#sappy qcard

[stellarred]

THE LINGERING QUESTION

As the ageless and omnipotent entity gazed at Jean-Luc Picard lying on his back, bathing in the light of twin suns, he wondered,

"What does Jean-Luc love about me?"

Q knew, of course, that Jean-Luc loved that he would never hesitate to take him to incredible places across the universe, or keep him safe and preserve his life from any dangers, and grant every material desire of his beloved capitaine with a mere snap of his fingers.

Q recognized that Picard came to appreciate the lessons he had taught him. Learning about the very essence of the universe was only part of Q's curriculum. Teaching Picard about Existence itself and transcending beyond mortal thoughts and comprehension was the other part.

Q smiled. Yes, he took such delight in opening the universe to Picard and sharing amazing adventures with him.

But, did Picard love HIM?

Q caught his breath, as Picard smiled and reached for his hand. They laced their fingers together, and with that, Q lay down beside him, close against his Favorite's body.

The question absolutely terrified Q. What did Picard love about him that didn't involve him *doing* something for him?

"Even if it's transactional, I can accept it. I can cope with it," Q thought to himself.

"Just as long as I have him. As long as he's willing to let me show how much I love him..."

For Jean-Luc Picard, Q was willing to do and tolerate just about anything. He was worth it.

However, Q knew in his cosmic heart, that even he deserved authenticity and true respect from Picard.

Could he truly accept being part of a one-sided relationship?

That question was practically boring a hole into the entity's chest by this time, and he decided that the time had come to find out exactly where he stood.

"Jean-Luc, " Q whispered. "What do you love about me?"

Picard turned his head, and shielding his eyes from the suns, asked, "What do you mean?"

Q swallowed.

"I mean, what do you love about me?"

"I love that you always take care of me. You watch over me--"

"No, no, Jean-Luc, " Q interrupted, shaking his head. "What do you love about me personally?"

Picard smiled as he lifted Q's hand to his lips and kissed it.

"I love...your very spirit, your smile, and your very soul, Q. You are my best friend. You are..."

Q reached over and stroked his face.

"I'm what, Jean-Luc?"

"The love of my life."

Q raised an eyebrow.

"Would you love me even if I was Deja Q again? Even if I had no powers?"

"I would still love you, Q. You are, for lack of a better word, a good man."

Q smiled, as he blinked crystal tears in his eyes.

"Strip everything away, even your occasional antics, and I see at your core, a good man. I could never share the rest of my life with anyone else but you."

"Jean-Luc, " Q whispered tenderly.

Picard wrapped his arms around Q and pressed his head against Q's chest.

"What do you love about me,Q"

Q paused.

"Q?"

"I don't know, Jean-Luc... if there's enough time in all of eternity to tell you."

Just reflecting on an article I read that reminded readers to always keep in mind that the authentic love that we all deserve is when you are loved by someone not for what you can do for them, but for exactly who you are as a person.

[incidentalblr]

i will NOT assign sappy songs to Qcard i will NOT assign sappy songs to Qcard i will NOT assign sappy songs to Qcard i will NOT assign sappy songs to Qcard

[q-card]

ALRIGHT picard season 2 starts tomorrow which means it’s Emo Boy Hours™ and i’m about to get sappy on you

i created this blog 7 years ago because at the time there were like 3 other active q/picard shippers on the internet, and the only fic i could find was from the 90s and early 2000s. the portmanteau “qcard” wasn’t even the popular shipname it is today

but i wanted to spread the qcard insanity, and i remember that the first few months after i created the blog i would get a lot of messages from people who’d be like “wow i never thought of them that way but now that you mention it it does kinda make sense”. more and more people started interacting with my posts, so i decided to host a q/picard fanwork event, and from there i feel like all the qcard shippers who’d previously been doing their thing alone + the new shippers got together and we had ourselves a neat little fandom! 

i met so many amazing people thanks to qcard. two of my best friends in the world, actually, + countless others that i adore.

the qcard craze really reached its peak these past 2-3 years, and i couldn’t be happier! so many trekkies are now qcard shippers (or at the very least they think it’s an interesting dynamic) and 7 years after falling for them myself, i get to see them together again on screen. i never, ever thought this day would come 

not to be dramatic, but Q and Picard saved my fucking life. i watched tng at a very difficult time in my life and qcard was a constant source of comfort to me. it kept me going. they also taught me so much about myself, things i wouldn’t have admitted, the kind of introspection i can only seem to do through fictional characters. they both mean so much to me, and getting to see them again, together, after all this time... it does things to me

i know it might not be everything i hope it’ll be. i know the writers might fuck up, there might be some disappointments, expectatons that won’t be met, but... no matter what happens, tomorrow we get to see q and picard together on screen. fuck. tomorrow we get to see q and picard together on screen

[stellarred]

A TIME FOR AWE

Picard smiled tenderly at Q, who hung his head in overwhelming gratitude at the chance to finally marry and bind himself to the one being he loved in all the Universe.

"Q, it's alright," Picard whispered.

With tears slowly dripping from his ancient eyes, Q gripped both of Picard's hands tighter.

"Jean-Luc, I...I can't" Q whispered, his shoulders slightly trembling.

Picard's eyes widened in shock.

"What do you mean? You don't want to--"

"No, Jean-Luc," Q looked up and leaned forward until he and Picard's face were inches apart.

"I can't believe...this is finally happening. We're about to be married."

"Yes, we are. It's been... a journey."

Q quickly wiped a tears from his eye and caressed his Favorite's face.

"Too long, mon capitaine. But worth every milisecond."

Finally, Admiral Ramirez approached them to begin the ceremony.

Q took a deep breath and smiled broadly.

Picard turned and smiled at his closest friends and colleagues. Riker, Geordi, Beverly, Worf,and many others were in attendance.

They had made a rather lukewarm peace with Q in their own ways. But, they were happy to be there in support of their captain and friend. Despite their misgivings about Q, they trusted Picard's judgement in the end.

Even Guinan had reached some semblance of acceptance. Just barely. Although, to a few people, her saying to Q something about "knowing where Q lived if anything were to happen to Picard" created a bit of confusion and concern.

Picard sighed as he scanned the other side of the massive and opulent wedding hall.

"I don't see any of your fellow Q. I'm sorry that you are alone during this very special moment," whispered Picard.

Q chuckled.

"What does a moment matter to eternal beings, Jean-Luc? We are living embodiments of Existence Itself."

"It matters to you. And it matters to me."

Q took a deep breath, as he felt a lump in his human throat.

"But he is not alone!," a powerful voice echoed throughout the wedding hall.

Everyone watched as a member if the Q Continuum, approached the Admiral, Q, and Picard.

"Q! I didn't think anyone from the Continuum would even want to come," Q said in disbelief.

"This is a new time for you, Brother. We wanted to be here for you."

And what Q and Picard saw next would be the most humbling and awe-inspiring sight they had both ever beheld.

The columned walls and towering arches of the hall disappeared into a neverending expanse of stars and delicate nebulae.

Q caught his breath and smiled, tears welling in his eyes.

"Q,--" Picard began, looking up at him.

"Jean-Luc, look!"

Q pulled Picard close against him, almost in a protective hold.

"Do you see?" Q asked, his voice slightly trembling. He pointed towards the vastness of space.

Picard squinted as he scanned the expanse.

"I'm sorry. I don't see any--No wait!!!"

Q looked down at Picard adoringly as his capitaine began to smile.

Picard trembled with awe as a multitude of very faint forms of bending light and space, and in different sizes, began to form in the distance.

"I think...I think...I see them, Q," Picard whispered.

It was almost frightening to see, as what appeared to be hundreds of these forms slowly approaching closer and closer.

Q looked over at the Q representative, who smiled slightly.

"Well, this is a first," Q said.

The Elder Q closed his eyes and nodded.

"So it is, Q."

Q opened his mouth to speak, but his shock was so much that he pressed his trembling lips together.

"Yes, Q," the Elder said with a smile.

"The entire Continuum came."

[stellarred]

"My moon..."

"to my Sun."

"My eternal love."

"Eternal love."

For what is the Sun without the Moon, and the Moon without the Sun?

For each compliment each other, live in the sky together and rule it together. They need each other.

Q and Picard

[stellarred]

Q & A

Two young members of the Q Continuum decide to tease Q a little.

Q88: So, big brother, if you could share eternity with your human, Picard, what would you call it?

Q: The best thing that ever happened to me.

The two youngsters look at each other and giggle.

Q45: Ok, if you could share only ONE year with Picard, and THAT was it, what would you call it?

Q: The best thing that ever happened to me.

The two young Qs smirk at him.

Q88: Okaaayyy. So,...if you could only spend an hour--just one teeny hour with Picard, THEN what would you call it, huh?

Q thinks a bit.

Q: Only one hour, you say?

The youngster nods.

Q: The best thing that ever happened to me.

The two Qs are in disbelief at this point.

Q45: Wow. You must really love this mortal, don't you?

Q: Shouldn't you both be returning home to the center of the Continuum? Young ones are not supposed to be in the open universe.

The two youngsters roll their eyes.

Q: Are you finished bugging me? You two should be a tag team.

Q88: No. You know that Picard doesn't like you, right?

Q:

Q45: What do you call the first time you and he met?

Q88: The beginning of the end?

Q: The best thing that ever happened to me. Go home.

[stellarred]

IS DEANNA TROI PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR QCARD???

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Q really didn't like Deanna Troi after Encounter at Farpoint, because near the end when Picard made that "bargain" with Q, pleading him to allow him to reach his Away Team, while they were on the attacking ship (jellyfish), we had this conversation:

Picard: My people are in trouble over there, Q...Please let me help them.

Q:

Picard: I'll do whatever you say.

*The Away Team fizzles onto the Bridge.*

Q: You'll do whatever I say...*Q leans forward, gazing intently at Picard.*

Picard: *looks at the Away Team*: Seems as though I did make that bargain.

Troi intervenes by saying, "It was not Q that saved us!"

Q then exclaims, "She lies...Make phasers and photons ready!"

Picard, of course, refuses to do what Q says, and then he procedes to put the pieces of the Farpoint mystery together as his Away Team colleagues share the new information that they'd learned through their comparison of the two alien structures.

But to think that Q almost had a chance to have Picard all to himself, with Picard doing whatever Q said, if Troi hadn't opened her mouth about the attacking ship saving them and not Q.

Perhaps in that moment Q thought, "Maybe he won't notice that the Away Team appeared on his Bridge in a purple, swirling light instead of my standard Q flash?"

Picard, for a moment, didn't take notice of that detail.

Darn that Deanna Troi and her Betazoid senses!

Alas, Picard manages to wriggle out of his little bargain with Q, as the entity allows Picard to solve the Farpoint puzzle and unite the jellyfish creatures.

Side note: I love how Q, standing behind Picard, kept looking at him. I wish I knew what he was thinking.

And then, Troi had to have her sappy moment with the whole "A feeling of great joy! It's so wonderful!" (Q: 🤢)

Poor Q. Skunked in the first episode.

We know it was for the best, though. Q was definitely in his jerky, self-serving phase of TNG, with his lessons to teach Picard (and his other expressions of love for Picard) coming later.

Neither of them were ready for a relationship at this point, and we very likely wouldn't have had any Qcard canon had Picard kept his deal with Q. It might have been amusing on Q's part to have Picard doing whatever Q said (with "whatever" being who knows?) but, Picard wouldn't have liked it.

A potential hookup with the one, who just put you and your entire race on trial?

Perhaps in that moment, and I'm reeeaaalllyy stretching it here, Troi had a slight hand in starting the evolution of Qcard.

Qcard has been a slow burn from the very start, and if Picard thought that Q had indeed saved his crew, and he joined him, the slow burn very likely wouldn't have even had a chance to catch fire at all.

[q-card]

Q and Picard in France. Q and Picard walking along the Seine. Q and Picard kissing in the grass under the Eiffel Tower.