like Paradise Lost or the Star Wars Expanded Universe or something. That being said, I'm always excited to see a new chapter of "A Rewritten Family HIstory" (and don't tell @1lilspark, but I'm planning on binge commenting once I've finished "Take On Me" so I can give the fic my full attention) ;)

9. Favourite fanfiction author?

I'm not sure where the line between fic and Tumblr RP blurs, but @goodliest has been my writing partner and alpha reader for years now and she writes the best Glinda Upland in the game.

13. What's your most 'overrated' work?

I'm constantly surprised that "As You Come Home" has the hits-to-kudos ratio that it does. It's not that I think it's a bad fic, I love the piece, but other than the basic 5+1 format, it's a fic that almost requires three other (long) fics to really understand and the amount of people that liked that one and none of the others is fascinating to me. I just want to know what they're getting out of it, and what their perspective is reading it.

14. What's your most 'underrated' work?

My r/WritingPrompts series, definitely. Granted, I tried to back-date them all and I didn't want to shove them in peoples faces because they're mostly very simple and kinda dumb prompts that I took far more seriously than I needed to, but I have some good writing in there, and it would be cool to see what other people think of them.

46. Favourite sentence/pragraph you ever wrote?

Oh, damn I am so bad at picking favorites... I will pick one that I really love that I think is not entirely expected and then explain why I really like it.

From "Feelings I Can't Fight":

Drake sat on the edge of the bed. Fenton sat next to him, his head on Drake’s shoulder. Drake had a hand on Fenton’s knee. Fenton’s hands were on Drake’s arm, and Drake could feel them shaking, feel his pulse through his palms. Fenton leaned up and kissed him with a question he couldn’t bear to ask. Drake kissed back, the fear in the grip of his hands on Fenton cutting through the reassurance of his arms around his waist. They fell back onto the bed.

Drake looked up at Fenton, who straddled his hips and tried to ask the question, but the words wouldn’t come. Drake traced along the edge of the faded scar on his chest and Fenton leaned down with a pleading kiss, almost begging. Drake pulled him close, trying to make his desire clear. Fenton could feel the passion and desperation as Drake’s heart threatened to beat out of his chest as he ran his fingers through Drake’s feathers.

Drake came up for air, his chest heaving as he panted. Fenton kissed along his collar as Drake combed through Fenton’s hair with his fingers. Fenton kissed him one last time before lying down, curled up next to him. Fenton’s eyes burned with tears and he could barely look up at Drake to try and ask again.

“Yes,” Drake said quietly, kissing his forehead.

Drake saw the relief in his face and could feel the tension release in his body. Fenton rested his head on Drake’s chest as Drake gently played with his hair. He closed his eyes, comforted by the sound of a steady heartbeat.

Drake wasn’t sure if he was lying.

I love this excerpt because I don't consider myself to be a particularly descriptive writer. I can see the images clearly in my head, but getting them on the page without it sounding awkward is difficult for me. I kneecapped myself further by not having dialogue. Dialogue is the meat of my writing, it's where I do almost everything, particularly when it comes to character emotion. I am very proud of being able to pull of this pivotal scene with only one spoken word, and everything else in sensation.

50. Is there something you often repeat in your fics (a verb, a trope etc)?

My characters get kidnapped a lot. Not sure where that comes from.

Thank you so much for the ask! Links will appear when the tags behave.

[thefirsthogokage]

Time to Hate-Watch Turner and Hooch, Episode 5

Because I am bored. And I hate myself. Of you aren't ok with me hate-watching and commenting, well then this is not the post you are looking for. Please move along.

Ah, yes, reminder of the love triangle they put in a kids copaganda show for the parents. Again. Because reminder: they did that last week.

Ew, bad shaky camera work.

Oh god she was listening to that music as a personal stake out sound track by choice? Like, why?

"You're all hopped up on juice boxes and I don't like it." I did like that line.

Laura is 5 years old.

I do like the theme song.

You know what also is weird about this supposed kids show? The episodes are nearly 50 minutes long. No kid is going to pay attention to that long of an episode.

So much natural lighting and making Hooch very yellow in some scenes and not others.

I'm probably too tired to watch this tonight.

Honestly that poor girl. Such a big crush on a very oblivious dipshit.

Branden is a fucking gift to this show. Again, I am just so glad he kept acting after Power Rangers SPD. Not many former PRs stay in the business, let alone get steady work. I'm really proud of him!

Rain. This show must be filmed in Vancouver. Actually, I vaguely remember hearing it was shot there. ... (Googles)... Haha

I mean, air cold enough mid-day to see their breath + rain had to = Vancouver. I mean I guess Portland too. But either way, California my ass.

Dreary natural lighting. Classic Vancouver. I can't believe anyone could actually think this would look like California.

Having Laura recognize a lot of people so that they could give her information to make her getting the information super easy is certainly a choice... by writers who don't want to work to hard. Then again, I think this is supposed to be a a family friendly show...kind of. Line, this isn't a straight up specific demographic this is targeted towards. They just have done a few things I absolutely would not put in a kids show this day and age. Like, it honestly so bizarre to watch.

I'm not fond of stories like this. Guy is getting married, all aspects of the case have a relation to weddings. It's just too much happenstance in this episode. And I'm tired, I should have very little ability to notice most of the is shit tonight.

Oh god, this would be so painful if I wasn't so sleepy. Like, what the fuck are you doing, Laura. Well, at least this is showing Lyndsy's versatility and expressiveness. My god this is such a different character then Alex on Nikita.

Tired sidenote, my watermelon is very good.

Laura gets up to leave after getting this woman to hang out with her. The woman has to remind her that she doesn't know where she lives. I liked that.

"Thank you for your never-ending aquatic references." Ok, this show does have some good lines.

(This is honestly like kind of watching Lucifer. I hat the show, but occasionally there are so lines that I really like. Though I did stop watching Lucifer because I just hated it too much. I was only watching it out of boredom.)

I am really glad that they have a Native guest star. It's nice to see more Native rep on shows the past couple years.

Messaging: Kids, you gotta stand up for other kids being bullied because you are just as bad as the bullies if you just stand there. I'm really ok with this messaging. Good job, so that I mostly don't like.

I'm sorry, I'm so tired.

"His name was Jean-Luc-" Me: stares at camera in 'Robert Duncan McNeill directed this episode and is the primary Executive Producer on this show.'

For those of you who don't know, RDM was Tom Paris in Star Trek Voyager and a character who's name I can't remember that he also played on Star Trek TNG.

Fun fact, Tom Paris was initially going to be the same character he played on TNG, but something about rights blah blah blah, made that a no-go.

Sorry, back to me hate-watching while tired.

Oh god there are 21 minutes left.

Why is Laura holding a guinea pig? And why does she have a karaoke machine?

Why is Branden's character having a romantic time with his fiance while on a case? Ugh, the unprofessionalism. Like, aren't they only a two hour drive from home? Why is this happening? Do they think of distance like the British? Or people who live in Saint Louis? (Seriously, in Saint Louis some people think 20 minutes is a long drive. Granted, ten minutes is a long drive for me, but the position I have to sit in to drive really aggravates my Interstitial Cystitis (meaning I have to pee so, so bad the whole time I am in the car)).

I want to take this moment to apologize. I am very sorry about the tangents and the personal health and whatnot. But at this point I'm too tired to go bad and delete things or care about what else I'm going to write, so I'm just going to keep going without my filter on. Of you make it through this whole thing with me, bless you you sweet, sweet, probably bored soul.

🎶Ooo Heaven is a place on earth 🎶

Oh god, so much tomato stuff. All over the bathroom. The very white bathroom. Good luck with that...Scott? Is that our main characters name? Scott? I don't care to look it up at th- yeah it's Scott, Laura just said it.

Uh, shouldn't that have been made of metal? Either way, shitty craftsmanship if the dog could break it that easily.

That can't be how you train a bomb sniffing dog.

No way someone who's been a police officer for a few years wouldn't know that there are drugs on literally every bill.

Again, family show why?

Neither of them thought there would be a back door?

This while thing is insane. Not in anyway that I find entertaining. But I'd probably be more pissed if I it was more conscious. You should probably be reading all of my angry sounding things as just very tired and a bit sedate because of the tiredness.

I'm sorry Branden's character was a soldier in combat and he's never been shot? Unless I'm misremembering. But seriously, he doesn't know what getting shot in the vest fells like.

Oh look, the girlfriend fires at vehicles driving towards her too. In the same episode..I hate when things are related like that. Not upper level writing.

Why was the Secret Service also looking for those people? What? That can't possibly be their preview.

(Before I finished the episode, I discovered that for the second time this week, I did not get to the litter box fast enough (as in since this morning) to prevent my cat from moving the liner enough to pee between it and the box. So, at 11pm I had to go clean that out.)

Like this guy wouldn't know that he was copping to extortion by saying that.

God, why are they making this case the dad was working on (stupid arching plot in a family tv show why? For the adults who can tell this show is bad already?) even more complicated? Like, is this going to get Heroes level stupidly complex? Because that shit killed that show. Ok, so it probably won't be that bad...just the kids show equivalent of that bad.

Oh good for you, girl who's name I never learned! Quit the job with the evil boss! Please let her be OH NATALIE! Once again, thank you Laura for saying the name of the character whose name I wasn't sure of. What was I saying... Of yeah, I hope Natalie comes back and wasn't just on one episode. More native characters on TV please!

Oh wait, am I just realizing the girls in the live triangle were both on Glee, or did I remember that in a previous post? I know they were both on Glee from the moment I saw them in this show, but, like, I somehow didn't realize it was a very mini Glee reunion when they were in the same scene?

Wait, where did Scott wash Hooch if it wasn't in his own place the first time? Where was that bathroom? Wait, unless this isn't the bathroom in him home? I was definitely too tired to watch this. That might be saving me on the anger level, but it's certainly making it a bit difficult to keep track of some stuff.

Oh bad edit/consistency moment with the foam on Scott's face. Always hating to me.

Episode over.

Closing Thoughts: This show is still driving me insane with it's not on point demographic aiming and just silliness that isn't really good-silly, more like bad-silly. Also, I'm tired.

[thesevenwondersofawitch]

Watching Star Trek: Picard s3 ep3, Seventeen Seconds

The show just started and then this popped onto my screen

I'm cackling because the Titan is being attacked 😂

"This is your fault!" Dude, while not completely wrong it's still a bad idea to say this to the admiral's son😂

"Jack don't!" Oh she's 100% his mom😂

"They're gonna need us." I love Beverly so much I'm so intrigued by her storyline this season 👀

Before? BEFORE WHAT?

Oh *grabs chest* the day Thad was born? It hurts so much knowing that he dies😭

Oh no, was baby Thad sick too?😭

"I thought I was losing him. My unborn son." WHY 😭

"His whole future flashed before my eyes." Shit, his future didn't last long😭

"I hope one day you get to have this feeling too." Well, he didn't specify when exactly 😂

I'm right there with Deanna, I too would be so pissed if my husband left to go get drinks when we have a newborn😂

"They should study him for science." 😂

It's so funny to me that Shaw sent two people to watch their back😂

"Electrical and biological signatures."

"Well, that's fun. Anyone else wanna throw some weird shit at me?" I don't like him, but boy does he have some great lines😂

SEVEN! I RECOGNIZE THAT HAND ANYWHERE! That music is so chill

She is so bored😂

OH MY GOD, IT'S LA FORGE CHECKING ON HER

"This sounds rehearsed." Probably is😂

Seven's eyes are watering 😭

"Shaw may call you insubordinate for helping yours, but my dad wouldn't."

"Thank you." 😭🥺 "Go rest, Ensign."

"Yes Commander Seven." I love this girl🥺

Beverly is back in sickbay!😂 I love how fast Jack jumped in when the Doctor pushed Beverly back slightly, he's totally a Mama's boy and I love it

The smirk that Jack and Beverly shared is so great 😂

OH MY GOD IT'S RIKER AND PICARD

"Nothing she has to say can't be said in front of me."😂 My boy, what if she wants to take to your papa about the time they got it on? That's an image no one wants to picture their parents in😂

The way Beverly and Picard are standing on opposite sides of the room really shows how they have so much distance between them not just physically but mentally as well

The staring 😭

Oh my god, Picard didn't know he would never seen Beverly again? I have chills

They ended their romantic relationship for the fifth time😂

"Well,I got pregnant that night." OH MY GOD

Oh, Picard got kidnapped and that's why she didn't tell him😭

"It will be like that forever. It will be what it always was, attempts on your life."

"And you never thought if you'd have told me, it might have been different?"

"Jean-Luc, when the galaxy comes calling you, you are not put upon by it, you love it. Don't tell me you would've walked away."

I get why Beverly did what she did since Picard always went on about not wanting a family, but I agree with Picard in that she should've told him.

"I know now that I could've never been my father. But I could have learned that 20 years before." 😭

"When Jack was on his way, I was terrified. All I knew, was that if you're the son of Jean-Luc Picard, there's a target on your back. I lost my parents, then a husband, then my son Wesley, all to the same stars that own you."

"As a mother your whole being is about protecting your child. I- I thought I could protect mine. I didn't know, if I could protect yours." 😭😭😭😭

"I don't know much about you." Riker looks so sad😭

"Sometimes my mother- she'd start telling a story about all of you. And her eyes would light up. And then she'd get sad, and stop."😭

"I spent two decades in a spaceship watching you get cooked up before you were born. "😂 This is kinda scarring dude😂

"Have you got a family, Riker?"

"Feel free to call me Captain. And yes, I have a wife and a daughter. And I had a son." OOOF THIS SHIT HURTS😭

The way that Beverly and her son help people on worlds Starfleet has forgotten makes so so happy but so sad cause FUCK YOU STARFLEET

So many families are torn apart

Jack was jumped on by Fenris Rangers?! I feel like Seven might have words with these guys

"You are the only one I can trust."

Oh my god, the way that Beverly suspects that it doesn't have anything to do with Jack but has everything to do with Picard 👀👀👀

"Didn't I deserve a chance? Didn't he deserve a chance to get to know me?"

"When he was old enough I told him who you were and where to find you. I encouraged him to meet with you. He decided not to." 😭

That look Riker gave Jack 😭😂

"Immaterial? That's your son." Oh fuck, this has Riker in his feelings because he probably wishes so much that he'd get to talk to his own son again and here Picard is not even trying

"Moments with your kids, you never know what you might regret. God knows..." Ow😭😭

"It's irreparable." BULLSHIT

OOooo, the ships been hit, I hope that Shaw's dead😁 oh fuck he's still alive

"You got us into this, you're gonna get his out." 😂 YAY

Picard is Riker's Number One 😂 and I feel like that fits both this and how he has the tendency to prioritize Picard

Raffi!

The way that Worf is just exercising while Raffi is unconscious 😂

Raffi's boots are *chefs kiss*

"I am Worf, son Mogh, House of Martok, Son of Sergey, House of Rozhenko, bane to the Duras family, slayer of Gowron. I have made some chamomile tea, do you take suger?" The delivery of this is ✨ Perfection ✨

Raffi's in full blown fangirl mode😂

Worf's been working on himself 😂

The way he said it wasn't Raffi's time to join the dead😭

Her reaction to Worf being her handler is so great like YASSS GIRL BE ANGRY AT HIM

"Why do I do this? My life, my family, my sobriety. What is wrong with me."😭😭😭

"You have the heart of a warrior." NO SHIT SHERLOCK

"You have served me well." WTF DUDE

"You and I will track this individual together. And then we will find out who stole those weapons, learn the next phase of their plan and stop them." That's better

Raffi: 😏"Cool."

She's out here getting to hunt bad people with an idol of hers, but it totally proves never meet your heroes cause you'll be disappointed

I love how ruler is saying he's open to Picard's input, but you can totally tell he is annoyed with him still

The way that both Beverly and Jack are helping treat the patient's just makes me so happy

(about blood) "We've got plenty." Kinda concerning but ok

YEAH SHAW'S DYING!

Damn, Beverly's saving him

Interesting how he's repeating the same thing to Jack 🤔

IT'S THE BLOOD! THAT'S HOW SHE'S FINDING THEM? CHANGELING? MAYBE?

SEVEN? IS JACK GOING TO SEVEN?! Oh, nope, just trying to reach the bridge

Riker is really looking at Picard differently now🤔 like he's lost of respect for him

RAFFI'S BACK

"It is not warrior gear. It is casual."

"Seriously, where do you wear that, to a Tuesday beheading?" This is golden

Aww, she still doesn't feel well :(

"Beheadings are on Wednesday's." 😂

Aw Seven is still in lockdown

JACK? They know each other?!

Oh no they didn't

"You're insane." She says that with some respect in her voice 😂

She kicked the guy's foot😂

Someone sabotaged the ship!

"We gave a saboteur." No shit Sherlock

I personally don't trust the Vulcan who keeps advising them, she seems a bit sketchy

The way that Riker say's he's taking the ship home has me thinking that he's thinking about his family

IT'S THAT GUARD DUDE!

Wtf is going on?

Oh shit, Jack's mask is off and he's down, Beverly is gonna flip

"I'm having a real hard time balancing the whole work/life thing." Same Raffi, same

Oh my god, she just threatened to pull out the guy's fingernails 🫣

"You may keep your fingernails. We know that those deaths were not your fault."

Wait did Worf used to shove a sword up people's asses? Cause it seems like that's what Raffi was gonna say

"I am wiser now. I was once like her. Irrational, violent." Oh my god, he's lecturing Raffi

"I think I feel my chamomile tea coming back up."😂

Oh the guy's in withdrawal 👀

Oh Raffi is kinda scary rn🫣

WTF SEVEN? PLS DON'T MAKE HER A VILLAIN

The way that Seven knew to contact Picard that his son was injured 🥺

Riker's face when he says "Go."

"Oh he's fading." She sounds so upset 😭

The way that it's taking Seventeen seconds for the lift to get to sickbay 😭👀

Nooooo Jack! The way that Beverly is trying to get his heart started 😭

Noooooo

JACK'S DEAD😭 I HATE EVERYTHING

Oh wait

False alarm

He's alive

The lil relieved smiles that Beverly and Picard share😭🥺 so precious

Did they steal MORIARTY'S PROGRAM?

Holy shit

A CHANGELING?!

"Fearful of loss?" yeah this isn't gonna be good

"Sit down admiral, I'm the Captain of this ship."

IS RIKER A CHANGELING?!!!!!!

"What is happening?" Same Raffi

Holy shit!

Oh my god, Odo contacted Worf🥺

"You and I Raffaela, are now partners." HOLY SHIT

Oh my god, the ship is damaged 👀

"Will."

Riker's face😭 he's probably thinking about how Deanna probably told him not to go and that she was right

"You've just killed us all."

Riker looks like he's barely keeping it together 🥺

I'm sorry I ever doubted you my boy😭

Hey it was directed by Jonathan Frakes!

I'm off to go scream into my pillow now as I wait for Thursday to arrive.😁

[pduwd]

Sundays:

Sundays are usually happy days for people. They can be lazy and relax before the week starts. But for Luc and Jens, Sundays are the worst.

Most fridays, Jens takes a train to see his curly and blue eyed charming boy.

He loves spending the whole weekend with his boyfriend, even thougth the broerrrs tease him too much about it.

But he knows they're happy for him. And Robbe always make sure he doesn't feel bad thanks to the teasing.

Some weekends they go out with Lucas' friends, they go to the cinema, to the skate park.

But this weekend it has been raining a lot, so they're staying inside the whole weekend.

They spend some time baking with Lucas' mum. Because she adores Jens and "Luc, I know you missed your lovely boy but you can't have it all for yourself!!"

Saturday night the rain calms down a bit so they go to the garden with a huge blanket and they just cuddle while listening to the soft rain.

But then rain comes back and they need to hurry up. Jens starts teasing Luc because "come on, you're soo romantic. Don't you want a kiss in the middle of the rain?" "But I don't want us to be sick, and my mum would kill us both if we go inside with wet clothes. Sure you don't want to lose the favourite child tittle thanks to that, baby"

So they leave it for another time. Maybe when Luc goes to Antwerp for the next weekend.

After a wonderful weekend, sunday arrives. Lucas woke up early in the morning to make his mum's breakfast. He's been on his own world with Jens so he wants to spend a bit of time with her too. She is going to hang out with her friends for lunch so she kisses her in the forehead leaves, making Luc promise he will give a goodbye hug to Jens for her.

Luc and Jens spend the whole day in bed watching some films and kissing.

They just want to enjoy every minute they can have together. Because Jens will leave today so they need to kiss each other to make up for all the love they couldn't give for the whole week.

Usually Lucas is the one who shows how sad this makes him feel. And Jens tries to make jokes just to see his boy smile again. "Luc, hey...we can do it. Friday will be here so soon you'll see. We can handle it. Could you imagine Robbe and Sander being appart for the whole week? Weak lovebirds, I'm telling you!!" " but they're so cute together!!!" "Yeah, but they make me miss you even more and it's not fair!".

Jens has been so quiet for a bit. They're watching a film but he doesn't seem like he's paying attention. So Lucas lays on him and rest his chin on Jens chest while he looks at him.

He starts making sad faces so Jens tells him what's happening. But Jens doesn't say anything.

He doesn't want to make Lucas feel sad by saying that he's quiet because he can't handle not being together everyday.

Jens wants to be there for his lovely boyfriend everyday. He wants to go to highschool and find him there. Or not having to make plans 6 days before going to each other. He wants to be able to surprise Luc showing up at his house in 5 minutes. But he could never do that. He can't take a train to do that because "what if Luc is not at home? What would he do alone there?".

He just wants to have Lucas nearer but he knows it's not possible yet. And they're both happy living where they live. They have friends and family. Any of them would ask the other to leave that just to live a bit near. They could figure out something in the future.

But he doesn't say anything, he's just lost on his own thoughts.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Lucas says after seing Jens eyes get teary. "Hey, I'm here. You can always talk to me".

He leaves a long and soft kiss on Jens chest, where he feels his heartbeat, to make sure Jens knows he's here for him.

Then he hears a sob out of nowhere, breaking the sound of the rain. Jens couldn't handle it anymore.

But Lucas is there for him. So he just kisses his chest again and then puts himself on Jens side. They sit on Lucas bed and Jens just hides his face on his own sweatshirt. Lucas' heart breaks a little too much seeing him like this.

He runs his fingers through Jens' hair and whispers softly "can you let me see those beautiful eyes of yours? Please Jens, you can't leave me without those cuties". But Jens doesn't move so Lucas needs to try again, he wants to make his boyfriend to feel happy again. "Hey...I'm here. Look at me, please. It's okay, Jens. But please, look at me".

So Jens finally lets his sweatshirt down and Luc can see his tears. " I don't want this. I don't want to miss you for the whole week. I can't Luc, I can't" and his voice breaks.

Lucas put his hands on his cheeks and touch them softly. Then he kisses his tears away and Jens crashes on his arms, putting his head on Lucas' neck.

Lucas won't stop whispering reassuring words while he runs his hands through Jens' back and hair. Eventually Jens falls asleep. After that Lucas calls Robbe.

Hopefully Jens won't have so many classes on monday. Robbe is happy to hear Lucas. He's been trying to call Jens the whole day to tell him that rain caused trouble at highschool and they won't have class until tuesday. Lucas asks Robbe if he can tell Jens' parents that he's staying one they more. He knows Jens' parents love him but he can't stop feeling shy about it.

After talking a bit with Robbe to know how's he doing he focus on Jens. He looked so calm sleeping on his arms...

He looks at his beautiful angel sleeps until he falls asleep too.

Lucas' mum find them sleeping together when she comes back and she doesn't have the heart to wake them up. She'll ask in the morning what happened with Jens' train.

When they wake up, they promise to be open about how they feel. "Jens, I know you do it to protect me from being sad but you can talk about this too. You're allowed to miss me and feel upset, but don't hide it from me. I'm here, baby".

Then, the moment arrives. He needs to leave with the promise of seeing each other next weekend.

They kiss until the train really needs to leave.

Jens finds a little note on his backpack when he arrives at home.

"Maybe you realise you're missing something (appart of your gorgeous boyfriend), but I hope that what I left makes up for it.

On tuesday, a blue eyed boy wears a red sweatshirt too big for him while he joins highschool building. In Antwerp, Jens Stoffels is wearing a jean jacket. One jacket that you could recognise immediately if you knew Lucas van der Heijden.

When Jens put his hands on the pockets, he realised Luc had hidden little drawings on them. So whenever Jens find them, they make him smile.

Lucas is with Kes when he hears a message from his phone. A picture of one of his drawings. And then "I love you so freaking much". Gosh, he couldn't wait for the next weekend.

[vaguely-concerned]

Now I know Remys age in Evolution my sad HC is that after being given the boot from New Orleans by Dad of the Year Jean Luc, he was on his own for ages until Magneto popped up and was like “hello vulnerable teenager; want to join my gang of old men and fight a couple of kids and a giant spider for me?” and cus Remy was going through his emo phase of I’m All Alone ™️ he said “Sure, why not. Can’t be any worse then being kicked out by the only family you’ve ever known” 👀

Oooh yeah that’s definitely a possibility! whatever went down back then in this version certainly was bad enough that even jean luc is openly like ‘yeah that was pretty uncool of me, I wouldn’t have come back to save me after all that’ haha, seems like things would have been pretty :’( for a while afterwards.   

my personal impression/pet theory is that good ol’ mags kept most of the acolytes (minus sabertooth b/c all you’d have to tell him is ‘you get to fight wolverine and generally be a jerk’ lol) in line with some form of blackmail or by keeping someone/thing hostage -- we know he did this with colossus’ family, and pyro dude certainly seems to hate him enough that it feels plausible. so I enjoy the idea that magneto found some sort of dirt on remy (prooobably about something he stole) and threatened to leak it/deliver him to the Wrong People (proooobably someone he stole from and it wasn’t like they even noticed they were missing a couple of monets for days so was it really that bad if you think about it? should one really get one’s kneecaps hypothetically broken over such a thing, if, theoretically, one did do the thing one stands accused of?) if he didn’t come along and he was like ‘...mais oui mon ami lead the way. oh and I get a roof over my head? why didn’t you say so before, go team’. which might explain why magneto seems so comfortable bossing him around with busywork like babysitting the brotherhood without worrying he’ll get fed up and wander off haha. he seems like an ‘it’s better to be feared than loved if you cannot be both’ sort of leader in this. (and as we see with the brotherhood magneto is as cool with using teenagers for these sorts of things as professor x is, which is why they deserve each other lol)