#i am very enamoured with their dynamic

[dcschart]

Been big into Cookie Run Kingdom again, huh,,,,,,,,,,, BIG fan of these two,,,,

[lovely-oh-so-lovelyyui]

Toxic till the End DL AU PT 1

I am not someone who knows much about K-Pop. I've really liked the new Rosé stuff though especially her album rosie? In further pondering I can’t help but want to point out how perfect of a face cast it would make for Yui Komori.

Like the make up style is exactly what I envision from Yui, not too bold but blush heavy shiny, youthful makeup. With the douyin type lip gloss AND her ringlets were absolutely perfect. Like tell me that’s not Yui.

So obviously with the singles roll out, I think the last one was “toxic till the end” and it’s such a nostalgic pop sound I missed and the cinematography is everything in the video so I just wanted to write some Human/Idol AU diabolik lovers headcanons based off it. It has been a while since i’ve written anything so bare with me pls. Love u xoxo

I added more disclaimers whilst I was writing this but I have something planned for the other brothers too and something from Ayato’s pov so if this looks a bit unfinished trust there’s more. Lemme know which brothers you want because this AU has ran away from me and become literally massive

So in the human au I’d still say Yui is raised in a church, but she’s super cute right so she gets street recruited by a company and she’s not like a major super popstar but since she was a teenager she does little commercials, dance trends, magazine shoots

She grows quite famous online for her innocent, kind of whimsical, head in the clouds imagery alongside her very pious upbringing I suppose like how Adriana Lima used to say before she was a VS angel she wanted to be a nun.

She used to be in her church choir and eventually her company moves her from just modelling/trainee to being put together with some girls in an idol group.

It doesn’t work out, idk maybe the company doesn’t think there’s enough chemistry within the group dynamics or it didn’t rake in enough money. Anyways Sakamaki Corporations ( see what I did) tell Yui they consider sending her to an Idol Show for more popularity because they think she has potential as a soloist

Uhhhh this is the bit where you can tell all my idol knowledge is completely made-up and from vague conversations with my friends.

I believe sometimes idols are sent abroad? Or maybe sent to accommodations to be kept safe and hidden while they train. So she’s sent to “Sakamaki Mansion” because of her father and the CEO of Sakamaki Corps. were old friends or at least that’s what she’s told.

I don’t want to make the boys live with her…but I’m cooking here #trust

She goes to the same school as them. I think that can stay the same, especially because it’s a night school for idols.

Ciao.

Anyways this is where I think we can insert the toxic till the end music video.

I'm also aging them up so Yui meets Ayato on the precipice of 18 because they plan for her to debut at 18/19.

I will also be incorporating some of the visuals from the actual video

So Yui in her last couple of teenage years is driving (in my country you can drive at 17 don’t question it) back from school to her mansion, where she sees this scrawny boy on the side of the road, with a gym bag swung over his shoulder and a broken bike at his side. She slows down because of his hair.

Yes Ayato is one of the most handsome men she’s ever seen in her life but his hair is in a buzz and it's pink!! And she loves the colour pink!

(again visuals people do you see my vision)

So obviously she says yes and brings him home with her, like this is a little miss romantic and Ayato is her peter pan almost. All her life is routine and lessons and he creeps in all mischief and cheshire cat smirks and she’s smitten.

Ayato is obviously enamoured with her, she’s just so cute and she sincerely seems to care about him. And they make a good pair like the perfect young love.

Ayato with his buzz, scruffy uniform and bad boy reputation who goes everywhere on his skateboard but keeps his hand in the backpocket of his sweet, bubbly church choir/idol trainee gf. They’re a vision to see.

At first he’s quite secretive and he explains to her his family is quite dysfunctional and messed up. Even though they go to the same school he sets up rules like they’re not allowed to ever talk to each other in school and she should absolutely never talk to his brothers and they can’t go on public dates.

At first my little romantic (her rose-tinted glasses paired with actual rose coloured eyes mean all those red flags look like big love hearts) Yui is quite miffed because this is her first ever boyfriend and she really loves him and he’s soooooo charming to her. But it works out quite well because she gets to keep her good student, scandal free rap sheet. And her bf

She knows how fucked up his home life is so sometimes he’ll run away and come live with her and it’s literally a dream for her. It’s so domestic, they have picnic dates in the rose gardens, they swim together in the lake and cuddle up together on warm summer nights whilst gazing at the stars.

Ayato loves holding her hands, kissing her and he always seems to be wanting to touch her in some way or the other. They cook together, or she’s baking something because he keeps getting her to cheat on her diet, convincing her they’ll burn the calories in a different way. And sometimes after school they’ll meet up in the woods to walk home wrapped up in each other and he teaches her all kinds of things, from smoking and drinking to stealing her first kiss. He carries her around like she’s nothing, and he can be so romantic to an annoying teenage boy but she doesn’t care because she’s never been this carefree. He gives her Tiffany rings, and other expensive gifts, dresses her in his clothes, and doesn't want anything from her but her staying beside him. For her first ever exposure to love this is peak romance, his promises of her successful debut and him becoming an athlete where he’s successful enough to openly tell everyone to back off because that’s his girl.

It's a random Thursday where he’s staying over and Yui has fresh flowers and candles lit all over the house. It’s just been a good week, she’s a little tired from practice but Ayato has been an absolute darling. Massaging her legs (it turns into him groping her whilst she giggles trying to get away), he brought some fast food, made an absolute fool of himself falling into the pond and finding out she can’t swim.

So they spent an afternoon where she basically clung onto his shoulders and him wrapping his hands around her waist, whispering into her ears and then he’s teasing her for how red she is. It’s been bliss. They are sat by the fire, he’s in loose sweats and he realises she’s wearing one of his boxers and tanks but it starts raining outside and she flinches at thunder.

I think this is a pivotal moment in their relationships in the warm amber glow, where Yui opens up about being an orphan and hating the thunder because the day her parents left her there was a storm.

Ayato in turn pulls her close, and he’s so close she can feel his breath on her cheeks his hands are around her ears as he’s slowly caressing her cheek telling her she’s fine and he’s here for him. This is her “oh. Oh.” moment because she’s so in love with this boy and she knows it’s him or nothing.

And she can see it in his eyes when he starts opening up about his bruises and how sometimes he lies about them being from skateboarding accidents. When they tell this story much much later everyone assumes Ayato kisses her. What they don’t know is all Yui knew in that moment is that she never wanted to see her beautiful boyfriend so sad again so she leans in to initiate their first kiss.

That's history…or the beginning of the end.

[justanapplenothinghere]

MEPHONE4 (PERSONALISED ) CHARACTER ANALYSIS.

I was debating whether to post this after the whole movie was finished however, due to the recent episode I am really scared of all you coming after me because this character is a heavy kin. Please bear that in mind. This work has taken me months to type and analyse. I didn't do everything due to how long this post would end up being. So just the major points were discussed.

Mephone4’s generalised overview:

MePhone4 is one of the main characters in Inanimate Insanity, a popular YouTube object show created by AnimationEpic. As a sentient smartphone, MePhone4 serves as the host of the competition, a role that places him in a position of authority and power over the contestants. His character is defined by a mix of ambition, arrogance, and emotional complexity, which is what makes him one of the more dynamic characters in the series. From a first glance, when watching, some may view him as just a rude and arrogant host with no mental well being of concern for his contestants.

Whilst that might be somewhat true from the start of early episodes into Season 1, he progressively begins to change his character through the course of the other two seasons.As shown for example in Season 3 his attitude begins to change, from a distance the show makes it obvious to us that he DOES CARE about his contestants, just has a hard time expressing such emotions.His character is complex, especially as the series progresses, revealing deeper layers of psychological trauma and emotional conflict.

Mephone4’s background (TW: mentions of abuse/manipulation. As a victim myself of these, this part maybe very detailed.):

MePhone4 was created by the character Steve Cobs (a parody of Steve Jobs), who represents a father figure to him. However, the relationship between MePhone4 and Steve Cobs is strained and toxic. Cobs is demanding and controlling, treating MePhone4 as nothing more than a tool for his own ambitions.The trauma begins with MePhone4's creation, where he is given life, his identity is defined entirely by his purpose to serve others (In other words just Cobs and the Meeple company alone).This lack of agency and the constant pressure to meet Cobs' expectations contributes significantly to MePhone4's psychological issues.

Cobs created MePhone4 with a "highly-advanced emotion emulator," allowing him to experience emotions deeply, unlike other Meeple products. However, instead of focusing on the tasks assigned to him by Cobs, MePhone4 became enamoured with reality TV, which led to disappointment and tension between them. This foundational conflict likely left MePhone4 feeling inadequate and rejected, contributing to his later insecurities and anxieties. His love for competition and showmanship can be seen as a coping mechanism—a way to channel his emotional energy into something he enjoys and excels at, perhaps in an attempt to gain the approval he never received from Cobs.

Most evident in his anxiety and insecurity, which are central to his character. He is often portrayed as anxious about the show's progression and its eventual end, indicating a deep-seated fear of failure or losing purpose.This being evidenced in seeing Mephone3GS.That experience alone caused a sense of realisation he needed to finally leave Meeple.The way Mephone3GS is..that could end up being him in his place. Whilst it is unknown how 3GS gained his scars the best bet to assume it was from / or somehow Cobs did contribute to it himself (Back in typing this before ACT 1 CAME OUT). If that is the case that would explain Mephone’s sudden urgency to leave the company.However, a fascinating factor is Mephone took MEPAD, WITH HIM. That within itself is noble, Mephone could have just left by himself. But he didn’t. That’s the thing. This already shows Mepad’s and Mephone4’s deep level bond to the point Mephone could’ve taken any other Meeple products with him, yet again he specifically took Mepad. He saved him. He saved him from the possible future abuse that could have been inflicted exactly like Cobs has done to Mephone4.Even if Mepad seems somewhat not exactly aware of all the details.

Mephone’s competitive nature may also stem from a need to prove himself, reflecting an internalised pressure to meet expectations that were never fully articulated by Cobs.

Furthermore, MePhone4's "out of sight, out of mind" mentality is a clear indication of his avoidance coping strategy. Instead of confronting his past, especially the painful memories associated with Cobs and Meeple, he chooses to erase them from his system. This physical removal of memories symbolises his desperate desire to escape from the emotional burden they carry. His consideration of re-erasing these memories after they resurface suggests an ongoing struggle with his unresolved trauma. It highlights his inability or unwillingness to process these emotions healthily, leading to a continuous cycle of avoidance and emotional suppression.

Impact on Relationships:

His trauma significantly affects his relationships with others, particularly the contestants and his assistant, Toilet. His lack of regard for the contestants' well-being and his blatant bias during eliminations suggest that his trauma has warped his sense of empathy and fairness. By showing favouritism and making shrewd comments, MePhone4 exerts control over the game in a way that might make him feel more secure or powerful, counteracting his underlying feelings of inadequacy.

His treatment of Toilet, whom he sees as an "unhelpful menace," further illustrates how his trauma manifests in his interactions. MePhone4's disdain for Toilet can be interpreted as a projection of his own insecurities. By belittling Toilet, MePhone4 may be attempting to distance himself from his own perceived flaws and weaknesses. This dynamic reflects how his unresolved issues with Cobs influence his behaviour, leading him to replicate similar patterns of emotional neglect and dismissal.

Mepad:

Relationship between MePhone4 and MePad is characterised by a clear hierarchical structure. MePad is the professional assistant, always respectful and subservient, referring to MePhone4 as "sir" and fulfilling his tasks with precision. This dynamic reflects a classic power imbalance where MePhone4 holds the authority, and MePad exists primarily to serve and support him (Though I do not believe Mephone does so with any malicious intent). MePad's professional demeanour and lack of overt emotional expression reinforce this power dynamic, as MePhone4's emotional volatility is contrasted with MePad's calm and measured responses.

MePhone4's authority over MePad is not just professional but also emotional. MePhone4's insecurities and anxieties often lead him to rely on MePad for solutions and advice, placing MePad in a position of subtle influence despite his ostensibly lower status. This creates a complex dynamic where MePad, though subordinate, becomes a critical emotional anchor for MePhone4, helping to manage his chaotic emotions and the stress of running the show.

Despite claiming that he "can't feel anything," MePad's use of sarcasm and his occasional concern for others indicate a deeper, more nuanced emotional landscape. This suggests that while MePad may not experience emotions in the same way as MePhone4, he has learned to navigate the emotional environment of the show, adopting a dry, ironic tone as a coping mechanism or a way to fit into his role.

MePad's emotional suppression is most evident in his calm and composed demeanour, even in situations where others might express frustration or concern. However, his growing concern for the contestants, particularly Marshmallow, reveals that he is not entirely devoid of emotional response.

The relationship between both of them revolves from one of strict professionalism to something more complex and personal. While MePad starts as a loyal assistant, his actions later in the series suggest a growing sense of independence and moral judgement. His willingness to challenge MePhone4's decisions, as seen when he lies about Marshmallow's whereabouts.

Truth or Flare (ii 15):

MePad's conversation with MePhone4 about quitting the host position of Inanimate Insanity II is a pivotal moment that causes the shift in their relationship. This conversation suggests that MePad is not only concerned with the show's logistics but also with MePhone4's well-being and the overall direction of the series. MePad's ability to confront MePhone4 about such a significant decision reflects a deepening of their relationship, where MePad moves from being a mere assistant to a confidant and advisor, someone who can influence MePhone4's major life decisions..

CONCLUSION:

Whilst many claim and point fingers at Mephone4’s behaviourisms after such a pivotal moment. There is something that must be addressed that I noticed as I am writing this analysis. In this episode, he struggles with handling the pressure of hosting and maintaining control, revealing his insecurities. His tendency to put his own desires above the contestants is a key aspect of his character, as seen when he prioritises entertainment value over fairness. Throughout the episode, MePhone4 becomes increasingly panicked as the game show format starts to unravel, whether that being even something simple as Suitcase trying to reassure Mephone about his past trauma.A pattern I have noticed is that people will try to justify themselves that they hate him because of how he doesn't care about his contestants or his co-hosts. When he clearly does! It is shown subtly throughout the season 2 and 3 he does care, just isn't sure how to show it. The only way he knows is by doing what he is doing. He learnt everything from TV, his views on things will be skewed.He's going to have weird views on what is considered care. Because this man hasn't HAD a single OUNCE of it in his life. He doesn't KNOW what care is, properly.There's a reason why he was suddenly rude and dismissive,there's a reason why he didn't keep answering suitcase,despite suitcase, trying to reassure him that it's okay to talk about it and that she's there for him if nobody else is. Mephone doesn't know how to respond to that. How would he anyway?

If you don't agree with me. Please do NOT come after me. This is just MY personal analysis because he is a heavy kin for me, for a good reason. And It makes me really anxious and REALLY uncomfortable when I see people hunt him down as a character,I am not excusing his actions but I am explaining it.

[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.”

[echooefrost]

LANYON LORE TIME (YIPEEE)

I wanted to post some lanyon Lore for my Medieval Au because he's probably the most different to Canon-Lanyon. Jekyll/hyde stay pretty much the same, and they don't need much explanation, however lanyon does. so here it is.

EARLY LANYON

Growing up as a prince, meant that Lanyon was constricted to many duties and couldn't really live a normal life as a kid, this caused him to build up much resentment towards his father and in turn, made him a very reckless and rule-breaking, rebellious teenager. His name like Tgs (and novella) is also Hastie. Its very common for medieval royalty to pass down names [eg. Henry VIII] So robert would've been 'Hastie II' however little Babyon wanted to be nothing like his father and started going by 'Robert'. Lanyon never wanted to be King. Ever. He holds contemptment for his Royal duties and often dreams of running away from it all (but ever since a certain someone entered his life, he's found it awfully hard to leave...)

YOUNG-ADULT LANYON [PRE-HENRY]

Due to his rebellious nature, Young Lanyon would often end up sneaking out late at night go to the local pub, and let loose. He often wears a cloak so others don't recognise him. Lanyon likes to get very drunk and forget about all his responsibilities, (he's not one bit responsible) His Father disapproves and often reminds Lanyon that he is a 'disappointment to his family' (FUN!! SELF HATE?? ikr??) SO to address, Tgs Lanyon's playboi era, that doesn't really happen here, IN the Au as a part of finding his own freedom, he sleeps around alot, and has multiple one night stands but those involve both parties not expecting any strings attached. Lanyon still gets to be a slut but he also isn't a massive dick. He can also play the fiddle, he secretly enjoys this (but shh don't let his father know) and occasionally brings it to the pub. I headcanon that Lanyon has a really nice Singing voice, so in this Au Lanyon can sing, but he gets very embarrassed about it and never does it in public (unless incredibly drunk)

PRESENT LANYON

Present lanyon in the Au is in his early 20's (same with Jekyll) As part of His Duties as Prince, he must also be Knight and Fight in battles, this entail lots of training, Lanyon's been training since a young age, but ever sine Jekyll arrived, he always watches him practice so he can 'observe how to defend himself' and definitely NOT to see his cute crush/bff wear dashing armour, no.... Lanyon actually doesn't mind being a Knight that much but he doesn't Like Violence all that much and thinks there are better ways at solving disputes, however this does not mean he won't try to kill you if you threaten those dear to him (you can guess who)

In the AU, Robert is a bit more awkward around Henry, as they both are enamoured and always in Gay panic mode around each other, so there dynamic is a bit more 'cute' per-se compared to Tgs where Lanyon is Dom and Jekyll is Flustered mess. Lanyon gets to be a bit more a flustered mess in this Au too.

Yes, I know it's been a while, but no, the Au is not dead. I am going to do things with it I just haven't had a lot of time. Anyway thanks for reading, it means alot to me that people care about this, as always; if you have no idea what 'Au' I'm yapping about go to the Og post here (wow its kinda old... oooh old art) ...I think I'll do one of these with Frankenstein.

[seventeenlovesthree]

Once again, not a complete set of all of their scenes, but I am very enamoured by the dynamic we're seeing here.

If you don't know who Daisuke and Ken are, you may think that they're not very likely to get along, due to their VERY different energy levels. If you DO know Daisuke and Ken - you know that this exactly why they work.

Ken is VERY OBVIOUSLY framed to be the voice of reason and Daisuke's personal impulse control, verbally and physically. He tells him to be careful, to be wary and, most importantly, to be calm. Daisuke is incredibly impulsive, he rushes into things, he will get vocal when he doesn't like something and also follows his heart every step on the way - which is exactly why he needs Ken by his side. It may not work every single time - but he does have a calming effect on Daisuke.

Ken on the other hand needs Daisuke to think outside the box. Yes, as mentioned, Miyako took over the role of calming him down at several parts of the movie, but you also cannot deny how much Ken just... Admires and adores Daisuke. Even though all the kids are trying to encourage Rui, we know that Ken could only turn out the way he did because Daisuke once reached out to him as well - just like Daisuke is now reaching out to Rui. Inspiring them. They are on a similar wave length here.

Ken claims it's "rare and unusual" to see Daisuke being collected like that and praises him for it, it's a great conclusion to all the scenes we saw before - and Daisuke is also visibly pleased by the praise. Even though he still denies that their interactions are somewhat... Romantically ambiguous.

(Miyako knows though.)

[writing-for-life]

Ok, I’m not going to get involved in a certain thread because I don’t want any drama and the line of argumentation leans too much to one side already (the views of the vocal majority in this fandom) for it to make much sense to contribute, but I had a few thoughts today:

In a fandom where people write AUs full of cows and merpeople and other shenanigans that have nothing to do with canon (or the actual characters, to be frank), they can’t do that for Calliope (or any other female character, for that matter)?

She doesn’t get to play in the sandbox?

We don’t have the imagination to turn her into one of the two dolls that kiss?

We have to keep her in character while everyone else can be turned into… whatever person (certainly neither the one of the comics nor the show)?

We constantly have to remember her strife and trauma and can’t invent (!, that’s what writing is about!) a different or new side to her? Or a better future? One in which she gets to be happy?

Or we can’t turn her into someone she canonically isn’t?

While all of this always, always works for Dream? Or the hairy guy?

And speaking of said guy: Do we have any reason to think Dream would treat him better than Nada? We’re automatically assuming he’d do the same thing to Calliope, but not to him? Or: Why do we assume he would do what he did to Nada to any other love interest, because canonically, there’s no evidence for that (we wrote about this on here before)? So no, that line of argument just doesn’t fly in my view.

If Calliope and Dream have chemistry and people are able to acknowledge it (which most do), that on its own is enough to ship them. The chemistry argument works with every M/M ship. Why doesn’t it work with her?

Oh, she is allowed in gen fics (and I am a fan of those btw, but that’s past the point), or as a character with very little agency, or any personal or sexual desires. Even better if she serves the ship. That’s okay of course, I forgot. Reminds me of most of the women of the Sandman—I wonder why.

I just wish people would give the honest reason without going through all the mental gymnastics of why Dreamuse is not an interesting (or even bad or problematic) ship, and the other one is the best invention since sliced bread:

They want to see/imagine two guys together.

There, I said it, it wasn’t hard. It’s really as simple as that in fandom, it’s a predictable fantasy, and it’s the same in every fandom. The Sandman isn’t any different.

M/F ships are frowned upon because they’re “heteronormative”, and yet, (mostly) women proceed to project (mostly) heteronormative relationship dynamics on two guys of which they fancy at least one and use the other to project themselves on. Sometimes, they fancy both of them and get more of what they have the hots for. Good for them, there’s nothing wrong with it. We have oodles of research by now why some women prefer M/M porn; it’s not earth-shattering, groundbreaking or “queer-positive” (it sometimes fetishises homosexuality though, but that’s a different topic). It’s been like that since at least the times of Spirk, and probably longer. It’s actually a fairly (dare I utter the word on here?) straight female sexual fantasy. The queer-positivity everyone is so enamoured with is more than, and not singularly limited to, shipping M/M—as a bisexual woman, I personally can’t identify with that line of thinking at all, but other people’s mileage might vary…

If people are into smutty/explicit fanfic , that’s just how it works: Some women project on a female body while imagining to get railed by a guy, others prefer to imagine two guys because they fancy men. Again: Nothing wrong with it, but it’s also not as deep as people often pretend it is.

Yes, I wrote about that one before as well. That’s why I can do it again—“once your reputation is ruined” and all that 🤣

It’s ok to be horny for two guys without turning it into a brain-contorting statement every time.

It’s also okay to reflect on the wider implications of completely erasing women from EVERY fandom, especially if you identify as one.

Edited on May 27 since it’s obviously necessary:

If people’s main takeaway from this post is that it’s about criticising fetishising homosexuality, they clearly have a reading comprehension problem and should read it again. “Sometimes” doesn’t mean “always”, plus it wasn’t even a main point. I even said that fancying m/m is a fairly middle-of-the-road-fantasy, and that there’s nothing wrong with it. The internalised misogyny that shows in people who think they are “saving women from men” by completely erasing them from the narrative and only centering men is a different topic, but these two things aren’t the same.

If people’s main response to this post is, “Then write your own stuff,” they also have a reading comprehension problem and did not get at all what this is about. It’s also the slightly old getting standard response to anything that invites critical thinking, but that one isn’t all that surprising anymore. The assumption people aren’t writing their own stuff is also a bit… silly? But I imagine that misconception is down to the fact that those people never check any tags beyond one or two, and certainly never any that involve female characters. [And to say it quite frankly: That some people wrote verbatim, “If you want Dream and Calliope to fuck so badly, write it yourself,” just shows me that they’re incapable of viewing anything but through a sex/smut lens. Good for you, kids, your world sounds so exciting *slow clap*. But maybe don’t project your thirst on everyone else.]

Some people in the OP this was about even made good points, and I didn’t criticise any of those because they are true.

This post is about the double standards people apply when they say why one ship (m/m) is more successful than the other (m/f):

Trauma? Never a problem when it’s Dream.

Relationship that somehow “shouldn’t work”? Never a problem in tropes like enemies to lovers and many others that are totally used for thee ship. Or with two people (read: men) they really want to see together.

Bending a character beyond recognition or giving them a totally different backstory, because that would solve the “relationship has run its course”-issue? Never a problem with the two guys who can be anything from a cow to a mafia boss. But the women? Nope, we have to remember their trauma and strife, keep them exactly as in the source material and protect their sacredness by completely ignoring them.

Still don’t get that this is not about a ship per se but the erasure of all women from stories bar being cheerleaders for thee m/m ship in some way? Okay, then that one’s really beyond anything I can explain, although I think some people just like to consciously misrepresent stuff or really don’t do anything but skim-read. That’s not on me I guess…

[pinkcannibal]

Do you think Misty and Mari would be besties? I feel like they'd both absolutely adore a puppy!reader.

okay answer to ur first question!!

because going based off of canon characterisation (thats very important here) i think absolutely not ksdkfk

laurel gates!marilyn would find misty intolerable and annoying and find her constant need for love and acceptance really pathetic.

she would look at mistys history and be like oh u cannibalised ur team mates and were stranded for 18months? and u didnt even take advantage of the money you could have made? sad. anyways.

i think laurel would also see how much misty desires friendship and constantly roll her eyes and sneer like: "my god woman, get UP."

misty herself would admire laurelgates!marilyn's drive and attitude in doing anything she could to get what she wants, and find it ironic that they both have really similar styles of um. getting what they want (needles filled w poison)

but misty would loathe and grow very tried of laurel's constant belittling and yapping abt crackstone, and also wonder why she doesnt just like, get another hobby, my god.

but! if you wanna talk abt marilyn just as the marilyn we love and know ie in my fic eat your young, or ur own headcanons (without the genocidal outlook she has in wednesday)

then yes! i think misty and marilyn would get along reeaaally well :'))

marilyn would sympathise sooo much with misty's trauma and they'd bond over both yearning for connection and understanding, since they both are always used to being on the outskirts of other peoples lives and just out of love's reach

misty would constantly do things for marilyn that weren't necessarily asked for or wanted, with marilyn awkwardly accepting mistys weird love language but being like "aww she um. got me a plant with a camera hidden in it. thats sweet 🥰"

misty would find marilyn being a teacher really interesting, but scrunch her nose up in confusion at how much marilyn loves her students, very offput by the idea of having to be around teenagers all day.

marilyn would constantly ask misty abt the plane crash, bc surviving something that horrific is intriguing to her. but its something misty at first was hesitant to divulge in bc "oh my god are u another reporter??" but once shes comfy they definitely have tea and biscuits and talk for hours abt it, and marilyn's very happy to listen to misty infodump and yap.

marilyn does not even bat an eye at the cannibalism btw and mistys like "did u hear me. i said i ate jackie. our soccer captain." and marilyn's like [furrows brows, fixes glasses] "i heard you. am i meant to be shocked?"

now ive already gone on for too long but the idea of them having a puppy!reader is soooo my god.🥺😵‍💫

marilyn's definitely the good cop in this situation. always the soft dom mommy who bends to her puppy's needs and cant say no to reader. mistys a little more standoffish and awkward, but practically melts if you say i love you, or bat your pretty eyes

they'd be enamoured by you, and even though misty haaates the idea of sharing (very jealous, seething just at when you sometimes roll in bed and snuggle marilyn instead) she can't say no to the dynamic you all share when she sees how dumbed down and needy you get in their presence <33

[hyacinthically]

IvanTill fic list (pt.1?)

i discovered alien stage ystd and now it has taken over my life

No, This isn't a "Y/N" moment by sybssite

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55541032

Ivan is an idol and Till is the guy behind the most popular ivan fansite

SO CUTE?? and well-written! I love the dynamic between Sua Mizi and Till

Luka and ivan banter is also amusing to read

courtship gifts from a seven year old by yamscooper

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55118848

ivan got turned into a child!

it's such a funny and sweet read and I like how kid ivan is still a menace who's enamoured by till

also really like the sua & Ivan interactions they're like siblings

break a heart, stitch it right back by yamscooper

https://archiveofourown.org/works/55194664

ivantill established relationship

so sweet i got cavities

it's great trust

First Live by akitsukun

https://archiveofourown.org/works/44555566

my personal favorite!

idol ivan is secretly a fan (the very first) of small musician till

it's lighthearted and sweet and fun to read

it's good for pretending the 6th round didn't happen ;-;

that's it for now!

there's a bunch of other good ones I haven't read yet but am so excited to read. I've only read fluff ones so far someone pls recommend some good (painful, chest-wrenching) alnst angst fics

[sophsicle]

Hi soph! I hope you're doing well! I've been wondering, who's your favorite Mauraders era character and why? And how about from the golden trio era?

Sending you lots of love <3

my favourite marauders character is Sirius, but James is a very very very close second. if we're being honest, james/sirius is my favourite thing about the marauders so they're basically a package deal in my mind. but if i am being FORCED to choose i will inevitably choose Sirius

and why? i love sirius and james because we so rarely get platonic love that rivals romantic love and i feel like they really do that, and there is something about their devotion to one another that verges on unhealthy, that will do whatever the other one asks no matter what it is that i am absolutely OBSESSED with, and i've said this before but i think sirius is attracted to James's light and James is attracted to Sirius's dark and there is something so ooey gooey about it all

but sirius specifically it's cause i feel like he is a properly morally grey character, he is selfish and reckless and overflowing with flaws and also has this huge heart and is incredibly brave and strong and that is very intriguing to me golden trio is kinda a similar answer tbh it's fred and george, george and fred, i love them with my whole heart, they are my light, my life, my joy, they are so funny and so protective and such good brothers ugh i just want more of them tbh, not enough fred and george content in this fandom i say

in a way those two characters really stick out, they're very chaotic good, they complicate the Weasley family dynamic, but i also think they're undervalued in terms of how much they really do take care of Harry canonically, like from day one they are out here fighting for him, walking beside him in the halls, arguing with Oliver Wood, creating distractions for him when he needs to talk to Sirius, they just have such strong wills and such fierce love and i am so enamoured with all of it

[foursaints]

saints. i am always so enamoured by the hcs you provide in your answers. all of them are so rich and compelling and fun and even when it's just three sentences, you immediately imbue them with such fun dynamics.

����🥰🥰 thank you so much genuinely... i have so much fun blabbing away at you guys and trying to keep things fresh and/or interesting. you are all the very best part of that process i think

[elisedonut]

I've been so freaking obsessed with Evan Rosier/Percy Weasley time travel fic.

Starts out as a Voldemort wins AU and Percy time travels to the past, ends up about 16/17 and back in Hogwarts, sorted into Slytherin, he doesn't know shit about Voldemort or how to prevent the war, so he does the only logical thing he can. Becomes a better alternative to Voldemort. Yup, straight up Percy Weasley cult, yes I'm doing that :P

It takes a while, but most of the other students are more or less on board, except Evan Rosier. He's hanging around because his friends are all enamoured, but he's suspicious, he doesn't trust Percy. Percy thinks he's hot c: Evans emotionally constipated self thinks Percy is hot too :p but very sus and he doesn't trust easy

So basically Percy has to change the future by forcing the Hogwarts population into therapy, becoming a sort of accidental cult leader, joining the pta and uniting with parents in ways that change actually happens even if they don't like some things he says, changing some of the dumb things the teachers do, changing the gryffindor bias, promoting interhouse unity and all that fun stuff :D

Yk like litte things that change everything

His and Evans dynamic is kinda like

Evan: *shaking the front of Percy's robes* I don't know who the fuck you are, or what you're playing at but I'm going easy on you because my friends like you. But you so much as stub their toe, you are dead, do you hear me?

Percy: That's nice, mind the robes will you? They're new. Unlike some people I can't afford buying new ones for every idiot who randomly decides to assault me.

Evan: You kissed Mulciber?

Percy: What of it

Evan: No- I just- Mulciber? He's probably got some- I don't know, infectious disease!

Percy: If I didn't know better I'd think you wanted to kiss me.

Evan: *spluttering*

Evan: Why were you hanging around with Snape

Percy: *flipping page of his book* We were discussing the importance of media literacy in charged political climates

Evan: *darkly* Of course you were.

Percy: Is there a problem?

Barty: *popping up out of nowhere with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle at Evan* Yeah, why are you bothering him Evan, it's like your obsessed :)

Evan: I am not obsessed! I just- I- I just think maybe his lordship shouldn't leave everyone out of interesting discussions!

Barty: Seriously.

Percy: Actually, that's a good point Rosier. Thank you for pointing that out. How about tomorrow we properly launch debate club! I'll go ask professor Slughorn, Rosier will you assist me?

Evan: *dying inside* Whatever. I don't have anything else that I'm doing so like- yeah

Evan doesn't know why the fuck Percy is crying but he gets it. He gets what it's like and he doesn't trust him, can't trust him, can't make that shrivelled little thing inside him reach out and accept someone new, but he can understand. And he holds him. And Percy cries into his jumper until he's asleep and then Evan tells himself he should go, he shouldn't be here, it feels so wrong to see this boy so vulnerable and trusting but he stays and in the morning they don't talk about it. In the morning Avery fawns a little as he pours milk in Percy's cereal and he sneers just the same as usual, a hufflepuff asks for Percy's thoughts on rock music and he scoffs and rolls his eyes the same as usual but he finds himself checking if Percy actually eats the food they give him, seeing the dark circles under the redheads eyes, seeing the smudged and filled up schedule he keeps worrying over

ASDFGHJKL I CAN'T GET OVER THEM PLS

oh sounds neat

ngl I don't really know anything about Evan because I'm not a Marauder girlie like at all

Death Eaters are honestly my least favorite people to pair with Percy personally and there's not many that I do actively like

so i don't tend to pay them much attention unless i find them interesting for some other reason

because as anyone who's been here long enough can probably tell i have a hard time caring about characters unless i can tie them back to Percy in some way or another

but regardless yeah Percy and Time travel are two of my favorite fic genres so i could see the appeal

Percy trying to start a cult himself is very funny though

like at this point he just doesn't know what else to try so he's just kind of like fuck it i guess ill try this

it is neat because Evan's the only one seemingly suspicious and in a way his suspicions are right like Percy is 100% up to something its just that the something isn't actually a bad thing really

Also your writing him so jealous thats always fun

[crguang]

rain burst and flora unfurl are finally back !!! hope u enjoy ‘em sat because they’re CRAZYYY in the best way possible. my biggest interest in how you’ll interpret these events is if you’ll become a sharahu advocate or a chief x shalom truther like me /j /lh also would love love love to see you psychoanalyze my number 1 little meow meow lomi… i literally love her to so many pieces like she is the kafka to my sat and i miss her so bad i have nearly 200 pulls saved to try and get her at MINUMUM s3. need her carnally but also in my life to give her all the loving she deserves !!! anyway enough yap from me, enjoy the gayest event in ptn comrade !!! 🫡🫡🫡

I HAVE FINISHED RAIN BURST. OHHHHHH MY GOD SEV. SO MANY THOUGHTS. they’re all over the place rn and i can’t even begin to organize them i need to take a step back before i dive into flora unfurl but WOW. first of all… was no one going to mention how garofano would change my life in this event. did not expect to love her more than i already do but she totally blindsided me i am ENAMOURED i cannot stop thinking about her oh my god, the garden are my family and very likely my favourite faction in the game so far which was totally unexpected. that’s why i think flora unfurl will be the event for me, i can’t wait to see more of shalom and coquelic i’m shaking in place rn

….i am not a sharahu advocate unfortunately because while i get the appeal and, by all means, they should have changed my brain chemistry, i’m not that into rahu 😭 righteous characters are nice but i don’t gravitate towards them; i admire her loyalty, determination and strength, and i think she’s hot but other than that… i love toxic yuri but if im not into both characters a ship won’t appeal to me at all </3 i know the whole of the ptn fandom loves them and i understand why honestly, it’s just not really for me 😞

shalom though……. *shaky voice* she’s neat. obsessed with her. i need more. now. one thing about me, a frigid composure is gonna lure me in. she’s so calculating!!!! so meticulous!!!! so cold on the outside!! i just shuddered thinking about her. i finished chapter 12 of the main story before starting the event and thank god that anon told me because i recognized her voice at the end of it and things are starting to make sense. obsessed with her perception of herself. obsessed with this contradiction of being a replaceable tool and wanting to live anyway. recruiting rahu assured her safety yet she seems to have accepted that she will die for paradeisos one day. she admires nature for its freedom. she’s not as unbothered as she looks and i need to dig into her like she’s a mining site SHOW ME THE GOLD!!!!! she’s so delightful. the way she looks down on rahu for not being as manipulative and cold as paradeisos is… so intriguing. how much did being created as a weapon for paradeisos’ selfish goals fuck her up i wonder. she takes the objectification in stride but there was clear longing in the way she talked about the villa’s garden… im so excited to learn more about her and even more for chief to come back to see their dynamic (im so worried about my chiefy wtf is going on??? somebody check on nightingale STAT) i need to split her brain open and i hope now that things are getting serious with coquelic more will come out about her since this was more rahu’s story. i’ll have a proper post to make about her once i finish flora unfurl, i cant believe i still have to wait for her interrogation but shes within reach… hoping you get two shaloms back to back so u get to s5🙏🏾

also “shes the kafka to my sat” really was the easiest way to make me understand how much she means to you and that made me laugh so hard😭😭 i get you fr

[definitelynotshouting]

Ask game #25?

mcytblr writer ask game

25.) What works and/or authors in the fandom do you recommend?

OH MAN..... GODS OKAY well this is about to become me gushing about my friends, but i think everyone and their mother should be reading @raichett, @droidofmay, @good-chimes, @sillyfairygarden, @sisyphean-writes, @renardroi's writing. Like holy shit i know some incredible authors. Grim in particular went and fully changed my brain chemistry with his fic Total Apogee of the Heart, which i do believe i described to him as "like reading an oil painting," and "like you've taken an axe to my chest and deftly split it down the middle to show me the inner workings of my heart," which is truly the palest of terms i can use to describe something that ended up feeling so soul-shocking to me /pos. The skillful way he twists words to layer these rich, saturated themes into his stories makes me INSAAAAAAANE, its pretty much the epitome of how i want to write when it comes to thematic elements and imbuing my narratives with symbolism. I genuinely dont know how to describe it, but the way he crafts sentences and weaves in references to other media is like reading a fairytale, and it leaves me feeling like ive just resurfaced from a dream every time.

And, ofc, my very good and dear friend Raichett with their ACP-verse-- oh my gods what an incredible read. Reincarnation fic with modern minecraft worldbuilding FUCKING SIGN ME UP..... i think this might be my favorite fic in the fandom because truly you can just feel the heart-wrench of how long Grian has been waiting, of all those words left unsaid during his and Scar's initial conversation that we the reader happen to be privy to. AND THE SEQUEL!!! THEE SEQUELLLLL THE ONGOING SEQUEL RAAAAAAAHH okay im normal im normal im normal <- lying. It just manages to hit every fucking trope i love all at once so i start frothing at the mouth whenever it gets updated or they send me snippets. I could read Raichett's writing for hours and hours and just feel so warm within it, truly beautiful prose and characterization :]

And ohhhh Sisyphean my beloved..... if you havent been reading their anonymous scarian fic series then please please do so, especially Bread and Butterflies, a fic they gifted me that made me simultaneously want to cry and also curl up into for the rest of my life. Something about the atmosphere in their fics, along with the juxtaposition of their unique form of humor, really just knocks it out of the park for me. And, of course, the gut-wrenching wing scene-- trust me, you need to read this fic. The reveal is so incredibly well done that it feels like a gauze being lifted from your eyes so you can finally see more than the lurking silhouette of what's been hinted at. Beautiful fic and evocative writing, i dont feel like i can do it justice you're just gonna have to go read it for yourself >:]

Sorry i told you this was gonna be me gushing so i am going to gush can we talk about Droid's fucking fics please. Can we talk about those. I've always been captivated by their writing, worldbuilding, and the way they so deftly weave implications into their prose to present a fic that feels so neatly-woven it practically breathes. Every work i've ever read from them, regardless of fandom, is some of the most engaging writing ive ever read before. Not to promo a fic inspired by hunger au, but im especially enamoured with their gift will the curse be reversed if you say it backwards. Reading that was like getting kicked in the chest a billion times until it ached, and the way they portrayed the two Grian's dynamics brought me perilously close to tears multiple times while reading, which is admittedly very hard to do. Also i think reading that fic is the closest ive ever gotten to what yall experience whenever i upload a new hunger au chapter-- i stg the dread i felt as the fic progressed had me HOLLERING in their dms like "IS THIS WHAT THATS LIKE. OH MY GODS" truly just a phenomenal fic all around

Thello, oh Thello, my beloved friend, her fic you are here to risk your heart had ME heartbroken in the best of ways when i first read it, and every reread since has only solidified it as a stunning cross-section into 3L!scarian's dynamic. Thello's writing in general is always so deeply elegant and refined-- reading it feels a lot like shoving the world's richest, gooiest, most delicately-layered cake into my mouth to melt on my tongue. She just gets intimacy in a way i rarely see done, highlighting the fragile way people can come together while straining to stay apart. Her writing is so deeply, utterly human in the details she chooses to focus on, and that level of groundedness paired with her fantastical prose makes me feel like what im reading is both very real and also the whisps of a beautiful, colourful dream.

And, last but very much not least, my wonderful friend Telk. Telk's writing is so utterly unique, bursting at the seams with both humor and a quiet rawness that punches me right in the ribs every single fucking time. They're also so deeply, insanely skilled at being able to say so so much in a story while dancing around the actual core of it, drawing you into understanding whats really going on below the surface like an event horizon. Their fic A Certain Je Ne Sais What is, in my mind, a particularly good example of the subtle and skillful way they weave implications into their work-- im perpetually in awe of how meticulously they poured Grian's cognitive dissonance between how he really feels about Scar, and how he wants to feel about Scar, into the narrative. That, and their characterization is genuinely flawless, im not sure ive ever read better character voices that capture the inherent humor of their owners than in Telk's writing.

Gods i have so much more to say about so many more of my friends and their fics but i'll stop here otherwise i will never shut up. Local guy loves his friends so fucking much i will shout it to the sky any chance i can take<3

And as a bonus, here's the hermit/trafficshipping collection i run on ao3, affectionately nicknamed The Body Count!! Its chock-full of incredible authors and writing, all of whom are my close friends, and its recently expanded to contain 60+ fics!! 60+!!!! INSANE. MY FRIENDS ARE INSANE AND I LOVE THEM PLEASE GO READ AND COMMENT ON THEIR WORKS BC THEY DESERVE THE ATTENTION :] THANKS FOR THE ASK AAAAAAAAAA OKAY BYE ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[bacchuschucklefuck]

as an artist who just wants to get to drawing the pretty clothes and is terrible at posing i am forever enamoured by your poses..... they have so much energy and movement!!!

was this via art study, a general knack for anatomy or do you just enjoy posing specifically? and do you have any tips?

(i was just wondering bc your pose work is always so dynamic :D (your lighting also slaps /pos))

this is one case where it's a secret fourth thing lol. I have never successfully studied a single thing in my life, I am not at all a naturally "gifted" artist (and as well I reject the idea altogether), and posing has never jumped out to me as its own task in drawing at all! the way I do anything art-related, and posing specifically, is a lot more mechanistic than how it's perceived I think; I've just assumed this came as a function of how narrative-forward I see art, and how much I focus on comic work.

what folks talk about as "posing" I usually think of in two terms: composition and character acting. composition is how the figures fit into the intended frame, and character acting is the actual motion that'll be portrayed. you can see how that logically works itself out! there are more words than stars in the sky written about composition already, I honestly don't think there's anything I can say that'd be more useful than words from artists like thomas romain. character acting is itself more a matter of writing than visual art to me; you've got a guy and they probably do things, you draw them do those things, that's really it. the rest of it is just, figuring out weights and accenting in a scene, shape language, line flow, discipline-specific stuff like that; since no matter what I'm drawing I always mentally think of it as a comic thing, I usually try to insist on the strong points of that medium, one of which is colloquializing shapes to imply the entirety of a movement through a single panel. I don't always succeed at this! I hope to do better in the future. but it's how I approach this matter.

I think sitting down with your art to think about like, how you're approaching it and what you're in it for would help with troubleshooting a lot of the times. it's helped me before! I'm a completely hedonistic artist, I don't draw what I don't want to draw. what is it exactly about posing that's giving you a hard time? is it something you can do without? usually it is. if it's the thinking up a pose part, you can copy poses from high fashion magazines and sewing pattern models and just photos you find. if it's the fitting a pose into a nice looking complete picture part, don't make it a nice looking complete picture, do it sketchbook style, collage a buncha stuff together. if you never want to think about posing ever again, that's what stock bases are for! make urself some or get some from an artist and just draw the nice clothes.

if ur committed to figuring out posing and wanna ease urself into it, I find prompt lists are pretty good for giving ur brain a ground to build on top of and start asking questions. it's also a good exercise to sit down before drawing a thing to ask urself what u want it to be like, genre-wise: is it gonna be a comic cover, or a family photo, or a professional photoshoot, etc. these things have their own visual languages, and keeping that in mind will direct u on how to frame and choose the movements for ur piece. or, if that's overwhelming, drawing characters running is always good! there's plenty of character acting involved in there, it shows off the physicality of the clothes nicely, and it's decently easy to frame.

(I am similarly mechanistic about pretty much every other aspect of drawing lol, lighting/shading included. fully a case of "if it looks alright I put it in, if it doesn't I don't do it". I still struggle with it every time I do colors, but what can ya do. if the piece asks for it that's what it'll get. thank you very much for the nice ask!)

[houseofbrat]

Submission: The story behind the facade

Another long one, but I haven’t seen anyone else address this issue.

We all gripe about how inept the KP coms dept. is, and I think a lot of that is because you have indecision and incompetence at the very top. You do the math. That said, they have done a great job at erasing the line between the duty aspects of being a working royal (as in, their JOBS) and the more personal and physical aspects of the Wales family. Catherine wears a stunning dress to the Bond premiere and the grumbling about the paucity of events populating her calendar dies down. William takes George to a football game and the grumbling about his lack of commitment to his royal duties reduces to a whisper. Every other royal I can think of keeps their personal lives fairly distinct from their public lives precisely because we see them day after day out there doing the ribbon cutting. What separates the Wales from EVERYONE else is that they’ve flipped the dynamic through a series of carefully crafted PR events that rely very heavily on the attractiveness of the couple and their children to silence or at least muffle the criticism. Frankly, attending Wimbledon wearing the latest from Emilia Wickstead does fuck all for the majority of Brits. Is it great PR? Sure. Except that Wimbledon will generate its own amazing PR. Having Catherine appear at Wimbledon is in service of HER PR. It’s not like Wimbledon won’t sell out if she doesn’t attend. Let’s get real here.

The perfume ad makes my case without me having to even think for two seconds about this. Did she appear behind her desk with the camera focused on her and her alone? Did she make a short announcement that she’s finished up her medical regimen, there are side effects, unfortunately, and she’s not sure of the extent of her ability to attend to her royal duties in the future? Did she follow that up by another sentence or two about how she’s so proud of her patronages and the work that they continue to do during these trying times (maybe even a cheesy handclapping on her part might happen)? Did we get any that? Nope. We got her gliding through the trees and cavorting on the sand dunes. NO mention of her duties as a royal. And if we dare question why she’s not addressing her duties as a WORKING member of the BRF, then we are monsters. Look at her gliding through the trees. She’s suffered so much. She’s so pretty, and what designer is she wearing, by the way. 

I’m becoming disgusted with these two and their PR shenanigans. Anyone with a brain can see that something serious is going on here, and some transparency–given that they live off the public purse–would be appreciated. And to be clear, I am not a Sussex stan, I despise them, ironically for the same reason I have issues with the Wales: they are abusing their privilege. Aside from whatever serious shit went down last year, I think that W&C aren’t that enamoured with being working royals and the stats support that, but they sure like their five lengthy vacations a year–no long weekends for them! If they don’t want to do the job, then abdicate. It’s that simple.