#i don't mind if they're read romantically but their friendship is just like so important to me

[slushglow]

is your usagi taller, shorter, or the same height as leo??

love ur art btw

man i am SO glad u asked HAHAHA IVE BEEN WAITIN FOR THIS ONE ☝️

so he starts off taller than leo (when they're 15-16), and they both grow a little more as they age but leo catches up by the time they're 18. i hc that the mutagen affects the turtles even into adulthood tho which explains why (at least as far as we saw w leo in the future timeline) they have grown a TON. i imagine raph and donnie would have been the same. i think mikey's mystic powers kinda sucked the growth spurt juice outta him tho which is why he stayed the same 💔

anyway usagi still grows a little also just cause (and he's def not short by any means) but by the time they're in their early to mid twenties leo is noticeably taller than him. i just have a scene in my head of usagi and leo like standing next to each other in this totally mundane moment . and usagi is looking at leo and jolts when he realizes that the mfer is like a LOT taller than him but its an incredibly fond moment for him bc he can rmbr when he was tilting his head to look down at leo when they were kids and now he has to tilt his head up and he's just like DAMN (said very tenderly) . ANYWAYS

thank u again for the ask i was so excited to answer this fr it's something i have thought abt . i love when characters noticeably grow in comparison to each other in shows the detail can be so bittersweet and also heartwarming u know bc it rlly encapsulates all their changes and maybe even how their dynamic changes . U GET WHAT I MEAN ?

srry this was so long winded and thank u omg ur so kind 🙏 hoping to have more art soon work is kicking my ass but i will answer asks all day HAHAHA

[sauntervaguelydown]

Love & Pratchett

The thing about Terry Pratchett is that he wrote about people falling in love plenty, but he never wrote about what I'd call typical romance. When love is sincere and profound it is also very... understated. Practical. Sybil & Vimes--his most famous couple--are like this. The demonstration of devotion is in small things, like wearing the horrible uncomfortable socks your wife made for you because she made them for you. There's a sense of the inevitable about them coming together.

In many cases you wouldn't know it was romance except that the recognizable formula of "boy and girl" picks it out. Look at Newt & Anathema in Good Omens--that's classic Pratchett. They barely exchange a romantic word and in fact it's almost out of Anathema's hands whether she's going to hook up with this absolute soyboy (affectionate). She's not really that nice to him. I always get the impression that the core of their connection is that they're bonded by this experience that no one else can understand. Bonding through shared experience (and even trauma) is a common theme in these subplots.

There's definitely a few showier romance plots, but they're always very tongue in cheek--for example, the literal Romeo & Juliet in Unseen Academicals where Juliet is a very good hearted but basically stupid girl and the POV character is her exasperated mom-friend. There's a lot of gags in the early Discworld novels about male and female characters who Have to fall in love because that's the way narrative works. It's not that they're doomed to be unhappy or even fake or anything, they're just not that deep. Mostly, monogamy is a mundane affair and not really the business of onlookers anyway. Admittedly, the female pov characters have a tendency to wish that things could be a bit more... dramatic. Look at Angua, she's always vaguely frustrated that her boyfriend doesn't react to their relationship with a bit more angst, but ultimately she's practical too. She just wants her partner to be a bit less practical for a moment.

I just reread Nation. Nation isn't a Discworld novel, but I think in a lot of ways it's the most condensed Terry Pratchett you'll ever find in one place. Two characters who are both clever to start with, and wise by the ending, have fallen in love with each other. It's never directly stated. No one confesses to anyone. They get teased about it a little by adults around them. They rescue each other, perform feats of unasked-for heroism on each other's behalf. And at the end, although they want to stay together, they choose their responsibility to their families--and to the future of the world--over staying together. There's one kiss on the cheek as a farewell. But you know that they're still thinking of each other, because at the end of the timeline despite living worlds apart their entire lives, they ask to be buried together.

This is, in my estimation, is the most romantic thing in the Terry Pratchett catalogue. If I can be forgiven for pretending to know the mind of a stranger, I think this is what he found the most romantic. It really is just a profound friendship, between two people who maybe don't always understand each other but always respect each other. Sex really is just a bonus thing, it's nice and certain characters (Angua, Carrot come to mind) pretty clearly have a good time with it, but it's sort of taken for granted. Even kissing isn't all that important. You can't really tell who's in love with who in a Pratchett novel just by looking for physical demonstrations of affection.

Anyway, over the years of Good Omens discourse, this has been the main thing that informs my reading of Aziraphale & Crowley. I'm not widely read in Gaiman material, so I can't speak to that, but from a Pratchett-canon lens, Aziraphale and Crowley fit the vibes of a romantic relationship pretty well. The shared experience, the sense that only they really can understand each other because no one else has seen what they've seen. The heroic gesture of Crowley in the burning shop--the respect that they have for each other, despite the occasional bitching--the "ah. so it's like that." observation of people around them. And most of all, the way they come back together at the end of the novel in a poetic but understated moment, because coming back together of your own free will and going forward together is possibly the most romantic thing that a couple can do in a Pratchett novel.

[average-mako-enjoyer]

I need your Kaidan opinions for the fave character game. Pwease. 😻

From the character ask game.

Oh God, I will have to change my pants by the time I'm done.

Favorite thing about them

Everything??? He's such a complex dude, and all of his complexity is shown so subtly in a way that also reflects him as a character. I love it.

But most of all, his emotional maturity, his intelligence, his self-esteem, and honestly, how incredibly badass he is.

He doesn't use Shepard as a therapist, as a fixer for his problems, as a pillar of strength to lean on. Instead, he always comes into this relationship (platonic or romantic) as an equal, and it's so refreshing to see.

Every other squadmate needs something from Shepard, and with Kaidan it's the other way around. It's Shepard who needs Kaidan, a person who will remind them that what military propaganda usually pushes as "the hardest choices a soldier can make" are actually the laziest choices.

Kaidan knows that killing is easy. Destroying is easy. But showing restraint, showing compassion, trusting someone, doing the right thing, that's hard.

Also, Kaidan is literally the only squadmate who consistently tells Shepard that they can step aside, that they don't have to do everything alone, that they have their team for a reason, and oh god, thank you Kaidan, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Least favorite thing about them

My god, he's stubborn.

And yes, Shepard needs someone like that in their close circle, but oh Kaidan, my man, my dude, my wonderful human being, you have to learn to relax, to let things go sometimes.

I think the main thing about him is that he's actually so passionate, he feels deeply, and friendship and love are so important to him, but he has trust issues, and he has standards, and he's very intelligent, and all of that runs over this deep well of emotions that he carries around.

He wants to love with abandon, but he can't. He wants to do the right thing all the time, but it's impossible. He has to learn how to compromise, how to live in the gray area.

Honestly, there are so many parallels between his and you-know-who's ark, no wonder all his fans feel so strongly about Kaidan.

Favorite line

So, so many.

"I think we're gonna need a bigger boot, Commander."

"I could shoot someone if it would make you feel better."

"Mike Hazer? Hazer the Laser? Almost didn't recognize you. ... You owe me money."

"Looking back, I have a few regrets, but not many. That's pretty damn amazing, right? Messed up kid that I was, never would have dreamed of the life I've had."

"You'll never find out."

I love his sarcastic ass. And I love all the glimpses into that deep well that is his heart. He's so good.

brOTP

Joker! Oh my God, that first dialog between them is fucking amazing. I feel like Joker is one of Kaidan's main sources of gossip (something Kaidan is interested in both professionally and recreationally), and Joker finds Kaidan's dry wit incredibly funny. They get along just fine because they enjoy teasing each other for sport, but other people probably misinterpret this as dislike. Same with him and Ash.

Also, Tali! Two nerds just talking about tech, weapon mods, all that good stuff. And he's obviously very sweet and protective of her. I really have to read about those two.

If we're talking about ME2 squadmates, his choice would obviously be Samara. I think he would've been fascinated by her story, her abilities, her lifestyle and would've hung out with her a lot. They're just very similar people in my mind, and for Kaidan, it would have been an excellent insight into the extremes of the morality he tends to lean towards.

In ME3, he probably hangs out a lot with James and Steve because he likes Steve and he can tolerate James most of the time. XD I think Kaidan and Steve have a lot in common. There's this careful quietness about them. They're both observers, they're both cautious and reserved. And I think Kaidan can see that there's kindness at the core of Steve's soul, and that's important to him.

And finally, mShenko, because whether they end up as a couple or not, they're friends first and foremost. Their romance is purely friends to lovers. Not mentor/mentee+friends to lovers, but friends to lovers. They're open and honest with each other, they care about each other deeply, they know how to tease each other without hurting anyone's feelings. They're equals.

OTP

mShenko. Oh god, it's so good. The slow burn, the maturity of it, how they don't hide behind unnecessary labels and the promises that would probably never be fulfilled. They're just there for each other despite everything, despite their time running out, and it's perfect.

Bonus points for being so obviously horny for each other.

nOTP

Kaidan/Ashley. I just think they work a lot better as friends.

Random headcanon

Kaidan doesn't really like to talk about his childhood, not because it was bad, but because he had a "rich kid's childhood", and things that were common for him throughout his life are actually quite unique and only come when you have a lot of money.

How can you casually mention your annual vacation aboard your family yacht in the company of an Earthborn orphan, a turian from Palaven, and a quarian who spent most of her life on a starship?

Also, both mShep and Kaidan enjoy being knocked around a little from time to time. So they do sparring sessions together, and this shit is _intense_.

Unpopular opinion

He does casual hookups while on shore leave like any other normal Marine. He finds a girl or a guy, fucks nasty, blows off steam, and returns to his duties.

Song i associate with them

Garbage - Control

Favorite picture of them

This one.

Thank you for this ask! I always love to talk about my man Kaidan.

[amorous-apothipl]

i wont lie to ya, i think we're goin' too hard on the aros.

i am a culprit of this, don't get me wrong. i understand the rationale behind it. aplatonicism is heavily related and in proximity to aromanticism (and other aspec communities). it also is a great example of a culture who (most often) puts friendship above any other sort of relationship; one, too, that advocates for the normalization of friendship being an important part of anyone's life--regardless of whether they're in a romantic relationship or not.

i've noticed that we, as aplatonics, are pushing for the normalization of platonicism and friendship as optional. that, as well as pointing out how prevalent it is in our societies, sometimes causing stress or harm to an individual's wellbeing with us wanting to challenge how much it is brought upon people.

and i think we're toxic with how we approach the aromantic's ideas. we see them as doing bad unto us. i think it's because they're so concentrated and readily available, easy to point out as something aplatonics might be against or averse to.

aromantics are not our enemies. they are not trying to go against us. they are not trying to stamp us out.

they are just trying to exist in a world where romantic desire and relationships are the end-all be-all of *life*. an example: if you aren't married by the time your deathbed arrives, you're seen as pitiful, unfulfilled, wasted, among other things.

they're trying to find a place where they can explore their aromanticism and relationships and their feelings regarding that. for many, that's going to involve reevaluating how they were taught to think about friendship: as second to having a partner. that's not something we should take away from or denounce, for we are doing the same.

aplatonics are trying to find a place where we can explore our aplatonicism and relationships and our feelings regarding that. for many, that's going to involve reevaluating how we were taught to think about friendship: as something everyone wants, does have, and should have.

i think we should work to understand their ideas, how aromanticism and it's culture work within someone and their life, and how we can accept their viewpoints without tearing them down just because it doesn't explicitly disclaim that they're alloplatonic and aren't against aplatonicism.

our ideas play together. both romanticism and platonicism are major heads within the social world, both having their strangleholds over the population.

please keep this in mind going forward. be nuanced when talking about the aromantic's ideas. be nuanced when talking about the aplatonic's ideas. understand how we are both communities of which highlight the domination of the two forces and use that to your advantage.

TL;DR (Please still read though!)--------------------------------------

aros point out how romanticism works against us

apls point out how platonicism works against us

these ideas are both valid, and work together

apls rag on aros too much just because they're easy to point to as a perpetuation of platonormativity

aros's "platonormativity" is most often just a deconstruction of how they've been taught to see relationship, them getting more in tune with how they wanna do their shit (just like we are)

don't denounce aro ideas and lives on the basis of it not being congruent with your own ideals and how you may think it goes against apl ideas

critically assess aro ideas with an understanding that it might not be for you and you're allowed to interpret the work as you wish, perhaps even trying to understand it from your own apl perspective

Thanks for reading! Feel free to add you own ideas for or against any/all of my points; I feel this is important to how we go forth as a communities.

I come at this from the perspective of a romance ambivalent aromantic and platonic repulsed aplatonic.

[pianocat939]

Yandere Chrollo Hcs/Mini-Story

I couldn't conceal the thoughts anymore- they were eating me up so bad. I RAMBLED. LIke this feels more like an informative thing than an actual narrative style so I'm sorry lmao. It's so unorganized too.

(The entire story is based on the fic I'm working on, but with more detail on characteristics and what not.)

Tw: brief mentions of kidnapping, implied controlling behaviour, Chrollo's character is altered but is in correlation to the past I've thought of.

MC is from Meteor City, and was Chrollo's best friend. But- They end up being kidnapped, and having retreograde amnesia. (I'm not going to go into further detail just because I don't want to spoil to anyone who is currently reading my fic) Meanwhile, Chrollo is absolutely obsessed with MC. He trusted them more than anyone, and all of the sudden they disappeared.

Chrollo, who slowly grows cold-hearted without MC, starts to resent whatever happened to them. He's desperate to know what happened to them. As he first builds the troupe (As an actual gang of thieves), his personal mission is to find MC.

Some of the troupe members know this goal he has. Especially if they were friends with MC before they were kidnapped. So they try to help him in anyway possible.

A few years of searching, the troupe manages to locate MC. But when Chrollo goes to meet them, everything just falls apart. They don't remember him at all. To him, this is devastating since he had practically devoted over half of his life to them. He becomes more unstable with his internal conflicts.

Since there's no photos or records of their memories, Chrollo repeats his fondest moments with them. He is desperate to get them to remember their friendship.

The most prominent memory he will say is the time he found a near-brand new toy and gave it to them. To which MC was grateful of his search back then. This memory is also the start of his obsession (which explains why this event in particular is the most important).

Slowly, MC manages to remember their memories with him. It takes a while, honestly. Maybe a few months. But MC is incredibly happy to see him alive and well. Only for one thing to be a downfall...

MC doesn't view him romantically at all.

Well, since MC is just barely recovering their moments they really only focus on what happened. Since they were children at that point, MC holds nothing but platonic affection for him.

Chrollo, however, is down bad for MC. He would and honestly will devote himself to their life. He doesn't care for much in his life. But he does care for the one thing that made him feel any joy. Over the years they were apart, Chrollo develops an almost glorified view of MC. He thinks they can do no wrong, and anything against them is his enemy too.

Now, Chrollo will kidnap them. No questions. Of course MC is freaking out, but once they see more old friends they know they're screwed.

Moving on to more about what Chrollo will be like with MC during captivity:

In front of the troupe members, he acts very nonchalant. He won't do any more than keep their side pressed to his or have them sit on his lap.

Alone? He's fucking insane. He'll do a lot for MC. He'll do most requests for them in a way to prove his "worthiness" to stay by their side. He wants them to rely on him so he can keep them obedient to his affections. The reason I even mention this as a worshipping characteristic of him is because back when they were children, Chrollo had friends. MC, however, was like his true best friend. The one he could trust wholeheartedly no matter what. Which I think is still left behind in his mind.

Also, while he's alone: definitely more affectionate. He tends to give lots of pecks on their face or hold them close. In his most vulnerable moments, he likes to do a few nuzzles. It's like he reverts back to being the clingy friend he was all those years ago.

In a way he's possessive. My idea of him is weird. So one side, he wants to prove his worth to MC so they'll acknowledge him as they did before. But on the other side, he wants a feeling of superiority and reliability.

He talks about fate often, mostly about the connection between the two. He'll repeat at least multiple times a week that fate has led them together just as they were before. He also loves to mention that they're his and he's theirs.

...

(OK. I'm done. I rambled so much help- it's really unorganized. Nonetheless, this is the most I've written in one go in a while. So that was fun.)

(I know I altered his character quite a bit, but that's because I altered his past as well. So it kinda goes hand in hand.)

- Celina

[brisquad-unit-4402]

unit 4402, not to be needy in your inbox, but i haven't stopped thinking about the pliskin fic ever since i read it. it's so good. the emotional intimacy. the little snippets of their friendship before they actually meet. the stupid clumsy confession scene(s?). it's SO well-crafted, you should be a licensed writer.

alas i need pliskin!reader and ike to meet again and be horny because i think it'd be funny and endearing. they have all this emotional closeness but when it comes to actually being together irl they're suddenly shy and overwhelmed at the prospect so they act like teenagers again. i don't even need to think about the actual nsfw parts, i just love imagining them navigate this new romantic territory and being in love and making mistakes and laughing about it and being so sweet i get cavities 😔 i love them, they should be together forever i think

- anon 🦝 if i'm allowed a sign off qvq

[non-explicit nsfw under the cut]

oh 🦝 you're always allowed to sign off, i don't mind! thank you for the lovely complim—

HORNY???

🦝. you are so brave for speaking the truth.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

it’s like this ok. they’re both such sweet people and genuinely want the best for each other, all this time has let them understand how they see one another and how to communicate, especially since they’re miles away from one another. every now and then the stars align and they get roped along into an off-collab with some of their other friends, and find excuses to sneak out by themselves just to spend time with each other and catch up on all the little touches they missed.

hands bumping together here, an arm around the waist there. resting on one another and taking in the scent as you wrap your arms along him. you spend a wintry week in london with half of the luxiem boys and a few other livers that want to visit, but you don’t miss how ike’s fingers brush against your neck as he places his scarf around you. the touch is brief but you have to grit your teeth as he ties the scarf, and the remains of his touch burns like coal under the fabric, unsatiated. you can’t keep your eyes off him but your hands want to explore, make him feel good.

eventually you both make time to meet up for a few days, just the two of you, discreet enough that only a few of your close friends know that you’re housing a guest at your place and your fanbases are unaware. it’s not like it was the whole point of the visit, to be clear! horny thoughts be damned, you really did want to see him again. being able to show him around your town and do the cheesy couple things—holding hands, cute dates, sharing clothes, the whole nine yards—it feels like a dream.

on that first night you agree he'll share the bed with you, and when he makes sure you're comfortable with it, he pulls his shirt up over his head and falls asleep half-naked under the covers. you wake up the next morning with a view of nothing but his chest, which pairs nicely (read: awkwardly) with the dirty dream you woke up in the middle of before you could get full closure.

you bring it up to him that very day. it starts off simple:

"do you ever want to have sex? yeah, i'm ready for it. yeah, i understand. that's what you want? i can do that.”

and it's just so easy deciding it then and there. and then he asks questions, and you're glad to receive them, and that makes you ask him about his preferences, too, and the conversation gets more intimate from there and halfway through it hits you that it's really happening and that, god, you're ready but you're not prepared at all for how bashful you're getting and he's getting bashful too and it's good information that should be out in the open and you're glad it is especially because it's important to know what is and isn't okay and he needs to know too but—phew. the conversation ends when everything's been said but your flustered face is in your hands and ike's been wiping a cleaning cloth at his glasses for the last ten minutes so he doesn't have to make eye contact.

but, well, you're both on the same page now! and the feeling is mutual.

and he's on top of you now. his glasses rest on the nightstand, and without them, his eyes are so, so clear, and bright, even as the red around his cheeks threatens to burn brighter.

"this is okay?" ike asks. one of his hands holds you down by your wrist but you can feel him tremble. he lets go to wipe his hands on the sheets. "sorry, my hands are sweaty. it's just that i've been looking forward to this for so long."

he giggles a little at his own awkwardness, and it spreads to you, too. he sounds so soft and cute. you sound like a weirdo. "oh, me too, you have no idea."

his eyes flit down. "can i take off your...?"

"yeah, you can s-strip me. if you want..."

bad choice of words. or good? you can't tell, just that it's making your heart lurch as he undoes the button. an inch of your underwear peeks out.

"oh, so you're wearing this color? it's really you," he says. it's so matter-of-fact and unsexy that you can't help but laugh. “wait, no, i mean, it’s good! i like it! they suit you—oh, forget it, i give up.”

you stay giggly while he undresses you down to the skin. you meet his lips and kiss him, soft and smiley as he shakes off the embarrassment. "never change. love you."

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

ah i got carried away but what if one or both of them are virgins...

they get to explore everything for the first time and with it comes all the anticipation and surprise and pleasure of feeling it all for the first time... you know. how wet it is and where things go. how the actual action is done so soon but how long you can savor the foreplay.

and all the silliness that comes with it! it's trying something new together. every touch runs electric and it's so hard not to beam at how it feels. bonus points if they're ticklish and laugh while fucking, turning the little shivers and thrusts even more intense, all smiles and loose laughter while you enter for the first time

✧. ┊ masterpost ✧. ┊ kofi

[yinwaryuri]

I didn't want to derail this post by @bird-inacage because it was so focused on SandRay and how going into episode 5 would treat them, but reading it struck me with an important realization.

Of our main couples, how much do they really enjoy each other's company?

Starting with Top and Mew, their dynamic is really interesting, because they are desperately trying to enjoy their time together. And there are moments where it's literally visible! They are having a good time! But it quickly gets ruined by the residuals of Top's bad habits and/or Mew's insistence to keep control of a relationship he took as a personal challenge. While Top is enjoying playing at domesticity, he has to either be continuously blue-balled or lie to get it, so any time he spends with Mew is dampened by the fact that he can't be himself (not that he's a great person but it bears to be acknowledged). Mew is so hopelessly trying to convince himself that he's not out of his depth that it's taking all his energy just to prove it, and he is likely mistaking any exhaustion from it as just being new to things. They don't actually enjoy each other's company, though.

Boston and Nick? Golden if they're having sex. The minute they're done, their minds are immediately on the continuous conflict between them: how do they want to keep their status. I think part of what contributes to Nick wanting something more committed is that he has a bit more stability both externally and internally (surprising, I know). He has his tech job, he has at least one friendship that's genuinely supportive (Sand), and he owns being a nasty bitch. Besides his cuckoo-for-cock thing with Boston, he has interests, skills, and a life outside of him and possibly views Boston as another one of those stable facets he always wants to be able to turn to.

But Boston isn't on the same page. When he isn't manwhore-manipulate-manslaughter being a student, Boston kind of doesn't have anything else going for him except his photography hobby which isn't being put to good use. He likely is part of the friend group because at least they're a queer friend group in the same field of study, and everyone else might as well be in and out of a revolving door. Nick is an anomaly for him, but he wouldn't know what to do with something stable let alone be valued for anything outside of sex so Boston dangles boyfriend status like a carrot.

So do they enjoy each other's company? Yes and no. And no and yes. They have a lot of things to work out between each other and unfortunately for both of them things will blow up and cause catastrophic damage. But they couldn't be made for anyone else, IMHO.

Finally we have Sand and Ray. Their relationship has a couple rocky moments in the beginning, but all things considered, it's literally founded on the fact that they like spending time together. Ray says it to Sand multiple times: "You're fun to talk to." He begs him to spend time with him, he offers payment for god's sake. And Sand obliges because he can't help himself. He also likes hanging out with Ray. They have found things outside of any romantic or sexual context that they both enjoy that become the foundation of all their future activities together: a good drink and good music. And the more time they spend together the stronger that will become, even as the strained relationships they have with everyone else threatens to fuck it up.

[aniimamundi]

Married to a Brute Chapter 2 now up!

"So, did you read Night Terrors? Howlingoblin’s latest Golazar that I owled you?"

"Uhhh....yeah."

"Did the snake part absolutely blow your mind?"

"Yeah…yeah the snake. That snake killed so many people."

"Killed so many people?? What are you talking about? The only snake part in the whole story is when Sal has tied up Godric spread-eagled on his bed and then he commands the snake in parseltongue to....you know.."

Gregory looked a bit green in the face.

"How did you miss that part? That story is famous for that part."

"Actually Draco, I've been reading Golga fics lately. I really like those."

Draco was gobsmacked. "Golga? Surely you don't mean Godric and Helga Hufflepuff!"

His instinct was to savagely make fun of that pairing because who even read Golga fics?? There was no contention, no dilemma, nothing to make the plot interesting. Godric and Helga probably just held hands and skipped around a field of daisies with a litter of crups on their heels. He managed to temper himself though. Gregory's friendship was important to him and he didn't want to hurt his feelings. He didn't want to be like Pansy, coldly dismissing what your friends said.

"Oh!" he remarked, "But...isn't that...you know..boring?"

Gregory's face had lit up. "No. They're really sweet, and romantic. Plus, Golazar fics are so dark. I feel really uncomfortable reading those.”

“What do you mean?”

Greg looked a bit scared, so Draco tempered his expression. “What do you mean?” he repeated in a sweeter voice.

“It’s just..the last three stories you sent me had Salazar holding Godric prisoner in a dungeon and manipulating him into having sex.”

“That’s just one type of stories. I thought you liked those. There’s all sorts of Golazar fics. There’s one in which Sal sacrifices his life to save Godric and Godric only realizes after he’s dead. It’s a real tearjerker. I’ll owl you that one.”

Gregory was avoiding eye contact and looking guilty. “I’ve tried others but they all have a dark vibe. It makes me feel weird.”

He was beginning to feel offended. “Well it’s just fiction. You don’t have to be so judgmental about it.”

“No Draco No! I’m not being judgmental. I’ve always thought you had great taste. It’s just not for me personally. Honestly, I can see the appeal of the ship though. It’s so intense. It’s like you and Potter.”

Draco felt himself go red in the face. He gave an embarrassed laugh. “No it’s not. Godric and Sal are friends to enemies to lovers. Potter and I were never friends. And now we’re…we’re just enemies.”

“Golazar isn’t real though, but you’re going to marry Potter,” replied Gregory, sincerely, without any hint of irony.

[lavenfrrdkeeper]

"Kirishima and Bakugou are not interacting"

Respectfully, you're being dumb saying it.

Some people use that argument to discredit kiribaku, forgetting completely about the whole context the manga is into.

They're in a world war, Bakugo was upfront line and Kirishima was far in another place. "They're not interacting" Bakugo just died and woke up how would they interact if they're fighting?

All Bakugou thoughts and interactions are based on that characters that are fighting on his side because what interests him now is fighting with them against the enemies.

So when he thinks of Deku or Todoroki it's just because they're there, not that they mean more to him or anything. It's obvious though.

Also, ofcourse they're important to him. Doesn't mean that because he cares about Deku NOT DYING that he likes him romantically. So when he's dying and he thinks about Deku it's nothing but about a long story friendship.

If you shipp Bakudeku I don't know what you're doing seeing my posts, I'm not here to say it's a good shipp because I don't think it is. This is my blog and I'm critical of that shipp.

And then we have everything that makes kiribaku valid that some people ignore.

1. Starting by first season. Kirishima was the first friend Bakugo had in UA.

2. Since then they've always been close and hanging out.

3. They had Christmas together and in Japan it's romantic.

4. Kirishima is someone Bakugou trusts.

5. We have jokes about them romantically in my hero academia smash. (Yes that counts)

6. Matching clothes in a movie (counts too)

7. Kirishima praises Bakugo everytime and cares a lot about him.

Saying they're not interacting so the shipp can't be canon is too low minded.

And for the ones that respect this shipp I appreciate it 🙂 I'm someone who cares a lot about of demanding Horikoshi and his team about a possible couple to become real. That's why I care so much about kiribaku. We need LGBTQ couples in shounen anime including them! Thank you for reading!

Keep supporting krbk!!

[earlgreytea68]

egt, this post came across my dash: https(:)//omgitspeterick(.)tumblr(.)com/post/125959787079/do-you-think-patrick-and-petes-relationship-has

its rather old, but it made me think. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. However, if you'd rather not, I totally understand!

oh, yes, this post!

I read this post many years ago, when I was first getting into Fall Out Boy, and it made me sad, because I don't actually believe in the truth of anything I'm writing but I do like to believe in their friendship, you know? Like, once I was on a podcast where we were talking about bandom and I said that I think its appeal is that there is actually nothing more romantic in the world than meeting the person who is your creative soulmate, and the idea that the Pete and Patrick dynamic could be merely performative really did make me feel sad, like, I don't mind being manipulated by being teased about shipping but it does make me sad if they secretly don't care very much about each other but they know it sells records so they're in it together to the bitter end, I guess. Which isn't quite where this post ends up, but there's a little bit of that in there, like, they like each other well enough and their band is successful, so they hang together. And I think I read this around the time Pete missed wishing Patrick happy birthday for like the first time in a decade or whatever and they really didn't seem super-close, just like casually friends who work together and like each other well enough, but yeah.

ANYWAY. This post no longer makes me sad because I'm sitting here in 2023 and I just went through this last album cycle with them and I just think there's no way it's all fake and I don't even think it's exaggerated lolol. I mean, I have long thought that, it didn't take this album cycle to convince me, but this album cycle definitely helped cement the opinion.

Partly I came to the conclusion that they were still close friends precisely because there was so little performing of it happening for our benefit. Like, I am aware that this is kind of like "I took the lack of evidence to itself to be evidence of the conclusion I wanted" lololol but there's something a little soothing about the idea that we don't see huge parts of their friendship because it's not for us. Which is, naturally, as it should be!! None of their life is for us lol, it's kind of them to share what they share. But the longer I spent in this fandom the more it became clear that there was lots of stuff going on behind the scenes that we didn't know about and never saw because it was just them living their lives and being friends and not performing that for us. They wrote an entire album that happened basically in secret, because Pete doesn't post to Instagram every time he hangs out with Patrick. He never would, because that's just his life, not something he needs to make public for everyone to see all the time so we all know about it.

But there are always enough hints that slip out that seem like the tip of an iceberg of interaction between them, that they'll reference a holiday spent at each other's house, or a party Patrick went to, or texts that have gone back and forth between them, or Pete will randomly post some insanely reflective Story to his Instagram about how amazing it is he met Patrick and Idk, it doesn't seem like he does that on a timer or something.

And then of course there has been this album cycle which has just been -- an incredible amount of best-friend-ness and looking adoringly at each other all over the place. And Patrick being so, so fiercely vocal about the importance of Pete in his life. That post from 2015 is so striking in how much it talks about Pete being such an instigator -- in teasing, in gazing adorably, in touching. And that was the narrative that I had, too. And then this entire year Patrick Stump has just been like, YO, IT WAS ME ALL ALONG, YOU JUST DIDN'T SEE BECAUSE I KEPT IT QUIET. Like, honestly, though, what a plot twist, who saw any of this coming.

Pete's the social butterfly, right? Pete's a people person. Pete's got a ton of friends. He's always going to. He likes to collect an entourage around him. He likes a group. He's happiest in his crowd. I think that can therefore make it seem like Patrick's not that important, since he's one of many. It is undeniably true that Travie and Gabe were super-important to Pete during the hiatus, and it's also clear Pete is still friends with them, and with lots of other people he talks and posts about all the time. It's just a true statement that Pete has a ton of friends.

But I don't think that diminishes the role of Patrick. In fact, to me this is another of the "lack of evidence is evidence" bits: Patrick isn't around all the time because he doesn't have to be, he's Pete's ride-or-die and they both know it. Pete has said, on multiple occasions, that they don't need to talk to each other, they just get each other, they exist comfortably in silence with each other. From the outside, that could look like indifference, two people sitting next to each other ignoring each other, but to Pete it's clearly the opposite. Pete's relentlessly social; with Patrick he can just chill. Patrick doesn't do "hanging out," and on multiple occasions both Pete and Patrick have acknowledged that: that Pete knows he has to make an effort to get Patrick to hang out with him, not because Patrick doesn't love him dearly but because Patrick doesn't hang out, that's just who Patrick is, so Pete knows to reach past that and not be offended, and Patrick has said that Pete always invites him to parties and Patrick never goes but it's okay, Pete doesn't expect him to go but he'll always make sure to invite him, and I just -- that is the most perfect encapsulation of love hahahaha. I hope I didn't make that up, I'm pretty sure I read it somewhere, but maybe I did make it up because I just think, like, how lucky Patrick is to be loved like that, that you never have to show up or be anything different than what you are but you know anyway that you are always, always wanted, no pressure, no expectations. UGH. I hope I didn't make that up, but whatever, it's good lololol

ANYWAY. I don't think the post is incorrect at all about the hiatus. I think they fell apart. I think that's undeniable. I know we've done a lot of talking recently about the revisionist history around the hiatus, and we're so far away from it now and they're so solid together that I think they've forgotten it some. But I think they shattered a little bit. But I think also that the whole point of their story is that they never stopped loving each other, that the hiatus happened partly because of how much Patrick loved Pete, that when Patrick needed him Pete showed up without hesitation. And I think people have said that Patrick did try to write some songs with Pete when his marriage was breaking up, which was clearly Patrick's way of offering comfort, because that is clearly how Patrick expresses his love for Pete. Also, I have always, always, always been struck by the detail of Pete being in Patrick's wedding. (I've heard conflicting reports about whether he was the best man or not, tbh. I thought myself that he was just in the wedding and wasn't the best man, but I have since seen some references, I think possibly from Pete himself at one point, that made me think he was the best man. Either way he was there and I feel like his role was a big one.) That wedding was just for Patrick, there was no photo spread in People, maybe he was worried it would get back to people if he didn't have Pete in it, but I doubt it, I just don't think Patrick would have had Pete in his wedding if he wasn't close friends with Pete.

And I think they've only gotten closer.

I think friendships change as we get older. I feel like I just wrote about this in the context of the hiatus but I can't find it now because Tumblr search function is the worst. But, anyway, you get older, you have kids, you get busy, there are more demands on your time. Friendships look different. But that doesn't mean they're not still there. I think they had a rough patch around the time of the hiatus but I think they've made that up and then some. I think they've made it up so much that the two of them barely remember anymore what it was like to be in that rough patch.

Anyway, this whole long thing was just for me to get to this point: that moment in the Joel Madden interview when, at the end of a long rumination on how he works with Patrick, Joel asks, "Are you guys best friends?" and Pete readily answers, "Definitely," with the loveliest smile, and just...I should have just linked to that moment hahaha that answers all questions.

[satellitedarling]

hello this is going to be venting,nothing extreme but honestly everyone should have the independence to decide whether to read or interact with this shit so I'd rather say it upfront rather than shove it down people's throats, mentions of prescription drug abuse,you've been warned, with love

Despite my current medication helping me tremendously, I still feel like there's an overwhelming amount to unpack. I feel like an onion, tear off a layer and there's just more and more shit underneath and it seems never ending lol. that's not to say my meds aren't helping me,they definitely are, but they're also bringing to light issues that I had unknowingly "put to the side" while I was suffering a lot more before these meds. I feel so lonely and yet I can't get close to anyone, no matter how hard I try, how many new people I meet, I just can't help but want to run away and distance myself from everyone because I start to think that they hate me or because I feel scared of them, unable to bring myself to talk to them. I don't even know what would help me at this point, I have one friend who I love being around, that I can be comfortable and 100% open with, but they're always busy,always unavailable, it's not their fault in any way of course, but I can't stand that the only person I feel a genuinely deep bond with is someone I see very rarely. I have tried so hard to meet people online and irl, and despite going through the motions, being as open as possible, being as kind as possible, I simply can't feel the same way around them as I do with him, there's just something different about him, we get along so well, he's a sweetheart, an angel who wouldn't hurt a fly, he's the person who makes me laugh the most in the world, the one person I'm not uncomfortable around irl, I fucking love him, platonically that is. I have tried so hard to broaden my horizons, meet new people, but it's like nothing can replace him, I'm tired of meeting new people irl or online, I don't want a large group of friends, I want one or two close ones, that's it, just people that care about me as much as I care about them, a lifelong friendship, marnie and me style, bridge to terrabithia style and many others I can't bring to mind.

I just want to feel as loved as the people I give my love to, they're such wonderful people, I try so hard to please them in any way I can, to be as kind and generous as I can be, respect every one of their boundaries, I'm trying to become the perfect friend but its clearly not working, and it's obviously not their fault but I feel lile I have no one else to turn to, I want a best friend, I want someone with whom I can discuss anything and everything, I want them to be happy to see me just as much as I'm happy to see them, I want to give my all to make them happy, I want to receive the love and care that I'm trying so hard to give. When these rare people I get close to aren't receptive, take distance from me then there's no one to blame but I feel like I'm in an impasse socially: Now what? try to meet new people? it won't feel the same, I'm way too picky about this shit, I feel the urge to run away as soon as I see one small thing that scares me within them.

The people I say this to often make the justified remark that the exclusivity and mutual care for one-another is often a motivator for others when trying to find a romantic partner but I don't want a romantic partner, friends are so much more important to me, being in a relationship was hard because of my asexuality and my huge fear of abandonment, I always need to run away,keep a distance. I need to find a friend, I don't know where, but one that considers me an important part of their life at least, I want a best friend, a lifelong brother/sister that I can always reach in times of need or when I want to simply talk with them, I'm just so tired of not being emotionally available unless with certain people, I'm tired of feeling like everyone hates,avoids, and will abandon me, I try so hard to be a good person in my daily life, I try to make people smile at my work, to cheer them up, to be a ray of sunshine, it makes me feel good but as soon as I'm not working or serving people, that I'm now alone or have free time, I just feel such a crippling loneliness and boredom, I have lots of people to talk to but it simply *never* feels the same as him, no matter how hard i try to form meaningful bonds, the issue comes from within me. fuck this brain.

and then there's the whole aspect of gender envy, disliking my masculine characteristics but not exactly wanting 100% feminine characteristics, I'm tired of my body, only part I like is my face, that's a good start I suppose. just so tired of growing up with the fear of losing my effeminate qualities.

I'm gonna end this here because I'm too woozy and tired to keep writing, I'm so tired, absolutely not suicidal but heavily lonely, this isn't a cry for help per se, but I just can't stand living like this anymore. the only times I feel happy are when I'm working because it stops me from overthinking for a while, ignore my loneliness, feel like a good person

look,im tired, I won't keep writing, I might pass out any second but fuck I can't stand my mind working like this

sorry for this, I just needed to write it down, I can't talk about it with anyone around me irl, it's so tiring, I've made so many efforts and steps and yet the empty feeling won't subside, feels like I'll never find someone like Yann ever again and that we keep getting more and more distant because he's so busy and anxious, I love him so much, platonically, but I could give my life for him if it came to it, I just adore him so much

ok I'll stop now sorry, I'm not 100% conscious right now because of Xanax so if none of this makes sense ,hen I come back to reread this post I wouldn't be surprised

peace, love and happiness, to whoever is reading this, be a force of good in the world, even on a small scale, make a cashier smile, help the old people that can't carry their belongings, lend an ear to those who need one, etcetera

goodnight

[knickynoo]

I'm growing disillusioned with the BTTF fandom because of the growing amount of M*mmett shippers. I'm sick of the Jennifer and Clara slander with them, I'm sick of them trying to justify this ship even though MARTY'S A CHILD, and I'm sick of how OOC they're making Marty and Doc. This is the reason why I'm sick of hearing theories about how Doc was SAing Marty, because A. it's just feeding into that theory, and B. If that theory continues to grow, it's going to discredit the whole trilogy.

I understand your frustration, and I feel it a lot myself when navigating the fandom. It does feel like the Mammett shippers are much more active and vocal lately, which is as exhausting as it is disturbing. Trying to find fanfics is an especially risky endeavor.

I'll insert a read-more because I'm going to speak honestly here, and this can be a triggering topic for some.

I've been pretty vocal about the fact I don't tolerate those shippers, and I try my best to not knowingly interact with them. I just can't wrap my mind around the whole thing--the way they're so set on trying to justify it, even though there IS no justifying it. One of the main defenses is the "Marty is almost EIGHTEEN" nonsense. Get out of here with that. First of all, he met Doc when he was 13-years-old, so I'm gonna go ahead and assume their "headcanons" involve Doc basically grooming Marty from that age. And even if Marty *was* 18, it makes literally no difference. 18 may be legally an adult, but mentally, that's still very much a kid. The human brain doesn't fully develop until mid to late twenties (and into early 30s, according to current studies!) There is just no way to make it okay.

Like. Good job, they turned Doc into a predator.

And I don't care that it's fiction. There are many dark and twisted aspects of fiction people can safely enjoy without condoning the things in real life, but I draw the line at things like this. People being so obsessed and clinging so tightly to a pedophilic relationship disturbs me to my very core, and it does nothing but put up red flags.

(I also think a part of this whole issue in fandom is connected to what I've mentioned in the past: people being bizarrely unable to process platonic love, especially when it's between two guys. Everything has to be turned into romance for some reason. No. Let people have deep friendships and show love to each other without making it weird. Let two guys hug and be affectionate and emotionally close without being that person who goes: "There's literally no other explanation for this aside from them being romantically in love." Stop, stop, stopstopstopppp. Platonic love is SO IMPORTANT.)

I'm so weary of it. I'll also probably lose followers for this (I lost several with my initial anti-mammett post) and I don't care.

Just know that there are many in the fandom who don't participate in this ship and, in fact, actively fight against it.

[butter--peanut]

I just finished reading Kamui Blues, and I loved how badass Sakura was in the fic! Would you please feed us more about Sakura & Shisui? Any head canons you have for their getting together?

Thanks anon! Ahh ShiSaku, I love them <3

I wrote a little 2k story about them post-KB which has some of my HCs about their pre-relationship. Beyond that, I don't have a set idea about what might happen, but here are some vague thoughts:

They're "just friends" for a long time, 4-6 years at least

Shisui is a bit of a playboy through that period. Sakura knows and doesn't mind

Sakura also has her playboy moments. Shisui tries his absolute best not to mind. The rest of his family relentlessly tease him for his jealousy

It's healthy for them to spend this time apart, and they both know it:

On Shisui's end, he needs to get used to being suddenly alive again and reckon with the power he used to have/no longer has. He forms that "no longer dead club" and it's helpful for everyone, even if most of the others want to murder Shisui for his annoying overly upbeat attitude.

On Sakura's end, it's very important for this to be a completely different experience to how she loved Sasuke. Rather than falling for him instantly, becoming infatuated, and having that influence her actions and damage her friendships, she wants to sink into love like into a warm bath, gently, enjoying the process.

And because Sakura was so damaged by her last experience of love, she needs to know wholly that she can trust the other person. She needs to trust that they will be a good person to her. And, just as important, she needs to trust that they will accept her with all her flaws (that feel much worse to her than to anyone else).

When Sakura finally decides that it's time, I like the idea of them finally getting together in a silly, playful way. Like, maybe Sakura invites Shisui out to a romantic day at a private onsen, but Shisui is still thinking that they're friends and misinterprets everything Sakura is saying or doing as being in the friendship context, and Sakura gets more and more frustrated and Shisui keeps worrying about what he's doing wrong so tries to overcompensate, being his most loud and annoying self, and eventually Sakura gets so frustrated that she ditches her plan entirely and grabs him by the yukata and kisses him.

And Shisui still somehow interprets this as a "how friends get friends to shut up" kiss

And Sakura says if she hadn't spent all those years getting to know him she would have instantly dumped him at that comment

finally he gets it, and the utter bliss at that revelation makes him dazed and dopey for the rest of the day

[rosesnbooks]

Dear Kate,

Hello! 🤗I hope this finds you well!

Just reaching out to see if you’re still up for doing my natal chart reading. I’d love to hear your input and interpretation of it!

Here’s my info:

November 7 1992

Plano, Texas USA

09:58AM

Thank you so much and I hope to hear from you soon! 💖

Sav

free ("brief") natal chart reading

hello dear Sav, hope you enjoy this reading and find yourself in it <3. so, I think you're quite intuitive, mysterious, and intense at your core, and your identity is closely tied to your friends who are important to you. you feel like you are who you are because of people like them and you want to form more meaningful friendships, even though it may not be the easiest thing for you. also, I feel like it can be challenging to show the world who you are, especially when there's this energy in you that tends to be more intense and ambitious, that's contrasting the other side of you that wants to remain more observant and objective. you have an innovative mind and there is something unique about you that others notice, and change can do you good. oh, you're also imaginative, and even more intuitive than I thought! i feel like your identity has changed a lot over time and people who don't know much about you have no idea how intense you can be. i think they see you less seriously, as if you are quite optimistic and friendly. because you value these traits, they're not far from the truth, but there's a darker shade to you. now, people closest to you, know that you can be direct and assertive, and very fierce and ambitious. your emotions come and go quite intensely, sometimes in fits of rage. i think you'll feel the most emotionally fulfilled if you develop a close and honest relationship with your family (whatever your definition of family may be). when you communicate with others, they believe you to be funny and smart, and I feel like you are good with words. there's definitely some kind of contrast within you, you're either quite charming and diplomatic, or you get carried away by your emotions and dominance, so you're really direct. find a balance between those. you have a desire to be independent, and that's what brings you emotional security. one thing regarding the way you speak, I think you may wander from topic to topic because you're so imaginative so your mouth can't keep up with you lol. you offer good advice! in love, you want someone who is light-hearted, funny, spiritual, and knowledgable but also sensitive, thoughtful, and caring. you need to feel safe and comfortable with them. i think romantic relationships will be of a lot of significance for you in this lifetime, but remember to love yourself as much as them! i think you are a driven person, with ambitions and the knowledge of how people function so you can perform very well. you show your most sensitive and loving side to your romantic relationships, and some kind of partnerships in general. be careful about passive-aggressive behaviors. you'll have the most luck in life when you nurture your optimistic, curious, and spiritual side. be as diplomatic, intuitive, and kind as possible too! perhaps you struggle sometimes with blending in different communities and you're scared about losing material possessions and your comforts in life, but I'm here to tell you everything will be okay with them. don't be afraid to speak up and fight for others. take care dear, and I can't wait to hear from you! <3

p.s. i love your username!

[timeofjuly]

(not so sure if this counts as a story spoiler ask so you can pick any of my questions or ignore until the time comes.¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯)

in what order would the characters fall in love for mc?(e.g. 1.quinn 2.red ect.[or if mc falls for them first?])we already know the flashbacks of quinn and MC but not when they confessed/caught feelings, who did what first in what place and environment? these questions also involves the skeletons too if you don't mind us having a peek at future events. XP

although i am not the most observant of readers, your work is so interesting to read that I would put it on a petri dish to understand it more thoroughly if I can hahah, maybe even a piece of your brain too./hj

Thank you so much!!! My brain is pretty smooth most of the time so I'm not sure how much you'd get out of it, but I'm very flattered!! If there's anything in the fic you (or anyone else) wants clarification or my in-depth thoughts on, I'm always very very happy to give my commentary :)

I won't answer in terms of order, because it'd be a little spoilery (and my planning is not that detailed lol) BUT, if you'd like, I can tell you what traits MC/the skeletons have that'll make things work? I put A LOT of thought into it when writing MC's personality because I wanted her to be a good fit for all of them plus Quinn whilst still maintaining an actual coherent personality, which was a challenge lemme tell you! If you want to see that, let me know and I'll pop it into a separate post because it'll be LONG.

But I will say that one big, overarching thing that'll make all this work is that MC reads as really genuine. Her intent matches her actions. I actually go into this in the next chapter in relation to Quinn, but it applies to MC too. I think this would be a super important part of attraction for monsters.

Anyway! Onto the Quinn and MC backstory. I'm happy to answer this because it's not really a spoiler and I don't (yet) have plans to actually write it (it may come up at some point tho). I will put it under the cut, though, if anyone would rather learn this as I drip feed it into the story you won't be spoiled.

MC fell for Quinn first, or at least was able to identify her feelings as romantic, much earlier. They become friends at 15 and it takes MC like, a week, to realise that she's attracted to Quinn physically and then another one to work out that she's interested romantically too. MC is into a lot of people, so this isn't particularly groundbreaking or intense at first, but when her feelings start to grow beyond casual attraction, things get more serious.

Teenage Quinn was hella repressed (in soft, as it began, she's having some serious Gay Panic but doesn't have the emotional framework to describe it) and also didn't have a bunch of friends, so didn't actually understand that her feelings for MC were romantic. She just Really Likes this girl and has funny feelings around her, so what? They're just besties. Besides, MC could have anyone she wanted and if she was into Quinn, surely she would've said something, right? Right?!?

Meanwhile, MC thinks that Quinn wouldn't be interested and that she has wayyyy too much to deal with already without adding her best friend having a crush on her on top of it all (this is the beginning of MC acting in what she thinks are Quinn's best interests and trying to spare her feelings), so she doesn't say anything. She thinks can read Quinn pretty well at this point, surely she'd be able to tell if Quinn was into her because she'd start acting differently, right? Right?!?

This all comes to a head in MC's bedroom when they're both 16, so a year into the friendship. It is not very romantic - they're passing a bottle of chambord stolen from MC's parents between them and simultaneously feeling very drunk from the alcohol and very sick from all of the sugar, they've just finished trying to scrub said liqueur from the carpet because Quinn accidently knocked it over and now there's a stain in the pile, it's a school night, the second Twilight movie is playing on MC's TV and Bella is October, November, December-ing, and MC just looks at Quinn, in ratty pajamas and hair greasy, lips stained purple and eyebags dark under the harsh yellow glow of the ceiling light and just... blurts it all out.

Quinn doesn't get to respond until the next morning, though, because MC follows the confession up by vomiting all over the carpet and the caretaking and clean-up that follows takes at least half an hour, and then MC falls asleep.

[thenamesblurrito]

I’m not sure if this has already been touched on, but I noticed that blackarachnia/blurr/predaking is listed as an Amica pairing, and was curious about it? Like is it a post canon thing or something that happens before their identities are revealed :] and basically what their relationship dynamic is like

you're right i did list them and yet i've BARELY talked about them AUGH i haven't decided everything exactly, there's more i want to work in but don't know when/how, but this is most of it. they're so important to me... i've sort of infodumped. everything here. um. long post, including post canon spoilers

(friendly reminder that this AU uses Amica Endurae as platonic life partners/spouses, just as culturally significant and legally recognized as romantic Conjunx Endurae)

Predaking and Blackarachnia happen to be roommates (along with notable problem-causer Deadlock) and end up clicking pretty well. Blackarachnia's biting sarcasm and droll defensive wit plays well with Predaking's stubborn independence and thoughtful deliberation. more importantly, Predaking is, down to his core, a protector, and subconsciously took on the role of being stalwart for Blackarachnia when she clearly has some uhhhhh not great family history that's given her baggage. the two of them are the edgy, aloof kids that stand in the corner, arms crossed, visibly judging everyone else in the room together while trading muttered comments about how stupid the adults' arbitrary rules are, and their weaponized back-and-forth has been known to make would-be bullies cry. they settle into a friendship pretty easily and make a great homework team.

enter Blurr, local dweeb, nerd, dork, or whatever assortment of other insults springs to mind. i wouldn't say he's quite a magnet for bullies, but he gets picked on more than his fair share, either for his stutter or his intelligence, depending on who's targeting him. it's not good, obviously, but he brushes this off easily most of the time unless cornered. so when Sentinel, irritated that the skinny little off-planet racer is skimming through textbooks in the library in half the time it's taking himself, starts mocking Blurr with the most cliche and boring bullying possible (calling him four-optics because of his glasses), Blurr just rolls his eyes and doesn't stop reading.

a voice from the back of the study area drawls, shouldn't you be saying that to me?

this is, of course, Predaking, looking at Sentinel with the most unimpressed expression and gesturing to his actual four optics: two in his face, two in the beast head currently on his chest. sitting next to him, Blackarachnia doesn't even look up from her work with any of her four facial optics or eight beast optics as she says, acidly, don't let him get a look at me, i'm not sure he can even count to twelve.

Sentinel, having been verbally eviscerated by these two before, multiple times (he's bad about learning his lesson), sputters and glares and ultimately leaves. Blurr blinks at his retreating back, then at the two who have gone back to their own homework with no further comment, and goes. Huh.

it's not so much an introduction as it is just a quiet, spontaneous moment of solidarity. and it sort of keeps happening, little instances around school. Blurr will hand Blackarachnia her dropped stylus when it rolls over to his table, Predaking will sit a table down from him and glare at an idiot being mean, they'll comment constructively on each other's projects in class, the three of them pass in the hall and sort of do that wordless chin-raise acknowledgement at one another. Blurr is pretty sure they don't know his name, and don't care enough to find out. it's that weird threshold of not-quite-acquaintance but still friendly, not-quite-stranger but i really don't know you. and yet. it's like an unspoken routine. it feels like having allies.

when given the choice to take up relics, Predaking and Blackarachnia go into it together, knowing exactly what kind of risks they're taking, but knowing each other and their priorities well enough to realize that they both want to defend themselves and other hurting people with more than just the witticisms of an angry teenager. they're very good at teamwork and slide right into cooperating with Sixshot very well too. and, extremely importantly, Predaking knows Blackarachnia well enough to spot that her behavior is, um, getting concerning as Airachnid. there's something different about her when she's powered up, and it might not be her calling the shots all the time.

Blurr's talent for snooping gets him the opportunity to take up a relic himself, and it's an extremely disorienting experience at first. he's never been a beastformer, he's not even from a planet that produces beastformers, and it's a whole new host of senses and feelings to deal with! and while he's a staunch Autobot who pretty immediately steps up to be Abominus's default battlefield rival, he has no real enmity for the Predacons and targets him mostly because he knows he's fast enough to mitigate any damage. in fact the two are pretty cordial to one another, that is when Cheetor isn't taking advantage of physics to send Abominus careening several blocks with transferred momentum. so when he discovers he can speak with mechanimals, it's both confusing and exciting, and naturally he wants to ask the only other beastformer heroes around about this. he doesn't know this is something of an offensive stereotype and is chewed out pretty soundly by them, shocked and angered that a fellow beastformer would so pettily play into framist nonsense.

that, he realizes, is something he sorely needs to be educated on. so while as Cheetor he shuts up about speaking to mechanimals and takes a new, delicate, sensitive approach to the media and general publicity where it concerns his frametype, Blurr starts doing research about beastformer experiences in a way he couldn't have learned back home on Velocitron. and perhaps, just maybe, he could screw up his courage to ask his fellow students? one of the first real conversations he has with Blackarachnia and Predaking is one day asking them haltingly, anxiously, if they could clarify something in this article about beastformer statistics he's reading, or if that would be offensive to assume they'd be willing to talk about it just because of their frametype.

it's a gradual acquaintance, one Predaking still latches on to quickly with that same protector's instinct as soon as he realizes how painfully earnest Blurr is. Blackarachnia is kind of amused by the way he nervously self-edits over and over to not say anything wrong, but still calls him out on overcorrecting from ignorance to hyperawareness. she's a person, not a checklist of morally correct conversation choices, at least treat her with the basic decency to act like it. just being around them is extremely valuable to Blurr, but he gets so caught up cataloguing the experience as learning how to not reinforce bad stereotypes as Cheetor that he sort of misses the fact that Predaking and Blackarachnia have come to think of him as something of a friend instead of their local curious nuisance. they notice when he's gone, when he's tired or preoccupied, when he's grappling with something that he never explains. clearly, they think, he's skittish, but could be coaxed over time.

they don't just pass each other in the hall anymore. Blurr asks them nervously if they're alright after the Shockblast debacle. Blackarachnia beelines to safety speaking with Blurr instead of engaging with Tarantulas when he stops by for a visit. Predaking gives his condolences to Blurr when he hears that strange shattered universe had left behind the corpse of a bot who might be his counterpart (Blurr doesn't tell him he killed his doppelganger with his bare hands. he's dealing with it, okay?) at the same time, Cheetor is noticeably more cautious when speaking to the media, subtly steering away from framist assumptions, vocally speaking up about beastformer equity. Abominus doesn't necessarily agree with the Autobots, but he at least feels like one of them is listening. Airachnid spends more and more time ignoring some suspicious changes that occur when she powers up.

and then Airachnid murders someone.

it wasn't premeditated. probably. she dreamed about it for years. they had it coming. no one would believe her. it's sickening. it's liberating. she didn't want to do it. Blackarachnia didn't want to do it. something else decided otherwise.

it's bad. bad enough she doesn't even tell Predaking, her best friend now, instead electing to find a quiet corner somewhere and fall apart. alone. this doesn't quite work out since ever-curious Blurr comes sleuthing into her spot, of course startled and concerned and asking if she's okay, and Blackarachnia snaps at him quite meanly. even so, somehow she still thinks of Blurr as safe enough for her to cry to. she's been emotionally fending for herself for so long, is it wrong to be weak?? to want to be taken care of instead of doing the dirty work herself?? and Blurr, sweet overwhelmed Blurr, does his best to be comforting, but says she should probably be having this conversation with someone she trusts. it's unexpectedly exactly the kind of respect for boundaries that Blackarachnia needs to go tell Predaking everything.

as heroes, the factions are starting to be less standoffish, working (slightly) better with one another when needed. on one of these occasions, Cheetor gets a few tidbits of vital information from, of all sources, a handful of scraplets. try as he might to speak to them surreptitiously, Abominus and Airachnid notice, and are dumbfounded to see he wasn't lying. it's one more small cross-faction bridge of trust.

while things might be improving interpersonally, everything else is worsening near the end of season 4. after a horrific and terrifying event that makes it unsafe for them to be in hero form, the factions retreat, gathering amongst themselves as kids, some meeting without the masks of their relics for the first time. poor Blurr, always the one to feel inferior and alone, has already figured out who most of the other Autobots are as kids, but somehow can't bear to reveal his own identity to them. standing among heroes, not as Cheetor but just as himself? he runs before they even turn to ask him. this time, it's Blurr having a breakdown in a quiet corner and Blackarachnia who finds him. she's not exactly a nice person, but she can still repay the favor and comfort him when he needs it.

in the middle of [finale spoilers] when everyone's identities are revealed to everyone, the only thing keeping everybody working together is an impending apocalypse. in the middle of so many revelations and personalities and high emotions, Predaking and Blackarachnia are actually doing pretty okay. they're unfazed by the surrounding drama and already solidly work well together outside of hero form. so when Blurr, almost cringing away from everyone else in a poor attempt to hide, nervously tries speaking up about something he's figured out, Predaking is the first to notice and step in to support his ideas. there's not exactly a lot of time to talk during the end of the world, but they come to an understanding. it feels like having allies again, except tangible and backed up with skill and force. there's steady certainty there in the midst of so much chaos.

it doesn't get super deep or "official relationship" in SNAP itself, mostly because their high school years aren't actually the most important period of their relationship. but it sets up an extremely important foundation for them that continues post-SNAP. Blurr still gets anxious and skittish and feels like he can't say anything right, what is he doing here he should just slink away and hide—but Predaking picks him up by the scruff of the neck and shakes some sense and affection back into him. Blackarachnia struggles with depression and self hatred for a long time, but Predaking and Blurr staunchly refuse to leave her lonely, sticking with her even in her dark times. there are times when Predaking prioritizes doing work over developing relationships, thinking that his work will of course help those he loves, but Blurr and Blackarachnia don't let him get away with it. not to mention how devastatingly effective the three of them are at Judging anyone trying to be an idiot in their vicinity, lots of would-be Karens get shut down by nothing more than their triplicate unimpressed glares .

of the three of them, Predaking is the one who first and most easily thinks of the other two as his partners, even if he doesn't say it out loud. he doesn't want to scare Blurr off, nor put pressure on Blackarachnia when she can barely stand herself, but he knows what he wants. he is quietly and enduringly devoted to them. Blackarachnia has felt like she's had to be strong, be clever, be quick and defensive and biting for herself her whole life, and yet these two consistently do that for her. she feels safe to be weak around them, and she knows she's taken care of. anxious Blurr still feels kind of like an outsider sometimes, an imposter third wheel on their already solid partnership, but then Predaking will wordlessly shuffle over to invite him to sit, or Blackarachnia will drop a snack in his lap exactly as he's getting hungry, or the two of them will be discussing something and automatically turn to ask his opinion. he doesn't need to be invited in to a relationship he's already part of.

as is pretty typical for him honestly, Predaking says something first, and does so by (as is also pretty typical) jumping right in with no warmup. it's during a conversation they've had many times over, an exercise in hope Rung recommended they try to help Blackarachnia. instead of letting her sit in the dark alone and spiraling, Predaking and Blurr sit with her, speaking aloud a good future, practice for envisioning a world that isn't under fire and themselves happy, healthy, and safe. Predaking's imagined futures have never not included them. with Blurr curled up in one of his wings and an arm over Blackarachnia's shoulders, he muses about a nice simple job rebuilding shelled cities, surely raising roofs only takes a little practice. he wants to see the sunrise over his hometown Helex again, with his favorite den siblings there. of course he'd take Blurr and Blackarachnia along, it wouldn't be right without the people he would have as his Amicae. Blackarachnia scoffs, but her spark isn't in it. Blurr freezes, anxiety already trying to convince him that he wasn't included in that statement. but Predaking just keeps talking, gently stitching together a future where they're okay.

on a practical level this is more of a proposal than simply asking them out, but it's also low pressure. nothing needs to change until they're all comfortable with it. they're already life partners in many ways, it's easy to slip a little further into it once acknowledged. the day Blurr's feeling of exclusion ends for good is when Blackarachnia casually muses about opening a clinic on Velocitron so the three of them can have a home on Blurr's planet, and he's struck by how she's doing good enough to plan for the future again, specifically a future where they even leave Cybertron to follow him.

their marriage is quiet. Blurr squares away the paperwork, double checking every detail is correct with Minimus. they let their friends take them out to a nice dinner in lieu of any ceremony, where Arcee generously only tries stabbing Blackarachnia once before giving her congratulations. Frenzy tries arranging a gag honeymoon trip for them but is too drunk to do it right and accidentally books himself a week at the spa instead. Hot Rod brings fireworks, which would have been a nice touch if he'd known he was coming to a wedding, but really he just wanted a party where he'd have the opportunity to set off colorful explosions around large numbers of people. Wheelie may have picked the pockets of everyone in attendance but he refuses to admit it. Skywarp and Predaking are the last ones who haven't swanned off or fallen asleep and in their exhausted drunken camaraderie, when bad ideas seem just brilliant, they end up going on a time travel heist to get Predaking some sick tattoos (and they're lucky it goes off without a hitch).

it's an absolutely perfect wedding.

it's not a flawless happily ever after, of course. Predaking grapples with being the only survivor of dozens of tragedies. Blackarachnia is permanently changed by a monster, and struggles with alcoholism for a long time. Blurr is personally targeted by a terrifying creature with a grudge and enough wit to outsmart him, in a rivalry that would cost many more lives than just his own. it's hard, and they live in dark times. but they support one another through thick and thin. after awhile, when they're more stable, they actually end up adopting Dragonicus, a little dragonformer like Predaking, and then later Lightspeed, a tiny thing almost as fast as Blurr.

they live. they love each other. they're good.