#i’m just. obsessing over general maximus

[wildsaltair]

I am standing at attention awaiting command, my general

[narcoleptic-assassin]

Maximus Has C-PTSD

I’m surprised no one else has talked about this yet so I’ll just jump in and give my thoughts. Grabbing a snippet directly from wiki, it reads:

“The diagnosis of PTSD was originally developed for adults who had suffered from a single-event trauma. However, the situation for many children is quite different. Children can suffer chronic trauma such as maltreatment, family violence, dysfunction, or a disruption in attachment to their primary caregiver. In many cases, it is the child's caregiver who causes the trauma. The diagnosis of PTSD does not take into account how the developmental stages of children may affect their symptoms and how trauma can affect a child's development…

“Repeated traumatization during childhood leads to symptoms that differ from those described for PTSD.”

So what is the difference between PTSD and CPTSD? Let’s look at the seven behavioral clusters described.

• Attachment – “problems with relationship boundaries, lack of trust, social isolation, difficulty perceiving and responding to others' emotional states”

• Biomedical symptoms – “sensory-motor developmental dysfunction, sensory-integration difficulties; increased medical problems or even somatization”

• Affect or emotional regulation – “poor affect regulation, difficulty identifying and expressing emotions and internal states, and difficulties communicating needs, wants, and wishes”

• Elements of dissociation – “amnesia, depersonalization, discrete states of consciousness with discrete memories, affect, and functioning, and impaired memory for state-based events”

• Behavioral control – “problems with impulse control, aggression, pathological self-soothing”

• Cognition – “difficulty regulating attention; problems with a variety of 'executive functions' such as planning, judgment, initiation, use of materials, and self-monitoring; difficulty processing new information; difficulty focusing and completing tasks; poor object constancy; problems with 'cause-effect' thinking; and language developmental problems such as a gap between receptive and expressive communication abilities.”

• Self-concept – “fragmented and disconnected autobiographical narrative, disturbed body image, low self-esteem, excessive shame, and negative internal working models of self”

There are also some similarities to regular ptsd such as reliving traumatic events (although more so in rumative occupation rather than the classic war flashbacks you see in media), insomnia, hypervigilance, and of course depression and anxiety.

People with CPTSD also sometimes have an obsession with their abuser, being preoccupied with thoughts of revenge, or having an idealized or paradoxical gratitude towards them, and acceptance of a perpetrator's belief system or rationalizations.

At a very young age, Maximus lost everything he loved and knew, only then to be snatched up by a fascist organization and revictimized over and over again. He was beaten regularly, by his peers and teachers, constantly derided and humiliated, and given the most menial and disgusting tasks. That’s what we know just looking at the very surface. Who the hell knows what else went on that we the viewers haven’t seen. He’s a perfect candidate for such a disorder.

If that’s not enough for you, let’s go through the above listed behaviors.

Maximus is repeatedly shown to be inexperienced and awkward in social interactions. He either gives too much, or too little, like when he came clean to Thaddeus way too soon, or how he repeatedly lied to Lucy. This also displays his general mistrust. When he saw all the vault 4 dwellers being nice and happy for apparently no reason, this immediately seemed wrong to him, and he labeled it a cult. However, when Birdie gave him a home and food, he latched on to it like a dying man. He craves attachment, longs for it so badly that he falls into this vicious cycle of reaching out, getting hurt, then becoming mistrustful and dishonest. I could write a whole essay on Maximus’ attachment issues, but I’ll move on.

We don’t exactly see any biomedical symptoms with him, but who knows. Maybe there’s something going on internally that we just haven’t seen yet.

With affect and emotional regulation, Maximus has several emotional outbursts during the season, the first when he breaks the toilet after hearing that Dane got promoted and he didn’t, and the second in the very next scene with him during his interrogation. He obviously feels immensely guilty for wishing harm upon his only friend, and panics when asked about it. Whether he did it or not, to him it probably feels like he might as well have just put the razor in the boot himself. Then when Quintus spares his life and even promotes him, he cries in relief and joy. There’s also the other side of this, where he often shows little emotion and remains stoic even when those around him are obviously upset, such as with the fiends on the bridge. He hides behind an expressionless mask, because it’s the most safe, the most neutral option. He was probably punished for expressing himself when he was younger, and now in adulthood, it’s become habit. The only time we see the mask come down, is briefly and usually when he’s alone.

Maximus doesn’t seem to have dissociative symptoms or amnesia, but we know very little of his backstory. At times he may dissociate in response to situations, but that’s a very internal thing, and Max as a character is already quite stoic and aloof. It’s hard to gauge his mental state.

Impulse control is not our guy’s strong suit. He is a slave to his desires as one might say. He almost takes vault 4s fusion core without hesitation until Birdie stops him. When he sees Lucy in trouble he jumps to action (although most people probably would in a similar situation) then attacks the residents almost immediately without stopping for a moment to read the room. He also panics several times and acts quite impulsively. He ripped out the radio in the suit, which with just a little thought he probably would have realized wouldn’t help. (Then again he was probably heavily concussed at this point so you have to give him a break lol) Then when Thaddeus responded negatively to him revealing himself, this immediately sends him into fight or flight mode, and he’s been taught by the Brotherhood to respond to threats with violence.

For cognition, I feel like I could just copy and paste it here again lol. I could go through all the times he’s not thought things through, or done something poorly planned, but come on, you watched the show didn’t you? And this goes right along with impulse control as well. In the class scene, he’s shown not to be a particularly good student, this could be due to a short attention span, or difficulty focusing. Or it could even be due to a lack of object recognition and consistency, which is defined as the ability to recognize an object across varying viewing conditions. These executive dysfunctions are similar to those displayed in ADHD and ASD. There may even be an overall lack of motivation, but as you can see in the first scene with power armor, he shows more knowledge about them than his peers. He’s more than willing to learn about something that interests him, but you’ll know if you have ADHD, it is much harder learning about or doing things you’re not interested in.

Finally, there’s his self image. He goes through most of the show masquerading as someone else entirely, and even says to Lucy at one point that he doesn’t think he’s a good person. He’s ashamed of his own body, thinking that sexual arousal is disgusting, and has shame surrounding those feelings. I think he even blames himself for what happened to Dane because he had intrusive thoughts about it happening, which is why he may have had trouble telling Quintus that he didn’t do it. Maybe he even thought he deserved to be punished.

There’s also his relationship with his abusers. In his mind, there is only one perpetrator, the person who blew up Shady Sands, but in reality there’s two. For the person who destroyed his home, he’s consumed with a vague but obsessive goal of revenge even years later into adulthood. But for the Brotherhood, they are his saviors. He owes them his life, and repeatedly goes back to the memory of stepping out of the fridge and seeing this gleaming suit of armor standing tall among the wreckage of his home. He bought in wholesale to their ideology, taking it literally, even too literally. He betrays his own knight, going over him to stay loyal to the Brotherhood overall. I’ve seen other people mention this, but I don’t remember who now unfortunately. Honestly, I’m so grateful to them because I hadn’t thought of this before.

There is so much more I could say about Max and his symptoms of trauma, but a lot of it is still floating around my head in a messy abstract clutter. This is all I’ve got right now. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk!

[thedomtreader]

As a man, I'm trying to understand this disgusting trend of trashing the existence of women.  Saying a woman is ugly after 30, or saying such vile things as "a women is nothing more than a toy, an object".  Okay genius, after insulting her how do you plan to make future boys?  She has the intelligence to reject you, and women aren't weak they can karate chop the living shit out of you for being a low life asshole.  In ancient time women were worshiped, now they're seen as fucking dog toys?! Let's chat.

I don't even follow mythology but fucking...those goddesses have responsibilities!!!! The Greek goddess Athena is a damn warrior, she's known for military! If it were a mans world, that would've never happened because the responsibility would’ve been given to a man!  Ancients worshiped these deities, there were shrines and temples everywhere, offerings were left.  The Oracle was a fucking woman and famous generals like Alexander the Great refused to make a move without seeing HER.  Even the movie Gladiator shows how ancient society worked, while Maximus was off at war, his wife took care of the farm.  Taxes didn't stop for soldiers, so women were extremely smart when it came to business because if they weren't, Mr. Ruler Man would take their land.  Women ran all kinds of businesses such as making/dying linen or bread making, and there are accounts that they were as shrewd then as now.  To close up on this topic, that Minoan mural of WOMEN flipping over a bull.  There aren't any murals of men doing that.

So how is it our ancient ancestors saw the woman as a being to worship, and yet now society chooses to make asshole remarks like "you're nothing more than a dog toy"?  Also what is this obsession with fertility?  Sure ancients were obsessed with it but come the fuck on.  On the first date you're really planning on impregnating a woman, what other fucking reason would you have to be so damn obsessed with a woman's egg count after 30?  Sure I'm obsessed with sex but I like to get to know the woman, when I see a pretty face I don't think "Yeah, I hope she's fertile enough to carry my child".  That was uncomfortable to type, how the fuck does the internet feel fine spreading that shit around?  I'm just putting this out there to all the pinheads going around spreading the science about womens aging, that is also the case for men, not sure how that fact flew all the way over your fucking head.  My sperm count started dropping in my late 20s, yet here's the internet acting like that's a thing that doesn't happen.  IT DOES.  There are men who are infertile, as in they don't produce sperm.  These so called scientists never want to talk about that.  Same with women, there is a condition where they can't produce eggs.  Yet these morons are going around "you're ugly after 30 because your egg count went down".  These are the brain dead dumbasses who jack off to Elvira and have no idea she's 70.

Has society really become so fucking stupid that the mentality is "women can't do anything", I've seen enough memes about how women can't drive or play video games.  Considering I witnessed a man pass cars and run over a child crossing the street because “he was late for a meeting”?  Sure, some women are constantly on bitch karen mode, just like some guys are constantly on dumbass jackass mode - That does not mean every single woman and every single man is this way!!!!!!  How the fuck is a woman ugly after 30?  A lot of women are 45 and still look 20, you're fine with the person until you hear their age then spew off all that scientific junk, that pretty much says you’re the one that’s undateable.  Anyone that says another human is an object is scum.

[ladamedusoif]

I cannot agree MORE with this. Yes, it’s fic. Yes, Ridley Scott and historical accuracy aren’t always pals (I can talk about how this does and doesn’t matter from a film historian’s perspective forever). Yes, classicists are upset that Geta and Caracalla are explicitly white or white-passing in this film despite their more diverse family origins. But what is broadly right about the world of the Gladiator films is that they are *multi-racial*, just as the empire was.

It was MASSIVE. It was multi-racial, and multi-lingual, as massive empires tended to be. It had social hierarchies that were complex and strict, but these were not racialised in the way that some might imagine. The debate over the accents in the trailer (which was heavily racist in focusing on Denzel’s, and to a much lesser extent on P) was bullshit: they *should* sound different, they would have sounded different. I personally loathe the trope of posh British RP accents as the “default” for “historical accents”.

(me personally? I am a lil bit obsessed with Pedro doing what sounds like a Spanish-inflected accent here because I’m already headcanoning Acacius as originating from Hispania. As did Maximus in the first movie, and they served together, so… But thankfully we did not get Russell Crowe doing a Spanish accent.)

Scholars who emphasise the diversity of the Roman world have routinely been abused and targeted by the far right. A British kids’ history programme was targeted for including a Black Roman officer in an animation a few years back.

TL; DR: it’s relatively easy to write inclusive Readers in fic and avoid white-coding in general; and there’s no reason not to do that for the Acacius fics.

Hello. Current and future Marcus Acacius fic writers. I am speaking to you

This movie takes place during the Roman Empire. Do not let that fact prevent you from making your reader inserts inclusive.

It should go without saying, but not everyone in the Roman Empire was white. Go to a map real quick and look at the modern country of Italy. See how close they are to Northern Africa? Ponder that for a moment. I know that the general impression is based on surviving art, and that surviving art is pretty white, but like………. Racism is not a new concept.

So yeah. Please keep inclusivity in mind. Good talk

[neo-shitty]

toffee!

ah yeah, i think quarentine has given people some opportunity to actually just sit with the person they are, rather than be rushing around for the person they want to become. its good you got smth good out of isolation! ah thats great! hope you had fun and ur partner in crime speeds back home so you can get out more hehe.

ah yeah ty, good suggestions.

hmm good point, i was sort of putting it separate to the whole not-sexualising thing, but yeah. mmm yeah i totally agree, some of the enhypen fics/imagines *shudder* and even reading innie stuff is just a bit *icky* cos everyone still thinks of him as our agi ppang. yeah def would be good but sadly this just seems to be the world we live in. :(

ah yes the holy masterlist (not sarc) i have actually read in the rain and gladius maximus before, but ill go look for in class! oooh thats good! character development lol. hmmmm yes champagne problems was the angst to end all angst, that shit hurt. it was actually one of the first of your fics i read and i recall almost crying over the whole thing, it was so heartbreaking, i can see how it almost made you want to drop angst. good that youve allowed yourself some lee-way tho :)

hehe thats so cool. okay here we go, ill try not to be mortally offended (/hj)

cheese - yes same, i liked it but that was all there was, it wasnt a super standout track. it was rlly underwhelming for me but some of the hook is super catchy so there is Redemption (tm) in store for cheese maybe

thunderous - mmm, yeah at first i totally agreed, i think they suffer from too much good music syndrome, that all their other tracks are such fucking bops its hard to stay at that level of perfection. the choreo was beautiful tho and tbh, the track has grown on me since ive been watching all the vids abt it. its my brothers favourite track

domino - YES GODAMMIT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE TITLE TRACK. the raps, the vocals, the vibes, the fucking domino sound in the back? i would have streamed that shit on repeat. but tbh, as good as it is, it doesnt have that sort of grandness/oomph that skz seems to like in their title tracks so i can see why they chose thunderous (tho domino would have been so good) *sigh*

ssick - yeah same, not my fave track by a long mile, the crowd cheering was a ?strange? choice and the chorus was a bit bare/empty, plus like i mentioned earlier, it was kinda funny to me for some reason but ill still play it if im playing thru the whole album

the view - ahh one of those not like other girls (/j) i honestly think its just a good party song, just a bop to play in the background when nobodys rlly paying much attention. its pretty generic pop music but catchy

sorry, i love you - hehe yeah i thought it was going to be sadder as well, but i rlly loved the fact that they all just got to sing, which almost never happens, i dont think ive heard felix sing for a long time, so i enjoyed it. wasnt rlly a standout track but i just casually like it. looking forward to the fic haha

silent cry - this song i swear, some bits are rlly good and then others are just? why?? it does sound like a dance song tho idk. definitely not one of my faves either

secret secret - YES its so good! its such a chill song and i love their vocals in it. the combination of lo-fi/fake strings backup stuff and their heavenly vocals just makes it *chefs kiss* im listening to it rn and just... its so beautiful. it gives me pumped up another day vibes ya know? like my pace is edgy get cool, this one is energetic another day i feel like. overall i love it

STAR LOST - ah thats so cool! i didnt know that! on first listen this song had a similar vibe to secret secret but then the beat came in and ahh its such a good song. i can totally imagine them putting this song to a concert footage vid, this song is so sweet.

red lights - LMAO YES ITS SO AWKWARD WHY DOES IT GO ON FOR SO LONG ah thats good! yeah good point, its quite intense hehe. but that is my fave trope and this is lowkey my favourite track on the album so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ just the combination of hyunjins and chans voices, the backing music, the lyrics ahh red lights my beloved

surfin’ - yes lmao its always a shock, i feel like they should have put gone away in between them, but its such a fun cute song, i cant get rlly mad. yeah, as an aussie i think im contractually obligated to like beaches lol. sand im not such a fan of, but my familys rlly into fishing and my brother loves bodyboarding so we stay at a beach house at least twice a year and we live like 5 mins from 3 different beaches (hehe all aussie cities are on the coast lol) so thats cool. do you like beaches?

gone away - ah gone away my beloved, i love this song sm, its just so pure and showcases their vocals and lyrics so well. yes the pitch change is very out of the blue, i feel liek they went directly from seungmins soft vocals to hans powerful ones which was an interesting choice, but hey, im not complaining

wolfgang - YES IKR ah im so happy he got to be included in that era and song. yeah its such a full on song i cant rlly listen to it if im in a quiet mood but its very motivating :)

hehe mood, i hope they do! ahhh no rest, but at least you wont have to pull a blink and wait a year for any word from the group lol. im not rlly into nct but im excited for them! ah hopefully youll be able to sneak some rest into that chaotic schedule, with enhypen (idk if u stan but yeah) squeezed into it haha

<3 w.a. 🐺

i wheezed at partner in crime, it reminded me of smth. i have a lee know fic in the drafts that i wrote 'in honor' of him (and his departure-ish). i'll tag you when i finish it, if you want. it's a rather hilarious one.

oh my god. based on my experience on the collabs i've joined before, writing explicit shit for '01 & '02 is not accepted (nct's maknaes) but with enha's hyung line '01 & '02 somehow it's okay? i do a double take every time i see fics like those i mean, technically, it's legal but still what the fuck. maybe it's just not for me at the moment. not at us venting our frustration about this. it's just something that's so accepted here that i am (in all honesty) slightly uncomfortable about. but oh well. that's kpop writerblr for you.

man i could've linked all the fics in the ask instead so you wouldn't have to go looking for them! i think i saw you like in class the other day (the fic i renamed into sharp-tongued, god it took me a while to remember the new title). describing champagne problems as an angst to end all angst is one way to put what i was feeling back in december. it just hurt to write and admit?? if that ever happened to me i would prolly cry :d

okay back to the album talk! i love how you answered with more thoughts. i love exchanges like these! i am a victim of the cheese hook and it's now one of my favorite tracks in the album. PLS, TOO MUCH GOOD MUSIC SYNDROME. that's on our self-producing kings 😌💅 also, your brother has taste! as i am typing this, domino's currently playing in my head and i realized that too, that it doesn't have that 'vibe' of a skz title track. honestly, this could be a title track of another group. ssick is starting to grown on me because i found the beats cool kdjsk not the not like other girls 😭 the view is the generic pop that i don't like but i get why a lot of people enjoy it. sorry i love you scratches a certain itch that i find myself singing the first few lines every time i remember it. i too would want to hear felix sing more!

> a mini junction on the album talk bc i got side tracked. on that topic, i want skz to switch positions at some point like i know those allrounders are capable of doing so. specifically, i want to hear seungmin rap!!!! (yk in the recent weekly idol he talked faster than changbin in a challenge and changbin is like the fastest rapper in kpop that's active atm if im not mistaken. my dandy boy has some potential and i want it UNLEASHED.)

back to album talk. silent cry is basically sad music to twerk to. secret secret is definitely one of my favorite tracks :( i loved how you compared the tracks HAJSAH i burst out laughing bc yk what, you're right! i want to make a star lost edit of skz but i simply do not have the time i want to cry. i love the song so much. ok, my dreaded track, red lights. idt i have played the track since we last talked. my friend sent me the lyrics tho and i'm itching to write a twisted au out of it. idk if you're comfortable with yandere but somewhere along those themes. the obsessive type of love that's sweet at first but turns rotten. IMAGINE IF THEY PUT GONE AWAY BETWEEN ASHJA it's like going from 50 shades to the notebook.

i was about to ask if you lived near the coast and you literally mentions it here god im so stupid. yes i LOOOOOOOOOVE beaches so much. living in an archipelago is fun :( i live in a part of the country that's more island than city so every time i want some vitamin sea it's accessible. i heard the waves in australia are great :( anYWHOOO gone away :(( every time it plays im compelled to skip it because it makes me sAD AND NOWADAYS I DONT HAVE THE TIME TO BE SAD. contrary to you, i dislike my quiet moods because i tend to overthink a lot.

i have this little analogy about how there are stays that enjoy songs the generic pop + mellow songs and then there are other stays that enjoy the noisy tracks. in my mind, it's like a perfect balance that makes me feel like all the tracks are loved in the end. just by different people.

PULL A BLINK. bro i fucking hate yg entertainment. they have the biggest kpop girl group LOCKED in their basement when they could be (and i mean this in the most business-like way not morally) milking money of the quad. they're yg's biggest hope at not being bankrupt atm so it's a damn fucking mystery to me as to how they aren't doing anything. (jk i just realized lisa solo album soon, but i still need a ot4 cb hELLO)

i stopped looking forward to the teasers. rest > kpop boys. i don't want to sound like a cult member but have you tried checking out nct? are they just not your thing? (i get it tho, that's one hard group to get into). and yes i do stan enhypen!

wow i love how long these asks are! they're like online penpals. but i also want to ask about you! how have you been lately? are you feeling okay both mentally and physically? how's the weather there? do you have anything that you want to talk about? maybe an interesting book you read? feel free to bring up anything you want to share! i'm getting conscious about talking about myself HAJHSJ

and yet another long answer B) i am sooo sorry T___T should these ask exchanges feel draining to you, feel free to stop sending them in AAAA

[sammysdewysensitiveeyes]

I was just thinking about the villains that I obsess over, and how I would rank them in terms of morality, because I think a lot of my faves are the “not so bad” guys that sometimes show a little potential for goodness (but are still basically jerks).  And then there’s Maximus who is just a chaotic asshole. 

But if I was going to rank from best (as in nicest) to worst (most evil), it would go like this:

Pied Piper/Hartley Rathaway: Angry nerd musician, uses mind control and sonic waves to commit robberies.  Born into a wealthy but abusive family, he later becomes concerned with issues of poverty and social justice, and starts helping the homeless.  The one Flash rogue who has reformed and stayed reformed, he was even close friends with Wally West in the 90′s. (I so miss this friendship and wish DC would let them interact again.)  Tries to kill Flash during the Silver Age (all the Rogues did), but to my knowledge has not murdered anyone in his crimes.  (He did kill Desaad and blow up Apokolips during Countdown, but Desaad had it coming.)  Given that he’s been reformed for years, I think it’s an absolute waste that he’s never gotten onto some kind of Justice League auxiliary team or something.  Put the boy on a team book, he’s got potential!

Trickster/James Jesse: Wacky bank robber and con man who enjoys the thrill of tricking people more than he really cares about the money.  Over-dramatic little shit who sometimes acts like a smooth con man and sometimes acts like a cartoon character, often in the same comic.  Is good friend with Hartley (or at least he used to be, but I think their friendship has fallen into the DC continuity garbage pit).  Tried to kill Flash during the Silver Age, but to my knowledge has not murdered anyone.  He did push his parents off a building in the his latest arc, but Flash saved them.  He’s a selfish jerk who is capable of goodness occasionally and flirted with the idea of reform, but much less sincerely than Hartley.  I’m kinda protective of him because I’m afraid DC will push him in a dark direction to match the CW version, who is Doing Trickster Wrong.  Like, it’s okay to just let him be silly bank robber, they don’t all have to be edgy.

Pyro/St. John Allerdyce: Punch clock villain - always the lackey, never the leader, small time evil.  I think he’s similar to Avalanche and Blob in that he’s basically an ammoral, selfish mercenary type.  He looks out for number one first.  He’s definitely killed people, and probably enjoys burning things a little too much.  I don’t think he necessarily gets his jollies from killing at random (like he’s not a serial killer type), but if you meet him on the battlefield he’s gonna be a nasty, vicious piece of shit.  He’s actually kinda affable evil - if you meet him at a bar, he’ll probably just hang out and drink with you.  He seems to bond with his team-mates, and has been a pretty good team-player in Marauders (even referring to them as his friends last issue).  He also seemed to regret his past actions when he was dying of the Legacy Virus, and tried to make up for it by saving Senator Kelley.  Now he’s back to partying and burning things in Marauders, but at least he seems to be on the X-Men’s side now? 

Riddler/Edward Nygma: I actually think he doesn’t really enjoy killing, but I rank him worse than Pyro because he’s arguably caused more damage over the years.  Riddler is determined to show up Batman and prove that he is the bestest, smartest boy in all the world, and he doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process.  He kills people mostly as pawns and side casualties - if they weren’t smart enough to escape (or Batman didn’t save them quickly enough), hey, that’s not his fault, right?  Depending on the writer, he can range from a silly, slightly pathetic villain with a goofy schtick to a cold-hearted, terrifying criminal mastermind.  He reformed briefly and worked as a detective while he had amnesia, but went back to crime again pretty quickly.  I like the idea of PI Riddler, trying to show up Batman through legal means, competing not as criminal vs. detective, but as two fellow detectives.  I wish we’d gotten more PI Riddler, but oh well.

Maximus: Okay, this dude is just the worst.  Sometimes claims to be doing things “for the good of the Inhuman people,” but he’s generally just wrecking shit for his own selfish purposes or because he wants to cause chaos and tear everything down.  I can have a little sympathy for him for his obvious mental illness, and because he grew up in a pretty dysfunctional family/society, but he’s still pretty terrible.  And I generally don’t consider the mental illness to be a reason for his villainy - like, he’s a villain who happens to be mentally ill, not a villain because of his mental illness.  He’s caused plenty of death in his uprisings, generally treats people like disposable pawns, and is willing to sell out his people to the Kree if it means he gets to rule.  Sometimes he works with his family against a common threat as the token evil team-mate (and I generally enjoy him most in this role), but he’s always got his own agenda.  The closest he came to a redemption arc was probably when the saw his own horrible future in Royals, and seemed genuinely distressed at what befell the Inhuman people.  He’s a lot of fun, though.  Snarky, hilarious, chaotic, and utterly brilliant.  He can be the mad scientist or the manipulative political advisor, or both depending on the story.  I just want him to build giant robots and wreck things. 

Honorable mention: Loki.  I don’t even know where to rank him.  He used to be a monster on par with Maximus, Doom or old-school Magneto, now he’s a sarcastic, angsty hipster that pops up to annoy Thor or help Thor in an annoying way.  He’s fun! 

Second honorable mention: Fabian Cortez.  In terms of intentions, he’s really just as bad, or maybe even worse than Maximus.  But since his debut in the 90′s, he’s gone through so many stages of villain decay that now he’s basically the X-Men/Quicksilver’s Team Rocket.  Not even remotely a threat, and probably gonna get his ass kicked quickly.  For that, I might put him somewhere between Riddler and Pyro, or between Riddler and Maximus.  He’s hilarious, and I love him.

Obviously, this list is entirely subjective and my own opinion.  People are free to disagree about where people belong on the list.  There’s probably not much point in ranking comic characters this way, given that any of them can get pushed in darker directions or towards redemptive arcs based on writers, and many comic characters have committed atrocities that have gotten swept under the rug.  There’s also the question of motive vs. actions - is Fabian really less bad because he’s incompetent?  Who knows?  This is just something I was thinking about, and wanted to write out in terms of my faves.   

[jgthirlwell]

2019 year in review

This year I also invited some friends and colleagues to reflect on 2019

JG Thirlwell

Composer Foetus Xordox Manorexia Steroid Maximus Venture Bros Archer

www.foetus.org

30 Albums of 2019 (although not all of them came out in 2019) Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble Where Future Unfolds (International Anthem) Le Grand Sbam Vaisseau Monde (Dur et Doux Caravaggio Caravaggio 2 & Turn Up (La Buissonne) Swans Leaving Meaning (Young God Records) 13 Million Year Old Ghost (Chaykin) Ben Frost Dark Cycles 1 & 2 (Invada) Sote Parallel Persia / Sacred Horror In Design (Diagonal) 33EMYBW Arthropods (SVBKVLT) Anna Meredith Fibs (Moshi Moshi) Kelly Moran Ultraviolet (Warp) Thom Yorke Anima  (XL) Hildur Guðnadóttir Joker Soundtrack (Water Tower Music) Lingua Ignota Caligula (Profound Lore) Igorr Savage Synusoid (Metal Blade) Oli XL  Rogue intruder Soul Enhancer (Blo-onm) Red Fang Murder The Mountains (Relapse) Michael Kiwanuka Kiwanuka (Polydor) Richard Dawson 2020 (Weird World) Idiot Flesh Fancy / The Nothing Show / Tales Of Instant Knowledge and Sure Death (YouTube) Ikarus Echo / Mosaiasmic (Ronin Rhythm Records) Poil Sus / Mula Poil (Dur et Doux) Orange Goblin A Eulogy For The Damned (Candlelight) Nivhek After its own death / Walking in a spiral towards the house (Yellow Electric) Ni Pantophobie (Due et Doux) Andrew WK You’re Not Alone (Sony) Rustin Man Drift Code (Domino) Kishi Bashi Omoiyari (Joful Noise) Liturgy HAQQ (YLYLCYN) Croatian Amor Isa (Posh Isolation) Schnellertollermeier Rights / X /  Zorn einen ehmer üttert stem!! (Cuneiform) Scandinavian Star Solas (Posh Isolation) Synth Sisters Euphoria (EM records) JPEGMAFIA Veteran + All My Heroes Are Cornballs (EQT)

Notable Concerts I went to dozens of concerts and events in 2019. Here are some of the most notable. All in NYC except where noted.

Jan 8  Matt Marks Tribute at  Protoype Festival. Roulette Jan 19  Lemon Twigs MHOW Jan 26  Julia Wolfe /  NY Philharmonic Fire In My Mouth Lincoln Center Feb 16  Lucretia Dalt Issue Project Room Feb 23  Willliam Basinski  Ambient Church Mar 13  Lou Reed Drones St John The Divine Mar 18  This Heat LPR + July 31 at Elsewhere Mar 20  Oran Ambarchi  Fridman Gallery Mar 28  Fire! at Zurcher April 11  Aphex Twin Avant Gardner May 4  Zombi El Cortez May 11  Lawrence English Knockdown Center May 13  The Who + Orchestra Madison Square Garedn May 15  Alva Noto Metropolitan Museum June 11  Andrew Cyrille Marathon Roulette June 13  Christeene / Nastie Band Brooklyn Bazaar June 26  Simon Hanes National Sawdust July 27  Nick Zinner 41 Strings Rockefeller Center July 30  Flaming Lips / Lennon Claypool Delirium Capitol Theater Portchester Aug 2-4  Bang On  A Can LOUD Festival Mass MOCA Notth Adams Aug 27  Pharmakon St Vitus Sep 5  JD Emmanuel Issue / First Unitarian Church Sep 18  Lingua Ignota St Vitus Set 21  King Crimson  Radio City Oct 10  Melvins Warsaw Oct 19  Helm Cafe Oto Nov 1  Marc Almond Brooklyn Bazaar Nov 6  JPEGMAFIA Bowery Ballroom Nov 23  Caterina Barbieri Unsound Fest, Knockdown Center Nov 30  Knower Bowery Ballroom

Film & TV These films were flawed but resonated with me.

Chernobyl Ozark Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Joker Midsommar The Irishman Uncut Gems

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Matt Johnson

The The https://www.thethe.com/

Looking back on 2019 I decided to list a handful of political / alternative news websites rather than films, albums or books. In the UK the corporate media stooped to shocking new lows during our recent General Election campaign. Such dirty tactics are to be expected of conglomerates owned by the likes of Rupert Murdoch and his fellow right wing billionaires but this time around, previously ‘liberal’ outlets such as the BBC and Guardian also fully participated in the outrageous lies, smears and character assassination against the leader of the opposition Labour Party. The British population were now being forced fed the Establishment’s propaganda du jour from every possible direction. Personally I try to gather my information from as many alternative outlets as possible to contrast with the 24 hour corporate brainwashing we’re subjected to these days. I’ve listed just five sites from the dozens I regularly visit and although I certainly don’t agree with everything expressed on these sites I do feel that it essential that in supposed free and democratic societies we are at least exposed to a variety of viewpoints and opinions - rather than being trapped inside social media echo chambers in an Internet that is increasingly controlled and censored by sophisticated algorithms and where politically correct digital lynch mobs accuse anyone with an opinion that contradicts the official narrative of being a Russian agent! Anyway, a Happy New Year to you all and here’s hoping 2020 sets the new decade off in roaring style!

https://www.medialens.org/

https://www.truthdig.com/author/chris_hedges/

https://www.corbettreport.com/

https://thesaker.is/

https://thoughtmaybe.com/about/

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Tristan Perich

Composer www.tristanperich.com

Here is a rather random selection of 10 of my favorite tracks of 2019, mostly courtesy Spotify recommendations over the year...

Full playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6OUSFLqLsAwhRQRF44yxWN?si=r33XRUuGR_iIOZHg4thuyA

Lechuga Zafiro: Para Abajo feat Matmos & Seba TC https://open.spotify.com/track/2xMnSTIBNZ8AT6w6TdZyU9

Kelpe: A Year and a Day https://open.spotify.com/track/4ANoLzEjtGOBl5qCvEiLov

Shida Shahabi: All In Circles https://open.spotify.com/track/5qMnq88JPMJQ81x5szpN3t

The Vernon Spring: Strength of a Young Man https://open.spotify.com/track/0zQUqR1UcXoPRSrTt0WuPs

Dessert: Thunderbird https://open.spotify.com/track/5rAguSvXxyo5zBq9a5RQWd

Yves V w/ Icona Pop: We Got That Cool (Robert Falcon & Jordan Jay Remix) https://open.spotify.com/track/1lEtudJvZNiibWzXc5m4mh

Selena Gomez: Look At Her Now https://open.spotify.com/track/4yI3HpbSFSgFZtJP2kDe5m

Masahiro Sugaya: Umi No Sunatsubu https://open.spotify.com/track/43egCanD1UNNvoCo2K4veC

Konradsen: Baby Hallelujah https://open.spotify.com/track/6TBnYhxTzSiiVmMBjpZ3gH

Slow Magic: Girls (DJ Clap Remix) https://open.spotify.com/track/31Sdj7aF1h4emCJtkxdy1A

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James Ilgenfritz

Composer https://infrequentseams.com/

James Ilgenfritz's favorite witnessed events, by month:

Hilma af Klint: Paintings for the Future (January, Guggenheim) Anaïs Maviel: who is this ritual for and from? (February, Roulette) Roscoe MItchell, SPACE, Wavefield Ensemble (March, Park Avenue Armory) Blank Forms: Nadah El Shazly (April, Brooklyn Music School) Barre Phillips Solo (May, Zurcher Gallery) Heiner Goebbels: Everything That Happened And Would Happen (June, Park Avenue Armory) Zodiac Saxophone Quartet: Charles Waters, Ras Moshe Burnett, Claire Daly, Lee Odom (July, Scholes St) Tie: Judith Berkson: Partial Memories & Juho Laitinen: Robert Ashley's The Wolfman (August, Ostrava Days, Czech Republic) Zeena Parkins / William Winant / Ikue Mori (September, The Stone) Vinnie Golia / Bobby Bradford Quartet (October, Edgefest in Ann Arbor) LA Philharmonic: Wubbels, Macklay, Sabat, Smith, Perich (Los Angeles, November) Art Ensemble Of Chicago (December, Washington, DC)

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Carl Michael Von Hausswolff

Artist / Composer

https://cmvonhausswolff.net/

10 special artists of 2019 in no specific order: • Hildur Guðnadóttir - her film music • sunn o))) - their Life Metal and Pyroclasts albums • Ilpo Väisänen - his concert in Stockholm • Cindy van Acker - her choreographic work • Jónsi & Alex - their old Riceboy Sleeps album and 2019 tour • Swans - their leaving meaning album • Flowers Must Die - their Där Blommor Dör album • Bigert & Bergström - their climate awareness art • Vanessa Sinclair & Carl Abrahamsson - all their work during 2019 • Hans-Joachim Roedelius and Tim Story - their Lunz 3 album

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Ryan Martin

Label Boss, Dais Records

www.daisrecords.com

Richard Youngs & Raül Refree "All Hands Around the Monument" Sarah Davachi "Pale Bloom" James Hoff "HOBO UFO (v. Chernobyl)" Wojciech Rusin ‎"The Funnel" Caterina Barbieri "Ecstatic Computation" Solange "When I Get Home" Kali Malone "The Sacrificial Code" Deathprod "Occulting Disk" Vatican Shadow "Kuwaiti Airforce" Ben Vida "Reducing The Tempo To Zero" JPEGMAFIA "All My Heroes Are Cornballs" Dean Hurley "Anthology Resource Vol. II: Philosophy of Beyond" Sean McCann "Puck" Oren Ambarchi "Simian Angel" Tyler, The Creator "IGOR" Helm "Chemical Flowers" JAB "Erg Herbe" Emptyset "Blossoms" E-Saggila "My World, My Way" Jacob Kirkegaard "Black Metal Square" Boy Harsher "Careful"

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Weasel Walter

Composer/performer / label head https://weaselwalter.bandcamp.com/

2019 was far from my favorite year. Regardless, I managed to release not one, but two new double albums by The Flying Luttenbachers (as well as two European tours with the unit) in addition to the usual slew of improvised music gigs and releases, and co-ordinating and producing an archival release of vintage NYC weirdness (Ozone). I also rocked Mexico City with Lydia Lunch Retrovirus, played a ridiculous gig with Encenathrakh, and disbanded Cellular Chaos (for now, at least).

When I become obsessed (or re-obsessed with something), it usually leads to a ton of proselytizing Facebook status posts. Combing my 2019 posts, it seems that my musical obsessions this year weren't very highbrow. Ha ha ha. Yes, I'm super into Xenakis, Cecil Taylor and whatever else, but dumber music can supply great creature comfort, and I guess I needed that in large amounts, so that's what it was. Sometimes badass modernists have to take time out to stay in bed all day and read comics because it's a hard cold world out there.

Weasel Walter top 10 musical obsessions of 2019 1. Kid Creole and the Coconuts (1980-1985 era) 2. Redd Kross 3. The Saints "I'm Stranded" 4. Jane Aire and the Belvederes 5. Miles Davis 1972-1975 6. Khanate "Things Viral 7. Mandy Zone & Ozone "Live at Max's Kansas City 1981" 8. Mayhem "Grand Declaration of War" 9. Comedy Bang Bang Episode #554 w/ Middleditch, Sanz 10. Weezer "Pinkerton"

Weasel Walter worst thing about 2019

1. Windows 10

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C.Spencer Yeh

Composer / Performer https://twitter.com/cspenceryeh?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Ten live music highlights of 2019 - The Brandon Lopez Trio (Lopez/Steve Baczkowski/Gerald Cleaver) at Fridman Gallery, June 18 - DeForrest Brown Jr., Pennies From Heaven series at CONTROL, January 15 - Charmaine Lee, Nothing Changes at Saint Vitus, January 30 - Bloodyminded at Apartment 202, December 14 - Longmont Potion Castle live QnA, Spectacle Theater, March 23 - Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society, Roulette, July 1 - Helm, Elsewhere, September 21 - Korn, Radiohead, Red Light District, October 26 - Mdou Moctar, Max Fish, September 1 - Mayo Thompson plays "Corky's Debt to His Father," Le Poisson Rouge, December 8

Speed round – five various still on the mind at the end of 2019 - Charlotte Moorman / Nam June Paik long sleeve t-shirt, Boot Boyz - Acacia leaf omelet and shrimp in sour curry, Jitlada, Los Angeles - Lynnée Denise, presentation for Omniaudience (Side Two) presented by Triple Canopy/Nikita Gale/Hammer Museum at Coaxial Arts, May 4 - PARASITE (2019) - ANIARA (2018)

Also, Spectacle Theater turns ten in 2020 and you should really come visit us.

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DJ Food

Artist / composer / DJ / curator

www.djfood.org

Music / podcasts: Pye Corner Audio - Hollow Earth LP (Ghost Box) Various - Corroded Circuits EP 12" (Downfall Recordings) Chris Moss Acid - Heavy Machine 12" (Balkan Vinyl) King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Fishing For Fishes LP (Flightless) Pictogram - Trace Elements cassette (Miracle Pond) Vanishing Twin - The Age of Immunology LP (Fire Records) Big Mouth podcast (various) (Acast) Beans - Triptych LP (Gamma Proforma) Roisin Murphy - Incapable single (Skint) Ebony Steel Band - Pan Machine LP (Om Swagger) People Like Us - The Mirror LP (Discrepant) Coastal County - Coastal County LP (Lomas) Adam Buxton podcast (various) (Acast) Ghost Funk Orchestra - A Song For Paul LP (Karma Chief) Jon Brooks - Emotional Freedom Techniques LP (Cafe Kaput) King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Organ Farmer (from Infest the Rat's Nest LP) (Flightless) Jane Weaver - Fenella LP (Fire Records) Polypores - Brainflowers cassette (Miracle Pond)

Design / packaging: Pepe Deluxé - The Surrealist Woman lathe cut 7" (Catskills) Various - Science & Technology ERR Rec Library Vol.2 (ERR Records) DJ Pierre presents ACID 88 vol. III LP (Afro Acid) Mark Ayres plays Wendy Carlos - Kubrick 7" (Silva Screen) Tomorrow Syndicate - Citizen Input 10" (Polytechnic Youth) The Utopia Strong - S/T LP (Rocket Recordings) Jarvis - Sunday Service LP (ACE records) Andy Votel - Histoire D'Horreur cassette (Hypocrite?) Sculpture - Projected Music 5" zoetrope picture disc (Psyché Tropes) Lapalux - Amnioverse LP (Brainfeeder) Hieroglyphic Being - Synth Expressionism / Rhythmic Cubism LP (On The Corner Records)

Film / TV: Sculpture - Meeting Our Associates (Plastic Infinite) This Time with Alan Partridge (BBC) Avengers: Endgame (Disney/Marvel) Imaginary Landscapes - Sam Campbell (Vinyl Factory) What We Do In The Shadows (BBC2) The Mandalorian (Disney+)

Books / Comics / Magazines: Beastie Boys Book - Mike Diamond & Adam Horowitz (Spiegel & Grau) Cosmic Comics - A Kevin O'Neill Miscellany (Hibernia Books) Electronic Sound magazine (Pam Com. Ltd) Moebius - 40 Days In The Desert (expanded edition) (Moebius Productions) Rock Graphic Originals  - Peter Golding w. Barry Miles (Thames & Hudson) 2000AD / Judge Dredd Megazine (Rebellion) Silver Surfer Black - Donny Cates/Tradd Moore (Marvel) Help - Simon Amstell (Square Peg) The Scarfolk Annual - Richard Littler (William Collins) Wrappers Delight - Jonny Trunk (Fuel)

Gigs / Events: Vanishing Twin @ Prince of Wales Pub, Brighton Stereolab @ Concorde 2, Brighton People's Vote March 23rd March, London Wobbly Sounds book launch @ Spiritland, London Confidence Man @ The Electric, Brixton, London Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival, Moseley, Birmingham Bluedot Festival, Jodrell Bank, Manchester HaHa Sounds Collective play David Axelrod's Earth Rot @ Tate Exchange, London School of Hypnosis play In C @ Cafe Oto, London Palace Electrics, Antenna Studios, London The Delaware Road, New Zealand Farm, Salisbury Breaking Convention closing party, Greenwich, London Jonny Trunk & Martin Green's Hidden Library @ Spiritland, Southbank, London Negativland / People Like Us @ Cafe Oto, London HaHa Sound Collective plays the David Axelrod songbook @ The Church of Sound, London, Sculpture, Janek Schaefer, Mariam Rezaei + the 26 turntable ensemble @ The Old Baths, Hackney, London Vanishing Twin & Jane Weaver's Fenella @ Studio 9294, Hackney Wick, London

Exhibitions: Sister Corita Kent @ House of Illustration, London, Augustinbe Kofie @ Stolen Space, London, Victor Vasarely @ Pompidou Centre, Paris, Mary Quant @ V&A Museum, London, Stanley Kubrick @ The Design Museum, London, Tim Hunkin's Novelty Automation Museum, London, Keith Haring retrospective @Tate, Liverpool, Nam June Paik, Tate Modern, London, Takis @ Tate Modern, London, Shepard Fairy @ Stolen Space, London, Damien Hirst 'Mandalas' at the White Cube, London, Bridget Riley @ The Hayward, London, Museum of Neo-liberalism, Lewisham, London.

[thehangeddemon]

The Truth in the Frame  || Maximus & Xavier

Maximus: Finally, a radio in the house. The mansion felt whole with music. His master had been generous to allow him a radio in the kitchen. He wouldn't dare ask for a record player in his bedroom, though. Not for some time.

A fresh cigarette was brought to his rose-colored lips, left to dangle while he cleaned the rifles and sang under his breath.

"Show me the way to go home. I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I had a little drink about an hour ago, and it went right to my head..."

Xavier: Maximus could've asked for a record player in solid gold and Xavier would've found it for him. He was still very much determined to get his butler to indulge in the finer things in life.

Just like Xavier himself was currently doing by going through every last book in the library and ridding himself of every volume he deemed inferior.

The pile of discards contained more of those wretched obscure novels Eisley had been so obsessed with. The damn things seemed to be multiplying.

Maximus: Hearing a book fall in the library caught his attention. Looking up from the barrel of an antique, looking out towards the hallway as though he could somehow see what was going on from the other side of the dining table.

He disappeared, reappearing in the doorway of the library, hands behind his back to hide his cigarette.

"Are you alright, m'lord?"

Xavier: Xavier's hair was far too tousled for a man that had simply been going through books but it was a reflection of his frustration.

"Who needs five copies of Lolita!? It's not a rare, priceless work of which precious few copies exist, it was published only last year!"

Maximus: "Are they first editions?" he frowned. Smoke began to appear over his head.

Xavier: "Only one, the rest are copies you could get at any bookshop in the country! In the world even! Did he really need that many tomes devoted to some man fucking a child? Or was it simply because Nabakov is Russian and he was obsessed with Russians?"

He paused his tirade as he noticed and smelled the smoke. "You know, Fairchild, as a former smoker and still occasional smoker and demon with a supernatural sense of smell, there really is no need to hide your habit."

Maximus: Slowly, firmly, his cheek was bitten into, if only to withhold his smile. There was something about his master's rants, and the precious fact that he was not their target, which absolutely humored him to his core.

And the mention of his habit caused him to duck his head, which did nothing but highlight his fought smile.

"M'lord." Thank you. His hands were brought from hiding. "The first editions will be worth money someday. I promise you that. The rest can be kindle."

Xavier: "I can steal a first edition in fifty years and get the money then. For now...." He tossed the book in his hand on the discard pile. "Lucifer deliver me from the Russians. This obsession of his wasn't limited to Nabakov. You see this?"

He pointed to two stacks on the table. "Four copies of War and Peace and six—six!—of Anna Karenina! Why!?"

Maximus: "What was he looking for exactly?" He crossed the library in search of the first editions. Each were placed in a separate pile out of his master's reach.

Xavier: "Meaning? Companionship? Enlightenment? Hell only knows."

Maximus would have to work fast, Xavier was prepared to throw everything into the fireplace.

Maximus: With his master's back turned, the small stack of first editions were brought to his room in a blink, left on his nightstand. He'd returned just as quickly, and set to task collecting everything else. The rest would be for the fire. He'd much rather burn them in the driveway.

"Canapes this evening, or a crown roast? Either way, I'd like to practice mixing martinis."

Xavier: Xavier quit frowning at the bookshelves the moment Maximus mentioned canapés.

“Does canapés mean pastry? Because if so then yes. Yes to the martinis as well.”

Maximus: "I was thinking along the lines of smoked salmon mousse on cucumber and deviled eggs, but - I should have known you would want pastry." His toy soldier smiled towards the fire. His cigarette was brought to his lips to cease such nonsense.

Xavier: “Is both an option or is that pushing my luck?” he asked with a smile.

Maximus: "Whatever you desire I'll give you."

Xavier: “In that case, I would like to put in a request for pastry along with those deviled eggs.”

Maximus: "A vol au vent? Mine are usually lopsided."

Xavier: “There is no wrong way to consume puff pastry.”

Maximus: "Then I shall take care that your belief remains after this evening."

Xavier: “I’m certain it wi—more War and Peace! That’s it we’re destroying the library.”

Maximus: "Come now." The ridiculous pile of books had created a small hill in the hall. He crossed the library with the aim of stealing War and Peace from his master's hands.

"When you told me you wanted Russian literature gone, I had assumed - wrongly - you meant in the Russian language. This is my fault. I'll see to this myself."

Xavier: “I did! That’s exactly what I meant! I thought that’s all there was to this obsession of his! I never would have or could have imagined this!” He gestured wildly with the book. “No wonder he let the mansion fall into such disrepair, he was busy hoarding Tolstoy novels.”

Maximus: "We all have our obsessions. Some more tasteful than others." Gently, he reached around for the book, taking it from his line of sight.

Xavier: He let his butler take the book without argument. “You know those hidden compartments and alcoves he had? Forget supernatural objects, they’re probably full of vodka and nesting dolls.”

Maximus: "We'll find the body of his secret Russian wife eventually," he smiled. An expression which had loosened...somewhat, since his arrival.

Xavier: “Maybe that’s the reason for the obsession. Keep an eye out for remains.”

Maximus: "And scratching, yes. And hidden rooms and runaway vodka."

Xavier: “And the nesting dolls.”

Maximus: His butler ducked his head to conceal how fond his smile was becoming. So far, his master had remained true to his word. While there had been those before him to have made promises, Xavier Atlas had his humanity on his side. Something which, even if subconsciously, had eased some of the tension in his rigid frame.

His cold cigarette was given a glance.

"I should get back to work on the rifles, m'lord. Dinner will be at seven."

Xavier: The reduction in tension hadn't gone unnoticed, but just now all Xavier could think about was the state of this library.

He did see that smile though. That was something cheerful to cling to in the midst of all this madness.

"I'll be down promptly. One of these days perhaps we'll have ourselves a priest hunt. That's something to look forward to."

Maximus: "You're only saying that because Mr. Eisley isn't around to kill again."

Xavier: "And oh, how I wish he was today. I'd bring him back and drown him in dust and Russian novels."

Maximus: Ah. Maximus needed his quick bow and disappearance act. Otherwise, his master would have caught him in a sudden fluttery laugh, one which he expelled in the kitchen.

Xavier: Xavier entertained himself for a few glorious moments with the thought of killing that tasteless hack all over again in a variety of scenarios.

"If only," he said to himself with a wistful sigh before getting back to throwing books on his pile.

Maximus: The guns were returned to their respective stands and mounts. One more polished mark of pride. Another cigarette was ignited. The radio volume was increased to better dampen the sound of his singing. The music of today wasn't nearly as tasteful as the jazz and ragtime behind them.

Xavier: At some point during Xavier's frenzied book throwing, it occurred to him to start a list of all the titles missing from the library that he wanted to add.

In his view, there was a shameful omission of all the British greats. Not to mention the rest of the world. What sort of library didn't have a single copy of Hamlet?

Maximus: Maximus was blissfully unaware of his master's continued frenzy, having assumed he had quelled some of his rage. He was too busy with dinner, singing Chattanooga Choo-Choo to himself in almost full voice, hindered by the cigarette between his lips he refused to put out. Deviled eggs and chicken pesto vol au vents.

They needed a proper garden and chicken coop. The yard had been cleaned, but the house was not yet complete. One item at a time, he reminded himself.

Xavier: Xavier paused his furious scribbling and turned toward the door. Was that Maximus' voice?

He put down his pen and paper and listened intently. He could hear the radio downstairs, the steady sound of a knife hitting a cutting board, the movements of a meal being prepared, and over it all, Maximus. Singing.

Moving as silently as a spirit, he made his way toward the door and poked his head out.

Maximus: His nasally timbre bled into his singing, though somehow clear of rasp otherwise present in the mumbling of songs. He would have kicked himself had he known what his master was doing. Rather, chopped chicken, onions, and butter made it to the heated pan.

Xavier: Xavier had at least some suspicion that that was exactly how his butler would react if he knew he'd been caught singing, so rather than get closer and risk discovery, he stayed where he was. It was...nice, to see Maximus relaxing. Even if it was only in private.

Maximus: A quick check of the time. Not yet for the pastry. The filling was removed from the heat.

Dinner would be on time, as it was every night. He had pulled the pastry from the refrigerator too soon. Only the choicest towering pieces, filled to the brim, were presented at the dining table. A white wine was served alongside in their new crystal.

Xavier: Having indulged himself, Xavier returned to his task, smiling the entire time. That rage over the Russian novel infestation was lessening by the moment.

By the time he went downstairs for dinner he was positively cheerful.

Maximus: His servant stood patiently by the table. He smiled in greeting.

"A successful evening, m'lord?"

Xavier: "Extremely," said Xavier, beaming as he sat and unfolded his napkin on his lap. "The small hill has become a small mountain and I've started a list."

Maximus: "I expect we'll be going to another store soon," he said while pouring the wine.

Xavier: "Probably more than one if the bookshop in town doesn't have all the volumes I require to get the library up to snuff."

Maximus: "Only in English?"

Xavier: "English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian."

Maximus: "Very good, m'lord." The bottle was placed away, and he returned to his standing position.

Xavier: Xavier sampled the wine and gave an approving hum. "Mmm, good choice. And the pastry looks beautiful."

Maximus: Of course these do. "Thank you, m'lord. Just a little patience was required."

Xavier: "Like with many of the worthy things in life." He selected a vol au vent and tasted it, a huge grin immediately breaking out across his face.

Well done, it said.

Maximus: That was...what he wanted to see. Something more than a satisfactory job and making it another night in peace. This was more significant. A smile of a job well done stroked his ego.

Aware of his master's penchant for conversation, he continued. "Which titles are you considering?"

Xavier: Mouth full, Xavier pulled his list from his pocket and offered it before pointing at the nearest chair.

Maximus: Moments like these, despite how many there had been for the past weeks, still rendered him awkward. He took the offered seat without protest and unfolded the list.

"I'm expecting to find Dante Alighieri."

Xavier: Xavier nodded and ate another vol au vent. Of course. Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory.

Maximus: "As much as you are straying from Russian anythings, might I make a suggestion?"

Xavier: Another nod. "Anyone but Tolstoy."

Maximus: "Have you heard of Ayn Rand, m'lord?"

Xavier: "I kept getting distracted during The Fountainhead. She does love to ramble on."

Maximus: "He reminds me of you."

Xavier: "Because I live to spite God?"

Maximus: His gaze fell, but only for a moment. "In a Hell filled with Peter Keatings."

Xavier: Xavier gave Maximus a small smile and reached into his pocket for his pen. "Go on then, add the rambling Russian. English translation only."

Maximus: And so he would, writing the title and author in quick fluid cursive.

"What are your thoughts, m'lord, on having a chicken coop?"

Xavier: “As a lover of omelets and chicken Marsala, very favorable.”

Maximus: Excellent. Less shopping in town and efficiency once his garden bore evidence of his labor.

He suddenly felt an urge to play his violin. He wanted to give his master something more than the day-to-day.

"Would you like some more wine?" he asked instead.

Xavier: "Why, yes, thank you. Pour one for yourself and join me."

Maximus: "I...have my dinner in the kitchen, m'lord." Though he would pour an extra glass of wine to comply.

Xavier: "Bring it and have it in the dining room," he said, smile softening a bit.

Maximus: Gently, he sighed. If he didn't know better, he could fool himself into hearing a plea in his master's tone, as though their roles had reversed.

He excused himself, returning with a plate of equally filled...and considerably lopsided pastry, deviled eggs, and filling on toast.

"The illusion is destroyed."

Xavier: "What illusion?" Asked around another blissful mouthful of pastry. "I promise I will try the deviled eggs, I just have an extreme weakness for pastry. Must be the Englishman in me."

Maximus: Then...have a leaning tower of pesto, he offered, slowly taking one of his master's paprika covered eggs. A trade.

Xavier: Leaning perhaps, but perfectly magnificent, as Xavier's face clearly reflected. If he wasn't certain Maximus would turn the color of the paprika on those eggs, Xavier would be raining praise.

Maximus: Maximus contentedly ate in silence. In the supposed safety of the Atlas home, his rigidity of the Plaza lapsed in the form of open-faced sandwich making. Carefully and quietly cutting his deviled eggs to suitable size for two pieces of garlic toast. Having requested a servant dine with him, he might as well eat as he would in private.

"You never cease to surprise me, m'lord." Said after a sip of sauvignon blanc.

Xavier: Xavier thought nothing of Maximus' sandwich making; in fact, he welcomed it. The way he saw things, every small bit of relaxation and comfort from his butler just meant that he was beginning to trust his surroundings--and him--more and more.

He smiled at the comment. "Do I?" he asked, finally trying an egg and humming in approval.

Maximus: "Yes," he said, keeping his head up as he spoke. "Tomorrow, this might be for naught. Tomorrow you might burn everything I possess. You might take back everything you've told me. I've been gullible with you. I've been through the hands of many owners, and still," he shrugged, "and still I'm here, enjoying myself."

Xavier: "I'm glad that you are," he said softly. "I know that it's far too soon to scrub those thoughts from your head, but I am glad you're enjoying yourself. I hope to make that a permanent condition for you."

He took a sip of wine. "What would you say to putting a record player in here?"

Maximus: He would have told any servant that appeared in the summons this exact line.

He had reached for his glass and paused. "A record player? That would...be lovely, m'lord."

Xavier: "I thought so. A grand, beautiful one to fit the room. And one for the sitting room as well."

Maximus: His smile revealed teeth. "Then we must also find you the best records."

Xavier: He smiled back. "Yes we must. Which ones are you fond of?"

Maximus: There he went again.

"I...enjoy...jazz, m'lord, and classical."

Xavier: “Then we shall get your favorites from both genres.”

Maximus: "What do you prefer?"

Xavier: “I’m fond of jazz and classical myself. Especially Tchaikovsky, ironically enough.”

Maximus: "I'm partial to Paganini, Vivaldi, Bazzini...Glenn Miller."

Xavier: “We’ll get them all. I’m rather fond of Glenn Miller myself. Benny Goodman as well.”

Maximus: His smile began to fade. "In New York, you told Mr. Aello you're not musically inclined. Is that true, m'lord?"

Xavier: “As far as playing ability, yes. I tried learning the piano once and was vastly disappointed that I didn’t immediately turn into Chopin.”

Maximus: "No one wants to be Chopin. Not even Chopin."

Xavier: Xavier laughed. “God and the Devil love the man. He played and composed like a piano murdered his entire family.”

Maximus: "Bazzini wanted to prove he was better than Paganini. They either sold their souls or were nephilim."

Xavier: “Seems like Bazzini had a complex. He probably sold his soul.”

Maximus: His servant suddenly ducked his chin and nibbled absently at his dinner.

"Did you...sell your soul?"

Xavier: He shook his head. “Not in the traditional way. My soul was always bound for the pit. There was no need to expedite the process.”

Maximus: "Over revenge?"

Xavier: He nodded. “It’s said that any man who pursues vengeance should dig two graves, one for himself and one for his enemy. I dug many, many graves.”

Maximus: "Was the revenge honorable?" For some reason he was looking for excuses.

Xavier: "To me it was. But as I was the one exacting it, perhaps I'm biased."

Maximus: "Most likely, m'lord, but one day perhaps, I shall hear your reasoning."

Xavier: "Yes, perhaps." And you'll tell me my revenge was a fool's errand, just like my father did.

Maximus: After a moment, he gently added, "Only when you trust me."

Xavier: Xavier smiled softly. “I do already. More than anyone in years. Some things merely need to be worked up to.”

Maximus: "In years? It's been two months."

Xavier: “Indeed. And I’m sure you’ve noticed I’m not terribly...social.”

Maximus: "You're settling into a new home."

Xavier: “Even settled, I’ve never been the social type.”

Xavier: “The tailor’s. They’re terribly fussy about being on time for appointments and I’d hate to annoy them. They’re the best in the city.”

Once outside the station, Xavier hailed a taxi and gave the address to the driver in practiced Italian after exchanging cheerful greetings.

Maximus: He remained silent during their brief walk towards the road. He appreciated their surroundings and fresh Mediterranean atmosphere.

In the taxi, with the driver's attention elsewhere, he leaned over. "Your Italian is sharp, m'lord."

Xavier: Xavier beamed with what was very obviously pride. “Why thank you, Maximus. It’s a testament to how much time I spend here, purchasing clothing and otherwise.”

Maximus: "I'm sure." He straightened and stared out the window, but not for long. "M'lord, why do you not call me Fairchild now?"

Xavier: That gave Xavier pause. He hadn’t noticed until this very moment that he’d dropped that small formality. How long had it been?

“We’ve been together for a couple of months now. I daresay we’ve gotten to know each other a decent bit. Felt...right. I can always go back, of course, if you prefer.”

Maximus: "I'm...not sure I should have an opinion, m'lord. I know what you are to me, and that is unwavering."

Xavier: “You know you do, and that I value it.” He smiled. “It doesn’t bother you then? That I call you Maximus?”

Maximus: "I... don't know, m'lord. I don't feel offended. If your lordship prefers Maximus, then I have no objections."

Xavier: “I’m glad to hear it. But if you do find you have an objection in the future, whatever it may be, I do hope you’ll tell me. I’d hate to cause you discomfort.”

Maximus: "...You really mean that, don't you?" he gently asked.

Xavier: Xavier nodded. “I do,” he said softly.

Maximus: Something to ponder later. For now, "Do you have a middle name, m'lord?"

Xavier: “I don’t, as a matter of fact. My father didn’t bless me or my brother with one.”

Maximus: "Your brother?" He turned more in his master's direction out of respect.

Xavier: “Indeed. He’s the elder.”

Maximus: "Is he...?"

Xavier: “Dead? Quite. Several years after me.”

Maximus: "I assumed as much. But I mean to ask if he is at all like you."

Xavier: “Only in one sense, and even then in the loosest way. We’re rather polar opposites, have been always.”

Maximus: "An angel, then?" he dared smirk.

Xavier: “In the metaphorical sense, and by the estimation of many, I’m sure,” he said with a chuckle.

Maximus: "I wouldn't have guessed you to be the baby. You carry yourself as an older brother, or only child."

Xavier: “In many ways, ways I will tell you about someday, I was the only child. But only to him. Not to anyone else.”

Maximus: "'Curiouser and curiouser,'" he said to the window.

Xavier: Xavier grinned to himself. “Most things with me tend to be.”

Maximus: "I don't think you're as complicated as all that, m'lord."

Xavier: “Perhaps not. We all like to think we’re more complicated than we actually are. Me, I’m....layered.”

Maximus: He turned his gaze on his master. "You're curious, but complicated?" He was willing to accept punishment for his forwardness.

Xavier: “Curious, complicated, and multi-layered. Like a demonic cake.”

Maximus: "I would like to... politely disagree."

Xavier: “You don’t think I’m a cake?”

Maximus: There was a quiet war being waged against himself, as so often of late, to prevent himself from smiling.

"Hmm." He needed to look away. What beautiful scenery.

Xavier: Xavier laughed and shook his head. “I’ll take that as a no. I’m but a simple rich man.”

Maximus: "You're not simple, m'lord, but you're not complicated as all that. You want things and you take them."

Xavier: “So I’m straightforward if nothing else. Not a bad thing to be, really.”

Maximus: "No. Not at all, m'lord."

Xavier: “I’m glad you also think so,” he said with a smile. With time, he hoped to learn what Maximus was apart from gloriously efficient.

“The shop isn’t far. Another two streets.”

Maximus: "You're missing warm tones in your wardrobe. A set of tails wouldn't hurt either."

Xavier: “I agree. And I suppose I could stand to add in some warmer reds and browns. Can’t wear black all the time.”

Maximus: "No. That's my area, m'lord," he smiled.

Xavier: “And you pull it off marvelously.”

Maximus: "Are you flirting with me, m'lord?" he whispered.

Xavier: “Would it scandalize you if I was?”

Maximus: "I have no reputation in which to tarnish."

Xavier: “In that case, I am flirting with you.” How do you feel about that, Maximus?

Maximus: He felt betrayed. He felt surprised and yet expectant of this moment. He was elated and in mourning.

There were butterflies in his stomach.

"We must find you some friends, m'lord," he managed to smile. It was the only thing he could think to say.

Xavier: “I have friends. Massimo for example.” The tailor whose name was on a sign above the shop they stopped in front of.

Maximus: "A friend with your measurements. Very good, m'lord." The subject seemed dropped for now. He didn't know whether or not he felt relieved.

Xavier: “My thoughts exactly.” Xavier paid the driver and asked him to wait, promising him a big tip at the end of the day.

The driver was more than happy to oblige, even coming around to open the door for them.

Maximus: Very rarely did he wish to know what his masters were thinking. Very rarely, when he could, was it anything worthwhile. The consequences were always severe. With Xavier he felt regret. Moments like this being unable to glimpse were small tortures.

The shop door was held open for his master, eyes forward as usual. His black bowler hat was removed as they stepped through, remaining behind as he had momentarily forgotten he was to participate.

Xavier: “Signore Rossmara!” They were met with Massimo’s booming greeting before they were even all the way through the door.

Despite his short stature and rather broad frame, the tailor looked impeccable. A walking gentleman’s magazine cover with a jovial face and bon vivant spirit.

“Massimo,” Xavier said fondly, allowing himself to be pulled into a hearty handshake. “Are you well? How’s business?”

“Stupendous now that you’re here!” The tailor noticed Maximus. “Who is this? Have you brought me a new client?”

“I have. Massimo, this is my assistant, Mr. Townsend.”

“Why hello, Signore Townsend! Welcome to Massimo’s!”

Maximus: The human was studied during his rough greeting. Maximus became David with a charming smile. He reached for Massimo's hand without prompt.

"Buongiorno. A pleasure to meet you."

Xavier: Maximus’ hand was shaken enthusiastically. “Buongiorno, Signore Townsend, buongiorno! Welcome to my shop! We’re the best tailor in all Milano. Anything you need, we can make for you here. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for today?” His question was addressed to both of them.

“I’d like Mr. Townsend to be fitted for a few suits. One casual, a set of livery, and two formal suits.”

Massimo’s eyes practically gleamed.

Maximus: He dared give his master a look. That was months’ worth of wages he would be refusing from this day forth. Surely, his gaze said everything while Massimo's attention lingered elsewhere.

"Be sure to expand Lord Rossmara's pockets. They seem to be bottomless."

Xavier: Xavier simply smiled back. He had no intention of allowing Maximus to refuse anything, suits or wages. His butler would simply have to put up with being paid and well dressed.

“I thank Our Lord every day for it, Signore Townsend,” Massimo laughed, gesturing for them to follow him.

In short order he had Maximus up on the podium to be measured and had an assistant selecting samples.

Maximus: Having someone other than his master so near kept his entire being on edge. Until the measuring tape fell away, he barely breathed. A glance over his shoulder was directed towards his master. He gauged his reaction to a young male human so near his property.

"Have you found suitable cufflinks, m'lord?" His tone of voice gave nothing away.

Xavier: Xavier could sense Maximus’ discomfort and made sure to stay in his butler’s line of sight. With any luck he’s be able to offer silent reassurance.

Fortunately for all involved, Massimo was the consummate professional; he worked quickly and respectfully and was done in half the time it would have taken a less experienced man.

“I will in due course. Which reminds me, we shall also be looking at ties and accessories, Massimo.”

“Very good, Signore Rossmara, I will have Luciano bring you a varied selection of everything.”

Maximus: His anxiety only lasted as long as his master remained out of sight. Everything from last night to this moment was not at all what he had expected. He'd been too informal for the past month. At some point he was going to be paying the price. He felt as though he were tipping from a narrow window.

"You need a gold pair," he said softly.

Xavier: Both Massimo and his assistant nodded in agreement.

Xavier smiled. “Bring the gold first then, Luciano. I’d hate to disappoint.”

“Si, signore.”

Maximus: "Is that all you need of me at the moment, signore?"

Xavier: Massimo nodded again. “Yes, Signore Townsend, you may step down. The dressing rooms are through that curtain there.” He pointed to the right before taking a handful of hangers with suit jackets and pants on them from Luciano. “These are all casual suits. Please try them on to see how you like them.”

Maximus: "Grazie," he smiled. One last glance to his master before turning his back to them. He preferred the monochromatic outfits. Gravitated towards black, gray, and dark green, which were hung separately from the rest. Only the gray double-breasted required special touch. A new blazer wouldn't hurt, he thought. I won't be getting it here. Something to look forward to in town once his pockets were heavy. More bowties for his casual workdays, he added to his mental list. This was all a little extravagant, but he wouldn't deny the wishes of his owner.

Xavier: While Maximus dressed, Xavier selected cuff links from the velvet tray Luciano brought for him. Something simple and elegant for the everyday and something more ornate for evening wear. Perhaps two pairs for each.

Meanwhile, Massimo’s attention was on his newest client. “How is everything fitting, signore?” he called to Maximus.

Maximus: "The dark green one is large, but not by an entire size."

Xavier: “Would you like the dark green one? If so, we’ll pin it and set it aside.”

Maximus: "I would, yes. Actually, I think the sleeves on the gray one, here, is slightly too long."

Xavier: “Bene. We shall do the green first and then the gray. Luciano, the pins.” The tailor turned to Xavier. “Have you selected your cuff links, Signore Rossmara?”

Xavier nodded. “I believe so. I await Mr. Townsend’s opinion.”

Maximus: Words which caught his ear sharply. "Nothing too gaudy, m'lord, and I will approve."

Xavier: Xavier laughed. “I wouldn’t think of it. I went for something elegant and understated.”

Maximus: "Is this true, Massimo?"

Xavier: “They’re beautiful choices, Signore Townsend. Very fitting for his lordship.”

Maximus: "Fitting," he echoed. "Please show me, m'lord."

Xavier: Xavier waited until Maximus came out of the fitting room and gestured to a small velvet tray containing his choices.

“I await your verdict.”

Maximus: His tie was adjusted for the fifth time as he returned. A set of silver and gold were picked up and inspected as soon as they were within reach.

"These are fitting, yes, but not at all what I would call understated."

Xavier: “Those are the evening ones.” He pointed to another pair. “These are the understated ones, for everyday wear.”

Maximus: "What do you think of these?" A pair of round silver and onyx. "I think these are very suiting."

Xavier: Xavier examined them and nodded in approval. “Agreed. I should find a tie to go with them.”

Maximus: "A black textured tie would pair perfectly." He turned towards the tailor for response.

Xavier: Massimo was already asking Luciano to bring a selection of ties, and bringing another tray laden with cuff links for Maximus to choose from.

Maximus: Nothing ornate or above his station. One set of silver with braided edge, one set of gold bars. His fingers lingered over button shaped mother of pearl, but said nothing.

"It's your turn to be lavished."

Xavier: The lingering was noticed and noted.

“And you as well. It’s time for ties. Select a couple for each suit.”

Maximus: "I can get ties in Paradise. Are you certain, m'lord?" Only for his ears.

Xavier: “I’m certain, Maximus,” Xavier replied just as softly. “No tie in Paradise can compare to the ties here.”

Maximus: "You're too kind." Then he would do as commanded, choosing various textures of black neckties. If insisting, he would stray towards gray and white.

"Now, I must insist you allow the tailor to see to you."

Xavier: Xavier let Maximus choose whatever his heart desired, secretly eyeing a few ties he thought would suit his butler. He’d ask Massimo to set them aside when they got to the dressing room.

Speaking of.

“Yes, of course. We need those warm tones and those tails. Massimo—“

“Yes, Signore Atlas. I’ll pull pieces right away.”

Maximus: "Should I ever know you that well someday," he smiled. "Be sure to put those tails to good work this year. The house will be ready for dinner parties as soon as we settle the remaining furniture."

Xavier: He grinned. “I think you’re well on your way. This very morning you timed breakfast precisely with my awakening.” To him that meant they were well on their way toward establishing the intimacy that came with living under the same roof.

“Once my tails and furniture are in order I should get some friends so I have someone to throw a dinner party for.”

Maximus: His morning breakfast had been an apology for the night before. Still, it had pleased him, and so it would continue.

"Speaking of. I look forward to seeing to the frames today. We must find a suitable artist."

Xavier: “As am I. They’ll be the perfect finishing touch for the drawing room. As far as the artist, we might be able to find an excellent one on this trip. Do you know any good portrait artists, Massimo?”

The tailor hummed while he considered. “Not personally, but I will have Luciano find you a suitable one.”

Maximus: "Molto gentile da parte tua, signore." So rare it was to speak his mother's native tongue.

Xavier: Well now Massimo looked positively delighted. Maximus had officially endeared himself into becoming a top client.

“Of course, signore, of course! Anything for you and Signore Rossmara! Luciano and I will find you the best portrait painter, not just in Milano, but all Italia.”

Maximus: The exclamation jarred him from his guard. Ducked head and smile followed the promise. Gratitude in his third language. A look given to his master from behind his lashes.

Xavier: Xavier was grinning like the cat that got the canary. He just knew coming here was a good idea and there was the proof.

“Your diligence and dedication are much appreciated, Massimo, thank you.”

“You’re too kind, Signore Rossmara, too kind. Ah, here we are.” He accepted some hangers from Luciano. “These are the tails, Signore Rossmara. If you’ll step into the dressing room, please.”

Maximus: Maximus' smile remained well after his master's disappearance into the dressing room. The room felt brighter, wider than when they had stepped inside. Days like today reminded him of Crawford. The tall, lanky man too old for this world. A man too quiet for his own good. A benevolent master, most of the time. He dared miss him.

His thoughts swam away from him, his eyes somewhere far away when Atlas returned.

Xavier: "What do you think?" Xavier asked as he emerged from the dressing room and stopped in front of the mirror, turning this way and that to study his reflection. "They'll need adjusting of course."

Luciano always had to pull stops a size to big and trousers that were too short; Xavier's height and shoulders always demanded adjustments.

Maximus: "I should have tried my hand at clothing years ago. I doubt I'd be trusted by the next-" The smile was more sheepish than honest.

Xavier: "Well you're certainly trusted now." He did a turn. "Do I pass muster?"

Maximus: "Not with those trousers, m'lord."

Xavier: “Offend? Not at all. It doesn’t surprise me, either. I know I’m relatively young by demonic standards.”

Maximus: "I don't think by much. I'm...young, too."

Xavier: “Probably by a decent bit. I died in 1935.”

Maximus: "I..." he swallowed, "it was 1899." He was grateful for the waiter. Barolo and ossobucco for himself, ordered after Atlas.

Xavier: Xavier chose the house white and the tortellini and a risotto for them for share.

“About ten years before I was born,” he said thoughtfully. “And look at us now. Two young demons about to enjoy some exquisite food in Milan.”

Maximus: "I believe you're my youngest master," he smiled, one of his more honest. "Among other things, I'm not afraid to say."

Xavier: “An honor indeed,” he said with a grin.

Maximus: "You can be so brazen."

Xavier: “It’s definitely been said before.”

He gave their waiter a nod of thanks when their wine was brought over. “I’ve made a whole life out of it.”

Maximus: "Do you ever regret not hiring a human? A vampire?" Today had gone so well, broken so many rules given by himself and others. He dared laugh at the absurdity. "I'm going to wake up tomorrow at the Crawford house."

Xavier: “Vampire? Lucifer, save us all.” Xavier shook his head and sipped his wine. “Vampires are too involved in their own affairs and humans require too much explanation. I made the ideal choice and got the ideal candidate, and the only place you’ll be waking up is your own bed.”

Maximus: "Right, because..." He began picking at his fingers underneath the table. A new little tick. He could scarcely hear the bustling of Milanese over his own clamoring negativity. His thoughts had been etched with every new master. Too much for Atlas to carve away at once.

"I'm grateful, truly."

Xavier: As much as he’d like to carve away all those dreadful thoughts at once, he was quite satisfied chipping away a bit at a time. “And I’m grateful to you for setting my house to such terrific order.”

Maximus: The next exhale straightened his spine. He was relaxed, despite his proper appearance.

"I look forward to your first dinner party. The house is something to be proud of."

Xavier: “It certainly is. You’ll have to help me scrounge up some guests.”

Maximus: "The most prominent figures in Paradise." Of course. "Establish an unforgettable rapport."

Xavier: “Not to sound arrogant but I believe I am the most prominent figure in Paradise.”

Maximus: "It wouldn't hurt to have connections. The road ahead isn't clear."

Xavier: “I suppose not, although I am tempted to exist beneath a veil of mystery.”

Maximus: "If something were to happen to me, I'd rather burn knowing you'll have options."

Xavier: Nothing is going to happen to you. I won’t let it.

“I suppose I could invite the less prominent but moderately well-off citizens of Paradise for a dinner party.”

Maximus: A well-reached smile. "Very good, m'lord. That's the spirit."

Xavier: “I’m sure the whole town has been dying to know what has become of Damien Eisley’s neglected mansion.”

Maximus: "Your updates will upset a few, but we'll turn them around."

Xavier: “Only those with no taste will be upset.”

Maximus: "You're impeccable, m'lord?" A brave tease with crinkling around his eyes.

Xavier: Xavier grinned into his wine glass. “Undoubtedly.”

Maximus: "I will not argue. Neither as servant nor assistant."

Xavier: He laughed softly. “Jolly good then. We shall be impeccable together thanks to Massimo.”

Maximus: Just as casually, said with well-considered ease, "Will your father be proud of your progress?"

Xavier: “Who’s to say,” he said with a shrug. “The man is inscrutable. I usually take his silence as approval.”

Maximus: "Is a lot of your relationship a guessing game?" Today, with a tingle down his spine, he would not apologize. Just to see.

Xavier: “For the most part. I gave up asking him questions, he never gives straight answers. Like all ancient beings I suppose.”

Maximus: "They want us to figure out the puzzle for ourselves. Either that, or their language restricted what is commonplace today."

Xavier: “With him it’s the former I think. He loves riddles, it’s exhausting.”

Maximus: "I appreciate the silence. It's its own riddle."

Xavier: “I’d rather the silence to be perfectly frank. Leaves more room for interpretation and gives more leeway. If I do something he isn’t pleased with he has to live with it in a way, because he never told me not to.”

He smiled again. “He loves his riddles, I love my loopholes.”

Maximus: "I prefer silence to riddles I know I will fail to interpret. Sabotaged from their first syllable for a passive thrill of seeing me fail and punished."

Now his eyes fell. "Forgive me. I'm - I'm being - I forget myself and it's unlike me. I swear."

Xavier: “I got a fair bit of those myself when I was on the rack. As if he needed more excuses to torment me.”

Like so many times before, Xavier’s expression softened. “I have nothing to forgive. You’re free to speak your mind with me.”

Maximus: "When you say that, m'lord, understand why you are unlike my former masters."

Xavier: He nodded. “I know I am,” he said softly. “In more ways than I probably know.”

Maximus: "It goes to everyone's head." His voice would not carry over the mortal city hum, but enough weight for a demon's ear.

Xavier: “Most everyone doesn’t have their humanity intact.” Sometimes he even thought it was heightened. There were days he just felt too fucking human.

Maximus: "But that-" He leaned away, silent as their plates were placed in front of them like silent offerings. Their waiter bowed and turned away, as though fully aware of his interruption.

Xavier: “I love European waitstaff,” he said after the waiter had been thanked and had moved away. “They’re so aware.”

Maximus: This time, his smile was more familiar, more sterile. His attention would fall upon his meal.

Xavier: Xavier knew that smile all too well. That was Maximus’ butler smile. Still lovely, but not as lovely as his very rare genuine smiles.

“Trying to predict the future is a fool’s errand but I can say with some confidence that the only thing that has gone to my head is my prowess for theft.”

Maximus: "In the past two months, I've only witnessed this prowess once, m'lord. Are you sure?"

Xavier: “We’ve been preoccupied,” he said, giving Maximus a quick, charming grin. “But be assured I’ll be taking advantage of any opportunity that presents itself.”

Maximus: "Just as soon as I can find someone with an agenda against me?" His master's smile had coaxed a more favorable expression, one more teasing and relaxed.

Xavier: Xavier grinned widely. So Maximus had noticed Xavier's Robin Hood-esque defense of his honor. "Precisely. All agendas against you will be met with thieving force."

Maximus: Of course he had, though he'd seen the gesture merely as an excuse to snatch essentials for the mansion. "Well, you've brought this half-breed home. There will be no prejudice here."

Xavier: "There certainly will not. And if you see any, tell me and it will be dealt with swiftly."

Maximus: "I'm used to it, m'lord."

Xavier: "So am I. All the more reason not to let it stand."

Maximus: "No one will belittle you. Your demeanor is too regal."

Xavier: "It should be, I bought myself a viscountcy. I'm an honest to goodness lord."

Maximus: Maximus tried to conceal his smile with a sip of wine.

Xavier: He could try as hard as he wanted, but Xavier caught it nonetheless. "That would also annoy my stepmother. Something else to cling to."

Maximus: "She's long gone. She can't hurt you anymore." He was still too young. Just allowing things to fly from his mouth without thinking. He debated on apologizing, but waited for his master's reaction.

Xavier: Xavier smiled wistfully and toasted the air. "Thank God and the Devil for that, too. Long may she and my father stay on the rack."

Maximus: No punishment? How much was he allowed to get away with?

"Have you seen them? There?"

Xavier: "I've seen him. He went first so I had more time to look. Haven't found her yet. Until I do I'll content myself with dancing on her grave."

Maximus: "Could she be a wraith? Or...moved on already?"

Xavier: "Old hag is too stubborn to move on peacefully. She'll cling out of pure spite and consider herself a martyr for being sent to the pit."

Maximus: "I could find out for you, m'lord. If you really want to know the truth."

Xavier: "Perhaps in due time. I rather like the thought of her being tormented for tens of hundreds of years before I find her and she has to watch me watch her be ripped to shreds." Another wistful smile. "Warms my little black heart."

Maximus: "Are you concerned that is not the case?"

Xavier: "Not particularly. If it is, lovely. If not, I also like the thought of dragging her there myself."

Maximus: "Is that possible?"

Xavier: "I don't see why it couldn't be. If something is tying her to this mortal coil it wouldn't be terribly difficult to sever the connection."

Maximus: "Oh. I thought you meant from - from Heaven."

Xavier: Xavier shook his head. "Oh no, my dear, no. The hag isn't getting up there."

Maximus: Just a playful banter, but still he enjoyed being called dear. 'Be a dear' was the most he'd ever been given.

Another moment of vulnerability stolen by the waiter. This time, he was grateful.

Xavier: He'd scarcely noticed the slip, but now that those gates had been opened the endearment would no doubt be making regular appearances.

"Ah, glorious. Grazie," he told the waiter, inhaling deeply. "Bless the Italians."

Maximus: "Careful, you'll burn me," he smiled.

Xavier: His smile was met with a laugh, which in turn was followed by a blissful sigh at the first mouthful of food.

Maximus: His meal swelled his thoughts with memories of his mother's cooking. Sweet sentimentality through rose tinted lens. His manners were dropped long enough to mop his plate with bread. Even then, done so with elegant fingers. Not a drop spilt.

"Thank you, m'lord. For everything today."

Xavier: Maximus wasn't alone in his temporary lack of manners; it would've been criminal to waste a single bit of sauce or of the lovely bread on the table.

"You're more than welcome, Maximus. Happy to do it."

Maximus: "I'm looking forward to seeing to the frames. It feels overdue."

Xavier: "It does. Perhaps I've been avoiding thinking about the matter. Two months on and something about Aello still unsettles me."

Maximus: "He was probably harmless. No more a threat than we were to him."

Xavier: "There's threats and there's threats. I'm not entirely certain he's human."

Maximus: "Neither do I, but we don't slaughter everyone."

Xavier: "True enough, and we won't. We'll just enjoy the frames and avoid him."

Maximus: "Then are you ready, m'lord?"

Xavier: Xavier took a deep breath and nodded. "I am indeed. Unto the breach."

Maximus: The fabric was gathered and tucked under his arm. They reappeared somewhere in California sans an unforgiving sky and unwelcoming stench. His handkerchief was returned to his nose without mention. This had become his routine.

Xavier: The stench was as familiar as the layout of Milan in Xavier’s mind, only a million times less pleasant. He missed it already.

“Disgraceful,” he sighed.

Maximus: "M'lord?" More nasally than usual in an attempt to conceal his bleeding.

Xavier: "I fail to see what benefit is derived from our kind smelling like sulfur. We already have black eyes. Surely that's enough identification."

Maximus: "This is meant to be a punishment, in every sense of the word."

Xavier: "More of an annoyance than a punishment in my view."

Maximus: The piece of cloth was folded onto itself and tucked away. He would rather bleed than leave his master sullied. This had long ago been deemed his duty by Shore, and no demon in his place had ever questioned his generosity.

Xavier: Assuming Maximus had put his handkerchief away because it was too stained, Xavier offered his own. "Let us set this fabric somewhere safe and get on with the frame inspection."

Maximus: "Oh. No, thank you. I couldn't." Though he'd yet to realize a fresh bead of blood had begun its trickle downward.

"Yes, m'lord."

Xavier: "You could." He gestured at his butler's nose. "You're still bleeding, take it."

Maximus: He wouldn't deny him twice, as much as he wanted to. A quiet thank you uttered as he took the ivory cloth and placed it to his nose.

Xavier: Xavier gave an approving nod. “Excellent. Now.” He looked around. “Should we walk or see to a taxi?”

Maximus: "I wouldn't mind the walk, m'lord. We've been in taxis all day."

Xavier: “Very true. In that case, allow me to help you with the fabric.”

Maximus: "I can't allow that, m'lord. I'm alright."

Xavier: “I insist. We’ve a bit of a walk ahead.”

Maximus: "You'll scuff your clothes."

Xavier: “Scuffs can be removed.”

Maximus: "Why must you argue with me?" Asked gently, of course.

Xavier: “It’s what I do,” he said with a smile, carefully taking half the fabric.

Maximus: The fabric was reluctantly released. His servant had no clue as to the blush, softest shade of pink, flush to his cheeks. As though this were submission for something far more intimate.

Xavier: Maximus might have been unaware of it, but Xavier certainly was not. No comment was made, but he silently committed it to memory, savoring every detail and nuance it brought to Maximus’ face. Such beautiful, delicate features his butler had.

“Very good,” he said softly, starting down the road and waiting for Maximus to fall into step beside him.

Maximus: Beside yes, but always by a half-step, just barely from eyeshot. A ghost meant to open doors and take coats from shoulders, to serve tea and renew plates as if from nowhere.

As they approached the warehouse, his butler appeared by the door.

Xavier: A ghost Xavier intended to make more corporeal. One of these days Maximus would comfortably walk by his side from place to place with scarcely a second thought; Xavier was determined to make it so.

He smiled and nodded in thanks as he stepped through the door and into the main office of his shipping warehouse. He exchanged a brief greeting with the middle-aged man at the desk, who'd immediately stood to attention.

"I should have two crates waiting for me, Greaves."

"Yes, your lordship, from New York. Sender Aello?"

Xavier nodded. "Those are the ones, yes. Where are they?"

"Finch put them in the secure holding room beside your office."

"Thank you, Greaves. Keep an eye on this fabric and mind you, don't let it get stained. It'll be the drapes in my drawing room before much longer."

Greaves nodded and relieved both of them from their burden. "Yes, your lordship."

"By the by, this is Townsend, my new assistant. Treat him as you would me."

Another nod from Greaves. "Yes, your lordship. Welcome, Mr. Townsend."

Maximus: A warehouse if ever there was one, but belonging to Xavier Atlas somehow made the ceilings higher, and the air crisp as though he were still outside in the December wind.

Greaves seemed well kept, despite his long years. Human, just as his master had said. Had they any idea of their employer?

His false name jerked his thoughts, and that which followed put a rod in his spine.

David Townsend, tall in posture and steady hands on his hat, bowed his head. The most polite smile one could muster without teeth followed without word.

Xavier: Greaves' tidiness and mannerisms reflected the way Xavier ran his business. The warehouse was large and busy, and though there was the buzz of conversation and occasional roar of bawdy laughter, every employee was dressed smartly and moved efficiently. This was a tight ship and Xavier was enormously proud of it.

Greaves handed them off to the aforementioned Finch, a much younger and scrawnier man with a cigarette between his lips and a Midwestern accent. He filled Xavier in on the goings on as they moved through the warehouse, dodging dockers and weaving between crates.

"Shipment's here, your lordship sir." Finch stopped in front of a heavy metal door. "Two crates, two frames, both unopened just like you said."

"Thank you, Finch. That will be all."

Maximus: They were followed behind, listening to every detail. Of the man downstairs complaining about his wife. To the man by his side laughing at his misfortune in marriage. He could hear the clatter of crates to which their destination remained in queue. The sound of large, tired trucks beyond the warehouse. Always, his master's voice above it all as though whispered nose-to-ear.

He waited for Finch to leave the room, for the door to close and muffle their surroundings. He placed his hat on the desk, along with his gloves. He continued without word towards the nearest crate.

Xavier: "Wait a moment, Maximus." Xavier eyed the crates. They seemed innocuous enough. Still...

"Can you feel anything? Smell anything? A strange energy signature, the traces of a spell?"

Maximus: His servant turned, his smile unlike that given to his employers. A playful, silent note, with a finger brought to his lips. Let me work, his eyes said. To mollify, he reached for the smaller crate first. The box was placed on top of the other, opened with brute strength.

Xavier: Xavier smiled and nodded, stepping back to let Maximus do whatever it was he was going to do but not dropping his guard. He almost expected Aello himself to pop out of one of those crates.

The crate opened and Xavier tensed, ready to defend Maximus and himself.

Maximus: That would have been nothing if not entertaining. A fat, jolly man with rosy cheeks stuffed into a child-size crate would have been unforgettable. He still wasn't sure what it was he had initially done to catch the salesman's attention. Whatever the case, the smaller frame was unearthed from the paper pulp. No burning, freezing, no sudden shock to his system. Nothing but wood and bits of metal long ago replacing thick twine.

The frame was set aside and studied much the same as it had in October. Beautiful, as expected, but unassuming.

The first crate was set aside. Onto the next.

Xavier: Like the crate it had just been in, the frame looked innocuous. Lovely and ornate and innocuous. A close inspection still had to be made but so far so good.

Maximus: It's larger twin was pulled in the same fashion and leaned against it's crate. This time, he kneeled in front of it, inspected as close as he could manage for tiny scribbled spells or hidden drops of blood.

Xavier: Xavier dared step closer. He still didn't feel any strange energy signatures but they weren't always present. Something sinister could still be lurking.

While Maximus studied the frames, he took it upon himself to study the crates themselves. It wasn't always the thing inside the box that held the nasty surprise; just as often it was the box.

Maximus: Pale fingers gently glided along the edge of the frame, feeling grooves or scratches. It was then he nicked his middle finger. The smallest prick with the tiniest bead of blood. So inconsequential, in his quiet thoughts, not to disturb his master. His hand carefully fell to his side, out of his master's sight.

Xavier: However tiny, they were demons. Their sense of smell was as sharp as any shark, and Xavier didn't need to be a mile away to smell that tiny metallic trace in the air.

"Did you cut yourself?" he asked suddenly, whipping around.

Maximus: Deer in headlights. His servant stared for a moment, caught completely off guard.

Xavier: "Let me see."

Maximus: He could not tell him no. He was eternally bound to obey. His hand, reluctantly, was presented palm-side up. The tiny scratch was barely inflamed, as though arguing to heal.

Xavier: Xavier gently took Maximus' hand and brought it closer to examine the cut. "Did the frame do this or a piece of the crate?" he asked as he began to heal it.

Maximus: "A shard of wood behind the frame." His eyes never left their hands.

Xavier: That was the next order of business then. He'd see to it only after Maximus' hand was set to rights and he'd made sure that the cut hadn't had any other effect on his butler.

Maximus: No obvious effect. Still calm, pale, and rigid. "It was most likely nothing, m'lord."

Xavier: "We can't be too careful, Maximus. Many a spell can be done with demon blood and this is a brilliant and stealthy way to get some."

Time to inspect the back of the frame.

Maximus: Everything about the frame spoke of simultaneous age and care. Long ago someone had taken the time to sand, paint, varnish, with consideration of every dip and hill of craftsmanship. The shard did not belong, as though someone had been careless with something so expensive.

Xavier: The shard did not indeed belong. As though by design. After all, why take such care with every aspect of the frame and leave they one imperfection untouched and unattended to.

He went to the door and stuck his head out. “Finch!”

The man appeared in moments. “Yes, your lordship sir?”

“Bring me some pliers and sandpaper.”

“Right away, your lordship.”

Maximus: "I can pull it apart myself," he called to his master's back.

Xavier: “Precautions, my dear. We must take them all.”

Maximus: There it was again. He tried not to think too deeply on his pet name. Still, his thoughts lingered while staring a hole into the large frame.

Xavier: Finch returned with the requested pliers and sandpaper, with a pair of gloves thrown in for good measure.

Xavier nodded as he took everything. "Thank you, Finch. The crate remnants will be going into the incinerator. Sooner rather than later, please."

"Yes, your lordship sir."

Once Finch had moved away, Xavier put on the gloves and turned the frame so the backside was facing him. Any inscriptions? Any sigils?

Maximus: Nothing of note. Only the single splinter of wood, as though it had fallen against a sharp corner.

Maximus slowly shifted to the side, giving his master room.

"I can remove it."

Xavier: "Don't trouble yourself, Maximus. Much as I love these frames I don't trust them one bit." He carefully removed the shard from the frame and braced for calamity.

If none came, he'd begin sanding down the location where it had been, along with any spots of Maximus' blood.

Maximus: "Then why did you purchase them, m'lord?" Yes, there was humor in his tone, but Atlas was looking away.

Xavier: Maximus would be able to hear the smile in Xavier's voice. "Because they really are nice frames. And they would look lovely in my house."

Maximus: There was no drop or blood to speak of. Once the shard was removed, it seemed the frame had always existed with a smooth, almost perfect dip the length of a small fingernail.

Xavier: Xavier squinted at the frame. This was a magical object. He didn't know exactly how or exactly what it did, but he was almost certain it was an artifact.

"When we return to Paradise, remind me to purchase some sort of print at the frame shop. Two, in fact. One for each frame. We're going to do a little experiment."

Maximus: "Yes, m'lord." He wouldn't question what that would be at this time. He would find out be tonight.

"Shall I take us home?"

Xavier: "How's your energy? We can still take the train or hire a car."

Maximus: "I'll be fine. I swear. I just need to gather the fabrics."

Xavier: "Then let's go collect them from Greaves."

Maximus: "M'lord." Fabrics over one arm, held very carefully. The frames were hung from his other. This he would refuse, given how often they had traveled already. He wanted his master comfortable at his own expense. They would return to the mansion in one piece. Another bloody nose, standing in the middle of the drawing room.

Xavier: “Thank you for getting us back in once piece. How do you feel?”

Maximus: "Exhausted of nosebleeds, but I'm well."

Xavier: “Nothing odd around the site of your cut?”

Maximus: He looked to his hand. "No, m'lord." None that he could see.

Xavier: Xavier nodded. “Very good. But if you start feeling strange or notice something amiss, tell me immediately.”

Maximus: "Yes, m'lord," a response he was forced to give. Should he obey, he did not yet know if he could avoid.

Xavier: “Promise?”

Maximus: "I - Yes, m'lord." What he wanted to say verses what was spoken was quietly concealed in his eyes.

Xavier: His eyes were telling Maximus to go ahead and speak his mind.

Maximus: He turned away. "This frame for which room, m'lord?"

Xavier: “The larger one for this room,” he said softly. “The smaller for the library.”

Maximus: Then without word, he took the smaller frame in hand, bowed, and walked away.

Xavier: Xavier waited until he heard Maximus’ footsteps on the stairs before he sighed softly. He only hoped Maximus kept to his promise.

Maximus: He felt a little ridiculous. The frame had simply scuffed on its travel across the United States. There was no great mystery here. The only mystery was why Xavier was more worried than he was.

Xavier. That was the first time he'd ever thought of him by his first name. He was losing his senses. He'd never warmly regarded any owner, with perhaps the smallest exception of Crawford. He was property, a tool, a plaything one would pick up and put down at leisure.

The frame was secured onto the wall near one of the great shelves. His thoughts swam in memories, too fogged to pay attention to his task. In the middle of the library he stood, allowing himself a moment to find a clearing from his mind. There was a name for this, surely, but he did not know. He could not move, only exist.

Deep breath. He'd found his way out.

The frame was perfectly center. This was the smaller one, was it not? It seemed taller than when he had unearthed it from the crate.

Xavier: Whether the frame had been scuffed en route to the warehouse mattered precious little to Xavier's paranoia; it was far more concerned with the man who had done the sending.

That Aello was not human--or was a human with magic--was all but a certainty in his mind. Ordinary humans didn't have the kind of aura, that kind of energy. They'd settled and parted on decent terms (Xavier made sure of that) but still the suspicion remained. His paranoia had served him very well for the past several decades and he saw no need to start doubting it now simply because Aello was a jolly old man.

If it turned out he was worrying for nothing, all the better. If not, then he was prepared.

Xavier heaved a long sigh. He needed a drink. "Maximus?" he called.

Maximus: His servant appeared in an instant. The light pouring through the windows made him appear paler than usual.

"M'lord?"

Xavier: ......He second-thought that drink.

"Let's put the kettle on. We've traveled many miles today, we've earned a cup of tea."

Maximus: Assent with a bow. This time he would use his legs and walk to the kitchen. Some bread and butter would be added to the tea tray as well. A wave of calm seemed to have washed over him since the library.

Xavier: While Maximus put together the tea service, Xavier started a fire for them. The days were getting colder and colder and shorter and shorter, making even this palatial manor house feel cozy and warm.

All that was missing was the record player he still needed to find.

Maximus: What they did have was radio, and in the absence of radio, there was Maximus' voice, quietly singing in Italian while waiting for water to boil.

Xavier: To Xavier, that was just as good as any record he could play. And like nearly every other time Maximus had sung over the past two months, Xavier snuck closer to listen.

Maximus: Despite his hearing, he was not in tune with the house this evening. There was no need for such caution as to listen to every groan and sigh of the floors and corridors.  Sweet love songs passed his lips without concern, switching into the more easily spoken French as the kettle whistled.

Xavier: That was something to be thankful for. Still, Xavier didn't want to push his luck and get even closer than he already was, no matter how much he wanted to see the expression on Maximus' face as he sang. He could hear and admire his butler just fine through the wall. Such a beautiful voice and kept so private. He hoped the day would come when it wouldn't be.

He'd wait until the last possible second to make his way back to the drawing room.

Maximus: Wherever his master had wondered throughout the house, his servant would find him, tray in hands. His disposition was composed. No different from the everyday taciturn behavior, with the exception of his eyes. One might call them sedated.

The tray was placed on a table.

"I don't suppose you're famished," he finally said, "but I brought a little something."

Xavier: Xavier gave Maximus a warm smile in greeting. “No Englishman ever said no to food with their tea. Especially when it’s bread.”

Maximus: "It's missing fried clams and sauce. Perhaps tomorrow."

Xavier: “I shall look forward to that. Make me all your Louisiana specialties.”

Maximus: "That's what I'm for, m'lord."

Xavier: You're so much more than that, he thought to himself. He would've said it aloud, but he had a feeling Maximus wasn't quite ready to hear it.

"Until then, sit and have a cup of tea with me. You've earned it."

Maximus: He'd learned not to attempt to argue. A quick lesson of just two months. Only after making his master's cup of tea did he take to a seat near the tray.

November 8, 2019

Xavier: Xavier was glad the lesson had stuck; his next goal was for Maximus to just automatically pour himself a cup or make a plate or sit down of his own free will. Slow and steady.

"How does the frame look in the library?"

Maximus: "As though it should have always been there," he said gently to his cup.

Xavier: "Then it was the correct choice."

Maximus: "Master Atlas." Two words equally delicate, as though barely lifted from his tongue.

Xavier: "Yes, Maximus?" he said softly.

Maximus: The demon blinked, brow furrowed enough to wrinkle. "I don't know."

Xavier: "Is something bothering you?"

Maximus: "No. I just suddenly needed to say your name."

Xavier: He gave Maximus a gentle smile. "You can say it as often as you like."

Maximus: Maximus swallowed and sat his cup aside. "I didn't mean to." His eyes had taken on a daydreamt state.

Xavier: "That's all right, Maximus. I don't mind."

Maximus: "I'm going to...clean now, m'lord. I need -" what was he about to say? That would have been awful. Where was his mind now? "Excuse me." His cup was returned to the tray and abandoned. With brisk stride he removed himself from the room.

Xavier: Xavier's brow furrowed. What had just happened?

He cast a glance at the empty frame. Perhaps....

He set his own cup down and followed after Maximus.

Maximus: He was humming, seemingly without shame, a Chick Bullock song. Breathy lyrics uttered from red wine lips as he headed towards the library. His shoulders slacked from lack of tension. Ungloved fingers gently caressed the banister as he ascended.

Xavier: The furrowed brow became a full-on frown. Maximus was humming? Out in the open? Where Xavier could easily hear?

Something wasn't right.

He waited until his butler reached the landing and turned before starting up the stairs himself.

Maximus: A handful of leather-bound books were pulled from their shelves, thumbed, and set aside. Papers were stacked neatly and put away. Pillows refluffed and returned. The books, written in French, were then gathered in his arm. Center of the room he paused, staring off into space. The demon blinked, looked to his arm and shivered as though shaking off the cold. These were books he had wanted to read since his master brought them home. He couldn't read them all at once. Three of the four were returned.

Xavier: Xavier couldn't quite decide whether he was more fascinated or concerned. Maximus helping himself to books in the library wasn't a shock; Xavier had told him he was free to do so. The...ease about him was definitely noteworthy, however. Usually it seemed like his butler never fully allowed himself to relax, and here he was, relaxed.

What actually concerned him was the moment when Maximus paused and shivered and looked at his arm. Was that the same side the cut had been on?

Maximus: His shiver had begun with his right side, the side which had been pierced by the frame. The bewilderment on his servant's features had been towards his insatiable inclination. With the books returned, he turned towards the door, paused directly in front of the frame. The literature in his hands, a hardback treasure gifted to the world by a woman, was hugged to his chest.

Xavier: "I knew it," Xavier muttered to himself, stepping into his butler's line of sight. His paranoia continued to serve him well.

"Maximus." His tone was light and gentle. Casual even. "We're going to pop into town for a bit. There are some things I need."

Maximus: His butler's posture straightened with a violent jerk, nearly dropped the book from his chest. It was as though he had been struck.

"I can get them for you, m'lord."

Xavier: He smiled. "That's quite all right, I fancy a drive. We could both use a break from our usual form of travel. We can bring the fabric to the shop while we're there."

Maximus: He glanced behind, as though expecting someone to be there. Perhaps the fabric, even. "Will we make it in time? Most stores will be closing soon."

Xavier: "We should, yes. If we don't then that's no bother for us, now is it?" His voice had remained gentle, his smile soft, and reassuring. "Come."

Maximus: "No, it's no bother, but I'd hate for you to be disappointed." His eyes closed, berating himself for all of two seconds. "Yes, m'lord."

Xavier: "I doubt very much that I will be. We have plenty of time." All is well. Just come to me and away from the frame.

Once Maximus had joined him, Xavier waited until his butler started down the hall before he closed and telepathically locked the library door.

Downstairs, the drawing room door was also locking itself. A simple precaution.

He led them to garage and into the car, keeping a close eye on Maximus as they started down the road.

Maximus: As usual, Maximus opened the passenger side door for his master. Being the one and only servant of the house, he'd quickly grown accustomed to playing every role in one. His surprise was mild when his master refused him.

The fabric had been placed in the backseat. During the drive, he stared out the window, hands in his lap, perfectly quiet.

Xavier: No outward signs of distress. Good. That meant whatever was happening wasn't causing pain.

Time for some tests.

"I was thinking we could stop by the ice cream parlor as well. It's been ages since I had any. What's your favorite flavor?"

Maximus: His servant looked on, nonchalant. "I don't have a favorite."

Xavier: “Perhaps I should buy several for you to see if we can find one.”

Maximus: "That's just frivolous, m'lord."

Xavier: “Frivolity makes life more fun. Let’s also get a cake.”

Maximus: "I can bake you one better than those in town."

Xavier: Xavier grinned. “Can you indeed? What’s your best recipe?”

Maximus: "Praline...with joconde sponge. It's the only one I know, so it's perfect."

Xavier: “In that case, we’ll get you all the ingredients you need. And a cake pan, as I don’t think we have one.”

Maximus: "What do you think I've made your elaborate English pies in?"

Xavier: “Ah, yes,” he chuckled. “I’m sure you must be getting tired of making so much pastry.”

Maximus: "My arms are strong from the effort. You enjoy my cooking. I can't complain about that."

Xavier: Xavier smiled to himself. He was beginning to see the effects. "I do enjoy your cooking, very much. I also enjoy sharing it with you."

Maximus: "It won't last, m'lord." His eyes closed again. "I ask for your forgiveness. I'm behaving most inappropriately."

Xavier: "No, Maximus, you're not behaving inappropriately. This is simply the result of the spell."

Maximus: "I thought previous masters were paranoid."

Xavier: "My paranoia has borne fruit. The frame seems to be lowering all your inhibitions and making you speak your mind."

Maximus: "How do you..."

Xavier: "You're answering all my questions without a filter and you can't seem to stop yourself."

Maximus: "I..." He closed his mouth. Indeed, he was about to say something else. Let's try again. "When did you know?"

Xavier: "You dashed out of the room like you were on fire, kept staring off into space, and gave the frame on the wall a strange look while shivering and looked at the arm you cut."

Maximus: "You followed me?" That's all he heard.

Xavier: "Yes. You never dash anywhere like you're on fire. You walk or hasten in a composed manner."

Maximus: "I didn't...dash. I walked...briskly."

Xavier: "For you, that's a dash."

Maximus: "I couldn't be in the room with you."

Xavier: "Because you kept wanting to say things and couldn't stop yourself?"

Maximus: His eyes remained closed. "I felt human again, but...I was better composed as a child. It made no sense."

Xavier: "It's the frame," he said softly. "Remember how I said that all sorts of spells can be done with blood? It took yours and had this effect on you."

Maximus: "When this is over I - anyway you see fit to punish me, I won't...I accept."

Xavier: "Darling, why would I punish you for something that isn't your fault? You didn't inscribe the frame with a spell and intentionally cut yourself with it."

Maximus: "I wish you would and just get it over with." His hands clutched to white knuckles. "I'm sorry."

Xavier: "Maximus, stop apologizing. I'm not going to punish you. I have no desire to punish you and no plans to punish you."

Maximus: "Please, just once so I can breathe."

Xavier: “I don’t want to punish you. I have absolutely zero desire or intention. I know you keep bracing for it and expecting it but it isn’t going to come.”

Maximus: "You're not the first demon to make that promise, master."

Xavier: “I’m sure I’m not. But I’m the first that plans to keep it.”

Maximus: "You're going to hurt more than anyone before you."

Xavier: "I sincerely hope I don't," he said softly. "I don't want to hurt you, Maximus."

Maximus: "Please forget everything I've said today when this is over."

Xavier: "I'll forget everything but your promise for fried clams and sauce." He offered a small smile.

Maximus: And all without having to open his eyes. He was grateful he'd been allowed.

"Yes, m'lord."

Xavier: Xavier took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s get this frame situation sorted.”

Maximus: "What are you going to do?"

Xavier: “I’m going to try a simple cleansing spell. Ancient Roman in origin. I need salt, spelt, and sage.”

Maximus: "So you are going to hurt me."

Xavier: "Oh no, not for you. For the frame, to get rid of the spell."

Maximus: We don't know what that might do to me. A thought he just managed to keep to himself. "Yes, m'lord."

Xavier: Indeed they did not. Xavier hoped that cleansing the spell from the frame would break its effect on Maximus but there was no way to be sure. Unless...

"There is another option. I could contact Aello."

Maximus: "Yes, m'lord." There was no way around an argument.

Xavier: "How do you feel? Physically?"

Maximus: With a full understanding of his predicament, he managed to swallow his words.

"Several ways."

Xavier: "Could you tell me? I wouldn't pry, but I need to understand what's happening to you so I can try to understand the spell."

Maximus: "I beg you, please don't demand of me."

Xavier: Xavier sighed softly. "Very well. Can I at least ask if you are in pain?"

Maximus: "No pain, m'lord."

Xavier: He nodded. At least there was that.

"Very well. We'll drop off the fabric and get the items I need and I suppose we'll see how to proceed from there."

Maximus: "If you'll allow me, I can find a way to deal with this myself. I am at fault."

Xavier: "Darling, I really wish you would stop blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault. You were inspecting the frames because I suspected they were enchanted somehow."

Maximus: "I shouldn't have regarded him at all. It wasn't my place. I am not darling."

Xavier: "You had no reason not to regard him. When we walked into his shop, we thought he was simply another shopkeeper. We must have interacted with a dozen shopkeepers over the past couple of months, no reason to suspect anything amiss."

Maximus: "But he didn't look at you the way he looked at me. It was me, m'lord."

Xavier: "He did the looking, Maximus, not you. His fixation, his strange attention. You did as I asked and stayed behind me. You didn't instigate this."

Maximus: "I -" Both fists cracked under the strain of his clench. They always look. It's always initiated by others. I cannot have a year of peace. I know this. What do I do? What do my eyes say that I cannot conceal? What am I constantly doing wrong? What did Mays see?

"Your confidence in me knows no bounds."

Xavier: "No, it doesn't." Said with complete conviction and no hesitation. "Our bond means your loyalty has been given to me. It also means mine has been given to you. You're part of my household. I will defend you, I will answer for you, and I will see you provided for."

Maximus: "Did you mean this pact when you created my summons?"

Xavier: Xavier shook his head. "I didn't anticipate it, no. That the bond would beget loyalty I knew. The rest of it? It's because it's you."

Maximus: "I don't deserve it."

Xavier: "And I don't deserve a beautiful estate and an enviable art collection and wardrobe. But I have all of that anyway."

Maximus: He could control this, so long as he kept his grip. If he clenched enough to bleed, then he could keep silent. The town was within sight.

Xavier: Within sight and quickly getting closer. Should he stop talking or try to diffuse or distract?

"If we're very lucky, there could be a time limit on the spell's efficacy. I wonder if transporting the frames out of the house would help. I could make actual copies of them and keep the enchanted originals in the warehouse."

Maximus: "I think we should call him. I want to know why, and what's to come of this. Or see to him."

His fingers released, revealing rows of crescent blood.

Xavier: "Seeing him might be asking for trouble. We'll find a phone box and give him a call."

Maximus: "Yes, m'lord."

Xavier: "I won't tell him the spell is affecting you. I'll tell him it's affecting a member of my household staff. I learned long ago not to provide details unless explicitly asked for them."

Maximus: "He'll know," he said, forcing himself to heal. In doing so, a wave of calm washed over him. He felt the tension release from his muscles of their own accord.

Xavier: "Perhaps, perhaps not. For all he knows I have a full accompaniment of maids, footmen, and hall boys."

Maximus: Without word, Maximus disappeared from the moving vehicle. Appearing on the side of the road next to the small, lonesome post office.

Xavier: He should've been surprised, but considering what he had guessed about the spell--and what Maximus had admitted--his butler's disappearance came as no shock. He could only imagine what Maximus was stopping himself from saying.

The car was parked and Xavier soon joined his butler. "Would you like to listen in on the call or would you rather stay out here?"

Maximus: A cigarette rested between his lips as His Lordship made his approach. He faced away as he apologized.

"I shall do whatever you think is best, m'lord," said softly, a gust of smoke with each word.

Xavier: “I’m asking what you want. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. More uncomfortable, I should say. You’ve had a long day.”

Maximus: "I want many things. I want to say your name and I want - I want to finish this cigarette and forget today."

Xavier: Xavier nodded and tried to offer what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Finish your cigarette. I'm going to go make this call and hope it bears fruit."

Maximus: Yes, Xavier, he thought. He turned his back on him entirely, taking a long, agonizingly slow drag in the hopes of burning his lungs.

Xavier: It wouldn't be held against him. This was turning into a very, very strange day.

Xavier excused himself and stepped into the booth, closing the door behind him. He called the long-distance operator and asked to be put through to Aello's shop, simultaneously hoping the man would answer and dreading that he would.

Maximus: The line connected after two to rings. The silence which followed, however brief, swelled with an aura of anticipation. The voice on the other line was no less grand and humored as it had been in October.

"Rossmara, how fortunate to receive you."

Xavier: The greeting gave Xavier pause. He hadn't given Aello the name Rossmara. He'd given him his vessel's name. Deidrich.

"Good evening, Mr. Aello," he said evenly. "Should I venture to guess that you've been expecting my call?"

Maximus: "You may venture much! It might all bear fruit. At any rate, I am very pleased to hear from you."

Xavier: "I wish I could say I'm calling under pleasant circumstances, Mr. Aello. I have a bone to pick with you."

Maximus: "You make it sound so unpleasant. I hear it in your tone. Quite sour. Though such matters should be discussed face-to-face, you and the young master might have qualms. I promise you there would be none. Would you prefer Rossmara, Deidrich, or Atlas?"

Xavier: "Well, I must confess that I am quite sour, whatever you see fit to call me. I would prefer to know why a legitimate purchase from what I assume to be a legitimate business has resulted in the maiming of one of my members of staff."

Maximus: "Maim? Maim?!" A full-bodied laughter crackled the line. "Heavens no! No, he is quite safe."

Xavier: "I'm afraid to disagree. Blood has been spilled absent cause, Mr. Aello."

Maximus: "Only in being unfathomable to you is it absent anything. I promise it was just a drop. A drop of knowledge beneficial to the both of us. I needed to know his structure."

Xavier: "May I ask why? Have we committed some offense against you, in this life or a past one?"

Maximus: "Offense? My good demon, there is no offense made! Only in regard to the creatures that wound the little doll without releasing the key."

Xavier: "Am I to understand that you contrived to steal blood in order to help?"

Maximus: "As I previously stated, I wished to understand his structure. His aura was covered in brambles he did not intentionally grow, from a single vine planted years ago. I had to see his unguarded underbelly. I'm so very glad I did. Do forgive me, but I believe I can give him, what shall we call it...a more suitable forever home, should you allow me to just take him off your hands. I have been looking for such man for what feels like a millennium."

Xavier: "Well, Mr. Aello, you're going to have to continue your search for a while longer. He is not a frame or some other commodity that is for sale and I am not going to part with him. He is under my care and begging your pardon, I think he is in the most suitable home he can be in. What's more, he is currently in distress and I would very much appreciate your insights into how I might relieve it."

Maximus: "As we are begging pardons, I must ask one of you. Everything has a price, and despite your fairness for buying full price, you are a demon with another demon under your thumb. Surely, it would be of no great effort to find yourself another."

Xavier: "It's not a matter of effort, Mr. Aello, it's a matter of loyalty and principle. Shocking, I know."

Maximus: "How much is he worth to you? Substantial comfort? Riches? What about pain? How much are you willing to sacrifice to keep him? Everything has a price. Name his worth and I shall concede."

Xavier: Xavier's jaw clenched. He looked to the man outside, suddenly struck with how much he had come to mean in a mere two months.

"Not everything, Mr. Aello," he said softly. "How much would it cost me for you to leave us alone? To leave him alone?"

Maximus: A rumbling hum. "Do you like him this way? Honest? Have you heard a venomous word from his lips?"

Xavier: "He did not choose to be this way. He is not comfortable this way. I was not exaggerating when I said he was distressed, nor was I being facetious when I asked you how I might relieve it."

Maximus: "I am giving you the release, should you answer my question. There is no need for all of that, Your Lordship."

Xavier: "I like him the way he is, not the way the spell is making him be." As much as he wanted Maximus to be more open and comfortable around him, Xavier had no intention of forcing it and he didn't care to see someone else forcing it. He owed Maximus more than to have someone change him on a whim. He didn't want someone to change him, he liked his butler precisely the way he was, absent artifice or embellishments.

Can you hear that in his voice, Mr. Aello?

Maximus: A long calm silence followed. "And the unkind word? Has there been one?"

Xavier: "No, there has not."

Maximus: "Truth without spite. Truth gentle and sweet like nectar. One day you will realize you cannot keep him to breast. When that day comes, it is my sincere hope you remember the name Aello. Have him drink from honeysuckle. Place your thumb to his forehead, and his underbelly shall be armored once more."

Xavier: Xavier heaved a long, silent breath of relief. "I do not know how much you know of me, Mr. Aello, but if there's one thing I'm proficient at in this life, it's holding the things that matter to breast. I thank you for your assistance."

Maximus: "I do it for Master Fairchild, my good demon. I will take a knee for now, but this will not be my final hello and goodbye. To your health and good fortune." Only a moment later did the line sever.

Xavier: "So do I," Xavier murmured to himself once the line disconnected. "So do I."

He took a moment to compose himself and rejoined Maximus, face all smiles. "You'll soon be feeling like yourself, Maximus."

Maximus: His servant was well into his second cigarette. His master's presence was enough cause to stamp the ember on the pavement.

"May I ask what happened?"

Xavier: "I asked him for help and he gave it to me."

Maximus: "But...But why...?"

Xavier: "Why did he do it or why did he help?"

Maximus: His posture, though correct, lacked a little something in the shoulders. "Both, please."

Xavier: Xavier found and held Maximus’ gaze. “He wanted to take you for himself and when I refused to give you over he relented and told me how to break the spell.”

Maximus: "Take me, m'lord? I'm nobody. Nobody to notice like that."

Xavier: “It would seem that you are.”

Maximus: "I...I'm sorry. It was my fault, as I said."

Xavier: “You can’t be faulted for existing, and I won’t fault you for existing.”

Maximus: "You're not a demon."

Xavier: “Then I really would like that whole sulfur business to come to an end.” Dare he hope for a smile?

Maximus: Rather than a smile, he closed his eyes. Nothing so harsh as though in self-beration. It was as though he'd been kissed on the cheek.

Xavier: Too soon for hope. Tomorrow was another day.

“Come. We must procure some honeysuckle.”

Maximus: "This was a fae if ever one were to craft a spell."

Xavier: “Couldn’t have said it better myself. It’s rather disarming to have my aliases known.”

Maximus: "He knew you?"

Xavier: Xavier nodded and led the way back to the car. "Yes. When he first answered me called me Rossmara, and later on he asked if I preferred to be called Atlas, Rossmara, or Deidrich."

Maximus: "Everything he does is based on truth, from the moment we met him."

Xavier: "Including his spell." He telepathically opened both their doors. No humans around to see at the moment.

Maximus: "There's honeysuckle at home. If you would prefer to go home, I will drive the car back, m'lord."

Xavier: "Ah, very good. Then we've only to stop at the fabric shop." And he would be driving.

Maximus: "I take that as a no, then." He made his way around to the passenger's side.

Xavier: "Tomorrow everything can return to normal. Today, let me look after you."

Maximus: He resorted to biting his tongue. Stop making me feel wanted.

"As you wish, Lord Atlas."

Xavier: "Thank you. Off we go, then."

They managed to arrive at the shop just before the owner was set to close, and even then they were only granted entry because the woman knew theirs was a big, high paying job.

Xavier handed over the fabric, money, and his requirements in short order and they were soon on their way back home.

Maximus: Maximus resorted to standing outside. He felt so inappropriate and useless. How they could return to what they were after his appalling behavior he didn't know. A decision needed to be made, one which forced the childhood habit of biting his thumbnail and hugging himself. He was vulnerable, and his reputation forever tarnished.

Back in the car, he stared out his window.

"Just after the gate, the honeysuckle is that way," he gestured.

Xavier: Xavier looked in the direction Maximus indicated and nodded.

Before they got to that, there was something he needed to say.

"Do you remember," he began softly, "what you asked me that afternoon we had tea at the Plaza?"

Maximus: Moistened lips parted, a gentle utterance of yes. Of course he remembered that afternoon. "But things are different now, aren't they?"

Xavier: "No, they aren't." He brought the car to a stop and turned to Maximus. "Aello thought he could offer me something in exchange for you. He asked me to name my price because he assumed I was like many of our brethren, absent principle and consumed by greed. So I told him what I'm about to tell you."

Only when he was certain Maximus was listening did he continue. "You are not a commodity to me. You are not something to be traded or sold. I told you that you were mine and you are mine. I will not allow someone to try to undermine our bond, remove you from your home, or hurt you on a whim. Not Aello, not anyone."

Maximus: When the car came to a halt, his anticipation spiked and plummeted, and again when his master turned to face him. An unpleasant knot had formed on the back of his neck from the stress. His mind and body could not come to an agreement.

For once in their brief history, he felt the difference in their ages. He was his first; he could not blame the demon for his gracious ignorance.

"When you were handed that scrap of paper, you were given the promise of a slave. No matter how beguiling your words, you know. I am yours. You will not allow anyone else to have what belongs to you. Your kindness has its limitations. You can't even set me free, had you a mind to. I would be given to someone else in less than an hour. No matter the gesture, you will always be master."

Whether it was Aello's intention or not, he had given Maximus a shallow form of his expectation. One way or another, he knew Xavier Atlas would hurt him. His altruism was an affliction.

"I'm going to get out now, m'lord," he whispered.

Xavier: He could strangle that bleeding Fae. He still had a mind to. Veiled threats didn’t sit well with him and that’s what Aello truly was.

“I don’t know how much honeysuckle we’ll need,” he responded softly. “I’ll grab a bunch. The spell won’t take more than a few moments.”

Maximus: "Very good, m'lord." The door was shut gently behind him.

Xavier: Sighing, Xavier went to park the car before going in search of honeysuckle, mildly annoyed at himself for not asking how much.

There was precious little nectar in each flower so....surely a bouquet would do. If more was needed he’d bring every last flower back to the house.

Maximus: Maximus remained in the woods on the grounds. He'd found a bush covered in pale pink honeysuckle and felt no inclination to move. His master would find him eventually.

Xavier: Xavier had gotten to know the woods surrounding his estate rather well since they'd been here and found Maximus rather quickly. He was eager to be done with this.

"Maximus?" he called softly to announce his presence.

Maximus: His servant turned, a tiny flower pinched between his fingers. "The day started out so well," he said softly. "With all things considered."

Xavier: "It did. You'll like Massimo's work. He only gives his best, even more so when it's someone he likes."

Maximus: He had nothing to say in regard to Massimo. His impulse told him to offer the flower to his master, and so he did.

Xavier: Xavier accepted it, and offered the bouquet in return. "You have to drink the nectar while I say an incantation." He paused for a beat. "It requires that I touch you."

Maximus: "You don't have to seek permission," he said without thinking. At this point he just accepted his fate while he knew it to last.

Xavier: He didn't respond verbally, but his look very clearly said 'yes I do'.

"I have to press my thumb to your forehead. It will only take a few moments."

Maximus: For everything this spell forced from his quiet thoughts and untouched impulses, looking at a tiny pink flower and deciding it to be edible had not crossed his mind. He closed his eyes. Without apology, the honeysuckle was placed on his tongue. Bitter petals and a sweet surprise.

Xavier: "Keep eating them until I finish. Just to be safe."

With greater care than he could remember doing anything, Xavier pressed his thumb to Maximus' forehead and began the incantation.

"Truth without spite," he murmured. "Truth gentle and sweet like nectar."

Maximus: Those were the words meant to be said during this spell? Had the spell been designed that way, or was this meant to reflect himself? Eyes opened, looking at his master with confusion. He...had nothing to say. His compulsion to embarrass himself had dissipated.

Xavier: The confusion caught him off guard. "Are you all right? Did it work?"

Maximus: "What does that even mean, m'lord?" asked quietly.

Xavier: "The incantation?"

Maximus: For some reason the words upset him. They were too syrupy in his regard.

He realized he had yet to speak.

"It's over."

Xavier: Shoulders he hadn't noticed were tense relaxed. "Good. Excellent. That's the incantation Aello gave me. I didn't question it."

Maximus: While the man in front of him began to square his own.

He couldn't let go of their words. Gentle and sweet like nectar. Was that supposed to be him?

"Then I shall not either," he lied.

Xavier: "If you find the effects are only temporary or more present themselves, tell me immediately. I wouldn't put it past that blasted Fae to continue to play games."

Maximus: His expression had lost its mellow. The same gaze just shy of his master's eyes. "Yes, m'lord."

Xavier: "Even the tiniest thing amiss. Now that I know doing so won't hurt you, I'll cleanse the frames tomorrow and see about having a telephone put in."

Maximus: "Very good, m'lord. Shall I get started on dinner?" Perhaps his appetite had reappeared since their ordeal.

Xavier: "Yes, thank you." He needed a meal, a drink, and a long brood.

Maximus: With a quick little bow, he turned and headed towards the house.

Xavier: Xavier waited until Maximus had disappeared inside before letting out a long sigh. How was it only dinner time? The day had felt eternal.

Then again, unwanted and insidious Fae magic tended to do that.

"And we're meant to be the demons," he muttered, heading up to the library to begin his drinking and brooding.

Maximus: The menu was an uncomplicated three course meal. Bourbon stout French onion soup with beef consommé, Louisiana beef stew served in bread bowl, a single serving apricot gelatin salad. A bold red wine would be poured from his left, without word or prompt. A subtle white for dessert. His toy soldier had returned to customary form. Sober, sharp features and immaculate dress; white gloves included. If offered to join, he would say he was replete from taste testing. Eyes forward, quiet in his corner of the room.

Xavier: Xavier wanted nothing more than to have his household returned to normal, so of course Maximus would be invited to join him. He still held hope that one day his butler would simply sit at the table without prompt or invitation, but just now with Maximus' refusal that hope felt very small.

"Maximus," he said at last, looking up from his stew. "Please sit down. You don't have to eat if you don't want to or speak to me or even look at me, but please sit down."

Maximus: I'd rather not, he wanted to say, but refused. Quietly, instead, he took the furthest seat at the table. Fingers laced together and rested in front of him on the table.

Xavier: Having expected Maximus to politely decline once more, it was a pleasant surprise that he'd actually sat. Perhaps things weren't quite so hopeless.

And perhaps his optimism was due to the wine selection and hearty food. Impossible to tell at the moment.

"Splendid work," he said softly. "Everything is delicious."

Maximus: "Thank you, m'lord," said just as softly.

Xavier: "There's a delivery coming tomorrow from Bordeaux. Six cases of wine, four red, two white. I've already settled the bill."

Maximus: "Very good, m'lord. I'll see to it."

Xavier: "We'll go to the post office tomorrow morning and inquire about getting a telephone put in. Perhaps two, one for each end of the house. Perhaps the library and the butler's pantry?"

Maximus: Again, "Yes, m'lord."

Xavier: "I would also like to finally see to the record players and radios and a television set for my sitting room. Would you like one?"

Maximus: "I have my radio, m'lord. Thank you."

Xavier: "I meant a television set."

Maximus: "I mean I am content."

Xavier: Xavier nodded. "Very well."

Maximus: Maximus subtly gestured to his plate, asking without words if he was finished with his main course.

Xavier: He nodded again. Yes, he was finished.

Maximus: Then dinner would be traded for dessert, and without having to be told, he returned to his seat, as he supposed his master would desire.

Xavier: It was an inkling of what he desired, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

Maximus was thanked and complimented again, for the dessert and the wine selection.

Maximus: "Do you like movies, m'lord?" A question to break the silence.

Xavier: Another pleasant surprise.

"I do, yes. Very much."

Maximus: "When we were in town, I saw a poster for Invasion of the Body Snatchers."

Xavier: His interest piqued, and it showed. "Did you indeed? Is it playing now or sometime soon?"

Maximus: "This weekend, m'lord. Would you like for me to get you a ticket?"

Xavier: "Yes, if you get two."

Maximus: "Oh..."

Xavier: Xavier nodded. His offer was on the table and he wouldn't elaborate. If Maximus agreed to come then splendid, they'd have a nice evening at the pictures. If not, no pictures and no harm done.

Maximus: "Saturday afternoon, m'lord?" he eventually conceded.

Xavier: At last, a soft smile. "Saturday afternoon sounds lovely."

Maximus: "Very good...m'lord."

Xavier: Xavier nodded again, much more cheerful as he finished his dessert.

[timeoutforthee]

Like it or Not-Chapter 16

Taglist: @itsausernamenotafobsong, @sea-blue-child, @iaminmultiplefandoms, @princeanxious, @uwillbeefoundtonight, @zaidiashipper, @arandompasserby, @levyredfox3, @falsett0, @error-i-dunno-what-went-wrong, @scrapbookofsketches, @podcastsandcoffee, @helloisthisusernametaken, @amuthefunperson, @michealawithana, @yamihatarou, @heck-im-lost, @unlikelynightmareconnoisseur, @idkaurl, @bubblycricket, @fnp-alizay,

Summary: Logan, Patton, Roman, and Virgil are all struggling in their recovery. Their doctors, Thomas Sanders and Emile Picani think they can help each other out.

Aka Group Therapy AU

Trigger Warnings: overexercising, ignorance

Roman creates like it’s the cure for his sickness.

He isn’t sure what his sickness is, if it’s the eating disorder that weighs him down, if it’s all the darkness swirling in his head that he pretends isn’t there, if it’s the smog in his environment that feels like poison in his mouth every time he breathes it in. Whatever it is, he feels like if he has something-a pen, some markers, a script, something-then he can hit the ground running and leave it in the dust.

“So I have one good coping skill?” he asked Picani when they first started working together.

“Hey,” he replied, “It’s more than some people have.”

Ever since he cut theater out of his life, he had felt a sort of emptiness. It was almost as if he had been holding on to something for years, and he finally let it go. He didn’t know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. Either way, he didn’t have time for a moment of emptiness, or of silence.

Which lead them to the current discussion.

“Does your aunt always pick you up late?”

Logan and Patton had already left, leaving Virgil and Roman alone. Usually the group would be too emotionally exhausted to talk after a session, but for some reason, the silence seemed unacceptable today.

“Uh, actually,” Virgil lifted his hand to rub his neck. “My aunt is right there.” He jerked his head in a general direction. Roman looked over and squinted. There was one woman sitting in a silver car. Even from a distance, Roman could see that she and Virgil had similar ice blue eyes.

“Then why don’t you…?”

Virgil groaned, “Like, don’t make it a thing? I just like to make sure you guys get into your cars okay.”

“Wait, so you wait for us to get in our cars and drive off before you go home.”

“I said don’t make it a thing. You’re making it a thing.”

“I didn’t make it a thing, I think it just is a thing,” Roman tried to hide a smirk, but he couldn’t help it, “You secretly looooove us.”

Virgil groaned and tugged his hood down over his eyes. “Can you not?”

“I’m telling Patton.”

“I will leave you, I swear-”

“Noooo, don’t leave me alone,” Roman says.

“Yeah, where are your parents anyway?”

“I guess they’re busy,” Roman says, and there’s a little, anxious voice in his head that whispers they forgot you which is stupid. And he knows it’s stupid. So why is it not going away. “They’ll be here soon.”

As if on cue, a loud horn blares from the opposite side of the parking lot. Virgil jumps (just Virgil, definitely not Roman, nope.) and turns his head. A tall, muscular guy gets out of a stupidly shiny red car and waves at Roman. He waves back, even though his eyebrows are furrowed.

“Who-?”

“That’s my oldest brother, Maximus,” Roman says, cutting him off.

“That’s your brother?”

“One of them, yeah,” Roman shrugs, “Aw, guess I can no longer grace you with my presence.”

“Tragic,” Virgil deadpans, turning to head to his aunt’s car.

Roman walks over to Max, wrinkling his eyebrow.

“What are you doing here?”

“Good to see you too, baby bro.”

“Please don’t call me that,” there’s no bite to it. Max knows Roman doesn’t mind and Roman knows Max won’t stop calling him that. It’s been that way for as long as Roman was actually a baby.

They both get into the car. Roman glances up to the window and sees Virgil pulling away. He sends him a quick wave, and Virgil throws him a little two finger salute back.

“So you’re...making friends at your…” Max does a little circle with his hand.

“What is that?”

“You know...the…” Now he’s making a zig zag pattern.

“You’re making no sense. If you’re trying to ask if I’m making friends at group therapy, yes.”

Max lets out a breath, as if he’s grateful that part of the conversation is over.

“So what are you doing here?”

“You know, I do sometimes just want to check on you guys, you know.”

He really means check on you but neither of them need to say it.

Max is a personal trainer at a gym one town over, putting him basically forty five minutes away. The whole family knows this, because it was something their mother obsessed over when he was moving. People said she did such a good job raising her sons, especially since they wanted to stay close.

So Max and the other oldest, Alexander, stayed close by and visited on the weekends. Key word being “weekends” and not picking Roman up during his therapy appointment. In fact, everyone in his family preferred to stay far, far away from his sessions.

“So, did you draw the short straw this week?”

“What?”

“Well, I assume, since it’s a such a harrowing task, that everyone gets together and draws straws behind my back to see who’s stuck taking me to and from therapy. Did you lose this week?”

“That’s not fair, Roman,” Max says, in the same voice their father uses, “Of course it’s not fun. Do you even like it?”

Roman, for once, keeps his mouth shut. He feels like this is a trick. Say yes and they’ll think he’s going because he enjoys it. Say no and it’s a perfect segue into “great! Guess you don’t have to go anymore!”

Max sighs, and steadies himself, as if he’s been dreading what comes up next.

“You’re my baby brother, Ro. I just wanted to check and make sure you’re okay,” he pauses, “Are you okay?”

Roman turns to look at him, but Max keeps his eyes on the road. So, Roman summons his brightest smile, and just says “Of course!”

^

“You know, they’ve started yoga classes at the gym,” Max tells everyone at dinner, “It’s really enlightening, and we can take part for free.”

His dad scoffs and he frowns at him. “I mean it, Dad. It’s really cool.”

“Oh, are you opening your chakras?” Philip asks sarcastically, taking a bite of his steak.

“No, but I’m practicing mindfulness and being aware of the present-”

“You can be plenty aware of the present without yoga,” his dad says. Max sighs. He’s not winning this argument, and it’s not worth fighting, so he lets it drop.

“Any interesting clients?” his mom asks, quick to change the subject.

“Well, I’ve gotten a few people in, just some people who started school recently and want to drop ten or so pounds,” he pauses, “But actually...there’s this girl who I’m training.”

“Yes?” his mom prompts.

“She’s recovering from an eating disorder.”

Suddenly, Roman is choking. His family turns to stare at him, which makes everything worse, so he tries to drown the tomato he just swallowed whole with water. After a while, it works.

“You were saying?” he asks, voice strained.

“Huh? Oh, yeah-so this girl has been struggling with extreme dieting a binge eating and such her entire life, and a year or so ago it escalated into anorexia. She’s just now been allowed to start exercising again, and we have to really ease her into it.”

“Why?” his dad asks, “You know what they say-dive in head first, sink or swim.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s just what you say,” Max jokes, “But her body has been neglected for so long that she really needs to build her strength back up. If we help her do that, then she can keep growing. If we just push her in, she won’t be strong enough to ‘swim’.” Max does air quotes around that last word.

“Hm. Tragic how girls can get to that point,” his mom says, taking a bite of her steak.

“Always did find that strange,” his dad adds, “You really wanna know a girl, then take her on a first date to an all you can eat buffet. She gets some steak, she’s a keeper. She wants a salad, she ain’t worth it.”

Roman is suddenly very self conscious of his own little salad. But it doesn’t matter, because no one is looking at him.

“So,” Philip says, leaning back and looking at Max, “Anyway I could convince you to help me out on some workouts? I need to get ready for football. The coach has some workouts for us, but you know. They don’t really compare to one on one.”

“Sure, I can spare an hour or two.”

“You want to get in on that, Roman?” his dad asks, raising his eyebrows, “You don’t have theater anymore, you could always sign up for-”

“I don’t think I’m going to sign up for anything,” Roman says quickly, cutting him off, “But I would like to join, if you guys don’t mind.”

“Sure,” Philip says, shrugging.

Roman turns to see Max staring at him. Not just staring at him, analyzing him, with narrowed eyes.

“Uh, earth to Max?” Roman smiles, and he hopes it’s as dazzling as it always is. Max blinks and shakes his head.

“Of course,” he says, but his eyes are still burning into Roman’s.

^

When Roman can’t create, he destroys.

He pounds away at the punching bag in his family’s home gym, until it shakes.

“Baby bro,” and why is Max’s voice so gentle? So quiet? “You need to slow down.”

“Maybe,” Roman says, accenting every word with a punch, “You. Need. To. Catch. Up.”

Suddenly, the punching bag is moved back, out of his reach.

“Hey!”

“Try some weights,” Max says.

Roman doesn’t want to try weights. The thing with weights is you could clearly see the numbers. He knew he wouldn’t be on the level of Philip, who needed to stay in shape all summer for football, or Max who was a personal trainer for a living so all he would see was how he was less than, less than, less than.

Instead, he got on the treadmill, and ran. He could hear Max through his headphones, lecturing him about a proper warmup and increasing slowly, and just to spite him, he pushed the button as high as he could stand it.

He could not create, so he tried to outrun. Outrun the sickness, the darkness, the poison. But as his sneakers hit the ground, he knew he wasn’t really going anywhere.

[travelcenter-uk]

Done with the regular holidays in 2021? Here’s where your next trip should be

Want your days and nights perfumed with obsession? Or to get stuck somewhere that makes you want to stay a little longer every time you think of leaving? Then take your adventures away from Europe. Let’s leave France, Spain, Italy and Greece behind for a moment & look toward a different region, a part of the world full of screaming colours, daydream-evoking hotspots and natural grandeur. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a sucker for all of the countries I just mentioned, and they definitely have their own version of visit-worthy attractions, but over time, I think it’s better to expand your horizons and roam into the not-so-ordinary. Translation, make sure you book a trip to the Far East.

It’s not every day you get to see something as eye-arresting as the countries of the Far East, which is why I’ve taken the liberty of setting up a list of the best places to see and things to do in the region. Now, I know for a fact that some travellers like to think that the Far East is overrated or just “not for them”, but hey, isn’t travelling all about breaking out of your comfort zone? Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find a long-lasting favourite in one of the places I’ve mentioned below. So, keep reading.

Phuket

If it’s one thing Phuket does right, it’s being vibrant! Well, actually, no, I can think of two other countries on this list that do it better. But you get the point, we love Phuket and you should too! Why? Because:

Blissful beaches – The dramatic scenery of Phuket’s beaches are unparalleled. It legit looks like something out of a different world, don’t trust me? Fine. Maybe you should see for yourself by booking a beach holiday with us.

I find the beaches of Phuket to be the go-to place for just about any kind of traveller – whether you’re wandering on a budget, a lover of all things luxurious or the parent of two (usually) wonderful kids, it’s definitely for everyone. However, the best part is that each of Phuket’s beaches is different. From the mellow yet deep-blue tones of Surin to the neon-light filled coast of Patong, every beach is an experience that is not like the other, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Absorbing nightlife – Booze, booze and oh, look, more booze. Yeah, that’s not what your nightlife scene is going to be like in Phuket. I mean, it could be if you wanted it to be, but I wouldn’t recommend it because of the hangover that comes along with it. Phuket’s nightlife rams into your atmosphere with all-out nightclub action, quiet little bars for some quality alone time and lively late-night concerts and beach parties, meaning it’s incredibly varied.

I don’t necessarily think that there’s a specific place in Phuket that launches a reverberating nightlife scene, mainly because that’s what the entire island does in itself. But I will say that Bangla road, in particular, has what every party-lover looks for! Why? Because this is where you’ll find nightlife at the top of its game. As soon as the sun goes down, neon lights, upbeat music and lively chatter begin to carpet the road as locals and tourists alike swarm the many go-go bars and nightclubs that are located in the street. But is it all about taking shots & dancing? Well, technically, yes. Bangla Road has a reputation for being the most outrageously fun party hub in Asia, and I think it does deserve it but the food from street vendors deserves your time too. Solo travellers easily have the best experience and yeah, you might get the usual “I’m not that drunk!?” kind of a person but other than that it’s completely safe, with violence being a complete no-show. Trust me, all in all, this is one stop you don’t want to miss.

Taste-bud striking flavours – Isn’t this what really matters? I mean, I’m not sure about the rest of you, but when I go to a new country, I don’t immediately jump on the whole culturally curious, Dora the explorer persona. No, I’m more likely to satisfy my soul by eating something that makes me forget all of my worries (temporarily). In hindsight, I can see that it’s not the healthiest idea, but hey, you’re on holiday, so unhealthy choices are allowed. Right?

Phuket’s cuisine is influenced by a jumble of international flavours – you get hints of Chinese, Malaysian and even a little bit of Europe in their food. This influential influx then led to Phuket developing a unique blend of flavour. A flavour you’ll find to be the signature touch on their dishes – regardless of eating in high-scale restaurants or a street food stall. From hearty noodles with seafood in it to an icy dessert that looks like a brightly coloured cloud, I guess you could say Phuket really does have it all in terms of a ubiquitous flavour palate.

Bangkok

Bangkok…where do we begin with Bangkok? Mm, well, for starters, I think I speak for everyone when I say that you really haven’t eaten street food until you’ve tried the street version of Bangkok’s dishes. I also think the capital is the epitome of street life, but coming away from that for a second, I think Bangkok is bewilderingly beautiful at any time of the day. It has an active culture, a plethora of vividly wild & wow-evoking attractions and plus, it’s a full-on paradise for foodies like I’ve mentioned before, making it the full package.

Here are 3 of the places I believe you should visit in Bangkok!

The Grand Palace

With majestic spires and walls that stop you in your tracks, the Grand Palace definitely lives up to its name. Plus, they say the walls keep priceless relics hidden from the eyes of the public. I don’t know about you, but knowing that just makes this place ten times more interesting.

Chao Phraya River

You want to know what’s better than exploring this magnificent waterway? It’s that you also get to see some of the most noteworthy attractions that are on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. From Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) to Wat Arun, you’ll be able to kill three birds with one stone.

The Damneon Saduak Floating Market

This savvy tourist spot just so happens to be one of the oldest established floating markets in Bangkok. But what makes the crowd go wild isn’t exactly the history that follows the attraction, but it’s rather what they see on the market. It’s vast, lively, full of boats selling food and fruits, and it’s colourful – exactly how people imagine a floating market would look like, with the opportunity to capture the perfect photo to show off once back home.

Kuala Lumpur

Did you really think I’d leave Kuala Lumpur out of a list that talks about some of the best places to visit in the Far East? Because no, I’m not. Anyways, some things that instantly spring up in my mind when I think of this city include the historical tapestry it weaves, the sizzling street food (I know, I’ve been mentioning that a lot) and the shopping malls. As much as I’d like to be one of those people who are like “why visit a mall when you can go hiking instead??” I’m more of a “why go hiking when there’s a glitzy air-conditioned shopping mall the size of mammoth right in front of you?” type. Don’t get me wrong, I like hiking, just not in Malaysia. But hey, I guess that’s just me.

Here are the three best places that I find to be worthy of a visit.

The Batu Caves

Yes, yes, I know, I know, you can’t get any more basic than visiting the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, but trust me, even though it’s one of those generic tourist attractions, the experience is worth visiting. The hollow limestone tower has been around for almost 400 million years, do you even realise how long that is? Plus, the caverns and crags were formed in the prehistoric era, you know? The one with dinosaurs. But history aside, I think the view alone is enough to leave you with a fly-catching gape. Therefore, you should visit it or at least try to…please?

Petronas Twin Towers

Fact: according to research conducted by a group of scientists, visiting the Petronas Twin Towers has a 90% chance of making your holiday in Kuala Lumpur better. Want to test that theory?

The Petronas Twin Towers are one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, it’s a grand spectacle for many and a pain in the gluteus maximus for people with a fear of heights.

Thean Hou Temple

Now, why in the world would you not want to visit one of the oldest and largest Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia? The Thean Hou Temple dates back all the way to 1894, and it definitely is one of those sacred spaces that you just have to visit at all cost. The architecture is nothing short of stunning and the views…well, let’s just say I don’t have to say much given that the temple sits on top of a large hill.

Kuala Lumpur’s Shopping Malls

We also have an honorary mention for Kuala Lumpur, and honestly, it’s just any shopping mall you can find. Trust me, you won’t notice time fly when you’re inside one of these cosmopolitan buildings. Plus, the air-conditioning and the designer bargains don’t hurt either. Pavilion KL, Suria KLCC and Publika are all capable of impressing the pickiest shopper. So, be sure to make time for these stops on your trip. You won’t regret it.

Bali

They don’t call Bali the island of the gods for nothing. Like damn, can you blame all those travellers for visiting the country? Who wouldn’t want to visit? I would go in a heartbeat if my bank balance didn’t look the way it did. Anyways, your trip to Bali is much more than just a cliché fun-in-the-sun retreat. It’s about 10,000 temples, soul-stirring beaches, rip-roaring traditional dance performances, dramatic volcanoes and a family-friendly culture. Plus, the people are always so joyful…like to the point where it’s borderline confusing, but I guess that’s just me again.

So, once again, here are some of the places & things to do that I think would suit everyone’s itinerary.

Visit one of Bali’s Spa-aaah!

Time to untie those knots of tension you’ve been saving up for various reasons. Plus, if you’ve been to Bali and didn’t visit any of its world-renowned spas then did you even visit Bali in the first place? I’m not going to pinpoint any specific locations, because you’re bound to find a lot of them all across Bali. Plus, it’s all equally rejuvenating no matter where you lay down for a massage.

Mount Bator Volcano

Yes. The next must-visit for me is Mount Bator Volcano – I’m fairly sure you saw that coming, it’s not like this towering rock formation is underrated or anything, but many people just pretend to forget it exists because people say it’s “active”. One thing to understand about this volcano is that it won’t begin spewing lava at the middle of the day out of nowhere, meaning that it is entirely safe and has been that way for a very long time. So, make sure you make the trek, this other-worldly spectacle deserves a little love.

Tanah Lot Temple

If it’s one thing everybody knows about me but chooses to ignore because my interests are not worth their time, it’s that I love a place that has a good view of a perfect sunset. “It’s cheesy, people who pretend to like sunsets are so cheesy” yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that one before. But if you’re like me and happen to appreciate the sheer appeal and the radiating charm of a sunset, make a stop at Tanah Lot Temple. Why? Because the one thing that accentuates the temple’s beauty even more so is the golden burst of the sun bowing down after a magnificent show, exquisitely shading the temple before turning it into a silhouette that you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from. But words don’t do it justice, make sure you check it out for yourself.

Siem Reap

Listen, I might not be the biggest fan of Siem Reap, but I have to admit, the archaeological highlights are beyond intriguing. I guess more than anything, Siem Reap really does fit the ideal set list of a traveller who’s more of an explorer; which is dumb of me to say because almost every traveller loves to explore; they wouldn’t have left the couch if they didn’t want to. But no, I’m talking about the ones who travel to explore places that they believe might be more than what meets the eye.

The Dinosaur of Ta Prohm

Is it just a mere hoax or evidence that one or two dinosaurs might have survived and lived among humans? Not many know this, but hordes of travellers visit Cambodia to see this at the temples of Angkor. How about you?

Neak Pean

Just a peaceful 12th-century temple surrounded by water folks, nothing to see here.

Yeah no, that’s where you’re wrong.

Many believe that the water happens to have curative properties and that it’s not just your usual river. It may be devastatingly old, but the serene aura is still present to this day, and it enchants countless travellers to come see its surroundings.

Bayon Temple

For me, the Bayon’s most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and smiling stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. Which, at first, just creeped me out but then I saw how much everyone else appreciated the detailing of the carvings, and it helped the attraction grow on me. Overall, I think it’s beautiful and if you’ve got an interest in exploring temples, this should definitely be on your list of things to see!

If you just so happen to be intrigued by any of these places, feel free to call or send us an email. We do have an offer for these places right now and it’s getting a surprising amount of attention because of the price and due to the fact that these have been characterised as some of the best places in the Far East to visit during these times, which is also another reason we chose to highlight it in this article. So, I really hope you don’t miss out on our special deal if you’re planning to take your holiday to the Far East.

Read More:- https://blog.travelcenter.uk/done-with-the-regular-holidays-in-2021-heres-where-your-next-trip-should-be/

This Article, Information & Images Source (copyright) :- https://blog.travelcenter.uk

[hiccanna-tidbits]

FINALLY, someone said it!!!

I thought I was the only one really off-put by the way Kristoff seems to center his entire being around Anna. Not only is it creepy, but it just makes him come across as...a really boring character. Like what drives Kristoff besides Anna??? What are his likes, besides ice and reindeer??? What does he want out of life???

Like sure, a lot of Anna’s character centers around Elsa in Frozen 2, but there’s still more to her. She loves people, but she’s kind of socially awkward. She’s determined to do the right thing, even when she’s lost everything. She cares greatly for her kingdom, but she has to overcome issues of codependency, insecurity, and impulsiveness. She may be a tad clingy with her sister (not without good reason!!! They were separated for like 13 years!!!), but there’s still more to her than just that.

And with Kristoff, just...everything he does goes back to being about Anna. Even when he makes friends with Ryder, it’s like “HELP ME PROPOSE TO MY GIRLFRIEND!” I have to wonder how poor Anna isn’t just...bored out of her mind, considering her boyfriend’s entire identity seems to revolve around worshipping her and servicing her. And considering how selfless Anna is, I highly doubt she’s so egotistical that her partner being obsessed with her is the main thing she wants out of a relationship.

And honestly, even just in general, this...isn’t what women want??? We want a partner who is interesting to us, who we can really connect with--someone who compliments our strengths and weaknesses. We want a partner who engages us physically, mentally, and emotionally, and someone who, at the end of the day, we can enjoy the company of. Someone who we can just goof off and have fun with at the end of the day.

When do we see Anna and Kristoff just like...actually seeming to enjoy each other’s company? I mean...maybe during the charades scene and the coronation scene (even then, he immediately complains about having to wear royal clothes...you know, the stuff he would have to wear EVERY DAY as a Prince Consort???), but other than that, I don’t think these two have a single conversation in F2 that doesn’t end in them both getting anxious and insecure, or Anna quickly getting distracted from him because something much more interesting than their incredibly bland, forced romantic relationship is happening nearby XD He just...barely seems to even interest her as a person??? And I can’t blame Anna for being disinterested, either, considering his entire being is just liking ice, liking reindeer, and Dumb Antics. I get that it’s Disney and you can’t expect super fleshed-out characters in a 90-minute animated kids’ movie, but I feel like it’s telling that Flynn Rider and, hell, MAXIMUS THE HORSE from Tangled have INFINITELY more personality than Kristoff.

I feel like there’s this really problematic narrative I see a lot that a woman’s be-all end-all goal for a straight relationship (thank god this garbage trope hasn’t made it into the LGBT romances I’ve seen lol) should be a man who loves her more than she loves him and completely adores and obsesses over her, because “d’awwww, it’s so cute that he wuvs her dat much!!!” As opposed to...what? Is it the norm for men NOT to love their girlfriends a lot, despite that being like...the point of a romantic relationship??? And since when was obsession (and basically HAVING NO IDENTITY OUTSIDE YOUR RELATIONSHIP) romantic??? Like Kristoff literally SAYS “Who am I if I��m not your guy” in his song, brO that’s not healthy!! I’m no relationship expert, but not having an identity and hopes, goals, and dreams outside of your relationship seems...really bad???

Anyhow y’all know I’m a Hiccanna stan so I’m sure it’s not all that surprising that I honestly hate Krist/anna. Still, I know that this is a pretty Hot Take in the Frozen fandom, so I’m sorry if this offends anyone. I’ve just always thought the Krist/anna relationship was really forced, and the direction they took it in F2 made it even worse for me due to Kristoff’s general obsessiveness.

Damn I just meant to reblog and then it just...turned into a whole-ass rant lmao I think I just really needed to vent, I’m sorry D:

P1-I know K is getting praised for being such a “nice guy” but obsession with another person is still obsession. I don’t care if it’s your gf or not. K is obsessed with A and he has wrapped up his whole identity in their relationship. It isn’t healthy. You can see that his other relationships have suffered too. He doesn’t see his fam anymore and his relationship with Sven has turned into counseling sessions. I see this type of stuff in the news all the time.

P2- As long as the couple is still dating, his obsession with her is considered “romantic” and “devoted.” But when the couple breaks up,for whatever reason, his behavior is now considered unhealthy and toxic. The news labels this type of person a “stalker” bc ppl only consider this type of behavior wrong when two ppl stop dating. I’m tired of ppl calling this type of behavior a form of “romance.” It’s creepy and unsettling, and women should never want to be in a relationship like this.

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You’re absolutely right and you should say it!

[ogiuemaniax]

Volume 6 of Genshiken is probably my favorite volume of manga ever. I think I’ve re-read it more than any other, so coming back to it for “Return to Genshiken” is almost like visiting an old friend.

At this point, it feels almost unnecessary to call it a transitional volume because it feels like every volume brings a major shift or two. This time, I’d say there are two especially significant events: the graduation of the old guard, and the first full dive into Ogiue’s head.

What is Return to Genshiken?

Genshiken is an influential manga about otaku, as well as my favorite manga ever and the inspiration for this blog, but it’s been many years since I’ve read the series. I intend to re-read Genshiken with the benefit of hindsight and see how much, if at all, my thoughts on the manga have changed.

Note that, unlike my chapter reviews for the second series, Genshiken Nidaime, I’m going to be looking at this volume by volume, using both English and Japanese versions of Genshiken! I’ll also be spoiling the entirety of Genshiken, both the first series and the sequel, so be warned.

Volume 6 Summary

Ogiue decides to try her hand at drawing a doujinshi for Comic Festival, but only after a series of wacky/traumatic mishaps. From cosplay to drawings of Sasahara and Madarame to getting caught red-handed with a bag full of doujinshi at ComiFes itself, Ogiue’s grudging acknowledgement of her fujoshi side is the very definition of reluctant. What’s more, Kasukabe thinks Ogiue has a twinkle in her eye for Sasahara, and refuses to believe otherwise.

Meanwhile, Keiko tries to get into Shiiou University despite years of neglecting her own education, Madarame has a nervous non-date with Kasukabe, and the classic trio of dudes finally graduate from college. Ohno feels a twinge of sorrow, but that’s eventually wiped away when she becomes the new president of Genshiken, with the hope of bringing about a true Society for the Study of Cosplay.

End of an Era, Dawn of a New Age

Madarame, Tanaka, and Kugayama are all classic images of otaku. Out-of-shape, awkward, and filled with trivia, they’re firmly in the camp of nerds who can never pass as “cool.” All three stick around to varying degrees for the rest of the first series and even in the sequel, but the fact that these “big children” are entering into the adult world is important for the tone of Genshiken. While all have made strides in previous volumes in different areas—girls, artistic progress, life in general—their graduation in hindsight feels like the moment when “more” might just be possible. They, and especially the younger members, are poised to break through the boundaries of the otaku identity, if only a little.

The buildup to graduation is filled with emotion. For example, when Madarame runs into Kasukabe chatting with friends on campus, a combination of his powerful crush on her and his general social awkwardness causes him to snub her. It’s such a painfully relatable scene, especially with how Kasukabe’s friendly “hello” gesture throws Madarame completely off guard. How could Kasukabe actually be that friendly? When did she even get that way? While re-reading Genshiken has helped me to see this change more readily, I recall it feeling almost out-of-nowhere the first time around.

Another moment comes from Ohno, who has a cloud of melancholy hanging overhead prior to the guys’ graduation. The reason is that, because she came back from abroad, she has to do an extra year at the university, and thus will graduate a year after Sasahara, Kasukabe, and Kohsaka. It’s a heartfelt moment where Ohno and Kasukabe grow even closer, albeit with Kasukabe promising to fulfill a cosplay request that she’ll eventually regret. What makes this moment hilarious in hindsight is that, as saddened as Ohno is here, she ends up delaying her graduation multiple times throughout Nidaime because she just doesn’t want to face adult society. Like Kasukabe, Ohno changes quite a bit over the course of Genshiken, sometimes so gradually that it’s notice. That doesn’t apply here, though, as Volume 6 is also when Ohno agrees to become the new Genshiken president so that she can shape it in her own cosplay-loving image. Later in Volume 9, Ohno even makes a comment that her character appears to have changed at some point, referencing her transformation from meek token girl otaku to confident motherly type.

Ogius Maximus

This volume is chock full of premium Ogiue content. It’s a constant barrage of scowls, dreams created and destroyed, misunderstandings, and burgeoning romance. What’s especially telling about Ogiue’s prominence is that we’re privy to her inner thoughts to a degree only a few other prominent characters share, such as Sasahara and Madarame. She has a brief moment in Volume 5, but this time it’s entire extended internal monologues that lay bare the true Ogiue lurking within.

  We have Ogiue going to Comic Festival incognito, i.e. half a chapter devoted to showcasing Ogiue’s mix of anger towards others, anger at herself, and the sense that she just really want friends but is her own worst enemy. As she stomps through Tokyo Big Sight in her winter coat and high school-era glasses, a snarly pout adorning her face, you can see her giving into her basest desires, mirroring Sasahara’s first voyage to ComiFes (though this is certainly not Ogiue’s first rodeo). When Ogiue’s hovering around the rest of the club, the lonely look she gives as they laugh over in the distance is almost heartbreaking. The subsequent silliness of her bumping into Ohno and having her doujinshi spill out of her bag for all the world to see is dramady at its finest. In other words, Genshiken.

The breakdown of Ogiue’s defenses is a recurring theme in this volume, seen not only in her ComiFes disaster but also in her very first cosplay. Kasukabe, having noticed that Ogiue’s a little weak to pressure, uses this opportunity to try and get Ogiue to open up. Ogiue dressed as Renko from Kujibiki Unbalance is probably her most iconic moment. Not only has it been replicated on multiple occasions across various anime adaptations and decorative covers, but it’s the subject of Ogiue’s only full PVC figure (which I own, yes).

Manga

Alter Figure

OVA

OVA Box Art

OVA Box Art 2

Genshiken 2

Genshiken 2 OP

Nidaime

Sasa x Ogi Continues

In Volume 5, there’s a moment that I believe is the subtle beginning of Ogiue’s obsession with Sasahara x Madarame, and by extension the catalyst for her eventually falling for Sasahara. In Volume 6, Kasukabe’s actions nudge it towards greater prominence.

In one of the doujinshi planning scenes, Haraguchi reveals that he’s already made plans for Genshiken’s book (he wants to turn it into a big seller by bringing on a ton of high-profile guest artists). Sasahara keeps trying to politely refuse Haraguchi’s “kindness,” as his tendency as a non-confrontational person. However, as Haraguchi keeps pushing and pushing, eventually Sasahara’s expression grows stern (similar to how he reacts to his own sister). He puts his proverbial foot down, saying, “I will personally call all the guest artists you brought on board (without my consent) and turn them down.”

It’s potentially easy to miss, but immediately afterwards there’s a small panel with an Ogiue closeup, and she has the ever-so-slightest blush on her face. Without later context, it can just seem like she’s surprised or shocked at Sasahara’s change of behavior, but now it’s clear to me that this was the catalyst for her perception of Sasahara as a a “seme” character, and also her eventual attraction to him.

Back when I first read Genshiken, I was actually mildly skeptical towards the idea that Ogiue was interested in Sasahara just because Kasukabe said so. Both on a personal level and as a consumer of fiction, I’d groan at these situations. Just because someone looks at someone else once or twice didn’t mean romance is in the air!

Those situations still get overblown in my opinion, but as I’ve re-read Genshiken, it’s clear to me that the hints were there. It’s not that Ogiue is madly in love with Sasahara from the start, but that she begins to notice his finer qualities, and this grows into something more. This, I believe, is what Kasukabe truly notices, even if she misinterprets Ogiue’s drawing of Sasahara as aggressive top as a more typical from of affection.

Kasukabe really is the “matchmaker” of Genshiken, or maybe she just loves goading potential/existing couples. Whether it’s grilling Tanaka and Ohno, or it’s getting Madarame to quit waffling and pick a girl, her thrill at seeing her nerd friends get somewhere is actually one of Kasukabe’s most charming qualities.

The Ogiue Maniax Moment

The top image in this post is probably favorite Ogiue scene ever. It’s where my original banner came from, and I’ve used it in posts such as “Explaining Decompression in Comics.” As Ogiue thinks about the logistics of a Sasahara x Madarame relationship, her mind wanders down deeper and darker rabbit holes. She tries to pull herself away, but she can’t. In an entire volume where page after page of Ogiue’s piercing eyes is like manna from heaven, this is like the main course.

Keiko Shows Substance

Ogiue and Keiko meet for the first time in this volume, and it’s hilarious to see how antagonistic they were at the time. Keiko softens up to everyone over time, even her older brother, but there’s just a certain pleasure I derive from seeing Keiko eventually call Ogiue “onee-chan.” She’s marrying her brother and Ogiue in her head before everyone else. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Volume 6 is probably almost as big a deal for Keiko fans as it is for Ogiue fans; it’s when Keiko really begins to turn a new leaf. Even if we learn in the next volume that her attempts to get into Shiiou University are fruitless, and that she quits college entirely by Nidaime, she’s genuinely trying to be more than just a dumb, shallow girl. I get the feeling a lot of Keiko lovers wouldn’t be so keen on her if she had never changed, but that’s the magic of Genshiken.

Mebaetame Amateur Figure Hour

Starting this volume of Genshiken, the between-chapters extras get creative. This time around, it’s Tanaka’s blog where he shows off his design and construction of a figure from Kujibiki Unbalance. The most amazing thing about this is that it’s made using real photographs of an actual constructed figure. This then later factors into the end-of-volume special, when Tanaka accidentally drops the figure and breaks it. Someone actually built it for real, and I don’t think we’ll ever know if it was Kio himself, an assistant, or an acquaintance. Did he actually break his own constructed figure for the sake of a gag, or was there a stunt double?

Final Random Thoughts

This is the last we see of Kitagawa, the Club Council vice president. She ends up marrying her senpai. I kind of wish we saw where she was in Nidaime, but she was always a pretty minor character. On a personal note, I knew a guy who really liked Kitagawa, but he passed away a few years ago. Rest in Peace, Cortana.

At graduation, someone is reading the end of Part 1 of the Kujibiki Unbalance manga. The pages shown are meant to be an indication of how far the story has gone, as characters portrayed as enemies earlier in the series are now getting married.

Kujibiki Unbalance in Volume 3

Kujibiki Unbalance in Volume 6

The end-of-volume special also features the crew hanging out post-graduation, and in one instance Sasahara and Madarame are checking the girls out. I like that there’s pretending that they don’t notice how attractive their clubmates are, though obviously they don’t say anything out loud. What sticks out to me here is Sasahara getting a little hot and bothered by Ogiue in a skirt. With Kasukabe, who’s dressed to kill in a short skirt and pantyhose, it feels like he’s seeing her as just “an attractive lady.” But with Ogiue, she’s wearing a pretty subdued outfit and a pretty long skirt. I’d like to think it’s that spice of beginning to actually have feelings for another, which turns even plain clothes into thrilling adventures in fantasy. In Volume 7, Sasahara really lets his imagination run wild, but that’s for next time.

Return to Genshiken: Volume 6 – Eyes as Black as the Abyss Volume 6 of Genshiken is probably my favorite volume of manga ever. I think I've re-read it more than any other, so coming back to it for "Return to Genshiken" is almost like visiting an old friend.

[thecorteztwins]

Beyond obscure 90s villains or heroes, which other Marvel character you'd consider RPing as?

Ooooh, I absolutely love this question! That’s why it took me a little while to answer, I wanted to think of everybody I could :)

Madelyne Pryor - Maddy originates in the 80s but was also present in the 90s and has been around in current stuff as well. She’s one of my oldest favorites too; I’ve been a fan of her since middle school because I just felt so incredibly bad for her. But she’s more than an object of pity, she’s a strong and complex character in her own right who has consistently evolved through the years (though not for the better) She would be a lot of work to write, I think, because she is so complex, and I’d have to work hard at balancing her tragedy with her villainy. That’s always a hard note to hit, and I’m very biased towards her so I’d have to watch myself a lot. Another thing I would need to do is read her pre-Inferno stuff, from before she became retconned as Jean’s clone and transformed into the Goblyn Queen. I’ve read Inferno, I’ve read most of her 90s and present stories, but the only stuff of her good guy days that I’ve read are Fall of the Mutants and the Alpha Flight special where she becomes Anodyne. And like, she spent SIX YEARS with the X-Men, so that’s a lot of stories, and I feel like knowing those stories, knowing who she was, is important to truly forming a whole picture of who she is now. Maximus “the Mad” Boltagon - The major villain of the Inhumans, and just my type! He’s cowardly, egotistical, hilarious, and frequently pretty creepy. That’s exactly my type. But he’s more sympathetic than Fabian, and more competent than Shinobi, so that will take a bit of extra work, as will balancing a sensitive non-ableist portrayal of mental illness with the fact that he *is* both evil and laughable ( I’m in luck here, because canonically he’s not evil and comedic because he’s crazy; he was actually already a dick before he went insane) The fact he never shows sexual/romantic attraction to anyone save Medusa (and that might be just because he conflates having her with having the throne) also saves me from the issue of shipping, as I’m not much of a shipper or smutter at all and that gives me difficulty with characters who are canonically very sexual (such as Shinobi) I am bad at writing interpersonal dynamics in general, a big weakness in RP, so I would likely also have a very difficult time writing his dynamics with other Inhumans RPers. Plus I would need to read so many more of his issues! But he’s still a very appealing character to me, I take a lot of delight in reading his stuff, and I believe I could write him okay (if not well) if I read enough of his issues and that I would have fun with it!Lifeguard aka Heather Cameron - She debuted and joined the X-Men in the early 2000s during Claremont’s X-treme X-Men run, but fell into total obscurity when it was canceled. Claremont clearly had big plans for her, but no other writer was ever interested in picking her up. I like her look, and since she was still with the X-Men when last heard of, I would dig bring her back and adding on to her. Plus, playing a good guy would let me interact with heroes easier! But I also don’t really have a solid idea at all of who I’d want her to be...Generation-X era Monet St. Croix aka “M” - I love snobs, I love ice queens, I love alpha bitches. Generation X Monet is my jam. I haven’t really followed where she’s been since, but I’m not a huge fan of the developments I’m aware of. Like, her being a massive snob isn’t that fun at all if it turns out it’s a front she just puts on to cover being suicidally depressed? That is NOT my jam. I want original “Miss Perfect” Monet who just knows she’s better than you. The main obstacle would be that she’s not comedic egocentrism like Fabian and Maximus, she has to be written with an elegant razor wit like Emma Frost, and I’m really bad at that. Gaea - Look, I’m crazy about mother goddess figures (a trait I gave to my version of Fabian >.>) and I’ve read roughly half of her appearances (working to read them all). I also feel she has a more human-like mindset than other Elder Gods, and that would make her easier for me to write than, say, her siblings Cthon and Set. She’s someone you could have a conversation with. But, why would she have a conversation? Why would a being of such power just turn up to talk with people? She doesn’t in the comics. Finding reasons for interactions would be hard. Then again, she’s an Elder God, so she can probably just do what she wants, amirite? On the one hand, I may already have enough mother-figure muse going on with Haven, but on the other hand Gaea is a lot more ruthless and uncaring in her own way, being a personification of nature, evolution, etc. She’s not really interested in human beings or their problems as individuals like Haven is, she’s interested in the progression of life as a whole. There are also lots of randos I sometimes think about making a multi-muse blog for or something, just whoever I’ve gotten recently obsessed with. For instance, I feel like Eques would be a good bet in terms of attracting partners? I haven’t been able to read his issue yet but I really want to because HE’S A FLYING CENTAUR and I feel like interactions would come a lot easier with him---he’s not a hero or villain, he’s just a civilian who falls on the “pretty good” side of things, and he’s an attractive male. I think people would totally gravitate towards that, and there’s lots of room to do stuff with his personality since he’s a one-issue wonder. I’d probably be a nerd and base a lot of him on actual horse behavior and traits ascribed to the Sagittarius (centaur) zodiac sign. But I think a lot of people would also want to ship with him too, and I’m just...not into that. And again, I still need to read his actual appearance and see if I like him as much as I think I will. I’ve sometimes contemplated a 616 Magneto, because I feel I know a good deal about his characterization (at least enough that I have Opinions on it) but ultimately I don’t feel I’ve read enough of his stuff even so, and...I don’t want to read any more? I just really don’t want to focus on Holocaust-related things and that’s KIND OF A MAJOR THING for writing him. Plus I’m really not that interested in his dynamic with Charles *or* with his children/family, which are like...a huge deal in Magneto RP interactions. I think he’s a character I prefer interacting with than interacting as. Plus I think my portrayal would be unpopular/I’d probably get hate over it because I remember all the really rotten he did in the comics (including stuff that wasn’t to save mutants) and Tumblr fandom takes a really lionized view of him.There’s also a lot of villains I like---such as Donald Pierce or Graydon Creed---but I feel like they’d have limited interactions and get very boring for me, especially since most people are probably just gonna want me to torture their muses with them or something. 

[keytv]

SHINEE FOR CECI MAG APRIL 2012

FULL INTERVIEW: 

『 Taemin, who has been regarded as the nation’s representative maknae, is welcoming his 20 years old this year. Now we can’t call them teenagers and instead, we should address them as ‘Youths’ SHINee. Although it is a fan’s life to keep watch of their idol’s development, but you can’t help it when talking about SHINee, the group that awakened the ‘crazy fan’ side of the whole nation’s Noonas. We met the group, SHINee, that has returned with SHERLOCK after 1 years and 6 months of break. They are no longer the beautiful young men that seems to shine under sunlight, they has transcended into men that creates ripples in your hearts. On set, they are energetic, aesthetic, like young men of their same age. 』 ONEW Songs that made SHINee grow ♡ Among JULIETTE, NOONA IS SO PRETTY_REPLAY and LOVE LIKE OXYGEN, SHINee has started to show their distinctive colours in JULIETTE. Our looks are also slowly changing, towards the 20s generation. (laughs) With this song as our turning point, we seem to have found the performance that matches our ages. As a SHINee that is constantly working hard with all our strength, we just hope that people wouldn’t look upon us with confused thoughts. 20s generation SHINee ♡ (because he was doing make-up then, he blabbered) My eyebrows are getting thicker and darker~! Because we have stood on many different stages in the past 1 year and 6 months, we have accumulated experience while performing our concert, so this promotion would be more interesting. There is an obvious difference than when we were still in our 10s. Paris and London ♡ I purely liked their music back then, and never thought they would like us too. You can say it��s like a feeling of reversal.. ‘Actually K-pop can also be so deeply loved at such a distant place! Actually we could also present our performances at such places!’ I seemed to have gained such responsibility. But in fact, i don’t have a good personality. (laughs) I am the kind who likes serenity. I am the kind who would get angry when someone beside me is very noisy when i’m trying to concentrate. At other times, I wouldn’t care that much, but i’m most sensitive when i’m singing. Dream Stage ♡ The Circus Maximus (an ancient Rome chariot racing arena). I wonder how it feels to sing at a place where fencing competitions are held? JONGHYUN SHERLOCK’s Stage ♡ I think a response like ‘daebak’ would appear first. Because other than the song, the dance also fills up the whole stage, and it would be really interesting. Japan Debut ♡ We released our regular album in Japan not long ago. It was very exciting re-recording songs we sang 4 years ago in Japanese. I hope everyone can listen to the songs, START and TO YOUR HEART that are only released in the Japanese Regular Album. The music itself is very upbeat and you would feel very refreshed. News of SHINee in 2011 ♡ We had a lot of overseas schedules. We went to Europe, Asia, America, and Russia. The most memorable for me was the performance held at England’s Abbey Studios. I’m v happy that we could sing at such a prestigious place for popular culture music, and the fact we used this platform to promote our debut in Japan was really extraordinary. Although it was such a pity that i fell sick then. The setbacks of growing older ♡ Whenever it comes to the dance for our new album, during our performance practices, i would always have this feeling, ‘Can i do this? For real?’ It was like this for me during LUCIFER and also during JULIETTE too. We slowly develop and grow by pushing forward with the things that may seem impossible. This time too, we carry such confidence when we started the practice for this song, as the song itself requires us to too. KEY A Shocking Transformation ♡ To create more anticipation for our future albums, we still have things that we didn’t bear to use this time round~! SHERLOCK really seems to have the ‘One daring try’ feel. About Popular Culture (T/N: ‘Popular’ here does not refer to the fame but the widespread likeness and acceptance by society of the subject mentioned.) ♡ I believe that songs created by Popular Artistes are Popular Music. So sayings like ‘Why is that singer not Popular?’ doesn’t make any sense. On the contrary, sayings like ‘It is quite popular’ would then make people think that those ‘quite popular’ songs/singers are very similar in nature. The current Gayo (Music) industry seems to be a big battlefield where everyone fights for higher sales whilst promoting the same product. Everyone scrambles to find the best composer, the best stylist to collaborate with, and the best salon to style at. Compared to aimlessly gaining popularity without your own personality, I want more to show our special talents and approach success one step at a time. Taemin being 20 yrs old ♡ He doesn’t give off that familiar feeling anymore. We used to hold on to our image of him from our first encounter, but people around us kept emphasizing that he was already 20 years old. We all met when Taemin was in Primary 6, and when i was still in Secondary 2. It isn’t such an easy feat watching each other grow up. SHINee being in the 20s ♡ If only we could get over this time like Peter Pan. I wish to live diligently in this moment, because we are supposed to be studying in our 10s but our order seems to have be switched. We started working in the society in our 10s, so now we would roughly have an idea of what to do and what not to do. What’s left next should be enjoyment! Comeback ♡ I wish to meet my friends in, like KARA or BEAST, but now when we go to television broadcast stations, it seems like only the hoobaes are left. What to do? I’m not quite comfortable with hoobaes greeting me (laughs). The current Me ♡ I’m doing well. Living happily, and working hard. I’m not talking about my different experience with others, but i’m really thankful for being able to accomplish what i want to do. I never regretted my own choice. MINHO SHERLOCK ♡ Our title song SHERLOCK is a hybrid remix created by amalgamating 2 different songs, this is a very modern approach. Of course the two original song will be included in the album. This album will be a very special album that includes this style of very unique and interesting approach. Extent of practices ♡ To the point where i will experience extreme fatigue after performing twice. Actually we are filming the MV tomorrow, which i’m very worried about. Because we have to dance continuously for a few hours. Even if it’s very tiring, we have to do it well. Salamander Guru and the Shadows ♡ Oh Da-su, Lee Bing-jun sunbaenims, as my life in the drama is as long as the life i’ve spent, i’m able to learn a lot by collaborating with them. They will guide me along. After filming with Oh Da-su sunbaenim, if i feel a little pity towards the scene, he would request for a second filming immediately from the Director. I’m really thankful towards them! 4 Years ♡ In my impression, I was still a little fearful of the reactions towards my speech and behaviour. But now i am becoming more familiar with the stage through performances and programs. Things have become more natural to me recently, and i feel that i show more of my original character now. TAEMIN 20 Years Old ♡ I had the thought that i need to start taking good care of myself from now onwards. Hoobaes are increasing in numbers too, so i need to be a role model. I feel very refreshing when i meet hoobaes in broadcasting stations. For the 10s Singers ♡ When i was young, i also had the thought that ‘Am i unable to prepare for debut on my own?’ Do not remain in that current status of yourself, you need to stand out and present yourself. I hope that everyone can earnestly reflect on that. Immortal Songs 2 ♡ It’s burdening, and very nervous. Because it already had so many great singers performing. But because it is a good chance for me to present a new side of me to the public, i happily joined it despite knowing it was going to be tough. If i were to choose my best performance, it would be my performance of Kim Gun Mo’s Wrongful Meeting. 20s SHINee ♡ Reaching 20 years old, and i feel that i have become closer to my hyungs. Even though it may only be 3 years of difference, but there is the generational gap between the 10s and the 20s. So since i’m in the 20s now, we are now able to exchange ideas more comfortably and freely. Fantasies of being in the 20s ♡ I want to do the things i couldn’t do when i was underaged. Although i have already planned to learn drinking with the hyungs, but we havn’t started yet. In Taemin’s Perspective ♡ Key-hyung always has plans ahead. He always has a fully packed schedule the next day. Onew-hyung always sleeps in the day. Minho-hyung always exercises and is very energetic. Jonghyun-hyung is obsessed with the gym recently/ Jonghyun-hyung is always at the gym lately. Me? For myself, i’m still very lost. (laughs) 

*[Source: Oddness/Weirdness]

[mysteriousooze]

Emotional Ectomagnetic Spectrum

Headcanon: the Lantern Corps and ghosts gain power from the same source.

(Scroll to Vlad’s pic for DP content, or past all of the pics for fic content.)

In the DC Universe, there are seven different Lantern Corps. Members use their lanterns to charge their power rings – but where do the lanterns get power?

Emotions. Every sentient being in the universe bleeds emotion, creating an energy field to which the lanterns are connected. Each Corps draws power from a different emotion. (Yeah, it’s hokey. Whatever. That’s canon.)

Who else gains power from emotions?

Ghosts – if you subscribe to a certain headcanon, anyway. Not like Spectra rejuvenating herself; the theory goes that ghosts haunt humans in order to feed on their yummy emotions, thus growing more powerful. And halfas cannibalize their feelings, giving them an internal power source.

If accept those both as true, then it isn’t a stretch to assume ghosts and lanterns tap into the same “emotional electromagnetic spectrum” for energy. Furthermore, I propose that the color of a ghost’s ectoplasm indicates which emotion they draw from the spectrum.

Another DP headcanon: ghosts recharge within the Ghost Zone. It makes sense, if you accept that ghosts need emotional sustenance. The Zone is where they spend most of their time. Of course, this means that the GZ (or ectoplasm in general) is/contains a source of emotional energy.

I submit that the “energy field” the lanterns draw from is the Ghost Zone.

DP canon:

Doors in the GZ can lead to pocket dimensions (like the boy in front of the static TV, you know the one.)

The GZ is a mirror dimension to the “real world,” so close that natural portals open everywhere. If the GZ is destroyed, then so is Earth.

Presumably, the GZ extends beyond the Earth’s atmosphere. A sister dimension brimming with energy, spanning the universe. 

(A metaphor: the “real world” is an assembled puzzle, while the GZ is all of the pieces loose in the box. They align, but not symmetrically. If a piece of the GZ were destroyed, the corresponding piece of the assembled puzzle would be destroyed as well, but not the whole dang puzzle/universe.)

DC canon:

Corps members keep their lanterns in pocket dimensions accessible from a secret location.

This indicates that A) Lanterns are able to reach other dimensions, if very nearby ones, and B) that the location of the pocket dimension is static, relative to the rotation of the planet.

This correlates with DP canon, wherein the Ghost Portal never leads elsewhere as the Earth orbits. The lanterns would also be capable of drawing energy from the GZ.

In conclusion, this all fits together pretty damn well, imo.

But let’s get back to the ghosts.

DC canon: an emotion’s placement on the spectrum indicates how much influence it holds over the wielder. Green, in the middle, is the most stable, but can only be controlled by those of great willpower. We’re starting on the end of the spectrum, however.

Those who are capable of great love, who have lost their loves, or been rejected are capable of wielding the violet light.

Vlad’s motivation is all about love! He yearns for it, would plot and manipulate and kill for it; he feels scorned and deprived of what he deserves. He’s spent his life becoming his idea of the perfect man, all for the sake of love.

Being on the far end of the spectrum, the violet light drives the Star Sapphires to violence through their love. I’m not saying that Vlad isn’t responsible for his own actions; he definitely is. However, I think it’s indicative that he naturally bears the toxic love of the Star Sapphires.

The Star Sapphires are mostly comprised of scorned women. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that Desiree uses the love that betrayed and harmed her to smite revenge upon the living.

Another common trait among the Sapphires is hatred of men – an outdated canon, imo, but it certainly rings true for this ghost.

The Indigo Tribe is a very special Corps, not only for the fact that most of their members are literal slaves to their rings – as it is said people can be slaves to their compassion. The users of this light are capable of absorbing and utilizing the lights of other Corps as they would their own.

Similarly, Ember’s guitar can emit different colors of ectoplasmic attacks, depending on its setting. (I consider Ember’s guitar as intrinsic as Johnny’s shadow.) The theme of being enslaved by a single, overwhelming emotion fits with Ember’s siren-like ability, as well. 

(Disclaimer: I’m not considering her blue hair for the same reason I’m not considering Plasmius’ red eyes. Those are more from their self-perception than the energy they draw from, imo.)

Blue power rings choose those capable of giving hope for the future to others when they have lost theirs.

Even in the depths of a frozen wasteland, Frostbite leads his people with palpable optimism. They’ve achieved science, art, and philosophy worthy of any sci-fi utopia. Their warrior culture is jovial, meant for recreation rather than conflict. He certainly gave hope to Danny.

I never said that ghosts could only use one color, did I?

Danny gained the ability to use blue ectoplasm later in his character development. After he learned to base his self-worth on himself, rather than on others’ opinions; after he wins more fights than he loses; after he gets a handle on his grades. He’s in a more positive place in his life. Most of Amity Park accepts him as a hero, and he’s even on their sign as their town hero. He’s become a symbol of hope.

Now, at this point one might say, “But Amelia, they’re blue because of ice powers.” to which I say, “bullshit.” Ice has no color, and neither does water. They reflect the sky, granting a blue appearance. IMO, their ice powers are illuminated from within by blue ectoplasm.

If you’re still not convinced, here’s another example:

Looks familiar. Pandora ain’t using ice powers; that’s blue ectoplasm. Considering she crafted a box to contain the world’s worst evils in order to make it a better place, I think she qualifies as one who brings hope.

Those of an indomitable will that can overcome great fear are capable of wielding the green light.

This kid was hunted by his parents, his government, terrifying other-dimensional ghosts, and a rich, old man smarter and stronger than himself. His own body didn’t obey him, or even the laws of physics – and that’s not even mentioning the normal perils of puberty! Bullies targeted him; teachers were biased against him; his grades, and all control over his life, were slipping.

Fear dogged his footsteps, but rather than hide, run away, or even keep his head down to make things easier on himself, he chose to fight. It would have been easy to say ‘my parents’ portal, my parents’ problem.’ He tackled his obstacles one day at a time, relentlessly putting the safety of others before his own, and relied on his friends to help him through – even if that just meant goofing off to destress.

That took serious determination – or, shall I say, willpower.

Disclaimer: green is the natural color of ectoplasm. I am not suggesting that the murky depths of the GZ are aglow with the universe’s supply of bullheadedness. Nor do I believe that the Fright Knight’s ectoplasm-empowered/enchanted sword is made of stubborness. All that is charged with willpower is green, but not all that is green is willpower.

(No ghostly examples for these. I blame color palettes, but I’m biased.)

Yellow is close to the center, and like blue, these rings choose those capable of instilling great fear in others.

Orange can be harnessed by those whose greed knows no bounds. Wielders become twisted, obsessively guarding their property and stealing from others. 

I don’t need to tell you about the Ghost King’s breathtaking anger issues.

In DC, the red light of rage has the most profound effect on its wielders of them all. Red Lanterns are reduced to little more than rabid animals, and the rings poison their blood so that if they’re removed, the result is death.

However, ghosts are not Lanterns. They are not beings of flesh and blood overwhelmed by otherworldy power. This isn’t foreign to ghosts. This is a ghost’s natural state of existence.

For example, Vlad exibits negative traits of a Star Sapphire. But in the case of a Corps member (correct me if I’m wrong,) the ring is forcing this behavior. Not the light. The ring. Vlad is perfectly capable of changing his ways, of using the Power of Heart™ for good.

This is why I think Danny can use two different types, with green as his primary color. Not a DP post without a pun. Like when Desiree’s eyes glare crimson when she’s furious – she’s tapping into the red light, but when she attacks, it’s still violet, because love is still her source of power. I’m such a nerd, wow

If we can accept all of that, then we can get to the interesting stuff!

Danny could charge a GL’s ring, but he’d be exhausted afterward and maybe not hold his ghost form. A last resort.

Vlad’s cube thing that doesn’t let Danny use his powers? Could totally work on a Lantern. (The Plasmius Maximus, however, requires ghost biology, so no dice)

Danny’s ghost sense goes off when there’s a Lantern around, but only when the ring’s activated. Same thing with ghost shields – they work when they‘re powered up. The first time GL encounters this, they don’t know that. It’s such a stupidly simple solution they didn’t even consider, so they’re just outside trying to smash through with brute force when they could literally walk right in, its hilarious

Lanterns are basically artificial halfas. None of the really fun powers, like invisibility/intangibility, but anything that involves shaping or charging ectoplasm? They’re experts

GL could totally teach Danny how to use some of  his powers

The Oans probably have the technology to stabilize Dani

The Fenton’s portal? That engine Jack made that uses ghosts as an energy source? Or really any of their ghost tech? Is basically following the same path of technological development as the Oans! GLs can track ecto-technology on their rings, as long as its active. Imagine their shock when they find Oan-like tech on Earth! They know about the emotional spectrum, but that’s it. The Oans don’t want anyone replicating their technology, so their people have no idea where their power really comes from If the GLs report back to the Oans about ecto-tech development on Earth, things may get political real fast

If the suit Technus made for Valerie is powered by the red light, what if it starts influencing her personality/emotions?

GL could take Danny into space. GL could take Danny to visit other planets. Danny could explore space with the Lanterns and he would be so happy

Danny vs GL: if it boils down to a battle of stamina, GL wins. His ring has more lasting power than Danny. As a halfa, however, Danny has full ghost powers; if he’s tricky enough, he could squeeze out a win. GL, on the other hand, is only limited by his imagination in what he can create. I’m inclined to say GL would win, unless Danny is willing to use the Ghostly Wail to knock him out, then flee on foot – but even then, GL’s ring would have a recording of him becoming Danny Fenton (Plus GL has way more allies than Danny. Basically, our boy might win a battle, but def not the war)

The Oans and the Observants could totally be in cahoots, and neither of them like Danny

That pocket dimension GLs keep their Lanterns in could totally be behind a locked door in the GZ, and now I’m imagining Vlad scheming up a way to find one

What if GL’s space travel utilizes the GZ’s natural portals like the infi-map?

There’s so much potential here, guys!!

[endlvss-blog1]

       and here’s part two ! there’s info about max under the cut. he’s a newer muse so hopefully this won’t be as long as my last post lmao. feel free to message me or like this or my post about augusta to plot !!

OCAMPO, MAXIMUS has booked their ticket from TORONTO, CANADA to amsterdam, the netherlands !! the TWENTY-NINE year old BAR OWNER has been said to be recognized as BOB MORLEY far too often during the past FIVE YEARS. around amsterdam, he is known to be SEDULOUS and RESOURCEFUL, but also tend to be DEJECTED and PROPRIETORIAL. now all that’s left to say is … welcome to amsterdam.

so maximus... yeah.... only call him that if you have a death wish or if you’re very close to him ! same with maxie, there are some people who can get away with it but it’s safe to just stick with max.

he owns a divey little bar ( probably a few shops down from gusta’s sketchy psychic shop ) that he inherited from his grandfather. to sum up the story there, max was stuck living with his deadbeat father in toronto his entire life under the impression that his father was his only living family, so when max was 24 and learned he had a grandfather in amsterdam he scraped together the money for a plane ticket and flew over with pretty much just the clothes on his back. his grandfather died literally weeks after max arrived, but he left max the shitty bar that he owned so !

max lives in an apartment above the bar (and prob rents out a room to someone because he’s broke as hell so possible plot there) and honestly it’s his baby, it was practically in shambles when he first got to amsterdam, but he fixed it up mostly with his own two hands. so much so that it can usually pass a health inspection test without a bribe !! key word being usually ; max is almost constantly stressing about having to do repairs on something or another, since it’s an ancient building

all that being said, when max puts his mind to something he gets down to work at it. he can get stubborn in that aspect, and he is certifiably the worst at asking for help. also tends to go back and forth between getting too zoned in and becoming obsessive, then going to being ready to abandon an entire project at the drop of a hat. but once (and if) he pulls thru his heart is really in it okay!

can be kind of a hardass around the bar and as a boss but he really just cares a lot okay..... it’s also kind of how he is in general? he might come off as this pessimistic asshole but once you earn his trust and respect he’ll literally go to the ends of the earth for you ! so protective and caring and really just a lil baby beneath his hard exterior.

very defensive!!!! pretty despondent too mostly because of his bad upbringing and his commitment issues which cause him to isolate himself a lot. he just has problems opening up to people even once he gets close to them. he probably says things about not being the emotional type but on the inside he’s so emotional he’s just gotten good at bottling it up. he’ll probably explode someday i’m not kiddign.

always looks really tired because he’s a huge introvert and yet.....runs a bar....a pretty social place a lot of the time. interesting choice there maxie.

other little hcs i have for him: very dry sense of humor, probably claims to be a cat person yet owns a very large dog (it was probably a stray that he let sleep in the bar ONCE and it never left him alone after that so he got rid of its fleas and now it lives w him), is a very talented writer on the low but his dreams of being a journalist or a novelist have long since been abandoned, very bi (possibly gay i do n’ t k n ow) but not very open about it, lets a lot of things slide at the bar tbh so there might be some shady shit goin on there sometimes but it’s generally a cool spot pls hang out there and annoy him !

(drug addiction tw.) also last but not least he.... kind of has a drug problem he’s been trying to kick for the past few years but he hasn’t gotten very far in doing so. it really makes him paranoid and puts him in debt but he just can’t make himself stop and like i said before he’s practically incapable of asking for help so yea he’s struggling a lot with that

i’m sorry this honestly wasn’t shorter but thank U for reading :)