#Relationship limbo

[milkywayscap-blog]

How could I ever tell you?

Syr felt Claude lean against them and sighed slightly. Claude chuckled, sounding a bit tired. It was the first time something like this had happened, and despite that, Syr felt a warm feeling in their chest. The hellhound had always felt drawn to Claude, and it didn't help that, at least in their eyes, Claude had made it clear that he fancied them to a certain extent. However, they were hesitant to make any significant moves, not wanting to disrupt the delicate balance between them. It felt like an invisible line existed between them, and neither knew if they should cross it. Yet, sometimes, Syr felt that taking that leap would be worth it, especially when it felt like the light of their life was within reach. This moment of peace was as close to lovers' bliss as Syr and Claude could get without taking that leap.

They sat together in the garden under the weeping willow. Claude leaned against the tree, panting a bit, with two baskets full of different herbs and flowers. The two were out collecting plants for Claude's newest potion or elixir. They decided to take a break after filling up the two baskets. The willow tree's leaves provided shade and a curtain of secrecy, blocking the view from outside. The sunlight still passed through the leaves, creating shadows and casting a warm light on whatever was in its path.

Claude suddenly says, "Syr, I love the experiences we've had over the past few decades. You're the best partner I've ever had, in adventures and in parenting. Thank you for dealing with the twins and me when we can get out of hand," He hesitates a bit but ends up putting his hand over one of Syr's. He feels his face burn up a bit at the confession he's let out, but also at the fact that Syr didn't pull their hand away. "You know I would do anything you asked of me... I care about you and the twins' well-being. You all are important to me," Syr replies with a nod. They can't help but whisper a smile at Claude's words.

[inkskinned]

she says he won't let her get a dog, which is fine, because they're in an apartment, and that's the kind of thing people say about their partners. he won't let me get a dog. and you're at a dinner party and you tilt your head a little to the side just like that dog he won't let her get, because is this the thing that's going to upset you? you don't know every corner of their relationship, she could be joking, they could have had so many healthy conversations about the dog, right, and maybe she's not letting herself get the dog because of money and time and whatever. but, like, she did say let

and she wants to move away from his hometown and he wants to stay and then he tells you with a wink and a conspiratorial stage whisper don't worry i'll convince her and she laughs about it - so clearly this is something they laugh about. but you do just stand there and stare at him like what the fuck, man. you can't say what you want to say which is why do you get the final say on everything because they're both obviously aware of the other person's stance on this and have obviously had private conversations about it and what are you going to do about it except make a scene and then he'll be mad at you and call you one of those bitches behind your back and she'll cut you off, which is a loss that doesn't feel worth it just because he makes you a little skeeved out every 3rd comment

and they both agree he just isn't the type to get flowers which is fine because everyone shows love differently, and are you really gonna judge someone based on their sense of individual relationship responsibility? maybe he's constantly cleaning her car and writing her poems and making her furniture or something. maybe she doesn't even like flowers and this is perfect, actually. and no you couldn't date him, obviously, ew; but like, she tells you she's happy. you almost send her a tiktok that says don't be 25 and the cool girl that doesn't need anything, you'll hate not getting flowers at 30, but that's like, starting drama & you shouldn't start drama needlessly.

and you're a little older than her but not so much older you can pull the whole trust me on this one babe thing and besides that wouldn't have worked anyway (when does it ever) and besides you have trauma so you and your therapist both agree that you're always looking for a problem even when there isn't one. and you tell yourself that just because you see them for 15 minutes every month does not mean you can identify every single red flag based on a single shitty half-joking(?) comment

and besides, what are you going to do? she says i actually wanted another stand mixer but thankfully he stops me when i'm about to spend too much money and you're standing there like are you okay? is this normal? is this just something people say? and again - what are you going to do?

to your therapist you try to language it - it's not, like, any of my business. but sometimes, doesn't it feel like - you should do something. there's got to be something, right? you've tried dropping little hints but they sail right through and you've tried having a single serious conversation and she got upset because why does it matter to you, yes it's different but we're happy, it doesn't need to make sense to you and you're like. really unwilling to push a boundary about it anymore; because the truth is that you know logically it shouldn't matter to you, as long as both parties are happy.

and besides, you've been wrong before. it's just... like, every time you see them both, something else happens, some kind of shiver down your spine like do you even hear each other when you talk. it's their strange, bickering orbit. just the way he's on his phone through dinner or watching sports instead of helping in the kitchen or, fuck, another one of these little throwaway comments he makes about we'll see about that, babe. she laughs when he calls her passions stupid shit and meanwhile she gets him tickets to see the knicks and he tells you well at least she's smart about something and still! it's none of your business.

you say get the dog anyway and she laughs. like, this is is you being funny. and not you saying - no really. get the dog. get the dog and get out of here. pack up and start running.

[moeblob]

Spent a week in game smashing and blowing up rocks to get 1000 for a "big request" from Robin. The next day she wants "30 fresh rocks" and Asmo has MORALS and DIGNITY and LINES HE WILL NOT HAVE CROSSED. So he opts to grab the new "big request" from Demetrius for 20 lake fish in a week. (he catches them in less than a day)

Asmodeus♡ really do be out here ready to burn the town to the ground at a moment's notice...

[cringefail-clown]

how does Beforan Karkat react to Kankri's pretty much idolizing of him?

hes absolutely baffled (he secretly loves the attention) ((sollux wont stop making fun of it))

[beachyserasims]

Geneva Island Legacy┃Chapter six┃Outta Nowhere

~ Transcript ~

(Dream 1 & Dream 2 that Rowan is talking about.)

Beginning / Previous / Next

[ahollowgrave]

Thinking about sulfur and selenite again

[dmitriyuriev]

Danzou (based on a scene in this fic)

（「綻ぶ蝕甚」という好きな小説のシーンに基づいたイラストです。)

[izartn]

So, about how I see Link Click's Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi relationship:

As it stands in canon? Queerplatonic partners. And it's convenient for the plot that they're like this.

Because of Chinese censorship it can't be explicitly romantic, yes I know it. Let me tell why it's queerplatonic for me. The way these two have intertwined their lives and futures together?!

Owning a business and living together, that hint in ep2 (comparing them to the subtextually older lesbian couple who also came across as queerplatonic bc censure) where Xiaoshi wonders/fears if years down the line he and Lu Guang will separate/break up implying their partnership is for life as far as he's concerned (the parallel can be taken as a subtext romance too but follow me we're talking text), the way they were already going also on vacancies together three years prev in canon, etc...

Without entering on their complimentary powers and the way the dives need both of them if they want security in not screwing the past, and the inmense trust and vulnerability the dives themselves require?

They're not simply best friends either.

Those aren't the actions of normal, totally not queer friends. Cheng Xiaoshi checks out women on the dives, sure, (and men too when the host is feeling it which I love bc they can't address it directly bc censorship and then it comes across as Xiaoshi being super confident in his own relationship to sexuality/gender) but I don't think he would ever date bc Lu Guang is already there, filling that place in his life minus sex and romance but all that same companionship and intensity of feeling.

These two meet in what, the last year/s of High School and then proceeded to latch onto each other with a commitment reserved for romantic partners.

And I know you want to say, "it's the censorship! they'd be romantic and canon if not for the censorship!"

Are you sure? Are you sure the story would work if there were explicit romance in it? (I mean, if they could I'm pretty sure they would have nailed it anyways but allow me my a-spec delusions) Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang feel so much like an already established pair, they work like one, and Link Click is not about them coming together like many other stories. Are you sure this would work as BL?

There's a distinct difference on the way they start the show already like six years at least since they're best friends and three or two since they live together. That's not usually how it goes. I'm talking not just romances but every buddy or nakama anime/show, where the protag has to learn to work with who will be his best friend or rival. These stories usually have the same kind of plot progression as a romance which is why they work so well when you make the subtext text.

But a story where the main romance is already established and we're following a plot that has nothing to do with it? Much more rare, even stranger to find them well done although there are some very good ones and with the friendships instead of romo they're more common. For example, Soul Eater, which is all about the trials of it and how they hace to truly come to understand each other. That's Link Click a bit, but not even then.

Link Click juggling a budding romance between Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi with all the other stuff is going on?? Messier for sure. I don't know if people would have liked it as much or if the donghua would have been as well done.

As it is, Link Click has the exact level of emotional connection between our protags it needs to have incredibly high stakes emotionally and at the same time not need a detour by romantic scenes/fanservice that would derail the plot or the other charas importance. That it happens to be pretty queer anyways in a platonic way?

Nice for the aroace-spec folks watching the show xD

Btw, I'm pretty sure in season 3 we're going to get more of Lu Guang's PoV, the origins of their powers and the past between him and Xiaoshi. It'll probably dig more into the aspect of "testing their bond and coming stronger bc of it" which is were the romantic subtext usually comes through...

—unless you're very very good at writing like Arakawa in FMA, who nailed the brotherly relationship without tipping into incest subtext which I've seen more than a few writers fumble. or the latest D&D film for the platonic childrearing and partnership for a no familial example between a man and a woman also very very difficult to get right for writers dunno why—

... but until then, for now I'm incredibly satisfied by the canon.

The other read of course it that they're already a couple since well before the start of season 1, and to mentally edit what we saw in canon with that lens (it wouldn't be very difficult honestly) but reading only the text? Queerplatonic partners!

There also how Xiaoshi and Lu Guang don't have that anxiety/insecurity of their bond that makes it so easy to read the want for something, like a romance for shipping purposes. Despite the disagreements on the Dives or the trials of season 2 or Lu Guang keeping secret Cheng Xiaoshi future/past death they read very steady which is fun. I love some good established relationship, you can go to deeper places when the base is already secure and the risk is higher for the characters. Plus I love domesticity! Yes, I do my angsty/Gothic leanings notwithstanding. Don't you know you need a home for the Gothic to be effective?

[doekimakura]

Makin WF ChAlan arts because I can

Ft. Alan's negative rizz game

[sunnnfish]

Maybe I’m okay with it if Hirano never traditionally “loves” Kagi. Or anyone. Maybe it never will turn into the same kind of love Kagi feels. Kagi is nevertheless such a source of inspiration and strength and comfort to Hirano. Even if he never feels a desire to touch or get married or whatever. Maybe he does it because Kagi asks and he loves making Kagi happy most of all. He wouldn’t seek it if not asked. But Kagi is always asking. And he knows it makes Kagi happy. Does anyone see the vision. Do you understand. Maybe kagi will be okay with it if Hirano never “loves” him the same way Kagi loves him. Because he knows how Hirano works and he knows how Hirano cares. And he knows he is unique to Hirano. He knows Hirano wouldn’t do these things with anyone else. And that’s still love in its own way.

[daiwild]

Obsessed with this one QPR I think they're calling them "The Solve It Squad" ?

[aaandbackstabbed]

Scrooge is the type of guy who would wait until they were driving on a long journey just the two of them to bring up a touchy topic or have that difficult conversation

And Goldie is the kind of woman who would open her door then drop and roll out on to the highway just to avoid said touchy topic

[saturnniidae]

Tuffnut is aroace and Astrid is arospec btw

[what-have-i-unleashed]

this song is so doomed kist. save me doomed kist... save me...

Cigarettes and feelings keep me Laughing when everything is all fucked up I see rainbows when I think of us, it's all a dream

how about i just lie down and cry

We got this French roulette Guess we'll see how it ends You're the bullet going straight through my head

they cannot trust each other to commit to the relationship ooooo i'm going insane right now

[dmitriyuriev]

Can't believe fgo gave Limbo machine-destroying shikigami bugs, but didn't have him so much as threaten to use them on the mechanical doll girl he's weirdly fixated on, it's a shame...

[theheroand]

baby tonight the pj's got us falling in love again or something

Reblogs appreciated! PJ (right) uses she/her! S/I (left) uses they/them!