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linasofia · 2 years

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More Than Words

Fandom: The Man from Rome

Relationship: Father Lorenzo Quart x Female reader

Summary: A worried Father Quart rushes to your home after Sunday’s service. He finds you sick in bed and does his best to comfort you.

Warnings: None, it’s a fluffy comfort fic. ❤️ But please don’t read this if the thought of a priest breaking his vow of celibacy might offend you.

Words: 1,9K

The pews are packed to the last seat. The comforting smell of candle wax fills the air and the choir’s light angel-like voices rise to the beautiful painted ceiling. While they sing one of his favorite psalms, Father Quart searches among all the familiar friendly faces for that one smile that makes his heart skip a beat. The smile that belongs to the most beautiful and gracious woman he has ever met. But you are nowhere to be found, and he frowns when he recalls the promise you gave him when you parted the previous morning: “As long as I am breathing I will always come on Sundays.” Of course, he knows you do not literally mean it but it still worries him. He runs a sweaty hand discreetly over the green chasuble and lets his mind wander to your sweet smile and sparkling eyes. While the church and its parishioners have always offered him love, you have given him a deeper understanding of the word trust. He trusts you in a way he has never trusted another person before and it both fascinates and scares him. Your whole relationship rests on solid pillars of trust and your mutual secret has to be preserved if the two of you shall have a chance to continue seeing each other.

The music silences and all gazes fall expectantly on Father Quart again. Smiling at the large group of people in front of him, he dutifully proceeds with the sermon, keeping the worry he feels for you hidden. Some days he feels like a fraud, sharing his heart between the Lord and a woman. And on those days it is harder to look into the eyes of the older women in the front pew. If they only knew that he is not the flawless servant of God that they want him to be. Father Quart knows he will glance at his watch many times before he can leave today’s faithful crowd.

The steps echo in the stairwell as Father Quart hurriedly rushes up the stairs to your apartment. Without even catching his breath, he bangs on your door, a little too hard, not caring if somebody will hear it. No sound is coming from your apartment, no music or noise from the TV. He bangs again. Your car was parked in its usual spot; he noticed the white sedan as he walked briskly across the street. With a hammering heart, he pulls out his keys and quickly finds yours among all the keys he needs for work. He has never used it before and if it was not for the fact that he was seriously worried he would feel as if he was trespassing. A soft click is heard from the lock when he turns the key. He opens the door and is greeted by a dark hallway. As he silently closes the door behind him, he calls your name. He scans the area and finds your handbag resting on the stool, just as he has seen it before, and he takes a few steps before suddenly a weak cough reaches his ears. A frown deepens the fine lines on his face and he follows the sound to your bedroom with the need to hold you increasing in his chest. He stops at the doorstep, his gaze falling on your body resting in an ocean of blankets and pillows. Your name falls from his lips, this time covered in concern. When you open your eyes and meet his gaze he instantly rushes to your side.

You love how your name sounds when spoken in his dark voice. His normally authorial voice is laced with worry, but it does not take away the sensual and loving tone he always uses when addressing you. Weakly, you let your hand slip out from under the blanket and he instantly takes it and comes to sit next to you on the bed.

”How do you feel?” he asks as he places his other hand on your forehead. Your skin burnsunder his touch, and he knows before you even manage to form the words. The fever is raging in your body and drops of sweat form at your temples, like small beads on a rosary.

”Not well.” Your words cut like razors in your throat when you speak and your voice feels fragile. He bends down to place a gentle kiss on your forehead and you sigh.

”I am sorry for not coming today.”

”I wish I knew you were not feeling well. I could have come by before the service today.”

”You should not be here. What if you get what I have? You cannot be sick.”

”Do not think of it. If I do get sick, someone will cover for me. That is how it works.”

”I know, but —”

”Do not try to speak so much. You must rest. Have you eaten anything?”

You slowly shake your head. Even though you feel drained of every last drop of energy, you cannot muster the strength to take something to eat. Nothing feels appealing enough and just the thought of swallowing makes your sore throat ache. Father Quart glances at your little bedside table. A cup of tea is surrounded with paper tissues. He reaches out and places his fingertips on the cup. It is cold.

”Sweetheart, you need to eat. Or at least drink.” His fingers brush lightly over your cheek and then he strokes your hair. It is damp by your temples, and he smiles softly when he notices the corkscrew curls forming just under your ear. He has seen it before, but then your body has been soaked in sweat for a totally different reason. A much more pleasurable reason. You close your eyes and lean your head against his hand, just him being by your side fills you with more joy than you can express right now.

”I will make you something.” There is no room for protests in his voice, and you know that he is right, you need energy to fight whatever it is that is possessing your body. Father Quart does not want to leave your side so soon, but decides to go through your fridge and see what he can find. He squeezes your hand and stands up, eager to help you when you need him the most. Too tired to open your eyes again, you hear him walk out of your bedroom. The sounds from the kitchen soon reach your ears; doors open, paper bags ripped, pots banging against each other and then the characteristic sound from your espresso machine. You smile to yourself. Lorenzo likes his coffee strong and you picture him sipping on a cup of java while he waits for whatever he is making to be ready. Your mind drifts between awake and sleep and you feel grateful that you are no longer alone.

When he returns, he carries the tray your mother gave you years ago when you claimed to be missing this item in your kitchen. The pattern is brightly colored, created by a Finnish designer, and you love the tray as it always reminds you of your mother’s loving eyes. He places a large mug with steaming broth on the bedside table along with a small bowl of sliced orange and a big glass of water. Lorenzo helps you to sit up, tucks all of your pillows behind your back and adjusts them so you can sit as comfortably as possible in bed. Then, he hands you the mug with an encouraging smile. The broth smells lovely of rosemary, and you know he must have plundered your little collection of fresh herbs on the shelf by the kitchen window. Gratefully, you take the mug, and his smile widens as your fingers meet. You feel the familiar tingling in your skin even now, when fever is slowing all your senses, and before you lift the mug to your lips, you return his smile. Very carefully, you blow on the surface before taking a small sip. The broth is kind to your sore throat and its warmth spreads comfortably in your stomach. You can tell Lorenzo took time to season it well for you can actually taste it, despite your state, and his thoughtfulness never stops to amaze you. To some extent, it is expected from a man with his calling, but he often goes beyond his duties. His hand rests on the duvet and he gently squeezes your thigh through the layers of fabrics.

”How was your day?” you ask him between sips. You love listening to his deep voice, and as he tells you as much as you know he can, you feel blessed for being able to spend much more time with him than the average parishioner. He is a remarkable man, both as a priest and a lover. During the time you have been seeing each other regularly, you have never told him that you love him, but that does not diminish the feelings in your heart. Afraid it might scare him off, you do not want to push him to say it either. But you can sense his feelings in every gentle caress, see them in his eyes and hear it in the way his voice changes when he speaks to you. When he preaches about love, his gaze always lingers on you and every time your heart threatens to burst through your chest.

When the last drops of broth gather at the bottom of your mug, Lorenzo takes it and places it back on the tray. ”Do you want some pieces of orange now or shall we save them for later?” he asks while watching how your body rests against the pillows. ”Later,” you tell him softly, and when you reach to move some of the pillows he instantly comes to your aid. When you are once again laying down, he caresses your cheek.

”Do you want some company? I would love to hold you, but only if it feels alright.”

You just nod and then watch how he stands and starts to undress. With experienced fingers he removes the white clergy collar from his shirt. Then he proceeds to open the hidden buttons and as he pulls the black shirt from his shoulders, you cannot help watching his physique in awe. A smile forms on your lips. You could be dying but you would still take notice of his glorious body. Lorenzo steps out of his trousers and a part of you is almost disappointed when he keeps his black boxers on. His impressive bulge reveals that a beast is sleeping under the soft fabric. A beast you usually take great pleasure in waking, but that will have to wait for another day. Lorenzo slips under the duvet and pulls you gently towards him. He wraps an arm around your chest and hums when he finds the perfect way to rest against your body.

”Just let me know if you get too warm, ok?” he murmurs against your hair, and you smile at his question. This is what you need and you will stay in his embrace for as long as you can.

”Thank you,” you whisper as sleepiness makes your body heavy, ”for everything.”

His arm tightens in a hug and he leans over you to place a kiss at your cheek. The words he murmurs against your skin make your heart flutter and fuel your dreams; ”I will take care of you. Always.”

Did you like it? Please like, comment or/and reblog! ❤️

Taglist and others who might be interested: @lathalea @legolasbadass @laurfilijames @i-did-not-mean-to @enchantzz @fizzyxcustard @middleearthpixie @xxbyimm @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @kibleedibleedoo @mariannetora @haly-reads @sunnysidesidra @rachel1959 @knitastically

Let me know if you want to be added or removed.

#father quart #father quart fic #father quart comfort fic #comfort fic #father lorenzo quart #father quart x reader #fanfic #the man from rome #the seville communion #richard armitage

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fizzyxcustard · 1 year

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Jealousy.

Masterlist of this series

Comments/Notes/Housekeeping: Thank you to everyone who reblogged and commented on my last of the RA Character Headcanon Series. I appreciate it very much. I know I sound like a broken record, but please do consider a reblog if you like a post, and if you wish to be added on to my tag lists, please let me know. You are also very welcome to request head canons as well, so I can continue on with this series and open it up to a lot more scenarios.

This head canon post was requested by @sunflwrnsunnieshine Thank you very much, hun. You're very welcome to request head canons with these 9 characters. Just send the request via my ask box, please. This instalment will focus on how all the characters handle jealousy, more precisely, jealousy which involves you, the reader. Enjoy!

GUY OF GISBORNE: Guy does not handle jealousy at all well when it comes to other men flirting with you. He makes his complete and utter distain known to the other man, and even becomes threatening. Most people are scared of Guy, so the men back off as soon as they see his icy glare from across a room. You know that Guy's jealousy comes from a place of insecurity, so you need to remind him regularly that you only have eyes for him.

RAY LEVINE: Ray Levine holds a lot of his emotions inward and will become distant with you if he feels there may be any kind of hint of another man sniffing around you. His answers become clipped and short, and it's up to you to question him thoroughly to see exactly why his mood has changed. However, when you reassure him that you're his, he apologises profusely.

FATHER LORENZO QUART: Father Quart is not a jealous man, but when it comes to you, jealousy is not something he is immune to. He holds it inward and tries his best to push the thoughts away as to not fall into bitterness. You notice his behaviour (of extra glances and sighs when the other man is in the room) and bring it up with him, and he admits that he did feel jealous and apologises, knowing he trusts you implicitly.

THORIN OAKENSHIELD: If Thorin sees another man making advances towards you, you immediately see a change in the Dwarf's demeanour. He becomes quite passive aggressive, giving short answers and appearing a little hostile. But when you get to the bottom of his negative feelings and reassure him with plenty of touch and love-filled words, he apologises to you. He is scared to lose you.

FRANCIS DOLARHYDE: Francis will watch you and the other man, not acting physically on his jealousy. However, he begins mentally plotting ways to harm the man, enjoying the thought of causing pain to him. Francis even admits to you that he had bad thoughts and considered violence, but then begs you to forgive him.

JOHN THORNTON: John Thornton becomes quiet and distant, backing off as soon as he feels in any way threatened by another man sniffing around you. The normally brooding man becomes even more cold toward you, hinting at his jealousy through hints in his words, mentioning the man in conversation. Eventually you sit him down and talk it through with him that nothing will ever happen between you and the other man.

RAYMOND DE MERVILLE: Raymond will not entertain the idea of another man serenading you. In fact, he is quite happy to threaten men and even become violent. Any man who only looks at you for a few seconds too long and they're immediately found on the sharp end of Raymond's sword.

JOHN PORTER: John tries to down play his jealousy and won't talk about it, until you bring it up to him. If he notices you interacting with another man, he will distance himself a little, but you notice him still sneaking glances to see what's going on. Eventually you have to confront John and tell him that he's stupid to think you'd even consider any other man but him as you've fancied him for as long as you've known him.

LUCAS NORTH: Lucas doesn't like to show vulnerability at first, so his jealous behaviour will depend on how long you've been with him and the stage you're at in your relationship. Any initial stage, weeks to a couple of months, and Lucas will try his hardest to not think too much about it. However, the longer you are with him, then the more his jealousy will show. It becomes clipped words, the cold shoulder and icy stares at you and the other man from across a busy room.

***

Follow Forever tag list: @i-did-not-mean-to @lathalea @linasofia @xxbyimm @middleearthpixie @knittastically @guardianofrivendell @luna-xial @rachel1959 @msjava1972 @asgardianhobbit98 @meganlpie @eunoiaastralwings @sunflwrnsunnieshine @tschrist1 @quiall321 @lemond57 @missihart23 @evenstaredits

Guy of Gisborne tag list: @puggledy-huggledy-is-not-a-pig @whoooooisthis

Thorin Oakenshield tag list: @braidedheart

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lathalea · 2 years

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Armitage Summer Splash – Week 2

Here are the prompts for the second week of this event already now so you'll have some time to get some inspiration!

🏖 How does the Armitage Summer Splash work? - Here is the masterpost.

This post contains both prompts for the second week and all the works we all created this week. Don't forget to fill in the form on after you finished working on this week's prompts so we can add your fics/art to our masterlist.

We'll be on the lookout for your RA-inspired creations for Week 2 starting June 8th! 🍹

💦 Armitage Summer Splash 💦 Week 2 Prompts/Masterlist:

☀️ June 8th

Trope: A secret is found out Quote: “Show me your face.”

📜 Adam Price - Secret by Fizzyxcustard

📜 Father Lorenzo Quart - Our Secret by Linasofia

📜 Guy of Gisborne - The Tavern by MiddleEarthPixie

📜 Guy of Gisborne Moodboard by Aduialel

📜 John Thornton - Horrors & Pleasures by Dumbassunderthemountain

📜 John Thornton - A Secret Is Found Out Moodboard by Sweetestgbye

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - Eina's Secret by Legolasbadass

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - The Tinderbox by Lathalea

* * * * *

☀️ June 9th

Trope: Coffee shop Quote: “You’ve never cared about me. Only yourself.” 📜 John Porter - Never Together by Linasofia

📜 John Proctor - Brewster's Place by MiddleEarthPixie

📜 Ray Levine - You've Never Cared About Me by Fizzyxcustard

📜 Ray Levine - Unrequited Moodboard by Lathalea

📜 Ray Levine Moodboard by Sweetestgbye

📜 Ricky Deeming - Coffee Shop by Linasofia

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - After Hours by Mismaeve

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - Coffee Shop Moodboard by Aduialel

* * * * *

☀️ June 10th

Trope: Kidnapped Quote: “You always told me that you’d never hurt me.”

📜 Guy of Gisborne - Coming Home by Dumbassunderthemountain

📜 Guy of Gisborne Moodboard by Sweetestgbye

📜 Lucas North - Kidnapped by Fizzyxcustard

📜 Ray Levine - Kidnapped by Broken Lycan

📜 Raymond de Merville - Runaway by MiddleEarthPixie

📜 Raymond de Merville - Kidnapped by Linasofia

📜 Raymond de Merville - Kidnapped by Aduialel

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - The Heart of the Mountain Moodboard by Lathalea

* * * * *

☀️ June 11th

Trope: Crossover Quote: “I could stay like this forever.” 📜 John Thornton - Modern AU by Sweetestgbye

📜 Scott White - Only Forever by Fizzyxcustart

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - Among the Stars by Linasofia

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - Battle Wounds by Dumbassunderthemountain

📜 Thorin Oakenshield, Ray Levine - Middle Earth's Next Top Model by MiddleEarthPixie

📜 Thorin Oakenshield Crossover Moodboard by Aduialel

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - The Crossover by Lathalea

📜 Thorin Oakenshield, Raymond de Merville - Bunnele by Linasofia

* * * * *

☀️ June 12th

Trope: Oblivious of feelings Quote: “How dare you!”

📜 Guy of Gisborne - The Assasin and the Deputy by Dumbassunderthemountain

📜 John Proctor Moodboard by Sweetestgbye

📜 Raymond de Merville - Oblivious by Fizzyxcustard

📜 Raymond de Merville Moodboard by Sweetestgbye

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - Catch Me If You Can Moodboard by Lathalea

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - Stolen Moments by MiddeEarthPixie

📜 Thorin Oakenshield and Raymond de Merville - Bunnele by Linasofia

* * * * *

☀️ June 13th

Trope: Comfort Quote: “It was the best day of my life.”

📜 Guy of Gisborne - Comfort by Fizzyxcustard

📜 John Porter - Waiting by MiddleEarthPixie

📜 John Proctor Moodboard by Sweetestgbye

📜 John Thornton Moodboard by Linasofia

📜 John Thornton - Bridal Tour by Dumbassunderthemountain

📜 John Thornton - Comfort Moodboard by Losteainfalls

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - The Best Day of My Life by Lathalea

* * * * *

☀️ June 14th

Trope: Lies Quote: “I wish I could go back.”

📜 Lucas North - Hurt by MiddleEarthPixie

📜 Lucas North - Lies by Fizzyxcustard

📜 Raymond de Merville Moodboard by Sweetestgbye

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - Campfire Antics by Dumbassunderthemountain

📜 Thorin Oakenshield - Lies & Regret Moodboard by Lathalea

📜 Thorin Oakenshield Moodboard by Linasofia

📜 Moodboard Masterlist by Lostrainfalls (aka Shalinizhara) 📜

* * * * *

Happy reading! 🍹

Armitage Summer Splash masterlists:

💦 WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5

Please let us know if you’d like to be added/removed from the taglist: @fizzyxcustard @lathalea @legolasbadass @linasofia @middleearthpixie @i-did-not-mean-to @kibleedibleedoo @xxbyimm @bitter-sweet-farmgirl @sketch-and-write-lover @dumbassunderthemountain @enchantzz @justfollowtheroad @thewarriorandtheking @guylty @knitastically @guylty @mezzmerizedbyrichard @jassy2101 @sweetestgbye @shrimpsthings @estethell @guardianofrivendell @nfcomics

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ao3feed-tolkien · 11 months

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Pasión prohibida

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/HNtQLEF

by KiriAsakura

El padre Lorenzo Quart visita Tierra Santa para renovar sus votos como sacerdote, para reafirmar su compromiso con Dios y para purificar su alma tras los pecaminosos incidentes que sucedieron un año atrás durante su misión en Sevilla. Durante su peregrinación por el Santo Sepulcro conoce a un extraño y enigmático rubio llamado Thomas en domingo de ramos, que ha quedado prendado de él desde el primer instante, y que no pierde la oportunidad de coquetearle. Quart no podrá evitar la atracción mutua en tan sagrado lugar, pero ¿volverá a caer en la tentación?

Words: 10467, Chapters: 1/?, Language: Español

Series: Part 34 of Modern Thilbo/Richartin Couples

Fandoms: The Hobbit RPF, La piel del tambor | The Man From Rome (2022), The Operative (2019), The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Lorenzo Quart, Thomas Ehud Freeman, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Father Quart, Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo Baggins

Relationships: Richard Armitage/Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage & Martin Freeman, Lorenzo Quart/Thomas Ehud, Father Quart/Thomas, Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo Baggins & Thorin Oakenshield

Additional Tags: Forbidden, Forbidden Love, Passion, Male Homosexuality, Homosexuality, Churches & Cathedrals, Holy Land, Jerusalem, Holy Week, Easter, Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Catholic Character, Priests, Catholic, Catholic Prayers, Judaism, Jewish Character, Jewish Identity, Gay, Gay Character, Flirting, Falling In Love, Love at First Sight, Sexual Tension, Sins, Seduction, Attempted Seduction

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/HNtQLEF

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #Tolkien #JRR Tolkien #Tolkien works #ao3 #fan fiction

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ao3feed-thehobbit · 11 months

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Pasión prohibida

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/VaJ0noM

by KiriAsakura

Words: 10467, Chapters: 1/?, Language: Español

Series: Part 34 of Modern Thilbo/Richartin Couples

Fandoms: The Hobbit RPF, La piel del tambor | The Man From Rome (2022), The Operative (2019), The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Lorenzo Quart, Thomas Ehud Freeman, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Father Quart, Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo Baggins

Relationships: Richard Armitage/Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage & Martin Freeman, Lorenzo Quart/Thomas Ehud, Father Quart/Thomas, Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield, Bilbo Baggins & Thorin Oakenshield

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/VaJ0noM

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #the hobbit

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maillotremise · 1 year

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Ligue des champions : Naples bat l'Eintracht Francfort 3-0, 3 équipes de Serie A qualifiées pour les quarts de finale

Le 15 mars, deuxième tour des 1/8 de finale de l'UEFA Champions League, Napoli a battu l'Eintracht Francfort 3-0 à domicile et est entré en quarts de finale avec un score total de 5-0. Osimhen a marqué 2 buts et Zelinski 1 penalty. Osimhen est devenu le premier joueur de l'histoire de Naples à marquer lors des deux huitièmes de finale de la Ligue des champions. Avant le match, des affrontements ont éclaté dans le centre de Naples entre des supporters portant des Maillot De Foot SSC Naples et ceux portant des maillots bon marché de l'Eintracht Francfort.

Napoli a commencé fort et a tiré fréquemment, mais le gardien de Francfort a effectué plusieurs arrêts brillants. 45e minute, Politano a fait un centre depuis la droite, Osimhen a sauté haut et a marqué de la tête, Napoli 1-0！53e minute, Di Lorenzo a fait une passe, Osmeen a tiré au milieu et a marqué, Napoli 2-0！64e minute, Zelinski a créé un penalty dans la surface de réparation, puis a tiré et marqué, Napoli 3-0 ! Francfort a ensuite déclenché une vague d'offensive en fin de match, mais n'a pas réussi à marquer.

Les équipes de Serie A ont réalisé une percée cette saison. Napoli a marqué son histoire en se qualifiant pour la première fois en quart de finale de la Ligue des champions. Les équipes de l'AC Milan, de l'Inter Milan et du Napoli 3 Serie A se sont qualifiées pour les quarts de finale. C'est la première fois en 17 ans ! La Serie A était autrefois connue sous le nom de "Petite Coupe du Monde" et était l'hégémonie de la Ligue des Champions. Cependant, depuis que l'Inter Milan a remporté le trophée de la Ligue des champions en 2010, aucune équipe de Serie A ne l'a remporté depuis.

#Maillot De Foot SSC Naples

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eixiquetscomics · 1 year

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Oblivion Song

Ha costat, però per fi hem completat la col·lecció. La primera rústica va sortir fins i tot abans a Espanya que a EUA, però estem parlant de l'any 2018. L'editorial Planeta ens fa fer un coitus interruptus amb la rescissió dels drets de Skybound, però en vam tenir sort del fet que ECC la va comprar i ens va aguantar el format rústic del còmic del Robert Kirkman (a part d'editar-la també amb tapa dura). Ara llegida tota d'una tacada us comento…

Imagina que un dia estàs comprant la barra de quart al Macxi pa ( 2x1 forever, sobretot per la pasta que et fots d'amagat mentre tornes a casa), i de cop i volta et trobes fotut enmig d'un bosc llefiscós ple de monstres estranys. Però al tanto, tu t'has traslladat a un altre món, però la part de l'altra món ha vingut al teu món (s'ha liao paco). Això és el principi d'aquesta història. Qui ha sigut que l'ha feta grossa? Volen que s'arregli? S'obren molts de dubtes.

En aquest món alienígena, existeix una societat que semblen insectes de pal (el dibuixant De Felici ens dificulta la diferenciació d'aquests personatges, no tenen uns detalls molt marcats), tecnològicament molt ben preparats, però també amb molts problemes de poder i decisió.

No podíem dubtar que venint del creador de Walking dead, ens presentessin uns personatges amb molta personalitat ( De Felici té problemes amb les cares, el prota passa de ser un home atractiu a semblar un avi de 80 anys) i amb molts moments no podràs parar de llegir. També haig de dir que potser l'història es podia haver escurçat, els aliens aquests em fan bastant mandreta.

Tinc una queixa sobre l'edició rústica. Cada rústica, té uns 6 números, però no estan separats per les seves portades (estan totes darrere). I això, en una història plena de capítols deixats amb un "cliffhanger" et deixa bastant trastocat (no saps si estàs en el passat o en el present fins que llegeixes un parell de pàgines més).

Guió: Robert Kirkman

Dibuix: Lorenzo de Felici

Color: Annalisa Leoni

Edició original: Oblivion Song ( Image comics, 2018)

Edició nacional: Planeta cómic, ECC

Any edició: 2018-2022

#oblivion song #comic #català #catalunya #robert kirkman

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meandrichard · 3 years

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That looks like a soutane

Oooh. Roman-style cassock? I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the cape, either.Although I guess Father Quart wears a suit.

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#Lorenzo Quart #Richard Armitage #The Seville Communion #Twitter

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moodyhedgie · 5 years

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Happy BirthDay mr.Armitage!

#richard armitage #lorenzo quart #birthday #fan artwork #digital art

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nellindreams · 5 years

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My edit

#richard armitage #Lorenzo Quart #The Seville communion #The man from Rome #wishful thinking

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louk419 · 30 days

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For those who observe this holiday (and those who don't!) Happy Easter Sunday Sunnies 😎 from our favorite priest, Father Lorenzo Quart.

#richard armitage #Easter #easter sunday #the man from rome #lorenzo quart #Sunday Sunnies

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linasofia · 1 year

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Love Never Dies

Part 4

Fandom: The Man from Rome

Relationship: Father Lorenzo Quart x OC Palmira

Summary: After returning to his hometown, Father Quart comes face to face with his past. His life, as well as the choices he made as a young man, are turned upside down and he is once again forced to make life-changing decisions. But at what cost?

Words: 2,8K

Warnings: 18+ ⚠️ Please don’t read this if the thought of a priest breaking his vow of celibacy might offend you.

A/N: This is the fourth part of this fic. You can read the previous parts here.

Special thanks to @legolasbadass & @lathalea 💙

Palmira haunts him every night, her wild red locks dance around her face with every move she makes and like a siren she calls for him. In his dreams, she offers him to explore all his darkest fantasies, some of them lurking in the back of his brain ever since he was a teenager. Unable to control his mind when the moon slowly wanders over the midnight sky, Father Quart experiences more vivid dreams during a couple of months than most people do in a lifetime. Something was unleashed in him that night he opened the folder containing his mother’s research, and his mind processes it in the most brutal way during the dark hours. The first week he was frightened by his own dreams, but soon enough the fear developed into curiosity and from there it grew to fascination.

During the day, he is a loyal servant of God, but when night falls, sweat soaks his nightshirt as he fights his urges. And Palmira is no longer an innocent fantasy; she has become an obsession. She is not aware of his change of course, for he is too careful to open the door to his heart, and the dreams that follow after each of their meetings in church is something he could never reveal for her. But he is not a blind man. He sees how her gaze lingers on him, slowly turning warm, just as when they were in their youth. As the months pass, their old bond emerges from the shadows in their hearts and Father Quart finds it harder to keep a distance between them. Palmira sometimes places her hand on his forearm as they sit together and it is during one of those moments he wishes things were different. The thought is not a complete shock but it must have shown in his eyes for she looks at him with concern.

”Are you ok?” she asks, unaware of the blood boiling in his veins. He nods in silence and finds himself staring at her lips. She runs the tip of her tongue over her lower lip, and everything suddenly feels very loaded between them. The expectant look in her eyes is something he has not seen since that day after school when she hurt her feet and had to lean on him when they walked home. He was very close to kissing her back then and he still remembers the smell of her shampoo as she whisked away her hair. Now, when the air fills with her perfume as she leans forward, he cannot remember why he did not.

”Lorenzo,” she breathes and the way she speaks his name makes him reach for the back of the pew to discreetly steady himself. He swallows hard as she slowly comes closer. Palmira gives him all the time he needs to stop her. To stand up and walk away. But he cannot move. He cannot think. And he does not want to.

Her lips are soft as silk and her hand feels warm when she gently caresses his cheek. Father Quart does not dare to move, too afraid to break the moment. Their kiss is shy, brief and tender, but when Palmira pulls back, it is with a horrified expression in her eyes.

”I am sorry, I should not have done that.”

Father Quart shakes his head. ”Maybe not, but I do not regret it.”

She smiles at him in a way no woman has ever smiled at him before and it causes him to lose his raging inner battle against his own body. He sneaks his hand under her amber locks and pulls her face closer to his again. This time the shyness between them is gone and the kiss ignites his body like a torch thrown on a pile of dry grass. Emotions suppressed during a lifetime of celibacy explode in his chest, but then he forces himself to break the kiss, using one last sensible thought. He reaches for her hand. ”We cannot continue this here, not now, the risk is too high.” He looks anxiously around the empty church,then back at her. ”I do not want to see you go, but it might be better if you do.” A shadow of confusion falls over her face and he quickly adds; “maybe we can meet later, if you want to return tonight, before I lock the main entrance?” Palmira instantly nods in agreement and her eyes speak of promises that make him shudder with delight.

”See you later,” she whispers as she releases her hand and leaves him breathless on the pew.

During the afternoon, visitors come and go. Some only nod at him but others stay to have deep conversations. The hours appear longer than usual, and Father Quart feels strangely distant. He knows he will not be able to focus on the confessions with the taste of her still on his lips, so he tries to wash the traces away with coffee. When he steps into the confessional, he forces the thought of Palmira’s soft lips out of his mind.

***

The doors between the nave and the vestibule are open and he sees her as soon as he approaches the main entrance. She is standing in front of the mirror with her back against him. Her clothes are different. The tight grey trousers she wore earlier together with a cobalt blue blouse are replaced by a way too thin dress for the season, and the fabric hugs her body in all the right places. It makes her even more irresistible than usual, and Father Quart runs his hand over his jaw. Her coat hangs over the back of one of the chairs placed in the vestibule and her delicate shoulders are only partly covered by a white scarf. That is definitely not a combination suited for a visit to church, but as he takes in the sight of her skin, he realizes that she could not have picked a more sensual outfit. With one hand she tries to get her cascades of hair to fall the way she likes it and he can tell by the way she pulls at her locks that she is nervous. He smiles, she is not the only one. Without a word he glides up beside her and when he says her name in a hushed voice, she jumps and turns around to face him.

”Lorenzo, you scared me. I did not see you in the mirror.”

”Perhaps you were not looking.”

She smiles at him. ”It does not matter. I see you now.”

“Give me a minute to lock this place. It is time.”

She smiles at him and the urge to kiss her is overwhelming, but he resists and turns his attention to the heavy oak door and the key in his hand. When the task is done, he slowly walks towards her.

”I have to admit, I was not sure you were coming back,” he mumbles when he stops, careful to not overstep her personal space. Her smile makes his heart skip several beats and when she closes the distance between them, he welcomes her in his arms.

”You are not being serious now, are you?” She wraps her arms around his neck and with a soft moan she presses her lips against his. He is about to answer her, but she slips her tongue between his lips and the thought is lost in the sensation of her exploration of his mouth. She runs her fingers through the short hair at the back of his neck and he tightens his grip around her. Her tongue caresses his and invites him to kiss her deeper, more hungrily. The scarf falls down on the floor, exposing more of her skin to him and when the intensity of their kiss has them both gasping for air, he takes the opportunity to move on to kiss the skin on her shoulder.

Her breathing guides him and when she lets out a soft moan and shivers under his lips, he knows he has found a sensitive spot at the crook of her neck. Spurred by her noises, he peppers the freckled skin with kisses and she tilts her head to the side in an approving gesture. Using only the tip of his tongue, he teases her and Palmira moans longingly. She tastes wonderful, sweet and salty at the same time, but something dark stirs in his chest when he senses her pulse through the thin skin on her neck. He ignores it, too aroused by her scent and smell, and continues to let his tongue dance over her neck. The throbbing in his lower body grows impatiently and when Palmira suddenly slips a daring hand between their bodies and gently strokes him through his trousers, he truly understands the word lust. It builds rapidly in him and when he meets her burning gaze, it explodes under his skin.

Unable to stop himself he forces her against the wall and she whimpers when he presses his body against hers. He wants her, no, he needs her, as he has never needed anything or anybody else before. The unspeakable thoughts he used to spend so much time controlling now thunder in his ears. He can hear the frenetic beating of her heart, and when he licks the side of her neck, he feels a sharp sting in his mouth. The dark voice in his head no longer whispers only about the sweet forbidden place between Palmira’s thighs, it also speaks of the immense pleasure that can be found under her skin. If he takes both, nothing will be the same.

Tentatively, he pulls his teeth along her neck and she gasps. In what seems to be pure pleasure, she pleads his name and tries to grind against his thigh. Her revealing dress hinders her and she lets out a frustrated sigh before reaching for the hem. With a radiant smile she pulls it up, allowing him to push his knee between her legs. The warmth he feels through the layers of fabric makes him feral. No wonder he was taught it was the work of the devil when he was young, her incredible heat is more irresistible than he could ever imagine. With a steady grip on her waist, he pulls her harshly against his thigh and once again he is rewarded with her desperate pleading for more.

She fumbles with his belt while she lets her head fall against his shoulder.

”Palmira,” he groans as he rests his hand on the rough wall above her. She lifts her head and meets his hazy gaze and then slowly slides her hand under the fabric of his boxers. When her fingers gently wrap around his throbbing hardness the last of his coherent thoughts are lost. She strokes him teasingly, and in her eyes, he reads a satisfaction so grand he almost does not believe it. Her sensual lips find their way back to his and while her fingers caress him in a way that makes him see stars, her tongue plays a naughty game. Suddenly she pulls her hand away but his protest is silenced by her seductive smile.

”I want to taste you.”

Father Quart swallows hard. He has dreamt about what she now offers more times than he can count, and when she drops to her knees in front of him, he closes his eyes. He can feel her pulling his boxers further down and revealing his state to her. The darkness inside him waits patiently for her next move and suddenly he is afraid to disappoint her.

”Palmira, I—” She interrupts him by closing her lips around the top of his hard shaft and, totally unprepared for the feeling, he pulls in air between his teeth. Briefly, he recalls the first time he fantasized about looking down at her as he does now. He was in his late teenage years, and she was too innocent to be practicing what she now seems to fully enjoy doing.

She takes her time with him, pulls him closer, builds his burning desperation and teases him beyond the border of sanity. He buries his fingers in her fiery locks, and when she moans softly over him, sending vibrations down his shaft, he lets out a rare curse. He is so close, all he needs is for her to go a little deeper, a little harder. As if she can hear his thoughts, she intensifies her divine treatment. His voice feels raspy when he speaks.

“I will not last if you continue doing that.” His grip on her locks tightens when she grabs his thighs and urges him to rock his hips against her. “Palmira, I mean it.”

He groans loudly as he feels his groin tense. She makes no attempt to stop the inevitable and, torn between the need to finish and the desire to keep going, he eventually succumbs to the pleasure between her red lips. With a steady grip on her hair, he lets his feral side lead him to his climax.

Father Quart has to steady himself against the wall as Palmira rises to her feet with a mischievous smile on her angelic lips. Unable to find the right words, he lets his fingertips do it for him. Gently, he caresses her cheek and sneaks his hand around her neck to pull her closer. Palmira wraps her slender arms around him and their embrace feels more intimate than ever before. He breathes in her wonderful unique scent, her fresh, slightly flowery perfume, the alluring sweet smell of her arousal and the faint trace of him left on her. A less sensitive nose would easily have missed all the different smells, but Father Quart maps them in his memory.

Suddenly the moment is disturbed by the vibrations from the phone in his pocket. Tempted to ignore it, he let his tongue dance around hers again but then he remembers the time and that nobody except two people call him at this hour. Neither of them can be ignored. He pulls out his phone with an apologetic smile. The display announces a call from Dr Moretti. With a frown on his face he turns his gaze to Palmira. “I have to take this. I am sorry.”

“I should go. We can talk tomorrow, perhaps?”

He nods. It might be best since he has no idea what the good doctor wants.

“Let me out.” She nods at the door while he answers and the friendly voice of his mother’s doctor seeps from the speaker. He hurries to the door and unlocks it. While she puts on her coat and slips out in the dark he tries to focus on his call and not on what is left of her taste in his mouth, the evidence of their sinful encounter.

***

The color has returned to his mother’s cheeks; he notices the positive change as soon as he steps up to her bed. Her eyes seem brighter than the previous days and her smile lighter, as if a weight has been lifted from her chest. He smiles at her and she reaches for his hand as soon as he sits down in the old, creaky armchair. Her doctor had called him to ask if he knew what could have made such a sudden change in her health condition. Without revealing too much, Father Quart had told him that they had cleared the air regarding things from his childhood and he suspected that it made his mother feel more at ease.

“You look different… more relaxed.” His mother’s loving eyes rest on him. The memory of Palmira on her knees comes to his mind but he refuses to let her magnificent skills distract him now.

“It is because you look less troubled today, mother. Have you slept well?”

She nods and it fills his heart with love. He holds up a small paper bag with the city’s well known bakery’s logo on it.

“Lorenzo,” she chuckles softly, “you are spoiling me.”

He beams at her. “Nonsense. Coffee or just some still water?”

“I think I will try coffee today. My body is filled with more energy than it has been for a long time. But I prefer to sit on the sofa. Let us enjoy whatever sweets you brought there, it feels more civilized.”

Hours later, alone in his apartment, Father Quart gets ready for bed. The evening at his mother went by fast, as it does when you are having a pleasant time, and his mother even challenged him to a game of cards. He managed to keep the thoughts of Palmira at bay for most of the evening and it is not until now, when he lies in bed, that he welcomes the thoughts again. Only this time, he has a real memory to build his fantasy around, far better than anything his own brain could come up with.

Her name is the only word he lets out when his ragged breathing peaks and the work of his hand helps his tense body to relax.

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#richard armitage #fanfiction #father quart #father quart x oc #father quart fic #father quart fanfic #the man from rome #the seville communion #la piel del tambor #fanfic

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fizzyxcustard · 1 year

Text

New Year's Kiss.

Masterlist of this series

This head canon post was requested by @sweetestgbye Thank you very much, hun. You're very welcome to request head canons with these 9 characters. Just send the request via my ask box, please. This instalment will focus on how all the characters handle a New Year kiss more precisely, a kiss which involves you, the reader. Enjoy!

GUY OF GISBORNE: Guy takes you to a secluded area, wanting to get you out of the way of everyone. He takes your hand and begins talking about new beginnings and asks if you'll begin a new adventure with him. Then the two of you kiss beneath the stars.

RAY LEVINE: Ray is nervous as hell around you. He's liked you for as long as he's known you. The two of you are at his flat, watching the countdown on TV, and as it happens and the party-goers on the screen start screaming "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" you think to yourself, "Fuck it" and pull Ray in for a kiss.

FATHER LORENZO QUART: New Year means very little to Father Quart. It's just another day of the week for him, but he knows you love celebrating the change of the year. He breaks open a bottle of champagne and just as the clock strikes midnight, you clink your glasses together and lean in for a kiss.

THORIN OAKENSHIELD: The Dwarves know how to party and as midnight begins to roll around quickly, you and Thorin notice that there are fewer Dwarves still standing, and even less sober. But when the moment arrives, you realise how Dis and Dwalin have purposefully moved you both closer together, manoeuvring you across the hall, until you cannot escape that New Year kiss. Thorin knows the tradition and with flushed cheeks, he offers you a sign of his intention to court you.

FRANCIS DOLARHYDE: Francis spends the evening with you as he lives alone. You've invited him to your apartment to see in the New Year and, as you stand in your garden and the fireworks begin to soar into the sky and burst open in an array of colours, you place a gentle kiss on Francis' lips.

JOHN THORNTON: The two of you are at a large gathering of people whom your families know, as friends and business partners. It's getting closer to midnight and John knows he wishes to kiss you, just not in front of all these people. At a minute before midnight, he checks his pocket watch and asks you to accompany him to his balcony, and there as the local clock strikes midnight, he offers you a kiss.

RAYMOND DE MERVILLE: Raymond has no interest in the changing of the years and seasons. But when the two of you are at his father's annual feast, which welcomes in the change of the year, you go to him and kiss him with no warning. He scowls at you at first, wanting to know what the kiss was for. But as you smile at him, he can't help but reciprocate that smile.

JOHN PORTER: John has had enough of partying in his younger years and wants to spend a quiet night in front of the TV. So he invites you over, his colleague. You're excited for the night ahead; the two of you have fancied each other for months. And as Big Ben chimes 12 on the TV, John sees his chance and sweeps you into a kiss.

LUCAS NORTH: The two of you go for a drink after work together. Lucas has been invited to a work party with some of his colleagues who aren't on call, but he's made an excuse, just so he can be with you instead. The two of you are close friends, and after your drink, the two of you walk together, not realising the time. Fireworks begin to bang in the distance. Lucas stops. You stop. He smiles, and then cups your cheek, drawing you into a kiss.

***

Follow Forever tag list: @lathalea @i-did-not-mean-to @xxbyimm @middleearthpixie @meganlpie @linasofia @knittastically @luna-xial @asgardianhobbit98 @guardianofrivendell @sunflwrnsunnieshine @msjava1972 @rachel1959 @eunoiaastralwings @lemond57 @tschrist1 @quiall321 @evenstaredits @missihart23

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Thorin Oakenshield tag list: @braidedheart

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themedicalstate · 4 years

Video

The Coronavirus Unveiled

Video: An atom-by-atom model of the coronavirus. Lorenzo Casalino, Amaro Lab, U.C. San Diego.

In February, as the new coronavirus swept across China and shut down entire cities, a scientist named Sai Li set out to paint its portrait.

At the time, the best pictures anyone had managed to take were low-resolution images, in which the virus looked like a barely discernible smudge.

Dr. Li, a structural biologist at Tsinghua University in Beijing, joined forces with virologists who were rearing the virus in a biosafety lab in the city of Hangzhou. Those researchers doused the viruses with chemicals to render them harmless and then sent them to Dr. Li.

Dr. Li and his colleagues then concentrated the virus-laden fluid from a quart down to a single drop. He could only hope that they had done everything just right, so that the weeks of work to produce that drop would not have been a waste.

“At the time, you don’t know what’s inside,” Dr. Li said. “It’s just liquid, right?”

Glimpsing the Structure

Dr. Li carefully froze the drop in a fraction of a second. If he made the slightest mistake, ice crystals could spear the viruses, tearing them apart.

Hoping for the best, Dr. Li placed the smidgen of ice into a cryo-electron microscope. The device fired beams of electrons at the sample. As they bounced off the atoms inside, Dr. Li’s computer reconstructed what the microscope had seen. When the picture formed, he was taken aback.

“I saw a screen full of viruses,” Dr. Li recalled.

A cryo-electron tomography image of SARS-CoV-2 viruses, in gray, with a computer reconstruction of one virus. Sai Li, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences.

He could see thousands of coronaviruses packed in the ice like jellybeans in a jar. They were beautifully intact, allowing him to inspect details on the viruses that measured less than a millionth of an inch.

“I thought, I was the first guy in the world to see the virus in such good resolution,” Dr. Li recalled.

Over the following weeks, Dr. Li and his colleagues pored over the viruses. They inspected the proteins that studded its surface and they dove into its core, where the virus’s strand of genes was coiled up with proteins. The pictures reminded Dr. Li of eggs in a nest.

A computer reconstruction overlaid on an image of several SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Sai Li, Tsinghua University School of Life Sciences.

Thanks to the work of scientists like Dr. Li, the new coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, is no longer a cipher. They have come to know it in intimate, atomic detail. They’ve discovered how it uses some of its proteins to slip into cells and how its intimately twisted genes commandeer our biochemistry. They’ve observed how some viral proteins throw wrenches into our cellular factories, while others build nurseries for making new viruses. And some researchers are using supercomputers to create complete, virtual viruses that they hope to use to understand how the real viruses have spread with such devastating ease.

“This time is unlike anything any of us has experienced, just in terms of the bombardment of data,” said Rommie Amaro, a computational biologist at the University of California at San Diego.

Probing the Spike

Earlier this year, Dr. Amaro and other researchers directed much of their attention to the proteins, called spikes, that stud the virus’s surface. Spike proteins have an essential job to play: They latch onto cells in our airway so the virus can slip inside. But it soon became clear that the name is a misnomer. The spike protein is not sharp, narrow or rigid.

Each spike protein snaps together with two others, forming a structure that has a tulip-like shape. A long stem anchors the proteins to the virus, and their top looks like a three-part flower.

Gerhard Hummer, a computational biophysicist at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, and his colleagues used the frozen microscopy method to take pictures of spike proteins embedded in the virus membrane. Then they calculated how the atoms in the proteins pushed and pulled on each other. The result was a molecular dance: The spike proteins swivel around on three hinges.

A simulation of four spike proteins, each bending on three hinges. Sören von Bülow, Mateusz Sikora and Gerhard Hummer, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics.

“You can see these flowers waving with all kinds of bending angles,” Dr. Hummer said. “It’s quite surprising to have such a long, slender stalk with so much flexibility.”

A Sugar Shield

Dr. Hummer speculated that the flexibility of the spike was important to the virus’s success. By sweeping around, the spike increases its odds of encountering the protein on the surface of our cells it uses to attach.

As they sweep around, however, the spikes can be attacked by antibodies, the powerful soldiers of our immune system. To hide, they create a shield out of sugar. Sugar molecules, in navy below, swirl around the proteins and hide them from antibodies.

A spike protein, at left, and a protective coating of sugars, at right. Lorenzo Casalino, Amaro Lab, U.C. San Diego.

A little hook at the end of the spike protein, in light blue below, sometimes flips up above the sugar shield. If it encounters a particular protein on the surface of our cells, it sets off a series of reactions that allows the virus to fuse to a cell membrane and inject its genes.

Latching on to an ACE2 receptor, in yellow, allows the coronavirus to enter human cells. Lorenzo Casalino, Amaro Lab, U.C. San Diego.

Tangled Loops

The genes of the new coronavirus are arrayed on a molecular strand called RNA. On Jan. 10, Chinese researchers published its sequence of 30,000 letters. That genetic text stores the information required for a cell to make the virus’s proteins.

But the genome is more than a cookbook. The strand folds into a devilishly complex tangle. And that tangle is crucial for the virus’s exploitation of our cells. “You have a lot more information stored in how it’s shaped,” said Sylvi Rouskin, a structural biologist at the Whitehead Institute.

Dr. Rouskin led a team of scientists who mapped that shape. In a high-security lab at Boston University, her colleagues infected human cells with the viruses and gave them time to make thousands of new RNA strands. Tagging the genetic letters on the strands with chemicals, Dr. Rouskin and her colleagues could determine how the strand folded in on itself.

In some places it only formed short side-loops. In other places, hundreds of RNA letters ballooned out into big hoops, with loops coming off, and more loops coming off of them. By comparing millions of viral genomes, Dr. Rouskin and her colleagues discovered places where the virus slips from one shape to another.

A number of researchers are now closely examining some of these regions to figure out what they’re doing. Their studies suggest that these knots allow the virus to control our ribosomes, the tiny cellular factories that pump out proteins.

After the virus enters a human cell, our ribosomes attach to its RNA strands and glide down them like a roller coaster car running along a track. As the ribosomes pass over the genetic letters, they build proteins with corresponding structures. Scientists suspect that the loops of RNA may throw the roller coaster car off its track and then guide it to a spot thousands of positions away.

Other loops force the ribosome to back up a bit and then move forward again. This little hiccup can cause the virus to make entirely different proteins from the same stretch of RNA.

Jamming the Machinery

The viral proteins that spew out of our ribosomes fan out across the cell to carry out different tasks. One of them, called Nsp1, helps seize control of our molecule machinery.

Joseph Puglisi, a structural biologist at Stanford, and his colleagues mixed Nsp1 proteins and ribosomes together in test tubes. They found that the proteins, in pink below, slipped neatly into the channels inside the ribosomes where RNA would normally fit.

A ribosome with RNA, in blue, and with Nsp1, in pink.Christopher Lapointe, Stanford University School of Medicine. Ribosome models by Angelita Simonetti et al., Cell Reports and Matthias Thoms et al., Science.

Dr. Puglisi suspects that Nsp1 stops our cells from making proteins of their own — especially the antiviral proteins that could destroy the virus. But that raises the question of how the virus gets its own proteins made.

One possibility is that “somehow the virus is just amped up in its ability to produce protein,” Dr. Puglisi said. From time to time, Nsp1 falls out of ribosomes, and somehow the virus does a better job of taking advantage of those brief opportunities. “We hoped it was going to be something simple,” he said. “But, as usual in science, it wasn’t.”

Blobs and Droplets

While Nsp1 is manipulating ribosomes, other viral proteins are busy making new viruses. A half-dozen different proteins come together to make new copies of the virus’s RNA. But something remarkable happens along the way: Together, the proteins and RNA spontaneously turn into a droplet, akin to a blob in a lava lamp. Physicists have long known that molecules in a liquid spontaneously form droplets if the conditions are right. “This is just making salad dressing,” said Amy Gladfelter, a cell biologist at the University of North Carolina.

But only in recent years have biologists discovered that our cells regularly make droplets for their own purposes. They can bring together certain molecules in high concentrations to carry out special reactions, shutting out other molecules that can’t enter the droplets.

Richard Young, a biologist at the Whitehead Institute, and his colleagues have mixed together SARS-CoV-2 proteins that build new RNA along with RNA molecules. When the molecules assemble, they spontaneously form droplets. The virus likely gets the same benefits as the cell does from this strategy.

Given the sophistication of the coronavirus in so many other regards, Dr. Young wasn’t surprised by his discovery. “Why wouldn’t viruses exploit a property of matter?” he said.

Pores and Tunnels

Coronaviruses can coax human cells to form new chambers to house their genetic material. But when Monsterrat Barcena, a microscopist at the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, inspected those chambers, she was baffled: There seemed to be no holes in the membranes, allowing no path for the RNA to get in or out.

Recently, Dr. Barcena and her colleagues took a closer look and discovered a way through. One of the coronavirus’s proteins, called Nsp3, folds into a tunnel, which then plugs itself into the membranes.

“It’s a coronavirus escape route,” Dr. Barcena said. “We had this riddle, and now we have an answer.”

Assembling New Viruses

In a matter of hours, an infected cell can make thousands of new virus genomes. The cell’s ribosomes read their genes, spewing out even more viral proteins. Eventually, some of those proteins and the new genomes assemble themselves to make new viruses.

This is no easy task, because the coronavirus’s strand of genes is a hundred times longer than the virus itself.

Recent experiments suggest that, once again, SARS-CoV-2 uses lava-lamp physics to its advantage. Proteins called nucleocapsids glue themselves to spots along the length of the RNA strand. Together, the molecules quickly collapse into droplets.

New coronaviruses, in pink, form inside cell vesicles. Steffen Klein et al., bioRxiv.

Dr. Gladfelter speculated that this strategy prevented two strands of genes from becoming tangled with each other. As a result, each new virus winds up with just one set of genes.

These droplets are swallowed up inside viral membranes and spike proteins, and the new viruses are ready to escape the cell. To simulate these viruses down to every atom, Dr. Amaro is gathering the emerging pictures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and RNA. She and her colleagues then construct virtual viruses on supercomputers, each consisting of a half-billion atoms. These machines can then use the laws of physics to simulate the dancing of the viruses every femtosecond: in other words, a millionth of a billionth of a second.

Dr. Amaro and her colleagues hope to use her simulated viruses to tackle one of the most contentious questions about Covid-19: how the virus spreads from person to person.

When infected people exhale, talk or cough, they release tiny drops of water laden with viruses. It’s not clear how long SARS-CoV-2 can survive in these drops. Dr. Amaro is planning to build these drops, down to their individual water molecules, on her computer. Then she’ll add viruses and watch what happens to them.

“I’m pretty confident that probably within a year, we would be able to have the whole virus, including all the bits on the inside,” she said.

Drugs and Vaccines

Already, however, the new pictures of SARS-CoV-2 have become essential for the fight against the pandemic. Vaccine developers study the virus’s structure to ensure that the antibodies made by vaccines grip tightly to the virus. Drug developers are concocting molecules that disrupt the virus by slipping into nooks and crannies of proteins and jamming their machinery.

A drug molecule, in blue, blocks the tip of the coronavirus spike. Ian Haydon, Institute for Protein Design.

The virus’s genome may offer other targets. Drugs may be able to lock onto loops and tangles to prevent the virus from controlling our ribosomes. “It’s very important that you know what the shape is, so you can develop the right chemistry to bind to that shape,” Dr. Rouskin said.

Dr. Gladfelter, meanwhile, wants to see if the physics of viral droplets may offer a new line of attack against SARS-CoV-2.

“You could get a compound that would make them stickier, make them more jelly,” she said. “There are probably a lot of Achilles’ heels.”

Future Research

While the past few months have delivered a flood of data about the virus, some studies have made it clear that it will take years to make sense of SARS-CoV-2.

Noam Stern-Ginossar and her colleagues at the Weizmann Institute in Israel, for example, have found evidence that the virus makes proteins that scientists have yet to find.

Dr. Stern-Ginossar and her colleagues surveyed the RNA of the virus in infected cells, tallying up all the ribosomes that were reading it. Some ribosomes clustered along known genes. But others were reading genes that had never been found before.

Ribosomes sometimes read just a section of the spike protein gene, for example. Presumably they make a mini-spike, which may very well carry out some essential job for the virus. A drug that disables it might cure Covid-19.

But scientists can’t even begin to guess at these possibilities, because no one has yet spotted the mini-spike in the wild. And the same will be true for the other new genes, Dr. Stern-Ginossar’s team has found.

“Each one will require additional work to figure out what they’re doing,” she said. “Biology takes time.”

By Carl Zimmer (The New York Times). Produced by Jonathan Corum.

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