#Prick Berman

[sophiaforevs]

Between the early cancellation of Discovery, Seven/Raffi and Mariner/Jenn being erased in their respective shows, and SNW having queer coded characters but not confirming anything on screen, I'm really afraid that we're entering another "No Gays in Trek" era.

For those who don't know, 90s era star trek featured so few queer characters b/c Rick Berman largely held a policy of not wanting any homosexuality in his shows. And yes, we all remember the handful of episodes that slipped through that addressed it but the fact remains that there were no canonically queer main cast members before Into Darkness in 2016 gave us a five second shot that could be cut when whoever was showing the movie found the idea of two men in a loving relationship disgusting.

Then we got Discovery with multiple queer characters that allowed people to feel seen. And people never stopped bitching about them. The amount of times that I've had to listen to people complain that Adira's only character trait is that they're non-binary despite that literally being a single thirty second scene and never brought up again makes me understand that they very likely don't want to like the queer characters in that show. And it's not that there aren't criticisms to be made about the queer representation in Disco: Discovery Buries it's Gays before the end of the first season. Making your trans characters aliens who already have a history of gender fuckery is problematic b/c it somewhat plays into the idea that queerness is unnatural for human beings. But I never hear those complaints. Only the pronouns. Only the "We get it you're gay but don't shove it down our throats." But I don't want to get too off topic.

Now Discovery is being canceled early. And by early I mean, the writers weren't given proper notice that their show was ending. They were halfway through production and allowed to adjust the end episodes of the season to try to give a satisfying ending.

In Picard and Lower Decks, we got two sapphic relationships ("sapphic" meaning a romantic or sexual relationship between two women who aren't necessarily strictly lesbians) and they were pretty good. People had been asking for Seven to be queer and Jeri Ryan had been playing her as such since her introduction (see again: Rick Berman) and to see her finally get to express that was really healing. Mariner got off to rocky feet when the creators tried to pull a "Dumbledore is gay" where they said she was bi but didn't commit to it, but they she actually got a fairly satisfying relationship in season 3.

But in their most recent seasons, both were completely written out. Seven/Raffi gave us no explanation beyond that they "broke up." They went out of their way to keep them from being on screen together for most of the season. Mattis said in a Reddit AMA that he wanted Seven to be captain and Raffi to be first officer at the end of the season and that Starfleet would have regulations against relationships between the two despite the biggest reason Seven was promoted to captain was that she was a rule breaker. We didn't even get that much for Mariner/Jennifer. Jenn just wasn't in this season except for two background appearances.

And in Strange New Worlds there's just… nothing. SNW is the most recent new show and there's no queer representation. They code Ortegas as gay but don't actually confirm it on screen. There's just… nothing.

And this is how you loose the culture war. The bigots make enough noise that the show that is supposed to be a beacon of diversity doesn't necessarily side with them but they just kinda bow out of the conversation. They decide that it's easier to not bother than to take a stand. And so I and many many queer star trek fans are left wondering:

Does the franchise even want us any more?

[animentality]

the main reason ds9 isn't remembered as well as the original series or tng by the general populace is not just because it wasn't the very first trek or the most popular trek (tng's popularity was what really brought trek into the mainstream).

it was hated by Rick Berman, who was the head of the franchise at its height, and who deliberately spited it by never including its canon in other treks.

and that effect has lasted to this day, as modern writers who only bother to watch Star Trek movies never seem to remember ds9 even exists. the way the Pine-Quinto movies mention Archer and his beagle, and trek movies and shows make multiple references to TOS, and newer treks center entirely around tng plots or the Borg.

the way they brought back seven of nine before literally anyone on the cast of ds9.

there's a reason that the damn tng movies had a million references to Voyager, with Janeway and the EMH actually having cameos, but ds9 never even got a passing reference, even where it actually would've been appropriate.

Berman hated ds9 for its focus on serialization, i. e., connected storytelling, rather than syndication, i. e. episodic storytelling, because he was a money grubbing misogynist and homophobe, who thought all the money was in syndication. he hated the writers/other producers of ds9 for going behind his back and doing their damnedest to make quality star trek.

one of my favorite spiteful Berman stories is that in star trek first contact, the 2nd tng movie, he wanted to blow up the defiant and destroy it permanently, just for no reason at all.

and the ds9 writers were upset because no one had asked them about it. so they said you can destroy the defiant, but we're just gonna keep using the defiant and pretending it didn't blow up if you do.

which is why Worf asks Picard, in a completely thrown in line, what's the status of the defiant, and Picard says adrift, but salvageable.

and this particular movie is funny to me also because in that period, Worf is technically supposed to still be serving on ds9, and bringing him into the movie was basically justified as something of a side quest for him, being dragged off the station for a little tng romp.

so you see the crew of the defiant, but... again. Berman spite. rather than letting ANYONE on ds9 cameo in the first contact movie, even though that might've been cool... they just have some randos. one might be Adam Scott.

and remember that JANEWAY AND THE EMH are in that movie.

so berman deliberately wanted to spite ds9 by destroying the defiant, stealing worf (even making fun of him for his role on ds9 in another thrown in riker line) AND snub the entire crew of ds9 by having none of them anywhere in the movie, even though they COULD HAVE CAMEOED TOO, or at least been mentioned...

and to me that's pretty funny, because Rick Berman could have as many tantrums as he wanted behind closed doors, and hate the staff of ds9.

didn't make a difference. they'd still keep defying him, and you know...

not to be a total prick but... ds9 still has a thriving fanbase to this day. tng does too, and so does tos, and star trek in general is doing pretty well...

but out of all the old treks, ds9 has aged the best, not just in how it looks, but also in how it bridges the gap between, old world optimistic charm and more gritty, humanistic sci fi story telling.

it balanced syndication and serialization really well, and had great standalone episodes AND a fun connecting overarching narrative that made the world of star trek feel richer and more lived in. I also want to say that for modern audiences, who are accustomed to serialization more than syndication, ds9 is a far easier entry point into the world of star trek than any other trek.

Rick Berman can go fuck himself, is what I'm saying, in summation.

ds9 will stand the test of time.

and you know what?

both tng and voy succeeded in spite of Berman. not because of him. everything that makes those two shows work, is in defiance of the Roddenberry mandates that both Roddenberry and Berman constantly tried to uphold, even though it was to the detriment of the stories.

[banana-zim]

4 7 19 25

what was the last straw that made you finally block that annoying person?

I love using the block button to curate my Tumblr experience. Mostly it's used for porn bots and users whose posts say "ZADR DNI". If they don't block me first, I figure I'll just go ahead and do them a solid. Also, if you spam like dozens of my posts without even a single reblog to help share other people's hard work on their art, I'm gonna see it and stop that quick. :/ C'mon, people, it ain't hard to share art you love.

what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

I don't really pay attention to how fandom acts about anyone. If this was the case, I'd hate Zim and Dib, because my views on them are so far from how most of the fandom sees them.

you're mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like...

Nothing! I have no shame. I like what I like, and I don't have any problem announcing it.

common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

"Jhonen is such a prick, he's so mean to his fans, he hates us ZADR fans" - He's a troll. He's no Rebecca Sugar, but that's why I like him. He's gonna say shit that makes canon break or make fun of things he sees. But I sincerely DOUBT he takes it seriously. And that's what some people tend to do... take things waaay too seriously. I like a lil clownin' around, and I think the jab at @mybrainisbigpoop (for asking Andy Berman say "I love you, Zim!" in that iconic moment back at InvaderCON) in Enter the Florpus, where Dib says "NO!" to Clembrane asking if he loves Zim, is fucking hilarious.

[cindybermanfics1978]

Chapter Five

warnings: mild language throughout

You stepped behind Cindy, who was very much upset from the stressing situation from earlier involving Alice. 

“Cindy.” 

Something inside the brunette snapped, her tone changing from sweet and happy to vague and rude. You were only here because she dragged you with her.

“What? Can’t you ever leave me alone? Why do you always follow me around like a lost puppy? Stop following me everywhere I go. You need to get a life.” 

You stopped, tears pricking at your eyes. You forced the tears back, knowing Cindy was upset about Alice and will be her normal, "perfect" self later. You stay behind Cindy, not leaving her side. You reach the bottom on the cabin stairs as she grabs your wrist. Her emotions changed almost immediately.

“Amelia, w–why didn’t you chime in?” 

“Cindy, just knock it off! And, how can I when you’re being a bitch right now.”

You pull your hand from Cindy’s grip as she flinches at the bitter tone in your voice. The two of you stayed silent for a few seconds after.

“Berman!” 

Kurt appeared in front of you, glaring at the older Berman sister. You knew this was about Ziggy and that she was definitely in trouble with Cindy as both of you were startled from Kurt's sudden appearance. 

“Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over. Your sister—” Kurt stops as he begins sniffing the air around Cindy and you. “Cindy Berman, Amelia Slater, that smell better be skunk.” 

Bunny rolled her eyes, Cindy sighed. 

“What about my sister?” She asked. 

Without hesitation, Cindy began walking as she called you with her, this time a little less bitchy. You both walked to Nurse Lane’s cabin as you feel eager to apologize for your actions from earlier. 

“Cindy, forgive me about earlier.” 

“It’s fine. You know I have already forgiven you. Don't put so much pressure on yourself.” Cindy responded. 

Finally making it into the cabin, both of you opened the door to find Ziggy sitting on one of the medical beds, Nurse Lane across from her. You glances at the two females, keeping your eyes on Ziggy. 

“Hi, Nurse Lane.” Cindy greeted, sweetly as if she weren’t pissed off. 

“Hi, Cindy, Amelia.” 

The fire haired female rose, standing up from the bed, looking toward her sister, almost afraid. 

“Ziggy,” Cindy said in a tense tone. 

Trailing behind the Berman sisters, you stay quiet as you listens soon after Cindy begins speaking. You, including the Berman sisters, exit the cabin, and step down the few stairs outside.

“You realize what happens if you get kicked out, right? How awful that would be for me?” 

Ziggy ignores her older sister, brows furrowed and look as if she were worried about something.

“Did someone do something to Nurse Lane? Like make fun of her daughter?”

“Ziggy, are you listening to me?” 

“She was upset.”

“I don’t care! I… Do you hear what I’m saying to you?” 

“Loud and clear, ma’am.” 

“Well, you don’t. We had this conversation last week and the week before that.”

“Yeah, well, once again, I’m not gonna get kicked out.” 

“That’s not what Kurt thinks.” 

“Yeah, well Kurt can suck it.” 

Cindy grabbed her sister's arm as you continued to stay silent behind the Berman sisters. They stand in place while you do the same, stopped in the middle of the path. 

“No! Ziggy, no!” Cindy begins. “If you get kicked out, I do too. Mom can’t work and take care of you. Then how will I pay for college, huh?” 

Ziggy scoffs, chuckling and rolling her eyes. 

“Oh, that’s funny to you?” 

“Yeah, kinda.” 

The three of you keep walking. “Explain to me what’s so funny.” 

“How dumb you are.” 

You walk off, not wanting to be the bearer of distraction for Ziggy as you wander throughout the camp, wondering where Tommy went. You walked toward the mess hall, looking back and saw the two sisters still talking, staring at Cindy's delicate features as your heart fluttered.

Without realizing it, your cheeks turn a bright shade of red when Caroline and you collide. You look at who she ran into.

"Oof. I'm sorry, Carol."

Caroline was a close family-friend to your family. She was also someone who stayed by your side throughout your pregnancy, and would've taken your daughter in, but volunteered as a counselor at Camp Nightwing so Jennifer had to go somewhere else for the summer. Caroline knew your sexuality and luckily supported you, hoping for the best.

"You're fine. Holy shit. Your face is a bright shade of crimson."

"Is it? Oh, fuck. I must be getting sunburned."

"Or you're blushing because of that Berman sister you like." Caroline teases.

"What? I- No. No, it's not that. I'm-- I'm getting sunburned."

"If you say so,"

You roll your eyes at her before saying goodbye to Caroline, and head off toward the mess hall like you were supposed to do prior. However, you get distracted by Cindy Berman...

[kari-izumi]

I'm actually glad for the wait in retrospect because I watched Prick Berman snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with their Trip & T'Pol relationship on Enterprise and honestly think he might have done some fuckery™ that could've poison pilled J/C for a good portion of its audience.

I was just happy enough that Seven of Nine was a queer woman in Picard but man, I never expected expected that we'd actually get THIS MUCH out of Prodigy between the two of them. I mean, the compact mirror? Their MU counterparts who are making it work in a universe where distrust is the status quo? hello 👀

everyone wants to write a mulder/scully dynamic into their tv show but nobody wants to write a man and a woman who like and respect each other and who want to be together forever and ever above all else but who are each so mentally unwell in their own unique ways that they’re convinced they mustn’t ever let things get romantic between them or else the universe will implode. also i’m sorry but no duo will ever be as interesting to look at onscreen as gillian anderson and david duchovny. so stop trying‼️

[theyreonlynoodlesmike]

i have a mad thomas x reader request where reader is forced to marry thomas (idk how just-) and is disgusted about it but eventually ends up liking him.(? idk how to explain myself:’)

No one look at me,,,,,,,,,,also this is heavily inspired by the Scarlet Letter and was supposed to be a tad darker but I copped out (also someone asked for a pregnant reader recently so this + that = this fic)

A Lie They Would Believe (Mad Thomas x Fem!Reader)

Warnings: dark themes, 1600 standards, values, and laws, affairs/cheating, ex-relationship with the pastor is mentioned, Thomas is Thomas, mentions of drinking, webs of lies, public humiliation, AFAB and Fem reader, pregnant reader, pre-marital pregnancy solved a la shotgun marriage, twisted win-win situation turns into love?, slow burn(?),

Word Count: 3.7k

You could accept your punishment with a turned cheek, you told yourself over and over again.

You could stare out at the audience of towns people, even as the sun beat on your face. You could stare out into the angry faces of the elders, into the pitying faces of your friends. Into the ashamed faces of your parents. But, you could not look at Cyrus Miller.

You'd missed your blood two months ago. You'd begged, prayed, everyday that it would come. But, the only thing that came was the morning sickness. You'd tried to hide it, tried to think of what to do. But, when you placed your hand over your stomach, you couldn't bring yourself to find the hag in the forest. And, when your mother held your spotless, white sheets in your face, you'd crumbled. You confessed in the privacy of your room as if you were confessing in church. You told her everything.

Well, almost.

"Tell us his name!" Cyrus said, a voice that you couldn't force to fall into the background. "Tell us the name of your accomplice and you shall suffer no more." He said, and you wanted to believe him. You let your eyes close for a moment, but your lips did not move. Your mouth did not open. "Tell us the father's name, so that your baby will not be born a bastard!" He said, and his hand reached out to grab your arm. His grip was strong and tight, unlike the caresses you'd become so accustomed to with him. While his words begged you to say the name, his name, the action spoke differently. You peeled open your eyes and looked up at him, at his raven hair and kind face. His dark, soft eyes. Tears pricked the corners of your own eyes, hard and glassy as you looked up at him. But, you were silent. Even as some of the townspeople yelled for you to confess.

But, how could you tell them that it was your persecutor who was the father of your child? That your pastor, the leader of this town, had sinned so egregiously? He had a wife, a daughter. You'd known both of those things when you'd fallen for him, but it was harder to ignore in the harsh sunlight. When both of them stood in front of you.

You knew you'd have to face punishment. Sex before marriage was a crime after all, completely forbidden. To think they didn't know you were an adulterer also. You didn't know what it'd be, but you knew you'd have no option but to accept it when it came. You'd already made your peace with it, made your peace with whatever God could condemn you to. Perhaps, you'd have to live alone, wear a scarlet letter on your breast. Perhaps, they'd cast you out completely, and you'd be shunned. Perhaps, they'd hang you. You touched your stomach at that thought. Perhaps, there were certain punishments you couldn't bear.

Your lips only fell open when a voice yelled,

"It was I." And a gasp fell from your mouth. Your head turned, snapped towards the voice. Towards the sea of faces that was the crowd. But, you knew that voice. "It's my child." He said, and your eyes fell on a face you knew all too well. And, at that moment, you knew exactly what type of punishment God had set out for you.

Mad Thomas.

***

The day had gone by in a blur.

Over and over in your head, one question repeated itself. Why? It was almost loud enough to drown out the constant whispers, the stories being spun by every person who seemed to have a tongue.

Union couldn't seem to stop talking about it. Of when it started, how long it'd been going on, when the pair of you had even had time to sneak off. You'd even heard a young Constance Berman whisper about how she'd always known something was going on between the two of you, only to be shushed by her older sister as you passed. As you'd been let free of the top of the church steps.

You'd been left outside, left out in the sun. Inside the church went your father, the pastor, and Thomas. You had no idea what Thomas was going to say, what lies he was going to spin.

You couldn't bring yourself to leave, to speak. You felt as though a blanket of white noise had covered your ears, covered your mind. You were surprised, to say the least. You'd thought a wave of devastation had washed over you the first moment you'd realized you were with child, but this? It made it seem like ripples in a pond. The only thing you could do was stare at the church door and wait for them to come out. But, you felt a warm arm wrap around your waist and you turned to see the face of your mother.

"Come," She said, and you looked back at the door blankly. You didn't want to leave. You wanted to be there when they came out. But, you couldn't find the words to say or the strength to keep your feet firm. So, you let her guide you away from the crowd, and towards your house.

It was only later that you were told you and Thomas were to be married by the end of the month.

***

You and Thomas were never allowed a moment alone. You didn't know whether to be relieved or not, but Thomas, a man who you quickly found was far more confusing than you thought, was playing a charade. He brought you flowers, carried your water pail for you, and even took you on chaperoned walks. You, however, were stony and stiff, barely able to contain your disgust for him. It was on your first walk that you whispered,

"Why? Why are you doing this?" And, for a moment, the incorrigible man seemed to pretend not to hear you. He glanced over his shoulder, as if the wind was at his ear instead, and you saw him cast a sly glance to the man behind them. It was one of your father's friends, walking only about two yards behind you. Finally, when he decided he was far away enough, he responded,

"Would you rather I had let them cast you out? Let you and your child starve in the woods?" Thomas said back, the most sober you'd ever heard him. It seemed that apart of your father's deal with him was that he cut back on the drink. He didn't even stumble as he walked.

"Don't pretend you did this out of charity. Why, Thomas?" You asked, and you, for only a moment, reached out to touch his arm. You pulled it back just as quick, hoping that your chaperone hadn't seen. Thomas looked down at the action, before he smirked and shook his head.

"Aren't we a perfect match?" He asked, and you gave him a look of confusion. He continued with, "You think I don't know what people say about me? Don't you see, girl? It doesn't matter if your father is the best woodworker, or the richest in Union anymore. No one would have you, or your bastard child. Except me." He said, and you almost couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. He continued, his words a whisper now, "Besides, it's a lie they would believe." You stared at him, flabbergasted by his words. Flabbergasted by how right he was.

Thomas had, well, a reputation. It wasn't out of character for his wedding to be one out of necessity, and perhaps it earned you some pity from the townspeople. How many women had Thomas seduced? And how many of them could truly judge you? Not to mention, his words left one thing clear.

So, it was my dowry, you thought. It wasn't an unheard of reason, and it made sense given the man you were talking to. Your father had been avoiding selling you off, even as you reached far into your womanhood. And, surely, your father would never have considered him under any normal circumstance, but now...You didn't seem to have much of a choice.

Thomas paused, picking up one of the wildflowers and handing it to you. You took it, knowing now that you had to play along. That you had to act as if he truly was the father of your child, and not someone as foreign to you as the land outside of Union.

"Your father was going to start building us a house. I was thinking right here," Thomas said, his voice only slightly louder for the chaperone to hear, but you barely paid attention. You were staring down at the yellow flower in your hands, before you glanced up at the man in front of you.

He was tall, but his hair was lighter. His cheeks were stubbly and his eyes- They were a clear blue. Almost the same shade as the sky above you. You watched as he talked, as he laid out his plan. And, while the idea of being married to anyone that you didn't love sickened you, you tried to tell yourself that it wouldn't be as terrible as you felt it would be.

***

You and Thomas sat out in the sun, where you were making a flower crown and he was rambling about one thing or the other. You'd gotten very good at pretending to be in love, even in the span of only a couple of weeks.

You gave him smiles and laughter, and he gave you gifts or stole a caress. It was enough to stir the people of Union so no one would be the wiser. And, with your father at his station a short way across the field, the pair of you could be somewhat alone. But, still within viewing distance.

"You're not listening." Thomas said, and you smiled to yourself for a moment. You looked at the finished crown, before you looked up and reached over to where he was laying on the blanket. He was half-sitting up, and you placed the flower crown atop his head as you said,

"Yes, I was." You replied simply as you adjusted it, and Thomas stared at you and gave a small scoff. He caught your hand as you went to pull it away, his grip loose. He held it almost gently, and said,

"Then kiss me." And your brows drew together. A quick,

"What?" Fell from your lips, and you watched how Thomas smiled. He laughed, letting your hand go as he said,

"So, you weren't listening-" But you were quick to interrupt him.

"Why would- Why?" The idea- the simple idea was preposterous. Why would you kiss him? In broad daylight no less? The suggestion made you nervous, made a weird feeling start in your stomach. And, you ignored how this feeling wasn't entirely unfamiliar.

"They're going to expect us to kiss on our wedding day, girl. Shouldn't we have some practice?" He said, and you thought perhaps the first time he proposed it had been kinder. You stared at him, thinking over his words. Thomas waited, reaching out to touch your skirt. It was only to pick at it for a moment, before he drew his hand away.

You couldn't tell if that was the only reason Thomas wanted to kiss you, if there wasn't some ulterior motive somewhere. You wouldn't put it past him. But, really, he was right. Not to mention, while the pair of you had been affectionate, had you been affectionate enough?

That's what was so aggravating about Thomas. He was always right. He saw clear through whatever facade anyone put up, and saw the truth. Perhaps, that's why he was such a good liar.

Perhaps, that's why he was staring at you.

"Fine." You said, before you looked over your shoulder. You were in the field, but you were more or less a public spectacle. You could hear Thomas draw closer, feel the warmth of his hand reach for your arm.

"Let them look." He said as he gave a tug on your arm, and you turned back to face him. It was strange to hear him say that, such a stark difference from what you were used to. To have him so close was different than before, but Thomas didn't close the gap. You supposed he was waiting for you to do that. He whispered, "Well?" And, finally, you did. It was a short kiss, a quick stolen one. Still, it made Thomas smile. "So chaste." He let out a small laugh, and it was your turn to scoff. "Are you sure-" And you could guess what he was going to say. You kissed him again, if only to silence him. It was deeper, firmer than your last had been. And you hated to admit that you didn't hate it. Thomas was well-practiced, and the feeling of his thumb grazing your cheek was nearly as warm as the feeling of the sun on your back. It made another feeling start, one that you tried to stamp out that very second. You pulled away again, cutting it short. Thomas, for just a moment, tried to follow you before he pulled back. He had a small smile on his face, one he didn't try to hide as he pushed his hair back.

"You're practiced." You said quietly, the closest thing to a compliment you could give him. You'd heard rumors of him galavanting with the likes of Abbi Berman and some of the others. Perhaps, there was some truth to them. Thomas glanced over, and returned the words,

"Aye, so are you." When he smiled and glanced down at your belly, you knew the jab had been intended. And, unfortunately, he'd managed to make you laugh.

***

You knew it was coming. You had prepared yourself for it. Before the wedding, the pastor would counsel both of you. And, he was going to counsel you first.

You stood in a dress your mother had made, with your corset done loosely as not to press on your stomach. You'd been staring out the window, at the cloudless day and the happy faces of your town. Why shouldn't they be happy? It was the day for a celebration.

You'd even caught glimpses of Thomas. Your mother was fussing over him, and Issac had swiped his pouch. He looked- Well, you could tell he'd been scrubbed down. Most of his teeth were still black, but in clean clothes and with a clean face...Perhaps, he didn't look terrible. You tilted your head, and, almost as if he could feel you staring, Thomas' head turned. He caught your eyes, and reflected your posture with a tilt of his own head. It made you smile, something you found was less forced the more time you spent with him. Your head turned from him when you heard someone come in.

"Wonderful day for a wedding." Cyrus said as he closed the door to the chapel, and you tried to manage a smile. "Sit." He said, and gestured to one of the pews. You did, and you both kept your distance. The chapel was dim, only lit by the light outside. The pair of you were silent for a moment, before Cyrus said, "The magistrate is here. He seems eager to start. Do you," He paused for a moment. "Do you have any doubts?" And you felt that the question was not quite as empty as anyone else would think.

You'd been staring at your hands, and you finally lifted your gaze to him. To his deep, dark brown eyes. After a moment, you found your voice.

"None at all. Thomas is- He shall be the father to his child, and he shall be my husband. I shall do my duties, and, I- I love him." It was hard to say, at least when Cyrus sat in front of you. "What is there to doubt?" You asked, your question equally as heavy. While none of you would say it plainly, you knew from the way he looked over your face that he understood you perfectly. The pair of you would never confess your secret, and you'd let the hatchet be buried. Forgotten.

"Does he know?" Cyrus asked, and you knew what it sounded like. In case any of the others were listening. Like he was asking if your soon to be husband knew you loved him. The question couldn't be more disguised. Really, his eyes said, Does he know about us?

"Yes. Or, I think he does." You replied, and you watched how Cyrus reached to touch his clean-shaven face. His face was half hidden by his hand, but you could see his eyes were disturbed. A secret was harder to keep the more people knew, but you said, "And he loves me. He'd do anything to keep this union." You told him, and you hoped he got your meaning. When Cyrus glanced at you, you guessed he did. Silently, your eyes said, If he does, Thomas won't tell. And, after a pause, Cyrus let out a sigh.

"Then, there seems little I have to counsel you on."

***

"Have you thought of a name?" Thomas asked you, and you hummed.

You were picking at your sheet, looking towards the window. It had been months, five if not nearly six. Your baby was due in only a few weeks now, and you still hadn't decided. Your husband, a word to describe him that didn't seem so weird now, laid besides you facing up towards the roof.

Thomas, well, he was not what you thought. He had a good, if not sometimes strange, sense of humor, and did not bruise easily from even the harshest words. He could take care of himself, after years of doing so, and, subsequently, you as well. Your mother and the mid-wife still came by to make sure you were in good health, but Thomas had most of it handled. He was a little lazy when it came to work, especially the work your father tried to give him, but he seemed to find that the work that came with having his own house agreed with him. The pair of you had become- Well, familiar. That was the word you would use. You couldn't say, nearly six months later, that it was still just pretending.

Still, Thomas didn't touch you in any way you wouldn't want him to, and you had to lift your head to throw a glance back to him.

"I have some ideas. Perhaps, if it's a girl," You paused, a sly grin coming to your face, "We could name her Abigail." And you watched him scoff and roll his eyes, even lift his head off of his arm for a moment as he said,

"Absolutely not." And you snickered to yourself as you went back to facing away from him. It was just a jest, a reference to an old dalliance of his, but Thomas, if anything, was fun to tease. The only issue was that Thomas was just as sharp when it came to his wit. "Y'know- Fine. Then, if it's a boy, we shall name him Cyrus." And you let out a noise of protest. You tried to roll over, declaring,

"No!" And now it was Thomas' turn to laugh. He placed a hand on your shoulder, trying to ease you back down. You let him, and even reached to hold his arm. To pull him closer. He followed, and you guided his hand above your bulging stomach as the pair of you adjusted. "Fine- Neither of those names. But, we must think of something." You told him, feeling as he stretched his fingers over where your baby grew. He held you, his warmth against your back. His hand rubbing your stomach lightly.

It made a strange sense of warmth fill you, one you couldn't blame from body-heat. And, it wasn't so terrible that you tried to push it, or him, away.

***

"She cries like no other child in Union." Thomas said as he climbed into your bed. You were supposed to be resting, healing, even weeks, nearly two months, after your child's birth. You felt like you'd been confined to your bed for so long that you were starting to become a part of it. Thomas was only here for the break your father gave him half-way through the day. Still, you smiled to yourself from where you laid on your side, and said,

"Perhaps, it is your smell that disturbs her." You said, your voice thick with sleep but a cheeky grin working onto your face. You shouldn't have prompted him, because he took the opportunity to drape himself heavily over your back.

"Oh, should I sleep outside tonight then?" He asked, and you giggled when you felt his stubble tickling your cheek.

It was already long into the day, and you'd become lazy from bed-rest. It felt far too nice to have his warmth wrapped around you, to where you nearly wanted to fall asleep. You had grown too used to it now, and you could barely imagine a night without it.

"I never said that." You responded, and turned your face back towards the softness of your pillow. You felt Thomas' hand raise, his fingertips brush against your cheek. He was being brave, especially when you felt his lips brush against your neck. It made you bite your lip, a twinge of something not so unfamiliar swirling in your belly. You wondered if he would continue. Hell, you wanted him to. But, it was nothing more than that.

Thomas, to your surprise, had more restraint than you would've assumed. He kissed your cheek, went to stand, and excused himself with,

"Your father will begin to wonder where I am." And you lifted your head to watch him step away, before you settled back down. He was clean, cleaner than he had been when he'd been sleeping in the outhouse. His hair was softer and longer, tied away from his face. And his arms seemed stronger, perhaps from the days of working with your father. He was, if you dared to think so, a kind sight to your eyes now. "Sleep. I'll be back by the time you wake." He told you, and, as he left, you found yourself hoping he was right.

[sophiaforevs]

Oh, just so so much.

[sophiaforevs]

IIRC, Terry Farrell has said that the makeup could've been applied in as little as an hour but they always took 2-3 hours because her and the makeup artist got along so well and spent so much time talking and joking and gossiping. It's so heartwarming knowing that she had someone behind the scenes so close to her when you know the bullshit that Prick Berman put her through.

I am very curious about the letters under the spots. If it's Roman numerals, CCCLXI is 361. There aren't 361 episodes of DS9 so maybe it's how many times the make up has been applied?

Terry Farrell in makeup for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

[ichayalovesyou]

omg i'm so glad your starting enterprise! it's my favourite star trek show (mainly because i grew up with it) and though it definitely gets rocky at points, it's really worth sticking with. (Also! reed is the armoury officer and he's one of my favourite characters, sadly he gets the "oh people think he's gay? quick lets make him really gross around women" treatment" which sucks)

I’m genuinely excited! Also yeah I heard about Reed :/ I just pretend it’s not happening whenever it does because I know that’s always the reason why and I fucking hate it. Like I’m sorry you think being a dick to women is so macho masculine it’ll make the audience think your boy is straight (when he is DEFINITELY NOT) PRick Berman, you POS. Like to the degree it’s like both Reed, Garak, and Bashir’s actors were like “Actually? Fuck you, we like the fans better, he’s gay/bi and that’s how I played him you absolute fuck knuckle 😘 we’re going to go read some fanfic for a livestream and admit that we played our characters gay in interviews byeeeeee”

I’m so glad we’ve got new management on Star Trek so that they can cut that shit out (and hopefully never do it again) cuz it ALWAYS ends up happening to my favorites (or at least ones I really like), Geordi LaForge & Data, Julian Bashir & Elim Garak, Harry Kim & Tom Paris, and also apparently Reed (who I don’t have an opinion on yet). Low key they also did that shit to AOS Spock also (and I’m gonna die mad about it!!). It’s like they didn’t realize a huge HUGE part of Star Trek’s initial success was the largely unimpeded/uninterrupted love story between Jim & Spock! Like that shit was built, fundementally on a queer-coded character and queer shipping. Star Trek would not have survived like it did if 1960s housewives weren’t like “these space men are gay and there’s nothing you can do about it 🤫”

[cindybermanfics1978]

Chapter Two

warnings: swearing

July 12, 1978.

As Bunny opens her eyes, she sees her best friend Ziggy as she jumps away while sighing in relief and annoyance.

"What the hell?"

"Thank god you're up, dipshit. The bus will be here soon."

"Thanks for telling me,"

Bunny rolls her eyes before sitting up, getting out of bed and grabbing her bag of badly packed clothes. A few months prior, she gave birth to Nick Goode’s baby.

This time, she decided to run away to Cindy and Ziggy's place due to her parents and their constant arguing about her parenting. That's why she isn't with her daughter, she's up with her aunt in Northern Ohio. Eventually, she found a place for her baby. Bunny and the Berman sisters spent the night together previously so that’s why she was at her house and not with Tommy. But things changed the last few years when she developed feelings for Tommy's girlfriend — Cindy Berman.

"Come on, come on, Bunny." Ziggy calls. 

"I'm coming, Jesus,"

As the Berman sisters and Bunny entered the bus station, they waited with other campers and counselors. She watched as Tommy and Cindy greeted each other with a kiss as she rolled her eyes, turning away. A Sunnyvaler prick who goes by the name Kurt approached, blowing his whistle. Nick stood beside him as the two made eye contact. He gave her an apologetic smile as Bunny looked away. 

No one knew that Nick was the father of her baby, not even her best friend Ziggy and Bunny planned on keeping it that way as she didn’t want to tell anyone, but she knew someone would eventually ask, even her own child might one day. But today, she wanted to have a somewhat chill approach at Camp Nightwing.  

“Alright, you dicks! Get on the bus.” 

“You wanna sit together?” 

“Yes,” 

Stepping on the bus, Bunny and Ziggy grabbed a seat. Bunny sets her bag down on the floor beneath her and leans back before grabbing her book from the bag as Ziggy smiled. The book Bunny's reading which was 'Carrie.' 

Seeing the film first, Ziggy lent the book to her sometime after the recent school year ended and since then, she hasn’t put it down. Stopping, she looks over at Ziggy.

"You know, I was enjoying my beauty sleep."

"Well, you can sleep more when we arrive at camp."

"I can't, Zig. I'm a counselor so I need to do my job as one and not be lazy."

"Ugh, you sound like my sister."

"Well, at least one of us wants to do something good. And, I am also going because I need to get away from my arguing parents."

"I guess,"

The rest of the drive was quiet as Bunny looked over and saw Cindy reading a magazine. It made her heart jump just staring at her but she quickly looked away when Cindy noticed her. 

Bunny looks out the window beside her as she begins to see a forest as she knew she was getting closer to Camp Nightwing.

[clueingforbeggs]

PRick Berman: Space is for the cisheterosexuals

Andrew Robinson: So, anyway, Garak wanted to fuck Bashir. 

[sophiaforevs]

I've said it once, I'll say it again, fuck Prick Berman.

here’s a compilation of why rick berman of star trek fame could have ruined the franchise with his bigotry, thanks to @/thisismewhatevs on twitter:

Keep reading

[sophiaforevs]

Counter: the only person responsible for Geordi's heartbreaks is Prick Berman who didn't let him and Data be space boyfriends.

Pixie Recaps Picard | The Bounty

[newsmatters]

SEC sues California biotech company for misleading investors about Covid-19 tests - ET HealthWorld

SEC sues California biotech company for misleading investors about Covid-19 tests – ET HealthWorld

NEW YORK: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Decision Diagnostics Corp and its chief executive for allegedly misleading investors by promising the biotechnology company could test for Covid-19 with a finger-prick of blood and provide accurate results in less than one minute. In a complaint filed on Thursday in Manhattan federal court, the SEC said Chief Executive Keith Berman made…

[ichayalovesyou]

i gotta respectfully disagree with your assessment of barclay.

(first off: quite a lot of star trek characters are tainted by the writers giving them a disgusting attitude to women, and yes barclay is on that list because the hologram thing was disgusting. i'm not going to defend that.)

i have severe social anxiety and ASD, and i relate to barclay quite a bit. i mumble, become anxious over the most minor of tasks and frequently shut myself away and avoid others. barclay isn't likeable or charming like bashir, nor is he a savant like wesley. he's ND representation i can see myself in, all the symptoms that are considered "bad" by NTs and also other ND people sometimes.

the symptoms i show make people at best annoyed and at worst scared of me because they see "constantly mutters under their breath, doesn't look people in the eye, acts nervous like they've been caught doing something they shouldn't no matter what is happening" and judge me from that. when i first watched TNG and saw barclay i was ecstatic to see someone like me onscreen, then furious that they had done the "reclusive 'weird' character is actually a creep" stereotype.

anyway this is obviously just my opinion but i do think barclay gets an unfair reputation, especially as other characters who's attitude to women isn't great (reed, bashir, geordi, nearly every man in TOS) get a free pass from fans.

I can respect that, I just personally know men in my life that have been creepy toward me like he is with women. So because he reminds me of them I just can’t deal with it, but of course to each their own. I think the characters we see more of get a pass because we know much more about them, and especially in Geordi & Bashir’s case it was a really OOC attempt to discourage fans from thinking they were gay by writers & producers (thanks PRick Berman 😤). TOS is largely Like That because it was the sixties, and even then some of the “creepiness” is blown out of proportion (like the fact ppl think Kirk is a womanizer when he really isn’t, he’s just mildly promiscuous, but he respects his partners and that’s the important distinction). There are a lot of women who are equally gross and predatory in TOS (Chapel, Layla, Elaan, Marta, Janice Lester, Deela to name a few) the series was just Like That in general because of the era. While a good chunk of what we see of Barclay, aside from being socially anxious is him being very creepy with women unfortunately. I’m sure I’d like him more if we got to see more of him, and if he grew in regards to how he dealt with his attraction to women but sadly we don’t and it is a shitty stereotype.

I can totally see him being an emotional support character for others and you are completely entitled to that. He just really doesn’t work for me because of my experiences.

[ichayalovesyou]

GET HIM DENISE GET HIM!