#i think i put her in a mourning outfit but it works for someone like this character ig ghgh

[strange-doll-child]

Wooooo, my genderbend series continuesss- God, I literally only genderbent this one because I got to his namee ghghhghgh

Very conflicted, I'm not like- Super happy w/ the way she turned out but also it's finneee- I guess, I might rework it when it's not late ghgh

[shalotttower]

Cultivating Flowers

Title: Cultivating Flowers

Fandom: Original

Summary: Marquis is a man of many interests, including gardening. Specifically, his new roses.

Word count: 3500+

Characters: OC!Marquis x Reader (female)

Notes: yandere!OC, manipulation, animal cruelty (not detailed, briefly described), seduction.

The first bloom appears two weeks after spring starts and it's the most glorious flower in all Marquis' garden. Gentle apricot color, like your favourite dress. You were saving for months — a whole autumn — and grandfather grumbled and grumbled about the frivolous waste of money, but once you finally put it on, his scolding didn't matter a bit. The dress made you feel like royalty — elegant, graceful, important.

You wonder if this is how Marquis feels all the time.

Gorgeous outfits, a splendid castle, a life of aristocracy and ease where everything is taken care of by servants and every other weekend there's an opulent dinner party full of refined conversations.

Your envy for him is almost as big as your caution.

Marquis Nicolae is rich. Like many rich people he possesses time. And when one has too much, they become terribly, infinitely bored. That's what grandfather told you in one of his drunken rants: people who are rich, castle-rich, private carriage-rich for generations are bored like nobody else, because nothing is scarce to them and so nothing is precious either. Work for them. Take their money. Keep your head low and remember — they don't see us like we see them.

Grandfather doesn't work in the castle anymore. He's got old hands which shake from years of physical labour and fruit brandy, back-aching hunched posture and swollen feet that need rest. Now he stays at home, waiting for you to return with stories and bread rolls baked by the cook.

He used to serve Marquis Nicolae's father, who was twice as rich, but thrice as wicked, according to grandfather's words.

"I was a stableman, your grandmother was a seamstress, God rest her soul. Sewed all my shirts, this one included," he tugs at the fabric with pride. "She did well on it... Look at those stitches."

For a moment he gets lost in muttering and rubs his index finger on an even patch of stitched fabric, as if hoping his touch can conjure a spectre. "Not like now, where clothes fall apart after just three seasons. Quality... Sturdiness," he smacks the table. "People used to think long term. Made their shirts for decades, strong like this."

Grandfather is forgetful these days, he leaps from one topic to another and loses the main line of thought, especially after a few glasses. But you wait.

"When I worked for Lord Cazimir, you see," he says finally. "He had horses, all strong, sleek, looked like jewels. A new horse each two months, said it wasn't right for a gentleman to have one for too long, but by God, I never saw a man treat them worse than him. Not enough sleep, ridden until bones hurt. If the carriage hit a stone, it was the horse's fault, if the reins got tangled it was the horse's fault, not the bloody driver. He had that whip with metal feathers which could cut through an apple. And before he made the last swish, he'd pause. Look the horse in the eyes. That was the scariest thing, how he stared at them, so calmly."

He glances at you, as if fearing an admonishment. For what? You wonder how it felt, caring for something that looked like a jewel time after time, after time, and knowing the goodbye was certain and inevitable, like a turn of a watermill wheel. Did grandfather mourn the horses? Or did he get used to burying their bodies under the soil? Maybe they fed someone later — people who don't have much are resourceful, they don't bury good meat.

You squeeze the water from the sheet in silence.

"None simply lived past two months, that's why he changed them so often."

"Why didn't you quit?"

"And then do what?" Grandfather snorts. "There was little job outside the castle, everyone who didn't have land or livestock worked for Marquis one way or another."

"It must have been difficult."

"Life is difficult," he answers, and you can't disagree.

Life is difficult, that's a fact, and it didn't get better when you started working for Marquis Nicolae yourself. A good thing is that unlike Lord Cazimir from scare stories he doesn't torment horses and rarely pays attention to anybody in a servant uniform. All of you share the same mindset: a quick "Good morning, m'lord" or "Have a pleasant day, m'lord" and then being gone as fast as possible.

Rumors circulate that Marquis never once had a full smile on his face. Charming chuckles when he's in a good mood, courtly lips stretches for ladies, bemused sneers when he's addressed by those who used to be in favour but now are out — yes, but the genuine and full-hearted joy: nobody has witnessed it.

He doesn't seem unhappy though, nor he is too serious. When you see him Marquis Nicolae always looks like he has eternity at hand and there's no hurry to spend it. To you, he is uninterested in anything and sharp about everything at once.

You can't describe him better. Words fail you when trying to fit him into boxes of easy understanding. But after all, it's not your job to fit him anywhere, your job is dusting shelves and scrubbing floors, and, since recent days — taking care of roses.

It's unusual for the castle to have such plants this early in spring. They're imported, said the gardener, from cooler places and prefer winter over the blooming season of May and June. That's why Marquis commissioned a greenhouse construction weeks prior, to have beautiful flowers which can bloom regardless of the weather. It took an entire month of hard work, people hired from nearby towns and a promise of good money. You watched them build from the kitchen window where you were helping with meals.

Roses arrived next. Seven bushes filled with buds ready to open up any day. And oh they did. Soft apricot colors covered stems like dewdrops, beautiful enough to make one gasp.

One morning you bring your rag and a bucket to the greenhouse a bit earlier to enjoy the fragrance before breakfast is served. Nice things like these are not for maids like you — the petal scent and the gentle touch of leaves — they're for ladies in beautiful dresses who have time and luxury to appreciate them, but nobody will know anyway if you stop to lean down close enough for your nose to almost bury itself in velvety softness. It's a small indulgence which can hardly hurt anyone. Nobody will know if you pretend to be a lady just for a minute.

"They're quite extraordinary, aren't they."

You freeze, nose in the middle of the rose bush.

"I- Yes", you straighten up and curtsy. "They are most beautiful, m'lord."

Marquis' figure, backlit by the morning sun, casts a shadow which stretches far beyond your own feet.

"Do you know why I chose it?" he asks. "This breed."

He's dressed in a dark waistcoat with delicate embroidery on the collar and doesn't have a single hair out of place, not a strand too thick, not a strand too thin; as flawless as a painting which hang on the walls of his library, but not as solemn. Those paintings seem to measure everyone around them. Marquis Nicolae looks more approachable in appearance, and that's where the approachability ends. His eyes, burgundy brown colour you've never seen before, measure people too, in value rather than worthlessness.

You shake your head, "No, m'lord."

"Because," Marquis continues without minding your answer at all, "it's pretty."

His lips stretch in a courtly smile of a gentleman who is amused by his own joke. You don't understand it but smile in return anyway, because you must. Because this is how the world works — nobles are amused and maids fake understanding so the amusement can persist a little longer.

"Go on," he says. "They are meant to be smelled after all."

You nod and curtsy again.

Later he will be served tea at the ornate greenhouse table while you scrub the floors until your fingers ache. Marquis' focus will shift towards letters, and this is how it's supposed to be. Him reading correspondence, you being invisible like dust under the shelves you clean. It feels better when he doesn't look at you with those eyes of his. They pierce through everything they see.

There's something wrong about him. But you can't tell what yet.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Life is monotonous, especially in a place like this, even banquets and events have that homogeneous taste, because there's at least one every three weeks, not speaking of brunches which rotate regularly depending on who's currently in Marquis' favour. You serve dishes full of rich fragrances that make your mouth water but can't ever dream of trying them. Meat dripping with wine sauce, roasted chicken breasts wrapped in crispy bacon and glazed with honey syrup. Fresh fruits coated in powdered sugar. Sometimes in the evening when everyone is asleep you mouth the names of those meals: "Beef Bourguignon," "Veal Piccata", "Chicken Florentine". Those foreign words are hard to pronounce — Beef Boo-gee-nyon, Veel Pick-kata — you do it quietly and mostly in your head so grandfather doesn't hear and scoff about wasting time on useless things.

"You're not starving," he would say. "There's bread, there's soup, you don't need those. Be happy, girl. We used to eat potatoes for months straight during famines."

You've never been hungry enough to know what famine tastes like but suspect that the flavor must be something similar to the dull feeling between the busy hours of work, which gnaws at you and makes your thoughts drift to the lunch break.

Sometimes, in a particularly sour mood he adds, "Don't stuff your head with fancy nonsense you can't have, it's only gonna make you bitter."

True.

You're a maid. A girl. A nobody.

And this is how it's supposed to be.

How to tell grandfather that you don't wish to be fancy? Just to try once the roast duck stuffed with grapes and apples, or fresh sardines baked in butter sauce, which smell heavenly as they're carried up the stairs to Marquis Nicolae's salon where guests are gathered.

How to tell him that it's not about food, not really.

It's about knowing what an apricot rose smells like early in the morning while others sleep. How velvety its petals feel when touched. Delicate things like these you're not supposed to have, but do anyway, because a moment stolen out of monotony pulls you from beneath the apron. You, yourself, not just a pair of hands with tired fingers, exist briefly when roses bloom in Marquis' greenhouse and a little piece of yesterday's cake is smuggled into your pocket.

You understand why he's wary. Grandfather's right: with longing comes bitterness. But you're careful not to overdo it. There's only one stolen minute of appreciation each day, not more, so you remember who you are — someone meant to be seen rarely and unnoticed most of the time — and return behind the apron.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Spring goes on.

Daylight stretches a little longer. Ground gets a little warmer. Marquis Nicolae often spends time in his private study after breakfast, then at noon — in the greenhouse. He strolls there among the greenery or sits by one of the tables with a book. Reading seems to be an activity he favors, and unlike some other gentlemen who grow tired within pages Marquis can stay completely still for hours without once getting restless.

You know because you watch him from the corner of your eye.

What kind of books he likes to read if they manage to keep him entertained for such lengthy periods, what titles do those leather spines hide, which stories are good enough for a gentleman like Marquis? He always seems so politely disinterested. You wonder if there are books that can make even him laugh.

Sometimes he asks you questions which startle you.

"Have you read 'The Castle of the Lady'? It's a novel."

You shake your head. "No m'lord. I can't read."

His eyebrows raise. Not in astonishment, Marquis Nicolae has a face of a man who rarely encounters surprises, his reactions are akin to mild interest bordering on curiosity, as if he enjoys discovering something new, something that doesn't fit into his existing assumptions.

"Can't?" he repeats.

You shift uncomfortably under his gaze, "No, m'lord. Never learnt."

"Who raised you?"

"My grandfather. He's a stableman... was. Now retired".

"I see," he returns to his book.

You fidget with a rag in your hands, why does he care to ask such question? What difference does it make whether you read or don't? It's not that uncommon. Most servants only know the basics, letters which form their names and the ones that stand for numbers. You don't really need the skill. What for?

"You may continue," he adds.

So you do.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

"Are you the only child?"

"Yes, m'lord."

"Your mother? Father?"

"My mother passed away giving birth to me, and father was a soldier, so he died in a war."

"What a shame," Marquis says, but it sounds like a comment on bad weather.

You're standing with fresh linens in his opulent bedchamber. It's spacious: tall windows and furniture made of rare wood. Old, like the walls of Albastru castle itself. A maid's life story is neither interesting nor important enough to pursue it, at least not in the place like this. Marquis Nicolae is bored, that's the most reasonable explanation to the current arrangement. He's looking for entertainment, but what entertainment can come at your expense, you're unsure.

Grandfather warned you not to draw too much attention, but it's not exactly your fault. Marquis' schedule is well known — he spends evenings in the salon and retires long past midnight. The chamber should've been empty. You should've been able to change his bedding, clean the fireplace and leave without as much as a sound.

Yet here he is, in a high armchair by the fireplace.

And here you are, in front of him, waiting for a dismissal that doesn't come.

On a small coffee table there're squares with simple pictures — a dog, a cat, an apple, made of thin wood with letters engraved in black ink. You step from one foot to the other, the lemon-scented sheets hide the way your fingers twitch.

Marquis traces a square with a rose.

"Sit down," he says and motions to the other chair.

"Your linens, m'lord-"

"They can wait."

No, they can't, you think. The bedding needs to be done, the fireplace cleaned, carpets swept, wilted flowers removed — there's so much to do to linger, and it's already getting late. If you're not able to finish on time-

But Marquis Nicolae didn't give you permission to leave.

You sit and put the linens on your lap.

Grandfather would say that Marquis enjoys the sight of your discomfort behind that courtly smile of his, but he doesn't look amused, he looks the usual. Calm and slightly disinterested. Sharp, despite being relaxed.

"If you figure out what letters stand from this," he points at the apple picture square, "to this one," then moves his finger to the picture with a goat, "you'll get a treat."

"M'lord?" you frown.

There must be something wrong with your hearing, but no, Marquis leans back and crosses his long legs. "A treat."

Treats are for children, treats are for dogs, treats are for horses who are obedient and look like jewels. You stare at him, puzzled, but try not to let it show; nobles have strange hobbies sometimes: races which cost thousands of gold coins for one bet alone, hunting dangerous animals, forcing their servants into duels to pass time. This must be one of those, an entertainment beyond your comprehension.

Still, time is moving forward and the complexity of your situation is becoming more apparent with every passing second; you've never felt particularly powerful — why would you? — but now you're acutely aware of how fragile one's position is when it depends on someone else's whims.

You take the first picture.

An apple. Letter A. Then a ball — B. Cat... So that's what they look like written down.

Marquis' eyes follow your fingers as they slide across the wooden squares, you feel his gaze like a touch, even though there's a coffee table distance between you and a bit more. You quietly mouth each word and letter by habit, unaware of this little detail. His eyebrows raise, this time with a hint of amusement which you don't see, too focused on your predicament.

Dog — D.

The clock is ticking.

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

"Well?" Marquis asks later when shadows cross the room. The sun is gone, the fire in the fireplace burns lower but bright enough to illuminate the space. Sitting like this has given you a headache which makes thinking harder.

"I have them figured out m'lord", you say carefully.

"Tell me then."

"This is A," you slide the apple towards him across the table. It feels a little silly. "This is B."

The way you say them isn't quite accurate. It's "bee" instead of "b" and "dee" instead of "d", but he doesn't tell you that. Your voice goes quieter with each following letter, perhaps because you're nervous or maybe simply tired — who knows what time it is by now? Ah, quarter to ten. He watches you struggle with spelling and pronunciation until finally there they are. All squares from Apple to Goat, in order just like he arranged them.

"What about this one?" Nicolae points to the playing cat.

"It starts with 'K', m'lord."

You're quite sure, not that much variation is left after all, and say it with the most conviction you can muster so he would finally be satisfied and end this odd game. Your head hurts and stomach grumbles with hunger — there was no time for the lunchbreak today —both physical and mental exhaustion blur together.

Grandfather must be worried sick by now, he hates when you're late without telling anything beforehand.

Then Marquis covers his mouth, and for the first time since you entered Albastru castle, laughs.

Not chuckles. Not smiles without smiling. Laughs that his shoulders shake, that his eyes crinkle at the corners. You stare bewildered, not knowing what to do. Laugh yourself? Smile politely? Say "m'lord" again?

Marquis' laughter dies down eventually and he collects himself, straightening his waistcoat which doesn't require any adjusting in the first place, he's perfect as always.

"No, that's C."

Your cheeks flush red, how were you supposed to know? It would seem that a gentleman such as Marquis Nicolae should know better than mocking someone's lack of education, but apparently he finds it amusing. You lower your gaze and look away.

"How are you called?" he asks.

After a pause your name rolls off your tongue; small in his bedchamber, it barely leaves an echo.

"Well, I said a treat, didn't I?"

You don't want any treats, or to spend here even a minute longer; Marquis rises and walks towards his desk.

"Come here."

Reluctantly you stand up and follow him. The linens are left on the chair in a crumpled pile, they need ironing now. There's nothing to do other than obeying so you stop next to him where he opens one of the drawers. Inside you can see something wrapped in white paper with a thin ribbon bow around it. He takes the item out and pulls the ribbon off. Delicate scent fills the air, the little cakes, you know their name from the cook ─ macarons ─ bloom inside the wrapping.

Marquis Nicolae picks one up with two fingers and brings it to your lips.

The macarons smell sweet like almonds and look beautiful like roses in his greenhouse. They're not for maids, you think, no, this is...he shouldn't be doing that.

Your mouth waters anyway.

His eyes don't leave your face, "Do you want it or not?"

You do.

"Then take a bite."

The dessert melts in your mouth instantly. Its texture is soft, like petals, like everything else luxurious you've never had but imagined countless times. A little chewy, a bit crunchy, it's the most delicious thing you've tried, better than a piece of cake taken from the kitchen pantry, better than honeyed walnut bread.

"Another one?"

Marquis Nicolae feeds you two more, before you realize what exactly is happening — a bite by a small bite your dignity dissolves into his hand. You swallow the last morsel and quickly step back; you've forgotten yourself, forgot who you were and where, and now there's sweetness lingering on your tongue, while Marquise' fingertips smell faintly of apricot.

What have you done?

He looks amused again.

"Thank you, m'lord," you curtsy, then turn around to gather the discarded sheets.

"Clean the fireplace and change the linens. Then you might be free."

"Yes, m'lord."

It's a dismissal at last.

Marquis sits down and reaches for a book — he's done with you it seems — so you hurry to complete the assigned tasks. The fireplace isn't too dirty fortunately, just some ashes and coal leftovers. Next, the sheets, then the flowers.

Before you close the door and rush down the empty hall he speaks again, "If you still remember them all by tomorrow evening, you'll have another treat."

[divineerdrick]

Homestuck: Beyond Canon Upd8 for 3/15/24

Again, I'm late. This time it's due to COVID. Still sick, but wanted to read and react.

We now transition from our angry Kanaya to our mourning Kanaya, as they continue to travel through the void. Someone is trying to reach her. She's a space player, so it might legitimately be Calliope.

Wait. What are you up too, Roxy?

Oh~ That's sweet. I missed that in the panel transition. Roxy just wanted to make sure Kan was warm as she slept.

That "noise" is in Jade's font. Is it too much to ask to see Meat Jade finally reunited with her friends? Or is this just going to be Roxy finding Jade unconscious from her struggle with Calliope?

This is nowhere near as spastic as you could get in the old flute flash from Act 3. Still, nice to see my favorite silly girl up and moving around again . . . and not neck deep in Candy craziness.

"Davekat!"

She's just calling them by their ship, like they've become one person! That's great!

While I long to see Jade, Dave, and Karkat interacting again, it's refreshing to see some new conversations taking place. I don't think Roxy and Jade have had much interaction post canon, and basically none in Homestuck.

Now Roxy is definitely up to something!

Are they accessing the bubbles? I mean, time works all wonky on the furthest ring, so that should be possible. And if anyone could do it, it would be Roxy.

There's Kanaya. Calliope is definitely up to something and has enlisted Roxy to see it done.

I hope we get to see our Calli really soon . . .

Hopefully instead of just taking what she wants, Dead Calliope will actually negotiate terms for how they can protect themselves from Dirk without Jade or Kanaya needing to lose their agency.

Yay! It's our Calliope!

So these aren't the original dream bubbles, but something starting due to what Dirk and Rose are up to? Does that mean they've succeeded? Or is this something completely new?

Also, I just realized that's Roxy on Calli's outfit and Calli on Roxy's outfit!

That's one unstable Jenga tower of a Homestuck house. The text beneath it, "What a daring dream." is a callback. But I'm pretty sure we're not talking about furries, this time.

Then again, I'm pretty sure that's Dirk's font . . .

Now it's possible the changes to the house are due to the ongoing struggle over the narrative. But I also can't help but feel like there's meta commentary here as well.

"love em to death but they cant shut the fuck up" Thank you, Roxy!

Oh no. I already know what the text of the next page is.

Okay. Nice playing with expectations. I wonder if that's their catch phrase now. English was "already here," Dirk is "already gone," Calliope "never left."

Yep. It's not just Dirk. This is definitely meta commentary.

Warned you about the stairs.

"And Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al~"

Wow. Dead Calliope is really in their tower. They're not going to let the gang even try to coordinate some plan for what to do when they get there. It feels like they're planning on confronting Dirk directly and putting and end to this right away.

Well that went from whimsical to intense quickly! Dammit, I wanted more of that. But Dead Calliope obviously doesn't care about what we want. As far as they're concerned, we are part of the problem.

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Hikaru Sulu

By Ames

Have at thee! Pick up your foil and get into the proper stance as A Star to Steer Her By shines this week’s character spotlight on the Enterprise’s helmsman (and occasional musketeer), Hikaru Sulu. We may have had to get a little nitpicky with noteworthy moments from Scott last week because he’s just used less than the three main characters, and Sulu will be even tougher because he does even less and then is gone for a lot of season two while he was off filming The Green Berets (which I wouldn’t even recommend, so that’s a waste!).

That’s not to say Sulu isn’t a great presence in The Original Series, and we came up with some great (and not so great) moments from this ship’s jack of all trades. He swashbuckles, he collects pistols, he tends to plants, he quips with his Russian bestie. Check out the best and worst of Sulu below, listen to this week’s banter on the podcast (discussion starts at 1:19:43), and give us warp speed on my mark. Mark!

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best Moments

Someone give this man a hand… plant Sulu started the series with a passion for botany that never really came up much after it was established in “The Man Trap” (even when it would have been applicable, as you’ll see), but it was endearing to see him caring for Beauregard and worrying about his flowery friend after a salt vampire masquerading as crewman Green gave him a fright. There there, Beauregard.

Richelieu, beware! One of the most memorable moments for Sulu and also for the whole damn series comes in “The Naked Time” where we see our favorite helmsman get affected by the space madness disease and start running around the ship shirtless with a foil, provoking crewmen into duels. It’s that bonkers kind of fun episode that really worked for TOS and gave us decades of referential humor after.

Lower us down a pot of hot coffee While we gave Kirk a lot of guff about his characterization(s) in “The Enemy Within,” we’ve really got to give Sulu credit for his work in the B plot. While slowly freezing on Alfa 177, he manages to keep morale up with the occasional light-hearted room service call to the Enterprise. And this is the first we see of what we dubbed the “Sulu Maneuver,” when you heat up some rocks with a phaser! Clever!

He’s doing a countdown! Okay, this one’s here partly because of the running joke we made out of Bailey’s delivery pointing out Sulu’s rather macabre countdown, but Sulu also displays some serious chops in “The Corbomite Maneuver.” Bailey can’t handle the pressure, and Sulu has to literally lean over and do his job for him at the same time, all without losing count!

You are not of the body Mind-controlled Sulu is best Sulu and gets some really fun acting out of George Takei every time. We see it in the afore-mentioned “The Naked Time,” in “Catspaw,” and in “This Side of Paradise,” to name a few, but my favorite mind-controlled Sulu has got to be in “The Return of the Archons” because of all the extra points he gets for this ruffly outfit!

It’s Greek to me Let’s also commend Sulu for rigging up the ship’s phasers to destroy Apollo’s temple in “Who Mourns for Adonais?” Why this plan worked I have absolutely no idea. What self-respected god entity puts all of their powers in a single object? Trelane wouldn’t gaff this hard. Anyway, props to Sulu for somehow avoiding phasering the humans who were hiding only ten feet away like fools.

Lay back and thinking about vegetables Holy cow, guys. A whole episode in which only Spock, Uhura, and Sulu are featured from the entire cast? It must be “The Slaver Weapon” from The Animated Series. Only TAS could get away with giving to Sulu scenes that would go to Kirk any other day, and he owns it! He outwits the Kzinti. He avoids their telepathy by thinking about broccoli. He does it all!

Don’t call me tiny As usual, some of the best moments we’ve collected come from the films, where the characters all really get the shine. Even the minor characters like Sulu, who gets to sashay around in what we previously dubbed the Ta’cape in The Search for Spock and hold his own against a security officer who stands probably a full foot taller than him, like a small dog in a fight. Bowwow!

Special delivery While we’re a little sad that Sulu had probably the fewest character scenes in The Voyage Home (they evidently cut a family reunion scene due to bad child acting), we do have to thank this San Franciscan for obtaining and flying a helicopter around to deliver the transparent aluminum to the ship. How did he pull it off? We’ll just have to use our imagination.

Emergency Landing Plan B Wow, we’ve had more good moments from The Final Frontier than bad ones to mention in these character spotlight posts, which is kind of fascinating considering that film on the whole is among our least favorites. But when Sulu totally rocks it and manually lands the shuttle in the bay using a barricade, we have to admit that the film knew how to use its characters.

Fly her apart then! How often does Sulu get to save the day? Not often enough, I say, because when he gets the opportunity to have the Excelsior join in the battle in The Undiscovered Country, it’s positively thrilling. Your heart just wells at the love these crewmembers have for each other that Sulu would ignore orders to come rescue his friends with passion that I wish we got to see more often in the show.

Tossing a match into a pool of gasoline For the 30th anniversary of Star Trek, Voyager treated the fans with a little Sulu action in “Flashback” and he proved to be just as heroic as ever! Not only do we get to see his decision to go save his old crewmates, but we see him outwit Kang by igniting the sirillium in a nebula. Not only that, but he does the humane and diplomatic thing and makes sure it won’t destroy the Klingon ship utterly. Now that’s a great birthday gift!

—

Worst Moments

It’s a he plant – a girl can tell Ya know how we were lauding Sulu for all his great botany work before? Well, he insists that Beauregard’s name is Gertrude for some reason in “The Man Trap.” Dude, just let Janice name him Beauregard if she wants to. He’s her plant, you just feed him sometimes. And frankly, Beauregard is the perfect name for this plant, so we have to give you points off for this one.

I’ll protect you, fair maiden Another instance that’s on both our good and bad lists comes in “The Naked Time.” Drunk or not, assaulting his coworkers is not okay, pal. And Uhura can defend herself from the likes of Richelieu or whoever else. Can we do away with the constant need to protect female characters like they’re damsels in distress? Luckily, Uhura managed to own this moment, as we’ll certainly see next week.

I knew he would Here’s another example of Chris putting the same moment in both of his lists. Funny as that interaction with Bailey was, did we really need the countdown in “The Corbomite Maneuver”? Balok was already doing it for us, as we could tell when the Clint Howard–shaped alien was supposed to repeat “one minute” after Sulu, but the line was cut, and Sulu reacts to it anyway like a weirdo.

Fantasy island, er, planet Most things in “Shore Leave” are perplexing since the episode was being written on the fly and all the characters are acting entirely out of character (we postulated the whole planet was drugged, but who knows). So when Sulu is evidently thinking about samurai for some reason, we can just blame the writers if that comes across as a little racist, especially considering Takei fought to NOT be written as a samurai in “The Naked Time.”

If it were two feet from me You know how we were giving credit earlier to Sulu for caring for Beauregard and having a knack for botany? Well all that goes out the window in “This Side of Paradise” where Sulu suddenly can’t notice a plant that is literally right next to him and slowly turning to face him. I call this man’s botany skills into question. No wonder he misgendered Beauregard! 

You are away from your post, Mister We can give normal universe Sulu a pass on this one, but his parallel universe self in “Mirror, Mirror” is just a monster. While it’s some good fun to watch Takei got down with his bad self by trying to get the captain killed and all that jazz, it is just plain uncomfortable to watch him terrorizing Uhura, so it’s definitely worth a place on our list.

A literal dagger of the mind In “And the Children Shall Lead,” it’s unclear how far the mental powers of Gorgan go since sometimes the crew only hallucinates things and sometimes they are straight-up mind controlled. Sulu seeing a ton of knives in space (which is just plain impossible and he should know it) is the weirdest instance yet. Kirk has to tell him what he sees isn’t there, but does he understand that? Who knows; it’s a nonsensical episode.

I am for you, Sulu This is just a little moment, but Sulu falls (literally!) for one of the oldest cliches in horror writing: When Losira is coming for him in “That Which Survives,” Sulu backs away and trips on some rocks like a chump, leaving himself prone to her attack. And what makes even less sense is that her touching him doesn’t kill him like the others; it only disrupts the cells in his shoulder. Like a chump.

It’s Walter backwards! More of Sulu getting made to look like a chump comes in The Animated Series episode “The Infinite Vulcan” when he nearly gets himself killed after getting bitten by a retlaw: a walking planet with poisonous bite. Luckily, he gets saved by the Phylosians, but you’d think a botanist like Sulu would know better. Oh wait, I’ve already questioned his botany skills, so there’s that.

You’re a wizard, Sulu! I can’t rant enough on what a trainwreck “The Magicks of Megas-Tu” is, but here’s a taste. To test out how to use magic (not even going to start; we’ll be here all day), Sulu’s first impulse is to make himself a pretty woman and then go in to kiss her. In front of everyone. What the hell, Sulu? I expected better from you, man, but making yourself a sex doll is utterly ridiculous.

One tiny step for a tiny man One more from The Animated Series, and this one’s stupidity is compounded by the super inconsistent animation. When he’s been shrunk in “The Terratin Incident” to somewhere between one foot and one inch tall depending on the art frame, Sulu goes to turn a dial, somehow trips on it, and falls off the equivalent of a ten-story building only to break a leg. Ugh.

Like a bull in a China ship I have to give Sulu grief about something that bugs me whenever I see it in Star Trek. Did you ever notice that the crew seem to use breakable items only so they can get smashed? In any other scene, the ceramic tea cup that we see in The Undiscovered Country might be metal or plastic or the paper cups we saw at one point, but because we need to see it break, it’s ceramic, and I slowly lose my mind about it.

—

Oh my. We’re reducing to impulse speed to prepare for more of these character spotlights, so keep your eyes here for more in the series! Also, keep up with our watchthrough of Enterprise over on SoundCloud or wherever you podcast, challenge us to a duel over on Facebook or Twitter, and take a moment to smell the flowers, if you take a half a second to notice them.

[tippenfunkaport]

SPOP Alias AU

This is just a full on incoherent ramble about some misc thoughts I had about this so I am putting it under the cut 😅

for the benefit of the youths, Alias was a show about spies! and plot twists! and wigs! and how Jennifer Garner looks good in literally any outfit you put her in (seriously, just google Sydney Bristow disguises)

(so this is not a 1:1 AU but general spoilers for the TV show Alias to follow)

Adora is Sidney basically and working for what she thinks is the CIA doing nerd stuff at a desk job. And then her finance, Catra, is murdered!

And she's still mourning but Light Hope sends her on an undercover mission to do sexy spy work in Outfits! and Wigs! and while on a mission could swear she sees… Catra, whaaa?

So she's like WHAT is happening and goes back to Light Hope who is cryptic and says if she wants answers she has to join the CIA. And Adora is basically like, "…do i not already work for the CIA?" and finds out, in fact, she does not and her entire team (which is basically all the Horde characters) are actually working for SD6, an evil organization pretending to be the CIA. The real CIA (the princess alliance) wants her to go undercover and help take SD6 down from the inside. And she agrees because she wants to find out what happened to Catra. (And I know you're thinking why not make Catra Vaughn aka her handler but it's more fun if Catradora are both kinda on opposite sides for a while so her handler can be Mara and Adora is never really sure how much to trust her bc her girlfriend Light Hope is also a double agent working for SD6 and whose side are any of them really on?).

Light Hope and Mara kinda share the role of morally ambiguous Jack Bristow/mentor figure and Shadow Weaver is Sloan.

Anyway, meanwhile, Bow is Adora's innocent civilian roommate / best friend who has no idea that any of this spy nonsense is going on (so, he's Will aka Bradly Cooper before he was cool) but has been very earnestly trying to investigate Catra's "death" because something doesn't add up. He accidentally uncovers too much though and Light Hope thinks that he is a weak spot that SD6 could use to keep to Adora in line (bc Adora is starting to doubt their mission, the same reason that Catra had to fake her death). So Light Hope sends one of their best agents (Glimmer because I am who I am) to spy on and eventually eliminate Bow.

Meanwhile, Catra is basically a combo of Irina and Nadia (obviously not actually related to Adora) but where it's unclear which side she is on or how much influence SW as Sloane has on her but she ultimately prove to be on the side of good after lots of homoerotic fighting in Wigs! and Outfits!

So, in the show, (big spoilers for Alias) Adora's two best IRL non-CIA friends are Will and Francie and eventually Will and Francie start dating... but it turns out that the real Francie was murdered and someone else stole her face and is posing as Francie to spy on Will and manipulate him. (Alias is WILD, man) And Will eventually finds out and has to murder this person who l looks like his best friend that he loves in self defense. So! Clearly we are not doing that!

Instead, we are going to steal some of the vibes and have Glimmer (who Bow has no preexisting relationship to) sent in as an agent whose job is to seduce him and get close to him and pretend to be his girlfriend to keep an eye on Adora (bc Light Hope doubts her loyalty knowing she's trying to find Catra). And Glimmer starts to become torn about her mission as she starts to genuinely like Adora and feel bad about betraying her and to actually fall for Bow for real. So when she gets the order down to kill Bow, she can't do it and flees. Her only ally is the disgraced Shadow Weaver, who fled when SD6 fell apart and is perfectly happy to manipulate Glimmer in her darkest hour.

She teams up with Catra who recognizes she's not a bad person and then two of them take down SW and get back into the CIA's good graces.

Meanwhile, Adora puts Bow into the witness protection program which protects him because everyone wants to kill him now, but also means he has to cut all ties with his family. So he HATES Glimmer for all those months of lying to/using him and ruining his life. He starts to work for the CIA as well because what else is he going to do after all that? and Glimmer is working there too after it's revealed she ultimately protected Bow and Adora and her and Catra took out SW so she comes to work there and ✨ tension✨. Because he's really mad at her and doesn't trust her at all but they have to work together and have been fake dating for a year and how much of those feelings were real and something something eventually they start to become actual friends for real this time and decide to try dating for real and they kind of pretend they just met and try to keep it all sweet like a real first date except they have too much history and end up fast burning.

And while Glimbow are being a disaster Catra and Adora are trying to rebuild what they had but the whole war between the factions have made them very different people and they need to figure out how to get back to each other while stopping SW who is back from the dead and looking for magic First Ones artifacts that lead to immortality / the end of the entire world.

Standard stuff, really.

[shina-moon-art]

Hey it's been a few I wanted to ask Anns timeskip design why do I have the idea of it being like funeral clothes like panic at the disco style like she always we are black to mourn ace maybe even a corset with those cool floofy dress shirts like a proper pirate?

I’m gonna be honest I’ve been working on cooking up a post time skip outfit for her for a while now but the one I managed to do didn’t feel right and I haven’t had time to draw outside class long enough to do more than just paint a head shot or do a quick study😭😭😭

Tbh I can see her wearing something akin to funeral clothing but she wouldn’t wear black(she didn’t get to when her mom and dad died, it doesn’t feel right to treat Ace differently) but she’ll likely never wear anything white again either. Despite her mourning his loss I feel like she’d stick to HER colors pink and brown and off-white(usually more yellow), I know without a doubt that she would wear orange now too to carry on Ace’s will. But yeah, at this point she’s gone full pirate, on board a yonko’s crew and strong enough to be a yonko herself. She and shanks are a force to be reckoned with but the difference is that Ann can/would drop everything to go help Luffy if he needed it, she respects his dream but she will NOT let another of her little brothers die (sure she got Sabo back but a loss that was regained is still a loss)

Ann probably dresses like a pirate captain because in a sense she is captain, the Roger pirates disbanded on Roger’s words but if she called for them they’d be back in seconds (I like to imagine that Rayleigh calls her mini captain, now he just calls her captain)

There are rumors of the WG calling her the Pirate Queen, not necessarily putting her in place of the King but a title befitting of someone so strong, empress/emperor seems to almost undervalue her experience (she’s not a yonko but could be, it’d throw the whole world out of balance having two emperors basically in the same crew) but princess sounds dainty. She’s like the final hurdle, permission from the pirate queen, the daughter of the pirate king himself, to gun for the crown (everyone knows she believes only two people worthy of the title, everyone is afraid for what it’ll do to the world when what she says comes to pass)

Anyway I went on a tangent, I just like thinking about Ann 😁

[bookishbunnies]

Rewatching Shadowhunters and I am yet again truly amazed at how much they managed to change/fuck up, and incredibly surprised everytime they got something right

Like they manage to include the detail about the role of suggenes at shadowhunter weddings, but just a couple minutes later completely fuck up the fact that white is the shadowhunter colour of mourning and funerals by putting Alec in a white suit instead of gold (tho granted they did have the rest of the wedding party have gold as part of their outfits, tho Lydia still had a mostly white dress which is just weird).

And how they include Chairman Meow and Church as Magnus's cats, but utterly fuck up how seraph blades and runes work

Also yay they gave Lydia a last name we recognise, but then she says Henry Branwell is her ancestor which makes no sense since his kids carried on the Fairchild name, all the way down to Jocelyn and Clary

And what exactly was the point in saying Ragnor Fell lived in a cottage outside London instead of Idris? It was Malcolm that had a hidden cottage near London, and the scene where they went to Ragnors house could easily have been Idris, there was nothing visually to say it was in England vs Idris. It was a pointless change that did nothing for the story (unlike major changes they made which obviously contributed to the new story they wanted to tell like Lydia and the whole wedding thing)

I'm definitely not gonna get started on the whole way they went about Magnus and Alec's relationship starting. I'll love Malec in any shape or form, but it just makes no sense for Magnus to interrupt a wedding of someone he barely knows and has never even kissed, and for Alec to go kiss him for the first time in front of everyone. But I think that's mainly coz one of the Malec scenes I was most excited for in the books was when Clary creates the fearless rune and Alec tests it out and almost outs himself to his parents coz of it.

But yeah, sometimes the things they got right surprise me so much coz of all the things they got so so wrong 😅

[kitkatopinions]

So, since volume nine is potentially coming out very soon, I've made a list of... Not quite predictions. It's more like a list of best case scenario stuff that I might actually want to see and be excited for, a worst case scenario of stuff that I really really don't want to see and think I'd hate, and then kind of a medium case scenario of things that I think are likely to happen or that would annoy me but wouldn't be the worst.

Best Case

The bizarro stuff (like talking mice and shrinking mains) only lasts for one or two episodes. Then things start getting more serious

Neo actually communicates with someone and gets some progression

One of the main four characters decides they've messed up and need to improve without being treated as wrong or being reassured that they DIDN'T mess up and DON'T need to change

Ruby is allowed to mourn Penny outside of 'obligatory thirty seconds of crying' and 'empowering speechTM'

Jaune is allowed to feel his feelings but is made background support and working through his issues is put on the back burner to give more focus to Team RWBY

Yang and Weiss, Ruby and Blake, Weiss and Blake, and especially Ruby and Yang have meaningful interactions with each other that don't feel super shallow or fake

Blake is allowed to be fiesty, make choices, and argue with the others (bonus points if she's shown caring about the Faunus and their struggles or mentions her parents, Ilia, or Sun!)

Getting rid of the horrible volume seven and eight outfit looks (either by replacing them with something better or deconstructing the Atlas layers to make passable island-weather clothes.)

Blake and/or Yang get SOME sort of queer confirmation (FINALLY) whether it's having an open conversation with each other or others about their feelings or getting together or kissing or just something that's more than coding.

People worry about their families and Team JNOR

Acknowledgement of the Atlas/Mistral people who also fell off the bridge.

At least one character that isn't Jaune has a panic attack or a breakdown (not counting the fake ass gasping Ruby did in the trailer.)

One really good fight scene with a good song

The mains diss the gods without being corrected by each other or the narrative

The mains show sympathy for Ozpin without being corrected by each other or the narrative

There's at least one argument and/or disagreement between the four mains that causes natural tension that doesn't get resolved by one of them completely taking back everything they said. Bonus points if the argument/disagreement isn't actually resolved by the end of the season

There is some progression in the actual storyline such as important knowledge that they needed to learn or something they do that impacts Remnant.

Neo wins a fight against one of the mains

Cool new especially challenging types of Grimm (hopefully with some brightly colored accents)

We get to see the Nora, Ren, Oscar, etc still left in Vacuo so we can see immediate conflicts and consequences in Remnant due to the actions taken in V7 and V8 outside of just the end of the last episode

Ruby gets angry at Jaune for killing Penny, and even when she rationalizes it, she's still angry at him and has a hard time being logical about it

Ruby is the one to figure out how to get back to Remnant without it being handed to her in any way (including Little or anyone else just figuring it out and telling her, or her just happening upon how to do it without any real work or planning.)

The way to get back to Remnant isn't just sprung on us out of the blue and then used pretty much immediately like the Staff of Creation, it actually gets set up.

Haircuts or other type of hair changes (like buns or ponytails)

They get back to Remnant before the last episode of the season

Medium Case

Blake and Weiss barely interact past one or two shallow moments, and/or Yang and Weiss barely interact past one or two shallow moments, and/or Blake and Ruby barely interact past one or two shallow moments.

People worry about those left behind, but Weiss doesn't mention Whitley

They hallucinate their dead friends or their enemies

Two or more jokes about Blake being a cat Faunus (counting the one where Little is afraid when Ruby says Blake has cat ears)

Little's knowledge and what they think is normal shifts all the time and is annoyingly untrackable

They're on the Island for more than a week and when they get back to Remnant, some of the big problems their choices helped cause have just been conveniently solved and can now be ignored

Neo is nerfed in order to give one of the mains a win

They figure out how to defeat Salem and it isn't healing or saving her

The theme song is mostly people standing around making facial expressions

Little has more lines and/or screentime than Jaune

We're stuck with the ugly V7-V-8 looks for the whole season.

Ruby makes an inspiring speech that's pretty much just like her usual inspiring speeches.

Incredibly obvious Wonderland stuff (like running after a rabbit, potions that say drink me,' heart shaped scenery or buildings, croquet, etc) and/or incredibly obvious nods to character allusions (Yang encountering three bears, Weiss seeing a magic mirror, Ruby carrying a basket of goods, etc)

Obvious joke(s) 'ribbing at critics'

Ruby is distressed and upset at how everything in V7-V8 went down, but is assured (either immediately or eventually) that she's fine and has done good.

There's an argument between the four mains where one person is treated as wholly in the wrong and needs to apologize and take back what they said.

Neo officially decides to fight Cinder and Salem and might even team up with the mains, but is still obviously a wildcard who doesn't like or always listen to the mains, and they likewise don't get along with her yet and have justified problems with her and that doesn't just go away by the end of the season

Jaune dies

Little dies

Jaune saves one of the main girls from some perilous situation

One or more of the mains do something morally dubious without any of them reflecting on if they should and it's just treated as normal and fine with no nuance

They find another Relic like the Crown of Choice.

Ozpin manages to contact them from Remnant somehow in ways that complicate the magic system

References to non-canon side material like the Team CFVY books, Arrowfell, etc.

Blake kind of just doesn't do anything significant all season and is just there to encourage Ruby and be romantic with Yang

Worst Case

Timeskip Jaune and/or antagonist Jaune

Little has more lines and/or screentime than Blake

Team RWBYJ meet the gods and are on their side or given some sort of special task

They talk to their dead friends for real and some of them are like 'I'm at peace lol'

They see dead enemies like Ironwood and/or Adam and/or Roman tbh so the writers can pound it into the audience's head that they really suck super badly

WBY are miniaturized for more than one episode

Penny's death isn't brought up at all

Everyone forgets Qrow, Oscar, Nora, or Ren exist

Three or more new central characters that take up time (Little already counts as one.)

Ruby and Yang barely interact past one or two shallow moments and/or moments between Ruby and Yang are interrupted or passed up on favor of Yang and Blake.

The mains get to see the future or an alternate version of what the world would be like without them or something stupid like that

The mains decide Salem is just a victim and that they have to fix and save her, or realize she isn't the actual big bad after all and they have bigger fish to fry

We get rid of the V7-V8 outfits only for them to be replaced with something even worse

Neo (or one of the main four if we get antagonist Jaune) fights Jaune and loses

Neither Blake nor Yang get confirmed as queer and just get more coding

Jaune song about how sad he is after killing Penny and/or another Jaune song about how sad he is that Pyrrha is dead

Pretty much nothing important to the overarching Salem plot happens at all

Neo officially switches to the good guys team and by the time the season ends, they're all friendly and don't seem to have real problems with her anymore

One or more of the mains do something really bad that by all logic should really make them upset and they don't even reflect on it and it's treated as normal and fine (this still counts even if the mains 'have no choice.')

There's an entire episode that's almost all dedicated to either Jaune or someone else that isn't Weiss, Blake, Yang, or Ruby

The main four or Jaune randomly just have knowledge that they have no reason to have, like people who fell before Penny died just knowing she died without being told on screen, or people who should react to Little talking just ignoring it

Weiss and Jaune as a ship gets teased or gets confirmation (bonus points if they get confirmed and Blake and Yang don't!)

Neo, Ruby, Yang, Blake, or Weiss die

They get back to Remnant only to realize there's been a timeskip of a year or more

This is the finale season, and the show ends

[somethingotherthanwhatwas]

Oh, to be a mysterious old book collector that goes by Mr Valentine even though no one knows my real name or whether im a man or a woman. I wear half moon glasses with a gold rim and am never seen wearing anything other than an immaculately put together outfit of a long coat, a dress shirt and some worn dark green pants, maybe some suspenders, that fits my aesthetic perfectly. I have been fascinated with books since i was little, and worked as a librarian and delivery boy for most of my twenties, until the untimely death of my grandfather (who was always a little peculiar) leaves me with a small fortune and a large mansion full to the brim with trinkets and collectibles. I sell the house and use some of the money to buy a small cottage in the middle of nowhere. I keep as many of the trinkets as i can. After that i travel around in search of first edition plays or poem translations never published or a fascinating set of letters in an exchange between forbidden lovers in the 1800s. I collect a very very large collection of pieces of writing through the ages that i keep in my little cottage safehouse. I travel to france to london to moscow to japan, and once even to argentina and egypt. I go on ships and trains exclusively because thats where you can find things you didnt even know you where looking for. The day i turn sixty five i find a letter that leads me down a rabbit hole and i end up uncovering a decades old conspiracy that is still going to this day. I spend a decade following the trail, storing everything i find back in my little house in the woods, until one day i trust the wrong person and realise ive gotten poisoned. In my last moments i leave a note that i put in a book that i send in a little cart down the river Volga, which is frozen (im in moscow at the time). I hobble to the red square and die curled up near the ice rink. Ive always liked moscow during winter. My murderers think theyve put a stop to my knowledge but what they dont know is that ive left my cottage, and everything in it, to an old friend who has never gotten married, who ive always had a bit of a soft spot for. She learns of my death and mourns at least a little inside for the rest of her life. When she dies of old age she leaves my collection to her young granddaughter, who is so quiet and unbothered by anything that people call her peculiar in that way that implies something much more severe. When she finds out about the cottage she is delighted and moves there as soon as shes done with her education, intending to write biographies and historical non fiction using the resources i amassed, but not three years into her stay she hears a knock on her door during a storm and opens it warily only to find a bedraggled, lanky girl trying her best to cove a very old book from the rain who speaks in a heavy russian accent and begs to be let in so she can explain who she is. The girl lets her in and gives her a blanket and hot chocolate and listens to her tell a wild story about finding a book under a bridge and taking it and then having to run from someone who happened to see her carry it and started following her home, eventually resulting in her having to leave the country out of fear of being stalked, and finding an address disguised as a riddle in the book she picked up and deciding to go there. Her and the granddaughter become fast friends even though one speaks mostly in russian and the other in french, and then they both uncover the conspiracy and are forced out of the cottage into an adventure that they will never forget, during which they find out a lot more about my life and also fall in love. They survive and live the rest of their lives traveling, like i did, following trail after trail. They die in peace, leaving everything in their will to a young mother they see almost as a daughter and my legacy continues and grows through mother after daughter after granddaughter after lover. Centuries down the line, my grave is wrapped in pink lilies and blue forget-me-nots

[sasuhinasno1fan]

A wish for a different life - Adrien AUGreste Day 16

It’s here, the end. Well, I really wanna right the lukadrien date and still do Swap, so we’ll see. I do still want to expand on this as my friends and I came up with so many ideas for this and I just wanna write it all. A lot of people asked to see different things and I really want to give it a chance to work at it, so hopefully I can. Thank you all for your kind words and guesses of who the heroes were. 

Healing

Adrien plucked a bobby pin from Plagg’s mouth and used it to create an X on the twisted lock of hair. His date with Luka was a half an hour and, in his nerves, Adrien ended up getting ready early. With how long it was taking to get his hair to cooperate, getting ready early might of worked in his favour.

“Last one.” His kitten said twisting the last lock and pinning it down with the pins. He messed with his bangs, pushing them to the side before he took one last look at his outfit. “What do you think?”

“You look pretty good. I think La- I mean lover boy would approve too.” It was hard to not just call Luka by his nickname of Ladybird. Having holders know who their partner is made life so much easier, even with the risk of being caught by Hawkmoth. Plagg was terrified that with Lila living Adrien’s life, it still meant Gabriel had the Butterfly Miraculous. He wanted to sneak into the house and find Nooro and Duusu and get them all out, but that wasn’t happening with how Lila was. She’d never let Adrien within a five-foot distance of the door.

Fu seemed to find the idea of Gabriel Agreste a possible Hawkmoth silly but he knew Tikki was also worried. There was no chance that Lila’s wish changed that. Her life was a carbon copy of what Adrien lived through, except her mindset was how people had to be nice to her and not Adrien’s ‘I hope they’re nice to me’. He had yet to see her Akumatized, which was probably a good thing. when she was, she was the worst asset Gabriel had. The things she put people through just to live what she thought was her ideal life. He wish he’d shaken Adrien back then, tell him to not just be the bigger person because it was easier. His father had given him that mindset, that kindness fixes everything, because it eventually had to fix his father, right?

All that got him was a controlling father, an assistant who cared, but not enough, no support from any family because they all wanted something from him and seeing a mother he never properly mourned for encased in a coffin. It got him so messed up with emotions that Lila managed to knock him out and rip the ring from his finger.

But it did get him this. A mother who while busy, doted on him and cared so much for him. A life where he got to grow up understanding things and people, where he chooses to love the camera, even if he looked different for each picture. He got to find love and lose it and find another piece. He found his voice, unwilling to go silent when it mattered and went off and shouted when he was angry. Adrien was still the same kind, amazing, shining ball of a person he met that time line ago, but he was more now. Plagg had made his peace thinking the only time he’d see Adrien was when Juleka was around him because Adrien didn’t need Chat Noir anymore, but somehow, he still got a chance to be with his kitten. He may not need his power in quite the same way but that wasn’t going to stop the love he had for Adrien.

“Is everything ok? You get these looks sometimes. I’m not being too much am I?” Plagg realised in Adrien’s rant of nerves with the upcoming event, he drifted off. It was like the first weeks with Juleka, except he reacted with snide comments and hurt that he kept holding on to. It hadn’t been right for Juleka and how he acted when he first met Adrien wasn’t right either.

“No kitten. Trust me, I like you just the way you are. You just, remind me of someone sometimes.”

“Catseye?”

“No no, not Blacky. This guy was…something. He was a bit naive and had a lot of trust in people, but he wasn’t afraid to scold me. Gods, I use to get him into so many messes. I was so use to eventually a holder using their power on me to control me, but to him, I was a way to freedom and happiness and he’d delt with worse so I can’t be that bad. Then I really saw how he lived. Having to beg to be around people while also being surrounded by them, but not because they were his friends, but because they loved the surface level of him. And he was so much more. Music lover, a romantic, a person’s biggest supporter and he had a heart of gold. It didn’t matter how bad his life was, he always had some positive thought or smile that he’d give me and it just made me want to wrap him up all close.” He let out a sigh, “I didn’t get to tell him goodbye.”

“What was his name?”

“I can’t tell you a holders’ name, remember?”

“Ok, what was his hero name?”

“Chat Noir. It was simple but while he could make jokes and puns,” Plagg started.

“A guy after my own heart.”

If only he knew. “he fought hard to protect people. He made sure they were ok. The kids loved him, thought he was the coolest. He wasn’t a cat of bad luck, just a misunderstood kitty to those who didn’t know him well.”

“I was going to go for that name when I finally have to fight. Guess I’ll have to choose a different one.”

“Maybe stick away from Italian. Don’t want Alya narrowing down the search.”

That and he just realised that Lila would have to notice the same name and go after Adrien. He refused to be controlled by the girl again.

“Hmm. Yami, Fuku, Luna, Regulus, misfortune. I really hope an Akuma doesn’t pop up, both for my date and not being ready. But Plagg? Thanks for telling me about him, Chat Noir. I’m sorry you didn’t get to say goodbye.”

“It’s alright. With 2 awesome holders already, I think he’d approve.”

Just then the doorbell ran and Adrien rushed to the door. “He’s here! Plagg, come on!” on the elevator ride down, he saw Adrien still thinking when he looked over his shoulder to where he was hiding on top of his bag. “What about Plague? That’s what your name is based off of right?”

“More like it’s based off of me. Besides, aren’t hero names supposed to inspire?”

“And Black Cat does? and cats eye is technically a green crystal so.”

He shook his head. “Don’t focus on the name. right now, focus on how Loverboy’s jaw will drop when he sees you.”

“You think?”

“Trust me kitten.” He deserved it. This life, all the happiness it came with, he deserved all of it as a healing balm for everything he went through before. even if he had no memory of it.

“You look amazing. What you did with your hair is really cool.”

“Thanks. You look amazing too. Anyone ever tell you that wearing a leather jacket should be illegal?”

“Well, I’ve noticed how you keep staring at my snake bites so, I guess that’s illegal too?”

Plagg couldn’t help but snicker as Adrien sputtered, no doubt red.

He had made his peace with not having Adrien. But now that he did, his healing would be helping him defeat Hawkmoth, even if it was he former father. Allowing Adrien to keep this life was his way of healing. And the fact that he got to be apart of it and watch his kitten smile every day, that was just the icing on the cake. Or the best wheel of camembert, your choice.

[marvelsimp97]

Master of Hong Kong Sanctum (Doctor Strange x Reader) One-shot

Summary: You are the Master of the Hong Kong Sanctum but your journey started when you met Stephen Strange in Kamar-Taj.

Word count: 4176

Things went back to normal here at the Hong Kong sanctum since Kaecilius was stopped by Doctor Strange. Wong spent his time visiting Strange, you and staying at Kamartaj. You walked along the corridors of the sanctum with your heart clenching in pain at the memories flashing before your eyes.

Your father was the former protector of the Hong Kong sanctum but he was killed by Kaecilius. You barely survived when you and Wong tried to stop the man you called friend once. He was bitter and it made him believe in things that could never work. You were wearing a Chinese type of outfit which contained a black under dress and a bright red jacket secured on you at your waist by a belt made from the same material while its sleeves were long and large. You put your hair into an eastern style in an up-do so it won't bother you. You couldn't help but think of Stephen these days. He was charming and funny, was kind to you and made you laugh.

Flashback~

You decided to go back to Kamartaj now that you finished your studies at the University. Your father asked you if you wanted to stay with him and guard the Hong Kong sanctum but you knew you wanted to teach the new apprentices at Kamartaj. You wore your usual outfit from the days you were an apprentice yourself. You smiled at your father and gave him a hug before you went through the door which led to Kamartaj.

Your father went to Kamartaj with you when you were only six years old because your mother died in cancer. He wanted to not let his mourning turn him into someone he never wanted to be. He realized this when he first yelled at you for something trivial and made you cry. He decided to be a good father and so he joined the sorcerers with you. The Ancient One liked you and you remembered how you liked to play with her as a child. She always smiled at you patiently and gave you lessons when you got older. It took you time to learn the things you knew now but you never gave up when you stumbled into a problem.

'Be careful' smiled your father down on you as he let go of you.

'You too, dad' you gave him a kiss on his cheek and went through the door stepping into the library. Wong immediately noticed you and greeted you with a nod and a modest smile. You chit-chatted away with him before you went upstairs to greet the Ancient One and Mordo. You found them at the training field which was a balcony looking out to the mountains.

'It is nice to have you here again' spoke up the Ancient One way before you got close enough. You smiled at her and Mordo who turned to you surprised. He greeted you with a hug and a smile.

'Now that I finished my studies I wanted to take some time to myself and calm down a bit' you replied walking up to her and looked at her then to the air in front of her where she was looking then back at her again. 'Are we expecting someone?' You sighed knowing she left someone at the Himalaja again. You knew she used this method to push the apprentices who needed a push.

'He's quite talented but stubborn just as much' replied the bald woman making you chuckle. 'Any second now...'

Suddenly a portal started sparkling and a disheveled man with long brown hair and beard in grey apprentice clothes fell through it. There were icicles on his beard and he was shaking violently. His blue eyes fell on you after he looked up exhausted at the Ancient One. Mordo and you helped him up and brought him to his room where you placed him on his bed.

'I will make sure he doesn't have fever or got cold' you sighed with a troubled smile on your lips.

'She will never change' chuckled Mordo before leaving you with the apprentice. He was older than you but you couldn't really tell how old was he because of his messy beard. You covered him with a blanket and brought a cup of hot tea from the kitchen. When you got back he was conscious and looked up at you surprised. You smiled at him and handed him the tea.

'How are you feeling?' you asked with a gentle smile.

'I'm alright, thank you...' he replied eying you suspiciously. 'Who are you?'

'Ah, we haven't met before, I know' you chuckled. 'I'm (Name).'

'Are you an apprentice too or a... master?' he asked putting his empty cup down and curling the blanket tighter on his body which was quite large. He was tall and well built.

'Not an apprentice anymore and not a master yet' you replied. 'I just got my degree and decided to stay low for a while. What about you? Do you like it here?'

'I'm Stephen' he replied. 'I came here to heal my hands because I'm a neurosurgeon and you know, need them for my work.'

'I see' you nodded and got up from the table you were leaning against. 'Please, don't be late from tomorrow morning's class.'

You didn't wait for him to reply and left his room. As days passed and you slowly got to know him you started to become friends. To your surprise he cut his hair and beard and now walked around with a goatee and combed back hair. His blue eyes followed you on each class, others saying he liked you but you always chose to believe he was just watching you to learn more by how you were moving when casting a spell.

The two of you went out into the city and spent a day off sometimes walking around, eating interesting stuff and just talking. You walked alongside him on the crowded streets when you smelled some street food treats. You always had a sweet-tooth so you had to try out one dragging him along. You haven't noticed that you grabbed hold of his hand only when you arrived at the vendor and turned around to ask what he wanted to try out. You bumped into his chest and he grabbed your shoulder with his free hand to steady you. You smiled up at him sheepishly a light blush on your cheeks and he smiled back down at you when the vendor called out to the two of you.

'Hey, what can I get for you two, love birds?' he beamed at you two. That was when you realized you were holding Stephen's hand and let go of it quickly blushing harder.

'We-we're not together like that' you replied while deciding what to eat. That was the first time you noticed your reactions to his closeness and how he smiled at you. But times like these pass quickly and so it happened the same in your case. Stephen learnt so fast that he tried to open up Aggamotto's eye which ended up almost with a catastrophic result.

You, Wong and Mordo stopped him doing anything fatal and told him how dangerous was what he tried to do when the door of the London sanctum opened and in fell the guardian of the sanctum dead. You gasped and looked at the door to see Kaecilius walking towards the door. He made the place explode destroying the sanctum. Mordo cried out in protest but nothing stopped Kaecilius. You and Stephen was thrown into the New York sanctum while Wong and Mordo landed somewhere else.

Stephen pulled you into his chest protecting you from the rubble tumbling down on you. The two of you got out from under the debris and tried to find out where you were. Soon you realized where you landed and sighed.

'This is the New York sanctum' you said to Strange who looked around curiously. 'Come we must find master Drumm.'

You led Stephen up to the room of relics and looked around searching for Drumm. You looked through the many relics and your eyes stopped on one. The Ebony Blade. You heard rumors about it but never thought you would see it in real life. You walked up to the cabinet it was secured in and put your hand on the glass as you looked at the beautiful black blade. Suddenly it lifted up from the velvet cushion it was on and breaking through the glass it flew into your open palm. You grabbed hold of it and surprisingly none of the glass shards cut you.

'(Name)' called out Strange for you from the other end of the room. You turned to him and followed him to the front door where Kaecilius was. When you arrived you saw Drumm already standing at the end of the stairs. You wanted to interject but Stephen grabbed your hand and pulled you back. You had to silently watch Drumm get killed and it made you furious. You thought you knew Kaecilius, you thought he was a good man but killing other people with cold blood... you felt stupid for not seeing it earlier. Kaecilius noticed you when he pulled out his weapon of Drumm.

'How long have you been to Kamaraj, mister...'

'Doctor' Stephen corrected. Kaecilius quirked an eyebrow.

'Mister Doctor?' asked back the light haired man.

'It's Strange' rolled his eyes Stephen making you chuckle quietly.

'Maybe... but who am I to judge?' shrugged Kaecilius before spotting you. 'Oh, I see you got a new friend, (Name).'

'Kaecilius...' you acknowledged stepping in line with Stephen. Kaecilius and his followers attacked you. You haven't prepared for battle but you were ready to fight knowing you were the only ones who could stop Kaecilius. You fought with all of your power but you couldn't act fast enough and one of them pushed you through the doors which looked to the desert. Stephen cried out but Kaecilius' follower closed the door.

You cursed under your breath but started opening a portal back. When you got back Strange was already talking to Kaecilius who was restrained by that thing. It took you a moment to notice that the Cloak of Levitation was sitting on your friend's shoulders.

'And here comes the beautiful (Name)' spoke up Kaecilius as his eyes followed you.

'What happened to my friend?' you asked sadness lacing your voice. 'The man I knew is not the one I see now.'

'You're blind to not see the possibilities Dormammu can offer' he smiled disappointed.

'Whatever you wish to earn from him, you're wrong. There's nothing good for you in it' you sighed. 'You're a creature born from light even if you try to deny it. Darkness will never welcome you the way it does to those who are born from darkness.'

'(Name)-' called out to you Stephen when someone hits your chest through with an energy blade. You gasp in shock and while you tried to process what had just happened the man who threw the energy blade at you grabbed your shoulder and threw you down the stairs. Strange soon follows you to the lower level with a heavy thud but he just grabs you and pulls you along with him.

'Where are you-'

'To a hospital' he quickly answered. You heard the man's steps behind you and your heart jumped to your throat. You gulped and closed your eyes feeling something bad coming when the Cloak of Levitation wrapped itself around the man and started dragging him all around slamming him into the wall and the floor.

You were grateful but you didn't have time to admire the relic when you were pulled into a storage room. The place smelled like detergent and medicine. You and Stephen quickly made your way out of the room and onto the corridor. You didn't process what was going on because of the blood loss you were having. You heard him yell around for someone... someone named Christine. You tried to keep your eyes open but your eyelids were too heavy and soon you fell into a deep sleep.

Time skip~

You slowly came to on a stretcher. Your chest hurt but you were fine otherwise. You tried to sit up but heard two voices talk. You didn't want to listen in but you were too dizzy and felt so strange from the sedatives.

'After all this time, you just show up here with this woman and fly out of your body?' Christine asked disbelief, shock and confusion in her voice. You knew it was her Stephen called out to before you lost consciousness.

'Yeah... I know' sighed Stephen, his voice tired and worn. 'I wrote you two emails but you never responded.'

'Why would I?' Christine asked back.

'Christine... I am so sorry... for all of it. You were right, I was a complete asshole. I treated you so horribly and you deserve so much more...' Strange said guilt lacing his words.

'Stop. You... You're clearly in shock' she said and he chuckled. 'I mean, what the hell's happening? Where have you been?'

'Well, after Western medicine failed me, I headed East and ended up in Kathmandu' Stephen replied and you expected the woman wouldn't believe him. At first all of this was unbelievable for you too when you were little but when you learnt to do the same things you realized that this was reality.

'Kathmandu?'

'Yeah'

'What, like the Bob Seger song?' she asked confusion clear in her voice. You couldn't help but chuckle before you spoke up clearly under the effect of the sedative.

'1975, Beautiful Loser, side A' you mumbled. They both went silent before Strange started laughing quietly.

'Were you listening on us, little lady?' he asked and you smiled back as you tried to open your eyes as you blinked a few times.

'A little but pssstt!' you put a finger on your lips and giggled.

'I think we should get her out of it now' sighed Stephen. 'We have things to do and I need her out of the pink clouds.'

'Okay' Christine could only say this much as she picked up a syringe. You didn't feel it enter your body but soon you were wide awake. You felt like a train hit you but you were awake. Stephen helped you get off the stretcher before you thanked Christine. The three of you walked back to the storage room where the portal was still open.

You were still out of it and could only grasp the last few sentences of what they were talking about.

'But I left him chained up in Greenwich Village and the quickest way back is through a dimensional gateway that I opened up in the mop closet' Stephen said.

'Okay, don't tell me' replied Christine before Stephen opened the door to the storage room and her jaw dropped in shock. You smile when you see her reaction. You step through the gateway before you heard Strange say: 'I really do have to go.'

The two of you walk down the corridor where you left the man who attacked you but he was lying on the floor not moving. Stephen checked his vitals but there was nothing to be checked. The man was dead. You saw disappointment in Stephen's features but you couldn't really tell him that it was okay, or he should get used to it. Killing someone... will only become easier but not the realization.

He turns back to you as the Cloak whips back on his shoulders and the two of you make your way to the room you left Kaecilius. When you reach the top of the stairs you see that there is no Kaecilius. You softly curse under your breath when you hear someone cry out to you.

'(Name)! Strange!' you turn around to see Mordo and the Ancient One. 'You two are okay...'

'A relative term but yeah, we're okay' Stephen replied. Mordo look closer at Strange to see the Cloak on his shoulders.

'The Cloak of Levitation, it came to you' smiled your friend.

'No minor feat, it's a fickle thing' spoke up the bald woman as she walked closer to the three of you.

'He escaped' you said.

'Kaecilius?'

'Yes, and he can fold space and matter at will' Stephen continued.

'He folds matter outside the mirror dimension? In the real world?' furrowed her eyebrows your mentor. You nodded while Stephen answered.

'How many more?'

'Two'

'I stranded one in the desert' Stephen said.

'The one who pushed me into another one?' you asked annoyed at the memory.

'Yes' he nodded with a smirk.

'And the other?'

'His body is in the hall' you replied.

'Master Drumm was in the foyer' Stephen said.

'He's been taken back to Kamar-taj. The London Sanctum has fallen, only the New York and Hong Kong sanctum remain now to shield us from the Dark Dimension. You two defended the New York sanctum from attack. With its Master gone, it needs another... Master Strange?' the Ancient One said.

'No, it's not Master Strange, not Mister Strange it's Doctor Strange' furrowed his eyebrows Stephen. 'When I became a doctor, I swore an oath to do no harm and I have just killed a man! I'm not doing it again! I became a doctor to save lives not to take them!'

'You became a doctor to save one life above all other. Your own' argued the Ancient One making you sigh. You knew this was coming. You saw how Stephen's face turned grim when he realized what he has done with your attacker.

'Still seeing through me, are you?'

'I see what I've always seen. Your overinflated ego... You want to go back to the delusion that you can control anything, even death, which no one can control. Not even the great Doctor Stephen Strange.'

'Not even Dormammu?' he asked.

'He offers immortality. It's our fear of death that gives Dormammu life. He feeds off it' she replied.

'Like you feed on him' Stephen pointed a finger at her. Mordo stare in shock at Strange while you try to find out how you're going to get out of this alive. 'You talk to me about controlling death. Well, I know how you do it. I've seen the missing rituals from the Book of Cagliostro.' he went closer to her staring right in her face.

'Measure your words very carefully, Doctor.' she hissed.

'Because you might not like them?'

'Because you might not know of what you speak' she replied.

'What's he talking about?' asked Mordo confused.

'I'm talking about her long life, the source of her immortality. She draws powers from the Dark Dimension to stay alive.' explained Stephen and you closed your eyes. You had a hunch about it but never asked the Ancient One. You knew she was doing this because she needed to and you never questioned her reasons.

'That's not true...' Mordo said in disbelief.

'I've seen the rituals and worked them out' Stephen replied as he kept glaring at the Ancient One. 'I know how you do it.' The doctor hissed.

'Is this true?' Mordo asks her.

When she finally speaks up after a long silence you could let go of the breath you were holding. 'Once they regroup the zaelots will be back. You'll need reinforcements.' and with that said your mentor walks away leaving you, Mordo and Stephen in silence.

You knew this day would come. The day someone questioning her immortality would come. You didn't know if you were disappointed or angry or both. You knew what the Ancient One was carrying but you knew it had a price.

'She's not who you think she is' said Stephen turning to you with apologetic blue eyes.

'I was... suspicious... but I always tried to keep that thought in the back of my mind...' you replied shaking your head.

'You don't have the right to say that' spoke up Mordo angrily. 'You have no idea of the responsibility that rests on her shoulders.'

'No, and I don't want to know' furrowed his eyebrows the Doctor.

'You're a coward!' yelled your other friend. You sighed not really happy about another argument. You were tired, injured and you had an enemy to defeat soon.

'Because I'm not a killer?' asked back Strange.

'Those Zealots will snuff us out and you can muster the strength to snuff them out first' the black man replied.

'Guys, we have no time for this right now...' you tried to interject but none of them paid you any attention.

'What do you think I just did?!' Stephen asked.

'You saved your own life! Then whine about it like a wounded dog!'

'When you would h done it so easily?' the Doctor asked back quietly walking away from the two of you.

'You have no idea... the things I've done... and the answer is yes, without hesitation' Mordo replied coldly. You looked at him and sighed disappointed. You always knew he was determined to stop bad and the enemies of the sorcerers but was sure he wouldn't turn to the extremes.

'Even if there's another way?'

'There is no other way' shook his head Mordo.

'You lack imagination' Stephen hissed.

'No, Stephen... you lack a spine' accused your friend. 'Most of us has had to kill or did it because there was no other way in the end.'

'Stephen... sometimes even if you don't want to kill your enemy they give you no other choice but to' you spoke up furrowing your eyebrows. 'I did kill... not just once. My enemy gave me no choice when he threatened a whole village's life. There was an artifact on him that couldn't be taken off of him and could kill dozens in the blink of an eye. I had to make a choice. One life or dozens, who were innocent people. They were peaceful, kind and hardworking men and women. The one I had to kill was someone who took innocent people's lives because his own bitterness. I'm not saying he deserved  it but I had to act and decide fast.'

'You think the same way?' Stephen asked disappointed and shocked making you sigh. He was the one who was blind now. Suddenly noise came from the front of the sanctum.

'They're here' Mordo said.

Time skip~

After everything was settled you decided to go and be the new master of the Hong Kong sanctum now that your father has died by Kaecilius' hand. You were mourning while Wong helped you restore the sanctum. You and Stephen talked once in while visiting each other. As time passed and the two of you got closer you realized how you truly felt but could never word your feelings for him. You were afraid of rejection. You knew he had that friend, Christine and she was beautiful and seemed kind.

However, he never talked about her. Stephen always asked about you and talked about how he was fairing. You never felt happier when he first asked you out. He invited you to a play in one of the theatres in New York so you had to ask one of the other masters at Kamar-taj to protect the Hong Kong sanctum while you were enjoying your night with Stephen. You had your first kiss when he visited you in Hong Kong after an attack from another dimension's creatures. Stephen confessed his feelings for you after he saw your injured, worn form. He was worried about you and you were happy he felt that way. Ever since, one of you would leave your sanctums for a night or two every once in a while. It was hard to make it work but you were never out of reach because you could open a portal anytime you wished to and could see the other.

End of flashback~

You were sitting in a chair reading a book and drinking some tea when you heard the noise of something breaking from down the hall. You lifted from your seat, the Ebony Blade in your grasp immediately and went to the corridor you heard the noise coming from. Your week was quite peaceful and you expected something to happen.

You turned down the corner and saw shattered glass on the floor where a vase was supposed to be on a stand. Suddenly two arms wrapped around your waist and pulled your back to a firm chest. You knew him. Your lips pulled into a smile when you felt his lips brush against the skin on your neck making you shiver.

'I missed you' Stephen purred.

'I missed you too, Stephen' you replied smiling as you turned around to look into his blue orbs. This was the man who you called yours now and you still couldn't believe it but you were grateful for fate. He was everything you ever wished for and he treated you the way you deserved... with love and care.

End~

[purplesurveys]

1511

Have you ever had an experience with something supernatural? No, but I don’t believe in that either.

What was the last good news you received? I’m not sure, actually; I haven’t been getting lots of those recently.

Do you use Snapchat? Haven’t used mine regularly in years. I remember Angela trying to make it into a thing again at the start of the pandemic when we all suddenly had all the time in the world in our hands lol. We kept up a streak for like a week but then I got tired of it.

Are you friends with anyone who is a motivational speaker or preacher? Probably. We have a lot of local motivational speakers.

Have you ever bought one of those clams (I think it's a clam) with a pearl inside of them? No and I don’t think I’d ever do that.

If you have a doormat, what does it look like? It’s just a plain brown doormat by our main door.

What was the last lie you told? Probably just a little white lie, like saying I’m fine. I don’t like lying about bigger things.

Do you currently have your lights out? Yes. I’m at the rooftop wanting a little bit of alone time and I prefer all the lights to be turned off at the moment so it can just be me and the sky.

What was the last prescription medication you were prescribed? I don’t take any medications.

How do you handle grief? It attacks me at the most random moments and when I grieve for something or someone it’s usually for life, so...not well. Does anyone actually do ok with grief? I feel like it’s a very human thing to be shit at mourning.

Have you ever changed your cell phone number or have you kept the same one? I’ve had the same one in the last seven years, which is also the same time I started to permanently have a phone.

How have you been here recently? I don’t understand the phrasing of this question but I’m assuming you’re asking how I’ve been, which is fine. Neither good nor bad; I’m in the middle of a slump but I’m managing it better than I’ve ever had, so that’s one good thing going.

Do you count how many steps you take a day? No, I could not care less.

Do you know your country's national anthem? Of course.

When did it last rain where you live? Last night.

Do you own a gun or would you ever own one? Never. I’ve never seen the point and people who buy guns honestly scare me.

What's your favorite gemstone? Uh I’ll just go with my month’s I guess, which is diamond. I care little about these things, though.

Have you ever worked in a factory? Nopes.

What's the most interesting fact you've learned here recently? How big the biggest star in the universe is compared to the Earth and the sun.

What's your favorite thing about the current season? The weather is very cozy and I can comfortably wake up in the mornings without a pool of my own sweat. Also, little to no sun.

What do you currently have on your grocery list? Snacks.

Do you have anything fun coming up soon? I’m seeing Sofie and Angela this weekend for our own little wine-aunt slash high-school-girlies-catch-up session. Sofie is bound to move to Paris next month so we were wanting to see her before she leaves.

What's a bad habit that you would love to break? Fiddling with my nails.

Overall, would you say your childhood or teen years were better? Teen. My childhood was riddled with trauma.

How many Harry's do you know? I know just one. I went to college with him though we weren’t really friends.

When did you last laugh so hard you cried? I can’t remember...maybe sometime a week ago while watching a Run BTS episode? I can’t for the life of me remember which episode it was, but probably that one where they made outfits for one another and had to shoot portraits.

Do you prefer silence or do you like noise? My moods can for sure fluctuate. I really really cherish my alone time but I’m naturally an extrovert and will always end up craving noise and activity.

What's your go-to activity for when you're bored? Just picking whatever BTS video to put on and spending the next few hours in that rabbit hole. Sometimes I’ll go to a museum or whatever.

Do you ever sit up late to see the full moon at its peak? No, not for that reason. It’s nice when I catch it but I never pay attention to what time of the month the full moon is supposed to be up.

What's a song you always dance along to? Fire by BTS lol it almost feels illegal to let that song pass by without doing even just the slightest bit of choreo. 

What do your sunglasses look like? If you have them... I don’t own a pair.

Do you have any regrets about this past year? Hmm not really.

What last made you smile? When I was playing with Cooper a few minutes ago.

Do you have anything you need a code to get into? (besides your phone, laptop) Nope.

Do you prefer passwords, face recognition, fingerprint, or patterns to unlock your phone? Face recognition because I’m terrible at remembering passwords.

Have you ever or would you ever own a Venus fly trap? (they are so hard to keep alive): No, not interested.

Are you a plant person? How many do you have? No, I have very little interest with plants.

What is something you wish were real? Some dreams I’ve had, maybe.

Do you have to count on your fingers when doing math? No. Come to think of it, that’s never been my main way of doing basic math. I just do it in my head or if I have a gadget nearby, use the calculator.

What's the most fun amusement park ride you've ever been on? Probably just the caterpillar because I have a weak stomach when it comes to rides hahaha.

When were you last surprised? Last week when this PR execution we rolled out that I absolutely thought was going to flop went EXTREMELY well.

What's an animal you feel is misunderstood? Maybe cats? And I’m part of the population that misunderstands them, I can admit to that lmao. 

Do you prefer long or short nails? Short.

What color makes up most of your wardrobe? Probably black or earthy tones.

Is there anything you are currently dreading? Work tomorrow.

Do you know your bloodtype? I keep forgetting it.

What internet/phone provider do you use? A local one you wouldn’t know about.

What last made you scream? Hobipalooza.

[allard-danbur]

kill  //  self

Do you hear the people sing? Singing the song of angry men?

Allard was only partially paying attention to the events on the large screen in the viewing room. A gathering of Gamemakers and his countrymen, all talking about how jolly it was for District Thirteen to join the fray. Allard could not stomach it, so he chose a launch viewing room that was outfitted with a bar and a piano. He passed around drinks, anecdotes, praises for his tributes, and, with minutes to go to launch, asked who wanted to hear a tune from District Thirteen. He thought it would dramatic and noticeable, to make these sponsors hear the launch over the music he grew up on. He thought it would be memorable, above all - that this was what would put District Thirteen in the Hunger Games history books.

The speech ended abruptly. Allard was seated at the piano, hands over the keys, when the room went silent. He turned watching as the sponsors in the room looked at the screen, each other, the screen, then started patting at their pockets. They produced their cell phones, tablets, laptops, all to hear a haunting echo of hissing and screaming. Worse still, he could recognize that the screaming did not equate to the number of voices present.

Something had happened. Something awful. 

Allard stood up quickly, knocking back the stool. He didn’t make excuses as he left, in a hurry that he was shocked not to see mimicked around him. Perhaps he was moving too fast. Perhaps the world was moving too slow. Perhaps he should hear from his wife soon. She wouldn’t tell him, though, if the world was ending. Not unless Battenberg allowed her.

The world receded to little more than chatter. He could sense it as he walked, as the corner he passed acquired more noise and as he started to run into more people on the sidewalk. It wasn’t far between the Tower and his hotel, but it felt like a whole era had passed. The Era of Vultur, the Era Beyond. He had no name for the latter yet, and little desire to see it seriously. Perhaps this horrific moment was a time to act.

Perhaps.

The elevator wasn’t working at this hotel. An influx of people trying to tune into the Gazette, the government website, anything that might tell them the truth. The first bead of sweat that dropped off him as he ascended the service stairs was truer than the Capitol truth. He wasn’t mad, not at how the Capitol restructured their history. He appreciated it. He would learn from it. He wasn’t climbing for nothing.

His lungs ached as he reached the penthouse, reserved for him and only him. Per his long-standing request, a violin was never far from any entrance: the main door, a servant’s door, a window. It didn’t matter how one got in, all that mattered was a violin nearby. Just in case it was him, desperate. Just in case this was the last thing he might touch.

He picked up the violin and bow as he walked through the front door, sweating profusely after trekking up the stairs. He knew, with a glance at his watch, that the truth he assumed was true by now was proven. He remembered when the Black Eagles came for him, and he stood on the same balcony, with a violin and bow in hand. 

“Monsieur Dupond, they’ve breached the lobby.” “Allard, they’ve breached the lobby!” “They will block the exits soon!” “Allard! They are coming for you!” Time passes, with more frantic pleas to leave this hotel built up on dust and lies.  “Four years to hate me. I think it might take twice as long to get the country to love me. Eight years. Do you like President, or should I change my title?”

A lament. That was what one would call the tune he played as he took the bow to the violin and played without much thought.

Lament (transitive verb)

: to express sorrow, mourning, or regret for often demonstratively 

It was a shame one should die, but one person’s death was not an end. It was a chance. A chance to right the wrongs that put Allard’s people in harm’s way. 

Someone has to kill for this. 

[otakuminami]

I needed Dick and they delivered

Spoilers

OMG They delivered a great start to Dick’s arc. Like I got worried for a second that after Rocket’s plush arc, Dick’s might suffer as well. In a way I’m happy that it started, but like I cared more about what was happening in this episode than I did in Rocket’s arc.

For starters, Flying Dick Grayson (aka Dan Danger) is back. I’m just in love with the idea that Dick goes back to being a Flying Grayson every now and then. I live for more acrobat acrobat Dick Grayson, even though we see him as an acrobat Nightwing. I just need more performances from Dick is that too much to ask?

Also I was screaming for a net. I know he doesn’t need one, but you know

Trauma

Anyways, I love the whole enforcing not only the acrobat part of Dick’s character but also the detective. I feel like we don’t really get to see enough of him being a detective anymore (from any of the bats really) so I’m glad to see it here.

I love how they sat next to Clark and was like “Superman” without looking at him. Like they could have just been like “hey Clark got a minute?” But they had to be dramatic I love it!

Clark is not giving into peer pressure

Good for him!

This reminds me he’s kinda like Bart now.

I love how that’s how they got the entire group back together again. It worked seamlessly.

Kaldur took a needed month off (I think he should have taken more but sometimes having too much time off is bad too).

“Wyynde loves the look” made me laugh so hard

Also is Admistad wearing a Red Robin outfit or is it just me? Did Tim become Red Robin?

When I was watching them all get together, I was thinking don’t get Miss Martian involved please, and I’m glad they didn’t. Do you know how much trauma she would be in if she heard there might be a chance her husband is alive? Like I know he is alive but like she’s still mourning him and I feel like that’s something you tell someone when your absolutely sure.

Barbara mentioned as an amazing hacker! Love it!

Also the Bart Allen is missing alert. I’m like amazed that they do that. I’ve never thought about it but do you know how useful that could be. I wonder what other times that has been used.

I’m also crying because Jay had to call in to find his speedster teen

I’m crying think about when he decided to say he was missing. How long did he wait? Did he think he was with the outsiders for a bit? Did he have yo call the outsiders to find out he wasn’t with them?

But back to Bart’s time traveling adventures

His thought to go run and grab a collar and put it around Lor Zod’s neck with a determined look on his face like this isn’t the jokester he pretends to be. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this but Bart is almost like a completely different person than the one he acts. I’ve noticed this back in season 2 and I’m kinda glad that they remembered it because I don’t really see this type of character a lot.

When Lor Zod put a collar around Bart’s neck, I screamed. The trauma he faced when he was younger and all the effort he did to change the future only to then be placed back into the same position he was in made me want to yell at the unfairness of it.

I really hope we get to see some memories/backstory/trauma of Bart’s future. Like I know it’s probably not important but I would like to see more of him.

Also Lor Zod is basically abusing Bio ship. He needs to just get his ass kicked by someone already.

Maybe Miss Martian

The fight between the OG team and Klarion was pretty cool.

Also baby Teekl is so cute!!!

Klarion’s opening speech about contacting him only to stop when he realized who it was got me laughing hard. Does he do that every time? How many times does Teekl interrupt him when he does it? Are people intimidated by it? When I saw it I was like yeah ok Klarion you think you’re scary.

Magic School bus? I wonder who’s going to be Miss Frizzle and who’s going to be Arnold?

Phantom girl finally wakes up. I wonder how she is going to get them out without getting caught.

Also I’m getting the vibe that Ursa is going to be more of a threat to them than Dru and I don’t know how to explain it.

Also Conner thinks he killed Clark? Poor Conner. He’s suffering and he doesn’t remember everything.

Does he remember who M’gann is?!?

Also House of Luther,

I almost died.

But they mentioned Kara!

Indirectly but still! She’s in the universe!

At the end when they found signs of life in Kaizer Thrall, at first I thought it was Kara because she was mentioned and also they’re doing Kryptonians.

But then they said human and male and 11 and I was like who could that possibly be? We were all hoping for Wally to return this season but that can’t be him unless he de-aged but that’s highly unlikely even with the powers of a speedster because it’s kinda odd to do that.

I absolutely have no idea who this could be.

[fangirl-writes]

Ghost of You

Calum Hood x Reader

Warning(s): death, mourning, Calum crying on stage. Angst.

Notes: I saw a video on tiktok of Cal singing his heart out to this song so here we are. Not revised, written in one session.

Summary: Based on the song Ghost Of You. 

The boys were hesitant to keep the tour dates after what happened. Everyone needs time and they thought that the space between the accident and the first show wasn’t long enough.

But Calum disagreed. He assured his bandmates that he would have no trouble by the time the show came around.

They were skeptical, argued with him to the contrary, but Calum just looked at them with tears in his brown eyes and said, “Please. Please let me do this. She would have wanted me to do what I love.”

They didn’t argue after that.

Calum woke up the morning before they hit the road facing the side of the bed that would never be filled again.

He can’t sleep there. He hasn’t even made an effort to make the bed, holding on to the last outlines of where you had once been.

The sheets were ruffled and the comforter was pushed near the end of the bed, your pillow was propped up against the headboard where you had been sitting, drinking out of your coffee cup.

The coffee cup that still sat on the bedside table just next to your side of the bed.

A small tear fell from Calum’s eye as he noticed the ever fading lipstick stain on the rim. A subtle, but pretty pink that you always wore. The one that would sometimes stain his cheek before he went out on stage.

He wiped the tear and tried to smile.

Oh, what you’d say if you could speak to him now. “Wipe those tears away, Cal. You’ll be just fine.”

I’ll be just fine. Calum thought. Eventually, I’ll be just fine.

He got up from the bed, not bothering to prepare himself for the day yet.

His suitcases sat fully packed by the door; ready to be loaded onto the tour bus for the next few months.

He always had more suitcases than you did, for obvious reasons. But he swore you could fit everything you owned in that one little suitcase. A suitcase that wouldn’t be used again, and probably wouldn’t leave the closet.

Calum sighed, pushing away the thoughts and walking out of the bedroom. Trying to drown the thoughts of you out, like he always did, trying to think of anything else.

But he found walking down that hallway to make it especially hard.

In that hallway, in those photos, he swears he can see the ghost of you.

The first one hanging there is a picture of you and him that he used to find almost hilarious to behold. It was an older one, back when they were just getting big and he was still a teenager, it was one of you and him, taken when you were just a fan. Someone Calum didn’t think he’d probably ever see again.

But life works in mysterious ways.

The one across from that was the most recent, it was a selfie you took at Michael and Crystal’s wedding. Your tongue was hanging out of your mouth and you’d made you eyes cross, Calum was making a duck face, doing the same to his eyes.

It never failed to make him laugh.

Next was your first paparazzi appearance. You joked it was your claim to fame, being followed and snapped in a professional photo with Cal. It wasn’t anything special, really. Just a picture of the two of you walking down a street in L.A, holding hands and decked out in what was probably your laziest outfits ever. Calum had on a dark pair of sunglasses and you were smiling up at him, probably about to crack a joke to get that stoic look off his face.

The rest were either family photos, photos of him and the boys, you and your friends, or just silly pictures of the two of you together.

He tried to walk as fast through that hall as he could, trying to keep the tears from reaching his eyes.

But he couldn’t take them down. It might kill him.

He made it to the kitchen with little resistance and poured himself his own cup of coffee, trying to focus on the upcoming tour and not think about you.

He had deleted social media off his phone. He couldn’t take the constant notifications and reminders and apologies from fans. They missed you too, but Calum missed you an ungodly amount more.

He frowned when he saw the empty vodka bottle sitting on his kitchen counter. God his place was a mess. He needed to at least clean up before he left, maybe that’d get his mind off things.

Put on some music. Yeah, that’d be okay.

He finished his cup of coffee, washing the mug before hurrying off to get the other tasks finished before he had to leave.

He took out the trash, cleaned out the fridge, put away his dishes, swept the floors, vacuumed the floors, cleaned the windows, dusted the shelves.

All that was left was laundry.

He made it to the laundry room easily. But once he was in there, nothing was harder.

He filled a load with his dirty clothes, turning on the machine before tentatively reaching for the basket that held yours.

He blinked back tears when he noticed the old Zeppelin shirt sitting in there. The one that your wore when you ran away, and no one could feel your hurt.

“He’s a rockstar,” your family had said. “it won’t last.”

“I’m in love with him,” you had replied.

Too young, too dumb, to know things like love. Calum thought with a shake of his head. What did they know? But I know better, now.

Calum went through the rest of your clothes, a memory surfacing for almost each one. A old 5sos merch shirt that you’d worn on your first date, not even thinking about it. A pair of music note socks that he had a matching pair of. A pair of skinny jeans you had a love-hate relationship with. A white bra that you had thrown on stage at one of their concerts as a joke, only for it to end up catching on the neck of Calum’s bass.

He smiled at the memory. His entire face had gone bright red and he had looked down at you with an almost scandalized look. The other boys had to stop the song because they were laughing too hard.

He let your clothes lay back in the hamper after he was done. He didn’t see a reason to wash them yet.

But he tucked that old Zeppelin shirt into his travel bag.

He loaded his bags into the back of Michael’s car, ready to head to the bus. Crystal waved at him from the passenger seat, he waved back.

“You got your keys?”

Calum blinked, not even realizing he was going to need those now. “I didn’t even lock the door,”

Michael laughed, pushing his friend lightly towards his house again. “Go get them.”

Calum chuckled back, hurrying to do so.

It hadn’t even dawned on him that you wouldn’t be there to watch the house, that he needed to lock the door. He had already sent Duke to stay at Luke and Sierra’s but locking his door? He’d never even thought of it.

He grabbed his keys before pausing.

Yours were hanging there, too. A keychain with your initials on it dangling next to the keys.

He grabbed those instead.

“You ready for this, mate?” Ashton asked him as he slid into the back seat.

“Yeah,” Calum said, softly, caressing the keychain with his thumb. “Yeah, I am.”

And as Michael took off, looking back at his house, Calum could’ve sworn he saw the ghost of you.

***

The night was going great so far, the crowd was pumped up, screaming and hollering.

Cal had managed to get lost in the music, forgetting about his problems for hours.

Until the song he had been dreading all night.

He almost asked if they could take it off the setlist after he saw it.

But then they’d have given the sad, almost pitying look that they did when they talked about canceling the tour. And he didn’t think he could stand those looks again.

He took a deep breath as the piano notes began. He could do this.

“Let’s see those lights up in your hands,” Luke said, holding his arm up.

Calum reached his microphone and his breath caught in his throat.

Someone was holding a picture of you up. Almost as if they knew.

His eyes darted to a different part of the crowd only to find an even larger poster being held up and illuminated by the stage lights. It read your name, your birthday, and the day you-

Calum looked away again, trying to blink back tears.

“Wow look at all those-” Luke voice cracked and he cleared his throat. “Wow, you guys, this is...”

There were maybe hundreds of posters or photos being held up now along with the phone lights.

“You know, this is my first concert without her in a long time,” Calum found himself saying into the mic. “And this way she’s still here. Thank you guys. Thank you so much.”

The fans cried out in response and Calum cleared his throat, saying to his bandmates away from the mic. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Singing the song, Cal hadn’t realized how much it fit his situation until just then. He hoped it wasn’t some screwed up sort of fate that they would write this song and then he would lose you.

“So I drown it out like I always do,” Luke sang. “Dancing through our house...”

“With the ghost of you,” Calum chimed in, mind filled with thoughts of you. He didn’t drown them out this time, he just let them come.

“And I chase it down, with a shot of truth. Dancing through our house, with the ghost of you,”

“Too young... too dumb... to know things like love,” He could feel the tears falling down his cheeks. “Too young... too dumb...”

“You go!” Luke shouted, allowing the crowd to sing the chorus.

“So I drown it out like I always do,” They sang and Calum hung his head back, trying to hide his tears as he listened. “Dancing through our house. with the ghost of you.”

You would have loved this. You would have said that it gave you chills, hearing the crowd sing such a haunting song back to them.

“And I chase it down with a shot of truth. That my feet don't dance...”

“Like they did with you.” Luke sang the last line with the crowd before the stage went black and Calum rushed off to the side of the stage.

The boys followed quickly, wrapping him in a hug after they reached him, and for the first time since you’d been gone, Calum let himself just cry. He didn’t push it down or wipe his tears, he just cried. He let his best friends hold him and he cried.

But just there, like everywhere, wrapped in the arms of his friends, Calum could have sworn he felt the ghost of you.

[michaelgovehateblog]

Piggy in the Middle

Queen Elizabeth x Michael Gove, Michael Gove x Matt Hancock, 1500 words

“Michael Gove and Sarah Vine to divorce.” She knew it was bad, but Elizabeth’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat when she saw the headlines. She had spent years forcing herself to ignore how she really felt about Michael and pretending the flirty looks and comments they shared were meaningless or all in her head; after all, they were both married, and publicly at that, especially in the case of her and Philip. And it’s not that she didn’t love Philip, because she of course did, but there was something about Gove and his pig-like face that just drew her in. And now she was rid of Philip, and Michael and Sarah were splitting up – maybe there was a chance for them.

Not that they would be able to go public with it if anything even did happen between them. As far as the country knew, Elizabeth was still mourning Philip, just putting on a brave face and soldiering on without him. The public probably wouldn’t be able to deal with her moving on so soon. She sighed – her life as a parasite was so difficult.

Elizabeth was so lost in her thoughts she almost didn’t hear the knock at her door, and subsequent voice.

“Your Majesty? It’s 12, we’re scheduled to leave now.”

“Of course, I’m coming now.” She responded, and stood up to leave, making sure to glance in the mirror to check she still looked presentable. Everything was still pristine: icy white grey hairs all perfectly in place and nude lipstick completely un-smudged. She was wearing a long royal blue (her signature colour) coat with large buttons of a slightly softer blue colour, all of which were done up. This was worn over a classy floral-patterned dress, which wasn’t visible under the jacket. Perched on top of her head was an elaborate hat made from material the exact same colour as the coat and adorned with white and blue flowers. The shoes she wore were a standard pair of elegant black heels and the look was finished off with a pair of black gloves.

Satisfied the outfit was perfectly uncreased as always, Elizabeth left the room to head to the whatever event it was this time, she didn’t really care. Mostly she just showed up at these things for a bit of good PR and so people would continue believe she works hard and really cares about the common people (Which she didn’t obviously. Why would she.) Although, she was certain that someone had told her that this event would have many politicians also in attendance, so she was hopeful that she might encounter a certain cabinet member.

As per usual, Elizabeth was finding the event mind-numbingly boring, just endless shaking hands with forgettable people she was supposed to pretend to be interested in. But then she spotted him. And at the same moment she saw him, Michael glanced in her direction and they were making direct eye contact. She gave him a shy smile, which he returned as he started walking towards her, not breaking eye contact.

“Your Majesty,” said Michael, extending his arm to shake hands, “How are you today?” They shook hands, Michael noticing how dry and wrinkly Elizabeth’s felt, and her in turn mentally noting the bizarre clamminess of his, both of which only increased each person’s attraction to the other.

“I’m doing wonderfully,” she responded, “And thoroughly enjoying this lovely event.” she made sure to add, aware of how many people were probably in earshot. “But what about yourself? I heard the news. It must be a difficult time for you.”

Michael’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this; he couldn’t believe that the Queen actually cared enough about him to pay attention to the news about him and his (soon to be ex) wife. He had always felt there was some kind of connection between the two of them but told himself he was imagining it – what other option did he have. But unusually for his cowardly personality, he got a sudden burst of confidence, and was shocked to hear himself talking.

“Ma’am, I think I need to step outside to get some fresh air. Would you be interested in joining me for a walk?” He hadn’t had confidence to do anything like that since his coked-up days of 20 years ago. Well, he always said 20 years ago, but those close to him, such as Matt Hancock, knew he was prone to enjoy a smidge of the substance of an evening.

“Yes, I would enjoy that a lot.” replied Elizabeth, much to Michael’s delight. He offered out his elbow, purely out of politeness, of course, which she accepted, outwardly calmly but very eagerly inside. A walk outside would probably mean time properly alone, where other people couldn’t hear them, something they had probably never had before.

They continued small talk for a while, about the event and such, until they were far enough away from the general crowds for more intimate conversation.

"How have you been coping, Ma'am, without the Prince? Such an unexpected shame, his untimely demise like that. It was truly a shock to all of us."

Right, 'untimely'. Elizabeth often forgot that Philip's death was supposed to be something entirely unexpected for her, not something she knew would happen down to the exact time and place.

"Missing him, of course, but life has to go on. And it's strange to remember that I am single again, after all these years. That's not been the case since I was 13 and Philip was an adult."

"Yes, it's the same for me, minus the questionable age difference. I’ve been married to Sarah for so long that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to meet other people - and be with other people...” at these words the two made eye contact, neither knowing what to say aloud but having an entire unspoken conversation.

“Mr Gove… Or Michael, may I call you Michael? Would you be interested in visiting the Palace for dinner sometime soon? I could give you a personal tour of the grounds.”

“Yes, Ma’am, of course you can call me Michael,” Almost unthinkingly, the pair faced each other and reached for each other's hands. “And I would be honoured to visit the palace, Ma’am.”

Elizabeth let out a sigh she didn’t know she was holding, “Please, no need to bother with the formalities, at least not whilst nobody else is listening. Call me Elizabeth. Now, we should probably head back inside to the event, we’ve been out here a while, people will be missing me. They basically worship me. But I’ll get someone to contact you about your visit to the palace - I’d do it myself, only that sort of thing is far beneath me.” A smile spread over Michael’s pig-mannequin hybrid face as they made their way back inside.

What they hadn’t realised during their encounter, was that it wasn’t as private as they had thought; in fact another politician had been lurking and watching the entire scene.And he wasn’t happy about what he saw. As soon as Elizabeth and Michael walked off in separate directions, Matt Hancock quickly grabbed Gove by the arm and dragged him into a quiet corridor.

“Hancock.”

“Gove. I saw you outside just now, heard you talking with a certain monarch. The two of you seemed quite friendly.”

“Oh. Right. I hadn’t thought anyone else had been outside. You won’t - you won’t tell anyone what you saw or heard, will you?”

“I won’t. But only because it’s you, if it had been anybody else, I would be telling the sun immediately. The queen’s new love interest, I couldn’t hope for anything better to get the tabloids off my back. But because it’s you - I couldn’t hurt you like that.”

“Matt, what do you mean? Why are you making an exception for me?”

“Govey, as if you don’t know. You must have realised how I feel about you.” Hancock stepped closer to Gove and in his mind’s eye, imagined the Sims social interactions menu, and pictured selecting ‘kiss’. (It was from looking at the characters in the game, after all, that he learnt to kiss in the first place. The mindset and techniques stuck with him.) To his delight, he felt Michael kissing him back. Matt deepened the kiss and their tongues battled for dominance. Suddenly, Michael pulled away and stared, speechless, at Matt.

After about half a minute unable to muster any coherent thoughts (not even coherent by conservative standards) Gove turned away and briskly walked to an empty room, where he could sit alone and process all of what just happened. Not only was he certain now that Elizabeth felt the same spark that he did, but Hancock, whom he had secretly had a low-level affection for for many years, had just snogged him out of jealousy? He didn’t expect to be wrapped up in a love triangle the very day his divorce was announced, and yet it seemed that was what was happening. His years of being an incompetent and sleazy politician had clearly earned him some admirers.

~~

If you made it to the end, I'm only partly sorry for what you just read. I would be willing to write a second chapter if for some godforsaken reason somebody actually would want to read one. This took me far too long to write for something that is honestly not that many words but I feel like it's understandable, given the subject matter. k bye