#//we dont do the romance thing very easily or very often

[mythalism]

i realized the other day after posting about this fan theory that, at this point, it is basically talked about in fandom as if its canon, and newer fans might not understand why. my goal today was to explain the theory and all of the evidence we have for it in inquisition to give people a better understanding of why this has become so ubiquitous, and to hopefully have something to look back on in two months with that "apollo gift of prophecy" dodgeball meme when veilguard proves us right.

very important before i get started: this is not my theory. i didn't make it up. unfortunately, i also don't know exactly who did and if it could even be traced at this point. this is something that many people have believed for a long time, and i'm not the first to write about it. there are a lot of great posts and essays that speculate on this theory, and what it could mean for solas's character going forward.

PLEASE feel free to contribute thoughts, or link to posts you have made yourself or seen before in the replies/reblogs!!! much of my own experience with this comes from long before this account existed, so i dont have exact sources but rather random, amorphous fandom knowledge of this theory and what major arguments have circulated in the past 10 years. this post by @sammakesart and this post by @mrs-gauche went around recently and both touch on this theory and i highly recommend them both! i know @corseque has also written about this theory multiple times over the years.

i was first introduced to this on tumblr when it started gaining ground in the fandom after the release of trespasser in 2015, predominantly due to a couple of lines of cole dialogue from trespasser, so that is where we will begin.

shoutout to @daitranscripts and the dragon age wiki for the dialogue

this line of cole's is basically the foundation of this theory, and what is cited most often. i'm not entirely sure if the theory existed before trespasser, but if it did, i dont remember it being well-known or widely accepted like it is now.

this line is usually interpreted to suggest that solas, who would have been a spirit of wisdom/pride at the time, took a body and came into being as an elf at mythal's behest. this is also the line that suggests solas himself once wore vallaslin, and that he removed it himself using the same spell he uses on a romanced lavellan thousands of years later, but did so clumsily the first time and left the scar we can see on his eyebrow.

first i want to acknowledge what are pretty much the most damning indications of this theory

solas means "pride; to stand tall" in elvhen, according to world of thedas vol. 1

the dread wolf form we see in murals, written descriptions, and of course, in real life in the veilguard trailer, bears a pretty clear resemblance to pride demons:

most notably, in the face and eyes. yeah i dont really have anything else to say about those lmao it's pretty blatant

overall, inquisition tells us a great deal about spirits, and gives the player an alternate worldview through which to understand them, distinct from the chantry/circle narrative presented previously.

solas himself, along with cole, has a lot to say about the nature of spirits throughout his dialogue and banter with several characters. one sentiment that he espouses repeatedly is that spirits and demons are the same thing, but demons are a spirit corrupted and perverted away from its purpose.

Solas: They rarely seek this world. When they do, their natures do not often survive exposure to the people they encounter. Wisdom and purpose are too easily twisted to pride and desire

During All New, Faded for Her:

PC: Solas, you said your friend was a wisdom spirit. Solas: That is not its natural form. It has been corrupted. PC: Corrupted? Solas: Forced to act against its original purpose. What did they do, what did they do, what did they do?

second, that spirits and the fade are a mirror, and reflect the waking world. specifically, that spirits reflect the perception and expectation of a mortal, and adapts accordingly. belief makes reality.

On Ostagar:

PC: I've heard the stories. It would be interesting to hear what it was really like. Solas: That's just it. In the Fade, I see reflections created by spirits who react to the emotions of the warriors. One moment, I see heroic Wardens lighting the fire and a power mad villain sneering as he lets King Cailan fall. The next, I see an army overwhelmed and a veteran commander refusing to let more soldiers die in a lost cause. PC: And you can't tell which is real? Solas: It is the fade. They are all real.

and third, that spirits are people.

solas expresses concerns over what the breach does to spirits at multiple points, including here with cassandra.

he also regularly argues in favor of spirits personhood, and passionately pushes back against characters who argue the opposite, such as dorian:

as well as the inquisitor themselves, should they choose certain dialogue options:

PC: You trust these spirits not to possess you the first time you accidentally make a wish? Solas: Do you trust your friends not to turn on you? (authors note: LMFAOOOOOOO) PC: Well, yes, but they're people. Solas: Ah, of course. PC: You know what I mean. Solas: Are people only people because they are flesh and blood? Solas: Is Cassandra defined by her cheekbones and not her faith? Varric by his chest hair not his wit? PC: They're not defined by their bodies, but they do have bodies. You need one to be a person. Solas: A demon possessing a corpse has a body. PC: A living body. Solas: A demon possesses a living mage to become an abomination. PC: They didn't make that body. They just took it over. Solas: Technically your mother created your body, with some help from your father, one assumes. PC: You've thought about this. Solas: On occasion, yes. OR:

PC: Spirits are bound by their nature. You said it yourself. They're shaped by contact with real people. Solas: Just as Leliana was shaped by contact with Divine Justinia, as those who serve the inquisition are shaped by you. If I change your mind in this conversation, does that mean you're no more real than a spirit? OR: PC: Im certain you have some rhetorical trick ready to counter anything I say. Solas: It's likely. I've had a lot of time to discuss the question with people. Or "spirits", if you prefer.

aside from this entire conversation being hilarious and very fen'harel coded, i think its notable that his enthusiasm and snark here is distinct from the way he engages in other debates, where he is often clinical and detached. on the subject of spirits, however, we get a lot more emotional investment from him - it feels personal. as he says, he's thought about it. on occasion.

solas having originally been a spirit adds helpful context for his insistence on spirit's personhood despite modern thedas's completely contradictory beliefs, and also helps inform his worldview more generally, especially in regards to elves.

one of solas's most heavily criticized aspects is his disdain for modern elves and the dalish. and i agree, it's fucked up and he is an absolute ass about it at nearly every opportunity. however, his feelings regarding the elves sometimes seem... strange, even in the context of him being an ancient elf.

keeping in mind cole's line from trespasser, that he "did not want a body", as well as another cole line from trespasser:

most people infer that there is some sort of resentment on solas's end for him having to become human at mythal's request. it seems as if he was turned away from his purpose. wisdom forced to be pride.

cole's personal quest, which shows solas passionately arguing to keep cole a spirit, supports this. it is almost as if he is trying to prevent cole from the same fate that was forced upon him.

throughout the quest he says things such as: "This is not some fanciful story, child of the stone. We cannot change our nature by wishing." "A spirit does not work through emotions. It embodies them." "You would alter the essence of what he is." "It is good that he is not entirely changed, however human he becomes."

most telling of all, i think is this line at the end of the quest if you elect to keep cole as a spirit.

Varric: "He could have been a person." Solas: Possibly. Would that have made him happier?

OUGGHGH.

clearly, for solas, the answer was no. being a person has not made him happier.

regardless, solas still values spirits as fundamentally equal to people despite their differences and worthy of the same freedoms, self-determination and respect.

this kinship with spirits, however, might help explain his disdain for elves, in a way i find to be more satisfying than "all ancient elves are assholes" and more in-line with his character overall.

it seems as if solas doesnt see himself as separate from modern elves because he doesnt see himself as a modern elf, but that he doesnt not see himself as an elf at all, but rather as a spirit.

solas infamously says, following halamshiral if you bring up briala:

"I'm sorry, I was confused. I do not consider myself to have much in common with the elves."

the inquisitor has the option for several responses, and although most of us probably pick the one that tells him to fuck off, the others are more telling:

PC: Nor should you. You're not defined by the shape of your ears. They're not your people. Solas: No, they are not. OR PC: Who do you have much in common with. Who are your people? Solas: A good question. Solas: I joined the inquisition to save the world. Regardless of who "my people" are, this was the best way to help him.

"not being defined by the shape of your ears" and solas's immediate identification with the statement and approval of it sticks out to me. it seems like he's just being racist, and he very well might be, but in the context of this theory, it can also be interpreted as him disliking being "defined" by having a body at all, or any physical characteristics, consistent with how he resists the idea that varric and cassandra are defined by their own physical characteristics.

if the player insists they want to help the orlesian elves even if he doesnt, he still has something interesting to say:

Solas: Stop Corypheus. That will do for a start. It speaks well of you to feel for the oppressed. Help them for that. Know them for what they are.

this is not the only time he equates all oppressed groups of thedas to one another, defined by their shared subjugation rather than the real, in-world divisions such as race and religion. it's also interesting to consider the relationship between oppression, as a situation that evokes certain emotions in those who experience it, such as pride. as solas says of ostagar, spirits there were drawn to the emotions of the soldiers there. are spirits of pride drawn to situations of oppression, where pride is needed for liberation?

solas's failure (or refusal) to recognize the reality of how oppression functions in modern thedas along lines of race and ethnicity specifically is one of his biggest flaws, but it continues to fit with this theory, as it is consistent with that same sort of single-minded, spirit tunnel-vision that we see from spirits and demons. i would also assume that he considers spirits to be part of this monolithic group of "the oppressed", considering the spirit slavery/bondage practices in tevinter and nevarra, both of which he criticizes.

i do believe, however, that to equate all of solas's unfair derision of the dalish to him identifying with spirits over people, rather than ancient elves over modern elves, would be too generous and an oversimplification. its also clear how much of his anger towards the dalish comes from... wait for it.... his wounded pride.

solas is prideful. when he is faced with pride in others, he becomes defensive, even nasty. when his pride is challenged, often by others pride, he becomes almost unrecognizable. the dalish specifically rub up against his pride, in the most specific of ways that grate at his most cherished qualities and that disregard his own perception of himself. the thing he is most proud of, leading a slave rebellion against corrupt tyrants, erased from history entirely. branded a traitor instead, while those he fought against are worshiped as saviors for millennia.

Solas: I have joined my fair share of causes. But when I offered lessons learned in the Fade, I was derided by my enemies... and sometimes by my allies. Liar. Fool. Madman. There are endless ways to say something isn't worth listening to. Over time, it grinds away at you.

its also possible, considering what we know of the nature of expectation creating reality for spirits, that the dalish framing of the dread wolf actually does indeed make him worse - more arrogant, less compassionate, more ruthless, more cunning, more of a liar. a spirit being perverted into a demon based on the dominant perception of it.

perhaps the most interesting tidbit about solas of all which supports this theory, is that this phenomenon of expectation shaping his nature, making him more prideful or more humble, is not exclusive to the world of thedas, but also occurs on a meta-level with the player by proxy of the inquisitor.

a 2020 interview of trick weekes, solas's writer, says this pretty much verbatim.

"Solas mirrors. If you approach Solas from a place of humility and say, "I want to learn from you," Solas will bend over backwards to tell you how flawed he is and how he's just coming at this from his own limited understanding. If you come in with ego, Solas is genetically incapable of not bristling when he sees your ego... because he can't not do that."

this is fascinating for like 7 million reasons, but most notably for the language trick uses that i believe to be incredibly revealing. first, solas himself talks about how spirits "mirror" the real world multiple times. second is the way in which they speak about solas's mirroring as innate, uncontrollable, and involuntary. he is genetically incapable of not mirroring. genetically incapable of not bristling at someone else's pride. this being a genetic incapability implies, pretty unambigously, that he is a spirit. we dont know of any people in thedas who have pride in their DNA. except. you know. pride demons.

pride is his purpose. he cannot turn away from it or betray that purpose to pursue something else. he cannot change his nature simply by wishing. if he were to attempt it, he would be corrupted.

trick offers this information as an explanation for player's extremely varied perception of solas when playing the game, and it perfectly mimics the way solas himself talks about spirits as being created by a dreamer's expectation of them.

when asked about his friendships with spirits, he says:.

PC: You're saying that you became friends with pride and desire demons? Solas: They were not demons for me. PC: Meaning? Solas: The Fade reflects the minds of the living. If you expect a spirit of wisdom to be a pride demon, it will adapt/ And if your mind is free of corrupting influences? If you understand the nature of the spirit? They can be fast friends.

i just love how perfectly this reflects every fandom argument that's been had on twitter about solas for the past 10 years. like seriously.

random twitter user: you like that guy!? but hes a [demon]!! solas stans: he wasn't a demon for me

and it is true; people who are pretty deep into the games often know what solas is like to a low-approval inquisitor, but it can be shocking for new players to see what he is like at the other end of the approval spectrum, whether that is someone who hated him seeing the tenderness with which he kisses a romanced lavellan goodbye to remove her anchor in trespasser, or someone who romanced him witnessing the cruelty and detachment which with he grabs a low-approval inquisitor to yank off their anchor. he becomes almost an entirely different person based on how the player treats him.

for all that solas, in true spirit form, reflects the perceptions of the players, he has plenty of pure pride-demon vibes on his own, independent of player expectation. he is not just proud, or made proud as a mirror for player/character pride, but he often even goes as far as to act in ways that mimic how we have seen from spirits more generally, as well as pride demons specifically.

the wiki states:

"Spirits are not complex in the sense that they seize upon a single facet of human experience, and this one idea becomes their identity.[3] They are formed as a reflection of the real world and its passions.[10] A spirit embodies and latches onto a specific purpose and will do all in its power to fulfill that purpose. For instance, a hunger demon will attempt to feed on anything it crosses,[4] and a spirit of justice will stop at nothing to uphold its name”

along with further reinforcing solas's tunnel vission as characteristic of spirits, he does indeed intentionally attempt to stoke arrogance in others, as well as test characters to see if they are vulnerable to arrogance and power-hungriness. this is probably best exemplified by his banter with vivienne, versus his banter with cassandra.

i mean this one is self explanatory. cmon.

but it becomes especially interesting when compared to his interactions with cassandra, of whom he starts out very distrustful of. however, through their banter, he immediately begins to test her for indications of her inclination towards arrogance and desire for power:

cassandra passes solas's tests and earns his approval through her humility, curiosity, and willingness to give up power for the greater good. as a result, solas softens considerably towards her, and becomes more evocative of wisdom than pride, offering her advice when she asks, though very humbly:

"i would hardly presume" is actually hilarious considering how he does presume. ALL THE TIME. but it shows the extent of this "mirroring" that trick mentions, when compared to how he speaks with vivienne, who does not pass his tests of pride: notice how his jabs at her specifically target her pride, the things she is proud of about herself, and tear them down:

he tells her that her position in the orlesian court is unearned, that the freedom she is so proud of winning for herself will come to an inevitable end, and that her resistance to demons does not make her special. its absolutely BRUTAL.

its especially important to note how little bearing vivienne and cassandra's backgrounds have on solas's perception of them. vivienne is a circle mage, a group of people who solas deeply sympathizes with, and believes should be freed. meanwhile cassandra is effectively templar, a group whom solas despises and finds unjust, and has been complacent in the oppression of mages that solas is so vehemently against.

and yet? it does not matter. he measures their worth based entirely on their propensity for pride.

it’s worth noting too, keeping in mind Solas’s almost uncharacteristic reverence for cassandra’s faith in the maker and (take this with a grain of salt because it was david gaider and he said via forum post….) that there are actually two types of spirits that become pride. wisdom, and faith.

"A spirit embodies and latches onto a specific purpose and will do all in its power to fulfill that purpose."

what we DONT know: pretty much everything else about this. what was the process like? at what point in history did he take the body? how was that body made? was it stolen? did he start as wisdom and turn into pride later? did he always oscillate between both? was he corrupted by what was asked of him, to fight, as his friend was in his personal quest?

i could continue talking about this forever, probably, especially with how it manifests in the solavellan relationship and what it suggests for solas's story in veilguard, but ill cut it here for both my own sanity and yours. but first, a few fun dialogue bits that strike me as very pride-demon coded but didn't fit anywhere else in this analysis.

in conclusion:

[celestialtarot11]

Astro observations 🤍🐚

back with another astro post part 1000 (i dont remember how much its been) 😭 anyways yall, please enjoy and feel free to share your thoughts always! I had to go in deep with this one 👀 you know, its astrology

divider creds: @fairytopea

Venus conj. Saturn has been the biggest lesson for me in love. In the connection often with this placement, the venus person clings to affection and love in a codependent way. The saturn person may withdraw & avoid romance altogether, creating an unstable dynamic. Venus person eventually learns their self worth is much more than having to convince someone why they should stay with them :/

That being said so much has been learned from this synastry. I truly became a better person and decided who was right for me, and who wasn’t. It broke my heart but fixed my vision! 

Someone I know has someone else’s mars in her 12h. This manifested as instant attraction even though she was repulsed by him. She couldn’t explain why she felt this way. Its possible mars 12h can bring out what we feel interest in, despite our shame and guilt towards it. It often has to do with our trauma and being drawn to things we know initially aren’t good for us. Which begs the question: why? And thats where the healing begins.

To also add she had her Lilith conj his sun, which definitely brought out an impulse to explore what she thought was off putting. Lilith can make us go deep into our trauma and transform our beliefs from then to now. With the sun it makes sense her beliefs are shifting especially in relationships. Her source of power was repressed due to her trauma, but now this synastry could be a way to regain it.

So random but are Taurus/Libra males more likely to be uncircumcised 😭 #sorry just had to put the thought out there

Jupiter in virgo male can be great listeners and conversationalists. It can also make them cunning, sly and manipulative with their word. With what kind of information they choose to let out at the time.

Chiron in the 4h and not living with stable parents 🤝 trauma. This guy I know has this placement and does not live with his parents, he lives with his grandparents due to the instability in his home life. His mother currently has a boyfriend. Chiron in the 4h can make an individual experience lack of stable family connections at a young age. It can also represent a separation or divorce in the family, or even the native being kicked out or homeless at some point in their lives.

Mercury in Aries and either going from being super blunt and dry, to spilling everything on their mind no shame. A guy with this placement was very dry, enunciating every word he could to be “masculine.” This was his attempt at projecting a dominant figure, as he lacked for it physically (#this is an astro post sorry i gotta get in there) I feel like mercury in Aries could manifest as sounding boastful, arrogant and pretentious. Especially if they don’t have a high self esteem. But the other side of it: mercury in aries can spill everything personal of themselves lacking boundaries.

Gemini Lilith natives know exactly what to say and how to say it. They are efficient with their word and thoughts. Precise and intelligent. Once empowered they acknowledge the importance of words and communication, but if not they can manipulate, lie to their benefit, and distort information to hide the truth. Empowered Lilith knows to honor all perspectives and feelings.

Also gemini lilith is multifaceted. Bring up a topic and gemini lilith can easily talk about it, even if you didn’t expect to know of it. They are tenacious individuals who love to learn more, and question everything presented to them!

Depending on other aspects and placements but women with Capricorn placements and plutonian aspects in their chart are more likely to have a grunge, dark moody vibe to their outfits. Even their vibe is unmatched. There’s a woodsy, whimsical yet dark vibe to them you can’t fully describe or place. Especially if they have venus touching pluto those women tend to go for a moody, gloomy yet striking appearance! They may also prefer whimsical softer styles, and one day switch to a darker vibe to change things up. Venus=fashion. As a result of pluto cap women may go through many different styles and changes in order to find what suits them. And even then, cap women love to explore with their look! They shed their old skin to make room for more.

Taurus Venus men & Libra men I notice tend to be extreme in their looks. Some prefer their real body, not altered by surgery. This can go extreme in one way: do everything naturally to their body but expect crazy results. High expectations. And some of them prefer perfection as well and go for surgery. They want to be symmetrical, flawless, and yet convey this, “effortless,” look. Not overdone but just right. And it can manifest into something unhealthy by wanting to look perfect all of the time. Taurus/libra men can be hard on themselves physically to fit a standard or stereotype.

Meanwhile Capricorn men want to convey this minimalistic, daddy energy. 😭. Not sorry. Some of ya’ll actually dress like dads though. Capricorn men always try to look put together, simple, yet there’s a sense of luxury to them. Depending on their other aspects/placements to Venus, they can give off a warm vibe. For example someone who was my childhood bestie dresses like a dad but gives off dork energy, because he has Aquarius stellium and Sagittarius placements as well. So it really depends on the venus aspects!

Libra dominant men are the type to go from couch potato to hot millennial business dad for an event. The type to get you drooling. The type to catch you off guard when you least expect it. The type you’d probably roll your eyes at when they say they’ll actually dress up, and when they do you’re stuck for words.

Capricorn women and their playlist 🤝 comfort. The only thing that truly understands them deeply. The only thing they find themselves getting lost in rather than getting lost in a person. Because losing themselves to a person is much more disgraceful to them, than getting lost in something they put together themselves.

“I’d rather lose myself in the hands of something I made, flesh and bone than to give you my dignity, my vulnerability, my guilt.” -me, a cap moon probably.

Thanks so much y’all for reading! I really hope ya’ll enjoyed this. Please always share your feedback, I love to engage and hear it! You can also send asks my way if that works! 🤍 have a great one.

Extra

Paid readings 🤍

[storkmuffin]

People not believing James and Miranda are romantic really baffles me as well. I get that its a plot twist that James loves Thomas but this isnt a plot twist where its you think person a loves person b but they actually love person c.

And like the evidence for them not being romantic is like what? That we dont really see them kiss? That the one time we are shown they are having sex its bad? Im pretty sure the sex scene is more to establish that James is not like the other pirates. And there are a plethora of reasons for why the sex was bad this one time instead of jumping to the conclusion they only have bad sex. For example james is wounded at the time. As for the kissing people dont need to kiss often to be in a romantic relationship. Anne and Jack dont kiss that much on the show either. And theres the fact everyone knows barlow is flints woman that would not have come out of nowhere.

Dont people like the poly aspect of it? Is it biphobia? I hope not because this is the best i have seen of a poly relationship in media, though I havent come across it a lot. Where i can clearly see how and why three people all love each other rather than it being a convenient way to end a love triangle where i feel like two of them dont care for each other that much.

Can I just say THANK YOU for giving me these Miranda-James thoughts? Because thank you.

Miranda Barlow and her ways of being loving, her ways of being romantic and sexual are all pretty unique and there's not a single thing about her that isn't complicated. In addition, she's a WOMAN woman, not girly, not crushing out, sexually liberated AND discreet about it, not constantly in the throes of some trembly emotion but is actually a very tough person, designed to be a fully grown lady - in sum, she's a bit hard to wrestle with for a lot of people. She's happily (very very much) married to a man and they adore each other as people AND ALSO for how they can together build a joint life they both like. There's a hard edge of pragmatism to her, which I find super hot, because I'm a hard edged pragmatic woman myself, but I think that makes it hard to see how romantic she actually is. The joy of the Thomas-James-Miranda poly connection for me is from the fact that these two men not only find her hot but they find her hardness and pragmatism hot. SO unusual. Second, she likes men who are bi, and doesn't seem to have much interest in monogamy or faithfulness at all. Again, non standard. Third, she DOES have a romantic relationship with James BUT there's always that constantly calcuating, assessing mind that she has - she approaches James because he's cute, she can tell he's a rule breaker and fucking around with rule breakers is ironically a good way to be discreet, AND she can see that he's crushing out on her husband, which she actually likes about him. She recruits James into the group project of protecting and enabling Thomas - that was part of the attraction. It's not a swooning, like, I must have you and will die without you type thing at all, which is generally the easily digestible formulation of romance. Moreover, Miranda uses sex in a variety of ways - for fun, for love, as stress relief, as a game, to make a point to a houseguest - and on pirate island she just does NOT have as many options as she used to in London, so I take it as, we saw her have "make Guthrie unhappy and I need an orgasm" sex rather than "express my desire for you" sex with Flint, which he fully accepted and uh, cooperated with.

And then there's the fact that shipping in most fandoms tends to be done by male-attracted women who want to just do yaoi (very valid, I do this in other fandoms, just not this one) and so it's kind of inconvenient to have to acknowledge that James Flint does actually have a romantic relationship with a woman and does actually have sexual attraction to women, so that may be motivating the desire to just dismiss their romantic connection out of hand.

By the way - I would recommend (unless you are a super very pro John Silver person in which case the episode comes with a warning) listening to this podcast episode made by @heycarrots (It's REALLY great, overall, as a podcast full stop). TLDR for our discussion - in that episode Dr. Tankard posits that James Flint's romantic orientation and real sex life is basically to participate in a group project - he loves being part of a group that is doing a thing, and that's where all his motivation, erotic energy, everything, comes from, and that analysis really works very well for my understanding of Flint.

[alyssalikestoreadbooks]

The Sister Effect - Susan Mallery

"Finley McGowan is determined that the niece she’s raising will always feel loved and wanted. Unlike how she felt after her mom left to pursue a dream of stardom, and when the grandfather who was left to raise them abandoned her and her sister, Sloane, when they needed him most. Finley reacted to her chaotic childhood by walking the straight and narrow—nose down, work hard, follow the rules.

Sloane went the other way.

Now Sloane is back, as beautiful and as damaged as ever…and she wants a relationship with her daughter. She says she’s changed, but Finley’s heart has been burned once too often for her to trust easily. But is her reluctance to forgive really about Sloane or worry over losing what she loves the most? With the help of a man who knows all too well how messy families can be, Finley will learn there’s joy in surrendering and peace in letting go."

Read Date - June 2024

Length - 416 pages

Genre - Romance, Chick Lit, Drama

Rating - 7/10

Stars - ★★★☆☆

Notes - This book starts out with Finley mothering Aubrey, which sets the tone for the rest of the novels contents. I like how it starts out with hints of Finley and Sloane’s mother being emotionally abusive, with subtext here and there, and it blatantly spelled out at other times. I love the dynamic between everyone, like where do i begin? Finley and Sloane are so relatable and realistic. Sloane is smarmy but she tries to reel it in around Finley because she wants her sister to take her seriously. Finley and her grandfather start out with a bad relationship that expands over the book. Jericho and Finley are really cute together and their dynamic is very refreshing. Aubrey and everyone else is just adorable, and VERY realistic to how children act. A lot of people can write kids, but not everyone can write realistic children. Learning that Lester is faking his illness is done very well, and it goes to show that the manipulation doesn’t end with their mother. The topic of Sloane relapsing is a really difficult thing to have to write about, but it’s the honestly of the writing that makes it good. I dont usually add my opinions in this manner, but i find it beyond interesting that Finley works so hard to keep Aubrey from Sloane in fear of Sloane’s alcoholism, when in reality, Sloane is perfectly safe to be around her daughter. Finley is basically re-enacting the trauma she went through (being ripped away from her parents and then abandoned) with Sloane and Aubrey, just through her own doing. It’s very interesting (AND AGRAVATING!!!) to watch play out. I’m a Sloane defender all the way, and I understand that addiction is a very tricky process. The person i do hate in this story is Lester, however. I think he’s being set up as an antagonist or at the very least, at a bad person, and they’re doing so very well. I think Jericho and Finley’s relationship is so cute and we get these little bite sized moments of them together and i love them! they’re such an adorable couple and i need more of the two together. The ending was really good, with Finley accepting that alcoholism is a disease and doesn’t discriminate. It took her awhile to process, cope, and truly understand how devastating it was, and that it wasn’t just a fun party for her sister. I love how Ellis and Sloane have their own little love story being played out, but it really picks up towards the end of the book. This was such a good read, and I’m glad i didn't judge a book by it’s cover because this was very very good. 

[danielnelsen]

The Veilguard Q&A thing: Which location are you most excited/hoping to explore in-game? Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have? Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

answered the first one here

6. Do you have your Rook(s) planned out to any degree? If so, would you share some details or ideas you have?

only very broadly. definitely a grey warden, but i havent decided between elven mage and dwarven rogue. every time i think im leaning more towards one over the other i realise im actually not lmao. i think there'll be the most extra dialogue and story content for elves and i dont wanna miss out on anything (obviously it will be a complete story either way, but yknow), but dwarves are my favourite race. the only reason i dont play dwarves very often is because i love playing as a mage. i think my choice will probably come down to what the actual backgrounds of the characters are: if we can play a dwarf with like..a dwarfy background, rather than a surface dwarf from a mostly human population, then that might tip the scales. i dont think i could resist playing a dwarf from the ambassadoria or kal-sharok (not that the latter is gonna happen).

i think my rook will be nonbinary, but i havent decided between he/him or they/them. im interested in how well the game will handle neutral pronouns, but my characters are also always somewhat an extension of myself, especially on my first playthrough. i'll most likely stick with a default name and face, but i'll definitely play around with the body customisation. hopefully you can be real-life fat, not just popular-media fat (aka not fat). today's article also revealed that you can adjust 'glute and bulge size'. so. we'll see where that takes me. if im already making the rest of my body bigger, then.........

im going into the game expecting to romance davrin, but we know nothing about anyone's personalities yet so that's very easily subject to change. second choice is emmrich. i think my rook will be a bit more serious than i usually play my dragon age characters, especially since we're starting out already having had some real-world experience (im a grey warden, after all), but who knows, maybe once i start picking dialogue options i'll just feel the need to be sweet to everyone.

this is all very surface-level stuff, which is the only planning im gonna do. maybe i'll be more sure of my race option by the time the game releases, but everything else will just evolve based on how the game goes. i dont wanna get too attached to a character that wont end up fitting well into the story.

15. Do you have any unpopular opinions about DAV so far?

ok it took me a while to think of something because whenever i see a lot of people disagree with an opinion i have, i also see plenty of people who share my opinion... but i dont really want the inquisitor to have too big of a role. it makes sense for them to be there, and i especially understand people who romanced solas feeling like their inquisitor should have an important part in the story, but i think this is a bit of a limitation of having the plot directly follow from the events of dai. it wouldnt make sense for the inquisitor not to show up, but this isnt their game, it's rook's. id argue that it would make sense for them not to show up much because solas knows them already, but we've got harding as a companion, who solas is also very familiar with. that said, i expect the writers have probably learned from the reaction to hawke's cameo in dai and will do a better job of writing the inquisitor than they did with writing hawke lmao

[sterek-ao3feed-archive]

firefox? like the web browser?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/50291116 by dumbteddybear After the nogitsune, Stiles had thought things would go back to at least some semblance of normal. He was wrong. Which, honestly, didn’t happen very often. He was usually right about these sorts of things. But nope, not this time. Words: 1417, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Teen Wolf (TV) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: Gen, M/M Characters: Stiles Stilinski, Kira Yukimura, Derek Hale Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski & Kira Yukimura Additional Tags: Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, wrote this by accident, Someone sedate me, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, i honestly dont remember the season, but its when the nogitsune happens, not rewatching that sry, so this is hella canon divergent, Alternate Universe, Creature Stiles Stilinski, Kitsune Stiles Stilinski, Fox Stiles Stilinski, Sort Of, Timeline What Timeline, this totally happened in their senior year right guys, time is an illusion i do what i want, Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff and Humor, Awkward Romance, stiles is 18 bc i say so, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, including allison shes just not mentioned, kiras mom is a badass, Good Peter Hale, Stiles Stilinski is Part of Derek Hale's Pack, so is everyone else, Dorks in Love, Erica Reyes Lives, Vernon Boyd Lives, its not even slightly mentioned but kira and malia are dating in this bc i say so, Everyone Ships Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, trauma-be-gone, Fix-It of Sorts, the nogitsune is easily defeated before it hurts anyone, Post-Nogitsune Stiles Stilinski, Fluff and Crack, no beta we die like gerard argent, cuz fuck that guy read it on AO3 at https://archiveofourown.org/works/50291116

[commander-gloryforge]

have 34, 45, 48, and 52 for soleil and aryel! love your two new commanders :D @kerra-and-company

YIPPEE ary and sol time. you might be able to guess that i like talking about them very much. Thank you!!!

34. What’s their room look like right now?

Soleil: sol was homeless for a long time, and she gets a home around the time she finds out more about her past (the shining blade feels like maybe a hero like her should have the opportunity to, you know, have a home.) her room is quite empty though, she stores a few weapons in there but that's about it. it kind of just feels like a hotel room shes staying in for a night or so so she doesnt bother making it seem comfortable.

Ayriel: the place he lives at in the grove is probably decorated with little trinkets and magical stuff he needs for studies... he lives in the grove for quite the long time and always brings things back there from his adventures, often to show other sylvari! and no matter how old he gets and where he lives, his space will always be a bit cluttered :)

45. Theme song (and a playlist if you’ve got it!)

Soleil: there isn't a playlist for either of them YET because my music is rather. limited. BUT i have already given her a my chemical romance song. Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back by My Chemical Romance

Aryel: he has not yet gotten his theme song but i'm fighting to urge to assign The Foundations Of Decay to him. I will not assign foundations of decay. i will not assign him foundations of decay. i will n-

48. What was their lowest point? What was their highest point?

Soleil: i think most of her low points where her childhood when she was just a kid trying to get by, being treated like shit by everyone around her, even people she believed were friends. HoT will be another extreme low point, and as a human that avidly followed Balthazar, his appearance will probably wreck her the most. In turn, she's the one to actually kill him, which is probably gonna be the highest point: taking revenge.

Aryel: EASILY the death of trahearne. i dont think it can get any worse for him. i haven't decided on whether sol or ary die in PoF, but if soleil dies that'll be another low point. if i choose aryel to be killed then that'd be the lowest for soleil :D (they love eachother a lot). arys highest point is undecided- it'll probably have to do with either trahearne or soleil :)

52. How are you and your character the same? How are you different?

Soleil: she's kinda. not used to people being nice to her and when others treat her with kindness and love she's kinda ???!?!?!?!?! it always surprises her a lot! we're very similar in that way that we take very small kind actions to heart a lot :,) I think both of us also get attached to someone easily if they simply treat us properly :D otherwise, Sol is very different from me, she doesn't take any shit from anyone, she's very brave and very smart which isn't really like me

Aryel: homosexual...... just like me.......... uhmm i think ary underestimates himself a lot which i do too. ALSO!! he's a very shy and introverted person and struggles with communication on a personal level. social cues are a bit tricky for him, having an active conversation alone or even a group of people is very hard for him. HOWEVER people that havent talked to him one on one and only know him as a commander or leader would say that he is very good at expressing himself and acting as a mediator. him and me both are kind of socially incompetent but if we have to, acting as a speaker or a voice of reason (or the only mature person in a petty argument) is kind of our thing and we can both articulate our opinions or arguments well in a setting that isn't as casual. :)

[diariesofafictoro]

From this post

🌱 my first f/o was Hanako from JSHK

🥀 i dont really have many fictional crushes, but the reason they arent my f/os is because I dont feel a deep connection or longing for them

🎉 he draws me all the time! he has every curve and contour of my body memorized and can draw me accurately without even looking at me (but he definitely prefers to look at me while drawing)

📦 Hanako and Bakugou are the only other f/os I've ever had, I just grew out of them though I guess, sometimes I still feel things for them but its much weaker

📸 link to the moodboard

🎵 Dragonspine Moonlike Smile, I Can't Leave My Room, and Nothing

📝 I dont have any WIPs of us right now!

💟 we watch romance movies together and he listens to me gush about the newest romance novel I'm reading, I dont know why this is embarrassing but it is

🧾 he actually gets flustered really easily, he just hides it well

💭 he has no sense of rhythm, like absolutely none, he tries so hard to understand since I often play music for him but he just doesn't get it

💢 none that I'm aware of

🚩 he often spends too much time on his work and completely forgets about me, but if I bring it up at all he apologizes profusely and cuddles me

💌 one day while working on an experiment I was telling him about my experiences being in relationships as per his request. I asked him why he wanted to know and he blushed slightly and told me it was for research purposes. he was very obviously lying so I inched closer to test my theory and we ended kissing

💗 he was very shy about it and only said he loved me after I said it first

🌺 I often hold him from behind or sit on him while he works, but when he isn't busy he sits behind me and puts his arms around my chest, encouraging me to lay against his chest

🛀 I love watching him work, he just looks so beautiful when he's focused, sometimes he catches me staring though and kisses my forehead

🎀 his eyes and the way he does his hair, it just captivates me

🎠 my favorite thing about his personality is that only I get to see his soft side, he's so cold around other people, but not when we're alone

🎡 my dream date with him is just dancing under the stars/snow, even though he's clumsy and has no rhythm we laugh and enjoy the time spent together

💚 his assistant, Sucrose, sometimes he ushers me out of the lab when they are doing dangerous experiments, I know he just wants to keep me safe, but I cant help but get a little jealous

♨️ oh absolutely, they tease me about him all the time, especially Lumine and Klee, they think its funny to listen to me gush about how wonderful he is

🔒 they arent overprotective at all, they actually encouraged me to ask him out and Klee even tried to set us up knowing we had feelings for each other

🍦 they all live far away and dont know him well, but they are proud of me for being in a relationship with someone so important and smart

[btch3sluvme]

Can I get a jjba match up!:)

I want a male character

Ima girl and I go by Ayumi

So basically how I look physically , I wear bangs on my face and have a pony tail on the side with all my hair going down but sometimes I like having two buns or two pig tails cause I like looking cute. Im asian , 5,2. Black long hair , I like to wear scrunchies or hair bows and I like girly dresses , skirts and crop tops. Im have social anxiety , its very hard for me to make friends cause it scares me , Im artistic(I like to draw and sketch) and I like anime.

I like eatting candy and I like stuff toys so I guess you can say I am a bit childish.

Im a bit chubby cause I like eatting but its not noticable

Im introverted and Im not interested in talking to most people cause I find them boring but I have a close friend group , Im usually stand off-ish with people but if we are close I make a lot of dirty jokes and im very playful and light hearted but again half the time I will be introverted. I like deep conversations , talking about feelings and philosophical things and Im self conscious of how I look and im insecure but I dont tell anyone unless we are close. I like deep emotional connections , Im an INFP

I really like physical affection , I like PDA.

I'm idealistic and I day dream a lot about romance and etc but Im not a hopeless romantic.

I have an inner world in my mind.

I like helping my close friends out.

I don't like small talk.

I want to make friends but my anxiety is a lot

I get jealous of others a lot and I need to be nurtured

I want someone to focus on me than other people and don't forget im there when im around people cause in groups Im quiet.

I want someone to care about me and nurture my feelings a lot and I like feeling valued.

I make very lewd jokes and I make some other jokes others may laugh at or find me weird

I really like positive people because I look up to them and I think their cool but I want someone with emotional depth to talk about deep inner emotions

I can also tell when someones upset or sad simply because I can based off of body language.

I like being there for others even though sometimes I dont know what to do , im very emotionally nurturing , I like spending time with people I love a lot.

I also live in a fantasy world in my mind and I love music and I like making people see me as attractive or act playful and bubbly cause it boosts my self esteem and makes me feel hot

Sometimes I can be too quiet but it depends on my mood , I dislike most people cause I view them as "Normal"

People think im shy when really i just dont feel the need to interact

Ok first: WTF THIS WAS SO UNEXPECTED, TYSM FOR REQUESTING AYUMI

And i think i have the perfect man for u!

Johnny Joestar ⭐💙

(don't ask abt the image just, appreciate)

C'mom you guys are made to each other!!

Gyro will constantly annoy you by telling you that you are soul mates from the same ring of hell or shit like that

you guys will often find yourselfs talking to each other about the meaning of life late at night and then just cuddling till sleep

Due to his reputation as a womanizer, you might think that he doesn't want anything serious, but deep down his biggest priority is to have a deep and serious connection with his partner.

And I can easily imagine the two of you just lying on the floor in your dorm just listening to music and relaxing while there's a big party outside and u both are just not in the mood for partying

Gyro makes one of his classic puns? You both are just: ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ ( then u look at each other and start laughing)

About your body type? He does'nt care at all, you're perfect for him with a six pack, with a tummy, plus size, what is the point? Our bodies are temporary

If you two are in the middle of his circle of friends (HP, Diego, Gyro etc) and you can't interact because everyone is talking at the same time, he probably will stop the conversation to introduce you to them

And i feel like he would ask you do sketch Tusk just to spend more time w you

"Don't worry i have all the time in the world to love you"

.

.

NOTES:

Im so so sorry it took so long! I was busy and tired.... And lazy, im really sorry but i hope u like It!

[lustbile]

ah yes my presence has been requested but like…… do u wanna know sexually, romatically or just in general???? jaehyun is…. smthin else LOL like he gives me idgaf vibes but also gives me like ultimate form of romance vibes….. maybe its bc hes an aqua sun but has a taurus moon and pisces rising…. but he also has an aqua venus so likely he would make u chase him lol. def the type to pretend he isnt THAT interested and in all realness probably thinks that open affection and trusting others doesnt seem that safe…. like on one hand hes rly a romantic guy but can also be detached and/or unpredictable!! he has a leo lillith which is insane to me and tells me alot abt him actually, very provocative and visually and sexually appealing (as we all know LOL what a man) hes an aqua stellium which literally just means Emotionally Stunted and Hates Everyone and hes actually rly introverted and easily annoyed by ppl, does not like talking abt how hes feeling (wow an aquarius not liking their own feelings??? shocker) his taurus moon and pisces rising combo r what make him a romantic, w his taurus moon in the second house he tends to only rly entertain/make the first move in a relationship only if hes sure the other party likes him first lol. hes actually very dependant on positive feedback and often looks for admiration but hes also very capable and loyal which is so sweet :,) on the neg side tho w his moon square venus his emotional and romantic needs can actually cause tensions,, and he may not know what he wants. bc of his auqa venus he can come off as stand-offish, is threatened by restrictions of any kind, and will also need his own space. unfortunately, (this is NOT a reflection of him at all, just an observation of this placement in his chart.) he could have affairs, as it is hard for him to define his own boundaries and can get hurt in love very easily. marraige may not be for him, tbh. long distance relationships may seem more attainable or desirable to him tho!! v uncomfortable w grand shows of emotions. hes honestly very open-minded and sees the world the way he wants,, n both his appearances and mannerisms make him quite intriguing to others. (bc of his pisces rising!! honestly not surprised that hes a pisces rising bc he has a v piscean/water sign face/look) sexually hes actually rly more likely to be more into unconventional things, i think. in sex i dont THINK he has a chance of being submissive, if at all. he’s dominant for sure, but not in the way johnny or yuta are. jaehyun idealizes sexuality and love, but hes actually rly rly passionate. i def think hes into your basic rougher kinks: choking, biting, scratching, etc. probably enjoys a bit of slapping, maybe degradation too. could probably into pet play. (puppy moreso than kitten, imo) following on that, probably is elated to let other nct members see you like that. would probably have you sit at his feet in lingerie w your tail and ears, a pretty collar and leash attached to your neck while he has company. it brings out that obsessive need for him to control, and absolutely drives him nuts (especially knowing in the back of his mind that you love and trust him so much that you would let yourself be put in this situation in the first place and enjoy it just as much as he does). i dont think he would ever share, tho, or let anyone watch him fuck you. he seems more like someone who would enjoy sir and master more than daddy when it comes to titles. wants to hear you vocalize everything. affirmations, answering his questions, dissatisfactions, everything. i dont think he’s loud. probably more likely to grunt and growl, and maybe youll get a deep, languide moan when he cums. i do think he’s into somnophilia, the idea of you giving him that level of control, letting him use you like a fleshlight probably rly, rly gets him going. a TEASE. im not a jae bias, but thinking abt him pressing you into the matress w his hand on the back of ur neck and just lowley telling u how bad he wants you, teasing abt how needy u are for his dick. (continuing in another ask lol rip)-🪐

— 🪐

I’m gonna put the other message in a readmore just so they can be in the same post

-

-

-

is probably into non-con and honestly, more likely to be into dubcon as hes probably a horny ass bitch. could be into period sex, knife play, and asphyxiation play. would absolutely be the typa man to push your face into his pelvis while you suck him off and plug your nose. thrives off the choking noises you make and the whimper you let out when you pull off his dick and he gives u a lil slap on the face. i feel like jae is on another level when it omes to being freaky, you just have to drag it out of him. theres alot of layers to this man and honestly if you want a relationship w him be prepared to put in WORK lol bc (based on his chart, ffs dont attack me for saying this) any type of insecurities where you get jealous/defensive will probably make him vanish into thin air. will probably let problems sit and rot before confronting them. will be more likely to walk out than to fix things unless hes like RLY in love with you. like i said, be prepared to put in work lol. jaehyun is an enigma but he has such potential to be an incredible partner, lover, and best friend. (also this is the first time im ~actually~ looking at his chart lol dont @ me if some things r wrong or off!!!)

[turtle-go-brrrr]

The gang during movie nights

Leonardo

Easily impressed

Like, there is an arrow shooting off toward the camera and he's ducking

It's hilarious

He gets so invested, especially in shows, like I can't stress enough how attached to the characters he can be

Won't cry, but will be deeply hurt if anything bad happens

Doesn't handle r*pe scenes well at all (none of them really do, but he'sthe worst)

Doesn't understand why they need to be shown on screen when the implication of that act can be just as disturbing and powerful

Likes to know how good the actors were treated on set too

If he learns that they weren't treated well he's gonna shit on the director for a really long time

When no one can decide on a movie he's the one choosing

Will sometimes let you choose, but dont count on it very often

He loves thrillers and mysteries, trying to guess what will happen along the characters

Not as good at it as he thought he would be though

Donatello

Unless he's captivated by the movie, he's the worst person you could watch anything with

Talks constantly

Critiques any illogical thing he can see

Don't tell me about plot holes

Goes on and on about character development

Discussing a movie with him is fantastic, but watching it? No sir

Unless you're like that too

He has the best taste in movies tho

He loves indie movies the best

His favorite movies (as of late) is The Shape Of Water

(He just loves the fact that the two characters fell in love because of what they are instead of despite it)

(Also it's a monster lover movie and he secretly hopes he can find someone at some point)

Will put his legs on your lap but won't share the blanket

Will give you unlimited access to his stack of snacks tho

Raphael

Pretends to love horror movies because he's the Tough Guy but actually hates them

Either because they're not scary (and therefore cringy) or because they're too scary

And he doesn't like being vulnerable

Will watch any and all movies starring Vin Diesel

His favorite is Baby Sittor

Doesnt like the Fast and Furious movies as much as he makes it out, he just has a big crush on Diesel

Really likes animated movies

If they want to explore dark themes, they have to do so subtly instead of throwing blood and sex scenes in your face all the time

They have to be creative about everything and he likes that aspect

If you guys are watching an horror movie, he'll cling to you at every jumpscare and act as if he was just shifty

Will silently claim unbreake loyalty to you if you hold his hand during the scary parts

Will put you on a pedestal forever if you don't tell anyone about any of this

Michelangelo

Always in his phone

It's not because he's not paying attention, he just needs to do something at the same time to be able to pay attention better

ADHD amaright

Cries easily too

Not just from sadness, but from laughter too

Really likes comedies, but loves thrillers and drama even more

The shittier, the better

He just loves being fake interested in the characters life and criticizing every bad choice they make

"Don't go back with him Linda, he cheated on you!"

Ends up being real invested and cant take his eyes off of the screen (he gotta knows what happens next)

This is especially true with Christmas Hallmark movies

He knows exactly what will happen, the acting is bad and it's all too cliche

But he has to see it anyway

The ultimate snack maker, but won't share his

Will give you as many blankets and pillows as you need

Will also most likely fall asleep on you

Which is a huge problem when you need a bathroom break, because no one will help you move him without waking him up

April

She doesn't really have a favorite genre

But if there's murder in it, she's gonna live it

"I'm just saying, it would have been a lot better if he died after falling down the pit." "What did you expect from Dora the explorer?!"

Unironically loves really bad movies

Velocipastor, Vikingdom, Sharknado and the likes

They have this weird, we-got-drunk-and-made-a-whole-movie-before-the-hangover kind of energy that she loves

Don't let her choose the movie because she will choose this kind of trash film

If she manages to pull it off, you two will have the time of your life in from of this trash

Like constant laughter, trying to guess how far they'll take the absurdity etc

Just an honest good laugh

Casey

Adventure kinda guy

Like Indiana Jones, Jumanji, The Mummy, etc

He just loves the adventure and action ok

Especially if Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson is in it

He has a secret crush on him

(As secret as Raph's crush on Vin Diesel, so not so secret)

Also has a thing for romances

Really really likes them if they're somehow tragic

Like "two lovers getting separated during the war and finding each other again in the battlefield" kind of tragic

Doesn't like it if it ends on a bad and depressing note

Like it has to at least have a message of hope at the end

He's the one shushing everyone when it becomes too much

Also the one to refill snacks, and give you "secret" snacks if you help him

(It's your favorite candy)

Likes to act as if he was giving you drugs or soemthing when in reality it's like. Caramel

[doped-on-galaxies]

So I decided to make my last post a little more clear

We're going to put the shippings more in depth.

First off, keepsakes

I dont take the keepsakes very seriously due to the fact that's all they are. They were gifted. Nothing fancy just things that are carried along throughout the series. Though Misty's keepsakes were carried throughout plenty more seasons than Ash and May's ribbon. The ribbon was nothing more than a good luck charm to remind May of how much she learned, same as Ash's lure from Misty was a good luck charm for him 🤭

Posters/Advertisements

Whether these were hints towards shippings or not, these were the only personal ones that had Ash and a female companion alone. Though this can be argued I do personally feel as if Pokeshipping and Amourshipping were hinted in these. Nonetheless May and Iris did not get a cameo poster with Ash alone.

Being saved

If you're going to consider one as a hint, then consider all of these as hints. These characters were simply being saved, and each of the falling scenes have a close up of grabbing each others hands. Let it be noted though, that Misty saving Ash, Serena saving Ash, and May saving Drew were the ONLY times the females saved their *crushes* every other time it's just Ash saving and girl. Yes a few of the girls liked Ash but that carries us into our next topic.

Blushing

Somebody said that "blushing doesn't always mean romance" of course. I get that, but not in these scenarios. Each person blushed due to to a romantic gesture. Whether it's embarrassing someone about possible love letters, accusing one of having feelings, accepting feelings, or simply a romantic moment. They say "Oh well Pokemon can't be romantic due to age" yet last time I checked, there is blushing, rose giving, slow dancing, kissing, and people asking if x has a crush on y. Can they go too far? No, but did they give us an idea on who liked who??? Definitely. As shown even Ash blushed, he just didn't blush very often, but them few counted. I understand that Goh blushes at Ash too though but last time I checked we aren't talking about characters being embarrassed, but I do believe if there is a possibility for there to be a LGBTQ relationship with Ash- Gary and Goh are definitely good representations.

Oh, and yes I am aware Ash was sick in the scene with him and Serena, but Pokemon did a pretty *obvious* job of making it a romantic scene regardless. They didn't have to do all that, but they did. "Some" people seem to forget that there's more to a Pokemon shipping than having to fish out romance out of non-romantic scenes due to their ship just being a healthy friendship at best, but if you're here for the obvious, you can easily tell Pokemon did their best to portray some kind of romance in these scenes. The proof was in the blushing. If you don't feel for someone you don't blush. You argue it out or deny it. We have all been in a scenario as kids and young teens where someone asks if you have feelings for someone, and you brush it off or argue about it because it's simply not true. I promise you my face only got red when I actually had feelings for someone. It's natural instinct, Pokemon knows that too. Take some notes from the Pokemon creators because they knew what they were drawing and what was going to be said in these scenes. Also take a look at the few shippings that had no blushing whatsoever. It's a sign, not an argument.

"Look at how they look at each other"

You know, you're only partially right. Look at how Ash looks at EVERY GIRL. Ooooh wow same expression. Pretty last resort thing to fall back on. Which is why there are other hints that help to make SOME of those expressions actually worth digging in to.

Let's face it, when it comes to ships like Contestshipping and Penguinshipping- there's very few episodes that Drew and Kenny are in, so every second counts. Plus the episodes with Angie, Anabel, and Lucy (towards Brock) they made it very clear within the very few episodes that those girls had feelings. Though I do believe Pearlshipping was partially one sided (I do feel like Dawn liked Ash to an extent only with the way she left Kenny to travel with Ash despite his offer) there was 100% proof Kenny DID have feelings for Dawn and it was easily initiated in the actions he made. Contestshipping was not one sided though. I've learned in my 23 years of watching Pokemon if they don't blush, it's not anything to worry about. Luckily May blushed nearly everytime, and Drew did blush but he didn't always need to. After all he was slinging red roses left and right, and if they were for Beautifly- the last one she received would've never been given to her since Beautifly wasn't even in Battle Frontier at all.

Though I am a Pokeshipper, Amourshipper, and half ass Pearlshipper- I stand as an ally when I say that if you're looking for romantic signs in a shipping you're going to have to find it in the Poke'girls actions. Ash doesn't *look* at one girl specifically different than the other. He literally just looks at them. Though the only person he ever blushed with was for Misty, but that doesn't mean the 2,000,000 hints Serena had are dismissed. After all, like I said before, if Pokemon wanted to create hints, they would, and they did. Those hints were soooo out there, that saying "oh look how Ash looks at her" is gonna leave us asking "who?" Because let's face it he looks at all of them pretty normal. That being said there are still hints Ash had. Being jealous of Misty's potential crushes, showing he was attracted to other women, running up to Serena when he was sick and falling into her arms, and looking at Serena when she kissed him and doing nothing but smile, when normally Ash would probably freak the fuck out.

That being said I hope I made myself clear on how to spot a close-to-canon shipping. It's okay to ship people who have litte to no proof of real romance, but don't say a ship with real proof has none. That is where you are wrong.

[anemo-writes]

can i request for kaeya / gn!reader whos lisa's helper in library and how he would court her ? just good ol' lil' fluff if you dont mind ? ur writing is so fluffy and cute uwu ♡´･ᴗ･`♡

of course, anon ! this was such a cute ask, I was smiling the entire time I was writing it :’) for story purposes the reader is a bookworm and a bit shy !

Kaeya courting Lisa’s helper in the library

It’s not often that Kaeya visits the library; as a Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius, he’s extremely busy and most of his leisurely hours are spent in Angel’s Share (the tavern). So, it was pure luck that the two of you met—it so happened that he was returning a book he borrowed from Lisa (he does NOT want to be hunted down by an angry witch) late at night when he spotted her talking to someone in front her desk, and that someone happened to be you !

He’s surprised to see you talking so casually to one of his friends, especially when he had never seen you before. Nonetheless, he strides up to the two of you with his book in hand, the sound of his footsteps making you and Lisa turn to face him. “I’m here to return your book, Lisa, but I see you are a bit preoccupied at the moment—should I come by later?” He asks, knowing very well he won’t be leaving anytime soon. When Lisa shakes her head and takes the book from his hands, telling you she’ll be back soon, he takes the opportunity to engage in a conversation with you.

Before he can speak, you bow apologetically, murmuring about having work to do as you scurry behind the multiple bookshelves that occupy the library—congrats, you’ve now earned his attention, something not so easy to do coming from a man who’s schedule is packed enough as it is. Unfortunately, Lisa happened to come back right then, telling him to leave so she could return to her dwelling—we both know that Kaeya doesn’t give up that easily. In the span of a few minutes, he’s convinced Lisa to let him lock up the library after he finds another book for him to “read”—in reality, he’s going to try and find you between all those bookshelves.

When she finally leaves, the library is quiet— except for the ever-so-often sounds of someone turning the page, someone that only had to be you. He finds you in the back of the library, surrounded by piles of books on the ground. In the back of his mind, he secretly admires the way your eyes sparkle as your eyes flutter from page to page from the book you were reading—it reminded him of himself when he was younger when his grandfather would tell him stories of the “treasures” he would find in his adventures.

One time he stopped by the library with a romance novel in hand (in an attempt to quote a romantic line and have you swoon without knowing it actually came from a book), catching you by the wrist as you tried to scurry away from him again. Seriously, was he so bad that you had to run away from him everytime?? “What’s the rush, sweetheart?” He murmured close to your ears, causing you to lean back into the bookshelf, accidentally knocking it over in the process (Lisa was not happy). Surprisingly when she asked what had happened, you left out the part where he leaned too close to you and took all the blame yourself—she couldn’t be mad at your “honesty”, and only sentenced you to clean up the mess the two of you had made.

“Why did you cover for me?” He asked, genuinely curious as he continued to watch you pick up the disorganized array of books along the ground. “Were you expecting something in return, perhaps?”

“No, I just didn’t want you to get in trouble,” You replied back, letting out a small huff in response to the weight of the books you were carrying. “Miss Lisa can be scary sometimes, especially with things regarding the library.” A part of him melts at this, despite his vision being cryo. He laughs at this, so loudly that you had to put a finger in front of your mouth to quiet him down. A mischievous smile plastered across his face as he crosses his arms, leaning against a bookshelf lightly.

“Now now, how scary do you think Miss Lisa would be if she heard what you’ve just said?”

Run away while you can.

It’s been a couple of months and he’s still just so curious about you, both romantically and genuinely. Like seriously. You’re on his mind almost all the time and everyone has noticed; they all tease him, asking him ‘who’s the lucky person?’—it’s him, obviously?? He gets to be around a person like you (as cliche as it sounds it’s true), someone who was way out of his league in his opinion, and that’s saying a lot—he knows how good looking he is. He’s not sure why he’s been following you around the library so often, as well as paying attention to the way you tippy-toe to reach the highest shelf to put a book away (he won’t admit it but he’s so smitten by you??)

He’s the type of guy to fall for a smile. I said it. The first time he saw you smile, he felt like he just got his wind knocked out of him by a hilichurl—it was breathtaking (literally). He completely forgot the cheesy pick-up line he was going to use, that’s how much it affected him (●’◡’●)ﾉ While he’s courting you, expect a lot of flirty remarks and lots of touching—this can range from headpats to side hugs,,, he has no concept of personal space with you, I swear. He’s a big romantic (he likes to claim), so also expect him to bring you flowers that he most definitely did not steal from Flora’s stand when she wasn’t looking !

And hear me out; he’s also definitely the type of guy to ask you to elope with him— like he’s just so,, spontaneous it’s weird sldjfkv. And maybe that’s why he got to the library a bit earlier than you normally do (yes, he has your schedule memorized) with a small box in a pocket of his coat, waiting patiently but at the same time impatiently for you to arrive so he can pop the question—it’s up to you if you accept or not ;)

[leoprincess777]

⚡ astrobservations p.2 ⚡♌

🌟 houses

*this is a new theory i came up with but we might experience the energy of the opposite of our houses. for example, as a 1h venus person you may act more like a 7h venus where you avoid confrontation and value keeping the peace. as a 7h venus, you may act more like a 1h venus where you give more appericiation to your appearance and be more aggressive and argumentative.

as a 6h sun, you may find it more difficult to accomplish tasks at hand and be productive and it may feel like a burden to you, but you may easily get in contact with the astral realm and embrace your higher self.as a 12h sun, you may easily be productive and finish tasks and chores but struggle with surrendering to the divine, diving deep into spirituality or struggle to accept your gifts.

*mercury in 7h love to debate other people and share their ideas with other people

*jupiter in 5th gives excellent stage presence and abundance of creativity, its the ultimate performer and creator placement. people with chart ruler in 5h jupiter are often destined to become a creator/performer which can even mean being a tourist guide or a youtuber

*mercury in 5th people are never boring and they are extremely pleasant people who will make everything 5x more fun than it is. school work, chores, everything is funner with them!

🌟 synastry

*be VERY careful when getting into a relationship with 8th house synastry, especially if you are the planet person because you will most likely form an extreme attachment and obsession to the house person that will last for a very long time and can go into unhealthy lenghts. because you are the planet person and this is 8th house synastry we are talking about, the house person has immense power over you and they know it. they can see right through you. as the planet person, you want to be their one and only and feel they empower you, which makes you crave to be with them more because they give you power and their presence helps you get through anything. you will never forget about them and they become embeded in your subconscious. the house person will feel disturbed and triggered by you psychologically. but they become fascinated with the planet person. this makes an extremely transformative relationship. they bring out your true personality (especially if your sun is in their 8th house) to the surface and you trigger the heck out of them.   the planet person usually finds the house person when the house person is at their rock bottom and sometimes vice versa. 

 *venus conjunct sun synastry has an effect where the venus person is widely known as the sun person’s sweetheart. the venus person becomes a magnefied and known person in the sun persons life, almost like a celebrity couple/duo while the sun person is known by the venus persons’ favorite people and inner circle mostly.

*12th house synastry is a BITCH i fucking hate it because it makes everything so blurry and unknown you have no idea wtf is going on but you also cant make your way out and you idealise the person a lot

6th house synastry is EXCELLENT because you’re involved in each others lives so much. more often than not, you spend majority of your time in a day together whether by hanging out or texting and the planet person usually reports the house person what are they doing during the day (like a random text of “im repairing a bike rn” or “im going to x, i’ll be back in awhile” etc) and you care about each other A LOT. the planet person can take a director role in the house persons life and they help each other a lot

mars conjunctions are wonderful synastries for sticking through thick and thin, it makes a very dynamic and sexy couple

with mercury in 7th house synastry, it’s IMPOSSIBLE for the love to remain as a secret if it’s a romance relationship. it will come out. one of you will admit it sooner or later

🌟 other

*wherever your mars is placed in, is where you’re not scared to take action or assert yourself. example: my pisces mars friends are not afraid of getting in dangerous waters likecliff diving, swimming in wild waves, going too deep in water etc. i, as a leo mars am not afraid of putting myself out there and performing

*sagittarius suns love to eat, while sagittarius moons have less appetite and desire to eat

*aries moons love themes of war, they have a warrior-like approach to most things

*aries-pisces people turn war and warriorhood into fantasy and make it dreamlike. (example: grimes’ (a pisces sun aries moon) WarNymph persona)

*i didnt observe this myself but read that mars opposite uranus people have deranges pasts with knives and it’s SO true.

*fire moons enjoy energetic and upbeat music, earth moons love chill music (like indie, lofi, can be r&b too maybe), air moons can enjoy techno music&rap, and i’m not sure about water moons cause i don’t have many water moons in my life but i’m thinking they would enjoy songs with lyrics or beats that make them feel something and songs with stories. i’ve seen that they tend to listen to music of all kinds. earth moons openly discriminate amongst genres and dgaf

*pisces placements have divine intelligence and are revolutionaries. this is rarely mentioned and pisces are often described as “airheads” which they are because of their giant imaginations and unique thought process but it’s a sign of intelligence. pisces people pick up on ANYTHING so quickly, absorb information like a sponge and analyze it themselves to form an opinion and understand it. their thoughts and opinions often dont make to other people or shock them. they will bring revolution and newness into whatever area they are working with. (example: einstein, rihanna, grimes (she’s literally trying to make the “ethereal techno” an official genre and creating avatars. revolution), billie eilish, kurt cobain (helllooo  grunge king), paul mccartney, copernicus, aamir khan, steve jobs are all either pisces suns or risings

*sagittarians are similar in the sense that they like to discover new paths. they have the star quality (walt disney, britney spears, brad pitt, nicki minaj)

*it makes sense that the world’s most famous celebrity right now is a leo (kylie jenner)

*sagittarius and gemini risings have thick and pretty hair. it’s well styled and you want to run your hand through it. they’re physically advantaged

*aries suns and moons will just create trouble if they cant find it cause they love to throw themselves in tricky and dangerous situation as they feed off of it

*cancer moons get fucking poetic and dramatic at the slightest conflict, argument or emotional moment like they fucking channel the spirit of shakespeare. shhtoppp

*air sun, moon, mercury & venus dont like sadness, depression or traumatic memories so they will often program themselves to forget about heartbreaks or traumatic events and move on like they never happened or change the story and tell people different stories about what happened to convince themselves and twist reality.

*moon-saturn often naturally restricts food intake

most socialists/communists have taurus and sagittarius placements it’s INCREDIBLE

leo ic people are inherently and naturally charming af, thats because they are usually SHOWERED with love and affection as a child, they are often the only child and the golden child which obviously feeds someone with confidence for their life later on

libra moons will judge you on the inside if you are ugly sjdljsdf they dont like to be in aesthetically unpleasent spaces

[sothischickshe]

A secret for you: I don't understand the hype around Bridgerton. It's basically Downton Abbey meets Gossip Girl without the charming appeal of either

oooh! ok so ive seen gossip girl (the original, not the revival), but i havent seen downton abbey. and i have seen bridgerton! though ive not read any of the books. i don't think i'd say bridgerton was charmless, and im not sure i liked it (much?) less than gossip girl (although it’s hard to compare one short season to however long gossip girl eventually went on for), but i am sure i liked it more than the thing i havent seen, ha.

i guess you weren’t actually asking haha but this sparked THOUGHTS so im gonna arbitrarily claim there are ~3 prongs that account for the hype (and/or noise?):

1. fake dating

it's a top tier trope!!! and this was the main storyline!!! i am already charmed, ha.

i must admit i didn't really care that much about what was going on with any of the other von trapp children and barely remember the wider cast of characters, which is a point against the charm for sure.

plus omg! amongst all these boring young ppl i really feel we were robbed of a main chick's widowed mother & main dude's cool godmother(?) romance. (but i do often feel this way abt media focused on young ppl, so it's not special in that regard.)

2. a british(ish) period piece ft black british actors WHO AREN’T PLAYING JAZZ MUSICIANS

!!!!!!!!!!!!! this country's biggest export really might be period shows, which are overwhelmingly white, & that deffffinitely contributes to the ♻️cycle of (particularly screen) actors of colour having difficulty finding work & leaving. in fact snl parodied this trend (i say parodied, I'm now half convinced ice cube is secretly english), in the ep that regé-jean page hosted last yr!

I find it very difficult to muster much enthusiasm for this endless parade of these period shows, and im aware im poss being unfair to downton abbey but i just...dont care abt it? beyond the good fight’s meta parody anyhow.

personally i think bridgerton mightve worked better with ~actual race blind casting, cos instead you end up with this weird context where race does but also doesnt seem to exist in the show’s world, but i was left kinda willing to see how that developed in future seasons, and theyve announced a queen charlotte prequel spinoff, which sounds like it could be genuinely interesting?

anyway it defffffffff felt like a breath of fresh air in this regard so again, I'm immediately charmed!

3. marketing/furore

the show first appeared in that weird taint of a period btwn xmas & new year, which’d generally be a great time to air cos a lot of ppl are pissing abt barely interacting with reality AND pretty much everything else is on hiatus. throw in a global pandemic & you can deffo see how this generated more hype/noise than it probably wouldve otherwise! Plus I'm sure all the brouhaha abt the ‘steaminess’ contributed!

there’s also ofc criticism of the show (’historical’ ‘accuracy’, too much steaminess, depictions of lack of/consent, casting, adaptational success etc etc), and while that stuff doesnt directly contribute to hype... it does contribute to noise, and i think those can kiiinda end up being one and the same...? 🤔

My greatest piece of criticism is probs that it's RIDONK to feature wisteria (a FAMOUSLY short flowering plant) for the whole season??? Am I to believe the span of the first season was like 3 weeks???? 🤯 Wisteria should pretty much only feature onscreen TO start withering to provide a sense of 'time' 🤺🗻❕ (or to not wither to demonstrate a show is set in a fantasy world where time moves differently!!!!!)

But also: i feel like the show had the makings of a potentially interesting & nuanced conversation about consent -- a period piece obvi easily allows you to show how definitions & attitudes change, the fake dating plot is kicked off by honour-defending so it's already a main topic, & then main dude kinda exploits main chick’s complete lack of sex education cos of his (!totally valid) non-interest in having kids. and the conclusion to her spermjacking is... oh suddenly we've solved all our problems in the last 45 seconds cos actually everyone DOES want to have kids which ARE a magic balm for everything actually....? um. 🤯

i thought the show’d kinda shot itself in the foot cos main duke’s left 🍿, but it sounds like each season focuses on a different one of the siblings so maybe he’ll be doing deeply important business somewhere offscreen the whole time lol. the fact that i didnt care that much abt the other characters doesnt super bode well for my investment in further seasons, and i wouldnt be that surprised if this show goes the way of the avatar sequels, but im probs up for checking out s2 if it sounds vaguely interesting......? (and that prequel!)

but gossip girl is such an interesting point of comparison... cos i am ALMOST tempted to rewatch it, primarily to see how well it hangs together w/ the reveal of who gg is. but.... idk i think i’d probs get annoyed fast? I feel like it's taking up a fairly rosy spot in my memories but if I interrogate a little... It DID get way overly convoluted & introduce too many rando characters & there were a few too many rounds of the partner shuffle & it's another show that kinda backed itself into a corner with an ill thought out inclusion of a(t least one) rape plot, I assume from the source material 😕

But also and probs most crucially... It's centred on young ppl like SO much media and given I watched it first when I was a young ppl it's def got a nostalgia vibe but idk, as a no longer young person I do find it harder to get invested in stuff about babies? So I wonder if perhaps bridgerton isn't much less charming than gossip girl, rather you're just old now 😂😘😘😘😘😘

Tell me a secret!

[dwtisgay]

I thought for the longest time people were joking saying they shipped dnf but I recently discovered they're legit like you actually think they're dating? wow i like them but they have zero romantic chemistry and everytime someone screams about them being soulmates I cringe i feel like people created this to deal with the pandemic but the joke got out of hand, it's obvious they're just friends who enjoy working tgt and people making it this epic lovestory is a bit delusional don't you think

I totally agree with you anon, it is rather delusional to think that -especially considering when there is barely anything there to support it in the first place - at best I'd compare them to michael and gavin from roosterteeth, or shane and ryan from buzzfeed unsolved you can tell DNF isn't actually seriously a romantic relationship, while dream and george are close they more fit a platonic sense, their sexual jokes with each other are very in your face and not subtle, to indicate clearly to the audience its a joke, how they act on camera is purely theatrical and while they do hold deep affections for each other the only existing indication for it possibly being romantic is their pandering jokes platonic relationships are characterized by their lack of sexual charge, due to how comfortable dream and george with sharing their sexual jokes with us, that indicates there is no heat to them in the first place because it would be embarrassing and intimate otherwise, the things we see don't hold much weight to them due to precisely the fact that we even see them we cant map out how Dream and George are like in private with each other, and the things we do see the edges of are easily something that can be platonic, like the 10 hour phone calls, I know michael and gavin used to spend all their time afterwork together getting drunk they were inseparable, and shane and ryan also mention how they spend a lot of hours just talking to each other, as such to assume its romantic just because George feels comfortable showering while on call with dream is ignorant, intimacy does not equal romance another point is that romantic relationships tend to be unstable, George and Dream have a deep foundation built on trust that is characteristic of platonic relationships if we see dan and phil as an example that is often compared to DNF, you'll note that they had a lot of rocky periods due to being shipped mirroring the reality of their emotions - DNF dont seem to particularly have that and plan to tie a lot of their assets and their future together, this isnt to say romantic relationships cant have this either but there is more rockyness to them at first due to the various stigmas attached ---------------------------- This has been an inverse exploration on "Dnf Are Dating" stance, each point I explore is a character of actual platonic relationships from the two examples I listed and from what I've seen argued towards platonic DNF, but its supposed to highlight why dnf are dating. Precisely because someone who actually follows them can easily debunk each point with 20 examples of otherwise, if you find yourself agreeing with any of the points I mentioned then you might not actually follow DNF closely or know much about them. the point of this post is to highlight nuance and how anyone can write and argument for platonic DNF because its all reduction, you aren't adding to what exists currently in their relationship, you are reducing from it, and when I say "reducing" I do not imply that platonic is lesser, I mean it exactly as I say it There are different things going on to dnf, and you just cut away at the excess that you either cant see or cant explain and thus it can easily fit into your perceptions on what platonic can be. and honestly? I think that is very rude to do to actual platonic relationships, I truly cherish michael and gavin/ ryan and shanes friendships and even though I do sometimes ship them romantically watching them growing up has shown me what healthy intimacy in a close relationship looks like and how I shouldn't fear it or equate it to romance, and how love is flexible, and there is no "lesser love" or "better love" there is only love, and the actions you choose to show it with Platonic relationships are DIFFERENT and people are trying to shove a square into a triangle, and they cant wrap their head around it, because they lack the information, they cut away at the square.