#I don’t think it would happen but I’m a sucker for the concept

[shadowslocked]

Hells Greatest Dad

I can’t talk too much in depth about this because I’ve only seen “Hells Greatest Dad” and some clips but I am fascinated by how much more receptive to Alastor Charlie is than to her own father in the song

When Lucifer tries to offer his help he’s offering things and using his status to assist but nothing in it comes off as genuinely supportive. A fitting point because Lucifer doesn’t want to help with the hotel, he thinks Charlie is setting herself up for disappointment to achieve the impossible. But he can’t stand the idea of Alastor and Charlie being close, in a father-daughter way, so he start’s dismissing Alastor involvement to make himself feel better. Lucifer comes off as selfish, wanting Charlie to rely on him despite the fact he’s unsupportive, but it’s also him genuinely wanting to be close to his daughter again. And because of that, Charlie is largely quiet during his segment accept for “thank you” and looking in awe at her fathers angelic power.

When Alastor jumps in though he reminds Charlie of his good qualities and how much he has helped with the hotel since the start, Charlie even agreeing with him. She doesn’t have large speaking roles during his section nor does she praise him, but she does seem much happier when she is with Alastor during his part. And it’s not for no reason, Alastor may not be the pure definition of helpful but he does protect the hotel and has tried to assist. His first commercial was awful because he was being petty about using modern technology but when Vaggie reminds him that his entertainment is on the line he puts in real effort to not only make the commercial but get it on the air. Alastor has an actual track record of helping Charlie, something that Lucifer is severely lacking.

However this doesn’t mean Alastor is more supportive or better than Lucifer. Alastor is here for the entertainment of watching souls struggle and then fail (and maybe against his will depending on if Lilith is holding his leash), but he is upfront about that. He only starts acting supportive because he feels threatened by Lucifer coming in and, essentially, replacing him. Lucifer can easily do everything Alastor is doing and has more reason to step in and help by being Charlie’s father, something Charlie would be happily accept.

So he lays on the charm and tries to appeal to Charlie’s need for a supportive father figure, and then more so by pulling the whole Hotel into a found family dynamic. And Charlie buys into it, in part because her desire to give demons a chance means she wants to believe in their growing bond but also because Charlie wants that supportive figure in her life (outside of Vaggie)

This gets highlighted further when Alastor is defending the hotel and while Charlie isn’t happy with how violent he is she is happy that he is at least doing the bare minimum compared to her actual father.

Lucifer cares so much but isn’t supportive, partially because of how Heaven has hurt and dismissed him in the past and in trying to protect Charlie from that same pain he ends up doing the same thing as the Angels. Alastor doesn’t care and pretends to be supportive but does put in effort when needed to aid Charlie and the hotel, filling the bare minimum quota but clearly not having her best interest at heart.

[dalishious]

Veilguard Companion First Impressions

So, I’ve finally recruited all the companions for the Veilguard! And as such, I thought I’d share my initial thoughts on them each.

Please keep in mind that as the title says, these are just my first impressions. I am nowhere near finishing the game yet. My thoughts very well may change after getting to know the characters more as the story progresses. Also, please do not take any opinions you do not share as a personal attack against you.

Bellara

Bellara might be my #1 favourite.

I’ve seen some people just say Bellara is “a Merrill rip-off” but I don’t think that’s fair at all. If all it took was a few similarities to say a character is a rip-off of another character, than I can think of so many boring white cishet male characters who would be guilty of that. But heaven forbid we get more than one elven woman who is passionate about her people’s culture and history!

Frankly, I think Bellara is a breath of fresh air in terms of Dalish characters specifically. Finally, a Dalish elf who isn’t punished for being proudly Dalish by the narrative.

I also really appreciate that so much of her can be easily understood by her backstory, too. Like, her feelings of never being good enough is reflective of the very realistic grief she is experiencing.

Lucanis

If Bellara isn’t my #1 favourite, then Lucanis is. They really both dominate that spot neck in neck. I can’t decide if I want to put him in a jar and shake it to see what happens, or wrap him up tight in a quilt and give him some good coffee.

I’m just a sucker for Lucanis’s character archetype, is the thing. I love taking him out simply because he’s so much fun to have around. And in terms of companion arcs, his is the one I am most intrigued to see where it goes.

Taash

(While I haven’t personally gotten to Taash’s non-binary plot yet, I am aware Taash switches to they/them pronouns, so that’s what I’ll be using.)

The moment I met Taash felt my heart skip a beat. The only thing hotter than their appearance is their voice. I know BioWare probably left Taash out of a lot of the advertising because they wanted to keep Taash’s gender stuff a surprise, but oh my god, because of this I was taken by quite the surprise. And so far Taash seems to be the type to keep a hard outer shell to protect a much softer side, and that is yet another character archetype I really love.

Davrin

My initial gripe about Davrin’s writing being so exclusively about Assan rather than Davrin himself is slowly peeling away, I hope. While I still think its bullshit that you can welcome Assan into the Veilgaurd but not Davrin, at least I’ve finally gotten a few bits of dialogue to get to know more about him finally. I just want to keep this momentum! Because Davrin as a concept has so much potential, in my opinion, and what little bits I have gotten from him have captivated me. But I can’t tell yet if it’s intentionally part of his character that maybe he’s just a closed off person who takes a while to trust others, (a little like Taash?) Or if the writer just cared more about griffons than the actual guy. I’m really, really holding out hope for the former.

Emmrich

Emmrich is so much more charming than I expected, and I found him instantly endearing the moment we met him. I also really like that we’re finally hearing some different stances and insight on death and necromancy than we ever had before from a companion! It makes him feel so fresh and completely new!

Harding

I’ll be real with you: I was not anticipating caring about Harding so much. She was who I was originally least interested in, when the companion line-up was announced. But the direction they’re taking her in has me questioning so much about bigger lore questions.

Unfortunately, I still don’t see much in her except being a vessel for those bigger lore questions, though. Like, Harding as a person has me mildly curious at best.

Neve

I’m really sorry Neve fans, but I just find her really boring so far, in comparison to everyone else. She doesn’t have a lot going on, and what she does have going on, doesn’t really captivate me much. Maybe I was just hoping she’d have stronger stances on things than she does? I don’t know.

It could be that I just really fucked up with Neve, and it won’t be until another playthrough that I’ll get to experience more that will change my mind. Because I will admit I am very good at picking choices she disapproves of, with my first Rook.

[pookie-mulder]

My Holy Grail Fics

After the past several months of reading TXF fic, here are some of my ultimate faves so far! I’d love to know what your holy grail fics are, as well. This fandom is full of incredibly talented writers!

(Also, if have any recommendations of fics you think I’d like, send them my way!)

The Boy on the Beach by @cecilysass

I read this entire thing yesterday. Ooh boy was it a page-turner! Time travel in fiction can get dicey, but this one handles it so well. I love how the time travel plot forced M&S to confront themselves and their pasts in order to better understand each other and move forward in their relationship.

Gaslight by @sisterspooky1013

This one should come as no surprise to you. It’s rare that a fic consumes my every waking thought and I spend every free second reading as much as possible, and boy, this fic delivered. I’m such a sucker for stories like this one where the character(s) don’t know if they can trust their own minds and have to really dig deep inside themselves to find the truth.

Pause by @cecilysass

Similar concept to Gaslight as far as the amnesia goes, but totally different vibes! I love the dramatic irony of the reader putting together the pieces before Scully does. It’s agonizing in the best way!

Fall Into Place series by @skelavender

My favorite WIP fic! I look forward to reading the newest installment every Friday. I adore the slowburn, UST, teetering-on-the-edge-of-something-more MSR, and LT is the master of it! This series is filled with heart-squeezy moments that make me feel like I’m melting into a puddle of goo.

X-File #02291996 by @skelavender and @7crowsinadress

Time loop my beloved! Such an interesting (and 🔥🔥🔥) take on this trope. I can’t wait to see where it goes!

Arizona Highways by Fialka

I’m always down for an Emily AU, and this one has such a compelling, angsty twist and an air of mystery that forced me to keep reading late into the night!

Tempest by MissyPennington

I love a good survival story! There’s something so delicious about two people leaning on each other both physically and emotionally to keep going. The follow-ups are incredible, too!

All That Is Dark and Bright by @malibusunset-xf-blog

Amazing Emily AU! Dad!Mulder is my weakness. Plus, I love the way they figured out how to treat her illness. It really felt like something that would happen in canon.

I’ve Got You Under My Skin by cuits

Beautiful soulmate AU! Only M&S could have literal, undeniable proof they’re soulmates and still overthink their relationship to a ridiculous level. And I ate it up! Give me the angst! The drama! The tension!

Emily AU by skuls

Last Emily AU, I swear! This series melts your heart in the first installment, crushes it to pieces in the second one, and then makes everything better in the finale.

Update 7/16/24

Here’s some more!

Blinded by White Light by @dashakay

Omens by lepusarticus

Heuvelmans’ On the Track by The_Mythopoedic

Finding Rokovoko by prufrockslove

Belphegor’s Prime by prufrockslove

[canonsinthehead]

OMG so i saw ur celebrities irl and where they come from post, and i’m wondering what songs or films would do well in the villages! do they even have something like the billboard chart? 😀

Naruto Headcanons – Music/TV Taste in Different Villages

GALAXY BRAIN ASK STRIKED AGAIN!!! Today we will into what music/TV would be popular in each villages. Of course, each villages have diversity but just like in the real world, some things are more popular than others depending on the locations.

As a music head, I’m feeling this! Have fun with the music references, don’t be afraid to go listen to them. LETS GOO!

-------------------------------------------------------------///////------------

Are there any Music Charts/Billboard?: Each country has its chart system because each nation's taste varies a lot, hence why it is such an achievement to become relevant in a city or country outside of your own. It’s only recently that artists started going on real WORLD tours (if you exclude Itachi’s Fan meeting, you probably could count them on your hands’ fingers).  

Regardless, Konoha holds the largest music festivals. The annual Summer Music-Fest assembles the most diverse cast of artists from around the world meanwhile the largest venue ever built is in Kumo (a stadium with 90,000+ of capacity)

For the first time, a world music awards ceremony was held in Kumo but it was heavily criticized for its favoritism towards bigger nations.

KONOHA----------------------------------------------------

KONAHA’S MUSIC TASTE:

Konoha is insanely into celebrity culture. It was kinda established by Naruto and his grandiose accomplishments during past wars, where it further spread the concept of hero/celebrity/idol/person adored by a large crowd.

Taking after their beloved founder Hashirama Senju, Konoha loooves an unproblematic singer with a fiery personality leaning towards an upbeat musical style that appeals to masses.

When I say they love someone unproblematic, I mean it. It applies to most A-List celebrities, singers, actors & etc. Their PR team operates 24/7 at an unmatched level. Talking about politics or any controversial topics is heavily restricted, hence why those who build fandoms overseas escape the censorship and have their damage control team back them up no matter what happens. Itachi is the PERFECT example of this.   

The village conserves its conservative mentality since it is way more comfortable with female performers. It’s that binary thinking where men are ninjas/at war and women are better perceived in “softer” careers.

Konoha loves bubble gum commercial pop, especially in a girl group format.

As the city evolved, you can see art academies opening to encourage the youth towards the world of entertainment (We are in a time of peace, so more career paths are available) but it’s not going to stop them from making concepts like a shinobi boy group.

Keeping their malpractice from the shinobi world, underage idols debuting in groups is not common but heavily normalized.

Ariana Grande, Marina & The Diamonds, Girls’ Generation, Brockhampton, E-girls, JONGHYUN, Momoland, Mizca, EXO, Natasha Bedingfield, TWICE, Dua Lipa, New Jeans, BINI, Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lights, Icona Pop, Danny Fernandes, Kylie Minogue, Elise Estrada, Sam Gellaitry, Sakanaction, FREDERIC

KONOHA’S MOVIE/TV TASTE:

Konoha is a pioneer of the comedy genre in movies. The most recognizable comedy films, franchises, and actors are from the Country of Fire (Speed Hour is one of them) but IRL it would be something like 21 Jump Street and Freaky Friday.

Actions movies painting an “heroic” narrative. They are a sucker for ninja movies especially those reenacting past events with a shit load of misinformation like downplaying the violence or certain wars. NO! The victory was not as spectacular. Stop lying, please.

Puppy love Romance movies & Drama TV series (The Korean Drama type)

Night talk shows (like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon) are really popular along with Konoha’s Saturday Night Live but got temporary cancelled after they clowned Gaara for being soft and a “born again” pacifist. Suna took them to court over the joke and the trial is ongoing. Really ironic, because all the “jokes” about the Tsuchikage’s height or men from Kiri being gang members with massive schlongs didn’t bother anyone… oh…ok.

KUMO-------------------------------------------------------

KUMO’S MUSIC TASTE:

Rap & Hip hop are the country’s musical pride since it sets them apart from other nations with their own billboard systems. They depends on other countries the least because they are musically self-sustained (compared to Konoha who constantly take in outside influences) and yes all these large venues fill themselves without outsiders.

MCing and 90’s style Rap is a style popularized by Killer Bee; he basically monopolizes the genre.

Soul & Disco remained popular since this music is associated with the Raikage’s generation.

If the beat is good, you have a chance but don’t go too far because permanent cancellation is a thing in Kumo.

Every year, many artists get together to make an end-of-the-year song under Killer Bee’s record label (Kanye West - All of the Light)

Kumo loves a female soloist, they go crazy over singers like Rihanna, Fergie, Missy Elliot, Doechii, Janet Jackson, Beyonce, SZA, Nicki Minaj, Chungha, etc…

Even if Killer Bee dominates the Rap scene, they would love male rappers like Kanye West and Busta Rhymes.

Contrary to popular belief, mumble and drill rap is not as popular as people make it out to be. It is subject to a lot of mockery in Kumo so most rappers using this style rely on their fandoms overseas.

The northern region of the Country of Lightning houses a whole different language and heritage. They tend to stay isolated from the rest of the population because the area is made of chains of massive mountains. They are distantly related to the Raikage’s lineage. They also carry their own unique cultural sound, who sometimes makes its way into the mainstream.

FLO

KUMO’S MOVIE/TV TASTE:

Reality TV is dominated by Kumo and Iwa. They are both sides of the same coin and produces the most known franchises in the world. Kumo focuses more on Drama among citizens, Music reality TV, Romance, and all the lives of the out-of-the-norm people in their country. Think of the entire TLC Channel, Big Brother, Real Housewives of Kumogakure, Bad Girls Club/Baddies, Courtroom Drama/Judge Judy

Reality TV about food (Master Chef & The Great Baking Show) and The Voice have editions in each large country except Kiri.

Drag Races are only in Konoha and Kumo because shows like these are illegal in Suna & Kiri and got canceled in Iwa.

Kumo, Konoha & Iwa hosted their annual seasons of Love Island with great success.

The movie scene in Kumo is pretty small compared to the rest of its entertainment industry. Unfortunately, it’s dominated by heroes and historical movies.

SUNA--------------------------------------------------------

SUNA’S MUSIC TASTE:

Vocalists are prized in Suna. There’s nothing more acclaimed than an angelic voice. Think of Adele, Indila, Christina Aguilera & Jon Secada

Classical music is a dedicated art form. It’s no joke. The biggest classical theaters are in Suna. Those who desire to study various string and wind instruments travel to the Country of Wind where the best classical music teachers are located.

Suna’s club music is sooo underrated, some people (outsiders) believe it doesn’t even exist due to the prevalence of live performing bands and orchestras. It would be similar in style to artists like Nelly Furtado & Nyusha. Their electro music is extremely popular in clubs in Konoha and people have no idea it’s made by artists from the country of Wind. Yep, you guessed it. IRL it’s 90s-2000s Eurodance.

Banks, TĀLĀ, Selena Gomez

SUNA’S MOVIE/TV TASTE:

TV shows/drama series taking place in a huge mansion with dramatic transitions/character introductions are very popular

Going on that same point, movies about family drama/dysfunction are popular as well because many recognize their relatives in the characters or use this media to reprimand their family members (don’t be like ----- from ------ series). Suna is probably on their 20th season of Shameless.

A large part of the population has never traveled outside of the Country of Wind so documentaries about other nations are well-liked and sometimes used for propaganda.

For some reason, all of Suna’s TV is super duper HD but their national news broadcast has to be the lowest quality and cheapest setup known to man.

TV broadcasts completely shut down during holidays

KIRI----------------------------------------------------------

KIRI’S MUSIC TASTE:

Because of its diverse population, what’s popular depends on social class & ethnicity/clan. Due to environmental & economic circumstances, gang-related rap music grew in popularity. Tying back to the heavy influence of gang culture, it appears in music and fashion whether the group has criminal affiliations or not. The underground rap scene is very prolific and generated many iconic groups and soloists but is also associated with many violent tragedies

The rise of female singers revolutionized society as Kiri started promoting their unique expression of beauty & sexuality to the outside world. Unfortunately, the pressure to appeal to the male gaze is insane. It is still a male-dominated society in contrast to Kumo’s support (and admiration) of female independence and individual self-expression, in Kiri, female performers can catch hell for “covering too much”, and not wearing makeup and heels.

I’m telling you! Female singers have mastered the art of a catchy song with a saxophone riff+ vain lyrics = INSTANT HIT (basically 2009-2011 Alexandra Stan)

Vocal-based boybands are popular and attract mixed crowds. Many liked them for their trendy style, iconic songs, and success with the ladies. Most of these group sit in style close to groups like Aventura and Boyz II Men.

What’s funny is that for the longest, Kiri was stuck in the early 2000s, when it comes to style, fashion and media production. This is why until very recently, CDs were sold in jewel cases with the most devious album covers.

Artists like Minori Chihara are popular as well, again showing the country's diversity. Their popularity extends to certain regions/islands in the Country of Water but recently many have entered the mainstream giving a diverse sound to Kiri. Either more eccentric than what outsiders would expect or coming from ethnicities/clans previously underrepresented (Haku’s clan is one of them). Some examples are Charli XCX, Wednesday Campanella, Bad Bunny & Flower.

Because of the strong love/couple culture, most forms of partner dancing (and the music associated with them) are really popular. Of course, depending on the region of the country you reside in, but dances including slower movements dominate, a few examples would be Bachata & Kompa.

Phonk (Juuzo likes it by himself among his peers) & Reggeaton.

Shakira, AOA, Rina Sawayama, LISA,

KIRI’S MOVIE/TV TASTE:

Low-budget soap operas.

For the longest, movies were in black & white, and the drama/romance genre is the most popular than most like to admit but it often depicted members of higher caste. No censorship on the spiciness/love scenes (this is live!)

IWA-------------------------------------------------------------------------

IWA’S MUSIC TASTE:

Rock is the most popular style of music. It is the most exported media after adventure movies. The genre has brought merit and fame to the Country of Eart and its one-of-a-kind rock festivals. There was a time when pop-punk/rock was dominating. It was in the same era that TAKA flourished, it would be groups like Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Billy Talent, Paramore, AFI, Hoobastank, etc.). This era was short-lived, and Iwa’s rock eventually returned to its more hardcore roots.

IWA’S MOVIE/TV TASTE:

Adventure/Action movies are filmed there and many popular franchises came out of it (think of Mad Max). These movies always climb to the top of the box office when they are released. (Deidara likes these because there are many explosions)

To rival Rock, Iwa has the largest indie music scene. Because of the lack of funding for anyone not filling the typical rock/metal mold, countless small groups and soloists from underfunded companies or self-employed are so many that they form a whole layer of the country’s music industry. I know groups/singers like Kllo, Cafuné, Glasperlenspiel, The Neighbourhood & JOY. would fit this description.

Iwa’s reality TV is more geared towards anything following celebrities' (& corn stars) lives, Any survival show in the wilderness, Married at first sight, Jersey Shore, Jackass, Real Houswives of Iwagakure.

OTO-------------------------------------------------------------------------

OTO’S MUSIC TASTE:

It is possible that you don’t understand the lyrics of any song because it is a melodic-driven music culture.

The most accomplished and elaborate sound technicians/producers come from there (previously associated with Orochimaru or not).

Because of the village’s association with Konoha, all artists/producers from Oto are popular in Konoha and operate in the Country of Fire.

Meanwhile in Oto, they have perfected the art of sounds, allowing a more intricate/complex musical sound to emerge both in EDM & other electro styles. Going from Yasutaka Nakata (Perfume & capsule) to more layered compositions from artists like Emawk, FKA Twigs

95% of the royalty-free music available online is made in Otogakure.

OTO’S MOVIE/TV TASTE:

--

AME------------------------------------------------------------------------

AME’S MUSIC TASTE:

Ame produces many prolific DJs who range from the generic side of EDM to more eccentric and unique styles. It would be artists like Basshunter, Wolfgang Gartner, Skrillex, deadmaus5 & Rabbit Killer.

AME’S MOVIE/TV TASTE:

Ame produces the most gut-wrenching indie horror movie to see the light of day. Some get popular enough to get broadcast overseas (like The Ring type and even worse). In contrast to Konoha’s horror movies which are locally popular with the typical watered-down storyline. *Ears a strange sound in the attic. Picks up a flashlight to go check*

[grimmcheems]

🩶🗡️CroMa🫶🏼

Dawkjndaekhfbwkehfbweihbf. So I drew these babies😫. Idek how this idea came to be tbh, all I remember is being at work and a kidnapping AU type situation spawning in my mind for these characters. I love Crona so much and had to draw them at some point. I’m still in the middle of watching the series so no spoilers pls🧍🏽‍♀️other than that I just thought this would be funny, and given how much social interaction Crona lacks, something like this would totally happen as a misunderstanding 😂.

This is really just Medusa finding another way to manipulate Crona further but it ends up being a mess and Stein gets involved at some point lmao. Think more like, unsociable kid who has weird tendencies and no concept of boundaries as a result of their damaged upbringing. After this whole situation is over Maka just finds Crona a bit creepy but goes along with it long enough to escape. I might include some extras for this later on at some point but this was fun to do. I wanted to add a bit of Ragnorok being a sucker for romance because there is ZERO action in his life since he is attached to Crona, and he instigates these cute moments between the two but it never goes as planned because he too is a bit slow on catching onto social queues. However I didn’t have enough space to include that lol. Ragnorok is just so adorable in his shrunken size that I had to include him. (Neither of them has any idea what they’re doing when trying to braid Maka’s hair, Rgnrk is just tying knots and Crona is….twisting her hair??? I’ll let you decide lmao.) Also, ik it looks a bit off bc of the proportions and unevenness but I made this for fun and the goofy proportions bring the vibe I was going for.

And if you see anything out of place or uncolored, no you don’t. ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

Side note: Medusa WOULD have a tacky couch like that and you can’t fight me on it.

[shinozaki-ayumi]

made my tumblr acc just so i can scroll through your page :] Thank you so much for gracing us with your art! Super surprised to see such a cool account still talk about corpse party (Ayushiki specifically, IM SO SOLD) What do you like about Ayumi and Yoshiki's dynamics: could be them as characters, the relationship between each other, their relationship with the others of the cast? Love your writing, hope this isn't a boring ask!

This is such a nice ask, not boring at all!! 😭 (I’m sorry for the sort of late response, I don’t check Tumblr that often lol). Probably very long post under the cut!

So to be honest at this point Ayumi and Yoshiki are the primary reason I’m still invested in CoPa at all :’) I’m a huge sucker for so many aspects of their dynamic:

- There’s something really compelling to me about the whole “you were the only person to show me basic decency and now I would die for you without hesitation” thing Yoshiki has going on.

- I’m actually not usually much of a “shipper” in general but I LOVE “shared trauma” ships, probably stemming from Ayushiki. I really love the concept of them being very different people (who may not have ever really interacted more beyond an unreciprocated crush!), but now they’re the only ones literally in the world who understand exactly what the other went through. Like I always felt a bit of a disconnect between the Ayumi/Yoshiki sections of the game versus the Satoshi/Naomi/Yuka sections — Ayumi and Yoshiki seemed to have so much more of an “isolated” feeling, maybe because they didn’t have the established relationships of the other group, nor did they have a “leader” figure like Satoshi? So I always imagined they’d be more drawn towards each other when it comes to processing wtf happened to them rather than processing it as a group. And that’s fun for angst purposes but also comfort purposes lol.

I think how much they contrast as characters is also so much fun to work with. Some canon, some headcanon, e.g.

- Yoshiki having a disjointed and strained family life, versus Ayumi having stronger familial ties, and both of them having to awkwardly adjust to the other’s family dynamics.

- Yoshiki living on his own and being good at cooking, cleaning, decorating, etc. versus Ayumi being a bit of a wreck at any of those things. This one is just fun because it breaks each of their stereotypes (“delinquent” is actually good at/enjoys domestic chores but the seemingly perfect straight-As student is a bit of a slob).

- In my head they’re very much a “me letting my hot witch gf do whatever she wants” ship, but more realistically I also enjoy that Yoshiki is basically Ayumi’s impulse control. She’s very self-destructive, especially post-Blood Covered, and his more cautious approach to things is a good complement to her.

In terms of their relationships with other characters:

- I’ve always liked to imagine Ayumi being quite close with Mayu, and wished we got to see that a bit more in the games. I feel like Ayumi wouldn’t really be very “into” things like makeup and fashion (I mean look at that hoodie/skirt/socks combo she wears at the convenience store in the Missing Footage OVA 😭) and I think Mayu would be the kind of friend that gives fashion advice and helps her have fun with that stuff once in a while. Plus if they were particularly close it would add a lot to Ayumi’s guilt after the events of the game which is a big part of her character development.

- Come to think of it I also like Mayu to have a friendship with YOSHIKI, purely because of that one chapter in Book of Shadows lol. They meshed so well and I love that. I think outside of the Heavenly Host scenario, Mayu would be a good wingman for him lol. She also strikes me as the type who would’ve invited him to group activities even before they all got to know him a bit better, just because she likes to give everybody a chance.

- In a perfect world I think Yuka should’ve had an innocent crush on Yoshiki instead of… yknow… I think it’s more realistic for a young girl to feel awkward/shy around her older brother’s friend. (Kedwin you will pay for your crimes)

- Yoshiki and Ohkawa’s extra chapter was so fucking good and I wish it was just part of the main story!!!! That’s another one of those relationships that probably would’ve never progressed beyond niceties had it not been for Heavenly Host.

And finally some headcanons I have about them as individuals (all assuming Blood Drive never happened):

- Yoshiki is musically inclined and plays guitar, collects vinyls, etc. I like to think he’d run a music store of some sort instead of going to college (to Ayumi’s initial disappointment, but eventually she understands that traditional schooling was never his thing lol). He gets a motorcycle at some point. He’s more of a cat person than a dog person.

- Ayumi is actually an introvert despite her tendency to take on leadership roles in school; she frequently needs alone time or just one-on-one time. She’s also 100% a gamer imo, but she doesn’t openly discuss this lol. I’m probably projecting here but I love the idea of her being a fan of classic survival horror stuff like Resident Evil, Fatal Frame, Silent Hill, etc. (but maybe having a hard time enjoying that stuff post-Heavenly Host lol).

I’m on mobile so I can’t tell quite how much of an essay this is yet but thank you for asking!!! I love talking about this stuff 🥲 Even though I’m kind of drifting away from Corpse Party as a whole I’m 100% invested in Ayumi and Yoshiki still lol.

[hearthouses]

hello!! happy wincest wednesday! I'm not great at coming up with questions but-- are there any aspects of wincest or any tropes or angles you've been thinking about recently that are making you go particularly nuts???

This is a good and fun question!

So... I'm kind of an intense nerd who has people pleasing syndrome as well as fun traits like issues with choice paralysis, so picking one of my many many many ideas is very difficult, so in order to keep track of things I am interested for me, I have a document that is called "iddy ideas" which are essentially concepts that speak directly to my id. I'm gonna use the headers as way to answer this because otherwise I will forget something and it'll bug me, so things that live in my psyche re: Winchesters are:

→ DEAN & GENDER: I have a few asks in drafts that need answering about this topic, so I will keep this sort of brief—I am really into how Dean and his relationship to gender, and how the roles he plays in life force him into one box or another. I tend to headcanon him on the nonbinary/genderfluid spectrum, even if he’d never personally identify as either. I love exploring how he often uses toxic masculinity as a shield and how he uses it to cover up the more vulnerable aspects of his desires and identity. As for the Sam/Dean angle, I really love Sam figuring it out and using lingerie kink and feminization kink as a way for Dean to explore in a way that doesn’t completely freak him out. There’s a long fic in my head that I’ve been too nervous to write about this.

→ OMEGAVERSE & PREGNANCY: I have come up with so many ways to get Dean pregnant because I think about this topic so often. I won’t bore you with the list. I am unfortunately a sucker for pregnancy and kid fics as a trope. I don’t often read them because I prefer realism in the sense that the kid has to feel like an actual kid to me and not a symbol of happiness and completeness. For Sam/Dean, I enjoy the fucked up aspects of having a kid with your brother and how they would be so into that because it’s combining themselves into another living being, that they made together, ultimate symbol of their intense incestuous love. I also think Dean very much wants kids, but didn’t think he could have them with Sam, while I think Sam would really only want to have kids with Dean. I have many AUs where it is also the worst possible time for this to happen because I live for the melodrama. I also like post-pregnancy and seeing the kids grow up to be fucked up in their own special and unique ways.

→ DOMESTICITY & DISABILITY: I am simple and sometimes I want to force Sam and Dean to retire and live in a little cabin or cottage in the woods somewhere so they can grow old. Often, I think for the only way that makes sense for them to do so is if one or both were physically incapable of hunting anymore. I love them being forced to slow down and take care of one another. Given their lives, permenent injury is pretty likely and I love exploring the ways in which they'd have to grow and adjust to their new realities. Also, I kind of just want certain ideas presented in canon explored? Like Sam's issues with his sense of reality and hallucinations, or both of them having chronic pain. Plus, there should be more finale AUs where Dean lives, but he has mobility issues now.

→ WINCHESTERS & RAPE RECOVERY: Both Sam and Dean are rape survivors who repeatedly are sexually assaulted throughout the narrative, but they both react so differently to similar traumas and I would like to have this explored since the show wouldn't. Hell trauma also goes under this umbrella. I am fascinated by the ways in which Sam and Dean are mirrors and foils, and would like to explore the interiority of that. I’m also very into concepts and ideas that explore how their respective trauma informs some of their kinks i.e. I think post-s7 Sam especially wants more pain kink and D/s where he submits to get out of his own head and Dean struggling with the dom role due to his trauma from hell where he was put into the position of torturer and rapist, and them having to figure out to make that work without sending Dean into a tailspin.

→ CONSENT ISSUES: I love fuck or die, sex pollen, curses, and all related tropes. I also like "dark" versions of Sam or Dean (Demon!Dean, Soulless!Sam, Shapeshifters, Leviathans, etc.) menacing and putting the other in situations. I will never tire of this.

→ BOY KING SAM & MAGIC: Sam should be able to always have his powers as a treat. He should be able to be a little evil as a treat. Sam should get to go full on witchy as a treat. I love the demon blood arc, I love psychic wonder Sam, I love Sam who puts hex bags in witches mouthes and tells them he learned from the best. I am from the ancient times and watched the season three finale live, so my formative years were shaped by so many Sam becomes The Boy King and rescues Dean from hell fix it fics and AUs, and so it's always a favorite. I am currently writing one that is very slow going, but as a general vibe check I am calling it Sam's Moving Castle and "suiteverse but nice".

→ WEREWOLVES & MONSTER WINCHESTERS: I love werewolves and I want Sam and Dean to be werewolves and be a pack of two. But I'm not picky and would like them to be any sort of monster. I think the show was too scared of upsetting the status quo and permanently transforming them into monsters, which is a shame, but now it is now my hyperfixation when it comes to fic for them.

[asyastudieskorean]

05.17.2024 — 안녕하세요 여러분. 오늘 밤에 나는 한국어를 공부해요. 나는 너무 피곤해요, 하지만… 네.

오늘은 “~지요” 배웠어요.

Here’s a quick overview.

Adjective/verb + 지요 is like saying this is the case, isn’t it? It’s this, right?

In English, it’s like Isn’t…?/Aren’t…? and Don’t…/Doesn’t…?

It’s basically a way to ask a question that isn’t a question. 네???

We both (those talking) know this is the case (or most likely is). In asking if this is the case, we aren’t really asking, it’s more like we’re confirming or just stating what is already known.

Here’s a specific example. 사과 씨 and 오이 씨 are walking outside in the snow (눈).

사과 씨: 오늘은 날씨가 춥지요? (FYI 지요 can be pronounced 죠 all the same)

Ms. Apple: The weather’s cold today, isn’t it?

오이 씨*: 네, 추워요.

Mr. Cucumber: Yes, it’s cold.

*Just realized “오이 씨,” “Mr. Cucumber,” also sounds like “(it’s) delicious” in Japanese, lol).

So yes. It’s snowing. It’s below 30 degrees. Of course it’s cold. Everyone knows this and agrees with this. So even why ask? Well.

This becomes clearer when you think about someone asking, Is it cold (outside)?

This is different because it’s a literal question. The person doesn’t know the weather outside.

Ergo, ~지요(?) isn’t really a question inquiring for info.

For nouns, you’d use ~이지요 for consonant endings (“받침”), or ~지요 for vowels. Both can, again, be shortened to ~이죠(C)/~죠(V).

We also learned about present progressive form, i.e. verb+ ~ing, but let’s discuss that another time (or never, I don’t know).

Here is where the tangent begins folks. Run now while you have the chance. 🚨

In rhetoric (sorry, my English major is showing), we’d often use this sort of sentence not for agreeance(?) but to make a point or convince someone of something. A rhetorical device, as it were.

A politician trying to convince people to join their cause may tap into the people's fears by saying, “Don’t you want to have a better future for your children?” Will that politician actually improve childcare and the education system? Did their whole prior speech have anything to do with children? Who knows, but odds are that line had an effect on the people.

You can think of being rhetorical as speaking with an intent different from what the thing you are saying is giving off. Anterior motives (good or bad). Sarcasm, sometimes. To a kid who’s a slacker and failing 3 classes, his mom might ask, “You’re not going to study?” She isn’t curious, she knows he won’t study. She’s actually saying, “Study right now, or else.” This is like a very basic concept of rhetoric. I don’t remember the serious stuff. I’m also an over-explainer because I have teen siblings who constantly ask for homework help. Bear with me.

Think about if you want your friend to go with you to a party, but they’re tired and have an essay to write. However, you know they’re a sucker for costume parties, and this so happens to be a costume party, so you ask, “You like wearing costumes, right?” You know she's passionate about costumes. Here, you’re trying to convince her to go in a slightly subliminal way. These are, of course, all context-based. Read that line without this context, and you'd think it’s a real question. This is a persuasive device because you aren’t badgering them to go for no reason; you’re pointing out the benefit it has for them without explicitly showing it’s actually all for you (you don’t want to go alone).

Now I am not 100% sure if it’d be used as a rhetorical device in Korean, though. This is what I’m wondering.

Basically, the lecture defined this grammar point as, “When the speaker wants to confirm with the listener to obtain the listeners agreement about something that’s already known.”

I think in English, these sorts of confirmations happen largely in meaningless or filler conversations without a purpose. Like when you talk about the weather. “It’s pretty hot today, isn’t it?” would get the answer “Yeah it is” or “I know right?” There’s not really any value or real communication happening here, it’s just like we are existing together and acknowledging that we are, lol. Or! Or maybe this too could be subliminally rhetorical, say, if you are purposefully creating this agreement situation so it is as if the two speaking have something in common or are like-minded (maybe you are on a first date and want to connect). Or maybe the conversation has gone stale, but for some reason, you want it to continue. Is this still rhetoric? Mmm. Anyways.

So this is a bit different from my lecture’s definition of this grammar point. My question is if this can be (or is in real life) used in cases like this, where it is meant to illicit a response that is not simply agreement, whether that’s convincing someone of something, obtaining information, etc.

Consider this:

Imagine you’ve stayed the night at your friends place and want coffee, but can’t quite remember where it is, but you’re pretty sure they have it, so you ask, 커피를 있지요? (Isn’t there coffee?) Here, there is intent beyond agreement. You don’t want to know if there is coffee, you don’t want them to rely “yep!,” you want to know WHERE the coffee is. On a subtext level, this might be a more polite way to ask for the coffee, too.

Or say you’ve walked into a 21+ bar and you see a classmate with their sister that’s only 19. You could then ask, “Aren’t you 19?” This is to, rhetorically, say, “You shouldn’t be here, so why are you?” You know their age, or at least you are almost certain they are under 21.

This is the definition of going down the rabbit hole and “it’s not that deep,” I know, lol. This is literally my stream of consciousness as I study at 12 AM. 🤡

Anyways, 오전 12시예요. 안녕~

[scary-grace]

for the unusual fic-specific asks...well, you know I'm always a sucker for show a little faith from Thranduil's perspective, so...if you've got any more of that I would be beside myself with delight :D :D :D

Hi! I can't believe I forgot to update 'show a little faith' this weekend (terrible). This weekend for sure! In penance, here's an excerpt from one of my favorite scenes in the band AU:

Oakenshield shakes his head mechanically. “I saw what happened to my father and my grandfather. I know it’s happening to me. The test results will be proof. It’s over.”

The sadness that sweeps Thranduil is unexpectedly strong. He locks it away. It will make the situation worse without a doubt. “Why would you tell me this?”

"Because you don’t care,” Oakenshield says. It stings, badly. Do they all think so little of him? “It’s not your family, it’s not your problem, and you don’t like me anyway. It might as well be you, instead of –”

“Instead of someone who matters,” Thranduil says. “I understand.”

“No offense,” Thorin mumbles. “So now you know. I look like I’m having the third-worst day of my life, and now you know why, so you can stop asking about it.” 

Something occurs to Thranduil, perhaps cued by Thorin’s reference to the third-worst day of his life, and the likely candidates for first and second place. Oakenshield may not say so, may not have conscious awareness of it, but he is looking for support. For compassion. Thranduil is terrible at compassion, but he knows someone who is not, and he borrows what Bard told him the night they met.“Since you are determined to believe the worst, and the result is still in doubt, I will hope for the best.”

Oakenshield looks blankly at him. “Why?”

“It costs me nothing to do so,” Thranduil says. What else did Bard say? “And it will cause no harm.” 

“My grandfather mocked you at your wife’s funeral,” Oakenshield snaps. Thranduil manages not to flinch, but barely. He supposes he should have predicted that Oakenshield would lash out, but the angle of attack takes him by surprise. “He was happy every time something went wrong for you. He and Smaug used to talk about it – laugh about it, probably. He deserved what happened to him, and you think so, too. Even if you won’t admit it.”

“Maybe he did.” For multiple reasons, Thranduil owes Oakenshield more than to lie to him. “But it is interesting that you reference the funeral, because I do not recall you coming up with the rest of your family to be paraded around in front of Legolas and I.”

“Don’t make me hit you,” Oakenshield says, but there’s little heat behind it.

Deflection is all it is, anger to mask hurt and fear. Thranduil is familiar with the concept, and he knows better than to engage. “In any case, hoping for a happy outcome costs me nothing. And you will read my lyrics when we are back on the bus.”

He thinks that will be the end of it, but Oakenshield has one more thing to say. “You will tell no one.”

Thranduil has many secrets. There’s plenty of room for Oakenshield’s. “You have my word.”

[comfymoth]

I feel like Quackitini would be the opposite of q!Quackity. Like he would have more luck in the romance department (like cute, fluffy moments) than q!Quackity

Like mini Wilbur giving Quackitini a flower or holding his hand. Playing his tiny guitar for him

Quackitini would just be a smug little gremlin to Quackity, who has failed in romance in more ways than anyone can count

ehh honestly i don’t know if i could see it happening. i mean, i liked bugsy’s joke about spiderduckbitty working out just to spite quackity, but that’s only cos i’m a sucker and i’ll do anything for rarepair content. realistically? i think quackitini’s still a fail. he’s just a mimic, after all.

i wonder what his concept of romance even is though, cos his sentience is. like. questionable. i guess it really depends on your take on the minimes.

[jessequinones]

Writing Advice: Slow burn vs. dragging it out (relationship edition)

I’m currently reading Dragonfire: Fallen Star and I need to get this off my chest, it’s about the difference between a slow burn and dragging something out, namely in the way of creating a relationship.

In the first book, Blaze meets Risha and it’s obvious she’s the love interest and that’s fine. She doesn’t have much of a personality besides being moral support for Blaze but it’s whatever. At the end of the book, the author does something differently and doesn’t pair them together despite it being obvious.

That caught my attention, if it didn’t happen in the first book after the final battle and Risha almost died, maybe Blaze would get with someone else in book two? No ... he doesn't. It takes until the end of book two for both of them to admit they love each other and Blaze is confused because he never had a concept of “love” and didn’t realise he was in “love” or that Risha loved him. (I know asexuality is a thing however I can’t comment if Blaze is asexual or aromantic because I’m not either of those things. As far as I’m aware, Blaze isn’t.)

So let’s talk about a slow burn vs. dragging out a relationship.

A slow-burn love story is kind of the focus of the story. Most of the time you see them in either slice-of-life stories, romance, or even erotic storytelling, but the main focus of the story is primarily the relationship between two or more characters. You know it’s gonna happen, everyone around them knows it’s gonna happen, and the build-up of their relationships feels natural, and if written well, you’re waiting for that “I love you, let’s kiss as a couple” moment just like how everyone else in the story is waiting for it.

Now that’s not to say a slow-burn relationship is only found in those stories, as it’s a common trope with a lot of storytelling. Two characters are in love but don’t have time to do anything about it until the story is over where they can relax and admit their feelings for one another. (Insert nearly any story here).

The point is, if it’s obvious, and we know it’s gonna happen if it doesn’t happen at the end where we thought it would...then it becomes a love story which feels like it’s dragging on.

Case in point, Dragonfire book one and two. While I was caught off guard about book one’s ending where Blaze didn’t get with Risha, book two started off with the most obvious “I’m in love but don’t realise it” kind of writing there is and it doesn’t stop until near the end. This relationship was already established and written in book one, why does it have to carry over to the next book? Mind you these books are over 400 pages long, I basically, read an 800-page romance where they don’t get together until page 800. That’s not a slow burn, that’s dragging it out.

Slow burn vs. dragging it out comes down to how the reader feels about said relationship. I’ll use myself as the main example because I like slow burns. I giggle when I see them because I think it’s cute when two people are in love, don’t realise it, and they blush every time they see each other. I’m a sucker for romance so I’d like to see my slow burns every once in a while.

Slow burn for romance, slice of life, and even erotica are kind of the point of their stories. Two characters are in love, they spend a lot of time together and in the end, they get together. So I don’t need to explain much about them because it’s kind of the whole point you read them some of the time.

Slow Burns for nearly every other story is written in a way where two characters are in love, they don’t know it, but as the story progresses, they think about each other, maybe even flirt a little, and they sacrifice their lives for each other. (Typical romance in more adventure pack stories.) At the end of the final climax of the story (normally after a love interests nearly die) and the world is saved, they kiss at the end and everyone cheers. While the romance isn’t the main point of the story, it’s still a very obvious way to write one and a lot of readers expect something at the end after it was built up from the beginning. Even if the relationship isn’t written well, some readers might give it a pass if they know what’s gonna happen at the end.

Now what about a slow burn for multiple stories? At what point does it drag?

Slow burns for multiple stories can work, but you need to change the relationship a little. First of all, having the main character “not realise” they're in love isn’t a good way to avoid putting them together unless said character is aromantic or asexual. (Like I said, I’m not either of them and have no idea how to write a character who's like that, so if that’s what you’re going for I suggest asking other writers who are either of those things.)

The relationship needs to grow and others need to comment about it. The characters could be unsure if the other will like them or they could both be aware they like each other but have neither want to make it official because what if it causes their friendship to break? Just do something which indicates they’re trying, but have a good reason not to make it official. 

Sometimes you can make fake love triangles. (Fake love triangles are love triangles which are put in place to further the relationship between two characters). Fake love triangles normally don’t last long, but last just enough for the slow burn to do its magic. Which is mostly by making one of the love interests either jealous or sad because they “missed their moment” even though the character they're crushing on is very obviously not gonna stick with their current partner.

Real-life relationships don’t just happen overnight, sometimes they can take years so there’s nothing wrong if you want to write a slow-burn relationship, the problem comes from the audience's patience and this is something which will vary from person.

From my own experience and how I feel when reading these types of relationships. If it was obvious, that they were supposed to get together at the end of one book but didn’t, that could either surprise me as I might've felt I read the entire relationship wrong or get annoyed because we’re doing this entire song and dance all over again in book two.

While I can’t give an example for every time I felt like this while reading stories, I’ll try to explain why I felt like some relationships were dragging on because as I stated before, this ultimately comes down to audience patience.

Enough time has passed: Most of the time between books one and two, there’s a time jump. Book one of Dragonfire and book two have a four-season time jump (so most likely a year) during this entire year, neither Blaze nor Risha get together? What were they doing this entire time?

I don’t know about other readers but I’d like to imagine what characters do when the story is over and if there’s a seconded book with a time jump, I'd try to imagine what they were doing in said time jump. Both of these characters were crushing on each other for the entirety of book one and yet neither made a move during the gap? Why? It also doesn’t explain why they never tried to make a move on each other during the gap in book two as well.

If you want to create a slow burn for several stories and you know there’s gonna be a time jump in between some of the stories, you need to explain why your characters, who now have some time to relax, don’t get together. Sometimes it can be as simple as “we already tried and it didn’t work out”, it happens. Sometimes people need to try a relationship a few times before getting it right. If this is the case, it’s more believable that while they still like each other, they don’t want to try again because what if it doesn’t work out a second time? What if they get into a fight and ruin their friendship?

You can also have one of the characters already in another relationship with someone else. This is leaning more on the love triangle side of things instead of creating a fake one, but how this one works is that one of the characters took a bit too long to say “I love you” so, the other character moved on during the time jump and now the character which took a bit too long to say “I love you” is upset about their actions. The reason why I say this isn’t really a fake love triangle trope is because if this love triangle is established at the beginning of the second book, then it’s gonna play a more prominent role throughout the story.

Maybe you could create a Romeo and Juliet kind of slow burn where the main characters know they love each other but they can’t make it official because of reasons. While this is on the line of creating an established relationship, there’s a difference between them kissing in secret compared to kissing in public and it’s the public kiss the readers are waiting for. You can also do this same exact love story but have it where one of the characters keeps refusing to progress because if others find out, then a war will break out or something.

The point is, that you need to acknowledge why they haven’t gotten together instead of the “I didn’t know I was in love” trope.

Another reason why I feel a slow burn turns into a dragging-on love story is when there are no other options. I know we all hate love triangles but they do serve a purpose. If two characters love each other, and there’s no other character that ever gets brought up as a potential love triangle then I ask, why haven’t they just tied the knot if neither of them have any options?

It should’ve happened already: This one is an easy explanation. If a reader feels like the relationship should’ve already been confirmed and it’s not...that feels like the relationship is dragging on. This kind of feeling will vary from reader to reader so if this is what someone says, it’s best to ask them to clarify.

The writer put too much emphasis on the relationship: If you want a relationship to take place over several stories, or even just one, but you want it to be a slow burn, while not creating a romance, slice of life, etc. If you bring up the fact two characters are in love over and over, to the point it feels like the relationship is getting more attention than the actual story, readers might want those characters to tie the knot just so the story can move forward.

Every single one of these examples is based on a reader's feelings about the relationship you're creating so it changes for everyone and everyone will have a different spot in your story they can tell you where it felt like the relationship is dragging on. For me, it was in chapter two of book two, I already felt like it was dragging on as soon as I realised this was gonna be the same thing as in book one.

Beta readers are your friend and if you’re gonna have this come across in multiple stories, then make sure to find beta readers who’ve read each story and ask them how the relationship felt for them. If someone tells you it feels like it’s dragging a bit. You don’t have to change the relationship entirely, but make sure you get multiple opinions because each reader will view your relationship differently.

Despite love being a very common experience everyone has felt, it’s also one of the most difficult ones to write. Just make sure to get different opinions and see what the majority of your readers feel like.

[dragonologist-phd]

Character breakdown: Maia?

Thank you!!

How I feel about this character

Oh, Maia…she’s a tricky character! When I first met her, I liked her right away- I thought she was really cool and I was excited to see her character arc. Unfortunately the game itself didn’t deliver on all my hopes for her and imo left a lot of potential unexplored. I still think she’s gonna cool concept, but again, her Deadfire character arc feels kind of half finished

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Maia/Xoti *is* very cute! I like how they balance each other, and how Xoti manages to surprise Maia and break through her shell without even trying. It’s a nice dynamic!

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Her and Eder make me laugh, just for the running joke of Eder trying to make friends with the party member’s pets.

And her relationship with Kana is very sweet! They’re so different and they’ll make fun of each other, but they obviously care about each other a lot, and I’m a sucker for sibling relationships in stories

My unpopular opinion about this character

I don’t actually think I have one? I have my complaints about her companion quest, but I think those are actually pretty common. Maybe it’s different in other circles of the fandom but “cool character with wasted potential” seems to be the general consensus

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

Man I wished they’d given her a proper character arc!! As it is, even if you make her doubt her mission…it doesn’t come to much and she ends up feeling static. I wish we could’ve had more of a conclusion when it came to challenging her views and internalized prejudice, and getting her to question orders and stand up against her superiors more.

I’m not even saying she has to do a total flip on her views regarding Rautai- the game clearly wants to emphasize the themes of complicated loyalties. But it also felt like they were setting her up for some kind of moment where you could influence her into being more than a tool for the military and that just…didn’t happen

GIVE ME A CHARACTER and I’ll break their ass down!

[id-rather-be-home]

Byler omegaverse thoughts: the one a/b/o byler fic I absolutely loved was dirty rain, I think it’s been deleted now but I wish I had downloaded it/ it get reuploaded or at least knew why it got deleted since it did have almost 40 chapters. Everything about it was sooo good and I feel like people NEED to know abt it if they don’t already so here is why I love this fic: Mike walking around in the middle of the night the same night Will came back to Hawkins because of Wills scent, the slight age gap between the two, protective Mike when Will started school again, Mike courting Will and scenting everything he gives him, their desire for each other being so strong even before Wills first heat that they end up grinding against each other multiple times because Mike refuses to hurt Will since his body isn’t fully ready yet, when Wills first heat does happen he chooses to stay at Mikes house instead of his own because the scent of Mike calms him, during their first time (I think) Mike lets Will bite his neck even though it’s seen as a bad thing in society for alphas to have claim marks, Mike also claiming Will by biting him but being so careful because he knows Will has trauma related to his neck and also biting all his other scent glands if I remember correctly, and finally Mike making sure Will eats and stays hydrated in between the times when Wills heat isn’t spiked high I could honestly go on forever talking about this fic bc I love it so much and I never see anyone mention it which is 😢

side note: I recently saw the anatomy chart of a male omega and the science/anatomy college side of my brain has so many questions relating to the technical side of things bc I love combining what I’m learning with fantasy to help me understand concepts better but this is already so long and I think the answers to them will differ between different authors so I’ll save you of them

i’ve never heard of that fic and if it has been deleted that is actually a whole tragedy! i believe that i have read every a/b/o byler fic that is there (at least on ao3) and i haven’t ever come across dirty rain. and after just googling it, i’m pretty sure it’s been deleted since all that came up was “deleted byler fic” so 😔

it sounds like it has so many aspects that i love too! i’m a sucker for mating fics where they claim one another and bond - it’s usually so sweet! and it’s even better when there’s a taboo thrown in with an omega claiming an alpha but their alpha wants their mark regardless

i guarantee that it would be talked about a hell of a lot more if it was still available! hopefully the author may decide to post it again one day

also! the anatomy of alphas and omegas is such an interest of mine as well! especially male omegas and female alphas, particularly because it goes against the binary biology that we have in real life so there’s so much that can be explored. if you ever want to talk my ear off about a/b/o biology PLEASE feel free i would love it!

[loverofdoves]

Heyy im new to Hellenic polytheism and I was wondering, what are some things I should research about I’ve researched stuff like , Key Concepts, Prayer and how to pray , the 8 pillars , divination ,and some of the rules but I’m not really sure what other things I’d need to research before I start worshiping the gods any suggestions? :,)

Hi friend! Thanks for asking this because I was thinking about making a post on this because I realized it’s officially 8 years since I started my worship! If you are looking for more resources after this, my #resources tag has some stuff! Also I try to tag everything so if you’re looking for epithets, I use #epithets, prayers are in #prayers, etc.

The first thing I would recommend is looking into reconstructionism vs revivalism. This can be a big thing on moving forward in exactly how you’re going to structure your practice. Revivalism and Reconstructionism are basically whether you are building a new, modern practice based on the old ideas, or trying to rebuild the practice of the past.

You mentioned prayers, and I think you’re on the right path with figuring out how to pray. One thing I would add in this section would be epithets and areas of influence. This helps makes prayer more specific to your needs and calls upon specific aspects of the gods. It also is great for getting an understanding of the whole scope of the gods you’re praying to. Like I am an Aphrodite devotee so praying to her Aphrodite Areia epithet is normally accompanied by a different request than say Aphrodite Pandemos.

For building personal practice, finding out about festivals, the lunar calendar, and holy days. For example, Hekate’s Deipnon and Noumenia happen at the new moon and the days following are sacred to different gods (Aphrodite is day 4 if you were wondering!) You don’t have to follow the lunar calendar if you choose, I just use it because I follow the lunar cycle for my witchcraft practice anyway. Festivals are also just fun to have, and the most common ones are the Athenian festivals, and I’m a sucker for a good celebration I will say.

For personal one on one worship and devotion, I recommend looking into historical offerings. Before you develop your own UPG and personal associations, the historical offerings can be a great place to start without worrying about whether they’ll like it or not. I also stand by the idea that research is worship, so seeing that you put time into looking into their past can be a great bonding moment.

Also I would say there’s not really any strict rules. The biggest thing for me is not eating/drinking offerings to the Chthonic gods (also look into what being Chthonic means) and maybe I would consider the Delphic Maxims to be rules, but there’s really no strict book of rules to be followed. If you’re respecting the gods, the culture, and the history, it’s pretty much a learn as you go kinda thing.

I think you’re on the right path though! If you have any questions after this, just send them in and I’ll do my best to answer! I have so much I could talk about but this post is getting so long, so I’ll just leave it here.

Thanks again for the ask <3

[roseshower]

Figured I’d Share my Fanfic?

Okay so, I like sharing stuff because I never shut up. I don’t know if anyone still actively reads Castlevania Alucard/Reader ficlets, but I made one a couple of months ago that’s ongoing at 5 chapters. To the voices in my head and my zero followers... feel free to read this little summary:

"The sleeping soldier will be met by a hunter, a scholar, and a guardian." After your teacher's untimely death at the hands of the church, you seek refuge underneath the city of Gresit to escape Dracula's Unholy Hordes of the Night. In doing so, you guard the tomb of the man Lisa had entrusted you to care for; the man you love, Adrian Tepes. Or, you happen to be the Guardian in the story you never asked to be in. - [Dhampir!Reader].

Basically the whole concept is a rewrite of the Prophecy based on the Series rather than the games (though rest assured there will be mentions of it because I like researching like a crazy person) that revolves around including one more active player in saving the world: you! Reader! Wazzah! And Guess what! You’re a dhampir! Crazy! Anyway...

If you want the link it’s here. (If the Link doesn’t work, the title is Querencia and I go by RoseShower on Ao3.)

And if you want a better synopsis, I’ll just throw in a scene here just in case y’all fw it.

He perks slightly. "...A fan," He mumbles. His eyebrows raise in surprise.

"Yes," You feel your cheeks get hot. "You know. Someone that admires. Um... that's why, I guess. Because your jokes were very funny. I liked the one about the vampire poet."

It takes him a second to remember. "The 'He went from bat to verse?' one?" The small curl of his lips jests with a fond air, and you breathe at ease that the subject drifted to lighter waters.

You grin. "That's the one."

He shakes his head. "That one was terrible."

You snort. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for puns."

The two of you go silent and stare.

Then, "...Not even a chuckle?" Your body unwinds, at ease and anticipatory of his reaction. The static air settles further, and you're content that nonetheless of your tentative history with one another, the two of you can banter like this. Like old friends would. Like... Like talking to Lisa again. But the silliness between him and Lisa is distinct, too. While the woes remain for his mother's cessation in a world that never deserved her, your soul constricts less because this is her son, not Lisa. This is Lisa's gift to the world. Your earnest centers palliate into tenderness when he angles his head away to stare at the water. He really is so much like his mother.

"Absolutely not," Adrian retorts, but the smile on his face is bigger. "That was dreadful."

Something compassionate shines on his face and you mimic the reflection you're blessed to see. "Don't tell me you're going batty on me now," You feign rolling your eyes.

"Oh god. You're still talking."

"Oh, bite me, y—Alucard." You catch yourself in time.

He seems to not have noticed. "That one was wholly unwarranted."

"Did you like it?" You blink innocently.

"...Still no. But I commend the effort," He huffs.

Your hands lower and form a bowl shape. "Fang you very much," You say gleefully and bring more water to your lips to drink.

He starts leaving as soon as you finish your last helping of water. "I'm leaving," He abruptly says, and you choke, splattering everywhere.

"Huh?" You cough and shake your hands to rid yourself of the residual droplets. "Why? Wait—"

He playfully clicks his tongue. "I'm not going to stand here and listen to your horrible jokes."

"I'm hilarious," You retort hoarsely, rising. You dismiss the confirmation that Adrian has not dimmed just yet. You banish the yearning in your chest that epitomizes a haunting intensity, restlessly dissolving the melancholic aberration you labeled onto your secret love earlier. Perhaps, you think stupidly, perhaps he's not gone just yet. If he can joke with you, if he can try... then Adrian can still be happy.

Adrian groans. "No, not at all."

[i-looove-dillydallying]

I’m a wolfstar-shipper, but I actually really like the Tonks x Lupin pairing as a concept; it had a lot of potential that, unfortunately, was not met (though I am a sucker for tragically bittersweet endings, as well as characters who deem themselves unlovable being loved unconditionally, so kudos for that). Part of the perceived poor execution comes from the fact that the Harry Potter series is told through limited narration: we know what Harry knows, and we may be more curious about certain relationships that exist within his periphery than he is. There could’ve been an entire contextual build-up to their seemingly abrupt feelings for each other that Harry - and by extension us as readers - simply did not experience. Personally, however, I feel like we could’ve been thrown a bone regarding their developing romance here and there, considering that it has already been established just how much Harry eavesdrops. Granted, we did get Molly mentioning how people rush (romantic) decisions in trying times: “Its all this uncertainty with You-Know-Who coming back, people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over. It was the same last time he was powerful, people eloping left, right, and center...”

And now for the potential in dynamic I mentioned: after losing the rest of the Marauders, Tonks’ whimsy might have been just the thing to reawaken Remus’ playful side and create a light in the darkness of war (remember Dumbledores quote about turning on the light?), and Remus could’ve helped cultivate her mature side. As with any good ship (imo), there was also plenty of room for angst: Tonks was an auror, Remus classified as a “Dark Creature”. You can imagine the rest.

I don’t mind their 13 year age-gap as much as I thought I would (and other people seem to do), but that might just be a matter of personal taste (and my complete and utter trust in Remus as a good, if occasionally self-destructive and cowardice person). They’re both consenting adults.

What I do mind is the way Tonks’ character changed for the worse as her feelings for Lupin became apparent. What used to be a fun, likeable character turned bratty and unable to read the room (perhaps it is not the time to publicly press for a relationship label - especially with a notoriously private future partner - when he is in mourning). It has however been ages since I last read the books and God knows the films don’t do Remadora justice, so I won’t go too much into that (unintentional?) negative character arc.

As a final note I’d like to say that Wolfstar could be canon-compliant (or pretty much any Marauders-era ship involving Remus) as Remadora happens later on, and bisexuality exists. Luckily, because Harry Potter and the fanon around it are works of fiction, you can interpret the characters and their interpersonal interactions however you like, which is why I politely ask to remain civil in discussions about this post, which I genuinely do hope will occur. No but seriously. I’d love if you voiced your opinion (regardless of whether you agree with me or not) - you’ve already read this far anyway! Thanks for that by the way.

Tldr: I like Remadora conceptually because of their potential, but it (mostly) fell flat.