#I'm always delighted to see more people shipping them

[soveru]

SWTOR: Sith Inquisitor OC Headcanons

Part two Part one

Spoiler alert under the cut ;)

Something I forgot to mention last time

Based on the mechanics of the assassin class, she definitely scared people by appearing behind them (phantom stride ability) A double-bladed lightsaber, of course!

Lightning! She uses it at every opportunity. Her teammates don't really like being near her on the battlefield, because sometimes it's dangerous for their health. (In general, if we talk about the game itself, every time she attacks enemies - there is literally a thunderstorm field created, which shoots lightning at everyone around). (This is actually the first picture I've drawn with her)

She really likes spaceships. Her ship, the Gravestone, Moff Pyron's fleet. The eternal fleet generally delights her

She had a flagship called "Epiphany" while she was on the dark council, and I'm sure she would have named any ship that would become her flagship the same way

I'm pretty sure she loves droids too. Except for SCORPIO (there's no reason for me to keep her alive) (but she still thinks SCORPIO was funny)

She kept Senya and Arcann alive just to observe and influence the people of Zakuul (it's always easier to control people when you pretend to be their friend). At that moment, she thought that she would use the people of Zakuul to overthrow Vaylin. Well, that's pretty much how it worked out, wasn't it?)

The second reason - she thinks they are hilarious. (Omg Arcann have so deep voice, i love it, really)

If the Sith draw power from some emotions, then the core emotion of Ha'leth is passion. For life, people, power, wealth, influence and so go on. I also think she found some kind of balance during her "vacation" with Satele and ghoust of Darth Marr in Odessen's Jungle

She definitely thinks that Dark Council meetings are pretty boring. Especially when all sorts of showdowns and redistribution of power begin instead of solving real issues. (I'm sure that the Sith spend half the council time arguing before getting down to business) I also have pictured this long ago ("what the f, gosh")

She one of the most powerful sith in the galaxy, but mostly hides her presence.

There's really no reason for this. She just likes to pretend she's weak and then smear everyone who underestimated her.

Yeah, she's done this trick countless times.

Unpacking ancient tombs is a favorite pastime. I laugh at this post every time I see it

She tried to flirt with every powerful Jedi who joined the Alliance just to see how they would react

I wrote in the previous post with screenshots from the last chapter that she might have problems with her head. Especially because of all this mess with the force ghosts. So... it's part of my headcanons now

I'm sure she has three "main" masks - behaviors that she uses depending on the situation. And maybe a few more. I'm pretty sure that people who know her well can tell when she switches from one role to another.

Just imagine Darth Nox, the Commander, and Ha'let Kallig in the same room, assuming they're all the same person.

[hailturinturambar]

Since the release of Nosferatu, I've noticed that many people compare the dynamic between Ellen and Orlok to Sauron and Galadriel.

And after watching the movie, I understand what you're seeing. But I'll go further. Because you're forgetting the main dish, that couple that screams Orlok and Ellen.

To me, Orlok and Ellen don't remind me of Galadriel and Sauron, because all I can think of is Melkor and Nienna. Because Melkor is Evil Incarnate, the Enemy. The one who delights in the despair of his enemies. And Nienna is the one who cried for everyone, who suffers for the evil caused by Melkor, which is grief and sadness.

While Melkor is malice and cruelty, Nienna is grief and suffering. Ellen says that Orlok is her melancholy, her shame. And that's how I see the dynamic between Melkor and Nienna.

Because he is her melancholy, her grief, her suffering, her shame because she believed in him and begged for him. And Melkor only knows anger and desire, always blinded by his goals.

This is now going to be a small spoiler, so if you haven't seen the movie, it's time to abandon ship.

Yes, as I said before, I thought about Sauron the whole time I was watching the movie, I saw a lot of similarities between Orlok and Sauron.

But when it comes to the romantic aspect, I only thought about Melkor. And this final interaction made me think about them (Melkor x Nienna) so much.

[Orlok]: Love is inferior to you. I told you, you are not of humankind. [Ellen]: You are a villain to speak, sir. [Orlok]: I am an appetite. Nothing more. Over centuries, a loathsome beast, I lay within the darkest pit. ‘Till you did wake me, enchantress, and stirred me from my grave. You are my affliction. [Ellen]: I care nothing for your afflictions. [Orlok]: Yet, even now, we are fated.

I wanted to shout "Yes, united until the end!"

For what could be more intimate, more connected, than Nienna crying for all the evils caused by Melkor?

[Ellen]: You are a deceiver. [Orlok]: You deceive yourself. [Ellen]: I was but an innocent child. [Orlok]: And thought you I would not return? Thought you I would not? Your passion is bound to me. [Ellen]: You cannot love. [Orlok]: I cannot love. Yet I cannot be sated without you. Remember how once we were, a moment, remember.

Melkor and Nienna is a couple that Tolkien probably never thought of, but it would have been captivating to read. Is Melkor capable of love? I don't think so, his love would be like Sauron's at most, a sick love for power, for destruction, even though Sauron sought a cure.

Melkor could not love Nienna, but could he be satisfied without her? Now that is something I wish had been explored. He wondered how out of all the Valar, it was only she who pleaded for him? How she spent every day wandering in grief and sadness over his cruelties?

Just as the Shadow of Orlok pursued Ellen, keeping her in his grip, I thought of the Shadow of Melkor. For after he was bound and cast into the Door of Night, the shadow of Morgoth continued to roam Arda and his malice continued to be present in the world.

[But it also says that it could be Sauron's influence, but here I'm only talking about Morgoth.]

Could Melkor approach Nienna through his shadow, through his evils still present in Arda? Would he come like a shadow to her late at night, when the world slept, to try to deceive her gentle mind?

Oh, imagine Melkor in the Timeless Void saying "Come to me" to Nienna for all eternity!

Ah, curse the foundations of the earth because I can't stop thinking about them.

And by the way, yes, I will write the analysis of Elrond/Míriel/Sauron. However, I'm in a complicated moment and unmotivated, but I promise I'll still write.

[immobiliter]

it's super fun to have two categories when it comes to how likely my muses are to ship: the ones for whom, as long as chemistry is established, a ship will be relatively straightforward, even if there's conflict/challenges involved or a slow burn element to it, and then the ones where the muse in question will actively fight against any attempts at intimacy and daring to ship with them is a challenge all of its own

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Why I don't think Harry actually likes Ginny

So, I don't like Hinny. I don't buy the relationship between them for multiple reasons. The first of which is that I believe Harry Potter is gay (or at least, not attracted to women).

The rest, I'm going to cover here. Some of the opinions I have are probably not very popular, but I'm saying what I see evidence for.

Disclaimer: No hate to anyone who does ship Hinny, or likes Ginny, I just don't see it.

He doesn't actually think about her until book 6... like, at all

The most important part of this section is actually what Hary doesn't say about Ginny and not what he does, so I don't have quotes. But I literally scoured the books to find scenes Harry described Ginny's appearance. I looked for words like: "pretty", "beautiful", "attractive", or anything else, really any detailed description that would show he is physically attracted to her. I came out with nothing.

He never calls her pretty or attractive in all seven books. And I mentioned in my post here, how Harry can and does describe attractiveness in people (men) he finds attractive.

The other thing he never mentions is what he likes about Ginny. Like, her personality.

He says he likes her, and he's jealous when she's with Dean in HBP (only halfway through the book, but that's for later in this post), but he never mentions what he likes about her. Ginny talks about why she likes Harry plenty, but Harry seems to have no clue why he's dating Ginny. He supposedly likes her, but doesn't name in his head a single thing he likes about her as a person. The things he does think he likes about her are:

She is comfortable to be around, the same way Ron and Hermoine are.

She doesn't weep like Cho.

She's good at Quidditch.

So that's a brilliant basis for a relationship right there. (sarcasm)

“Harry, I’m talking to you, can you hear me?” “Huh?” He looked around. Ginny Weasley, looking very windswept, had joined him at the library table where he had been sitting alone. It was late on Sunday evening; Hermione had gone back to Gryffindor Tower to review Ancient Runes; Ron had Quidditch practice.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 655)

Ginny approaches him, but nothing, no response, no care. He didn't even notice she was there. Takes him, like, three minutes to recall she's on the Quidditch team and should be at practice with Ron. And when she does talk to him, he actually doesn't explain the full truth. He never actually tells her the full scope of his problems and feelings.

“Hi,” said Ginny uncertainly. “We recognized Harry’s voice — what are you yelling about?” “Never you mind,” said Harry roughly. Ginny raised her eyebrows. “There’s no need to take that tone with me,” she said coolly. “I was only wondering whether I could help.” “Well, you can’t,” said Harry shortly. “You’re being rather rude, you know,” said Luna serenely. Harry swore and turned away. The very last thing he wanted now was a conversation with Luna Lovegood.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 735)

Later in the same book, Harry is downright rude to Ginny, and he's sure Sirius is being tortured at the moment, so I get it. But, also, the fact he reacts more to Luna telling him he's rude than to Ginny... like, that's telling on which of the two girls' opinions Harry cares more. And it's not Ginny. After Luna calls him out, he actually stops snapping at them. With Ginny, he just continued being snappy and rude to her.

“Michael — but —” said Ron, craning around in his seat to stare at her. “But you were going out with him!” “Not anymore,” said Ginny resolutely. “He didn’t like Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw at Quidditch and got really sulky, so I ditched him and he ran off to comfort Cho instead.” She scratched her nose absently with the end of her quill, turned The Quibbler upside down, and began marking her answers. Ron looked highly delighted. “Well, I always thought he was a bit of an idiot,” he said, prodding his queen forward toward Harry’s quivering castle. “Good for you. Just choose someone — better — next time.” He cast Harry an oddly furtive look as he said it. “Well, I’ve chosen Dean Thomas, would you say he’s better?” asked Ginny vaguely. “WHAT?” shouted Ron, upending the chessboard. Crookshanks went plunging after the pieces and Hedwig and Pigwidgeon twittered and hooted angrily from overhead. As the train slowed down in the approach to King’s Cross, Harry thought he had never wanted to leave it less. He even wondered fleetingly what would happen if he simply refused to get off, but remained stubbornly sitting there until the first of September, when it would take him back to Hogwarts.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 866)

Some like to say Hinny didn't come out of nowhere, but it did. It's clear that at the end of book 5 Harry doesn't give a shit who Ginny is dating. He's thinking about Sirius, he's mourning, of course, but he is still mourning him in book 6 and it didn't stop his jealous rage towards Dean then.

The fact is, up until like halfway through book 6 there are no signs he is interested in Ginny romanticly.

“Fancy trying to find a compartment?” “I can’t, Harry, I said I’d meet Dean,” said Ginny brightly. “See you later.” “Right,” said Harry. He felt a strange twinge of annoyance as she walked away, her long red hair dancing behind her; he had become so used to her presence over the summer that he had almost forgotten that Ginny did not hang around with him, Ron, and Hermione while at school. Then he blinked and looked around: He was surrounded by mesmerized girls.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 136)

Two notes here.

Firstly, this is at the beginning of HBP, still no signs from Harry of jealousy. He likes Ginny as a friend and gets used to her presence. That is literally what their relationship is built on. Him being used to her presence. Still, he doesn't care in the slightest who she is dating.

Secondly, what follows this scene is Harry running away from all his adoring fangirls with the help of Neville. Because Harry is not attracted to women and is not interested in any of their attention.

Harry told Ron and Hermione, pulling open the parchment and quickly reading its contents [note from Dumbledore]. “Monday evening!” He felt suddenly light and happy. “Want to join us in Hogsmeade, Ginny?” he asked. “I’m going with Dean — might see you there,” she replied, waving at them as she left.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 242)

Again, no jealousy. His entire problem with Dean and Ginny dating started really late into book 6 and there was basically no buildup.

Dean was looking embarrassed. He gave Harry a shifty grin that Harry did not return, as the newborn monster inside him was roaring for Dean’s instant dismissal from the team.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 287)

Now, I wanna talk a little bit about Harry's jealousy towards Dean and how he describes his emotions about Ginny. Ginny is the only character he describes his emotions about in this way. And it's... well, weird to say the least. Definitely off. The first time I read it I had to reread it to make sure I actually read it correctly.

Like, the only times he thinks about his emotions towards Ginny, are in jealousy. He doesn't like when other guys date her, but he never really thinks that he likes her, or what he likes about her. Or anything at all, positive or negative.

And, back to the description being odd, well, I'll get to it later in this post about why I think Harry convinced himself he likes Ginny and why his emotions about her are described the way they are.

Harry looked around; there was Ginny running toward him; she had a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her.

...

The creature in his chest roaring in triumph, he grinned down at Ginny and gestured wordlessly out of the portrait hole. A long walk in the grounds seemed indicated, during which — if they had time — they might discuss the match.

(Half-Blood Prince, pages 533-534)

I want to talk about Harry's feelings regarding Ginny and kissing her, or, well, lack of their off. You know, after a first kiss, with a girl he supposedly likes, I expected something more emotional, more involved. I expect him to actually care.

But no. He doesn't describe the kiss at all actually, or his feelings. There are no butterflies in his stomach, no head spinning, nothing. Just his chest monster feeling triumphant.

This is insane, this is not the reaction to kissing someone you like. Or even feel mildly attracted to. Where are the nerves and excitement? They aren't there.

He had more emotions about his first kiss with Cho. They weren't positive emotions, but these were emotions.

The second thing about their first kiss is how the text pretty clearly insinuates they made out throughout their whole walk. This actually reminds me a lot of Ron and Lavender in book 6:

“Well, think back,” said Harry. “Have you ever let it slip that you’d like to go out in public with the words ‘My Sweetheart’ round your neck?” “Well . . . we don’t really talk much,” said Ron. “It’s mainly . . .” “Snogging,” said Harry. “Well, yeah,” said Ron.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 338)

They don't really have much of a relationship. They make out, but they don't talk, they don't share anything with each other, they don't really like each other — they barely know each other.

Harry and Ginny are much the same. Ginny is in love with the idea of Harry Potter, and Harry for some reason decideded he likes Ginny even though he can't name a single personality trait she possesses.

“And then what does she think’s going to happen?” Harry muttered. “Someone else might kill off Voldemort while she’s holding us here making vol-auvents?” He had spoken without thinking, and saw Ginny’s face whiten. “So it’s true?” She said, “That’s what you��re trying to do?” “I—not—I was joking,” said Harry evasively. They stared at each other, and there was something more than shock in Ginny’s expression. Suddenly Harry became aware that this was the first time that he had been alone with her since their stolen hours in secluded corners of the Hogwarts grounds. He was sure she was remembering them too. Both of them jumped as the door opened, and Mr. Weasley, Kingsley, and Bill walked in.

(Deathly Hollows, page 82)

Like, there is quite a bit I want to unpack here.

Firstly, Harry didn't bother telling Ginny that he, Ron, and Hermione were planning on leaving. That they are going to go and stop Voldemort. Well, he didn't tell her about the Horcruxes, or any of his experiences, really. I don't think she knows he cast a Crocio at Bellatrix at the end of fifth year.

Like, Harry does not share his life with Ginny. At all. Her reaction is quite telling.

But also, even after he broke up with her already at the end of HBP. Still, Ginny is constantly trying to drag him back to be with her. She isn't letting Harry break up with her. And, that just really doesn't sit well with me. Harry didn't even consider it until he saw how Ginny was eying him, she's the one who thought they should make out. Harry was trying to stay broken up with her.

Ginny looked up into Harry’s face, took a deep breath, and said, “Happy seventeenth.” “Yeah. . . thanks.” She was looking at him steadily; he, however, found it difficult to look back at her; it was like gazing into a brilliant light.

...

He chanced a glance at her. She was not tearful; that was one of the many wonderful things about Ginny, she was rarely weepy. He had sometimes thought that having six brothers must have toughened her up.

(Deathly Hollows, page 103)

Again, after Harry breaks up with her, she tries to drag him back. He doesn't want to look at her. And as romantic as "gazing into a brilliant light" sounds, usually doing that hurts your eyes and is really not something you want to do. Besides, when you really like someone, you want to look at them, you want to stare at their stupid face for as long as they let you.

Harry clearly doesn't.

The other thing to note about this passage is the wonderful thing Harry can name about Ginny, is that she never cries. Yes, amazing reason to date someone, Harry.

However, Ron did not appear on the map, and after a while Harry found himself taking it out simply to stare at Ginny’s name in the girls’ dormitory, wondering whether the intensity with which he gazed at it might break into her sleep, that she would somehow know he was thinking about her, hoping that she was all right.

(Deathly Hollows, page 270)

Even when pulling out the Marauder’s Map to watch her dot Harry's thoughts are just to make sure she's alright, the same reason he watches out for Ron on the map after he leaves them. Hoping to see he's alright. Harry would do it to any friend he felt strongly about, it's not just Ginny. She doesn't get special treatment in his mind.

Ginny Clearly likes him though, quite obsessively so, even as they grow older...

Ginny made it no secret she liked Harry in her first year with the Valentine's Day poem. The thing is, she never really stopped liking him, she didn't move on from that childhood crush. Quite the opposite actually.

“I never really gave up on you,” she said. “Not really. I always hoped. . . . Hermione told me to get on with life, maybe go out with some other people, relax a bit around you, because I never used to be able to talk if you were in the room, remember? And she thought you might take a bit more notice if I was a bit more — myself.” “Smart girl, that Hermione,” said Harry, trying to smile. “I just wish I’d asked you sooner. We could’ve had ages . . . months . . . years maybe. . . .” “But you’ve been too busy saving the Wizarding world,” said Ginny, half laughing. “Well . . . I can’t say I’m surprised. I knew this would happen in the end. I knew you wouldn’t be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that’s why I like you so much.”

(Half-Blood Prince, page 647)

Ginny says at the top of this quote something I already talked about, but I'll say it again. She never gave up on Harry, she thinks them ending up together is fate. And she dated other guys throughout her fourth and fifth year to get Harry to notice her.

That is so gross, I don't even know where to start. I mean, she used a bunch of random guys, who all liked her, only to get Harry. She didn't care about their feelings, or these guys as real human beings, just that they could help her get Harry. And that is awful and one of the reasons I dislike Ginny.

The second part I bolded is Ginny explaining again, that she knew she and Harry were fated — this isn't romantic, this is terrifying and paints all her previous relationships in a really bad light.

She also mentions there she likes Harry, and that she likes that he's this saviour who needs to hunt down Voldemort. Now, first, she is clearly in love with the idea of the Boy-Who-Lived, and not Harry himself, because what she likes about him is his nobility and savior complex. Not just here, but in general.

While Harry definitely is heroic, he is also cunning, and clever, has some serious anger management issues, and isn't as noble as Ginny likes to paint him as. I feel like, here, when she says what she likes about him, she doesn't really know him. Harry doesn't want to hunt down Voldemort, he feels it's his responsibility. He would've been happy to be able to live his life without them being threatened constantly.

His 'saving people thing' is because he considers endangering himself less bad than endangering someone else. That's his low self-esteem talking, not his thirst for adventure. That and his (honestly correct) conclusion that he can't count on the adults or other people to do what needs to be done. Also, his sense of responsibility due to the prophecy, which he didn't really tell Ginny about in full. the prophecy and Dumbledore made him feel Voldemort is his problem to solve. It's not that he's happy about it. Ginny is in love with an ideal, not with the actual Harry Potter.

(I'll get to Harry's words here later)

Ginny caught Harry’s eye and looked away quickly, grinning.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 848)

And when going back to Harry's fifth year, even then (while she technically has a boyfriend) she is trying to get Harry's attention and is flirting with him. Not that Harry notices it's flirting because he doesn't think of Ginny in that way.

But Ron held up a hand to silence her. “She was really cut up when you ended it—” “So was I. You know why I stopped it, and it wasn’t because I wanted to.” “Yeah, but you go snogging her now and she’s just going to get her hopes up again—” “She’s not an idiot, she knows it can’t happen, she’s not expecting us to—to end up married, or—”

(Deathly Hollows, page 104)

I mentioned it above, but Ginny is the one who dragged Harry to make out with her, it wasn't Harry who initiated it. She does this after Harry broke up with her, which... well... yeah. I mean, at least Harry was willing, right?

And Harry says she isn't thinking about marriage, but Ginny definitely is. Remember, she thinks they are fated to end up together.

Now, as to why Harry is dating her and thinks he likes her...

I think she might have used a love potion...

Now, I know, I know, honestly, this is a theory I doubted for a long time. I mean, there's no way.

But I'm rereading the books right now, and ehh... I think whoever came up with this might have been onto something. It's kind of creepy actually.

Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a love potion she’d made as a young girl. All three of them were rather giggly.

(Prisoner of Azkaban, page 70)

Love potions are a thing in the Wizarding World. They are legal to sell and use with no consequences. They are banned at Hogwarts, but we saw it doesn't mean much considering Romilda Vane snuck quite a bit in...

What I show in the above quote is how witches like Molly Weasly see love potions as a legitimate thing to giggle about. As if it isn't a horrifying rape drug that takes away someone's autonomy! Love potions aren't something to giggle about. And they're definitely not something to giggle about with two young girls...

But this is to explain, how to Ginny, who thinks she and Harry are meant to end up together, using a love potion would seem completely legitimate. It's a little, funny nudge, but it's not bad. Her mother used it, and so many other girls did too. Because it isn't treated as the horrifying thing it is. She grew up thinking of it as a legitimate measure to take if a boy you like doesn't notice you. A measure that she wouldn't be even punished for if it was found out.

Now, this is a long quote, but this is the one that made me even consider this theory as a possibility:

She hoisted a box wrapped in brown paper onto the table; it had clearly been unwrapped and carelessly rewrapped, and there was a scribbled note across it in red ink, reading inspected and passed by the hogwarts high inquisitor. “It’s Easter eggs from Mum,” said Ginny. “There’s one for you. . . . There you go. . . .” She handed him a handsome chocolate egg decorated with small, iced Snitches and, according to the packaging, containing a bag of Fizzing Whizbees. Harry looked at it for a moment, then, to his horror, felt a hard lump rise in his throat. “Are you okay, Harry?” asked Ginny quietly. “Yeah, I’m fine,” said Harry gruffly. The lump in his throat was painful. He did not understand why an Easter egg should have made him feel like this. “You seem really down lately,” Ginny persisted. “You know, I’m sure if you just talked to Cho . . .” “It’s not Cho I want to talk to,” said Harry brusquely. “Who is it, then?” asked Ginny. “I . . .” He glanced around to make quite sure that nobody was listening; Madam Pince was several shelves away, stamping out a pile of books for a frantic-looking Hannah Abbott. “I wish I could talk to Sirius,” he muttered. “But I know I can’t.” More to give himself something to do than because he really wanted any, Harry unwrapped his Easter egg, broke off a large bit, and put it into his mouth. “Well,” said Ginny slowly, helping herself to a bit of egg too, “if you really want to talk to Sirius, I expect we could think of a way to do it. . . .” “Come on,” said Harry hopelessly. “With Umbridge policing the fires and reading all our mail?” “The thing about growing up with Fred and George,” said Ginny thoughtfully, “is that you sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” Harry looked at her. Perhaps it was the effect of the chocolate — Lupin had always advised eating some after encounters with dementors — or simply because he had finally spoken aloud the wish that had been burning inside him for a week, but he felt a bit more hopeful. . . .

(Order of the Pheonix, page 655)

Now, Harry, first, gets really weird about the Easter Egg. Why an Easter Egg would cause a lump in his throat, I have no idea. Maybe it smelled weird?

He didn't really want to eat the chocolate, he felt bad about it, which is again, very strange phrasing. especially as I think Harry's instincts are pretty decent, especially when it comes to potential danger. Ginny isn't mentioned eating from his chocolate, she's implied to be eating a different chocolate egg.

But the final section I bolded is the one I really want to talk about.

Harry didn't even notice Ginny approach him. Throughout this scene, he doesn't describe anything about her or his emotions for her. Then, he looks at her and feels more hopeful in a way he hasn't before, and he blames it on the chocolate. That's so incredibly strange.

So I read that, then read it again, and started thinking a love potion might be a possibility.

It'll explain why Harry thinks he likes Ginny and wants to make out with her, without once mentioning he finds her attractive, or that he even likes her personality. It'll also explain the weird way Harry describes his emotions for Ginny, his chest monster, that is. I mean, I believe Harry is gay, what do you think happens when you give a guy who literally can't find you attractive a love potion so he'd like you? He reacts weirdly. His like of you is off and unnatural and disconnected because he isn't affecting him the way it should.

Even when Ron was dosed with the love potion he could name things the potion made him like about Romilda:

“I love her,” repeated Ron breathlessly. “Have you seen her hair, it’s all black and shiny and silky . . . and her eyes? Her big dark eyes? And her —”

(Half-Blood Prince, page 392)

It's not like Ron could say what he liked about Romilda's personality though, he just knew he needed to be with her and she was perfect. This is frighteningly similar to how Harry thinks of Ginny.

Harry watches for Ginny on the map while traveling in Deathly Hollows. He's constantly drawn to her, but he doesn't have any actual feelings towards her. He wants to marry her but has no clue what her personality is like. He just thinks Ginny is great without knowing why.

Near the window was an array of violently pink products around which a cluster of excited girls was giggling enthusiastically. Hermione and Ginny both hung back, looking wary. “There you go,” said Fred proudly. “Best range of love potions you’ll find anywhere.” Ginny raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Do they work?” she asked. “Certainly they work, for up to twenty-four hours at a time depending on the weight of the boy in question —”

(Half-Blood Prince, page 120)

Now, after the above scene in book 5 which I believe is the first time Ginny tries to dose Harry with a love potion, Harry still isn't dating Ginny, as we all know. What do we see Ginny do early in book 6, the book in which they get together? Try to buy a love potion from Fred and George.

And more importantly, she asks them: "Do they work?"

Why would Ginny ask that if she hadn't already failed with a love potion before?

I think, Harry's not being attracted to women, does affect how love potions effect him and the dosages he will need to be fed. And Ginny clearly isn't giving up on Harry. She said so herself — they were fated.

“Hang on,” said a voice close by Harry’s left ear and he caught a sudden waft of that flowery smell he had picked up in Slughorn’s dungeon. He looked around and saw that Ginny had joined them. “Did I hear right? You’ve been taking orders from something someone wrote in a book, Harry?”

(Half-Blood Prince, page 192)

One of the only things Harry comments about in regarding Ginny is her smell. He only mentions it from year 6 and onwards.

Now, I know JKR intended it to imply Harry smelled Ginny in amortentia and that he's in love with her. The thing is, it could just as easily be read as a smell he associates with Ginny and the Burrow because she dosed him with a love potion already. So he is used to smelling amortentia around Ginny and the Burrow, not because he's in love with her, but because the potion is there.

“There’s the silver lining I’ve been looking for,” she whispered, and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before, and Harry was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion better than firewhisky; she was the only real thing in the world, Ginny, the feel of her, one hand at her back and one in her long, sweet-smelling hair—

(Deathly Hollows, page 103)

When she kisses him after he broke up with her and she's trying to get him back, he mentions the smell of her hair again. How the smell is actually affecting him.

With all the evidence towards Harry not liking women, and the fact he doesn't even find Ginny attractive, I just have a hard time believing this. How can he go from coldly not caring about her in one scene to going into blissful oblivion from the smell of her hair?

Unless there is some variant of a love potion he is getting dosed with.

(I don't think this is a very popular opinion, but there is just so much that's weird about Hinny, that I can't find any other way to explain it in canon)

[alastorssimpforever]

Part 1: My Take on Hazbin Hotel Ships

I am a multishipper at heart.

A very long post btw

Spoilers for Hazbin Hotel Season One!

HOWEVER NO SPOILERS FOR SEASON 2 IN HERE AT ALL!

Chaggie:

They supported each other through the roughest of times and while they doubted each other, they got through it together. Vaggie never fails to show how much she loves Charlie in each episode and she's Charlie's rock. Charlie loves Vaggie dearly and even when she was revealed to be an angel, her love won out for her. Relationships are hard and secrets like that, even rougher but they've grown stronger together.

Vaggie is always tough on everyone else but always treats Charlie with a gentleness that shows her tender side. The two will never hesitate to fight for their loves one, especially when the other is in danger.

It's a perfect trope of Forbidden Love and honestly, just a sweet sapphic ship.

Huskerdust:

Two broken people who find the good in each other. They're duet in Loser Baby bonds them together. And right off the bat, Angel Dust starts flirting with him and Husk starts rolling his eyes. But despite all this, Angel Dust being high energy and sexual...Husk perfectly pairs him with his nonchalant attitude.

They're banter is seeming less. Husk can see right through Angel Dust's facade and he can see the person behind the big old porn star persona.

They're a perfect trope for opposite attracts and somewhat sunny x grumpy.

CherriSnake:

Pentious was always an adorable stuttering mess in front of Cherri Bomb and honestly this one-sided love was endearing. And hilarious. Cherri Bomb is the super hot girl next to the awkward nerd. It's a cute pairing. Even Cherri Bomb admitted after the kiss that it was hot.

it's personally not my cup of tea but I'm sure its delightful for other people!

Charlastor:

Right in the pilot, we see this charming pair have a dance and a duet together. The two also have a lot of similarities in that they both have matching outfit and love to sing and dance. Alastor always appears to be intimate and gentle towards Charlie, even encouraging her in her singing.

And come on, in the pilot, he called her a demon belle. And in Episode 8 of Season 1...you gotta admit that was a treat for Charlastor shippers. Kicking his feet on her bed and getting close to her.

The appeal for me is that the two have very different views of the world with Charlie being more optimistic contrasted with Alastor's cynicism. In a platonic match, Alastor could help Charlie become more assertive and Charlie help Alastor become more kinder or at least, less murderous.

Cherrimoth:

Did they interact for like two seconds in canon? Yes. Do I care? No. Their outfits do have eerily similar qualities, the two sport X's on their outfits as well and both have a singular eye. And honestly, the pink and purple complexations look great together!

Now in personality, they would drive each other crazy in a good way. Cherri Bomb would help Vaggie grow in being less conservative while Vaggie would help Cherri Bomb be less chaotic. The two could really help each other grow better as people.

I personally think it's a cute pairing with flecks of a 80s rock star romance for some reason. I can already hear Vaggie calling Cherri a "diabolita" in an adoring way.

Radiodust:

Angel Dust is the only one that can make Alastor truly flustered. The dynamic is also hilarious. The idea that the efficient porn star can pull off the crazy murderer is cute and yes, comedical in a good way. Also the conservatively dressed Radio Star compared with Angel's Dust lack of humbleness makes the odd couple very interesting.

Two very opposing world views crashing together and choosing to be together is fascinating. Also those two would kill at a ballroom dance. The ship has so much potential for some unhingeness.

Also radiodust is such a pretty ship name!

Guitarspear:

Two smug asshole in love? I LOVE IT! And yes, it's sad but also bittersweet that Lute was the only one that mourned Adam's death. The two are ride or die for each other. And while Adam is still a huge jackass, he still does respect Lute's opinion.

They're banter is seeming less. She always plays off his jokes. Whenever the two are together, they seem to steal the stage. They're humor matches. Do they help each other grow? No. Do they still encourage each other? Sure.

And the nickname "Dangertits" while its a little insane, is kind of cute. They're relationship is unique. A bromance you could say.

Staticmoth:

Another assholes in love pair. These two are no good for each other and I'm sure only encourage each other. They're terrible people but they're terrible together. A fire evil power couple if I've ever seen one.

Vox is the only one that can calm down Val. And you know, Val is a crazy son of a bitch and Vox is the only one that can handle him. They both have a flair for drama and killed it with their dancing in that one scene. And the two of them both have it out for two of the guests at the hotel.

They're both crazy and they can be crazy with each other. Also both of them have a damaged part of their bodies. Val with his antenna and Vox with his...antenna too??? They must have been through something together.

Radiostatic:

They hate each other. Guys, the chemistry is already there. Buckle up for some toxic and doomed yaoi. We got a down bad Vox who will not admit his feelings and Alastor, who continuously taunts him. And they had a history where they were friends (or maybe more)??? Hell yeah! sign me up! The angst and drama is doing its job!

It's a perfect Lovers to Enemies (to Lovers?) trope. They're relationship is tumultuous and they want to kill each other. It's perfect! Say less! And they both match each other and rival each other through their different entertainment medias? Yas!

And "Stayed Gone" was an amazing duet! It's the song that absolutely sold me on Hazbin Hotel.

Radiohusk:

I am all for Alastor's spontaneity compared to Husk's gruffness. These two are dapper gentlemen with similar outfits. And hell, they both have been overlords. One didn't turn out to be so lucky. Also Alastor annoys the hell out of Husk which can have some appeal. And I also wonder how that card game went between them? Speaking of which...

I do want to be positive about this ship but the one thing I have against it is that Alastor owns Husk's soul. That's the one thing. But I'm sure some people are into that.

RadioApple:

Old man toxic yaoi. What's not to like? Enemies to lovers fits this pairing well. Right off the bat, they despised each other. They drive each other crazy. They were both competing for Charlie's attention. And does Alastor see Charlie as a daughter probably not?

The best part? He was only doing it to tick Lucifer off. The pettiness of it all was absolutely wonderful!

And "Hell's Greatest Dad"? One of the best songs on the track list. It was an upbeat, mind blowing duet that swept me off my feet. In all honesty, it was an endearing argumentative encounter over Charlie which makes it so appealing.

And yes, who doesn't want a splash of Enemies to Lovers? It's intense and it's a whirlwind of emotions. And between the two most dramatic and over the top characters in the show? SAY LESS!

Lucilith:

It's honestly an adorable couple. The first two people driven to sin? Willingly to deny Heaven and Earth just for the sake of their love? Two people driven to change the world for the better? These two stayed true to themselves and raised an adoring daughter.

If Lucifer and Lilith ever cross paths again, I do hope they can solve whatever happen. I just got to say I love the tragedy of it all. Falling together into the abyss of sin they had created, the first two dreamers of a new world.

I just know those two are attracted to each other as fuck. It goes beyond anything. Even though, they may have grown apart it's clear that Lucifer may still have feelings for Lilith (he still has his wedding ring). Hell, he was devasted when she left.

I hope we get a second chance romance with those two. It would be sweet for Charlie to have her parents get back together.

Radiorose:

An old timey platonic romance? AAAAAAAAAH! And they both have immaculate style and wonderful dancing skills. It's a perfect couple from the 1920s with a vibe of Mary Poppins and Jack. I find them to be very charming and cute together.

In this gif the also almost, just barely kiss! EEEEE! I can totally see these two gossiping over some tea and flavored pinkies. I love the domestic, comfortable feel to this relationship. While, it may not be a whirlwind romance, it's adorable. They dance, the sing, and they laugh together. Hell, Rosie is the only one that truly seems to evoke a true smile from Alastor.

Alzy:

Mimzy got a bad rap due to interrupting "Dad Beats Dad". And if they may not ever get together again, I like the idea of them formerly dating in life. Alastor also seems to very fond of Mimzy and they both seem to go way back.

Also fun fact: Mimzy and Alastor were supposed to be dating in the show but in the end, it didn't happen. Also the idea of a Radio Star and a Southern Belle is very endearing to me. They grew up in the same city I suppose and they've been through a lot together. It's cute. Alastor is also very gentle and kind with her. Although, I'm not a fan of Mimzy playing the damsel in distress and have Alastor deal with her problems.

Another note is that it refreshing to see a woman in this show with more variation in her proportions.

Zestmilla:

I love their dynamic. They both defend each other. And you cannot tell me that Zestial acts like a father figure to Carmilla Carmine's two kids. It's adorable. And I'm all for a power couple!

I wish I could say more but we got so little of them that I really can't. Maybe we'll see more of them in further seasons!

Adamsapple:

Lucifer accidentally saying he was going to FUCK Adam was the best thing ever. And Adam shoving Lucifer into a wall a second later? EEE! Yes, it a crack ship? Yeah, kinda. Do I care? Also the history between these two is priceless. Yes, has Lucifer stolen all of Adam's wives? Yes.

But whose heart has he not stolen yet? ADAM! All the fics I've read about them either have these two in Eden or when Adam reincarnates as a sinner. Are they crazy and wonderful? YES! I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT! I'm all for the unhingeness of the relationship.

And the angst? God, don't get me started on the angst! It's delicious.

Angelicradio:

A good old Enemies to Lovers pair! I love it! It's definitely not that popular but I'm all for it. Also their fight was lit. I do have to explore more about this duo but I'm afraid there's very little of it out there.

FallenWings (Lute x Vaggie):

Hell yeah, toxic and doomed yuri. They've got history, they hate each other. And Lute may be a lesbian/woman lover in denial. If Lute ever had a relationship with Vaggie, Hell, she still has a lot of religious guilt packages to unpack.

The thing that really draws me to this pair is yes, it's toxic. But the angst, the drama, and the betrayal. The forbidden love must have been insane.

The idea of them being exes is probable and spicy. But honestly the trope of Friends to Lovers to Enemies is not used enough. AND I'M HERE FOR IT!

RoyalHalo (Charlie x Emily):

Emily and Charlie got along so well right off the bat! I mean they matched each other's extorted festiveness and they even have similar personalities. The hand touching on Emily's hand got my attention.

They're pretty cute together. And they're outfits look amazing together! They're a pretty fluffy couple that probably wouldn't have many issues. Although Vaggie was explicitly glaring at Emily when Charlie and Emily were holding hands, possibly alluding to a future love triangle. Big maybe though!

And these two teamed up together going against Heaven! AAAAHHH! They're duet was amazing!

Guitarprincess:

Alright, here goes a controversial ship. Is it the ultimate form of toxic? Yes. Is it the best kind of crack? Yes. Is he a big asshole and she's the sweetest thing ever, yeah? Did he try to destroy her Hotel and kill her? Yeah.

The fact that he kept calling her babe was cute. Yes, was it meant to be condescending. Yepppp. But still interesting.

I DON'T KNOW I'M OBSESSED WITH ENEMIES TO LOVERS! IT'S AMAZING! And ngl, they give a Hades and Persephone kinda vibe (the good kind). And to add on, the fics I have read about them were AMAZING!

Baxty:

Nope, Baxterhas not appeared in Hazbin yet but I love him already! He's gonna be that moody scientist and Niffty is gonna annoy the Hell out of him. I just hope the dynamic is that he is the only one that puts up with Niffty.

We also need more short Kings out here apart from Lucifer. AAAAH! I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE SO CUTE! And Baxter is going to be her (cute) bad boy.

Roo x Charlie:

I'm here to spread some Roo x Charlie propaganda! I'm sure I'm like the only one that ships it but HEAR ME OUT! Toxic yuri at its finest. Roo is the Root of All Evil while she represents all the sins, the Sin of Lust is what drives Roo towards Charlie. Roo becomes obsessed with corrupting Charlie's almost incorruptible persona. And would it be fire to see Roo tempt Charlie to the dark side a little bit, let that devil in Charlie come out just a tad?

The angst would be absolutely amazing. And my idea is that Vaggie is the only one that can see through Roo's lies and she knows she's bad for Charlie. Vaggie knows Alastor is no good, but my, Roo is double the danger.

Also do I want to see an epic hero x villain thing? Yes. And TWO BEAUTIFUL WOMEN? HELL YEAH!

Striker x Alastor:

Two badass asexuals together? WHEW! And they're both delightfully terrifying? LETS GOOO! Another fire, power couple.

GuitarMaid:

Yet another wonderful crack ship! Another instance of Niffty scaring the shit out of someone. And honestly, if Adam came back as a sinner it would be interesting to see the pair reconcile. Adam would surely HATE Niffty at first.

But maybe, just maybe something more and weird may bloom.

Lovebug:

I think this ship is hilarious. And even Niffty, is the only that can freak Valentino out or should I say overdo his freak. It would honestly be kind of satisfying to see Valentino be terrorized by Niffty.

It's a beautiful crack couple.

Chaggistor:

Why fight over Chaggie and Charlastor when you can just combine them? And there would always be that spice of tension between Alastor and Vaggie that keeps the poly fresh. And honestly, it would be great! All the people invovled in the hotel in a polycule! AMAZING!

Chaggily:

It's a wholesome poly ship. And honestly they'd be a killer throuple. Absolutely unstoppable.

Maybe I'll do a part 2. Shoot me an ask if you want me to add a ship I didn't add here in a part 2!

[edges-of-night]

Hi! I'm sure everyone tells you this, but I absolutely love your writing. Seeing your new posts always brightens my day :) It's a silly request, but could I ask for the elves reacting to a reader who's a Starfleet officer/from the Star Trek universe? TYSM and sorry if this isn't what you usually do

Thank you for your kind words, anon! It always brightens my day to hear that this blog brings people joy ♡

As for your request: People who’ve seen my main blog will know I’m a Trekkie, so I couldn’t let this classic fandom crossover slide haha! I’ve turned Reader into a Vulcan working as a Starfleet officer who ends up in Middle-Earth by accident (damned transporter interference…)

Enjoy the read and – of course – live long and prosper!

･ﾟ✧ Arwen.

Arwen is probably one of the best inhabitants of Middle-Earth to run into if you’re stranded in an unknown place. Whether you get beamed into Rivendell or to the riverbends of the Bruinen, the Elven lady is quick on her feet and recognises you as someone in need of help – especially when others speak of you with great suspicion. “Do not listen to their words. They have no meaning where my heart is concerned.”

Arwen is kind and curious, making it increasingly hard for you to follow the Prime Directive. She must not know about your starship, but of course it is senseless to try and hide your worries from her attentive gaze. Though she might not know of your dilemma exactly, she promises to help you find your way back home and always wants to make sure you’re comfortable in this strange world, being openly affectionate and sometimes even touchy with you – until she sensed that holding hands meant a bit more to you than an Elf… ♡

.

･ﾟ✧ Elrond.

The Lord of Rivendell, Elrond, works almost as logically as a Vulcan, which impresses you. He is a master of knowledge and a lore expert with a vast collection of literature at his disposal. I like the idea that maybe the Prime Directive would not even concern him because he has heard of star-faring people but always considered them legends, until he met you.

Not only is Elrond an intelligent conversationalist – he is also the most considerate and kind host you could have wished for. He respects your drive for finding a solution to your problem but also endows you with comfortable quarters to retreat into, as well as a vegetarian menu to eat. To further help you clear your mind, he’d invite you to a session of harp playing. The music is soothing, not too different from your Vulcan lute – and yet entirely new – fascinating!

.

･ﾟ✧ Galadriel.

The Lady of Light knows of your presence in Middle-Earth even before you yourself do. She immediately senses that something is off and delights when she finally gets to meet you. “How nice to have a face to the stranger on our earthly shores,” she’d whisper in your head. Her fascination with you is intense and maybe even scaring you a bit. However, logic suggests you have nothing to fear of her.

Galadriel’s resources and ancient knowledge, as well as the futility of upholding the Prime Directive, make the search for a way back to your ship easy. Before you go, however, Galadriel would ask you to join her telepathic palace – which you agree to. Her mind meld is more powerful than any you have ever performed before. It gives you a glimpse into her internal lights that are eons olds and yet young and beautiful. To remember it, Galadriel would give you a strand of her legendary hair as a parting gift ♡

.

･ﾟ✧ Haldir.

Honestly? Haldir running into a Vulcan might be the funniest combination in this post – the stone faces would be off the charts! At first, the beautiful Elf and his ability to hide his emotions (minus his thinly veiled contempt) would fascinate you, as well as his matter-of-factly duty of keeping you out of Lothlórien. Maybe you’d point out, “It would seem we are both simply following our orders.” – “Indeed.”

However, you can be just as silent and stubborn as Haldir, so the two of you would probably spend an entire night just staring each other down, until he has had enough and finally escorts you to his Lady to make you her problem instead of yours. It is obvious to him that you do not belong here, so his sense of duty makes him care for you – which he would never admit to, of course!

.

･ﾟ✧ Legolas.

Initially, Legolas would think of you as a fellow Elf lost in Mirkwood, which is good for the Prime Directive but bad for someone as untalented with lying as you. Eventually, you’ll informed him of your suspicion that the two of you belonged to entirely different species. He would ask you about your body then, as well as your workplace and perhaps your family. But after the friendly ‘getting to know you phase’, Legolas knows your weaknesses and will try to mess with you – in a playful and non-hostile but all-too Human way, testing your patience and logic alike.

That said, he will do what he can to help you get back to your world and ask many questions about it. “What is it like? To fare the stars as if they were islands in an ocean? What does the moon look like up close? Oh, there is no moon in your world? There hasn’t always been one here, either. Look that way… up, silly, not at me! You see it…?” ♡

By the way: The young Romulan warrior Elnor, a main character from Star Trek: Picard, has an Elvish name according to the showrunners. One meaning of “el” (as in the names of Elrond and Elros, for example) is star, and “nor” means run. In both Sindarin and Quenya, dear Elnor’s name roughly translates to “Star Trek”!

Being candid and brash, a skilled fighter and absolute sweetheart, I think he’d get along splendidly with dear Legolas, for example...

[y-rhywbeth2]

Karlach and Durge's relationship has fun elements that I, for some reason, started thinking on this morning.

Aside from some similarities (the offspring/descendent of powerful beings of the lower planes, whose kind are brought into existence as pawns/displays of power; were given basically no choice about serving their evil relative; who are/were made into living weapons; and the homicidal rages they need to keep under control (and as Zariel is known for her seething homicidal rage, Karlach could actually have inherited it the way Durge gets it from Bhaal))

There's that delightful 'I can fix them' mentality Karlach is bringing to the relationship. Always a good sign. We learned nothing from the Gortash shenanigans.

She talks about getting Durge psychiatric help when they get the city and, while that's a nice sentiment (and I assume she's actually talking about clerical healing at a fully staffed temple or something), I do remember what Faerûn's 'asylums' ('howling keeps') are like, and being locked up in a cell forever (at best) does not strike me as a good time. I just picture Durge hearing that, thinking of how people handle the dangerously 'crazed-witted' and getting ready to bolt. No nope nope no.

Speaking of Gortash: assuming Durge's handwriting hasn't been fundamentally altered by the TBI, they're going to recognise themselves praising the evil genius that is the guy who sold their new friend/lover to slavery in Hell and then have to look Karlach in the eye.

Then there's issue that is Gortash and Durge vs Durge and Karlach vs Gortash and Karlach's relationships. Even though Gortash is projecting and doesn't think there is an issue. 'That was literally a month-to-a-decade ago, why are you mad?' And I'm pasting that conversation, because I like looking at it.

Karlach: 'I don't give a shit about your agreement.' Lord Enver Gortash: 'Then why in the Nine Hells have you come back here, Karlach? What could you possibly want?!' Karlach: 'How about an apology for sending me to the Hells?' Lord Enver Gortash: 'Sorry?! You want me to be sorry for helping you gain more power than you've ever known? That thing in your chest is a blessing I helped you receive. One you're too much of a fool to see. I gave you a clean slate. A chance to rejoin me for our mutual benefit - again.'

(What a guy. God, I want to cut his skull open with a spoon and stare at the contents.)

Durge, of course can start swooning over how brilliant the durgetash alliance is, or, not unreasonably, assume - having only Karlach's accounts of Gortash's betrayal, and the knowledge that they were brutally tortured for a month in the building where the guy works - that he might've fucked them over too.

'I seem to have trusted you once, and it ruined me. I'm not about to repeat that mistake.'

Are we stewing in mutual resentment of an old partner, or are we going to hit a massive problem if Durge wants something of their old life back? There is so much unexplored drama in this part of Act 3 and their mutual arc, it pains me.

Plus Karlach should probably be wondering if Durge had anything to do with her enslavement. They almost certainly didn't timeline wise, because if Karlach was shipped off to Avernus 10 years ago then she was gone the year Bhaal came back and gained the ability to pick Chosen, so the window of opportunity for Durge and Gortash to meet (if it exists) is insanely narrow. But the doubt should be there.

And of course the fact that if you romance her and she undergoes ceremorphosis you can tell her how hot it is when she eats people's brains and she goes 'thanks love.'

[musette22]

I don't know why, but I keep seeing fans who say they're stucky fans but they seem to like one guy and hate the other. Like some Bucky fans complain about how Steve abandoned Bucky and wasn't nice to him, and some Steve fans complain every time you talk about Bucky and his trauma, going 'What about Steve!?' It feels like you have to pick one or the other. It feels almost weird that I love about care about both of them. Why is that so difficult? Why can't you just enjoy the characters and how much they love each other?

Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear you'be been struggling with this! That sounds very tiring and a bit upsetting. First of all, I have to admit that I don't really share your experience, which might have something to do with the people I follow and the fandom bubble I'm in, in which most people share my own mindset and preferences. I almost exclusively know and follow people on here who, like me, love both Steve AND Bucky equally, and who either ship Stucky or at least care a lot about their relationship. So in my experience, everyone is just enjoying the characters and how much they love each other! I'm not saying this to be like "what are you talking about", by the way, but more to show you that it is possible to enjoy both characters and how much they love each other, without people coming at you from all sides <3

Having said that though, I am of course aware of the widespread Steve criticism (if not to say hate) that got a lottt of traction after Endgame (which, fuck Endgame), but I am personally of the opinion that if someone really thinks Steve would abandon Bucky like he did in Endgame, and you blame the character for that decision rather than the writers etc, then you don't know Steve at all, ergo your opinion on him is void, as far as I'm concerned. If I see people saying nonsense like that on here, I will either roll my eyes or just block them outright, to protect my peace. And that works really well, generally speaking.

As for Steve fans going "What about Steve!?" when you want to talk about Bucky - Although I'm sure there are some Steve fans who prefer Steve over Bucky or even don't really care about Bucky (which is wiiiiiiild to me, because how can you say you care about a character but not care about what that character cares about most at all??), generally speaking, I don't know that I see people asking "But what about Steve" as an inherent dismissal of Bucky, or people expecting others to choose sides? It may well be the case sometimes, but I doubt that's always what it means, you know? Perhaps that helps?

I think that in the fandom spaces we're in, Bucky is a lot more popular and loved as a character (especially these days, post EG) than Steve is, which makes sense considering Bucky's kind of the perfect blorbo, and there is still new Bucky content coming out, and, of course, he is just really fucking amazing and loveable. But yeah, there is no shortage of Bucky love or discussion in this fandom, which I am personally delighted about and will always do my best to contribute to as well because he is my forever blorbo too. But I guess I can see why people would sometimes feel like Steve is not quite getting the love he deserves, you know? Still though, if someone goes "But what about Steve!?" on a post that is about Bucky, that is just very annoying and unnecessary, I totally agree. If people feel that way, they should make their own post about it, not hinder others in their Bucky loving!

I do get hate sometimes from people who say I don't appreciate the characters enough on their own because I always discuss them as a package deal, but frankly, I don't really give a damn about that. I am a Stucky shipper first and foremost, and for me, these characters ARE just inextricably connected. A Steve without Bucky by his side, or a Bucky without Steve by his side, just doesn't feel right to me, which is one of the reasons why I choose not to watch any post-Endgame content. And if others have an issue with that, well, then that's their issue, not mine.

So perhaps you could try and apply that kind of mindset to your situation as well, anon? Focus on loving our boys, equally, and together, and don't let anyone get in your way! The block button and tag filters are your best friends, and following the right people - people who are kind and reasonable and who share your mindset - is essential. I don't know if this helps at all, and do let me know if you want to talk about this some more, but I hope this is useful in some way! Sending love and hugs, and ALLLLL of the love for both our beautiful boys ❤️

[allastoredeer]

Alastor really be the asexual ideal of a fandom bicycle. So many ships. He has such effortless rizz.

Unrelated, but I love the image of Alastor and Rosie getting the chance to wow everyone with a proper dance number. Just, deciding to cut a rug at a party at the hotel. Alastor genuinely laughing and having the time of his afterlife.

Most of the cast are impressed.

Lucifer is entertained and trying not to foster feelings.

Vox is apoplectic from jealousy.

Rosie fully planned for all of this, but the dance was fun too.

Hahaha he really is XD It's that charisma. It's too alluring.

I'm such an Alastor multishipper, I see almost any relationship he's in and derive some enjoyment from it. (Current crackship that I'm a little obsessed over is AlastorXAdam, akak AngelicRadio - mostly driven by this lovely artists work Mawdam on Twitter. I eat up everything they draw.)

GAAAH I love anything involving Alastor and Rosie. Bad Besties for life, indeed. And them cutting a rug together, genuinely having a good time, the both of them feeling so easy and comfortable in each other's presence😭 I love i!

And it's made even better by Lucifer, who's never seen this side of Alastor - this fun, happy side that humanizes him so much--that he can't help but catch feelings.

Anything involving Alastor and Vox is an immediate yes from me. God, Vox wishes that were him. I bet he fantasizes about dancing with Alastor in a such a fun, care free way. (Depending on his backstory, maybe he HAS and he misses it extremely).

There was actually a fanfic I read that kind of had this premise. It's a StaticRadio fic with a scene where they're at a club or event (something like that), and Alastor and Rosie are at the piano, drunk, singing, and having the best time. Vox is watching (because he's always watching Alastor), and just about malfunctions when Alastor takes off his tie and unclips a few buttons on his shirt, revealing a - GASP - collarbone.

This scene genuinely lives rent free in my head, I think about it all the time and I love it. I love Alastor having fun and cutting loose, and people being absolutely SHOOK by it. Him taking off his tie and unclipping the top button of his shirt is the equivalent of him stripping down to his underwear and dancing on the tables.

It's unheard of. And I love characters seeing this more relaxed, human side of him, and not knowing how to handle it. I'm obsessed with it.

Here's the fic mentioned above if anyone is interested: Deer Hunting by Quoth_the_raven_Nevermore

Mind the tags! It is a smut fic. The scene in specific is near the beginning for those who may not want to read the smut part, but would like to consume this fantastic, delightful little scene.

[saturnzoned]

i'm sorry.

Much to say, much to say…..When I first started this show, I didn’t expect to be taken in as much as I have been. I knew I would like the coupling of Jane and Lisbon but not to the extent that I’m here typing these words over a CBS procedural. Only four seasons in and they’re already a top ship for me without even being together yet or me having finished the show!!! WHEW - if any of you follow me on twitter, you’re witnessing this journey and how much this show eats at my mind. ANYHOW let’s move onto season 4, episode 10 - Fugue in Red.

Basic summary is: Jane drowns, nearly dies, and loses his memory. Now he doesn’t lose his complete memory - he just loses the emotional memory of losing his family. We see a Jane that isn’t affected by tragedy and one who still uses his conman ways. I will say I don’t believe that this is a Jane who never loses his family - it’s one who never had a family to begin with. More to say later. NOW I want to examine some scenes that stick out to me!

Firstly, of course, we have the cold open. The team is on the search for someone who killed a firefighter. Jane goes off on his own and nearly dies as a result. He’s pulled underwater by the murderer and left for dead. Lisbon is searching for him and yells out his name (in a delightful little detail, Robin Tunney’s accent is strong when she says ‘Come AWN’ - I absolutely love it.) She finds him face down in the water and we get this beautiful little scene: 

Her absolute desperation kills me here - I think she reacts somewhat similarly to anyone on her team but it’s amplified because it’s Jane. She is PLEADING, BEGGING, WILLING him to start breathing. She’s clutching her cross that we’ve seen before - Strawberries and Cream part 1 comes to mind. We learn later in the episode it’s a gift given by her departed mother. One more thing I love about this scene is her saying “He’ll be fine, he’ll be fine” about Jane to Cho while wiping her tears and, really, trying to convince herself of her words. 

This next scene is something I wanna touch on: I love the intimacy we see given to Jane by Lisbon. He’s lost his memory and doesn’t know who she is and asks “are we sleeping together?” The reason I love this scene has to do with the fact I think it’s handled wonderfully. In a lesser procedural, this might just be a scene left for shippers to grab onto but here, it’s to show the audience how Jane might be still as a conman while also showing the closeness he perceives of the two of them. AHHHHHH.

He’s released from the hospital to work on the case - Rigsby has told him he’s always doing weird stuff and such to solve cases so what does Jane do here? Put a literal red herring in the pocket of a man as a joke. It eventually shows a man connected to the victim’s wife. What I want to highlight here is Rigsby’s comment in the above cap - saying his stunt is like the old Jane. But to this Jane, there never was an old him! He’s him and, for the Jane we know, this stunt is something the old (conman) Jane would have done. I love this line and there’s many layers to it!

I love this whole scene but I really wanna focus on the line “we’re friends”. We’ve seen this over the seasons and especially in this episode: the team is told not to tell Jane about his past until it comes back to him. She follows this to a point: it’s not until the end she realizes she has to be A Friend and take him to recover his memory…more on this later. But of course she knows all about his memory palace: these are people he trusts, especially Lisbon. They’re not people to con for the Jane we know (not that he really cons much anymore). They’re not sleeping together, they’re not working towards that, they’re Friends!!! And what’s more important than the love and trust of a good friend? 

WHEW the biggest part of the episode for me: THAT’S NOT HIM. I mentioned this a bit on my twitter but I love that Lisbon knows Jane enough to know this persona isn’t him - it wasn’t even really him before the tragedy. It’s a version that exists if he never has a family. Cho takes a bit of a negative view of all this saying they’re not really friends and he’s only the way he is because of his loss of family. He’s a hustler in reality, to Cho, and only a decent guy because of the tragedy. Lisbon disagrees - it was always there but the deaths of his family brought it out. In a season 2 episode, we see a teenaged Jane with his father in the circus: he’s someone who is distraught by tricking a dying girl and her family member that a crystal will rid her of her tumors. Jane wasn’t born a con man - he was molded by his father and the life around him to bury any emotions or feelings he had. The money helped with this but I do think his wife and daughter kept him as grounded as possible. 

Sorry to keep loping around and this whole thing being disjointed - basically my stream of thoughts but I do wanna tie in the “we’re friends” comment with this scene:

He knows they’re tiptoeing around the fact some tragedy has happened to him but he’s HAPPY….just let him be happy. A true friend isn’t going to do that: they’re not going to let him forget what happened and why he’s here and still searching. He’s not going to be happy in the end - he knows this and Lisbon knows this. Near the end of the episode, Lisbon calls him out on running away because feelings are coming back - not the memories yet but the feelings are at least there. She offers to drive him somewhere and if he still wants to go, she’ll let him.

SHE DRIVES HIM FROM SACRAMENTO TO MALIBU - THAT’S A DAMN NEAR SIX HOUR DRIVE IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW. California is HUGE and here she is driving him to his home so he can remember, remember what his life is about at the moment. What it’s been like for the past 8 years - now that’s a true friend. And she’s sorry - sorry he has to be reminded in this way, sorry about what’s happened, sorry to not just let him be happy. She’s sorry. She’s his friend, she drives him six hours south, and she’s sorry. It’s a gut-wrenching yet beautiful moment. Jane, even in this state, trusts her enough to drive him so he can remember. I also think his stunt he pulled with the Tamara (his responsible adult) was his way of trying to stay with the team - he knows they’ll clock the bracelet is real and he committed theft but he wants to be caught! It’s why he comes back to the office, why he allows Lisbon to drive him for hours. The episode ends with a wonderful Blake Neely composition titled ‘Your Worst Nightmare’. Oh, I’m going to be thinking about this episode for a very long time.

[jasongracestan12]

Unpopular HoO ships I enjoy

Note: As always, these are all just my opinions. Please feel free to sound off in the comments or reblogs, but be nice, I'm sensitive 😢 Spoilers obvs

Also I mention Hazel in ships. Just know I'm not fond of the age gap she has with the rest of the seven in the books, and personally like to think of her in these ships as closer in age to these people. Anyways;

1. Leo/Frank - So so underrated. Maybe because I love enemies to lovers, idk. I just think these two have mad chemistry. They get each other the way others in the series don't get them, with the losses of their mom's and being dunked on constantly. They could be cringe fail losers together and it hurts!! That no one sees my vision. Tbh I feel like this should be more popular than Valgrace, but alas.

2. Leo/Frank/Hazel - I've been in the fandom since 2011, and at the time MoA came out, multiple people complained about this love triangle. They hated it as a plot point, and that's understandable, but listen to this. Solve it via throuple situation. Frank and Hazel have chemistry. Leo and Hazel have chemistry. So much opportunity for tension and yearning. What is cuter than Hazel going to Rome with her two boyfriends in that one scene from Mark of Athena? Nothing!

3. Piper/Reyna - Way before Piper was canonically sapphic, the tension in the scene with her and Reyna at the end of BoO was PALPABLE. When she took Reyna's face in her hands, I fully thought they were going to kiss even though Piper was with Jason LMAO. I love Jason, but I actually think it would be so iconic and low-key funny if they spent those books both wanting to be with Jason and at the end Piper was like "I don't want you to be in love with Reyna, because I'M in love with her 😢." And then she just started dating Jason's kind-of ex, leaving him out of the triangle completely, lol.

4. Reyna/Annabeth - This one I've seen a little bit more support for. I just think they'd be iconic. Annabeth's low-key sapphic tendencies did really jump out in their bonding scene in MoA. I like the idea of them being a baddie power couple, though I do feel it could result in a power struggle.

5. Drew/Jason - I have literally never seen this ship, but I actually think it may be so fun, especially if you are a big believer in the head canon that Drew should be redeemed in some way or was only really demonized because of her overt femininity, like I am. Jason makes a lot of comments about finding her attractive at the beginning of TLH, which I feel like most people ignore. A situation I think would be so interesting, because I'd love the drama lmao, would be if, after dating Piper, Jason actually gave dating Drew a try. I feel like chaos would ensue low-key lmfao, but it would be such a delightful little plot point.

Anyways, that's all I can think of at the moment. Let me know your thoughts.

[maniculum]

Bestiaryposting Results: The Maritime Finale

This is definitely the last one of these, as it's rounding up a bunch of sea creatures I've missed. I assume by this point everyone who sees this knows what it's about, but just in case: https://maniculum.tumblr.com/bestiaryposting. (I'll get the rest of the entries on there soon.)

The entry people are working from is here:

The one for next week does not exist. (Also I apologize if I seem rushed, this is a busy week for me.)

Art below the cut!

@pomrania (link to post here) has us off on a weird start with their interpretation of the Fatrihrukh. I don't have any particular nostalgia for rage-face comics (I was online during that era, just not in circles where they were common), but honestly this made me smile. Also I like imagining some fisherman on a dock, still sitting in a normal pose and holding his fishing rod, just full-throat screaming at the sky, apparently apropos of nothing in particular. This is a fun one, is what I'm saying.

@silverhart-makes-art (link to post here) has an uncanny ability to make me think, "sure, that looks like an animal that could be real" even when they're drawing something like Fish With Tentacles, which I am 99% sure is not a thing. Though if fish did have tentacles, they would look like that. This is of course also the Fatrihrukh; apparently people like that one.

@cheapsweets (link to post here) has done the whole set. A lot of these turned out really well -- I think the Ormlalaehr is stealing the show here, but the Bursgaenga is pretty darn cute. The linked post has details on each of them, which I recommend checking out. (Also thank you for providing alt text.)

@wendievergreen (link to post here) continues to impress with their delightful art style. Love the little space-invader Magtlegyegs, and the Lungyoggeas are just... wild. Extremely cool looking. (Also, thank you for providing alt text.)

@coolest-capybara (link to post here) joins the broad consensus that if you're only drawing one of these, it's the Fatrihrukh. I love the (medieval-art-appropriate) choice to give it human-like parts since the entry doesn't say otherwise. The colors are also really pretty; I like the effect on the background.

Okay. Aberdeen Bestiary. No illustrations for this one -- this whole section is just blocks of text.

Ahrmegyaeb

The wording is ambiguous as to whether whales and dolphins also do this -- but the creature in question is the seal. I have no idea how this works; either baby seals are way smaller than I think or I have completely the wrong idea about how seal mouths look.

Bursgaenga

This one is of course the scarus or escarius, which does not exist. Bestiary.ca notes that Scarus is a genus of parrotfish in modern taxonomy, and that the Rackham translation of Pliny the Elder has decided they are wrasse. No idea how well that reflects medieval understanding.

Chraekhret

Another one that doesn't exist, the echenais. Apparently Pliny has heard of some magical applications in love-charms, litigation, and obstetrics. The fish that anchors ships is a good addition to a fantasy setting, I think.

Dhrakyetor

Naturally the fish that looks like a serpent is the eel. More spontaneous generation, too, which is always nice. I swear I've heard that "giant eels in the Ganges" line somewhere before, but can't place it.

Eavbechtgi

Here we have the lamprey. I kind of wonder if this "head vs. tail" thing has something to do with its unusual head shape?

Fatrihrukh

Honestly I probably should have redacted the "many-footed" thing, because the name given is polippus, which... yeah, that actually tracks. I thought maybe this was the result of someone not bothering to actually count the limbs on an octopus, but it's apparently an obsolete umbrella term for octopus, squid, cuttlefish... all manner of tentacled cephalopod.

Griggkhraz

This is the torpedo, which is some fun etymology. The modern usage of torpedo is inherited from non-self-propelled naval mines, which were named after this torpedo, an electric ray. (Presumably they named mines after it because it hides itself & zaps you if you accidentally step on it.) The rays were named for their effect on people whom they zap: torpidus, 'numb'. This is of course cognate with English torpid. Which is a strange word to be cognate with the thing you shoot at boats.

Also:

...if a torpedo from the Indian sea is touched by a spear or rod, even from a considerable distance, the muscles of the fisherman's arms, even if they are very strong, grow numb...

Would that work if it were a metal rod?

Hretchngin

This is the crab. I did not know all of that about crabs, especially the basil thing.

Khaboghrad

Meet the sea urchin. That's why it specifies "the maritime kind" -- the other kind of urchin is a hedgehog. I don't know why the author calls it "worthless and contemptible", especially since they go on to say it can do this really cool thing. Just seems unnecessarily mean.

Lungyoggea

This one is just shellfish. All of them, apparently. The words given are conca and concle -- Latin concha covers shellfish in general.

Magtlegyeg

Naturally the pearl-bearing shellfish is the oyster, but I love the imagery of oysters going ashore to be fertilized by dew from heaven. The idea of going out at night to watch the oysters migrate onto land and catch the dew is another thing I'm taking note of for a fantasy setting.

Nolthrigyo

Someone probably clocked this one: it's the murex snail, source of the famous "tyrian purple" dye.

Ormlalaehr

Really pushing the definition of "fish" here is... the tortoise. Technically also the turtle, I guess, since the author specifies that this includes land and sea varieties. This is, I think, one that makes total sense once you know what it is, so we're moving on to our last one, which is also really pushing the "what is a fish" envelope...

Riggmungku

This is the frog, also obvious once you see it. The fact that it's being called a fish really throws you off, though, I think.

And that's the whole lot. This has been fun, but I'm also glad to have it completed. (Well, completed with the exception of any responses to this one I've missed or that came in late.) Thanks to everyone who's been looking in on this project -- thanks doubly to everyone who contributed -- and thanks triply to the handful of people who drew something practically every week.

[the-far-bright-center]

Re: Obitine and Anidala

I originally wrote this in response to @marvelstars' excellent post on the subject, but I wanted to share it again because it's one of many topics in which I have a differing view from the prevailing fandom perspective.

Above all, it truly drives me nuts how the fandom pits these two relationships against each other. I'm a die-hard Anidala shipper and when I first watched TCW, I was DELIGHTED by the Obitine ship. I saw nothing about it that made me think it was supposed to be viewed as somehow 'better' or more 'ideal' than Anidala. I only ever saw it as a relationship that was more suited to Obi-Wan's character and personality. Not to mention that Padme and Satine are presented as friends who get along well and go on adventures together to right political wrongs, much in the same vein that Anakin and Obi-Wan go on their many military exploits together. The story sets them up as two couples who, in an a more ideal timeline, would be besties who go on double dates together. In my opinion, fandom's insistence on viewing them through the lens of 'which one is a 'morally better couple' is completely missing the point. Personally, I see them as two sides of the same coin.

Since @marvelstars' post was specifically about these two couples as they relate to the idea of commitment to the Jedi Order, I also focused on that angle. Imo, the way Obitine's relationship panned out made sense for their characters and context. Just like Anidala's makes sense for theirs. Obi-Wan and Satine met each other as young adults and had a whole year 'on the run' together before having to say their farewells, whereas Anakin and Padme first meet as children, then re-meet and fall in love over a short span of time, and then suddenly their world is at war and they are facing imminent, possibly indefinite, separation. That's why they marry while still remaining in their respective Jedi and Senator roles, because they feel it might be their only chance to have anything resembling the family they both long for. They understand that they might not survive the war. Whereas Obi-Wan and Satine had first met when Satine's world was already enmeshed in civil war, and then they parted once peace was reestablished and their lives were no longer in immediate danger. And when they meet again during the Clone Wars, it's a wholly different scenario and things have drastically changed (she is the head of a neutral system, he is already established as a general in a war she is opposed to). They are also older, in their 30s, while Anakin and Padme embody the headstrong impetuosity and passion of young love. So it's not as though Obi-Wan and Satine are going to drop everything and enter a committed relationship/marriage in that context in the same way Anakin and Padme do in theirs (when, notably, Anakin is still a padawan and about to be sent to the frontlines to fight in a war for the first time).

As mentioned above, when I was watching TCW I never thought that the purpose of showing both of these relationships in contrasting-parallel to one another was somehow to demonstrate that one was more 'sacrificial' for remaining in the Order and giving up the relationship while the other was more 'selfish' for trying to have both at the same time. Rather, what I feel the story is actually saying is something completely different. It's important to remember that both of these relationships involve a Jedi and the political leader to whom he had originally been assigned as a bodyguard. What is the significance of that? Well, I would argue it's more than just a romantic trope. When I watch Lucas-era Star Wars, I'm always aware that the characters have both an immediate role in-story as well as a symbolic function. Satine, a pacifist, can be seen to represent Peace. Padme, as a Senator, stands for Justice and the rights of the people. And what is it that Obi-Wan says to Luke all those years later? That the Jedi were 'the guardians of Peace and Justice in the old Republic'. This strikes me as hugely significant. Especially if we understand that the Jedi Order had lost its way as of the Prequels-era. While the fandom focuses on which couple is 'better' because of how their relationship affects each Jedi's respective commitment to the Order, I see it from a completely different angle. My understanding is that the Jedi's TRUE purpose (in relation to their role within the Republic) was actually to dedicate their lives to protecting Peace and Justice and those who truly upheld these ideals in the galaxy. Obi-Wan and Anakin's actual callings in life should have been to protect Satine and Padme, whom they loved. Whether this manifested in a more chivalric, courtly love scenario or an outright marriage is immaterial. Rather, what matters is that being a Jedi and dedicating their lives to these women due to their love for them was not incompatible with their role as protectors and defenders of the galaxy, but was in fact the truest expression of it. The so-called 'commitment' to the Order itself was never truly the point, and that's the tragedy of the Prequels-era. Because it was the Order that had by this point forbidden love and family, and which had embroiled Obi-Wan and Anakin and the rest of the Jedi in a war that went against their own principles. A war that, it could be argued, ultimately lead to the deaths of both Satine and Padme, and with them Peace and Justice—the very values that the Jedi were supposed to protect and serve.

[cassimothwin]

So you're looking for a system other than D&D...

Have you tried solo RPGs? Because it's not just "how can I play D&D alone" there's a whole world of cool stuff out there….And I want to tell you about it.

(I'm quite sick today so please forgive any incoherence or typos.)

First off, it's totally fine if you're more of a party person over a solo person. I just know a lot of people aren't aware of solo games, how they work, or the breadth of diversity you find among them.

If you ask about solo games, the first one mentioned is almost always Ironsworn. It's freeeee and comes with a lot of resources. The PDF is over 200 pages, so I understand if you don't want to dive in with Ironsworn quite yet.

Ironsworn has a large community, including support for Foundry and Roll20, along with many derivative works. It offers a gritty default fantasy setting, but encourages you to ignore that if you prefer another world… maybe one from another RPG you enjoy the lore from…?

BUT maybe you want something that isn't as much of a commitment (and maybe a little sad)?

Many Wretched and Alone games use a tumbling block tower to simulate a random ticking clock. It might represent your failing mental health, the barricade crumbling, the ship sinking…

One of the creators of the system has a great thread highlighting their favorite games. Just search Wretched an Alone on Itch.io to find even more.

And if you don't want to go buy a Jenga tower, there are some great random simulators out there. I've been able to play W&A games on road trips, using a deck simulator, a dice simulator, and a tumbling tower simulator. Here's tower replacement I like. It replicates the odds of a tumbling tower falling without being too complicated.

Carta is another cool system where you use a standard deck of playing cards to create a map that you explore. As you explore, you usually have to manage resourses to avoid something bad, but not always.

Here's a collection of several games made using Carta.

Dead Belt takes this concept and RUNS with it. You have a few things to track as you explore abandoned randomized ship decks, searching for a good payload. Upgrade your gear and do it again.

Does the thought of managing your character sound exciting? Do you enjoy soulslike games, like Elden Ring and Bloodborne?

Rune is a fresh release with a lot of third-party support already. It's pretty easy to pick up and play too.

Apothecaria and Apawthecaria have you making potions for the local village. Go out exploring, collect ingredients, and see if you can solve the greater mysteries of the land.

Interested in horror, but want a more narrative-driven experience? In Dwelling, you'll spend the night sleepless and alone in a haunted house. This is a very neat game.

Songs of the City is a delightful tarot game that you play once a day for a week. It's another narrative-driven game where you draw cards and cast magic to see small neat changes in the city you reside in.

Anamnesis, Anamnesis, Anamnesis. I talk about this game a lot because it's magical in its simplicity. There's nothing to track and it's an incredible way to generate character ideas or tell a story.

And now there are more Anamnesis games coming out (including mine) You don't need the original games to play any of the games you see here.

There are so many more games I want to talk about, but alas, this cold is making me stop there.

If you've written a solo game, streamed one, reviewed one, or have one you really like, I invite you to share it!

[rosearcanaeum]

(Ten) people I'd like to know better

Tagged by: @screechingfromthevoid <3

Last song: Far From Me by Chase Noseworthy is just on repeat. Sad boy Vax and perfect for my range!

Favorite color: it really depends on context honestly. But the most general is soft pink.

Last book: 😅 I've been struggling through Nein Eyes of Lucien for a while.... more honestly its Call of the Netherdeep and Explorers Guide to Wildemount. I truely read far more fanfic than anything else.

Last movie: I watched Night at the Museum for the first time this week. It was waaaaaay better than I ever imagined. I knew it was good and funny. It was also incredibly sincere and I can't get enough of that.

Last show: speaking of sincere, I'm about halfway through Frieren: beyond journey's end. And holy shit! I have never seen any media with a character who views and interacts with death the way i do. Its pretty heavy as shows go but its trustworthy. (I have a hard time with new stuff most of the time. Cr is one exception and this is too apparently)

Sweet/spicy/savory: no joke I've eaten salt before lol. But i prefer combos or all 3. Sweet spicy is underrated.

Relationship status: I live with my queer platonic partner. Its still just buckwild to me. As a kid i hated the idea of living with a partner cuz i didnt want so many aspects of what i was told that looked like. But hey guess what, y'all can decide what your relationships look like. We have separate rooms, are not sexually involved, rarely even touch tbh. And we love each other very much and want to grow old together in a house with cats.

They're touch averse and I'm sensory seeking. My fun Sunday night (out dancing) is their nightmare. But because we are who we are and how we understand and communicate in our relationship we rely on each other for only things that are available. I'll tell them all the dumb shit i see and do on Grindr and we'll sit on the couch and knit together.

Also my brain nearly explodes everytime I realize not only do we do couple stuff, we have couple friends we do couple stuff with. 18 year old me would have never believed you if you told them.

Last thing I looked up: I looked up the caffeine content of the thai tea concentrate I got my partner to see if i could try it. And shockingly i should be able to. Still gonna eat first and be careful though.

Current obsession: I'm pretty spread out rn, unusually. Ive got a sweater im excited about. And I'm on my 3rd attempt at a dorym water bottle sleeve I'm designing. This one should work now. Honestly dorym is probably no. 1 on my list. I shipped that back in exu, along with a bunch of stuff cuz I'm a delightful multishipper. So i feel particularly excited about dorym finally taking off. But also that while dorian was always looking to orym if anything else had come along he was there for the ride. I love robbie so so much. He is such a good character storyteller!

Looking forward to: today im hanging with 2 friends im usually in a larger group with so thats gonna be fun. Looking forward to baking off the beef wellingtons i made for my partner for xmas. And im looking forward to being able to work full time again in the new year. Ive been on part time for health reasons and stayed because i was spending hours on the phone fighting for insurance coverage. Now that both a done i can work more. I love my job and its a particular kind of boredom that i get when i cant work. Lol speaking of, im looking forward to the holidays being over. The office closures normally screw us but now im only working thurs fri for the next 2 weeks and I'll have try really hard to keep busy enough. At least my partner has 2 of the days off with me!

No pressure tags; not sure I can get to 10 and please dont feel obligated but I'd love to see yours (if you havent already. Ive been avoiding spoilers a lot recently so may not have seen it): @vigilante-apologist @standbyyourmantis @soedblackchaos @forestthechonkykitty @corrrvid @local-redhead-bookworm and luddles looks like you did already do this.

Thats all i got. If you see this and want to do it, consider yourself tagged!

[flibo23]

Now that I've finished the manga, I thought I could dedicate myself to some ships as usual, to have something lighter to focus on in Dungeon Meshi, and god I want to get into Marcille and Falin because I never focus much on yuri but of course, Labru exists. And I'm so delighted so many people ship them because I've already found so many gorgeous fanarts, I could browse them all day; on the fanfiction side, I need to explore more but it's been a while since I've read fanfics like, in general so

I can't help but notice a lot of stuff is from Kabru's point of view because obviously seeing him wanting to talk with Laios in canon, flipping back and forth between trusting him and wanting to kill him etc is endlessly entertaining, and then we could have a lot of great post canon content

But I get a bit stuck on Laios, like I'm missing something. I ship them anyway but I wish the manga would have elaborated a bit on his side of things, we don't even see if they really go to that restaurant together in the end. I mean, what does Laios see in Kabru? I can see Kabru chasing him down the dungeon left a huge impression on him, because he always struggled with friendships, but I fear this isn't enough of a spark for me in the long run and I will fall into the trap of unrequited love and all that angst (I love it tho lol). I could talk for days about what Laios represents for Kabru but not really the opposite, does this make sense

I would have wanted more from his side