#finally ending with them getting together into a healthy and equal relationship

[kariachi]

Just cannot forget that the show had a whole romantic subplot about Kevin being interested in Gwen but not up to making a move and just, never bothered with why. The issue at play was never actually addressed. Instead we just get a steady stream of Kevin not making a move despite his interest, while Gwen pushes him to make a move, and then Gwen finagles a move out of him and the show just, carries on like there was never something keeping him from making a proper move in the first place.

The closest we get is in the third season of AF, where we get a nice look at his mental health issues including some nasty self-worth issues, but even then the focus is less on 'wow Kevin is having A Time and this shows us some things about his character' and more as 'and here's how his response to his situation is affecting Gwen'.

Even in the fandom I've seen it treated more like a case of Kevin being whiny and selfish over nothing, like it didn't lead to him teaming up with Darkstar- something the heroes only ever do otherwise when in desperate need of help dealing with an actual and immediate threat to life.

Just, if you're going to base your drama around something, at least actually fucking resolve or acknowledge the cause of the issue, rather than just brushing it under the rug once you're bored with it.

[scurvyboy]

Not to beat a dead horse or whatever, but you don’t see fiddlestan being healthy at any point? I feel like your version of them would have most of their issues figured out by the time they’re old and stuff. Can you talk about their dynamic a bit more pretty please? (I know you just had an ask about this so sorry to keep bringing it up aha 🤪. I’m obsessed with them, and I love your art/au and want to understand them.)

the basis of why i like the fiddlestan ship is strictly because it doesn't work and is doomed to fail. it's a relationship between two extremely damaged people that are only together for transactional reasons.

the way i see it starting: fiddleford comes back to gravity falls after being kicked out by emma may in hopes that he can patch things up with ford. he finds stan there instead and decides to help him fix the portal despite his crushing anxiety about it because he has nowhere else to go. they're both stuck alone in this situation and urges become apparent. things are awkward for a while before they start banging fuck nasty brokeback mountain style.

fiddleford wants stan because he's delusional and still in love with ford. sure he grows to appreciate differences between them and has a separate chemistry with stan, but he is also completely out of touch with reality and rebounding off of his failed marriage with a man who looks just like the one he cheated on his wife with. working on the portal triggers intense panic attacks, which makes him use the memory gun more, which makes him less and less stable.

stan is working himself to death trying to get ford back and just needs affection. the sexual aspect of their relationship helps him blow off steam, but fiddleford also treats him like a person with a brain and allows him to be emotionally vulnerable for the first time in a long while. having someone finally break down his walls is equal parts frightening and addictive for him; he wants to be loved so badly but knows deep down that fiddleford doesn't actually love him, just the person he represents. he's just second best again.

things start to fall apart when it becomes clear that fixing the portal will be impossible without the other journals. fiddleford basically gives up trying to do the work in earnest and just lives in a domestic fantasy world. stan starts to get more and more impatient about the lack of work getting done and the stress makes him a lot more irritated and volatile. the two enter a vicious cycle of violent fights and honeymoon phases until things boil over: stan confronts fiddleford about the memory gun and kicks him out after he tries to use it on him.

post break up fiddleford, now with his cult and savior complex, murder suicides the portal and their affair from both of their memories. however, stan gets his portal memories back being at the shack and goes on to do what he does in canon.

the whole relationship takes place over the course of a few weeks and is as canon compliant as i could manage. i think it's a really fun concept and i think about it all the time.

to be real, i really dislike the idea that all relationships in media have to be healthy and resolved in order to be compelling. the idea that characters NEED to end the story happy and together is just plain unrealistic. i prefer when stories go outside of the limits of "and then they got together and everything was great after that", especially if being in a relationship isn't necessary to a characters arc.

i do think that them getting together when they're older could work and be very nice. however, i also don't think it's entirely necessary, especially since i did make their relationship rotted gutted awful bad. it is cute though, they can kiss and watch tv and marry for taxt purposes i guess.

[twig-tea]

GL odds and ends 29 December 2024

The end of the year kicked my ass, but I wanted to get one last one of these out for 2024! The last one before this was 10 November. If you're interested in GL older than that, check out my GL rec list through Feb 2024 and my #gl recs tag for the other odds and ends posts. New series marked with an asterisk*.

Currently airing (with thoughts up to 29 Dec):

The Fragrance You inherit 5/8 (Japanese, Friday/Saturday-ish, no official distribution but fansub on @isaksbestpillow's blog [thank you Siiri!] I have been really enjoying this show and have been writing when I have time (last post was for ep4). At its core this is a gentle show about kind people who love each other doing their best, which is always my favourite thing. Subs are on pause for the moment so you have time to catch up before the finale!

Pluto ep 11/12 (Thai, Saturdays 9:30 AM ET, YouTube) This plot continues to be absolutely wild. There's a lot of discourse around Oom this week, to which I'll just say: Setting a test to see if the people you love will hurt themselves in order to make you feel better is not loving or healthy behaviour, even if your motivations are understandable and sympathetic. Namtan is doing a great job making these twins feel like different people, and she and Film are still gorgeous together. And I have no idea what's up with the messy lesbian sides, but I'm on the side of all of them need a time out! I've been pretty dialed out of this show because it's not my thing, so I'm not that invested in any of the relationships going into the finale, but it's been a wild ride and it seems to be holding together for those who enjoy the high drama of this plot.

*Petrichor ep 5/10 (Thai, Saturdays, 10:00 AM ET, iQIYI) The procedural aspects of this show are unfortunately not well executed, but Engfa and Charlotte have fantastic chemistry. I'm also really loving seeing Na and Max again even though I am very worried about getting too attached to their characters. It's always hard for me when a show is about a police officer trying to do good work in a corrupt system because the only takeaway I can accept is that that is not possible lol but I'm enjoying seeing these two on my screen every week (except this week, because we sadly did not get a new episode today).

*Mate, 6/12 (Thai, Tuesdays, WeTV (uncut version)) This one is hard to describe. It seems to be trying to do for trauma in a GL what Love in the Air and Bed Friend did in BL--show a realistic depiction of trauma in one of their characters and have them fall in love, and be taken care of and healed that way. But that also makes it extremely hard to watch. The trauma flashbacks and trauma responses is rough. The main character is not very likeable but that's kinda the point, I'm not minding that part of it so much. There are a lot of things I like about this show, so I don't want to discourage views. Just go into this one informed, and make the decision that's right for you.

*INTP 1/? (Korean, Fridays (?), YouTube) This is the latest short series from RedQ, who produced some of my favourite GL short series including More than or equal to 75 degrees C, and To the Ex who Hated Me. No info on how long it will be or if it will be weekly, so that Fridays release schedule is a total guess. The setup of this one reminded me of Semantic Error if SangWoo realized he was attracted to JaeYoung at their first group assignment meeting.

Recently Completed:

Apple My Love 6.5 50-min eps (Thai, Oct 12-Nov 16, GagaOOLala and YouTube) I ended up feeling like this one bit off a bit more than it could chew, as much fun as I had with it, it was a wobbly landing. I was ok with the ending at the end but I spent a lot of time watching the finale uncertain about how I felt about all of it. There's a 30 min "episode 5.1" that is an important bridge between episodes 5 and 6 (and also includes a 10-min fingering scene, thank you show) that I think resulted from either poor pacing or realizing they needed to set up the episode better? It was odd but something to make sure not to skip. The show does a lot of what I love about Kongthup's latest BLs: it avoids the worst drama pitfalls and calls them out in the show itself when it uses them, and it is largely about being kind to its characters who are figuring themselves out. Warning for extremely hard to watch secondhand embarrassment in the first couple of episodes lol Kris is such a cringefail lesbian I love her. With the caveats above, if you don't mind secondhand embarrassment and want a comedy GL and are willing to be a little patient with the ending, give this one a try!

The Loyal Pin 16 65-min eps (Thai, Aug 4-Dec 1, YouTube) Anin was the bravest right through to the end. I really liked a lot of this show, but I found the pacing a bit uneven and the finale a little rough. It's hard, because I actually am happy with the way the show ended--it makes perfect sense and was where I was hoping they would get to the entire show. What I didn't like was how we got there. It seemed wild that Pin and Anin didn't at least talk about this possibility before we got there; and didn't feel like we ever resolved the disparity between the two leads, though the show was aware of it the whole time which I did like. And you may have seen the shouting about the prank in the finale, it was in really poor taste. In the end, this show was beautiful, gave a platform for promoting Thai culture (food, clothing, history), and had excellent intimacy. I really enjoyed the slow burn between Anin and Pin, and I loved that every character had and used the agency they had, but that the show was realistic about what was in and outside of their control. If you want a slow-burn and high-heat romance and are willing to be a little frustrated for the sake of the drama, and/or you really like a pigtail-pulling romantic dynamic, you should watch this show.

Red Whisper 8 10-min eps (Korea, Oct 2-Nov 11, YouTube) Honestly this show never got better after what I wrote about it a month ago about how its portrayal of bisexuality and nonmonogamy was upsetting. For the record one last time: Not all bisexuals are nonmonogamous, and entering a monogamous relationship under false pretenses and then acting like your partner is being unreasonable by not wanting an open relationship is shitty behaviour. This one is sadly not recommended.

The Nipple Talk 10 30-min eps (Taiwanese, Nov 8-22, GagaOOLala) I highly recommended the first half, and so I am so sad to say that I can't say the same for the second half of the show. I was really enjoying how much the show seemed to support a mix of monogamy and nonmonogamy, but the second half of the show leaned heavily into 'everyone wants a monogamous relationship when they meet the right person', which disappointed me. The show also tried to introduce some themes that felt very dated in terms of how they handled them (e.g. HIV) and I ended up just not really liking the Pony character as a person by the end. The lesbian relationship was super messy in a way that I did not find fun too. Mama was the best part of this show, and I hope we get more characters like them in future (better) shows!

*Soul Sisters 24 12-min eps (Chinese, iQIYI) This entire show dropped this week so I binged it in one go. The basic setup is a GL version of Meet You At the Blossom, except the gender fuckery lasts for most of the series and they don't actually ever get to kiss. I loved this little show; it is a frenetic, very silly and censored comedy, so calibrate your expectations accordingly. But it walks the line in a way that is palatable (or was for me, anyway). Without giving too much away, it is an open happy ending. The caveats for this one are that there is no wasted tape, so the pacing is rollercoaster fast, and the cuts are sometimes jarring. But it's a surprisingly beautiful show for the budget, and I really appreciated all of the ways they came up with to give these women shippy moments. Also, good lord this main character is so competent, which is a major weakness of mine. I had a great time!

*Whisper Me a Love Song 12 25-min eps (Japanese anime, Apr-27 Dec, HiDive) This started airing in April but there was a delay and the last episode didn't air until yesterday. High school lesbians in a band having embarrassing confused and misunderstood feelings all over the place (with good endings including a kiss for at least one of our couples). I appreciate that this anime is not playing with the 'are they friends who joke about wanting to touch each other's boobs or are they more' line, they outright say they want to be more than friends and then kiss. The music is good too! Recommended if you are feeling like a high school dramedy with good tunes that stays pretty light and is in the 'bubble'.

Recent One-offs, Side Couples, etc.:

My Hot Butch Roommate (actually a 2-parter) aired on bilibili 1, 2) and was subtitled by @douqi7s on YouTube (1, 2) These two are very cute, and this little short does a ton with the very tiny 5 minutes of total runtime it uses. Give the original bilibili uploads a stream so they get views, even if you watch the YT subbed version!

Fufuknows put out a new lesbian short titled The Choices of Two Lesbian Couples in Love on YouTube This was a great short (11 min) film featuring the story of two couples at different stages in their relationship, and the different choices they make about their futures. I really enjoy Fufuknows as queer short filmmakers, and I appreciate that they regularly include lesbian and wlw content in their bi-weekly (as in, every other week) fictional shorts that they produce and release. This one is recommended!

Aim's Lesbian plotline in the new Love Sick 2024 remake concluded (this was not a plotline in the 2014 version and it's one of the changes I really like and that I think works really well) Spoiler: she doesn't get a romance happy ending but her story ends with acceptance from her friends about who she is, which was lovely to watch

There was a brief of-the-week lesbian couple who wanted to marry in Spare Me Your Mercy Spoiler: their story is tragic, which is par for the course in a murder mystery

I am suspecting wlw sides in See Your Love I may end up eating these words but I was getting vibes, and so I'm putting this out in the universe now in hopes I'm right lol

There is a new Korean shorts production company on YouTube called Lovememory (Their first BL ep is out and the GL, First Love, has a trailer)

Mom Ped Sawan started airing but I don't have a source so I can't give any info or links unfortunately. If anyone knows of a subtitled source for this show, please let me know!

My Ex's Wedding came out in Thai theatres waiting for an international source for this too

Korean short film What's In my Bag was uploaded to Matchbox I haven't seen it yet but the trailer is on YouTube if anyone is curious! The film is available now for a small fee on Vimeo (runtime 12 mins).

Sastra film app YouTube channel has several short Cambodian GL series that come out weekly Honestly they are not to my taste but I don't like gatekeeping GL especially from smaller markets. I check in on these time to time and if there are any that I think are great I'll give them a shout-out

Ditto above with JPC media YouTube channel for Thai GL shorts if there are any that stand out to me I'll say so; that being said I haven't had time recently so if I've missed anything good let me know!

Starting soon:

Us the series, Thai, 18 January 2025, most likely YouTube (as this is a GMMTV show) Caveat that this date is a rumour, see comments

Fragrance of the First Flower s2, Taiwanese, 18 February 2025, GagaOOLala ok this isn't that soon but I'm just so excited we're getting this second season after all!

It is so, so nice that we have this much GL to keep track of, I can't complain! This covers a whole month of content and it was a month I was very distracted from my QL consumption so while I always welcome anyone pointing out stuff I missed, I would particularly appreciate it this round.

[arrayoflightarchives]

Kagehina yap because I can't get them out of my brain even tho I need to go to bed bc I have a full day of lectures tomorrow,,,

(be warned yall that this is a long one, which is why I've put the big explanation under the cut)

Okay so Kagehina shouldn't be getting together before Brazil Arcc. If you wanna write them before then, go ahead I love a good bit of hs kghn or long-distance kghn as much as the next person. However, for their characters at the end of HS, I feel like they need to have the Adlers v MSBY match before they should be in a relationship:

The end of 3rd year:

At the end of their third year, Kageyama is still not fully open with Hinata, let alone anyone else. I'm not saying that you have to be completely open with everyone before getting into a relationship, but I think for their dynamic, he needs to learn to be more open with his emotions than he is at that point before you can have two personalities like him and Hinata in a relationship together.

At the end of third year, Hinata is still nowhere near Kageyama's skill level in volleyball. Again, I'm not saying that they need to have equal skill levels to be in a relationship however, Hinata does have a major inferiority complex about this specifically when compared to Kageyama and I don't think that, with he skill level he is at in 2015 (when they graduate). He can't catch up with Kageyama by becoming a skilled player in his own right without going to Brazil, we know this, but going to Brazil also develops his personality as well as his vb skills. He is now more confident and has learnt a lot and so he is able to be on what he considered equal footing with Kageyama (what he considered is the important part here bc of his issues with comparing himself to Kageyama, which we see the whole way through the story).

Now flip to post Brazil:

At this point, Kageyama has begun to open up a bit more by spending time with his teammates, mostly on Adlers, but you can assume JNT as well - we just don't see much of that bc Hinata is the protag, and he's busy sulking over Kags not visiting him atp. Like we can see this in small things like him showing Ushijima the photo of Hinata and Oikawa. He is now more open than he was in hs but he hasn't talked to (at least not much more than maybe like a couple two message interactions) Hinata in a couple years as far as we know. Because of their whole soulmate thing because Kageyama is still somewhat alone because of his skill level (see Kazuyo's promise)

At this point, Hinata is finally confident in his skill level, I mean, he was practically unknown and got into the MSBY D1 starting line-up. However, I think it's important to note that atp he has not beaten Kageyama so although he has definitely improved - he's earned the title of Ninja Shoyo, which is his own compared to the little giant (I can also yap abt that honestly) - he doesn't know whether he has caught up with Kageyama who, for all he knows could have improved just as much as he did in the time they were apart. Hinata might now have many brain cells, but he knows enough that it's silly to think that Kageyama has not improved at all while playing with the JNT and being in VL D1 since high school.

Post-Adlers v MSBY match:

Kageyama has now opened up. This bit is less about opening up to those around him (although he has, see "took you long enough") and is more about him being open with his own emotions. Obviously, he's not suddenly fixed years of emotional repression in one match, but he's chosen to open himself up to Hinata (see being happy/smiling at losing a match) and therefore also open with the audience (we finally see his backstory - that idea is not mine it's from this post it's rlly good u should read it). At this point, I feel like he is ready to have a healthy relationship with Hinata while still working through his other issues. He isn't going to be magically perfect now, but still, he's at a maturity point where he would be able to be in a relationship with someone as competitive as him and Hinata are together.

Hinata has now won against Kageyama. He now knows and feels confident with his skills as a player of his own right and worth, and so now his competition with both people like Hoshiumi and then especially with Kageyama is not going to be him seeing himself as the small junior high version of him who got beaten in 30 minutes still trying to prove himself, but the amazing Ninja Shoyo who is an amazing all-rounder and a wing spiker (the position he's wanted to play in order to be ace which he didn't get a chance to play before). He has grown as a person already while in Brazil, but this win is simply confirmation that he has done what he went there to do. He can trust that he made the right choice to leave Kageyama and the trust and dynamic that they had created (which was a major worry of his through the first part of the Brazil arc - with the homesickness and seeing Kageyama in the Olympics) and is better for it. this game proves it all to him, and he can welcome Kageyama and a possible relationship with him now that they are equals, rivals and a team at the same time.

Finally, onwards:

We finally see that they are together, whether you want that to be as teammates and best friends/platonic soulmates or as romantic soulmates it's up to you, but we see that they have improved both in vb and in their relationship together (see one of my fav panels to ever exist with their fist bump in JNT uniforms).

They are on the same team together, except stronger, when they go to the Olympics together. And then when we see after that, they still have a strong dynamic with them both declaring they're going to win in the Ali Roma v ASAS São Paulo game which makes me think that they keep in contact a lot better than they did while Hinata was playing beach - only bc there seems to be less of the tension that is there when they meet before the MSBY Adlers game.

Anywaysss that pretty much concludes my yap on why they shouldn't get together until after the Brazil arc. I could probably say a billion more things about this, but this was the best way to get any sort of coherence from me about this. I will probably do more yaps so if people want, feel free to ask me questions in my ask box or in the notes!!!!

(Also I hope yall appriciate the colour coding, I chose the purple over the blue cause I felt it was more Kageyama coded, at least on my phone it is)

[vindicated-truth]

As someone who loves both characters individually and together, I keep wondering if Dongsik's and Joowon's relationship is healthy.

(Please feel free to chime in with your own views, let's figure this out together lol)

Are they enablers of each other?

Yes, in a way, especially when they had no choice to, if they want to solve the cases they're working on together. They did it, however, with the promise / threat that they will each be punished for their own wrongdoing in the end.

Do they owe each other anything?

Yes, but at the same time they kind of neutralize each other in the end. Dongsik owes Joowon for catching Han Kihwan, but at the same time Joowon is also the one who arrests him. At the same time, Joowon owes Dongsik for having his own father be the murderer of Dongsik's sister, yet he brought justice to Dongsik in the end, and even followed through with Dongsik making him vow to live the rest of his life as a cop.

(To be honest, I don't think you can give a worse punishment to someone with a very rigid and absolute moral compass than to not get out of a very corrupt and broken system.)

Do they have an equal footing with each other in their hierarchical society?

Not at the beginning, but they do in the end.

Do they have a rose-colored glasses view of each other?

This is debatable, when from the very beginning they've already seen the absolute worst of each other. They can only go up from there, so to speak, since they've never really forgotten each of the other's flaws even as their relationship progressed into something less combative and more of grudging awe.

They do have a somewhat idealized view of each other in the end, but that's mostly because of experience, what they went through together: they know exactly what the other did for them, and can't help but feel grateful for it.

Do they complement each other?

I've written multiple posts about it lol, so it goes without saying that in many, many ways, their weaknesses are complemented extremely well by the other's strengths.

Do they ruin each other?

See, this is the thing: I think they've ruined each other for other people.

Their relationship evolved from a unique mix of their own complementary traits and their special circumstances, neither of which I believe can be replicated by and with anyone else.

No one else would have a deeper understanding of Dongsik's lunacy than Joowon, who witnessed first hand what drove him to it—and by whom.

No one else would have a deeper understanding of Joowon's stubbornness than Dongsik, who witnessed first hand the lengths Joowon would go to complete his goals—and why.

It's a very unique circumstance that only the two of them will share and intimately know about each other, for better or for worse, by virtue of the fact that they are each driven to be who they are now, ironically, by Han Kihwan.

By virtue of being Lee Yuyeon's murderer, and by virtue of being Han Joowon's father.

That's the power Han Kihwan had and will always have over them. They are who they are in part because of what he did to them, separately and together.

That's what makes him the true monster of the story, the "final boss" of the series of monsters that both Dongsik and Joowon had to deal with, not because he was the "best" or "most powerful" of the villains—he was actually the weakest, stupidest, and most cowardly of them all—but he had the most impact to each of their lives, in the absolute worst way.

And isn't that the true evil? What is truly angering of all? That the least of them all had the most damage done to the best of people.

Would it be healthier for them to end up with other people, someone new and different?

Objectively—yes.

My worry for Joowon is that he might always feel like he owes Dongsik, just because he intimately knows what his own family did to Dongsik's family.

And my worry for Dongsik is that he might always feel like he owes Joowon too, precisely because he intimately knows everything Joowon had to give up in order to bring justice to him.

There's a chance that their relationship might evolve the same way as, for example, Nam Sangbae's relationship with Dongsik, who had stuck with him with some misplaced sense of responsibility—even as his love and care for Dongsik had been sincere—because it was colored by guilt.

For Joowon's and Dongsik's relationship in particular, it wouldn't necessarily be out of guilt—they've already punished each other, so to speak, in ways they deem fitting—but out of gratitude.

I can't be sure if that's a healthy foundation of a relationship, to be with each other because you're grateful to them. Perhaps that's also why I find it more believable to accept the actual ending of the story as the right one, if only because they need that time apart to re-discover who they are without the shadow of Han Kihwan looming over them—in different ways—so that if and when they choose to come back to each other, it'll be after a re-affirmation of their own sense of selves, this time free from everything that had previously shackled them.

Is it better for other people to be with them?

This is just the reverse of the question above, and honestly? My objective answer is no.

It is with complete and utter love for the both of them that I say they may have ruined each other for other people.

For Joowon in particular, his new theoretical significant other might want and need a partner who would have more attention and time for them as a family, instead of one who is completely and utterly devoted to his duty as a cop.

For Dongsik in particular, his new theoretical significant other might want and need a partner who has more concrete goals and ambitions in life, and not someone who is just starting to figure out his own identity and his life after finally being free from all the shadows that dogged his steps for decades.

Because the thing is, I'm not entirely sure that their new significant others would deserve them, just because I'm also not entirely sure neither Dongsik nor Joowon would be completely happy—even as they might have sincerely loved their new theoretical partners in return—with someone who wouldn't have completely understood who they are and what they've gone through, and what they're still going through.

For better or for worse, I don't think there's anyone else who can completely understand and accept them, the best and the worst of who they are—other than each other.

In conclusion: Is it healthy?

In time, it can be. Let them come back to each other at their own pace, in their own time.

I think they do know, deep in their hearts, that—for better or for worse—there will be no other.

And I think that can also be their motivation too, to do their best to make up for their mistakes, to live their best life and be the best of who they can be, and find their own ways to heal and move forward, because they have someone waiting for them.

Someone to come home to.

[dangerouslyknown]

Hiromi Higuruma Headcanons 🌻

A/N: Ughhh I have been having literally 0 motivation for writing, kind of like an art block. I wanna write so much but something just prevents me lmao... But this man, I swear. He just sparked my will to write and hopefully also work off the requests and one trade with a friend I have been working on. Also I just haaaad to get these out of my head

Contents/warnings: Random general headcanons, relationship headcanons & NSFW headcanons. I am just writing about "his S/O" and referring to S/O with they/them. Doesn't contain spoilers from JJK story, just Higuruma and his existence

General headcanons

He listens to Modern Talking. Don't ask where this comes from, I just feel like he'd like their music. Also somehow I was thinking he'd like Bon Jovi, too? He isn't like a crazy fan for either of them, just likes various of their songs. Could see him listening instrumental music as well, like game/movie soundtracks

Surprisingly enough he isn't a huge drinker. He enjoys an alcoholic drink every now and then to refresh, but he knows his limits. He knows when it feels good and when it goes overboard

He doesn't have visible muscles for the most part, I'd like to think him having a bit of body fat which hides them. My man is an attorney, he hasn't been focusing in training or being physically fit all that much. He does like to keep himself in decent shape though, because healthy body equals a healthy mind

He's not tall per se, more like average height, definitely under 180 centimeters

He's a minimalist. He doesn't have anything "extra" in his apartment, just the necessities

Speaking off, his wardrobe probably isn't huge either. Maybe a basic suit or two, so he can wash the other and still have the other one wearable. Otherwise his wardrobe is filled with mostly casual comfortable clothes. He values practical clothes, too

If he ends up having time to play games, he'd definitely mostly be into single player, story focused games. Not into fps games. One of his favorites are, funny enough, Ace Attorney games (he also likes the soundtrack)

SFW relationship headcanons

He doesn't strike me as a person who would be into dating all that much, but if he finds so called a right person, he might consider it. He doesn't really sleep around with lots of people either

He values the personality of a person more than looks. Forming an emotional and a mental bond is what matters him the most when it comes to a relationship

He doesn't even have a type, really. He thinks he is capable of finding anyone attractive if their personality hits him

And while we are at it, I bet he would love to have conversations with his S/O about anything. He'd love to discuss anything, silly to serious to deep thoughts with the right person. He wants to hear his S/Os thoughts and share his own

He'd also love to have playful, sarcasm filled banters/debates with his S/O

Either quality time or physical touch are his love languages

Quality time, because he is often doing long days and working a lot so he might not be around as much as he'd like. But when he finally is around his S/O, no matter what they do, he is going to be very happy. He likes to do the most basic, mundane things together with his S/O. Having breakfast, watching TV, showering together, cooking together, sitting together in the same room...

And what comes to physical touch, he just loves to get touchy with his S/O and most of the time not even in a sexual way. It is like a way to make up for all the time he hasn't been around. All the little touches and kisses he exchanges with his S/O makes him feel so loved

Oh, and one thing he'd absolutely love is to get a massage from his S/O. He would literally melt to their touch

(NSFW under the cut)

NSFW relationship headcanons

I think he is pretty vanilla... But he is very open to try new things and kinks for his S/O and for his own curiosity. He'd also be pretty gentle overall, but he loves his sex passionate, with an intimate, personal feel to it

He is a heavy switch when it comes to dynamics. He can top, he can bottom. But I have a feeling he'd have a tiny little submissive side in the sheets. He isn't opposed to being dominative either, but like I said, he is mostly vanilla so these kind of dynamics aren't exactly what he desires in the sheets

He prefers to do all the sexy stuff mostly in somewhere private, only him and his S/O... but he can't deny that he has thought of taking them in his office. Something about the though of him fucking them on his desk turns him on

He would definitely love having sex with clothes (mostly) on. First of all, he can be a bit tired after long days (and lazy, too) but, like, just having his dick out of his fly... or both of his and his S/Os pants just slightly lowered. It's all just so hot for him

Oh, and he'd love to fuck his S/O anywhere (privately). On the floor, on the sofa, against a wall. He isn't picky, he just wants to feel good

I still feel like bed is his to-go, because he is often tired to do anything extreme and it's just overall more comfortable to get down to business in the sheets

Previously mentioned that his love language is physical touch which applies to this aspect too. Sex is also a part of that for him. Sex is also a way for him to feel deeply connected with his S/O, physically and emotionally

Sex with his S/O is his favorite stress relieving method

I'll say it: I never thought he'd have a big cock. Recently, I came across Kyo-00´s Headcanons of the dicks of JJK men, and I agree on her take of Higuruma. I had previously thought he'd be more like average sized or so

He doesn't need to have a huge cock though, because he knows how to use what he has. He also has his mouth, his nose and his hands to make one pleased

This could probably go without saying, but he loves when his S/O shows him that he is desired and cared for. He would get so excited if his S/O initiated intimacy and slid their hand to his pants to play with his still limp dick, stroking it while giving his neck and face soft kisses all over... (Consensually, of course. He isn't always in the mood for that stuff either) Anyhow, that just sends a message to him which turns him on. Who would even want to have sex with someone who doesn't seem into it?

I believe he wouldn't want kids, so he 100% would get a vasectomy especially if his S/O is a afab/female so there isn't a need to worry about pregnancy

[dragons-bones]

FFXIV Write Entry #23: What the Future Holds

Prompt: on cloud nine || Master Post || On AO3 (coming in October)

A/N: Massive spoilers for the first half of Dawntrail.

---

It is not until after the ascension of Wuk Lamat and Koana as the new Dawnservants of Tuliyollal, and the first botanists from across the salt arrive with a plethora of seeds and saplings to discover which will thrive in the sapphire shadows of Ja Tiika, that the events of the past moons finally settle in the minds of Bakool Ja Ja.

With hindsight, he is not proud of his actions, even if at the time he believed they were necessary to secure the future of Mamook and her people. He was cowardly and dishonorable, and a fool besides to release Valigarmanda from his prison. Soon enough he must gather the courage to apologize to the men of his retinue for his callousness, to Wuk Lamat for his derision, to the Yok Huy for his arrogance, and await their judgment.

But he will do so with the knowledge that a real man, a real leader, accepts the consequences of his actions.

His mother and a group of their farmers are deep in discussion with the Sharlayan botanists. There are tentative plans in place for which seeds will they need to plant over the coming seasons, observing which will thrive and which will wither and which may end up to invasive for safe cultivation. Bakool Ja Ja the Mighty does not even pretend to understand it; Bakool Ja Ja the Mystic is itching to get his hands on one of those Sharlayan books about aetherology as it relates to agriculture. But today Bakool Ja Ja is needed elsewhere, and his mother smiles at him and has him lean down so she may kiss the cheek of the Mighty and then the Mystic before she returns to the meeting and he leaves the autarch’s palace.

He thinks that his mother has not stopped smiling since the Rite of Ascension ended. He does not remember that meeting room ever sounding so lively. He does not know if the walls of the palace have ever had hope echo through them.

Bakool Ja Ja passes his father on his way through the city streets. The autarch is overseeing repairs to some of the houses, and Zereel Ja nods to him as he walks by, even offering the shadow of a smile. His relationship with his father is awkward, to say the least, but Zereel Ja…Zereel Ja is trying. Bakool Ja Ja is not the only one who must relearn a great many things, and while he loves and resents his father in equal measure for the pressures placed upon him, Zereel Ja acknowledges he has erred and has let go of (most of) his pride, accepting the assistance of the Dawnservants to revitalize Mamook.

He has always had a good relationship with his mother, but the prospect of a healthier one with his father is…odd. Odd, but good.

It is in Skydeep Cenote that he breaks.

Oh, Bakool Ja Ja has broken many times in the past moons, not the least of which was in this very spot before Wuk Lamat and her entourage in revealing the shame of the Mamool Ja. But as he gently, reverently lifts one of the many urns that litter the waters of the cenote and sets it on the stone pier, to be carefully packed for transport to a proper mausoleum, both the Mighty and the Mystic together realize he will never have to place an urn within these waters ever again.

He has the sense to first ensure the urn is safely on the pier, even as his breath rattles in his chest. Then he steps around the crates he has already filled, each with four urns nestled among dried grasses and shredded najool leaves and cloud-soft alpaca wool, and walks to the doors of the inner cenote. He leans against the wall just next to the doors, staring out across the great cavern, and slides down to sit on the floor with a thud. The Mighty gasps for breath and the Mystic’s arm trembles violently.

No more dead brothers and sisters and cousins.

No more lost generations who could have been warriors or artisans or scholars.

No more children unable to escape their eggs, no more potential healthy children forsaken for the infinitesimal chance of a blessing sibling instead.

No more love matches broken for a betrothal between Boonewa and Hoobigo, no more resentful brides and grooms, no more mourning mothers and fathers, no more desperation that surely this egg will make it to maturity, no more wails of grief echoing through their dying city, no more potters having to fill their shelves with funerary urns, no more undertakers processing through Mamook westward to Skydeep escorting wivre-pulled carts rattling with filled urns.

No more no more no more no more no more no more.

The Mystic cannot cry; Boonewa eyes are simply not capable of the action. Hoobigo eyes are, however, and the Mighty weeps enough for them both, even as the Mystic rests his forehead against his brother’s temple. They shake, and hiccup, and cry, and cry, and cry.

For the first time in Bakool Ja Ja’s life, the tears are not from stress or grief.

They are from deep, overwhelming joy.

The past cannot be fixed, and the ghosts of his people’s children will haunt him until his last day. But his people have a future. His people will have happiness, and health, and one day soon, there will be children running through the streets of Mamook. There will be still be sorrow, because sorrow is a part of life, but there will be happiness at last, and laughter, and love, and hope.

Bakool Ja Ja weeps and as he does, his heart lightens until it soars.

[stagefoureddiediaz]

ugh this is horrible news tommy is still around, hope to god he's gone in the finale. v

Maybe in your world Nonnie, but not in mine and I'm not entirely sure why you felt the need to come and complain about it on my blog, but here we are!

It makes perfect Narrative sense for Tommy to still be around in the back end of the season, and even possibly into the start of season 8. The show is telling a story of Bucks bisexuality, so why woould they get rid of Tommy so quickly? To do so would do a disservice to that story - a massive disservice. I'm guessing you're hating on this relationship becasue you see it getting in the way of Buddie, rather than viewing it as a vital step on the route to Buddie.

Lets put it into simple terms - Buck figures out he's bi and then begins to explore that newly discovered aspect of himself. The show has also taken the time to move Buck from someone who didn't really do relationships (of the long term variety), into someone who is looking for love and looking for forever. But in amongst all of that, he hasn't really had a healthy long term relationship, the closest he had to that was with Ali and that one didn't last especially long and she wasn't around for most of it

Buck isn't ready for an endgame queer relationship right now - he is still to immature from a relationship perspective - especially a queer relationship perspective. If Eddie was available and he and Buck got together - as they are as characters right now, they wouldn't last - they're not in a position to do so successfully. And this isn't me suggesting that they need to have figured everything out before they get together - to have fully healed etc, because thats neither realistic or something I would want to see - what it means is that they both need to get to a point where they are in a healthy enough place to put in the work together, understand each others flaws, and their own flaws and proactively work towards overcoming those things together and as of right now, neither of them are - they are getting their and moving rapidly in the right direction, but Buck needs to learn a bit more, and in many ways learn how to be with a man, before he will be ready to start anything with Eddie.

The growth we're getting to watch Buck go through right now - in the aftermath of the lightening strike, his reckoning with his mortality etc and the fact he's now off the hamster wheel and moving forward - in a healthy and faster way than we've ever seen from him, speaks volumes.

Tommy is also a far better developed love interest than any other love interest we've seen Buck (or indeed Eddie) with (Abby excepted but she was a main, so had her own purpose on the show)- I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling like I know Tommy more after 3 episodes plus what we got from the begins episodes he was in, than I managed to ascertain about Taylor or Ana or Nataila etc!

Not to mention, him figuring out he's in Love with Eddie as part of this process is going to be fun to watch. The show has made no bones about re-enforcing at every. Single. Opportunity how close, how entwined and how important Buck and Eddie are to one another - the show has quite literally been prioritising that over anything else Buck and Eddie related - Buck was there front and centre - placed very much on an equal footing with Shannon and even Eddie himself in 7x01, and then Eddie was the centre of Bucks bi arc in 7x04 and in his coming out in 7x05. They are literally moving chess pieces into place to tell an amazing story of queer love in later life and creating an epic slow burn for the ages.

And finally, Eddie is, as far as we know at this point in time, still in a relationship with Marisol - why shouldn't Buck get to explore who he is and what he want's within a relationship rather than sitting pining on the sidelines - that isn't healthy in any way shape or form. Eddie still has stuff to figure out about himself.

Even Tim and Oliver have stated in interviews that this is about a happy and joyful queer experience of figuring out bisexuality and therefore within that is giving the narrative a romcom vibe. But they have also stated that Tommy isn't going to be around for that long - that he is very much a narrative device.

It is worth pointing out that timelines on various aspects of the narrative may have been shifted because of the season 8 renewal - but that is only going to help tell the story because now it doesn't have to be rushed. I'm still fully expecting some form of feeling realisation from one of them by the end of the season (my money is on Buck), setting up for season 8 and Buddie going canon either 8a finale or early into 8b.

You have every right to dislike Tommy if thats you jam - have at it, but don't come to my blog and expect me to agree with you. I'm not a multi shipper by any means - I'm a one ship kind of gal and I will be a Buddie shipper until the end of time, but within that, I am here for amazing storytelling and amazing queer storytelling - the like of which I've not had the privilege to watch on my screen before - especially one that hits so close to home. Its a really important story to tell and I'd rather it not be rushed.

And if you had to pick - I'm pretty sure you'd rather have Tommy around for a bit longer that Marisol!!!!

[tarotwithdanise]

10 things that April will brings to you.

This can be realizations you will feel, new hobbies, your career and finances, love and relationships, blessings or negative outcomes that you might be experiencing.

༉ ‧ ₊ ˚ how to choose a pile? ✧ . ˚

꒰⠀from left to right ; intuitively choose the pile your mind, heart and soul desire for. if you are having trouble choosing the right pile for you, here’s some tips you can do ; (1) take a deep breath (2) close your eyes (3) ask guidance from your guides (4) finally open your eyes and you can choose the right pile for you by the guidance you ask from your guides. if you are still having trouble by choosing the right pile for you let me know because i am willing to help and guide you.

MASTERLIST - PAID READING SERVICES - TIPPING JAR

1 - 2

3 - 4

Pile one

You'll travel and meet a significant person. It's an important destination for you or for this person where you'll learn and grow as individual through new experiences and discoveries ; can be a place of having power spiritual. Or if not, you will be moving into cold location.

You'll finally release and forgive an old anger and resentment that will make your wishes come true. This is about forgiving yourself and be cleared by toxicity.

Moving to a new home or get promotion at job or a raise to salary will happening or new career path is possible before this year ends. About your career path, you should trust your intuition and follow what it's saying to you. Financial improvement is about to come with this month.

A toxic relationship will end ; your relationship with yourself such as self-sabotaging or if not, a relationship that cause to much pain for you and you can finally cut off a toxic partner from your past.

A business idea will be successful.

A new hobby will be unlocked : planting a garden with plants, vegetables and flowers or if not, you will likely spend more time with nature.

Some of your manifestations will begin to blooming.

One of your prayers will be answered this upcoming holiday season especially Easter.

A vacation for yourself and loved ones - this family get-together will results a healing for you with any negative patterns that might be happening between with you and them.

You will going to let go of old habits such as worrying and overthinking a lot and changed it to a better perspective like everything will work out in the best and right time.

Pile two

If you already have business, it will likely to bloom with this month. Your business will experiencing a healthy transition. Or if not, you will start writing your ideas about your upcoming business.

You will be prepared and open for new love and relationships that will go on your way.

You won't care about how others view you anymore, you starting to dress how wanted to be and what makes you happy without the approval of others.

You are likely to meet or join a group promoting gender equality. They might be older than you and so fun-loving individuals.

Buying lavender perfumes or oils to make calm yourself. Buying a flower for someone is likely to happen as well.

Anxiety and exhausted may come so make sure you are getting enough rest and eat healthy foods.

You will made a clear to free yourself from old debts.

Someone will be moving in, moving out or visiting your house.

Someone will be assertive and will tell their true feelings to you or vise versa.

Mixed feelings will come for this month ; it will make you sad and happy at the same time.

Pile three

*if just in case you find yourself attracted to pile one, you can the read the messages that has been read there.

You will stop identifying yourself as a victim and starting to see yourself as a powerful individual.

Congratulations because you might get married. Or if not, someone who is close to you is getting married with this month and you will likely meet a person that will play a big part of your life with this wedding.

An unborn baby girl' soul is sending love to you. (Maybe someone in your family or relatives is currently pregnant. ) Or if not, a girl from heaven is with you all the times and protecting you like an angel.

A healing upon to parent- daughter/son relationship. Or if you were a female, you are likely to receive a message from your parents.

Some time to rest and relax a little bit.

You should trust the synchronicities that may occur. If your guys telling you this a "no" trust that.

You will take an extra class if you were a student or if not, there's a lot of things that will be happening in your school with this month. Or something like a sudden activity of your school will held in an exotic location or place.

You will spend more time outdoors to reconnect with your spirituality.

A sudden issue may come, if this eventually happens - talks to people whom involved with situation in order-to double check your facts.

Healing. If you have a problem about your health it may improve with this month.

Pile four

You will realize that one of your life purpose is to involve working with children or your inner child will play significant role with this month.

Visiting or moving to a location where the leaves and trees are bright and healthy.

You will start believing with yourself and your abilities and how this can get far. Remember, positive thoughts is attracting a favorable outcomes.

An important message from a psychic that will lead you to a huge realization about yourself, they will validate and praise your intuition that will bring enhancement regarding to your confidence when it comes to spirituality.

You will start writing a book or articles.

You will start eating healthy foods and drinks and there's a high possibilities that you will start dieting. You promise to yourself, that this month is about eliminating toxic chemicals and foods for your body.

You will spend more time with a place where it's has a lot of flowers ; a flower field.

Someone is planning a surprise for you (I am very hesitant if will still includes this because it's a SURPRISE but yeah you don't have a clue about who is this person.)

You will finally allow other people to get to know the real you. And you will face the fears heading-on.

You will make time to heals and work on past hurts.

𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣𝆤𝆣

⪩ ⪨ ⠀⠀♡ ⠀⊹ · 𓋜⠀ ⠀⠀!

© daninixx ── all rights reserved. do not copy, translate, alter, or repost my work.

I'm not quite sure what time this pac will be posted but yes, I put this on my queue so it will be scheduled posting today just not quite sure what time 😭

Hope this make sense, Danise.

[stardancerluv]

When the Predator Becomes the Prey

Part Two of ?

Summary: We find out more about Adam & meet Terrance.

Notes/Warning 18+, Domineering behavior, Sexist behavior, Not a healthy relationship, squint breeding!kink

❤️, reblogs, comments & feedback welcome!

He debated how long he should wait and contacting Terrance. He knew he’d fall in line. He’d change his clothes. Better fit the at bar, Terrance dwells at.

******

His keys clinked and jangled as he took them from his pocket. Barely had he closed and locked the door, he heard you calling for him.

“It’s me.”

He came down the hall to the living room. The sight of you curled up on the sofa, with a copy of What to Expect When Expecting, actually warmed him somewhat.

“So you’re actually reading it?”

You nodded. “I want to be a good mother.”

He came around and plopped down on the sofa, a sigh came from his lips. Taking off his glasses, he squeezed his eyes shut.

“You had better be.” He mumbled.

“You took the job.” You stated. There was no question lingering in your tone.”

“Yup.” Swallowing, he exhaled through his nose.

“You’ve done many jobs. You’re a pro.”

He slid you a look.

Your open, earnest face made him feel something. It made his stomach lurch.

“You move through these men like a shark, they are all the prey. You are the alpha hunter, alpha predator.” You corrected yourself.

He chuckled. “Thanks for the pep talk sweet cheeks.”

“No, you listen its true.” You pressed your lips together. “I’ll never forget the night, I thought I was just a passing fancy for you.”

He crossed his arms. “I’m interested. What night was that.”

If he was honest with himself, your candid honesty almost made him sever his ties with you. You always cut through his bullshit, but you are soft and cute so he stuck around.

“It wasn’t our best moment. It was when I found out about your name.”

“That night.”

He took his glasses off, squinting as he looked through them before putting them back on.

“Was a lifetime ago now.”

*******

He leaned against the counter and slowly sipped at his whiskey.

“Nick!” A shrill voice called his name, his real fucking name. Anger began to coil and knot in his stomach. Inwardly, he groaned as he turned his back to the bar.

“Nick! Didn’t you see me?” A hand tugged on his arm.

He gave a sidelong glance. “Yes.”

“No warm welcome? We could have some fun.”

“Not interested. Go and find some other warm bed.”

“You’re really an asshole Nick. You know that?”

“Yup.” He chuckled and took another sip of his whiskey.

He smirked as he drained the last of it.

“Phew! I am finally here, damn uber.” Your light voice, shifted his mood.

He turned, a smile splashed across his face.

“Should have flashed him, might have driven faster.” He chuckled as you smacked his arm. “Ok, stop this squawking and let me get a feel of you. You are looking good tonight.”

A few steps later and soon you were against him. He held you close. Something, he never imagined enjoying on a regular basis.

“Can I ask you something?” You whispered close to his ear.

He pulled back and shrugged. “Sure.”

“Why did she call you Nick?”

He made a face, eyeing the crowd. Reaching out, he pulled you to him loving the squeak that came from you.

“Long story, don’t feel like sharing but its my name. My real name.”

You pulled pack just enough to give him a playful look. “Oh, so you are a Nick or a Nicky. I…”

His anger beat hard in his stomach. Women always caused problems.

“You call me that in the fucking club or the bar;” His words sliced through yours. “You will regret it.”

Your playfulness dropped, your bottom lip began to tremble. “I, I won’t.”

“That’s my good girl.”

He pulled you to him again, now he was gentle. He even pressed a soft kissed your temple. “Cheer up sweet cheeks.” He added in an equally soft tone, though an edge still remained. “This is serious.”

“Ok, I understand.” You said softly, he felt you tremble.

He patted the back of your head. “Good. I just don’t want you or I ending up with bullets in our heads over it.”

“Ok, ok. I promise.” You whispered.

Pulling back, he gave you his most winning smile. “Come on, cutes let’s get you one of those fancy pink drinks and put a smile back on your pretty face.”

*******

He pulled on a sweater.

“So you get to pick someone on the crew?”

He nodded. He ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah. And the sooner I ask him, the greater the chance he says yes.”

“You said he liked you.”

“Yeah. It’s like having your guard dog behave.” Hr paused. “One day he could just snap at you.”

“Oh.” You pressed your lips together.

“Or he continues to be a ‘good boy’ and he does his tricks on command.”

“So you can trust him?”

“I don’t trust anyone.”

You rose your eyebrows.

He pulled you close, he rubbed your side. “You’re different. I knocked you up. You’re mine.”

“I had better be.”

He gave you an easy smile. “Now, why don’t you order some take out.” Your eyes lit up. “Save some for me. And I’ll be back, one step closer to this job giving us the new start we deserve.”

You nodded. “Are you leaning one way or to another for what I order.”

“Nah, I trust my pretty girl.” He kissed the top of your head.

He headed toward the door. Donning his jacket, he wrapped his fingers around his keys.

*******

He left his leather jacket in car, before he hit the sidewalk and made his way into the pub. He may be a proud French Canadian but Terrance loved Irish pubs. And O’Mallory’s was the best in town.

Sliding in, he smiled. He knew it. He already spotted him in a corner, cue stick in one hand and a lopsided smile splashed on his face. A perky little blonde was looking all doe-eyed up at him. He knew how to charm them. He did it with the massive expanse of his body and that lopsided smile. They always fell for it. He strode over through the wafts of Irish whiskey.

Terrance looked over as he approached, the smile dropped.

“Hey chief, did you wanna like play a game of pool and meet Erin here?” He glanced down at the girl and winked.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “We gotta talk.” He gave a curt, forced smile to Erin. “Go and keep your cute little head occupied while the men talk.”

She looked confused.

“It’s ok, doll. We can play after. Wait for me by the bar.”

“Ok.” She was all smiles again and bounced away.

Seeing one of the booths. “There.” He pointed to one.

Taking, his glasses off for a moment he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He hoped Terrance wasn’t too far into the drinks.

Terrance almost couldn’t squeeze into the booth, he watched with a raised eyebrow. But then Terrance fit and slid to be directly in front of him.

He giggled. “Did you like that Adam? I called you Chief.” Another giggle came from him.

“It was fine. Now focus, we have to talk.”

“Oh! Ok. I am serious.” His face became more composed.

“I got a job for the two of us. If you’re game.”

A huge smile splashed on Terrance’s face. “You.” He pointed at him. “You want me to join you for a job.” The table shook as he made a kind of happy movement, he assumed.

“I do. But its a rough job. Not nice.”

“They never are.” His brows knit together.

He had to give the giant of a man credit, he was right there.

“True.”

“But with you, it will make it better.” He smiled again.

“This is gonna be a group effort. We can’t let the others know that we know each other.”

“Why?” Confusion washed over the man’s face.

He shrugged. “It’s just that kind of job.”

“Oh, ok. Since it will be a rough job. Will it be a good pay day?”

He nodded. “Very good. Even more reason for them to not know that we know each other.”

“Ok, chief I can do that.”

“I’m serious.”

“I am too. I don’t know you.” He almost looked sad, as he leaned in close. “So what’s the job?”

“Babysitting some twelve year old. Will last twenty - four hours tops, and we get roughly eight million a piece.” He told him in a low tone.

His face completely dropped. “Babysit, chief?”

“Kidnap.” He whispered.

“I thought so.”

He could literally see a light bulb above the man’s head.

“Then why do you need me?”

“To carry her from point a to point b.”

“I won’t have to get mean will I?”

He shook his head. “Nah, this will be a super easy job. That’s why I want you.”

A smiled dispelled the sadness. “Thank you, chief.”

“So?”

“Sure. I need the money. But I won’t hurt the girl.”

“You won’t have to.”

“Good.” He looked pleased. “When?”

“Two weeks. The crew has to be put together and get the materials I will let you know when its all ready.”

“Ok, good. Because I want to get to know Erin a little better.” He looked over his shoulder with a smile.

“Focus. This is serious. Are you really game?”

Terrance looked back at him and nodded. “Yes, chief.”

“Good. I’ll be in touch.”

Inwardly, it annoyed him that he needed him. But it was better then having some psycho who happens to have muscle that could lose his shit and make the job go sour.

“You can go back to Erin now.”

“Thanks chief.” He smiled, and once the table shook as he excitedly left the booth.

*******

He snuck back into the apartment. He couldn’t stop from smiling as he saw that you lit candles and placed the take out in a nice matter. But he wondered where you were.

Taking a walk to the bedroom, his ears perked up when he heard soft singing. He stopped at the door way and peered into the bedroom. There you were, in a damn sexy dress. It still looked great on you.

It made your small bump prominent, that was his. He did that you. He smirked broadly. That was fucking why he needed that fucking eight million.

@the1redrose

[laniusbignaturals]

Can we have more Joshua/Edward headcanons please?

Joshua had a fixation on religious martyrdom throughout their entire friendship, and well before. Edward, coming from the middle class equivalent of lapsed aristocracy himself, related to the sense of perpetual danger which defined Joshua's upbringing in a high control religious group. Many of their earliest talks were about Christian persecution in Rome, which often dovetailed into express lamenting of their circumstances.

Like every awful guy from LA, Edward has tattoos. He used to have the Followers' cross inked on his chest, but he had Joshua flay it from his skin a few years after founding the Legion. It was right after they lost a skirmish, so Edward needed to be reassured of his masculinity and Joshua needed to be reminded that Edward trusted him. (They took a bath together to loosen him up first, it was very romantic.)

Joshua can beat Edward in a fight. Edward's technique is to wear people down with so much pain that they have to focus on defending themself. Joshua's nothing if not resilient, so when they wrestle, he always wins. Edward does not accept this graciously. He once bit him so hard his mouth filled with blood while pinned to the floor. Their marriage was consummated this way.

The key difference between them is that Edward would be content with having Joshua killed. Joshua would not be satisfied with that. Murdering Edward once would not be worth losing him, the “him” that exists in Joshua’s mind - this tantalizingly distant figure of guilt and venom that can be punished over and over again until all of Joshua’s rage is extinguished. Which it never will be, so Joshua would end up contriving for it to go on and on and on. It is better that they never see each other again.

Joshua taught Edward to shoot! It was largely just an excuse to feel him up before they started screwing, but Edward didn’t care.

Edward is as open minded in bed as your average vicious chauvinist, meaning he struggles to ask for what he wants and gets touchy about perceived feminization. Joshua, on the other hand, grew up insulated from healthy sexuality and was taught to resist and downplay any extramarital urges. So as they became involved sexually, Joshua usually took the lead. That doesn’t mean he topped, just that he had a lot of the ideas.

Make no mistake, Joshua had Edward slotted into the role of Wicked Secular Temptress from day one. Those suspicions just got louder after they started fucking and Joshua learned Edward’s actual sexual history, and they reached a fever pitch after the burning. Ed’s own, equally misogynistic interpretation of Joshua had him as a weak, deceptive influence who he allowed to stay close to him as part of a continuous lapse in judgment, some last bit of softness left over from his profligate youth which he finally extinguished with his execution. They think this in spite of the facts that 1. Joshua was actively trying to convert Edward to Mormonism as soon as they met and 2. Edward failed to kill Joshua, and made the troops more scared of him in the process.

Joshua can cook, Edward can clean, and both of them would rather get shot in the teeth than do that for the other.

Edward’s mom was dead by the time the Legion was founded, it was part of why he left the Boneyard in the first place. He didn’t dwell much on Bill, since their relationship ended with Edward feeling like he was still in control of the dynamic, and the rest of his social circle were always disposable to him. Joshua, on the other hand, really struggled with the (seemingly) permanent absence of his expansive family, inner conflict which he vented onto the people Edward put him in command of. This harsh, paternalistic behavior delighted Edward, reminding him of the type of man he always wanted to imagine was his father. Their relationship thrived on feedback loops of release and comfort such as this.

On that note: Edward’s mother would hate Joshua, and Joshua's parents & grandparents & aunts & uncles would all hate Edward. This is why they were drawn to each other in the first place.

[raguma1504]

Why do you ship BoButter — not hating! I just haven’t seen it as much!

hi! that's alright, i will try to explain my position

how should i put this... i like them as a couple more not because they had a lot of interactions throughout the show, but rather because of their potential. they are my favorite characters - they're both incredibly well-written - and i also like them individually, independently of each other, and how they could grow up being in a relationship is a very interesting topic to me

so here's the reason: they work well together. why? i'm planning to make a post about this one day, so for now i'll try to be brief:

- on a superficial level they differ, but if you look deeper, you realize that they are very similar (both had acting careers, similar coping mechanisms, same age and gender). they would understand one another well, without being completely identical to each other and thus living in a kind of echo chamber (as in the case of todd and pb f. e.)

- at the same time their differences are not as critical as diane and pb had, and if they really tried to understand their partner, they would truly complement, not suppress each other

that's why by the way their relationship is possible only after the end of the series (aus don't count), where both characters have gone through a long path of growth and, finally, are ready to build healthy friendship, which after a while could turn into something more

for instance: bojack would become more independent with mr peanutbutter, as he would have to solve his problems himself because pb, due to his forgetfulness and carelessness, simply would not be able to do it for him, as princess carolyn did; mr peanutbutter, in turn, would not have to suppress the desire to make big gifts since bojack just would not mind this. he also wouldn't finally have a partner who was much younger than him. and so on

- and. imho bojack wouldn't simply be able to build healthy equal relationships with women because of his mommy issues lol. he's too old to completely rebuild his mindset, and well... i can imagine post-canon!bojack being actually happy and not self-destructive only in a relationship with a man or being single at all. but that's just me

and yes, they certainly wouldn't fix each other. i rather see it this way: they go through their personal growth, supporting each other and becoming good friends. in turn, a strong closeness and a huge common history, as well as the growing sympathy in general, contributes to the emergence of romantic feelings and one of them ends up confessing to the other, and that's where they start dating.

i also get that they could just remain friends as well, and that would also be great, but being romantic partners, in my opinion, would further expand their potential and gain personal growth as characters. they have every chance of becoming great partners for each other for the rest of their lives (which is not very long)

so yeah, i myself can't say that there were many interactions between them in the show, but i rather like their potential and the dynamics of their relationship. i hope i answered your question anon!

[durarara-brain-rot]

i saw your analysis video about shizuo (great video btw!) and now i'm curious... what ARE your opinions on each shizuo ship? because to be honest i don't care for any shizuo ship either LOLOLOL

Oh my gosh I’m so glad you liked the video! And I can talk about it for way too long but I will try to summarize my feelings about each ship that I’ve seen around! Also this is not me saying anyone shouldn’t ship these characters this is just my opinion on why I think they don’t work and why I think Shizuo needs a therapist and then a lover interest that is removed from all of the chaos of the plots!

Tom and Shizuo; while they make good friends I can’t see them as a romantic couple because there is that power dynamic of Tom being his boss and the fact that Shizuo can’t keep any other job. This will quite literally be a power dynamic they could never get over as long as they are both working.

Izaya and Shizuo; they try to kill each other on a daily basis and in my opinion they both give each other so much anxiety it could never be a productive relationship. Both Izaya and Shizuo are mentally ill men who have a lot of internalized issues that lead to them lashing out. Izaya views Shizuo as a monster because he can’t predict what Shizuo will do and can’t understand his motivation. Izaya even says in the sunset of Izaya orihara that he “neglected to take in account the human side of Shizuo” he viewed him as lesser and any relationship born out of that dynamic inherently is toxic and will lead to abuse. I also feel that this ship breeds a lot of peoples internalized misogyny by perpetuating the idea that men can’t feel anything but anger and sex.

Celty and Shizuo; my sister ships this one and there isn’t much wrong with it compared to some of the canon relationships and ships I’ve seen in this fandom but in my opinion they work better as friends. Shizuo has very little close friends and even less friends that he doesn’t have to worry as much about hurting. Simon and Shizuo can go toe to toe but they aren’t really close from what we’ve seen, more friendly acquaintances. Celty is on an equal playing field and can more easily communicate with him since he quite literally has to calm down enough to focus on what she is writing. (I also headcanon that Shizuo has dyslexia considering he has trouble reading all of the things on the dollar message board and gets pissed off by how many words and how fast the posts were going. I may be projecting with this though) I feel that a romance between Celty and Shizuo would further separate him from others due to the fact that people would more likely associate him to the supernatural even more than they already do.

Shinra and Shizuo; Shinra doesn’t see Shizuo someone interesting, even the friendship stemmed from Shinra finding Shizuo’s powers intriguing on a scientific standpoint. Shinra should also get therapy cause boy oh boy that man needs it before getting into a relationship. Shinra as we’ve seen with Celty is a bit of a push over and is secretive because he is overly possessive. I think he has a major fear of abandonment too. Shizuo needs someone who will call him out and calm him down. He also seems to like solitude and Shinra would drive him up a wall.

Vorona and Shizuo; she literally tries to kill him and only got close to him to learn how to kill him. Yes she grows fond of him and he grows fond of her but they end up having a mentor/student dynamic creating an unhealthy dynamic if they were to get together. Plus the age gap is a bit much especially considering vorona is mentally stunted from her upbringing. Vorona is barely 20 and Shizuo is pushing 26-27 depending on what source you look at for the final season. While 6-7 years older for someone over the age of 25 isn’t that bad when it comes to someone like vorona who is barely 20 and who has had no healthy relationship with anyone let alone herself it can create an extremely unhealthy dynamic. Vorona needs time to explore her life and emotions that she just hasn’t had the years todo. Shizuo by the end of the first season (not talking about the manga because I’m not caught up) he is fully developed and actualized as a person. He has over come a lot of different internal battles and struggles and got more control over his strength. Vorona is not at that level of maturity nor is she someone that should be. She needs the time to develop and a relationship with anyone would stunt her growth in my opinion.

If you guys ship any of these characters obviously this is no hate to you guys but these are my thoughts and opinions as someone’s who’s spent way to much time breaking down the show and each of the characters. I’ve been obsessed with this show for going on ten years and could talk about my feelings and observations about it for ages.

I ship Shizuo with therapy!

Please no one kill me for my opinions!

[aihoshiino]

If Ai had lived, what kind of parent do you think she would have been to teenage Aqua and Ruby?

luckily for you anon, I have spent a truly healthy [<- lie] amount of time thinking about this!!! This is going to inevitably dip into how Ruby and Aqua are both changed by having her in their lives just because that obviously matters to how she and the twins interact but... honestly at this point if you're following me, my bi-weekly unhinged essays about the Hoshinos are what you're here for.

Also worth noting before I get into it that I'm purposely not thinking too hard about Current Things in the manga like the documentary Gotanda was working on or the DVDs........ we know so little about them I can't really factor them into my rambles here lol so consider this just my most ideal happy end AU for the Hoshinos.

Anyway, I think it goes without saying that Ai would continue being an excellent mom to Aqua and Ruby. There would likely be some bumps in the road following B-Komachi's dome performance as her fame and increased demand puts pressure on her time and energy but Ai's priority is and will always be her babies so I can definitely see her and Miyako having a Stern Talk with Ichigo at some point to make sure Ai isn't overbooked to the extent that she can't spend time with them lol.

I also have a totally self indulgent AU based on Emiya Gohan that lives in my head, based around the framing device of Ai wanting to learn how to cook so she can make proper food for the twins as they grow up... my read of Ai is that she has a lot of issues relating to food security as a result of the abuse & neglect she went through, so being able to make good food for her own children and sort of rewrite her own relationship with food and cooking would be really healing for her.

Something also interesting to consider is the question of whether Ai would have been able to work through enough of her baggage regarding expressing her love to Aqua and Ruby... it takes such a desperate a raw moment for her to finally conquer that fear in canon that it's hard for me to imagine it happening in anything less than an equally cathartic moment, you know? At the same time, I really love the idea of Ai's slow progress towards healing eventually allowing her to do it without that kind of urgent pressure... instead of dying, Ai lives so hard she can eventually overcome that fear by her own strength!!!

I also think there would be a lot more moments like Ai and Ruby's dance with both of the twins – moments of Ai helping them both to untangle the trauma and baggage they carry from their past lives just through the simple act of loving and supporting them as their mother. Both Ruby and Aqua are explicitly described as being children "who never had a mother in the real sense" before their rebirth – for Sarina, she suffered the emotional abuse and neglect of living with a toxic mother who centered and prioritized her own feelings of grief and pain to such a degree that she completely abandoned her dying daughter. For Gorou, he grew up in the shadow of his mother's death as a result of childbirth complications, blaming himself and carrying the burden of his grandparents' grief and expectations in ways that are implied to have strained his relationships with them and left him without a real mother in his life.

Not only is this a healing experience for the twins, it's also ugely cathartic for Ai, too. As I've mentioned before, Ruby's "it's okay for me to dance!" scene with Ai is soooo incredibly powerful because it's about these two victims of toxic motherhood finding safety, healing and empowerment in the wholly loving and supportive parent/child relationship they build together. In general, the Hoshino family is a safe place where these three people who suffered abuse, neglect and the absence of loving mothers could find a place to heal and be loved.

Because of this, while I don't think that Aqua and Ruby would be hugely different on the surface going into their teens, a ton of stuff under the hood would be massively impacted. I like to think that growing up with Ai as a positive influence in their lives would have allowed them to essentially lay Gorou and Sarina to rest much sooner than in canon – not to forget or erase those memories, necessarily, but to definitively move on as their own people, having purified Gorou and Sarina's lingering regrets and trauma and being able to wholeheartedly embrace their new happiness as Aqua and Ruby.

This also means that they both have a much healthier relationship with Ai, in a lot of ways. I don't think they'll ever stop putting her on a bit of a pedestal but more in the way that a lot of people do if they grow up with a loving and good mom. On that note, I also like to think that with Gorou's weird baggage not causing such a conflict that Aqua might actually start calling Ai "mom"....... it makes me so depresso that he never did.....!!!

Without the weight of Ai's death hanging over them and her full and loving support at their backs, Aqua and Ruby still find their way into the entertainment industry, though for different reasons. Without his guilt getting in the way of doing things he enjoys, Aqua can admit to himself that he enjoys acting and tentatively pursues it through his childhood as the protégé of Gotanda again but in happier circumstances. He has similar initial hurdles as he does in canon wrt comparing himself negatively to Ai and underselling his strengths, but Ai would have a good talk with him about valuing what he brings to the table and not worrying about matching up to anyone else. Eventually, he becomes pretty focused on like, weirdo ass self produced projects he does a lot of the work on (acting, directing and producing) that don't make a huge splash in the mainstream necessarily but are well beloved in niche and horror circles and Aqua's happy with his work entirely because it's his and he's happy to make it, which is most important.

Ruby follows a similar track as she does in canon with becoming a member of the second generation of B Komachi, still driven by love and admiration for her mom but from a much healthier and happier place. Rather than feeling like she has to live up to Ai's image in her absence, she is inspired by Ai's presence in her life, her active support and encouragement and her boundless love and excitement to see her kids do what makes them happy. The canonical B-Komachi gen 2 still come together in mostly the same ways because I love them too much to separate them but this time, they're directly mentored by Ai and go full force through the industry with her support.

Eventually, I do think the three of them go public about their family - probably around the time the twins have graduated from high school, just to properly allow them the chance to be relatively normal kids without the scandal and pressure of being Ai's children hanging over their heads. It definitely causes a bit of an explosion, but I think by then Ai would have successfully transitioned from being purely an idol and would be more of a general household name/celeb, so there isn't as much outcry, but it definitely still stirs up some trouble that she and the kids have to weather.

At the end of the day, though, her presence in their lives would be a huge boon to them and it results in all three of the Hoshinos being much happier and healthier people. This response uh got a way from me a little and turned into like a whole AU pitch but what are we here for if not to delulu ourselves about scenarios where the Hoshinos could be happy..............

[lady-iskra]

How I entered the ship, and what I see in Zutara

I want to focus more on the positive things regarding A:TLA and Zutara, so I thought, why not writing down, how I entered the MSS Zutara? Well, here it goes:

I already felt a chemistry in The Crossroads of Destiny, but my ship started during The Southern Raiders. Zuko realized that he wronged Katara the most, and I totally understand why she still couldn’t forgive him while the others already did (tbh, I think they forgave him too early. While the field trip-episodes were excellent, the pacing in between those was still too fast, IMO, along with the comet countdown).

Anyway, Zuko asks how he can make it up to Katara and helps her find closure by accompanying her, only getting involved when necessary—like when he made the wrong guy tell them about Yon Rha, just as Katara was about to give up.

Other than that, he stood aside, asked if she is ready, told her to find some rest—for me, it seemed as if he wasn’t only concerned to receive her forgiveness, but also caring about her as a person.

Plus, his line towards Sokka got me thinking: "Your sister. She hates me! And I don't know why, but I do care what she thinks of me." I mean... you could interpret it as him being at least a little interested in her, even if he doesn’t realize it...

Katara opened up to Zuko during their journey by telling him the whole story of her biggest trauma. Something she hasn’t done with anyone on screen, and showed that she already felt completely understood by him. For me, it felt like a much deeper bond she already shared with Zuko in a short time as the ones she shared with the others from the Gaang. And, finally: she received her closure in her own way with his help; and forgave him. And, I mean, that deep look after the tight embrace... hello???

On top came that this is literally the only episode when it is about Katara alone: Not Katara helping anyone or fighting for women’s rights—after she gave so much, it was the one episode only about her and her trauma alone. And who gave her the chance to do all this, bc he understood what she truly needs: Zuko.

Funny, this coincidence... This is such a typical element of Enemies-to-Lover’s. Is anyone familiar with the "A court of thorns and roses"-series by Sarah J. Maas? This happens there as well ACOTAR spoilers following, I haven’t figured out how to hide spoilers; if there is a way, pls let me know, thanks: Turns out the former enemy-guy understood the protagonist deeply, more as her soon-ex-fiancé ever could; and with his help, she got healed from her trauma. The former enemy is the one who really listens to her, who sees her as an equal, and she starts to trust him deeply, more than anyone else. End of ACOTAR spoilers 

So, yeah, that is how my ship started, and the following episodes tightened it. It was also the other way around, Katara who comforted Zuko in the most understanding way, given him strength to face his uncle and ask him for forgiveness, agreeing without hesitation of supporting him in a fight against Azula. And last but not least: Their last interaction together is saving each other's lives in the most epic way.

Long story short: They showed me a deep understanding of each other, they shared their deepest trauma or worries with the other one, and their friendship grew with every episode. And especially bc of this deep understanding, I truly believe that their relationship would be a healthy one. Would they fight now and then, like every couple? Of course, and it would get heated and passionate, for sure. But since most fights in relationships stem from a lack of understanding, I think it would happen rarely. Because they know, they can tell each other everything.

My intuition when it comes to a growing romance is mostly correct, and the Zutara-situation is so Enemies-to-lovers coded that nobody would’ve been surprised if they ended up together. I realize that not many episodes were left to build up a romance, but most Zutara shippers, like me, would’ve been pleased with a slight hint, and maybe a kiss out of adrenaline and relief after the last Agni Kai on top.

[extasiswings]

I said this to others already, but to me this finale had a lot of 4x14 vibes tbh. Season 4 was severely hindered in it’s production due to COVID and i am, to this day, convinced that that’s also what made them tie it up with such a neat little bow before (at least in Bucktaylors case) undoing a lot of it immediately as season 5 rolled around. Essentially giving everyone the happiest ending they feasibly could.

And there’s something to be said about how mainstream tv seems to think that “happy ending” always equals “in a romantic relationship” whether or not the relationship itself is developed or healthy at all, but for two characters with character arcs so intertwined with their love life, it does make sense.

The thing is, to me this makes sense. Am I thrilled? No. But I’m excited to see what they do because I understand how this fits with the rest of the season and I’m not worried about it.

There were three big themes circling around Buck and Eddie all season. 1) missing the things that are right in front of you; 2) fantasy vs reality; and 3) Fear holding you back/preventing you from living your life. All three of these themes are tied together and need to be worked through to get to a place of Buddie canon and Buck’s “I’m already Christopher’s father” realization. But the last one is arguably the most important in order to get to the heart of the others and that’s where I feel like Marisol and Natalia come in.

Buck and Eddie both started the season single. But not because they necessarily wanted to be, because they were afraid not to be. Afraid to put themselves out there, afraid of being rejected, afraid of making mistakes. But being single out of fear is not the same thing as wanting to be alone or being comfortable with your life as it is, it’s just letting fear control your life. So the way I see it, if they had ended the season still single, that would have changed nothing from where they started.

For Eddie especially, this is a baby step but a necessary one. Whatever happens with Marisol, Eddie’s going to wind up on the other side with some confidence in himself and his ability to be a romantic partner and that’s what he needs to ultimately be secure enough to put himself on the line and really be honest with Buck. It’s low-stakes, it’s fluff, but I think it’s good for him.

For Buck, I disagree with the idea that he is inherently repeating the same mistakes. Yes, it’s not an auspicious start, but we as the audience see things that Buck doesn’t, and also there are some pretty key differences between Natalia and Taylor. With Taylor, they had a preexisting relationship. Buck knew going in all of the things about her that were dealbreakers for him, and instead of being true to himself, he told himself that he could “learn to live with it” and stayed with her for a year. With Taylor, he knew she was fundamentally a person whose values conflicted with his going all the way back to Dosed. He never should have dated her to begin with.

By contrast, he’s been on exactly three dates with Natalia. He barely knows her, and by all accounts she seems like a perfectly nice person even if someone who isn’t ultimately going to work for him (which is something that has been projected to the audience, but not for Buck). She hasn’t done anything wrong (it was pretty reasonable for her to feel overwhelmed and leave when Kameron crashed their date) and there’s nothing about her so far (in her personality or otherwise) that shows Buck is compromising himself and settling. Right now he’s clinging to a woman he wanted to date and get to know better anyway because she wants to be with him too and he’s feeling vulnerable—okay? He wanted to be with her though, I didn’t get the impression this was just about him being afraid to be alone (the way I felt about BT all through S4-S5). If they’re still together after the hiatus when they’ve known each other for more than five minutes and been on more than three dates, and we have actual evidence of him compromising himself where he shouldn’t? Then I’ll be agree that he’s repeating the same mistakes. But if anything right now I’m assuming this is his chance to prove his growth when he is ultimately put in a position to do better—that when something significant comes up he will be comfortable enough with himself to break things off instead of settling for what he doesn’t want. In the meantime, idk about y’all, but it takes me more than three dates to figure out if someone I’m interested in is going to be a good fit for me in the long run. And in a similar vein to Eddie needing to gain some confidence in his ability to be a romantic partner, I think Buck needs to be able to prove to himself that if he’s put in a situation where he’s settling, he’s capable of walking away. And for both of them I think those are important steps for them to take before they’re ready to be together.