sarcasticsciencefictionwriter asked:
For the ship ask: Helen/John/James and Helen/Nikola.
Thanks for the ask!
Helen/John/James
Let’s plumb the depths of my shoddy memory. I’m relatively certain I had got the DVD before the season 1 finale but it’s possible I hadn’t. Either way I started watching on YouTube which was rough. I wasn’t sure I would like the show and wanted to try it out.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure I decided I liked it by the time I got to the episode “the Five” which was obviously Nikola’s debut but that first impression wasn’t the best. It was John that utterly intrigued me. Him talking with Ashley, the recollections of Oxford, the whole wrestling with darkness thing. “Shall we talk here or here” as he teleported various places like a volcano. How he put a fist through Nikola’s chest and then teleported away. I can’t remember if it was with a bow of if my memory has added that. Either way he had my attention!
The whole quasi-immortal “for all eternity” thing. John and Helen for 95% of the time, it’s a bit like “I wish I could quit you” but they are just never quite done with each other. It’s so painful.
And then came along Revelations – in which my obsession was sealed. The chemistry/energy between John and James could be cut with a knife (ha! no pun intended). Every interaction they had was just loaded with meaning. The way John gripped James’ jacket when they were in the ruins. The way he almost tenderly let James take his shoulder to help him walk. The way they had real damn hearteyes when peering at each other over drinks in Helen’s office.
Now my brain for all of 30 seconds wasn’t sure what to do with this. How could there be Helen + John, and John + James? Then lightbulb and I was like Helen + John + James. The friendship between Helen and James was clear, there was obviously a great deal of fondness. I think it wasn’t until I started thinking about them more/writing fanfic that I really ‘got them’. Which makes sense sadly because James did NOT get enough screen time. Friends to lovers is my absolute favourite so truly an awesome ship 🙁 But yeah truly an OT3 of equals. Each side as compelling as the others.
This OT3 has so much going for it. As I said earlier the whole “quasi immortality” thing – it’s not just a love that lasts a lifetime, but multiple lifetimes. How does that work as the world changes, and they change with it? Add on that James didn’t always (I headcanon eventually did) have that ‘quasi immortality’ and so he had his suit but felt the years more than the others. There’s the whole era into which they were born, with Helen being ahead of her time/independent, and homosexuality being illegal. Then of course there is the whole Ripper thing. I left that until last because I think the OT3 is compelling without it, but that as well just adds another layer and I am obsessed.
I’ve sort of come back a little from the real depths of my obsession. Most of this is because I’m not writing fanfic anymore. If I was still immersing myself in this OT3 I’d be as rabid as ever. They truly do have a hold on my heart. I have so many drawings I would love to do for them one day. I just have a spoons issue in getting stuff done :/
So yes I 110% ship them.
Helen/Nikola
As I said above Nikola’s introduction wasn’t the best. Also like with James I guess once I started writing and thinking about him more, I grew to understand him better. He has a hell of an ego but he isn’t half as self-serving as he pretends. He’s actually very ride or die for his friends. He’ll never say the words, but his ‘love language’ if you like is acts of service. He’ll grumble, and complain, and be insulting and snarky, but there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his friends. This is sort of at odds with the whole “guess I’ll have to kill you then” thing with Helen in Rome but I do think he wasn’t all that serious about it. He’d had 60 years without his friends to stop him from going too far. I think Nikola likes to push it, likes to see how much he can get away with before his friends call him on his bullshit.
Nikola flirts outrageously because I think that’s another way to show he cares. Another repeated line in my fics is that it’s a way to show Helen respect, because she bristled so much in the 19th century when they met about how she wasn’t some delicate fragile flower. Treating Helen normally, and not like spun glass, is just another way to show friendship.
Anyway! I think in most of my fics I included some kind of line about how if James and John weren’t around, then maybe eventually Helen would choose Nikola. They have one of those relationships where they are family. They definitely have a bond. I don’t ship them, I do prefer them as friends but I don’t feel defensive or like my OT3 is threatened by the possibility of Helen and Nikola.
Regardless Helen and Nikola will always be a part of each others lives. They are important to one another. I just don’t ship them romantically.