#I LOVE THEIR DYNAMIC I LOVE THEIR HISTORY AND I LOVE THEM

[mix-n-max]

In honour of nothing and purely because I want to talk about the things that I enjoy:

My no. 1 favourite audio roleplay characters & listeners from various creators & why (ft. My fanart)

1. Redacted Audio

Gotta start with the channel that truly got me into the audio roleplay genre. This channel is like a gateway drug(/j/lh) for a lot of people.

Speaker: Imperium!Vega

Just how different he is from his canonical counter part is so very interesting to me. Especially since the premise of the Imperium is “if just a few things went a little differently”. His growth as a character with & because of Pet also interests me greatly. I also just really enjoy speaker/listener pairings with interesting power dynamics

Listener: Darlin’ (a.k.a Tank)

Tank is a listener with a lot of potential for different and interesting dynamics between speakers, both romantic and otherwise. Their past with the Shaw pack and joining late, the loss of David’s father and the “Quinn-cident” are all things that affect who they are and how they see the world and I appreciate that much character being put to into a role that usually gets left relatively blank to allow more people to put themselves in their place.

3. Auth/Soma ASMR

Another talented creator I found as a direct result of a Redacted collab. He’s so busy tho, hope he’s doing okay out there😔😔/lh

Speaker: Leo

I’m gonna be so real with y’all, this one is purely for… unseemly reasons… DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT-/j/lh He’s a werewolf, he’s a dom, he’s a freak (like that and not like that) And within three videos I’ve been given just enough story to keep me thinking about him… *checks notes* 2 years after he disappeared off the face of the earth/lh/j

Listener: N/A

I wouldn’t say there’s any real stand out listeners for me

4. Atonal ASMR

I love Atonal’s work. Like it’s actually crazy how much I enjoy it. I found them when YouTube looked a me, looked at my watch history and went “I know what you are😒” and now he’s one of my go-tos when I recommend people.

Speaker: Gideon

He was my first Atonal character and I love a polite little guy. I mean look at him!!! He’s so nice! And caring!! And silly!!!!! Genuinely such a calming character & series. There was a period where I would just put his playlist on when I needed to sleep.

Listener: Medusa

You mean WE get to play the cool interesting creature???? With a mystery behind our origins, oh Atonal, how you spoil the audience.

5. ZSaku VA

Man I remember when I first got into Saku (that is a lie, I think it was YouTube recommendations, could have also been from TikTok who knows). God he is so talented I’m genuinely jealous/lh

Speaker: Xanthus

This is another case where he was my first Saku character and I am just really attached. I really like the dynamic he has with his listener and his story interests me greatly. I am not ready for his story to end.

Listener: Pet

A recent standout in the Sakuverse line up but a beloved one for sure! I LOOOOOOOVE unique listeners and Pet is definitely in a league of their own[/derogatory(/j/lh)] This strange creature is thought provoking to say the least. (No one is allowed to say a WORD about how 3 of my all time favourites have something to do with listeners named pet)

6. Escaped Audios

The famous creator of such gems as Sneaky Goblin Ruins everything, Not in Front of Dinner Darling and You “Accidentally” Stomp on Stuart Little, I’m pretty sure I found out about his existence from the various pieces of fanart I saw on the hell site.

Speaker: Basher (Slash & The Basher series)

You can’t give me a weirdo and not expect him to be a favourite! His story is a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the premise. I got a thing for freaky deaky dudes/pos/lh

Listener: Slash (Slash & The Basher series)

It might be because I like the series as a whole so much but Slash is such a fun listener to me, like “yeees serial killer!! Kill those guys!” /j I seriously need to watch the “My True Love is Dead” premiere.

7. Castle Audios

I am so embarrassingly behind on Castle but GOD is her stuff good.

Speaker: Genevieve

I cannot quantify what or why but I love her so much.

Listener: Knight

Same as Evie I’m just so attached to these little guys/gn

8. Mr. Laveau

A friend of mine and an incredibly talented creator, it makes it so hard to just pick one favourite in each category. I remember when their very first episode came out and I fell in love with their world & story telling.

Speaker: Uriah (Bloodmoon series)

She is the moment, the icon and the very first character Veau ever posted I love Uriah so much I feel crazy sometimes y’all don’t even get it. He needs to come home IMMEDIATELY.

Listener: Cher (Bloodmoon series)

Cher is so complex and every time I feel like get a handle on who they are/what they do next I’m bamboozled. Yet another unique listener, oh how I love you.

[oristian]

I sometimes come across posts where people claim that Azriel would have no plot outside of a romance arc and I genuinely have to wonder if people are able to grasp character nuance. I see people claim that there is nothing within the narrative that he can claim as his own plot, or that there is no story to tell; hence why so many people do not want to see Azriel receive his own book.

From the ACOTAR series alone—House of Flame and Shadow I will speak on near the end—the reader was given a plethora of potential arcs surrounding Azriel. Not only that, but he is shrouded in a veil of mystery that drives readers to want to learn so much more about him.

Where do his shadows come from and why is it such an extant/rare ability? What is the language of his shadows and does it match possible languages from other worlds, and/or the early settlement of Prythian? How did his parents meet and are there circumstances that keeps his mother seemingly placed in Illyria, rather than Velaris? His father is a Duke and that, through Azriel’s bloodline, gives him some form of image/title in Illyria—had he claimed it. Speaking on his father and brothers, how much influence do they have in Illyria and how do they react to Azriel being such a powerful being? The psychological effects of being trapped in his father’s cellar for so long, and the pain and suffering he experienced from the neglect of his father and brothers and stepmother. Who are his brothers and will he meet them again? Azriel sings, but where did this talent first come about and do others know, or just Gwyn? His mother and his relationship with her being explored. Azriel was Rhysand’s father’s personal Shadowsinger until Rhysand was High Lord, so an exploration on that/connecting the reader to a part of history that we have not yet explored.

Can Azriel use the full power of Truth Teller? Speaking of Truth Teller, how did Azriel come to possess such a weapon? Connecting him back to Mor, when/why did his feelings develop for her and what drove him to be so enamored for centuries—or, are the theories true that there is something else involved within this dynamic? Dealing with the psychological effects of the burns on his hands and linking that with his self image. His role of being a Spymaster and, again, the psychological effects of torture and the further job description on his mental health and self image. How did Azriel become the Spymaster and how long did it take him to become so in tuned with his shadows? Again, speaking on his shadows, what are the extent of their abilities/magic? What is Rosehall and why is his mother living there specifically (seemingly)? From his bonus chapter alone, the reader was able to discern that Azriel is dealing with self worth and image issues, similarly to Nesta. Also similarly to Nesta, he has grown many, many readers who do not like him; perfect for a setup for a growth and healing arc.

From HOFAS, the reader now links Azriel more to an Illyrian plot arc; the ACOTAR series linked him through text that informs the reader that he does not consider Illyria his home/does not accept his heritage/race. Now, the reader has background information on the creation of Illyrians and linking them to characters that are Made and what that entails to the plot/narrative. We have more information on Enalius, the original owner of Truth Teller, and now Gwydion has come into play. What will those two blades do once connected once more in Prythian? Azriel is able to see and hear things that others cannot, and his shadows are able to extend past him to deliver information/observe others—this would be an interesting subplot to explore.

There are abundantly more ties to Azriel that would make him a formidable candidate for having his own book. He is not just a love interest and has never been set up to be reduced to such. Azriel struggles heavily with self-confidence due to his abusive and traumatic past, but also what he does for work. He is cautious with trusting others and keeps his emotions locked tight, usually sporting a cool mask of indifference and blends easily into the background. Despite it all, he is still good and incredibly loyal. Azriel yearns for a mate of his own, of happiness, but it is obvious to the reader that he struggles with romantic relationships and the concept of relationships in general.

All in all, Azriel is an incredibly interesting character and has multiple lines of connection within the sphere of overarching plots remaining in the narrative. Reading the bonus chapter was supposed to make readers feel uncomfortable, to turn the tide, and that chapter was only meant to distinguish to the reader who his endgame would most likely be (Gwyn). The fact that Azriel received his own bonus chapter without a second POV, unlike the Nessian chapter in ACOMAF, is a clear indication that he is far more important to the narrative than readers initially thought. It was ACOSF and HOFAS that firmly laid the foundation for the next book in the series being his.

(It is like Tower of Dawn—no one believed that Chaol would get his own book, and many hated him due to Aelin, but look at him now)

[urbanhymnal]

I actually like that they set Santos up to be this cocky character because you end up not wanting to like her at first. It lured the audience in, convincing them that she is The Bad Guy™️. Combine that with Langdon being good looking and likable— it was really solid writing. The audience doesn’t want to believe Santos when she expresses concern that Langdon is using drugs. It messes with audience expectations of what an addict looks like. She just has to be wrong, right? She just wants to take him down a peg or two. Hell, I still see people posting theories about how Langdon couldn’t possibly be a drug addict.

But the truth is there are a lot of people who are addicts and you would never know. My brother was good looking and charismatic. People found him easy to get along with. He was loved by a lot of people and that made it so much harder for people to believe he had a real problem. Even after he died from a drug overdose, I still knew people who just couldn’t believe that and that it had to be something else.

That’s why I find the dynamic between Santos and Langdon so compelling. Addicts become very skilled at hiding their addiction. A lot of them lead (from the outside) very normal looking lives. Santos was able to see through his facade because she had no deep emotional connection to him. She wasn’t Robby or Dana. She was an outsider and based on how quickly she started putting clues together, it wouldn’t surprise me if we learn that either she herself has a history of addiction or she knew someone who did.

[xoxorealitygalore]

HERE COMES THE LOVE

PART THREE

ROMAN REIGNS X OC

Summary: Joe and Angel are longtime best friends now in their late-30s that live in the same building in Miami. Not romantically involved, they decide to have children together. But of course, complications arise.

Tag list: @tian-monique @diamondlifeee @duhitzkay380 @itskii01 @christinabae @prettypink-princesss

Previous - Part Two

With three weeks left before her due date, Angel stood in front of the mirror and smoothed the stretch of fabric over her belly, feeling the gentle nudge of the life within her. Her fingers lingered for a moment, tracing the curve of her abdomen.

There was something sacred in this moment, a quiet reverence that surrounded the final days of pregnancy. It was more than just carrying a child; it was carrying a future, a hope, a love that was already vast.

She turned as she heard Joe’s voice from the hallway. “They’re here with the camera,” he called out, peeking his head around the doorframe with a lopsided grin. His dark hair was slightly tousled, his shirt creased from the chaos of wrangling six children into coordinated outfits. Still, his eyes found hers with ease, like they always had, as though no matter the noise or distraction, Angel was his North Star.

She smiled, but there was a flutter in her chest that hadn’t been there before, not the baby, but something else. Something more complicated.

The photographer set up the shoot in the garden, under the soft golden light of late morning. Angel had chosen a long, flowing pale blue gown that clung to her curves and glowed against her skin. Joe matched in a denim shirt and crisp white pants, his hand never straying too far from her back or her belly. Around them were Joe’s five children from his previous marriage, all dressed in various shades of blue. They surrounded Angel like a tide—JoJo, the oldest, stood protectively close; Jace and Jenver linked arms and giggled when the baby kicked; Solofo and Samuel, made faces at the camera before being gently scolded by their dad.

And then there was Sai, the little girl that bound them all together. At almost two years old, she was the glue in the chaos, her chubby hands clasped around Angel’s fingers and her curls bouncing with every step.

“Okay, everyone, let’s get into position,” the photographer instructed. Angel moved slowly, easing herself down onto the soft blanket laid out for the sitting poses. Joe helped her lower herself with a tenderness that didn’t go unnoticed.

As the shutter clicked, Joe’s hand crept around to Angel’s belly, resting over it like a seal. The baby kicked. Hard.

Angel gasped and laughed.

“I think he’s upset he’s not in the pictures,” Joe teased, eyes twinkling.

“He’ll get to do one soon enough,” Angel giggled, leaning slightly into him.

Each pose seemed to draw them closer, his arm around her shoulder, her head leaning against his chest, both hands joined over the swell of her stomach. The children took turns posing around them, and for a few fleeting seconds, Angel forgot the complexities. They were just a family. A peculiar one, yes, but undeniably bonded.

The shoot lasted longer than expected, but not once did Joe leave her side. His eyes rarely left her, filled with a softness that made Angel’s heart squeeze. Ever since the argument with his cousin Mige, Joe had been different. Quieter. More protective. More present. Clingy, even.

It wasn’t just the fight, it was her. She knew it.

Joe had always been there. From their early days as friends to long nights helping with Sai when she was teething, to ultrasounds and birthing classes. He had been her anchor. Her co-parent. Her confidant.

But now… he wanted more.

And Angel didn’t know if she could give it.

The dynamic between them had always been fragile, made of layers of history, laughter, and shared responsibilities. Adding romance felt like setting fire to a carefully constructed house and hoping it came out better on the other side.

After the photoshoot, they all piled into the SUVs and headed to lunch. They chose a quiet café with an outdoor patio, where the kids could stretch out and laugh in the sun. Plates of sandwiches, fries, and fruit were passed around. Juice boxes were opened. Sai dropped a grape, and Solofo dutifully retrieved it. Angel watched it all with a bittersweet smile.

Then JoJo turned to Joe with a serious look.

“Hey, Dad,” she said. “My friends asked if Angel was my stepmom. I didn’t know what to say because… you guys aren’t a couple.”

Silence fell like a soft blanket over the table. Even the twins paused their squabble.

Joe looked at Angel. Not just a glance, but a long, deep gaze that said everything he hadn’t been able to put into words.

Angel’s throat went dry. Her stomach fluttered again, this time not from the baby.

She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

Because what could she say?

They were… something. More than friends, less than lovers. Co-parents. Teammates. She wasn’t just his ex’s replacement. She wasn’t just a friend that he shared a child with. She was part of this family. And she realized in that moment, it wasn’t just her own feelings she was holding back. It was everyone’s.

After lunch, Angel walked slowly to the car, Sai bouncing on Joe’s hip beside her. She hadn’t answered JoJo’s question. Neither had Joe. But the silence spoke volumes.

Joe cleared his throat. “Come with me,” he said gently.

“What? Where?”

“You’ll see.”

They dropped the kids at home with JoJo in charge, then Joe drove. The route was unfamiliar, winding through the edge of town where new construction and polished storefronts gleamed under the afternoon sun. Angel watched him, quiet and thoughtful. His hands gripped the steering wheel in a way that betrayed his nerves.

Finally, they pulled into a dealership.

She blinked. “What are we doing here?”

He parked and turned to her, his voice soft. “I wanted to give you your push present.”

Angel frowned. “A push present?”

“Yeah. You know, for carrying our son, putting up with me, and raising six kids like it’s nothing.” His mouth twisted into a half-smile. “You deserve a whole planet for that. But I got you something else instead.”

They stepped out of the car. A sleek, shimmering blue Range Rover sat in the front lot, glinting under the sun like a sapphire. Angel gasped.

“No.”

Joe chuckled. “Yes.”

“You didn’t.”

“I did.”

She stared at it. It was beautiful. Practical, yes, but elegant and roomy enough for all the kids, sturdy enough for road trips, and luxurious in a way that said you deserve to be treated like royalty.

Angel’s eyes filled with tears before she could stop them.

“I don’t even know what to say.”

“Say thank you,” he said gently. “And maybe… just think about what we could be. You don’t have to give me an answer now. But I want you to know that I’m in this. All the way.”

Angel looked at him, really looked at him.

This was the man who had shown up to every doctor’s appointment. Who had held her hair back when she threw up from morning sickness. This was the man who had every reason to be bitter from his past but still chose softness, loyalty, and family.

He wasn’t just her friend. He was her future.

Later that evening, as the sun set and the kids gathered around the kitchen, fighting over slices of peach cobbler and streaming cartoons on low volume, Angel stood beside Joe at the sink. He was washing dishes, sleeves rolled up, humming something under his breath.

She placed a hand on his arm.

He turned.

“I think I’m ready,” she said.

His eyes searched hers. “For what?”

“To figure it out. With you. Not just for the kids. For us.”

Joe didn’t say anything. He just reached for her hand, laced his fingers through hers, and kissed her knuckles.

That night, with Sai tucked between them on the couch, JoJo reading aloud to the twins, and the faint glow of the photo shoot pictures already uploading to the cloud, Angel leaned against him and let herself imagine a life she had spent too long resisting.

And in her heart, she knew it had already begun.

alwaysangel 2h

The morning light filtered through soft gauze curtains, painting a delicate golden glow across the bedroom walls. Angel lay curled on her side, one hand tucked under her cheek, the other resting protectively over the swell of her belly. She looked peaceful, but her mind was a storm of names and meanings, memories and hopes. A name meant something. A name was a beginning.

Joe sat at the edge of the bed, quietly tying the laces of his worn boots. The morning ritual had become familiar, waking before the city stirred, drinking coffee from chipped mugs, and sharing quiet silences that said more than words. As he stood, he looked down at her.

"Angel?" he said softly.

She stirred, her dark eyes blinking up at him.

“Yeah?” Her voice was groggy, but she smiled.

“I’ve been thinking about the name,” Joe said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Angel sat up, pulling the sheets around her, the light catching the curve of her face. “Me too,” she admitted.

“I—” he hesitated. “I kept coming back to Azrael.”

She blinked, thoughtful. “Azrael?”

Joe nodded, almost embarrassed. “It’s... it’s the angel of death, right? But not in a bad way. More like... a guide. A protector. Someone who helps souls move on.”

Angel’s brow furrowed slightly, not in distaste but in reflection. “Azrael,” she repeated, tasting the syllables. “There’s something strong about it. Mysterious. Kind, even.”

Joe exhaled. “Exactly. I know it’s not... usual. But it feels right.”

There was a pause, then Angel smiled, a full, glowing smile that transformed her whole face.

“It’s perfect.”

They sat in silence then, hands clasped over her belly, the baby gently kicking beneath.

A few days later, Angel found herself in the tidy kitchen of a house that smelled of lavender and warm bread, with soft jazz playing in the background. Lisa, Joe’s mother, moved with an elegance was calm, deliberate, and graceful.

Lisa had invited her for lunch, her voice warm but unmistakably curious. “We should talk, just us girls,” she’d said.

Now, as Angel sat at the table sipping chamomile tea, she wondered how much Lisa already knew or suspected.

Lisa placed a plate in front of her that included fresh spinach quiche, sliced tomatoes, a small pile of olives and then took her own seat across the table. Her smile was kind, but her eyes were sharp.

“You’re glowing,” Lisa said.

Angel laughed nervously. “Everyone keeps saying that.”

“Well, it’s true.” Lisa folded her hands. “You and Joe have always been close. But things seem... different now.”

Angel paused, placing her fork down gently. “They are.”

Lisa tilted her head, waiting.

“We’re together,” Angel said finally. “Romantically, I mean. We started out as friends, trying to do this”—she gestured to her belly—“the nontraditional way. We thought we could raise children without being a couple. But... somewhere along the way, it changed.”

Lisa nodded slowly. “I always wondered if it might. You’ve always looked at him with something deeper than friendship.”

Angel’s cheeks flushed. “I didn’t realize it myself until recently. He’s—he’s just always been there. Solid. Kind. I don’t know when it happened, but I’m in love with him.”

Lisa’s expression softened, and she reached across the table to squeeze Angel’s hand. “I’m glad. Joe’s not the easiest man, but he’s got a good heart. And you... you bring out the best in him.”

Angel smiled, tears threatening the corners of her eyes. “Thank you.”

They ate slowly, talking about baby names, books, Lisa’s garden. Angel found herself relaxing, the tension unwinding from her shoulders. This, she thought, is what it feels like to be accepted.

That evening, Joe returned home to find Angel curled up on the couch, a throw blanket wrapped around her, a mug of cocoa in hand.

“How was it?” he asked, dropping his keys into the bowl by the door.

“She’s wonderful,” Angel said, smiling. “She made quiche and interrogated me like a CIA agent.”

Joe winced. “Sorry.”

Angel laughed. “Don’t be. I told her about us.”

Joe paused. “You did?”

“She already knew,” Angel said. “Or guessed. She was... happy for us.”

Joe sank onto the couch beside her. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. Us.”

Angel looked at him.

“I keep thinking about how we got here,” he said. “That first conversation, the decision. It felt crazy at the time.”

“It was crazy,” Angel said gently. “But it was right.”

“I didn’t know I was falling for you,” Joe admitted. “I just... started needing to be near you. Listening to you. Protecting you. I think I loved you before I even realized it.”

Angel placed a hand on his cheek. “I know. Me too.”

They sat like that for a long moment, foreheads touching, hearts thudding in sync.

Weeks passed, filled with doctor’s appointments, baby clothes, and quiet nights. Joe painted the nursery with soft gray walls, a mobile of stars and moons. Joe set up the crib, and Angel filled the closet with clothes. Their love deepened not with fireworks, but with small, steadfast acts.

Sometimes they still argued about things, or schedules, but they always came back to each other. Stronger. Wiser. More certain.

One rainy Sunday morning, Joe knelt beside Angel, who sat perched on the edge of the bed, folding impossibly small onesies into drawers.

“I never asked you something,” he said.

Angel glanced at him, one eyebrow raised.

“If you want to be with me, like, really with me. Officially.”

She laughed. “I thought we already were.”

“I mean like... forever.”

She paused, her eyes shimmering. “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”

Joe pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. “I didn’t plan this. I wanted to wait. Make it special. But it’s raining, and you look beautiful, and I couldn’t hold it in.”

Angel opened the box, and there it was: a delicate gold ring, simple, perfect.

“Yes,” she said, before he could even ask. “Yes, Joe.”

He kissed her then, slow and sure, his hand cradling her belly between them. And for the first time, their little family felt whole.

The name Azrael remained. Not everyone understood it, but it didn’t matter. To them, it meant strength and tenderness. A guardian. A beginning.

When their son was born, a quiet, wide-eyed baby with Joe’s lashes and Angel’s mouth, they whispered the name to him like a promise.

“Azrael,” Angel murmured, cradling him to her chest. “Welcome home.”

Joe stood behind her, arms wrapped around them both. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

The hospital room was dim and quiet, the storm outside finally breaking into soft, steady light. And in that stillness, Azrael blinked once, yawned, and nestled into his mother’s warmth.

Life after that was anything but quiet. There were sleepless nights, messy feedings, and more diapers than either of them had expected. But there was also laughter. There was family.

Lisa visited often, bringing soups and stories. She called Azrael “my little star” and insisted he had her eyes.

Joe returned to work, while Angel stayed home, writing her book in stolen minutes between naps. She wrote about love, about motherhood, about unexpected journeys.

Sometimes, late at night, when the children were asleep and the world was hushed, they would sit on the couch together, wrapped in a blanket, and remember how it all began.

A decision. A friendship that became everything.

And in those moments, they knew they had chosen well.

The End.

[puckpocketed]

Ah yes hi hello! I have a bit of a ramble and some info about line dynamics in hrpf if you don't mind? I should probably get my research tgt and read and do a crazed metapost lol.

I don't have a lot of hockey technical sense yet (<- beginner in exam season who has a backlog to study and redearch, lol) but I do think hrpf deals with a lot of line dynamics but subconsciously. A lot of pairings aren't just based on history as the major part, but also on built-in assumptions of how the dynamic must be based on position, or interestingly, how it could've been for childhood friends.

Its not addressed very often though, it goes in as a sort of subconscious or if some is thinking about it, its a behind the scenes element, and it does not scales directly in proportion to fic size.

A lot of hockey pairings have trends where a lot of forward only pairings have to be lineys, or a couple's chemistry in a trade fic being reinforced by them being each other's liney and having the chem to be a good line. dmen/goalie pairings are rarer, as are forward/goalie pairings from my tag scrolling. They are a bit more varied but operate on a sense of protectiveness quite often. A la king/knight pairings almost.

Goalie/goalie operates on a sense of connection based on a game view and therefore worldview no one else gets, but authors don't incorporate it intentionally too often, as far as they say in notes atleast. D-partners are very very close devotional pairings usually, and as such every position pairings has a set of assumptions it comes with, an almost internalised intuition for the average hockey rpf writer.

Essentially, in hrpf, if you go deep, the line mate is sacred. They are delegated to a special status that often creates pairings but also have been relegated to a dynamic that is not in competition with the ship itself if the other player isnt a liney, because it's absolutely sacred friendship/connection/whst ever. It is often explored in longer fics or ones with certain premises, and the space loves the dynamics but doesn't always address it actively outside of certain premises, aus, and fic types (like trade fics + variants, soulmates, or character studies.)

you'll find these trends more with certain pairings and certain draft classes/eras of hockey as well. This is so long. I am so sorry. Take my words with a grain of salt and some idea hat this is in now way a very deep glance, but thatd the overall impression for someone in hrpf spaces for a while and studies in literary analysis, haha. Hope this helps?

-signed, tynedtime

[EDIT: post being referenced can be read here]I wanted to hoard this in my asks for like 7 months and marinate it but I think this should be on #myblog and so that others can see and maybe say hi.... anyways no need for apologies ever ever ever thank you so much for dropping by to explain some of this to me!! Your notes on pairing trends are super fun, but I found this part most fascinating:

Essentially, in hrpf, if you go deep, the line mate is sacred. They are delegated to a special status that often creates pairings but also have been relegated to a dynamic that is not in competition with the ship itself if the other player isnt a liney, because it's absolutely sacred friendship/connection/whst ever.

MUCH to think about. Please someone who knows more than me (guy blindly pawing around) say something profound here LOL I have half a transcript to get done and some media to gather re; line construction.

But question for you and any interested parties: do you have any reflections/insights to give on hrpf role-based relationships that go beyond pairings? threesomes and moresomes, that is (<- personally NOT a fan of the way people write/talk about three-way relationships as a way to "solve" ship wars) I'm very curious as to how it all shakes out in hrpf (if at all) given there are these sorta built-in triads in the form of forward line combinations.

Please @ me or ping me or carrier pigeon me about your crazed metapost when it drops. I will wait patiently <3

[boydyke423]

what does being a boydike mean to you? because i looked up the definition but i wanna hear it from the source since im new to that label and id prefer authenticity over strict definition, thank you if u reply<3

this is such an interesting question!! thank you for asking!

i have a unique attachment to womanhood. i don't feel completely separated from it, but i have always felt a little bit of a disconnect from traditional ideas of femininity and the roles associated with that. i used to ID as a binary trans man (for like 6 years) and felt way more comfortable with my body after medical transition (top surgery and testosterone) and realized that my identity didn't need to be associated with manhood necessarily just because of the way i wanted my body to look. i use the term boy loosely, cause i'm not a man. i am boyish, if that makes sense. my label of butchness is both a gender identity and a sexuality for me.

another aspect of this is lesbianism. my idea of lesbianism (since i've tried to be knowledgeable of our history) has always been inclusive of gender nonconformity and transmasc/transfemme/nonbinary individuals. i will say, i didn't realize i myself could ID as a dyke until i read stone butch blues by leslie feinberg. (which was within the last 2 years) hirs depiction of dyke dynamics as they relate to being gender nonconforming, the intricate nature of dysphoria , and the feeling that one doesn't perform their gender assigned at birth in the way society wants them to, really resonated with me.

so yeah!! i would consider myself to be non-binary, but really i'm just mar. and the way i've loved women, other non-binary ppl, transmasc and transfemme ppl has always been queer, and for me, has always fit into dyke dynamics. i hope this answers your question in a way that is helpful!!! please ask for a follow up if there's anything i wasn't clear on!

[smooshi-graysimp]

Today personally for me is a SmugginSmiles Memorial but I got like other drawings to do so here’s a sketch instead

Maybe at some point I’ll get motivation and free time to finish this? But it seems pretty good for what it is

Also this was planned last year but I was afraid of what others think (esp since most people here sees Gray as an old man and ships him with other old man, personally I don’t he just have some old man mannerisms and the old man dynamics aren’t as appealing to me as the non olds like Charlie Primo Brock Juju etc)

And I’m going to yap about the history of why I liked this ship so if you wanna read about it sure

The song is used bc the creator of this ship was doing a trend where you used a wheel picker and make a ship out of em

And so my love for SmugginSmiles begins

They created content for this ship and it’s not perfect there’s definitely some icks but I can fix them myself

Reason why it’s a memorial is bc due to hate (not sure if they were harassed) they deleted their videos) and I tried to save as many SmugginSmiles as I could which is today

The creator now is trying to get a thick skin and not let others tell them what they shouldn’t and should do, and I’m glad they’re doing good, and making content again :D (SmugginSmiles isn’t their ultimate ship anymore but it is their second and I’ll still watch their content, and they created two SmugginSmiles vid :D) the person didn’t reupload their old work but that’s fine by me, their choice

Also I personally prefer not to say the creators name sorry

[eternallovers65]

GOD I LOVE ROMAN/SETH STORYLINE!!!

I genuinely don’t think I’ll ever get tired of listening to people say Seth is at fault for breaking up The Shield, because at the end of the day, when you see it from his point of view, it makes so much sense.

He broke them up, knowing it would change the game, but also understanding that it would benefit him first before anyone else. He knew the impact it would have, but he saw an opportunity to push himself to the top. But look at what Roman and Dean/Mox also achieved!!! They’re all Grand Slam Champions, and most of that happened because of what Seth did

It’s completely understandable that he would continue to view everything this way because not only does it absolve him of some guilt, but it also shows that, in the end, Mr. Architect’s plan worked. They ruled that place.

But in counterpoint, you see that Seth’s betrayal caused irreparable damage to their bond, his relationship with Roman in particular. While all three went on to achieve greatness, Roman and Seth were the ones that stayed in WWE, meaning they were forced to coexist in the same environment, constantly reminded of that fateful decision. Seth’s betrayal was a pivotal moment for Roman, not just as a competitor but as a person. Roman had to rebuild himself. We see this former Shield brother to the resilient Tribal Chief.

In this new dynamic, Roman views Seth as someone who always needed to prove himself at the expense of others, someone willing to burn every bridge to succeed. Meanwhile, Seth sees Roman as someone who rose to dominance partly because Seth’s betrayal forced Roman to evolve, but that doesn’t erase the bitterness of being overshadowed by Roman’s legacy as the Head of the Table.

So, while Seth has openly embraced his role as the visionary and architect of success, he also refuses to fully bow to Roman’s dominance. Their rivalry isn’t just about titles. It’s deeply personal, rooted in unresolved issues from their Shield days. Roman hasn't forgiven and forgot, and Seth uses every opportunity he has to remind Roman of his vulnerabilities when talking about their relationship/history.

[notsogoodangel]

I'm just saying that there's no heterosexual explanation for AJ, as the Champion, having a twink actually running Parkour Civilization.

[thedeadthree]

𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐆𝐄: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐈𝐋𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃 ➸ irulanne . the rook .

𝐌𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 . 𝐄𝐋𝐅 . 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐄 .

-`. template by @kanos . coloring . icons .

✧ ― 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 (ask to be added or removed or interact 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞!!):

@pavus, @wlwaerith, @shadowsofrose, @grapecaseschoices, @nokstella

@queennymeria, @risingsh0t, @carrionsflower, @leviiackrman, @griffin-wood

@confidentandgood, @aceghosts, @tommyarashikage, @shadowglens, @yharnams

@anoras, @theelderhazelnut, @florbelles, @celticwoman, @pinkfey

@kyberinfinitygems, @cloudofbutterflies92, @carlosoliveiraa, @shellibisshe, @adelaidedrubman

@lavampira, @capelizabeth, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @statichvm, @unholymilf

@aezyrraeshh, @imogenkol, @aceghosts, @full---ofstarlight, @ellierenae

[thymejot]

Oh interesting.

So, Rio really wasn't there when Agatha was still stuck in Wandas spell.

This means that Agatha's subconscious pulled Rio out to play the ex.

Damn, Agathas subconscious is thirsty.

Imagine the person you hate most in the world, being the one person your spell damaged brain summons in you fake cop fantasy.

That Agatha trusted Rio enough to have her question Agatha's reality when she was at her most vulnerable, even when she wasn't there.

Makes the line "well, you're only lying to yourself" hit a little different.

And look at her having a crush on her own estranged wife in her own subconscious.

How embarrassing!

I love it.

It also means that Wandas spell was protecting Agatha similarly to the Darkhold.

So when Rio kicks down her door and tries to stab her, it's the first time they have touched in a long time.

True love is a beautiful thing

[lord-squiggletits]

IDW Megatron and Optimus weren't friends before the war. Here's why that makes their ship dynamic more interesting.

One comment I've heard among people comparing IDW1 MegOP to other continuities of MegOP is (paraphrased) that since they weren't friends before the war, there isn't as much material to ship them with/they don't have an established dynamic/they don't have ~*history*~ that makes them be the bitter exes we all know and love them to be.

In this meta post, I'm going to contend that the IDW1 MegOP lack of friendship before the war is actually a benefit to their dynamic in this continuity, not a negative. Although they didn't get a lot of time together before the war in terms of quantity, the quality of their interactions and the weight it gave their future rivalry is due to the tragic nature of their relationship: They saw a glimpse of each other at their best in their youth, but like a tragic myth of old, circumstances conspired to keep them apart, traumatize them, and turn them into people who couldn't trust or reconcile with each other.

The IDW MegOP's first meeting is like a fated encounter, almost as if it was destined to happen. The way that one single brush can change the entire course of history.

I like to call this a "love at first sight" moment because, although they're not in love, it has this sort of storybook magical quality to it where this one single moment has a lot of weight. This one moment where they saw each other at their best and could have a positive interaction.

When I say that they met each other "at their best" here, I'm referring to Megatron's pacifistic essays and poetry that represent his pure revolutionary spirit and care for Cybertron, and Orion's trait of showing kindness and encouraging individual freedom despite his position of authority. The way that their first encounter was so brief and unassuming makes us, the readers, yearn for more. Doesn't Megatron's silent glance behind him in that final panel make you wonder what he's thinking? They only had that one brief talk at the rodion police station but it went on to ricohet the rest of their lives. Orion started thinking about the corruption of the system due to Megatron's writing. Megatron looked back at Orion with curiosity/lingering feeling after he was escorted out of the station. Even Megatron being put on Messatine was indirectly due to Orion, since Orion delivered that speech on his behalf.

It's almost like literal chemistry, where two particles bumping into each other once can cause a chain reaction of other particles bumping and bumping and bumping until suddenly those two particles are back together.

It's a sort of magical real life scenario where you meet a stranger just once but something they did or said to you makes you remember it and think about it for a long time afterwards. except in this case the MegOPs are (un?)lucky enough to meet again. And they start a war.

I also really like that Megatron and Orion/Optimus spent most of their pre-war backstory apart from each other, because I feel like it makes them stronger characters individually instead of making all of their most important moments be about each other. This is more of a comment on fandom than canon, but many romantic stories fall into a pitfall of a relationship where the two people obsessed with each other: their romance is the most important relationship they have; the entire plot revolves around whether they're happy or upset with each other, it can even make their relationship seem unhealthy and like they have no meaningful relationships outside of their romance. In terms of MOP in other continuities, I feel that putting too much emphasis on their friendship kind of cheapens the worldbuilding and political conflict. True, it's nice when the personal and political intersect in the MegOP's lives, but sometimes I feel (especially in fanon) that the "they were friends but then they disagreed and now they're not friends" concept sometimes ends up being written as if this one simple friendship conflict was the basis of a whole war.

The benefit of IDW1 MegOP is that because they spend their pre-war time apart from each other, they develop separately as people and end up transforming into someone different from their "love at first sight" moment. I like that Orion had relationships with people like Shockwave, Roller, and Zeta, and Megatron had his student/teacher relationship with Terminus and the whole arena thing happening.

Both Megatron and Orion went through traumatizing events during this time period that changed their worldviews for the worse and made them more cynical. Megatron suffered an attempted brainwashing, losing his mentor, his first killing, then being stuck in the arena. Orion went through the loss of Shockwave to a fate worse than death, then the disappearance of his best friend Roller, then worked for Zeta and began to doubt in his ideals/goodness as a leader. In that time between the MegOP's first encounter and their ensuing encounters in a military conflict, they came back as very different people than the first glimpse they got of each other.

Since they only had that ONE first glimpse they had of each other, then met again only to be disappointed by each other's fall from grace (in each others' eyes), this sets up a lot of angst. They wonder if that first glimpse of each other was really true or if it was a lie. Should they trust in those "good" versions of each other they saw so long ago? Do those people even exist? Are they or were they ever worth believing in? Does that man I saw still exist or did I just WANT to see something good in him? That man ruined my life and I hate him for fighting against me, he's a hypocrite. I thought that man was a good person, but he's betrayed the hopes I had by becoming a violent criminal warlord/working for the evil government I thought he opposed.

It sort of has the vibes of a "love at first sight" story gone wrong where their first encounter was kind (I like to imagine Megatron was touched or at least curious about Orion, a cop, telling him to keep writing and be vocal) but then they descended into their worst selves. They only had that one small glimpse of each other at their best but now they're in a scenario where they can only be enemies.

The longing and disappointment is more obvious on Orion's part about Megatron, because Orion got this shining glimpse of Megatron at his best and most passionate, only to encounter Megatron again and all those good parts have been buried to leave only his worst. Megatron's POV about OP isn't really shown, but I feel like it could be interesting to write headcanons about it. How did Megatron feel about Orion making that speech on his behalf? Getting moved to Messatine because Orion made him so public, and all the bad things that happened there?

Yes, their first encounter was brief and they didn't really have a personal relationship before the war. But that brief encounter changed the trajectory of their entire lives. When you combine that with the fact that they saw each other as their "ideal selves", it creates that valid obsession between Megatron and Optimus. It is kind of unhealthy LMAO, because they do kind of become obsessed with each other based on an incomplete view of the other as a person. But then the war happens and they keep having personal and professional encounters that would give them opportunities to meet (such as in diplomacy meetings like Tyrest's peace negotiations and other political things that come with war). And those repeated meetings would only cause them to get to know each other better. Then you get into more mythical/legend-like story dynamics where Megatron and OP have to learn how the other thinks tactically, and their tactical knowledge becomes so intimate they start understanding how the other thinks and it's very dramatic lol. The typical our-enmity-is-so-deep-it-could-be-love enemies to lovers fare.

TLDR:

Circumstances outside of their control drove them apart, made them into different people, and kept them from becoming friends. It makes IDW MegOP feel legendary or mythical, like some sort of epic Greek tragedy of two people who were always 🤏 this close to being friends. There's longing there, and tragedy, imagining what might have been if they'd only been able to talk again, or if they had somehow been able to influence each other before they went down the bad path (violence and crime for Megatron, following Zeta and becoming Prime for Orion/Optimus). But despite that, their natural chemistry perseveres, and they talk to/about each other in a way that shows they still think of each other even when apart.

[quibbs126]

Now I’m kind of wishing Optimus had more dynamics like he did with Sentinel in Transformers Animated

Like yeah, he’s usually friends with Megatron before them having a falling out and hating each other, but what’s different between that and Sentinel is that in TFA, Sentinel was still an Autobot and someone Optimus had to work and cooperate with, and while a jerk was somewhere deep down a good person (though admittedly his actions by the end of Season 3 were pretty shady). So like, it’s not as simple as friend to enemy

I just think it was interesting and has potential to be explored more as something for Optimus

[lemongogo]

why do i love the conflict more than anything else . the misery . the incompatibility that spreads like oil slick . wanting so desperately for resolution that never comes . hmmm

[swagglessmoth]

One of the things that I LOVE about Shadows Blinding and marks it as one of my favourite fics ever, is the relationship between Sakumo and Kakashi.

Lots of spoilers (obviously)

In most fics, Kakashi’s feelings towards Sakumo aren’t really explored in a complex way. Mostly they go as far as him missing his father, we see his grief and loneliness deepening with each lose of a loved one over the years, until as an adult he heals and grows to understand his father’s decision and forgiving him. Which is completely okay! I love those fics, I love the progress as we see Kakashi healing over time. But most that I’ve seen don’t usually dwell into Sakumo’s suicide that much and the heavy impact it would have on a child at that age, that would later follow them to adulthood. Choosing instead to focus on the impact either team Minato or team 7 had on his life (which, fair, it is A LOT, but you get my point).

In Pesto’s (author) interpretation, things go a bit differently: Kakashi does miss his father, but at the same time he still deeply resents him for what he did, just like he did when he was a kid and trying to not be like his father. Except he hasn’t exactly grown out of this bitterness. For scarring him for life and leaving him alone at such a young age; for sending him to what’s essentially a cult, leaving him trapped with a family he’s not familiar with; for leaving such a deep mark, that even if he tries to escape him and the clan, they’re in every little part of his life. Such as his most signature quality, his mask, only existing because Kakashi reminded Sakumo of his brother. He hates all of this.

This Kakashi never healed from what happened, so caught up in all the deaths happening around him that he never really had time to even process it. He doesn’t even allow himself to miss his father because of all this resentment, and that’s not something that just goes away. This is why I love his relationship with Kosuke, the way Kakashi wishes he’d allowed himself to miss his father despite what he did like Kosuke does. (OH AND THAT SCENE THEY HAD AT THE END. KOSUKE MISSING KAKASHI IN SPITE OF THAT HE DID, LIKE HE MISSES HIS FATHER 😭😭😭😭😭 OUGHH IT’S SO SADD ❤️‍🩹🥀⛓️🚬🐺)

That sense of hate is engraved in him, and it is amplified by the fact that Sakumo giving him that seal essentially made him loose everything he’s known and loved once again. His whole world is destroyed, the people he loved have forgotten about him (also they are dead) (and let’s not even mention Obito). All this time he’s had his team as a source of light at the end of the tunnel, something to fight for. But he’s lost that, and with his clan that’s basically a cult and that wrinkly bitch Nana running around ruining everything, he really has nowhere to go. That one split-second decision, even if done in good faith, ruined his life.

«Tou-san fucked up» indeed (or however the quote went I don’t wanna look it up)

YOOO THAT’S WHY THE SEQUEL’S GONNA BE FIREE 🔥 🔥🔥🔥 Kakashi expecting to come back to a wasteland and being prepared to start digging graves for his dead friends (everyone bro) and instead finding an alternate-timeline Sakumo. We’re getting that deeply awkward and uncomfortable father-son bonding YEAHH 💪💪

Oh and don’t even get me started on this new timeline bro. How baby Ino appearing in the epilogue implies that this is at a point in time shortly after what would’ve been the Kyubi attack (we don’t know how Kannabi went so idk if it even happened) Rin and Obito would be around 14, 16 max. And Minato and Kushina would be around 22-24. Kakashi here is like 30, he is NOT getting his team back. And that’s without counting that with Kakashi dying by birth on this universe, there would be another kid in his place. Knowing that no other kid their age was jounin at the time, they might’ve not even been assigned for the Kannabi Bridge mission or at least done it with Minato, which already elevates their chances of survival.

He might not even get to meet team 7 personally. They’re babies rn and he’s a complete stranger to the village, a stranger on Kage level might I add (I don’t think it’s too far fetched to say that, he’s VERY powerful now, and he did become the sixth hokage without this power-up so 🤷‍♂️). They’re NOT letting him near the babies bro ❌😿

He’s alone with his father (whom he kind of hates and doesn’t know) in a world that doesn’t know him AT ALL. We have all the time in the world for group therapy, Kakashi’s gonna be demanding ANSWERS. Or maybe he’ll say “fuck this” and become a kind-of-missing-nin-but-not-really-bc-he’s-not-from-THIS-Konoha that stalks the village to make sure his loved ones don’t die this time. Yeah, I could see that happening tbh.

Idk I’m just ranting, this is gonna be messy and I’ll love every second of it 💞

[hephaestuscrew]

Thinking about the protective way Clara tells Fleet not to go into DeVries' dangerous-looking training set-up, and about how when Septimus mentions Fleet's friend Fleet's immediate assumption is that he must mean Clara, and about "This is Miss Clara Entwhistle, my partner - in business, my business partner." / "I'm also his friend, but he doesn't like to say it.", and about how Fleet rarely smiles but he smiles to himself at Clara having a good idea (and Clara notices the change in his expression), and about how Clara is trying to work out Fleet's birthday through a process of elimination, and about how Fleet tries twice to shut down the conversation with Frances Byrne that's making Clara uncomfortable, and about how panicked and angry he sounds after realising she's been poisoned...