#Just imagining how the fanfics would probably go in reality

[shirajellyfish]

Expectation vs reality

You are a new employee at the Pizzaplex. According to the job description, you basically just have to monitor the daycare animatronic for malfunctions and that's it. Maybe occasionally do the odd thing the animatronic can't, like confiscating any weapons (and by 'weapons' it's clear they mean things like fake toy guns, maybe a pocketknife), but other than that it seems like you're just going to be sitting there while getting paid a suspiciously high amount. This is going to be great.

You go through the training videos and marvel at the capabilities of this animatronic. The way it's able to perfectly blend genuine love for the children with untiring robotic perfection. The energetic Sun mode, the calming Moon mode, the endless amount of situations they can handle with ease. Everything a team of childcare professionals could dream of knowing is all programmed in. This animatronic is a work of art, and overseeing it… no, working with him is going to be an honor.

It's your first day on the job after training completes. You open the door and hear SCREAMING SO MUCH SCREAMING

The children are yelling and screaming as they run around like feral animals. A little girl screams as another child pulls her hair. Two ten year olds are screaming about if Charizard could win a fight against Goku. And Sun, Sun is screaming. He's covered in paint and dirt and greasy handprints. Two children are pouring glitter glue directly onto him while three more hold his arms down, clinging with a frightening tenacity. The Sun, he screams.

You rush over and shoo the children away. Sun immediately lunges at you, gripping your shoulders.

"LIGHTS ON. LIGHTS. ON!!"

"Wha-"

"KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, NEWBIE, OR EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WILL DIE."

"What??"

"EVERYONE. ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE HERE. WILL DIE. KEEP THE LIGHTS ON. ON."

Sun then skips away in a jarringly merry fashion. He ignores the complete disaster state the play area is in, as well as the still wet glue covering him from head to toe, in favor of re-stacking a pile of toy noisemakers. Every time he finishes stacking them, a giggling toddler knocks the whole thing over again. Sun begins stacking again in an infinite loop.

The hourly pay makes sense now.

[tr1nd2de]

Cloudless Lightning

I was reading a fanfic now, and I got the idea of how terrifying it must be for Fawcett's thieves, they're going to rob someone in an alley and BOOM a bolt of lightning in broad daylight, right behind you.

Then a big man with a lot of muscles emerges from the smoke, lightning bolts dance across his body, he looks at you and says: you better put the gun down, we don't want anyone to get hurt.

This is certainly scary, especially for other heroes.

I imagine how furious Batman must be knowing that the new hero recruited by the league, even though he is somewhat afraid of him, was never enough to stop Captain Marvel from appearing in Gotham for his so-called job as "champion of magic".

On yet another night when Batman is finishing his shift as a hero, with probably someone from the Bat-Family, lightning on a cloudless night.

Behind the others, in the alley below them, the technology shorts out and in the alley coming out of the smoke is Marvel, walking towards a store that is opening and he enters, grabs a staff and flies away, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

In Metropolis, Clark is walking down a street with Lois, his beloved. It's a beautiful day but there are no clouds in the sky. BOOM. Lightning strikes a store. Captain Marvel comes out carrying a demon on his shoulder and flies to where only God knows, because Marvel disappears in mid-air (teleports to the Rock).

And so on and so forth. For the league it is just a theory that the captain does not always live in our reality, apparently the work of "Champion of Magic" makes him travel in several dimensions, from job to job.

But for Billy, he just doesn't understand how every time he tries to use magic he ends up being teleported to another place. (Robber in an alley).

Whenever he tries to have a normal job as a reporter, something gets in the way.

(School trip to Metropolis, great place for a segment with Superman or Lois Lane and Clark Kent the reporters, but as always there is a demon in the middle...)

And last but not least, whenever he has to go to Gotham, because apparently Gotham would have several smuggled magical items.

(Billy hopes Batman isn't around, that guy scares him).

[beetheyapper]

what i’m about to say about anderperry might be somewhat controversial

people talk a lot about neil and todd and their potential relationship—and don’t get me wrong i love them—and how things may have gone if they’d had more time. we all know this, we’ve all read the cute fanfics and headcanons and giggled and daydreamed about this perfect world of what could have been

but i think these actually tend to ignore the harsh reality known as historical context. it was 1959, they were at a christian, all-boys school, and things would NOT have been easy sailing for their relationship. I mean, I’m pretty sure homosexuality was still considered heresy or something at this point. If they were in a relationship, then it would have been tense, secretive, etc.

and IM GAY and like i know that gay people have obviously always been around, but i just seriously doubt that they’d be wearing each other’s clothes and holding hands in public. their relationship would probably have to be hidden. they likely wouldn’t be shouting it from the rooftops

i hate to say this but i’m not even sure that all of the other poets would be immediately supportive; this was still a time period of raging homophobia

and i adore them and want happiness for them and i understand that some people ignore these facts for the sake of their own sanity and self-preservation, but i think it’s important. if they chose to still be together, it would have been another major “carpe diem” and another way of going against conformity. i feel like ignoring the context is almost a form of mischaracterization. 

but these are of course fictional characters that we’re talking about, and people are allowed to imagine them however they see fit. i just wish there was more fan-made media talking about or including this perspective

[osiiiris]

About problematic ships

I know this post and it’s consequences will probably end up pissing me off, but I’d really like to have a serious conversation about “problematic ships.” Like, an adult conversation. 

I know we can do it.

Precondition

For me, most of this opinion doesn’t involve the Copiiia/Copiia/Cop1a ships because I think the incest factor isn’t the main thing with that ship. The Papa x Papa ship involves Copia on 99.99% of the time for the simple reason that he was introduced as not being part of the bloodline, and six (6) years passed before he was officially and undoubtedly confirmed as part of it (I have my opinions about this change, too). It seems totally reasonable to me that some people just chose to stick to that first statement and create the pairings they liked with him through all this time.

I have never personally seen a Terzo x Secondo fic, or a Primo x Secondo and so on. Most Copiiia/Cpiia/Cop1a authors are simply not interested in creating an incest story.

That said, since people associated Copia x other Papas with pure incest from the beginning, I think we can at least gain something interesting from all this discourse.

/Precondition

Many “nasty” stories (books, fanfics, movies, songs… whatever) provide an opportunity to discuss “taboo” issues. Some can serve as case studies for reflecting on human behavior in specific contexts. I know fanfictions are mostly meant to entertain, to fantasize, even to get horny or just to imagine ourselves in a romance with our favorite characters, but this would be underestimating the work of fanfic writers. Some fanfictions are deep, offering interesting analyses and portraits of human behavior, and some may choose unusual topics to explore very dark and complex (also frivolous, why not) aspects of human nature.

If an author decides to choose a “problematic” topic to express their creativity, it is none of your business.

Even if a relationship is considered morally unacceptable, authors still have the right to write about it, and interested readers have the right to read it. Otherwise, no author should be allowed to write about murder, which I think is the most morally unacceptable act one can commit.

A relationship can be nasty even if it is between two complete strangers. It can be abusive. It can be violent. It can involve rape (a topic I personally despise with every fiber of my being, but STILL, I read about it and sometimes even write about it). It can be dysfunctional, toxic, unbalanced, boring… people still have the right to explore it in whatever way they like. By the way, somehow if a fictional relationship is so bad but it’s between two regular people it is still accepted, but it becomes absolutely unacceptable if it involves two siblings.

I’d like to bring up some examples of famous incestuous or problematic stories:

The Dreamers, by Bernardo Bertolucci: Not sure how many of you know about this movie. I watched it when I was a little girl and never for a moment was I grossed out by the story. I was rather fascinated by the relationship between the twins and how it becomes a refuge and a way to escape reality. You can interpret that relationship in so many ways. It was strange, even poetic, but it was interesting to explore. The movie is still one of my favorites.

Lolita: Nabokov himself asked not to romanticize the story (which was inspired by a real event, btw). That book doesn’t make him a pedophile or a nasty person; it was just his imagination, a sad dynamic he felt was worth exploring and telling.

Dogtooth, by Yorgos Lanthimos: This is another example of a very particular situation where explicit incestuous situations occur (more than one, to be fair). It is one of the most interesting movies I have ever seen from a “what humans do when put into a very singular situation” perspective.

Nymphomaniac, by Lars von Trier: nothing less than an equally upsetting and poignant creation. Many people here would go absolutely crazy at the scene where the protagonist reacts to her father’s death, I’m sure of it. I’m still trying to interpret it.

No, I won’t include A song if Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones, enough people have done that already.

Try discussing those works by saying, “That movie was bad because they are siblings and they can’t do those things!” Ok, legitimate, but try to imagine how you sound from the outside if that is really the ONLY critique you can make.

Witch-hunting creators who are brave enough to explore the nastiest parts of human nature doesn’t make you a good person. It makes you a person who wants the world to conform to your image, making you unable to face and analyze what you find unacceptable.

When confronting a topic you don’t like, you have two choices: enrich your knowledge or allow your boundaries to limit your artistic consumption, but never, ever bully someone else because they are simply interested in that subject.

[gothamite-rambler]

Dimensional Crossroads: Jason

Inspired by a fanfic, this story revolves around Jason Todd from the current canon and a version from an alternate timeline in which he survived. Random portals have been opening throughout the world and in Gotham. In a twist of fate, Jason slipped through one, finding himself in a reality where he lived, while another version of him, unfortunately, fell through a portal into the main world. As the portals continue to open, chaos ensues—an all too familiar situation in Gotham, to say the least.

Bruce: Right, don’t freak out, but the Jason over there isn’t our Jason. He’s from another dimension where he didn’t die at the hands of the Joker.

Tim: Oh, so you didn’t mess up in that dimension and save him in time?

Bruce sighed, rubbing his forehead in frustration.

Bruce: I honestly thought Dick would say that.

Tim: He’s just in shock.

Dick had already approached AU!Jason, who was sipping from a cola can. The alternate version of Jason looked around in confusion before offering a sincere smile and waving.

Dick (shocked): Who are you?

AU!Jason, from a world where he survived and was a semi-normal Batkid, looked down at his red shirt and then back at his brother.

AU!Jason: I’m Jason.

Dick (doubtful): ...Nuh-uh.

AU!Jason (doubling down): I am.

Dick (pondering for a second before chuckling): ...Nuh-uh. You look genuinely happy with life. Who are you really?

AU!Jason (chuckling with a genuine smile): I’m Jason Todd. I’m your brother… well, I’m your brother, but that version of you does look slightly different from you. He's a cool guy, by the way, so I imagine you are too. It's crazy that I'm here; Bruce told me I died in this world and then got brought back. Trippy, right?

Tim (raising his voice): Did he tell you how you died?

Bruce smacked Tim on the back of the head.

AU!Jason: Yeah, we talked about it a few hours ago. I’d be mad like my version, but probably not in the burning bridges way he acted. I’m not sure; that hasn’t happened to me.

Dick (smiling): You look so… I love my brother here, but this is nice to see too.

AU!Jason: Thanks, man. I can't believe this place looks so similar to my dimension. Glad the portal didn't drop me somewhere post-apocalyptic.

Dick: Yeah, portal jumping is weird. It's why I could never understand that video game about portals or that dumb movie, Jumper.

AU!Jason (confused but not upset): I oddly get that. You know what? I like you. You're close to being like my version of Nightwing.

Dick: Aww, thanks.

Tim (enraged): So, he’s from a world where he didn’t die and he still looks like that? He’s still tall and buff?! Damn it!

Tim stomped off angrily.

AU!Jason: Oh, thank you! My dad and I work out together.

Bruce covered his smile with a napkin upon hearing that. Dick glanced at him with a judgmental glare.

Dick: He said his version, don't get excited.

AU!Jason: Was the kid that left supposed to be the new Robin?

Dick: Yeah.

AU!Jason: Oh, neat! Good for him. There's a version of him in my world, but he's not as… temperamental.

Dick: We had to deal with a version of him that is Joker 2.0, and he's still upset about it. This entire situation is terrifying for me, but we’ll get you back home. That explains why our version is missing, and… God, I hope he’s okay.

AU!Jason: Aww, you care about him that much?

Dick (lying): Yep, definitely not worried about your Batfamily that he’s probably cursing out at the moment.

AU!Jason (shrugging): They’ll be fine. What can I do for fun around here?

Dick: Um… want to go to an arcade?

AU!Jason: That sounds fun, sure! Does Bruce want to come—well, I mean this version of Bruce?

Dick: He doesn’t usually enjoy those places—

Bruce (calmly, suppressing his joy): I’ll get my coat! Thanks for inviting me!

Bruce happily left the room to grab his coat and wallet while Dick shook his head in annoyance.

Dick: Of course he’d act this way.

Pt 2.

[foone]

weird thought: I think if I was a teenager now (or anytime in the last decade or so) I think I would have written (and read!) a lot more fanfic than I did in reality, where I was a teenager in the 90s.

See, I've never been hugely into fanfic. Never had anything against it exactly, but it just wasn't something I was into. But I think that has to do with an interesting combination of how my brain works and what time I was first really getting into being a fan.

I've got a "librarian" brain (I'm literally typing this from within a library, WHERE I WORK). It wants to know things like "what are all the works in this series/by this creator?" and "are they all accessible?" and "what info is available about how it was made?"

I'm the kind of person who will watch a show then go look it up on wikipedia to see how many seasons it has, who made it, if they're still making it, check tvtropes for any more info, etc. Or I hear a song I like by a band I've never heard of, so I go listen to their entire discography while researching them. I just focus on things I'm into that way, you know? I don't half-ass my interest. (this is probably related to my autism, of course)

So what does this have to do with fanfic? like, do I go read some fanfics as part of this process? No, and I think the reason for it is when I specifically first got into fandom, as a teen.

See, this sort of fandom-librarian was harder to do in 1997, you know? You couldn't just pull up the wikipedia for that new show and see how many episodes it had. You also couldn't just listen to the whole discography of that band! Forget Spotify or Google Music, even Napster didn't exist yet.

So my interest in fandom focused a lot more on very basic questions: How many episodes/albums/books/whatever are there? Where can I see/hear them all? Like, I remember getting excited because I found some fan magazine that had a list of all the Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes. Just a list! Not even descriptions or anything. I finally could take that list and see how many I'd seen, so I'd know when I saw them all in late-night reruns.

So I'm focusing on these very basic parts of being a fandom-librarian and I stumble across some fanfic. I'm like "oh, is this a transcript of an episode I haven't seen yet?" and I realize it's not, it's a story written by a fan, and I get a knee-jerk reaction of "that's not helpful to my quest to know and find all the episodes". It's like I am on a quest for the holy grail and I found a fake cup. It's not helpful to me, and at worst it's a distraction from my goal.

And the thing is, I think the fact I had that reaction is entirely due to the time and situation in which I first encountered fanfic. It was in that environment of "I can't even find a list of the episodes, let alone a way to watch them all!" and that anxiety that colored my response to finding fanfic.

I think if I instead was first introduced to fanfic NOW, where those fandom-librarian drives aren't so difficult to fulfill, I'd be way more positive about fanfic. If I could get a list of episodes with a quick google search, and watch them easily on netflix/prime/whatever, I'd be less "THIS DOESN'T HELP! I AM STRUGGLING WITH THE BASICS HERE!" and more "yay, more content for the fandom I'm obsessed with!"

Like I said, I'm not anti-fanfic, I never have been, I just never got into it. From the beginning I had this reaction that was "this is not useful" and I never developed any real interest in it. Which is a shame, honestly. Fanfic is great. It just never became one of my interests, and while I've written it and read it from time to time, I imagine I'd be way more into it if I didn't have the weird reaction to it due to the worries of the time in which I first encountered it.

I don't know how many other people have brains that work anything like mine, but if they exist, I'm glad they're now growing up in a world where they won't have these problems. They can get into fanfic without this weird baggage caused by a lack of information.

[punchbuggie]

hiiii more bakugou head canons bc i love that silly goober

dimples

i love the idea that he has dimples but no one but like the bakusquad and deku know

like imagine if you will: bakugou getting comfortable around 1A and genuinely laughing at something and they all see cute little dimples in his cheeks

then like todoroki pokes his cheek and is just like “you have dimples.” and then everyone freaks out and theyre like “AWWWW BAKUGOU!!!!” and tackle him in hugs

and then he tries to fight them off and is like “ugh i hate you people” but in reality he really loves the affection from his class and appreciates them and their constant reassurance that they genuinely like him for him and not because of his quirk

this more of a 1A head canon but i think if anyone AND I MEAN ANYONE were to start calling baku a villain or something theyd go F E R A L

i read a fanfic on ao3 about it and I LOVE IT

it was so incredibly cute and i 100% think it would happen (i’ll try to find it and add the link at the bottom)

baku totally loves to cook and bake for everyone especially eri

he would def be a big brother for her and be so incredibly soft with her but like only 1A and the erasermic fam would know

he’d totally still be >:( on the outside, but so incredibly soft for eri and she knowsss

she knows she has him wrapped around her finger but she’s a little angel and would never use that against him

maybe if she wants an apple but she deserves it!

honestly i think mitsuki wouldve taught katsuki to be a feminist from a young age (as shown by him fighting fairly against uraraka)

the girls would totally find this out after training with him in class and like sure theyre nervous at first, (who wasnt?) but they slowly learn that he’s one of the only ones in 1A to fully treat them equally

they probably start voluntarily partnering with him with kiri doesnt

after the other boys realize this, they feel bad for not treating their classmates equally and apologize and promise to fight fairly

i love all the comparisons to bakugou being a pomeranian so i think his friends (we’ll say denki) figured it out and tease him mercilessly about it

every single one of the bakusquad members has his pfp as a pomeranian

mina and denki have matching photos of pomeranians with bakugou’s hero suit editted on

sero has one with a chef hat that’s been posed to look like he’s mixing a bowl

and kirishima has a photo of the happiest pomeranian ever with so many little hearts messily drawn around it bc he loves his boyfriend

ofc they all know when they need to stop teasing him, they are his best friends after all

they never take it too far and have learned how to read his subtle facial expression and body language changes so they never upset him or push him too far

bakugou secretly thinks the pomeranian jokes are funny but refuses to let any of his friends or boyfriend know

anyway!! i hope you enjoyed more of my hc about the silliest boy

heres part one: https://www.tumblr.com/punchbuggie/734569823080677376/my-favorite-bakugou-headcanons-mamas-boy-like

[1toreyouapart]

The Lies We Tell

***FANFIC THAT INVOLVES REAL PEOPLE. 18+ ONLY. MDNI. DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T LIKE FANFIC THAT INVOLVES REAL PEOPLE***

Summary that tells you nothing: Sometimes everything you ever wanted has been right there, within reach, all along.

CW/TW: Angst, fluff, swearing, friends to lovers, jealousy, smut, fingering, PinV, pet names, friends with benefits, more to come as I actually get things written out.

Just Friends

It's funny how life works sometimes. Someone can tell you they love you in one breath and in the very next shatter your entire reality. One wrong move while driving down the road can alter yours and another person's life forever. A brief conversation with a stranger over a drink and exchanged phone numbers can bring people into your life that you now can't imagine life without them. The latter was exactly how Quinn now found herself in this house, surrounded by the best friends she could have ever hoped for, their banter in the living room bringing a smile to her lips as she dumped snacks into bowls.

The boys had all gotten home from tour a couple days ago, and as always, they had to have a movie night. It sort of became tradition even before Noah had invited her to move in with them. After every tour there was a big family dinner, followed by a movie night where none of them actually paid attention to the movies they chose, too caught up in catching up on everything that happened while they were gone.

"Quinn! Hurry your ass up! I'm starving here!" Folio hollered from the living room.

"Untwist your panties! You're welcome to come help, ya know!" She hollered back.

Truthfully, she should have had someone come help her. The downside to living in this particular house full of guys was that they all were much taller than her. Well, all of them that actually lived there. Which meant everything was up high and she had to climb to reach most things. Meaning it took her longer to get even just snacks together.

"Fucking tall ass motherfuckers," she grumbled, climbing up on the counter to reach some more bowls. She probably should have actually counted how much she needed before starting. Her fault, really. A long tattooed arm wrapped around her waist, hauling her off the counter.

"I swear to God, Quinn. You're going to break your fucking neck one of these days. What do you need?" Noah's voice behind her, somewhat panicked, almost made her giggle.

"Well, if you didn't put shit up so high I wouldn't have to climb to get it! And some more bowls."

Noah shook his head, chuckling. Her best friend and roommate. The person that found her in that bar seven years ago, drinking away the pain of her boyfriend at the time breaking up with her, and somehow took all those broken pieces and put her back together.

When Noah was home they quite literally did everything together. From rock climbing to going to gigs for small local bands. Movie nights up in his room, just the two of them. Shoot, when he was home she barely slept in her own room. Every night, without fail they would fall asleep in his room. It was enough that Jolly had asked them more than once if there was something else going on. And was never satisfied when they told him that they were just friends.

"You could also use the step stool I bought you."

"Step stools are for old people and children. I happen to be neither."

"You're impossible."

"You love me!"

Noah glanced down at her with a smirk as he grabbed some of the filled bowls. Quinn ignored the way her stomach flipped as his dark eyes met hers. Ignored the way her heart began to race. He was her best friend. That she definitely had a crush on. But he could never know that. It would make things weird, and she was happy with the way things were. Truly.

"Come on, my little terror pixie."

Huffing she followed him into the living room. Noah had called her a terror pixie from the night they met. However, the calling her his little terror pixie was something new. And she absolutely hated how warm and fuzzy it made her feel inside. Best friends weren't supposed to feel like that towards the other.

"Fuck off, Bigfoot."

With fake indignation she found her spot on the floor with him, settled right between his legs. Long arms wrapped around her, pulling her back against him, settling loosely around her waist. Quinn didn't miss the look everyone shared, or the way Jolly smirked at them. Like they all knew something she didn't. Or maybe they were, once again, reading too much into the way her and Noah were together.

[kittyball23]

Could you make a fanfiction of when Poppy surprised Branch that she was expecting to have a baby? And they tell all their friends and family the news? How would Branch react? And how would their family and friends react to the news too? I always imagine that they're excited to become parents, and so do their loved ones!? Could you do that? I also love the idea that their little girl had blue eyes, like her father's, Branch, indigo hair, and I imagined she looked like her mother, Poppy.

Hi! I wanted to break this up into 2 parts, this first one will be the siblings’ reaction to the news - I think Branch’s deserves a separate oneshot (I can’t say when I’ll have it ready for, as I do have a couple other requests from my Inbox to fill, but I hope you enjoy!)

Taking the News (a Trolls fanfic)

“AAAIIIIIIIYYYYYYYAIIIII!!!!”

Viva’s excited scream burst through the air, the Putt Putt Queen leaping a good couple feet up in an uncontained joy. The energy only doubled once she landed, waving her hands wildly about and gushing while she paced about and spoke a mile a minute. “OMIGOSH, OMIGOSH, OMIGOSH, I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” She zipped over to Poppy and gently patted at her belly.

“Hello in there! It’s your Auntie Viva! Oh, I just know you’re gonna be so itty, and bitty, and cutie-wootie just like your Mommy was! AND I’M SO EXCITED TO MEET YOU!”

The Pop Queen giggled at her sister. “Veevs, I’m only a couple months. I’m not even sure if they can hear you yet!”

Branch on the other hand differed on this viewpoint. “After that scream? Yeah, they probably did.” Viva grinned sheepishly when she noticed the blue Troll rub his ears.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Branch! It’s just that this is so, SO fantast-amazing!! Actually, it’s better than fantast-amazing! It’s fantast-AMAWESOME!” She squealed and bounced off to the side, expending her energy in one of the best ways she knew how - braiding! By the time her feet were back on the ground, it was Clay who was donning a brand-new French-braided hairstyle, topped off with little bows and glitter of all sorts of colors.

Clay groaned at how silly it looked. “Viva! Why me?” he whined.

Viva sprang to his side and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “Because you need to stop being a serious-boy grumpy-poo and get loose! My sis is gonna be a mom!! And your brother’s gonna be a dad!!” She celebrated by grabbing Clay in a tight hug and twirling him around.

When he was released, the lime-green-Troll found himself taking her advice, forgetting all about his hair and grinning broadly at Branch.

“Congrats, bro! I’m real proud of ya!” He fist-bumped the bashful blue Troll. Branch readied himself to reply, when he suddenly heard a sniffle. It came as no surprise that the Troll who had burst into tears was none other than Floyd.

“Oh, Branch, this is such a special thing! I’m honored to be an uncle, and I’m so happy for you…” He trailed off, a sob taking place where words failed him. He easily wept into Branch’s shoulder when his younger bro pulled him in for a hug.

“Thanks. I’m pretty psyched, too,” Branch agreed, smiling as he pictured their child. What would they look like? Perhaps they’d have his dark, indigo hair and sparkling blue eyes. Or they could be all Poppy, in gorgeous appearance and stunning personality. Or maybe their kid would inherit King Peppy’s orange skin tone, or Grandma Rosiepuff’s teal button nose. Branch’s head spun with all of the possibilities, each and every one perfect and plausible, until the reality of the situation weighed down on him. Being a father was a big responsibility. A flicker of doubt seemed to flash across his face right at that moment, which did not go unnoticed by Bruce.

The purple-haired Troll approached him and patted a hand on his back. “Hey, man, I know it can seem kinda scary at first - I know I was a little nervous for my first kid - but trust me, it becomes a breeze. And when it’s not, just call me for help! I got your back, bro.” He winked at Branch, making him feel a lot better. Bruce, after all, was an experienced dad, having fathered 13 kids of his own - all of who would become cousins to the new bundle of joy entering into his life.

John Dory suddenly swept in alongside them. “And me, too!”

Branch and Bruce gave him a curious look. “Wait… John, you’re a dad?”

JD’s jaw dropped. “Uh, yeah! You forgot? Man!” He strolled over to his caterbus, Rhonda, and patted her side lovingly. “It’s okay, girly,” he cooed, “they didn’t mean to forget about you, darling. Who’s the cutest caterbussy in the whole wide world? Huh? You are!”

Rhonda trilled in appreciation at John Dory’s sappy words, while Branch exchanged a look with his other brothers. While he wanted to point out that taking care of a caterbus was not all the same as it was taking care of a little Trolling, Branch couldn’t help but feel his own bout of appreciativeness towards his bro’s offer to help. Feeling playful, he grabbed JD with one arm and noogied him with the other, the pair of them laughing by the end of it.

Poppy and Viva in the meantime were having their own share of sisterly love, hugging and shrieking, and jumping up and down over the elation of it all.

“Ohhh, I can’t wait to tell everyone!” Poppy cried. “I’m gonna tell Bridget, and Biggie, and Mr. Dinkles, and Guy Diamond, and Satin and Chenille, and - “

“And Dad!” Viva cut in with a grin.

Poppy squealed. “Oh, my gosh!”

She and Viva shouted at the same time at the top of their lungs: “DAD’S GONNA FREAK!” Both girls burst into a fit of giggles just picturing the look on the elderly king’s face once the news hit him full force.

Viva bounced up and down once again and wrangled Poppy and the boys together.

“Aw, come here, guys! Group hug!” Arms enveloped Poppy and Branch from all sides in a flurry of limbs, letting the two happy parents know that they - along with their new kiddo - were indeed loved very dearly.

**********************************************************

A/N: Happy Thanksgiving!!

[hochsleep]

This'll be the day that I live (series masterlist)

• Plot: The world is in chaos. Humanity's past is forever erased. The future is now like a thin thread that is about to break. Death has triumphed and now the living are in the minority. You wish things were different. Maybe not for yourself, but for your little sister. The reality is that now you both have to survive in this world on each other and chance. But there's a silver lining, right?

• Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader

• Reader's pronouns: She/Her (female anatomy)

• Era: Season 1-11

• Rating: 18+

• Warning: profanity, typical TWD violence, obscenity, character deaths, themes involving psychological abuse.

• A/N: I started something...

I don't know what will come of it, but I really wanted to write something for the reader. Something big. All those of you who saw in the introductory post that I wasn't going to write something big for Tumblr, please let's all pretend together that I didn't. I just acted spontaneously when I finished my favorite Daryl Dixon x Reader fanfic. And I felt like I actually had a story to tell too.

This is my first experience writing a Y/N fanfic and I'm going to have to learn as I go, but I'm going to really try. As for this Y/N, that is, you as the reader: I won't use a detailed description of appearance, use first and last name (obviously), so you can imagine absolutely any appearance you want. But there are a few things that suggest things already in place regarding the reader. Here's what you need to know: the reader's age is spelled out, there's a backstory and it's assumed that the reader was born and raised in America, the character and growth as a character is spelled out. Also, the reader will have blood relatives appear, and I'll give them names, but I'll also refrain from sagging on appearance details. I'll leave that to you. We'll try to mold it into something together.

I would encourage you to read the post pinned to my profile to get more information about me as an author and to understand how my writing works. It's optional, but if you have any questions while reading it, you'll probably find them there.

We will move smoothly through the story from season 1 to the end (season 11). I can only see this way of telling a great story in this fandom. That way I can really bring out the plot and characters to their fullest potential. It's also how I like it. And the first seasons are really special. So it's up to you and I to recap the entire plot of the series, but with my plot inserts. But I'm sure it will be exciting!

That's pretty much all I wanted to say. I really want to share this work with the Tumblr world and I hope you enjoy reading it.

P.S. as time goes on, there will be useful links to additional fanfic material here. You know, like a playlist and a board on Pinterest.

Enjoy reading!

DISCLAIMER: The rights to the original plot and characters belong to the creators of The Walking Dead. I only own my fictional plot twists, my characters, and my vision of the original characters. This work is protected by copyright. You may not distribute the text of this work to outside resources without consulting me. If you use any materials from this work, please credit the author. CONTENT IS FOR ADULTS ONLY.

SEASON 1

Chapter 1: Just survive somehow

Chapter 2: First day in the quarry

[emiliosandozsequence]

okay i'm gonna be very frustrated and angry probably but none of this is directed at you guys i promise!!! i'm just!!!! upset!!!!!!!!!! (tagging you so you see this emily!! 💕 @thesparrow1996 )

let me start off by saying i am not a book purist by any means, but when visual media is being made from a book, i would like it to, at the very least, be telling the same story and that isn't what happened here. it wasn't even telling the same story as the first film in the series.

in the last film, it seemed pretty apparent that paul's visions were going to become a reality and then in this one they Sort Of did that, but Not Really but that isn't even my biggest gripe with it. my biggest gripe is that the last film was telling the story of the book and this film was telling a different story altogether.

my other issue is how chani's character was completely changed. and think is probably because i've been obsessed with her character and the lovestory between her and paul (which is CENTRAL TO THE PLOT OF THE WHOLE SERIES BTW) since i first discovered dune when i was in high school.

in the book, she's supporting paul. she agrees with everything he's doing. she and the fremen all support him because the fact that the bene gesserit are controlling things from the shadows is NOT!!!!! a well known thing!! in fact no one knows that except the bene gesserit!!! OF WHICH CHANI IS CANONICALLY ONE!!!!!! (and even then the bene gesserit are very much a 'knowledge divided' kind of people so no one knows everything about the society) she and irulan are literally narrative foils!!!! like the entire reason i made this web weave was because of how much i fucking LOVE chani's storyline, and because i really love how it shows even the most well meaning of people can fall into the trap of doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. but i suppose it makes less sense to anyone else who hasn't read the book because they also entirely erased the existence of paul's first son.

in the books, paul has a son before he has his twins and that son is murdered by the very last of the harkonnens in a last ditch effort to erase the atreides bloodline. before this, paul is refusing to take the water of life because he has a family and he doesn't want to jeopardize that!! after his son is murdered, he takes the water of life, so he can enact revenge on the harkonnens and start his holy war. by then, he his so distraught that he really doesn't care if his visions become a reality and, while they tried to do this with the destruction of sietch tabr in this film, it does not have anywhere NEAR the same emotional impact because of how it was done (without paul really ever spending any significant time among the people there).

also, as you can imagine, i've got an issue with how they leave this film especially since this isn't even really the full first book and chani and paul's lovestory seems to not be anywhere near as central to the main plot as it is in the books.

all of this is an issue if they want to make further films because they've literally wrecked the storyline with this film. as i said: paul and chani's lovestory is central to the plot. everything happens the way that it does because paul is in love with her and treasures her above everything and, without the existence of his son, without him really seeming to truly care about her, the rest of the story is just going to come across as cheap by comparison.

i wouldn't have had as much of a problem with this if they'd started out the last film by steering it in this direction, but they so very much did not do that. this film really feels like denis villenueve was writing his own fix-it fanfic and that's what i hate about it most.

as for things i did enjoy:

everything on geidi prime; the black sun was so fucking cool. i completely forgot that was a thing from the books. i also loved how the fireworks looked like ink blots

stilgar!!! he's not really like that in the books, but i didn't even care bc it was genuinely funny and i had a good time whenever he was onscreen.

the way chani refused to bow to paul because they're supposed to be equals (you deserve so much better, babygirl, i'm so so sorry for what they've done to your story)

florence pugh did exactly what i thought she would and made me like irulan a WHOLE lot more than i do in the books and the miniseries.

crazy paul and jessica and alia!!! deeply obsessed with their evil family slay

also all the weird family stuff in general, including when feyd and harkonnen made out in front of the whole population of geidi prime

the whole bit with paul learning to ride the sandworm!! that was so fucking good

the part where paul is walking toward rabban out of the fog of the sand on arrakis after he tells muad'dib to come face him. that literally was my fav scene and it was only a few seconds long.

[morverenmaybewrites]

Hi! I'm so glad your back, Pizza Girl is my favorite fanfic of all time!!!

I have a question, about Jason's life as a adopted son of Bruce Wayne, particularly his relationship with Batfamily (especially Dick and Barbara).

During Jasons POV, he often reflects on this time as being warm and homely, easly more comfortable than his previous conditions of living (duh, but still, positive aspects). Buuut, while thinking about his relationship with members of the family, as much as he appreciates the company and patience, he often remembers feeling scared of being thrown away if he makes a mistake, and rarely mentions bonding time with his siblings.

But on the other hand, from Dick's POV, (that I think is more reliable, because Jason's POV is influenced by his abandonment related trauma), it's painfully, heartbreakingly obvious that he loves Jason like a little brother, and that both before and now he still cares and wishes to have a better relationship with him. Similarly Barbara, who's uncondicionably there for him.

So i was thinking, do you have any headcannons for how was their time together before the kidnapping? Its mentioned that it was hard for Jason to open up, but was there time when they managed to do this? What did they like about each other, did they have favorite activities to do together in their civilian lives?

(I feel like I'm asking for fluff but in reality it's tragedy knowing what inevitably happened)

Ayt, I had been putting off answering these for a while because I had a hard time articulating my thoughts on the matter. I still have a hard time articulating my thoughts, so I'm going to try and break it down.

Jason's Relationship with Bruce

I think for the most part, Jason's relationship with Bruce was informed by the fact that while Bruce deeply loved Jason, he didn't love him in the way Jason needed.

By the time the two of them met, Jason was already deeply scarred by his experiences. He was born into one of Gotham"s poorest districts, to two parents who were neglectful at best and abusive at worst.

So when he was plucked off the grimy streets of Park Row and placed into the Wayne Manor, and got told that now, he is another man's son. I imagine the change would have rattled anyone, let alone a street rat who was used to just barely surviving.

Suddenly, there was food whenever he wanted.

Suddenly, he had a bed, the sheets warm and clean and the mattress so soft that he's scared it will swallow him.

Suddenly, he had a family.

And oh, how deeply hard it was to believe that it was all for him.

I imagine he spent most of those early days waiting for the rug to be pulled out underneath him. For him to wake up one day to find himself back in Crime Alley, an orphan once more.

So a lot of his time in Wayne Manor was actually colored by paranoia that, eventually, they will get bored of him, like a rich socialite getting bored of a yapping dog when it goes out fashion.

He spent most of his time trying to prove himself to Bruce, being the best at what he can be, because you don't throw useful things away.

(It does not help that during this time, Bruce was still reeling from his fight with Dick, and ended up comparing Jason to Dick a lot, something that deeply damaged Jason.).

I think that while Bruce deeply Jason, he just wasn't able to provide the sort of loving environment one should provide to a damaged child. He gave him a home, he gave him food, and shelter, and I imagine that if Jason was the type to ask for things (he wasn't), Bruce would have given it to him without a second thought.

But he also gave him the Robin suit, and a responsibility that was, in truth, far too heavy to place on the shoulders of a child. I think Jason probably treated being Robin as a way to "earn" his position into Wayne Manor.

Batman, after all, needed a sidekick.

And Jason was desperate to give them a reason to let him stay.

But I think, that Jason's time with the Joker also colored how he perceives Bruce (how can it not). It made him forget that they had good days, too. And a lot of them.

Because Bruce did care about Jason. He was patient whenever Jason would explode into fits of anger, he let him have the run of the library, they'd talk about their favorite books, ways to better their arsenal. If they had time, I think the relationship would have turned into something beautiful.

If they had time, I think they would have been the two people in the family who understood each other best.

(But sadly, they did not have time. And these days, the memory of him makes Jason run cold.).

Jason's Relationship with Dick

They actually didn't have much of a relationship! It's something that Dick regrets and wishes to fix.

I headcanon that Jason was adopted shortly after Dick's fight with Bruce and his subsequent departure with Bludhaven. During this time, I think that Dick was busy trying to establish his own life, find his own identity. He didn't have much time to come back to Wayne Manor and get to know his new brother.

Whenever he did come by though, Dick did make an effort with Jason, and I think that mattered.

It mattered too, that he and their father were as different as night and day. While Bruce was subdued and muted, Dick was animated, chattering constantly. Asking questions.

On rare occasions, he'd take Jason out to someplace fun, joking that Bruce's idea of fun would be going through the criminal files.

He was a good big brother, when he was there. But most of the time, he was not. And that made it easier for the Joker to make Jason believe that he didn't care.

Jason's relationship with Barbara

I think that, aside from Alfred, Barbara is the closest to Jason.

While Dick was busy trying to establish himself as Nightwing and Bruce was being...Bruce, it was Barbara who took it upon herself to be Jason's mentor.

She'd often look out for him during patrols, give him pointers during training, and she'd also make it a point to make sure that Jason would be able to relax.

If the Batfam ever organized a movie night or an outing to the city park, it was because of her.

A part of Jason definitely remembers this, which is why at the start of the story, Barbara is the only one he bothers keeping in contact with.

[bleachbleachbleach]

I don't know if you'll see this, but I've been having this thought for a while and needed to share

You have already shared your view about that whole "souls can't remember their lives before Soul Society" and such, but I've been thinking...

It's ever said that the souls in Rokungai know that they're dead? Well, the Shinigami makes sense to know and the other souls knows about the Shinigami, obviously, but I don't remember if it was ever commented about them knowing they're dead when they wake up in Soul Society

Maybe someone else needs to explain them the situation when a new soul appears? Idk

What do you think?

And excuse me if I'm being dumb about this topic, I'm just not good at remembering stuff

This blog receives 1 ask every few months and averages about 9 notes per post. XD Of course we saw this! Thank you for stopping by! <3

I think this might be in reference to tags we left on this post? At least, that's the most recent discussion I can recall.

Canonically speaking, this guy comes to mind, who knows the year and location of his death:

[Bleach 076 -- (Sorry, no original text--I'm not on the right laptop right now!]

Granted, that doesn't mean he knew this immediately on entry into Soul Society, or knew that he was in this place because he'd died!

But then, of course, there's also this whole ticket system, so I suppose even if you didn't know intrinsically that you had died, some terrible dude dressed in black and shouting about your having died might be something you take at face value (or not!). Or maybe people in Rukongai find you first, and you get the folktale of your own death from souls like you before they send you off to the proper authorities for your ticket.

I've also written fanfic where Hinamori does a more intensive intake of a soul, sort of like what you're describing (though in his case, he knows he's dead, because he died on purpose).

My preference is pretty much always going to be for things to be as paradoxical, contradictory, elusive, and mutable as possible, so if I were going to incorporate Mr. "1947 in Yamanashi" into something, there's a 99% certainty he'd be the odd duck out in terms of having retained that information, and it would be info that existed in fragments and broken conjurations. I'd probably write that there were entire divination practices within different Rukongai subcultures that strove to either remember/cogently arrange the past, or predict the future (in reincarnation), and it's this whole elaborate thing. Some of the divinators are probably legit--but many are probably charlatans who implant all manner of weird, potentially harmful false memories in people--or benign but ultimately untrue--things in people's heads. But then, maybe that's all they need to be. When you're constantly told that the ghost-life you are currently living exists only as a waypoint or halfway between one reality and the next, I imagine it's hard to hold onto desire. Whether the spark is real or not, maybe the fact of the spark is all that comes to matter.

Personally, I also like the idea that although shinigami have this whole ticket system and they'd love for souls to enter into Soul Society all in the same place, in an orderly fashion, that's not necessarily how it works, and the number crunching the 12th does about how many souls are in which district (and which plane of existence) is based on statistical models and cannot actually account individually for each soul. Maybe some come into Soul Society in human form. Maybe some were STILL A BIRD when they arrived, but ultimately became a boy. Maybe some souls spring out fully formed and humanoid and others are elemental first, before solidifying into something else. Maybe some are cut out of peaches or bamboo, or appear as monsters, almost as Hollows--until it turns out they were a human soul all along (or were they...)

Anyway, that's where I'd take that! I'd love to hear more about your thoughts re: who explains the situation. It's a really fun question!

[thescentofrainonstone]

It's the voice. It's what He says YOU and only YOU directly into your ears.

Or "fanfics, audios and self esteem building"

Let me explain.

There's an addendum to be had on the matter of where we go for escapism, when it's stories or fanfics that then become books if that experience of disappointment in current life, frustration and longing is shared enough (like in the case of twilight and fifth shades).

I seem the only one vocally noticing when one writes a self insert is because of their need ultimately to feel special, chosen by the character for whatever reason is desirable to them (usually tall, dark, handsome, immortal or thereabout and wealthy but not ostentatiously because money exists as preventative from problems).

But what hit me recently, and admitedly late, relates to audio. And the baldur's gate 3 people who fell hook line and sinker for Astarion might probably back me up on this because from what I understand, as someone who hasn't played and doesn't even know the game but got still hit by the way the pale elf got into the zeitgeist (at least of nerdy people whl play d&d old fashionably around a table monthly) is that most of the heavy lifting and heart throbbing is due to the work of Astarion's voice actor Neil Newbon.

Now, audio is a peculiar thing, go check out GoneWildAudio on Reddit and see for yourself the quite literal mind🦆it can be to have someone, speaking in your ear, addressing YOU and then go convince your brain that is *not* an actual human referring, adoring, and talking to YOU.

First: audio recordings have been around a little over 150 years. So in a way you'd think we haven't evolved to understand the difference between a recording and someone there who really whispers in your own ear.

But then again, film shocked the first time they saw the locomotive but nowadays no one would dream what's in their TV is actually part of their surroundings. And to that I argue: audio has no frame. Nothing physically breaks the illusion like the screen and its separation from your actual surroundings.

Audio doesn't have that. Put on headphones, close your eyes and with a good quality equipment (or binaural) it's freaky what audio can give the impression to your brain that's going on.

Now personal vulnerability moment: years ago I went into a rabbit hole that led me to the work of a certain GWA Voice Artist. I was writing a paper and supposedly "researching and studying" like a good observer of the human condition when I suddenly found myself nothing short of addicted to sound in the form of their very unique specific voice. to the point I took it upon myself to try and understand what kind of ton of bricks hit a performer when they share something seemingly personal and vulnerable... Via audio. Which as said above, doesn't have a defined frame that separates it from how our brains differentiate everything else that affects any of our other senses in reality. Let's just say that I realised the experience of someone whose voice presented male is vastly different from someone like me whose voice was coded femme. And that's because cishet men don't know how to respectfully interact with the subject of their porn. At least that's what I saw in my brief but intense experience as a virtual sex worker, basically.

But beside the point: voice and sound create such a good illusion because of how many more human facets come through with timbre, every breath intake, every exhale, all those imperfection that communicate "human".

Now here's where it gets tricky: there is an agreement on the swoon-worthiness of words spoken to YOU about YOU in Your ear. How "unique, amazing, exceptional, beyond whatever he dared to imagine You are, how You affect his entire world and way to see at every human after you who doesn't hold a candle to your being". Which reflects in the popularity of audio and I suspect justifies the success of Astarion beyond the video game world like, to my knowledge, no character had breached before.

But.

What struck me is one specific effect Audio has on people, and I mean beyond the physical effect of the rightfully horniness. I refer to:

self-confidence.

Please consider this an invitation to confirm or deny, but after spending days, listening to a voice telling you how amazing, and special, and sexy you are, how crazy you drive him/her/them and how they only have eyes for you, don't you start to walk a little bit taller? Head a little bit higher? Hips a little bit swayer?

And this is to say: I don't think most people have the ability to do that for themselves, to write themselves into self inserts and yet being able to praise themselves like they clearly yearn to. And audio then becomes I guess like you're masturbating with someone else's hand voice?

Btw: again kudos to fanfic writers in the Astarion realm because at least they are a step ahead the last fandom I checked and if not praising their self insert enough (ever for me, but maybe I'm just a praise slut) they definitely spend more time in the pale elf's head than I ever witnessed in the last twenty or so years I've read (and occasionally written but I will forever deny under torture) Fanfiction

In this air, if you are looking to disconnect from reality with amazing heartfelt smut go check our @again-please and @fangswbenefits ❤️❤️❤️

[bluedalahorse]

What would make August decide to reject the crown prince title?

Well, you know my brand! I actually think it’s possible for August to get to a place where he leaves behind the crown prince role. It’s a bit of a claw machine game, but isn’t that more fun to think about than letting him suffer forever? We love a challenge! We love growth! We like acknowledging the messiness of the character, and not always assuming the worst of every last thing he does! So let’s get into it.

I’m actually not going to talk about Sara much here. A lot of posts that talk about this crown prince situation mention how sad August is to have lost Sara, and while that’s true, I actually think there are other emotional undercurrents at work. Similarly to the way Wille is more than his relationship with Simon and has to leave the monarchy for his own self-actualization, August will leave for reasons that go beyond losing Sara.

I also want to open by agreeing with everything my esteemed colleague @heliza24 says about therapy and time and community in this post over here. What I’m going to say here is going to be long and rambly, but I think it will build on her talking points.

So let’s think about August holistically, in terms of his values. In order to get August out of the monarchy, the first step is understanding (excavating, even, because this shit works in layers) what draws him to it in the first place, and what his emotional needs are. I actually think it’s a common misconception that he’s into the whole thing for the power of it all. I actually think this is more about August’s need for belonging, particularly in terms of his wanting to be part of a family and the way he values traditions that bring people together. Monarchy runs on this idea of a sacred first family that sets the tone for the nation and leads them in following traditions. This ideal family is, in theory, the ultimate exemplar of what August desires in life. And yet the reality of the monarchy is far from the ideal. I think we sometimes assume August has a clear view of what monarchy is like, since he’s related to the royal family and all. But I also think his close proximity clouds his judgment. More details below…

The thing about being in the crown prince position is that at first it would set up opportunities for August to connect with family members, namely Kristina, which initially would meet a family-related need. August seems to hold Kristina in high regard. He’s looking forward to the possibility that she might visit during parents’ weekend in season 1, and he’s pretty afraid of facing her in season 2 when he’s called to the palace. Of course, that is about her position as queen as much as anything, but I can’t help but wondering if it’s also that Kristina was August’s father’s favorite cousin. And isn’t that a fruitful piece of information? There’s so much that can be done with that connection! For instance…

A lot of August’s trauma is rooted in grief. Some of that is complicated grief for Erik, which his reconciliation with Wille (and probably their shared sessions with Boris) has helped him start to feel and unravel. We haven’t really seen August fully grieve his father yet, but I imagine that if there were seasons 4 and 5, this would be the next step in his character arc. Grieving his father is crucial. In season 3, August has (clumsily, in front of Sara when he shouldn’t have said it, but the lines happened and I find them fascinating) just begun to idealize his father less—he says he misses his dad even though his dad was shitty, and that makes me go, okay, what else is behind that line? (A really amazing fanfic by @sflow-er is what.)

Meanwhile Kristina mentions that she and Carl Johan were really close until Carl Johan started to fall into addiction. Lots to peel back there, too! Like, what happened? What was the timeline of all this, and was it a big falling out or a slow breakdown in the relationship? Does Kristina feel any guilt related to August’s father’s suicide, like August himself does? We don’t know how she feels about Louise—is she sympathetic toward her for having to be married to a man who was potentially abusive? Or would Kristina have bought into Carl Johan’s potentially false narrative of Louise, and blamed Louise for her husband’s addiction and mental health crisis?

Whichever direction you take this, I think working with Kristina day to day would bring up opportunities for August to confront his sense of loss. Kristina probably has all kinds of stories about August’s dad, and how they got up to trouble together in their childhood and youth, and which now-deceased family members responded to their antics. August might be able to share a few stories about his dad as well. Sharing memories is an important part of the grieving process, for so many people, and I imagine at first August would feel connected to his father’s side of the family for the first time in a while, and there might be some good things that come of it.

On the other hand… those initial benefits might not last forever. And August would soon discover the fucked up aspects to that side of the family. It’s possible Kristina might try to help August mend his relationship with his mother, but in the scenario I mentioned above (Kristina buys into Carl Johan’s narrative of Louise and blames her for his death) I can see her trying to interfere when August and Louise try to repair their relationship. Wouldn’t that create some fun tension between August and Kristina? I do think August wants��to repair his relationship with his mother. As mad as he is with her in season 1, we also see hints in seasons 2 and 3 that he doesn’t actually hate her and wants to feel connected to her. After graduation he goes to find her and Rickard in the graduation line where all the parents are holding photos. I could see a situation where August, a year or two after canon, decides he wants to patch things up with his mom, and keeps running into pushback from Kristina about it. Aren’t there so many ways that tension could escalate? Wouldn’t that be a fun thing to play with in fanfic?

And then there’s Wilhelm. The way I read their reconciliation, it felt like August would try to maintain a good relationship with Wilhelm in the future. What does that become if he ends up in a position where he’s always mediating between Kristina and Wilhelm now that their relationship has fractured? And then we know Kristina tried to turn Wilhelm into Replacement Erik, I can absolutely imagine a situation where she starts thinking of August as Replacement Wilhelm and behaving accordingly, and August grows to resent that. Ultimately I can see August siding with Wilhelm over Kristina in the end and they end up banding together.

All those paragraphs above basically just mean that like… I feel like being in the crown prince role might bring a lot to the surface for August, in terms of how he relates to his family. And once he sees what wounds being crown prince can’t heal, that’s going to shatter his idealism and make him question the monarchy as a representation of the family in general. And that’s an important step out the door.

Now, August also needs to see what alternatives to this “perfect ideal family model” are out there. He also needs to realize that family isn’t just about blood relatives. Which just means he needs honest friendships with people who don’t subscribe to that kind of patriarchal nonsense. I don’t mean August needs patient queer friends who will hold his hand and explain the concept of heterotemporality to him in a soft voice. I just mean that being around more people who break his mental schemas in that regard would be a good thing. Like how does his friendship with Nils develop now that Nils has come out? What if, I dunno, it turns out that Louise and Rickard are both bisexual and poly? And then of course there’s his continued relationship with Wilhelm, which I imagine he’d continue to invest in now that they’ve turned things around at the end of season 3.

Does that wrap up the family stuff for now? Probably. There’s a thousand more things I could talk about but we’ll put it aside for now.

I mentioned August valuing tradition in my opener, so I want to address that too. Surface August—aka the protective suit of armor August has constructed for himself in season 1—seems to value tradition for its own sake, and mostly defines inclusion for some as something that can only exist when there’s exclusion of others. These are all the broken things Surface August has been taught or (we now know) traumatized to believe, and they come out in his behavior, and it sucks.

At the same time, what happens over three seasons is that we see there’s this deeply buried version of August that’s struggling to get out, and in my opinion at least, that deeply buried August actually gives a shit about others feeling a sense of belonging. I feel like this part of August is influenced by his own experiences with isolation and loneliness, and we see glimmers of him from time to time. (Especially when it’s Vincent doing something exclusive and shitty, for whatever reason. See August standing up to Vincent when Vincent is shitty to Simon in 2.3.) I think for August, traditions and rituals and events are something he sees as being deeply important in creating a sense of belonging for people. And he’s not fully wrong. Traditions and events done right are how humans make sacred their bonds with one another… which is why you get a bunch of Wilmon wedding headcanons. Because we love traditions too, you know.

As much as August gets a reputation for being rigid, there are times when we’ve seen him budge from what’s expected of him and change up the rules. I think August is actually more willing to rewrite tradition than fandom gives him credit for. He’s got suggestions for the speech Jan-Olof wants him to recite verbatim. He tells Vincent to rethink the senior superlatives. And he’s one of the third years who makes a pact to remove the really homophobic part of the initiation. 

I say this not to give August undue credit—these are half-steps and there’s clearly more he can do, and some of these traditions should be eliminated, not modified. But I want to point out two things. First, that imperfect half-steps (and some pretty epic backslides) were part of Wilhelm’s journey too before he made his full break with the monarchy. Second, by season 3, we can see that August is actually capable of reflecting about traditions and considering ways they could be rewritten to create more of a sense of belonging for others. 

Again, this is imperfect, and we may want him to do more… and this is another place where he could potentially end up clashing with the royal court in time. One thing that I’ve thought about is that being a prefect at Hillerska is a little different—in theory if not in practice—than being the crown prince of Sweden. As a Hillerska prefect you’re just leading the elite and the few who get into your school, but as crown prince you really are supposed to be there for the nation as a whole (albeit in a “non-divisive” way) and I think August does actually recognize that distinction and would try to approach it differently than being prefect or rowing captain. Except he would continue to be a total overachiever.

Like, look. On some level August would be incredibly earnest about the idea of being the keeper of Sweden’s traditions, and earnestness is not the same as being a rubber stamp or a yes-man. The royal court may think they’ve finally got someone who will carry out whatever monarchical agenda they set without question but like… idk, do they? Do they really??? August is going to want say in the process, and August is going to have so many ideas about how to make traditions better/more awesome, and August is going to annoy the hell out of Jan-Olof and Farima. He is going to be so annoying! He is going to have slides presentations! He is going to crunch the data on how the royal family is getting bad press for their carbon footprint and come up with a plan for renewable fuel on the private jet so now they can totally show people they’re legit! Meanwhile he’s going to be annoyed when his ideas are getting blocked. And I find the slow build in conflict that would arise out of a situation like that pretty entertaining.

Okay, it’s time to wrap up. For real this time. (This would all be better in a fanfic than in an analysis post, really! I should write.) Ultimately I think August would be drawn into the monarchy because he’d see it as a way of living his values of family and tradition and hell, service to the nation and being part of something, but he’d grow frustrated and disillusioned when it didn’t, actually, allow him to do that or give him the space to do it. The answer to Rickard’s question—does the monarchy love you back?—is no. And I don’t know how long post-season-3 August is willing to put up with being unrequited like that. Maybe for a time, but not forever.

You may also wonder why I have faith that he’ll get here. And the simple answer is: after season 3, my faith in August is intertwined with my faith in Wilhelm. Wilhelm breaking with the monarchy at the end of season 3 (especially after some pretty intense backsliding moments.) shows me that it’s possible for August to do it too, someday. That is perhaps a post for another time. For now, let’s just look forward to all the opportunities for a fix-it fic.

[devilsrecreation]

Random Outlander interaction headcanons

So I basically gathered all the (canon) Outlanders, put their names on a wheel, and whichever two characters it landed on, I made a hc about them and the results are….interesting

Nduli and Dogo:

Lmao they’d probably bond over being the cute ones in their respective groups. Goigoi brings Dogo along to hang out and he finds out he’s got a lot in common with a crocodile: they’re both the youngest, they both look innocent, their leaders/parents are friends…kinda, they look on the bright side of things, sisi ni sawa! Imagine Dogo teaching Nduli how to do those puppy eyes he’s famous for

Imagine it actually manages to work on Kiburi 💀

Kiburi: I said no.

Nduli: Please? 🥺

Kiburi: *sighs* Fine, but just this one time….

Mzingo and Neema:

Despite Mzingo not knowing the crocodiles all that well, I can see Mzingo actually understanding Neema since he picked up on the native animal tongues during the Dry Season. He’s now fluent in hyena, jackal, lizard, possibly serpent (?), and you guessed it-crocodilian. He’s actually very impressed with how intelligent Neema is, so now the two of them have these intellectual discussions that Mzingo doesn’t get to have with anyone else except for his parliament. Really opens his eyes in a way

Cheezi and Kiburi:

Ah yes, friends through other friends lol. I feel like the moment the two have a conversation, Cheezi sees exactly why Kiburi and Janja are BFF’s while Kiburi sees why Cheezi and Nduli get along. I can see Kiburi getting annoyed at Cheezi trying to ride on his back while Cheezi laughs at how much Kiburi reminds him of Janja

Imagine Cheezi telling stories about Janja so Kiburi could get to know him better. Cute for the both of them, Janja…not so much

Goigoi and Ushari:

Oh that is a weird combo jghfh. I feel like Goigoi would annoy Ushari the very few times they met. He used to ask so many dumb questions like “What’s it like havin no limbs?”, “How do you eat?”, “How do ya hang out with things smaller than you and not squish ‘em?”

Ushari: I don’t have time for this. I need to talk to the skinks…

Goigoi: Speakin’ of skinks, why does that red one call you “babygirl”?

Ushari: How about you ssstop talking.

It’s no better now that he’s a ghost lmao. Goigoi’s trying to find something he’s good at and it’s like

Ushari: You fool, you’re not supposed to—Goigoi, what are you doing?!

Goigoi (to himself cuz he can’t hear Ushari): If I mix the paint with the honey, it’ll stay on quicker! Heeheehee! Goigoi ya really done it this time!

Ushari: No no no, you’re going to get *sees Goigoi struggling* Ssssstuck….

What is this, what fanfic am I creating-

Wema and Sumu:

Sumu doesn’t really like kids, so he has no idea what to make of this little child who started trying to play with him like it was nothing. Wema likes Sumu, she thinks he’s a cute little bug who likes making silly faces (in reality, he’s trying to see if she’ll become scared of him so she’ll leave him alone)

Sumu: *makes a scary face, hissing*

Wema: 😄

Sumu: ….What

Nduli and Jasiri:

See, the first thing I’m thinking of is @spinnysocks ‘s mjuzi AU and ig all mjuzis are friends with their rulers but I wonder what it’d be like in my own hc?

I think they’d be good friends. Nduli is the first of Kiburi’s float to give Jasiri a chance and helps her get to know the float better. In return, Jasiri probably encourages Nduli to stand up for himself a bit more. She knows he’s always following Kiburi around but “Nobody’s perfect. Everyone’s bound to make a mistake and when someone does, they should know what they’re doing wrong”. Come to think of it, Jasiri’s advice was the reason Nduli finally stood up to Kiburi and got him to change for the better. She even encouraged him to become a detective, seeing how fairly intelligent he was. She told him he could put some of the facts he knew to good use and he did!

Shupavu and Jasiri:

#Girlbosses lol. I think Shupavu would warm up to Jasiri first after she becomes ruler. As soon as she agrees to respect the circle of life again, Jasiri probably makes some sassy remark about some of the other Outlanders and Shupavu’s like “Hmm, I like you~”. I can see Jasiri laughing at whatever gossip Shupavu tells her, not to mention they realize they have more in common than they thought: They’re both smart, strong, independent female leaders who would do anything for their respective groups cuz they’re the only family they have (which is a trait practically all the leaders share but still).

Related hc, actually: one of the first rules Jasiri makes is that the skinks are not allowed to be hunted by other animals within the Outlands, which is the thing that gains Shupavu’s trust

Janja and Madoa:

It’s kinda funny how much I ship Janja and Jasiri, but never once thought about what his friendship with Madoa would be like. I know they’d definitely start off on the wrong paw, you know, with Scar’s army and all that. But I can see them bonding over Jasiri and eventually getting along. Janja could ask Madoa about the things Jasiri likes cuz no one knows her better than her sister while Madoa could maybe get Janja to be a better listener. Not to mention, they could definitely talk about Nne together, though Janja would be like “Nne’s a jerk, you can do better”

Tano and Nne (oh that’s way too easy lol what are the odds):

I’ve mentioned this before but I’ll say it again cuz I love me some background, the two met when Nne was cornered by a couple of older hyena cubs (think preteens while Nne and Tano were like…9-10 maybe) who were teasing him cuz of his birthmark. That was until they heard a “Ah, leave him alone!”. Cue a back and forth where the older cubs try to bully Tano as well, only for them to end up getting roasted by a child. Two, actually cuz that gives Nne the confidence to clap back too! The minute the bullies do come up with a good insult/comeback, their parents witness them and drag them by the ears. The two introduced themselves afterward and the rest was history

Chungu and Nne:

I like to think while Nne views Chungu as an idiot and calls him as such, he still apologized to him and Cheezi after the events of “Janja’s New Crew”. He may be a dumbass, but he has to admit Chungu helped him get through some tough times so he’s a bit nicer to him than Tano is. I can even see Chungu comforting him after his and Tano’s plan failed like “that’s okay, the lion guard roars at me and Cheezi too!”. Sweet boy :3

Jasiri and Njano:

….Jasiri likes working with the skinks, doesn’t she, lmao? They like each other, Njano’s grateful that Jasiri was the only one actually willing to help them for once and Jasiri appreciates how Njano was the first of the skinks to reform. Not to mention Njano makes her laugh. He’s like Cheezi, only smarter in her opinion lol. Maybe they even share a brain cell sometimes!

Jasiri: Thanks for giving me a chance

Njano: Thanks for not letting us get eaten :)

Madoa and Sumu:

Ah yes, the unlikely friends lol. I imagine that Madoa was the reason Sumu wanted to become a healer in the first place. He saw how much happiness and comfort she was giving a random member of her clan and he decided he wanted to help animals instead of harm them

Madoa’s one of the few animals that didn’t scream or run away when she saw Sumu (though she did get startled at first), instead showing him kindness and was happy to mentor him in healing. While she had no idea if an arachnid was capable of being a healer, she was nothing but nice and patient towards him. And while Madoa taught Sumu about different herbs and remedies, he taught her how to stand up for herself (as she’s a bit of a pushover). He’s even given her a couple pointers about romance when she revealed her crush on Nne. Yeah, he has a soft spot for her :)

Shupavu and Goigoi:

Lmao if Ushari doesn’t like Goigoi, Shupavu doesn’t like Goigoi jfgjfh. She likes Reirei, she considers her a friend, but she has no idea how the hell she fell for such an idiot; like she cannot comprehend how you could fall in love with someone so dumb😭. Yet, poor Goigoi can’t take the hint. It’s not your fault Goigoi, she just can’t deal with stupid

Janja and Shupavu:

Oh look, the Outlander Shupavu hates the most. They literally have no respect for each other whatsoever. I think each of them even go out of their way to disrespect the other. I swear their rivalry would be something out of Tom and Jerry or Looney Tunes with the insults and the mini chase scenes nfhhdhd

That is until Janja and the skinks get trapped in a cave and have to find their way out…

Janja and Sumu:

Oh, well this one’s totally canon. Janja is and probably will always be terrified of Sumu. Sumu, being used to all the fear directed at him, is pretty indifferent and at most just rolls his eyes. Other than that, he’s cordial. Though I like to think Sumu takes care of Janja’s wound at some point and that makes him a little less scared of the arachnid (although he still creeps him out lol)

Wema and Shupavu:

Shupavu (well none of the skinks sans Njano, really) isn’t that good with kids, but I like to think she warms up to Wema a bit, seeing how sweet the cub is. I like to think Wema gives Shupavu a caterpillar she caught and Shupavu was like “For me? Hm, you’re not so bad.”

Ushari and Dogo:

They haven’t interacted much when he was alive other than exchanging polite greetings, but I like to think he indirectly helps Dogo as much as he does for Wema and Tunu, like dropping small rocks on Janja’s head when he’s acting cold towards him. Ushari likes the pup better than his dad lol that’s for sure

Kenge and Nne:

Honestly, Kenge would tolerate Nne more than he does Janja, Chungu, and Cheezi. Not a fan of the snark, but the hyena at least knows how to watch his mouth. I like to imagine Nne sprinkling compliments here and there just to keep himself on Kenge’s good side. He brags to the others that “we’re obviously not besties or anything, but we’re cool! …We’re cool, right?”

Kenge: Yes hyena, you’re not bad.

Nne: See? I’m not so bad! Maybe because I follow directions, right bud?

Kenge: Don’t push it

Nne: Gotcha.

Tunu and Kijana:

I can see them being besties! Maybe Tunu even looks up to her in a way, with her usually the one that comes up with plans. They both tend to think things through

Kiburi and Neema:

Kiburi and Neema definitely share the same/similar opinions and ideas, hence why they’re good friends. Being the only other smart one, Kiburi trusts Neema to watch over his float whenever he has to go to a meeting, which Neema appreciates since it means Kiburi appreciates his intelligence and responsibility. Also in my Neema-centered hc (aka his double life as a phantom), Kiburi eventually sees how much Neema loves music and lets him keep being a phantom, even if he personally isn’t a fan of the concept. As long as Neema is still part of the float (which he is), he’s free to have his own identity. Just….don’t make him sing lol

As for what Neema does to Kiburi, well he’s that friend you go to whenever you want to rant and supports you no matter what and that’s all Kiburi needs