#is it valid to enjoy a pairing between two characters that have never and will never interact in canon?

[lunabug2004]

I watched Only Friends... and It Was Definitely An Experience! **SPOILERS**

I knew going into it that SandRay was the most popular Only Friends couple, at least that's what it seems like based on how many posts/edits there are about them over all of the internet, but it's so rightfully deserved!!!

I couldn't care less about TopMew, they were just pretty boring to me and I did not like Top at all. Mew was alright, though I will say I loved his petty revenge arc. BostonNick I thought was doomed from the start so I kinda made myself not get too into them? Nick is a sweetheart while also being a conniving little spy so I thought he was pretty fun and liked him a lot but, like Top, I hated Boston (basic of me, I know). But SandRay??? Loved every second! I think Ray is such an interesting character with so many layers and it's so fun to explore his life, and I absolutely fell in love with Sand. I love everything about him and he deserves nothing but to be able to attend all the music festivals in the world. Also quick shout out to Sand & Nick's friendship, it's so refreshing in this messy tree of relationships lol.

It's crazy to me that some people didn't enjoy SandRay as much, but some complaints I've seen are pretty valid tbh. I've seen people complain that the only reason people loved them so much more than the other couples is because they had the most screentime, and that's fair, but they also had the most to cover with their stories: both individually and together. I know this is fully on the writers, I've also seen people complain about SandRay being way more developed than the other characters. These complaints are extremely valid I feel, and I honestly believe they would've been better off doing either a show made up of three short series focusing on one pairing at a time or a show focusing on SandRay as the main couple (they have enough to their stories/story that alone it could take up a whole 12 episodes easily) with BostonNick and TopMew as sides with the possibility of getting their own series after (kinda like UWMA with BU even tho I know it's a different company). Either way, we got what we got with SandRay, and I, for one, enjoyed it thoroughly! I personally don't really understand what's not to like about their relationship, I thought it was at least mostly realistic and they suit each other so well it's insane.

Back to my complaints, I really hated the pool scene with Sand, Ray, and Boeing. Like, really hated it. Also the fact that Ray tried to say Sand was still in love with Boeing after the huge difference b/t the two kisses... was insane. I also disliked the scene with Ray and the therapist because no matter how sweet and also heartbreaking it is the second-hand embarrassment is the actual worst.

Now onto what I enjoyed: obv SandRay and Sand & Nick's friendship since I already mentioned those. I also enjoyed the way all the characters were connected in different ways, it was so much fun to untangle all the relationships! I like the way the show tackled alcoholism and made it realistic, as well as the way it tackled betrayal within the friend group (looking at you, 'Ton) in a realistic way.

Now, I have to mention the acting and chemistry between the couples. ForceBook was meh to me. This is the first thing I've seen them in it and they didn't really blow me away with their chemistry but I did enjoy their acting! I do think this is because I didn't really like the couple, so I'm not really holding it against them and I do plan to watch A Boss and A Babe at some point. NeoMark was very good! Both the chemistry and the acting. Neo has never been my favorite actor, (sorry if this is controversial) I like him fine but he never really blew me out of the water, he's just always done good, but this series he was insane! He played Boston so well he made most people hate him and that's always impressive when it's done by such a well-liked actor. I knew Mark was gonna kill it and he did. I love Mark. The chemistry b/t these two was surprising but enjoyable (speaking purely on what I saw as someone who skips through most saucy scenes). Now... FirstKhao. I expected everything from them and I got everything. I 1000% know that they are joining OffGun and GemFourth as one of my favorite pairings ever (who am I kidding they did that after I watched The Eclipse). Just the pure talent these two have is unreal and the chemistry is off the charts. The fight scenes broke me and the bonding scenes made me feel butterflies, just everything about them is perfection. Also wanna make a special comment on First b/c he has climbed my ranks as one of my favorite actors ever extremely quickly but I mostly see people talk about Khao, (which is so valid; man is insane as well, I just prefer First for whatever reason), but the way First plays all of his characters is so hypnotizing to me. Like the emotions he portrays and the way he completely transforms into his characters with his body language just impresses me so much. I'm def rambling now so it's time to wrap this up!

Anyways, putting aside others' complaints over the best couple SandRay, as well as my own complaints and compliments, I think overall it's a really good show and the drama is fun! So so messy but since it's all fiction it's fun to get sucked into! I'd tell anyone to give it a try at least!

Also wanna end this by saying if you disagree with me on any of this that's totally okay! All opinions are valid! Plus, I went into this with extreme actor bias towards FirstKhao (esp First), so that definitely tied towards my instant love for SandRay.

#another semi-review that no one asked for #wooo #(it's pm just me raving about SandRay and First) #only friends the series #only friends series #only friends #only friends sand #only friends ray #sandray #raysand #sand x ray #only friends boston #bostonnick #topmew #? ig i'll tag them #i dont wanna tag topmew cuz i kinda just dissed them lol #firstkhao #firstkhaotung #khaofirst #khaotungfirst #first x khao #first kanaphan #khaotung thanawat #neo trai #mark pakin #neomark #force jiratchapong #book kasidet #forcebook #gmmtv

[mauesartetc]

Is it me, or is Vivziepop bad at writing romantic relationships? It feels like she wants to write "problematic", drama-filled romance where the characters start out toxic, there are misunderstandings, betrayals etc cuz the show is supposed to be about "problematic gays", and that's perfectly valid, but she can't write chemistry. So far, it feels like Blitzo clings to Stolas because he's afraid he will end up alone and unloved, but doesn't actually care for him as a person. He often looks uncomfortable with Stolas' flirting even if he reciprocates sometimes.

I've seen couples in children's media with much better written-relationships and chemistry, like Roxanne and Megamind. It's clear they enjoy each other's company, they have mutual banter and flirting and he respects her intelligence.

I know Stolitz is supposed to be "toxic" pre-character development but at this point it still sucks that so far, it's impossible to tell what the characters like about each other other than the sex.

(I've been told that Stolas enjoys how Blitzo made him laugh when they met during the circus but that's not been developed enough as a concept to count).

Yeah here's a thought: When has he made Stolas laugh during adulthood?! Where was that moment? What do they even have in common other than liking dudes?

Oh shit. I think I get why fans of this show accuse critics of being homophobic. It's because this relationship has literally no substance other than "they're gay". (Or Stolas might be, anyway. Their specific orientations are never clarified in the show that I can recall.) Oh, you don't like this mlm relationship? You must hate ALL mlm relationships. Funny how the fans are the ones fixated on that aspect while no one I've seen criticize the show has ever cited the homoerotica as evidence that this relationship sucks. No, it sucks because there's absolutely no depth to it. There's nothing to make us root for it to work.

Sure, the characters have their own personalities as individuals, and there's potential for chemistry in how those personalities and backgrounds oppose each other, but the show never explores it. What would happen if Stolas tried to fit into Blitzo's poverty-stricken school of hard knocks, or if Blitzo tried to fit in with high society? What if they just had a conversation about what life has been like for each of them? Where are the bonding moments that show us this is more than just a transactional arrangement (or at least that it could be)? What made Stolas suddenly fall in love with Blitzo offscreen between Episodes 6 and 7, after treating him like an object the entire season? Why the fuck does he care if Blitzo comes to see him in the hospital or not? Why should we care as viewers?

Funny enough, this neat video by LocalScriptMan just came out (check out this channel, seriously), and it talks about going deeper into writing relationships than just smashing two characters with differing personalities together. Again, differing personalities can create potential for chemistry (as each character learns new perspectives from the other), but a pairing of opposites isn't chemistry in and of itself.

If Helluva Boss's writers gave us a good mlm relationship with actual substance, more power to 'em! Maybe we'll get one with Asmodeus and Fizzarolli, but... ehh. It's doubtful at this point.

#helluva boss #helluva critical #writing #anti stolitz #romantic chemistry #relationships #shipping #ask #chinesegal

[snitchcrimsonwrites]

Maybe pt. 8

Pairing: Norm MacLean X Female Reader or OC if you squint

Former friends to a relationship?

Life is pretty easy in Vault 33 until you're trying to rekindle a former friendship and Raiders attack. Now, our main characters are trying to navigate newfound feelings, all while undercovering the mysteries of Vault 33. Stay tuned. Follows the main storyline of season 1; some events may be reordered for plot.

Following the council meeting and Norm's reassignment, the two of you are enjoying a quiet evening together when a single question threatens to dredge up a whirlwind of emotions.

Part 1 Here. Part 6 Here Part 12 Here

Part 2 Here Part 7 Here

Part 3 Here Part 9 Here

Part 4 Here Part 10 Here

Part 5 Here Part 11 Here

Norm was convinced you thought he was a lunatic. 

 One minute, the two of you were relaxing on the sofa. Norm‘s head resting against your lap while you read. The occasional brush of your fingers through his hair threatens to lull him to sleep. The next, he found himself unable to stop ranting and raving, all because of a simple question. How did everything go today? The book you were reading was long since discarded to the side as you gave him your full attention. He went on detailing the events of his day, from his “reassignment” at the council meeting to his first interaction with the raiders locked in the vault reading room. You didn’t interrupt, though he wasn’t sure he could have stopped even if you had. His frustrations with the council and whatever happened in the Vaults were not subtle. Norm always appreciated the candor you two shared when it came to communication. Still, he couldn’t help feeling some unease divulging all of these feelings, unsure of how you’d respond. 

“I’m sorry,” he apologized, putting his hand on his forehead and moving to sit upright. “Seeing how we treated them today, with food and kindness, just sent me over the edge.” Nothing about this situation with the Raiders felt right to him. Four square meals a day and a soft bed weren’t exactly punishment; how was no one else seeing it? 

“Cause it feels like the opposite of justice…” you validated after listening to everything he had to say about his punishment from the council and the situation he experienced with the Raiders. 

“Yes,” his tone laced with utmost seriousness. “We watched people commit some of the most heinous acts we could imagine, and now we’re expected to be the bigger person and move on?” 

You felt the weight of the shared resentment settles between you, the reality of the situation pressing heavily on your shoulders. Memories of recent events resurfaced with a vengeance, emotions that had been buried away over the last few days trying to escape. You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself, but the feelings of pain and anger were already seeping out uncontrolled. 

“For god’s sake, I had to kill a man with a pipe wrench the other day, and the council just wants to…” you stopped short, your words hanging before you like a poison in the air. You had avoided saying it out loud since that night, hopeful it would help you forget having to come to terms with the actions you took. 

Norm’s eyes widened with surprise. You had implied what had happened after the two of you were separated down Vault 32’s corridor, but he never pressed you for details you weren’t ready to share. He figured you were still processing your actions from the night of the raid but taking another life to save your own- a decision forced on you because of someone else's actions. He knew this was your nightmare scenario. Of course, you both had been reeling this entire time; how had he not noticed until now? He copied your gesture from the days before, offering his hand and intertwining it with yours with a squeeze. You took another deep breath, your eyes locking with Norm’s, raw with shared pain and anger. 

“You shouldn’t have been there alone, and I’ll always hate that part of myself for that.” 

“Don’t, you know full well how rushing into that situation would have gone. We’re here now.” You leaned in, pressing your forehead against Norm’s, a gesture of solidarity and unspoken promise. “We’ll get through this, Norm. One step at a time, together.”

The two of you continued this way throughout the evening, seamlessly shifting between playful banter and serious discussions. There were moments of shared laughter and tears, with deep emotions surfacing. As the hours passed, you both gradually moved from the couch to sprawling across the living room floor. Norm ended up lying on his back, staring at the ceiling, while you found a comfortable spot on your stomach.

“Your turn,” Norm says, encouraging another round of the question game you’ve been playing.

“Hmmm, if you could go back to before and experience one thing, what would it be?”

“Come on,” Norm groans, “there’s no point in...”

“Oh, please. At least try to be a little fun,” you tease.

He laughs and puts his hands up in surrender. “Fine, fine.” He couldn’t help but give in to you. Norm ponders for a minute. “Maybe getting to experience an arcade or comic shop in their heyday, the way they’re portrayed in movies at least. Atomic Command on the Pip-Boy is only so entertaining; something new would be fun. Plus a day to do something I enjoy, with no obligations, maybe meet people who like the same things as me. What about you?”

“The national parks,” you answer immediately, without needing to think. “All of them, any one of them, wouldn’t matter. Even just sitting there to experience them with all my senses, that would be my day,” you say, conjuring up images from the picture books you read as a kid.” It’s heartbreaking seeing how we just squandered... never mind, we don’t need to end tonight on a sour note.”

Norm nods, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Yeah, well, at least we’ve got these moments now. I guess that counts for something.”

You smile, feeling a sense of connection. “Yeah, it really does.”  You stretch and move to stand while announcing, “It’s getting late; I should probably head out.”

“I’ll walk you you back.” 

“Such a gentleman,” you gush, heading out the door. Norm laughs. “I think that’s a sentiment only you and my mom would share.” 

“Well, your mom and I have excellent taste,” you reply with a wink. “Aside from your wit and charm, you’re incredibly thoughtful and caring, Norm. One of the many reasons I enjoy spending time with you.”

He grins a hint of bashfulness in his eyes. “Thanks. You know, you’re pretty amazing yourself. You have this way of making even the simplest moments feel special.”

You feel a warmth spread through you at his words. “That means a lot, Norm.” 

As you both reach the door of your living quarters, you turn to face Norm, a smile resting on your lips.

“Well, here we are,” you say softly.

“Yeah,” Norm replies, a hint of nervousness in his voice. He hesitates for a moment, then takes a deep breath. “Can I... can I kiss you?”

Your heart flutters at his question. “I’d like that,” you whisper, your voice barely audible.

Norm steps closer, his eyes searching yours for any sign of hesitation. Seeing none, he gently cups your face with his hands and leans in. The world seems to slow down as his lips meet yours in a tender, lingering kiss. It's soft and sweet, filled with the promise of more shared moments.

As you pull back, you both smile, your foreheads resting against each other for the second time this evening. “That was nice,” you say, your voice filled with warmth.

“Yeah, it was,” Norm agrees, his eyes shining with happiness. “Goodnight, (Y/N).”

“Goodnight, Norm,” you reply, feeling a contented glow as you watch him walk away. 

—------------------------

Norm is lost in thought, walking home with a faint smile on his face. He rounds the corner of the hallway leading back to his living quarters and nearly collides with Betty Pearson.

“Whoa, Norm! Didn’t see you there,” Betty exclaims, steadying herself.

“Sorry, Betty,” Norm replies, snapping back to reality. “I didn’t see you either.”

She raises an eyebrow and glances at her Pip-Boy. “It’s pretty late to be out for a walk, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, I was just, uh, walking a friend home,” Norm says, trying to sound casual as a faint blush creeps up his cheeks.

Betty’s eyes narrow slightly, a knowing look crossing her face. “I’ve noticed you and (Y/N)  have been spending quite a bit of time together lately.”

Norm shifts uncomfortably, not wanting to reveal too much. “Yeah, we’ve been hanging out. She’s good company.”

Betty smiles, but there’s a hint of something more in her expression. “That’s nice to hear. It’s important to find good company these days. Just remember, people are always watching. It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re with someone special.”

“Thanks, Betty. I’ll keep that in mind,” Norm replies, feeling a bit uneasy as he continues down the hallway, Betty’s words lingering in his mind.

#norm maclean #norm maclean x oc #norm maclean x reader #fallout tv series #fallout series

[an-unknown-writers-world]

Birdstrike

Summary: Hangman comes home to his on-again-off-again partner after Coyote’s G-Lock and Phoenix and Bob’s bird strike induced punch out.

Warnings: Angsty AF(sorry), with a fluffy cheeeeeesy ending - singular use of y/n

Pairing:  Jake Seresin x Reader

Characters: Mentions of Coyote, Phoenix, Bob, Rooster, and Maverick

Word Count: 1372

A/N: This is angsty with the cheesiest ending – sorry not sorry

“Jake,” You called out, hearing the door close, “Babe, is that you?”

“Yeah, doll. It’s me.” You could hear the defeat and exhaustion in his voice.

“I’m in the kitchen.”

He didn’t speak again, but you could tell by the heavy footsteps that he was headed toward you.

You weren’t expecting to see him tonight. Since his first round at Top Gun, you had been in an on-again-off-again relationship with Jake Seresin. The moment he stepped into The Hard Deck all those years ago, you knew it was all over for you. You fell in love with him. You weren’t delusional; he was a naval aviator- he wouldn’t be around long, but that wasn’t going to stop you from falling in love with him.

Jake would still visit a few times a year when he was on leave; he’d even asked you to come to his family’s ranch in Texas a few times. But you weren’t in any kind of serious relationship.

Strong hands wrapped around your waist as you stood in front of the kitchen sink. He kissed the top of your head before leaning to rest his chin on your shoulder.

“Everything okay?” You asked, turning the kitchen sink off.

Jake was never this needy when he first came home. Well, not unless something horrible happened. Considering his job, it was always a possibility. But you also knew that there were many times that he couldn’t tell you what was going on.

“Just a long day,” He murmured. “And all I wanted when it was over was to see you.”

“Want me to order dinner, and you can tell me about it?” You turned in his arms to face him.

He nodded, “I think I’d like that.”

“Your usual?”

“Please.” He kissed your forehead. “I’m gonna go shower while we wait.”

You stretched up on your tiptoes and kissed him. His rough, calloused hands found their way under the hem of your shirt as he pulled you impossibly closer and deepened the kiss. That man could kiss you breathless in two seconds flat, and he enjoyed every moment of it. You broke the kiss only when the need for air became too much to ignore.

“Go shower,” You smirked. “If you don’t go now, dinner is never getting ordered.”

He laughed, kissing you chastely. “Yes, ma’am.”

########

You had agreed not to talk about the heaviness of the day until after you were both done eating and could devote all your attention to him. His phone had gone off a handful of times, all Dagger Squad members seeming to check in? It was hard to tell, but you started reading between the lines when Bradley texted you to ensure that Jake was with you and not home alone.

“Babe, I hate to ask this. But does your bad day have anything to do with the reason Bradley just texted me to make sure you weren’t alone?”

“Yes,” He let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know if I should be worried or impressed that he has your number.”

“All of Dagger Squad does.” You chuckled. “How do you think I keep track of you when you’re not here?”

“Valid point.” He turned and laid his back across the couch, his head on your lap.

“Talk to me, babe,” You ran your fingers through his hair, his eyes closed at the contact.

“I almost lost Coyote today.” He spoke softly. “He was in G-lock.”

Your heart sank. Javy was Jake’s best friend and wingman. They were practically inseparable from when they first arrived on North Island as Top Gun cadets.

When he opened his eyes, he had a thousand-yard stare, “Then Phoenix and Bob had to punch out because of birdstrike.” He continued.

“Oh, babe,” you cooed.

“This was all within minutes of each other.” He continued. “I had to sit in the Ready Room and listen to Maverick call it out over the radio. Over and over, he called out Coyote’s name just to try and pull Javy out of it.” He let out a deep breath, “He almost wasn’t in time.”

“But he was,” you reminded him.

“But what if he hadn’t been?” He questioned. “What if Phoenix or Bob weren’t able to eject in time? It’s happened before. That’s how Rooster’s dad died.”

You had heard the story of how Rooster’s dad died, as well as a few other pilots in the Top Gun program. It was heartbreaking, and every day that everyone came home was a day you were extra thankful for.

“Jake,” You spoke softly, cradling the side of his face. He turned into it and kissed the palm of your hand. “You can’t let yourself live in that thought process. Accidents happen, and you can’t keep reliving those moments. But you can keep the people you care about the most close to you and remind them every day how much you care.”

He was quiet for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. You weren’t oblivious to the fact that most people never experienced this side of him- the kind, caring, actual human side. A part of you always hoped he would share it with the rest of the world, but that wasn’t likely to happen.

“I guess I don’t do a good job at that,” He spoke so softly you weren’t sure you were supposed to hear.

“Vulnerability is courageous in its own way,” You encouraged, moving your hand to rest on his chest.

He chuckled softly. “And dangerous.”

“At times,” you nodded, smiling at him.

He reached out and grabbed your hand in his. He intertwined your fingers and pressed a kiss to your knuckles. “You know that I love you, right?”

You were shocked by the concern evident in his expression, as if you may actually doubt his feelings for you.

“Jacob Seresin, I question many things in the world; but the fact that you love me is certainly not one of them.” The smile that stretched across his face could have lit up the night sky.

“After this mission, I have no idea where they’ll send me next.”

“It won’t matter. You always find your way back here.” You squeezed his hand softly.

“What if we didn’t have to worry about it?”

You looked at him with a scrunched forehead. There was no way this man was considering leaving the Navy, so what on earth could he mean.

“What if you and I never had to worry about where I was stationed. You could come with me.”

“Jake, the only way that would happen is if we were married.” You pointed out the obvious.

“I know,” He looked down at your intertwined hands. The man, confident in everything he does, finally came across a situation that made him nervous.

“Oh,” You let out a heavy breath, completely caught off guard by the direction of the conversation.

“I always knew that this was what I wanted, to marry you.” He spoke again, “I honestly thought I’d ask in a different way. Probably at the beach or back at home on the ranch. But I’ve wanted to ask you for a while now.”

You already knew the answer to his unasked question. It was always going to be yes. “You haven’t asked me a question, Jake.”

He laughed and rolled off the couch before kneeling in front of you. You had to bite your lip to keep from laughing.

“Will you (y/f/n) (y/l/n) marry me?” The tone in his voice and the smile on his face were more confident than a moment ago. He knew the answer. You would haven’t have pushed him to ask the question if you were going to say no.

A giggle escaped your lips as you nodded your head, cheeks hurting from smiling so wide. You leaned forward, wrapping your arms around his neck, and kissed him.

He pulled back, still smiling down at you. “You haven’t answered my question.”

You rolled your eyes, still smiling, as he turned your statement around on you.

“Yes, a million times, yes.”

He smiled, thrilled with your answer and satisfied he could turn your sarcastic response back on you. He closed the distance between the two of you and kissed you breathlessly.

A/N: If you’ve made it this far - thank you so so so much for reading! My Masterlist can be found here. All work is also available on AO3      

#Jake Seresin x Reader #Jake Hangman Seresin x Reader #Hangman x Reader #Jake Seresin Reader Insert #Jake Hangman Reader Insert #Hangman Reader Insert #jake seresin imagine #Jake Hangman Seresin Imagine #Hangman Imagine #Jake Seresin Fan Fic #Hangman Fan Fic #Jake Seresin Fanfiction #Hangman Fanfiction #Top Gun x Reader #Top Gun Maverick x Reader #top gun imagine #Top gun maverick imagine #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfiction #top gun reader insert #top gun maverick reader insert #jake seresin drabble #hangman drabble #top gun drabble #top gun maverick drabble #dagger squad #natasha phoenix trace #javy coyote machado #robert bob floyd #Bradley Rooster Bradshaw

[blindmagdalena]

What do you think Homelander’s attraction to Becca was? It’s not like at the Christmas party she was the only woman there, and by that point he had no idea who Butcher was. The actress that plays her is attractive, but the later scenes (season two and even just their initial introduction) between them suggest there’s something more to his attraction.

It’s obvious in the season two scenes that Homelander and Becca have, he has some lingering attraction. I think that’s primarily led by the fact that they have a son together and Homelander desperately wants a family, and also that Homelander is looking for a new woman to attach himself onto since Madelyn died. Perhaps he just wants what he can’t have especially knowing that she’s still in love with Butcher and he wants someone to love him that unconditionally. The main reason I thought of this is because in my opinion, Homelander isn’t the type of character to do something without a reason. Usually he has one even if it’s not a good reason.

ah yes, potentially one of the most contentious/controversial plot points in the fandom. canon gives us VERY little to go on here, so excuse me while I just ramble my take on the whole situation. i extrapolate a good amount. everyone you ask is going to have a different answer, and each one is as valid as any other. this is simply mine!

Homelander's greatest sin isn't wrath or pride. It's envy. He is a bottomless well of yearning for what he doesn't have, and he is viciously covetous. We see this play out most plainly in his one sided beef with a literal baby.

When he meets Becca, she's beautiful, quick witted, strong willed and independent. A career woman. Not only that, she's helping manage his career by handing his social media, which is part of his public perception. Very important to him! He already has a ton of wires crossed when it comes to the women in his life acting as both coworkers/Vought employees and emotional surrogates, i.e. Maeve, Madelyn and Vogelbaum. Plus who knows how many nanny mommies.

At this point, we don't know how long he's been with Maeve, but we have at least another 6 years before the pair breaks up. He's enjoying Maeve, but he wants more. He always wants more. Maybe he wants a wife, and she's refusing him that.

But Becca is a wife. He sees that ring on her finger and it boils his blood that he doesn't have that classic, romantic symbol of commitment. Of love. Worse yet when he meets her husband! The figurative boogeyman. The baby stealing his mommy and her milk. We're not there in the story yet, but we do see a trend here. It likely didn't start here: imagine what it was like for him to find out Vogelbaum had kids. Kids he loved. I bet that gutted Homelander. It should have been him.

Homelander, in his mind, can never win. Can never have enough. Anyone else having means they are directly taking away what should be his. It could be that it was never really about Becca specifically so much as the archetype she represented.

That carries us into season 2 where Becca takes on an additional archetype that Homelander is now lacking: mother. I think you're right on the money that a good amount of his attraction comes from the fact she's the mother of his son.

He falls pretty deep down the fantasy family rabbit hole with Becca, though. He not only inserts himself into their lives and routine, he takes a renewed interest in Becca. He snoops through her things, smells her clothes, and engages with her well beyond just interacting with Ryan. Then comes the scene where he finds her hidden stash of Billy merch, and the fantasy is shattered. She's still in love with another man. She's a wife, but she's not his wife. She's the mother to his son, but she's not someone who will fulfill those emotional needs for him. I've made this comparison before, but it's very reminiscent to the breakdown he has when he sees his baby blanket in his fake childhood home. He moves on VERY easily to Stormfront when she not only presents herself as a mother to her own child, but a potential mother for his child.

I'm backtracking a little here, but when Maeve called Homelander over from Billy and Becca at the party, I always got the vibe she was doing so quite purposefully. I wonder how much of their early relationship was Maeve feeling like she was performing damage control. Managing him, curbing his destructive behaviors. Did she see that covetous edge in his eye when he would look at Becca, at her ring? Did she try to tell him to leave her alone, play it like a joke?

We have the deleted scene where Maeve says the reason they broke up was because he couldn't keep it in his tights, but we don't really have any other explicit instances or even mentions of Homelander liberally sleeping around. Did she know about Becca, or at the very least did she make an educated guess when the woman disappeared? Maybe she felt like he did it to spite her. Did she know about Madelyn?

Ultimately we know Maeve becomes complicit in his crimes. She feels her hands are dirty with the same blood. She becomes jaded, she's no longer the hero. She's just an accessory. I definitely don't think it started that way, though.

anyways, I hope this somewhat answered your question! I have a tendency to jump around a lot and word vomit, but this generally covers my take on why that all went down the way it did.

Honestly, I would love to write a fic someday that digs more into my thoughts here. Becca deserves so much more than what she got from the narrative.

#the boys meta #homelander meta #becca butcher #homelander #queen maeve #darling anon #ask and you shall receive #god i rambled sooo much here i'm sorry lol

[authurials]

𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 ... 1/2

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒 . you had worked too hard to lose aemond to the pathetic whispers of a pious court

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒 . two​

𝐑𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 . @holy-minseok​

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒 . 18+ situations, referenced sexual situations, referenced violence/mild gore, language

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 . took me awhile to get this out because i’ve been struggling with a chest infection but i’ve finally recovered enough to get back to writing; this isn’t the best thing i’ve written in my opinion, but i think it’s a good start to getting back into the swing of things--remember to like, comment and reblog if you enjoy reading! do not repost/claim as your own please

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒 burned in your ears as you made your way down the halls of court, head held high and hands folded together primly in front of you. Although ladened with the regalia of the Seven, you did not allow the stone walls that surrounded you to intimidate you into submission. You were the eldest daughter of a king, who though a monarch of a smaller and lesser known kingdom than Westeros raised you to be cunning and prideful–to never accept less than what you deserved; and you deserved better than what the cunts of King’s Landing and possibly beyond were saying about you. You were a princess, wife to the king of Westeros’ second eldest son, and you would not bend or break to the ugly rumors being levied against you.

Even if there was truth to their whispers, you thought, smiling tugging tightly at your lips; flanked on either side by knights of the Kingsguard, you obediently allowed yourself to be escorted to the small council who no doubt wanted to discuss the validity of the  ‘concerning’ words being spoken about your name. Even before your carefully crafted facade had begun to slip in the eyes of those at court you had begun to put into place your defense, plotting it carefully so that you might have a better chance at salvaging all your hard work. And hard work it had been, you thought irritably as you recalled the first time you had made the acquaintance of Aemond Targaryen.

Right from the start you had intended him for your husband, having found him to be a suitable and advantageous match that would bring future notoriety to your house and grow your father’s influence. When your father was invited to attend King Viserys in court in hopes of creating a bond between the two kingdoms, you knew that this was your chance to put your plan into action. From your first meeting though, when the second born prince had gazed at you with barely a hint of interest in his one pearlescent blue eye, you knew you had your work cut out for you. He proved to be a pious boy you observed within your first few days in the capital; watching as he attended services in the sept with his mother, and how he dutifully carried out grace before each feast could commence between the two families.

Your attempts at seduction would not work, that much you knew for sure; if anything, any sign of loose morals would only have served to draw the prince’s ire and disgust. He had not wanted a whore for a companion, but someone who concerningly resembled his mother in her piety and devotion–so that is what you gave him. Luckily, pretending to be chaste was not an unknown concept for you; high morality was a character trait you had pulled upon quite frequently in the past, using it to titillate many of the men and even women you had welcomed into your bed over the years. There was something alluring about the debauchery of innocence, and to be the one to take it you had found was a prize not many were willing to pass up–except for Aemond, you came to find out.

You had been tending to the homeless and downtrodden of Flea Bottom when the pair of you engaged in your first conversation, one that was not forced by the close proximity of your families’ shared suppers or the everyday required pleasantries. Though the lesser work of caring for those who could not care for themselves in part disgusted you, you did not let it show that day as Aemond forwent his responsibility of finding his drunkard brother in exchange for escorting you through the lower rungs of King’s Landing. It would become the first of many ‘coincidental’ encounters with the prince in which you were able to show off how unconcerned you were with the finer things of royal life, and instead wished to dedicate your time to those less fortunate; not only that, but how interested you were in familiarizing yourself with the Faith of the Seven, as your own kingdom had no such dedicated religion. And the prince was all too happy to be your tutor, though he always made it a point of the pair of you having a chaperone–lest your virtue be called into question.

The questioning had not begun until recently, many moons after the consummation of yours and Aemond’s marriage; it had been the prince’s first time, that you were certain of. You recalled the way he had clung to you as he reached his completion, hips stuttering into yours as he panted and eventually held himself there inside of you–allowing his seed to take. Though you had found your own pleasure in the act it paled in comparison to some of your other lovers, one of which had taken up within the Keep as part of your family’s holding of servants. Ultimately, this servant–a man you had bedded many times over the years–would be your downfall. He had been the one to let your affairs slip from drunken lips, cockily expressing how he had managed to bed the prince’s wife, whose lips were not only made for the hymns of the Seven but also to service a cock. You had managed to take his tongue before your incarceration into your bed chambers, ordered by the Queen Mother while she sorted everything out.

And what a shame it was, you recalled spitefully, it was a very good tongue after all.

You stopped outside the double doors to the council room, the guard posted outside entering beforehand to ensure the council was ready to receive you. Taking a deep breath, you square your shoulders, determined to hold your head high and meet their eyes–you would give them no reason to doubt your words. From within you could hear the guard announcing your presence, and the proceeding muffled voice of who you gauged to be your good mother, Queen Alicent. The guard returned, this time holding the door open as the knight on your left side gently prodded you to move forward. Resisting the urge to spew venom at him for treating you in such a manner unbefitting your station, you stepped forward into the room to face the people that were your judge and jury.

As expected, Alicent sat in the middle of the congregation, flanked on either side of the table by the men of her husband’s small council–including the Hand and Alicent’s father, Otto Hightower. The man had never liked you or your family, and the feeling was mutual; he was as much of a snake as you, and it took one’s own kin to see through the facade both sides had been crafting for their own benefit for years. You saw each other as threats, and this proved true as their judgment of you began and Otto stood in opposition of showing you mercy. All the while your husband stood quietly in the corner, head bowed and hands folded behind his back; his lack of eye contact with you made it clear that you would stand alone today, that it would be up to you alone to clear your name and salvage what you could of this mess.

“You stand here today accused of impropriety unbefitting of your station,” Alicent spoke, clearing her throat; you made note of how uncomfortable she looked to be there, to have to be the one hosting the proceedings against her son’s wife–perhaps you could use this to your advantage. “What say you, good daughter?”

“I say….” You put on your best face, hands gripping each other nervously as you bowed your head as if in prayer. “I say that these accusations have wounded me deeply, and I cannot fathom as to why anyone would speak such horrid things about me into existence.”

“Exactly,” Otto hummed, “what reason would anyone have to create such a story if there was no validity to it, my lady?”

“That is a fair point,” another man of council interjected, nodding; you lifted your head to gaze at him coolly before bowing your head once more. “This volume of rumors cannot be ignored. Not to mention your quick dispatching of the first man who spoke out against you-”

“His vile words are the reason I stand before you!” You found yourself spitting out, lifting your head; you could feel the fire burning in your eyes, quickly squashing it as you blinked and took another deep breath to calm yourself. “Apologies, I find the reminder of that disgusting man too much to bear. It is he who disparaged my good name, bringing into question my purity when I have always been and will continue to be….loyal to my husband, Prince Aemond.”

You once more found yourself glancing over at Aemond, hoping he would’ve been looking up and your eyes would lock, allowing you to soften his doubts about you; mayhaps then he would speak out in your favor, squashing the awful questioning of his family and the council. Alas, your hopes were the only thing squashed when all you saw was the tightening of his jaw as he continued to look down at your feet.

“Your words prove pretty as always, my lady,” Otto continued, a smirk discernible beneath his beard, “but they will do nothing to repair the damage that these accusations have caused. You have brought shame upon the Targaryen name, and have left us with no choice but to-”

“Who are you to judge me?” You interrupted him, finding that fire within growing once more; you had always prided yourself on maintaining your coolness in situations such as this, but Lord Hightower’s cockyness was proving too much for you today. Truly, who was he to judge you? You were not blind to his own transgressions against the crown–the way he puppeteered his own family for his own personal gain. “Who are any of you to judge me?”

You looked at each small council member in turn, daring them to meet your eye but none other than Otto were brave enough to do so; Alicent herself could only muster up a look of pity as your gaze fell on her, it was only a brief stare but you saw it plain as day. Your good queen mother pitied you, being the only one in the room who understood the precarious position of a woman in court–how delicate a balance it was, how one false step could lead to a downfall.

“The only judgment I see fit to pass upon me is that of the Seven,” you spat out. “They are the ones who see me as I truly am, my soul having been bared to them since my good mother and husband were so kind to teach me their ways–is that not right, my husband?”

Finally, Aemond had no choice but look upon you, his one eye scaling up your figure, watching the way your hands now gripped at the skirts of your dress and how your chest lifted with each breath you took; you willed him to see the woman he had fallen in love with, the one you had made him worship like he did at your false altar. Yet, there was nothing there but the pain of betrayal, the tight set of his jaw as he looked away from you and towards his grandfather, to whom he gave a stiff nod. It was then that you knew you had lost him, that there was nothing more that you could say or do to repair the damage your own hubris had created; the game you had so eloquently played over the past several moons was over, and there was no victor but that of Otto Hightower as he passed down your sentence–

An annulment, that was the only course of action anyone on the small council saw fit to take; it would leave Aemond open to a more suitable match Otto claimed as you still stood there in that room, finally stunned to silence, no ally in your room unless the sympathetic glance of the queen counted for anything. You would be sent back to your father’s kingdom in shame, where the grasp of the court’s whispers had surely already reached, leaving you with little other prospects in terms of another marriage other than a low ranking lord or even worse a merchant with no titles. It was truly a fate unbefitting of your natural born status as princess, a fitting punishment in the eyes of the men of the council.

You said nothing as they passed down your sentence, simply standing with your head held high and hands now folded behind your back. There was no need to pretend anymore….

So you simply smiled and began to laugh.

Your laughter stopped Otto in his tracks as he made plans to write to your father, and instructed his daughter to ensure the servants began packing up your belongings that day. They all looked at you in confused silence, even Aemond who had a frown on his lips as he looked upon you.

“Is something funny? Or have you simply finally gone mad?” Otto asked, standing from his seat at the council’s table.

“Oh, I am surely mad,” you laugh, shoulders shaking, “but not as much as you are about to be, lord hand.”

“What nonsense do you speak of, whore?” A council member spat out.

You noticed Aemond instinctively lay a hand on the pommel of his sword ready to defend you, and in that moment you did feel something akin to affection for your husband; maybe there was a chance of saving this union yet, but first you had to deal with the council of idiots before you.

“Did you really think I would just allow you to take away everything I worked so hard for?” You hummed, walking towards the table they all rested behind. The guards on either side of the table stepped forward, hands on their own swords much like Aemond but you paid them no mind, simply stopping so that you were eye to eye with the Hand. “Then we have gravely underestimated each other, Lord Hightower.”

“What position do you believe you have to stand on, girl?” Otto smirked. “You are nothing more than what your cunt allows, and it appears that even its luck has run out; even my grandson wishes to be rid of your poisonous wiles.”

“Father-” Alicent began, looking pale and faint.

“Even if he has no love for me,” you tilted your head, a pleasant smile on your lips, “I’m sure he would not allow for the mother of his child to be sent away.”

The silence that proceeded settled warmly in your stomach, satisfaction clear on your face as you looked from Otto to his grandson, whose hand had fallen from his sword to hang limply at his side in shock. For many moons the pair of you had been trying for a child, for Aemond Targaryen wanted nothing more than to be a father and you wanted nothing more than to solidify his loyalty to you. It had been a precarious thing to accomplish, ensuring his seed was the one to take root and not one of your lover’s, but you were certain that the child you carried was of no stock but that of the Targaryens.

“How do we know you are simply not spreading more falsities?” A member of the council expressed what everyone else must be thinking. “Or that the child is even Aemond’s?”

“Do you really wish to take that risk?” You pout, lips curving into a smirk. “Especially when I have already told the good news to his grace, the king.”

Easy to manipulate in his current state, King Viserys adored you as his good daughter, believing you a fitting match for Aemond. You had spent many a day by his bedside, lending him your ear as he spoke fondly of past memories, or your voice as you read to him from his favorite books. He was the first you told when you found out you were with child, and at the prospect of another grandchild the good side of his face had lit up with such happiness; it was then that you knew that if Aemond’s loyalty could not be secured then his father’s fondness would have to do. You were all but untouchable as long as you remained in the king’s good graces, and you knew from his eldest daughter and the whispers that followed her that Viserys was not the kind to let rumors sway him.

“You scheming cunt-” Otto grounded out, making it as if he were going to lean over the table and grab you.

“That is quite enough, father,” Alicent finally spoke, raising her hand to silence any further objections. “It appears as if our hands our tied–”

She looked up at you, and the pride was clear in her eyes as she continued.

“We have no choice but to allow her to stay here, at least until the babe is born; we will know for sure if the child is my son’s.”

“You can’t possibly think to allow her to stay here, daughter-”

“As your queen,” Alicent bit out, “this is what I have decided. I will hear no more of annulment or sending my good daughter away until the patronage of the baby is confirmed. Am I understood?”

She looked around at the men, and you noted the uncomfortable way in which each man shifted under her gaze–leaving no room for questions; each of them nodded stiffly before being dismissed, even Otto was given no choice but to take his leave, eyes holding a promise that this wasn’t over as he gave you one last look before he left. Your satisfaction was short lived however as you found yourself alone with your good mother and husband, both of whom had their eyes on you. It appeared you still had your work cut out for you getting back into their good graces, but it was no worry–

You had many moons ahead of you to prove yourself once again worthy of them and their false gods.

#˚ ₊˚ˑ༄ؘ 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐇 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑 : #house of the dragon #hotd #aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond targaryen one shot

[carica-ficus]

“Harrow the Ninth”

18/02/2024

Reading progress: 350/507 (69%) Read through since last update: 137

It's been a few days since my last update. I've been reading a lot, just wanted to make one comprehensive post instead of many small ones. Things have been heating up, but nothing's been going on at the same time. I don't really mind. I love slow paced books that take their time to unfold, and I'm really enjoying Harrow. Through and through!

So! Notes on this part:

Ortus, you horny devil! 😲

Ok, but for real. Am I surprised? Maybe. Was it really unexpecting? No.

Oh, she did him good.

AHAHAHA I love how Mercy keeps saying Harrow is younger and younger.

Aw, so glad that Harrow was sent to bed after everything. God knows she needed it. (Literally.)

I'm not sure whether or not the bond between Harrow and Ianthe is growing into something a little more than platonic, but I do like how they're such a weird and awkward pair. I love how Harrow needed to stay with Ianthe and she "took care of her". I love how they slept on the same bed, miles apart. I love how Harrow feels uncomfortable with all of it, but she still craves it.

There's so so much to Harrow's character that I love, mostly because it is very validating of my own anxieties.

Not gonna lie, that relationship between Ianthe and Augustine smells fishy to me. Feels yucky.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA John made a "your mother joke"

And of course Harrow instantly felt herself become a little more of an atheist.

AYOO

AYOOOOOOO

THE EMPEROR AS WELL????????????

MERCY TOO????

Ah, yes, Camilla. Good that she finally decided to appear.

Awwww Palamedes hugging Harrow is such a cute scene. 🥺

I'm smelling a doomed timeline here. Sue me, I don't care.

Oh, Harrow. You desperate, embarrassing and cringe little girl. I love you with all my heart. 🖤

Love how the Resurrection Beasts look sorta like the angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Bikkie...?

As in BISCUIT?????????

I love John and I hate him with a burning passion.

HAHAHAHAHAH NOOO he asked Harrow is she was being safe. 💀💀💀💀💀 I'd die on the spot.

"Did I sin, Lord? Did I kill two of my fathers that day?"

I am not the same person I was two sentences ago.

If everything goes well, I should finish the book by the end of this week. I am looking forward to it, but I'm dreading it at the same time. I never want this book to end, but I also need to find out what happens.

In any case, see y'all in a few days. <3

#harrow the ninth #harrowhark nonagesimus #tamsyn muir #the locked tomb #locked tomb #reading #book #quote #citat

[msweebyness]

MiracOlympus- Formal Introduction

Howdy, ya'll! Here's the formal introduction to the characters from my new AU! The background is pretty simple, the Miraculous characters are the Gods from Ancient Greece! Enjoy! @imsparky2002 @artzychic27

Adrien:

(Zeus)

God of the sky, king of Olympus

A much fairer and more compassionate ruler than Zeus

Still a sunshine boi

Doesn't sleep with a bunch of women, actually loyal to his queen

Team Dad

Kim:

(Poseidon)

God of the seas

Crazy-ass Middle Child

Constantly losing his trident

Protective of the ocean and its creatures

Likes challenging the other gods for fun

Nathaniel:

(Hades)

God of the dead, lord of the Underworld

Oldest child, protective of his two younger brothers

Chose the Underworld because he likes peace and quiet

Not the bad guy mortals make him out to be

Very respectful of Marc, i.e. never kidnapped him

Marinette:

(Hera)

Queen of the Gods, goddess of marriage and family

ROCKS that peacock aesthetic

Acts more like a team mom than a queen

Doesn't try to murder any other girl who's interested in Adrien

Likes to ship people with Rose

Mylene:

(Demeter)

Goddess of the Harvest

Loving and nurturing, makes sure mortals are taken care of

Protective of Marc, her younger brother

VERY passionate about the environment

Mediates conflicts on Olympus

Sabrina:

(Hestia)

Goddess of the home and hearth

Gentlest and humblest of the Gods

Gave up her throne for Nino, since she never really wanted it

Has a hard time saying no

Amazing cook

Kagami:

(Ares)

Goddess of war

Believes in honor and fighting for a worthy cause

Has never lost a battle

Rides a kickass motorcycle

Always armed, just in case

Rose:

(Aphrodite)

Goddess of love and beauty

Supportive of all sexual identities, ACE PEOPLE ARE VALID

World's biggest shipper

Very humble about her looks

Adores Juleka beyond all sense of reason

Juleka:

(Artemis)

Goddess of the hunt and the forest

Shy, prefers to spend time with animals

Always has her bow and a quiver of arrows

Gets pissed if you insult her mom or Rose

VERY against abusive relationships

Luka:

(Apollo)

God of music and prophecy

HE CAN SEE THE FU-TURE

Never seen without his lyre

Most beautiful voice in the history of all time

Juleka's wingman

Ivan:

(Hephaestus)

God of fire and blacksmithing

In his forge 70% of the time, Mylene drags him out to take a break and get some sun

Buffest of the gods, but super humble about it

Olympus' repair man

Still a soft, gentle boi

Alix:

(Hermes)

Goddess of travelers, thieves and messengers

Carries messages between all the realms

Has a winged pair of rollerblades

The ultimate prankster

Fastest of all the gods

Max:

(Athena)

God of Wisdom & Innovation

Always accompanied by his owl, Markov

Gets exasperated with the foolish choices of his peers

Actually still good friends with Kim

Always working on something new

Nino:

(Dionysus)

God of Wine & Festivity

Ironically, drinks in moderation

Has so much energy

Plans all parties on Olympus

Shares a passion for theater with Jean

Alya:

(Themis)

Goddess of truth and justice

Oversees all trials conducted on Olympus

WILL call you out if you're acting unfairly

Only Nino can get her to cut loose a little

DESPISES Lila

Chloe:

(Helios)

Goddess of the sun

Has an ego the size of, well, the sun

Nothing can shine as bright as her

Knows EVERYONE'S business, because the sun sees all

Has a soft spot for her sister, the moon goddess

Ondine:

(Amphitrite)

Goddess of sea creatures, queen of the oceans

Rules over the sea with Kim, makes sure he doesn't do anything too reckless

Has tea meet-ups with fellow Goddess Queen, Marinette

Unceasingly bubbly and optimistic

Lila:

(Eris)

Goddess of strife and discord

Thrives on conflict between the other gods

Lies to get her way constantly

Starting wars is a hobby

The others only put up with her because they have to

Keep an eye out for more of this AU! Leave thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

#miraculous ladybug #greek gods au #miracolympus #ml au

[littlestarofthewest]

hello! before i start i wanna let you know i don’t mean anything hateful by this, it is my genuine curiosity, i’m not trying to be disrespectful, i’m just really interested on your morston opinions. i personally, really am disgusted by the ship. mainly because of the established dynamics in the game between them and the fact that john joined the gang at 12, and arthur would’ve already been 22, and they would’ve never seen each other that way and they basically grew up as brothers, they were raised by the same men, and at the end of the game they even call each other brother. i know you’ve reblogged some morston stuff and i don’t hold anything against you, i really enjoy your writing and you seem like a genuinely cool person, i am just curious.

Hey anon,

I'm going to see this as a question in good faith and will try my best to answer. First of all, there are a lot of posts out there that argue in favor of morston a lot more eloquently than I ever could, but I will try to give you my pov based on what you brought up in your ask.

Personally, I can see John and Arthur both as siblings or as a romantic pairing (obviously not at the same time xD). Many points have been made against it being a romantic relationship, pretty much the ones you made, and as such I have enjoyed fics and art where they are brothers and I even have written some fics that go with that viewpoint. 

Then again, I think there are also valid points to be made for a romantic relationship and arguments that sort of "invalidate" the reasoning behind them being brothers. 

Yes, they have a 10 year age gap. I personally know couples in real life with big age gaps who have perfectly healthy relationships while people close in age are horrible for each other. It's no big leap for me to think that those two characters could be in love and have a great relationship based on that. 

Did they get to know each other when John was 12? Yes. That doesn't mean Arthur perved on him from that day forward. Suggesting that always makes me wonder what weird character traits people put on Arthur. Kids are inherently unsexual. If that doesn't apply to people who hate the ship, then they should probably sort out their own feelings towards children. Fast.

Did they grow up together? While lots of people like to portrait them as brothers from an early age, I think different interpretations are valid as well. Yes, Arthur was 22. He was involved in the criminal activities of the gang and based on how you see the timeline there's a chance he's also been in a romantic relationship. The chances of him even caring about a 12 year old he doesn't know are slim. He could have very well not cared much about John at all until he was old enough to be of any relevance to him. 

I know siblings who have no relationship/love for each other despite growing up in the same house (while also actually being related by blood). So while I don't want to invalidate "found family," I can very well see it not apply here at all. Besides, I find it odd that found family supporters are so dead set on pressing the characters into a nuclear family with Dutch as the dad and Hosea or Mrs. Grimshaw as a second parent while John and Arthur are their sons. Found family is supposed to mean all kinds of different relationships.

And as an add on, while I too enjoy depictions of Arthur holding up a bratty John by his leg or the scruff of his neck, it's complete nonsense. Have people in fandom ever met a 12 year old in real life? A 12 year old boy can very well have the size of an average sized woman (and logically also weigh as much). Of course he's still a kid and needs to be treated and protected as such, but I feel like there is this fandom interpretation that depicts him like a toddler/small child to make any involvement with Arthur later on more scandalous. He was a street kid who managed to get by on his own for a long time. Infantilizing him for outrage is absurd. 

Also, in 4 years in fandom while being in contact with a large amount of morston shippers, I never encountered anyone who shipped them before John was grown up. There might be content like that out there, but I'm not in support of it.

Their established dynamics in the game can be interpreted to anybody's liking. Do they argue like siblings or haze each other to keep positive feelings they can't express without making themselves vulnerable at bay? Does Arthur go out and save John because Hosea tells him to, Abigail asks him to, he loves him like a brother or because he loves him like a romantic interest? Does Arthur tell John to go in the end because he wants to protect his brother or the love of his life? 

Yes, they call each other brothers. Just like other game members call each other brothers. If I remember correctly, Dutch even alternates between brother, son and other things. I don't see it as a fixed term that solely indicates one type of relationship. People in the past have also called each other bachelors and similar terms to not openly admit a homosexual relationship. You can take the term at face value or not.

Like I said, many of these things have been discussed in the past, so I'll skip ahead to what I consider the most important point. It doesn't matter. Nobody needs valid points to justify their ship. There are ships with characters that haven't even met in canon and ships that even cross fandoms. 

I take two characters that I vibe with and since I like romantic stories, I put them into one. I'm also especially fond of AUs which makes canon even less of a factor. 

You being disgusted by the ship is perfectly valid. I don't need to hear good reasons. If that's what you feel then I accept that. The only thing I ask is that other people do the same for me, and especially don't try to actively harm others because of their ships. There's a reason why terms like "your kink isn't my kink, but your kink is okay" and "ship and let ship" were established early on in fandoms. It's healthy for all the parties involved. I interacted a lot with fans who very much disliked morston and blacklisted the hell out of it and we still get along just fine. 

Long story short, people grow up in different circumstances with different experiences, and much likely they will project things onto characters and have a variety of interpretations of canon or simply enjoy making stuff up that isn't there. That's the beauty of fandom. 

I hope that answers your question? And thank you for your interest in another person's pov. Sadly many people in this fandom jumped to conclusions and hatred rather than taking a moment to consider other people's feelings. So kudos for that.

#morston for ts #answered asks #anon asks

[liyazaki]

MOR! My beloved. I can always expect the truth from you. Overall thoughts on Between Us? I know the final ep was not your fave but how about the series? What would you want to keep? What would you want to change?

Eboni, my darling- hoo, boy. you're about to get way more than you bargained for, but I got some Thoughts™️ & some Things™️ to say.

disclaimer: Between Us was a sweet, serviceable, inoffensive show. I mostly enjoyed watching it & I loved being back in the UWMA universe, however tangentially.

speaking to the collective “you” here: if you loved the show from start to finish, I'm sincerely happy for you! if it'll lessen your BU fandom experience to read critiques- which is valid & completely understandable- click away. I swear I'm not trying to rain on your parade (or argue with anyone, which I won't be- period).

also, let's check ourselves: this is a show. it's not that serious- it couldn't be less serious, actually. sometimes I just like to go off the analytical deep end...it's a good time for a nerd like me. this is my house (my blog) & I'm just having fun, throwing digital paint around.

with all that out of the way, let's jump into it.

UWMA set an extremely high narrative standard. we knew from scene one the writers weren't messing around. that opening is burned into my memory forever.

from compelling flashbacks, to multiple couples that had something for everyone, to little plot details weaved in from the beginning that only made sense later- they knew exactly what story they were trying to tell & they told it in a big way. it was tightly constructed, cleanly delivered and hit all the right notes for me personally.

UWMA is a tough act to follow. in the end, it felt like Between Us barely tried. to quote an MDL reviewer (before the finale even aired): in with a bang, out with a whimper.

step one of any good story is solid character development. it's what draws us in, making & keeping us emotionally invested. we have to like these characters- and know enough about them- in order to care. that- and a good, solid plot- is what sustains our attention.

in a pretty atypical way, Between Us had serious emotional fan investment long before it had basically any character development (thanks to BounPrem's chemistry, IMO).

Win and Team had roughly 31 minutes of total screentime in UWMA, but you'd have never known it from the fever-pitch fandom support years before its release. we didn't have much real character knowledge or depth to go off of, but many of us came into this show ravenous for more of their story (raises hand).

the show's over now and, disappointingly, I don't feel like I learned much about either Win or Team that I didn't already know. we did see them struggle- Team with his guilt and insecurities; Win with his vague intimacy aversion and self worth issues.

Team and Win had plenty of things between (heh) the two of them to overcome- so what went wrong?

for me, Between Us suffered from a tragic case of barely-scratching-the-surface character development (there was so much there to play with narratively & yet- sigh), paired with serious flaws in the rising action.

every single story in existence uses rising action. to quote Henry of The Closer Look, a media analyst I like: "rising action is basically narrative tension. it's the way the conflict builds as the story goes along."

when a story utilizes rising action effectively, the audience ends up feeling almost elated by the end. it's almost like we actually went on the same journey as the characters, and we now get to bask alongside them in just how far they've come. we want to see characters we care for improve, persevere. overcome, conquer.

when rising action is handled correctly, the plot progression looks something like this.

via Henry's excellent analysis on why TLOU2 divided its fandom so thoroughly

Between Us had tension, it had conflict- but it looked something like this (I'd add way more hills, personally).

"what you're seeing here is an abomination of story structure." hey- Henry said it; not me.

the conflicts went up and down throughout the story. Team internally spirals; Win does something sweet and pulls him out of it. everything seems fine; Win pulls back.

rinse, wash, repeat in an endless cycle, made worse by the fact that they struggled with- and apparently overcame- the same. exact. issues, over and over, the entire time.

conflicts that seemed to be resolved came back exactly as they were, sometimes multiple times in a single episode. by episode 7 or so, it was getting tedious. by the end, I was just bummed.

for me, watching Between Us was going around in circles, hoping we were working towards some actually-important climax that never came. and I wanted to believe we were going somewhere, right up until the bitter beige-on-beige end.

there were no scenes that actually made me hold my breath, ala Bad Buddy’s confession-of-legends on the rooftop. no repeating themes, masterfully culminating in the finale (running up the cape in ITSAY). Between Us left me with an itch for depth and impact that only fan fics can scratch at this point (bless you writers).

yeah, Win and Team ended up together- of course they did. I don't think anyone had any doubts they would eventually. but standing at the finish line, do I care that they ended up together?

I hate to say it, but- not really. they didn't give me enough to make it feel meaningful- like it actually meant something. it just- is. yay? I guess?

this post was brutal enough, but to answer your question about what I'd keep & what I'd change? it's hard to pick when the whole thing just felt like special episodes (filled with lots of cute, sweet moments, to be fair) with an enormous dash of missed opportunity.

all in all, I don't regret watching but it's a universe I'll only be returning to via fan fic fixes- and UWMA, my forever top 3 BL beloved.

#mor answers #eboni tag #between us meta #between us #between us the series #winteam #that was- yikes. but honest #bounprem #kornin #kaoearth

[cleric4vampire]

19 & 24

okay so heads up — I had most of the answers prewritten for these as a character building exercise, and you just so happened to choose the two questions with the LONGEST responses 😂 I will try and cut them down but... well, I have never been known for my brevity

Has your Dark Urge become particularly close to anyone romantically and/or platonically in their journey? If so, who, and what is the relationship like? If no, why not?

Gale

Gale is the first person Aune grows close to. She stuck close to him upon meeting partly because she thought his kindness would be easy to take advantage of, and partly because she was scared out of her mind in regards to the tadpoles + the urge + the memory loss, and figured a wizard might be a good source of knowledge in that regard. She considers him her first real friend, and is the first person she begins to care for. Their relationship might have turned out differently had they not practiced channeling the Weave that one night. Aune envisioned kissing Gale, which was intensely startling for her; she had yet to remember that kissing was even a thing. (Durge!Aune is pretty touch-averse.) From that point forward, despite the two growing closer together, she always questioned the validity of her feelings (mostly platonic, sometimes romantic) for him; she could never be sure if they were natural or some fabrication of the Weave. After the Grove massacre, on the night of the goblin party, Aune and Gale have a nasty argument, and afterwards keep their distance from each other for the next couple of weeks. When Elminster eventually shows up and breaks the big news, the pair end their quasi- silent treatment phase. Aune becomes intensely concerned about Gale as he flip-flops between a suicidal, defeatist attitude and one of painful optimism. Gale confesses his feelings. Aune is startled, again, but ultimately decides to sleep with him, mostly because she is afraid he will be dead soon and also just wants to make him happy. She does end up enjoying herself in the moment, but comes crashing down afterwards, realizing it was a big mistake; realizing she would never stop questioning if her feelings were real. (And, less consciously, she realizes that Gale would never truly accept her, scars and darkness all. The argument they had back at the goblin party revealed as much.) They talk the following morning. They're both heartbroken. Gale is cold towards her, and whatever is left of their relationship is on the crux of falling apart.

Lae'zel

The second person Aune befriends is Lae'zel; their relationship starts out with such incredible ease - they are so in tune with each other that they never argue. They have a lot of similarities in regards to their worldviews, which makes them work well together as they navigate their crisis. It becomes a bit harried after the run-in with the gith patrol as Aune feels as though Lae'zel betrayed her trust (Aune made the party prioritize getting to the creche above most all else). But eventually she gets over it and they continue to grow closer. Things change at the creche - Aune convinces Lae'zel to consume a tadpole after the zaith'isk caused near-irreparable damage to her mind. In retrospect, it shames her deeply, but she doesn't regret it. In the moment, she decided that ultimately her own survival was most important, and she needed Lae'zel to be physically & mentally okay. She decided for Lae'zel that the practicality of the solution was more important than Lae'zel's ideals. Later on, Lae'zel doesn't dwell on this, but it haunts Aune forever. After what happens with Vlaakith at the creche, Aune vows to support Lae'zel through the ordeal in whatever way she can - to do as she wishes no matter what. (She is greatly motivated by her guilt.) Lae'zel helps Aune through a lot of the difficult moments that come up in regards to the Urge, particularly with the insomnia. They get into the habit of spending at least a part of the night with each other, with Aune usually resting her head in Lae'zel's lap while Lae'zel tells her of githyanki legend or culture. Lae'zel pets Aune's hair until she falls asleep. They never spend the entire night together; after a couple hours Lae'zel will shoo her away.

I'm not even going to bother going into Astarion because that will turn this into more of a novel than it already is 💀

Does your Dark Urge have a treasured item with them? If yes, what is it and why is it special? If no, how do they feel about item sentimentality in general?

Yes! Aune has very few belongings with her when she wakes on the ravaged beach, but one item of note is an old and worn herb sickle. Despite coming across better alternatives later, she continues to use it for harvesting as it's one of the only physical things she owns that ties her to her past. She starts making a habit of collecting (stealing) little things from her companions that she figures won't be missed or noticed. She does it out of fear that she will lose her memories again and forget about the people she has come to love and care for. I'm in the process of writing a drabble about it & maybe making an accompanying art thing, so I'll leave it there! OH BUT WAIT ALSO I've been poking around Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft for information regarding the Haunted One background recently, and learned that those with this background get to choose or roll for a trinket on the Horror Trinkets table. I cheated and rolled for one — a little black book that records your dreams, and yours alone, when you sleep; and chose a second — a clockwork device that beats like a heart. I'm very excited to think of what implications and consequences the journal will have on Aune's journey (what if one of the companions, unaware of her Urge, flips through it without her knowing? I doubt she would forget her terrible nightmares, but if she does, could she resist the temptation of flipping through the journal to read about it later on?) and OF COURSEEE I have decided that the clockwork heart was a gift from Gortash, though Aune doesn't remember him or the item's significance. (because I'm still in Act 2 lol)

#oh my GOD do I ever shut up asdflkdjf #if you read all of this THANK YOU??? what a treasure you are #oc: durge!aune

[realisticintentions]

AO3 (or past works) Fic Tag Game:

Rules: I'm not sure. But, then again, I've never been one for rules anyway.

Tagged by: @nonamemanga you mischievous little thing you...

1. How many works do you have/had on AO3/FFN?

1 on AO3 and probably like... 5 or 6 on FFN, I think.

2. Whats your AO3 word count?

1,543

3. What fandoms do/have you write/written for?

Presently: Wednesday (2022)

Previously: The Breakfast Club, Harry Potter, Ravenswood (2013 - 2014), and some D*sney projects (before I got older and it felt weird for me, personally, to keep writing).

In the coming future? I have a few in mind. Might revisit The Breakfast Club, to be honest. I tend to gravitate towards small fandoms half the time.

4. What are your Top 5 Fics by Kudos?

There's only one, standing at 133 Kudos currently: nix

5. Do you repond to comments?

Yes. Comments have always made my work feel validated, and they just make me excited to continue writing. I love responding and having discussions about my work and answering questions and teasing. As @nonamemanga is well aware.

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I have yet to write an angsty ending. It is something I have yet to explore within my work. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a happy ending; which is probably the most optimistic thing about me. Usually, most of my endings toe the line between a happy one and an ambiguous or open ending.

7. Whats the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Most of my fics would have the intention of a happy ending, I would say.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Why, yes I have. The little fandom mentioned above? Ravenswood? This was a series connected to Pretty Little Liars that came out when I was 13. Pretty Little Liars was never a show I could really get into, but when Ravenswood came along, I was invested. And oh boy, did I get some comments when I decided to write about my two favorite characters from the show. I was having petty little screaming matches in my ffn inbox with other 12 to 14-year-olds before I finally decided to start deleting them.

9. Do you write smut?

No, and I don't think I ever will, personally. I've enjoyed reading the ones I have, but I don't think I could bring it in to any story I write without it seeming random and unnecessary. Kudos to those who are able to write it though.

10. Do you write cross-overs?

I have in the past, but I don't see myself writing any anytime soon. It can get convoluted.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I wouldn't mind working with someone in the future if I think people would be interested.

12. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

No. As much as I would like to, my schedule does not offer much writing time. I feel like I would be getting someone's hopes up if I don't end up pulling my weight. Love discussions though.

13. What is a WIP you would like to finish but doubt you ever will?

HA! Here's the thing... I have yet to finish a WIP. Granted, the last time I was actively involved with a fandom and writing for it was when I was... 15? 16? So... Yeah, none of them were ever finished. They're still floating around on ffn, and because I know how to look for them, every now and then I'll re-read them. The thing is, my writing style and outlook of life, and my experiences have changed so much over the years that I can't really see myself finishing them.

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

In terms of getting me to write for them, I will give you 3:

Weyler/Wyler. The one that got me back into writing after almost 10 years. They are just so dear to my heart, and the fact that I've made a few wonderful friends within this year alone because of them is just... Great. It's great.

Because I care deeply for my 13-year-old self's feelings, I will defend the ship that got me hate comments for writing about them. Which was the pairing of Caleb Rivers/Miranda Collins. It was 2013 and their storyline was intriguing, okay? I was unaware that the show was even related to PLL, but the spiteful comments I had received from that fandom just made me love shipping them more so... Ha!

I do have a special place in my heart for Allison/Bender though. My 80s detention babies.

15. What are you writing strengths?

Grammar has always been a thing I try to do my best on. I also think I'm able to come up with storylines that would be interesting for the audience to read. It's just a matter of getting them down on paper.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Welcome to my TedTalk.

Getting them down on paper. I am also my worst critic, especially when I re-read my work. I nit-pick over the details, whether there's too much or not enough. What to leave to the imagination and what do I want to pointedly get across? Writing is a hell of a process, and as I have mentioned a handleful of times, sometimes my brain is just like... Nah. There are times where I question if I just can't find the write phrasing to get my ideas out onto paper or if I just... Don't want to.

17. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I am hesitantly dipping a toe into this. I'm just trying to figure out where to have my translations, while also making sure my translations are correct. One of the many issues with only knowing English.

18. First fandom you wrote for?

I don't remember. I think it was Harry Potter? I wrote a lot of Marauders stuff, I know that much.

19. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

nix. Yeah, it's the only one I have to my name, but it's the first to kick off one of my many WIPs and I think it's a solid start.

20. What fic would you want to rewrite one day?

None of them. I have no use for going back to the past when I have things that are more important to me as of right now. That, and those documents are long gone from my files. Besides, it's a sign of growth, y'know?

So yeah, I hope to continue writing. Not really going to add any ship tags or anything bc this one is a bit more personal to me.

Tagging: @therulerofallpotatos @writerrose1998 @lovepoison9 and anyone else. I didn't want to tag too many people just in case they've already done it.

#About... Me I guess #The war of the tags

[precambrian-sea-pancake]

Message to the Stranger Things fandom:

You’re not stupid or blind for not seeing romance between two characters in a show/book/movie that the fandom religiously ships together.

Everyone interprets things differently, and those interpretations are valid.

You’re not bad person for not shipping the popular ship either. Your views are not dictated by what you ship or don’t ship.

Not shipping byler or steddie doesn’t make you homophobic. It doesn’t matter if you’re straight or queer. It doesn’t determine your views. People ship based on the character’s and their personality. A ship tells a story, and people enjoy different stories.

Obviously there ARE people using homophobic arguments against mlm ships, and those people can rot, but let’s remember there can be other reasons people might not like the ship. Maybe they prefer platonic. Maybe they don’t see chemistry, maybe it’s not the story they’re interested in exploring.

It’s okay to like the canon ship and not the popular fandom one.

This also applies to headcanons.

I’ll ALSO, like to address the vise versa of this. Because this is NOT one sided. I’ve seen shitty behavior from BOTH sides.

You prefer a different ship…good for you. You like the canon ship…good for you. But rubbing it in the face of other shippers that your favorite pairing is canon and theirs isn’t, is rude and mean spirited. They have every right to ship something that isn’t canon. As long as they’re not belittling or erasing the other character’s importance, it’s fine. These are fictional characters, you can do whatever you want with them.

People shouldn’t be required to love a canon ship. It’s a plot point, and we all have plot points we don’t like. Someone ships something that isn’t canon? Get over it. You don’t need things to be canon all the time. They’re not dumb, they’re having fun and enjoying themselves. Let people be.

Don’t force your ships and headcanons down other people’s throats. It’s annoying and makes people feel crappy. Fandom is supposed to be fun, and there’s more to this show than stupid ship wars.

If you get too heated, take a step back and remember that it isn’t too deep. Yes, complain, nobody is saying you can’t…but be considerate and understanding of other people’s opinions.

I’m not on either side. I don’t ship byler, but I’m not exactly big into mileven. I don’t ship steddie…I like hellcheer because it’s just fun. Though I don’t really post about it cause I’m terrified of getting hate. The only ship I’m actually invested in, is Lumax, but it seems nonexistent because it’s constantly forgotten about in favor of the others including elmax (Lucas just gets left out in general, so does Dustin)

All in all, I’ve never been big into shipping when it comes to this fandom. It saddens me to see everyone tearing each other apart over this.

So please, if you’re involved in this drama, please take a step back and consider it’s not that big of a deal. It’s not worth being mean and judgmental to others in favor of pixels on a screen.

#stranger things #byler #steddie #mileven

[dufferpuffer]

where did wolfstar even come from

I know thats a dumbass thing to say. People like shipping and they will do what they like. Remus and Sirius have history. I get it, I don't hate it, is all good. Make these boys happy please. It's just... NOTHING I've read between the characters has been juicy enough for me think about pairing them together. This shit is HUGE and that surprises me! It's MASSIVE! The way I read their relationship was more like... They are friends, but they were the LEAST friendly with eachother in the whole group,. Its a bit tragic that they're the only two left - because by themselves they aren't very sustainable personalities. They clash. Remus is a manipulative coward and Sirius is a brazen daredevil. Remus is full of meticulous emotional masks and bark. Sirius is full of wild manic expressions and bite. Sure you can do an opposites attract or whatever out of that - but thats not how I see Wolfstar portrayed most of the time... most of the time they don't even feel like Remus or Sirius anymore. (Not throwing shade - that's valid. Please enjoy your ships however you see them.) They suspected eachother of being the mole. Sirius tells Remus to shut up moments after reuniting with him just so he can insult Severus a bit and Remus rolls his eyes, letting himself get steamrolled - despite being someone who can easily command a room - because he knows Sirius never listens to him... I dunno. I always felt like they are still friends, but they were better friends when James, Lily and Peter were around. Now that they are gone... the friendship is a little hollow. The way I see it: Sirius wants everyone to be a little bit more like James. That's the hole in his life. He is CONSTANTLY pining after how his friendship with that man made him feel, comparing others to him... Remus has more things to say about Lily. I think he appreciated her more open mind and gentle attitude, her ability to see past ugliness and find beauty while also being an impressive witch. These boys are in a constant state of pining. Sirius loved James with all of his heart and is too loyal to let go. He lives and breathed for James Potter no matter what. He can't STOP. And then when he gets Harry he is so, so excited to get a part of James back - he compares Harry to James, tells Harry off for not being more like James... he wants James 2 electric boogaloo. Not in a romantic way but you know what I mean. Remus had feelings for Lily... but knew he could not compete with the louder personalities in her life. James and Severus both stood above him, so he didn't even try. He didn't even let it START. And then when he meets another young woman who resembles her kind nature and her fiery spirit he falls head over heels immediately. That's how I see it, anyway.

#headcannons #james potter #sirius black #remus lupin #lily evans #the marauders

[cookierunconfessionblog]

https://www.tumblr.com/cookierunconfessionblog/740050713997099008/kinda-bugs-me-how-when-i-wanna-hc-a-character-as?source=share

This really made me think. I want to add something to this conversation, but it’s about shipping.

Disclaimer: Before I go on with my point, I’m talking about ships that aren’t illegal. The following conversation is talking about ships between consenting adult characters that aren’t related. (Hoping if I add that then nobody will twist my words into something I don’t mean.) I’d also like to add that this topic could be applied to fandom spaces other than Cookie run, but I’ve seen this happen within the Cookie Run fandom as of recent. This ramble is entirely my opinion. You can disagree, I am not stating fact. Now that all that is out of the way,

My main question I want to put out there is: Why should we have to try to prove if a ship is canon or not? What is so wrong with liking a ship, even if it’ll never be canon?

I think there’s a lot of miscommunication or misunderstandings when it comes to discussing ships, because everyone views the term ‘ships’ differently. A lot of people view the act of shipping two characters as wanting that pairing to be canon or claiming that ship is already canon, but I don’t think it should be viewed that way. You can ship two characters without wanting or claiming the pairing to be canon. Especially if the characters in question never actually interacted and you have absolutely no evidence of the two characters sharing feelings for each other.

I keep seeing people try to ‘prove’ a ship is canon or disprove a ship literally everywhere, and I can’t wrap my head around it! Why is it bad if a ship isn’t canon? How does a ship being canon could have more validity than non-canon ones? I just don’t understand.

I don’t think we should be viewing canon as this unchangeable law, that everybody has to abide by, because I feel that pressuring other people to religiously stick to canon limits the creative mind. Of course, if you enjoy sticking to canon, I won’t hate or judge you for that. There is nothing wrong with adhering to canon. I find myself doing that very often, as well. however I do feel we should let people play around with their creative works without forcing them to adhere to what exists in canon. I don’t think anyone should be viewed as less of a fan if they find themselves straying from canon.

Adding onto the headcannon topic: If we all were forced to stick to canon for every single fandom, then what about sexuality and orientation headcannons? Especially since the LGBTQ+ community doesn’t have an abundance of genuinely good representation in a lot of canon works, sticking to canon would be super limiting.

I’d like to see others feelings on this dumpsterfire. Maybe I am missing something and someone with an opposing opinion could enlighten me? I may be stupid.

How to stay hydrated: Take a sip of water every time I say canon in this post. Lol

ㅤ

#fr #cookie run #crk #cookie run kingdom #crk fandom #cookie run fandom #cookierun #cookie run community #cookie run confessions #cookie run kingdom fandom #cookierunkingdom #cookierunconfession #cookierunfandom #cookierunovenbreak #cookierunconfessions #cr kingdom #cr ovenbreak #cookie run ships #crob #cookie run ovenbreak #crob ship #crob fandom #crob community #anon confession #confession #crk confession #crob character #crk character

[knyplotrewrite]

my thoughts on canon Tanjirou/Kanao (as in the ship)

(Disclaimer: Almost, if not all, of this is a scathing criticism of this ship. If you do not wish to see such or simply don’t want to see manga spoilers, press “J” on desktop of just scroll really fast to avoid it. Thanks!)

Ah, yes, one of our most favorite “she is a girl, he is a boy, can I make it more obvious” m/f couples in this series. Typical heteronormative side effects include making the female character’s development solely because the “man” spurred on her motivation to change while said man, in a romantic sense, could literally give less of a shit about her. And it sucks that until Infinity Fortress, Kanao is essentially reduced to the role of a typical cute, a little airheaded female love interest for our beloved main character and nothing else.

It is safe to say I Do Not Like this pairing.

I don’t know, maybe I’m just tired of seeing so many shounens fall into this cliche, but it is especially confusing when Tanjirou does not even meet the bare minimum requirements. He never shows any special attraction towards her. Doesn’t call her pretty, or cute, or literally anything. The closest you get is him looking at her in wonder in the Rehabilitation Training Arc and the coin tossing scene (ugh). He basically treats her like any other of his friends, which is not good if you want to write a blooming romance between two specific characters.

I will say, this has lead me to thinking Tanjirou is aroace. The way he expresses his attraction is that he doesn’t really express it at all, but I seriously doubt Gotouge wrote him this way on purpose considering the events of both the initial Chapter 205 and the reworked (fuller) ending for the manga (it also could be that they’re not good at writing slowburn romances, which is a valid point).

Not only does Tanjirou has strong aromantic coding, these two specifically have no reason to even interact. They don’t share many (or any) interests. They don’t inspire deep conversations. They don’t click. If we were to take the poorly-written romance out of this, they would literally only see each other as acquaintances, the friend of their friends. Their personalities and how they interact with people directly conflict with each other and would realistically leave them awkwardly sitting six feet apart not knowing what the hell to talk about if they were to ever have to wait for their other friends to show up to bridge the gap. And if they were to pursue a romantic relationship, it would be shallow, unfulfilling, an obligation for both of them to keep up rather than something they genuinely enjoy.

If Gotouge actually added something to make their dynamic work, maybe I would have liked it a little bit, but we’re given nothing. They haven’t convinced us that these two would ever be good friends, much less a couple. It’s just... so bad.

@gothyyy since you were curious

#i love aroace tanjirou but i definitely think gotouge simply sucks at writing romance lmao #kny meta #kny #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #tanjirou #tanjirou kamado #kanao #kanao tsuyuri #gothyyy