#my coordination hasn't gotten any better

[omnificent-orion]

Day 3: Connection

You were once me, I'll never be you. Let's meet again, in the next--

[murkycran]

Staticmoth/Voxval Fic Rec List

Welcome to my Staticmoth/Voxval Fic Rec List! :D

I will keep updating this periodically as I read more fics, so feel free to check back every once and a while! I'll reblog it when I update it, plus make a note with the date at the top. Trust me, this is by no means a complete list; there's fics I still want to add to this that I just haven't gotten to yet. I just decided to go ahead and post it anyways, because if I kept waiting until I ran out of fics to rec I'd probably be working on this forever.

These are not in any particular order; I'm going by both my Bookmarks list on AO3 and my memory of fics I forgot to bookmark. I also tried to make notes on what fics were written before season 1 released, but I might have missed some, so keep that in mind.

Please let me know if any links don't work!

✨Before you proceed:✨ read the tags on these fics if you decide to read them. Many of them have heavy material - no surprise given the fandom, but still, felt like this needed said. On that note, there's also fics with explicit material and some fics are straight up PWP. Again, read at your own risk/heed the tags.

Fic Rec List Masterpost

Radiostatic Fic Rec List

Misc. Vox Fic Rec List

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Freak-A-Zoid by Femalefonzie

Summary: A shortage of suppressants in Hell means that Vox is going to be enduring a heat for the first time in years. Who better than the Vees' resident pimp to help him through it? Afterall, the last thing they need is for someone to complicate the situation with "feelings" and Val was the best at keeping love and lust separate. Until now.

TLDR; Valentino plays himself.

Notes: SO FUCKING FUNNY. Cannot read this in public bc I laughed too much. Val and Vox are both idiots. Perhaps the most human depiction of them that I've seen, especially during sex. Neither of them are suave or coordinated, but by god are they trying.

system takeover by Subedarling

Summary: Velvette has never been the type to play hero. But when a mysterious new player enacts a dangerous plot to usurp the Vees' power, taking her two idiots hostage in the process, that's exactly where she finds herself. Now she has no choice but to go on an impromptu rescue mission, maintain the facade that everything is fine to the outside world, and prove why she's the backbone of the Vees—and she hasn't even had her morning coffee yet.

Vox and Val are going to owe her so hard after this.

Notes: Technically Velvette-centric but I'm including it anyway bc it does have Staticmoth; found family. She's so badass in this, I love it. The Staticmoth is very sweet. :3

even if i quit there's not a chance in hell i'd stop by Subedarling

Summary: Valentino stretches his arms over his head as he enters the kitchen, yawning. His robe is hanging loosely around him, and God, if Vox were to run his hand down his chest he could probably count all his ribs. He stops short when he sees the plates waiting for him on the counter. His eyes narrow. “The hell is this?”

“You know, most people would say thank you when their partner makes them breakfast,” Vox says dryly.

Notes: Very tender. A good kind of hurt. Deals with ED.

Parvulus by Heliosolar

Summary: Vox woke up to something... unusual. Terrifying, even. He calls Valentino, desperate for the help.

Valentino is, of course, irresponsible, and Vox is exhausted.

He just wanted to get through the day like normal, why did this have to happen?

Notes: Written before season 1. The art of Tiny Vox is not linked, but I've seen it before and it is SO CUTE. If anyone has a link, please share with me so I can link it here!

A Wager of Desire by Heliosolar

Summary: Valentino and Vox have a small dispute over something meaningless, so they make a bet.

Vox has to last an entire dinner while at Valentino's mercy.

What could go wrong?

Notes: Written before season 1 release. One of the first Staticmoth fics I read. :)

Venenum by Heliosolar

Summary: During an uneventful meeting, Vox makes the mistake of stealing a drink from Valentino.

Notes: Written before season 1 release.

Getting Railed (By Child Support) by Charnel_Goat, spappest

Summary: The female of several species can store sperm for many years prior to using it to fertilize her eggs. As it turns out, spider trains do this too.

Decades after their romantic fallout, Overlord Choo Choo Charles is knocking on Val's door to demand he take responsibility for the results. By way of kidnapping his boyfriend to lure him to his den.

Notes: One of the crackiest fics I've ever read. Vox is an idiot with a horrible sense of self-preservation and Val fucks a spider train without birth control. Just...read it, okay? I literally cannot think about this fic without giggling like an idiot every time.

Beautiful Monster by IceBlueButterfly

Summary: “You’re late,” is the first thing that comes out of Vox’s mouth.

That sharp smile somehow grows wider.

“I believe the term is ‘fashionably late’ baby,” a smooth voice with a light Spanish accent replies.

Which… okay if Vox is being honest, is kind of hot.

Screen heating up a little more, Vox shoots a bored look.

“Or just late,” he snips back. “Oh well,” he claps his hands. “Doesn’t matter, you ready to get down to business?”

“Oh baby,” a bright gleam in even brighter eyes, “I’m always ready to get down.”

Vox is already regretting this decision.

OR Moments in time throughout Vox and Val's relationship. Vox may have no idea what the moth demon will bring to his life, but neither does Val.

Notes: A very nice exploration of how Vox and Valentino's relationship evolves.

Only a Shadow by passthevoxcord

Summary: Vox shows up on the hotel’s doorstep with no memory of how he got there or who he is. They agree to house and heal him, and slowly but surely he finds joy in becoming better. Then Valentino shows up and is forced to choose between self-altering addiction and the closest he’s ever come to love.

Meanwhile, Velvette has a new potion brewing, one that will grant her more power than the Vees ever had. Only Vox and Val can stop her, but will goodness really overcome evil? Or will they be only a shadow of their former selves?

Notes: The Voxval is currently toxic and only just now being touched on in Chapter 9 of the fic; I say 'currently' because the author explains in the AN of the first chapter that both Vox and Val will go through some "self-discovery and healing". Seriously, just read it. It's very good!!

You Found Me by passthevoxcord

Summary: Long before Velvette came along, it was just them. Vox and Valentino. Valentino and Vox.

Notes: Includes some interesting headcanons for Vox and Val.

Virtual Reality by passthevoxcord

Summary: Vox gets tired of his cybernetic biology being a barrier to his sex life, so he starts a new project to fuck Valentino in VR. Val will try anything once, but he has something else in mind.

Notes: Surprisingly sweet. ^_^

Muted by passthevoxcord

Summary: Val helps a nonverbal Vox deal with sensory overload.

Notes: Sweet and tender. :)

Freaky Friday by passthevoxcord

Summary: Vox and Val wake up stuck in the other’s body, but it’s no big deal because they both know how easy the other has it. Right?

Notes: Written before season 1 release. Sweet take on the different challenges Vox and Val face in their daily lives.

Something Akin To Love Series by Awesome_Possum

Summary: Vox's taste in partners is delightfully self-destructive and that's an itch Valentino is more than happy to scratch.

It's not safe or sane, and whether or not it's technically consensual is heavily up to interpretation, but what they have is probably something akin to love.

A collection of StaticMoth fics set in generally the same continuity.

Valentino is awful and Vox is unfortunately really really into that because a control freak in the streets is a masochist in the sheets.

Notes: Has 2 parts, both very much worth reading. Very funny, lol. Vox is in a hell of his own making but enjoying it at the same time.

Update Prescription by innerfray

Summary: Vox tricks Valentino into getting his eyes checked. They're forced to confront the nature of their partnership.

Notes: One of my favorite Staticmoth oneshots. Felt like an interesting take on Val's blindness. Angst so good...

Like Moth to a Flame (Or to a Bright Blue Screen) by datweirdo

Summary: Valentino is a moth after all

Notes: Cute and funny!!! "You fucking murdered him" lmao

30 Decibels by Shortsighted_Owl

Summary: Somewhere, under the low humming of the monitors, the quiet gurgling of replacement coolant being piped into Vox body, a new noise - dry, yet somehow viscerally wet, and so very soft - made itself known, but only just.

And Valentino almost missed it. - After a fight with Alastor, Valentino watches vigil over Vox’s broken form.

(What if Vox still has organic vocal cords, and after a fight with Alastor, the synthesiser he uses to amplify his voice is destroyed. What if Valentino hears Vox’s real voice for the first time?)

Notes: Heed the tags, there is in fact body horror lol. Sweet but mildly horrific. <3

Priest, mailman, cruise captain or chef? by Destabilize

Summary: Inspired by Vox's outfits in Stayed Gone - Val and Vox try out some kinky stuff with a priest outfit, to mixed success.

Ah ha!” Val squealed with delight, wine glass drained and thrown on a sofa, “This!” Val was standing proudly by the wardrobe holding up a long red robe with a hat and some kind of sash. Vox scowled, “Is that a fucking priest outfit?”

“Si! Isn’t it fun- it’s in your colors too!”

“You wanna be a priest?”

“No baby! You be a priest and I can,” Val sidled up and leaned down, puffing some smoke in Vox’s face, snaking an arm around his waist, “lead you astray...”

Notes: Surprisingly cute and funny! Vox fails epically at roleplay and it is hilarious.

riding out the drop by spoondrifts

Summary: Like he’d said before, killing Alastor was Vox’s kink, not his. He had been prepared to sit back and enjoy the temporary chaos until Vox got over himself.

What he hadn’t accounted for was the possibility that Vox was exactly as obsessive, bitter, and desperate for Alastor’s acknowledgement now as he had been seven years ago. Distance hadn’t made the heart grow fonder: distance had made a highly detailed revenge scrapbook complete with a conspiracy corkboard done up in red string.

Or: Valentino gets fed up with Vox's fixation on the radio demon. They fuck about it.

Notes: Features (sex favorable) asexual!Vox! :D (I lowkey headcanon him as ace ever since the "better than sex" comment)

Featherstone by spoondrifts

Summary: “To me,” Vox told the baby, “it seems like bad parenting to leave your helpless kid for a whole month with two unstable psychopaths and their parole officer. But hey. Who am I to judge.”

No intelligent reply was forthcoming.

Or: not-so accidental baby acquisition, starring the three least responsible idiots this side of the Pentagram.

Notes: Big Vees as family vibes. Wish so desperately this was canon.

vark attack by tarltonnnnn

Summary: Valentino has to petsit Vark for a day. Chaos ensues.

Notes: Written before season 1 release. Vark is a big dumb (and very cute) baby.

Unplugged by pinkpunchy

Summary: Vox looks like he’s going to vomit. Valentino frowns.

“For the one who suggested this, you’re being a real pussy.”

“Fuck you! Just give me a sec.” Vox spits out, muttering darkly as he adjusts his shoulders on the pillows, trying to arrange his body for the moment he loses all function. Valentino, despite his impulsive nature, waits patiently. His manicured nails drag along the spot where cable and port connect, thumb smoothing up and down the flat surface surrounding it. Vox’s breath is coming faster now, not slower, something Valentino is tuned into as naturally as his own breathing.

“Hey.”

A large hand grasps a corner of Vox’s screen, tilting it up and putting an immediate stop to his fidgeting. Valentino smiles, red eyes narrowed to slits.

“Do you trust me?”

Notes: Sex as a...trust exercise? Lol I'm joking, but seriously. Sweet and hot at the same time.

Electric Desires: Lust, Power, and Unspoken Longings in Hell by Dani69696969

Summary: Vox is starting to get fed up with Angel Dust being the only thing Val talks about when Vox is right there, ripe for the taking. Inspired by Vox looking happy that Angel might have quit in Episode 2.

Notes: Very sweet. Plot with porn. :)

The Art of Pimping by MarenRose

Summary: Desperate to close a deal with one of the most lucrative investors in Pride, Vox does the unthinkable and pimps out Valentino for a one-time date. What could go wrong?

Notes: Vox's jealousy and possessiveness really brings out his stalker side in this lmao. Vox is a little pathetic and that makes his jealousy all the more funny to me. :D

Welcome to VoxTek Enterprises! by MarenRose

Summary: Subsequently, Valentino, of all people, has become the office’s saving grace.

(A series of VoxVal ficlets through the eyes of Vox’s assistant)

Notes: Pretty funny! Vox's assistants are really going through it. One of the tags is "Imagine being happy to see Valentino" lol.

(Fic rec list to be continued)

[skellyflowers]

Smuggle me gently

AN: Time for two!!!! Thank you for all the love! Hope you enjoy.

II x Smuggler

“Alright crew, our next shipment is coming in today!” My boss shouts. “Tex, you and Sphinx are going to collect on the asteroid Xavis nothing less than 15,000 credits.”

Tex and Sphinx high five each other. Collecting is a simple task. Especially if Tex is the one doing it. Most people don’t want to fight when they see the Besalisk. However, collections are an entry level job. Sphinx only joined our group a few months ago.

“GX-5 you and Mora are repossessing a NCC-1717. Bring it to the Scrap yard and be sure to take out the shield generator.” Boss says before addressing me.

My usual partner is still recovering from any injury so I don’t expect much. IF I do leave it would probably be to drop off some information. Whatever, as long as I can get off the station for a little while.

“We got a special delivery. I need you, and the guy the client is sending to handle it.”

“What ‘guy’?” I ask. “What are we delivering that the client is so worried about that we need a ‘guy’ they hired separately?”

“Listen when you run blasters for the Hutts you don’t ask too many questions.”

“THE HUTTS!” What has he gotten us into?

Before I can argue more the station's proximity alert starts to blare. The bay doors open and a gunship lands. The ship looks like a Tantive IV. After the bay doors close the Boss and I head down to the bay. Tex and Sphinx joined after us.

The new ship’s loading bay door opens and a Mandalorian! He is in head to toe black armor with three red stripes across the face. He has a crest inlaid on his chest, it looks kinda like a bird. Once he is off the ship the boss walks up to him. Sphinx sits on top of a crate behind me.

“He is a little small for a Mandalorian.” Sphinx whispers to me.

I hit her with my elbow. I know that the boss is talking to the Mandalorian but I don’t know if he's paying attention to us. Last thing I want is to give him a reason to come back over some potential insult.

I see the boss waves me over when he is done talking. I slowly make my way over to them. I'm not excited to get close to the Mandalorian.

“Alright, he is going to move the shipment from his ship to our transport ship.” Boss explained. “After that you meet up with the client's contact, and drop off the package.”

The Mandalorian nods and turns back to his ship. I can see he had a rifle on his back. Boss hands me the key to the transport ship and we walk over to check the transport hull.

“I don't think I can do this.” I say.

“What do you mean? You're one of my best pilots. And you have the best people skills.”

“Ya, when I'm haggling a price or sweet talking a security guard. Not smuggling weapons!”

“This job is fast and pays a lot. You get this job done,  and we all can afford to take a long vacation. When was the last time you saw your parents?”

I turn away before I punch him in the face. I hate that he is using my family against me. He knows I have been wondering if I could get some time away. But I don’t want to be delivering guns to do so.

I sit in the cockpit to take a moment to calm myself down. After a few deep breaths I hear a voice in the hull. It's giving instructions so I assume it's my boss. So far the Mandalorian hasn't made so much as a peep. It's really off putting. 

As I walk back into the hull I see that the Mandalorian is there with my boss. There is a crate in the hull that wasn't there earlier. So that must be the shipment. 

I get the rendezvous coordinates from my boss. We are going to the fifth moon of Calcas. I better pack an atmosphere suit just in case. I don't know what to expect. 

When I'm finished packing I head to the ship. When I got to the cockpit my heart nearly launched out of my chest. In the co-pilot seat is the Mandalorian. He sits quietly with his arms crossed. His helmet tilts toward me when I yell in fright.

“I guess you're ready to go then?” I ask, trying to calm my heart.

He didn't answer, just like I expected. He did, however, nod his head. That is good enough for me. The sooner we leave the sooner we can get this over with.

The flight is smooth. Once we enter hyperspace we get to Calcas in a few hours. If anything it was a little boring. I'm not used to being around someone so quiet. I don't think he would have talked to me even if he wanted to. 

Once we get in range of Calcas I exited hyperspace. I did a scan of the moon we are meant to rendezvous on. It has a breathable atmosphere! Nice! Guess I wouldn’t need the suit.

A message came over my ship's comlink. As I expected it's the contact. The man on the other side gives exact coordinates for the drop off. We will find him in a crater. After a few minutes of looking we find the right crater. Just outside the crater I see a small drop ship. There they are.

The Mandalorian taps my shoulder. That was a surprise. When I look at him, he is pointing at the opposite side of the crater. I guess that is where he thinks I should land. I follow his silent advice and land on the opposite side of the cater.

As we go to meet the contact in between the two ships. I walk ahead of the shipment crate and the Mandalorian pushes it from behind. Once we are close enough I can see that the contacts are two Arkanian.

“That’s far enough. Back away from the case.” One says. “Degro, do a sweep.”

The Mandalorian moves the case between us. Then grabs my arm and pulls me behind him. 

“All clear Zendul.” 

“Alrighty, let's wrap this up.” says Zendul.

He walks up holding a data pad. I moved around the Mandalorian to see what was on it. The data pad is open to a camera. Both Arkanians stand next to the case. I guess they need a picture for their boss.

Once I take the picture the Arkanians head back to their dropship. Maybe my boss was right about this job. Not that I would tell him that. We are about 30 feet away from the ship when someone yells.

“WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU TWO THINK YOU’RE DOING? DID YOU THINK WE WOULDN’T NOTICE?”

What is he yelling about? And why are they running toward us?

“WHERE IS THE REST?”

“What are you talking about? What you got is what we have.”

“LIAR! YOU'RE TRYING TO DUPE US!!!!!” He takes out his blaster.

“Whoa! Let’s calm down.” I say. I hands up above my head.

Before I can attempt to deescalate the situation one of the Arkanians explodes! I hear the other Arkanian scream.

“Get back on your ship! Or the next one is for you!”

I look over my shoulder and see the voice and shot can from the Mandalorian! Not only did he just kill that guy but he also said something. He is holding a pulsar rifle. No wonder that guy just exploded! 

Once the other Arkanian was back on his dropship the Mandalorian walks over to me. He quickly circles me. Seeing that I'm ok he brings me back to our ship. He seats me in the copilot seat and starts to take off. On the flight back I want to say something to him. But honestly I'm still stunned.

“Why did you do that?” I finally asked, after what felt like an eternity.

“You had no reason to be treated like that. I didn’t like it.” He answered. “Also your boss is paying me a cut to make sure you are unharmed.”

“We’re splitting my credits with you?”

“No. I'm getting his cut.”

That also leaves me speechless. I know that the boss cares about us. He often calls us ‘one big happy family’. He really proved that, if what the Mandalorian says is true. I’ll ask later.

We make it back to the station in no time. After we land the Mandalorian pushes something into my hand. It’s a commlink.

“What’s this for?”

That’s my link. If any of those guys come around press the button. I'll come back and kill them for you.”

After that he stands up and exits the ship. When I get off the ship I see the Mandalorian talking to the boss. He also hands the Mando a small case. That must have been his cut. He then leaves without even a second glance. 

I wonder if I’ll see him again. I secretly hope that I will.

[northwest-by-a-train]

Zadie Smith's lack of any hill she's willing to stand on, much less die on, has made her a wonderfully blessed novelist. A very apt mimic of any particular coordinate of the political spectrum, a wicked satirist of modern bourgeois mores, a reader with an incredibly wide palette. Though she has gotten less adventurous as a writer as the years have gone on, she has gotten better at the craft, and she did build from a higher mastery than most.

That said, most of her energy, and in this she joins a great many writers coming from the urban working class of color, seems to be spent not being conflated. Conflated with other black female writers, conflated with protestors, conflated with critics of the establishment. Oh, she does criticize, empathize, recognize herself. But always prefacing it with layers upon layers of self-justification and differentiation. She, like her icon & model David Foster Wallace, feels the need to set herself apart from anything we could categorize her as in bad faith.

So she is a feminist, but worry not, she still loves Updike, Larkin and Pound. She is a utopian socialist but she has nothing in particular to say about the state of the world. She of course has an opinion on the current conflict in Palestine, but she won't tell because it's not important and it's "just words".

Of course you can read Larkin and Pound as a committed leftist feminist and think your personal opinion on world politics is irrelevant compared to what is going on in the world. My gripe is that someone with such high literary pretensions, such admiration for the gusto of free spirits both past & present (someone willing to go to bat for Kanye's trumpist phase in the name of poetry in the very same magazine where she so artfully defends at length that no statement from either student protesters or counter-protesters has value, nor hers) someone who spends so much of her time quoting moral philosophers and pondering the future of writing... That this someone has essentially given up on politics.

My gripe, my visceral annoyance at her, my point is that the "towering mind of her generation" has given up on politics except as background, coordinates to tack the nuance-lacking masses onto, but that great spirits transcend somehow. No wonder she loves Harold Bloom & James Wood. Or that she's a child of Blair's cool Brittania. As a public intellectual, there is no duty to say anything meaningful, or whereof one cannot speak, to remain silent. If your thesis is that you have none and the dead are more important, why spend 4000 words talking about yourself, and how above it all you are and how ineffectual anyone writing about it is, and how you're the only one smart enough to have the dignity of recognizing it ? Why not make form fit content, as you have so often done ? Why not attack specific words, specific utterances that ignore the dead, instead of fighting strawmen ?

The truth is that Smith's outbursts of calling for dignity, reason, nuance, cooler heads are not anything new, not anything groundbreaking, nothing unprecedented, even by the great. You can hear echoes of it in Camus refusing to denounce colonialism because Algerians refuse to speak French. It is the cry of the moral esthete, for whom to side with the dubious, the inarticulate, the incoherent, the angry, all that is like poison to her. Oh, yes, she can defend Kanye's nonsensical racist, and already then antisemitic rants. But Kanye is an artist, "one of our best living poets". So are any writers of dubious politics, any convicted felon, any instance of sustained personal cruelty worth defending against the mob. Their sensibility just hasn't been expanded far enough, they just don't get it. The mob hasn't created anything worthwhile. The mob is childish, does not know the right words, does not rise up to the occasion like it should.

The truth is that Zadie Smith stands for something. If she really believed in the dead, or in utopian socialism, or in responsible public intellectuals, she would have written differently. She stands for transcendence. Her right to be in the world without anyone being able to make moral pronouncements on her, her work, the work of others. She stands for a plane above this world that matters to this world in ways she finds complex and delicate. She stands for herself being judged only on, and from, this plane.

Thankfully, like a child in a playground that insists the game she devised is very good and we should all follow the rules, and really she is a skillful player and we will all have fun with once we simply follow the rules, we are all free to ignore her.

We are free to live in the real world and make real moral decisions, getting our hands and our consciences dirty, yes, but also stand by real human beings. Beings whose freedoms to play pretend, to read and write, to transcend, is hampered by real people who do not care for the right words or the correct moral stance. We are free to fight for a liberated Palestine though we may be partisan, simplistic, quick to anger and inarticulate.

[finalgirlkateausten]

hide away and find your peace of mind

set at the end of SGA 1x11 The Eye, right after the team regains control of the city. it is my professional opinion (no seriously i'm an emt lol) that Elizabeth and Rodney should've gotten hypothermia 😤

"Everyone okay?" John asks, looking around the room as Teyla more or less carries Beckett in. He keeps glancing back at Elizabeth, just to convince himself she's really not dead. Now, she's leaning heavily on the console, her eyes closed. "Elizabeth?"

She blinks, taking a moment to focus on him. "I'm alright, Major. I think I should just get out of this jacket, it's a little too warm in here."

John blinks at her. The large, empty, mostly-metal city running on minimal power isn't what he would call warm. But when he notices that her jacket is still dripping rainwater as she sheds it, some old first aid training lights up in his head.

"Hey," he says suddenly, "getting out of that wet jacket is probably a good idea, but I don't think you're as hot as you feel-- do you want my coat? It's dry... drier."

Elizabeth takes it when he hands it to her, frowning as she slips her arms into the too-big sleeves. John turns to Rodney and Dr. Beckett.

"Rodney, how long were you out in the storm?"

"I've lost track of time," Rodney mutters, and though he doesn't seem as foggy as Elizabeth, John suspects the shivering he'd written off as a shock reaction is actually far worse. "Beckett, what do you think?"

"Not sure he's gonna be much help right now, Major," Ford reports, standing next to the desk chair the doctor is sitting in so he doesn't slump over and fall out of it. "Dr. Beckett? Carson?"

Beckett awakens slightly with a groan before bending double and getting sick into a hastily provided trash can, thanks to Teyla's quick reflexes. John concludes that it's probably best to take matters into his own hands.

He's pretty sure his Basic Life Support certification hasn't even expired yet.

With the power still spotty and no doctors lucid enough to help them in the medbay anyway, John decides to just grab supplies from wherever he can find them and bring them back to the command center. He delivers portable space heaters first, and then blankets and dry clothes, just spare sweatshirts and sweatpants that will probably fit Rodney and be huge on Elizabeth. And then he goes for medical supplies just in case, spending the whole trip trying not to think about Elizabeth changing clothes or if his own wardrobe would fit her any better. None of those thoughts are any of his business.

The medbay brings him heated blankets-- provided he can plug them in-- and a thermometer that looks battery powered, at least. The storm is still impossibly loud, and John reflects that he might not mind one of those blankets himself.

When he gets back to control, Elizabeth and Rodney have changed clothes, and Ford and Teyla, the geniuses that they are, have dragged mattresses from wherever the closest living quarters were, taking up the floor of the briefing room. It's kind of cozy, with the heaters, and John plugs in the heated blankets and passes them out to everyone's enjoyment.

"If it's still storming," Elizabeth murmurs, her words slurring, "I might... try to get some sleep. Before the others come home."

Rodney squints. "You don't look so good."

"At least I'm not oozing blood everywhere," Elizabeth retorts, and John realizes he's gonna have to keep juggling things a little longer.

"Let me see your arm, Rodney," he requests, as Teyla hands him bandages from a first aid kit. "Elizabeth, honey, I don't think you should go to sleep just yet, but how about you take this thermometer and tell me what it says your temperature is, okay?" He doesn't know where the pet name comes from. Hopefully she won't remember later. Ford is giving him a look, though.

Teyla, god bless her, helps Elizabeth coordinate her hands enough to handle the thermometer, and it beeps just as John finishes wiping off Rodney's arm, much to his patient's protest. "What does 34.8 mean?"

"Damn, that's celsius," John says, beginning to wrap the bandage. "I don't know."

"Human body temperature is 37 degrees celsius," Rodney informs him. "She's too cold."

There's a stretchy wrap that seems like it's made to secure the soft bandages. John adds that. "What else am I supposed to do?"

"You could share body heat, Major," Ford pipes up, helpful as always. John glares at him.

"We've really only got the mega-bed, anyway," Rodney points out.

John moves slowly down to the mattress, taking a non-electric blanket for himself. "Elizabeth?" He asks, sitting beside the edge of her heated blanket. "Is it okay if I get in your personal space?"

She smirks at him, which feels incredibly in-character for her even if her eyes are still a little too glassy. "Well, I don't have a decent pillow, do I?"

It's nice, when she settles herself against his chest, and not just because she shares the electric blanket. Her skin is still far too cool to the touch, even though she's flushed. Even with Teyla on her other side, relaxed but not dozing, John still feels a little too awkward. "Rodney?" He asks, trying to joke. "Wanna hug? You seem a little chilly yourself."

"I've got more muscle mass to keep me warm," he insists, but he makes his way over to lie with them, folding his hands behind his head and letting John throw an arm over his shoulders. Ford drapes them in another heated blanket before returning to Beckett Duty-- and snapping a picture with a field camera.

Rodney laughs, and Teyla smiles. "Fuck you," John offers.

But Elizabeth is starting to feel warm again tucked against him, and he decides it's not a terrible way to wait out the storm.

[piedoesnotequalpi]

ok for the au thing !! i got Western AU and Dark AU !!

Thank you for the ask! I got distracted talking to my partner!

Anyway a bunch of this is yoinked from a book series I never finished due to it being a bit too politically conservative for my tastes (specifically the book Nowhere to Run) and I also spent far too much time browsing Wikipedia for locations. Not sure if this is what is meant by "dark AU" but it's late at night so

TW for some mild gore and death

Carbon County (MT; there's also one in Wyoming) game warden Jack Kelly was reassigned to temporarily work in Granite County, MT and he's finally almost due to go back to his normal post in Red Lodge. He'd left it in good hands--the Stillwater County game warden (Finch) and county sheriff (Charlie) have most of his duties covered and give him near-daily updates. But he'd rather be back in Red Lodge, where he knows most of the people and their habits and can use his friendship with Katherine, the editor-in-chief of the local newspaper, as an excuse to stop by the office and flirt with one of the staff writers.

However! The week before he's supposed to leave, he starts getting reports of disappearances and campsites being attacked and mysteriously murdered wildlife in Lolo National Forest, so he very reluctantly goes in to investigate. He has a penchant for getting caught up in far more murder mysteries than any self-respecting game warden should, so he's resigned himself to dealing with this nonsense yet again. On the other hand, despite the looming threat of who (or what) ever's behind all this, it is kind of nice to be out camping in the woods.

Jack had made plans with Sean Conlon, the game warden from the neighboring county, to separately make their way through the national forest (both on horseback) and meet somewhere in the middle, with the goal of covering more ground and hopefully finding more information about whatever's going on. But he's struggling to get a hold of Sean, so he resigns himself to investigating alone--he hasn't run into anyone so far--even though part of him knows he should turn back.

The day he decides to turn around, he finally finds Sean, accompanied by a backpacker with a mischievous smile who won't give his real name.

"I've been looking for you everywhere," Sean says. "We have murders to prevent."

"I've been helping," the backpacker says. "We have murders to prevent."

Jack is skeptical of the backpacker, but he's annoyingly charming and Sean seems to trust him, so what else is he supposed to do? They start investigating together, and the backpacker, who still won't give them a name beyond "Racer" and won't say where he's from beyond the UP ("What's that? The Union Pacific?" it's the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but Jack and Sean haven't paid enough attention to Michigan to realize that), brings them to a campsite, where they find a whole bunch of dead elk and also the bodies of a couple of the people who have gone missing. There aren't a ton of clues, but it's the first new information they've gotten the whole time, so they're feeling a little better about the whole thing. Being game wardens, they're used to seeing dead animals, but the decomposing human bodies are a little (a lot) unsettling.

The problem is, when they try to signal the local authorities with the location of the campsite, their radios keep running into technical difficulties. Racer seems unbothered by the whole thing, weirdly, but they decide to note the coordinates as best they can, keep going, and see if they can find anything else.

The thing is, Jack and Sean have been feeling the effects of all this time outside--they're getting sunburnt, they have scrapes everywhere, and they're definitely going to need a shower when they get back. After they find the campsite, they start to notice that Racer is as pale and clean and un-scratched as he was when they first met. And now that they think of it, they haven't seen him eat or drink anything the whole time he's been traveling with them...

And now they're in the middle of nowhere together, with malfunctioning communication gear, and it's been a week since they entered the national forest, and they haven't encountered any other living humans during that time.

[brokenhardies]

woo woo, margarita, and long island iced tea + gwen, amber, and madoka?

𝘄𝗼𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗼 〜 what’s their relationship like with their parent(s)/guardian(s)?

Gwen

Her relationship with Spencer's good! Better than her relationship with her dad! To summarise - being used as a DNA experiment, then p much being abandoned with your 'brother' for two years having to lie about his identity just for your father's sake, and then, after everything's been resolved he goes back and makes more robots???? Gwen literally takes Dax's name for that sole reason.

Amber

She has a pretty healthy relationship with her parents - well, the one that's still alive anyway! Her mum - Carol - became her rock after her dad died, even though she's busy with her work - being a nurse is a rough go when dealing with your 10 year old child grieving the death of her father - but Amber doesn't hold it against her. They're close but not like 'friends' close, there are boundaries and Carol knows that there are rules, but Amber also knows when her mum needs her space!

Madoka

In spite of her having a very close relationship with her parents, she constantly feels expected to reach very high for her dad's lofty goals. After finding out that Yuuki didn't tell him about Kamoshida, Eikichi is mortified and believes that Madoka's hiding things from him out of fear, so he tries to become more open, but even then that messes up. It's sad, and he's trying his best -- probably because of his own relationship with his father he kind of overcompensates. Plus as a Wild Card (headcanon taken by @hobie-doh), Eikichi can hear Della Rose and later, Hel, so he knows that she's probably a Persona user but doesn't know how or why she got the powers, but that's like awkward to bring up at the dinner table

𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮 〜 does your oc have any disorders or disabilities?

Gwen

Gwen is pretty able-bodied! She has an inferiority complex if that counts as a 'disorder' :')

Amber

Amber is definitely neurodiverse but she hasn't gotten diagnosed yet, mostly due to not knowing if she's actually neurodiverse or if she's just being 'weird'. Probably has a Cluster-B Personality disorder of some description

Madoka

Madoka has both Autism and ADHD! tbh i also kind of wanna make her dyspraxic bc as someone who managed to get my coordination issues in check bc i really wanted to play the violin it seems like something Madoka would do as well!

𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮 〜 who are some of your oc’s best friends?

Gwen

Up until meeting the Overdrive team, she didn't have any friends outside of Mack. Now, she has a tonne of friends - mostly in the team -, and stays in contact with them even if they're far apart. She also - somewhat - considers Jane Fairview her friend, mostly because she treats J-Borg like a person and not an experiment lol

Amber

Nate and Rachel have both been in her life the longest and she loves them platonically so much. She met Nate at a grief support group but they both felt bad bc their parents died long before they joined the group and felt like they shouldn't be there, so they hit it off. Then Rachel joined and they've been thick as thieves since! I'd also say Billy is one of her closest friends, they both know each other's secrets and other embarrassing traits :')

Madoka

Hifumi Togo became her friend upon moving to Kosei. Much like Madoka, Hifumi didn't have many friends, so Madoka immediately scooped her up, and she's kind of become her 'extrovert adopts introvert' friend. She also encourages Hifumi to get together with the protag, and is very happy when she finally confesses her feelings to him!

[timeoverload]

My day was absolutely overwhelming. I couldn't even stop to take a drink so I'm super dehydrated. I feel like I have whiplash. I can't believe how much I got done. I only had 25 cases but they took all day. There were several transplants and other specialty cases so they used a lot of shit. There weren't any PPV's so I was happy about that. The doctor working in the morning got 13 cases done in less than 2 and a half hours so I had to move fast.

The director still hasn't figured out what to do about the problem with the I&A's so I am not going to change what I'm doing until he tells me otherwise. The doctor didn't have any problems this morning thankfully.

I was pissed earlier because I found out that one of the I&A's that the other doctors use went missing so now we only have 1 extra. I hate how it falls back on me whenever something goes missing. The coordinators told me I should just peel pack them all from now on. I don't think that is going to prevent them from getting lost but I wasn't in the mood to argue about it. I guess I'm willing to try. I had 60 sitting at my station so it took me a while to get all of those done and I also had other stuff to do on top of that. It was just too much. I was working as fast as I could and I managed to get everything done by the end of the day.

I was also annoyed because I typically have a more intense schedule than everyone else. They were all just sitting around until 10:30 watching me work my ass off. I got help so that I could eat breakfast but otherwise I did it all by myself. It's not supposed to slow down for me at all this summer so I am disappointed. I never get to leave early anymore.

I was happy that the evening team lead told me that he wanted to learn how to do my job. It's important that he learns how to do it in case something happens after I leave. I think he can tell that I am overwhelmed and I'm glad that he cares enough to take the initiative to help me. He is a good friend. I trained the lady that works nights how to do it but she protests every time so I don't want to ask her anymore. She is not very helpful sometimes. She expects everyone to get shit done before they leave so the only thing she has to do is run the autoclaves and dispatch. She never has to go into decontam for anything and I don't think that's fair to everyone else. I don't think she knows how to use the equipment back there anymore so that's not good. I think she can be kind of lazy sometimes and she is usually grumpy. The morning team lead still won't learn either and I don't think he wants to. He would rather just follow me around and talk to me about random shit. He has had plenty of opportunities. It's not even that hard so I don't get it.

I am glad that I got my station all cleaned up and I put stuff away before I left. I didn't have to stay late, thankfully. I really hope next week is better and that nothing bad happens. I don't want to think about it anymore.

All I want to do right now is get out of my bedroom. I hate coming home to a mess every day. It's hard to feel comfortable when I live like this. I am tired but I am so sick of being cooped up all the time. It is bad for me. I would love to go out to dinner and have a glass of wine or 2. That sounds really nice. I just need to do something. I think maybe I would feel better if I actually had something to look forward to.

I guess I will probably just go to bed early. I don't really have anything better to do and I should sleep. I definitely haven't gotten enough rest this week. I think I overexerted myself today. I don't feel very good right now. I want someone to rub my back. I am starting to get a migraine so I should probably stop writing now. I can't think straight. Hopefully I feel better in the morning.

I hope everyone else has a good day tomorrow. 💖💖💖

[angeltism]

7, 9, 17, 18!!

7. 5 female celebrity crushes.

Chat. Chat I do not keep up enough with celebrities for this. Idk most actresses and singers are relatively pretty.. but I can't say there's any I'd consider a "celebrity crush" bc I don't feel like I've ever been that kind of person lol.

9. What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?

I'm gonna sound weird for a bit but I mean it so fucking seriously when I say being here today. Like. Alive, moderately successful and managing school, somehow having a bit of a social circle and being in three loving relationships. But especially the alive bit. There's been a lot in life that hasn't been great, definitely could have been worse, but I used to be such a fragile person who could barely handle the shit I was going through. I'm very thankful I've had the resources to cope with all the things I've dealt with, and have grown to become stronger even if sometimes I'm still an emotional wreck. Y'know. Like even just isolating, say, 2022, that was a terrible year for me but I consider myself very proud to have gotten through it and be thriving as I am now. Anyways wow I probably went really heavy there my bad oopsiiiiies

17. What is something you're really good at?

I consider myself pretty mediocre in a lot uh.. I guess I'm good at art? And I'd like to think that when I put the effort in, I'm really good at coordinating outfits!! :D

18. What is something you're really bad at?

Having genuine, consistent faith in myself I think. Going heavy again but even despite me getting sm better with my self esteem, I still genuinely have a hard time thinking of myself as anything but mediocre (see above..?) and as though I'm worth.. really anything, sometimes. Trying to get better w it though. I also suck at most sports and cannot read a sheet of music to save my life! :'3

[drewbacca2]

Starkiller Saga

44 BBY Chapter two part seven

A trip to Kashyyyk

It's been six months since I've seen the hooded figure with the orange lightsaber. I've heard from Bar Lar that he's been messing with the gangs of this area. Or at least someone with his description, lightsaber included. I've been training my force power and my body these last six months in preparation for this fight I've been sensing. He hasn't been messing with Gungan Cargo. Good, but strange. Maybe he doesn't see them as a threat? Or is it something else? Anyway, I've done ten jobs for Gungan Cargo. Giving me a total of 100k and accumulatively 75k for my crew. I get the feeling that I'm needed somewhere… and as soon as I feel that I'm getting a call on my helmet. I answer it and I hear a Wookiee yelling in my ear. Well not yelling per se, but she's just a loud Wookiee when she's excited. "Grandson Grozchal! How have you been?" I say "Hey… Grandmother… I don't know how to tell you this… but- "Don't worry kid. I already felt him return to the trees… I felt all of them. I've met Bendak and your mother before you were found by your father. How did they die? If it's too hard to repeat I understand." "No, it's alright." I recount what happened. Sparing her the details of the war. "I need you to come see me." She says. "Um… not to be disrespectful… but why?" "Have you forgotten life day yesterday? Not to mention your birthday is in three days!" "Well… I'll have to see if I'm not busy today…" "I know you're in the area Grozchal. Your power has gotten stronger and better to where it's not so easy to ignore. I hope to see you soon, Grandson. Bye bye now." And before I can respond she hangs up.

I take my helmet off and go to look behind me to see if Meris is awake and- *Chop* "When were you planning on telling me you not only have a Grandmother, but your birthday is in three days?" I say "I didn't even know she saw me as her grandson. And… Well, I haven't celebrated my birthday since I was eight." "Well you better tell everyone we'll be leaving soon." She says."Right" I reply. I put my armor on and I speak over the intercom. "Alright everyone. We'll be leaving soon for a few days. But we'll come back though. Just want to pay a short visit to my grandmother. I leave the Raven to talk to Bar Lar. "Ah, there's one of my favorite Mandalorians! We unfortunately don't have any jobs for you today. Not only have you taken care of our last problem last week, nobody is needing anything done because they're busy celebrating the aftermath of life day. But is there anything I can do for you?" "Actually yes, could you reserve this landing pad for me? I should only be gone for a few days at max." "I'll see what I can do." He says "Thanks Bar Lar." "Anytime Grozchal." I walk up the loading ramp and as it's closing I turn on the intercom. "Fire up the engines Fixer. We're ready to head out." "Aye aye captain." And not long after she says that we're up in the air. I go to the cockpit and I teach Fixer and Tech how to use the weapons. Unfortunately Karrstag is too big to use the main two gunner seats. But he can use the anti personnel cannon. So I teach him to use that. "hyperspace coordinates locked for Kashyyyk. 3 2 1." She pulls the lever and we go into hyperspace. When we drop out of hyperspace I get a call from that same Wookiee. "I knew you'd come! I'm not ready with some things. Land here and I'll meet you there."

She gives me coordinates and I have Fixer follow them. We come to a wooden landing pad and I see her meditating on the floor in front of it. "You wanna come with me, vod?" He nods and Meris says "I'm coming with you. I want to meet the rest of your family." I say, "ok no problem." We walk down the ramp and she says with her eyes closed "Greetings my Grandson-" she looks up and looks past me to Karrstag and starts to tear up. "He looks like your father." "He does?" "When were you born?" She asks. "In three days, forty years ago. Why?" He says. Her eyes widened. "I knew of a Wookiee that was born forty years ago. I was going to pay him a visit but he disappeared five years ago. His mother died during childbirth. I was going to see if the rumors were true." "What rumors?" Karrstag asked. "That is if my son Karrstag had a child before he left for the Galaxy at large." Tears start to soak into her fur. "Look at him Grozchal! Does he not look exactly like your father?!" I look at him and I see it! "You're right! I don't know how I didn't see it before." "Maybe your eyes refused to let you see because of the pain of losing him." "Heh… we've been calling each other brother this entire time. While in reality we actually are." "I suppose now's a good time as any to ask." I cock my head to the left. "What do you mean?" Karrstag says. "So… I've been thinking… a lot, and I want to be a Mandalorian. If you don't-" I interrupt him with "Don't worry about how I feel about it, because I'm as happy as a loth cat getting fed and getting belly rubs at the same time! But think about what you want. It's a lifestyle, It's a culture, and a religion. There are some rules to being a Mandalorian. In no particular order, but all equally important. They consist of wearing the armor, speaking the language, defending oneself and family, raising your children as Mandalorians, contributing to the clan's welfare, and when called upon by the Mand'alor, rallying to their cause. I'll make you some armor out of durasteel. I hope we can get some Beskar and find a Beskar smith." He smiles and looks as happy as a Wookiee can get! Oh no… he hugs me and I'm dead. Never underestimate a happy Wookiee's hug. He puts me down and I then ask our grandmother what she wanted to show me. She points to the bowl in front of her and says "Sit, I have something to teach you." I then sit like she is. She says "I'm going to teach you healing. You need at least some medical knowledge. How much do you have?" I reply "I know the anatomy of every race in the Galaxy. And I'm not kidding." "I know you're not. This is good news. That means you can use this ability to its fullest potential. So, I need you to tap into the force." I do, and I wait for her instructions. "Now, do not pour too much of your essence into the target. Otherwise you may pour too much and die. You must also picture the flesh mending, the bone shaping, and the blood flowing correctly if you are to use this correctly. Now…" she grabs a ritual dagger and slits her wrist. "Dew it. You may want to hurry. I can only lose so much blood." I then reach out and I close it quickly. "I knew you would have! I think you're a prodigy Grozchal!" I rub the back of my neck. "I wouldn't go that far, but… "Oh you, always so modest. We need to go to the Shadowlands anyway. I think your present is ready. No spoilers!"

[lokiondisneyplus]

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Loki, the trickster god so charismatically embodied by Tom Hiddleston, had somehow eluded the clutches of a canonical love interest until Sophia Di Martino came along. It was as if the Marvel overlords ascribed to the age-old romantic advice: Before you love another, you must first love yourself. Conveniently, then, the scrappy Di Martino would play Sylvie, a variant of Loki himself. When the duo would encounter some inconvenient sexual tension between them over the course of the Disney+ series Loki, it’d mingle with the baffling reality that they were two sides of the same coin. In essence, they'd learn the frustrating art of self-love.

Di Martino is just as confused and delighted by this development as her audience. But, then again, she dances in the Venn Diagram of unpredictability and joy; it’s where she spends most of her days as an actress. She became an almost immediate fan-favorite as soon as she first popped up in Loki as the smart-mouthed, trauma-ridden Sylvie, no small feat given audiences’ rabid devotion to her co-star. Matching Hiddleston’s wit and tact would be a challenge for any actress, let alone one who’d yet to accumulate Hiddleston’s level of mainstream attention. But Di Martino possessed an interiority few Marvel heroes—and, unfortunately, even fewer Marvel women—have had the opportunity to explore in depth.

Now a few months out from the extraordinary Loki finale, in which Sylvie unleashed the multiverse (and, in the process, set the scene for a number of upcoming MCU films), Di Martino hasn't given herself much time to rest. She was nursing a new baby while filming the first season, and now she’s excited to be welcoming another addition to the household ahead of season 2. To celebrate the occasion—and infuse her time at home with a little Hollywood glamour—she partnered with her photographer friend Joseph Lynn, who helped her coordinate a maternity photoshoot that didn’t fall into stereotypes. It wouldn’t be “me in a lovely ballgown running through a field of wheat,” Di Martino teases, but rather the actress draped in glitter and gold, hanging around an east London studio popular with drag performers. The result is a perfect encapsulation of Di Martino as a person, as a mother, and as a star—warm, witty, and bursting with charisma.

That doesn’t mean she’s prepared for what’s coming, though. A new baby brings its own unpredictability, but even Di Martino’s work schedule remains up in the air: Loki has yet to set a filming date for season 2. As she attempts to brace herself for another explosive year, Di Martino revealed what she makes of Sylvie's decision in the finale—and why she’s not convinced stability is in the cards for Loki’s new partner.

I’d love to know what’s been the biggest joy for you as a working mother in Hollywood. With all the pressures around you, is being a working mom ever something you’ve questioned?

I love my job and I love being a parent, and I guess the biggest joy for me is being able to do both. It’s really hard, even for me who’s very fortunate with support I’ve gotten.

I never question whether I want to keep working because my job is so important to me. I probably put a lot on it; I always feel like it’s important to be creating something and to be, I guess, earning money and paying my bills. I probably put a lot of pressure on myself to keep doing that.

I’ve got a lot of respect for people who decide to stay at home and that be their full-time job, because it is a full-time job. Being a parent is unpaid labor, which is really unfair in a lot of ways. But yeah, I kind of need [my job]. I think I need it to be my best self and to be a well-rounded version of me. Strangely, having the opportunity to go out and work helps me be a better parent—because I get to fulfill some of that need within myself and then I can come back home and play a different role.

You’ve talked previously about how starring in Loki launched what's become one of the most magical years of your life. When Kate Herron, the director, first reached out to you about this secret script, did you have any inkling at all what it might be?

No. I knew that Kate was working on something secret and exciting, and that it was probably a big deal. But I had no idea what it was back then. I was actually really busy at the time and heavily pregnant. So I did my best [audition], sent it off and forgot about it because that’s the way I deal with self-tapes. If you hear back, it’s a bonus. If not, forget it ever happened.

Were you familiar with the lore around Loki when you eventually got the part?

I was familiar with Loki and the Thor films, but I definitely had to do some homework to brush up on exactly what I was getting myself into. Tom [Hiddleston] was really helpful because he’s been doing his character for 10 years, and he’s quite a boffin when it comes to that world.

I heard he gave a presentation to the cast. With a white board.

Oh yeah, his lecture.

When Loki came out, was the fan reaction—especially around that momentous finale—what you’d expected? Were you prepared for it?

I think it’s impossible to prepare for something like that. So it’s been both amazing and slightly overwhelming—because it just keeps coming! Like, with Halloween, it’s been so incredible to see all the people dressed up as Sylvie and Loki and people from the TVA and Alligator Loki. It’s kind of insane. I don't think I was prepared for that at all, no.

Because it could have gone either way. It could have been a compete flop, and no one would know who Sylvie was. So you don’t want to build something up and then be disappointed. I try to just keep an open mind and not expect too much.

I’d say that’s worked out pretty well for you so far. Now that you’re about to go to work on season 2, this time with another new baby in the house, do you feel more prepared to return both to the role of Sylvie but also as a working parent on set?

On the one hand, yes. I feel like I've done it once, so I can do it again. I know a few hacks now; I’ve made a few shortcuts that I can lean on. I know what to ask for. I know what to prepare the producers for, if they haven't worked with a pumping mom before. I definitely feel like I’m armed with some knowledge and some practice. But it's still nerve-wracking, and I'm still thinking, How the hell am I going to do it again? But I will.

What was the hardest part the first time around?

I mean, not many people I know have gone back to work on a film or TV set with such a young baby. So I couldn’t really ask for advice from anyone. My child was three months old when I moved over to the U.S. to shoot, and that is very young. That was really hard. And also the guilt. The mom guilt starts from the minute you get pregnant, I think, and never goes away, unfortunately. So that’s something that I’m really trying to work on because dads definitely don’t suffer from the same amount. We [as women] put a lot of pressure on ourselves, and we feel a lot of guilt when we’re not excelling in every single area.

You were only four months postpartum when you started the physical stunt training for this role. Was that a challenge or a blessing?

It was a great opportunity to slowly try and get in shape again, with some of the best stunt performers in the world looking out for me and making sure I didn’t injure myself. We took it really slowly. I didn’t push myself too much. Being pregnant and having a baby is a huge strain on your body, so you have to build yourself back up really slowly. But what a fantastic opportunity to have [the training]. If it wasn’t for that, I would just be sat on the sofa eating biscuits. Like I am now.

Do you get the sense the Sylvie we’ll meet at the beginning of season 2 will be different from the one we met in season 1?

I’m not sure. I don’t know, because I don’t know anything about series 2. I don’t know how far it’s going to be removed from what happened at the end of series 1. I don’t know if she will have changed again by the time we see her again. I don’t know where she’ll be, what headspace she’ll be in. I assume she’ll fundamentally still be the same character, but the multiverse makes even [that] a little bit complicated. We can meet anyone.

You could be playing any version of Sylvie.

Exactly. I hope [the writers] give me enough chance to figure it out before they want me to start.

When will you start filming?

I’m not sure. It obviously won’t be this year, so I hope it’s next year.

With your schedule so up in the air, is that a struggle to build a life around, especially as a parent?

I’m getting used to it. It can be a little bit tricky when people are asking me, “Do you want to go on vacation next summer?” But, to be honest, that’s just the life of an actor. As soon as you book a holiday, you get a job. You usually have to cancel it. That’s the rule. So I’m used to the spontaneity of it, and I kind of love it. I’m not the kind of person that would do well sort of working a 9-to-5. I thrive on the unpredictability.

We see so much happen between Loki and Sylvie in those dramatic few seconds in the finale, right before she decides to kill He Who Remains and, inadvertently, launch the multiverse. Do you think, at this point, Sylvie has fallen in love with Loki? Is that what's happening here?

It’s a really tricky one. I think she definitely cares about Loki; it’s the closest she has ever been to loving another being. The fact that he cares about her, too, is probably wildly uncomfortable for her. She’s never been close to another person her whole life. So it’s super complicated. Obviously, she’s a variant of him, too, so I see it is about a sort of self-acceptance and self-love. Unfortunately, it’s happening at the same time she’s having to make a huge decision to fight for free will.

Ultimately, she chooses her revenge, and she chooses the path that she’s been planning to go down for her whole life—to kill He Who Remains. [To do that], she has to sort of get rid of Loki. I like to think of it as, she’s making sure he’s okay by getting him out of the way. He doesn’t stop her from doing what she needs to do, but she’s able to put him somewhere safe for a minute.

She definitely cares about him. I don’t know if she's in love with him. It’s such a complicated thing because he’s a sort of variant of her, too. There’s so many interpretations of it; you can find them if you Google it.

Speaking of theories: I know you don’t know anything about season 2, but for you, personally, is there anything in particular you want for Sylvie in the next chapter?

It would be easy for me to say I want her to be happy. I want her to find some peace, but I don’t know how interesting that would be to watch or play.

She’s so fun when she’s pissed-off and out for revenge! She’s such a strong, badass character that’s so empowering to play, and hopefully empowering to watch. I don’t know if I want that to be sorted. So who knows? I mean, it’d be nice to try on some new outfits.

You could take a page from your photo shoot and put on that gold dress.

Maybe we could sprinkle her with some glitter.

As we head into a new year, how are you preparing for this next chapter of motherhood?

I’m completely ignoring it. [Laughs] Nothing prepares you for having a child. I tried to prepare the first time, and it didn’t really work.

It’s always a hugely exciting surprise and a leap into the unknown. The first time around, you go from being a woman and you emerge a mother, which is a huge transformation that doesn’t happen overnight. It didn’t happen overnight for me. It took a while to get my head round. This time, I’m obviously already a parent, so I kind of know what to expect, but I also know it will be completely different. I'm in ignorant bliss. I'm going to ignore it until I can’t ignore it anymore, and then deal with it and enjoy it and try and be in the moment. That seems to work.

📷 JOSEPH LYNN

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

[toonformers]

Part 5

Today's topic

Twinsies AU Part 4

After Sentinel left Centinela, he continued his studies in the Autobot Academy, having conflicting emotions related to what he had done. He didn't want to make friends or speak unless he had to. And became more cold and bitter as time passed. He obtained the Prime rank after much effort and was admitted into the Elite Guard. By the time Optimus Prime's team crash landed on Earth, Sentinel had convinced himself that he was happy, when inside, he was lonely and depressed.

Meanwhile, Centinela continued her studies in the Ministry of Science, but was dealing with many emotional problems due to the trauma of her conflict with Sentinel, which lead to her having emotional breakdowns during lessons. She received counseling until she finished her studies, by which time Centinela had come to a life changing decision...

This takes place in the Perceptor's home. He occasionally brought Centinela there to go more in depth in certain scientific topics, and would allow her to use his personal lab equipment.

Centinela: *knocks*

Perceptor: Enter.

Centinela: *enters* Perceptor, sir?

Perceptor: Centinela. What is the purpose of your visit at this cycle?

Centinela: I need to speak with you of something important.

Perceptor: Very well. What do you wish to speak about?

Centinela: It's about your...personality.

Perceptor: Hmm. What about my personality?

Centinela: Is it true you've eliminated most of your personality to be able to contribute more to science?

Perceptor: Yes. I eliminated most of my personality to make room for more material. I wanted to have a mind with almost all Cybertronian knowledge at my disposal.... Why do you ask?

Centinela: I want to ask you for a favor, if that's alright.

Perceptor: You want me to eliminate your personality, is that correct?

Centinela: I...yes, sir.

Perceptor: Why?

Centinela, nervous: I...wish to follow your example and contribute to science as well, sir.

Perceptor: Centinela, my dear, you were one of my most intelligent students. A mind that learns quickly and with ease. But...you were never good at lying.

Centinela, nervous: I...

Perceptor: Centinela, what ails you?

Centinela, sad: ....it wasn't Optimus who should've been expelled. It was my brother, Sentinel. He coordinated the mission. He used me for my knowledge. And when I confronted him to confess...he refused. And called me a freak. I have been in pain since.

Perceptor: I see. But, your counseling. Did they not prove helpful?

Centinela, sad: Yes, of course. But it doesn't change the memory of that cycle. I still feel horrible thinking of it. I feel horrible every time I see a holo image of my brother. I want to stop feeling this way. So when I see my brother again, if I see him again, I won't feel anything.

Perceptor: Centinela, you must understand. This procedure is permanent and irreversible. I will be not only removing negative feelings like sadness or anger. But positive ones like happiness, love.

Centinela: I know, sir.

Perceptor: There is also your origins that make this procedure different from my own. Due to your defective gestation, you were already birthed with a 50% emotional capacity. Meaning while it is difficult for you to feel, your very much capable of it.

Centinela: How much is your emotional capacity now?

Perceptor: ...13%

Centinela: 13%?

Perceptor: Any lower than that percentage would result in a loss of consciousness. I would become a drone. Soulless. Incapable of independence or uniqueness. I don't believe that is what you want. I remember when I did this procedure to myself, I wanted to express my happiness when it worked. But how could I express happiness when I could barely feel at all. It's one of my biggest regrets.

Centinela: Why did you do it then?

Perceptor: I was young and didn't know better. I only ask you to deeply consider this before reaching a decision.

Centinela: With all do respect, sir, I already have. And I want this. Please, sir.

Perceptor: Very well. However, I will only reduce your emotional capacity to 20 percent. I don't want you to have the same regrets I do. In addition, your voice wouldn't sound nice in this monotone AI pattern.

Centinela: *chuckles lightly*

Perceptor: *smiles* I may be mostly emotionless. But that hasn't eliminated my ability to joke. Come. I will do the procedure.

Two hours later

Perceptor: It's almost complete. Once I close your helm, you will have exactly 2 more minutes to express your 50% emotional capacity, before it quickly drains to 20%. I suggest you use this time wisely and try to contact Sentinel Prime through your comm link. Let him know what you have done and try to reconcile in that time. Understand?

Centinela: Yes, sir. *calls Sentinel, he hangs up immediately* Sentinel... *calls a second time* Override code 1139. Record message.

Computer: Recording.

Perceptor: *closes helm*

Centinela, sad: Sentinel. I hope you're well. I wanted to speak with you, but it seems that you're busy. I wanted to let you know that Perceptor is reducing my personality to 20%. I won't be able to feel unless it's in an intense situation. I did it because...well, I was hurt. About what you said and about what I said. I kept reliving the pain of when I kicked you out over and over again. I wanted to stop feeling hurt. And now I will. But it's not right to leave the situation like this, knowing it will mean nothing to me after today.

Perceptor: One minute.

Centinela, tearful: So...I just want you to know I'm sorry. I'm sorry about what happened to Elita and Optimus. I know you miss them both. And I'm sorry for what I said to you. And I forgive you for what you said to me. And that no matter how much you may hate me or how much we'll fight in the future, you'll always be my brother. And I love you, Sentinel. I love you, brother! I love you! I-I love you! *voice becomes more monotone* I...love you! I....love you. I love...you.... Goodbye, Sentinel. *hangs up quickly and stares blankly*

Perceptor: Two minutes are up, Centinela. How do you feel?

Centinela: Well. Thank you for doing me this favor, Perceptor. I will forever remember your kindness.

Perceptor: You're welcome. I hope this is what you wanted, my dear.

Centinela: It is. Goodbye, sir. *leaves*

It's too emotional ahh whyyy! 😭😭😭

Anyway hope you liked this. There's more don't worry. The AU still hasn't gotten to present day lol. But soon. Again, asks are open for this AU so don't be shy! See ya!

Part 5

Part 3

Part 2

Part 1

[timeoverload]

Today wasn't as easy as I was anticipating. I felt like I wanted to scream at everyone at the end of the day. I didn't do that but I was super irritated.

I woke up with a migraine this morning and it hasn't gone away. I am wondering if I am having withdrawals from the muscle relaxers. I didn't think I had that much of a problem but apparently I was wrong. I'm kind of upset that the spine specialist was encouraging me to keep refilling my prescription if I needed it but I have been taking them way too long. I think he's a good doctor but I don't think that was wise for him to tell me that it was ok. I'm not going to throw out my pills but it is going to be a long time before I try to take those again. I don't want to have this problem and I need to give my body some time to recover. I need to be more careful. I am just frustrated because they made it a lot easier to get through the day. I am glad I didn't have any heart palpitations today.

I only had 22 cases and I thought it was going to be a short day but I was wrong. The morning went fine and I didn't get overwhelmed at all. I was all caught up by 11:45.

We had a department meeting at noon and it didn't get done until 1:30 because the director had a long list of things to talk about. There were a lot of higher-ups/executives there and they never show up to our meetings so I was surprised. They said nice things about us so that was encouraging. They said we are one of the most important departments in the hospital and it's nice to be getting more recognition. The director told us about a bunch of things that are changing. I think most of the changes are good. We have gotten a lot of new equipment recently. We finally got a fancy new instrument dryer this week because our old one was tiny and beat up. The fan squeaked constantly for months and it was so annoying. The director also said that the changes that I have helped implement have saved the hospital millions of dollars. I didn't do it all by myself but I still think I should get a raise. The director didn't say anything else that is worth mentioning.

After the meeting, I got a little behind because I had a bunch of pans piled up in decontam. It didn't take long to get caught up because the doctor wasn't working very fast. I didn't get too stressed out until they told me that another patient had bed bugs. That messed up my day and I had to go change clothes.

The last case took forever. I ended up having to stay late to clean up afterward. I asked my co-worker if she could take over so I could leave on time but she said she had too much to do. She was kind of rude about it and they weren't even that busy. I think that she just didn't want to do it. She knows I can't stay late but I wasn't going to argue with her. The people that work in the basement came up to help too because they were done down there so I'm sure everybody else left early. I just decided to go sit in the hallway and watch the surgery because I felt like I couldn't do anything else while I was waiting.

I was frustrated because I was trying to clean up in decontam and the coordinator brought me a dirty chuck & burr and told me I needed to sterilize it for tomorrow. She told me I should just rinse it off with water to clean it. I wasn't going to do that because it doesn't work and it's not the right thing to do. It takes a long time to clean the right way. I had to fill my ultrasonic back up so it took over 20 minutes to wash it. I feel better knowing that I did the right thing but I was grumpy about it. I didn't leave until after 6.

I ate breakfast this morning but it was gross. I was too nauseated to eat lunch. I still don't have much of an appetite. I was going to stop and get food after work but I was tired and felt like I couldn't focus enough to drive. My main goal tomorrow is to eat a lot. I hope I have more of an appetite because I don't like feeling like this. I wish my head would stop hurting.

I think I am going to pass out really soon. I am having trouble keeping my eyes open. I don't have much else to say right now. Hopefully I have a more relaxing day tomorrow.

I hope everyone else has a good day tomorrow too. Thank you for listening to me vent. 💖💖💖