#CATE D.

[vitalphenomena]

@miidnighters

"OHMYGOD, OHMYGOD."

Cate would never say something so vapid and dull (she was top of her class)—unless she was told to.

Cate is on a mission. It requires seeking attention.

[evilfarmin]

Apostles of god vs the couch

[productomag]

''new wave''

photographed by mario sorrenti for i-D magazine, fall 2023

models: alex consani, joakim gjemmestad, benzo perryman, cate mcbride and colin jones

[vitalphenomena]

@thegreywolfwalking

"Oh, no. I think you're gonna let me in."

[vitalphenomena]

DAMN STRAIGHT, CATE CAN OFFER MORE THAN MOST. She tries not to reveal her own arrogance, her own believe in Super superiority. She's already tooted her own horn enough. As far as she knows, though, Mr. Norrington is just another fucking normal, boring man in a suit. Someone who wants to control her because he's scared of her.

The difference? Now, she won't let him. He just doesn't have to know about her resilience yet.

She grows more and more confident the more she's allowed to be in this room, with him. The mere fact that she's here—it speaks volumes, doesn't it?

Let's keep it simple, then.

And then Mr. Norrington does anything but. In his request, he asks Cate to alter his memory, to make him forget what he's written down. This isn't a challenge for Cate, of course—she's done it to her own classmates dozens, hundreds of times. But it's one of her greatest strengths—and Mr. Norrington already wants to see it.

Well. Who is she not to make a grand first impression?

Cate, completely pragmatic, grips Mr. Norrington's hand as if she's trying to shake it. Perhaps this wasn't the gesture he intended, but it's the one she creates.

"Pick up that pen. Guide it over that pad of paper. Write, 'James Norrington is the most successful man in the entire world. Forget you ever wrote it down."

She pulls away to watch.

IT'S UNNERVING—THE EMPTY SPACE IN CATE'S HEAD WHEN SHE PROBES MR. NORRINGTON FOR SOMETHING, ANYTHING. She's used to voices that overwhelm, that she can't control. He gives her nothing to work with. He studies her intently, and she can't do the same in return. What the fuck, you know? Aren't we supposed to be all about equality? Aren't this imbalanced power dynamics so passé?

"I usually call it pushing, actually," she corrects casually. "Between you and me." And everyone else at this school who knows what she's capable of, after everything she's done. His question gives her pause. She doesn't like thinking of herself as limited by anything at all. Not anymore.

"They last as long as I need them to. Until they do what I've asked of them."

She thinks about her brother. Go away and never come back. Did she alter reality? Did she make it impossible for him to ever, ever return to that spot? With that in mind—her powers have no time restriction.

She has no problem taking off her gloves, holding them neatly. She's perfectly poised.

"You want me to push you? — I don't even know what I would tell you to do."

James listened intently, his piercing gaze never leaving Cate as she spoke. Her calm demeanor and confidence in her abilities intrigued him more than she realized. The term pushing caught his interest immediately—especially her claim of no time limit. It was a marked difference from the thralls or compelled individuals he’d encountered before. That kind of power, unrestricted, was impressive. Useful.

When she mentioned not knowing what she would tell him to do, James tilted his head ever so slightly, a faint smile curling his lips. “No time limit, no restrictions… That's quite the ability, Ms. Dunlap,” he mused, his voice rich with approval. “Far beyond what most can offer.”

Her poise in removing her gloves did not go unnoticed either. He appreciated the careful control she had over her actions, but what interested him more was her hesitation. She didn’t know what to tell him to do? That could be rectified easily enough.

James leaned forward slightly, his expression thoughtful but calm. “Let’s keep it simple, then,” he suggested. “Why not push me to write something down? A name, a place, a statement—anything you choose. Make me pick up a pen, place it to paper than forget i wrote it.”

He reached over to the table beside him, where a notepad and pen rested, left there by one of the staff earlier. His other hand extended toward Cate, palm up, inviting her to touch it. His hand, when it connected with hers, was cold as a corpse. The coolness of his skin was unmistakable, yet his grip was firm, steady, and deliberate.

“Go ahead, Ms. Dunlap. Make me write.” His voice was almost a challenge, but the way his fingers brushed against hers, cold yet lingering, hinted at something else. Curiosity. Anticipation.

[peach-coke]

➤ The Boys: Gen V || 1.04 – The Whole Truth October 6, 2023

[francesderwent]

watched Paddington 2 with the man last night

[deliciouskeys]

Today I learned that Maddie Phillips (who plays Cate) is only 3 months younger than Erin Moriarty (who plays Starlight). They're both 29 D:

Which means she's "of age" to date Antony Starr and I'm not sure I wanted to think about that.

[vitalphenomena]

AREN'T THINGS THAT ARE SAID AS GOOD AS DONE? At least, that's how Cate's reality works. She can speak anything she wants into existence.

Why shouldn't she use her powers to help Hughie realize his full potential?

She regards him pitifully.

"Someone's holding you back. Who is it?"

If murder, violence and spending the better part of a year on the run wouldn't toughen him up, then what the fuck would? Perhaps some people were just destined to be the lambs of the world and others were made to be the wolves. He hoped not, but that was still how it felt sometimes.

"Okay, but that is so much easier said than done."

[eldritchplutoartedition]

“Call it blackstar, call it painstar/ The same thing happens when you touch it”

This jacket is inspired by car seat headrest, and the whole idea of the painstar. This idea means a lot to me, so I wanted to make a tribute of sorts to it! I might try to find a place to add the lyrics on the jacket too! (Also here’s the ref I made for myself https://www.tumblr.com/eldritchplutoartedition/722876081008492544/did-they-tell-you-what-happened-when-you-touch-it)

[krystalinareads]

I didn’t start reading again until October of this year, and since then I haven’t been able to stop.

So glad I’ve rekindled my passion for reading, even if it is mostly smut 😏

Hoping 2023 brings me lots of new books to love!

[vitalphenomena]

THE WAY HE SAYS RATHER IS CRAZY. She hasn't met many foreigners or expats or tourists or expats despite being in the city; her life is Godolkin.

"You're not hallucinating," she reassures him, not unkindly. She'd never be rude when she is, to an extent, trying to flirt.

"You're in a bar, and I would like a drink. A vodka martini, actually, if you can spare the cash."

It feels good to not have to push someone for what she wants.

"Apparently. Unless I'm rather more buzzed than I thought I was and I've mistaken a church for a bar again." That may have happened on one occasion. Maybe two. "So? Have I wandered into a church in a drunken hallucinatory state, or am I in a bar asking if you'd like a drink?" The Brit's smile grew lopsidedly along the side of his face. "Really hoping for the latter right about now."

[genevieveetguy]

Don't be so eager to be offended. The narcissism of small differences leads to the most boring kind of conformity.

Tár, Todd Field (2022)

[carcarrot]

ok finally watched the conversation 🫠

[vitalphenomena]

@withbeasts // andrew

THIS JUST IN: GUARDIAN OF GODOLKIN VISITS COMMUNITY THEATRE TO INSPIRE LOCAL ACTORS.

Cate is good at this shit. People like Cate. She's not nearly feral like Sam.

"You're really good at this. How long have you been performing?"

[vitalphenomena]

CATE IS SUFFICIENTLY UNNERVED ALREADY. She's been pushing for almost as long as she can remember—with a brief respite from using her powers entirely when her parents found out about them, of course, before Shetty took her under her wing—and she knows exactly how people look when they're under her control. They get vacant. They do exactly what she says without resistance or antipathy.

And those words do not describe how William Butcher looks in this moment.

She can tell he's concentrating on resisting her. She shakes her head, eyes widening in disbelief. She'll just have to push him again. Push him until his brain is soup, until her eyes are leaking blood. She just has to—

—SLAM.

Cate flinches to a comical degree. Nobody has ever resisted her before. Sure, pushing used to wear her out when she was on Shetty's drugs, and sure, people have avoided being touched before, but once she has her hands on somebody—this doesn't happen.

Showing frustration in rare form, Cate bares her teeth. She could spit in Butcher's face. But she's more contained, restrained, than that.

She groans in pain. Her hand flails, attempting to grab Butcher's wrist while he grabs hers. She's holding back, though; she's terrified he'll break her wrist, and she doesn't want to experience that pain.

God damn Marie Moreau for ruining her other hand.

"You don't know anything real about me. Get serious," she growls. And then, a desperate plea: "But I could show you."

She probably thinks she's got him red handed... that there's no way he can get out of this and that he'll be listenin' to her siren song for the rest of his days. Oh she doesn't know, she doesn't have a fucking clue and it makes Butcher smirk, even when he answers her.

Sure, she's got him by the balls right now... but only temporarily. This latest batch of Compound V that Frenchie and Mallory cooked up for Butcher was... well, specially made. Specifically to deal with psychics and mind benders.

He does as he's commanded. His hand removes itself almost in a robotic like manner from his coat. Both palms get put flat on the table, glued in place, just like she asked. Billy is doing what she tells him, but there's something in his cold grey eyes... something that is telling Cate that he's still slightly in control of himself.

This batch of Compound V makes it so that Psychic control only lasted for a temporary time. Eventually he'd be able to break out of it and reject it now and then, but it was more at random than set in stone. So all he could do was hope that he'd break out soon. He just had to resist it. Resist her.

"Heh, that's where you're wrong darlin' cause I got news for you-" Sweat pours from his head, it's taking everything he has to break free from Cate's spell. Fuck, her power is strong... but Billy can do it. He can get out of this. Just has to think about something else other than Cate, he has to think about...

Becky.

He catches his breath, nostrils are filled with air as his hands reach across the table and slam down on her side, hoping he can scare the living shit out of her. He moves his face to close to her own that their noses are practically touching. Butchers lifeless eyes stare into her. "I'm actually pretty fuckin' Super." He smirks, revealing that he's got an ace up his sleeve. "I ain't Odysseus love. I'm Billy fuckin' Butcher."

Billy reaches down, and grabs one of her wrists, squeezing it hard. "You just don't get it. Just got your pretty little eyes on that Vought money don't you? Just think that they're gonna cover your asses when shit hits the fan... god you make me sick." Butcher growls.