#and my brother “oh they’ve always been inconsistent about what they wanna do with their life

[gently-decaying-flowers]

well that was awkward

[annashipper]

Highlights from Enty’s 4th podcast on Benedict Cumberbatch & Sophie Hunter

Anna:  Enty, I’m gonna say it again.  Careful!  Your Karon is showing   ;o)

This is a collection of quotes from the 4th podcast, with Enty basically giving the Skeptics pointers on what we’re supposed to be discussing, versus what we are discussing:

*

“I think it was an arranged thing, things went a little haywire, and you just couldn’t put the thing back in the box.  You just couldn’t get it back in there.”

*

“Just because a relationship is not real, doesn’t mean the child or the baby that comes into the relationship isn’t real.  You don’t need to have dolls or anything.  If you’re willing to go out on this ledge of having a fakish showmance type of  relationship, then you’re probably willing to go out on the edge and do the baby thing too.”

*

“The Skeptics think if the baby is real it’s probably from the ex boyfriend.  Again.  Possibility.  I’m more likely to believe it for the first rather than the next.”

*

“Could they have gone out one night after Harvey said ‘Go out’ and they hook up and she gets pregnant from a one-night stand?   Is that possible?  I say that’s highly possible.  And I also say that she could’ve told him that he got her pregnant from the one-night stand.  That’s also highly possible.”  

*

“This is someone who was competing against other people and obviously really wanted that award and wasn’t gonna let anything stop him”.

*

“Even if Benedict found out after the fact that the child wasn’t his is he gonna say ‘Oh, I broke up with her because she lied about the kid’.  You know, does that really seem like something he would do?  Or would he just take out his frustration and just go have sex with a whole bunch of other people?”

*

“And once she got pregnant, she told Benedict ‘oh, it’s yours’, and he says ‘oh, well we should get married, it’s the proper thing to do, and also if we get married right before the Academy awards, perhaps more people will vote for us’.  And I told you already that they got married far too late to influence any award votes.  But. Somebody could’ve said to him that it would influence the votes.”

*

“Let’s ask some questions:

Why was she living in New York at the time… June 2014, when they were kind of starting this, right?  And she spent March 2014 with a guy that was maybe her boyfriend.  

Her brother said, in November of 2014, that the romance began about 5 months earlier, which would’ve been June 2014.  But you see Benedict, he was definitely out on dates with people in the late summer. There’s that blonde that he was seeing at the end of August 2014.  It’s definitely not Sophie.  There’s loads of people on twitter who said ‘oh your girlfriend’s gorgeous’, and they were definitely not talking about Sophie.  Benedict and Sophie didn’t spend any time together between June and almost the end of August of 2014.  And then you had the blonde you saw in late August of 2014, and there’s a brunette he saw in early August of 2014.  Not Sophie.”

*

“They used a lot of buffers.  Whether it’s other actors or actresses, they used Benedict’s niece, Emily, one time, to just kind of have a distraction of what they should be doing.”

*

“And then there was the April 2015 Vogue article, stating that the wedding dress designers said in January that it took them 3 months to design the dress.  So January they said that they’d already been designing for 3 months, which means that they were working on the dress from the engagement announcement, if not before.  And then Valentino said they were rushing to make the dress in three months, even though it usually takes six months, but the photos from the Spring/Summer 2014 Valentino couture show, it shows Hunter’s dress was created for the collection that season that showed in January of 2014, which means it was designed in 2013, before Hunter even began dating Benedict.”

*

“There’s the BAFTAs, that video where Sophie just kind of shoves Benedict’s arm off of her back. 

She then takes it back and pulls him close.   I don’t know if she was angry and she saw the camera and ‘Oh, I’ve got to take it back, I’ve got to make up for it’.”

Anna:  It wasn’t.  She pulled him back because she was having a flash photography moment, even though Ben was done posing by that time:

*

“You have these Skeptics who don’t believe the relationship is real.  Fine.  I can totally get on board with that part.  So then they have to say that the babies are not real and all that sort of stuff.  The thing is that the Skeptics have a lot going for them in the sense that nobody had ever heard of Sophie before.  She was most probably some type of escort kind of situation, considering the pictures on the websites.  She has faked her resume to the n-th degree, and the relationship is not very chummy overall.  But it could just be a British thing.”

*

“He had always said ‘oh you know, my private life, I’m an extremely private person.’, but then during that whole Oscar season, where he had Sophie coming around, all of a sudden everything’s timed to not.  Engagement before the promotion, for them to , and then the pregnancy, and then you know, like I said before with the voting, and then the wedding during the final week, and you know… it was all timed in this tiny little window of promotion. Whenever you do something like that, it’s just gonna make people skeptical.  I totally understand where people are coming from, I’m on board with you.”

*

“I’ve talked about the on camera affection and then that disappears right after, or they notice the camera and then ‘oh my gosh, they’ve got to be together’.  … There was one time, I think it was after a premiere, they were holding hands and everything, and trying to look all lovey dovey, and then as they were leaving, they thought that people had stopped shooting, and they hadn’t; she got into a completely different SUV.  They didn’t kiss, they didn’t hug, they didn’t say anything, they didn’t say bye.  She just walked over to her SUV, he walked to his.”

*

“There was the staged paparazzi photos that he did right before and after the Oscars.  And that was that whole Jaguar thing.  When you do something like that, before and after the Oscars; when it’s obviously you’re doing it for Jaguar, you’re leaving the door open, 

that it shows to me is that you’re willing to sell your soul; you’re willing to sell yourself if the price is right.   So then it makes me think that you’re willing to do whatever it takes as long as there is something for you.

Am I willing to fake a relationship?  If that cheque is right, if I win an Oscar, and then I get more; yes.   Are you willing to do this?  Are you willing do that?  And it goes for both sides.  Yeah, because I want publicity.  I want to be a director.  I want to be an actress.  I’m willing to do that.  And when I see people openly, blatantly doing this thing for Jaguar, and not even saying that it’s an ad, trying to pretend that it’s real, and that they’re real paparazzi when they’re not, and they’re professionally taken photos, it just shows that you’ll just do anything for the cheque.”  

*

“I remember on Oscar night there were some reporters, and they were trying to ask Sophie some questions and he wouldn’t let her answer.  And it’s the same kind of thing that Justin Timberlake did to Jessica Biel, basically shutting her down saying ‘this is my night, it’s not yours; you’re not important in this situation, it’s me.’  Now.  Is that why Benedict was doing it? Maybe.  The guy has got a big ego.  Or was he doing It because he didn’t know if Sophie was gonna say something that was gonna contradict anything else that he had said earlier in the day in the 10.000 interviews he gave during the week?”  

*

“You get all these inconsistent stories …. because he can’t keep his stories straight and what he’s told people.”  

*

“You can’t choose to say ‘I’m a very private person, and hey I’m gonna go ahead and plant all this stuff, and I want you to report it all, even though it’s about my personal life, but then anything I don’t wanna talk about, or any questions that you have ... no no no no … cause I’m into my privacy.’

*

“…And then, at the end of awards season, you’re like ‘Oh crap!  What the hell?’  but the problem is that at that point, people said ‘Is this all fake?’, and you’re like ‘No! No it’s not fake.  No it’s not fake.  We’re staying together forever’.  And that happens a lot in the gossip business, and I’ve told you about this. Where I … Sometimes you’ll say OK, these people are on their last legs, and they’ve got a couple of weeks to go, and they’ll read it.  And just to spite me, or spite any tabloid that says it, not just me, they will stick together for at least a couple of months, sometimes longer, just so the tabloid doesn’t look right.  So if everybody is accusing you of having this fake relationship, and you don’t want to be proved wrong, what do you do?  You just play that damned thing out.  ‘We’re just going to keep going.  We’re not getting divorced.  We’re just going to keep going and going and going.’”  

[galaxylohnce]

VUD paladin headcanons!!!!

BTW this is based off of @voltronuniversaldefender ‘s reboot!!! CHECK THEM OUT THEYRE DOING GOD’S WORK

also i have read approx 2 headcanons and baRELY understand this AU so if there are similarities to anyone else or inconsistencies iT IS AN ACCIDENT AND IM SORRY

anyway this is just about the 4 confirmed paladins BET ill be doing more about Fa’rah/Takashi/Zahi/Ashanti once i know a bit more about their roles in the team!!

Alvaro Garcia Valladares

he has a twin. i don't make the rules, but he has a twin.

he has a big family. the biggest family. we’re talking, his mom has 8 siblings and his dad has 9 and there’s a 10 year age gap between him and his oldest sibling and he loves them all so much

natia is his best friend. i repeat, NATIA IS HIS BEST FRIEND!!!!

he’s also quite close with kiki. Natia and Kiki are the only two that he met before their great space adventure

he wasn't really sure of his sexuality at first. (i say this because i wasn't sure of my sexuality at first - im bi btw - and all the media i saw told me that any lgbt+ character was 100% sure of their sexuality form the day they were born, which made me doubt myself bc i didn't figure it out till recently, so i wanna see that in some media!! sometime!!) he probably figured it out halfway through having a crush on someone

the someone is akio, and he definitely tells Natia about it first

“natia... natia listen.... I have a crush on akio. freakin akio.... what do i do??? I’m bi, natia... I'm bi. what does this mean -”

“alvaro, I'm so proud of you, but this is a public bathroom and akio is right outside -”

GUARANTEE that the first time he saw Akio he just basically wanted to fight him but also flirt with him and had a slight moral crisis and ended up doing nothing

he is a goddamn sharpshooter, okay. he straight up becomes famous for it throughout the galaxy.

yet despite that he’s still insecure, and those insecurities prevent him from really getting together w akio until much later

he comes off as very suave and extroverted when you first meet him, but underneath it all, he’s actually really warm, personable and funny: not that anyone outside the team know that 

aliens on social media, probably: god, the blue paladin is so cool... i bet he’s amazing and awesome and eloquent...

meanwhile, alvaro: do u guys think i could fit my whole hand in my mouth or nah?

enjoys memes, and shares this love with kiki

basically an all around great guy. because he often felt like a seventh wheel at the beginning of the formation of the team, he always tries to include everybody as best as possible, going way out of his way to ask after people, even if they forget to ask about him sometimes :’)

Natia Nanai

first off: what a gorgeous name. seriously. incredible kudos, my dude. anyway on to the head canons for this gorgeous girl

probably alvaro’s soulmate. already mentioned this, but it needs reiteration. they are best friends

had a large family too (not as big as alvaros tho) and probably major relate to him with that big family dealio

v close with kiki. they complete each other on a technological level. 

natia is very, very creative. she and her sweet engineering know how are always instrumental in getting the Team out of tough situations

Akio: theres no way out of this we’re going to die -

Natia: bet?

she does say “bet” a lot. like, almost too much? but she's always right and valid when she says it

the villain: i’ve got you now!!!!

natia, under her breath: bet

the paladins, thinking: thank god, we’re saved

very soft but also badass as hell. she has a unique duality.

pulls a violet baudelaire: she puts that GORGEOUS hair up in a ponytail when doing work or whenever she has an idea

everyone on the team, regardless of sexuality, is low-key in love with her because she’s just so nice. no one can hate her. she's way too solid of a friend

speakinG of being a great friend: natia is 100% the secret keeper up in this bitch. everyone comes to her because they know she’s got the best advice around and will take their secrets to the grave

akio: idk man... alvaro is just rlly cute, u know?? but i can't tell him...

natia, thinking of alvaro literally whining to her about akio not even five minutes ago: christ

the mom friend. she always has all the things everyone needs on hand or in her lion, and she’s got it all going in terms of chore charts and family meals. she is the queen of figuring out times for team bonding and everyone loves her more for it

definitely started a board game night asap

she has a silent bravery about her that no one else can match. despite her trepidation, natia will always do what has to be done for the greater good. 

she is guided by her heart and her morals, and is easily the kindest person on the team

bc of this kindness, she is often the diplomat when conflicts arise between people on the team

she is seen by the general public (aka the galaxy) as a strong, morally righteous woman. kind of like rosie the riveter-esque??? she’s the symbol of justice and fairness. 

aliens: she's so... peacekeeping :0

natia, at kiki: throw me that wrench, or so help me god - 

basically, a queen who always considers everyone and works really hard to create a family, even when they're all so far from home :’)

Kiki Evans

generally over it tbh

“always tired, but always inspired” - kiki, on being asked why there were dark circles under her eyes

kind of standoffish. she’s not really about being nice, she's about getting the job done, and that can rub people the wrong way, since she is always the first to offer up the cold, logical solution

but underneath that, she’s just a computer science nerd who is loyal to a fault

she really is loyal. its almost dangerous sometimes, because she would put the universe in danger to save her friends, which actually comes into conflict with her typical cold, logical approach.

she has 0-1 sibling. she's every bit the single child. she cannot relate to living in a big family setting, and at first its hard for her to deal with before she warms up to everyone else on the team

she's a genius, and thus found school to be tedious. in fact, she got fairly bad grades, as she wouldn't do the work that she saw as pointless and boring

she is a meme connoisseur, and loves to quote vines, often assisted by alvaro

kiki, as they approach a giant black hole: HZZK

alvaro, catching on immediately: is... is that real???

she is a conspiracy theorist, for sure. the government is watching us all, trying to make sure we don't learn too much.... she’s sure of it, and akio is too

tbh, the first proper conversation she had with akio was about cryptids and how the government had hidden them from the public

she was friends w natia and alvaro from before, but it is akio she becomes closest with the fastest. in some ways, she feels more distant from natia/alvaro bc of how close they are with each other and  bc all of them have known each other for so long while akio is someone she got to know recently: he has no preconceptions about who she used to be, and she has none about him

plus, she and akio relate on many levels: both trans, both gay, both autistic, both theorists, and both loyal to a fault. she finds a real blood brother in akio :D

very openly gay. very. she's a space lesbian, and theres no denying it

kiki, meeting some random space girl: oh

kiki, moments later to akio: god I'm gay

akio, downing a glass of water but acting like its vodka or smthg: god, same

the public sees her as the cold and calculating techie, the brains of the operation

natia is her partner in crime. they finish each others sentences. they've got a tech connection going, babey

kiki: if we just cross-reference the zaiforge tunnel with the -

natia, nodding: particle consummator, of course we’ll get the perfect -

them, together: amount of energy!!!

everyone else: sorry wot

basically, she's a tech goddess with a splash of genius. she's uneasy and a bit awkward, but thats just bc she’s never been in a situation like this before. after literally 1 second with her, she opens up and is such a loyal friend. :’)

Akio Himura

wow this boy is gay and he knows it

he loves his parents (zahi, takashi, and ashanti) but god he will never admit it. not ever

alvaro, after listing his parents, 20 aunts and 100 cousins: and i love them all so much, with all my heart. what about ur family akio?

akio, not wanting to show weakness: they're nerds.

alvaro: um okay cool good talk haha :)

akio, internally: but i love them nd would die for them tbh... but i can't show weakness

he's so guarded after his biological parents left/died/disappeared. poor boy

definitely a single child, and definitely adopted

his parents love him SO MUCH. so much.

akio: why do i have three parents, dad?

takashi, almost crying: its simple. u deserve so much love, that it couldn't be contained in just two people. we needed three. its how its gotta be, my beautiful, sweet summer child

a yeehaw kind of guy. he grew up in the midwest riding horses before his biological parents died and theres a piece of him that will always be a southern boy

the kind of kid in school that pretends he’s a delinquent, but actually just has the aesthetic of a delinquent, and is truly soft

akio: hell yeah I'm a rebel. i logged onto disney.com without my parents permission

kiki, choked up: so brave

mothman is his love. his passion. all cryptids, for that matter. kiki is more of an all around conspiracy theorist: akio is in it for the cryptids 

he’s a bit awkward, and doesn’t totally understand all social cues/jokes. because of this, he stays away from memes, and is very guarded when meeting new people, especially after experiences with light bullying for not only his social ineptitude, but his upbringing.

considering that, his first meeting with alvaro was supremely awkward, and akio accidentally fought with him multiple times before they established a solid friendship

akio, having a gay panic: you are the light of my life

alvaro: sorry what??

akio, panicking more: I said, you wanna fiGHT WITH A KNIFE???

he pined after alvaro from basically day one, but had the foresight to actually know that he was pining, unlike alvaro who just floundered

of course he would never say anything

he is a stabby boi. he is unrivaled in swordplay, and enjoys routine. his natural affinity for picking up new skills plus his unrivaled work ethic basically DESTROYED everyone else when it came to swords

he’s loyal af and is always the first one to take action. akio is a “do something. do anything, but do it fast before we lose a chance to do something” kind of guy

the general public sees him as the fiery one: he’s the one with the fanciest footwork in a fight, and he’s very good with battle tactics. he can come thru with that strategy at the perfect times

he's a low-key emo. for sure. he loves MCR, but strangely dislikes other similar artists like p!atd and fob. 

kiki: but...brendon urie, akio....

akio, sipping tea: as a gay, i can appreciate the aesthetic. but no one can compete with MCR

kiki, exasperated: its not a competition -

basically, a slightly guarded boy with a real talent for defending the universe and his friends, but also an emo cowboy mess who is in love with alvaro and loves everyone :’)

WELL THAT ENDED UP LONGER THAN I EXPECTED. I HOPE U ENJOY AAAA

ALSO FOLLOW @voltronuniversaldefender !!!! its amazing, guys, really check it out :D

[stayswaggyponyboy]

And so comes the time of reflection...the time of introspection....the New Year.  I’ve done one of these posts the last couple of years now and they’ve proven to be interesting to look back on, so for the sake of my own record keeping...here goes nothing.

2017. My.  Oh.  My.  What a year.  And I really wish I meant that in a good way.

January: started off unfathomably wonderful having the time of my life in Paris doing things I never dreamed I’d be doing.  Helping a famous haute couture designer prepare for his Fashion Week runway show, drinking wine on the Champs Élysées, sifting through record stores speaking blends of English and French, meeting up with friends in London.  Truly a wonderful month.

February: lots of pain this month.  And also some heartbreak....fuck that heartbreak man.  I suppose this was the month I learned how important open communication is and honesty with other people as well as yourself.  Don’t avoid shit man, confront it.

March: the end of something and yet the beginning of something as well.  And the beginning of something so truly beautiful it was.  Also the month I got my first tattoo woo.

April: the month I lost my best little lady but also the month I fell in love.  So hard in love with so wonderful a human being.  It’s very difficult to sit here right now and look back on this wow, fuck reflection.  The month of quality time and experiencing new things with a new person and fuck okay yeah this is hard, moving onto May pls.

May: another wonderful month spent loving my life and loving myself with someone else.  I saw Bon Iver live sitting hand in hand with someone who loves his music just as much as me.  Just kept on falling I suppose.

June: started a job that was a very difficult experience.  Thing is the downhill in life where everything basically went to shit.  He experienced awful things and the ripple effect was significant.  Cue depression.

July: don’t really wanna think about this month.  Turned 21 I guess.  Very grateful for my brothers.  Very sorry to anyone who was friends with me at this time...I was quite unwell. 

August: not much better truly....maybe worse, I don’t remember.  Let’s label these The Dark Ages.  But I was trying to get better.  I told my parents about my faulty brain.  On the 30th of this month I went to therapy for the first time so I did one good thing for myself this year at least.

September: I started to try and move on.  I worked on a beautiful show with amazing and talented friends.  I hated my job but at least liked the people.

October: tried something new.  It was fun and nice but didn’t last long of course.  Not much else....things still not great otherwise.

November: again, tried something new.  Learned a lot and was able to explore ideas that I otherwise wouldn’t have - thanks for that.  Went to Cape May and was in my happy place for a little bit.  Manifested something for the first time, that being my new job.  And rounded out the month getting hurt again ayyyy.

December: a lot of sadness and nostalgia and not great feelings.  Hopeless seems to be the word that comes to mind.  Finals...lots of extended family at my house....and starting a new job.  Trying to find comfort in literally anything.

It’s hard because while obviously there have been goods within this year...looking at it big picture like this...it all just feels....difficult to think about I suppose.  The happiest time of my year, the spring, now brings so much pain and nostalgia looking back right now, so it’s hard.  It’s hard to be a glass half full kinda gal after this past year.  BUT there were certainly little moments.  Little moments (shit already tearing up) like getting a greeting from my roommates every single time I walk in the door.  Or like a hug from mom after a really bad week.  Or a really helpful conversation at therapy helping things feel a little lighter.  Or like booking flights to do something I never thought I actually would.  Or like those snuggles with my pupper that I realized I had to stop taking for granted.  Or those laughs, god those laughs, at dinner with friends surrounded by people speaking a different language than us.  There are many other little moments, some tainted now, but moments I’m trying to remember as good nonetheless.  Through it all I’ve learned and I’ve grown and that’s all one could hope for I suppose.  

Now is the part where I reflect on the people in 2018 who meant a hella lot (it’s sorta in chronological order I guess):

CS, EW: I know there were a couple others in our apartment but ya’ll made Paris an insanely wonderful experience.  I honestly do not know what I would have done without the laughs and the late nights and early wake up calls and all of those damn crêpes and espressos.

TB: you kinda hurt me a helluva lot but I learned from it....perhaps I’ve learned I really need to stop trusting you lols but for some reason you were still a part of this year weirdly enough and I don’t hate that.

CH: I don’t really have the right words right now so I think all I can manage is thank you and I love you (and probably always will woof).

DM: I would honestly be lost without you and I didn’t expect that’s something I’d say.  I am so grateful for you and for your friendship and for being someone I am happy to come home and see sitting on the couch every single night.  Cheers to all the walks home, all the late nights, and all the stressful times. I am one lucky gal.

LV: you are and always will be my honest other half.  We drifted and did our own things at points this year and they were good (and some bad let’s be honest lol we thriving) but through it all, when I needed someone most in some of my worst moments, you were there.  And I can’t tell you what that means to me.  I love you a whole, whole lot.

SC, TL:  Two very unexpected lights in my life that I’m so happy are there now.  Living with you guys has made me feel safe in my own home again.  You’ve reminded me what comfort and trust feels like and wow I really needed that I guess so thank you.

DM: Mama you are my light, my beacon of encouragement, and I could not have done this last semester without you.  You honestly inspire me every fucking time I speak to you, to try and put out the good I want from the world and I love you for that.

ZS, BS, CS: This has been a really really great year for us.  I don’t know...you all have just become 3 of my actual best friends.  Sure we don’t gab about our lives together but I’m just really really happy with how close we’ve gotten.  Damn I love you guys.

JS: Yo real talk, one of my favorite people you are.  I am so glad and so lucky that you fell in love with my brother and decided you were down to marry him because I cannot tell you how important the time I’ve gotten to spend with you has been.  I feel like I can just unwind and take a deep breath when I’m hanging with you and your furry lil babies.  Thank you.  Thank you times a million.  Also your siblings rock and I love them all as well goddamn.

MS, JS: Every year that goes by, that I get older, I come to love and respect you more and more and it amazes me because holy shit I love you guys a whole lot and am so grateful for the two of you.  For loving me and trusting in me and always wanting to take care of me.  Damn now I’m crying ok I love you a lot that’s all.

BW: Ok honestly I am amazed you are on this list again but I’m so happy you are.  Somehow you’ve managed to be one of the most inconsistent friends but one of the truest and most honest.  There are things I have talked to you about that I’ve not discussed with anyone and that’s something I’m so grateful for.  To see where we started and where we are now is quite hilarious but hey, I’m glad you’re in my life one way or another.

DC: I spent a lot of my first couple of years at college wanting to move on and make new friends and this last year, the last few of months especially, I have come to find comfort again with all of you.  And like genuine happiness when I’m hanging out with all of you and I’m not sure when this shift occurred or why but I’m happy it did and I’m happy you all still accept me into your lives, thanks pals.

ZL: Though someone I can get very frustrated with, there have been moments throughout this year where I have been very happy to be friends with you.  And sharing in those moments, those conversations, has meant a lot to me.

EQ: Idk man you just make me really happy, you’re such a swell human being and I’m so glad I know you.  Keep being you man.

PN: Ugh my heart.  I am so glad our friendship has blossomed into something that feels genuine and supportive.  It started out as fun and exciting and cute and now it’s just like I have this wonderful human in my life that makes me happy every time I see him.  Thank you for being you.

2017 has been a very difficult year....and a very painful year.  But it has had it’s moments of sheer beauty as well.  And while I can’t say I’m optimistic and sure that 2018 will be great....I feel like...it has potential...potential for good things to happen.  And that’s all I can hope for.