#i really appreciate the way writers have done the progression of their relationship

[cherryblossomchronicles]

Bae Seok-Ryu and Song Hyeon-Jun

I am surprised by the turn writers took for their relationship. It’s such a copout to make him cheat on her after the cancer detection and make a villain out of him - an easy thing to do too.

But.

The writers chose to show us the nuanced version of how you can just drift apart, of how you can be unsuitable for each other without it being anyone’s fault.

Hyeon-Jun loved Seok-Ryu with everything he got - he supported her, put his life on hold, held her hands while she was dealing with this new curve the life threw at her. He never faltered in his care for her when she had surgery or was even going through the chemotherapy. In fact, he was her pillar of strength and someone who believed that she would overcome this hurdle of life as well and come out of the other side as a champion. He would have happily continued to support Seok-Ryu for as long as she wants but where it all fell apart was that he, alone, had to bear the burden of looking after her.

One of the first things I was taught as a psychologist was the importance of a proper support system. It was emphasized that I can never or rather should never put the burden of all my physical, emotional and social needs on one person. It is no one’s duty to carry that baggage for us. We all have a different person who fulfills the need for a different part of our personality. Maybe there is someone specific you go to have deep, existential level of conversation or someone else altogether when you want a good session of bitching about someone to just vent it all out. Someone to go on hike with, someone to take you down the nostalgia lane or even someone who’s hug could make you forget everything else in the world. All these someones are different people in our life.

What happened with Seok-Ryu and Hyeon-Jun was the lack of support system and the vacuum it created because of Seok-Ryu’s decision. I am not blaming her for not telling anyone else in the support system about her illness (that beast will be tackled later) but her decision of keeping the fact from everyone and his decision of respecting that was the point where the first crack came in their relationship. And even then, he held fast for her treatment for stomach cancer. What threw an unexpected curveball in the entire scenario was the depression Seok-Ryu had to deal with. When everything was finally making sense and going back to how it was, Seok-Ryu’s depression made them take four steps back.

“If you drag me down with you to the bottom, are you going to stop then?”

It is extremely emotionally and mentally exhausting to take care of someone who faces ailments such as cancer or depression. Having to do so without there being anyone else who could give you a break to sort out your own emotions is exhausting. Hyeon-Jun was just a victim of caretaker burnout. Yes, he shouldn’t have said those words to Seok-Ryu - they were the final nail in coffin of their relationship. But I can’t blame him for saying that even if had meant to (which he didn’t). He was trying his best to be understanding and supportive like a good partner should be but even the best trained caretaker would feel the resentment creeping in if they were the one and only support system of someone. And Hyeon-Jun?  He was just a normal human being trying and not being enough.

“You really tried your best. I know that better than anyone.”

As Seok-Ryu said, he was not at fault, but cancer did change her life. She will always worry about remission; she will always worry about her tomorrow and Hyeon-Jun was not equipped to handle that. She doesn’t fault him for it, but she also knows that they both can’t continue to live like that. He might still love her, she might have some lingering feeling for him, but love cannot be enough for them to last.

[lilbeanz]

Hello! Not an ask, just wanted to say I adore your content; you're so skilled. I came across your art first, and the drama of even the smallest panel; I'd been eyeing JoDT & sequels for awhile because it was a WIP, but I caved and binged bks1-4 in about three days. I reread the "Eat your heart out Pureblood society" scene at least once a day, thank you for that, superb execution. I also really liked, in the first book, the interactions between Malfoy & Harry, and the very gradual "well, he's our friend now." The development of their friendship has done a great job of re-defining the characters and their relationships. The series feels like its own thing, and the fact that Ginny never even had the diary in book 2 only cemented that. I've really appreciated the deviation from Draco-the-tortured-hero/Draco-making-amends (which I also love to read). Horrors of the Heir was a great twist and really put the whole series in another tier, tbh. CoS was like, my least favorite of the series as a kid (alongside GoF, which has grown on me as I read fanfic) and your version of bk 2 easily established the micro-obsession of your series for me. Also, Crabbe & Goyle?? "They're actually really good friends"?? "Just to see if we feel anything"?? Adorable. Obsessed.

tldr; Your rewrite of the series is incredibly unique, and I admire how you've really taken the series and made it something completely fun and new and modern 💜💜💜

Looking forward to the rest. Thank you for sharing!

AaaAaaAaaHhhHhhHh?!??!?!

This is such a lovely comment, I can't even -- I -- I'm --

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying the series so far! It really has been such a challenging, fun project!

I adored writing the "Eat Your Heart Out" scene. People tend to forget that Draco Malfoy is canonically *very* dramatic when he wants to be. Yes, he can be sulky and scheming, but he also shouts taunts across the courtyard, and puts on scenes to make older students laugh at Harry’s expense, even going so far as to dress up as a Dementor to make his "rival" lose in Quidditch.

The Horror of the Heir was such an experience for me as the author, because CoS is my favourite book from the series (weird, ik) and looking back, I sort of realise I could’ve squeezed in so much more. But last May, 45k was a HUGE amount of words for me! And now I'm churning out 100k like nobody's business 💀

✨️Growth✨️

And speaking of growth, the reason I had Draco take Tom Riddle’s diary was purely because of growth. It would've taken him far longer to change as a person if he hadn't taken Ginny's place. A pivotal character development moment, as he reflects on his upbringing etc...

Crabbe and Goyle generally get overlooked in the fandom, and it really bugs me. Vince dies canonically, yes, but I absolutely love it when fic writers incorporate Greg as an actual character in post-war fics, and acknowledge that Vince was Draco’s friend.

It's always Blaise, Pansy, and Theo because they're intelligent and societies definition of "attractive." I mean, each to their own of course, but I could write an entire essay on the injustice I feel for Crabbe and Goyle!

And then, of course, the development of Draco’s relationship with the Golden Trio, specifically Harry. Just -- Ugh-- these silly kids make me so unhinged!😂

It wouldn't be all sunshine and rainbows to begin with. Of course it wouldn't. It's a rocky start, with bumps along the way (and more big bumps to come), but I really do love the way I have progressed their relationship, and I'm not even gonna be humble about it! I really do love my own fic!!!

All this to say, thank you so much!!! I realise fix-its are a very popular type of fic to write, but I really do try to keep it as fresh and unique as possible, so the fact that I really am able to give my readers an experience means the world to me💖

[baeshijima]

so... i finished the new natlan aqs...

spoilers utc w/ very long rambles haha... mainly abt capitano—

first off, wow. i actually did not know what to expect going into this version's aqs, but good lord they were so well-written?? i genuinely cried and sobbed at some parts, namely ororon's realisation where he wants to live for himself and fights to retain his soul and chuychu's death with chasca grieving over her... there were so many amazing aspects in acts 3 & 4, with the fights and cutscenes being so, so well done, the lore bombs (seelies being confirmed to be /past/ angels) and the music??? ohh the osts were so good... and the theme that came up in the capitano scenes.... ourhgghg...

speaking of capitano, may i just say: wow. what a man. i genuinely love his character so much and the writers did him so much justice?? like, he has his own goals and ideals but doesn't let that get in the way of being kind and caring and upholding his honour, and isn't beneath apologising and admitting his mistakes when proven wrong...

another thing i love is his relationship with his subordinates !! like, the concern he showed for them on several occasions and the concern & admiration they have for him is just... so nice to see? idk it just feels so refreshing to see a mutually appreciative dynamic with the fatui especially ;w;; and then his progressive relationship with our main natlan cast... him saving xilonen, not once, but twice (that should've been me—), how he went from being dismissive of ororon to caring for his well-being, his growing respect for mavuika and hers for him, and how he decided to ditch his plan in the end to help be part of mavuika's one.... i am so unwell...

and not to mention that last scene with him???? like sir wdym ronova sent u and u know that mavuika has to pay a debt with her death and that u have a bone to pick with that final for which means u are more than likely to also join us both into the night kingdom for the final fight with the abyss which may or may not lead to u sacrificing urself in mavuika's stead so she doesn't have to die and—

oh lord i am not ready for the future story with him...

ALSO HE IS FROM KHAENRI'AH DURING THE CATACLYSM AND WAS A COMMANDER????

sobbing the pain in his voice when he was relaying how he lost his comrades, family and nation, fleeing to natlan with his remaining platoon once realising khaenri'ah couldn't be saved despite his attempts in hopes of escaping the carnage and giving what was left of himself and his comrades some reprieve only to face the abyss invasion again in natlan...

but oh my god when he was saying how the chief of the masters of the night-wind, ayizu, and how he didn't treat capitano any differently despite being from khaenri'ah and most ppl believing khaenri'ah and its inhabitants to be the cause of the tragedy, thus making himself duty-bound to help natlan ;w;

AND TSARITSA MENTION??? HER ALLOWING THE HARBINGERS THE FREEDOM TO DISCOVER THEIR OWN MEANING AND FOR IT TO TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER HER ORDERS IF THE TIME CALLS FOR IT??? we stan a homie !!

ALSO DAIN MENTION RAAHHHHH

"he carries a degree of pain and hatred that far surpasses my own" oh. so we're going down that route, huh. i see how it is. but also the way he also calls him "dain" ;w;; ueueue also rotting corpse/flesh... i wonder if this is in the literal sense or an abyssal rot/erosion like dain's arm? hm...

okay but now i really want to see how dain reacts to us mentioning capitano, and if he would instantly know who we are referring to since dain knows a lot despite his deteriorating memory, and maybe we might get a capitano name reveal...? also is this us being one step closer to seeing dain in an actual main story aq?? ALSO THE ABYSS SIBLING BEING KHAENRI'AHN ROYALTY CONFIRMATION RAAHHH

anyway before moving on to the heavier parts of the quest have some capitano mavuika interactions bc i love them and their old married couple-esque bickering :((

(also ororon just standing in the middle of them during their squabble like a son and going "can i say something?" 😭)

++ kinich and ajaw being... well... kinich and ajaw.

okay. haha. the war. :)

genuinely was not expecting it to be depicted so... dark? like, i know it's war and that natlan is the nation of war, but with genshin's streak of not going in depth to explicitly show death and the like (though they have been bolder in recent updates, namely fontaine), i wasn't expecting to see literal corpses of the npcs and saurians strewn on the ground after the abyss got stronger, and that whichever area we picked over another would have consequences... the devastation i felt when realising the other area i could have helped was completely wiped out... gosh...

our choices actually having consequences and changing what happens during the war + depending on how long u take to defeat the enemies also heavily impacts the death count??? LIKE WHAT

and then paimon becoming progressively distressed the longer it went on and the more found dead genuinely broke my heart like 😭

and oh god... chuychu's death... chasca momentarily losing control of the abyssal contamination due to grief only to rein it in a moment later.... and then chasca becoming recognised by the ancient name due to it and becoming the final awakened hero... ourgh....

and when walking around the stadium to talk with those who made it back and there's this one baby saurian waiting for its person and saurian friends/family to come back...

LIKE STOP THIS HYV DO U WANT ME TO END IT ALL???? WHY WOULD U INCLUDE THIS BITBKSAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

BUT OMG THE CUTSCENE WHERE ALL THE AWAKENED HEROES + MAVUIKA FORMED THE CIRCLE WITH THEIR POWERS GOING TO MAVUIKA AS SHE MAINTAINS THE SUN-LIKE POWER IN THE SKY??? ONLY TO THEN LATER DEAL THE FINAL BLOW TO THE ABYSS STRUCTURE AND PIERCE THROUGH IT AND REVEAL THE FAKE FUCKING SKY????

WHAT THE FUCK????? CONFIRMATION THE SKY IS FAKE AND THAT SCARA ALL THE WAY BACK IN 1.0/1 DURING THE STARS EVENT WAS RIGHT AND THAT POST ACT 4 U CAN STILL SEE MOON FRAGMENTS IN THE SKY????

man. got chills from the war depictions. got chills from the cutscenes. got chills from the fake sky confirmation.

also this was such a cute scene with everyone + mavuika in the distant background that i had to take a screenshot ;w;

but ourgh... the amount of sacrifices we witnessed and were too late to help prevent just really set it in stone just how devastating and powerless it can make u feel... it's only 5.1 and it's gotten this dark just how much darker are u going to take it with the abyss final showdown hyv 😭😭

also capitano feeling admiration for everyone who stood up and fought the abyss...

i am unwell i love him...

now. mavuika.

sobbing i love, love, love her so much !! she was mothering so hard as always like??? taking care of us, being the one to being the light that pulled ororon out of the darkness so he could find his way out (pls don't touch me i sobbed so hard during that entire scene where he realised he didn't want to self-sacrifice anymore but instead live for himself and for those who care for him, thus awakening as one of the heroes... holds him gently...), showing how much she cared for her people...

but it also really puts into perspective just how much she chose to sacrifice and put behind her (her loved ones and her then life) for a chance to be able to finally put an end to the war with the abyss and free natlan...

she was so radiant like the sun that she became one :')

but also...

they brought back the seeing past loved ones mindscape scene... sobs i don't wanna see what happens in the next update bc of mavuika's debt death and capitano's potential sacrifice intervention but at the same time i do 😭😭 (also she was so stunning here i had to take a screenshot aha)

BUT GENUINELY I GREW TO LOVE THE NATLAN CAST SO MUCH??? xilonen, citlali and ororon especially with them being new and i wasn't sure how much i would like them, but oh god i love how they were written and how real they felt with strengths and flaws ;w;;

but also with the drop that paimon will be staying behind while us and mavuika go to the night kingdom for the final battle, her separation anxiety is going to go through the fucking roof good lord... i also predict we will die and get resurrected at some point in our time down their bc... ain't no way are they giving us an ancient name for it to not be used for resurrection in the night kingdom...

anyway it's 4am and i spent like. 2 hours typing this up and i have so much more i could talk about but then this would be neverending so um. haha.

if u read to the end (here) then

1) thank you for reading my nonsensical rambles and cries <33

2) why would u put urself through this?

3) have four cookies for the time spent on this post 🍪🍪🍪🍪

[havenesc]

for the ask meme: 5/6, 8, 11, and 16!!!!

(love your fandom ask meme)

HELLO SWEET FRIEND thank you for sending these :^)) had to put my thinking cap on for these

5. something you see in fics a lot and love

Oh gosh. I like a really good Tim and Jason brotherly relationship -- I love Jason navigating all of his familial relationships, good and bad, and when I say "good" in context of Jason and Tim I don't necessarily always mean "happy and healthy" either. I love when people tackle their very specific dynamic of being neither the first nor the last to wear the colors, the replacement to the replacement, the "don't follow in my footsteps because I can't save you from what I have to do to stop you" kind of shit. There's so many different ways to parse their relationship, and so many of them really are fascinating. Like. Oh my god. Bookmarked. Kudos'd. Guaranteed silent car ride while I digest what I just read for the next 5-7 business days.

6. something you see in art a lot and love

Not to be fucked up but I love whump and I love angst and I love emotional turmoil. Seeing art meant to wound both the viewer and the subject is like salt and vinegar chips for the Haven soul.

(I also once was a Jason Todd white streak hater way, WAY back in the day when I was still begrudgingly like, trying to figure out if I was into Batman as a whole like a southern kid trying to figure out if they might be queer (an experience I lived once already), but now I get such a kick whenever official DC artists actually commit to the bit and give our boy his white streak like the rest of us. I am a white hair Jason TRUTHER)

8. you hope more people will come to appreciate __ (a ship, a trope, an episode, etc)

SOFIA GIGANTE AS A ROGUES GALLERY CHARACTER MY GOD THE POTENTIAL GOOD LOOOOOOOOORD

I'm sure it will come. I am so sure of it. This is just my lesbian pining for Sofia Gigante. But I need her to be passive aggressive with the Batfamily, be untouchable in ways that The Penguin or Zucco or the other mobsters aren't. I need her to play a fucking game of 4D chess with the Batman and I need Dick to lose a bitch contest to her and I need her to begrudgingly sympathize with Jason's outcasting and we have already gone down that rabbit hole but I just need to say it aGAIN

11. if you're a writer or artist, what fic or piece of art are you proud of making?

Fic-wise, my best work to date is nothing grows to burn, a still-in-progress fic about loss, grief and love in the eyes of a has-been figure skater and an unconventional rising star hockey player. My very first fic I have ever posted was a Batman fic and it shows, but I am actually working on picking up the pieces of it and making it work :^)

Art-wise, definitely my achilles come down. My favorite (and first!) piece I have done since I came back to DC. I have peaked. I was not high when I made it but I look back and have no idea how I made it at all. Self-high five.

16. a tiny detail in canon that you want more people to appreciate

Honestly, I'm relatively new to being back in my DC lane after a two-year stint in JJK, so it may very well be appreciated to death already and that's why my ignorant eyes have not seen much of it -- and it's not exactly a tiny detail! BUT.

The very specific scar of Jason having his throat cut by Bruce. That is not a byproduct of the Joker or Jason's death, like the autopsy scar, but it sure as hell is a byproduct of Jason living and having autonomy out of the shadow of thy father -- and by god did he suffer those consequences when he faced Bruce down with a problem Bruce could not correctly solve. They might not be flesh and blood but the sting of your own paternal figure taking the risk of killing you again over killing the Joker, your actual murderer. WHOOMPH.

[thequiver]

I'm a bug fan of your Revenant series! It's such a cool team 😁

One thing that struck me was that on learning the shadow king was back Lorna specifically asked for her brother and shot down seeing her father. She was even reluctant to tell Wanda what was happening until Pietro convinced her.

What was going on in her head at that moment and how do you feel about her respective relationships with her father and siblings (In the story and in cannon)

YESSSSSSSS I’ve been waiting for someone to ask this 🥰🥰🥰also thank you so much for enjoying Revenant, I have literally so much more of it to write (you have no idea this has gotten way out of control, this entire AU was created for a silly oneshot TerryLorna idea I had and I am STILL NOT EVEN AT A PLACE WHERE I CAN WRITE THE TERRYLORNA)....anyway this is about to be word vomit bc I have a LOT of thoughts

Okay so one of the big things here is that Lorna and Pietro have both had pivotal moments in their stories where they were mind controlled and made to do things that hurt people they cared about and neither of them really ever got a whole lot of support in recovering from that. And Pietro is, for all his faults, incredibly protective and incredibly loving of his sisters and while Lorna has spent a LOT of time pushing back against that protectiveness because she really and truly can handle herself and she and Pietro don't have that kind of history where he's seen her almost burned at the stake etc etc.... this is a moment where she wants someone to be ride or die in her corner and to be ride or die in her corner after it's all said and done even if she is controlled again...... and Pietro's fatal flaw is loyalty. She wanted someone who would come in and try to make it better even though there was nothing they could do, and she knew that if she called Pietro would come running. It's more an act of desperation than of familial love? But it's something that's really going to set the stage as the story progresses for how their relationship is going to evolve. We also know that Lorna is very afraid of seeming weak in front of her father- he has these grand expectations of her and when she doesn't meet his impossible standards she cracks under that weight and for as much as I love Erik and as much as I appreciate the steps he's taken to repair his relationship with her, being his daughter is not easy. And with Wanda, they arguably have the easier relationship within this group of siblings, where it really has become more genuinely sisterly and almost...dare I say? normal? But Wanda isn't really involved in X-Men stuff and hasn't really been to any grand extent barring her intro and M-Day (and much more recently Trial of Magneto)- her very presence on Krakoa is enough to inspire hatred and anger, with the Shadow King there Wanda as a first choice is probably not smart, and Wanda herself has so much baggage with mutantkind thanks to M-Day that it puts her in a weird position too.

I'm playing a lot with Wanda, Lorna, and Pietro's relationships with each other and with their father. I feel like Pietro is very underutilized and that he's not taken seriously by writers or by fans and so I really wanted to build on this Lorna-Pietro relationship that was starting to get established in All New X-Factor and to really kind of I guess force my readers to remember that Pietro isn't a bad guy? Which sounds stupid bc he's a hero but like people don't read for Pietro and take wildly ooc shit as fact. Like it's important to me that my readers know that it was Pietro who pushed for he and Wanda to leave the Brotherhood, and that Pietro tries so so so hard for his family and just wants to keep his sisters and daughter safe and that like he is a victim of much of the same trauma as Wanda and he's allowed to have responses to it without being whiny or having to get over it (no matter what Wanda said in Quicksilver: No Surrender).

But yeah, I have lots of Revenant thoughts, and feel free to dm me or send me asks about it anytime I love talking about it!

[xxguardiantreexx]

!!SPOILERS FOR OMFD S2 FINALE!!

I want to talk about the finale of OFMD, and specifically about why exactly Izzy's death makes me feel so despondent.

So I usually try to stay out of discourse, especially when it has a fandom as divided as this one seems to be now. And I sincerely don't want this to be taken as me being JUST ticked off or anything. But I feel like Izzy's death, while upsetting on it's own, speaks to a larger problem this season struggled with.

Season one, to me, was a gem. My mom's the one who discovered it and told me to watch it, we ended up watching it together and I was hooked (no pun intended) and flat out thrilled to be watching a show that so lovingly showcased positive queer rep and had a tight, hilarious, and touching storyline front to back. I was a wreck (why all the accidental puns today??) when it was over and couldn't wait for season two.

And season two WAS good! It was funny, I loved Buttons arc and Calypso's birthday and all the other great moments this season had. But to me, the biggest problem is that the pacing was really rushed and the writing too convoluted and crammed full of plot points that didn't fit together in the time allotted.

I've seen people on Twitter saying that the episodes never gave the story room to breathe, to let the audience finish reacting to One Thing before moving on to The Next Thing. They introduced new characters, villains, big monumental moments, and I never once felt like I had time to take any of it in with the love and appreciation I would have liked to because things just kept happening.

I don't know if this was a product of the writing itself being flawed on it's own, or HBO not giving OFMD the amount of episodes it deserves, or both. And just to be clear, I do not condone or agree with anyone harassing the creators for answers, or telling them they're dicks or whatever, because that's wrong.

But in my opinion, this season just didn't work. Season one did a great job of balancing it's episodic shenanigans with it's ongoing storyline, and while nothing is perfect, it was very well written and paced.

And that is why I have a big problem with how they handled the death of Izzy Hands being the completion of his character arc.

Here we have a very repressed, battered and broken man RELUCTANTLY coming back from the brink of death, struggling with his handicaps, damaged relationships and purposelessness on The Revenge. And we slowly see him begin to rebuild himself from the ground up. He creates meaningful emotional bonds with the crew he outright hated throughout all of season one, finds a place for his years of experience again when teaching Stede how to be a real pirate, and comes to terms with his relationship with Ed, and Ed's relationship with Stede. He makes peace with all of it and lets the love of the crew, of family, drive him forward for what little time he has left, because he was always on borrowed time by this point.

Ending a character arc with having said character die sucks, because it hurts when it's a character you care deeply about. But it can work, and it HAS worked. That's why writers keep torturing us by doing it.

The problem for me comes back to pacing.

It's the fact Izzy died by a random gunshot wound because he was standing in the wrong place. It's the fact Izzy died for what reads very much as a way to progress Ed's character arc, not end his own. It's the fact Izzy died and the reaction of the rest of the crew was shown so minimally, with nary a word said about it in the aftermath. It's the fact Izzy died and we were immediately swept off into the wedding scene and the introduction of the inn, without giving us, the audience, a quiet moment to grieve as well.

I'm not saying he necessarily needed a bombastic death scene, or for the season to end on an exceedingly somber note. But I feel like Izzy, for all he'd done this season and the growth his character attained, more than deserved a heroes death and clearer acknowledgement by his family. Not to give Ed, who's just kind of existed this season to me, a pep talk with his dying breath and for everyone to just move on immediately.

If there had been time given for this story to breathe, as much as it would have saddened me, I think this could have worked. I think Izzy could have died and it would have had more meaning, the meaning I'm sure they'd hoped it would when they decided to kill him off.

But it didn't work. Not to me at least, and I'm sad about it. A lot of us are sad about it, and will continue to be. Because we still need time to grieve before we can move on. I know it's just a show, and he's just a character in it, but it's a show that's meant so much to so many people, made us feel seen and accepted in a world where that's harder to come by than it should be. And to see a character so beloved get treated as a plot device to an extent at the end of his journey... I would have just loved better for him.

R.I.P. our brash, loud, exceptional unicorn, Izzy Hands.

[thegamingcatmom]

Hello, I've been reading a lot of your stuff about the Denali sisters and also read your first chapter too (Very good btw) I have to say I love the Denali sisters, Tanya especially but I am conflicted because I feel as if the way people see them is very different from how I imagine them, and hey that is alright because to each their own and in the end we write/read many times to comfort ourselves. Thing is, when are we crossing a line here? I love what you're doing, love their wild side, their more predatory way of seducing reader (who in my mind is their mate, weather we believe in mate stuff or not is a whole diff story but thats my reasoning behind choosing reader) but we're facing stuff ehre like kidnapping, abducting and only the writer knows what more is in store for poor reader, and that in my eyes is not a healthy relationship, is making them (my fav characters in this case) to be hella toxic and shit and though I'm loving all your HC's and loving the chapte, even wanting to read more to see where it leads as I said I can't help but feel sad because falling in love is one thing but this is just pure idk, instinct? I ask myself like as reader would I really fall in love with this kind of people who induced the trauma of sorts, like ofc I know this is fiction ands tuff but yk I think way too much over things that I shouldn't. Idk if that made any sense because it's hard to put into words what I mean and I suck at explaining stuff, a clsoed book would be easier to read than me lol. I understand vampires are intense,a re possessive and jealous but to what extent? ANYWAY i'm sorry for this long ass ask and I hope it doesn't bother you the things I said? if it did I'm really sorry I didn't ask any of this with ill intention, I'm honestly curious. Have a good day <3

Hello there!

First of all: Thanks a lot for your very honest opinion on this and that you felt comfortable enough to reach out to me. Critisism is important and always very much appreciated. 🫶

I also wanna thank you for complimenting the stuff I´ve done so far, I´m really happy you like it! <3

I agree with you that ppl view them differently, and that´s absolutely alright. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and, sometimes, that opinion vastly differs from ours or how we´ve come to understand someone else´s view on them. Which, again, that´s absolutely alright.

Now to the story I´m writing:

You correctly stated that it´s not a healthy relationship, at all. (Not at its current stage, at least.) However, this was entirely my intention when I started writing it. I want the sisters to come across as these feral, instinct-driven beings who more or less turn a blind eye to MC´s struggles (at first). That´s the great thing about fanfiction: You´re not bound/limited to canon. You can go absolutely wild and try out things and storylines you´ve always wanted to see playing out. This is me going absolutely wild.

Does that mean I see the Denali sisters solely as masochistic, sadistic beings who only have their own interests at heart? Absolutely not. (Something that becomes more clear as we progress further with the story.) This is merely a different take on them. I still very much see them as your loving girlfriends/mates/wives who´d do absolutely anything for you...in an alternate universe. (At least with how things currently stand.) 😅

I´ve always been drawn to darker topics that really question the morality of it all. I´m aware that this is not for everyone, and that´s totally fine. But that´s what tags and warnings are for. If you feel like this story isn´t for you, then I kindly ask you to skip this one. I´d be very sad to lose you as a reader, but I´d absolutely understand your reasoning for it. ❤️

"I ask myself like as reader would I really fall in love with this kind of people who induced the trauma"

You hit the nail right on its head here, actually. This is exactly what I had in mind right from the start when it comes to MC. Reader will NOT be this naive, foolish girl easily brainwashed into doing the sisters´ biddings. I myself don´t find such a storyline appealing either. I love MCs who fight back, who come out on top despite everything they´ve been put through. Reader won´t fall in love with any of them for a long, long, long time. Which also means there won´t be anything physical going on, aside from Tanya´s pesky advances, lol.

Speaking of: No matter how persistent any of the sisters get, there won´t be any non-con stuff. Not in a way that causes MC harm *points to Tanya´s unwanted advances*. This is a line I don´t wanna cross. Any advances towards MC will be written in a way that (hopefully) comes across as both spicy AND hilarious. Something like Tanya getting a book thrown in her face for trying to steal a kiss, lmao. (Which is very likely to happen btw. MC is a lil spitfire.)

So, what I’m really asking is for you to have a bit of faith in me and my writing, and to wait for the next chapter, where the sisters will officially be introduced, before you give up on this story. It will get feral and instinct-driven at times, yes. But there´s more to it and to the sisters.

Next chapter might just give an insight into that already. ;3

To sum it up: This story will be less about falling in love and more about becoming a better/the best version of yourself.

This is what we´re aiming for:

Fingers crossed we gonna make it there! 🤞🤞🤞

Thanks again for your very elaborate and valid ask. ❤️

[mermaidsirennikita]

ARC REVIEW: Wake Me Most Wickedly by Felicia Grossman

4/5. 4/9/2024.

Vibes: older woman/younger man, Snow White retelling, Jewish historical romance

Heat Index: 6.5/10.

Sol Weiss is looking to live up to the example (and expectations) set by the half-brother who raised him--and that means marrying the right woman. The right woman is NOT Hannah, with a shady past and a shadier lineage. But after she rescues Sol from an attack, he can't get her out of his head. And the more she tries to stay away, the more he wants her...

If you're looking for something light and fun--though not at all silly--with a good dose of interclass conflict and a rough around the edges heroine, this is for you. It's not often that we see heroines who are a) older than their heroes, which Hannah is and b) the more "dangerous" one (in theory) in the couple. At the same time--though Sol is funny and sweet, he's not a milquetoast. Seriously, how could he be with Hannah if he was?

It's like... a feel-good book, but not without stakes. Which is what I think Felicia Grossman is starting to specialize in. With, of course, a strong focus on the 19th century Jewish community in England, which--how often do you see that in romance, despite it being a huge part of the era.

Quick Takes:

--You often do see heroines who have a bit of an edge, but it's less often that you see them actually do things that make them seem more worldly and, dare I say, competent than the hero. Hannah is introduced here as someone who has a lot of responsibilities, doesn't shy away from her sexuality (but also, you get the sense, has never really had someone truly care about her needs), and isn't above committing crimes.

And then... she saves Sol. It's not that Sol isn't competent--more that he doesn't have as much life experience as Hannah. Which tracks, as he's literally younger than her and also comes from a more sheltered background. But I wouldn't say he's spoiled. He's willing to learn. He's eager to learn, really (in every way... yay, a hero who's less experienced in bed than the heroine!).

Sol is a good dude, but as I said before, he's not a boring dude. He wants to do the right thing, but Hannah quickly becomes his priority. Also, he does crochet at one point, and I did find that delightful.

--To be clear, I am not Jewish, and my understanding of Jewish customs and history is superficial at best. But it's clear that Grossman has done her research regarding the era, and I really appreciate that her characters' identities are woven in to the fabric of their beings. Like, there isn't a Very Special Episode Where We're Reminded That The Characters Are Jewish (which I've seen happen when writers who aren't Jewish write characters that are). It's just always there.

--One thing I really liked as Sol and Hannah's relationship progressed was the way that he clearly started to take care of her. I love an independent heroine who takes care of people (Hannah does not have a kid, phew, but she does have a sister she's trying to set up for a better life) and resists the hero trying to care for her. That's done really well here. Sol is like, mildly outraged that this woman doesn't have people looking out for her, and it's very sweet.

--This is a Snow White retelling! There are nods to elements like the Seven Dwarves. I don't know that I would call this a particularly heavy retelling, and I'm not sure that the retelling element was super necessary? But it was cute.

The Sex:

There are several sex scenes in this one, all of which are good, and they usually revolve around Hannah's pleasure. Sol is not super experienced, but he's READY to jump in, and it's really great. In fact, their entire sexual relationship (which begins before the halfway mark, thank God) begins with him basically going "let me help you RELAX" which. Gold. He's a GOOD boy.

For the fans of a face-sitting scene.... There is a great one in this book wherein she is shocked! Shocked I say! And he basically goes "hold on to the bed frame I'm working here".

Anyway, this is a super fun, fluffy-but-not-TOO-fluffy read that gives you something beyond the typical hero/heroine dynamic (which I still love) along with a solid dose of heat. It's for the girlies (and not-girlies) who just want to go home after a long day's work and have our shoulders massaged, and also perhaps other things too. We love to see it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Preorder here:

Amazon

B&N

Bookshop.org

[ballonleaparadise]

A Review of Pokemon Horizons Ep. 1-12

We are (as I'm writing this) a dozen episodes into the new pokemon anime, so I thought it would be a good time to make a review. When it was first announced that Ash was being retired as the main character, I was unsure how the anime would continue. After 25 years of Ash Ketchum, it must have been a difficult decision for the writers to replace him. However, Pokemon Horizons has proven to be a breath of fresh air, and I'm loving it so far. *Major spoilers ahead for eps 1-12*

I'm going to start with Liko. Firstly, I'm glad that the writers did not make her a clone of Ash. On the contrary, she has a personality that is very distinct from Ash's daring and bold character. She is shy, and finds it difficult to approach others. It's refreshing to watch pokemon from the perspective of a more introspective character. However, the main reason why I like Liko is due to the way in which she has been handled. She fills in for the narrator, which gives us a glimpse into her inner thoughts and feelings. This makes her relatable, as it shows us as an audience what Liko thinks versus what she says out loud. Finally, Sprigatito is the perfect partner pokemon for Liko. They are both reserved, wary and a little reckless. While anipoke feels weird without Ash, I think Liko has a lot of potential, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she develops.

Moving on to Roy, I also really like his characterisation. He's more similar to Ash in terms of his enthusiasm, and his compassion for pokemon. However, he has his own unique traits, including his curiosity about the ancient explorer and his friendship with Fuecoco. Speaking of Fuecoco, I love this little guy and his comedic moments. All of the pokemon in the main cast have individual personalities, and I'm here for it. In addition, I really like Roy's relationship with his grandfather, who appears to have had a significant influence on both him and Friede. In terms of Roy's goal, I'm excited to see where his pursuit of Rayquaza goes. The latest episode gave us more information about the ancient explorer, so it'll be interesting how the story progresses.

Next, I have to touch on the other crew members of the Rising Volt Tacklers. Friede is a loveable dork who just happens to be a professor. Orla is best girl and I can't wait to see more of her. Murdock, Mollie, Ludlow and Dot are also interesting characters. Dot is slowly warming to Liko and Roy, which is nice to see. To add, I have to mention Mollie's backstory in episode 11. Although I thought there was something to the nurse Joy theory, I never expected it to be confirmed true- so this episode proved me wrong lol. I like how Mollie subverts the traditional role of working in a pokemon centre by helping injured pokemon in the wild. It shows how caring she is, and I hope her backstory is expanded on later in the series.

Another thing that Horizons has done well so far, is depicting the Paldea region. The very first episodes set up the main story, with Liko and Roy joining the RVTs and the Explorers chasing Liko's pendant. However, the last four episodes have slowly introduced Paldea. We've already had appearances from Nemona and Brassius. On top of this, we will be seeing Iono in the coming weeks. It's a relief that the new region is getting the attention that it deserves.

I don't have any huge complaints about Horizons so far. Generally, I'm really enjoying the show. One problem I will mention is that the pacing is very slow at times. However, I think that this will pay off later in the series. The writers are taking time to establish and develop all of the new characters, which will make the overall story more engaging.

On a side note, I appreciate the variety of adult characters in Pokemon Horizons. Of course, Liko and Roy are the protagonists, which makes sense for a kid's show. However, the dynamics between the older members of the cast make it more watcheable for adults, imo. For example, moments such as the convo between Friede, Orla and Murdock in episode 11 create a more mature tone, even if it's only to a small extent. Also, as an adult fan, it feels as if the anime has suddenly grown up with us. Friede resembles an older Ash, while Orla and Mollie are like grown up female companions. The show really mixes the familiar with the unfamiliar, which is a great approach to the first series without Ash.

Overall, I'm thoroughly enjoying Pokemon Horizons. Until July 14th, the pokemon anime will be on a hiatus. However, the show has done an amazing job so far of introducing the characters and plot. We're only 12 episodes in, but I have high hopes for the series going forward.

[eyesontheskyline]

hello 😊 I just got done rereading no such thing, and idk i just really wanted to commend u. (Bear with me though I often have a hard time expressing my thoughts)😅

When i watch s7 i always felt like Emily's trauma is so downplayed, (her ability to 'compartmentalize better than most' just doesnt cut it for me here) so i was really excited to read your work and explore a more realistic look at all that. also Hotchniss is one of my fave ships.. on the show they felt like 'right people, wrong time' and in your work they just felt so right! The progression of their relationship felt so natural, like it was building off of all those lil Hotchniss moments in the show. Its so clear to me that you have such a deep understanding of both of these characters, and im so delighted and honoured that you share your talent with us 🫶

Also the way you wrote the BAU team in general was just really well done! Their voices and actions in your work felt so true to them on the show. In particular the scenes you wrote with Penelope had me tearing up at times. (I have such a soft spot for the Penemily friendship) Like when she tells Emily not to apologize for being alive?? Urgh my heart! OR Emily confronting Derek about his response to her past? It was so satisfying to read. Your story made me feel like we were robbed of so many good potential moments on the show.

Anyways im gonna cut myself off because otherwise i would ramble for eternity about your wonderful writing!! This was such a beautiful story and i appreciate u!! p.s. im really looking forward to ur Emily/Jordan fic :•)

Omg thank you so much! (no such thing as over this is here, just in case.)

I definitely agree with you about the show ignoring Emily's trauma, and the right people wrong time vibes. I think the showrunner even said that their final dance was kind of supposed to be an acknowledgement of what might have been between them if they'd met in different circumstances, and the fun thing about fic is that we get to just put aside the fact that neither one of these people would date someone they work with and be like but what if they would, though? I love them both and all their potential together. I'm so glad they felt right to you.

And the team! The whole Lauren arc created such a complex situation that could've been used to explore the characters and then just. . . did not lol. And I'm also obsessed with Penemily friendship - I've never been the same since I saw that post that goes around here soemtimes of the bat cuddling the pink bunny toy lol. They're so different but both so deeply empathetic and have so much respect for each other and I loooove themmmm. And I'm so glad you appreciated her fighting with Derek. That's what made me write it, in the end, so I'm really glad it landed.

This is so so kind. (And just to be clear, I'm sure any writer would happily listen to you ramble for eternity about how much you loved their thing lol.) I appreciate you too! Thank you so much!

[scarlet--wiccan]

My suggestion for parentage is go back to Magda as their bio mom, after fleeing Magneto she meets up with Natalya and they fall in love, deciding to raise the kids together. Thing’s obviously don’t go that way and magda passes away, at some point Natalya and Magneto come into conflict and he ends up killing her (maybe because he blames her for Magda’s death?)

The scarlet witch mantle doesn’t need to pass on genetically—Wanda is a candidate as either Django or Natalya’s foster daughter

I really appreciate the adoption and blended-family angle here. For one thing, it's a great way to deconstruct the idea of hereditary magic, which is typically presented as a genetic thing, or a matter of "blood." That makes me uncomfortable for several reasons, and when it comes to Romani characters, the notion of "magical gypsy blood" is all too prevalent, so I really like the idea that it's actually more about relationship and legacy than it is DNA.

Adoptive and foster-family relationships are also a big part of Wanda's life, and I think this would nicely mirror Billy inheriting the power from Wanda in spite-- or perhaps, because-- of their very unconventional parent-child dynamic. Adoption can be a complicated subject in Romani culture, but in my experience, belonging and being claimed by community is, again, more important than your blood. With an appropriate writer, the Maximoff family could serve as a profound representation of that fact. It could also be a reminder that, in spite of our traditions, we are capable of expanding our concepts of family and meeting modern times with progressive values, i.e. the subject of gender and sexuality around Wanda initiating Billy into a lineage that would have traditionally been carried out by women.

All of which is to say that I love when the Maximoffs break boundaries and subvert our expectations of witches and Romani characters. I think that's something Wanda has always done, and I really want to lean into it in this modern era.

I don't like the idea of Magneto killing Natalya, if only because it would reflect incredibly poorly on his moral character to have him killing Romani women out of grief (?) for his Romani ex-wife? That's weird to me. And for the timeline, it's worth noting that he didn't know about Magda's whereabouts, or the fact that she had twins, until around the time Luna was born, many years after Natalya died.

[sandwormrp]

Opening Day: May 10th

Happy May! We're not far from opening day now! *kazoo noises*

You're probably wondering if I have more gifs up my sleeve. The better question would be how many times can I write *kazoo noises*

If you want to be tagged on opening day, leave a like/comment/emoji

This is a premium rated 3/3/3 community-driven site, we require all members, characters, and faces to be 18+ years of age.

We support writers in all shapes and sizes. We're LGBTQ+ friendly, and will have plenty of nsfw themes included, though it's optional. Those who aren't interested in writing mature content are more than welcome here!

Here's some of the guidebook rules;

► Site Culture

Our vision is to be a relaxed-paced site where characters progress and develop at their own pace. We're all human at the end of the day. Family, work, and life, in general, will sometimes take over. As a whole the site is more receptive to new members who make an effort to socialize, build connections, and basically show they are intending to stick around.

Joining a new group is always nerve-wracking, it can be terrifying to share! Showing an interest will bring that back around to you. We'll also do our best to make you feel appreciated, welcomed, and included here.

Do want to stress; when we say relaxed paced we mean it. Some members will take this very literally. Patience is a must for this site. Try to look for members which suit your pace of writing better.

You can check out the 'posting frequency' roles on profiles and introductions, members can change them according to what fits them best. Life gets in the way sometimes and we respect that the site can't always be a priority for people.

► Player Conduct

All we ask is that you take the initiative to participate if you want to find new characters to write with and try to stay in touch in our chat. We believe you get out of roleplay whatever you put into it.

We’re all here for our love of writing. Do your part in out-of-character chats to keep the community happy and healthy. You and your needs are important and valid! Speak up when you need help. We want everyone to have a good time. Just keep in mind this is a hobby for us all, staff included.

We expect you to be 18+ and able to manage your own relationships/plots with other writers. Show interest in others, ask questions, and you'll get the same in return!

Plenty to do to garner interest, like putting time into creating a relatable character that can also tie into others stories, contacting other writers on discord with interest in their characters will make others want to plot with you more, throwing out a couple of open threads will set the bait for others to bite, and so on.

Communication is key!

► Character Conduct Godmod / Power Play / Metaplaying

It's frowned upon to handle another character without the players consent, especially when it comes to fights. We highly recommend communicating beforehand with your writing partner. This is to give you an idea of where you both want the thread to go, and keep an open line of communication on what you're comfortable with as the thread progresses. This should be done with every new writer you work with. You'll find that you can get comfortable with some writers and no longer need to check in to do things. Starting with consent and communication first will make for happy players and awesome threads all round!

This also needs to be taken into consideration for characters vs environment. Be it creatures or NPC enemies. Make it as realistic as you can. No character/house/ship etc should be stronger/better than the lore's canons. One or two characters aren't going to easily take down a team of trained enemies, or against other characters, so make the struggle really happen! Show weakness, find alternative solutions. Your character doesn't need to win every battle, making them imperfect will bring about a more balanced storyline and development for them! Try to give your character a personal mission of their own and some flaws for them to overcome. Give them weak points, quirks, hobbies, pet peeves. Make them as realistic as you can so that they're interesting to play with.

Metaplaying refers to using player knowledge your character wouldn't have otherwise known. Sometimes events, secret messages, missions and general plots might take an unexpected turn for your character. Very much like life in general, it isn't always going to go to plan, so try to roll with it! We're big on finding another way around the problem, so you can totally do that too.

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No activity checks! Stick around as long as you like. Come and go when you please. No pressure to write. Go at your pace.

We'll try to keep the board organized; meaning any in-character threads will be routinely archived after three months without a reply. Fear not! Can ask for them to be moved back in #moderation on Discord.

Be sure to do at least a monthly bump of any requests you may want to keep active. There's no strict guidelines of when you can or cannot bump. Once a week is our rule of thumb, but if it's over or under - we won't hold it against you.

► Kanly Formal feud or vendetta under the rules of the Great Convention carried on according to the strictest limitations.

Kanly is a form of legalized warfare between two or more houses, so long as it does not claim lives of non-house civilians. Kanly is recognized by the Emperor and the Landsraad, and when so, the two houses can go at each other within the boundaries described above. In the lore, the appearance was that the Harkonnens wiping the Atreides out with a straight up surprise attack, with overwhelming numbers (and at great cost). As far as the rest of the Imperium is concerned, it was a brutal (but acceptable) war of Kanly. Build up allies with other people. Establish some in-character enemies. There are no heroes or good guys in this story. Your houses gains are another houses losses. We operate under the assumption that no house has clean hands - no matter how noble or just they appear. As always, make sure communication with others is a priority and that everyone's on board. If win/loss outcomes cannot be decided amongst yourselves, staff can roll a dice for you to help determine outcomes.

If you want to be tagged on opening day, leave a like/comment/emoji

[mr-stottlemonk]

How do we feel about trudy? Personally i don't like her, or maybe i just got so sick of monk mentioning her every minute.

I really like the show but hated most moments that were about trudy.

I don't know it felt so awkward to watch. and i know shes his wife and it's hard to get over a lover dying but come on, 8 years. Its okay if he brings her up sometimes i just don't think it's necessary that they bring her every episode or so.

Also i don't really appreciate the way they portrayed ocd, I feel like the show would've been much better if they didn't exaggerate some things.

But that's just my opinion though! you may not agree and i hope i phrased my thoughts right because English isn't my first language

*long post so half of this will be under the cut!

**you phrased your thoughts just fine dear, no worries <3!!

when i started (re)watching Monk, i definitely felt my own heart ache for Adrian because loosing someone who you love that makes life look better, seem better and makes it out to be something you can manage is amazing. I loved that Monk truly loved his wife that much. It's hard letting go of someone who loved you for who you are and didn't try to turn you into something else. Or make you hate yourself even more.

About 5 seasons in though, the potrayal of her became more of something like... painting her out to be the perfect wife, woman and person - and while we can't exactly dispute that because we only get flashbacks, hallucinations, dream-like visions and the episodes at the end. No one is perfect and it did grow to be a bit tiresome.

At some point, you do realize that it turns to unhealthy dependency. On her. On the memory of her. On their past relationship. The years go by and Adrian is stuck in one place. And yes, there are episodes where he does make a bit of progress, ask other women out and tries to go out with them but then, it doesn't work out (it never will, that's always the transparent outcome).

Trudy stands for acceptance and love all through out the show. And the other characters (Natalie, Stottlemeyer, Sharona and later on, Randy) show that easily too.

Thing is though, with Trudy and a lot of other things; Monk does not have the proper coping mechanisms/processes etc. He's not that great at understanding his own emotions and letting things go. Though, that gets better over the course of the series.

Not towards Trudy though and partially, i definitely blame the writers. I would have loved to see more of Monk self-healing. Self-healing and accepting himself (which is fucking hard) but it would have been great to see a man so broken down and unable to move on finally love himself. There's a lot of self-albeism in the show that Monk sets on himself, toxic masculinity standards and self-esteem issues. And ofc, a whole lotta bunch of things.

And I'm ngl, the show tried their best to tackle that. I'd have loved more of dealing with that. But 2002-2009 shows aren't overally the best with that. By the sixth season I stopped paying much attention to it. I found the episode Mr. Monk Stays Up All Night a bit... too much, lmfao.

And the episode where they think she's alive also feels,, this or that. Though, i think such a situation happening was not entirely RARE back then. Missing/Dead people do turn up again... once in a blue moon.

and yes, definitely. as a person with adhd & ocd myself there are episodes where i did have to just pause and walk around my house or take a break (and sometimes even skip) because i felt a bit offended or among the lines of "err,,, that's not exactly how it is/works..." -> especially towards the episode Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine. Didn't like how they portrayed that at ALL. The group therapy episode was also a little iffy but i've never been to group therapy myself so I can't say much there.

They could have done better research, because there are some things that just seem so out of the blue you have to pause but there are also other things that hit you right IN THE FACE that you feel seen and heard for a moment. the show definitely helped me feel like there was a chance for things i struggle(d) with when i was younger. But then again, ocd research isn't that great currently either. :")

To add on to that though. I'm not sure if you've given Mr. Monk's Last Case a try but i don't think they improved much on it there either. It's tiresome, tbh, that when people think ocd they think it's all about aligining things, cleaning things... like gosh, no, a person with ocd can have a messy desk, mugs littered all about their room too... so the writers do lean into being lackluster in their potrayal of OCD.

there's also the thing where most of the time, it's not easy for people to actually SPOT someone with ocd. the show makes it out to be an oddity, struggle for willpower and startingly exaggerated sometimes. Which is a shame. Though, extenuating circumstances can definitely make it worse so, it's here and there too.

Anyway! i think i rambled off a bit too much... i do agree with you on this anon! that the focus on Trudy grew, in some episodes, to be over the top. But Adrian's commitment to her is quite heart-warming but right now, I do tend to skip over those episodes, lol. Unless there's a particular thing I feel like watching in either one of them.

thank you for very much for the ask!! i love discussing such topics haha. i hope i managed to convey my own opinions on the show and Adrian/Trudy.

<3.

[lonniemachin]

who's your favorite writer for azrael? and is there an author that you wish that would write him?

i don’t know if anyone will ever dethrone denny o’neil for me. aside from being the one who created the character and gave him the themes he embodied and the purposes he served, i have a fondness for the way you can tell that o’neil poured a lot of passion into azrael and jean-paul, and even if there were quite a few moments that i’m not the biggest fan of and some fumbling down the line, the way he wrote the intricacies of their relationship to heroism, compassion, relationships, rage, power, love, trauma… it’s got a peculiar depth to it that feels earnest.

i appreciate that jean-paul and azrael under o’neil have personalities outside of being The Catholic Guy. hell, most of their writing under him focused more on finding out who they were free of the influences and authorities of others and struggling with their place in the world and ideas about themselves and morality etc. they’d been molded into accepting. they both have distinct senses of humor and lots of little quirks, and some dynamics with others that feel built upon. azrael can speak in sentences that aren’t just “know that men call you defiler” and isn’t in rampage mode all the time. they’re also very very full of flaws both subtle and unsubtle that they never quite move past but try hard to anyway. it’s always a start with them, constant uphill battle, but certain things stuck. denny’s not perfect and some of his choices bug me a lot to be sure, but he defined everything. tough act to follow.

i have complicated feelings on dan watters’ work regardless of how much i love it compared to writers that aren’t o’neil taking on azrael and how happy i am that azrael’s in his hands for the most part. i think he understands the characters in very refreshing ways and knows what they need to progress (sword of azrael 2022’s examination of jp’s very consistent tendency to compartmentalize and project his feelings of rage onto azrael in order to cope badly with views on himself in relation to what the order tried to make him and feelings and actions he does not want to confront), but at the same time some things feel kind of regressive. mixed bag with a lot of positives, still the best modern azrael writer and i’m always stoked to see what he has cooking.

i’d be remiss not to mention alan grant’s azbats writing during the knightfall saga. he did a lot of great work showing the nuances of jp’s thought processes during that era.

as for writers i’d want to write them? i honestly don’t read a ton of newer comics (i do read some! i don’t write ‘em off completely), so i’m unsure, and a lot of the writers i know by name from the things i do read i haven’t thought about outside of what they have done. i’d say ram v, but it seems to be that he & watters are already collaborating to write some azrael in their upcoming TEC issues and he seem to really like the character(s), which i am equal parts insanely thrilled about and nervous as hell for.

sorry this got a little long, but thank you for asking!

[number1wah]

rambles on go2

I think GO2 feels a bit off for people (me included tbh) for a couple of reasons. The big one, obviously, is that it's mostly New Material and Sir Terry wasn't around to help write it, so it's only Neil's voice (and I'm sure at times Neil attempting in some ways to channel Sir Terry, which is just an impossible task), so it lacks that extra special spark that only Sir Terry could really bring it. And there's absolutely no way it ever could have, frankly. (A fact I'm certain everyone on set or in the writing room was aware of. Neil is a wonderful writer. Sir Terry was a wonderful writer. Together they made a particular kind of magic that can never be captured again.)

Secondly though, is that it feels like a bunch of side stories. While things do change and progress in many ways there's just this feeling, to me anyway and I think to others that struggled with it, that a lot of it doesn't actually go anywhere in particular. There's a lot of fluff that doesn't fully impact the story that we see currently (but I do think will enlighten us for next season)

Rather than pushing the story forward in some large way it seems more like it's just expanding on what was there. (Which is definitely not a bad thing by any means.) The first time I watched GO2 I had multiple moments where I straight up just said: "Wait why are we doing things? What's the point of this scene???" And a lot of that was Aziraphale and Crowley's 'minisodes' (which tbh i hate the concept of. why call them minisodes when they are interwoven with the episode?? idk thats a rant for another time). Like their whole bit in Edinburgh and body snatching has little if anything to do with the mystery of Gabriel and it's kinda weirdly thrown inbetween the Main Story in a way that I don't think hits the way they intended it to.

Again, It's not that I don't love seeing the backstory of the Ineffable Idiots but it's done in a way that gives you a bit of whiplash I think. The first season put all (or at least most of) the historical flashbacks in a contained episode, with the intent to show just a bit of the progression of this relationship.

Also, as much as I absolutely adore Azriphale and Crowley, this season focused so so heavily on them that the rest of the cast felt so small. Season 1 had a whole slew of characters that you were able to sit with longer, and I think that's missing here. (And that might also be in part due to filming in the middle of a pandemic) You saw Aziraphale and Crowley interact with each other but you also had a sense of the whole world around them and how they interacted with it more, and how the people in the world interacted with each other. Not just the two or three shops on Aziraphale's street. (And thinking of it now they do interact with people in the flashbacks but because they're one off characters for the episodes and not series regulars it just doesn't have the same impact)

Don't get me wrong, I had some issues with Season 1 (particularly some lines by Pepper that felt wild lol) but I think it was more balanced in it's approach to all the characters and their journey.

This also isn't to say that I dislike Season 2 at all, just that on first watch I can definitely understand why some people struggled a bit with it. I think the biggest thing that helped me appreciate GO2 was understanding that this was more of a "bridge" (for lack of a better term) to get to the sequel. That this was just ramping up to get people to that place. (They absolutely could have chosen to jump in to the sequel story and do some creative story telling to fill us in on the important bits and I am very grateful they chose to tell this story and walk with us to that jumping off point instead.) And I think a lot of trilogies struggle with the second part in particular because so often it is a bridge from the start to the conclusion, but this just feels like that x10 to me?? Because the first season is a complete story, even if there's room to grow from that, it's a closed book essentially.

Idk I'm very much rambling here and can't get my thoughts down in a very coherent way.

I do just want to say that I just finished my second rewatch and, again, I so thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I still think it fumbled parts in comparison to the first one. And I'm absolutely not mad at it in any way for expanding on the both Aziraphale and Crowley individually and together. I just think it may sit better with people when the 3rd season is out (fucking fingers crossed so help me) and the story is a complete entity again.

edit to add: I also don't really think TV executives have ever really given us this style of story before. (fucking especially with a queer couple jfc)Where you go from this crazy story of an apocalypse to a story very obviously about love. Like this feels very much like New Territory and I am so grateful to have it, wort's and all.

[harrytheehottie]

TTDS is some of the best pieces of Harry fics I’ve read on this app.

I don’t know how you managed to craft it so beautifully, but there was this comforting feeling of familiarity - when I first started reading part one - between the reader and harry.

I was so worried when you posted a sneak peak for the third part, and I was mentally preparing myself to see them part ways lmao.

I love how you didn’t write angst for the sake of it and the reader had so many valid points to say no; I was agreeing with everything she’d said at their fight at the bar.

And the way it ended was chefs kiss!!! You managed to injected that comfortable familiarity between the two of them as you wrapped it up.

I don’t know if you’d every write check in blurbs on the two of them at some point but if you would, I would love to read it. If you think that their story ended, I respect that too.

Thank you for sharing this with me. I appreciate all the hours you’d put in writing it, thinking about it, and thinking more about it <3

On a completely unrelated note, I just wanted to ask why you choose to make it a self insert rather than an oc…

(I also have so many questions I’d love to ask you as a writer -I’ve opened the chat many times to do so-but I don’t know if that would be a bit much😬)

Hi hi hi!!! First, I just want to say thank you so much for this message, it’s soooo sweet that you think so highly of my story/writing and truly don’t think thank you is enough to say how much I appreciate this :’) 

Yes! I think it was a really important to show how they weren’t really communicating and how sometimes even when your relationship is supposed to be progressing forward - one person might be way more ready than the other and that doesn’t always have to result in a breakup! I would loooove to do check-in’s with them :) I actually have been toying around with something about Wembley week! If you have any other ideas I can def try! 

As for choosing to do reader insert vs an oc, it’s honestly sometimes easier for these shorter stories to do reader inserts - with an oc there are a lot more factors into like how you want them to look and even something as simple as naming them. I’ve done oc for fics before and it’s not like one is better than the other for me. It’s kind of like, I have an idea and I want to write something and then suddenly I am inspired to write multiple parts but since I started with a reader insert it just stays that way :) also! I am always open to answer any q’s to the best of my ability! And again, thank you so so so so much. <3