#honestly the most complex character of the new movie

[cursedvida]

The hate on Mae is misogyny and i’m not gonna elaborate srry nt srry.

[yawnderu]

honestly i would die for bimbo!reader to have some sort of Legally Blonde level of intelligence but for the stupidest, most useless shit. no, she can't remember which knob turns on which burner for the stove, but she can tell you the effects of different chemical compounds found in all her favorite skincare products and now they react to an individuals derma-layer. simon once caught her watching a screensaver on TV for 30 min because she thought it was "a reeeeally slow nature documentary /:", but she's fluent in Korean because she got super into Korean make up brands from her favorite influencers and wanted to be able to read the product ingredients/reviews/tutorials, it just never gets brought up otherwise and when someone asks in disbelief she's all "what, like it's hard?"

and simon is just sooooo so so proud of his smart pretty girl. who cares that she thought soap's parents legally named him after a dishwashing product. can mactavish tell him how to tell dupes from authentic handbags based on the inner stitching that can only be done on machines specially made by Italian companies? no? then shut the fuck up. tell us more about glitter lipgloss, beautiful.

Absolutely!! She may be dim-witted when it comes to certain things, but she's not exactly dumb at all. This girl could recite the laws of astrophysics and solve complex mathematical problems while being piss drunk.

Simon is still amazed by how complex his sweet girl is— he knows she isn't stupid, yet it never fails to surprise him how you start speaking to MacTavish in fluent Scottish Gaelic, only offering the explanation that you learnt it because a character on your favorite movie spoke it once, looking at him like he grew a second head when he sheepishly told you most scottish people don't speak Gaelic anymore.

Sure, you may have thought movies were real and used to avoid watching them because you thought the actors were actually getting killed and you didn't want to support that, yet a window of your house is full of math equations that gave him a headache just by looking at them.

I'd say Simon sees bimbo!reader as a box full of surprises, telling him about something new every single time you have a conversation. How did you get into studying astrophysics? You got the highest score in the university admission exam and saw a poster that was shiny and had cute stars and a pretty nebula!! How could you resist when everything about it called for you?

Mhm, the smell of gunpowder and blood that sticks to him no matter what is such an odd perfume, yet it surely has an interesting molecular makeup! Of course it does, pretty girl.

They complement each other so well because Simon has the street smarts she's lacking, and she has the book smarts Simon doesn't. She can be extremely ditzy, but who cares when she can tell him exactly which inks are recommended for his skin and which chemicals can rough up his face? He had to buy a brand-new eye black stick simply because you could tell the materials used on it by applying it on your hand with a frown.

I'd like to imagine her as someone with lots of odd interests, knowledge and hyperfixations in the dumbest things besides the universe. He has to keep up with you buying materials for making bracelets and keeping a room full of dinosaur plushies.

Bimbo!Reader Masterlist

[girl4music]

Happy 29th anniversary to the pilot episode of XENA.

Original air date: September 4th, 1995.

Directed by Doug Lefler. Written by Robert Tapert.

Lead starring Lucy Lawless as Xena.

and Renee O’Connor as Gabrielle.

I will watch and write meta about other TV shows.

I will watch and write meta about other TV ships.

But nothing I watch or write meta about in this world will ever come close to matching my fan passion and loyalty to the TV show ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ and the TV ship Xena and Gabrielle. They are my one true love.

What ‘Sins Of The Past’ does once you’ve seen the whole TV show and watch the episode back over is it shows you how intertwined these soulmates already are as the event of them meeting saves their lives and once you are aware of the wheres and whys of this - the show itself completely changes into something more valuable than you initially saw and understood. I recommend people go back and watch it and only view it as a love story from the very beginning because the way it hits you when you do is just mind-blowing.

They set up a beautifully complex and layered WLW love story between Xena and Gabrielle without really realizing that that’s what they were doing because it’s such a very natural and authentic queer storytelling of two strangers that find home in the soul of each other.

"There’s not a word yet, for old friends who’ve just met” is a lyric in a song written by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher from ‘The Muppets Movie’. Writer and co-executive producer, who wrote many of the most formative episodes of ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’, Steven L. Sears affectionately ascribes that lyric to Xena and Gabrielle because he believes it perfectly describes the incredible soulmate connection that the two main characters share right from the very beginning of the TV show. And I would have to say that I agree with him on that because no matter what alternative Universe, Uber timeline, reincarnated lifetime or afterlife it is, they meet each other and they develop an attraction to and affinity for each other that seemingly goes way beyond basic friendship and romance and they have a dynamic that is so strong, so substantial and so damn profound that the studio gave up on censoring them. It’s a dynamite chemistry that can be felt so viscerally that you can watch the episodes countless times over and still pick up on fresh new things about the way these two characters are with one another and how they balance and complement each other so perfectly that they’re basically the human representation of yin and yang. And you can read my Xena and Gabrielle: Character study thesis to learn what I mean by that.

Their relationship is incredibly well-written in that it’s so carefully and conscientiously slow-burned and evolved from friends into lovers that it will make it impossible not to ship them together. Believe me - even if you’ve seen Xena before, you haven’t seen it like this. You haven’t seen it as a WLW love story from the beginning to the end. But once you do, you will be attached to it in ways that will make you just like me.

That is… Lifelong dedicated to and enamoured with it.

This is a TV show that finished airing in the year 2001 but it’s been my everything since I first discovered it at 5 years old just flicking through the UK channels bored out of my mind or so my parents have told me.

I cannot even begin to imagine of who I’d be without this TV show and TV ship in my life and I know no other will ever come close to it or them for me for the rest of my life. So all day today I am spending my time celebrating not just the TV show’s anniversary of its pilot episode but also Xena and Gabrielle’s anniversary of meeting and becoming the greatest love story ever told in TV art/entertainment history. They’re iconic and legendary in the LGBTQ community for a reason. That reason is that they’re the first and, honestly, still the best WLW/queer representation that can ever be witnessed and engaged with on the TV screen. The factors as to why that’s true are many,… but mainly… it’s because they were allowed to exist and evolve together as the only lead main female characters in such a way that no other WLW ship on TV ever would or could do so again. They may have been severely censored as an explicit romantic and fully maintext confirmed and committed couple on screen but the creators never let that prevent them from providing a depiction of an all-encompassing love that was much like a romance and still went beyond a romance. Xena and Gabrielle’s love went way beyond the boundaries of romance. I’m not ever saying it’s not that. I’m just saying that it’s more than that and that’s exactly what makes it even more romantic than anything else ever created at least in the TV format and paradigm it was.

Since then, the landscape has changed so drastically that TV WLW/queer ships are never given what they got. Which was a 6 seasons, 22-24 episodes-long epic journey of them just being each other’s absolute EVERYTHING. You can see, hear and feel every single moment of that in who Xena and Gabrielle are as both individual main characters and as a main character dynamic because they do not ever neglect any real and raw aspect about them. The only thing you do not ever get to see between them - although it is heavily implied often - is sexual intimacy. That really is not a loss because everything else that should or needs to be there is there way more than it is with any other WLW/queer TV ships in any other TV shows because they’re lead main characters. In fact… they’re the only lead main characters that are credited throughout the entire run of ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ and, honestly, sometimes I do wish TV ships in other TV shows would censor themselves every now and again so that they would be forced to dig deeper into the nuances and details as much as they did with Xena and Gabrielle.

I know many would disagree with me here but I’m adamant that the censorship helped them more than it hindered them because what you got instead with them was such a powerful representation of true love that didn’t have to rely on sex to represent it. I know that they couldn’t be shown to be sexually intimate because it wasn’t allowed to be sexual. Nowadays it can but I find that sex is used too much now when it shouldn’t be because a real life WLW/queer ship is more than sex and that’s why Xena and Gabrielle is still better representation even in this day and age.

It’s a combination of queer censorship, unbelievably strong chemistry between the leads and the creator/cast/crew’s sincere intention with queer storytelling that gave us the truly EPIC WLW love story that we got with XENA and I wouldn’t have it any other way because, for me, that is everything I could ever want.

So if you love this TV show and TV ship, please join me in celebrating the timelessly magical experience it is by writing meta about what these things mean to you.

XENA: “You know, I’m sending you home in the morning.”

GABRIELLE: “I won’t stay home. I don’t belong there, Xena. I’m not the little girl that my parents wanted me to be. You wouldn’t understand.”

XENA: “It’s not easy proving you’re a different person.

*Gabrielle eyes her curiously, Xena throws a bundle of blankets at her, gestures to the other side of the fire*

You can sleep over there.”

XENA: “You know, where I’m headed, they’ll be trouble.”

GABRIELLE: “I know.”

XENA: “Then why would you want to go into that with me?”

GABRIELLE: “That’s what friends do. They stand by each other when there’s trouble.”

XENA: “All right, friend.”

[elbdot]

I love your Pokemon comics so much! I've reread them a ton of times, EAA has become such a comfort read. I just adore how you make Alola feel so alive, and the characters all feel so much more complex and interesting. Out of curiosity, were there other comics (Pokemon or otherwise) that inspired you? And are there other Pokemon fan comics you like or would recommend?

AWWWW Thank you so much!! 🥹🥰 Actually, I wasn't really inspired by any other Pokemon comics at the time I began making my first short comics. Despite Pokemon having one of THE most MASSIVE fandoms on the internet, it's honestly surprising how little ongoing fancomics there are. I've seen many artists starting Nuzlocke comics but I only know of ONE artist who ever finished drawing one (And I'm ebarrassed to say I didn't fully read it yet and don't know the name of it anymore, it's been so long 😂)

I think if there was any comic inspiration at the time in 2016, it must have been the webcomic Avas Demon. Not in terms of STORY or genre, but in terms of how the story was told in a 16:9 format like a storyboard or color test for an animated movie. I took a lot of inspiration from that in the way I boarded the comic and wanted to make it feel like a movie sequence, making more individual panels with varying expressions. But that ALSO ABSOLUTELY blew my work-load on each comic out of proportion, thus resulting in VERY irregular updates due to how detailed my backgrounds and shading became plus A LOT of additional poses like here for example:

I'm proud of what I created back then, but after the most recent Arc I have decided to step BACK from this approach and have now heavily simplified my shading and am experimenting with reusing backgrounds and using new panel sizes and formats 😂 You'll see what I mean in the upcoming update this week. Surprisingly enough, I don't think the quality of art has dropped because of these changes! Also my love for adding additional expressions between panels has remained, they're just my favorite thing to do to bring life to the comic!

[dremiruu]

Honestly, Cleo is one of the most interesting and refreshing characters in the mh franchise. She's a popular, rich girl with: - THE confidence

- THE sass

- THE style

Basically what you would expect to be the "mean girl of the series". What's special about her is that she isn't. Even though she's all that and more, she's still kind, supportive, never bullies anyone and even protects other monsters that are victims of bullying. It's something that is rarely ever seen in any shows, movies or books and i find it really awesome that they decided to write her as this type of breaking the stereotypes character. The new MH has lots of these refreshing new ideas, breaking the cliche scenarios, situations or characters, it's basically something interesting and it already changed the way i look at these typical movie scenes. It's cool to see the writing in a kids series being so complex, but so simple. I can turn off my brain, but it also makes me think when I dig more into it. I already know this show is gonna be stuck in my brain for a long time.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - lots, just LOTS

I thought I would be pretty lean reporting for Oct 2023 but then (for reasons relayed here) the weeklies got saved by a drunk avenging hacker in a hotel room.

Oct 2023 Wk 1

Except I still can't watch IFYLITA, because I use my other computer for it.

Gotta say though, watching tese mostly all in one day (for travel reasons) is beyond even my BL superpowers. I did my best tho.

Ongoing Series - Thai

Dangerous Romance (Fri YT) ep 8 of 12 - Sailom, sweetie, Kang is never sleeping alone again. It wasn't really translated, but Kang's way of speaking in that opening stinger was VERY cutsie. Also the gay sheets have made another appearance. I do have to say that "rich kid problems" is not my favorite story arc, but I still think this is a great Thai BL.

Naughty Babe (Sat YT) ep 6 of 8 - I love that they are finally talking to each other but Yi’s whole personality is shifting. Honestly, this pair is great at kissing and casual touches, but the friendships are the best thing about this franchise. Also Mr Chenne remains my fav character. But where did Diao's baby superhero team come from? And why? This show is very confusing... It’s also not very good.

My Universe (Sun iQIYI) You Are My Soulmate ep 7 - This was the one of the series I was looking forward to the most, because silly, pretty, and v BL. It is, in fact all those things and nothing more. So I'm enjoying it, of course.

Absolute Zero (Thai Weds iQIYI) ep 2 of 12 - I like it, but it feels like it's gonna be so sad. I'm having Promise and Dew the movie flashbacks. Plus 12 eps seems too long for this narrative thread. I am worried.

Venus in the Sky (Tues iQIYI) 6 of 10 eps - This show is so slow it's hardly worth the bandwidth, but we attained "baby is a floppy drunk" and thus a finger bite frustration scene, which was nice.

Only Friends (Sat YT) ep 9 of 10 (not a BL but I'm watching it anyway) - Ray is so mean to Sand. The not-a-thing with Sand & Nick was cute. I’ve had several experiences like that. All my queer friendship groups tend to be incestuous, but sometimes they're just too much of a sibling and trying to sleep with them is the most unsexy thing in the universe. To be fair, I’ve also been in Ton’s position (this ep). Jojo sure makes queer shizz. But also, Ton must have a magic rod with everyone wanting a repeat. (I'm so glad they put Neo in this role, no one else at GMMTV could play him as complex or sympathetic.)

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

You Are Mine (Taiwan Fri Viki) eps 5 of 10 - now officially known by me as "I'm too sunshine for this seme" where our boss is being hella obvious but our cinnamon roll is just too ooey-gooey to notice. Al.though, baby boy, he takes you home, sleeps on top of you, feeds you cookies (IN HIS BED) and keeps you in his space? Surely even this sunshine is catching a few rays of truth?

Gaga's *unintelligible gay murmuring* is my favorite caption EVER.

Also the name of my new ASMR YT channel.

Bon Appetit (Korea Weds iQIYI) 3-4 of 8 - ah gay panic, also what is Korea's obsession with 7 year separations? Is it only true love if you wait 7 years? Dohoon is SUCH a flirt, it's kinda great! Also, since it's Korea, we got us a bit of a love triangle with 2 hyung romances, so I (of course) am torn. Either way Dohoon is going down. I do love how much time we are spending with the food in this drama, finally one that lives up to its name. On an entirely different note, Korean camping is the most bizare thing to me. It's SO damn civilized. There will be NO DIRT. They pack blow torches. And full dinner sets. Every time I see it in a drama, I'm amused.

My Personal Weatherman AKA Taikan Yoho (Japan Sat Gaga) ep 7 of 8 - OMG these 2 are so in love with each other, and so ridiculous about it. They're tiny idiots but I love them.

If It’s With You AKA Even If I Fall In Love With You AKA Kimi to nara Koi wo Shite Mite mo’ (Japan Gaga) ep 1 of 5 - from MBS a live action adaptation of Kubota Maru’s manga ‘君となら恋をしてみても. Amane has stopped loving people due to trauma until he meets Ryuji. At first Amane just wants to play with Ryuji but… feelings.

I like the odd Japanese mature-childishness in this one. Plus a broken sunshine who is out in a kind of aggresive way and an instinctive caring seme. What's not to love? Well, it's Japan I'm sure it will surprise me one way or another.

Mr Cinderella 2 (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 3 of ? - the cray cray step brother quazi incest is a bit much for me. Why does VBL just suddenly get so unhinged like this?

Kiseki: Dear to Me (Taiwan Tues Viki & iQIYI) ep 9 of 13(?) - resumes next week

It's Airing But...

I Feel You Linger in the Air (Fri grey) ep 8 of 12 - I will try to watch 8-12 and do a series review when I get back in November but... not sure I will be able to. Fingers crossed.

Love in Translation (Sat iQIYI) ep 8fin - I will complete and drop a review in Nov.

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - 4th installment in this series (1st series, 1 special, 1 movie prior) about a lawyer who lives with his boyfriend, a hairdresser, and cooks for him. I find thie series more fun to binge, som I'm waiting until it completes its run.

I Cannot Reach You AKA I Can't Reach You AKA Kimi ni wa Todokanai (Japan Tues Netflix-Japan & ????) - in classic JBL fashion, I Cannot Reach You could not be reached. 

Can I Buy Your Love From A Vending Machine? AKA Sono Koi, Jihanki de Kaemasu ka? (Japan cinema release in-country only) - This one is a movie from Japan so in customary fashion who tf knows when (or if) it will get international distribution. Salaryman Ayumu Koiwai just can't tear his eyes away from the strong, muscular man as he checks on the stocks of the vending machine in his office.

In case you missed it?

Crazy Handsome Rich (Sun Gaga) Apparently ended its run I DNFed this at ep 3. So no review from me.

My Beautiful Man: Eternal AKA Utsukushii Kare Eternal (Japan movie Viki & Gaga) - Play it again Sam, only I'm kinda tired of this song. I was v dramatic tho. And it's always nice to be reminded JBL can kiss when it puts its mind to it. 8/10

Next Week Looks Like This

Upcoming October BL

10/31 SHADOW (Thai VIU ????) - this is a horror BL featuring ghosts and other paranormal elements in a high school setting. I'm not wild about Thai horror (or horror at all, but if it must be done in BL let Japan do it). It features Singto (who did paranormal BL He's Coming to Me) opposite Fluke N (who's done a couple horror's before). Also Fiat. Dan suffers from sleep paralysis, and in his dreams he sees a shadow that suffocates him. It gets worse when he transfers schools.

10/? Bump Up Project AKA Bump Up Business (Korea ????) - BL staring OnlyOneOf that released(??) as a movie in July but is now being recut and reissued as a series. Stars NineMill and from Idol Romance bulled as a love story between a trainee who is about to debut and a celebrity from the same agency (based on a webtoon). OnlyOneOf have been auditioning for this since Libido IMHO. You can watch me chronicle their BL MV work in this post. Idol Romance will do sad but can do good kisses (Wish You, Nobleman Ryu, Once Again, Kissable Lips, Poongduck 304, Tasty Florida, Tinted With You) but I don't think we will get any in this. After that OmegaX Shoulder bullshizz buisness I am very wary of this show.

2023 forthcoming BL master post (see comments, some are inaccurate, NOT KEPT UPDATED).

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

I've seen this Chinese drama like... no wait... okay it's like EVERY Chinese drama ever.

(both Mr Cinderella 2)

I only got to watch this scene and the bath, but bot were pretty darn good! I Feel You Linger in the Air

There's only one bed but they slept together on the floor anyway. One of BL's oddest tropes.

I do love a finger bite. (both Venus in the Sky)

Good advice

(Naughty Babe)

(Last week) 

[tododeku-or-bust]

iwtv is completely ruined to me now, it was so much fun when it was only me and my mutuals of color talking about it, now there are too many crackers and taylor swift fans making me read the most disgusting and heinous shit about the black main characters

oh well i give up 🤷🏾‍♀️ i'm looking forward to the new vampire movie directed by ryan coogler and starring michael b. jordan to take my mind off things. hopefully jacob anderson makes an apperance so louis can FINALLY have someone who actually appreciates him (just a dream :'( tbh)

Honestly. Tbh, it's a constant battle when you're Black (or a person of color fr) bc you want to have complex stories with complex characters like Louis, but you can't even have those, bc there's a particular set of fans who don't like them will be RACIST AS FUCK. and so now you gotta sit there and say "hey, you can critique these characters without being racist". except those fans LIKE being racist, but calling them that hurts their feelings and ego, so they triple down on denial while STILL being racist. They'll act like they're the victim with their uwu white guy and god forbid.

I'm not doing that shit with these people. I'm not. Go be racist with shit media comprehension and lack of historical context somewhere else, I've got nothing to prove to you lmao. Yep, go cry that the Black girl was mean to you, surely it's not you. 🤷🏾‍♀️

(And what's crazy is that I actually love Lestat as a character. I think Sam Reid does an excellent job, an amazing performance. But these fucking fans, man. Klan hoods ON. I didn't think it could get worse than the Bakugou people.)

Louis needs to be single. I hope he turns up with that single life. I hope he slaughters every vampire that tries him from this point forward. I look forward to more Black vampire media as well. We coulda had Mahershala if Marvel didn't suck balls 😭

[kylieswift31]

The dark side of Taylor Swift's lucky number 13

Taylor has been performing at her concerts with her lucky number 13 written on her hand since her first fearless tour, but what if it doesn't have the same nostalgic meaning for Taylor Swift?

"I was born on the 13th, I turned 13 on Friday the 13th, by first album went gold in 13 weeks. Also, my first song that ever went number 1, it had a 13 second intro, I didn't even do that on purpose!"

The number 13 is most well known for being an unlucky number from the association it has with Friday the 13th, and the scary halloween movie series with the same title. Yet, many now see it as a good luck charm because Taylor has used it so prolifically throughout her career that it's become their lucky number too.

"I hate it here."

In the reputation prologue Taylor talks about the duality between the best and worst parts of ourselves, our deepest secrets and our favourite stories. And that the version we present to the public doesn't show the version we keep hidden. Everyone presents a mask of their best selves, but some of us do so while feeling the chasm between the two. This divergence then feels like the facade we present to others feels counterfeit to our inner selves.

"And for a fortnight there we were together."

This leads us to consider the other side of the coin behind the meaning of the number 13 and how it reflects Taylor's inner world. The title track of the tortured poets department is fortnight. This song fortnight isn't referencing a literal fortnight but her first album debut that contains 14 songs, excluding the pop version of teardrops on my guitar.

"All my Mondays are stuck in an endless February. I took the miracle move on drug, the effects were temporary."

This debut album contains an honest and personal account of Taylor's life growing up. Revealing how lonely she felt at school, feeling like an outcast and her determination to keep going in spite of it all. When her fearless album was released there was a markedly increased use of male pronouns and names to replace the more neutral you, me and us pronouns used throughout debut.

"Marry me, Juliet!"

There are songs like love story where it switches to the male character's perspective and Taylor gets to sing honestly while singing about a heteronormative relationship. But for the most part, everyone else is associating the song with the type of love where finding a man or is the end of your story. This fairytale happily ever after is what Taylor became famous for. It's what made me fall in love with Taylor's work, but I also stayed for the depth and complexity of the inner version of Taylor I connected with too.

"I was a functioning alcoholic till nobody noticed my new aesthetic."

The "Mondays stuck in an endless February" lyric in the fortnight song is talking about the debut version of Taylor being stuck in the fearless era. The changes to Taylor's albums in the fearless era erased more of her inner voice. When others only like your public facade you show them, it leaves you feeling like who you are on the inside will never be good enough for anybody. This is what leads to the choice between giving up trying to fit in or exiling your past self in the hopes of being accepted.

"Blood's thick but nothing like a payroll."

This battle of wills is echoed throughout Taylor's entire discography. It's easy to fob this off as a repercussion of the contract with her first record label, but that ended with the reputation era. These themes have repeated over and over again throughout her work much longer than that. When you remove all male and female muses from the story, there's an evident thread of being at war with herself. While begging for her family, her father in particular, to accept the queer side of herself.

"Two graves, one gun."

In the tortured poets department there's references to wanting to come out, but having to stay closeted to protect her career. This is evident in the eras tour with performing a three hour show with a set from every era except for debut. Taylor is breaking her own records with the quality of work she's put out recently, while still talking about how she's lost more of herself than she ever expected to. The line about "two graves, one gun" shows how she lost herself in the beginning of her career and again when she showed more of her inner self with the aesthetic of the lover era. The karma coffee cup is a map of where the graves are buried, pointing towards both the end of the fearless era and the folklore era.

"When my depression works the graveyard shift, all the people I've ghosted stand there in the room."

In my first post I went into great detail about the connections between Taylor's life and the Truman show. Her connection to Truman's character is especially apparent between the folklore and evermore albums. Truman's character is aware of the fact that he is unwittingly the star of a reality show being broadcast to the world. There are a lot of parallels to Taylor's pop star persona and how famous she has become recently.

"The sign on your heart said it's still reserved for me."

Truman's character reaches a breaking point where everything changes and realises what he wants to do with his life is too important to keep fulfilling the role everyone else wants him to fulfil. This is why the tortured poets department feels like a goodbye album. This is Taylor letting go of anyone who is not willing to see her for who she really is. As many of us experienced during the lockdowns, getting a taste of living without the mask makes it incredibly soul crushing to put back on again. The tortured poets department is a goodbye, but for Taylor it is a return home to herself. The tour for the lover era put a hold on her plans going forward, but created an opportunity to go even bigger than she already had planned.

"Put narcotics into all of my songs and that's why you're still singing along."

If we break down the symbology of the number 13 we can get a glimpse of what it represents for the closeted version of Taylor. The duality of the 3 as the letter M or W when it's flipped on it's side discloses the true pronouns within her music. The 1 is the shape of her microphone, but also the shape of a grave. Her love for women has been buried for the sake of her career. (It’s also XIII in Roman numerals.)

"I'm so depressed I act like it's my birthday every day."

So if the 13 represents both Taylor's pop star persona with her birthday and the closeted version of Taylor, we can see how it epitomises both sides of the coin.

Coming out on the 31st of October would be an iconic date to reclaim the meaning behind the numbers and bring her love of women back out from the grave.

A tortured poet,

Kylie x

🧡🖤💜

[simplyclary]

Double The Charm, Double The Talent

(Photo edit by me)

I find myself constantly inspired by the incredible talents, undeniable charisma and the unique qualities that actors Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine bring to the screen. While I hold a special place in my heart for Taylor, that does not decrease my admiration for Nick. Loving or preferring one more than the other is only natural in a fandom, but it’s important to recognize that this preference does not mean that we should spread negativity or hate. Both Taylor and Nick are exceptional in their own right, and honestly, it’s their differences that make them so captivating. 

Taylor Zakhar Perez has captured my heart with his Latino charm and boundless charisma. From his breakout role as Marco in “The Kissing Booth” film series to his more recent performance as Alex Claremont-Diaz in the film adaptation of hit novel “Red, White and Royal Blue”, Taylor consistently exudes a magnetic presence that draws viewers in. His natural ability to convey deep emotions and his dedication to his craft make him a standout in every project that he’s a part of. 

What I most admire about Taylor is his authenticity. He brings a genuine warmth to his roles, and his passion for representing Latino voices and breaking stereotypes is truly inspiring. Taylor’s commitment to telling diverse stories and highlighting the richness of Latino culture is a testament to his character and vision as an actor. His charm isn’t just skin-deep; it’s rooted in a deep understanding of his heritage and a desire to make a positive impact through his work. 

Beyond Taylor’s on-screen talent, his own personal attributes are equally compelling. His eloquent nature and ability to speak his mind without being mean are qualities that many of his fans, including me, find incredibly attractive. His intelligence and thoughtful approach to both his career and his interactions make him more than just a pretty face. His involvement in projects that resonate with his audience on a deeper level as well as his constant advocating for Latin representation, set him apart as a truly inspiring figure.  

On the other hand, the British innocence of Nicholas Galitzine has also won me over (not as much as my best friend Jam, of course). From his roles in movies like “High Strung” and “Handsome Devil” to his portrayal of Prince Henry in “Red, White and Royal Blue” and George Villiers in “Mary & George”, Nick brings a unique blend of vulnerability and strength to his characters. His ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level is remarkable. And his dedication to his roles is obvious and evident in every one of his performances. 

Nick also has a certain mystique about him that is endearing, intriguing and mysterious. His British charm, coupled with his ability to fully immerse himself in diverse roles, makes him a notable actor to watch. His journey in the entertainment industry has been nothing short of impressive, and I will eagerly anticipate every new project he takes on. 

Nick’s appeal lies in his authenticity and the depth he brings to his characters. His British innocence, combined with his talent for portraying complex characters and emotions, makes him a joy to watch. He has a knack for choosing roles that challenge him and allow him to showcase his range as an actor. His genuine nature and dedication to his craft resonate with fans who appreciate his ability to connect on an emotional level. 

Both Taylor and Nick bring something unique to the roles and projects that they bring to life. Taylor’s Latino charm and commitment to representation are incredibly impactful, while Nick’s British innocence and emotional depth offer a different kind of allure. Both of these actors have the ability to draw audiences in, not just with their looks but with the authenticity and passion that they bring to their performances. 

It’s entirely possible to have a preference for one actor over the other without decreasing the talent and value of either. While Taylor might hold a slightly larger piece of my heart, this fact does not decrease my admiration for Nick. Both actors bring something special to a project, and their unique qualities are what makes them so beloved and treasured by fans. 

Also to note that as fans, we are privileged to witness the growth and evolution of both Taylor and Nick. Their careers are filled with exciting potential, and I eagerly anticipate and await every new project that they’re gonna take on. Whether they’re working individually or on a project together, the anticipation and excitement will always remain high. 

In an industry that often pits stars against each other, it is crucial and essential to remember that admiration is not a zero-sum game. Taylor and Nick are both immensely talented and charming individuals with their own distinct careers and paths. They are also great friends, and they support each other in their professional endeavors. As fans, we should strive to emulate this aura of positivity and camaraderie. 

Now, a message to the fans: let us stop spreading negativity and tearing each other down. It honestly hurts to see fan communities divided, especially when Taylor and Nick themselves share a mutual respect and friendship. We can love one more than the other without resorting to hate or negativity. Respecting each other’s opinions and preferences is essential in creating a supportive and positive fan environment. 

Let’s continue to celebrate the diversity of talents and projects that both Taylor and Nick bring to our screens. If you prefer one over the other, that is entirely okay, but let’s do so with kindness and respect. By supporting both actors and appreciating their unique contributions, we can create a fandom that reflects the positivity, inspiration and happiness that they bring into our lives. 

Let us just focus on the love and admiration that we have for both Taylor James Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Dimitri Constantine Galitzine. They are both exceptional talents who constantly bring joy and inspiration to their fans. By supporting them with positivity and respect, we can create a welcoming and inclusive fan community.

Let’s enjoy consuming the beautiful projects that they do and celebrate their achievements, and as a fan community, let’s continue to uplift each other as we continue to follow their careers. After all, it’s their talent and dedication that brought us here in the first place, and that talent deserves nothing but the utmost amount of respect and appreciation. 

[tortured-demigods-department]

an unhinged (and unofficial) dissertation on the pjo fandom

so i don't usually post anything that isn't my-works-related, but i had a...mildly heated discussion with a fellow film student tonight about the pjo show and it's got me thinking. bear with me, we'll be here awhile.

as we all know, the first season of pjo has ended. i've stayed relatively OFF tumblr and other social media during this time, but i know there are a lot of OG fans who are (in their words) "massively disappointed" in the show. most of the complaints i've heard have been during in person conversations though, so this post is mostly going to be referencing real complaints i've heard.

i've been a part of this fandom since i was thirteen. that's nearly eight fucking years of my life that i've devoted to the pjo universe. i have written and consumed YEARS' worth of fanfiction, i have read and reread every book so many times i can quote them forwards and backwards, and i went to the bookstore every single year on the new books' release dates to pick up my copies in-person. this fandom, these characters and this world have brought so much joy to my life, and i don't think i could ever fully articulate that in words. when i think of this series, i genuinely feel nothing but happiness.

but a few years ago—around the time i started college—i started distancing myself from the fandom for one glaring reason. this fandom can be such an...angry place? like, genuinely, i don't know how far it goes back—maybe all the way to the release of HoA, honestly—but i wasn't here pre-HoA, so all i know is that i very much remember how much people hated ToA when it came out.

here i was, having the TIME of my life with apollo and his silly little haikus, and people are going to war over how the series' writing quality has gone to shit and how everything was better before, blah, blah, blah. IN SPITE of everything that series gave us—discussion of the repercussions of child abuse and ptsd, representation of lgbtqa+ characters, and deep psychological messages that really teach young readers, i think, how to better understand themselves and their emotions and deal with them in healthy ways. and it just wasn't fun to be in a fandom where, as soon as you go "hey, did you read the new book?" they scoff and roll their eyes and only want to talk about how terrible it is. (i also missed all the discourse on the sun and the star when it came out—PHENOMENAL read, btw—but i've read some things that lead me to believe that it wasn't well received either, in spite of how lovely it was.)

so...it's dramatic to say i "left" the fandom, but i certainly withdrew from it. deleted my pjo ao3 and tumblr, started over with a different fandom. but the love has always been there, and the show starting really helped spark it fully back to life.

but now, the same thing is happening again, i'm noticing. remember back in the day, when we only had the shitty fucking movies, and we were like "man, ANYTHING would be better than this garbage. literally just give us actors who are the right age and we'll be happy." well, now we have PHENOMENAL kid actors who genuinely are having a good time playing our beloved characters, and instead of supporting them, we're STILL complaining about them not being "portrayed correctly"?

i've talked to so many people who complain that percy is "too smart," which is kind of a bullshit insult to percy's canon character. in the books (at least the first five) we're seeing things ONLY from percy's pov. he's a kid who's struggled with learning disabilities and been told he's an idiot all his life by everyone except his mom—but as others have pointed out way more eloquently than i could, percy is a very intelligent and powerful individual while maintaining his goofy fun personality, which is WHY so many people love him so much. he's complex, and i think they managed to capture that really well in the show even amidst all the changes.

don't get me started on the fucking racism towards leah sava jeffries—i'm honest to gods ashamed that there are racists who call themselves pjo fans. she is so talented, and everything we ever could have hoped for in an on-screen annabeth. ALL of the kids are—there's literally no argument to be had there.

and then, if people aren't complaining about the casting, it's the series' writing. or there's too much exposition. rick is changing too many things. the directors don't know what they're doing. it's not a TRUE book adaptation. (someone said that to me, and i genuinely laughed because i thought they were joking. when the MOVIES exist, they wanted to make that comment about the show.)

are there some things i would change about the show, given the opportunity? god, yes. the set design for the underworld was horrendous. (in my opinion, of course.) but here's the thing. i have spent eight years of my life waiting for this show to happen, and in that time, i've learned a lot about how much goes into successfully producing such a complex series. how much money and time is spent, and how many people have to be on board to make it happen. it's genuinely kind of miraculous that we're even getting this show at all, considering all the ways it could have failed before it even made it out of pre-production.

and i think we, as fans, sometimes forget that we aren't owed this. we don't own the percy jackson franchise. it makes me so sick and tired when authors or artists in any capacity feel like they have to cater their works to the masses, because they know they'll get thrown into the fucking fire if they don't. rick and becky riordan didn't have to got to the trouble of producing this show for us. they chose to—everyone involved chose to—because they wanted to make something fun and enjoyable not only for the fans, but everyone who chose to be a part of it.

do you know how insane it is that, when you read pretty much any interview of pjo bts, everyone talks about how fun the production was? i've been on film sets. they can be ABSOLUTELY miserable when they're not done right. but eight months into production, the kids were still laughing and having a good time, everyone's still giving 100%, they're excited, it's fun. walker was willing to go into a diving tank for a full fucking day in order to get one scene—i know i would never have that kind of dedication, and i bet 99% of you wouldn't either.

i know this has gotten really long-winded, but i've said all of that to say that...i'm kind of tired of fans trying to bring down the show, and more than that, trying to bring down each other for having a good time. as i've said before (many times, i'm sure), i waited eight years for this, and i have had SUCH a fun time watching it. assuming we get a season 2 renewal, there are going to be even more new fans coming in than we've already gotten from season 1, and i want this fandom to be a fun and positive place for them. for all of us. we don't have to miserable and angry all time. we can critique the show, sure—it's not perfect, and it was never going to be—but we have to remember that television is an art form, and that art is subjective even when it involves our favorite characters. and we can accept that and still have a good time, because it's just more fun to have fun, you know?

this fandom has always had so much potential to be the BIGGEST, most supportive and kind and loving fandom. with how much representation this series has, with how much content we've been given, with the SHEER massive number of us...i've always thought we could be a really, really great community. maybe it's impossible to hope that we could be the best fandom on earth, but if nothing else...could we all try to just be a little bit kinder? genuinely, as cheesy as it may sound...it's just nicer when we're nice to each other. and when there's so many real things in the world to be mad about...i would much rather this be a place where we can come to at the end of a long day and just...feel at home. personally, i just think that would be really, really nice.

[ryansjane]

a ranking & summary of my thoughts on gmmtv 2024 part 1

pluto: this is my everything already. A GL??? with two of my fave actresses film & namtan??? AND a complex, interesting plot??? I'm obsessed already!!! this looks so good I'm so happy it's happening & it will become my whole personality once it airs!!!

the trainee: I genuinely believed, even with the rumors that off, gun, view, kapook & sea would be in a show together, that we wouldn't get an offgun show this year. AND I WAS WRONG!!! is this what it's like to always fucking win??? like genuinely, my ship is THAT ship, I'm so lucky & happy and I love them so much <3

peaceful property on sale: duuuude, this looks so fun??? I was already hooked when I saw new's over the top character, but a ghost haunting show with taynew, jan & mook??? absolutely incredible! this looks ridiculous & I know I'm gonna love every second of it!

my golden blood: bruh, thank goodness I was warned about jossgawin in advance or I might have had a heart attack, but honestly????? THEY ATE THAT! and mond playing the villain????? babe, that casting is incredible & perfect, I'm obsessed!!! I usually don't like supernatural stuff but I was also a teen wolf fan bruh so atp I'm gonna EAT that shit UP!!!

wandee goodday: you might not know it, but I have a super power. every time I start being a fan of someone who hasn't done bl, they do bl the following year. this year it was nonkul, and next year it's gonna be great sapol. AND I LOVE THAT FOR ME!!! this looks really good & fun, the characters are interesting and the story not too crazy or too basic. I can feel that it's gonna be good!

ploy's yearbook: a female-led show & the return of mond as a main??? BLESS!!! I love most of this cast, this looks fun as hell, I adore my gmmtv girlies... gotta watch this for sure! love seeing earth in more roles outside of his ship too!

enigma 2: I still haven't watched season one, am planning on watching it very soon, but I've heard great things so I'll be sure to catch season two as well! especially since I really liked toey jarinporn in the recent lakorn to the moon and back so I'm excited to see how she does!

my precious the series: as you know I've watched the movie in theaters, but I'm excited for it to be out as a series too, especially since there's extra scenes! seems like it might be even more lovable, and also if it's on gmmtv's youtube channel I'll finally be able to gif the iconic scenes :')

high school frenemy: this looks interesting & I like sky, but I feel like the plot doesn't make sense if it's not a love story... idk I feel like since this is adapted from a kdrama it's just gonna be a frustrating story that should be a romance but is reduced to bromance instead... I might still watch though :')

only boo: this looks kinda cute though basic. I don't know both main leads but might watch it.

we are: this has all ships I like, especially marcpawin & aouboom who deserve more spotlight, so I will be watching, but the plot seems really basic so I'm not expecting anything out of this world...

kidnap: this plot seems interesting but the cast isn't so... yeah.

summer night: I was so confused by who is supposed to be with who in the show lol, honestly I was down for dunkphuwin lmao, but this looks too messy for me :')

my love mix-up: I absolutely despise remakes even though I enjoyed kieta hatsukoi & like geminifourth, and although I'm certain this version will fix the chemistry issues of the original, I'm not gonna be watching it.

ossan's love thailand: same thing as for the previous show but even more so bc ossan's love is such a product of its time & shouldn't be remade in 2024 imo...

[azalea-romanoff]

HAPPY AUTISM AWARENESS DAY!

First: happy autism awareness day to all my mun/mods with autism or who have characters with autism. (in my case, it's both!)

So in honour of Autism Awareness Day and month, I'd like to tell you all about my levels of autism <3

Tics and Fidgets: I'm on the spectrum such that I have a lot of tics and fidgets. Usually it's the repititions which feel nice, and it can often annoy others. I have a tendency to: click my tongue, snap my fingers, flap my hands, rock back and forth, and i make popping sounds. the more subtle tics are pulling my hair, picking my fingernails.

Poor Eye contact: Poor eye contact with me is only with people i don't know or during stressful situations. like if i'm in a meeting with Nick Fury, i'll be fine. but if i'm greeting new agents? hell no. (//ooc: i can talk to my class teacher just fine, but with maybe the delivery man, a cashier, i can't look them in the eyes.).

Abnormal Posture: ...as an agent, this is a huge no-no. the only reason i got the job is because my abnormal posture is literally me just keeping my fists clenched at all times, and keeping my left foot a bit more in front of the other. a tense fighting stance if you will. Convenient!

Anxiety: Shockingly, it's low! I only get anxious in places which are too loud or too far from home. loud places make me really anxious because it means i have too many thoughts in my head and too many things to process at a time. and being deaf, too, with hearing aids, it makes it 100x tougher. Sorry, but Azalea Romanoff-Maximoff isn't the girl you take to a party or a club.

Social Difficulty: I have moderately high social difficulty. as in, i have trouble communicating my thoughts when in big groups, and making friends is a bit...daunting as a task. And sometimes i miss on non-verbal cues like sarcasm, subtle joking, even a few metaphors here and there. So iF YOU NEED A SPECIFIC BIRTHDAY GIFT, TELL ME TO MY FACE. DON'T HINT IT-? I WILL LITERALLY NOT GET YOUR POINT.

Noise Sensitivity: ...have you met me? i am VERY sensitive to noise. Vacuum cleaners, power drills, gunshot sounds (//ooc: movies, especially), someone typing loudly on their laptop, so many of these day-to-day sounds drive me to a meltdown sometimes because it's just so annoying.

Abnormal/Flat Speech: Nope. Most people can tell how i'm feeling by my voice, except in situations where i'm confused on how to react. like if someone says they're pregnant, i'll just say 'oh, nice.' like, are you happy or sad or like-? eH???

Fixations: I have plenty. But my biggest ones? Top Three: Animals, History, Space. iF i get bored, i will literally talk about this for hours, and dare you show even an iota of interest in the same, my friend you're gonna be there a WHILE.

Depression: only on sensory overload days, or on days where i randomly get sad. a result of the anxiety, honestly. i think wayyyyy too many 'what if' scenarios.

Aggression: And finally, I'm not a very aggressive person. Only if i'm very overstimulated, if i'm not being heard, or if i'm just having a bad day in general, i might break a pencil or two. maybe throw a few books down a shelf.

BONUS: soooo i hate the colour yellow or anything that is yellow. like, i haven't ever touched a banana. my favourite colour is red, and my favourite animal is the panda. i hate the feeling of shag carpets and i don't like the feeling of nylon on skin. i don't like the scratchiness of yarn and i don't like the sound of chalk on a chalkboard. i do like the hum of an air conditioner though, and looking outside a window helps calm me down.

SO that's all about my autism! I hope i made you all aware! Reach out to any fellow autistic people you may know, and do find out about their fixations, if they're non-verbal or verbal. accept them for who they are, don't try and fix them.

autism isn't a disease. our minds are just wired differently. if you can figure out how a complex video game works within 24 hours, how hard can a person be?

🤟 love you all!

bellow is my autism spectrum evaluation results (mod's) for people who are close to me, like @moongirlwidow @wandabug @supermilkshakebanana @nevaeh-daughterofvalcarol @capt-carter-mostly-official @esmerxyaugusta and @pietro-maximoff-official <3

[melancholysway]

hi!! i ummm wanna make a request for tk7 leo falling for a silly reader?? you know that kind of person who's doing silly things to the point of exasperation? but only leo thinks that way, everybody else is "meh" (originally i was thinking about donnie, but i think leo fits more in this... idk) anyway! have a good day!!!

hi! I hope this is what you were looking for or some degree of it! I tried a lot with this one lol

i also hc 2007 lovessssss dark humor idk why but its very fitting

TMNT Imagines: 2007!Leonardo x Reader: Comedic Genius

If its someone in this entire tmnt movie who needs to laugh- ITS LEONARDO

Because that man is so serious it irks me 

Yes he has his lil laugh here and there but no

NO

So  a funny s/o is something he needs

It’s an absolute must

You click with Mikey a lot, constantly joking around with each other and fucking around with Raph to the point where you had to hide from him for a few 

In the beginning, everyone seriously thought MIKEY would be in a relationship first, with the way you bounced off each other so well

But let’s be honest, there can only be one extremely funny person in the relationship before you both tire yourselves out

Plus, you never actually see Mikey like that. He’s a fun annoying little brother to you

Now, you had your eyes on Leo

Who, in the beginning, did not have his eyes on you. 

When he first meets you, he’s kind, because that’s the kind of turtle he is

It’s actually Leonardo that saves you in the beginning- as he decides to divide and conquer patrol that particular night, and he (just in the knick of time,) saves you from being cornered by a few gang members demanding money

He doesn’t reveal himself, but you’re joking about the situation and he can’t help but ask how you can be so unserious in such a serious situation

“I must really be the main character, huh?”

You’re right. You ARE the main character. 

You make Leo chuckle for the first time, and when the rest of his brothers find him, Mikey can’t help but befriend you.

It’s not everyday they become friends with such an accepting human, and if you were being honest, you’ve seen uglier things in New York City. 

Big turtles were nothing

You develop a crush on Leo after a couple of months of being friends with the turtles. It may be that you became attracted to his endearing savior complex, or that he was seriously cheesy, or that his dad jokes were absolute shit that only made Splinter laugh a few times here and there, but whatever it was you fell for it.

You keep this crush on the DL, not even telling your good friend Mikey- Lord knows that boy has a big ass mouth

Anyway, Leonardo.

He’s not so good at being funny? It’s not really his thing

He’s honestly not sure, he thinks that he’s changed ever since coming back from his training. 

Because a lot of the jokes you say don’t really phase him. If anything, he finds it slightly…irritating?

He’s endured Donnie’s strategically timed sarcasm, Raph’s dark humor, and Mikey’s shenanigans for years, but after all this time, he doesn’t really know where he lies on the funny scale.

Maybe it’s because he’s not that funny himself, but like Mikey and sometimes Donnie, your joke timing can be really…bad. 

Like a “read the room” type of bad. 

Mikey for one, loves your sense of humor. Donnie is unfazed most of the time, but throws in a laugh here and there. Raph is into some dark humor, so honestly, light humor or jokes don’t really hit his funny bone.

A lot of your shenanigans happen with Mikey, actually. It starts with pranking Raph, which does in fact make Leo laugh a bit. When you put his red masks in the dryer with white sheets, causing his masks to become pink. Or when you replace his protein powder with flour. Yeah, you make his life slightly miserable in those moments.

Leo endures your jokes, antics, anything that you do for a while. Until he…starts to become slightly dependent on it?

Like, he can’t go a day or two without you coming down to the lair with a new gimmick or one-liner to tell (although Raphael takes the cake for having the best one-liners,)

He thinks you have a crush on Mikey, until he makes a striking realization thanks to Donnie

“You do realize Y/n’s joking around so much to try and make you laugh or impress you, right?”

“No?”

“No? Next time they make a joke, see who the first person they look at right after.”

So, he does. And he realizes it’s him. You look at Leo for some sort of satisfaction or approval if you make him chuckle or even crack a smile. It’s not often, but when it happens, it’s seriously rewarding.

So, he tries to lighten up. Stop becoming irritated from the fact that you want to impress him with your humor

Wait, you want to impress him.

You like him

He comes to that realization when meditating one day. He’s thinking about what Donnie said and your mannerisms and how you blush when he talks to you and-

Bingo! 

He just had to make sure. He’s never had anyone have romantic feelings for him before. He confides in Mikey. Big mistake.

“I don’t know but I can find out dude!” Mikey says despite Leo’s protests. He wants it to be on the DL.

It’s most definitely not on the DL. Mikey straight up asks you one day. 

“So like, are you in love with Leo?” 

He reports back to Leo that yes, you like him. The way you stumbled on your words from the sudden question, to the way you didn’t shoot down the idea and say ‘no.’ You like him

He admires you, appreciates you more. You actually like Leo- a mutant turtle. 

So he falls for you. He finds your jokes funny, the countless Raph pranks, your unique laugh- everything. 

“Mikey, why’d you ask me that? The Leo thing.” Although a few weeks back, Mikey remembers clear as day. 

“Oh! Because Leo asked me to.” Lie…kind of. He didn’t actually ask Mikey…but he did insinuate that he wanted to find out. 

Mikey also cannot keep his mouth shut. 

You just look at your friend dumbfounded, wondering why Leo wanted to know. Until he walks by and glances at you, smiling. 

“I think he likes you.” Mikey whispers (attempts to whisper)

So, you muster up the courage one day, and corner him. Like a little mouse in the dojo (no offense Splinter)

“Hey! Um…do you like, like me or something? I’m just asking…for scientific purposes.”

Leo is taken aback. He didn’t actually think you would straight up ask him if he had feelings for you. But, he likes it. He likes that you had enough courage to ask. It’s admirable. 

“Well…yes.”

“I mean more than-” “More than friends, Y/n.”

“What is it? Is it my elite humor perhaps? Huh? Huhhhh?? Don’t be shy, tell me!”

“A little bit of everything, actually.” 

He likes you for you. How silly you can be. How you became good friends with his little brother, making Mikey’s life a lot more comical. How you always come down to the Lair and spend time with them, trying to make them laugh. The Raph pranks. Oh my goodness, Leo loves the Raph pranks (don’t tell Raph this btw) How cute you are. It’s everything. 

“Is this the part where we kiss like in a low-budget Hallmark movie?” You muse, and it makes Leo chuckle. “I think it is, Y/n.” Leo’s never kissed anyone before, so this is his first. But it can’t be that hard. It’s in human nature to know how to kiss, it’s natural. So, he leans in while you do the same, finally connecting your lips in a soft kiss. 

You love it. Leo loves it. Mikey’s cheering in the back after stalking for a few, ready to tell the others and start joking and making kissy noises while he does. 

//

Taglist:

@bee-1n-space

Masterlist

[likeabxrdinflight]

I have read azula in the spirit temple, because of course I did. it's like 7 bucks for the digital version and honestly? wouldn't pay much more than that.

it's...fine. it's fine. it's not offensive, it's not groundbreaking, it's just...fine. I will say I do really like the art style, it's a vast improvement over the yang-led comics. there's some great drawings and all the characters look really good.

otherwise...? I mean it just doesn't do much with its story, and I think that's kind of intentional. I strongly suspect that now that avatar studios is a thing, major story beats in the comics series are over for the time being. this very much feels like a tease of "can azula redeem herself?? we just don't know!!!" and then they very much do not commit one way or the other with it. which tells me that if any major storylines featuring azula are going to be happening in the future, they probably won't be happening in the comics, but in some future movie or animated series.

and honestly? good. I always felt comics were the wrong medium for telling stories in this universe, they have never managed to replicate the gravitas or complexity of storytelling of the animated shows. so if this comic is meant to be like...a palate cleanser, a teaser for things to come in future projects...fine. that's fine. but it does mean this particular story comes across non-committal and honestly...kinda boring.

like, every character azula interacts with outside the first couple pages is a spirit. none of it's real, the stakes are so low, and everything that happens once azula arrives at the temple is a vision from this guardian spirit, who tells azula that if she could accept what the visions were saying then this was her chance of redemption. but honestly that just feels like a cop-out and I don't really buy it, because none of it was real. and azula knows that.

what this story felt like instead was less redemption arc and more character exploration. and as a character piece it's...it's fine? like I said, it's not offensive like the search or smoke and shadow were (though it does loosely play off where smoke and shadow left off, it mostly ignores the search, so props to it for that lol). but there's nothing in here that will come as a surprise to anyone with basic reading comprehension who's watched the original show. the writing's a bit shallow but broadly inoffensive.

honestly the most surprising thing for me was azula acknowledging out loud to a vision of ursa that she's entirely aware that her father used her as a weapon, and felt that ursa failed to protect her from that fate by leaving. which is an interesting dichotomy given that much of azula's character is bound up in that identity as her father's perfect daughter in contrast to zuko being the failed son. (then again, quite a bit of time has now passed in universe since the end of the tv series, so maybe it's not overly shocking that azula has done a little introspecting in that time.)

other than that, there's some fun interactions with spirit!mai and ty lee, and then there's a final vision with spirit!zuko that comes so close to being a halfway decent climax to this little story, but none of it's a major revelation to anyone who's been paying attention to azula's character. the spirit visions all serve the same function that azula's hallucinations did in the series finale- they act as her unconscious mind telling her the truths she already knows about herself deep down.

the ending leaves azula in kind of a middle ground place, very little about her circumstances have changed except she's decided to ditch her girl gang and go run off to do something else- which is kept extremely vague. I can't help feeling that is an intentional move to set her up for a totally new story in a different medium that likely doesn't want to rely on any foundations laid in any of the comics series. and I wouldn't be shocked if that medium is one of the alleged movies that avatar studios is supposed to be producing. so this feels less like a real character arc so much as a character reset.

and from a creative, lore standpoint I don't have a problem with this. that's probably what they needed to do if they want to use azula in their future animated projects. my problem is that the story the comic tells to give us this reset is just kinda boring for someone who's been with this fandom since the original series aired.

The fact is that I've read and seen fan works that addressed these exact same issues and character beats with much more finesse and for much higher stakes. this comic gave me the feeling that the dialogue was directly addressing what fans have been saying about azula for years and putting a neon light on it. and that's...again, it's fine? but it's not groundbreaking for those of us who've been saying this shit since 2008. and I guess it's nice to see some of those character beats canonized officially, especially if there's a likelihood that we'll see animated azula again, but as far as I was concerned the fact that azula wanted her family to love her and was used as a weapon of war was already obvious, so spelling it out with another comic felt...redundant.

and I guess that's how I'd describe this. it felt redundant to me, as someone who's spent a lot of time with this character already. maybe it's good that it exists so that larger and newer swaths of the fandom can see azula in this light, but for long time fans of the character? there's truly nothing in here about her that you don't already know.

if this really is a reset button for the old comics canon/jumping off point for an animated project, then...I'm not mad about it, exactly. but as a stand alone story it's just...fine. it's fine, but little more.

[didntyoubelieveinme]

not to bring my little kpop guys onto this blog but i wanted to talk about some very interesting parallels i noticed when i saw this concept image for taemins guilty album.

ive already talked about my thoughts on the original scene in velvet goldmine in a previous post so i’ll start with the guilty photo. guilty has one of the most interesting concepts i’ve come across within kpop in like… forever. guilty is inspired by “erotism: death and sensuality” by the french philosopher georges bataille, both the album and the book exploring the idea of complex human emotions regarding sexuality, self-expression, as well as the taboo and societal view. there can be pages written about the entire album and storyline following the culprit and the victim, as well as the extended religious themes and well… guilt. i’d like to focus my attention more on the specific photo however and how, in my eyes, guilty parallels velvet goldmine so perfectly without even intending to.

the guilty photoshoot is meant to represent the viewer or “the culprit” as intruding, looking through curtains you’re never meant to look through. it’s voyeuristic in a sense, meant to leave you with the idea that he never escapes the watchful eye of others. the original scene in velvet goldmine focuses on brian and curt’s relationship and how they keep it hidden from the public. velvet goldmine is a movie for fans, by fans, and about fans—they deliberately keep these moments hidden behind a façade that you only see through by a stroke of fate.

curt and brian have their entire relationship publicized and capitalized upon, mostly encouraged by jerry devine. it was something born from genuine admiration before brian fell too far into the fame. throughout the movie their relationship is filmed from the same perspective as everyone else around them saw it, messy and falling apart. you’re not led to believe it was anything else until there’s those small flashing of something more.

after their official breakup, curt sighs in the car and just for a couple seconds you get the reveal of their getaway together. that in a moment where they knew no one was watching them, they still held each other close. but they weren’t alone—the viewer watches behind the curtains as they see what could be interpreted in a million different ways. the two could be expressing genuine love but you never know bcs you’re not supposed to know. it was a moment shared between curt and brian and only for them to understand. that they could just be themselves away from the world.

it’s similar to guilty, although it contrasts in the fact that taemin is alone. while velvet goldmine is fictional, it still expresses the same concept that many celebrities have faced and still face today that they are always on camera. guilty goes farther into the psychological stress and torment of taemin’s character, being controlled, manipulated, and influenced by this “culprit” figure. this is all the deeper themes behind the surface level analysis behind the image that is him being watched. the image seems to be set after he’s escaped from the manipulation and experimentation of before, showing that even though he “escaped” he’s haunted by the idea of “the culprit.” the music video even ending with him returning to burn down the original source of this trauma to end it all.

some could equate this to how brian sabotaged his own career to leave it behind and start a new one. one where he wasn’t “brian slade” or “maxwell demon.”

however while the actions of taemin’s character are freeing for himself and others, brian’s lie in a more selfish reasoning—watching the people around him fall apart due to his actions. maybe that’s where the similarities end. this is all probably a bigger analysis than i want to get into right now.

honestly i’m just yapping right now and i’m not sure if anyone else but me will care about this lmaoo. i just found the comparisons interesting considering the concept and themes behind both pieces of media. i’m assuming taemin has never actually seen velvet goldmine (though we never know 🤷‍♂️) so i find it beautiful how art can replicate itself in the most purest forms of genuine expression.

[practically-an-x-man]

For Talk Shop Tuesday: Give us the director's cut on your latest piece of writing!

Ooooh sure thing!!

So my latest piece of writing (not counting a new piece I will hopefully have finished tonight...) is Share Your Burdens, the new pre-relationship IndiHux fic I posted just before I did my masterlist redux. Let's get into it!!

Talk Shop Tuesday

Most stepped aside as they noticed him coming, and the only ones that remained were those facing the wrong way or otherwise too distracted to notice. If he were truly in a rush, he might have been sharper with them. But he knew from his conversations with Indigo that mealtimes were often the only break from work they got, and… he could find it within himself to be a bit more lenient, it seemed.

Right off the bat, we do see the way speaking to Indie has started to soften him, just a little. And it's not just their conversation about breaktimes that has him being a little gentler, but Indie's behavior itself - he knows that when she gets really into a conversation, she might not notice the people passing by around her, and it's by no means an intentional or rude gesture, so he learns to ascribe that same benign distraction to the others around him and be a little more lenient with them.

Especially in this stage of their relationship, she really helps him recognize this more grounded perspective, especially since he's never really had that himself - hyper-strict military childhood straight to a commanding position in the First Order, trained (intentionally or not) by his father to see everything as a power play or personal slight, so Indie's gentler perspective is a very good thing for him to experience at this stage in his life.

So many conversations in his life turned to the war, the ship, the cycling of duties, but Indie seemed more inclined to speak about the mundane and hopeful. It was refreshing in a number of ways.

This is part of the reason he even begins to soften to her. She obviously still respects him, but she's not in fear of him the way so many others are, and she doesn't enjoy talking about war. I'd imagine he subconsciously sees most people as instruments of war (again, how he was raised thanks to his father), but he can't do that with Indie because she never gives him an opening. She doesn't talk about war, she doesn't get all squirrelly about being face-to-face with General Hux, she forces his brain to see her as a real living person straight from the beginning and that's enough for him to start breaking down those ingrained biases.

Early-stage Hux is hard to write, honestly. He's an asshole in the movies and I'll fully acknowledge that, but for the fic to work I had to make him at least somewhat likeable, or at least open enough to change that he'll become likeable. And I'm a stickler for characterization. Making him too nice or understanding is definitely OOC, but making him too much of an asshole just isn't fun to read or write. And on top of that, he's got such a rich backstory that we never even see in the movies, and I think his character has a lot of complexity that the movies just end up dropping entirely. But as a writer, I spent the whole time wondering if I was making him too OOC, if the character growth I gave him was realistic at all, if it was too much of a departure from canon to even be enjoyable, etc..

Idk, I'm rambling. I just see so many of his actions as being motivated by his personal history and the way he was raised, less that it's what he inwardly believes and more what he's been trained to believe by his father, and to me that makes him very capable of change and growth as long as he's motivated to work for it. But... not everyone will see that from him, and it makes me worry I've misread things entirely.

Perhaps not implicitly, and perhaps he’d never have the honor of knowing her to that level, but… he could recognize that something was troubling her. That was a start.

Have to say, I love writing these little moments of dramatic irony whenever I write pre-relationship fics that exist after the main fic like this. There's just something about the image of him going "I'll never get to be that close to her :(" while everyone who reads this knows he'll end up literally sacrificing everything for her that makes me absolutely feral. It's such a specific little trope, but I love it.

He wondered if any of those thoughts were appearing on his face. She always seemed so adept at reading him.

What's funny is that if you place this fic in the actual timeline with the rest, this is the stage where Indie still feels like he's impossible to read. I intentionally wanted that bit of dissonance here, where from her perspective he's still inscrutable and from his perspective she can see everything - because Indie's used to reading people automatically and he's hard to read, while Hux has been walled-off and isolated his whole life and even the little flickers Indie gets feel like she's staring right into his soul.

“I mean, I know you excused me from the address as a thank-you for what happened in the elevator, but you got me Zero’s paperwork, and then you made all those scheduling revisions, and the new on-call regulations…

The scheduling revisions and on-call regulations are actually a bit of super deep-cut lore that I never actually put into the fic itself- only a tumblr post. The gist of it is that speaking to her so often made him notice a lot of systemic issues that the other higher-ups didn't even glance at, and he quietly begins to repair them (not even as a romantic gesture to her, just because he recognizes them as problems and seeks to fix them)

“Oh, and- here. Figure you haven’t eaten, given you weren’t at lunch.”

These two in particular have a bit of an ongoing theme of food as a symbol of love. Most of their early bonding and interactions take place around the cafeteria and meeting up for lunch, and after Indie gets long-distance attacked by Palpatine in one of the chapters of B&B, Hux has a whole internal struggle about telling her he loves her... which he then bails on, and Indie's next words are "Did you eat?". Then when they're on Ajan Kloss, the first scene of them openly together is sitting at one of the picnic tables, when Indigo redirects the rotten fruit that gets thrown at Hux. Finally, in the last scene before the epilogue, where Indie is in bed and recovering from surgery, Hux's first words are to urge her to eat something. There are other scenes, of course, but these are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

And of course, we have this here - before he's even begun to admit his feelings about her to himself, he remembers to grab her something to eat because he knows she hasn't.

Oh, and there's a reason for this - Indie grew up food-insecure due to living on Corellia, and Hux's mother canonically worked in the kitchens on Arkanis (which was often his only reprieve from his father). Food has a lot of meaning for both of them, and carries a lot of the emotion they can't always bear to admit.

The second was that, for once in his life, he was positive that he was doing the right thing.

This right here is my favorite line in the fic. I don't even have much else to say about it, I feel like the line itself lays it out pretty clearly, but I think it shows so much of Hux's character in such a succinct little package. He's an innately troubled person, constantly pushing himself beyond what he can reasonably take, so having a decision that he feels truly, one hundred percent confident in (and having it be a selfless decision at that) is a really impactful thing for him.

“He’s anxious but very well-trained. Resolve this quickly and there should be no issues. And… assess his nutrition and give him a full dietary panel. He seems thin.”

I'm not sure how much this really comes across in the fic and how much is just in my own head, but... Hux projects himself onto Zero. That line about him seeming thin was meant to be the biggest hint towards that, since in canon Hux's father would criticize him about being "thin as a slip of paper and just as useless" (that line is also the inspiration for Indie's recycled paper mural on the wall of her quarters, which we see in B&B).

Hux sees this thin, anxious creature that is incredibly devout to Indigo, and while he doesn't recognize it on any conscious level, he sees a bit of himself reflected there. That same subconscious reflection is what drives him to take care of Zero for her (a way of making up for all the care he didn't have as a child), and why he chooses to pay for the nutrition panel even though Zero doesn't strictly need it.

“He’s also ordered a weekly nutrition panel. Apparently Zero’s a bit malnourished. I’ll come to collect him next week, same time, for the next treatment.”

He lies about ordering the panel for Zero because he knows Indigo would protest if she knew it was coming out of his pocket. She's already on the fence, even when she believes it's all the Order's resources, so he just... lets her keep believing it's the Order's resources instead of tipping the scales.

I know I said before that it's tough to write Hux especially in the early stages, but this was one of the few details that came easily to me. It blends his cleverness and cunning with those first little glimmers of him softening for her, and to me just really feels like something he'd do. I don't know how to describe it, but I do know that this moment was locked in from the moment I started writing this fic.

“Hm. She’s pretty, for a rescue. I thought for sure she was a purebred, like from a breeder and all.”

I'm sure there are a lot of people who would choose to make Millicent a purebred, breeder-bought animal, probably as an echo of how strict Hux is about how he wants things in his life. He likes things in line, in order, with that perfect facade of professionalism, so that would even influence his pets.

But I went a different direction: like I said before with him and Zero, I think he subconsciously projects himself onto the animals. He sees them as these lost, fragile things, like the young boy he was growing up on Arkanis, and he bonds to them. Millicent being a rescue is almost symbolic to me - not just because he and Indie are both "rescues" of their own right, but because it's another thing in his life that isn't quite what it appears to be. She's a beautiful animal and most people who see her would assume that she's a legacy breed that he paid a lot of money for, just because that's what they view General Hux to be like, when in reality she was an impromptu rescue from a random shelter, adopted not for appearance but for companionship and temperament.