#i love their bromance so much they're so important to me

[leafsfromthevine]

it's kinda corny-

- it's not, it's sweet. i love you.

i love you.

*dramatic zukka hand on shoulder*

[nutmeggery]

I need Neil Gaiman to know that Good Omens 2 made me feel emotions I haven't felt in nearly a decade.

When I heard there was going to be a Good Omens 2 I was looking forward to it, of course. I just wasn't expecting it do anything super special to my emotions. I was sure I'd enjoy it, though. I really enjoyed s1.

But, for the last few years, I watched shows and afterwards basically thought well, that was fun, and I quickly moved on and didn't think much about them. There was only about 3 shows in the last 5 years that had made me feel truly emotional and stayed on my mind to the point where I felt like I needed to engage in fandom for a while. (Good Omens 1 was one of them.)

I wasn't spoiled by the leak. I never even knew there was a leak. So I had no idea what was coming in s2. And oh boy...

See, I'd watched Our Flag Means Death, a show where you don't expect the lead characters to kiss, because, well, that never happens in these types of shows, right? And this is important because when they did kiss, it felt like a door that had been locked with just about all the high security locks in the world had suddenly, inexplicably, been opened. Something switched inside me. It took me months to understand what it was, but when I thought about Good Omens before s2 came out, I realized what it was.

I would never truly enjoy a bromance they're-only-queer/in love-by-your-own-interpreation story ever again. Stories where nothing is confirmed, just subtext that anyone who doesn't want to see it can easily deny and mock those who wish it was more.

While it was clear that Crowley and Aziraphale cared a lot about each other in s1, and were probably in love, it was still just a fun ship for fans to play with in fanfiction and fanart. Do they love each other? Oh sure. In what way? Well, that's up to interpretation. Ok, cool. But it's not quite Our Flag Means Death, is it?

Then I watched Good Omens 2. And from episode 1 I saw my favourite Angel and Demon duo love each other. And I was having the best time. I hadn't had such a good time watching a show in a long while. It was not only right up my alley, it was an alley I wasn't even aware was my alley until I saw it. I enjoyed seeing the old characters, the new characters. Oh, I was wonderful.

It was clear to me that, of course Crowley and Aziraphale love each other, are IN love with each other, showing it in their own way. And I wasn't expecting it to be THIS obvious.

And then when the kiss happened, I couldn't believe it. I covered my mouth with both hands and gasped and sat up straight in my seat. I had never expected it--the heartbreak it added to the already heartbreaking scene--it rewired something inside me.

It was like my emotions had been locked up in a stall like a horse for so, so long, and now the gate had been opened, the stable door kicked down, and the horse was running out onto the large pasture into the daylight, bucking and kicking up grass. Oh my god, I have to take a few minutes to process that entire 6 hour marathon of emotions.

And by a few minutes I meant a few days.

More than a few, actually.

I didn't need a kiss to understand how much they loved each other, but I did need the kiss to understand how intense and heartbreaking their separation is for them after everything.

But more than that, the kiss broke a barrier. They really did it, I thought. They really dared.

Aziraphale and Crowley aren't human males, no, but they're played by male actors. And that is significant. That makes the kiss significant. In the world we currently live in.

Weeks later, I'm still obsessed with the show, re-watching s1 and 2, reading the book again, listening to the audio drama. And I'm on tumblr, seeing people's posts and art to somehow sate my hunger for a s3 that doesn't exist (yet).

And I'm having a wonderful time.

[prapaiwife]

High school frenemy!!!

First off I think no one I mean no one was ready for the engagement of what high school frenemy had did. I see people saying that this was all planned for the show to get the hype it had gotten but it wasn't. This was such an organic growth of success that happened each week. And it kind of sounds crazy to say when you look at the cast! I mean they're two main leads skynani both have a huge following of their own and have done a lot of acting in their careers prior to even being together. And so they're pretty well respected! And then now with sky joining gmm and to meet nani again and be in hsf it was as if their career just catapulted exceptionally. I can't go on about how much they both deserve this I remember when it was just starting out and the show didn't have that much engagement barely any promo for the beginning. But as episodes went on the trends the engagements the hashtags everything started to become louder. Sky and Nani we're doing events more and more every other week press tours in between were more frequent. They truly earned the success so much, skynani have said they didn't expect people to care let alone love their show, a show about friendship or bromance. And yet now they're going to have their own fan con next year of February! have two shows for them the second one literally being by popular demand lol literally being filmed the week before the conference because it was a no brainer that these two need to work together for as long as they can. To have seen this growth happen in real time has been so crazy and yet stressful yet fun lol. Their chemistry on screen is something that everyone in that whole building up in gmm can't even really put into words let alone the fans so 😂😂 like it's just unfathomable with those two on screen for 16 episodes that was amazing!!! And again these two have acted prior to their careers and yet it feels like their careers have seemed reignited with this. Especially Nani because he's been in shows that done seemingly well people still talk about F4 and homeschool every now and then Wednesday club maybe lol and he has said to himself that he can't believe it it's like a pinch me moment for him truly honestly he was really emotional today in tears expressing his gratitude and his gratefulness for all of this. And for sky he's so happy to be here! to be having someone that he can call his partner that he gets along with so well who he understands and vice versa and can confidently says is his friend. Saint and shin relationship being able to heal from it's past wounds and move forward has been the most heart-wrenching but as well the most heartwarming story to have seen🤧 those two characters will always be characters that I cannot forget.

Now the finale in of itself was action packed as they said I think everyone's characters'stories have wrapped up really well. The show focuses so much on family, forgiveness, and of course friendship it touched me so deeply because I know how important it is to have relationships and doesn't always have to be the romantic ones just the platonic ones. But to have that friend whether it is a group or just that singular one person it's all meaningful. All that has been said about friendships and how to take care of them we all heard this before but it doesn't ever really hurt to have that reminder. Now we wait until the fan me and then into the new era for their shows and I can't wait to see the way it's just going to be more than what it is now it's just going to get higher and higher for them 🤧

[uhbasicallyjustmilex]

hey i’m really confused bc I’m new to the arctic monkeys fandom, I’ve listened to their music and followed them for years but I never really knew anything about who the members were, their names, personalities, side projects etc. I had no idea about them at all. But a month ago I found out about Alex turner and fell in love with his personality, music, lyricism, everything and so I wanted to see if he did anything outside of the monkeys so I researched and found.. gayness?? I’m so confused right now. In my mind, Alex seemed like the straightest person I’ve ever thought about but then after discovering the last shadow puppets, I decided to quickly watch a performance and omfg I was so startled with how… I don’t even know how to explain it, it’s like him and Miles are homoerotic without even needing the sex part. I looked into Miles Kane, he seems like a nice guy, I like the last shadow puppets music a lot but I never knew that Alex could have that side to him lol. Can you pls explain what miles and Alex are to each other because they literally act more gay than my gay ass if that is even possible and I watched five minutes of their interviews and it’s not even just on stage, they still act as if they’re head over heels in love in interviews too? How did I not know about this?? I found out they had a ship name so I searched it and your blog was the first thing that came up so I’m asking you to explain😭🙏

oh my goodness, i can *hear* me three years ago in this 😂😭 firstly, welcome to the insanity 💗 discovering milex for the first time really is quite an experience, i know i for one have never been quite the same since lol. i mean, i went from "huh, there's kind of a lot of ust between those two guys onstage" to starting a milex blog and writing multiple fanfics about them, so... yeah. trust me, i get it 😅

however, unfortunately i'm not sure i can answer your question of what they are to each other... words that have been thrown at their dynamic from journalists, friends, fellow musicians and fans include: bromance, soulmates, love affair, best friends, lovers, brothers, infatuated, impossible. and honestly... i feel like the truth probably holds elements of all those descriptors. there's never been any official line about exactly what they are to each other, but i think one thing is blindingly clear: how incredibly important they are to each other. like those two men *love* each other. and only they know exactly what form that love takes, but the fact that it's there? absolutely and completely undeniable. the way they act around each other or even just look at each other speaks louder than any definitions ever could 🥺

if it helps, i've been here for years now and it still astounds me quite how... intense and non-platonic the vibes are in literally every scenario whenever they're within two feet of each other (although, as we know, they prefer it if the distance is much less than that). like interviews, behind the scenes footage, onstage performances - wherever they are, when they're with each other they just seem to forget the rest of the world exists and are so wrapped up in each other it almost feels like looking at something so intimate we should look away 😭

in terms of what you said about thinking alex is the straightest person ever: i think that's a really common perception (certainly one i had in my earlier days of getting to know arctic monkeys), because he certainly makes no secret of being into women. however, if you listen to a lot of his songs and are aware of the way he interacts with men too... well, it definitely doesn't seem like it's only women he's into. if you're wanting to get more of a glimpse of that, milex is a great place to start lol. but also you might try listening to songs like catapult, electricity, do me a favour, the jeweller's hands, american sports, and mr schwartz.

i hope this helps a little with the insanity of discovering milex for the first time 😂😅 if you have any other questions i'm always more than happy to help! 😘

[imsailorpluto]

So I've finally finished Bloodhounds (+ ahjussi collection)

...and I have no idea where to start and what to say and how to feel.

No, wait, please hear me out.

It was b l o o d y and at parts a very difficult watch, as it has lots of explicit fighting scenes, which look extremely realistic and cruel. So cruel that I had to close my eyes and not watch, I even skipped many & i'm not sorry. However, there are also parts so heartwarming that it makes you forget about all the crimes and gore for a moment. So, it's up to you to decide if it's worth the struggle. Since the violence could be a bit too much for many, let's just say I do and don't recommend this one at the same time. Personally, one of things I greatly enjoyed is the subtle comic tone of Gun-woo's and Woo-jin's interactions with each other and their characters which represent people doing sports professionally so well, the purity of their hearts and lack of malice in everything they do, since they truly do live for the sports. Then there are two absolutely powerful and skillful young women, Hyeong-ju and Da-min, playing such important roles in the entire series, each of them individually contributing so much to the entire plan of bringing the bad guys down and saving what could still be saved. And also, one of the most enjoyable parts were definitely the bonds that came out of these newly formed friendships. Younger acting crew did an amazing job. In comparison to the older and experienced ahjussi crew (I'll get to them in a bit), they've got some serious talent. It must have been a huge undertake for both Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi to live up to the expectations of the entire team behind this drama. And they did it. They absolutelly slayed.

If you still haven't watched this drama, trust me when I say these two cinnamon rolls will instantly win your heart right at the beginning of the first episode. They're like the most perfect two besties you'd want to be besties with too. And yeah, you'll suffer thru all the horrors just to see them win the biggest battle of their lives. Gosh, every time I tried typing something coherent about them it just ended up being lots of crying shaking throwing up. They're the best, ok? And this is best I can do. ╥﹏╥

And while our marine boys scratched so many itches around this platform, I have to mention the absolute gentlemen that starred in this series and swept me off my feet *deepest sigh ever*

So many great actors took part in Bloodhounds, it's hard to believe my own eyes at times. Whoever was in charge of the casting did a killer job. I couldn't even take the bad guys seriously because they're freakishly handsome. Well, at least not until Kim Myung-gil brutally ended my favourite ahjussi trio damn you ep 6

What started as an obsession over two young marine guys and their bromance ended up as a hole in my heart over downfall of three middle aged criminals men and a will to trade all the money and gold bars for their lives. And more importantly, a huge appreciation for Korean actors over the age of 40.

No, let's be real. They're handsome and talented and great at their job and deserve all the love and support. With that in mind... here's a tiny screenshot dump because it would be a shame not to post it:

And I want to be normal about them and move on in peace but *internal screams* I've already mentioned Lee Hae-young in one of my earlier posts, addressing my obsession with the character he portrays, the sushi restaurant owner Hwang Yang-jung. And I know many people are obsessed with him too. But no one is speaking up. Which is silly. And tbh I really thought there would be more gifs of him and other men but...there's close to none? Can we talk about how fine this man is? How fine this whole ahjussi crew is? Can we... can we just acknowledge they sliced us all in tiniest pieces possible and burned us all till we turned into charcoal? Can we make a mess of kdrama side of tumblr by excessively posting about them? Pretty please?

It's true, I came for the boys, but stayed for these men. I'm not even joking when I say kdrama has me in a chokehold again, but this time for a whole new reason. Dropping everything just to watch series and movies these guys took part in sounds like the best idea at the moment. I even forgot about the new releases I started watching, which makes me laugh at myself, but... it is what it is. At some point, a girl just has to obsess over her favourite ahjussi, and that's okay.

[dayscapism]

K-Dramas recommendations & short reviews

Because I've watched way too many to not make a list. Warning: I like romance and fantasy a bit too much.

These shows made me cry. 10/10. Five stars. Recommend to anyone. They live in my mind rent-free:

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) - Attorney Woo is such a wonderful person, I love her character. I can't say much about the representation, but I like that it opens up the conversation around autism & neurodivergence, discrimination and prejudice, particularly in work environments. I rarely like shows about law or lawyers but I was surprisingly engaged with the cases and the story. It deserves a second season. (The only thing I don't like about this show is they're pushing for a MinWoo and Choi Su-Yeon ship. Which huh--disrespectful.)

Hotel Del Luna (2019) - A great place to start with k-dramas if you like paranormal fantasy. This show has such a special place in my heart. I wanted a different ending but I am okay with it because it was a tight narrative. The main character is iconic (Man-Wol please step on me). The show has amazing sets, AMAZING costumes, an amazing OST, amazing and heartbreaking performance by Yeo Jin Goo. The main couple is so soft; like they're such good friends and coworkers and gentle with each other (eventually). It's enemies to reluctant friends to lovers. It's perfect for asexual viewers who want more than physicality in their romance shows. Cons: the secondary characters' goodbyes and backstories left a little to be desired. A few other nitpicks like Chang-Seong is the one to suggest the main character a new hobby instead of her just discovering it by herself.

It's Okay to Not Be Okay (2020) - Also a good place to start with k-dramas. This show is a lesson in good narrative; this has perfect writing & storytelling. The cast is so good. The female lead is an icon. The character work I excellent. The mental health issues are so well addressed and it taught me a lot about mental health I wasn't aware of. Each small minor character plays a very important thematic role. (The villain isn't the best thing ever but she serves her role in the themes and plot.) The production and the storytelling with the children's book animations are just *heart eyes*. The OST is so good too. You need to watch this to understand how good a k-dramas can be. A must-watch.

Goblin: The Lonely and Great God (2016) - This is the most iconic fantasy/paranormal k-drama ever. A lot of current tropes were started here I think (including the weird k drama last-episode time jump separation of the main couple). This show broke me. You will cry. The bromance and comedy are amazing here too. Gong Yoo and Dong Wook Lee have great chemistry. Main female lead is so cute and her character is so heartwarming. The ending felt a bit rushed. The death, existential related stuff with the grim reapers and such is so good tho.

Business Proposal (2022) - Best rom-com ever! (Well, it could be gayer tbh.) It's my new comfort show. I already watched it twice. It's campy, hilarious, chaotic, iconic and messy in a way that feels like real life (but obviously played up for drama and comedy). Excellent character work. The love interest is definitely written by a woman. Gorgeous cast (Sejeon omg I have a crush, but also the others). It was too short! I would have loved another episode, and more of Grandpa and Ha-Ri. Warning: this has the weird kdrama last-episode time jump couple separation.

W: Two Worlds (2016) - A young resident medic accidentally finds her way inside the webcomic her father created. Like, that premise is killer. We have Lee Jong Suk at his finest here; the character fits him so well. He was born to play a lead. This show has amazing meta-commentary on writing, authorship, and existential crisis. The confrontation between the webcomic character Kang Cheol and the author is insane! The main couple is an epic pair. Would rewatch. High wump value. Cons: The second part could have been more swoony with the romance, Kang Cheol kind of became a bit cold. (A warning: this show also has the k drama weird last-episode time jump couple separation.)

Would recommend with popcorn, I rate them 8/10:

Crash Landing on You (2019) - Really good. The main couple has the best chemistry I've ever seen. It's not that much of a personal fave show, but still pretty awesome and will tug at your heart. It got a bit overly dramatic in the last episodes and again, has that k-drama last episode weird time jump couple separation, but here it actually makes sense. And sort of mirrors the separation and eventual unification of the Korean Peninsula. It was very interesting to see the contrast between North and South Korea.

Shooting Stars (2022) - Aside from the terrible, horrible, insulting Africa storyline (where the male lead goes to 'help' African kids with water scarcity, not even a country name is called, he just goes to *gestures vaguely* Africa to help goddammit he's such a beautiful soul! /s) There's a weird creepy sugar mommy wannabe side storyline and it's weird and out of nowhere. But the rest of it is good and campy and the main characters are so cute. All the couples are cute. The male lead is a cute disaster. Female lead is also a capable cutey but a disaster when it comes to romance. It's hilarious. I love all characters. It's fun. It's great. It shows a very interesting side of the entertainment industry.

While You Were Sleeping (2017) - A man and a woman who don't know each other have precognition powers and after they meet, they use them to take down a corrupt lawyer. The show isn't very heavy on the romance, tough the pair work pretty well together. I liked the main actress. Lee Jong Suk has chemistry with anyone. The male role was not exactly a good fit for Jong Suk. He's so much more naturally charming than the character. It's a fun show to pass the time. The found family is nice and all the characters work great together. The mom is great.

The King's Affection (2021) - I'm going to be honest, I didn't finish watching this. Ups. I got bored after episode 15. It's a very slow show but what I watched was quite good. It was just not a show for me. Having a bisexual male lead was awesome, I appreciate that he falls for the main character while he thinks she's a man. (Could be gayer tho, just saying.) Pretty good discussions and reversals of gender cliches. It has complicated parent-child relationships that are very well written which gives a lot of heart and heartbreak to this story. The political stuff gets very convoluted. I really wish the queer part was bigger though, and not limited to the main couple. We could even have poly representation! I still have half a mind to finish this but I don't know There are so many other shows I'd rather watch instead. (Boy, I really need to get into the actually queer side of k-dramas because the side I'm currently on is giving me crumbs.)

Lovers of the Red Sky (2021) - The premise was so cool. This has so much lore I like and the setting is beautiful and rich, but it also has so much lost potential. The plot is very weak in the second half and could be restructured. I loved the atmosphere, costumes and the actors and their characters: the blind cursed scholar nobleman, the female genius cheeky painter and her friend trio and the prince are all great characters. Ahn Hyo Seop is pretty good in it and looks very pretty indeed in historical costume (but the design of the villain creature he's possessed/cursed with is so, so bad omg). Great premise failed execution. Good first half but it went over the rails quickly. Still entertaining if you like historical fantasy.

Romance is a Bonus Book (2019) - It's a bit slow and could have done so much more with the female lead and her child. She's a bit underwhelming and her daughter is barely in the story. The second female character played by Jeong Eu-Gene was awesome, I love this actress now. Lee Jung Suk is always looking hot and being an excellent actor with what he's given; he's very charming here. He could have chemistry with a piece of wood and yet I wasn't that fan of the romance. Maybe it's just because friends to lovers isn't my cup of tea. There's a weird out-of-nowhere backstory between the male leads. The commentary of ageism in the workplace is a bit surface level (it's not that big of a deal for the company if you're overqualified for a job, the point should be that is an issue for you and your career, who is too good for the company). You can tell the writers really care about books; it's definitely a love letter to editors and an interesting window into the world of book publishing; you can feel the love editors put into making books. Bonus: the founding members of the publishing company have very funny moments.

Do no recommend:

King: Eternal Monarch - Couldn't even finish this. I was so, so confused. The dialogue, narrative and backstory make no sense! Everything is so unnecessarily confusing. There's no chemistry between the main couple. The king and the bodyguard had more chemistry. Lee Jung-Jin (playing the villain Lee Lim) & Woo Do-Hwan (the bodyguard) carried this show and are pretty much the only thing good about it. The female lead is sidelined. It had an intriguing premise but failed execution.

What's Wrong With Secretary Kim - Skimmed most of the second half. It's a mess. The love interest CEO is such a narcissist and asshole he wouldn't be able to keep a working, healthy relationship with his partner without some serious therapy first. The female lead seems to be repulsed by him most of the time even when together and even looks scared when they get intimate. There's an unnecessarily convoluted plotline about the main lead's brother and a kidnapping in their past. It has tonal issues and it's cringy rather than funny. The secondary characters are just a lot of useless filler. The female lead sacrifices her independence and dreams to be with the main guy. Just go watch Business Proposal instead.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo - The only pro of this show is IU. The romance went the undeveloped route. Cheap-looking production, with too many episodes, melodramatic, characters pivot in place instead of naturally developing; it's definitely a telenovela. The point that the female lead is from the future doesn't even matter for the story (should have made her a Goryeo historian instead of a random cosmetologist). Pass!

Tomorrow - Could not finish watching. Please, please don't watch it if you're dealing with depression, bullying or suicidal thoughts. Please don't. By episode 2 I was just screaming at the screen. Problematic? This show invented the word problematic. The supernatural task force that's supposed to save people with suicide risk is terrible at therapy and suicide prevention. They tell the person trying to commit suicide, literally on the edge of a building about to jump, that they should do it, that they're weak, they should just jump, go ahead! Like ... what????

Mystic Pop Up Bar - Didn't capture me by episode 2. Got bored. Some say this is better than Hotel Del Luna but I don't agree.

Abyss - It's a weird tonal mix. Would have preferred if it leaned further into the absurd (go all in with the humour or don't at all), the sci-fi or the murder mystery. Instead of just revealing by episode 3 who the murderer is, quickly changing the plot into a chase after the villain, even though he's so lame. But also he is keeps killing people and it gets dark. And then we cut to the main couple being silly and cute. It's so jarring. The leads have a great dynamic and Ahn Hyo Seop knows how to differentiate his characters really well, give them their own flavour., but in the end it's just a cool premise, failed execution. Very average.

Currently watching:

The Crowned Clown - Very interesting concept and gorgeous, gorgeous visuals. Plot drags a little. Has some tonal problems and oversimplification of politics. The best part is when Yeo Jin-Goo acts with himself haha. He's such a talented actor.

The Uncanny Counter - Get's a bit melodramatic sometimes but all four main actors are insanely good.

Tale of the Nine-Tailed - The main romantic relationship needs a lot more development, but the entire show is worth watching just for Dong Wook Lee and Kim Bum as brothers.

Alchemy of Souls - 6/10 so far. Currently watching season 2/part 2. Aside from the prince, I don't particularly care for any of the characters. Unpopular opinion but the main romantic pair have no chemistry. Mu-Deok has more chemistry with Yul and the prince, and the prince has more chemistry with Jang-Uk. The lore is confusing and inconsistent: it breaks its own rules. (Two souls in one body what?? when was this established as a thing?) There's not enough foreshadowing and setting up the rules of magic in this world (the Ice Stone comes up as a deux ex mahcina big plot point in the last second). It also drags; the episodes are too long. There's a lot of saying and ultimately the show doesn't deliver. The narrative structure is straight out of a fantasy Wattpad. The set and costumes are fun and cool for a fantasy world, and the first episode was great.  

[batsplat]

feel free to completely ignore this ask but i’ve been reading through your tennis posts and. god!! thank you!! so many great takes. i love this sport and will probably die watching it but the atp is really so dire at the moment and the wta is… well, it’s a lot better (mainly bc it actually has a competitive top ten with fun personalities), but i still think the rivalries could be more compelling

but if we’re talking about narrative atrocities then the atp is clearly mostly at fault. i find it crazy how so many people on tennisblr love sincaraz? just. nothing there to grab onto. way worse than fedal. i don’t really enjoy their match up stylistically (peaked with uso 2022 but these days it feels like all there is to say is “wow these guys really can hit the ball hard”. the most compelling angle i can find on them plotwise is that brief period of time around the china swing where it seemed like sinner was finally leaning into the bromance with alcaraz but only as a pr tactic to distract from the doping thing. bc at least that’s kinda messy

and i also like meddy but that’s been. um. a bit excruciating lately. truthfully my real fav is dan evans so this is possibly my own fault for not picking someone who looked even vaguely like a slam contender to back

i do have to say i find alcaraz’s flopping kinda compelling though. there’s clearly a mental struggle/adhd lack of focus there that a lot of people attribute to him being 21 but idk if he’ll ever iron out. i think there’s a realistic world in which he keeps peaking for a couple of tournaments a year but otherwise falls off & is dramatically overtaken by sinner/maybe fonseca/some other people & is kind of a precursor to their era… on the other hand maybe he’ll pull it together and i’ll just sit here with dan evans

oh please, my average ask response time is about 4-6 months but for tennis hater asks that dives down to under 24 hours. (pretend like I actually answered this in 24 hours. I would have if it hadn't been NYE.) I too obviously do not get why sinner/alcaraz are so popular, I mean I didn't get why federer/nadal are so popular so this is just a continuation of a theme for me. it's all been downhill since sampras/agassi, I keep saying. I don't even WANT to be annoying about this, I try not to be that picky, it's just that I thought we were getting a chaos era post big 3 for at least like,, a couple years. this is my issue right, I'm not even saying sinner/alcaraz and federer/nadal are ontologically evil (maybe), I'm just saying that if you win THAT much, you'd better have some insane narrative juice to keep it interesting. and quite frankly, the number of athletes in the history of sports who could make me enjoy that level of domination is probably in like,, the low double digits at best. but these guys aren't even trying!! for shame

as for popularity, idk, I guess people will just like any blokes who are good at sport. I don't really know what goes on in tennis tumblr, I never sought out that community (though I think some of my posts kinda accidentally breached containment, which is!! fine!! you guys are welcome! but also don't take any of my mouthing off seriously pretty please) BUT my general sense is that it's a lot of love for two tennis rivalries that I personally find... well. eh! well. now look, I do have to admit that I prefer my sports rivalries with a bit more antagonism and bitterness and resentment, I love a good feud. but it's not a non-negotiable requirement! I think the most important thing for me is having... well, stakes. I kind of need to feel like some of these losses are making a part of the loser's soul die with it. like they want and need it so badly and it'll also hurt if they lose. the most infamous encounters aren't just great because they're great in sporting terms, but they're great because they meant something to the athletes involved. you don't get a do-over, it's not just one of many encounters, it's something a bit sadder and uglier and broken... that's where the narrative juice comes from, the stakes. if you don't care then why should I, right

and this is broadly my issue with sinner/alcaraz. like,, if they lose, they'll be fine, right. obviously they really want to win, but it's also recoverable. they don't get sick at the thought of losing to each other. it's not a low point for them, it's not something they struggle to put behind them, it's not something that eats away at them. idk, sue me, I want the angst! I also think the rivalry peaked at uso 2022 - and it's not just because the tennis was so excellent, it's because it genuinely felt like sinner might have lost an opportunity and wouldn't be able to make up for it and it looked like it hurt. (I mean, I knew he'd make up for it because I have always had faith sinner would eventually be a multiple slam winner, but y'know for the non-enlightened people.) that was actually the most compelling stretch of the rivalry for me! where sinner was still kinda frail (bodily weakness as a substitute for a personality but we move) and was an okay player who only peaked when he played alcaraz. so there it was kind of... alcaraz really invested in a rivalry with this guy who isn't quite good enough to keep up until he's playing alcaraz. fine, it's not 'symbols of unity in a divided nation until one accused the other of cheating and the other said they'd never been friends at all' levels of narrative juice, but you can work with that. whatever. except obviously even that has been ruined because sinner doesn't even have the graciousness to still suck. I'm sick of these people!! sick to my stomach

and yeah I mean the drug thing is what counts as narrative tension these days... I did enjoy how sinner/alcaraz stonks briefly plummeted with alcaraz's extremely lukewarm response to sinner's little clostebol situation. similar to my schadenfreude when federer didn't show up to nadal's retirement, it's the little things in life. I honestly sort of stopped paying attention to men's tennis after uso so I didn't really know about the *gestures* asian swing sinner/alcaraz situation, though I suppose that would be theoretically interesting. it's not even that I think cold-blooded guys like sinner are inherently boring, it's just him specifically that's boring because he never DOES anything. henin was cold-blooded!! she would do anything to win, including some pretty blatant cheating! we used to be a proper sport! and while I broadly agree that I think the wta isn't like,,, at its PEAK potential - beyond the protagonists just being way more interesting as people than the atp lot, I do also think there's a couple very key differences between something like the sinner/alcaraz rivalry and, say, the swiatek/sabalenka rivalry

first off, I've stress tested this and know for a fact that iga does become less palpable for me if she isn't fallible - we tried this out in 2022, I got bored of her, I didn't hate her like I would an atp player but it did feel pretty tedious to me. NOW I am extremely hooked and cannot WAIT to see what year she'll have. I'm rooting for her!! I know I've said this before but igatha and sublanko really do benefit from how much they're visibly fighting demons. angst is good, struggle is good, they both look desperate to beat each other. I don't support broadcasters showing backstage video of them after their defeats as a matter of principle, but we've had one us open where we've seen aryna demolish a racquet after a defeat followed by another us open where we've seen iga cry and... it's humanising. I care because they're fallible and quite frankly a lot of the time they seem like they're barely holding it together. introverted vs extroverted, both intense but in completely different ways, massive contrast in everything about them including how they express their emotions - but they both frequently look like they might die if they don't win the next point. if I were on either of their teams, I would be working very hard on their ability to regulate their emotions (and tbf sublanko has gotten better at this). objectively, you do want to be a sinner-type on the court. but I am not being employed by any professional tennis player (open to requests though) and As A Fan, on-court disasters is what I want

secondly. I saw this going around a few days ago --

-- and my immediate response was 'aww'. which, idk, I obviously wouldn't have that reaction with sinner/alcaraz, or indeed any current men's rivalry. I did some self-examination to check whether this was just the misandry talking, but I think the crucial difference to me is that... well, they did dislike each other for a while! it wasn't a FEUD but it was definite tension. and now they've played a bunch and now they're getting warmer towards each other, and it feels more meaningful since there's actually an arc. and they're two interesting characters with an interesting relationship and I want to see where it'll go. it's not noughties wta but crucially the tennis is fun AND and and I don't go into every single tournament thinking one of two players will win it. now, if that were the case on the wta tour, then I probably would need iga and aryna to step up their narrative juice game. but as it currently stands, we're good

and on the alcaraz point.... I mean, maybe. ideologically, I am a big believer that people pay too much attention to slams. but idk, men's tennis kinda kills me on this because I've watched djokovic faff about at various tour-level events for years before locking in the second it gets to slams. if we're being honest in men's tennis it kinda is all about the slams because that's the tier that has been so completely and violently gatekept for so long. so I know that alcaraz fans do have to deal with some ups and downs but also like... I can't lie! at this point I would quite literally sacrifice at least a toe, possibly even two, for someone I like to have a bad year where they win two slams! my sympathy is limited! and then if anything it's even MORE annoying for me because I don't LIKE following the sport week in week out if I don't feel like I'm being emotionally rewarded for that commitment because none of that shit matters anyway. I think ideally you have a bunch of storylines on tour level that culminate in the slams. but in men's tennis, it feels like there's always only one show in town. you can fool yourself for a while that there isn't, but reality always inevitably comes calling

to actually engage with the substance of the alcaraz point and take my own emotion out of this, I do think it's true that alcaraz is 'underperforming' to some extent and a lot of it's psychological. my nuclear hot take about the jcf relationship is that I'm happy for everyone who thinks the dynamic has lovely vibes, but it's a lot of credit being given to someone who came in when the most important work had already essentially been done and still hasn't exactly fixed alcaraz's shot selection. alcaraz's floor is still too low, when he plays badly he plays really bad - and maybe it is partly a concentration thing, but I really don't think it's an unfixable problem. if it were completely a concentration/motivation thing, an ability to peak for big finals that falls away elsewhere, then maybe yes, but it's way more concrete and basic things where I feel like he rarely gets the balance quite right. a lot of the times it doesn't matter because he's so obscenely talented he really doesn't have to be playing the percentages, and I do agree on principle with the idea you don't want to overly regulate him to avoid taking his love for the game. but... you do need some patterns, you do need to make your plan a and plan b not so violently different, you need to come up with some ways of modulating your levels of offence that aren't 100% attacking absolutely everything or just using your athleticism to chase after balls. there's room in between! galaxies of space in between! and look, I'm old-fashioned, I also don't like how much ferrero coaches alcaraz because I don't think that's how tennis should work. but I'm not one of those people who thinks alcaraz is some hack fraud who would be 'exposed' without ferrero - I do however think it's a crutch and one that alcaraz should probably rethink for his own sake. because fundamentally, coaching can only do so much in the moment. talent and instinct are great, and maybe alcaraz just doesn't need more than that to make his choices for him. but if I were working on that team, I would be taking a long hard look at his decision making within points, and I wouldn't wait until he's in the middle of the point to do it

(but also I think he'll be fine because he's just that good lol, like if he's physically okay I really struggle to see all these other players overtaking him. maybe this is big three brain talking but idk just feels deeply unlikely)

as for the actual alcaraz/sinner match-up, I do think it's Fine but also we have to be honest with ourselves here and say that they've played one great match and played a lot of great... moments. that miami (?) 2023 point everyone remembers, it's great, but also the match it was in wasn't exactly a classic - and that's been one of the better ones. the roland garros match last year was actively terrible and nobody will convince me otherwise. it is vaguely interesting in that it's two very offence-inclined players who express that inclination in very different ways, and alcaraz is constantly dancing on the line of attempting to overhit against sinner. but also... idk, linear bashing isn't exactly my favourite style anyway in men's tennis and it's... you're not really allowed to say this as a tennis fan, but I don't really emotionally connect with alcaraz's tennis. my brain knows how brilliant it is, my heart doesn't feel it. I've tried, I really have. idk... maybe it's because he's just too talented, something in me almost feels like it devalues it, like it's making the impossible mundane. I just need more tension, even though he's been a loose cannon this past year I never really believe he's going to lose until he's lost. I get why his tennis makes everyone go crazy, but idk. I think I need to feel the possibility of failure to enjoy success. I can appreciate alcaraz's shots, I do very often, there's a backhand slice on the run passing shot he hit on some clay court a couple years ago I still regularly think about. but alas, my heart remains cold. what can you do

anyway. that's my first tennis hater post of the new year. people seem to keep coming back for more. extremely unenthused about men's ao (djokovic playing monfils later on in the year of our lord 2k25, they need to take this sport out back and shoot it), extremely hype for the girlies. I'm actually FINE with not being a MASSIVE fan of any of the top players, passionately rooting for scrubs and just enjoying the drama at the top as a mostly neutral bystander - which is ideally what you'd get from a dan evans stan-type gig, but unfortunately that doesn't really work if you actively despise most of the top players. I have no real opinions on fonseca as yet, I'm not really a huge wunderkind person in general unless they're so juiced up on the narrative they're on the verge of overdosing, but also where I'm at with sinner it might end up being some type of enemy of my enemy arrangement. or maybe I'll find him even more annoying!! lord knows I was rooting for sinner in that uso 2022 match. I had this moment in like 2017 where federer was making his comeback and I realised I'd had enough - and then eventually I got lured back in with the promise of the nextgen. the less said about how that's going the better. this situation isn't getting better I reckon... the time has come once again. it is what it is

[pensherosjourney]

💫 my 2024 hockeyblr wrapped! 💫 (template link) (thoughts under the cut)

i started making a textpost about my top players but then i saw this template so of course i had to do that. my original post below:

i wanted to do the spotify wrapped of top 5 hockey players you talked about this year so here it is! i've done this mostly based on what tumblr told me are my most commonly used tags

sidney crosby. far and away the #1. i immediately imprinted upon him when i started watching in march

evgeni malkin. look. this is a pens blog run by someone who loves haterism and drama. do you expect me not to be entranced by geno

leon draisaitl. subject of my first hockey video edit <3 because i love haterism and drama. has any ever been more aggrieved to be kicked out of the face off circle every single time

connor mcdavid. i love bonded pairs AND i love martyr narratives (real or imagined)

linus ullmark. though he is coming in at #5, he is like if they engineered a hockey player to be maximum endearing to me personally. i am so charmed by everything he does

honorable mentions to: alex nedeljkovic, who i do love but who is simply not as posted about on this website, and nathan mackinnon and jonathan drouin, another bonded pair who i have discussed at length on discord

additional thoughts:

TEAMS: pens obviously my #1 team...this is a pens blog. i would say rn the avs are probably my #2 most talked about BUT i don't think i got into them as early on when i started watching and they didn't make it as far in the playoffs. i have fallen off a bit with the oilers this season because many of their games are so late. oilers 2024 cup run you will ALWAYS be famous to me but i cannot stay up that late all the time. no good explanation for why i haven't been watching bruins games, i think that somehow my personal schedule and their schedules are often conflicting OR they're playing at the same time as the pens and i'm watching the pens.

BROMANCES: bonded pairs are very important to me. even though one of these was cruelly separated this summer each of these pairings has history and are deeply intertwined in each other's lives in addition to being extremely good on the ice, which is also a big factor for me. much like with players, i have my fourth line princesses among pairings but i do not post about them as much.

FRESH FACES:

tito! when that london bridge video where he is dancing with oliver wahlstrom came out it was a redefining moment for me to sit up and take notice of this brand new penguin. i think he has a sweet face and i love a french canadian. i know almost nothing about him other than his current play and his historical romance with mat barzal (another cruelly separated bonded pair #beauback).

jeff skinner! the oilers need whimsy so badly because they keep getting rid of their whimsical players. his figure skating slay and interview series with the sabres have bewitched me. another haver of a sweet little face. i feel like he has not really found his place on the oilers yet but i am holding out hope.

ROOKIE: i am in general not a huge follower of rookies but who among us is not seeing all those posts about the baby sharks. i'm interested to see how things develop over in san jose.

BREAKOUT: for some reason i really latched onto ned in the offseason and now he is in a valentine on my fridge (real). he has the right combination of serious, sweet, and mischevious to appeal directly to me. i am not immune to a sweet little face. also he was obviously the breakout star of the pens last april in their not quite cinderella run to try to make the playoffs when jarry was struggling and he got SO many starts in a row.

honorable mentions to mikko rantanen and artturi lehkonen who did not quite make it into any of these categories but who i have grown quite fond of lately. maybe next year will be their year...

also my alternate image options for sid...also beloved to me

[sun-marie]

Karlach for the character ask !!!

Ahh Karlach my beloved!!

How I feel about this character: Karlach is maybe one of my favorite characters in any video game of all time. All the BG3 companions have an impressive range that gives them depth, and I feel like Karlach is the peak of them. One minute she's making you laugh, the next she's making you angry, and then after that making you cry. I also love how she isn't afraid to disagree with the player and can have very strong emotional responses towards them. She's very open about what she's feeling, like when it's revealed Durge worked with Gortash and she's clearly angry, betrayed, and needs space. A favorite moment of mine is after Gortash's death and her heartbreaking (and frankly scary) outburst, she casually drops "love you" before leaving. I love her SO MUCH <3

All the people I ship romantically with this character: While I generally don't ship anyone with her (due to enjoying the more tragic avenue of her story if she's alone), I love the flirty moments she has with Dammon, they feel very organic and wholesome.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Her bromance with Wyll is so so fun, I love seeing them in the background as like a single unit and the moments at last light inn when their stories overlap (like talking to Florrick or Mattis) make my heart sing. I love both characters separately, but together they feel like they're greater than the sum of their parts.

In addition, I find her relationship with Astarion to be really interesting, and while it doesn't evoke as strong feelings as her relationship with Wyll, I really like how it seems like they have little in common on the surface, when you get down to it they share a lot of similar traumas, and even how they react to them.

My unpopular opinion about this character: I actually really like that there's no "true" happy ending where you can fix her engine, and further my favorite ending for her is the one where she dies in the end </3 Her story is so potent in its tragedy, and after having tried all three, the two where she lives (either in hell, her worst nightmare, or as a mindflayer, which debatably isn't her anymore) feel like they defang her very powerful story. For me, an important aspect of her character is the fact that everything that could've been done was done, every promising road turned into a dead end, and it isn't fair that something like this is happening to her. She feels to bright and too special to just die, but there's no other option, and that's okay. What mattered is that she was here, and she was alive, and she spent every moment up until her last in freedom from the Hells and true to herself.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Maybe not directly about Karlach, but I wish the details of the deal between Gortash and Zariel was explained further. I understand that Karlach doesn't know about all the details and frankly doesn't care, but it feels odd that there is no way for the player to find anymore information about it and thus we just don't know. What did Zariel have that Gortash wanted so badly? We understand what Zariel got from the deal (kinda, bc it's also a little confusing as to why she wanted Karlach at all), but I wish what Gortash got in exchange was explored further, especially in the ways it could have potentially affected Karlach's view of her self-worth.

GIVE ME A CHARACTER: and I’ll break their ass down:

[fluentmoviequoter]

Oh, lord, don't even get me started on the whole Luca thing. It made literally no sense and they went against so many things they established in canon in earlier seasons.

The biggest part of SWAT's story was Luca/Street bromance. They literally lived together for better part of the show, had a really sweet brotherly dynamic, always there for each other no matter what. You know what we got from the hospital scene? Nothing. Not even so much of a word about where Street was, maybe an excuse why he couldn't make it which while it still would've been lazy writing, it would mean they at least considered the relationships and important people in Luca's life. Which they obviously didn't. Same goes for Chris. Like, we had newer people there waiting in the hospital, but not the likes of Mumford, Rocker, Stevens, other men Luca's been serving with for SO long! Also, no mention of his dad, mom, sister, brother. Nothing!!

I mean I have grievences with how he got shot too bc I feel like it was a cheap cop out for writing out his character in a way that would least anger the public while still somewhat making sense storywise. But, come on... He has been on SWAT for how long? And you're telling me he'd be reckless enough to risk his life going after three heavily armed suspects without backup, gear, anything WITH KELLY right there???

And then the whole thing post-hospital is also a huge question mark. The pacing was so weird, the dialogue felt off... Then his last call and some of the most important people in his career and life are once again missing (I mean, really, not even a cameo?!).

All in all, so many weird decisions and once again, so many better ways they could've gone about this if they had just considered the season as a whole rather than ep by ep. Because that's what this season feels like - bunch of standalone eps tied in together with a paper clip. A plastic one, at that.

I hope they get better writers for s8 or at the very least the ones that don't seem to hate the show and characters with burning passion bc this is 🥴🥴🥴 And much hate to whoever okayed promoting this season with Alex and Kenny being credited as "recurring" instead of what it really was "guest starring". For s8 celebration we should get them a dictionary and circle those words so that they can learn what they mean since they clearly don't.

~🧡

Um??... Woof. (But I love your explanations and reading your thoughts so much!)

Of all the things they could have done for Luca's send-off, they chose that half-baked, poorly written, hot mess of a story??? WHY? And we know Alex was on set for other episodes, so they seriously have no excuse for leaving Street out of his best friend's ending!!!

Did they think that the fans would just ignore the fact that Luca acted completely out of character in the situation leading to the shooting, and that all of his closest friends and comrades weren't there for him? I mean, I know they hate us and him (clearly), but apparently they also take us for fools. You're spot-on in saying that they didn't put any effort into writing his final episodes; in a season of exposition explanations, we didn't even get one for Luca!!

The pacing and the dialogue is what I've heard the most complaints about! "A bunch of standalone eps tied in together with a paper clip. A plastic one, at that" is the most perfect description!!! Even just reading the synopsis of each episode, I've been wondering if the episodes were coherent or connected in any way, like a television series should be, and it sounds like they're not. Since the season was shorter after the un-cancellation, I think they just threw a bunch of ideas into a hat and pulled one for each episode rather than trying to create an underlying thread that could run through all 13 episodes.

Okay, the situation isn't funny, but your last line made me laugh so hard!! One of my favorite things (for some reason) is come up with fake dialogue for the S.W.A.T. writers - what I think they say at the writing table, so I can whole-heartedly agree with your idea to get them and the marketing people a dictionary and explain the difference between "recurring" and "guest starring"! Like you said, getting new writers seems like the only hope for the show. If the show reads a bit different, that would honestly be fine, as long as the writers treated the characters like they deserve and create a show again, not a mod-podged pile of underdeveloped scenes that ignore everything previous seasons have established!

"Hey, guys, what if we take a beloved character, shoot him in front of Kelly because he ran in without thought, and then just rush through his recovery to send him off into the sunset?" In my mind, the S.W.A.T. writers sound like the pilots from the first scene in the Lego Batman Movie.

[godsstrongestwhmfucker]

A while ago, I had a conversation with one of my closest friends in regards to mistranslations or misinterpretations in the Bible. In trying to find mistranslations, I also found some really gay shit in the Bible. I mean, some just absolutely "Yes, homo" stuff, which is pretty much what I'm going to be covering right now.

I'm not going to go over all of them in one post, but let me go over the story of Jonathan and David, the story is found in the Book of Samuel, but one phrase, in particular sticks out and it is from a Mishnah:

“Whenever love depends on some selfish end, when the end passes away, the love passes away; but if it does not depend on some selfish end, it will never pass away. Which love depended on a selfish end? This was the love of Amnon and Tamar. And which did not depend on a selfish end? This was the love of David and Jonathan. (Avot 5:16)"

Before we get into the Bible text, lets study this for a second. The Mishnah does not differentiate between the different forms of love as established by the Greeks (Philia, Pragma, Eros, etc.) so we cannot say with 100% certainty in regards to how they may have viewed each other, but we can safely assume that their relationship was of the purest and truest form of love wherein neither sought anything else from the other and you know, this is your typical bromance kind of thing.

Then it gets really fucking gay.

"As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. 5"

I don't think I need to go too deep into this, but like, yeah. We're gonna do something here. This is from Samuel 1:18, if you were curious, definitely check it out, but for now, we're going to cross reference this with Genesis and the story of Adam and Eve.

I'm not going to 100% copypaste it down like I have the other Bible phrases, but I do want to touch up on that story, in which Eve was created from a "tzela" of Adam. I'm going to be using that instead of the common English translation of "rib" as the word is used in the Torah (Exodus 26 and Ezekial 41) to refer to the sides of a building or a structure. Now, in the context of the Torah, a tzela means just that, the left/right/North/South sides of a building, so we can just look at the original and assume that Eve was created from an entire half of Adam. So, they get together, bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh and they become of one flesh. While this may seem like a bit of a tangent, it's important to look at the words being used here.

Adam and Eve's relationship is stated as being the rejoining of flesh and bone, yet, Jonathan and David's relationship is the binding and conjoining of two souls into one. This is consistent with even a literal translation of the Bible, somehow, these two dudes had a purer and greater form of love than the two original humans. So much more purer, that it was used in the Mishnah oral traditions as an example of what a true love is like. It's absolutely impossible for me to see their relationship as just a bromantic friendship, the wording is just simply too strong to keep it at that. Look at "La Somme le Roi" from AD 1290, these dudes knew, they read the Bible way more than I have and were just "Yeah, no, these guys were like, holding each other in this incredibly just raw and tender way." Like, I've had some homies I've hugged with, but you know, I'm not looking them dead in the eyes with the burning passion of a supernova like I'm about to tongue punch their throats like these two are. I never even held any of my exes like this and you're telling me these dudes are straight? At the very least, they're bi, but come on. Here's my favourite part, though. It's all too often I've seen reports of people using the Bible to spew homophobia, but while researching this, I found nothing of the sort. I found condemnations for "malakoi" and "arsenkoitai" which is used in the context of weird dudes that spend their weekdays hiding in elementary school bushes. The mistranslation of those words to mean "homosexuals" actually started sometime in 1946-1948. You can read up on it here. Anyway, I'd like to close this by saying that it was an incredibly amazing journey for me to find actual pro-LBGT (I might cover the T part some other day, but yeah, Jesus actually acknowledged the idea of gender being more than just binary). Even more so to actually be able to cross reference some things with Torah and Hebrew oral traditions.

[yakool-foolio]

What do you say to these Vivia ships?

Vivia x Yakou

Vivia x Worried Man NPC

Vivia x Shinigami

Vivia x Fubuki

Vivia x Desuhiko

Vivia x Halara

Vivia x Yuma

Vivia x Melami

Vivia x dying

Vivia x pillows

Vivia x Wince Media

Vivia x boxcutter knife

Vivia x nobody

😏

Hoo boy that's a lot! Well, if ya wanna mess with the bull, you'll get the horns. And by that I mean you'll get my serious and/or non-serious reaction to all of these so enjoy!

Vivia x Yakou - Ah yes, the og otp, ever since me and my boyfriend wanted to cosplay our respective favs before the game even released. Suffice to say were we ahead of the game on that one so we were pleasantly surprised it has some canon footing and it's simply sweet as hell! I personally love how this ship symbolizes that no matter how much you've lost, there's always something to gain and you still have the capacity to love.

Vivia x Worried Man - I won't lie this side quest completely caught me off-guard. My thought process went from 'aw he's in love' -> 'wait that's gay' -> 'WAIT THATS GAY WITH VIVIA' and I have never been the same since. It's pretty cute ngl, even if it's just a little side quest. Aaaaand then the rest of chapter 4 happened and I went right back to loving Viviakou, sorry Worried Man but you've got a lotta competition.

Vivia x Shinigami - Before the game released I theorized that Vivia could see Shinigami and I was so damn proud of myself to find out that I was right. Besides that, I always associated them as friends pre-release, but with chapter 4, their dynamic is very interesting. Vivia put her in her place throughout the entire labyrinth. He was more in control of the situation than she was cause he held more knowledge than any other assistant ever had before. He wasn't stuck in there with her, she was stuck in there with him. Anyways yeah I think they'd be platonic buddy ol' pals

Vivia x Fubuki - The 4-panel comic of them was adorable! I see them as friends but I can certainly see why people may view them in a more romantic light. They definitely paint each other's nails.

Vivia x Desuhiko - Another case of them being more like pals than a blossoming bromance. However, I do have a good platonic headcanon that Vivia knows how to play piano and has studied music theory as part of his endless reading escapades, so he'll sometimes help out Desuhiko when requested for assistance with practicing on his guitar. They're both very musically-inclined I know it in my heart.

Vivia x Halara - AKA the badasses. I don't view them as romantic personally, but I love them being the duo who kicks ass and takes names. Additionally, I'm sure Halara appreciates having a metaphorical cat around when they can't interact with actual cats.

Vivia x Yuma - Not uncommon for the protag to slip his way into every and all angles of ships, but I think this one works especially well. Yuma and Vivia have a very strong and well-written dynamic thanks to our lord and savior chapter 4; they develop alongside each other. It's just like Vivia said, they're accomplices, they have to fight for the truth together in order to clearly see eye-to-eye. We love short king with tall ghost guy! The appeal for this ship is very much apparent.

Vivia x Melami - I fought so hard for these two to interact and what did I get? Nothing! So, I wallow in my headcanons of them having a perfect partnership since their Fortes bounce off each other so well. Melami would absolutely despise Vivia's choice of 'clothing' though, she'd try to give him a makeover but he'd slip right out of her grasp before she could do anything.

Vivia x dying - As much as he adores the idea of death I don't think he's dying any time soon. The grim reaper plays hard to get.

Vivia x pillows - THE PAIRING HE DESERVES

Vivia x Wince Media... hey wait I know that guy from Twitter

Vivia x boxcutter knife - It's a cut above the rest [laugh track]

Vivia x nobody - Privacy is very important, I'm sure he enjoys his time alone just as much as he's grateful for attention. It's a good balance!

BONUS: Vivia x Zilch (yes the real one)- I'm inclined to bring this crack ship up cause I've been pioneering it for a long time. Heck I'm even trying to write an AU one-shot about it, I find their potential relationship so intriguing. I love my literal and metaphorical catboys!

[inchidentally]

babe they're probably going to interact a the 2024 drivers photo today, as well as hanging out like they always do throughout the season? and even aside from that, car|ando is literally the biggest PR bromance for F1, Netflix, official social media accs, sports media, anything golf/F1 related, fan accs etc etc. there's going to be plenty of them being put together as always!

and unless you're going the car|ando truther route, nothing abt their relationship has changed over the years apart from Lando getting older and more confident? otherwise...

(since as uszh I've got variations on this ask and I already repeat myself so much, I'm going to throw the usual 'here's why you shouldn't rpf truth yourself into actual emotional instability' below - ignore if you've read it a million times)

listen I cut my teeth on rpf enjoying ships out from bromances but not once did I think any of the dudes were using 'hiding in plain sight' to have DL relationships or fucking bc well… actual closeted men are terrified of being outed and even more terrified of their bros thinking they're actually into them. closeted men go through any amount of hoops to keep their actual hookups or DL relationships private. fangirls are literally never going to even accidentally be allowed into that world. (I also have zero time for every single girlfriend being accused of being a "beard" or PR - like damn why doesn't that ever happen for ugly male celebrities I wonder why is it only ever hot guys in the closet kdgfjahgflasj)

the bigger and louder the bromance the more heterosexual it is. straight men in particular need excuses and certain codes like bromances and ferda to express physical affection and emotional vulnerability w each other. so think of it like when girl friends express platonic physical and emotional intimacy except with massive toxic insecurity involved. I slip slide on my gender on an exhausting basis but it's so easy to divide being platonically affectionate w someone vs the people I actually want or am sleeping with. (and not to go all elgeebeeteeplus here but if someone were making guesses about me then it would be the girls I was too anxious to physically touch or get too comfortable around who are the ones I clearly want)

so that's why I'm like, sure for fun ship Carlos Daniel and Lando with the millions of guys they have these bromances with why not - I do! but you'll end up missing their actual really quite sweet friendships if you constantly choose to selectively ignore them referring to each other as 'brothers', or how men's protective almost fatherly sides come out around Lando, or how Lando's introversion and anxiety finds comfort in big, loud self-assured guys who fill in the silence Lando has said he hates sometimes.

that is actually so meaningful and real compared to turning Lando into the feminized/childlike self-insert steak that is genuinely believed to be tossed around by other driver's teeth. I cannot relate to someone choosing to constantly rewrite a conspiracy theory every time these men choose to be with women and choose to not even speak for weeks or months and also openly having far more intimate and important friendships with other guys. that sounds utterly exhausting and all for nothing.

just give up on thinking Lando is "really" fucking any of these F1 guys and enjoy the rpf for what it is and also get to appreciate their friendships for what they are. your life will have so much less self-inflicted pain.

.

.

.

.like, thank god that so far no one in the landoscar ship is in denial that Lily is Oscar's gf and they're solid and that Lando is loving his global slut era. nobody's in hysterics whenever Lily or a possible hookup of Lando's appears. (and none of us are spreading hatred for Lando's other male friends)

[formulatrash]

f1 shipping gets kind of weird for me to begin with. i have seen people get into HEATED arguments about which ship is better and every time i just think people understand these ships aren't real right? half of these men are publicly in romantic relationships with women. there are a few who go out of their ways to say they won't do certain, really just regular activities that platonic friends could do together, with other men because they don't want to be perceived as gay. and i don't really fault them for that because i see how cruel fans are when drivers show they're accepting and inclusive by voluntarily wearing rainbow symbols or just simply saying they believe in equality, love is love, etc., but idk there's still something so gross about usually straight fans telling me certain drivers are like icons and activists for the LGBTQ+ community due to simply having a PR "relationship" or close friendship with other drivers on the grid. i love a nice sportsmanship moment or genuine friendship moment as much as the next fan, but that isn't "activism." that's doing NOTHING to address or prevent the abuse LGBTQ+ fans receive, especially in f1 spaces, both online and at races.

also idk i hate how every time teams or f1 themselves try to push these ships and bromances, the comments usually range from hateful and discriminatory to outdated stereotypes. and those harmful comments are NEVER deleted by admins. like, okay, cool, that's a really cute carlando or yukierre or whatever photo f1 or mclaren or ferrari or alphatauri has posted, but this does NOTHING for making me feel more accepted when a) it's fictional. it's friendships, some maybe closer than others, but it's not really LGBTQ+ representation. (at least not outwardly. i am not trying to assume anyone's sexual orientation here either, but none of these relationships have been confirmed real, and frankly, i don't think teams would be as open to publicizing these relationships like this if they were real romantic relationships, like some fans believe, due to drawback from homophobic fans, sponsors, etc.). b) how is this supposed to make anyone feel welcome and accepted when half the comments are like "who's the man and who's the woman in that relationship?" (something i fucking hate being asked myself. if i wanted a man in my relationship, i would just fucking be with a man).

idek if this makes sense or if i really even made the point i was trying to make but it bothers me too.

a lot here so, idk, apologies if I don't quite answer it all but I will give a try.

shipping wars in general are pretty weird to me, especially that something that feels so antique (like, Yahoo Groups-era internet) is going stronger than ever today.

that said, I think people who are completely aware it's fiction having some blorbos they like thinking about is also completely harmless. for a lot of people shipping whatever is a source of joy and play and to some extent companionship and it can create lots of good things. humans are meant to think things through by playing and sometimes dressing up the dolls you're doing that with in, I don't know, Star Trek uniforms or F1 racesuits or whatever is just the blorbo seasoning of the week.

it would absolutely nuke my brain to read. uhm, idk, I just looked in the F1 tag and pretty much anything in there as far as I can tell but I think it's fundamentally harmless as something people do, when it's understood as fictional.

that said; I fully get you about the mistaking shipping for activism thing. this actually, oh, let's get deep in the internet lore, used to be a big thing on here about 10 years ago. for whatever reason the Johnlock community went like, big on shipping pride and how it was an important expression of LGBTQ+ identity and inevitably, the loudest advocates were the straightest. cringe.

now, on the one hand I do think there's something to be said for queer interpretations. especially in the rigidly straight mainstreams of sport and media. if you think of reinterpreting the silly, silly world that is F1 as not for straight people then, well. yes, there's something radical to be said for that thought process.

imagining another possibility is a way to realise how absurd the current reality is. and that's good. but pointing at things and saying 'that's gay' when as far as we know it's not isn't that.

appropriating straight people (and many of the drivers have confirmed that is absolutely how they identify) as representation is, well, sometimes I can understand why LGBTQ+ people take crumbs. but when it's in a space where there are none of us then calling that acceptable or suggesting it fixes a huge demographic imbalance it doesn't is obviously a massive problem.

there are very few openly LGBTQ+ people in motorsport. pretending that's not true in reality isn't creating representation. it's fun to think about a world where there was more of us but it shouldn't replace the reality or excuse our absence.

and then there's the cynical marketing.

I've always really hated Jeandré. I know how many LGBTQ+ people were in the Formula E paddock at the time because I was one of them. clearly, JEV and André played into it, as did their team and Formula E but it was always so uncomfortable to me, that this was play-acting in an environment where the real thing would probably have got more of a pass than in any other part of motorsport but still not been treated with pride and acceptance.

it was something that drove engagement. which, god knows, Formula E needs so maybe that should be the next marketing tactic but it was also... not real.

I've said before I found things like all Sky's Carlando segments really uncomfortable. the one where Lando and Carlos took each other on laps and asked each other very dating-oriented questions was just... very uncomfortable. because men can ask each other dating-oriented questions, it shouldn't be a punchline.

to their credit Carlos and Lando actually always deflected any attempt at 'no homo' - they clearly have a very comfortable friendship and they didn't ever seem to get skittish, no matter how weird interviews got. I can respect just sort of seriously looking someone down and saying like, no you blink first if this is gay chicken. if you're trying to ship us, you've got to admit it.

but that didn't make it right. or make it that they were representation. remember when there was that seriously odd blog on here that claimed to be written by marketing specialists and body language analysts that was a transparent attempt to 'prove' carlando was true and both Lando and Carlos' official relationships were fake?

that felt very strange, a new development in motorsport fandom. obviously we all know it happened with One Direction and whatever but I was surprised to see that there was a ship that invested in, in F1. and needless to say, it was completely libellous and incredibly invasive, as well as quite misogynist.

shipping won't help a driver come out. and acting as though it's totally unrealistic that drivers could be in a relationship together obviously ignores the fact that some of them are (Jess and Abbie!)

anyway as a bonus piece of analysis for anyone who got down this far, when did Max/Charles go past the F1 RPF titan that is Simi for number of works??? unbelievable, never thought I'd see the day that was knocked off the top spot by two ships involving Max Verstappen. poor ol' brocedes.

[mish-tique]

I am that anon and I've spent so much time thinking about the overlaps between kpop and f1. Not necessarily in a bad way because there's nothing wrong with enjoying either but both fandoms and industries have some drawbacks that are extremely similar. The "fan wars" thing and this attitude of fans thinking they're somehow superior because of the group or driver they stan, or even the gatekeeping attitude of trying to keep new fans out because they know more about this thing because they stanned this driver or group first. There's also this weird focus on looks in both to where it almost makes it seem like talent doesn't even matter anymore. I feel like this is glaringly obvious in kpop fandom and even if you watch idol survival shows and see extremely talented singers and rappers eliminated or judged on the basis of not having the right look. But it's been growing in the f1 fandom too. I have even seen large numbers of people agree that Max has no place in f1 because he's not hot enough to be marketable. That has nothing to do with driving a car, and a multi time world champion is going to attract tons of sponsorships so I'm pretty sure driving is more important there too. It also isn't as obvious with every idol group or driver, but there are some unhealthy body image standards and just discussions around weight in both fandoms and industries that make me v uncomfortable. This is a lot lighter than other topics too, but I also feel like neither fandom can let mistakes and things that don't matter in the long run go without bringing it up over and over again? I don't mean this in like a "this person said something problematic" but more in reference to their actual jobs. I've seen loads of ridiculous fan wars where kpop fans will share a video of the ONE time an extremely talented vocalist's voice cracked on stage, to try to assert that vocalist isn't talented. It very much gives off the same vibes as like people mentioning Sochi with Lando, or people mentioning how Max crashed a lot when he first joined F1, you get the idea. Clearly it would become a problem in either industry if it was becoming a repeated behavior, but this standard both are held to where if you make a single mistake, people write you off and claim you're untalented for your entire career is kind of weird and puts even more pressure in already high-pressure environments. It's not necessarily f1 directly, but I also think there's a pretty strong case to be made about the investments that go into idol training and f1 feeder series. Huge monetary investments, sometimes leaving their family and friends behind for years, very very little chance for most of making it in either if they're honest, more talent flooding the markets of both than really there is room for. There's also the same thing with like "big companies" giving their groups a much higher chance of success versus small companies that is very similar to the whole top team / midfield or backmarker team dynamic in f1. Like 9 times out of 10 the success either are able to achieve depends mostly on the contract they sign. Also, and probably most obvious, the FAN SERVICE. And don't get me wrong, I love a good wholesome hug when an idol or driver is going through it or maybe even happy and celebrating. I don't necessarily like these seemingly forced for PR "bromances," and I know a lot of people liked it, but I found things like the crowd yelling to Lando and Daniel to kiss on that one fan stage kind of creepy? Like I wouldn't care if they DID want to kiss, don't get me wrong, there's just something weird about fans demanding they do it. Its almost to where people can't separate like RPF from reality at times. It gives off the same vibes as people shipping idols until they basically start avoiding each other to avoid dating rumors. I don't even know how long this is getting, but I'm sure it's like a novel, so I will stop there but yeah. Many thoughts. 😅

HELP anon i must say that i was a little scared when i first saw this in my inbox dkghsdgsd. but don't worry!!

I used to be a kpop fan from 2015ish to 2019ish (? lines def aren't clear) and got "officially" into f1 early 2021 so for me it's more of a flow from one to the other and getting a lot of deja vu moments.

The "fan wars" thing and this attitude of fans thinking they're somehow superior because of the group or driver they stan, or even the gatekeeping attitude of trying to keep new fans out because they know more about this thing because they stanned this driver or group first.

Please, the fanwar flashbacks i keep getting is exhausting. And then especially when I think back about the solo stans vs other solo stans or the group stans vs solo stans.

Back then it would be baekhyun stans vs chanyeol stans (excuse me, I forgot the name for the solo fandom sdkhgsd. I can remember that exols used to be eris but that's about it!) and nowadays it's chirlies vs carlos fans, and what used to be exols vs armys because red bull fans vs Mercedes fans.

There's also this weird focus on looks in both to where it almost makes it seem like talent doesn't even matter anymore. I feel like this is glaringly obvious in kpop fandom and even if you watch idol survival shows and see extremely talented singers and rappers eliminated or judged on the basis of not having the right look.

Oh. My. God. The visuals!! The discussions there used to be within group fandoms over who was the main visual, who had no right being a rapper/singer/dancer simply because they relied on their visuals and the discussions about visuals in itself was. Something.

But it's been growing in the f1 fandom too. I have even seen large numbers of people agree that Max has no place in f1 because he's not hot enough to be marketable. That has nothing to do with driving a car, and a multi time world champion is going to attract tons of sponsorships so I'm pretty sure driving is more important there too.

I feel like some part of the f1 fandom is letting some off track factors play too much into the on track expectations and facts. Just because a driver is the next pretty it boy doesn't mean he will automatically do well, and just because someone isn't conventionally pretty doesn't mean he shouldn't have a place in a team... You can definitely enjoy a drivers looks or aesthetic but some have seemed to forgotten that their actions on track speak for themselves.

It also isn't as obvious with every idol group or driver, but there are some unhealthy body image standards and just discussions around weight in both fandoms and industries that make me v uncomfortable.

The reactions to Max during winter break but general body pictures are crazy. In both the kpop and f1 fandom fans seem to have some kind of image in their head of what "healthy" should look like and they fucking riot when reality doesn't match it.

Clearly it would become a problem in either industry if it was becoming a repeated behavior, but this standard both are held to where if you make a single mistake, people write you off and claim you're untalented for your entire career is kind of weird and puts even more pressure in already high-pressure environments.

You're totally right here anon, but it also weirds me out at times because like, in the end for both fandoms it counts that these people are fans and 90% of the time do not know all the facts or just can't look at it objectively. Both fandoms desperately need people to step back, take a breath and remember it's either a sport or music. ffs.

(...) but I also think there's a pretty strong case to be made about the investments that go into idol training and f1 feeder series. Huge monetary investments, sometimes leaving their family and friends behind for years, very very little chance for most of making it in either if they're honest, more talent flooding the markets of both than really there is room for. There's also the same thing with like "big companies" giving their groups a much higher chance of success versus small companies that is very similar to the whole top team / midfield or backmarker team dynamic in f1. Like 9 times out of 10 the success either are able to achieve depends mostly on the contract they sign.

The way being a red bull junior or a Ferrari academy driver is so alike to being an SM/YG trainee. They offer the best training, but also have the most new drivers/trainees vying for their attention. And let's be real, feeder series are totally the pd101 of f1.

Also, and probably most obvious, the FAN SERVICE. (....) I don't necessarily like these seemingly forced for PR "bromances," and I know a lot of people liked it, but I found things like the crowd yelling to Lando and Daniel to kiss on that one fan stage kind of creepy? (...) there's just something weird about fans demanding they do it.

THEY DID WHAT NOW??? But yes, that gives the same energy as fans demanding idols to do kisses etc on vlive/youtube lives. It's creepy as fuck and it makes fans seem like they truly think they can demand the craziest things from "their" idols/drivers.

Its almost to where people can't separate like RPF from reality at times. It gives off the same vibes as people shipping idols until they basically start avoiding each other to avoid dating rumors. I don't even know how long this is getting, but I'm sure it's like a novel, so I will stop there but yeah. Many thoughts. 😅

My only blessing is that while drivers seem to be aware of the "joke" romances, is that they seem less aware of RPF. (We are going to exclude that time where people close to max started reading my 4433 for fun and just could NOT shut their fucking mouth).

Which is kind of wild to me, because while kpop fans did talk a lot about rpf on twitter they also censorred a lot of stuff as like, ch*nyeol instead of chanyeol ( i guess the mv0 instead of mv1 of f1 only then less negative and more for safety), and some idols were aware of it, it was mostly ignored and looked away. You made sure you followed the right people so you were either surrounded by camp anti rpf or camp rpf.

With f1 rpf it's very much more containted to tumble and ao3, except lately i have seen a trend where people have become less afraid of mentioning actual rpf on twitter. Which scares me a little because drivers feel more active on twitter skdghds.

Yet at the same time ship names seem much more common knowledge and also accepted within the whole fandom (i.e. lestappen gets used by "bros" on reddit as emotional support rivals but also by ao3 writers.). So in f1 the line between "joking" implied shipping/rpf and actual shipping/rpf seems way thinner than in kpop, where back when i was there, you either used certain names or you absolutely Did Not Even Think About it.

Fuck I remember days where baekhyun fans would talk about chanyeol in a positive way and would censor chanyeol's name just to prevent chanbaek shippers from interacting.

Anyways thank you so much for your message and your interesting insight in your view on it!

I was about to say that i'll share my twitter thread about this topic on this page but i realized i got pics of myself on there so help me That Is Not Happening.

[futbolfanficpunk]

Making time

Players: Pedri, Gavi

Word Count: 560+

Theme: Bromance, Platonic love

It was 11:00pm at night and his phone was going off. The girl that Pedri met at Eric’s TikToker girlfriend’s party during the weekend, Ana, finally texted back and they started chatting on Whatsapp. Dating has never been easier or harder. Being well-known is confusing when you're famous, but Ana seemed authentic. The third year in Fc Barcelona has started well and for now, September is looking great. The team is winning, and most of the new guys are fitting in and understanding the Barcelona style. His friendships with his teammates were as bonded as they could get. Ferran and Eric are always texting and when they're not with their girls, they all hang out. Gavi is his best friend at the moment. He is the closest friend he has ever had besides his brother, Fernando. On Thursday’s training, Eric was teasing Pedri about Ana, according to Eric, Pedri had little game but Ana was into him anyway. “Hey, Pedri, are you talking to Anita? It’s been a while since you’ve been on a date, hermanito." said Eric “Yea, you'll start feeling like a virgin soon” Ferran interrupted. “Guys, grow up, there’s nothing wrong with being a virgin. It’s going great for me” said a smiling Gavi as he got into their conversation’s circle. They all laughed. “Yea, I’m talking to Anita, she’s nice and so cute, we’re figuring out when to go out and what to do”. said Pedri “Oh, great! Now I’m gonna lose another friend to a fucking novia” snapped Gavi. “Gavi, I’m too young for a girlfriend! That’s too serious,” said Pedri defensively, “we’re just talking”. “Right, sure!” Gavi said sarcastically. 

Later that day Gavi and Pedri went to Pedri’s house to watch TV, eat a bit, and play FIFA. They both were half sitting, and half laying comfortably on the couch. Gavi was drinking water and had his big light brown eyes wide open while looking at the TV.

Pedri looked at him for a second, while remembering the conversation in training. “Mira, Gavi, even if I get a girlfriend, I won’t disappear. I’ll always make time for us, you know” he said with a bit of nostalgia in his voice.

Pedri didn’t care if he sounded like he cared too much, Gavi had really become a good friend and he wanted to guard him and his feelings. They understood each other, how they both hated the cold and navigated towards the warmth like in their home cities. They are the same in a lot of ways, like how they both could only think of football, being good at it, being in shape, driven to be technically better, and winning, but they’re also family people and trying hard not to be affected by all the attention and money. They both had their parents manage their money, it wasn’t important to them to be flashy. Gavi was important to Pedri.

Gavi looked at him with a shy smile and said “Hermano, I know. I feel the same way” and immediately he side-hugged Pedri while kissing his shoulder at the same time. Gavi always showed his feelings with physical attention. Gavi admired Pedri, deeply, he felt so lucky to have his friendship. “Ok, now when this episode ends. How about we get a snack and play FIFA? I’m out of practice, but I promise to beat your ass." said Gavi “Ni lo sueñes, enano” said Pedri with a side smile “I always have Messi on my FIFA team”.