#because I need Midnight Museum 2 AND Not Me 2

[respectthepetty]

I need to share this with someone. So, I'm very new to Thai BLs, but Not me personally assaulted me and left me behind obsessed. I am now watching a lot of things, but still Not me regulary comes to my door. I gathered in my last weeks that there are sometimes cameos of pairings in other shows or things like our skyy. And while I was watching Only Friends (which I totally don't do to see First and Mond later on), it came to me how fucking awesome it would be to have Black do cameos. Like just Black being somewhere in background doing shady shit. Not me didnt do him justice, but him becoming a local cryptid could heal me.

I see the vision, Anon, because Force and Book showed up as Enchanté's Akk and Theo, aka HUSBANDS, in Vice Versa.

And Gun showed up in Vice Versa as well as Theory of Love's Third.

If only Jojo would have followed through and had 3 Will Be Free's Shin meet his rich-on-the-beach buddy Nueng in Never Let Me Go, then I would have been in heaven.

But could we actually imagine Black showing up in other shows? Judging all these bitches. Being rude in the background. Starting fights.

Because he was already doing that in his own show! Just haunting everyone's ass, judging those bitches, being rude in the background, and starting fights WITHOUT EVEN BEING THERE!

So I don't want Black in other shows like Never Let Me Go, A Boss and a Babe, or Dangerous Romance judging Palm, Cher, and Sailom for crossing the class line and siding with the one percenters because of some dumb shit like "feelings" or whatever.

No!

I need Black back in his own series dealing with the fallout of how he dealt with the one percenter who LOVES him!

Because I know for damn sure unlike sad-boys-who-just-need-a-hug Nueng, Gun, and Kanghan, Todd would rather Black shoot him in the face before he would ever accept a hug from Black because Todd knows hugs are only reserved for his brother White, and Todd never wants to be in the same category as Black's brother since that man is Black's LOVER!

Therefore, I don't need cameos from Black. I need an actual series to give him his much deserved story since Not Me failed to do that!

GIVE ME NOT ME 2: BLACKOUT RIGHT NOW, GMMTV!

RIGHT FUCKING NOW!

[scrumptiousstuffs]

yknow what i want for fk? more shows. PUT THEM IN INSANE HET SHOWS I BEG 😭 no more one bl a year i need them in a show in every part gmmtv announces shows in. i would literally pay for home school 2 for insane khao. i would pay gmmtv for insane first in a show. LET THEM PLAY INSANE CHARACTERS. FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH.

gmmtv's het shows are so underrated because those things are way more unabashedly queer even compared to a lot of bl's they produce <- preaching like im from the missionary of 'gmmtv het show are gay af' alliance

(i just love the het shows and will take any moment to talk about it. like yea ofc theres stupid ones but some of them are just so fucking good and made with so much love and passion and its so visible and it makes me so soft 🥺)

- burnsuncomet (they should really let me ask stuff from my sideblog smh 😔)

Go on. Tell me more about what het shows you like from GMMTV (and why you like them). And tell me what ideas do you want for your het shows for FK?

I personally enjoyed Home School (so I am definitely on board with Khaotung versus Gun for season 2!) , Midnight Museum, Enigma (for a horror show, this pack a lot more than just good special effects) and the currently airing Peaceful Property (which we are still debating whether it’s BL or not 😂).

And I cannot stress enough how much 55:15 Never Too Late is such an underrated gem (yes it has a side BL featuring our own Khaotung who nailed his role as SongPol/Paul) but my other fav storyline in that show was View’s character and the friendship between Paul and Piploy’s character.

I didn’t mind Summer nights but I got terribly bored by Phuwin (and whoever his love interest was) - and really just perked up when Dunk’s character White and Lookjun interacted.

And if you are asking me what het shows I’m looking forward from GMMTV - Hide & Sis (it has Jan, Piploy and Lookjun plus Chimon playing a sleaze ball? - sign me up!)

But I’m digressing - we are talking about FK hehe. I admit I was disappointed when they only have one project for 2024, which has yet to air 🥲 (especially after getting spoilt with 3 shows from them in 2023 😩).

I think FK is under utilised by GMMTV (but then again, don’t we all say the same when talking about our own bias CPs?) - I want them to be in reality show, talk shows, V-log ANYTHING really beyond just one BL cause they have so much potential (we are definitely in agreement with this. Although it’s of course not feasible to have everything for the boys cause they will burnout otherwise 🙂‍↕️). But we can all dream yeah?

Anyway, I thought this user from Twitter has the cutest idea ever for their YT content 👇🏽 (credit on the screenshot)

(Or I take the boys going camping together with us watching them cook and playing guitar and toasting marshmallows by the campsite)

In my alternate reality where FK gets to act more than one BL per year, these are my pick for hetero show/concept with FK in it:

The currently aired “The Judge from Hell”, k-drama starring Park Shin Hye and Kim Jae Young. I want a Thai remake - with Piploy as the devil in the judge’s body (she plays beautiful evil/anti-hero well! - her performance in Enigma was a good example of this) and First as our dutiful cop who joined force (literally selling his soul) to the devil after his mother figure got killed by a serial killer who also killed his birth parents. We know First can play tortured and devastation well, but truly seeing him fight to keep his morality? - 🤌 (also First already looks like a Korean movie star, so he will fit in well! Plus not going to lie - a tall First having to lean down on tiny Piploy while they bicker and fall in love 🤭 (these 2 have quite the chemistry in The Shipper)

As for Khaotung (we already mentioned Home School), but if I want to see him in a hetero couple - it will be with Ciize. These 2 were wholesome together in Tonhon Chonlatee (the show has flaws, but I still enjoyed it and Khaotung/Ciize being besties in that show was one of the highlights for me!)

And again, I’m borrowing this from one of my favourite k-drama, Happiness (2021) featuring Park Hyung-Sik and Han Hyo-Joo. Beyond just a zombie flick, it’s a commentary on social class but also the desperation and the length people go to when trapped with no where to go. Also, I won’t lie, I just want to see Khaotung (now that he is so buff!) and Ciize (despite her tiny frame) being badass with guns- it also has a sweet romance line between the main characters 😂

And bonus - if I can make my own FK-centric drama:

I want them to play cross-lovers in the past but one of them was a woman.

They both reincarnated - the woman’s soul now in one of the boys (I haven’t quite figure out who I want to play this role between them ���). This soul remembers his previous life and lover but avoids trying to look for him (cause you know, she is now a he and thought his previous lover is straight)

While the other person - knows he is missing someone, he has a deep yearning for this one person. However, he can’t remember the face or really anything beyond vague flashbacks except he knows it is a she. So he keeps looking at girls of course not finding the one. Meanwhile, fate (of course) made them meet and they keep avoiding trying to not fall in love but fail 🤷🏽‍♀️. I have even thought of what jobs these boys could have, the side characters 🤣…but alas, this will stay in delulu land (and yes, if you think the plot sounds vaguely familiar, it likely is! Cause I just pick all the plots/tropes I like and meshed it up!)

[ultra-raging-ghost]

I reached post limit so im gonna write this and save it for midnight to post later 🥰

-10:30 EST

Richas made a reference/mentioned outliving forever and bad started screaming and sobbing for a solid 2 minutes and then started talking about how no no forevers probably fine cucuruchos probably taking care of him, richas asked if thats what bad tells himself to sleep at night, if he just lies to himself and bad said yes! if all else fails, simply lie to yourself and push your true feelings down to make it through this meaningless existence :D and richas said "so if we said the sky is pink at all times a day and just lie to ourselves its ok?" and bad said yes, we already lie to ourselves all the time we just need to think about how much lying we accept :3

richas thinks dappers colorblind

bad said his chats british 😭

time to read books!

-10:40 EST

bad is making fun of us for being sad because of angst(/lh/j) and sang a brief song about us being sad and mentioned "the sun is gone" just to torment us over forever being gone. He also went f5 said something like “if you think it’s sad now… anyway..... spoilers!!" implying it will get even sadder!! (terrified)

oh theres a letter for bbh and forever :((( this might be sad now that forevers. in his place. chats crying

-10:50 EST

Bad is screaming and crying because forever will never be able to read his letter, hes literally head in hands screaming and crying and hes letting the TTS read it out

one of the qsmp purgatory programmers wrote bad a letter saying he was supposed to die more and bad said hes a bug tester at heart and richas is bullying bad because of how many bugs he found and exploited LMAO bad said he'll fudging do it again

-11:00 EST

bad found ANOTHER wall bug to glitch thru, hes insane

-11:10 EST

someone said the word forever and bad is reduced to shambles on the floor, hes crying and whining forevers name in tears and agony and he made the dying "bleh" sound like 4 times

also bad mentioned that as soon as its confirmed to the characters like in-character that max is dead theyre having a funeral for him, like bad as the grim reaper knows but he hasnt told anyone, nobodys aware of him being gone, >>>>also he was ominous and said he needed to shoot max a message oorp and refused to elaborate. what the fuck was that about badboyhalo? <<<<<

-11:30 EST

Bad and richas and pomme wanna make an elevator death trap and then call foolish over to trap/murder him <3 chat is advocating for this idea. chat also wants to see the museum, bad said yes!!! Museum time!

before that, bad is being ominously silent again and is texting off screen. that max comment earlier + this makes me worried. MOVING ON THO BC HES SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO RICHAS AND POMME GOT HIM A PRESENT FOR HIS BDAY!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHAS!!!!! (in brazil time) The present is Honey cookies! because richas got covered in honey and used as bait while they were away LMAO

Bad was talking about the 1k snow golems prank and was wondering if the cleanup team would be upset or love that, and richas said "lets say im part of that tio" and bad is now saying richas will take 100% accountability for that and will clean all of it up by himself LMAOOOO richas placed down signs saying "NO TIO I NEVER SAID THAT!! I DIDNT" and bad read them out loud as "Yes tio i agree i did say that ill do it!"

oh god bads spamming richas signs everywhere this is gonna fucking lag everything LMAOOOO richas crashed and bad kept placing until he got bored and said "yessssss richas will get in so much trouble hahaha! messing with the server!!!! bad then said "Richas always comes back" in the FNAF voice, didnt need to know you were an even bigger nerd BBH but okay /aff

-11:40 EST

Pomme is dragging bbh around on a lasso and is trapping him somewhere <3333 theyre climbing up the big ben and bad is taking SO MUCH DAMAGE he has his auto eat on

he accidentally said the word "forever" again and started crying again, his chat is in shambles.

MUSEUM TIME!!!!!!

HELP THE FUCKING ADMINS INCLUDED A DRAWING OF BAD LITERALLY STUCK IN A PADDED ROOM BASED ON HIS TIME IN JAIL, RICHAS SAID "natural habitat"

>>>>>>bad's crying again, and being horny because of how "cute" forever looks in the fanart, but mostly crying<<<<<

pomme started bullying bad because he called forever cute LMAO

tinas on!!!!!

-11:50 EST

Bad's crying again over art of him and forever in the pool he made in forevers base, the admins want to hurt him specifically/j

"treasure the wholesome moments chat, for they are just dust in the wind" -BBH 2023

bad took his totems out of his offhand again :)

Bad's crying again over another image of him and forever!!

[twig-tea]

Thai QL Favorites Tag Game

Tagged by @telomeke and @waitmyturtles, thank you both for the tag!

Credit: this game was created by @thatgirl4815 as Thai BL Favorites Tag Game.

I want you all to know before I start that asking for favourites is biphobic so you're going to have to ignore the places where I bent/ignored the rules about how many choices I was allowed to have. Also, this is so long, and took forever, I'm so sorry:

Favorite Thai QL:

I could caveat this until the end of time, but I'm going to go with the definition of "favourite" that's "has a special place in my heart" rather than necessarily "best"; and that's undoubtedly Until We Meet Again. I got very not normal about this show. When it was airing, I used to rewatch every episode before the new episode, and then rewatch the newly aired episode at least once before binging the show to date again. And I've binged it several times since. Sometimes if I need to cry, I'll put on the first 10 minutes and ugly-sob. This show felt like an apology and catharsis for years of built-up bury-your-gays induced trauma from queer media, in addition to a balm for all of the external relationship drama tropes in BL. I think I've talked about it around here somewhere before, how this show sets up all of the tropes for things that go wrong for couples in BL, and then everything is fine, over and over? And it was airing during the very start of the pandemic before the world was calling it a pandemic, when I was so worried about everything and governments hadn't caught up to being afraid yet, and I felt so alone, and this show over and over again said "it'll be ok", at a time I really needed to hear that. Plus it's got the whole epic-love-story-across-lives and the family acceptance redemption arc that as a still-only-partially-out-to-my-family-in-my-30s queer absolutely destroys me. Anyway, there are other shows that I would agree are as good or better (shout out to He's Coming to Me, I Told Sunset about You, Bad Buddy, Not Me, The Eclipse), but UWMA remains my fave (and gets two gifs for being top spot).

Favorite Pairing: I have seen this interpreted as branded pairs & as fictional couple, so I'm going to take that excuse to answer both questions. I'm honestly not a fan branded pairs as a thing and agree with @lurkingshan's comments on this, I tend to prefer it when people continuously work with different actors. That being said, JoongDunk seem to be having a lot of fun with the whole fanservice game, which is fun to watch for as long as they're enjoying themselves and continue to be in on the joke, which seems to be the case.

Fictional couple? Right at this moment I am still thinking about Khatha and Dome from Midnight Museum. I think this one hit me in my Chinese epics button, because the story felt a lot like a danmei (not the least because you could argue it reads as censored bromance). But this show asks questions about fate, God, the devil, multiverses, and then has its characters choosing to reject all of the above in order to choose each other? SIGN ME UP. Legitimately it's the most fun I've had watching a tv show in awhile, it was bananas, and I loved the journey of Khatha figuring out who Dome was in relationship to Chan, and deciding to love Dome as Dome, at the same time that Dome was also figuring out who he was, and deciding he preferred who he was when he was with Khatha. But also just Tor + Gun are incredible actors (Tor having been a stand-out since Hormones and Gun of course since The Blue Hour) and I would watch either of them in anything, but together they were magnetic (and evidence for my earlier point re: branded pairs, as much as I enjoy Off & Gun together!).

Most underrated actor: I'm going to say James Teeradon. He had a few small roles in Hormones 2 & 3, Diary of Tootsies, and The Stranded, and he had the main role in Project S: Skate our Souls and in Great Men Academy. First, I should say, you could argue none of these classify as BLs. Second, all of these have trigger warnings, so please take care of yourself and feel free to ask if you want content warnings. But he's one of those actors who never looks like the same person in each role he's playing, and he absolutely gives me shivers. His performance as Boo in Skate our Souls was legitimately chill-inducing--this one in particular has serious trigger warnings, I put off watching it for a long time because I knew about the warnings and waited until I was in the right headspace, and it still messed with me for weeks. But oh man, oh man that show, it rewrote part of my DNA. I don't even know that under-rated is fair to say since there was buzz around him when he was in these shows a few years ago, but he was trying to make it as part of a band for awhile and he hasn't been in much since. If there's one person I want to see in something else who a lot of other people don't talk about these days, it's James.

Cheating and taking the opportunity to choose a second actor from definitely-a-BL series: Fluke Chinnathan from Second Chance the Series. While Second Chance had a lot of flaws, the acting by Fluke and Tong was stellar. Their micro-expressions and body language was unreal. I feel strongly enough about this that I wrote an ode to it as part of the BL-Bracket for best kiss scene. No idea what Fluke is up to or if he even wants to keep acting, but I'd love to see him in something else--he's one of the only other actors (than James, mentioned above) that I'll go in to MyDramaList occasionally just to check to see if they're in anything new. PS if you do give Second Chance a shot, please know going in that Run and Games, real life brothers who are both actors, are both in this series but never in a scene together, and their characters are similar, so a lot of people have trouble telling them apart without knowing there are two different characters in the show.

(Also, I 100% would have said Suar for this question before La Pluie, because he did not get enough credit for You're My Sky and I think he was incredible).

Favorite Character: Honestly, I've deleted my answer to this so many times now. Choosing one is so hard! I'm going to go with White from Not Me. Incredibly loyal, strong moral values (but willing to break the rules/law to fulfil those values because he understands that law ≠ morality), self-sacrificing, extremely competent in some ways, but also has serious blind spots in others that leads to him making very silly choices especially around who they trust, lacking in self esteem especially around whether or not people will want him around. The way he chooses to give up his privilege--not for his brother, because he could have found a way to go back to his old life after everything if he wanted--because he saw what was wrong with all of it and decided to do what he could to help fix it (and not participate in it) is something that really resonated with me. I also love that he is an absolute marshmallow who cannot hide that fact. Plus White being a disaster bi who wanted Sean from the beginning endeared him to me forever. And it doesn't hurt that he's played by Gun Atthaphan

Favorite Side Character: I have also started and stopped this section so many times. Natty and her absolutely terrible taste in women from Diary of Tootsies, Na being at some points the only reason I kept watching Tonhon Chonlatee, Namo being smart enough to know to pretend she doesn't know what's going on in Not Me, Tong the ecovillage owner from Bad Buddy, Daisy and their incredible gender and mix of self esteem + self esteem issues in Secret Crush on You.

Alright I'm giving it to Dream in Something in My Room. I don't have good reasons for this; her character was artistic, had supernatural powers, green asymmetrical hair, and was stoic with a hidden dark past, and I am a simple woman. I wanted to know everything about her.

Favorite scene in a QL: How can I choose just one?! I'm choosing three and you can't stop me.

Third place, Not Me, with Sean and White under the pride flag. It has everything: It's iconic, it's cinematic, it's cathartic, it's political, it's a critical character moment, it has great music, it's full of queer joy, and it brings me so much happiness every time I see it.

Second: Dean and Pharm in front of the Pra Aphai Mani & sea ogress sculptures in the aquarium in Until We Meet Again. Partially because I love aquariums so much, partially because this sequence is one of the first ones we really get to see the hints of Intouch in Pharm. The way he moves around that aquarium is nothing like how he moves at school or his condo, and it's one of the things that struck me so hard on rewatch; while that scene did so much work towards establishing their characters the first time around, the second+ time it has so much more meaning. The throwaway line by Pharm about relating to the ogress now gives me chills.

Plus the way the aquarium scene got called back in I Promise You the Moon makes me really happy.

But first and top, the one that will forever live in my mind for the way it made me feel in my body: Teh and Oh-Aew on the rug in I Told Sunset About You. That moment, my god. Butterflies. Chills. Chewing glass. Devastation. I don't know that I've ever felt any other scene so viscerally; it transported me back to being a teenager and cuddling in clearly non-platonic ways with my bestie and wondering what was happening. Thinking about it now still gives me goosebumps. Maybe a bit of a weird choice because of the pain but I don't shy away from some pain in my faves!

Favorite line in a QL: Honestly I could put one of several meaningful quotes in here, probably the ones I've thought about most being the one from Bad Buddy that a few other folks have noted ("I may not be able to change the world but the world can't change me either"); and "can't we just get a little bit of space?" from The Warp Effect that I mentioned in my Silvy appreciation post. but the first thing that came to mind was this cracktastic banger moment from En of Love: This is Love Story that runs through my head every time a character P-Nong's someone when they don't mean it like that (and especially when newbies get confused about whether characters are actually related):

"'P' but not brothers; the way 'daddy' [said in English] doesn't really mean father. You get it?"

--Param, being a little shit (affectionate)

But also I think special mention needs to go to this new and immediate classic by Tien in La Pluie:

Most Anticipated QL (& why): I am very excited for 23.5 and Only Friends, also WuJu Bakery (does that count if it's Korean but starring Thai actors?) but....This is niche and might never happen, but MindTrio announced awhile ago that they were going to put out Chemistry in Love, which was either a sequel or related to Calculating Love? Listen, this is a low-budget production company making a slightly quirky trope-filled shorts that tend to have pretty cinematography but falter a bit on plot and pacing, and in Calculating Love the main character hits on his love interest with a series of math/graphing equations and coffee. I fully acknowledge that I am a particular kind of nerd, but I just really, really want to see people flirting with their Extremely Geeky special interests. Some sort of of follow-up to Calculating Love has been a maybe-thing since 2020, so it's most anticipated by amount of time I've been waiting. I have a list of 290 "upcoming" shows that may or may not ever happen so I'll stop there.

Healthiest relationship in a QL: I was very persuaded by @waitmyturtles' arguments re: King and Uea, and I thought about My Only 12% and even wrote a whole thing about Tinn and Gun from MSP before deleting it.

But I'm going to use this soapbox to give a hot take and say, by the end of the series, that it's Nuea and Toh from Secret Crush on You. Both of them have secretly loved each other for the whole series, and shown it in their own very unhealthy ways: Toh by keeping a collection of everything that reminds him of Nuea, and Nuea by being extremely cool-guy persona around Toh. But by the end, both of them have aired their insecurities about their relationship, and have committed to working on their relationship together. Toh stops assuming that they will break up (which Nuea explained was hurtful to him) and declares he'll fight for their relationship in front of Nuea's parents, and Nuea allows himself to be seen as very uncool through his vulnerability, and is more open about his uncool thoughts and feelings. I remember them being surprisingly healthy about jealousy too, once they're together, showing trust in one another when that photography club kid shows up. Nuea also makes a really sweet gesture that I think gets misunderstood at the end of the show; Toh explains that his collection makes him happy, that Nuea is more important so he'll give it up if he has to but he really, really does not want to. So Nuea finds a way to make the collection about them rather than about him, so that he can embrace it too and be less discomfited by it. I feel like there's not enough "meeting people where they are", and too many makeover fantasies in romance for my tastes. Instead, Secret Crush on You said listen, people are weird, and we all just need to find the other weirdos whose jagged edges fit with ours. And it's work figuring out together how they will fit, and they won't fit perfectly, but that's ok. As long as everyone is comfortable, it can be a little weird. It may be less realistic than say the way similar themes are handled in Utsukushii Kare, because behavioural change (especially around self-worth) is hard irl, but the question wasn't about which relationship is most realistic lol SCOY also said embrace cringe culture and I am here for it even if it is sometimes hard to watch because it is SO CRINGE; but I respect it for living its truth.

Most toxic relationship in a QL: Oof. I am a strong believer in "if it works for them, that's their business", as is probably evident from above, but the reveal of what was going on with King and Peat in Love Area (parts 1 & 2) was really next level BS and managed to be both toxic and ableist, so it gets a special mention and no gif.

Guilty pleasure series: I don't really subscribe to feeling guilty about liking things, but I have a bunch that don't get a lot of love and I fully understand why lol In addition to the example of Calculating Love above (which is like, a 6 on MDL, and TBH harsh but fair), I really enjoyed I Will Knock You. Maybe it was just the novelty but I loved the character of Noey so much, his vintage aesthetic, the amount of time spent around and in temples, and the most adorable closing credit sequence of all time (shows that have closing credit sequences that reflect the main relationship in the show is one of my favourite tropes!). The criticisms about it, especially the ones about the Thi character, are fully valid and I would not actually recommend it without a lot of caveats (e.g. warnings for blushing virgin trope + age gap, and sooort of glorification of gang membership?), but I had a great time.

Also maybe Y-Destiny episodes 9 & 10? Tohru and First as Kaeng and Puth, whew. I have a special place in my heart for storylines where the characters sleep together as friends with benefits and then have to renegotiate those boundaries because I've lived it more than once lol (Only Friends when?!). But the ending episode for the series was actually so offensively bad, I like to forget it exists.

Most underrated series: You're My Sky and He's Coming to Me have already gotten a lot of love so I'll just say YES to those. Would have said My Ride before this recent release to YT. Does Triage count if it's nominated for awards but nobody ever talks about it (probably because the distribution was so messy)? I think My Only 12% doesn't get enough love because of the pacing of the last episodes, but the rest of the show was SO good.

But I'm going to take this opportunity to get on a sandbox about Diary of Tootsies (spanning S1, S2, and the movie sequel Tootsies and the Fake).

This show is not BL; it is decidedly queer. There is no single love story, and if there is, it's undermined. And yet, because it's a comedy, it also gets overlooked in the lists of Important Queer Viewing (which is fair, honestly, that is not a read). But it means my blorbo of a show often doesn't get hyped up, so I'm taking the opportunity.

This show I would argue sits squarely in the by/for/about queers category as per @wen-kexing-apologist’s by/for/about Venn diagram. Watching it feels like a group hug; it's so very clearly written by actual queer people (even if this wasn't confirmed everywhere online, the screenwriter is out and speaks about this, but it's also just obvious) and I recognize so much of my friends and people I've known in these messy queers. It deals with casual sex, drug use, HIV, adoption, being closeted at work, and more.

It is also so funny. I didn't think I liked toilet humour until Make it Right and Diary of Tootsies proved me wrong. I honestly think about the scene with Natty and the handbag in the car approximately once a month. And the opening sequence of the sequel film!! What a choice for opening credits. And these queer friends are mean to one another, even in the moments they're being supportive of one another, and it is both familiar and delightful (also reminds me of this post by @bengiyo about whether viewers still love us when we're mean). The found family tropes are STRONG in this one, friends.

There is some fatphobia, though I always struggle with how much to warn for that because this show also has one of the only fat characters in QL who gets a character arc, a love interest, and to be a whole person. And to dance! The dance sequencesssss especially in S2, oh my heart. So much queer joy in this show in general!

Last thing I'll say about this show is that it also gets left off people's lists because the "main couple" if you can say there is one is not the one most fans were rooting for--I will admit, myself included. But the narrative convinced me to be satisfied with what we got, which is honestly to its credit!

Anyway TL;DR Diary of Tootsies makes me extremely happy and I'm glad it exists.

OMG ok I am letting this go now. Tagging @redxblueihateloveyou because you've not been active for awhile so this way you'll see this whenever you come back, and @formayhem because we are newly buds and I'd be curious about your answers! At this point everyone else must have been tagged by now, so please just consider yourself tagged if you haven't done this yet and tag me so I see it! I've been loving reading everyone's answers.

[respectthepetty]

I'm only accepting YinWar or MosBank.

Unless this show has a Jojo-bringing-out-Mond-as-the-ex secret third option, I don't want it!

BRING ME MY LEADS!

Give me YinWar with guns!

red peafowl you fucking bastards

"Hongkong" the demon mafia that everyone talks about. The biggest mysterious mafia in "Feichi Special Delegation" is old, but everyone thinks he's 20 years old. Appreciate the bravery of "Lui Pheng" as his first love at first sight. Turns into a madly crazy lover by default. (Revealed the cast on 25/10/23 in a press release) [insta]

WHO IS IT?????!!!!!!!!

[tortibomb]

@poetry-protest-pornography made these bingo cards and I thought I’d make a little bingo card for myself. A little unserious, a lot serious. I did indeed get silly with it.

Jimmy & Sea joked about a mafia/doctor BL today(yesterday?) at their fan meet in LA and now I need it.

PapangPod, I think we are all on this ship. If not ya better jump on because it’s gotta be happening. Right?

Firstkhao/EarthMix stolen from prev but I saw it and I need it.

Tired of seeing Gemini and Fourth in HS settings.

PerthSanta I’ve had for 5 minutes and I want them forever.

BounPrem, where are you?

Lego is a cutie patootie. I would take them in anything.

GREATINN2025CRIMEBLPLZ

I’m never getting season two of midnight museum but I’m still gonna be delulu about it.

Who doesn’t want AouBoom as leads? We want it. It’s overdue.

TayNew/OffGun, gimme something.

Anything to fuck me up honestly.

I haven’t seen a single GL, gmmtv or other. So recommend a good one? :) Most didn’t seem interesting but there are 2 or 3 coming up I am super interested in. I started The Loyal Pin but paused it to watch at a later date.

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

Before this week's GMMTV announcements, I thought it was a good time to review my bingo card from Part 1, and do some manifesting for what we haven't gotten yet.

What I got right on my bingo card from Part 1 (which in hindsight, I did better than I realized based on announcements):

- Enemies to lovers, Pond in a comedic role, and if you squint, sort of AouBoom as leads because it's an ensemble cast - all covered by We Are.

- BL series with new actors - a safe bet, yes, still counts, Only Boo (which is actually turning out quite cute).

- Workplace romance - The Trainee

- GemFourth in something cute & innocent - My Love Mix-Up

- Paranormal romance & Gawin in a new lead role with a new partner - My Golden Blood, now to be joined by The Vampire Project for the paranormal part

- I'm also pretty sure I picked ViewJune as a side couple before they were confirmed as one for 23.5, so I'm gonna take credit for that as well.

What seems likely in Part 2:

- Mark Pakin in a lead role. He kind of spilled the beans already, plus it would be fucking dumb to not give him a lead at this point.

- 2 GLs in 2024. Pluto takes one spot, and based on rumors of a particular author posting about the event, another seems likely. (Pluto might also technically qualify as my secret identity romance pick but it remains to be seen).

- FirstKhao romcom. We want it, they want it, it's basic math. Give it!

- Neo paired with someone new and in a non-comedic role. I haven't heard much rumorwise, but I got the impression that Mark may be partnered with someone else. Which I think is good! They worked in Only Friends, but I think it's good to have a roster of flexible BL actors. I know Neo will be in My Golden Blood, so that sorta already counts for a serious role, but I assume he'll get more as well. (Omg, what if he hooks up with Mond as villain boyfies).

Less likely but not impossible:

- Remake of a Korean series. But after mining Japan so successfully, they might want to attempt more (especially if Korea is more flexible with airing rights).

- BL series with actors over 30. Their actors and audience are all getting older, let's bring in some maturity (Yes, of course this is about Papang making out onscreen for my enjoyment, I apologize for nothing).

Not gonna happen and I will be salty about it:

- JoongDunk vampire series. The Vampire Project is right there. Joong as a serial killer is also acceptable. (But of course I will watch them in whatever they get. I would just love for them to not be in university once again.)

- Midnight Museum 2. You give me such beautiful weird chaos and a perfect BL setup for season 2. And we won't get it, because god forbid that Gun ever get to kiss a man who isn't Off. Let him make out with other people, goddammit!!

Not in my card but manifesting all the same:

- Something worthy of Perth. Look, I like Chimon. He is very talented. And I had fun with Dangerous Romance. But I can't deny there was a chemistry problem. I think they can get past it, I really do, but they need the right series, the right coaching - heck, hire Saint to come do a one-on-one class of "how to make out with Perth like you mean it".

- Keep breaking out of the predictable BL settings. They've started to, and they need to keep it up. I'd love a strong sci-fi.

- More trans characters. More gender diversity. More breaking stereotypes.

[dribs-and-drabbles]

Watchlist Tag Game!

Thank you @waitmyturtles for tagging me!

Currently watching

A Boss and a Babe - cute, easy to watch

Bed Friend - cute, easy to watch HA! who am I kidding. Despite the icky trauma I love this one. Let's hope it sticks the landing.

Chains of Heart - I was going to wait to watch this one (like Big Dragon) but I got SO DRAWN IN and now I'm obsessed.

The Eighth Sense - I knew a kbl would be gorgeously made but this one is knocking all other kbls out of the park. It's also stabbing me in the heart. But I love it.

Future - a little cringeworthy, a little slow, but it's light and easy.

The Promise - I have to watch this a week behind since I don't have a subscription hence I miss the analysis and discourse, which is needed because the characters' motivations can be frustrating. Plus colours!

UMG - I wish this could have had a midnight museum level of depth, even a 10 years ticket, but it's slapstick crack. Which doesn't make it bad per se but it's a little too light and throwaway whilst also trying to be sort of a character study. I also wish they had given the aliens a blurred focus because they're much less menacing when you can see it's just prosthetics and make-up.

3 Will Be Free - I started this a while ago but stalled mid-way through ep 3. I'll get back to it soon but I find Joss a bit wooden.

Looking forward to watching soon

New shows: 

Our Skyy 2 - I might end up having to watch each ep later than everyone else (and thus hiding the tag for the whole series sadly) because Wed and Thurs evenings are the WORST time for me. But SO EXCITED!

Double Savage - I might also have to wait and binge this one later because it might be difficult to squeeze this in with all the above.

Older shows:

The Director who buys me Dinner - the eps are only short, so I could binge it at some point.

HIStory 5: Love in the Future - the ep lengths daunt me, so maybe I'll binge it during my next long break from work?

Big Dragon - not sure when I'll get round to this but it's been on my list since before Christmas.

Ai Long Nhai - this has also been on my list for a while, maybe too long now...

Remember Me - ditto (I can't even remember what this one is about).

To Sir With Love - starting to think I won't watch this though...

Would like to watch but can't for region locked/subscription reasons

Our Dining Table - it looks so soft and domestic!

Destiny Seeker - the colours!

Also - any gl recs gladly taken! It's harder to keep track of what's airing and when with gls...

Tagging some peeps whom I haven't interacted with much recently (it's me not you) and some who have popped up in my notifications recently: @seeking-moonscapes @jemmo @markpakin @elnotwoods @youdontloveme-yet @airenyah @ablazenqueen @wen-kexing-apologist @vegasandhishedgehog @colourme-feral @kyr-kun-chan @lurkingshan

[foxes-that-run]

New Years Day

This song is bittersweet, placed at end to the album because NYE/NYD is an end and a beginning. Like Clean, this song is about moving on, but now with someone who stays. It was a surprise song when 1989 TV was announced. The subject and timing indicates it may have been cut from 1989. Also note the light up Anchor - like Harry's tattoo covering 'I can't change' in the World Premier video.

When Taylor performed it at the 2 June 2018 AT&T Secret Session in Chicago she introduced it by talking about Reputation being a 'bait and switch' that the album is about finding real love in the noise and learning who your friends are. Taylor Nation has a version of this with part of the intro by cuts Taylor off half way through a sentence at 24:38! They removed the part about a 3am icy swim (1:23)

"So... I found myself, um.. like 2 New Years Eve's ago I found myself in the midst of a very like incredible 3am moment where you think you are invincible and you end up like jumping in a pool in the winter and you feel super untouchable in that moment and the next morning you feel very fragile. And you're like this is love, this is what love really is. Like we all wanna find someone to kiss at midnight, that's cool or whatever But who is gonna want to hang out with me the next day? When you are like Advil or nothing! So this is a song about finding real love and finding someone to hang out with on New Year's Day."

WHY did Taylor Nation cut that? Is it because she sounds high? Because Joe was not there??? Inquiring minds need to know. The rest of their video is complete apart from a 8 second intro.

In her 1989 Grammy Museum talk Taylor talked about making 1989 sonically cohesive after Red didn't win AOTY on 26 January 2014. (6 mins) In other words, a song like New Years Day would have been cut to get AOTY. Harry and Taylors NYE kiss is well known and also in Question...?

Lyrics

There's glitter on the floor after the party Girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby Candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor You and me from the night before, but

The first verse sets the scene of a morning after a party. On NYE 2013 they stayed in the Greenwich Hotel which does have hardwood floors in the suites and a lobby in which girls can carry shoes in. (I have always wondered about that combo!) Polaroids are a key theme of 1989.

(Chorus) Don't read the last page But I stay when you're lost, and I'm scared, and you're turning away I want your midnights But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

"Don't read the last page" is asking her muse to not close the book on them, to stick the relationship out through the hard and unfun times. There is a similar, or almost responding lyric in Death by a Thousand Cuts: "You said it was a great love / One for the ages / But if the story's over / Why am I still writing pages?" (Avoiding spoilers there’s also chapter references in a 1989 vault track)

Taylor is saying she will stay when it is hard and unglamorous. 'Stay' is in many HS/TS songs. Most recently in As it was "Seems you cannot be replaced / And I'm the one who will stay".

In the last lines of the chorus Taylor says she wants her muses midnights, meaning fun times, but that she will also be there to clean up the figurative and literal messes.

You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi I can tell that it's gonna be a long road I'll be there if you're the toast of the town, babe Or if you strike out and you're crawling home

The first line of this verse gives us a glimpse of what happened after that Times Square kiss, Harry squeezing her hand to reassure her, them both knowing it was going to be hard. This video captures them as kids, people were yelling their names and police to get to the car. This line explores both 1 night and what was part of the downfall of the relationship.

The second half of the verse is Taylor reiterating that she will stay, if he is the toast of the town or strikes out, meaning regardless of fame. In Sweet Creature, (Released 6 months before Reputation) Harry has a similar message "When I run out of road, you bring me home"

[Bridge] Please don't ever become a stranger Whose laugh I could recognize anywhere

In the Bridge Taylor entertains that they may not stay. “whose laugh I could recognise anywhere" is so beautiful, perfectly capturing holding someone so dear fearing them becoming distant.

[Verse 3] There’s glitter on the floor after the party Girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby Candle wax and Polaroids on the hardwood floor You and me forevermore

After the bridge the first verse is repeated with 'you and me forevermore' instead of 'from the night before'. Making a vow to hold onto the relationship forever.

[Chorus] Don't read the last page But I stay when it's hard or it's wrong or we're making mistakes I want your midnights But I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day

Lost/scared/"you're" turning away becomes hard/wrong/"we're" making mistakes. This shows maturity. Rather than turning inward or away in a hard time they are supporting each other and accepting their mistakes.

In the context of the end of the Reputation album about drama and feeling alone Taylor is matured, looking ahead to a partnership.

[Post-Chorus] Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you And I will hold on to you

In the closing Taylor is imploring her muse to hold on, remember the good in them despite hard times and promising to hold on too.

New Years Day has Taymojis

[respectthepetty]

GMMTV 2024 Part 1 - Hot Tops

I did this last year, so I guess I'll do it this year too even though I'm salty like the Great Lakes in Utah about not getting JoongDunk, release dates for the remaining 2023 shows, nor Midnight Museum 2. Even though I have questions like if High School Fremeny is gonna be queer and why GMMTV is determined to make Earth seem old (Ossan's Love, really?!), there was a lot that I liked about this lineup like . . .

#1 - ON SALE Peaceful Property

I don't know if this show is a BL or not or what its name is, but I don't care. I'm gonna watch the hell out of it regardless. After enjoying New in The Warp Effect act wild, then Tay in Midnight Museum (thug tears!) be unhinged, I'm excited to see them play to those strengths in the Thai edition of one of my favorite shows, Los Espookys, because we have the rich kid who needs the help of the poor ghost hunters. It looks like a funny (and heartwarming) take on los espookys, so I'll be scared, but it has color coding which makes it a HOT TOP for me. - For the Heart

#2 - Wandee Goodday

Great was queer in Manner of Death. It was canon to me, so I followed him to Catch Me Baby where he clearly wasn't queer, but NetJames as the support were, so it was a win. So I'll be damn sure to follow this fine man on this wild adventure with Inn where he is playing an actual queer. Like he knows "he is queer and is already having casual sex with a guy" queer. It also features THOR, DRAKE and POND, while being directed by GOLF with the possibility of color coding, so who am I to argue with perfection. - For the Kinks

#3 - My Golden Blood

I don't like vampires, but I love camp, and nothing gets campier than this pilot trailer even if was unintentional. I laughed so many times during it that I'm going to treat this as a comedy whether it is or not. It had Neo and Mond while also saving some space for potential "older" vampires to show up (Papang anyone?). Fluke Gawin continues to take one for the team, yet stays winning, so thank this babygirl for his service, while Joss serves body. Amen. - For the Laughs

#4 - The Trainee

Everyone looks miserable in corporate America Thailand, which is realistic because it is soul-sucking and never-ending, but OffGun are getting to play adults AGAIN, and like I wrote last year - They are Kelly Clarkson. Even at their worst, they are better than every one else, performance-wise, and they have View, Piploy, and Sea with his beautiful side profile as supports. Because it is an office BL, I'm already rooting for it, and it features Gun crying which is only rivaled by Khaotung tearing up, meaning it's marvelous. - For the Adults

#5 - Kidnap

Both Ohms are in it with Title and a newbie, but I'm only showing up 42% for them and 58% for PAPANG! That's it! That's the reason. - For the PAPANG!

Honorable Mention - Pluto

It's really shitty of me to put a picture of the bully, played by THOR (again!), as the image for this when it is a GL, but the entire reason it isn't even ranked is because . . .

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT?!

There are twins? One gets in a car accident with her husband right after the wedding or on the way to the wedding? The other twins takes her place to figure out what happened? But falls back in love with her bestie? Or were they already in love? Or did the chick actually love the other twin? Make it make sense, Mary! All I truly understood was Thor & Baseball Bat. Everything else was confetti. - For the ???

Everything Else

As usual, I'm showing up for everything queer, so even if I'm not looking forward to them I'll watch them.

But Ossans' Love . . . really, GMMTV? *eye roll for making me sit through it again in another language*

[ceoofmetagala]

@drewmwalker you asked for it(my OCS) I decided to only take photos of a few to avoid that much rambling 👍(I have a ton but I selected some of my favorites)

Veritas(Normally known as veri.) He/it/my other prns here

- somehow a complicated mix of just OC and self insert. (His more wild aspects are OC and anything like prns name and personality are mostly me. I got attached and connected to it while making it)

- OC x cannon👍👍👍👍(morpho knight)

-immortal. At first just wanted to die but ironically bonding with a grim reaper made it want to live 😚😚

-my personal punching bag and by that I mean saddled with anything. Poor dragonfly. He has silly disease ( I will throw anything random at him positive or negative)

- sis knight does NOT like him. Mostly because veri makes out with his boss. Like rude. /J

Also there's an evil fucked up version of veri running around (Taffy and no that's not atucally what she is about but I find it funny to refer to him as such)

Chocomonio+ Cherri (Choco is it/it's, cherri is she/her)

-both escaped from the abusive church they were in, well Chocomonio didn't practice in it but was instead tied up in the basement and tortured 👍👍👍

- Chocomonio was the one to help Cherri transition and realize her sister was a piece of shit

- they are spaphic 2gethedr.

-also Chocomonio name is a pun. Choco= chocolate and monio refers to the spansih word for bow and demon at the same time (deMONIO and monio for bow, my mom refers to it like that. and so that's the word I know for bow it seems it's not that commom to refer to as such though? )

- fun fact chocomonio was instead to be my OC but I connected with and was more attached to veri so made Chocomonio just an OC

-Cherri used to be a villan. Also she changed species going from puff to spider!!!

-veri knows both of them and HATES Chocomonio. Who knows what happened between them but they will start fistfighting if they see evsh other

Valerie and Audrey (both she / her)

- ignore how they're the same size. Valerie is older by like 3 years I just see valerie as my baby still so she's tiny

- my two metagala ship children, they were cinnoected in an evil lab by me (in cannon they were born out of love between metagala . I hate these cheesy fucks./lh )

- Valerie is my favorite but that's just because she's been aorund MUCH longer.

- Valerie becomes a knight when she grows older (bright knight. Was intended to be a place holder but I think bright knights a cute name) Audrey just becomes a florist and chills while her sister is out doing knight things. You know.

-both are ridiculously strong. But like. They're parents are metagala. Come on. Audery is more magically packed then Valerie but she's doenst enjoy fighting

- I need you to know fbariote foods are macarons (Valerie) and churros(audery) okay. Thanks(I make this silly fun fact known often. )

Techno knight+ Blacknoise (she/her for tech and he/it for blacknoise)

- SIBS!!!!. Blacknoise is older

- both built by an ancient called Adwin (long dead but not for the reasons you may think)

- Blacknoise was built for combat and techno knight was made a cleaning robot but Adwin figures Blacknoise needed a friend to socialize with

-anwyyas Adwin was killed by Blacknoise himself while he was in a fit of rage at what she tried to do techno knight (he doesn't regret it at all and tech doesn't know what happened to Adwin or the incident at all(

They were separated after this and techno knight was sleepy ass for ages and balcknosie eventually found his way to a museum

Tech evuntally wakes up and goes on a quest to find blacknoise, well after she cleans off any vegetation that grew on her.

- they get reunited and run off out of the msueum. While security chases them and techno 2 new betsies Midnight nad Rue awgo helped in this break out misson and now all 4 are on the run

- anwyas there's also the mirri incident which is fectos floras fault but no one knows that..not even flora and trauma I think but who cares it's long and a whole other story on its own point is techno knight meets Kirby, Meta and Susie. This incident is how she meets them and gets their help to save the place she and the others were hiding in

- anwyas techno knight wants to be a knight just like meta knight but Blacknoise is heasitant to let that happens but allows her to go train and now they are still on the run but one is off training else where and they decide yeah let's just hop off the planet

- balcknosie follows with techno and midnight goes to ripple star while rue goes to popstar. They will reurinte at some point but they separate for now 👍👍👍 okay yeah.

Also fecto flora is seen below them. I have a lot of thoughts about them but I am tried doc typing lmao

[singto-prachaya]

Another watchlist already when it’s been only a month? Wonder if I can keep this up or forget again 😂 Anyway let’s get going.

Bed Friend

I’m enjoying this. However I didn’t expect this series to be heavy. The trauma Uea is dealing with oof. But please can we get better subs. It’s not the worst but still.

Chains Of Heart

I was ready to drop this because after 2 eps I was still confused and the subs didn’t make it any better. They were really bad. But since I hate dropping things I was like let me just try one more ep. And wow I was shocked when I saw the subs. They became so much better.

Love Syndrome III

Well what can I say. Low quality and terrible subs. Lee Long Shi really needs to find better projects to star in. Because so far all of them have been a miss. But either way I will try and continue this.

My School President

Well Fourth and Gemini stole my heart in Moonlight Chicken so I then decided I would bing this while I am home alone. One more ep to go while writing this. Anyway I am in love 🥰

Our Winter

Same as last time. No plot but at least it’s cute. They revealed the plot for their upcoming Korean collab and it’s about a fan who has feelings for his idol. I feel a bit iffy abut that plot but I’ll wait and see.

The End Of The World

This show is just not doing it for me. And today’s ep wasn’t that good for my mental health. Doesn’t mean it’s a bad show. Just not for me.

The Promise

Watched the 2 short movies before the series started and I really liked them. Despite the fact the sadness hit me hard and stayed with me longer then I wanted. Enjoyed the first ep. Heard some bad things about the second ep. I hope it’s not as bad as they made it seem.

Tin Tem Jai

I will just skip around for the side couple. Don’t care about the rest at all. 

Future The Series (12 March, YT, Gaga) 

Rookie Thailand BL’s are always low heat but I enjoy them. So I can’t wait for this.

Midnight Museum (7 March, YT)

You have no idea how excited I am for this show. P’tor and Gun in the same show? Sign me up! And 2 eps a week? Even better.

[hughungrybear]

Me while watching Cherry Magic Thailand Ep. 1:

It's finally here!!!! TayNew, my beloved 😭😭😭😭 I guess while everyone (who saw the original Japanese series) would be comparing this remake to the original, I would just bask in the glory that TayNew is back 😭😭😭😭

1. I must say, I love how we are getting all these amazing views of Thailand during the introduction. Most BLs centred on cityscapes are mostly filled with buildings, modern architecture, and urban traffic - not Thai suburbs. It's a nice change of pace.

2. I will always be amazed with how multilingual Tay Tawan is. The man does not have any problem learning a new language as opposed to myself who would turn the subs on irl if I could because I can never absorb foreign words even when I wanted to 😭😭😭

3. I think it's a nice touch that they have brought a Japanese guest in the mix. It's like a meta (official) hand-off of this Japanese series to Thailand.

4. I have the same question when I first watched the original - how "virgin" are you supposed to be to gain a magical power like Achi's? 😅😅😅 Absolutely no kiss, touch, or anything of that sort (even, y'know, "self-support")??? Curious minds would like to know 😅😅😅

5. I know it is a remake but I am just rolling with laughter looking at Achi's face when he realised he is Karan's crush. 😂 I have to be careful not to make too much ruckus as it is literally dawn where I am and I might wake the whole fam up 😅😅😅

6. Again, so meta (and cheeky) of this series to show the actual wiki page of the manga 😂😂😂

7. Junior looks so young in this series compared to when he played the professor in Midnight Museum 😄 Also, romance novelists are definitely the last person one would want to ask advise on love. Either they are too idealistic or too jaded. Neither will give good advise 😅😅😅

8. That cat is either pregnant or badly needs an exercise 😅😅😅 Either way, it looks very cuddly 😭😭😭

9. Sing and Jan. I have been shipping these two irl for a long time now 😅😅😅 Also, Asian office curse is effing real. Everyone is expected to work more than what they are being paid for. You'll get more than a few raised eyebrows if you dared go home at exactly 5PM even when you have finished all your work on time.

I think I have read somewhere that if your crush does not fade after six months, then it might just be love. Karan's "crush" has been going strong for seven years. It's obvious that Karan is so far gone now 😂 Anyway, so far so good with this remake. It gives me the exact ridiculously good feelings of the original. 😊

[justafriend-ql]

watch & rewatch drama list

thanks for tagging me sufa (@heart-ming) <3

currently watching

1. midnight museum classic supernatural/dark academia vibes with a wonderful cast (gun, namtan, ploypach, tor, etc.). i haven't watched a fantasy series in forever and am enjoying this one so much. fingers crossed kahtha and dome don't turn out to be brothers (yikes!) 2. boss and a babe a silly goofy good time with a surprising number of sincere, serious conversations. book is fantastic in this role and the series is genuinely hilarious. cher reading his coworkers to filth gives me unmitigated pleasure - you tell them babe!!

rewatching

1. i've been rewatching bits and pieces of never let me go, my school president, and moonlight chicken because i simply cannot and will not move on :) 2. in full, soon: fish upon the sky and not me

looking forward to

1. watching some older gmmtv shows for the first time (e.g., the gifted, p.s. i hate you, enchante) 2. 23.5 (give me a gl now!!!!) 3. only friends (need mark pakin back on my screen stat)

tagging @first-kanaphan @markpakin @julietsbb @t4tvegaspete @pondsphuwin @vegasandhishedgehog if you feel like doing this!

[pharawee]

🖇️BL WATCHLIST APRIL

🎬Tin Tem Jai - My emotional support BL. And yes, I love Tin. I love everyone on this show, ok? 😭

🎬 Step by Step - Dee Hup House never disappoints. I really like this so far.

🎬Past-senger - I probably shouldn't love this show as much as I do but it's definitely grown on me despite the annoying reality-tv camera.

🎬 The Promise (Part 2) - I missed this show. So soft and pretty.

🎬A Boss and a Babe - They keep putting Thor's character in the most flattering colours. If he turns out to be the mole then at least he's the best dressed.

🎬Love Syndrome III - I'm a 1-person prayer circle for Mac. Night and Nick, my other faves, can totally hold their own.

🎬La Pluie - Title Tanatorn in the main role he deserves. Finally.

🖇️FINISHED

🎬Midnight Museum - And they were roommates phi nong...

🎬Chains of Heart - If you thought I'd be over this show now that it's over then you're mistaken lmao

🎬Future - A cute little show that I liked for its characters and cast. Tossara remake when?

🖇️ON HOLD

🎬 Make a Wish - This is airing on Viu but doesn't have an international release. I have a tab open with fansubs but tbh I'd much rather wait for an official release. 🤞

🎬Destiny Seeker - Here's to hoping WeTV will continue to sub this because I'm now caught up and I love this little show so much. Minus the first ep. That one was just weird.

🎬 Boyband - Idk what's become of the promised release for interfans but I liked the first ep so I'm willing to wait.

🎬Bed Friend - I still need to catch up with the three last eps. I know, people will be like ?? ??? but Chains of Heart my beloved got in the way.

➕ MDL | ABOUT | ALL WATCHLISTS | COMMENTARY TAG | THAI BL NOVELS

[ritualoftheancients]

Ritual of the Ancients - Chapter 2: A Cop, of sorts

by Roan Rosser

This is a chapter of a complete vampire novel with a trans-masc main character and a gay romance subplot. New Chapters are posted every Sunday. If you like the novel and want to support the author, ebook and paperback copies can be purchased here.

*****

On the elevator, Jack prattled on about proper sun-proofing procedures and I only half listened to him as I ran through possible excuses to get away from him. Only when we stepped out into the hall on the sixth floor did I remember the second part of my problem: no keys.

I eyed Jack. Nice muscle definition was visible on his arms and chest, even through the cloth of his shirt. Plus, he was a shapeshifter, and in the movies they were always super strong. He could probably just break down the door if worse came to worse. However, plan A was that knocking on the door would wake Lindsay. She might have had her phone turned off, but she was a light sleeper. She’d be pissed at being woken up, but I wouldn’t have to pay out of my security deposit for a damaged door.

Jack, walking ahead of me, stopped abruptly, and I almost walked into his back. “Everett, you have a roommate?” Jack asked over his shoulder in a near whisper.

“Yeah, of course I do.” I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes at Jack yet again. As if a museum intern could afford an apartment on their own. I actually could have afforded it because of my little side business, but that money was for something far more important.

“Does she usually leave the door open?”

“What? No.” I pushed past Jack, unable to see past the taller man. My front door was open about a quarter of an inch. A sliver of darkness was all that was visible past the door jam.

“Get behind me,” Jack hissed, and pushed me back with one hand. With his other he reached into his jacket and drew a gun.

I was so shocked that I didn’t protest as Jack pushed me backwards. I hadn’t realized he was armed. I wondered why a werewolf—or jackal in this case—needed a gun. Jack pressed his back against the wall of the hallway next to the door and slid along it with the gun in a two-handed grip, pointed toward the ceiling. It looked like something out of a movie. Keeping his gun in the air, Jack crouched down and leaned toward the doorway. It seemed smart to me. It put his head down at crotch level, whereas anyone who was going to shoot through the door would probably shoot higher, at chest or head height.

Jack took one hand off his gun and used it to push the door the rest of the way open. From where I was standing in the hall, I couldn’t see much. Just more darkness, which itself was odd because we usually left the light in the kitchen over the sink on for midnight snack runs.

“Where’s Lindsay?” I whispered, hoping she was okay. She’d been an alright roommate, and a great friend when I’d really needed one.

“Shush,” Jack hissed over his shoulder. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, shouldn’t I go first? If I’m a vampire, I’m like indestructible, right? Like in the movies?”

“It’s not that simple. This isn’t a movie, and thinking that way will get you killed.” Jack’s eyes narrowed and he whipped his head back around toward my apartment, lifting his nose and scenting like a dog. Or a jackal. Wait, Jack the jackal. I snickered. What parents named a werejackal “Jack”?

“I said to be quiet. And stay here.” Eyes wide, Jack disappeared into the dark of my apartment. I wondered why the sudden hurry after he’d urged such caution. Shrugging, I moved up to stand next to my door where Jack had been a moment before. I could still feel the heat from his body on the wall and smell his shampoo. A breeze whispered from my apartment, covering Jack’s comforting scent with a smell that I couldn’t describe, but that immediately set me on edge.

The elevator behind me dinged, and the door began to open. I glanced behind me and almost choked as I caught sight of not other tenants getting off, but two uniformed officers. When they spotted me, they both drew their guns.

Without stopping to think about it, I took two steps forward into my dark apartment, slammed the door shut behind me, and turned the deadbolt. Running on autopilot, I flipped the light switch for the front hall.

“Damn it, Everett, I told you to wait outside,” Jack yelled from somewhere farther in the apartment. “Don’t come any further.”

“I didn’t have a choice. Two cops just got off the elevator with their guns drawn and they’re headed this way.”

There was a pounding thump at the front door. “Police, open up.”

“Shit. That other guy you bit must have called them.” Jack appeared from down the hallway leading to the bedrooms. “Don’t open that. We don’t want them here in your condition, not to mention…” Jack trailed off as he got closer, and grabbed my arm to drag me away from the door and into the kitchen.

“But that happened outside, on the sidewalk. What are they doing up here?” I asked.

The pounding on the door was getting louder, more frantic.

“Questions later. We need to get out of here before they get in,” Jack said.

“Why? I thought you were a ‘cop of sorts’. Just go talk to them.” I reluctantly pulled my arm from Jack’s grasp.

Jack grimaced and glanced back the way he’d come from, down the hallway towards the bedrooms. “It’s complicated.”

Actually, it was odd that Lindsay wasn’t up, especially with the banging at the door. She was a really light sleeper, up and yelling at me for the slightest noise when I got home late from fruitlessly trolling the local gay bar for dates.

“Is Lindsay home? I need to—” I moved to leave the kitchen, and Jack blocked the exit by reaching across the small space and placing a hand on either counter.

“That’s part of the complication,” Jack said.

“Look, just let me by.” I feinted left, and then when Jack shifted, I ducked to the right under his arm. He hadn’t counted on just how short I was.

Jack tried to grab my jacket, but it was like he was moving in slow motion as I ran past him. Everything felt unreal, like a dream or a slo-mo sequence from a movie. Jack’s hand closed on empty air behind me as I bolted towards the bedrooms. Weird, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it. The strange smell I’d detected outside got stronger as I moved farther down the hall.

I opened Lindsay’s bedroom door while knocking, but stopped cold at the sight that greeted me there.

Lindsay lay on her back on her bed, her eyes open and glazed. The bed was red with pooling blood that had run down from the wide slash that ran all the way across her neck.

I tried to scream, but Jack ran up behind me and clamped a hand over my mouth, muffling my cry.

“Shh,” Jack whispered into my ear. “It’s okay, but you can see why we can’t be here when those cops come in. We need to get out of here, now.”

“Shit, shit,” I said, pushing away Jack’s hand. Now that Jack had distracted me from the body, I noticed that Lindsay’s room had been trashed. All the clothes from her closet were scattered on the floor, and the dresser drawers were all askew and empty, the contents thrown about the room. When I thought about it, when I’d run through the living room, it had been a mess too. Oh, no. My stash. I had to check on it.

“We can go out the window,” Jack said.

I let Jack pull me away and shut the door to Lindsay’s room. The pounding on the door had gone silent, which was somehow more ominous than the banging.

“I need to check my room,” I hissed to Jack, darting past him to my door at the end of the hall. Jack chased after me, but again I was faster.

As I grabbed the doorknob, I heard the front door crashing open. “Police! Freeze!”

I couldn’t see the front door from the hall, but they’d seen me come inside so they knew someone was here.

“Go, go!” Jack hissed, pushing me into my bedroom ahead of him and carefully easing the door shut behind us. Jack turned and leaned against the door, pressing his ear against it.

I reached over to flip on the light, but Jack glanced at me and shook his head. I pulled my hand back. I could see well enough anyway. Dim light from the streetlights below came in through the windows where I had failed to fully close the blinds when I’d left for work. Was it only this morning? It seemed like it had been ages since I’d last been home. So much had happened since then.

My room was as trashed as Lindsay’s had been. My dresser drawers had been pulled out, and my closet had been emptied all over the floor and bed. Even my posters had been ripped off the wall. My eyes darted to the AC vent on the floor by my bed where I kept my stash of artifacts stolen from the museum. The vent cover was missing, and the plastic bags that I’d been using to store the items were tossed on the floor, empty. They’d been taped inside the vent, out of sight of anyone casually peering inside. Someone had either known where to look, or done a very thorough search.

I was in trouble. I owed those items to the boss, and she wasn’t going to be happy I had lost them. I physically grabbed my right arm with my left hand to stop myself from feeling for the amulet in my pocket to check that it was still there. If I was right, what I had there might make up for the missing items. If I was wrong, well, I was in a lot more trouble than I thought.

“What happened in here?” I whispered.

“I don’t know, but we need to leave before the men out there find us in here,” Jack hissed to me. “We can talk about the how and why later.”

“Fine,” I whispered back. I started stepping over the wreckage of my room. I spotted my testosterone prescription bottle in the mess and scooped it up without stopping, stuffing the little vial in my jacket pocket and zipping it closed.

Jack unlatched the window and pushed it open, letting in the cool night air. He grabbed the sides of the screen and twisted it out, letting it go to drop out into the night. It was a very long drop to the grass below. Jack grabbed my arm and shoved me at the window. I grabbed the window sill and tried not to look down, feeling a little faint. It had started raining since we’d come inside, and rain droplets pattered my face and hands.

“Jump,” Jack urged in a whisper, glancing nervously over his shoulder at the closed bedroom door.

“What? Are you crazy? I’ll break a leg or worse,” I whispered back.

“You’re a vampire. You’ll be fine. Now hurry!”

He seemed so sure of himself. Sighing, I put my hands on the ledge, preparing to climb out, but caught sight of the ground below and froze.

“Hurry!” Jack urged. “We don’t have time.”

“I can’t, it’s too high!” I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to back away, but Jack shoved me forward.

The door behind us banged open. “Freeze, police! Put your hands where we can see them and step away from the window.” Their voices were muffled. I think they were in Lindsay’s room across the hall. It’d only be moments before they found us.

I startled and would have backed away, except for Jack standing right behind me. My pulse raced.

“Shit. Sorry.”

I wanted to ask what he was sorry for when Jack’s hands moved down to my hips, grabbing my pants and lifting me up. “Out you go!” Jack hefted, flinging me up and out.

“No!” I shrieked, flailing for the window frame as the ground came into view. My fingernails scratched the paint on the window frame on my way out, but I didn’t manage to get a grip with Jack’s continued pushing at my butt and legs.

Next thing I knew I was falling, spinning through the air as wind rushed past me. I felt almost weightless as I spun in freefall, at least until I landed on my back on the grass behind the apartment building. The impact knocked the breath out of me and I felt my spine snap. It hurt, but not as much as I would have expected. I felt another pop and gritted my teeth against the wave of pain that wracked me.

I opened my eyes in time to see Jack jump straight out of the window like a superhero, sailing easily over my position. Without thinking I rolled over to watch him, enthralled by the sight. The vial in my pocket shattered as I rolled over it, and the oily residue soaked through the windbreaker. Shit.

Jack landed in a crouch that turned into a roll about ten feet away from the building. It looked as if he’d just jumped from a burning or exploding building in a movie scene, a comparison not at all harmed by his rugged good looks and muscled physique. He sprang to his feet as if he’d just done a somersault, not jumped from the sixth floor. “Follow me, I’m parked up this way.” He jerked his head to indicate the far end of the building. Without watching to see if I followed him, he jogged off toward the sidewalk.

“I can’t, I think I broke my back,” I called after him.

Jack slowed and turned, but didn’t stop, continuing to walk backwards. “You’re fine. You’re a vampire. You’re already healed.”

I sat up, and Jack was right. The pain was gone and nothing felt broken. Maybe... maybe Jack was telling the truth and I was a vampire now.

My head spun. I thought through my options and realized I had none. My work had been compromised, and so had my apartment. Jack was an unknown element. As long as Lindsay’s killer remained unaware of Jack, I might have a chance of staying safe. I also needed to keep Jack from finding out about the stolen amulet. Cursing, I climbed to my feet to run after him, wiping grass from the back of my damp jeans.