#i have a long and storied history of faves lol

[barbwritesstuff]

with regards to why chris is so unexpectedly popular, I've actually spent a lot of time thinking about their appeal to me specifically because they're not at all the kind of love interest I usually go for in interactive fiction, as both a character with a preexisting relationship with the MC and a "normal person" who doesn't have a personal stake in the main plot.

It mainly comes down to two things: the built in drama and catharsis of the scenario - in act one, the sense of being SO WRONGED and MISUNDERSTOOD, if only they knew what the MC has been going through, they would be so so sorry, etc. To me, it's a strong hook for their romance. Later, they are in a special position as the only LI to have known and loved the MC before they became a vampire, that they fall in love with them again is like. crazy. it drives me crazy. I'm the thing that puppets your dead lover's corpse - can you love me? if I travelled so far from you for so long that i lost myself, my very soul, would you know me? My circumstances have changed, I've had to compromise my ethics, I am dangerous to know, will you permit me to parent your our child? I am not what I was, take me as I am. god. I'm unwell.

number two is the main thing, and it's your wonderful ability to write characters who are both deeply, humanly flawed while remaining sympathetic and, crucially, interesting (Roe is my fave example of this in Blood Moon). IMO a common trap for love interests that have a history with the MC is for them to either be angels or the worst people on earth, in order to justify either the breakup or a desire to get back together. they also tend to lack development in comparison to the rest of the cast. But Chris is so immediately reasonable and intelligent, even though they are not at their best in the wake of the breakup and seen through the MC's biased and hurt POV. this impression only increases as you get to know them, and every conversation and encounter with them is revealing. Their strong boundaries, their love for their child and ability as a parent, the fact that their new partner kinda sucks tbh. they way they hold the mc accountable despite what you might call an imperfect understanding of the situation, lol. The full picture of them is so worthy of respect and affection and honesty.

Anyways. apologies for the love letter <3.

Never apologise for this. I love this. I am obsessed with this. I'm begging for more of this. I love it when people dive deep into my stories and characters. Chris was never meant to be a 'fully fledged' RO, but comments like this might just change that.

[dallonwrites]

Lover Boy But It's The Camp Nano Intro?

Sometimes Beau thinks his heart must be made out of the most fragile, feebly tissue paper – the dainty pink stuff pushed into the bottom of a Valentines giftbag, the biodegradable kind that immediately crumbles when it’s met with water or trash compost or an uncaring hand. But it’s not his fault he’s a hopeless romantic.

genre: adult litfic

setting: san francisco, 1980s

deals with: grief and loss, queer history + the AIDS crisis, sex and the body, terminal illness and caretaking, being a hopeless romantic but like for all kinds of love, platonic love, friendship when one of them is ill and knows they will likely die, disability and how caretaking can reshape dynamics

summary: It's about love, babey! Beau tries to navigate all the different types of love in his life -- romantic, sexual, platonic, familial, communal, self -- as he leans into relationships, even the unhealthy ones, to try to cope with the death of his best friend Bobby, who Beau took care of whilst he was sick for two years. Told with a dual timeline showing those two years as Beau processes it. It's about being messy and confused and trying to understand how to move forward when the biggest part of your life is now gone. It's about being in love with your best friend but like platonically and also your best friend is dead. It's about queer sex and grief and caretaking and the AIDS crisis. Beau is also obsessed with horror movies and is definitely autistic but doesn't know it. Bobby loved volcanoes and mountains, acrylic painting, David Cronenberg movies and also The Muppets (his fave was Gonzo btw). If you want to know more I have a more detailed WIP intro and also the tag where I post way too long excerpts!

status: 16,391 words into the first draft, but that's been writing whenever/whatever I want rather than a consistent routine

my goal?: get a consistent drafting routine LOL. Word count wise I'd like 15k to basically double it, but we will see! Would love to write everyday at least though.

I haven't done taglists in a while buuuut if people are doing camp nano taglists? That could be fun? This story is so sad but sometimes it is so silly and fun. If you like stories where the grief and joy hold hands then this might be for you !!

What Beau remembers: The quiet when, for a long moment, Bobby didn’t speak. Then, a whisper. “Today wasn’t the day.” And Beau understood what he meant, a painful but deep knowing -- how they still weren't ready, whenever they talked about it, to say the word die. “No, today wasn’t the day.” Bobby, quieter. “And tomorrow. Tomorrow won’t be the day either.” “I don’t think it will.” Beau thinks, at this moment, that he kissed the top of Bobby’s head, or he whispered one into his hair, pressed his cheek into it. At least, that’s how he remembers, or how he wants to. “I don’t think it will be the day for a while.” What Beau remembers: Bobby, still quiet, his breathing slowed. But still awake. How he moved closer, and Beau held him tighter. Sometimes Beau believed that if he just held onto Bobby tighter it would somehow lengthen the time between now and the day, that the universe would sense their closeness and not dare to sever it. All if Beau just held him closer, heartbeat to heartbeat. It was so dark in the room, the moonlight a thin sheet behind the curtains; just them and their bodies, their breaths. And he thinks he remembers Bobby smiling, that he felt it or even sensed it, the presence of something happy, something that, for a moment, let itself be hopeful. “Your heartbeat is so relaxing,” he said. “I love that you sleep like Dracula.”

[lipslikethegardensofbabylon]

#ttpd analysis day three - My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

(i’m gonna preface this by saying this is one of my least fave tracks in the album but i very much agree with @cages-boxes-hunters-foxes in that it is necessary and integral for the narrative. i just rarely listen to it lol)

the opening of the track to me feels like you almost trip and fall into the song with the production. to fully appreciate the first verse it helps to have an idea of the long noted history of depression /blues (don't want no other shade of blue but you; if your cascade ocean wave blues come; catastrophic blues) etc etc, enter: oh, here we go again the voices in his head called the rain to end our days of wild. basically oh we were finally in a good patch! aaaand... we're back in the hole again.

the purchased at the mall is very shiny toy with a price you know that I bought it, and the following lyric rivulets descend my plastic smile is especially interesting because the narrator is basically saying that whether sad or happy, either way it's insincere and manufactured (plastic) and they are essentially choosing whichever mood helps to get played with at the time. it reminds me of mirrorball's i can change everything about me to fit in

the there was a litany of reasons why we could've played for keeps this time has two (or probably even more) meanings - the primary one is it fits the toy/play/game theme of the track, but the larger application goes back to the (assumed) history of the narrator and muse (baby let the games begin/cat and mouse for a month or two or three/all the pieces fall right into place/back when we were card sharks, playing games/no more keeping score/ checkmate, / couldn't lose). essentially, we've been playing games (or rather this one particular ongoing game) for years, we could have a truce and just be happy.

the he saw forever so he smashed it up / once I fix me he's gonna miss me to me tell the story that the narrator basically came with every accessory, tried every avenue to make it work, but the muse chose to take apart the pieces every time. the latter lyric is funny to me because it truly reminds me of children, and how they seem to suddenly want a toy especially when someone else starts playing with it

[my-cabbages-gorl]

fave zukaang moment from the show? or top 3?

WOOO I am so sorry it took me forever to get to this, veggie!!!! but hiii thank you for this ask I will take any excuse I can get to talk about these two.

There are SO many haunting, gorgeous moments of connection between these two in the show I could choose! There are the obvious ones; fighting to protect each other's lives in the Blue Spirit episode, the "do you think we could have been friends?" moment, all the times Aang chose to spare Zuko's life, or when Zuko begs Aang to let him join their group and says "you know I have good in me" (that one is.. just ouch it's so gut-wrenching). But, I live for the moments when their irrevocable entanglement gets hit with a spotlight.

There are so many little scenes throughout the show that highlight how they are fated to be in relationship with one another. They're circling each other like Tui and La. Whether people ship them or not, their platonic relationship is arguably the core of the show. In the Seige of the North, Part 2- I think it's so symbolic that Koh the face stealer delivers his monologue about the moon and ocean spirit while in the real world, Aang (the incarnation of hope and good) is literally in bondage as Zuko (the physical manifestation of the war between good and evil) is choosing evil and risking the fate of the whole world just to save whatever shred of his own ego he has left.

When Aang asks about the moon and ocean spirits, Koh says: "Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull. And that has been the nature of their relationship for all time." Then later in the conversation he continues, "Tui and La, your moon and ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other, push and pull, life and death, good and evil, yin and yang." The fact that Zhao is attempting to capture and kill the moon spirit in order to make a name for himself, the same way that Zuko tries to kidnap Aang to deliver him to death (or at least torture and captivity) at the hands of his father to try and make a name for himself is a really nice parallel for what's being explored in their dynamic. It feels so clear (at least to me) that Aang and Zuko are a spiritual metaphor for this eternal dance- their past lives and ancestors disrupted the balance of harmony because of their broken relationship. And, now they're circling one another, mirroring one another, chasing one another in order to redeem the arc of their history- which the future of the world has always depended on. And, only when they enter into balance and harmony with one another will there be any hope for righting the world. That was SUCH a long winded way to talk about one of my favorite moments lol. And, I get that it might be a stretch but I live for the deep, convoluted metaphors of story. And Zukaang has plentyyyy of content for that sort of thing. Which is probably why I can never get over them hahaha. Honorable mention: in the final battle when Aang, the "enemy" that Ozai and his predecessors fought so hard to eradicate, spares Ozai's life when he redirects his lightning. It's so symbolic because he's using the technique that his OWN son- whom he abused and betrayed for choosing to nurture the shred of good in him- had a hand in bringing him down in the way that embodies the ultimate, humiliating antithesis to his character; 1) deep relationship and intimacy with the Avatar (the personification of good and hope) and 2) mercy.

[allmannerofmalady]

DATV: Thoughts after 30+ hours of playing

Part 2 of my jumble of thoughts, spoilers ahead. I'm going to be yapping a LOT but hey, this is my space to yap. It will be LONG.

General spoilers ahead, and explicit Solas/ending spoilers.

I feel like I have to add caveats yet again-

This comes from a place of deep emotional involvement with the franchise - but it's just the personal opinion of a rando on the internet (me).

I work in the VFX industry and I'm transitioning into game dev. I am very aware of how much time and work has gone into every detail, so I just want to acknowledge the work of the whole team. Creating assets, environments, levels - it's NOT easy. I am also very aware of how creative people and projects can get stifled due to corporate greed/ upper management.

I am a to-the-bone RPG player, I am in my 30s and it has been a lifelong passion of mine. I care about lore, character design and story - so that's my bias when it comes to opinions.

I love Solas and have feelings about it sorrryyyyyyyy

ON TO THOUGHTS :D

Positives

I'm really enjoying the gameplay and combat, hence the 30+ hours I've put into it. I'm playing as a rogue, and as I level up the combat and combos have been very satisfying. I usually always play on mouse + keyboard for DA, but I'm using a controller for DATV.

Again - I am surprisingly really enjoying Rook so far! I like the character and the British VO, and this is coming from a person who was extremely meh and uninterested in Rook, and yearned to revisit previous protagonists.

Bellara is another surprise, she's much more sweet and endearing than I expected, and from the trailers/leaks I thought I would not enjoy her character at all. Voice acting in general seems to be improving, or at least doesn't stand out to me as much as the start of my game.

The companions as a whole don't feel as deep or well rounded as previous games (but I'm still midway through, so not a fair assessment until I complete all of their personal quests), but as an RPG lover who loves games with a diverse party of companions, I'm enjoying the journey with them. Emmrich is my fave.

I don't think any amount of cameos and previous game mentions would ever be enough for me, but wow was I emotional when I saw Dorian and Inquisitor Lavellan <3 how amazing is it to have characters that get that sort of reaction from you.

I'm happy to be back in the world of Thedas, even if it wasn't how I personally envisioned it would be presented. Walking around and hearing a bard play Sera Was Never?!?!? I'm not crying.

The game looks and plays beautifully, setting aside feelings about character proportions. I keep getting distracted by how beautiful my Rook is lol. It's also running so smoothly for me, not a single glitch or bug as yet.

Personal meh's

I really, really miss the opportunities for dialogue as we had in DA:I. I feel like I can only start conversations when the game allows me to, and I loved yapping with the characters whenever I could. It also allowed you to ask juicy questions, like going to Viv or Morrigan when she's in Skyhold, asking their opinions about stuff, etc. I hate that I can't pick Harding's brain more about her time at the Inquisiton, or Varric (yes, I'm aware of the twist but still).

Following that, I wish we had more access to Solas :') even if it's just to bicker or give him attitude, or whatever the player chooses. So far, I've only been able to speak to him 3 times, I think.

The 3 choices at the start of the game (which like many, I have feelings about) don't seem to give you much satisfying payoff so far. For example, I created Inquisitor Lavellan, who romanced Solas and wants to redeem him. I spoke to her, she gave me the lines about her history with him - based on those choices, I feel like Rook should rush back to Solas and use that information? Like hey, I know this about you, I hold a weak point, work with me etc - or something idk. This applies to a lot of other angles as well, but just one example. I guess this is part of the phasing out of the Keep, and in turn removing the importance of previous decisions.

I am still really enjoying playing and nothing will stop me from finishing the game - but it doesn't feel like the RP in RPG (which I think is what it's going for, it's leaning towards the action RPG style). At moments it feels like "Dragon Age Stories" or something - shorter, tighter missions and an overarching story. This does not feel like the follow up I envisioned after the first 3 games, and the grand finale of Tresspasser. Sometimes it feels like playing Hyrule Warriors or Persona 5 Strikers and being told they're sequels to the actual RPGs if that makes sense? I'm still not sure I'll feel this way at the end, we shall see. I'm absolutely open to changing my mind.

I'm not a fan of the music, and think the previous games had much better soundtracks *hides*

Me being butthurt about stuff

There's been so much DA Inquisition hate over the years, and recently I feel like a lot of the feedback from BioWare has also felt like DA:I is being swept under the rug. Yes - a lot of it is valid, the fetch quests, the Hinterlands stuff etc, and I know a lot of DA fans have mixed feelings about it. But to me, it was so ambitious - that's what has continued to blow my mind until today. It's breadth, the size - running around Skyhold, feeling the power of the Inquisitor grow, the lore. I played DA2 first, followed by DA:O (which I ADORE) and when I started DA:I, the amount of lore was still overwhelming - I felt like I was really entering a true high fantasy game, and never felt like I was treated like an idiot. In fact, it was so fulfilling to absorb and learn the lore. The way it's simplified, over explained, retconned or glossed over in DATV really makes me sad at times. I refuse to shit on DA:I (or any previous DA game) to justify changes in future games. I bought every DLC, art book, merch, the novels - I and many others have invested into the franchise over the last 10 years with only crumbs of info about a new game. I don't like feeling like in order to celebrate a new release, we're encouraged to disparage the ones that came before, IDK.

I question getting invested in DA characters anymore, when we see how they get treated. Why should I be invested in any of the new gang? I fell in love with every companion in DA, and I miss them sorely. I downloaded mods to fix the banter bugs, tried every path to squeeze what I could out of the games. How can we be in Tevinter, talk about the issues of slavery, and no mention of Fenris?! (Yes, I'm biased af lol). I miss Cassandra, Leliana, SO many others. The line between rebooting the franchise and not wanting to mention previous characters is controversial.

There is a lot of love put into DATV, even as someone who is disappointed at aspects of it. The one thing I wish for was for the game to have felt like a love letter to the franchise that came before, and TO ME it feels more like a rush to tie loose ends. The new Silent Hill 2 remake feels like a love letter to the fans, and to the original game. If you feel that way about DATV that's fantastic, genuinely, it just didn't hit that mark for me after years of anticipation. But hey, I'm a rando on the internet. A love letter to the game to me could feature characters from the first 3 games (whatever choices the players made, since the Keep is removed any way), just to bid them a proper farewell at this point. Alistair my bb :')

There is a lot of world building from the previous games that seems completely ignored. Too much to type out tbh.

Solas/Solavellan rants - I'm seeing a lot of people complain about negativity on the subject, so please take with a grain of salt that this is just my opinion! I am still enjoying my Rook's journey.

I am sad about how Solas was written, and the Solavellan ending. I know many are happy about it - and trust me, I'm glad but I just wish I felt the same :') he feels very moustache twirling a lot of the time and I miss the previous complexity. They clearly set him on a path of no return with what he did to Varric as well, and that was... a choice. Idk what to even say about that whole plot line.

Not everyone is a Solavellan, or even likes Solas as a character. Hence the beauty of different endings, the different ways you can go about it. But I just can't reconcile the "good" ending options, and the effort to provide a Solavellan ending when it was set up like this. I get that Solas is now on the Din'anshiral, his mask is gone, he is embodying the Dread Wolf. But that beautiful nuance from Inquisition isn't there for me. The sadness, the conflict. The incredible branching dialogue options. SIGH.

The Mythal plotline - I would not have minded this given the backstory we get from previous media, but having the new companions making sex jokes about Solas/Mythal honestly felt like it was purposely shitting on Solavellans lololol. There is a million ways to interpret Solas' memories, the things you find, but I wish it didn't require it. I wish it was a clear homage to a romance that became iconic for the game this is a follow up to, and kept a sizeable chunk of the fandom going for 10 years. I still do think the game is slightly selling that Solas loves Lavellan (if that's the storyline you choose at the start, and if you choose to find the clues etc), but it feels wedged in, like an afterthought to the Mythal storyline they're going for. Almost like "HERE shut up about Solavellan, TAKE THIS *slaps messy baggage about potential Solas x Mythal and a limp kiss/doomed ending on a plate* now eat it and SHUT UP, we're moving ON" ha ha haaaa

The kiss between Solas and the Inquisitor at the end, and them getting into the flying car to (maybe?) rot in the fade like a doomed Danny and Sandy - not it for me. Sorry. But AGAIN, my dad doesn't work at Bioware, this is their franchise to do with as they see fit lol I'm just a yapper, a fan who was nourished by Solavellan crumbs. I do hope it makes others happy and wraps up the story the way they envisioned it, I'm actually jealous and wish I felt that way lol. But fanfics and art have always filled the gaps, and they shall continue to do so. Maybe I'll change my mind as time goes on.

Even though I'm not a fan, I am glad we got SOMETHING for Solavellan, I think it was just overhyped and not this grand beautiful foil to the heartbreak in Trespasser.

So far, gameplay wise - I would give DATV a 7 or 8 out of 10. It's smooth, it's beautiful, and the combat is addictive and I find myself always wanting to go on one more quest, or exploring just a little bit further.

Storywise - I don't think I could give it a fair assessment given I'm biased about previous games, and I'm too entrenched in the world building of DAO to DAI to be fair. I accept that I might be being phased out as the target audience for the franchise moving forward, but will enjoy getting my Rook to where she needs to be :)

[coffeeandcalligraphy]

Out of curiosity, could be either due to craft or sheer enjoyment, what are your top favourite books?

Okay lowkey I wrote this post & then tumblr ATE it so here it is a little late!! Rachel's All Time Favourite Books (in no particular order):

Cleanness - Garth Greenwell (litfic, ok but this is actually my fave book & today Garth Greenwell lowkey Acknowledged My Presence SOOOO!!! I've read this 4x since August, it's a craft masterpiece)

What Belongs to You - Garth Greenwell (litfic, the book that comes before Cleanness, I'm not as attached to it but it's still FANTASTIC)

A Hundred Lovers - Richie Hofmann (poetry, my fave poetry collection of all time, ALL my epigraphs come from here)

We Do What We Do in the Dark - Michelle Hart (litfic, AMAZINGGG character study & peak into relationship dynamics)

Big Shadow - Marta Balcewicz (litfic, one of my fave books of all time, FANTASTIC teen protagonist in this bildungsroman)

Physical - Andrew McMillan (poetry, AMAZING queer poetry, lots of epigraphs from here too)

Winter in Sokcho - Elisa Shua Desapin (litfic, probably the best start-to-finish narrative I've ever read in my whole life)

If An Egyptian Cannot Speak English - Noor Naga (litfic, THE BEST litfic ending I've ever read, it's UNEXPECTED and something to be STUDIED)

Undoing Hours - Selina Boan (poetry, I feel so grateful for this book as it really helped me reconnect to my Indigenous identity. I met Selina after a LIFE-CHANGING reading & chatted with her, & that conversation drove me to learn more about my family!)

Bitterblue - Kristen Cashore (YA fantasy, this is LITERARY FICTION TO ME I've re-read this like 6 times)

Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo (YA fantasy, really fun ensemble cast, THE AUDIOBOOK SLAYS)

Intimations - Alexandra Kleeman (litfic short story collection, some of THE BEST short story collections, my work feels adjacent to this dare I say??)

The Marionettes - Katie Wismer (NA paranormal, this series is sooo tropey and fun like I CAN'T WAIT for the last book, I did like book 2 best but this is the first one & I loved it too!)

Demi-Gods - Eliza Robertson (litfic, this was my fave novel before Cleanness & Eliza is my fave writer & from my alma mater! Read my interview with her!)

Monkey Beach - Eden Robinson (litfic, I read this book in a DAY, it's the most impactful novel I've ever read, she's also from my alma mater!)

How to Pronounce Knife - Souvankham Thammavongsa (litfic short story collection, my fave short story collection OF ALL TIME I learned so MUCH about short stories from this!)

The Girls - Emma Cline (litfic, this was MY writing bible for so long lol, I actually ethically hate how this book treats real murders but Emma Cline is an incredible writer & the best parts of this book are the ones that don't casually repurpose history... I have thoughts...)

History of Wolves - Emily Fridlund (litfic, I need to re-read this NOW but wow, the first half of this is chilling...)

Past Lives, Future Bodies - K-Ming Chang (poetry, not sure if you can still buy this but this is one of THE best collections I own)

The Darkest Minds - Alexandra Bracken (YA dystopian, I love AB SOOO MUCH even now hehe, this was a childhood fave & Fostered is a ripoff so <3)

[cartoonrival]

HEY YOU Hit me with some Julie Su propoganda cuz I'm mostly lukewarm on her character and don't know all that much about her.

OK OK ... well baseline info she's the daughter of dark legion general luger, and half sister of lien-da and kragok, who are twins and both high ranking legion soldiers. when their mother (merin-da) died and luger remarried, ld and kragok hated his new wife (julie-su's mother) (mari-su) so bad they orchestrated her death, info which was they kept on the DL for a long time until js eventually found out about it. memory situation, js is raised by other folks who actually love her and doesn't learn who her blood family is until later. she joins knuckles because she feels inexplicably drawn to him (soul touch) (echidna soulmates) so she defects from the legion to join the chaotix. the soul touch thing sucks and i hate it but this is how it goes. ill talk about my au version of her at the end lol bc things ive built on top of canon are part of the reason why shes one of my fave charas in the series lul

ANYWHO i honestly find it pretty frustrating when people talk about js as just being pink knuckles, shoehorned into the story to give knuckles an obligatory girlfriend, because it really demonstrates that they like. weren't paying a lick of attention to anything because she genuinely has a LOT of personality but since people just go in anticipating anything penders touched to suck they don't even bother to think about her for longer than half a second.

js fills a niche that, imo, could always use filling, especially with regards to girl characters, which is to say shes a well meaning asshole. shes incredibly blunt, she's pessimistic (immediately assumes knuckles must be dead when enerjak returns and they cant find him, tells knuckles not to search a fallen ship that his mother was on because shes probably dead and she doesnt think he'd want to see that). shes terrible at handling interpersonal conflict (knuckles confesses to her that he feels guilty and stressed over all the pressure put on him as guardian and she scolds him and says "this isn't just about you", which results in a minor shouting match when she really had zero intention of starting an argument), she's almost constantly beefing with vector (tbf its because hes sexist he refuses to see past her history as a member of the dark legion). these might suond like cons but i love characters like this LOL and they fit especially well in archie where people love to get mad at each other and make dumb mistakes and it just feels very genuine and interesting and endearing to me. shes rough and difficult but she's also DEEPLY loyal. she'd die for knuckles and the chaotix and the way she interacts with them always makes me soooo ........ im just gonna give some examples i can find.

(knuckles is on the phone with her)

^ this was the genuine conclusion of an argument they had and im obsessed with it because both of them suck with emotions so they both give the worlds strangest apology and know that the other means it and they move on. plus putting her arm in front of SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG while theyre confronting eggman even after watching him CHAOS BLAST, primarily because she feels like this is more her fight than his (its about knuckles).

theres def more and i could find them if i was more on top of archie but unfortunately im #narutopilled rn. BUT ANYWAYS. shes just a very fun character with a messy personality and fun interactions and she loves her buddies sm even tho she bickers with them. shes just very special. she fits well with knuckles in a way that makes their relationship actually feel plausible instead of just forcing him to have a girlfriend (tho ofc the writing is fumbled sometimes like. ITS ARCHIE. bffr. but thats the case with literally everything ever in archie so you take what you can and its amazing). also see below. BASED AS FUCKKKKKKK

and ill discuss my au briefly bc u r asking me my opinion on js and that does play a large role in how i feel abt her, but rly im just expanding on elements of her story that werent discussed as fully as i wouldve liked. her relationship with lien-da is obviously BAD in canon, but theres not a lot of time spent lingering on precisely how lien-da and kragok feel about julie-su as the product of their fathers second marriage to a woman they KILLED because they hated her so much. ive also given her much more internal strife over turning away from the legion, originally joining the chaotix planning to betray them from the inside then being slowly convinced to join them for real after realizing how much she'd been brainwashed by the legion and what its like to have people who truly love and care about you. her story as someone who is trying to find herself outside of her history as a child soldier is something that TOTALLY deserves to be expanded on and its a bit sad that it wasnt explored. but i mean really im not changing her actual PERSONALITY at all because as i discussed shes oozing with it.... im honestly never going to make the full comic i wanted to so at some point im just going to compile all the lore and concept art and stuff into one big post to share. but thats like a spoiler free taste.

she also has a gun. which is fucking awesome because not enough sonic characters have guns. people make shadow the guy with a gun but he hasnt been seen with one since shth. hello....

[shazleen]

Help !! I need book reccs!

I’ve recently got access to Libby and other library services, and I really want to start listening to more audiobooks!

Here’s some books I have read that I do enjoy, and maybe that will help?

The Secret History ; It’s the OG and undefeated dark academia book lol

Based on a True Story ; I love adult women crimes

Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep ; idk it was a good time, I like sci fi

Dragonflight / Dragonriders of Pern ; I heard there’s a benevolent AI in the later books and also like long forgotten human tech and that’s my fave thing

Yellowface ; I work in publishing i just enjoyed it, it was like reading industry drama

Circe ; it described a femininity I have never experienced but was so good

Dracula ; look we all love it actually

The Moth Diaries ; it’s good I love an obsessed and unreliable narrator

The Ace of Spades: I do read a lot of YA for work but this one with a focus away from romance and two incredibly compelling leads is just really good 😭

( I don’t read much!! )

Specific genres/ things!!:

Adult / mostly adult characters

Contemporary

Dark academia

Mystery / thriller

Sci Fi / cyberpunk, or near future

Fantasy (any, I’m open!!)

Worlds that involve long forgotten and recently rediscovered technologically advanced civilisations

Secret societies, cults and sacrificial lambs

I of course generally prefer books that center women, poc & lgbtq characters!!

Thank you u_u feel free to send me asks or replies!!

[myrfing]

sorry to add to the #discourse about the werlyt stuff in ffxiv, and feel free to ignore this, but your posts just got me thinking about how the average western consumer of japanese media doesn't know how to spot signs of japanese nationalism in their fave game, movie, anime, etc. For example, I remember a couple of weeks ago on twitter someone said that Miyazaki's works feature prominent elements of japanese nationalism despite not necessarily being pro-war, and both the replies and QRTs were an absolute disaster. ffxiv is a liberal game, its politics are not exceptional; they just aren't (as) egregious

Considering the social locations of people who make a piece of media and how that location affects the way they write things, like politics, isn't an outlandish concept. But ffxiv fans always seem hyperdefensive about this and i cannot understand why

yeah for sure! imo people are getting better about it (don't think it even registered in most of the english-speaking side of the internet's heads that there was a pacific theater for a long time), with more eastern media being translated and gaining popularity that DOES legitimately have leftist authors, but you still have a ton of "how can this work have jp nationalist elements when they say War is Bad 🤨". feels like a lot of this is cause really anime/manga/games were so vaunted as the ultimate escape for americans (not exclusive) and now that people are gaining more of a political consciousness, there's this need for the things that are nostalgic and soothing for them to be "good" media without Problems. which is like. not the point man. though people have always studied and conversed about media trends and the influence of eras on the art created within them and there's always been a knee-jerk You're Being Crazy reaction to it (even though if it's a conversation they're not interested in right now, the people who have this reaction usually can always just...step out lol), I feel like it's just magnified by the way social media uhh does all that. and on top of it a lot of discourse is in bad faith, so sometimes not giving people the time of day DOES seem like the correct and safe option every time but it's like...some people apply it so broadly and blindly that it's basically anything that upsets me = wrong and bullshit.

And you're totally right about xiv LMFAOOO it feels like some people are compelled to do damage control for the game like it's personal. you'd assume that everyone is working off of the recognition that ffxiv is a mass market product and a feel-good fantasy and the writing may not even reflect the totality of a writer's beliefs, but rather what they believe is the median, liberal truth that they're willing to sell. sometimes in oddball places you can find hints of something more genuine but these are exceptions. & acting like it's proofed from this is suggesting that somehow final fantasy fourteen the mmo is interested in breaking any status quos and the whole of its creators have collectively managed to break apart from the time and history they exist in, when in truth it relies on it to guide its writing and business plan. i don't think this is a crazy controversial thing. it's a normal thing. & i cant really speak for how other people are talking about it, but i rarely suggest malevolence in my critiques of the shit I enjoy moreso than I'm saying Le Hegemony Has Arrived....something not even individual people can escape myself included much less a corporation....but the accusation is assumed anyway. What is the worst that can happen by acknowledging some stories and patterns in xiv's story have very liberal takes on topics in which liberalism understands and treats poorly? i dunno the answer to this one honestly I do not understand the fear

[brawlmetaknight]

Why do you like META KNIGHT so much? What is your history with the character?

it's honestly kinda hard to put into words, but i think when someone has a Big Fave it's usually a mixture of feeling like you can relate to them but also finding them inspiring in some ways. my actual first kirby game was crystal shards on the N64, but i was first introduced to meta knight in 2004 with nightmare in dreamland on the GBA. i must've been like 10, and i just thought he was really cool and strong because of how easy and fun the meta knightmare mode was. nintendo games have been a big part of my life ever since i could barely talk lol, but meta knight was just a character i particularly enjoyed whenever he showed up, like in air ride. INSTA-PICK lol. i had also watched some of the kirby anime around that time, but i think it was when smash bros brawl came out that i really acknowledged the concept of having a Favourite Character and this dude was definitely him.

i was actually part of the kirby fandom way back when deviantart was in its prime (my account is long gone now). i'm pretty sure i drew the first ever daroach fanart on the english speaking internet but that's a story for another day lol. the kirby series was not my only interest though, and i moved on to other nintendo fandoms (mostly zelda) for the majority of my late teens/early twenties. i still played every new kirby release, but i wasn't actively involved in the fandom. it's really only been in the past…6 years? that i found myself drawn back to kirby/smash. part of it might be nostalgia. but thinking about my other favourite characters from different franchises, there's definitely some characteristics i always seem to gravitate to. i don't think you're asking for a character analysis so i won't go there lol, but yeah. i guess he's just a character that has resonated with me for a long time!

[agerebatman]

My first watchlist! I know how popular she is with regressors, so I thought I'd make one for Poison Ivy first!! This is a collection of some Poison Ivy episodes/appearances and my thoughts on them. Enjoy! (Pst - here's a place to watch. Shh!)

Batman: The Animated Series

Pretty Poison • Ivy focused

One of my fave episodes, the introduction to Pam!

Eternal Youth • Ivy Focused

An all around great Poison Ivy episode, great plot, though can be a *tad* scary if you're really small.

Almost Gottem • Ivy Appearance

Very very fun episode with lots of rogues. Every rogue has a story, including Ivy!

Harley and Ivy • Ivy Focus

Amazing episode if you like Harley and Ivy. Their chemistry is amazing!

House and Garden • Ivy Focus

Ivy being a momma... in her own way.

Trial • Ivy Appearance

Another ensemble episode, Ivy only has a cameo though

Holiday Nights • Ivy Appearance

The first section is about Harley, Ivy, AND Bruce! One of my faves.

Girls Night Out • Ivy Focus

Another personal fave, featuring batgirl, supergirl, and live wire!

Chemistry • Ivy Focus

I don't remember much about this episode except being mad that Alfred was working at Bruce's wedding, lol. Ivy focused though.

Harley Quinn

(Ivy stars in this show - she's in every episode! But here's some of my favorites for her. TW: this show is not kid friendly! It contains swearing, adult themes, and gore.)

Being Harley Quinn

Ivy being a good friend to Harley and helping her untangle some emotions.

Riddler U

A super fun Harley and Ivy adventure! They sneak into a college.

Catwoman

Explores Ivy's bf kiteman as well as her rocky history with catwoman

All the Best Inmates Have Daddy Issues

How Harley and Ivy met, plus some insight into her past!

There's No Place to Go but Down

Harley has to find her confidence! Also really funny episode

Bachelorette

The beginnings of Harley and Ivy Romance 👀

Something Borrowed, Something Green

A happy Harlivy ending!

All of season 3. Just watch all of it.

Then don't watch season 4

The Batman (2004)

Batgirl Begins, parts 1 and 2 • Ivy Focus

A very different take on Ivy, she's batgirls age. It's interesting!

Fleurs De Mal • Ivy Focus

I haven't really watched this one :P sorry! Ivy and Penguin as far as I can tell.

Movies

Batman and Robin Forever

The only live action movie featuring Ivy. So campy and fun!

The Long Halloween : Part 2

Only a quick appearance, but I recommend both parts of this movie in general!

Batman and Harley Quinn

This movie is awful, but it's almost so bad it's good.

Phew, long list! Hope you find something to watch, little saplings <3

[sitp-recs]

Do you have any recommendations or tags for stories that have a dramatic love declaration?

Of course! I listed below my absolute faves as they left a big impression when it comes to love confessions. Whenever I get asks about this I crave for a Grey’s Anatomy AU emulating this scene with Lexie *sigh* (I always think of Far From the Tree when I see it though…)

An Emerald In The Sky by @corvuscrowned (M, 6k)

The hardest part about shagging an Unspeakable is that they’re not allowed to speak of anything. All Draco knows is that Harry works in Time. Harry works in Time, and while he’s out there in all of that time, it is as unforgiving to him as it is to anyone.

The Eighth Tale by lettered (E, 12k)

Draco Malfoy tries to fix the past, but instead mucks it up some more. For Harry, it all becomes quite clear.

What Real Thing? by @l0vegl0wsinthedark (E, 12.6k)

They don’t cuddle, they don’t talk about their relationship (or lack thereof) and they certainly never fall asleep in each other’s arms.

White as Snow by @bixgirl1 (E, 19k)

After a quick escape from danger, Harry and Draco find themselves trapped in a blizzard, a small cabin their only refuge from the storm. It's the perfect place to recover and regroup — and to have a long-overdue conversation or two.

The Boy Who Only Lived Twice by lettered (E, 54k)

Harry Potter is an Unspeakable. Draco Malfoy is the wizard who shagged him. Adventure! Intrigue! Secret identities, celebrities, spies! It's all right here, folks.

We Are Young (I'll Carry You Home Tonight) by Femme (E, 68k)

Harry and Draco have been falling into bed on and off again since the last election five years ago, much to the amusement--and financial gain--of their circle of friends.

Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop (E, 70k)

It's Potter's fault, of course, that Draco finds himself trapped in the same twenty-four-hour period, repeating itself over and over again. It's been nearly a year since the unpleasant business at Hogwarts, and Draco's getting on with his life quite nicely, thank you, until Harry sodding Potter steps in and ruins it all, just like always.

Azoth by @lol-zeitgeistic (E, 88k)

Now that Harry is back at Hogwarts with Hermione for eighth year, he realises that something’s missing from his life, and it either has to do with Ron, his boggart, Snape, or Malfoy. Furthermore, what, exactly, does it mean when one’s life is defined by the desire to simultaneously impress and annoy a portrait? Harry has no idea; he’s too busy trying not to be in love with Malfoy to care.

Far From The Tree by aideomai (E, 112k)

The arrival of Harry Potter’s children—snapped back in time, the children themselves guessed, twenty or so years—was the most interesting thing to happen at Hogwarts for years.

What We Pretend We Can't See by gyzym (M, 131k)

Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.

Dwelling on Dreams by @the-sinking-ship (E, 135k)

Draco thought he could avoid Potter for the duration of his brief return to England. He’d stick to his schedule and be back home in Paris, where he belonged, in a few short months. No trouble at all. He had plenty to occupy him, what with the opening of the London branch of his successful apothecary, his innovative research, drinks with Pansy, a backlog of unread potions periodicals.

By the Grace by lettered (T, 140k)

Harry is an Auror instructor. Malfoy wants to be an Auror.

These Secrets In Me by Femme (E, 357k) - part 3 of Tales from the Special Branch series

Auror Special Branch team seven-four-alpha--Sergeant Draco Malfoy, Constable Pansy Parkinson, and Constable Blaise Zabini led by their SIO, Inspector Harry Potter--must handle personal and political fallout from the implication of Ministry employees and Aurors in the scandal around escaped Death Eaters and a Dementor uprising at Azkaban. On top of that, their original target, Antonin Dolohov, is in the wind.

[foreststarflaime]

All 50 "honest" fave prompts for Loki as a whole

( @izunias-meme-hole )

Hooo boy this is gonna be fun! Here we gooo

I’ll. I’ll just cut here bc this is going to be inevitably long. I tend to ramble even when I’m just asked one of these so I cannot wait to see how long this post gets lmao

1. Do you project onto this character?

As always with my favorites, yeah ofc lol, although actually in fewer specific instances than I can think of for some other characters at the moment. Honestly I liked him so early on that it might have gone the other way around. Gender weirdness, feeling the need to ingratiate yourself with people you need (not sure I phrased that one properly but anyways), (for comics Loki) I’m adopted too.

2. Did you always like this character? / 4. Did you initially dislike/hate this character?

Oh yeah, absolutely, I always loved him. One of my earlier favorite characters, particularly the marvel version of him, and he’s stayed drilled into my head!

3. What first drew you to this character?

Hmm it’s kinda hard to say, exactly. I think he was really the first/best trickster type character I encountered, and since that is my favorite character type, I latched on immediately. Also he is very gender and whumpable, so that probably played some part in it too.

5. If this character were a woman, would you honestly still like them? Or in reverse, what if they were a man?

This is. Not the question for this character lmaooo Loki is very genderweird, and that’s I think part of the reason I love him so much. So taking this question as would I still like him if he wasn’t…whatever weird gender thing he has going on? I’d probably still like him, but not nearly as much. It wouldn’t be him. Them. Her. Etc, you get the idea.

6. Do you have any nicknames or pet names you use for this character?

Not that I can think of? At the moment at least

7. Does the character’s age matter to you?

Not really? I mean it’s cool he has so much history behind him, but. I guess…the only different age instance I can think of is kid Loki from comics, and I liked him too, so I don’t think so really

8. Does the character’s looks/design matter to you?

Not to be shallow lmao but yeahhh, he’s gotta be stylish and gender, it’s part of who he is!! For general myth Loki I’m not really as picky on designs as long as they capture the vibe, but for comics Loki, the scrappier and more feral he looks the better, and I do prefer the shorter horns I think.

9. Does this character remind you of anyone you know? Does that affect how you see them?

Hmmmm not particularly I don’t think

10. Do you see yourself in this character even without projecting?

Yeah I do I think. I’ve always loved some good mischief and wordplay, tricks and riddles and thinking my way through loopholes. Some of the other things I said in projecting still apply here too, I’d say, and I’m sure there’s more not coming to mind immediately amidst all the Loki adaptations I’ve seen.

11. How did you “fall in love” with this character?

Loki: Agent of Asgard, especially the part in Last Days where he becomes the god of story, and then tells that story to the gods above the gods. Coolest most meta thing ever. Exactly everything I love. Altered my brain chemistry irreversibly.

12. If you could write effortlessly and as much as you wanted, what story (s) would you write for this character?

Oooo hmmmmm…lots of fix its probably, lots of him finding someone who loves him (probably platonically, I have to think really hard to do romance and I don’t tend to like it as much). But there would be a loooot of hurt on the way to the comfort >:) also lots of legendary pranks gone hilariously wrong

13. If you could draw effortlessly and as much as you wanted, what scene (s) would you draw for this character?

Probably a lot of him being goofy and mischevious. For comics Loki specifically lots of him doing cool things with that blue story fire, that is badass

14. Are you physically attracted to this character? / 15. Are your thoughts surrounding this character usually sexual, non-sexual, or a mix of both?

I don’t think I’ve ever been attracted to anyone sexually or romantically fictional or otherwise ever in my life tbh, closest it gets is gender envy. Which yes I very much do want to look like him lol

16. Have you ever cried when thinking about this character? Genuinely?

It is so unbelievably hard to get me to cry for anything. It’s not really a good way to measure how much something fictional has moved me since I can literally count the number of times it has happened on one hand. That being said, yes actually—I was very upset they decided to kill him off in the first 30 mins of Endgame and in such a sad way

17. Have you ever felt physical pain over this character? (ex: physical heartache).

Well I tend to feel things quite physically, so yeah. Never really connected that with the word heartache specifically until now, but I guess that’s what it is. Whenever I’ve gotten immersed in whatever thing I’m reading/watching, I tend to feel along with the characters I love like a weird sort of pain in my chest I guess? I’m having a hard time finding the words to describe it but yeah this definitely happens with Loki angst

18. Do you prefer to see this character suffer or know peace? Angst or comfort? Both?

Hurt/comfort my beloved. The more angst the better as long as the comfort at the end matches it o7 that said moments of comfort do tend to stick with me for longer, being so rare as they are, but I wouldn’t say I enjoy one more than the other exactly.

19. Does this character serve as a stress ball/ security blanket for you? Something you run to after a bad day to feel safe or happier?

For comics Loki in particular, yeah absolutely. I’ve definitely sat down to read the first or third volume of Agent of Asgard after rough days before, and I recently brought them over here to uni to have at the ready since I’ve been so stressed lately. Loki my beloved you finding yourself gives me so much joy and hope

20. Do you feel affectionate towards this character?

Of course!!! That’s my guyyyy!!! I love him!!!! If you wrong him I will stab you violently :)

21. Are your feelings about this character platonic, romantic, or familial? All of these feelings at once maybe?

That’s my bestie!!! (NO romance) That’s my little brother!!!! That’s my idiot pulling crazy stunts and getting himself in endless trouble!!! I’d definitely choose him as a patron god!! That’s the weird guy whose soul is akin to mine!!!! I adopted him in my formative years and drew up so many connections and ideals and dreams between us that it’s hard to tell where I stop and he begins!!! Look just. I love him ok favorite favorite character for like. A very long time

22. Do you think you will always love this character?

I am not letting go he will escape me over my cold dead body and even then I will haunt him. Or he will haunt me I’m not sure

23. Has this character permanently altered or impacted your psyche in a way you won’t forget?

Um. See the above. Also made me go crazy feral for characters who mess with the narrative in a meta way, and/or have powers related to story in some way. Hence Foreststar, if you’ve seen anything about her

24. Do you ever dream about this character? If so, describe a dream you once had about them.

Ohh I think I did once but it’s very hard to remember. I think I was allied with him in that weird dream within a dream I had where I was fighting alongside a bunch of my favorite characters against…something, I don’t really remember, it’s been too long rip

25. What kind of fan-fiction do you read about this character? If you don’t read fan-fics about them, why not?

Yknow. Shocking, it has never occurred to me until now to look up fanfiction about him. Unless you count all modern adaptations as fanfiction about myth Loki. In which case I read many and my favorite is when they crammed him into a superhero au

Yeah tbh I didn’t really get into fanfics until quite recently—dsmp days I read a little bit of sbi found family stuff towards the end, then I actually started actively seeking stuff out with Good Omens. I wasn’t allowed to be online much when I was younger and so it never really occurred to me to get into fandom until recently (here with ff7 is really the first time I’m actually interacting with other people about it online lol), just had some really good friends to gush about stuff with in person

I’d probably be quite picky with Loki fanfics tho since my idea of him is so deeply ingrained into my psyche

26. If you look for this character’s name on AO3, what tags are you including or excluding?

Anything romantic/smut excluded, I don’t think I could take it. It almost never occurs to me to think about him in that context. Well that’s the way I am with every character really, but. Hm I’d maybe accept Lokius stuff. Or stuff with Sigyn. Ok so maybe I’m not very strict about that. Maybe I don’t actually care idk. That said definitely excluding if anyone ships comics!Loki and Verity, let them be friendssss I am begging their chemistry as besties is amazing and that idiot needs to learn to love himself before he gets into any romance. Definitely including hurt/comfort tho. And tags with his kids as major characters. Parent Loki my beloved I need more of you

27. Do you like to ship this character with other characters or do you prefer not to?

Well. See above. With shipping the baseline is that I don’t really care about romance as long as it isn’t smacking me in the face when I don’t want it to. I’m along for the ride if I’m in the mood. It is VERY rare that I will actively enjoy a ship and ships with him are not part of that exception

28. Do you get defensive about this character? If yes, then why?

Hm I don’t get defensive too often if we’re talking about interpretations, when I do it’s usually because people aren’t letting other people enjoy what they want, so in that sense no not really. Now if we’re talking about against other characters, well.

ODIN WHEN I CATCH YOU—GET BACK HERE THIS IS CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT. YOU ARE DEAD THAT IS MY DUMBASS AND HIS WONDERFUL CHILDREN DONT YOU DARE PUT THEM THROUGH THE HORRORS. AND FOR WHAT HUH FOR WHAT 🔪🔥

29. Do you affectionately bully this character?

Oh absolutely. Dumbass loser <3

30. Are you especially sensitive about this character?

Hm probably yeah, he is my fav fav, there is a lot of attachment there

31. Are you ashamed of liking this character?

Nah

32. If you could make this character a meal, what would you make them?

Homemade cookies. Maybe my salmon I mentioned in the Angeal ask too. He deserves something made with love he gets put through the whump machine enough

33. Are you “blinded by love” for this character or do you accept any flaws they may have?

I SUPPORT HIS RIGHTS AND WRONGS jk lmao. Well kinda. I know he has many flaws but I love him anyways and look he had good intentions ok

34. Does this character inspire you with little things in your daily life?

Hm not…exactly? At least not really in any instances that I can think of at the moment? Besides what I answered in the comfort character question, 19 I think it was

35. Has this character ever prevented you from sleeping because you can’t stop thinking about them?

Well. It’s not exactly hard to do that, I always have a very hard time turning my brain off so I can sleep. So yeah, happened just last night lol

36. Do you feel a spiritual/soulmate connection with this character?

Yeah a bit ngl. Well not in the usual sense of that

37. Is your love for this character a secret from people you know in real life?

Absolutely not, when I like a character I cannot be stealthy about it lol. In fact with the besties, since we all love pjo and I’m adopted and have no idea who my bio father is, it is the common conspiracy that Loki is lol

38. Do you tend to joke more about dying or killing for this character? Both? What causes the distinction?

Both, I don’t think one really outweighs the other when it happens. As for distinction, usually turns to killing when I get defensive of him, see 28

39. Do you feel lovesick over this character?

I don’t think so? Aromantic and confused lol

40. Are you very empathetic towards this character? When they feel a certain way in the story, do you feel those emotions too?

Reiterating what I said in 17. Yeah in a weird way

41. Do you prefer to interact with this character directly via self-insert/reader type content? Or do you enjoy seeing them mostly with other characters in the story and/or your OCs?

I do imagine self-insert stuff in an oc-y way for Loki a lot just in my own head. Don’t go seeking any out that anyone else has written. Probably prefer that bc he’s the character I’m most interested in in whatever story he’s in by far

42. If you could, would you write this character a song or poem?

If I was in the mood, sounds fun. Don’t do poetry much myself, I tend to prefer prose

43. What type of weather makes you think of this character?

Snow. The mischief it can bring, whenever some child drunk on the joy of life stoops down to make a snowball and ambush innocent passersby. The mischief turns to grand fun in an hours-long war, with snow forts build and hot chocolate being made for afterwards. But maybe someone gathers a little too much ice in one snowball, and the mischief turns suddenly to wrong. He didn’t mean to. A heavy blizzard, raging outside and driving everyone inside, to sit around the fire and tell stories.

44. Which season makes you think of this character?

Winter. See above reasons. Also a season usually hated and villainized, even though there’s plenty of beauty and joy that can be found if one looks in the right place.

45. Do you feel as if you are intimately familiar with this character?

I mean he’s been my favorite for so long and so passionately that I kinda do yeah

46. How much do bad interpretations of this character upset you?

Not much? It depends how bad the interpretation is. I’m very hard to upset with this kind of thing—you can get me to enjoy pretty much anything, at least while I’m watching it. If I don’t like something I just kinda ignore/avoid it, or rant a bit to one of the besties and then kinda forget about it. If it was a really bad interpretation, I’d probably be annoyed, but not hugely upset.

47. Does this character ever make you laugh sincerely?

Oh yeah! Can think of several instances immediately for mcu Loki alone.

48. What’s your favorite physical/design feature for this character?

Agent of Asgard Loki’s iconic little gold hornssss and the green trench coat with the fur at the collarrrrr he looks so good and I need that outfit!!! Also love the choice to make one of them broken on his story crown. Also love that they gave him black painted nails

49. What’s your favorite personality trait in this character?

Hmmmmmmmmmm so many to choose from that I like rahhh I think for my favorite I would have to go with how he refuses to be anything other than himself, no matter who he thinks that is, villain or hero or anything in-between. I find myself being a bit of a people-pleaser a lot, especially in person, so I really respect that. And kind of envy it.

50. Link your fav song, playlist, aesthetic board, fan-fiction, reference pile, personal artwork, analysis post, meme, headcanon, or quote for this character. Whichever one (s) you are most comfortable with!

I’ll go with quote for now. Or scene really lol

[brasideios]

10 Characters/10 Fandoms/10 Tags

Thank you for thinking of me my dears @krankittoeleven & @ainulindaelynn

Lemme see. This is long, sorry about that. I’m in a rambling mood. These are just the characters that came wandering into my noodle in no order - at least, that was intended.

1. Dorothea from Middlemarch (by George Eliot). She’s probably my fave character ever. I think in a mostly abstract way, she’s come nearest to mapping out how I perceive the feminine part of myself. She starts out so so idealistic - wanting to do something to change the world, to matter, but society has its own rules that eventually beats her down, but she’s so stoic, enduring, and self-denying, that her happy ending is earned… but then the epilogue is so melancholy so was it happy? and… I don’t know. There’s something in it all that I’ve never found a better version of.

2. My brain is on D names now lol so Daphnae from AC Odyssey. The more I think about her story, as little as we’re given of it, the more I find something tragic and fated in it, and then there’s the possibility of changing that fate, or embracing it. Something, something doomed by the narrative, unless…?

3. Demosthenes from my pdfs lol listen - ancient history RPF is a fandom (apparently) so this is valid. I have been down some serious rabbit holes with this man of late - I won’t even start on why or this will be an essay. I could also have put Thucydides in this position - but I’m on D names.

4. Daria. No seriously. I loved this show when I was a teen, and she’s honestly my spirit animal. It was my nickname because I was unfortunately very much like that. I adore her deadpan, acerbic remarks and many of them will live on in my brain forevermore. I wasn’t as witty btw - but the vibes were the same.

5. Hedwyn from the vg Pyre (woot! My brain releases me from the letter D!). I’ve played it several times now, and he’s my fave. Just a sweet guy - so sweet, you always want to free him first, but then you also very much wanna keep him with you - and sometimes I’ve been selfish enough to send everyone else instead. I also like Volfred a lot but that has everything up do with the VA 🙈

6. Alfie from Peaky Blinders. I have no excuses - the character is an unhinged maniac but Tom Hardy just brought something (a twinkling eye) to the role that makes him a very likeable, back-stabbing psychopath.

7. Caesar from HBO Rome. Ciaran Hinds has been a fave of mine since Persuasion - and I liked how he acted this part / how he was written. That’s all I’ll ever say about Caesar - character or historical figure. There are at least another half a dozen characters in this series I might’ve mentioned too. I must rewatch it one of these days.

8. Gannicus from Starz Spartacus. Dustin Clare is an old time favourite from waaaay back when I was persuaded to watch McLeod’s Daughters - really bingeable but quite trashy Aussie TV - sorry to any fans - but it really is. I so enjoyed his vibes and he brings all of that to Gannicus and it just works so well for the character. Pure cheekiness, and when he does this face 🥺 chefs kiss. Side note - I will pretty regularly say some variation of ‘my cock rages on’ about the most random stuff so - thanks to this character for that gem lol.

9. Johnny Spit from the movie Gettin Square. Yeah this is left field and I seriously doubt there’s a fandom for it - but what a character - quintessentially Australian deadbeat, (played by David Wenham). There’s a courtroom scene that kills me every time. I hope he got square, for good this time.

10. Kenny from Mad Men. I don’t even know how to explain it, I just want to protect him and he doesn’t even deserve it, and he wouldn’t have thanked me for it - maybe it was just the way everyone else was just an asshole about his writing. I want to know more about the short story about the egg. I could’ve picked almost any other character from this show though. They’re all so good/bad for their own reasons.

I made it! Haha! I have no idea who to tag - I think the only people who usually join in have already been tagged - so I’ll just add a few and call it ten. Sorry for any double ups.

No pressure at all - @nemo-of-house-frye @theinkandthesea @liminalspacecowboah @cyrus-the-younger @myriath

[murfeelee]

15 questions for 15 mutuals

Thanks for tagging me here @rstarsims3! and @drawing-way-outside-the-lines here! <3

1. Are you named after anyone?

Kind of, but it's a long and convoluted story that would reveal too much about how low class I am, LOL.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Last night, reading super emotional fanfiction.

3. Do you have kids?

I have a brat-monster, does that count?

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

5. What sports do you play/have you played?

Blitzball in Final Fantasy 10 was the closest I ever got to playing sports, and I suck at it, LOL!

6. What’s the first thing you notice about other people?

I always wanna know their zodiac sign--it WORKS, shaddup.

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Happy endings.

8. Any special talents?

My astonishing tolerance for BS.

9. Where were you born?

NYC.

10. What are your hobbies?

Playing The Sims 3 (Gwent's tryna take over my life again), watching anime, and reading.

11. Do you have any pets? 

Never. :(

12. How tall are you? 

5'3"

13. Fave subject in school?

History & Art

14. Dream job?

Any job is great at this point, jfc. U_U

15. Eye colour?

Brown.

I tag anyone who wants to be tagged--y'all know how lazy I am.

[sagemoderocklee]

Writers Truth & Dare Ask Game

🍄 🍬 ❄️ 🏜️ 🦴

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

got a lot of headcanon asks today in my inbox lol... uh for this ill go with my headcanon about Tenten not being without family since ive got two asks for that levels thing i reblogged earlier to answer

so my hc and how i usually approach Tenten is that she comes from a weapon smithing clan. Her clan originally came from Dragon Kingdom, but like... so, so long ago. like a thousand years ago. they were originally trading in what is now Fire, and eventually some started to settle instead of going back to Dragon Kingdom. They established themselves as blacksmiths and as times changed, became weapon makers almost exclusively. Her clan still makes other things besides weapons, but they specialize in weapon making.

Tenten lives with her grandmother since her parents died during Obito's assault on Konoha with the kyuubi. Tenten's clan lives in the industrial district of Konoha, and Neji (who is alive thank you) moves there after he and Tenten have been dating for a bit.

Tenten, of course, prioritizes fighting with weapons, but she also is a good smith herself, and does a lot of unique work with weapons.

I gave Tenten's clan a name, of course, so her family/clan name is Nie, which means 'pattern of a sword blade'.

🍬 ⇢ post an unpopular opinion about a popular fandom character

drawing a blank beyond all my usual things like gaara being obsessed with naruto being stupid or like the way ppl generally approach Gaara is ableist and disregards his history prior to Yashamaru tryna kill him or lee not being anbu/akatsuki/hokage etc and also ppl making lee sexy is stupid like he's weird looking and thats fine and i think his weird looks are charming and cute... all of which ive talked about before

um i guess ill say that sakura being self-centered is actually a really important and interesting character trait. it doesn't make her an awful, irredeemable character, it's just a character flaw and i think ppl who love her tend to ignore that about her because the people who absolutely hate her are always callin her a bitch etc. like i love sakura but she can be a bitch and i think that's interesting and okay and like if you really like a character you can lean into their flaws without that being like a condemnation of the character. she doesn't have to be like sunshine and daisies to be a good character

❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

the dream theme/plot for a fic is one i'd probably just write myself. not like for any reason other than if i have an idea i usually wanna execute it myself, and at this point a lot of my ideas exist within the worldbuilding ive done and not that other ppl dont or cant but my interest are always gonna lean more into the political spectrum of storytelling and i think that's generally my niche and not as many ppl write those stories.

i think if there was absolutely something i didnt wanna write id honestly probably not wanna read it either, so im always like shit at answer these kinda questions cause once i have an idea im like 'ok ill write that someday'

🏜️ ⇢ what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

always gonna love long comments that talk about the themes of the story, that bring up things the reader thinks is foreshadowing, direct lines from the fic, and so on. i like when ppl are like rlly analyzing what ive written and telling me their thoughts and what they think is gonna happen. i think by far my fave thing is ppl tryna guess what's coming and seeing how close or how far off they are, and when ppl do pick up on foreshadowing that is just... chef's kiss.

🦴 ⇢ is there a piece of media that inspires your writing?

i find inspiration in a lot of things and it rlly is gonna depend on what im writing at the time. sometimes i get inspired by music (a lot of my gaalee fics were originally inspired by Florence+the Machine song for instance), sometimes it's like a poem or a book, or a tv show, but it rlly is always gonna depend on what im writing.

but my perspective is that art begets art. art is always in a state of inspiring more art, whether its the originating artist being inspired by their own work or another being inspired by their work, i think art is at its core always birthing more art.

with fic i dont think i could pinpoint one single thing that's inspiring me at any given moment, but i am often being inspired by other things whether it's music or just like an article about something.