Been watching Suits, it’s Very Good

I mostly knew it as “the show that made Meghan Markle famous”, and to be fair, she is great in it

But no one told me about Gina Torres as the managing partner of the law firm, and she absolutely owns that role.

(you might know her as Zoë Washburn in Firefly -- and tbf I’m more into Zoë as a character, but Gina Torres plays an *incredible* Jessica Pearson! Looks amazing, dominates every room she’s in, decisive and respectable leader, somehow I still buy that she has a strong moral code act despite “laywers being dicks to each other” being the entire point of the show, and she’s just as much in the muck as any of them)

And apparently in the later seasons my fave Dulé Hill joins the regular cast!! So yeah lots to love about this show, and I haven’t even talked about the actual story or main characters yet.

Here to second what persuna said about White Collar. I think I personally started to tire of the plot arcs and writing which wouldn’t let the character dynamics evolve sometime around season 4. But despite that the characters and their relationships were so enjoyable to me that I still consider it one of my favorites.

Also because no one else has mentioned it about the show, the Peter/El/Neal OT3 was fantastic if you go for that, and there was some great fic with angst and emotions, and courting by way of stalking, and also pegging.

ALSO also, because I haven’t seen anyone mention this one yet, you might want to try Suits if you never have before. It’s from the same era of homoerotic USA shows, and while (again) it was one where the constant arcs of the two leads switching off with not trusting the other started to wear around season three, it started off so good that I’m willing to forget about about the fact that I quit watching after that.

I think later on it started focusing a lot more on the season long plot arcs, but at least for the first couple of seasons it was a pretty procedural non-murdery law show. And the two leads had enough of a canon D/s vibe that lent itself really well to fic. Also Gina Torres.

ohhhhhh suits, right! that's another show where i've read SO MUCH fic that i actually forgot it was a real show. but that's a good tip--i think i am going to really try to get into white collar, and then put suits as directly next on my list.

I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO IS BEING SO HELPFUL AS I TRY TO EXIT MY WRESTLING-RELATED MALAISE BY ENVELOPING MYSELF ENTIRELY INTO GAY ASS PROCEDURALS FROM 10-20 YEARS AGO

WtW Ghost Gala: Day 12 - Candles

After naming all some of your characters: tell us the meaning behind their names

Not so much meanings as origins, because most of my characters are named very deliberately...

Leading roles:

Jack Howard: (m; ~47; human and/or android) one half of the protagonist duo; being the character inspired by Handsome Jack of Borderlands and Tony Stark of the MCU, he takes his first name from the former (and resisted my every attempt to rename him), and the surname, after the latter's father Howard Stark (and not, as someone familiar with the Fallout inspiration of the story might've suspected, Todd Howard of Bethesda).

Rowan Woods: (m; ~32; human and cyborg) the other half of the protagonist duo; Rowan's name truly is a basket of Easter eggs. First off, his character inspiration, who also hails from the Borderlands universe, is called Rhys Strongfork, whose surname was a play on Reese Witherspoon. On my part, I continued the game, and gave the Rhys-inspired character a surname of Witherspoon's probably most famous character, Elle Woods. As for his first name, I wanted something still starting with R, but also, made for a slightly silly full name. Hence, a tree-inspired name for someone with the surname of 'Woods'. (I also have an in-universe behind Rowan's name, as he chose his first name himself, being being trans; here's some further context on that choice).

Supporting cast:

Richard Thornbridge: (m; ~50; human) head of the Agency's android program and Jack's boss; considering the contentious relationship between him and Jack, I arrived at Thornbridge's surname via a route of reverse-engineering the surname of Borderlands Jack's asshole boss Harold Tassiter. Tassiter is not a well-known surname in our world (although I found one family by that name in 19th century Massachussets). However, it's only one letter away from Lassiter, which is an English surname connected to the city of Leicester (pronounced kind of like 'Lester'). So I decided I wanted an English name, crawled around the map of England for inspiration, and eventually settled on something that sounded fancy, yet unpleasant (a bridge of thorns doesn't evoke nice feelings; plus, considering that RT will frequently be in the way of Jack's plans, he is an unpleasant obstacle, and so is his name). As for the first name, I wanted to give Jack a reason to call the man Dick.

Megan Diaz: (f; ~35; human) deputy head of the Agency's energy program and Jack's best and only work friend; this is another Borderlands inspiration. Even though Meg is not a canon character in the game world, it is fanon that Jack's personal assistant is called Meg (inspired by a real-world interview with the voice actor). My face claim for her is Stephanie Beatriz, who played Detective Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn 99, hence the surname.

Harvey Lorde: (f; ~early 40's; human) area commander of the Neighborhood Watch and mayor of the Havenford township; Harvey's first name is a nod to a community leader (and giver of all too many side quests) Preston Garvey of Fallout 4. Fun fact: although normally seen as a male name, there have been multiple well-known women called Harvey. For surnames, I went the face claim route again: my mental image for Harvey is Gina Torres; 'Lorde' is derived from Lourdes, the middle name of the character Jessica Pearson that Torres played in Suits.

Sofia 'Sonya' Morello: (f; ~230; mutated human) originally Rowan's best friend and colleague pre-apocalypse, and the Short Queen to his Tol Boi (who can, nevertheless, kick a lot more ass than Rowan, if necessary). Sonya is another member of the cast who makes a return post-apocalypse: in her case, as one of the Oldies, a small percentage of humans granted an unnaturally long lifespan by the effects of radiation, at the expense of various physical mutations. I wanted Sonya's name to evoke cuteness that matched her pre-apocalypse self and then contrasted with her post-apocalypse badassery, while also acknowledging her giant heart and keen mind: her full first name Sofia means 'wisdom', while 'Morello' stems from Italian for 'love' (in addition to being a kind of cherry, so extra touch of cute).

Henry Flowers: (m-presenting; ~40+ presenting; android) android gunslinger extraordinaire; as he is the creation of my friend Kayleigh Pepper, who graciously gave me custody of him for this story, I actually don't know Henry's name origins; something to investigate.

These are most of the characters who will play important parts in the story. Of course, various NPCs will need names too; and there may also be a secondary antagonist deserving of a meaningful name.

mw older fcs?

not sure what you mean by "older" so i'll just go for it. you can find some suggestions here and here and ofc anyone you choose to bless us with will be loved and wanted. all of the fcs listed below are over the age of 35 (even though I strongly disagree with the rpc considering someone old at 35, but that's neither here nor there):

Keanu Reeves, Carla Gugino, Eddie Cibrian, Michelle Yeoh, Gil Birmingham, Zahn McClarnon, Cheyenne Jackson, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Lucy Liu, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Greyeyes, Channing Tatum, Laverne Cox, Angela Bassett, Benjamin Bratt, Michael Michele, Morris Chestnut, Michelle Gomez, Brian Michael Smith, Ming Na-Wen, James Hong, Gina Torres, Billy Porter, Laurence Fishburne, Daniel Sunjata, Daniel Wu, Danny Pino, Levy Tran, Veronico Ngo, Serkan Çayoğlu, Patrick Wilson, George Young, Toby Stephens, Ewan McGregor, Maggie Q, Li BingBing, Elodie Yung, Aidan Turner, Byron Mann, Tommy Flanagan, Nathalie Kelley, Martin Sensmeier, Gabriel Macht, Maite Perroni, Gabriel Luna, Oscar Isaac, Diego Luna, Josh Segarra, Lance Gross, Daniel Henney, Theo James, Mahesh Jadu, Dylan Bruce, Sarah Shahi, Manu Bennett, Tony Leung, Famke Janssen, Skeet Ulrich, Marisol Nichols, Mark Consuelos, Madchen Amick, Benedict Wong, Aishwarya Rai, Bianca Lawson, Conrad Ricamora, Gong Yoo, Jamie Clayton, Isaiah Mustafa, John Cho, Octavia Spencer, Michaela Conlin, Omar Sy, Santiago Cabrera, Randall Park, Taraji P Henson, Taika Waititi, Yasmine Al Massri, Travis Fimmel, Sterling K Brown

ohhhh my god ok pls keep in mind that i watched angel one (1) time ????? years ago (more than 10, time is fake, etc) and immediately turned off the tv at the end like “wow what the fuck was that. anyway” so lots of this may be misremembered or made up so please accept this salt shaker 🧂 and let’s fucking goooo

so this happened in one of the later seasons iirc? 4 maybe? anyway cordy and angel either had a big dramatic breakup or he cheated on her, i can’t remember. but either way he fucked (drum roll) darla??? yes that darla, his sire who for sure died in buffy s1, but we don’t deal in continuity here, this is angel. so she’s??? back??? somehow??? and they fuck which ok whatever except!!! she gets pregananant! which again, theoretically not possible, but this is basically fanfiction so what the fuck.

so she’s knocked up with her vampire zombie spawn thing, and i can’t remember if she sticks around for a bit while the baby cooks and ups the angst factor with cordelia? or it might just be a magical uncle ben’s 2 minute baby situation. either way she dies in childbirth (like she dusts out and there’s just?? an infant???) so angel is left to raise this monstrosity alone. sad.

but then! the babby! is…kidnapped. to hell, for some reason? unclear. so angel has to go to hell to get his child back, except OH NO time dilation shenanigans, the baby is all grown up now even though he was just born last week! he’s a moody teenager and angel is a deadbeat dad, oops

so he brings this understandably angsty and resentful teenage boy (i wanna say connor? don’t quote me) home to his weird bunker thing with all his monster hunting friends, which like. good job, a+ parenting. and it’s rough and the kid hates him for abandoning him in hell (fair) and it’s all very the first half of a steve martin movie where the divorced dad tries to bond with the kid he doesn’t know, yk?

but then. THEN. cordelia decides this is her moment. her friend/ex/whatever is struggling! he is trying to bond with his child! cordy can help! by….fucking him. yeah, she fucks this traumatized 16yo monster baby who was literally born last week, because that’s a responsible adult choice. reliving her queen of sunnydale high glory days??? literally who knows

and if you think that’s the worst bit about this nightmare plotline, strap in! we’re not done! guess who else gets pragnet? that’s right babeyyy, cordelia is having *checks notes* angel’s grandchild????

who turns out to be, i shit you not, gina torres. fully grown gina torres who is also god, for some reason? and this whole thing starting with darla mysteriously coming back from the dead all the way to connor being raised in hell (where angel couldn’t influence him to be uhhhhh a normal well adjusted child ig??? didn’t seem to be a huge risk all things considered but what do i know) was part of the great ineffable plan to get cordy to give birth to gina torres in white robes and return god to the world

except she turns out evil (obv) bc she’s like some alien thing idk and they have to kill her. but yeah. that’s the most fucked up thing i remember from angel? also the only thing rly. pretty sure cordelia and angel get back together in the end? there might be another love triangle with spike, which like, can a guy catch a break? goddamn

what in the twilightriverdalesupernatualvampirediaries

the only part of this that makes any sense is gina torres is god bc that just feels right

but seriously every modern monster show wishes they were buffy(& co(angel(through gritted teeth))) no one will ever have what they had

also assuming xander has been brutually killed by this point which, i hope so, i wonder how he feels about cordy and angel bc his type in women is women who are into angel

When I was younger, I took tennis lessons, and really the only thing I remember is the importance of follow through. It’s not just when you hit the ball. You have to keep swinging your racket to complete the arc. I adore 911 Lonestar, or at least parts of it. There are honestly some characters that I just fast forward through. I have two issues with the show. The first one is that some of the characters feel like they’re becoming caricatures of themselves, but the real issue is the follow through. Here are a list of questions I have in no specific order:

1. Is Judd still going to therapy?

2. Whatever happened to the British 911 dude?

3.Did Marjan get another arranged marriage?

4. How is Paul’s sister? 

5. I know Owen got the bird, but did TK get anything one would think he would.

6. I get why they didn’t have TK go to an AA meeting or an NA meeting, but you wouldn’t think there would have at least been an offhand mention of a call to your sponsor.

7. Tell me about Carlos’s sisters! Did TK makes it to a Sunday lunch?

Obviously, I’m fine with jumping the shark or doing things that are completely bonkers, even though I am in the math profession, I thought the student driving scenario with the dad ending up driving up the guy wire, was entertaining, even if it was a bit ludicrous. But like my mental vision of the writers of the seasons is trying to spread refrigerated chunky peanut butter onto a super thin slice of bread. It’s just getting messy and torn up.

I love the show. Most people can see someone who kind of represents them. I love that TK has one Jewish parent and one non-Jewish parent. Because I do too, even if for me, it’s flip-flopped. (He would be considered Jewish where I would not be. It’s matrilineal.) I love that the main couples problems don’t stem from being gay or being in an interracial couple, but real life issues.  As someone who lives in the south, it’s also not is not to see us all look like stupid rednecks. I adore Gina Torres in any role. I love how Mateo’s insecurities with his height we’re overcome. I just don’t want the show to get ruined or canceled because of inconsistencies. 

Look at these babies! They deserve so many seasons!

Suits Season 10: Creator Spills Juicy Details! 😮🔥

Suits Reboot? Let's Ring the Comedy Bell! Ah, #Suits, the show that made lawyering look so sexy that even your local law firm started handing out business cards at nightclubs. And guess what? It's got a new lease on life, thanks to the magical land of Netflix. But hold onto your legal briefs, because the question on everyone's mind is, could we be graced with a season 10? Let's dive into this courtroom drama like a toddler into a ball pit. In a twist that's juicier than a courtroom confession, series creator Aaron Korsh tweeted from the land of 280 characters, straight from the heart of his keyboard. "Hold your horses, folks! There's no Suits reboot party happening right now," he announced, as if fans' dreams just got hit by a gavel. But wait, there's a glimmer of hope, like finding an extra chicken nugget at the bottom of the bag. Aaron continued, "We'd need the strike to finish, some bigwig network or streamer to send a love letter, and then, oh boy, we'd all need to want it like we want dessert after a salad." I mean, priorities, am I right? And in case that left your legal appetite wanting more, Aaron Korsh chimed in later to say, "Sure, if a network pulled me aside and whispered sweet TV proposals in my ear after those pesky strikes are done, I might just consider it. But let's not get all courtroom-drama serious about it, okay? It's not like I'll be losing sleep over legal briefs turned into scripts." But hold up, the Suits gossip doesn't stop there! Remember Gene Klein, the executive producer who's basically the behind-the-scenes puppet master? Well, he's practically waiting by his phone, hoping it will ring with a "Hey, let's revive Suits" call. In an interview that probably had more suspense than the best courtroom cross-examination, he mentioned, "I've casually dropped a hint to Kaitlin Simpson Aaron that I'm just sittin' here, expecting a call any day now. But no biggie, I'm not exactly holding my breath for a drama-filled conversation. I mean, in this age of reboots, who wouldn't want another round of courtroom drama, am I right?" Now, let's get to the real heart of the matter – the cast. Patrick J. Adams, Gabriel Macht, Meghan Markle, Rick Hoffman, Sarah Rafferty, Gina Torres – they're the folks who made you believe that looking sharp in a suit could solve any legal puzzle. But here's the kicker: they've all moved on to greener pastures, leaving the thought of a reunion more distant than your favorite aunt's house. Seriously, these actors are as busy as a bee in a flower shop. Let's not forget about Meghan Markle, who went from paralegal princess to actual royalty. Like, she left her acting days behind and traded them for tiaras and palaces. In her own words, "I'm not giving up acting, I'm just trading it in for a royal title." And who can blame her? From legal briefs to diplomatic feasts, that's a heck of a career pivot. So there you have it, folks! The courtroom drama that's juicier than a freshly squeezed orange, with more twists and turns than a detective novel. Will Suits rise from the ashes like a legal phoenix? Will Meghan Markle return to acting like a duchess in disguise? We'll just have to wait and see. 🕵️‍♂️👑👔## Suits Reboot? Let's Ring the Comedy Bell! Ah, #Suits, the show that made lawyering look so sexy that even your local law firm started handing out business cards at nightclubs. And guess what? It's got a new lease on life, thanks to the magical land of Netflix. But hold onto your legal briefs, because the question on everyone's mind is, could we be graced with a season 10? Let's dive into this courtroom drama like a toddler into a ball pit. In a twist that's juicier than a courtroom confession, series creator Aaron Korsh tweeted from the land of 280 characters, straight from the heart of his keyboard. "Hold your horses, folks! There's no Suits reboot party happening right now," he announced, as if fans' dreams just got hit by a gavel. But wait, there's a glimmer of hope, like finding an extra chicken nugget at the bottom of the bag. Aaron continued, "We'd need the strike to finish, some bigwig network or streamer to send a love letter, and then, oh boy, we'd all need to want it like we want dessert after a salad." I mean, priorities, am I right? And in case that left your legal appetite wanting more, Aaron Korsh chimed in later to say, "Sure, if a network pulled me aside and whispered sweet TV proposals in my ear after those pesky strikes are done, I might just consider it. But let's not get all courtroom-drama serious about it, okay? It's not like I'll be losing sleep over legal briefs turned into scripts." But hold up, the Suits gossip doesn't stop there! Remember Gene Klein, the executive producer who's basically the behind-the-scenes puppet master? Well, he's practically waiting by his phone, hoping it will ring with a "Hey, let's revive Suits" call. In an interview that probably had more suspense than the best courtroom cross-examination, he mentioned, "I've casually dropped a hint to Kaitlin Simpson Aaron that I'm just sittin' here, expecting a call any day now. But no biggie, I'm not exactly holding my breath for a drama-filled conversation. I mean, in this age of reboots, who wouldn't want another round of courtroom drama, am I right?" Now, let's get to the real heart of the matter – the cast. Patrick J. Adams, Gabriel Macht, Meghan Markle, Rick Hoffman, Sarah Rafferty, Gina Torres – they're the folks who made you believe that looking sharp in a suit could solve any legal puzzle. But here's the kicker: they've all moved on to greener pastures, leaving the thought of a reunion more distant than your favorite aunt's house. Seriously, these actors are as busy as a bee in a flower shop. Let's not forget about Meghan Markle, who went from paralegal princess to actual royalty. Like, she left her acting days behind and traded them for tiaras and palaces. In her own words, "I'm not giving up acting, I'm just trading it in for a royal title." And who can blame her? From legal briefs to diplomatic feasts, that's a heck of a career pivot. So there you have it, folks! The courtroom drama that's juicier than a freshly squeezed orange, with more twists and turns than a detective novel. Will Suits rise from the ashes like a legal phoenix? Will Meghan Markle return to acting like a duchess in disguise? We'll just have to wait and see. 🕵️‍♂️👑👔 Read the full article

LUKE HOLT is looking for his PARTNER ON THE FORCE (TAKEN)

CHARACTER NAME:  [up to player] - @gabe-moore

FACE CLAIM: [up to player]

FC Suggestions:

Male: Jon Bernthal, Rahul Kohli, Jensen Ackles, Avan Jogia, Tyler Posey, Sam Heughan, Mahershala Ali, Luke Evans, Joe Gilgun, Sebastian Stan, Penn Badgley

Female: Ana de Armas, Candice Patton, Elizabeth Olson, Gina Torres, Karla Souza, Maggie Q, Nathalie Emmanuel, Priyanka Chopra, Samira Wiley, Caity Lotz.

GENDER: [up to player]

SPECIES: [up to player] ~Bonus points if Demon bc we need more ;D

AGE: [up to player]

SEXUALITY: [up to player]

OCCUPATION: Detective at VCPD

DISTRICT: [up to player]

PERSONALITY: [up to player]

BACKGROUND:

This character is Luke's new/old partner on the force. Luke has been in town for about twenty years now so they could be partners for up to that long, or new if the character is new to the city. Could also even have a past connection depending on the age/ species of your character.

Luke primarily works the homicide unit, but has been known to work other cases in different departments when that case is "Special." To others on the force he's considered one of the few "flexible detectives" due to "short staffing and budget cuts."

The Real Story: Luke is apart of a secret supernatural task force that has been placed within the Emergency Response Units in the city (Police, Firefighters, Courts, EMRs, etc) by the counsel to keep watch and deal with supernatural issues in the city, and report back to the counsel on these matters.

"In the supernatural criminal justice system, the "people" are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the supernatural police, who investigate crime; and the supernatural district attorneys, who prosecute (and/or clean up the mess of) the offenders. These are their stories"- Supernatural Victims Unit (SVU).

RELATIONSHIP WITH CHARACTER: Luke's Partner on the Force

Players who wish to play this character should contact @lucasxholt​​ to plot before sending in an application!

National/Regional Authors

Dionee Villareal

Christine Sales

Yvonie Cardel

Wildon Tacdol

Vladimir Gamurot

Angel Gabriel Malinao

Lariza Estabillo

Arnel Cabungan

Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda

The Philippines' national hero was also a prolific writer, poet, and essayist. Jose Rizal's two novels, Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo were social commentaries that sharply revealed the injustices of Spanish colonization while praising the Filipino in his most natural state.

Francisco Balagtas

Francisco Balagtas y de la Cruz (April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862), commonly known as Francisco Balagtas and also as Francisco Baltasar, was a Filipino poet and litterateur of the Tagalog language during the Spanish rule of the Philippines. He is widely considered one of the greatest Filipino literary laureates for his impact on Filipino literature. The famous epic Florante at Laura is regarded as his defining work.

Carlos Bulosan

Carlos Sampayan Bulosan (c. 1911– September 11, 1956) was a Filipino American author, poet, and activist. A chronicler of the Filipino American experience during the 1930s - early 1950s, he is best remembered for his semi-fictional, semi-autobiographical novel America Is In the Heart (1946) — a staple in American Ethnic Studies and Asian American Studies classes.

F. Sionil Jose

Francisco Sionil José was a Filipino writer who was one of the most widely read in the English language. A National Artist of the Philippines for Literature, which was bestowed upon him in 2001, José's novels and short stories depict the social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism in Filipino society. 

Gina Apostol

Gina Lourdes Delgado Apostol (born 1963) is a Filipino-born writer based in the United States. Gina Apostol.

Nick Joaquin

He was well known as a historian of brief Golden Age of Spain in the Philippines, as a writer of short stories suffused with folk Roman Catholicism, as a playwright, and as a novelist. Joaquin wrote his works in English. The novel The Woman Who Had Two Navels (1961) examines his country's various heritages.

Lualhati Bautista

Lualhati Torres Bautista (December 2, 1945 – February 12, 2023) was a Filipina writer, novelist, liberal activist and political critic. Her most popular novels include Dekada '70; Bata, Bata, Pa'no Ka Ginawa?; and ‘GAPÔ.

James Cooke Brown

James Cooke Brown (July 21, 1921 – February 13, 2000) was an American sociologist and science fiction author. He is notable for creating the artificial language Loglan and for designing the Parker Brothers board game Careers.

Jose Dalisay Jr.

Jose Y. Dalisay Jr. (born January 15, 1954) is a Filipino writer. He has won numerous awards and prizes for fiction, poetry, drama, non-fiction and screenwriting, including 16 Palanca Awards.

Martin Abellana

was a Filipino Visayan writer. He was a teacher by profession. In the years 1956 to 1958, he was president of the LUDABI, a group of writers in Cebuano. His novels are characterized by a concern for the working class.

Why Xena: Warrior Princess Was Groundbreaking

If you remember Xena: Warrior Princess, you probably do for a few reasons. The tiny, tight-fitting costumes worn by its lead characters. That circular spinny thing Xena threw at people (it’s called a chakram). Xena’s fabulous ululating war cry. The bizarre mish-mash of history the show threw together (though the producers knew their stuff, deep down – Rob Tapert later produced the rather more accurate Spartacus for STARZ). What you might not remember, or might not know if you’re unfamiliar with the show, is just how important and ground-breaking Xena was when it first aired between 1995 and 2001.

The first and most obviously groundbreaking thing about Xena: Warrior Princess was, of course, the gender of its lead character. Xena wasn’t the first female lead of an action-adventure series – Charlie’s Angels and Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman, for example, had enjoyed success in the 1970s, while non-action-adventure shows led by women had been common for quite some time, with 1990s examples including Ellen, Blossom, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Cybill.

The way Xena presented its female hero, though, was a bit different. The opening narration describes how “a land in turmoil cried out for a hero” and then presents the hero in question with an emphatic “she” as we see Xena riding into battle. Lucy Lawless, aside from being likable and charismatic, gave us a heroine who looked like she could physically handle a fight (rather than a super-powered waif-like heroine) while still being extremely attractive (as the costume department and directors were keen to emphasize!). She owed a lot to Carter and Wonder Woman, but Xena’s capability, confidence, and independence were a breath of fresh air in the 1990s SFF television landscape.

Xena’s portrayals of race, gender, and sexuality may seem fairly normal or even disappointing now but were highly progressive at the time. While the show was white-dominated, there was a clear effort made to introduce a more diverse cast. One of Xena’s early love interests was a black man, something hopefully no longer of note, but still relatively unusual at the time. The show also cast a black actress, Galyn Görg, as Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world, offering a nice change from the usual blonde, blue-eyed Helens we’ve seen on film and TV for decades. Similarly, Cleopatra was later played by Gina Torres. The series also set several episodes in Asia, featuring Asian guest characters.

The most significant relationship on Xena was, of course, that between Xena and Gabrielle. To a modern viewer, their relationship probably comes across as frustrating and disappointing, as despite many hints, frequent sub-textual references, and great chemistry between the two actresses, their relationship was never officially clearly stated to be romantic. They did, however, kiss as early as season 2.

Back in the 1990s, two characters of the same gender kissing was still a huge deal. Carol and Susan on Friends were restricted to hugging even at their wedding, while Willow and Tara’s first on-screen kiss on Buffy the Vampire Slayer was eventually worked into the deeply emotional episode “The Body,” after almost two years of subtext and more hugging.

On Xena, in the grand tradition of SFF TV (see also: Star Trek‘s “Plato’s Stepchildren”), a way was found to make the kiss more palatable to the networks. Xena was occupying the body of a man, Autolycus, at the time, so we see Xena’s spirit and Gabrielle’s come together for the kiss, played by the actresses, and then cut to Renee O’Connor’s Gabrielle kissing Bruce Campbell’s Autolycus, so the image actually broadcast is that of a man and a woman kissing. This may look like pandering and queer-baiting to modern eyes, but for the 1990s, it was a major step forward and the kiss was hugely important to LGBTQ Xena fans. Throughout the series, tricks like this were used to create a romantic story by the back door, so to speak. In another plot arc, Xena and Gabrielle’s reincarnated souls married each other.

Both characters had relationships with men throughout the series as well, but a reading of the show as led by two bisexual female characters who were in a relationship with each other was positively encouraged by numerous hints. In 1997, the same year as Xena and Gabrielle’s kiss, both Ellen DeGeneres and her namesake character on her own sitcom came out, something which sent shock waves through the entertainment industry, so this was a genuinely progressive move. And Xena told progressive stories about gender in other ways as well. Also in 1997, the episode “Here She Comes… Miss Amphipolis” featured a transvestite character winning a beauty pageant (in which Gabrielle acts as Xena’s “sponsor,” surrounded by men “sponsoring” their girlfriends).

Xena was groundbreaking in its format as well. Like contemporary show Frasier, Xena was a spin-off based on a character from another series and this produced a setup that might not have sold without its head start from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Our hero is not a pure and innocent champion of good, but a former villain trying to redeem herself for the bad things she’s done (this may sound familiar, but remember, the show pre-dates Angel!). This setup ensures that Xena never slips into standard Strong Female Character tropes. Strong she certainly is, but she is also fully three-dimensional, flawed (always trying to balance violent impulses and a desire for peace), looking for ways to use her violent skills for good and burdened by guilt. And then there’s her counterpart, Gabrielle – resisting physical violence for a long time, interested in art and literature but unable to tear herself away from Xena and the violence inherent in Xena’s lifestyle.

The show also popularized some of modern SFF television’s most beloved tropes. It was not the first show to break the fourth wall, or do a musical episode, or do a time loop episode, or any of the other tropes that show up. However, it did do a lot to popularize more experimental episodes like “A Day In The Life” or the famous first musical episode “The Bitter Suite” – which took the musical format completely seriously, a move unusual at the time – as the show used these in a manner and with a frequency that were unusual at the time (along with its parent show, Hercules).

The X-Files, for example, produced some great format-bending episodes, but usually only once or twice a season (with the exception of season six). Xena showed that a series format could be seriously flexible, including multiple episodes set in the twentieth century, hundreds of years away from the main setting of the show, as well as a wide range of other stories. Again, it was not the first or the only show to do so (Doctor Who is the most obvious example of a show with a seriously flexible format) but it made this type of television seem viable and popular.

Xena has had a huge influence on SFF film and television over the years. It takes only a brief look at a basic description of the show to see how much Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which debuted as a television series two years after Xena, in 1997, though the 1992 film pre-dates Xena) and Angel owe to Xena, and the debt was acknowledged in Buffy’s “Halloween” (“She couldn’t have dressed up like Xena?”).

It’s also worth noting that, before The Lord of The Rings showed the world how beautiful the New Zealand landscape was, the cast and crew of Xena and Hercules were ignoring the distinct lack of any similarity between the geography of New Zealand and Greece and showing the scenery off as best they could on relatively low budget television. Many of the cast and crew worked on the Lord of the Rings films as well – notable examples include cast members Karl Urban and Martin Csokas, costume designer Ngila Dickson (whose departure in 1999 presumably allowed her to focus on the films), and Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger, co-founders of Weta Workshop, who worked on a handful of early episodes.

In some ways, Xena: Warrior Princess hasn’t aged too well. The special effects can look a bit ropey (not surprising considering the show’s era and budget), the stories are often cheesy, and its episodic format has gone out of fashion. But the show is well worth a watch if you haven’t yet caught an episode. It has heart and heap-loads of humor (every episode ends with a joke disclaimer about who was or was not harmed during the making of it) and managed to balance dark and light pretty well, veering between pure comedy and deeply serious material with relative ease. The current SFF TV landscape wouldn’t be what it is without Xena and her chakram.

- Why Xena: Warrior Princess Was Groundbreaking by Juliette Harrisson

+2 wanted connections have been added.

DIEGO ROBINSON-ARMSTRONG is looking for THEIR BEST FRIEND. they’d like the faceclaim to possibly be someone along the lines of UTP 48+ (suggestions include Tracie Thoms, Michael Greyeyes, Daniel Wu, Gina Torres, Gabrielle Union, Byron Mann) but you must reach out to OFWISHFULTHINKING to find out more! (+ this connection is quite fluid. I just imagine supportive best friends. This is probably the one person who knows the extent of Diego's recent business dealings -- something that not even his husband knows. I imagine that they give him a lot of advice, and the two spend a lot of time together. They've probably known one another for years (they could've even met working at the hotel together in their 20s) and have remained close throughout the years. All in all, they're each other's person and know all of the other's deepest darkest secrets!) 

EDGAR YANG is looking for THEIR CHILDHOOD BEST FRIEND. they’d like the faceclaim to possibly be someone along the lines of UTP 35+ (suggestions include Kendrick Sampson, Andrew Koji, Alexander Dreymon, Francois Arnaud, Dichen Lachman, Kristen Kreuk, Martin Sensmeier) but you must reach out to OFWISHFULTHINKING to find out more! (+ Edgar was born and raised in France. His family is well known as they've owned multiple wineries for generations. This person could either be someone whose family was in the same social circles, or even the child of someone who worked for the family. Either way, this was someone Edgar considered one of his best friends growing up. They likely lost contact when Edgar moved away after his 18th birthday, but are no reconnecting. What brings them to Denver is completely UTP!) 

Problem [Spender Reid x Reader]

summary: the daughter of a famous chef becomes a target, and it’s spencer’s job to protect her.

content warnings: female!reader, cursing

a/n: hello!!! first spencer reid post!! so excited to share, sorry if it’s bad </3. this is obviously inspired by s1 ep18. hope u all enjoy, lmk if you have any requests!

dad was a famous chef. he was known world wide, liked by some and hated by some. that’s how it worked. she had gotten used to the spotlight. it was his, anyway. no one payed much attention to her. or so she thought. when the incident happened she had noticed a pattern. someone was watching her and she didn’t know who. why her? her dad, a hot head, wasn’t going to let this fly easily. and that was a problem.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

“davy plattel, 57. heard of him?” jennifer asked, clearly joking. “he’s an australian chef and has been on 5 different tv shows. all of which he rates food and has a tendency for being cold do this employees.” reid spat out the facts like he’s been waiting to be asked this question since he was born. the team just stared at him before jennifer spoke. “i was kidding.” spencer pressed his lips together as his cheeks flushed pink. “remind me why we’re looking into this guy?” morgan said, flicking through the files. “people going to his restaurants are getting poisoned, press says he’s snapped and is making them pay for making him look like a bad guy for all these years.” derek’s brows furrowed together. “and this is a b.a.u case because?” asked aaron. “right when the poisoning started-“ jj dropped a new file into his lap. “-his daughter (y/n) became a target.”

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

“you lot are supposed to be the best in the game. figure out who’s hurting my business and find who’s hurting my daughter!” hot head was right. platell was taken into a separate room by gideon and morgan, which left aaron and reid to scout for you. davy told them you’d be in your room. “(y/n) platell? i’m special agent aaron hotchner with the fbi. we’re here to ask you a couple of questions if that’s okay with you?” your eyes lifted from the floor and to the stern man sitting on the edge of your bed. whilst nodding you noticed the taller man in your doorway. “special agent doctor spencer reid. we’re here to help.” hotch and reid walked you to the backyard, a perfect place to interrogate you. “tell me about your relationship with your dad.” spencer spoke first. you gulped. “i love him. he’s my best friend. he’s all i have, okay? he’s overprotective, but whose dad isn’t? he’s going crazy now that the person doing this wants me.” “what about the person who’s after you? any idea who it could be? think of someone who felt invisible to you, inferior.” as hard as you thought, nothing clicked. you shook your head and hotch let out a sigh. “i’m scared.” you admitted. “nothing like this has ever happened before?” spencer asked, almost surprised. “no, everyone focused on him, never on me.” spencer looked like he put pieces together. aaron thanked you for your time and led you back inside, spencer following. you knew the feeling in your stomach. butterflies.

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things got worse at the end of the day. you got a voicemail, an unsettling voice whose gender wasn’t identifiable called, talking about how they didn’t like how much time you were spending with the fbi. not only did this enrage your dad, it caused him to take matters into his own hands and search the bushes around your house. he didn’t find anything. “did the caller say anything else?” gideon asked. you quivered. “they..” you couldn’t catch your breath. “they said they were going to come get me at midnight.” everyone in the room shared a look of panic. “we need to get her out of here.” aaron instructed. “what? no, she is staying with me.” for what felt like the hundredth time today, the agents had to calm down your dad. “we have a safe house to take you to. an agent will stay with you for the night.” jennifer told you. your mind immediately went to reid. “anyone in particular you’d like?” she said, one hand on your shoulder. you leaned into her ear, whispering the name that made you cheeks flush. “spencer.”

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

the car ride was mostly silent. spencer was playing with his fingers, something you did as well. “are you nervous?” you said finally. he stopped at once, putting his hands into his pockets. “wha? oh, no, i’m fine.” you knew he wasn’t, but you didn’t press. “um- when did you leave australia?” he asked. you giggled. “when my dad started to get recognition, so when i was maybe eight. i didn’t leave much behind, the kids at school didn’t like me. i made my first friend here. gina.” he nodded. “was she nice to you?” “always. never anything but. i get a hot head sometimes- just like my dad. on occasion i would lash out on her, but she always forgave me. i always regretted it, she was really good to me.” spencer furrowed his eyebrows. “what did she act like when you would get mad?” you gave him a look, as if to say “why is this important?”. “well, she would look sad at first. like she didn’t understand why i was mad. she made herself smaller and blamed herself for making me mad. i thought it was weird that she never tried to defend herself.” reid shuffled into his pocket and took out his phone, dialing a number and speaking quickly. “hotch, why have we not considered looking at people close to her? it’s just like the case with that government official and the twin sisters- it was someone close to him. her friend- gina you said?” you nodded quickly. “fits the profile, and is close to her.” voices spoke on the other line before reid asked another question. “what’s her full name?” “gina carmen torres.” spencer retreated the name and you could hear hotch say he’d alert garcia. “it’s not her, i know it’s not.” reid looked at you like you were wrong. you shivered.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

when you got to the house spencer advised that you showered and got ready for bed, spreaking since it was so close to midnight. he stayed outside the shower door and handed you your close when you were done. “cold?” he asked, taking notice of you shaky frame. you nodded. he handed you the sweater he was going to wear to bed tonight, not minding at all. there go the butterflies. you sat one the bed and slid under the covers. “you should get some rest, i’m gonna stay up and make sure nothing happens.” he said. you didn’t fall asleep. “is something wrong? other than the fact that you’re being stalked?” you couldn’t help but laugh. “yes, actually. i don’t wanna admit this, but..i cant fall asleep unless i’m hugging something. and i..don’t have any stuffed animals with me.” spencer raised his eyebrows. “(y/n) if you’re asking me to sleep next to you i-“ “please spence? i’m not gonna be able to sleep anyway, it’ll help at least.” you pleaded, showing off your puppy dog eyes. “okay. fine.”

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

spencer stayed up all night. sure he was required to stay awake, but he was only staying up because he didn’t want to miss out on how beautiful you looked when you were asleep. you looked so calm, so peaceful. spencer had no idea what he was feeling, but he didn’t want it to stop. he liked you, and a lot. “fuck.” he whispered to himself. the small noise made you stir, but not enough to wake you up. suddenly, a ring came from spencer’s phone. he picked it up before it could wake you. “hello?” he whispered. “reid, we got em bud. found her in the girl’s bedroom of platell’s house. is she safe?” morgan’s voice spoke. spencer looked down at you, petting your head gently. “yea, she’s safe.” “alright man. i’m guessing she’s asleep?” “correct.” “okay. just stay with her, we’ll be there soon anyway.” morgan hung up. soon? damnit, he didn’t have much time left with you. he checked the clock, reading 5am. he wanted to talk to you, but he wasn’t going to wake you up for that. what were you doing to him?

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

spencer woke you up at 7:30. “they’ll be here at 10, and i don’t really know your schedule so.. i hope that enough time to get ready.” you rubbed your eyes and examined spencer. he was wearing his sweats and found a white shirt that was a bit too tight on him. he looked cute. “yes, that’s fine. i’ll..i’ll be right back.” you left the room to brush your teeth and get changed, finding reid inspecting some books you had lying around. “i have two copies of that. one at home and one here. just in case.” you said, sitting down right next to him and peering over. “it’s a classic. you like to read?” he inquired. “love it. although i cant stick to a book unless there’s some type of romance.” spencer raised his eyebrows. “call me a dork, whatever. what’s wrong with being into a little bit of love?” you chuckled. “no, in fact i figured you’d be that way.” you rolled your eyes playfully. “profilers. well, tell me what you think of me.” spencer paused before speaking. “i think you’re smart, you know how to pick your relationships-“ “what do you mean by that?” he stopped and pursed his lips, finding what words to say. “you know what you want in friends and boyfriends.” you raised your eyebrows. he couldn’t possibly know. “are you saying you know my type?” he shrugged. “yeah probably.” “try me.” “you like smart guys. guys who are confident, but not full of themselves. you like it when they’re sweet, but demanding. though i don’t know what you find physically attractive.” he said, going back to the book. you pulled it out of his hands. “i can tell you that one. i like guys named spencer reid.” almost instantly his face flushed red and he stopped speaking. you took the liberty of leaning in, your lips ghosting his. “(y/n)-“ “kiss me spence.”

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

his lips were as soft as they looked. the way he kissed was new to you, but you adapted and matched his energy. due to this, he whimpered as he kissed you. you pulled back to look at him, his face was bright red. “i’m sorry, i shouldn’t have-“ “spencer!” he cut himself off and looked at you with those full eyes of his. “don’t apologize. i liked it. a lot.” seeing that as his green light he cupped your chin and pulled you in for another quick kiss before getting up and getting ready himself.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧

“(y/n)? (y/n)!” your dad showed up at the door a few hours later. “i was worried.” he whispered while you hugged. “i’m fine, dad. we’re fine.” when your dad let go of you and saw spencer lingering a bit too close, he connected the dots. “this boy didn’t try anything did he?” derek was listening now. you opened your mouth while turning to reid, whose eyes were wide with fear. “uh- no. he didn’t do anything but protect me, dad.” that didn’t let up his death stare on him. your dad wandered off to his car, everyone splitting up to leave home. “i’ll see you around.” spencer began to split up as well, but you caught his wrist. “check your pocket. see you.” with that you were gone. reaching into his back pocket, he felt something. a small piece of paper, you number etched on it with a small heart. you’re nothing like he’s used to. and thats a problem.

Owen (Rob Lowe), 9-1-1: Lone Star

Owen may be in the best place health-wise he’s ever been after his most recent surgery, but we also watched him struggle a bit and feel “unmoored,” as Minear put it, after he found out his ex-wife Gwyneth (Lisa Edelstein) wasn’t having his baby and she left him.

“He’s got a little bit of a depression going on. I don’t think that that is just something that you magically wave away,” Minear continued. “But I think maybe one of the best things that could happen to Owen is going up against Billy and having to fight to put his team back together. That gives him a sense of purpose. That is the kind of thing that is going to bring out the best of him.” But considering that his reaction to hearing the 126 was being shut down was to punch Billy (though it’s not like he didn’t deserve it), we are a bit worried about how Owen will react to whatever comes next.

Tommy (Gina Torres), 9-1-1: Lone Star

In one of the most shocking moments of the season, Tommy’s husband Charles (Derek Webster) died (of an aneurysm). She didn’t allow herself to grieve that day; she had to be strong for their daughters and she was still waiting for a cause of death. As Torres told TV Insider, “the death of a spouse, the death of a family member has repercussions that go on beyond a day or two or a few weeks. It’s years of adjustments.” She’s still going to be grieving when Season 3 picks up. And Minear did say that Tommy is going to have a lot to figure out going forward, including being a working, single mom and a widow and if she wants to start dating again.

T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein), 9-1-1: Lone Star

Just because T.K. seems to be in a much better place — he’s sober, his and Carlos’ (Rafael Silva) relationship is going strong (and a wedding very well might be in their future), and he’s happy working as a paramedic now — doesn’t mean we can just forget that he is an addict. “When you’re an addict, the moment you start to get very comfortable and feel like you’ve got things under control is when things can be the most dangerous,” Minear pointed out. “There’s just a lot that can go on there. [T.K.’s] sobriety is something that he’s always going to have to protect.”

some rambled 911 ls s2 thoughts that no one cares about but me:

michelle’s excuse for not being around made sense tbh, she was always more focused on charity work/finding her sister than anything else tbh

tim’s death broke me not because he was the most amazing character but because it was so sudden and sad

and i like how that led to owen having flashbacks to 9/11 

owen and gwyn could literally be tk’s parents. casting was on point there

speaking of which owen really hasn’t been as front and centre as i expected considering complaints on here. he’s very much the main character but so far at least it doesn’t feel overwhelming ... yet anyway

tommy is like best! i loved gina torres sm in suits so to see her in 911ls is so good

i forgot how gruesome the show was eeekkkkkkkkk

the bit where the girl is trying to save the dick from the pool and his like ..... skin ....... no that was disgusting

but when the other guy is asked if the girl is his gf and he says “i wish” sir ........ ur cute

tk going home ............. to carlos ....... on the stairs waiting for him ..... yes

every single scene involving that tumour cake made me hungry because istg that was red velvet and ??? that’s elite cake

it was great to see the interactions in the crossover eps but it had absolutely no build up and i was a bit like ??? they’re just ?? putting out fires akksnvjf until it got to like owen/hen stuff which was a bit yk !! high level !!

tim popping up in the crossover too ....... the help owen needs but refuses to get

tk and buck being idiots was just ... we all knew it was coming yk

the whole hahaha i thought u were asking me out confusion was just odd though considering yk .... fans and what they’d clearly draw from that

the “i love u too” in that ep as well ......... tk ... it haunts me

eddie was so cute with the crew though bless his heart he’s so pure and good

judd and grace during game night are the best couple?? ever? ever? owen don’t even try it

owen you shouldn’t be friends with benefits if you don’t even know what friends with benefits means

“i do like people to know ur mine”

carlos’ smug little head tilt when he says thank you for the drinks like yes thank u for the drinks and letting me flirt with my bf xx

if my husband’s best man was violently sick on me in my wedding dress i would simply pass away tbh

oh she cheated i don’t care anymore

“they have teeth in texas” shsjsksksj

the way tk tries not to draw attention to how hurt he is in that scene with carlos’ parents 🥺🥺

is this the actor from aladdin?? wow hey??

omg unrequited love nooooo :(

“why you so mad?”

tk: “i’m not mad” also tk: *slams bag on table*

the lack of a first onscreen i love you ... so sad for me

you’re not seeing anyone else ... tk’s face sksksk

tk and gwyn being so obsessed with themselves is funny but also like guys ... ur son ... is talking to you ... right in front of u rn

ok the resolution of the marjan sl was so ??? i get that it’s a complicated situation but that should have been resolved over a couple of episodes

“what a sorry excuse for a sub” // “permission denied” ksksnxjks grace ily sm

again carlos has never done anything wrong in his entire life !!!

the communication between tk and carlos .... unmatched

it just makes owen and gwyn look stupid lmao

she’s ............ with child 

the way owen has no clue how to read women at all, why tf would you go from we’re having fun to let’s get married ?? they’re a mess lmao

grace’s dad ............... sir ........... hdu

Kiss Me

Mark Sloan x Reader, best friends

A/N: There’s not enough Mark fluff on here and I love this man too much to not write anything. Hope you enjoyyy!

I absent mindedly watched the TV as Mark rested his head in my lap and I stroked his peppery hair. Mark and I had swiftly become best friends when he moved to Seattle and I was an attending in general surgery. Normally Callie joined us in our evenings after work but she had decided to go to Joe's instead for whatever reason. I smiled as I felt Mark chuckle underneath me at Jake Peralta doing something stupid. I looked down at him and my heart fluttered at his chiseled face. I was sitting on the couch while Mark stretched out across it but kept his head in my lap. I brushed my right hand across his forehead into his hair and ran my fingers through the soft strands. "You alright there watching me?" Mark said, tilting his head up to look at me. I rolled my eyes but smiled, "Im not watching you idiot." Mark chuckled and raised his eyebrows but returned to watching the show. I stopped running my hands through his hair, trying to focus on our favourite show but it was incredibly hard considering the sexiest, funniest and kindest man i know was lying next to me. Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Mark looked up at me, eyebrows furrowed, "You expecting anyone Y/N?" I shook my head, "No unless it's Callie." Mark instantly shook his head, "nah not her." I frowned in suspicion and Mark beamed. I patted his hair to get him to lift up so I could check who it was at the door and he obliged. I tiptoed to the door, looking through the peekhole. As soon as I saw snobby Gina from nextdoor standing there with her nose upturned and designer clothes I groaned quietly. I tiptoed back to Mark quietly, rolling my eyes. "Who is it?!" Mark whisper yelled, still lying on the sofa with his arms resting above his head, showing off his perfectly toned biceps. "Bloody Gina from next door, she's such a pain in the ass and always comes round to complain." I replied, rubbing my forehead with my hand as the doorbell continued to ring, now accompanied by knocking. Mark laughed and i quickly shushed him, making him chuckle. "I can answer the door if you want and say you're not home." He kindly offered but I shook my head, "No it won't work she'll know I'm here with you, we need to make her go away!" I whispered, looking around the room. Mark smirked cheekily, "We could pretend to have sex." My eyes widened and I thwacked his chest, whispering "Mark! Stop being so dirty!" He just grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at me. I groaned and looked to the door again where Gina was furiously knocking, yelling she knows Im in there. "I'll just answer it." Mark said, sitting up now. "Yeah and say goodbye to a relaxing evening!" I whisper yelled, frantically searching my brain for ideas. Mark was silent and when I finally looked at him he smirked that signature grin and I crossed my arms over my chest. "What?" "We can just pretend to be having sex- " Mark started but I interrupted him, "No I already said no to that idea idiot." He stood up and put a hand on each of my shoulders. "No we don't have to make noises Y/N, however much I'd like to hear you, we can just make it look like we are." Mark continued, watching smugly as my face heated up at his flirting. "What do you mean?" I asked, scolding myself for even considering the idea. "We just make me look like I'm having sex with you, ya know, mess up my hair etc." Mark grinned, his eyes scanning my face. I gave him a pointed look and he winked, making me huff in exasperation. "Fine, come here." I gave in, pulling Mark towards me. A cheeky smile played on Mark's lips as he leaned down a little to me, letting me ruffle his hair. "Okay done." I said, standing back and biting my lip. "Actually wait a second." I brought his head back down and reached my hands round to the back of his neck, pulling the hair softly. Mark sucked in a breath as I did and i smirked, shaking my head at the horny 15 year old man. "Okay now you're done." I said, trying not to look at his ruffled hair too long, wanting to run my hands through it. Mark stepped back from me, discarding his shirt to which my eyes bulged and scanned his torso, taking in the toned abs and v line and his upper body. "Enjoying yourself there Y/N?" He asked and I shook my head, stuttering, "what uh no." Mark chuckled at my flustered response and went to undo his belt and trousers. "Woah woah woah." I said, stopping him from going any further. "She doesn't need to see you naked Sloan." Mark lopsidedly smirked, making my heart beat quicker, desperately trying to focus on his face. "If you say so ma'am." He ran from one side of the room to the other, before dropping to the ground and doing 5 pushups. I watched my best friend ashamedly, admiring the flexing muscles across his back and chest. Mark jumped back up and winked at me, his face looking hotter and a little sweaty. He walked to the door and I hid in the hallway, watching him open it up to Gina. "Oh hi." She said, obviously checking him out as she scanned him head to toe. Mark grinned at her cheekly, showing off flirtily. He acted a little out of breath as he smoothly replied, "Hey." I rolled my eyes at his smug look despite my heart beating rapidly in my chest. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Gina asked, a horrible smile on her face. "Just a little." Mark replied, winking as he leant against the doorframe. The devious woman in front of him practically melted and tucked her bleached hair behind her ear. "I was just wondering if I could please talk to Y/N?" She asked sickenly sweet. I waited for Mark's response as he smirked at her. "No can do love, we're a bit preoccupied." Gina frowned and clasped her bag, "I'll come back later then." Mark shook his beautifully gorgeous face and leaned down to whisper something to her. I strained my ears to hear and flushed when I heard his reply. "I'm afraid we're gonna be busy all night." Gina at once flushed but smiled flirtily back, "Okay, I'll see you around then." Mark nodded and closed the door as she started back to her apartment. He turned back to face me and grinned, watching me scoot from the top of the cabinet by the stairs. He walked over to me and let me place my hands on his bare warm shoulders as I jumped down, securing his own hands on my waist. "Thanks Mark, you're a literal life saver." He chuckled and let go of me as I smiled up at him. "Anything for you Y/N." I blushed and quickly walked to the open kitchen. "Put your shirt back on Sloan." I said teasingly as he went back to the couch. I filled the kettle and was just turning round when I felt Mark's hands on my waist. I moved to face him and watched as he intently looked at me, a small smirk spreading across his face while I frowned. He had me pinned up by the edge of the counter and I flicked my gaze to his lips and back to his warm eyes. "m..mark?" I asked as he continued to scan my face and I could feel myself getting flustered. He started to move closer and I panicked, coughing and making him lean back. He himself flushed this time but kept his grip on my waist, "Oh I just wanted to ask for a coffee please." I nodded and watched wide eyed as Mark hesitated before leaving the kitchen. My mind raced as I got some mugs out the cupboard, was he about to kiss me? Was I about to kiss him? Did I want to kiss Mark? I was too busy staring at the kettle waiting for it to boil that I didn't notice Mark walking back into the kitchen behind me. I yelled out in surprise as an arm turned me all of a sudden before I was quietened by a pair of soft lips being pressed against mine. I widened my eyes in shock as my best friend kissed me, his hand cupping my cheek and then pulled away, blush on his face as he looked at me. I stammered in surprise and Mark widened his eyes, sensing my shock. "Oh my god I'm sorry Y/N, I just couldn't stop myself, I've wanted to kiss you for so long and I even bribed Callie to give us the evening alone. Im so sorry Ive ruined everything." Mark stepped back but I quickly stopped him, placing a hand on his arm. He never got flustered and to see him suddenly so vulnerable cleared my thoughts. "Mark." He looked up at me with hurt eyes and I snaked one hand to cup his jaw while the other went to the nape of his neck. I leaned in but stopped an inch away. "Kiss me." I breathed out, looking at his pink lips. He at once crashed his lips into mine, putting one hand on my waist and the other cupping my cheek. We kissed for what felt like forever but was only a minute until I pulled his hair at the back of his neck softly and he groaned into my mouth, making me smirk and pull away. I rested my forehead againt his chest, eyes closed before I looked up into his eyes. "So, you bribed Torres?" Mark groaned and let his head fall, a small grin on his face. "You're never gonna let me live this down are you?" He asked and I beamed, leaning in and whispering "never" before capturing his lips with mine again. 

Ok this might be a stupid question, but Carlos is a main character, right? Like Owen is the lead character, but since Rafa is apart of the main cast, that would make Carlos a main character? (Even if they aren't writing him that way...)

Not a stupid question, Anon. Technically, yes, Rafa is a series regular and part of the main cast, so Carlos is considered a main character. He is not a lead - those are Rob Lowe and, to a lesser degree, Gina Torres - but at this point I would not call him anything more than a supporting character. He has never had a story of his own, or even really a call of his own. 

Funnily enough, Gwen is a recurring character and NOT a series regular, but it would be hard to tell watching this show. 

For me to believe that the writers are interested in developing Carlos as his own character, they’re going to have to give him some screen time that is not directly connected to another main character on the show. That call tonight was, in a lot of ways, just to further Grace’s story. Carlos was merely an accessory. He always is.

(Episode 2x04 was a good start, but I need to see where they take the plot with his parents and if it will always be connected to his relationship with TK before I judge whether it’s a true Carlos plot or not.)

One day Rafael will be on a show that values his talent and dedication, and I will cry buckets while screaming “look how far he’s come” - oh what a glorious day that will be!