#THEE most romantic relationship of all time

[mogruith]

Six Song Soundtrack Game - Coranzan

Thanks for tagging me @optimisticgrey ! You can check their post out here for some excellent choices for their Durge, Celeste!

No pressure tags for @arach-tinilith @majorasnightmare @moriarfer @mmigrainee @pavusprince @squidgang @lutethebodies @the-weeping-dawn @nemo-of-house-hamartia @mystxmomo @mitsubinyuri @ratchsellsfornax

Rules: If you're tagged, make a new post with links to music and/or lyrics describing the following...

Event that defines your character's past:

Sea Wolf - Dear Fellow Traveler

Dear fellow traveler under the moon I saw you standin' in the shadows and your eyes were blue You put your hand out, opened the door You said, "Come with me, boy, I want to show you somethin' more"

You spoke my language and touched my limbs It wasn't difficult to pull me from myself again And in our travels, we found a rose You held it like a mirror, showing me the life I chose

Coranzan's conversion to Eilistraee was sudden. Barely an adult, he was bested by a Paladin on his first raid to the surface - at sword-point, Coranzan is asked to reconsider his ways or be run through as just another failed drow raider.

Coran experiences a vision of clarity as he comes down from his adrenaline. Suddenly there isn't a single cloud shrouding a brightly moonlit night. He's flat on his back, it's quiet except for the blood pumping in his ears… and despite how loud that must seem, he thinks he can hear the song of Eilistraee.

It's a message to him, he thinks. He's been shown what his current path has to offer him and this is his last chance to make the right choice.

How your character sees themselves:

The Arcadian Wild - Empress

Woe to thee with fearful eyes, their lighthouse is burning up And down goes the ship in which they wasted their whole lives Cursed are tongues that speak in only can’ts, and won’ts, and Oh, what if the world went and died, left you buried in regrets You never kissed the ceiling [...] Blessed are the minds that need no disguise That fly up o’er mountain Dance like an empress, you’ll impress them all Unmask the beauty you’re given

Although he converted to Eilistraee at what he thought was a personal message from her, he struggled to make headway with the clergy itself. Nonetheless, he persisted. Spitefully. Fully feeling he and others like him deserved a place among their Clerics.

So, don't listen to the haters and never stop reaching for new heights. So many out there with that negative mentality that don't like it when you ask "why not?".

How others view them:

The Killers - The Man

When it comes to Friday, I always earn (Ooh-ooh) Don't try to teach me, I got nothing to learn 'Cause baby I'm gifted You see what I mean? USDA certified lean

For most of his life, he's been all hot air and confidence. All of his superiors see is a bloated ego that has no accomplishments to speak of. And for the most part, they're not wrong.

Their closest relationship (platonic or romantic):

Why Would I Now? - The Decemberists

Have I ever lost your way? Have I ever left you waylaid? Have I ever come unstaid? Why would I now? There were times I loathed your name There were times I laid on blame There were times I brought on shame Why would I now?

Coranzan's closest relationship is with his sister, Z'ress. Coran's bond of loyalty and protection extends to many, but few will ever be as close as his bond with Z'ress.

Although he's majorly messed up on occasion, he's always tried to make it right when he did. Despite the occasional bumps, they've always been thick as thieves and have had each other's back Above and Below.

A major fight scene:

The Flight - A Spartan Fight - Assassin's Creed Odyssey

For this I'll just straight up put an embed from a combat-oriented playlist that I put together for Coran's playthrough in BG3. It's instrumental, so no lyrics to discuss.

But for his playlist, I wanted to find something combaty that feature less typical string instruments as an homage to his bardic skills. Unfortunately, there wasn't much that I could find that fit the bill.

But, despite still not having gotten around to play this game, I really like the music and his playlist features a number of songs from this soundtrack.

End credits song:

Zayde Wølf - Gladiator

Gladiator, gladiator, gladiator Picked a fight with the gods I'm the giant slayer Boneshaker, dominator Freight train, wrecking ball, I'm the gladiator

Tell me what it is that you think you believe Caught in a crossfire, trouble at sea Every single day I feel that gold underneath I see the locked doors but I got the key I'ma give you a second just to catch your breath 'Cause I can see that your heart is jumpin' out your chest I know you gave it all, 'cause I've already seen your best It is time you accepted this

I consider the epilogue of BG3 "an ending" - but it builds to the next campaign: War in the Underdark. And that takes the kind of confidence that destroying an Elder Brain would imbue you with.

If he was insufferably arrogant before, he will believe he's got the stuff to rival the gods now. He's too big for the Church of Eilistraee and has decided he has his own vision for how to end the strife that plagues his homeland.

[acrossthewavesoftime]

It's the first time in a few insanely convoluted, stressful weeks that I have some leisure to engage in reading again, and what is the first thing I stumble upon? One of the absolutely most insane couple of stanzas from a Jacobite poem including not one, but three alleged affairs between the Earl of Shrewsbury and Queen Mary II, the future Queen Anne and a bishop and King William III and Hans Willem Bentinck. ...And did I mention the mpreg.

In a Court full of vice may Shrewsbury lay Molly on, Whilst Nanny enjoys her episcopal stallion And Billy with Benting does play the Italian We beseech thee to hear us ’Mist such blessed pairs, succession prevails, and if Nan of Denmark or Dutch Molly fails May pregnant Mynheer spawn a true Prince of Wales We beseech thee to hear us.

From: A Litany for the Reducing of Ireland, in Cameron, Poems on Affairs of State, p. 219–22, p. 221.

It becomes ever more clear to me as to why Bentinck (a man who had had two wives, 10 children and was very vocal about what he thought of male same sex relations in his letters to William), at the height of those Jacobite publications, wanted some space from the court.

I first encountered this excerpt from a much longer poem in an article called From the Body of the King to the Body of the Nation: Sovereignty, Sodomy, and the English Revolution of 1688, published last year in the journal Modern Intellectiual History, and can be read here for free.

While certainly an interesting read, I am always a bit saddened that all discussions of the relationship between Hans Willem Bentinck and William III tend to inevitably circle back to, or at least imply, the old dispute as to whether there was or wasn't a romantic or sexual relationship between the two, when ample contemporary evidence, including personal letters, makes it clear there was with all the likelihood we can ascertain today, none. Instead, it would be interesting to for once see someone examine their close relationship, which doesn't want to fit into any one mould, apart from the allegations of a sexual affair, which only ever crops up in negative contemporarily, and in highly political contexts. There seems to have been a wealth of trust and nuance as to how they viewed each other that is visible in their letters, which sadly is hardly ever being addressed, even today.

Still, this was another one of these cases where the past surprises - indeed, I know I should know better. People have always been people, but I certainly was not expecting... this.

As another amusing side note, in another Jacobite poem, William III is described as having "the head of a goose", and... this time, I have to say I see what the Jacobites are seeing:

Same glaring stare, same Nose. Will both hiss at and bite you, probably (goose picture bravely taken by Wikipedia user Assianir, who hopefully still has all their fingers attached to their hands).

[tribalauthor]

THE WISEWOMAN (roman reigns ff) <chapter 16>

word count: 2.7k

Sophia's POV

I am currently in the studio where "WWE: The Bump" is filmed. The managers told me that I need to be interviewed after my debut and especially after what happened at Royal Rumble.

So me and Joe got back in New York yesterday after our amazing stay at Pensacola. I really loved it. He showed me around some beautiful places too, met his family and relatives.

I kinda hope we go back there soon. I really had a fun time. But all of this got me thinking that I have to introduce him to my mother and that will happen after the interview.

When she found out I met his parents, she said that now it's her turn and today she has no scheduled surgeries in the afternoon. I hope it goes well.

I shrugged the thoughts away now since I have other things to worry about at the moment.

I am sitting on the red velvet couch wearing tight long black dress with no shoulders and the red shoes and jewellery my boyfriend gifted me.

Joe wanted to come with me so bad but he has to train and prepare himself for the coldness of my mother later, so he will come to pick me up when I'm over with work.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today with our newest character in the universe, Sophia Heyman." Cathy announced me and I smiled at the camera waving at people.

"Hi. It's a pleasure to be here." I spoke.

"I have a lot of questions for you, Sophia. First of all, what made you come in WWE?"

"As many people know, my uncle suffered a serious leg injury and when I went to the hospital to visit him, he asked me to replace him temporarily here." I replied simply.

"And you agreed immediately?"

"No." I said frankly. "It took him some time to persuade me. I didn't like the idea at first since I had another job I had to build up but eventually, he convinced me and also there was no other choice but to stand up for him and help him out." I nodded my head.

"And how do you like it so far?"

"I love it. Every single time I appear here I start to understand uncle more why he is so devoted to this business." I was really smiley cause it's the truth.

"And you are doing an amazing job. Ladies and gentlemen, Sophia is one of the most talked WWE characters right now. People even call you the fashion icon of the company. I mean your style is really amazing." Cathy remarked and I thanked her.

"I honestly didn't expect this kind of reaction. See, I was just slightly familiar with the WWE before and one of the things that caught my eye is that fans are really devoted and are not very used to changes. But change is a necessity. You see how real life circumstances put us in different positions and we have no other choice." I replied as I crossed my legs.

"What is your relationship with Paul Heyman?"

"Uncle is a very important figure in my life. He has been next to me always despite the constant travelling the job is requiring." I nodded my head as I tried not to get too personal. "I mean, a lot of people say I am like him."

"I don't know about the looks but you definitely talk like him. And I wonder if you just try to be like that or you are just born this way."

"I was born like that." I replied seriously. "When you meet him you can ask him stories about my childhood. He has a lot. The crowd still hasn't seen my full potential of talking smack." I sneak peeked.

"We are looking forward to it." Cathy smiled softly and pulled out another note.

"What is your relationship with Roman Reigns?" it took her a long enough for thee question.

I just laughed softly and looked down, trying to keep my composure.

"Well, I don't know if you saw the Royal Rumble. Something is going on." I replied while finally making an eye contact with the camera.

"So is this a start of a romantic storyline between the Tribal Chief and the Wise Woman?" Cathy asked excitingly.

"Maybe. You have to tune in and see." I teased.

"And how did Paul react to all of this?"

"He was shocked. As the whole world. I mean me and Roman didn't tell anybody about this. No one knew. Not even Jimmy and Solo." I explained.

"Oh wow. So you really wanted to surprise the world." Cathy concluded.

"Yup."

"Is this storyline just a kayfabe or you really got something going on with Roman?" me and Joe totally expected this question and we were thinking of possible answers to say.

"It's real." I said and Cathy seemed very surprised actually. Maybe she is pretending but regardless, she seems surprised. "I mean even if we hide it, we can't hide it for long. You know, somebody will see us somewhere and the speculations will begin and so on and so on. So yes, we are together." I announced.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gonna witness two storylines then." Cathy waved her head with eager. "One last question. Are we getting Roman vs Rock for the main event of Wrestlemania? People wanna know."

"Tune in and see." I simply replied. "Maybe we will learn this Friday night at Smackdown." I winked at the camera.

"You heard her, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much, Sophia and see you on Friday." Cathy said the last words. I thanked her and then we got up to exchange a hug.

After that I went out of the studio as she was announcing the next guest which was Austin Theory. He just waved his hand softly at me before he got in the room.

As I hopped in Joe's car that was waiting for me outside and saw that he is wearing a black hoodie with JORDAN written on it, I started seeing black.

"Hi, baby." he greeted me and leaned to kiss me. "You look amazing."

"Thank you." I softly bit my lower lip.

"Sorry, I didn't come out. I just don't want anyone to see me here now." he apologized and he fired up the engine immediately leaving. "Plus, I don't want us to be late."

I just softly chuckled.

"Is everything okay?" he asked. How does he know it isn't? Maybe my face speaks too much.

"I'm just a bit nervous." I spoke frankly. "My mother isn't as warm as your parents. I gotta warn you."

"And it's completely normal. She is a surgeon and a widow. I don't expect her to be bubbly." he replied. He knows my father is dead and I know his only brother is too but we really never talked about it deeply since the topic is very serious.

"I'm just saying that she will probably act cold. That doesn't mean she hates you, she is just like this." I explained and he seemed kinda unfazed.

"I'm gonna be okay as long as she doesn't curse me out or something." Joe chuckled.

"With that Jordan hoodie? She might." I muttered.

"Oh my God. Is she a Lakers fan?" he exclaimed, obviously heard what I said to my nose.

"Yeah." I just responded. Didn't quite lie. Mom is watching the NBA and ever since I remember myself she is a Lakers fan. I wonder why (haha).

I can't tell him mom used to date Michael Jordan. I don't know how he is going to react and mom doesn't want anybody to know, so I'm keeping her secret with me.

"Crap. I gotta grab something else then. Thankfully I got some WWE merch in the back." he said with relief and I was even more relieved than him.

"Those jeans look good on you." I remarked as I looked at the dark blue jeans he is wearing. Not the skinny ones. Completely normal jeans which define his big thighs just perfectly.

"Thank you." he replied sweetly.

Roman's POV

I eventually changed into the "Levels Above" hoodie since I want to make the best impression I can to Sophia's mother. Sophia seems a bit nervous and it makes me wonder if she is just reacting naturally or her mother is actually brutal.

I don't know if she will like me, I just don't want her to hate me because that would make the things hard...and also awkward. My parents didn't quite like Michelle neither her parents were okay with me. Therefore, I don't want history to repeat itself.

I bought a little present for Olivia. Since I don't know anything about her, I decided to play it safe and buy a retro ceramic mug set. Women love mug sets, so I hope she loves it as well.

"Mom. We're here." Soph shouted as we entered in her house. I was looking around the furniture. Her house is totally different from mine. While mine is more on the contemporary side, theirs is more from the industrial side. It really screams Brooklyn.

How does a wrestler know about interior design styles? When his ex-wife was an interior designer.

"Just on time, wow." Olivia appeared and woah. Such a beautiful woman radiating class. She is wearing a dark blue top and white pants and high heels.

These two women make me feel so poor and I'm the millionaire here. This is crazy.

Obviously Soph inherited her mother's beauty and elegance. You could tell they are related, for sure. However, Olivia's aura is way more serious than Sophia's. Well, she is the OG after all.

"Hello, Joe. Nice to meet you." Olivia gave her hand for a handshake. Even their voices are very similar.

"Pleasure is all mine, Olivia." I smiled at her as we shook hands. "I'm bringing something for you." I gave her the gift box.

"Thank you so much." she said politely with just a tiny bit smile forming on her mouth. She took the box and slightly peeked through it. "These are beautiful." she remarked and I think that maybe she looked impressed...a little bit.

Damn, this woman is hard to read.

I did a quick glance to Sophia and she gave me a reassuring nod, so everything is fine, let's say.

"Let's go to the dining room." Olivia said and we followed her.

I really love the style of this house. I can't describe it but it gives off really cozy vibes mixed with a traditional note. Everything is in different shade of brown and beige.

The light brown wooden table was set with the plates and cutlery, napkins and candles. I don't know how else to explain it but it feels like an early 00s rom-com where the guy meets his girlfriend's parents.

"So how was the interview, Soph?" Olivia asked her daughter.

"It was alright." my girlfriend replied as she made a sign to sit. "Joe, you want something to drink?"

"I'm just gonna pour myself some water." I replied as I took the water cup.

"So for a dish I wanted to make something healthy since I am a doctor and my daughter's boyfriend is an athlete." Olivia started explaining.

"You cooked?" Sophia asked with shock and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Of course I did. It's not the first time I'm doing it." the mother replied with almost zero emotion but maybe she got a bit mad at Sophia. I mean I can't really blame her.

Her job is literally the toughest of them all. I don't even wanna imagine what that woman sees every day and the fact that she is a widow. It's just heartbreaking.

"And what did you make?" I asked trying to prevent a passive aggressive conversation.

"Chicken glazed with home made honey mustard dressing and roasted vegetables." Olivia replied and I could sense a vague excitement.

"That sounds perfect." I exclaimed and Olivia hid herself since she is probably taking it out of the oven.

"Let's see how it tastes." Sophia whispered really quietly and I gave her the angry look to be quiet.

I actually decided to go up and see if I could help with something and Sophia followed me.

"It looks amazing." I remarked as I looked at the portions she prepared for everyone.

"Thank you but the taste is the most important. Something can look very good when you first see it but then it's not what it looks like." she started speaking philosophically. I tilted my head in agreement.

Just like my marriage. I thought it was good at first and that I found the right woman but it turned out it's not like that.

As we put our plates at the table Olivia offered something to drink but I politely refused since I'm driving later. Me and Sophia were next to each other and she is in front of us.

We tried the dish and it was very delicious. I made sure to give all my compliments and acknowledgements to Sophia's mother and she seemed actually flattered.

"So how is Sophia as a girlfriend?" she asked me a very odd question.

"Perfect." I simply replied. "The ideal woman. Smart, well-spoken, beautiful. What more you could want?" I asked rhetorically and Olivia's lips downturned and looked at Sophia with something like a proud look.

"I hope it works out for you two." she spoke and ate from her plate.

I thanked her and Sophia had that weird look on her face. Yeah, she is way easier to read than Olivia. Hundred percent.

"By the way I found out you like the Lakers." I spoke breaking the awkward silence.

"I do. I watch basketball since forever. Fun fact before I decided to pusrue medicine, I wanted to become a sports journalist instead." my mouth slightly dropped but Sophia's almost hit the floor.

"What?" she yelled. "Why haven't you ever told me this?" Olivia shrugged.

"Cause I didn't want you to be led by some sort of an example. There was a time I hoped I would influence you to become a doctor like me but the way you work at WWE. This is the job for you. As I say, her uncle actually birthed her." Olivia slightly smiled again.

"What is your relationship with Paul like?" I couldn't help but ask. I'm just wondering since she really seems like the Paul type.

"I have the best brother-in-law to exist. I got so much love and grattitude for this man." Olivia replied as we were all eating from time to time. "When my husband died, he was really next to me and Sophia as much as he could. He even neglected his own family because of us." she explained and I just nodded my head. I could imagine that yeah but he did the right thing. These poor women needed a man next to them.

"Although Paul didn't quite like me when I got with his brother, Pete Heyman." Sophia's mother left out a soft chuckle remembering the days. "He told him numerous times that I am way too much and you know what? He was right." she shook her head.

"Nah." I denied. "I will disagree with him on that one." I spoke and I just saw with my peripheral sight how Sophia tries to hold her laughter.

"Oh my God, look at you." I exclaimed at Sophia's old pictures. "A living doll."

"I honestly have no idea where she got those genes from." Olivia shook her head in confusion and then I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

A cute family picture of Sophia and her parents came out.

"I mean she literally looks like you and with her father's eyes. And oh my god, Paul's brother is way taller than him." I grinned.

"Yeah, my mom has a thing for the tall ones." Sophia remarked and tried to hold in her laughter while her mother gave her a side eye.

"You too, apparently." I snapped back at her.

"Robert wasn't very tall." she replied calmly while I expected her to fire up but she is her mother's daughter after all.

The most I have seen her get angry was when I jokingly threatened to slap Julian. She really doesn't play when it comes to kids. Maybe she is that kind of woman who saves her emotions for her future kids which is very sweet.

What I learned today is that both Sophia and her mother are some exceptional and even quite exquisite women that aren't just for any man and to be completely honest, I feel so honored to be around them.

[teddybeartoji]

thinking so hard abt toji that isnt all that great w technology...

like the zen'in clan was prolly extremely traditional and forbid that shit. and even nowadays, he only uses it so his job is more convenient.

hhhhh imagining toji fumbling w his phone when yall get into a relationship bc hes trying to keep up with your energetic messages and frequent FaceTimes.

i can just see him sending the driest texts like "Come over." not bc hes intentionally doing so but hes just not used to anything besides a simple "Jobs done." or whatever. its okay tho bc you can tell hes trying for you 😻

EEEEEE AND I CAN SEE HIM GRADUATING TAKING THE WAY YOU TEXT AND USING IT THE CLOSER YALL GET AND THE LONG YALL KNOW EACH OTHER

ugh im gushing over you asking toji to send a pic of himself bc you havent seen him in a while

"send pics 😋"

"Of what?"

"yourself obv 😒"

"Okay, but how do I do that?"

and then you spend the next few mins on call w him trying to explain how to send pictures and others things thru messages 😇

sorry if this is incoherent but

GRAYYYY😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭THIS IS SO FUNNY AND CUTE AT THE SAME TIME!!! HE REALLY IS A BOOMER, ISN'T HE???? i really like to think of him using a flip phone lmao. he's so cunty.

IMAGINE THE SELFIES HE'D TAKE THOUGHH😭😭😭😭 pls i love him sm. thee most awkward angles in the world but it doesn't matter bc he really is doing his best!!!! i think he'd actually ask you for pics a lot. literally just selfies (nudes too ofc but that's besides the point). he just goes "pic." and nothing else😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 or smth like "show yourself" 😭😭😭😭😭sounds so menacing that you have to ask him whatever the fuck he means by that and he's just???? "isn't it obvious, stupid? i want to see you." he's so romantic😍����

and the typos omfg the typos. it's so fucking funny. every two words is a fucked up one. and you get to make fun of him all the time hihihiiii. he just rolls his eyes with a faint little smile whenever you bring it up<3333

also you'll definitely regret teaching him any slang though. "can you go to the store? we don't have any milk." + "skill issue." ???????????? hello????? and he texts shiu "kys" after he tells him to come to work😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 he's so funny i hate him

not to bring the kids everywhere but i will do just that. he has a pic of the kids as his wallpaper:((( he made you to take the picture bc he wanted to be sure that it wasn't blurry:((((((

[jasper-unofficial]

ME AND THEE: NOVEL VS MOCK TRAILER

[BASIC SUMMARY & CHARACTERS] - [FULL SUMMARY & OTHER SPOILERS]

ARCHER'S NOTE: Overall, it seems like there have already been a lot of changes made to the mock trailer alone, and there are even more usually made to the actual series. In some ways, this immediately makes sense to me. After finishing the 400-something pages novel, I thought that its plot would fit better into a 2-hour movie rather than a full series, so certain things would need to be expanded upon for certain (and, frankly, they need to be expanded upon, as the speed with which some characters are introduced for a few scenes only to be promptly yanked out of the novel forever is slightly jarring). That said, expanding on the existing themes and providing necessary context is not the only thing the writers did for the mock trailer, taking only inspiration from some parts of the novel or even stepping away from it entirely for some of the decisions they have made. This series is indeed a mystery to me, a person who has read the novel, almost as much as it is to someone who has not, or perhaps even more so, since someone who has not read the novel has no expectations for things to go a certain way.

When the writers for the series are announced and if I know them (and there is a good 90% chance I know them very well), I will likely make a separate post, speculating where they might take their ideas based on their previous writing and the mock trailer.

SPOILER WARNING! Although the trailer itself obviously couldn't reveal any major plot points, there are still some spoilers for the novel in my comparisons, so proceed with caution.

THE MAIN GIMMICK IS NOT IN THE NOVEL

Sorry to be the bearer of sad news, but what is possibly the most charming part of the mock trailer - Thee watching soap operas and reciting the dialogue by heart - is simply not a thing in the novel. To be fair! The seeds of it are kind of there.

Thee's mom did indeed raise him on soap operas - in fact, her own soap operas, as she used to be an actress before marrying her husband - and has all the DVDs of her works, which Thee loved watching as a child. Moreover, this all gets revealed at the end of the novel, after Peach spends the entirety of it making an inside joke to himself about how sometimes the way Thee speaks sounds like he came right out of a soap opera. I suppose all these factors came together to give us the far more comedic and dramatic image of Thee actually currently being a huge fan of soap operas in general, which is honestly a hilarious and incredible decision.

ROMANCE OR SEX?

Now, this is a tough one, because what Thee ends up saying in the trailer can be interpreted in many ways.

He does begin by talking about sleeping with Aran.

But the next comment is perhaps a little more dramatically romantic, although - as I said - it can be interpreted in many different ways and perhaps the "burning desire" of which Thee speaks is the desire to nail and bail.

Regardless, in the novel, Thee is strictly interested in having sex with Aran and nothing more - in fact, he has never been in a relationship before and (up until meeting Peach) is only interested in one-night stands. Especially in conjunction with Thee from the mock trailer being fully into soap operas, I feel like he might take a more romance-aligned approach after all, or perhaps they will remain novel-accurate here and he will only be interested in Aran physically. We shall see.

ARSENI? YES AND NO

So, fun fact! Thee is half-Russian in the novel and his father is actually a notorious Russian mafia. (This is also why the author gave Thee "cigarette smoke coloured grey eyes" which I had to read about one too many times - Gods protect us from contact lenses in this series, although I've heard the director X first thought of casting Pond after he saw a photo of him with blue contacts, so I guess they are helpful somewhere). Regardless of my hatred for Pond covering his gorgeous brown eyes, 'Arseni' is not just the name of the company Thee owns, but also his family's surname. Now, you are in luck, as I am Russian and can confirm: Arseni cannot be a surname under any circumstances, although it is a popular first name in the country, so the author's research has either not been extensive enough or has simply been unsuccessful. In any case, both the trailer and recently Phuwin in an Instagram Live confirm that Thee will not be half-Russian in the series.

According to the trailer, Thee's first two names are intact, but his surname has been changed to Lee - if I had to guess based on that alone, he could be of numerous descents, there are multiple countries where that surname is quite common. Another hint, however, might be in Thee's conversation with his father from the trailer, where he speaks English. That could just be because they are being hashtag international in the family or indeed because his father is from an English-speaking country. Honestly, we have no way of knowing right now. The only thing that we do know is that he is definitely not half-Russian anymore.

Oh, and that Thee's company is still called 'Arseni', as the trailer confirms multiple times.

A POND NARAVIT CHARACTER WITH A GOOD FAMILY? NOT IN THIS ECONOMY

In the novel, Thee has a shockingly nice family. He gets along with his younger brother Rome well, his mother is very warm and loving, and his father is incredibly open-minded and supportive. To be fair, there are crumbs of some... peculiar upbringing in Thee's backstory for sure. He is taught to not trust anyone outside the family (which is also why he is not properly socialised) and Mok is specifically raised alongside him to make sure he would be a trustworthy confidant to him. But, considering the "business" the family is in, this isn't totally unreasonable and the family does accept Peach and his sister Phlub into it with open arms right away.

The trailer, however, paints such a drastically different picture that I am confident this is a big change that they've made. A stern father's voice says over the phone "This business is not a place for the weak, not for the people who let their emotions get in the way. You know that, my dear son?" Although we never actually witness a conversation between Thee and his father in the novel as such, this just does not line up with what we know about him. That man adores his wife, first and foremost, and he wishes for his son to find the same kind of love he has and to focus on something other than work - he would simply never disregard all emotions in name of business. Not to mention that this isn't really even a conversation Thee from the novel would have to have with his father. The younger son, Rome, is in charge of the shady parts of the business that require one to be truly ruthless and cunning, while Thee keeps to the clean cover-up businesses, which are his main projects.

AND THIS ACTUALLY LEADS ME INTO TWO OTHER POINTS:

MOK'S ROLE AND ROME'S DISAPPEARANCE

Like I have mentioned, Mok has been raised alongside Thee to be his trusted friend and confidant. While we do not immediately find out about this in the novel, it slowly becomes apparent just how close the two are, and their upbringing is eventually revealed, as a last piece of the friendship puzzle.

What Mok says here is more reminiscent of a bodyguard who is only just trying to get close to his distant boss, which - if true - changes a lot, not just about Mok, but also about Thee's upbringing.

Rome is also not present in the trailer. And while I do acknowledge that this might be due to timing issues, he is a relatively important character and - perhaps more importantly - GMMTV mock trailers rarely pass up on the chance to at least hint at a secondary romance, which (by tried and true GMMTV rules) should be WilliamEst here, as Rome and Mock are in an on-again, off-again relationship in the novel. In conjunction with the changes they made to Thee's father, I fear Rome might not exist in the series at all, making Thee the single heir and placing much more responsibility and shady business on his shoulders.

A MAFIA HAS PROBLEMS TOO

In the novel, Peach is the one who keeps running into issues and Thee is mostly his ever-powerful knight in shining armour, rushing to save him and finally make him feel cared for and protected. Not only is there no trace of this in the mock trailer, the roles are seemingly reversed.

It is true that Thee does not really have friends, aside from his family and Mok (who is basically also family). However, this is an issue that is approached very matter-of-factly in the novel. It is simply how he was raised and how he has been living for the past three decades. It is clearly treated with far more gravity in the trailer.

Similarly, while Thee often feels cold and empty, this is his general state of mind in the novel and it is certainly not accurate to how he feels when he is around Peach. If I had to guess, I would say the trailer is going for Peach slowly melting an iceberg that encapsulates Thee's heart, while in the novel the two have a very natural connection that immediately makes them both feel safe and warm.

If I am right on both counts, the weight of the two characters in the series will shift significantly and - dare I say - the main character, who is undeniably Peach in the novel, even with all the Thee POVs that we get, might actually be Thee in the series.

A BETTER ROMANCE STEREOTYPE

The 'Me and Thee' novel is an interesting little thing, because it is simultaneously chock-full of very classic soap opera esque tropes, but also criticises some other ones very pointedly.

The questions of force and consent in particular are often brought up by Peach. A classic mafia romantic interest in a soap opera would usually not be respectful of boundaries, but Thee is very far from that kind of stereotype himself and is taken farther from it still by Peach's guiding hand. I don't know if the series will bother with threading this particular message throughout the entire plot or if it's just a line thrown into this particular dialogue, but the novel certainly does. Although, even if it will not be emphasised in the series, I am confident there will be no nasty shit happening, judging by the tone of the trailer alone.

TO ARANTAWAN OR NOT TO ARANTAWAN? THAT IS THE QUESTION

So, the 'Me and Thee' novel does not have a secondary couple as such, and if I absolutely had to give that label to someone, it would actually go to MokRome - not AranTawan. Aran and Tawan are mostly used to propel TheePeach's relationship a couple of times and otherwise have a very tumultuous and frankly kind of toxic relationship, we never see any of their sweet moments or anything like that - mostly just Tawan being jealous and taking it out on Peach.

Looking at the mock trailer, that seems to check out. So, sorry PerthSanta cowboys, but I would hold our horses, at least for now.

A DIFFERENT ROLE FOR PHLUB

If i am right in assuming that Bonnie is playing Peach's sister Phlub (which is highly likely), she seems to have a different role in the series and be a slightly different character overall. In the mock trailer, she basically explains who Thee is and warns Peach to be careful - in the novel, she doesn't know anything about Thee's involvement in Peach's life until way wayyyy later. Not to mention that Phlub from the novel would be more likely to mischievously grin and tell her brother to have fun with his new rich friend than warn him away. To be fair, her scene is very short and she could very well be working as a mouthpiece for Thee's introduction that was simply an author's note in the novel, so I can't say for certain if this is a big change yet.

MORE DETAILS

You know how sometimes you read a romance novel or watch a romance movie or what have you and the characters on their own are a tad underdeveloped? Like, sure, they are real, the relationship is beautiful, but we don't know anything about them outside of their workplace and maybe their tragic backstory. Yeah, the 'Me and Thee' novel is kind of like that. The series seems to be rectifying that, however.

Both Thee's interest in arcades (?) and Peach's interest in handpans are not present in the novel.

Although the boys' wiliness to share in each other's interests and likes is very novel-accurate.

[inquisitornocturn]

NSFW alphabet no.19 - Pisha

Oh Pisha, how I love thee~

Pisha was requested by a darling @lahoanchovy <33

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

Pisha is nothing if not caring to her lover. She will dote on you, she will provide any and all comforts that are at her disposal, she will cuddle you and gently kiss you until you are rested and recovered enough to proceed on your own. In short – she will lovingly pamper you.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

On you she loves your lips. How you speak and smile, how you kiss her and even how you frown. She adores tracing her fingertips over your lips whenever there’s a quiet moment and just watching you talk makes her happier and fall for you more and more. On herself Pisha appreciates her midriff, specially the stomach area where if you were to kiss, she would melt immediately.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Whether it’s just you being aroused or if you squirt – Pisha loves it all. She enjoys her face being covered in you, smearing her skin or dripping down her chin. To her that means that she did her job well in pleasing you and that’s one badge of honor that she will wear proudly.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

None, really. Pisha is not the type of woman to have dirty secrets, especially not from her partner. Everything that she’s into is not dirty to her, nor she sees anything you like as possibly dirty either. Pisha sees sex as something to be fully enjoyed without shame and this is a strong theme throughout the entire relationship with her.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

Pisha is very very experienced. While she’s not the one to have had many partners before you, she commits seriously and loves to explore, therefore while she can’t boast in numbers of people she bedded, Pisha can definitely show you new things and then some. So yes, she very much knows what she’s doing.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Scissoring. Not only it allows Pisha to gaze upon your face as you to partake in the intimate act, it also lets her hold onto you, your legs, touch your chest and most importantly – see you two connect. While there are many other positions she enjoys and likes more than others, this one is definitely her top loved position simply because of the connection and sight that it provides you both.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Things can definitely get light-hearted in bed with Pisha. She’s not afraid to lovingly joke with you and your giggles and chuckles are nothing but endearing to her. Sex will never be too serious with Pisha, because for her it’s an expression of love and devotion, something to be done sensually. So yes, you can expect to have a truly relaxing time.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Pisha is how nature created her. She will be washed and showered if you prefer that, but she’s also not afraid to go down to business, so speak, in a pool of blood or on the ground in a forest. So while generally she keeps herself clean, shaving is not something she wants to bother herself every evening. On that note, she won’t ask you to alter yourself for her either. She accepts you as you are and expects the same from you.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

As already mentioned, Pisha is a sensual lover. She will be sweet, reassuring and praises will never stop pouring out of her mouth unless she’s busy with something else. She’s definitely a romantic, although not overbearingly so, and will definitely make you feel loved and appreciated every second of the act.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

She touches herself when she thinks of you almost exclusively. For Pisha is not something that she needs, but something that she wants when she commits to a person, in this case – you. So when you two are apart for a long time, then she will touch herself to the memory of you and because she misses you. It’s her way of honoring the relationship, dedicating her body and her pleasure to you even when you two are not together.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Ritualistic sex. It’s not that Pisha practices a religion or any sort of faith she follows truly, it’s more about how she can see sex as a celebration and worship of the universe that led you to one another. So there will be occasions that sex will feel more like a ceremony with incense, blood and all, but it’s about the mood and the overall vibe of the act, rather than worshiping some higher deity.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

There really isn’t a favorite place for Pisha to have sex at, because any place is good for her as long as she’s with you. Naturally, she would prefer someplace that you two won’t be interrupted, by being inherently a loner, Pisha usually already finds herself in places that do not have a lot of foot traffic. Which means that almost any time you two want to make love – it’s almost always possible immediately.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Domestic moments are what get Pisha going. Hunting down prey, sharing a resting spot, waking together. She’s a highly sensual woman, and when you two are close, without any stress to sour the moods or your existence, that’s when Pisha is most relaxed and most in a mood. And you, of course. Just your mere presence makes Pisha think of nothing else but you, both sexually and/or just romantically.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

If you’re not into it – she’s not into it. Pisha only enjoys sex and different varieties to have it if you’re into it as well. Which means if you’re not in a mood, if you don’t feel comfortable or simply don’t want to do it there and then, then Pisha won’t pressure you. She will always respect your boundaries and would rather leave you forever than force you into a sexual act. If it’s not an enthusiastic consent – then Pisha does not want to it.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Giving. She loves giving so much she forgets that you can give it too. Not that she will say no or protest if you go down on her, but for Pisha her own pleasure is ultimately secondary and so she won’t even focus on that at all unless you take it up in your hands. So yes, she’s a giver, an enthusiastic one and an extremely skilled one. You will never be left wanting with Pisha’s mouth on you.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Definitely slow, and again – absolutely sensual. It’s not about the destination for Pisha, but about the journey and she won’t rush the journey of pleasure. Not only she prefers that you experience everything you can fully and unhurriedly, she also loves seeing you becoming gradually undone until you’re practically begging to come.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Not fond of quickies and most of times will refuse. Usually if there’s something to do, Pisha won’t want to split her attentions, meaning if she can’t dedicate her time to you fully – then she simply won’t even begin. So quickies are really not preferable to her. She, of course, can be convinced into it, but afterwards she will always tell you that you owe her a proper session.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Pisha is always eager to experiment, but she won’t take risks that could seriously harm either of you. She wants pleasure and satisfaction, not pain and broken bones, so when you suggest something to her, you have to keep in mind that she’s a lover and wants to love you, not maim you. But besides that, Pisha is more than eager to try new things with you, no matter if it’s first time for both of you or just for one.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Honestly, it’s like Pisha never tires. No matter how many rounds, no matter how long the sessions – she’s almost never worse for wear and you almost never see her tired after these. As mentioned in Aftercare, even after the most intense sessions Pisha will be ready to dote on you and help you recover, while seemingly not needing such time for herself. So yes, your sex ends when you are exhausted, not her.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

She has a small collections of toys, but not too many. Mainly because Pisha prefers to travel light and she does travel a lot, almost constantly on a go. Her collection consists of couple dildos and vibrators and other things that are meant to bring pleasure, and she is eager to use them on you, to have you use them on her, or even if you two use it on yourselves. Pleasure is pleasure, and toys only make the experiences more thorough.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Not much a tease per se, she will delay your orgasms for the purpose of pleasure. It’s not edging either, what Pisha does is try to preserve your own stamina, not allowing you to come too fast and make the session shorter than what she wants it to be. So she will be teasing, but to a degree. Outside of sex, she’s not a big flirt, preferring to show her intentions through touch or by simply telling you that she wants you.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

On a quieter side of things, Pisha is not a screamer, but if you are – then she will welcome it. She moans gently in your ear, or chants your name like it’s a prayer, expressing herself through whimpers and sighs rather than shouts. She also prefers to moan against your lips if she can help it, finding it a loving and sensual crescendo of the act.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Finding nothing wrong with cannibalism, or what most would consider cannibalism but she really doesn’t, that is a part of sex for her. It’s like humans eating grapes in between sessions, and for Pisha eating flesh is intimate but also invigorating at the same time, and allows her not to think of stamina preservation or exhaustion. If you partake with her – that’s even better, elevating the connection you two share.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Pisha’s build is slim, but definitely feminine. She does not believe in wearing bras and her breasts are on a bigger side, going to the upper end of C, with dark areolas surrounding the nipples. Down there, while she rocks a full bush, you can find her pussy with labia minora peaking past labia majora and her clit is also gently visible when she stands.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Her libido is pretty high but only when she commits to one person. Otherwise – it doesn’t really exist. It takes time for Pisha to trust and while she’s not averse to trysts, she simply finds no desire to partake in them unless she has something really valuable to gain. In case of you, Pisha wants you often and that’s something she won’t be shy about either. Her stamina manifesting once again, she won’t be forceful about sex, but she will indicate to you very often that she’s in a mood.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Pisha could stay all day watching you sleep, stroking your hair, giving you gentle kisses until you wake again. So, naturally, almost always you are the first to sleep. On a rare occasion when she falls asleep first, she nestles up to you because she feels safe with you.

[brabblesblog]

Ch 3: … that we may seek him with thee.

Astarion has ascended, and she has stayed with him. Life in the Crimson Palace isn’t as idyllic as it seems. Is there a chance for their relationship to go back to how it was? Or is it too late for the Ascendant and his consort?

This series is about Ban, my Tav, and the Vampire Ascendant. Will be angst and smut, with sprinkles of fluff.

This fic is a softer take on Ascendant!Astarion and of the changes he undergoes after the rite. Can Ban handle the change, and if a chance came, would she choose to run? And can the Ascendant win her back in time? Inspired by the concept of vampire wives and that IGN interview with Larian that discussed the ascension.

Professionally edited by @editing-by-night

Withers’ party is in full swing. Ban finally learns the truth about her nature, and finds a chance at freedom.

Read on AO3.

Masterlist.

Ban was all dressed up, her doublet a match to Astarion’s. He’d insisted on it.

“I had it especially tailored for you, pet,” he had said, helping her button it up, “so they could see who you’re paired with. Who you belong to.”

She hadn’t fought it. In fact, she hadn’t fought him on much since that night she’d seen into his mind. It had given her a new fear to contend with: since he could show her his thoughts, push them into her brain, then was he able to do the reverse? Were her thoughts being read? She’d always feared being compelled, but the idea of him reading her mind at will was somehow more invasive. As frightened as she was, however, she believed it to be unlikely. When their minds had touched, the feel of his presence had been alien, most certainly not something that would go unnoticed. It had felt rather like the tadpole - a weight in her brain.

So she’d tested it; she’d waited for an opportune moment, finding it in a meeting over the planning for the expansion to the gardens Astarion planned to build. While he’d been deep in conversation about the intended theme of the garden, Ban had stared at her clasped hands and imagined something that if seen, would make him react strongly but not enrage him. She’d shut her eyes, bringing to mind a vivid image of him on his knees, naked and bruised, begging for her touch. She’d focused on Astarion’s voice and posture, ready to pick up any change in his tone or demeanor.

“I’m not sure I’m going for gothic,” Astarion had drawled. “I would highly prefer a more romantic... ambience to it.”

“But, my lord, the rest of the house-“

“I don’t care if it matches!” he’d hissed, making the others flinch.

Nothing. He hadn’t missed a beat, hadn’t seemed to notice anything at all. Ban had exhaled and let the image go, relief flooding her. Her mind was still her sanctuary.

Her plan may yet work.

Seeing everyone together again was wonderful; Ban stared at each and every person, drinking everything in. It had been months since she’d left the confines of the Crimson Palace, and this was a much needed change of scenery.

Behind her, the Ascendant fell back, a goblet of wine in his hand. He’d told her to mingle while he satisfied himself sampling the wines Withers had on tonight’s selection.

She scoffed. He was as likely to be preening as sampling the wines - possibly both at the same time. Either way, he was distracted.

Ban spotted Gale and made a beeline for him, tapping Karlach on the shoulder and beckoning her to join them on the way. They exchanged pleasantries and loudly regaled each other with shallow stories, while slowly moving out of the Ascendant’s earshot.

Eventually, the three of them huddled in a distant corner, hidden behind a boulder.

“What did you find out?” Ban asked Gale, all pretense discarded.

Gale clasped Ban’s hands. “Ban. You have an option to leave. I implore you. Take it.”

He squeezed, bracing himself. “You said he has never compelled you to do anything. Even if you argue. Does that remain true?” As she nodded, he couldn't help the smile that broke across his face.

“Then I must be correct.” He leaned in. “You’re not a spawn, Ban. It’s not that he won’t compel you. He can’t.”

“Oh, goody!” Karlach clapped her hands. “This is perfect!”

Ban stared at them both in silence. He had turned her, had he not? She felt a massive pull towards him and his will, so much so that even as she planned to leave, part of her assumed she’d return to the palace tonight. She opened her mouth to say this, but Gale interrupted before she could.

“He will still hold sway over you. He is still your creator, your... lover," he hesitated. "But that influence is not magical at all. You’re a bride, Ban. If everything you’ve told me is correct - he made you his bride.”

Ban took a moment. A vampire bride… or a spawn he hadn’t compelled yet? She realized, belatedly, that Gale’s theory was likely true. Astarion had fed her his own blood when he’d turned her, encouraged her to drink from him when making love. He had considerable influence over her, but it was never hard to refuse, never hard to be spiteful to him, even in the heights of his rage.

She had never even considered the possibility. She’d always assumed that she’d either escape and have to try to fight his compulsion while hiding from him - Cazador had been able to compel his spawn from a distance; presumably the Ascendant could as well - or that she’d have to let the chance at freedom go by.

But a chance at a future without him, free of the fear of compulsion, that also had some prospect of happiness? It was more than she’d ever expected.

Oh, he’d hunt her down, but if she couldn’t be compelled… there was a chance. He'd definitely retract his extension of Mephistopheles' gifts from her, making her sensitive to sunlight and significantly weaker, but what of it? Better that than to always be living in fear of hearing his voice in her head, of an immutable command to come back to him. To be little more than a slave, forevermore.

Ban braced herself. “Let me try to talk to him one more time.”

“Ban!” Karlach squeezed Ban’s shoulders, as if desperately wanting to shake her. “You have been trying. For months! What makes you think-”

Gale raised a hand to hush the tiefling; he understood. “One more chance, Ban. And then we will have to intervene if you can’t do what must be done.”

Ban nodded, and steeled herself. One last chance, then. For her, for the man he'd been. For their love.

She headed off, marching towards the Ascendant. Astarion’s ears pricked up, his head tilting towards her in his usual, elegant manner as he heard her familiar footsteps.

“And? How have our good friends been without us to guide and protect them?”

He seems to be in a good mood, probably a little buzzed, Ban thought.

“They’re great - everyone seems so happy,” she said, trying to go for the simplest response possible. She shifted uncomfortably, preparing to delve into what she really wished to talk to him about.

Her words seemed to surprise him. He looked away for a moment, considering this information. “Really? Are you sure? I was certain they’d be half dead and begging us to take them back.” He let out a small scoff.

"Well. Miracles never cease." He leaned back, shifting his weight.

“Still, it is good to see them. And good for them to see us, side by side, flourishing.”

She almost choked out a laugh at that. Seriously? He considered what they’d become flourishing?

She tried to stop herself, tried to keep her composure, but utterly failed at the sight of his smug, inebriated smirk.

“Is that what we’re doing? 'Flourishing'?” I want to leave you, you fucking prick, she thought.

He laughed, a false trill of mirth that belied the threat underneath.

“Of course, my darling. Look at us! We share a palace, share power, live lives eternal in each other’s arms. What more could anyone want?” The smile was now more a sneer, daring her to disagree.

She almost yielded out of habit, almost agreed with him as she’d usually done of late. But she remembered Gale’s words and what she’d promised. One last time, and if Astarion refused to listen, he’d have decided for them both.

“Freedom?” she ventured.

That word that he loathed so much now; it was all he’d wanted before. Freedom had led him to become this, a shell of his former self. Ban despised it for what it had driven him to be, but she needed it for herself, too.

“Gods, not this again. I give you wealth, power, pleasure - every decadence that can be afforded to a person? But you’d rather - what - sleep in the dirt again?”

His voice dropped almost to a growl; they were both acutely aware that wasn’t the point. But he’d never, ever, acknowledge exactly what it was she wanted, or why he was so adamantly against giving it.

Give her any scrap of freedom and she would be gone. She would leave him, he’d be alone again, because he could no longer make her happy. And gods, he was trying. Was it really his fault the one thing she wished for was the one thing he could not provide?

He dropped the pretense of civility, the venom creeping into his voice with each word.

“You are my consort, and I will see you living the very best life. Even if you don’t appreciate it.”

He chuckled sardonically. “Why don’t you go and mingle? Have fun with your so-called friends. I’ll be here when you’re done.”

He may not be completely sober but the fury simmering behind those crimson eyes was not dulled by the drink.

Ban sighed, watching him with a soft, melancholic expression. This was it, then. He had sealed their fates. She nodded. “Of course. I’ll be back later.”

She turned away, heading back to Gale and the others, trying not to let tears stream down her face. She could feel Astarion’s eyes boring into her back.

They formulated a plan, involving the rest of the companions in attendance. One by one, they each found a chance to wander over to where the Ascendant lounged lazily, offered him a drink, engaged him in light conversation. None of them had talked to him much after he’d ascended, but they all made sure to ask him about his ambitions, or how he liked Wither’s wine, or how life with Ban had been. Each of them offered a toast to his newfound life, to his power and prestige, and each toast was pompously accepted.

Astarion drank and drank, making the most of his ability to enjoy alcohol. Withers’ wine is sanguine, he noted to himself. He imbibed until he slurred and swayed, leaning on a rock to keep himself up. He was basking in his former companions’ hollow words of praise - of course, he knew they were lies, but what of it? He could still enjoy the pretty falsehoods for what they were: attempts at currying favor with the most powerful vampire to ever walk the land.

I should take a tour. Just to see what the rest are up to. He looked over at his former companions with a haughty, self-satisfied grin. With a thought, he shifted into his bat form, flying low over the other guests, trying to overhear snippets of conversation.

From afar, Ban saw him flying and immediately changed the course of her conversation with Wyll and Halsin, switching to talking about Ulder and steering away from talk of the Ascendant’s parties and which patriars had been invited. The two men noticed Ban’s change in topic and followed her lead.

Astarion flew by, the bat’s wingbeats erratic and his path not very straight.

He flitted around a little more, then landed by his goblet. Hooking his wings around the rim, he drank with little licks. He was too drunk to transform back, so he satisfied himself with more wine; he’d definitely need to ask Withers where this particular vintage came from.

Not too long after that, the goblet fell over and Astarion’s furred body went along with it. He’d toppled over, cuddling the cup, his fur stained with wine, as the drink finally took him. He was out cold.

Gale noticed. So did Ban. Silently, everyone moved.

Astarion slept through it all.

Astarion woke up in a haze of morning light, blinking away the sleep. His vision was blurry, quite unlike the instant focus he usually had. He attempted to sit up, failed, and realized he was looking at wings and claws, not hands. It took another moment to fully grasp he'd passed out as a bat.

He changed back, stretching to his full height as he did. The world snapped into focus; the bright rays of the sun bathed everything in warm light. He saw the camp, heard the sound of birdsong and the rustling of leaves in the breeze. The first word out of his mouth was her name.

“Ban? Ban!” He called out, taking another scan of his surroundings, looking for her. Nothing. Odd. She ought to have picked him up and held him whilst he slept; he was a little miffed to have found himself on the table with the remnants of last night’s drink instead.

He opened his mouth to voice his dissatisfaction when he noticed the utter lack of noise other than the ambient sounds of nature. There was no rustling of shoes on the ground, no voices, not even Ban’s slow breathing, a sound he could pick out anywhere, as familiar to him as his own heartbeat.

In fact, no one was here at all, the camp as empty as when they’d left it during their travels. It slowly dawned on him that she’d left, and that the others had probably given her aid. They’d likely slipped away in the night as he slept, left him in the dirt, exposed and vulnerable. Alone.

He gaped dumbly at the empty clearing, his mind simply refusing to wrap itself around this development. The first feeling that bled through the shock was disbelief. Did she not love him, not need him? Was what he provided not enough? Was he not enough? He’d given her every possible luxury - clothes, jewelry, coin, blood, all of it was hers. He’d allowed her free rein of the palace; she’d been free to decorate and remake it as she saw fit. He’d given her the keys to his kingdom, allowed her to run it and rule it in all but name. Most importantly he’d given her himself - he’d satisfied her every night, hadn’t he? He knew of that absence in her, of course, but weren’t his efforts enough?

That incredulity slowly gave way to anger and he screamed in frustration. How dare she leave, after everything he’d done for her! Everything had been for her, had been done with her benefit in mind, her happiness the goal by which he oriented the compass of his life.

After all, hadn’t eternity together been their goal? They’d discussed forever, back in their days in the wild. Admittedly never seriously and largely in jest, but still. Days, nights, every moment in between spent in her arms, finally loved and chosen. Finally accepted for who he was, loved for himself and not what he could provide. He’d finally been seen. He had thought that would be it, an infinite span of years in which to love her and be loved by her.

The pain surged again, but he quickly fought it back with a deep, seething rage. How dare she defy her creator, defy the man who had given her eternity and snatched her away from the jaws of death?

A small voice in the back of his head, painfully smug and tinged with pride in Ban, reminded him that he had defied his own master for freedom. He refused to acknowledge the voice’s point, shoving it and its pathetic speaker deep deep down once again. It wasn’t the same. He was not Cazador. All he wanted, all he worked for, everything - all of it was for her happiness. She simply couldn’t see past her issues, refused to look at the bigger picture - what did it matter if he couldn’t be what he was, when he could give her everything else? Was that a sacrifice too great for their love to bear?

He took several deep breaths, willing himself not to dwell on that thought. Throughout the barrage of emotions, however, one reigned supreme, try as he might to ignore it. Pain.

Yet again, he’d lost everything that mattered. Ascendant or spawn, happiness had always eluded him. The fear of falling under Cazador’s yoke had disappeared with the rite, but now he felt like he'd lost something far more vital than freedom had ever been.

He found that his new, living heart was beating so fast it felt as though it might burst out of his chest. He placed a hand over the frantic pounding, feeling his breaths becoming quick and shallow. Am I dying? He tried to breathe deeply but the air felt too thin. Even though he knew he didn’t really need it, it felt like he was suffocating.

You were never enough, were you, Astarion? Too much baggage. Too much pride. Too much. Too willful, so master loved hearing your screams best. Too beautiful, and so you were his favorite toy to loan out. Too untrustworthy, so you had to seduce the leader of your group. Too weak, so you had to ascend. Too cold, and so she has abandoned you.

Too much of the bad, too little of the good. No one ever liked you - not your master, not your siblings, not your companions.

She did, that small voice he’d spent months trying to ignore tried to argue, but the other, more cruel voice laughed at him.

She loved you when you were weak, when you hid away the parts of yourself you knew she would not like. How does she like you now, when you no longer hide all your hard edges? Does she gasp your name like she did back then, as if it was a prayer? Does she crave your presence? Do her eyes shine when they watch you? Does her heart still soar when you approach?

She discarded you the moment you displeased her. She never loved you.

You have nothing of worth to offer, other than your body, and even that wasn’t enough. You could’ve offered your heart, but even that is a shriveled, rotten thing, despised by its intended owner, thrown back at your feet.

Nothing, Astarion. You were nothing, are nothing, and will always be nothing.

Left to die buried in the dirt, and now left in it again. Don’t be surprised, Astarion. You’ve never deserved any better.

She was gone. All it had taken was six months and a drunken night of false frivolity, and she'd gone from his life. He screamed again, this time in agony.

A thought crossed his mind. What if he took Mephistopheles’ gifts away from her? She’d come back then, surely? She’d be vulnerable right now, traveling in the daytime - she’d suffer as he does. He began to reach for that power, then stopped. The image of her burning in the sun, of her beauty marred by her skin charring, kept his retribution at bay. He wondered - had he made her his spawn, would he have compelled her back into his arms? The idea appealed to him for a fraction of a heartbeat, feeling the briefest pang of regret for not having done it, before he was swamped with nausea, that reviled voice rising up from the depths with a vehement no! The voice met no resistance for the first time since the ritual; if he couldn’t even bear the idea of her burning in the sun, how could he bear breaking her will, just as his had been?

She could break his heart every day, could keep tormenting him forever, but he couldn’t imagine ever inflicting the pain of the sun on her.

Her smile, her laughter, her adoration…he knew these were things he would never, ever see again. Yet he wouldn’t be able to bear knowing these things no longer existed in the world out there, somewhere. Somewhere, she’d still smile, if not for him, then for something else. She’d laugh, and someday she’d give that blinding, wonderful adoration to someone else - they’d bask in its glow as he once had.

He knew he’d lost her but he still longed for her. He saw and heard her in his mind’s eye as she’d been, happy, beautiful, his - the anguish was deep and torturous and it grew, filling all of him, excruciating vines of misery wrapping around his withered heart, thorns sinking in with stabbing pain, restricting its beating as it fought and failed to keep its rhythm-

With the last of his composure fading, he reached for her mind before the panic could drown him entirely, desperation overruling all sense of pride.

Ban.

He felt it. His consort’s mind opened to him, her guard down.

She snapped awake. That alien presence was there. Within it, she could sense his rage, but she also felt the shortness of breath, the racing heartbeat - that immense, all-encompassing panic. It was almost enough to make her want to tell him she’d come back. But what good would that do?

She waited, eyes closed. If Gale was right, she was truly free; if he was not, then the Ascendant would most likely break her will here and now. Or, barring that, he would at least rescind his gifts. She contemplated what an immortal life in the darkness would be like, wondered how long it would take for her to yearn for its warmth the way she knew he had. Ban realized she’d have to brush up on her combat skills once more - without his gifts she’d be weaker, more susceptible to monster hunters; without the constant supply of blood she’d have to hunt as well. But none of these thoughts were conveyed through the link; to him she sent only her silence.

Astarion squeezed his eyes shut. For a moment, the touch of her mind soothed him. She was still there, and his miserable, pathetic heart calmed itself at the contact. A wave of self-loathing rose on the heels of that calm. He ought to be better. Stronger. But his heart had remained the same, try as he might to deny it, and it ached to be parted from her.

I may have power, but it would be nothing without you. You complete me.

He had said those words to her at some point as they’d made love. He hadn’t really meant them at the time; they’d been platitudes he’d known she wanted to hear. Now he fully appreciated the sickening reality of it: that it was true, that it had always been true. His denial of his own feelings had blinded him to it. In rejecting his former self he had also rejected her love, a love he could no longer pretend he didn’t need. In fact, he needed it more than anything else - no luxury, no amount of strength, no amount of lovers, not even power - nothing came close. It was a realization that came too late.

He felt her eyes open, saw her rise from the unfamiliar bed to hold her hand out to the sunlight streaming through the window. She was testing him, and he was elated to feel the wave of relief that flooded her when she realized he hadn't taken away his gifts. He hoped that even given how much she must loathe him, she knew he wouldn’t inflict that hurt on her. Her eyes then focused on the city sprawled below her window, and he realized where he must go.

Waterdeep.

[agentearthling]

absolutely nobody asked for this but I really wanted to share my thoughts on Ethel Cain's new album Perverts. it hasn't been out for long but this album already means so much to me and I haven't felt this seen in such a long time. it took a while to articulate why but I've figured out how each song speaks to me. I know this album is about Hayden's thoughts on the concept of "The Ring, The Great Dark, and Proximity to God" but this is just my own personal interpretation and relation to the tracks!

01: Perverts

this started the album out really strong (and dark) with a distorted rendition of the classic hymn "Nearer, my God, to Thee" which was one of my personal favorites that I heard and sang all the time growing up. this was followed up with one of the most unsettling things I've heard in my life - the constant buzzing and droning that continuously gets more persistent as a muffled voice repeats "heaven has forsaken the masturbator" that had my religiously traumatized self sitting on the edge of my seat. This song - including the lines "no one you know is a good person" up to the end line "it's happening to everybody" captures terrified and guilty eleven-year-old little me so well that I genuinely have not been able to listen to the song in its entirety a second time. it perfectly emulates the feeling I had when I knew without a doubt that my every move was being watched and judged by a divine entity. absolutely terrifying. masterfully well done.

02: Punish

the lead single! I do know what the song is literally actually about - and I can promise you I don't relate to pedophilia - but when I hear it I can't help but relate it to my personal experience of growing up queer and religious. "I am punished by love" is such a powerful line that I thought (although probably worded less poetically) often as a teenager and even now in my early adult years. any affection I felt - whether it was purposeful or not - was wrong and I was desperate to find a way to remove it from me through any means possible. even the line "only God would believe that I was an angel, but they made me leave" representing how I felt forced to leave the church... ugh. a little too on the nose. I love this song

03: Housofpsychoticwomn:

I'm not entirely sure how to put the way this song makes me feel into words. as the song literally says, "maybe it's not meant to be explained. maybe it's not meant to be marked down in words." this one is really personal to me. I guess instead of going into detail about what I call the "empathy epidemic" or abusive "love," I'll just say that love is something that we all crave but sometimes when it comes, it turns out to be the most terrifying and harmful thing of all.

04: Vacillator

everything about this track just blows me away. the lethargic instrumentals, Ethel's beautiful voice, the lyrics...wow. because I find Housofpsychoticwomn relatable, I definitely find this song relatable as well. the indecisiveness and hesitancy to enter any kind of relationship (romantic or platonic or otherwise), being willing to give away everything you have except for what others actually want, the contradiction of "close the door, let me in," and, of course, the famous "if you love me, keep it to yourself." is there a greater fear than the fear of letting yourself be known and being rejected anyway?

05: Onanist

this song is about masturbating. without a doubt. I know I've already talked about religion when I was discussing the other songs, but I love the way this song portrays the self titled onanist as someone who desperately wants to know God and be close to Him, but ends up giving up. Too much is being asked of them and they give in to their "worldly desires." the song sounds AMAZING also.

06: Pulldrone

the first half of this fifteen minute long track are spoken word, listing the "12 Pillars of Simulacrum," which are described as the different ways that humans try to reach God. the second half is a constant buzzing, droning instrumental (Pulldrone.) Each pillar - apathy, disruption, curiosity, assimilation, aggrandization, delineation, perversion, resentment, separation, degradation, annihilation, and desolation - seem to have unpleasant consequences. it's a reminder that no matter how hard you try, you will never be good enough to reach your goal. (But that's just how I interpreted it)

07: Etienne

almost completely instrumental, this song features melancholy piano and guitar, with an ever present static in the background. near the end, there is a spoken outro taken from a sermon tape. it tells the story of a suicidal man who tried to end his life by running continuously night after night in the hopes that he would have a heart attack. despite his best attempts, he did not perish, but after a week "he felt so good that he didn't want to kill himself anymore." as someone who has had a couple near death experiences, this song and it's outro spoke to me. I often mistake myself as an invincible person who is seemingly incapable of dying, and I tend to view it as a guarantee (or a curse, depending on how things are going) it's a sad story, but it's also quite hopeful.

08: Thatorchia

forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I think this song is about death and ascendance. it's also completely instrumental (excluding some humming), similar to August Underground and Televangelism from Ethel Cain's album Preacher's Daughter. this track is INCREDIBLY haunting and although I haven't died yet, listening to this makes me feel like this is exactly what I'll be hearing when I inevitably do. and I don't think that would be too bad.

09: Amber Waves

I know this song was available for a while on SoundCloud before this album came out, but it's still got to be my current favorite song off Perverts. I love the way the lyrics and message are melancholy - using an unhealthy coping mechanism to try and distract yourself from your failure and inadequacy - but it still sounds so comforting and hopeful. this perfectly captures how it feels to find solace and familiarity in something that is ultimately harmful for you. the lyrics, the beautiful instrumental, and even the spoken closing line "I can't feel anything" really encapsulate the inability to break out of a masochistic cycle when it's all you've known and therefore familiar and comforting to you. I fucking love this song. this entire album is a masterpiece.

[hamletkin]

idk what the character ask thing is but could I get my boy laertes if you haven't already done one for him?

omg of course!! thank you so much for the ask! i love him!!!

favorite thing about them: good ol' larry! i love his hypocrisy! he warns ophelia against hamlet while presumably dallying with others. what a guy! i like how much he cares for his family and would do anything for them, even if he could take like half a page from hamlet's book and stop and think for just a second.

least favorite thing about them: he's in france for most of the play :c

favorite line: this is so hard because i have several! i think i will go with: I tell thee, churlish priest, a ministering angel shall my sister be, when thou liest howling!

brOTP: hamlet and laertes! i love them as friends! i know a lot of people see them as rivals and i think there's validity in that but i think it's more of a friendly rivalry, personally! i think it makes their deaths at each other's hands cut deeper.

OTP: osric and laertes have known one another intimately i'm sure of it. i don't think osric was acting whenever he was talking about how great laertes is. i am out of my mind for this, perhaps

nOTP: laertes and horatio. i personally do not see it. maybe i'm crazy.

random headcanon: while laertes is loyal to his family to a fault, he is glad for his freedom in france. he doesn't envy people like hamlet who have their lives determined for them. his time at university is spent at his studies and fencing but he does have a love of partying and this has led him to attend lectures with a pounding headache.

unpopular opinion: i don't really agree that laertes and hamlet had a romantic/sexual relationship. i can see why people do think that but it doesn't fit in with the narrative in my head which we all know is gospel /j

song i associate with them: dirty imbecile by the happy fits! i also have this on my hamlet playlist

favorite picture of them: i don't have many pics of him but i love luke treadaway as laertes ;_; he's pictured here with kirsty rider as ophelia!

[becauseimanicequeen]

Hi, Queen! I'm on bedrest after a surgery I had last week and is currently watching QLs all day. I'm flying through some high heat ones atm and loving every minute although I'm physically uncomfortable. To some it may be controversial to say this, but I connect more with the high heat stuff than the romance because that's who I am irl too.

Anygay, I think I've seen you write about high heat shows before and was wondering what your favorite sex scenes in QLs are?

I'm only about 100 QLs into my journey after almost a year of watching. Most of them are Korean before I found Thai QLs and then Japanese, Taiwanese, and some Vietnamese. You have watched many more than me so could you give me your best tips? My favorites so far are everything in Bed Friend and the one at the hotel/motel in the Pornographer movie. What are yours?

I hope you have an amazing day!

Hi, @whatevenisthishellhole (and the three Anons who sent me similar asks when 4 Minutes was airing)!

Excuse my late reply. I've been super busy throwing paint at canvases a la the boys in I Saw You in My Dream (not quite, but similar). I've also been battling with this post for a day or two since I had to remove a lot of the gifs and videos I originally added to this post to get it unflagged. But, here we are!

First, I hope your surgery went well and I'm happy that you're having a great time even though you're uncomfortable.

Second, it's not controversial to say you like the high heat stuff! Unless you're a child. But neither you nor I am.

I absolutely get where you're coming from. As someone who prefers sexual relationships over romantic ones, I also prefer the high heat shows/films (even though I also watch shows/films that don't include sex). We're all different, just like it's supposed to be. And since you and I both seem to like the high heat stuff, let's talk about it, shall we?

Also, even though we often talk about heat levels regarding QLs, what we consider high or low heat is very individual for all of us. So, I've chosen to include scenes that I personally rank mid to higher heat levels to give some range. And I've chosen scenes that show different ways of having sex because I like variety.

And, btw, thank you for writing "sex scenes" and not "NC scenes" because I have beef with the latter term (which is super weird considering I'm a vegetarian. But, anyway...).

Third, I don't get triggered. So I suggest that you (and anyone else reading this) look up possible trigger warnings before you dive into most shows in this post if you're sensitive to anything in particular.

Fourth (and the last one before we get into the good stuff, I promise), I've watched 350+ QL shows/films in about 14 months (it was my escape last year as I tried to survive some grief, which is why the number is so high) and I have a terrible memory. There's a chance I've forgotten most of the ones I liked. But I will try to remember (lol).

With all that said, let's finally dive into my list (which I've gathered in no particular order)!

My Favorite Sex Scenes in QLs

Mike and Jack in Twins (Thailand)

To be honest, the heat level can be discussed here. But! I wanted to include this scene because Mike and Jack were everything to me when Twins was airing (and had I been on tumblr at the time, I would've screamed about these two) because they were friends with benefits who stayed that way without getting into a romantic relationship (which I want to see more of since romantic relationship aren't the be-all and end-all for everyone).

Ryou and Anda + Thee and Jet in Love Stage!! (Thailand)

I couldn't find a gif of the scene I like, but it was in the 6th or 7th episode or something. It's the sequence where Ryou and Anda's sex scene is interwoven with Thee (Anda's brother) and Jet (his secret boyfriend) also having sex.

Phat and Saengtai in La Pluie (Thailand)

I missed this when it was airing in 2023 but watched it earlier this year instead. And I loved it so much (one of my absolute favorite shows I've watched this year). One of the reasons is the chemistry and sexual tension between Phat and Saengtai, which is on fire when they almost have sex at Saengtai's apartment, when Saengtai sucks Phat's dick, and when they have sex at Phat's apartment.

All three of those scenes are great. But I particularly love the scene at Phat's apartment because, now that Saengtai feels ready, Phat gets to give Saengtai pleasure too.

Rak and Mahasamut in Love Sea (Thailand)

Of course I'm listing Mut fucking Rak's face on my list because that scene was iconic! (I couldn't find a gif of that particular moment, but this one is from the same scene that leads up to Mut fucking Rak's face:)

Charlie and Babe in Pit Babe (Thailand)

Honestly, this scene was almost omitted from my list because the racing cutting into the important shit every fucking second is driving me nuts (lmao!). But Charlie's gaze and Babe's facial expressions convinced me to add it anyway. So, here we are.

Alan and Jeff in Pit Babe (Thailand)

Their first time was good, but their sex scene in the last episode was great. The way they were looking at each other, the way they were kissing and touching each other... I loved it.

Thantatch and Lomnaw in 2 Moons: The Ambassador (Thailand)

If I remember correctly, I thought most of this show was meh, especially in the beginning. But! I remember I was surprised to see sex scenes in the 2 Moons series because there hadn't been anything beyond kissing and removing shirts in the previous ones.

The two scenes I liked most in this one were the ones where Thantatch and Lomnaw suck each other's dicks.

This is the lead-up to the first one where Lomnaw sucks Thantatch's dick:

And this is during the second one where Thantatch is doing wicked shit to Lomnaw under the blanket:

To be honest, these scenes are a bit sweeter than savory for me, but they still make the cut because the acting felt very natural, and, again, I was pleasantly surprised with these scenes (and the other sex scenes in this show).

King and Uea in Bed Friend (Thailand)

Just like you, I loved Bed Friend. Mainly for the chemistry between Net and James.

Honestly, you can't make me choose which sex scene I liked most because I loved them all. Even King's jump up on the bed.

But I just want to say that the lighting was immaculate in this particular scene:

(It took me ages to try and find a gif of this before I gave up and went with a static screenshot instead, lol.)

Mangkorn and Yai in Big Dragon (Thailand)

I don't necessarily vibe with Mos and Bank's cutesy stuff, but I love them when they throw high heat at me like they did at Mangkorn's place in Big Dragon.

Sailom and Namnuea in Wedding Plan (Thailand)

The moment when Sailom could finally be himself around Namnuea, after all those years of hiding himself because of his family and to protect his best friend (Yiwa), was everything to me. Sailom was starving, and Namnuea was more than willing to let himself be devoured.

Nueng and Anueng in Blank (season 2) (Thailand)

As someone with a biting kink, this scene was made especially for me. And I appreciated every fucking millisecond of it.

(Sidenote: I would let Faye do whatever she wants with me.)

Ji and Achi in To Be Continued (Thailand)

Their first time (in the past) was great (up until the point where misunderstandings and miscommunication happened, but let's forget that for a moment, lol). They both wanted it so bad that it was palpable. And I loved this scene just as much as I loved these two miscommunicating idiots.

Kawin and Pluem in Ghost Host Ghost House (Thailand)

If I remember correctly (which I might not), I think we only got two sex scenes in this show, and I loved them both. So I'm obviously including both.

First, we have their first sex scene, which has a build-up that's amazing (this video is longer than the scene in the actual show, btw).

Then we have the scene after they reunite in the last episode (I also think this one is longer than the scene in the show).

Jom and Yai in I Feel You Linger in the Air (Thailand)

Since I'm an ice queen who has a hard time crying, I tend to get obsessed with things that melt my ice and open up my floodgates. This is the first and only time that I can remember having cried while watching a sex scene. That's partly why I love it so much.

It is beautiful and emotional because Yai knows that he will eventually lose Jom. That grief hit me so hard (which is why I cry every time I rewatch this show) even though Yai hasn't lost Jom yet. It's just so beautiful and one of my absolute favorite sex scenes.

Gao Shi De and Zhou Shu Yi in We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd (Taiwan)

Heat level can be discussed, but this scene is filled with so much emotion, angst, and desperation that I can't help but love it.

Chen Yi and Ai Di in Kiseki: Dear to Me (Taiwan)

Heat level can be discussed, I'm just here for the chemistry and the neon lights, because both are amazing (and I'm such a slut for neon lights).

Tharn and Phaya in The Sign (Thailand)

I loved their chemistry and I loved all the neon lights in this scene (have I mentioned that I'm a slut for neon lights?).

Aob and Puen in Playboyy (Thailand)

This tattooed daddy and his baby were everything to me in Playboyy. Aob had some solid walls around his heart, but when it came to taking care of his baby, he delivered with a solid handjob.

Sky and Prapai in Love in the Air (Thailand)

Their first time is great (the neon lights in that scene are gorgeous). But the sex scene I like the most with these two characters is the one in the special episode where Prapai fucks Sky on the conference table at his office. I mean, Prapai unbuttoned Sky's pants with his fucking teeth. That boy was hungry.

Sun Bo Xiang and Lu Zhi Gang in History 3: Make Our Days Count (Taiwan)

Let's forget the ending of this show and just focus on these two for a moment because their first time was such a spur-of-the-moment thing (in the gym after lockdown, btw) fueled by a desire that went from 0-100kph in less time than a Ferrari would. I loved it!

Tan and Bun in Manner of Death (Thailand)

I can't make a list of my favorite sex scenes without including Max and Tul in MOD. I mean... Max is fucking fisting his hands in Tul's hair. And sucking lips.

And they're plant dads! What more could I want? (Transplant. That's the more I want.)

Mingmueang and Namning in Be Mine Superstar (Thailand)

I can barely remember anything about this series except Mingmueang and Namning. Their chemistry was on fire. And there's just something about Jo (who plays Namning) that pulls my attention to him. I can't take my eyes away. Pairing him with Bosston (Mingmueang)... I'm still hoping their spin-off will see the light of day. Pretty fucking please!

The Novelist/Pornographer + Mood Indigo (Japan)

I'll be honest and say that I love every scene in this whole series from the first show to the last short (I have a sweet spot for the darker and more complex Japanese stuff). And that includes the sex scenes.

If I were to pick my favorite one, though, I would agree with you, @whatevenisthishellhole and say the hotel scene is fire.

(Also, as an advocate of safe and comfortable sex, I especially love the scene in Mood Indigo where Rio is stretching his anus to prepare himself for penetrative sex.)

Kim Sung Min and Yoo Joo Hyuk in Love Class Season 2 (Korea)

This scene is iconic to me when it comes to Korean BLs. I can't remember if I've ever seen anything like this in a Korean BL before (but, again, my memory is fucked, so feel free to remind me of how wrong I am). I've seen this and more explicit scenes in one or two gay films, but not that I can remember in any Korean BLs.

Anyway...

I love the buildup of the scene, which starts on their date, and all the way throughout this scene. It feels real, the chemistry is amazing, and it has a more mature vibe (as in, two adults who are confident, comfortable with each other, and know what they want). I love it so much.

Jao and Wayu Two Worlds (Thailand)

I'm sorry Max and Nat, but these two stole this show for me.

Let's forget for a moment that Jao has been badly wounded, had a fever, and that, apparently, sex can heal everything (especially if it's sex on the floor of an abandoned cabin in the middle of the woods). Because let's be honest, this scene was great in every sense of the word.

It was beautiful, it was raw, the lighting was gorgeous (I have to include the visuals as the artist I am), the way they were looking at each other, the way they moved. I mean, fuck me, this was a great scene.

Kinn and Porsche in KinnPorsche (Thailand)

I can't make a list like this and not include KP. And, for me personally, the pool scene is the best Kinn and Porsche sex scene.

Vegas and Pete in KinnPorsche (Thailand)

And since I love toxic little shits (Vegas being one of my favorites) as well as KP, I obviously had to add Vegas and Pete's sex scene as well.

Also, I'm such a slut for the neon colors in this one!

Korn and Tonkla in 4 Minutes (Thailand)

Say what you will about Korn's performance (or lack thereof) but Bas and Fuaiz acted the fucking shit out of their scenes. My favorite sex scene with Korn and Tonkla was the one in the first episode because it said so much about their dynamic (sugar daddy/sugar baby, Korn's needs taking priority, Tonkla wanting more, etc.). It was everything I wanted and more (the more being Bas's ass).

Great and Tyme in 4 Minutes (Thailand)

I mean... Great got his ass eaten...

Shin, Neo, and Miw in 3 Will Be Free (Thailand)

I'm a sucker for poly and would love to see more of that in our beloved QLs. So I ate up every single crumb of the little I got from this group in 3 Will Be Free (but I'm still starving, lol).

That's the end of the primary list of my favorites.

Looking back on it now, I wish I had more GLs on my list. Unfortunately, the ones I've watched are either too cute (which I don't vibe well with), too tame (for me at least) or don't include sex at all, or I probably haven't watched it yet (I've watched less than 20 so far). If you have any recommendations of great GLs, then, for the love of everything holy, send them my way! I'm starving over here, lol.

Others

I have a few more sex scenes that aren't my personal favorites (which is what you specifically asked for) but they're still good:

Ritsu and Masumi in The End of the World With You (Japan), all their sex scenes were very close to being on my favorites list (especially with Ritsu's laser focus on Masumi) but they don't feel as real to me as most of the others on my list above.

Rain and Payu in Love in the Air (Thailand), specifically the sex scene after Payu raced against the asshole (can't remember his name, lol).

Kita and Nathee in Beyond the Star (Thailand), their chemistry is amazing but I think I was too bored by the whole show to care, lol. These characters are played by Willi and Focus who are also in Battle of the Writers (which is currently airing) and they have even more amazing chemistry now.

There were some great sex scenes in For Him (Thailand) as well, but the production lost the story (and me) somewhere in the middle/end.

DIY

Sex doesn't need to be had with a partner (or several) either, so I want to highlight some solo parties too:

Yai in Big Dragon (Thailand) has a good time while looking at a photo of Mangkorn's hands.

Atom in The Rebound (Thailand) is thinking about Zen as he's masturbating and gets emotional.

Almond tries out a dildo in Knock Knock, Boys! (Thailand).

Miyata in Love is Better the Second Time Around (Japan) jerks off in the shower while thinking about Iwanaga.

Army in The Warp Effect (Thailand) also jerks off in the shower while thinking about his past love interest Joe.

Mut in Love Sea (Thailand) is also jerking off in the shower, but Rak decides to help him.

I'm pretty sure I've seen more masturbation scenes, but I can't seem to remember any more right now so these will have to do.

Other QLs that Highlight Sex in Different Ways

Before I hit publish on this post, I also want to share some QLs that highlight/talk about sex in different ways (besides the ones I've already mentioned throughout this post).

Knock Knock, Boys! (Thailand)

I know that you already know about this one, @whatevenisthishellhole. But, for anyone else wanting to watch a show that openly talks about sex and pansexuality in particular, this is a great one.

Let's Talk About CHU (Taiwan)

To be fair, this is primarily a straight show but it does have a gay pair that I absolutely love!

It also highlights sex from different perspectives and angles. For example, there are different age groups (from the youngest daughter in the central family to the parents in the same family), different types of relationships (fwb, creditor/debtor or gangster/gambler, two marriages whereby one has lasted 30+ years), and, as I mentioned, both straight and gay relationships.

(Fun fact: Helena Hsu, who plays Gao Shi De's mom in We Best Love, is also in this series.)

The Warp Effect (Thailand)

This queer show has a diverse set of characters (queer and straight) and a diverse range of relationships. It also highlights sex from different perspectives and the effects and consequences sex can have. It also includes some of the best female characters I've seen in queer shows from Thailand, and I love them so fucking much.

Final Words

Those are all the scenes I can remember at this point. I'm sure there are several that I've missed and some that I will remember as soon as I hit publish on this. But this will have to do for now.

I hope you find something you like.

And, thanks for your ask!

[phoenixwatchesmovies]

Dracula Season Watch Party: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

The centuries old vampire Count Dracula comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker's fiancée Mina Murray and inflict havoc in the foreign land. - Dir. Francis Ford Coppola

I haaaaaaaaaaaaated this the one and only other time I watched it because, for a movie calling itself Bram Stoker's Dracula, it sucks ass at adapting the novel. It hits all the beats but misses the themes and adds extra stuff, and Jonathan doesn't even go after the Count with a shovel, ffs. However, it is technically one of The Most Faithful adaptations we have to date, which is impressive considering how much story there is to adapt. And if I stop being such a purist turd.... *sigh* it's a good movie.

Like..... REALLY good. The costumes, the colors, the music, the camera work, everything has such a surreal vibe, and the scene transitions move with something like dream logic. Actually, I think "movement" sums up everything I loved. Shots moving around a scene, SO MUCH gauzy fabric moving in a breeze, Dracula and Mina moving through a crowd. It's ✨pretty✨

It's also horny AF. Jesus Christ.

That being said, I think the criticism I've seen saying this version turns Lucy into a slut is pretty unfair. She and Mina gossip about their relationships (and kiss in the rain, by god I ship it), and she's flirtatious with the suitor squad, big deal. She's never overtly sexual until she starts becoming a vampire, and that's nothing that doesn't already happen in the book. The two scenarios don't compare. One is established friendships that come equipped with camaraderie and intimacy, the other is a corruption. Like, that's literally what's happening, and that's where the horror comes from. As for this version's take on her sleepwalking, we are NOT calling that slut behavior. That's all I'm saying.

Speaking of the suitor squad (Lucy's potential fiances, for the uninitiated), I understand there is only so much you can squeeze into a two hour run time, but I wish they had more time to shine. I need more of Quincey being a manly man with the most golden heart of gold ever. I need more of Jack being the most lovesick and emo wreck of a human with a side of medical malpractice. Most importantly, I need Cary effing Elwes to have more to do as Art. Not that any one of Lucy's boyfriends loves her more than the others, but I feel like Art's devotion to her is given more weight because he was the one Lucy chose to marry, and ASDFGHJKL. You can't cast CARY ELWES, aka WESTLEY THE FARM BOY, of Thee Greatest Movie Ever Made The Princess Bride, and then NOT give him any room to work in that space. He could have eaten that shit up! You know it! I know it! The only people who apparently don't know it are the people who called the shots on everything from the script to the casting, because if we had spent more time with canon couple Art and Lucy and less with fanon couple Drac and Mina, WE COULD HAVE HAD IT ALL. *insert Adele gif because I couldn't actually find one*

While we're on the subject of Dracula and Mina as lovers doomed across centuries, YES, it's fucking romantic as shit and I've come across the concept in other stories and would have snorted that shit if possible, BUT. The addition here detracted from time we could have spent on Lucy, as mentioned above, and despite what I've said about that so far, I understand why you'd make that call. If there's going to be an epic Gothic romance, it might as well be the focal point of the story and therefore needs to happen between the leads. But.

BUT.

THAT'S ALREADY IN THE SOURCE MATERIAL. IT'S MINA AND JONATHAN!!!!! Jonathan Harker is peak Gothic wifeguy. Dude never stops thinking about how awesome his wife is and how much he loves her, and I can't even think about his refusal to let her be condemned to hell alone and his determination to damn himself with her if she became a vampire without getting in fits about it. He said "fuck God if he doesn't love Mina, he's not good enough for her and I love her enough for both of us," and you think ANY other love story can beat THAT??? They did my good friend Jonathan so so dirty.

On the subject of my good friend Jonathan, I know I'm not the only one who thinks Keanu Reeves would look so. Fucking. HOT. With gray hair. I don't know what they did to him in the back half of this movie, but rather than be disappointed in how fake it looks, I'm choosing to look forward to the day we finally get Silver Fox Keanu.

Other details I loved now that I'm done complaining include Mina's wardrobe echoing Elizabeta's gown in the prologue, red light reflecting off Renfield's glasses when he's talking about his master, red appearing more prominently in Mina's and Lucy's wardrobe as they fall under Dracula's influence, the zoom-in on the bite marks on Lucy's neck transitioning into the wolf's glowing eyes in the next scene, Dracula's shadow moving independently of his body, everything Anthony Hopkins is doing as Van Helsing, and the entire standoff between him and Mina and the brides.

I think I've said all I feel like saying, and it took a full 24 hours to stop talking, so in summary: I DO like this more than I used to, but I like it more when looking at it on its own merit and not as an adaptation. What I like, I really like. What I don't like, pretty much has to do with how it differs from the book. The most important part is that I had fun watching. Even if there aren't any flappy bats on a string.🥂

[fafayayarhen]

Have you considered

France x Austria

Austria x England

Austria x Russia

and much more?

AS A MATTER OF FACT YES I DIDDLY DOODLY HAVE ANON, hear ye as one of the connoisseur of APH Austria we have this knack of multi-shipping our princess for reason that he makes such good material for it backed by the historical precedent, never forget Matthias Corvinus' "Where Mars gives other kingdoms, Venus gives to thee," in regards to the Habsburgs' renowned marriage strategy!

✨ Now buckle up anon ✨

France x Austria : historically the most disastrous and problematic and terrifying nightmare fuel for the rest of the continent. In fact, some 80% of the conflict had been because of these bitches' rivaling houses having beef with each other. Think the popular pretty girl VS the other popular pretty girl type of dynamic but when they're working together it's both the worst thing possible for everyone and each other because both will stab the shit out of one another. I love them.

It's very possible on a more intimate level the two are able to get along for the fact they're very much two sides of the same coin and are simply dressed differently is all. Both would know the worst of each other and their most vulnerable, I feel their intimacy and bed related activities would be wild — smth smth sex is the rawest form of expression to relinquish control and they'd delve into it. Romantic wise I can see the two being the type to go, "Love doesn't suit our rotten souls."

England X Austria : they're quite an interesting one to me! Anon and everyone will notice a pattern here that I go more for a historical basis route and damn it it's because I remember them better than having to go search through canon material sO — anyhow, Anglo-Austrian relation is a real thing as much as it was quite a... Unique situation between the two. There were the Austrian Anglophiles who insists an alliance with them is efficient to oppose the French (it's always the French)

As much as both had the knack of not fulfilling their end of the bargain to each other as promised because of "changing circumstances". Like we saw in that one episode where England upped and left Austria be during the war of the Austrian succession because he just wanted to beat up France, yeah? That example was demonstrated several more times between the two in the course of their supposed alliance. Roderich and Arthur would have this dancing around one another type of thing going on because they strike me as the type to be more calculative before ever getting personally close when both were the huge superpowers in that time period. And given the British and Spanish had already existing beef whilst the Spanish and Austrian Habsburg branch were united as is, you can see the conflict of interest that created the "they'll be good if we need to kick the French but also our Spanish relatives are important but hurm,"

Personally it was that incident during when the Spanish forces were trying to recapture Gibraltar from the English that lends to this complex dynamic because they asked helped from the Austrians for support only for, whatever REASON, they backed the English forces. This was in the 1700s I believe? I'd like to think England may have bedded the pretty Austrian for that LMFAO.

Russia X Austria : Whew. Okay this one has been quite the guilty pleasure for me ngl. Smth about the domineering force that was the Russian empire, the menacing bear that is Vanya and considering the number of fairly decent alliances the Austrian maintained with their Russians (partitions, holy league, etc.) Roddi and Vanya would have an amicable relationship. I'd think Roderich would have had the sense of walking on eggshells around this person for reason he can just tell at first glance to thread carefully or be at the mercy of whatever Russia would choose to impose of him.

Something like a faux compliance from the most dangerous beast for the pretty sweetling, giving Roderich this false sense of control that maintains the apparent "harmony" of the relationship. They're actually so interesting ngl that I'm sure there's a number of pretty good historical references to grow them with!

Honourable mentions that have been lingering in the back of my mind that aren't the big popular ones —

• Turkiye X Austria : COFFEE CULTURE!! also coughs they have the kind of enemies to lovers vibe I dig

• Poland X Austria : wouldn't you know it that not only during the partitions were the Austrians most lenient towards their polish citizens but consider many times, they had been allies too — I believe marriage arrangements between their monarchs were planned as well but unfortunately couldn't come to fruition

• Netherlands X Austria : Okay here we go babes before they were Netherlands they were the low countries and under whose house if not the HRE and then the Habsburgs by way of claim through marriage to the Spanish for inheritance, and if not ship material why did they have good relations including an Austrian monarch marrying into the Dutch to help them fix up governance and they flourished? Also tallest man bagging the prettiest princess who was once married to his rival (Spain) is the single funniest addition to this

• Denmark X Austria : Listen. I haven't seen many touch into this but not only do they share actual pastry influence with each other, during the second Schleswig-Holstein conflict, it was by the Prussians recruiting the Austrians they managed to beat the Danish and I imagined it was the princess straight up stabbing the shit out of Denmark that had the Dane be horny at first sight and well, when you're the winner of the war you'd want to get your spoils, no?

[lloydfrontera]

wait lmao what I didn't know there was such a skip. I'm sorry this is comedy to me. so you're telling me they have this crazy ass dimension-jumping shenanigans with Javier tearing up as he finally finds Lloyd, his best friend, the most important person in his life, while it's a mutual statement for the both of them, and then we get no dialogue. and skip to Lloyd getting shoved into a hetero romance with no build up. sorry I can't believe this is real. this sounds like a joke and I choose to treat is as such. this is the most hilarious ending and the marriage now feels even more out of place hdufiskaoa9o

OH MY FUCKING GOD RIGHT?!?!?!! it is weird isn't it???? i'm not being crazy for feeling like it's a weird ass choice??? i felt like i was going insane!! i swear to god i felt like i was being gaslighted when i read it!!! there was no way that was the ending!! there was no way that ch 401 ended with one of the most romantic and heartfelt scenes i have ever read and then the next chapter just????? did a time skip where none of that was acknowledged and lloyd was just fucking married off to alicia??? completely off-screen if i may add!

i made a post about it before but i simply need to rant all over again oh my god

general warning for spoilers because i'm about to dissect the entire novel through a llojavi lens

AGAIN. SPOILERS WARNING FOR THE ENDING OF TGED.

i literally cannot express how much of a mid fuck it is when you realize that lloyd and javier's relationship is very much Thee Slowburn of tged. like. this is an indisputable fact. even if you don't think there's anything romantic between them, which, holy fuck that's such a fucking reach one must be really be in denial to not see it but whatever, even then you simply cannot argue that their relationship isn't the most important one in the entire story.

javier is the very first person lloyd talks to in the first chapter. he's the first person that welcomes him into his new life. he's the one he has to work the hardest to endear himself to. he's the one he spends the most time with. he's the one that follows him around literally everywhere he goes.

from the very beginning their relationship is given a special attention that few other things get in the plot.

through the entire story we get constant moments of them getting to know each other as people and getting closer as a result. they're constantly in each other's thoughts, which is very natural as they're in each other's company almost 24/7. it is actually hard to find a chapter where they not talking to each other or at the very least together. i cannot emphasize enough how,,, enmeshed and entangled they are with one another as characters. i mean it when i say they are a set do not separate them.

it takes lloyd 222 chapters to even admit to himself that javier is his friend and that he wants to keep him safe not because he's the protagonist of the story or useful to him or anything like that but simply because he cares for him and doesn't want him to die. because, and i quote, 'he thought he'd always be with javier for the rest of his life. just like now, he thought they'd spend all their time together moving forward. and like they always did, they'd be by each other's side during hard times. happy moments. relaxed days. they'd share all these moments as they exchanged insults and corny jokes, growing old as a lazy lord of a fiefdom and his knight. lloyd always thought so. the thought just came naturally, without much effort from him, much like breathing. lloyd believed that javier would always remain by his side as that was how it had been until now.' (ch222) <- actual textual quote. btw. if you even care.

and then. it takes javier 320 chapters, a hundred chapters more, to realize that he cares about lloyd much more than a knight cares about his lord's son. because he, and once again i quote, 'is [his] true master in [his] heart. lloyd was his friend. and now, javier wanted to protect lloyd. he would sincerely protect him with everything he had.' <- this is, if i may add some context, said as javier is fighting against a goddamn angel, literally heaven's will, to protect lloyd. after figuring out lloyd is a fake. that he's been lying to javier for several years about almost everything including who he is. and yet. this is what javier feels for him.

they are the definition of a slowburn. it takes them this long to even admit they are friends. and this is with us getting to see them together almost every chapter of the way. we get to see every step of the way. we see their relationship develop with all manner of detail.

and then. when you think you cannot get even more dramatic about them. guess what the major conflict of the plot is. guess fucking what the last obstacle for the story to get a happy ending is.

let me set the scene for you:

lloyd has just finished the jewel of truth, the artifact that will get him the answer he seeks on how to stop the restoration of fate, how he can stop destiny from making the original events of the novel come true and destroy everything he has worked and kill everyone he loves. he has javier at his side, who rushed to join him underwater to make sure he was safe and sound while using it, and he can't help but fondly think how lucky he is to have javier, who is loyal and true and has never abandoned him.

a quote of lloyd's thoughts in this scene:

That’s why, you bastard. I’m going to take care of you until the very end. Once I, your wise and older friend, solve the restoration of destiny problem, you’re going to enjoy the rest of your life by my side in peace. [...] He smiled at Javier and thought to himself. You’re my only friend, Javier. I couldn’t have overcome all the obstacles in front of me without your help. So, my trustworthy and reliable comrade, stick with me until I become a lazy lord and you become my personal guard. I hope we will be able to grow old together… -ch 327

as you can see. he's once again planning on spending the rest of his life with javier. canonically. not even an interpretation this is straight up textual i cannot emphasize enough

and then. the jewel of truth gives him the answer. how to stop the restoration of fate. it's very easy. very simple solution in fact.

either lloyd or javier have to die or otherwise vanish from existence.

that's it. there can only be one protagonist in the world and because of everything lloyd has done he's now being acknowledged by fate as the protagonist of the story along with javier. which cannot stand.

so that's the only thing stopping lloyd from getting his happy ending. he just,,, has to either kill his best friend or kill himself.

let me rephrase this from a narrative perspective: the major conflict of the story is now lloyd facing either the choice of letting everything he's achieved and everyone he loves be destroyed. losing his best friend, the person he cares the most about and has been developing an extremely close relationship through the entire plot. or dying himself.

lloyd of course then spends the rest of the plot trying to find a way to avoid having to die. that's literally what the rest of the novel is about. lloyd trying by all means possible seeking a way to not having to die. because at no point, does he ever consider letting javier die in his place even an option. he doesn't want to die of course, but he never saw javier sacrificing himself as the solution to that problem.

the entire conflict of the last part of the novel is lloyd finding a way for him and javier to be able to remain together without either of them having to sacrifice their lives for the other.

he doesn't succeed.

they end up in a battle down in hell where both of them try to give for one another leading to this absolutely delightful parallel

so fucking tasty oh my god i still go crazy when i see this set of illustrations actually

lloyd wins btw. he gets to sacrifice his life for javier. to javier's absolute heartbreak.

but lloyd doesn't die. he does end up stuck in korea tho, a place he would've rather died than go back to, so he has that going on for him. he's back in his goshiwon, absolutely heartbroken and without knowing what to do.

and then we end up with that scene. javier at his doorstep, having crossed dimensions, tearing up as he sees him and tells him how much he's missed him, looking at him with this face:

now. let's pause here. let's take a moment. take in everything i've just explained. everything that has happened to get to this point.

be honest with me. what would you say is the most natural way the story can progress from here.

take into account all that i have recounted and that i skipped so many other things of the same nature so we wouldn't be here all day.

what do you as a reader would expect to happen next

well, i'll tell you:

cut to black we're now an unspecified amount of time later lloyd has already had all the important conversations we've been waiting to see the entire time off screen and is now preparing himself for his wedding to alicia that we will also not get to see by the way

and you know what the funniest thing is. you know what is the cherry on top.

fucking guess who's the last person we see him talk with.

guess who's the person he ends the novel sharing a smile with.

yeah. Yeah.

i really don't know what else to say. i don't know how else to explain how insane this feels. how incredibly dissonant it comes across. i don't want to use the worse gaslighting like this but it's the closest word i can find to describe what it feels like. i feel like i'm being told something is happening when i can see with my own eyes it is not. or rather that i'm seeing something happen and i'm being told that no it is not and that i'm making it up.

i don't know what bk moon was going for. i really don't. especially when this is what he has to say about chapter 401 aka the chapter with javier coming to find lloyd in korea

clearly he feels very strongly about this scene too. it's the one he's been wanting to show the most, he must have analyzed it from every angle possible, must have put special care to get across what he wanted to convey with it.

so why does it feel like the last true chapter of the novel is meant to,,, undercut the feeling of it?? it almost feels as if the last chapter is telling us 'yeah yeah those two are extremely devoted to each other and would and have given their lives for one another and plan on growing old at each other's sides but don't worry :) it's nothing more than them being pals :) just two guys being really good friends :) see, lloyd is even getting married to a woman that's his real happy ending he's not gay or anything :)'

and this is not me saying that two friends cannot be devoted to each other. absolutely not of course friends can love each other platonically and that be more than enough to justify their devotion to one another.

but. it feels weird when the entire novel is dedicated to building up the relationship between lloyd and javier, taking so much time to make us really feel like their relationship is growing at a realistic pace, take almost 3/4 of the novel to even make them come to terms with how much they care for one another, spend actual years following their development,,, and then make lloyd just marry someone else. someone the novel really didn't spend enough time with to justify him developing feels for her.

this is not a diss against alicia i have nothing against her i just don't... buy that lloyd developed romantic feelings for her. much less that he acted on them that easily.

this is a man who took 222 chapters and several years in-universe to even accept that javier, the person he spent all day with, with whom he spoke almost every single day, who he had risked his life for and had been saved by several times at that point, was even his friend.

and now i'm expected to believe he's in love with someone else who, by comparison, he meets a couple of times and spends a little amount of time with.

well. i don't! it's not in character, it wasn't properly built up in the text and truthfully they don't have enough chemistry to make up for it.

i don't know what happened there. i don't know why bk moon decided to add a romance when the novel didn't need it. i don't know why he chose to make it happen between two characters that didn't have a relationship as deep as the one he spent the entire novel building up and promoting as the most important one. which may i add was between his two protagonists. y'know. the ones the novel is supposed to be centered around.

i don't know. i don't know what happened. i don't know if it was censorship, last minute panic, fear of opposition or rejection or actual obliviousness to what he had written looked like, i simply do not know.

i really hope it wasn't homophobia tho that would absolutely suck lmao

but uh. yeah. i do think the ending is very funny when you put it like that askhdsjkfds

[panikkar]

thinking about how the three of the biggest relationships in bucks life are pretty significantly tied to helicopters/helicopter crashes,,, (partially inspired by this post by @maygrcnt)

taylor kelly: met her when her news helicopter crash. not the first person he seriously dated but definitely is the most serious romantic relationship he had yknow. can’t forget the whole couch metaphor arc.

eddie: i mean it’s pretty self explanatory but eddie’s helicopter crash when he was in the army caused him to be discharged and forced to be reliant on his family again, which is what made him move to la, where, of course, he met buck. they’re literally thee most important person in each others lives. they’re besties. coparents (when the only help eddie’s had as a coparent is shannon, who left (no hate to her it’s complicated shit and she did die but still she did), and his parents, who were controlling and not what either of them needed and also just generally really shitty to eddie at the time (ESPECIALLY re his parenting). and then buck comes along and like within a year he’s like i trust you with my life and my son and my sons life! after everything!! and puts buck as chris’ legal guardian in his will—) n e ways yeah that but also eddie’s ptsd related to the whole helicopter crash incident was super significant later in their relationship too bc eddie was at his lowest point (a place he’d been before but back then, his wife left him and his parents actively made everything worse instead of helping) and buck just like. steps in WITH eddie and gives him what he needs and like takes care of eddie and chris in they way they both need instead of forcing them into what he thinks they need like eddie’s parents did. yeah. and eddie actually did some healing then unlike the last time. so eddie is easily the most important and serious and intimate (like platonically but also Not) relationship buck has ever had, more so than any of bucks gfs.

and then tommy comes around!!! a fuckin helicopter pilot. he and buck first meet not necessarily in a helicopter crash but in a helicopter. in an emergency situation. and they draw SO MANY parallels between tommy and eddie and taylor (he and eddie have a lot in common like with the whole army and martial arts stuff and they get really close really fast and then BUCK HIMSELF drawing the taylor parallels. literally biting at my enclosure.) and wow! look at that! they kiss (and soon start a relationship) and tommy is literally not only the first man buck has ever kissed, but also the catalyst for buck realizing he’s bi. (or, at least, that those feelings bucks had for men in the past (cough cough eddie) are like mushy romantic/sexual/Very Not Platonic things.) literally even if they just kissed that once and had no relationship past that it’s still a massively impactful (non)relationship for buck!!!

and somehow. somehow the most important relationships in bucks life are all connected to helicopter crashes/emergencies. and they’re only characters who have such big connections to said helicopter crashes/emergencies. and they all have relationships that are incredibly important and impactful to buck. this is literally canon.

[stormyoceans]

MONICA'S INCREDIBLY BIASED TOP 5 BL SHOWS OF 2024

1. SPARE ME YOUR MERCY. small town murder mystery with exploration on the topic of euthanasia but also of trauma grief guilt obsession humanity and love. this show was always going to mean a lot to me due to the focus on terminally ill patients, and while i am fully aware of some of its flaws when it comes to the investigation and the romantic elements of wasan and kan's relationship, all of it gets overshadowed by how nuanced and thoughtful the engagement with the main topic was (AND ALSO THE VIBES THE VISUALS THE ACTING!!!!!!!!!)

2. CENTURY OF LOVE. im actually not the biggest fan of the reincarnation trope, so this show ending up as one of my favorites of the year already says everything about how enjoyable it is. yes, it's very campy, but that's where part of its charm comes from, and while i do think there are a couple of things that could have been done better, it was still able to deliver in a way a lot of other shows this year weren't able to. daouoffroad were incredible as an old man trapped in the body of a 20-something years old and a foxy ray of sunshine personified, and they gave us THEE SEXIEST MOST MEMORABLE SCENE OF THE YEAR

3. WE ARE. truly thee biggest plot wist of 2024. if you had told me when the trailer for this show first came out that this was going to be in my top 5 BLs of the year i would have probably laughed in your face, but im so very glad i gave it a chance. sometimes we do need stories like this, stories that are light and fun and free of drama, but also incredibly genuine and full of heart, where friendship is put front and center and gets to shine as much as the romance, if not more. i love this show unabashedly, and im grateful for the happiness and comfort it gave me

4. FIRST NOTE OF LOVE. most underrated little show of my heart and soul. i completely understand why most people found it boring or frustrating, but to me this series feels like an old friend holding my hand and telling me everything is gonna be alright as we watch the sun slowly rise above the water. there is just so much tenderness and emotion and healing woven into the story, and i loved every second of it. it's also a BL about music that actually puts the music front and center, so it's not surprising that it actually gave us the best soundtrack of the year too

5. CHERRY MAGIC (thai). this is another full on comfort show that feels like a warm hug. i wasn't sure until the very end if it was gonna make it in my top 5, mostly because i didn't get to talk about it on here, but i do love this series a lot, and as someone who has yet to watch dark blue kiss (im a sham and a fraud, i know ;;;;;;), it also introduced me to taynew as a pairing. am i totally biased because p'x directed it? possibly, but the thai remake fixed a lot of the things i didn't like in the original japanese series and it gave me a classic romance focused on communication and mutual support, and sometimes that's more than enough

+ bonus (because im a cheater)

THE TIME OF FEVER. the only reason this didn't end up in my top 5 is because i think it works better as a movie than as a series, and as such i wasn't sure if the comparison with other shows could work. i still had to sneak it in somehow because not only it's beautifully made, but it also made me feel things god only intended for martyrs in moments of divine ecstasy at the threshold of death to experience. it takes the award for best kiss of the year too

[sexcromancy]

5 ali novels in order of most to least hetrom-as-horror

alright i played around with this a lot but i think i arrived at something that makes sense to me and expresses it clearly. elided chessbook and loveonthebrain bc those two are the most straightforward sweetiepie love stories to me. here we go:

not in love. my horror movie <3 thee pinnacle imo bc it is both incredibly romantic AND very scary megalodon in the water. AND eli pov to top it off confirming all my craziest insights about aliguys its so awesome. horror movie comp: scream <3

love hypothesis. can i say something. the girlies on goodreads are always saying this one is better than lotb+lt. i do not see that. lh is like. its just so nothing. theres NOTHING there. and it became much clearer to me when i read the og fic and realized how much she stripped out. whats happening in lh is like - if you took a horror movie and removed all the violent scenes, but left all the traumatized gasping at the closed door bloody knife scenes. so youre like whats the fucking fuss how did she get so bloody... and the answer is. deleted noncon breakup sex in his office. horror movie comp: halloween

deep end. i have a bigger post in drafts about this but its so funny how the girlies on goodreads are like "idk why she says this one is hard kink when theres barely anything" when they have a completely undernegotiated full time d/s dynamic. horror movie comp: silence of the lambs

bride. very very funny of me to put the one with werewolves and vampires and real on page murder at the bottom!! but sorry lowe is a pathetic sweetiepie!! it is gothic horror lite tho she is trapped in that house jane eyre style (thats the comp)

love theoretically. existing at the fulcrum of the og stem era and the current era, notable bc its really not that sweetie pie. theres a lot of control in the relationship and jack is of course my og Man Who Loves Orphans. horror movie comp: ex machina