#I'm talking Marianas Trench levels here

[doortotomorrow]

cooper howard (ft. lucy maclean) - cooper being vault-tec's biggest hater

[tookishcombeferre]

Metamorphosis & Mutation: A Cedric the Sorcerer Playlist

My hand slipped and made a 2+ hour playlist. My challenge for myself was that I was not allowed to use *any* of the songs from the series.

If you know how much I love music, you know I love a good challenge. There are one or two songs that cuss in them. (Only one "f-bomb" from a Passenger song, but it's worth it because the song "Fairytales and Firesides" is beautiful. The line "We are bitter losers, snarling through our smiles" was just too perfect to pass up.)

"The Incident" and its immediate aftermath is represented by "The Sacrifice of Faramir" for ... reasons. It just felt perfect. Any LotR fans will likely understand that and where my mind was going with that one. (Surprising number of parallels between Sofia and Pippin, Cedric and Faramir, and Goodwyn and Denethor. Might make a post about this eventually. Due to the casting in movies, which don't get me wrong, overall I love, very few people remember (or know) that, in the novels, Pippin was 28 at the beginning of the book and turns 29 in Gondor near the end of the trilogy. Hobbits don't reach full cultural maturity, and are considered minors, until 33. Billy Boyd was actually the oldest of the hobbit actors. So, most people forget that/ don't know that fact. But, now you know! :D) (I may or may not have spent four years of my life researching these books and relationships in almost monastic levels of isolation except for when my [now] spouse and our mutual friends would drag me out my dorm room to ensure I ate and hydrated myself. The sad thing is I am only kind of hyperbolizing.) A note on the song "I Found" by Amber Run - that is meant platonically/ paternally. If people read anything else into that DON'T. Just DON'T. (For people who have read "In the Flares of the Sun," and continue to read it, this song will hit different. The whole idea of "I found love where it wasn't supposed to be, right in front of me, talk some sense to me." is just ... it hits. Platonically. It hits from two directions for folks who have read the chapter "First, Do No Harm." Honestly, this song has always given me *deep friendship* vibes more than anything else anyway. The first playlist I ever used it on was an adopted mother-daughter relationship in a dystopian novel I was writing. It was used right alongside "You'll Be In My Heart" from Tarzan. So, if you want to know the vibes I get from this song, now you know. The kid was based on Thomas Paine so it was actually a "Common Sense" pun. ;D) "Show Me" by Idina Menzel is also intended platonically. I first heard that song on an Anna and Elsa tribute video so I've always thought of that song platonically. But, if you're gonna weird about either of those songs, just don't. With that out of the way, there are some very "me" choices in here. "This is the Moment" from Jekyll and Hyde was my *jam* in middle school. I almost broke my CD of the "dream cast album" with Anthony Warlow as Jekyll/Hyde playing it so many times on my CD player before I got an iPod. (I NEVER claimed I was not old, y'all. Also, I'm actually auditioning for the role of Jekyll/Hyde in December. XD) The fact that there is both Jason Robert Brown and Marianas Trench on this playlist is a very "me" choice. Also, yes, I did put two songs from the new Hunchback of Notre Dame with Michael Arden as Quasimodo on here. Don't *judge* me. (Made of Stone is a perfect song for Cedric, COME ON!) Also, if I chose to set Cedric's rant to Roland as "If It's True" from Hadestown. It is *my* prerogative to give my sad trash-panda this beautiful rant. If I wanna play that pre-dungeon moment as a little more justified because it felt a little more true than not ... it's *my* playlist. (Hadestown is based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The song "If It's True" is set just after Orpheus has just gotten his butt whooped by Hades and told that he's worthless, that he's basically lower than dirt, and that music and love are meaningless.) (1. I'm absolutely setting this playlist in the universe of "In the Flares of the Sun." So, mild spoiler, in the first verse of this song, for backstory about something that has only been implied so far, but is coming up in a future chapter. The spoiler is very blink and you'll miss it. It's like a line and a half of the song. But, it's there, and I did choose the song intentionally because of the backstory I built in the world of that fic/ other fics I'm planning for future. So, you'll get a brief glimpse into my brain. 2. But, let's be real:

"'Cause the ones who tell the lies/ Are the solemnest to swear/ And the ones who load the dice/ Always say the toss is fair/ And the ones who deal the cards/ Are the ones who take the tricks/ With their hands over their hearts/ While we play the game they fix/ And the ones who speak the words/ Always say it is the last/ And no answer will be heard/ To the question no one asks" Mmmmm ... so perfect. So angry. Also that: "Tell me what to do" - so many different characters that could be directed towards.) But, this is also why I put the world's best anti-villain anthem that sounds like a Disney-princess "I want song" right before it. It's about the *juxtaposition.* It's about the *nuance.* (Cedric basically is Dr. Jekyll. Okay? It's probably why I love him. Jekyll/Hyde has long been a favorite character of mine.) Also, I'm obsessed with Collabro. Their covers are so good, and the story of how they came together is so supremely weird and serendipitous. Look them up. They do not disappoint. Also, "Chosen Family" is one of my favorite songs ever. I used the one where Rina Sawayama and Elton John sing together. Though, Rina Sawayama is the original writer. I love both versions, but I also just love Elton John so much, and I love the version where he sings with her. I hope y'all enjoy it too. I will spread the gospel of this song forever because I just love it. And, I had to end with the credit's song of "The Tigger Movie" - "Your Heart Will Lead You Home" - because that movie destroys me every single time I watch it. The end. That's my notes on this. There are a whole bunch of other songs I didn't cover. But, yeah. These are the ones I wanted to make notes on. This got really long. If you can't tell music is something of a special interest of mine. I managed to refrain from putting full blown oprea on here. You're welcome. I'm not sure exactly where I would have gone if I *had* decided to put opera on here. But, it's not an impossibility or something I wouldn't do, or haven't done, for other character playlists in the past. XD

[saturdays--sun]

wait wait wait!! all of those questions for izumii!! owo

please i’m so starved of my otp content…….

i'm so sorry you've been so starved. here are your rarepair otp crumbs, ma'am.

string of fate ୧ ‧₊˚ what’s ur current relationship status with ur fﾉo? does the love in ur relationship run deeper than the mariana's trench or is it just surface level attraction? are u perhaps friends with benefits? married?

we're dating. unfortunately. for better or worse. that's a very loose term for it, though, because "dating" can usually imply some kind of potential break up, which is pointedly something that will not happen. we're far too entangled in each other for that to ever be a possible outcome for our relationship — it's been like that since the beginning. it's hard to make a dog let go when it's finally gotten what it wants in its teeth.

gorgeous visage ୧ ‧₊˚ does ur fﾉo keep photos of u in their wallet? or do they maybe have a locket of ur hair? what about u? how much evidence do u keep of them in ur day to day life?

absolutely not, he'd rather drop dead than do corny shit like that. that said, he might have a picture of me as his phone's wallpaper — not the lockscreen, though; he can't be too obvious about it. and maybe he wears one of my hair ties around his wrist, but that's just in case he ever needs it. it just happens to be one i gave him. don't worry about it.

this fic is so painfully canon to me, so my lockscreen is a picture of us together that i somehow convinced him to take. he's mean mugging the camera. it's so funny. beyond that, i like to think that he'd let me wear his jacket sometimes. maybe his scarf, too. i dunno.

double ୧ ‧₊˚ do u and ur fﾉo have matching tattoos? if not, would u consider getting one or two in the future?

we don't, but i can imagine us hypothetically getting some at some point in the future. i don't think it's something he's ever necessarily thought about, but it's not something he'd be opposed to — excuse to have something referencing him permanently put on my body and all that.

soulful gaze ୧ ‧₊˚ they say the eyes are the window to the soul. u look fixedly into ur fﾉo’s eyes and see an emotion so raw and undoubtedly pure, so real that it fills your chest with something indescribable. what is that emotion?

anger. hatred. rage. ten out of ten times, it's one of those, or something very close. he doesn't feel much else, and he outwardly expresses even less. but every now and then, it's something almost soft. almost vulnerable. something almost loving, in the stilted and jagged way he loves.

honeyed skin ୧ ‧₊˚ what do ur fﾉo‘s lips taste like? does their chapstick linger on your tongue, leaving the ghost of its flavor there? or do they taste like the faintest trace of their natural, unadulterated essence?

the vague iron of blood — usually his own; occasionally someone else's. cigarette smoke. the soda he took from my fridge. food he stole from me while i was mid-bite. something faint and uncharacteristically sweet that's only ever there in the quietest of moments.

lilting voice ୧ ‧₊˚ how does their voice sound to u? what does their laughter sound like to ur ears? do their whispers sound like the most saccharine song of the nightingales? is their tone as smooth and rich as velvet or is it scratchy, a little grating, but nonetheless charming in its own way?

he sounds annoying and loud to me because that's what he is — annoying. and loud. his voice is rough at best and grating at worst, but when he's not yelling, i like listening to him talk. when he's mellowed out — as mellow as he can be; when i'm the only one around to hear him — there's something soothing in it. something warm, in spite of everything.

slightest touch ୧ ‧₊˚ is your fﾉo affectionate by nature or are they only willing to express themselves through touch when in private, when no prying eyes can judge them for showing their love for u so openly? are u perchance the one who prefers to avoid physical affection in public? are there times where u find urself so desperate for their touch, their kiss, that u feel as if you might burst at the seams if u don’t feel them right there and then?

no. he's never been affectionate a day in his life, and he's definitely not going to start now. what happens behind closed doors — the quiet moments; the ones where i'm the only allowed witness; the ones where he cages me in his arms and presses me to his chest and buries his face in my hair; the ones where the kisses aren't marked by jealous anger and instead by something uncharacteristically soft instead — don't count. if nobody else knows they happened, then they didn't. you won't catch me admitting to any of it, either.

inheritance ୧ ‧₊˚ what’s one trait of theirs that u would love for ur future children to inherit? is it their strength, their wit, their kindness? a particular physical attribute of theirs?

ideally, akina would inherit none of his traits, but unfortunately, he was doomed from the moment he was conceived to be his father's son. he's just a mini him. you can imagine the type of stress i'm under. but, if there's one trait i'm glad he got, it's that he's stubborn — resilient. in a city where so many awful things happen — things both of his parents have been witness and victim to — it's comforting, in some strange way, to know that he wouldn't crack and collapse under all of it.

intimate knowledge ୧ ‧₊˚ what are some hidden features of ur fﾉo that not many people are privy to? things like a secret birthmark, the fact that they are ambidextrous, the bump on their nose that is actually the result of breaking it as a child. do these small facts about them fascinate u? do the stories behind them make u swoon for them even more, if possible?

he has big soft brown baby cow eyes and it's the cutest thing on the planet. i love it. mean ass dude with a baby face. that's what the sunglasses are for, because without them, he's nowhere near as intimidating. also because i'll make a comment about them if he's not, and he can't stand it or the weird, embarrassed feeling it gives him. it's so cute. don't tell him i said that.

cherished memories ୧ ‧₊˚ moments have the tendency to sear themselves into one's mind. are there any particularly fond memories u share with ur fﾉo that stand out among the rest?

plenty of them stand out, but my favorite ones — the ones that i come back to, over and over again — are the soft ones. the mundane ones. the ones that border on being something almost domestic. one that specifically comes to mind is the time i was laying on his chest while he played some video game. it was nice.

unshakable devotion ୧ ‧₊˚ how far would ur fﾉo go to protect u? would they let the world burn down to ashes if it meant u would be safe and unharmed, even if it would mean they would perish too? are they more of the ‘hero’ type, in which they would lay down ur life in return for the welfare of the universe?

there is not a single circumstance on the entire planet that he could ever be put in where he would willingly allow even a hair on my head to be harmed. for as many times as he's said he's going to kill me, not one of them has ever been true — he'd rather let the world be destroyed — rather destroy it himself — than ever let something happen to me. he's never cared about himself — to hell with being something as worthless as a hero, too — but he'll be fucking damned if i get hurt while he's still around.

dialect ୧ ‧₊˚ what are ur fﾉo’s love languages? physical touch, words of affirmation? acts of service? gift giving? quality time? do u two have ur own little way of showing love to one another?

hollow threats to mask his actual feelings because he's never had these types of feelings before and he never learned how to process anything in any way other than anger and violence. but also quality time. he's possessive, but also just clingy. he'll never admit to that, though.

[ohpollenpowder]

Got tossed the Incorrect Quote Generator and tossed the Five Commanders world onto it. Here's some of the results! Some of these may...or may not actually be canon. Or close enough.

Inkeri: Did you just call me a shrimp, you asshole?! I'm still growing, dammit!

Nilo: [Turns on the kitchen light] Oiba: [Sitting at the table, eating bread] Nilo: It’s four in the morning. Oiba: Turn the light back off.

Emrys: Sorry I'm late, I was doing stuff. Mottut: YOU PUSHED ME DOWN THE FUCKING STAIRS!

[Inkeri sneezes] Emrys: Inkeri, are you sick? Here, let me wrap you in a blanket and hand-feed you some warm soup while singing you a lullaby! [Izar sneezes] Emrys: Oh my god. Shut the hell up.

Oiba, T-posing in the doorway: Greetings, Emrys. Emrys, not looking up from their coffee: Good morning, problem child.

Oiba: Get on my level! Nicoletta: Unfortunately, to "get on your level" I'd need a boat trip to the Mariana Trench and a pair of cinderblock shoes.

Mottut: Do you have a second to talk about the environment? Oiba: Do you have a second to eat my farts?

Nicoletta: Why is there blood everywhere? Izar: I may have aggressively poked someone with a knife. Nicoletta: You stabbed someone?! Izar: No, no. I aggressively poked someone with a knife.

Izar: I can't imagine what Nicoletta is planning. But I can tell you two things. We won't like it and it won't be legal.

Oiba: I want a bf. Emrys: Do you mean best friend, boyfriend or bread feast? Because you’re being really vague here.

Nicoletta: Are you packed for the trip? Nilo: Yup. Nicoletta: Then where are your bags? Nilo: All I’m bringing is a good attitude and a sense of adventure. Nicoletta: A change of underwear might be nice.

Emrys: As top in this relationship, I think we should- Nilo: I can't believe you're pulling rank on me.

Emrys: Come on Nilo, do it for our friendship. You can't put a price on that… Nilo: Yes I can, dear. Fifty dollars.

Mottut: I love you. Oiba, not paying attention: What was that? Mottut: I said I’m selling you to the zOo-

Mottut: A pessimist sees a dark tunnel. Emrys: An optimist sees light at the end of the tunnel. Tarsicia: A realist sees a freight train. Izar: The train driver sees three idiots standing on the tracks.

Nilo: Being gay isn't a choice. It's a game and I'm winning.

Emrys, learning how to drive: What happens if I press the gas and the brake at the same time? Izar: The car takes a screenshot. Nilo: Please pull over. I’m driving now.

Nilo: You’re my best friend, I would do anything for you. Izar: I want you to eat 3 meals a day and have a decent sleep schedule. Nilo: Absolutely not.

[sereia1313]

Chapters 161-170

Read it on Ao3, Dokuga, or FFnet for daily updates!

Summary: Some memories fade with time, lured away by a passing breeze. Others are so ingrained in our hearts that we cling to them with every fibre of our being. To the point where it’s all we remember.

Inspiration: "Forget Me Not" by Marianas Trench

Brandish

The peace didn't last for long, Shippou poking his head through the doorway to request entry. Kagome moved away from the tree, allowing Inukimi and Kagura the space needed to keep the former calm.

Especially when Inuyasha and Kouga showed up, eyes bugging out of their heads at the sight. Kagome barely had time to get between them, preventing Tessaiga from reaching full form.

"She's fine—different," she said, patting her friend's hand.

"Is this what you were doing last night?" Kouga asked, not taking his eyes off Kagura.

"She was deliberately disobeying orders," Sesshoumaru said, a smirk tugging at his lips when she whirled on him.

"Since when do I take orders from you?" she snapped, hands on her hips.

His smirk widened as he lowered his head, fangs nipping at her ear. "Since you agreed to be mine."

Umbrage

Heat crept up the back of her neck, but she raised her chin, trying to ignore the feel of his cheek sliding against hers as he pulled back.

"That doesn't mean I'm going to do what you say all the time."

His smirk remained intact. "I look forward to the challenge."

Kagome had a feeling he wasn't talking about being reckless anymore, and she struggled not to squirm, jerking slightly when Inuyasha pretended to gag.

"I'm glad he finally pulled his tail out from between his legs, but do ya have to do that here?"

This time, the heat reached her face, and she gave her friend a sheepish smile.

Grandiose

"There isn't going to be some over-the-top announcement, is there?"

"Hell if I know." Inuyasha looked over at his brother, who was still hovering over the females at the far end of the garden. "I didn't grow up around full youkai."

Kouga grinned, wrapping an arm around Inuyasha's neck. "Just do what I did: yell it into the cave while everyone's eating."

Inuyasha shoved him away, his face as red as his fire-rat. "That was before I'd even agreed, ya bastard."

The wolf just laughed from his spot on the ground. "Didn't stop ya from saying yes, though."

"Keh!"

Kagome joined in on Kouga's laughter, his arms once again going around Inuyasha's neck. The sound caught Sesshoumaru's attention, and she gave him a soft smile. She didn't need anything fancy.

He was enough.

Adjure

Her apology to Shippou for not sticking around to eat his kill was interrupted by a jaw-cracking yawn, the first rays of sunlight, and Inuyasha's subsequent transformation, reminding her that she hadn't slept yet.

"I'm fine," she said as Sesshoumaru ushered her out of the garden.

"If you argue, I will be forced to take drastic measures," he replied, giving her a sideways glare.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she stopped, eyes gleaming. "Like?" Her question turned into a squeak as he lifted her into his arms, not breaking stride as he continued down the hallway.

She could've protested, but she'd known what was coming and just snuggled into his embrace, once again glad for knocking off his armour.

Demeanour

"I thought you were taking me to my room," Kagome said, looking around.

"Why would I do that?" he scoffed, placing her on his bed.

"Aren't there rules about this?" She was honestly curious. Kouga had literally announced his intent, and nothing had changed—aside from Inuyasha's level of embarrassment.

"You speak as if I am not the one who makes them." He stepped over his armour, removing his wrecked outer haori.

Kagome's eyes stayed riveted to his form, watching as another layer was stripped and thrown away, revealing a collection of stripes along his shoulders, ribs, and wrists.

"How many do you have?" she blurted.

Assiduous

The eyebrow he raised seemed more suggestive than usual, and Kagome felt heat creep into her face.

And yet she didn't look away.

"Would you care to count them?"

She swallowed thickly but nodded, and he chuckled darkly before changing direction, the new yukata he'd grabbed falling to the floor. He reached the edge of the bed, then crawled towards her on all fours, Kagome staring up at him with wide eyes.

"It will involve a thorough inspection."

Nodding again, she pulled him down, fully expecting the heat to build quickly, but he kept the kiss soft and gentle, and she released him with a questioning glance.

"You require sleep."

Panache

He chuckled at her pout, then tucked her against his side, and as much as she wanted to protest, now that they were alone and the excitement of bringing Kagura back had passed, Kagome felt herself waning.

"Can I count them tomorrow?" she asked, tracing the one along his ribs.

"Hnn."

Smiling against his skin, she pressed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. "It might take us a while, I need to be thorough. I could get it wrong the first time."

His chuckle floated through her hair. "It is likely that you will get it wrong more often than that, but I will be patient through each examination."

"Really?"

"No."

Conciliate

She was still smiling when sleep claimed her, Sesshoumaru tightening his hold as her breathing evened out.

She never once pulled away, her body nestled against his even as the sun rose to greet the day. The kit wandered by midday, hovering nervously before Sesshoumaru sent out a reassuring wave of youki.

His mother sent up a similar wave, still not comfortable with being inside the shiro, her power wafting through the room on an early afternoon breeze.

"I would not be the only one who would storm the gates of hell to get you back, Kagome," he murmured, kissing her temple. "Let us not anger the gods anytime soon."

Mawkish

She hadn't realized how tired she was until she woke to darkness, soft moonlight filtering through the balcony.

Kagome shifted, her body sore from being stationary for so long, her movements stilling when Sesshoumaru's arm tightened around her.

It was a strange sensation, waking up next to someone, though not unwelcome considering it was him, and she nestled closer, having no desire to actually get up.

"You require sustenance," he murmured, though he didn't move either.

"In a little bit," she said, closing her eyes again. He was warm and comfortable, and given the choice, she might've stayed there forever.

He felt like home.

Facsimile

The loneliness following her around since she'd first arrived hadn't disappeared completely, but here, wrapped in his arms, a smile tugging at his lips, Kagome didn't feel so alone.

"Mother and Shippou have been concerned about your well-being," he said, fingers drawing soothing circles on her back.

"They know I'm safe with you," she replied.

"Indeed."

She stretched, her body pressing against him. "I should probably bathe."

He nodded, raising an eyebrow when he went to remove his arm, but she rolled over, half draped across his chest.

"Care to join me?" She shivered at the look in his eyes, the sensation a delicious reprieve from the shadow that had been following her. "I think the lighting in the bathhouse will be better to count your stripes with."

[rpbetter]

How do I stop being frustrated that someone says they can't reply to my "longer" thread with them (our only thread) because it's hard for them to write "long" replies atm but they write long replies with their other closer partners? Even combined other those replies add up to a lot of writing, way more than my thread with them.

Hey, Anon!

I am so sorry that this answer is likely to be awful, but it's at least honest and I really mean that I'm sorry about both the situation and that there isn't a whole lot to be done for it. Sometimes, just hearing someone else understand what you're going through and echo your own thoughts is helpful, though. It can really help solidify options we know exist, but maybe, we just weren't ready to acknowledge them.

This is one of those situations where you're the only person involved you can change in any way, so it's good that you're wanting to mitigate your frustration instead of changing the other mun. Good on you for that!

It's certainly frustrating! I try to take on at least one or two blogs at a time who have come to me expressing a desire to write more, they want to become lengthy multipara to novella RPers, and this is quite often the situation I end up in. The mun can manage to churn out lengthier replies to a handful of other muns, but not me. Ultimately, it tends to be a combination of them not being super invested in our plots/the action in the thread right off and my writing style. I can be a difficult person to reply to unless the other mun is also deeply, and I mean, like, Marianas Trench deeply, thrilled by writing in and of itself...and I also do not quick-ship or quick-smut as well as writing muses who can preclude those common interests anyway.

I say that because there might be some similarity going on here, and understanding the why of it can make things a bit less frustrating and personal feeling.

You might also write in a style that is harder for this person to jump right into and roll with - especially if these other blogs getting the lengthier replies are a little below the other mun's writing skill level. People often feel like they're up to and excited by a challenge until they really get into the thick of it, then, it's stressful and they can feel like they'll be judged if they do not write as well as they perceive their writing partner is.

You might have muses and preferences that are not aligning with what they most want and are, as such, most inspired by to write more. Again, that can seem interesting as a challenge, something like a slowburn or platonic interaction, or even a muse that is more difficult to interact with, but once someone who isn't usually into those situations gets into one...it just feels like delay and boredom to them.

I'm not saying that your threads, writing, muses, or you, yourself, are frustrating or boring! Simply that this has been an issue in the past with these situations not just for me but also for other muns I've known, so, it might hold some significance here.

There isn't any good way to do this, I'll be honest, but if you're so frustrated that you're willing to risk losing them as a mutual to feel better about this situation, I'd suggest talking to them about it. Handling it with a lot of care, of course. By that, I mean keeping this all phrased as a you problem not a them problem, regardless of how accurate or upsetting that might be. Don't directly state that it's a little hurtful and frustrating that they can magically expend the effort to write more with everyone other than you!

If you go this route, try something like:

"I hope this doesn't come off the wrong way, but I wanted to talk to you about something. Is there something I'm doing that is making it harder for you to reply more to me? I notice that your other interactions are longer and seem to be easier for you to do. I know you said that you have difficulty writing longer replies, but if there's something I'm doing that is making it harder, I'd rather know so we can have a better time."

Like I said, still likely to be received poorly. No matter how you phrase it, it's probably going to come off as accusatory or like you're being jealous. I'm only advising it as something for you to consider because, either way, it could lessen the frustration you feel to more actively discuss it with them.

I am pretty sure you don't want to go the route of calling it quits, either. However, I'd definitely be dishonest if I did not advise that as a possibility.

If their actions are making you so frustrated that it's distracting you from better partnerships, making you outright angry a good deal of the time, or otherwise ruining your time here more than it isn't...they really shouldn't be someone you keep writing with. Your frustration is totally valid, you are expending more effort than they are, and watching someone put that effort into everyone else's threads but yours is not a good time. And it isn't something you can expect to change, rather, this situation usually resolves by one mun or the other simply ceasing to reply to the thread quietly.

That isn't ideal for anyone, even though I very much understand the inclination, and you know what? On some rare occasions, that can be the nicest and most peaceable thing one can do. You really do have to know the other mun to decide that. If they're someone who is going to be very hurt, suffers from RSD, or has ever expressed, be that privately, on the dash, or in their rules, that they want people to tell them when a thread is dropped, please, tell them you're dropping. If they're someone who is going to be incredibly hostile about it, who has a ton of threads they struggle to keep up with, might not even notice or be relieved, it might be better. I still will advise 99% of the time to tell someone when you're dropping a thread.

If you don't want to unfollow because you enjoy this mun OOC, they are, or have become, a friend or just someone you enjoy on your dash, a lot of muns are perfectly fine remaining friends and mutuals without continuing to write together. So long as you're not being caustic about how you end writing together, of course! Just telling them that you don't think you mesh as well in writing as you do OOC is a good way to inoffensively end a thread - and it isn't untrue! Again, takes some awareness of the mun as a person, but if they won't take it the wrong way (projecting the meaning of "you're boring, you suck at this, I don't like you" onto what you've said), you can even tell them that you have lost interest in the thread.

Anyway, as I said, I'm very sure that's not an option you are looking for at this time either, but...it is an option. You will be less frustrated if you remove the source of that frustration.

An option you might like a little bit better is trying to allow yourself to...sort of reposition the importance of these threads.

Think of it like this - if you have ten threads and you're not dealing with frustrating partners in eight of them, you can make the two that are a problem low-priority interactions.

I know it's even more frustrating if you're doing something in the threads with this mun that you were very excited about. For some reason, for the longest damn time, every time I had someone who was up for a plot, muse, or verse I had been dying to do, they were not exactly great writing partners. It's so disappointing when you're excited, getting to do something you've wanted to finally, but you're forced to accept that you're kind of still not getting that thread. It's the truth, however. You aren't actually getting what you wanted here, even if all the pieces are in position on your end because they are not, and will not be, on the crucial other end of things.

If that's the case, seek out people who might be interested in something similar from within the group of mutuals you are happy interacting with. It's actually pretty rare that, once you have more than just two to three active mutuals anyway, you don't already write with someone who wants to write even more with you. Maybe they don't know you have a burning need for that plot or to use that verse, maybe they just aren't sure about asking you about it, there are a lot of reasons why! Usually, we're all simply busy with what we're doing and don't notice until someone directly asks/mentions it. So, when you've identified which mutual is most likely to be interested, don't just post on the dash that you want x and hope they pick up on it - directly talk to them about it.

You can also include elements of what you were excited about in already existing threads. Use those things as inspiration for those plots, the developing characterization going on in them, and so. Try to remember that everything doesn't have to happen all at once, nor should it, actually. It's alright to only sort of know how you'd like to include that bit of inspiration in an already rolling thread! Once you're aware of wanting to, that you are totally allowed to do this, and somewhat how, you're prepared to see the moment when it happens and jump on it.

Even if this isn't the case, placing higher importance on the threads written with muns who are returning your energy is a great way to feel less frustrated by the one you feel is devaluing you. There is absolutely nothing inherently wrong about having threads, muses, plots, and muns of different personal priority levels. So long as you're not being shitty to anyone involved or trying to hide it, it's fine. Creativity is not something linear and equal at all times, just as this other mun is obviously more invested in other people, you can be as well. Just be more honest and self-aware than this mun is being with you.

If you think you can't do that because it's your Process to reply in order and/or to queue replies when they're all done, neither is a hindrance. No one is actually watching the order you do your replies in. You can do the ones you feel most inspired by first, don't queue them yet, then, do the replies you know you're not going to get much other than frustration out of last. This way, you won't be wasting the creative effort on those threads either, you'll be concentrating it on the mutuals who appreciate it more. It's absolutely possible to do things with the organization you might require while still making it a better experience for yourself.

Furthermore, sometimes muns do get annoyed when their shorter replies are not the ones replied to quickly. Particularly when they outright state that short replies are their preference, this is usually a part of their process and they feel like it's easier and faster for everyone else because it is for them. If it is harder, and as such, slower, for you to deal with these shorter replies? Be sure you pop that in your rules as a warning, and make it clear when speaking to mutuals that this is the case for you and they shouldn't expect extremely quick turnaround because something is short.

While it's valid and human to not understand why something that is totally fun, easy, and rewarding for us is the opposite for others, upon it being made clear, that's a boundary you're saying needs to be respected.

Expecting replies to be fast because they're short is also something that can induce stress and be incredibly unfair.

When someone expects that their reply should be responded to expediently because it is shorter, that can be stressful to the other mun, it can feel very pressuring. To the mutuals interacting who are writing longer replies, it's unfair when it takes a week for their replies they have put a lot of effort into but someone who won't match length at all is getting numerous replies from you.

And if you like to post replies as soon as you get them done, but doing this is upsetting to the frustrating mun when it isn't theirs? Honestly, Anon, I know it sounds mean, but that's a point to have an unpleasant conversation with them about what they're doing. If they don't like it, the difference is right there for you to point out to them - these threads don't leave me feeling like I'm wasting my energy.

A lot of the time, when we are upset about perceived unfairness, the difference between what we're doing and the other muns are doing is right there for us to see. It probably is unfair to some degree, but if we want to get to the bottom of it, it's a good place to start - asking what these other muns are doing that we're not. Then, the all-important question of whether it's something we want to change, or even can, and acting according to what is going to be most rewarding and possible in the situation.

Like with delineating above what might be some reasons why this mun is responding to others differently than you, actually! Perhaps, those are things you'd like to do differently, but then again, perhaps, that would mean lessening your writing quality and enjoyment. The frustrating replier can see that the muns you reply to give back more of what they've been given, and if they feel like it's both worth it and possible, they'll do the same...or not. Either way, the awareness and tools are right there.

We all don't work out, or work out smoothly and immediately, and nothing about that is inherently mean.

Speaking of not working out, in addition to mentioning in your rules that you don't reply faster to shorter threads, it might lessen some of your frustration to work on a bit of a side project to prevent some of it from happening again in the future by going over your rules. I know much of the RPC is allergic to lengthy rules and any whiff of expectations, but clearly stating what you want and how you operate is the only way to insulate yourself and others from disappointment and frustration.

You might want to consider including some of the following:

you only write multipara - give a rough estimate of what that means to you, as mutlipara can be anything from two to twenty paragraphs, technically! Letting people know what you, specifically, tend to view as multipara, while making it clear it's not a fixed number or anything, can even help alleviate the new mutual anxiety of too much guesswork

or you only write novella - same thing, what does that look like for you? Is it 2-5k words on average, or is it 10k+? Give a rough idea to remove the guesswork, but be clear that you aren't always going to write exactly that amount or expect it

if you do have a minimum you'd like to receive, tell people - it's not demanding, it's honest. If receiving one line back after writing two paragraphs is going to upset you, say you need at least a para in return, for example

if you have a hard time writing short replies, tell people that - again, you should be a little more specific about what "short" means to you. If you find it impossible to write anything under four para, say so

should you prioritize threads based on inspiration, or even well-known partnerships, be open about that as well - it's absolutely going to make some folks pissy, but if they can't appreciate your honesty and are already annoyed before they interact with you, do you actually want to interact with them?

say that you need to know upfront if there is a consistent problem replying to you - you won't be upset or anything, but you can't address a problem you don't know exists, so, if someone is struggling with replying to you, they should feel like it's safe to talk to you about it

Obviously, these are suggestions and need to be things that are true to you! The whole point is taking the frustration you feel and doing something proactive and good with it. It isn't changing this particular situation, but making certain that you are providing new mutuals with clear information as to your boundaries, expectations, and what you'll be giving them could help prevent some similar problems. While, unfortunately, not everyone reads or respects rules, having rules that outline such things let muns know what they're getting into, allows them to make better choices of who to interact with, and is respectful to both them and yourself.

In the future, if you have another mutual like this and have made such things apparent in your rules, you can address it with a bit less awkwardness and even anxiety. It's a different feeling coming to someone with a problem when you already have a base of discussion! That doesn't mean it's a way to be forceful or shitty or anything, just that you can casually remind them at a point in this conversation that "like I said in my rules, it's not fun for me to reply to shorter things." Kind of helps to remind that, hey, you did come into this knowing that was a problem for me, you're the one being kind of lame in this situation, without literally saying that.

Any time you start to feel really frustrated and you want to settle down, consider working on something you can use that energy on. Not talking about going outside and hacking up a tree or anything ridiculous, totally talking about projects that could use a touch of frustration that you might already have sitting in your drafts or have otherwise been meaning to get to.

Take the frustration and work on a thread or meme reply in which your muse is frustrated. Take it and go work on the graphics overhaul you've been meaning to do, as annoyance can be a great way of giving us extreme focus on a task. It doesn't have to be your rules is my point! A lot of things could channel the upset into something enjoyable and productive.

And, I mean, I guess, if you really want to murder a tree...so long as it is your tree and you're prepared to accept the physical consequences of this intense amount of exertion, you could do that.

I'd still suggest replying to the muns who are more appreciative of what you're doing, though. While keeping in mind that, eventually, it really might be in your best interest to not keep writing with this person. They're not doing this maliciously or anything, but the outcome is still that you're not enjoying yourself.

Even in a hobby, you're not going to effortlessly enjoy yourself constantly, but if something is markedly frustrating you on a consistent basis, it doesn't have a long-term place in your downtime. Things do not have to be intentionally shitty for them to be negatively impacting you enough that they've got to go. You might want to work on letting this mutual go by having some more enjoyable, prioritized interactions with others. Not only will it keep you less frustrated to concentrate on positive, more fulfilling experiences, but it'll also make those threads much easier to let go of, even if there are things in them you'd have loved to have written. You'll get the opportunity to with the right people!

Again, I'm sorry if this wasn't incredibly helpful. It's not a great situation, and it isn't one that has a single possible solution, but rather, several that totally depend on how you feel about things and at what point in your frustration you're at.

For me, this would be a we've got to talk, this isn't working out point, but I don't think you sound like you're there...and that's fine! So long as your frustration isn't hurting anyone else, it's perfectly alright to need to get to your own, unique point of being done with a situation. Only you know where that's at, and I don't feel like it's a kind or viable answer to tell people they've got to drastically and immediately make choices like blocking someone over something like that. In addition to being a juvenile way of handling an interaction that isn't glowingly positive, it reeks of serious removal of agency to me. Like, no one other than the mun doing the advising is capable of adult cognition lol that's not cool! We don't do that on this blog. Same thing with not giving you some insulting, and potentially even ableist, "advice" that you should remember it's "just stupid tumblr rp" and not to be frustrated at all.

You're interacting with other human beings in this hobby as is required, other human beings do things that are frustrating, the venue is irrelevant, right? It's also every bit as Not That Deep that it's great to be invested in your hobby, period. (Unless your hobby is something like creating a fascist dictatorship lmao, then, maybe please kind of really get a different one.) So, if, in voicing your frustration with mutuals and friends, anyone has made it feel like you're being ridiculous? You're not, it's 100% valid to be annoyed when someone is telling you one thing and doing another right in front of you. I'd also be frustrated, Anon, and have been with this kind of thing!

I hope whatever you end up trying works out well for you, Anon! If nothing else, maybe you'll find a new mutual or existing one you can write even better things with. Just try to be patient, with this other mun and yourself. Resist the urge to snap at them or be hateful about it, and I'm sure the impulse has come up because these situations feel a lot like being simultaneously othered and lied to. It's just not worth it, it won't change anything, and you'll be the one who looks like a dick. You deserve better than that!

[akiyama-san]

I've noticed your comments about Love Live Sunshine and don't get me wrong, we all have our own opinions and I'm not telling you stop posting your negative thoughts about it, but why do you hate Love Live Sunshine so much? And if you hate it that much, why are you even watching it?

I suppose it comes off as hate doesn’t it? Well despite how it appears, it’s not entirely hate, it’s mostly disappointment, and while that might not sound much better i’ll try to explain what I mean, hopefully to a degree that it can be understood. 

Spose I should start at the top shouldn’t I? 

I think it goes without saying that this point that I didn’t like the original show at all, it had its moments, and 2 or 3 good characters, which isn’t saying much I realize but these casts are fucking bloated of course only a handful will be likeable. The concept seemed really fucking stupid from the outset, and it is, but I’ve seen worst, and as a first attempt by SunRise for an Idol show, to my knowledge, the idea to give it an actual plot to follow was in theory a noble one. It failed completely, but the thought was there. More to the point, almost everyone was completely flat, incredibly stupid, and beyond insufferable. 

I’ll be honest, I can put up with a lot, and if I had chosen to watch it of my own volition I’d probably have been more forgiving of the writers dancing on active fault lines, but at the time some years back, I had several people breathing down my neck to watch the fucking show so I went in pissed off. Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t change the fact that these characters say and do things that would make me want to hurt a small child, but I would still have been more kind to it in the long run. 

Then the movie happened, and well.... Lets just say the series needed the fucking soft reboot that was Sunshine after that abysmal travesty of a movie that completely deficated on a third of the casts character development. I’m still trying to work out the quantum fucking mechanics of how Honoka could receive her microphone from her future fucking self BTW. 

I openly admitted this at the time, and this is important because this is often overlooked by the crowd. I said that after the failure of the movie, and knowing that a new series was coming, if SunRise could learn from their mistakes, then I would gladly and open-mindedly go into Sunshine with a positive attitude and be kinder to it if the series was able to escape its charred charcoal burned roots. 

Needless to say I was absolutely blown away by how incredibly Sunshine could be at times, and how baffling disgusting and incompetent it could be as well. I stress that Sunshine is wholly the better property I was able to enjoy more than whole episodes and character arcs completely this time around, as opposed to the original where I enjoyed maybe 10 minutes of its total 700 minute run from episode 1 to movie credits. 

The series had incredible characters to start, those already good characters ACTUALLY GREW INTO EVEN BETTER CHARACTERS, THESE CHARACTERS ACTUALLY GROW AND MATURE AND THAT’S INCREDIBLE. I’ll say openly that the second years are some of the best characters I’ve seen in any anime in the past several years, and I would never hope to take away from that. Better was that we actually had rivals that we could see and understand, that weren’t placed on a pedestal for no discernable reason, one that stood on relatively even ground that could be combatted in real time, force growth and change upon both groups. 

At the same time, while the series had heights and feats that rivaled Everest, it also had lows that would put the Mariana Trench to shame. No, I don’t care what anyone says, I will never get over all the bullshit that happened between Mari and Kanan, and how absolutely disgusting Kanan is, even now, refusing to grow up or stop being a cunt or do anything of value to the group you so claim to love. I’ll be generous and say I was fucking disgusted by SunRise repeating what happened with Honoka and Kotori in the first season here with Mari and Kanan, almost beat for beat. It was terrible the first time, and suicidally bad the second time. 

To regain the focus, by then end of it while my opinions were of the mixed nuts variety with plenty of roasted salt, I still gave it a hearty recommendation because I thought it was genuinely pretty good, blue cuntveats notwithstanding. 

NOW

Where my problem overall with Season 2 lies. If it disappointment and wasted potential were a physical force this series could level mountains. 

From the beginning we’re told that we’re on an incredibly strict time crunch and that we need to focus all our efforts hardcore in the second round. 

Only for almost literally all of the first 6 or 7 episodes to be nothing but filler and padding to waste time, where no growth or progression of any kind took place at all, and such wonderful gems as 

Dia: Please call me Dia-Chan.

Chka: No!

and the omnipresent 

Chika: Teach how to do a backflip

Kanan: Not on your fucking life!

Kanan: Oh shit she learned how to do the backflip... 

Where it all came to a head however was with the reveal of just how many students the school actually had, because that was something that was never brought up. The total number of students is 68 when all are accounted for. And the is beyond miserable. 100 fucking students isn’t enough, to maintain the school you need at least 200, but closer to 300. With 68 students the school should’ve closed fucking years ago. The revelation of that number killed the entire fucking show, it made moot the efforts and development of every single fucking character, because no matter what, even if they had gotten 100 students, this same predicament would still inevitably rear its head once again next year or the year fuckin after. 

I want to make clear, more than anyone else on this site, I have authority to speak on this matter, and no one can refute this, hell I’d barely even listen to them if they did because I severely fucking doubt they ever dealt with this sort of thing, if they did they would totally agree with me.

I have come face to face with a school closure myself. 15 years ago the district announced that my Elementary school would be closing, this school with 700 students that churned out some of the best results in the city might I add. It was a hard and long fought battle, it lasted 3 years, but eventually the parents won that war, and it’s still open now. How did they do that? By actually getting involved, going to meetings, talking directly to superintendents and comptrollers, explaining things like how some of them go to work really early or work late, they can’t send their kids anywhere else because they’d never be able to make it to other schools in the morning on time or pick up on time because of how far away they are, how different schools offer different programs, and not all schools offer the same accommodations for special needs children as this one did, ETC. The point is, the parents got active in the fight, the people that might have been able to affect the outcome did, and while it was no easy task, they did it, they actually fucking one that battle. 

I don’t expect even a fraction of that to occur, but to at the same time tell me that the parents don’t know or care at all, much less any of the other fucking 59 students are powerless to help in any meaningful capacity is an absolute load of horse shit. 

Where it started to bring my blood to a boil, nay to a bursting point, was what happened in the last to episodes with Saint Snow. The best song the franchise ever gave us was Self Control, followed by Shocking Party. This is a fact. From a single interaction some of the most intriguing and likeable characters we got were also Saint Snow. For them to be all but ignored in season 2 until 8 fucking episodes in is ludicrous, but for their first appearance in over 10 episodes to be them failing a concert and us not even getting to hear any of the fucking song, is insulting, it’s infuriating, it’s domestic abuse. This isn’t a slap in the face, this is Studio SunRise forcefully shoving their cock in your mouth against your will and punching you in the eyes with brass knuckles for crying about the cock in your mouth. 

Honest to God, if I wasn’t committed to seeing this through, these last two episodes would be my first set my merchandise on fire moment, and that is saying a lot. It might sound like i’m being overdramatic, but honestly there are a lot of people that agree with me on this matter. 

I did a lot of thinking in writing this post and it took me the better part of an hour to write it. I still hold fast on my thoughts about the original, 2/10 garbage. 

I still hold to my opinions of season 1 Sunshine, 7/10 very good. 

But this season? Well let me put it this way, I score every episode and tally the scores at the end, if season one got a 70 percent

Season 2 probably wouldn’t even reach a combined 20/130 

I will still recommend newcomers to Sunshine season 1 absolutely, but I will also absolutely tell them to pretend season 2 never happened, do not watch it because it will make you commit homicide in the aftermath. 

Why do I hate Sunshine Season 2? 

Because SunRise finds new and exciting ways to fail at absolutely everything on every single level every week. I infamously gave the movie a 1/10, in the long run, I think I would sooner rewatch that movie on loop than ever rewatch this season of Sunshine ever again.