#also this show is amazing but really male characters heavy

[in-kyblogs]

There are so many things I am excited for in season 3 but the show exploring Gabrielle and gender and the motherhood imposed on her by cultural imperatives is probably the most interesting to me

[l3st1b0urn3s-707]

It's been way too long since I've talked about books in here, I recently finished one of the best books I've read this year and I obviously can't keep my mouth shut about it, so this is a review of The left hand of darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.

I' m going to start by saying that I didn't think I was going to like this book that much (I even foud it a bit slow at the begining) but boy was I wrong. So if you start it and think it's boring I can assure you you'll probably like it if you keep on reading.

So what's this book really about? It's a science fiction novel in which the main character, Genly Ai, a man from Terra (our Earth), is sent to the planet of Gethen to try to convince its people to join an spacial human alliance. What's really interesting about Gethen (appart from it being super cold) is that all of its people are ambisexual. They usually only present sexual characteristics once a month, in some kind of heat called kemmer that lasts about a week. During this time they can present either female ol male characteristics, but these rols can vary, one month you may have male genitalia and on the next one you might present as sexually female. The rest of the month, when they're in sommer they don't present any sexual characteristics whatsoever and look kind of androgynous. Gender isn't a thing in Gethen. And Genly Ai, who isn't used to that, will have to adapt to Gethen's culture.

I think I must also mention Estraven, my favourite character (I'm sorry, you know I had to), who guides Genly in this new world and shows him how things work there. I think he's a remarkable character, his relationship with Genly evolves into a pure and strong bond, not necessarily romantic, but described by both of them as love.

The left hand of darkness has heavy feminist topics that are treated in a really interesting point of view. It doesn't talk about women (there aren't any female characters in it), but it shows a society without gender norms or differences because gender does simply not exist. It shows that humans, at the end, are all humans, at that's what really is important. When Genly indentifies some steriotipically feminine behaviours in other characters and treats them as inferior you'll probably get mad at him, because he doesn't seem to really want to understand the people arround him. That's a strong message itself.

This book's exploration of gender is fascinating. It might be because I've always felt something for the concept for androgyny, but Gethen's people and culture go further and make you question your own. A book published in 1969 happens to have more feminist values than most books of the same genre nowadays. And that's what I love about this book, and specially about Le Guin. Oh, and it also critizices extreme nationalism!

So yeah, I think that's it. If anyone read this post completely I want to thank them because this got really long (I'm sorry). But I really loved this book and I can't stop thinking about it, so I needed to write something. Anyway, I really recommend this book, and I'll probably be reading more of Le Guin's novels because this woman's amazing. (And if you've read it please talk to me about it because it's now my new hyperfixation).

[elrielffs]

The amount of hypocrisy I see in this fandom is RIDICULOUS. "I dont like elain because shes boring and bland. az deserves someone who is strong and not a flower girl." I guarantee you that once that next book comes out.... bro, many people are going to switch up so bad. They did this with nesta. Mind you, people HATED nesta and now when nesta book came out, everyone switched up and started hating feyre, rhys, cassian, and the inner circle. its so laughable.

And with elain not being a warrior or fierce girl bootok seems to love 24/7... because 2 b really h... YALL ARE THE BLAND ONES. We need something different for once! Like i love the badass fmc but bro, lets see a different fmc for once.!

It really is.

I def agree that we will see a switch up on Elain when her book is out for sure, if they bother to read it when their ship doesn't happen.

It always amazes me that people think there is nothing deeper to Elain than we have witnessed so far--that she is entirely surface level and SJM will not flesh her out even though she's dropped HEAVY HEAVY hints about it.

Also, I don't get why people hate on Elain so much when they are trying to steal her plots, her friends, her family, her place in the IC? Most antis really want Elriel/Elain but without Elain and a Frankenstein not even accurate/canon Gwyn in her place.

And as for Eluciens? They want Elain to be a side character in her own book and just support Lucien and strip all her choices she is making and just be as boring and bland as they imagine her to be.

I always found people who switched up on the IC and Feysand really gullible or influenceable. You got 4 books of people loving the IC and Feysand (or those people that for some reason hate read the trilogy because what do you mean you read the whole series but hated Feyre????) but suddenly they are shown in a less than positive light and it's fuck them, they're awful?

And I'm not saying they are above criticism or they never make mistakes but that's what good characterization and narrative tension are made of! Nobody wants to read a book where everyone always says/does the right thing and everyone gets along.

AND YES. I really feel the shift happening in the genre. People are tired of the girl bosses. I'm so excited for Elain and her gentle femininity.

It really feels sometimes like people in the fantasy/romantasy genre can't like a female character unless she shows male/masculine traits. (People are also wayyyy more forgiving of male characters than female. Elain v. Azriel being a good point) Not that being a warrior is inherently male but that it's more traditional but all that's a whole separate topic.

But anyways, I feel like the genre is ready for FMC's like Elain and when her book is here people will be singing a different tune and we'll see the switch up on Elain like we did with Nesta.

And more books will have FMC's like Elain because SJM is THE romantasy author and sets the trends.

[under-loch-n-key]

hnnng i'm not even done with house md yet but should i get into psych??

Absolutely! Psych is a very very good show. Even though it is a lighthearted show, it still has some serious moments and elements to it. Psych is the kind of show I can watch over and over again at any time because of how light and funny it is. The characters are absolutely loveable. The cast is so precious. Just everything about it is so perfect. Psych is eight seasons long. They also have three movies and a podcast together. The cast really wants to make more movies together.

I adore House MD, obviously, but it is more heavy than the show Psych is. Which sometimes I am not in the mood for. Psych has an episode for everyone. They have a musical episode, Bigfoot episode, cowboy episode, a Christmas episode, uhhh, they have an episode where they all had a late night out together and cannot remember anything that happened to them, a demon possession/“Exorcist” parody episode, a parody of Stephen King’s “The Shining”, a vampire episode, werewolf episode, etc.

There’s so many characters in the show that I just adore. Lassie is my favourite, Woody, Gus, Shawn, McNab, etc. There’s a character for everyone to enjoy. I just adore this show so much and the cast included.

It’s not mentioned in the show, but on Twitter a while back the creators of the show just randomly posted something along the lines of “Oh, yeah, lassie? Not straight. He’s actually pansexual-“ I do believe this was from the actual creators account. So, I thought that was cool.

Lassie and his partner detective Juliet O’Hara are such an amazing example of shows portraying male and female friendships properly. They actually make them friends and have it remain that way. I’m not saying that two people of the opposite sex cannot be together or anything, but it seems every time I watch a show they never make the guy and girl just be friends. There’s always tension and sex and then that’s all it becomes. They are just such an amazing duo and a perfect example of two people of the opposite sex just being besties without any weird tension or sex. I adore it.

I just so so highly recommend Psych to anyone. It’s one of my comfort shows. It’s so nice. Psych, the show and movies, is available on Peacock and Amazon Prime for free. Another show along the lines of Psych but is more serious is called The Mentalist. That show is also SO good. I highly recommend Psych and The Mentalist to anyone looking for something to watch. [:

(I will be making some more Psych and Shassie art in the future. They are one of my favourites to draw. Even the actors ship it. Which is hilarious. Lmao.)

[piracytheorist]

Episode 36 reactions!

I don't think one single minute passed this episode without me bursting out in laughter XD

I will get what interesting details I can, though! And here we have soap opera male character who has a Betrothed in the West. Interesting! Why did they separate, and how did she end up in Westalis, or he in Ostania? Did she defect and is waiting for him to join her? I need the full context, Berlint in Love!

Looks like one of the things that make Becky rush to be a grown-up is how she can't wait to have romantic feelings and relationships. Gurl, you're six. Pick up a doll or a ball.

The way the next scene was shown (hilarious) it looks like it was Anya who first picked up the phone, and didn't even make a sound before Becky started off her rant. Picking up the phone as a kid is quite a responsibility!

The music suddenly went full humor shoujo there XD

I love how Martha is already onto Becky.

She's like "Yo maybe reel it in a little"

The way all three of them are in completely different wavelengths is hilarious. I guess Twilight, the honey-trap master, sees Becky as the girl she is and cannot imagine she'd ever have such passionate imaginings with him.

The hell, though. I've met my favourite actor from up close in a convention and that was pretty much my reaction while being close to him. I feel Becky but someone needs to tell her of this thing called parasocial relationship--

WHAAAAAT

I had my eyes glued to the screen for this. It's definitely not surprising that the Blackbells would hire such an experienced bodyguard for Becky, but it's very interesting how it was pointed out to us! I wonder what we'll get to see next with her! (reminder: anime only!)

Becky really thinks she lives in a shoujo story doesn't she XD

I mean, Anya thinks she lives in a Spy Wars story so it's not that surprising XD

I love how in the "new" family photo Wiesel is added in front of Bond!

This episode is full chaos and I love it.

Seriously, the way Anya's powers work for her character is amazing. Usually, we'd get to see those imaginings even if she didn't have telepathy. But since she can see them with us, she gets a fair place as - almost - an audience proxy. And I mean, yeah, why wouldn't Anya be excited at the idea of super tasty food all of the time (even when papa is super busy), not having to do chores, and having fun family outings all of the time?

Completely different wavelengths, I tell you. How does this show make me love misunderstandings XD

And then a fourth wavelength is added and it's just! You don't know where to begin!

Poor Bond was heartbroken that Becky didn't notice him! Poor boy!

I find it really funny that this episode happened now, just a little after we got heavy hints that Loid is falling hard for Yor, and Becky is still like "I will win his heart with my six-year-old charm!"

If you count Bond dealing with getting rejected, that's five different wavelengths in one single screencap. No-one knows what's going on, not even Anya the telepath or Twilight the master spy.

Those are not the family teacups! Interesting choice. Also Becky's face, yeah that's exactly how I was when approaching my favourite actor for my photo shoot with him. I was smiling from one ear to the other, though XD

Also, I remember getting sent manga screencaps with Loid in such a cardigan! And I guessed right that it would be a beige one! I mean, it's a pretty common colour for a grandpapa cardigan, but has he maybe worn this before?

I wonder how he'd react and adapt if he knew Becky is having a crush on him. Like, what would he do? He'd definitely avoid anything inappropriate for all the obvious reasons, but here he's trying to pull back because he thinks Becky is getting suspicious of him XD

Send this to a friend without context and ask them to guess what the actual fuck is going on here. This is Misunderstandings: the Right-Before-Holidays Special.

Pure Chaos and it just

keeps

going.

This is exactly what I signed up for when I watched the very first episodes and was like "please tell me the entire show is like this"

Poor Yor, though. Her very first instinct was to blame herself and think of herself as incompetent. I guess old habits die hard.

Simp alert.

YEAH DEFINITELY NOT SCREAMING AT THIS

Seriously, though! She remembers what he told her there (though, weren't they supposed to repeat the conversation the next day?) and I hope she remembers how vulnerable he made himself with her.

OH BOI I DON'T SHIP OFTEN BUT WHEN I SHIP. I SHIP.

LOID BROUGHT YOR'S COAT WITH! MY GOD!

I mean! This isn't supposed to be a twiyor-centric episode and yet!

BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T RICH AS A KID AND THEN YOUR CHILDHOOD WAS VIOLENTLY RIPPED AWAY FROM YOU 😭😭

If you thought I wouldn't grab even this opportunity to make this angsty, well, you were wrong

The highest prize in the hammer competition thingy is... a q-tip?

We stan. Everything for the ultimate q-tip.

Becky sees Loid's ._. face and she's like

The way he said that "Yoru-san" there, though! This was the cherry on top of this entire hilarious part!

It was weird to see there was an entire small part on Nightfall, considering we haven't seen her in the entire season. However.

WHO THE FUCK IS THIS. WHY IS HE WATCHING THEM LIKE THAT.

(again, anime only here)

And I'm like, whoa. That's a very suspicious guy thrown in the middle of a filler part (I was told this is anime original) and not shown again. Since the next episode is the last of the season, I assume we'll see him again in that one?

I remember that in episode 20, when Loid is in the hospital, we see a moment from afar with a moving shadow, like someone was watching them. I noticed it on a rewatch and up until now I thought that was Nightfall. But now?

Seriously, though, are they not noticing him??

What he doin

I love how Handler said she doesn't want to overwork her agents... I wonder if she says anything relevant in the manga but I dare not look into the chapter after the one with Becky XD I'm guessing she actually took to heart the reprimand from HQ to be more lax with her agents.

Nightfall shows an almost audacious level of self-confidence in front of her boss... and Handler doesn't deny it. She trusts her and actually thinks the same - that Nightfall is probably the only one capable of handling Twilight's missions.

Anyway, Nightfall is going all "Senpai will notice me" and I'm like

ADDITIONAL CRUISE FOOTAGE???? 👀👀👀👌👌

Another hopeless suitor, Nightfall goes like "Did you spot any flaws in that Briar woman yet or" having no idea he was looking at Yor like the yearning simp he is <3

Nightfall being all "Pick me. Choose me. Love me." and then Twilight is like "Wow she did all of that hard job while I was gone. Guess she deserves the leftover souvenirs."

Like. I'm crying laughing over this. He didn't even think about getting a souvenir for her, not even as a cover. Nightfall couldn't be more hopeless.

And then she gives him that look

And the little hope she didn't even have is thrown out the window.

I love how Twilight turns around in shock and goes like "Why is glaring at me like that?!" because you idiot you gave her "leftovers"

Like I know he thinks they're not supposed to actually connect as friends but still. For a master spy he's so dense XD

They do kinda make you feel bad for her, though. She is trying really hard, and it would be hypocritical to blame her social awkwardness when we're here shipping Mr. Emotional Constipation and Ms. Naivete Personified. She would have actually been sympathetic if she wasn't so aggressive towards Yor (and in her mind, Anya too).

Anyway. Very funny and unhinged episode but there's only ONE EPISODE LEFT. I'M NOT READY FOR THE HIATUS 😭😭

[alpaca-clouds]

Let me talk about Lenore (again)

Let me talk about something that irks me about a certain subset of Lenore fans. This really is a subset of the fans, mostly made up of straight guys who are simping hard for her. But they really, really do annoy me. Because they often like to use feminist language to be horribly sexist - because they do not actually understand feminism.

What they basically tend to argue is that depicting Lenore as a villain or to note that she is abusive of Hector is totally a sexist thing to do and that nobody would argue the same if the gender roles were reversed. And that actually Lenore is just a misunderstood sweet, innocent girl.

And what shall I say? Thanks, I hate it.

For once, I would argue that if the gender roles were reversed a lot more people would realize the abusiveness of the relationship, because we are as a society more likely to recognize abuse as such when it is a man abusing a woman. Now, it can absolutely be argued that in that case there would probably still be a lot of fans - especially female fans - thirsting over "Leon", but the general consensus would still be to recognize that "Leon" is abusing "Hester". And there would also be a lot less argument in active fandom about the sex being rape. Because, again, we are a lot more used to recognizing it, if it was that way around.

Which gets me to the second problem though. Because turning Lenore into an innocent girl, who actually means good and does the best with the options she has... that is sexist. It takes a complex female character and turns her into one of the most sexist female stereotypes, taking a ton of her agency with it.

The Styria sisters are well written and actually a good example of female characters, because they have agency and because they are allowed to fall into very different character types than a lot of female characters are. They are not treated different from the male antagonists.

And yes, this sadly is still a big deal. Because if media struggles with one thing it is the female villains. Mostly because we still have this inherent bias that we feel that "a woman being punched in the face" is actually a bad thing. Which is also why in most action-heavy franchises we do not get to see female villains partaking in battles.

Sure. It is starting to get a bit better. But it is still a big problem. Which is why Castlevania having Carmilla as one of the big bad was great. And why Castlevania: Nocturne having the two main villains be female is amazing.

And yes, it would have been even better if Carmilla had been part of the big main battle in the end of the show. But I still maintain that I am fairly certain, that it was indeed planned like that originally - and then the fact that it was only one more season after s3 ended up with the Styria-storyline and the Wallachia-storyline never merging.

[spnfanficpond]

November/December 2023 Angel Fish Awards

(Angel Fish design by @slytherkins!!)

Every month all of you fantastic writers work your asses off to post some truly incredible stories. Our Angel Fish Awards are the way for all of us, as a community of writers and readers, to lift each other up and give praise to those who have captured our attention and deserve a few kind words. (Click here to learn more about how to nominate a fic for an award!)

Nominated by @deanwinchesterswitch

Five-Finger Discount by @talltalesandbedtimestories

This story is so smartly written - so many fantastic descriptions and lines of dialogue and it flows so beautifully. I didn’t want it to end. If you don't already have an obsession with Dean's hands, you will by the end of this fic.

~*~*~

Nominated by @annahmiraculousmillenium

A New Form by Kenophobia (AO3)

I'm nominating this story because it introduced me to a new tag I really like now: "Shapeshifter Dean" Sam is bossy (and Dean actually obeys!) Bobby is in there! John dies! And other cool things I don't want to spoil. Also, it's gen.

~*~*~

Nominated by @glygriffe

Said the Salmon to the Sea by @bendingsignpost

A mesmerizing (or mermaid-rising?) Dean-centric story about change, about the fact that it comes whether we want it to or not, and how the heck we deal with it. “If this is as far as we can go, it’s as far as we can go,” Dean says with a heavy shrug. Slowly, Sam says, “It’s as far as I can go.” “Yeah, that’s what I just said.”

The Angel of Emetgis V by Kayliemanlinza (AO3)

I read this as part of the Dean/Cas Reversebang 2022 (with beautiful art by @missaceriee) and the concept of true-form Castiel as an alien meeting "grease-monkey" Dean in deep space is compelling as much as how love is expressed between species. (Here is the original DCRB post that made me discover the story)

~*~*~

Nominated by @heavenssexiestangel

Unlikely by @apocalypseornaw

This story was written for me for the Secret Santa hosted on the Pond. It's a lovely fic with Ketch/GN!Reader, something there kind of is a lack of (both with GN and Male reader inserts). And like, also with Ketch lol it was a really nice pick-me-up as I'm not having the best of times right now, and it made me read an author I didn't know before, so it's a win-win Situation!

Follow That Car! by Mrs_SimonTam_PHD (AO3)

A really nice, short Ketch/Dean story with a side of murder. "I wish to fuck you, Dean" is forever embedded in my brain.

~*~*~

Nominated by @mrswhozeewhatsis

Spotless by @stusbunker

This is a Dean x reader AU with SO MUCH DELICIOUS PINING!!!! And now Bela's involved! And the reader gets to watch Dean and Bela make heart eyes at each other!! SO MUCH YUMMY ANGST!!!

~*~*~

Nominated by @salt-n-burn-em-all

Care and Feeding by foolishgames (AO3)

Sam is somehow turned into a cat. The best stories are the first and last ones if you are not an S/D reader, then can be read as mostly Gen.

Dissecting the Bird by nigeltde (AO3)

♥♥♥ Just right.

The Witch and the Wolfen by meus_venator (AO3)

I love everything about this story- meus has an amazing talent and this is one I reread often- plus, it just got a second story!

Sounds Like Truth Feels Like Courage by Sprinkle888 (AO3)

Well-written SPN story. Gen, no pairing, but it doesn’t need one. Sam binds them together with some MoL magic rings and finding out how they work is a riot. Some angst, temp character death, but ends happily. 10/10 recommend. Also posted on my Tumblr.

~*~*~

Nominated by @spn-fanfic-reblog-writes

Slither by Tiamatv (AO3)

I absolutely love this story! The show of cultural differences between Dean and Castiel that even the reader will miss the cues. Lol! The conversation about sex was hilarious especially since Dean doesn’t ask. 😂 Wait until you read the word “clasp”. Poor Dean. Look up the word: hemipene. This stems all the hilarity in the fic. Just wait. Just wait. It’s hilarious!! SPOILER: Castiel is a naga refugee that is half human and half beautiful snake, and Sam basically “adopted” him as a charity project that turns into Dean’s charity project that ends up making him very happy very quickly.

Rubber Duckie Boots by Hexentaenzerin (AO3)

This such an adorable meet-cute. I love it! I also love that Dean wears rubber duckie boots while videoing carpet cleaning videos for his business, which Castiel absolutely loves to watch. Just can’t get enough of seeing Dean in those boots. Castiel even buys a rug to try to get Dean to notice him. **squee** It’s great! The ending is so Dean and Castiel. ❤️❤️❤️

Weighted by Tiamatv and amireal (AO3)

I absolutely love this fic because I actually sleep with a weighted blanket and when my kids are sick, they love their own. I even have one in the car. It’s light but enough to feel it. This is just so fluffy and romantic all thanks to our favorite redhead introducing weighted blankets which helps so much. It’s been shown to even help babies but blankets aren’t great for them. Anyway, they’re so cute and that scene where Dean opens his eyes all slow and gentle with “hey”, just broke me. My husband and I do that periodically and it just means more snuggles and sleep. lol. Poor Castiel thinking he couldn’t have Dean which I understand since Dean has said so much he is straight or implied it rather often. Ugh. This was done so well. I admit I wish there was more especially with Dean exploring this new aspect of himself and with Castiel. Curious to see what their bumps in the road are and how they handle it.

Close Encounter of the Fourth Kind by Fathersalmon (AO3)

First, this is smut. Second. It is fucking hilarious! I rarely find crack in smut. You have to read this hilarity. Dean’s sassy mouth is just amazing in this while Castiel just ignores him. 🤣 If you want to laugh, read this!

Firelight Glow by bleuzombie (AO3)

I just love how it progresses and the ending is great though. It’s so sweet and fluffy. Their connection is so tangible the reader can feel it like the characters do. It also has Trans Dean Winchester, which I always love to read, especially by @bleuzombie who knows how to write them so authentically and truthfully.

~*~*~

Nominated by @spencereliotwinchester

Stray Hearts by blujay44 (AO3)

It's definitely a weird one, but I really like how fluffy it is. Really, though, it's weird... but it's a feel-good one, especially when Jensen comforts Jared.

Pastiche (orphaned work on AO3)

This is literally one of my favorite SPN fics ever. I reread it a lot. Features Autistic!Jensen and loveable goldenretriever Jared who just wants to get to know his neighbor.

Flash by ellia (AO3)

Short, sweet, almost possessive... Also features my two favorite boys: Jensen and Christian.

For the Taking by veronamay (AO3)

Steamy, sexy, bdsm, Jared and Jensen. What more could you ask for??

~*~*~

Nominated by @mariekoukie6661

House of the Rising Son by @kittenofdoomage

I really love the idea of Sam and Dean being the bad guys! The story as a whole is so goood!

Blood and Honey by @kittenofdoomage

Dark!Winchesters are my favorite kind of tropes! This is such a great story, very well written!

Baklavas For Your Birthday by @cloverhighfive

This is very cute!!!

Muddy Soul by @impala-dreamer

This is so good! Its very dark at times and you absolutely need to mind the tags! But this is such a great series!

Strangers by @smellingofpoetry

Very cute story!! I liked it!!!

I am my beloved’s and my beloved’s mine by @heavenssexiestangel

Very cute! Very fluffy!!!! I liked it!!!!

THANK YOU ALL, KEEP UP THE AMAZING WORK, AND AS ALWAYS, HAPPY WRITING!

- From your Admins and Manta Rays, @manawhaat, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @thoughtslikeaminefield, @spencereliotwinchester, and @heavenssexiestangel!

[hellbeast-go-walkies]

Things I loved about Barry [SPOILERS]:

It seamlessly blends humorous and serious. No joke or dramatic moment felt like an afterthought, and heavy moments got to exist without someone trying to lighten the mood.

The pacing and use of sound/silence was amazing. I feel like I've seen so many shows and movies lately where we move from one scene to the next without any time to breathe, but this show just let moments or silence hang there without it feeling like the scene was dragging on.

Sally's character starts out like she's just going to be some pretty, blond love interest, but we got to see her angry and frustrated and violent and unhinged. For the majority of the show, she had bags under her eyes. She wasn't some love interest who fixed the violent man with her love. And even when she leaves her old life to go with Barry, we see how unhappy she is. There are no male fantasies with her character.

I could see Bill's stomach and his love handles through his shirt. I'm in no way calling him chubby or fat or treating those things as negative, but when you've had years of film and TV execs thinking all leading men have to be cut, I was so happy to see someone with an ounce of body fat.

There's zero copaganda. At best, the police in this show are incompetent, willing to believe anything in order to wrap up a case quickly, and at worst they're violent. And there's no blindly patriotic portrayal of the military either. This post and this post have some great points about propaganda and the finale.

The show does not glorify violence. Barry is not some cool action hero who carries out his work without emotion or consequence. And the show humanizes Barry without glorifying him or justifying his actions.

We get to see Barry cry, break down, beg for help, touch Fuches' hand, and say "I love you" to two father-figures. This show speaks on male violence as well as the need for deep, meaningful connection with others (and how that connection may prevent violence).

It's very ace-friendly.* Over the course of 32 episodes, there is like 4 overtly sexual/crude moments: a brief scene from a sex tape (which makes Barry uncomfortable), audio from a porno (which makes Barry REALLY uncomfortable), and Sally has two moments where a man she works with creepily and crudely hits on her.

Like, this is an HBO show. It could've been so much more sexual and violent, and it wasn't. There are graphic moments of violence, but there are also moments where the team chose a distant approach that worked perfectly. For example, one character is shot at close range in a car, and they chose to film that moment some distance from the vehicle. It was still a heavy, horrific moment, but it wasn't gratuitous.

*If you don't like swearing, violence, god-awful parenting, or stressful shows, you won't like Barry. It's the only comedy I've loved where I was just on edge for the rest of the day.

I have 4,000 more thoughts on this show, and I can't remember anything else I was going to add.

[laufire]

march reading meme!

BOOKS

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle. Letters from Watson sent this from January to March, alongside a couple of other shorts ("The Field Bazaar" and "The Man with the Watches"). An interesting thing about it is that Sherlock was portrayed as somewhat bitter on the issue of credit (he does all the work, subpar investigators take underserved glory), while he's usually, in both ACD's later works and adaptations, portrayed as ~above such feelings. "The Field Bazaar" was interesting in that, in describing why Watson is a good "foil" for Sherlock's smarts in the books, actually illuminates why I think the smart investigator/fumbling idiot dynamic just. Fucking sucks for me lol. I don't get a kick out of it, I much prefer when they pair two investigator of different talents and portray those as both interesting and helpful in their investigations.

Investigating Lois Lane: The Turbulent History of the Daily Planet's Ace Reporter by Tim Hanley. Amazing read. It takes you through the history of the character, often looking at it through the lense of real-life issues and movements, getting into the different eras, adaptations, etc. It's giving me a lot to think about, both within the dc fandom and outside it.

Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. This one I also read in substack newsletters, going for about a year, the last one being sent in March. It was a reread, and I maintain it's a book everyone should at least try to read. Inferno is by far my favourite part (the theology lessons in Paradise grate on me, in comparison).

Batman: The Ultimate Evil by Andrew Vachss. This book was written by a crime fiction author and attorney that specialices in representing children and in child abuse cases, who was approached by DC to write a book featuring Batman facing child sex trafficking. In the book, Bruce ends up discovering that his mother, Martha Wayne, was a sociologist who was investigating a child molester ring, and that's what caused their deaths. That's what caught my eye first, because really, how many canons give any weight and importance to Martha? If they opt to make the Wayne murders a conspiracy, it's always about Thomas's actions. I also appreciated that, even though the author clearly had to follow some dc-mandated lines (fictional country, individual villain), he practically hits you with a hammer when it comes to dispel a lot of the myths we have about child molesters and how they operate, specifically to challenge those dc-mandated lines. I wish we'd seen more of the social worker character, but I liked her as it was.

Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata. I picked this novella exclusively for vibes and not plot, and it's what it gave me. It's also made me think a lot about how men see women, and how through their eyes our selves are twisted. Komako and Yoko are fascinating characters in part for how inescrutable the male lead finds them and how he might be misunderstanding them. There's so, so much hinted under the surface, about their persons and about their relationship.

The Lady Astronaut of Mars by Mary Robinette Kowal. Short novelette I picked on a whim. A 60+ yo astronaut is offered a chance to travel to space again, her dream come true. She has to choose between taking it, or staying with her ailing husband, who has little time left. The story apparently later expanded on some novels/prequels, I might pick them up.

COMICS

Secret Origins 80-Page Giant. I picked this one up for Steph's story (I'm going through her comic arcs), but ended up reading all the others. It's cemented my desire to pick up the Young Justice comics. These teens are sooooo chaotic and fun lmao, all of them (back then) with such weird and interesting backstories.

Lois Lane (1986). A two-part issue that shows Lois getting in deep in an investigation about child abductions. It's gets gruesome and heavy at times, but it's a great read, specially for her character. It shows Lois at a moment that the mainline comics seem to have ignored (she missed out on a great professional opportunity due to Superman), and it shows how obsessive she gets and how that is what makes her a great investigator and reporter. I also liked the glimpse at the dynamic between her and her sister Lucy there, how dismissive Lois was of Lucy's stewardess' job, for example.

DC First: Batgirl/Joker. I don't like it as much as the early-Batgirl (2000) run but it's kind of on that vein. Barbara tells Cass about her first encounter with the Joker, and Cass is determined to prove herself against him. I loved the art as well (very different than in the cover).

[kristeristerin]

I saw your post and OMG Eris x reader Drabble with Taylor Swift’s Love Story would be amazing!!

AN: Thank you so much for the ask! This ended up taking a different route that I'd originally thought it would, but I hope you enjoy it!

I'm having so muh fun writing these already and can't wait to post more!

If you want to request a Taylor Swift X ACOTAR drabble just send me an ask with the song and character you'd like to see! I'm hoping to get through her entire discography eventually! <3

Song: Love Story

Pairing: Reader X Eris

Content warnings: None

Words: 798

Summary: After an arguement with your brother regarding your relationship with a certain High Lord's son, your Mate shows up to whisk you away.

“He’d never hurt me!” you yelled at your brother, though you knew it was in vain. He’d made up his mind about the Autumn Court heir many years ago.

“You don’t know that,” Tamlin ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. Your argument was taking a toll on his usual immaculate appearance. “You don’t know what he or his court is capable of. I am just trying to keep you safe.”

“No,” you shook your head at him, “You’re trying to control me. You don’t want to admit that I am old enough to make my own choices. Eris is my mate! I felt the bond tonight and he did too. Please be reasonable Tamlin.”

Your brother slammed his hands down onto his study desk. “You know damn well-being mates doesn’t mean anything. Look at the relationship between Mother and Father. They two ran head first into what they believed was a love match and instead ended up in misery.”

The reminder of your parents brought tears to your eyes as you stood and began to walk toward the door. “He’s not Father, Tamlin. And frankly, Neither are you. I don’t need your permission to pursue my mate.”

You pause at the sound of wood splintering behind you, but you don’t dare turn around.

“I may not be Father, but I am your High Lord and you will do as I say.”

You look over your shoulder enough to see his claws out and digging into the desk before you shrug, “You’re my High Lord for now, brother, but understand this conversation is far from over.”

You hold your breath as you quickly exit the room and shut the door behind you. The sound from Tamlin’s study tells you that he is once again tearing the place apart. You can’t help but wonder who you really need protection from.

Once inside your bedroom, you take a moment to steady your breathing, before a shadow on your balcony almost causes you to scream. Quickly crossing the room you pull the male inside before throwing yourself into his arms.

“Eris, what are you doing here?” you whispered. “If Tamling finds you here he will kill you.” You clutch his tunic with both hands and bury your face into his chest.

“I came for you,” he angles your head up to look at him. “I admittedly don’t have much to offer you, and there is still so much that we have to work out. But everything that I am and everything that I possess is yours.”

With that, he takes a step back from you and drops to one knee taking both of your hands in his. “Y/n, My mate, my love, will you do me the honor of also becoming my wife?”

You can’t help the tears that begin streaming down your face as you silently nod. You pull your hands from his and launch yourself at him, causing him to lose balance as you both fall to the floor with a dull thud. The sound seems to echo in your otherwise silent bedroom.

The next thing you know you can hear a door close down the hall and Tamlin’s heavy footsteps making their way toward your bedroom. Before he has a chance to knock on your door you are across the room and speaking to him through the door. “I’m fine Tamlin. I knocked over a stack of books. Please leave me alone, we will speak at breakfast tomorrow.”

He is silent for a moment before you hear him sigh, “Very well, but I expect you to be ready to listen to reason in the morning. Good night, Y/N.

You and Eris remained silent until you heard Tamlin’s door shut down the hall. Then all at once you moved toward your wardrobe and began throwing a few things into a bag. You tossed the hastily packed bag onto your bed before you moved to your desk and scribbled out a note for your brother.

When you were finished you noticed Eris was once again waiting on the balcony, this time with your bag in one hand and his other hand reaching out to you.

“All that’s left to do is run,” you smile at him as you put your hand in his and he winnows you both away.

—-------------------------

The next morning Tamlin sat in your now ruined bedroom with your note clenched in his fist.

Tamlin,

By the time you read this, I’ll already be gone, and Eris and I will likely already be married. I am happy and safe. Please do not try looking for me. I will reach out again once we have both had time to cool down. In the meantime, take care of yourself.

With all of my love,

Y/N

[rp-partnerfinder]

30F looking for 21+ female/afab partners (nb is fine too) / m x f pairing with myself writing f / age gap ship 

I’m an advanced lit/novella style writer. I love to write detailed descriptions and delve into a character’s head/emotions as well as surroundings. I compare it to writing a novel together.  I expect to mirror lengths (3 - 5+ paragraphs) but if there are action or dialogue heavy scenes, I tend to do a shorter back and forth to keep the momentum going. 

Searching For: 

Older male characters (40 - 50+). I love the gruff and tough men with dark pasts who secretly have a soft heart. I also love grumpy, hypermasculine men being intimidated by sweet but fiery women. My characters tend to be 25 - 35+. No submissive/damsels in distress here. Even my sweet girls have some bite if pushed far enough. 

I'm not looking for age play. It's a romance between two consenting adults who each act exactly their age and they just happen to be different ages.

Please no passive plotters. Play an equal role in moving the story forward. I love to build off each other’s ideas and create amazing scenes. I’m also more than happy to write side characters of either gender to expand the world. 

Enthusiasm while chatting about our character and ship, I want us to love them and the world we create. I want to make pinterest boards, spotify playlists, graphics, and toss headcanons back and forth until late at night. I'm also really hoping to find a friendship, someone who wants a long-term connection. 

Plot before smut. While mature themes will be in my writing, there needs to be chemistry between our characters.

Interests: 

Modern fantasy, monsters, sci-fi, a/b/o, southern gothic/midwest gothic (i’m a sucker for that southern/texas drawl), horror, height/size difference, enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, spooky small towns, post apocalyptic/dystopia, crime, emotionally charged/dark and gritty, forced proximity, opposites attract, fated mates, anti heroes/morally gray characters, traumatic pasts, grumpy x sunshine, touch her / him and die, and more.

I have lots of original plot ideas in mind as well!

Fandoms (OCs ONLY) 

Star Wars, Stranger Things, Mercy Thompson Series, True Blood, The Last of Us, Hunger Games, Fallout (TV Show)

I write only on discord using servers with organized channels. Like this post if you’re interested and I’ll reach out or message me on discord (magicofrain). The most effective way to grab my genuine interest is by writing a detailed reply. Please let me know what you liked from my ad.

.

[findroleplay]

30F looking for 21+ female/afab partners (nb is fine too) / m x f pairing with myself writing f / age gap ship 

I’m an advanced lit/novella style writer. I love to write detailed descriptions and delve into a character’s head/emotions as well as surroundings. I compare it to writing a novel together.  I expect to mirror lengths (3 - 5+ paragraphs) but if there are action or dialogue heavy scenes, I tend to do a shorter back and forth to keep the momentum going. 

Searching For: 

Older male characters (40 - 50+). I love the gruff and tough men with dark pasts who secretly have a soft heart. I also love grumpy, hypermasculine men being intimidated by sweet but fiery women. My characters tend to be 25 - 35+. No submissive/damsels in distress here. Even my sweet girls have some bite if pushed far enough. 

I'm not looking for age play. It's a romance between two consenting adults who each act exactly their age and they just happen to be different ages.

Please no passive plotters. Play an equal role in moving the story forward. I love to build off each other’s ideas and create amazing scenes. I’m also more than happy to write side characters of either gender to expand the world. 

Enthusiasm while chatting about our character and ship, I want us to love them and the world we create. I want to make pinterest boards, spotify playlists, graphics, and toss headcanons back and forth until late at night. I'm also really hoping to find a friendship, someone who wants a long-term connection. 

Plot before smut. While mature themes will be in my writing, there needs to be chemistry between our characters.

Interests: 

Modern fantasy, monsters, sci-fi, a/b/o, southern gothic/midwest gothic (i’m a sucker for that southern/texas drawl), horror, height/size difference, enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, spooky small towns, post apocalyptic/dystopia, crime, emotionally charged/dark and gritty, forced proximity, opposites attract, fated mates, anti heroes/morally gray characters, traumatic pasts, grumpy x sunshine, touch her / him and die, and more.

I have lots of original plot ideas in mind as well!

Fandoms (OCs ONLY) 

Star Wars, Stranger Things, Mercy Thompson Series, True Blood, The Last of Us, Hunger Games, Fallout (TV Show)

I write only on discord using servers with organized channels. Like this post if you’re interested and I’ll reach out or message me on discord (magicofrain). The most effective way to grab my genuine interest is by writing a detailed reply. Please let me know what you liked from my ad.

-

[darkrpfinders]

30F looking for 21+ female/afab partners (nb is fine too) / m x f pairing with myself writing f / age gap ship 

I’m an advanced lit/novella style writer. I love to write detailed descriptions and delve into a character’s head/emotions as well as surroundings. I compare it to writing a novel together.  I expect to mirror lengths (3 - 5+ paragraphs) but if there are action or dialogue heavy scenes, I tend to do a shorter back and forth to keep the momentum going. 

Searching For: 

Older male characters (40 - 50+). I love the gruff and tough men with dark pasts who secretly have a soft heart. I also love grumpy, hypermasculine men being intimidated by sweet but fiery women. My characters tend to be 25 - 35+. No submissive/damsels in distress here. Even my sweet girls have some bite if pushed far enough. 

I'm not looking for age play. It's a romance between two consenting adults who each act exactly their age and they just happen to be different ages.

Please no passive plotters. Play an equal role in moving the story forward. I love to build off each other’s ideas and create amazing scenes. I’m also more than happy to write side characters of either gender to expand the world. 

Enthusiasm while chatting about our character and ship, I want us to love them and the world we create. I want to make pinterest boards, spotify playlists, graphics, and toss headcanons back and forth until late at night. I'm also really hoping to find a friendship, someone who wants a long-term connection. 

Plot before smut. While mature themes will be in my writing, there needs to be chemistry between our characters.

Interests: 

Modern fantasy, monsters, sci-fi, a/b/o, southern gothic/midwest gothic (i’m a sucker for that southern/texas drawl), horror, height/size difference, enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, spooky small towns, post apocalyptic/dystopia, crime, emotionally charged/dark and gritty, forced proximity, opposites attract, fated mates, anti heroes/morally gray characters, traumatic pasts, grumpy x sunshine, touch her / him and die, and more.

I have lots of original plot ideas in mind as well!

Fandoms (OCs ONLY) 

Star Wars, Stranger Things, Mercy Thompson Series, True Blood, The Last of Us, Hunger Games, Fallout (TV Show)

I write only on discord using servers with organized channels. Like this post if you’re interested and I’ll reach out or message me on discord (magicofrain). The most effective way to grab my genuine interest is by writing a detailed reply. Please let me know what you liked from my ad.

.

[stormsongroleplays]

Seeking Literate Partners

30F looking for 21+ female/afab partners (nb is fine too) / m x f pairing with myself writing f / age gap ship 

I’m an advanced lit/novella style writer. I love to write detailed descriptions and delve into a character’s head/emotions as well as surroundings. I compare it to writing a novel together.  I expect to mirror lengths (3 - 5+ paragraphs) but if there are action or dialogue heavy scenes, I tend to do a shorter back and forth to keep the momentum going. 

Searching For: 

A large but legal age gap ship. I’m looking for older male characters (40 - 50+). I love the gruff and tough men with dark pasts who secretly have a soft heart. I also love grumpy, hypermasculine men being intimidated by sweet but fiery women. My characters tend to be 25 - 35+. No submissive/damsels in distress here. Even my sweet girls have some bite if pushed far enough. 

I'm not looking for age play. It's a romance between two consenting adults who each act exactly their age and they just happen to be different ages.

Please no passive plotters. Play an equal role in moving the story forward. I love to build off each other’s ideas and create amazing scenes. I’m also more than happy to write side characters of either gender to expand the world. 

Enthusiasm while chatting about our character and ship, I want us to love them and the world we create. I want to make pinterest boards, spotify playlists, graphics, and toss headcanons back and forth until late at night. I'm also really hoping to find a friendship, someone who wants a long-term connection. 

Plot before smut. While mature themes will be in my writing, there needs to be chemistry between our characters. I normally do a 60/40 plot to smut ratio and my characters tend to be subs/switches depending on the circumstances. 

Interests: 

Modern fantasy, monsters, sci-fi, a/b/o, southern gothic/midwest gothic (i’m a sucker for that southern/texas drawl), horror, height/size difference, enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, spooky small towns, post apocalyptic/dystopia, crime, emotionally charged/dark and gritty, forced proximity, opposites attract, fated mates, anti heroes/morally gray characters, traumatic pasts, grumpy x sunshine, touch her / him and die, and more.

I have lots of original plot ideas in mind as well!

Fandoms (OCs ONLY) 

Star Wars, Stranger Things, Mercy Thompson Series, True Blood, The Last of Us, Hunger Games, Fallout (TV Show)

I write only on discord using servers with organized channels. Like this post if you’re interested and I’ll reach out. The most effective way to grab my genuine interest is by writing a detailed reply. Please let me know what you liked from my ad.

[novella-writers]

Hi, you can call me Storm! I'm 30 and the mom of a loud and demanding cat ❤️

I’m a multiple paragraphs/novella style writer. I love to write detailed descriptions and delve into a character’s head/emotions as well as surroundings. I compare it to writing a novel together. Not every reply has to be novella length, however. If there are action or dialogue heavy scenes, I tend to do a shorter back and forth to keep the momentum going. 

I only do MxF (with me writing the female role). I don’t double, but I’m more than happy to write side characters of either gender to help move the story along. I only want female authors writing male characters as I’m uncomfortable with cis male authors. (Nonbinary pals are an exception).

I'm really hoping to find a friendship, someone who can add to our story, and most importantly, someone who wants a long-term connection. It's difficult for me to write with someone if I don't feel that genuine bond. It's also important to me to have a high level of activity, with at least one reply a day. 

If you suddenly stop replying ic and ooc, I'll drop the story after 2 attempts of gauging interest spaced a week apart. But feel free to message me if you want to pick the story back up again, even months later. 

Searching For: 

21+ partners only 

An excellent grasp of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. (Literate to advanced writers only, please. I'm not looking for newbies)

Plot before smut. While mature themes will be in my writing, there needs to be chemistry between our characters. I normally do a 60/40 plot to smut ratio and my characters tend to be subs/switches depending on the circumstances 

 An older male character (early forties to mid-late fifties). I love the gruff and tough men with dark pasts who secretly have a soft heart. I also love grumpy, hypermasculine men being intimidated by sweet but fiery women. My characters are mid-late twenties to early-mid thirties so the age gap is legal. 

I'm not looking for age play. It's a romance between two consenting adults who each act exactly their age, and they just happen to be different ages. 

Enthusiasm to chat about our character and ship, how to crush them and then gushing over fluffy moments. I love crying over characters and what the heck they’re doing. I want my heart ripped from my chest from angst, then feeling like it’s going to burst from overwhelming cuteness. I want us to love these characters and the world we create. I want to make pinterest boards, spotify playlists, graphics, and toss headcanons back and forth until late at night. 

Have an idea for a scene? Found a picture that inspired you? Send it to me! Be invested when it comes to plotting/worldbuilding. There’s nothing worse than receiving one sentence in reply to two paragraphs of ideas, or having a doormat partner who says “sure” to whatever I ask. Building ideas one on top of the other, watching them snowball into amazing plot threads brings me joy. But having to pull plot ideas like I’m pulling teeth makes me think you’re not interested, and I will lose interest in return.

Interests: 

Modern fantasy, monsters, sci-fi, omegaverse, southern gothic/midwest gothic (i’m a sucker for that southern/texas drawl), horror, height/size difference, enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, spooky small towns, post apocalyptic/dystopia, crime/mysteries, emotionally charged/dark and gritty, forced proximity, opposites attract, fated mates, anti heroes/morally gray characters, traumatic pasts, grumpy x sunshine, touch her / him and die, and more.

I have lots of original plot ideas in mind as well!

Fandoms (OCs ONLY) 

Star Wars, Stranger Things, Mercy Thompson Series, True Blood, The Last of Us, Hunger Games, Fallout (TV Show)

I write only on discord using servers with organized channels. Like this post or add me on discord (magicofrain) if you’re interested. The most effective way to grab my genuine interest is by messaging me with a detailed reply. Please let me know which interests you liked from my ad.

Message if interested!

[roleplayfinder]

Hi, you can call me Storm! I'm 30 and the mom of a loud and demanding cat ❤️

I’m a multiple paragraphs/novella style writer. I love to write detailed descriptions and delve into a character’s head/emotions as well as surroundings. I compare it to writing a novel together. Not every reply has to be novella length, however. If there are action or dialogue heavy scenes, I tend to do a shorter back and forth to keep the momentum going. 

I only do MxF (with me writing the female role). I don’t double, but I’m more than happy to write side characters of either gender to help move the story along. I only want female authors writing male characters as I’m uncomfortable with cis male authors. (Nonbinary pals are an exception).

I'm really hoping to find a friendship, someone who can add to our story, and most importantly, someone who wants a long-term connection. It's difficult for me to write with someone if I don't feel that genuine bond. It's also important to me to have a high level of activity, with at least one reply a day. 

If you suddenly stop replying ic and ooc, I'll drop the story after 2 attempts of gauging interest spaced a week apart. But feel free to message me if you want to pick the story back up again, even months later. 

Searching For: 

20+ partners only 

An excellent grasp of grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. (Literate to advanced writers only, please. I'm not looking for newbies)

Plot before smut. While mature themes will be in my writing, there needs to be chemistry between our characters. I normally do a 60/40 plot to smut ratio and my characters tend to be subs/switches depending on the circumstances 

 An older male character (early forties to mid-late fifties). I love the gruff and tough men with dark pasts who secretly have a soft heart. I also love grumpy, hypermasculine men being intimidated by sweet but fiery women. My characters are mid-late twenties to early-mid thirties so the age gap is legal. 

I'm not looking for age play. It's a romance between two consenting adults who each act exactly their age, and they just happen to be different ages. 

Enthusiasm to chat about our character and ship, how to crush them and then gushing over fluffy moments. I love crying over characters and what the heck they’re doing. I want my heart ripped from my chest from angst, then feeling like it’s going to burst from overwhelming cuteness. I want us to love these characters and the world we create. I want to make pinterest boards, spotify playlists, graphics, and toss headcanons back and forth until late at night. 

Have an idea for a scene? Found a picture that inspired you? Send it to me! Be invested when it comes to plotting/worldbuilding. There’s nothing worse than receiving one sentence in reply to two paragraphs of ideas, or having a doormat partner who says “sure” to whatever I ask. Building ideas one on top of the other, watching them snowball into amazing plot threads brings me joy. But having to pull plot ideas like I’m pulling teeth makes me think you’re not interested, and I will lose interest in return.

Interests: 

Modern fantasy, monsters, sci-fi, omegaverse, southern gothic/midwest gothic (i’m a sucker for that southern/texas drawl), horror, height/size difference, enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, spooky small towns, post apocalyptic/dystopia, crime/mysteries, emotionally charged/dark and gritty, forced proximity, opposites attract, fated mates, anti heroes/morally gray characters, traumatic pasts, grumpy x sunshine, touch her / him and die, and more.

I have lots of original plot ideas in mind as well!

Fandoms (OCs ONLY) 

Star Wars, Stranger Things, Mercy Thompson Series, True Blood, The Last of Us, Hunger Games, Fallout (TV Show)

I write only on discord using servers with organized channels. Like this post or add me on discord (magicofrain) if you’re interested. The most effective way to grab my genuine interest is by messaging me with a detailed reply. Please let me know which interests you liked from my ad.

.