#Mostly because they often don't give validity to the idea of cutting your family off

[dirkxcaliborn]

I love you media that doesn't romanticize forgiving abusive family

[thejustmaiden]

Jaken = Rin's Dad?

Okay, is this how a daughter treats their so-called father?

Most definitely not.

Rin and Jaken's relationship clearly screams of your typical sibling rivalry punctuated with cute and silly moments of playful bickering.

Yes, Jaken may technically be her main provider, but that doesn't necessarily equate to him being more of a father than Sesshomaru. If anything, he demonstrates more of a brotherly love towards her. As we all know, parents (which Sesshomaru embodies more based on real life patterns and parallels) will leave their older more capable children in charge of looking after their younger brothers and sisters. In this case, that would mean making Jaken responsible for watching over Rin and protecting her if need be. Ah-Un offers protection, too. Think of it as Jaken as the big brother and Ah-Un as the family dog who are babysitting while Sesshomaru as the parent of the household is away at work or taking care of business. I mean, they literally fit that description to a tee and I'm dying at the accuracy of it all! 🤣👌

[Quick! Someone write up a modern au where Sesshomaru finally gets out to have a nice date night but everything goes wrong in the most spectacular way. Like maybe Rin and Jaken catch a ride on Ah-Un to go spy!]

I recently revisited some episodes from The Final Act, and I couldn't believe how many moments like this there were where Rin got after Jaken or when she would "put him in his place" so to speak. Obviously, all of it is mostly harmless. I was only surprised by how often it occurred, not to mention how Jaken would just stand there and take it. Towards a supposed father figure, Rin's behavior is downright unacceptable. There's a certain level of respect a child is expected to show their parents/guardians, and that's just not what I'm witnessing here between them. Like at all.

Rather their dynamic has the nature of some sibling relationships like I mentioned above. So I really wish fans would stop pretending otherwise, because based on what we know of father-daughter relationships- healthy ones at least- they don't appear anything like what Jaken and Rin have. If you could please provide me other examples of where we've seen similar portrayals in fiction or in real life, then perhaps I can get on board.

Look, that doesn't have to mean that because Jaken isn't her father then Sesshomaru must be. They can both be her caretakers without necessarily filling that traditional father role. I'm just saying that if we're going to start assigning titles to characters, let's make sure we are accurate and truthful in our assessments. If you're going to label anyone Rin's dad, then it needs to be Sesshomaru. Jaken doesn't have precedence over him in terms of fatherly attributes, that just wouldn't make sense.

After all, this isn't about what you want to see, this is about what Rin very likely sees. It's safe to assume that she views Sesshomaru more like a father than she does Jaken. She knows she's safe with him (broadly speaking lol) and that he'll come for her no matter what. That sense of security and comfort is what a child seeks and what they should always feel in a parent's presence. She trusts and even idolizes him, just as a young and innocent child tends to do with their parents. At that age, parents are perfect and could do no wrong in their child's eyes. Idk about you, but this describes perfectly how Rin is around Sesshomaru.

Rin adores him and will follow him anywhere- yes, even into danger! That's what the innocence and unconditional love of a child will bring them to do if necessary. Fortunately, at the end of The Final Act we learn Sesshomaru takes Kaede's advice when he realizes that leaving Rin with her in the village is in her best interests. That way she'd be able to lead a more normal and safer life alongside other humans. Remember, Sessrin shippers, that doesn't mean he wasn't still a part of her life and didn't witness her become a young woman over the years right before his very eyes. Therefore, if they eventually do become romantically involved, then most if not all of those gifts had intimate and seductive intentions and it essentially constitutes as child grooming.

I understand from a Sessrin shipper's point of view why it'd be so much easier to claim Jaken as the father. In doing so, they diminish Sesshomaru's role in her upbringing. By refusing to acknowledge the real role he had in helping raise Rin (short periods can be crucial and impressionable too esp. in a child's early years so yes they did assist in raising her not only Kaede), these shippers are better able to justify how their filial-like relationship evolved into a romantic one. So yeah, I get it, if I were a Sessrin shipper I'd probably do the same. It's one of the more plausible arguments available to them, after all. "Let's pin Jaken as the father to fend off antis!" is the best chance they've got, but even so, it's still not good enough. But if you insist Jaken is indeed like a father to Rin, then Sesshomaru is most certainly one too. Who says she can't have two fathers anyway?

The thing is however much you want to deny or downplay what Sesshomaru truly means to Rin and vice versa, nothing will ever change or hide the truth of the matter. Please, stop acting like they're only traveling companions and nothing more. Some of y'all even go so far as to say that they're like strangers. Knowing potentially little about a person is not equal to a lack of love and affection. Making big assumptions such as this to defend your ship is actually doing you more harm than good. Let me elaborate.

According to your reasoning, if that's all Rin ever was to him was a companion and Sesshomaru had no real attachment to her, then what precisely is the basis of your ship? Recall that Adult!Rin doesn't exist yet, thus we have no real idea what she will be like or if she's even alive. So how can you make comments like that but then go on later to say "they have such a unique and unbreakable bond" or "only Rin can be the mother because she's the only human he ever cared for" if all that time spent traveling together didn't amount to much in the first place like you claimed to believe beforehand? Do you see how your rationalizing is confusing?

Contrary to what some of you may think, I'm not just saying all this because I'm an anti and I'm obligated to disagree with you, or whatever other excuse you want to tell yourself. Believe it or not, I'm attempting to give as unbiased and objective of an analysis I can based on widely accepted interpretations of family dynamics, development, and any history we know of.

Of course I respect that at times fans will perceive things differently since that's bound to happen. What's hard for me to wrap my head around however is the unwillingness of some fans- not exclusively Sessrin shippers- to apply basic common sense and sound judgment to their observations and deductions.

Looking at all our facts, then taking the small handful of scenes Sesshomaru and Rin do share together into account, one can logically conclude that their dynamic is akin to one found in a typical parent-child relationship. If you still fail to recognize Sesshomaru as a parent to Rin, then that's fine too. In the end, that won't really change the fact that he'd still take on a role resembling an adult figure overseeing a young child's care and protection. Be it as a vassal, guardian, what have you. Plus, nobody is saying here that Sesshomaru doesn't make mistakes regarding Rin's general well-being, but so do all parents. Overall, I think the majority of us agree that Rin is in good hands. Whether it's in his direct company or in his occasional supervision from his frequent visits to the village.

In other words, it doesn't really matter what exact title you assign him in relation to Rin, as the distribution of power is all inherently the same with any and all adult-child relationships. That bond never changes once you've established it either, seeing as it's a special kind of connection one can only form with a child and a child alone.

I was a teacher for a few years, and speaking from personal experience, you don't need to be a parent, per se, to take on a role of authority in a child's life. I know without a doubt that I could never and will never view any of those kids I taught in a sexual/romantic light later down the road; yes, not even once they become grown-ups who are independent and more than capable of making their own decisions. Those of you who disagree are usually missing the whole point though, because we're not trying to dictate what Adult!Rin can and cannot do like many tend to accuse of us doing. This isn't a question of taking away from her autonomy nor does it fall under "purity culture," which is why people shouldn't continue jumping to these outrageous conclusions and really listen for a change. You're deflecting from the real issue here when you choose to misinterpret what we're saying by ignoring the problem we're actually referring to. You cannot present a valid counter-argument if you persist in twisting our words.

Bottom line: once these kids become old enough to pursue a sexual/romantic relationship, of course they have that right if they're ready. All we're trying to say is you guys ought to stop pushing forward this it's-completely-normal-to-want-to-bang-your-adoptive-dad-since-you're-an-adult-and-can-do-as-you-please agenda and not expect backlash. Ship it if you want, but please stop acting like their romance would be the epitome of a pure and healthy relationship.

Sesshomaru may not wear his heart on his sleeve, but it's foolish to presume he didn't actually care about Rin during their whole time together just because he didn't openly express his feelings until the very end. Surely everybody can comprehend that people handle and process their emotions differently. The way Sesshomaru chooses to is completely valid for the most part, so let's cut him some slack regarding this already.

What I'm trying to get at is that any child whose life you played an influential role in will always be a kid in a lot ways to you even when they're old and wrinkly. Just as they will always picture you as the loved one who guided and protected them when they were most vulnerable and couldn't always fend for themselves. Can't we relate this to children we know personally and apply it accordingly?

Finally, I want to end on this note. Could you kindly take a look at these two images below for a second?

The reason I ask is because of something I recently read that's relevant to the topic. There was this pro-sessrin tweet I saw that stated Rin trying to take care of Sesshomaru when they first met is what a mom would do for a child, which in their opinion, translates to Rin being more like a mother than a daughter if anything.

First off: are you freaking kidding me????

Seriously, so now children aren't allowed to tend to their sick or injured parents?! Parents are apparently superhuman and shouldn't be offered a helping hand from a child, even if they mean well and want to help their parent who's in pain?? Now this Twitter user was mostly being a smartass, but at the same time, it was evident they genuinely thought they offered a valid enough point that warranted no further explanation or clarification.

Secondly, by saying this Sessrin fans don't seem to realize that in actuality they're contradicting themselves and proving the point we've been trying to make all along. Glancing at the first picture and moving down to the second, the role of the one being cared for and the caretaker is reversed. So then by their own logic, Sesshomaru IS in fact like a father to Rin.

What it comes down to is the names you give to the roles these characters play aren't as crucial as the dynamic they share. The specific characteristics of that dynamic are what define the importance of said role, not so much the name in the role itself. So real father or not, Sesshomaru and Rin clearly mean a lot to each other. Close relationships are defined and solidified by the devotion and belonging they have to one another, not solely by the duration of time spent together and their proximity.

Well, that's a wrap! I hope you guys got something outta this blog, and that you enjoyed or found some portions of it interesting. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject from this fandom, but only engage in conversation if you plan to be respectful. Thank you!

[imissthembutitwasntadisaster]

ALSO!! 1, 10, 11, And 13 for the Stars Hold No Part In This! (I could not decide which so I sent both) :D

!!!!!! I love talking about Stars, so always happy to get asks about it!

1. I answered 1 already here, it's a bit of a fun rant!

10: Why did you choose this pairing for this particular story?

I just think they're such interesting opposites. Because my Bea is different from Shakespeare's Bea, but fundamentally I think they have similar motivations, because my understanding has always been that they're not really able to trust that there will be love. We all know Benedick broke his Bea's heart, and my Bea it's more to do with social issues but the point of Shakespeare's and so my Beatrice is that she does not trust that people will be good, and so she does not believe in love because that requires people to be good, and uses a lot of wit and language to hide that fundamental mistrust by turning it into a joke.

Romeo on the other hand is a love at first sight guy, Romeo is surrounded by this family feud but he loves the girl on the other side of the feud IMMEDIATELY, there's so much trust in that! And it's also so oddly clear-eyed, like yes he's a teenager madly in love in the play but in doing so he sees past the entire prejudice he was raised on in seconds, he can See! So it's the idea of this earnest romantic who can see fundamental truths, who can cut to the heart of the matter, meeting this girl who hides away her heart and at the core is founded on mistrust, and the romantic can see past that and he can recognize her when most people can't. Beatrice cannot use false mockery and wit on Romeo, because it just slides off him, and he can Know her. And importantly, he genuinely is kind! He just is! And that's what Beatrice needs.

However, it's also important because Beatrice is genuinely merry. It's not all hiding insecurities! She genuinely loves to be funny, and Romeo is a very earnest character, even if he is often swept away by romantic notions so I thought it would be good because she can make him laugh (and she does! have you noticed!!! she keeps making him laugh!!!). That's very important because he can be too serious. And she grounds him from falling too far into romantic flights of fancy, because sometimes you need to think through your ruse before you put it in place, and sometimes you just need to calm down, and she reminds him to do that. In so many ways they're opposites, but in ways which I felt fit together well, so I decided to write them!

11: What do you like best about this fic?

I like the sibling relationships - James is based mostly on me and my interactions with my brothers when we were younger, Peter has become much more of a character than I thought he would be (he's steady!) and Harriet has also become beloved. I like how they all cling to each other. And I like how Beatrice is going to be proved wrong a lot, I don't want to give too many spoilers, but she's filled with all this mistrust and anger and sadness, and it comes from a valid place, it's a completely understandable response to the past and it needs to be taken very seriously but also in many ways she's going to be proved wrong in her assumptions about people in a very lovely way I think.

I also like how Beatrice turned out. I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted her to be, because she's a tricky girl, but she keeps having so much love in her heart for the people she does trust, and I'm very fond of her.

Also there's an event in chapter 5 which is probably my favourite, because it's fun!

13: What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or if you didn't listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to to accompany us while reading?

AH Grace made me a playlist! I added KOMH but all the others were hers. And you said Mine once a long time ago and I think about that a lot (you saw me start to believe! for the first time!). I actually think renegade is also in many ways Romeo's song to Beatrice. The gentle but firm get your shit together so I can love you. It's unspoken in the story, but it reminds me a little of their dynamic.

I am ALWAYS looking for more songs about them (so if you had any I would welcome them with open arms)

Thank you!!!! I am ALWAYS ready to talk about Bea and Romeo because I just- I just love them so much guys they both help each other grow and they make me so emotional-

story/fic asks

[spaceorphan18]

what the hell was blaine thinking during tested? was his goal to make kurt eat more so that kurt would gain weight? and blaine would again be the strong one and then he would feel like kurt needed him again? they never actually addressed this in the episode and it honestly makes no sense to me. i genuinely don't understand what this episode was trying to do.

Hi Nonny! So, first of all -- I really recommend reading my Tested Meta on this one, because I discuss at length what is going on not only with Kurt, but with Blaine, too.  It’s super in-depth and worth the read.  I just reread it this morning to prep for this question and wanted to paste nearly the whole thing for you.  Figured I’d just link it.  

The thing about this episode, while I love it a lot, is that it runs very much on subtext fumes.  There are about four or five different things that are going on with the Klaine story alone, and it’s not explicitly written enough for any of the themes or conflicts to feel like concrete full stories.  Thus - a problem with Glee sometimes, they have a lot of great ideas that they half blend together, which often times makes things feel, well, a little undercooked.  

Among the myriad of things going on though is this -- essentially, this is another version of Dance With Somebody (the conflict is almost identical). Blaine got to New York and thought it would be wonderful and perfect. It wasn’t.  His relationship with Kurt has changed, and their dynamic has shifted.  And, more superficially, he has gained some weight, which adds pressure to his insecurities and self-doubts. 

Both Kurt and Blaine are people who like to be in control of things, and right now, Blaine doesn’t feel like he’s in control of anything.  He is not doing great in New York City.  He can’t stop bad things from happening to his loved ones. (This episode is a result from what happened in Bash.)  And he’s having a hard time with the idea that Kurt doesn’t need him in the role that he thought he was -- as protector and shiny white knight.  

Not only can he not control those things -- but it almost feels like a loss of identity as well.  If he is not that person to Kurt, well then that is he? Blaine, at this point, is so insecure with himself that he fears if he can’t be the person that Kurt needs, he won’t be the person who Kurt wants.  Which, to Kurt, is silly, because Kurt always wants (loves) Blaine -- and just because the dynamic has shifted so that they’re on equal footing doesn’t change that fact.  

But if you look at Blaine’s family life - his relationship with his brother where they were always in competition with each other - where Cooper was neglectful, and his parents probably weren’t the same loving household that the Hummels are, Blaine needs more of that validation and reassurance that he is loved and is valued and he doesn’t have to perform to have those things.  

There is an added layer that the Glee writers like to go back to about couples being in competition with each other.  This is a Glee thing -- and while I don’t doubt there are probably a log of gay men in relationships where they feel in competition with each other, Klaine usually isn’t portrayed this way, it feels more like a Ryan Murphy trope that he’s working through.  

Anyway, Blaine’s attempts at getting Kurt to eat, etc, are Blaine’s way of trying to control things in his life again -- thinking that if Kurt can feel like he does about himself, they can be on the same page.  It’s a dark thought - and Kurt rightfully puts an end to the nonsense, even if it doesn’t fully put an end to Blaine’s issues. 

Blaine’s fears, though, run deeper, though than the superficial things going on in the episode.  

Ultimately - Blaine is holding on so tightly to his relationship with Kurt that he’s made it his entire identity.  It’s ironic, a little, but in doing so, he’s pushed away physically from Kurt, which of course ignites Kurt’s insecurities, and they go on a downward spiral together.  But my point is -- Blaine is so set on this idea that he’s only a whole person if he the person Kurt needs him to be that when this idea is quashed, Blaine has no anchor and he feels lost.  

This has been a problem for Blaine pretty much the entire series.  This was the issue in Dance With Somebody, this is why The Break Up cheating happened, and this is why he keeps going back to the Warblers and Dalton - somewhere where he knows his place.  Blaine feeling insecure about himself, and pulling away because he’s trying to protect himself rather than deal with the insecurities is a theme within his character.  

Interestingly, the season 6 break up is something that breaks him from his cycle (mostly - he still does run back to Dalton).  Blaine isn’t sure who he outside his relationship -- but when Kurt literally cuts him off, Blaine’s forced to deal with that whole thing.  And during season 6, we see that he gets therapy and starts working on himself, and by the time season 6 opens, he’s functioning much better as an individual -- which will bode well for his relationship with Kurt when they get back together.  He’s no longer defined by the relationship he’s in, and it’s a think Blaine needed to learn.  But more so -- after you’ve had your worst fears realized and are able to move on, it does give you a newfound sense of confidence.  

So anyway -- Tested is a really complicated knot to untangle which is marred by some messy writing and hard to discuss when lifted out of its larger context.  I hope you do get a chance to read the meta, because I go farther into all of these issues (even if it’s Kurt meta).  And hopefully this not only makes some sense, but answers some of your questions <3