#Orla: I TOLD YOU I LIKED HORSES HOW MUCH MORE CLEAR COULD I HAVE BEEN. WE WOULD HAVE NEVER WORKED. YOU DON'T GET ME.

[derrygirlstrash]

Not to start shit, if you know me you know I'm a "ship and let ship" kinda gal and saying this I truly have no problem with James/Orla as a ship it harms no one and plenty of people like it, I like people having fun... that said...

I have never understood the common argument that James/Erin as a ship makes no sense and James/Orla should have been the ship instead. Often one of the arguments is that James/Erin wasn't set up while James/Orla was and I'm sorry... what? James/Erin have at least one ship heavy episode each season as well as plenty of background moments and several significant moments in Erin's Diary.

Even if you ignore all the background moments of the two holding hands, being inside each others personal space, the times where they're clearly matching and whatnot. There is at LEAST the implication that Erin would ignore her supposed crush for James, that she cares what he thinks, that Erin is James's type, that they're aligned in creative values and match each others energies, that Erin thinks he's handsome, that James thinks she's beautiful, that she can't imagine her life without him, etc.

James/Orla have some touchy moments... that's kinda all they have as far as romantic coding and I don't see how those two hugging in the Season 2 finale is somehow more significant than what setup James/Erin have throughout all the seasons.

Honestly, while I can see Orla liking James - you could build a case for it and convince me even though I see Orla as ace/aro in my own personal headcanons... no one has ever been able to give me a convincing argument for James liking Orla back. It kinda feels like you have to ignore that he never has a reason to fancy Orla back and just project onto him that.

Which, again, go off if that's your bag I think their friendship is fun and I could see making a ship out of it, but the common argument is that the SHOW makes a better case for James/Orla and like, no? No it really doesn't? It's just not main girl/main boy and some people really don't like that trope or Erin as a main and I think that if you say the show didn't set up James/Erin well and you argue the show would have been better with James/Orla based on what's in the show, you just might not like Erin very much?

I've also never been able to make sense of the argument that James/Erin is somehow the trope that 'guys and girls can't just be friends' like, is that not also James/Orla? Y'know, besides that Orla isn't a girl. They do use she/her during the show time period though and some people who argue this think Orla is a girl, they just think they're not THE girl. So somehow it's better even though it's the same thing.

Basically what I'm saying is that shipping is fun and we all oughta do it. Every ship besides the obvious ones is potentially fun and I'm down for it, but there is one ship the show was setting up and we all know what that ship was and I think it would be better if we all were honest about it.

PS: "James was gay the whole time!" Truthers, if you made it through this post somehow I'd like to offer a compromise: James Maguire is the most bisexual coded male character in media history we can all win here.

[fantasyandromancelover]

The Tale of Tales Chapter 38

Gray tapped his fingers impatiently on Wendy's kitchen table while chewing on some mint leaves. The fairies had told him that it wouldn't take them that long to get ready but they had been preparing themselves for almost three hours.

"Geez why do girls take so long to get ready?" He thought.

Then on cue Wendy walked into the kitchen wearing the sky blue dress with white ribbon and the stitching in the shape of violets lined on to the skirt. Her hair was straight and shiny with a violet flower clipped on to the side.

"You look nice." He told her.

"Thank you."

After her came Evergreen wearing the peridot green dress complete with a corset that fit her figure to perfection while her hair was in a pony tail and a peridot necklace hung around her neck. Then came Levy wearing a slongsleeved marigold colored gown with a poppy red under skirt underneath it and a matching ribbon head band in her hair. Both Evergreen and Levy had managed to make their wings disappear so no one would recognize them as fairies.

"Not bad ladies." Gray commented. "But where's Juvia?"

"In my bedroom. Come out Juvia." Wendy called.

"I don't know about this. I feel kind of silly." Juvia said.

"Nonsense you look beautiful. Now come on." Levy insisted.

Juvia swallowed nervously and finally entered the kitchen. There she stood wearing her late mother's lace and silken white gown with her silver silk slippers on her feet and her blue hair down in curls with white anemone flowers braided behind her head. Gray felt his heart stop and his stomach drop. Never in his life had he seen anything more beautiful. She looked like an angel and seemed to be surrounded by some heavenly glow that only he could see.

"I'm not really used to wearing this stuff." Juvia said.

"But you're a princess." Evergreen said.

"My stepmother took away all my more extravagant dresses and had me wear more plain ones. She also took away all my make up, perfumes, and jewelry. She even stole my locket once but I got it back."

"Well it's a shame because jewelry and fine gowns look wonderful on you." Levy said. "What do you think Gray?"

But the poor young man was speechless at the moment and could only stand there with mouth a gape while blushing.

"Close your mouth hunter boy you'll catch flies." Evergreen teased.

Gray quickly did as she said and looked away to hide his blush.

"I...I think we should go now."

That made Juvia sad. Truth be told she was actually hoping that he would find her beautiful and the fact that he looked away and said nothing made her think that he didn't like how she looked. They went outside where horses were waiting and rode off to the village. Natsu, Lucy, Erza, and the dwarfs had walked to the village though Erza had seperated from the group to see her grandmother and they sent Gajeel with her in case another witch hunt went after her again. It was sun down by the time they all met up. Elfman and Romeo were relieved to see that Juvia was alive and well and she was happy to see Lucy again.

"I'm so glad you're alright." Lucy said as the two friends embraced.

"Me too."

"You look beautiful."

"Thank you. Levy brought you a gown also."

"Mmm- hmm. Now follow me Lucy and we'll get you ready."

Levy then took her aside to a private area where she could get her ready.

"Now then what dress shall we give you? Same as before? Gold really does suit you." Levy said. "The first gown was made from sunlight and stardust, my finest work yet."

"Actually Levy I wouldn't mind a more simple gown." Lucy said.

"Of course."

"And please don't make me look exactly as I did the night of the ball."

"Why not?"

"Because Natsu will recognize me as the girl he danced with."

"So?"

"So he can't know."

"Why?"

"Because it's... It's complicated I really don't want to talk about it. Just make me plain looking."

"Well I can't do that but I can make you recognizable this time. You'll look as you did that night but everyone will be able to see it's you."

"Okay but I'll keep my regular shoes this time."

"As you wish."

Levy then used her magic to dress Lucy in the gown of pure gold with her hair in an updo styled with gold ribbons and threads but she let Lucy's flat peasant shoes remain on her feet and didn't use any special magic to hide her identify. When the two maidens walked into the village square all heads turned in amazement. Never in their lives, had any of them seen two young women more beautiful and they couldn't decide which one of them was more lovely.

"What's everyone staring at?" Juvia whispered to Lucy.

"I think they're staring at us." Lucy whispered back.

"Oh dear. I'm not used to everyone paying so much attention to me. Normally whenever there were big events like this Stepmother would keep me locked up in my bedroom."

"I know the feeling, normally I spent events like these in the kitchen."

Romeo and Elfman began to join in the band with playing music. Young men and women started to dance in the square. Several young men were desperately trying to get Lucy and Juvia to dance with them. Wanting to be polite they accepted but some of them proved to be quite the nuisance.

"Won't you honor me with another dance?" One young man who Juvia had danced with said.

"No thank you, I think I'll take a break from dancing if you don't mind." She said.

"Oh surely you could spare one more dance for me." He kissed her hand then started to kiss up her arm much to her disgust.

"Sir this is most improper and I implore you to stop." She said.

But he just ignored her and before his lips could get any closer to her shoulder and face, Gray kicked the man away from her.

"What the hell?!" He shouted irritated.

"Oh sorry about that." Gray said. "It would seem that my leg was having a muscle spasm."

Gray was smiling and chuckling like it was a harmless accident but the man could see him gripping his dagger intensely, ready to strike should he get pushed too far. Understanding the warning the man quickly ran off.

"Hmm...Never took you to be the flirtatious type Juvia."

"I wasn't flirting with him. In fact I didn't really like him all that much."

"But you danced with him."

"Yes but I was only being polite."

"What about those other men you danced with?"

"What about them?"

"Did you like them?"

"I don't know. I barely knew them, as I said before I was only being polite."

"Oh..."

"Are you jealous?"

"What?! No! Of course not!"

"It's okay if you are."

"But I'm not! I'm just saying you should be cautious when certain men take a liking to you."

"True but I think-"

"Hey Juvia why don't you sing for us!" Romeo called.

"Oh I don't know."

"Come on. You're the best in all of Fiore."

Juvia sighed but with a smile she agreed. The musicians began to play a soft romantic ballad that was well known by many.

"Come over the hills, my bonnie Irish lad

Come over the hills to your darling

You choose the rose love, and I'll make the vow

And I'll be your true love forever." She sang with her beautiful voice as couples started to dance.

"Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows

Fair is the lily of the valley

Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne

But my love is fairer than any."

After singing that verse there was a music break, while waiting for the next verse she just causally walked around. However she was completely startled and taken off guard when the next part of the song was sung by a man's voice.

"Twas down by Killarney's green woods we strayed

The moon and the stars they were shining

The moon shone its rays on her locks of golden hair

She swore she'd be my love forever."

She looked in the direction of where the voice came from and to her surprise it was Gray. He waltzed over to her and continued to sing.

"It's not for the parting that my sister pains

It's not for the grief of my mother

'Tis all for the loss of my bonnie Irish lass

That my heart is breaking forever."

He had a wonderful singing voice and it sent shivers down Juvia's spine and blush to her cheeks. Another music break was taken. Gray bowed, Juvia curtsied, he offered her his hand, she accepted it, and the two started to waltz just as the other couples did. Throughout the dance the two never broke contact once and they never broke away from each other. Not even when it was time for the next verse which they sang together.

"Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows

Fair is the lily of the valley

Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne

But my love is fairer than any."

Their voices matched together perfectly and the two of them smiled and gazed at each other the whole time.

"Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne

But my love is fairer than any."

As they finished their song they found themselves leaning in closer. Her eyes closed, his were half lidded, and just before their lips could meet they were interrupted by the audience clapping and cheering for them. Gray's face was burning red and he quickly stepped away from her. Juvia only smiled shyly while trying to cover his blush cheeks.

Song used: Red Is The Rose by Orla Fallon and Tommy Fleming