#a mention of copley

[2-old-to-guard]

Nicolò, Nicky, di Genova

For the second analysis I shall be exploring the inner workings of Nicky. Now, Nicky is a VERY quiet character so a lot of my analysis shall be subtext delievered by the amazing Luca Marinelli who put 110% into this role.

First Impression:

The first time Nicky is mentioned is between Andy and Booker. He uses the couple as a tactic to get Andy to consider the mission. (You can see that when Booker looks at Andy immedietly after Nicky opens the door).

This is actually the first example of Nicky being the first line of defence. He opens the door while Joe hangs back. But both of the men relax when they see her. The hug Andy and Nicky is much more soft than the one between her and Joe which shows Nicky's more reserved character. It also heavily differs to the ways Andy and Booker touch each other, which is discused in Booker's post here. I also like how the couple are kind of matching shirts, I think it's cute.

Relationships:

I've spoke about Nicky and Booker in my Booker post so you can read that here. But from Nicky's perspective, I believe he's humoring Booker and clearly holds no actual anger when he loses. He's known Andy for longer than Booker and must know she'll guess the baklava. But he places the bet anyway as it seems to be a little tradition between the duo, giving them a unique relationship. Finally, it shows they have a rather flippant approach to money as they bet A LOT of money on this silly bet, which could also show how long this bet has been going on for.

Nicky's role in Andy's story is to be the constant postive approach to their immortality. He is clearly under the belief that their long life has to mean something and this is what fate has dictated they do with their undeath. At the beginning Andy is hostile to this and snaps at him multiple times. Simply through their differing personalities, they have the least connection but the small moments they have together show their love. He is also another gift giving person and gives her the baklava in a rather affectionate way. Unlike Booker, Nicky values gifts that serve a purpose (food).

I'm going to talk about Joe and Nicky in the Van scene as it deserves its own section.

Sniper:

Nicky is the sniper of the group which continues through the beginning sequence. Each of the members have their specific role.

I like the little moment where Copley waves at Nicky through his rifle. It's subtle but works to explain Nicky's later remark:

"We are usually a better judge of character."

As it gives Nicky and Copley a moment before the betrayal.

Sudan:

Nicky is the only immortal to talk to the group of people they pass on their mission.

This analysis is inspired by this post. It's subtle but it shows Nicky's kindness and how he goes out of his way to be kind to people. It's not just about rescuing people from kidnappers, it's about being kind to people.

Also, I think it's interesting that Nicky knows many languages and goes out of his way to speak to people in their native tounge.

Another subtle moment of showing the skills each of the Guard have. Not only does Nicky kill two guards with one bullet, he also catches the shell casing to ensure no evidence is left behind.

As the mission is revealed to be an ambush, Nicky's sole focus is on the hypothetical girls, even after they are killed. Nicky believes Copley is on their side and so cannot comprehend that he lied to them.

Whilst Joe is discussed as being "an incurable romantic", Nicky also has his moments. Specifically, in this scene Nicky dies looking at Joe so when Joe turns to see if Nicky is still alive, Nicky is already staring at him.

Later on, when Andy is fully in despair Nicky tries to comfort her with the same line as before. But this time, Andy snaps at him. This is the middle part of this conflict between them. The first is the status quo, the second is the conflict, the third is the resolution.

Contextually, Nicky's first conflict was the Crusades and that is considered one of the worst conflicts in history. Nicky most likely feels immense shame for it and that is what drives his need to do good. Saying they did what they did "For the right reasons" shows Nicky is acknowledging you can do it for the wrong reasons. He shows great sadness at Andy's cynicism in this scene but doesn't say anything, once again showing his reserved nature.

The Dreams:

As stated previously, the ways each of the characters interpret the dreams shows us something about their characters.

Nicky is the first person to state what he saw in his dream and he zeros in on who the new immortal and what she looks like. Next, he talks about the surroundings "dirt walls, clay walls". Thirdly he brings up the weapon that is used. "The pesh-kabz is an Indo-Persian knife used extensively in northern India and Afghanistan". In three lines, Nicky has figured out the physical appearance of the new immortal, the setting in which she died, and the geographical location of the new immortal. This scene highlights Nicky's practical nature, similar to the way he used his rifle to kill two men at once to ensure the alarm wouldn't be raised.

From Nile p.o.v all she sees of Joe and Nicky is them embracing. Joe and Nicky's first priority is love, whether for each other or the rest of their family.

This is immedietly followed by Nicky's monologue about one's first death. This scene, like "peace be with you", shows Nicky's empathy for other people. He immedietly decides to save her not for a practical reason (like Andy), but for emotional reason.

"Whoever she is, she’s confused, and she’s scared, and she’s more alone than she has ever been in her entire life."

This also seems to be him emploring Andy's softer side, which works and shows how close Andy and Nicky are and how well he knows her.

Finally, Booker claiming that Nicky always had Joe is incorrect as he woke from death alone and was isolated for many years before they put their differences aside (apologies for the Booker slander but my boi deserved that).

The Dinner Scene:

In many of the deleated scenes, Nicky has a strong passion for food. This was cut but this moment where he smiles seeing Nile eat his food is really cute and shows his caring nature.

I also like the subtle difference where Nicky finishes Joe's sentence after Nile appears confused:

"So you good guys or bad guys?"

"Depends on the century."

"We fight for what we think is right."

I don't know why no one talks about this but Nicky is the first one in the relationship to tell Nile about it.

This line doesn't hit as hard at the van confession but it's so simple in the way it states that Joe and Nicky are together. It's so sweet how Nicky doesn't even hesitate in explicitly stating his love for Joe.

There is also a little regret in the way he says "many times" which adds to Nicky's regret over the crusades.

The scene, for Nicky, ends when he notices how conflicted Nile is and offers her a place to rest. Another example of Nicky's kindess.

Quynh:

Nicky and Joe's sleeping pattern has been highly analysed by the fanbase so I won't talk about it in a lot of detail. While Joe is shielding Nicky with his body on the train, Nicky is protecting Joe with his body in Gousanville safe house. Nicky, as the sniper, is the most observant of the group and is awake and alert first out of all of them. He also has a gun in his hand by the time Joe and Booker are awake.

I think it's very important for Nicky and Joe be the ones to talk about Quynh. For Nicky's side, he must feel immense guilt for the imprisonment of Quynh as it was his fellow christians who dropped her into the bottom of the ocean. The guilt he feels is shown through the camera angle. Andy views Nicky talking about the witch trials through a church window. Whilst it's commendable that the movie keeps Nicky a christian even after his long life and his relationship with Joe, it adds to his complexity as he fully recognises the crimes of his fellow christians but remains faithful, probally because the same God that make him immortal gave him the life he has with Joe. He also fights through his pain to explain to the scared Nile what she saw. His kindness doesn't blind him, however, and he allows Andy to be the one to talk to Nile after she storms off.

The Van Scene:

Whilst Joe and Nicky are joined together for the most part, to the point where they are mostly referred to as Joe and Nicky, they are their own seperate people. Joe is more outspoken and emotional whilst Nicky is reserved. This is most clearly displayed with the different ways each of the characters react to the homophobic comment from the guards.

While Joe begins to preach to the men, Nicky says very little. He shows exhaustion at the comment rather than just anger, showing how this kind of bigotry is nothing new to him and someting he is tired of. As Joe's speach continues, Nicky goes from tired, to touched. As Luca said it an interview, all he had to do was get lost in Marwan's eyes.

But Nicky isn't completley emotionless. By the end of Joe's speach, Nicky is overcome with love that he leans forwards and kisses Joe. The focus on him in this scene makes it seem like Nicky moved first and Joe followed. Another moment of Nicky being the first to show affection to Joe.

All of this culminates in them kicking the guards ass as all good power couples should.

Whilst the idea of them only doing this because they're homophobic is funny, in the comics it's clear that they did this to try and escape. Still, this one of the first time Nicky is snarky. I believe this is Nicky putting on a persona to try and intimidate the mercanaries and make them unsteady in another attempt to escape.

This is also the first example of Nicky absolutley gagging someone. Having him turn to Copley and say "We are usually a better judge of character". Copley holds an immense respect for the immortals so having one of them dunk on him works well to support his change of allegience later on.

The Merrick Confrontation:

Again, another scene that foucses on Joe's outspokeness. But Nicky is again subtly displaying more of his character.

After Joe headbutts Merrick, Nicky subtly tries to reach for Joe. He probally realises this will result in something bad and so tries to protect Joe.

When Joe is stabbed, Nicky, for the second time, loses his composure and tries to reach for Joe. From the a story writing perspective, obviously this will not kill Joe, but having Nicky be so reserved for the majority of the film his out-of-character panic adds to the tension of the scene.

As Merrick monolouges neither of the couple are really listening. Nicky is solely focused on Joe and making sure he's ok. You can see Luca subtly look to Joe's neck before moving in for the blessed headbump. The fact that Marwan and Luca improvised that, probally inspired by the deleted scene where they do the same thing, hurts my soul. Anyway, it is only when he knows Joe is ok, Nicky then focuses on Merrick. This could also show to symbolise that Merrick isn't the threat Nicky is worried about. That fear is reserved only for death.

The Lab Scene:

Despite being in extreme pain, Nicky doesn't scream and tries to keep in any noises. This could serve two purposes,

The first is that he doesn't want to give Kozak the satisfaction of seeing him in pain. Including lines such as "do you feel the wound trying to close?" shows she clearly holds more sadistic interest in these experiements.

The second purpose is that he doesn't want to worry Joe. From the following dialouge, "As much as I like watching you sleep, I’m glad you’re awake" he was working under the assumption that Joe was asleep and if he was asleep, Nicky screaming would wake him.

This is the second example of Nicky gagging his captors. But this one seems to go over Kozak's head, which makes me laugh. The script has to balance the weight of each of the characters' lives with making them seem relatable and like real people. This is an example of Nicky's imortality dictating his response. Even though Kozak is actively torturing him, he holds little resentment towards her and admits he understands her actions. From a personal perspective, his involvment in the crusades, and from a historical perspective, all the ways humanity has experimented on others claiming to be trying to save the world.

When Joe wakes up, Nicky tries to soothe his panic by saying, "As much as I like watching you sleep, I’m glad you’re awake". The couple are clearly trying to pretend that what is happening to them isn't happning. I think Nicky is the one who is more accepting of what they are going through.

The subtle smile Luca does when he says 'Malta' shows him letting nostalgia consume him insted of fear. But when he says "we should go back", he's letting the reality of the situation settle in again. But he still holds hope that they will escape, showing the trust he has in Andy.

The Lab Scene Continued:

The despair on Nicky's face can be seen from the beginning of this scene. He seems genuinley shocked that Andy has been captured, once again showing how much he's trusts her. The difference between Joe and Nicky is shown again when they react to Andy's mortality. Nicky slowly lowers his head whilst Joe's is more explicit.

Furthermore, when Nicky says "All things", he isn't looking at Merrick. He's seemingly looking at the sky, possibley towards God. He's not angry but instead seems to be sad and accepting.

The final example of Nicky gagging his captor. The line "as is yours" works in two ways. The first is to remind Merrick that for all his money, and influence, and connections, he is still mortal and he will eventually die long before Nicky ever does. Secondly, it works as a threat. Merrick is reminded that the extremely skilled killers he has tied up in his basement could in fact escape and they'll come straight for him. Nicky's reserved attitude could make him seem a passive character but lines like that show the anger that bubbles beneath the surface.

The Final Battle:

This is really short but despite not knowing Nile for a day, Nicky still warns her about the incoming attack.

For all his talk of 'we die when we die' Nicky is still worried about risking Andy's life. It's the only time his faith is really disputed and this time, Andy reassures Nicky's faith which is a fun development between them.

This fear for Andy is further shown in the fight scene. Nicky is consistantly looking for Andy and making sure she's ok. This fear leads to his own injury.

Joe and Nicky's relationship is further shown in the absolute confidence Nicky holds for Joe. He doesn't even look behind him during a fight as he knows Joe will be right behind him. I actually love this too.

Also, this shot of Nicky glaring at Booker shows that even though he doesn't want to punish Booker AS severely as Joe, he still holds an immense amount of anger towards Booker. This difference between Joe and Nicky might be due to their differing realationships with Booker. Nicky and Booker were less affectionate, and possibly more distant so his betrayel doesn't hurt Nicky as much... but it does.

The Keane Scene:

This is the final moment where Nicky's calm demenor is uprooted by an intense emotional moment. At first, when it is just him in danger, he uses skilled fighting techniques to fight Keane. But when Joe is the one in danger, he just lunges for Keane just to try and save Joe. This scene is highly controversial as many people see it as unnecessarily violent and too close to real life crimes against gay people. From my perspective, it is meant to symbolise the way gay people have persevered despite their many struggles. It's why Nicky doesn't die in this scene and it ends with the couple embracing.

Also, despite having just DIED, Nicky first concern is Andy which is the pinnacle moment of his kindness.

Final Nicky Scenes:

With everything we've learnt of Nicky throughout the movie, it makes total sense that he's the first person to reach Nile after her fall. Unlike Booker, who was just telling her to give up on her old life, Nicky tries to show her that her new existence is worth something just like he does with Andy.

As as stated by https://www.tumblr.com/wickedpact/629810255706079232/love-is-stored-in-the-nicky?source=share, him willing sitting in the middle is so quintessential Nicky.

After all the debates around what is their purpose and why they are what they are. This quick shot of Nicky smiling after Nile's line "maybe this is why Andy" is the resulution to his arc through the movie.

His arc doesn't work in the way that they usually work. He doesn't change in his beliefs or world-view and instead, it is other people realising that he was right. It also involves him realising his is right and having his world-view confirmed.

Conclusion:

Like Booker, Nicky serves a specific role in the movie. Most of the other characters are loud and outspoken but Nicky serves as the quiet warmth in the background. He doesn't go through any major crisis and seems mostly self-realised. On the opposite end of Booker, he stands as the angel (hah) on Andy's shoulder and gives her the second option for the reason for their life. Also, shout out to Luca Marinelli for doing all of this with such little dialogue!!

[darkacademicvibes]

We Think Similar Thoughts

Lonely!fem!reader x Lonely!Remus Lupin

CW: Swearing, a little bit of mean!Remus but not to reader, mentions of The Prank.

This is just soft, lonely people making friends with each other. If it gets 20 Notes I'll make it a series, not the next post, but the one after will hopefully be a 'She's a drug' part 2. Hopefully being the key word.

Anyway! Enjoy :)

Edit: Made a soundtrack :D

☕︎

Remus has no where else to go.

The room of requirement is the only place he can think of that the others wouldn't bother him. He's hurt, and he has every right to be, so why was it bothering him so much? Sirius tried to make a monster out of him, Sirius tried to use him like some pawn in a game of chess, and then he labeled it a prank and called it a day, expecting Remus to forgive him. Remus feels like he has no one left. It's been two days and Peter has forgiven Sirius, and he can see James starting to miss his brother.

The door appears and Remus walks into the room, the door vanishing the second Remus' hand leaves the bronze knob. The familiar secret library smells more like home than the dorm has the past few days, but the sound of the piano in the back of the room has him on edge. Who else could be thinking the exact thought as him?

𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.

He peers around the last bookshelf by the familiar grand piano and freezes, you sit there, playing so beautifully, and looking so sad. Your fingers seemingly float over the keys as you sing softly under your breath, he can barely recognize the song. To The Bone, by Sammy Copley. A song he's never particularly enjoyed, but hearing it so quietly compared to how Sirius plays the record, the loudest his record player can go, he doesn't mind it all that much. Though it's still far from being a favorite.

You finish the song and prepare yourself to play again before pausing, "you can sit down, you know, I don't bite" you murmur, and for a moment, he's surprised at just how sweet you sound.

He sits down in the window seat, grabbing his copy of 'The son of the wolf' by Jack London. Your eyes follow his movements before turning back to the black and white keys in front of you and beginning to play again, singing the only song you know by heart just a little louder than before, ignoring the way Remus Lupins eyes watch you instead of his book. After playing twice more, he seems to find the courage to ask the question that has been on the tip of his tongue for the last eight minutes. "Why are you only playing that song?" your fingers start up again, playing the same song as you think.

"It's the one I know best, I've played this song enough to be able to claim I know it like the back of my hand"

"What are you doing in this specific requirement room?"

"I'm lonely"

"How are you talking and playing at the same time?"

"I know this song like the back of my hand"

"Why are you lonely?"

You laugh softly, a gentle smile on your lips as he asks question after question. "Why are you?"

Remus Lupin pauses, thinking for a moment. He knows who you are, he has Alchemy with you every Thursday fourth period. And he saw you signing up for the same professor course he did last week at Hogsmeade, offering to teach music to the younger kids on your weekends. He teaches literature to kids just one year above your student group. It's a fun program, he likes teaching. He knows he wants to be a professor when he graduates, preferably one of the muggle studies professors. Historic literature is his favorite muggle studies class, it always has been.

"My friends aren't good people sometimes" He admits, picking at the sleeve of his favorite sweater. There's a small hole, right where he chews on the sleeve, he notices. "But I asked you first" your fingers dance over the keys as easily as if they were toying with a pencil.

"I don't know why I'm lonely, I think I just am" you admit, sadness twisting slightly in your heart. The room provides you a simple cinnamon roll, extra icing. Remus feels guilt prickle down his spine, and the room provides him with a beat up copy of Alice In Wonderland. You smile at it as he flushes red.

He's seventeen years old, for Merlin's sake!

He pushes the book away as you finish your song again, the more you play, the less he minds it. If he didn't know any better, he'd say he was beginning to enjoy it.

"Maybe I'm lonely because I don't make friends easily" you continue, and it has him sitting up in his seat properly, legs crossed and using his finger as a bookmark. "All the friends I do have never write to me over holidays unless I write them first, and I'm always having to walk behind them unless I want to walk on the grass. I'm not a very good judge of character, so I stick with whoever has the mind to accept me; I tag along when I'm invited, and I hope they have a good time when I'm not" you shrug, pulling the cinnamon roll apart, piece by piece, eating the small chunks of sweet bread as you pull it to bits. Icing coats your fingers, but you don't mind, and it makes Remus smile.

"I could be your friend" he offers.

"Why?"

"Well, you're lonely, I'm lonely, why can't we be lonely together?"

You turn back to the piano, your brothers voice ringing in your ears.

𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥? 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺.

"I like green, it's my favorite colour" Remus states, and for a moment, you're confused.

"What's yours?" he wonders, you hesitate. "I can never choose between brown, and Y/F/C" you wait for the judgement, for the laughter, for the familiar comment 'brown? like shit?'.

It never comes.

"I like brown but I wouldn't say it's a favourite" you stare at him for a long moment before a smile tugs at the corners of your lips and you can't help but smile as you look down at the half finished cinnamon roll in front of you, your hair falling to hide your face as you untuck it from behind your ear. A part of you wants to accept his offer of being friends, but another part calls it a temporary situation. He seems mad at his other friends, the other three boys that make up the marauders. Of course he'd be looking to spend some time with anyone else.

"y'know, I really don't like To The Bone, but you play it differently. It's nice your way. I prefer it" warmth spreads through your chest, the only compliments you ever got on your musical talents were from the kids you teach, but they're amazed by everything at their age. It's nice to be complimented by a peer, of course, you'd probably get more compliments if you bothered to play in front of people, other than twenty-four nine-year-olds.

"Thank you, is there a different song you like that I might know?"

He thinks for a moment before, seemingly nervous, he requests a song.

"Do you know 'Here comes the sun'?"

Instead of answering, you wipe your fingers on the small brown napkin that came with the cinnamon roll and begin playing. Singing quietly along. Sadly, you can't play Here Comes The Sun without singing it, otherwise you constantly lose your place and have to start again. A common issue for you. Thankfully, Remus doesn't seem to mind as he leans back against the window, watching you play.

It's definitely not the exact song, and it's certainly not as upbeat, but Remus finds himself enjoying that about your music. It's soft, almost like if hot chocolate on a snowy day was a genre.

He can't quite explain why, but he feels the need to watch you as you play.

He's always thought of you as pretty, your Y/H/C hair and Y/E/C eyes, and the few freckles that dot over your nose and cheeks. One, higher than the rest, sits high on your cheekbone, not far from your eye.

He's even occasionally considered approaching you, but you always seemed to slip away from your shared classes unnoticed. And you almost never eat in the great hall, choosing to wander around as you eat instead.

He allows himself to admire the way the golden sunlight shines in fractured streaks of soft yellow over you and the piano, the light making the highlighter on your nose a bit more noticeable.

He likes your style, beat up pink converse and your uniform, little things added and taken away to make it more.. 𝘺𝘰𝘶, he supposes.

Your blue skirt is supposed to have silver plaid squares, but you've charmed it to stick to a simple plaid pattern of different shades of blue, your grey sweater isn't a school one, and he can see the way some of your hair sits underneath the fabric, like you hadn't bothered to pull your hair out of the sweater after putting it on; and you have a bracelet on, made out of brown, yellow, and white embroidery thread.

"I think dinner is starting soon" Remus announces. You press a wrong key and wince, frowning.

"Okay"

"Do you want to head down now?"

"I don't know"

"Okay"

It's silent for a moment before you stand up. "You mean it? You really want to be my friend?" he nods, gathering his things slowly as you return a book from your bag to a nearby shelf. "I do, why?" he asks. Did you think he was lying before? The thought makes his heart hurt a little. "No reason, do you want to sit with me for dinner?" You wait for his answer, but you don't get one. You turn to face him, and he's smiling at you sweetly, offering his hand.

You quickly pull your bag over your shoulder before hesitantly accepting his hand, he leads you out of the room and rolls his eyes at the sight of Sirius Black leaning against the wall, holding a folded piece of parchment and toying nervously with the corners. Sirius falls into step with the two of you, sending you a questioning glance before turning to Remus. "Moony, I know I fucked up bad, but-" Remus swaps hands with you, pulling you away from Sirius as he cuts the boy off. "But nothing, Sirius. I'm hanging out with a friend so if you don't mind, could you fuck off? Thanks." Remus snaps, and you raise an eyebrow as guilt flashes in his eyes and Sirius stops abruptly, watching the two of you walk away.

"Sorry, Y/N" you shrug, entirely unbothered.

"It's fine, if you're mad at him, I won't question you. I trust you have good judgement" you assure him.

He laughs and smiles at you teasingly. "You just complemented yourself y'know, so confidently, too" your face burns as you realize what he means. "Oh."

"Don't worry, I think I have good judgement too" he bumps your shoulder with his arm gently. "Yeah, makes up for how freakishly tall you are" you murmur jokingly, and he laughs.

You both slip into a seat at the Ravenclaw table as the rest of the marauders watch from the Gryffindor table, all missing their friend as guilt stings at them.

☕︎︎

[knitpurlgoal]

I cast on this hat maybe 2 hours before I left for the airport? My brother’s partner mentioned she was the only one who didn’t have a yellow beanie so this will be for her. Here’s the progress so far:

Waiting to see if my flight would get bumped… yarn is Fool’s Gold from Hedgehog yarn? Fiber arts?

The first flight was about two hours and I had about an hour (?) long layover in Seattle

Celebrating my arrival in Boston with some Dunkin’. We flew through the night but I had a hard time sleeping so I got quite a bit done

My feet do this weird thing where I take a step and then another step and suddenly I’m at a library! (This is in the courtyard of Central Library in Copley Square. It’s amazing and I’m cancelling all my plans to explore every inch)

[apoptoses]

Anon was so very right, but Daniel is not the only human pet being fed a seafood heavy diet, as you mentioned earlier. How do we know Marius wasn't also crazy about his little Amadeo with his sweet and fishy aroma from the rich diet he was feeding him 🥹🥵 how would he smell when he jumped into his masters arms after a day running around and playing in the sun, feasting on fruit and seafood 🫐🐟👃shrimp sweats run in the family

uncivil lmao

this is killing me because @monstersinthecosmos has made so many good comparisons to how a vampire and their mortal pet is sorta like a human with their pet cat. and so my brain immediately jumps to feeding amadeo a rich diet the same way you try to feed your cats lots of tuna to keep them fit and shiny.

so you're NOT WRONG but as someone who can't even walk into a red lobster because i hate the smell that much, the fact that this is what i've wrought on my own blog today has me rolling lmao

but like at it's core, absolutely, the feederism runs in the family!!! you just know that when he recruited all of those new chefs marius had amadeo sampling the new foods until he was a little unwell feeling 🥹 too full, needing his belly rubbed and a digestion nap!! the copley incident did not happen in a vaccuum, that's gotta be a repeat of another era!!! feeding their pets but also tormenting them and then enjoying the struggle of the mortal body to process it all 10/10 vampire behavior.

[labyrinth-guy]

i did a lot of reading this past year, which is remarkable because i spent a lot of time submerged in a grad school writing sample deep dive/spiral, and found a lot of books i really enjoyed

some superlatives, pictured above:

favorite read of 2024: Greasepaint by Hannah Levene (about a butch jewish socialist dyke piano player's union)

most enjoyable nonfiction i have ever read: Park Cruising by Marcus McCann

best haunted house book/book i wish i wrote: Brat by Gabriel Smith

best fiction book about covid lockdown i have read yet: Back in the Land of the Living by Eva Crocker

best trans novel that reads like memoir: Some Strange Music Draws Me In by Griffin Hansbury (bonus points for wmass nostalgia)

favorite unhinged young queer woman moves to the woods alone during an identity crisis (in translation): Mammoth by Eva Baltasar

best grad school reading/your new favorite under-appreciated land artist: Nancy Holt Inside/Outside ed. Lisa Le Feuvre

thanks @insaneclownpussi for the tag and for often listening to me describe weird books i'm reading

some honorable mentions/not pictured:

best fucked up little short story collections: Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, She is Haunted by Paige Clark

best queer horror: cuckoo by Gretchen-Felker Martin, Diavola by Jennifer Thorne, Model Home by Rivers Solomon

best queer roadtrip book/book that makes you feel like making art maybe is worth it: Housemates by Emma Copley Isenberg

most playful approach to genre: My Lesbian Novel by Renee Gladman (thank you to @northwindow 's substack for finally making me go track down a copy)

i have two reading goals for next year (unrelated to total quantity because ideally i will be starting grad school... fingers crossed). i would like to read more non-fiction than fiction, and i would like to write down/keep track of my thoughts about what i read with more consistency.

to start the year, i am currently reading: Still Life by Katherine Packert Burke and Women by Chloe Caldwell

[desertfangs]

I was trying to find the scene anon mentioned (and I did!) but I got too caught up and decided to to a little "Daniel being a little shit on the plane" compilation:

"You're dying", Armand said softly.

"And though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, etcetera."

2. There is almost nothing left the word that you enjoy.

"Except talking to you now and then. It's so easy to hear everything you say."

3. If you were never to see me again, that would only make things worse. If you go on as you are, you won't live another five days.

Unbearable thought, actually. But if that's so, then why have I been running away?

4. "I'm dying. They're dying. They got to be immortal before it happened; I am merely alive. See? I remember. I would like to have the bourbon now."

There is nothing I can do to make you want to live, isn't that so?

"Not that again. I will jump out of the plane if you go on".

5. "How can I help it? I can't get away from your voice when you want me to listen. It's like a tiny microphone inside my head. What is this? Tears? You're going to weep over me?"

6. "I work with limited equipment. The cells in my body are subject to deterioration, to a process called aging and--"

7. "For all that's happened, Lestat is to blame".

"A real devil among devils", Daniel laughed softly.

With a subtle nod, Armand acknowledged the little jest. He even smiled.

Daniel really said "I'll die tonight but not before one last stand up banger" 💣 And it just hit me how much they laugh during that whole scene. Even as they "get" to the Villa, and as weary and uncertain as Armand feels, they're both laughing so much. They never stop being playful and sweet with each other, even during Daniel's death/rebirth. I love them your honor 😭

Anon, thank you for doing the lord's work! (Speaking very metaphorically of course!) I need to save this post to look at when I get sad.

That's the thing with Devil's Minion though - Armand is described as being playful and laughing a lot in there. Daniel describes him as curious and whimsical and captivated by mundane things, but also as someone who laughs easily and whose laughter he adores.

They have philosophical conversations but it's Armand's laughter that really gets Daniel in the scene at the Copley: "Armand had been so delighted, laughing and laughing like a schoolboy as he sat watching, with folded arms. It was the first time Daniel had ever heard that soft, silky laughter. So seductive. He got drunk as fast as he could."

I think that right there was the moment when Daniel realized he was in deep and I believe from that moment on, making Armand laugh becomes one of Daniel's favorite things in the world. Even when he's dying. Honestly, I think Daniel would have been okay knowing the last sound he would ever hear would be Armand's laughter. (Luckily it did not come to that!)

I also love them so much 😭😭 Thank you for the list, anon! This is so great!

[irisbleufic]

i'm on the fifth part of caldera right now and screaming at it being set in boston. do you have personal experience with the locations or just did a lot of research? i didn't think people outside of townies knew about porter square books

I’m from Boston, so I’ve had lots of experience with the locations I write about there (not just in my IWTV stories; Boston is a frequent setting for a lot of my fiction). I’ve been living in New Mexico for just under the past decade, but I spent the majority of my adult life otherwise in MA. I go back a couple times a year still to visit. I’m next going back in May for a little over a week. Wilder still, I’ll be staying at the Copley, which is the hotel that gets mentioned in the DM chapter of QotD, the one with the dining room (now that bistro I mention in the story you’re on) where Armand orders everything on the menu for Daniel 💙

[catofadifferentcolor]

Terrible Fic Idea #61: The Old Guard, but make it Stargate

One of the very few things I dislike about the 2020 TOG movie is how little forethought the escape from Merrick's headquarters appears to show. We see dozens of samples taken... and as far as I can tell, all those samples and the doctor who took them survived the firefight. And if her results were being pushed to the cloud? That's one big problem left unresolved. Not to mention a firefight in the middle of London's business district - inside a business that does dealings with the US military at that - is bound to be thoroughly investigated regardless of the strings Copley pulls to cover it up.

All of which came together in my head to ask: What if, six months post-Merrick, The Old Guard gets picked up by Stargate Command?

Just imagine it:

One of the things I love best the Stargate universe is that it takes place so very definitively in the 90s. It's settled in its time period, not some hopeful, impossible future. But for that sake of this AU let's push everything forward 20 years make it so the events of SG1 S4's "The Curse" happen in the same week as the escape from Merrick.

From the outside looking in, there's a lot about the Old Guards' flavor of immortality that looks like having a goa'uld symbiote. This means when the SGC goes looking for other possible goa'uld on Earth after Osiris' escape, they think they find five in the shape of the immortals, with Nile possibly being the latest host for the symbiote that Quỳnh once carried.

The more the SGC looks, however, the less clear it becomes. Daniel is able to recreate most of Copley's research and then some, stretching as far back as written records will allow. Their next thought is tok'ra, but those haven't been around long enough to account for Andy. Maybe she's the queen of a similar group that's been stuck on Earth for a long time and the others are her surviving offspring? There are records of a god matching her description on the Western Steppes in ages past...

With that assumption in mind, six months post-Merrick SG-1 is sent to make contact with the guard, hoping to gain more allies against Apophis.

The meeting itself is both extremely tense and a comedy of errors. Both groups are on completely different pages as to why they're meeting and what's at stake, and it very nearly ends in a firefight before Daniel goes into an impassioned speech (at gunpoint) as to why the guard should help humanity fight the goa'uld... to which Andy goes what the fuck are you talking about?

Once every gets on the same page and assurances are made that there will be no human experimentation whatsoever, the guard end up joining the SGC as independent contractors. Officially they are SG-21, assigned to search and rescue/covert ops, but mostly they continue to fight for what we think is right, just on a galactic scale. They nominally check in every few weeks, but are largely left to their own devices. This makes the rare occasions any of them are in the Mountain memorable.

A selection of those memorable visits include: 1) Daniel being hogtied, left in a closet, and not found for 15 hours after asking Andy one too many questions about ancient cultures; 2) Sam stumbling upon Joe and Nicky having a deep conversation in a patois of languages in the middle of the cafeteria about how much the Earth and their place in it has changed in their lifetimes, from Jerusalem being the center of ancient world maps to an ever expanding galaxy inhabited by people just like them. It should take vaguely the same tone as Sagan's Cosmos before being completely derailed by one of them asking so, do you think endlessly asphyxiating in the vacuum of space is better or worse than endlessly drowning at the bottom of the ocean? This too should be discussed at macabre length, possibly going into their personal ten worst ways to die lists - but in mostly English, throughly disturbing their fellow diners; and 3) Nile encountering someone she once knew in the Marines for the first time during the events of "Heroes" and having to do the say, I can get killed but don't stay dead speech for the first time herself after dying midway through the mission and coming back to save the day.

Once again, that's all I really have - just lots of scenes of the characters of both fandoms interacting but very little change to the plot lines of either.

Bonuses include: 1) The guard initially being offered commissions in the US Marines for their work at the SGC. These are turned down for a variety of reasons, the last one jokingly being that Joe and Nicky have never gone longer than a week without saying something unbearably romantic to each other and it'll save them the trouble of having to immediately cashier them both out. Extra bonus points if this leads Nicky on overwatch to send a warning shot past the speaker's ear before anyone can bring up the DADT repeal. 2) Booker having been grounded rather than exiled. This should be paired with Nile occasionally slipping into an exasperated yes, Mom whenever Joe and Nicky get overprotective, leading to much confusion as to the guards' family dynamics when they first join the SGC. Some Marines convinced for years that the immortals are, in fact, like the tok'ra and that one of the men is the host for their queen; and 3) The base quartermaster having absolutely no fear of any of them and publicly chewing them out on multiple occasions for the sheer amount of clothes they go through.

Honestly, I have tons of little scenes of this crossover in my head and no coherent storyline to it all, so it may end up as a drabble collection if the bunny stays around long enough. Otherwise, feel free to adopt this bun. As always, link back if you do anything with it.

More Terrible Fic Ideas

[youssefguedira]

Lucia fic no. 2 💜💜💜💜💜

i have GOT to get back to this fic its just . well there's a lot of emotions in there. but what i HAVEN'T previously mentioned is the actual framing of the fic, i.e. it doesn't all take place in the past!! for example:

It's not until late afternoon, when Andy is napping in the other room, that Nicky brings up the reason for their visit. The TV is chattering away softly in the background, some drama show she's too tired to watch, though she’s getting better at understanding the rapid Italian. Joe'd pulled the curtains open to let the sun in a little while ago, casting a square of golden light on the terracotta tiles, and is now seated in one of the armchairs, sketching in a little black notebook, glancing up at the TV every now and then. 

“Nile,” Nicky starts. “There is something I would like to show you tomorrow, if you will let me.” 

“Sure,” Nile says, shifting position – she'd been starting to drift off in the afternoon sunlight. “What is it?” 

“There is a village, a few hours' drive from here,” he says. “I know Booker” – and here Joe's shoulders tense, just a little – “told you about his family already, but I would like the chance to tell you about mine. Only if you want to hear it, of course.” 

Nile wonders if that's why Andy had argued with him about this. She's been carefully avoiding thinking about her family for too long; Copley had handled it, sure, but that doesn't mean Nile doesn't still wish with every part of her that she could go home, even if it was just once. 

“Yeah,” she says. She could use getting out of the house anyway.

Nicky relaxes, just a little. “We can leave in the morning,” he says. “Eight?”

Nile nods. 

The next morning, Joe and Nicky are already in the kitchen when Nile gets up, talking to each other quietly in Italian. She doesn’t even bother to listen in, still a little too tired to process another language right now, but she catches the odd word that’s close enough to Spanish or French for her to understand. 

There’s two thermoses on the kitchen table already, and a little plate of pastries, possibly bought from the bakery a few streets over that Joe had mentioned yesterday; Nicky stands when she enters.

“Ready?” he asks. 

Nile nods. 

“Domenico’s is closed,” Joe says to Nicky. “I checked yesterday. But there’s a place not far from where it used to be.” His expression softens, then, and there’s something almost sad about the way he looks at Nicky when he says, “Bring her something from me?”

Nicky nods. Joe catches hold of his wrist as he walks past, kisses his palm. Nicky shudders for a moment, then leans down to knock their foreheads together briefly, eyes closed like he's bracing himself for something. It’s the most physical affection Nile’s ever seen them show towards each other: of course, they’re never that far from each other, but they’re not usually like this, at least not in front of her. She can’t help but wonder.

“You’re not coming?” Nile asks. 

Joe shakes his head. “Not this time.”

Again, she wonders. But then Nicky passes her one of the thermoses and a couple pastries in a paper bag, and they head out. 

It’s not until they’re out of the city and on the autostrada after a quick stop at a florist’s that leaves Nile with even more questions, and she’s halfway through her thermos of coffee, that Nicky says, “I had a sister.”

[phatburd]

Once Was All There Was by whisper_that_dares, EditorBirb

Chapters: 1/10 Fandom: The Old Guard (Movie 2020), The Old Guard (Comics), Napoleonic Era RPF, Historical RPF Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Characters: Booker | Sebastien le Livre, Michel Ney, Napoléon I de France | Napoléon Bonaparte, Louis-Nicolas Davout, Joachim Murat, Napoleon's Marshals, Nile Freeman, James Copley, Mentioned Canonical Characters, Historical Character(s), Original Characters

Additional Tags: Death, Hypothermia, War, Blood and Violence, Graphic Description of Corpses, War Crimes, executions, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, 19th Century, Napoleonic Wars, Military, Fog of War, Historical Inaccuracy, Secrets, Murder, Suicidal Thoughts, Biological Warfare, Gore, Canonical Character Death, Dubious Morality, origin story of the coat, Derogatory Language, Fate & Destiny, Parenthood, I'm Sorry Victor Hugo

Summary: In December of 1812, near the border of what would one day become Lithuania and Belarus, a soldier of Napoleon Bonaparte’s Grande Armeé was hanged for desertion. There's just one small problem: it should have never happened.

What was the chain of events that led to that execution? And what happened after? Did it have something to do with the powerful men who rode with Napoleon, the ones whose decisions determined life or death for Sébastien Le Livre and countless others?

This is a story of The Old Guard from the point of view of one of those men, a story about a forger-turned-infantry sergeant and the bravest of the brave.

The first chapter is just the prologue, there's more in the can, but later on that.

Special thanks to @sindirimba and @gaal-dornick. Much love to you both!

[avatarskywalker78]

I saw your ask for @/arrthurpendragon and first of all it was SO sweet and I'm so glad to have met and befriended you!!!! 💜💜💜 second of all you mentioned you also have an old guard oc and if you're willing to share I'd like to hear about them ❤

You're very welcome and I am always happy to talk about my OCs!! The fic will start two months after the film and the OC is Lexa Sullivan (faceclaim Naomi Scott), thirty-two years old, a former soldier in the British Army and current Red Cross worker, who - in a twist of fate - is not killed as a result of her work but during one of the rare times she isn't working, catching stray bullets after gang warfare breaks out in [city yet to be decided]. The only person who rushes to her and stays with her as she's dying is a Frenchman called Sebastien, and Lexa's scared, of course, because she had so much she wanted to do...but she's also relieved that she's not going to die alone...

Except she doesn't die, and the last face she saw as a mortal is the first face she sees as an Immortal and they're both really freaked out by this. But Lexa can't deny what just happened and listens to his explanation of things, though she doesn't want to meet the others yet until it's all sunk in. She learns the man normally goes by Booker, and later that evening he tells her about himself and how he betrayed the team and how really, she'd be better off with the others, especially as he's in exile.

Lexa...chooses not to. Lexa looks at him, this man who chose to stay by a dying stranger's side, who's been nothing but helpful and who could've hidden or downplayed his role in things but instead has been completely honest with her. And although part of her gets why the group would exile him... the main reason he did what he did was because he felt alone and because he didn't want to be here any more, and somehow Lexa thinks that exiling the suicidal man without setting up any kind of support is a terrible idea, especially given the fact that immortality can apparently stop as suddenly as it starts, so he might not even be around in a hundred years time.

And Lexa's knows she can't be his therapist, but she can be his friend, because he looks like he could do with one... and given her life has just changed dramatically she could do with the company as well and so she stays. And most of the first story is going to focus on their friendship and Lexa's attempts to get him to go to therapy because holy fuck does he need it (and she establishes contact with Copley because they need some kind of help here), and there's going to be quite a lot of emotional moments. For Booker in particular because things get worse before they get better, and he spends a good chunk of the story waiting for the other shoe to drop and Lexa to leave (she doesn't.)

I've had this idea and the character since I first watched the film back in 2020, I just haven't written more than a few snippets. But I would love to get back and work on it because I have so many ideas and I love their friendship so much (and it gives me an excuse to watch the film ^_^) and I really love Lexa herself! She's so great and a very good friend and just amazing!!!

[2-old-to-guard]

Nile Freeman - Part 2

Heyyy, welcome back to Nile Freeman analysis! Lets get straight into it!!!

The Ambush:

Having Quynh be the final straw for Nile makes complete sense for her. All the other negatives of immortality were circumvented by the hope of making a difference. Quynh's immortality has left her suffering over and over and she doesn't even get to help people.

Nile's words here echo Andy's thoughts present throughout the movie and I believe this is the exact moment that Andy lost her immortality. Like many people, I believe that the immortality is tied to their determination. And at this exact moment she loses her faith in her ability to save people. Nile's journey mirrors Andy's as someone at the beginning of their journey vs someone at the end.

I love that even though Nile is angry and distrusting of Andy, she still goes to help her fight the mercenaries. It also shows that she doesn't really know Andy, unlike Booker who is unconcerned. This also supports Nile's change of heart later on in the movie. She doesn't know that Andy is this skilled of a killer yet so she didn't know the reality of their situation. It isn't until the church fight that Nile realises just what being an immortal warrior would entail.

The Mine:

This scene hints to Nile's experience and education.

This isn't discussed in the movie but many online theorise that Nile was an art major as she recognises the statue in this scene. Kiki also displays another moment of wonder in Nile being star struck by the sculpture. And then, immedietly, Nile puts the peices together and asks about Andy's relationship with the artist. This shows that even though Nile asks a lot of questions throughout the movie, she does pick up things implicitly also.

It's a short scene but I think it's sweet that Nile offers some advice on how to rescue Joe and Nicky. Even though she has been told very little about Copley, Joe or Nicky, she still offers her own knowledge to try and help. And it's also sweet that she becomes bashful and mutters:

"Sure you already tried that."

As she remembers how old and experienced her new aquaitances.

This is the sort of middle section of Nile's journey of acceptance. Before this, she was terrified of risking getting hurt. But here, she experiments with her healing ability. I didn't mention this in Booker's part but this is such a banging line:

"Just because we keep living doesn’t mean we stop hurting."

Because it sums up Andy and Booker's situations so well. Despite both of them healing from nearly any injury, they are still suffering with the weight of their grief. Nile's response to this is also interesting. She's reached the part of her journey where she is questioning her new life.

"Why us?"

She asks the question in a very Nicky way, searching for a spiritual reason. I'm surprised they never had that many conversations in the movie and I wonder if they'll discuss their faith in the new movie.

During Booker's monologue, Nile is nearly fully silent only asking him once about what he means.

She's taking in his sorrow and pain which is impacting her thoughts about whether to stay in this family. But she's taking the wrong message from his story. Whilst he's trying to convince her to stay, it's making her want to leave.

Nile's Choice:

Upon my first watch, it struck me as odd that Nile chose to leave at the point in which she did. But upon multiple viewing (I know I have a problem) it makes total sense. As far as any of them know, Joe and Nicky are hidden away in that house. They don't know about Merrick at this point (beside Booker of course) and so she thinks the mission is over.

From an emotional stand point, we have this scene:

Nile is grappling with Andy's ability to kill people and knowing that is what she is going to become combined with the sorrow of Booker's story. I wonder if she was left alone with Joe or Nicky would she have responded like this. Clearly displayed throughout the movie, she is a good person who wants to do good and she views killing people as bad. She also wants to see her family again, which is most likely influenced by Andy's story about not remembering her family.

Booker's Betrayal:

Nile's noticing of Booker's betrayal is supported by all the implicit facts we learn about Nile through the script's storytelling.

She follows authority figures so it makes sense that she did want Andy told her to. She is a marine so it makes sense that she'd recognise if a gun chamber is empty. And she is observant so it makes sense she'd notice the empty barrel and who loaded it in the first place. She is given a choice. Andy has allowed her to leave but Nile now knows she is in danger. I love that, even though we know she'll do it, Nile's decision to go back is ambiguous. It gives Nile some agency and leaves the audience wondering what she'll do.

Nile and Copley:

Contrasted to the immortals, Nile appears to Copley as a secure and confident professional to the point he assumes she's a hitman. It makes sense as they are the closest in age and life experience.

Nile asks who Merrick is, but upon seeing the blood (once again being observant) changes the subject and focus on saving her new family.

Again, Nile is curious but understands when it is more important to focus on something else.

This shot is a similar to The Old Guard: Force Multiplied when Nile demonstrates her immortality by shooting herself in the head. It makes more sense for Nile to shoot herself in a foot in the film as there is a heavier emphasis on the finality of their lives so it would be more risky to kill herself. Also, she doesn't trust Copley so she doesn't want to risk dying and Copley capturing herself.

Having Nile be the one who sees Copley's stalker wall makes the most sense. She is the one who needs to be convinced about immortality and as the audience-surrogate she serves to show the audience why the immortals are what they are.

It also makes sense from Copley's angle. He's studied the immortals for years and therefore, doesn't view them as people but instead as a cure. But he doesn't know anything about Nile, she is in front of him and fully human and she is critiquing his beliefs in person. She also, as she's done three times by now, listens to him recant his struggles around his wife illness. But again, she knows when to comment ending his story with the line.

"Wasn't your gift to give?"

The crux of the immortals struggle with Merrick. Sure the immortals could consent to the tests and maybe Merrick could make a cure. But they don't WANT to. They have chosen what they want to do with their immortality and they are helping people in their own way. Why does Merrick feel the need to CHOSE for them?

Nile's Attack:

This is the moment in which Nile has accepted her immortality.

This line shares many similarities with Andy's previous line:

"We don’t need a pilot. We can jump and survive."

This most likely symbolises the fact that Nile is going to take the role of a leader in the next couple movies.

I also love this short scene before the final fight begins.

There have been many discussions around the presentation of the female characters in the movie, specifically Nile. Nile is allowed to be strong, smart, naive, flawed and scared without any judgement from the movie. It goes against the 'strong black woman' trope as she is given these moments of doubt and stress as she adjusts to her new life. This moment works as her growing into one of the gang. This is what makes this movie so enjoyable to me. It gives each of the characters depth in their scenes that aren't usually considered.

This scene works in parallel to the Sudan ambush. Nile is taken by surprise by mercenaries and is shot by them. But as their guard is lowered, she revives and springs back to life. Contrasting to her scene in the lift, this scene shows her potential as one of the group.

When I tell you that I near screamed at this scene. It works to hype the audience up because Nile could almost take Merrick out in this moment. But again, Nile is a good person and so doesn't immedietly shoot Merrick (Which she doesn't know is Merrick). They also ensure that Keane arrives before it gets suspicious as to why Nile isn't shooting Merrick.

Nile Convinces Andy:

Now being convinced of the immortal's vision, Nile's two arguments for Andy serve as a reference to Nicky and Joe. As stated previously, Nicky takes a spirtual approach to their immortality, thinking they are put here to do good.

On the other hand, Joe views immortality through the lens of protecting people you care about. Nile supports this by referencing Andy's promise:

"Whatever it takes."

These arguments seem to work as it gives Andy hope in the future.

The Final Battle:

Like Nicky and Booker, Nile takes physical hits to protect Andy.

And like Joe, she tries to lift Andy's spirits by making jokes.

All of these moments again highlight Nile's potentiol to merge well with the group. And Andy and Nile are shown to be connected when Andy uses 'play dead' on Merrick. Nile picks up on Andy's hint and uses it, showing how quick she is. And the pay-off for the previous foreshadowing when she jumps out of a building to protect Andy.

The Aftermath:

I love the symbolism of Nile handing Andy her labrys as she gave Andy her drive to fight back again.

It is like what Andy said before:

"You reminded me there are people... still worth fighting for."

Nile is also given a moment of symbolism as she stares at the broken car she landed on. It symbolises her loss of normalcy and her accepting that she'll never go back to her old life.

I like the choice to have Nile seem sad as she obviously misses her family but she also seems to shrug as she accepts what she is.

I also love that she changed her hair in the final scene. She is no longer clinging to her old life and is accepting the new one. Though her dialouge shows how much she is troubled by this. I think there is not supposed to know which choice is right because Nile will never know if she made the right choice and it is a choice that will haunt her. The point of immortality not having a reason is to allow the immortals to make choices based on what they interpret the immortality to mean. There is no right answer and there is no wrong one but they have to live with what they chose.

Conclusion:

On a fundemental story level, Nile serves as the audience-surrogate and the means in which Andy learns to fight again. But she is so much more than that. She is compelling protagonist who struggles with her new circumstances. She makes mistakes and shows high levels of skill and determination. Gina Prince-Bythewood and Kiki Layne clearly worked hard to make Nile such a unique character and it pays off so effectively. Now that she has accepted her immortality and new life I can't wait to see what she will do in the sequel!!

[anthrofreshtodeath]

I’m going to Boston in a few months. Any recs on must-sees and food spots?

Hmm, if it’s your first time, do all the touristy stuff. Here’s what I’d recommend sight-seeing/event wise:

1) Fenway Park - no brainer! Even if the Sox aren’t in town or it’s the off-season, take a tour. The history is rich and it ends with a pretty cool museum walkthrough.

2) the freedom trail - this is a lot of fun and some of the tour guides are super funny and knowledgeable. This is a nice primer for the most famous lore of Boston.

3) Boston Public Library (main branch in Copley Square) - the library is huge and the architecture is a lot of fun to look at. Best part? The Triumph of Religion mural by John Singer Sargent.

4) Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and MFA Boston - the Gardner is great for more Sargent pieces, as well as the heist that took place there decades ago! You can see where the missing paintings used to hang. The MFA has a stunning Kehinde Wiley in addition to lots of great exhibits.

5) the USS Constitution - this is a cool thing to see on a trip to Charlestown, especially if you’re already there to see the Bunker Hill monument. The Consitution has a cute interactive museum that’s pretty informative about the ship and its travels.

6) the Museum of African American History - right in the heart of Beacon Hill! Learn about Beacon Hill’s history as a Black neighborhood and the legacy of Black resistance in the city of Boston.

Honorary Mention: TD Garden - a sports cathedral (go to a C’s game if you can!), a day trip to Salem (I named my kid after the place it’s so much fun!), Jamaica Plain’s Latin Quarter (patronize some local latine businesses and eat some bomb Dominican food), the North End (little Italy - cultural hub!)

And some food places I’d recommend:

1) Archie’s New York Deli in Downtown Crossing (by Macy’s) - go for breakfast. Their deli sandwiches are good, too, but the yahoo breakfast sandwich is like an egg McMuffin on crack. So tasty. They even have homemade ketchups and sauces!

2) Bova’s bakery - I’m a simple bitch for this one but oh god is this place good. Gotta go for: a lobster tail, a cannolu, or ricotta pie. Or if you’re like me, all three and a cookie on the side.

3) Carmelina’s- another famous North End place. What can I say? I’m a sucker for good Italian. Get the Sunday macaroni. You’ll thank me later.

4) Parziale’s bakery - time for more baked goods. And while you’re at it, grab a slice of Sicilian style pizza to go. It’s so fucking good.

5) Zoe’s Chinese Restaurant- go out to Somerville for these bomb soup dumplings.

I’m sure there’s so much more food out there to try! These are the best things I remember eating off the top of my head. And if you’re at Fenway, have a Fenway Frank, please. And a sausage and peppers from one of the carts outside. The guys’ll be sure to tell you how much cheaper it is to buy from them than inside the stadium.

Have tons of fun!

[milkmulchmilch]

COPLEY MENTIONED RIP

Elissa Steamer, 1996

[ao3feed-torchwood]

Inside the Archive

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55654633 by one_step_from_death Clara returns to the Black Archive after the Doctors make their stand to save Gallifrey. There she learns the full scope of who and what the immortals are. ***No Old Guard or immortals appear in the story, but they are talked about.*** Words: 1485, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Series: Part 60 of Of Time Travel and Immortals, Part 4 of The Impossible Girl and the Impossibly Old Fandoms: The Old Guard (Movie 2020), The Old Guard (Comics), Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who, Torchwood Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: M/M Characters: Andy | Andromache of Scythia, Andy | Andromache of Scythia (mentioned), Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani (mentioned), Nicky | Nicolo di Genova (mentioned), Booker | Sebastien le Livre (mentioned), Lykon (The Old Guard) (mentioned), Quynh | Noriko (mentioned) - Character, Nile Freeman (mentioned), Ianto Jones (mentioned), Jack Harkness (mentioned), James Copley Relationships: Eleventh Doctor & Clara Oswin Oswald, Andy | Andromache & Booker | Sebastien le Livre & Joe | Yusuf al-Kaysani & Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones Additional Tags: The Black Archive (Doctor Who), Post-Episode: The Day of the Doctor, Clara learns about the immortals

[lady-of-the-spirit]

You've mentioned that in your Joan fics that Booker doesn't betray the team, and I'm interested in why you've made that choice. Was it that you didn't like the plot point in general or did you just want to have a slightly happier story? Also if that's the case, how did the events of the film even play out? Especially without Booker feeding information to Copley.

Nah the original canon plot was perfect, A+. The reason I made that choice was pretty much as you said - a happier story. Plus, as I've imagined it, Joan's story would focus on her meeting the others and their slow development as a unit, everyone figuring out how to adapt to their new group dynamic (with Nile being brand new immortal altogether and Joan being new to them).

The actual canon plot would throw a wrench into that pretty much immediately. It's still fun to think about but I can easily imagine Joan seeing the attack on the house in her dreams of Nile and deciding "Hmm I think I'll wait and see how this goes" and having even more stress about the possibility of there being more people like her because explosions? Soldiers? Guns and fighting??? She is not the most equipped for that.

As for how canon diverges, in my head I just thought of it as everything goes as in canon up to the attack on the house by Merrick's soldiers, with the exception of the set-up by Copley and Booker. Either the fake mission was actually a real mission or the guard just got together for their own reason.

I would still like to imagine Copley finding out about them somehow because the guard deserve to see the corkboard of their lives and how their work has improved society time and time again. How that works out? Idk but I also have to bring up this alternate "meeting of the immortals" scenario from a previous ask because I think it's great.

Also Idk why but mobile made the ask look like this as I answered it and hopefully it won't look like that when I publish it