#are they now one of my main OTPs? also yes.

[flightyfiona]

So I was a bit busy for most of 2024 (long story, not relevant) but towards the end of the year, I felt like I had a bit of time and @dangermousie was posting such gorgeous gifs of Fangs of Fortune, that I was lured back to CDramas. Since then, I have watched Fangs of Fortune, Dashing Youth, Blood of Youth, Under the Skin, Blossom; parts of I Am Nobody, Back to the Brink, and My Journey to You; and I’m currently watching The Blossoming Love and Moonlight Mystique. 

I may need to update my favourite CDramas of all time list, because Fangs of Fortune and Blossom were both amazing and I loved them to bits. 

Fangs of Fortune is the most gorgeous TV show I have ever watched. I cried so much and I’m still not over how much I loved the characters, the music, and how carefully everything but the plot was constructed.

Blossom is the exact type of time travel story that I love the most in a guilty pleasure sort of way. I also adored the mutual respect between the main male and female characters. It was pretty. It was fun. I was very satisfied with how the story played out. 

Under the Skin is one of the few modern CDramas I’ve watched. I enjoyed it, though I very much see Shen Yi’s artistic abilities as a kind of magic more than anything scientific or realistic. I don’t care very much about the cases or if they’re predictable or not. It was just fun for me to watch Shen Yi frustrate and amaze his more typical detective partner with his magic art, insight into the minds of suspects and victims, and total disregard for his own safety.

Dashing Youth and Blood of Youth were also fun but not in a way that truly delighted me like FoF and Blossom. Hou Minghao is very handsome, and I’m a bit of a sucker for ride-or-die friendships, but I didn’t love the characters or plots and I feel like Dashing Youth had some production issues that made it look a bit cheap sometimes. 

Speaking of productions that look a bit cheap–Back to the Brink is one that I started in 2023 and then abandoned in the middle. Hou Minghao is still very pretty in it, but the show was not well made. Maybe it’s the way the different shots and takes and camera angles were edited combined with very cheap-looking costumes and props, but I find it hard to watch. Maybe partially the plot/script, too. I don’t blame the actors, I think they did pretty well, but I may never finish watching the show.

I’m sure anyone still reading this has a good idea of why I picked up I Am Nobody and what parts of it I prioritized watching. I rarely watch modern CDramas, even with fantasy elements, but I’m willing to make a few exceptions. Wang Ye might actually be the Hou Minghao look I find most attractive and his fight with Zhuge Qing was well worth watching. 

My Journey to You is very pretty–the aesthetics are pretty similar to FoF–but I’ve never been able to really get into it. I started it back in 2023 and gave up after a few episodes. The whispery dialogue combined with the tense, back-stabbing sort of atmosphere make the viewing experience uncomfortable for me. I want to like it, because it is pretty and I like a lot of the actors in it, but it hasn't really clicked with me yet.

I’m still surprised I started The Blossoming Love. I am not at all attracted to the main actor, in fact I find something actively off-putting about his face, but the OTP of the show is just too powerful. I’ve watched the first 8 episodes and I really enjoy their dynamic as flirty, forward FL and flustered, noble ML.

Moonlight Mystique is the current show really gnawing on my attention to everything else in life. Bai Lu is still as beautiful as ever (probably the prettiest actress, in my book), though her character is a bit annoyingly arrogant. Ao Ruiping somehow is evoking Cuteness Aggression in me even as he prowls around in his flowing demon peacock robes and occasionally chokes his future love interest. The aesthetics of everything else are… not my favourite, but I’m willing to roll with it for now. At least the camera and editing work is not as jarring as Back from the Brink.

[leatherbookmark]

i got curious and checked how my old babygirls (enstars lads) are doing and. well since the game got its English version and the wiki doesn't have any translations online, i don't know how they're doing, but I looked at their cards and they're so cute. miss them lots (but not enough to play again, Oh No)

[paracosmicessence]

i've contemplated sending u an ask here for like 2 days regarding ur sonadow art and oufhgh i have to say it is so,, so gentle like the intimacy and softness of it all/pos i hardly see artists that explore the intimate cuddly drawings without the sexual coding so finding your art is so nice?? like refreshing nice as an aroace person bc in my perfect world, many little guys are just cat coded and it's so so cool to me to have found ur art out in the wild also for the mpreg stuff youre literally one of the most normal ppl i've seen draw/bring it up lol, i'm aware so many ppl like to meme on it or make it a fetish which tbh is pretty transphobic, so i'm just really glad you steered it away from that direction and displayed it as something normal and gentle given the context of the au/lh

first off thank you this is such a nice message and i love that people also feel the vibes of soft and intimate from my sonadow art that’s my only ever goal whenever i drew them 😭😭

second off FELLOW AROACE PERSON ACQUIRED 🫵‼️like omg you get it i love thinking about ships in a cat coding way if that makes sense but especially sonadow bc they’re animals so i just love thinking about them as little guys i can put in my pocket just like my cat

like idk if this is an aroace thing bc i don’t hear it described in a way that i relate to exactly so this might just be me but basically: i’ve always loved romance and ships in fiction but as i got older i slowly realized that i don’t think i can feel it for myself. which kinda made me sad at first because the idea of having a partner always seemed so nice, that was the main reason i didn’t think i was aroace at first because i thought i had always wanted to be in a relationship. i did some research and looked into different identities on the aroace spectrum, and thought that cupioromantic was probably the most accurate to what i was feeling, but later didn’t feel like it applied to me because i think the “enjoys the idea of being in a relationship” doesn’t fit right? ig?? idk how to describe it other than i like the idea of relationships, but it took me awhile to realize that i didn’t really want to apply myself in one if that makes sense.

most likely there’s a thing or word out there that already exists to describe that and i just haven’t been looking up the right terms, but basically this is just a very very long way of saying that i feel like whenever i get into a ship it sorta..…attaches?? to my very identity or something?? like i know people can be like “this is my OTP i love them forever and think about them literally all the time” and it’s like YES that’s me but also feels like an understatement, like all of my past hyperfixations on ships are literally ingrained into my soul even i’m not that into them anymore. and i know people compare hyperfixations to relationships and tbh that’s probably the most accurate description but again, that feels like an understatement.

okay honestly idk where i’m going with this i think what i’m TRYING to say is that i feel like because i can’t feel romance for myself my appreciation for ships feels so much more…emphasized, and sonadow is like the longest consistent hyperfixation i’ve ever had on a ship and at that point usually when something has been a “hyperfixation” for 2+ plus years i put it on the special interest display case in my brain except that display case has only ever had like hobbies and fandoms themselves, never an actual fictional relationship that i’m obsessed with but here we are. it might be the development of brain has synched up with this specific hyperfixation but sonadow is the first ship that makes me feel genuinely happy to this degree. it doesn’t make me sad to think about them and also go “aw i’m sad because i’ve never felt that way about another person and probably won’t experience that ever” in the exact same way you would go “aw i’m going to be dead someday” when you think about the fact that you’re alive right now and conscious and exist and have a mini existential crisis of the week. like sonadow doesn’t do that to me, i really just love those stupid fucking gay hedgehogs so much they’ve actually changed the entire layout of my brain and all the neurons and shit they’re everything to me.

ANYWAY JESUS CHRIST sorry for the ramble uhhhh lemme know if you or any other aroace people know what the fuck i was trying to say there hope you’re doing well and also happy new year!!!

[trippingontheescalator]

Which Classic Novel Should You Read Based on Your Fave Snape Pairing

Snily - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (1847). Let's see, a low class and abused, brooding Byronic leading man? Check. Madly in love with a woman who ends up marrying a snobbish rich man who looks down on our hero? Check. Obsessed with her even decades after her death? Check, check, and check. Oh, and let's not forget that the child the woman has with her husband shares her eyes. Hm, suspicious.

Snames - Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded by Samuel Richardson (1740). So, as a fellow snames fan, let's be honest with ourselves: all of our fics can be boiled down to "I can change him." We want James to be despicable, inhuman, and cruel to Severus, and then we want James to realize how disgusting he is and grovel at Severus's feet, because we are all basic bitches. So basic that one of the earliest novels in the English language is basically this. Pamela originated this trope.

Snirius - Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith (1957). Snirius fans are unafraid of dark, toxic relationships and unhappy endings, and, well, here's a book for you! Deep Water is about as toxic as you can get. It's about a man who murders his wife's lovers.

Snucius - Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (1913). Alright, alright, so this isn't a novel, this is a play, but fans of this pairing definitely seem to be into the whole sugar daddy/"I can turn this feral street child into an elegant gentleman" kind of vibe, and this is what this play is all about. Audrey Hepburn is fantastic in the film adaptation My Fair Lady (1964).

Snupin - Bear by Marian Engle (1976). You Canadians are probably like, "What the fuck? Is my OTP a joke to you?" The answer is yes, but that's beside the point. Hear me out. The main character is an archivist who is very bad at relationships and kind of shuns society in general. Like our Snape. She ends up in the Canadian wilderness on an assignment going through a dead person's belongings. Also, this dead person kept a pet bear that our heroine now has to take care of. Our heroine begins to yearn for something wild, our pet bear is a literal bear, but also incredibly pathetic and docile just like Lupin. Anyway, the two fuck. Literally, she fucks a bear. THIS BOOK WON THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD. THAT'S LIKE CANADA'S PULITZER I THINK. None of you werewolf-fuckers should act shocked and dismayed by this. We all know how you really think Sirius's prank should have gone (in which instead of James rescuing Snape, Moony makes sweet sweet love to him).

Sorry, guys, no Snarry or Snamione. I don't really read those pairings so I can't give an accurate recommendation. But if you've got thoughts, add to this!

[totallyjustabunchofhocuspocus]

I know "fuck canon" is always an option and generally the more sensible thing to do, but with last night's episode I had two smidgens of HOPE and now with Tim's apparent new interview I just want to crawl back into my cave again 🫥

Hi nonnie!

TLDR (cause I'm having THOUGHTS): I don't think anything is off the table, if I had to bet money I'd lay somewhat decent odds that Buck and Tommy get back together, and I don't think either side of the ship war has anything in particular that indicates victory.

I'll preface this by saying yes, 'fuck canon'is usually the more sensible option. 'Fuck canon' is where no one ever dies, people do not make stupid decisions, and couples never break up.

And I'll also preface this by saying that Buck is my favorite character (honestly one of my favorite characters of all time, not just this show) and my ultimate OTP is Buck/Happiness in this show, however he gets it and whoever gives it to him. I am quite happy being a multishipper and I started out in fandom spaces back in the mid-nineties, where the etiquette and relationship to the content were vastly, vastly different than today and that really colors the lense I view fandom through. In the ship war, I'm mostly Switzerland.

Still with me? Okay.

My main source of optimism re: Buck/Tommy is the simple fact that guys...911 is Not That Deep. It's a fun show (usually), predicated on ridiculous Situations (increasingly), and in movie terms is a cash-grab popcorn flick. Have they hit something with the characters and actors that often elevates it above its station? Absolutely. Are there parts that make you go, "whoa, this came from the shark on a highway weewoo show?" Of course! But 911 isn't fucking Inception. There's no hidden messages and jaw-dropping plot twists that No One Saw Coming.

Like...all the cries about "learn some media literacy you cretins!" really have me scratching my head because, uh, taking everything solely at face value--this absolutely is the Third Act Miscommunication in the relationship. Both parties expressed a desire for the relationship to be more. They broke up on the tried and true "I'm doing this for both our sakes'even though it hurts" and not a dealbreaker schism which they ABSOLUTELY could have done. Literally, one scene of "wow I can't wait to be a dad/oh, uh that's not something I want" and we have a reason to break up that has the exact same "no villains just circumstance" vibe.

On the other hand, it absolutely is a stopping point that is believably permanent.

They went out of their way to show how desperately much Buck wants to talk to Tommy (like we turned it into a meme, but they didn't really have to show him baking That Much) and how he's spiraling in a way we haven't really seen since Abby. In a Hallmark romcom this would be where the audience is reassured that our plucky protagonist has Real Feelings for the LI.

On the other hand, the show often uses Buck as comic relief and the keep away with the phone could absolutely be the indicator that this breakup isn't as serious as Buck thinks it is and he should move on.

The interviews are pretty disheartening, but the interviews for this show really honestly have always had a kind of weird monkey's paw quality to them. Like, they don't lie exactly, but there's a lot of misdirect.

As it stands now, the relationship 100% reads like a Hallmark romcom that is being written by people who Had a Gay Friend In College Guys, So of COURSE We Know What We're Doing...wait why are you discoursing?

On the other hand, as it stands now, it also wouldn't be surprising if this was the end. I honestly don't think they have 100% decided how it's going to go and the writing and especially the pacing this season has been so uneven that it's not hiding the flaws in the storytelling as well as it usually does.

But, if canon goes in a direction I don't like, I have no problem saying 'fuck canon' ;)

[spshipstats]

Are you curious about what South Park ships other people in the fandom know about and how they feel about them?

I've been thinking a lot about how varied the SP fandom's shipping culture is, so I made this! It's a survey containing every single SP ship I've seen in art, or fic, or just heard people talking about (every single ship between the kids, that is). If you have the time, please help me by taking and sharing the survey! I'll be posting results from time to time on this blog.

Additional information below the cut, but feel free to contact this blog if you have any further questions.

Anticipatory FAQs

Is this anonymous?

Yes. There is no place you’re asked to give your name/username, this survey is not collecting emails, and you don’t even have to sign into Google to do it. It’s totally anonymous so please answer as truthfully as you’d like.

What’s this for? / Why are you doing this?

The pursuit of knowledge! South Park is such a huge fandom with so many ships and the fandom's opinion and knowledge have shifted dramatically over the years. I just want to see where it’s at right now. Also I like procrastinating real world responsibilities by making consequenceless projects for myself.

Why are the ships listed in the order that they are?

When writing this all out, I wrote down individual characters and the ships they’re a part of. I started with Stan (arguably the main character of the show) and then went from there. When a character didn’t have a ton of ships by themself, I grouped them with other characters. The ships were inserted into the survey alphabetically but I’ve set the survey to randomize the question order so there’s as little bias as possible.

“OP how dare you not include [insert your OTP I didn’t include here]”

My deepest apologies for forgetting a pairing. I did my best to think up every single ship I’ve ever seen included in fics or depicted in fanart or discussed by people. There is a final question where you may make me aware of one (1) ship you didn’t see. This survey is already a behemoth though, so I don’t think I’ll go back and insert any additional pairings unless a lot of people suggest one particular ship. Same thing for any poly ships and ships between the South Park parents/adults (the latter may get its own poll if I find the inspiration).

Can I post this to [other social media sites/Discord group chats /anywhere]?

Please do! Getting accurate results for a survey like this requires a large crowd. I actively encourage and ask you to please share this with your friends and followers wherever you can. You could even pretend you made the survey for whatever twisted reason. I don’t care, I’ll still get the data I want.

[aprofessionalwithoutstandards]

medic for the ask game? Alternatively, the eyelanded

I CANNOT answer all these damn questions about a talking sword you're getting Medic

favorite thing about them He's also just HILARIOUS like he's really really really funny and fun to watch and think about. His voice performance is so good he has so many top-tier funny moments. Also titties

least favorite thing about them Absolute fucking nightmare to play, which makes every single Medic main, yes, even you, an absolutely insufferable person

favorite line Where do I even fucking start with this guy. Who's ready to be a mother?

brOTP Now I don't think they would "hang out" but I think Medic would be like the Joker for the Administrator. Like Wheatley and Glados if Wheatley were smarter and also German instead of British. He would love pissing her off so much and that's funny. I also think he's great at hanging out with the whole team as a group, it balances out his energy a bit more and he's not as. yknow. Medic. as he can be one-on-one

OTP Sniper fucked that old man

nOTP Mediscout is boringgggg I'm so sorry it's BORING. There are ways to do it that I think can be fun but mostly it's just boring. I'm also finding engiemedic more and more boring the more time I spend here but you know. It's whatever

random headcanon Medic cannot read. More specifically, he's probably dyslexic, and has trouble with reading in any language. Also I generally write him as vaguely trilingual (German, Yiddish, and English) so that was probably a struggle for him, and I think he confuses the vocabulary and grammar of all three languages together a lot. But he's good at math

unpopular opinion Medic actually likes people. He's actually friends with the people on his team and they like him back. He's "weird" for sure, and he's definitely a sadist, but it's tf2 so that doesn't really matter and he's mostly just an Eccentric Scientist everyone finds weirdly charming in his own little way. The implications are astounding

song i associate with them Bubblegum Bitch dadada dadada

favorite picture of them

This one is just really top tier. I don't love this comic's art style and it's not my favorite way he's ever been drawn but it's just so fucking funny. He's even kinda doing the nerd finger point in this one

[ID: A Cold Day in Hell comic screenshot of Medic running through a door, a stack of papers in his arms, saying "Wait! Are we leaving? What about the baboon uteruses?" End ID]

[cod-thoughts]

Price for the character ask game?

Thanks for the ask! I actually had to pay attention after i answered the last one so this is late but its fine lol. I didnt want to ramble too much because a lot of stuff is gonna appear in my writing in GhostPrice week so no spoilers hehehe

favourite thing about them

Literally everything, that man is so versatile too I just can't get over how many situations you can put him in and it makes sense

least favourite thing about them

I can't think of anything personally other than just how little backstory we get ueueuue

favourite line

We get dirty, and the world stays clean.

brOTP

Hmmm this is hard but I actually prefer pricegaz in either a poly situation or just as mentor and mentee even more than anything. I just think they work better that way because I think Gaz and price see themselves in each other. I know ppl want soap or ghost to be captain if Price steps down but I actually think itd be Gaz.

OTP

NIKPRICE!!! To no ones surprised but also, Ghostprice and a secret third thing: NikGhostPrice. the three of them???? chefs kiss

nOTP

i cant think of one actually oop but there must be one i just havent thought of

random headcanon

Price collects things. Anything really but he just collects things. Broken soldiers. Vinyls, rocks, books. He just picks a thing and goes yeah thats what i collect now for a few months before moving on lol

unpopular opinion

I think Price isn't as "good" as people make him out to be. That's a morally grey man and its so clear in his actions. Yes is it for the greater good, sure but still he's not wholesome or good. He is a softie though i stand by that.

song i associate with them

This is so hard as a musician to pick songs you have no idea. Punk i think is his main genre. Any punk band and a guilty pleasure of 90's-00's diva ballads, think whitney, mariah etc. No idea why i just think so.

favourite picture of them

Its the grip on the vest for me goddamn

[vigilantepanties]

playing persona 4 and i do love yukiko and chie like yes obviously i ship them bc duh but i am suuuuch a crackshipper and if the characters never interact or show any signs of liking each other or any similarities, I will FIND similarities and make up AUs for them to interact bc i LOOOOVE that shit. THOSE are my OTPs like….

percy jackson and the olympians/heroes of Olympus, my biggest crackship was Thaltavian, Thalia Grace and OCTAVIAN. (the crowd boos) because my friend and i roleplayed as them on instagram in middle school and made them kiss like they were barbies. i also shipped valdangelo religiously - for obvious reasons imo and that’s not too much of a crackship but some ppl consider it one.

death note - i ship beyond birthday and naomi misora (birthday massacre is such a sick ship name im so glad yall did that) and THEYRE NOT EVEN LIKE. THATS A SPIN OFF BOOK 😭

persona 5 royal I ship joker with THE NEWSPAPER CLUB NPC GIRL. SHES LITERALLY JUST SOMEONE U CLICK ON AND TALK TO SOMETIMES IF U WANT TO WHEN UR WALKING IN THE HALLWAY AT SCHOOL AND YET ….they r in love in my mind. they are so my little monster! anime coded. also i’m on board the mishima X akechi train now

persona 4 i of course ship all the main ships OF COURSE. i love them. but i ship rise and yukiko…but i ALSO ship rise and naoto 😏 and those ships r far more important to me

persona 3 portable…. don’t even get me started on FemC and junpei. UGH I LOVE IT IM A SUCKER FOR ITTTTT

homestuck is an exception bc my OTP is always gon be davekat SORRYYYYY

[katyon2020]

Long story short, this post is gonna be a big shout out to both @kyubeys-contract and @the-ravenclaw-werewolf . I took the girlies from main character syndrome and pondered wether they would accept Kyubey's contract, the oned that way yes, get their own PMMM form and a possible Witch form in the future.

Anyway, here's the girlies who would say no:

-Kobayashi: Pretty obvious, she's smart, she's a grown-ass woman and she's already not impressed with the magical shit in her own universe, her ass would NOT want to be a magical girl.

-Haruhi: This one I had to think about a bit, and I said no because A. she's smart and B. I'm not really sure what she would ask for since she's pretty satisfied with what she has like I don't even think she would remove the debt.

-Korra: Bitch is already the Avatar.

Now to the girlies who would say yes:

1. Tohru Honda

Again, she's a very humble girl so I don't know what she would ask for on her own (probably not being homeless now that I think about it), but if it's for someone else she would do it in a heartbeat. Probably something like breaking the Sohma curse or even making sure Kyo doesn't end up in the Cat's house and Kyo finding out later which is depressing to think about which is also cool.

2. Chika Fujiwara

Before I see the comments, I admit she is smarter than some people think and comes from a family of politicians and is working towards being a prime minister in the future. But, she is very impulsive and even more vain and is also a huge shoujo fan so she would immediately agree to be a magical girl, not sure what she would ask for but whatever.

3. Mako Makanshoku

On the flip side......Mako, you are a fucking treasure, you were what finally convinced me to watch Kill la Kill, I would never utter slander against you.....but unfortunately..... you're not very smart... if you want it to not be serious, she would probably ask for food, if not, helping her family financial situation ig...

4. Kae Serinuma

This is one I'm actually still not sure about as Kae is once again, one of those characters who is just kinda happy with what they already have but I also can't see any obvious reason she would outright say no (if we are ignoring the whole "meta-otaku" angle and she has watched Madoka, in which case, she would know to avoid Kyubey like the goddamn plague he is), she would probably ask for something silly like one of her OTPs becoming canon or something like that. Also while I was drawing, I was doing a Cardcaptor Sakura homage but I should've gone with Sailor Moon-Damnit.

5. Emma

I'mma be completely honest....I have not fully read TPN so I'm really insecure about the design. But, I think we can all agree that Emma is smart enough that she can sense Kyubey's shady af but.....they are gonna get eaten by demons, there's no way to go but up from here...

I might do their Witch forms in the future, but for now I wanna cleanse my pallet a little, so let me know.

[nectaric]

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

What’s your OTP for your Muse(s)?

i am a sucker for the classics, tbh - zeus/hera, ares/aphrodite, hades/persephone. i also have a very sneaky but serious soft spot for athena/aphrodite and now demeter/iasion.

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

i'm willing to write must things, so long as heavier topics are discussed ahead of time. i'm happy for our muses to fight, fuck, cheat, and live happily ever after! anything is fair game, within reason and when handled with care.

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

considering the bulk of my muses are immortal, age gaps don't actually bother me, assuming everyone is over the age of eighteen and the dynamic isn't.. ab*sive?

Are you selective when shipping?

i'm pretty willing to give any pairing a shot, with very few exceptions. i suppose i'm more selective in the sense that romantic shipping is rarely my number one priority so i sometimes have a tendency to favour platonic threads. but i will ship just about anyone and anything with the right hook!

How far do steamy moments have to go before they’re considered NS/FW?

usually if there are genitals involved, i'd consider that ns/fw.

Who are other muses you ship your muse with?

for some of my main muses: zeus/ganymede, zeus/semele, zeus metis. hades/thanatos. athena/pallas, athena/nike. ares/dionysus. percy/vex, percy/vax.

Does one have to ask to ship with you?

yes and no? like, i don't mind people sending in things without discussion for pre-established ships in canon or for something they're interested in trying out. i'd ask for more conversation if we intend for that ship to get at all serious.

How often do you like to ship?

oh, i'll ship any time and all the time, again, with the right hook. i think we've all been in a situation where we try to make a ship work and it just doesn't, so i might falter a bit with those. but otherwise, i really can ship any time.

Are you multiship?

yeah babyyyyy

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

i'm... pretty ship more-or-less. again, i enjoy my ships and sometimes they can be my favourite part. but more often than not, i really really prefer platonic ships - particularly sibling relationships. i will always prioritize those, but it doesn't mean i don't enjoy romantic shipping! i'm just such a sucker for family dynamics, its kind of embarrassing.

What is your favorite ship in your current fandom?

not to be basic on main, but the way zeus/hera has me in a chokehold rn is not even funny. i love them so freaking much it hurts, and i think i love them more because of how many people don't. let them be old, tired, complex, and in love!

Finally, how does one ship with you?

send an ask, send an im, send a carrier pigeon, scream into the ether and hope i hear it - honestly, just say "ship?" and i'll probably nod very intensely.

tagged by : @twistedtangledfate tagging: @kallistcs @stolenbythegods @knife-like @singofus

[madroxed]

Fic Writer Interview

i was tagged (ages ago, oops) by the wonderful @lafaerie to do this 💖

i'll tag @jamesandanthony, @lavellenchanted, @shanastoryteller, @coyotesuspect, @doreyg & @floating-in-the-blue but zero pressure.

How many works do you have on ao3?

96 on my main and 22 on my secondary, but i've orphaned at least another, idk, 60? over the years, and there's some fics lost to the chasm of time that is livejournal and prior out there to never be found again.

What’s your total word count?

351,946

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

then you'll wake up, your left hand man, pocketful of sunshine, only by chance, when there's no ground. all are shadowhunters/mortal instruments fic, which is a surprise to exactly no one.

Do you respond to comments? Why/why not?

i do initially, and then i am terrible for not replying after a certain time which is something i'm working on. it's entirely an anxiety thing, and very silly, but if i don't answer right away i feel like it's too late? idk, i'm trying to be better at it.

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

i'm not known for my angst, let's be honest, so i'm going to put end of eras (haunting of hill house, luke & nell) here because it's hohh, angst is a given, and also mayyyyybe still my heart this moment and tell me you'll remember (both glee, sam/blaine) which also deal with character death but, like? in a not totally sad way? one's ghosts and one's immortality/reincarnation soooo. i think they count.

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

as a happy ending truther, this could apply to practically all of them, but let's go with be in my book (bridgerton, penelope/benedict) which is about as fluffy a fic as they come.

Do you write crossovers?

i used to, back in the wild old days of comment ficathons and crossover comms on lj, but i haven't in years. definitely would, just would have to really think it through now.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

once that i can think of, which was very silly and obviously sent by someone who was deliberately reading fic they weren't going to enjoy.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

i have been known to, on very rare occasions. my most recently posted fic is actually 911 buck/tommy smut (find peace in the noise) which i wrote almost entirely because of the group chat. it's not necessarily my go-to, but if the mood strikes.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

yes.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

yes, a couple.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

not in years, but i used to co-write a lot with a friend in the lj days. i'm not fantastic at co-writing, if only because i am useless with time management.

What's your all-time favourite ship?

i'm not sure i have an answer to this. i sort of just collect ultimate otps and store them and they pile up, so i don't have just one. some i come back to more often than others, but i've definitely been in too many fandoms to have any less than a dozen.

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

oh boy, yeah, any? all? i am notoriously bad about this. if i don't write a fic to completion and then post it, the chance of it getting finished are nil. i have one wip on my ao3 (build it better (the second time around), the order, knights poly) that i started before the second season had aired, and every part of me wants to finish it but...we'll see. maybe one day. the part written docs on my computer for dozens of other fics though? coin toss.

What are your writing strengths?

i think i'm pretty good at characterisation. i like how i write dialogue. i think i'm able to say a lot in few words. other than that, who knows. i have a blast with it most the time? that's definitely a strength.

What are your writing weaknesses?

actually sitting down and writing, let's be honest. but otherwise, long fic and plotting are definitely not things i'm great at. i'm trying to get better at extending my word count, but detailed plots still largely elude me.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

i try not to, as i am - alas - a lazy english speaker who never picked up another language remotely fluently. and no one trusts online translation tools.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

either buffy or hp, i can't remember exactly.

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

i am currently working on some jack/kent (check please) fics (finally - they are one of the dozen that fits into that otp question), which feels terrifying because i love them so much. i also have a couple of stranger things fics i'm thinking about.

i'm notorious for dropping one fic in a fandom and then nothing else ever again, so i'll write for pretty much anything.

What's your favourite fic you've written?

though the truth may vary (shadowhunters, simon/raphael). (i actually started an author's favourites series on ao3 a while back which felt huge, and i've only put four fics in it, oops.)

[nelfes]

7, 14, 16 for the ask meme thing (Tales)

tales asks (open)

7. favorite main character

I've talked and will talk again about how Shirley is not only my favorite heroine in Tales of, but character in anything. Period. The fact she's a young, female character who deals with suicidal ideation, jealousy, and true anger and is told by the narrative "yes, you should not ignore those feelings" is something truly important to me. I love her most for her mistakes but also her growth <3

If I had to pick a main guy it would be Senel (Legendia bias lol) but Luke is very close. Similar journeys.

BUT!!! Because I wanna ramble, and because she's also very close to my heart. I may be one of the only people who enjoyed Zestiria's anime but think Alisha's arc and character are far better expressed in the game (and dlc). I think she's an amazing hero, and one day will post the fic where she takes center stage because I think she really has what it takes to make that journey.

As things are I am actually quite satisfied with the journey they gave her. In many way it is what I wanted for Estelle in Vesperia. Her learning to navigate politics and acknowledging the darkness in people's hearts while still remaining staunchly pacifist is amazing and she's my favorite knight character in Tales of by far.

14.

I feel liking having Legendia as my favorite game is already an unpopular opinion? And liking Dawn of the New World. (cry laugh emoji goes here) Don't want to be too negative so since it ties into next ask i notp d*zel and rose, so we can go with that. Only positive vibes now~

16 any ships? I am a notorious ship omnivore. If there is a ship tag for a character i like with another chara, I click. All the more so bc I go to shipping for 1. interesting development and psychological stuff 2. not necessarily healthy relationships, laughs

I def have otps tho! My one for Legendia is Chloe/Shirley, but it's faster to type out the characters I DONT ship Shirley with. Shout out to her and Jay <3

I love Colette/Lloyd and Zelos/Sheena from Symphonia and always will.

Abyss has been awhile so it's like uhhh -Natalia/Tear -Guy/Van and Guy/Jade -Anise/Ion but u know. u kno...

For Zestiria Rose/Alisha is my otp but I ship Alisha with Edna and Mikleo as well. For crossovers I also ship her with Chloe, and Jude, and Luke (saw u do the latter as well. tips hat.) Yes many of these r are rp influenced hehe.

14.

[lurkingshan]

SHIPPER TAG GAME

Tagged by @negrowhat to give away all my fandom secrets. I came up in the US, so most of these will be Western shows. Also be aware that I'm old and been around in fandoms for decades, some of you youths might not even recognize these ships.

1. What ship were you completely obsessed with when you were a teenager, but now you don't care anymore?

Felicity and Noel. I was very into them (and very anti-Ben) when I was first watching this show at the tender age of 14, but then I rewatched it as an adult, realized Noel was a classic Nice Guy with some clear warning flags, and settled into Team Ben.

2. Which ship would you consider your first one?

Hmm maybe Elizabeth Wakefield and Todd Wilkins? I think I started reading Sweet Valley High at, like, age 8. For TV, I was a sitcom kid and I was obsessed with Dwayne Wayne and his flip-up glasses as a child. I loved him and Whitley. Damn now I want to rewatch.

3. Your first fanfic belonged to which couple?

The first I read? I am pretty sure the honor goes to Buffy and Spike.

They were the first ship I remember having that classic fanfic brainrot combo of 1) captivating me entirely with their dynamic and 2) canon leaving me unsatisfied. I lost months of my life over at Elysian Fields.

In terms of the first fanfic I wrote, the honor goes to Ian and Mickey.

I was big into Shameless for its first four seasons. But then the show went way off the rails, the fandom went with it, and I quit watching and scrubbed all my fandom activity off the internet.

4. Do you remember the first couple you saw a fanart over?

I honestly have no idea. Probably something Buffy, I was doing a lot of internet dwelling for that show.

5. Did you ever get into ship discourse?

Getting into discourse is my whole entire thing LOL. I have survived many, many ship wars and let me tell ya you haven't seen unhinged until you've been knee deep in the tags in a long-term fandom with multiple ships for the protagonist. One of the things I love about BL and nearly all Asian dramas is that we go into every show knowing who the main pairing is, so we don't have to fight about ships.

6. Did you used to have any no-otp or have it currently?

Hmm I was a big Buffy/Angel anti and that was before Spuffy was even a twinkle in my eye. I never liked that man in a romance until he got hooked up with Cordelia in his own show (but then they ruined it ugh). I was also very anti-Harry/Hermione back in the OG HP days (let characters have meaningful platonic relationships!).

7. Who were the couple in the last fanfic you read?

I've been on a Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian kick of late.

8. Currently, do you have any OTPs?

OTPs are eternal! Like I said above, since I mostly watch Asian drama now, they're baked in. My fav of my current watches is Ten and Prem.

9. Is there any couple that, to this day, you are extremely mad about not getting together?

YES I AM STILL MAD ABOUT ROBIN AND BARNEY.

You show me two characters who are clearly uniquely compatible, you give me a brief taste of their extremely fun and non-traditional relationship, and then you break them up and stick her with the milquetoast Nice Guy protagonist in a total betrayal of your entire narrative premise? Fuck off forever, HIMYM, I will see you in hell.

10. Is there any ship you used to dislike but now you think they are kind of interesting?

Hmm nothing comes to mind. If I decided to hate a pair in the past I am pretty likely to still be hating.

11. Do you have any ship that, in the past, was considered normal but now you would be cancelled over?

I would like to see you try to cancel me!! I'll echo Eboni here and say Brian and Justin, though of course there were people who hated them because of the age gap back in ye olden times, too. Fandom spaces are mostly women and women in queer fandom spaces often struggle to account for the totally different culture and power dynamics between m/m pairings.

12. What was your favorite crack ship?

I don't really do crack ships, I am a canon pairing girlie.

13. Who is the couple you read more fanfics of?

I don't know who the ultimate winner is, but I think it's probably a neck and neck competition between Spuffy and Wangxian as my most read pairing.

14. What most of your ships usually have in common?

There's actually a lot of variety in them in terms of personalities, appearance, and tropes. I think what makes me really click into a ship is the feeling that the two people are uniquely suited to each other and well matched to go through life together.

15. What do you absolutely hate in a ship?

When I don't believe they can actually make it.

Tagging @my-rose-tinted-glasses @twig-tea @imminentinertia @shortpplfedup @stuffnonsenseandotherthings @littleragondin.

[lesbiansanemi]

SHINOBU FOR ASK GAME!!!

OFC OFC HELL YES MY BELOVED SHINOBU <3 TY JAYFORD <333

Favorite thing about them: There are so, so many things I love about Shinobu, but ultimately I think my favorite thing has to be her all-consuming desire for revenge. That sounds so edgy, but it is very rare that I get to see a female character have a genuine revenge plot line, let alone that being the main focus of her story, and it actually gets to end with her killing the man she wants revenge against. So many revenge plot lines (especially ones given to women) end with the character giving up vengeance, or allowing someone else to take it for them. Not Shinobu. She got what she wanted and told Douma to go fuck himself in hell. Queen shit

Least favorite thing about them: I tried so hard to come up with something, but I truly have no genuine complaints with Shinobu's character and how she's written. So I'll choose something petty. Her hairstyle. Like, pinned up it looks fine, I like it, but we never see her hair down so I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT DRIVES ME INSANE. I def don't think she has very long heir, I tend to go with shoulder length, but god I would love to know

Favorite line: Tbh her whole monologue from her opening scene still sticks with me. Her cadence and word choices and cheery smile as she talks about torturing the sister spider demon did such a good job of introducing her as a character, and their the lines I can most clearly remember off the top of my head

brOTP: Now.... hear me out.... Shinobu and Sanemi. I like the hc that they grew kind of close themselves when Sanemi and Kanae were Hashira together. I think they probably would have gotten along pretty well (well, by Shinobu and Sanemi standards) before Shinobu adopted a lot of Kanae's mannerisms and personality after her death. Because of this, I like to think that Sanemi is one of the few people she will fall back into her "old" personality with, at least in small ways. I do think they drifted apart after Kanae's death though. Partially because Shinobu emotionally distanced herself from pretty much everyone, but also because Sanemi didn't like her trying to emulate Kanae in the ways that she did. He found it weird and unsettling. But, every now and then, in brief moments where they're alone together, they can fall into old teasing and banter more easily than they realize

OTP: ShinoMitsu, easily! It's one of my favorite kny ships in general. I think that Shinobu and Mitsuri compliment each other as characters very well, and there is so much angst potential regarding their relationship (I know you know what I'm talking about, you understand Jayford haha). Mitsuri inspiring Shinobu to want to live again but she doesn't know how is actually something that can be so personal

nOTP: Shinobu x any man. Sorry that's a whole lesbian. But more specifically, I really can't fuck with Giyu//Shino or Dou//Shino. Keep that shit AWAY from me. I just don't like them in general, but I find so much of the content for them leans very heavily into "woman fixes sad broken man" and makes Shinobu way too nurturing and mothery which.... eugh....

Random headcanon: I like the headcanon that she opens the Butterfly Mansion to any women who need a shelter/resources for any reason, related to demons or not. The estate is huge, and as a Hashira, money is not an issue. So she's more than happy to give any women and girls a place to stay if they need to get out of bad situations (be it related to family, marriage, or something demonic). She is obviously very busy, so she's not directly involved with a lot of the women who are in and out, but she does what she can for them. She's also very willing to get any girls to good trainers to become swordsmen, if they want

Unpopular opinion: I feel people in the fandom swing wildly between two misinterpretations of her. The first being where people act like she's a much "better" person than she is, and who seem to fall for her smiles and pleasant tone. They treat her as if she can do no wrong, and tend to get mad/upset if someone depicts her as less than perfect (wild to me, esp considering canon makes it very obvious that she has many flaws). However, you also have the other side of the spectrum, where people act as if she's a horrible, awful irredeemable bitch and disregard her kindness as nothing but an act because she's complex and sometimes does questionable things. I do think both of these things are rooted in misogyny, the belief that women have to either be perfect goddesses, OR they're two-faced fake bitches, and unfortunately because Shinobu is so nuanced, she tends to get both. But yeah I hate both these interpretations of her and they are both very wide spread. Like guys... can we please just appreciate her for being a nuanced character who has both good and bad aspects, I'm begging

Song I associate with them: I have a couple! Kamikaze and Spoils of War for Shinobu specifically, and then Thank You For the Venom and Dying Star for some ShinoMitsu vibes imo (I should make a Shinobu/ShinoMitsu playlist)

Favorite picture of them: Every time I think of this little drawing I lose my mind, it's so cute and the way Shinobu is just fucking staring at her.... Real

[spnfanficpond]

New Member Spotlight - May 2024

The Pond is always growing and we want to make our new members feel welcome! Here’s a list of recent additions to our fishy family, along with a little info about them!

Guppies, Jellies, and Mutuals, oh, my!

Tumblr name:

@masoena

Other handles:

AO3: Masoena, Discord: masoena5

Do you have an SPN OTP?

Wincest but I ship just about anything that is SPN I would say I'm a multishipper overall.

Are you in any other fandoms?

Shadowhunters

What are you looking for in the Pond? What can we do for you?

I'm looking to connect with other writers and artists and create amazing things together, lift each other up be that through brainstorming, feedback, advice or collaboration.

What pairings do you like to read? Reader inserts? Ships? Poly fics

Wincest, Sabriel, Arthur/Dean, Samwena, Destiel are my favourites and I do love triple ships to e.g. Dean/Sam/Donna or Wincestiel or pretty much anything in SPN

What genres do you like to read? Angst? Fluff? Smut? Crack? What are your favorite tropes?

Hurt/comfort, angst, A/B/O, smut, dom/sub, bdsm, angel kink or grooming, protective character saving other character(s) in peril, BAMF characters, meet-cute, animalmorph characters (not bestiality just humans with some physical animal traits e.g. Sam with cat ears), case-Fics, alternate Universes, creature fics (vampires, weres, etc.), crossover fics, enemies to lovers (sometimes) and anything from short one-shots to super long fics found its way into my bookmarks.

Do you have a favorite Fanfic writer? If yes, tell us who! (Please let us know if they are on Tumblr or AO3.)

There are a few who I keep going back to and love the works of: SamandDean76 - on both Tumblr/AO3 compo67 - on AO3 nyxocity - on AO3 (but believe they are no longer active) brokenlittleboy - on AO3

What kinds of fics do you like to write?

My works list is a mix ranging from drabbles, medium length to long fics. It really depends on the idea and inspiration. Some stories need 2k words to be told others need tens of thousands but I believe my sweet spot is around the 10-15k mark as I like to plan plot outline and majore milestones but also love just letting it flow however it wants to.

Drop a link to your masterlist on Tumblr or Works list on AO3 so we can check out your writing!

Drop a link to your most underappreciated fic!

My most underappreciated fic is a drabble but most underappreciated fic that I was super excited about posting but which did not get a lot of attention was a choose your own adventure A/B/O fic that had a Wincestiel main pairing. And I wonder if I posted it in the best way or if there is a better way to do it. :)

Is there something you have not written but would like to try? Why haven't you tried before? How can we help?

Moments like this happen as I take part in more bangs and reverse bangs where people put forward concepts and ideas that have never occurred to me and it is endlessly fascinating to try out new ideas and things. As of right now I can't think of anything that I want to but haven't tried yet.

Tumblr name:

@corpsexcquis

Other handles:

Corpsexcquis for Tumblr / Hyobe or/And SonofEros for Ao3

Do you have an SPN OTP?

Wincest/SamDean

Are you in any other fandoms?

Haikyuu! / JJK / Twilight

What are you looking for in the Pond? What can we do for you?

I’d like to meet more people in the SPN fandom and get some help with writing.

What pairings do you like to read? Reader inserts? Ships? Poly fics?

Usually ships, rarely poly but with the right combination I’m open to anything

What genres do you like to read? Angst? Fluff? Smut? Crack? What are your favorite tropes?

Angst and dead dove mostly

Do you have a favorite Fanfic writer? If yes, tell us who! (Please let us know if they are on Tumblr or AO3.)

Dollylux is one of my favourites for SPN (they’re inactive on Ao3)

What kinds of fics do you like to write?

Usually long ones, Angsty, 90s/80s/70s dirty America, heavy with codependency and references. I never quite manage to finish them though hehe

Drop a link to your masterlist on Tumblr or Works list on AO3 so we can check out your writing!

Drop a link to your most underappreciated fic!

Is there something you have not written but would like to try? Why haven't you tried before? How can we help?

I think a story that is during the medieval era. I love it but I don’t know enough about that time period just yet ! Perhaps betaing ?

Tumblr names:

@clarrisani

Other handles:

Clarrisani

Do you have an SPN OTP?

Wincestiel & Destiel are a tie

Are you in any other fandoms?

I dabble in Good Omens

What are you looking for in the Pond? What can we do for you?

Seeking a beta reader and support to get back into writing SPN fan fiction,

Do you host any fandom events or podcasts, or do you have a shop where you sell things that we can boost for you?

I have an original novel coming out in August. Updates are on my writing twitter https://twitter.com/katrinamckee03

What pairings do you like to read? Reader inserts? Ships? Poly fics?

I like reading a bit of everything

What genres do you like to read? Angst? Fluff? Smut? Crack? What are your favorite tropes?

Whichever strikes my fancy for the day.

What kinds of fics do you like to write?

I like to dabble in a bit of everything

Drop a link to your masterlist on Tumblr or Works list on AO3 so we can check out your writing!

Drop a link to your most underappreciated fic!

Tumblr name:

@candygramme

Other handles:

Same handle for Ao3, Threads, Discord, Live Journal/Dreamwidth and X, which I rarely visit. On Instagram I am candygramme1 and on Facebook I am Sue_Ashworth, but not really active.

Do you have an SPN OTP?

Dean/Sam

Are you in any other fandoms?

Yes. I have written in a few others - Highlander, Roswell (the original one), The X-Files and CW RPS.

What are you looking for in the Pond? What can we do for you?

I'm looking for friendship, inspiration, a chance to help new writers.

Do you host any fandom events or podcasts, or do you have a shop where you sell things that we can boost for you?

Not really. I occasionally art, but want to learn to vid if there's someone around to teach it.

What pairings do you like to read? Reader inserts? Ships? Poly fics?

Not Reader inserts, for sure. I like plot and longer fic myself, but pretty much anything between Gen and Explicit is great if its well written. It's all about nailing the character for me.

What genres do you like to read? Angst? Fluff? Smut? Crack? What are your favorite tropes?

Yes is the short answer! I love all of it, but tend to write crack although not always. I love angsty stuff, and casefic.

Do you have a favorite Fanfic writer? If yes, tell us who! (Please let us know if they are on Tumblr or AO3.)

felisblanco is on both. Roxymissrose is on Ao3 and deadlybride is on Tumblr (zmedia) and Ao3 too. There are others, but those are a good start.

What kinds of fics do you like to write?

Cracky, silly stuff, plotty casefic and occasionally PWP.

Drop a link to your masterlist on Tumblr or Works list on AO3 so we can check out your writing!

Drop a link to your most underappreciated fic!

Is there something you have not written but would like to try? Why haven't you tried before? How can we help?

So many things. I have countless wips sitting waiting for me to finish them. I just get stuck and don't get back to them.

Tumblr:

@libby99hb

Other handles:

Libby99HB(AO3), Materialgwooorl (Discord)

Are you in any other fandoms?

The Vampire Diaries

What are you looking for in the Pond? What can we do for you?

I haven't used Tumblr in years, so I'll be semi-new here. I'm looking to connect with people, find new things to read, get inspired, create, and maybe even make new friends through this community. It's a place to connect with others who love what I love and learn from them. 😊

What pairings do you like to read? Reader inserts? Ships? Poly fics?

Don't really ever like to read any fics with ships mostly OFC or Reader inserts

What genres do you like to read? Angst? Fluff? Smut? Crack? What are your favorite tropes?

Angst, Fluff, Everything 18+, Smut, and all AU's

Do you have a favorite Fanfic writer? If yes, tell us who! (Please let us know if they are on Tumblr or AO3.)

I have three AO3: @smolandgrumpy @Zeppelin_Skies ( on Tumblr @zepskies) @neganslucilletblr (Same @ on Tumblr)

What kinds of fics do you like to write?

The fics I like to write revolve around love.

Drop a link to your masterlist on Tumblr or Works list on AO3 so we can check out your writing!

Drop a link to your most underappreciated fic!

The only fic that I have up at the moment is a TVD one. Right now it's on a little break because I have three SPN fics that will be out sometime this summer.

Is there something you have not written but would like to try? Why haven't you tried before? How can we help?

I'd like to try writing some one-shots. I have a hard time keeping things short and sweet, but hopefully, I'll be able to hop on a writer's challenge after connecting with others on here.

That's all for this month, folks! (If we're missing anyone, let us know and we'll add them to next month's list!) Make sure to say hi to the newbies and make them feel welcome! Thanks to all from @manawhaat, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @thoughtslikeaminefield, and @heavenssexiestangel!