#very John Casey of him

[ambear9]

Matt Bomer whispering "I want you to fuck me" as a dominate top will forever live rent free in my mind.

#matt bomer #johnathan bailey #fellow travelers #I've loved this man since 2006 #also love when a dominate top becomes a needy bottom for the man he loves #very John Casey of him

[themultifandomgal]

Matt Casey- Hospital Hostage

"What have we got?" I ask Brett who's pushing in the gurney

"John Doe. Gunshot wound to the abdomen. Intubated in the ambo"

"Maggie?"

"Trauma room 2. I'll page Dr Rhodes" Maggie tells me. Before I know it my brother is in the room

"3, 2, 1" he says and we move the victim onto the bed. Connor assessed the wound "we needs to get up to surgery" Connor pulls the railings up on the bed

"YN can you come to the nurses desk?" Maggie asks peaking her head in

"Errm..."

"It's fine go. We'll be ok" April says taking my spot

"If your sure"

"Yes go" I leave trauma room 2 and head to the nurses desk when I see my ex Jordan. Confused I walk over to him him

"What are you doing here?" I cross my arms over my chest

"To bring you home"

"Home? I haven't lived there for 2 years. Since you were having sex with my best friend in our bedroom"

"Come on baby it was a mistake"

"Leave. Now before I call security" I turn around and start to walk away when I hear a click and screams

"Turn around and face me" slowly I turn around to face him "well at least you still fucking listen"

"Oh my god" Maggie gasps putting her hands up as Jordan points the gun at her

"Phones now" Jordan shouts. Everyone in the room pushes their phones towards us "pick them up!" Jordan nods towards Maggie who quickly picks the phones up and walks to the nurses desk

"YN lock the front doors"

"I can't do that. There's sick people on their way here. Put the gun down and we can talk"

"No!" He now points the gun towards me "no it's to fucking late for that. You had your chance to come home"

"So what's your plan here? You gonna shoot me? Because if you do you'll be going to jail for a very long time. You don't want that. So put the gun down" Jordan looks panicked. He looks around the room and grabs a young girl, late teens maybe

"Get down. All of you" he shouts putting the gun to the girls temple

"Ok. Ok" we all lower ourselves slowly. Maggie and I sit next to one another "why are you doing this? Why now?"

"You've moved on. Your fucking someone else. Your meant to be my girlfriend"

"Ok ok you have me. I'll break up with my boyfriend and I'll go with you" Jordan starts laughing like a mad man. He pushes the teenage girl down who crawls back to a woman who I'm guessing is her mother

"No because the only reason you want to come with me is because of this" Jordan waves his gun around

"Fine. Then just take me hostage. I'll go with you quietly wherever you want. The police won't find us, but if you carry this on the police will arrive and there's only one of you"

"Fuck" he groans

"Look around there's so many sick people in here who will die without treatment"

"I can't do that! Fuck!"

"I pressed the emergency button. Intelligence will be here soon" Maggie whispers

"Shut up shut up or I'll shoot"

Sirens are heard, getting closer and closer

"Who the fuck rang the police!" Jordan yells

"Your not letting people into the hospital. Someone outside probably rang them"

"Shut the hell up!" Jordan points the gun to me again

"Mags we gotta get people out of here"

"Got anything in mind?"

"I'll distract him, you get people out the front"

"Ok be careful" Maggie squeezes my hand. I get up and slowly walk over to Jordan

"Jordan please. People are going to die if you carry on. Look I'll go with you, wherever you want to go. I might not be in love now but I'm sure if you took me away somewhere I'll fall in love with you again"

"You don't mean that"

"I do. I promise you I do. Just put the gun down and we can leave together" Jordan holds the gun towards the floor and pulls me into a hug. I wrap my arms around him and look at Maggie who's letting intelligence in. Jordan may not be pointing at anyone now but he's still holding the gun. I pull away from him and take a step back

"Put the gun down!" Voight shouts

"You bitch" I close my eyes and hear a gun shot, but no pain. Slowly opening my eyes I look at the floor and see Jordan's lifeless body

"YN you ok?" Jay walks up to me slowly

"Yeah" I nod my head a little "I'm ok"

"Erin let Matt in he's going bat shit crazy out there" Erin walks out and in runs Matt. I run towards Matt, wrapping my arms around his neck. Tears run down my face as I burry it in his neck

"Shhh shhh your ok. Your ok" he runs a hand in my hair trying to calm me down

"YN take the rest of the day off" I hear Goodwin say to me but I don't acknowledge her

"How did you know what was going on?" I ask Matt

"Voight rang us to be on stand by just in case things escalated. Come on let's get you home" I give a little nod but cling on to Matt as he carries me outside

"Phone if you need anything" I hear Severide tell Matt

"Thank you. See you tomorrow"

With that Matt carries me to his car and drives us home.

#one chicago #one chicago imagine #chicago fire imagine #chicago med imagine #chicago pd imagine #matt casey x reader #matt casey x oc #matt casey #matt casey imagine

[pumpkinpie59]

sons of bishop au

intro post!! + first batch of supporting characters concept art

synopsis:

Years ago, Agent John Bishop discovered the secret formula to the Utroms’ mutagen, and with this new power, he decided to create mutant soldiers for the EPF. Infant mutant creatures were secretly raised within the walls of the EPF labs. Four mutants in particular showed great promise in their intelligence and skills, so Bishop decided to take them under his own wing, dubbing them the Renaissance Project. Appropriately named Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Donatello, these mutant turtles grow up calling Agent Bishop “father” and follow his every command.

Now they are 15, and doing field missions for the first time. But as they make friends outside the walls of the EPF bases they’ve grown up in, they discover more and more that maybe the EPF does more harm than good, and that they very well may be the villains in their story.

April O’Neil - Ever since she lost her job at Channel 6, April has been privately investigating the EPF to make a story to get her job back. When she accidentally bumps into the turtles while they’re on their first mission, she finds an opportunity to become their nanny to get closer to the EPF. But then she gets really attached to these boys. She’s intuitive, outspoken, and never afraid to take a risk.

more characters under cut!

Mona Lisa - Mona was a teenage college student who was accidentally mutated while on a trip. Now she spends most of her time on her roller derby hobby, as well as secretly working as a nighttime vigilante with her friend, Mondo Gecko. At first, people find her to be a jokester, immature and constantly making a scene, but she’s smarter than she lets on.

Casey Jones - A homeschooled teenage boy who escapes his troubled home life to fight crime. He never takes off his mask and his violent tendencies get him in a lot of trouble, but his heart is in the right place. Casey doesn’t have any friends, but that changes when he meets the turtles.

Mondo Gecko - Like the turtles, Mondo was also an experiment at the EPF headquarters, but he grew jealous of how the turtles were treated vs the other experiments, so he ran away. He’s moody and resentful, but Mona Lisa has brought out a fun-loving side to him. He enjoys skateboarding and occasionally joining Mona on her vigilante escapades.

Oroku Karai - Karai is the only child (sorta but that’s not important rn-) of the Shredder. She’s been training all her life to someday take over the Foot Clan after her father either retires or dies. Due to her yokai heritage, Karai was born part snake, with an ability to transform into a snake creature at will. When the Foot Clan forms an agreement with the EPF, Karai meets the turtles and constantly belittles them to make herself look better for her father. But her overconfident attitude hides an insecure heart.

Slash - Slash was an experiment of the EPF, but escaped when he was very young. His frightening appearance kept him alone for a long time, until he met Renet. The two became very close and Renet chose to help him become a time master student beside her. Now, they are time traveling partners and best friends. Slash seems gruff and quiet on the outside, but once someone gets to know him, they find he’s very laidback and quite affectionate.

Renet - Renet is a chipper teenage girl from a far off planet where time travel has been discovered. She is a student of the head Time Master, Simultaneous. Not long ago, she befriended Slash, and the two of them explore time together as best friends. But something in the time stream has trapped them in present day New York City, but Renet can’t seem to figure out what. So now she spends most of her time as a video game streamer.

Lotus Blossom - Lotus is a mysterious ninja bounty hunter who has no clan or family to her name. All who have met her find her somewhat unnerving, hearing distant voices when they speak to her. But despite her age, she is ridiculously good at what she does. Lotus Blossom can’t help but be surprised when Leonardo is the first person to show interest in her beyond her job, despite her strange, ghostly aura … Maybe even a little infatuated with him.

#pumpkin stuff #tmnt #my art #tmnt fanart #tmnt au #tmnt sons of bishop #tmnt april #april o'neil #tmnt mona lisa #casey jones #tmnt casey jones #mondo gecko #oroku karai #tmnt karai #tmnt slash #tmnt renet #tmnt lotus blossom

[chocochipbiscuit]

Fic (and nonfic!) Recs for Pride!

In honor of Pride, have some of my favorite F/F and F/NB reads!

Short stories (available online)

Radcliffe Hall by Miyuki Jane Pinckard - 40k word novella, with a Japanese student attending an American women's college in 1908. It's a Gothic novel with the characters encountering the supernatural, which is no less malevolent than systemic racism and homophobia.

The First Stop Is Always the Last by John Wiswell - Short and sweet time loop flirtation!

Scallop by J.L. Akagi - A woman begins growing eyes all over her body, and struggles to hide them. All the warnings for body horror, eye injury, and referenced sexual assault.

The World Ends in Salty Fingers and Sugared Lips by Jen Reese - Time loop story about the end of the world and the ways we try to deal with the crushing uncertainty of the inevitable.

Romance

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston - Subway time travel romance! August moves to New York and meets Jane, a butch punk from the 70s who’s trapped on the subway. It’s warm and sweet and funny, with all the feels and queer found family goodness.

Fatal Fidelity by Rien Gray - Dark romance/erotic suspense featuring a bi femme fatale and a nonbinary assassin! The series begins with Love Kills Twice, in which Justine hires an assassin to get rid of her abusive husband…unaware that Campbell was also hired to kill her. Absolutely delicious.

Feminine Pursuits series by Olivia Waite - While I’m listing it as a series, each novel is entirely stand-alone! These are a set of historical F/F novels featuring women in arts and science (and beekeeping!) making their way and falling in love with one another!

Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan - Historical romance as two older women (73 and 69 years old, respectively!) plot the downfall of an absolutely Terrible Nephew who deserves everything that happens to him. An absolutely delicious comedic romp.

The Cybernetic Tea Shop by Meredith Katz - An AI repair technician and an autonomous robot who runs a small tea shop, set in a retro-futuristic America. It’s warm and gentle and yearning in very good ways.

Horror/Suspense

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin - Gender apocalypse featuring trans women! A virus has turned anyone with over a certain level of testosterone into cannibal rape monsters, so we’re following our trans protagonists as they try to survive feral men, murderous TERFs, and a sociopathic bunker brat. This deserves a LOT of content warnings but it’s also been blurbed as a ‘bleeding love letter to trans women’ and it really is.

Blackwater Sister by Zen Cho - A Malaysian-American lesbian moves to Malaysia with her family, where she is haunted by her grandmother’s ghost. Her grandmother is out for supernatural revenge, involving our protagonist with gangsters and a terrifying goddess.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - Historical crime novel in which a thief poses as a lady’s maid for a con, and ends up developing feelings for the mark. Except the lady’s not as innocent as she seems, and it’s difficult to add more without spoiling the novel but it’s good!

Science fiction

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine - Ambassador Mahit Dzmare travels to the capital of the interstellar Teixcalaanli Empire, discovers that her predecessor has died, and must find not only who murdered him, but why—while trying not to get murdered herself, and trying to maintain her small station’s independence from Teixcalaan’s ever-expanding empire. And there is a sequel but that has its own plot and requires you to read this one anyway!

Passing Strange by Ellen Klages - Set in San Francisco, built on artifice and delight as we follow a group of queer women both present and in the 1940s. Central story is a romance, two women trying to navigate both joy and the brutality of the worlds they inhabit.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - An epistolary love story across time and space, in far futures and alternative pasts as two rival agents—post-singularity Red and bio-consciousness Blue—foil and thwart one another.

Fantasy

The Burning Kingdoms by Tasha Suri - Indian-inspired fantasy trilogy (third book coming in 2024!) that follows a captive princess and a maidservant with forbidden magic who navigate the the tension between their different loyalties and the politics of empire. Just! So good!

The Kingston Cycle by C.L. Polk - A fantasy trilogy (that’s actually complete!) set in a world where witches are persecuted and placed in asylums…while secretly, the witches of elite families use that power in service of the crown. The first book (Witchmark) starts with a murder mystery and a doctor with PTSD who follows that mystery to government secrets that force him to confront his estranged family. It’s also M/M, but the sequels (Stormsong and Soulstar) center around F/F and F/NB main pairings, respectively. 

The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir - The first book starts with swordjock butches and lesbian necromancers in space going through (essentially) a haunted mansion together, and it just keeps going after that! It’s delightful, deranged, and full of fantastic characters I want to gnaw on!

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo - A beautiful frame story with a very fairytale feel, where the cleric Chih is telling the story of a tiger and her lover, a female scholar, to a trio of hungry tigers who threaten to eat them if Chih tells the story incorrectly!

A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark - Mystery and magic and suspense in a steampunk Cairo, set forty years after magic returned to the world! The first female agent for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments, and Supernatural Entities is assigned to discover who murdered members of a secret cult. In addition to solving the case, she’s also assigned a rookie partner to train, and navigating the surprise return of her girlfriend, who has her own secrets! This is a really fun romp, full of joy and wonder. (And Fatma’s fabulous suits!)

Nonfiction

In the Dream House by Carmen Machado - A memoir about surviving domestic abuse, with each chapter using a different trope or genre convention to not only explore the way the relationship affected her sense of self, but also about trying (or failing) to find that representation in cultural history. It’s a rough read in places, but absolutely worth it if you’re in a space to handle that sort of content. (And in case it’s not obvious: her ex was another woman. Abuse isn’t limited by gender.)

#pride #book recs #story recs #f/f #f/nb #genre fiction #I wanted to keep this list short'n punchy but if you have questions or want to know about content warnings hmu!

[hussyknee]

Somewhat put off by the spoilers I've read about Mary and George. There's no doubt nearly all relationships in the British court were some level of sordid, but King James, to all intents and purposes, had genuine feelings for his three male favourites, most especially George Villiers. He was no Henry VIII. I don't know why they wanted to reduce the most famous and open homosexual relationship in European royal history to a comedy between a "cock-struck" old lech and a conniving courtier that led him by the nose and then betrayed and murdered him.

All evidence points to George at least being loyal to James (if you discount his love letters as simply sucking up to his benefactor) and even had a fond relationship with his Queen and his son Charles. He was in fact in France when James died, and reportedly cried when he heard the news.

It's even a little heartbreaking because this is right after Nicholas Galitzine played the closeted gay Prince Henry in Red, White and Royal Blue, who in the book is proud of the open and unashamed love between his ancestor and his lover, and the way even James's son Charles I honoured Villiers for accompanying him to the Spanish Court to ask for the hand of the Infanta.

“Actually . . . you remember how I told you about the gay king, James I?”

“The one with the dumb jock boyfriend?”

“Yes, that one. Well, his most beloved favorite was a man named George Villiers. ‘The handsomest-bodied man in all of England,’ they called him. James was completely besotted. Everyone knew. This French poet, de Viau, wrote a poem about it.” He clears his throat and starts to recite: ‘One man fucks Monsieur le Grand, another fucks the Comte de Tonnerre , and it is well known that the King of England, fucks the Duke of Buckingham.’” Alex must be staring, because he adds, “Well, it rhymes in French. Anyway. Did you know the reason the King James translation of the Bible exists is because the Church of England was so displeased with James for flaunting his relationship with Villiers that he had the translation commissioned to appease them?”

“You’re kidding.”

“He stood in front of the Privy Council and said, ‘Christ had John, and I have George.’’

“Jesus.”

“Precisely.” Henry’s still looking up at the statue, but Alex can’t stop looking at him and the sly smile on his face, lost in his own thoughts. “And James’s son, Charles I, is the reason we have dear Samson. It’s the only Giambologna that ever left Florence. He was a gift to Charles from the King of Spain, and Charles gave it, this massive, absolutely priceless masterpiece of a sculpture, to Villiers. And a few centuries later, here he is. One of the most beautiful pieces we own, and we didn’t even steal it. We only needed Villiers and his trolloping ways with the queer monarchs. To me, if there were a registry of national gay landmarks in Britain, Samson would be on it.”

Henry’s beaming like a proud parent, like Samson is his, and Alex is hit with a wave of pride in kind.

He takes his phone out and lines up a shot, Henry standing there all soft and rumpled and smiling next to one of the most exquisite works of art in the world.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking a picture of a national gay landmark,” Alex tells him. “And also a statue.”

Like all white liberals, Casey McQuiston tends to romanticise the crime against humanity that is royalty and also that house built by bunch of slave owners that has since housed a progression of genocidal war criminals. There's very little to like about any British monarch. But the relationship between James and Villiers is a significant part of gay history and there's no need to smear it even more than it's already been smeared the last four hundred years, contrary to the actual known facts.

Idk man. I'm sensitive to this stuff Ig. Maybe I'd be a little more positive about it if I watched it, but the trailer gave me "tee hee they're gay" vibes so Idk if I want to.

Edit: so it seems the trailer is misleading and the story is more complex than a "tee hee gay" comedy. I might watch it after all, even if the starkly visible age difference makes me a bit queasy. How tf is Galitzine nearly thirty and a babyface with those razor cheekbones?? Perfect to show how uncomfortable it looks for a middle aged man to get with a kid of twenty.

#nicholas galitzine #mary and george spoilers #mary and george #british history #the stuarts #king james vi and i #george villers #king charles i #period drama #julianne moore #lgbtqia #lgbt history #queer media #queer representation #queer history #queer drama #knee of huss

[badassturtles235147]

TMNT Name meanings

Leonardo - The name Leonardo means, (and I am pretty sure you can all guess), "Brave Lion."

For a fearless leader, the name Leonardo, was perfect for Leo's character. It suits him well in every TMNT that has ever been, even in the 2018 version.

Being fearless is what Leo is most known for, it is why his younger brothers look up to him and why Raph nicknamed him, "Fearless."

Raphael - The name Raphael means, "God has healed"

Even though I doubt the turtles were raised to believe in God and were more raised in buddhism since that is most likely Splinter's religion. I think the name Raphael is suiting for a protector like him.

Think about it, "God has healed" meaning, God is always watching over you and is always ready to help you when you need him.

You just got to have a little faith.

Even though his brothers questioned him sometimes because of his lack of control over his temper, you can still always count Raphael to be there to stand beside you and protect you when you are in danger.

Donatello - The name Donatello means, "Given; Gift from God"

As we all know Donnie if very gifted, so this name is very, very suiting and you know what, not just that but he is like a gift to the world. With Donnie and his brains, he holds the power to change everything.

Make the world a better place and is always able to find a solution to problems. Without Donnie and his gifts, his brothers wouldn't have the equipment they needed for the Kraang or any other threat and they could have come home dead without Donnie's doctor skills.

So yeah, Donnie is gifted but he is also a gift for everyone else.

Michelangelo - The name Michelangelo means, "He who resembles God"

This name is really, really suiting for Mikey. I know a lot think Mikey is just the goofball in the group, but he isn't.

He isn't the weakest link, he isn't just the baby brother, and he is not useless.

Mikey does a lot more than others think. He gives his family hope and faith when they can not find it for themselves. He is his brothers' strength. Mikey is always there to make sure no one falls in despair and keeps them forward.

He gives his family constant support, comfort, and he always watching their backs.

April - The name April means, "To open." - O'Neil - and the name O'Neil means, "Champion."

April I think is a good name because, "To open" meaning the opening of Spring which means like rebirth.

Think about how April was just a normal girl who had a normal life but then she meets the turtles and suddenly her whole life begins to change but she does as well. She went from a normal teenager girl to a half alien, psyche power kunoichi with mutant friends.

As for O'Neil, I think that is suiting as well because we all know that April is driven, and she will not stop until she becomes victorious.

(Pretty sure Casey's first name is Arnold so going start from there)

Arnold - The name Arnold means, "Ruler, strong as an eagle" - Casey - The name Casey means, "Brave in battle" - Jones - The name Jones means, "Son of John or Yahweh is gracious"

Arnold is suiting because despite his flaws and over-confidence, he is as strong as an eagle. He is full of freedom and holds the power for this need to protect others. He is always keeping a watchful eye, like many Vigilantes.

Casey, is always Brave in battle. He never shies away from it, only straight towards it.

As for Jones, Casey is gracious he is kind and courteous.

Monalisa - The name Monalisa means, "Beauty." - Painting represent - Cosmic link connecting humanity and nature

Monalisa is a beautiful woman, not just in appearances but spirit as well. She is so brave, so straightforward, and selfless. A true warrior.

As for the name painting, she is named after, even though Mona is not human, she still represents humanity.

Shinigami - The name Shinigami means (Which we all know), "Angel of Death."

Shinigami is a true force to be reckoned with, even though we have never seen her do it, she is shown that she will not hesitate to end someone's life and she seems to be the type who does not fear death for herself either.

She is not evil, just has evil traits and she only brings the fear of death to those who deserve it.

You know I had to save the best for last...

Miwa - The name Miwa means, "Beautiful Harmony" Karai - The name Karai means, "Spicy, sever, hot."

Miwa, I think was the perfect name for her! I know a lot of people like Karai and believe that she would never change her name to her real name, but I believe otherwise.

The name Miwa is way more suiting for this character than Karai. It may not sound as evil or as cool as Karai, but that name is suiting for the past Karais before 2012.

For this version of Karai, Miwa is better and I think I know why they chose that for her real name.

"Beautiful Harmony,"

Karai is Harmony. She is always in between, never one or the other.

What I mean is, she is not quite Foot Clan but not Hamato Clan either, she is not really a villain but not really a hero, and she is not really mutant but not really human either.

Everything about this Karai is always in the middle! She is everything! She is Foot and Hamato. She is a hero with villainess traits, and she is a mutant that can transform back into human!

I like to think that while Karai does not think or love Shredder as her father anymore, I like to think of her as the daughter of three clans, (including Tang Shen)

She has the spirit of her mother which we all know, but she has the heart of a warrior like her father, and she has the skills of a Foot solider like Shredder.

I believe Karai will accept the fact that she can not escape the things she has learned for Shredder, but she can take what she has learn and make it better. I don't believe Karai would want to stay Karai because Karai is no longer who she is.

Karai was a ruthless vengeful villain, she was Shredder's daughter, and a powerful weapon for the Foot clan.

Miwa is no longer vengeful or hateful, she was Hamato Yoshi's and Tang Shen's daugher, and she was no one's weapon or tool.

Miwa is Karai's future and Karai is Miwa's past.

(I love Karai so much as you can probably tell)

I do not like the name meaning for Karai, I don't really think they thought that name through either like Saki's name. The only one I agree with is sever, that's suiting. But spicy and hot?

I don't know. I don't like it.

So that's the end of that.

I just love it when names fit the character, that's why I am always so nit-picky about names and why I always change them, is because I want it to be perfect for the character. I don't like picking random names just because I think it sounds good.

When you make a character, you can't just like throw stuff together, you know?

You have to think it through. You got a think about appearances, personality, the clothes they wear, the things they like, physical movements, their name!

Every little thing is important. It makes the character who they are! That's why when I watch shows or read books, I pay attention to every little detail. I don't just like the character because they are strong, or I think they look cool; I have to like everything about the character.

People put so much thought and work into their characters and for people, like my dumb brother, to say that's my favorite character because they look cool and are a lot stronger than the others. I think is just disrespectful to the creator. I do.

There is so much to the character than just looks and fighting abilities. I lot of things that they worked hard on, so you can get to know the character, you know? They make the character to be someone you can relate to.

Like Karai is my favorite character, not because she is a badass but because I relate to her so much! I never been through the amount of what she has been through, but I know what is like to have an unloved parent, to be in someone else's control, for your whole world to fall apart in an instant, to lose someone important to you, and to be angry and hateful.

I had to rediscover myself because I never had the chance to before and I am still trying to figure myself out.

Karai was my comfort character through those times because watching her, going through worse than me and still going on fighting, just gave me hope. I know that may sound stupid, because she is not real, but it is true.

(Sorry if I was too much there, I am just really passionate about stories and characters)

#tmnt 2012 #tmnt karai #tmnt leo #tmnt donnie #tmnt mikey #tmnt raph #tmnt april #tmnt casey #tmnt mona lisa #tmnt shinigami #name meanings

[percheduphere]

This image bothers me so much.

I wrote 2 long posts on speculation of a time loop occurring, where I think Mobius and Sylvie are in the narrative, and what may happen next if Loki, Mobius, and Sylvie are indeed the 3 original timekeepers.

Theory Post 1: read here

Theory Post 2: read here

I haven't discussed where Loki's positioned on the narrative in-depth. We know that his growth, very much influenced by his relationship with Mobius, has led him to:

1. Trust others

2. Believe in others

3. Care for others

4. Self-Reflect

5. Compassion for self

6. Compassion for others

7. Rely on others

NOTE: I don't think Loki ever lacked these capabilities. They were just pummeled by trauma. Mobius knew this, which is why he emotionally invested in him.

There are three plot points Loki needs to meet:

1. Convince Sylvie to join his side by passing on how he's transformed from Mobius's compassion to her.

2. Communicate, in no uncertain terms, how much Mobius means to him.

3. Discover the timeloop and break it to free the timestream they're all in.

Point #7, under his growth, is what makes me dislike the above screen capture. It suggests a self-sacrificial move to either fix or remove the Loom on his own. The implication would be that he's grown to the point of sacrificing himself for others, but we've already seen him do this in Avengers: Endgame. And honestly, he's died and suffered enough times that this feels exhaustingly rote.

On top of this, Loki may additionally be challenged to reverse his stance on TVA recruitment and/or allow Mobius (John?), B-15, and Casey (and OB?) to return to their lives with no memory of him. In other words, out of love for these people, he will sacrifice his friendships with them and choose to be alone (with the potential exception of Sylvie). Doing all of these things may break the timeloop, and it would certainly not be something HWR would expect (as he believes Loki is selfish).

Regardless, I hate this possibility. HATE IT. Yes, the self-sacrifice would show how far Loki's come, but I don't think heroism must always have such high costs. I would much rather have Mobius and Sylvie accompany Loki to the Loom, so that he will not have to make the sacrifice alone (proving that Loki ISN'T alone, but Mobius is not a god and wouldn't last 2 seconds at that level of temporal radiation.

My hope is the above screenshot was purposely used in the trailer as a mislead and that the true solution is something else.

My ideal outcome is for Loki to return everyone to their timelines with their memories intact. Everyone keeps in touch, stays friends, and can be called upon to reactivate the TVA as an emergency response team when needed. I would also love to see Mobius open his home to Loki (and Sylvie) if they need a place to stay and insist upon staying friends with regular visits (if not outright letting them live with him; besides he could use the childcare assistance). If the final shot is the entire team (B-15, Casey, OB, D-90...) sitting around Mobius's dinner table, sharing pie together, I will be so happy.

#loki #mobius #sylvie #lokius #sylki #loki season 2 #loki meta #mcu #my theories #my meta #loki speculation

[rolling-in-guano]

31DOD Day 27

Dick had never lost his parents, what would his life look like?

In short: Dick Grayson is an adrenaline addicted gremlin who is the world's strongest magnet for trouble. With his parents around, this mayhem just tripled in size.

In canon, Dick was kind of destined to become a Talon because the CoO said so. But Bruce also said that he didn't think Dick would ever become something like that and Calvin Rose (who had his own comic run) proved that it is possible to worm your way out of their grasp.

I don't think Dick would ever willingly leave the circus, but because he is Dick Grayson he's also destined to have a crazy life. Since his parents survive, I think a lot of it depends on where they end up in life.

Dick's parents don't get talked about a lot outside of the context of their deaths. I headcanon that they fell madly in love with each other as teenagers and basically eloped at 16. They ended up having Dick a couple of years later or so. While it was never really talked about, I always got the vibes that Mary and John had a really strong relationship and loved each other more than anything (especially in the flashpoint universe). I think this because love is very central to Dick's character as well as family. The values for love and family definitely come from John and Mary.

Here is just some non-linear snapshots of things that I think would have happened:

First of all, Raptor is still crawling around and totally in creepy love with Mary. Since he is such a weird dude, I think the family of three would have to deal with him at some point. I think this a moment where Mary Grayson gets to be very cool and badass while protecting her boys. Very much a "mom, what the hell?!" moment if you have ever had one of those (I certainly have).

Being the trouble magnet that he is, I think Dick would solve plenty of crimes and meet plenty of crazy characters while traveling the world with the circus. And since his parents are alive, they would definitely become some sort of crime solving adventure having family. I think they would make an awesome little mystery gang. Since his parents are shown to be pretty righteous, I also think they would have no problem breaking the law for the right reasons. They would probably do it pretty often too.

If the CoO come knocking, I think they would reunite with Calvin Rose who I imagine knew them in some capacity since they were both from Haley's. This would subsequently introduce them to Casey Washington and her whole thing. Dick would probably become a babysitter for Casey's daughter and they would take down the owls somehow.

I would also like to think Dick finds love in this reality. Maybe he manages to meet a canon love interest or it is someone else entirely, but either way it is beautiful and he finds happiness. They become a foursome of adventurers and keep going on Grayson family adventures.

I love the idea of the amount of trouble tripling because they are all together. I imagine this would give the JLA headaches too somehow. lol.

woof, that was kind of long.

#31dod #dick grayson #nightwing #robin #techincally not either of those things >:D #mary grayson #john grayson #calvin rose #talon #Court of owls #raptor #casey washington #batfam #dc #Bruce is probably just kind of screwed without him #my stuff

[analogskullerosis]

Thoughts on the Doom Patrol Finale

"It's okay. I made it home."

I thought the finale was wonderful. It was a perfect send off for the show and I think all the main characters got a good conclusion to their stories, even if I think some had bigger flaws than others. I think the show came full circle and did exactly what it wanted to do. While I would've liked to have seen a fifth season, I'm satisfied with what's here. I would say the theme for the final episode of Doom Patrol revolved around "breaking the cycle" and realizing that the only way things get better is by embracing change and to stop running around in circles. Let go of your worries and just be what you're meant to be.

Vic's ending was simple but sweet. The entire show he's been struggling to find his purpose and how he can help people in a way that isn't joining the Justice League or being a comic book superhero like Batman or Superman. Becoming a teacher with Derrick for the next generation of students pave the way and teach them valuable skills via robotics and prosthetics work (which Vic's Cyborg parts basically are) felt like the best ending for him. He wanted to be a hero and he is, it's just in the more subtle, usually unspoken/unthanked way that teachers can be viewed as "heroes".

Rita's death was sad, but necessary in order to help the rest of the team move on to their final destinies. It's often said that mothers (or grandmothers, in Old!Rita's case) are what keep families together. With her death, the Doom Patrol also died with her. She died beloved and with her family by her side... although she was embarrassed that her family only seemed to think of her by bringing her favorite alcohol... and her body blobbed up and popped like a slime balloon afterwards... But being reunited with Malcolm in the afterlife was a lovely conclusion for her. Being reunited with her lost love in a garden felt like something out of an old movie. Perfect for Miss. Rita Farr. The rest of the team paying tribute to her and watching her movie Secret Rendezvous was a lovely way to remember her. Their Lovely Rita died a star.

Speaking of dying as a star, Larry! Larry went nuclear!! Him flying into the sun during the Bad!Future at the beginning of the season was wild, his future with Rama here at the end was beautiful and it was the ending Larry deserved. He broke the cycle by not having Rama be the same "What If?" that John Bowers had been. He freed himself and was able to truly love without fear or hesitation again. Turning into a bright star in space was perfect for Larry because the entire show he had been introverted and shy and reserved. He made it a point to hide for as long as he could and never let anybody see him. His journey was all about a man embracing the things that make him who he is and to let the world see him in his glory, no matter what they think. Joining with Rama in space and becoming a star (which is how I interpreted their joining to signify) means that for the next couple thousand years, Larry can be seen shining bright in the night sky, whether people like it or not.

Jane becoming Kay again (or simplty, K., as Vic suggested) was the ultimate win. The underground was destroyed and K. found her peace. Her going to space with someone who she could find comfort in and explore with was a lovely ending for her. She wanted to leave Doom Manor and explore the world, now she can. Admittedly, I wish her relationship with Casey Brinke would've had more time devoted to it, but it's not a pairing I mind. As much as I wish she could've found her way back to Shelley Byron, I suppose I treat Shelley as an unreachable fantasy (she is fog, after all) whose role was not so much to be an endgame romantic partner to her, but to be a guiding hand and help Jane/K. begin to become comfortable in her body and sexuality again and ultimately help her reach her ending. Her conclusion had flaws, but her journey was still very very satisfying and I can be happy with her having Casey Brinke, her painting, a ship with a view, and a nice cat (so long as Casey doesn't... you know.) Her ending felt like it answered the ending Grant Morrison gave her after their run of the comics. "There is another world. There is a better world. Well... there must be." The show's answer is, "Yes, there is. She found it."

Laura's ending was my second least favorite (next to Dorothy, who just flat out fucking disappeared!!!) and I wish she had gotten a little more, but I got to see Michelle Gomez wield a flamethrower and smile bigger than a child on Christmas Day, so I can't be too mad about it. If you believe in fire as a thing that cleanses things and allows people to start over, Laura's ending worked for her character. The place that really and truly broke her is about to be violently burned down. A woman like her needed violence to heal her and I think burning down the Ant Farm was just that.

Cliff's ending was the one that got me the most. "I thought I came home to live, but I think I came home just to die." The gift that Isabel/Immortus gave him was a sweet gift. He gets to see the cycle be broken right before his very eyes. He gets to see Rory's whole life play out and while you fear he's repeating his grandfather's actions, those fears are quickly put to bed when you see that he's perfectly fine and everything works out. He doesn't become RJ Steele, he doesn't fall into the same traps and vices that hurt Cliff Steele, he becomes a different man. Rory Steele is there for Clara Steele and he gets to meet his own grandson as a flawed, but supportive and good man. When Cliff powers down and it hangs on that shot of Cliff's robot face, I broke. The journey is completed. Cliff was in an accident and spent the whole series trying to get home. He did just that. It was the most beautiful way Cliff Steele's story could've ended. I loved every minute of it.

I was happy that the Immortus plot and the Butts plot was wrapped up in about five minutes with no explanation. It didn't need one. This show was never about them. It was a show about a bunch of misfit-assholes-turned-superpowered-weirdos who had to learn to care for one another, helping each other guide through trauma and pain and become better people at the end of it. They did just that. Larry was right: every single threat the team dealt with was created by them in some way. If there's no Doom Patrol, then the world is safe for another day. The only way this all ends is by the Doom Patrol disbanding for good. If you view Doom Manor as one giant therapy/rehabilitation retreat, then all of the members of the manor were stamped and cleared to leave. They left and they all found their own happiness, happiness that would be strange and weird and nonsensical if it was any show other than Doom Patrol. In the end, the cycle was broken and the characters became free to explore the world beyond the manor. No more chaos, no more fear, only peace.

The only cycle that never seems to break is the one where the Doom Patrol dies at the end of almost every iteration of the comics... until some weirdo (Grant Morrison, Rachel Pollack, Gerard Way, etc.) comes along and resurrects them, brings them back to life. I suspect the Doom Patrol will go through that cycle again. They will die, the team will be disbanded and gone for a while, then some weirdo will lovingly make up some way to get them all together again. It doesn't have to make perfect sense, just so long as they're all together again somehow.

There's so much more to say, but I'll leave it with this for now: Doom Patrol has become one of my favorite shows of all time. It's hilariously ridiculous, wonderfully weird, delightfully strange, and the most beautifully human show about superpowered misfits coming together and helping each other find brighter days after experiencing nothing but the darkest ones. They're my new go-to example of what a found family should be and I think the finale was satisfying. I think the show wrapped up the best way that it could've and I think every person that had the pleasure of working on it should be proud of what they've unleashed onto the world.

Long live the Doom Patrol.

#original post #doom patrol #doom patrol spoilers

[pareidoliaonthemove]

The Pact

A Prequel to 'The Question', this takes place before 'The Long Reach'.

It was late into the night on Tracy Island, even the habitual night owls of Virgil and Brains had given up and called it a night.

The lounge was bathed in the glow of the stars and the moon, the watery blue glow emanating from the pool rippled against the ‘smart-glass’ ceiling and reflected down to the floor, creating a faint and ethereal moving carpet.

Scott Tracy, seated at the desk, noticed none of it. His attention was focused solely on the holodisplay in front of him. Orange light exploded in the centre of the display, flooding harsh light in the room, and temporarily whiting out the other lighting effects.

Scott stared at the virtual screen, his heart clenching once more at the sight. He didn’t know how many times he had watched this recording, over the last eight years, each time, desperately hoping for a miracle, for something other than the explosion.

For Dad to be alive.

And now, he knew, Dad might be.

Scott should have known. Should have had more faith in his father. Should have seen the signs.

In the recording Colonel Casey, the intercept pilot, the Hood, and his father all predicted the massive explosion that would take place should the Zero-X’s engines overload.

Scott stared again at the explosion. It had certainly destroyed his world, and that of his brothers, but it wasn’t the extinction-level destruction that they had all anticipated.

Brains had calculated the failure mode himself; the Mechanic’s calculations had agreed. Scott had learned long before then not to doubt the shy genius his father had hired, and he was grudgingly admitting that the Mechanic’s abilities were not to be doubted, either.

Dad had managed to get the Zero-X to gain altitude, but not enough to avert an extinction-level event; he hadn’t even cleared the atmosphere.

Scott should have known that something wasn’t right. Should have known that his father hadn’t died in the inferno.

Scott shouldn’t have stopped looking.

And now Dad had been trapped in deep space, at the very edge of the solar system for eight years, and he had managed to get an SOS message back home.

Scott watched the fireball bloom and fade again, his mouth dry. His father hadn’t died in the heart of that retina searing fireball; but Scott knew there was a very real possibility that he had died since, in the cold darkness of space.

And it would be Scott’s fault.

Because he had stopped looking.

The vision faded into static, and Scott counted the familiar four second count, waiting for it to restart but the display faded into darkness after the count of three.

And there, standing on the other side of the desk, was John.

Scott started violently, shocked by the unexpected flesh and blood apparition that stood before him, green eyes sharp under frowning ginger eyebrows.

Scott braced for the ear-blistering lecture that a pre-dawn in-person visit by the astronaut always heralded.

“We need to talk.”

Scott stared, his brain freewheeling at the words, conjuring up a rapid succession of disastrous scenarios: there was a problem with the mission timeline, there was a problem with the new Zero-X design, there was a problem with …

“Walk with me, Scott.” And without waiting for a reply, John turned and headed for the stairs.

Exhausted, Scott’s body responded without waiting for his brain’s permission, and he soon found himself sitting on a lounger, facing John, who sat at his feet, straddling the chair, that green gaze pinning him in place like a butterfly specimen.

Scott found his voice. “What is it, John? What’s wrong?”

John stared a moment longer, before speaking.

“You are, Scott.”

When there was no response, John continued. “You’re setting yourself up for a nervous breakdown. Again.” John paused, looking down to his hands, before looking back up to Scott. “It’s not your fault.”

“Isn’t it?” Scott inwardly recoiled at how bitter his voice sounded. “Dad’s out there, John. Alone. For eight years. Because I stopped looking.”

“No.” His brother’s voice was calm, toneless, and the audible equivalent of words chiselled in granite.

“Yes! I knew all along that that escape capsule was out there. I knew all along that escape capsules are absolutely stuffed with cameras and sensors for the sake of the investigation that the launch of one of those things instigates. I should have looked for it, eight years ago! We could have been launching this mission eight years ago, John! Eight years! What if Dad died waiting for us? Waiting for me!”

“We all knew all along about the escape capsule. You. Me. Virgil. Gordon. Alan. Brains. The Mechanic. Grandma. Lord Hugh. Lady Penelope. Parker. Colonel Casey. Lee Taylor. Any number of the Global Defence Force Analysts and Leadership. Any one of the security people who worked on the investigation after the theft of the Zero-X. Any one of the legal types who participated in the Coronial Hearing that declared Dad dead. Any one of the Tracy Industries engineers, security specialists, incident investigators, or lawyers. Any one of us could have made that realisation, any one of us could have instigated a search for the escape capsule. Any one of us could have recovered that footage.” John stared at Scott. “So why are you the only one responsible?”

Scott had no answer. The list of people who could have made the realisation, the list of people who could have launched the chain of events that would have led to Dad’s rescue years earlier overwhelming him.

John was merciless. “You feel guilty for not realising. I get that, Scott, I do. I feel guilty. I wasn’t able to track the Zero-X beyond that point. I’m the guy who hacks every camera to get you the information you need on a rescue, so why didn’t I think about the cameras and scanners on the capsule? Virgil and Brains, and even the Mechanic, they’re all engineers, and they’re all kicking themselves for not even considering that the Zero-X worked as designed.”

John exhaled nosily. “I’m worried about Dad, too, Scott. I’m worried what we’ll find. I’m worried how we’ll all cope if he’s dead. Hell, I’m worried how we’ll all cope if he’s alive.” John stared up into the sky. “Space does bad things to the human body, Scott. I’ve been laying awake at night because I keep imagining all the medical problems he’s going to have after eight years with no real sunlight, micro-gravity, and god-only-knows what to eat.”

He recaptured his brother’s gaze. “But I’ve got faith, Scott. We know he survived five years, because that’s how long it took for the Calypso to get to its furthest point. He managed to get a signal out to the Calypso, managed to reprogramme Brahman, to send out the SOS, and accelerate the Calypso’s return to earth.”

John laughed softly, then. “Actually, it’s ironic. He exiled himself to the very edge of the solar system prevent an extinction level event, and in trying to call for a rescue, damn near caused another one.”

The thought startled Scott, and an unwitting chuckle escaped him. “When we get him back, let’s not mention that to him, yeah?”

John smiled. “Probably for the best.” His gaze sharpened. “And speaking of for the best, Scott …”

The moment of levity was brief, and Scott felt a familiar weight settle in his chest and stomach. “John …”

“This has gone on too long, Scott. You’ve been tearing yourself apart since we got word of what happened.” John sighed. “We thought maybe this was how you grieve, throwing yourself into doing things. It seemed that way, especially after what you did when …”

John shook his head, unable or unwilling to say ‘when Mom died’, Scott couldn’t tell which. And he was glad for it, because Scott didn’t think he had the emotional resilience to hear the words spoken.

“But it’s more that that. Virgil’s been saying it for years. International Rescue is dangerous, we all know that, and we’ve got the scars to prove it, but you …” John stared at Scott, his eyes haunted. “Scott, it’s like you’re daring death to come get you. Like you want it.”

John stood suddenly, looming over Scott, who, startled, lost his balance, and half fell off the lounger at John’s feet. He stared up at his younger brother.

“I’m going to say this, and you are going to listen, Scott. Killing yourself will not bring Dad back. Killing yourself will not bring Mom back. You shouldn’t have ‘died in their place’ or any such romantic nonsense. You think losing you in their place would have hurt less? You think Alan would be better off having Dad instead of you? You think Gordon would have lived his Olympic dream without you? You think Virgil would have coped? Do you think I would have?”

Scott opened his mouth to protest, but John didn’t give him the chance. “Dad wasn’t always there, Scott, but you were. All those business trips, late-nights and weekend meetings, all those crises and troubleshooting conferences. Dad was at work. You were here. You were with us. You think the family fell apart when Dad disappeared? It was nothing compared to what happened when you did, Scott.” John shook his head. “You never saw us at our worst, because our worst was when you were gone.” John stared his older brother dead in the eye; seeming to will Scott to understand what he was saying with the force of his glare, laser burning the words into the tissues of his brain. “Losing Dad was your worst nightmare, Scott. We had you, we could cope without Dad, we knew that. We can’t cope without you. Please” John’s voice broke slightly “don’t make us try.”

Scott automatically reached out to his brother, his body reacting while his brain was in freefall. John collapsed down against him, hugging him back, clinging fiercely to what he couldn’t bear to lose.

“It’s all I’ve ever known, since the day they told me I was going to be a big brother,” Scott eventually whispered. “Every time Dad went away, it was always the same: ‘you’re the oldest, you’ve got to look after them – don’t let me down’. Last words Mom ever said to me ‘look after your brothers for me, Scott.’ Last thing Dad said before he went out to intercept the Zero-X. ‘Look after them till I get back.’” Scott stared. “How can I do anything else?”

John stared. “We finish the XL and go. We’ll find Dad, and we’ll bring him back. Alive or dead, we’ll bring him back. He will be back, and you will have fulfilled your duty.”

Scott stared out at the ocean, dark under the night sky. “What if he blames me, John?”

“Then he’s not the man I remember. And he’d be wrong, and we will make him understand that.” And that wasn’t John answering, it was Thunderbird Five – all calm certainty, authority and decisiveness. He wasn’t offering an opinion. He was stating a fact.

They sat in silence a long time, before Scott suddenly stood and took a couple of steps towards the cliff edge. “How do we do this, John?”

John moved to stand beside him, a half-arms-length away. “Small steps. First we find Dad –”

“Kind of a big step that, John,” Scott observed softly.

John shrugged. “Not really. We’ve nearly completed the final phase of testing. Navigation options have been calculated and programmed in – final decisions will be made on the day. Launch is in just over 48 hours. Logistically, it’s practically done already.”

Scott grunted, but didn’t comment.

“Next step is to return home. Every conceivable course of action needed has been planned down to a fine detail, what we do, depends on what we find.”

Scott nodded. He knew John was right. Every possible outcome had been considered and planned for. They had top medical teams on standby, even if the medics didn’t know it themselves. Medical treatment plans had been formulated under the guise of Tracy Industries sponsoring a space medicine symposium, with a hypothetical scenario for recovery and rehabilitation of astronauts stranded long term in deep space – an International Rescue initiative responding to the colony on Mars, had been the justification. They had even planned out their father’s funeral, allowing him to be interred alongside his wife and father, with an official public memorial.

“That’s the bigger picture. How do we deal with the … intimate?”

John stared. “We get rid of that recording, for a start. No more home video movie fests of Dad being blown to kingdom come.” John slumped, staring at the paved surface under his feet. “I should have got rid of it years ago.”

“I thought you would try,” Scott confessed. “I took precautions.” He could feel John’s gaze on him like a laser. He smiled, wryly. “Multiple copies encrypted on multiple servers. Physical copies, even, in safety deposit boxes. I doubt even you could find them all.”

“Keep one physical copy.” John decided. “Let Eos hold one digital copy. In case we ever need it. But let her decide if it is necessary for us to see it. Get rid of the rest.”

Scott considered. “And what do I get from this?”

He felt, rather than saw John start beside him. “What?”

Scott turned to face his brother. “I’d be making some big concessions. What do I get?”

John’s jaw dropped. “You’re seriously negotiating over this?”

Scott nodded, his eyes narrowing. “You’ve said what you want. What do I get out of it?”

“You mean other than a longer life expectancy?”

“Nobody’s guaranteed that, John. We both know that too well.”

John frowned. “What do you want, Scott? You obviously have something in mind.”

Scott nodded. “Time.”

“Time? I thought that was what you were getting?”

“Your time.”

“My time?”

“On earth.” John gaped. “Regular rotation to operate from Tracy Island. Later, if Alan wants, you can trade off with him. But you get your butt down here, regularly, and spent time with us, in 1G, not that equivalent centrifugal force you get up there.” He nodded at the sky to indicate Thunderbird Five. “Because as you said yourself, John, space does bad things to the human body.” Scott shook his head. “You said you couldn’t cope without me, and not to ask you to try. But what makes you think I could cope without you?” He reached out and poked his brother in the chest. “What gives you the right to ask me to try?”

John stared. “Okay,” was all he managed, his voice strangled.

Scott raised an eyebrow. “Okay, what?”

John breathed deeply and swallowed. “Okay, if you will make changes, seek help, and get rid of that video, in order to improve your mental and physical health; I will spend more time on Earth, improve my physical regime, and stick to it.”

Scott frowned, considering the words, turning them over in his head, looking for any loophole his brother could exploit. He couldn’t find any. He held out his hand to John. “Deal.”

“Deal.” John took his hand and they sealed the pact in the same way they had sealed many pacts over the years, as boys and men.

They stood in silence for a long while, contemplating the ocean and the stars, and the future, before finally Scott yawned. As if on cue, John replied in kind.

Scott nudged him. “Bed, John. Sleep.”

John nudged him back. “Same for you.”

They walked together back to the house, separating at the lounge without speaking, Scott to head to the rare luxury of his bed, and John to the hangers so as to return to Thunderbird Five and his quarters there. The next few days and weeks would be disturbing enough for all of them, no point worrying the rest of the family by breaking routine just yet.

Neither knew what the next few days would bring, and how that would shape the rest of their lives, but they had at least the beginnings of a plan, a course of action to start them off and some idea of the destination they were heading towards. No doubt it would be hard work, but individually and as a family they were no strangers to hard work.

And they believed one thing, above all others: that when someone cried out for help, they deserved an answer.

Especially when it was one of their own.

Notes:

Part of the ‘Questions, Answers, and Other Family Matters’ series.

In Part 2 of ‘The Question’, I threw in a line about Scott not being able to see the Zero-X footage anymore, and didn’t think anything about it.

Well, time passed, and I thought about it.

The standard disclaimers, I do not own Thunderbirds, either the Original Series, the Movies (both Supermarionation and Live Action), or the Thunderbirds Are Go Series. (Although I do own copies on DVD.)

I do not do this for money, but for my own (in)sanity and entertainment.

#fanfic #my fanfic #thunderbirds are go #scott tracy #john tracy #pre 'The Long Reach' #mental health

[fromkenari]

A mass of fools and knaves

The full email exchange between Alex Claremont Diaz and Prince Henry Fox Mountchristen Windsor from Chapter Nine of Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. Put here for my best friend to read.

A mass of fools and knaves A [email protected]                8/10/20 1:04 AM to Henry H, Have you ever read any of Alexander Hamilton’s letters to John Laurens? What am I saying? Of course you haven’t. You’d probably be disinherited for revolutionary sympathies. Well, since I got the boot from the campaign, there is literally nothing for me to do but watch cable news (diligently chipping away at my brain cells by the day) and sort through all my old shit from college. Just looking at papers, thinking: Excellent, yes, I’m so glad I stayed up all night writing this for a 98 in the class, only to get summarily fired from the first job I ever had and exiled to my bedroom! Great job, Alex! Is this how you feel in the palace all the time? It fucking sucks, man. So anyway, I’m going through my college stuff, and I find this analysis I did of Hamilton’s wartime correspondence, and hear me out: I think Hamilton could have been bi. His letters to Laurens are almost as romantic as his letters to his wife. Half of them are signed “Yours” or “Affectionately yrs,” and the last one before Laurens died is signed “Yrs for ever.” I can’t figure out why nobody talks about the possibility of a Founding Father being not straight (outside of Chernow’s biography, which is great btw, see attached bibliography). I mean, I know why, but. Anyway, I found this part of a letter he wrote to Laurens, and it made me think of you. And me, I guess: The truth is I am an unlucky honest man, that speak my sentiments to all and with emphasis. I say this to you because you know it and will not charge me with vanity. I hate Congress—I hate the army—I hate the world—I hate myself. The whole is a mass of fools and knaves; I could almost except you … Thinking about history makes me wonder how I’ll fit into it one day, I guess. And you too. I kinda wish people still wrote like that. History, huh? Bet we could make some. Affectionately yrs, slowly going insane, Alex, First Son of Founding Father Sacrilege

McQuiston, Casey. Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel (pp. 239-241). St. Martin's Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Re: A mass of fools and knaves Henry [email protected]                8/10/20 4:18 AM to A Alex, First Son of Masturbatory Historical Readings: The phrase “see attached bibliography” is the single sexiest thing you have ever written to me. Every time you mention your slow decay inside the White House, I can’t help but feel it’s my fault, and I feel absolutely shit about it. I’m sorry. I should have known better than to turn up at a thing like that. I got carried away; I didn’t think. I know how much that job meant to you. I just want to … you know. Extend the option. If you wanted less of me, and more of that—the work, the uncomplicated things—I would understand. Truly. In any event … Believe it or not, I have actually done a bit of reading on Hamilton, for a number of reasons. First, he was a brilliant writer. Second, I knew you were named after him (the pair of you share an alarming number of traits, by the by: passionate determination, never knowing when to shut up, &c &c). And third, some saucy tart once tried to impugn my virtue against an oil painting of him, and in the halls of memory, some things demand context. Are you angling for a revolutionary soldier role-play scenario? I must inform you, any trace of King George III blood I have would curdle in my very veins and render me useless to you. Or are you suggesting you’d rather exchange passionate letters by candlelight? Should I tell you that when we’re apart, your body comes back to me in dreams? That when I sleep, I see you, the dip of your waist, the freckle above your hip, and when I wake up in the morning, it feels like I’ve just been with you, the phantom touch of your hand on the back of my neck fresh and not imagined? That I can feel your skin against mine, and it makes every bone in my body ache? That, for a few moments, I can hold my breath and be back there with you, in a dream, in a thousand rooms, nowhere at all? I think perhaps Hamilton said it better in a letter to Eliza: You engross my thoughts too intirely to allow me to think of any thing else—you not only employ my mind all day; but you intrude upon my sleep. I meet you in every dream—and when I wake I cannot close my eyes again for ruminating on your sweetness. If you did decide to take the option mentioned at the start of this email, I do hope you haven’t read the rest of this rubbish. Regards, Haplessly Romantic Heretic Prince Henry the Utterly Daft

McQuiston, Casey. Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel (pp. 241-243). St. Martin's Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Re: A mass of fools and knaves A [email protected]                8/10/20 5:36 AM to Henry H, Please don’t be stupid. No part of any of this will ever be uncomplicated. Anyway, you should be a writer. You are a writer. Even after all this, I still always feel like I want to know more of you. Does that sound crazy? I just sit here and wonder, who is this person who knows stuff about Hamilton and writes like this? Where does someone like that even come from? How was I so wrong? It’s weird because I always know things about people, gut feelings that usually lead me in more or less the right direction. I do think I got a gut feeling with you, I just didn’t have what I needed in my head to understand it. But I kind of kept chasing it anyway, like I was just going blindly in a certain direction and hoping for the best. I guess that makes you the North Star? I wanna see you again and soon. I keep reading that one paragraph over and over again. You know which one. I want you back here with me. I want your body and I want the rest of you too. And I want to get the fuck out of this house. Watching June and Nora on TV doing appearances without me is torture. We have this annual thing at my dad’s lake house in Texas. Whole long weekend off the grid. There’s a lake with a pier, and my dad always cooks something fucking amazing. You wanna come? I kind of can’t stop thinking about you all sunburned and pretty sitting out there in the country. It’s the weekend after next. If Shaan can talk to Zahra or somebody about flying you into Austin, we can pick you up from there. Say yes? Yrs, Alex P.S. Allen Ginsberg to Peter Orlovsky—1958: Tho I long for the actual sunlight contact between us I miss you like a home. Shine back honey & think of me.

McQuiston, Casey. Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel (pp. 243-245). St. Martin's Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Re: A mass of fools and knaves Henry [email protected]                8/10/20 8:22 PM to A Alex, If I’m north, I shudder to think where in God’s name we’re going. I’m ruminating on identity and your question about where a person like me comes from, and as best as I can explain it, here’s a story: Once, there was a young prince who was born in a castle. His mother was a princess scholar, and his father was the most handsome, feared knight in all the land. As a boy, people would bring him everything he could ever dream of wanting. The most beautiful silk clothes, ripe fruit from the orangery. At times, he was so happy, he felt he would never grow tired of being a prince. He came from a long, long line of princes, but never before had there been a prince quite like him: born with his heart on the outside of his body. When he was small, his family would smile and laugh and say he would grow out of it one day. But as he grew, it stayed where it was, red and visible and alive. He didn’t mind it very much, but every day, the family’s fear grew that the people of the kingdom would soon notice and turn their backs on the prince. His grandmother, the queen, lived in a high tower, where she spoke only of the other princes, past and present, who were born whole. Then, the prince’s father, the knight, was struck down in battle. The lance tore open his armor and his body and left him bleeding in the dust. And so, when the queen sent new clothes, armor for the prince to parcel his heart away safe, the prince’s mother did not stop her. For she was afraid, now: afraid of her son’s heart torn open too. So the prince wore it, and for many years, he believed it was right. Until he met the most devastatingly gorgeous peasant boy from a nearby village who said absolutely ghastly things to him that made him feel alive for the first time in years and who turned out to be the most mad sort of sorcerer, one who could conjure up things like gold and vodka shots and apricot tarts out of absolutely nothing, and the prince’s whole life went up in a puff of dazzling purple smoke, and the kingdom said, “I can’t believe we’re all so surprised.” I’m in for the lake house. I must admit, I’m glad you’re getting out of the house. I worry you may burn the thing down. Does this mean I’ll be meeting your father? I miss you. x Henry P.S. This is mortifying and maudlin and, honestly, I hope you forget it as soon as you’ve read it. P.P.S. From Henry James to Hendrik C. Andersen, 1899: May the terrific U.S.A. be meanwhile not a brute to you. I feel in you a confidence, dear Boy–which to show is a joy to me. My hopes and desires and sympathies right heartily and most firmly, go with you. So keep up your heart, and tell me, as it shapes itself, your (inevitably, I imagine, more or less weird) American story. May, at any rate, tutta quella gente be good to you.

McQuiston, Casey. Red, White & Royal Blue: A Novel (pp. 245-247). St. Martin's Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

#leigh #a mass of fools and knaves #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #red white and royal blue #casey mcquiston #out of credits

[vicbutnotactually]

PLEASE give me any world building ideas you have for the caseynardo au!! That art was gorgeous, I’m so curious about it now 👀

Pssst ive got your Elder Gays fix >:]

First off, some lore on various phases in the Husband’s lives courtesy of @lucatea

- The guys have their own loose knit clan of scavengers, but that clan also has an enemy clan, competing with them over territory mainly. This other clan has a tendency of being violent, yes they’re basically the evil dudes in this AU.

- in a tasty parallel to Splinter’s human life, this enemy gang does burn down the boy’s first home, with Leo getting trapped in the burning house and almost dying, for some context a tangent:

- The Gays have a divorce era >:] 💅 it was inspired by rewatching Road to el Dorado and the melodramatic gay breakup in the movie with a song by Elton John ft The Backstreet Boys (slay.) After some time stranded in this new dimension, Leo starts to think that no one is coming for them, while Casey holds on to hope, they are pretty young here but they have already started scavenging. This entire time, they have been mainly looking for portal tech in order to try to get home (the tech does exist, but it’s very very difficult to find and there are just tiny fragments, which makes it very difficult, especially since these guys have no idea what they’re doing.) Leo falls into dispair and grows tired of searching for tech and wants to give up, while Casey wants to keep looking; so they fight, and split up, which is the first time they’ve been in their own, since they stuck together the entire time they were there. Tangent over, back to the fire 🔥

- They spend some time bitter but also worrying about each other. Meanwhile, the enemy clan has noticed that Leo is on his own now and has decided to take him out, cue housefire. Meanwhile, Casey decided to come back, realizing that they need to stick together, and while he’s not far from their house, he’s pacing back and forth, deep in thought, trying to figure out what he’s going to say to Leo and doesn’t notice the orange glow in the distance and the smoke rising from where their house is. When Casey runs through the woods towards the house he goes from the dark and calm woods to looking up at a raging inferno. He runs in and tries to get an unconscious Leo out, but part of the house collapsed and is pinning him down, with most of the weight on his right leg. With the flames closing in and the house filling up with smoke, Casey makes a heat of the moment decision and cuts off Leo’s leg at the knee (which wasn’t too hard since the bones were mostly reduced to shards.) He gets them both out alive (barely,) and manages to stop the bleeding. During the ordeal, Casey sustained many burns (but Leo not so much, the brunt of the flames hadn’t gotten to him, just the falling rubble,) mainly on his arms and back from shoving away the burning rubble.

Casey barely has time to breathe when he has to take Leo and make a run for it, since he can hear the enemy clan coming for them. Adrenaline is the main thing that gets him out of there, considering he’s trying to carry a still unconscious Leo on his back. He flees for who knows how long, trying tend to Leo’s wounds and being paranoid that he might die or that the enemies are still after them. Eventually, they come across an abandoned base, which becomes the home in that painting I did.

Leo pulled through, but Casey felt incredibly guilty about cutting his leg off, so he hyperfocuses on trying to make him a prosthetic which leads to:

- Casey made Leo’s prosthetic. I think that after a learning curve, he’d actually figure out how to make stuff out of the ancient tech, since he is kinda mechanically inclined in the show, with fixing cars and making himself gear and stuff.

He’d be running around putting himself in danger to find parts and worrying the hell out of Leo. But he’d have to constantly worry whenever he’s away that something might happen to Leo (who’s still at the base,) like he’s going to come home and find the place on fire.

- The boys have pets. This world has a domestic Horse-sized dog species. At some point, Casey finds a stray and brings it home, Leo disapproves but Casey does puppy-dog eyes and gets to keep it. But are you ready for the best kind of pet?

Grabcrabs:

Grabcrabs are very smart chihuahua-sized crab creatures and are the most common type of pet. They are child-like and very empathetic, as well as handy. Grabcrabs often have hobbies or jobs, and can be taught to do most things, but are not capable of language. Grabcrabs like accessories and normally wear something reflective of what they like to do. Grabcrabs are often helpers and therapy animals at places like hospitals (they wear little nurse hats.) A Grabcrab cannot be bought or chosen by a person, a Grabcrab chooses you. They can be very mischievous too, but never cause real harm because they feel bad when they do. They are pure little guys and it’s despicable to hurt a Grabcrab. The relationship to these little guys is different depending on what society they’re with; they can have genetic differences because when inside a city, their populations are mostly isolated, and their social roles can be different, with some cities even considering them equal to people while others even worship them.

At some point, they notice a little crab creature following them and after trying and failing to get him to go away, Casey names him Ricky and they now have a crab toddler. Ricky learns basic first aid, and he likes to garden so he has a little sun hat.

Ricky is the best boi. He plays a big role in saving Leo from the fire. When Ricky saw that Leo was trapped, he ran out for help and alerted Casey to the fire by freaking out and running circles and tugging on his pant leg. And when Leo is alone at the new base, Ricky tries to stand guard with a little stick, but Casey eventually gives him a knife. Ricky loves mischief but is also very protective and caring

Ok enough Ricky, we need some angst:

- At some point, Casey gets kidnapped by the enemy clan and he is held prisoner / hostage for some time (a month or two maybe?) during which Leo is losing it. He is furious and will stop at nothing to find him. Over the time Casey is missing, Leo starts to fear that he’s already dead or that they’re hurting him (since these bad guys are very much evil assholes,) so when he finds the enemy base he rips that place up and goes on a rampage beating the crap out of everyone there. He finds Casey chained up in a cell with all his gear gone and in poor condition.

After they escape, Leo takes care of him and he seems to be recovering before he takes a sudden turn for the worst. It was the point where he was walking around normally before he suddenly collapses. He gets very sick and gets close to the brink of death. He makes it but he gives Leo a good scare.

Random tidbits:

- the guys go on date night inside the cities, most often the restaurants or festivals. The cities hold different kinds of festivals yearly, and Casey drags Leo there.

- Casey is better with tech than Leo is.

- The way their house is depicted in that one painting I did it looks very peaceful. That’s because they’re above the treetops, but everything below is a jungle/forest hellscape. They have a massive barrier or electric fence of some kind surrounding their house to keep things out, specifically dangerous animals. In this world, the higher up you are, the safer you are, cities are often built high up in mountains or trees, although some take the other route and try to go underground instead. Most of the dangerous megafauna lives at sea level.

- around that world, you can find ancient remnants of various kinds of tech, mostly being giant destroyed mechs made for fighting. There are also rare labs and facilities that can be found (most are buried underground.) in these facilities is where most kinds of advanced tech can be found, as well as power source crystals (like the Kraang Crystals but smaller,) while the above-ground tech are mostly just rusted hunks of metal.

- the most peaceful times outside of the safe zones are the daytime, mainly early morning or afternoon. Night time is the most dangerous, with midday being close second, since most predators hunt at these times. Midday is also dangerous since it’s when the weather becomes the most extreme, with intense heat waves in the summer.

- Casey kept up his graffiti and now likes to do murals in their house.

- The jungles where they live have many Cenotes and underwater cave systems. The issue is that there is a species of vin that grows across these in a thick mat, covering them completely. It’s easy for someone who isn’t paying attention to fall through the vines and into a cave/cenote/pit, basically any hole in the ground, the boys fall into these a lot when they first get there.

I you have any questions or ideas, don’t hesitate let me know!

#i need to draw more affection between these two #tmnt 2012 #tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt leonardo #casey jones #tmnt 2k12 #leocasey #caseynardo #disaster husbands tmnt au #disaster husbands au #sorry for the massive block of text lol #tmnt 2012 leo

[itsohh]

One Final Look

A/N: Female reader, love when characters watch stuff far away on a hill, weddings, funerals. the best stuff🤙

Summary: On the most perfect of days, the sunniest of skies, John watches your wedding. Thinking of what could have been.

Word count: 1111 

Warnings: Angst

AO3 Masterlist

The renowned happiest day of someone's life. Their wedding. Your wedding. Up on top of a hill, he had a perfect view of the ceremony. It was an outdoor wedding. A decently sized one at that. A lot of love and care had gone into organising the event. White benches were lined up in rows and an equally white flooring had been laid out up to the stage.

An arch of blue and white flowers made up the statement piece for the background and slithered around to the front of the stage to disperse in petals and flowers all around the seated area. In the middle of the arch, there was a perfect view of the beach behind. You had always hated the idea of an outdoor wedding, a beach one at that. The idea of sand or mud getting everywhere always soured your face. He couldn't help but wonder what made you compromise on the situation.

He didn't recognise many people in the seating area. Only a couple of your friends and old squadmates that he had the pleasure of meeting. They all had smiles on his face, all except one. Your best friend and no doubt maid of honour. There to make sure everything went smoothly. He presumed most of the people there were on your fiance's side, you never did have a huge amount of friends.

A small wedding, he remembered you wanting that. A part of him wanted to see the reception just to see if it screamed you. Your ideas must have been compromised for there. He was dressed for the situation as well. Admittedly not as dressed up as everyone else. Yet he still wore a pair of black slacks, black shoes and an un-ironed white dress shirt that was slightly opened. If he wanted to he could very well wish you well and be on his way.

Chatter died down and music started to play, a violinist to the side of the stage playing. One of your friends, Casey, if his memory was correct, brought a bouncing labrador down the aisle first. It had an overflowing basket of petals that fell onto the floor. Sounds of people giggling and awwing could be heard even up to his location. Then again the sound did travel rather well.  

Memories of you playing with that dog whenever Casey came with you to lunch flashed before his eyes. It wasn't your dog but you loved it all the same. Finally out from the small sheltered walkway you came.

His breath hitched and right away any plans of going to see you went out the window. A long white dress clung to you, a trail of lace decorated the bottom of the dress and dragged behind you as you walked. Alone you walked down the aisle until you reached the end and your fiance helped you up onto the stage.

He got a small glance at the heels on your feet when you picked up the dress to climb the stairs and he couldn't help chuckle. You really had gone all out. The heartache inside of him was shoved down to his very core. Locked away with a key, this wasn't about him and he knew it. His eyes fell on your shaking hands that held your bouquet.

Now that his eye caught that he paid more attention, you were trembling. Nerves he deducted. The wedding continued rather uniformly. Not that he particularly noticed too much. His eyes were on you. He wanted to be down there, in front of you. But this wouldn't have been the wedding you shared.

No, he would have that wedding the pair of you always planned out. A small little thing. An indoor wedding. The refurbished glasshouse venue the pair of you had found. There wouldn't be many people there, your friends shared squadmates and allies.

He would dress up far more than he currently was, a proper full suit. He'd always chuckle at the thought of forcing Simon into a suit with that mask of his. There was no way he would let you walk down that aisle alone, he'd entrust Gaz to deliver you to him. He'd cry, he knew that. How could he not? His mind started to wonder more about the details, comparing them to the scene in front of him. Would you have the same dress? Or would you have picked out something different for him?

Perhaps you would finally just go for it and elope with him instead. Not bother with planning and just live in the moment. He could imagine the adrenaline-filled smile on your face. The way you would giggle and mess up your vows. Still, he would cry.

But this wasn't his wedding with you. You didn't have that doting smile on your face for him. Instead, you had tears in your face and wiped them away with the back of your hand. Your vows soon came up and John's brows raised slightly. He had expected you to write some of your own. Yet you stuck to the traditional ones.  You repeated back and quietly to the point where he could barely hear it. You said 'I do'. In a way, it was good for him to hear those words. To fully crush his heart. Destroy any hope he had left deep inside him. Maybe it would allow him to finally move forward with his life.

John didn't think he could ever love someone the way he loved you. He had accepted that you were the love of his life. But hopefully, now he could move forward so every time he wasn't working he could think about anything except you. He laughed bitterly at the thought. As if. Your fiance moved towards you and for a brief moment, the pair of you shared a short uniform kiss.

John's thoughts went to how he would have kissed you. How he would have grabbed your face and smashed his lips against yours. It wouldn't be long but it would be passionate. Hungry almost. A million words in one action. Not that, pathetic excuse of a kiss. John would embarrass the pair of you. But it wouldn't matter, you wouldn't care. He could imagine Soaps hollering. He could imagine the look that Simon would give him behind his mask. Laswell's wife would laugh and Kate would sit there with a smirk on her face. She was used to his antics.

Yet, that dream faded away as your now spouse took your hand and started to walk you down the aisle. John turned away on that hill and mentally swore to himself. He would never see you again.

#price x reader #john price x reader #john price #mw2 x reader #cod x reader #call of duty #modern warfare 2

[yiiyiiwrites]

You’ve done older sisters, but what would older brothers be like for them?

Ohh ok...love this. Hadn't really thought of this, but I'm invested now and picturing who they are 🤩 It's quite long...Struggled to find inspo gifs too

Pope's older brother would be the ultimate cool guy, always with a pair of headphones music blaring. Even the Kooks like him, not that they'd say that to your face. The guy everyone seems to know at the party. Very creative, works at a sign company painting or installing signs around the outer banks and sometimes further out. Teaching himself graphics design alongside his job, wants to start his own design company one day (this means he gets roped into making promo for the Heywards and other small businesses). Smart like Pope but downplays it big time so not much is expected of him. Very stylish and always looks good. Doesn't know what his little brother gets up to, but always covers for him when it comes to their parents wondering where he is. Gets on with the pogues the most out of the older brothers.

JJ's older brother I think would be someone that had shift based job and is coming and going at different hours. Part-time fireman? Handy man in between....(why am I picturing a young Matt Casey from Chicago fire 🤭) Short shaved dirty blond hair and physically fit. Can be a bit of a dick, but hey he's a Maybank...Tired of always trying to stop fights at home but doesn't like his little brother getting hurt. Tries his hardest to make money and give JJ some stability even if he doesn't quite know how. He makes more mistakes with his brother...he's still learning (JJ and him argue a lot). Pogues have a bet on who gets a smile out of him first and it's still running.

John B's older brother would be in the army. Sends home money for him but it's never on time. Come's home rarely, didn't get on with their father because of the years he spent searching for treasure. When he does come home, John B always reminds him "this isn't army bro, can't order me around." Joining the army was his way out of the outer banks. Let's John B fight his own battles, but gives him a few pointers on how to throw a better punch. Listen's to JJ's exaggerated stories and tells his mates back at base. Has a soft spot for Kie as she's always been the only girl and the boys tease him for softly speaking to her and being gentle.

Kiara's older brother is in with both the rich/poor side. Hangs around with Topper, Kelce and Rafe, but doesn't try to get too friendly with them. Networks at every kook event and then parties with his friends to de-stress. Doesn't like JJ or John B (sorry), thinks they are a bad influence on his little sister. Works with their parents and studies business part-time. Want to say he was popular at school and was a star athlete at a sport, lots of girls like him. Kiara teases him about his group of fan girls waiting for him after games etc. Does have a steady girlfriend now though, that their parents approve of. Tries to get Kiara in with a kook crowd, but after her fall out with Sarah she was never interested in trying to fit in. Knows of Pope's older brother and hangs out with him during parties, but has never spent time with him outside of that.

✨ There you go. I struggled with Kiara's brother, the others weren't so difficult. If you have any other requests let me know! I'm still writing a few more requests that were sent :) - Yiiyii

Please do not take and post my creations, you may reblog/like but do not take and claim as your own.

#obx fanfiction #obx fic #jj maybank #jj maybank fanfiction #obx headcanon #pope heyward fanfiction #kiara carrera #pope heyward #pope heyward headcanon #john b headcanon #john b fanfiction #outer banks fanfiction #yiiyiiasks

[lenfantdeverone]

Scott and pain tolerance headcanon

TW: discussion of PTSD, mental health issues, altered pain perception, Scott in Bereznik stuff

Scott 100% has an altered and dysfunctional pain perception after his time in Bereznik.

He would have strong pain reactions to minor, tiny injuries and procedures that may trigger a PTSD episode, but he would have a high, almost numb pain tolerance when he is completely focused on a rescue.

Needles? He hates needles. They hurt so so much it's almost unberable.

But a fully dislocated shoulder while on a mission? He would barely feel anything at all. He could keep working while having broken bones, while bleeding, and he genuinely wouldn't notice until his brothers take a look at him.

Virgil and John often scold him for being recless and working while injured, but sometimes Scott truly can't tell when he's really hurting. His mind is always twisting the reality around him, he can't feel pain properly anymore. It's an extreme coping mechanism mixed with the altered survival instinct that comes with PTSD. In order to protect himself from pain, his brain sometimes shuts the pain off completely, and other times it makes it much much worse.

This, added to his work ethic in which he needs to push himself to the very limit, makes his job so much more difficult and dangerous. I do believe he is getting better the longer he gets used to his line of work, and I do believe he is required by his family and Colonel Casey to go to therapy to be even allowed on a Thunderbird in the first place, but I still hope he will take some time to properly recover after Jeff is back and takes some responsibilities off his shoulders.

#thunderbirds #thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds 2015 #scott tracy #thunderbirds headcanon

[gumnut-logic]

“I don’t want Virgil there, Dad.”

Virgil froze just outside the entrance to the comms room.

“Scott, you will need him and Thunderbird Two for this.”

“No. I’ll take Gordon.”

“Scott-“

“I don’t want him there!”

“Scott, this is a delicate operation. Virgil has the skills required. I would prefer-“

“No. He can’t do it.”

“Can’t?”

“Dad-“

“Are you doubting your brother?”

“No!”

“Then take him.”

“No!”

“I don’t understand. You two have always been a pair. Gordon could do the job, but this is Virgil’s speciality. Why take the risk?”

“I’m not taking Virgil into a warzone!”

“You don’t think he can handle it.” It wasn’t a question.

Scott didn’t answer immediately. “I don’t want him to have to handle it. Gordon has the experience. I trust him.”

Virgil swallowed hard, his heart sinking. The rough rock wall scraped across his fingertips as he clenched his hands against it.

“Very well. Though I’m going to leave it to you to explain to your brother why you need his ‘bird, but not him.”

Scott’s grunt was frustrated.

Virgil’s shoulders dropped and he turned back to the stairs and began climbing back up to his studio.

Obviously, he wasn’t needed.

-o-o-o-

Scott found it unusually hard to locate Virgil. The man was not in his usual haunts. His studio door was locked, his rooms empty. Two’s hangar was empty except for Gordon who was finishing a final prep of Two for the mission.

It was going to be a fast in/fast out escorted by the GDF. He was hoping to keep the risk minimal. The target was a group of refugees trapped in a cave system at the edge of disputed territory. The stories coming out of the area were not good, but John had intercepted a distress call that could only be actioned by International Rescue, so they were up to bat.

Now Scott just needed to explain to Virgil why Gordon was going and he wasn’t.

Scott was not looking forward to this conversation. Virgil would not like it in the slightest. The argument was liable to be pyrotechnic.

If he could just find the man.

“Scott!”

Scott cursed under his breath as his father approached. “We have a go. Colonel Casey reports a window. She’ll meet you and Gordon in Auckland. Launch in fifteen.”

Scott straightened. “FAB.”

Then he was moving, more commander than big brother.

His heart ached though, because obviously something obviously wasn’t right and leaving without speaking to Virgil was just wrong.

But duty was duty.

Fifteen minutes and both Thunderbirds One and Two launched from the Island.

Still no sign of Virgil.

-o-o-o-

Standing on a cliff at the edge of the Island, Virgil watched the two Thunderbirds launch. It was a spectacular sight. One he rarely saw from this perspective.

It felt so wrong to let his brother go without saying goodbye. But his heart was hurting and he didn’t want Scott to see that and if he saw Scott right now, Scott would see right through him.

His brother did not need the distraction.

“John?”

“Virgil, I don’t like this. You should speak to Scott.”

“Later.”

“He’s been looking for you for the last half an hour. He’s left without saying goodbye. You know how he hates that.”

“I’ll make it up to him.”

“You know his thoughts on that, too.”

Virgil sighed. Of course, he did. They were never guaranteed a ‘later’ so the unspoken rule was to attend to family matters now.

“I just needed some time. Two is fully equipped. Gordon is fully capable.”

John sighed. “You know this isn’t a reflection on your capabilities. You know Scott-“

“I know, John.” He did. He knew the decision process behind it. Both of his military brothers’ training, the skill set that was needed that he knew he didn’t have. It was all logical and correct.

It still felt like failure.

Virgil was supposed to be Scott’s support, his second-in-command, his right-hand man, the one who was always there to help him.

But there was obviously some situations that he couldn’t be there.

Times where he wasn’t wanted.

Times where he wasn’t enough.

“Virgil-“

“I’m fine, John. Don’t worry. You’re needed elsewhere. Talk later.” And he killed the connection.

Virgil sat down on a rock and stared out at the ocean.

He sat there for a very long time.

-o-o-o-

Scott had never been so thankful for a decision in his life.

The ‘refugees’ had turned out to be revolutionary forces caught in a snare by their dictator government. By calling in International Rescue, they had galvanised IR’s position on a matter they had nothing to do with.

Scott and Gordon had barely gotten out alive. Two was sporting damage down one side that could have grounded her if the explosive had landed any closer to her tail.

And that was after they had managed to escape the government’s clutches. Scott had a rib that wasn’t very happy and Gordon was sporting a black eye. It had taken some serious cover supplied by the GDF and some rather grizzly scenes to make their escape.

Aunt Val knew the value of the Thunderbirds themselves and would never let the vehicles into the hands of such a corrupt group.

But there had been innocents there as well, caught in the crossfire.

Scott swallowed. It had been a long time since he had faced a situation where the options were that poor.

Gordon knew the deal. Knew the tough decisions had to be made.

Virgil…he trusted his brother with his life, but his heart was gentle…

Scott pressed his lips together as they approached Tracy Island. Okay, if he was honest with himself, Virgil would make the right decisions. His brother was too smart not to. But Scott didn’t want him to have to make those decisions. He did enough on rescues. He didn’t need to be directly responsible for what their sole purpose was to prevent.

Scott didn’t want to see him go through that.

He shouldn’t have to.

He shoved One into vertical flight above the Island and his side complained. The rib was likely only bruised or possibly cracked. He had refused attention from the GDF doctors. He had scanned himself and Gordon at the first opportunity and they had decided to go home.

Virgil was foremost on his mind.

There was guilt regarding exposing Gordon to this situation as well. Every big brother cell in his body hated it. But Gordon was qualified. He had seen action. He had the mental defences. He knew the deal. The two of them, along with Kayo and Penny, were the backbone of IR’s tactical skill set. Virgil and John had strengths in other areas. Alan…Scott shuddered…no…just no.

It was Scott’s job to protect them and he would fight until his last breath to do so.

Even if he hurt them a little in the process.

One lowered through the pool into her gantry and he finally began to relax a little as she trundled back into her hangar.

He let out a breath as she finally came to a halt.

A red shirted figure stood in front of his elevator, arms folded across his chest and a frown on his face.

Virgil.

His heart lifted at the sight. Something lifted off his shoulders as everything wrong suddenly felt right again.

But at the same time, there was dread.

Regardless, he triggered the pilot retrieval system and climbed out of his chair onto the platform.

The brown eyes that followed his every movement spoke volumes.

Aunt Val had dobbed him in.

He sighed as the platform reached his brother and Virgil held out a hand to help him off.

“How serious?”

“It’s minor, Virg.”

“Fortunately, I don’t need to rely on your diagnosis.” With that his brother dragged him away from the edge and pulled out a medscanner. Within moments, the yellow light was flickering all over his dirty uniform.

“Gordon-“

“Grandma’s got Gordon. I’ve got you.” Virgil glared at the readout enough to laser it out of existence. “And a hairline fracture of the fifth rib on your left side. You’re off rescues for six weeks.”

“Virg-“

“Minimum.”

That shut him up. Virgil knew what he was doing.

Virgil’s skill set lay right here, front and centre.

Scott Tracy wasn’t one to apologise for his command decisions. They were command decisions, after all. They had to be made, but there was something in the way that Virgil just wasn’t looking at him, some kind of…sorrow…emanating off his brother that just had the word ‘sorry’ aching to be said. To make things better.

He didn’t say it.

As Virgil bundled him off to the infirmary with a handful of short words, Scott found himself watching the man, reading those familiar lines, the shift of those heavy lifting shoulders, the flicker of a glance that darted away as they left the elevator for the corridor.

It was obvious Virgil knew he had been left behind. Knew the reason why.

And hated it.

Nothing was said as Virgil nudged him into the infirmary…which was strangely empty of a fish brother, a grandmother and the expected worried father. Scott frowned as he sat down on one of the beds.

“Where’s Gordon?”

“I asked Grandma to use Two’s infirmary.”

Scott blinked. “Why?”

“Because I want to talk to you.”

Scott’s heart sank. “About what?”

“Take your uniform off. Try not to get mud…or ash…on the bed.” Virgil was fussing in a cabinet, apparently looking for something.

He did as he was asked and dirt flaked to the floor. It hurt and Virgil was suddenly there, easing his baldric over his head and, with a quick flick of a laser cutter, removing the top of his uniform.

The smell of burning fabric made his nose itch as his undershirt fell to the floor.

Virgil didn’t say anything as he examined Scott’s chest. The bloom of bruising was becoming very apparent. The fact there was nothing that could be done for a broken rib other than painkillers and rest made it very obvious that Virgil’s fussing was little more than procrastination.

“Virg?”

His brother grabbed his hand and gave him a tiny plastic cup with two pills in it. He shoved a glass of water in the other. “Swallow. For the pain.”

Scott eyed the medication, noting the strength, but the dark eyes staring him down made him gulp them as fast as possible.

The glass and cup were taken from his fingers and placed on the sink.

Virgil didn’t turn back to face him. He leant heavily on the basin, his shoulders slumping. “I know why you did what you did.”

“Virg-“

His brother’s hand shot up and brought him to a halt.

“I know why…and…” Virgil sighed, closing his eyes. “I agree with it.”

Scott blinked and stared. That was…unexpected.

Virgil pushed off the sink and straightened, turning to face him. “I agree with it, but I don’t have to like it.” There was a sudden vulnerability in those brown eyes Scott hadn’t seen since they were children. “I’m glad you have Gordon to back you up.” His brother’s lips clamped tight and he reached down to pick Scott’s shirt off the floor. “I just wanted you to know that.”

There was something missing. Virgil’s body language was desperately trying to convey his support, but his brother couldn’t lie to save himself. Never could. It was something Scott loved about the man, something he so wanted to protect. “And?”

“And you should go to bed and rest. Make sure to take a deep breath every now and again, and regular pain medication. You know the drill.”

Did he ever.

But still Virgil was hiding something. It was there. Call it his sixth sense where his brother was concerned. He knew the man. Knew how he thought, could predict how he would act. Knew…

No.

“Virgil, you are exactly what I need you to be.”

His brother froze in the middle of the floor.

Bingo.

“You are everything and more. I could never ask for more. Could never WANT more.”

Virgil turned to face him, eyes ever so sad. “Except in that situation. I’m not enough to have your back.” He swallowed and turned away. “And I hate it.”

Scott let out a frustrated breath. “My god, Virg, what the hell do you expect of yourself. Your skillset is-“

But Virgil spun around. “I expect to be there for you in whatever capacity you need me to be. But I can’t. Not there. Not today. Not next time. Because there will be a next time. God, I hope there isn’t, but there will be. And I will have to stand by and let you go without me and…and… damnit, that’s not the way it is supposed to be!” He stopped as if he had run out of words to express how he felt. But Virgil’s eyes said everything.

Scott reached out and grabbed him by his shoulders, flinching as the action pulled at his ribs. “Virg, you were there! If you hadn’t prepped Two the way you had, we wouldn’t have been able to lift off as fast as we did. You had our backs! Ask Gordon. You know Two better than any of us. You know what she needs for her to fly her best. You were there, Virgil, exactly where we needed you to be. Do you hear me? You are more than enough. You are my brother, Thunderbird Two more than that flying green brick could ever be.”

Virgil stared at him, eyes wide for a solid moment, shock in his expression. Then…

“Flying green brick?”

Scott deflated, one hand climbing up Virgil’s shoulder to his neck pulling him forward so Scott could touch his forehead to his own. “You idiot.”

Virgil let out a frustrated breath. “I just wish…”

“I don’t. I want you here.”

“You don’t have to watch.”

“Yes, I do. Every damned day and I hate it just as much as you do.”

Virgil’s groan was more a frustrated whine.

With a sigh, Scott pulled him in closer, dragging him into the hug Scott probably needed more than Virgil did.

His brother didn’t return the gesture with any of his usual gusto, obviously cautious of Scott’s injury, but he did wrap his arms around him ever so gently and rest his head on Scott’s shoulder.

Scott held him like that for some time, at least until he winced enough for Virgil to notice and back off in a hurry.

He was subjected to another brief flicker of the scanner for his efforts.

“You need rest.”

He needed to know Virgil was okay. “I’ll live.” As if to prove the fact, he pushed himself off the bed ever so carefully onto his feet. “What I do need is a shower.” And to check on Gordon.

As if his thoughts had summoned his brother, there was a knock on the door. “Hey, Scotty, has Virg finished skinning you alive yet?”

Virgil answered for him. “Why, are you volunteering to be next?”

“Hey, no fair! It wasn’t my fault. They’re the one’s who tried to blow up Two, not me.”

Virgil froze. “What?!”

The door was still shut, but Scott could read Gordon’s sudden terror in his silence. “Hey, Virgil, it wasn’t his fault.”

Brown eyes pinned Scott where he stood. “What wasn’t his fault?”

“Umm…”

“Scott? What did he do to my ‘bird?”

“The brick’s fine!”

“She’s not a brick!”

“Flies like one.”

“She’s stable, unlike One, which so high strung a gust of wind in the wrong direction could slam her into a mountain.”

“She’s agile.”

“She’s suicidal.”

“Only under the wrong hands.”

“Same could be said for Two.”

“Maybe.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

They glared at each other a moment longer, enough for Scott to curl his lips just a little to break the moment.

A sigh and Virgil’s shoulders dropped. “You asshole.”

“What’s a big brother for?”

He received a grunt for that. “Go to bed while I inspect my ‘bird.”

“It wasn’t his fault.”

Another sigh. “I know. Go to bed, you need it.”

It was Scott’s turn to grunt.

Virgil yanked the door open for him, only to have Gordon almost fall flat on his face. “What the hell?”

“Hey, Virg.” Gordon’s smile was weak and a little terrified. But it was Virgil’s eyes settling on his little brother’s eye injury that nearly broke Scott.

Gordon apparently wasn’t any happier. “Hey, don’t worry. I’m fine. Certified by none other than Grandma. Certificate of healthiness is in the mail if you need one.”

There was always a spark in Gordon.

“Go to bed. Both of you.”

“Virg…” His name was a whine.

“Now. While I go and inspect what you’ve done to my ‘bird.”

Gordon gulped. “Ah, yeah.”

“It’s fine, Gordon. Virgil isn’t going to kill you, are you Virgil?”

“Still up for debate. If both of you don’t move your asses into bed, the decision will likely not be in your favour.”

Gordon didn’t have to be told a third time. He darted out the door and down the hall without another word.

Scott smiled. Walking past Virgil, he slipped a hand onto his brother’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “Thank you.”

“Go and get some rest. I have work to do.”

Scott smiled at him.

“Get. Now.”

The smile only got wider and Scott ducked his head as he left.

Yes, Virgil was what and where he needed to be.

And more than Scott could ever ask for

-o-o-o-

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds fanfiction #thunderbirds #Virgil Tracy #Scott Tracy #earth and sky #Gordon Tracy #nuttyfic reblog #had a really shitty day #posting to keep my blog alive #I have lots more Sweetapple but not to a posting point #hopefully can write at some point on the weekend