#I've been talking about these two portraying brothers since forEVER

[astrophysicist-guitar-god]

Oh my god your tags about roger and james spader playing brothers in an 80s movie.. Gold!! 😆 Apart from Roger being a terrible actor this totally could have worked 😍

>>>Apart from Roger being a terrible actor this totally could have worked 😍

@scorpiogemini I'm HOWLING. Can you imagine how fabulously awful he'd have been? It would have been glorious. Hmmm. Let's see.

WHERE THE RADIALS SQUEAL, starring Roger Taylor and James Spader as brothers Roger and James Meddows-Todd. Released by "Movies that Never Existed but Totally Should Have" Productions (TM). [Roger's picture here, Spader's picture here.]

Roger Meddows-Todd is a charismatic, brooding star of the racing circuit, a beloved bad boy who wins races as often and easily as he breaks hearts. James Meddows-Todd is his equally charismatic, brooding younger brother, an up-and-coming racing star in his own right, as well known for his sarcastic wit as his growing talent on the track.

Roger was 19 and James 12 when their father, a racing champion himself, died in a fiery crash during the Monaco Grand Prix. Their mother, inconsolable, flung herself off the cliffs after a disastrous turn at the Monte Carlo gaming tables on the emotionally charged first anniversary of her husband's death.

Roger became his brother's guardian when their parents died, and raised him as they traveled the world.

Queen cameos:

Brian, Roger's friend since they were boys themselves, initially travels with the brothers as James' court-mandated tutor. James is highly entertained by Brian and Roger's frequent arguments. Brian is two years older than Roger, and James quietly notes how their relationship mirrors Roger and James' own big and little brother dynamic. A close friend of both brothers, Brian remains with the Meddows-Todds long after his tutor duties have ended. While on their travels, he increases his knowledge of the stars and the heavens.

John is the founder and owner of Deacon Luxury Motors, and his cars are as beautiful and beautifully engineered as they are fast. He's the major sponsor of Peregrine Racing, the brothers' racing team. Known for his financial savvy, John also acts as the brothers' trusted but unofficial financial advisor.

Freddie is owner of the famously decadent Mercury Speedway and Casino Entertainment Complex in Montreux, Switzerland, which is sometimes called "the world's most beautiful race course." He's been trying to lure the brothers to set up home base at the Complex since their parents died.

Crystal appears as the Peregrine Racing crew chief, the roadies as the pit crew.

I had way too much fun with this!

[angelsanarchy]

Alkaline: Euronymous x Y/N Series CH 22

Tagging: @ophelialaufey@madamemaximoff06@forever-not-gonna-sink@ajmiila02@liquidsmoothdomme@shady-the-simp @auggiethecreator @tempt-ress @blacksoul-27

Oystein was having a slow day. He was exhausted and annoyed but the moment the bell on the door sounded, he was ready to send Varg's groupies out of the door.

"If you're looking for Varg he's not-" Oystein looked up from the magazine he was reading and there she was. Y/n stood sheepishly, hands in her pockets and a nervous smile on her lips.

"Oh..hey...hey how- how are you?" Oystein stuttered as she approached the counter.

"I'm alright. I wanted to come by and thank you for the flowers...and food. It was really sweet and you didn't have to-

"Y/n...come on." Oystein shook his head letting her know that even if she despised him, he would have sent something.

"Your parents actually came by a few times. Your mom said you wanted to come by but you didn't want to upset me..." Oystein watch her fidget with her hands and could tell she was uncomfortable.

"Come to my office, we can talk for a minute." He extended his arm towards the door but she hesitated.

"Trust me, it's okay." Oystein added. She walked into his office and noticed the picture was gone and nowhere to be seen. She felt a small sense of ease as she sat in the chair in front of his desk and he pulled his chair to sit opposite her.

"Can you give this to your parents for me? It's a thank you from my family and I don't want to forget to give it to you." She handed the card to him and he took it.

"Yeah I'll get it to them." He nodded.

"I see you shaved your mustache." She gestures to his face and he smiles.

"Yeah well, I got some less than stellar reviews on it so I figured it had to go." Oystein gave a smile smirk and she nodded her head.

"Hey, I know this is super late and I don't deserve your consideration or forgiveness but I wanted you to know how insanely sorry I am for...everything. How I treat you, the things I did and said, how I was about Pelle...I didn't know about your brother but that's not an excuse for how I handled Pelle's death." Oystein spoke sincerely and Y/n could feel herself allowing his words to sink in.

"Honestly, you're probably the only person who knows what's going through my head right now. Finding Pelle like that...finding my brother...you feel gutted. Completely and utterly hollowed." Oystein carefully reached out and took her hand.

"Don't let that be what you hold of him. I've been fighting that in my fucked up brain since it happened. Remember your brother the way you loved him." Y/n nodded in agreeance.

"My aunt told me you called during Shiva." She sniffled and he rubbed his thumb under her eye to catch the tears.

"I wanted to be there for you so badly but I knew I had fucked things up so royally, I didn't want to make it worse. I didn't want you to feel like I was somehow rubbing it in or trying to cause you pain. I just...I want to fucking hug you so bad." Oystein explained. It hurt him to see her this hurt.

"I want that. I want to be able to feel safe and comforted in your arms but I can't ask you to be two people Oystein. I can't accept the way you portray yourself, I can't handle everything that comes with Euronymous." She explained sadly.

"You know who I am. I don't want to pretend losing Pelle didn't hurt anymore. I don't want to sit around and watch something that I created out of love turn into something that I hate. I've been pretending to be this shell of a human for so long trying to protect myself from my own pain that I forgot what it felt like to hear this music and truly connect. You were right, music doesn't have to be one thing. It can be universal." She smiled listening to Oystein talk. This was the guy she fell for. This is the one she missed terribly and wanted to spend every moment with. She never thought she would see him again but here her was.

"I can't believe you shaved it off. It truly was hideous though." She let got of his hand and ran her thumb over his upper lip.

"Yeah it didn't feel like me. This feels more my speed." He nodded knowing she was happy he had gotten rid of it.

"You also need to dye your roots." She ruffled his hair making him laugh out loud for what seemed like the first time in a long time.

"Well maybe you can come by my new place and help me with that." Oystein said it casually and Y/n bit her bottom lip.

"No bad behavior, just having a beer and dying my hair. Nothing crazy, I promise." Oystein held his hand up and she rolled her eyes.

"As if anything with you has ever been sane." She said checking her watch.

"I've got to get to work. Hammeed has been really cool about me being off so long, I don't want to be late." She stood up and Oystein walked her to the door.

"Oh hey I want you to have this." Oystein ran to his desk and tore a piece of paper off the notepad before writing his number on it.

"This is my number now. No roommates so if I don't answer, I'm probably here...you have the number here so..." She took it and looked at it as they walked out of the office.

"Oh look who it is. You know face fucking on company time reflects badly on the label. You should really stay focused on getting my record figured out." Varg said turning his nose up at Y/n.

"Are you friends with this guy now? I thought he was like stalking you guys?" Y/n asked not even bothering to speak to Varg.

"I'd watch my mouth if I were you. I follow no one. Clearly you need to catch up or fuck off." Varg stepped closer to Y/n and Oystein slid his body in front of her.

"Kristian, isn't it? You should really put something in place of your Scorpions patch. Your jacket looks a little naked." She laughed.

"It's Varg, Cunt."

"No one cares, Clown." Y/n didn't hesitate to fire back at Varg and Oystein was baffled at her bravery. He admired so many things about Y/n but one of his favorite things about her is that she didn't fear anything or anyone.

She put her hand on Oystein's back and squeezed his forearm with her other hand.

"I'll call you." She said sweetly. He gave her a nod and watched her walk towards the door.

"Oh good luck with the patch search, Larg!" She called out and before Varg could correct her, she shut the door in his face. He was fuming looking at Oystein before storming back down to join the others in the circle common area. Oystein couldn't help but feel like he got a little piece of himself back again.

[mysticmayhem1337]

Movie Review #020

The Lost Boys

Directed By: Joel Schumacher Year: 1987 Length: 1h 37m Rated: 7.2/10 Genre: Horror/Comedy Stars: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Jami Gertz, Corey Feldman, Jamison Newlander & Dianne Wiest.

Summary Two brothers move to a coastal town, famous for its rides, sights and death toll. When the eldest starts hanging out with the wrong crowd, the younger steps up to save him.

Review The tale of two brothers, with a genuine sibling bond. The cinematography was clever and many of the shots were incredibly artistic. Character is portrayed in a fascinating way through costume and hair.

Honest Thoughts Sometimes you just come across things in life and you just know you're the target audience. I want a motorbike (I can't even drive a car yet). If I could live forever, I too would spend eternity dicking about with my mates. In all seriousness though, I adore this film. Its appeal is belonging. Michael isn't just chosen to be friends with the "lost boys," he's given the opportunity to never face being alone again. That's something everyone desires. I also really love the relationship between Michael and Sam, they're well-written siblings. I love Sam's reaction to finding out Michael's turning is essentially "I'm telling Mom!" I heard that the blend of horror and comedy was a bit controversial when the film was being made, but I think it's excellent. There were several moments that I genuinely laughed at. However, I will say that some of the acting felt a little off, such as Corey Feldman's voice, it sounds like he's purposefully deepening it and it doesn't work for me. But it doesn't spoil the film. And the music! Holy shit! I can't not talk about the music. "Cry Little Sister" and "Lost in the Shadows" are easily some of my new favourite tunes, I've been listening to them so much since watching the film. Even if you don't plan to see it, at least have a listen to the soundtrack. The rock music feels a little gothic to me sometimes, which fits the film so well. This film is firmly one of my favourites.

Scores Performance: 3.5/5 Plot: 4/5 Effects: 5/5 Flow: 5/5 Engagingness: 5/5 Overall: 4.5/5

Watched On: Prime Information Source: IMDb

[skania]

Replies to OnK Asks #2

I have enough for another round of replies, so let's go!

If you sent me an anon message these past two days, the answer should be below the cut! If it isn't then I either missed it or Tumblr ate your message, please don't hesitate to message me again if that's the case

Just in case, there are spoilers for Chapter 123 below the cut!

Hang in there anon! Even if Ruby has grown, Sarina's love for Goro is basically frozen in time. I'm sure that if Sarina had had the chance to grow older, her love for Goro would've naturally transitioned into something more age appropriate. As it is though, it was born within the bubble of her hospital room where Goro was one of the only two good things she had in her life, and then Ruby continued to nurture it through the years by desperately hoping she may come across him again.

For years, Goro has been her romanticized, idealized, impossible first love. So when she finds out that Aqua is Goro, she isn't thinking This is inappropriate, he is my brother! She is instinctively reacting the same way Sarina would've reacted to reuniting with Goro. Ruby needs time to process her feelings.

I also think that Sarina's feelings for Goro were the innocent kind of love where a child is like: This person makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside! I want to be with them forever! We should get married!

So eventually, I'm sure Ruby will realize that being Aqua's sister is perfect, because this way they already are forever bonded to each other.

People are saying that? They're really trying to find every possible reason under the sun to hate on her 😂 I think one valid critique would be to say that Akane made that offer while not being sure of her own feelings/thinking Aqua had no feelings for her, but... how is that worth hating her? If I didn't love Akane, I'd have just felt sad for her—hating her would've never crossed my mind lol

I mean, I'm not sure we can generalize. But from what I've seen, people ship just as hard there as we do over here, it's just that they're better at separating fandom from canon. If the ship they like doesn't happen, they usually won't go on a public tirade against the work—they may criticize it a bit in their own corner, but usually they just continue shipping their thing in peace.

All in all though, Aka doesn't seem like the type to do what people want him to do. I believe he will do whatever he feels works best for the story he wants to tell lol

Ohhh that's interesting! In the few months that Ruby spent on Revenge Mode, she did show more ruthlessness than Aqua would be capable of, so maybe you're right and Crow Girl would've ideally wanted Ruby to be the one carrying it out.

Crow Girl is 100% right though, Aqua just isn't cut for revenge. He is too soft-hearted, too kind. He may be fine with everyone hating him, but he won't be fine with anyone but him suffering, so he is doomed to fail lol

Thank you anon!! You have a good day, too!

Manga Plus!

Off the top of my head: flustered Aqua, whenever he makes Akane pout, Akane trying to feed him, Aqua getting caught-off-guard when Akane can tell he wants to talk about breaking up, the whole do-you-have-that-kind-of-feelings-for-me? talk and Akane teasing him when he comes to pick her up with the umbrella are some of their funniest moments for me 😂

Yes!! You have a very good point anon, Aqua's and Akane's reconciliation is being saved for later. It's just like the next Akane volume cover, the fact that we haven't gotten one yet shows that we will be getting some nice Akane chapters in the future.

Thanks anon, I'm glad you see it too! Maybe I'm jumping the gun, but in all honesty after Chapter 123 I now have a hard time picturing Aqua's feelings for Kana as romantic. Kana's are the wild card, since hers have always been portrayed as romantic. We'll have to wait and see but so far, she seems to be following in Maki's (Kaguya-Sama) steps lol

I'm glad that Akane Kurokawa is Akane Kurokawa. She is one and only.

Well said anon, me too!!

I think the difference is that Kana's "radiance" comes from her genuine feelings. When she feels down, she can't shine. When she is happy, she shines brightly like the sun.

That's indeed the reason why she was only able to shine as an idol while Aqua was there. He was the reason she became an idol in the first place, and he's also the one she performed for; the one she wanted looking at her.

So while Ai (mostly) shone through the character she carefully constructed for herself, Kana shines due to her true feelings.

I do think that some readers aren't particularly interested in understanding him. At the same time, I get it because not everyone is reading OnK with the desire to analyse it. Some people just read it/watch it for fun and without paying much attention, which is perfectly fine although perhaps not exactly the best approach to Aka's writing lol

It's fine though, the person Aqua is will be pretty obvious by the end of the manga, so anyone who has missed it so far will surely get it by then!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, anon! I agree with a lot of what you're saying, and to answer your question:

do you really think Goro like Sarina in a romantic ways?

No, I don't! There's no chance of Goro liking Sarina romantically, he saw her like an innocent child and treated her as such. There's no ambiguity there at all, his "I'll think about it when you're 16" was just a round-about way of turning her down while gently reminding her of their age-gap. They both knew that Sarina likely wouldn't make it to 16, so I believe it was also Goro's way of trying to make both, himself and Sarina, imagine a future where Sarina was still alive. It's so sad 😭

And yes, the fact that Akane is so different is a great thing! She's also the only one that doesn't seem to have family issues, so there's even less for Aqua to project onto her. The obvious exception being when Akane temporarily lost the will to live, since Aqua likely could empathize 😭

You're absolutely right anon! For some people, it's like the Aqua/Akane relationship jumped from Chapter 30 to Chapter 98 with absolutely nothing in between—except for Chapter 81 and 87, but even then, only two panels count. The rest doesn't matter 😂

And it's not like there aren't alternative ways to interpret their relationship without ignoring everything that's happened between them and all their development. Hell, they could even say: yeah Akane almost got him, but failing to understand that Aqua just needed her by her side cemented her loss. She lost her chance—or something, and it would be a perfectly valid take! But some people just can't acknowledge that Aqua and Akane have a genuine, meaningful bond because they either a) want Aqua to be an edgelord b) want Aqua to only have eyes for their girl of choice.

Luckily, this willful denial of Aqua and Akane's bond can't change what's written in the manga lol

[thebroccolination]

Is it okay if you go into greater detail about Win's personality, fears, and insecurities?

OKAY SO.

Win's my favorite character! I love him deeply! And I've been enjoying his character growth in Between Us more than anything.

The interesting thing about following him as a character is that there're different versions of him with similarities and differences: currently unfinished Hemp Rope, his brief appearances in UWMA, the specials, and now the ongoing main series (currently episode four).

His character in Hemp Rope is hard for me to get a read on because we only have unofficial translations and an incomplete story, so a lot of his motivations and emotional interiority are missing nuances.

Here, have the most beautiful image ever drawn of Win, taken from the Twitter account of the official Red Thread mangaka:

Meanwhile, UWMA is tricky as well because as Boun has said, he put a lot of his own personality into the performance because he didn't have a layered character to study. He kind of created his own version of Win out of necessity. He only had about an hour total onscreen, and apart from his stairwell scene giving Dean advice, he didn't have much of an impact on the plot, so he wasn't a central character with a lot of detail.

That said, we got some crucial moments in his scenes with Team that helped us understand what kind of person he is.

So! When I wrote WinTeam fic over the past two and a half years, I used a composite of his characters in Hemp Rope and UWMA. The flirtatious side we see in UWMA, the nurturing side we see in Hemp Rope, etc.

The specials weren't meant to be canon, and honestly someone on here recently called them unofficial workshops, which…yes?! That's a brilliant way to think of them, I think. The feedback they got on the specials (mainly that they were portraying BounPrem more than WinTeam) probably helped them focus their performances in the main series.

So now we're seeing the main series unfold, and since Win has a full development arc to go through now, it's a lot easier for me to see all of these little nuances. He's a full-fledged, multilayered character! One of the leads! YAY FOR MY SON. <3

His core fear seems to be that he's going to be alone forever, and while he seems resigned to it in episode one, he still clearly has some hope by the fact that he's grabbed onto Team with both hands. Even though he also has no idea what to do to keep him, he wants Team.

I think he also has a craving for validation. That "Team helps Win feel wanted" from the synopsis has been an ongoing chant in my head for the past two years, and it's fascinating to see it play out onscreen. I want to see his interactions with his parents before I go too deep into analyzing anything with his family, but it's pretty telling already that no one's actually sat down with View – a sixteen-year-old – and explained what's expected of him. Not until Win did.

Win's mother seems to be the one who nurtures Wan, but then you have scenes where Wan is criticizing both of their parents when he talks to Tul and Win. (Maybe because she doesn't stand up for him strongly enough to his father?) I thought it was fascinating that Wan views Win as the favorite, but he doesn't seem to hold any serious resentment toward him. My guess is it's because of this "rule" Win apparently made up: they're equals to him. Even if their parents have chosen a favorite (unconsciously or not), Win isn't using that leverage over his brothers.

He's even enforced that same equality with food. Maybe it's a conscious or unconscious response to their parents making their favoritism obvious? Or it's just something he thinks is the right thing to do in general. I'm waiting on more scenes with his family, because right now I feel like it could be a number of things.

Basically, my dear Anon, I'm in the middle of a whole new Win Phawin analysis stage. I knew my characterization of him would change with his series, and I'm delighted by what we've gotten so far. :')

I hope this was what you were hoping for!

[ilikedetectives]

Hi Colin, I came across your blog after getting around to playing Control in January and I love seeing all your photos/screenshots of Jesse. I saw through your blog you also talk about how female characters are portrayed in video games, so I wanted to ask you something. I was thinking about gender roles in Control and how I wouldn’t have played this game if the roles were reversed between Jesse & Dylan (I got interested in this game because there’s a female protagonist). I mean, if wanted to see a piece of media where the man saves the woman, I could play like every other video game, movie, book etc.

So you know how in media typically when they have a female lead character they still cater to men and often times (like in Disney princess movies) in order to compensate for having a female lead character they often end up making the rest of the characters as male ones? I was just wondering since I haven’t seen anyone mention this/really unpopular opinion what do you think about instead of a brother they gave Jesse a younger sister? I would have liked that so much and wish they did that. The previous game Remedy did (Quantum Break) had two brothers, it would have been nice if they had two sisters.

Anyways, I was just wondering about your thoughts on this because when when it comes to siblings, I don’t see a lot of sister-sister relations in media. I can only think of like 3 at the top of my head and the lasted one being Arcane. I don’t know if you watched that, but I loved Vi & Jinx’s relationship and it would have been cool to see something like that in Control. In regards to the sequel, I was thinking about Jesse & Dylan’s relationship and how they would go about that because often times in older sister/younger brother relationships they put the sister in a motherly role which I don’t really like.

In the first game, I know myself and others didn’t care for him (and the story at least imo didn’t try to make you care). I know depending on how much emphasis they put on their relationship in the next game, they would have a lot more conflict, but idk I’m not really feeling their relationship as siblings. I think I’m more interested in the fact that it would give her character development/more of an emotional arc, not the relationship itself. Anyways though, at least they have Emily because I loved their relationship, especially in The Foundation. Sorry if this is a weird (and long) question I wanted to know your thoughts and this what you think about them giving Jesse and younger sister instead of a brother? Thanks!

Hi anon *wave* Thank you and I'm glad to hear you're enjoying Control! Funny you mentioned, because I've always loved the evil twin tropes. I still wish Kassandra had an evil twin so Deimos is just her twin sister (so when you go to the protag choice menu it just says "Kassandra" or "The More Unhinged Kassandra"), and to an extent, I wish Jesse had an evil twin sister (does esseJ counts?).

You brought up a good point we often don't see sister-sister relations in media and I too wish we had more (I still need to watch Arcane and play Quantum Break, oops). If Jesse had a younger sister, I'd definitely be more personally invested in the sibling character. I can still relate to Jesse and Dylan sibling relationship as I have a younger brother irl, but I'd definitely prefer Jesse to have a younger sister given the choice (I also have a younger sister irl). Sister relationship is rarely portrayed in games, I just want to see more of it and get my brain chemically altered forever after that (like how we rarely get mother-daughter relationship explored as protags in movies and eeaao hits like a truck). This last point might simply be pure coincidence: I remember Courtney discussed about losing her brother (x), so I'm not sure if that was the inspiration for giving Jesse a brother, this is just my speculation though as there's no official confirmation about it.

The Dylan Easter Egg (x) imo hints the Hiss is coming to NYC along with an eclipse (you can see the One World Trade Center and the Brooklyn Bridge), combined with the Control 2 poster showing that the Hiss is outside the FBC, it's very likely that Dylan is up to no good or maybe it's the crime syndicate group that trades OOPs for profit (who knows what kinda reality portal bending OOPs they're holding). Idk if we will know more about Dylan other than the creepy weird brother who brings troubles that the older sis gotta clean up the mess in the sequel, but yes like you, I hope Jesse got more emotional character development arcs in Control 2, even if it means I'd have to ball my eyes out when I finish the game.

Anyway I'm still so excited for Control 2 and fingers crossed for more Jessily aaa I'm excited for the sequel!!!!

[heavensenthearty]

Jin and Jintara for the ask game?

So sorry that it took me so long to answer! I think I was depressed. But anyway, thank you so much for asking about Jin! I've been wanting to rant about her since FOREVER!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

Jin

How I feel about Jin?

Jin is one of my favorite characters. I know it sounds weird to say that about someone that showed up only once in the series, but it's true! She was the sweetest girl around and she was also one of those people that can stay positive despite everything. She was so kind, and cute, and her voice both in English and Spanish dub was beautiful. I also love her design, she's one of the ATLA girls I wish we had seen with their hair down. And she's one of those characters that I see having ordinary lives and dreams, that don't see themselves as fighters but they stand up when it's needed.

Any/All the people I ship her romantically with?

Jinko: Of course! Her crush on Zuko was super cute and the scene when she is dragging him to see the lights remains as one of the most romantic ones in the show! I loved how they were each other's first love and how comfortable they were around one another. I headcanon that everybody is super surprised when Zuko first introduces them to Jin because Zuko allows very few people to get all over him the way Jin does and even lesser people can make him smile like that.

Jintara: I already talked about this in my Katara answer, but I just imagine them so mind-blown by how much they have in common — and the fact that both are talking to the most beautiful girl they have ever seen — that they would click instantly. They would go on one date after the other in just one night because they don't want this moment with this wonderful person to ever end.

Jet/Jin: I call them JJ 🤭. The way I see them, Jet is so used to getting his way with his charm alone that he wouldn't know how to react to someone with as much life and people experience talking back to him, telling him he ain't all that. In an AU where they both join the GAang, I headcanon them becoming close because they are "the outsiders", and then I picture this exchange:

Smellerbee: I thought you didn't do "just friends".

Jet: Well, I do with her [Jin].

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

In general, I low-key headcanon that anyone who ever laid eyes on Jin has a bit of a crush on her because she is that drop-dead gorgeous.

My favorite non-romantic relationship for Jin?

Probably her three older brothers. My headcanon is that Jin comes from a single-dad home with three children aside herself. Her brothers make the house feel like a fire station, they are always either working out or going from one place to the other in a rush to get to work, but whatever they are doing they are fiercely protective of Jin and keep reminding her she is "the baby".

My unpopular opinion about Jin?

I don't think she is as innocent as the fandom sometimes portrays her. I see Jin as very street-smart and with plenty knowledge about Lower Ring's nite life — and on the escape routes for getting away from the Dai Li. (Not that she gets in anything illegal, it's just precaution.) She learned all this by sneaking out of home somewhat frequently, she didn't want her family's overprotection and Ba Sing Se's regime to stop her from living life as best as she could. I think beneath her cheery demeanor, she is always looking over her shoulder considering the city she lives in, and I also headcanon that she is well aware of her physical beauty and sometimes she thinks she can use it to get her way, too.

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

I wish she had joined Team Avatar.

Plain and simple like that.

Favorite friendship for this character?

Katara or Zuko. Or both!

I think she would become very close with Zuko once they met again after the War, and he would be eager to introduce her to Katara. He would think the two of them are some of the most important people in his life. Jin would be that friend that is always very close and everyone else thinks you are dating her — it doesn't matter if it is Zuko or Katara, Jin would take their hands and they would start walking the three hand-holding down the street.

My crossover ship?

I don't think I ever had one, but if you're asking me to answer on the spot... maybe Agatha Wellbelove from the Carry On Trilogy — they would be the BEST-looking couple — or... Nikolai Lantsov from TGT, or... I feel like she would fit into the Red, White, and Royal Blue universe, and I think there would be something going on with either Pez or June, but I don't know.

Or maybe Blue Sargent! Before she started hanging out with the Raven Boys? When she still had her anti-rich-kids reputation at school and Jin was just this girl everyone couldn't help but love... 🤭

Jintara

When I started shipping them?

Pretty much after I started shipping Zutara in The Crossroads of Destiny. When I got off the high of my very first AUs of them ending up together, my mind immediately went "What if Katara and Jin met?"

My thoughts?

They are so similar and they would understand each other so well. They are two amazing characters that the fandom sometimes overlooks; either as a couple or just as friends, they are the type of people that would stick with each other till the bitter end and support each other all the way. They would do their best to bring the highest positivity to each other's lives, Katara would push Jin to fight back against Ba Sing Se's regime, and Jin would help Katara distract herself from her all-consuming work. They would relate so much to each other and believe they finally found their soulmate at first glance.

What makes me happy about them?

That I can imagine them as a couple and as friends with very little differences in the dynamic. It's not complicated between them, it's sweet and they are united by common interests and values.

What makes me sad about them?

That they never even met 😑.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me?

Nothing more than the fact that there's barely any Jintara out there. I wish people gave Jin's character and her ships more of a chance.

Things I look for in fanfic?

No specific requests beyond accurate characterization.

My wishlist?

Well, things I would have liked to see in canon:

Jin and Katara meeting on the street and by the time Katara's friends find her, she is so immersed in this conversation with this random girl when she is supposed to be waiting for them.

Katara brushing Jin's hair.

Them walking hand-in-hand all the time.

Them having a conversation about Zuko.

Them shopping together.

The GAang going for a snack and Jin not knowing what to get so she says she'll have whatever Katara is having.

Who I'd be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other?

In an AU where Jin ended up with Zuko, it's probably one of my AUs where Katara decides to study medicine and is too focused on her career to get into a relationship. A few years down the road... maybe if it's also one of my AUs where Aang's character also develops and I see them working out as a couple.

And when Katara ends up with Zuko after the War, I have this headcanon that Jin starts hanging out with Zuko's friend group and goes in at least one date with Mai.

My happily ever after for them?

Them meeting at a tea shop in Ba Sing Se and they start chatting and feel this instant connection, and then when they get engaged they have this line from one of my favorite doramas: "I'm so happy I met you. You, my love."

😍 *squealing*

— 💋

Ask games!

[ghoste-catte]

okay so I've been a big fan of your work for like almsot three years now and you kinda inspired me to want to start my own gaara fanfic. I am absolutley in love with your characterisation of him (especially in sleep talk with me) and wondered if you maybe could give me some tips? because my story would also take place in the sweet inbetween after the chunin exams and before he becomes kazekage. (and to write him in this time frame is so so hard. damn you barely excitent canon content.)

OMG anon?? That’s such a nice thing to say!! I’m so thrilled that you’re inspired to write your own stuff! I hope you’ll drop me a link to it when it’s finished!! I’m sure it’ll be amazing!! I love that time period for Gaara. 

To be honest, I don’t feel like I’m super qualified to give writing “advice��� (I say, preparing to give advice), because I’m really just an amateur doing this for fun. But that being said, there’s a couple things that I think are fun or interesting or compelling to explore with Gaara during that timeskip period between OG Naruto and Shippuden ... (Caveat here that these are just my opinions and there’s no one right way to explore this character, and that there’s plenty of interpretations that are worthwhile and fantastic and honestly better than mine!) 

So, the first and biggest thing I had to keep drilling into my own head as I was writing Sleeptalk was how staggeringly YOUNG all the characters are pre-Shippuden. Gaara is, like, twelve or thirteen at the chuunin exams and he becomes Kazekage around age fifteen. I don’t know if you remember being fifteen, but I was barely qualified to work my little part-time job at that age! Hell, I’m shocked they let me drive a car (with a learner’s permit, but still). So picturing someone making the decisions he did at that age, even in the context of the militaristic, child-soldier-normalizing context of Naruto is ... a lot. 

The biggest thing I think with Gaara--as an adult or as a teenager--is keeping in mind how strongly his trauma shaped him. What Gaara goes through between the end of the chuunin exams and his first appearance in Shippuden is basically an (unrealistically) accelerated trauma recovery. From age 6 to age 12, he basically has no personal connections, no affection, no mentorship or anything other than what appears to be basic “wrangling”. The Naruto wiki says that his dad is the one who trained him in ninjutsu, but it’s hard to picture him being particularly tractable after Yashamaru’s death, so I imagine those trainings were short-lived and probably fairly brutal. After all, it’s said Rasa’s magnet release was the only thing that could control Gaara if he let Shukaku take over. If anything, Rasa’s training methods are probably a lot closer to the Hyuugas’ than to, say, the Akimichi. So I think in addition to the onscreen traumas (the early loss of his mother, his overall rejection by Suna, the forcible termination of his relationship with his siblings, the assassination attempts, and of course Yashamaru’s betrayal), we probably also are looking at someone who was abused in addition to being neglected. Healing from trauma is a lot of work, and it has missteps and backslides in addition to forward progress, so there’s a lot of potential for development of his character there. Thinking about what his healing journey was like, what his setbacks might have been, and how he handled those. And what his major milestones were, too. What were his big signs of progress? His red letter days?

There’s actually a lot we don’t know about Gaara’s childhood between when Yashamaru died and the Konoha Crush, and there’s a lot of room to play in that space and explore possibilities. For example, who took care of his basic caregiving needs? Who made sure he had clothes and food? What did he eat? What were the major events of those six years? Did he ever try to reach out to Temari or Kankuro? To his dad? To Baki? What was the context of the additional assassination attempts? Did he play, and if so, what sort of games might he have played? We know, for example, that he has some artistic talent with the sand--was that something he ever explored? What did he do at night, since he couldn’t sleep? How was he kept awake, and by what or whom? There’s a lot of potential to explore additional, non-canon events that might have been formative. And how did any of that change after the chuunin exams, when he decided he wanted to be seen as more than a weapon? What sorts of things did he have to learn?

We know a very bare minimum about the Suna Council and the politics and culture of Suna, too, and I think there’s a lot of potential interest there. How would the Council have approached Gaara’s announcement of his intention to become Kage, when there were two older (and more emotionally stable) candidates from the same lineage? We know from the light novels that there is still backstabbing and subterfuge and that Gaara’s appointment is controversial even when he’s an adult, so I think there’s a lot of opportunity for political intrigue in the years between part 1 and Shippuden, if that’s your thing. 

One of the biggest and most important things that I think was sorely neglected by canon was Gaara’s relationship with his siblings. There’s so much growth that needed to happen there, and Temari and Kankuro were probably still pretty scared of him at first! There’s so much potential for them to grow together as people and to form a new family unit, and exploring how they went from being wary of him (and potentially needing to be prepared to kill him if he got out of control) to a loving sibling relationship! There are a lot of firsts that could be explored there--when did he first acknowledge Kankuro as his older brother, for example? Who was the first to try to give him a hug, and did he (or the sand) allow it?

Finally, I do really want to emphasize the mental health component of Gaara’s journey. Canon leans really heavily on the fact that he has a literal demon sealed inside him and that he’s protected by his mother’s spirit through magic sand, but a lot of his reactions and ways of handling things are really just that of a traumatized child, with or without the additional magic component. If you took a kid Gaara’s age and put them through traumatic events on the scale of what he went through--with or without magical ninja skills--you would likely see similar reactions. The only difference is that Gaara has access to fundamentally unlimited power. (And I think learning that, too--that he can’t just kill or hurt people to get what he wants--would be a huge part of his development and learning process.) So I personally don’t really care for interpretations of his development that lean too heavily on the ‘literal demon voices in his head’ and ‘actual conversing with ghosts/spirits’ interpretations, though they’re perfectly valid ones given what canon portrays. I much prefer an interpretation where a lot of Gaara’s symptoms--and they are symptoms!--are actually things that are going on with him emotionally and internally rather than being literal magic events that are happening. For example, I like to think his discomfort with the full moon has a lot more to do with negative emotions associated with the memory of Yashamaru’s betrayal than a literal issue with Shukaku thirsting for blood.  

Anyway, I’ve rambled on forever, but if you have other questions please feel free to pop back up! And I hope you’ll link me to your story when it’s done--I’d love to read it!!

[80s-roger]

when love must die: joe mazzello

summary: you're married to joe mazzello for three years; the best three years of your life and the previous three dating and later being engaged. however, since day one of your marriage, you try for a successful pregnancy but they all end up failed. your most successful pregnancy was an IVF one, but the tube baby didn't make it at the last day of the first trimester. 

portray: current joe obv, female reader at 30.

words: 2306

warnings: unprotected sex, fluff, domestic violence experience, argument.

note: there will be part two.

masterlist

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Joe was at the set, he'd be back home soon for dinner. The table was ready and you got yourself a pregnancy test. You ran to the bathroom upstairs to finally find out. Plus or minus? You didn't have your period since the last time you had sex with him -almost two months ago- and you were excited if it was because of a fetus growing inside you.

You took the test, sitting impatiently at the toilet's cap, waiting for the result. You wished it was a plus symbol, meaning you're pregnant. Unfortunately, it had just a horizontal line. You were disappointed again. Crying loudly because your husband wasn't home, so you finally had the time to let it all out. You've been praying days and nights to have a baby. It's unfair for you when other women throw their newborns at the litter.

Suddenly the door opens fastly and you were scared to death. You got relieved as you saw Joe looking at you with terror in his eyes.

"What happened?" He asked terrified sitting next to you, placing you in his big arms.

You didn't say a word. The tears wouldn't stop running. He erased them with his fingers, until he noticed the test next to you. He looked at you without saying a word. He took it at his hand and saw it was negative. He threw it at the bin and pulled you closer, rubbing your back.

"It's going to happen. Don't worry." He whispered.

Thankfully, he was really supportive on this. He wants to be a dad as much as you want to be a mum but he is patient and never stresses you on this. You've seen your doctor and he says it's just your nature. Nature? A woman's nature after unprotected sex, is getting pregnant, having a fetus growing at her uterus for nine months and later having it in her arms, breastfeeding it. You can't try forever. There will be someday, you'll reach menopause.

Joe and you walked at the kitchen, ready to eat your dinner. He places you at your chair but you had no will on eating.

"Baby you gotta eat." He said after taking a bite of his portion.

"I'm not hungry..." You sobbed, placing your dish away from you.

"It's probably too early for the test to know..." He mentioned the test, trying to make you feel better.

"It's been almost two months, not two days." You commented, looking at him. Your dinner stopped. It was just talk.

"I'm trying to help here. I know it's hard, but we'll make it." He placed his palm over your hand.

"It's easier said than done Joe. Do you have any idea how terrible I feel?" You whimpered. "We're trying for three years, we'd have a baby by now." You stuttered.

"It's fine Y/N... I'm patient enough to make space for your emotions." he explained.

"Why are you even married with me? I'm nothing but an obstacle to your new family." You pledged. It was so sad.

"You're my family. What are you talking about?" He sat on his knees, kissing your hands. He proposed to you on one knee. Good memories.

"But you want kids. And we lost the older one. Remember?" You reminded him. His eyes darkened.

"I remember. But that does not prevent me from not being with you. I can't even imagine my life without you." He implied and caressed your cheek.

"I love you Joe." You silently wailed and he leaned closer to you.

"And I love you." He toned. "Listen, how about going upstairs and lay? I'll be there in a few, I have to fix the table." He smiled and you nodded.

You closed the door behind your bedroom, changed to your nighty and laid on the bed, calling your mum.

"Hey mum." You said.

"Hello darling, how are you?" She asked. You didn't reply. "Um.." she started. "You tried again, didnt you?" She knew about your lack of fertility.

"Yes, it was negative." You answered.

"What did he say?"  She somehow didn't really like Joe, but Joe didn't give a shit.

"He's nothing but a supportive and patient husband." You nod your head feeling great for being his wife.

"And what are you going to do now?" She curiously asked.

"Try again, I guess..." You implored.

"But you've seen that sex won't help you get pregnant." she decreed.

"And where are you getting with it? Doing medical procedures in cold laboratories?" You gasped.

"Keep that method, it almost happened. Your husband has money to afford it." she had the nerve to instruct.

"It's not only his money, but mine too. We both work. We'll both raise this baby." You corrected her. "I just called you to let you know it was one more unsuccessful try. You won't know about it by the day you'll see me with a baby in my arms." You elaborated and hang up your phone without hearing her answer.

Five minutes later, Joe came to your bedroom. He took off his clothes and went inside your bathroom, taking a shower. It didn't last long and he was next to you, on his towel, around his waist. He sat next to you when his big palms caressed your stomach. That move made you whimper.

"Don't cry, it'll happen." He really is an optimist person. He wiped off some of your tiny tears ready to escape from your eyes. "I don't know if it's the appropriate time, but do you want us to try again? Or should we go for in vitro fertilization?" He gently asked.

"I don't want IVF, I don't feel comfortable there. Only with you." You disclosed and he came closer to your face kissing you gently.

His big hands caressed you everywhere. You looked so tiny beneath him, however it made you feel important. Your hands kept touching his attractive biceps until he removed the towel around him, staying naked on top of you. With one move, he removed your nighty and massaged your breasts, when his face leaned towards your neck, giving you soft kisses. He finally removed your underwear and trusted inside you. His moans were so deep and his eyes locked in you. Your arms, around his neck and his back, giving small nail scratches.

"I love you Joe." You moaned between the thrusts you received.

"I love you too y/n ..." He softly said when you felt him moving deeper. He knew every inch of your body. Literally. He knew how deep you could take him and how much. "Babe, are you close?" He asked making sure you'd finish too.

"Yes..." You moaned kissing his lips.

"Alright, because I am." he caressed your cheek and his moves were sudden and slow, which means he was done inside you, possibly fertilizing you. You came together and after removing himself from you, he wore his underwear and helped you get your clothes too. He covered you with the layers and hugged you tight.

"I hope this time it's happening." You said at his arms.

"Fingers crossed." He smiled at you.

You were the little spoon tonight; Joe was hugging you from behind and you felt protected. This is how he makes you feel everytime you're together. You're just made for each other.

You woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and frightened of your nightmare. You stood up from your bed crying loudly. Joe next to you grabbed a bottle of water, you always have at your stand, offering it. He gently rubbed your back telling you to calm down, it was just a bad dream, it's not reality. But what if it really is? What if you really are infertile? You were on the edge of going insane. He pulled you closer, playing with your hair so you'd eventually return to your sleep.

The next morning, Joe wasn't next to you. He probably went downstairs, making breakfast. You had to get ready and see him at the kitchen. But you heard speeches coming from there as you walked the stairs so you decided to eavesdrop. There was your younger brother Ben talking with him. That's how you actually met each other. Ben set you up.

"How's things?" Ben asked. You didn't really talk to him about you and Joe but Joe does. They are like best friends.

"Terrible." Joe admitted and Ben looked at him confused. "I mean, I love her but we keep failing on growing our family." He explained and took a sip of his coffee.

"How long have you been trying?" He asked preoccupied.

"Since the wedding night, counting three years." He declared.

"I've heard my mother talking with y/n about it but I didn't really pay attention. However, how do you feel about it?" Ben questioned.

"I can't blame y/n about this, it's happening to many women but I also can't see myself without kids." He opened up to his best friend. You instantly felt heart broken.

"And then what? Will you divorce her because of that? She loves you more than anything Joe." Ben explained.

"I can't divorce her. She's my everything. But I also don't want to keep trying. I want to have babies in this big house as soon as possible. I don't want to age." He shook his head broken hearted.

"You do feel sad about it. Do you have any idea how sadder it is for her? A baby is a bless." Ben protested. You wanted to hear more. They'd stop the conversation if you appeared in the kitchen.

"I'm not pressuring her. When we did the IVF, we were sure it'd happen but it died too. How many possibilities does she have when she gets older? Less than they already are." Joe questioned himself. Ben didn't say a thing.

You decided to get inside the kitchen, pretend like you heard nothing.

"Good morning sis." Ben smiled at you.

"Morning Ben." You neutrally said, faking what you thought before. You couldn't hide your anger at Joe's confession.

"Good morning my love." Joe attempted kissing you but you backed off. Both of them noticed your reaction and stared each other confused. "So um, are you okay?" He checked on you.

"I'm perfect." You lied. You're dying inside.

"Maybe I should get going." Ben felt the tense and had to leave.

"Yes you should. I'll take you to the door." You raised you eyebrow at him.

You were with Ben at the door and Joe eavesdropped without being noticeable.

"The next time you'll talk with Joe about my lack of fertility, I'll murder you." You threatened him.

"You know you can't do it sis." He joked.

"I can't, but I can cut your balls and you'll see who's the weak." You aggressively said to him and he didn't say a word.

"Damn sis, okay." He was defeated and left your home leaving you with your husband.

He came out of the kitchen guilty. But it wasn't his fault. You just wanted to throw your weight somewhere else.

"You heard us?" He silently asked.

"Are you joking? Of course I did. Is that what you talk about with your friends outside?" You angrily argued.

"No! He asked me! Besides he's your brother, he can know about it." he pointed out.

"I don't want him to know! I won't even let my mother know from now!" You attacked.

"Fine! But he's my best friend! I want to talk to someone! Why don't you let me do it? I never pressure you so stop pressuring me!" He shouted leaving you at a staring shock.

"I want you to leave right now Joe." You silently closed your eyes pointing at the door. "And tell everyone we can't have kids because I am infertile." You were so ironic.

"Where will I go? Are you kicking me out of my home?" He concede.

"Yes I do and don't come back. I'm angry." You walked inside the kitchen and he followed you.

"But you'll be over it by evening." He calmly said.

"No I fucking won't!" You threw him a glass and it accidentally fell down at his feet, with some pieces of glass hurting his arms.

"You arrogant bitch!" He yelled coming to your place menacingly. "You want to kill me now or what?" He raised your hand on you and covered yourself with your arms, afraid if he'd hit you. Flashbacks of domestic violence crossed your mind. Your alcoholic father hitting you in every chance he'd get.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry!" You sat down at the floor, crying loudly and hiding yourself, so he wouldn't harm your body but your arms.

After Joe finding out what he was doing he shockingly moved his arms and sat in front of you, getting you inside his arms. He started crying too.

"I am sorry y/n, I didn't mean to do it! I'm just so sad." He whimpered at your neck.

"Please Joe, divorce me. I can't keep making you unhappy." You cried at his chest, avoiding the eye contact.

"I can't do it. I love you, I'm literally attached to you, mentally, emotionally and physically. I just can't." He kissed you. "We'll find some way to fix it. We can do it, I know." He silently cried, hiding his voice cracks.

[dknc3]

I read in a Cat/Ned fanfic that Catelyn was wishing she was with Brandon on her wedding night. It was gross and it still bothers me. I don't understand it. It's not the first time I've read fanfic with Cat wishing she had given her virginity to Brandon. Why is this such a common idea in Cat/Ned fanfic? Do you think it comes from the fact that Cat compared the two and Brandon was viewed favorably? Why do you think Ned gets treated as if he's inadequate and portray Cateyln as victim? What gives?

Well, Nonnie, I'm honestly not that bothered by the idea that Catelyn thought of Brandon on her wedding night or even that she might have wished it was he she was marrying and bedding. While the 35 and 34 year old Ned and Catelyn we meet in AGOT are undoubtedly in love, the 18-19 year olds who wedded that day in the sept at Riverrun were complete strangers! While I have no idea whether or not Catelyn fancied herself in love with Brandon Stark, I DO know that she had at least met him. She'd had YEARS to correspond with him, have him visit her on occasion at Riverrun (ALWAYS putting his best foot forward to impress his betrothed, no doubt.) He was handsome, outgoing, tall, charming, confident. I imagine young Catelyn was a bit like Sansa in that she could look at this dashing older man who treated her with such courtesy and imagine herself as his lady in their castle quite easily. And since she never knew him well, she could imagine him to be everything she wanted him to be during the long years of their betrothal as she grew up. Even if she never really truly felt anything like love for him, at least he wasn't a stranger (which Ned WAS), and she'd had years to get used to the idea of being his wife instead of mere days.Then he dies tragically, and in his place she's handed over to a man she's never met--younger, almost as young as she is, not particularly handsome, grim and silent rather than laughing and charming. While as readers, we KNOW Ned is a man who is warm and loving and cares deeply about people, virtually every non-Stark POV describes him as cold and stern. Even Bran's opening POV of the book describes Ned wearing what Catelyn called his "lord's face" at the execution. And when Ned and Cat met and married, Ned had just lost his father and brother to death and had no idea what terrible things were happening to his sister. He was suddenly the Lord of Winterfell and was dutifully stepping up to wed and bed his brother's betrothed to secure the armies of the Riverlands to his cause. Can you imagine just how grim Ned Stark looked with all of that grief and responsibility heavy on his young shoulders?Ned isn't inadequate, and I don't think Catelyn ever considered him that way--even in the beginning. She saw him as an honorable man doing what he must for his family and for the Seven Kingdoms. But she didn't want to marry him. She was a teenager!! She wanted Brandon alive and to get the life she'd been imagining for 6 or so years by this point! She didn't want war. She didn't want to wed a man who'd immediately leave and possibly die. She didn't want to be stripped naked and thrown in bed with a stranger. But she had no choice. She did her duty. The fact that she may have wished devoutly that it was Brandon beside her does not belittle Ned or herself. It's simply a natural response for a teenaged girl who wants desperately to do what's right and responsible but still mourns for the life she's just lost and has NO IDEA what this new life with this solemn stranger will bring her.As for portraying Catelyn as a victim in this, well, she is. I honestly don't think that's considered enough by a lot of readers. She has ZERO agency in this situation, just as she has zero agency when Ned brings Jon home and says, "This child is mine, I will tell you nothing more about him, but you will allow him to live here as my son and grow up among any children you bear me and never ever ask me a damn thing about him." Just because Catelyn ACCEPTS the feudal system and attempts to work within it to build her life rather than rejecting it entirely doesn't mean the system does not victimize her.Notice I don't say that Ned victimizes her (although he does to a certain extent in the matter of Jon, albeit reluctantly and guiltily.) I think Ned Stark is actually a very good man who wants nothing more than to treat Catelyn with all the respect and honor he possibly can--first for duty, and later for love as well. But the system DEFINITELY victimizes her. (Think about it--she'd have married Roose Bolton or old Walder Frey if that's who Hoster had given her to, and talk about being a VICTIM! Ugh!!)And even as a man and a High Lord, the feudal system of Westeros limits Ned's agency in this whole situation somewhat as well--just not nearly as much as it does Catelyn's as a woman. But I think they were both pretty miserable at that wedding, to be honest.But all of this in NO WAY diminishes what the two of them created over the years. We are given very few examples of married couples who have even an abundance of affection for each other in ASOIAF, much less a deep and abiding love. Yet that's what Ned and Catelyn achieved. Partially, that was sheer, dumb luck--they are remarkably suited to each other--much more suited than Brandon and Catelyn would have been, a fact she definitely comes to realize through the years. But even more importantly, they both WANTED a good marriage. They both wanted a successful family and life together. They bonded over their sense of duty and their desire to live up to the titles and positions they'd been given and even more so over the incredible love they felt for their children. And they turned toward each other when they could have turned away. They allowed the attraction and affection between them to blossom. They nurtured it instead of trying to squash it out of anger, fear, resentment or pride. And they were rewarded with a love beyond anything either of them expected during that hasty, grief-filled, war-motivated wedding between two strangers.And THAT is why I will ship Ned x Cat like burning fire FOREVER. :-)