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Obsessed with @saeuchelle 's plush pre-order🥺🤲 I need them to be realised so badly AUGHHHHH please check them out if you haven’t already🙂‍↕️👉👈

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It's my 13 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

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#Lawrenitez HC for the Day:  

Vincent has the typical SEA attitude towards ghosts, especially being a Roman Catholic priest.  Thomas has a Moment when he hears Vincent uncharacteristically growl something out at Something Unseen.

(Later, he recognized that it was partly Filipino and the other was part of the Rite of Exorcism in Latin.)

"Dearest? What was that?"

Vincent sighs.  "I think I just saw 'Padre Salvi.'"

"Isn't he supposed to be a fictional character? Rizal and all that?"

"It's just the name my fellow Filipinos and I gave this lost soul haunting the Apostolic palace.  Bloody habit, carries his head in his hands, looks terribly malevolent... Thomas, mahal ko, are you all right?"

"Dearest, if you could just let me swoon...like a proper Victorian maiden... you may laugh at me later... oh dear Lord."  While he still had the presence of mind to recognize the absurdity of it all, one Cardinal Lawrence still realized that he went a little "wobbly in the knees" and had to sit down immediately.  

His dearest agreed that Thomas Lawrence was rather adorable at the whole fainting business but fetched him the smelling salts and some proper tea all the same.  

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Conclave (2024), Conclave - Robert Harris Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Vincent Benítez/Thomas Lawrence (Conclave) Characters: Vincent Benítez (Conclave), Thomas Lawrence (Conclave) Additional Tags: Filipino Vincent Benítez (Conclave), Filipino Family, OCs - Freeform, Goffredo Tedesco and Aldo Bellini mention, surprise crossover, Humor, Drama, Original Character(s), a day in the life, Fluff Series: Part 3 of The CheekyNene Chronicles Summary:

A Certain Day in the life of Vincent Benitez’s family, when the white smoke drifted out the Vatican chimney.

(This grew our of a convo on Twitter, since a lot of us have our own thoughts on Filipino Vincent Benitez and his family.  And yes, it’s a cleaned up version of the fic I originally posted here on Tumblr.)

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.... Did the Sandman just do a Louis-ception?

Because Morpheus is Book Louis who turns into IWTV Louis who is Daniel-as-Dream....

Omg. The Claudia and Orpheus parallels.

Lestat is going to LOSE. HIS. EVERLIVING.MIND.

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Look, I'm not gonna get into Sandman Season 2 just yet bc I dont want to get into MORE pain and suffering.

I've known the end of Dream's story for years. That's why I wrote the History Class Cryptids series. Morpheus' elaborate suicide as a metaphor for change and growth and possibly to "earn love" was NEVER an answer for me. Not that kind of annihilation of Self.

But obviously. That. Is the Point. Of Fan Fiction. Innit?

A different take, another way to tell the story.

But out of curiousity, I spoiled myself a little bc I wanted to see Daniel.

Uh.

Um. 😂😂😂😂

*laughs in vampire*

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habemus papam

Magda is in the kitchen on that particular day.

She's cooking her version of molo soup, cheating a little bit because the dumplings are from the Korean grocery store down the street. But she knows how to get the broth just right, Nanay, God rest her soul, and the rest of her ancestors whispering in her ears on just the right amount to season everything.

It's a cold, rainy day, with the monsoon season upon them. The rains are heavy and the flood warnings are up, which means classes are suspended. They are among the very fortunate few to live on higher ground, with their major worries making sure that the roof will hold up with the heavy rains. Her brothers and her older nephews have already gone up yesterday to check and make the necessary repairs.

Her children and her siblings love this particular dish and she spares a thought and a prayer for her eldest daughter and nieces in Rome and her youngest brother, who had called her from the airport, letting her know that he had also made it there, safe and sound.

'Teng, thank God, you're safe? You're all right? Have you eaten?

Yes, Ate. I'm okay. Umabot din, salamat nga sa Diyos. (Made it here at last, thank God.) A soft laugh.

I'll tell Caitlin and your other nieces you made it there. Ingat ka lagi. Love you! (Take care always!)

Love you too, Ate.

Enteng doesn't know how many novenas she'd prayed to the Santo Nino and the rosaries, with the Legion of Mary prayers that came with it. Keep him safe, Mama Mary. Watch over my brother and shield him from his enemies, Saint Michael. Protect and guide him, Santo Nino.

She has half an ear on her siblings and her other children, all gathered around the television, switching back and forth between the news and some old Fernando Poe Jr. movie. Their youngest, Celia, gets along with all of the nephews and nieces, thoroughly enjoying her status as the "cool tita," much like Enteng currently did as "tito."

"Let's check the news, see if they've finally picked out a new Pope." This from Celia. The background noise switches to some newscaster droning on what's happening in the Vatican.

"Wonder who that will be? I kinda miss the old Pope. He was really nice," Magda's youngest, Edgar muses.

"Would it be too much to hope that we'd finally get a Filipino pope?" Connie, one of Magda's nieces, wonders.

"It will probably be another white guy," scoffs Joseph, their half-brother on their Nanay's side. He has one of the grandbabies with him, Valerie, very much his favorite. She burbles, trying to make her own contributions to the conversation.

"Ma, Tito Enteng is there right now, right?" Edgar hollers. "Is he voting for a new Pope too?"

"I wouldn't know, anak," Magda hollers back. "He just told me he was supposed to be there in Rome."

Enteng had been understandably close-mouthed about his missions, running off to all of those countries notoriously known as trouble spots. She was simultaneously proud and terrified for her brother.

Magda hadn't been very devout in her youth. But the day Enteng was first sent off to the Congo was the day she went to her parish church and ended up becoming a Legionnaire of Mary. Incidentally, she ended up becoming a cathechist too. It gave her something useful to do in her old age.

(Enteng had laughed helplessly when he learned about it. You'll make a fine cathechist, Ate. I just wish I could see you in a classroom.)

"White smoke!" Connie yells excitedly.

"Uy! Here we go!" Edgar cheers.

"Hey, careful with the baby!" This, from Joseph, as apparently, Edgar has grabbed a happily babbling Valerie, dancing around the living room with her in his arms.

"Look, bebe, who's that on the TV? Huh? Is it gonna be the new Pope?"

Valerie laughs.

Habemus papam; Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Vincentius, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Benitez...

"Ano daw?" (What was that?)

"Ate!"

"Ma!"

Magda's feet carry her out to the living room before she even realizes it, her eyes on the television screen.

Unbelievably, it is the small, slight form of their beloved bunso, their Enteng, stepping out on that balcony in papal white.

...qui sibi nomen imposuit Innocentius...

Celia's phone starts to ring.

Much later, Magda would only recall the chaos that followed in snips and snatches.

(She still had enough presence of mind to tell Connie to turn off the stove, lest the soup go to waste.)

Their sisters in the US and Germany, calling, in complete shock and astonishment.

Her daughter Caitlin and nieces Klay and Ikay in Rome, joining the call, yelling and laughing and happily incoherent.

Magda settling down on the sofa, her knees wobbly when her phone rings and she sees that it is Vincent himself, finally. Her hands are shaking so much that she murmurs, " 'Gar, take it... take the phone... I can't."

Her own bunso, bless him, setting it up so they can all see him - Vincent, still in those unbelievable papal white robes.

He offers her a watery smile. "Hello, Ate."

"Enteng! Susmaryosep! Paano... Santo Papa... ikaw?!" (Vincent - Jesus, Mary and Joseph... How... the Pope... you?!!)

"Ate, ate, ang puso nio... Pakibigyan ng tubig si Ate, baka atakihin yan..." (Calm down, Ate, your heart... someone please give her some water, she might have a heart attack.)

Magda automatically grabs the glass from Celia, who's gently stroking her back and Joseph is on her other side, another source of support.

Magda really has to get a hold of herself, honestly. But really, all she sees is the tiny boy she looked after for Nanay, all the times she scolded him for playing outside in the streets past sunset, placing a cold towel on his head when he had fever, handing him his allowance for school and coming home from work, with his favorite snacks from that store in Binondo. The skinny teenager who was solidly at her back when she'd faced down their neighborhood bully, with a stout wood dos por dos as a makeshift weapon.

The day Vincent was ordained a priest, their Nanay weeping happy tears, the letters and the phone calls when he went abroad, the terror she'd felt when they all learned about that car bomb that had nearly taken his life...

Magda was used to being the eldest, the Ate of their family, who had soldiered on even as their Nanay had tried to hide all the family struggles and heartbreak from them. She'd kept her head and all her siblings knew to run to her first, instead of bothering Nanay who already had enough to deal with.

Today, Magda looked and listened to her dear brother on the screen as he finally told them what he had not been allowed to say all these years about his mission and his status as a secret cardinal.

Celia spotted it first: "Ate, naku, are you going to cry?"

Vincent stopped. "Ate?"

Magda burst into tears.

"Hala, Kuya Enteng, wag ka ding umiyak!" Celia exclaimed. (Oh no, Kuya Enteng, don't cry too!)

Joseph, bless him, tried to get everyone to calm down. "Hala yan siya. Naging Maalala Mo Kaya na tayo dito. Wag na kayong umiyak - baka pati ako umiyak na rin." (Oh boy, we're turning into a soap opera here. Stop crying - or I'm going to cry too.)

"Umiiyak na rin kami!" This, from their sisters in the US and Germany. "Naman!" (We're crying too!)

"My dear Vincent, are you quite all right?" This was a new, unfamiliar voice and Magda dabbed away at her tears using the hem of her housedress, as she saw another man - a cardinal, probably, just behind Vincent, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine." Vincent hastily wipes away his tears. Offers this stranger a soft smile. "My family and I are just having a moment. Here they are. Everyone - this is Thomas, Cardinal Lawrence."

"Uy. Ampogi." (Hey. He's handsome.)

"Celia!" Magda and Vincent chorus - but Magda ends up laughing immediately. "Pogi nga sya." (Yeah, he is handsome.)

Joseph guffaws.

Vincent, amazingly, buries his face in his hands, clearly hiding a blush. Magda hasn't seen him react like this since he was a teenager with his first crush.

Cardinal Lawrence looks absolutely bewildered. But it does break through the emotional overload perfectly.

"No, forget it, I'm not related to any of them at all," Vincent decides then and there, shaking his head.

"HOY!" It seemed that the entire clan was yelling this, even the ones in the US, Germany and Rome.

"Something tells me that learning Tagalog should be my first order of business," Cardinal Lawrence muses.

"We'll teach you!" Vicky, their sister in Germany volunteers.

Magda reaches out to gently touch the screen, wishing very much she could offer their bunso the hug he so clearly needs. "Basta. We're very proud of you, Enteng. And we love you. So much."

"I love you too, Ate. All of you."

"Ingat ka lagi. And come home when you can. He can come home, right?" And Magda directs this question to Cardinal Lawrence, instinctively knowing he would be able to answer this question and definitely not backing down from this.

Vincent was going to come home to them. Magda still had that dos por dos somewhere and she wasn't afraid to use it.

"Yes, he will," Cardinal Lawrence promises her solemnly.

"Isama mo si Cardinal Pogi, 'Teng!" Celia yells from behind her.

"Ay, Diyos ko po," Vincent groans, facepalming. (Oh my God.)

"She means," Magda said helpfully, with cheerful mischief. "That you're also invited, Cardinal Lawrence. So see you soon!"

The interesting blush on Vincent's cheeks blooms again. "My Ate Magda is the best cook in the family, Thomas."

"Then I shall look forward to it." Thomas offers them all a charming smile, which sent even her heart a flutter. Oh dear.

Vincent, with his Cardinal (and a few more, to be honest - and they were all very much welcome), did come home to them eventually.

Magda made sure that there was enough molo soup, among other dishes, for all of them.

- end -

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So we now have a name for Vincent's great-niece, Erika's daughter.

It's Isabelle.

Since Mama is Ikay, our little babbu is Isay.

It was Vincent and Thomas who comforted young mama Ikay when she broke her heart and realized that the man who got her pregnant wasn't sticking around to be a dad for Isay.

There's a bit of K-drama worthy shenanigans that happened here, but that's a story for another day.

Suffice it to say that with "Papa Enteng" ("Ikay, pls lang, wag Lolo, ok?") and "Ninong Thomas" around, Isay would never lack for good male parental figures in her life.

Okay, so Vincent and Thomas became "Apa Teng" and "Nono Mas" respectively, for the lively, talkative toddler who was still learning her words but neither of her doting, adoring great-uncles minded.

Isay, growing up with several languages in her hearing and thoroughly used to getting read stories by her Ninong, would develop a distinctly British accent. This never fails to make her Papa Enteng chortle, especially when she manages to attempt more complex words in an uncanny mimicry of Ninong Thomas' plummy tones.

Isay is about four years old when she attempts to explain Whatever Is Happening between her dear Tio 'Fredo and Tito Aldo to her amused Papa Enteng.

At this point, her pronunciation is clearer.

"They're not really arguing, Papa. It's just how Tio Fredo d'monstrates affeksyun to Tito Aldo. And...um... Tito Aldo needs the n'richment."

Four year olds will tend to talk like this if they grow up around a very eloquent British-Italian canon lawyer. Who has Opinions about his brother cardinals. And tends to confide them to a tiny tot with big blue eyes and keen ears.

The Looks (with subtitles!) on her Italian uncles' faces was worth it. Ninong Thomas and Papa Enteng were very proud of their wee matchmaker.

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90% of Cardinal Aldo Bellini's blood pressure spiking is caused by watching his BFF Thomas Lawrence OBLIVIOUSLY flirting with their boss.

He's not sure HOW you manage "oblivious flirting" but apparently Cardinal Lawrence is a master of this skill.

Yes, a certain Supreme Pontiff is DEFINITELY flirting back. Demurely. Decorously. Rizal's Maria Clara would be proud.

(Also, Aldo is secretly jealous, okay?!!! The day he became an honorary Filipino was the day he fully understood the concept of "sana all.")

The other 10% of Aldo's kunsumisyon (honorary Pinoy now, ok?) is named Goffredo Cardinal Tedesco.

Bwiset.

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WIP (tres marias)

Thomas Lawrence makes the acquaintance of his Pope's three nieces in the first few days of the latter's Papacy.

"My tres Marias," Vincent tells him, clearly proud of the three lovely young women who had each greeted their uncle with a delighted "Tito Enteng!" together with exuberant hugs and kisses. To Thomas' amusement, he could clearly tell the moment they all abruptly remembered to comport themselves more decorously, gently taking Vincent's hand and pressing it to their foreheads. Vincent blessed them, eyes bright, before drawing them all back in for more hugs.

Thomas would learn very quickly that:

"Tito Enteng" was actually Tagalog for "Uncle Vincent."

He was of the personal opinion that "Enteng" was an adorable nickname, not only because of the glorious blush that spread across his dear Vincent's cheeks when he attempted to say it.

(Thomas had no idea what this meant, obviously, but one of the nieces grinned and said, "Uy, kinilig ako dun, ha?"

Vincent blushed even redder and shushed her.)

The gesture of taking an elder's hand and pressing it to one's forehead was called "mano po" - a Filipino sign of respect. He was surprised and touched when all three girls decided to include him and ask for his blessing too.

Cat (Caitlin Marie), Ikay (Erika Mary Ranielle) and Klay (Maria Clara) would be a constant presence in the Papal apartments, visiting whenever they could, at their own Uncle's insistence. Cat and Ikay were scholars studying in Rome while Klay was a nurse at the Gemelli Hospital. Eventually, Thomas would learn that Vincent had ended up being more of a father figure to the three cousins than their actual biological fathers were, which explained their closeness. They were each, in their own way, strong and formidable young women.

What Thomas did not expect, however, was how he would end up getting adopted by all three of them as an honorary uncle.

Not that he had any objections.

Cat

"You want to learn how to speak Tagalog."

Thomas could literally feel the heat creeping its way across his cheeks and all the way to his ears, but he did his best to keep an even expression. It was a difficult job, given that those big brown eyes had that clear, penetrating look to them that was uncannily like Vincent's, but he thought he managed.

"Yes, well, consider it good practice for your eventual... hm... professorship?"

Blink. "You could ask Uncle Vincent."

He clears his throat. "Yes, well, hm, the Holy Father is rather busy. And - "

"He tends to give you this Look and outright refuses to translate?" Cat compresses her lips together, clearly trying not to laugh. "Because he's a mischievous little shit?"

"Caitlin Marie!"

"Before he was the Pope, he was our Tito Enteng and to be quite frank, he's very surumbot when the mood takes him," Caitlin tells him, with all the authority of being the eldest of her generation. "That means he likes to tease. There you go, Tito Thomas, your first Filipino word." She grinned and added, "That's also only something he likes to do to the people he loves best."

Thomas couldn't stop the smile stealing across his face. "Don't go telling secrets out of school, dear girl."

She snorts. "Yet here you are asking me to teach you Tagalog." She shakes her head. "Okay, so what Tagalog words has he used around you? I know you've taken note - you're like our live version of JRR Tolkien."

"That's very flattering - I've always thought I would make a fine hobbit too." Thomas takes a moment to think. "Mahal is the word he uses most often around me, and I'm fairly sure he's not referring to Tolkien and his dwarves."

Thomas hadn't meant to do that, but he had clearly caught Cat off guard, as she had promptly choked on her coffee. "Oh dear. Are you quite all right?"

Cat had turned a rather endearing shade of pink. "Mahal? Really? Context, please?"

"Er...well, as in: mahal, you really need to eat something? Like he's decided that it's my name now, not that I mind, terribly."

"Tanginang yan." Cat slaps a hand over her lips. "Sorry. Swearing. Bless me Father for I have sinned and all that. Also, yes, you do need to eat more, Tito Thomas, honestly."

Thomas heroically chooses to ignore that last jab. "Sometimes he says 'mahal ko'."

Cat made an odd, squeaking sound, but this had to be a good thing, Thomas decided, as her eyes were sparkling with amusement and delight.

"Okay! Okay! Absolutely, I am totally teaching you Tagalog. We'll make a Pinoy outta you yet, Tito Thomas."

-tbc-

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Fluffy HC Time, since I pretty much spent the day crying over the latest Lawrenitez fics and posts on TwitterX and AO3:

Vincent Benitez, as Pope is brilliant at homilies. They're short, sweet and are arrows aimed right at your heart and soul.

But, like many Pinoy priests, he can also be outright hilarious. He can and WILL send his congregation 😂🤣🤣🤣😂 even as the lessons/messages hit.

The cameras have learned to look for crowd reactions, with some DEFINITELY aimed at the Pinoy Cardinals AND Cardinal Lawrence, whose facial expressions have since been dubbed "meme-worthy" especially when people have figured out that HE's understanding Papa Enteng's brand of Pinoy padre humor.

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Tito Enteng and his Tres Marias (nieces)

Caitlin Marie: Uy, kinilig ako dun ha? (Upon hearing Thomas Lawrence attempt to use Vincent's Pinoy nickname)

Erika Mary Ranielle: Grabe, Tito Enteng, daig mo pa ako. Nauna pa kayo kayo sa akin nagka boypren na AFAM.

Maria Clara (Klay): Hmph. Tito Enteng, baket mas pogi boypren nio sa boypren ko?

Fidel: *in the distance* Ang aking pusoooo.....

Vincent: *facepalms* *turns interesting colors* 😳😳😳🤦🤦🤦

Thomas: *resolves to ask for Tagalog lessons very soon*

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It was SUPPOSED to be a crack xover damn it.

I blame a Certain Fic that recently updated on AO3 where one idiot Thomas Lawrence decides to catch a bullet for his dearest Vincent.

(Vincent is going to have Words with his mahal, lots of Words, preferably after he kisses his Decano stupid.)

But here they are, in the hospital, stuck in that endless purgatory of waiting whether his beloved Dean survives or not. He's still got bloodstains on his white cassock and he can't be convinced to go back to the papal apartments.

He knows it's foolish, but he's somehow sure that if he steps out of the hospital, the next thing he will hear is that his dearest Thomas is gone.

So he can't.

He won't.

He's on his third round of the rosary, the Glorious Mysteries, when he feels the gentlest touch on his shoulder.

"Tito Enteng."

It's his dear Klay, one of his darling tres Marias. He didn't know his niece was one of the attending nurses.

"He's going to be okay, Tito Enteng."

He engulfs her in a hug and she comforts him as he cries, tears of relief, murmuring assurances that of course, of course, she would look after Tito Thomas, don't worry, Tito Enteng, he's family right?

Yes, Vincent agrees, smiling through his tears, take care of your Tito Thomas for me.

And Klay definitely does.

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I feel like having a xover in which Maria Clara aka "Klay" has a very famous uncle in the Vatican.

Hohohoho

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A thought: I think Dennis Trillo would kill it (pun intended, given what I just read when I looked him up lol) as a young Pinoy Vincent Benitez.

Him and a young Thomas Lawrence would give the Curia collective heart attacks.

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Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Conclave (2024), Castlevania (Cartoon 2017-2021), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania (Video Games) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Vincent Benítez/Thomas Lawrence (Conclave) Characters: Vincent Benítez (Conclave), Thomas Lawrence (Conclave), Lilit Bulilit Additional Tags: Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Crossover, AU, The Aswang Hunter AU, Humor, Vampires, aswang, Filipino folklore, Fairy Tale Retellings, Based On a Story By Nick Joaquin Summary:

Vincent Benitez, priest, missionary and also, aswang hunter. Still ends up becoming Pope, with a Dean who may not be entirely human.

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Thomas Lawrence, whenever Vincent Benitez does ANYTHING.

Yes, he found out about the kutong lupa thing from Vincent's fellow Pinoy Cardinals and he thinks this is PERFECT.

Vincent is absolutely mortified but it makes his Decano very inclined to cuddle him so he won't object. Too much.

Currently re-reading Conclave as a physical book. Am at the part where Lomeli first meets Benitez. EVEN IN THE BOOK HE WAS SO DOWN BAD SEND HELP