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legumelupin · 4 years ago

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Cake Week!

here it is! the first chapter of this story that i love so much but is ruining my life! and here it is on ao3! it’s over 11k so please enjoy

WEEK 1 — CAKE

“It’s the moment every dessert lover, every pastry lover, really any kind of bake lover has been waiting for. The tent is staked and there are 12 new bright-eyed and bushy-tailed amateur bakers ready to battle it out. These bakers are some of the finest in the United Kingdom and were hand-selected out of thousands of applicants.

“They practiced for months and months to perfect new and old skills to take on a new set of challenges. Original signatures, grueling technicals, and spectacular showstoppers that are all made to push the baker's creativity and determination to the edge. Who will come out victorious? And who will collapse under a soggy bottom?

“This season, the bakers will be judged by none other than the lovely baking queen of Scotland, Minerva McGonagall. She’s hard to impress and incredibly blunt but boy does she make spectacular ginger biscuits. Her co-judge is the man who looks great for his age and who’s palate ranges from lemon sherbert to cockroach cookies. That’s right, it’s the ever-serene Albus Dumbledore. But the bakers had better watch out, our dear Dumbly isn’t afraid to shatter hopes and dreams. And as always, this season will be hosted by myself, Horace “Sluggy” Slughorn, and the large and in charge, Rubeus Hagrid.

“For their first week, our brand new bakers will have to overcome the woes of cake week. That means avoiding dry sponges, merengues that aren’t whipped properly, and batter that is over’werked’ as our dear Minerva would say.

“Welcome to Season 7 of the Great British Bake Off!”

Remus tied the apron around his waist, his hands shaking uncontrollably as he was still processing where exactly he was. He was in The Tent! The people in charge of the Great British Bake Off chose his application as one of the ones to be a part of the next season. Him! Remus John Lupin! What the fuck? What were they thinking? What was he thinking? He had let his mother convince him into applying, citing his bread and his knack for precision as qualities that could help him. He just never thought he would be here, ever. But he was!

He took a look around, noting all the cameras and feeling his stomach start to twist itself into a knot a bit. Oh gods, what in the world was he thinking? He’d be on TV and chances are he’d make a fool of himself for everyone to see! He thought of the day the camera crew had shown up to his family’s small cottage just outside of Cardiff. He had been maybe even more nervous then than he was now considering how intimate the whole ordeal was. They just followed him around for a few hours and had him hang in the kitchen with his mother while his father sat at the counter reading the paper. They followed him to his job at a bookshop just inside of town and he talked about his dream to go to university to study literature. If he didn’t think too hard about it, being in The Tent didn’t seem so bad anymore.

And then one of the Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore walked in. Gods, he wished he packed a joint in his bag for after. Or even his pack of cigs. He was going to need it afterward judging by how hard his legs were shaking. He looked to the workstation across from him and found a woman with long, red hair and he remembered her vaguely from the little mingling session the producers of the show hosted for contestants the day before. Remus did his best to socialize but he mostly kept to himself, thinking about the book that was waiting for him on his train ride home. But looking at her now, she was hard not to remember with hair like that and green eyes that pierce him even from the distance he’s at.

She caught his eye and offered him a kind smile that he returned easily, feeling a bit better. He could see the worry lines etched on the side of her mouth. Honestly, Remus should have been paying more attention to the competition if he wanted to win but he’d been so inside his head that he didn’t even remember any of their names let alone what they looked like. All he remembered from the night before was the piercing blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore and the raucous laughter of Rubeus Hagrid. He was so shell-shocked that all he could do was tell himself not to panic and have a drink with a few of the other contestants that he didn’t remember the names of.

But now, here he was, smiling at the girl with flaming red hair, waiting for the camera crew to give the cue for them to start. They’d gotten the opening shots with all the new bakers lined up outside the tent and all of them walking into the tent for the first time. Remus was almost positive that his gaze was downcast the entire time. It was almost like he was asking to leave on the first episode but in reality, he did really want to win. He was terrified and an anxious disaster. But he was a terrified and anxious disaster with a passion to win.

“Psst, hey!” a voice whispered behind him and Remus raised an eyebrow, turning his head to find the most gorgeous man his bisexual eyes have ever seen. Remus suppresses a groan. Why did Gorgeous-Man have to get his attention before the first task? As if it wasn’t going to be hard enough before, all Remus would be able to think about now were those stormy grey eyes and long, very soft-looking black hair. He would definitely overbake his sponge.

Sirius Black was very nervous. He was incredibly proud of himself for making it onto the show but he was also still in disbelief. Even when he was standing at his workstation for their first bake of cake week, he didn’t believe he was actually going to be on his favorite TV show. The night before hadn’t done anything to soothe his nerves or let him know that this was actually real but he did meet a really wonderful bloke by the name of James Potter who was also a contestant on the show. They hit off on their first interaction and hit the pub right after the little event had ended. Sirius felt he’d made a friend forever in the guy.

“Hey man, this is crazy right?” a brown-skinned guy with unruly black hair and kind, hazel eyes said, gesturing to the large white tent that was just down the hill from the little area of the grounds the newest contestants were all gathered in. He looked to be around Sirius’s age. “Never thought I’d be here but I guess they liked my application enough even though I made a complete fool of myself,” the guy snorted and Sirius raised an eyebrow.

“I suppose they just wanted a village fool and they thought you’d do the best job,” Sirius snarked and the guy looked affronted but to the point of mocking him.

“You say that as if it isn’t a high honor, young sir!” the man proclaimed and Sirius cracked a grin.

“I have to say, kind fellow, I’m going to put up a hell of a fight to be crowned the title of fool before you,” Sirius jested back and the guy laughed heartily.

“I’m James Potter,” he extended his hand and Sirius took it in his own.

“Sirius,” the pale male answered and James quirked an eyebrow but didn’t let go of his hand.

“Course I’m serious, why would I lie about my name?” James asked and Sirius snorted.

“No, I’m Sirius,” he replied and James just leveled him with a small glare.

“About what, mate? You haven’t even said anything,” James shot back and Sirius rolled his eyes.

“No, you oaf. My fucking name is Sirius,” he laughed and James’s face fell for a second before it broke out into a large grin.

“That’s right funny, Sirius. You can make a lot of jokes with that,” James smiled and Sirius laughed.

“Just did, mate,” Sirius remarked and James didn’t stop grinning.

“Wanna grab a pint after this?” James asked and Sirius knew. He just knew. This guy was gonna be his best friend after this night.

“Sounds like a plan to me. I’d get out of here right now if it weren’t the set of fucking Bake Off,” Sirius murmured and James grinned at him again.

“Is someone nervous?”

“As if you aren’t. Or I suppose you’re too daft to feel nervous.”

“Oi! Now that’s just rude!”

“You didn’t even understand when I introduced myself!”

“Your name is fucking Sirius! Pardon me for not knowing very many people named after celestial bodies!”

“Well, you’re pardoned! Happy?”

“Incredibly, good sir!”

They hit the pub together after the party as promised and got properly shitfaced and Sirius was sure that he would want to remember that night forever. Bake Off was already getting his mind off his shit life but this bloke, this James Potter, seemed to be a forever friend.

James was sat at the station on Sirius’s right and they kept glancing at each other. Both would be lying if they said they weren’t nursing a bit of a hangover which is not ideal considering it was their first day on the set of a baking TV show that would be broadcasted all over England. James pointed to the woman who sat in front of him and made a face at Sirius that indicated that he was absolutely smitten with this woman. He’d never even talked to her. Sirius rolled his eyes and shook his head. James glared at him and stuck out his tongue, and then feigned absolute hurt when Sirius didn’t change the look on his face.

Sirius could only roll his eyes again but with a smile this time. He turned his attention to the guy sitting in front of him who was wearing a sweater that was definitely not appropriate for this fucking disgusting weather. Sirius knew it wasn’t his place to say shit to the guy but holy fucking hell it was as hot as Satan’s balls out! So, like a typical Black (and he was well aware of his cousin’s presence in the tent which was kind of crazy but he tried not to think too hard about it), he said something.

“Psst, hey!” he whispered loudly and thankfully, the guy heard him and turned around briefly. Sirius’s gay panic went haywire at that moment. He forgot about the sweater all at once and was stuck between a sea of honey brown and a forest of glorious summer green and freckled cheeks with a couple of faint scars running across a beautiful nose. He had fucking freckles and heterochromia. Oh gods, he was toast. Pun intended.

“Yeah?” the guy asked, his voice sounded strained. How had Sirius not seen him last night? Or this morning? Was he seriously so far up James’s ass and happy to have a friend that he didn’t even notice this hot string bean amongst the ten other contestants? Yes, yes he was. But that wasn’t an excuse!

“Oh, um, I was just… Mate, how the hell are you wearing that thing right now?” Sirius asked incredulously and the man’s face fell to be quickly unimpressed.

“I've been cold on the inside since I’ve been ten,” he deadpanned and Sirius raised an eyebrow at him. “Basically I’m depressed,” he continued after before making to turn back front.

“Wait, you’re not even gonna tell me your name Mr. I- Wear -a -Sweater -in -the -Dead -of -Summer?” Sirius quipped and the guy actually managed a smile. Sirius groaned internally. No one should be allowed to look that hot!! And he was just fucking smiling!! At this rate, Sirius couldn’t even bring himself to think about fucking cake (unless it was this guy’s cake, if you know what he’s saying. Wink wink).

“Remus Lupin. Care to tell me yours? Mr. I-Have-No-Manners-and-Can’t-Recognized-a-Depressed-Bastard?” the guy snarked back, not losing the amused look on his beautiful face.

Sirius barked out a laugh causing the other contestants to look over to them and Sirius feared of being shushed so he quickly said, “Sirius Black.”

Remus nodded at him, a small smile still piquing on his lips before turning back around. And finally, the set fucking called for action. Now, what was the cake he’d been practicing for weeks?

Marlene McKinnon was an absolute ball of nerves and it was obvious to everyone around them, too. They couldn’t sit still. One minute they were bouncing their leg up and down, another they were wringing their hands, another their fingers were twisting around their long chestnut brown ponytail, and another minute they were braiding that ponytail. But before they knew it, Sluggy and Hagrid were welcoming all of them to Cake Week and giving the prompt, which they already knew, before the legendary send-off:

“On your marks,” said Hagrid.

“Get set!” Sluggy cheered.

“BAKE!” they both rang out together and it was like Marlene blacked out.

Their adrenaline took over and they raced around her work station, grabbing sugar, eggs, and flour for their orange zest angel food cake. Their workstation was one of the first two from the tent’s entrance which they were honestly thankful for because that meant the judging and hosting teams came to them first. And they wanted as little distractions as possible.

“Marlene, what kind of angel food cake are you making for us today?” Sluggy asked, peering around her workstation. They looked up and saw the calculating gaze of Albus Dumbledore on their batter in the mixer and the stern eyes of Minerva McGonagall boring into their own. Their knees wobbled and they fought to keep themself upright. Minerva was an inspiration for them and now the woman was going to be judging their bakes.

“Oh, um.. I’m going to be making an orange zest angel food cake with chocolate glaze and fresh whipped cream,” they said while trying to keep their voice from shaking.

“Sounds quite lovely,” Albus said serenely.

“Yes, I expect a strong orange flavor in your cake,” Minerva insisted curtly but with a small peak of a smile.

“Of course! I hope it comes through,” Marlene smiled and they knew that this was where her little introduction would be placed in post-production of the show. The production crew followed them around Cambridge and talked about how they worked as a physician's assistant for a nephrologist and lived with their two cats.

They were quite happy with their life at the moment, they kept up with their family who didn’t live that far away and their job was fulfilling. But they were a hopeless romantic and were on the lookout for a lovely lady to woo or for one to woo them.

They glanced around their station once the judges and hosts moved on and caught the eye of a dark-skinned girl named Dorcas Meadowes that they met yesterday along with a red-head named Lily Evans and another woman with mousy brown hair named Alice. Dorcas gave them a small smile before turning back to her own bake and Marlene felt their cheeks heat up a bit and really hoped no cameras were pointed at them.

The bakers had two hours for the first bake of the season and Marlene thought everything was going well. Their egg whites whipped up well, they zested many oranges, everything seemed to be going alright. They couldn’t say the same for the man across from them. He had long blond hair and a permanent sneer on his face that said he thought he was better than everyone. Marlene remembered him from the night before and rolled their eyes then just like they were rolling them now.

He fucked up his egg whites it seemed like and was obviously disgruntled as the camera crew moved to his station for what kind of angel cake he was making. Marlene marked him as a weak link in their head but they didn’t dwell on it too long as their egg whites weren’t yet stiff peaks. They kept beating them.

Marlene was a whirlwind of movements for the next hour and a half until Hagrid announced they all had a half-hour left and they felt absolutely overwhelmed despite actually being in a pretty good place in their bake. Their sponge was cooling and it looked well-baked but not over baked, their chocolate glaze was almost ready and all they had left was their whipped cream and to slice some oranges as a garnish.

“Looks like he broke your focus,” the woman behind Marlene’s station smirked but not unkindly.

“Oh, uh yeah,” Marlene answered with a breathy laugh.

“Sorry if that was weird, you’re just in front of me and you’ve been in the zone the entire time. It’s admirable, I hope it’s all going well for you,” the woman smiled sweetly and Marlene smiled back at her. They noticed all around the tent, bakers were conserving and bantering with each other and they hadn’t said a word since the very beginning.

“No, it’s not weird and thank you. I hope it’s going well for you too, this is all so scary,” Marlene answered and the woman smiled at them more. She didn’t seem too much older but she was definitely on the older side of the contestants. Almost everyone else looked to be Marlene’s age.

“Yeah but think about it, if you didn’t deserve to be here, you wouldn’t be,” she reminded Marlene and the person nodded. “I’m Andromeda, by the way. It’s nice to meet you and hopefully, there’ll be a friendly face around here over the next few weeks, assuming I make it through,” she said softly and Marlene nodded again.

“I’m Marlene, it’s good to meet you too,” they answered before turning back to their bake, making sure their chocolate glaze wasn’t burning or anything.

There was a minute left before they could even realize and their cake was glazed, their whipped cream was cold and sitting like a cloud atop the cake, and they were just finishing slicing their oranges. They chanced a glance up and around and saw the blond man across from them struggling. His sponge looked overdone and his lemon glazed looked too runny. They could only hope that the orange was strong enough in their cake to compete with their chocolate glaze and cut through it.

“Bakers, time is up! Please step away from your bakes and move your Angel Food cakes to the end of your table!” Sluggy called out to the group and almost simultaneously, everyone out down what they were doing and stepped back. Marlene was satisfied with how their cake looked, they really only wanted it to taste good now. They took a look around at everyone else’s.

Sirius had dried batter on his face and his usually pristine hair was rather disheveled but his angel food cake looked delicious, at least in his eyes. It was a vanilla sponge with a sweet cranberry sauce running down the sides with strawberries on top. He looked forward at Mr. Remus Lupin’s cake and groaned. His looked fucking delicious and it looked like he made a chocolate angel cake sponge? The fucking drama of this guy! He looked over at James who looked very proud of his key lime pie inspired back and he had to admit it was impressive.

“We got this in the bag,” the man whispered-shouted across the way, his arms crossed proudly over his chest. The girl in front of him who he was gaping at two hours ago turned and gave him a slightly disgusted look and he noticed and grinned at her. “Like what you see?”

“Aha, you wish,” she sneered and Sirius decided she wasn’t his favorite person. What was her deal? Sure James was a little cocky but so what?

“Oh come on, Red. You don’t think my sponge looks good?” he asked with an easy grin and the girl rolled her eyes before facing forward. Judging was starting.

Remus’s internal panic alarms were ablaze. He was proud of his bake for sure but it wasn’t up to his usual standard in his opinion. There was a good chance the sponge was dry on his vanilla one and his chocolate one had a very good chance of being underbaked. His pastry cream was set well enough but he was nervous all the same. All he could hope for was that it tasted better than how he imagined it did.

He watched Albus and Minerva make the rounds with Hagrid by their side from behind him. They were tasting a greasy-haired guy’s cake and they seemed kind of meh with it like it didn’t do anything special for them and from what he could tell, it was just a normal sponge with some powdered sugar and strawberries on top.

“I’d like to see more,” Minerva said, a tone of disappointment in her voice. The guy just gritted his teeth and nodded shortly before turning to look forward.

The judges moved onto the guy in front of the one they just judged who’d been talking to Sirius just a minute ago. He looked very proud and boastful of his bake and with good reason it seemed as the judges loved it and the guy who was judged first seethed very visibly, glaring daggers at the back of Sirius’s friend’s head. But Remus’s view was obscured when the judges crossed over to Sirius’s station. He could hear everything they were saying.

“Right, Sirius my boy, this is vanilla angel food cake with cranberry sauce, right?” Albus asked and Sirius nodded while chewing his lip. He was fucking hot when he chewed his lip. Gods, Remus was so fucking bent for this guy and he had one conversation with him if it could’ve even been counted as a conversation. And he was a dick during the whole thing! How could he be a dick to the one attractive guy who’s talked to him in months? Remus held back a sigh as Minerva and Albus tasted Sirius’s cake.

“Hm, that is scrummy. The cranberry is sharp and tart which is an excellent contrast to the sweetness of your sponge,” Minerva attested and Sirius’s face broke out into a smile. It was radiant and Remus never wanted him to stop.

“Yes this is delicious, thank you,” Albus commented, giving a slow nod to Sirius.

“Thank you,” he said softly, the smile never melting off his face.

As Minerva and Dumbledore moved onto the person behind Sirius with Hagrid, Remus caught Sirius’s attention. “Nice one! Looks great,” he smiled and if it were possible, Sirius’s smile grew even bigger. Remus’s heart clenched because he made that happen.

“Thanks, mate! Yours looks really good, a chocolate angel food cake is impressive,” Sirius whispered back and Remus flashed him a smile this time.

“Thanks!”

Remus faced forward again and waited for the judges to come to his station with a large amount of anxiety that grew with every second. He resisted the urge to bite his fingernails to shreds as he knew the cameras were still around and taking shots of people other than those who had the judges at their table. But Remus needn’t wait very long as the next person they came to was him. He sat up straighter when Hagrid addressed him.

“Remus, what have you made fer the judges t’day?” he asked and Remus swallowed loudly.

“Uh, it’s alternating chocolate and vanilla angel food cake with pastry cream in between the layers, topped with fresh whipped cream,” he said quickly but his voice didn’t waver thankfully. He was a mess.

“It looks very neat and your pastry cream seems to have set very nicely. Quite ambitious for the first bake of the season, let’s just hope you pulled it off,” Minerva remarked but there was a shine in her eyes.

“Yes, I hope I did too,” he said softly as they cut into his sponges and took a piece onto the plate set in front.

“The vanilla sponge looks well baked,” Albus commented, tapping his fork lightly over it. “But I fear you may have misjudged the timing for your chocolate sponge, it appears a bit underdone,” he remarked and Remus nodded. He figured. “Best to try it.”

The two judges put a piece of his cake into their mouths and looked thoughtful for a moment. “These flavors are wonderful. And it’s quite a feat that you got your chocolate sponge to rise and still have such a profound flavor. The pastry cream is a nice texture too,” Minerva commented and Remus smiled at her.

“Yes, this is very good indeed however your chocolate sponge is underbaked,” Albus continued and Remus nodded.

“Right, sorry about that,” he murmured.

“This is a very fine cake you have, Remus,” Albus finished and Remus tipped his head in thanks.

“I’ll jus’ be taking a piece o’ that,” Hagrid said sneakily, taking a piece of chocolate sponge with him and Remus snickered, gesturing for him to take as much as he pleased.

“Oi, mate, that’s amazing!” Sirius whispered from behind him and Remus turned to face him, both of them wearing dazed and happy smiles. Honestly, it went better than Remus had expected it to go for their first bake and he felt ready for the technical, though he didn’t want to be too cocky just yet.

When the judges got around to that bloke Lucius, the one across from Marlene, they couldn’t help but roll their eyes despite the large number of nerves setting their entire body on fire. Oh gods, they were the last to be judged and from what they were hearing, the majority of the others had done really well. The bar was too high!! Too high!! Marlene wished they were high right about now but instead they had to listen to Minerva and Albus be disappointed with the blond git’s bake. At least that was something positive for them. They had heard high praises for Lily and Dorcas’ bakes and they really enjoyed Alice’s flavors. Marlene thought for a second that Andromeda was going to get a Minerva McGonagall handshake and here they were with just a plain old orange-flavored sponge and some chocolate sauce.

They barely even registered when Hagrid addressed them due to never-ending nerves but stood up straight once they realized, watching Minerva and Albus inspect their sponge.

“Looks to be a very good bake and the chocolate has a beautiful shine to it,” Albus remarked and Marlene smiled a bit.

“Yeah let’s just hope the orange came through,” Minerva replied before putting her fork in her mouth. “And it does,” she added immediately after. “Beautifully, too,” she continued and Marlene’s shoulders sagged in relief.

“That’s a very lovely sponge you have there,” Albus praised and Marlene grinned at him.

“Thank you,” they said quietly and the group moved away.

There was a flurry of movements but they were told to leave the tent so they could prepare for the technical and so the camera crew could get a few testimonials from the contestants. They called out a few names of who they wanted.

“Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, and Alice Fortesque,” one of the crew members shouted. “Everyone else, please exit the tent. You may wonder the grounds and enjoy something from the buffet but you are due back in a half-hour for the next bake!”

Marlene hurried out of the tent and into the fresh air, feeling as though they were able to breathe for the first time that morning. Gods, if that was what it was going to be like for the next ten weeks, they didn’t know if they could make it! That was one bake and they were already knackered! They would really need to pack a joint with them for their travels back home if that’s what it was going to be like.

“Hey, Marls! Where’re you headed?” a voice that she recognized as Dorcas shouted from a few meters away. They looked up and saw the dark-skinned girl with pale-skinned Lily by her side, both with wide smiles and welcoming hand gestures.

“Nowhere in particular!” they called back as they headed to join them on their walk.

They talked and gossiped about the first challenge. Lily ranted about the guy behind her, James Potter, being an absolute git who was too cocky for his own good. And while she did sound truly exasperated by this man, Marlene could also tell she fancied him even if it was just a bit. Lily didn’t seem like the type to appreciate being told this though so Marlene kept a tight-lip and settled for exchanging knowing glances with Dorcas who couldn’t hold back the smirk from her face. Gods, Marlene was absolutely smitten with that look and they couldn't even admit to themself. They wouldn’t be surprised if the word hypocrite was emboldened on their tanned forehead.

Sirius was a bit bummed that Remus got called for a testimonial. Not that he wanted to give one or anything but he was hoping he could drag the guy along with him and James during their break. James was great company though, he always had something to say and it was usually hysterical. It’s only been 24 hours since meeting the guy but it felt like they’d been friends since secondary school, if not before.

“Hey, mate, you there?” James’ voice filtered into Sirius’s thoughts and he snapped his head towards the man.

“Huh?” he managed gracefully.

“I said that bloke sitting in front of you seemed pretty cool,” James repeated, not letting on if he noticed Sirius blatantly ignoring him for a minute.

“Oh, Remus?” Sirius perked up causing James’s eyebrows to raise by a fraction before shrugging.

“I suppose if that’s his name,” he jabbed and Sirius laughed a laugh that sounded to be that of a bark. James quite enjoyed it and thought it fit Sirius’s persona perfectly.

“It is. And yeah, he’s very cool. Talked with him for a bit before we started,” Sirius insisted and James quirked a smile.

“Wanna grab a nightcap tonight? We can invite this Remus character as well,” James offered and Sirius’s eyes shone brightly. He couldn’t help it. Remus was cute.

“Yeah, sure! Sounds great to me, honestly anything to stay away from home for the night is good for me,” Sirius grinned.

“Well if that’s the case, then you’ll just have to get too drunk to go home Mr. Black, causing me to insist you stay the night at my place so I can be sure you don’t sick up in your mouth and choke on it,” James grinned and Sirius grinned back. They looked like a right pair of scoundrels right then even if they had no intention of getting drunk enough to even feel their cheeks grow warm. They had the blasted show-stopper tomorrow! They couldn’t make fools of themselves just because they had a pint too many!

“Is that a challenge Mr. Potter?” Sirius poked and James laughed.

“Is that how you see it?”

“Perhaps.”

“I think you mean mayhaps,” James corrected and Sirius snorted.

“You’re fucking weird, Potter. That something you learned in Godric’s Hollow, some posh lingo or whatever?” Sirius taunted playfully and James scoffed.

“You’re one to talk about bloody posh, mate. Sirius Black, named after a fucking star and grew up in rich London. I look like a right plebeian standing next to you. I might as well get down on my knees and kiss your—“

“Alright, alright, you can shut it now.”

“Eh, didn’t go too far did I?”

“Absolutely not, you prick. I’m just annoyed you refuse to acknowledge your own poshness, even if it’s more eccentric and fucking loony.”

“I’m not loony.”

“You just told me to say mayhaps.”

“As a joke!”

“Uh-huh, I’m sure.”

“You better watch your tongue, Sirius Black, I’m not afraid to tell on you to Minerva McGonagall! We’re close personal friends!” Sirius erupted into laughter and James followed suit. The break didn’t seem to last long enough.

Remus stood back at his station rather disgruntled despite having gotten high remarks from the judges. But the attitudes of the two other guys chosen were just abysmal and Remus did not feed well off of negative energy. Thankfully, the girl Alice was an absolute sweetheart and he managed to occupy his waiting time talking with her and ignoring the two other assholes. However, when Alice went to give her shpiel on the first bake, he was left alone with Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape, neither of which displayed any kindness.

“That old bat doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” Lucius had snarled.

“Neither of them can appreciate true artistry,” Severus had implored and Remus rolled his eyes but his ears burned as the man continued, “Praising an underbaked chocolate sponge. How very soft. I suppose they feel bad with all those scars. Paints a very interesting picture.”

“Hmph, I have to agree. And with all the praise for that brown skin and that black girl,” Lucius had sneered. Remus could tolerate slander directed at him but he drew the line at any kind of racism.

“Hey, you better shut the fuck up,” Remus snarled as he turned around. “To be quite honest I couldn’t give a damn about your bitterness towards the judging but don’t go blaming it on others and don’t you dare bring anyone’s race into this. They have just as much of a right as you or I do and the fact they’re better than you makes you feel inferior. Well, I got news for you mate. You are inferior. And if I ever hear you badmouthing anyone for their race, I will fucking slug you where you stand,” he bit out quietly and without wavering. “Fucking trash,” he gritted out, spitting at Lucius’s feet and glaring at Severus before turning back to ignore them.

The pair behind him continued their conversation much more quietly then and Remus failed to hear any of it but it wasn’t too much longer before Alice came back and Lucius left. She could sense his anger but didn’t ask him about, choosing instead to ask about what he did for a living.

So there he stood, his arms tightly crossed over his chest, glaring daggers into the back of Lucius Malfoy’s head, waiting for the hosts and the judges to arrive, signaling the start of their first technical challenge.

“Psst, Remus,”.said a voice behind him and he really thought about ignoring the guy just because he was in a foul mood. But he relented anyway because he had a feeling that Sirius wouldn’t stop calling out to him until he answered. He turned.

“What?”

“Wanna grab a pint with me and James after we wrap up for the day?” he asked with a brilliant smile and expectant eyes. His heart melted a bit at the sight and he smiled softly. It took him a minute to register what the guy had asked him and then he felt his cheeks flush. He was asking him to hang out after? Him? Remus Lupin?

“James?” Remus asked without thinking or hesitating and Sirius pointed his thumb over to the guy at the station across the way. The man called James smiled a brilliant smile and waved enthusiastically. Remus snorted.

“Sure,” he answered with an easy smile before turning back forward to hide his burning cheeks. He managed to catch a glimpse of Sirius’s own burning cheeks though and the thought made him warm inside.

The technical was a disaster. At least it was for Sirius. He couldn’t be sure about anyone else but he was sure he fucked up his bake beyond repair. All his good graces from the signature challenge would go out the window because he would surely be crowned twelfth place and he would have to claw his way through the ashes during the showstopper just to stay in the competition past the first week. He was embarrassed and he was annoyed with himself for cracking under pressure. Surely he could’ve handled twelve miniature tres leches cakes, right? But no, not at all apparently! His whipped cream was running, his sponges well weak and didn’t hold well after being doused in milk and to top it off, he cut his finger when slicing the strawberries! No one was having a worse time than him, surely.

Except for maybe Marlene McKinnon who was almost in tears at how everything was turning out. How could it be that only an hour ago they were making perfect whipped cream and now it just wouldn’t stiffen? They were on their third attempt and there was only five minutes left in the challenge so if it didn’t work then, they would be serving naked, milky sponges and they absolutely loathed the sound of that. They beat their whipping cream and sugar harder.

Remus Lupin felt oddly calm during the technical. His sponge came out well or so it appeared and he had no way of testing it, his milk concoction was mixed well and his whipped cream wasn’t grainy. All was well at station Remus and he was quite proud of himself although he doesn’t have the self-confidence to believe he’d place even in the top three. But he was still proud of himself.

“Alright bakers, that’s the end of your first technical, if you could, please bring your tres leches up to the Gingham altar and place them behind your visage!” Sluggy proclaimed and everyone seemed to take a collective breath as they stepped back for the first time since starting. Thankfully, Remus had just finished setting his last strawberry atop his cakes and couldn’t help but be pleased as he brought up his platter to the front. He was seventh in the judging so he’d have to wait for Albus and Minerva to get to his bake but he didn’t seem to mind actually was a nice change of events from this morning. He began to fear that his lack of anxiety would be his downfall though and that he’d be taken by surprise and his tres leches would actually be terrible and his sponge would be cracked and dry.

He sat in an odd mixture of fear and calm. But he was sat next to Sirius so that was nice. Sirius looked upset and Remus searched for his photo which was second from the start and frowned. They certainly weren’t the prettiest but they didn’t look awful and as long as they tasted good, he would be fine.

“It’ll be alright, mate,” Remus whispered, trying to sound encouraging and Sirius just shrugged. Remus risked it. He took Sirius’s hand and held it. Yes, he was attracted to the man but also they were in this together. As much as Bake Off was a competition, they were still fighting the same battles and Remus would hate to see Sirius feel alone during this. Luckily, Sirius held on.

“Right,” Minerva said, catching their attention and looking over the bakes with scrutiny. “Let’s see how they did, shall we?” she asked, gesturing to the first bake which was behind the photo of a man Remus had never talked to.

They seemed to enjoy it enough but remarked that the cakes weren’t milky enough and Remus had to stop from blanching at the term used. Milky. Ew. Gross. But they moved onto Sirius’s and the man held Remus’s hand tighter.

“These look a little… disordered,” Albus said serenely. “But hopefully the flavor is good,” he continued as he and Minerva put a piece in their mouths and immediately hummed in delight.

“Quite delicious,” Minerva remarked and Albus nodded in agreement as they moved onto the next bake which was Severus fucking Snape’s.

They didn’t like it. Good.

Next was the red-headed woman across from Remus and they really seemed to like it, stating it almost near perfection. Next came a brown-haired woman that Sirius’s hand tensed at when they got to it, causing Remus to frown. He hadn’t seen the man interact with that woman at all. Interesting.

After the brown-haired woman (Remus should really learn all their names), they moved onto the black woman who was stationed in front of Remus and they also really enjoyed hers, and then it was Remus. He gripped Sirius’s hand a bit tighter.

“They all look very neat which is good, let’s just hope they taste as good,” Minerva remarked as she put a bite in her mouth, Albus following suit. They hummed in approval.

“Quite delicious,” Albus remarked. “This one is going to be hard to judge I can see,” he continued and Remus had to school his face from beaming. But Sirius gripped his hand tighter which made Remus squeeze back.

James was after Remus and he did well but he had thirteen inside of twelve. (Sirius thought James would say something like ‘Well I should get extra points, right? It could’ve been eleven instead of thirteen.’ Sirius would have replied, ‘I think you’re just shit at maths, mate.’) A tanned girl with chestnut brown hair was after James and like Sirius, they looked very messy but the flavor was good.

“The cream is a bit too runny for my taste,” Albus commented and Remus sighed. This is not easy for anyone and it was only going to get harder. Minerva and Albus were picky.

They moved onto Lucius’s which weren’t even topped with whipped cream which made Remus smirk, and then they headed onto Alice who’s were satisfactory it seemed. And they ended with another guy who appeared slightly mousy and even his picture on the altar conveyed a strong sense of panic. He did what Remus would describe as a ‘meh’ job.

And then the judging. Remus kept waiting for his name and he held onto Sirius’s hand tightly and he couldn’t tell who was sweating more. Unsurprisingly, Lucius was last, then Severus, the mousy-looking boy, named Peter, was tenth, followed by the person with the chestnut brown hair, named Marlene, was ninth, followed by the first guy, Frank, then Alice, the woman that made Sirius tense up was named Andromeda and she was sixth. Sirius tensed up again and stayed that way when he was announced to be fifth.

“Sirius, overall a good set of bakes, just a bit of a mess,” Albus noted and Sirius smiled with a nod.

James was fourth and then came the top three which hadn't registered yet that Remus was in. But he quickly realized as Sirius squeezed his hand tightly and Remus held his breath.

“In third, is this one,” Minerva said, gesturing to the bake with the photo of the redhead who’s station was across from Remus’s. “Lily, a really good bake the sponge could be just a bit wetter.”

“These two were really hard to decide between, it was a really a toss up but in second is this one,” Albus stated and Remus raised his hand. Second in the technical! What the fuck! Is this the same Remus he woke up as this morning?

“So that means Dorcas, you are first,” Minerva smiled at the woman’s who station was in front of Remus and Lily leant forward to congratulate her and so did the guy named Frank. She was shocked.

Remus, Dorcas, Snape, and Lucius all got called for testimonials and again, Sirius was bitter. They had a few more things to film just to wrap up the day but either way, he was going to get a pint with Remus and James. But gods, what a day! He had a pretty good signature and he did well in the technical! And he made friends with the hot guy who sat in front of him! Maybe Bake Off is exactly what Sirius needed to turn his life around and to start actually living happily and not in his family’s shadow. It’s only been two days and he already feels like a different person and as long as he doesn’t muck everything up with the showstopper, he feels pretty confident he’ll make it to the next week.

He was packing up his things and also taking out some things he would be using for biscuit week next week just as preparation when Remus finally came back over. “Hey, mate! You did bloody amazing!” Sirius said happily and Remus beamed at him.

“Thanks, Sirius! You did really well, too!” he answered and Sirius grinned.

“Oi, Remus! Remus Lupin!” shouted a voice from across the tent. It was the redhead Lily that James was absolutely smitten with already.

“What?” he asked, his face neutral as she stomped over to him, an unreadable expression clouding her face.

“You and Dorcas, are you two some kind of wizards or something?” she asked, sniffing afterward and Remus grinned at her.

“What, jealous?” he asked, poking a bit of fun but the reddening of his cheeks was absolutely noticeable and Sirius smiled carefully to himself as he watched the exchange.

“Jealous? Me? Absolutely not,” she scoffed. But she smiled after. “Congratulations, you and her seem really fantastic at baking.”

“Hey, you do too,” he answered softly and she smiled at him.

“Yeah well, I was only complimenting you to make you more comfortable so you’d let your guard down,” she shrugged and Sirius watched Remus roll his eyes.

The two of them almost seemed like him and James in the sense that they immediately hit it off. There was no bite behind their words or actions, they were just banting with each other. Sirius felt a green ugly monster want to rear its head in the back of his mind but he quickly shut the door on it. He did not know Remus and he certainly did not know if he was even into blokes. Sure they held hands during the judging of the technical but it was just a high stakes situation. It didn’t mean anything.

“You’re Welsh, aren’t you?” she asked him and Sirius saw the honey-haired man nod out of the corner of his eye. “Could tell from the accent, eh. Well, I’m from Cokeworth, you know in the midlands. I reckon the train comes by both our stops so if you want a friendly face to sit by tomorrow, just shoot me a text. And maybe we could grab a quick cuppa in town before shooting in the morning,” she offered and Remus seemed to light up at the suggestion. It left a warm feeling spreading in his chest.

“That’d be nice! Here, let me give you my number,” Remus answered and both of them pulled out their phones, exchanging numbers and laughed.

“I’m gonna name you Wolf McWolf in my phone,” Lily snorted and Remus playfully glared at her.

“Uncalled for, ginger,” Remus shot back. “Just for that, you will be Little Red to me,” he grinned deviously and she scoffed back at him.

“Hey, there chums!” James’s booming voice interrupted and Sirius was grateful. He was growing tired of watching the two of them flirt or whatever. Yes, he was bitter. Yes, he was a petulant child sometimes. It came with the territory, he was used to getting what he wanted and he wanted Remus. Gods, he’s a mess.

“Ugh, you,” Lily sneered but there was no real malice behind it, Sirius noted. “What is it that you want?”

“The lads and I were going to grab a pint when we wrapped up here. I suppose you wouldn’t want to join us, Evans?” James inquired, his eyes shining brightly and when she snorted, his face fell a bit.

“Not tonight, we have the showstopper tomorrow. It’s rather immature of you to get a drink after today, you couldn’t wait till tomorrow?” she pointed out and James shrugged.

“We could also go tomorrow if you wanted to join then,” the brown-skinned boy offered eagerly and Lily tried to stop the smile from growing on her face.

“Well, we’ll see four eyes. If the three of you make it through tomorrow, then I will think about grabbing a drink with you lot,” she snorted and James was back to full-on grinning.

“Oh I think she’s challenging us, mate,” Sirius finally remarked, glancing over at his new friend who nodded solemnly.

“It would appear so, perhaps tonight we should practice one more time at my place,” James offered and Sirius couldn’t tell if he was serious or joking.

“Alright, everyone! That’s a wrap! See you all bright and early tomorrow! 8 am sharp!” Sluggy called and all of the contestants broke apart and finished getting everything ready for tomorrow. And then he headed out with his new best friend and his new crush. Bake Off was getting interesting.

Remus woke up the next morning with a fond smile already on his lips despite the ungodly hour of the morning he was awake at. The night before had been really fun for him and they hadn’t gotten drunk at all really, just enough to feel a slight buzz but with the promise that no matter what happened today, they would go out again after the showstopper and get properly smashed. Remus was looking forward to it.

He changed quickly and headed downstairs, kissing his mum on the cheek as he entered the kitchen. “Toast for my boy,” she said sweetly and Remus gave her a quick smile before stuffing a piece in his mouth.

“Nervous, fab?” (Nervous, son?) his dad asked from his usual seat at the table, the morning paper open in front of him.

“Ddim mewn gwirionedd, yn ddideimlad yn bennaf,” (Not really, mostly just numb.) Remus answered easily, being completely truthful. His nerves felt fried from yesterday and he knew he practiced as much as possible the weeks following up to the competition. He wouldn’t say he was ready and he also wouldn’t say it would turn out well or he was super confident. But he’d made as much peace as he possibly could with the weekend. Whatever happened would happen and he wouldn’t be able to change. (That’s not to say he wouldn’t be a mess during the actual competition, he figured it was kind of calm before the storm.)

He finished off his toast, grabbed his bag and rushed to the door so he could hurry to the train station. He couldn’t afford to be late.

“Let us know if you’ll be home late,” his mom called and he called back an acknowledgment.

“Hey Little Red, hopping on the train right now, second cart from the front,” Remus sent the message as the train pulled up to the station. He had only arrived a mere 30 seconds before.

Lily texted back immediately. “Sounds good, Wolfie. See u in a few.” Remus smiled and settled into a seat, taking out his headphones and shuffling his guilty pleasure playlist that’s filled with Britney Spears and Lady Gaga.

Lily joined him at the Cokeworth station and he quickly hid away his phone with the incriminating playlist and struck up a conversation. “So, you’re from Wales,” Lily stated and Remus raised an eyebrow.

“So I am,” Remus agreed.

“Speak Welsh?” she asked, light in her eyes and Remus snorted.

“Siarad Saesneg?” (Speak English?) he shot back and Lily grinned.

“Wicked,” she gasped. “What’s it like? Wales, I mean. I’ve never been despite it being just across the way,” she asked and Remus shrugged.

“Green, small, Welsh. I live just outside of Cardiff and the city’s rather nice. If I’m being honest I do love it, I just wish I could get out for a little,” he sighed.

“Like, uni or something? I mean I get it though, Cokeworth is small and everyone knows everyone. It’d be nice to get away but I can’t exactly afford uni,” Lily revealed and Remus looked at her for a second before nodding.

“Me too,” he answered. “I’ve always wanted to go, I love learning, I love studying, I love reading but, uh, we can’t afford it either,” he finished with a mumble and Lily gave him a piercing look. He felt uncomfortable. He knew his scars were noticeable and he knew people would always have questions but it wasn’t their business.

“I say go for it. We both should, money be damned,” Lily retorted finally and Remus raised an eyebrow. “You’re what? 21? I am too, it’s not too late, it’s never to late,” she continued and Remus smiled.

“How’d you guess my age?” he asked and she snorted.

“Didn’t you know? I’m a Seer,” she joked and Remus laughed. “By the way, did you know that Severus lives just over the tracks from me in Spinner’s End?” she added on and Remus tried not to let his mood turn sour. He didn’t want to talk about that dickhead.

“Oh how interesting,” he mused carefully and Lily’s face turned hard.

“The guy is a prick. We used to be friends, you know. When we tykes, inseparable and all that. But he changed and I tried hard to forgive him and help him but he’s just a slimy git,” she huffed and Remus glanced over at her.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely and she shrugged.

“Past is past, it’s just crazy to see him here after a couple of years of not seeing him and knowing he’s still the same twat he’s always been,” she sneered and Remus nodded.

“I had… a… friend like that,” Remus bit out, trying to keep himself under control as he thought about Fenrir fucking Greyback.

“I’m sorry, too then,” Lily said softly and Remus smiled at her.

“Eh, you know, past is past. A guy tries to rape, permanently disables you as a result, and then you beat the shit out of him. Casual, right?” he offered with a flimsy smile and Lily laughed. He was glad she did.

“You’re a right riot, mate,” she said. “At least you got him back and gave him what’s coming. Fuck that guy,” she continued and Remus scrunched his nose.

“Yeah well, now we’re on fucking Bake Off and Snape may be here too but there’s no way he’s winning. Not with you on the show too,” he offered and Lily rolled her eyes.

“Yeah I think you’re more of the threat to be completely honest,” she answered and Remus smiled a toothy grin.

“We’ll both give him a run of it,” he compromised and she smiled back at him.

“Deal.”

Remus was sure he and Lily would take the train to the tent together every morning they could. He was sure he’d just found a friend forever considering they’d just had a heart-to-heart at 7 in the morning on the way to a baking competition. Plus she shared part of her chocolate scone with him and he’d always been a sucker for chocolate.

Marlene got to the Bake Off grounds earlier than most, the only other person there was Frank Longbottom and they had a very brief but friendly exchange of hellos. Marlene just wanted to get there early to clear their head a bit and focus on the task at hand. They’d practiced their cake sculpture for weeks and they knew exactly what they needed to do in order for it to succeed. As long as there weren’t any major catastrophes, they’d be fine.

They were sat on a tree stomp only a small distance away from the tent when Dorcas Meadowed showed up out of nowhere and plopped down right next to them. “Morning,” Dorcas drawled out with too much pep in her step for 7:41 in the morning.

“Hullo,” Marlene answered with a very small smile. “Lovely day innit?” they asked and Dorcas scrunched her nose.

“Yeah, it is. But it got even better with you in it,” she answered and Marlene immediately blushed. Was this flirting or was she like this with everyone.

“I could say the same for you,” they answered cheekily. “But maybe if you brought me a coffee next time, it would be even better.”

Dorcas smiled. “Oh so, I’m not enough? Need coffee too? Alright, fine. How’d you take it? Black? Cream? Sugar?”

“Black,” Marlene answered back with a playful grin. “One sugar.”

“Oh that sounds gods awful,” Dorcas gagged and Marlene giggled.

“Hey, to each their own,” they snarked and Dorcas rolled her eyes.

“You nervous for today?” she asked and Marlene shrugged.

“Yeah, I mean I think it’d be weird if I weren’t,” they replied and Dorcas nodded.

“Me too, but also. Not really? I don’t know I guess I just feel confident,” she continued on and they nodded along.

“Yeah, I think that’s a good way to describe it,” Marlene concluded, smiling at Dorcas who smiled back.

“Wanna get a drink after today?” Dorcas asked and Marlene snorted but nodded at the same time.

“Yeah, I really do,” they answered. “If you’re interested I packed a joint in my bag, we could share if you want,” they continued and Dorcas lit up at the suggestion.

“Sneaky little thing, aren’t you?” she laughed before saying, “Yeah, that’d be nice. Need something to take the edge off with this competition.”

“Precisely my thoughts,” Marlene smiled and Dorcas smiled right back. Gods, they wanted to kiss her so badly but it’s been less than two days of knowing each other and that was way too forward. But still, the want was there.

James and Sirius showed up to the tent together as Sirius really did spend the night at James’s place. James was oddly kind and perceptive to Sirius’s weird moods when his home life was brought up and he had made a genuine offer for him to stay the night.

“That is if you don’t mind the lunacy of Godric’s Hollow,” James had snorted and Sirius grinned.

“No, I very much welcome lunacy,” he had replied and that was that. Sirius met Fleamont and Euphemia Potter and spent the night in the bedroom next to James. They hadn’t practiced the showstopper challenge like James had suggested earlier in the day but even if they wanted to, they would’ve been able to, considering the size of the Potter’s kitchen. It would send Wahlburga Black on a fucking rampage.

They took their stations easily and Sirius admired Remus from behind as the guy took a spot at the station in front of him, just like the day before. “Still on for tonight?” Sirius asked quickly and Remus turned around to smile and nod.

Sirius took a glance over to find James trying to chat up Lily again and he held back an eye roll. The guy was an absolute disaster but he seemed to thrive on being that way which made Sirius appreciate him even more. He, too, was an absolute disaster.

They settled in quickly after that and the cameras started rolling as Minerva, Albus, Sluggy, and Hagrid all walked in.

“Welcome to your very first showstopper!” Sluggy called out and Sirius leaned forward on his station, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear that fell loose from his bun. “Albus and Minerva would very much like you to make a sculpture of your favorite world monument out of cake. It can be the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the Great Wall of China, anything you want but it must be made entirely out of cake and your landmark must be decorated to the highest degree,” he explained and everyone stared at him.

“Yeh have three and a half hours! So on yer marks!” Hagrid boomed.

“Get set!” Sluggy chimed.

“Bake!” the two hosts called together and Sirius rushed to start his bake.

Sirius ran through the process of making his batters very quickly, double-checking that his oven was preheating. He was briefly aware at some point that the judges were making their rounds and they were standing in front of Remus who was explaining his sculpture. He caught words like ‘Northern Wales’ and ‘Devil’s Bridge Fall’ but he was too focused on pouring his batter evenly to be able to entirely hear the explanation.

Just as he was ensuring the pans of batter were even and ready to go in the oven, he was interrupted. “Sirius! How are you today?” Sluggy asked cheerfully and the man smiled at the two judges and the host.

“Hello Minerva, Albus, Sluggy. I’m well today, a bit nervous, but okay,” he answered and they smiled back at him. He bent down to put his sponge batter into the oven. He needed them in as soon as possible.

“What are you preparing for the judges today? Where are you taking us?” Sluggy asked and Sirius held back an eye roll.

“Calais, France. I’ll be sculpting the Calais Lighttower out of raspberry and vanilla elderflower sponge with chocolate buttercream holding it together and fresh-made fondant covering the outside,” he explained and they nodded, obviously wanting more about why he chose the Lighttower. “My family, they have strong roots in France and I used to go there at least twice a year with them. I always loved Calais and the Lighttower is so beautiful, I hope I pay it homage well,” he continued and they seemed satisfied.

“That sounds lovely and you seem to have a lot to do so we’ll let you be,” Albus conferred and Sirius nodded his thanks before running to start his buttercream icing.

Before he knew it, there were five minutes left and Sirius was honestly not very pressed for time. He’d had some banter with the bloke behind him, Peter, as well as Remus which kept the mood light and calm (despite Peter’s obvious nerves and lack of time management; he seemed to be a good artist though). He didn’t have any trouble constructing the tower thankfully and the hardest part of covering it in fondant went better than it did when he’d practiced. All that was left was to imprint the brickwork of the tower with a toothpick and paint on some cracks with black dyed buttercream.

“Bakers, your time is up! Please step away from your bakes!” Sluggy called from the front and Sirius took a deep breath, taking in his full creation and feeling rather proud of it. It looked like a Lighttower and it was standing upright. He just hoped it tastes good. Sirius looked past his own bake and saw Remus’s and was astonished. It was amazing, it looked like he’d painted all the colors of the waterfall and greenery onto the buttercream. And there was a bridge made out of chocolate work that was spectacular. Unless it tasted like horse shit, Sirius was positive that Remus would be Star Baker. The guy was bloody brilliant.

“That looks amazing, Rem,” Sirius gushed and he saw him blush while muttering a quiet thank you as they settled in for the judging to start.

They started with Marlene and went up her row. Sirius watched as Andromeda displayed a beautiful Eiffel Tower and tried not to seethe as she got glowing reviews. He liked Andromeda, she was always his favorite cousin but she was still part of his family and he did not do well with family. Thankfully, neither of them had tried to make contact with each other and that’s how he really preferred it.

James had a beautiful Taj Mahal but apparently, his flavors were a little lacking and Severus’s looked pretty terrible but apparently tasted great. It was a shoddy Big Ben and Sirius thought him to be a prick. He’d never had a conversation with the guy but he just seemed like a fucking douchenozzle.

They went down Sirius’s row and that bloke Lucius who’d been mucking everything up had a lackluster showstopper and Sirius couldn’t even make out a church building let alone the Norte Dame, Alice’s was average it seemed to be, Dorcas’ received rave reviews and Remus’s received glowing remarks about design (as it should’ve). They liked the taste of it and Remus was absolutely blushing on his walk back. It was a great look on him.

“Sirius, would you please bring up your monument,” Sluggy encouraged and he stood for his moment of truth. Honestly, if anyone besides Lucius was booted this weekend, Sirius would be shocked but needless to say, he didn’t feel too particularly nervous about judging. He didn’t know if that was good or bad.

“Well it certainly looks fantastic,” Albus remarked. “Very tall.”

“Yes, the fondant looks well made and it’s homemade?” Minerva asked and Sirius nodded.

“Yes, it is.”

They sliced through it and the whole thing remained standing, thankfully. They inspected his sponge thoroughly.

“Both looked to be well baked and the buttercream is nice and smooth,” Minerva inspected. The raspberry sponge is a brilliant pink and the vanilla elderflower sponge looks quite airy. Let’s just hope we actually get the elderflower flavor along with the vanilla,” she continued and Sirius watched as they put a piece in their mouths.

Albus hummed. “That raspberry is quite lovely with the chocolate buttercream, sharpness and sweetness both come through really well,” he said simply.

“Yes, I quite agree and it’s a beautiful texture, a wonderful bake on this one. Now for elderflower and vanilla,” Minvera remarked, taking a bite onto her fork, Albus following her lead.

After a second she sighed, “Pity. The elderflower doesn’t come through at all really and the vanilla flavor is very overpowering.” Sirius nodded.

“It’s a bit dry too,” Albus added and he nodded again.

“Thank you,” he murmured, waking forward to receive his bake and head back to his station.

Peter was last and he did fine but not good and that was that. They had a quick break while the judges deliberated, all of them gave small testimonials and then they convened back in the tent for the final judging of the week. All of this was a whirlwind for Sirius, he was dead on his feet but he was still ready to go out for the night with Remus and James.

“This week, I have the pleasure of announcing Star Baker. This baker seems to have an eye for chocolate and a hand for design. Remus, you are this week’s Star Baker,” Sluggy announced and Sirius leaned over the person named Marlene and patted his thigh, congratulating him as he sat there absolutely awestruck. Lily patted his head in congratulations and Sirius sat back in his seat.

“Now I ‘ave the very, very, very sad job of telling yeh who’s leavin’ us this week. I tell yeh, I don’ wanna see any of yeh go and I barely even know yeh!” Hagrid exclaimed, almost crying it seemed like. “This week, the one who’ll be leavin’ us is…” Everyone held their breath but Sirius felt as though it was more for show rather than actual nerves. It could only be one person. “… Lucius.”

Lucius stood up and gave a curt nod and sneered a little but everyone still stood and gave hugs for the week as was tradition on the show. Albus and Minerva went around and congratulated everyone, gave advice to those who seemed to need it, praises to those who deserved it, all while Remus was bombarded with hugs and Lucius was not approached at all very much.

It took too long for the camera crew to call cut on the day in Remus’s opinion but he did cry when he called his mom to tell her he got Star Baker. He honestly couldn’t believe it, he really thought Dorcas deserved it more than him and told her so. She told him to shut up and be more confident in his abilities.

But now, he was heading into the nearby town with James and Sirius to grab a quick drink and maybe get drunk. He was going to get drunk. For sure. Especially with Sirius and James, they seemed to be the types to get absolutely hammered when possible. Lily had in fact tagged along like she said she would and she brought Marlene, Dorcas, and Alice with her.

Remus got progressively more drunk and closer to Sirius throughout the night. Alice left rather early, Marlene and Dorcas spent the entire time talking with each other and Remus almost asked why they hadn’t started making out yet. (Honestly, he might’ve said it later in the night but he was a bit too drunk to fully remember.) James and Lily were talking almost the entire time and she had a hard time pretending to be annoyed by him, even when he really was annoying.

Sirius and Remus spent the entire night talking and he’s pretty sure Sirius told him his whole life story and Remus was also sure he told Sirius his but he was even more sure neither of them would remember in the morning.

Near the end of the night, Remus sent his mum a text that he wasn’t coming home because he was staying the night at one of the other contestant’s houses with a few other people. Lily made sure Marlene and Dorcas got home safe, promising that all three of them would text in the giant group chat they started at the bar. And then he settled in bed with Sirius and James, all three of them muttering drunken nonsense.

“Guys, I have work tomorrow,” Remus murmured, his cheek pressed against Sirius’s arm.

“You can’t go Moony, you’re Star Baker,” Sirius slurred and Remus laughed a very drunk laugh that was all deep and stomach-ish.

“Moony?” he asked.

“Awhooo! Wolf Wolf,” Sirius murmured back. “Moony.”

“Doggy,” James drawled and Sirius pushed him a bit. “Sirius star, Canis Major,” he explained weakly.

“Not Doggy,” Sirius huffed.

“Toebeans,” Remus said flatly. James snorted loudly.

“Absolutely not,” Sirius growled.

“Padfoot,” James stated easily and Sirius huffed as Remus cheered.

“Padfoot!”

“Wha bout me?” James slurred.

“‘Ou got big ears and you get tha-.. tha-.. you know…. ahh-face like that… thing,” Sirius said in an extremely unhelpful manner.

“Oh, I know like the uh… animal.. that..” Remus added trailing off and James let out a noise of impatience.

“What?” he whined, drawing it out as his new friends were being extremely unhelpful. “Moony, Padfoot,” he cried and both other men laughed but Sirius hiccuped loudly causing Remus and James to laugh again.

“Hm, Prongs,” Sirius said, snuffling further into the pillow of James’s bed, perfectly content between his two friends.

“Hm yeah,” Remus agreed. “I have work tomorrow,” he said again and James reached over and pushed on his arm.

“Shu up, Star Baker,” he grumbled. “Tell them no. We have bacon here and you live in fucking Welsh,” James murmured, pressing his face into his pillow.

“Wales,” Remus corrected. “Bachgen ceirw mud,” (Dumb deer boy.) he muttered. James said something absolutely unintelligible

“Hmm quiet, sleepy time,” Sirius yawned and neither of the other two boys said anything as they both thoroughly agreed. It was indeed time for bed.

And Remus did not end up going to work the next day, instead, he spent the day extremely hungover with his two newest and best friends: Padfoot and Prongs. He loved Bake Off before, but now he absolutely adored it.

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legxllyblxndc · 4 years ago

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reese || facts

name: resse katherine young

nicknames: n/a

age: twenty-one

from: cardiff

lives in: salem heights

sexuality: bisexual

species: human

occupation: florist

relationship status: single

financial background: working class

family: mother and father are married. one older brother

mental health: adhd

build: slim (size 8)

body modifications: lobes pierced x2, tragus

intelligence: mildly intelligent. Cs in most things, Ds in a couple.

drinking/smoking/drugs: socially/habitually/socially

studied: photography, film studies, english literature, IT

bio:

reese was born into instability. her mother and father were very much in love. too in love, everyone said. they would argue constantly. it was rare that the two of them would actually get along. on those days, her big brother, jamie, would distract her. he would take her out to get food, to the cinema or they would play games in his room. he was always there for her.

reese was always a sensitive child. she would find it difficult to deal with her parents fighting, she would find criticism hard, she couldn’t speak much to a new person without her starting to shake. her parents never noticed that there was anything wrong with their daughter so when her brother was old enough, he took it upon himself to take her to the doctors, to get her a diagnosis, to get her help. she was diagnosed with ADHD.

when reese was 18, jamie moved to london. he was her support system and she felt like she was lost without him. reese has always had a small group of friends but they weren’t really the type of friends to be there for a person when a friend needed them. she spiralled without her brother there. she was partying a lot, getting into trouble. she was a complete mess.

it was during this time that reese met william sloan. he was the exact kind of person that she needed. he was kind and he picked her up when she needed someone. he made her feel brave and confident and everything that she had ever wanted to be. when he told her that he was a vampire, reese didn’t even blink. she was so head over heels for him, she didn’t care about any of that. he was good. he never fed on human blood so while it took her a hot second to wrap her head around it, she was really okay with it.

when he asked her to move to salem heights with him - just over a year ago - she jumped at the chance. she had always wanted to get away from her hometown and now, william was giving her that chance. they moved in together, she got a job at the local florists and they were happy. for a time,

it was only a couple of weeks after they moved, when he was killed. william had told reese about hunters before but he told her that he would be okay. that he was careful. he told her that because he didn’t feed on human bloody, the likelihood of anyone wanting to go after him, was slim. unfortunately, he was wrong. she has still never found out what really happened to him but after he died, a spark in reese went out. a spark that is just beginning to come back.

although her most important relationship was with william, reese had dated a couple of people before him - one boy and one girl. she never really ‘came out’. she just had a boyfriend one day and the next she had a girlfriend. it really wasn’t a big deal to her.

she’s trying really hard to get herself back to being herself, it’s just a little difficult. she’s still getting used to salem heights but she feels like she’s getting to a good place. salem heights feels more like home than carfiff ever did.

#reese || facts

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placeebo · 5 years ago

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𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑬𝑻.

repost, don’t reblog

basics !

FULL NAME. Owen James Harper PRONUNCIATION. I don’t think it needs to be spelled out lmao NICKNAME. He doesn’t really have any. He goes by his name, though he dubbed himself King of the Weevils. GENDER. Male HEIGHT. 5′9″ AGE. 27 is his default age, but it varies depending on the verse ZODIAC. Aquarius (he was born on Valentine’s Day!) SPOKEN LANGUAGES. English

physical characteristics !

HAIR COLOR. Brown EYE COLOR. Brown SKIN TONE. Fair BODY TYPE. Wiry, slim ACCENT. English, London VOICE. Not sure what to say here, so here’s a voice clip. DOMINANT HAND. Right. POSTURE. Relaxed and impersonal. He doesn’t slouch, but he does favor putting his weight onto one leg and folding his arms/shoving his hands into his pockets, so nothing prim and proper. SCARS. Gunshot scar (left shoulder), gunshot scar (waist; left side), gunshot wound (chest; not healing; post-“Reset”), slice on left palm (from scalpel; wrapped up; not healing; post-“Reset”), broken left pinky (wrapped up; not healing; post-“Reset”). TATTOOS. None BIRTHMARKS. I imagine a few small birthmarks, like freckles, but nothing noteworthy. MOST NOTICEABLE FEATURE(S). I’d say his facial structure. People say it’s shaped like a Dorito lmao. Or his mouth being slightly wider and his lips being almost of the same height, like one solid line instead of a noticeable bow.

childhood !

PLACE OF BIRTH. Plaistow, London, England HOMETOWN. Plaistow, London, England BIRTH WEIGHT. On the low end of average BIRTH HEIGHT. Average FIRST WORDS. ?? Who knows. a mystery SIBLINGS. None PARENTS. Unnamed PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. Lacking. His parents were always at each other’s throats and too busy shredding each other to pieces when they, particularly his mother, were not taking anything out on him. His mother kicked him out at the age of 16 and I could only imagine his father, before his death, was either out of the picture, for the most part, or neglectful, seeing as nothing was done about Owen’s being banished. His relationship with his parents has always been wrought with turmoil and interspersed with very rare moments of a stepping-on-eggshells kind of peace. Owen does make an effort, to an extent, to repair whatever is there, but it never works and often dissuades him from trying again.

adult life !

OCCUPATION. Doctor and chief medical officer of Torchwood Three CURRENT RESIDENCE. Cardiff, Wales CLOSE FRIENDS. Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper, Toshiko Sato, Suzie Costello (past), Amira Hussein (past) RELATIONSHIP STATUS. Single. He was engaged to Katie Russell before her death and before the events of Torchwood. FINANCIAL STATUS. Average DRIVER’S LICENSE. He has one. CRIMINAL RECORD. None VICES. Drinking, sex, sleeping, ill-tempered

sex and romance !

SEXUAL ORIENTATION. Bisexual ROMANTIC ORIENTATION. Biromantic PREFERRED EMOTIONAL ROLE. Submissive | dominant | switch PREFERRED SEXUAL ROLE. Submissive | dominant | switch LIBIDO. High TURN ONS. People who know what they want. A sharp mind, witty, and with a biting, playful personality. Someone who’s strong-willed. Of course, sexiness. Seductive and charming. That said, really, he values kindness, tenderness, brains, and loyalty. He’s always honed in on casual sex before, but he later starts caring about and actively seeking the qualities that make for a good life partner rather than a one-night stand. TURN OFFS. Cutesy, callousness, indecisiveness, someone who is wholly submissive and bends to someone else’s will too easily. LOVE LANGUAGE. Touch and physical affection. Gifts. Remembering details about them. RELATIONSHIP TENDENCIES. Owen, in a relationship, is quite supportive, protective, loyal, devoted, and reliable. He is a full supporter of continually wooing, flirting, and surprising --- it doesn't stop just because you’re in a relationship. He does, however, also have the tendency of keeping things close to his chest. Lack of communication is a terrible weakness of his, and this can often manifest into spats and arguments.

miscellaneous !

CHARACTER’S THEME SONG. There’s always “Owen’s Theme.” Honestly, though. everything on this blog is comprised of The National lyrics, and I’d think their entire discography fits him. I also named my url after the band Placebo in tandem with, well, a placebo being medical-related. A lot of their songs also fit him. HOBBIES TO PASS TIME. Drinking, sex, sleeping... He also games! MENTAL ILLNESSES. I cannot say for sure, but Owen is not well-adjusted. PHYSICAL ILLNESSES. None. He’s very healthy, minus being dead post-”Reset.” LEFT OR RIGHT BRAINED. Left-brained, although Owen’s emotions usually control him. FEARS. Abandonment, loneliness. SELF CONFIDENCE LEVEL. Confident, but on the surface. He hates people doubting him --- he’s aware of it --- and used to chase casual sex due to the fear of being hurt in a relationship. You can’t be wounded if you’re not invested. But what he really wants is a relationship, not meaningless sex, even if he persuades himself that that is what he really wants. When put in a position of power, he can make poor choices, feels the weight of those choices and choices still yet to make, and crumbles. VULNERABILITIES. He’s very emotional. Although Owen puts on a tough front, a lot of who he is manifested out of the need to protect himself from emotional pain. He can additionally make decisions that protect the people he loves rather than the good of all, which can be exploited, though he cares a lot about people. More than he lets on. He’s noted to brood and be too fixated on death --- there’s always someone to save; he thinks his own life is worthwhile if he can save someone else’s --- and he gets riled up easily. His ability to put himself in other people’s shoes is lacking. I’d say he doesn’t critically reflect on himself as much or as long as he should, either. He “moves on,” but with little of the healing.

TAGGED BY: @manaborn (thank you!) TAGGING: @miss-moreno, @lapeirla, @manhattanopus, @pcplarstreet (any!), @onlyliberty, @stardustghost / @memoryfaded, @lostmojave, @hawkshawed, @r-mtyler

#( placeebo: tagged )#[tysm for tagging me this was a nice break from work! :]#owen acts like a jerk but he really does have a heart of gold n he softens a lot in series 2. i love one doctor]#[u guys don't have to do this btw but i'd love to see what you guys write up for your boys and girls!]

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aurorafms · 5 years ago

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⋆ ° ☠ — (Crystal Reed, bisexual, female) look who’s anchored on Tulach Island; it’s Aurora Griffiths, a 32 year old Surgeon on The Blue Moon. She has been described as charismatic & personable, but also obstinate & impulsive. While on the island, she works as a Doctor at The Infirmary.

* \ STATS

Full name: Aurora Danielle Griffith. Nicknames: Rory. Birthday: February 14, 1988. Zodiac: Aquarius. Place of Birth: Cardiff, Wales. Moved to Kensington, New York when she was eight. Gender + Pronouns: Female + she / her. Orientation: Bi-curious. Personality type: ESTJ-A. Love language: Touch. Labels: The chief, the control freak, the elite, the hellkite, the independent woman. (The hopeless romantic, the polymath, & the empath)

* \ INTRO & HEADCANONS

Most of Aurora’s early childhood is blurry, and if you were to ask her what her earliest memory is, it would be moving to the United States with her mom and dad. She doesn’t remember why her family moved, and both of her parents have refused to tell her. It’s one of the main things that will keep her up until 2 am staring at the ceiling.

Her childhood after moving, though, was one spent with friends and family. Aurora wasn’t popular, by any means, but she was well known throughout her small suburb. She had enough friends to make it by, and her personality at the time was one of her main assets.

You see, before Aurora hit high school, she was a sweet, understanding girl; some would even go as far to say that she was extremely gullible and naive. But, all of that changed as soon as she entered high school.

Maybe it was that turning point of somewhat becoming an adult, or it was the fear that life was creeping up on her... fast. But, Aurora changed. She became more blunt, would do things that benefited her the most. It was way different than how she acted when she first moved to the United States, but if she lost friends, she just made more.

Aurora was able to adapt her personality around others... sort of like a chameleon. If they were preppy and stuck up, she would be as well. If they were laid back and didn’t really care much, she’d be the exact same way.

Fast forward to the end of her senior year, Aurora graduated in the top ten of her class. This gave her the opportunity to take up any scholarship that she really wanted that had been offered to her, and she did just that.

Aurora spent the next twelve years working to become a licensed surgeon, and lord behold, she did it. With the eight years of school, and four years of residency, she managed to become a wholeass surgeon.

But... shortly after that she found herself getting bored. Aurora is one of those people who can’t really stay in one place for too long, yet she had been doing this doctor gig for twelve years.

I don’t know how, but shortly after that she found herself becoming a surgeon on The Blue Moon and the rest is history! (someone please plot how she joined The Blue Moon with me!)

More to be added; last updated July 11, 2020.

* \ WANTED CONNECTIONS

A best friend

Enemies

A flirtationship

Frenemies

Ex lovers

I dunno I’m terrible with connections but pls come at me with anything you want <3

#tridentintro #not my best work but...#you all needed something

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queerwelsh · 5 years ago

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Bisexuality pages from ‘Freaky Queer,’ a punk, anti-war, working queer zine published in Cardiff in 1992. Transcript below.

Sources (that they used in these pages of the zine):

Off Pink Publishing, Bisexual Lives, London, 1988.

Lorraine Hutchins & Lani Ka’ahumanu ed. Bi Any Other Name: Bisexual People Speak Out, Alyson Publications, USA, 1991.

This whole copy of ‘Freaky Queer’ is available to read here.

PAGE 1: clippings of quotes on a photo of a man.

Bisexuality

“I’d rather be bisexual half the time than heterosexual all the time.” ♀️

“It is entirely for me as an individual to decide exactly where my attraction may lie and for nobody else to insist that I conform to their specifications. Bisexuality for me has nothing to do with ‘swinging’; it is about the ability to respond to someone without the obligation to leave well alone because of gender.” ♂️

“We must not think of ourself as second class gays, but as first class people. No bisexual I have ever known though of themselves as a second class straight.” ♂️

“We are not sitting on the fence - we are building a new garden.” ♂️

“If people could only accept that sexuality is infinitely variable and that it was never meant to be confined to the parameters it has been, then not only would MY life be easier but the world would become a much better place.” ♂️

“Like many people I was so scared of my own gay feelings that I found it easier to dislike in others what I disliked in myself. Looking back I must not criticise myself because the anger I felt then was protective in keeping safe a part of me I could not handle. I found that liking men did not alter my feelings towards women. In fact I got on better with women because I was more relaxed.” ♂️

“A heterosexual lover once said that she would always love the part of me that could belong to her, but she understood that to possess me entirely would be to smother the essential ‘me’ that made me so dear.” ♂️

“I feel VERY bisexual at the moment and very positive. I just wish there were more bisexuals around and that non-bisexuals would accept my choices more.” ♀️

“So what if I WAS sexually attracted to men as well as women? Did it make me any less of a human being? Was my friend any less of a human being for being gay? Why did I feel that intolerence towards gays was intolerance towards me? I wasn’t gay. I loved women too,

[CONTINUED ON THE SIDE OF THE PAGE:]

but if you loved men at all, you were a ‘poof’ or a ‘queer’ and that meant you were dirty and that you couldn’t love women. I mean, NO ONE is going to believe you can like both and not be ‘confused’. I’ve fantasised about men and women so much that I wouldn’t know which I preferred.” ♂️

“For me, being bisexual is a part of being open to myself. I have always tried to see things from both sides. I don’t understand why more people don’t acknowledge that both men and women can be sexy. I guess it’s because I like people.” ♂️

“I’ve always seen myself identified as loving both sexes. Until I came across the term bisexual I was a long time without a label. I’ve very ambiguous feelings about labels but despite the misconceptions about bisexuality, saying I’m bisexual seems less of a non-statement than saying I’m neither straight nor lesbian.” ♀️

“Since heterosexuality is so ingrained in the prevailing consciousness, it becomes almost impossible to get some heterosexuals to recognise that any valid alternatives exist. I think the word ‘normal’ was created by those people who are afraid to say ‘heterosexual’ just because their fear of the body is such that they dare not admit to sexual feelings.” ♂️

Handwriting at the bottom of the page:

“1st Bit: Nicked from “Bisexual Lives” (off Pink Press)

2nd Bit: Nicked-> ‘Bi Any Other Name’

PAGE 2: Clipping: ‘Myths/realities of bisexuality’ by Sharon Forman Sumpter (from Bi Any Other Name)

“Sexuality runs along a continuum. It is not a static “thing” but rather a process that can flow, changing throughout our lifetime. Bisexuality falls along this continuum. As Boston bisexual activist Robyn Ochs says, bisexuality is the “potential for being sexually and/or romantically involved with members of either gender.”

“MYTH: Bisexuals are promiscuous/swingers. TRUTH: Bisexual people have a range of sexual behaviours. Some have multiple partners, some have one partner; some go through partnerless periods. Promiscuity is no more prevalent in the bisexual population than in other groups of people.”

“MYTH: Bisexuals are equally attracted to both sexes. TRUTH: Bisexuals tend to favor either the same or the opposite sex, while recognizing their attraction to both genders.”

“MYTH: Bisexual means having concurrent lovers of both genders. TRUTH: Bisexual simply means the potential for involvement with either gender. This may mean sexually, emotionally, in reality, or in fantasy. Some bisexual people may have concurrent lovers; others may relate to different genders at various time periods. Most bisexuals do not need to see both genders in order to feel fulfilled.”

“MYTH: Bisexuals spread AIDS to the lesbian and heterosexual communities. TRUTH: This myth legitimizes discrimination against bisexuals. The term “bisexual” simply refers to sexual orientation. It says nothing about sexual behaviour. AIDS occurs in people of all sexual orientations. AIDS is contracted through unsafe sexual practices, shared needles, and contaminated blood transfusion. Sexual orientation does not “cause” AIDS.”

“MYTH: Bisexuals are confused about their sexuality. TRUTH: It is natural for both bisexuals and gays to go through a period of confusion in the coming-out process. When you are an oppressed people and are constantly told that you don’t exist, confusion is an appropriate reaction until you come out to yourself and find a supportive environment.”

“MYTH: Bisexuals are not gay. TRUTH: We are part of the generic definition of gay (see Don Clark’s Loving Someone Gay.) Nongays lump us all together. Bisexuals have lost their jobs and suffer the same legal discrimination as other gays.”

“MYTH: Bisexual women will dump you for a man. TRUTH: Women who are uncomfortable or confused about their same-sex attraction may use the bisexual label. True bisexuals acknowledge both their same-sex and opposite-sex attraction. Both bisexuals and gays are capable of going back into the closet. People who are unable to make commitments may use a person of either gender to leave a relationship.”

“MYTH: Bisexuals can hide in the heterosexual community when the going gets tough. TRUTH: To “pass” for straight and deny your bisexuality is just as painful and damaging for a bisexual as it is for a gay. Bisexuals are not heterosexual and we do not identify as heterosexual.”

“MYTH: Bisexuals are in “transition.” TRUTH: Some people go through a transitional period of bisexuality on their way to adopting a lesbian/gay or heterosexual identity. For many others, bisexuality remains a long-term orientation. Indeed, we are finding that homosexuality may be a transitional phase in the coming out process for bisexuals(?). It is important to remember that bisexual, gay, lesbian and heterosexual are labels created by a homophobic, biphobic, heterosexist society to separate and alienate us from each other. We are all unique; we don’t fit into neat little categories. We sometimes need to use these labels for political reasons and to increase our visibilities. Our sexual esteem is facilitated by acknowledging and accepting the differences and seeing the beauty in our diversity.”

PAGE 3: Bisexual Groups and other Contacts

BRITAIN

BI-MONTHLY - the magazine for bisexuals. Write to: LBG, BM-BI, London WC1N 3XX. Obtainable from alternative bookshops nationwide.

MEN’S ANTI-SEXIST NEWSLETTER exists as a forum for exchange of news, ideas, thoughts, feelings and information who are challenging sexism and particularly for people who wish to find for men alternative roles to those which society casts for them. Write to: MAN, 60 Rhymney Street, Cathays, Cardiff.

THE FEMINIST LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTRE works to provide information facilities on subjects of importance to women and the Women’s Movement. The possess many facilities including a newsletter every two months. The library is open to non-subscribers but membership is necessary to borrow books. Subscriptions vary according to income. Write to: Hungerford House, Victoria Embankment, London, WC2 6PA. Tel 01-930 0715.

IN HANDWRITING: WE AREN’T ALWAYS WAT WE SEEM!!! NICKED FROM “BI-LIVES” (OFF PINK PRESS)

LONDON BISEXUAL WOMEN’S GROUP, write to: BM Box LBWG, London WC1N 3XX.

BISEXUAL AND MARRIED GAYS GROUP, Phone: Nigel 01-558 5203 (5.30-10pm.)

SIGMA is a support group for relationships where one partner is gay or bisexual. Details from Gay Switchboard 01-837 7324.

BISEXUALS IN NALGO, write to: BM-BI, London WC1N 3XX.

EDINBURGH BISEXUAL GROUP meets every Thursday, 8pm, at the Lesbian and Gay Community Centre, 58a Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3SA (no disabled access). Write to this address for further information or send an sae to join the Pen-Pal Scheme. The Bisexual Phoneline (see above) operates a contact serice.

MANCHESTER BISEXUAL GROUP, Write to: Box 153, Manchester, M60 1LP or Phone: Paul Owen, 061-228 3554 (2-4pm.)

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slurrmp · 5 years ago

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all you need to know about spyro’s original characters: oc: tanaka matheson fandom: star trek/doctor who status: semi active.

THE BASICS

Name: tanaka devonne matheson Nicknames: ana, bear, annie Gender: female Pronouns: she/her Sexual Orientation: bisexual Age (actual age): 42 31 Place of Birth: lithgow, new south wales, australia Citizenship: australian/american

APPEARANCE

Age they appear: early twenties to mid twenties Hair colour: brown Hair style: mostly always either straight down, or in a ponytail. Eye colour: green Birthmarks/scars/marks: two inch scar above her eyebrow, multiple on her shoulders, one across the underside of her belly due to a c-section. burn marks on her lower back and some on the back of her left hand. scar in the centre of her right hand palm. Piercings: ears ( double lobe, helix, auricle ) Tattoos: tiny devil horns on her shoulder blade.

Build (curvy, toned, etc): unusually tall for her family, can seem a little bit lanky, but ana is muscled, was trained to wield a sword and even a gun when she was a teenager. Weight: around 65kilos Height: 5′7″ Clothing style: mainly jeans and a top, never really seen in anything too fancy unless the occasion calls for it. tracky pants and a sweat shirt when lazy around the tardis. mainly comfy clothing, when not in uniform. Overall appearance: always seems like she’s got some place to be. is never seen without sneakers on her feet.

Trinkets/jewelry: a locket that her mother gave her before she died. her father’s dog tags. Equipment/accessories (things they are never without; ex: a backpack or a notepad) baby bag. seems ridiculous but those bags can hold anything and everything in them. talk about the doctor having never ending pockets. when ana brings her baby bag with her, you know there’s important shit in there.

INNER WORKINGS

General mood: ana was raised in a military family, she has her moments were she can be fun and silly, but she is mostly a rather serious person, who wants to make sure that everything is going well. especially when she has her kids. Mental state (any mental illnesses?): ptsd is strong with this one. with her world being plunged into darkness and being separated from her father when she was only 6 years old. then being dragged into another universe and across time. it gets to a person. ana has also suffered from post natal depression. Alignment (neutral good, chaotic evil, etc): chaotic neutral Morals: big family morals. she end up being torn from her family, so she wants to make sure that she always keeps hers safe. Temperament: very much known as the runaway throughout the galaxy. time and space have even heard of her.

Quirks: chews her lower lip. picks at her nails. twirling of her hair (that’s the one that annoys HER the most) Pet peeves: when people separate their families.

Strengths: extremely loyal. patient. kind. strong. Weaknesses: her family. her friends. it’s rather strange how easy it is to manipulate her.

Fears: death. Intelligence: ana never got the chance to even GO to high school. everything that ana knows was learnt through her aunt and uncle. when ana was pulled into another universe, and she managed to get herself settled with jack at torchwood, she applied at the local university (thanks to a couple of faked documents by the doctor) and was able to studied midwifery.

Priorities: her children. Desires: to see the entire universe. all the way to the beginning of time, to the end of it. Likes: engineering. which is strange - she wanted to help people, but just fixing things became a thing for her to do to get her mind off of stressful times. Dislikes: not being with her father anymore, not even being with her family.

Vices: can be too serious at times. always thinking about her family instead of the needs of many others.

RELATIONSHIPS

Friends: significant friendships, the doctor, jack harkness,

Family: Miles Matheson ( FATHER, MIA. ), Tamara Wayne ( MOTHER, DECEASED. ), Taylor Matheson ( TWIN, BROTHER, ALIVE. ),

Significant other: there uh ... there’s been many. but at the moment, there’s none.

Kids: Ethan Matheson ( SON, ALIVE. ), Grace Matheson ( DAUGHTER, ALIVE. ), Lucas Matheson ( SON, ALIVE. ), Leah Matheson ( DAUGHTER, ALIVE. )

Enemies: many of the same enemies as the doctor, they really have a knack for getting her into trouble.

EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION

Jobs: works for torchwood. star fleet officer. Profession: midwife

Income (if any): it all depends on where she is at the time. at home on earth in the 21st century it’s about 28 000 pounds.

Furthest education: university. Degree (if any): bachelor of medicine (midwifery) cardiff university

EXTRA INFORMATION

Criminal record: there’s just too many to actually add.

Social media accounts (if any): instagram, snapchat bc snapping the torchwood group while away with the doctor is a lot of fun.

Reputation: ana’s known around the universe as the runaway. it was said that even though she had the skills and the talent to slay her enemies where they stood with her sword, ana would runaway - just like the doctor had taught her. it doesn’t help that in the future Q flaunts her around the galaxy and too star fleet.

Skills: extremely talented with a sword.

Talents: ana can actually play the piano rather well.

Hobbies: no time for hobbies. though - seeing the universe might be considered a hobby.

Special abilities (if any): spending enough time on the tardis weird things might happen.

Transportation: the tardis mostly, but when she’s home in the 21st century ana would use one of the torchwood cars

Living conditions: an apartment in the heart of new orleans. it’s such an obscure place to live, but all of her kids loved the french quarter, it’s basically the base of operations for the matheson clan.

Pets: a black cat called salem and a dalmatian called snoopy.

AESTHETIC

Colors associated with: pastel blue, teal, aqua, a lot of different blues. Their personal aesthetic: the pitch blackness and the smattering of stars when looking out the window. watching the stars zoom past while in warp speed. Song that suits them: KLLER QUEEN - QUEEN

╳ BIO:

there has always been something about tanaka matheson. she had always been a special child. when she was nine years old, three years after the blackout, she left with her aunt rachel, away from her uncle ben and cousins, charlie & danny to find her way back to her father, a general of the monroe militia. she learnt the basic skills to survive, becoming one of the best swordsmen in the entire militia just like her father. she was still too young when she returned to miles to be apart of the army, but that did not stop ana from wanting to learn everything there was to know about swords and how to become an amazing fighter like her daddy.

she learnt more about how to run and fight than simple maths. however, miles made sure that she was well educated when it became obvious she liked to travel with him when he WENT on long tours than to actually learn basic rules - eventually when ana was thirteen (13), miles made sure that ana stayed in school, which sometimes included him taking the men in the middle of the night so that he didn’t wake her and cause her to stowaway in the carriage.

season one of revolution plays out normally - just with the addition of a twenty year old ana being incredibly protective over miles and charlie.

life seemed to be going smoothly until one day she found a crack in the wall of an abandoned hospital they were squatting in. this crack in the wall caused her to fall into another universe. it was a crack in time and space - it should have SWALLOWED her whole and erased her from reality, but instead the crack spat her out on the other side, in a different universe, on a different planet, IN a different time.

she never really thought about the consequences of her absences back on the other side, miles was in hysterics that not even nora could calm him down from - he searched high and low for his daughter, only to come up empty six months down the road. she was considered K.I.A and miles was more ruthless than ever before.

ana had no idea where she ended up or HOW the hell she got there, but it was on that planet that she met a man called the doctor, a girl named amy pond and a woman called river song. they all seemed to know her rather well - it was explained that time travel was a funny thing. from there - she fell into one adventure that felt like it would never end, until abruptly it does. one of the - ALIENS, a weeping angel, snagged her around the wrist - but it didn’t kill her. they had been KILLING PEOPLE all day, snapping necks instead of feeding on their life energy, at least that’s what the doctor told her they did but this ONE - this ONE angel didn’t kill her, instead it shoved her FURTHER into the past. but why this one angel ? no one could really answer this question, not even when ana finally reached the moment in time the long way around. this time instead of landing in a cave on an alien planet, she landed on the lap of one captain jack harkness in world war two, london.

it was from there that she met the doctor again, but this time he looked different - looked older and a girl called rose tyler from there - she was pulled into ANOTHER crazy adventure, but to earth, though the date, they told her was 2005. it hurt ana’s brain to try and wrap around the fact that she wasn’t born yet but she was still her fully grown self. twenty years old and in a different time and universe.

it was from there that ana grew to love the doctor, jack and rose - up until the time the doctor left jack in the year five billion and ended up regenerating, a move that ana figured he was trying to avoid her questioning, all on christmas day (and her birthday) (21). it was something that time lords could do apparently, and it was from there at the beginning of 2006 that ana found herself twenty one years old and alone. not wanting to travel with a newly regenerated doctor, not after leaving jack stranded in the future and the fact they had been butting heads almost the whole time he had been awake. it was only the beginning of february that ana stumbled across torchwood and captain jack again.

this is where ana’s timeline gets a little complicated - ana and jack find themselves getting a little bit closer - a lot close as they become intimate (on multiple occasions) and it’s only a few months later (half way through season one) that ana finds out she’s pregnant. but it’s an event that attracts the wrong kind of attention (madam kavorian had her nose out early on) however, ana runs back into the doctor again, who is suddenly with a new companion after her and jack have an argument one afternoon - he was getting close to ianto, she wasn’t mad that he was, just mad that jack never told her about it. she was four months pregnant and had already been on a ship that was crashing into a sun, in the early 1900′s with a doctor who was human and stuck in 1969 with no TARDIS. it was during the year that never was that ana gave birth to a healthy baby boy, ethan. born july 15th 2007 (22) aboard the valiant.

ana didn’t continue on with the doctor and martha when everything returned to normal and the master had been stopped. she had a baby to look after and a captain that wouldn’t slow down - during the year, they had gotten closer once more - ana forgave jack about keeping lanto a secret and who knew maybe the three of them could work something out (they never did). but it was during the winter of 2010 (23) that ana lost her son. (leaving out the events that occurred during children of earth and miracle day) ana was left alone on earth and that’s when they struck.

the headless monks - the silence and madam kavorian, she wanted to take a child born from an immortal and a human to see if she could transform him into a weapon, see if he had gained some of his father’s powers of immortality - it was the worst night of ana’s life, and the first thing that she did was call the doctor (who had regenerated yet again), crying on her bathroom floor almost throwing up due to the fact that her son had been taken right from under her nose. the floppy haired doctor made a promise that he would find ethan for her - find her son. during events of season six, there’s other shit that involves my time lord oc, oliver plus finding out that there’s a version of herself in this universe, though she was born a boy, called taylor plus another baby, this time a girl (25), season seven is split into two, ana being around during the power of three but not for the ponds last goodbye, she was dealing with family issues at the time.

it was only on ana’s birthday at the end of season seven, just before the doctor regenerates, that the crack in space and time appears again on christmas (the planet), pulling her in - yet again she doesn’t get erased or forgotten. clara seemed to think it was the time lords trying to keep her alive.

landing on the grassy ovel of star fleet academy in 2255 (just turned 26). this kind of anomaly - that seemed to like throwing her throughout time and space - attracted a lot of attention. the continuum caught wind of ana when her appearance in the universe caused a stir in the timeline. this was the moment when she met Q. no stranger to time travel, thanks to the doctor, ana was only worried about the fact that she had no way of getting home - it was then that Q managed to distract her with trying to create a fake background for her which would allow her to join star fleet and end up becoming a member of the USS enterprise, to fight the battle against nero (28) & khan (28) in the next five years.

it was during the short break between khan’s attack and the battle of yorktown that ana was whisked away from that certain timeline - all because Q was bored with how things where going, calm and boring and no fun at all. keeping her backstory and her star fleet academy degree ana was placed on board the USS enterprise yet again, however the year was 2365 (still 28) and this timeline was completely different. run by jean-luc picard, Q introduced ana in a rather horrible way.

it was almost two full years of Q and ana getting each other into trouble, whether it was with the rest of the universe or mostly amongst the enterprise crew, however, during the events of Wolf 359 (30), ana is assimilated along with captain picard. after the event and ana was back to ‘normal’, the continuum decided to throw ana away from Q, who was banned from seeing her and even knowing where she disappeared too.

ana landed on board the NX-01, the very first space bound enterprise.

spending almost exactly three years (33) of her life on board, Q managed to find her after she was almost fatally wounded on one of the away missions, which included a run in with the xindi. Q, who was having his run ins with voyager and her crew at the time, dumped her in the delta quadrant where ana spent the next three years (35) once more on board a ship, where she grew incredibly close to the crew and the captain. the australian certainly had a habit of doing so, even with her rank of lieutenant and being only a nurse.

it was then that she stepped in and demanded to be taken back home, to her time - to the crew she first became close with, the aos crew, to which natasha a lady Q who had felt sympathy for ana’s situation, being the most notorious Q’s plaything and threw her back on board the 1701 during her second year of the five year mission. which leads into star trek beyond and also helps the fact that ana knows the main antagonist of the movie (37).

now this is where it gets complicated once more - ana does manage to find herself back on 21st century earth. but because she had been affected by the time vortex, the continuum and just being a time traveler as well - ana’s body still registers as a healthy 31 year old - while with some help of borg nanites that had to remain in her body, other wise her respiratory system would have shut down and she would have suffocated to death, which helps her to regenerate a lot faster than most humans. season 9 & 10 of doctor who occur.

REST OF BIO TO COME. WILL INCLUDE DS9, SEASON 11 OF DOCTOR WHO & DISCOVERY SEASON 2.

#doctor who #star trek #nbc revolution #doctor who oc #star trek oc #tanaka matheson #* & MEET MY OC'S.#ahhhh finally got around to writing out ana's bio !#my oldest baby.

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jamdoughnutmagician · 6 years ago

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I was taged by @the-odd-aardvadillo

Sorry this is a little late!

Ground Rules tag 20 (just tagging a few) followers you’d like to get to know better and wrangle them into answering the questions below

Nickname I don’t think I have any nicknames really, mostly people just call me Claud, which is just a shortened version of my name

Astrological sign Pisces

Height 5′7

Sexuality Bisexual

Hogwarts House according to pottermore, I am a hufflepuff!

Favorite Animal(s) Sloths, Giraffes, Tigers, Cats, Dogs! and probably loads of other one but those are the main ones!!

Number of Blankets well I have one duvet, and one blanket underneath the duvet!

Where I’m From Wales! (Cardiff more specifically! whoooo Capital City!!!)

Dream Trip I would absolutely love to go to Ireland or perhaps now that I’m thinking about it somewhere beachy like Devon or Cornwall!

When I Started This Account Well I’ve just looked and I started this account 7 years ago way back in July 2012

Why I Started This Account People who I was friends with in school were talking about it and I wanted somewhere where I could post about things that I loved, so I kinda jumped ship from DeviantART (which I still use my old account from time to time lmao!) but I’ve made some really lovely friends here so I think I’m going to stay a little while longer!

You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to!

@apottheosis @unlimiteddream90 @bookshelfdreams @louciopathinaninvisibleempire @peggy-carterr

#jammy blogs

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eliasmorgann · 6 years ago

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Have you seen (ELIAS MORGAN) Around New York? They look a lot like (TOM ELLIS) but I don’t think they’ve ever realised it! Some people say they are (CHARMING AND INTELLIGENT) and (HEDONISTIC AND VULGAR) But all we know for sure is that they are (36), (MALE, BISEXUAL and work as a (LAWYER/CLUB OWNER). I guess only time will tell but for now we’ll call them the ( KING OF HELL)

tw violence, homophobia, abuse under the cut.

hi bbs! for those of you who don’t know me I’m Sam, and this is my idiot child elias michael morgan!

I should start with the fact that he’s based off of lucifer morningstar from lucifer, brian kinney from q*eer as folk and harvey specter from suits

Born in Cardiff, but raised in London, was technically an only child until his father had a few affairs, resulting in two younger siblings.

Father was verbally, and sometimes physically abusive, and while his mother had a habit of showering him with attention, she did not much to stop his father from the abuse, and that led Elias to resent her (though he still harbors love for her, and sometimes misses her.) He also still seeks his fathers approval, despite hating him.

When he was 18, he came out as bisexual to his parents. His mother was receptive, but his father was not. He kicked him out and cut him off.

Elias, who worked hard in school, decided to chance it across the pond and went to University in the states. He knew it would be hard, but he couldn’t predict the life he would fall into.

New York itself, and University was expensive, and after stumbling into the wrong bar one night, getting into a bar fight, and impressing the owner of the place, Elias somehow fell into a mafia life style, mostly as someone who would fight, defend if they needed to, acting as a body guard, but he slowly worked his way up in the ranks, becoming a second hand to the head. He was strapped with his own weapon, learned the importance of always looking his best, and always being intimidating. Make them both love you and fear you, and he mastered that. The money was more than good and the lifestyle was hedonistic, just what he liked. Men and women fell at his feet, unlimited access to alcohol and top scale drugs. He worked out a balance of school, and ‘work’. Soon, Elias found something else he could do, with the power he held from the mafia, he had a lot of connections, and started doling out favors, sometimes he had a returned favor in mind, and sometimes, he would take an IOU, and he’d call them deals with the devil. His mafia nickname is Lucifer.

He dated his mob bosses daughter, actress esti cohen, for a while before she cheated on him, broke his heart and left. She was his first love. He started sleeping around A LOT after that. Kind of a slut tbh.

The first leader his boss ever did for him was when he was in law school at Harvard. He was 27, had a year left, was back in New York for a visit and stumbled upon an abandoned club, the building for sale as well, it was way more money than he’d be able to afford, but with the help of his boss, LUX was born, and if he had secured himself a penthouse to live in when he got back, well, he couldn’t deny himself that.

After passing the bar, with a bit his education, his charm and maybe his connections, Elias secured a job.

He worked hard, and smart, and soon enough was working on high profile cases alongside his boss. His name became notable and soon, he was working with clients on his own.

Six years later, he opened Morgan & Watkins with his former (retired) bosses son. He still works high profile cases, but also works a lot with the ACLU

Still owns LUX and lives in the penthouse at the top

Still does favors for the mafia, and, maybe,definitely still works for them on the side, always loyal. He is the muscle a lot of the time, and has no qualms about getting violent and issuing out punishment to those who deserve it.

actually kind of a soft, broken little angel who loves his family most of which are his found family.

Currently dating ADA Casey Wells.

#lydrpintro

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lvdias · 3 years ago

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Full Name: Lydia Aveline Greyson Birthdate | Current Age: 15 January | 33 years old Birthplace: Cardiff, Wales Current Residence: London, England Spoken Languages: English, French, Welsh Gender: Female Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Sexual Orientation: Bisexual Occupation: Department of Mysteries, Keeper of the Hall of Prophecy

APPEARANCE/PERSONALITY

Height: 5′8″ | 173 cm. Weight: 125 lbs. | 57 kg. Hair: Light brown, with golden highlights Eyes: Blue Hazel Complexion: Bright + beige, with earthy undertones Build: Slim, slender, and petite Personality: Caring, Gentle, Intuitive, Quixotic, Sensitive + Sheltered Zodiac: Capricorn Sun, Virgo Moon, Cancer Rising Faceclaim: Elizabeth Lail

MAGICAL BACKGROUND

Blood Status: Halfblood Species: Human/Witch | Seer Wand: 11″ Poplar | Phoenix Feather Core | Bendy Flexibility Amortentia: Bergamot + lavender, peppermint, roasted almonds + the ocean. Boggart: Her grandparent’s cottage, engulfed in flames, as her family and loved ones are trapped inside. Patronus: Dun Mare Education: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry | Hufflepuff Alignment: Neutral/Order Supporter

BIOGRAPHY

CHILDHOOD AND HOGWARTS YEARS: A surprise. A delight. A beaming and joyful wide-eyed wonder. That is how Lydia’s parents would describe the arrival of their daughter, to anyone who would listen (and even those who weren’t particularly interested). It had been their long-time dream to bring a child into the world, but their careers as world-renowned magizoologists and Ministry consultants had taken precedence over expanding their family. Having thought themselves to be long past their child-bearing years, they were elated to discover the prospect of bringing a child into the world was no longer a far-fetched dream but a tangible reality.

As a child, Lydia lived without a care in the world. Accompanying her parents on their travels when she could, though she spent the majority of her childhood residing with her grandparents. She missed them, as any child would, but Mamgu and Tadcu made wonderful companions, making sure she wanted for nothing in the absence of her parents. A vivaciously curious child, she spent the majority of her days outdoors, exploring the grounds around their cottage, running as far and as fast as her legs would take her. It hadn’t been the most traditional upbringing, but its simplicity was refreshing and idyllic all the same.

It was at the age of six when things started to shift, in what would become a profound and life-changing way. It was at this age that Lydia experienced a vision, her first of many, happening a few days before the summer solstice. Being wholly unfamiliar with the sensations it accompanied, she hadn’t been sure to make of the experience. Rushing into her grandfather’s study, she was short of breath as she recounted the details, speaking with vivid clarity of a cloaked figure who spoke in strange riddles. As the weeks went on, the incidents and their symptoms continued with increasing regularity, the signs quickly becoming too impossible to ignore. As much as the incidents could have been dismissed as the overly imaginative musings of a child, her family knew better. Lydia was a Seer, the first in generations, the arrival of whom had been long foretold.

Arriving at Hogwarts, Lydia was both enamoured by its beauty and overwhelmed at its vastness. Emerging through the doors of the Great Hall, it became clear that the rest of the world was much different than the small corner she occupied back home. Still, she couldn’t help but grow eager at the prospect of exploring all that her new surroundings had to offer. Though intuitive and inquisitive, she was equally courteous and compassionate, and the latter tendencies had been what earned her place among the fair and the just. It wasn’t long before she found her home among her Hufflepuff housemates, realizing that this is where she was meant to be. There was much to learn, and even more to experience, and she spent the seven years that followed immersing herself in the wonder of it all.

DURING THE WIZARDING WAR:

A lover more than a fighter, she was hardly eager to step upon the battlefield. Instead, she opted to take a passive role in supporting the Order, spending the time she wasn’t working at the local apothecary caring for her grandparents. Initially, her efforts to avoid the war by way of relative seclusion had been successful. The coastal village was a mostly secluded one, save for the few families who still remained, most of whom never ventured outside the vicinity of the village. Lydia was more than content in remain with the safety and solemnity of her little bubble. Things were simple there, and for a time, they remained that way. But as with all good things, this, too, had come to an end, the inevitable losses of war crashing down upon an otherwise simplistic existence.

By all other accounts, it appeared to be an average morning, just like any other. As she did every morning, Lydia had spent its early hours working in the greenhouse, tending to its plants with her usual diligence and care. Starting on her work with the last of the dittany plants, a pop emerged in the field behind her. She had dismissed it, assuming it was the shop owner coming to inspect her profess, or one of the neighbors stopping by for tea. But before she could give it much thought, Alastor Moody burst inside, nearly breaking the door off its hinges as he rushed towards her. A man she had grown up with, though this had been the first time they interacted on what appeared to be official business. With hurried breaths, he explained that she was in imminent danger, and they needed to get her to safety immediately. Lydia hadn’t even been able to begin to ask what this was about before an overnight bag was thrown at her and they apparated to what she later learned was an Order safehouse. After a frantic insistence on her part, he eventually explained there had been a series of attacks in the early hours of the morning, with no remaining survivors. Then, in an increasingly solemn tone, he announced that both her parents and grandparents had been both among the casualties. Hardly a shock to anyone knew of their reputation in the Ministry, but an earth-shattering tragedy for Lydia, who was now the sole survivor of the Greyson family. In a matter of hours, she had gone from being relatively untouched by the war, to having it shatter her world completely.

In the weeks and months that followed, Lydia had become a shadow of her former self. Her sunny and cheerful disposition was replaced by one of quiet anguish, the result of her grief and the visions that haunted her constantly. Barely able to function, she would have succumbed to her despair, had it not been for the owners of the safehouse and their willingness to take her in, caring for her as one of their own. Somehow, through the seemingly unending grief that accompanied such profound loss, she managed to survive. Not well, and only by the teeth of her skin, but somehow, she endured.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW: Most had found some level of relief or comfort once Voldemort was finally defeated, but not Lydia. In the years leading to the war’s conclusion, the world as she knew it crashed down upon her, leaving nothing but pain and destruction in its wake. In the fallout, she had been left with more questions than answers, particularly when it came to the specifics of her family’s murders. She had her suspicions, as did those assigned to their case, each theory as contradictory as they were outlandish. With no leads or evidence that would warrant a criminal trial, there was little that could be done. There would be no answers, no closure, and worst of all, no justice for those she loved most. The dust eventually settled, and Lydia was forced to do what she had been dreading: pick up what pieces still remained, as broken as they might be, and make something of her life.

#´ · . ✶ 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹. / about.#´ · . ✶ 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲 + 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁. / character development.#character intro.

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orbemnews · 4 years ago

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He was lured to his death in a secluded park. In a pandemic, dating can be deadly for LGBTQ+ people Three youths aged between 16 and 17 have been arrested on suspicion of his murder. David P., had gone to the park after arranging a date with a man he met on the gay dating app Grindr. But when he arrived, he was ambushed and brutally attacked, according to CNN affiliates VTM, RTBF and RTL Belgium. Belgian police and the local public prosecutors’ office have yet to confirm or deny if the killing was motivated by homophobia, but the case highlights the fact that for LGBTQ+ people, searching for a romantic connection online right now can put you in serious danger. And homophobic hate crimes are on the rise. According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA’s) Annual Review of LGBTQ+ rights in Europe, hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people in the Netherlands were reported by Dutch media almost every week in 2020. In France, SOS Homophobie’s annual report found that the number of hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people had increased for a fourth consecutive year in 2020. Many are feeling vulnerable, and there are fears that homophobic assailants may be taking advantage of the fact that queer dating apps are one of the only opportunities LGBTQ+ individuals can use to meet others right now. Since lockdowns were imposed around the world when the pandemic took hold early last year, apps such as Grindr, Scruff and Her have have taken on a greater role in the LGBTQ+ community, as traditionally safe public LGBTQ+ spaces, such as gay bars, clubs and pubs, were forced to shut their doors. ILGA points out in its State-Sponsored Homophobia report that LGBTQ+ people have found themselves adrift during the pandemic: “Lockdowns meant the abrupt and complete interruption of activities, gatherings became impossible, events and Prides got suspended, and safe spaces dramatically shrunk overnight with extremely little to no notice.” Grindr said it was “deeply saddened” by the murder of David P. “This is a tragic and disturbing reminder of the hatred and violence faced by all-too-many people in the LGBTQ+ community, despite the many advances across the world. We stand ready to assist local authorities with their investigation of this matter,” the company said in a statement to CNN. But while the app has said it is committed to supporting the safety and security of its community, all it currently offers users is a holistic security guide. Christian, 25, lives in Cardiff, Wales, and has been using online queer platforms since the pandemic began. Like many, he is mourning the loss of places that have always provided connection and security for LGBTQ+ people. “Dating apps have barely filled the hole that the absence of queer spaces during the pandemic has left,” he said. When it comes to the question of safety for LGBTQ+ individuals engaging in online dating, Christian, who asked CNN not to use his last name to protect his privacy, says he’s lucky to live in a city where queerness is largely accepted, and where he hasn’t experienced too much hostility — but says he’s been in uncomfortable scenarios, too. “I’ve been in some situations where I’ve found myself meeting with someone who doesn’t look like their picture, and not felt empowered to leave that situation,” Christian said. “I feel we need more open conversations about these experiences, so we can better develop a dialogue and safety protocols for when we do meet with people online.” With dating apps one of few available avenues for LGBTQ+ people to meet potential sexual and romantic partners during the pandemic, it has become increasingly clear just how few safeguards are in place to protect users. Some platforms are beginning to put more measures in place to build a safer environment. Tinder recently announced it would introduce background checks to vet matches and provide greater safety for users by revealing any previous records of harassment, violence or abuse. Grindr has yet to say if it will do the same. Dating apps have been facing calls to provide more safeguards for years. The 2018 murder of backpacker Grace Millane — who was killed by a man she’d met on Tinder — and the spate of killings carried out between 2014 and 2015 by Stephen Port, often referred to as the “Grindr killer”, led to pleas for apps to bring in greater safety measures. An unwelcoming environment Many LGBTQ+ Europeans are feeling increasingly isolated — and not just because of lockdown. The pandemic hit just as some European countries were rolling back fundamental freedoms for LGBTQ+ people. Some districts in Poland have established so-called “LGBT-free zones,” Hungary has passed numerous anti-LGBTQ+ laws and Latvia has redefined the “family unit” as one that should consist of a marriage between a man and a woman. In a 2020 study, the LGBTQ+ rights group ILGA-Europe found that — for the second year in a row — countries were moving backwards on the Rainbow Index, which pulls together a picture of what the policy landscape for LGBTQ+ people in Europe looks like right now. If the disappearance of safe and public LGBTQ+ spaces wasn’t enough to leave individuals feeling uneasy, this rise in open hostility towards the community has only added to the anxiety of having to depend on dating apps — which so often involve speaking to total strangers — in order to seek out intimacy. Bjorn van Roozendaal, from ILGA-Europe, stresses that the combination of loneliness that lockdown brings and the current lack of access to familiar queer spaces is leading LGBTQ+ people to use dating apps far more frequently than before. Some, van Roozendaal says, are at risk of becoming dependent on these apps — and keeping them safe must be a priority. “Dating apps have a moral obligation to help make sure their users are safe, especially LGBTQ+ individuals who are currently facing such high levels of isolation,” he said. “They make their money from LGBTQ+ people, so they have an ethical responsibility to help ensure their protection.” Van Roozendaal believes dating apps can protect and support LGBTQ+ users by being transparent about insistences of violence that have involved them. “They should be using their platforms to encourage honest conversation about certain events and how users feel about those,” he said “This is what community is for. This is how we can find protection — by sharing the truth about experiences and sharing resources for safety.” Rémy Bonny is a political scientist and LGBTQ+ activist working in Brussels. He feels that, while it’s important these apps strive to help protect the community, the issue of LGBTQ+ people’s safety runs deeper than simply seeking more effective measures from these spaces. Bonny says he doesn’t trust Belgian police to take homophobia seriously. “The only reason I would go to the police here to report a homophobic incident would be to have the statistic recorded,” Bonny said. “It’s not because I expect them to actually do anything about it.” Brussels police did not respond to a request for comment. As Belgium grieves for David P., and queer communities strive to find alternative ways to connect in these unprecedented times, advocates say the onus for keeping LGBTQ+ people safe lies with a range of institutions — from dating platforms to politicians and the police. Bonny believes politicians have a “responsibility to protect LGBTQ+ people as their rights are infringed upon.” If they work to uphold fundamental freedoms and tamp down rising homophobic rhetoric, then LGBTQ+ people are likely to feel safer as they navigate online dating spaces, he argues. In the meantime, while these platforms and institutions must work to provide the LGBTQ+ community with more sufficient protection, Christian thinks people can find safety in queer dating outside of apps, even as the Covid crisis rages on. “There are different ways we can create spaces for finding romantic and sexual partners right now beyond dating apps through diversifying queer environments online — such as establishing activism groups,” he says. “Through this, our spaces are not just geared towards love and sex, but to solidarity and community, too.” CNN’s Mick Krever contributed to this report. Source link Orbem News #dating #Deadly #Death #LGBTQ #lured #Pandemic #Park #People #secluded

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lord-wellesbrook-ix · 4 years ago

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The Problem with Modern Politics by Me, an unqualified, out of touch late millennial/early gen Z Brit.

Advance warning this is gonna be a long post, essay is below the break for those who care to read.

Ok, good, welcome! So yes, time for some personal details, because apparently such things are crucially important now to what one has to say. I’m 19, I’m white~jewish (ethnically, not religiously. And I list both because the distinction is...spurious at best imo), with some limited asian heritage (grandfather is Burmese, you’d not know it to look at me though). I’m bisexual, with a loving trans boyfriend, tragically kept away from me by that most perfidious of enemies, the atlantic ocean. I used to think I was trans, and started hrt, before deciding against it. I don’t know what my gender identity really is at this point, but I use he/him, and was assigned male at birth. Oh and despite my immediate family having some significant prestige (my dad is a VERY specialised doctor, only 8 people in the country can do what he does), because Britain and NHS, I’m also poor enough that I qualify for financial assistance through uni, and all that other fun stuff, so assign me whatever class you want, but I’ve never really had access to money or the like. All of these factors will undoubtedly somehow colour what my thoughts are.

So! Let’s tackle this on two fronts - My beef with the modern left, my beef with the modern right, and my beef with all the current “alternatives”. The Left Why do you make me hate you so? I want to be able to side with you. Economically, we’re almost perfectly aligned. Fuck big corporations, they abuse their workers, and are broadly detrimental to societal progress by merit of the power they wield. The state should use the money of the wealthiest, to help uplift the poorest, bringing everyone as close to a comfortable range of wealth and living standards as is feasible. Wealth taxes I’m against, if only because I look at things like FIRE with some measure of hope, because I find it infeasible that I’ll be able to work a “proper job” my entire life, and equally infeasible that the state will support me before I’m in my 70s. Unsurprisingly I’m all for trans and lgbt rights, and their advancement is imperative. Likewise racial and ethnic discrimination needs to be combatted (though I have a caveat insofar as how), and linguistic minority rights are ESPECIALLY important (not to out myself as Welsh...). Minimum wages, yes, and higher! Benefits should be more generous and more accessible! All of this! And yet. And, yet. I can never stand with any significant left wing party. Because of how they behave on other fronts. The general solution to racial discrimination seems to be mandates, and quotas, which are just...not a great idea? Because they’ll only work insofar as they are maintained, and at that point you’re not solving it, you’re just leaning on people to make it LOOK like the problem is solved. Instead perhaps, a better system would be something akin to a more continental system. Pictures are banned on CVs, as are any obvious racial or sex or gender markers. Further anonymising most processes, to further make any people making significant choices unable to determine race, sex or gender of the people they’re choosing about, allows for a truly blind process. The same, incidentally, should apply to class distinctions (personal story there to follow, because there class mandates have stabbed me personally).

Moreover, however, both left and right these days seems to be based on these vicious and disgusting ideas of guilt and hatred, only changing who receives them. The modern left want me to hate myself, and hate my country. My skin means that I am somehow inherently advantaged, and thereby everything bad that happens to me is fine, my country has committed sins long before anyone alive today was born, and thereby any bad thing that befalls it is right and good. I am guilty of the crime of...being born a certain way, in a certain place, to certain people, and because of that, because of my privilege, I must apparently have the road of life made that much harder to walk for me. I must be told throughout education that this country is evil, that “Britain” and the “British” are evil, with no consideration for the fact that, well, that’s me. Telling someone that they’re evil as they’re growing up is uhhhh, not exactly a good thing. I believe in this nation that reared me. Moreover I believe in its values, I believe in Britain, and I believe every person should have the right to believe in their country. People as a whole aren’t fundamentally evil. And whilst yes every country has sins, great or small, and Britain’s past leans closer to great, that doesn’t give people the right to try and engender a sort of national self-loathing in the population for it. I won’t venture into America (because America breaks my whole everyone should be proud of their country thing, because a lot of areas should frankly be made independent from the US). And as a part of my...I don’t want to use the terms patriotism or nationalism because both have been massively tainted by groups trying to claim them for years now, but as a part of these beliefs, I stand with the British monarchy. Hell, I actually argue they should be allowed slightly greater freedoms. That they should be allowed to speak out when they are slandered (naming no self-entitled actresses), and equally, that they should be allowed to have some limited vocalisation of other political opinions. We let celebrities do it today, and they influence elections far more than the crown could ever hope to. And let’s look at things that Chucky boy, our next king unless they do something VERY silly and skip him, has gotten into trouble for speaking about: Not wanting brutalist modern architecture, which has actually been proven to make for housing that doesn’t last as long, and negatively impacts mental health. And Being an environmentalist.

And

Wanting this country to treat the mentally ill better. Ah...such controversial, evil points, made by a despotic tyrant princ-oh wait no they’re just valid things. I don’t want them to be given the power to ENFORCE their ideas, that way lies absolutism, which runs against the ideas of a constitutional monarchy. But let them speak, there are people who speak freely with greater sway and influence than they could ever have, and far less accountability.

The Right

Oh boy, oh boy. Economically villainous. I despise nearly every economic ideal they stand for. They hurt the poor to help the rich, and just like the left, screw those in the middle. All I can credit them for on that front is that they don’t have as much of a tendency to support ugly, cheap mass housing, but only because they instead support no housing.

Socially...ugh. I look at the modern right as a two headed beast there. There are those like those on the left, who hate Britain, but instead of just hating us and wanting some vague utopia, they hate us and want us to become a corporate hellhole like america, which is arguably worse.

Then there’s the others. Those who take my ideals and corrupt them. Racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia, rinse and repeat, and yes I know this is the hazard inherent in enjoying tradition and one’s nation anywhere, but can those traditions not be adapted? Anglicanism is already christianity minus any spine or sense of self, let it allow gays and trans people and all of that. Also uh yeah, don’t be racist. I don’t really know how to phrase that in any other way because...it’s not hard. Just don’t be racist. Treat people as people, not as their race. Do not treat me any different for being a jew, or having an asian grandfather, do not treat someone differently for being a person of colour, do not treat someone different for the circumstances of their birth, quite simply put. Alternatives

So, the non mainstream (LIBLABCON) parties? Let’s see.... UKIP/Reform - Ah racism, fuck off. Plaid - Ah, vote to...leave the country I love? And to be run from Cardiff by people like Drakeford, or Woods, or really any of the major players in modern welsh politics? No. Any flavour of communist - Last I checked they all want me to hate myself, so nah. Greens - Cool. You still want me to hate myself, and have really dumb economic ideas, but you’re a one issue party and I support that issue, so tentatively the lesser of all the evils. Idk why I had this rant, I am just very upset. There is no voice for people like me, and it seems there never will be. And I’m nowhere near rich enough to start a party to become that voice.

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avaantares · 8 years ago

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On Torchwood: Miracle Day

Why this post? Because I’m planning to be lazy in the future. :) I keep seeing this series come up in discussion, and I wanted to get my thoughts down all in one spot for easy reference. So this is simply a text dump containing my thoughts on Miracle Day, both positive and negative. (Spoiler: there are more negatives than positives.)

This will be long, so here’s a dash-saver...

(Disclaimer: It’s been a few years since I watched this series, and I only did so once, so the impressions I’m reporting below are based on what was most salient/most memorable from that viewing. If I failed to notice a detail or have forgotten something, that’s my error – though I would argue that I’m usually a pretty astute viewer, so if something critical is not clear on a first watch, that fault may lie at least in part with the show.)

Okay. Got your popcorn ready? Let’s go.

Things I disliked about Miracle Day:

Genre shift. Instead of a character-driven fantasy like Doctor Who and the first two series of Torchwood, MD is structured more like a political thriller. This is not inherently bad – Children of Earth straddled the line, and was still very effective -- but subjectively, MD didn’t feel like Torchwood at all to me. It felt really… American. (Full disclosure: I dislike a lot of American television writing in general; that’s why I watch more foreign TV than domestic, despite living in the U.S.)

The protagonists. The new characters failed to interest me as a viewer. There was nothing endearing or compelling about Rex, and I personally disliked his character and his attitude. I don’t remember anything particularly dynamic about his character arc, either (he… learns to be a team player, I guess?). Esther, who started out as a fairly generic model of Perky Blonde Sidekick, became more likable as the series progressed; she had stated goals that hinted at future growth, but the most interesting conflicts the series set up for her (i.e. the personal drama over her sister’s kids) were, to my memory, never resolved. (See also Rex’s daddy issues – we take time establishing that he has them, but nothing ever comes of it. What did that scene really add to his overall character growth? Did his father ever even get mentioned again?) Oddly enough, the most compelling character out of the entire new lineup was Bill Pullman’s creeptastic pedophile, and I kind of feel like that shouldn’t be the case with an ensemble cast of this size. (Props to Pullman on that performance, though. 10/10 would set fire to that character.)

Jack’s regression. This is admittedly a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things, but it still bothers me from a characterization standpoint. Jack started in series 1 of Torchwood as… well, a bit of a jerk, actually (which is not inappropriate for his character at that point), but he grows over time (as lead characters should). Between S1 and S2 (Utopia/tSoD/LotTL) he reaches a turning point, choosing to return to Cardiff because he wants to be with his team, and he continues that dynamic process throughout the second series. Then CoE pulls the rug out from under him, and he flees Earth in grief – but when he returns in MD, it’s without the sensitivity or empathy we’d seen him develop through the previous series. At various times he displays behavior that is whiny, bitter, clingy, and caustic. It feels like much of the growth of the previous seasons was negated while he was off-planet, only there’s no clear explanation for what caused it (or, for that matter, why he returned at all; we’d last seen him in a space bar chatting up Alonso Frame, with no apparent intention to come back to Earth). I’d attribute the change to the losses he’s suffered, but I don’t see a clear connection between grief and the petulant attitude he seems to lapse into in MD, and the show itself doesn’t make any attempt to draw a link (Ianto rates a brief mention when Jack drunk-dials Gwen from another man’s bed; I don’t remember if Steven, Owen or Tosh are even spoken of, apart from Jack borrowing Owen’s name once). And we really have no frame of reference for how long he’s been gone. It might have been decades for Jack.

Let’s Talk About Sex(uality). When watching a show, I don’t typically pay any more attention to sexuality/representation than I do to shot framing or dialogue – I’m aware of it, but it’s not something I zero in on to criticize unless they’re doing it badly -- so when I actually pause an episode to complain about the insulting stereotypes, there’s a problem. I know some people were unhappy that Jack was presented more gay than omnisexual, but eh, okay, they’re marketing to a new audience, they have a bunch of new characters to deal with, maybe they don’t want to spend time explaining Jack’s proclivities. But there’s no excuse for that cringeworthy scene with everyone mocking the flight attendant for being gay, even though he denies it – and the punchline is that he experimented with a guy once, so OBVIOUSLY he’s secretly gay, haha, they were right all along! Gay stereotypes are funny! Um. Wow. I remember staring at the screen with my jaw hanging open and saying, “I can’t believe John Barrowman, of all people, was on board with this.” After the casual, understated openness of the previous three series, the change in tone – the calling-out of anyone’s sexuality at all in a series where historically, nearly the entire main cast was (at least) bisexual -- was almost whiplash-inducing. (See above re: it just didn’t feel like Torchwood.)

Continuity? Schmontinuity! ...And this is where the series really lost me. I’ll admit, I’m a bit of a detail nerd, but mistakes like these are worse than sloppy – they’re downright confusing when you’re actually trying to figure out what’s going on in the show. The events of Miracle Day not only break the entire Doctor Who universe, but they aren’t even internally consistent with the rest of Torchwood. I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out just when the “Immortal Sins” flashbacks were supposed to have happened and whether or not a time loop was integral to the plot, because all the on-screen evidence in those episodes indicated that Jack was on his fourth tour of the 20th century: Jack explains to Angelo that he’s a fixed point in time – yet Jack himself wouldn’t learn that from the Doctor until 70 years later in his own timeline. Also, Jack is running around in the mid-1930s wearing his WWII-issue RAF greatcoat (and Webley holster, etc.) – but WWII hasn't started yet, so he can't have served in it (as an American volunteer or anything else) to acquire a coat, and he can’t possibly have one from the future as he has been living on Earth in linear time since 1869. (He didn’t have the coat when he was stranded on Satellite Five, and isn’t shown wearing it in other Torchwood flashbacks/photos until the appropriate era.) In short, the ONLY way the MD timeline works is if Jack went back to the 1930s after fleeing the planet in Children of Earth, which makes no sense at all from a story or character standpoint. Furthermore, the “explanation” for the Miracle contradicts everything we’ve been told up to this point about Jack’s immortality. Jack is supposedly a fixed point in time, being kept alive by the time vortex itself – except, apparently, when you set up a morphic field that somehow inverts the power of the time vortex around the entire planet, without affecting the flow of time, or any other fixed points, or anything else? And there’s also a nullification field that re-reverses the morphic field to let Angelo die, except for some reason it doesn’t restore Jack’s immortality when he’s inside it? Are we not even going to hand-wave an explanation for this? (Inconveniently, this also toasts our main character hook: Apparently Jack can die any time he likes by setting up a portable field to neutralize his immortality, like Angelo did. Welp, there goes our tragically-immortal protagonist. On to the next series.) …And let’s not even discuss the nonsense with the Trickster’s Brigade and FDR’s brain, which doesn’t jive with the Trickster’s repeatedly-stated objectives in The Sarah Jane Adventures. I’m all for name-dropping-in-a-non-legally-actionable-way-because-we-don’t-have-full-rights-to-Doctor-Who-properties, but that was just silly.

The $@%^&# ending. This probably belongs with the previous entry, but it made me furious enough to merit its own bullet point. Jack’s blood now makes other people immortal? …the HECK?! Is Rex a fixed point in time now? How does that even work? Does Earth somehow influence the time vortex? Can a planet clone the time stream? NONE OF THIS IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE REST OF THE WHONIVERSE.

The villains. One thing that made Torchwood as a series interesting is that for the most part, the formula for each episode wasn’t “Our Heroes vs. The Generic Bad Guys Bent On World Domination.” Antagonists were usually more complex, and often the conflict left the team in a moral gray area. Team Torchwood faced evil humans (”Countrycide”), betrayal from within (”They Keep Killing Suzie”), unwitting enemy agents (”Sleeper”), opportunistic human capitalists (”Meat”), time itself (”Out of Time;” “To The Last Man”), and even the government (Children of Earth), among others. Sure, there were occasional Generic Bad Guy episodes (”Reset”), but it wasn’t the norm – and in my opinion, the series’ weakest moments were when they fell into that more generic formula. (”End of Days” had some interesting moments, but the giant CGI monster stomping on Cardiff wasn’t one of them.) In MD, though, we have this amazingly complex setup for an intriguing and world-altering scenario, with hints that it stretches across decades if not centuries, revolving around Jack and those he loved, and there’s so much buildup that we know there must be some deep meaning behind it all… And then it’s revealed that the villain behind the curtain is A Group Of Evil Mob Bosses Bent On World Domination™. There’s not even any personal tie to Jack, who should (for the sake of symmetry) be at the center of it all. It’s just some Generic Bad Guys messing around with some stuff they found. Even though it’s his blood, Jack as a character is really just incidental to it all. The reveal would have exactly the same emotional gravitas if one of the Bad Guys had found Jack’s discarded vortex manipulator and used it to take over the world. It was just... unsatisfying.

...There’s more, but I think that’s enough digital ink spilled for the moment. I’m sure you can get an idea of my general opinion.

But, in fairness, now that I’ve griped about everything I didn’t like, let’s look at

Things Miracle Day did well:

The premise. The concept of people suddenly not dying, the fallout of that situation, and the questions it raises about life and death, civil rights. and society as a whole, is a brilliant concept! It would have made a very solid sci-fi film/series on its own; I just wish it hadn’t been crammed into Torchwood, because it didn’t mesh well with the story already in progress. Even so, there were moments where the sociopolitical drama actually played out quite well in spite of the show’s other issues. There were legitimately creepy horror elements – people being burned alive or dissected and not dying during the process – and it was interesting to consider the practical questions of where you put bodies, how you classify them, and so on. The family drama with Gwen’s father showed the more personal dilemma, while Vera’s incineration highlighted the danger of having the decision-making power in the wrong hands.

Gwen vs. Jack. Gwen having to choose between her family and Jack was the logical progression for her character’s story, and while I can’t say I enjoyed watching the trust between them disintegrate, I do think it was a good conflict to set up, and it gave both of them some much-needed character focus amid a very event-driven plot. (And it was a relief not to have any of those unconvincing awkward-sexual-tension scenes shoehorned in… wait, now I’m griping about the earlier series. Sorry.) Gwen had several good character moments during the series, actually; I remember the bit where she talks about killing her father as being particularly powerful, and she had a few fun one-liners as well (”I’m Welsh”). She was also given some good action sequences. Speaking of which…

Helicopter vs. shoulder-fired missile. With baby under one arm. Okay, not gonna lie, that entire sequence was pure candy.

Andy Davidson. Yes. Good. We can always use more Sgt. Andy. (Let him join Torchwood already!) Aside from their roles in the story, the presence of Andy and Rhys did provide a more solid link to the previous series. It’s not Torchwood without a minimum percentage of Welsh accents, after all. :)

The Oswald Danes storyline. It was creepy and disturbing, but the story of a psychotic killer, manipulated by a media expert, who rises to celebrity status and begins influencing public action was quite compelling (and, now that I think of it, may have struck a little too close to home… did I mention I live in the U.S.? *ahem*). Another thing I didn’t enjoy, per se, but it was certainly effective, especially coupled with Pullman’s convincing performance.

So there’s my (incredibly long and verbose) take on Miracle Day. I think it could best be summarized as “Great concept, weak execution.” Congratulations if you actually read this far. :)

#torchwood #miracle day #opinion #long post #criticism

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