#but also i feel like they exist outside of romantic and platonic and found they’re own thing

[sapphoismymuse]

my tiktok fyp sent me spiralling into a johnlock hyperfixation and i have yet to sit down and watch bbc sherlock but from what i’ve gleaned through edits

a lot of john’s internal turmoil would be solved if someone introduced bisexuality/qprs to him

[galwithalibrarycard]

My New Who watchthrough has now reached well into the second half of Series 7, and it’s time for some Opinions:

- I’m gay for Clara Oswald already. Also I crackship her with Amy Pond and I will be reading all the fanfic.

- I don’t care for River Song.

- Okay, no, hear me out, River’s an interesting character and I like Alex Kingston, but I can’t stand how her entire character bit is a constant smug-ass “I know something you don’t know”, and her whole arc felt kind of anticlimactic. Also, I don’t buy for a second that she and Eleven have an actual romantic relationship. I don’t see the spark. It’s all offscreen if it happens at all, so I don’t care. Bringing me to…

- Eleven/Amy/Rory OT3 is the superior ship of the Smith years. Platonic found family or romantic messy awkward polyamory, either way they’re very sweet together and I’d rather watch them than River any day. You can also have asexual Eleven in there, which I can really see why people headcanon. I want to call them “ot3: the power of three” but I feel like the threes sound redundant. Oh whatever, I’m calling it, that’s the ship tag I’m using.

- If it wasn’t for the weird Doctor/River romance, you could totally say that River’s Time Lord DNA makes Amy, Rory, and Eleven ALL her parents, and I’m annoyed that canon makes it more than a little weird to consider that headcanon concept, because it could be cute in another world.

- I like the Ponds a lot, but I have to say: Amy and Rory’s ending felt like such an arbitrary “we’re obligated to make the separation from the Doctor permanent, what monster can we use to do that?” ass-pull of a writing choice. In my head, Amy and Rory’s arc ends with them staying on Earth in 2012 at the end of The Power of Three and enjoying the mundane life they built together. Just say the Doctor sends them postcards and visits offscreen once in a while. The characters don’t have to be walled off from the Doctor forever just because the actors never want to come back to the show. I really like the idea of them choosing their own life outside the TARDIS, almost Martha-style. (Gotta love Martha!)

- It feels cheap to take Amy’s kid away and then not bother to give her an emotional arc dealing with that trauma. Same for Rory, for that matter. I bet someone could write or has written some extremely deep fanfic about that. I don’t know that I want to read it but I want it to exist, if that makes sense. And I would’ve liked to see more of it onscreen.

- The episode with the Gunslinger is OOC garbage, the Doctor would never use a gun, learn the show’s lore, Steve.

- So many little “what straight white man did this???” moments in Moffat era. It’s like going on a nice walk and then every once in a while you find yourself walking through a surprise cloud of gnats. (Not that Davies era was completely blameless either but damn.)

- Eleven’s “retirement” and hopeless disillusionment in The Snowmen feels like a flat, rushed, emotionless retread of the far superior arc of Ten going dark and mad with grief and his god complex across his last four specials. Ten did it better.

- Speaking of which, godDAMN the Tenth Doctor’s send off was good. I miss him forever and I need all his audio dramas and tie-in novels yesterday.

- While we’re on that, I have FEELINGS about Tenrose and Tentoorose and how they’re the same exact ship but also two completely different ships, but I’m still tagging them both as “otp: I believe in her” and no one can stop me. (They could have had a house with a mortgage AND still traveled in the TARDIS on weekends, I’m just saying.) (They are PEAK ROMANCE and I’m never recovering.)

- Lotta concrit here but that being said, I really do love Eleven, he’s a sweet adorable lil bean. I’m gonna miss him so much too. Can’t believe I only have a handful of his episodes left! There’s so much good stuff in here, truly. Vincent and the Doctor! The Power of Three! 🥹 I also really liked Dinosaurs on a Spaceship, even though the longer you look at it, the more Problems you see. Those are my standouts off the top of my head.

- We are now well into the era of New Who I’ve never seen any of and know basically nothing about, so no spoilers please!

- I’ve also never seen any of Classic Who, so be aware of that. There’s a lot I don’t know.

- (I already do kind of pre-ship Twelve and River in a totally superficial way, just because, to quote Bones, “they are the exact same level of hotness.” I just think they’d look good together, and sometimes I’m basic like that. I know she has an episode with him, that’s the only thing I know about that era, so we’ll see.)

I’m all-in on this fandom now, for real. And I still have so much to catch up on! So, is it too much of a line to say Allons-y? (I still like it a little better than Geronimo!) 🤗🪐👽

[bluebeewings]

Thanks for the recommendations! Putting them on my watchlist. I don’t have that many movies that I have read as aroace mostly because most of the movies I watch are explicitly queer movies (ironic) and they’re never about the aro/ace experience. Most of them are romances. Tho I feel like there is a lot of aromantic values (can I say that? Maybe sensibilities is a better word idk) in the most subversive ones (pretty much all of John Waters and queer films that focus more on sexual desire than any type of romantic connection like Shortbus and Kaboom (one of my all time favorite tho it has a tiny romantic subplot).

Out of those queer movies, the one I think has the biggest aro vibe is 1) Hedwig and the Angry Inch: The protagonist is clearly not meant to be aro or ace, but their journey involves feeling comfortable in their own skin and finding value in themselves instead of looking for it in romantic love. It’s an incredible musical and it stars with a song (called “origin of love”) romanticizing romantic and sexual love as this transcendental thing where humans used to have another half attached to themselves. When Zeus cut us, separating us from our other half, we were doomed to spend our lives looking for the missing part.

The way I interpret the movie is a subversion of this main song: Hedwig spends the whole movie trying to fill the whole that this non existing person would be able to. In the end, with my favorite song of the musical, Hedwig realises that they are complete: “And there's no mystical design/No cosmic lover preassigned/There's nothing you can find/That cannot be found”

It always brings me to tears. This character growth is represented through a tattoo the character has. In the beginning, is the image of two halves of a face. In the ending, it turns into a complete one. Hedwig isn’t attaching themself to the concepts in “origin of love”: “You think that luck has left you there/But maybe there's nothing/Up in the sky but air”

It’s amazing, every song is a banger and also very gender!

And then we have 2) Invisible Life (Vida Invisível): A brazillian movie about two estranged sisters who long to reunite. They were torn away by their father and both start to believe they’ll never see each other again as they unknowingly live in the same city. The bond between the two is strong enough to sideline any other type of love, but one of the sisters is extremely relatable to me. She was obligated to marry this man she barely knew and never once showed interest, romantic, sexual or otherwise, in fact, she’s disgusted by him and their sex scenes are honestly very hard to watch.

3) Bride of Frankenstein: Controversial, maybe. This is the movie where Frankenstein’s monster “gets a wife” but in reality? It’s about a deeply lonely being who longed for not being seen as monstrous. He wants a wife like him to have a connection he can’t with the people who despise him. It doesn’t feel that much romantic and definitely not sexual. Just an outsider wanting companionship. Very queerplatonic and obviously queer of him (honestly Frankenstein’s monster is just queer in every direction)

And for an even more controversial one I’ll say 4) Encanto: I remember the discourse about how “interpreting the movie with queer themes is downplaying the generational trauma which is the point of the story” yeah I know. Queer reading exists regardless, and that’s for every single movie in existence. And queer latine people exist (me for example). Anyways, to me the “powerless” in a family/society with people with powers is the closest we get to a metaphor about living as an aro/ace person. A feeling of abnormality with the lack of something most people have. Come on… Incredibly aroace

There are more but those were the ones that got me more. I’d also say maybe “Ready or Not” (hell yeah let’s kill your husband and all his family members), “Cruella” (just fashion, vibes and complex families albeit silly movie) and “wreck it ralph” (eh. It’s about platonic love, about outsiders, about feeling like who you are is fundamentally wrong… Super queer, aroace to me)

Excited to see this list get bigger!

I really wish there was a canon of aroace cinema. Obviously there is close to none representation, but I’m thinking movies that resonate to the aro/ace experience regardless of intent. To create a canon must be hard, but I’m gonna give my two cents with Little Women (2019 dir. Greta Gerwig) and The Banshees of Inisherin (2023 dir. Martin McDonagh)

[edelegs]

black eagles relationships i like but don’t see talked about enough

Ferdinand and Petra - I adore their supports. You see a lot of Ferdinand’s dorky side with his reading about historic weapons, and you see that he is genuinely curious about Petra’s culture. He admits that he initially didn’t realize how sophisticated Brigidian techniques are and I just adore his vulnerability with her. And then there’s Petra in their A support, admitting she found a second home in Fòdlan, and the two discuss their loneliness? It’s such interesting insight into both characters (especially Ferdie; I’d say these are some of his most well-rounded supports)

Hubert and Dorothea - Dorothea sees right through Hubert’s edgy theatre kid persona. She approaches him like she would any friend right from the beginning and teases him about his love life. She also respects and believes him when he says that unrequited love isn’t his motivation. I would’ve liked a conclusion that wasn’t Dorothea suggesting they marry, but it is really funny that she did that. I love their paired ending too--completely platonic espionage opera! What could be better?

Hubert and Byleth - in my head they have a quirky sitcom where Byleth keeps trying to arrange Edeleth/Ferdibert double dates and Hubert has to attend them. (but seriously, the appeal of Hubert is looking at this man and saying “I’m gonna make you like me”, and then you do it). Outside of my shipping biases, his threats to you are funny as shit considering that he has no power over you and he’s always dying in battle, but once you win his trust he admits that despite looking Blatantly Evil, he truly abhors TWSTID and is already planning their follow-up war. I could easily see him and Byleth co-leading the war in the shadows (and that’s where the dialogue of the aforementioned platonic Huleth workplace comedy takes place). Also my friend who played as m!Byleth told me the “we could be a couplet of birds” line in the A-support still exists regardless of gender. Hubert is demiromantic bi and you CANNOT change my mind 

Edelgard and Petra - “Don’t settle for being the bird. Be the arrow instead” Both have a great deal of mutual respect for each other, even though Edelgard is heir to the nation that has kept Petra’s country down for years. You see the same beliefs Petra holds in her supports with Caspar here--that being, “we are not our parents, we can make different choices”. It’s a shame they only have 2 supports. I think it would’ve been cool to see Petra asking Edelgard for Brigidian independence or otherwise talking about how she can achieve her goal. 

Edelgard and Linhardt - I actually think people talk about this a bit, but it’s one of my favourite Black Eagles support chains so I have to mention it. This one is the key to understanding that Edelgard’s better world is only possible in her route, when she has the support and opportunity to trust others enough to learn how to listen to them and consider their perspectives. I advise anyone who thinks Edelgard would be a brutal dictator to watch these supports, because they so blatantly contradict that idea? Linhardt initially frustrates her because she knows he’s talented and smart but he doesn’t want to do anything to help the world with that. Characters like Linhardt are usually given an arc in which they overcome an initial selfishness to help others. This is not that. These supports are about Edelgard learning to understand Linhardt and accommodate him. Edelgard agonizes over finding the perfect way to allow him to do his research in a way that suits him--and when she senses his hesitation at her initial plan, she presses him for the problem and reconfigures the idea because she won’t put him in a situation he’s not fully content in. This is astounding character growth (from both of them, but mostly Edelgard). Also the struggle depicted in this chain is just something that spoke to me when I first saw it--”be useful” versus “learn for knowledge’s sake” is pretty much my exact struggle in life 😂 Seeing two of my favourite characters reach a resolution that satisfied both of them was hopeful, to say the least. 

Caspar and Ferdinand - What strikes me about their supports is that it compares and contrasts these characters’ ideas of justice against each other. Honestly, the Black Eagles as a whole have takes on morality that are just slightly skewed, and these characters’ arguments about it exemplify it. Caspar just thinks that people who hurt others should be hit right away, head empty no thoughts but j u s t i c e. Ferdinand initially believes that all sense of justice comes from being nobility, and with that comes an obligation to be morally superior. Having Caspar just go “uh yeah, what does nobility have to do with it? I just had to hit that guy” is one way in which Ferdinand’s ideals are challenged. It’s a cool contrast that I think highlights an interesting aspect of the Black Eagles and what they were taught. 

Dorothea and Bernie - I love everything about their interaction. If Dorothea were a lesser character, she’d be the mean popular girl who shames Bernie for her messy hair and her anxiety. Instead, Dorothea is patient and Bernie is like “oh no she’s Too Cool for me”. Dorothea also makes note of what Bernie says as she gets too anxious to continue the interaction and aims to comfort her in their next support. We get a good Bernie character moment in their B-support, where she mentions her father ruining her friendship with a commoner boy--and a cathartic moment where Dorothea tells her that her father’s an asshole and that they’re going to be friends anyway. Bernie cries in Dorothea’s arms and AHHHH why didn’t we get MORE of this???

Bernie and Petra - If I could add any support and ending to the game, it would be Bernie/Petra. They have such a good starting point--because of Bernie’s anxiety and Petra being a second language speaker of Fòdlandish, they are prone to miscommunications (which is the general theme of early Bleagles supports). They had a nice 2-support arc where they understand each other a little better--but then there’s the paralogue, where Petra encourages Bernie to come to her homeland with her and Bernie realizes she wants to travel and see amazing things like carnivorous plants. This is fantastic character development for her and is a satisfying conclusion to her arc. I feel like most of Bernie’s endings involve her just reverting back to her hermit self instead of developing a balance between who she was at the beginning and who she’s grown into. I think Petra would offer to let her come to Brigid again, where she helps her navigate a new language and culture. Bernie’s anxiety is still bad but Petra has been in her position and can offer advise and reassurance. Petra is also patient and would give Bernie a safe little house near the carnivorous plants for her to retreat to when overwhelmed. It becomes both of their refuge, with Petra taking time away from her regal duties to spend time with Bernie and her art and her stories. Whether it’s romantic or platonic is up to preference but I low-key ship them 😏

[yhwhsdaughter]

pairing: trevor belmont x fem reader

content: forced vampirism, monster slaying, main character death, pining, angst, mention of animal death, usage of the word ‘assault’ to refer vampires feeding on reader

- this was meant as platonic soulmates but it can be seen as romantic too

“It hurts…”

Feet dragging across the rocky ground, you heard screeches of pain from behind, though they soon diminished. You could only focus on the pulsing sensation at the side of your neck; it was like fire rushing through your veins.

Preoccupied with your agony, Belmont was able to sneak up. He raised his whip, ready to kill off the last of the creatures when you suddenly turned, and with glossy eyes you said, “Help me…”

The whip managed to leave a thin horizontal line across your cheek as he pulled back, causing blood to drip out slowly. Now illuminated by the moon, Belmont saw the damage on you. Skin exposed by the ripped clothes showed multiple bite marks. Blood stained the corner of your lips.

She’s been infected..

Belmont didn’t see a monster but a scared woman who’d just been assaulted by vampires. He knew what she’d turn into, but he couldn’t kill her… not when she looked at him like this. Sunrise was approaching so he had to act fast.

Draping his cloak onto your form, Belmont proceeded to carry you into the nearest building, which so happened to be where the carnage had occurred. Upon recognizing the place, you began to panic, shaking and looking at him with distrust. “You’re safe. I killed every last of those bloodsuckers.”

The two of you stayed like that for a while, in that shitty stinking room. Eventually tiredness overcame your senses; Belmont felt weight settle on his shoulder. He wonder how a vampire could look so innocent whilst sleeping.

“Hungry…”

You felt parched; it felt like your throat had dried up, barely able to utter a word.

“I know.”

A rabbit was placed in front of you. Blinking at it, you directed a confused glance at the man. “I’m—this is.. for me?” He nodded. Taking the animal with traces of disgust, you raised it to your mouth. Blood gushed into your mouth; feeding made a horrible slurping that would certainly haunt you but there was relief amongst those troubling feelings.

You gulped every last drop, draining the poor creature of its life. Still, your hunger and thirst weren’t satiated. Biting your lip, you pondered on the next move. Because this man had saved you, daring to kill him or even feed off him seemed… rude. Not to mention, he seemed way stronger than you in terms of experience. Prior to this, you were a regular citizen. Maybe you could run away?

“Here.”

Trevor could see your turmoil. Most vampires needed to drain at least one human every time they fed—if they were being generous. They could survive weeks without blood but it made them weaker. Besides, it was older vampires who had this kind of self control. Newborns tended to be more unstable.

“Just take it before I change my mind.”

You did as told, though you were still unsure. Hesitating, you licked your lips before nearing towards the vein on his wrist.

Trevor let out a grunt when your fangs pierced him. Although you tried to be gentle, it was an uncomfortable feeling nonetheless. As he became lightheaded and you full, the mouth that was attached to his wrist removed itself with a ‘pop’.

After making sure he was alright, you asked for his name. “Trevor. Trevor Belmont.”

“Oh..”

“……”

“Oh! I’m (Name) (Surname).”

─── ☾☼☽ ───

“It’s dangerous.”

“I still-still want to go!”

The last remnants of sun were gone. Ever since your first encounter with the rugged monster hunter, you refused to part from him, following the latter like a lost puppy.

“I’m not much of a fighter.. b-but watch this!”

On cue, you punched the nearest tree, cracking it and making a sizable hole. You looked back proudly towards Trevor; except when you tried to pull your hand out, you were having difficulty.

“Ah. It’s stuck.”

Trevor couldn’t help but chuckle, walking away, clearly amused with your display of power. You pulled harder, “Hold on! Don’t leave me alone! It’s scary..” you muttered the last part while chasing after him. Despite being a creature of the night, the world and its evils still frightened you.

At the sound of a branch snapping, you yelped, grabbing a piece of Trevor’s cloak for security.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to Belmont when you punched a head clean off, practically decapitating one of the attackers. He might have been seriously injured if you had not intervened.

“Trevor.”

Gazing at you under the moonlight, he saw the hunger in your eyes as you held a man whom was still alive but struggling. His neck was exposed. Even so, you waited.

The Belmont turned away, giving you privacy to feed.

He knew that by allowing you to live, you would continue to take blood from others. Normally he wouldn’t feel soft towards a monster but whenever he thought of you, it was different.

His guilt was lessened when you drank from scum. Before putting the lives of innocents in danger, he would offer his own.

“Are you done?”

The corpse of the man was dropped unceremoniously as you joined Trevor, a light skip to your step.

─── ☾☼☽ ───

Despite adopting a nighttime lifestyle, Trevor was still human and had to conduct business during daylight hours.

He’d left your lodgings, which was an abandoned cottage, for a while. Nobody really passed through there anyway, so he thought you were safe. Worst came to worse, you could handle yourself. But as your self proclaimed protector, Trevor felt uneasy leaving you alone.

Maybe he should’ve listened to his gut because when he arrived, the door was wide open with dirty footprints leading in all the way to your coffin.

Two men had opened it—staring at the peaceful expression on your face, unaware that they were here to end you. To them it was obvious what you were. Even with that frilly white dress that made you look somewhat angelic, they couldn’t be fooled. As they raised their weapons to strike, Trevor used his whip. His sudden entrance startled them but it gave you the chance to wake up.

Eyes snapping open, you jumped onto the other man, taking both of you to the ground. His screams echoed shortly as you tore into his throat. The remaining one had no chance; Trevor left the room, closing the door on his way out, killing the light that entered and cutting off the way to escape.

Left alone with your prey, a smile crept up your face.

When you opened the door again, the dress which decorated your body was now stained red. There was hardly a clean piece on the material. Even so, you greeted Trevor with a hug.

“Trevor..”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“M-me too..”

─── ☾☼☽ ───

Forty years passed in the blink of an eye.

“You should retire.”

“Belmonts don’t retire. The only rest they get is when they’re dead.”

“Well I don’t want you to die.”

“I have to, someday.”

“No you don’t.”

It’s been like this for the past few years; Trevor was sixty now. His body didn’t look that of an aging man, but the expression on his face did. He’d seen too much and as time passed, it was harder to fight monsters by himself.

Of course you’d noticed that and suggested turning him. It was an ongoing discussion; Trevor didn’t fancy the idea of living an eternal life but the thought of leaving this earth without you was disheartening. He didn’t say it but the situation tore him apart.

There was also the fact that he was too old for you; forty years to be exact. You’d maintained your youth, looking lovely as ever. His doubts were shot down when you immediately said that you didn’t care about that.

“I just want you.”

He always kept pushing the conversation away and you were patient. Trevor supposed that you could’ve taken him by force if you wanted and when he inquired, you told him it would be like violating him, robbing him of the choice you were never given.

As understanding as you were; the time would come for him to decide and confront you about it.

That time was now.

He should have been more careful, but there was nothing to be done about it now. Trevor watched as the sun slowly descended. Would you make it here before he passed? Would he die without seeing you one last time?

When you woke night had already fallen. Trevor wasn’t home; he’d been late plenty of times before but this occasion felt different.

Upon stepping outside, the smell of blood hit you. It reeked, staining the very air. You immediately recognized the source—how could you not? You’d fed from Trevor countless times.

Rushing in that direction, you prayed to whatever entity was listening to keep Trevor safe. The world and its gods could condemn you, but not him.

Not him.

You found him sprawled on a big rock, a creature hovering over his crumpled figure. Without thinking, you tore it to pieces. Blood rained as his mangled body flew to various parts of the forest.

“Trevor!!!”

He let out a groan, which would’ve made you sigh in relief but his visible injuries proved otherwise. You were no doctor and even if you could carry him into town, it would be too late. There was no other option. If you didn’t do anything, you might lose him.

“Trevor. Let me do it.”

Still conscious enough to reply, “I don’t want to become—”

“A monster?”

“I cannot become what I sought to destroy..”

Tears escaped your eyes, blurring the image of the person whom you treasure most. “Please.. please please please..! Don’t leave me alone!”

You begged, knowing it was unfair to pressure him in such way but you couldn’t bare the thought of existing if he wasn’t present. He was your salvation, your companion…your world. And yet, he was being robbed from you.

So soon… It’s too soon!

You always imagined Trevor living well into old age, spending the remainder of his life with you, being happy. He was destined to die peacefully, not like this. Not in this shitty place, by the hands of a shitty monster!

“I can’t. I’m sorry..”

Grabbing his hands, you lowered your forehead on them, crying your heart out. It was unfair. Life was unfair.

“Kiss me.”

Despite the pain that he was in, Trevor found it in himself to smile. For you. “Kiss me one last time.” Tears dropped slowly as you heard him. Shaking your head; you couldn’t kill him.

“I want it to be you..”

His words struck a chord.

Lifting him by the neck in a gentle manner, you pushed the collar of his shirt aside, exposing his carotid. As you bit into his familiar skin once more, your other hand caressed him, trying to make this goodbye as painless as possible.

With every sip you took, tears fell down.

I love you! I love you! I love you!

His warm hand turned cold.

You held him in your arms like he once did to you, with the outmost care, with the love he deserved.

Since Trevor didn’t say where he wanted his body to be buried, you chose the nicest spot. It was a secluded place where it wouldn’t be dug up by animals or people—but not so hidden either.

Whilst cleaning the blood that covered his body and face, you found a piece of cloth with writing on it. Staring at it, you recognized the Belmont insignia. Turning the material, you managed to read the words…

Take this. Go to Alucard.

Trevor must’ve written that in his final moments; probably in case he didn’t make it before you arrived. The letters were sloppy because of the blood but you could read it well.

Clutching it to your chest, you sobbed until the light of day began to burn. For a moment you wished to stay there and disappear. Perhaps you could join Trevor.

Together even in death..

─── ☾☼☽ ───

The journey was rather long.

Looming in all its glory, Castle Dracula. You looked at the last piece of your beloved, holding it tighter in your hand.

“Okay. Let’s meet this Alucard.”

[thetaekookcloset]

Hello. I read your introduction on Jikook and it seems you took the effort to check on that ship ‘biggest’ hits to form an opinion.

I wanted to ask if you are aware of other ships ‘evidences’ as well. I am not in the fandom for long but Long enough to notice that every ship has their ‘If X ship isn’t real, then explain this ‘ …

So I wanted to ask about Jinkook. It is a very small ship compared to the big one but like every ship, their have their believers.

One of the ‘evidences’ it seems to be that JungKook is caught calling Jin ‘Yeobo’ more than once, sometimes correcting himself. It seems it’s a term only used between couples … meaning darling, honey or something like that. And not a very common term at all outside of this kind of relationship.

Do you know these occasions? What do you make of it?

Sometimes I wonder that people focus a lot on Taekook and Jikook and if it’s. Ot possible that, if a relationship really exists, if it’s not one of these low keys, very disreet and almost unnoticed like Vhope and Jinkook that nobody is looking.

Anyway, what do you think of these (about 3 different occasions ) that Jungkook called Jin Yeobo? ( imthink Jinkook shippers have other things also but this one is the one I found more suspicious).

By the way, I don’t believe in Jinkook… But maybe it’s because i don’t see it.

I’ll be honest, I’m definitely not as up on the big ship moments outside of Taekook and Jikook.

The thing about Jikook is that they do seem different to me.  Not in the sense that I think there’s actually anything going on between them, but with Jikook, I do think there’s a certain combination of tension and visible closeness that -- after looking into them more for myself early on -- I learned didn’t seem to have any indication of romantic interest or intimacy to me, but which I can understand other people leaning into and seeing the possibility of something more.  To me, their relationship reads so consistently as bro-y that I can’t say I really get it, but I at least understand the jumping off point, if that makes sense.

With Jinkook, on the other hand, I don’t even see that much.  I think you’ve really hit the nail on the head with your last sentence, anon: a lot of this stuff just comes down to the vibes we get, and with Jin and Jungkook I just truly don’t see anything other than an extremely familial platonic bond.

Because of that, I’m obviously not really going to see any possibility of the two of them being together romantically.  In fact, I feel like out of everyone in BTS, Jin and Jungkook have the bond that seems the most like true family to me.

They obviously love each other a lot, they go out of their way to bug each other but also comfort, and find comfort in, each other, and at the same time, keeping in constant close contact is clearly not a huge priority to either of them (based on the fact that they seem to often not even have each other’s phone numbers saved).

As far as their “shippable” moments, most of what I’ve seen very much seems like the stereotypical clips that have been slowed way down, tiny instances played over and over again because the “interaction” they’re meant to be showing is so brief that it’s hard to catch, and moments where the shipper is apparently a mind reader and can explain exactly what the members involved are thinking based on nothing more than completely normal eye movements.

I hadn’t heard about the “yeobo” thing, so I looked it up, and even in a compilation of occurrences, it was hard to tell if that was even what Jungkook was saying at all.  Not knowing Korean myself, I can’t really say one way or another, but based on the read I already have of their relationship, and the fact that “yeobo” is presumably only really used as a term of endearment between married couples, my guess would be that if Jungkook calls Jin this, he does it as a joke.

As for the larger point about ships like Vhope and Jinkook in general, and the likelihood of these less popular ships being the “real” ones, I have a few points. 

One is that everyone who says it’s not very likely for any intra-group ships to be real is technically right.  It’s not like it’s a statistical probability that one of the ships within BTS is real and therefore maybe it’s one of the less obvious ones that’s the real truth.  If they seem less obvious, and therefore less likely, then it’s probably because they are less likely.

Another is sort of similar but different, which is related to your point about these being the ships that people are paying less attention to.  Because, I mean, why do you think that is?  Maybe people are paying less attention to them because there’s less to pay attention to.

Why assume that they’re secretly living out a whole romance that no one is picking up on when it’s much simpler to figure that the people who act the most couple-y are the most likely to be a real couple, especially considering that the odds are against any “real” couples within the group in the first place?

Obviously we all have different ideas of what’s obvious and what’s subtle, what’s couple behavior and what’s purely platonic, and we all come to our own conclusions about the pairings most likely to be “real” within BTS as a result, but I do think there’s something to be taken from the fact that certain pairings are not just the most popular, but also the most vehemently believed in.

All that said, Jinkook are wicked cute, I just can’t imagine seeing them as anything other than brother-esque friends, and I feel similarly about the other common but less popular BTS ships.

[ursaminortarot]

I’m really fixated on romance right now for some reason, so here we are with a soulmate reading. I’m of the belief that we don’t just have romantic soulmates but platonic and familial ones as well. However, for this reading, I am choosing to focus solely on romance.

I’m experimenting with a new format. I linked each of the readings to a google doc, this is mostly because they ended up being way longer than I’d anticipated (story of my life). I also thought that it might be more organized to do it this way. I’d appreciate feedback on whether or not I should keep doing it.

Piles to choose from:

Pile 1 - Cobra

Pile 2 - Fish

Pile 3 - Cheetah

Pile 4 - Zebra

Pile 5 - Hawk

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[Decks Used: Modern Witch Tarot, Wild Unknown Tarot, Wild Unknown Animal Spirit oracle, Tarot Cats, standard playing cards, and a homemade oracle deck]

This took me 10-11 hours to do, spread out across 3 days. So, if you can support my shop or donate I’d be grateful. Also, please excuse any grammar/spelling mistakes and small incoherencies, by the time I got around to editing the readings I was kind of over it.

My Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/UrsaMinorTarot

CashApp: @UrsaMinorTarot

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Pile 1: Cobra

Who They Are:

Queen of Wands, 9 of Wands, 8 of Pentacles, King of Clubs

10 of Cups, 7 of Cups r, Justice r, 5 of Hearts

7 of Cups r, 9 of Pentacles r, 6 of Wands, 9 of Diamonds

Death r, 7 of Wands r, 8 of Wands r, Ace of Spades

The High Priestess, The Fool, The Hanged Man r, Ace of Hearts

Mother of Cups r

Winter+New Love

I’m getting some self-made energy here, they are likely a very hard worker who puts in a lot of time and energy. Their success, while appreciated, makes them feel very alone. There’s a lot of wands energy here, so they are generous with their money and it’s possible that other people take advantage of that. The Mother of Cups reversed reinforces this idea as she brings the message: “you give too much of yourself to others”.

The High Priestess, Fool, and Hanged Man being pulled together makes me think they function in two very different ways. Either, they overthink literally everything to the point of never making a decision, or they just do things very impulsively without a second thought.

They want a big, happy family, whatever that means to them. It could involve having children or just having a lot of pets. However, due to past relationships, they no longer feel as though they could trust anyone enough to live out that dream. 

They feel disillusioned with love, which gives them a lot of conflicting emotions. Because, again, there’s a lot of wands energy, so they’re a very passionate person. Their current belief that love isn’t real is a direct contradiction to who they are at their core. Winter and new love could be taken literally, like you’ll meet and fall in love with them in the winter. Or, if you wanted to look deeper at it, it could mean that you help them get out of this place of being unable to consider love.

How You Can Recognize Them:

8 of Cups r, Son of Wands, 7 of Wands r, King of Diamonds

5 of Pentacles, Father of Cups, 3 of Swords, Jack of Hearts

The Devil r, The Fool, The Devil, 2 of Spades

10 of Pentacles, The High Priestess r, Queen of Hearts

The Hermit, 7 of Pentacles r, 10 of Cups r, 7 of Diamonds

Hanged man, 4 of Cups r, 10 of Diamonds r

“You’re having trouble getting in touch with your emotions”

“You’re not seeing clearly”

Ex

This person has an unmistakable light about them. Being with them is like sitting outside on a nice day soaking up the sun. However, they are still holding on to the past, and this is to their detriment. When you meet them, if you haven’t already, they will be extremely hung up on their ex. They are going to be obsessing over what went wrong and whether or not they can fix it. I can’t tell if they want to fix it to get back together with their ex, because they think it will give them closure, or because they think it will help them avoid making the same mistakes in their next relationship. But, they also don’t actually want to fix anything because that would mean confronting their emotions and they would really rather not. They will likely seem to be existing outside of reality, they are going to be so distracted by this internal conflict that they aren’t going to notice the world around them.  

In all honesty, they will be very difficult for you to recognize. You’ll probably notice them because of their light, but you won’t (and shouldn’t) consider them a potential partner - at least not until they’ve dealt with their issues and moved on. I want to stress that while they are so focused on their past relationship(s), that’s not all they have going on. They are a 3 dimensional human being like the rest of us, but this is just the information I was able to get.

I also want to mention that their family is very important to them, they’re the type of person to call or text each member of their immediate family every day. I also get the impression that you two will be friends for a while before getting into a relationship. 

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Pile 2: Fish

Who They Are:

Queen of Swords, 9 of Wands, 9 of Cups r, The Tower r, Jack of Spades

King of Swords, Daughter of Wands, 3 of Pentacles, 8 of Diamonds

Judgment r, 2 of Cups r, Daughter of Swords r, The Chariot r, 3 of Spades

5 of Pentacles, Temperance, 7 of Wands, Jack of Hearts

The Emperor, 8 of Pentacles, The Magician r, Ace of Wands, 4 of Spades

“I’m sorry”

Best friends 

Between the Emperor and having all of the court cards of the Swords suit, this person has a very powerful presence. They’re almost the kind of person that makes people stop and stare, I say almost because they’re intimidating and people don’t want to be caught staring. Not intimidating in a scary way, they just - and I can’t stress this enough - exude power. They are also very ambitious and highly intelligent. So when they put their mind to something, they will execute it perfectly. Or, at least, they want people to think it was done perfectly. They have a very “everything’s under control” look to them, but they’re barely hanging on by a thread. I feel like one bad day would send them into an existential spiral, because they don’t know who they are if they’re not perfect. 

Nothing’s ever come easily to them and they’ve had to fight their whole life to get the things that they have now. They’ve never had the option of giving up. If they gave up, they were worthless, they were nothing - that’s how they’ve always seen it. I imagine there’s a lot of parental pressure at play here. It’s turned them into a workaholic, there’s no work-life balance to be found. I’m getting the impression that the “I’m sorry” card has to do with this aspect of their life. 

The “best friends” card speaks for itself. With the Jack of Hearts and Daughter of Wands, there’s a playful energy to them. But these are the only cards pointing this out, which tells me that they restrain this part of themself. I think that you being their friend, as well as their partner, will show them that they don’t need to be so serious all the time. This is something buried so deep it’ll need some time and energy to be coaxed out of them.  

This is pretty obvious, but this person’s biggest fear is failure.

How You Can Recognize Them:

Knight of Wands r, 4 of Wands r, 8 of Cups, 9 of Swords

King of Pentacles, The Moon r, 7 of Swords r, Queen of Spades

5 of Pentacles, Mother of Swords, Queen of Wands, 4 of Hearts

Queen of Cups, Daughter of Swords r, Knight of Wands

7 of Cups r, Son of Swords, 4 of Pentacle, 5 of Diamonds

The World r, 9 of Wands r, 8 of Hearts r

You feel as if you aren’t getting the recognition you deserve

Seperation

We’re definitely seeing their more sensitive, playful aspects. However, these are still vastly overpowered by their Swords energy as, once again, all the court cards are out - the Queen’s out twice. Seriously, this person has such powerful energy that it’s the first thing you notice.

I feel like you’ll meet either at work or at school, somewhere where you’re working on a group project together. The people you’re working with aren’t going to take your contributions seriously. But, once they realize you’re right, they’ll claim they were  their ideas all along. The Swords family is very fair-minded, so I think this person’s going to have a problem with that.  

They have this very detached, uninterested persona and once you’ve spent time around your soulmate, you’re going to pick up on the fact that they are deeper than they want people to think they are. When they’re more comfortable with you, which will take some time, you might catch glimpses of them being competitive/hot-headed or they’ll start making jokes around you. If you’re patient enough, they’ll eventually be vulnerable with you.

They have a fear of the unknown and love is foreign to them, so this is definitely a slow-burn. 

In both of these readings I got a wave of pretty interesting energy. It wasn’t anxiety or dizziness, but felt similar to both. I felt like I lost my balance, that’s probably how you'll make this person feel. They have a lot of plans for life and you’re not one of them, so they’ll be thrown for a loop. 

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Pile 3: Cheetah:

Who They Are:

Page of Swords r, Son of Cups, The Hierophant, 9 of Clubs

Page of Wands, Mother of Wands r, Page of Cups r, 4 of Hearts

9 of Cups, The Tower, 2 of Swords, 2 of Cups, Ace of Clubs

Queen of Wands r, The Chariot r, Queen of Pentacles, 4 of Spades

Knight of Pentacles, Ace of Wands, Emperor r,  6 of Clubs

8 of Cups, King of Wands

You can’t help everyone

Over-investment in work

Aries

The first thing that I’m seeing is that this person will probably have some self-esteem issues. It seems to be tied to their abilities more so than appearance.

They have a lot of ideas for projects that they want to work on, but they never seem to start anything, let alone finish. I think this is because they try to be everything to everyone and don’t prioritize themself. They find contentment in the idea that everybody likes them, but this can make them a people pleaser. This can lead to them taking on long hours at work to make their boss happy. It’s also unrealistic because there’s not a person on Earth that’s universally liked. I think this is something they’ll come to realize in their own time.

They may come across as indecisive at times, they aren’t. They always know exactly what they want, but can have a hard time asserting themself. 

There’s a fire that burns bright here, this person has a lot of drive and ambition. This is where that aries energy comes in, they don’t have to have aries placements so please don’t get fixated on that. But, like I said before, they hold themself back by prioritizing other people and neglecting their own needs. They have the potential to be really successful, however they need to start putting themself first. 

This seems like a very sensitive individual, just the thought of doing something under-handed stresses them out. Which is a good thing for other people, because your soulmate’s very charming and could probably talk themself out of anything.

For some reason I get the impression that they have a bit of a sweet tooth.

How You Can Recognize Them:

2 of Swords r, The Empress, Queen of Cups, 3 of Hearts

9 of Pentacles r, Judgment r, The Moon, 10 of Spades

The Fool, Mother of Wands r, Hierophant r, Jack of Diamonds

The Chariot r, The Hermit, 4 of Wands, Joker B&W r

3 of Pentacles, 4 of Wands r, Knight of Wands, 4 of Spades

King of Cups r, The Magician r

You’re having trouble getting in touch with your emotions

September

Think before you speak

Let’s start with the reinforcements of their self-esteem issues, as well as their people pleasing tendencies. It’s exhausting for them, emotionally and physically. They are well and truly holding themself back, and I think that by the time you meet them they’ll be starting to examine these aspects of themself. This will be something they struggle with for a while and there may be a period of time where they withdraw to think things through.  

The joker in black and white in standard decks is my fool reversed card, but it’s reversed so its the fool reversed reversed. The fool upright, I feel like there could have been a simpler way for my cards to get that message to me. But I also feel like it represents the way your person talks to themself, they make everything just a little bit more complicated than it needs to be. They think in circles, eventually getting to the point but it may take them a while. This may be a contributing factor to their perceived indecisiveness. 

 They want to make a home with you. I get the impression that when talking about it with you, they’ll appear to be cool and collected. Like it’s not a big deal to them. But then they’ll turn around and shout it from the rooftops. It won’t be possible for people to not know you’re together, they’ll just be so loud about it. 

Outside of the need to make everybody like them, they’re a pretty care-free individual. It will be important to them that you have fun together. I think this playfulness is their most defining feature and probably the first thing people notice about them.  

In the first two piles, it looked like they’d be friends for a while before getting into a relationship with their person. That’s not the case here, like I said before, when this person knows, they know. They’re not going to waste time with you.  

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Pile 4: Zebra

Who They Are:

The Fool, The Hanged Man,  Queen of Swords, Ace of Clubs

6 of Swords r, 2 of Wands, The Hanged Man, Ace of Hearts

Ace of Cups, Mother of Pentacles r, 4 of Wands, Jack of Spades,

3 of Swords r, The Magician, 10 of Pentacles, Queen of Cups r, Jack of Diamonds

3 of Cups, The High Priestess, Strength, The Fool r, King of Spades

Soulmate 

Hostile

May

The first thing I’m picking up on is that your soulmate is someone who is very carefree. They also have a lot of romantic energy to them, so they are definitely a hopeless romantic.

The amount of Major Arcana here tells me that this person is likely very spiritually gifted, they might not be consciously aware of this.

This person is kind of a go-getter. Once they decide they want something, nothing’s getting in their way.

There are some conflicting energies here because as happy and carefree as they are, there’s an equal amount of pain and hardship. This is someone who’s faced a lot of hostility, so at first will be fairly guarded. They love the idea of being in love, but have difficulties opening themself up to the reality of love. It’s not all bad, they are making an active effort to heal and not let past heartbreak hold them back.

With the Magician and High Priestess facing each other, this is someone who is likely very in touch with their spirituality. Not only are they able to  trust their intuition, but they also have everything that they need to follow it. Once they have a gut feeling about something, whatever it is, they will trust it more than they’ll trust you, and be right 90% of the time.

 They are very compassionate and probably are used to giving more than they take, which gets them taken advantage of. Part of their growth is going to be finding a balance in this aspect of their life. 

This is someone who values family and most likely wants some kind of family unit, whether that be having children or pets. 

The month of May might be important, it could be when you meet or one of you could be a Taurus or a Gemini.

How You Can Recognize Them:

Ace of Cups, 3 of Pentacles r, 8 of Wands, 2 of Swords

Page of Cups, Justice r, 5 of Cups, 7 of Clubs

King of Pentacles, 10 of Cups, Strength r, 2 of Diamonds

2 of Pentacles r, 9 of Cups r, Queen of Wands, King of Diamonds

Death, The Hierophant, Page of Wands, 9 of Spades 

Sensitive

Peaceful

There’s still time to change your mind.

One of their prominent characteristics is their sensitivity. This doesn’t mean that they’re crybabies, they are just very mindful of everybody's feelings. This paired with what we learned about the painful parts of their past probably makes them a little insecure. This insecurity is only a problem when it comes to relationships. They may come across as very confident and flirty, but as soon as it moves past that they start clamming up and getting nervous. It could be bad enough that they have a hard time believing that you actually want to be with them.

They invest a lot of time into their projects, whether work related or personal. It’s likely that they struggle with finding a work-life balance. This is someone who needs to feel productive at every moment of the day. They keep themself busy so that they don’t need to be alone with their thoughts. This isn’t someone that knows peace. It is something they’d like to experience, but they don’t know how to. They have too many thoughts and can’t quiet their mind, their inner-demons get the best of them at times. This isn’t something they express outwardly though, everyone around them probably sees them as someone who, while busy, is fairly laid back. They need a lot of guidance here so if you’re someone who meditates, this could be something you help them with.

It’ll be easiest for you to recognize them based on their sensitivity and active lifestyle. They will be extremely helpful to their friends and family, and would drop everything to be there if needed. They are also, surprisingly down-to-earth. 

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Pile 5: Hawk

Who They Are:

5 of Cups, Judgment, Queen of Wands, Queen of Spades

Knight of Wands r, 10 of Wands r, 5 of Pentacles r, 3 of Diamonds

7 of Cups r, The Fool r, 10 of Pentacles, King of Spades

2 of Swords r, 9 of Cups, 3 of Cups r, 3 of Spades

The High Priestess r, 3 of Pentacles, Magician r, 9 of Diamonds

“You’re my everything.”

You need to hold yourself to more reasonable standards.

This is someone with a lot of pain, they are overwhelmed and feel defeated. I’m getting the impression that it has to do primarily with work/co-workers. It could be that they put a lot of themself into their work and seem to always get passed up for promotions, or they could have even been recently laid off. They’re very ambitious and intelligent, so if they did get laid off, it would be a big hit to their ego. Alternatively, they could have almost reached a long-standing dream, only for it to fall apart at the last second. 

Your soulmate has a lot of fiery passion that they don’t always know what to do with, so they turn everything into a competition. The thing is, they’re only competing with themself. They’re always trying to be better than they were yesterday, even when it’s unrealistic. 

As passionate as they are, they can be very patient when it comes to getting what they want. They know that not everything can be rushed, even if that’s frustrating to them. They try to avoid making reckless mistakes, but sometimes this can lead to them not making decisions in a timely manner. 

They value family and friends greatly, this could be the most important part of their life to them. They’ll test you to see if you can gain the approval of their loved ones. If you don’t, they may begin to have second thoughts. This is a soulmate though, so you’ll likely be very compatible and win everyone over with relative ease. 

How You Can Recognize Them:

5 of Pentacles, The Moon, 4 of Swords, 5 of Clubs

King of Pentacles, Judgment, 5 of Swords r, King of Wands r, 7 of Diamonds

2 of Swords r, Daughter of Pentacles, 5 of Pentacles r, 3  of Clubs

Temperance r, Son of Wands r, High Priestess r, 7 of Swords r, Jack of Clubs 

6 of Swords r, The Tower r, Page of Pentacles r, 5 of Hearts

You are not seeing clearly

Hesitant

When You meet this person, they will be coming out of a very rough period of their life. They are going to be at the start of their healing journey and they won’t have a lot of time or energy for romance. They’re likely very hard on themself, they don’t want to be seen as weak so they don’t express negative emotions. This is something they have to confront in order to heal.

They are going to be in a complicated headspace, there’s going to be difficulty separating the past from the present, and there’s not a lot of balance between their spiritual and physical lives. They either reject the spiritual to embrace the material world, or neglect their physical well-being and focus solely on their spiritual self. 

You know how some people use their trauma as an excuse to inflict pain on others? This person’s the opposite of that, everything they’ve gone through has made them a patient, compassionate person. This will probably be one of the first things you notice about them, how kind they are. They are also very dependable, they’ve experienced going through hard times alone and don’t want anyone else to feel like they have to. 

Overall, they come across as a very good human being, but there’s an underlying tiredness to them. They might be dealing with a little bit of brain fog, so at times they’re slow to process the world around them.

[tarisilmarwen]

Thanks for asking! As far as sources on the Jedi and their no attachment thing? It's the prequels themselves. A scared kid missing his mom is "greedy?" Yikes. Why would they take kids from birth families if they thought healthy family connections existed? And friendships? It stands to reason that a close platonic friendship (especially with an outsider) would pose the same threat as a love interest. An ally or acquaintance wouldn't be a threat, but love (platonic/familial/romantic) is a threat.

I think you might be misattributing Lucas’ comments to that particular scene.

There's plenty of quotes where he talks about Anakin's "greed” (here's the most comprehensive collection I've found) but none of them are specifically about the scene where the Council tests him as a child, they're all either speaking in general terms about what his issues are or specifically about when he loses her.

“He turns into Darth Vader because he gets attached to things. He can’t let go of his mother; he can’t let go of his girlfriend. He can’t let go of things. It makes you greedy. And when you’re greedy, you are on the path to the dark side, because you fear you’re going to lose things, that you’re not going to have the power you need.”

“The key part of this scene ultimately is Anakin saying "I’m not going to let this happen again.” We’re cementing his determination to become the most powerful Jedi. The only way you can really do that is to go to the Dark Side because the Dark Side is more powerful. If you want the ultimate power you really have to go to the stronger side which is the Dark Side, but ultimately it would be your undoing. But it’s that need for power and the need for power in order to satisfy your greed to keep things and to not let go of things and to allow the natural course of life to go on, which is that things come and go, and to be able to accept the changes that happen around you and not want to keep moments forever frozen in time.”

So with that context it becomes clearer that it’s not that Anakin misses his mom, it’s that he has a distinct inability to let go and accept loss and change, something which is foreshadowed earlier in the film when he tells Shmi “I can’t do it... I don’t want things to change.” and she replies: “You can’t stop the change, any more than you can stop the suns from setting.”  It’s not that he misses her, it’s he won’t admit his fear of losing her (denies it defensively when the Council probes him about it), and his fear of losing things makes him clingy, and that clinginess leads to an obsession to keep possession of the things that he believes “belong” to him.  That is what Lucas, and by extension the Jedi, mean when they talk about attachment, it’s that unhealthy need to hold fast to things and keep things the same and the desire for the power to keep holding onto those things, the willingness to screw everything else but the thing you are attached to.

You can love someone deeply without being attached to them, without being afraid of them eventually disappearing from your life in one fashion or another.

Force Sensitives are a vulnerable class because their psychic wizard mind powers magnify any emotional problems they have tenfold, which is why they’re taught from a young age how to manage their powers, how to love people deeply without having unhealthy attachments to them, how to be mindful and admit their feelings and confront their fears.  It’s much easier to build up the foundations of mindfulness and self-examination and discipline that the Jedi need to keep their powers in check if they take the kids in at a very young age, before they have a chance to--as Anakin did--develop unhealthy thought patterns of denial and suppression.

On birth families, from what little we do know about Jedi adoption practices they don’t take every Force Sensitive child, they never take the children without the parents’ consent, and they allow parents that do consent an adjustment period.  It really isn’t like they take the kids away because they don’t believe in healthy family connections, more often than not it’s the parents themselves contacting the Jedi, because they believe the Jedi can give their child a better life.  Think of it more like real-world adoption of kids with special needs, the parents realize they are not equipped for the challenge of helping their child thrive so they make the decision to give them to someone who can help them.  It’s a selfless sacrifice on the parents’ part.

Those are the good scenarios, there were definitely situations where the parents didn’t make that choice out of altruism but a desire to be rid of their “weird” kid.  (Dooku’s dad literally left him outside the palace to get eaten by animals.)

We also have seen Jedi form close friendships outside the Order.  (Obi-Wan with Dexter, Yoda with the wookies, many many senators.)  The only danger with those is that, because of their position as representatives of the Republic, they do have to be careful to avoid the appearance of bias.  Jedi are supposed to be a neutral, mediating party fair to everyone, so being friends with one senator and not another could be nghl... politically hairy, let’s say.  Other than that there’s really nothing standing against Jedi having close friendships outside the Order.

This got a bit long, I apologize, and I don’t expect to change your mind or anything, but I do think that looking at Lucas’ words in their context make it clearer how he intended the undergirding philosophy of the Force to work, and what he actually means by attachment.  It’s very very easy to confuse “attachment” for “all close relationships” I know, trust me, but that isn’t what he meant, he’s not the best at explaining it but when you read or listen to his actual commentary I don’t think it can be argued that he means “love” when he says “attachment”.

[salmonthestoryteller]

Queer Interpretation of Fiction

It’s time for another episode of “Salmon says something not everyone is going to like.”

I find myself in a very odd place with this particular topic. Especially because I am someone who places a lot of emphasis on platonic relationships in my own writing. I’ve also spoken of adoring various interactions in shows because they were about friendship, family, found family; etc. However, over the last couple of years, I’ve also noticed a great deal of negative reactions to queer interpretations of fiction inside fandom spaces. Negative reactions to queer interpretation outside of fandom spaces remain sad but unsurprising to me. Inside is a different and very frustrating story.

When I first came into fandom places - at the risk of showing my age, that would be over two decades ago now - I slid right into the portions of it that were open to queer interpretation of stories. Honestly, as a lesbian growing up in the time and places I did - original queer fiction was not easily accessible. Queer Representation was nigh onto non-existent. Fandom, and Fanfiction specifically, was a place I could turn to fill in that lack. Yes, there were portions of fandom even then that reacted negatively to queer interpretation and representation, but as the years passed I delighted in watching that portion grow smaller and smaller.

Which is probably why I can’t help but feel that certain types of posts I’ve started to watch pop up over the last few years in “defense” of “platonic relationships” are passive-aggressive attacks on queer interpretation - whether the writers of said posts realize it or not. I have no doubt at least some of the posts are made by those who are against any type of queer interpretation and fully aware of the fact, but I also feel that some are being made with an unconscious bias the writers are not aware they’re expressing.

I’ve noted this across multiple fandoms, so I am not going to do any kind of call-out on specific shows or specific posts. What I will say is that several newer stories (Including Books, TV Shows, Movies; etc.) are using romantic literary devices between two characters of the same gender and then protesting queer interpretation when it is brought up. This, unfortunately, has led to the defense of “The Great Platonic Relationship” inside of fandom spaces by those who are not taking a hard look at what is really happening. Which, imo, is three things.

Queer-Baiting. By using these literary devices, companies are able to sell to the queer audience the possibility of queer romances without truly delivering. This also allows them to maintain the ability to deny that the interpretation was ever intentional by defending their right to tell platonic stories.

Unconscious Bias. The writers think nothing of using a romantic literary device between two same gender characters because they honestly are blind to the idea that characters should be interpreted as anything but heterosexual unless specified otherwise. While they would automatically work hard to avoid romantic literary devices for platonic m/f relationships, they don’t even think about possible queer interpretations until it is brought up by the audience.

Conscious Bias. The use of romantic literary devices for platonic same gender relationships, that are only used for romantic heterosexual relationships and never vice versa continues to sell an “othering” of queer relationships. The defense of “The Great Platonic Relationship” is gaslighting. Something purposefully used to suggest allowing queer interpretation, even when nothing in the story is changed by the interpretation, is “wrong”.

Honestly, I’m a firm believer in “Death of the Author”. I don’t really care what TPtB say. Everyone interprets stories in their own way and by their own experiences. And, yes, queer interpretation is part of that. If a queer interpretation of what I am watching or reading appeals to me, that is the interpretation I am going to stick by regardless of what anyone has to say on the matter.

What I would ask those in fandom spaces is - before you jump on someone for queer interpretation of a scene or a phrase or a plot - ask yourself this:

Off the top of my head how many times can I think of this same literary device being used for a heterosexual romance in fiction?

Off the top of my head can I list at least a solid dozen times this literary device was used platonically between a male and a female character?

Because, honestly, you’re going to find the answers three-quarters of the time to be:

Dozens

Not even close

Yes, platonic relationships are important in fiction. No, platonic relationships shouldn’t be treated as less important than romantic relationships in fiction. But if the only time anyone defends platonic relationships in fiction is against queer interpretation, then it has nothing to do with platonic relationships at all. It’s just a way to protest queer interpretation without admitting to it.

[aimlesswalker]

Being autistic and having adhd really fucks with my sense of attraction. I’ve realized I don’t/rarely experience sexual attraction for uhh a decade now? I’ve realized I don’t experience romantic attraction for three years now. And I’m starting to realize I don’t experience platonic attraction either. I just... I don’t feel ~drawn~ to people. People approach me and if the vibes are right then maybe we’ll spend more time together. I don’t care enough to pursue anyone, to be the active pursuer. Ever. I don’t think of people when they’re not around. I only seem to make friends when someone chases after me or if they’re people I spend time doing things with regularly (like a club).

Part of my experience of being autistic is feeling disconnected from the rest of the world. People connect in ways I can’t seem to understand, there’s so many social rules I can’t seem to understand. Even with the people I get along with, even with the friends I make, I feel like an outsider. I feel hollow compared to everyone smiling and getting along so easily. I feel alien, like a glitch, like something that isn’t supposed to exist. I don’t really know how to make friends. (And this isn’t just a lack of social skills or whatever, it’s about the lack of platonic attraction and about neurodivergent brains being different) I don’t know what brings two people together. I don’t know what to do with other people if it’s not some pre-agreed upon activity. I don’t know how to be the pursuer because I think about that person in particular and all I can conjure up is a “meh?” feeling. There’s no real motivation to get to know them further unless they’ve already pursued me and I’ve formed some sort of attachment and found out that I enjoy their company. And even then... I can never point to any specific thing about a person other than “they were there?” or I enjoy doing X with them. Even then, if the person is pursuing me too strongly, if they’re more attached than I am, I feel put-off, repulsed.

And I know a lot of that repulsion is rooted in relationship trauma, in this codependent relationship I had where I felt trapped and confined. I overcompensated by being as independent as possible. I don’t want anyone to rely on me, to need me. That feels bad. I don’t want to be the linchpin that someone else’s emotional health rests upon. I also feel uncomfortable in a relationship where our feelings are mismatched because the other person usually places all these expectations on me that I find suffocating. This is especially the case for romantic relationships. They always expect so much, they expect me to feel and act a certain way and make me feel guilty for not being romantically attracted to them. It’s repulsive.

I don’t even experience familial bonds. I don’t know what that’s supposed to feel like. My blood family are just people in my life. I know them, I know I’m supposed to feel something for them, but the spot where I’m supposed to find that is just… hollow? (Does that make me a monster) Like I don’t hate my parents, I appreciate all that they do for me, I respect that they care for me and I set aside time to have dinner with them, but? I don’t even have a real concept of “found family”. They’re familial bonds to people who aren’t your blood relatives, but what does that feel like? It’s not platonic, it’s not romantic, it’s not alterous, it’s something else completely. But I struggle to word exactly how it’s different. I’m just… not sure I feel familial attachment in the way most other people seem to.

And yet? I still experience “love”. It’s not what people usually think of when they hear the word, but I bond deeply to a few rare people and I enjoy expressing my affection towards them via physical touch and/or sex. I don’t care if I’m “not allowed” to call it love bc it’s so different, bc it’s not based on attraction. I’m lovequeer so fuck you. 

So if it’s not based on attraction, then why do I form bonds with people? I still want friends. I want people to talk about things with! Whether that’s my day, something that’s bothering me, a morality/ethical question, current events, fandom, etc. I want interesting conversations with interesting people. I want people to do the activities I like with- like going to museums or playing board games or swing dancing. I want people to cuddle with and have sex with. Because all of those things are fun! Those things bring enjoyment to life. I also want people I can ask for help or advice from because I can’t do everything on my own. I like seeking outside perspectives to grow as a person. I like people who can challenge me and help me be better, who I can grow alongside of.

Which is a lot of why I don’t generally enjoy surface level relationships- because I don’t know how to act in them. I like a lot of emotional intimacy in my relationships! That’s the lifeblood of any connection I form. What’s the point if it’s not there? What’s driving me to seek out this person without it? I usually call the desire for emotional intimacy “alterous attraction”, but I don’t experience this often. While I like emotional intimacy with people as a general thing, I rarely experience the desire for it from a specific person.

Which often throws me to the outskirts of society, not being able to form those sorts of bonds with other people, like coworkers or peers or mentors or anything. I end up not having people to rely upon, which is a key part of humanity (being able to depend on others, we’re typically a social species) but also the way society is set up. Due to amatonormativity, society is not set up for someone to be alone; everything is set up for a set of partners or a nuclear family. There’s also no support systems for those who need it, like financial aid or disability aid or food stamps. They’re set up to be as difficult as possible to obtain. You’re expected to have other people in your life you can rely on. But I don’t.

It’s part that I struggle to bond with people, part not feeling platonic attraction, but also part I don’t mind being alone. I’ve always been alone. I have plenty of things to enrich my life. I don’t see the point in talking to people, in making friends if they’re not going to be people I can get close to. I’m struggling to put that into words. But I was always the quiet kid. And I used to be ashamed of that, because society shames people for being “weird” or being “outcasts” for not having friends. But that’s just part of who I am. I prefer listening to what’s going on around me, I don’t care to join in other than for the shame of being excluded. Or is that what I tell myself to make being alone and disconnected from the entire world feel more palatable?

Because, while I struggle to form bonds and am generally ok alone, I crave community, I crave emotionally intimate relationships. I don’t want romance because of the repulsion, so that ends up being a craving for friends (because society has a fucked up binary of friends or romantic partner). And I vibe with all those posts by aros talking about how deep and important friendship can be. I vibe with those posts talking about a (queer)platonic polycule. I like the sound of those things. In theory. But the only close bonds I seem to be able to form are alterous ones. Not queerplatonic, not deeper than is considered socially acceptable for platonic relationships, but alterous ones! Not platonic, alterous. But where else am I going to find aromantic and aplatonic people that aren’t nonamorous or non-partnering? Will I always have to sacrifice and subdue the parts of me that are repulsed by getting close to people?

[remuswave]

All I Wanted Was You: Karl Jacobs x Deity of The Inbetween! Reader

Summary: (Y/N) falls in love with a mortal, gets too close, and gets hurt.

Warning: Angst with a bad ending, mentions of murder, timeline skipping? and probably some strong language

Pronouns:They/Them

Divider By: @tenshiikisu

“Hi, I’m Karl, what’s your name?”

They smiled fondly.

“(Y/N)”

They never knew they could miss something like a silly introduction so much. Maybe it was because they knew it would never be experienced by them again. Other people would have his attention focused on them, even if just for a greeting. They were Icarus, flying too close to the sun, and falling to their demise. 

There were other time travelers, but none as captivating as him. They recognized how fatiguing it could be to travel to different times and places constantly, and completely outside of your own will. But somehow, this one ‘Karl, his mortal name is’ maintained a shocking sense of self, as well as optimistic spirits. They longed to be a part of a timeline where they could be together, whether romantically or platonically.

As a deity, they were not meant to form attachments, especially with mortals. They knew that even talking to mortals was dangerous, so why they decided to form a friendship with one is a mystery. Maybe it was the idea of having an escape from the monotony of their position. One could understand why a being could get a bit tired of little to no change for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

So they sought out that change. They began to follow him to the dimensions he traversed. They’d install themselves as a main character in the story he was telling, so they could form some sort of short-lived bond with him. Shockingly, their higher gods, the ones who created the Inbetween they reside in, permitted this behavior. They allowed the younger deity to form these superficial bonds, so long as they followed a single order.

“You may not pursue nonplatonic bonds with this traveler, or any after him. You can continue befriending him in universes apart from his own, but anything beyond that…”

“Anything beyond that and we will erase his memories of your presence altogether. He will forget every timeline you enter with him, and he will never be able to interact with you here, in The Inbetween.” 

They knew what the consequences were. They knew it would hurt them. Yet they still chased after him. Everything was fine, they would become his friend in all his stories, they would watch with glee as he wrote in his books, knowing that they were apart of it. This all worked out fine, until it didn’t.

Diary #3

There’s always one constant when I travel, and that’s (Y/N)

They’re always in the timelines I visit, and they always go to befriend me each time.

Could they be like me? Are they a time traveler too?

I should see if I can find them, in the present.

Do they even exist in this time?

I’m going to find out

It’d be nice to have someone who understands for once.

I could show them my library.

This made (Y/N)’s heart flutter. He wanted to get to know them? He wanted to show them his library, one of the most important things he has? Their mind raced with thoughts about what this might mean. Does he feel the same way I do? Is this what mortals call love? I should reveal myself to him, I could be closer to him if only I-

They then remembered the deal they had, they may not befriend him in his own time. Their heart sank, this was their chance, they could’ve been more than a character, they could be a companion. The idea warmed them, to be his companion. 

They debated internally until they realized Karl had left the room, he no longer wrote in front of them but had left the secret room, presumably to meet with one of his friends. They huffed and brought themselves back to The Inbetween, where they proceeded to sulk, watching travelers come and go, dazed from the fatigue of traveling through time, to different dimensions. 

They continued to join Karl in his adventures through time, until one incident where they forgot themselves. They got too close to the sun, and they fell.

“Oh god, the lights are going out again,” (Y/N) called out in frustration. They were having a conversation with Karl, and they felt they were finally getting close to him. Lyaria had been found dead, and the group suspected (Y/N), as they had been the one to hide in the ballroom. Karl had taken them to the secret room, to discuss their supposed guilt, but was cut short by the lights going out, meaning somebody was going to get murdered. He looked past them and his eyes seemed to be following something. “We need to go, now,” he said urgently. Before they could respond, Karl was pulling them to the upstairs bathroom. “Let’s hide in the bathtub,” They suggested, and Karl nodded. As they sat with their legs tangled from the lack of space, Karl whispered “I know you’re not from here. You’re like me, aren’t you?” (Y/N)’s eyes widened. How could they respond to that? “I… not, exactly? You’re right I’m not from here, I’m, from a complicated place. I’m a deity, and I’ve been keeping my eye on you. That sounded creepy, I just meant that I wanted to make sure you stayed safe and I-” He cut them off “No, no, I get what you mean. You just wanted to help, I appreciate it. It’s comforting to have someone to share this with.” He had smiled at them then, and they realized how close their faces had gotten. They kept staring at his lips, and they thought of all the daydreams they had involving him. All of which were completely inaccessible to them. Their eyes locked onto his, and suddenly he had gripped their face in his hands and pulled them towards him. They captured their lips in his, and for that moment everything was enchanting. They had finally felt the feeling that human literature went on and on about. The fluttering in their abdomen, the warmth that spread throughout their body, the overwhelming contentedness. For that moment, they were just a normal person, kissing the boy they liked. They pulled apart and stared into each other’s eyes for a moment. They smiled at him but then felt their vision go blurry and they realized their mistake. Their body began to slump as the world fell away.

That was the last time they ever got to see Karl. Well, that’s not exactly true. They could always see him, they just couldn’t touch him. Or speak to him. Or have his precious giggle directed at them again. The worst part is, they never got to speak about it with their superiors. they never brought it up, and they were terrified to bring it up . So, they sat and watched as he forgot all of their adventures, the kiss they shared, their presence entirely. It hurt so bad. 

It was even worse when he got engaged.

Not only did he forget them, he also fell in love with other people. They couldn’t even be mad, they were wonderful people. They felt genuine love for him, and they kept him safe. They fell back into the monotony guarding the dimension came with, and tried to push away the pain. 

After all, they only had themselves to blame.

[writing-blog-idk]

You ask Freddy a question he isn't prepared for.

(You can imagine him as an Android or animatronic.)

Contains bad grammar

Relationship: non-specific ( platonic/romantic )

Gender: gender-neutral.

--

"Do you remember what books smell like?" 

A simple question crosses their mind, they didn't consider how the robot might seize his movement, so suddenly they're sure they can hear the sounds of rusted mechanical gear coming to a grinding halt as he stops chasing after Chica, who run straight into the kitchen, laughing like a child.

They wonder to themselves, how does a simple question they ask out of boredom halted the big Freddy in his quest to stop Chica from making a mess in the kitchen?

He turns and look at them, wondering why out of all the things they could have ask, that's what they've come up with. They both said nothing, as an awkward silence hung in the air. The sound of heavy thumping slowly leaving the stage, leading to the kitchen became the only indication of life inside the building (funny, consider how the one making it isn't even technically living).

When the air turn stilled again, they change from their crossed-leg position, leaving their foot dangling over the stage (one of the only clean platform in the entire restaurant) and pat the spot next to them. Ignoring how Freddy still hasn't moved ever since they spoke up, they smile gently at him.

"Come on old sport, sit down and tell me something about yourself!"

He stand still for just a bit longer, then move to slowly approach the stage as their smile grows wider. He didn't climb onto the stage, opted to take the stairs (they laugh a bit at this, he make a scowling noise, prompted them to shut up.) And seated himself right next to them. The swirling inside his body stops itself as soulless blue orb stare right ahead, not making a move to say anything. Their smile falters a bit before they cover it up and repeat the question.

"Do you remember what your favorite book smell like?"

"How do you know whether or not I even like books."

Despite flinching back a bit from the bitter tone coming from the usually laid-back robot they've come to call friend carried, they keep on with no intention of stopping. Knowing full well he's too far into being friends with them to consider killing them. They fake a silent yawn he didn't even see and continued

"You seems like the type to read a lot of books to be honest, not smart book or anything, just regular people books."

"Was that an insult?"

"Nope! Just casual observation." 

The laughter in their voice indicates otherwise, but he doesn't feel like dragging this on for longer than it needs to be.

"..."

"So? Do you remember?"

He takes in a  deep breath. Well, here goes nothing.

"To be frank-" "Hello Frank! My name's- OK ok go on-" 

"...to be frank… I don't even remember my favorite book… or whether I have one…"

He moves to look up at the ceiling, trying to remember something he knows wasn't his in the first place, or maybe it is, and right now he's mistaken himself for someone else.

"I think hi-...my...favorite book… was an old one I found hidden in the corner of the library... or maybe it was laying on someone's table, and I accidentally pick it up...somehow…"

Voice slowly filled itself with uncertainty, he continued, panic rises inside of him as he struggles to differentiate his memory from the child.

"It was… by someone, Kafa? Fakfa? I- I don't remember really, it just wasn't the type of book children would be reading. Of course, I wasn't a child, never was (maybe I am) but the book was confusing, I remember the main character, the girl? Take-take--taking care of her lover? Or maybe it was her brother? No-o-o-o wait I don't think the girl was the main cha-character. I- I don't think that's my fa-favorite book actually- I- I do- don't-"

A shudder, as if that was somehow possible for something like him.

"I don't think I've ever read a book…"

Then just what was it he was remembering? Why can't he remember anything apart from a tangled mess of info, not knowing whether he has a life before him, or was he sinking in an illusion all this time, confused from the years he has been locked away and left to slowly rots, trying his best to hold onto whatever he had left of his old self.

His body jolted, surprised by the loud sounds of thunder, ringing throughout the empty pizzeria, only now did he realized that the night is now jam packed with the loud storm outside. He also realized, there's a warm hand placed on his shoulder, contrasting to the cold, lifeless cell he's in. He turns to look at them, their relaxed posture long gone, replaced with a tense, seemingly regretful one. Their eyes shine with concern as clear as day, yet despite that, they still keep up the same smile.

"Hey hey buddy, don't gotta go to where you don't need to! It's ok if you don't remember or don't know!" It's abundantly clear that even they themselves don't understand where that was going, yet they kept on. Moving away and sit back down next to him, this time closer, as if trying to silently tell him he isn't a monster.

"I mean, I don't actually remember the last time I pick up a book…" 

They turn to look at him mid sentence, and their words slowly come to a halt. He must have looked even worse than usual somehow.

"...do you missed the books you have?"

It's hard to hear them over the downpour.

"...I don't have-"

"It's ok to be confused sometime."

They clasped their hand together, looking up at the ceiling.

"I get confused a lot of time too, sometimes thing felt like they happen before, but it for sure haven't. And sometimes it felt like it has never even existed in the first place! It's normal to have a mess of stuff in your head that you can't find the footing for! I…" 

They gulped. Voices nearly drown out by the rain.

"I don't really know what could have happened to you, and honestly, if I was in your paws (heh paws) I probably would be even more confused. But...uh… I guess… Sometimes you just gotta...ig...nore...it…...it...it's not that bad of a thing sometimes! I think…"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"You know what- I'm sorry just forget the-" "What does old book smell like then…"

Now they're the ones who halted, shoulder automatically squared, turning sharply to look at him, they swallow the nervousness they felt throughout this conversation they, 've willingly created. Orbs hurriedly search the robot's face to look for some sign of anger, only slowly relaxing when they saw none. Their posture now slumped, head trying to grasp the smell of the last book they have.

"...salt, I try to taste it once, wasn't pretty."

--

A chime rang out, just in time for the rain finally coming to a stop. The pair sat there for a bit, as the other two slowly move back into the main room, acting nonchalant about everything. They stand up before Freddy does, rushing back into the security room to collect their stuff, and ran right back out, only to be greeted with disappointment. The gang has already resumed back into their off-performance pose, facing the door with no more sign of life. They forget to bid the gang goodbye.

Breathing out a tired sigh, they move slowly to the door, the act of staying up finally caught up to them yet again. Before they leave though, they still turn around and smile to the lifeless performers standing on the stage, leaving them a small "see you again", then turn and make their exits.

[themelodicenigma]

I really have found myself liking platonic relationships in media more and more as I’ve grown older. Though, I still remain a hopeless romantic in a way. Even thinking about relationships that aren’t purposefully platonic is good too, like in the way of not just about being “not romantic”, if you know what I mean—they just are what they are. The depth of these relationship types, though, are often undermined by fans for their own reasons. Shipping culture is a big one, naturally, but reasons also include a fan that simply may not be able to relate to the deep levels platonic relationships can reach in how they’re described. It’s always best to keep in mind that what can be cherished by others isn’t limited to our own experiences. What we recognize for ourselves may not be the more, raw truth of how certain things can or are meant to be recognized as.

Some people don’t have siblings, or may not have a great relationship with their own, but I believe it’s still a great thing that, despite it, you can still see the beauty for those that have it. In real life and media.

Media-wise, think about Elsa and Anna, Fang and Vanille, Lightning and Serah, the Wayfinder Trio, Shalua and Shelke, Lelouch and Nunnally, Tanjiro and Nezuko, Sam and Dean (oh Supernatural lol), The Outsiders in general, etc. etc.

These characters have gone above and beyond for one another. Some, even fit within the “hogosha” [guardian-parental sentiment/function] role that I always love to see— mostly that of the older siblings this role is applicable to. Inline with that, we often see going further than just “this is my sister/brother”—we see what I call “existential descriptors” that go beyond family, friendship, romance—any relationship type actually and the complexities that can be within each.

Ya’ll have seen the words/phrases before: “irreplaceable”, “most special/important person”, “reason for existing/living”, “more than [beyond] family”, “never being apart”, “[the other’s] life being more important than their own”, etc. etc.

Sibling relationships are on my mind today, but these descriptors can be used for any relationship type to talk about the “strength of the bond” in its essence, not by type or function, hence why these descriptors aren’t indicative of a type. Just that of its value and strength to the individuals. All things that can be used for any relationship, yet what it tells us about it goes beyond than what a type alone can give, even though it’s within the bounds of it. You can have a weak sibling relationship, or, an irreplaceable one—same type, but what you’ll get storytelling-wise is going to be leagues apart.

For some people, it’s kind of irrelevant I suppose—again those reasons can vary. It might be someone who can’t relate, or they’re too caught up in shipping culture/romanticism and they’d rather see these types of descriptors for only romantic relationships. The latter happens FAR too often in a way that usually ends up besmirching what context actually exists between two characters—I don’t think I’ve ever seen this happen as bad as with Fang and Vanille, so widely misconstrued that the actual context is rarely examined or is openly denied with, really, not so great reasoning.

Eh...I don’t want to get that into it, but if I had to be real to whoever cares to read this, it’s actually infuriating—it leaves a lot of things unreasonably unappreciated. But, what I also know is people have their reasons—part of what I call “Congruent Truths”, as to what I mentioned before. I did have a conversation once, with someone who felt uncomfortable watching Elsa and Anna interact in Frozen 2 because everything they did, they wouldn’t have that intimacy unless it was with a romantic interest. Or care for and look after someone like Fang to Vanille unless it’s your lover. Or the classic, sleep in the same bed like Ponyboy and Sodapop did without “feeling things”. Yo what? Lol To be fair, if those things are congruent to “your truth” of romantic functionality, is what it is for your sake, but you can’t let that limit your understanding of the nature of what you’re looking at and its own context it’s expressed in, either. “Let context be your guiding key”, and all that.

Anyway, that’s a whole other thing. Point being is that, I really enjoy the bonds we can see with platonic relationships in media, most notably if they’re either with that hogosha depth or we get into the existential descriptors that set how important they are to each other. I’m still a hopeless romantic, but romance just isn’t the epitome of all relationship types and extent of these mentioned values. Japanese media is great for this, though of course it absolutely isn’t limited to that culture’s media, but it often has some great grounds.

Trust me, I have a friend who can give the masterclass on the “Power of Kizuna” in Japanese media lol There’s levels to these things.

[ceoofanticatradora]

We need more anti C//A who are Adora stans (like you seem to be) so that people can understand that C///A is bad for Adora. Heck C//A is bad for Catra too, but the shippers don't seem to realize it. If Catra had been able to let Adora go maybe she could have healed instead of her festering and the abuse may have ended instead of escalated.

Hello Dear, welcome on my Blog and a big thank you for your message! Firstly I wanna apologize that this response is reaching you more than three full days, almost four later. Just real life getting into the way of my online presence (at least I got my A-Levels admission!) but I assure you that replying to you was on my To Do List the entire time. And while I could've typed something quick, I thought you deserved a full length response just as much as the person before you received. That goes for anyone really to ask/write me anything in the future.

Adora is a character that has flaws, her own interests, things she struggles with/is insecure about etc. but she also still works on being better (up to Season 5). This makes her relatable, fleshed out and overall three dimensional. Overall for me that makes Adora very likeable. Which is funny because when I first watched the show I thought of her as too goofy and felt like she as a character was overall just flat. Her character design did not speak to me either, the ponytail with the weird hair poof and these pointy shoulders of her jacket just really were not my taste. Isn't it amazing how perceptions can change?

As you can guess from that description I did not always stan Adora and she's probably still not my favorite character but over the almost two years I've been in this fandom I've grown rather fond of her. Other important characters to me are Kyle (a very relatable comfort character of mine, he learned to stand up for himself and others and I support that, f*ck Season 5 for barely acknowledging his existence), Lonnie (apart from treating Kyle badly (which I really do NOT support or excuse) I really love her, man, some women just do me like that, I mean she really stood up to Catra like that), Entrapta (I'm autistic too! It's great to have some representation, seeing the ableism/treatment she experiences in the show is not so much though), Seahawk (I don't even know why, I have some issues with his behavior towards Mermista at times but overall I love this dork), Scorpia (she reminds me of myself so much and I really wanna give her hugs, I'm so glad she chose to no longer let Catra treat her like that even though I will be forever salty she just immediately forgave her), Peekablue (I can explain this even less than Seahawk, especially since it was not even really him in the end but his existence somehow helped me cope with Season 5, without him I probably would've left this fandom ... and also my favorite color is blue) and Double Trouble (now there's enough people already critcizing how they're not exactly great Non-binary representation but this dramatic lizard will forever be in my heart, that reality check they gave Catra, basically slapping her in the face with facts was satisfying as h*ck, also I like lizards overall).

Now there's plenty of characters I like, dislike (or even hate) or am simply indifferent about but after all this is not a tier list but me talking about Adora, Catra and Catradora. Adora started off as this girl that was so sure what she was doing is right but once she was taught differently she was willing to leave everything she knew (except Catra, because she valued her despite everything) behind. And not only that, she broke out of the abuse cycle that Catra tried so hard to keep upright. And that is exactly what makes Adora such a good role model. She teaches children (or people) that:

Your past doesn't define what/who you are or what/who you can become

-> Adora used to be a Horde soldier and did not know where she came from, but nonetheless she found herself a family and became a hero that saved thousands of people

You can always change your mind and start a new life if you feel disappointed in what you are doing/who you are as a person

-> Basically the exact same point, Adora started a new life as she saw what the Horde really was and changed her mind about who to fight for

You deserve love too, be it platonic or romantic (or se*ual???) (If you're aro and/or ace just ignore the part that does not work for you)

-> While Adora for various reasons thought her only use was to please others and meet their needs and expectations (mostly due to Shadow Weaver and Catra) she learned to accept that she too deserves love and validation (if the love aspect would not have been focused on it being romantic love so she could smooch Catra in the finale this would've been a billion times better because she got love from her friends that showed her her real value)

You can walk away from something/someone, that does not make you egoistic/selfish

-> Adora walked away from the Horde, after Catra stubbornly refused to come with her despite many offers (basically Catra broke the promise, not Adora) from her too and that did not make her a "traitor" or "selfish", h*ck, Adora in the end did this for a bigger purpose too, even if part of it was her not wanting to live with such wrong morals

Your opinions, feelings etc. about a person/something can change and that is perfectly fine and valid, being able to change is part of what makes someone human

-> Adora's views on many things changed throughout the show: The Horde and the Rebellion, the First Ones, Catra, being She-Ra, herself, her priorities and so on ... she actually makes use of her brain, which is why Catra saying "Don't you ge it?" or calling her an idiot and dumb never sat right with me, she's a realistic character for shifting with her thoughts, feelings etc. and sometimes just does not fully think things through

You don't have to let other people treat you like sh*t (just because they have some issues they never worked through does not give them any right to let it out on you)

-> This point is obviously centered mostly around Catra and her abusing Adora almost every chance she gets, which is why Adora standing up for herself and not letting Catra blame her for her own decisions and mistakes is so important, "You made your choice, now live with it" is one of the most powerful lines throughout all the five Seasons

Now I'm sure there is still more to Adora's character than what I just listed and unfortunately almost all the points basically got pushed aside, well, Adora as a character got pushed aside in Season 5. All her growth, the things that made me love her, see her as great role model for so many people robbed of their value for the sake of making everything revolve around Catra. That brings me to her and how you are absolutely right that Catradora is harmful to both characters. Of course Adora is affected most by it in the end but Catra too is obviously suffering under the fandoms obsession and just the overall idea of them being romantically involved.

Just like with Adora the stans make almost everything about Catra over her relationship with Adora. She too can barely exist outside of it and if she wasn't the fan favorite she'd most likely would too be mostly in Fanarts that include Adora and not just her (if you google "Catra Fanart" most content is still Catra and Catra only but here and there Catradora still peaks through). But for whatever reason the fandom still views her more as her own person as the other ones? Catrouble and Scorptra Shippers might actually still get less hate than Glimmadora Shippers (I'm not denying they don't get any, they most certaintly do) which is just plain hypocricy and favorism. Kinda like the: A woman needs to be loyal to her husband and her husband only but if the husband wants to be active with other women that is perfectly fine because "that is just how men are" or how i like to call it ... sexism. Now in this case they are both women so it's not sexism but yo do get my point.

But much more importantly, Catra has an unhealthy obsession with Adora. Signs of that are for example:

Constantly talking about Adora, even when said person is not around (to Shadow Weaver, Scorpia etc.)

Obsessing over having control over Adora like in that one Episode "Are you kidding? I finally got control over Adora, I'm not giving that up!"

Building her entire character and her actions around Adora "We need to take Adora down", "Adora left me", "I'd rather see the whole world end than see you win!", also shown in Season 5 where she states she does save Glimmer only for Adora and not for Glimmer or to do the right thing

Getting aggressive or very emotional over Adora like clawing the wall, having nightmares etc. (destructive behavior towards herself and others)

Having no or barely any characteristics outside of her relationship with Adora like, we don't know her interests or likes and dislikes outside of being evil, obsessed with Adora, being abused by Shadow Weaver ...

Trying to force Adora to meet her needs and expectations regardless of Adora's owns

Sacrificing her oppurtunity to be happy in the Crimson Waste for the sake of her Adora obsession and being better than her at all costs

So yes, you were very right with saying that not putting Catra in a relationship with Adora would've benefited both characters. Catra could've learned to exist on her own, develop interests and a life outside of Adora. Learn to accept herself and eventually come to terms with her childhood abuse. She could've been free and not "the abusive cat girl that ended up with the person she unhealthily obsessed over to the point of no return" she kinda is now. Even if we ignore the whole "dating your long term abuser" part from Adora's side and "being rewarded" for horrible behavior, Catra alone is not giving a good example to people watching. As much as I dislike Catra, disdain her even, an ending where she is dependent on Adora, unable to stand on her own two legs after she led armies in war is not what I would wish for her, even with a decent redemption arc (that she did not get).

[jubberry]

oohkay let's go tua with those ship asks: fiveya, horrance and alluther.

thanks el i love you

Send me a ship and I'll answer three questions based on if I ship it or not.

fiveya obvs i ship this since this is 90% of my tua drawings lol

1. ill wait ill wait (to be the one) by georgiestauffenberg made me ship it cause holy fuck dude. I dont know if i ship them romantically when i saw them onscreen cause first of all, age difference is kinda weird lmao. Second, they dont rlly interact much outside literally the first couple of eps. But he was so soft for her, and i felt like they had so much unexplored history.

so i looked at fanfics cause i was wondering if ppl still ship it, then i liked the description of this one so i gave it a go.

Basically the premise is that vanya dates a much older man who seems to know a lot about her. And it was amazingly in character and just provided their characters some depth that u wouldnt find outside of a romantic relationship between them. (The implication of five pining while she doesnt know who he is, their missed chances when he time travelled, fives missed chances of living and having a 'normal' life bec of his own hubris, vanyas insecurity and being able to open up bec shes with someone whos known her since childhood). Its so sweet and thats how i was like, oh yep i can do so much more with these two, and what has kept me interested in drawing them etc.

2. My favourite things are the shippers cause i made some friends in the fandom who are super cool and supportive! I dont get super involved in fandoms and usually just watch from afar so finding people to talk to and muck around with in this tiny fandom is super cool 😭

Though thats not to say I havent come across some bad apples in this fandom and things that I dont like. I think thats the importance of carving out a place for yourself and ur friends in fandom tho.

Another thing I like about the ship itself, i just like the grumpy person whos soft for one person trope. Its so cute. I like all the little clues in canon on how their relationship as kids is quite warm, which is interesting cause five is basically the star student and he can be quite cold vs vanya who is the black sheep of the family.

I also like how five likes her powers even when she caused the apocalypse he spent the majority of his life in lol. Like its a popular hc that five is just a wife guy and i love that.

I see vanya as the type who has a lot of love to give, and she sometimes has unrealistic expectations of what her partner can give. Betrayal and lies really angers her, but also when her partner cannot meet her expectations of love she gets very upset bec its also an indication of how shes not good enough, or not loveable enough to be able to have this in the relationship (her insecurity means every failing always comes back to her, even if its out of her control).

I feel like five would be a level-headed person enough in the relationship to not be afraid to say 'vanya ur being stupid' (ie. the s2 confrontation lmao). Also, five's personality means she will never have to doubt his actions bec she knows hes the type who will not give u the moment of the day if hes not interested.

Not to mention they also have the whole apocalypse vs. saviour, hero/villain thing. Theres just a lot to explore!

3. I probably have several. But mostly I dont mind five being a dick to vanya bec first, even if the appeal is hes soft to her hes already kind of a dick in canon lmao. Also, vanya isnt a child. Shes grown and she can handle petty af things like five telling her shes not good at cooking lol. I also dont mind it cause I feel like people are getting too afraid to write... conflict for fear or portraying an abusive relationship or smth. Like, chill. Conflict is fine, resolving it is how u get a story. However in saying that, nobody should be obligated to write any way unless you want to! Fanfic is for comfort so if what your doing is making u happy then its good enough!

horrance which i also ship but i love the platonic and romantic relationship equally:

1. I came in tua in general not shipping anything so Im honestly not sure. I do remember someone doing a meta before s2 came out that was basically how ben acted weird when klaus summoned dave in s1 that made me go 👀 Otherwise, tua s2 rlly made me like them cause tua FED horrance shippers. Like..... the fact that klaus didnt want ben to leave him, and ben knows thats why he stayed 😢 or the fact that klaus was all over him for some reason???? Somebody also mentioned gay ben once and I resonate with that deeply. Like i get that jill exists but i resonate with gay ben deeply.

2. I love their bickering, theyre so cute together. I just like ben being angry bec hes self aware that hes got both shit and amazing taste. Shit bec he cant believes he likes Klaus (and also amazing also bec Klaus). I think the idea of them being kind of underdogs, theyre not rlly leader types and dont want to be, helps them bond together even in platonic horrance. They're both down to earth, and even tho they can annoy each other, they also know if they want a space to feel comfortable its with each other. Theyre not pressured by rivalry over leadership, or any sort of competition.

I love the idea that even tho ben is like klaus's ''conscience'', hes also down for chaos and bitchy. I feel like klaus rlly enabled that side of him, its not exactly a good thing but its p funny lol

3. I know some people think their dynamic is unhealthy but i dont care lol

alluther. So id say i dont ship this, mostly due to the fact that im not invested? Just like all tua ships so far I rlly came out not wanting anything but platonic relationships cause I feel tua doesnt do romance very well. With alluther, theyre so cute but im not super invested in either of their chars so they havent stuck for me. I appreciate seeing them and talking about them tho, and I'm def open to exploring them further.

1. I think tua canon romances are just so lackluster 😔 Idk who writes the romances but I was just like 'nice' but afterwards I dont really think about them. I love their dance scene and the message behind it! Otherwise, theyre sweet like most of the tua romances but im not super invested, same with all the non canon ships.

2. I really feel like tua needs to decide on what their relationship is. Like, just say its incest or not and stick with it 👀 Or if you wanna support it or not, just make up ur mind. I think I would've liked it better if I found the characters more interesting. Allison especially I feel like suffers from the fact that tua just doesn't want to make her ''mean''. They want to make her supportive and are less interested in making her flawed (ie. she should've had a conflict with Vanya in s2, but the writers didnt want to write the girls fighting which is stupid imo and not what that conflict is about).

In regards to Alluther, the scene where Allison gets annoyed at Luther for sleeping with someone else felt out of line. Like, how are you marrying other people and moving on but Luther isn't allowed to? But honestly, I don't mind if they actually just acknowledge it and make it a deliberate part of Allison's trait that Allison can expect a certain loyalty automatically from other people (which can tie in to her childhood being a star, and the rumour).

Luther is a big simp for Allison, which is sweet, but at the same time it would be nice to have him explore himself for a bit, and who he is outside of the academy. Then maybe they can rekindle their relationship again as new people and see where they go from there.

3. I don't hate them, but they're ok. I'm not super invested in them, just like all the tua canon romance. But I wouldn't mind making content for them if I were a bit more invested in their characters. I love their dance scene in s1 and I feel like its super a underrated portrayal of what their relationship is meant to be. I know no one talks about it but it's just such a great scene, and I'm pretty sure the choreographer was into interpretive dance? The scene had a lot of meaning that I don't see people dig around with.

Essentially I'm pretty sure the fairy lights are obviously a throwback to their childhood together, spending time outside of Reggie. So the dance scene kind of symbolized that pocket of space they made for each other in their life (even if theyre far away, or with other people, they will always have that space for each other).

The way they danced was more like playfighting than dancing, which means their relationship isn't sensual. It's more ''pure'', and romantic. Its basically two kids rekindling their love as adults. I also think this is a response to the incest, cause in s1 tua klaus literally said that 'thank god Regg is not their real father' right before Allison and Luther meet lmao. So its kinda like saying Allison x Luther isnt supposed to be 'ohh step sibling hot' but two people who experienced the same trauma as kids and finding comfort with each other (and rekindling that love after many years).

[utterlyinevitable]

I want them all for E&O but will settle for 4-7 from each category for E&O please 🙏

Aaa you’re too sweet! Thank you for asking 💕

> ship questions <

PRE-RELATIONSHIP

4. Who felt romantic feelings first?

Ethan. Like in canon, Miami is when he started to see her as more than just an attractive, brilliant intern. She retreated back to her room amicably for the evening before Ethan could even kiss her. Of which he’s thankful because he respects her and her career too much to have a moment of lustful weakness. 

5. Did either of them try to resist their feelings?

They both did. Ethan got good at it for the most part, but once they started spending time together outside of work related things after the Louise thing, he couldn’t help but be soft in the name of friendship. But idk any friends that would buy be a $2k keyboard 👀

Ode caught feelings after the Louise thing too. She has a better poker face though and with their weird boss/friend/mentor dynamic she couldn’t wrap her head around losing all of that because of fleeting romantic feelings. 

6. If you had told one of them that the other would be their soulmate, what would they think?

Ode would laugh and says she knows - he’s her medical hero and their brains work similarly. If anyone was going to be her soulmate it would be him. Though she means it absolutely platonically. 

Ethan would just shake his head and say such notions don’t exist. Though if you told him this after his 40th he’d be silent on the matter, while everything inside him would be inclined to agree. 

7. What would their lives be like if they had never met?

ooooo this is interesting! 

If Ethan never ever met Ode I think he’d continue his jaded, mostly celibate lifestyle. He’s devoted to his work and it would take a truly magnificent person to change him - and that can really only be done by a soulmate...😏 He and Harper would fall back into their back and forth companionable coexistence. It’s not perfect but it’s something to make him feel like he’s a living man and not a machine. 

So for Ode... if she never stumbled upon Ethan’s research that completely turned her world around, she would be studying to become a dentist maybe? She always leaves music for the greater good of medicine, idk what she’d go into if it wasn’t diagnostics. 

 GENERAL

4. Were they each other’s first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

I think they’re each others first real and true love. Ethan certainly didn’t love Harper or any of his other past partners since he doesn’t believe in the concept. And Odette... she has only had 2 other relationships and they never really stuck long enough to move past the initial infatuation.  

5. What’s their height difference? Age difference?

Ethan is 6′6 and Odette is 5′8 so nearly a foot lol. They’re also 10 years and 4 months apart. 

6. What’s their relationship with each other’s families?

Odette and Alan adore one another. Alan’s crashed enough of the pair’s study and dinner not-a-dates enough times to forge a bond. It’s become quite a joke between the small family that Ode just comes by in hopes of running into Naveen and talking about classic rock and what growing up in the 60s and 70s was like. (for a girl who’s quite poised and refined in her clothing she is really drawn to the 70s billow and floral aesthetic). At the start Ode really didn’t want to get involved with Ethan’s parents because that’s his business - Alan made it really hard to stick to that. And by the time Louise turned up they already had a little bond on top of her hating the broken look on Ethan’s face. 

Odette is an inherently private person. Her parents know about Ethan and their mentor/friendship. They don’t find out that they’re dating until she goes home to visit ~9 months into their relationship and tells them she’s bringing someone. She has never ever introduced them to a boy before and they’re over the moon that she’s found happiness. Just from this alone they know Ethan is special. When they get there things are very awkward - Ethan’s not good at this and Ode doesn’t like how attending her parents are being. Long story short, things go great and when they’re sipping beers while the ladies clean up, her dad gives Ethan a small photo album of his favorite pictures of Odette through the years. It’s Ethan’s most prized possession to date.  

7. Who takes the lead in social situations?

Odette, for obvious reasons. She’s able to schmooze a lot better than he can. She’s also able to diffuse situations with such elegance and grace he has never seen in his lifetime. She gets him out of a lot of things with a smile and swapping business cards. 

LOVE

4. How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

Cuddling is their favorite downtime activity. She rests her head against his shoulder or his chest as their sat on the couch, or throws her feet over his lap. 

They’re not big on PDA. Sometimes they hold hands when they’re around close friends. More often than not you’ll find Ethan with his hand on or forearm wrapped around her lower back. Kisses are short and only happen when they’re certain no one they know is around and if there are people around, no one is paying them any mind. For them intimacies really belong in the privacy of their homes. 

5. Who initiates kisses?

Ethan for the most part. Physical touch is one of his love languages and he needs that sort of contact in the relationship. Ode never denies him, she always sighs into him. 

6. Who’s the big and little spoon?

Ethan’s obviously big spoon because he’s like double her size. He also prefers to have his arms wrapped around her when they’re asleep.  

7. What are their favorite things to do together?

Running. Their thing is long jogs and then brunch right after. Odette hates running but took it up because it was the only thing that could get Ethan out of his head and talking enough during the Louise thing. Now running has a place in her heart because it’s more or less where they started falling in love with each other as people and not as just doctors. 

Opera. Farmers Markets. And of course they both just love being in one anothers company. Ethan also adores listening to her play. A lot of the time she hides away but he can still hear it through the door and walls of the apartment. When they get their big house she’s more comfortable with him in her creative space - their piano is the focal point of the indoor/outdoor sitting room. He likes to sit on the patio with the bi-folding doors open while she’s at her grand playing away. The music cascading through their home and out to their beachfront property. 

DOMESTIC LIFE

4. Do they have any pets?

No, they don’t. They keep talking about getting a dog or a cat. They look at rescue websites and discuss which ones they should go meet. But really they both know they’re much too busy to give a pet the attention they deserve. 

5. Who’s the stricter parent?

They don’t have kids. If they did it would probably be Ethan. 

6. Who worries the most?

They both do but in different ways. They both worry about work and the future. As director and only child, Ethan worries about bigger life things. Whereas Odette is quite secular in her worries - she takes them one at a time as they come. 

7. Who kills the bugs in the house?

Ethan. Odette is not touching that nope nah ah ah