#end of the world: overdone and often boring

[theblackknightofworcestershire]

stories about a journey to the edge of the world are like heroin to me. i will love it every. single. time. even if it's not good i will still love it i don't care. quality is meaningless in the face of such a hypnotic and philosophically interesting setpiece.

[notademon10]

If you did not notice yet, this entire account is litterally a response to SullyTheLightnerd's opinion on Krusie (for the love of GOD don't harrass him, it's just a game), which he thinks is a boring, unoriginal MxF-like ship, that had no actual buildup in the game, and that Toby Fox avoided an annoying, dull trope by favouring Suselle. So, I made some posts about Kris' views on Susie to make a better counterargument to this. But if you want a more personal respones, here goes: I don't think he knows what he's talking about. This is a big claim, but I believe he doesn't understand why certain tropes are the way they are. That isn't without counting the fact that classmate x reformed bully isn't exactly common, and Suselle is full of tropes, even though that's not necessarely a bad thing.

In reddit he gave a bit more detailed explanation for his distaste, and it was that Kris ending up with any of the other party members would ruing his immersion because character x best friend was an annoying overdone trope. Basically what I just said, but slightly more specific.

To his hatred towards the trope, I must ask this: what? If we lived in a world were characters could NEVER have a crush on people close to them, these romance plots would often, but not always, end up REALLY shallow, and depending of the story, might even butcher it's own potential. The reason why this trope happens in the first place is to give that ship weight, to emphatize how much these people care, LOVE each other. And even then, Kris and Susie were anything but best friends at the start of the game.

The other part, about Krusie being First "boy" x first girl ship. Yeah, i know it seems like another overdone trope, but it makes a lot of sense WHY it happens so much, because they're the characters that have interacted and GROWN with each other the most. This isn't a norm, but it's something that happens a lot, which means that perhaps, if one of these characters ends up with another character, this ship might not have as much ground, or even feel disatisfying, because they haven't had as much development, if any. On a related note, if Kris was a girl, then this wouldn't really be a problem, no? Therefore, the only problem here is Kris' gender, and if we're deciding if Krusie is goog or not based on gender, then I don't know what to tell you. If Noelle was in Kris' place, and with a different gender, would Suselle no be as good of a ship as before? It would be the same thing, with MORE development, but with different gender. So take that as you will.

All in all, I don't wish any harm towards Sully, and I made a promise to myself to not be bitchy about this, as to not emulate that terrible response video from Kooki and Shadowhaxxer to Jaru about Ralsei. I hope I delivered. I'm still thinking about Krusie part 3, which will talk about Susie specifically. Take care❤️

[crusherthedoctor]

Tbh, the more I think about frontiers, the more it feels “artificial” it looks like a sonic game, and has elements people wanted, but it doesn’t feel natural. When I look at superstars, thats how I see sonic as a franchise. But when I look at frontiers, I get constant mixed feelings, especially with how it handled certain characters and story. I don’t know, but frontiers was probably a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Agreed.

It's not just the obvious qualities, like how it's piggybacking off of Breath of the Wild, or how various aspects of the level design are cobbled haphazardly in a way that detracts from the intended open world experience, or how bland everything is and how "Starfall Islands is meant to have its own aesthetic and style" doesn't work as an argument when there is no aesthetic and style for the environments, or how the writing feels a lot more Archie-esque, or how the voice actors sound less "I'm doing a low-key portrayal of these characters" and more "I'm genuinely depressed and bored IRL", or how The End is nowhere near as gripping as its manifestation of death schtick warrants, or how Tails says he's Wildly Inconsistent, or... everything to do with Eggman. Because even putting all that aside, the little things are frequently off as well.

Like cutscene pacing for example. There are so many moments with unnaturally drawn out pauses between characters during a conversation, and them just kind of fucking around and merely existing, the latter of which was something that the Pontaff games frequently got criticised for by fans. Then there's the specific way that references are often pulled off: they rarely feel natural and non-intrusive, and with how shoehorned they can get, you get the impression that they're desperately trying to convince you that they're totally Sonic fans to compensate for not actually knowing the games past the surface. Especially since half of them aren't even accurate references. Like shit, why not add an overdone Snapcube reference while you're at it, might as well given fans remember that more than they do the actual games at this point.

And I know I keep bringing this up, but I must stress: why is it that, nearly a year since the game originally came out, and despite all its popularity and acclaim, and fans taking any opportunity they can to boast about said acclaim ("It won an award!")... I can never find sincere praise for it that doesn't boil down to vague "They fixed it!" refrains, with maybe a side dish of Fuck Pontaff at most? Why am I more likely to find someone who can explain the ins and outs of why they like ShtH, ironically or unironically? Why am I more likely to find someone who can explain in helpful detail why they like Sonic Underground? Why are these diehard fans of Frontiers so reluctant to actually discuss the game, instead of repeating "It's the best because it is, please notice me Flynn senpai" over and over?

I'm sure they'd say that Frontiers' widespread adoration by the fandom shows they did something right. As if popularity automatically equates to quality. As if I can trust what a fandom that has grown to care more about portrayals that openly shit on the games has to say in order to convince me that I just don't get it, maaan.

[kudzucataclysm]

This or That: Writer Edition!!!

tas tagged by the amazing @vacantgodling :3 i tag...whoever sees this 👁️👁️ no really. dewit

historical or futuristic

FUTURISTIC 100%. historical shit can be…very boring to me, usually cuz its all very repetitive? And to me its usually way too grounded in established reality and focuses a ton on aesthetic. like history is pretty much done, but the future is absolutely unwritten and unknown to for me its more interesting to speculate abt (pushes my ww1 horror story and 1200s zombie apocalypse story under the bed)

2. the opening chapter or closing chapter

opening, cuz its easier and more exciting to figure out while the closing chapter tends to beeee hard to figure out and kinda sad for me? cuz its over dfvfv like its the END. and u gotta figure out a satisfying wrap up for all these characters and plotlines and all that, which is a monumental task in and of itself (to me) EVEN THOUGH. i agree, working backwards can often hepl tremendously in working out how everything goes (i say this cuz i actually know the ending of my wip Typhoon Landing, so its easier to map out in a way)

3. light & fluffy or dark & gritty

dark and gritty ig? although it can be overdone in a way, where theres next to no levity and people bask in its grittiness. light and fluffy however can be boring and bleh, i'll take dark and gritty over that any day

4. animal companion or found family

found family for sure. i rarely have signifigant animal companions in my story cuz…well, theyre pets. the only one i can think of rn is EFJ, Dez's eventual cat who can TALK, but even then she doesn't get much attention story wise. she's just someone Dez can talk to and take care of v-v but yeh all my stories tend to have a semblance of found family huehue

5. horror or romance

HORRORRRRR cuz i don't have the patience for romance ig lol. i also don't really care for it :p way less interesting to me than horror

6. hard or soft magic system

it depends? i prefer hard magic typically but in the case of certain settings like Discworld, the soft magic system is extremely interesting and feels natural to the world and stories! but for stories like FMA, the hard 'magic' system being built around chemistry and math is like WHHOOAA and its super cool and neat to me. so…either is fine!! if i find it interesting and that it fits in the world it resides in

…actually u know what im gonna be a hater for a sec. one magic system that i absolutely fucking abhor is the H/P system like what the actual fuck. it makes genuinely no sense like evidently u had wizards disappearing their own shit in the 1300s but if ONE FUCKING KID does a self defense on a malevolent entity that will CONSUME HIS FUCKING SOUL ALONG WITH OTHERS, u go to wizard court and yur banned from magic 5evar. the ghosts of dead students haunt the halls of britain wizard school wtf what happened there. the whole blood quantity race thing with wizards who think humans are below them cuz they cant do magic yet they dont even know how dishwashers work (lets not even get into it how the very author is like 'yeah non-magic ppl are lame and stupid lol'). the full blown racism where other supernatural creatures and people are discriminated against like yur a wizard with lycanthropy?? yur a giant? fuck you kill yourself no youre not allowed to learn magic. the teachers and ministry despite knowing the threat that the ghost thingies pose (THEYRE ON SCHOOL FUCKING GROUNDS?? KIDS WILL BE SOUL SUCKED) and like theres TERRORISTS RUNNING AROUND and nobody teaches these kids self defense spells. on TOP of that, they STILL HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL LMAOOO like that is so fucking funny to me, genuinely. like FUCK THOSE WIZARD KIDS FR LOL anyway im done

7. standalone or series

series cuz for the life of me i cant have short or self-contained stories. i grow too attached to characters and the world and it has to be drawn out to its full potential sorry not sorry

8. one project at a time or always juggling two+

im hyperfocusing on SE rn but i have like 15+ stories on the backburner rn rip to everyone who liked those specifically and havent seen em since

9. one award winner or one best seller

uuuh i dunno? i dont think either of these things will happen for me cuz my works are uh…weird? but i think a bestseller would be kinda cool maybe…

10. fantasy or sci-fi

sci-fi!!!! i love to blend both genres tho so rules can be bent more- and i generally do hate how many sci-fi fans these days are all ''REALISM!! ACKTCHUALLY THIS WOULDNT HAPPEN BECUZ-'' idc its fake. i love earlier sci-fi stories where its just crazy bullshit. cowboys on alien planets. sword and planet, with barbarians and knights with super futuristic technology. Alien planet where the ocean itself is the alien intelligence. FRANK HERBERT'S DUNE WHERE DRUGS PRODUCED BY MOUNTAIN SIZED WORMS IS THE BASIS FOR INTERPLANETARY TRAVEL; THE DRUGS ALSO GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO PERCIEVE SPACE AND TIME OUTSIDE OF REALITY. fucking shit like godzilla where an iguana was exposed to radiation and turned into a massive monster who terrorizes cities. like bring that shit back like thats my heroine. i want WEIRD SHIT!!!

11. character or setting description

character description cuz its simply easier vv' descriptions in general are hard for me

12. first or final draft

ive never even completed a draft please no talk to me-

13. love triangle in everything or no romantic arcs

FUCK LOVE TRIANGLES FR i hate that shit with a passion dont even get me started. i dont even give af abt romance in stories anyway so i'd rather have no arcs goddamn >:/

14. constant sandstorm or rainstorm

constant rainstorm plz, forever :3

[psalmsofpsychosis]

I'm actually a super duper predictable and consistent person if you look at me from the right angle: basically my whole drive in life is to explore and discover things and people that noone else dares to explore, i live to bring in whatever is excluded and overlooked and kept off the table. Like, my whole entire head is so oriented towards inclusion that i'm always focused on what is [intentionally or unintentionally] left outside the door of a situation and i'll bring it in. I really have no interest in what is already integrated into a context and accounted for, well worn roads and well practised performances bore me to death. So like, the most consistent thing about me is however a scenario is and whatever way the people are behaving, i'm on the opposite side of it, often introducing supposed "conflict" by being a devil's advocate and a contrarian. What is already known and accepted cannot be really explored, it's already overdone, so i'm going down the road everyone drives past and avoids. Attending a funeral? you're gonna find me joking and laughing, not because i necessarily feel happy, but because it's a question noone asks and i love to explore, "are we accounting for the joys of humanity too?" and if there's a flood of performative positivity i'm gonna bring in gloom, it's almost an involuntary reflex. I need all contexts to be complex and inclusive, so i naturally work in the opposite team. It doesn't really mean that i'm with the team, it just means that i need the context to be diverse. I have zero appreciation for any kind homogenised, streamlined and scripted kind of existence.

Where this puts me in regards to parties is, ho boy i'm fun at parties, almost always guaranteed to be dragged into a fight that i did not intend to be in. But also it feels very, very lonely. 98.99% of people have no appreciation for discovery and exploring the mysteries of the world, and even if they eventually end up loving what you brought to the table, they dont love you for introducing something new and unfamiliar into their life, they find it threatening and uncomfortable.

[dedicatedfollower467]

1, 7, 18, 26, 28, 47, 58, 70, 84, 89, 100 :3 <3

do you know how you want the story to end when you start, or are you just stumbling through the figurative wilderness hoping to find a road?

usually i am stumbling through the figurative wilderness looking for a road. there are a few fics/stories i have begun with a specific climax in mind, but almost never an ending. i almost never know how a story is going to end, i am figuring it out as i go along.

7. tell us about the plot of the first fanfic you ever wrote

so uh. i was in second grade. it was for Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. The plot was that Mrs. Frisby and her kids got captured by the NIMH scientists and put them through all kinds of experiments. But then Mrs. Frisby gave birth to a new daughter, and the daughter was SO cool and clever and sharpened a needle into a sword and cut her way through the cage and saved them all. so that's the kind of story i was writing when i was eight.

18. what is your most and least favorite part of writing?

most favorite is... i guess getting inside a character's mindset? i really like figuring out a character's voice or internal monologue, how they talk inside their head to themself as the narrator, how they react to the stuff going on around them.

my least favorite part is figuring out what the fuck comes next.

26. do you like to write one-shots or series, and why?

oh god. both? neither? i prefer to write one-shots (like legit one-shots, not 50k one-shots, in my mind those are basically series but as one fic) because they are easier to complete. i like one-shots because i like being able to say "there it is, it's DONE, i did the thing and it is over!"

but i like series because i almost always come up with ideas that are very intricate with many characters and different viewpoints and various scenes that interest or excite me that require a lot of plot/connective tissue to go together in a way that makes any kind of sense.

in an ideal world, i would make series of connected one-shots. no clue why i've never actually done that.

28. handwritten notes or typed notes?

both? i tend to wind up using typed notes most often for fic because it feels easier, but i actually prefer handwritten notes for the most part.

47. what story are you most proud of?

i was gonna say Smells Like Belonging, but really, i think it's actually All the Memories of All Our Lives, if only because all the memories is fucking FINISHED, ACTUALLY unlike slb.

58. what is the last thing that a fic made you google when you were writing it?

the last thing? "20 miles to km" according to my search history.

since that's a boring answer, the previous one before that was "how far can a human walk in a day"

70. are you very critical of your own writing? how much do you find yourself editing (either during the writing or after the fact)?

god. it depends very much on the specific fic? for shorter fics i usually do a couple passes for grammar/consistency and then post it without thinking too hard. for longer fic, i usually write and re-write sections over and over again, trying to get things to work out exactly how i want them. my cut/deleted/re-written scenes doc for smells like belonging is almost 70k words.

84. answered this one earlier!

89. sarcastic narrators: entertaining or overdone?

EXTREMELY entertaining. love them so much.

100. open question to the writer.

i think you're supposed to like, actually ask a question, es. if your questions is ":3 <3" then of course my answer has to be ">:3c <3"

[scorbleeo]

Drama Review: Stay by My Side (免疫屏蔽)

Source: Google Images

Bu Xia is brought up by his grandfather, who is a spiritual medium. After his grandfather’s funeral, he finds himself hearing voices murmur in his ears now and then. He thinks he’s suffering from hallucinations and is ready to seek medical treatment but is surprised to find that the voices in his ears, like a Dolby stereo, are the voices of ghosts! He is as dumbfounded as if he has just received a vaccination. Jiang Chi is Bu Xia’s roommate and excels in both sports and academics. When Bu Xia finds out that the more he gets in touch with Jiang Chi, the more he doesn’t hear any ghostly voice, he starts to find ways to approach Jiang Chi. Is it because of Jiang Chi’s charm? The more Jiang Chi knows, the more confused he becomes.

Source: MyDramaList (2023)

Cringey But Cute

When I first started watching Stay by My Side, I was obsessed with it. It was cute in a cringe way and it was interestingly fast-paced. Unfortunately, the drama fell off in the last two to three episodes. The beginning of the drama was focused on Bu Xia's unfortunate ability and the start of his relationship with Jiang Chi. Reaching the middle, it was all about the development of Bu Xia and Jiang Chi's relationship. At the end though, it was a rushed attempt at dramatising Bu Xia's unfortunate ability. I understood the direction the writers wanted the show to go but they did not plan the route well. The least they could do was give Bu Xia's unfortunate ability's storyline a development arc so by the time the viewers reach the last two episodes, it wouldn't feel rushed.

Of course, in spite of my issue with that, I liked the way the drama ultimately ended. I have a feeling they ended it that way so a possible second season is not too farfetched but I actually like it more if there are no plans for a second season at all. It made sense. They did that ritual and now Jiang Chi's the one having Bu Xia's unfortunate ability. However, the fact that Bu Xia has absolutely no idea what that ritual entailed to heavily hinted that if there is a second season, there will be a third act breakup because of the lies Jiang Chi told. Just so you know, I absolutely hate it when love stories go that way, it's boring, overly done and completely unneeded. Perhaps, that's why I do not want a second season and like the way it ended.

Now, lets briefly talk about the acting of Hong Wei Zhe and Yang I Hsuan. I am rarely this critical but I do not like Yang's acting at all. He needs more practice with facial expression. Yang did okay when Jiang Chi was his initial cold, unfriendly and stoic self. However, Yang's portrayal of Jiang Chi after he shedded that skin was what made me cringe. I could not take his in-love-with-Bu-Xia personality, it felt overdone and unnatural. On the other hand, Hong's portrayal of Bu Xia was very easy to take in. I am not someone who likes a cute personality but Bu Xia's cuteness was so natural, it got rid of the negative feelings I had with Jiang Chi's unnaturalness. I believe these boys are new to the acting world and most often than not, they will likely get better the more they act. I am just saying this will not be Yang's best project in terms of his acting ability.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)

[joshsheart]

realized that if i have a lot of thoughts on something and no one will listen to them i can put them on here!

So today I was thinking about animation. You know how people don’t respect animation as a form of entertainment or media? I wish I knew why because I feel like, if anything, animation takes a lot more effort than live action movies or TV does. Of course, that might not be true in all cases but in some it definitely is. 

I assume that some of the reason animation is not respected as much is because it is often associated with children entertainment. But this is stupid because yes, children entertainment often is animated but it’s also live action! And! wait till you here this! There are animated adult shows! Family Guy?? Family guy has a bunch of awards and is a respected show. It’s stupid but adults respect it and watch it. But the moment there’s something that’s animated (that’s not some dumb show like Family Guy (no hate to Family Guy)) these people won’t even bother watching it. 

Well then I started thinking about Super Hero movies. God. Marvel, DC, whatever, I’m so sick of it. I understand that fans of these franchises are sick of hearing this and it also doesn’t necessarily apply to every single super hero movie ever, but this genre is so played out! If you look at Marvel specifically, you have some movies that are good and fun but then you get to a point where every single movie is the same idea with big battle, we’re almost dying!, how are we going to win?, we have to use this weird ancient/alien technology to save the world! It’s boring now! 

And then you have the hero repetition. Like The Batman. Sure you can say they made that Batman movie because there was a different villain or something like that but it’s boring! I don’t mean that the movie itself is bad or boring, I saw it in theaters myself, it’s just a boring concept (same with the Marvel movies, they’re not necessarily bad, just overdone and are boring concepts at this point). Further with this, why are there three Spidermans? And do not get this twisted. I love Spiderman, Andrew Garfield’s being my favorite, but why are there three? Maybe there’s a real reason but to me it just seems like an excuse to keep profiting on the popularity of Spiderman by bringing him back several times. 

Further, I’m already finding the current era of hero movies to be (Mostly) insufferable but imagine what they will look like in the future! Years down the line what will they do? Keep making new Spiderman and Batman films (and don’t forget about the tv programs)? When will the next Superman come out? I can’t imagine.

I also want to make a point that I understand that DC and Marvel movies are based on comic books. My knowledge of how accurate the films are to the comics or how many of them are actually based on the comics is very limited. I mean was Infinity War in the comics? What about Suicide Squad? I genuinely have no idea. If they are, it really doesn’t change my argument at all. It’s still boring to have all these heroes with their stories get pushed down to be a constant retelling. Also, I’m not saying that a movie like Avengers is boring. That’s probably when it was good! But then the shit kept going! Like... That’s the repetition. It never concludes. It’s like when a show should’ve ended at like season 5 but kept going for 15. And I’m bored of it. Another point to make is that certain some new hero movies say, Black Panther, I wouldn’t necessarily fall into this category but, put the Black Panther cast into a movie with Iron Man (RIP I know), Thor, Black Widow, Hulk, Tom Holland Spiderman, Dr. Strange, and any of those other bitches in a big battle to save the universe...

Anyway, straying from the new, boring hero movies (Black Adam, Shazam, etc.), I started thinking about newer (kind of) hero movies that I thought were good and realized all three were animated. The three I came up with were Megamind, Lego Batman, and Into the Spiderverse. HEAR ME OUT! First of all, I’m not saying that Lego Batman is the best superhero movie ever made or that Megamind is better than the entire MCU or anything like that. Just listen to my thoughts here. 

So first, Megamind. Megamind will never be taken seriously by everyone and I’ve already accepted that but it is a magnificent movie. It plays with the tropes of hero and villain so well. The entire concept of a villain beating the hero, getting bored in his victory and take over, creating a new hero so that he has someone he can have someone to defeat again, and in the end defeating him as a hero is insane! Completely flipping the idea of hero and villain like that is such a refreshing and entertaining thing to see. I’m so bored of seeing the repetition of some guy is a hero and has to face this big villain, whether the villain is human or not, and has to save the world or some shit. Seeing the villain become the hero is just so much more interesting! And it’s not like a Loki or Crowley (Supernatural) situation where viewers question whether they’re truly villains or not or see them as a good guy either way; Megamind was a villain but had a real change where he realized that he had to go in another direction. 

Lego Batman is one that I will need to strongly defend here I’m guessing. I know I talked about the repetition of Spiderman and Batman yet two of my good hero movies are Batman and Spiderman? Well if we compare Lego Batman to the 2022 Batman with Robert Pattinson, I would argue that one of them is a lot more interesting. The Batman was a good movie, but it’s been done before. Even if it was a slightly different storyline or had some different main characters or something, we’ve all seen the basic Batman story. So why is Lego Batman different? Lego Batman sort of plays on the overplayed Batman tropes. So Batman is his usual foreboding, dark self, but at the same time it’s kind of weird in a way that sort of pokes fun at that part of Batman. They do the same with the other characters, like Robin and the Joker. It’s still Robin and Joker but they play with their characters, making fun of their relationship with Batman. I understand it’s for comedy, but the change of classic Batman characters and tropes make it a more interesting and entertaining Batman movie. Now I’m not necessarily saying that Lego Batman is better that any other Batman movie; I’m saying that, in this era, instead of making a basic, overdone Batman movie, Lego Batman provides a new interesting take on the Batman story. 

And Into the Spiderverse. For starters it is different than the other Spidermans because it is not about Peter Parker, it’s Miles Morales. The whole concept of Into the Spiderverse makes it different than the other Spiderman movies. Toby Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland all have great Spiderman movies (like great movies, I love them) but isn’t doing something new with Spiderman and different Spider..people? crossing universes and coming together better than if they had just made a new Spiderman movie with Donald Glover or something? And that was not a dig on Donald Glover, I am an advocate for him in a Spiderman movie, Spiderverse sequel maybe?? 

And I know you’ve been thinking it. What about Spiderman: No Way Home? It was a great movie!! In the same way Spiderverse was but in a more nostalgic and cool way. Bringing the old Spidermen together with Tom Holland was a great idea and I’m glad they did it. 10/10 much more interesting than Infinity War. 

So is this argument for animation or against hero movies? I guess I don’t know. I was just thinking about all these things and thought I’d write them down. Some closing thoughts: I am not saying that any hero movie is bad. I’m sure there are some bad ones but I am not saying that. I just think that the entire concepts and main plots of a lot of these movies are overdone and becoming boring. I’m also not saying that Megamind and Lego Batman are thee best hero movies. They’re some of my favorites but I wouldn’t say that they are undeniable better than most or anything like that. I guess my main point might be why is animation not taken seriously when some of the more interesting hero movies, which has become a draining genre, are animated? Of course that’s heavily based on my opinion but I was just thinking about it. 

[whoiwanttoday]

So I was very resistant to the Boys for many reasons. The biggest being I do not like Garth Ennis and his body of work. I think he writes like a teenage edge lord and his legion of toxic followers when he was at the height of his popularity are all the kids who went on to reddit's gross atheist communities and helped start Gamergate and became alt-right. I mean, obviously not all of them but literally I see people from when the internet was smaller and they were doing lines off their computer desk declaring others to be not edgy enough for the internet now as internet Nazis. It was a short trip. That's a lot to put on Ennis and he can't really be held accountable for all that but at the end of the day he writes for children who think what he says is deep. Beyond that, while people I know love the Boys they often tell me how it's unlike any other Superhero thing I have ever heard of and... guys I tried the comics years ago and I have bad news, the capes and their sick and twisted kicks was a tired, overdone trope 40 years ago. So I was not excited to see it on TV even if I get how it might seem remarkably fresh if your whole knowledge of Superheroes is the Marvel movies. Honestly, it's never for me. I could tell you about hope and Superheroes existing to be aspirational but I can't deny the concept has always been inherently fascist. We have always known that and it's been talked to death. I just find lazy nihilism about one of the most distasteful things in the world, it's an easy out to say nothing matters and excuse doing nothing. Again, I have seen people use that as an excuse to just be low key shit heads my entire life. So shows that espouse that philosophy tend to not be my bag. That's a lot to put on a show I have never seen and people have asked that I watch it. I was assured it departs pretty hard from the comics. I was resistant but finally someone asked me to who is someone who I never actually say no to. So I am watching it. My reaction? It's not dreadful. I was a big Supernatural fan when it started and unsurprisingly some elements feel familiar to me and it has departed from the comics. Glad everyone didn't rape Starlight for starters but also Ennis has a habit of making his superheroes one note idiots because he despises heroes (really fun to read stuff written by a guy with contempt for the material and reader btw) and his villains as well are often one note monsters and just never interesting to me. So a book where the bad guys are the superheroes? Just the worst, most boring people ever to exist on the page. On the show that's not true. Oh, they are awful. Morally bankrupt dicks in large part but they are also people. Like you understand them, they have real feelings and things you can relate to and that goes a long way in make it all more interesting. I have a feeling this show will probably be bleaker than I like, among the reasons I tend to dislike "If someone really had superpowers they'd be a murderer rapist" is besides it being devoid of all creativity I don't believe it says a single thing about the human condition, just about the writer, who is really saying what he would do in a consequence free world. All that said I am posting Erin Moriarty and I am not surprised and I am relieved. I was really worried I'd be most attracted to the Nazi, and you know maybe I will be, she hasn't shown up yet. For now though I do like Starlight. I feel awful for her because everyone around her is awful and I am worried the show will inevitably corrupt her but maybe not. Also her costume fucking rules. Very Mary Marvel and I love it. Today I want to fuck Erin Moriarty.

[wolfstar-in-color]

July Colorful Column: Remus is a Crip, and We Can Write Him Better.

There is one thing that can get me to close a fic so voraciously I don’t even make sure I’m not closing other essential tabs in the process. It doesn’t matter how much I’m loving the fic, how well written I think it is, or how desperately I want to know how it ends. Once I read this sentence, I am done.

It’s written in a variety of different ways, but it always goes something like this: “You don’t want me,” Remus said, “I am too sick/broken/poor/old/[insert chosen self-demeaning adjective here].”

You’re familiar with the trope. The trope is canonical. And if you’ve been around the wolfstar fandom for longer than a few minutes, you’ve read the trope. Maybe you love the trope! Maybe you’ve written the trope! Maybe you’re about to stop reading this column, because the trope rings true to you and you feel a little attacked!

Now, let’s get one thing out of the way right now: I am not saying the trope is wrong. I am not saying it’s bad. I am not saying we should stop writing it. We all have things we don’t like to see in our chosen fics. Maybe you can’t stand Leather Jacket Motorbike Sirius? Maybe you think Elbow Patch Remus is overdone? Or maybe your pet peeves are based in something a little deeper - maybe you think Poor Latino Remus is an irresponsible depiction, or that PWPs are too reductive? Whatever it is, we all have our things.

Let me tell you about my thing. When I first became very ill several years ago, there were various low points in which I felt I had become inherently unlovable. This is, more or less, a normal reaction. When your body stops doing things it used to be able to do - or starts doing things you were quite alright without, thank you very much - it changes the way you relate to your body. You don’t want to hear my whole disability history, so yada yada yada, most people eventually come to accept their limitations. It’s a very painful existence, one in which you constantly tell yourself your disability has transformed you into a burdensome, unworthy member of society, and if nothing else, it’s not terribly sustainable. Being disabled takes grit! It takes power! It takes a truly absurd amount of medical self-advocacy! Hating yourself? Thinking yourself unworthy of love? No one has time for that. 

Of course, I’m being hyperbolic. Plenty of disabled people struggle with these feelings many years into their disabilities, and never really get over them. But here’s the thing. We experience those stories ALL THE TIME. Remember Rain Man? Or Million Dollar Baby? Or that one with the actress from Game of Thrones and that British actor who seemed like he was going to have a promising career but then didn't? Those are all stories about sad, bitter disabled people and their sad, bitter lives, two out of three of which end in the character completing suicide because they simply couldn’t imagine having to live as a disabled person. (I mean, come on media, I get that we're less likely to enjoy a leisurely Saturday hike, but our parking is SUBLIME.) When was the last time you engaged with media that depicted a happy disabled person? A complex disabled person? A disabled person who has sex? No really, these aren’t hypothetical questions, can you please drop a rec in the notes?? Because I am desperate.

There are lots of problems with this trope, and they’ve been discussed ad nauseam by people with PhDs. I’m not actually interested in talking about how this trope leads to a more prevalent societal idea that disabled people are unworthy of love, or contributes to the kind of political thought processes that keep disabled people purposefully disenfranchised. I’m just a bitch on Tumblr, and I have a bone to pick: the thing I really hate about the trope? It’s boring. I’m bored. You know how, like, halfway through Grey’s Anatomy you realized they were just recycling the same plot points over and over again and there was just no WAY anyone working at a hospital prone to THAT MANY disasters would stay on staff? It's like that. I love a recycled trope as much as the next person (There Was Only One Bed, anyone?). But I need. Something. Else.

Remus is disabled. BOLD claim. WILD speculation. Except, not really. You simply - no matter how you flip it, slice it, puree it, or deconstruct it - cannot tell me Remus Lupin is not disabled. Most of us, by this point, are probably familiar with the way that One Canonical Author intended One Dashing Werewolf to be “a metaphor for those illnesses that carry stigma, like HIV and AIDS” [I’m sorry to link you to an outside source quoting She Who Must Not Be Named, but we’re professionals here]. Which is... a thing. It’s been discussed. And, listen, there’s no denying that this parallel is a problematic interpretation of people who have HIV/AIDS and all such similar “those illnesses” (though I’ll admit that I, too, am perennially apt to turn into a raging beast liable to harm anything that crosses my path, but that’s more linked to the at-least-once-monthly recollection that One Day At A Time got cancelled). Critiques aside, Remus Lupin is a character who - due to a condition that affects him physically, mentally, emotionally, and intellectually - is repeatedly marginalized, oppressed, denied political and social power, and ostracized due to unfounded fear that he is infectious to others. Does that sound familiar?

We’re not going to argue about whether or not “Remus is canonically disabled as fuck” is a fair reading. And the reason we’re not going to argue about whether or not it’s a fair reading is because I haven’t read canon in 10-plus years and you will win the argument. Canon is only marginally relevant here. The icon of this blog is brown, curly haired Remus Lupin kissing his trans boyfriend, Sirius Black. We are obviously not too terribly invested in canon. The wolfstar fandom is now a community with over 25,000 AO3 fics, entire careers launched from drawing or writing or cosplaying this non-canonical pairing. We love to play around here with storylines and universes and races and genders and sexualities and all kinds of things, but most of the time? Remus is still disabled. He’s disabled as a werewolf in canon-compliant works, he’s disabled in the AUs where he was injured or abused or kidnapped or harmed as a child, he’s disabled in the stories that read him as chronically ill or bipolar or traumatized or blind or Deaf. I’d go so far as to say that he is one of very few characters in the Wide Wonderful World of media who is, in as close to his essence as one can be, always disabled. And that means? Don’t shoot the messenger... but we could stand to be a tiny bit more responsible with how we portray him. 

Disabled people are complicated. As much as I’d like to pretend we are always level-headed, confident, and ready to assert our inherent worth, we are still just humans. We have bad days. We doubt our worth. We sometimes go out with guys who complain about our steroid-induced weight gain (it was a long time ago, Tumblr, okay??). But, we also have joy and fun and good days and sex and happiness and families and so many other things. 

Remus is a disabled character, and as such, it’s only fair that he’d have those unworthy moments. But - I propose - Remus is also a crip. What is a crip? A crip - like a queer - is someone who eschews the limited boundaries placed on their bodies, who rejects a hierarchy of oppression in favor of an intersectional analysis of lived experience, who isn’t interested in being the tragic figure responsible for helping people with dominant identities realize how good they have it. Crips interpret their disabilities however they want, rethinking bodies and medicine and pleasure and pain and even time itself. Crips are political, community-minded, and in search of liberation. 

Remus is a character who struggles with his disability, sure. But he’s also a character who leverages his physical condition to attempt to shift communities towards his political leanings, advocates for the rights of those who share his physical condition, and has super hot sex with his wrongfully convicted boyfriend ultimately goes on to build community and family. Having a condition that quite literally cripples you, over which you have no control, and through which you are often read as a social pariah? That’s disability. But using said condition as a means through which to build advocacy and community? Now that’s some crip shit. 

Personally, I love disabled!Remus Lupin. But I love crip!Remus Lupin even more. I’d love to see more of a Remus who owns his disability, who covets what makes him unique, and who never ever again tells a potential romantic partner they are too good for him because of his disability. This trope - unlike There Was Only One Bed! - sometimes actually hurts to read. Where’s Remus who thinks a potential romantic partner isn’t good enough for him? Where’s Remus who insists his partners learn more about his condition in order to treat him properly? Where’s sexy wheelchair user Remus? Where’s Remus who uses his werewolf transformations as an excuse to travel the world? Where’s crip Remus??

We don’t have to put “you don’t want me” Remus entirely to bed. It is but one of many repeated tropes that are - in the words of The Hot Priest from Fleabag - morally a bit dubious. And let’s face it - we don’t always come to fandom for its moral superiority (as much as we sometimes like to think we do). 

This is not a condemnation - it is an invitation. Able-bodied folks are all but an injury, illness, or couple decades away from being disabled. And when you get here, I sincerely hope you don’t waste your time on “you don’t want me”ing back and forth with the people you love. I’m inviting you to come to the crip side now. We have snacks, and without all the “you don’t want me” talk, we get to the juicy parts much faster. 

Colorfully,

Mod Theo

[ikeromantic]

First Day

This is an Ikemen Sengoku coffee shop AU. Approx 1700 words. Nobunaga, the owner of Azuchi Cafe, hires a girl to work in his coffee shop alongside his other oddball employees.

Pastry Chef and little rain cloud: Ieyasu Tokugawa

Head Chef and irredeemable flirt: Masamune Date

Dining Room Manager and rule-master: Hideyoshi Toyotomi

Barista and most popular kid in your class: Ranmaru Mori

Barista and coffee disaster: Mitsunari Ishida

Accountant and walking bad-boy vibe: Mitsuhide Akechi

I have never written a coffee shop AU and I have no idea what I'm doing.

Nobunaga unlocked the back door at 3am. It was so early most people would still call it night, but he enjoyed the peace and quiet at this hour. As if he were the sole living human in a world of stray cats and blinking traffic lights.

He flipped on the lights and began morning prep. As the owner of Azuchi Cafe, he didn’t need to be the shop opener, but he was the kind of man who’d never ask his employees to do something he wouldn’t do himself. This meant he often worked from opening until close, cleaning the kitchen at 10pm. It was something he was proud of, even if it was exhausting some days.

Ieyasu arrived a few minutes later, along with the morning shipment. Fresh fruit, cream, some new coffee bean varieties, and other items he stocked daily. The blond was quiet as he helped unload. Not a morning person, not by a longshot.

Once the crates were inside, Ieyasu made a beeline for the espresso machine and had two cups on the counter before Nobunaga completed his inventory check.

The blond downed both cups and then got started in the kitchen. He was too smart for a cafe job - easily one of the best bakers Nobunaga had ever met. And this cafe was blessed with two, though the other man was a polar opposite of the silent, serious Ieyasu Tokugawa.

As if thinking of him summoned him, the back door swung open and in swaggered Masamune. “Good morning!” His voice was loud and vibrant, as always. He never needed caffeine to feel awake - Masamune was naturally caffeinated.

“D’you have to be so loud?” Ieyasu glared.

“Do you have to be such a grouch?” Masamune raised his one eyebrow. His other eye was covered with a pirate-style eyepatch. The look wasn’t just for effect. He’d lost his left eye to a childhood illness, but that hadn’t dampened his spirit or enthusiasm.

Ieyasu held up a dough covered middle finger in response and went back to making croissants.

Masamune put a hand to his heart. “Such cruelty.”

“Stop bickering and start cooking.” Nobunaga tried to sound stern but couldn’t help the little smile on his lips.

The two of them did, though the grumbling and sniping never really stopped.

While Ieyasu handled bakery items, Masamune was in charge of the grill. Hot sandwiches, soups, and whatever else he decided to put on the menu. Nobunaga had given up trying to restrain him. The man was a genius cook, and whatever he made sold, so it made sense to give him his head.

Akechi showed up next. Mitsuhide was an accountant by trade, with a law degree besides. He didn’t technically work at the shop, but he did the books and didn’t charge much for the work. Nobunaga wasn’t sure why he spent so much time at the cafe, but he’d become a fixture. Showing up before opening to do Azuchi’s books and then sitting in the dining area, working on his laptop for hours.

“Anything I should know about,” Nobunaga called, before Mitsuhide disappeared into the cafe office.

“If there was, I’d tell you. Probably.” Mitsuhide gave him his trademark smile, sly like a fox.

“It’s that probably that worries me.” Nobunaga frowned. He didn’t actually believe Mitsuhide would sabotage him. Not after so many years as a client. But with that man, you never quite knew where you stood.

Akechi shrugged. “I can’t think of a reason not to - but you never know.” He disappeared into the office, and soon the only sound from that room was the clacking of a keyboard.

The sky to the east was beginning to lighten, the stars fading from view. It would be time to open soon. As if on cue, Mitsunari showed up with Ranmaru in tow. They were the baristas, taking orders, making coffee, and serving the sit-down diners.

“Isn’t it a beautiful morning?” Mitsunari said this to Ieyasu’s back as he passed him.

The blond snorted. “It looks like every morning. Literally, exactly the same.”

“And every morning is beautiful.” Mitsunari Ishida smiled. “I am so lucky to work with such wonderful people. It will be a great day. I can feel it.”

Ranmaru laughed. “Absolutely. Just ignore old grumble-pants here. We are going to have an awesome day.”

“I am not old,” Ieyasu snapped.

“You are compared to me!” Ranmaru was the youngest in the crew, and he liked to remind the others about it.

“That’s enough. Get up to the front and prep the display. Both of you.” Nobunaga pointed toward the front counter.

Ranmaru gave him a pouty look, but did as he was told. Despite his penchant for causing trouble in the kitchen, he was great with customers, and pretty reliable.

Mitsunari didn’t seem to realize he’d been in the middle of the bickering. He just smiled and followed Ranmaru to the front.

That one, Nobunaga thought, was dangerous. At first impression, Mitsunari Ishida seemed like an airhead. Cheerful to the point of being vapid, and clumsy as well. But he could take orders faster than anyone else, remember which customer had which preference, and quote the menu without a glance at the board on the wall. He was great, so long as you didn’t ask him to pour the coffee.

At opening, Hideyoshi finally sidled in. He was the dining room manager, in charge of the servers, and everything on the front end. Nobunaga trusted him implicitly. Most cafe owners had to worry about theft and inattention from their cash-handling employees, but not him. Not with Hideyoshi Toyotomi at the counter. That man was a veritable saint, if sometimes a little melodramatic about his service.

“I know you told me I didn’t need to be here until 10, since you open. But I couldn’t let you handle everything alone.” Hideyoshi’s version of ‘good morning’ as he tied his apron on.

Nobunaga sighed. “You are my closing manager, Hideyoshi. You’re going to be stuck here until 10 or 11 tonight . . . and you realize, I do have employees here, helping, right?”

Toyotomi nodded. “Sure, sure. But extra hands always help with morning rush, right?”

“Right. And that’s why I have a new hire coming in at 8.” Nobunaga sighed.

“A new hire?” Mitsunari’s violet gaze lit up. “Will I get to train them?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Ieyasu grumbled. “We want them to make coffee, not learn how to dump the pot on the floor.”

“Stop being so mean,” Ranmaru sniped back, defending Mitsunari.

“Hey, hey! The new employee isn’t gonna get trained by any of you. Clearly, the boss is going to put them with me. To pass on my culinary genius.” Masamune’s one eye sparkled.

“No, no, and absolutely not,” Nobunaga said, raising his voice. “Hideyoshi and I are going to train them. If the lot of you don’t terrify them into quitting on their first day.”

And that was the end of that discussion. It was 5am and the door opened. The steady stream of customers kept everyone busy for the next few hours. Lattes and cappuccinos, americanos and macchiatos, and decaf for those in denial. The flow began to slack as 8am approached. Most people were at work now, coffee in hand.

Clean-up started in the kitchen, and Hideyoshi began on the dining room.

The glass front door opened at 8am sharp. The new hire walked in. This wasn’t Nobunaga’s first time meeting her, but he still felt a twang in his chest as she smiled brightly at no one in particular.

“I hope I’m not late!”

Hideyoshi eyed her up and down, nodding to himself. Flat shoes, cute but practical. Hair pulled back sensibly - stylish, but not overdone. Professional clothes, fitted and comfortable. He hadn’t been part of the interview but he was feeling pretty positive about this candidate. He gave Nobunaga a nod.

“No, you’re right on time,” Mitsunari replied, leaning on the counter. His angelic smile was fixed on her.

The impact was obvious. One did not face the pure, focused joy of Mitsunari and not feel it. She blinked for a moment, stunned, her cheeks flushing. “Oh. Well that’s good, right?”

“Sure is,” Ranmaru said, coming around the side of the bakery display. He wiped his hands on his apron and held one out to her. “Welcome to Azuchi!”

“Hey, that’s my line,” Nobunaga grumbled.

“Yeah, but I’m cuter when I say it.” Ranmaru’s cheek reply got a chuckle from Masamune.

The one-eyed chef came out from the kitchen to observe. He wasn’t looking for whatever qualities Hideyoshi had, but what he saw made him grin. “Well, lass, I’d say welcome again but that’d make me look like an idiot. How ‘bout I help you put on an apron and show you around the place?”

“Again, my line,” Nobunaga said tiredly.

Ieyasu poked his head out from the back and sighed heavily. “Great. Another fluff head to train. Look, when you get bored listening to these idiots, come find me in the kitchen. I’ll try to teach you to bake. I’m sure you can manage a simple recipe. Probably.”

The girl looked unsure how to respond. She finally shrugged. “Yeah, ok! I’m here to work, so whatever you want to teach me, I want to learn.”

“You’d be better off learning how to keep the books,” said an amused voice behind Ieyasu.

The girl’s eyes darted up as Mitsuhide came out from the back. “Not that I’m hiring. I don’t do internships either,” he continued. He stepped out from behind the counter and closed in on her like a stalking cat. His golden eyes slid down from her face, over her chest and hips, down her legs, and back up, slow as syrup. “Though I can think of some reasons to make an exception.” He handed her a business card. “For when you tire of this service job.”

“Ah, thanks?” She glanced at the card and by the time she looked up again he was gone.

“Everyone, get back to work. I’m handling the new hire. You’ll all get a chance to train with her. I want her to work swing, so she’ll need to know a little of everything.” Nobunaga clapped once.

The workers all got back to it, though not without plenty of backward glances.

Hideyoshi handed the girl an apron. “Good luck!”

[deceitful-darlings]

Any trends you’re sick of

That’s quite a general question, so I’m not quite sure what you mean. Do you mean yandere trends? General fictional trends? Off of the top of my head I can only think of one of each.

The yandere trend that kind of annoys me is the Mary-Sue OP darling. Don’t get me wrong, a darling with a level of power can be interesting, but I find an OP darling to be, frankly, boring. A yandere is a scary thing, they are meant to be scary, they’re a character archetype that holds a level of power over someone except for when they’re used in a comedic context. What’s the point of having a yandere if ‘So stwong those yanderes ain’t shit against me! Haha look at how amazing I am!’ I don’t even find it to be particularly funny like the shitposts.

A general archetype...um. I guess in A/B/O I have one? I get really frustrated over the Omegas being treated like dirt in nearly every god damn story trope, and apologies because rant incoming!

I don’t mind having a downtrodden group of people, but this is so fucking common it pisses me off no end, mainly because IT MAKES LITERALLY NO SENSE. For those who don’t know the context. A/B/O is alpha/beta/omega, with alphas being at the top of the food chain, strong leaders, making up about 15% of the population, the have pheromones and knots, betas are pretty much normal, maybe with a small knot in some stories, and omegas are only 5% of the population, they also have pheromone and are fertile.

Now, the thing that irritates me is that they often say the reason for the discrimination against omegas is because they have heats, not because they can have kids and take care of them, but because they have heats. Why does this piss me off so much? BECAUSE ALPHAS HAVE FUCKING RUTS! THEY HAVE LITERALLY THE EXACT SAME FUCKING THING! IT MAKES NO SENSE THAT THEY SOLEY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OMEGAS FOR IT!

Not only that, omegas are designed to be mates to alphas and vice versa, there’s a 10% population difference between alphas and omegas in most stories. WHY DO THEY NOT VALUE OMEGAS?! HOW IS AN OMEGA CHILD A SHAME TO A FAMILY WHEN THERE’S A NEAR CERTAIN CHANCE THEY CAN MARRY AN ALPHA AND HELP LINK A FAMILY WITH POWER?!

I’m so tired of this trope of ‘omegas only being good for sex work’. It’s old, it’s overdone, and it’s boring.

What about a beta being the shame of the family because they’ll only ever be an ordinary worker yet still wanting to help and/or protect their sibling? A world where omegas are in demand as spouses because of their fertility? An alpha and omega who just can’t stand the scent of each other’s pheromones? There are so many options, can we stop with the same fucking one?

[mistwraiths]

2.5 stars

This book does have The Coldest Touch because this story is glacial and you can crack it like ice with logic pretty easily, and see through from all the plot holes!

Jokes aside, let me start off by saying can we retire the trope of: vampire who hates what they have become, views themselves as a monster, and hates drinking blood so much that they put it off so much they are nearly murderous with hunger because they are a monster!!!! Can we just stop that? IT'S SO OVERDONE AND SO BORING AND ANNOYING.

I think I could have liked this book so much better if it had just been executed differently. I liked the blending between paranormal and regular world. Werewolves in the Midwest? Mentions of the Fae Realm? Vampire bloodlines? The witches and vampires often working together, and the vampires regulating the paranormal world through an organization called The Veil. It sounds all very good. Too bad its not exactly what this book is about.

This book focuses on Elise, who sees and experiences people's death if she touches them, and Claire, the vampire who is tasked on keeping safe and training her in her Death Orcale powers. Elise is also suffering from grief and guilt from her brother's death and that part is pretty well done. I liked Elise actually, her story was pretty good and the concept of the Death Orcale was pretty cool. But it wasn't enough to make this book good.

First off, this book tells us that the Death Orcale is SUPER special and must be protected. Then why does it take the Veil SIX MONTHS to get around to sending someone to watch and train and protect Elise? On top of that, when Claire quits, they just... don't do anything?? Don't send anyone to watch her? They also seem fine with killing Elise and getting a new Death Orcale in the middle of what looks like a revolt brewing?? I thought the Death Orcale was so special and needed?? Are they gonna take half of year to get that one too? Which is it?

Claire really dragged this story down. I was here for sapphic vampire/human story, but this was not good. First, Claire is just so different than other vampires!!!! She feels so much!!! She doesn't want to be a monster!!! It's "explained" that because she's sixteen and doesn't have an "adult brain", that's why she's so different. That's just not enough of a good reason. I am fine with her revenge part. The romance is more insta-love on Claire's side, with Elise taking a longer time to really feel things.

Now, there was a bunch of little things, but mainly the end just happened? Like the main villain gets talked down a bit, Elise makes a contract, and then the villain gets away. And that's it? It was just pretty much a let down. What about the Petal and Thorn stuff going on? What about the Veil leaders literally hiding important shit and probably killing whoever they want/ending bloodlines?? What about Elise losing time? What about Claire's immortality and her revenge?? It just ends.

There's just too many plot holes and the pace itself just drags on slowly. It just wasn't very good in my opinion.

[nocompromise-noregrets]

either/or

Or, to be fair, this being me, quite probably neither/both XD Tagged some time ago by the lovely @spiced-wine-fic - thank you! <33333333

ensemble cast or just a few characters. It depends. Both with writing and with reading, sometimes I like to focus on just a few characters, but quite often it’s nice to have a big group checking in (especially post-Fellowship stuff :D )

cat sized dragons or dragons as big as the hills. I’m not actually all that bothered about dragons. Gasp, I know. I just…yeah. Can take or leave them. I guess cat-sized would be cute though?

chosen one or no way i hate it This is so overdone, in my humble opinion. I don’t so much hate it as it doesn’t interest me - I’d far rather read (or write) about someone who’s doing what they must because they must (hello, Frodo).

impending end of the world or smaller personal stakes Both. It depends on the story. I like the little stories that exist in among the huge events.

historical vampires or fantasy pirates I’m not that bothered about pirates (current state of my dash to the contrary - OFMD is the only pirate thing I’m interested in), but I am sick to death of vampires. Boring, boring, boring. Sorry to you vampire-lovers, but I got fed up with them about twenty years ago. XD

dark academia or light academia I don’t understand what these mean. But I’m not that interested in dark stuff these days, I’d rather have optimism and happiness.

magic banned or magic loved Not particularly bothered about magic either (I got well fed up of it when HP was the in thing, and now that HP is well and truly tainted, I really can’t be doing with it).

reclusive hermit or bogwitch I don’t know what a bogwitch is, but I do rather fancy the idea of being a reclusive hermit, and the thought of living in a bog is just…ugh, no thank you. I do not like mud or wetness. XD

traversing the world or contained setting Depends on the story.

soft confessions or grand declarations Soft confessions. Subtlety. I do not like high drama, in real life or in writing, it makes me feel uncomfortable.

nature or architecture Both, preferably at the same time.

angst or fluff Fluff, when writing, although I do like to read a good bit of angst - but I prefer bittersweetness and happy endings.

friends-to-lovers or enemies-to-lovers Friends-to-lovers, or love-at-more-or-less-first-sight. I don’t understand the point of shagging someone you don’t like (that would be the aceness right there XD )

foes-to-friends or friends-to-foes Foes to friends, I don’t like people falling out.

himbos or nerds Nerds. Although the occasional himbo is good for the soul.

intense world building or easy please Easy please, whatever that is. I don’t really understand what world building is, and I don’t much enjoy doing it, or not deliberately anyway. I’d far rather write the interactions between characters - although when it’s done subtly and convincingly it’s a joy to read.

gigantic trees or impossible towers Both, preferably at the same time.

fairytale retelling or mythology retelling Both, depending on the story. But - aren’t they basically the same thing? Fairy tales and mythology are the same, aren’t they?

Ahahahahaha, I think I failed that one quite comprehensively! I either have no preference, or I don't like either option, it seems, and I don't like what everyone else likes (not that interested in pirates, can take or leave dragons, sick to death of vampires and magic, etc etc) - and angst, drama and people not getting on are really not my thing. How dull of me. XD

Tagging, entirely without obligation, @scary-grace, @writerman, @lonelyheartsmotel, @allegoriesinmediasres, @mihrsuri and @bigneonglitter - and anyone else who fancies having a go!

[holydragon2808]

Thoughts On Dragon Age II after Replaying (Massive Spoilers)

Hello fellow DA fans! It's been quite some time since I last posted anything here on Tumblr. Hope everyone has been safe during all of the world's craziness. Figured I'd post something to let people know I'm still alive.

Anyway, DA2 was first released back in 2011. I was 20-21 years old at the time. Back then, while I still acknowledged the lack of genuine player agency with Hawke (in comparison to the Warden before them), I did belong in the camp of people believing that people went way overboard with the DA2 critiques regarding those complaints, at least back then.

Now though? After replaying the game again a decade or so later, and also in light of the Inquisitor and DAI, I now personally believe that Hawke's story stands out as (overall), all the more unbalanced in comparison to both the Warden and Inquisitor.

Massive Spoilers for the franchise abound beyond this point. Last warning.

Despite a lot of the old critiques leveled at DA2, it isn't a 100% terrible experience, and despite the oncoming rant, I do love the game overall.

Even though I've personally always thought that DA2 story was centered around tragedy a bit TOO much, in light of the growing franchise and the directional tone of the other protagonists thus far, it unfortunately stands out even more to me, and not in a good way.

A shame really because DA2 could have been a better and interesting contrast to DAO in tone and direction had it been more balanced with meaningful successes and failures for Hawke as a character rather than veering too far over into angst and tragedy.

For example, in DAO, your Warden character is railroaded into success against the Blight no matter what. Regardless of the origin, regardless of what sort of allies you acquire, no matter if you live or die in the end or which warden gets the final blow, you succeed.

This sort of narrative framing gave the writers a much easier way to balance genuine tragedy and success throughout the journey without veering too far in one direction or the other, and also without making nearly everything the player does seem like an exercise in futility.

In other words, there were failures and successes more properly balanced throughout, from experiencing meaningful failures and heartache during the chosen origin stories, to failure at Ostagar, to having more balance with the party members and their struggles (they weren't too boring or too dysfunctional), romances that stood out as a light for the Warden amidst all the fighting and death and their massive burden, to succeeding with building the army to take on the Darkspawn, to potential personal sacrifice to save the world and so on.

The option to play a more tragic, angsty or "evil" character who alienates everyone around them and then ultimately dies in the end is there too. The point is that the game largely gave the player the reins and let THEM decide what sort of story they were interested in shaping within the confines of the narrative railroading.

This balance just isn't there with DA2 as the player progresses. Hawke is railroaded into failure in almost every way from start to finish, whether in their personal life or with the massive political struggles in Kirkwall.

I'm sure most people would have been fine with the main plot between the mages/Templars spiraling out of their control in the end (thanks Anders), the Qunari rampaging no matter what, and even the Hawke family being forcefully separated as the story progressed.

However, to me some of the railroaded bleak tragedy should have been offset by Hawke (and by extension the player) at least having the OPTION of being able to keep their family alive.

I'm fine with the tragedy of losing the whole family being ONE POSSIBLE option in the game, but when this tragedy along with the main plot failures, the dysfunctional party members that are too problematic to help ease Hawke's burdens (in fact, they all add to Hawke's worries, which if Inquisition shows anything, that it finally takes its toll on Hawke) is THE ONE AND ONLY OPTION in light of everything else wrong in Kirkwall, then that's a potential writing issue and could potentially alienate the player more than make them care about anything that happens and wonder why they aren't given the option to just nope out and leave Kirkwall to its fate.

Tragedy can be fine, don't get me wrong, but not everyone wants to role play a COMPLETE AND UTTER tragedy from start to finish with no option to deviate in any way from that narrative. Options in the way people progress (especially where people can break the story down and see the holes in the narrative where it COULD have possible but just wasn't allowed), should be presented in a ROLE PLAYING game.

I personally find it more realistic and relatable when a character experiences a nice blend of both MEANINGFUL success and failure. However, the writers seemed intent on railroading Hawke into just being at the mercy of the main plot with little to no agency.

In stark contrast to DAO, planning for the entire story in DA2 (or just in an RPG period) to end in failure no matter the player choices is already a bold enough risk on its own. It can definitely work with the proper balance of both positive and negative experiences along the way though in both the political and personal aspects of the player characters life, to keep the player actively engaged in a way that doesn't leave them thinking that their presence in the story amounts to little more than the equivalent of holding a book and simply turning the page rather than actively doing something.

But combining an already planned bleak ending with a very corrupt setting where the leaders on all sides are either completely moronic or passive, party members where the majority of them have too many burdens of their own to give Hawke a genuine sense of a reprieve from the madness even if romancing one of them (except for Varric, Aveline, and Bethany, if alive, everyone else is either a whiner or dysfunctional. It's very telling that Hawke's PET DOG gets more no strings attached visits from the party members than Hawke does. Just saying), railroading Hawke to lose the majority of their family in some way, AND having what little success and influence Hawke DOES acquire to come back and bite them in the ass in the end (Hawke struck it rich and became Champion of Kirkwall?! Awesome!.....right up until its revealed the red lyrium idol they found in the deep roads played a part in screwing up everything), then at that point, a serious argument can be made that the writers veered far too heavily into tragic overdone melodrama for some people.

How cool would it have been to be able to leave the game with "Well, okay, I couldn't do anything about the corruption in Kirkwall or the mage/Templar tensions spiraling out of control, but at least my whole family is alive and well"? There could have even been an achievement/trophy for this very outcome called "The pride of the Hawkes" or something.

Just one possible example of how the railroaded political failures could have been offset by giving Hawke, (and by extension the player), the OPTION for personal success in a more meaningful way. The option for extreme tragedy with some or even all of the Hawkes dying can still be there of course for people who want that degree of angst, but again having multiple OPTIONS is more likely to accommodate more people and their preferred play styles or stories, and thus, give more reasons to play the game multiple times.

As it stands now, sure, Hawke can save the life of one sibling, but they're still railroaded into losing one of them before the prologue is over, the other is either killed by the Blight or forced from their side in act 1 because the game said so, and the mother is forced to die in the most shock value induced way possible (nevermind not even being able to warn Leandra in act one or follow up on this quest until it's too late in act two or the guards and Templars being forcefully incompetent for this to play out like the writers want).

Those have just been my thoughts as of late. Some people argue that in a way, this is the entire point of the game. That sometimes only REALLY crappy choices exist and there may not be a third option. I agree with that to a point.

But "there might not be" and "there NEVER is" an option for an ideal third way are two very different things and IMO, DA2 suffered in veering far too heavily in the direction of the latter, often being too focused on heartbreak and shock value (looking at you "All That Remains") to really work as well as it could have.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts a decade later. Make no mistake, I still love DA2 for what it is, love the general concept and idea of DA2, just not the execution. It's just sad to me that this game could have been so much better with more development time, more options to shape Hawke's story on a more personal level (whether with an ideal outcome of everyone in the family living, or a semi tragic one where some can die depending on choices, or everyone dying), and not being railroaded into tragedy to nearly nigh ridiculous levels to the point where a giant spider nightmare residing in the Fade in a whole other game mocks Hawke for their "failure is the only option" status.

And just to further clarify my point here, true, Kirkwall was a ticking time bomb with or without Hawke being there. They made the tensions between the two factions apparent as far back as DAO. A Mage/Templar war was all but inevitable, as was Anders eventually losing himself to Justice/Vengeance and after exhausting all peaceful options, finally doing the unthinkable and "forcing everyone to choose a side". That part was fine. And it makes sense for this part of the story to remain static and unchanged no matter what (as I said before, the issue isn't necessarily that DA2 had a planned tragic ending or was framed as a set story within a story).

The issue is that, at the end of the day, regardless of whether this is framed as a recounting of events already played out, Bioware still chose to present this part of the story to the world as an RPG, not a novel. It's just too easy to pick apart the current execution of the narrative and find too many holes and inconsistencies, far too easy to see that Bioware wanted tragedy and completely railroaded the player into it regardless of whether or not it made sense to do so at times. Part of it is definitely that it was rushed, but not all of it.

" Genuine inevitable tragedy" (example: the mage/Templar rebellion) and "railroaded and just never given the option to question/change anything because the game/developers said so but still forcefully insisting and trying to frame it as an inevitable tragedy" are two very different things (outright confirming in Act 1 that the remains of the serial killer's vicitms did indeed belong to one of the missing women (Ninette's wedding ring) and he gave them white lilies but conveniently never given the option to bring any of this up to the guards/Templars or pursue the quest or warn Leandra until it's far too late). Leandra's death isn't the only example of this problem, but it definitely is one of the most prominent and IMO, takes away from the intended story of a good woman who met a bad end with their oldest son/daughter being unable to prevent it when the game failed to let them (and by extension the player) truly try.

DA2 could have been a great contrast to DAO. Rather than having the influence to shape the fate of the world like the Warden and succeed in their goal, they could have compromised in DA2 with having the fallout of the Kirkwall Chantry destruction and the rebellion still happening no matter what (i.e. Hawke "failing" to stop any of the madness and still ultimately forced to flee Kirkwall in the end after finally dragging the Amell line back into prominence) but still given the player the option to save their immediate family members across the story if certain choices were made throughout. I'm sure most people would have been fine with a more "bittersweet" option being presented for Hawke, (and by extension the player) in the game, especially where again, one can pick apart the narrative and see where it could have been an option, but just wasn't allowed for no other reason than seemingly because of the "True art is angsty" trope.

Bioware could still have their own canon (similarly to how Alistair is shown to be king in their canon no matter what as an example) of the ultimate tragedy if they wanted, but again, DA2 is still an RPG where players expect to have more meaningful choices reflected in how they progress, even with an inescapable darker and downer ending.

Complete and utter tragedy is fine, but I just don't think it was the best decision to have it as THE ONLY option in an RPG.

[drivingsideways]

For the ship and one word thingy, of you're still doing it(and thank you!) . Seunghyo and Seunwoo, exhaustion.

Hi anon! Sorry this is a bit late, and I'm not sure this will quite be what you were looking for, but I hope you'll enjoy the snippet. Once again, I'm setting this in my "Where Your Treasure Is" 'verse, but this works as a prequel to the first part of that series and is gen or pre-slash if you squint (or have read the rest of the 'verse!)

This is set post-canon, premising that Seon-woo gets a life-saving surgery, and Gu Seung-hyo is still with Hwajeong group but in an overseas posting. He's also dating Lee No-eul.

cw: mentions of physical disability, depression

The nurse is carefully unstrapping the prosthetics when there's a knock on the door, and a quiet voice says, "May I come in?"

Seon-woo looks up, startled. In the doorway is the last person he'd expected to see this morning, or indeed, for a long while.

"Gu sajang," he says, surprised. "Good morning," he adds, belatedly remembering his manners.

"Good morning, Ye Seon-woo-ssi. Is this a bad time?" Gu Seung-hyo asks, "I can come by later."

"Almost done," Seon-woo says, gesturing for him to enter. "I've just finished my exercise round for the morning."

The second leg is off now, and the immediate lessening of the weight makes him sigh unconsciously in relief, as he leans back into the pillows. It's been a month into the physiotherapy with the prosthetics, but he's still not used to it- neither to seeing the world from a different height, nor the strain on his back. He much preferred the chair still.

"I'll see you at 4," says Nurse Jang, with a smile, and he dredges up one for her. She's his favourite: a real sweetheart, with deft hands and a wicked sense of humour. She bows politely to Gu Seung-hyo, who bows back, before he takes the chair by the bed.

"I didn't know you were in town," Seon-woo says, "I thought No-eul-ssi mentioned you were in Indonesia."

"I have some meetings here this week," Gu Seung-hyo says, "And some free time. I hope this isn't an imposition on yours."

"My time has less value than yours, Gu sajang," he finds himself saying, "It's very kind of you to come by."

He curses himself inwardly the moment the words are out of his mouth. That had been well short of the inane courtesy that he should have responded with; that kind of self-deprecation wasn't as harmless with Gu Seung-hyo, as it might have been with another, less perspicacious man.

"Kindness has little to do with it, I'm afraid. I've been given a task," Gu Seung-hyo says smoothly, "I'm merely an errand boy."

He rises, holding out a brown paper that Seon-woo hadn't noticed before, toward him.

"From No-eul-ssi," he says, "Since she's unable to visit this week."

It's cherry tomatoes, which he knows come fresh from the little vegetable garden that No-eul's got going in her backyard in Gangneung.

Seon-woo smiles.

"Please help yourself," he says, holding out the bag to Seung-hyo, who looks hesitant but then picks one out, gingerly, as he seats himself again.

"You don't like them?" Seon-woo asks, as he roots in the bag, looking for the ripest one.

"I'm don’t usually snack in between meals," says Gu Seung-hyo.

Seon-woo nods; somehow that seems entirely in character. "It's nice though," he says, "To break the rule once in a while."

"Yes," Gu Seung-hyo says, and the corners of his eyes crinkle a little as he continues, "Though, as you know I'm rather fond of keeping them."

Seon-woo can't help chuckling at that, and the crinkles get more pronounced.

Silence reigns for a few minutes as they munch on the tomatoes; sweet with just a hint of tartness beneath. Gu Seung-hyo studies the room as he takes a second tomato, when the bag is proffered. It's not very large, but there's a long window which overlooks the garden of the rehab facility, and lets in the warm sun in the afternoons. The window sill and the small desk is covered in the detritus of Seon-woo's stay: books (from Choi Seo-hyun, mostly), a stuffed toy (No-eul), board games (which he plays with Jin-woo during his daily visits, flowers and snacks (eomma), a picture of the three of them taken at a cousin's wedding three years ago.

"This is a nice place," Gu Seung-hyo says, thoughtfully. "A good location, and they have good staff and equipment, it seems."

"Yes," Seon-woo agrees, wondering if Gu Seung-hyo's ever-ticking brain was thinking of a business opportunity. "I was lucky to get a place here after the surgery, it's always full, because they're competent but not very expensive. I have Chief Joo to thank for it, he pulled strings on my behalf."

"Did he?" Seung-hyo says, neutrally. "I'm glad it worked out."

Seon-woo nods, and attempts to concentrate on the sweetness of the tomato, and not the bitter aftertaste of pity.

It's hard though, getting harder every day, to not—

Gu Seung-hyo's studying the view from the window now, peering through the glass, hands shoved in his trouser-pockets. He's dressed in his customary three-piece suit, this time a light grey with a fine pattern, over a crisp white shirt and a navy tie. Conservative, reliable. Seon-woo wonders whom he was meeting today- some oldish government type, he assumes.

"Are you in a lot of pain?" Gu Seung-hyo asks, suddenly, turning back to Seon-woo, startling him out of his thoughts. "Sorry, " he adds, taking in Seon-woo's surprised expression. "But I thought it was better to ask it straight, than attempt to infer."

"It gets better or worse," Seon-woo says, "but there's always some. It's—" he shrugs. "I'm doing as well as could be hoped, at this point."

"The prosthetics—"

Seon-woo shrugs. "They'll take time to get used to," he says, "It still feels strange. The ones I'm trying out are among the best on offer, but the cutting-edge stuff is only available if you're in some clinical trial."

"Who's doing that here, in Korea?"

"SNU, for one," Seon-woo says, "They're really out there in terms of their ongoing projects. But it's hard to say when one of those will become commercially viable."

Seung-hyo nods, thoughtfully.

He smiles at Gu Seung-hyo. "But it's boring to talk about me, you should tell me the news of the wide world."

Gu Seung-hyo's sudden smile reminds Seon-woo that he's a handsome man.

"Do I need to? Isn't that what the internet and that tablet by your bed is for?"

Seon-woo acknowledges it with a half-smile. "Then tell me stories," he says, surprising himself, "Of your adventures in the wild jungle of corporate life. I suppose the new assignment must be a relief after the drama at Sungkook."

"It's more what I'm used to," Seung-hyo acknowledges, and then easily, as if they were friends, "but I admit I miss the challenge of dealing with the eccentricities of top-notch medicos."

The crinkly-eyed expression makes a reappearance. The man was quite unfairly charming when he chose to be, Seon-woo notes; he'd forgotten that, somehow, in the year since he'd last met Gu sajang.

"Your successor isn't faring much better, I think, the last I heard."

"No doubt your brother has nothing to do with that situation," Seung-hyo says, gravely.

Seon-woo laughs, "Nothing at all."

Talk drifts from Sungkook, to other things- Seung-hyo's new role, Korean chaebols, the economy, the Blue House's current occupant and the prospects for the next elections which are less than a year away, books that they discover they're both fond of, and music, and somehow, before Seon-woo realizes it, it's lunch time. There's a knock on the door- it's the kitchen staff with a tray of food. The young woman pauses when she sees Seung-hyo and asks if they'd like another tray.

Seon-woo, mortified by the realization that he's probably upset Gu sajang's schedule irrevocably, is just going to decline, when Seung-hyo says, "It looks delicious, I think I'll have some, if that's not a bother."

"No problem at all," says Min-joo-ssi, with a pleased smile, "We have extra trays."

After she leaves, Seung-hyo says, "Do you feel like having lunch outside in the garden? It's a fine day. I noticed there are some tables set out."

"Uh," says Seon-woo, "I've already made you late."

"Not at all," says Gu Seung-hyo, blatantly lying without missing a beat- another talent that Seon-woo had forgotten he had- "I'll call someone to get a chair."

He's already at the desk phone, quickly dialing the extension after a quick check of the list tacked on the wall, and somehow, before Seon-woo can quite process it, they're outside, under the shade of a garden umbrella, watching butterflies flit, and the bees stagger, punch-drunk, among the roses that are in outrageous bloom.

Seung-hyo eats heartily, Seon-woo notices, without affectation.

He looks up at that moment, to meet Seon-woo's eyes. "You must be bored of the food here," he says, looking a bit rueful.

"They try their best to vary it," Seon-woo says, "and eomma always sends dinner or breakfast with hyung, so I don't have too much to complain about."

Seung-hyo nods, though something flashes in his eyes, that Seon-woo has no way to parse.

A silence falls between them, as they finish the meal. It's not an entirely comfortable one—and Seon-woo feels compelled to occasionally make a remark of some kind to break it, as he becomes more and more conscious of the passage of time. Gu Seung-hyo doesn't look at his watch or mobile even once.

"Do you mind showing me around the grounds?" Seung-hyo asks, after they are done.

Seon-woo looks at him in surprise. "There's not much to see," he says.

"A walk might do me some good," Seung-hyo says, "I'm afraid I might have overdone on the meal."

"You should snack more often," Seon-woo says, smiling at him, "That might prevent these situations from arising."

"Shall we?" Seung-hyo asks, rising from the chair. "Where do I put away the trays?"

So they make their way toward the rear entrance of the kitchen to hand over their trays, Seon-woo wheeling his own chair, and Seung-hyo keeping pace with him. After, Seon-woo directs him toward the southern end of the property, toward the area where there are some tennis courts and even a basketball court set up for the residents who might be able to play.

It's just after lunch, so the courts are empty.

"You used to play," Seung-hyo says.

"Yes," he says, surprised.

"No-eul-ssi mentioned it," Seung-hyo says, "She said that your brother and you made a formidable duo on court."

"Is that so?"

Seung-hyo slants a smile in his direction, "Well, her exact words may have been that you were both bastard cheaters."

"Sore loser," Seon-woo says immediately, "She hated it when she lost."

"She's surprisingly competitive about some things," Seung-hyo agrees, and the accompanying smile is a revelation, starting up an ache beneath Seon-woo's ribs.

"I hope you'll be able to play again soon," Seung-hyo says, "The next time I come by, we should have a game."

"Sure," Seon-woo says, "Next time."

"Seon-woo-ssi," says Gu Seung-hyo, "You can say no, if you don't want to."

Seon-woo looks up, startled.

Seung-hyo is smiling wryly. "I'm quite good at it, so I should warn you it won't be an easy game. You should consider it carefully."

"Is there anything you aren't good at?" Seon-woo says, a trifle acerbic.

"Cooking," Seung-hyo says, immediately, and then adds, reflectively, "And the care of tiny creatures."

"What happened to the dog?" Seon-woo asks, immediately concerned. He's seen enough photos of the creature thanks to No-eul to justify the feeling.

"Oh nothing, Nighty is, as the kids say these days, living his best life. He's eomma's dog now, barely acknowledges me."

Was that a hint of petulance? That was unexpectedly amusing. But there was something a little wistful in it, as well.

"You aren't home," Seon-woo finds himself- consoling- the man. "It's quite natural."

"I'm aware," Seung-hyo says, "And it's fine. It's good, actually. Like I said, caretaking isn't one of my talents."

Unlike compartmentalization, Seon-woo thinks. I wish I had that.

"Shall we head back?" Seung-hyo's voice breaks in. He hadn't realized that they'd been standing there in silence for a while. "You seem tired."

There's something oddly gentle about the way he says it, something that makes Seon-woo both want to punch a wall, and break down crying.

It takes him a minute to gather himself, before he nods.

"Seon-woo-ssi," says Gu Seung-hyo, "Is there something you want to say?"

Seon-woo looks up at him.

Gu Seung-hyo's face is watchful, cautious, but not closed off.

Seon-woo looks away, across the empty basketball court.

"I regret the surgery," Seon-woo says, aloud, for the first time. "I wish I had never let myself be talked into it. I should have had the courage to—let go."

Seung-hyo doesn't respond for a long minute. Then, with a sigh, he says, "But there's so much to let go of. And why should you?"

Seon-woo turns to him, but Seung-hyo isn't looking at him either. Instead, he squats, running his hands over the rough grass at the sidelines.

"I don't suppose you could understand," Seon-woo says, softly.

"No," says Seung-hyo, "You're right, I don't. But it's not your disability or its consequences that I don't understand. It's that I've always wanted everything that this world could offer, and I'm determined to have it. Whatever it takes. I don't accept any other possibility."

He turns to Seon-woo after a minute of silence.

"An uncle of mine once told me that it was better to be alive than dead, and to be born than not at all," he offers.

"Was your uncle a priest?"

"A foreman in a factory that made precision tools. He worked forty years there for the same company, before he retired to a fishing village."

"Close," notes Seon-woo, and Gu Seung-hyo gives him one of his genuinely warm smiles, that he's only seen in photographs No-eul had sometimes shared.

"I'm selfish," he says, "about the world, and my place in it. I have an outsized ego, perhaps, to insist on my significance in the face of the vast unknown. But I am convinced that there's one thing only I can do, and that is to live my life to the fullest."

"The universe has been benevolent to you," Seon-woo says, "You're her favourite. You know, as a pep talk this is remarkably bad."

Seung-hyo smiles, a quicksilver flash of amusement.

"If you wanted a pep talk, you'd talk to your psych," he observes. "Or someone who's invested in keeping you alive, for one reason or the other."

"I'm exhausted by people trying to fix me," Seon-woo admits. "You're a nice change."

"I don't think you need fixing," says Gu Seung-hyo, "I suspect you have problems that need to be fixed. Like the rest of us."

"Is that how you see yourself?" Seon-woo asks, diverted. "As a problem solver?"

Seung-hyo shrugs. "It helps me to think of the world that way," he admits. "A series of problems that I can apply my mind to."

"Sounds exhausting," Seon-woo says, not quite kindly.

Gu sajang seems unperturbed. He shrugs out of his jacket and spreads it on the grass, before sitting down on it.

"It is, sometimes," he responds. "But there's that ineffable component called luck," he adds, "Sometimes the problems sort themselves out."

"Hashtag blessed," says Seon-woo, "Do you have a social media account?"

"I've hired a very competent firm to run my PR," Seung-hyo says, "Though they insist that I post at least one cute picture of my dog or my mother every day. I believe I have a respectable number of followers."

Seon-woo laughs.

Seung-hyo looks up at him, with a raised eyebrow.

"Likeability is a problem that's not too difficult to solve these days," he remarks.

"Another win for the universe's favourite," Seon-woo murmurs, "Hurrah."

The silence that follows lasts a while, but oddly enough, doesn't feel awkward.

"Thank you," Seon-woo says, finally. "For your time today. I'm afraid I've messed up your schedule."

"You were the only meeting on my list."

"You're dressed to meet a government bureaucrat type—" Seon-woo starts, incredulously- and then stops, outraged.

And this smile- pure mischief, that makes him look ten years younger- is something he didn't even know Gu Seung-hyo was capable of, he thinks, and close on the heel of that, he looks like someone I could be friends with.

"You didn't mess up my schedule," Gu Seung-hyo says again, "I don't have those kinds of luxuries in my life."

Seon-woo huffs, looking away. He feels hot under his collar, and it has nothing to do with the afternoon heat. He wishes he had more experience in dealing with this kind of thing- the kindness of strangers was one thing, but Gu Seung-hyo's place in his life was ill-defined.

What rot, says a voice in his head, he's the enemy.

It sounds suspiciously like Jin-woo hyung.

But Seon-woo doesn't have that kind of luxury in his life, either, or the inclination for it. Whatever lay between them- Gu Seung-hyo's time at Sungkook, his ongoing relationship with the love of Seon-woo's life- that was a past perhaps best laid to rest. Life was constant turmoil, and to fight against the current of it in this matter seemed a pointless waste of energy he didn't have.

"Tell me more about this research they're doing at SNU," Seung-hyo says after a minute, and Seon-woo takes the out offered. Sooner than Seon-woo had thought, it's almost time for his second round of physiotherapy.

"I have to get back," he says, "I don't want to make Nurse Jang wait."

"Of course not," says Seung-hyo, as he rises, folding his jacket neatly over his arm. "Shall we?"

They head back, slower than strictly warranted, as the conversation continues.

Nurse Jang is waiting for them at the door.

"Ah, Ye Seon-woo-ssi, I hope you had a good day today," she says, "with your friend."

It seems pointlessly rude to correct her; what was he going to say anyway—

"Yes," he says, not looking at Seung-hyo, "I did."

But he can't resist a glance, and catches quietly pleased look on his face, though, perhaps, to a stranger, it wouldn't look any different than his normal expression.

Somewhere between strangers and friends, he thinks, that's where they were.

As Seung-hyo makes his farewell, Seon-woo says, impulsively, "Next time, we'll play a game."

"Sure," says Seung-hyo easily, "Basketball?"

"Hmm, I prefer strategy games."

There's a glint in Gu Seung-hyo's eyes that Seon-woo finds highly entertaining.

"Loser pays for a meal," he says, recklessly.

But there was something, Seon-woo thinks, to be said for making plans for an unknown tomorrow.

'Deal," says Gu Seung-hyo, holding out his hand, " I'll be seeing you then, Seon-woo-ssi."

"Yes," says Seon-woo, as he shakes the proffered hand, "See you soon."