#I'm such a sucker for wholesome romances

[keets-writing-corner]

Lucifer lucky as HELL ngl

this is what happened right?

who wouldn't want a woman over twice your size laying on top of you telling you about all the things she loves about you

[sk-touchthesun]

It has been a bit over a month since the first time I watched Dead Boy Detectives and I now have watched it from start to finish four times. Oops. I don't know how that happened—I certainly wasn't prepared for this level of love for a series.

Since I haven't really been in any fandoms or tumblr in, like... ten years or whatever, I wanted to write about why I fell in love with Dead Boy Detectives when I saw the series for the first time. I don't know if anyone's interested in reading a long-ish post, but in case you are, buckle up because this is going to be pure love and positivity from start to finish. It's mainly about Edwin and Charles, though.

I started watching the show without any background information and never having seen the Sandman either. I rotate streaming services and it was Netflix's turn. I read queer fiction quite a lot and watch queer movies and series as a hobby, and remembered someone mentioning Dead Boy Detectives.

The beginning on the series was intriguing enough already, but it was during this scene that I knew I was going to watch the entire thing:

This leads me to the reason I love the series so much: the carrying force of the story is the love Edwin and Charles have for each other, be it platonic or romantic. I'm a sucker for themes like found family and being loved as your authentic self because that's something I crave. I have always been more or less lonely because of social anxiety and struggling with social situations. Perhaps that's why stories containing those themes have such a profound effect on me each time.

Of course, the way the series combines elements of horror and comedy with heartwarming and wholesome sweetness is delightfully refreshing in itself. Dead Boy Detectives kept me glued to the screen so that I finished it in a day the first time I watched it. However, the characters are what makes the show so brilliant. I think the cast in general is phenomenal, but it's the love between Edwin and Charles that I felt most while watching.

This obviously is where I have to praise George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri for their acting. I think it's largely thanks to them that I love Edwin and Charles so much. Their characters' chemistry and the fond way Edwin and Charles interact with each other in the series is something I felt viscerally right from the beginning. It's obviously ingrained in the overall plot, but the love can also be felt in the smallest gestures. How many shows do you have where your favorite character dying is one of your favorite moments in the series because it's so sweet? (I'm sure you can deduce my favorite character from this...)

Personally, I also think that George Rexstrew and Jayden Revri's acting is particularly spellbinding during the moments their characters break down and show raw emotion. In an odd way the characters' suffering is what makes episodes like The Case of the Devlin House and The Case of the Very Long Stairway so brilliant. The characters' emotions during their most vulnerable moments are so tangible.

I know there has been talk about how season two would look like if the series was revived, and honestly, I think there's one crucial thing that should be kept as it is or the entire thing would be ruined: the carrying force of the show being that Edwin and Charles are willing to do anything to not to get separated.

I can't see any universe where someone becomes more important to the two main characters than what they're to each other. Charles says that Edwin is the only person he'd go to Hell for. We know how Edwin feels. The love is there already. If either of them had a long-lasting romance with someone else, the love interest would get two with the price of one. Equally important? Well—possibly. Love isn't finite. More important? Never.

I'd like to see Edwin and Charles get together, though. They're like an old married couple already and I can't imagine them being together with anyone else in the long run. At least the first season left things open enough for interpretation, with the cancellation and all.

Last but not least, it's a bit crazy that I only saw the show for the first time a bit over a month ago and was ready to splurge on a cameo. It was my birthday during the gameoden week and I got a birthday message! It was very sweet and has cheered me up ever since. I'm not sharing it here because I feel it's a bit personal with my birthday and all, but I loved it.

In case you ended up reading all this, thanks for reading my love letter for the show and the characters and the actors!

[most-datable-datable-bracket]

QUARTER-FINALS MATCH 2

Garrus propaganda:

"Garrus is a character who went from being a shit head punk in ME1 and grows and betters himself over the games. He talks over the hard choices in ME3 without judging Shepard no matter what they choice. He is pretty much the first to stand up for them and even when his own home is being destroyed and he doesn’t know if his father and sister are alive he’s there for SHEPARD. He is there for the person who is always there for everyone else! ME3 Garrus is honestly Best Garrus and I want to celebrate how good his character arc is over the games.

And the best part is: the romance doesn’t fix him. He still grows and improves if you romance him or not!

Idk, I just don’t think it’s super fair to reduce him to his ME1 character when the fact that him growing and improving is the part I like best about him. Garrus, to me, shows you can always get better and life is about always getting better. It’s never too late to be better.

And he has the power to make Shepard dance good in the Citadel DLC."

Cove propaganda:

“This bad boy can fit so much autism in him”

“he is sooo loveable. he's autistic. he's kind. he has a scar on his arm from a waterbike accident. he likes food when they mix them he is VERY awkward with a crush (love it) and he's so interested in the ocean. hates being all formal and stuff. his game is basically about possibly living life with a neighbor like him and it's so cool. please play this game. for him. ocean man take me by the hand”

“Cove is the best boy. He's the deuteragonist (Next to the player) from the game and he's literally the best thing that happened to me. He can be kinda clingy, but who doesn't love a little guy who sneaks into their room to say hi (not as creepy as it sounds, I swear).”

“He is such a sweet person, that deeply cares about the mc, he is such a crybaby in the best way.”

“Look I know he's already your profile picture, but HEAR ME OUT ON THIS!! He's so nice, he's so sweet, it's childhood friends/neighbors to lovers, he likes sea animals and his game is summer themed and I'm a sucker for summer stuff abhdszagvaz!!!!! The VN is so wholesome and fluffy and Cove is just perfect boyfriend material”

[givehimthemedicine]

lumax as a premature relationship

first: I don't mean any of this like "the show shouldn't have done it". what I mean is that with lumax, ST is telling the story of a relationship whose flaw (if it can be summarized into just one) is that it happened too soon.

probably out of comparison to milkvan, and the delay of canon byler, lumax gets lauded as the wholesome ship based on true friendship that slowly blossomed into romance. but that's not accurate. Lucas is a good friend to Max, but Max isn't to Lucas, and it certainly wasn't slow.

even platonic lumax should've been a slow simmer but was a speed run

the newly-introduced Max has high walls, which suggests anyone who wants to get close to her will have to take a slow approach. but then before you know it, Lucas is just kinda. in there.

yes, it takes him most of the season to earn Max's trust, which sounds long, but isn't. the first time Lucas and Max ever spoke was Halloween, Wednesday. the arcade I think is Saturday, and the junkyard is the day after that? so she broaches the darkest subject in her life... 4 days after meeting him. with like. zero prompting. "that fog looks cool! btw my parents are divorced and..."

Max's walls are only so high because of how badly she wants to let someone in, so it's understandable that the right person could get in relatively fast. I have no problem with that trope. sucker, in fact. but opening up here was CRAZY for someone with huge trust issues:

you have to be careful who you confide in about abuse because if your confidant mishandles it so that your abuser finds out you told, things could get MUCH worse. she simply doesn't know Lucas well enough to know he won't accidentally put her in more danger (which actually he already did: by following her out of the arcade after she said not to, and again by showing up at her house).

this talk was moments before Max saw a demodog, meaning she's gone along with the supernatural story without any evidence. I'm not criticizing that; she's a kid who likes fantasy, wants friends really bad, and isn't above playing make-believe in order to be included. what bothers me is she confided in Lucas about her abuse BEFORE seeing a shred of proof this entire outing wasn't the elaborate prank she feared it was. in the infinitely more realistic scenario that these boys are just messing with her, and will ditch her after they've had their laugh, this could so easily have led to a much darker situation at home.

the timing of that conversation was so objectively, stupidly unsafe that I'd call it bad writing if it was an isolated incident. but, self-preservation instincts so terrible they can sometimes be better explained as elf-sabotage - that's just classic Max.

romantic lumax seemed kind of forced because as a new kid in town, all Max wanted was friendship

the snow ball is about a month after everything else. Max and Lucas don't seem to be a couple yet. it doesn't even look like they're dates. so to kiss him suddenly felt like another jump way ahead. he sure looked surprised.

I guess a month is a while when you're 13, but the romantic aspect felt rushed to me because the whole season is full of indications that Max only wanted friendship. and that's made super clear by her constant focus on group friendship. her dialogue throughout 2 is consistently group-oriented.

her behavior is too: as of Halloween, Max has Lucas and Dustin in her pocket. if she's crushing on Lucas, or enjoys attention from boys in general, why on earth would she go out on such a limb seeking Mike's acceptance after she already has what she wants?

because that's not what she wants most. she wants to belong to the whole group, like she keeps saying. (I'm going to ramble much more about this theme in another post soon)

Max continues to prioritize friendship / group activities even after lumax becomes a thing

a few examples:

lumax's idea of "romantic time" can include their friends, in contrast to milkvan prioritizing alone time.

Max (and Lucas) drop 1 on 1 time (washing out his eyes is a scene that's an easy kiss opportunity for your standard tv teen couple) in favor of a long trek in the sun to build a radio tower so Dustin can talk to a girl she doesn't believe exists. Max and Lucas do skip off together, but again in contrast to El and Mike who leave early to make out, they only leave because it's time to go home.

^that's the same Max who tagged along and earnestly participated in armoring up a junked schoolbus to fight monsters without any proof.

despite downsizing for trailer living, she kept the Michael Myers mask in memory of the first night she felt like a part of the party.

unlike others who yell for their loved one from the UD, Max calls out for Lucas and Dustin.

her life-saving montage includes many platonic as well as romantic moments.

alright killjoy, if Max only wanted friendship, how's it make sense that SHE initiated all the romantic stuff?

ST is not a universe where grabbing someone's hand in a tense moment is necessarily an indicator of romance. Dustin said he could feel "the electricity" when Lucas and Max held hands on the bus, but then, Dustin also ships stobin.

the kiss, I could actually come closest to calling a writing misstep because.. it wasn't written. it feels forced because it was, as a last-minute unscripted thing - not because the Duffers decided it fit Max's characterization, but purely because they thought it was funny how uncomfortable Sadie was with filming her first kiss. <- this interview is actually so gross.

but, that kiss is canon regardless of how I feel about bts lore, and it fits and it works in the sense that this is the story of a flawed relationship. Max initiated it despite not being ready for it, simply because she thought she was.

Max's childhood fears about bad relationships have made her overeager to prove a good relationship can exist. so the first time a boy is actually kind to her, she's like OH SEE LOVE IS REAL I DONT HAVE TO GROW UP TO BE MY MOM LET'S GOOOO and hurls herself into something she's not mature enough to realize she's too immature to execute well.

if that kiss was so misguided, how's it still Max's happiest memory?

there's no conflict there.

she grew up around terrible relationships and probably feared she was destined for the same, so to find a nice boy like Lucas must have given her such incredible relief and hope. in her young mind, that dance was her happily ever after. you never forget how good a moment like that felt, regardless of how well reality lived up to it.

that said. can I point out that reality hasn't lived up to it?

Max choosing the moment lumax began, as opposed to any moment from the year-and-change of its actual contents... might be less good the more you think about it. like. she doesn't describe this as her favorite memory. she says it's the time she was happiest. in other words, she hasn't been as happy before or since.

that kiss marked lumax's moment of greatest potential, which I think is what made Max so happy. not the relationship she's actually gotten so far.

mmkay and then what do I do about the fact Max STILL wants to date Lucas?

once again, Max is the one who makes things overtly romantic by doodling a picture of them holding hands. but as you may know from my recent lumax diatribe, I don't see how the ship is seaworthy at present.

so the top layer of my interpretation is that Max is still operating under the same ideas that caused her to kiss Lucas in the first place. she's not thinking about how it'll work; she just wants. this is fast-forward Max again. it's a similar moment of hope to the snow ball kiss. romance with Lucas once again looks like her lifeline out of an awful situation.

the layer underneath that is less fluffy:

Max might've accepted this invite in as much an "I might die tonight so it won't hurt to make some lighthearted plans for the future, he did just save my life so why hurt his feelings for no reason" way as anything else. I don't mean her affection is fake. she just might consider the movie date a pipe dream.

consider that her attic monologue happens only a couple minutes after the doodle, and shows that her suicidal ideations are barely behind her. like, the wanting-to-die part is just bait at this point I think, but the deserving-to-die sentiment still feels fresh and sincere.

consider that Max so recently scolded Lucas for assuring her things would work out because that's "never true" in her life... and now here she is drawing a doodle of things working out.

sure, this could be a girl who's thinking "yes!!! ✅ Attending Event! I genuinely expect to be alive, deserving of love, and in the mood for romance this Friday!" but to me, it honestly seems more like a girl thinking "God, I wish."

btw the doodle would've been perfect as the advent of romantic lumax, imo

if lumax had grown slowly out of a healthy mutual friendship, Max really could be ready right here.

imagine: s2, Max earns her place in the party, but to grow especially close friends with Lucas takes a year; the bus talk happens in s3. we can tell their friendship is starting to want to become more. depression interferes in s4. but their bond helps pierce the fog, and they protect each other from Vecna/Jason.

you hit me with the movie doodle after THAT buildup? adorable, precious, showstopping. at that point, that date could've been their happily ever after. <- this is what people think it is already!

lumax is one of many flawed relationships (and that's okay)

another sign that lumax is supposed to be flawed is its place in the larger pattern of flawed relationships: parallels with other characters and ships.

Max and El in particular share a similar stumble into their relationships: both bond with the first boy to treat them with kindness, and throw themselves into a relationship that actually costs them the friendship they should've had with that boy.

and all the party relationships illustrate different friendship/romance progressions:

lumax is the story of a romance that should've been a friendship first/also and isn't going to succeed til it gets this right

byler will be the story of a romance that was a friendship first and will succeed by remaining one also (or so the themes and patterns suggest)

mileven is the story of a romance that should've been a friendship instead.

literally all of ST's relationships, including the endgame romances, have flaws that are intentional and meant to be explored. in fact that's like... most of what the show is. and most fans can readily admit that about all of them, until they get to lumax, which they think is uniquely meant to be perfect and is flawed only in its writing. this view strips lumax from its broader context and ignores many lessons it's there to teach us about ST's overarching themes.

understand: my aim in pointing out lumax's flaws is not to persuade anyone to enjoy it less or stop shipping it!

flaws don't mean you aren't allowed to like a thing. if anything, it makes them way more interesting to discuss, and more compelling to root for/against. we don't have to pretend our characters are perfect in order to enjoy, ship, and learn from them.

more on all this coming soon in another post exploring different types of love in the Max plot!

[pinkrangersarah]

don't get me wrong, sahejul is great. i'm all for those forbidden romances; i go feral every single time sahed reminds julia that he will keep his promise to her, julia resolving to be a better person for herself but also for him and rainah. i lose my goddamn mind how these two can lower their defenses around each other (you guys have no idea how thrilled i was to find out that sahed wasn't another brooding bad boy, like he is but he's also a dork and i love that for him), and those tutoring sessions are killing me.

but goddammit i'm also a sucker for those doomed romances and that's what tonnyjul is. the pain of knowing that there is probably no scenario where that could end happily. either julia loses her life permanently after a year is up, or tonny dies allowing julia to live forever with the others, or even if she somehow gets out of her contract with ryishimar it wouldn't matter because there is always the possibility that julia will one day ask to leave the circus.

in spite of all the drama leading up to their current relationship status, sahejul is still somehow more wholesome than tonnyjul and that is ironically hilarious and sad.

[wordsvomit101]

This will be a short one, with credits to Hikifans (@shyanimeboi), and here is the link: https://twitter.com/shyanimeboi/status/1778300826995335505

I will use metaphors this, a lot of metaphors for the H-scenes if you're curious. Hopefully it Bible friendly.

Ok here we go

I could never be an MC, like I cannot be a player, I do not have the rizz to think of another man while rubbing another dude's abs like this

Well MC isn't wrong, I barely see his abs in his S card. The guy looks broad but I thought he wore baggy clothes the longer I look at him.

So Ppyong slipped into MC's clothes and touched her soft stomach and apparently, it might be MC's weak spot causing her huha be quaking and ya'll:

It might seem normal but think it is the regular Ppyong saying it. MC is stronger than me cause I would already be laughing at the images in my head

I'm so gonna draw this, but it gonna be Minhyeok wearing what he wears in my other fics-

Are we fighting???

"Was always careful with you"... in what??? In WHAT????

... I guess the reason why I like this ship so much is how it could work. It's weird, but it's not as weird as MC's romances. They literally felt like that side couple or ship in drama media that I often like more than the main couple. I'm also a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope

WOAH OK- Sir you spend too much time with Sitri-

Wait- Hold up- MC has rizz- OMG they have rizz

YO she taco-ed her legs around his thighs and holding his waist and saying all this? Absurd- I could never- The girl got game

You don't have to call me out like that you know?

Idk why but it's kind of wholesome, his smile is so cute that it is hard to focus on the tension. Like that smile is a puppy smile but his hands do be parting MC's rear like Moses parting the Red Sea like- Bro is giving her booty a rubdown treatment

It can be somewhat flattering and comedic in fiction but it would be scary irl, but that's just me

I-🧍- Ihsbhjdabdsjbd- What? What do you mean by that?? *Shaking him on the shoulders* Ayo what do you mean by that??????

I need to calm tf down cause either I'm misreading and misunderstanding his words or the translation sucks but it could mean A FEW THINGS HERE SIR *(¬¬)🙄 bombastic,side eye(¬¬")(◔_◔)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)¬‿¬(ಡ᎔ಡ)( ͡º ꒳ ͡º)* and one of them is how you definitely want to be sandwiched between them-

Ok now this is the cringy smack metaphors territory, don't say I didn't warn you:

Ok so when I said his hands are kneading her double cheeks like dough I mean it, like he could rip both her pants and bum open right there-

Then he went on to ask if Minhyeok had ever seen her making her applesaucy face before and they were sweating because of their sitting marathon session with their hands and Ppyong dead ass told MC to lick his sweat to see if it was the same as Minhyeok.

And MC does what MC does, it doesn't matter if she doesn't know what Minhyeok tastes like, she sucks on Ppyong's face like he is the last ice cream cone in flaming summer. As if his face is a soft serve with zero net carbs, as if he is cannoli gelato, and her tongue is all over it, or in her words "like a dog that stuck his nose in a bowl as soon as the rein is released"

It tastes salty mixing with the sweet scent of flesh if you're wondering and she salivating all over his face. Going full Beelzebub on his face like she is slurping on the finest meal of her life. Hey at least, Ppyong enjoys it👍

Then when Ppyong asked if Minhyeok ever saw her this parched and MC recalled how Minhyeok always came into his room on time after she was done petting the cat, finding Nemo, sexy DIY, etc... you get the gist. MC speculated that Minhyeok was definitely outside waiting for her to be done like a peeping tom, you know, creeper behavior <3/jk

The thought makes MC dripping like a faucet, overflowing like a dam. Then they are back in their hands on investigating shenanigans and we get to the part where it would get the original poster banned on YouTube if they posted there. I also just gonna leave these here, MC is a player istg:

OK that's enough smut for this week bye-

[stepmarchen]

So.... while we're waiting for ASM Season 3, how about a little off-topic tuesday? (this won't be a regular thing, i promise!)

Here's what I've been reading during the hiatus! (romcom edition!)

This Love is a Traves-tea!? It's an adorable romcom manga about a woman named Chako who's running away from her psycho stalker ex and straight into the arms of a hunky tea maker!

It's got all the cute embarrassed pining of a classic romance manga plus who can resist daddies daddy-ing? Idk about you but i'm a sucker for manga about found families and the kids are hilarious in this! Chako also makes a super charming FL, I love her sweet sincerity.

Wakaba-chan Wants to Make it Clear! The rough and sporty Wakaba-chan lives a not so secret double life, hiding her feminine side from her longtime childhood best friend and crush, Daiki!

I know what this manga looks like. But coming from the creator of A World Where Everything Definitely Becomes BL vs. The Man Who Definitely Doesn't Want To Be In A BL, this manga is 1000% more wholesome than you'd expect! It's a super short and sweet slice-of-life romance manga that needs more fans!!

Life with Muta It's the comedic life of two arranged roommates, except their lifestyles are complete opposites! Akari's life is filled with trash and trashy men while Muta's a complete minimalist with no room in his heart for romance!

While short, this manga has so much amazing potential, as it takes one step away from being a spinoff to Marie Kondo's guide to tidying up to a whirlwind tale of romance. Plus, when our ML is this kind of guy... don't you just HAVE to know more?

+divider+

Nekozuka-kun Wears a Secret Mei is an officer worker whose mind is more focused on cats than her love life! Her company junior, Nekozuka just so happens to remind her of her family's raggedy stray cat. Little does she know, there's more truth to her imagination that she thought!

This is another new manga with an amazing first chapter! If you love cats and you love blushy MLs, this is the one for you! I can't to see where this goes!

.

.

.

+1 not so funny but just as heartwarming bonus

Just a Few Words From the creator of Promised Cinderella and Firefly Wedding, follow the lives of a married couple stuck in a rut, attempting to make it work.

This has a happy ending, I promise. It's five chapters, finished. Please, it's so good, go read it! It'll only take you 30 minutes max!

What have you been reading?

[smilesatdawnmain]

Hello ! I adore your LMK AU‘s and your writing style. The stories are so captivating and make me excited for the next chapter.

I wanted to ask what your favorite AUs are :) I know you have great taste and I would be grateful if you could share some LMK au/comic/fanfic recommendations with us :))))

Hello! Oh my gosh thank you so so much! That makes me so happy to hear ;-; Thank you!

I got a lot of favorites out there, let me tell you :3 Alright alright~

AU'S:

The King and his Cub By: @theweepingegg : This au is so cute and I love little MK with his Papa~ It's adorable and the humor just has me rolling! Plus the wholesome Father and Son moments + an uncle Macaque?? It's amazing! Literally just melts my heart with every new update.

Cursed Au By: @winterpower98: This Au consumed my life and continues to do so. The drama, the redemption, the growing bond between Wukong Macaque and MK?? I love it alll~ The whole universal set up of this growing Au is so full and wonderful.

Literally, ANY AU that is made by @journey-to-the-au ! This artist just- STEALS all of my attention. They got a lot of different Au's, and so many amazing ideas. There is action and romance and betrayal and platonic love that is so wholesome and sweet and AHHHHH. Taking a long tour through their entire tumblr page is 100% WORTH IT

Very similarly, anything by @rebeltigera! They also have so many different au's that are all AMAZING. Something about their style also- ahhhhh <3 It's so good. I definitely suggest taking a dive into their tumblr too. Their Macaque is honestly probably my favorite version of Macaque!

Forged Faith by @swagginmun Gosh the anxiety but also the pure adoration I have for this particular Au?? Definitely follows a more canon storyline but has one HECK OF A TWIST. The expressions that are done are amazing and I really really can't wait for this one to continue as its current chapter just ended on something INTENSE.

Fan Comics!

Eclipsed Apprentice by @journeytomonkiekid : I've been following this one for a while. I LOVE IT. There are so many talented people in the LMK community and this comic takes an interesting turn to the canon of LMK. Has some great Oc's and the storyline has me hooked! Lots of drama, and redemption, and so far the character growth is *Chef kiss*

Even Rainfall Has Shadows By @linklefr : Another fancomic that takes it's own path and turn from the LMK canon. Oc's are so cute and I just wanna squeeze them! It's really growing to be its own thing! It's got a lot of talk about self-worth and toxic habits and overall overcoming those that the characters need to grow from, and I can't wait to see where it goes!

FANFICS: (I have way too many. My gosh. And honestly if folks have more recommendations, please put them in the comments! Or if you have a story you wrote yourself I would love to read it!) I would mark their Tumblr creators if I knew them, but I don't know all of them ;-; So I'll put the link to the fanfic instead

SunBreak : First LMK fanfic I ever read. It is the rabbit hole that dropped me into loving Macaque and parent Macaque to be more precise~ Goes way off canon and I'm LOVING IT

There May be no such thing as eternity: Possed Wukong- I cannot explain how much possessed Wukong still reaching out to the Macaque and the gang just makes my brain flip~

A Garden Across Our Collar Bone: THIS. Ahhhh- Just bury me with this fanfic in my hand. MK X Red Son and ahhh- Also, ANYTHING this author (PittiedPeaches) writes is GOLD.

Of Blood and Bones: A big inspiration to me and their story is SO GOOD. The angst but also fluff that is slipped in? It's an amazingly sad but wonderful read. And I really love the world-building

Peach Blossoms: I'm a sucker for any Hanahaki disease kind of story and this is everything I wanted and more. This was soooo good and it flowed really well.

Love Team: Ooooh boy this story took me on a roller coaster ride. MY GOSH I never knew what to expect and it always had me on the edge of my seat~

Is this A Monkey-Thing or Dad-Thing?: Any Dad wukong focused fic will just catch my feet and trip me into the pit of the story. Every time. This one is so cute~

Kiss Your Knuckles: This oneshot is soo sooo good! And also horribly tragic. Gosh it just destroyed me! I definitely suggest it!

-Okay this thing is getting long and I'm not even close to saying all the fanfics and such I have read XD There are so many good fanfics out there my gosh. If you have more than you think are amazing please put them in the comments!

[daintev]

Lights Out!

Dain draws the silly tax collectors again, what's new?

Seriously, I've been having so much fun drawing these 2, they're perfect for sketching and loosening up my style a bit more. I've also managed to convince 2 of my mates to read mtcpt so, I'm waiting to hear what they think of it (they are well aware of how crazy I am about it)

Also, finally actually did a drawing of actual current events in the comic, I love the premise of the 3 legged race sm it's very entertaining <3 + drawed Payton for once, its criminal I barely draw her. The same goes for Mr.Boss, I really should draw them more.

Anyway, sleepover chapter when?? This was entirely thought up by the idea that Sanders gets bed hair every now & again because there's no way with his type of hairstyle it's keeping shape. Man, I'm just a sucker for sweet and wholesome romance.

I can't explain the context behind this other than the drag scene is going through a lot at the moment so, I wanted to do something. Getting serious here for a moment: queer rep is insanely important and stuff like this comic, while it's quite niche, is still important to have and I appreciate it a lot <3

Anyway, dramatic rain scene anyone? :) (The urge to follow up and make a mini- fan comic of this scene is crazy strong)

And finally some random sketches plus a few doodles I did on Photoshop during my art course.

FINAL THING! I've finished making Jock's playlist and is now available to listen to!

Jock's Playlist!

That's all for tonight, stay hydrated and take care! :D

[paint-music-with-me]

GMMTV trailer thoughts (part one)

ok, i have time (not really) to talk about each GMMTV trailer for 2025 because apparently i haven't done this since . . . the 2022 line-up oh my gods - anyway, enjoy my half-formed thoughts/feelings

"Dare You to Death" - we follow two detectives (so opposites attract it seems) who are trying to capture a serial killer after this group of college students after one young girl is killed during a game of truth or dare. i like the concept, it's giving "manner of death". i hope that the layers are clean and well-paced, maintaining the tone because there's the love story btwn the detectives, then the mystery with the different, suspicious college students (unless the number shrinks by production time), but that just means there's much to work with

"Head to Head" - we follow Jinn and Jay (neighbors, classmates, rivals) in the fashion department in college and when their beef gets Jay injured (and seeing the future where Jinn dies??), they live together and realize their feelings for each other. personally, the beginning felt very "bad buddy" and then the seeing-into-the-future caught me off guard because why? (to be different, yes, but why?) the story isn't giving 12-episode run-time, but maybe it might surprise me like "be my favorite" did. for now, though it is def low priority watch

"Burnout Syndrome" - guided by the advice/warning (?) of a second male lead, a young man (possibly an escort going through burnout) meets Mr. K, a mysterious and possibly dangerous businessman. idk if i did that synopsis right but that's what it feels like. also i already got that trailer song in my playlist the moment i heard it omgg so good. so can we talk about how we got another offgun series AND it's a LOVE TRIANGLE with DEW AND IT'S BEING DIRECTED BY P'NUCHY?! i'm sat, i'm ready, i am in waiting. i really hope we lean into the symbolism/imagery of burning, fire, passion, kindle, embers, flames, ashes, pain, warmth, danger, etc. because there is so much to work here with this kind of dynamic! we must not waste it! (p.s. i hope we get that scene where dew is walking out and gun just watches him with tears in his eyes while off wraps his arms around him possessively, omg the toxic, the pain, the drama!) (p.p.s. also im a sucker for underwater kisses!)

"I Love (A Lot of) You" - we follow a young man who is tasked with getting a girl with multiple personalities to fall in love with him (all five of her personalities, specifically). the tone . . . is confusing for me? in the beginning it felt like a thriller/horror but then it gets all rom-com then gets all thriller again (i think its the music choice and lighting). im not fully on board with the story - i need more groundwork because there's nuance to be had since she does have a mental health condition, there is typically some trauma associated with it. there is usually a reason as to why each personality emerges, so i really do hope that if it's truly a love story, there is a sensitivity to the subject (tbh look a little bit at "moon knight" as an example).

"Whale Store xoxo" - we follow Wan, a young woman who suddenly finds herself an owner of her father's shop and struggling to make ends meet, until she meets Maewnam, a local handywoman, and they work together to make the shop thrive and fall in love along the way. listen, im a sucker for milklove and will always be ready for them. im glad there's a secondary w/w couple too (who seem to have a rocky relationship - im intrigued). it feels slice-of-life with wholesome dynamics and maybe the occasional pulling of heart strings like those comfort kdramas (i'm thinking of "hometown cha cha" or "crash course romance"). im sat and waiting patiently, ty

"ONLY FRIENDS: DREAM ON" - a second season of messy relationships now in a drama theater setting (fitting) with Boston making it his personal playground . . . again. BITCH! WHEN I SAW THIS, I SCREAMED! NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL A FUNCTIONAL TRAILER! we are given the specific dynamics of each relationship and how they'll interact with each other and how MESSY IT WILL GET OH MY GODS YES! what a blueprint (it's giving degrassi circus trailer bitch)! also i love that mix came back like omg and being in a drama theater? fucking perfection! like now there's intentional layers, like the story has a chance to be tighter and focused yk? and the willingness to break branded pairs? oh i better fucking see it! BREAK THEM UP BITCH LET'S GO! i literally scoffed off the idea of a season two but here i am boo boo the clown sat and ready to get toxic all over again. (p.s. the audacity of giving another gawinjoss story when im still sat for "my golden blood" bitch where aRE THEY!?)

"That Summer" - after getting sent to work for his uncle for a summer, Lava stumbles upon a washed-up amnesiac prince whom he later falls in love with. there's also a mystery as to who is trying to harm the prince and if their relationship can survive outside of one summer on an island. ok...first off i'm happy for Winny and Satang, can't wait to see how it'll go! the story reminds me a lot of "overboard" which leads me to thinking that maybe this story is more set for a movie instead of a 12-episode series, even with the second love story? again it could lean into slice-of-life chill pace territory but the story alone does not butter my biscuit so it may be a low priority watch for now

"My Romance Scammer" - we follow two cousins who find themselves in marriages with scammers, but things get complicated when the scammers' feelings may be more genuine than previously planned. BITCH! i'm sat for this one - like the cousins having different views on love/marriage, the scammers trying not to fall in love with their targets, the cousins trying to get back at the scammers, the repercussions of this scam! gods i freaking love junior and mark like holy shit they are just *chef's kiss* the only thing i think im worried about is how everything is established to us and where we go from there since there's two relationships going long enough for there to be a marriage THEN the scam reveal THEN consequences THEN the re-falling in love yk? but im always ready for messy mess, let's goooo! (also like im filipino so two people in the same family getting married at the same time gave me goosebumps like GIRLL SUKOB)

"Melody of Secrets" - when he stumbles upon a crime scene with no recollection of who he was there for, a young journalist will go to great lengths to find the connection between him, the mysterious detective who claims to be his boyfriend, and a series of murder cases. first off, I WAS FUCKING RIGHT - THEY FINALLY GAVE FORCEBOOK A MYSTERY COP THILLER FUCK YESS (i didn't really post abt it but i spoke it into existence!) I AM FINALLY BEING FED IN 2025!! LIKE FORCE'S BLURRED FACE ON TOP OF BOOK AND THAT FINAL SCENE??? BITCH! 2nd, the story is intriguing but goddamnit there better be some groundwork for this mystery like im already not feeling for the amnesia (sorry) and is tankhun really a twin? ugh. i might make a separate post about it but some alternative ideas are connection btwn memory and music (hello, melody?); no amnesia but faded memories because they were separated and got reunited; family memories or legacy/ancestry??? regardless, i AM FUCKING SAT AND IMPATIENTLY WAITING!

"Love You Teacher" - when his boyfriend gets into an accident where his mind regresses to a seven-year-old, a kindergarten teacher (who happens to not like kids) tries to navigate this new landscape in his relationship. listen, i love santaperth and sammy, but . . . this story just does not . . . do it for me? i do believe there's a way to make it work but there needs to be an emphasis on nuance and recovery because . . . how do i put this lightly . . . there's so much that can go wrong. i'm not saying it's inherently bad, just that there should be sensitivity instead of just being another silly cutesy story. also it's giving movie than 12-episode series so idk . . . im not holding my breath for this one

[outofthemouthsof]

15-Day BL Challenge in 1 Night!

I'm more of a lurker than a poster but Tumblr's my fave place to wallow in BLness. My 2nd favorite place is the spreadsheet where I track the shows I've watched (172 completed in just over a year), so @negrowhat 's challenge was irresistible. I'm gonna cram my answers in one post. Here goes!

Fave OG Actor Pairing: Some of the ones I think of as OG are only like 4 years old, so this was tough. And the 18 shows that have gotten my top score aren't very old. But I went through those 18 and picked the oldest, and it was the 2018 Korean microfilm Some More. Because it's so short it's super rewatchable, but even if I wasn't able to watch the whole thing a half dozen times (which I have), I'd still have gone back & watched the sweet moments and sex scene about 25 times (which I have). So I guess my fave OG actor pairing is Park Chan Ung and Kim Joon Bum! How they got me so deeply invested in their love in mere minutes is beyond me, but they did!

Fave Rookie Actor Pairing: Does Japan do the CP thing that Thailand does? I don't think so, but one couple I wish had about a dozen more BL series together lined up are Kouhei Higuchi and Atsuki Mashiko of My Personal Weatherman! Their chemistry was visceral and they're too pretty to be believed.

Side Dish That Should've Been the Main Course: While I enjoyed the main pairing a lot, they were nothing compared to the crazy rollercoaster side plot (how'd it go from so funny to SO dark to so sexy to so sweet and wholesome like that??) of Vegas/Pete from KinnPorsche!

Fave Ship Dynamic: Obvs from answers 2 & 3 I am not against D/s ships at ALL. Also a sucker for tough-but-submissive-bodyguard with mafia-brat-prince. Honestly I like tons of different dynamics from innocent to toxic, but one that gives me major butterflies is a guy who thinks he's straight but when confronted with the idea of liking another guy, doesn't have a macho freakout or run away, just kind of straightforwardly & sincerely searches his feelings until he figures it out. And then takes care of his baby. Why's that so HOT and sweet? Some of my fave examples: Pete/Ae in Love By Chance, Le Jian/Amber from DNA Says Love You, and Ida/Aoki from My Love Mix-Up!

Biggest Flop: This is expectations vs. execution, right? There's loads of shows I've abandoned, some I've stuck with for no good reason, etc., that are way worse than what I consider my personal biggest let-down. I was so enamored of Perth from LBC that I assumed he could do no wrong, and the bully-to-lover, rich/poor pairings often do it for me. So I guess I just assumed Dangerous Romance would be amazing, and it was REALLY good for a couple episodes. It wasn't the worst thing I ever saw, but so much of it just ... felt ... flat. Very surprising.

Fave Line From Your Fave Series: Well I know my fave series--Cherry Magic Thailand was the most perfect, entrancing, heartwarming series EVER, OMG, it was staggeringly good and stuck the landing in a way few shows have managed. I can't really think of one standout line--the script was so on point & there were HUNDREDS of sweet tingly moments. There were some epic ones in ep11 tho: When Achi says "The voice inside your head is so loud" and Karan (the boldest he's ever been) replies "Don't worry; soon you won't be able to read my mind anymore." (But then clearly uses that power one more time to gain the sweetest nonverbal consent EVER.) Then, Karan: "Do you regret losing your power?" Achi: "I'd regret not loving you." (OMG how I squealed.)

Fave Villain: This was so tough. An over-the-top villain I loved to hate (and an actor I loved from his sweetie-pie green-flag role in SCOY) was obvs Heng Asavarid as Chalothon in The Sign. But an actor who was so excellent at being loathsome and malicious toward the main couple, with just enough of a redemption arc that I didn't totally despise the character by the end (but did hate most of the way through): Park Hae In as Eun Ji (Jae Won's ex) in The Eighth Sense. It was a typical "faen fatale" role but so well done. So a tie between 2 totally different takes on the destructive ex.

The Trope You Hate Except When It's "This Series": OK, "hate" is a strong word for how I feel about the drop-of-rain-makes-you-ill so love-interest-takes-care-of-you trope. It's OK. But holy SHIT is it overused. Holy shit. I sigh resignedly when I realize we're going there. EXCEPT. When P'Phayu goes to visit Rain in Love in the Air when he's sick, and his version of caregiving? Forcibly applying medicine in the form of a rectal suppository. It is so funny, weirdly sexy, very in line with their dynamic (doesn't get in the way of their romance moments later at all), & it shoves a big middle finger up the overoveroverused sick-bed trope.

Most Visually Pleasing Love Scene: Okay, THE scene in The Sign is the clear winner in my & many people's books. But there are so many runners-up: the post-race one in Love in the Air. Just about every one in Pit Babe (both couples) & My Personal Weatherman. (A lot of other faves don't quite qualify as visually or emotionally pleasing--lustfully pleasing should be a 3rd category in this challenge!)

Most Emotionally Pleasing Love Scene: Again, I have a clear winner: Cherry Magic Thailand. So full of emotion, so well deserved, so everything. Sigh. But lots of runners-up: same scene in The Sign, both kissing scenes in DNA Says Love You (tame but soo emotionally satisfying), Ray & Sand's camper reunion in Only Friends, the post-prison love scenes for both couples in Kiseki: Dear to Me, the 1st time in I Feel You Linger in the Air ...

Breakup That Should've Stayed Broken Up: Maybe it's because I try to be choosy in what I watch all the way thru or maybe I'm a big softy who tends to root for every couple no matter how lame. In all my completed shows, I could only think of 2 breakups where I wasn't at all invested in them getting back together (and maybe against it): Tian/Poon, What Zabb Man and Top/Mew, Only Friends.

Wedding You Wish You Had an Invite To: If we're talking weddings that actually appeared in the show, Achi and Karan's in Cherry Magic Thailand, obvs! If it's hypothetical weddings, I'd be desperate to go to one of ANY of the characters in Playboyy! I'd wear a bulletproof vest & bring my own flask of booze, but it would be the trashy chaos-filled social event of a lifetime.

Give 5 Good Boys a Gold Star: Just 5? OK, some I haven't mentioned yet. 1. Shin Woo, Light on Me, 2. Palm, Never Let Me Go, 3. Mohk, Last Twilight, 4. Thun, He's Coming to Me, 5. Neua, Secret Crush on You. Best boys!

The Top 5 Most Sad Boys: I'll limit it to ones where the suffering was kinda pretty, not just painful. 1. Way, Pit Babe, 2. Akk, The Eclipse, 3. Kaipa/Gaipa, Moonlight Chicken, 4. Hae Bom, Cherry Blossoms After Winter, 5. Kiyoi, My Beautiful Man

Bestest Besties: Just one? Gah! Fine, Pearl & Gavreel in Gameboys. She got those boys together in quarantine!

[affluent-havoc]

As I've drawn Kyoko way more times than I ever would have predicted I would, I've learned that drawing her in the category of "done with everything" is extremely entertaining for me and will never get old. Also, drawing Kyoko with Byakuya has also opened my eyes so much and now I adore these two together, butting heads and just interacting. Like, Kyoko and Byakuya antagonizing each other and being intellectual rivals? Spectacular! It is a crime that it too me this long for my brain to comprehend the beauty of their petty potential. But, anyway, it's really amazing seeing the many ways this can be done. For instance, they can be shown as these strategic foils for one another like a battle between two scholars. It can be a complex showcase of their internal struggles and hypocrisies where the two just look at each other and go "At least I'm not as bad as THEM!". Also gotta love the more comedic side of the dynamic too. It's like their strange little creatures dueling one another via slapping each other's hands or using the other's hand and going "Ha! You're hitting yourself" over and over. Like, pettiness with these two is golden. Let them snark at one another and be overly judgmental! Also, it's just really wholesome seeing art of them getting along (which I so gotta do more of sometimes though the sillies are strong) or AHEM "getting along" in which one or the other is just a wee bit annoyed while the other has that cocky smirk, joyous that they bested the other. It's beautiful when Byakuya's the one getting annoyed though it can be equally entertaining seeing Byakuya all proud of himself while Kyoko looks mere minutes away from grabbing the nearest blunt object and chucking it at him, all done with that deadpan expression with a glint of satisfaction after she glances at his crumpled form on the ground. Always a bonus to see Byakuya being put in his place. In regard of the wholesome side though, I'm just a sucker for fluff and that'll never change. It's intrinsically tied to my funky little blood vessels. Plus, seeing these two having a chill hang out together is just neat. There's gotta be some shenanigans in there too though! Shenanigans are always fun to play around with. And, adding some hurt/comfort into the fluff (maybe even the shenanigans), YES!! Two characters who don't think they have much in common but actually have a TON in common getting on the same page to help the other?! Beautiful. Gorgeous. Good fucking food right there. If only I could write Kyoko... rip (I say when all my fics are unfinished and unpublished ;-;) But, anyway, these two have a lot in common, so, seeing them acknowledge that fact and help each other grow will forever be amazing in my heart. Always been into those dynamics where both characters gain something out of it and grow for the better because of the interactions they share, romantic, platonic, or anything in-between. AND, speaking of romance, hell, as of recently, I don't mind seeing them in a more romantic angle. I will still prefer the platonic side but I don't mind the alternative a lot more than I used to. At the end of the day, as long at their both being little smarmy brats towards one another, it's fine and dandy! Though, tldr; no matter how ya look at them, these two are lowkey comedy gold if ya do it right and are pretty cool together. Also, they need therapy. It's not related to their relationship but like, just in general. They need therapy, dang it!

[mcanime-art]

My Time at Sandrock 💛🌵

Logan x Lilith (My Builder)❤️

Logan is god tier husband for me, I loved all his side missions and romance missions! So I had to draw my builder and Logan!

For me Builder and Logan is like endgame...story wise. They have that Enemies to Friends and Friends to Lovers trope! And I'm a sucker for that trope ngl.

Don't get me wrong I tried other spouses....my first was Unsuur! He was so funny and cute. Next was Qi I like how intelligent he is and that he doesn't really understand romance LOL Next was Fang...my baby boi Fang T^T I LOVED his marriage quests but his backstory hurts me and he is so sweet and wholesome.

So yes.... I did marry 4 spouses on 4 different save datas...currently sitting at 280 hours on Steam for Sandrock...LOL I HAVE NO REGRETS!!

Who did you guys chose to marry on Sandrock? >.>

[most-datable-datable-bracket]

ROUND 3 MATCH 5

Fenris propaganda:

“I've played through DA2 four times now and every time I think I'm gonna date someone other than Fenris and every time I don't do that”

“Please he is my husband. I literally cannot do a playthrough without romancing him regardless of how much I try to give the other chara ters a chance because his romance lines are just so good and he's always so surprised that Hawke is into him.”

Cove propaganda:

“This bad boy can fit so much autism in him”

“he is sooo loveable. he's autistic. he's kind. he has a scar on his arm from a waterbike accident. he likes food when they mix them he is VERY awkward with a crush (love it) and he's so interested in the ocean. hates being all formal and stuff. his game is basically about possibly living life with a neighbor like him and it's so cool. please play this game. for him. ocean man take me by the hand”

“Cove is the best boy. He's the deuteragonist (Next to the player) from the game and he's literally the best thing that happened to me. He can be kinda clingy, but who doesn't love a little guy who sneaks into their room to say hi (not as creepy as it sounds, I swear).”

“He is such a sweet person, that deeply cares about the mc, he is such a crybaby in the best way.”

“Look I know he's already your profile picture, but HEAR ME OUT ON THIS!! He's so nice, he's so sweet, it's childhood friends/neighbors to lovers, he likes sea animals and his game is summer themed and I'm a sucker for summer stuff abhdszagvaz!!!!! The VN is so wholesome and fluffy and Cove is just perfect boyfriend material”

[wordsifelt]

Hi....If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Hi! That was a hard question to answer lol, but after several hours of deliberation I have arrived at the following 10, in no particular order:

Mo Dao Zu Shi and Heaven Official's Blessing by MXTX: (danmei) So yes i cheated a little, these are two novels by the same author, but what I like about them are the same, the author writes relationships extremely well, and she writes very well rounded characters. The plot is very nuanced and makes you think.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett (Tv series): Truly is a gift to humanity, i love this series, I love how queer it is, how the love permeates everything, how very humane it is (also I'm a sucker for mythological fiction, Percy jackson was a favourite growing up)

Loveless by Alice Oseman (novel): This novel is brilliantly done, and perfectly explains being on the aroace spectrum. I read it recently and it's helped me so much with my own journey discovering my sexuality.

Not Me (Thai drama): Apart from having one of the sweetest romances I've ever seen in any media, this drama also focuses on a lot of political issues, revolution, anarchy etc. Also a great exploration into queer joy. I think it is the only drama i have 10/10 stars

Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo: well written characters, good motivation and plot, beautiful world building and most of all amazing representation, one of my all time fantasy favs.

The All For the Game trilogy by Nora Sakavic: I went into this series with actually zero expectations and it has consumed me for years until I can't find anything else even remotely close to the raw emotion this brings out in me. I don't think anything will ever surpass this. Definitely my comfort read.

Yuuri on Ice (Anime) : One of the first queer anime I ever watched. I love figure skating, the animation style was beautiful, and the love was there. It's a very comforting and fun anime to watch.

Given (Anime): Yet another amazing queer anime. Great exploration of grief and healing and love. Also amazing music.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak(novel) : It's such a bare look at the holocaust and at how it affected those persecuted and involved. Beautiful writing style. I can never read this without crying.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman: Queer joy for everyone 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈 (need I say more?)

Some honorary mentions:

Gideon the Ninth: This book drove me insane

I Wish You All the Best (novel): beautiful exploration of non-binary gender

Word of Honor (Chinese drama): I love the main couple, they've got great chemistry

Sasaki and Miyano(anime): most wholesome fluff anime ever

Hope this answers ur question. And I hope you find some good recs in this!

[mizho-babe]

More sayama/musashi fic thoughts (slight spoilers; yeah sorry this blog is now my thought dumpster where i hash out my fanfics)

tonight i finished the rough draft of the whole dang thing :). Now i just gotta chop it up and edit it to make sure it sorta makes sense? But as I do that, I have some musings & questions on what I should change or flesh out more (or even axe?):

so. Milieu. I went on a small tangent about it in chap 3 but i love the idea of Sayama resenting Milieu with all her heart - because besides from him helping her father with... everything.... she hates and envies how Dunstan treats Milieu more like his own child than her. It was so so much fun exploring that dynamic, but it was also SO difficult because i had no idea how to write Milieu's motivations here - i know mostly everyone in this manga is written paper-thin but he is the thinnest of them all. Still, having Milieu as Sayama’s foil is delicious and tbh Takei SHOULD have taken advantage of that idea

at my core im a huge softie that's a sucker for wholesome romance and hurt/comfort so. all that to say. advance warning that chap 4 is mainly fluff as musashi and sayama learn more about each other. just want them to be cute despite how sad they both are

It’s okay though because chaps 5 & 6 are pure edgy angst and suffering teehee

i originally planned Dunstan as moustache-twirlingly evil for the sole purpose of Sayama's Angst (and he's still a POS) but unfort I think he’s a rly fucking cool character so he may come across a bit... calmer... than i originally wanted.

i was rereading the battle between Sayama & Akira and she literally says she's Dunstan's daughter from the 30th century. Idk how I missed that but - now I have thoughts swirling about that fact and the alternate directions the fic could take with it. How much of the 30th century does Sayama know about? I'm deciding not much and having her knowledge of the 30th century literally only be her birth and her sense-memories of Dunstan's lab - a princess stuck in a high tower, if you will - because why would her father give her freedom to live life in that time period when she's so involved with everything he does? And also, selfishly, for the purposes of this fic, I want her to know as little about the 30th century as possible so she can continue laughing @ Musashi when he tries to explain what life is like in the future

yeah so i wrote numerous explicit fucking scenes but i might get rid of most of them because i can't figure out how to seamlessly transition from those scenes to the angst and also the hurt/comfort sorry i'm a coward and dunno how to write this shit someone help

If i end up cutting it all just know that Saya is an absolute freak in the bedroom and musashi cant handle it at all