Plaguewormart - Plague

I don't care if he's moderate and not the worst option. The USA did not need another reason to think they are the center of the universe.

enough about real life, back to baby

Blessed ❤️

Mom won’t let me watch conclave again (for the third time today) ((autism)) so we’re watching the two popes instead,,, bc I’m not sure what I feel about Leo XIV

I hope no one takes any pope posting I may do as me supporting this guy or the catholic church. I think american pope is a rancid idea. but chicago pope is also the funniest thing I've ever heard

ok I just received the Autobiography of Mr. Spock and holy fucking shit

the section about kirk fully made me throw the book down, walk away, and lay on the floor for about 5 minutes

we have obviously "I have tried on many occasions to write about Jim Kirk. This seems to me an increasingly impossible task. Jim Kirk lies at the very heart of this account; he is present on every page, the ink in which these words have been written...How do you write about someone you have so deeply loved?" Which is just the most romantic and beautiful thing I have read in my life.

we also have "He changed the rules so that people would live. Jim was very bad with rules. Sometimes that could be irritating. More often than not, it was exhilarating."

the one that made me bawl "That letter took a while to reach me, and I often think of it, in transit, containing the news that Jim was both alive and dead. That was the only time that I regretted my mission to Romulus, and I did regret it, bitterly. If only I had been present, somehow. Perhaps I might have saved his life, again (although he told me, once, that he would die alone). Was that not what we did, after all-save each other's life, again and and again? At the very least, I might have seen him, one last time. I have not been to see his grave. I believe I can permit myself one illusion in life." which just...holy FUCK

(you will see him again spock I swear 😭)

and the one that hit me like a brick, referring to the first time he met Jim, "I recall that Jim's face like up, with a smile like the sun. 'I think,' he said, 'that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.' He was not wrong."

these motherfuckers i need to be sedated like yesterday

Kiss me under the sistine chapel's black smoke. We found love in a popeless place.

WIP - trying out some other brushes 🥸

I'm writing that story where Spock has to struggle with a devastating and overwhelming crush on McCoy, while his childhood bullies are on the ship and it's so much fun. The characterisations I've come up with for the bullies kind of rule ngl and like not to brag but they make sense as bullies. Especially cos a feature of it is that McCoy doesn't clock the bullying so Spock is devastated. But like, they're interesting and friendly and more affable than Spock and all their bullying is very Vulcan so a human wouldn't notice it.

Like, one of them doesn't say the call and response for live long and prosper correctly which is super rude of him but what he says is also polite so the humans in the room don't clock it but Spock is just writhing in discomfort from the insult.

This is great and I think I should bully my characters more

And I got a great late reveal idea for one of them that's not a twist exactly but is a cool canon tie in that I'm really looking forward to. And it makes her mindless dislike of Spock make sense in the world, even tho it's obviously not reasonable. At least she's consistent lol

Spock's gonna have a terrible time in this story. McCoys already upset with him before the Vulcan bullies board.

I'm used to writing whump where it's physical injury, but emotional injury is a lot of fun. And I don't have to research healing times or allow for a character being a medical doctor! I can just keep piling the next thing on til he cracks!

Once again thinking about Vincent as pope…

Vincent hating the attention he’s given for doing simple things such as carrying his own bags, knowing the Swiss guards names, hugging children when they run up to him. Vincent despising how every human thing he does immediately becomes a headline: “Pope listening to music!” (He was wearing headphones and listening to some old favorites while hanging out with the turtles) “Innocent XIV goes shopping!” (He forgot to bring a book to the airport and just wanted to buy something to read on the plane) “The pope wears converse!” (He’d owned the same pair of shoes for three years, and he’d stitched them up himself after the fabric tore)

Vincent feeling more isolated than ever. Despite never being alone, there is not a single person who treats him as a person. He’s constantly watched, yet never invited into casual conversations, no one asks him to join them for coffee, no one rants about their boring work or tells him about their favorite books or talks about the weather.

Vincent waking up in a cold sweat most nights. Dreams of war haunting his sleep, the faces of the dead burned into his mind. He wakes up gasping for air, or screaming, or running to the bathroom to throw up.

Vincent sleeping on the floor more often than the bed. Vincent flinching at loud noises and always scanning the room for threats and ways to escape.

Vincent having flashbacks and panic attacks on the floor of his bathroom, not being able to call anyone for help because he’s the pope, he’s not allowed to fall apart or ask for help or take a break.

Vincent who cannot handle being snuck up on from behind, who can’t have meat that isn’t well done, Vincent who hides his shaking hands behind his back as he speaks about the saints who were stoned to death, because he knows what that looks like.

Vincent who once gets so startled by the bang of a bible being dropped onto the floor of St Peter’s cathedral while he’s holding mass that he instinctively ducks behind the altar, covering his head, sure that he’s back in the war. Vincent who has to continue his sermon with shaking hands and voice, with his normally so present and kind eyes suddenly showing a far-away look. And Vincent who has to read the headlines afterwards, despite Aldo doing his best to shield him.

I also think about Thomas.

Thomas who tries to joke with Vincent about how the masses have never seen a pope young enough to have the strength to carry his own bags, Thomas who reminds him that even though he is the pope, he’s still human.

Thomas who, despite this, is unable to call him Vincent. Thomas who has always seen the papacy as closest to the God he has such a hard time reaching, and Thomas who no longer sees Vincent when he looks at the pope.

Thomas who tries to comfort Vincent, but keeps calling him Your Holiness, and watching as Vincent pulls away more and more.

Thomas who once entered Vincent’s room at night to leave him an urgent document, and found the pope curled up on the floor.

Thomas who always sees when Vincent’s hands start to shake, who can sense Vincent’s breathing quicken and his eyes start searching for escape routes. Thomas who can’t do anything to help, because the pope cannot be seen having to be escorted away because of anxiety.

Thomas who tries to learn what triggers Vincent, Thomas who takes notes on what makes the pope flinch or shake or hide away. Thomas who discreetly informs the rest of the staff closest to Vincent about how important it is to never sneak up on him from behind, or serve him anything resembling torn off flesh.

Thomas who finally sees how Vincent is actually doing once the incident at mass happens. Thomas who argues with everyone to try to allow Vincent to end mass early, but failing. Thomas who sends the altar boys and deacons away from the sacristy once mass is over and finally greets the pope by his original name.

Thomas who opens his arms and his heart as he sees the shaking man in front of him. “Oh my dear Vincent” he says, and his heart breaks as Vincent falls into his arms and sobs.

Thomas who holds him tightly, whispering apologies for letting this continue, who promises to be better. Thomas who helps Vincent change out of his sweat soaked vestments, and who lets Vincent explain the horrors he’s seen.

I also think about Aldo

Aldo who’s in the background of it all. Who sees how the new pope seems to be getting even thinner than he was. Aldo who tries his best to minimize Vincent’s amount of paperwork on the days where the pope arrives to breakfast at 5 am with bloodshot eyes and holding his mug of tea with trembling hands.

Aldo who more than once has held up Vincent’s hair as he throws up after stressful meetings with world leaders who are decimating entire populations. Aldo who sometimes pretends not to see invites from some of the dictators he knows Vincent hates the most.

Aldo who tries his best to keep the news away from Vincent whenever he’s in the headlines. Aldo who brings Vincent hot chocolate whenever he knows an article will have upset him.

Aldo who always remembers to make his steps louder or clear his throat if he’s walking up to the pope from behind. Who will always make sure there is a vegetarian option that won’t remind the pope of wounded and dead bodies.

Aldo who every so often sees the pope’s eyes flicker to the side, and knows it means Vincent is quietly suppressing the most horrible flashbacks, even with a smile on his face. And Aldo who always makes sure he has an excuse ready to get Vincent out of situations when it happens.

Aldo who tries his very very best to make Thomas realise that Vincent needs him.

Aldo who feels a weight leave his heart once he sees Thomas leading a shaking Vincent through the halls of the Santa Martha, and who smiles when they both enter the Homy Father’s room.