#and how that makes him even MORE appealing to fans as a love interest

[hellspawnmotel]

love your blog and your art!! and realised ive been following you for almost ten years so thank you for the quality posts

have you got any thoughts on ralsei and noelle in terms of both of them taking on “the girl” role in the game? or i guess rather ralsei trying to be the girl in his own meta and sorta weird way. i know youve drawn them together a couple times but would love to hear any analysis if you have thoughts (if youve already posted about this and i missed it my bad! feel free to ignore)

well damn that's flattering. wish I had some kind of membership program so I could give you a little gift, haha

anyway. this is something I've touched on before but only really spelled out once so you're good. I think there's several factors at play with ralsei's metatextual femininity: his status as the party squishy mage/healer, his status as kris's (and by extension, the player's) love interest, his obsession with roles and subservience, and the fact that ralsei is probably meant to be as appealing to the player as possible. none of those things are INHERENTLY feminine of course, but they are in the context of a story with an audience. we don't know for sure yet how ralsei feels about all that, but I'd wager he either thinks he wants it or thinks it has to be his purpose and he wants to do a good job at it. ralsei is like..... the wife. he's the perfect wife. and he's really good at it! the audience LOVES ralsei! whenever my art gets reposted on reddit, there are way more romantically charged or even sexually explicit comments about ralsei than any other character. when I posted my "choose your bride" illustration, most of the people commenting said they would choose ralsei over noelle, with some even saying that it's because noelle "already belongs to susie".

and that leads into his parallels with noelle. like ralsei, noelle is a fragile magic user, is generally more shy and demure (though both of them can break out of that easily), is shown as pining for the object of her affections, and she's slotted into the role of "the love interest" for susie (or for kris/the player, but I'm gonna focus on normal route here). the ferris wheel scene also directly parallels the acid tunnel of love- both forcing the two "couples" to be alone together in a deliberately romantic setting with nothing to do but talk. I've already talked plenty about noelle's roles as the girl, the bride, the damsel, etc. so I won't get into it again, but I think the connections made between kralsei and suselle are worth keeping an eye on. there's nothing to indicate that susie and noelle's budding romance is anything but sweet and genuine, but at the same time you have to wonder what it means that the game is pushing them together in a way so similar to kris and ralsei.

to reference classic jrpg dragon quest v: hand of the heavenly bride, nera comes out of nowhere and was tailor-made to be a wife, while bianca is a childhood friend you have an actual prior connection with. but it doesn't really matter who you choose to marry. in the end they both get kidnapped and sidelined as soon as they're done having your babies.

[ramp-it-up]

Fade to Love

Summary: You and Bucky go way back. Way back to when you acted together 20 years ago. You had a crush on him then, but you were too young. Tragedy and artistic passion made you best friends. Will your history make you lovers?

Word count: 4.3 K

Pairing: Actor!Director!Producer! Bucky Barnes x Reader

A/N: I've been dreaming about this ever since I got my #BuckyBarnesBirthdayBingo by @avengers-assemble-bingo. This fulfills the square: Best Friends to Lovers. As always, I crave feedback, so please let me know how you feel in asks, comments, reblogs and likes. TIA! ❤️

Warnings: 18+ Only, Minors DNI. Read at your own risk. Smut! Best friends to lovers. All of the reckless behaviors that come with growing up in Hollywood, teenage crush, small age gap, young love, tragic loss, idiots in love, cigarette smoking, mutual pining. Then comes the smut. :)

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———

This was deja vu all over again.

The paparazzi swarmed the studio as you and Bucky arrived for your meeting at the studio. After all, you'd spent your teen years under the camera’s glare, a co-star in an ensemble drama series, Idol’s Ridge, that captured the hearts of millions 20 years before. 

During those five years portraying Sophie Randall, you’d met the people who’d become your best and enduring friends. Sam Wilson, who played your older brother, Peter Randall, Carol Danvers, who played your best friend, Morgan Blair, and James “Bucky” Barnes who played Sam’s Best friend and Morgan’s older brother, Jack Blair. 

There were several other actors from the show with whom you’d remained cordial and friendly, but this was your core group. 

But today? Today was different. Today, you were meeting in a creative capacity, not just as an actress. You were going to control the narrative. 

The past twenty years had been a whirlwind. A marriage, scandal, and a career that had taken unexpected turns. You'd left the acting world long ago, but here you were again, standing next to Bucky Barnes, one of your best friends. Someone who’d been through it all with you.

Bucky, with his model handsome looks, dark hair and true blue eyes, was more than just a pretty face. His career had been varied, lucrative, and meaningful.

He was now reaching phenomenal heights. And he was the one the tabloids still associated you with, before, during, and after your marriage, even after all these years. 

The shipping of the characters was inappropriate at the beginning, but toward the end of the run when you were an adult, Idol’s Ridge fans were calling for Jack to notice Sophie, and wanted you and Bucky together, even though you never dated.

It was others pushing that narrative, always trying to create drama where there was none, not you two. 

You and Bucky were just friends.

But if you were being honest, that “what if” had been curling around your mind since you were a kid with a crush on a co-star who was too old for you. 20 to your 15 when you first started the show, Bucky didn’t spare you a second glance in a romantic capacity, but he took you under his wing and protected you, calling you his “Little Star.” 

He decided that nothing was going to ruin your innocence, lecturing you all the time about the pitfalls of fame at a young age, even as he was reveling in those pits. If he knew you wanted him to ruin you, he didn’t let on.

Bucky’s decency did nothing to sway your heart away from him. In fact, it only made him more appealing. You always had a soft spot for Bucky Barnes.

If Bucky noticed you growing up and becoming a woman, he didn’t let you know. You were always his little sidekick, not quite a sister, but definitely not a romantic interest.

Perhaps it was because his best friend, another rising star in tv and film, did. 

Steve met you briefly when he was filming in LA and hanging with Bucky. They were roommates in New York and best friends, having known each other as child actors from Brooklyn.

After he met you when he was 24 and you were 19, Steve talked about you all the time to his best friend and begged Bucky to give you his number. 

Bucky refused, citing the fact that you were not ready for the likes of Steve Rogers, the golden boy heartthrob actor who partied harder than he did. Yes, that was the reason.

On the night of your 21st birthday after Idol’s Ridge was over, you had a get together in Manhattan, because you were filming a movie in New York City. You invited Bucky who was now based out of Brooklyn, and Steve was not going to miss this opportunity to get next to you.

That night, 25 year old Steve Rogers bought you a drink, and the next morning, Bucky heard you two in the room next door, cursing his, and Steve’s, timing. The rest was tabloid history: the whirlwind romance, the young, impetuous marriage, the substances, the breakout films, the nominations, the miscarriage, the rumors, the tragedy. 

You were a widow at the age of 26, the caretaker of the legacy of one of the most talented young actors of your generation. Gone too soon.

Bucky was there for you, and you for him, feeling the loss as no one else could. When you were ready to get on with life, you and Bucky created Valkyrie Production Company as a tribute to Steve.

While you slowed your acting career way down before 30 years old, only taking on about one indie film project a year, Bucky’s career had taken off. 

He’d transitioned from actor to actor/director, and of course, actor/director/producer. You watched him get engaged to Natasha Romanov, one of the older Idol’s Ridge alums, break up, and then date a string of actresses and models, but nothing ever stuck.

You didn’t understand. He could be a bit intense, but Bucky was such a good guy. He deserved happiness. Now, he was a 40 year old single successful actor slash slash with no family to speak of but you.

“Ready to roll?” 

Bucky’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts.

You blinked, taking a step back into the moment. You smoothed your pencil skirt down your hips, which were wider now than they were 20 years earlier. You wondered what production would think of you at 35, no surgical augmentation, just naturally you in a sea of plastic.

Bucky was the same way, his dark hair and beard peppered with gray and crows feet framing his striking eyes. But on him they were ‘sexy.’

Women were held to a different standard.

You missed Bucky appreciating your curves and your looks as you bit your lip and looked up at him with those big eyes.

Bucky’s heart clenched when you smiled at him. So fucking beautiful.

“Yeah. Let’s make magic, ” you murmured.

Bucky was a goner. 

He loved your voice since you developed the lower register of your tone. It was one thing that the critics and fans raved over in anything you did.

He chuckled at how you’d trashed his trailer when he’d tried to hide your cigarettes from you that one time. It was all for naught, since you quit 18 months after you started. 

He didn’t know that you’d just done it to hang out with him outside the soundstage door, stealing time. But it had permanently changed your voice into something that cemented your icon status in the present day, despite your limited career.

Bucky grinned that boyish grin, the same one he’d flashed a thousand times when you were on set together all those years ago. It made your heart do that little flip it always did, despite everything.

You had a meeting with the studio execs to discuss the next project, a reboot of the very series you'd starred in all those years ago, Idol’s Ridge.

It was too perfect, too full of nostalgia. But it also felt strange.

You glanced over at Bucky as he started talking to the execs. He was charismatic, confident, everything he had always been. But there was something in the way he kept glancing at you. His eyes were more intense, more aware of your every movement. 

It was unsettling, especially the premise he pitched. 

You finished up with the execs and stepped outside the back entrance for a quick break and Bucky lit up a cigarette, something you hadn’t seen him do in years. 

“You’re quiet today,” he said, leaning against the wall. You inwardly railed at him smoking again, but he was grown. You watched the smoke curl around him through narrowed eyes. Then you grabbed the cigarette from his fingers and took a drag.

“Don’t do that, Star…”

You raised an eyebrow at him and then inhaled, Bucky watching you closely. Too closely, you might have thought if you noticed the way he watched your mouth after you removed the cigarette.

Bucky put the cancer stick in his own mouth and closed his eyes as he took his own drag, tongue chasing the filter as he removed it to exhale. He peered at you through the smoke, licked his lips and then dropped the half smoked bone on the ground, extinguishing it with the sole of his brown Ferragamo.

“We quit.”

You laughed and leaned on the stucco wall with your hand, staring up at him while he smiled down at you. This was your thing, this unspoken language that was understood but not explicit.

You worked together, but it was always more than that. 

You were waiting for him to speak, but Bucky could always wait you out.

“James.”

You punched him on the arm. Hard. 

“Ow!”

He laughed and rubbed his arm as he looked down at his shoes, smiling.

“You can do it, Star. I believe in you.”

You rolled your eyes at the old nickname. He always told you that you were the brightest little star on the set. 

“But Bucky…”

You thought you lost it when Steve disappeared. But you couldn’t lose that feeling, so you took small roles, just to have permission to be someone else for a time.

Your films were critically acclaimed, but your confidence was shot.

“You can do it.”

You appraised Bucky. Something had shifted. Maybe it was the project, or maybe it was something more. Bucky looked right back at you, his expression softening. 

“Are you in or are you out, Star?”

“I’m in,” you said, your voice steady and sure.

He tilted his head, studying you. 

“Good. Because I need you.”

“You’ve always needed me,” you said, half-joking, half serious.

Bucky chuckled. 

“Yeah, well, this time it’s different.”

You could feel your heart pounding. He was looking at you like he’d never looked at you before. Like he was really seeing you. But you were reading too much into things again.

You took a deep breath.

“You know, I’ve always trusted you, right? With everything. You’re the only person I’ve never felt like I had to pretend with.”

You took his hand and Bucky looked down at you tangling your fingers with his. 

He should tell you. 

“I know, Buck. You’re my best friend.”

There it was. The friend zone. Bucky sighed, but held on to your hand.

“Although we didn’t talk about that one plot point.”

You released his hand and crossed your arms, pushing your breasts up in your sweater. Not that Bucky noticed that sort of thing.

Bucky looked at you, one eye closed, squinting from the LA sunlight. Or was it because you were so gorgeous? 

To you, his glance felt loaded, like there was something you couldn’t ignore anymore. But of course you tried.

“Which one?”

You smiled at his evasion.

“You know. The one where our characters are married now?”

Bucky smirked.

“We discussed this being centered around the children of the cast from 20 years ago.”

You huffed, frustrated.

“Yes, Bucky, but our characters were never a thing.”

He stood up and walked two steps toward you, into your space.

“Not true. Sophie always had a crush on Jack, but he blew you off. It’s 20 years later, he’s grown up and finally appreciates the beautiful woman who was always right there in front of him.”

You looked up into his clear blue gaze and had a scorching comeback for him.

“Oh.”

He reached for your face, palm resting on your cheek, thumb brushing at the side of your nose.

“Hold up…” 

Bucky moved even closer and brought his face close to yours, warm menthol breath hovering over your own. He pulled his hand back and looked at it, showing it to you briefly. You didn’t see anything.

“Eyelash.”

He opened the door and held it for you as you tried to get your soul back into your body.

“Break time is over.”

—--

The next hours were a blur.

The production meeting went long as you brainstormed for the reboot, and you and Bucky worked seamlessly together, bouncing ideas off each other and firing on all cylinders. The dynamic was amazing and reignited your old crush.

You went to Bucky’s LA home after the meeting, excited at the preliminary greenlight for the project. You both decided to work on an outline that weekend to deliver to the studio Monday morning.

You’d gone home to pack a bag and get your essentials, as Bucky said you could bunk in one of his guest rooms. 

It would be like a sleepover with one of your girlfriends, sweet, innocent and fun.

But after eating takeout tacos from Leo’s, you got to work in Bucky’s home office, and the vibe was thriving, but different. Every time your hands brushed as you passed papers or exchanged a glance, it was electric.

The air arced between you, but you couldn't tell if it was just you, or if Bucky felt it too. 

As you sat looking at the whiteboard with the preliminary outline of the pilot episode, Bucky leaned back in his chair and regarded it, a smirk playing at the edge of his lips.

“This shit is fucking brilliant. It’s going to be better than the original.” 

You looked at him, excitement coursing through you. You smiled at him and got up to walk behind his chair to lean on it and admire your ideas, as if you could see better what he meant from his perspective.

“I can’t believe it’s really happening.” 

You leaned down and whispered in his ear, afraid to voice it too loud. Bucky swiveled around in his chair to look at you. You were still in your outfit from this morning, too excited when you pack to change into something more comfortable. You looked gorgeous. 

He stood up and grabbed your hands in his.

“Better believe it, Star, we’re going to do this thing big.”

You squeezed his hands back and looked up into his beautiful blue eyes. Bucky’s hands were on your arms now and he was drawing you closer.

“Couldn’t do this without you, Star. I love… working with you.”

Your stomach flipped as he murmured at you. You inhaled the spice of his cologne and savored his touch while listening to his voice.

But your stomach dropped when you heard the ‘L’ word and you didn’t know what happened; just like Sophie and Jack all those years ago, you didn’t know what came over you when you pressed your lips to Bucky’s.

You had every intention of ending the contact before it began, but Bucky’s hands were now in your hair and tugged you close. He turned and lifted you onto his desk, stepping between your thighs, pressing them wide enough so that your skirt fought the movement.

It only made everything hotter. 

Bucky used his hold on your hair to tilt your head so he could kiss down your neck. You arched your back, needing his mouth all over you, needing him to rip you out of the clothes that had the nerve to create a barrier between you. 

For some unknown reason to your cunt, words emerged from your lips,

“We shouldn’t.” 

“Why not?” 

He pushed your cardigan off your shoulders and nudged your tank top lower so that he could mouth at your cleavage. Your panties flooded with wetness. 

“We’re both grown, Star.” 

The acknowledgement in Bucky’s rumbling voice sent a bolt of pleasure straight to your core. He skated his hands up your thighs, pushing your skirt higher until you had to lift your hips to allow it to bunch around your waist. He fingered along the edges of your panties. 

He looked down.

“Black lace. Fuck.” 

He cursed low enough that you had to strain to hear him. He licked his lips, his saliva making them look so delicious. 

“Can I touch you, Starlight?”

You shivered at the nickname and nodded, breath caught in your throat.

“Need your words, Baby. Need that beautiful voice.”

“Yes, Bucky. Please touch me…”

Bucky’s fingertips traced your clit through the fabric. 

“Fuck, I’ve wanted you.” 

“Me too,” you whispered, and he met your gaze, which threatened to stop his heart. 

His blue eyes were fire, bright enough to make your whole world glow. If you let him, he’d sweep you away and ensure you enjoyed every second. You wanted it. To be swept away by him. 

Bucky started the torturous slide of his thumb over your clit. You threw your head back and whined, caught up in a nirvana you’d only dreamt about.

“Bucky! Dont…”

He stopped what he was doing, stilling his hand over your cunt.

“Don’t?” 

His voice was broken, and pleading. You used your free hand to cover his where he cupped your pussy. 

“...Don’t stop Bucky….” 

Still he didn’t move, searching your face for answers you didn’t have. You drew in a shuddering breath. Bucky’s slow smile sent your stomach into a dizzying flip. 

“Naughty girl. You want to use me for your pleasure. Your own personal sex toy.” 

You dragged your gaze over him, from his dark hair, to those wicked blue eyes, to his sinful mouth, down to the pants clearly sporting a huge hard-on. You grew bold in the knowledge that he’d started this. 

Bucky Barnes wanted you, too.

“I have a sex toy. In fact, I have several. None of them look a thing like you.” 

His laughter rolled through you. 

“I guess I have work to do. Need to retire some sex toys. Check.” 

“You’ll have to work real hard. I’m kind of attached to them, especially Arthur. Haven’t had real cock in 2 years.”

Bucky arched his eyebrow and hooked his fingers through your panties and dragged them down your legs, stepping back so you could kick them off. 

“I’m disturbed that you named your vibrator.”

“Dildo,” you corrected.

He chuckled and shook his head.

“But I’m up for the challenge of making you scream my name…”

Bucky went to his knees between your spread thighs, looking at your pussy so intensely you could feel it like his touch. 

“And I won’t tell you that I’ve jacked myself to the thought of you countless times over the years.” 

“Bucky…”

He pressed a painfully gentle kiss to each thigh and then his breath ghosted over your clit. 

“I sure as hell won’t tell you that when I fucked my hand, and imagined being inside you, that I came so fucking hard, Star, just from thinking about being buried in you to the hilt.”

You tried to focus past the pleasure of his mouth, his big hands holding your thighs wide as he devoured you. But his words had you floating.

“I… You fantasized about me?” 

Bucky licked up your slit and then kissed it, looking up in your eyes before he answered you.

“Hmmm. Yes. I did.” 

He sucked on your clit hard enough to make your back bow. 

“Eating you out...” 

Another long lick and a smile that he was accomplishing that very thing. 

“You on your knees for me...” 

The image in your mind of looking up at Bucky made you clench down and Bucky smiled at your pitiful pussy.

“...Bending you over something, like this desk, and fucking you hard…”

You whimpered, your pleasure building as much from the fantasy as from Bucky’s mouth. 

“... Maybe taking that ass…”

He rolled his tongue over your clit, working you in just the way you needed. 

“....cuming inside you, or all over your back. I’ll let you choose.”

“Oh! Bucky!”

You were practically screaming as you tried to slow your pleasure, to make it last, but Bucky drove you to the brink and you couldn’t resist him. You came with a cry that filled the room around you.

Bucky didn’t give you a chance to recover, though. He stood and stepped back between your thighs to take your mouth. You tasted yourself on his tongue and it made your toes curl. 

You wrapped your legs around his waist and he lifted you off the desk easily and walked you down the hallway, still kissing you, never missing a step. 

“You’ve done this before,” you murmured. 

“Not like this. Never this.” 

He kept you pinned to him with one arm around the small of your back and used his other hand to pull your tank top off. You ran your hands down his muscled chest. He really was too beautiful. It almost hurt to look at him and touching him only magnified the sensation. 

He spun and pinned you between his body and the wall next to the door, thrusting against you. The seam of his pants pressed against your clit and you cried out. 

“More.” 

Bucky dragged his mouth up your neck and set his teeth against your earlobe and that set you on fire.

“You’re so needy, Star. I get it, I really do. Been wanting to show you how I feel for 14 years…” 

You gasped and Bucky’s teeth scraped against your lip, making your nipples tighten in response. He let you down and stepped back, running his hand through his hair.

“Strip.”

There wasn’t much left to take off, but you obeyed and his grin made your heart stutter. 

“On the bed.” 

You crawled on the mattress and reclined among the pillows. You were rewarded by Bucky stripping out of shirt, and his pants and underwear in one go, shoving the material down his strong thighs and kicking free of them, leaving him naked. 

The sight of his large cock straining against his stomach had you biting your bottom lip.

You knew what came next.

You craved it. And you forgot all about Arthur. You reached for him. 

“Don’t make me wait any more, Bucky.” 

He pulled a string of condoms from the nightstand and tossed them on the bed next to you. You counted six and raised your eyebrows. Bucky gave you an unrepentant grin.

“One condition.” 

“Damn it, Bucky.” 

Of course there were conditions. 

“Stay in my bed tonight. Another fantasy of mine.” 

You melted. Why not? It was finally time to have what you wanted. And you wanted Bucky.

You met those intoxicating blue eyes and nodded. 

“Yes.” 

“Thank fuck.” 

He was on you in seconds, shoving your legs wide and he ground the base of his cock against your clit. He tangled his fingers in your hair and took your mouth like you were the sweetest fruit and he’d never get enough. 

You reached blindly over and grabbed a condom. You tore the wrapper with your teeth and you rolled it over his cock. He allowed it, shifting back to give you the room to work.

Your body cried for him; you needed him inside you and you needed it at that moment. You lay back and  guided him into you and he thrust in slowly, inch by inch, until he had sheathed himself completely. 

Oh god. The stretch. Bucky broke free of your mouth and pressed his forehead against yours, your breath mingling between you. 

Each of your exhales came out as, “Oh god. Oh god. Oh god.” 

He gentled his touch, stroking your hair as if you were a wild animal he was taming. 

“Stay with me, Starlight. I’ve got you.” 

As if this was something that was forced upon you, rather than what you grabbed with greedy hands because you wanted it so badly. 

You smiled, blissful. Fucked out, enjoying the feeling of Bucky’s cock pouding inside you. You needed more.

“Please move, friend. Fuck me, Bucky.” 

You hitched your leg around his hip so you could take him deeper and leaned up until your lips brushed his ear.

“I need it hard.” 

Bucky squeezed his eyes together and bit his lip as the pounding of his cock increased. You both thought he would cum right then.

“‘M not your fucking friend…”

He pulled out and flipped you onto your stomach, pulling your hips up even as he impaled you again. 

“You want me to fuck you hard?” 

“Yes!” you moaned. 

“Knees wider, Starlight. Let’s go.”

Bucky slapped your ass and then grabbed a handful of your thick hair, tugging at just the right amount of pain to go with the pleasure.

The first stroke was slow.

“Fuck, you’re gripping me like a fucking vice. Almost had me cumming a few minutes ago.”

You could tell that Bucky’s teeth were gritted when he spoke. He had to brace against the urge to rut into you like a wild animal, but his pace and intensity increased. 

For long, mind-blowing minutes, he thrust into you, paying attention to your sounds and movements to know that he was hitting that spot inside you. You meet him thrust for thrust as Bucky began to fuck you like his life depended on it.

He made the mistake of looking down at how your ass took the shock waves of his back shots and the evidence of your arousal left on his cock as he pistoned inside you and he cursed.

“Fucckkkkk! You should see the beautiful cream you’re leaving on my cock, Star. So fucking hot.”

The way you moaned set him on the road to orgasm and again and he reached for your clit, rubbing his thumb over it. Almost as soon as he did, you screamed his name and shattered beneath him. Bucky followed you headlong over that cliff and collapsed beside you, dizzy.

He looked over to see you already falling asleep, exhausted. He kissed your temple and went to the bathroom to dispose of the condom, coming back with a washcloth for you.

When he was done cleaning you up, he gathered your boneless body in his arms, pressing kisses to your forehead as you curled into him, your head on his chest and leg thrown over his. 

It was like you didn’t want to let him go.

“I know the feeling, Star,” Bucky whispered as he closed his eyes.

A feeling settling in his chest that he’d almost, but not quite, ever felt before.

[sysig]

Always Webkinzing (Patreon)

[arolesbianism]

Sometimes I just look at Isabeau and just know that if isat came out and I got into it when I was like 16 he would be my favorite character and I would've gone absolutely buck wild over this man and feel like he was laser targeting me. But alas Odile has a grip of steel on me rn due to her virtue of being a middle aged woman

[sunderwight]

Headcanon that Shen Yuan was hotter than Shen Qingqiu, actually.

Like yeah SQQ being a cultivator gave him a boost to enough attributes + being in a stallion novel where everyone is either unrealistic hot or dog's butt ugly got the Shen Qingqiu body extra points, and he wasn't bad looking to begin with. Plus not being ill is vastly more important to the new Shen Qingqiu than those extra hotness points (Without a Cure notwithstanding). But part of the reason why he's kind of like, meh, at least I'm not hideous or anything, is because Shen Yuan's original body was a knock out.

I also like him as chronically ill, and, as many people know, beauty standards and sustained suffering are not as incompatible as they should be. Shen Yuan was conventionally attractive in part because conventional beauty standards seem to want everyone slowly dying all the time. But even setting that aside, the man had flawless bone structure, an appealing figure, captivating eyes, and the kind of voice that stopped people in their tracks.

All of which was a contributing factor to his antisocial lifestyle, actually. Despite the fact that Shen Yuan does enjoy company and requires a certain baseline of social enrichment for his enclosure, his internalized homophobia and closeting did not play well with overtures from interested parties (regardless of gender). The only way to minimize the odds of him being asked out on dates was to essentially become a shut-in, especially since even Shen Yuan can only make so many excuses before he himself starts to notice that he's going to a lot of effort to avoid specifically that avenue of socialization. Far better to just remove himself from any risk of it, and then vocally lament that oh no he's just too much of a nerd to get anywhere with women!

Anyway this largely doesn't matter much outside of sheer comedy potential for any situation where SY gets his old body/life back. Like imagine a reveal scenario where the System is going to transport them back to their old lives.

Shang Qinghua: well bro I guess this is gonna be the ultimate test of love, right?

Shen Yuan: what do you mean?

Shang Qinghua: our husbands are gonna see what we looked like back before we were glorious cultivators! they're going to have to track us down in our mundane, kinda shitty pre-transmigration lives! it's gonna be at least a little embarrassing, right?

Shen Yuan: *gets his old body back*

Shang Qinghua, normal human with average looks: ...

Shen Yuan, exemplary 11/10: ?

Shang Qinghua: what. the fuck?? bro what the fuck why are you hot???

Shen Yuan: don't make it weird

Shang Qinghua: make it weird??? why were you sitting at home reading my shitty novel when you could have been out there building your own harem???

Shen Yuan: stop exaggerating

Shang Qinghua: oh my god you've always been like this. this is it, isn't it? it wasn't even brain damage from the transmigration or something--

Shen Yuan: hey

Shang Qinghua: --you've just always been completely unaware, haven't you? every time I wrote a beautiful woman who didn't know her own appeal you'd be jumping down my throat--

Shen Yuan: because that's a stupid trope--!

Shang Qinghua: --JUMPING DOWN MY THROAT EXACTLY LIKE THAT but this whole time THIS WHOLE TIME it wasn't even a glow-up issue, you've just been that, personified, yourself--

Shen Yuan: look I know I'm not ugly but I'm not I'm hardly that good-looking

Shang Qinghua: YOU ARE NEVER ALLOWED TO CRITICIZE THAT TROPE AGAIN! oh my god. how many broken hearts did you leave behind when you died?!

Shen Yuan: none, I wasn't even seeing anyone--

Shang Qinghua: yeah full offense but I am nottt taking your word for that. I bet you had a harem you didn't know about in this lifetime too. I bet you had a fan club, like an anime prince

Shen Yuan: *mumbling*

Shang Qinghua: what was that?

Shen Yuan: I said... only in high school...

Shang Qinghua: oh my god

Shen Yuan: it wasn't a big deal!

Shang Qinghua: *frantically trying to see if he can find any trace of it on the internet now*

[melodyanqel]

Heart Stealer | w.hj

summary: a little angel visits her father at his workplace.

pairing: husband!father!ha-joon x wife!mother!reader

genre/tags: fluff, established relationship, married couple, the cast of squid game being a family

wc: 1.2k words

a/n: it's been so so so long since i last wrote a one shot and i missed these. so i did one of my beloved hajoon hehe. i'm also planning to do more of my fav k-actors and dramas/shows so stay tuned! enjoy reading my luvs

pt. 2 - fairness

Squid Game is a worldwide phenomenon, and one of the most appealing features is the set designs. You are a passionate set designer. You illustrate your imagination and make it come to life for Squid Game and other popular Korean movies and dramas. 

Aside from your entertainment career, you are a mother and wife to one beautiful baby girl and the magnificent actor, Wi Ha-joon. Your love story with him is like something out of a K-drama.

The couple met during the first season of Squid Game and somehow Ha-joon found interest in a lovely woman who taught him how to draw the masks of the Pink Guards. Then, he asked her if she was available after filming. Like that, a spark ignited between the actor and the set designer. 

Ha-joon saw that you were the one for him, the starlight who showed him the brightest and happiest pathway in life. So, he proposed a hand in marriage. You straightaway agreed to be his wife and unexpectedly become the mother of his children. 

Wi Hwa-young is the cutest and sweetest baby angel. 

She immediately received so much love from Ha-joon’s fans and celebrity friends. She has her mother’s pretty eyes and lips while she has her father’s cute ears and elegant face shape and nose. She might become the next beauty queen in Asia and other places.

Hwa-young is also super talkative or babbles nonsense because she loves people’s attention and they just laugh and smile at her. Of course, like most daughters, she is a daddy’s girl. Hwa-young would get excited whenever you say, “Appa” or Ha-joon’s name. 

A week before continuing to film Squid Game 2, you told her about taking her to work and Ha-joon will be there. Hwa-young happily bounced in her height chair and squealed. You couldn’t resist squishing her mochi-like cheeks and hugging her tiny body because she was too adorable. It warms your heart that she loves Ha-joon so much. He once doubted himself about not being the perfect father and it’s common for most upcoming dads to get nervous, but for him it’s different. 

Ha-joon is an actor with so much fame and will likely be out and less at home. Like the best wife that you are, you assured him that he wouldn’t be the worst father in the world because he truly cares about you and Hwa-young. Ha-joon cried when you comforted him. It also made you love him more whenever he expressed his vulnerability. 

Now in the present time, the family will continue to grow happy and healthy. 

“Wow! You look like a princess!” 

Hwa-young is sitting on the bed as you dress her up. It’s spring so you have her dressed in a pink floral dress with short sleeves, frilly socks, and strapped shoes. You even added a bow clip with a glittery heart in the middle on her ebony hair. “Are you excited to see appa?” You asked and earned a joyful giggle. You etched a smile. “He is excited too. How about Jung-jae samchon, Byung-hun samchon, and everyone else?” You say the names of the famous actors and Hwa-young continues to giggle out loud. 

Once finishing her outfit, you take your child, purse, and baby bag, ready to leave the apartment. It’s very spacious with a gorgeous view of the city and perfect for a family of three. You enter your car to buckle up Hwa-young in her seat. She is seven months old and is close to the stage where she can walk. She has been crawling and it amazes her parents how fast she moves. Maybe one day she’ll become athletic like Ha-joon. 

You shut the driver’s door and start up the vehicle. “Ready baby?” You reached your hand behind your seat to touch Hwa-young’s small hand. She shakes yours as a response. You chuckle, “Okay. Let’s go!” You begin exiting the parking lot and making your way to the studio. It’ll be another long filming day, but Hwa-young will brighten the mood as you work. 

The thirty-minute drive was smooth, considering it was the weekend and usually gets hectic. You arrived at the place and parked the car. “We’re here, baby.” You tell your daughter, who babbles so cutely. You then gathered yourself to help Hwa-young out of her seat and take your belongings. A mother is always carrying a lot of stuff so it’s typical. 

You have your ID badge around your neck for access management and a sense of identity. All of your colleagues wear them because working in the film industry is like working in an ordinary job but with celebrities. People must know your name to communicate and cooperate with you. And it’s to show you are working for the production team. 

As soon as you walk in, the staff members greet you and Hwa-young, more like going frantic when they see her. She does the same by flailing her arms with a big smile. 

After saying hello to the staff members, you go to your office. While going through the hallways in a big studio, you see the cast members are together in a room, rehearsing their lines. 

Ha-nuel is the first person to see you and Hwa-young. “Y/N! Princess! Hello!” A large smile plays on his handsome face. In unison, the men and women are ecstatic to see you both. 

Jung-jae reaches out his arms. “Come to samchon!” He beams at the sight of the baby. You handed Hwa-young to the star of the show. She instantly got comfortable in his arms. “You’re much bigger now,” Jung-jae said, kissing her forehead. Byung-hun is next to him and he gently pokes Hwa-young's soft chubby cheek. “You look so pretty today. Are you a real angel?” He asked and his index finger got held by Hwa-young’s little hands. 

You and the actors and actresses laughed merrily at the precious interaction. One by one, they all take turns holding Hwa-young because she is their mood booster and is clearly enjoying it. Your baby should be called, ”Little Miss Popular.” 

Si-wan was the last person to hold her and she squished his cheeks, hard. “Hwa-young-ah! Samchon loves you too!” He cried out through the pain yet allowed her to do whatever she wanted. Yu-ri takes out her phone to snap a picture. “Aww so cute!” She gushed at the moment and everyone did the same thing—taking videos and pictures of Si-wan getting attacked by Hwa-young.

Ae-sim says, “For such a tiny being she is strong.” The oldest of the cast is amazed by Hwa-young’s growth. You nodded, “Ha-joon’s child through and through.” You and the people can see the resemblance. 

Then, the man of the hour walks into the room. He is wearing all black, fluffy dark hair down, and the slight stubble on his upper lip is showing. Ha-joon’s appearance looks mysterious and cold but he quickly smiles when he spots the love of his life and princess. 

“Wow, this room is cheery.” Ha-joon comments on the upbeat atmosphere. You tell him, “Well your daughter has the effect.” You watch Hwa-young pulling on Si-wan’s hair. 

Ha-joon snickered and helped his friend out. “You little mischief. Are you stealing people’s hearts?” He gingerly takes his daughter into his arms and nuzzles his nose against her nose. She squeals at the ticklish touch.

Seo-hwan speaks out of the blue, “Just like her father.” His comment has the cast and you laughing, jovially. Ha-joon blushed and Hwa-young looked clueless. Dong-uk cleared his throat from laughing too much. “She will become a heart stealer when she grows older.” He stated, which has the father chuckling nervously. 

“I hope not,” Ha-joon replied in a playful yet stern voice. You sighed and rolled your eyes because you expected him to be overprotective. 

[woso-dreamzzz]

Leaving VI

Alexia Putellas x Teen!Reader

Summary: Your schedules don't match

You love Alexia.

You were only little when your father died. You didn't quite understand it.

Your father was a football fan, a big Barcelona supporter so all of his daughters got taken to games with him.

Alba was never that into sports, even just watching them.

Alexia was definitely sporty. You think she was what your father really wanted. She plays football and she adores it.

Your father was already sick by the time you were born. He was already struggling but he still took you to matches. It didn't click with you like it did with Alexia but he could still some athletic speck in you.

He took you to a tennis match instead. He'd never had much interest in tennis but he seemed to know what would appeal to you. You were tiny and Mama had been worried that you wouldn't be able to sit through a match.

But you did.

You sat through a whole match and fell in love then and there.

You were still little though and your father was still sick but he took you to as many lessons as he could.

He was a football fan but he could learn tennis for you.

He never could in the end, not when he died so suddenly.

But then Alexia took over. She didn't understand tennis and she still doesn't understand but she took you to every lesson and went to every match.

You just wish she understood the difference in your schedules.

She was getting ready for another round of Euro qualifiers even though Spain had already qualified. You were at Wimbledon, trading shots with Iga on the practice courts.

"Have you called your sister yet?" She asks, sitting down next to you as you guzzle down your water.

You roll your eyes. "In a minute."

"Do it now."

"What are you? One of my sisters?"

You're teasing her.

Iga is the world number one, by a lot of points. You sit just outside of the top ten. It's a little annoying, your own inconsistency. You can pull it out of the bag during big matches like Grand Slams but you suffer a bit in some of the less grand tournaments.

You're officially the youngest player this tour so you know you're getting babied by some of the other players, Iga especially.

You hadn't thought she had even known who you were until your coach told you she was the one who pushed him to take you on.

She thought you were on your way to being one of the greats.

She also thought you would make a great doubles partner one day.

It was different moving to Poland, away from your Mama and your sisters but Iga made it easy.

She was easy-going and you practically lived at her place so, yeah, you guess she took the more sisterly role in your life with Alexia and Alba at home in Spain.

"Go and call your sister," Iga laughs, spraying you with her bottle until you shriek and run off," And grab me a protein bar or something!"

You roll your eyes but head off, pulling out your phone to video call your sister.

It rings for barely a second.

"Hi Jenni," You say," Can you give Alexia back her phone? I need to talk to her."

"You don't want to talk to me, mini Putellas? I'm offended!"

"If I wanted to talk to you, I'd have called you!"

Jenni laughs before Alexia appears on screen, snatching the phone away from her ex.

"How are you?" Alexia asks, cramming her face onto the screen.

"I'm good!" You laugh," You look good too. Covered in sweat."

"You can talk," Alexia teases back," Have you just had a workout?"

"Practice pitch with Iga," You say," We've got matches coming up."

Alexia frowns. "What do you mean?"

"We've got matches in the next few days. It's Wimbledon, remember?"

Alexia shakes her head. "No. That was last year."

"It happens every year, Ale," You remind her," Me and Iga are competing and then it's a quick turnaround for the Olympics."

Alexia's frowning. "No, because I've got a match on the twelfth. You're flying out with Mama and Alba."

"The Wimbledon final is on the thirteenth. I need to stay."

"What?"

"Iga's out and I've got a real chance. I could really do it."

"But...What about my match?"

"What about mine?" You counter with a sigh," Ale, our schedules just don't match this time. I'm sorry."

"But..."

It's clear to the other girls in the room that Alexia's getting a bit distressed as her mouth opens and closes as she tries to formulate a response.

"But..."

"Listen, I've got to go. I'll talk to you later."

"Hey, wait-"

You put the phone down and Alexia just stares down at it, frozen as she looks at your profile picture.

"What's up with the long face?" Jenni pokes her in the cheek. "You're more frowny than usual."

"Nothing. I just...My sister can't come to the game."

"Well, duh, Alexia. She's got Wimbledon to win. She can't just fly out to us."

"I know but..." She blows out all her air. "Never mind. I'm just...I'm gonna go."

When you were little, Alexia tried to go to as many of your matches as she could manage. Sometimes she would come straight from her own games, still in full kit to catch your last ten minutes or so.

It was difficult but it worked.

You've gone professional now and branched out, travelling the world to take part in tournaments and games so you can work your way up and become the world number one.

She shouldn't be upset about you missing her match and her missing yours because that's just how sports work. So many went on at the same time that it was impossible to make every match but, still, a deep pit forms in Alexia's stomach as she thinks about missing your final.

Across the world, you prepare.

You practice on the courts with Iga and your coach. You eat well. You sleep well. You watch Alexia's match on the tv and wish you could be there but Alexia's no longer the only athlete in the family.

She had her career and you have yours.

Paolini is who you face in the final and she keeps you on your toes the entire time. She hits hard and fast and you go one set down immediately.

You pull it back though, managing to equalise the next set and then it's all to play for.

You take a few gasping breaths as you guzzle down your water, leaning back in your seat.

You look up at your box, where your family is watching.

Mama is there, of course, and so is Alba. Alba looks incredibly bored. You know she only comes to the tennis because of you and you're glad she's trying to be supportive but she truly looks like she's about to fall asleep in her seat.

Mama looks much more engaged. She'd told you once that she preferred the pace of tennis to football. There was less risk of injuries in tennis, no one around to slide tackle you or crash into you.

The most harm your opponent could do was smash a ball into your face and that rarely happened. Sure, you could slip and fall but it's not like footballers didn't do that too.

Out of the two sports her daughters played, Mama always found herself calmer at the tennis.

Mama waves at you and nudges Alba in the ribs so she can look up from her phone to wave too.

Your brows draw together in confusion.

There's an empty seat between them and you can't understand why.

So, you just kind of stare as you puzzle out who could be sitting there.

It's not until she comes back, with two beers and a hotdog that you realise who is filling that seat.

She looks exhausted. You can tell even through those stupid big sunglasses and the even stupider hat she's wearing.

She must have gone straight from her match to the airport to get here in time and crashed in Mama and Alba's room to keep it all a secret.

So, Alexia sits in her seat and you grab your racket.

You've got a set to win.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

i cant really tell if yuu's involvement in ace's character is more for fanservice reasons or because they really did play a part in his character development.

like in nbc we have malleus choosing to focus on finishing the task at hand as quickly as possible so that they can then find the prefect rather than drop everything there at that moment and prioritizing finding yuu. (iirc) and compared to that we have ace who does put a lot of emphasis on finding yuu especially when no one seems to remember it during the halloween event it feels very traditionally fanservice-y ? and i cant really tell where the line is drawn for ace anymore. and you did mention a lot of other points in another post that you made esp with ace's dream recently dropping and the fact that hes the only guy whos dream yuu was actively involved in idk its a little confusing for me i hope im making sense TT no shade to the shippers im just a little slow in comprehending it all bvbvsjdj

your posts are always really neutral and accurate it just helps to clear up a lot of my confusions and questions i have when playing so thank you for your hard work!

[Referencing this post; you might also find this related post useful in the discussion of Ace and Yuu's relationship!]

DISCLAIMER: I do not mean to invalidate or detract from Ace x Yuu or Malleus x Yuu shippers or anyone who may interpret their relationship as romantic. You should ship what you like and have fun doing it. My reply aims to be more objective, but that should NOT impede on your enjoyment or whatever it is you choose to ship.

iufipaerasfeao Thank you for the feedback! I'm glad you find my posts helpful. I try my best to be objective when it comes to analyzing the story and characters, but there's no true way for someone to be completely neutral. There are definitely times when I have an aside to insert my two cents on a situation or I get super heated about a particular topic. Hopefully I still leave enough space for everyone to come to their own conclusions.

I think it's both fanservice and because Yuu actually plays a big part in Ace's character development? Like, it's technically fanservice but it does not feel egregious because it fits Ace’s teasing nature and Ace's bond with Yuu has been established from the start. He was the first student we met at NRC and we spend so much time with him since then; there's no way Yuu wouldn't have had an impact on him, especially when book 7 is now paralleling the two as people with insecurities about being weak/unable to do anything + not contributing enough and Yuu encouraging him when he finally gets his UM.

I commonly see people joking about Malleus having "missed the meeting about Twst not being a dating sim" and holding him up as "the main love interest". (And to be clear, Twst isn't a dating sim, nor do all Twst fans see the characters romantically; I am only speaking about this in a romantic lens in the context of this post.) However, I think there's a very strong case to be made for Ace as well. The thing is, I also feel that Malleus and Ace fundamentally appeal to two different groups of yumejoshi. Malleus is the tall, dark, and mysterious type you can "fix", the type of guy that would burn the world down for you. Ace is the teasing and approachable boy-next-door that has your back and supports you even when the entire world is against you. This is also evident in the ways they're set up in the main story; Malleus is introduced in a way that encourages much more "filling in of the gaps" due to how little he actually shows up in front of Yuu in the main story. It gives the player a lot of space to imagine what their relationship with him is like because there isn't a ton of interactions in canon to go off of. Meanwhile, Ace has many more canonized interactions with Yuu (eating lunch, doing homework, watching movies, playing video games, etc.), so the effort of thinking about what they actually do over the course of their relationship is already done for you. There is an established friendship and connection with Ace, but you barely see Malleus enough to truly have a strong impact on him or to change him. Does that make sense?

IADUPADF9A9FSBdb I do find it sort of funny that Malleus is basically like, "Oh, something unexpected happened (ie Yuu is missing). We'd better solve this." Not really showing much emotion about them being gone in Nightmare. (Malleus only gets annoyed when Leona begins to take charge; he is not mad at the fact that Yuu is gone.) Meanwhile Yuu is missing in Endless Halloween Night and Ace is the FIRST person to excuse himself to check Ramshackle for them.

If you consult the fandom and the fandom alone, you'd think the situation would be reversed. Edit: Malleus does have his moments of intimacy with Yuu (which I won’t be getting into here because then I fear this post would veer into shipping wars), but the English speaking Twst fandom has a VERY strong bias for Malleus x Yuu. Because of that, there is a tendency to misinterpret or misattribute every little thing that Malleus says and does to support the idea that "Yuu is his most important person". (For example, even though Malleus provides no reaction at all when Skully kisses the back of Yuu's hand, many Malleus fans claimed that he would be very jealous or would harm Skully for doing such a thing. In another Halloween event, Glorious Masquerade, people believed he was angry at Rollo for harming Yuu even though this was not the case; the event states that he was mad because the invitation he had been extended was a fake one.)

It is because of thinking like this that a lot of English speakers genuinely believed Malleus would OB in book 7 in a desperate attempt to prevent Yuu from returning to their original world. Misinterpretations, headcanons, misattributions, and personal projections were conflated with canon, leading to many people to believe that Malleus was closer with Yuu than they actually are. Instead, Malleus ended up OBing because he feared Lilia leaving and he barely even considers Yuu after he OBs. And, ironically, Ace is the character whose dream prominently features Yuu and a scenario in which Yuu doesn't have to leave them forever. It was always Ace that we had a strong relationship with, not Malleus.

Ace is often overlooked even though he has far more canon interactions with Yuu in the main story. I think this could maybe to chalked up to a combination of him being "boring" compared to the literal DARK FAE OP CROWN PRINCE M. Draconia over there and the fact that so many of those "gaps" are already filled by the main story. There's less room for imagination because the game has already defined what Ace and Yuu's relationship entails. Malleus is just so much more appealing when it comes to intrigue and mysteriousness. When you look at it objectively though... Yuu only meets Malleus face-to-face like 5-6 times for brief conversations. (Edit: I’m not counting voice lines because those are arguably directed at the player, not Yuu, to endear the character to you and/or all characters get similar voice line fanservice. The canonicity is questionable since the same familiarity in voice lines is not carried over to the main story.) 5-6 times… That's not nearly long enough to make a huge impact or change in his life (unless you as the player extrapolate and imagine more Malleus and Yuu interactions outside of the ones we see in the main story). At best, I think you could say Malleus is glad he can have a special little friend who doesn't know of his name and status? He doesn't really change because of that relationship though. Malleus doesn't even show up until book 2. But Ace has literally been there since the beginning, canonically spends tons of his free time with Yuu, and has been through several near-life experiences with them (several OBs). He has the chance to bond with Yuu. Malleus does not. (He has given Yuu advice once, sent them a card once, and reassembled a stage for them once; all other interactions in the main story are short talks.)

It makes a lot of sense that Ace would be the one "touched" by Yuu's influence, whether you see it as romantic or platonic. Both he and Malleus (and all the other characters, really) get their moments of fanservice--but very few characters' development is directly impacted by Yuu's presence. Yuu might be there for most of the main story, but they actually get only a few moments to engage with the other boys in the cast to the point of actually changing them. It feels like the changes that occur are more often the result of the other boys (Trey standing up to Riddle and holding his hand afterwards, Epel and Deuce bonding on the beach, the twins telling Azul he's lame but also being the first to check up on him following the OB, Idia finalizing his farewells with Ortho, etc.) Ace just so happens to be an exception to that, as Yuu very clearly plays a big role in his development.

[welcome-to-green-hills]

Sonic Shadow Revolution 2024

Hi Everyone! Here's everything that's happened during the Sonic Shadow Revolution event today:

Tyson and Jeff believe that the third movie will be the most beloved of the franchise. They feel that the movie has the strongest storytelling compared to the other two films and the Knuckles spin-off

The script and the storyboard (along with some animatics) for Sonic 3 were made at the same time in order to fiddle with the story/jokes along the way.

Between all of the voice actors used for the film, they felt that Sonic's VA was the most important to cast. Sonic needed to be energetic, kid-like, and emotional at the same time. Jeff also stressed that the voice actor needed to match with the pace of the animators to make him life-like for the audience. Ben Schwartz was the idea choice for Sonic when the movie was still licensed under SONY (Ben was the placeholder voice for Sonic when the film was pitched to SONY and Paramount). By the time that the movie was under Paramount's license, Jeff called Ben to voice "Sonic" for the film.

Tyson was called into Paramount the day after the first trailer for Sonic (2020) was released online. The redesign happened after the entire movie was shot, so it wasn't hard to redo Sonic's model. The eyes and eyelids were tinkered with first, then remodeling the body. The separate eyes were the ideal choice to match with the real-world setting and real-world anatomy compared to the mono-eye seen in the games.

Both Tyson and Jeff are thankful that these movies are successful because it also helps produce an interest in the games. With newer games, it produced new lore opportunities. With new lore opportunities, it gives the movies a chance to tell the game version on the screen.

Jeff Fowler adores the ability to combine his love of video games and movies into one. "Sonic" was a franchise that he grew up playing as a kid and inspired his chance to go to art and film school.

Tyson's favorite bit of media that he's done for SEGA was making the Christmas episode of Sonic Mania that featured Amy Rose and Metal Sonic. He feels that there should be a bit more of a highlight of who she is as a character, as well as an exploration of who she is exactly. The short is how he portrays her.

The biggest challenge for making good progress in animating the Sonic movies was thoroughly studying and analysis on Sonic-based anatomy from the game models. Even though the movie designs are different from the games, the goal was to make sure that the anatomy was appealing to the eye, paid homage to the game counterpart, and learn property symmetry to the models. He thinks that the designs used for Sonic 3 are the ideal models to use for further instalments.

Jeff Fowler is thrilled to have Keanu Reeves voice Shadow in the movie-verse. He said that Keanu formed an emotional attachment to Shadow and conducted extensive research on the character. Keanu recorded multiple takes of Shadow and hopes that fans love the interpretation.

Both Tyson Hesse and Jeff Fowler state that they cannot answer questions about Sonic 3 until after the film is released.

[sparrowlucero]

i enjoy ur bird abode thoughts! I was a genuine enjoyer of the show when it was airing, I’m no die hard fan though and love to see ppls personal takes on the overall story/plot. Im curious if you also would agree or have any thoughts on the impacts The Mouse’s cancellation had on the shows ability to be more than it was? srry im not super eloquent with my words, but basically ur response to that ask got me wondering if part of the reason the show like genuinely wasnt all that ground breaking or unique in the end plot wise (other than the villain faces consequences in the end ig) as far as YA/Teen animation goes, was because of The Mouse’s inability to let the writers flesh out the show before gutting it? i have a negative bias toward The Mouse franchise and obviously dont know anything about how writing a show under the eyes of a franchise that big would work, its just smth that rattles around in my head and wanna know what u think!

Well to an extent, but I think it's much more the effect the studio had on how the owl house started out as rather than it not getting a full season at the end - It didn't escape my noticed that the show was initially announced as being a "horror comedy" when it doesn't really seem like either, especially by the second season, and yeah, the original pitch bible is obviously aiming for that much more than the show proper is as it goes along (and is honestly seems quite a bit more funny, weird, and dark, with an overarching plotline about a giant bug being used to religiously suppress people, eda able to cure her curse by killing luz, and one of the major characters being a teen boy awoken from a sleeping curse who ends up being a weird little bigot because he's from the 13th century, among other things)

(side note, i just noticed they actually specifically describe the thing i assumed the show was gonna be about here. huh.) but ultimately the bulk of the show that was actually made seems very influenced by a writing team that was genuinely interested in making a tropey YA fantasy story rather than just being mandated to. I mean even in what aired you can see the show sort of settle in ways that feel less like studio interference and more like, you know, art students creating their ideal fantasy show, like how King is clearly Eda's roommate who's funny because he looks like and sounds like a little dog despite being an adult man at the beginning but by the end they've made him her adopted sad backstory son who's explicitly a child. While I think a third season would have made the show as it existed better, because they clearly didn't get to finish the plot they wanted to (frankly to the point where some major aspects of the show are a bit confusing, I'm still not sure what a grimwalker is), I don't really fault the show for that but also don't think that hypothetical season (which pretty clearly would have been mostly about the magic school teens going to normal school) would suddenly flip around into something that I personally found interesting and subversive. Nor should it, really; again, it being Queernorm Harry Potter thing is clearly the intended appeal of the show, it's not really a flaw but just not a genre I'm personally interested in when compared to what I initially expected the show to be.

HOWEVER I will say they robbed little weird girls of their representation and that can't be forgiven

[crazyyluvr]

Dealing With the Problem = Breaking the Problem’s Nose

pairing: remus lupin x slytherin!reader

summary: You punched another student because he was annoying. Not because you were defending Remus Lupin. Totally not.

genre: crushing, fluff?, kind of enemies to lovers but not really (reader hates Remus but Remus likes reader), sunshine x grumpy trope?

wc: 2.1k

content: reader can throw a punch, gn!reader, there’s a fight, a lot of cursing, remus gets insulted, remus is a simp fr, reader is very... salty? idk how to describe them.

note: woah, two posts in one day? so rare. I wrote this without any particular idea in mind, but I want to show my appreciation for Remus, because we love Remus <3

oneshot under the cut :: not proofread

Remus Lupin was interesting.

He was not like his other friends; he was quiet, more reserved than them. The Marauders were the heartthrobs of Hogwarts, and Remus Lupin had his own group of “fans” that found his certain allure appealing.

You hated him.

The times when you would had the unfortunate requirement to talk to him, he was infuriating. He would send that damned smirk of his your way even when you were obviously about to blow a fuse. He would use those annoyingly smooth pickup lines on you when you were literally insulting him. He compliments you and uses pet names on you that makes other people do a double take on you from how he treated you like you two were dating.

He may have been the quieter one among his friends (besides Peter of course), but he could act as embarrassingly as Potter and Black do.

You were going to kill him someday. If he doesn’t kill you first with his smooth words and soft gaze.

As much as you hate him, your body betrays you. All the time.

Your cheeks flush when he compliments you. Your knees go weak when he calls you dove. Your brain lags when he uses one of his pickup lines that you never seem to predict.

The reactions were out of your control. I mean, if anyone else treated you the way Lupin treated you, you’d probably act the same.

Right?

Wrong, because you hate everyone besides your friends in Slytherin, no matter how kind they act towards you. Lupin just happened to take a page out of your house’s mascot and slither through your walls to become an exception.

Wrong, because you never would have punched someone purely out of instinct after a particularly horrible insult.

You were disappointed in yourself. You were doing well in restraining your anger during the past few years in Hogwarts, so why did you have to snap now out of all times?

No matter how annoyed you were at yourself, it couldn’t overpower the satisfaction you got from finally shutting Avery up.

So, how did it happen?

Let’s rewind.

—————

You were taking a stroll in the grass with Barty, who was always willing to accompany you on your spontaneous walks. The two of you were just talking about people you particularly hated in Hogwarts until you came across the two that placed particularly high on both your lists: Avery and Snape.

Being in the same house as the two vermin didn’t make you or Barty dislike them any less, especially you. You were one of the precious few halfbloods in Slytherin, and they never failed to insult you about it.

You didn’t care about blood statuses, though. But that didn’t matter do them.

They targeted you constantly, picking on you, tripping you in the hallway, spilling drinks on your back, and other petty things.

You always bit back with your words. You knew that if you tried to deal with it physically, you might be expelled from the school for violence.

Thank goodness Pandora, Barty, and Regulus ere always there to restrain you. Especially Barty. He was your closest friend, and although he wanted to beat them up himself, he didn’t want you getting in trouble.

Today seemed to be an exception.

“Oh, speaking of,” you cut Barty off, your gaze souring as you caught sight of the two you were just ranting about.

Barty followed your gaze, his lip curling in disgust. They were crowded over someone, but the tree beside them obscured your view of the victim. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, laughing wickedly and pushing the person.

“Are we going?” Barty knew you well. He knew you were going to do something about it. He just hoped that you were going to use your words instead of your fists, because he hasn't finished his strategy on how to hide bodies in school just yet.

“Unfortunately,” you sighed, picking up your pace, Barty a few feet behind you to give you space. You may hate everyone in school, but not enough to leave them in the clutches of people like Snape and Avery.

“What kind of fucked up entertainment did you two idiots decide to do today?” You called, making the two turn your way.

“Ah, just the person we were talking about,” Avery sneered. “What do you want now? You here to check up on your boyfriend?”

You furrowed your brows in confusion. You stepped to the side a little and groaned internally when you saw who Snape and Avery’s target was today: Remus Lupin.

His face was contorted in anger, his clenched fists peeking out from his slightly oversized sweater. Whatever Snape and Avery were teasing him about must have really struck a nerve in him.

“Leave them out of this,” he warned.

“What’re you going to do about it, huh?” Snape taunted him, approaching you. “C’mon loverboy. Not so strong now that your bodyguards aren’t here, ain’t that right?”

“Why don’t you boys take a break from being dickheads, yeah?” You said, testing out the chance of a diplomatic ending. “Go find some other place to dump your bullshit on, preferably the greenhouses. They could use the fertilizer.”

Avery made a beeline towards you, partially shoving Snape out of his way to grab your collar and pull you toward him. He was practically steaming.

Diplomacy was out the window, I suppose.

Barty a step towards you, as did Remus, but Snape stopped the lanky boy and you put your hand up to make Barty pause. You could handle yourself.

“You wanna say that again, bitch?” Avery seethed.

You had to restrain yourself from puking in his face after you felt drops of his saliva hit your cheeks, but you stood your ground. “I said you’re full of shit. Did some of it get in your ears or something?”

Avery looked like he wanted to hit you, but instead he leaned in your ear. You cringed at the lack of distance, but it quickly morphed into something else as he whispered, “You wouldn’t be barking as much if you let your ugly ass boytoy do the talking for you. He’s the one better with words, eh? Bet he uses them so you would want to fuck him. Tell me, is his dick as deformed as his face is?”

Avery never got his response as you reeled your fist back and let it fly, making direct contact with his nose with a satisfying crack.

—————

“I don’t believe it,” Madame Pomfrey tsked in disappointment, dabbing a paste on the bruise around your eye. You had to suppress a wince, since the rest of your body was too sore. “You should know better than to start a brawl in the courtyard.”

“They had it coming,” you muttered, making the nurse dab with a little more force than necessary. “Ouch.”

"You could have sustained worse injuries than this, stupid child!" She scolded, like a mother reprimanding a disobedient child. And like a disappointed child, you stayed silent and hung your head in slight guilt.

Only slight guilt because you still firmly believed that the two idiots had it coming to them.

You heard a moan of pain, and you could have sworn that you saw Madame Pomfrey roll her eyes. "You don't have that much severe injuries, so I'll check up on you in a while after I treat Mr. Snape and Mr. Avery."

You nodded. Before leaving, the nurse turned to Remus Lupin, who was icing a bruise on his cheek on the cot beside yours. "Watch over them, and after a few minutes, apply ice to their bruises," she instructed, and the Gryffindor nodded.

"Treasure, how're you doing?" Barty called from his cot across from you. He had sprained his ankle from kicking Snape hard in the nuts, and although he winced in pain occasionally when he moved, his grin told you that he didn't regret what he did.

"I'm okay B," you replied, grimacing slightly as one of the pulled muscles on your back acted up.

Remus noticed your flinch, and approached you worriedly. He was better off than you and Barty, the bruise on his face the only thing that he obtained from the fight. "Are you sure?" He asked, concerned. You didn't like how soft his eyes were as he gazed at you, or how your chest squeezed slightly at his worry.

"I'm fine, Lupin," you quipped, although your voice lacked its usual venom.

Remus hummed, unconvinced. He turned to the bedside and grabbed the ice that Madame Pomfrey left for you and held it out for you to grab.

You scoffed. "I said I'm fine. No need to baby me."

Remus rolled his eyes slightly. "And I don't believe you. Besides, the nurse said to ice your bruise after a few minutes. A few minutes has already passed, and frankly, she can do more damage to me than you can in this state."

You grumbled, turning your head. Your pride made you stubborn, as it did to many, but thank goodness Remus Lupin has had training in dealing with prideful companions.

He closed in on you, holding your face by the chin and tilting it towards him. You tried to fight back, but his grip was firm, so you simply sighed and resigned your fate. You could only hope that the observant boy didn't notice the warmth on your cheeks.

He gently placed the ice on your eye.

"Sorry," He murmured when you hissed at the sudden cold.

You purposefully averted your gaze from him, eyes fixated on the wheels of another cot.

That didn't stop you from spotting Remus's fixated stare on you from your periphery.

"Stop looking at me like that, Lupin," You spat, still refusing to make direct eye contact with him. "What do you want?"

"Why did you punch Avery?" He asked, finally making your eyes snap up to him. "He said something that provoked you. What did he say?"

You scoffed. "The usual bullshit that comes out of his mouth."

"I heard that."

"Fuck off," you called to the curtained cot where Avery currently resided. Madame Pomfrey hushed you disapprovingly form behind the curtains.

"I don't think that's true," Remus said, eyes narrowed as he studied you like a problem he couldn't solve, an enigma he wanted to understand.

You looked at him in silence for a moment, before heaving a sigh and looking away again. "He insulted you," you mumbled, words faint and hard to decipher, but Remus got the general meaning.

Well, judging from his grin, he got the general meaning.

"What did you say?" He asked. You looked at him, offended. Remus Lupin was teasing you.

"Clean your ears next time, Lupin," you shot a glare at him, but it didn't have as much heat behind it as you would have wanted.

"Nope, don't try to escape from this," he chuckled, using his hand on your chin to make your visible eye make contact with his brown ones again. "What did you say, dove?"

You groaned. You absolutely loved hated the effect this boy had on you.

"He insulted you, Lupin," You snapped, cheeks blazing at this point. "Happy?"

Remus's playful expression melted into one of disbelief. "You punched him because... he insulted me?"

"Salazar, you really are deaf," you rolled your eyes. "That's what I said, isn't it?"

Remus seemed to still not be able to wrap his head around the idea. You, the person he's been pining over the past few months, defended him. And got hurt because of it.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice sincere.

Your brows furrowed in confusion. "What are you apologizing for? I started that fight with my own free will, and they deserved every cut and bruise they received."

"Amen," Barty replied. He was obviously eavesdropping on your conversation, and you couldn't say that you were surprised.

"But still." His lips tilted downwards along with his gaze. Salazar give me strength, he's pouting. "You were dragged into it when they were picking on me. I could have —"

"Yes, there are many things that you could have done, but you can't reverse time to do them now, Lupin," You said severely. "I don't need you apologizing for things I don't regret doing."

Remus looked up at you hopefully. "You don't regret defending me?"

You blinked, realizing the implications your words gave off. You played it off with a huff. "Whatever."

"You didn't deny it," Remus teased, a small smile on his face. He still felt guilty that you were hurt because you were defending him, but you didn't regret it. That had to count for something.

"Whatever, Lupin."

"Call me Remus."

"No."

"Please."

"Absolutely not."

"Dove?"

"... Fine, Remus."

"Heh, I knew you liked me."

"What — I never said I did!"

"But you never said you didn't."

"I —"

A retching noise was heard. "Ugh, your lovey-doveyness is making me sick."

"Shut up, Barty!"

[fandoms-x-reader]

Hobbies

Requested By: @olivia-willo-w

Headcannons

Summary: The brothers' reactions to an MC who has the same hobbies as Levi, Satan, and Belphie (i.e., they like to play games, watch anime, read manga and regular books, and they like to nap). The Seven Demon Brothers x Reader Word Count: 2,733

Lucifer was a big fan of you reading books, especially if they were books about the Devildom.

He thought that reading was an excellent way to supplement your studies and he believed it would help you do well in RAD.

So he didn’t have any objections to that hobby of yours. In fact, he even encouraged it and invited you to read in his personal study where he had rare books. 

He was less of a fan of your other hobbies though.

It’s not that Lucifer was completely against manga or anime, it’s just he didn’t understand the affinity for always wanting to read or watch it.

And he understood the appeal of playing video games, just not spending so much time doing so.

And of all your hobbies, he was the least understanding of you napping.

Lucifer was someone who believed that the hours in a day should be used to their fullest and napping just simply did not qualify.

But, as the two of you started to grow closer, Lucifer found himself starting to become more and more interested in the things you liked to do, just because he knew they made you happy.

After weeks of begging Lucifer to watch an anime with you, he finally caved and agreed.

Of course, he locked you in his bedroom and made sure that none of his brothers would find out about it.

And although he made you swear to keep it a secret, he genuinely enjoyed the story the anime portrayed and when you told him the manga had even more content, he went out to buy it for the both of you.

After that night, Lucifer was more willing to watch different animes with you and read different manga, because he loved the smile that it brought to your face when he did so.

He asked you to spend your time reading in his study instead of the library and whenever you fell asleep in his big chair after reading, he covered you with a blanket and gently stroked your cheek with his gloved hand before returning to work.

Even though you were asleep, he found comfort in you being there with him. 

Mammon’s hobbies didn’t really align with yours. First of all, he almost always had energy, so he didn’t like taking naps a lot unlike you.

Also, he didn’t have time to read books or watch anime - not when he could be making money!

But, when he realized that it was the only way he was going to get a chance to hang out with you, Mammon decided to bite the bullet and give it a chance - for you.

You chose the most action-packed anime you could think of and Mammon was totally invested after the first episode. He had to admit that he didn’t give anime the respect it deserved.

He swore off reading manga, but you found a few different ones hidden in his room while the two of you were hanging out.

Playing games was something that Mammon genuinely enjoyed doing with you, but he tended to get very competitive and he would be a bit pouty when you inevitably destroy him in the games. 

Mammon still wasn’t one for taking naps, but he couldn’t hide the blush on his cheeks when you would fall asleep next to him, your head resting on his shoulder or in his lap.

He would try and make sure that he was always nearby when you were starting to feel sleepy and he would always offer himself up as a pillow for you to use.

He just loved watching how peaceful you looked when you were sleeping and how your eyebrows would gently twitch whenever you were having an intense dream.

And, he couldn’t imagine his brothers getting the chance to see you so vulnerable. That would be completely unacceptable.

When it came to reading books, Mammon didn’t take as much of an interest in that hobby.

But, if he was having a particularly rough day and just wanted to be around his human, he would lay his head in your lap and ask you to read to him.

It didn’t matter what book you were reading, he just wanted to hear your voice. It always made him feel better.

Levi was a bit skeptical when you first told him that you liked to play games, read manga, and watch anime.

He had never met someone who was into all of those things the same way he was, so he thought that you were for sure playing a trick on him or trying to make fun of him in some way.

In fact, he went as far as shutting down and not talking to you for a couple of days, trying to figure out exactly what you were up to.

It wasn’t until he caught you playing one of his favorite videogames in your bedroom that he started talking to you again.

And during that conversation, you managed to prove yourself as an otaku with your extensive knowledge of manga and anime.

Levi was completely surprised at how passionately you talked about it, it was like listening to himself talk.

He both hated and loved how excited he was to have another person in his life who had the same hobbies as he did.

And he both hated and loved the nervous feeling he got around you when he found out that information. Not to mention the new feeling of wanting to spend time with you.

It was all brand new things that he was feeling and wasn’t sure how to process these emotions properly.

He invited you over to his room to hang out and the two of you stayed up all night, talking about your favorite manga, watching your favorite anime, and playing video games.

You ended up going to sleep pretty late. You wanted to stay up even longer to hang out with Levi, but you also loved your sleep, and your eyelids had grown too heavy to keep them open any longer.

When you passed out, Levi took a moment to notice how adorable you looked. Then, after blushing profusely at his own thought, he began to panic about his brothers finding you in his room - asleep.

He didn’t even want to imagine what his brothers would say or what conclusions they would jump to.

He immediately tried to wake you up, but it was like you went into a coma. No matter what he did, you just continued to sleep peacefully.

Moments later, just as Levi feared, his brothers came in to check on their little brother only to find their favorite human asleep.

Levi suffered through an endless amount of humiliation and swore to himself that he couldn’t let you fall asleep there ever again.

But, that wasn’t going to stop him from inviting you over to hang out again. 

Satan was completely enamored with you since the moment he found out you were an avid reader.

There were so many books that he wanted to share with you and you had your own list of books you wanted to share with him.

The two of you spent a lot of time in the library. You were reading silently next to each other, yet it felt so comfortable.

Satan never really paid much attention to manga when Levi was talking about it, but when you were talking about it, it seemed so much more interesting.

You showed Satan some of your favorite manga and it expanded his world of reading so much more.

He had a whole new library of unexplored stories and it excited him beyond imagination.

And when you told him that a lot of the manga had an animated series based on it, he begged you to watch it with him.

He loved playing detective while watching anime with you. He would analyze all of the scenes and try and point out any similarities or differences between the manga and the anime.

Satan also didn’t typically play video games, but when you explained to him that there were tons of games that had a story to them, he was once again intrigued.

How had he never heard of these games? He had - Levi had told him about them many times, Satan just wasn’t paying attention.

You played any story game that Satan wanted to play with him and you tried to hold back your laughter at his reactions.

He was blown away by the emotions that a video game could draw out - how they could make you love one character and make you despise another even though they were all fictitious.

He never thought a video game could do the same thing a novel could do, but you proved him completely wrong.

There had been a couple of times when the two of you were hanging out that you had fallen asleep on Satan.

He didn’t mind at all because he knew that you enjoyed taking naps.

If the two of you were in the library, he would adjust you so that you were lying comfortably on his lap, and then he would pull a blanket over you.

He continued to read his book with one hand and gently ran his fingers through your hair with his other hand.

He’ll occasionally look down at you and make sure that you weren’t having a nightmare and when it didn’t look like you were, he would continue to read.

He wouldn’t move until you woke up on your own, wanting you to have a good rest.

Asmo is another one whose hobbies were very different from yours. 

Where he liked to go out a lot and do things, you preferred to stay in.

It wasn’t that you minded going out with Asmo, it’s just playing some games or reading was more up your alley.

Asmo had an entire list of things that he wanted to do with you in the Devildom, but he respected your hobbies and what you liked to do with your time.

So, he tried not to pressure you into going out with him, no matter how much he wanted to go.

And, if there was ever a night where you told him you would rather stay in, then he’ll be right there with you.

He’ll find any way he can to combine your hobbies so that you can both enjoy your time together. 

If you’re watching anime, he’ll paint your nails with a design related to whatever anime you’re watching. 

If you’re playing games, he’ll gently do your hair as he watches you, praising you whenever you do good and encouraging you whenever you lose.

And whenever he’s doing one of his longer skincare routines, he’ll ask you to read to him.

It didn’t matter if you chose to read manga or something else, he’ll listen to you and pay attention to every word you say.

And when you fall asleep around him, Asmo will let out a small squeal of excitement and then do everything he can to make you as comfortable as possible.

He’ll also take hundreds of pictures of your adorable sleeping face and resist the urge to post them all over his social media without asking you.

He just wants the world to see how cute you are.

All in all, even though Asmo doesn’t really have the same hobbies as you, he’ll do everything he can to make sure the two of you still get to spend plenty of time together.

He never wants to sacrifice his time with you or have either one of you not enjoy your time together.

So, no matter what you want to do, he’ll find a creative way to make things work! 

Beel didn’t typically care about one's hobbies, as long as they weren’t something bad or dangerous.

Of course, he cared about what you liked to do and he loved the way they would make you happy, he just didn’t make a big deal out of them.

Because it didn’t matter what you wanted to do - he would do it with you if it made you happy.

Beel especially didn’t mind your hobbies because he could always do what he liked while you did what you liked.

If you were watching an anime, it would be the perfect excuse for a snack.

If you were reading a book or manga to him, it would be the perfect excuse for a snack.

And, if you were playing video games, it would be the perfect excuse for a snack!

Long story short, as long as Beel could have some sort of snack while doing what you liked with you, then he was happy.

There were times when Beel wanted to go out and do other things, like workouts, but he always invited you to go along with him.

He would always argue that you could continue to read while he lifted you like his own personal weight - then you would both be happy.

Beel will even have you read to him sometimes. The stories were a good distraction from his burning muscles.

He also loved sitting close to you and playing video games with you, constantly almost losing so he could take a bite of his food.

His favorite though is when the two of you watch anime together. He’ll pull you close, loving the feeling of you cuddled up against him, while the two of you watch.

And if you fall asleep, then that’s completely fine! He’s had tons of practice thanks to his twin brother.

He’ll make sure you’re as comfortable as can be and if he gets hungry while you're napping, he’ll carry you to the kitchen and grab a snack with one hand, while holding you tight with the other, making sure to not wake you up.

Like Beel, Belphie is pretty laid back when it comes to your hobbies.

Belphie’s hobby is just lounging around, so he’s completely fine with your hobbies keeping you inside most of the time. 

Belphie will never pass up on the opportunity to spend time with you. 

So, no matter what you’re doing, you can count on him being next to you, even if he is asleep.

He’ll try and stay awake while the two of you are watching anime together. But, your bed is so comfortable, and your light is usually off to contribute to the cinematic atmosphere. 

And having you next to him is the cherry on top that usually puts him to sleep despite his best efforts.

He’ll try and read your favorite books or manga with you, but it eventually leads to you reading them out loud.

And that just reminds him of bedtime stories, so they inevitably end up with him falling asleep on your lap, your fingers resting in his hair as you continue to read to yourself.

The closest Belphie has come to staying awake the whole night with you is when the two of you were playing video games.

It was a very intense game full of action and twists that grasped Belphie’s attention completely.

He knew how badly you wanted to finish the game, so he did everything he could to try and stay awake.

But sooner rather than later, his sin caught up to him and it wasn’t until his character died that you looked over and saw him sitting up, completely passed out, the controller still in his hands.

You tried your best not to laugh as you carefully removed the controller and set it down elsewhere.

You helped Belphie get comfortable in the bed and then laid down next to him, thankful for the attempt he made to stay awake just for you.

When it came to napping, obviously you and Belphie got along very well.

But, this was his hobby, which meant if you were going to do it, you had to do it the right way.

And the right way meant that it was you and him lying in bed together in the attic where the two of you couldn’t be disturbed instead of in your bedroom.

There would be a ridiculous amount of the most comfortable pillows and blankets around you to ensure maximum comfort.

And, of course, there had to be a sufficient amount of cuddling.

How else were the two of you supposed to enjoy his favorite hobby if cuddling wasn’t involved?

[saintsenara]

Thoughts on Ron and Hermione as a ship?

thank you very much for the ask, @thesilverstarling!

well, i'll state my position straight away... book ron and hermione are the best of the canon couples and they'll have a long and extremely happy marriage made rich by great and stalwart love, lust, fun, and faithfulness, rather than held together by duty and couples' therapy like so many readers and authors tend to think.

and i'll state another position straight away, lest i seem like i'm just a fan with blinkers on... i think this even though book!hermione is - by far - the member of the trio [and indeed one of the main characters of the series] i'm least interested in. i like fanon!hermione - perfect and preternaturally good - even less.

but - even though i do think it's ridiculous that jkr has said that she thought ron needed to "become worthy" of hermione [hence his flop era with lavender in half-blood prince] - i don't think that he's the superior one in the partnership either. ron and hermione belong together as equals - which is what they’re set up in the narrative as being from the off - and i hate seeing that undermined.

and i especially hate seeing it undermined by ron's icon status being overlooked. hermione's talents and skills are pretty thoroughly discussed - i'm not denying she gets unfairly bashed by parts of the fandom, but it's nowhere near the same level - but he doesn't get the same treatment...

there are multiple reasons for this: ron's narrative purpose is to be the everyman sidekick, and so he's required by the text to be less special than harry or hermione [the helper-figure]; the amount of aristocracy wank in this fandom means that the weasleys' ordinariness is less appealing to writers than making harry have twenty different lordships and call himself hadrian; the way he's written in the films is literal dogshit; the narrative interrogates ron's flaws - especially his capacity for jealousy - much more intensively than it interrogates either hermione's [cruel, inflexible, meddling] or harry's [reckless, self-absorbed, judgemental]. but one i feel is perhaps more significant than is often appreciated is that ron is such a british character - who draws on so many little culturally-specific quirks - that many of his traits aren't always understood as they're intended to be by international readers.

in particular - as is outlined in this excellent meta by @whinlatter - ron's sense of humour isn't indicative of immaturity or a lack of seriousness. it's the narrative's evidence of him being the most emotionally aware of the trio.

ron is shown throughout the series to understand how both harry and hermione need to have their emotions approached - and i think there's no piece of fanfic which says this better than crocodile heart by @floreatcastellumposts:

That was what she liked most about Ron, she thought vaguely. He was very good at being suitably outraged on your behalf. For Harry, for her, for Neville. That sort of thing mattered, when you were hurt or embarrassed or wronged in some way. You needed to have someone else on your side, to be as emotional as you felt, maybe even more so, so that you might feel a bit more normal. It was very decent of him, and she was not sure he realised he did it.

ron's inherent emotional awareness is an enormous source of comfort to other people. he does the work which isn't flashy or special - he makes tea and tells jokes and is just there - but which is needed in healthy human relationships far more frequently than a willingness to fight to the death for the other person.

[as an aside, this normality - even though i think it's assumed rather than demonstrated by the text - is also what ginny provides for harry. and so i do find the little corner of the fandom which thinks that hinny are a good couple but romione aren't… unusual.]

but let's look at some specific reasons why ron and hermione belong together:

their communication styles mesh perfectly. ron is the only person hermione knows who feeds her love of being challenged and debated, and who is able to engage in this way of communicating without becoming irate when she refuses to back down. ron's good at picking his battles, but he's also good at recognising that hermione's tendency to argue isn't intended to be confrontational a lot of the time - it's just the way she works through feelings and problems. he's far more easy-going about her tendency to nag, interrupt, try to provoke arguments, or speak condescendingly than he's given credit for - and hermione evidently respects this, since when he does tell her not to push a situation [like when she's trying to needle harry into talking about sirius], she listens to him.

that ron and hermione's tendency to bicker is taken by fans to be a bad thing is because it's something harry - from whose perspective the narrative is written - doesn't understand. harry is extremely conflict-avoidant - he tends to take being pushed on his views and opinions to be insulting, and he has a tendency to assume that he's right which is just as profound as hermione's. he and ginny communicate not by debating, but by ginny having no time for his rigidity and refusing to indulge it - but ron and hermione bickering about everything isn't a negative thing within their specific emotional dynamic.

[as another aside, this glaring chasm in communication styles is why the canonical harry and hermione would be a disaster as a couple.]

they each provide validation the other needs. it's clear - reading between the lines - that hermione is a tremendously lonely person. the friendlessness of her initial few weeks at hogwarts seems to be a continuation of her experience as a child, and - outside of ron and harry - that friendlessness endures through her schooldays. i'm always struck by the fact that, when she falls out with ron in prisoner of azkaban, she has no-one else except hagrid to spend time with, and that this is only avoided in half-blood prince because harry decides not to freeze her out. i don't think her friendship with ginny is anywhere near as close as fanon seems to imply, nor do i think that she's anywhere near as close to neville (not least because she is so condescending to him] as she's often written to be.

and this loneliness seems to stretch beyond hogwarts. the absence of hermione's parents from the narrative is - in a doylist sense - clearly just a device to maximise time with the trio all together, but the watsonian reading is that she doesn't have a particularly good relationship with them. hermione's obviously upper-middle-class background - the name! the skiing! the holidays in the south of france! - can be presumed, i think, to come with a series of expectations from her parents which she constantly feels she's not entirely meeting, particularly expectations attached to academic success.

[her parents - were she a muggle child - would undoubtedly have ambitions for her to attend an elite university and then go into a prestigious career. tertiary education of the type they're familiar with doesn't seem to exist in the wizarding world and this, alongside all the other divides between the magical and muggle worlds which contribute to the distance between them, would be one very obvious area in which she felt the need to prove the value of her true self to them.]

ron, too, has quite a difficult relationship with his position in the family - voldemort's locket is obviously lying about a lot of things, but it isn't wrong to point out that he seems to receive considerably less of his mother's emotional attention than some of his siblings - and he too is constrained by expectations which he doesn't know how to explain he has no interest in - especially molly's desire for her sons to achieve top grades and go into the ministry.

he also suffers while at hogwarts from being "harry potter's best friend". harry never properly appreciates this, but hermione does - she recognises ron's jealousy and never allows harry to minimise it [and she and ron are very much aligned on having no respect for harry's saviour and martyr complexes]; she appreciates ron's strengths [above all his kindness and his sense of humour] and makes him feel as though he's achieved things with them. and ron does the same for her - he's hugely observant when it comes to her, and he constantly challenges and defends her.

[him agreeing with snape that she's a know-it-all in the film version of prisoner of azkaban is a crime.]

the two of them clearly spend a lot of time together one-on-one while harry's involved in his various shenanigans [including outside of school - hermione has often arrived at the burrow days or even weeks before harry, and they seem to write to each other frequently when apart]. they do this within a relationship which is fundamentally equal. one issue with hinny is that, post-war, harry is going to have to get used to seeing ginny as a peer, rather than as someone he has to protect. but ron and hermione never have that issue - equality is baked into their relationship from the off.

because, to be quite frank, fandom overstates the role that jealousy plays in their relationship. ron certainly doesn't acquit himself well when it comes to hermione's relationship with viktor krum [it's because he's bi and doesn't know it yet, i fear...], and a tendency to externalise his insecurity into trying to make others also feel insecure is one of his primary negative traits. [hermione does this too, via her patented lofty voice when she's trying to condescend to people.]

but this is often taken as the initial red flag for how the relationship would crash and burn, and ron's toxic jealousy is often exaggerated into the trigger for him being emotionally and physically violent towards hermione.

[which, frequently, seems to drive her into the arms of either draco malfoy or severus snape… who are, of course, the first people we think of when we hear the words "not prone to jealousy"...]

but i think it's important to point out a couple of things here.

firstly, hermione evidently regards ron's jealousy as silly - she's upset by it, yes, but she's upset because she wanted him to ask her out. she doesn't think he's being possessive, she thinks he's being stupid.

secondly, hermione is equally as pettily jealous over ron's crush on fleur delacour and relationship with lavender brown, and she behaves just as cruelly when it comes to lavender as ron does when it comes to krum - the narrative just treats her actions as more sympathetic, both because harry dislikes lavender too, and because, by that point in the series, jkr has become less willing to criticise her.

but we do need to bear in mind that, outside of this teenage pettiness, ron is never jealous of hermione over things which matter. he's never jealous of her intelligence or competence or ambition or success [indeed, he defends her constantly from attacks designed to undermine her in these areas]. for someone who struggles with being overshadowed by harry, he is never upset at being overshadowed by her, and he's clearly going to be happy to support her in any of the career ambitions she can be written as having post-war.

and, on this point, I do think it's worth interrogating why so many readers still seem to feel uncomfortable with the idea of ron and hermione having a dynamic where she's the more "powerful" one - it's always a bit trite to say "but what if the genders were reversed?", but actually that's not irrelevant here... if hermione ends up taking the ministry by storm and ron becomes a stay-at-home dad or has a job which is just to pay the bills, what, precisely, is wrong with that? why, precisely, should hermione regard ron making that choice for himself as a negative thing? hermione so often seems to leave ron in fanfiction because of a lack of ambition, but in canon she's shown to not particularly care if ron and harry do the bare minimum when it comes to studying etc. she nags them to do their work so they can pass their exams and they don't get in trouble. she doesn't nag them to do it to the same standard or with the same diligence that she would.

and, actually, i think that ron being less ambitious than hermione is something which is key to how well they work. because ron provides not only emotional support, but emotional clarity.

hermione is shown throughout canon to - just as harry does - have a tendency to become obsessive to the detriment of her own health. she's also often - as harry is - emotionally or intellectually inflexible, and she finds it hard to move on when what she feels or believes is right is proven to be wrong. both she and harry are micro-thinkers, who lean towards knee-jerk assumptions and stubborn convictions.

more positively, hermione has a tendency towards total, unshakeable loyalty. this is one of her really underappreciated traits, and actually contributes a lot more to her role in the series than her intellect, but it also comes with the negative that she can have a slightly hagrid-ish leaning towards blind trust, especially in authority figures, which is always interesting to think about.

but ron is a big-picture thinker [it's why he's so good at chess] and a pragmatist. he's the least obsessive. he's the one least likely to act on gut instinct [and, therefore, the hardest to fool - i think it's worth emphasising that he clocks that tom riddle's diary is tricking harry immediately, whereas harry feels an immediate kinship with riddle because he's an orphan and hermione trusts him because he was head boy]. he's the least righteous of the three, and the one who demonstrates that faith and loyalty are more often choices rather than innate powers, and that sometimes these choices will lead to outcomes which are bad or hard.

and these traits contribute to aspects of his character which are underappreciated. ron worries about hermione making herself ill during exams, or when she's using the time-turner, and makes an effort to get her to set healthy boundaries and redirect her anxiety. ron stands on a broken leg in front of sirius and goes into the forest to fight aragog not out of inherent righteousness, but out of choice. ron takes over the burden of preparing buckbeak's defence when it's clear hermione is approaching burnout, as a way of atoning for his role in causing her distress which actually has a tangible impact on her wellbeing. ron is completely right that harry hasn't done any long-term planning for the horcrux hunt, and his anger does force harry to tighten up after he leaves the trio. ron has a clear head in the middle of battle. ron makes harry and hermione laugh. ron is unafraid of human emotion. ron arrests harry's tendency to brood over the little things by looking at the bigger picture. ron will always come back.

ron is bringing his politician wife regular cups of tea and making sure she doesn't work all night. he's helping his lawyer wife to feel less upset over losing one case by reminding her that she's won ten others. he's noticing stress creeping in and whirling her off for a dirty weekend or a takeaway on the sofa. he's teaching his daughter to be proud of her ambition and his son to treat women as equals and both of his children that wanting to be the most famous person in the world isn't really all it's cracked up to be and that all you can do when you fuck up is apologise and try to do better. he's making hermione smile on the worst days of her life and helping her strategise her long-term goals when she gets stuck on the short-term ones and telling her straight when she needs to get it together. he's seeing a misogynistic head of department call hermione a "silly little girl" and - exactly as he did aged fourteen when a teacher called her an "insufferable know-it-all" - choosing to tell him exactly what he thinks of that.

ron is the ultimate wife guy with the ultimate wife. he's a very lucky man, and hermione is a very lucky lady.

[criticalcrusherbot]

We've got a lot we could say about this, but we decided to address how these folks LOVE to come after the fans.

Shallow Criticism of the Fandom:

The statement about “cognitive dissonance” in Stolitz shippers is often used as a dismissive way of accusing fans of hypocrisy. However, this argument oversimplifies the complexities of fan engagement, especially in shows that feature morally ambiguous characters like Stolas. To assume that fans who support the Stolitz ship automatically ignore the character’s flaws is reductive. Fandoms are, at their core, about interpretation and engagement with narrative themes and character development. It’s not about denying the flaws of a character, but rather appreciating the story of their struggle, growth, and redemption.

In the case of Stolas, the character is depicted as deeply flawed. He has made mistakes—cheating on Stella, neglecting Octavia emotionally, and living in a world of privilege that he largely takes for granted. However, the show doesn’t hide these flaws, and many fans are drawn to Stolas precisely because of his imperfections. He’s not presented as a flawless hero or a straightforward villain. Instead, his arc is a slow exploration of self-awareness, accountability, and the search for meaning beyond superficial desires. Fans don’t “ignore” these flaws; they embrace them as part of his journey, understanding that flawed characters can still be lovable and worthy of growth.

Moreover, Helluva Boss is not about offering idealized or flawless characters—it’s about showcasing a variety of personalities and exploring the tension between people’s desires, their actions, and their consequences. Fans who enjoy the Stolitz ship often see it not as a glorification of privilege or toxic behavior, but as part of a broader narrative about flawed individuals working through their complicated feelings. For many, the emotional complexity and messiness of Stolas’s character make him more relatable, not less.

The assumption that fans of the ship must be overlooking the political context of Stolas's wealth also misses the mark. Yes, Stolas is an aristocratic figure in a world where wealth and power are deeply ingrained into the structure of society, but fans of Stolitz are generally more interested in the emotional dynamics between the characters than the surface-level politics of Stolas’s wealth. Helluva Boss is, after all, a show that combines humor, dark themes, and emotional storytelling. While the political context of wealth is present, it’s not always the primary focus of the narrative for viewers engaging with the relationships and character development.

Fandom Engagement and Narrative vs. Political Ideology

The argument that “eat the rich” shippers supporting Stolas is hypocritical also fails to recognize that fandoms rarely engage with shows through a purely political lens. Fans often connect with characters based on emotional resonance, personality, and their growth arcs, rather than idealizing them as representations of political ideologies. In shows like Helluva Boss, which blends humor, horror, and emotional drama, characters like Stolas are appealing because of their multi-faceted nature—they’re not just symbols of wealth, but characters who are dealing with internal conflicts and external struggles.

This approach is fairly common in fandoms. For example, many people who enjoy characters like Walter White in Breaking Bad aren’t doing so because they endorse his choices but because they’re captivated by his transformation and the moral questions his character raises. Similarly, Stolas’s flaws and his journey resonate with fans who appreciate how the show highlights the complexity of power, privilege, and personal growth. Stolas’s arc is an exploration of his own mistakes and his attempt at redemption, which makes his character relatable and emotionally compelling—even if, on the surface, he comes from a position of wealth.

Furthermore, it’s essential to recognize that many fans of Helluva Boss are aware of the complexities of privilege and wealth in the context of the show’s world. They’re not supporting Stolas because they condone his position in the societal hierarchy, but because they’re invested in his emotional journey. Fandoms often separate character analysis from political ideologies, enjoying the stories for their emotional resonance rather than fitting them into a rigid political box. To assume that a fan of Stolitz supports wealth or classism because they like the ship overlooks this nuanced engagement with the story.

The Appeal of Stolas’s Privilege Journey

One of the main appeals for “eat the rich” fans is watching Stolas slowly come to terms with his own privilege, but without the show forcing him into a preachy “woke” narrative. Stolas is not going to suddenly read a bunch of books on imp oppression overnight—he may get there eventually, but for now, he’s grappling with his privilege in a real and messy way. It’s not about him being lectured by another character, but about him experiencing firsthand how his position in society has shielded him from the struggles that others face.

This dynamic is engaging because it presents an opportunity for organic growth and learning, rather than a sermon about morality. Fans who appreciate Stolas’s arc aren’t looking for a perfect, all-knowing character—they’re looking for a character who is, in his own flawed way, trying to come to terms with his actions and the consequences of his privilege. It’s a relatable struggle, one that feels grounded and human, despite the fantastical setting. Watching Stolas go through this process without being immediately “woke” or sanctimonious is what makes his character interesting. It’s not about perfect morality—it’s about growth, learning, and grappling with uncomfortable truths.

Fandoms and the Appeal of Complex Characters

At the end of the day, the appeal of a character like Stolas in the Stolitz ship isn’t rooted in a rejection of social justice issues or an endorsement of wealth but in the complexity of his character and the way he evolves throughout the series. The fandom’s support for Stolas and his relationships is about understanding that people—both fictional and real—are multifaceted, and that redemption, emotional connection, and personal growth are possible even for deeply flawed individuals. By focusing on the emotional stakes of the character dynamics rather than superficial political concerns, fans are able to engage with the show on a deeper level, appreciating the storytelling and the characters for their emotional depth, not their ideological purity.

In short, the idea that Stolitz shippers are hypocritical or blind to the show's deeper themes is an oversimplified view of fandom culture. Fans can be critical of characters, recognize their flaws, and still appreciate them for the emotional complexity they bring to the story. And, like many fandoms, the support for a ship or character is often about the connection to the narrative and the characters’ development, not an endorsement of every action or belief they hold. This is a core aspect of how fans engage with shows and characters that are morally complex.

[bloggingboutburgers]

It's even worst in media for women. Now I just learn to enjoy the story until, inevitably, the love interest appear because how can the story be interesting without romance?

There's a manga, the apothecary diaries, that I love for the mystery in it. When the anime was released all people cared about is the male character.

All the posts was about thirsting on him and shipping him with the heroine. And I know. She will fall for him. Because if a guy like the heroine in a manga, then she have to fall too. Because else everyone will hate her and what's the point of a story without romance again?

But it piss me off to then read performative post about platonic relationship or how to value female characters.

Even in fandom for women, it's all about romance and guys. Nobody really care about the heroine, she's just there to fall in love with the fan favorite.

See Shojo mangas fans try to make us heard and I totally support it. But I never see this much enthusiasm for the non romantic shojo there is or even non romantic shojo with a female mc.

I'm at a point where everyone is hypocritical in my eyes.

BRUH NO LEGIT I HAVE THE SAME TAKE ON THE APOTHECARY DIARIES

I followed the anime myself and the MC always seemed so hilariously uninterested in what looked to me like a creepy guy who wouldn't leave her alone, the energy she displayed as a reaction to him was hilarious... And after seeing comments on the anime online I realized people didn't find the guy's behavior creepy at all, they found it charming, and I found myself in a big "are people for real...?" state of confusion. Idk I guess there's a loooot I don't get.

But yeah... Seriously. I don't get it. Got nothing to add to this other than "yep I definitely don't get it either". Power to people who find appeal in this tbh, they probably get to enjoy life a lot more than we do, but... Yeah I don't get it.

[babyleostuff]

[ 💿 ] . . . TAPE 6

모두 함께 노래 부르자 / 힘찬 노랫소리 슬픔 가려지도록 / 괜찮을 거야 시계의 바늘처럼 / 다시 돌고 돌아 제자리로 오겠지

☁️ "circles" by seventeen

being loved by jeon wonwoo means having someone who will look at you as if you hung stars in the sky. he is rather shy and introverted, he doesn’t like grand and loud gestures when he wants to convey his love, he doesn’t see the appeal in buying expensive gifts for every date. that being said - they way he looks at you is something no words could ever describe. not only do his eyes hold the unconditional and utter love he has for you, but you can see how fucking proud he is of you, how you keep on fighting, even on your bad days. appreciation for how smart and beautiful you are. gratitude for appearing in his life. his eyes hold a palette of emotions, and you’d have to be blind not to notice how much you mean to wonwoo. the whole room could be filled with thousands of people, and he'd still be looking at you, as if his only thoughts were where are they where are they where are they.

being loved by jeon wonwoo means inner peace. maybe it's just his aura, maybe it's the fact that he is a (rather) calm person, but when you are around him you just feel peace. the paralysing pounding of your heart, the nagging thoughts that more often than not make you want to cry, the helplessness that you sometimes feel when coming home - all of that does not exist when wonwoo is next to you. maybe it's because you know that he will always be next to you when you fall to help you get up and keep going, maybe it's because you simply feel safe with him. but with him you just feel at peace. beautiful, blissful peace.

being loved by jeon wonwoo means that from now on you have a fan nr. 1. honestly, it’s kind of alarming how obsessed he is with you - others could try to argue that they know you better than he does, but no one can beat wonwoo, nah. oh, so you think you know them better than me? okay, cool, sure - and then he proceeds to take out a notebook with at least a hundred pages written down, explaining why you are the most talented, smart, brilliant and beautiful person in the world like it’s the most normal thing ever. moreover, no matter what your interests are, wonwoo always wants to be a part of them. he truly loves indulging in your hobbies, for him the greatest gift the universe could give him is watching you do something you love - how you radiate with happiness - that’s something wonwoo could watch for ages. he's the biggest loser when it comes to you, there's nothing he wouldn't do for you - he'd happily twirl if you asked him to.

being loved by jeon wonwoo feels like the smell of a new book, like the air after rain, like a hug when you’re too tired to say anything, like a single tear falling down your cheek, like a soft smile and gentle eyes, like a quiet promise of forever.

“we loved with a love that was more than love.” - edgar allan poe, annabel lee

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