#So often the good ones are ones where the romance is a side plot. They’re not really romcoms then in fact they kinda feel like anti-romcom

[7central]

I love romcoms in theory but every time I watch them I’m disappointed in some way because the relationship snafus are rarely genuine miscommunication things it’s almost always just the dude being a misogynistic loser

[deception-united]

Let's talk about grumpy x sunshine tropes.

Arguably one of the most well-loved tropes in media, for good reason. The dynamic where one character is perpetually cynical, stoic, or irritable while the other is warm, cheerful, and outgoing often makes for good banter and conflict, and it's satisfying to watch the grumpy character's reluctance develop into the relationship as they warm up to the other. But it's important to do it well. Here are some tips.

The Appeal

What makes this trope work?

Contrast = Chemistry

The clashing personalities creates tension as well as opportunities for banter, which adds to the chemistry between the characters; and their differences and areas of disagreement force them both to grow and adapt for the sake of the other.

Vulnerability

As their relationship develops, you'll often see the sunshine character helping the grumpy character to confront their emotional walls, whether by pushing them or when they come down on their own over time as they grow closer to each other. This also leads to the grumpy character softening around the sunshine character.

Humour

This whole dynamic naturally comes with its own comedic situations���whether that be witty retorts, misunderstandings, or the sunshine character's relentless attempts to brighten the grumpy character up.

Dos and Don'ts

Do:

Give them depth. Have reasons for their respective personalities, motivations, goals, who they avoid, how they act around new people—the grumpy character's personality, for example, aside from just being a part of their character, might also have elements that stem from past trauma or a fear of vulnerability, amongst other things. Avoid making them one-dimensional, like just making the grumpy character a jerk and the sunshine character obnoxiously naïve.

Show mutual growth. As their relationship develops, both characters should influence the other in various ways. An obvious example of this would be the sunshine character learning boundaries or resilience, and the grumpy character being able to open up more.

Balance their dynamic. Make the relationship feel like partnership rather than a one-sided emotional rescue mission. Both characters should be contributing to and benefiting from the relationship.

Build it up gradually. A slow burn typically works best with this trope. Let their relationship develop over time, give them reasons to connect and bond and grow. This will make the eventual payoff more satisfying for the reader.

Have balance. Make each character complement the other without dominating the narrative. They should feel like a team rather than one character "fixing" the other.

Create situations that force interaction. Whether they’re co-workers, roommates, or trapped together somewhere, proximity is key to fostering their dynamic, essentially forcing it when their personalities naturally go against each other.

Don't:

Make the sunshine character a doormat. Don't let them exist solely for the purpose of catering to the grumpy character's needs and pushing them for growth—give them agency, independence, and their own goals and motivations.

Have one-sided growth. It’s not just about the sunshine character "fixing" the grumpy character; both should influence and challenge each other.

Overuse miscommunication. Misunderstandings happen in relationships, and likely more when the characters' personalities contrast so drastically, but constant misunderstandings and miscommunication can frustrate readers. Try to use it more sparingly and don't drag out the resolution for conflict that is petty or largely unimportant to the overall plot.

Make the dynamic toxic. Unless this is your intention, of course, but if you're trying to develop a healthy and lovable romance, keep in mind that grumpy doesn't mean cruel. The grumpy character might have certain reservations or personality quirks, but being stoic or unapproachable doesn't inherently equate to being emotionally abusive.

Oversimplify the sunshine character. Cheerful and outgoing shouldn't automatically mean being naïve or oblivious. The sunshine character should be complex in their own right, and capable of experiencing a range of emotions, both positive and negative.

Make the sunshine character too overbearing. A sunshine character who ignores boundaries or forces positivity onto the grump can come across as irritating and socially inept rather than endearing.

Overdone?

Some things are overdone and everyone's tired of them; others are overdone because no one gets tired of them. So:

Overdone, unfortunately:

Unexplained 180: The grumpy character changes overnight with no believable arc.

"You’re the only one who gets me": While sweet in moderation, it can feel contrived if the sunshine character magically understands the grump without effort.

Damsel in distress: Turning the sunshine character into a helpless figure who needs constant saving undermines their strength.

Overdone, but please continue:

Forced proximity: Setups like this are cliché but effective when done well, and fun to read.

Grumpy protects sunshine: The grumpy character reluctantly stepping up to shield the sunshine character is not only adorable but leads to deeper emotional connections.

Soft spot: The grumpy character's’s hidden affection for the sunshine character always lands well if subtle.

Happy writing and thank you all for 3000! ❤

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[physalian]

On keeping a short story short

Today is release day on all other ebook platforms for my new novella! Woo!

And since Tell Me How Long is a novella, I thought I’d talk about the process, and how it wasn’t always meant to be so short. This is not for drabbles or ficlets and one-shots, but somewhere between 15-30k words.

—

I do not write short stories outside of fanfic, and I only write short fanfics (5-30k words) because I don’t have the attention span to stick with writing someone else’s characters anymore. Odds are, if I don’t hammer out the entire 30k word fanfic in one/two sittings, I’m never going to finish writing it.

And fanfic is where my new novella came from, or at least the fanfic mindset. I had writer’s block so I pulled some characters from an existing WIP of mine and tossed them into a new setting for fun to still keep writing.

This is also how my debut novel started but that blew up from “I’ll try to keep this at an 80k word one-off” to “wait hold on I can make this a trilogy” to “wait wait to tell this story properly it needs to be a quadrilogy”.

Short original fiction really isn’t my thing.

My new novella only remained a novella because I hit the 30k word plateau, got bored, and put it away for a long time, a couple years. But the thing is, every so often I’d go back and I’d reread my favorite scene from it and think “damn I wrote this? It was so good!”

And after all the work and hype of getting my first novel out after a 7-month sprint start to finish, I’d immediately rushed in to the sequel, figured out that my book 2 plot has to shift entirely to book 3, and my “deleted scenes” is one again far longer than the narrative I have working.

So. I went back to my little unfinished fanfic. And thought, ‘let me spread this around and just see if these first few parts is compelling enough to continue.’

And the feedback I got back was that the part I had already edited was good enough to stand on its own, with some reworking of the ending.

All my hazy plans of giving the characters full arcs and time to develop and drama, angst, possibly even romance, got axed.

What I ended up with in the final draft is 22k words, with eight core characters, 3 of which do not speak. There was no time to give anyone except the MC an in-depth arc, no time for side-plots, no time for anything except what was immediately happening along the primary storyline.

…and I really like it? It’s not overcomplicated with layers of narrative, but it is packed with thematic depth, stand-out character beats, as much personality as I could cram into 8 characters, only one of which is present for all six chapters.

It is a very lean story, but it’s exactly what it sets out to be.

The thing is that short fanfics have the advantage of not needing setup and establishment of characters and relationships, when it’s already in the canon. Short stories can’t be that complex in plot when time has to be spent making the reader invested in the characters, first.

Short stories can be 20k words of fluff… but I recently read one that was exactly ~35k words of fluff and I kept waiting for it to get more interesting or complex or tell me something substantial about the world and characters and it just didn’t. It absolutely read like a cliche fanfic of the author’s pre-existing characters from a much better and bigger story, not something worth buying separately with real money.

So here's some things to consider, while recognizing that the diversity possible within a short story’s premise is virtually limitless. These are just things that I was thinking about when revising what I thought was going to be ⅓ of a whole book into its own thing.

Nearly every single scene is focused on something new. It’s a very small setting for 4/6ths of the story—one research boat—but characters never retread old points of conversation. The ongoing ethics debate keeps evolving, and even when the placement of characters is stagnant, what they’re doing is always changing, so the story keeps progressing very quickly.

Having 3 non-speaking characters meant I could justify having the audience know very little about them. Since they were limited to rudimentary Sign and drawings, every single one of their lines had to be important information. Zero room for fluff and wasted effort when it takes them so much effort to communicate.

There may only be an A Plot that every character is working toward, but it is still multifaceted. A plot being: We need to save this sick mer.

In the background, there’s the ethical dilemma participated in by all speaking characters. There’s the MC’s frustrations over the world’s apathy toward saving the oceans. There’s getting to know the other mer characters. There’s teaching the other mer Sign and written word. There’s the threat of discovery, the actual medical efforts and tension over whether they’ll succeed, and some questions that characters have had unanswered for years. Not a single paragraph is wasted and every single scene relates to the main theme in some way.

In many ways, it’s written with the same mindset that I’d approach a massive 100k word novel, but missing any consideration for the world beyond the immediate conflict. I don’t even have a villain, only time, nihilism, and insufficient medicine.

So if you’re like me, and you can’t help but make long epics and keep coming up with new subplots, new conflicts… try your hand at something that forces you to be efficient, doing as much as possible with as little words as possible, and you might surprise yourself.

—

If you’re not friendly with Amazon, here is every other ebook platform I’m able to list it on at this time. Including: Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Angus & Robertson, Vivlio, Palace, and Fable.

[lurkingshan]

Gay OK Bangkok

Well, holy shit. I had been planning to watch this ahead of Only Friends because @shortpplfedup named it as one of the Jojo shows that would serve as a good primer for the types of themes we could expect. I didn’t know much about it except it was an Aof/Jojo collab and had openly queer cast members. I expected something like a short Thai Queer as Folk. 

And it kind of is like QaF, in the sense that it’s very much a show about a group of queer friends and their romantic (mis)adventures that features frank discussion of gay sex and sexual health practices, but it’s not really like it at all in terms of its tone. Where QaF is known for its explicit sex, trippy drug sequences, and heavy doses of camp, GOBK is much less smutty and has a thread of deep melancholy running through it (oh hi Aof), and it is primarily interested in doing some serious character work alongside delivering its messages about safe sex. And these characters got their hooks in me much more than I expected.  

I think what I appreciate most about this show is how real the characters feel. They’re wonderfully flawed, fully realized human beings—beautiful and ugly in equal measure, wrong as often as they’re right, and just doing their best to balance their needs and desires with how they want to show up for the people they love. Even the characters I didn’t like much, I still understood and felt some empathy for, and I think that’s a credit to the compassion and care with which this series is written (not a surprise given Aof and Jojo are the ones who wrote it). Everyone gets the benefit of nuance and grace, including the side characters. And to be clear, I wouldn’t consider this a bl. I’d call it a queer slice of life drama that includes romance, but is not about romance—there is no primary romantic relationship that acts as the plot driver and it’s not at all interested in happily ever afters or even firm endings for its relationships.

My only real complaint about this show is I wanted (a lot) more of it. But still, for a show that only had eight hours total runtime over two seasons, it managed to do a lot with it. I am going to avoid getting into spoilers because as usual, I want y’all to watch this! But I really loved seeing a few years in the life of Arm, Pom, Aof, Big, Sathang, and their various friends, family, and lovers. And, crucially, it’s all so very queer. There is so much to unpack here about the nature of loneliness and desire and the guilt and shame that often comes along with them. The show is interested in exploring lots of ways to be in love and in relationship with each other, and it lets the characters fight, fuck up, break up, make up, and express their own confusion and discomfort and dissonance along the way. The only thing it’s interested in being preachy about are safe sex practices; everything else is presented in shades of gray. And it doesn’t limit itself to romance; we see the characters at work and with their families and out living their daily lives in a society that is often actively hostile to them. This show sits squarely at the center of @wen-kexing-apologist’s by/for/about Venn diagram (can’t wait for you to watch this, friend).

I highly recommend this show to anyone who plans to watch Only Friends (which, by my count, is just about everyone I know on here)—homework is of course not required before enjoying a new drama, but I do think familiarity with this work will enhance your experience, and it’s such a quick watch! If you’re interested, the show is available on YouTube here and here. It also has a great and surprising soundtrack which has also been compiled into two playlists. 

Tagging friends @neuroticbookworm, @waitmyturtles, @chickenstrangers, and @lurkingteapot who are all in the midst of their own watches or planning to start soon, and @bengiyo, @so-much-yet-to-learn, and @imminentinertia who saw this awhile back and shared some interesting reflections about it during my watch. 

[literatureloverx]

HELLOP:}} GOOD DAY MY DEAREST🤗🤗🤗HOW ARE YOU. DOING RNN SUNSHINE?? Before I get busy today I just wanna ask what's your favorite tropes in fiction or just in general? Like found family(personally my favorite), strangers to friend, the choosen one, not like other girls and more. My reason for asking this is because I heard somewhere that your favorite tropes may reflect on what you desire deep inside so I kinda became curious on yours. I think it's a great way to get to know you more🤗🤗🤩🤩

Also THANK YOUUU FOR THE GIFTTT!! 😍😍🫵💖💖We bear bare is one of my favorite cartoons ever! Panda in particular is someone I relate to quite a lot. I like it a lot^^ Well anyway back to reality now😔 Farewell my dearest

🧛🏻‍♀️🫀

I’m doing fine, 🧛🏻‍♀️🫀-anon!♥️ How about you, love? Are you feeling well?♥️

My favorite tropes, hm? Not all of these are really established tropes, but I’ll write down whatever comes to my mind:

Non-romantic tropes:

Intellectual Challenges

Stories or scenarios involving complex problems, intellectual challenges, or intricate mysteries, where the focus is on the depth of understanding and analysis.

Dark and Mysterious Figures

Characters who embody darkness or mystery, with a rich backstory or complex motivations, appealing to my interest in depth and enigma.

Slow Reveal of Secrets

Narratives where characters or plots reveal hidden layers gradually, adding depth and intrigue as the story progresses.

Power Dynamics

Stories featuring complex power structures, whether in political, social, or intellectual contexts, where the interplay of power adds richness to the narrative.

Philosophical or Existential Themes

Exploration of deep, philosophical questions or existential dilemmas.

Romantic Tropes:

Dark and Possessive Love

I’m often drawn to dynamics where one partner is possessive, enigmatic, or even predatory, but still carries an underlying affection. Characters like Fyodor and Jareth appeal to me for this reason, as I love exploring the intensity and depth behind such relationships.

Domestic Bliss

I have a soft spot for scenarios that involve domestic, affectionate interactions. I enjoy seeing a tender, vulnerable side to characters who are usually guarded or cold—it’s those moments that feel the most real to me.

Slow-Burn Romance

I appreciate stories where love develops gradually, with a meaningful emotional connection. Waiting for ‘the one’ resonates with me because I believe the best relationships are built on patience and trust.

Beauty and the Beast

I adore narratives where a seemingly dangerous or morally complex figure softens for love. There’s something so alluring about someone embracing the complexity of their partner, despite their darker nature.

Soulmates

For me, the best relationships are about more than just romance—they’re also about deep intellectual or emotional connections.

Power Imbalance

I know this one might seem unusual, but I’m fascinated by relationships where one partner has more control, authority, or influence over the other. The tension that arises from this imbalance, whether emotional, social, or intellectual, adds a compelling layer to the dynamic, making it all the more satisfying when the relationship deepens or shifts.

[theblurbwitchproject]

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Published: August 23, 2022 Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

The Author

Sangu Mandanna writes books about magical sketchbooks, romantic witches, and characters who discover they’re a lot stronger than they think they are. She was four years old when an elephant chased her down a forest road and she decided to write her first story about it. Seventeen years and many, many manuscripts later, she signed her first book deal. Sangu now lives in Norwich, in the east of England, with her husband and kids.

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Story As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. She’s used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously. But someone does.

An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and the handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House, Jamie.

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Vibe: cosy, found family, (one-sided) enemies to lovers, romance, eccentric characters, grumpy/sunshine pairing, diverse cast, LGBTQ+ characters

The Style: standalone, cosy romance, easy-going prose, wholesome, whimsical

Trigger Warnings: discussion of past homophobia, child abuse, abandonment issues, sex

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Review

You know what? I loved this book.

I’m not a big reader of romance, and am often turned off by cutesy sounding plots, but I am so glad I gave this a go. I was in a pretty bad reading slump, just not really enjoying anything I picked up, but this sweet little novel really pulled me out of that funk. I’ve seen negative reviews of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches calling it too “twee” but seriously... the title alone tells you twee is what you’re getting, let alone the protagonist being named Mika Moon. I picked up this book wanting twee, and it was lovingly presented by Mandanna.

As the blurb explains, the plot centres on Mika, an Indian born witch in her early-thirties who only gets to interact with other witches at pre-decided meetings once every three months. These meetings are run by Primrose, the powerful witch and stickler for the rules who raised Mika. The rest of the time the witches avoid each other so as not to draw the public’s attention to their power. When Mika is invited to care for three young witches at Nowhere House, who, going completely against the rules, live under one roof as adopted sisters, she encounters something that she has never had but desperately wants; a family. Now, I’m a sucker for a good found-family trope, and this book really delivers on that front.

“Over the years, Mika had embraced all the things that made her different and had discovered that she liked herself very much. But what was that worth without human connection? How was it possible to live, truly live, without the companionship of other people, without a family formed in any of the thousands of ways families could be formed?”

The writing style is very easy-going, but where Mandanna shines is creating unique and diverse characters, including: Ian, an elder gay “luvvie”-type English theatre actor who knits rainbow scarves; Ken, his Japanese, professional gardener husband; Lucie, the round-cheeked and loving housekeeper; and Jamie, the scowling but handsome Irish librarian. And that’s just the adults of Nowhere House; the three young witches are also fantastic: there’s Rosetta who is 10, black, friendly and an avid reader; Terracotta, 8, Vietnamese, rebellious and  fierecly protective of her family, and Altamira, 7, Palestinian, hilarious, and maybe my favourite character in the entire book. And lets not forget Circe, the friendly golden labrador.

One of the outstanding aspects of this story was the examination of intersectionality among the different characters. Each of the witches at Nowhere House not only have magical powers, but are people of colour living in England; “They were witches, they weren’t white, and they’d been born far away. Much as they might all wish otherwise, there would always be people who would question whether they were British enough, normal enough, anything enough.” I also admired the inclusion of Ian and Ken’s desire to protect the young girls, having their own experiences living on the fringes of society. It’s all so thoughtful. And the characters are all so lovely, even cranky Jamie who  has “the soul of a cantankerous old man who yells at little kids to get off his lawn”, but in actuality likes kids more than he does most adults. The found family aspect feels so solid in this book; they feel like they have years of history. Nowhere House also feels super cosy and real- I want to move in like yesterday.

“It’s not always enough to go looking for the place we belong,” Jamie said, his eyes on the house ahead. “Sometimes we need to make that place.”

As I said earlier, I’m not massive on the romance genre, but I did enjoy the grumpy/sunshine pairing in this story, it has a good slow-burn progression that felt natural. And it gets a little spicy too, just fyi. I did enjoy that there was reasoning behind Jamies’ attitude; he’s not just a crank for no reason. Like Terracotta, he is fiercly protective of his family unit and puts their safety before anything else.

There is a good level of new witch-lore in this story, from witches going into a state of hibernation if they get seriously injured while their body repairs itself, to the methods Mika uses to harvest ingredients for her potions. The only thing I wanted more of was the inclusion of the lessons Mika delivers to the girls. They’re all so entertaining, especially Altamira, who is a perfectly written child who drops some hilarious swear words even though she’s only seven. And her logic of “I’ll stop when Ian and Jamie do” is totally fair in my book. Seeing more of their growth and development as young witches would have been great, particularly as that was the reason behind Mika’s moving to Nowhere House to begin with.

“The thing is, being a witch is extraordinary,” she said. “It might seem sometimes that all we are is odd and different, but the truth is, we’re amazing. We’re part of the earth below us and the sky above us. Our veins echo the patterns of rivers and roots. There’s sunlight and moonlight in our bones.”

This book was just so nice. I desperately want a sequel or five. There are plenty of options for world building, and I want more of Rosetta, Terracotta and Altamira learning to control their powers. Sangu, if you’re reading- pretty please expand this lovely universe? It was a lovely escape from reality that I will probably return to in the future.

Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 

[Goodreads]

[rachelamberish]

I think I am going to do a shit job articulating this but *I* personally love that River’s romance is criminally underdeveloped (compared to most romances in games or even other romances in Cyberpunk) because in my head it’s a minor side plot and is thereby treated as such by the writing. Not unimportant — just not something that needs dwelling on. It’s expedient and efficient. Like writing in a book that doesn’t waste words with fluff.

Like, it’s not a *good* relationship. It’s barely even a relationship. You have sex once because V’s lonely and feels the walls closing in and is in need of something to latch onto (she all but spells this out) and then she is reluctantly cajoled into a relationship because he expresses desire for one (in spite of her fear of emotional commitments because she’s dying). Their chemistry is awkward and it feels like the two don’t entirely get on well — their banter is certainly not as easy as V’s and Panam’s, or Judy or Kerry, or even Johnny. Their sexting is awkward and uncomfortable and maybe the sex isn’t even that good, it’s just something they both needed in the moment. It’s then brought to light that they’re both so busy that they barely have time to dedicate to the relationship anyway (or, perhaps, it’s just not a priority). And then there’s a few different ways it ends based on your ending, but for me, he ends up breaking it off because he can’t handle the emotional toll of watching V die (which, valid, but she’s understandably angry and emotional about this and screams at him and it’s the last time they see each other that we know of).

It’s messy and not a happy, neat little ending. And it makes sense to me for a game that highlights how real intimacy is often messy and fleeting and hard to grasp. River isn’t even the most important person in V’s life, by the end of my playthrough. Panam is. Or Johnny. Those are the *actual* love stories of Cyberpunk for me, and both in my case were largely platonic.

It’s realistic. I’ve BEEN in relationships like this. I love that it’s a romance option where it just doesn’t work out. You so rarely see that in games, ever. And now in a post-BG3 world we’ve normalized the idea that if romances are underwritten or nonexistent at release, that supplemental content will just get patched in later and the writing will get *fixed*. Which in some ways is cool, but in other ways isn’t.

Each of the four romances feel so wonderfully distinct in what they bring to the table and your playthrough, thematically. River’s got to be the least popular romance choice and I totally get why but I kind of hope his writing wasn’t accidental and was completely intentional. Because I found a lot of meaning in it just as it is.

[tendoujo]

SHIPPING INFO. answer the following for your muse(s) so people know how shipping works on your blog.

what’s your OTP for your muse(s)?

i've been a r.ankane defender since day one so the answer might be pretty obvious 🫡. yet they are that one ship that requires so much effort and development to work as endgame. their love story is a chaotic one filled with ups and downs, lots of miscommunication as well, so it still got a long way to go. yet if rumiko was clear on something, it was that ranma and akane were made for one another. i could make an essay about their duo but to sum it up, i do believe that akane has grown to be the only person in the whole series that has accepted ranma for who he is regardless of his strength or gender.

besides that, i'm fond of any akane dynamic that truly shows the other person appreciating her. maybe that's why i wouldn't have minded ryo.kane as a possibility.

what are you willing to RP when it comes to shipping?

i'm open to almost anything as long as: 1. it makes sense. 2. there's clear interest between the two parties. 3. both muns have taked about it beforehand. but i have to say that when i play a female muse, i have a bit of trouble doing m / f ships ( except for r.ankane or r.yokae ), so it will be a little hard to romance akane with male muses ( very in character lol ).

how large does the age gap have to be to make it uncomfortable?

for her highschool verse, 2 years at most. for the other verses where she's around 19 - 20 ( aus and the main verse ), i'll say that 5 maybe ? puppy crushes are acceptable but if they are not in the gap then it won't happen.

are you selective when shipping?

actually, yeah a bit. i don't just jump straight to shipping nowadays so i do ask for either some plotting beforehand or various interactions for things to happen.

how far do steamy moments have to go before they’re considered NSFW?

when hands are where they aren't supposed to be lol. the moment clothes start being mentioned regularly in a new context, you know what's up.

how does one have to ask to ship with you?

most of the times, yeah. either it happens naturally in threads where certain nudges are thrown or it's all about plotting behind the scene.

how often do you like to ship?

when it happens, it happens i guess ??

are you multiship?

yes 👍

are you ship obsessed or ship more-or-less?

with shipping i like to match energies. if the other person is just as excited and wants to throw interactions, musings, fanart, 6+ paragraphs of plotting, then i'll get just as excited. when i REALLY like a ship and the other person is in the "more-or-less" area or isn't as "obsessed" i'll try to contain myself cause i sure don't like it when the excitement is one sided ( i don't want to b annoying in that sense lol ).

what is your favorite ship in your current fandom?

it's me and r.ankane against the world. manga r.ankane, especially the one in the latter chapters where both are more mature and sure with themselves.

finally, how does one ship with you?

ask, tackle my dms, that's the easiest way to get me to plot or talk about a possible ship between our muses ( tho i suck at continuous messaging sometimes tbh ). ofc interactions are a good option too.

tagged by: @2isms ( thank you sm ❤️ ! ).

tagging: @hogarsis, @shrapnelsong, @glamwish, @ednaeflowers, @anemxvisions, @batoushoujo + anyone else who wants to do it.

[hezuart]

Are you a shipper?

I ??? I suppose- I guess so??? Yes?? ///

~~~~

Here's a list of ships I like that no one asked for

List of ships I think should be canon due to story setup & chemistry (But I also appreciate that the story would focus on plot more than a relationship. Don’t always agree with how these characters are written at certain points though)

Rukia x Ichigo (BLEACH) Two misfits with a death wish from different worlds who find each other and learn how to live. Rukia gives Ichigo closure and reconnection with his estranged family that kept secrets from him, along with giving him closure with his mother. Ichigo teaches Rukia, a soul reaper who never got a chance to live IRL, a soup reaper part of the cold-blooded Kuchiki family, how to live. While Rukia teaches Ichigo about the new aspects of death and all the ghosts he’s been surrounded by as a child that he’s never understood before now. They’re two sides of the same coin. The hero and the heroine of the series.

(Also Orihime x Uryuu from BLEACH because they both lost a beloved family member when they were young and have been living alone ever since. They're both fantastic seamstresses, they believe in each other when no one else does, they've protected each other, and they spend a majority of a season together. Uryu drops everything to save her in season 2, and he has the most chemistry and reason to do so outside of anyone else. Orihime often compliments him and makes him blush too.)

Blake x Sun (RWBY) Both faunus with somewhat opposite personalities that play off each other. Blake is a broody book worm while Sun is almost a literal ray of sunshine. He has a few flirty moments with her. He follows her home knowing she tends to run off by herself, challenging her fear of hurting others I think? He spends a good season assisting her in tracking down her old terrorist group and even meets her parents. She kisses him on the cheek after they depart. Good friends with the potential for something more (If they were written a little more consistently.... its been a while since I watched RWBY so I might revise my opinions later)

Ruby x Oscar (RWBY) It's Red Riding Hood’s silver eyes (aka silver slippers) for Dorothy’s salvation. To help her get home. The analogy and parallels behind their stories are fascinating. They’re both the youngest of the group with the heaviest burdens on their shoulders. So far they’ve been pretty cute, wholesome, and over all supportive of each other.

Izuku x Ochaco (My Hero Academia) Not a big fan of this show but it's the first canonical (?) shounen pairing that has actual chemistry to me. Izuku is a good friend to her and gets flustered when she's close to him. They both give each other great Christmas gifts to showcase they know each other well. Where Ochaco is actually useful and supportive and has a crush on Izuku but has goals and friends outside of him, and both of them prefer to focus on a career rather than have time for a romance during the series.

Charlie x Alastor (Hazbin Hotel) I won’t disrespect Charlie x Vaggie, but Vaggie shoots down Charlie’s ideas and personality. She doesn’t partake in the singing, dancing, or the hopeful and innocent attitude. She’s bossy and nonindulgent of Charlie, albeit simply because she wants to protect her and reel in her ideas. Alastor on the other hand is just as eccentric and carefree. They’re both charmers, centers of attention. Performance artists. Alastor has the potential to corrupt Charlie while Charlie has the potential to purify Alastor. We could see a relationship develop onscreen, where as Charlie and Vaggie are pre-established and unlikely to get attention drawn to how they actually ended up as a couple. Even Viv herself initially claimed it “just happened over time as they started out as friends”, even though Vaggie was originally Angel’s girlfriend, believe it or not. Charlie and Vaggie are the main and only ship for Hazbin though. I just don’t care about them as much as I would if Charlie had something develop with Alastor.

Stolas x Blitz (Helluva Boss before season 2) Scumbag disasters. Prince and the Pauper. Cheaters. Liars. Unhappy guys with romantic baggage issues. Start off as work-fuckbuddies but start falling in love and then at that moment, everything falls apart around them. It's messy, its bloody, its angsty, there were staKES, I'm SO SMAD-

The Harry Potter series isn’t something I’m a dedicated fan of, especially after Rowling, but Harry x Hermoine made way more sense to me from the movies. Scorpius x Albus in the Cursed Child was rectified; the subtext hints it's now canon which thank god they fixed because Scorpius x Rose was terrible. Albus had a crush on Delphi which, yeah, who wouldn’t have a crush on Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way? But I prefer those two probably as a brotp. Delphi has lesbian vibes(and she’s over a decade older than Albus, so). Albus Potter befriending his dad's enemies? Like it's great. It breaks the cycle. It's a new beginning. A new family. All the HP kids being gay/LGBTQ+ is just really funny to me. Fuck you, Rowling (There’s an HP crackship I actually like a… lot, but I’m too embarrassed to say what it is aloud. It's a spicy angsty unhealthy ship...)

Otherwise crack ships: White Zangetsu x Black Tensa (BLEACH) Angel God vs. Devil God enemies turned roommates. One is feral and the other is reserved but both are equally dangerous and creepy in their own right. (used to like Ichigo x Zangetsu but now I’ve kinda lost interest because Ichigo’s personality changed. Otherwise interchangeable GrimmjowxZangetsuxIchigo I guess. And Harribel x Neliel. Sweet & silent level 3 Espada girls. Neliel is the gal Harri’s missing for her group. She deserves another queen at her side!)

Roxas x Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts) Also don't mind these two also just being a platonic brotp. But Roxas and Vanitas are both remnants of Sora & Ventus with faces that aren't their own. They both can summon monstrous beings, they've been through pain, and they've always been second to someone else. They were both manipulated and lied to. They both wanted access to Kingdom Hearts for power, for a wish to be whole again in one way or another. They're both half of someone else and this makes them struggle with their identities. Roxas however has a joy for life. He has friends and jobs to keep him busy. Vanitas on the other hand hates life. He has nothing to live for because he's always in so much pain and thinks friends would drag him down. Roxas wants life and freedom. Vanitas wants death and/or fusion. Two kins with opposite desires. Could they save each other or destroy each other? There's so much dramatic potential here. Literary gold.

Namine x Xion (Kingdom Hearts) Wish these girls had more personality and chemistry, but I think they've got a gothic x pastel prep vibe going on. Xion was a puppet controlled by the Organization and Namine was controlled by the same Organization, just a different branch and for a somewhat different reason. Xion can copy & steal powers and Namine can rearrange memories, making them both potentially scary if they were to fight back together. I think they are the only two that would ever understand each other.

(Dib x Zim ..??? or just Brotp because of reasons like Roxas x Vanitas. Basically two opposite beings with similar upbringing or social status, both arrogant hotheads with unmatched intellect. All they want is approval, acceptance, and praise. Which they will never receive from their worlds that reject them. They are the only ones who take each other seriously. When Dib gives up on paranormal hunting, Zim becomes depressed and rots away in his house until Dib returns. Zim even seeks Dib’s help with sabotaging Tak & the Planet Jackers. They could be great friends, if they weren’t on opposite sides. If they joined forces, they’d be unstoppable. Jack Frost x Pitch Black (Rise of the Guardians) Also don't mind them being just brotp. Both lonely and lost in their bleak immortal lives, rejected by everyone else around them. Their powers can be dangerous to children if given the wrong influence, like Pitch's. In the books, they both share a similar past. Both were warriors of light. A light that flickered out and changed them into what they are now due to a tragic loss of some kind. Jack is youthful, silly, but observant while Pitch is old, dramatic, and charming. It's like giving your old dog a new puppy. At first they're annoyed, but then they slowly start being more active to play with the puppy? Not sure that's a good analogy. But Pitch said what goes together better than "cold and dark", while "fear and fun" work just as well together. Thrill rides & Halloween? A lot of adrenaline junkies out there would love what these two could come up with together.

Lost my mind at the Jevil x Spamton (Deltarune) shenanigans, implying they’re divorced exes. It’s so funny. Otherwise Jevil x Seam, estranged magicians is pretty nice too.

Other honorable crack ship mentions I won’t explain: Peridot x Lapis(SU) , Pearl x Bismuth(SU) though honestly I even wonder if that's considered crack cuz.... them ladies.... they like each other... so obvious..., Charlie x Helsa (Hazbin Hotel) , Hiccup x Jack Frost (HTTYD & ROTG crossover) , Nicole x Sally (Sonic Archie) , Mettaton x Papyrus??? for some reason?? (Undertale), Also not crackship but Marceline x Bubblegum I’m just not a big fan of Adventure Time to mention it, not crackship but Chat Noir x Ladybug… if they were written well … , Gaz x Tak because why not… goth girls that slay (Invader Zim)... Also not crack ship probably some ships from Star vs the Forces of evil but I haven't watched that show in a long while and the ships got out of hand at the end.... also like Kallen x Lelouch (Code Geass) but genuinely think Lelouch is Aro Ace and therefore think he's perfect alone... and probably a handful of others I’ve forgotten about or just am not a big enough fan of the series or ship to really name

Though I was hanging out with @ciipher-arts the other day and we just??? Discovered??? An incredibly rare ship??? Sonia x Mina? (Sonic Archie x Underground) I feel like I just had my eyes opened. Omygod the internet is sleeping on this crackship. genius

Anyway u h

dont judge me too hard pls or i will cry

[ilovewebnovels]

After Spending Real Money to Raise a Powerful Official, She Got Seduced back Instead

Author: 恍若晨曦

Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance, Slice of Life

Would recommend it to: people who like cute romance and people who like the type of web novel where the mc is helping a game character who unbeknownst to him/her is actually a real person

My Review:

I’m currently enjoying this web novel, mostly because it’s cute, though it does have a bittersweet edge. That said, I’m optimistic it won’t stay bittersweet for long since, hopefully, the characters will meet soon.

This is a virtual-raising web novel, where the MC believes the ML is a game character. The MC is levelling up, earning favorability points, and purchasing items for the ML. As the story progresses, we see her developing feelings for this "game character" and grappling with the loneliness of not being able to be with him because she believes he’s not real. On the other side, we see the ML’s loneliness as well, as he’s unable to see or touch the MC, whom he thinks is a ghost. That’s the core premise of the story.

I found the plot engaging. I was genuinely curious about what would happen next, and the interactions between the FL and ML were heartwarming. For a web novel, that’s a good sign, considering some fail to elicit much emotional response from me at all. On a scale of 1 to 10 for emotional impact, I’d give this a 4.5. While that may not sound high, it’s actually a strong score from me. Unless a story includes depressing elements or something really shocking, I tend to respond mildly to most narratives.

Now, moving on to the characters. They felt real enough—not perfect, but realistic enough to not detract from the story. There are moments that don’t make complete sense, such as the MC treating the ML like a real person and falling in love with him, even though she doesn’t know he’s actually real. However, I can forgive this, as the romance genre often requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. The characters aren’t deeply complex, but they’re not shallow or superficial either. I’d describe them as "book realistic," meaning they feel plausible within the context of a typical web novel.

In my experience, most web novels are at least somewhat illogical, so I don’t expect everyone I read to be a masterpiece. As long as the characters’ actions—like their expressions, words, and movements—feel natural enough, I’m willing to overlook minor inconsistencies. Unless the characters are completely one-dimensional or behave wildly out of character, I can be lenient.

Overall, I’d give this a 4/5.

Favorite part of this book:

So far this is my Favorite part.

Heartwarming is the word I would use to describe the feeling I had when I read about how anxious the ml was when he thought the Fl had disappeared, he fought off skilled fighter after skilled fighter so that he could stop the Taoist priest (what he thought was happening) from exorcising the Fl

Favorite quote :

don't have one yet

[hyperch1ptune]

ok this is actually a good conversation starter I wanna put my view on this

In simpler terms: MUCH more declutterred than how 2015 IG already is

I feel like 2015 IG has a problem with mischaracterization overall, and the way Penny is perceived with this unnecessary side plot is a good example. For one, no way in HELL would she genuinely fall in love this early at her age.. or at least act like how she does with Talon. The most Penny has been seen “swooning” was her expressing something she likes ridiculously, not someone. Another thing, with this in mind she wouldn’t be stubborn on showing her passion for ANYTHING, even if a bit hesitant. I get it’s like that because “oh yeaahh she’s the good guy & he’s the villain & they’re supposed to hate eachother but they LOOOVE” SHUT THE HELL UUUUPPP THATS NOT HER SHE WOULD NOT DO THAAATT SHES NOT YOUR “MAIN CHARACTER” GIRL IN ALL THOSE CRAPPY ROMANCES - YOU CAN’T JUST COAT A NEW THING OF PAINT ON HER LIKE THAT besides her obvious dislike with MAD that plot point just. Doesn’t fit right?? Compared to the selfless personality & determined attitude she’s had in pass installments those scene alone feel like they ruin her & it’s honestly a huge bummer

It’s annoying how Talon’s character runs off that 1 trait as well, with him being one of the NEPHEWS OF CLAW you’d think theyd do something better — naaahhh let’s just base him off entirely like some entitled teen who’d very much care about his own looks first than his own safety!!!GFRRHSIHAHAHAHAA NOOOOOOO look at William. Look at him. He’s had less screen time than Talon from him being in 1 episode and even then THEY HANDLED THAT IDEA BETTER WITH HIM THAN TALON when I think of a nephew of Claw that’s opposite of Willam I think of someone mischievous, a jerkass rebel of a child, but is also loyal to his influential uncle; meaning he’s not afraid to hurt anybody in the name of victory and runs off of the idea of pleasing him to grow into his vicious claw.. but he fails. Often. Extremely often. He’s still learning, but this would make him pissed more than it makes him sad - I want this kid running off anger, hatred, WRATH. Not something soapy because ur girlfriend got a itty bitty booboo ohh boohoooooo:[[[[

it would be SO much better if their relationship was something involving goofy rivalry - and TEMPORARILY I don’t wanna see Talon consistently,, that gives a motive on how they’d both be more annoyed to see eachother, more of a reason to support their uncle’s, and more opportunities for Penny to outsmart Talon in a way. What i’m trying to say is treat Talon like any other MAD agent, but one where they see constantly & gain a “really?? this guy again?? didn’t he learn last time??” kind of mentality that they have with Claw

Ever wonder what Inspector Gadget (2015) would be like if you removed the Talon and Penny scenes? How would the show change without them?

[sometimes-love-is-enough]

Let’s talk about 16th century Italian theatre.

No wait come back I promise this is actually related to Sanders Sides

So, last night I was talking with some friends about an AU I’m currently working on. I’ve been away from the Sanders Sides fandom for a good while now, but recently my hyperfixation reactivated and now my brain is so ready to write a ridiculously long longfic with a convoluted premise and horrifying implications. (I’m like 25k in. Having the time of my life. No doubt I’ll talk about it more later. This isn’t about that.)

Since I’m not the sort of person who usually writes AUs - I prefer to stick to canonverse, and canonverse-adjacent fics - I eventually brought up how worried I always am about characterization of the Sides in AUs. Because although I do adore an AU; I devour Love and Other Fairytales like candy and think about Lavender For Luck all the time and don’t even get me started on WIBAR, when it comes to my own writing, I secondguess myself a lot. I don’t like to stray too far from canon concepts and characterization. I get worried when I don’t draw enough connections to things that happen in the series, because it feels like a betrayal of the source material - if I change a character dynamic from how it’s usually portrayed, I spend entirely too long thinking about how to make it work. 

And someone else said, well, I don’t usually worry about that sort of thing very much anymore. 

And I said, why not?

And they said, well, I haven’t watched the actual show for ages. I mainly treat the Sides as stock characters for the stories I write, and my brain fucking exploded.

...Exploded in a good way. I have to stress this so, so hard. My personal opinions on writing characterization and AUs apply just to my writing. I judge my own work entirely too harshly and work too hard at Getting Characterization right, and that doesn’t apply to other people’s work or AUs at all, I enjoy them all without a problem. This meta isn’t about OOC being a bad thing, or AUs that are completely removed from their source material being a bad thing, because they aren’t, not at all, they’re a form of creative expression just like any fanwork. And if someone starts getting on your case about that sort of thing, just... just block them.

Anyway, where was I. Exploding brain? Ah yes.

So a few other people chimed into the conversation at this point, agreeing that in a lot of cases, the Sides for them were stock characters with fun names, established personalities and tropes to play around with, and part of the fun for them at this point came less from interaction with canon and more about interactions with friends and fellow writers. Which is very different to how I do things.  I was fascinated, and my brain had one big delighted thought, oh shit! You’re treating the Sides like Commedia Dell’arte characters! I get it now!

(Disclaimer: I haven’t done drama or theatre for a good while now. If I make a factual mistake, either patiently bear with me or gently correct me.)

Commedia Dell’arte was a form of Italian improv theatre that was first popular in the 16-18th centuries through Europe, and didn’t have any proper established plots or scripts. The actors were almost never the same from performance to performacne, the comedy was over-the-top and often satirical and absurd in its physicality, it focused on plots about romance and jealousy and love.  Emphasis on an ensemble cast. Very stylized, very distinctive. Here’s one beng performed in Venice, for the Vibes.

[image description: a photo shot of two masked people in period costume conversing on a small wooden stage, taken over the heads of a crowd in Venice.]

The key, the thing that ties all Commedia Dell’arte together? The stock characters. There’s a list of all of these character archetypes, all with specific names and associated masks assigned to them, and when you’re performing this sort of theatre, all the actors pick one of the archetypes and put on a mask and work out what the situation is, and bam, you’re on the stage and off to the races. You’ve got the servant of two masters, the stuttering statesmen, the Sad Clown (relatable), the utterly obsessed lovers who won’t stop making doe eyes at each other on stage from behind those masks of theirs. 

Pretty freaky-looking masks, admittedly. Look at that nose on Naso Turco, the sly servant!

[image description: eight blue-and-black stylized Commedia Dell’arte masks, all labelled with their roles]

And the thing is, audiences would recognize these archetypes upon seeing them - it wasn’t so much about having characters that were perfectly ported from one story to another, like you might have in adaptations of fairy tales, it’s more about the archetypes. The personalities. Their status, and the way they interact with one another. Apparently all of the original cast of stock characters (you can find a list of them on Wikipedia, or maybe elsewhere) were "originally intended as a kind of characteristic representative of some particular Italian district or town." They’re representations of archetypes. You might even say that they’re conceptual representations. 

Sound familiar? Yeah, it’s not hard to see where I’m going with this.

In Commedia, stock characters are almost never played by the same actors because the cast is always different, and might be an entirely different theatre troupe - so the way of recognizing certain archetypes is by their clothing style, or other symbolic context clues. 

And that’s exactly how you recognize the Sides in fanworks when the AU is too far divorced from canon to understand them otherwise. If you’ve changed their ethnicity, or genderbent them, or given then a different species, you look for the context clues because at this point you’ve learned to read them like a language. 

If it’s just fanart, or the names haven’t been brought up yet, how do you tell it’s Roman? Well, Roman’s costume is pretty distinctive, even when modified - and failing that, even if he’s just in jeans and a t-shirt, or even if he’s an indistinct jello-y blob floating in the distant reaches of space - he’s going to be the red blob. They’re color-coded for our convinience. Virgil’s stormclouds and spiders, Janus has his snakes and almost always has something going on with one side of his face. 

Do you find this delightful? I hope you do. Because I do. I find it really, really delightful, and I’d never put conscious thought into this before last night. The Sides aren’t quite as flat and archetypal as the colorful cast of Commedia Dell’arte - they’re more fleshed out, for one thing, and even if writers don’t always pull on it, there’s canon backstory and plotlines to draw from. But they’re still archetypes, deliberately so in the context of canon. Someone in the server I was discussing this in summed it up really nicely - [..] we have Roman the artist, we have Janus for all the drama and deception, we have clever Logan to represent the science spirit. We have Patton for the morale lessons. We have Virgil for the memento mori style, and we have Remus for all the gore and dark comedic relief. 

Which is such a great updating of all of the classic theatrical archetypes. Because (although Italian improv theatre is still performed! People still use these old roles and costumes, but it’s definitely more historical than modern) the idea of servants and masters and cunning peasants and all the complicated dynamics between these roles, well... it isn’t super relevant to modern storytelling. When Commedia Dell’arte is performed nowadays, it’s almost never hashtag-relatable in the way it used to be. You know what’s more relatable? Archetypes of the nerd who doesn’t acknowledge his emotions, the grumpy loner with a heart of gold, the theatre kid who won’t stop singing. You can take those and all of the rest and shove them into all manner of situations, and you can make some really cool stories out of that. 

(National Theatre has a really nice video breaking down this theatre form a lot better than I can, with details I didn’t include here. Check it out here if you’re interested. It also includes details about the various archetypes’ physicalities and movements, which I think is kind of interesting, because in canon Sanders Sides the character’s physicalities are terrifyingly recognizable. That’s not really relevant to the idea of AU Improv Theatre, though, so I won’t poke any further at that thought. ANYWAY.)

I’ll level with you: some of the things people write in this fandom, I just don’t vibe with and I don’t get, and I’m okay with that. It’s the maxim of Mind Your Own Business, I just don’t interact and I keep on moving in my own lane. But, like... maybe I don’t need to get it. I’m pretty sure there were people in 1600s Europe who showed up to a Commedia Dell’arte performance and went ‘no, this one isn’t for me, did you see how they absolutely butchered the characterization of the Innamorati? Disgraceful’. But for many other people, maybe that particular performance just hit the spot, because they’d always wanted to see an interpretation just like that, that diverged from the norm just a little bit. And even if nobody in the audience at all liked it, maybe the performers were having enough of a blast that it more than made up for it.

And if not any of that - well, there’s always the next show!

[image description: four masked Commedia Dell’arte performers crowded around a prop cafe table, exclaiming dramatically over a menu that they’re all bent over.]

I don’t know if my brain will ever be chill enough to let me write something completely separated from canon. (Although... now that I’m typing that, I recognize that the chessboxing AU is not so much separated from canon as a tragic widower of a dinosaur-related apocalyptic divorce. Okay. Nevermind. Still, you probably get where I’m coming from.) And I’m probably not going to stop treating characterization like I’m going to be sentenced by a vicious panel of judges to a cruel and untimely death if I get the slightest bit of it wrong, but... I don’t know. The realization that it’s all comes back to this makes me happy, somehow. Just generally joyful about the state of the fandom, and the things that people create, and the community that’s been built up around it. 

Commedia is all about exploring stuff in improv like love and romance and dynamics, and isn't that exactly what we're doing as writers? Throwing character archetypes together and making them kiss and talk to see what will happen? It's not really improv, but it's not like we have any stage to act on except the AO3 posting page.

We didn't set out to make the characters from a web series into stock archetypes that so many people pick up and play with to Work Out Our Issues With. (Writing is free therapy. We all knew that already.) That was definitely not the original intention of Sanders Sides - or any similar fandom, actually. (I know TSS isn’t the only one this happens in, not even close.)

But, hey, we're humans, and it always comes back to us wanting to play. And there's nothing new under the sun, not really. Of course given an infinite internet sandbox and a goofy web series about some guy’s identity crisis, we would accidentally reinvent the original Italian comedy theatre. That’s kind of brilliant. 

You know what, I think 16th century Italians would enjoy Sanders Sides AUs a lot. I bet they’d make some pretty banger masks for the boys to wear. 

God, I wish I had a time machine.

[booksandpaperss]

Aight another long post but it’s important that everyone on this tag gets this:

People who say byler isn’t a ground breaking queer ship if its gonna be canon just… don’t get it.

“There’s other shows with queer rep not just ST!” yes thank you I am well aware that Mike and Will aren’t the only two gay people in existence. Sure there’s other queer media, but like, most of the good ones are shows that were explicitly confirmed to be abt the queer experience, and I love those, but it’s just different when a show with a plot unrelated to being gay *has* multiple main characters as queer. Like that’s so much better bc it reminds ppl that queer ppl are actually real people and we exist outside of TV shows abt being queer, ya feel me?

-“Just bc stranger things is a bigger show doesn’t make a queer ship on it more groundbreaking”- umm yes it fucking does?? I really don’t think some of you understand: thousands of ppl who are either homophobic or just ignorant and aren’t used to seeing gay ppl on screen are going to SEE with their own eyes two teen boys in the 80s being in love on one of their favorite shows. Tons of queer kids who don’t have access to queer media or simply don’t KNOW that they’re queer are going to get to see two teen boys being in love. Putting that on a show like stranger things puts that representation across a much larger and diverse audience, *that* is what’s groundbreaking.

-“Stop acting like byler is any more of a big deal than Robin and Vickie! There’s already a queer ship onscreen another one isn’t any more groundbreaking.”- Yes. Yes it is. And do you know why? Because Mike and Will are both *crucial main characters*. There’s another longpostTM on my blog where I talk abt this in more detail, but the fact that Will’s romance is with mike, a relationship with another mc that’s been built up since season 1 and is critical to the plot, instead of some side character dude inserted in a later season just for Will to have a love interest, makes a difference! It’s not a side pairing that’s there just for the sake of being lgbtq, it’s a genuine well developed romance between two childhood best friends. How often do queer people get romances like that onscreen? Much less in a major hit TV show??

And before anyone thinks I’m just “not taking wlw ships seriously”: I am literally a lesbian and I nearly cried when I saw Robin and Vickie getting to be gay onscreen. I could go on and on abt how annoying it is that wlw ships are ignored in favor of mlm ships (cough cough steddie) but that’s not why *byler* is a bigger deal, why do you think byler is getting more backlash by cishets than literally any other queer ship that I’ve seen in media?

If you still think I’m being “over dramatic” after reading this, I literally don’t care. There’s bigger lgbtq issues to worry about than online discourse, and I think I’ve made myself quite clear already. I rest my case.

[elumish]

Romantic Tension without Abuse

A lot of romance novels and love stories have the failing that the relationship relies on the the tension being some form of “he’s cruel to her, and then at some point he’s less cruel to her because he’s fallen in love with her”. Those often end up having a fair amount of domestic violence or sexual assault in them, but then he, I don’t know, gives her a consensual orgasm or something, so then it’s fine.

If you don’t want to rely on the character and relationship growth being him being less cruel to her and her being more willing to put up with cruelness, here are some other forms of romantic tension that you can have in romance novels:

Forbidden love - basically the oldest romance plot in the world, two people who are in love but can’t be for some reason. There’s the Romeo and Juliet version of this, but there are also a lot of forbidden or at least taboo relationships in the world right now: same-gender relationships, interracial relationships, interreligious relationships, etc.

I’d caution that you should be wary of writing the type of YA “this white girl’s relationship with this white boy is forbidden because society hates love” forbidden love because it’s a bit played out.

Danger - this is the basis of basically every romantic suspense novel: danger is chasing them, and they can’t focus on their relationship because they need to keep themselves and each other safe, but they’re falling in love anyway. This can have the advantage of forcing them alone for long periods of time.

Circumstances plotting against them - this can be two people who keep missing each other, or one of them is engaged to someone they don’t want to be engaged to, or they’re on opposite sides of a business deal. They want to be together, but something keeps getting in the way.

They love each other but have different priorities - think of every advice column where one person wants children and the other doesn’t. Maybe one wants adventure and the other wants to stay at home, or one wants fame while the other wants anonymity. The tension then is then figuring out if they can make it work despite their priorities, or if it will pull them apart.

A lot of little truths and one big lie - this is one of the tricky ones because it can lead into the sort of gaslighting that isn’t good for a healthy relationship. You can look at books like Courtney Milan’s The Duke Who Didn’t for a good version of this, but basically what you want here is a situation where one character has a major secret, but everything else they share about themselves is as true as possible, so the love interest knows them even if they don’t know this secret about them. The tension them becomes about the stress of keeping the secret or the stress of what the secret is itself or the stress of the love interest finding out the secret.

Trust issues because they’ve been burned before - they may be in love, but one character (or both) has significant trust issues that keeps them from fully committing/believing in the other person’s love because they’ve been burned before--by hurtful parents, by a previous unhealthy or abusive relationship, by the loss of a love.

They think it has to be temporary - this is a love story with a set end date--one of them will move at the end, or the job will end, or one of them is dying. Whatever it is, they are going into any sort of relationship knowing that it can’t last, and so they are unwilling to commit fully because of it.

Some says something early on that leads to an ongoing misunderstanding - again, this is one of the potentially tricky ones, but this is one where someone says something stupid or misunderstood, and so they need to figure out their way around this misunderstanding.

They used to have an antagonistic relationship - another tricky one, because it can fall into the “one of them is cruel to the other and now they’re getting over it” or “one of them is a bigot but the other is learning to love them despite it”. There’s a certain level of antagonism that you can’t really get past, like abuse, but there are a lot of ways you can play with this. They could be sports rivals or people on opposites of a business deal or people who just never managed to get along, but now it’s later and they look at each other and think oh. This often goes in the direction of one pining before the other (see: Pride and Prejudice) but it can be them falling in love simultaneously.

[luminousnotmatter]

This Close

a little j.h.s. something

pairing: My favorite Texan Naval aviator, Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x Female...Reader? OC? She’s kind of both? I’ll explain more in the Author’s Note. 😜 warnings: Mutual pining. Yearny. Friends with feelings they’re not acknowledging. PG-level swears. Takes place in a bar that’s not The Hard Deck. There’s a Dean Martin song used.😜  word count: a little over 1k. author’s note: This is my first bit of writing shared in a good long while, and also my first bit of writing for Top Gun Maverick since that movie happened to me this year. Be gentle please I’m nervous???? 😨😱 This story is actually part of a moment I have in mind for a whole, longer, multi-parted story that’s currently simmering on the stovetop of my brain until I can figure it out more/work up the nerve to plot it out and start writing and sharing it involving Jake and a Lady OC who I’m also still developing. Hence she, ‘Birdy’ a nickname she’s referred to as once here ☺, is sort of straddling the Reader/OC line at the moment. I honestly prefer writing this way than in the second person; it’s easier for me and I find I like the way things flow and feel better, so hopefully y’all don’t mind it. Okay. I’ve officially rambled w a y too much so I’m shutting my cakehole now. 🤐 I sincerely hope it pleases you! 💕❤ bonus material: This is the song that’s playing in the bar in case you want to listen in on Jake and Birdy’s dance.  It’s not a love song really, but I love it and find there is a certain sweet, romance to it. But then again, I’m a known Sap, so form your own opinion. 😉 tagging: My Sweet B.💗 ‘cause she’s a dear, inspiring, and encouraging gem of a lady, whom I love. @bradshawsbaby​

"The sun is sinking in the west the cattle go down to the stream the redwing settles in her nest it's time for a cowboy to dream..."

With the first few lines of the song and Dean Martin's signature croon, the energy and volume in the crowded bar immediately shifts, lowering from it's previous loud, buzzing intensity to a quieter, pleasant hum. A few of the dancing couples rearrange themselves into new pairs, but most stay with their current partners.

  Jake's green eyes glow warm. His lips are still upturned in a gentler, one-sided version of his familiar wide and sunshiney smile, as his gaze sweeps around the space casually, before meeting hers.

"Shall we?" he quirks an eyebrow up. Speaks only loudly enough for her to hear. His left hand remains loosely entwined with her right, leftover from the previous, faster dance, but he's inviting her to join him for this one, not assuming she wants to. A gentleman's gesture.

And some might argue against it: but she knows, believes, has seen, that Jacob Seresin is a gentleman, in the truest sense of the word. He just....buries that part of himself, walls it up, far too often.

She tightens her grip on his hand. Let's herself notice, secretly relish, the roughness of his calloused fingers and palm. And the skipping jolt it sends to her heart. "Let's." and a smiling nod is her only response.

“Purple lights in the canyons That's where I long to be With my three good companions Just my rifle, my pony, and me...”

They step in close to one another once more, less than a foot of space between them. It's not really different than what they had been doing a minute or so ago, albiet slower, but the feeling, the energy between them has changed, just as it has for the place as a whole.

  It's not necessarily an unpleasant change.

Jake's right hand holds her waist with a sort of tentative firmness, the heat of his palm bleeds through the material of her dress to her skin. His left hand has raised her right while they sway and take small steps in time with the music.

At first she looks everywhere but at her partner's face. Gaze sweeping around the room at the other couples, the lights above the bar, patrons' abandoned drinks....

She's exposed, raw, hyper-aware of the pounding of her heart against her ribs, of how hot her cheeks are, of the inherent intimacy there is in this slow closeness, and somehow it seems that if she looks in Jake's eyes it will be a tacit acknowledgement of the Truth she's currently refusing to actively acknowledge: that she likes this. Likes him. This man is her friend (becoming one of her favorite, best ones), so of course she likes him, and she is comfortable with him, as a woman and as his friend, but that Truth? What it actually means deep down? It's a damn frightening thing to look at head-on.

All these sensations and thoughts scramble through her heart and brain in milliseconds.

“Gonna hang my sombrero, On the limb of a tree Comin' home, sweetheart darlin' Just my rifle, my pony, and me...”

The sound of the Naval Lieutenant humming the tune of the song near her ear draws her eyes back to him, almost against her will, but not actually. He's looking around too at first, but quickly meets her eyeline with a gentle widening of his smile.

  "You know this song?" she asks with a smile of her own; she knows this tune well but wouldn't have guessed he did. It brings an ache of fondness to her chest that he does.

"Mm-hm." he nods and grins fully with his mouth closed. His nose scrunches up once, barely perceptible but she catches it. The skin around his eyes crinkles and her chest is hurting again.

  She drops her gaze for just a moment, trying to think of something to say. The silence isn't uncomfortable, it's just that she likes the sound of his voice. Likes the way he talks to her. But when her eyes catch the sheen of sweat on his skin over the hollow of his throat, they fly back up. Immediately.

  Jake is still looking at her. His look is so very unguarded (her heart whispers the word: tender) it sends any thought of words out of her mind. His pink mouth is still smiling, but it too is a smaller, softer, a more intentional, meaningful thing.

“Whippoorwill in the willow Sings a sweet melody Ridin' to Amarillo Just my rifle, my pony, and me...”

He breathes out the quietest, whispered, "Hey, Birdy."

Her throat is tight with some unexpressed, still-ignored emotion but she's able to whisper back, "Hey, Jay."

Jake gives her hand two squeezes in quick succession.

“No more cows to be ropin’ No more strays will I see Round the bend, she'll be waitin' For my rifle, my pony, and me My rifle, my pony, and me...”

Someone in the crowd calls for the song to please be played again, just once more. Their request is granted.

She swallows hard. Jake's lashes are long and his eyes are so green and the unguarded, tender look in them is still there. He is no longer smiling, just looking; his expression still soft, open.  He's not only looking at her but seeing her. The rosy, ruddy glow to his cheeks and the firmness of him beneath her hand that cups his back, all shout of the health, vitality, alive-ness of him.

It's a fight to think of other things besides her desire to lean all the way into his chest.

I wanna give up that fight.  For right now: I can give up. I give up. she thinks to herself. With a finality and resolve to which she grasps tightly.

Before anxiety and self-doubt and outright fear can question and crumble that resolve she does it.

She takes the half-step in, tucking her left hand between their two bodies up by her face and rests her cheek to his t-shirt covered chest, right below his left clavicle. She allows any tension to bleed from her shoulders, her neck, her arms, and lets him hold her.

Just for the rest of the song, she tells herself.

As he curls his right arm all the way round her back, Jake holds his next inhale at its peak for a quick extra second or two, then lets it out evenly, once she relaxes fully against him. She can't see his face of course, but he feels like even his blinking is slow, and careful. She's never been quite this close to him before now.  And he's never....he's not sure he has ever allowed himself to consider that he's wanted her to be...but his deep-down self is realizing: he has. Damn.

He shakes that realization and its implications off for the moment. It doesn't have to be dealt with right now.

  Just enjoy the rest of the song, Seresin, he tells himself. Rests his cheek gently against her head. Holds her.

They sway and take small steps, to and fro, to and fro, until the song does...eventually...unfortunately....end.

[originalwinnercheesecake]

CBS Ghost’s: Why do they all have to be paired into couples now.

Hello Again. So on whole I really like cbs ghosts, but I have noticed with a lot of the episodes in season 2 my opinion of most epsidoes has been that they are a mixed bag. If the A plot is good the B blot won’t be, if the B plot is good then the A plot will just be awful. C plots are never more than maybe’s. I have been going over what parts of episodes I like and what parts  dislike and one of the parts I have decided I really don’t like is the sudden push to pair all of the ghosts up into couples.

The house residents are all a found family, that been true since the beginning. But in season one their kinship is kinda “island of misfits”. When you look into the ghost’s pasts you see that none of them really had that great of family’s to began with. Hetty, Pete, and Alberta all had unhappy relationships where their significant others cheated, and in Hetty and Alberta’s cases were also total crooks. Trevor and Thor were abandoned by their closest friends. Issac, in addition to being in a marriage he could never fully be happy in, he’s also implied to have been the butt-monkey of his social group so to speak. Flower was stuck in multiple cults/communes that drugged her and wouldn’t let her speak to outsiders. But now in death they all have each other, and even if they are often arguing, even if the property border forces them all to stay together,  even though they were all trapped in a pergatiory they all wished to someday leave.. at least they all had each other for comrades/shipmates/bro’s. And maybe when you think about it that was more than they had when they were alive....

All that was fine and well. But why in season 2 do they keep trying to pair and push everybody into couples? Why is that suddenly so needed, and such a big focus? What makes this worse is that while the rivalries (which no longer getting the attention they deserve) were funny, and the friendships (also not getting enough spotlight anymore) where cute/sweet, A lot of these romances are really bland, boring, and seem slapped to together just because these two weren’t in a couple already.

I mean let’s go over the couples

Sam&Jay: Our resident livings. Honestly these two are adorable together, and might eventually join my top 5 favorite sit-come couples list (The list is currently Moritcia&Gomez, Chandler&Monica, Red&Kitty, Hall&Lois...). What I love most abut these two is that they are both such quarkie individuals but because of their different quarks they are able to take turns being the sane one and, not necissarly grounding each other, but giving advice to the other on how to navigate what weird things happen. In just writing this I realize they are kinda like a sit-come, modern day, version of Fry&Leela who are in my opinion one of the best cartoon couples. But this is supposed to be about Sam&Jay. I like Sam&Jay. They’re crazy but they work

Pete&Alberta: This is the other couple I really like, and I am sad that their development was largely pushed to the side/just plane stopped in season 2. The show writers said they wanted them to be a slow burn, because they were not sure if Pete was really Alberta’s type. But then looking at Pete and Alberta’s past (Pete’s cheating wife, Alberta’s two-timing bootleg boyfriend, and the mob guy she also dated) the pair both had picked the wrong type of people when alive. Pete see’s Alberta for the amazing and deserving person she is. Alberta encourages Pete to take some risks and act with some gumption, while also being one of the only ghosts to respect Pete for being such a nice guy. Can the show back off or take a break with some of the lamer couples below to focus on these two.

Issac&Nigel: The Gay couple. I already know I am going to get crap for saying I am not crazy about them this season. Please hear me out before you flame. I liked them in season 1. Their awkwardness together was cute. I liked that Nigel never tried to push Issac, and I was really happy When Issac admitted to both Nigel and the other ghost (who already knew of course) that he liked Nigel. If you find my ranking list I put Nigel kinda low, but that was because we didn’t see him enough to really get to know him. That was one of the things I was excited for in season 2. Halfway through the season its been a disappointment. Nigel seems to have no personality. Because of this he and Issac cannot develop any fun banter or an interesting raptor;personality wise they are just to unbalanced. In addition there is no real build to their relationship. Like according to the Christmas episode it took 10 episodes for Issac to be comfortable kissing Nigel, but before that their was not mention of Issac having any hesitation in that part. In episode 2x01we learn Nigel like watching ants (do nothing). Okay so is Nigel into Anthropology? Cool that’s something to his character. Can I see more of him getting excited to show Issac different bugs? Issac likes musical theater right? So  have him pester Sam to put on a video of a play (something that’s not Hamilton) for him to show Nigel on a date. How are things between the pair and Jenkins? I do not want them to break up, but please show do better by them.

Thor&Flower: I have seen a lot of posts by people saying that they aren’t crazy about this pair. I agree, I don’t ship them. I didn’t like Flower much in season 1, she seemed like she was just a generic Hippy. Her and Thor possibly becoming a couple once she got comfortable with monogamy (weird didn’t Thor also talk a bunch about viking origi’s in season1 ) seemed like grasping at straws for something to do with both characters in season 2. I did not think Thor needed a love interest then: He had great friendships with Sam, Sass, Hetty, and now in season 2 we are getting more of his friendship with Issac and him trying to be a father to Bjorn. Flower’‘s development in season 2 has been awesome as well. We have seen more of Protester Flower, learned more about what the cult’s cost her, her relationships with her brothers (writers have apparently already been looking into older actors to play one of Flowers brothers should he decide to visit the B&B). We have gotten more on her friendship with Alberta, and her helping Hetty learn to embrace feelings of pleasure (best story arch of the season)... Thor and Flower is a forced ship that neither character needs to be interesting. Just drop it.

Hetty&Trevor: I did not see that coming. I really didn’t. I saw a post that tweeted Hetty maybe having a romance  this season. I figured maybe it would be with one of Nigel’s two friends (We don’t know Baxter’s sexuality and Jenkins could be bi). I was literally like Pete likes Alberta, Issac is gay, Thor would be to weird since he was basically her nanny as a child, I cannot imagine her or Sass being the slightest bit interested in each other, and of course she cannot stand Trevor... Yet here we are. I am just fine with these two hooking up, but that is it. If they became a couple, then knowing this show, they would start getting along. I like them being frenemies, They are funny frenemies.

Sass&car-ghost girl: Sass was the last one left. His one sided crush on Chiki went no where and could never be, and now they have brought This new car-ghost girl in and made it jump-out-and-hit-you-in-the-face clear that Sass is smitten with her at first sight... Sass is my second favorite ghost (Alberta is my favorite) and I think he is the funniest one. But the way the actor play’s Sass: mostly apathetic, with a dry wit humor.. yeah that doesn’t translate well when he tries to be caring or romantic. Sass is a good story teller, and a fun Bro, but he is not really a romantic guy, and I am honestly wishing the writers had gone the fan theory route of making him Ace.

Judy Farnsby & Bjorn: I actually really like the idea of these two being together. Give me more of Judy showing up behind her son and his wife and calling them both terrible disappointment’s, only now have Bjorn show up with her and talking as if he is Farnsby’s stepfather.