#but their relationship can be so heartwarming imo

[xi-xi-chen]

I think that if Jinx stresses out about it, it would be because she is probably going against her instincts when creating something for Lux. She tries to get it to be something refined and graceful, a thing she sees a lot in her, but also, something that she lost, and she can't quite get it to come out as she wants.

Lux on the other hand wants to give something back to Jinx because she feels like she's been a burden to her, and back in the day she could have gotten pretty much anything anyone asked. She could have comissioned her a weapon, gotten her a pet, facilitated access to secure places, and now she can... Buy her a doll, I guess? Wrangle a sump rat?

In the end, what they want the most is connection. So Jinx trying again and again to create something would be amazing for Lux, and for Jinx, she just wants affection and love and someone to be by her side, so maybe Lux finds all the failed attempts when she's looking for Jinx more than Jinx thought she'd be looking? Definitely something about the circumstances where they meet before either of them finds a good gift for each other. Then they build something for the both of them together.

Isha would be happy with crayons and a handmade doll of her (Lux and Jinx's gifts for her respectively)

Another idea, what if Jinx is just making something absentmindedly too and as a final attempt and finally gets what she's envisioned? That's just another little idea out of it.

I love the idea of it all circling back to making items together. Especially the bit of Lux finding these failed attempts that lead to another, that's so heartwarming imo, and an example of their relationship, the will and care to keep trying despite obstacle. I also think Isha would want small trinkets of some kind that represent each of them to carry around on her.

[hurtspideyparker]

I LOVE ultimate Spidey. I like how in the animated series we see his humour and sass more, plus the struggle of trying to balance Peter Parker with Spider-Man at the same time.

The first couple seasons were really amazing, I still liked the later ones but the dynamic changed a lot and I missed Peter being with his team :( like butting heads with Nova, Danny's oddness, just being a Bro with Luke, Ava being so done with all these boys. Peter trying to be a leader while also still learning how to be a hero himself. Like I loved seeing him grow into his leadership at the SHIELD academy but him being with his smaller team was peak, especially when they all lived together at May's <3

and the relationship he has with the Avengers in Ultimate is INCREDIBLE. We don't get that in ANY live action movies. We not only saw him fanboy over them, but also build friendships and a good working relationship. Like him and Hulk's friendship was so heartwarming. When he teams up with Captain America AH so exciting !!! He really gets to shine as a hero and all these adults respect him and his potential. And don't even get me started on the Irondad cuz heck yeah!!! Ultimate Peter is so sassy and capable. I feel like the fandom infantalizes MCU Peter and treats him like a cute little angel, so it's refreshing to watch the animated shows and see him act as the irresponsible, annoying, funny guy he is lol. Cracking jokes constantly and everyone getting fed up with him never being serious.

The movies play a lot into the darker aspects of being Spider-Man, which is great for film, but that means his humour and arrogance from the comics gets left behind. Animated shows are more light-hearted so we get to see Peter act like a total doofus <3

Also him and Clint are really underrated as a pair. I love how their personalities clash. Same with him and Wolverine, the body swap was one of the best episodes imo and I love the running joke that Spider-Man can smell how bad Logan smells all the time lmao.

I adore Spectacular Spider-Man and I wish it got more seasons, it characterized Peter so well, but Ultimate has my heart because of all the other amazing heroes we see Peter interact with.

Also Clark Gregg (Coulson actor) voiced Agent Coulson for the show too, which automatically makes it a 10/10 I love Coulson sm

You know I realised something today. There’s a stark contrast between the animated versions of Spider-Man/ Peter Parker and the movie versions

Like we know Peter is hella awkward and he is kind. With or without the suit, his personality is mixed with confident and awkward. But ultimate Spider-Man is a completely different breed. Most of the time rude and hella arrogant. Ultimate Peter was so spiteful it’s hilarious. Spectacular Spider-Man wasn’t quite like Ultimate Spider-Man but there are some parts worth noting.

Peter in the movies is devoted to one girl. MJ or Gwen. Spectacular Peter?? Man had four women. MJ, Gwen, that one cheerleader and mf black cat. Ultimate Peter tho was hella gay for Harry. He rather spent time with him than the gang.

Spider-Man in the movies was quite humble. They knew not to push it. Just stay as Friendly Neighbourhood Spiderman. Minus Tom. He was pulled into the big leagues. He didn’t want it at first. Tom’s Spidey was hella awkward with Tony too at first. He acknowledges him as someone with high authority. Hell, he wouldn’t even think of himself standing next to Tony when suddenly the man himself appears in his apartment

Ultimate Spidey? Every time he sees Tony Stark, he is imagining himself as a higher ranked person if he is alongside Tony. But the fanboying stays atleast. You can tell he’s quite arrogant here.

Not to mention, he’s a spiteful man. I remember there was one scene he’s talking to Fury and Fury tells him not to be late. Then he’s all like “You don’t have to teach me something I already know!” or something like that. Then he storms out like a kid with a tantrum and the door closes after he leaves. Then Fury just says “Teenagers” and Peter with his enhanced hearing obviously heard that. The man opens the door, webs both sides and pulls it, smashing the door, just to prove Fury’s point of ‘Yes I’m the average teenager full of spite’

It’s hilarious.

(I just love ultimate Spider-Man. He’s so overhated.)

[thatonecrazysidekick]

@sunfloweraro I'm sorry it took so long to respond to you on this post, but I needed to draw this before any further action could be taken.

Yippee, Ravio will get comfort!! My sanity is safe (for now). Hilda and Zelda appearances would be cool, and a Sheerow POV would be quite interesting indeed!! I wonder what that bird is thinking behind those blank little eyes...

[signanothername]

do you have any fic recs bout killer or nightmare??

Tbh Anon i’m the wrong person to ask cause I can be extremely picky with fics and if anything, I’m the one in desperate need for good fic recommendations hdhdhd

So like I don’t have many recs myself, but imma share some I love/loved reading

Killer fics 👇

Calling into hell - ongoing, a really fun read, Nightmare gang centric from Killer’s POV, the absolute dread and psychological horror in it are wonderful

Broken tool - oneshot, Killer and Nightmare centric, very angsty as it follows canon in terms of their relationship, warning for animal cruelty

Backyard nights - oneshot, Color spectrum duo centric, hurt/ comfort and fluff, really chill fic that’ll warm your heart <3333

I’ve become so numb - oneshot, hurt/no comfort and very angsty as it explores the abuse Killer goes through and Killer’s perception of it, a bad/sad ending

The Same Smile - oneshot, Killer and Nightmare centric, explores Nightmare and Killer’s first meeting

———

Nightmare fics 👇

I don’t need you anymore - oneshot, Apple twins centric but from Nightmare’s POV, very angsty and hurt/ no comfort, I really love Nightmare characterization in this, it also explores the idea that the twins’ lives are linked where if one of them dies the other does too, interesting concept that I don’t see explored often, really adds to this fic imo

The root of the matter - oneshot, Apple twins centric, hurt/comfort and fluff, explores the idea of the twins actually talking about their problems, has the interpretation of Nightmare actually trying to keep the balance (which is always nice to see), really sweet and heartwarming

In a Minor Study of Evil: The Necessary - oneshot, Nightmare gang centric from Nightmare’s POV, an interesting character/character relationships study, uses metaphors a lot, a nice quick mindless read for when you want something that’s fun to pass the time, explores a more merciful/kind Nightmare while still staying true to his character

———

And here are some fics, that I honestly haven’t read yet, but I have on my “to be read” list, just thought since I’m already sharing fics I might as well share what i plan on reading anyway, and cause I haven’t read them yet, I can’t really provide my thoughts, so take them as surprise fics zhxhhxbxhz

Cracks in our memories

One Hand Offered

Wheels of misfortune, Tiny menace, tiny steps forward, you’ll be fine, now - all by @/mikimakiboo

[atelierlili]

In-Panem/Not Reaped Everlark AUs

Got asked to give some fanfic recommendations for In-Panem/Not Reaped Everlark AUs so here we are. Most of them (if not all of them) are gonna be fluffy and happy tbh because i can't take my pookies being hurt ):

Completed:

A New Path (138k words) by Endlessnightlock

The day after aging out of the Reaping, Katniss crosses paths with Peeta. She thanks him for the bread and to her surprise, a tentative friendship begins.

One of my favourites. I love the direction the author took with this story. Always made me want more!

Go Slow, Peeta (20k words) by Oakfarmer

The era of the Hunger Games has come to an end. How Everlark slowly happened anyway.

This was the one that started it all for me. Short, simple and to the point! A classic in my opinion.

Nothing Owed for a Gift (10k words) by orphaned account

Lately, Merchants have taken to flirting with unwitting Seam folk as a joke, sometimes going so far as to ask them out on a date. I've even heard of a couple instances of a Merchant asking someone from the Seam to marry them, and then laughing hysterically when the poor recipient says 'yes'. So, when Peeta Mellark approaches me after the reaping, red with nerves and pushing his lips together as if he's trying very hard not to do something like laugh, I'm immediately wary. Peeta can't possibly be asking me to marry him for real. ... right?

Urgh. Literally one of my favourite one-shots.

Inevitability (44k words) by Xerxia

What if? What if Peeta and Prim hadn't been reaped?

Definitely not the fluffiest fics in the list, but Katniss absolutely SHINES here. And Peeta stays very true to his character as well. Absolutely worth the read.

It Takes A District (55k words) by MTK4FUN

Thinking her mother is dying, Katniss Everdeen marries Peeta Mellark to keep her sister out of the Community Home.

I love this fic. I don't know what it is, but there's something about it that makes it standout on its own.

Katniss Everdeen Is Not A Stalker (241k words) by MegaAuLover

Katniss as a little problem, she can't stop looking through Peeta's window, trying to find a way to pay her boy with the bread back but as time goes on she realizes she wants more. But there is a problem the District is flooded with Peacekeepers and everyone faces danger as the Capitol tightens its reigns on the district. Can love bloom in the middle of adversity? Or will it shrivel in the face of surmounting danger?

This is the one. Easily one of the bestest AUs imo. Very long read- but I will be naming my first born after the squirrel. The Everlark relationship here is A+++.

Incomplete/Ongoing:

( I know its weird to recommend incomplete fics, some these ones are legitimately my favourite fics and think are still worth the read.)

Cavedweller (79k words) by Jennajuicebox (last update: 2021-01-25)

Her mother once told her she was brave. A word Katniss wouldn't have chosen for herself. Brave implies that you run headlong into the scary unknown. Brave implies you face the things that want you dead. It dredges up thoughts of conquering armies and swords raised over head. Katniss isn't brave. As much as she would never admit it to herself she is scared out of her wits. She is staring into a gaping chasm, waiting for it to swallow her whole.

I love AUs that explore Katniss otherside of the family so much. As always, the Everlark development here is absolutely heartwarming and delicious. 10/10

On the Threshold ( 97k words) by ghtlovesthg (last update: 2020-06-26)

Nineteen and free from the Reapings forever, Katniss finds a token on her doorstep commemorating her passage over the threshold of adulthood. Discovering the identity of the sender will start Katniss on a road that leads toward life's other milestones.

This is exactly how I envisioned Everlark would get together had it not been for the Reapings. So so so so good. There is just enough here to be satisfied that the fic is unfinished ; w;

hope you find something you like! I always have more if you want more to sink your teeth into <3 Happy readings!

@heartforeyes @the-tiny-fangirl

[transmascaraa]

♡!200 followers special!♡

"A valentine's dance."

bf!gaming x gn!reader

author's note: this is basically the longer version of the gaming hcs in my last post aka the valentine's day special ALSO 2nd time ever writing a fanfic shiver me timbers😰 i hope it okay btw i'll draw my (genshin or whatever )oc/self-insert tonight cuz i have school in 2 hours and i have a bit of homework left lol

"thank you, lion dance boy."

You and your boyfriend, Gaming, have been dating for a few months now. He loved you very dearly, just as you loved him. You were an inseparable couple, like you were glued to eachother. But, the relationship that you had was healthy, and really sweet. People talked about your closeness to other people, in the streets. You've overhead them quite a few times now. You were a famous couple in Liyue.

A really special date was approaching. The 14th of February, Valentine's day. A day to show your loved one how much you love them, to give them a gift. It was a heartwarming "holiday", for most. Not everyone, but most. And as soon at it sttarted approaching, the streets were bustling with the names of you and Gaming.

Gaming, he planned a dance show for that day, that night. He invited everyone from Liyue, and even other nations! As promised, he would amaze them and make them smile. But that wasn't all that much important to him. You were.

The whole dance show was actually just made so he could give you a rose in a more romantic and surprising way. Yes, it was a surprise. He didn't mention Valentine's day to you for the whole day, but that night...

When it finally came, that night, you started getting ready. Putting on your best outfit, ready to be looked at and praised by everyone. Was it the outfit, or the whole night? Nobody knows. The outfit was one of Gaming's favorite ones for you to wear. Whenever you wore it, he ended up staring at you too much and blushing more than usual. It was interesting, really. How can such a simple outfit make a man's heart go crazy? Make his blood rush to his face, his cheeks? The human body and mind is really impressive.

As soon as you were done getting ready, you got your bag and went out the door. Going to see your precious boyfriend perform on such a special day.

When you got there, everyone had surprised looks on their faces, but positive ones. They got out of the way, and let you stand in the first row out of the thousands of people in the crowd. Like I said, the two of you were really famous there.

Then, music started playing, the crowd went silent. The lights went out. Rose petals started falling out of nowhere from the sky, making it much more beautiful to look at.

Soon, 3 different lights were on the stage. 3

The 2 of them started dancing. They were dancers. Lion dancers.

It was nice seeing them dance, so many moves and talent. It was worth seeing it.

Eventually they stopped, and the third dancer started dancing. He was Gaming, recognizable even in the night. Flawlessly dancing and moving across the stage, everyone was amazed.

A few minutes passed, and the lights turned on again. The 3 dancers bowing down.

"Happy Valentine's day everyone! Here's a rose to a special person in the crowd!" He threw a beautiful red rose to the crowd, and coincidentally, it landed right in your hands.

Smiling, you spoke, "Thank you, Gaming!" and the performance ended there.

After there were only you and Gaming left there, you read a note that was connected to the rose by a beautiful orange string.

"Happy Valentine's day, [name]!" and just as you read it, Gaming said it himself.

"Thank you again, lion dance boy. I loved the performance."

"You're welcome, it was dedicated to you alone. I'm glad you liked it."

~~~~~

YIPPIEEEE I REALLY LIKE IT

i'm not good at fanfics imo but ig i like this one

adorable gaming frfr

[all-pacas]

how do you feel about the park-chase friendship?

love it :(

It's a bit like the Foreman-Taub odd couple friendship imo; on the surface they are wildly different but they just kind of click. Park is awkward and weird but she's so honest and blunt that I think it kind of works; even though Chase is often kind of cringing at her, there's no mixed messages or signals. I love how she just goes up to him and tells him we are friends and ignores his standoffishness, and I think it's good for Chase, too: he kind of needs someone to push at him, he's way too good at being complacent and just drifting along in his comfort zones. At the same time, even though he's kind of dismissive of her, he also… shuts her down? In a positive way? Park sometimes gets a bit wrapped up in her overthinking and goes ten steps ahead, you know what I mean? And Chase is pretty good at stepping in and going "No, it's fine, cut it out." He ends up being a little protective of her, which is very sweet: I loved him in Chase, busy with his everything is fine and so am I facade, realizing that Park isn't okay and dropping his dismissive attitude to walk her through a procedure. I love how, maybe because she is so blunt, he starts getting more comfortable opening up to her: he admits he's lonely. He admits he's jealous of her family. They share custody of her grandmother! When he offers to let her move in, Park does her usual "overthinking at a million miles an hour," and he's just like, it's fine, there are no ulterior motives, I don't care your grandmother is here.

At one point in S8 he tells Adams about the Forbidden Retcon Sister Lore. Adams immediately tries to frame this as Chase, you're such a good selfless person, staying and raising her like that, which is well intended but sort of misses the point (as he stresses: he hated and resented them). By contrast, when he admits to Park he's jealous of her family, Park doesn't try to reframe it or give platitudes; she actually makes a joke about it, and that's sort of the right response, for Chase at least. They end up just being weirdly blunt with one another, and it works for them. They even manage to have a heartwarming friendship moment about sex dreams:

PARK: Well, [a sex dream] could mean the obvious, that you want some of this. [she gestures to herself; Chase looks faintly appalled.] PARK: When will you learn that that look is insulting? Or it could just mean that we like each other. I'm weird, and you're pretty, but we connect. We feel safe. We trust each other. CHASE: [nods] Maybe.

And that's really nice.

The one thing I don't like is the way the show frames Park's crush on him. It's always tee-hee how cringe, how embarrassing that the weird "ugly" girl likes the pretty boy, isn't it funny, isn't it pathetic. Chase's lack of attraction for her is played as a joke (see the above exchange), and like. It's fine! If he isn't attracted to her! But it keeps getting played as haha he thinks she's gross, haha she has a crush on him. Maybe I'm just so soured on that, but I really don't like them as a ship. Especially because they have such a good friendship, because or despite the lack of attraction (and as with Chase and 13, he keeps trying to frame all relationships as sexual/romantic, so I think it's actually nice when he has ones that aren't). So I don't want them to kiss, but I do think they have a fantastic relationship.

There's some real post series potential here, btw. Chase is now House, and Park is now Chase, the overly loyal employee who probably isn't going to leave until he fires her. Chase gets to be the mentor and actually be friends with her, give her the support he wanted/sought from House: Park very easily slots into the role of deeply loyal and protective (I love her in Nobody's Fault, ready to throw down to defend Chase because we are friends) underling. I can just imagine some new applicant picking on Park to try and win Chase's favor and getting fired, or Park being a little Chase-ish tattletale and telling her boss all the hot gossip. Honestly I think between the two of them, Diagnostics is in great hands. (And they absolutely continue to share custody of Park's grandma)

[cairoscene]

do you have any fic recs? (anything w tim joins the batfam early or ghostbat or anything in general tbh!)

hello i absolutely do! i'm going to try to give a good scattering of different fics and hope one of these is new to you/what you're looking for.

for "tim joins the bat family early" these are some of my favorites:

5 Times Tim Spends the Night at Wayne Manor + 1 Time He Comes Home by motleyfam. this fic is inspired by Latchkey by goldkirk and birds fly in every direction by distracted_dragon, and all three are really excellent fics and great entries into this particular tag. all three of these fics are ones i turn to when i want prime hurt/comfort tim pangs with plenty of family fluff and shenanigans.

Brother Wanted by Vamillepudding. i read this one early on in fandom and i still laugh when i think about it. premise is that jason mistakenly answers tim's advert for a brother and ends up with tim paying him to be his brother. it's full of a very precocious and lonely tim trying his hardest to keep jason around, while jason is desperately trying to figure out how to get this kid adopted before he runs out of money. truly a delightful fic.

Like a Hinge, Like a Wing by Ultrageekatlarge. cw for child abuse and peril, so mind the tags but imo this is a work of art. genuinely one of the best paced and well-written fics out there. i suppose it's technically not tim joining the family early but rather an AU where jason never died, so tim never had the chance to replace him; instead he finds himself under the care of a horrible uncle after his parents die, and in desperation, he turns to the only person who can help: batman.

the Surveillance series by smilebackwards. cheating again bc technically this is just an AU where jason didn't die and tim is a civilian, so it's got the flavor of a different joining-the-family dynamic, plus added timkon delightfulness. this is my go-to for highly competent and extremely lonely tim drake content.

as for ghostbat, it's an extremely small tag, but it's got some excellent fics:

Miscommunication by OkayAristotle. pretty sure this is the first fic in the ghostbat tag, and somehow it got them prefect right from the start. the petty banter and ease with which they interact is phenomenal.

break me shake me devastate me by pendulum_north. some great angst with a small helping of comfort! as well as just a good overall look at the more tragic side to ghostbat.

i used to waste my time dreaming of being alive (now i only waste it dreaming of you) by nygmamale. bed-sharing! pining! banter! angst! there's something about how they both go out of their way to spite the other in this fic that really gets me.

The First Warm Thing by Noknowname. absolutely aching ghostbat domesticity and old men being gross and in love.

and i'll throw in a few of my other favorite random DC fics just for the heck of it:

A Meditation on Railroading by eggmacguffin. this remains one of my all-time favorite fics. tim gets stranded and chooses to freight-hop his way back to gotham, and guess who ends up on the same train? "baby wipes jason" is still spoken with reverent and hushed tones in my groupchat regularly.

Stargazer by lemonadegarden. my favorite comfort reread jason fic. jason breaks his leg and gets stuck at the manor while recuperating. honestly it's rare to find a fic that really lets jason feel as young as he is. i think he's 19 in this fic and he feels so very lost and young and hurt in a way that really heals me.

Overcoming Our Antecedents by Batbirdies. jason gets temporarily de-aged, and bruce has feelings about it. one of my cornerstone jason and bruce fics, mostly bc it contextualizes bruce and jason's relationship pre-jason's death in a way a feel many fics don't bother with. it's really really heartwarming.

The Jingle Jangle Morning by audreycritter. robin-era dick goes on a field trip and bruce has emotions. i think about this fic all the time tbh. it really sells bruce as a young, committed, and sweet father who really just wants to make sure dick is okay.

Tap Out by coyote_nebula. jason gets poisoned. oopsie. this whole series is excellent but i love this one for the way it builds up jason as a brother and a son, and the flashbacks to jason's early days after he was adopted by bruce. i truly wish there were more fics about newly adopted jason but what this fic offers scratches that itch for me.

buy back the secrets by sundiscus. in case you haven't heard this is the Timkon Fic of All Time. a 5+1 of times kon saved tim drake that has everything. identity shenanigans! tim and bruce pangs! kon and clark pangs! tim being extremely competent and extremely lonely! kon being extremely lonely and also pretty competent. this is technically a wip so i hope you'll forgive me for reccing it but it's really great and also totally worth it bc fer is absolutely 100% going to deliver and it's just. very good.

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

Crosshair and Omega's dynamic

Spoilers for episode 4

Out of all of Omega's relationships with the Batch, I have to say my favorite is the one with Crosshair (and it's not because I'm biased towards him). Even though they only had like two full episodes to work off each other, they do it so well. It's peak sibling relationship. But why I think it works so well is because of how they work off each other. In my eyes, Omega and Cross see each other as equals or at least on similar levels. This is evident with how they guide each other when fleeing from the Empire. There's no clear leader between them, the pair listen to each other depending on the situation.

Crosshair's skills are basically fighting and playing lookout. Both are very handy to have. Whenever a fight breaks out, Omega lets Crosshair take the lead and he works to protect her and himself. That's not to say Omega can't hold her own, but when the going gets tough, the tough get going (credit Lion King 2 for that cheesy line). Cross also takes a natural protective stance around her. While she does the technical stuff, he keeps watch. He might say it isn't part of his skill set, but believe me, it is.

Then, we have Omega. She's much better at hustling and seeking alternative ways to get things done. It's true that blaster fire will draw more attention to one's self. Thus, Crosshair lets her guide him in situations where they need to be more low-profile. Omega is also better with social situations imo. She's a smart kid who learned a lot from her other brothers and Cid. I love that the show gives both characters to exercise their unique skill set while not undermining the other.

The other reason why I love their relationship so much is because of how it's changed Crosshair. In the months that he and Omega have been imprisoned, he's truly grown to care for and respect her. First off, he uses her name. The only other people he does that with is Hunter and Wrecker. Secondly, he follows her lead with almost no question. He does complain and make comments. BUT, he still follows her. Crosshair in season 1 mocked Hunter for listening to Omega. Little did he know that he would follow her over 6 months later (yes, I did the math).

And then there's the emotional piece of it. Crosshair is so open with Omega in his body language, facial expressions, and words. She brings out the best side of him and I am here for it. Compare that to when we first meet him in Clone Wars. He's quiet, hangs back, and usually wears a stern look on his face. Now look at him with Omega. He's much more talkative. His face emits so much emotion from being fed up to genuine concern. There is no doubt in my mind that he loves Omega. He encourages her and openly voices his concerns. I myself struggle with opening up to others about certain except for a few people. Seeing Crosshair opening to someone who he feels comfortable with is truly beautiful and heartwarming. Between Mayday and Omega, you can see just how much Crosshair has changed.

Finally, the imperial officer casually calling Crosshair Omega's dad and her not saying anything proves that Crossdad is real. It's so on the nose, but it's so obvious that Crosshair cares for her and is good at keeping her safe.

[shsl-analyzer-guy]

31 days of dangan- day 7 & 8: fav deuterag & protag

Considering how interconnected these two are, and how horrible work has made my sleep schedule in these days and made it difficult to type these out(don't work at the on-campus coffee shop during finals season. Don't do it), I elected to lump these two into a single post.

Fav deuterag- Genocider Syo

Genocider Syo is, by a long while, my absolute favorite deuteragonist. Even when it comes to deuteragonists I may like more as characters, when looking at them as a deuteragonist, they fall completely flat in comparison to the SHSL Murderer by a wide fucking margin, to the point I'm honestly surprised I talk about her as little as I do, now that I think about it.

First of all, having the serial killer be a playable character, literally physically indestructible, and slaughter Monokumas with multiple special attacks? Objectively correct choice; Genocider was by far the best survivor you could possibly pull for a fighting game, and only barely tied with Peko, Sakura, and Mukuro on an overall for dr1 & 2, because not only is she an insanely capable murderer, she's a passionate murderer, and as such, makes for a much more enjoyable 3rd-person experience in combat than I think any of the others could be in a secondary role.

She also experiences fantastic character growth in her own right over the course of the game while remaining one of the most consistent and enjoyable characters. Her relationship with 'dekomaru' is genuinely heartwarming, with their heart-to-heart in chapter 4 being considered one of the most impactful moments of the series if that one funishment-time post is anything to go by, and really demonstrates all the strongest parts of her character beautifully. I adore seeing her get to have the rush of passion from her talent in combat, seeing her get attached to Komaru, and her being the one to accept Komaru's help and look back at her? Immaculate. 10/10. They should've kissed in the epilogue.

I think what really makes her stand out as a deuteragonist, though, is the fact that she fills exactly the right amount of space in the game, remaining a constant and becoming a reliable fallback for the player in a way that just isn't possible in the other games because they're all first-person. Kyoko, Chiaki, and Kaito are all good characters, but because they don't have their own mechanics and are separate characters in a large cast, you end up with them either disappearing and blending into the rest of the cast too much or being harped on and pointed out even when it's not necessary to remind you, the player, how important they are. It makes an overall balance, but can be frustrating in the moment. But with Syo, there is no such problem, because she's right there with you at any time, with the moments in which she does take unswappable control from Komaru being brief and impactful enough to feel like a joy to see and not a copout. Switching to her to break into the bus in chapter 3 is genuinely one of my favorite parts in that game, and not just because it signals the end of that godforsaken "motivation minigame". She's reliable and fun, and the deuteragonist also being playable is a really good and strong choice that they didn't have to make.

Overall, she's just a really great and fun character that was perfectly cast in her role. I really really like her, and she's awesome, and it's hard to put into words besides just "omg murder girl is doing murder!!! Love when murder girl murders"

Fav protag- Komaru Naegi

Good Lord, WHY DOES NO ONE TALK ABOUT KOMARU??? I mean, I know she was in a "side game" but she's leagues better than the other protagonists imo, having the best character arc, strongest emotional core, and best drama and interactions with the other cast members. It feels the most like she's a person in the cast with her own dynamics and struggles and not just 'the reliable one everyone looks to'. I love Komaru Naegi so, so fucking much.

Komaru is the 3rd protagonist in the series, and it's incredibly apparent how the writers learned from creating Makoto and Hajime, as the strongest parts of both characters were pretty clearly put into a blender together to make Komaru and her story and evolve the world and lore. Like Makoto, Komaru is a more simplistic character who feels relatively normal but has distinctive oddness that she's unaware of. Unlike Makoto, that simplemindedness goes into the territory of full-on airheadedness, but has a much stronger emotional intelligence and intuition as a result. Where Makoto became hope embodied to save his people, Komaru recognizes nuance and chooses to save everyone, to understand everyone. Like Hajime, Komaru has no talent, and greatly admires those around her who are 'chosen', even having that insistence that she's not like everyone else and just wants to leave that Hajime insisted on halfwa through his final trial. Unlike Hajime, Komaru has a deep passion- just not one she's 'shsl' at. She loves manga, and wants to make her own manga, and her normalcy being a literal weakness instead of a metaphorical one gives her the opportunity to actually build her skill instead of being coerced into erasing herself for one, distinctly showing what Hajime could've had if he'd had support the way Komaru had Toko and Syo.

Komaru's character arc is also the best because it's non-linear, with her struggling to understand how much more capable she's becoming and struggling to understand her connections with Syo and Toko. The more gradual progression from fighting to survive, to fighting to save, is much more visible with her than it is with the other protagonists, as she has to learn to fight for herself first, whereas every other protagonist hits the ground prioritizing the people around them- Sayaka, Nagito, Kaede. And this becomes all the more elevated when Komaru actually receives the choice to leave of her own free will. A choice no other protagonist is given, and her rejecting it and choosing to stay for Syo, so that she doesn't have to go back on her vow to no longer kill, because caring for herself means caring for her loved ones, too.

Komaru also holds a ton of symbolism as a cycle-breaker when it comes to the Hope's Peak era. Like Junko and Monaca, Komaru is a younger sister put through torment and pushed by the game she's in to turn into a new symbol- a Hope like her brother, a Despair Sister. But she rejects this ending, because she valued the people around her without condition, doing what Monaca and Junko didn't and chooses to save both. She isn't Hope or Despair. She's both, distinctly both. It's also why she's matched up with Toko and Syo, who were designed to convey how the world is full of nuance and reverse imagery, and it makes for a fantastic match-up that Komaru ends up as the character to not only accept Toko and Syo as separate, but loves and protects both of them.

I also just adore the way Komaru isn't given princess treatment by the cast. Whenever a character argued with the other protagonists, it meant they were pissy and mean and the majority of the cast Did Not Like them. It was always very clear that the protagonist's social problems weren't going to affect their standing within the group overall, and had themselves established as the hero to everyone else by the end of their first trials. Komaru, on the other hand, has to fight and struggle for people to listen to her, experiencing a ton of pushback from the adult resistance and constantly being toyed with by the Monokuma Kids. She was the hero character for the player, but whereas the other protagonists spent time between the chapter finales getting gifts out of a slot machine and braiding your favorite character's hair, Komaru is fighting for her fucking life and pissing herself at every save point. Haiji doesn't like her, and hates Toko. She has to save them from an invasion twice before they'll so much as give her the time of day. And the Kids spend most of the game actively trying to murder her! Komaru is in constant conflict, and yet, she has the most compassion in the end, as a survivor of actual genocide.

[dayoldbaguette]

yet another thing I find wrong with season 2 is just how many times it feels like Jinx and Vi end up coming together just to fall apart.

In the first season it's basically perfect because they spend most of the time apart after they get separated, only to come together like 2 times and each time it's tense and uncertain as to whether they'll actually be able to work things out. That's part of what makes their dynamic compelling in season 1, the fact that you're never certain of how a given interaction is going to go wrong, just that you sense it will because Jinx is well, a little unstable, and desperately hoping it doesn't. Another good thing this does is that it maintains the tension of wondering how their relationship is going to end up for the entire season (it ends with Jinx declaring that they can never go back to their former relationship and pretend nothing has changed, essentially choosing to be enemies).

In season 2, they come back together from literally trying to kill each other WAY too quickly imo. They spend like most of act 2 as basically a family, like, they're back in each others lives almost exactly how they would have been had jinx not done any of the murdering. It just feels, a little early. Considering the set up of 'here's to the new us > blows up a building' being where they started this season, it feels, strange and off-putting for them to essentially make up this early, only for Isha (an unrelated plot device of a character) to die and force Jinx into 'everyone I love dies around me' mode and retreat away from Vi, only to come back in the very next episode. Only for her not to return for good because she instead decides to fake her death. It ruins the momentum of their weird tense relationship that was the bread and butter of the show to me. The show wants to have its cake and eat it too, because it wants the heartwarming family reunion but also a bittersweet complex ending but doesn't earn any of these things.

I'm also now realizing that ultimately the 'go to Viktor to try and heal our dad' plot feels like a roundabout. We still end up at Vi looking over at Warwick in the finale sad in a sort of 'oh dad what have they done to you' moment, but it doesn't hit as hard as the original realization. Feels like I would understand her doing that more if it were the first time she was seeing him and still hoping he'd recognize her. It would hit harder than how it is now where you find yourself screaming 'oh my god girl learn to let go of your dad, you've mourned losing him like thrice now this is getting old'

My take on this is that they needed to build up their lives outside of each other (make Vi's pit fighter era her self-exploration time. make her have a plot, not just a montage, outside of her relationships with either Cait or Jinx. something plot significant. look I'm not a writer) so that her and Jinx's eventual reconciliation would hit harder (and in this version Jinx doesn't fake her death at the end). Maybe have them not come together for Warwick earlier, but rather have them come together in the finale (or final couple episodes anyway) when they find out about Warwick and have to work together because duh.

[the-blind-assassin-12]

INTRODUCING: TERRIFIC TWOSDAY because what's better than one rec? that's right, two.

Happy Tuesday, everyone! ... Or should I say TWOSDAY? In an effort to get through my TBR list and to shout about things I've been meaning to shout about for far too (two) long, I am going to be turning every Tuesday into Two Recs Day. I'll be highlighting two works in each category that I loved and that I know you'll love, too (2)! Check them out, and remember to show some love to the creators!!

Two Series Recs: This week, I am going with two series that are currently in progress. I know that finished works often get a lot of focus. As they should! I can tell you first hand that seeing a whole series through to the end is a TALL ORDER. But you know what is also very freaking cool? Hopping on board while the train is still in motion, catching up with previous chapters and waiting excitedly to see where the train is taking you! So without further ado, here are the two trains that I recommend you all hop on this week.

LIMINALITY by @something-tofightfor

Frankie Morales x F!Reader

Wolf AU + “forbidden romance”

9 Parts in so far (plus extras + POV switches)

Thrills. Chills. Swoons. Moons. This story is brimming with excitement and adrenaline… not to mention the heat. (Frankie is a whole entire menace, as he should be.) All the guys are here (yes, that does include Tom 🙄) and they are all captured so perfectly, as is their friendship with one another and with Frankie. It features a very confident, brave, badass reader, ancient lore, supernatural elements, family business, and one heck of a connection between our main characters. Every chapter flies by and leaves you wanting - needing - more, and now is an excellent time to let yourself get hooked on this one, because the action is only ramping up from here!

PASSENGER by @whatsnewalycat

Din Djarin x OFC!Charlie

Modern Trucker AU + dog Grogu

6 Parts in so far

Are you looking for a new OC to fall in love with and want to protect with your life? How about a morally gray long-hauler who moonlights as a bounty hunter? Well you’re in luck because this story has BOTH. It’s also got incredibly high stakes juxtaposed with really sweet, human moments. Charlie is one of the most charming OCs I’ve ever met (which happens to be one of her rules to live by- all of which are good advice for anyone to follow, IMO) and Din’s characterization is so very well done - as is Grogu’s. The theme of delivering the bounty vs doing what’s right is very present and extremely well done, and watching these characters warm up to each other and blur the lines is truly a treat. Get caught up and hitch a ride for the rest of the journey, because I know it’s only going to get better from here!

Two One Shot Recs:

GREATEST OF ALL TIME by @gnpwdrnwhiskey

Dieter Bravo x OFC!Ava

Meet cute + “Do you believe in aliens?”

Dieter needs a break from work and the hullabaloo that comes along with it, and has enlisted the help of his assistant to book him a solo getaway so he can just relax, reset and revive the vibes. Sounds great, right? It is, until he gets turned around and off the beaten track in the middle of the desert and meets the enigmatic Ava and her faithful pal Goat… who might be more than your average Great Dane. After a misunderstanding about where he’s supposed to be, Dieter realizes that the airstream desert oasis under the stars is exactly where he’s meant to be.

LIKE FATHER, LIKE DAUGHTERS by @sixhours

Joel & Ellie

Part of an existing universe

Even though I’ve not yet read the series that this one shot takes place in, it’s immediately gone on my list due to this little interlude. This is such a good character study of Joel and of Ellie - of what they’ve been through, what they want for each other, and how their relationship has grown and changed. It’s got some really beautiful lines and heartwarming/heartbreaking feelings. I love these two forever and ever, and this little slice of life shows just how much they love each other, too. Joel Miller is Dad of the century. Period. The end.

Two Art Recs:

Ezra & Cee Jammin’ by @thekawaiifruitworld

Literally every time this artist draws these two, my heart grows ten sizes to accommodate how much more I love them. JUST LOOK AT THEM! So goofy, so happy, so whole and healthy and and and..!

Joel Strummin’ by @nic0o-o

I whimpered when I first saw this masterpiece, and you will, too. Just go. Just go look. Look at his beauty. I dare you not to be in your feelings about this man after seeing this piece.

[marley-manson]

due South for the fandom ask meme, if you haven't been asked already <3

Thank you 💖

my favorite female character

I honestly can't decide between Victoria and Frannie. I loooove Victoria, I think she's a fantastic villain, very sympathetic imo, and extremely effective at highlighting Fraser's tragic flaws. And I love that she got away in the end.

I also adore Frannie and while she's less of a perfectly written character, she's in more episodes and she's so endearing and loveable. If we had to have a Fraser het ship teased in season 2 I wish it had been Fraser/Frannie rather than Fraser/Thatcher, both because I like Frannie more and would've loved to see more of her before season 3, and because I think it would've been more interesting thematically. In the episode Heaven and Earth she functionally represents Earth and Fraser's capacity to be more human and less "divine" or untouchable, and I love that.

my favorite male character

Ray Vecchio! I love him, I love the way he talks and complains and feels like everything is unfair to him and always steps up and puts his own comfort second anyway; I love his relationship with his family, from the good heartwarming stuff, to the bitchy sibling stuff, to the darker abusive father who still literally haunts him stuff; I love his fashion sense; I love his sheer loyalty to Fraser; I love that in the Pilot he sought Fraser out specifically to apologize for accidentally being insensitive about his father and invite him to dinner; I love his ridiculous love for his car and that he sacrificed it twice for Fraser... nothing I don't love tbh.

my favorite book/season/etc

Season 1, hands down. Extremely solid television right there.

my favorite episode (if its a tv show)

SO hard to choose between The Deal and Victoria's Secret, but I think Ray's episode gets the edge so let's go with The Deal.

my favorite cast member

I don't really know anything about the cast so idk.

my favorite ship

Fraser/RayV. Ship of my heart. I can read basically any ship featuring Ray, including het even, but Ray loves Fraser best therefore Ray/Fraser is the best ship.

a character I’d die defending

Ray. Thankfully the Ray Wars are over so I don't have to, but I'm ngl I can understand why the fandom was so batshit back then. I see someone casually say they can't ship F/V because they see him as too straight and Kill Bill sirens go off in my head and I have to take a deep breath lol. I would not have survived the 90s.

Also Victoria though. Fraser dug his own grave when he didn't let her go the first time, acab, obviously spending 10 years in prison would make her both a better criminal and angry that's what you fucking get for loving the system so much Fraser, and I'm on her side during the whole finale lol.

a character I just can’t sympathize with

One of Due South's biggest strengths is making just about every character sympathetic in some way. Ray's dad was a good answer to this though, got no sympathy there.

Ooh, also: Bob Fraser. The show did want me to sympathize with him at times lol, but I don't. He sucks, he's emblematic of every flaw Fraser has, he's a terrible father and a pretty shitty person, and the fact that the show wanted me to like him and often brushes all that aside makes me dislike him more than I otherwise might. He's still often entertaining and funny, but I do not have any sympathy for him. Hope Caroline divorces him in the afterlife.

a character I grew to love

Idk, most of my character opinions have been static since I first watched the show in high school...

Okay, Ian lol. The most annoying man in the world, but still somehow loveable. It did take me at least one rewatch to start to like him.

my anti otp

Sorry to the fandom lol but it is Fraser/Ray K. I got into the show specifically for them, because I wanted to read all the good fic everyone recced everywhere, and I did everything I could to try to like them including watching season 3 concurrently with season 2 so missing Ray V wouldn't colour my opinions, but it just didn't happen. They are not for me, they don't have the kind of chemistry I enjoy, I don't like the show after season 2 much in general, and my irrational love for Ray V makes me mad on his behalf to see Fraser getting together with his replacement lol.

I'm not usually that emotion driven when it comes to my fandom interests but due south is always kind of an exception there. I am at least self aware enough to find my irrational resentment funny rather than taking it seriously though. Like, I have 0 beef with F/K shippers, I respect your interests and I can definitely see why it was a fandom juggernaut back in its day. I'll just never read it.

ask meme

[firelilylily]

Ngl the scene above definitely made me cry... Part of the reason I've really been loving this show (Atypical Family btw), is because this show really "showcases" (sorry I had to put that pun there ahahaha), a lot of toxic family dynamics and how neglect and words/abuse really affect children. I think a lot of kdramas to showcase toxic family relationships, but don't focus as much on the effects of that on the children or how harmful it is to the child (and most of the time they reconcile, unrealistically imo). When parents say hurtful things to children (or in this case In Na heard in the form of her mom's thoughts), a child can't distinguish between whether or not what they are saying is true or not (or out of anger or other personal issues not involving the kid), and searching for a reason, internalizing children will blame it on themselves (because what other reason in their head could there be for someone they expected to love them unconditionally to abuse them?). Obviously In Na's mom didn't say this to her directly, but drawing a parallel. So yea, made me really sad because it really is how it is and it's not something you can just fix in one go, but also heartwarming moment for In Na and Gwi-Ju to repair their relationship. In Na is pictured above, but Dong-Hee also suffered a lot from her mother which was really sad as well :(

[amemenojaku]

character ask prompt: Reisen!

General opinion/How much I care about them: Admittedly I don't think about her very often, but she's still one of my favs from the IN cast and imo one of the best additions to the main games playable characters. I hope ZUN will bring her back sooner rather than later - ideally as a protag again, but I'd also be happy if she got another role in a print work. Ig she's appeared in a lot of those already but it's always fun to see her interact with characters outside of her usual circle so I want more!! Also the part in LoLK where she claims she isn't a moon rabbit anymore left a big impression on me back then. It was really heartwarming...

A ship I love: She bounces off other characters pretty well and I like to think she gets crushes easily, but there's never been That One Ship for me... I do enjoy art of her with Kaguya or Mokou since they're both some kind of 'noble/fighter' dynamic (though in very different flavors) and she works well enough with the other playables, and it's nice to imagine her being dotted on so in general I think she can easily be paired with older and/or imposing bosses (yeah I mean milves I GUESS....).

A non-romantic relationship that I love: The mentor/student relationship with Eirin is a big one here but it's already been explored a lot so I'll say I really want to see more of her with Seiran and Ringo. They all have complex feelings towards the moon so there's potential for a really good mess with a nice emotional payoff.

The NOTP: Eirin/Reisen as a romance is not my cup of tea

My biggest headcanon about them: I think she's more like a hare than a rabbit, so it's the same for her human form: tall, bony, with good leg muscles and she runs especially fast. She might've had a bit of a complex about it before and tried to change to fit in but she started loving herself more around the same time she realized she wasn't a moon rabbit anymore. Ok I can't make good metaphors but you get what I'm trying to say

An idea for a fanwork I would like to make/see about them: I would like to read a good fic or comic with Reisen and the other rabbits like I mentioned above, and for something I'd like to make... I think a little dress-up game with the rabbit girls would be the cutest thing ever :]

Something that makes me think of them: Wisteria flowers!!!

[randomnameless]

I remembered you said you didn't like cyril with lysithea as a pairing, but which is worse, lysithea or hilda?

?

I don't think one is worse than the other but if you want my opinion on Cyril ships...

Uh... Hilda?

Wins this by a landslide?

The entire "Goneril House had slaves" subplot might have evaporated from the Fodlan devs, FEH remembered it lol

Sure, Hilda might not have been the one who had a slave, being it was her great Uncle Gildas or someone else... And it's kind of heartwarming to see her warm up to Cyril despite his Almyran origins because of all of his hardwork...

And yet, it makes me very uncomfortable, because you basically have someone, a young Noble Lady, whose house enslaves people, who basically tells a former slave from her own House, that she values him because he works so hard :/

Even if Uncle Gildas was the one who "hired" Cyril, it's, imo, pretty disturbing.

I much prefer an ending and resolution of Hilda's bias against Almyrans through Claude (where the slavery issue of House Goneril can be properly adressed) than... have Uncle Gildas attend to his former slave's wedding with his niece, hell, will new Almyran children be hired to attend to their needs or what?

All jokes aside, even if Cyril had been a slave to another house, I still think there's something really disturbing on how Cyril doesn't mean doing her tasks/chores because she's lazy - sure, Hilda has self confidence issues, but between doing something and being afraid of being judged for doing them well, and letting a former child slave do them for you.... I think one option is still way more preferable than the other.

Even if Hilda is not the kind of person (at least in FE16 lol) to enforce her role as... someone with a higher status than him, (something Cyril believes Claude would, and Claude's "stop being so cold to me don't you know who I am?" really sounds wrong) given Cyril's history with House Goneril, Hilda's lack of commitment to this particular issue when it's brought to her (blame Fodlan's writing I guess, or she really dgaf?)...

Yep, Hilda by a landslide.

As for Lys...

Blame it on CF being my first route, and Nopes slaughtering the Deers, but Lys is now the kind of person who can and will sell her friends, country and family to the person who ruined them, if it means she might have a better chance at life.

I think this mindset is completely... at odds with Cyril, who feels so grateful and indebted to Rhea that he is willing to offer his life (and to die for her) and even so, he feels like it will never be enough to repay her.

I don't have any Cyril ships - I much prefer him in a relationship (platonic, familial, whatever) where he can finally have friends and start living little by little, with people who finally care for him.

Even if he was completely shafted in Nopes, I got the feeling he and Rhea talked more, and maybe Rhea might, off-screen because Nopes, tell him to live his life without feeling tied to her? Given how she obviously angsts not once but twice about him dying for her sake in AG (when they run away from GM and when Cyril has an exploration dialogue explaining he cannot fight with Barney and pals because Rhea'd be upset if he died!) they might become closer and have the convo they have in FE16 (off-screen because Rhea cannot be on screen when it's not about Billy!) and ask him to stop living to repay a perceived debt, but live for himself now.