#also the stuff he’s saying is interesting

[walpurg]

I'm not particularly fond of Gale but it's so insane to me how illiterate everyone suddenly becomes when it comes to him and his anger.

Haymitch initially wasn't fond of Maysilee for dressing fancy and having jewelry as well!! He said that he didn't like Asterid much in the past for the exact same fucking reason! The class differences in the districts is one of the ways capitol puts people against each other, something that Gale actually understands. Katniss mentions in the same exact chapter op is referencing, that usually he's the one to point it out , but he's on edge today because it's the reaping.

And he doesn't scoff at Madge for dressing nicely, he scoffs at her because she mentions the possibility of being picked. He has to apply for tesserae many times, his and Katniss' names were written multiple times, his younger brother took a tesserae, despite all Gale's efforts. And Madge didn't! Of course it's not like it's her fault, her family doesn't have any real power, but why are other characters allowed to be misguided in their anger, are forgiven for falling for propaganda, yet a 17 yo Gale should be Above It All. Haymitch initially scoffs at the "don't let them treat as as animals line", because, unlike Maysilee, his family can't allow fancy clothes to "mask" and it's a natural reaction actually! People are allowed to be jealous and petty, it's a very natural flaw.

Gale is one of the few characters who openly blames the capitol since the first book, but ohhhhh he doesn't understand anything, he had the audacity!! To not be happy at the fact that him, his family and his best friend are having it worse than others!!

It's the smallest thing maybe but it's funny to me Sunrise on the Reaping has given me another reason to dislike Gale.

Thinking of Madge on reaping day, wearing her nice dress and Gale giving her shit for it. Like she has a choice. Like she has say. Like it's her fault who she was born to. It's such an interesting example of class vs culture wars. This idea that the people up the road who have a nice house are the enemy and not the faceless people thousands of miles away who profit on their poverty.

Thinking of Maysilee who was very conscious of the way she dressed. Who liked looking nice and dressing up. Who is Madge's aunt that she never met. Who Madge heard stories of growing up about her moms twin sister who always loved fashion and knew the importance of masking and the power of how you present to people. Don't let them treat us like animals.

And when Madge lifts her head and says "I want to look my best if I go to the Capitol" and Gale has the audacity to scoff at her.

It also speaks to how quickly history is lost. He probably doesn't even know her aunt died in the games. Doesn't care. You never ever ever know what hurt people are carrying. What their history is. What their familial struggle has been. Don't punch down. Don't punch sideways. Don't even punch up. Break the chain and destroy the person holding the reins.

[quarterlifekitty]

When reader is kidnapped, what is the setup like?

Do they get their own bedroom? Basement? Free roam of the house? Put into the bedroom of the kidnapper? Broom closet?

Well, this is a very open ended question with a lot of dependencies! I think this depends on who you are, why you’ve been kidnapped, and what they’re holding over you— are you someone they’re expecting to try to run?

cw: this is dark stuff. Kidnapping, manipulation, etc.

I think Price, generally, gives you free roam of the house. He’s a thorough person— he has something that keeps you inside out of your own self interest. Much easier than having to worry about locked windows and doors. Maybe he’s made you a fugitive, maybe he’s tracked your family, maybe he’s led you to believe the property is trapped— but you stay because you’re afraid. And besides— what kind of wife doesn’t have free roam of their own house? And if he wants you to get used to being his wife, keeping you cooped up in just one room won’t do.

Similarly, Gaz is playing mind games. He keeps you in one room, one of your own, to start with— but he makes it clear that everything you have is a privilege that can be taken away. Starts you at the bottom, so that once he trickles in little kindnesses, you’re conditioned to be very grateful. If you to try to leave, you’ll be met with locks that are fingerprinted and combination based, and he will make your already small world smaller as punishment as much as he has to. But he always explains it gently. Like he hates to be doing it, but has no choice. Until you start to believe it.

Johnny keeps you in his room. So much of your role to him is as a bed warmer, it just makes sense. He also has the sort of primal idea that the more forced proximity, the more skin to skin contact, the more mingling of scents, the more a bond will form between you. He has plenty of locks and bolts to keep you in, but he also has a terrifyingly good read on you. He’s generally extremely perceptive and can tell what makes people tick when he cares enough to observe them closely. So he’ll purposely say things that scare you as much as possible. He wants you trembling and crawling to the only source of comfort you’re allowed— him.

Ghost is the most physical in his restraints. He keeps you in a basement, thin slits for windows you could never squeeze through, a line of locks like he’s trying to keep a pet werewolf. Of them, his lack of a positive self image makes him the least confident that you would ever choose to stay with him. In that same vein— he will tempt you into trying to run. It’s a form of self flagellation for him. He’ll leave the locks undone, you’ll run away, he’ll tracks you down and drag you back all while his heart aches at the reminder that you don’t want him. Maybe you never will, but he can’t bring himself to let go. He also loves the chase. He hasn’t told you this, and he doesn’t know if he ever will, but he faked your death and no one in the world is looking for you.

[wonderjanga]

Vacay

Billy likes his vacations. Unfortunately, for the JL these vacations always come across as spontaneous. To Billy and fawcitizens it isn’t, but to them it is. As a result, this can be a problem sometimes when they need him:

Marvel: *on Neptune, standing in the diamond rain, awestruck and snapping a bunch of photos*

Flash: *calls him on the JL comm*

Marvel: *answers* “ y’ello?”

Flash: “Dude, where are you?!”

Marvel: “What?”

I must preface his conversation by stating that the sound of diamond rain that moves at 11,000 miles/18,000 kilometers an hour has to be pretty loud.

Flash: “You need to get back to earth!”

Marvel: “WHAT?”

Flash: “I SAID YOU NEED TO GET BACK TO EARTH!”

Marvel: “HOLD ON A SECOND!” *plugs an ear with one of his pinkies and holds the comm against the other ear* “NOW TALK.”

Flash: “GET TO EARTH! NOW PREFERABLY!”

Marvel: “WHY? I’M ON VACATION.”

Flash: “VACA— DUDE, ITS LITERALLY HELL ON EARTH AND YOU’RE ON VACATION?!”

Marvel: “UH… YEAH?”

Flash: “GET OVER HERE!”

This isn’t even including the random stuff he brings back from wherever…

Marvel: “Mr. Batman Sir?”

Batman: “Yes, Captain?”

Marvel: “You like Gray Ghost, right?” *holding something behind his back*

Batman: “Yes…? How’d you find out about tha—”

Marvel: “Tada!” *presents him a figuring of an alien trust as Gray Ghost*

*silence*

Batman: *takes it and examines it* “How interesting, I don’t recall any of the movies having a scene where he turns into an alien.”

Marvel: “Oh that’s because they don’t.”

*more silence*

Batman: “Captain, did you take an alien figurine and then steal the clothes from a Gray Ghost figurine, combine them and then give it to me?”

Marvel: “What? No?”

Batman: “Then why does he…”

Marvel: “Oh, that’s because he’s a Dirutig Gray Ghost.”

Batman: “What.”

Marvel: “Yeah, a lot of alien species have their own version of him just slightly different. I visited the Dirutig’s planet, saw it and I remembered that you liked it so I got it for you.”

Batman: “…are you saying that the Gray Ghost is universal?”

Marvel: “Yes.”

Marvel also offered to take him to a convention happening on another planet just for that planet’s Gray Ghost. Bruce said yes.

or

At the Watchtower…

Marvel: “Hey guys! I’m back!”

Wondy: “Oh? From your vacation to planet Strella?”

Marvel: “Yup! I found some pretty rocks on the way.” *starts passing them out* “GL gets the green one, obviously.”

GL: “Thanks.” *tosses it up and down a few times*

Supes: *starts feeling queasy and is confused*

Marvel: “Mr. Superman Sir can have the blue one.”

Supes: “Thanks… ‘ppreciate it.”

Marvel: “Diana gets orange!”

Wondy: “Thank you. I shall display it in my apartment.”

Batman: *has finally pieced together that he’s giving them Kryptonite*

Marvel: “And Mr. Batman Sir unfortunately gets to have rainbow. I would’ve given him black if I’d found any.”

Supes; *face plants into the desk*

Wondy: “Clark??”

Batman: “How in the world did you possibly manage to discover a new type of Kryptonite?”

Marvel: “Huh?”

In conclusion, all of the JL hate it whenever he comes back or leaves for vacations.

[becausebuckley]

michelle's buddie fic recs: week 13!

lthe year is officially one-fourth over and i gotta be honest, i do not vibe with that at all. the passage of time can suck my ass. enjoy these fics!!

this is a mix of fics with all ratings, so some include NSFW content. please take a look at both the ratings and the fic tags before reading! some contain spoilers for season 8.

if you come across something you like in this list, remember to show some love to the author by leaving kudos and a comment!

across our great divide (a glorious sunrise) | catchingpapermoons/@adamsparirsh | 53.7k | M

Eddie gets Buck to come to couples therapy with him. truly such a stunning fic. i love how this is just filled with emotion at every corner, not just in the dialogue but descriptive passages as well. brilliant, brilliant stuff!!

anther | theghosts | 6.6k | E

Eddie gets hit with pollen from a magical plant and develops some rather interesting symptoms. Buck does what any good best friend would do and helps Eddie through it. it is my humble opinion that the 911 fandom needs more sex pollen fic. if you're reading this and you don't immediately agree with me, i'm gonna need you to click the link above, read it, and then come back and tell me that i was absolutely right, because we do, in fact, need 700 more fics just like it. this one is so, so well-written, i love the bits of worldbuilding and the buddie and the smut. it's so good <3

champagne kisses | spaceprincessem/@spaceprincessem | 1.9k | GA

eddie comes home and buck stays. gorgeous writing AND a love confession?? oh, this fic absolutely delivers. love it!!

cinnamon kisses | tawaifeddiediaz/@aashiqeddiediaz | 3.5k | T

Buck wakes up from a nap, cuddles Eddie, proposes, and devours cinnamon rolls, in that very order. i have an all-day study session planned for tomorrow and i'm gonna pick up a cinnamon roll as a treat just because of this fic. i have been craving one so badly since reading this!! this was a reread of one of my favourite fics ever <3

close enough for comfort | allyasavedtheday/@littlespoonevan | 14.1k | T

A look at how Buck and Eddie's physical relationship develops from season 2 to season 5 AKA the one with all the hugging. i love how this dips into canon at all these places and how intimate the whole fic feels <3 so good!!

finders keepers | drh0rrible/@betanoiz | 7.1k | E

After Eddie leaves for Texas, Buck finds Eddie’s sex toy in his new bedroom. He reacts normally. i'm a huge fan of all the unhinged buddie long distance sex fics lately, and this is a shining example of just how good those can be. absolutely mind-blowing!!

i'm scared of being lonely (i'll let anybody hold me) | justhockey | 9.4k | T

“I’m not in love with my best friend,” Buck says, but the words feel strange in his mouth. this has such a lovely reunion bit and i always love how this author writes ravi <3

it hit me in the kitchen | heartcompass/@bugsongs | 13.1k | GA

Eddie leaves for Texas and everybody copes with food in one way or another. buddie and food is one of my favourite fic combinations <3 this is lovely and heartwarming and all the food sounds so, so good!!

oh what a terrible honor it's been (to learn that my blessings are things you call sins) | wafflesofdoom/@capseycartwright | 18.3k | GA

Christopher leaves for Texas, Eddie goes back to therapy, unearths an emotional lockbox he had been fourteen years old when he buried, and has a lot of thoughts about how Buck is sunshine incarnate. In hindsight, it probably should have been obvious he wasn't straight. this has been on my marked for later list for a while and i'm so glad to have had the opportunity to actually read it! i love how this captures eddie and touches on religion and queerness and just everything, really. also, can we talk about that title? i LOVE that title

pain is cold water (your brain just gets used to it) | lilacbarnes | 22k | M

Eddie leaves, and calls, and calls, and calls. Buck falls apart, and lets it go to voicemail. such a wonderful fic!! i love how the voicemails capture eddie's voice, and following buck's arc through this was just lovely <3

tell me how it feels (say it ain't so) | Iover_of_mine/@lover-of-mine | 8.3k | T

Eddie hears Natalia saying Buck's death was cool and things spiral out of control from there.  this has some of the absolute best buddie dialogue i've read in ages. it feels so, so true to character, it's so good!!

this whole thing between us | facewithoutheart/@facewithoutheart | 3.9k | E

Eddie and Buck swap bodies and get together. bodyswap fic!! i love a bodyswap fic!! this is suck a fun take on the trope and i love how both of them reacted to the swap <3

write your name on every blank page | lamardeuse/@lamardeuse | 11k | M

This is an impulse he doesn't have to worry about, because a) it's only going to cost him two dollars, and b) it's frivolous. Eddie doesn't usually do frivolous, but Father Brian told him to allow himself joy and he desperately needs some right now. listen i am not joking when i say that i've been waiting for a postcards fic ever since eddie said he was moving to el paso. this is absolutely everything i could have wished for and so much more <3 i loved looking at the cards they sent!!

[the-corset-witch]

Me 33, I live a very boring life, I like to read, not much to say about me, I'm not even middle age, someone could say I'm still figuring out what I wanna really really do when I grow up;

At work we have a Driver, who's nearing his 70s, comes in every day and takes our mail and other stuff and drives it all to where it goes then comes back with our mail and whatnot. His name is Dee, and anyway, he likes going to Casinos, he has multiple lady love interests, he rides motercycles and his motercycle has a sidecar that he keeps a giant stuffed winnie the pooh in. At the office we all agree, Dee has a much more interesting life than us all (and that's ok, 2 out of the 5 of us office ladies just like reading and fiber crafts).

Also, he's just so nice

hi, a lot of you need a perspective reset

the average human lifespan globally is 70+ years

taking the threshold of adulthood as 18, you are likely to spend at least 52 years as a fully grown adult

at the age of 30 you have lived less than one quarter of your adult life (12/52 years)

'middle age' is typically considered to be between 45-65

it is extremely common to switch careers, start new relationships, emigrate, go to college for the first or second time, or make other life-changing decisions in middle age

it's wild that I even have to spell it out, but older adults (60+) still have social lives and hobbies and interests.

you can still date when you get old. you can still fuck. you can still learn new skills, fashionable, be competitive. you can still gossip, you can still travel, you can still read. you can still transition. you can still come out.

young doesn't mean peaked. you're inexperienced in your 20s! you're still learning and practicing! you're developing social skills and muscle memory that will last decades!

there are a million things to do in the world, and they don't vanish overnight because an imaginary number gets too big

[omerobertenjoyer]

joost klein dating & marriage headcanons ( ´ ▽ ` ).｡ｏ♡

notes: sfw; the dating part is (accidentally) gender neutral, the marriage part mentions reader as a "wife" but it's not that detailed tbh; inbox open for ideas :)

dating:

• i believe you'll meet him through mutual friends, most likely at a function

• you'll just KNOW that he likes you right away, as he tries to get your insta he really reeks of desperation

• he really tries to impress you as you get to know each other, always taking you out, texting you every free second he has

⇨ ultimately it just smoothly turns into a relationship, you haven't discussed it, but you clearly are dating and everyone knows it loll

• he's very affectionate and touchy

• he's mesmerized by everything you do and say

• takes lots of pics of you, he's literally your own little photographer! also lots of unexpected "in the moment" pics that he takes of you when you don't see hehehe

• always interested in what you're working on

• lots of inside jokes!!!

• he just wants to see you smile :)

• he's a workaholic, but for you he'll REALLY try to not overwork himself so he'll have more emotional resources and time to spend on you

• if you live in the same city, expect to see him at your doorstep nearly every single day

⇨ if you don't live in the same city as him, he will definitely facetime or send you lots of messages everyday and will try to visit you as much as he can, maybe even a few times a month if he's not touring or especially busy!

⇨ if you don't live in the same country as him, once again, expect lots of calls and messages everyday!! he definitely won't be able to visit that often, especially if your country is far away or there's no direct flight, but when he has free time you better believe he's gonna stay here with you for like a whole month or smth

⇨ in some cases he may also just send you money so you'll come to him bc he just misses you that much :(

• he will really want to show you Fryslân!! and he will be really excited to see your home city/country

• in general, if you haven't seen some place, he will be really happy to show it to you or explore it with you!!

• writes down stuff that you like in his notes app in case he accidentally forgets

• he isn't really argumentative, he always tries to remain calm and to de-escalate any situation, it'll never turn into a screaming match with him

• he'll try his best to make your life better, always <3

marriage / domestic:

• any distance between you is insufferable for him, even if you live in the same apartment building, so naturally he will beg you to move in with him!

• you'll probably move in before you get married

• honestly i don't think he will wait that long for you to get married, 3 years MAX, but it depends on what you want

• he will definitely want to marry you since day 1, but will be too shy to discuss it straight away lol he's really the type to only start talking about it when it's brought up in a conversation

• i don't think he's the type to have a really big celebration, he will probably prefer a courthouse wedding, maybe celebrate with friends and family a bit and then travel around the world with you!!

⇨ but once again, it all depends on you, if you want a big pompous wedding then he's gonna organize it for you, as long as he can see that smile on your face!!!

• after he marries you, you better believe that every conversation that he initiates starts with "my wife"

• as he has mentioned before, he's not good at cooking, but he won't force you or expect you to do it; in fact, he will try to improve so he can make you the things that you like; and he also really loves to take you out to eat!!!

• he's also not very good at cleaning and fixing stuff around the house, but he'll try his best, he will watch youtube tutorials and follow them step by step!

• now his recommended page is just "how to clean up greasy kitchen cabinets", "how to fix a leaking toilet" and "25 chicken recipes"😭

• lots of cuddles and kisses 24/7, if he could he would just lie in bed with you the whole day

• eternally grateful for everything you give him

⇨ you found this cute t-shirt in a thrift store? he will bring it with him on every trip. random button you found on the road? it's with him everywhere everyday like a talisman. lip balm? suddenly his lips are always moisturized.

• ughhh why is he just such a sweet and soft boy

• literally him:

[inchidentally]

there's something so special to me about how lando always draws/includes oscar in his little crafts done for mclaren content

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHvt_6asNnu/?igsh=cjBhdDFnc3lxYjRm

B A B E ... and the fact that crafts is one of Lando's favorite things ?? and that Oscar reminded Lando that art was the one thing he liked about school and that he knew Lando used to design stickers when he was younger as a little side hustle

Oscar just follows the instructions bc he rly doesn't get the artsy stuff (even tho he did win an art prize once in school aslfgsajlfg) and honestly they both know Oscar walking through his design is always so Lando can wriggle around and spend extra time on his project since that's what Oscar and the viewing audience want to see anyway!

also ;__; the way they look at each other when it’s time to relay the answer to a question - here, Oscar knows Lando will best describe American crowds - and sometimes Lando will set up the question that suits Oscar best ! it's like when Lando will direct Oscar what order they'll talk in a video and it's so Oscar can do all the hard-to-say words and informational stuff, and Lando can be pretty and come in to say the fun stuff or hold the prop <3

I love that landoscar “gentle parenting” is just accepted all across fandom now and it's a dynamic that Lando and Oscar have that just… developed all on it's own by virtue of Oscar being acts of service and Lando's dyslexia making certain things difficult. like it isn’t forced or done for effect or played up bc it's a real thing Lando struggles with and while he doesn't mind ppl finding it funny or laughing - still it's interesting that you can see after their earliest challenges like the Driving Theory Test Oscar realized Lando's actually a bit sensitive about it ! and from then on we get him smiling fondly but quietly providing help to the point that now ofc we're used to Lando looking over to him with big eyes and Oscar getting it right even when it's not fully clear what word Lando needed

that scrunchy smile Lando does to Oscar when he knows he’s been a silly billy !! has literally become a thing !! it's a boy knowing he can wrinkle his nose and Oscar will melt (bc he's apparently standing nearby melting over Lando being cute even when no one expects him to ??)

AND OSCAR IS LITERALLY DOING THE DREAMY FACE IN HANDS THING JFC is that how he'd sit looking at the screen when he was watching Lando's streams for literal years

oh GOD and when Oscar gently tells Lando to address the room and Lando dutifully sits up and does as he's told............ hmmmm

Lando's obsession w Oscar's swoop of hair continues even in tiny stick drawing form just like kangaroo Osc

the sweet, encouraging “wow I look amazing there!” HE JUST CANONICALLY FINDS LANDO SO CUTE OKAY

Oscar took one look at the tiny happy little figure riding the flamingo floatie and decided it had to be Lando

anyWAY SORRRY this went out of hand

[harmonicpearl]

Something i don't know how ppl still dont understad is how OBVIOUS it is that no Mark is gonna outtake the other, no love (neither for Gemma nor Helly) is gonna outgrow the other. And it's not only a matter of if that is possible (it is, its a tv show) it's a matter of narrative and thematic ideas.

The writers have briliantly gave Mark and Gemma a 5-year marriage and Mark s and Helly a half life relationship (because even if they are very young they have known each other for a huge portion of their concious life). This balances the stakes and validation for each Mark, and makes their battle so interesting, because they are literally equally deserving. And since they are equally deserving, having one of them "win" would be contradicting that claim. It doesn't matter if you as an individual have a preference, as liking one of the Marks more (hell, i myself like one of them more, that's human) but ethics dont work like that, ego death doesn't work like that either and obviously the show is trying to say that. This opens two crucial themes to discuss:

First things first, this impossible-winner situation is the fucking dramatic drive of the show. I wouldnt phrase it as Helly and Gemma because they're characters in their own right, but Mark's relationship with Helly and Gemma is there to represent a battle of the ego and conflicted desire. I really think the show chose to make this a romantic conflict because, yeah who doesn't love romance, but most importantly because we are so monogamous as a society that it was the clearest way to show how these two Marks are different people. We can't fathom the idea that you can love more than one person romantically at the same time (it doesn't matter if it's true, it's the predominant thought of our society). And i think they use this aknoledgement of how society works and they were so right to do so because look what everyone is talking about. That's why im so really shocked that some people are trying to bend the laws and philosophy of this show to theorize which Mark will win or which love will he choose at the end. Neither will, and both will. And simply because narratively, thematically, thats the only coherent choice. One of the Marks "winning" or Mark choosing completely either Helly or Gemma, would destroy the very points this show is trying to make. The love for Helly needs to be a rightful pushing force just as equal as the love for Gemma, just as Mark S needs to keep existing as a foil to Mark Scout. The show is trying to say that (to put this coloquially) doesn't matter how shitty or brief or undeserving your life is to a system or to others you are deserving of human rights, freedom and autonomy.

Which gets me to the second point: This goes both ways. Because even if Mark Scout belittles Mark S's experience, lumon did the same to him when they kidnapped Gemma and lured him into severance. They are both being used. After all, i very much think this is a postmodern show dealing with the residue of modern capitalism. This is a show about the problematic and complex relationship between revolution vs establishment. A modern show made in the past century would have framed this as a straight up victim vs victimizer problem but this is different. Capitalism creates this micro-power relationships. Corporations expoit the white collar worker and the white collar worker exploits the cleaning lady. And even if they are both clogs in a machine, the white collar worker and the cleaning lady may have different ideas on how a revolution should play out, or even if a revolution should occur in the first place. And sometimes revolutionaries can have disregard of the lower classes in the name of grater good. With all the shipping stuff (that i also fully enjoy) we forget that THIS is also the conflic that's taking place between Mark Scout and Mark S. Even if they clearly arent aware of all this shit at the moment.

Even so, they, again, are equally deserving of happiness and compensation. And to put Mark Scout in the position of opressor and opressed at the same time is amazing. They both need to win. But how can they both win? Will they both win? And how would a win-win situation look like? This is why i think severance really is something else. I'm at the edge of my seat because i don't have a fucking clue how they will resolve this. But i trust this show to be better than simply make him choose one of his loves or make one Mark overrule the other. They won't do that, mark (jk) my words. Both Marks need to truly work as one, to understad the other's struggle and see it as equally valid and well, negotiate. Just as the white collar worker will have to negotiate with the cleaning lady if they truly want to make an impact should a revolution actually happen. Both Marks need to understad they are not the real enemy and even more, that the real enemy is the cause of this friction in the first place, a friction that only diverges them from the real goal. Helly's and Gemma's love is only the cathalyst to put in motion this conflict. A GREAT choice because just as the Marks, they too will have ideas of their own on how to navigate this situation, yes, but they will also have a say in the innies vs outies vs lumon conflict and well i think these four are gonna surprise us.

[pineyw00dsshesquatch]

I think It really comes into focus when u find out that some of Miyazaki's first memories were fleeing from US firebombs. I think this oversimplification of the films as "comfort" says a lot about storytelling conventions where the movies are made with spots to "breathe". Iirc, there's a word for this in Japanese regarding "taking in" the moment. Despite these moments carrying a range of emotional flavors, they get oversimplified by mainstream pasty audiences. Such calm moments are often missing in US films especially where there's a dipshit idea from execs that a film, especially animation "for kids", needs constant noise.

I think In the earlier days of Pixar, creepo John Lasseter tried to import some of these conventions into his own films, but he could only manage a facsimile. Those early Pixar films were great, but not even on the same planet of what and why Ghibli films are great.

I think Miyazaki greatest achievement is telling such poignant stories despite being notoriously harsh/realistic in his worldview. Divorcing the work from its cultural context renders it pointless and is absolutely part of why Miyazaki has intentionally tried to alienate US audiences in past films like Howl's Moving Castle.

Moreover, I think a lotta people just don't engage with the work very deeply, so everything just gets sanded down as "comfort" no matter what.

There's more Ghibli films that get overlooked by Isao Takahata, like Grave of the Fireflies. There's also The Tale of Princess Kaguya and Pom Poko which all have similar themes as the Miyazaki films like environmentalism. I daresay they are even more contemplative and can feel "meandering" to an American audience in part because they follow a more Japanese 4 part story structure that feels jarring to a lot of westerners who are used to a strict 3 act structure. Also quiet. US audiences are apparently allergic to quiet.

I don't wanna misconstrue the issue being discussed about how eager pasty folk seem to be to rinse the Ghibli canon of their cultural context, but I blame good ol colonialist/conformist capitalism and just the content-ification of GD everything. A lotta people just have zero interest in engaging with the work they consume past a certain level.

I was just trying to talk about great works in anime with someone who consumes gallons more anime than me, but they had an infuriatingly skin deep perception of all of it.

Like, I tried to describe FLCL as the anime equivalent of a timeless angsty punk rock song, and they were like "I just don't like stuff that's not direct". Soooo that's their loss that can never comprehend the magic of fooly cooly, The Pillows and what it really means to swing the bat.

Sometimes people just wanna consume great art, especially something from another culture, like junk food (content) and it's LAME. The capitalist/colonialist content-ification of everything SUCKS.

there's something uncomfortable about western millennials/gen z's deep obsession with watering Studio Ghibli movies down into "wholesome bean comfort flicks aesthetic uwu japan" when half of these people completely miss the point of these films and the complex nuanced topics they deal with, especially when it comes to post war Japan.

[asheyxash]

ever heard of taking a break?

pairing: producer jihoon x reader troupe: already lovers genre(s): est. relationship, slight angst if you really really squint, fluff warning(s): like one f word in the whole thing word count: ~1.6k summary: taking care of a sick jihoon who refuses to blatantly admit he's caught a nasty cold when he's dying and struggling to breathe is not going to be easy, but you'll do anything for him, even if it means getting sick.

wanted to write this because i think jihoon is the type of person who would insist he's fine when he's not and also i MIGHT be getting sick so yeah, just a quick one that took me only 25 minutes HAHA :D

work all mine, no reposting without creds, no stealing of published work, copyrighted:D

pt 1 of jihoon short series, read pt 2, "love is the best medicine" here!

you panicked as you came from the nearby pharmacy, holding a bag full of healthy food and medicine, ready to play nurse to your sick boyfriend, only to be greeted by an empty house. jihoon had obviously gone to his studio even after claiming he would be at home lying in bed, resting. you sighed, knowing he was stubborn like that. like, if it was you, not that you wanted to be sick or anything, but if you just so happened to be down with something, you'd jump at the perfect opportunity to skip out on work, and here you had your boyfriend insisting he could go to work, yeah sure he could, with a massive headache and a 39 degree fever from this morning before you left to buy stuff, you wondered just how much progress he had made. grabbing your things, you rushed out to the hybe building, one hand full of bags for him and the other with your phone.

knocking on the door to universe factory, none other than his studio, you heard the faint sound of someone sniffling. "ji?" you whispered softly, as you heard the sound of the door click before it opened. "oh, babe, hi. what are you doing here?" his raspy voice gave everything away as you smirked, "i should be asking you that question. go home, you're obviously sick." he rolled his eyes and wiped his nose on his sleeve, "i'm fine." his congested voice did not sound, "fine" but you followed him in anyway, shutting the door gently behind you. "hoon, have you listened to yourself? you sound like a dying cockroach." you crossed your arms as he shrugged, "an interesting way to put it , but it's just a little cold. i'll be fine." "whatever, at least eat your medicine and maybe i don't know, rest or something? ever heard of taking a break?" you shoved the bag of medicine into his arms as he hesitantly took it from you. you sighed, rubbing your temples, "baby, i know you don't want to, but it's for your own good." his voice sounded terrible as he went into a sudden coughing fit, making you grimace in sympathy from just how horrible they sounded. this time, you knew it was a bad cold and there was no way you were letting him off. "lee jihoon." uh oh, the full name was out as he glanced up at you, looking sheepish. "eat and i expect you to rest. you need a break." you glared at him, your voice firm and stern as he gulped, pinching forward with a sneeze, making you narrow your eyes as if to prove your point. seeing how he wasn't budging, you smacked his thigh, "hoon, i'm serious. i'm here to take care of you, okay?" your voice softens, "you're not feeling well, i can tell. you really need to rest so why don't you take your medicine and we can go home?" jihoon groaned, "y/n, you know i love you, but i have so much to do, at least let me finish". he paused, his breath hitching as you handed him a tissue. he sniffled after blowing his nose, clearing his throat. "sorry, i said, at least let me finish writing the verses for this new song. please?"

how could you say no to him? you caved in, your tone steady, "fine, but eat your medicine first, you have a max of thirty minutes, and then we're out of here, do you hear me?"

"loud and clear." jihoon's words were so soft as you took out the medicine and spoon fed him. his whines and protests didn't stop you as you watched him like a hawk, making sure he wasn't overworking himself under your watchful eye. your gaze was fixed on the clock and him, as he worked, the endless typing on the keyboard representing every second that ticked by. you were almost certain he had struck up a higher fever, as you saw him delete and rewrite yet another sentence. okay, that was it. his fever was too high, he was probably delirious, and there was no way he was getting anything done.

you stood up, walking forward to his computer and before he could say anything, you used your hands to block his screen. "hey babe, i'm nearly done..." jihoon stopped himself with the urge to sneeze again as you pat him back softly. he sniffled, looking at you as you snapped, your words harsher than intended, "hoon, i swear, save everything. we are going home right now." you immediately regretted your sharp tongue as you pecked him on the cheek, pulling him close to you, "sorry for raising my voice, i didn't mean to get mad. i'm just frustrated you are pushing yourself when your face is plae white and you look like you might collapse of air any second so for the sake of you and me, let's go home now, okay?" to your surprise, jihoon immediately pushed you away gently as he took off his headset,. "okay, okay, but maybe not plant your lips on me when i'm sick? i don't want you to get whatever i'm battling right no....now", he sneezed in the middle of his words, for like the thirtieth time of the day as you clung onto him even more. "i don't care if i get sick, you're my priority, and besides, my immune system is strong as shit." you then flexed your muscles, kissing him on the lips, catching him by surprise.

"babe!" he lets his lips off yours as you giggle, practically dragging his ass out the door. you hung onto his arm as the both of you walked to your car, him practically wheezing and coughing the whole way. in the car, you put your hand on his forehead and immediately retracted it, "gee ji, i bet you can cook a whole ass egg on that forehead! you're burning up!" he shot you an incredulous look as you playfully flicked his forehead, mocking his words in his voice, "i'm fine"!" he huffed and gave you a pout, but when he groaned probably from his fever, your smile dropped at the sight of just how bad a cold had hit him. usually your boyfriend could get through being sick within two days, drinking loads of water and like one pill, but this time round, he was definitely suffering. as the two of you reached back to your house, you ordered him to go to the bed and lie down, and that tone in your voice made jihoon know you weren't joking. reluctantly, he trudged his way up the stairs, you were following behind him. at the last step, he stumbled slightly and alarmed, your fast reaction managed to hold him tight by the waist. "jihoon, bed, now." you pointed at the bed who looked welcoming, as jihoon's face grew red.

"i'll be up there with you shortly, let me just cook you some chicken soup first. go sleep if you can okay? get as much rest because i don't think you're fine." you then shooed him off, planting a quick kiss on his lips making him blush before skipping down to the kitchen to whip up something for your sick boyfriend. usually jihoon would complain, talk back, but this time he just listened, too tired to even speak as his body dived onto the bed under the covers. his body gave in, and when you came back up with the food, medicine, and a glass of water all prepared for him, you smiled to yourself at the sight of your boyfriend sprawled on the bed, hugging your favourite rabbit pillow like it was you. he was mumbling something in his sleep, which made you frown. as you stepped nearer him, you could hear him repeatedly muttering things like, "how did i manage to pull the world's most perfect girl? how is y/n so caring? how did the universe land me with such an amazing girlfriend? i love y/n so, so much. she can control me all day." his words melted your heart, your smile growing wider than ever before as you set the items down on the nightstand. you took a towel and wet it with cold water, before placing it down on jihoon's forehead, hoping it would lower his fever as you snuggled in beside him.

your arms were wrapped around his as you softly planted a rain of kisses on his face, before whispering, "i love you jihoon, a lot." somehow, it was as if your voice was a key to wake him up as he blinked his eyes open slowly, before looking left and right, as if in disbelief you were cuddled in right next to him. slowly, realisation hit that you were there, ruffling and playing with his hair as his weak voice made you notice he was awake, "y/n...i love you too, so much. thank you for taking care of me." you winked at him, leaning in for a kiss as he looked skeptical, "okay, but don't blame me if you get sick."

"nonsense hoon, i never get sick, i told you my immune system is strong as fuck." you waved him off, kissing him anyway, your hands wrapped around his face as you continued, "you know, i've never seen anyone who wants to work when they can call a sick day."

"maybe because i'm actually fine." he replied cheekily, although you knew he secretly adored all the attention he was getting from you. "yeah yeah whatever workaholic, ever heard of taking a break?" the both of you giggled as you hugged each other to sleep. as the two of you dozed off, you gave him one more kiss, before going into your land of dreams.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Korea Is Back, Baby

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

March 2025 Week 4

Ongoing Series - Thai

Perfect 10 Liners (Sun YT) ep 22 of 24 - Faifa is a natural flirt. He just flirts with everybody. I think it’s an essential part of his personality. I hope Wine is okay with that. I wish we got a little bit more about Wine’s past and history and why he is the way he is.

Ohm is our super hot P’Tor? Glorious! GREAT spot casting. Also a nice sweet character - direct and honest. I liked everything about this cameo.

All in all a nice ep. Lovely execution of the rooftop assignation trope. (It's an OLD one, was in Takumi-kun)

Top Form (Thurs WeTV) ep 2 of 10 - ep 2 and we are already on dub con and a stolen kisses? Charming. Frankly, I found this second installment a little dull. But I’m still enjoying the show.

My Golden Blood (Weds iQIYI) Ep 3 of 12 - is that the same house as Win’s family home in Between Us? 

Sweet Tooth Good Dentist (Fri iQIYI) ep 2 of 12 - no ep this week.

Lost in the Woods (Weds Gaga) ep 2 of 7 - Meh. I’m DN-effing this one. Effing indeed.

Flirt Milk (Sat YT) ep 10 end - I just want the photography club pres to get a boy. Could he have his own BL please? 

Summary

An insipid story of a boy who likes another boy at a university photography club. One of them is dim and the other is a jerk and that's it. Side couples are BL and GL, with the back-up gays the only good thing about this whole show and there isn't much of them. 4/10

Ossan‘s Love Thailand (Mon YouTube) ep 12 END - finally it's over. I will say that the actress they got to play Mo’s sister does look like she really could be Mix’s sister.

Summary 

Was this punishment for how fantastic Cherry Magic Thailand was? WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?!! I never liked this IP. It's a terrible story based entirely on a love triangle, the viability of the whole show hinges on the boss character being likable, because the lead is an unsympathetic looser (and user of people), and the roommate/love interest has no personality. With better optics, better kisses, and better chemistry than the original this Thai version STILL managed to be worse with more workplace harassment. A true feat of, well, something that ended up the visual equivalent of smelling like feet. Save yourself from the pong. 4/10

Finally… where tf were my ladies? The female characters were the best thing about the original.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

Heesu in Class 2 (Korea Fri Viki) eps 1-2 of 10 - Adaption of the comic by Lily, about a shy unpopular boy with a secret crush on best friend who somehow also ends up his school's relationship counselor. This was my most anticipated BL of it's original year (2022) and I am so glad it's living up to expectations (I worried about how long it was in dev hell).

It is both painfully cute and painfully awkward and I love it. Giving Light on Me vibes. Sex Ed but a KBL is basically made for me.  I love all the characters. I love the friendship group. I love the poor lonely super studious actual love interest. Everything. Thank you Korea.

Secret Relationships (Korea iQIYI) ep 5 of 8 - episode five, and I’m starting to just feel so sorry for poor Da-on. Aw linguistic negotiation my love! I still enjoy it but things are getting dark for our hero.

Exclusive Love (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 8 of 12 - my love affair with our new blond boy continues. He is best boy.

Checkered Shirt (Korea YT) ep 7 of 8 - I’m enjoying this. In that cautious way I have with this particular production house, since they don’t always stick the landing.

Fight for You (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 1-2 of 12 - I liked premise of the show, but I’m not loving the execution. It’s the same company that does the robot stuff. And it’s got that same awkward tone and lackluster aura.  I absolutely hate the nosy grandmother character, and she may be a dealbreaker for me continuing to watch the show if she shows up regularly. This is the character (and personality type) I find the most intolerable in the world.

It's airing but......

Sashes and Hearts (Pinoy YT) 13 eps - Philippines is doing Drop Dead Gorgeous only all gay boys queening their asses off. Doesn't interest me, not sure if it's BL.

Last Meal Universe (Thai ????) 8 eps - An alien who has come to destroy earth instead falls in love with Thai food and then the Thai boy who cooks it - realistic, actually. I got a link to watch but it still wouldn't work for me, so I guess I'm waiting to see what happens.

In case you missed it (I did)

I never caught Marahuyo Project when it was airing but I recently binged it and it is charming. Not BL really (no trope et al), more a kind of 90's style Big Eden or Shelter early queer cinema thing. Made me very nostalgic for those bad old days. Definitely worth a watch if you like that kind of QL, it's 8 eps on ANIMA Studios YT channel.

Next Week Looks Like This:

COMING IN APRIL

4/3 Business as Usual AKA Eul's Love (Korea Thurs Viki/Gaga) 7 eps - trailer on Twitter Kim Min Jun, a 30-year-old office worker, is stuck in the repetitive cycle of his 9-to-5 job and can’t shake the feeling that something is missing from his life. Things take an unexpected turn when his ex-boyfriend Jin Hwan, whom he hasn’t seen in 8 years, suddenly reappears at his office as a new colleague.

4/25 My Sweetheart Jom (Thai Fri YouTube) - trailer Saint is back in a BL? Who knew that would ever happen? When he gets tangled up with a mafia boss's son's girlfriend and ends up in a scuffle, young Yothin needs to find a safe place. Instead of sending him overseas, his father decides to send him to the countryside. There, he stays in Bang Pho under the care of subdistrict headman, a close friend of his father. He's also under the watchful eye of the village headman who happens to be the subdistrict headman's grandson and is overseeing his probation. As Yothin spends more time with Jomkhwan, his perception of the village headman begins gradually to change.

4/26 The Bangkokboy AKA Bangkok Boys (Thai Sat ????) trailer - messy gays

2025 Line Up

BL Announced for 2025 - PART 1

BL Announced for 2025 - PART 2

20 BLs Announced for 2025 That I'm Really Excited About

GMMTV 2025 Line Up - My Totally Biased and Wildly Flawed Feels

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENT

Everyone loved the rooftop kiss but I adored that cuddle.

(last week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

[heaurtbeatings]

HATE TO BE LAME (BUT I THINK I LOVE YOU.)

summary . . 3 scenarios where Schlatt realises how in love he is.

┈┈ 393 words , gender neutral reader , lots ‘n lots of fluff

authors note . . i wanted to post again before the month ended and love, love, love! writing short ‘n sappy stuff. i’m a sucker for the soft side of this big guy. this is also very loosely (not really) based off of my dr!

OO1! —— grocery shopping . .

He pushes the trolley while you graze the product aisle, eyeing how you move around in a slow haze. He swears you look like an angel in the horribly harsh fluorescent lighting, even with the rush of people around the both of you. It only makes him feel more alive —— more in love. He doesn’t hesitate to grin, all toothy and sweet, at how you spin around, hot on your heels as you hurry towards the cart with a plastic bag full of red apples. Only you could get this much joy from a bag of apples, perfectly selected because to Schlatt you know better than the best.

OO2! —— Christmas with your family . .

He complains about how it’s colder than the freezer he used to spend his teenage years in as he adjusts the scarf around your neck ��— his scarf. How he hopes that you’ll never return it so it’ll permanently smell like your perfume. You’re rambling on about how you’re so excited for him to be finally spending Christmas with your family, that your little brother is practically running in circles about having an interesting guy in the house for once, someone that won’t talk so much about homework and chores. Schlatt almost feels in over his head, the green door of your family home gleaming with intimidation, but then it’s over in a second as your mother opens the door with a smile as big as the ones he gives you.

OO3! —— asleep in his bed . .

Soft snoring and the occasional passing car are the only things keeping Schlatt awake. He’s doomed, this time it’s for real. Your soft body has left a dent on the right side of his king sized mattress, and he has no complaints about it. Maybe it’s a little creepy for him to be staring like this, as if he’s taking in the last time he’ll see something so magnificent. He’s so in love and he knows it with his entire being. It’s in his hands, in his heart, in his goddamn soul. And he doesn’t dare to flinch away from it anymore, especially when you stir and start to mumble something about how you can feel his eyes on you, something sounding like you saying, “Go t’sleep.” And he has the best rest of his life with you bundled into his side.

© HEAURTBEATINGS . . all rights reserved. do not steal, plagiarise, translate my writing onto other platforms.

[daandism]

i'm afraid of being misinterpreted so if anything i said here seemed confuse pls ask me what i meant before jumping on me and assuming stuff; disclaimer made, let's go

i was previously a history student on university and in one of my classes, we had this one about gender. many ppl think studying gender = studying woman and this is a wrong statement. "gender" for history is an analysis category and we can study/research about any topic using gender as an analysis category, for example: "sanitary measures in the edwardian period" and the "gender" category helped us in seeing the overall context and details about that period, like, "what's the difference between measures for men? and for women? what's common between men and women?" and so on. that's a very surface level explanation

why i said all of this? because when we get deeper in the matter, we understand that the inherent problems isn't men, it's patriarchy. It's the "philosophy" that men are on top and that expands to misogyny, toxic masculinity and etc. many men are victims of it one way or another. black men are oversexualized, cis men who have more delicate features gets ridiculed, young boys are raised to be "strong", to "never cry", to have "manly interests" and it perpetuates the vicious toxic cycle

i'm not here to defend men, because as a transmen myself I know how society views me, i know how many cis men thinks about my existence, i know it's mostly men that do awful and criminal stuff, i know that

what i'm trying to say is: masculinity, in its core, isn't bad, it isn't a shameful thing. the inherent problem is the patriarch ideology.

I understand the feelings of hating men, you're not wrong to hate a man for the things he did, for the crimes he committed, for the misogynistic things he said, you're not wrong to feel it— i also hate lots of men out there and i honestly think they would be better dead

the thing is: you, deep inside, just like me, hates what patriarchy did to men. because i doubt straight woman would stop wanting to date men because they're men, gay men won't stop loving men, bisexuals won't stop feeling attracted to men

transmen/mascs won't stop seeking for looking/feeling masculine; masculinity isn't bad, masculinity isn't a nightmare

remember the Barbie live action movie: all the Kens were nice ones, but when the "main" Ken discovered patriarchy, everything changed in Barbieland for worse

saying again because i want this to be very clear: i am not defending criminals/incels/neonazis, not defending abusers, not defending any men that did/does horrible things, i want them in jail and to rot there, i hate them as much as everyone NORMAL does what i'm trying to do with all this text is to give a brief explanation using my previous knowledge about what op said

stay safe everyone, i love all of you! special kisses to my fellow trans ppl out there 💜

"i hate men" statements harm trans men and if you say them i don't trust you <3

[inexplicifics]

I've been thinking about Geralt's declaration of "No more experiments" when he chopped of slugobor's head, and it's got me thinking. How will mages and other scientifically incluned folks react? Like okay, I've always been fascinated by medical history, but a large part of it *is* experimentation. Like vaccines, for example. Obviously what mages have done is monstrous, but experimentation *is* an important aspect of the scientific method. Maybe Yen and the other wolf mages end forming a sort of ethics review board for the stuff involving sentients or something. I also like the idea of a mage (perhaps a teacher from Aretuza?) approaching the Wolf to ask for guidelines *because* experimentation is such an integral part of science, magic, alchemy, etc.

Like I said, I've been thinking about it, so I thought I'd make an offering to the plot bunnies

They probably will need to set up an ethics board, yes, because what Geralt meant was: "No more involuntary, probably fatal, definitely torturous experiments on people, for no good purpose but sadistic interest in what will happen," but that's not nearly as dramatic to say.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Since you've already talked about ships, what are your thoughts on the whole top/bottom debates here? Tbh I’m over this bottom tom/top harry trend these weeks. It doesn’t make sense for their dynamic and feels like pp are doing it just to be edgy or different. Flipping roles doesn’t make it unique, it just feels like flat ooc discourse. I don't think Tom’s pride and emotional repression fit a submissive role.

Holy shit, this is like a blast from the past since I haven't engaged with top/bottom discourse since 2014 (I had a different blog then) and I hoped I was past these days.

See, fictional characters, when it comes to this sort of stuff, are very flexible. You can write yourself into almost anything and make it realistic. Even if a character is a certain way, circumstances and conditions in a specific story will force the character to change to accommodate. It's how fictional characters work. Yes, they have their set traits, but they can still be pushed to do quite a bit. Especially when it comes to smut.

So personally, I don't have a fixed top/bottom designation for any of my ships. All of them switch depending on the situation, preferences, and the specific story being told with them. Becouse, contrary to what you think, the bottom position isn't always submissive and the top one isn't always dominant, and whatever sex position you prefer doesn't necessarily indicate anything regarding how submissive/dominant you are. These are not the same thing.

But if we talk about Tomarry/Harrymort specifically (I haven't really interacted with this pairing in some time, and I wrote my thoughts about them in general here), I only like them when they switch. "Mark him as his equal" and all that. My preferred Tomarry dynamic (back when I read it) was a constant push and pull, neither of them was ever the person in power/dominance in the relationship because they're equals — that's the point.

Harry isn't a submissive character either. Harry would never submit to Tom. Saying he is more likely to be submissive than Tom is OOC and a misunderstanding of his character. Harry doesn't bow down to others, so even when he is written as a bottom, he wouldn't be submissive about it.

Similarly, Tom can be written as a bottom without submitting control over to Harry. It can be done, and can be done interestingly (which is the most important thing when it comes to fanfiction and storytelling as a whole).

Tom is also weird and contradictory as a character. He's a control freak, so whatever position he's in, he'd have demands on how exactly things should go (he can do so both as a top or a bottom). But he's also so thirsty for validation and praise. I'm an advocate of Voldemrot having a praise kink, like, when I was writing my giant Voldemort psychoanalysis essays series from about a year ago the way I summarized it to my irl friends was "Voldemort has a praise kink" since his desire for praise is at the core of a lot of his important decisions.

Tom isn't some super dom who could never be vulnerable and doesn't have insecurities about anything — the guy literally tore his soul apart, what can be more self-hating than that!

Writing him as incapable of vulnerability and trust (eventually) feels like a boring and hollow character that is more cardboard than a person. Like, I have no interest in this sort of Voldemort because there is no spice to a character like that. No meat to chew on. And Voldemort in the books doesn't appear that way at all. He likes silly puns, and he forces others into his proximity when it seems he is vulnerable to make them uncomfortable; he doesn't like being vulnerable, but he's aware he has these vulnerabilities (imperfections he despises about himself). He talks at length about his muggle father because he's a sentimental loser who likes to monolog. He, somehow, still loves his mom. He wants to have a real human connection so badly that he completely missed what friendship means. He is a lonely nerd. He is impulsive and emotional. He likes to gossip about other people's relationships (yes, he does this in the books). He is a complex character you can have fun with, why limit yourself?

I used to like Tomarrymort becouse of the changes Tom's character would have to go through to be in a relationship with Harry. I read it because I love the idea of a character who got so used to hate and distrust, learning to be vulnerable. That was a huge part of what I found fun in these stories.

And Harry learned just as much from Tom in turn. He learned to like himself more, be confident in his abilities and cabalities. Learned that he has strengths beyond just Quidditch.

The fun is in this arc for both of them. Where they both become better (or, sometimes worse, depending on the story, but I usually preferred the ones where they got better) through their very explosive dynamic. They are foils and narrative mirrors, and pushing them together forces growth. And sex scenes in Tommarymort stories are an opportunity to explore that vulnerability, for both Tom and Harry. That's part of the appeal (at least for me).

For that kind of explosive dynamic that is inherently vulnerable for both of them, in my preferred Tomarrymort dynamic, they switch. (But so do all my ships. I'm against fixed top/bottom dynamics since the answer is it would be what serves the story/scene/themes/character arcs best)

[faemurmur]

Hihihi!! I hope you're well!

idk if you're still doing the 3 hcs, but if you are, I would love to join!!!

My love interest is Sylus!!

Some surface level stuff about me is: I love the colour pink, and most of my stuff is pink. I'm tend to be kind or goofy/weird when I'm comfortable around people, and I'm also very social. I'm a yapper through and through- I will talk for as long as someone let's me.

Some more personal things about me include: I am plus size-I struggle with body image issues sometimes bc of it- and I tend to be a very giving person in the sense that I take on things I might not necessarily be able to handle in order to help others, or just to prove that I can do it. I also have anxiety(yikes).

Thank you sm!!! <3

1. he listens even when he pretends not to.

you’ll be talking a mile a minute about something random—like the new shade of pink you found or a funny dream you had—and sylus will be leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, acting all stoic. but he’s listening. every word. and later, whenever you’re feeling down, he’ll casually pull out the exact snack you said they were craving three days ago… or point out something pink that reminded him of you. “you talk so much, it’s impossible not to remember,” he’ll mutter—but he says it like it’s a privilege, not a complaint.

2. he becomes your calm in the storm.

when your anxiety hits, sylus doesn’t force advice or solutions. he just shows up. maybe with a drink in hand, maybe just with open arms. he knows when you’re overstimulated or spiraling, and he sits close—enough to feel solid, real, grounding. he’ll murmur, “you don’t have to be okay right now,” and just let you rest your head on his chest while his heartbeat steadies yours. he becomes the anchor you didn’t know you needed.

3. he’s fiercely, quietly protective.

if someone dares to make a comment about your body or makes you feel small for being so giving, sylus doesn’t blow up—he goes cold. sharp. terrifyingly calm. “say that again,” he’ll say, voice low, eyes deadly. but later, in private, he holds you so gently, tracing circles into your back and whispering, “you’re more than enough. you’re everything.” he doesn’t want you to ever feel like you need to prove your worth—because to him, your softness, your heart, is something beautiful. <3