#(also re: the girl & the dance thing it's not necessarily a dance from canon bc like something had to have happened off screen we didn't se

[pcetstcrtured]

@chrmiing asked: " you can win the battle, but you'll never win the war." ( jay + chad )

( a guts ask meme isn't a bad idea, right? )

Jay raised a brow at Chad, arms going to cross over his chest. "Oh really, is that so, Charming? Because I like to think I've won both." He puffed out his chest a little, pride taking over. "I'm on the Tourney and the R.O.A.R. team, got Lonnie on as captain of the latter, took the girl I wanted to to the dance, and helped my friends save Auradon not one, not two, but three times ..." Eyebrow raised further as smug look crossed his face. "What exactly have you won?"

[lemonhemlock]

do you have any thoughts on Baelon and Alyssa? I’ve been seeing lots of discourse on what they would think about Rhaenyra or how the dance would play out if Baelon was king

an ask from May, lol. sorry it took me this long!

i'm gonna be a bit lemontarty and go against the grain on this one. a popular take i've seen is how alysanne was so brainwashed by targcest that she interpreted alyssa always being glued to baelon's side as marital intention and thus paired them up from a young age. kind of like how straight people have that annoying habit in that they see a boy and a girl playing and, as a result, call them boyfriend and girlfriend and start planning their wedding. i don't think it's an outrageous take, but i also don't think it was necessarily the author's intention here.

not that targcest fucking up family dynamics isn't a worthwhile topic of conversation, but i don't really see it in the way those two specifically were written. it seems to be one of grrm's exceptions he throws in ever so often. i say this because neither baelon, nor alyssa ever expressed regret with their relationship or even any kind of dissatisfaction, nor is even one argument or point of contention between them ever mentioned. they apparently couldn't keep their hands off each other and baelon never recovered mentally after alyssa's death.

that being said, i take issue with how alyssa was written bc she is way too much of a Cool Girl™. now FB came out in 2018 and Gone Girl in 2014, so idek what george was thinking with this, bc alyssa is 100% the girl in the monologue. she is sporty, low maintenance, the only thing she wants to do is fuck her man, fly her dragon & give baelon enough sons to field a football team etc. she's so much of a male fantasy it's hard not to laugh, tbh. you just know she'd eat only pizza and never gain weight.

as for what they would think about rhaenyra, who knows. it's worth mentioning that rhaenyra would have never been in the running for queen if rhaenys, daughter of prince aemon and baelon&alyssa's niece, hadn't been passed over. now, alyssa was long dead when aemon died, but had she been alive, for thing to happen in the same way, then she should have been complicit in the passing over (twice) of rhaenys. so if she would have been comfortable with that, why would she be a rhaenyra supporter? alyssa honestly gives me boy mom vibes. if she didn't die, she would have given baelon a ton of children & possibly more sons who could have, in time, produced other male offspring, complicating things even further.

the dance wouldn't happen during baelon's reign, it would happen after baelon and viserys both died. but it could happen while alyssa was a queen dowager. so, in this scenario, who's to say she wouldn't have already convinced viserys to name aegon as successor? thus avoiding any dance at all. i find it hard to believe she would champion rhaenyra for queen when she herself would have been complicit re: rhaenys.

also, another thing to consider is that viserys' obsession for a son was also born out of the scarcity of targaryen heirs at the time: daemon was a loose canon, rhaenyra was a girl and rhaenys had married outside of the family so her children were technically velaryons. if alyssa gave baelon more children, it's very possible that viserys would not have pressured aemma for more offspring so much as he knew that, if push came to shove, he could call another great council and they had more options to consider as heir.

ANOTHER thing i would like to add to complicate this timeline even more is that alyssa could have provided sisters for viserys and daemon to marry, thus negating the need for viserys to even marry aemma in the first place (and rhaenyra's existence) and daemon's fixation on his underage niece. or, you know, viserys can still marry aemma (say it's true love or whatever) and, after she dies, he can marry a younger sister of his instead of alicent.

and with that i've provided plenty of AUs out there for you potential writers 🎈

[curriebelle]

furtively tries to express my appreciation for BTS’s insane showmanship without gaining the reputation of Being a Kpop Blog

Actually leTS TALK ABOUT THE REPUTATION OF THE KPOP BLOG 👩‍🏫

So to a certain extent I understand why “friend’s blog became a Kpop blog” is a meme. From the outside, a lot of the Kpop fan activity seems quite vapid. The impression I got in previous years was that it’s mostly about gushing over handsome boys and a/b/o rpf. And that’s not........entirely wrong, but we’ll get into that more in a sec.

Another factor is that Kpop fandom is hard to follow. The barrier to entry is higher than with other fandoms. In posts, individual Kpop stars are referred to by name, stage name, or nickname, and the band they belong to isn’t always obvious, so it’s quite easy to lump it all into “Kpop”; it takes work for a new fan to differentiate the groups if you don’t know them ahead of time. Kpop fandom has its own lingo that differs from other fan language (other media fans don’t use “bias” or “delulu” — and there’s a linguistics dissertation for you). And let’s not discount the other language barrier — Korean isn’t exactly a common first language, so it does take a bit of extra work to find subtitles and translations.

This might be why the Suddenly A Kpop Blog Event supposedly triggers a different reaction in followers. I’m still following most of my friends from crit role season 1, even though a good chunk of them blog about other stuff now (what is this Chinese show? Boy with magic flute? Gay? Help). Fittingly, I’ve seen memes about how people are ride or die for their mutuals even when they move to different fandoms, but the jokes about Kpop blogs are always a bit different — about how turning into a Kpop blog is a bit cursed of u. It’s to the point where this is only “secretly a Kpop blog” because I don’t want the “Kpop blog” reputation.

And from my fandom lurking I can say that part of that reputation is not unearned. A lot of Kpop fans on tumblr engage in it in ways I’m either disinterested in or actively opposed to (the shipping wars are as terrifying as their reputation suggests. Some were arguing one ship was an rl canon true secret relationship because someone in BTS wrote the letter K on his drawing. Even though the letter K is in his name.) The reason I’ve been “secretly a Kpop blog” is that a lot of Kpop posts don’t inspire me into reblog frenzies the way crit role memes used to, and that’s not because Kpop Stans Suck — it’s more just a matter of taste. Then again, I do like gifs, but if I start reblogging BTS gifs, then I’m a Kpop Blog......and you don’t want to be a Kpop blog.

But isn’t there a whiff of “I’m not like other girls” about all that? Like, yeah, of course Kpop fans hoard gifs of the same people and overanalyze them. That’s what fans do! Pretending I didn’t overanalyze the shit out of Taliesin and Laura’s micro-expressions before Perc’ahlia was a thing would just be disingenuous. We’re all looking too closely — one of the best things about being a fan is diving into the excess of art and making things out of it. We all make mountains out of molehills because mountains are more scenic. And, on a baser level, we are all thirsty bastards. I have SEEN you all reblogging the gifs of Chris Evans ripping the log in half, okay, and you were not doing it bc of the camera angle, just own the thirst. Even the problems the Kpop fandoms have aren’t problems unique to Kpop — aggressive shippers and “””””problematic””” fans are everywhere.

I also wonder if the reason why we don’t see as much Kpop analysis on tumblr is because we’ve created kind of a hostile environment for it. Whether you are a Kpop fan or not, we’ve all decided to treat Kpop as kind of silly — the fans give it their all in the departments of cutesy photo sets and ridiculous fic prompts, and we laugh at memes of Gimli saying “never thought I’d die side by side with a Kpop fan” anyway Stan Jungkook. Just like thirst and over analyzing, that’s not necessarily a bad thing — I love that meme, and you should Stan Jungkook — but it does mean that if you want to start taking it a bit more seriously, or even a bit more casually, the assumption is that all your old tumblr friends will ditch you because “you’ve gone to the dark side”

And that’s a shame because uhhhhhh there is some baller stuff to analyze in BTS’s discography. The album before last was based on Jungian psychology (???). Their leader and primary writer is a huge fan of multilingual puns so in the latest album he makes a three-way pun on the phrase “I’m ill” — he’s sick, he’s cool, and he’s overworked (because “il” in Korean means “work”). So is he sick or is he simply made sick by like, society’s expectations of labour under capital???? Like, you know me. Societal critique by way of pun. That’s my shit. There’s also an essay or two in me about the way BTS are marketed for fan consumption and the way we handle multilingual lyrics and the way they’re handling the temporary departure of one of their members (he is an absolute cat of a man and I hope he gets well soon).

Also fuck can J-Hope ever dance.

EDIT: I should probably acknowledge that I can only make this justification for BTS, which is the only Kpop group I really like; I got no idea about the rest of them. I do know that Shinee can Also dance.

I might get the essays out but this probably won’t become “a Kpop blog” if you’re not into that. I think I’ve internalized too much of the stigma (omg V has a song called stigma it’s so good check it out find a good translation), but also, like I said, I don’t vibe with much of the other content and I kind of only follow one extremely successful group. The gifs, though. The gifs might be coming. They are pretty, those boys.

Anyway! People don’t like Kpop for nothing so like Maybe you would also like Kpop? Who knows. At the very least, think before u meme.

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

I had to drive cross country and now I have to quarantine for 12 more days. To keep from going nuts I’m reading a TON. What are you favorite really long stories or verses? I just re-read Crowded House and it took me just over 2 days. I just would like to immerse myself in one universe a day rather than several. I keep getting characters and situations mixed up if I read several shorter fics in a day. :)

You must be do some serious reading if you read Crowded House in two days! Under the cut are 12 fic recs for your 12 days of quarantine. Let us know how you got on. Stay safe.  - HKVoyage

In Every Lifetime by @jayhawk-writes and @teddyshoney

A series of connected AUs inspired by this line from Blaine's proposal:

"It's always felt like I was remembering you from something. As if, in every lifetime you and I have ever lived, we've chosen to come back and find each other and fall in love all over again. Over and over for all of eternity."

~~~~~

There From The Start series by BlurglesmurfKlaine (@blaineanderdumbass)

What if Blaine had been the 12th member of the New Directions instead of Matt? (bc lbr he had like two lines the whole season and had zero storylines) Set in Season One canon, same(ish?) storyline, but with Blaine and Klaine. Not too sure what I’ll change yet ;) Football Player!Blaine

~~~~~

Beautiful Mess by WildHurricane

What do you say when your very straight friend tells you he wants to know what it's like to kiss a guy and all you want to say is "kiss me".

Kurt is secretly in love with his best friend Blaine. He's recently figured out he's gay, but hasn't told anyone. Especially not Blaine. Or his girlfriend.

Blaine is confused and in denial about why he wants to kiss Kurt. He's not gay. He has a long line of girlfriends to prove that.

Both are scared what it will do to their friendship if the other finds out.

~~~~~

Keep My Heart Captive, Set Me Free by @keepmyheartcaptive / The Queen of Rose

D/s AU - Kurt Hummel had always dreamed of a fairy-tale bond, a perfect, kind and caring Dom. Blaine Anderson had always dreamed of someone who stands out from the boring crowd, someone real, and pure. When their worlds collide, will either of them get what they had dreamed of?

~~~~~

Ride by @nellie12

Blaine is pretty popular in his city of Long Beach, CA. Summer is here and he’s ready to spend it with friends- BMX bike riding in the skate park and surfing when the waves are perfect. Flirting with girls is a definite. But when a new kid from Ohio shows up, Blaine finds himself wanting to share all these things with him, too. But Kurt’s just his friend, right?

~~~~~

Lessons In Being a Man by Whatsername Lambert [PDF]

Kurt is a beloved music teacher and, along with partner Dave Karofsky, proud father to 6-year-old Ellie. Blaine, his best friend, is a young Chicago lawyer who unwillingly becomes the leader of a statewide gay rights movement. When Kurt and Ellie’s home life turns violent as a result of Dave’s alcoholism, Blaine opens up his home to them. Brief Kurtofsky, Klaine later. Future fic.

My Note: There is very very little Kurtofsky is this story.

~~~~~

Until Further Notice Series by lostinfictionalworlds

Money can’t buy happiness. Businessman Kurt is still trying to figure that one out, and performer Blaine thought he knew what he wanted, until he came across a Personal Assistant Ad. A story of acceptance and love, from one’s self and that of others, more specifically, one other.

~~~~~

Wake Me Up Inside Trilogy by MrsCriss2012

Kurt Hummel is a shy, insecure fifteen year old. Blaine Anderson is a thirty one year old musician. When their worlds collide, Blaine discovers he’s powerless to resist the lure of Kurt’s eyes and his exquisite voice, and Kurt begins a journey of awakening. *There is a large passage of time in this story meaning no illegal happenings!

~~~~~

Sideways by CrissColferL0ve  

Blaine is the most popular kid at school, he’s also a bully. Kurt is the new kid and the victim of the football team, but bullying somebody doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t end up liking them, even if you try your best not to.

Sequel: Anywhere But Here

~~~~~

Glory Verse by Amberlovesocean

Kurt is assaulted after singing at a school dance and is left for dead, thrown aboard an empty train car at the railroad freight yard to hide the crime.

He wakes up to find he's been tossed off the car somewhere in an Oregon logging camp, 2500 miles from home. A curly-haired kid named Blaine finds Kurt and protects him by hiding him in his cabin and teaching him how to survive.

~~~~~

Express Yourself by @esperantoauthor

When he was 4, he didn’t notice it. When he was 6, he hoped he could outgrow it. When he was 14 he thought he could ignore it. When he was 16, he tried hide it.

When Blaine is attacked for being different, he transfers to a new school where he meets a cadre of misfits called The New Directions, who seem very impressed with his singing and very curious about his past. Blaine just wanted to fit in but maybe he will find something better: his voice.

[A canon-divergent story in which Blaine transferred to McKinley rather than Dalton after being attacked at his old school.]

~~~~~

Westerville Abbey Verse by @hkvoyage

Blaine is the second son of the earl of Westerville, and is considered the spare heir. After his 18th birthday, he attends the London Season to fulfill his duty of finding a wife. He soon realizes he is more attracted to the new footman. Kurt, who has just arrived at Westerville Abbey to work alongside his father, becomes equally as smitten with the earl’s youngest son. Will Blaine and Kurt be able to overcome their class differences in 1910s England? Will their forbidden love survive WW1? A Downton Abbey inspired historical Klaine AU.