#could have an entire slow burn narrative here

[emloafs]

Ik its not your ship but what do you think about miguel x hawk

OKAY LISTEN i'm not mad about it!!!!!!!!!!

here's what is true to ME:

there's no universe where miguel sat down at that lunch table and eli didn't immediately fall in love with him...

there's no universe where miguel beat up eli's bully (kyler) right in front of him and eli didn't fall head over heels...

i don't make the rules, it's just the truth! eli had a crush on miguel and that's why he joined cobra kai, you heard it here first!

[threeacttragedy]

Entry 18: The One Where Two Roads Diverged in a Wood of GIFs and Written Words

“Lukola Crisis Hotline. How may I be of service?”

Me: Houston, we have a problem.

Dad: Do tell!

Me: You won’t believe who showed up last night! –

Dad: Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness! Whoa! I don’t know what to say! Wait – let me grab my Coke and my smokes. <waiting> Okay, I’m back. So, Misty appeared out of nowhere with Thang?! Well, this just got fun! <laughing>

For clarity’s sake, my father tends to give everyone a pet name. Some of the pet names are funny; some are quite cruel. But if they help him remember who the players are in this fandom (and in any other situation), I’m game to play along. Plus, his pet names tend to add a little comedy relief to whatever is being discussed, especially when it is not an outwardly funny subject.

In Lukola-Land, Luke is “Thang” (it’s actually “Thing” – as in the hand from The Addams Family – but my dad’s accent muddles the pronunciation into “Thang”); Nicola is “Ireland,” for obvious reasons; Antonia is “Misty,” for, umm, the Clint Eastwood movie, “Play Misty for Me;” and Jake is – well, Jake is actually just “Jake” because my father finds the USS Jakola offensive. In fact, when I was discussing the recent fandom events with him on Friday evening, my dad was genuinely shocked to learn the Jakolas still existed. His pet name for the Jakolas is “Fucking Stupid,” by the way.

Moving on to the matter at hand –

There’s been so much “noise” over the past few weeks that, when taken collectively, it is rather eye-opening. We’ve got Luke’s mother posting on Facebook about “Luke’s girlfriend…from Cyprus.” The leaked funeral video and photos (by allegedly Luke’s family). The Best in Show pap pictures of Nicola and Jake. The “just friends” interview. The disappearance of Jake (because he’s rehearsing for a play) and the sudden reemergence of Antonia.

If you’ve noticed from my recent entries on this blog, I have obviously found most of what has happened of late to be comical and not worth putting into written word. Instead, my thoughts have been dumped into GIF stories. To be honest, I was rather disappointed I couldn’t put this last part – Antonia emerging from the misty edges of the forest – entirely into a GIF story. Her reappearance was like a certain Bond villain coming back to life for the seventh time. In other words, it was total cringe. But it also altered an otherwise slow burning campfire into a motherfucking forest fire.

Me: Thoughts?

Dad: I need some time to think about this one – and a cigarette. Or two. Call me back in 15 minutes.

“Psychotic Fan Rescue Center, at your service.”

Me: You’re a dumbass.

Dad: <laughing> Well, this is insane. It makes no sense and it’s a convoluted mess. Why bring Misty back? She was killed off two seasons ago.

Me: No shit, Sherlock.

Dad: Hell, maybe this has all been a nest of vipers.

A nest of vipers? Ah, yes, the idea that we have a group of venomous snakes thrown into the same close-quartered trench – in an every-man-for-himself type situation – each taking strikes at the others whenever their backs are turned.

In Entries 1, 13, and 15 – with an emphasis on “Entry 13: The One Where the Ashes Blew Towards Us with the Salt Wind from the Sea” – I wrote about what the Lutonia narrative could look like, if real. I will not rehash in detail those entries here, but I will link them at the end of this entry if you want to read, or reread, them.

Now, the General Audience almost certainly didn’t pay a lick of attention to Antonia when she appeared alongside Luke at the Boss event held January 30 (she’s always just been a Face in the Crowd). But the sudden reappearance of Antonia stopped the Lukolas dead in their tracks because – like my dad said – she was seemingly killed off two seasons ago.

The Lukolas have suddenly found themselves at an intersection of confusion and, likely, a bit of distress. The long and winding road we’ve been traveling along has diverged into two paths – and, no, you cannot travel both.

The problem with the Lutonia narrative has always been that Luke has never formally acknowledged Antonia as his girlfriend. In fact, Luke had the perfect opportunity to do so when he posted about the Boss event on his Instagram grid – but he did not. I could rationalize the idea that Luke and Antonia wanted to keep their relationship private after the Papsmear misstep if it weren’t for the fact that Antonia has been historically loud in her social media posts. We spent the summer and fall with insinuation post after insinuation post from Antonia. Yes, all those posts that alluded to her being with Luke without any actual evidence that she was, in fact, with Luke. By the time Antonia got to “Pasta-gate” in mid-November, the Lukola fandom barely even blinked before dismissing her as, well, the antagonist from “Play Misty for Me.” And this leads to something even more problematic for the USS Lutonia – Luke has never rescued Antonia from being ridiculed and torn apart by the fandom. My dad would call – and has called – Luke a cad for this.

Jumping to the other side of this misshapen triangle, we have Nicola and her Assassin (my dad’s pet name for JVN). Assuming Lutonia is real, the only logical answer for Nicola’s behavior is that she has spent months trolling Luke, Antonia, and <gasp> the fandom. Nicola herself has admitted to being chronically online and, at a minimum, being aware of fan edits – so much so that during the London premiere she commented that she and Luke “can’t do anything” without the fandom reacting to it. Therefore, I will call “foul” on anyone who tries to persuade me that Nicola was unaware of, at a minimum, how the Lukola fandom had reacted to the Claddagh ring, Chaos Week, and the October airplane posts. JVN openly mocking Antonia on social media with, for example, their Slick Back Bun routine only added fuel to this fire.

For shits and giggles – and so I can get to the bend in this road – we will roll with my dad’s “Nest of Vipers” theory for a moment. We will concede that Lutonia is real, which, in my opinion, makes Luke the absolute worst boyfriend in London and Antonia a woman who doesn’t mind being treated like roadkill. It also, unfortunately, makes Nicola and Fan Favorite JVN come off like online bullies – with the only plausible reasoning for the bullying being that Luke and Nicola are at odds with each other. No, I take that back – they’re not at odds with each other – they’re seemingly at war with each other. I’ll even amp this up a bit and throw in the suggestion that, assuming Lutonia is real, Netflix & Co. is aware of the strife between its two Polin actors and are protecting their asset with blurred Polin-Lukola posts to pacify the fandom. Dun-Dun-DUNN! And yes! That was a sly nod to Jake.

Me: Thanks for that. You just made Luke into an absolute prick and gave Antonia’s starring role in “Play Misty for Me” to Nicola.

Dad: Hey, I’m not the one who dug up Misty! That was all Thang!

Me: Then why does everyone say Luke is the nicest person? Nicola, his co-stars –  

Dad: All lies.

Me: Would you STOP?!

Dad: But I’m serious! Thang could be a complete pig behind closed doors and Ireland could be on the verge of a psychotic meltdown because, uhh, maybe she’s obsessed with Thang and pissed he chose Misty.

The unfortunate thing about this Nest of Vipers theory is that I could almost certainly make a convincing argument that it was legit. I’ve always joked with my Inner Circle of Lukolas that no one wants to see me go rogue, especially not – I’ll bite my tongue on that one. But I will emphasize the importance of keeping an open mind when you’re reviewing information. Always consider both sides of the coin. That said, it’s hard to ignore the evidence that was presented to us through the World Tour interviews and behind-the-scenes footage; therefore –

Me: I’m having a hard time believing Luke is someone who wouldn’t protect his girlfriend. He seems to support Nicola online quite a bit. Why wouldn’t he do the same for Antonia?

Dad: <laughing> Fine. Antonia isn’t his girlfriend. Maybe it’s all just a bunch of fuckery like I’ve always said.

“Fuckery” is my dad’s pet name for PR bullshit. If you didn’t pick up on it in previous entries, I am not fond of PR theories. But I also cannot ignore that PR relationships do exist and have for decades (hell, we could go back centuries and find examples of PR relationships across multiple noble and royal families – think about that, naysayers). It was my dad who first sold me on the possibility of Antonia being PR. So, I will consider this road to PR-ville in the same manner as I did the Nest of Vipers theory – with this PR theory having perhaps the better claim.

I mentioned earlier that the General Audience almost certainly paid little attention to Antonia’s existence at the Boss event. Although some people may find what I’m about to say a bit unkind, it doesn’t make it any less valid (and I’m not saying it to be cruel): Antonia, in the overall scheme of things, is of very little importance to the General Audience. She has less than 15 thousand followers on Instagram, even after being connected to a man who has almost three million. However, oddly enough, that didn’t prevent the Daily Mail from dropping a story which predominantly focused on Antonia within the same timeframe that images from the Boss event were being dropped on the Internet. It also didn’t prevent video footage of Luke and Antonia at the Boss event from being leaked online almost immediately – even when there were undoubtedly more famous celebrities attending the event. I’ll be realistic with this next comment, too: Luke may be relevant to the Bridgerton fandom, but that does not mean he is significant to, say, People Magazine’s average reader. So, why the sudden burst of publicity at this event?

I waited to write this entry to see what Luke did with the exposure from the Boss event. Would he finally put Antonia on his Instagram grid? Would he put her in his Instagram stories? Would Antonia post pictures from the event on her Instagram grid or stories? Would Luke unambiguously acknowledge a relationship with Antonia?

Although Luke posted to his Instagram grid and stories about the event, he did not include Antonia – at least not directly. The closest he came to including Antonia was via an Instagram story – on which he did not tag her – of a black screen with a link to a Boss TikTok that included images of Luke and Antonia from the event. The TikTok did not tag Antonia either. Luke did not post Antonia’s image to his grid or his stories.

And Antonia didn’t post about the event at all.

I wasn’t sold on a PR narrative when I started writing this entry, but my eyebrows raised when I saw Luke’s “black screen” Instagram story. This was either Luke attempting to circumvent the Lutonia narrative while throwing Antonia a bone, or it was Luke being an absolute douche of a human being. And, if it’s the latter, Mr. Newton needs to check himself into Assholes Anonymous.

I will concede that a couple of mutuals put up a few stories about the event (which disappeared after 24 hours) and Boss included (and tagged) Luke and Antonia in an Instagram and TikTok reel – without formally identifying Antonia as Luke’s girlfriend. On a side note, Luke could have reposted either of these reels – which tagged Antonia – but he did not. Luke also did not like this Boss Instagram reel with Antonia in it (and he does not have a public TikTok account), but Luke did like a separate Boss post of him and David Beckham (without Antonia). The only news outlets that called Antonia Luke’s “girlfriend” were rag-mags like the Daily Mail and Hello, both of which put an emphasis on Antonia. Digital Spy noted that Luke and Antonia “have yet to officially confirm their relationship.” So outside of some tagged reels (that weren’t reposted or acknowledged by Luke) and rag-mag speculation, what did Antonia get from this?

Dad: Publicity.

A single word but one that resonates throughout an otherwise silent wood.

But to be honest, I’m not entirely convinced this was for publicity. I’m not saying I believe Antonia is Luke’s girlfriend either – that’s a whole cauldron of contradictions on its own. I’m simply intrigued that Antonia has her Instagram tags turned off and she has not yet allowed any Boss event tags to appear on her page. So, outside of some junky rag-mag callouts and a few TikToks, what benefit did Antonia receive? And, if Antonia didn’t truly benefit from this appearance (or, at least she doesn’t appear to be reaping the rewards from a girlfriend or PR standpoint), who did benefit?

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that a series of events had happened one after the other over a relatively short two-week period: (1) Luke’s mum mentioning “Luke’s girlfriend…from Cyprus” in a Facebook response; (2) leaked video and photos of Luke from a funeral; (3) those utterly ridiculous pap pictures of Nicola and Jake; (4) Nicola stating she and Luke were “just friends” in an interview; and (5) the sudden summoning of Antonia after exactly six months of being MIA.

As I sat here writing out the events of the past two weeks – and considering the reappearance of Antonia – I couldn’t help but speculate as to whether each of these events was meant to have a specific purpose that didn’t get its desired result.

The comment by Luke’s mother was so far out in left field, most Lukolas chucked it up to being suspicious and dismissed it as such. The funeral pictures and video released by one of Luke’s family members was quickly scrubbed from social media; therefore, just as quickly ignored. The pap pictures of Nicola and Jake were openly mocked across social media as being staged. The “just friends” comment – after almost a year of, particularly, Nicola dodging that phrase – didn’t seem to send many Lukolas overboard. Is it possible that the fandom’s mild reaction to all these events wasn’t anticipated? Which leads me to wonder if Luke and Nicola wanted a reaction and realized the only way they were going to get it was to play the only card they had left – Antonia.  

When you look at the above referenced events individually and collectively, they appear to indicate a push to shut down the Lukola narrative. Why?

They could have shut down the Lukolas before the World Tour even took off. They could have shut down the Lukolas during the World Tour. They could have shut down the Lukolas after Papsmear. Why wait almost a full year to draw the line in the sand? Especially after every devoted Lukola would argue that (mostly) Nicola has left a trail of Swiftie-like clues to insinuate Lukola is real, and that Luke has made a visible effort to remove Antonia from his narrative.

Whatever the reasoning may be, we must admit Antonia’s reappearance had a purpose – and one that we need to respect. I have a hard time believing Luke would voluntarily step in the same pile of dog shit he stepped in back in June without a valid and significant reason for doing so.

And this is where I will draw the line.

I will not speculate further about why Antonia suddenly rose from the ashes of Manderley – and I will not tell you which road to take from here. That’s something you need to do on your own but, be warned that regardless of which road you choose – the one where you conclude Luke and Antonia are a couple, or the one where you decide Antonia is playing the role of PR distraction – the Lukolas are currently fighting a losing battle.

The Lukolas have become collateral damage. They’ve either been caught in the crossfire of an online war between Luke and Nicola (and their respective sidekicks) over, presumably, Antonia; or they’re the unwitting victims of some messy PR bullshit that has resulted in Lukolas being bullied across every social media platform by rabid Jakolas and Anti-Lukes.

Amazingly, though, many Lukolas remain resilient.

When the going gets tough…

But sometimes the tough don’t get going.

Yesterday, someone wrote to me, “Why are we still here? Just when we think something good is finally going to happen we get pushed back down. I’m tired of the dumb games.”

I rarely answer “Asks,” but my response to this comment is:

“Two roads diverged in a wood…”

Two roads.

One road is quite disheartening and the other is shrouded in underbrush.

But what you've overlooked is that there is an alternate path – a third road – the one that brought you to this point.

Turn around.

That road takes you back home – and, if you’re ready to go home, go home. It’s okay. It takes an unbelievable amount of courage to admit you’ve had enough. Remember that saying – “A wise woman once said, ‘fuck this shit,’ and she lived happily ever after.”

Take your time and decide what makes the most sense to you.

Dad: What are you thinking?

Me: Of a poem.

Dad: Oh, which one today?

Me: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by…”

Dad: Which road is that…?

P.S. Just for a bit of comic relief at the end of an otherwise somber post (not even Dad could make it lighthearted), I just wanted to say:

I love eating grapes.

IYKYK.

Those links I promised:

[cherryblooom]

2XL — OP81 [ part 2 ]

Summary: You are a young artist who gained a lot of popularity at the ripped age of 14 due to your talent and unusual style. Your body is considered "voluminous" so, in public, you only use 2XL clothing, to protect yourself from people on the internet and feel more comfortable while performing. You have managed to keep your personal life outside the spotlight but when Oscar finally made it to the glamorous lifestyle of motorsports, everything changed.

Pairing: Oscar Piastri x Reader

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Fic warning: best friends to lovers, kinda slow burn, slut shaming, weird people on the internet, people commenting about a minor's body, panic attack, body image, reader battles with her self-esteem, self-image, and self-love, Oscar is obsessed with his girlfriend and her body (not in a creepy way) and is not afraid of showing it, I hate Karly and will too lol

Faceclaim: Billie Eilish

Note: Oscar is a year older than the reader. SMAU mixed with narrative. Reader doesn't have that much access to social media right now as they are mostly controlled by their management. Some K-pop artist will show up 'cause why not? lol

You knew you were tearing apart your suitcase, crumpling everything in your path, even a dark blue dress your mother bought in hopes you would wear, but you threw it on the floor without any concern. That dress was the least of your problems now.

“Please, please, come on… there must be another one. Where is it?” At that moment, you were almost on the verge of a panic attack, and not being able to control it anymore, you felt the tears start to come.

You had your manager on your heels, people on social media looking for the tiniest detail to take you down, a whole crew ready to film the entire event to interview you afterwards, and on top of that you were on day two of your period, in pain that you could only describe as hell itself – could it get any worse? Oh, of course it can be worse. You’re a teenager, which means your body is constantly changing. You had to be on stage in about 30 minutes and you had no underwear, or to be more specific, all the bras you had in your suitcase didn’t fit. It’s not a secret that your breasts were one of your most striking attributes (and you try to hide them as much as you can) and you swore that they were getting bigger every day. With each passing day, you began to hate your body. The bras you have now were too small for you and even if you tried to put them on, all you could feel was the underwires digging into your sensitive bust and you couldn’t even think about walking or jumping.

''Yn, what are you doing on the floor?'' Karly, your manager for 2 years, entered the room. ''And you're not even ready! Come on, it's almost 7:00 p.m. and the show is about to start.''

''I can't. I-I don't know what happened, but none of my bras fit and they're so uncomfortable. I'm on my period and I think my breasts have grown and…''

''And what do you want me to do? Honey, I don't have another bra you can wear, at least not in your size. But why did you pack them if you knew they wouldn't fit?''

''I didn't pack them! I was going to, and you told me we didn't have time, and you'd bring me my suitcase later, and now none of them fit.''

''Look, how about you try wearing one and practice here?'' your manager said, and you heard an edge to her voice. She was upset, and it only made you feel smaller, like this was all your fault.

“I tried! I tried wearing one but it doesn’t work. I can’t even breathe without the wires digging into my bust and it just hurts,” you cried. You were upset and frustrated. This day should have been special because of the big show that awaited you outside, but it was turning into a nightmare.

''Oh my god. Yn, what do you want me to do? What can I do? Should I go out and tell your fans and the filming crew that we need to cancel the show because your bra doesn't fit you? You wouldn't want that, would you?'' she said, and you felt like crying more. She knelt down in front of you and held your hands as she rubbed her thumb against your skin. ''Honey, I know it's not easy, but we can't turn back now and even if we could, we'd have to tell everyone the reason for the cancellation and you wouldn't want that, right? Imagine the headlines'' You shook your head. No, you didn't want that. You don't want to disappoint your fans and give the media another reason to hate you and tear you apart.

—That’s what I thought. I know it’s hard, but just try, okay? I’ll have to double-check something with the film crew. Stay here and I’ll come get you when it’s time for you to go on stage.'' That was the last thing she said before leaving you alone.

You tried again with a black bra, the largest one in the suitcase, and began to practice one of your songs, but with each breath the wires sank even further.

"Fuck, damn it!"

Officially, you were panicking. There were about 25 minutes left, and you had no idea what the hell to do, at this point you couldn't even breathe, you were starting to choke, and your vision was blurry from tears.

The first thing Oscar heard when the call connected was your crying on the other end of the line and his heart broke into pieces. He didn't like hearing you like that.

''Honey, I need you to take a deep breath. Just close your eyes and breathe. Don't worry about anything but breathing.''

''I c-can't. I can't breathe and my chest hurts, and Karly is coming for me in 20 minutes and…''

''I know it's difficult, but honey, I need you to close your eyes and breathe. I don't want you to think about anything but breathing. I'll be there for you very soon, I promise.''

''No, no, please don't hang up, please…''

''No, my love, I will never do that. I want you to put your head between your knees, take a deep breath, and I need you to hold it for 3 seconds before you let it go, okay? Can you do that for me, pumpkin?

There were a few moments of silence where Oscar was worried, but when he heard you take deep breaths as he had instructed and your crying faded, he calmed down. It wasn't very common for you to have panic attacks, but that means it must be something very serious for you to have one.

''That's it. You're doing great, babygirl. Are your hands still shaking?''

''N-no''

''Perfect. I'm so proud of you, doll, you did amazing. Now please, tell me what happened?'' Oscar asked and after answering him, he couldn't help but feel the rage forming in his chest. He never liked Karly and, if it was up to him, she would have been fired months ago. ''Oh, baby, that's horrible and no, it's not your fault and you're not throwing a tantrum. You shouldn't go on stage if you're not feeling well and Karly is the one who should take care of things like that, but she didn't. It's not your fault. Don't worry, I'll fix it, okay? I promise.''

''But, how-...?''

''Just to trust me. My mom will be there with you in about 5 minutes, okay? And I'll arrive before you have to go on stage. Leave that to me. You trust me?''

''I do, I trust you''

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dailyop81 Oscar was seen today leaving a Victoria Secret's store afer he went to a Dior one, all of this before attending YN LN's concert. For whom do you think these gifts are for?

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twicetagram so proud of you girlyy! @ ynusername

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Radio Check: Part 2! I'm really excited how this story is turning out; I hope you guys are loving it as much I am.

For the news, I tried to make it like a real blog, let me know if you like it or if you would like me to keep doing it that way!

Tagged list: @xivilivix @multifan-idk @newlifeforus @diorbrxtz @vroomvroomcircuit

If you want to be tagged, just let me know and reblog if you liked it!

[ariays]

The Significance of Kitty & Minho Bookending Both Season 1 and Season 2 in XO Kitty

Yes, I'm here again with another analysis because why not?

So previously, I mentioned the term bookending. & I just thought that it would be nice to elaborate on that.

So firstly, what is bookending?

It is a storytelling technique where a narrative begins and ends with the same event, character interaction, setting, or theme. It is a method that is often used to create symmetry, reinforce themes, highlight character growth, or foreshadow key relationships.

Storytelling is rarely accidental—especially in romance-driven narratives like XO Kitty. One of the most deliberate yet overlooked narrative choices in both Season 1 and Season 2 is how Kitty and Minho’s relationship is bookended—they are the first and last people she interacts with in both seasons. This framing technique is often used to subtly highlight a relationship’s significance, and in this case, it strongly suggests that Kitty and Minho’s story was always meant to be a slow-burn romance.

When two characters are both the first and last interaction in a season, it’s rarely coincidental. It is to:

Signify that the relationship is central to the protagonist’s journey.

Showcase how much their dynamic has evolved over time.

Foreshadow their long-term importance to each other.

For Kitty and Minho, the fact that this happens in both seasons is a strong indication that their connection is not just a subplot—it’s one of the core emotional arc of the story.

So let us break it down:

Season 1: The Beginning & End with Minho

First Interaction: The first person Kitty physically bumps into at the airport on her way to Korea (signifying the beginning of her journey) is Minho. This is their very first meeting, setting the tone for their playful, sometimes antagonistic, but always high-energy dynamic.

Last Interaction: The season ends with Minho’s confession—a moment that completely shifts their relationship. And instead of rejecting him outright, Kitty smiles. It’s a small but telling reaction—if she truly felt nothing, there would be no hesitation.

& before people come up to say that the smile was only shown in Season 2 when they re-shot the scene...

This is a screenshot from Season 1 where you can see her slight contemplating smile (with About Love by MARINA playing in the background, mind you).

Why It Matters: The fact that Kitty’s first and last interactions in Season 1 are with Minho shows that he was always meant to be a significant part of her story. The show could have ended the season with anyone—Dae, Yuri, or even a solo moment of self-reflection. But instead, they chose to end with Minho’s confession. That’s not an accident—it’s intentional storytelling, subtly planting the seeds for future development.

Season 2: The Pattern Repeats—Minho Comes First & Last Again

First Love Interest She Sees: In Season 2, the first love interest Kitty locks eyes with is Minho. While Dae is technically present (standing right beside Minho), the camera deliberately focuses on Kitty looking at Minho. This is a classic storytelling technique used to subtly emphasize a character’s importance to the protagonist.

Last Interaction: Once again, the season ends with Minho and Kitty. But this time, things are even more emotionally complicated.

Kitty realizes her feelings for Minho, but she’s too scared to confess. She convinces herself that he has moved on, and the fear of rejection holds her back. Meanwhile, Minho is actively repressing his feelings. After his failed relationship with Stella and seeing Kitty’s complicated emotions regarding Yuri, he convinces himself that moving on is the only option. He even goes so far as to swear off relationships entirely.

Why It Matters: The fact that, once again, the season ends with Minho and Kitty means their story is still unfinished. No matter what happens in the middle, the narrative keeps circling back to them.

The Parallel to K-Drama Romance Structure

In K-dramas, the first person the protagonist meets in a new place often represents fate or destiny—and Kitty’s first physical interaction in Korea was with Minho at the airport.

The “first and last” interaction trope is often used to signal who the true endgame is—the person the protagonist starts and ends their journey with is usually their true match.

By structuring both seasons the same way, the show is subtly preparing the audience for their eventual romance.

The Parallels Between Season 1 & Season 2 (Between Minho & Kitty)

While XO Kitty explores multiple love interests, Minho and Kitty have scenes that directly parallel each other from Season 1 to Season 2. These mirroring moments serve as a way to track their emotional development and reinforce their importance to the story.

Season 1: Minho watches Kitty and Dae at the party → Season 2: Kitty watches Minho and Stella dancing at the ball.

In Season 1, Minho was unknowingly affected by seeing Kitty with Dae. In Season 2, Kitty experiences the exact same thing—showing that now she’s the one realizing her feelings.

Season 1: Minho sees Kitty in slow motion, feels attracted to her, then panics when he realizes it's Kitty and screams "NO!" in denial. → Season 2: Kitty sees Minho in slow motion—not once, but twice.

Minho’s slow-motion moment in Season 1 was a comedic way to show his growing attraction, but in Season 2, Kitty has two slow-mo moments of her own—this time, with much more emotional weight, showing her realization.

Season 1: Minho saves Kitty from the fire on her skirt. → Season 2: Kitty saves Minho from his family's reputation being tarnished by Stella's plans.

In Season 1, Minho literally puts out a fire for Kitty, protecting her. In Season 2, Kitty does the same thing metaphorically—protecting Minho from a social firestorm that could have hurt his family. Can I also add that both scenarios happened in similar settings? One is on stage while the other is back stage.

Season 1: Minho confesses, "I think I fell in love with you… a little bit… or a lot." → Season 2: Kitty has an inner monologue, "I have fallen for Minho… a little bit… or a lot."

This is the most important parallel. Minho was the first to confess his feelings in Season 1, but by Season 2, Kitty finally acknowledges her own feelings—mirroring his words exactly. The fact that her confession was internal rather than spoken aloud adds tension for the upcoming Season 3, setting up a major moment where she will have to verbalize it.

The Emotional Progression Between Bookends

Season 1 starts with Minho being dismissive of Kitty → Ends with him realizing his feelings and confessing.

Season 2 starts with Kitty locking eyes with Minho first → Ends with her realizing her own feelings, but being too scared to confess.

Each season follows a clear pattern, showing that their relationship is evolving step by step. The reason it hasn’t happened yet is because both of them have been in denial, not because the connection isn’t there.

Foreshadowing for Season 3

If Season 1 was about Minho realizing his feelings, and Season 2 was about Kitty realizing hers, then Season 3 will likely be about them finally acknowledging their love for each other and acting on it. Their bookended interactions and season-long parallels have been leading toward something bigger, and Season 3 will be the moment they finally break past their fears and come together. I think we can expect a major confession scene from Kitty—one where she has to face her feelings out loud, just like Minho did in Season 1.

In Conclusion

The bookending of their interactions in both seasons, paired with their direct scene parallels, is not a coincidence—it’s a deliberate narrative choice that:

Establishes Minho as a consistent presence in Kitty’s life.

Marks their relationship as a key focus of the series.

Shows their emotional and relational growth.

Foreshadows their eventual romance.

By structuring both seasons the same way—starting and ending with Kitty and Minho—and including multiple mirrored moments between them, the show is subtly telling us that their story isn’t just important, it’s inevitable.

This isn’t a random ship gaining popularity—it was always part of the plan.

[mousegoesmoo]

Okay I'm sure many of you all have seen this tiktok:

This tiktok has seemingly reached a very broad audience and I'm lowkey beefing with some of the comments. And then comments are stirring some byler doubt in me but I'm just gonna come on here and think through things logically. I'm only going to take into account things that are canon or have been stated by official sources.

Many commenters have stated that Byler will only be one sided, Will in love with Mike. Narratively, this does not make sense. Will's character has been pre-planned to be queer from season 1 episode 1 and in his character description. Additionally, Robin originally was not going to be gay, but that was changed during the filming of Season 3 (Maya Hawke talks about this). So, why would they have the only canonically gay character be used as a plot device to further El and Mikes relationship? It just doesn't make sense for his love to be unrequited. They have stretched out the plot point of Will's sexual orientation and love for Mike for many seasons, it has been slow burned. They could have given Will a sharp rejection in Season 3 during the rain fight, but they didn't. If they did, moving to California would be an opportune time for Will to move on from his love for Mike. But they didn't. Will made an entire painting for Mike and gave him a veiled confession- if it ends in unrequitedness they stretched out this plot line for far to long. It is unnecessary. It would just be unnecessarily devastating for Will to be rejected in the final season. Plus, we have seen it before, entire relationships can form in one season. Mike and El were formed in one season, Nancy and Steve broke up and then Nancy and Jonathan got together, why can't the same happen with Mike and Will?

2. Mike has never been implied or done any actions to suggest he is gay or reciprocates Will's feelings. First of, to quote the byler slides, Mike has more queer coding than Will (slide 7, slides linked). To preface, queer coding is "...when a character’s sexual orientation is implied by significant subtext without being stated outright."(Elizabeth Duarte). So, this doesn't necessarily prove that Mike is in love with Will, but it does imply that he is in the very least bicurious. Personally, I believe that one of the strongest bits of queer coding for Mike is during his initial attraction to Eleven. Eleven was often described to look very similar to Will and boy-ish. A little suspicious if you ask me. To add on to that, the problems in Mike and Eleven's relationship have grown as El has explored her femininity and self. Granted, the problems could have arose due to them both aging, but, it is still another common denominator. But, the byler slides have many instances of queer coding for Mike (some probably better than what I presented), so I would suggest looking into those rather than having me repeat them here. But queer coding implies queerness, therefore, Stranger Things has suggested that Mike is not straight.

2.5 Mike's feelings have never been reciprocated for Will. Now this is a trickier one. We haven't had a scene from Mike's perspective in a while, making it very difficult to have hard evidence that he is into Will as well. However, we can prove that Mike is heavily queer coded (because he is). So, if Mike were gay, who would he direct his affections towards? Lucas, who is trying to rekindle his relationship Max, Dustin, who has had a steady long distance relationship with Suzie, or Will, who has never shown interest in any girls despite having many opportunities (arguably, more opportunities than the other party members)? They would not put Mike into a one sided pining with Lucas or Dustin for the final season, it simply does not make sense. But Will, who has already had a developed crush on Mike for several seasons, the pieces start to click together. Mike liking Will is very dependent on Mike being queer, which we have proven through the fact that he is heavily queer coded. So, the only same sex individual that would make logical sense as his love interest is Will. Also: a huge point about not having a Milkeven endgame is that Eleven was supposed to die and, consequently, so would their relationship.

3. Unlikely for the time, so it will never happen. Girlypops. It is unlikely for someone to be dating someone with superpowers in the 80's. It is unlikely for a parallel dimension to take over and infect this one random town in Indiana in the 80's. ITS FICTION. Additionally, it is know that homophobia exists in the fictional Stranger Things universe (Lonnie, Troy, Robin's extreme hesitance to come out, etc.), ,but on the other hand, the Duffers are actively pursuing a relationship between Robin and Vickie. As of our knowledge right now, Vickie's sole purpose in the show is to be a love interest of Robin's. If they don't end up together it is most likely because Robin either gets a new love interest or one of the two dies in the final season. Ultimately, I do not think that Stranger Thing's taking place in the 80's will have an impact on whether or not byler becomes canon.

So those were the main three points made in the comment section of that tiktok.

I just want to also state that if Byler isn't canon, I would want to consider this to be a case of queerbaiting (but, this still depends on how they wrap up Season 5). Also, I would consider slapping a new love interest for Will to wrap up the season as very sloppy and lazy writing. AND, I think using Will's love for Mike as a stepping stone to progress a heterosexual relationship deeply offensive. If they were going to have Will be rejected, they should have done it way earlier in the series.

Thats all I have to say xx

[centrally-unplanned]

Alright, last Current Events Drama post, is not a super valuable activity after all. I have seen a lot of Discourse that goes like "I may oppose these efforts but man the PR strategy of this Musk thing is pretty genius, they have a whole generation of people thinking USAID was funding the Liberal Media now". And they certainly aren't without agency, I agree there is an intentional PR strategy going on. In particular it is not just the creation of narrative, but the creation of momentum - every day is a new discovery, a new victory, a sense of progress.

But this isn't really that hard when your supporters are just really stupid? Like you can make shit up for these people! They don't care, they don't have that instinct that goes "okay hold up I'm going to need to see some sources here". The current Admin didn't make that happen, that is a deep, structural change around the internet flattening hierarchies and all that shit. When you know your audience wants results and also you can just invent results out of thin air then, idk, is this that hard? How could you not deliver that?

It is funny because the actual playbook here isn't even their invention, it is the same as the 2010's "Woke Boom". That entire model was that deep, slow, technical solutions to structural inequalities achieved via grinding electoral politics is boring. That shit is for fucking losers. I am not gonna have a role in that all! So instead we will achieve social change via randomly harassing my progressive coworkers for their black comedy tweets about AIDS until they get fired and have a nervous breakdown. Obviously - just like with the current right, don't be tricked! - there was another side of this movement that was much more serious, a huge side actually (we are just focusing right now). But for so many that serious side was window dressing, the real mush was that you got to feel like you were a part of something, doing something, and at a certain point they started running the show. This playbook being reversed really isn't that impressive (and also, in a sense, inevitable)

I will give the Social Justice aggros though that they had some standards - passing around photoshopped tweets was uncommon. Most of them did actually believe in this model for change (and so invented insane ideologies to justify it, but w/e). That isn't really as true on the right - I should partially walk back my statement above, a lot of these people aren't that gullible? They are just apathetic. So many people retweeting stuff about how The Deep State funnels millions to Politico don't really even care, for them it is a game. It is funny to own the libs. They laugh off your attempts at calling them out for accuracy - you care about that? What a cuck you are.

Which makes it particularly sad when you see the earnest ones, the ones writing essays about the implications of what USAID propping up the New York Times means for our political future. Nothing worse than being a true believer in a church where not only the leaders but also your fellow congregants know it is bullshit.

It reminds me of the Gamestop Meme Stock Crash and its slow, agonizing burn (a not unrelated event!). A bunch of people on the rise of the stock created the idea that buying Gamestop could Stick It To The Man, you could short squeeze the hedge funds, diamond-hands-hold that yield, bring Wall St to its knees - to the moon, baby. And some people bought it! And then the wheel turned, the crash happened, and most of the people posting those memes sold their stock and dipped so fast they had disappeared from the subreddits before they could even begin to say "bro, you thought I was serious?". Leaving a stalwart few holding the bag, spinning epicycles of conspiracy theories to justify why they had it to begin with. Which happens on autopilot a this point. You don't really need any PR strategy to make this happen.

[chuuyrrkisser]

A revised narrative.

— summary… It was supposed to be a regular Tuesday morning, you should be in college running to your next class and pray there were no assignments forgotten but here you were, isekaied to the middle of nowhere surrounded by nothing but cold snowed plane unable to move because your limbs are buried in the thick blanket of snow.

But hey, at least you were in your favorite anime– oh never mind, it's bungo stray dogs, you are so dead...

— content… dazai osamu/reader, chuuya nakahara/reader, reader has an ability, Dazai—typical suicide mentions, slow burn, slow updates, angst, angst with happy ending, because I can’t write angst endings, isekai and transmigration…

— chapter 2/?

Your nails dug into the coat as you wrapped it close to your body to protect you from the freezing weather. Dazai insisted that he'd give you a pair of boots, but you were not looking forward to owing the mafia member any more than you already did.

In your defense, you could hand over the coat to him later, and it wouldn't be as awkward as giving him back a pair of boots. How were you going to give it back? Were you supposed to hold on to your school shoes? If you left them behind, you had to give back the boots later and walk with socks like a weirdo. That was too much even for you, so you shut down the offer and stuck to clinging onto the coat like it was your lifeline. The worst part was probably that you had to walk by foot all the way out of the snowy plane to a roadside.

You followed Dazai as he strode purposefully toward the roadside, where a sleek black car awaited, its dark windows gleaming ominously in the winter sun. He paused beside the door, glancing back at you, and you felt a surge of urgency to pick up your pace, nearly jogging over to him as he opened the door.

As you slid into car, your gaze was immediately drawn to a strange box on the middle seat, its presence blocking you from moving in comfortably. You reached for the box but just as your fingers were about to brush it, a tranquil voice interrupts, "That's a bomb." instinctively jerking back, a wave of panic washed over you as you screeched turning your back to exit only to find the door slamming shut right in your face.

You fumbled with the handle, but it was child locked, and your frantic shaking only added to your dread. Just then, the opposite door swung open, and you were met with Dazai's amused smirk, a sight that should have been comforting but instead sent shivers down your spine.

"I'd advise you not to make any contact with it," he said casually, as if discussing the weather, before closing his door with a soft click that seemed to echo in the silence of the car.

The entire ride was terrifying as you pressed yourself against the car door, trying to calm your mind away from thoughts of the bomb and the sociopath sitting just a few inches away from you. Every little bump in the road made you jump, and you swore that the only thing keeping you from having a breakdown was the sheer terror that any sudden movement could set off the device, turning you into the star of a very gruesome scene.

Horrified, you reflected on the absurdity of your situation: you had transmigrated into a world where the first person you encountered was a literal textbook sociopath, and to make matters worse, it was Dazai in his mafia era. It was practically official that you were dead meat, and the only way to escape this nightmare was to bend over backward and pray for a miracle.

Your thoughts spiraled so deeply that you didn't even notice when the car came to a stop in front of the Port Mafia building. Dazai was the first to exit the vehicle, and you could see him waiting patiently beside your door, a mischievous glint in his eye that made your heart race with both fear and confusion. You took a deep breath, trying to center yourself as you opened the door and nearly toppled over, only to be caught by Dazai's steady hand.

"Whoa there! You look horrified!" he exclaimed, delight dancing in his tone as he helped steady you. His laughter was lighthearted, but all you could feel was a rising tide of anxiety as you quickly removed yourself from his grasp and followed him into the building.

You glanced back at the car, still feeling an irrational fear of the bomb that might still be lurking there, as Dazai led you into the lobby. The building was unnecessarily large, the sheer emptiness of the main floor was filled by the presence of a couple stern-faced guards who seemed to watch your every move. You doubted that anything important was present on the ground floor, but the overwhelming atmosphere made your skin crawl.

Without hesitation, Dazai strode into the elevator, and you noted how it required him to scan his ID to access whatever floor he intended to take you to. He flashed a quick glance at you, and for a brief moment, you wondered what thoughts were stirring in his head.

As the elevator ascended with a soft ding, you looked around, heart racing as you realized you had to figure out an escape plan. As fun as it was being next to your favorite character, you were painfully aware that these were not just characters in a book anymore; they were real, with real motivations and no obligation to like you. The knowledge that you held secrets of theirs—information that could easily cross the line into invasion of privacy made your stomach twist with unease.

The elevator doors opened with a soft chime and Dazai stepped out, prompting you to follow closely behind. He knocked on a large door, waiting patiently for permission to enter. You strained to hear the muffled voice from within, but it was too distant to decipher.

Just as you were starting to feel a sense of dread building inside you, Dazai gripped a hand that emerged from the door and twisted it. "Behave," he commanded, though you couldn't tell if it was a threat, a warning, or both— either way, it might as well have been the same thing from him.

The door swung open, and you were swept into the room alongside Dazai, your heart pounding in your chest as you took in the scene before you. There, across the polished table, were two familiar faces that would ensure you felt every ounce of your nervousness creep up your spine.

Mori's gaze shifted toward you, a smile spreading across his lips as he assessed you. "I'm assuming you are the one found in the snow?" he inquired, and you nodded, feeling a strange mix of fear and disbelief as you shuffled back slightly, instinctively shielding yourself behind Dazai.

"Woke up with claims that they were from another world where we are characters from a book. I would've shot them the moment they spoke that nonsense—especially since they're a very unreliable narrator," Dazai interjected, his tone light yet laced with an edge of seriousness. You stood there, mouth agape, eyes wide as you processed his words, a chill running down your spine at the thought that he might truly have pulled the trigger.

Mori nodded, humming thoughtfully as he motioned for Dazai to continue, which he did. "But... I found pretty reliable stuff to back their claims up," he added, and in the blink of an eye, your phone, school ID, and keys were tossed onto the table in front of you.

You reached for them instinctively, but Dazai was faster, sliding them just out of your reach. Mori took a closer look at your ID and seemingly dead phone, a coy smile creeping onto his face as he bent the card to examine it, making you panic again.

He looked up at you, that unsettling smile still in place. "We have much to talk about, Y/n L/n."

"Sure, sure—can you stop bending that? If I end up going home, my parents will kill me if that thing breaks!" you blurted, your nerves getting the better of you. Mori chuckled, placing the card back down and sliding it toward you, but once again, just as you made a move to grab it, Dazai snatched it away effortlessly and shoved it into his pocket, leaving you feeling utterly helpless.

Your mind raced as you processed what was happening, the gravity of your situation weighing down on you. You were trapped in a world where danger lurked around every corner, and the people who you used to fangirl for are more than willing to kill you.

You claim that you are from another world so can you expand on that?" Mori questions you as he leans back on the chair, his fingers placed beneath his chin as though in thought.

"Well, uhh... the world I'm in, you guys don't exist—well, you do, but you're fictional. I don't know how I ended up in that snow dump, but I did, and I don't know why either..." you twiddle your thumbs, your heart racing as you try to find the right words to convey the bizarre reality of your situation.

"Do you know... what part of the book you are in?" Mori asks you, his voice steady, while Dazai turns towards you with an intrigued expression, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Your eyes wander in thought, reflecting the chaos within. "Well, I'm not sure of the exact part, but... do you know where Paul Valerine is?" You ask, hoping that mentioning the minor character will provide some clarity.

Mori hums, nodding slowly, "He... Paul Valerine is someone I'm familiar with. Do you want me to send someone to see where his location is?—"

"No, no, no! So he's still... somewhere. That's enough to know what timeline I'm in." You freak out, shaking your head vigorously at the thought of barging into the complicated plot line so soon, the idea of disturbing the narrative sending a chill down your spine.

"Ah... does Paul Valerine have a major part to play in this?" Mori questions, his curiosity piqued as he leans forward, the light catching the sharp angles of his face.

You scoff, laughing lightly, "Oh, no, not at all. You'd have to have zero social life and use your last sanity to know characters that aren't in the main series..." Your laughter fades, leaving an uncomfortable silence that envelops the room, making the others stare at you with a mix of concern and bewilderment.

"Well—my point is, yeah, I know what era I'm in but not when exactly... that will take a while," you explain, your voice steadying as you push through the anxiety bubbling within.

Mori thinks for a moment, tapping his fingers against the armrest of his chair. "Well, at least you know what's to come... and that will be useful." The way he says it gives the implication of being involved with the mafia sends a wave of unease coming over you.

"Sooo, what now? Do I just spout information of the future?" you ask awkwardly, trying to mask your apprehension with a lighthearted tone.

"Oh, well, I thought you'd be tired and need to rest. But if not, I would gladly—"

"Nope! Not at all! I will cry if I am awake a minute longer." You laugh phonily, the sound echoing hollowly in the room before you clear your throat, trying to regain composure. "But uh... where do I, you know... rest for the night?"

"Oh, the couch over there. You are useful from context, but I need to know if you are worth keeping..." Mori smiles, pointing at the red velvet chaise across the room, its plush fabric luminous under the dim light. You turn your gaze to the couch, feeling reluctant at the idea of resting in the office of the port mafia's boss.

"Oh!... How fun!..."

— next chapter…

[paceywittters]

ok so i know we probably don't need another ✨ chenford hot take ✨, but alas, i am going to share my thoughts because why not. i've seen a lot of people say that chenford feels weird post-breakup because they're so friendly with one another - and it's true, i agree, they're being incredibly relaxed with one another in a way that doesn't feel earned at all...but my issue for quite some time is that they didn't just not earn this phase of their relationship, this is a trend. chenford has consistently had drama/resolutions that feel unearned within the narrative since their relationship veered overtly romantic.

chenford went from the slow build of seasons 1-4 to the fast-paced version of the ship we met in season 5, which has always bothered me. i loved the slow burn of chenford, but something about the way they went from facing some genuinely difficult complications to their relationship in mid season 5 to just...skirting around them with ease (at least, for a while) was off-putting. lucy solving tim's work issue in one fell swoop with the 5 player trade was too simple (despite personal ramifications - i mean in a relationship/interpersonal sense). the fact that they were just...allowed to be together while working together was so easily resolved and deeply uncomplicated, despite us consistently being told how complicated it was going to be. from 5x01 to 5x09, it seemed like chenford were going to dive into something that wasn't easy, but was worth the risk.

...but then it was...stupidly easy.

the relationship moving so quickly and having a smattering of incredibly simple complications that were resolved almost immediately made the post 5x09 era of chenford feel so unearned to me - not to mention that, yes, they knew each other and they'd fallen for each other...but before they were dating, chenford weren't really friends. they went from tim being her TO to lucy being his aide to them being friendly at work...and sure, it built into personal moments here and there, but not enough for me to feel like they'd genuinely gotten to a point where they were ready to jump into a relationship. it didn't feel earned, to me - and i was okay with that as long as it was eventually addressed that they jumped in fast and didn't much care about the consequences.

regardless, i was hype to see chenford actually get together. i figured the way they rolled them out in the end of season 5 would surely lead to some addressing of their issues throughout season 6 - because, of course we could all see the glaring problems in their relationship, right? tim's penchant for closing off/shutting down in difficult moments mixed with lucy's lack of awareness of her overstepping tendencies and general over-inflated/displaced sense of ambition surely had to be addressed, right?

6x01 and 6x02 made it clear trouble was coming, and while i was excited to see them split up so they'd actually have to face their issues, the way the breakup was executed was...an unnecessary misstep. creating new drama with tim to make him seem like the only one who had any issues was weird. chenford already had some fairly major problems they could've mined for the breakup, but creating new drama made it much bigger, craggier, and entirely unmanageable. chenford, who had only dealt with minor issues that were resolved quickly and efficiently up to that point, didn't even have the capacity to address their initial issues, so they weren't at all equipped to deal with something so complicated.

now, we're at a point where chenford seems to have moved past their relationship-ending struggle without us seeing any real work from either of them (and, yes, i do think lucy has fault in their relationship breakdown - happy to talk about that elsewhere if you want). as viewers, we're expected to just follow along with the trajectory of their relationship and feel satisfied with the idea that lucy's taken tim's elevator declaration and moved into a place where she can make coded jokes about their sex life, or the notion that tim's "done work" on himself without knowing anything about it.

it's not earned. we haven't seen any of it - and the story just telling us these things have happened isn't enough...we need to see more of the build up, which the rookie has always been so good at. that's what i think is the most disappointing to me: that the first seasons of the rookie were so incredible for the ability to build, but they've dropped the ball now that an actual romantic relationship is playing out.

at this point, i would've preferred a near-miss in season 5 rather than them getting together at all. i would've preferred more build to a point where by the time chenford got together, their issues within themselves and each other had been resolved. i've been willing to follow along with what they're doing, but the way they've gone about it has me so much less invested than i've ever been in the rookie. it sucks, because i still enjoy the show - but i don't recognize this iteration of chenford at all.

anyway, tl;dr: that thing you feel like you're missing is the build up to this drama, to this resolution, to this odd version of friendship, to any reconciliation. the building blocks are not there, and that's why it feels empty and off-putting, at least in the way i see it.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi there! Do you know of any fics with john and sherlock raising rosie that take place when she's a bit older, like in the 10-20 years old range?

Hi Lovely!

Oh gosh, good question... If I have any they'll be on my Parentlock lists:

Parentlock

Parentlock Pt. 2

Parentlock Pt. 3

Parentlock Pt. 4A (MFLs 0-25K w.)

Parentlock Pt. 4B (MFLs 25K+ w.)

Parentlock Pt. 4C (WIP MFLs)

Adoption

But here's what came up with a quick tag search on my offline lists. If you guys have some to add, please do list them for us!

OLDER ROSIE FICS

Evermore by SosoHolmesWatson (G, 2,068 w., 1 Ch. || Post-S4, 5-Year-Old Rosie, Love Confessions, Song Fic, Parentlock, Oblivious John, Pining Sherlock, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Disney Songs, Beauty and the Beast) – For the past years, John and Sherlock have lived at Baker Street again, raising Rosie together--as friends and nothing more. Ever since the little girl has watched her first Disney movie, she is obsessed with princesses. When John comes home one day, he finds his friend and his daughter in the middle of a reenactment of her current favourite. Part 1 of Made of Music

Made of Music Series by SosoHolmesWatson (T, 6,464+ w. across 2 works || Series WiP || Post S4, Parentlock with Rosie, First Kiss, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, Cuddling, Love Confessions, Angst with Happy Ending) – For the past years, John and Sherlock have lived at Baker Street again, raising Rosie together--as friends and nothing more. Ever since the little girl has watched her first Disney movie, she is obsessed with princesses. When John comes home one day, he finds his friend and his daughter in the middle of a reenactment of her current favourite.

A Quiet Life by DiscordantWords (M, 25,176 w., 6 Ch. || Post S4, Retirement, POV Sherlock, Awkwardness, Established Relationship, Family Dynamics, Minor Character Death, Questionable Parenting Choices, Non-Linear Narrative, 20 Year Old Rosie, Meddling Mycroft, Pining Sherlock, First Kiss, Love Confessions, Angst, Sherlock Whump) – There had been three days of silence and a funeral. Sherlock had the terrible feeling that whatever happened next would depend, entirely, on him.

How To Unfold a Heart by elwinglyre (E, 25,477 w., 7 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It, BAMF John, Mentioned Eurus, POV First Person Sherlock, Case Fic, Fluff, Slow Burn, Topping from the Bottom, 3 Yr Old Rosie, Introspection, Sexual Fantasies, John Worship, Ogling, Hand Holding, Kidnapping, Domesticity, Sherlock Whump, First Kiss/Time, Doctor John, Caring John, Soft Sherlock, Sensuality, Touching, Crying, Love Confessions, Anxious Sherlock, Rimming, Toplock, Fingering, Bossy Bottom John) – To Sherlock’s dismay, John’s return to Baker Street with Rosie is only temporary. Sherlock’s daily visits to Regent Park with John and Rosie illuminate his lost childhood memories and missed opportunities. But with each trip to the park, Sherlock also feels a growing sense of hope. That is until the past horrors return unexpectedly in a cryptic note folded in the shape of a heart. To decipher the message, Sherlock must uncover the nature of the hearts around him, including his own.

Chaperones by MissDavis (T, 34,114 w., 7 Ch. || 11 Years Post-S4, Fake Relationship, Parentlock, Disney World, Bed / Room Sharing, Friends to Lovers, Fluff, First Kiss, Obsessive Sherlock, Insecure John) – Right. Of course. Everyone assumed they were a couple and no one would question it. John put his elbows up on the table so he could rest his head in his hands. "You want to pretend to be a couple so we can chaperone a trip to Disney World with Rosie's class and you won't have to share a room with a stranger?" "Exactly." Sherlock beamed at him. "Don't worry about the cost. The Birmingham case last month paid more than enough to cover expenses for all three of us."

MARKED FOR LATER

About Being Gay by A_Candle_For_Sherlock (G, 1,088 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Coming Out, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, First Kiss, Romantic Fluff, Older Rosie) – Rosie looks up from Sherlock’s picture book about poisonous plants, gives Sherlock a look and asks, 'Are you gay, Sherlock?' and Sherlock, without missing a beat, just says 'Yes,' and continues drinking his tea, and Rosie says 'Ah,' and goes back to her plant book, and John nearly doubles over in the corner.

Are You Gay? by orphan_account (G, 2,299, 2 Ch. || Parentlock with Rosie, Older Rosie, Fluff) – Some boys at school called Rosie "Gay." She doesn't exactly know what that means, but maybe her dad does?

Hope is sweet by Lock_John_Silver (T, 2,977 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Parentlock with Rosie, Valentine’s Day, Developing Relationship, Pet Names, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Classical Music, Idiots in Love, Endearments, POV Sherlock) - Sherlock wants to be more than John’s best friend. Has wanted it for ages, truth be told. So, when Molly comes up with an idea, that to some extent involves three year old Rosie, Sherlock doesn’t hesitate.

"Daddy, who do you like?" by OnlyForward (G, 3,441 w., 1 Ch. || Parentlock / 6 Year-Old Rosie Fic) – Rosie is in the phase where she constantly asks questions. This leads to questions like "Who do you like" and develops, eventually, to "Why don’t you kiss Sherlock?"

If Equal Affection Cannot Be by blueink3 (E, 31,156 w., 3 Ch. || Post S4, Family, Retirement, Grown Up Rosie, Angst, Reunion, Loneliness, Sussex, Fluff, Sexy Times, Happy Ending) – Sherlock fled London a couple of years after John left him in hospital with nothing but an old walking stick and a half-hearted goodbye. Rosie grew up thinking that Sherlock died when he committed suicide in front of her father by jumping from Barts' roof. So it's somewhat awkward when they run into each other in a Sussex general store between the loaves of bread and the Mars bars...

Consulting for Christmas by ohlooktheresabee (G, 40,153 w., 6 Ch. || Far Future Post S4 / Older Rosie, Thriller, Case Fic, Pre-Relationship, Christmas, Paris, POV Alternating, Fluff, Light Angst, Mutual Pining, BAMF John, BAMF Sherlock, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Jealousy, Misunderstandings, Mistletoe, Ice Skating, Heist, Awkward Romance, Developing Relationship, For a Case, Background Mystrade, Angst with Happy Ending) – The Louvre Museum in Paris is planning to host the celebrated Winter Fabergé Egg for its winter exhibition - quite the feat as it has not been on public display since 2002. However there is a snag: whispers of a world-renowned master-thief with his eyes set on the valuable prize. The curator has asked the famous Sherlock Holmes to consult on security, but the detective needs a lot of convincing: he is after all a bit busy with trying to woo a certain clueless ex-army doctor… At the same time, John is attempting to balance work, missing Rosie who is off on her gap year, a volunteer gig at a local London orphanage, and seething jealousy upon the arrival of an apparent old friend of Sherlock’s. Attempting to foil the heist of the century while remaining friendly and objective might just be a step too far... A Christmas crime caper packed full of misdirection, miscommunication and mistletoe, set against the romantic backdrop of London and Paris in the winter. Thrown into all this, will our two idiots finally manage to see what has been right in front of them all along?

Here We Go Again by disfictional (E, 46,687 w., 10 Ch. || Mama Mia-Inspired Fusion || Post-S4, Older Rosie, Alternating POV, Reunion, Retirement, Case Fic, Mutual Pining, Coming Out, Parentlock, Weddings, Fluff and Angst) – Ransacking some old trunks, Rosie Watson finds her father's old journal filled with remnants of a blog he used to keep about his association with Sherlock Holmes. In an attempt to meet the man who had a profound impact on her early years, Rosie invites the long-estranged detective to her wedding under false pretenses.

Know You All Over Again by PoppyAlexander (M, 53,028 w., 21 Ch. || Post-S3 Canon Divergence, Post-Break Up, Angst with Happy Ending, Therapy, Mary is Moriarty, Ex Sex, Parentlock) – After five good years, one difficult one, and six months that were hell, John and Sherlock live apart but still share custody of seven-year-old Rosie. With therapy, supportive friends, and those inevitable dance recitals and open school days forcing them into each other's paths again and again, anger and bitterness fade, leaving space for a new view of each other across the divide.

[kaylopolis]

Alastor's Shadow (18+) - Afterword

Alastor x F!Reader

Synopsis: There’s a new Overlord in town and it isn’t the Radio Demon. Six years after you fell into Hell, you have finally earned your seat at the table as Pentagram City’s newest and baddest and with the Extermination coming six months earlier than planned, it is now time to implement your ultimate endgame. After all, who doesn’t love a bit of power and chaos? Your plan brings you to the doorstep of the Hazbin Hotel as Charlie’s newest Redeemer, but who you find waiting for you will not only turn your entire plan upside down but also challenge your grab for power… 

Tag List: Slow burn, rivals to lovers, eventual smut

Masterlist Link: Masterlist

Spoiler Warning: Please read this after the Epilogue

Dear Hoteliers,

Before we begin, there is one thing I’d like to address: why did I kill Alastor?

Alastor’s death, believe it or not, was not about Alastor.

While you were dying, your thoughts were not fixated on him, nor were they fixated on Mary Marie if you read that alternate ending. They were about the abuse you experienced as an Angel of God. After all, this story, the very first thing that brought you to the Hotel was revenge.

But this was not a story about revenge. That all changed in Chapter 14 “Picking a Fight,” when you and Alastor finally caved and gave in to your feelings for each other.

No longer was your Endgame plan clear cut. Things got complicated. Alastor had to accept you and the plan or it didn’t work. Why? Because, again, you thought your story was one of revenge.

Alastor’s death - the demon saving you, looking after you over the years he was “dead,” and the lengths you went to revive him - changed that narrative. Because now it was not about Alastor accepting you and the Endgame plan, but you realizing that your story could not go on without him.

Literally, hence the time jump.

I did this for your character development, closure of your character’s arc, and because it has been the theme from the beginning of this work: power born from love is a thousand times more powerful than that born from fear.

Hence, the power, chaos, and love modified mantra I ended with.

So, if love was the solution/closure you needed why were you so fixated on the abuse as you died? Why did you not find resolution in those final moments (hence the “your fault” present during this scene)? Why was there no healing from your triggering past during this fic?

I intentionally did not want that sub-plot to find an ending because that’s not how trauma works. It’s an ongoing process - a battle to fight everyday. We have our good days and our bad, and we do not let it dictate our lives, but it’s a battle nonetheless.

I’ve always taken issue with movies and books romanticizing trauma and a character becoming empowered from it, using it as willpower to take down kingdoms literally and metaphorically. Culture wraps up trauma in a nice pretty bow and sticks it on a shelf and calls it a day when, in reality, that’s not how healing works.

It is a battle. An ongoing battle many of us spend our entire lives fighting.

How fitting that Mikaela’s a soldier…

But I’m not here to rehash this subplot. I’ve said my peace for you all to synthesize on your own because I find writers have many hidden motives we don’t catch while reading, and, as a writer myself, it makes me incredibly sad when a reader misses it because the story is SO much better if you understand them.

That being said, I’m here to reflect. After all, it’s what an “Afterword” is for.

I’ve never written a fanfic before but I am a fantasy writer. I decided to use this piece to explore romance, smut, and to fantasize about Alastor because how can you not? Vivienne inadvertently dropped us a hottie who has taken the fandom by storm!

I started this piece off as an “eventual smut” piece. Trying to practice my writing in a way the great Alastor Fictive writers on here would be proud to read: @minkdelovely , @hazelfoureyes , @hurthermore , @krahk , @fraugwinska , @macabr3-barbi3 (seriously go read their stuff, it’s AMAZING). Yet, around Chapter 14 (I call it the “Golden Chapter” in my head because I consider it to be the climax of not only the fanfic but of my writing as a whole. I’m quite proud of that chapter and honestly spent a long time debating ending the story there, but so many things were still unfinished) I found that I didn’t particularly have a talent for writing smut, nor did I enjoy it in the same way I enjoy writing fantasy.

This entire project was a discovery and a challenge for myself, and I grew A LOT as a writer.

Looking back, if I had to do this again, I would change quite a bit after Chapter 14. Maybe I will in the future, but as of right now, I have school and another manuscript to complete.

That being said, I have fallen in love with Mikaela and plan on using her in the future for my own book. (I will obviously not use any of Vivienne’s stuff because copyright laws exist, but I just love the character’s personality.)

I’m not planning on writing more on Tumblr anytime soon, but the series will stay up for future readers to find and enjoy.

My only goal with this was to reach a few people and have one person - just one - say they liked my writing. :)

Thank you, Hoteliers. Without you, this project wouldn’t have happened.

To power, chaos, and love!

As always, stay smutty <3

kaylopolis

Btw looking for feedback, feel free to send me a message!

-> Link to Masterlist

Tagged Hoteliers:

@sirens-and-moonflowers @wonderlandangelsposts @saccharine-nectarine @goyablogsstuff @mommymilkers0526 @eris-norwega @missgirlsstuff @alastor-the-radio-demons-blog @sillywormtrixareforkids @its-a-dam-blue-brick @cloverresin20 @blue-bird251 @speedycoffeedelight @littlebluefishtail @sawi1987 @mopeyghost @beelz3bub @fraugwinska @minamilinaqueen @demoarah @diffidentphantom @divineknightmare @animecrazy76 @sleepykittycx @graunta @reath-solia @satansdaughter123 @mysticatto @freshonyourpages @chibistar45 @rapunzelbro @stephydearestxo

[crooked-wasteland]

Stolen from @pinkandpurple360 anonymous ask.

"Blitz still has a long way to go with character development”

That's great. I can't wait to never see it.

This was an issue I tried working into my Fizzarolli Dissection but it kept feeling less about the character and more an overarching writing issue, so let's just take it here.

Every bit of character development in the series is inconsistent or entirely spontaneous. Stolas being in love with Blitz seemed like a slow burn until out of nowhere in Ozzie's he is so head over heels for Blitz in specific. Asking why Blitz only now is asking him out "after all this time", like he has been waiting on and expecting it despite that never being a thought towards their dynamic before. Going from being entirely obsessed with their sexual contract and seeing Blitz as a sex object to suddenly wanting cuddles on the couch with no strings attached?

That change was never shown in the series. It was never developed. There is no character growth, they merely are different to suit the new direction to the plot.

So again, I'm so glad Blitz has more character development to go through, can't wait for it all to be implied off screen like every other ounce of character we've been gaslight into believing has "grown".

If you never show it on screen, the dynamic, the relationship, the change, it never happened. Loona at the end of Queen Bee seems to get closer to Blitz but the next time we see her she's trying to assault him. We never saw any moment of change following the end of Queen Bee where we felt her character actually develop. Even after calling Blitz dad in the episode, she ignores him in favor of strangers at the party. She expressed clear disgust with Blitz before leaving with him, and her mild softening towards him at the end could just as easily be seen as nothing at all as it could be a character growth.

However growth requires reinforcement. If you never reinforce that moment meant something, it isn't growth, it's a cheap emotional scene to get a reaction from an audience. A short scene of Loona simply telling Blitz good morning to show some kind of change was all that was needed, but it was not as important to establish change in the characters as it was to have the most cringe scene in existence. Priorities.

One of the biggest issues with the series is how blatant the meta agenda of the writing is. They never allow the space to establish characters or change, instead citing these one off moments as “proof” of story when they do not amount to anything at all. There is unfortunately a distinct difference between a story and a scene, and it is painfully obvious by how Medrano and Nylan utilize these scenes that it is entirely for a superficial effect.

The relationship between Fizzarolli and Blitz similarly is extremely vapid and has no foundation to establish what their dynamic actually was growing up. Additionally, the two scenes of them being younger are fundamentally contradictory. Younger Fizz from The Circus is assertive and confrontational. He threatens to punch Blitz for being annoying and not playing the way he wants to play. He's bossy without necessarily being mean and not only knows he's popular, but also how to utilize it as manipulation, seen in how he draws attention to himself to spare Blitz the embarrassment of his failed joke. This Fizzarolli actually lines up also with the Fizz from Ozzie's. It's hard to claim that Ozzie's Fizz was "just an act" when as a literal child he has all the same traits

Then in the Special he is insecure, timid, has very little self esteem and is an anxious people pleaser with a mousy voice. There is nothing to establish this as the same person at all, and all the narrative context clues around his popularity does not support the direction of change this character has experienced. Fizzarolli has only gotten bigger between being what appears to be six years old and what I can only assume to be thirteen based on his cracking pubescent voice and gangly limbs. All we can go on is context clues and extrapolation, but arguing of a non-existent event that humbled Fizzarolli to this extent, while maintaining his stardom prior to ever meeting Mammon, is founded on nothing, when there is a much simpler answer.

His whole personality has taken a 180 turn for the sole purpose of the episode’s narrative. Fizzarolli being the pathetic whump he is in the episode is not founded anywhere else in the show, but we need that so people feel bad for him. There is no confidence in this writing. It shows that instead of believing the character is likeable as a whole for a complex personality, the only way anyone will like him is if he is just the softest jellybean in the bunch.

It is only this way because it suits the episode right here and now. And when his character changes, it isn't founded on any concrete narrative of growth and actions having consequences, but on what the writers need to get the audience to feel a certain way. So I say it again:

That's nice, I can't wait to never see it.

[fangdokja]

The secret to great NSFW writing isn’t in the act—it’s in the suspense.

❤︎ Synopsis. Discover how to twist the human psyche into knots, building suspense so thick it suffocates, where power, fear, and desire collide in a slow, deliberate burn. Master the art of making your readers crave what comes next—without ever knowing exactly what it is.

♡ Book. Ink & Insight (I&I): From Dead Dove to Daydreams.

♡ Series. The Anatomy of Tension: NSFW Writing Mastery - Part 1

♡ Word Count. 1,080

♡ Banner's Story. 🔞Run all you want, little omega—I love the chase.

♡ A/N . Did I just become a horror author without realizing it...? Or am I overthinking again? I don't even like horror movies personally, lots of horror can be irritatingly unrealistic for me. Horror games are fine though.

♡ Disclaimer.

As a writer, I firmly reject the romanticization of explicit or pornographic material in any form, written or otherwise. My work explores dark psychological themes, often utilizing elements of non-consensual dynamics, violence, and tension to create stories that evoke discomfort, fear, and introspection. These themes are not meant to glorify or condone such actions but to explore the depths of human psychology and morality. If you are here expecting a guide to brainless smut or glorified erotica, you are in the wrong place. This is a space for crafting narratives that challenge, unsettle, and provoke thought, not mindless indulgence.

With that clear, let’s dive into crafting NSFW content that is deliberate, impactful, and true to the story you’re telling.

♡ The Secret Ingredient: Tension.

The foundation of compelling NSFW writing isn’t the act itself but the tension surrounding it. This tension doesn’t have to be sexual in nature—it can be psychological, emotional, or situational. The key is to create a charged atmosphere that keeps readers hooked, whether they’re feeling dread, fear, or curiosity.

Tension creates stakes. Without stakes, any NSFW scene—explicit or implied—will feel hollow. Readers need to feel the weight of what’s happening, even if it’s unsettling or horrifying.

Here are some ways to build tension effectively:

Power Dynamics: Who holds the power, and how is it wielded? This could be a physical, emotional, or psychological power imbalance. Yandere characters, for instance, thrive on this dynamic.

Slow Build: Draw out the moments leading to the scene. Use subtle cues, such as body language, dialogue, and sensory details, to create an uneasy anticipation.

Uncertainty: Keep readers guessing. Will the character escape? Will the tension snap into violence or something else entirely? Ambiguity is your ally.

♡ Crafting Non-Con Scenes with Purpose.

When writing non-consensual content, intention is everything. It’s not about shock value; it’s about using these scenes to serve the narrative and delve into the psychological and emotional impact on the characters involved.

Understand Why It’s There. Ask yourself: What purpose does this scene serve in the story? Does it reveal something crucial about a character’s psyche, advance the plot, or set up future conflict? If the answer is no, rethink its inclusion.

Focus on Emotion Over Action. Explicit descriptions aren’t necessary. Instead, focus on the emotions and sensations—fear, betrayal, numbness, anger, etc. This not only avoids gratuitous detail but also keeps the reader’s focus on the impact rather than the act.

Use Subtext and Implication. Sometimes, what’s left unsaid is more powerful than what’s described. Subtle hints and implications can evoke a stronger reaction than explicit detail, leaving room for the reader’s imagination.

Respect the Reader’s Intelligence. Trust your readers to pick up on cues and understand the weight of the scene without over-explaining or sensationalizing.

♡ The Art of Psychological Tension.

Psychological tension is where NSFW writing can shine, especially in darker narratives. It’s about creating an internal conflict within the characters and the readers themselves. Here’s how to achieve it:

Internal Monologues: Show the conflicting thoughts of your characters. A victim’s fight between fear and survival instinct, or an antagonist’s rationalization of their actions, can add layers of complexity.

Unreliable Narration: Keep readers on edge by blurring the line between reality and perception. This can heighten the unsettling tone and draw them deeper into the story.

Twisted Empathy: Make the antagonist human enough to understand but never justify. This discomfort can make the story linger in the reader’s mind.

♡ Balancing Explicitness and Restraint.

Writing NSFW content doesn’t mean you have to spell out every detail. In fact, restraint often leads to more impactful storytelling.

Sensory Details: Instead of describing actions, focus on sensory impressions—the coldness of metal restraints, the suffocating silence of a room, the sharp tang of blood. These evoke a visceral reaction without relying on explicitness.

Pacing: Break up the scene with pauses, interruptions, or shifts in perspective to heighten the tension and prevent desensitization.

Leave Room for Reflection: Show the aftermath and consequences. This reinforces the weight of the events and prevents the scene from feeling gratuitous.

♡ Ethical Considerations and Personal Boundaries.

Know Your Limits: As a writer, it’s crucial to recognize what you are comfortable exploring and where you draw the line. Writing dark content can be emotionally taxing; take care of yourself.

Communicate Intent: Be transparent with your readers about the themes and tone of your work. Trigger warnings are not a weakness; they show respect for your audience.

Separate Fiction from Reality: Remind yourself and your readers that what you write is fiction. Your work doesn’t define your personal beliefs or values.

♡ Practical Tips for Writing NSFW Scenes.

Start with the Atmosphere: Before diving into actions or dialogue, set the tone. What does the environment feel like? Is it oppressive, suffocating, eerily calm?

Dialogue as a Weapon: Use words to manipulate, intimidate, or unsettle. Dialogue can be just as impactful as physical actions in creating tension.

Revise Ruthlessly: NSFW scenes require precision. Edit out anything that feels unnecessary, overly graphic, or inconsistent with the tone.

Seek Feedback (Carefully): Share your work with trusted beta readers who understand your intent. Their input can help refine your approach and ensure your message comes across.

♡ Final Thoughts.

Writing NSFW content that doesn’t make you cringe or question your life choices is about staying true to your story and your intentions. It’s not about shock value or cheap thrills but about crafting moments that resonate, unsettle, and linger in the minds of your readers. By focusing on tension, purpose, and psychological depth, you can create scenes that are as meaningful as they are haunting.

Remember: the goal isn’t to glorify or romanticize—it’s to tell a story that matters, no matter how dark the corners it explores.

────────────

If you want to be added or removed from the tag list, just comment on the MASTERLIST of Ink & Insight (I&I): From Dead Dove to Daydreams. Thank you.

General TAG LIST of “Ink & Insight”:

[girl4music]

Remember what I was saying about bisexual narratives? This is one but since it's about a female romantic interest they had to be a lot more careful with it. But the fact they did an entire episode about the concept of Gabrielle being jealous over Xena and Lao Ma's intimate relationship is significant, and again, just proves how much they took Xena and Gabrielle's relationship seriously whether it was interpreted as a romantic one or not because this is a DRAMA. It's not a joke. In fact it's the only Gabrielle-centric drama. Yeah, there's humour in it with an amnesiac Gabrielle and Joxer trying to get her to remember but that's completely besides the point of what they're saying here.

Which is that Gabrielle betrayed Xena in Chin because she thought Xena was leaving her and going to hook back up with an ex-girlfriend because neither Xena nor Gabrielle had any idea Lao Ma was dead until the point of reaching Chin and then learning that information. So making this an episode in actual context of why Gabrielle did what she did in betraying Xena makes complete sense. Why wouldn't she think that when Xena literally says to her that she'd give her life up with Gabrielle to fulfil some insane debt to a woman she once loved. Gabrielle doesn't understand what that debt is UNTIL Xena explains it after the whole ordeal so - naturally - Gabrielle would think in her grief and anger shit like: "She still loves her and she doesn't want to be with me anymore. I'm nothing to her. I'm not a lover, I'm not a friend, I'm not a sidekick... I never was important to her at all. I was only there to help her pass the time away. Why should I let her have happiness now? Why should I let her have that power over me?" and they really go into this area of thought with her as a full-on drama because petty jealousy like that can be a really compelling storyline and vehicle for character development and we come to get a whole other dimension to Gabrielle's character that we have never gotten before - that we probably never wanted to get - but the creators were like "No, we're taking this relationship so seriously to the point where we have to depict the ugliness in it as well as the beauty because that's what real life couples go through” and Gabrielle has to finally stop lying to herself as well as Xena that her motivations for betraying her and hurting her were not selfish or self-serving because they were and she had to come to terms with the fact that she was never like this when it came to any of the male romantic interests in Xena's life. But with a female one... because she knew Xena was a lot more emotionally invested there... she was a lot worse than she ever was when it came to Ares or Draco or Marcus. She was a lot more fucking concerned and rightly so because like if Xena was into women - why the hell haven't they gotten together? Why are they not more than they are? So you see what I mean about how interpreting them as a slow burn really works with everything going on in the show with all of the narratives because they can do an episode like this and it doesn't feel like it's just come out of left field at all. It feels logical and necessary.

I think as much as Season 3 showed us Gabrielle wasn't the entirely innocent, pure or selfless character - this was the storyline arc that showed that she could be pretty freaking vindictive when she can't get her way with Xena or when she wasn't the center of her attention but I thought that all this made her even more of a great character because she wasn't clean cut anymore. She could be a bitch too and so she was on more equal footing as Xena who we know used to be and would absolutely understand where Gabrielle was coming from.

[mamawasatesttube]

Kon-El questions 3, 7 and 16

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

hmmm. how do i put this. it's like... the way karl kesel treated him as a self-insert for his own teenage fantasy self or whatever sometimes. obviously this comes out in the way he gets preyed on by adult women and this is played off as cool and chill, but it also comes out in the way a) kesel writes his flirting. sometimes it's very endearing and cringefail, and other times he's kissing women without consent, and that's played off as chill and fine because kesel thinks it should be and the women in question almost always are fine with that, but also b) he writes off concerns about indigenous hawaiians in kon's narrative (like silver sword or ...man i'm forgetting that kid who gets jealous of him and has powers about it for a minute, but that narrative). and like. yeah. white man in the 90s wrote this for SURE. i don't think it's like, written in the absolute poorest taste imaginable, because there's a lot of ways where it seems almost like they were trying to be respectful of native hawaiian culture, but then there's shit that's so far off the mark it's like. dude. and it's very evident that it just reflects karl kesel's own views much more than any character in-narrative.

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

lmaooo that's a toughie!!!! fanon kon at large is just. straight up not my boy. however there's a subset of fandom who leans into him being genderqueer/gnc/trans a lot more than canon ever has and i looove that. trans kon truthers lets go ♥

16. What's your least favorite ship for this character?

LORD. tim/ber/kon is the one that makes me roll my eyes hardest, alongside the rarer but no less irksome ber/kon. it's like... this is 100% not about kon as a character. this is about tim. ber/kon is almost funny in that it's entirely about tim but with tim himself cut out of the picture. but tim/ber/kon is just "let's take tim's most popular two fanon love interests and just shove all of them together!" and i have yet to see Anything even remotely try to convince me why kon and bernard should give a shit about each other. like, MAYBE you could sell it as a loooong slow burn, but i just. i don't see it man. putting the rest under a cut bc i AM gonna ramble about why i dislike it, so if you like tim/ber/kon or tim/ber and don't wanna see that, keep scrolling here👍!!

this is also partly bc i just... man i really wanted to like bernard and tim/ber but there's nothing there. i knew i didn't like rebirth tim characterization going in when i read tdr but i was hoping i'd at least find some crumbs. it's all just ... like there's no substance to it. there's no conflict, no character flaws, no "why do they even like each other???", no particular way they seem to help each other grow. it's just tropey "told, not shown" fluff where megfitz insists they are SO in love and perfect for each other, over and over, without backing that up really at all, and it just holds absolutely no appeal to me. and when it's just tim/ber i'm like yeah ok sure it's not my thing but whatever. but when people start trying to shove kon into there i'm like NO!!!!!! sdjkfhkd like im just SO unconvinced and it feels like such a great steaming heap of Nothing.

the main reason that is is that to me a relationship needs to have an arc. it can't just be stagnant. if there's no conflict, if there's no room for growth, if there's no development, it falls apart in my eyes. it doesn't feel like a real story about actual people. and as far as the tim/ber dynamic established in tdr, there's just. nothing. even the fact that bernard apparently somehow knows that tim is robin, which should be a HUGE source of conflict, is completely glossed over. it never comes up in any way.

like, we know that tim wants to tell people, but holds back out of a sense of duty. in robin '93, he agonizes about this with steph. but when bruce tells her his identity without his consent - which steph tells him bruce did immediately - he flips the fuck out!!!! he panics and runs away and he's furious with them both!!! so you'd ostensibly think that bernard knowing, and then not telling him he knows, would be sowing the seeds for an explosive conflict later down the line. especially because bernard now knows that tim is just. lying to him. all the time. shamelessly and blatantly lying through his teeth. and sure, it's for a good cause. right? but you'd think that in a relationship that's only just been established, just for a few months, that would also be offputting!! you'd think he'd start getting more and more unhappy that tim is just constantly lying to him and he knows it!! because he knows it about the robin secret, but what else might tim be lying to him about??? he knows now that tim has no qualms just lying to his face all the goddamn time, and he's... FINE with that???? there's this giant secret they're both dancing around and it's set up that there's just. N O T H I N G done with that. it drives me up the wall. i found this absolutely infuriating to read. both of them just being so one-dimensionally "oh we're in looooove so nothing else matters" that it erodes not only tim's specific characterization but bernard's ability to react like . idk. a human being? it just feels like running into dead end after dead end.

so yeah adding kon into that mix makes me want to tear my hair out bc it just feels SO surface-level. it's like... how much of him are you gonna shave off to fit him into this soulless, conflictless mold? it's like how i get annoyed when tim/kon fics ignore kon being genuinely really upset tim didn't share his identity with the team in yj98, but worse. because identity shit REALLY matters to kon. kon has never dated anyone who didn't know he was superboy. all of his civilian friends in sb11 know he's superboy. like, he does Not get close to people if he can't share that. it would be!!! a source!!! of conflict!!! but i've never seen Any ship content for tim/ber/kon that isn't just either completely declawed fluff that's just oh hehe tim has two boyfriends, or "kon angsting over tim dating someone else uwu" bullshit, which occasionally leads into completely declawed "tim has two boyfriends" fluff. it just does such a disservice to every character involved imo.

[gafellique]

So I've been really into this visual novel, Scarlet Hollow, for a minute now. The devs are a husband and wife team who are better known for their more recent indie darling, Slay the Princess. Scarlet Hollow is kind of the red headed step child with fans though. People are hesitant to play it because it is steam open access because it is not yet complete. Which is fair - so many cool indie projects go unfinished and it sucks to get invested just to never get a complete story.

However, I fail to see the difference between watching a new TV show that could be canceled at the whims of its network versus an indie project that your support can personally help keep afloat. It's genuinely puzzling how many people in steam discussions get mad about the game not updating fast enough (ten dollars, one time entry fee that gets you every new chapter for free btw) when the devs have been transparent about their update schedule and what they're working on, super consistently, for years.

It's got like 500k worth of words, and lots of branching choices that make replay value crazy high. I still haven't gotten all the scenes possible in the chapters that are currently available (four out of a planned seven) and on my last playthrough discovered a particularly nasty ending to the most recent chapter that I've never seen anyone talk about on here or Reddit.

For better or worse, most of the in depth relationship mechanics are completely hidden from the player. While this allows for a more genuine roleplaying experience, especially for a first play through, it does make it a bit harder when you're replaying with goals in mind. It's an incredible amount of work under the hood that results in contextual relationships, and the amount of choices allowed to the player are staggering.

Whatever game you've played that is narrative focused and prioritizes choice mechanics is probably NOTHING compared to Scarlet Hollow's ability to let the player choose the direction of events, minor and major.

That's not even starting on the art assets. If you've played a visual novel before, there are typically three key assets: Sprites for general dialogue, environments to establish settings, and CGs for special moments that get illustrated out. Often these are important moments like romance, or action.

Scarlet Hollow uses so many unique sprites and backgrounds it's wild. Your general sprites are ofc the traditional 3/4ths view of a character facing the player, but often the sprites are positioned in an environment like a CG, only for you to realize they're sprites when they move closer or further away and interact with their environment. It's effective and illustrative in a way I wish more VNs embraced, but also means a shit ton more art assets to make, as well as up filesize of the game.

I haven't even touched on the story or characters, Jesus. Another time.

Well I guess this is a long-winded way to say if you're into visual novels I highly recommend Scarlet Hollow by Black Tabby Games lol. The first chapter is free on steam last I checked, and I do think it's a bit of a slow burn but ultimately an intriguing gothic horror I'm excited to see truly ramp up and play out. The next chapter will probably release in 2025 and is projected to almost double the word count of the entire game so far iirc. Keeping all those narrative choices in hand is NOT easy work. Oh, and the devs keep adding more scenes to earlier chapters. Fucking wild. I admire them immensely. They're so dedicated to the project and it's incredible to see what they keep coming out with.

[smileyoureoncamera]

Okay so I just finished the all of us villains duology (after postponing and then forgetting about it midway lmaooo) and it was definitely a favorite of mine! I'm going feral about it ngl. ANYWAY I think one of my favorite things is the character development of all parties. Apologies for not being able to spell

Isobel who was basically manipulated under the guise of family to participate in the tournament. Like think about it, even though she was part of the main family she really wasn't because of her parents divorce (I think my brain is fuzzy) and then once her BFF just yeets her as champion she forced into the limelight and then loses everything except the people who only care about her stays as champion aka her dad and his side of the family so she loses the ability to trust. And then the shit that happened with Alistair who she had to trust because of losing her ability to see magic and then he basically dropped her for his brother (same tho) and then having to relearn to trust and be trusted? Reid being the person to basically help her relearn to trust??? To help her figure who and what she really wants for herself and not based on what other people tell her???????

Briony who was raised to think that being a champion was an honor and not a death sentence who really thought that she could do good and then realized well fuck being a champion ain't it and tried to remedy that who sacrificed herself and who tried to be better her entire arc was genuinely one of my faves like and then the fact that she died in that room in the castle and no one will know exactly how it went down????? The what if will haunt them forever, she really was in a sense the first brick thrown ksbsjheisjkejejd

Finley mr.perfect I think him really branching himself off from those expectations was absolutely stunning and subtle. Like hold on he really gave me hs quarterback with cheerleader gf vibes who just went with his cookie cutter life??? But then discovers actually there's to life than that and I think that's great. Honestly my brain is blank with him rn but YEET I kinda wanted more interactions with him and the others

Gavin in particular is also a fave mostly because I love characters who pull themselves from the pit like he genuinely would have done whatever it takes to win and prevail simply because his family just immediately gave up on him and everyone else refused to help and I respect that something about a character refusing to let the odds win like the strength that takes is amazing and also his relationship with al was so good ngl like he genuinely hyperfixated on him and was like nah imma be the only one to kill him that's peak romance right there that slow burn enemies to lovers was PERFECT but also his relationship with hendery? I think they were really similar narrative wise, two people destined to die and didn't or in henderys case came back

Alistair WHOOOOOO BOY WHEN I SAY HE WAS FAVE BRUH I absolutely love his character, the angst! The trauma!!!! He is wrapped in grief and I am here for it. I love how when he was introduced it was basically as the big bad wolf and he was! The monster everyone feared and then Hendry dies and it's like ACTUALLY he is simply traumatized and it's beautiful. When Hendry dies it's basically revealed that it was just them against the world and when he looses that he just sinks into his grief and despair and then with isobel he kinda learns that he doesn't have to just bury himself like that and then it's revealed that the tournament can be broken and he finds some type of reprieve but when he realizes that he would loose hendery right after he immediately throws that idea away because he just lost then gained the one thing in the world that mattered and he isn't gonna lose it again and then the curse??? Be for real without it he would have impossible to defeat. He was determined to be the monster everyone said he was to keep the one thing he cared about and I fuck with shit. I also really liked how his relationship with Gavin essentially like lead to him? Processing his grief? The loss? Of hendery? And then if course hendery being the final nail in the coffin to tell him let go it's okay you will be ok. He was so important to me because he was sculpted as a monster then became a monster and then realized no I don't have to be, I'm not. Idk kshsisjksjs

Hendery my bbboooyyyyyyyy he deserved better but okay the set up for his play in Alistair being the champion like looking back at it it was foreshadowed so hard. I'm glad we got to see moments where yeah he's still a lowe like he grew up in that environment where he was expected to be a monster even if he was the 'softer' brother and getting revenge on what they did to him was expected and deserved but I also love how he was just as fierce. He was the light to Alistairs dark lol i think the focus of their sibling bond was my fave part because they grew up separated from society they didn't interact with other people their age and they knew that everyone hated them it was literally them against the world and then the family took that from them idk man I have thoughts. His fear of dying again and leaving. Like kshskjdjdjd he was definitely one of my favorite characters

Reids story being controlled by grief is PEAK he went through so much shit and decided actually imma fuck shit up and take yall down with me and that's so valid of him but I also really love how when he became a champion he realized that huh there's actually a chance. His character development in particular was one of my favorites I wish I could put my thoughts into words.

And don't even get me started on the tournament like I NEED TO KNOW THINGS like we have the vague stories of how the relics came to be but I wanna know the full details. What really started the tournament why it started WHO started it. It's implied that others tried to stop it I wanna know THEIR STORIES kskshiwhsiejsjs