#IT IS GRACE’S PERCEPTION OF MAX

[severeheroineaddiction]

Anybody else notice how in the songs Nerdy Prudes / Dirty Dudes Must Die, Max and Grace are both singing about saving the world in parallel demented ways?

“You think I seek revenge?” / “You think I’d stop with him?” = they both could sing the same line here and it would make sense in their own song

Max says he “could give two shits” that the nerds “defiled my body” / Grace implies that her “being chaste” was part of a plan and giving up her chastity (which her family clearly views as defilement) was not a big deal

“I’m on a new crusade” / “I’m the girl you thought you knew” = their characters, and others’ perceptions of them, have changed dramatically since the story began

Both have the ensemble in the background at the end, singing and emptily looking on as the Max/Grace loses their goddamn mind - but in DDMD, they do that part twice and walk forward (as if warning the audience? Who Grace is pointing at threateningly and turns on at the end, unlike Max focused on Richie) and end with the “darkness will spare my soul” tag (btw Max said he brings light to darkness during one of his god complex monologues…so spare them from him too?)

Notable difference: Unlike Max, Grace is never worried about “will you pray for me” - just “who will pray for you?”

You probably caught this but in both, the piano plays the Hatchet Town riff at the end, and the “I’m not a loser” section quotes the lyrics/melody from “Cool As I Think I Am”

HYAAAHYAHA MWAH HAH evil cackles

Anyways I’m obsessed, these 2 assholes are so compelling, props to Angela and Will for their acting and singing, and JEFF BLIM YOU ARE A GENIUS

[auggieblogs]

ugh, math!

Max Verstappen x reader

Summary: Overwhelmed by math exam anxiety, you were on the verge of despair. Max's comforting presence and soothing words were your saving grace.

Author's note: Oh my god, I absolutely love this prompt. Thank you so much, the anon who requested this. I really hope you enjoy this!

P.S.- I am not technically a woman in STEM so I don't know the struggles, but I have 12th grade math, and it is downright depressing for me. Again, I might have projected a little too much. Apologies in advance.

The weight of the upcoming math final pressed heavily on your shoulders, making your chest tight with anxiety. Tears welled up in your eyes, blurring the complex numbers and equations in your textbook. You deeply regretted taking this class, and an overwhelming sense of incompetence washed over you. You were about to give in to despair, convinced that you simply weren't smart enough for this. The more you tried to grasp the concepts, the more they seemed to slip through your fingers like sand.

Just when you thought you couldn't bear it any longer, the door opened, and Max walked into the room. His perceptive eyes immediately caught the distress etched on your face, and worry flashed across his features. Without hesitation, he rushed to your side, his voice filled with genuine concern.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Max asked softly, crouching down in front of you.

You looked up at him, your eyes brimming with tears, and it all became too much to bear. You broke down in front of him, your sobs escaping uncontrollably, your head buried in your trembling hands.

Max hated seeing you like this. He immediately wrapped his strong arms around you, pulling you close to his chest, and kissing your forehead gently as he whispered soothing words. His fingers ran through your hair in slow, calming strokes, offering comfort and reassurance.

You hiccupped between sobs, words tumbling out in a rush. "I can't do this, Max. It's so difficult, and I feel like giving up. I'm not smart enough for this, I just can't."

Max held you even closer, his voice unwavering and reassuring. "Listen, bub, you are incredibly smart, and you're not a quitter. I know you can do this."

His words gave you a glimmer of encouragement. Sniffling and wiping away your tears, you took a deep breath and returned to your study materials. Max remained by your side, not entirely understanding the complex math, but his presence was a source of comfort.

As you worked through the complex equations, Max fetched your favourite chocolate milk and prepared your go-to comfort sandwich. He knew that a touch of familiar comfort would help you feel better. Between study sessions, he quizzed you on formulas and cheered you on with a smile and encouraging words.

Hours upon hours passed in intense studying, but Max's belief in you never wavered. He could see your fatigue setting in as the night wore on. Gently, he suggested, "You've been working so hard, love. Maybe it's time to get some rest."

Reluctantly, you agreed, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling upon you. Max helped you tidy up your study materials and led you to the bedroom. He tucked you into bed, his fingers continuing to run soothingly through your hair.

"Try to relax," he whispered, his voice filled with tenderness. "You've got this"

After a night of restful sleep, you woke up early, refreshed and determined. Max's encouraging words from the previous night echoed in your mind, reminding you of your own capabilities. With newfound confidence, you revisited your formulas and reviewed the key concepts, ensuring you were as prepared as possible.

As you entered the exam room, your heart still raced with anticipation, but there was a newfound sense of self-assuredness within you. The questions on the paper no longer seemed insurmountable; you tackled them with determination and clarity.

Hours passed by in a blur of focused effort, and when you finally submitted your exam, you felt a sense of accomplishment wash over you. The exam went remarkably well, and you couldn't help but smile as you left the room.

Outside, Max was waiting for you, a proud and supportive grin on his face. His mere presence brought an extra layer of warmth to your already joyful heart. He enveloped you in a hug.

𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼𓇼 ⋆｡˚ 𓆝⋆｡˚ 𓇼𓇼 ⋆｡˚𓆝⋆｡˚

The day the results were finally revealed was a day of both excitement and trepidation. Your heart raced as you logged into the exam portal, hoping beyond hope for a passing grade. As the page loaded, your eyes widened in disbelief, and a rush of pure elation surged through you – you hadn't just passed; you had aced the exam!

Unable to contain your excitement, you called Max immediately. His voice was filled with pride and joy as he exclaimed, "I knew you could do it, baby! I'm so incredibly proud of you!"

He couldn't wait to celebrate this incredible achievement with you. He suggested a celebratory dinner or date night. However, you were still feeling the exhaustion from your intense studying and the emotions of the past few days. You wanted nothing more than to stay in and unwind in the comfort of your own space.

Max decided to make the evening just as special at home. He ordered your favourite takeout, ensuring it was exactly what you were craving. He also brought home an assortment of your favourite ice cream flavours, knowing that dessert would be the perfect indulgence for this celebratory occasion.

As evening descended, you both snuggled on the couch, surrounded by pillows and blankets. The collection of your favourite movie, "The Princess Diaries," is played on the screen. Max's arm wrapped securely around you as he pulled you close, planting sweet kisses on your forehead. Laughter filled the air as you indulged in your ice cream, not caring about what was going on in the film but rather the ridiculous jokes Max was currently making.

With each passing minute, the exhaustion from the weeks of preparation began to catch up with you. Max noticed your eyelids growing heavy, and he couldn't help but smile at the sight of you, content and peaceful in slumber. He gently brushed a strand of hair from your face and took a picture, capturing the moment .

maxverstappen1 posted on their story

[zepskies]

Being Human - Part 4 (Finale)

Pairing: Alec McDowell x F. Reader

Summary: Your life made sense before Alec slipped his way in. He unravels your threads without even trying. He frustrates you as easily as he weasels back into your good graces. But you soon realize that this man is worth the challenge.

AN: (I decided to release this a bit early.) Here we are, friends! The final chapter...

Chapter Summary: Ames White captures you, forcing Alec to his knees.

Word Count: 4,300

Tags/Warnings: Peril and violence, angst, major hurt/comfort, but also major fluff...

💜 Series Masterlist

Part 4: Reckoning

Terminal City is a region on the edge of the city. The chemical and biohazardous waste that was dumped there after the Pulse makes ordinary humans sick, but for the immune transgenics, it’s the perfect spot to carve out a sanctuary.

Alec has been visiting the sector frequently, working with Max, Joshua, and other Manticore escapees to build up its infrastructure. Joshua lives here full-time now, as it’s safer for the half-canine transgenic and others like him, who don’t “look” human.

Today, Alec’s working with Mole and Joshua on ammunitions. Regardless of what any of them look like, they are all soldiers, in one way or another built and trained for warfare.

As much as Alec doesn’t want to see it, the tensions between “ordinaries” and transgenics are mounting, especially in Seattle. 

He checks his watch and realizes that he’s late to meet you. 

“Shit. I gotta go,” he says.

“Where’re you going?” Max asks. She has a perceptive eye, but Alec doesn’t reveal anything.  He revs up his motorcycle and dons his helmet.

“Just going to meet someone,” he says, purposely vague. He doesn’t want another lecture from her. 

The truth is, he’s dreading this. He knows when he sees you, it’ll be damn near impossible to maintain his distance. He should’ve just met you at your apartment, but surrounded by your things, your familiar scent etched into every fiber of your place…it would buckle his resolve. 

So he heads back on his motorcycle all the way home. 

Something’s off.

He instinctively knows after he climbs up the stairs to his apartment. He tests the door, and it opens without him having to unlock it.

You would know better than to leave the door open.

He pushes inside the apartment, and he’s greeted to a scene that drops his heart into his stomach. 

His apartment is empty, but a table near the kitchen is knocked over. Glass liters the ground where it’s overturned, and on further inspection, he finds drying bloodstains on the glass and on the floor.

His heart beats faster as he takes in everything with wide eyes. He doesn’t smell gunpowder, or find anything else that would tell him what happened here. 

He does find your purse, tossed by the couch in the living room. 

Alec whips out his phone and calls your cell.

“Hello, 494.” A man’s voice—one that Alec would know anywhere. It prickles his skin with unease and makes his blood boil all at once.

“Ames White.” Alec’s teeth grind. “What game are you playing now?”

“This isn’t a game. It’s business,” White claims. “I have something you want. How much are you willing to pay to make sure she stays alive?”

Alec forces himself to calm down, even though his pulse is racing.

“What do you want?”

“You. And 452. With no bullshit on your end,” the agent replies. “Or this girl is going to pay that price for you.”

Alec’s breath becomes unsteady. “And if I comply, you’ll let her go. I’m supposed to believe that?”

“Oh, I won’t lie to you. She’s on her way to the lab as we speak. You see, they’re gonna want to analyze that abomination she’s carrying,” White says. 

That steals the breath from Alec’s lungs.

His eyes grow wide as he puts together what the man is saying. 

“But if you do comply,” he says, “I’ll make sure they let her deliver to term, at least.”

Alec’s throat tightens. Oh, God… 

“You let her go, you son of a bitch!” he grinds out. His white-knuckle grip pops a few springs in the couch. He releases it and covers his face, pressing hard between his eyes. “She’s not part of this!” 

“It seems she is, 494. I’ll send you the time and the place. Be there with 452.”

The line clicks. Alec’s breathing is harsh. He grips his phone so hard it nearly shatters, but he tosses it onto the couch and pushes his palms against the burn in his eyes. His jaw locks with the strain of clenched teeth. No, no, no, NO! 

His phone chimes with a voicemail message. Alec grabs the phone and listens. It details coordinates and a meeting time: tonight, at midnight.

Alec makes another call with what remains of his phone.

“Max,” he says shakily. “I need your help.”  

Alec barely resists pacing throughout Logan’s apartment while the latter types away, researching the coordinates Ames White provided for the meeting point. Their forced surrender. 

Max perches on the corner of the couch with her arms crossed. She’s concerned for you as well, but she gazes at him with sympathy.

“We’ll find her, Alec,” she says. 

Alec shakes his head.

“He could have her anywhere,” he gestures widely. “He could’ve already handed her off to whatever shady government agency he works for. Or with that damn cult, that in case you’ve forgotten, hates us. Like everyone else in this city.”

“Not everyone,” Max reminds him pointedly. 

“Yeah, and look where we are now,” Alec retorts. “I told you this would happen!”

“Do you want to be right, or do you want to save her?” Max shoots back. “Now think. We’ve found bases of White’s operations before. Both for the agency, and the breeding cult.”

“I’m cross-referencing old locations,” Logan says. He’s been typing away at his computer for several minutes. “I can ask Asha and her people to join the search. And I can do an Eyes Only broadcast, encourage people to keep an eye out.” 

Alec nods, but any outcomes of those plans will take time. Time you might not have. 

They’ve been following anonymous tips for hours. Joshua and a few X5s and X6s joined the search for Ames White, and more importantly, for you. 

Alec and Max have been working together without stopping even for a breath throughout the night. They only have one hour before they’re meant to be at the agreed meeting point: an abandoned building near the edge of the city. No doubt for their easy extraction. 

Logan eventually calls Alec to tell him about a lab within a mile of the scheduled rendezvous point. There have been reports of late-night transports—locals calling in about strange noises, and in one case, what someone thought was a muffled gunshot.

Alec and Max agree to check it out, but they’re going to cut it close with the meeting time.

“Josh. Where are you, buddy?” Alec asks after calling his friend’s cell.

“I’m here.”

“Where’s here?”

“Here,” Joshua replies. He’s turned the corner and found his friends on the crossing of Avalon St. and Broadway, via his elite sense of smell.

“Good,” Alec smiles in relief. He pats his taller friend’s arm. “You’ve been a big help so far, but I need you for this. Wanna be part of the rescue party?”

“Yes,” Joshua nods, but his tone suggests he’s offended that Alec has to ask. “Help save your mate.”

Alec’s smile weakens. He doubts you’ll ever want to be that with him, ever again. But he’ll be damned if the government, or some damn breeding cult, is going to lay a hand on you.

Logan agrees to meet them there in his van for backup, while Josh hitches a ride on the back of Alec’s motorcycle. The three of them haul ass to the location of the suspected lab.

They approach a large, three-story dilapidated building. According to Logan, it used to be a mental health asylum. When the government bought it out, the facility was turned into a private lab.

Great, comes Alec’s sardonic thought. Hopefully the ghosts of whoever was tortured here won’t cause them any problems.

He and Max communicate silently through the militaristic hand motions they learned in their training to scope the place’s security, its entry points, and the best way for them to infiltrate the building. Although Manticore made Joshua, he hasn’t gone through the same training as most transgenics have.

He’s fortunate for it, but it means that Max has to direct him more carefully. He covers her and Alec as they approach the back entrance, which seems to be where they most often transport both cargo and people. Right now, there’s a large van waiting on standby.

Alec rips out the driver first, while Max and Joshua take on the other guards who start shooting. Alec comes around the back of the van, and when the first guard opens the back door, Alec tears the gun out of his hands and yanks him out. Alec uses the man’s body like a Kevlar vest as his two companies unload a clip or two. He punches them both out hard enough to hear the crack of bone.

The van inside is empty, but he sees a cot and several machines already ready and waiting to transport someone. He grits his teeth and slams the door shut on his way out.  

“She’s not in there,” he tells Max. “If she’s here, she’s gotta be inside.”

Max and Joshua have taken out the outside guards, no problem, but he’s sure there’ll be more where that came from.

The three of them enter the building and race through the long hallways, slipping by lab technicians, doctors, and other staff. Anyone who attempts to stop them soon regrets it.

Alec is especially brutal and efficient with the federal security guards. Max watches him out of the corner of her eye, but she doesn’t yet warn him to pull his punches. The stakes are high, and she understands his anger and stress.

“There’s a file room,” Alec points to a door that’s labeled: RECORDS.

“I doubt they’ll have a file on her yet, especially if White’s trying to keep this under wraps,” Max says.

Joshua looks around and points across the hall. “Cameras?”

The other two look in the direction he’s pointing to, and they see what he sees—a room labeled: SECURITY.

Alec slaps a companionable hand on Joshua’s back, and they head for the security room. The guards are dealt with swiftly, being knocked out and piled against the back wall. While Joshua keeps a lookout, Max and Alec scan the many different camera feeds: focused on various hallways and lab subjects.

Alec scans each of them rapidly. He’s always been good with TV.

He finds you on one of the camera feeds and he points to it. “There she is! Room 204.”

You’re in a small, cell-like room, sleeping on what almost looks like a hospital bed. Except there’s a breathing mask held over your face, probably keeping you unconscious, and you’re attached to several monitors. It makes his heart sink and his spine tighten with rage, simultaneously.

“Let’s go,” Max says, but it’s not necessary. Alec is already halfway out the door.

They’re stopped at a four-way crossroads in the hall. In the center is Ames White.

“You’re smart, I’ll give you that,” he grants with an incline of his head. He takes a radio clipped to his belt and clicks it on, speaking into it. “Transport the girl. Make sure she’s sedated.”

Alec seethes. Before he can sprint headlong into a fight, Joshua stops him. Alec looks up at him in askance.

“You go. Find her. Leave him with me,” Joshua says. His blue eyes are sharp with predatory anger at the man who killed Annie Fisher.

Alec softens a fraction and nods in understanding. He shoots Max a look.

“Go, I’ll catch up with you,” she says.

Alec nods and races on ahead. He dodges bullets with the help of superior speed and crashes into each guard, taking them out with brutal force. He steals a gun off of one of them, and that saves him a lot of time and energy. He tries not to kill anyone, but he can’t think about holding back. He just needs to get to you.

He reaches the second floor, and finally to Room 204.

Two men are already in the room. He doesn’t want to open fire—the room is too small, the risk of ricochet too high. He grabs a knife from his belt and hurls it at the first man, who was poised to inject something into your arm. The second guard turns with his gun, but Alec is already moving too fast for human eyes to follow.

He breaks the man’s arm, followed by a swift uppercut. He takes the gun and hurls the man into the far wall, knocking him clean out as he slumps to the floor.

Alec breathes hard in the aftermath, but he begins to soften after his attention turns to you. He sets down the gun and takes in the sight of you, still dressed in jeans and a blood-stained shirt.

You’re heavily sedated and restrained by your wrists and ankles. You have a bandage wrapped around your forearm, along with brain and heart monitors attached to your forehead and chest, and an IV drip in your other arm. 

Alec takes a breath, and he starts with the wires, removing the small suction cups from your body and disconnecting all the monitors. He takes off the mask and unclips the leather restraints. 

The fury builds back up inside him at what they’ve already done to you. He doesn’t want to think any more on what they’d planned to do.

You must’ve been terrified, he thinks. He touches your cheek tenderly. His free hand hesitates, before it rests gently on your belly. He calls your name. 

You don’t stir just yet. Your body is still under the effects of the sedation. So he carefully lifts you into his arms. He hears Max approach, and she’s there in the doorway by the time he turns around. 

“Let’s go,” Alec says. His face is hard and angry while he carries you out. 

They regroup with Joshua in the lobby, though even Alec stops short when he sees the carnage. Ames White’s body lays on the floor with unseeing eyes. His throat is torn out. 

Joshua has blood in his teeth. He wipes at his face with the back of his arm, his eyes veering away from Max and Alec. Max blinks through her shock and tries to keep her mouth from falling open.

“Time to go,” Joshua says. His voice is heavy, but matter of fact.

“We’ll need to take his body, get rid of it later,” Max says, when she recovers. “We can’t let the police find him.”

They’ll blame us, is understood by them all. The police won’t have the full story, but it won’t matter. Appearances are everything. 

Max finds a black body bag in a nearby storage closet and Joshua collects White, later hefting the full body bag over his shoulder.

They make their escape out the back of the building, where Logan is waiting with his van. Joshua deposits the body in the back, where he also climbs in. Max takes the front passenger seat while Alec carries you into the middle seat bed. 

Nothing else feels right but to hold you in his arms. To stroke your cheek and wait, both desperate for, and yet dreading the moment you’ll open your eyes. 

Because when you do, there’s a good chance that he’ll find your fear. Or worse. 

“She’s going to be okay,” Max says to him, quietly. She’s twisted towards him in her seat.

“Maybe physically,” Alec counters. “I don’t know, Max. How did being held up in a lab affect your mental health?” 

Her lips purse. “One step at a time, okay?”

Alec shakes his head and looks down at you. He tries to commit your peaceful face to memory, because he doubts that he’ll ever see it again after tonight. 

Slowly, you start to wake.

At first, all you see is shadows and shapes of someone looming over you. Unconsciously you whimper and push at whatever holds you down, but the hold is gentle, the voice soothing. 

“Shh, it’s okay. Sweetheart, it’s me,” he says. 

Your eyes clear and focus as you blink…though they soon flood with tears. Relief takes over your fear. You see his concerned, handsome face, and your lower lip trembles. 

“Alec,” is all you manage to say. You still have some trouble moving your heavy body, but you grab a fistful of his shirt and wince as you pull yourself up, just enough to bury your face into his chest. Your body shakes with the force of your sobs. 

Alec gathers you up against him and shushes you gently, even as his heart clenches. He soothes a hand over your hair and your back. 

“I’ve gotcha. It’s okay, you’re safe,” he says in your ear. He meets Max’s concerned gaze, then Joshua’s in the shrouded end of the car. Even Logan glances back through the rearview mirror as he drives. 

Alec tries to block them out and focus on you. He holds you and comforts you for as long as you let him.

Eventually, you pull away to look at his face. You still have tears in your eyes, but now, it’s with a hue of uncertainty. 

“The man…the agent who took me. He was looking for you,” you say. Your voice is weak and a bit coarse. You try to clear it.

Alec wishes he had some water for you.

“He’s gone. You don’t have to worry about him,” he says. 

You let out a shaky breath, but you meet his gaze. “He said that you’re not…Alec, are you…”

He sighs; he understands the question you’re trying to ask. 

“Yeah. Those freaks you hear people talking about on the news?” he says. “I’m one of ‘em.”

Your eyes widen as your breathing becomes more labored.

“I was made in a lab,” Alec confesses. “At Manticore, bred and trained to be a soldier.”

A transgenic.

Your hand falls away from his chest, and you take that in with an unblinking stare. He can see you trying to process all this.

You glance over at Max, who had been facing the front to give you and Alec the semblance of privacy. Feeling your gaze on her, she turns around and gives you a half-hearted smile. 

“Hey, girl,” she greets. “Glad you’re okay.”

“You’re like him too?” you ask. Max nods.

Suddenly, everything makes so much sense. Why she and Alec have always seemed to share history and bickered like siblings. Why Max was friendly, but never truly your family. Why Alec had been so much of a mystery to you. Why he’d broken your heart. 

“Joshua too,” says a deep voice from the back. 

You turn your head and gasp as your eyes fly open wide again. Alec gives his friend a look over your head, but he tries to reassure you with a warm hand on your lower back. He hopes you can’t see the dried blood on Joshua’s snout. 

Joshua breaks into a sheepish smile. 

“Sorry,” he says, gesturing to his wolf-like face. “Bit of dog in my cocktail.”

You shake your head slowly. Your mouth opens and closes, but you try your best to get through your shock (and a lance of fear). Your head tilts as you consider his kind, very human blue eyes.

“You, um, your name is Joshua?” you say at last.

“Yes, Joshua,” he nods. “Rescue party.”

You blink at that. “You…helped get me out of there?”

He nods again, with a smile that flashes a few canine pointed teeth. You rest a hand over your wildly beating heart. 

“Thank…you,” you manage. 

Joshua bobs his head. “No problem. Saved Alec’s mate.”

If possible, your eyes widen further at that one. You turn back to Alec with raised brows. He offers a wan smile and a nervous chuckle. You notice, however, that he hasn’t let go of you. You’re also still sitting across his lap. 

“This is what you were hiding from me,” you say, perhaps stating the obvious. Your heart clenches with pain. “Why you…”

He brushes his hand along your arm. 

“I was trying to protect you,” Alec says. His brows furrow as his green-eyed gaze veers away from your face, with shame. “But I failed, and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. None of this was supposed to happen—”

Some instinct has you reaching out to sooth your hand along his cheek, stopping his lips with your thumb. You stare up into his eyes, and they’re no longer guarded or distant. They’re the eyes you remember. 

Whatever you are, you’re mine.

You lean up and press your lips to his.

After a beat, Alec’s eyes close, and he answers you in kind. His fingers sink into your knotted hair. You grip his shirt by the collar, and he wraps his arm securely around you. 

With each new kiss, you feel more relieved. You don’t realize you’re trembling until he clasps your shaking hand against his cheek, to steady you. 

Alec gives you one more searing kiss before he pulls you into his arms. It’s a hug you both need.

His eyes shut tight as he buries his face in your neck, inhaling your scent. His lips find the mark he’d left weeks ago on your skin. It’s faint by now, but it’s still there. He takes deep breaths to calm himself, and you rub his back through it. 

He realizes you’re comforting him now; a fact that makes him smile.

You’re mine, instinct tells him. And this time, he just can’t fight it. 

Logan houses you and Alec for the night (or the morning, since dawn breaks by the time you all get back). 

You’re exhausted, but you still force yourself to shower. You’ll have to remind yourself to thank Logan for the spare clothing, though you don’t bother with the sweatpants just opt for the large shirt as you roll into bed. 

Alec isn’t far behind after he takes a quick shower. You force yourself to stay awake, waiting for him to come out of the bathroom. His skin glistens when he eventually leaves the bathroom, and you watch him cross the bedroom with just a towel low on his hips. He shoots you a smile before he starts getting dressed.

“Logan says he’s help us find a new place to live,” he says. 

You slowly smile at that. “Us?”

“Well, you know, both of our apartments are compromised.”

“Yeah, I get that,” you reply. When he slides into bed next to you, you swim through the covers and inch closer to him. “I’m just glad it’s a together thing.”

Alec gives you an amused look, but there’s warmth in his eyes. He thumbs at your lower lip. Soon, his smile begins to fall.

“I didn’t want to get you caught up in this. In my crazy fucked up life,” he says. 

“I know,” you sigh. “But I’m in it now. I’m in this with you. You realize that, right?”

He nods, though he doesn’t think he deserves it. Or you, for that matter. 

He slips his arm around you, just the same. You rest your head against his shoulder and tap his chin. 

“Alec, I don’t care what you are,” you say. “Transgenic or not, you’re the man I’ve always known.”

He lets out a subtle breath at that, chuckling. 

“For better or worse, right?” he asks.

You smile. “I have something to tell you…though I’m pretty sure you already know.”

Despite a tremor of nerves, a slow grin spreads across his face. 

“Tell me anyway,” he says. “I love surprises where I know the answer.”

You giggle. “You sure about that?”

“Yes,” he nods with a smirk. “Just tell me, woman.”

Your hand drifts down to rest against his chest, and you tilt up your face so you can meet his dancing eyes. The fact that he seems genuine gives you enough courage to just…say it.

“Alec, I’m pregnant,” you tell him.

His smile grows.

“…Really?” he teases. “You sure it’s mine?”

You gasp, laughing, and you shove against his chest. You twist away from the cage of his arms, but he laughs and doesn’t let you so easily escape. You realize then how truly strong he is when he rolls you under him on the bed. 

He dips down and claims you with a kiss. He shakes his head, because he never thought this would be his life. His hand sneaks under the sheets to rest over your lower belly, through the shirt. In turn, you cover his hand. You bite your lip with slight anxiety.  

“You’re really okay with this?” you ask. “Even after everything we…this is a lot for us. Really soon.”

Alec gradually sobers, and he acknowledges that with a nod.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “Honestly, I didn’t see this coming.”

You have to laugh a little at that. His lips tug at the corners, but as he squeezes your hand back, he stares directly into your eyes.  

“But I’m not letting you do this alone. I… I love you,” he admits. “Sorry it took me so long to figure it out.”

Tears burn in your eyes, but only one finds its way down your cheek. You take in a tremulous breath and nod. 

“I love you too,” you reply. Though you can’t hide a different uncertainty when you look at him. “But if you leave me again…Alec, I can’t.”

He looks more vehement than you’ve ever seen him when he shakes his head, meeting your gaze. 

“That’s not happening. I promise,” he says. “You’re stuck with me, baby. So much that you might just get sick of me.”

You utter a laugh through your tears, and you nod in acceptance. Alec smiles and wipes your cheek dry before he gathers you tighter into his arms, and presses a kiss to your forehead. 

You relax against his chest with a sigh. His heartbeat thrums steadily under your cheek.

And you finally rest.

AN: And there we have it. 🥹 I truly hope you enjoyed Being Human.

I might come back to add bonus one-shots to this, if you guys are interested in seeing more of their story. 💜 But I hope you'll let me know what you think about how it all shook out here!

Series Masterlist

Alec McDowell Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Ko-Fi Me ☕

Alec M. Tag List:

@kazsrm67 @letheatheodore @agothwithheavysetmakeup @jacklesbrainworms @foxyjwls007 @wincastifer @ades106 @iamsapphine @simpforbuckyb @roseblue373 @brianochka @branj19 @hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog

@globetrotter28 @charmed-asylum @waywardxwords @deanwinchestersgirl87 @this-is-me19 @rachiem4-blog @sweettimelady @leigh70 @clinicallydepresso @emily-winchester @xiphoidbones @skoveu @nyotamalfoy @kmc1989

@waters-2567 @iwishiwas-sleeping @jessjad @pieandmonsters @akshi8278 @honeybabycherry @deans-spinster-witch @angelbabyyy99 @jackles010378 @nancymcl @idiotdyslexic @heartlessdelusions @longlostx11

[thejesterfrog]

'Want' in Nerdy Prudes Must Die

So, I woke up at 3am to a revelation about how I think wanting something once again plays into NPMD. We all been knew about TGWDLM and Black Fridays' use of people's wants, but what about Nerdy Prudes? (First time cooking up a theory like this lmk your thoughts!)

This musical falls on the more subtler side. The first time it's directly called out is during the summoning, when the Lords in Black are straight up telling Stephanie that she has to give up what she wants to save everyone. In that case, it was Peter.

But it goes back a lot further than that. We've established the big baddie of each Hatchetfield series tends to lure people in with what they want: Max falls right under this category of attack.

Richie gets singled once he realises what he wants, to be liked, to be needed, to be alive. He says it out loud to himself when he thinks he's alone, which is exactly how Max knew.

The same goes for Ruth: Max only kills her once she sings a whole song about wanting attention and figures out she wants to be the star of the show, the one under the spotlight instead of in the booth.

Once Peter and Stephanie come to the realization that they want each other through a whole song, cue Max, stopping the bullet so he can kill the two of them and continue his reign.

I think this attack pattern also applies to Grace, but because of that it shows the flaw of Max being used as the vessel. Max's perception of what Grace wants is skewed: he thinks she's a repressed church girl wanting to get her freak on, but also because that's what she TELLS him she wants.

She disguises her wants until the very end of the play, where she reveals her desire to purge the world of horny guys (essentially becomes the Lords in Blacks next vessel). Instead of showing her cards, she plays into what MAX wants. Max wants her, the forbidden fruit, which is exactly how she lures him to his own demise.

Not sure if this has been talked about before, but if it has, kudos to the people who beat my slow brain to it.

[dontmixpaintinyourcoffee]

Listening to "If I Loved You" and holy shit it just hit me that Pete and Steph and Max and Grace are really good reflections of each other. There's the similarities, like-

Max and Steph are the two popular kids in the dynamic, both pursue the nerds rather than the reverse.

Pete and Grace are both hesitant in pursuing that relationship, one out of fear, one out of conviction.

Both Max and Steph use their social power to (attempt to) protect their nerd. Max knocks Kyle out for insulting Grace, and Steph being willing to stand up for Pete makes him a peer in the eyes of the other popular kids. (Max excluded)

Both couples having sexual feelings for each other plays a major role in their respective stories (Abstinence Camp for Steph/Pete, NPMD for Grace/Max)

But what I think is most interesting is the differences. For instance-

Pete spends a lot of time considering his potential friendship/relationship with Steph, analyzing his own self-perception ("am I cooler than I think I am?") And considering how Steph thinks about herself ("She's smarter than she thinks she is"). On the other hand, Grace doesn't think about Max in any real way beyond her own fantasy. Max does seem romantically interested in her, but Grace fantasizes about having a no-strings-attached physical relationship ("I won't care about you!") As a side note, it's very interesting to me that the line "a one-way ticket power trip" seems to be referring to Grace, not Max. She doesn't want a relationship, she wants to feel powerful, which is very different.

Grace and Max are... Caustic. A lot would have to change in order for their dynamic to be healthy. Their relationship is very new and immature and self-serving. Grace thinks of Max as a means to an end, and Max is pushy and disrespectful of her obvious boundaries.

Steph and Pete are the complete opposite. Even when they're trying to be mean to each other their words are still rooted in a deep care for the other's well-being. "If I loved you like you should be loved" is literally them trying to say "I don't like you!" but accidentally adding "At least not in the way you are deserving of because you are important to me and I only want the best for you! AAGGH!!!"

"Loved you like I'm capable of" can be directly translated to "if I liked you in that way you would KNOW because my heart would be SO FULL and I would show you EVERY DAY how MUCH you MEAN TO ME!! But I DON'T! So THERE!"

Even when Steph and Pete are actively trying to antagonize each other, their actions and words can all be drawn back to the fact that, romantic or not, they really, really care about each other, and that's the bedrock of their relationship. God I love these two

I'm just such a sucker for narrative parallels you guys

[herohimbowhore]

Daniel Ricciardo: Castles Crumbling

Revisionism and recency bias are perhaps two of the most common things that you'll see in Formula 1 and discussions of how we view drivers. It all goes back to the saying "You're only as good as your last race." This, while true in some sense, is only part of the picture when it comes to a driver and the legacy they'll leave in the sport. One race does not define a driver, just as a small portion of a driver's career does not define the driver.

But in commentary and fan discussions, we continue to see that revisionism and recency bias continue to define driver's careers on everchanging standards.

This season, the argument would be that that Carlos Sainz is a better driver than Charles Leclerc due to any of the following reasons:

He's won a race this year

Ahead in the points

Consistently finishing races in the points

But looking at their careers as a whole, the argument falls apart.

Another case of this is Lewis Hamilton in 2022. He finished behind his teammate in the points, didn't win a race, etc. And that year alone had people questioning if Lewis Hamilton was washed or if he should retire. But again, looking at the career as a whole and not zeroing in on one piece of it, makes the argument fall apart.

A driver's legacy isn't based solely on a piece of their career. Alex Albon's career isn't going to be defined just by the Red Bull years, nor is Pierre Gasly's. Sebastian Vettel's career isn't just defined by his time in Ferrari or Red Bull or Aston Martin. Nor is Carlos Sainz's career going to be defined by his time in one team.

However, when it comes to Daniel Ricciardo, the revisionism and hate is strong. Especially in fan spaces like Twitter.

The two years at McLaren are by many considered to be a definer of Daniel's career, completely ignoring or disregarding what he was able to do in Red Bull and Renault.

In one instance he's a PR merchant, in another he can't draw a crowd.

He gets the car to Q3, qualifies 4th, and spends the whole weekend in 10th -> well then people will say it's the car.

Both he and his teammate don't make it out of Q1 with about .006 separating them -> well then obviously the driver and not the car on that specific track

Castles Crumbling is a song that inherently fits the change in the narrative around Daniel. The premise of Castles Crumbling is your legacy falling apart and no longer being loved by people who were once fans. This is a defining feature of Daniel Ricciardo's public perception in recent years as everything he does is defined by the McLaren stint.

Once, I had an empire in a golden age

I was held up so high, I used to be great

They used to cheer when they saw my face

Now, I fear I have fallen from grace

Once, I was the great hope for a dynasty

Crowds would hang on my words, and they trusted me

Their faith was strong, but I pushed it too far

I held that grudge 'til it tore me apart

Despite what people perpetuate now, coming into McLaren, Daniel was highly regarded and considered a great driver. He was THAT guy.

Netflix's Drive to Survive did a lot in helping Daniel transcend from the normal bounds of an F1 driver. He was the first one to be fully on board and give them so much access to him, his thoughts, and his life. A move that wasn't reciprocated by other drivers, so in that first season, it was all about him from start to end basically. He also had the personality to match.

But even before that, Daniel has been the the guy. Just look at any number of grown men that have taken his sweaty race boots and drunk champagne out of them.

Gerard Butler (USA 2016)

Christian Horner (Malaysia 2016)

Max Verstappen (Malaysia 2016)

Nico Rosberg (Malaysia 2016)

Mark Webber (Germany 2016)

Lance Stroll (Baku 2017)

Sir Patrick Stewart (Canada 2017)

Martin Brundle (Austria 2017)

Adrian Newey (Monaco 2018)

Lewis Hamilton (Imola 2020)

Zak Brown (Monza 2021)

Lando Norris (Monza 2021)

Any number of Red Bull staff over the years

People all around the paddock

Some happily, some with pure disgust, others taking the shoes right off Daniel's feet for a shoey.

Daniel at Silverstone in 2017: "DC took my shoes off and then in Austria, Martin was frothing for it."

Daniel wasn't just his personality as so many would like to say. The racing was there.

In 2014, Daniel came into Red Bull and beat his four-time world champion teammate. He was Red Bull's only race winner that year with three wins. During his first year with Red Bull, Daniel finished third in the championship, just behind the two Mercedes.

Once more in 2016, Daniel finished third in the championship, just behind the two Mercedes. His only win of the year was Malaysia 2016 and with it came the iconic podium of Daniel, Max, Nico, and Christian all taking turns to drink out of the same race shoe.

Nico Rosberg in 2023, talked about his time racing against Daniel in 2016 and said:

"He's such an awesome personality, one of the best wheel-to-wheel racers out there. If I saw in my rear-view mirrors, [Ricciardo] was one of the last guys I would like to see there at the time, with Max Verstappen."

2018 for Daniel was filled with reliability issues and engine problems. Out of the 21 races that year, Daniel retired in 8 of them. He had two wins that year - China and Monaco.

Going into Renault, Formula 1 World Champion and Renault Advisor, Alain Prost, called Daniel worth every penny that the Renault would be paying him

"Daniel is more expensive than other drivers. When you need that to help the team we did it. Money is not a problem but it has to be justified. We have two top drivers, maybe one of the best lineups in F1 today."

With Renault, people forget that 2020 was one of his best years. While he didn't win any races, Daniel did have two podiums. He gave Renault their first podium in about nine years. Additionally, Daniel finished 5th in the championship, higher than anyone would have expected out of the unreliable Renault. He was doing wonders with that car.

Going into McLaren, Daniel was a highly valued asset. And while many like to say he went to McLaren for the money, salary estimates show that going to McLaren was actually a significant pay cut.

With an approximately $22 million pay cut in cash earnings, the move to McLaren cannot be defined as a cash grab. Doing something for the money doesn't usually mean lowering your value by millions.

My foes and friends watch my reign end

I don't know how it could've ended this way

Smoke billows from my ships in the harbor

People look at me like I'm a monster

Now they're screaming at the palace front gates, used to chant my name

Now they're screaming that they hate me

Never wanted you to hate me

So how did we get from being a highly valued driver to endless public hate by fans?

Well revisionism and recency bias.

Daniel’s time with McLaren was admittedly very bad.

(sidenote: Dropping Daniel was the best thing that McLaren could have done for all parties involved. No one can deny that, but how McLaren and Zak Brown conducted themselves was wrong. Say what you will about Red Bull's ruthlessness; Red Bull is upfront about it, and they don't drag the driver around making apologies or videos promising to try harder and signing another driver while doing all that.)

The car and driver did not mesh. But what most people tend to ignore is that the car design was inherently difficult to drive. It was unpredictable. One could argue that Lando was performing well in the car., but Lando has only driven a McLaren. Whereas Daniel's driven an HRT, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, and a Renault. Instead of helping Daniel with the learning curve or setting the car up in a manner that aligned with his driving style, Daniel had to change how he drove.

With all the McLaren struggles, people have chosen to focus on just that phase. Completely ignoring that Daniel was doing wonders with the Red Bull when the car wasn't great and he was doing wonders with the Renault.

Daniel's time post-Red Bull was not all bad and certainly not deserving of the vitriol and hate he receives when there are other drivers who have much less to show for on the grid.

He got two podiums with Renault in 2020 -- the first podiums that Renault had gotten in years. He was 5th in the standings.

And let's not forget that Daniel got McLaren its only win since 2012. Maybe you can say that the only reason Daniel won is due to the Max and Lewis crash or that Lando was told to stay behind. However, Daniel overtook Max at the start while Lando lost a position to Lewis. Daniel had been the one to take his shot when it mattered. As for the team orders to hold position, well Daniel could have gone faster if he wanted to as we can see with him pulling out the fastest lap on the final lap.

(A random thought that came to me during the research for this: do we think Christian Horner wants a Daniel-related tattoo as well and hates that Cyril and Zak have Daniel-related tattoos? Because if I was in Christian's position, I would want that tattoo. Like you put all this time and investment into a driver and then two other team principals that either took him away from you or couldn't get the most out of him have tattoos chosen by Daniel.)

[just-another-obsessed-fangirl]

the idea that max never actually had sex before he was with grace is (at least to me) a somewhat plausible headcanon considering the sounds he was making in that scene + his warped perception about sex ("watch some porn! you'll see!"), but im also choosing to believe it because theres something disproportionately hilarious to me specifically about the idea of dying a virgin but somehow still losing your virginity after death when youre a ghost

[leqclerc]

The entire picture around sainz amazes me. Like how you're going to rate him so high, how you're going to compare him against charles when he has one good race every 8 f1 weekends, how you going to call him better than Hamilton, how you going to say he's the best driver on the grid after max and then turn around and ask "is carlos sainz underrated"

Exactly. It's so funny imo for the media to be like "is CS underrated?" and make his ex/current teammate answer that question (which, like, wtf else are they going to say, they're hardly going to start beef in a press conference with him sitting right there lmao.) If anything he's overrated. As you said, he can be completely anonymous for multiple races in a row but one good weekend and he's suddenly better than Charles and basically on par with Max and should get the Red Bull seat. Not to mention Ferrari must be regretting "getting rid of the wrong driver." Okay? 🤨

Even at his lowest I think he gets a lot of grace. Outside the pool of British drivers he's basically the British pundit/journos golden child; the likes of Lawrence Barretto and Damon Hill consistently prop him up and add to this narrative of him being the "worthier" Ferrari driver, the faster one, the one with more prowess and exemplary leadership skills. Also the "consummate professional and dedicated team player." Yeah, until he starts binning planned strategies or impeding his teammate. 😑

The disappointing thing is, this is and will likely continue to be the mainstream narrative as long as these weekends happen. It's something I've noticed among "casuals" as well — unless you are deeply invested in the Ferrari ecosystem and constantly and closely following the developments, the interviews, the drivers' team radios, etc, the perception is basically: Even when Charles qualifies on pole he loses out to Max, sometimes even in the early laps of the race, and then can't manage to regain the lead, ergo he is ineffective; Carlos, meanwhile, "gets the job done" and, well, wins, ergo he is effective, Ferrari's sole hero, etc.

Obviously there's lots of factors that influence a race weekend or result. Hell, things might have looked different if Ferrari hadn't implemented team orders pretty much as soon as Max was out of the picture. We know this. But a lot of people don't, either through plain ignorance, or because they willingly dismiss the context in favour of the face value results, and the face value results say Carlos is the only non-RB race winner in the past year. And unfortunately the only way for this narrative to change is for Charles to, well, win. (I know we're only three races in and by all accounts Ferrari seem better equipped to challenge Red Bull this year than last year, so he may get a few opportunities to do so, but yeah. Carlos has been undoubtedly very lucky to always be in the right place at the right time to take advantage of the rare Red Bull mishap, and Charles needs to make sure he's putting himself in that position too, especially if the car is struggling in dirty air. Figures that the one time he broke his front row streak Max would have reliability issues 😭)

Also imo the hype is magnified by the fact that he's the someone other than Max that people desperately want to see winning. So much so that the "how" doesn't even matter anymore. The race was objectively boring but a lot of people are hyping it up and artificially bumping up the enjoyment meter just because the end result was a non-Max win. So he's got that on his side as well. But for me, I think how the race is won matters as well. Both times he took advantage of Max/Red Bull having a rare off day. Which, fine, this sport is about luck and capitalizing on these opportunities when they present themselves, I get that. But the real breakthrough will come when Ferrari is able to keep up with and beat Red Bull in the race on merit, not because they just got lucky. The closest we got to that so far is Vegas. If they can do that this year then we can start saying that Red Bull's got serious competition. Making thinkpieces out of hypotheticals because Max had a debilitating, race-ending issue with his car is not it.

[godlytemperance]

npmd headcanons because my brain is rotted <3 <3

heehee hoohoo i am rotating the entirety of hatchetfield in my brain

im updating this as i think of more stuff so bear with me if this gets stupidly long

richie has audhd. i know this because he is me i am him we are EACH OTHER /j

ruth and richie met in the anime section of barnes and noble in middle school and nearly screamed when they realized they were going to the same high school later on

steph is lactose intolerant and is not brave about it ever. tries to share a hot chocolate with pete and spends the next three hours miserable

grace is doomed to kill in every timeline but it can be prevented by her best friends keeping her too occupied with mundane nonsense for her to find a gun

richie has so much tboy cringe energy. that man kins sasuke you cannot tell me i'm wrong

i have hit them all with my transgender and gay beam >:3c they're the friend group that hit their gender and sexuality realizations in waves. someone's egg cracked first (richie) and it set off a chain reaction

pete is genderfluid and usually presents masc (he/they)

bi with no strong preference either way

only recently began to dabble with femininity in his gender presentation

steph is gnc transmasc (he/she, used interchangeably)

bi with a masc preference

no matter who you are, if you have a crush on steph, you're gay. them's the rules pal

richie is transmasc (he/it)

aroace spectrum! he's demi on both ends, fluctuates pretty often.

somehow incredibly perceptive to romance unless it directly involves him, then he's as dense as a brick

ruth is a girlthing because she's swag like that (she/it/they)

pan with a fem preference

her preferred type is pathetic mascs and intimidating fems

grace is fem-presenting nonbinary (she/they)

formerly closeted lesbian

had the WORST case of comphet until she realized she didn't necessarily have to be attracted to MEN to be attracted to masculinity :3

max is transfem (she/he)

she's a butch lesbian!!! she doesn't feel pressured to be hyper-feminine after realizing she's trans, because she's already pretty happy with her outward presentation

saw all her new friends going through their various gender and sexuality realizations and is just "i hope this doesn't awaken anything in me :)" (it did)

OH also paul is richie's uncle! richie's dad is paul's older brother. they don't interact much but it is literally Autism to Autism

if the group were to fall victim to any of the Lords in Black, it'd probably be as follows:

max - wiggly. rage hatred biting nightmare nightmare >:3

steph - nibbly. he's got the closest ties to the CotSC and also we need more nibbly rep

pete - tinky. duh. probs gets trapped in the box in timelines where steph dies before him and he desperately wants to bring her back

richie - blinky. idk it's just vibes to me. he seems like the kind of guy to go nuts for eye symbolism

ruth - pokey. she's a theater kid and i think that pokey would have a field day shoving her into the fucked up and evil spotlight

grace - all of them. they take turns babysitting her in various timelines. she is their favorite child

richie 100% uses anime terminology to describe normal ass situations. he calls steph a tsundere once and steph has to act like her world wasn't just shifted two inches to the left for the rest of the day

oh also in redemption timelines they have movie / bingewatch nights!! they cycle between everyone's favorite shows or films. it's the best part of their week every single time

max was cast as a leading role the one and only time she ever auditioned for theater and it freaked her out so much that she declined the role

richie's hair is Like That because he tried to get the cool anime spiky hairstyle to work for him (it didn't) (he doesn't realize this until college)

pete was a greek mythology girlie i just know this. something about him screams "i read percy jackson way too much as a kid"

after grace realizes she doesn't have to be a "perfect" christian, she swears like a sailor

also grace hand embroiders all her clothes as a hobby! (this is semi-canon, since she has embroidered strawberries on the cuffs of her jeans in the show)

the first time steph smoked ouid, he made the mistake of using cbd oil and a pipe at the same time. man was in SPACE

all of them are poly with each other but at different levels:

steph and pete are Dating dating. so are max and grace. wholesome yaoi VS toxic yuri

ruth and steph are almost definitely "best friends" in the historical sense

richie and ruth are qpp. if they were both 100% straight they'd probably be the most annoying couple in the world

pete and richie kiss sometimes but its genuinely platonic for them. just bros being bros (they are so deeply in love and neither of them realize it until years later)

ruth and pete are friends to ??? to lovers to friends who cuddle sometimes

richie and steph are polar opposites but they love each other to death. black cat and orange cat kind of relationship

max and grace barely intersect with the nerds but they still consider all four of them to be part of their weird situationship

(grace definitely experimented with all four of them, with max's permission. just to be Sure. y'know.)

max is doing her best to make amends with the nerds but it is very slow going. she has gotten to casual fistbump level with them though!

the nerds usually just look at max and grace from the sidelines like they're watching two wild beasts circling each other in their enclosure. their flirting is NOT rated pg and it still baffles them how the local prude and the highschool football star managed to get together

richie unintentionally dropped the fact that he has a fursuit - a timberwolf, because i'm projecting - and ended up helping everyone design their fursonas. pete is a traditional chimera (goat, snake, and lion), steph is a plain black cat, ruth is a flemish giant rabbit (she did research), grace is a sheep, and max is a checkered-tail nighthawk.

any time that the group gets spam calls, all they have to do is hand the phone to ruth and they get taken off the lists the moment she speaks. ruth was frustrated by it at first but it became a game of "how many companies can i inconvenience before they stop calling hatchetfield numbers entirely"

steph braided pete's hair once and he damn near proposed on the spot

ruth knows how to sew (from doing tech) and helps teach max how to mend her clothes! max ends up being really good at it! she goes on to teach the entire football team how to fix their uniforms and ruth ends up being the honorary team favorite for at least a year

im taking jon matteson's "richie should have blue hair in a movie version of NPMD" and fucking sprinting with it. he dyes his hair at least once a year and it's a wildly different color every time

ruth is the kind of gal to love games with lots of violence because it makes her feel like a badass vigilante (she can barely do a push-up in real life) (just like me)

steph is deeply afraid of large bodies of water. major L on his part seeing as he lives on a fucking island

bouncing off of the above hc, pete's afraid of planes. these two can't travel out of hatchetfield without one of them nearly shaking out of their own skin

max doesn't actually like football that much. she's REALLY good at it, yeah, but she'd prefer to play most other sports even if she isn't good at them! she likes the challenge of doing something she won't automatically win!

grace probably writes lists of things to keep everything in order. she's got lists of all her favorite foods, a checklist of daily chores, etc etc (it's also because she's got undiagnosed autism and she functions better when she has a Routine)

no matter what, pete will always stop and talk to the homeless man downtown. he doesn't really know why, though. (ted wishes he could say something to pete, but he never does. best to keep him at arms length.)

ruth really really really reeaaaally wants to cosplay but she's nervous that she'll be deemed as the "cringy weirdo" by other con-goers. she eventually admits this to richie, who rallies the group into a group cosplay for moral support

it takes a lot of convincing for them to find a fandom they all want to cosplay from. they settled on FNAF, specifically security breach bc it's Timely (they go to the con in 2022)

pete is glamrock freddy, steph is monty, ruth is glamrock chica, and max is roxy!

richie was glamrock bonnie and he gets so mad when the official design comes out a year later bc it was completely different than what he imagined

grace eventually agrees to dress up as vanessa (she never played the games) (she thinks FNAF is a real animatronic restaurant) (everyone they meet thinks she's method acting)

they end up crashing at ruth's place absolutely DRAINED. they all have imprints on their arms from carrying around an absurd amount of merch. pete nearly started a fistfight in the parking lot with a bakugo cosplayer. max nearly finished it.

they all agreed that it was one of the best things they've ever done and also to Never Do It Again

richie had a brief phase where he was obsessed with black butler and he regrets it to this day

grace and max both have scary dog energy but in different directions. max (post-transition) looks really intimidating at first glance but she's got golden retriever energy. grace will stare at you with the scariest fucking eyes if you're mean to retail employees

steph has always wanted a pet, but her dad never allowed it. when he moves out and gets an apartment with the nerds, they all agree to rescue a pair of bonded cats for his birthday. steph doesn't stop crying for at least an hour

steph and pete named one of the cats, while ruth and richie picked the other one's name.

Mittens is the Lautski baby, a black and white girlie who is incapable of mischief. she's like the disney ideal of a cat. she's a cuddle monster and will be so sad if you have to get up and do things without her

ruth and richie are the proud coparents of Sir Jotaro Gooberton (the Third). he is the most stupid tabby you will ever meet in your life and he has made the crime rate in the household go up tenfold.

a very common Lautski date night is going to the candle section of walmart and just sniffing every single one of those bad boys until they get a headache

[astrolovecosmos]

Some Notes on Self-Love and Acceptance

Aries and loving their hottest passion and impulses along with their messy ashes and wreckage. 

Taurus and loving their sensual, earthy persona or maybe their endurance and practicality along with their stubbornness and desires. 

Gemini and loving their intellect, their fluctuation, admiring their own wit or persuasion, having fun and always learning. 

Cancer and loving their loyalty, depth, caring side, and maybe creativity along with their turbulent emotions and haunting intuition. 

Leo and loving everything about themselves! All while wrestling doubt or competing with themselves. 

Virgo and loving their strengths to the max but being too hard on their flaws, always willing to improve or learn. 

Libra and loving their grace, gentleness, charm, kindness, or their overall inner-beauty all while many times hiding part of that beauty and/or on a path to rework or define their shadows. 

Scorpio and loving their keenness, perception, intuition, attractiveness or always believes in their allure, and self-respect along with the skeletons in their closet and the challenges they’ve overcome or sacrifices they’ve made. 

Sagittarius and loving their independence, spark for life, honesty or sass along with their brashness and recklessness. 

Capricorn and loving their self-control, sense of purpose, their sensibility or “common sense”, along with their secret tenderness and the times they can just be. 

Aquarius and loving their individuality, bravery, independence, and maybe charisma along with those unpredictable moments in life or self and their low-key complexity. 

Pisces and loving their imagination, intuition, healing nature, giving side, compassion, along with their forgiveness or maybe even lack of boundaries at times, and their ability to bewitch others. 

[comradeboyhalo]

The recent q!Badboyhalo lore and character analysis about his loneliness and paranoid, regarding Dapper and Skeppy, has me wanting to make a character analysis on Bad's character. For example, we've seen multiple times that q!Bad is a pillar in the community the islanders have created for themselves, and they and the eggs alike value him, but no one seems to be concerned or try to keep his feelings in mind? Like the spontaneous adoption of Dapper, or regarding his concerns or paranoias, or how he speaks publicly about Skeppy and how that's the only thing that would truly make him happy and people vehemently refusing him his skeppy? How do they accuse him of manipulation for not figuring out his feeling?

PLEASE WRITE AN ANALYSIS

it's always tricky to write about these things because i hate falling into the trap of victimizing q!bad when this is a very silly server, and not everything is taken seriously 100% of the time (like q!missa was very unsympathetic to bobby's death with q!roier. but in that moment, cc!roier was playing q!roier in a more joking manner, so how do you analyze that?) but at the same time, i do feel like q!bad is not always given the grace that other characters are.

i feel like, from both other characters and fans, q!bad is almost held to a double standard because there's this perception he is constantly sweet and good? when in reality he's very paranoid and wants to kill and maim? so it's seen as a greater offense when he chooses not to let people into their homes or when he wants to murder someone. idk i just want to grab everyone and shake them and tell them "DONT TAKE IT PERSONALLY". q!forever/q!baghera/q!etoiles have, on different occasions, been the closest to understanding him, but they also have done things that i still disagree with.

q!bad of course isnt perfect. he doesn't know about his feelings for q!forever, but he still is an instigator, and still likes to mess around with q!max and q!forever in a way thats not fair to them. he doesn't communicate his feelings or worries so others fail to understand his viewpoints. but its painful to see everyone (mostly fans) completely miss his true love language--gift giving--and misinterpret him in bad-faith. theres just so much you can say on him.

[thevisibilityarchives]

Golden Boy (2013), Abigail Tarttelin

LGBTQIA+

Summary: 

Within the pristine confines of a white-picket-fence life, the perfection of Max’s world is shattered one fateful night. Handsome, charismatic, and intelligent, the Golden Boy of the Walker family finds himself facing the rippling consequences of that night and the revelation of a family secret that could undo not only him but the entire Walker family.

Full review: 

*Trigger Warning: This discussion contains mentions of sexual assault*

“Everyone has secrets. It’s just a matter of finding out what they are.” - Steig Larsson

The concept of the so-called “perfect family” harboring a scintillating secret that threatens to topple them from their gilded thrones is an alluring narrative. Everyone has their secrets, yet we demand to see what lurks behind the facade of those who pretend otherwise–even in a world that has evolved to demand the pretense of perfection at all times. 

Within the pages of Abigail Tarttelin’s Golden Boy, the Walkers begin as such a family. They are stereotypical WASP perfection, a white-picket vision that would make conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic jump with joy. 

Steve and Karen Walker are upper-class Brits, with Steve making an emerging run into politics and Karen serving as a successful barrister. Max, their firstborn, is a handsome, charismatic, intelligent, and athletic young man on the cusp of manhood–a Golden Boy in every sense of the word. He looks after and connects with his younger brother Daniel, who seems to have autism or ADHD and doesn’t receive the attention he needs from his parents.  

In all their dazzling perfection, it's natural the Walkers harbor a secret or two. Right off the bat, it’s revealed that Max, a walking Abercrombie & Fitch model is intersex. In the U.K., statistics show up to 1.1 million are estimated to belong to the community according to The University of Manchester.

That estimation must consider the way intersexuality is reported. Intersex people are defined as having anatomical sexual characteristics that may not necessarily align with the definition (or that fit multiple definitions) of male or female bodies. Because sex is assigned at birth, “it is very rare that the sex of a child is recorded as indeterminate or intersex at birth registration” (Office for National Statistics). Just like statistics on non-binary identities or sexual orientations, however, people can contribute to polling at other ages, thus giving estimates to the numbers in existence. 

There is a single person outside the sphere of Max’s family and medical team who is aware of his status as intersex: Hunter, a childhood friend. What began as the innocence of childhood baths together grows into an impending threat that Karen reminds him must be mitigated by staying in Hunter’s good graces. For the burden of Hunter’s secret is a source of shame, and the revelation of that shame could bring down the entire family. 

A drunken visit by Hunter one evening reveals that over the years, he has harbored a confusing mixture of feelings towards Max, and himself: confusion, attraction, shame, and anger all wrapped up in a bow of toxic masculinity. 

The result? A horrific scene in which Hunter lashes out, brutally sexually assaulting Max while he attempts to reconcile his sexual orientation and feelings by convincing himself what gender Max is–and isn’t. 

A UN study found that in instances of sexual assault experienced by LGBTQIA+ individuals, “sexual and gender minorities are mainly attacked because they defy gender stereotypes…high proportions of sexual and gender minorities experienced physical and sexual violence, motivated by perception of sexual orientation and gender identity.” (Blondeel et al, 2023).

Hunter demands to know why Max doesn’t exist along some sort of binary, and this question fuels his anger as it challenges his own twisted perceptions of masculinity, heterosexuality, and of course, the gender binary. 

Whether they are intersex, nonbinary, or bisexual, people who exist outside of society’s notions of either/or at some point have encountered difficult, or even hostile comments concerning the nature of their existence. To simply be in a world that operates along black-and-white lines despite the sheer complexity of our realities presents a challenge that evokes strong emotions in some. 

Like many heterosexual men who are survivors of sexual trauma, Max attempts to bury the incident, even as that night sets off a chain of events that can’t be ignored. He meets a girl that for the first time, he believes he wants to share himself with. He also can’t avoid the physical or mental toll that was taken on him that night, which seeps its way into just about every other facet of his life including his family. 

In a post #MeToo society, we’re remiss if we don’t acknowledge the realities of sexual violence on men. Part of the irony is that misogyny’s impacts have consequences on everyone including its perpetrators. While gay and trans men are sometimes referenced regarding survivor narratives, few straight men report sexual assault due to reasons ranging from demasculinization to psychological grooming when older women are involved. Reports have found over 10,000 men are assaulted in the military yearly, (more than women due to the repercussions, and lack of reporting). 

While the book can be brutal, horrific, and emotional, it's also a book that gives the opportunity to help heal. It’s a tale that presents space for learning, through the lens of empathy, love, and compassion. It’s not without its flaws of course, but Tarttelin takes us through the life of an individual whose narrative would otherwise be erased in this era of authoritarian conservative censorship bans. 

Taking journeys through a bitter journey of trauma, identity, and teenage love, Golden Boy also teaches us perhaps the most important lesson when it comes to our bodies: Max is the only one who has any meaningful autonomy over his anatomy or identity. It doesn’t matter who else’s hopes or desires matter–only his do, and when we consider non-cisgender bodies that should be one of our priorities. 

Golden Boy can be found here via its publisher, you can attempt to find it at your local bookstore or find it at your local library.

Citations: 

[fictionalgainer]

Max weight gain story part II

Upon his triumphant exit from Westfield University, Max was every bit the epitome of a successful graduate. With his new role at Fletcher & Burnham, the city's elite business consultancy, he was set to translate his campus achievements to the corporate world. The towering skyscrapers of the company felt like yet another challenge waiting for Max's indomitable spirit to conquer.

His posh apartment, overlooking the sprawling city, was a testament to his new phase of life. At 85 kg, his body was a sculpted canvas of dedication, discipline, and athleticism.

However, as the demands of corporate life began to unfold, subtle shifts in his lifestyle began to creep in. Those dedicated morning gym sessions became inconsistent, often overridden by early meetings or sheer exhaustion from late nights. What was once a strict regimen of protein-rich meals started giving way to the convenience of takeaway foods. "Missing one gym day won't hurt," he thought, banking on his past discipline to maintain his physique. After all, at 85 kg, he felt he had a grace margin to play with.

But as weeks turned into months, the scales began to betray his neglect. From 85 kg, his weight edged up to 88 kg. His once-prominent biceps seemed less defined, and the abs, which were once a symbol of his dedication, began to be obscured. The change was subtle but undeniable.

Rationalization became his defense mechanism. "It's just stress weight," he'd tell himself, or "I've been building more of a bulk look." Yet, when the number on the scale reached 90 kg, even Max couldn't ignore the evident shift. His trousers were tighter, not from muscle expansion, but from a softer, burgeoning layer that was unfamiliar to him.

As he approached the 92 kg mark, there was a mix of emotions. Inwardly, there was a growing concern, but his ever-confident exterior laughed it off, often making light-hearted remarks about "gaining some adult weight." The athletic powerhouse from Westfield was undergoing a transformation, one that was both external and internal, challenging his perceptions and ego in ways he hadn't anticipated.

[himbeaux-on-ice]

It’s Time To Talk About The Other April 12th Presser — 6167

on or just after April 12th of 2021, I posted about Stoney's extremely memorable post-game presser from that night in which he speaks about Patch that included such quotes as "I've said this numerous times, he's the best shot I've ever played with... probably the best goal scorer I'm *ever* gonna play with." and "He tells me 'park it in front and I won't hit you'... it's scary sometimes, but uh, he doesn't hit me!" y’know, just some instant Thanks I Will Be Insane About It classics. what I somewhat missed at the time, while getting distracted by that, is actually paying attention to and discussing Patch's presser from the same game, which is just as good, in which he takes his turn to heap praise upon his rival-turned-liney-turned-friend, including offering his (maddening) thoughts on the thing that has always been considered Mark's biggest weakness as a player:

there's like. a LOT of layers to unpack here. i'll use a cut bc i'm nice. let's get some brainworms!!

first, we'll break down a few of the most relevant quotes from this clip:

Q: "Hey Max, you got your 300th goal tonight, is that one a little bit more meaningful to you, does that one feel a little more special?" Patch: "Yeah absolutely. I thought after hitting three posts in the last game that maybe it would uh, would take a while to get it... luckily had a great screen from Stoney so that made it a lot easier. I told him I was looking for a tap-in tonight and that was uh, [chuckles] pretty much as good as it gets when it comes to that, was a great screen, something we've been working a lot and harping a lot on the powerplay, and uh hopefully we can get rolling now."

so when asked if the milestone goal feels special, he is full of praise for Stoney’s ability to execute the “park it in front” half of the maneuver (with Max fulfilling his side of the bargain and not hitting him) as well as the fact that he wanted to get the monkey of 300 off his back and Mark could be counted upon to do “as good as it gets” in helping him with that when asked. also, he hints that they’ve been practicing and perfecting this move a lot, which is it’s own bag of things to think about, boy.

next, the big whammy:

Q: "Hey Max, milestone goal for you. For Alex Tuch and Mark Stone it had been a hot minute for them, I think it had been a couple games for each of them, just- how big is it for each of them, to get back on the board too, and all three of you guys to get on the board tonight?" Patch: “Yeah, absolutely, we know goals haven't come as easy as of late, for a lot of guys. And just, Tuchy y'know is just a vintage, blow by everyone, power through and roof it. Uh, Stoney just a huge goal in an important time of the game where, uh, it didn't seem like we had much going, and take a penalty, and, y'know... for that late in a shift, to turn on the jets- I mean people talk about 'he's not a good skater', y'know I've never thought that was the case and I think he proved me right there." [glances at somebody standing offscreen, smiles in a surprised manner] "Oh, there you-" [cuts himself off, chuckling]

oh my god ohhhhh my god this quote. this. like. okay I need you to understand, because I didn’t know this in April 2021 and thus didn’t understand the significance of this comment: Mark Stone’s career as a hockey player has been deeply shaped and impacted by his skating and the perceptions that people have had of it. dear god I will try to be brief, bear with me as we delve into my Mark Stone career biography research for The Context. you already opened the Read More so you're just gonna have to deal with the rambles.

so Mark has never been an especially graceful skater. his dad Rob blames part of this on well-meaning parents starting him on skates without proper training “too young” at the age of 3 (because Mark was rabidly obsessed with hockey even before that, before he could even walk); whatever the cause, a combination of a slightly awkward stride and a lightweight physique as a child metastasized into a total mess when he shot up in a massive growth spurt in his mid-teens. he ended up a lanky, gangly beanpole teen with an inefficient stride and new long legs he wasn’t at all adept at using on the ice — despite a wicked hockey IQ and talented hands, his skating was slow and ungainly and sometimes struggled to get through a shift without ending up out of breath (“my legs would be shaking”).

these deficiencies in skating strength and speed have *defined* his career and his style of play. it’s why he plays forward and not defence (started as a d-man like his brother, but struggled with skating backwards). it’s why his dad was hesitant to let him sign a WHL contract out of worry he wouldn’t be able to keep up with other kids at that level, despite being the leading scorer of his AAA team. it was a major factor (along with injuries) in him not being drafted until the 6th round in 2010 (178th overall), and worrying at the time that he might go undrafted altogether. it’s the reason many people doubted he would ever become an NHLer, despite the fact that he never in his life really considered another career.

that said, Mark's skating problem is also the reason why he is so good at takeaways, puck protection, passing, and net-front play, to name a few specialties — because as an extremely hockey-smart teenager working with this physical disadvantage, he knew he couldn’t out-skate the other kids (like a Connor McDavid or a Jack Eichel style player), but he hated losing so much that he dedicated his considerable strategic smarts, his overwhelming love of the game, and his intensely, hilariously competitive stubbornness towards building up other hockey skillsets that worked around his skating handicap in order to play on their level. and it has paid off massively.

the skating problem itself is also something Mark worked *incredibly* hard to fix upon being drafted by the Sens — working every summer with Ottawa’s development staff even while still in juniors to reconfigure his stride and build up muscle mass and gradually eliminate the disadvantage. these days, he might not be the prettiest skater with the most graceful stride, but his skating and foot speed is no longer a competitive detriment to him at the NHL level. as was the case in the goal Patch described, he can actually really book it down the ice a lot faster than the opponent often expects, even excelling at doing so at the end of a long shift because he’s no stranger to playing out of breath (can think of another memorable occasion where he did that, too).

but despite all the work Mark has put in and how much he’s grown in this area, despite coming into his own over the years as a Calder finalist, Selke finalist, possibly being better at takeaways than anybody ever, and becoming a star player in his own right, the reputation of “Mark Stone’s iffy skating” still follows him, literally to this day. it got mentioned as his one weakness as a player in coverage when he was traded to Vegas in 2019 (“he’s not gonna win any foot races”). when he was named captain in 2021, it was brought up (presumably with his OK) by team PR in his first interview as captain how he used to be "the kid who can't skate". when he was selected for his first career All Star Game this past season in 2022, a journalist made a joke directly to him in a zoom presser (which Mark clearly felt was in poor taste based on his reaction) about how he "definitely wasn’t going to be in the Fastest Skater contest" at the All-Star skills competition. it’s as if no matter what he does, no matter how much he has worked his ass off to grow beyond it, it seems like the “but that skating” asterisk is something he can never fully shake — regardless of whether it is even relevant anymore, regardless of how much time has passed.

and then... here is Max Pacioretty. the six-year rival turned three-year best friend + liney. the man who once said following their first game as teammates "I mean I played against him so much I know exactly what kind of player he is" and "I was very impressed tonight, but I’ve been impressed in the past because I know how good he is.” here is Max, on the night of his own career milestone goal, sitting here and declaring, unprompted, that “I’ve never thought that [Mark wasn’t a good skater]” (note: that's not “since we’ve been teammates”, no, the man says “never”, as in even when they were opponents, even early on), and then smugly adding that Mark has just vindicated that belief and proved him right for thinking this all along, despite what everybody always says. he's proud and he's smug and he insists that he never doubted him. he has always thought Mark was good and that's why he considered him a rival, that's why he's proud of him as a teammate now. he is audibly fond when he speaks.

maddening!! that’s just absolutely maddening, if I think about it for more than two seconds I just might explode!!! aaaaa! AAAAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

okay, now one more answer from April 12th:

Q: "Hey Max, speaking of Mark Stone's goal, I was wondering if you thought that was kinda the pivot point for the game, turning things around? Seems like the Kings always give you guys a tough game." Patch: "Absolutely. I thought that they were- I mean I dunno what the shots and chances and whatnot, but it just felt like we didn't have that much energy, and Roysie goes in and makes a great play. And still obviously we were in the box there for Stoney's goal, but late in a period, on ice like that, it was really impressive to see him be able to not only get a breakaway, but make a really good move under pressure- and I think that goal not only sparked us, I think his celebration sparked us even more." [turns to grin at the person standing offscreen]

this feels like a letdown note after the long ramble about the skating comment but god, it's even more praise, extolling again how physically and mentally impressive Mark’s shorthanded goal was and how it was a turning point for the game — and then playfully yet sincerely declaring that Stoney’s (typically fired-up and hilariously excited) celly following the goal was a real spark for the team to catalyze them towards the win. which, when you’ve seen the way Mark reacts when asked about his own cellies and the impact of them, his ridiculous modesty and humility about it, just really makes this gushing praise of that same facet of himself so much more... Much. it’s just so Much. so much!!!!!

~~~~~~~~

alright.

now, for the second half of this post, I’m going to go completely off the rails into Deductions And Implications. into the realm of things we don't know for sure, but we can reasonably deduce from context and evidence, in order to gain apparent information that just multiplies all of the above points to a whole other level of screaming.

at the start of Mark’s presser that day, the journalist mentions “Max was kinda hyping you up a bit there, so I’ll let you hype him up a bit.”, prompting his own praise-filled answer. this is because Max’s presser took place immediately before it was Mark’s turn to speak (I think Tuchy went third). there’s a lot to unpack honestly just in and of itself in Mark being prompted to “hype him up a bit” and deciding to be like 'right, well, I’ll just say he’s the best shot I’ve ever played with and declaring my deep abiding trust in him it is then, that should do it', though we won't go down that hole today.

but also, like,

I’m pretty sure Mark heard what Max had to say about him, directly, firsthand. because there is a decent amount of evidence to suggest that Mark was standing just off screen, waiting for his turn, while Max spoke. watch the clip again.

the first clue comes at the end of Max’s answer about Mark’s skating. he finishes speaking, turns to look off-screen, and then makes a surprised face and says "Oh, there you-” before turning away and doing what I can really only describe as giggling sheepishly:

during these pressers at the arena in LA, when we saw players entering and exiting table it was always from that side, and as was mentioned earlier, Mark did his presser immediately after Max; this combined with how Max reacts to Whoever is standing just off-camera leaves few options that make sense other than to conclude that it is Mark, waiting for his presser and thus hearing every bit of praise for him firsthand (I can only imagine the face he was making when Max looked over and saw him there).

second: at the very end of the presser (after visibly glancing at whoever is off-screen several times over the subsequent minutes), Max does it again, punctuating his final praise of Mark’s goal and his celly by turning to again look directly at Whoever is off-screen (ie probably Mark) and flashing them this massive cheerful grin:

so, if that really is Mark standing off-screen, that means his own crazymaking "best goal scorer I’m ever gonna play with" presser has the added layer of being essentially a direct response to standing there moments earlier and hearing Max say - while either not knowing or pretending not to know that Mark is there - that he thinks more highly of Mark’s skating (the one thing everyone has held against him his entire career) than basically anyone, and that he believes Mark’s play and his excitable, exuberant celly energy was the turning point of the whole game.

excuse me while I simply AAAAAAAAA- [turns into a singularity and implodes]

(also, worth mentioning April 12th 2021 is also the game/evening of this photo and this "heart eyes" clip, fwiw. what a goddamn day.)

this concludes this round of insanity. thank you for flying with us today. :)

[armed-and-alxne]

A VERY DESCRIPTIVE & DETAILED PROFILE OF YOUR MUSE

Repost with the information of your muse, including headcanons, etc.!

—————————————————————————-

[ BASICS ]

FULL NAME: Luther Nicholas Donovan

NICKNAME(S): Lou, Lu

AGE: Somewhat AU dependent but usually around 43, sometimes 44-45 if it’s an AU that takes place some time after the show ended

BIRTHDAY: June 14th, 1973 (Birth year may change based on AU)

ZODIAC SIGN: Gemini

SPECIES: Human, although he does have a vampire AU

GENDER: Male

ORIENTATION: Demiheterosexual

MARITAL STATUS: Single to start out, but he’s been in several ships. I don’t think he’s ever been married though?

EDUCATION: Dropped out of school when he was 12. Completed his GED in his mid-twenties.

LANGUAGES KNOWN: English, Russian

PROFESSION: Formerly, during the events of Red Widow: a mafia cleaner/hitman/bodyguard. On this blog: a freelance bodyguard/security guard, or an Avenger in his MCU AU.

RESIDENCE(S): He’s lived in San Francisco all his life, but was forced to leave it forever several months ago. He’s also lived in other big cities such as NYC.

—————————————————————————-

[ PHYSICAL ASPECTS ]

BODY TYPE: Tall, medium build, muscular.

HAIR: Eh… he started going bald in his twenties and just decided screw it and buzz cut it short. Now he has a decent, soft layer of fuzz over the half his head that isn’t fully bald, heh.

EYES: Blue.

SKIN: Tanned from being outside a lot, but otherwise he’s fairly pale naturally.

HEIGHT: 6’1”

WEIGHT: 158 lbs.

SCARS: He’s been shot twice, stabbed once, and he’s got a couple small burns here and there…

TATTOOS/PIERCINGS: I usually say his FC’s (Luke Goss) arm tattoo is headcanon for Luther too now, haha, so gaze upon this beauty… It’s got a panther, a sugar skull, some flowers, and the word says “Compassion.”

OTHER: He wants to get more tattoos, haha.

—————————————————————————-

[ RELATIONS ]

SIBLINGS: None

PARENTS: Biological father, Max, whom he believed to be deceased, but who is actually a retired SFPD detective living in San Francisco; an “adoptive” father, Andrei Petrov, the former head of the bratva Luther worked for during most of his life, currently incarcerated; and an estranged mother, Angela.

GRANDPARENTS: Deceased.

CHILDREN: None in canon, but he loves Marta Walraven’s kids like they’re his own. He’s had children with his ships before though.

OTHER RELATIVES: Nope.

ACQUAINTANCES/FRIENDS: Not really. Luther pretty much keep to himself. He’s not really good at reaching out to people since he’s used to being a fly on the wall, and he doesn’t want to draw attention to himself.

LOVE INTERESTS: Marta Walraven, but that was of course never going to go anywhere. Starts out with none on this blog in his main verses, but like I said, he’s had several ships over the years, somewhere around five or so.

ENEMIES/RIVALS: Cops. Feds. Irwin Petrov. And his former boss/adoptive father, Andrei Petrov as well.

ANY PETS?: yes [ ] || no [X] But he wants a dog like nobody’s business, haha. He LOVES dogs.

—————————————————————————-

[ SKILLS ]

RATE OUT OF 10:

—HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT: 10/10 —WEAPONIZED COMBAT: 7/10 —SPEED: 9/10 —GRACE: 4/10 —STRENGTH: 8/10 —RAW FORCE: 8/10 —RANGE: 6/10 —PERCEPTION: 8/10 —ENDURANCE: 10/10 —RESILIENCE: 9/10 —CHARISMA: 5/10 —PERSUASION: 2/10 —INTELLIGENCE: 7/10 —STRATEGICS: 6/10 —TEAMWORK: 3/10

—————————————————————————-

[ TRAITS ]

POSITIVE: Honest, loyal, protective, selfless, kind, generous, loving, gentle, brave, respectful of women, very sweet with children.

NEGATIVE: A chronic self-hater, very hard on himself, pessimistic, paranoid, short-tempered.

—————————————————————————-

[ LIKES ]

COLORS: Red, brown, black, gray, navy blue

SMELLS: Leather, metal, vodka, coffee, chocolate.

FOOD: Burritos, pizza, fried chicken, Chinese food, chocolate, cake, chips & salsa, burgers, bacon, cheese, brownies, etc. XD

DRINKS: Coffee, tea, soda, vodka, beer

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES?: yes [X] || rarely [] || no []

IF YES, WHICH KINDS OF ALCOHOL?: Vodka is his go-to, as it reminds him of home, but he will drink wine and other types if it’s available. Otherwise he likes beer, any kind, he’s not picky.

ANIMALS: DOGS. And also cats a little bit. But mostly DOGS. He LOVES DOGS, haha. The bigger the better. He likes to just hug them, wrestle with them, get down and dirty and crazy with big dogs. They make him laugh and bring out the kid in him.

FAVORITES: Spending time with family… even though he doesn’t have one. He misses the Walravens. He likes making new friends although he’s not really good at it. PLAYING WITH DOGS, haha.

HOBBIES: Working out (a habit, mostly for his job), reading, watching horror movies, and eating.

—————————————————————————-

[ OTHER DETAILS ]

SMOKES?: yes [] || no [X] || occasionally [] DRUGS?: yes [] || no [X] || occasionally [] DRIVER LICENSE?: yes [X] || no [] PILOT LICENSE?: yes [] || no [X] EVER BEEN ARRESTED?: yes [] || no [] || almost/detained [X]

—————————————————————————-

TAGGED BY: Reposting it from a long time ago because it’s relevant info still, heh. TAGGING: Anyone who wants to do this! ^_^

[elisevdw]

𝓔𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓮 𝓿𝓪𝓷 𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓸𝓸𝓭𝓼𝓮𝓷 𝓑𝓲𝓸

Name: Elise van der Woodsen

Background:

Elise is a senior student at Constance. She comes from a wealthy and influential family in New York. Her father, Alexander van der Woodsen is a hotel mogul and a business tycoon. On the other hand, her mother, Victoria van der Woodsen is a socialite. She is the second oldest among four siblings. Growing up in the lap of luxury, Elise was exposed to the glamorous world of New York's elite from an early age. Serena van der Woodsen is her cousin. Elise, like Serena, also spent her childhood living in a hotel. Whenever Serena's mother would travel the world or go on trips with her boyfriends, Elise's parents would kindly take Serena and her brother Eric in. During these times, Elise and Serena formed a close bond, spending their days watching movies and enjoying snacks together at Elise's home.

In her early years, Elise was a cheerful and well-behaved child, embodying the qualities of a proper princess. She was raised with a strong emphasis on politeness and grace, instilling in her a sense of manners and elegance.

However, growing up in a privileged environment had its own difficulties. Elise's parents, consumed by their demanding careers and social obligations, often neglected their children. The absence of parental guidance and affection left Elise feeling isolated and craving attention.

Elise's insecurities and desire for attention led her down a destructive path. She became a mean girl, causing drama, spreading rumors, and even stealing boyfriends from her supposed friends. Elise often resorted to manipulation and deceit to get what she wanted. Elise's scheming nature was a result of her parents neglecting her and her siblings. She would strategically act and ruin someone's life by pretending to be their friend and back-stabbing them once she's bored. She would do it all while maintaining a facade of innocence.

Kim Luna Copper was her first victim. She fell victim to Elise's deceitful actions as she cunningly played the role of a fake best friend. However, once Elise grew tired of the charade, she resorted to spreading malicious and false rumors about Kim, aiming to tarnish her reputation. The truth eventually came to light, and Kim, upon discovering Elise's betrayal, confronted her in the school courtyard. In response, Elise callously laughed and mocked Kim, adding insult to injury. Elise's manipulation didn't stop there. She successfully managed to steal Kim's boyfriend, leaving the scene with him by her side, further deepening the pain she had caused.

Elise made the regrettable decision to repeat her pattern of deception. Waverly was her last victim. She pretended to be Waverly's friend, feigning a bond that was nothing more than a facade. Elise's ulterior motive was to ruin her life because she was jealous. Elise saw Waverly and her former best friend Max hanging out at Dumbo Hall. She misses having him as a best friend and she was hurt because she doesn't know if it's possible for things between them to be okay again. Elise successfully made Waverly and Jasper break up. However, Waverly, perceptive from the very beginning, sensed Elise's true intentions and saw through her fake friendship. Waverly was well aware that Elise aimed to manipulate and hurt her.

As the truth about Elise's malicious actions came to light, she quickly became despised by everyone around her. The revelation of her deceitful behavior caused a wave of animosity towards her. Simultaneously, Elise began to harbor a deep resentment towards the person she had become. She despised the version of herself that had caused harm to others.

In a separate turn of events, one of Elise's younger siblings resorted to pretending to be sick in order to gain attention from their parents. This scheme proved successful, leading their parents to realize the extent of their neglectful behavior. They were filled with remorse and offered heartfelt apologies for their shortcomings as parents.

With the knowledge that her actions had caused immense pain and damage, Elise felt a growing sense of alienation from the city and its inhabitants. Overwhelmed by the weight of her transgressions, she yearned for change and a chance at redemption. Elise was determined to transform herself into a better person, seeking acceptance and forgiveness from those she had wronged.

Elise made the decision to accompany her cousin to Los Angeles, seeking a fresh start. Recognizing that she was grappling with numerous challenges, Serena, her cousin, advised Elise to seek therapy. Elise embarked on a journey to LA, where she resided with Serena and focused on self-improvement. Attending therapy sessions became a priority for Elise, providing her with the necessary guidance and support. Additionally, she decided to explore her interest in modeling by enrolling in a modeling class.

As time passed, Elise underwent a gradual transformation, striving to reclaim the essence of her younger self. It was during this phase of self-discovery that she crossed paths with a remarkable individual who captured her heart. Their connection deepened, and they fell deeply in love. This special person became Elise's pillar of strength, accompanying her to therapy sessions and offering unwavering support.

However, circumstances dictated that Elise had to return to New York. Her parents, longing for her presence and urging her to continue her studies at Constance, played a decisive role in her decision. Although it was a difficult choice, Elise and her boyfriend ended their relationship amicably, cherishing a final dinner date before her departure for New York.

After returning to New York, Elise faced the challenge of convincing everyone that she had truly changed. Despite the doubts and skepticism, Elise knew deep down that she had transformed for the better. Her top priority was to mend her relationship with her former best friend, Max, and she was determined to make amends for her past mistakes. With a newfound kindness and friendliness, Elise worked hard to rebuild trust and apologize sincerely. She wanted to show Max and others that she was no longer the person she used to be. As she embraced her true self, Elise exuded class and elegance, just like she did before.

Although some people still doubted her, Elise remained focused on her own growth and self-awareness. She understood that change takes time and that actions speak louder than words. Ultimately, it was her own belief in her transformation that mattered the most.

Appearance:

Elise is a beautiful young woman with a model-like beauty that is simply breathtaking. She has long, flowing blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a model-like physique. Her fashion sense is sophisticated and trendy, reflecting her high social status.

Personality:

Elise's personality has undergone a transformation throughout her life. Initially, she was a mean girl, seeking attention and validation through negative means. However, Elise realizes the consequences of her actions and decides to change. She becomes more introspective, compassionate, and determined to become a better person.

With a renewed sense of self-awareness, Elise is committed to making amends for her past wrongdoings and rebuilding broken relationships, particularly with her former best friend, Max. She understands the importance of personal growth and believes in her own ability to change for the better. Elise radiates an aura of class and elegance, showcasing her inner transformation to the world. Despite facing skepticism from others, she remains steadfast in her journey of self-improvement, knowing that true change begins from within.

Elise takes time to introspect and analyze her actions, allowing her to learn from her mistakes and grow as a person. She is driven and motivated, especially when it comes to achieving her goals or repairing broken relationships. Elise looks up to her older sister, Isabella, and admires her for being perfect and responsible. She sees Isabella as a role model and strives to emulate her qualities. Elise is inspired by Isabella's ability to handle responsibilities with grace and efficiency. She admires her sister's achievements and the way she carries herself with confidence and maturity.

Elise wants to always know the right thing to do just like her sister. Elise aspires to be as perfect and responsible as Isabella, aiming to follow in her footsteps and make her sister proud.

Elise's personality is characterized by a playful and mischievous nature, as she enjoys teasing and making light-hearted comments. She is known for her problem-solving skills, leadership qualities, and her smart schemes but she uses them for good now. Elise is driven and strives for excellence in all aspects of her life.

Relationships:

Initially, Elise had a bad relationship with her parents due to their neglect. Elise begins to rebuild her relationships with her parents and siblings. She also forms new friendships and seeks to mend broken ones.

Elise is the second oldest among her four siblings. Her older sister, Isabella, is twenty-one years old. The third youngest sibling is Ethan, who is fifteen years old. The youngest sibling, Lily, is only eleven years old. Lily's name was chosen by their mother, Victoria, who has always had a close friendship with Lily van der Woodsen. Victoria decided to honor their friendship by naming one of her children after Lily.

Elise and Isabella used to argue and annoy each other a lot. Isabella had to deal with Elise's behavior, constantly warning her that her actions wouldn't get their parents' attention. Isabella didn't like how Elise became mean and hurtful. Despite being busy with college and ballet, Isabella was always there for Elise, nurturing and guiding her. She supported her sister even when things went wrong. Isabella's love for Elise never wavered, and she always tried to help her through tough times. Elise often felt jealous of Isabella because she seemed like the perfect child. Isabella excelled in many areas, and it seemed like she could do no wrong. This jealousy further strained their relationship, as Elise struggled with feelings of inadequacy and resentment towards her sister.

Isabella takes on the role of the responsible and caring older sister, while Elise struggles with her actions and makes poor choices. Their relationship is a mix of sibling rivalry and love.

Ethan has a laid-back and caring personality as the only boy in the house. He takes his role as the only boy and big brother seriously and does his best to take care of his sisters. Elise and Ethan have a close bond. They want attention from their neglectful parents, so they come up with plans together. Ethan supports Elise's ideas and helps her execute them. However, as they go along with their plans, Elise starts to actually be mean, which makes Ethan feel guilty. He blames himself for her change but Elise loves Ethan and doesn't want him to blame himself.

They know each other really well and can finish each other's sentences. Sure, they have their little fights sometimes, like all siblings do but they always make up and move on quickly. Their bond is too strong to stay mad at each other for long. They're partners in crime, always up for fun and adventure.

Lily who is eleven years old and the youngest in the family, used to have a great relationship with her older sister Elise. Elise would play with Lily and adore her, making Lily feel loved and happy. However, things changed when Elise and Ethan started scheming to try and get the attention of their parents who thought that everything was okay when it was not. What was once an act of meanness became real, and Elise has developed a cruel streak and a bad temper. Elise stopped playing with Lily and became distant, not realizing that she was ignoring her sister. This made Lily sad and unhappy. She didn't like the change in Elise and wanted things to go back to how they used to be. Lily felt neglected by their parents too, so she came up with a plan.

One day, Lily pretended to be sick. She hoped that by doing this, their parents would pay more attention to them and Elise would go back to being the loving sister she once was. Lily disliked the way Elise had changed and wanted their parents to take notice of what was happening.

Serena is Elise's cousin on the father's side. Her father is the older brother of Elise's father. Elise has always looked up to Serena and admired her. Serena, in turn, has been a guiding light in Elise's life, offering wisdom and support whenever she needs it. Elise feels fortunate to have Serena as an older cousin who understands her on a deep level and can offer valuable advice. Elise is grateful for Serena's presence in her life. She knows that she can always count on Serena to be there for her, no matter the circumstances.

Max is Elise's best friend. Used to be former best friends but they have reconciled recently. Elise and Max were once best friends who enjoyed spending time together, partying, and having fun. However, things changed when Elise developed romantic feelings for Max and confessed them, only to be rejected. This led to Elise becoming obsessed with Max, causing him to end their friendship. Their interactions, once filled with fun banter, turned into heated arguments and hurtful exchanges. What was once a deep friendship turned into a bitter rivalry.

After living in Los Angeles for a while and falling in love with someone else, Elise realized her mistakes and wanted to make amends. Elise approached Max and offered a heartfelt apology. To her surprise, Max accepted her apology, understanding that people make mistakes and change. Slowly, they began to rebuild the trust and closeness they once had. Elise and Max are now back to being best friends, serving as each other's confidants and wingman/wingwoman.