#i want to tag this as meta for my own purposes

[subway-tolkien]

Okay, this is 1600 words of (positive!) meta regarding the OFMD finale. Included is character analysis and a treatise on why a certain trope people keep throwing around does not apply here.

This is of course just my take, and I'm sure people will disagree, but I needed to get this out. Apologies if it comes off disjointed, I've had like no sleep.

Spoilers within, obviously. You have been warned. Heed the tags. I didn't tag any characters because I consider it a spoiler, but you know who this is about.

Listen. Listen.

Let me start off by saying I have been where you are. I’ve had beloved characters die, either because it was important to the narrative or for shock value. I’ve been there, so I’m not coming at this without empathy. I’m not an Izzy hater. I loved him as a character. I’m truly sad to see him go.

But from what I’m seeing around Twitter and tumblr, some of you do not understand the role of an antagonist in a story.

Izzy was always meant to die. The moment he said, in the first season, “the only retirement we get is death,” I knew he was meant to die in the end. The foreshadowing ran through both seasons. Izzy was the true antagonist of S1. He was there to keep Blackbeard tethered when he started pulling away, and yet he also set the plot in motion. He inadvertently introduced Blackbeard to the person who let him be just Ed. He put Ed on his own path to redemption without even knowing it.

S1 ended with Izzy getting what he wanted as Ed lost everything he had. S2 was about Izzy coming to terms with the fact that he’d gone too far, he’d turned Ed into a monster. It wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted Blackbeard back, just like old times. Instead, he got the Kraken, and it was more than he bargained for.

Especially after it cost him his leg and he realized how far gone Ed really was. The conversation that ended with Izzy’s half-assed suicide attempt was the final blow to Izzy—Ed really didn’t seem to care anymore. Where Izzy wanted him to stop giving a shit about his silly boyfriend, he instead got a Blackbeard who didn’t care about anything, and he was apparently now included in that category.

(I said half-assed suicide attempt because Izzy wasn’t meant to die then, THAT would have been an empty, pointless death. It wouldn’t have taught Ed anything—in fact, all it did was make him more self-destructive, which was Izzy’s purpose to the narrative, but not his endgame. That Ed thought Izzy killed himself pushed Ed to the brink. Ed wanted to die and take every scrap of Blackbeard with him. Had Izzy successfully killed himself, Ed and the Revenge would be at the bottom of the ocean.

It wasn’t until the crew left Izzy the unicorn leg that he realized the power of compassion, the incredible act of grace from a crew that suffered so much from Izzy’s own machinations and didn't need to forgive him. It moved him to tears, and it moved him to accept that maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to let people in, to let himself be cared for. It was a foreign concept and something Izzy likely hadn’t experienced since losing his family (I fully expect a shit ton of fanfic of Izzy’s life before piracy).

Israel Hands found the capacity to let love all the way in and by god, did he pursue it.

But, again, Izzy was always meant to die, and I’m glad they stuck to the narrative they set out with instead of placating fandom and letting our influence dictate how they told this story That’s never good, trust me. Fandom should not influence a creator’s decisions regarding their own characters. It rarely if ever ends well.

[Stares in Voltron S8]

And I see a lot of people out here throwing the “bury your gays” phrase around—I beg you, please look up the definition of the trope. Izzy didn’t die because he was queer, he didn’t die because of his disability. He wasn’t one half of the only queer couple in the show fridged for shock value. He wasn’t killed off due to pressure from conservative viewers. He wasn’t the only queer, disabled character.

They didn’t kill off Lucius, or Jackie, or Wee John. Would you be as outraged if it was any of them?

Killing Eve is bury your gays. Supernatural is bury your gays. Pretty much any film, book, TV show, whatever, where a queer character dies because they’re queer, of AIDs, to further the narrative for a straight person, etc—that is burying your gays.

Izzy’s death was none of those things. Izzy’s death had meaning.

Izzy’s death freed Ed from the Blackbeard persona. It finally forced Izzy to say the things he couldn’t say until he realized it was his last chance. Izzy was also tired. I honestly think he stuck it out for Ed’s sake, because he was afraid to let Blackbeard go without making sure Ed would be ok.

He loved the idea of Blackbeard, but over time, he learned to love Ed. He finally understood what Ed tried to tell him the whole time.

“Fuck off, you twat. You’re surrounded by family.”

You’re safe. You’re loved. You don’t need me anymore. You don’t need to be reminded of who you’re capable of being, you need the people who will guide you to who you will become, and I’m not one of them.

I know a lot of Izzy fans are stung by his death, some of you are deeply upset. I get that. Like I said, I’ve been there. Sirius’s death made me throw that fucking book across the room. That Fucking Woman™ killed off my entire OTP, purely for shock value and, imho, a direct response to shippers. Trust me, I have felt betrayed by a creator for their decisions.

But I need you to understand that no, this was not a personal attack, this was not malicious, this was not “bury your gays." A show that celebrates queerness and diversity is not suddenly homophobic and ableist because your favorite character died and happened to be both of those things. But when the majority of your cast of characters is different in some way, and they’re in a show about 18th century pirates, you have to accept that one of them could, in fact, die. “Anyone Can Die” is also a trope and the more accurate one to describe E8.

If only being queer and disabled made you invincible.

Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

And no, I’m not an Izzy hater. I loved him, I loved him as an antagonist, and I loved his redemption arc. He was fascinating and Con put his whole O’Nussy into that part. I’m sorry to see him go, but as a mystery writer who often has to kill off beloved characters, I understand that he served the purpose he had from the beginning.

I swear, if some of you had your way, there’d be no conflict at all in any form of media. This what a steady diet of nothing but fanfic gets you. This is not a fluffy one-shot with magical healing dick and a happy ending where everyone sails off into the sunset. If that’s what you wanted, what you headcanoned, you did this to yourself. It’s not David et al’s fault that we took that character and babygirled him. That’s the risk we take when we decide to love a specific character, when we take a genuinely terrible person (in S1) and woobify him.

So, please stop harassing and attacking David, Alex, et al. David did not and should not change his story to placate us. The fact he went ahead with it despite the backlash I’m sure he expected makes me respect him as a creator even more.

Anyway, I’m going to revel that we have three (!) queer relationships with happy endings where one or both didn’t immediately die (again, the actual definition of “bury your gays”) and that we got at least two seasons of a little show that celebrated individualism, diversity, queerness, compassion, and love.

In the end, it all came down to love.

“There he is.”

Goodbye, Blackbeard.

Hello, Ed.

[apollosothertwin]

I have such a strong urge to go out to the toa tags and report all of the posts that aren’t toa. To anyone who sees this and is about to tag their non-trials of Apollo related post as trials of Apollo please don’t. (that includes solangelo things. Just because they started in ToA doesn’t mean that you should tag it with ToA. You have tsats now. Please use it) I get so annoyed when I’m just trying to search for content about Meg or Lester or anything and anyone in the Trials of Apollo series and all that I get is Percy Jackson because, as much as I love him and the rest of the pjo books, sometimes I just want to take a break and cuddle up with some cute sunflower sibs art, or a meta on the heavy abuse systems in the series. Don’t be selfish and tag for reach, please respect our fandom. Also, we’re by far the smallest of the main three series but we’re always welcome to have more members.

If you haven’t read ToA or maybe you stopped after the first book, I would highly recommend giving it another try. Trials is by far the most mature series and I know from personal experience as someone who originally didn’t like the narration and the fact the Percy wasn’t in it, the older you get the more you appreciate it. Also, if you aren’t reading it because you know of a certain death that happens in the third book, just know that he didn’t die for nothing. The scene made me cry, and I wasn’t and still am not really a fan of him.

Overall Trials has a very different feel from the other books, but that is part of the reason I love it some much. This allows us to have a very tight knit group of writers, artists, and just fans who love our blorbo Lesterpollo. If your post is actually about ToA, you are always welcome to tag it; we want to see! But if your post is just about pjo, hoo, tkc, mcgoa, tsats, or any of the other side books, please respect that we would like to have our own tags that can be utilized solely for the purpose of talking about The Trials of Apollo.

Thank you for listening to my Ted talk

[ikeoji-subs]

Zettai BL Ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL Ni Naritakunai Otoko 2024 - Episode 5 Eng Sub

VS THE START OF A ROMANCE and VS HELPING

For downloading instructions and where to find the raw files, please check our masterpost.

[Subs link]

We ask that you not upload our subs to streaming sites.

Sharing with friends is fine. We’re also OK with folks sharing them in other ways as long as they aren’t public. Please use discretion when talking about the fansub outside of tumblr, but don’t hesitate to get the word out in other ways, and feel free to promote it here. Please credit ikeoji-subs whenever possible—we put a lot of time and effort into this.

Feel free to use the fansub for fandom purposes. Gif-making, meta-writing, and other fandom-related creative endeavors made using our fansub are not only welcome but encouraged.

Thank you so much, as always, to everyone who has left nice comments in the tags and such. Y'all really make the hard work we put into this worthwhile!

And big big thanks to @my-rose-tinted-glasses for gifs and spreading the word about the fansub.

translation notes:

About “naresome”

As tends to happen when translating Japanese, this is one of those words that don’t exist in English. Its literal translation is “the start of a romance.” So, while we’ve chosen to translate it as “get together,” it would be more accurate to give a more extensive explanation. It is a noun that specifically refers to the moment that love begins. So when we’re talking about “naresome” we’re talking about the thing or situation that triggered the romantic relationship or romantic feelings.–Snow

about casting Tominaga Yuya as a guy who gets busy when it rains

I think this is another tokusatsu Easter egg. Tominaga Yuya, who plays Jouji in the “Vs. The Start of a Relationship” chapter, was also on Avataro Sentai DonBrothers, a Super Sentai series that ran from 2022 to 2023. His character, Sonoi, was the agent of a culture from another plane of existence whose members feed off of the brainwaves of human beings. At first, he and his associates Sonoza and Sononi were enemies of the DonBrothers, but they eventually joined forces with the Sentai. A big reason this happened was that Sonoi had a special connection to the leader of the DonBrothers, Momoi Tarou. Their relationship reads as pretty darned queer to a lot of viewers, myself included.

Momoi Tarou and Sonoi bonding, before they found out they were nemeses

Many JBL fans know Higuchi Kouhei from My Personal Weatherman/Taikan Yoho, in which he played the titular meteorologist, Segasaki. Part of the premise of that series is that at the start of the story, Higuchi’s character only has sex with his partner on sunny days. Jouji, Tominaga’s Zettai BL character, does the opposite: he and his “sex friend” only do it on rainy days. 

Basically, the writers of Zettai BL 3 have made Higuchi’s toku boyfriend’s story into a reverse Taikan Yoho situation. What are the odds that’s just a coincidence?–Towel

Also, he gets his own “Zettai BL” title card moment (and he’s the only one out of the secondary cast who get to have that).–Snow

That’s right!

I’m going to put this in context a little because I’ve given a lot of thought (probably too much) to who’s been featured in the opening credits of the different Zettai BL seasons. For every season of the show so far, Inukai Atsuhiro has had four other actors perform with him in the opening theme dance number. (All of whom also get a crack at some of those title card moments.) For two seasons, three of the four spots were taken up by Yutaro (Ayato), Shiono Akihisa (Toujou), and Itou Asahi (Kikuchi). The fourth spot was taken up by different actors in the first two seasons. It was the guy who played the attractive dude from the goukon in the first season, and it was Izuka Kenta, who played Kikuchi’s ex Igarashi, in the second. 

This time around, I had hoped that Sekoguchi Ryo would take the fourth spot, because he’s my blorbo and of course I wanted to see him in a retro dance number (boy was that wish ever granted!). But I hadn’t expected Shiono not to appear this time. Maybe there were specific reasons for this, like a scheduling conflict or an injury. It’s not like Shiono appears less in season 3 than he did in the others, so that’s not the reason. It’s hard to say. But in that context, it seems even more significant that they gave a spot to Tominaga Yuya. We don’t know the reasons for this. But it’s possible they featured him more heavily in this way because of his tokusatsu backstory and the inside joke it allowed them to make.–Towel

about “pudding relationship” and “prince and princess”

This part was tricky to translate. As you might have noticed by this point, Mob likes to make puns. In Japanese, pudding is written as “purin” and it is used to refer to pudding as well as custard. Mob goes on to follow with “prince and princess”, which in Japanese are pronounced as “purinsu” and “purinsesu”. In here, there’s wordplay with these similar sounding words and the image of the ToujouAyato couple.–Snow  

about “cuteness overload”

Japanese is a language that uses a lot of onomatopoeia. There’s 4 types, iirc: animal sounds, object sounds (like rain, creaking and the like), things that don’t make noise (smiles, stares, silence, etc), verbs turned onomatopoeia (I unfortunately cannot remember this properly but it was something like that). In this case, Mob says “Kyun ga tomaranai” (which literally means “the kyun can’t be stopped”). “Kyun” is an onomatopoeic word to refer to a “momentary tightening of one's chest caused by powerful feelings,” usually tied to a romantic context but not exclusively. Taking this into account, we thought “cuteness overload” might be the closest expression in English.–Snow

It’s worth noting that Mob is also saying “kyun” right after the “cuteness overload” line. I really thought at first that he was saying “cute,” since it sounds so similar, it would make a lot of sense contextually, and English loan words are so common in Japanese. But no, it was “kyun.” There was no way we could get across the meaning of “kyun” in one or two syllables of English, so we went with “adorbs,” which is just another word for “cute,” but at least it has a cutesy pronunciation that steps it up a notch.–Towel

about bouhan buzzers (16:06)

The translation note shown onscreen during this scene reads: “a bouhan buzzer is a security gadget carried by Japanese schoolchildren.” We did our best to summarize the meaning of this term briefly, so that it would be readable in the amount of time it was possible for us to keep that caption onscreen. But here’s a longer explanation for those who might be curious. 

It took a while for me to understand what these things were. At first I pictured something like a hand buzzer–the kind that people used to use to prank people. But it’s nothing like that. They’re sometimes referred to as “personal security alarms.” They’re little doodads that you can clip onto a backpack or carry in your pocket, and if you activate them (the most common mechanism for which seems to be pulling some kind of tab or string), they make some form of alarm-type sound. I found a video, below, that shows someone activating two different types of buzzers, showing the sound they make. 

These two make the same sort of beeping/chirping noises you’d associate with an alarm protecting a car or the entrance to a building–not really a “buzzing” sound, or anything that resembles the sound Mr. Cheerleader makes in this scene. But maybe there are other types that are more buzz-like, or sound more like the sound our buddy is imitating. 

According to some things I read when I looked these up, children often play with their bouhan buzzers, making it somewhat less likely that people will be on alert when they hear them go off. I don’t think I could have resisted setting off a gadget like this if I’d had one as a child. They seem to be available with all sorts of characters on them and in all sorts of colors and shapes, which is cool but might make them seem even more toy-like. 

From what I’ve seen, these things are most commonly used by children, but adults sometimes use them too. If you look for them for sale online, there are more adult-looking versions available (say, a rose-gold blob instead of something with cute characters on it–though of course, adults might want those too). One listing I saw advertised that they’re useful for kids, women, and the elderly.–Towel

Tag list: @absolutebl @bengiyo @c1nto @come-back-serotonin @lurkingshan @my-rose-tinted-glasses @porridgefeast @sorry-bonebag @twig-tea @wen-kexing-apologist

[blackbird-brewster]

Meta: Jemily Queerbaiting

With the huge influx of posts saying 'Jemily is gonna be canon', I really appreciated seeing this post because OP was completely correct. I didn't want to write an entire dissertation as a reply, so I'm making my own post with my personal opinion on this. (All sources are noted in footnotes)

Before I began this rant, for anyone who thinks this is anti-Jemily. It is not. I have shipped Jemily for 18 friggin years and that's never going to change. This post is specifically my thoughts about queer baiting.

First off, I need to note that the showrunners (and the cast members who use social media) KNOW what a huge queer following this show has and that's why we got pansexual Tara Lewis in S16 [1]. Which, in itself, was SOOOOOOO important!!! Our first canonically queer main in SIXTEEN seasons was a middle-aged Black woman!!! That's phenomenal. (The fact it was horrible rep, because they instantly ruined her relationships once her queerness served it's plot point is a whole other post entirely)

In my opinion, the 'big Jemily moment' Paget posted about on Twitter [2] (and AJ hinted at during a recent IG live) is simply queerbaiting to get people to watch S17. I know a lot of you are newer to the fandom and I love your enthusiasm, I really do, ship and let ship, but listen, let's be real, Jemily is not going to be made canon. The showrunners aren't going to suddenly say (after 17 seasons) 'Surprise, Jemily is endgame'. This show has never cared about queer rep and now that CBS/Paramount have already ticked their queer rep box with Tara, they won't be in any rush to add any other characters to it.

Please buckle in, I've got a lot of thoughts on this matter --

What is Queerbaiting?

If you aren't aware of what queerbaiting is, here's a good definition:

Historically, queerbaiting has carried two meanings: the first is an act of aggressive heterosexuality to shut down queer subtext on screen while still teasing and catering to the queer audience in advertising, public relations, and fan engagement strategies; the second is an existing homoerotic tension between two characters played up on screen while met with derision by the professionals behind the scenes. [3]

The Medium article quoted here is from 2017, a time when parasocial relationships were really starting to take over social media. In 2024, actors are now only a mention or tag away online, they have direct conversations with fans, and this process has allowed for an even deeper form of queerbaiting.

Oftentimes online, actors are asked directly about certain ships and while some ignore these questions (usually to avoid breaking their contracts or other repercussions), others (looking at you, Paget) choose to instead tease fans about queer ships. She's done this for years upon years and if I've learned anything in the past twenty-years of existing in fandom spaces it's this -- don't hold your breath. In it's original meaning, for something to be deemed as queerbaiting there had to be malicious, or at least, purposeful intent to string queer fans along by teasing them with suggestive content about the ship in question, while knowing this ship will never come to fruition in canon.

The thing to remember is, Paget and AJ aren't the only ones who know about Jemily shippers -- the network and showrunners are well aware of this ship too. When networks/showrunners figure out they have a strong sapphic fanbase, they love to use that to their advantage to get more viewers and higher ratings. Queerbaiting is a goldmine to keep fans watching long running shows, look at Rizzoli and Isles, Supergirl, and OUAT for examples of this.

Jemily and Queerbaiting:

Ever since Emily joined the BAU in S2 (2006), there have always been fans who ship JJ/Emily (shoutout to the old LJ forums!). Way before celebs were just a tweet away from fans, back when all our fics began with disclaimers so we wouldn't get sued by networks, we went to great lengths to keep our fanworks far removed from actors/showrunners attention.

As far as Jemily goes, this reply from Paget in a 2009 interview with TVGuide.com [4] (which has now been deleted from their site unfortunately, but there are quotes on Tumblr still [4.a]) confirmed some fans' worst fear -- the actors had found our fanworks online.

TVGuide.com: Of course, a band of fans want her to hook up with Hotch.

Brewster: I know! I didn't realize that fans make these videos on YouTube? A.J. Cook sent me a hilarious one that made it look like Prentiss and J.J. were having a secret lesbian affair. You know, when Hotch was blown up in the SUV, we shot this scene where he's in the hospital and I'm standing next to him, looking at his bleeding ear. Our director came in and said, "Paget, you're looking at Hotch like you're in love with him. It looks really weird." So now, every day, Thomas [Gibson] and I flutter our eyelids at each other.

This was the first time I recall anyone acknowledging Jemily shippers publicly and at the time (Jan 2009), the show was still in Season Four (just before CBS fired both AJ and Paget [5]). Paget genuinely said it's 'hilarious' that fans shipped JJ/Emily. Even now, I'll see people say 'We know Paget and AJ have seen Jemily fanvids, so they obviously ship it too' -- but those same people rarely acknowledge the full context of the original answer. Paget not only thought JJ/Emily were 'hilarious', but then she doubled down and turned her reply back to how she and Thomas liked to play up the chemistry between Emily/Hotch.

While no one can say for sure which video it was that AJ sent Paget, just knowing they were watching JJ/Emily fanvids sent a bit of a shockwave through the femslash side of the fandom. To some it felt like an invasion of privacy, fanworks are by fans for fans -- knowing the cast were poking around in fandom spaces added an extra layer of worry around what we fans were posting online. Fifteen years ago, it used to be quite taboo for actors to outwardly discuss shipping or other fanon for whatever show they were in, and we fans were usually comfortably removed from the actors altogether.

Of course, now it's the norm for fans and actors/showrunners to co-exist online and interact with one another. This connection has opened new ways for shows to queerbait their fans. Pretty much every show has some form of social media account now and there is no doubt that the people running those accounts keep up with the most popular ships and hashtags. Not to mention that actors are constantly barraged with questions about whether they ship their character with x,y,z, or whether they think a ship should be made canon, etc. These interactions only serve to benefit the shows themselves, because whether the conversation is for or against a certain ship, it's all just free publicity (Why do you think CM now has a TikTok account?)

Every time AJ or Paget say anything about Jemily, the queer side of the fandom loses their minds. But this has been going on for YEARS now and every single time, it turns out to be nothing but social media hype and queerbaiting. Remember this AJ post? [6] Or what about the notorious reply by Paget to a fan, where she talks about how she and AJ held hands under the table 'for the shippers' [7] I've seen this cycle over and over again, so perhaps I am cynical, but I'm not getting my hopes up that Jemily will ever seriously be canon.

It's widely known now, after both Kirsten [8] and Paget [9] have talked about it, that there was an early idea where Prentiss was supposed to be queer, but that was ultimately scraped before it ever made it on screen. For context, please remember, this show has been airing for nearly twenty years. It began in 2005, during the highly conservative Bush administration. Queer people didn't have rights in the US, we couldn't get married, we were rarely protected under discrimination laws, and we could even be fired for simply being queer (in some states). Diverse queer representation on screen was extremely limited to things like 'The L Word' and 'Queer as Folk' (both aired on Showtime, so they were behind a paywall. And as far as tLw goes, that show was extremely male-gaze focused and is horrible in nearly all regards if you try to rewatch it now). As far as prime time shows went, queer rep was even more rare. Which is why Emily wasn't queer from the get-go.

Yes, things have changed since 2006 in terms of queer rep on TV. We have a myriad of queer identities represented in TV and film nowadays, which is why I think it's so easy for newer fans to say 'lf she was supposed to be gay anyway, they should just make Emily queer in canon!' I know this is what fuels most fans' demands for Emily being confirmed queer, and I get it, I DO. I would be all for it! However, I do not, in one hundred years, actually believe that is going to happen after they already canonically queer confirmed Tara in S16. The fact we even got ONE queer character is ground-breaking for this show.

It's also worth noting, that in the time between Paget's departure in 2012 and her return in 2016, she became very active on Twitter. This was when more and more fans began asking her about Jemily and after Kirsten's AfterEllen interview, fans also pushed for Paget to address the possibility of Emily being gay. 'Pushed' is actually an understatement for some of the outright harassment she would receive. (AJ received some of this harassment too, but less so because she doesn't use social media ass often) Back then, neither of them replied to these things directly. Yet, no matter what either woman posted, the replies were full of Jemily stans begging for her acknowledgement. (Did you know 'stan' is literally a term coined for stalker fans?) I remember one time AJ's friend was missing and she posted info on her IG about it, you know what the replies were? People asking her about Jemily. It was genuinely sickening.

Within this context, it was no surprise to fans when Emily came back in S12 , she and JJ's friendship was seemingly erased. The two women were rarely on screen together in the late seasons, plus the writers saw fit to even give Emily not only one (Mark in London, but two, on-screen boyfriends for the first time in the entire series. I personally do not think these changes to Emily's character were coincidence, I saw the hellscape of what people would say to AJ and Paget online and I fully believe that upon Paget's return to the show, the showrunners purposely tried to distance JJ and Emily to dissuade the more abusive side of the fanbase.

Can I prove that, no. But it is the only reason I can think of as to why Emily S12+ seemingly didn't care about JJ anymore, despite their deep and meaningful friendship. I mean, they both CROSSED THE WORLD to go rescue each other in prior canon -- but when Emily comes back, they acted like they barely knew each other. This was even more prevalent in S16, when JJ's main storylines all revolved around Will, and Emily barely looked at JJ in the entirety of ten episodes. (Remember how Prentiss didn't even hug JJ after bomb, but she did go hug Luke?)

So, do Paget and AJ earnestly ship Jemily, or are they continuing the long tradition of queerbaiting us? Who fucking knows, not me. But based on the history of this fandom, I think I can make a safe bet. (Interestingly, if you search all of Paget's twitter for the word 'Jemily' [10] she only has 3 direct tweets mentioning the ship. I don't think it's a coincidence that two are within the past few months since they started filming S17 (the other one was a RT of Kirsten (who tagged something Jemily)

This is all to say --

Just because Paget and AJ have publicly talked about Jemily,, this doesn't mean it's ever going to happen on screen. And you know what, THAT'S OKAY!! There has been this constant outcry (after Tara became queer confirmed) of 'Do Emily next' or 'Why wasn't it Emily with a girlfriend!?' and 'Jemily needs to be canon in S17!' -- as if people believe their ships aren't worth anything unless they are canon.

That couldn't be further from the truth! Fandom is built on headcanons and fan interpretations and rare pairs and all types of shippers. Your ship does NOT need to be canon for you to enjoy it. I will ship Jemily forever, no matter what. I don't think there will be some magical queer plot in S17, at best, we might actually get to see Emily/JJ on screen together again and after the train wreck that was S16 -- I'll take whatever I can get.

And hey -- if I am completely wrong, if Erica Messer pulls a Korrasami out of her hat, I will be ecstatic. I will be happy to be proved wrong, but at the same time, I'm not going to lose sleep over it and I'm DEFINITELY not going to go hound the actors about it on social media.

Sources:

[1] 2022 Digital Spy article about the importance of Tara's coming out

[2] 04/18/24 Paget Tweet

[3] 2017 Queerbaiting article from medium.com

[4] 2009 Broken TVGuide link

[4.a] Tumblr quote from the above TVGuide Interview

[5] 2010 Kirsten interview screenrant.com

[6] 2019 AJ Instagram Post

[7] 2020 Paget video on Twitter (via @karasluthqr)

[8] 2015 Kirsten interview AfterEllen.com

[9] 2016 Paget Interview CriminalMindsFans.com

[10] @PagetPaget search 'Jemily'

[varlaisvea]

i didn't want to make a post about how much i love zerith-var, but i think i am going to... the meta of him is so lovely--he is the first companion who feels, power-wise and life-wise, like he could be credibly a peer to the vestige. isobel is a junior knight, sharp-as-night is a mercenary, mirri is an adventurer, tanlorin is a thief and a spy, and zerith-var is a miraculously undead elite necromancer-cleric-monk who gets his marching orders from azurah herself. he's way more on the level of the type of power the vestige has.

and it makes sense story-wise that he'd want to hang out with you. the rest of 'em are honored to tag along with the Hero Of Tamriel on your great adventures, but zerith has never heard of no planemeld; you were just the first person who found him and was kind to him. he sees you as his equal--he decides you're his partner, his tamiit, a word which is evidently just as ambiguous in meaning in ta'agra as it is in english/tamrielic. he's certainly getting something out of the relationship; he's incredibly powerful, but he's also woken up in a distant future, so he needs someone he can trust to help him figure out how to exist in a strange time, with a strange purpose. he's understandably uneasy and disoriented in this time, so he's glad to be with you.

i cannot say enough good things about his quests, they are some of the best quests i've ever played in eso. the plots in some of the other companions' quests are kinda flimsy and obligatory, but his has like... richly developed secondary characters who have satisfying character arcs of their own, extensive tie-ins to existing lore, and poignant themes? zerith is a holy warrior in the most literal sense, and yet he himself also needs forgiveness and redemption? it honestly kinda blew me away.

also, i just love him. i thought kim kitsuragi was a jesus i did not deserve, but zerith... it is like. unavoidable. like. a falling star heralds his awakening, and the literal very first thing you see him do is rise from the slab of his tomb, miraculously un-decayed. he has this epic way of talking bc he's 2000 years old, and he constantly reminds everyone around him that no soul is ever beyond redemption. the damned actually literally reach for his hand through a veil of darkness to find salvation from eternal torment in azurah's unyielding forgiveness. he says shit like this all the time:

"To put spirits on the path to redemption. To hold the door even when the shadow of unending night pushes against it. This is my calling... We stepped into the light from the shadow of my tomb. Together, we struck against the darkness beyond the world... I am honored to walk at your side."

he's simultaneously millennia old and also like 50, and also 5. he treats you like an equal, talks to you like someone who has no idea how important you are, but still admires you anyway. it's very good! my favorite companion by far. it's a good thing i enjoy having him around, bc i have to level him fully so i can buy this one REALLY GOOD water furnishing that is going to change like 5 or 6 of my houses substantially. it's going to open a world of possibility. he loves the infinite archive though, and so do i :)

and tbh, he could not be sexier? kind, gentle, playful, intelligent, with a voice so deep you could hibernate in it, snatched waist and dope biceps, sort of dorky smile, shares almost all of his major character traits with jesus christ, is not a human. like idk if sexy in a thirst way but objectively, doing the work of christ while looking hot is hot. terrible facial hair but it works on him, and he looks cool as fuck doing his little magic gesture thing. thenks for my life! this is like the time they made smolder scrolls online for me specifically so i could romance both razum-dar and naryu.

[offtorivendell]

I just recently finished the actors series and I was reading up on the mating bonds and I came across your post about Lucien and Elain’s mating bond from a few years ago and how it potentially could be wrong from the cauldron and I find it super interesting and have seen multiple theories on it! I do think that Azriel might be right and the cauldron made a mistake but that leads me to think about Nesta/Cassian so I was hoping you could help me understand their mating bond! Could this not be considered the same for them? Is their bond not considered made by the Cauldron when Nesta was thrown in as well or how does their bond differ from Elain/Luciens? I could be overlooking but the info on the bonds is also hard for me to wrap my head around 😂

Hi and thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my nonsense!

I assume you are talking about this post from May 2021 - "What if the Cauldron was wrong?" - in which, to briefly sum up, I suggested that Elain and Azriel were actually meant to be mates, and that Lucien was chosen by the Cauldron as Elain's mate because Azriel was currently "dead" to its senses thanks to taking a poisoned ash arrow in his chest, and Lucien's true mate, Jesminda, had already died.

I know you sent this last week, I'm sorry about the wait - which, sadly, is not nearly the worst wait time for the asks I've been procrastinating on over the last couple of years lol, sorry to anyone who sent something I've flaked on - but funnily enough, there has been some renewed discourse this week.

In addition to this ask, I'd recommend checking out the following (bearing in mind that some may contain spoilers for the entire Maasverse):

The OP and my recent reblog of this post.

This similar ask I recently answered.

This thread and this thread by @silverlinedeyes.

This thread by @elriell.

This post by @icedflames.

This thread by @psychologynerd.

This thread by @wingedblooms.

This thread by @violetasteracademic.

These two posts, here (ACOTAR only) and here (with evidence from the Maasverse suggesting something might've happened to the Cauldron).

It's difficult to explain the entire (hypothesised) lore behind SJM's mating bonds without delving into the worlds of TOG and CC, so I'll attempt a very basic discussion about the Archeron sisters and bat boys (please note that all of these theories are due to a shared effort within the Elriel fandom, not limited to the accounts I tagged above); the following will be based on the theory that there are two types of bonds in Prythian: the original, mutual soul bonds, and offspring bonds for breeding purposes that may be a Cauldron-Made imitation of the original bonds.

In short, I believe Nesta and Cassian's bonus chapter from ACOMAF, and his behaviour towards her while everything was going wrong at Hybern, strongly suggested they already shared a mating bond that would have obviously predated Nesta being Made by the Cauldron at the end of the book; this would have been similar to Feyre and Rhys, who we know shared a bond that predated Feyre being Made by the High Lords. And not to make this Elriel, but for the sake of being complete, the first "family" dinner shared by all six brothers and sisters in the human lands appeared to show Azriel acting differently (in his own unique way) around Elain, just as Cassian was so obviously drawn to Nesta.

Lucien, on the other hand, didn't act in such a way that demonstrated, without any doubt, that he felt anything for Elain in particular before she went into the Cauldron at Hybern (which I discussed in my first mating bond meta that I linked above). Azriel, though? It's definitely murky, but imo his responses at Hybern, while downed with a poisoned arrow, could plausibly suggest he felt something for Elain, assuming SJM wants to go the "true bond" way. As Nesta, who could see through glamours as a human, said to Lucien right after he'd claimed Elain: "She is no such thing!"

Remember this passage between Feyre and Rhys, in the original trilogy?

“A mating bond can be rejected,” Rhys said mildly, eyes flickering in the mirror as he drank in every inch of bare skin I had on display. “There is choice. And sometimes, yes—the bond picks poorly. Sometimes, the bond is nothing more than some … preordained guesswork at who will provide the strongest offspring. At its basest level, it’s perhaps only that. Some natural function, not an indication of true, paired souls.” A smile at me—at the rareness, perhaps, of what we had. - ACOWAR, chapter 24

Rhys said that sometimes, the bond is nothing more than "preordained guesswork," which suggests that sometimes it is more than that. I (and many others, but definitely not everyone in the fandom) think that Feysand and Nessian have the "rarer" type of bond, between "true, paired souls," while Elucien does not. I guess there's always the possibility that Feysand and Nessian also share offspring bonds, but given what happened in ACOSF that would appear to be... unwise on the Cauldron's behalf. But who knows.

Anyway anon, I hope this response helps to clear the theory up for you. If you have read the rest of the Maasverse then the posts I linked above are a really good grounding in the theories behind why mating bonds may not all be created equal.

[kirbybecomesastarwarrior]

Curious about this: What’ll happen to Tiff?

Also I love the AU!! Keep up the good work!

Guys I strongly suggest you read the first few chapters of The Knightmare's End for context... (it won't make sense).

I also want to take this chance to say:

The story is not only about Kirby becoming a Star Warrior, it's him growing up wanting to be one as well.

I guess you could consider this a continuation of these two previous posts: Post 1 & Post 2

Also wanted to do a Dame Morgan updated mask reveal (and being a little troll)~ Still don't know who I'm gonna put in the Kirby OC Tournament.

And spoilers ahead if you choose to keep reading.

@shibuya-toast

When I first wrote the story (a few years ago), I struggled to make Tiff a part of the story...

When mixing anime & game lore (of the Kirby series), it was difficult to find a purpose for Tiff & Tuff... especially after MK's reveal. I didn't want to just regulate them as support y' know. The role of Kirby's love & supporting guardian is no longer Tiff's.

What's the point if they're just going to stand around and make commentary? How do I make them in this story meaningful?

And when I came back to the story I realized something "Why don't I make that the conflict!" (Something to conflict with Kirby... the emotional conflict of the story.. let's make it meaningful."

Tiff & Tuff, in a sense, represents Kirby's "childhood" period in the series; Kirby grows in the series, and slowly, he realizes more of what he wants in life. I didn't set up the conflict with the cappies for nothing. The events of anime & the Knightmare's end carry.

It makes him realize how much of an outsider he is from the cappies. (and wanting to kick him out at the end of the series along with all the times they bullied Kirby too...)

They (the cappies) know it... and Tiff (being the problem solver she is) tries to fix it... which goes terribly! (And the whole: Kirby overhearing Tiff admitting she never wanted to be Kirby's guardian doesn't help the situation at all...)

This comes across as dismissive of Kirby's feelings... ouch! There are no more monsters to fight & Nightmare's gone... why are the problems still here. Making Kirby feel more isolated from everyone in town... (was it just him...)

This is why he opts to be with Meta Knight & his crew... more avoiding the (problem)... This is where basically Meta Knight reveals his (MK) past to Kirby. (Him being the cursed star & finding Jecra, Garlude & Team Halberd- the OG crew)

MK: Thought I was going to be an outcast forever... But I found my people you'll... find your people one day too.

Kirby: Poyo- Ka-bi's people?

Kirby re-establishing and growing a stronger bond with MK. And, of course, the new threat arrives... Dark Matter!

Throughout the series, Kirby does meet (his) people who seem to understand him better & know what he's going through. Through the madness, gaining a set of friends who know how to support him:

Kirby's People: The Star Allies - Highkey, the Star Allies (unintentionally) become Kirby's emotional support group.

Tiff & Tuff don't really trust Kirby's other set of new friends (the former baddies that tried to take over Dreamland... namely King Dedede, and Marx...). But this is what (sadly starts the drift (which I have hinted at in Marx's arch).

But by the time they're kinda let back into the loop and they forgive each other but it's never the same as it was. (Fall out during Marx's story& they make up before Planet Robot). (And have completely forgiven the former villains... KD & Marx)

They feel so out of place with Kirby's new fantastical friends who seem to fit in & understand him better... where does that leave them (Tiff & Tuff)? The group seems to have their own dynamic, with their little set of inside jokes... and Kirby's changed tremendously... It's almost as if Kirby's outgrown them...

And it's this unlikely rag-tag of reformed villains to friends that make him realize, "Hey, I really do want to be a star warrior... travel around the world, see distant lands, learn about other places, meet new people & make new friends, and help the lost become the better versions of themselves but..." He doesn't want to be Dreamland's hero...

One day Kirby has a big announcement! Inviting everyone to Dreamland & Star Allies, to share the news. Kirby is excited to share the news.

(After Kirby & the Forgotten Land... I made Star Allies the finale.)

Kirby: Guys, the galaxy council recognized Star Allies as an official group and we've been given a planet to make our own base!

Knuckle Joe: ALL OURS!?

MK: That's right *pats Kirby's head* "Brehmuhm" (the planet that was given to Kirby), and all Star Allies it's be considered almost another branch to the GSA. That's lead under Kirby!

Kirby:* shows the set of plans to everyone* It can be our own personal quarters that you guys can visit & stay whenever you want.

Adeline: Wait, we can live there too?

Kirby: Yup, it's set up in the part of the galaxy where everyone can access it, and it's right next door to the GSA base... Of course, I'll be overseeing the plans with Meta Knight there-

Tiff: Wait Kirby I-

Magolor: Hey, I thought you were gonna stay with us in Halcandara for a month?

Kirby: I still am I just have to check in with MK at the GSA HQ at the end of each week.

Tiff: Hold on-

Marx: Come on~ MK WHY YOU GOTTA TAKE CHECK-INS ON THE WEEKENDS AT LEAST MONDAYS-

Tiff: WHAT IS GOING ON!~

Bandee: Me & Kirby plan to tour around for about a year before uh-oh

Tiff: Before what?

Kirby & Bandee had planned to take a tour around the galaxy. And the first place he's planning to stay is HALCANDRA BABY (Marx & Magalor)! Then next month Ripple Star (Adeline & Ribbon), then Floralia (Taranza), and ending the tour with Patchland (Prince Fluff) and dropping Bandee home. (Basically where all the Star Allies live... I did not want to list all places but you get the idea.)

This tour was to help establish diplomatic ties throughout the galaxies for the GSA (but lowkey, it was just an excuse to buy Kirby a year-long vacation).

Then Kirby formerly planning to move into the Star Ally base with Meta Knight and the rest of his crew and start his formal training with the Star Warrior in the GSA headquarters. (Becoming a cadet.)

(This was before Meta Knight became leader... and they didn't know that he was going to become the leader of the GSA, so yeah they were gonna have to move there any way either way~)

Kirby does pass the baton down to King Dedede (who has grown to be a true king and defender of Dreamland). Which I did hint at here: (sorry for my second blog that doesn't get much attention due to the spoiler nature of it due to it being a prelude of the future....)

So Kirby was planning to officially step down as their hero and hand it over to King Dedede, announcing his departure from Dreamland in two months, and then go on tour with Bandee the week after.

Needless to say yeah they're not happy about Kirby suddenly announcing his departure... But what specifically happens to Tiff well... it's Morgan-related but that's for later~

This is basically a water-down version of events, so if it doesn't seem like it makes sense, it does (there are just a few things in the middle I wanna keep a surprise...) but, it all makes sense in the end, I promise.

(I may want to change up how happens, but yup this is the gist of it!)

Brehmuhm is actually a reference to the fairy tale: The Town Musicians of Bremen by the Brothers Grimm. It's just the pronunciation of "Bremen" spelled out for~ (If you know the fairy tale you know why I chose to name it Bremen :3)

[cobragardens]

God Is a Creepy-Ass Meta Mfer:

A Good Omens Essay

This essay features fan theory and speculation. DO NOT TAG NEIL GAIMAN IN ANY POST THAT INCLUDES OR REFERENCES THIS ONE.

The rest of this depends on accepting the premise that God's Plan is not always inscrutable in hindsight, i.e., that parts of that Plan can be discerned or identified as such once they have happened, even if the next moves of the Plan and its ultimate Purpose remain ineffable.

If you are willing to accept that premise, then I suggest we can conclude with reasonable certainty that Thesis Statement 1: Aziraphale's act of giving Adam the First Man the flaming sword is part of God's Plan, and so was Eve and Adam eating the Fruit.

The argument for the latter has been in circulation making even the beardiest of old Christian men scratch their heads for centuries, and in Good Omens, Crowley is the first being ever to make it:

The presence of the Tree in the Garden placed by an omnipotent being with literally infinite orchard space and security technology is a clear indication that God intends humans to interact with the Tree and sets humans up in a divine entrapment operation, giving God the opportunity to curse humanity and evict them from the Garden.

Diversion onto Thesis Statement 2 bc the Essayist Got Distracted: This establishes both the Bible and Good Omens as works of literature in the cosmic horror genre (not that Good Omens doesn't do plenty of its own work in so establishing itself).

In both these stories God is a being beyond humanity's understanding, functionally omniscient and omnipotent, who first creates and then interferes with humanity for unknown reasons and who does not necessarily have humanity's best interests in mind at any point. His/er reasoning and objectives for humanity are opaque, and S/he manipulates circumstances to create excuses to do humanity as a species and sometimes specific humans harm.

If you're not already familiar, go read all the shit God curses humans with when Eve and Adam snack on the Tree's Fruit. It's frighteningly cruel, if not outright psychopathic. So is God's behavior the Book of Job, His demand that Abraham sacrifice Isaac, Mosaic Law, and the sacrifice of His/er Son. Human lives are no more significant to God than the lives of ants are to humans. This whole history of Earth? It may not even be about us. Our entire species' history may just be part of the backdrop to something else, like two angels falling in love and reuniting Heaven and Hell, or like raccoons. It could all be about the raccoons. Who knows! All of this is absolutely 100% pure undiluted cosmic horror.

Right, okay, so back to Thesis 1: In Good Omens, Aziraphale's gift to the first man of the flaming sword is an objective God wants. Here's my chain of reasoning:

The Eating of the Fruit and God's punishment were both objectives of God. See above.

2. Once those objectives had been accomplished, humankind would not have survived outside the Garden of Eden without the sword. They literally would not exist at all.

Adam the First has to kill the lion, either to keep it from killing him and Eve or to keep him and Eve from starving. No flaming sword = no humanity.

3. We know "no humanity" is not God's Plan, because--

--God says her Plan is Armageddon and the Second Coming in 6,000 years. So humanity needs to exist for either of those to occur (or for there to be any reason for adventures about averting them to occur). And God does a whole Crucifixion and Resurrection of His/er Son. So God wants humanity around and is even prepared to welcome them back into His/er grace, providing they meet certain conditions.

4. We know God is not displeased about Aziraphale's gift of the sword to humans because God asks Aziraphale about the sword, and Aziraphale lies and says he's lost it, and God, who is omniscient and therefore knows this to be a lie and knows exactly where the sword is, lets the entire thing pass unremarked. (More on this anon.)

5. It is not a reach too far to suspect this of God. She tells us Herself that she is a trickster and that we can't trust her not to deceive us:

She also tells us

i. The universe is a game she is playing for her own amusement:

🎵cosmic horror alerrrrrrrrrt!🎵🎶

ii. No one, including angels and demons, has been told the real rules of this game:

"FOR EVERYONE ELSE." Not just humans.

That's why Crowley and Aziraphale each have to wonder if they've done the right or the wrong thing: nobody's told them what the rules are. Aziraphale even thinks that Crowley's temptation of Eve is "all part of the Plan," i.e, that Crowley did the right thing by doing the wrong one. They have no way to tell, and it may be both right and wrong at the same time. (Wrestling with impossible moral conundra raised by a brief look into a story happening on a much greater level than your own? You could be suffering from our old pal Thesis 2: Good Omens is cosmic horror!)

So Aziraphale's Promethean gift to humanity was one of God's objectives, just as cursing humans and yeeting them out of the Garden with the knowledge of Good and Evil and maybe a couple apple seeds in hand was His/er objective.

BONUS! Thesis 3: So why does God bring up Aziraphale's misappropriation of the sword at all? To show us, the audience, that Aziraphale lied to Her and that his gifting of the sword to Adam is part of Her Plan.

Remember from her whole deal with the Tree: God likes to set up situations so that She can react to them. Here she lampshades her awareness of what Aziraphale has done, listens to him lie to Her about it, and then very pointedly does nothing in response to that. She wants everyone watching--i.e., Aziraphale and us--to note that she has noticed the transfer of the sword and is not displeased by it and has noticed the lie and is not going to do anything about that either.

Remember as well, God is the one controlling the narrative we see in S1 of Good Omens. She introduces and concludes the story, and she narrates the scenes of the baby-swap. She's in control of which scenes we see and the order in which we see them. Since she is the one who asked Aziraphale the question about the sword, she's also responsible for this scene's existence.

So why do I think this scene is meant for us and not Aziraphale? Two reasons. Firstly, the conversation with God doesn't do Aziraphale any good. He worries about eventually getting in trouble about the sword until 2019, around 6,000 years later.

God is both omniscient and omnipotent, so it's not possible that She failed to communicate to Aziraphale in such a way that would ease his anxiety. Therefore the conversation was not for his benefit. Again, she's omniscient, so it wasn't for Her benefit either. That leaves the only other party to this conversation: us. The audience.

The next obvious question is, Why does God want us to know that Aziraphale's gift of the flaming sword was both of his free will and part of Her Plan?

I don't know. But I think it may become important, and here is where we delve into hypothesis territory: I think Good Omens is going metafictional. I mean this in a Doki Doki Literature Club, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch way: God, the character in Good Omens, is telling us, the audience, a story.

This metafictional aspect has been with us the whole time---more precisely since 01:13 of S1E1, when God switches from third-person to first-person and addresses us the viewers directly:

And there are several more metafictional; notes in S1 and S2 that I've found so far:

Season 1

That giant eyeball up there floating in space with a bunch of arcane shit around it is a reference to the opening credits sequence of The Twilight Zone, a metafictional show in which an omniscient narrator introduces and concludes each story by addressing the audience directly.

S1E1 27:20

Season 2

1. Maggie and Nina are fictional characters, but the characters share their names with actors Maggie Service and Nina Sosanya.

2. The final credits sequence, with the split screen showing Crowley on one side and Aziraphale on the other, references David Tennant and Michael Sheen's previous/simultaneous lockdown tv series project, Staged! which is intensely metafictional and in which Tennant and Sheen play characters based on themselves and with their names.

3. Sloppy plot synopsis or something more sinister?

4. An interviewer points out that Good Omens references Doctor Who as an extant concern in-universe, which obviously stars David Tennant in the past and currently.

If you find more, please drop them in the comments!

We the audience, are meant to understand ourselves and our reality as being indirectly involved in this story. And God wants us to know 1) that Aziraphale lied to Her about giving away the sword, knowing it was futile, and 2) that his gift of the flaming sword was part of Her Plan. The former is a major character note, and probably a foreshadowing one; but I have no guesses about God's purpose in showing us that the gift of the flaming sword was also to Plan except that whatever it is will probably make me dislike Her approach to parenting even more than I already do.

What I do love about this though is that it suggests that Crowley and Aziraphale both did the right thing by doing the wrong one, i.e. achieved a kind of Schroedinger's obedience, which is nice and disturbing and surprise! pretty cosmic horror. More sweetly, though, it suggests that the two foundational gifts to humanity from the divine were motivated by Crowley's low-effort mischief and Aziraphale's kindheartedness, which is lovely to think about.

DO NOT TAG NEIL GAIMAN IN ANY POST THAT INCLUDES OR REFERENCES THIS ESSAY.

[bleachbleachbleach]

Hiiiii, re ur post abt goals and the whole being more active in the community thing -- I'll try to remember to interact with u more than just liking/reblogging things! I've been super quiet on my own blog since I had burnout two years ago but I'm trying to get back into doing more than just occasionally posting fic, and honestly I love a lot of ur head canon posts and metas etc. I probably won't read any of ur fic because I'm a Bit Weird in that for some reason I hate reading fic in the fandoms I write for (but still love metas and headcanons? Brains sure are weird) but everything else I'll try to actually Write Words instead of letting my thoughts stay in my head!

This is such a sweet message! <3333333

I would totally welcome conversation, and it’s great to know that you are open to it, too. Because I feel like Tumblr as a platform runs on a parallel play model on purpose, and most people probably just want to do that, and my hesitation in going full throttle about using Tumblr the way I would want is my fear that it is going to be obnoxious/overbearing/overwhelming (e.g. driving people to madness via “Why is this person talking to me… I didn’t want to talk to them...”).

It’s so funny you should say that, re: enjoying hcs/meta but not fanfic in your writing fandoms, because I think about that divide a lot! Half the time I spend writing most* headcanon posts is actually time spent workshopping “sooooo…. how do I say this without saying ‘well, in my fanfic…’” because it’s probably something I already wrote in fanfic or notes for fanfic, but 1) I want to talk to people about it, and the chances that I will get to if it’s written in a fanfic are fairly slim, and 2) I want to hear other people’s versions of it, too. In their fanfic, if they write fanfic, but also their posts or tags!

But that can be complicated because in my mind, [insert headcanon post topic] tends to be fairly situated in context—the context of fic things having happened, or things that are going to happen, or thematic undercurrents/relationships—so it becomes a project in trying to make the proposition NOT sound completely bananas without that context/something being written in a particular way. Which can sometimes be its own kind of fun and is sometimes like “good grief, I could have simply been writing more fanfic!” (I feel like I should emphasize here that no one should feel obligated to read my fanfic. I mean, I want people to want to read it! But I very much do not want anyone to feel like they Have To or like they need to explain why they’re not!)

Our approaches are opposite, in that my brain is fanfic forward, both for myself and for others’ fanfic. But I do feel like a lot of RP blogs share your orientation re: not wanting to read other versions of the character they write for! I don’t know if this is where you, specifically, are coming from, but I’ve read on some of the RP blogs that it has a lot to do with having a strong investment in their own particular color on things, and wanting that centered and front of mind. (Which isn’t to say that sentiment isn’t true of most people, I think, because otherwise they wouldn’t write them that way—it’s true of me—but ymmv on how much someone wants to see the other iterations.)

For me, I know that I’m a lot less adventurous about Interpretations That Excite Me for my blorbos than other characters I might read for. Like, to use a silly example, in my mind Soi Fon is 100% Lesbian (which stands out in my headcanon space because I generally assume most everyone in Bleach would be on some level willing to get down with most anyone else), but did I click on Soi Fon/Vegeta when I came across it anyway? Absolutely I did. I barely know who Vegeta is. But my down-to-clown boundaries with Soi Fon are very low, nearly tabula rasa, so go get Vegeta, girl!!!! Whereas for like, Hitsugaya, I’m probably not going to read Hitsugaya/Vegeta because I am not actually a crossover person, my knowledge of DBZ is limited to The Osmotic Experience of Having Grown Up in the 90s, and my favorite version of Hitsugaya’s sex life is the absence of one.

*Of course, there are other headcanons posts in the omake/filler vein that are simply too dumb (affectionate) for me to want to write full fanfic of, like the Gotei regatta or the Gotei bowling league, or that “I think the average shikai user would probably be pretty good at driving a car but they would NOT be considerate or lawful users of said car” post.

[ask-mobile-iterator-project]

Intro Post

still on indefinite hiatus whoops.

This blog focuses on my Rain World OCs involved in the "Mobile Iterator Project" AU. ^_^

The “Mobile Iterator Project” (MIP) is a project created and directed by an Ancient named "No Cost Too Great" (NCTG) with the stated goal of supporting standard iterators in their productivity, maintenance, and longevity, so that they can operate at maximum efficiency, even after the inevitable mass ascension. ‘MIP Units’—iterators under the project—are created puppet-first in the "MIP Development Center" and later assigned to Local Groups, where their structures are built to support the Iterators around them. Uniquely, their personalities are heavily based around singular, specific Architects (Ancients) who donate their memories and qualia. The exception to this is TWR. In total, there are 99 MIP Units, with IDs ranging from 01 to 99.

(This AU strays pretty far from the themes and canon of both Vanilla Rain World and Downpour, so please keep that in mind!)

⚠️Importantly, here are some warnings for sensitive content that may appear in the posts:

depictions of trauma and mental illness

heavy themes of manipulation (including memory manipulation)

depictions of emotional abuse

dehumanization

depictions of dissociation

identity struggles

medical malpractice/abuse, experimentation

child endangerment

generally dark themes

violence, physical abuse

infrequent body horror

When sensitive content comes up, I will leave a warning before the cut and tag as "sensitive content"!

Characters:

Starlight Symphony (SLS) she/her, [bio]

Frosted Briar (FB) she/they, [bio]

Glimmering Seafoam In Sunlight (GSIS) she/her, [bio]

Thorns Without Roses (TWR) she/they, [bio]

Perpetual Umbra (PU) they/them, [bio]

Legacy Of Famine (LOF) she/any, [bio]

*These are not all of the characters, just the main 6 that are open to receiving asks.

How it works:

Please specify who you are asking the question to, for example: (to SLS), (to SLS and FB), (to any), (to all), (to admin)

If you don’t specify, I’ll just pick myself. Though, sometimes, I might have another character answer too, if I think it might be interesting.

For admin asks, my friend’s overseer might want to add stuff too, so don’t be surprised if she shows up. For simplicity's sake, assume all admin asks are addressed to potentially both of us.

Additionally, I might add commentary sometimes, which I’ll tag with #admin commentary. My friend might do that too sometimes, so #overseer commentary for her.

I’ll do my best to answer your asks, with varying art quality, though I won’t answer all of them. Jade might answer some of them too, primarily the ones regarding, FB, as she knows them way better than I do.

We will sign off at the end of each post, denoting who handled the “broadcast” (ask.)

[Broadcast handled by admin], [Broadcast handled by overseer], [Broadcast handled by admin and overseer]

There is a light roleplaying/interactive element: The in-universe framing device for the questions is broadcasts being sent to the iterators, hence the ask button’s title. There may also be some occasional meta shenanigans.

I will be answering some questions from curiouscat rather than tumblr, and I will crosspost to twitter, too. This is probably too much work, but whatever. The askblog will be the main source of my attention, though, so posts will come here first.

Boundaries/Rules:

Please don’t ask questions related to your own OCs, because I don’t know them.

Please try to break up multiple questions into separate asks.

Nothing NSFW or suggestive.

No “magic” asks (like turning the characters into different things)

You can send items if you want, though

Please keep in mind that Frosted Briar is, for all intents and purposes, basically a child.

Rules may change as things go along and we figure stuff out!

Non-Ask Posts:

Occasionally, I may post content related to backstories and worldbuilding and stuff unrelated to asks. This will be tagged with #mip logs.

Tags:

#silly: for silly stuff

#angst: for angsty stuff

#dubiously canon: usually used in tandem with silly, but for anything that has questionable characterization

#sensitive content: content that may be triggering or upsetting

#mip worldbuilding: asks/posts related to worldbuilding

#mip lore: asks/posts related to lore!

#mip ask: in-universe asks for the ocs.

#admin ask: asks directed towards the admin/overseers

#guest appearance: asks where characters outside of the main 6 appear.

#mip logs: non-ask posts that build upon the lore/worldbuilding

#ooc: update posts, rule posts, etc.

#meta: hehe

#admin commentary: commentary from the admin (luna)

#overseer commentary: commentary from the overseer (jade or clover)

#overseer assistance: for when the overseers help with the process

#fanart: reblogs of fanart!! :D

#admin art: reblogs of luna’s, jade's or clover's art of the characters

#luna art, #jade art, #clover art: self-explanatory

#old: from the sls ask blog, consider it non-canon

#mobile iterator project, #rw mip au: self-explanatory

post is tagged with most of these

Main Admin: Luna, @mewguca

Overseer: Jade, @fauxbia

Overseer: Clover, @cloverlady

Thank you for reading!

For additional information on my OC usage permissions, please read my carrd

[agentrouka-blog]

If Mirri tricks Daenerys into accepting a dark trade based on blood magic, where she sends drogo into a brain dead state <b>which involves sacrificing Dany's unborn baby</b>, and she <b>doesn't inform dany of the correct price, Mirri purposely causes dany to think that the horse is the sacrifice</b> so that <b>Dany's child dies</b>, <b>Drogo may as well be doomed for the things he caused, but an unborn child is punished for his father's sins</b> what is dany supposed to do if it is wrong to burn Mirri?

If it is wrong for Dany to burn Mirri, what way can she bring justice for Rhaego, or is it simply fine for Dany to do anything at all, if there isn't any revenge needed for Rhaego's death, is Miri truly justified in killed an unborn child?

(A formal, polite and detailed answer with logical points and a little constructive criticism is most preferred)

No.

Read the books.

I am not your friendly little meta dispenser and I am not going to be your "formal, polite and detailed" little monkey if your question already reveals you haven't read the books with any level of attention, haven't tried to actually understand what you're asking me to explain, and your condescending tone implies you think you already know better anyways.

If you're actually interested and want to invest some energy of your own, there's plenty of material in my "mirri maz duur" tag.

Otherwise, goodbye, and maybe learn some "polite" for the next time you approach someone. I'm sure it's universally "preferred".

[kingofbodyrolls]

My heart's Home (m) | pjm | twenty [epilogue]

🐴Chapter summary: It’s been over two years since you and Jimin’s wedding. Now, a journalist wants to interview you to ask you some questions about a story you’re apparently part of.

🐴Chapter title: Epilogue

🐴Pairings: jimin x reader (main), jungkook x reader (only happens once in the first chapter), jungkook x OC (jessi), namjoon x OC (jessi), yoongi x hoseok, namjoon x oc, seokjin x oc, taehyung x oc

🐴Characters: female reader (isn’t mentioned by name and no “y/n”), Jimin, Jungkook, Namjoon, Yoongi, Hoseok, Seokjin, Taehyung and four female original characters.

🐴Genre/AU: ranch!au, slice of life!au + smut, humor, fluff, slow burn and angst

🐴Rating: mature/explicit/R18 – this is mature/explicit content, so minors, please do not interact!

🐴Disclaimer: I do not own BTS or know them personally and this work of fiction is purely fictional and for entertainment purposes only. The actions and personalities described in the story do not reflect those of BTS— it’s just fiction. Also, if you would kindly read the tags/warnings before reading, that would be lovely: and if you don’t like whatever is described in the tags, just hit return and find something else to read. Thank you 🌸

🐴Chapter warnings: no much, it is pretty tame, the wildest thing is maybe the description of nursing a baby, so I would say it’s pretty tame + there is one ounce of violence (a slap). But also, mentions of pregnancy, car accident, fire, hurt and anger, but there’s also a lot of love 🥹

🐴Status: completed 🥳

🐴Word count: 7.4k

🐴Taglist: @kookswifesblog, @kiki-zb, @babejinnie, @ownthesunshine, @allie-is-a-panda, @glllhjh, @bergandysam, @13-manggaetteok, @jeonsbabygirlsworld, @antisocial-mochi267,

*tumblr isn’t letting me tag you! There could be a lot of reasons for that, check out this lovely post about it.

🐴Now playing 💿 “My Heart’s Home (Drover’s Run)” by Rebecca Lavelle. [Wanna listen to the serie’s playlist?]

🐴Author’s note: hi everyone!!! I’m back with the epilogue/Q&A and it’s been almost a month?? What, how are you guys doing? I hope you’re still excited to read the ending for these lovely characters. It’s filled with some catching up and some much needed answers and truths we’ve been waiting for. Sadly, there weren't as many people participating in the Q&A as I anticipated, but it’s okay— I guess you guys are busy, and that’s okay! I did go through some of your questions from the comments and wrote those in a questions, because there was some that I never really answered, or was being vague about, because I didn’t want to spoil certain things in the story 🤭 But thank you so much to those who participated, I means the world to me 😭💖 Before you read, I want to explain that I wrote this epilogue/Q&A differently like the rest— it reads as a normal chapter, so the questions are weaved into the story, and I inserted myself into the storyline 😂 It was fun, but I really hope that I didn’t make it too weird! It got a bit meta and fourth walling, but I hope it’s okay. It’s just for fun and giggles!! I really hope you enjoy it, please let me know if you did, and thank you so much for reading ✨

Also, I did not proofread this, just because I’m being a bit lazy and I really want to get this out, and write other things 🙂

It’s been cross posted to AO3 if you prefer to read there. Wanna see the book cover?

← previous | s.masterlist | m.masterlist | 

“The eyes of a childSee a long long waySee the future see the pastThey see everything first and last I was that childWho rode these hillsIn my dreams I see the starsIn my dreams I always will Ride these hillsSee in the morningI’ll hear the rain on the shedBut other stars and other sunsets will hang above my headThere will be different places different peopleBut I’ll still be the same” ‘My Heart’s Home (Drover’s Run)’ by Rebecca Lavelle

Your gaze flits between the secure baby seat nestled within the sturdy confines of Jimin’s truck and the warm, loving and protective gaze of his deep brown eyes, lingering on both with a silent question hanging in the air, “Do you think she’s alright back there on her own?”

His expression softens the moment your eyes meet his, a gentle reassurance emanating from his gaze as he rounds the truck. “Yes, my love,” he murmurs tenderly. “Is she still sleeping?”

With a fluid motion, he swings open the door and slides into the driver’s seat, the familiar click of the key finding its place in the ignition. Yet, instead of bringing the engine to life, he pauses, a moment of quiet anticipation hanging in the air before the journey ahead.

“Yeah, sound asleep,” you reply, a soft smile gracing your lips, your voice a blend of affection and weariness, the result of minimal sleep but an abundance of love—the kind that fills every tired corner of your being.

You steal a glance at your baby girl, nestled in serene slumber, her cherubic cheeks a mirror image of Jimin’s, her eyelids dancing with the rhythm of her gentle breaths. In this tranquil moment, her chest rises and falls in perfect harmony, a testament to the peace that envelops her. Despite the occasional cries born of hunger or discomfort, in these quiet moments, she embodies pure innocence and unfathomable cuteness.

She’s just a tiny two-month-old bundle of joy, still finding her way in the world—it’s only natural for her to fuss now and then. You press a delicate kiss to her rosy apple cheeks, ensuring not to disturb her tranquil sleep, before gently closing the door with a soft click. As you circle around the truck, slipping into the passenger’s seat beside Jimin, you can’t help but feel a surge of gratitude for this precious moment of family serenity amidst the hustle of life.

As you settle into your seat, a sudden impulse draws you closer to your husband, leaning across the console to steal a swift yet tender kiss from his lips—it’s a simple gesture, but one that carries the weight of your affection in every fleeting moment. With the engine humming to life beneath his command, the truck eases out of the yard and onto the winding road that leads into the heart of the town.

Heading into town for an interview feels like stepping into a surreal dimension. 

The journalist’s call left you bewildered, grappling with the bizarre realization that your seemingly ordinary life isn’t quite what it seems—that it’s woven into some larger narrative that others find intriguing. The initial confusion still lingers, grappling with the surreal notion that your existence, though deeply felt and real to you, is merely a tale spun for others’ consumption.The questions they want to ask blur the lines between reality and fiction, leaving you questioning the very fabric of your existence. It’s a puzzling journey, navigating the complexities of a life that feels real to you, even if it’s just a story to others.

A whirlwind of questions swirls through your mind, each one more perplexing than the last, yet here you are, navigating the familiar main road into town alongside your beloved husband and precious baby—all tangible, all undeniably real in your heart. The comfort of their presence grounds you amidst the confusion, their warmth and solidity reassuring in a world suddenly tinged with uncertainty. Even the sight of the familiar cars ahead and the fleeting reflections in Jimin’s trusty blue truck mirrors offer a sense of continuity, a reassuring thread weaving through the fabric of your reality.

As Jimin guides the car through the winding roads toward town, a gentle melody fills the air, wrapping around you like a comforting embrace. With your baby girl peacefully nestled in slumber, you lean back in your seat, surrendering to the soothing rhythm of the music. Closing your eyes, you allow the soft strains to lull you into a peaceful nap, trusting in Jimin's steady hands to carry you safely onward.

As consciousness slowly seeps back into your awareness, a gentle touch brushes against your cheek, coaxing your eyelids to flutter open. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, your gaze catches sight of a small trickle of drool escaping the corner of your mouth.

Rousing from your tranquil repose, a tender touch graces your cheek again, coaxing you gently from the depths of sleep. The soft warmth of your husband’s fingers brings you back to consciousness, accompanied by the endearing whisper of, “Wake up, beautiful.”

Despite the disheveled state of your appearance—drool tracing a path down your chin, eyes bloodshot from the relentless pursuit of precious sleep, and puffy lids resembling the aftermath of a surprise punch—his affectionate words infuse you with a warmth that transcends physical imperfections.

“I’m anything but,” you groan, the words heavy with self-deprecation, as you reach to unclasp your seatbelt, your gaze locking with Jimin’s comforting brown eyes, seeking solace in their warmth.

Cradling your face tenderly in his hands, Jimin’s touch is unwavering, disregarding the drool that lingers on his fingers as he gazes into your eyes, his own expression turning resolute. “To me, you’ll always be beautiful,” he asserts, his words carrying the weight of unwavering devotion. “Drool, puffy eyes, wild hair—it doesn’t matter. You’re perfect just as you are.”

A soft snort escapes you, but you can’t help but smile at his unwavering support. Lately, your self-doubt has been a relentless companion, haunting you with every imperfection and misstep. Yet, in this moment, Jimin’s earnest attempt to uplift you resonates deeply. Swallowing your protests, you offer him a gentle smile, a silent acknowledgment of his efforts. As he steps out of the truck to retrieve the baby seat, a sense of warmth fills the space between you, a silent promise of solidarity in navigating the complexities of parenthood together.

Stepping out of the car, you’re greeted by a heartwarming sight: a sea of familiar faces, friends, and family alike, their smiles beaming like beacons of love amidst the bustling parking lot. Waves of warmth wash over you as you take in the scene, their presence a comforting reminder of the support system that surrounds you on this journey called life.

Amidst the crowd, your gaze locks onto your sister, her once graceful stride now slightly altered by the burgeoning swell of her belly, a testament to the imminent arrival of new life. The closeness of her due date is palpable, casting a glow of anticipation around her. Beside her, Jungkook stands, his hands intertwined with those of their twin daughters, bubbling with youthful exuberance as they approach their second birthday. The scene before you is a vibrant tapestry of love, growth, and the boundless joy that comes with expanding family ties.

As you scan the parking lot, your eyes alight upon Ara and Tae, Soo-ah and Namjoon, Ha-rin and Jin, and Hobi and Yoongi, each couple intertwined in a tender embrace, hands clasped in a silent promise of solidarity. A smile tugs at your lips, a reflexive response to the infectious happiness radiating from your loved ones. The sight of their contentment ignites a warmth within your chest, a swell of love so profound it threatens to burst forth, filling every corner of your being with boundless joy.

With a sense of purpose, you swiftly retrieve your diaper bag, your steps falling in line behind Jimin and the rest of your beloved family as you make your way towards the imposing structure that houses the interview. The anticipation crackles in the air, mingling with the collective energy of your family, propelling you forward into the heart of the momentous occasion.

As you traverse the pristine white halls, the stark minimalism of the surroundings amplifies the gravity of the moment, each step echoing with a sense of purpose. Arriving in the expansive room bathed in soft light, your gaze sweeps across the array of neatly arranged couches and chairs, the anticipation building with every passing moment. Suddenly, your stomach clenches, and your grip on the diaper bag tightens involuntarily as you spot a familiar face across the room. A surge of conflicting emotions washes over you, your lips drawing into a tight frown as your eyes lock onto none other than Deiji.

Your mind races with a barrage of questions, each one more incredulous than the last. Why in the world is she here? How could she possibly be part of this interview too? Seated comfortably on the plush green velour chair, her demeanor exudes an air of calculated poise—her feet crossed neatly, her hair fashioned flawlessly into a high ponytail, every detail meticulously curated from her manicured nails to her impeccably applied makeup. The audacity of her composed smile, paired with her deliberate ignorance of your presence, sends a surge of indignation coursing through you. With a barely concealed scoff, you can’t help but brand her with the only label that seems fitting at this moment: a bona fide bitch.

Your attention shifts to the woman you presume to be the interviewer, her voluminous brown curls framing a face adorned with oversized golden glasses—a quirky yet endearing sight. With a welcoming gesture, she invites you to settle in and make yourself at home. Your eyes sweep over the table adorned with an assortment of beverages, from glasses of water to an array of sodas, teas, and coffee—an offering tailored to every preference. Nestling into the chair beside Jimin, your sleeping baby girl cradled safely nearby, you watch as Jimin delicately places the baby seat at your feet before reaching for a chilled glass of water, the cool condensation a refreshing relief against your fingertips.

As the rest of the gang settles into their seats, anticipation hangs heavy in the air, thick with a mixture of excitement and nervous energy. The woman with the oversized glasses offers a warm smile that barely conceals the flicker of apprehension dancing in her eyes. Your gaze drifts to the edges of her notebook, where her fingers fidget nervously, betraying the weight of the questions she undoubtedly holds within its pages. 

“Hello, everyone! Thank you all for being here today. I’m absolutely thrilled to have you join us. My name is Lissa, and I’ll be guiding our conversation today. I’ve got a bunch of questions lined up that our readers are itching to hear your answers to. But first things first, how’s everyone doing? And just how long has it been since we saw you last?” Lissa’s voice rings out with genuine warmth, her smile radiant despite the subtle dance of nerves behind her glasses, which threaten to slide down her nose.

“We’re all doing good, thanks for asking,” you reply, a hint of playful skepticism lacing your words. “But as for ‘since we saw you last,’ well, that’s a bit of a puzzler. Our lives didn’t exactly wrap up neatly when your story did, you know?” The chorus of agreement from your companions echoes your sentiment, though a pointed scoff from Deiji punctuates the moment, serving as a stark reminder of lingering tensions.

“Oh, yeah. I get that,” Lissa says and you nod in understanding, observing the woman’s thoughtful pause as she considers her next words. Suddenly, a spark of realization ignites within her, and she bursts forth with newfound clarity. “Since the wedding between you and Jimin,” she announces, prompting a flood of memories to rush back as you mentally trace the timeline of events that have unfolded since that momentous occasion. The weight of time feels suddenly palpable as you ponder just how far you’ve journeyed since then.

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s been just over two incredible years,” your sister’s voice carries a soft undercurrent of awe, her smile radiating warmth as she lovingly caresses her burgeoning belly, a silent testament to the passage of time and the miracles it has wrought.

Lissa’s nod is accompanied by a soft, knowing smile that seems to acknowledge the weight of the question she’s about to pose. Her gaze sweeps over the group, each member holding a unique story within them, waiting to be unveiled. “So, what’s unfolded in your lives since then?” She inquires, her words carrying a sense of anticipation, as if she’s poised on the edge of a grand narrative waiting to unfurl.

As you cast your gaze over the familiar faces of your friends and family, a flood of memories washes over you, a tapestry woven with moments both poignant and joyous. The corners of your lips tug upward in a bittersweet smile, knowing all too well the magnitude of what has transpired since that pivotal day. “A lot has happened,” you begin, your voice laced with a mixture of nostalgia and excitement, “mainly good things—more weddings, new arrivals, and the beautiful chaos of growing families.”

“We tied the knot,” Yoongi interjects, a soft smile gracing his lips as he proudly displays his intertwined hands with Hoseok, the gleaming gold bands adorning their fingers catching the light in a dazzling display of commitment and love.

“It was just a small and intimate wedding,” Hoseok chimes in, his laughter dancing through the air like music, infusing the memory of their wedding day with an infectious warmth.

“Jessi and I had quite the surprise,” Jungkook shares, a chuckle escaping as he recalls the whirlwind of events. “Twins, out of the blue, and before we knew it, she was expecting again,” he adds, a sheepish grin accompanying the gesture of scratching the back of his head.

Jessi straightens, her eyes alight with a newfound excitement. “And this time,” she interjects, her voice brimming with anticipation, “we made sure to get an extra ultrasound. Just one baby this time, and he’s going to be a little boy.” 

Their two daughters bounce around with infectious laughter, their giggles filling the room as they dart and weave around their father, vying for his attention with every playful leap and bound. Occasionally, they clamber over him, their small hands reaching out in a bid to capture his focus.

You can’t help but smile, reminiscing about the sheer shock and delight that washed over them when Jessi unexpectedly gave birth to twins. The incredulity of the situation still lingers, leaving you puzzled at how such a miraculous surprise could go unnoticed, even by the hospital staff.

“Seokjin and I,” Ha-rin begins to say with a playful wink, her eyes gleaming with pride as she shares their latest venture with the group. “We’ve taken the plunge into the culinary world—we’re running our very own catering business now,” she announces, the excitement palpable in her voice as she unveils their newest endeavor.

“We’re just enjoying each other’s company,” Namjoon remarks, his fingers intertwining with Soo-ah’s, eliciting a charming blush that paints her cheeks a delightful shade of pink.

“We’re also just taking it slow,” Taehyung chimes in, enfolding Ara in a tender embrace that speaks volumes of their affection.

“My life is good,” As Deiji’s words linger in the air, a heavy silence settles over the group, punctuated only by the soft rustle of shifting emotions. Your eyes narrow involuntarily at her assertion, a flicker of disdain tainting your expression. Memories of her past actions flood your mind, a reminder of the pain and manipulation she once inflicted on Jimin—and by extension, on you. Despite her attempt at casual indifference, the wounds she left behind still linger, a testament to the true depth of her betrayal and you don’t think you’ll be able to forget how much of a bitch she really is.

“That’s quite the journey. So much to unpack,” Lissa muses, her voice tinged with a blend of intrigue and anticipation. She pauses, allowing the weight of the moment to settle before continuing. “I’ve compiled a mix of questions from our readers and some of my own curiosities,” she explains, her gaze flicking down to her notepad briefly before lifting to meet your husband’s eyes with a subtle intensity.

“Jimin,” Lissa’s voice hangs in the air, drawn out slightly as if she’s grappling with the weight of the words inscribed on her paper. “One of our readers,” she continues, her tone delicately balanced between caution and curiosity, “expresses concern about the challenges you’ve put your wife through. They’re wondering what steps you’re planning to take to make amends.”

You turn towards Jimin, the air thick with anticipation as his expression shifts, caught off guard by the weight of the question. His lips part slightly, a silent testament to the thoughts racing through his mind, while the room holds its breath, waiting for his response.

“Well,” Jimin begins, his voice carrying a weight of sincerity as he addresses the room, “I’m fully aware of the pain I’ve caused with my actions and the misunderstandings that ensued. Every day, I’m committed to improving myself, striving to be the husband she deserves. I make it a point to express my gratitude and admiration for her, knowing that it’s the least I can do.” A warm smile graces his lips as he reaches for your hand, drawing it gently across his thigh. The strength and warmth of his touch convey a depth of emotion, his grip tender yet resolute as he intertwines his fingers with yours, a silent vow of his unwavering dedication.

With a soft smile, you shift your gaze towards Lissa, a glimmer of understanding shining in your eyes. “That’s all in the past now,” you affirm, your tone brimming with assurance. “Jimin doesn’t need to prove his love to me—I’ve known it all along. I forgave him a long time ago because our love is stronger than any mistake. We’re focused on moving forward together, embracing the journey ahead to discover our true greatness as a couple.”

Deiji’s scoff cuts through the air, prompting an exasperated roll of your eyes. Once again, you find yourself questioning her presence—why exactly is she even here?

“That’s wonderful to hear. I think that’s important,” Lissa interjects, her voice filled with genuine warmth and sincerity. A sudden shimmer in her eyes catches your attention, like glistening dewdrops on petals at dawn, revealing a depth of emotion akin to that of a proud mother watching her children thrive.

“Now, I have a question that might tread into uncomfortable territory,” Lissa begins, her gaze momentarily locking with yours before she shifts her focus downward, her nervousness palpable as she anxiously nibbles on her bottom lip.

Lissa’s cheeks flush a deep shade of crimson, the color spreading to the tips of her ears as she bravely lifts her gaze, her question hanging in the air like an electric charge. “Which brother do you think is best in bed?” She blurts out, her voice carrying a mix of trepidation and curiosity.

Your throat tightens, a sudden rush of disbelief threatening to choke you as you struggle to process Lissa’s audacious question. With eyes wide as saucers, you find yourself grappling with the sheer incredulity of her inquiry—could someone truly be bold enough to pose such a personal query? And why would the readers want to know that?

A sense of discomfort settles over you like a heavy blanket, suffocating any inclination to respond. With both Jimin and Jungkook within earshot, not to mention the rest of the company, the last thing you want is to entertain such a personal inquiry.

“Jimin won’t be hurt when you confirm it’s me,” Jungkook boasts with a hint of swagger, his words dripping with playful confidence. However, his bravado is swiftly met with a sharp glare from your sister, her jab to his ribs serving as a silent warning against his overzealous assertion.

You anticipate Jimin’s tension, bracing for the subtle shift in his demeanor, but to your surprise, he remains remarkably at ease, a picture of calm beside you. His tranquility mirrors that of your sleeping baby girl, nestled contentedly in her seat beside you.

“If I’m being completely honest, it’s my husband, Jimin,” you admit, a sense of relief washing over you as the truth spills from your lips. The mere thought of anything beyond your bond with him feels inconceivable, a testament to the strength of your bond. With a soft chuckle, you give Jimin’s hand a reassuring squeeze, grateful for his unwavering presence by your side.

Lissa offers you a sympathetic smile, though her flustered expression betrays lingering nerves, hinting that the next question may be just as probing as the last.

“That leads me to the next question. What where you thinking when you fucked Jungkook?”

You release a heavy sigh, your eyes rolling in disbelief. “Is this really what people are curious about?” You wonder aloud, your voice tinged with a mix of incredulity and resignation.

Lissa’s nod carries a weight of understanding, her eyes reflecting a hint of apology, as if she empathizes with the discomfort of the question she’s posed.

“I suppose, in hindsight, I wasn’t thinking at all, which was undoubtedly part of the issue,” you concede, a tinge of regret coloring your words. “Honestly, I wish it never happened,” you confess, your frustration with the probing questions bubbling to the surface. Today was certainly not the day you anticipated having to justify your past mistakes.

“Hey, don’t go hurting my feelings now. Just admit I was the best,” Jungkook quips once more, his tone laced with playful banter. You sigh, a mixture of exasperation and amusement washing over you at his persistence.

“No, Kook, you weren’t the best,” you assert firmly, your words carrying a weight of finality. “This isn’t a competition, and frankly, I think you should be content with the fact that my sister holds you in such high regard and thinks you’re the best fuck. I’ve heard you on multiple occasions now, and that should tell you enough,” you continue, your frustration evident in your tone. “I’ve heard enough on this topic, and for me, Jimin surpasses any comparison.” A heavy sigh escapes your lips as you plead, “Can we please shift gears and explore some other lines of questioning?”

You tenderly reach down for your baby girl, a soft smile tugging at your lips as you realize she’s been peacefully sleeping in her seat for far too long. With gentle hands, you unfasten her belt and lift her into your embrace, cradling her against your chest. You adjust yourself slightly, reclining back to ensure she’s nestled comfortably against you, her tiny form finding solace against the warmth of your bosom.

“Um, I’m afraid there’s one more question,” Lissa interjects hesitantly, her voice tinged with nervousness as she glances down at her notes once more.

“Then let’s hear it,” your sister interjects, her tone firm and resolute, a hint of irritation seeping through as she echoes your own sentiment toward the relentless questioning.

“Jungkook, which sister is best in bed?” The room plunges into a sudden, heavy silence, amplifying Lissa’s timid voice to a jarring level.

Jungkook meets your gaze with a flicker of resolve. “I’m sorry if this hurts, but it’s my wife,” he confesses, his words carrying a weight of honesty amidst the tension in the room.

You chuckle softly, the sound carrying a hint of lightness amidst the heavy atmosphere. “You’re not hurting my feelings, Kook,” you assure him with a reassuring smile.

Jimin’s chuckle joins yours, a familiar reassurance in the midst of an uncomfortable moment. This topic, though fraught with history, is one you’ve all navigated together before. Yet, beneath the surface, a pang of regret lingers, a reminder of the choices made in the past. You can’t help but feel a twinge of sorrow for the choice made that night, for not giving Jimin the opportunity he deserved, and instead sleeping with his brother. But as you glance at him now, your soulmate by your side, you find solace in the knowledge that history led you to where you are today.

“Alright, my apologies. That concludes the line of inappropriate inquiries,” Lissa announces, redirecting her gaze back to you and Jimin. “On a lighter note, our readers are curious: How many kids do you envision having?”

Jimin’s smile widens as he intertwines his fingers with yours, a gesture filled with warmth and reassurance. The prospect of children has been a frequent topic of discussion since your wedding day, and now, with your first child in your arms, you feel a surge of fulfillment—a sense of readiness to embrace the journey of motherhood even more.

“We’re still figuring it out. But we’ve always talked about having more than one, haven’t we?” Jimin’s gaze meets yours, a soft glimmer of affection dancing in his eyes, mirroring the unspoken bond between you.

“Yeah, two sounds perfect. Although, who knows? Maybe even more,” you muse, a fond smile gracing your lips as you envision the possibility of a larger family. “Our daughter is an absolute delight, taking after Jimin in the most adorable ways. The thought of more little Jimin look-alikes running around fills my heart with such joy,” you share, your voice tinged with affection. You choose not to dwell on the exhaustion or the moments of self-doubt, knowing that with Jimin by your side, you’re capable of anything—and that includes expanding your family and embracing the journey of parenthood together.

As you feel your baby girl stirring, her delicate eyes fluttering open with a soft whimper, you instinctively gather her close, cradling her against your chest. Sensing her hunger, you gently lift your shirt and unhook your bra, offering her the nourishment she seeks. With practiced ease, you guide her to your breast, feeling her tiny mouth eagerly latch on as she finds comfort in the familiar warmth and sustenance. As she begins to nurse, her cries gradually subside, replaced by a sense of contentment and peace, her small form relaxing against you as she drinks in the nourishing embrace of you.

“Have you settled on a name for her yet? I’ve noticed you don’t refer to her by name,” Lissa inquires, her gaze meeting yours with a gentle warmth reflected in her soft smile.

“We’re still undecided. Right now, we’re torn between Haneul and Isuel,” you share, a laugh bubbling up from within you as you exchange a glance with Jimin. Your smile stretches wide, the joy of the moment evident in your expression.

“Both of those are absolutely beautiful choices,” Lissa remarks, her own smile widening in genuine admiration.

“What’s your stance on pets, do you want one? Are you more inclined towards cats or dogs?” Lissa inquires, settling back into her chair with a newfound ease. Her earlier nervousness seems to dissipate, replaced by a sense of confidence that infuses her voice with a newfound steadiness.

“We’ve actually been frequenting the local animal shelter lately, eyeing some of the pups,” Jimin shares, his voice carrying a hint of excitement.

“But just one dog will do,” you interject with a chuckle, a fondness evident in your tone. You know Jimin’s affinity for dogs all too well—if it were solely up to him, your home would resemble a bustling kennel alongside a lively soccer team of children.

“Yeah, there’s this golden retriever at the shelter. We’ve got our hearts set on adopting him,” Jimin announces proudly, his gaze alternating between you and your baby still nestled against you.

“Saja, that’s his name. I just know he’ll be the perfect addition to our family,” you chime in, your voice brimming with affection as you steal a glance at your husband once more. There’s an undeniable warmth in your gaze, a testament to the endless love you hold for him.

“That’s intriguing. I’m nearing the end of my inquiries. This one’s directed at Taehyung,” Lissa announces, her gaze shifting towards Taehyung who appears taken aback, clearly not anticipating any questions directed his way today. “Our readers are curious about your activities during your initial visit to Bell Ranch—the one that unfortunately resulted in Jessi’s accident,” she explains, her tone gentle yet probing.

As Taehyung gulps audibly, the weight of the past looms heavy in the air, a stark reminder that despite the passage of years, the wounds from that incident remain tender for everyone involved.

Taehyung’s hand instinctively rises to scratch the back of his head, his gaze dropping to the floor below in a display of nervous tension.

“That was right after my father fell ill, and I discovered he wasn’t my biological father,” Taehyung begins, his voice tinged with a mixture of vulnerability and remorse. “I drove out here to see my half-brothers—I never imagined it could be true. Having brothers, another family I never knew existed. It’s been quite the journey. Challenging at first, but everyone has been incredibly welcoming, and now, I truly feel like a part of this family,” he explains, his words carrying the weight of sincerity. “I still carry deep regret for causing the accident, Jessi. It was never my intention. I was consumed by nerves and anger, a dangerous combination behind the wheel. I’m truly sorry.”

Lissa and everyone else nods.

“I drove up to the ranch and spotted both Jungkook and Jimin hard at work, but fear held me back from saying a word. I left, like a coward,” Taehyung admits, his voice tinged with regret as he recounts the memory. “For months, I wrestled with the daunting task of revealing myself, gathering the courage to step into a world I never knew existed. I had a hunch they were unaware of my existence too,” he adds, his smile carrying a bittersweet tinge of longing and acceptance.

“Thanks, Tae. But you know, we’re past that now,” your sister reassures him with a warm smile, her words carrying a gentle reminder that their past grievances have long been resolved.

Lissa’s smile softens into one of fondness. “I have two final questions that’s been burning on our readers’ minds,” she says, her tone hinting at the anticipation of unveiling something intriguing.

All eyes shift expectantly toward Lissa, the air thick with curiosity. With your baby girl finished feeding, you carefully adjust your shirt and lift her to your shoulder, patting her back to coax out the remaining burps. As she emits soft little sounds, you join the others in eagerly awaiting Lissa’s final question, a sense of anticipation hanging palpably in the air.

Lissa’s gaze flicks toward Deiji, a subtle shift that catches your attention, leaving you puzzled as to the sudden focus on her. With a quizzical expression, you arch an eyebrow, silently questioning the reason behind this unexpected gesture.

“Deiji, you misled us about the baby, claiming it was Jimin’s. Can you shed light on why?” Lissa’s tone holds a firmness that demands clarity.

Deiji’s head shakes firmly. 

“I’d rather not say.” Her refusal carries an air of guarded secrecy, adding to the tension in the room.

Your blood churns with a mixture of anger and exhaustion. The truth seems elusive, buried beneath layers of deceit and manipulation. At this point, you’re past caring about her reasons; all that matters is the weight of her deception, pressing down on your patience like an unbearable burden.

Lissa’s voice cuts through the air with a sharp edge, commanding attention and respect. “You don’t get to evade this,” she asserts, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Deiji’s demeanor shifts, her body language a defensive barrier against the intensity of the moment, her arms wrapping around herself as if to shield against the barrage of questions and accusations.

“Fine,” she hisses, the word escaping through clenched teeth like a snake’s warning, her frustration evident in the sharpness of her tone and the subtle grit of her teeth.

“I was cheating on Jimin with my ex,” she confesses, her words dripping with shame and regret, each syllable heavier than the last. “He got me pregnant, and I knew Jimin wanted to start a family. But my ex... he’s not exactly father material,” she admits, her voice steady yet laden with the weight of her past mistakes.

“But why lie? Why not just tell the truth?” Jimin’s voice cuts through the tension, his tone laced with disbelief and hurt. His jaw clenches, knuckles white with the force of his grip.

Deiji scoffs, her breath heavy with frustration. “And what? Confess that I was cheating on you?” She shakes her head, her tone tinged with defiance. “Would you have wanted a child that wasn’t yours?”

Jimin rolls his eyes, a subtle gesture belied by the storm in his gaze. Despite the passage of years, the wounds of deception still sting as freshly as if inflicted yesterday. You understand his sentiment well: Jimin’s desire for involvement stemmed from a sense of duty and biological connection. Had Deiji been forthright from the beginning, he likely would have distanced himself from the child, especially considering their breakup and his commitment to you.

“It was easy. And I saw how you looked at her,” she points to you, her accusation slicing through the air like a dagger, “I knew you wanted her, bad. She took you from me. Coming back and announcing the baby, I knew I had you wrapped around my finger. I knew you’d choose a family, because you crave it so much. I hoped it would pull you away from her, and in the end, it did. But then you had to go back to each other again, so sickening.”

Jimin gapes, and so do you. You’re left speechless, grappling with the audacity of her words. You knew she lied out of jealousy, but to stoop so low— it’s beyond comprehension. God, you really despise this woman.

Lissa’s voice cuts through the air like a blade, her gaze fixed intently on Deiji again, her expression serious and unyielding. “Is this why you started the fire at Bora Ranch?” She demands, the weight of her words hanging heavily in the tense silence that follows.

A heavy silence descends upon the room once more, amplifying the tension as all eyes remain fixed on Deiji, who squirms uncomfortably under the scrutiny. Your brows furrow in concern as you observe her growing unease, noting the absence of any denial in her response. A sense of foreboding creeps over you as her fidgeting and nervous perspiration betray an unsettling truth: guilt hangs palpably in the air, casting a shadow over the room.

Deiji’s gaze averts, seeking refuge from the intensity of the scrutiny bearing down upon her. In this vulnerable moment, her once formidable demeanor begins to falter, unraveling before your eyes. The weight of accusatory stares renders her diminutive and fragile, a stark contrast to her usual air of confidence and strength.

“So?” Lissa’s voice cuts through the heavy silence once more, her tone firm and resolute, leaving no room for evasion or avoidance. With a piercing gaze, she awaits Deiji’s response, her expectation palpable in the charged atmosphere of the room.

As the seconds tick by stretching into minutes, each one laden with unspoken tension, Deiji’s continued silence becomes increasingly conspicuous. With each passing moment, the weight of uncertainty grows heavier, casting a shadow of doubt over the room. Your mind races, grappling with the unsettling realization that perhaps your suspicions were warranted all along. The absence of a denial speaks volumes, echoing your darkest fears with haunting clarity. You never wanted to entertain the possibility that Deiji could be capable of such an act, yet the chilling reality dawns upon you: people can harbor unfathomable depths, their actions often defying comprehension.

The seconds drag on, and a simmering anger begins to bubble within you, its intensity mirrored in the heightened tension radiating throughout the room. Each passing moment feels like an eternity, the palpable weight of unspoken truths hanging heavy in the air. You sense the collective unease of those around you, their alertness a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation. The once-airy atmosphere now feels suffocatingly dense, pressing down upon you like a heavy shroud. It becomes increasingly difficult to draw a full breath, as if the admission of truth from Deiji has robbed the room of its oxygen.

“Just tell the truth, dammit!” Jimin’s voice cuts through the tension like a thunderclap, his frustration palpable in the rigid set of his jaw and the clenched fists at his sides.

His sudden outburst startles you, your heart racing as you instinctively check if it has disturbed your sleeping baby. Thankfully, she remains undisturbed, cradled in peaceful slumber.

“I…” Deiji’s voice wavers, her expression a tumult of emotions—shame, guilt, and a flicker of disappointment, etched vividly across her features.

“I did,” she finally confesses, her voice barely above a whisper, shattering the silence like glass. 

You rise from your seat, gently passing your baby girl into Jimin's waiting arms. With a sense of purpose, you approach Deiji, once a formidable presence, now visibly diminished in her chair.

Your blood is boiling, rage surging through your veins like a torrential river, and the world blurs into shades of red. 

Standing before Deiji, she gazes at you with pleading eyes, as if begging for absolution. But forgiveness is a distant echo in your mind, drowned out by the roar of fury. Without conscious thought, your arm swings wide, propelled by an instinctual force, and your palm connects with the tender flesh of her cheek. The resounding crack of the slap is so fucking loud it reverberates through the room, jolting you into the stark realization that it was your hand delivering the blow.

Your hand throbs with the heat of the impact, a fiery reminder of the force unleashed. 

Deiji’s silent tears blur the air, her trembling hand tenderly grazing the fiery red imprint on her cheek. Ordinarily, violence is an alien language to your spirit, but in the presence of this woman, it’s as if your very essence is twisted into a dark, unrecognizable form. 

Yet, amidst the turmoil, there’s a raw truth: you feel no remorse for the eruption of fury that crossed the boundary into violence.

“You fucking bitch! How dare you do that! First, you rip Jimin’s heart to shreds with your deceitful, conniving ways. Then, you have the audacity to torch my home?!” The words tear from your throat, a primal scream echoing through the room, stirring the air like a tempest. Behind you, the scrape of chairs signals the tense energy of your friends and family, witnesses to your unleashed wrath. With eyes ablaze, you fixate on Deiji, your voice a snarl, a wild beast ready to pounce. You want her to feel your pain, to taste the bitterness that consumed you in those dark hours.

As you seethe with anger, ready to unleash another torrent of fury upon Deiji, a pair of firm, reassuring arms envelop you. 

Instinctively, you lean into the embrace, finding solace in the strength of Jungkook and Yoongi. Their presence is a grounding force amidst the storm raging within you, a reminder that you’re not alone in this tempest of emotions. With their silent support, you draw a steadying breath, the heat of your rage tempered by their calming presence.

As your pulse thrums with the remnants of anger, Yoongi’s voice cuts through the tempest, a calm amidst the chaos, “She’s not worth it.” His words, though soft, carry a weight of wisdom, a reminder that your fury, however justified, only serves to empower the very source of your pain. With a gentle yet firm grip on your arm, he silently implores you to find solace in restraint, to withhold the tempest brewing within. In his touch, there’s a silent reassurance, a shared understanding that some battles are won not through violence, but through the resilience of spirit.

“She’ll get what’s coming to her,” Jungkook’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade, his tone harboring a quiet determination. With a shake of his head, he offers a silent vow, a promise that justice will find its way to Deiji, no matter the winding path it takes. In his words, there’s a resolve, an unwavering belief that the scales of fate will tip in favor of righteousness, even amidst the chaos of betrayal.

You shift your gaze to Jimin, who remains seated with your baby, his expression a mix of concern and unwavering support. His calm demeanor provides a stable anchor amidst the storm brewing within you. Meanwhile, your sister’s fury is palpable, evident in the set of her jaw and the intensity of her focus on her twins, corralling their energy in the bustling room.

“I’ve called the police,” Lissa declares, rising from her seat with purpose, her steps deliberate as she strides towards Deiji, her demeanor a blend of resolve and determination.

“I’m really disappointed in you, why would you even do such a thing? That’s so horrible.”

Tears continue to cascade down Deiji’s cheeks, her sobs echoing in the tense silence of the room, her once-fierce demeanor now shattered like glass. “I was consumed by jealousy, alright?” She confesses through choked breaths, her gaze shifting towards Jimin. “You have everything, and I despise both of you for it. I wanted her to feel the pain you inflicted on me, Jimin.”

Jimin’s breath catches in his throat, the weight of Deiji’s words hitting him like a wrecking ball. He carries the burden of knowing he inflicted deep wounds upon her, using her as a pawn in a twisted game of revenge against you. It’s a bitter truth he’s forced to swallow, a regret that gnaws at him relentlessly. If only he could rewrite the past, erase the pain he caused, he would never have entangled himself with Deiji in the first place.

“You hope you rot in prison,” you utter, your voice slicing through the air like a blade, cold and unyielding, the words heavy with the weight of betrayal and fury. With Yoongi and Jungkook guiding you back to your seat, you struggle to quell the tempest raging within you, fighting to regain control amidst the tumult of emotions.

You draw in slow, deliberate breaths, first through your nose, then out through your mouth, a rhythmical dance of inhales and exhales in a bid to rein in the storm raging within your chest. With each expulsion of air, you feel the seething anger gradually ebb away, replaced by a sense of calm determination settling over you like a comforting shroud.

Time seems to stand still in the aftermath of the revelation, an eerie silence wrapping around the room like a heavy blanket. The weight of what has transpired hangs in the air, palpable and stifling, leaving everyone in a stunned stupor. Then, with a jolt, the doors burst open, and two uniformed police officers stride in, their presence a stark reminder of the gravity of the situation. Without a word, they approach Deiji, escorting her away, her departure marking the end of a tumultuous chapter and the beginning of a new one.

As you witness her being led away, an unexpected sense of liberation washes over you, as if a weight you didn’t even realize you were carrying has suddenly been lifted. It’s a curious sensation, almost buoyant, as if the air around you has become easier to breathe. A fleeting but unmistakable feeling of relief floods your chest, and you can’t help but feel strangely lighter, as if the darkness that once loomed over you has finally begun to dissipate.

“I’m deeply sorry. I knew all along that she set fire to your place, but as the writer, my hands were tied. I couldn’t reveal the truth to you. But please know, I’m truly sorry for what she did to you,” Lissa’s voice trembles with remorse, her face etched with genuine regret. She extends her arms, enveloping you in a warm, reassuring hug, her hands gently patting your back in a gesture of solace and understanding.

“I’ve wanted to tell you countless times,” she whispers, tears streaming down her face like silent rivers of regret.

“I get it. It wasn’t part of my narrative and story until now,” you reply, a bittersweet smile tugging at your lips as tears blur your vision. You notice the collective emotional weight shared by everyone in the room.

“Thank you so much for creating me and bringing me to life,” you say, your voice thick with gratitude, as tears blur your vision, lending a poignant weight to your words.

Lissa shakes her head against your shoulder, her voice muffled by emotion. “No, thank you for letting me create you. You’ve been my canvas, a safe space where I could pour out my feelings—sadness, anger, pain, and happiness. Truly, thank you.”

You all embrace each other one last time, tears mingling with laughter, a symphony of emotions filling the room. It’s a beautiful, bittersweet moment, etched into your hearts as a testament to the bonds you’ve forged and the journey you’ve undertaken together. This moment, and all the ones before, you know, are truly special.

How are you feeling? 🥹 Yes, I’m crying. I hope this Q&A wasn’t too weird! If you still have some question, or didn’t get to participate in the Q&A when it was live, you are also more than welcome to send in an ask with questions for the characters— they will still reply in an ask 🙂

Thank you so much for reading this story and series, I know it’s massive. These characters are like my babies, they are very special to me, and I feel sad that the story is over. But I’m so happy with what I’ve achieve, and truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for reading and for commenting ✨

[captainseamech]

//*pics the mic* okay this may sound ridiculous at this point, but I’m here to once again talk about High Tide’s unique features because I have nothing better to do. Last time, I talked about his armor and how his spark is protected thanks to his altmode. Now I wanted to talk about something more interesting that is, more often than not, mentioned in most of my threads: High Tide releasing steam.

You may be wondering why the hell do I want to talk about this even though I did a whole meta post about the situation (which you should check btw). In that post, I talked about the circumstances of which he can start to release steam out of control, not how and / or why he does that. And that’s what I’m going to talk about tonight.

As you may know, I mostly use GR from the OVA for aesthetic purposes and I did use him in that study post to illustrate what I meant. Yesterday, I replied to an ask and mentioned in the tags that I loved the nuclear powered sentient robot that is GR (and still do ofc)... which made me wonder how a nuclear powered core can release steam when under pressure and how this is also applied to HT. After some study diving, I got my answer and I’m here to share it with you guys.

There are two types of submarines in terms of propulsion: diesel-powered and nuclear-powered, with High Tide being the latter. His nuclear core type is Boiling Water Reactor (or BWR for short), which works by having its reactor core heat water to turn it into steam and drive a steam engine connected to it. I’m not going to be too in-depth as to how it works because I’m a simple writer, but here’s the article talking more about the BWR for you to read later.

Thanks to this reactor, High Tide is able to control his steaming to get more power and before you ask if said steam is toxic to inhale, it isn’t. Well it actually is, but one of the safety procedures used in nuclear powered submarines with BWR is to have vents that can filter the radiation from the steam to make it non-toxic for plants and operators inside. So yeah, High Tide has a lot of those vents spread throughout himself internally, so you can easily breathe through that. Speaking of safety procedures...

As I mentioned in the same post where I talked about how much steam releasing is considered too much, I did also say this can be mallefic to him. Sure, when he gets mad and needs to cool down after his core spray system (which is exclusive to BWRs) activates in order to stop the generation of steam, therefore cooling him down. He can also activate special fans he has to manually cool himself through ‘breathing’ out of his mouth, which he can also control; but in case he’s exceeding his capability, his Emergency core-cooling systems (or ECCS for short) will activate in an attempt to shut down his core. You can read about all of the safety systems here, it’s quite interesting!

However, if all of that fails due to him non-stop pressuring himself, the reactor will boil to the point of melting, causing health problems to High Tide along the way. He will start to malfunction and have a very negative reaction, as this heat might reach other areas of his body and, potentially, melt his spark chamber and reach his spark, causing him to collapse while leaking a scary green smoke out of his frame and possibly some energon with it, indicating that he could not contain his own radiation no more.

High Tide obliviously turned himself into a dangerous nuclear hazard, and will only find out about this the day he dies to his own core.

[kafkaoftherubble]

把死人给带回来？ 难道...?！

// If They Are Bringing Back the Dead...

This post contains spoilers for Chapter 184.1 of To Your Eternity.

It also contains speculations galore. This is NOT a meta essay.

Shoutout to my homie branetheory in Discord!

Thanks to them, I was reminded of what Parts of My Brain had wanted to talk about:

Bruh. I can't believe ToFu made me so high last night that I forgot to talk about this.

Honestly I regret nothing Okay, memory water.

A little Kafka Aside: I'm gonna have to consciously ignore how... not-there the scientific backing for this is. Honestly, this Memory Water thing reminded me of the New Age/Pseudoscientific idea of "water memory" or Masaru Emoto's "water consciousness" thing or DNA teleportation. However, this is a story where weirder shits have happened, so suspension of disbelief willingly and gleefully granted. I just need to get this out of my head first.

To reiterate, Kaibara's experimental procedure involves

Extracting cells from a person's body

"Turn" it into water (how?)

Make a "clone" drink it (who?)

-----------------------------------------------------

Who could these clones be?

The only clones we know so far are the Mizuha clones. Their existence seems to imply a similar purpose to Hayase's descendants—they are supposed to inherit Hayase's Will, which is 95% "get injected with a tumor we call the Left Hand Nokker."

But Nokkers have long become invisible and fully integrated into this ecosystem. In the Future Era, they are embedded in tag chips, and they grant the bodies they possess all sorts of abilities and augmentations.

What would an inheritance of Hayase's Will even look like here? At first, I thought it would be similar: a tag chip with the Left Hand in it. Mizuha's, uh, possession (for the lack of a better word) manifested through the same mechanism other Nokkers used, after all.

However, the story gradually told us that the clones had all been massacred via an unknown operation for yet-untold reasons. Why would they do that?

Were these clones failures?

If they were failures, then it would make sense why Kaibara treated them as disposable; after all, in the past, the Guardians always exalted Hayase's Descendant(s) no matter how incompetent they were at their mission. Failure to secure Fushi's seeds I mean love never made them disposable enough to be killed, right?

So, as branetheory (crediting my homie even though they might not see this ahahhahah) also thought—

Could it be that Hayase herself has been successfully reincarnated in the body of one of these clones? (8)

I assigned this hypothesis an 8, or "80% confidence level."

Is she who you're gonna see, Bon?

Why would Kaibara need so many Mizuha clones in the first place? They only need one Descendant. They only have one Left-Hand Nokker...

Unless these clones were made specifically for bringing back Hayase. They were all experiments. Few experiments ever go right at the first trial. But this? Experiments this challenging and important as "recreating our legendary progenitor, Hayase?"

It will definitely require a lot of trial and error. So these clones were made to be expendables.

Honestly, who would name their offspring with numbers if they weren't meant to be seen as expendables?

----

There is an interesting point to note: Memory Water only works if one has a Nokker implanted in them. Remember how Abel can't drink it and instantly know the answers to their stupid-ass questions?

So do all clones have Nokkers implanted in them? They all own a tag chip, after all. But there is only one Left Hand Nokker, and that bitch seems deadset on possessing only Hayase's appointed heir (or in this case, Hayase herself).

Does that mean

all the clones have their own Nokkers, but none of it is the Left Hand, until the Experiment? (3) OR

all the clones have empty tag chips until the Experiment, in which the Left Hand Nokker is then implanted inside before the subject drinks the Memory Water? (6) OR

other hypotheses I could not think of at the moment? (1)

------------------------------------------

Doro and Her Sisters: Were They Trying To Stage a Rebellion Against Kaibara's Highest Echelon? (7)

Assigned (7); "70% confidence level"

Could this scene actually depict a failed experimental result, where #32/Doro was the subject? After all, she didn't look like she died in a massacre. She looked like she died alone, leaving her sisters behind..

Doro liaisoned with Fushi in secret. So secretly, Tonari didn't know it happened.

Why would she do that? Way back then, me and the Discord gang had speculated some sort of clash between Doro and the rest of Kaibara. At that time, I think our speculation was that it had to do with the Wish-granting Orb specifically.

But now, with this new information in mind...

Could it be that the liaison was part of the clones' planned rebellion? (6)

Assigned 6; "60% confidence level."

It could be that, in addition to passing vital information about Kaibara to Fushi (who is still not exactly forthcoming about what they know so far), Doro was also trying to ensure that the Wish-granting Orb will never fall into the Highest Echelon's hands.

Was her conviction formed out of concerns about what Kaibara might do with the orb?

Or was her reasoning more pragmatic—she didn't want Kaibara to have the power to crush her rebellion?

----

Back to the number-as-naming convention. What if these weren't names, but the assigned turn of each clone for the ultimate experiment (6)? If that's the case, then Doro is the 32nd experiment that failed.

That's a lot. And the fact that she failed would mean the experiment will keep going. The clones will keep being bred to be used for these experiments. It's a conflict ripe for seeds of rebellion, right?

And so, there are extra hypotheses as to why the clones were massacred in the first place:

Hayase has been successfully reincarnated (8)

The clones' rebellion plan has been found out (7)

Hayase has been successfully reincarnated AND the clones' rebellion plan has been found out (5.6; 8/10×7/10)

----------------------------------------

Dolly's Purpose(s)

While Doll's original purpose might have been for amusement and fun—Doro rescued it from some trash heap and just engineered it to be a playmate—I had always found its ability to dish out powerful punches suspicious. Why would a playmate be good at granting people concussions in the first place?!

And it was good enough to take out mercenaries, right?

I'm quite confident that Doll's punch is a defensive ability to guard whatever's stored in its memory (9).

I should review what Previous Me had speculated:

Doll holds Doro's brainwaves or consciousness

Doll holds the Left Hand Nokker within it

Doll is a combination of Doro's consciousness/brainwaves and its original AI

There is also the speculation that Doll is the Wish-granting Orb itself, but I think the confidence level for that hypothesis has gone pretty low... at least to me, personally. It sits at less than 10%.

Now, I want to add new hypotheses and rearrange them from most confident to least:

Doll's memories include Kaibara's top secret: key infrastructures, their real master(s), their experiments, whatever information they have gained about the Wish-granting Orb, their master plan to counter Fushi, and the like. Things that could give rebelling clones an edge. (8)

Doll holds Doro's brainwaves/consciousness integrated within its original AI (7)

Doll holds Doro's brainwaves/consciousness AND it is Doro's consciousness/memories that possess knowledge of Kaibara's top secret (5.6; 8/10×7/10)

Doll holds the Left Hand Nokker (less than 2)

The first (and by extension, the third) hypothesis can be supplemented by the fact that Kaibara really wants the Doll. Why, if not because the Doll holds vital information regarding the entire company?

They could go after it for Doro's consciousness, sure, but the priority would drop a lot more, wouldn't it? ...Unless the third hypothesis is true!

The second hypothesis can be partially supplemented by Abel's dedication to possessing the Doll; he really cherished Doro, and to him, the Doll could lead him to her again. He also claimed that Doro "is still alive," though when pressed, he gave no evidence.

Was it wistful thinking, or could he have been privy to Doro's experiment to transfer her consciousness into Doll? Did he really know nothing about Doro's death?

There is also the "Now I am human" line Doro uttered while blindfolded. Given we now know what the clones are used for, Doro might see her existence to be inhuman/subhuman because of her real purpose. Maybe, to her, she could feel more human by being a doll than in her human body.

Hell, who knows? Doro might secretly envy Abel's humanness—a guy who was likely born from normal copulation and couldn't fit in with the rest of the Tagged society, yet all the more a genuine human being than the rest of them.

-----------------------------------

What is the nature of Doll's Brainwaves?

Could it have been a digital transfer, or could it have used a similar mechanism to the Memory Water?

----------------------------------

Miscellaneous Implications of Memory Water Bringing Back the Dead

Bruh I swear if they reincarnated the Nameless Boy to torment Fushi I will fucking sever my friendship with Left Hand Nokker and nuke their Paradise. Oh hi Left Hand, nothing over here.

----------------------------------

And that concludes my hypotheses round-up, updated to only Chapter 184.1. Remember! Y'all are always welcome to reblog and add your own thoughts to it!

Fuck, I will be so honored if y'all Fushi-fied my writing by adding absolutely anything.

Thank you for reading my ramble. Rest assured, I have prepared just the right image for the moment I clown myself by having most of my hypotheses come out spectacularly falsified:

(Hi everyone this is Kei from Ajin)

[ranchthoughts]

A Very Informal BL Tumblr Census

As all the BL 2023 Wrapped posts were going around in December and January, I was surprised to see how many people said this was their first year in the BL Tumblr sphere or that they stopped lurking for the first time in 2023. To investigate this phenomenon (and my general impression that BL engagement went up during the COVID-19 lockdowns), I created a series of polls in early January to see what I could discover:

When did you start watching Asian BLs? (the first one, focused on post-2017) and When did you start watching Asian BLs? (the follow up, focused on pre-2017)

When did you join BL Tumblr? (i.e., when did you start reblogging/liking/viewing BL content on Tumblr)

When did you stop lurking on BL Tumblr? (i.e., when did you start making your own original posts and/or interacting with other BL Tumblr blogs)

Which show did you start writing meta for? (for those of us who write meta)

A big thank you to everyone who voted!

When did you start watching Asian BLs?

My first poll on this topic was made with the express interest of spotting a pattern in recent BL watchers - anecdotally it felt like a lot of people had just started to join and post on BL Tumblr in 2023 and I wanted to see if that coincided with or followed an uptick in BL watchers (i.e., did people start watching BLs and joining BL Tumblr around the same time, or had people been watching BLs for a while before joining BL Tumblr). Furthermore, I felt like I had heard a lot about a pandemic surge in BL watchers (and BL content), so I wanted to focus specifically on the 2020 to now (2024) period.

Over the time period of 2018-2024, the largest number of new BL watchers came in 2020 with 20.0% (and over half of those respondents started watching in the first half of 2020).

For those curious, the breakdown for new viewers in 2020-2024 in six month intervals is as follows:

The majority of respondents on the first poll said they started watching Asian BLs before 2017, so I made another poll (though I was once again limited by the number of options you can have in one poll) exploring 2007-2017 year by year, and then "2006 and before" as the final poll option.

Note: there were 869 respondents to the first poll, and 73 to the second poll.

Interesting to see the big spike of new BL watchers in 2016 and 2017.

Note: I didn't really have a hard and fast definition of "Asian BL" in mind when I made this poll, though I was thinking more of live-action content vs animated series as that is what I see more often in my corner of Tumblr. It was interesting to see people's responses in the tags of what they considered Asian BL to be (including or excluding Chinese censored shows like The Untamed, including or excluding animes like Yuri on Ice, etc.), but I know the lack of clarity on what exactly *is* a BL for the purposes of this poll made it harder to answer and also introduced a bigger margin of error (someone excluding animated series might have said they started watching BL at a later date than someone including animated series, for example). This polls were always intended for my own curiosity though, so you'll have to excuse the lack of academic rigour.

When did you join BL Tumblr?

In short: the largest number of respondents joined BL Tumblr in 2023 (25.3% of respondents), followed by 2022 (19.2%). Additionally, a significant number of respondents joined in or before 2017 (17.9%) - once again, I was limited by the number of poll options and by my initial focus on recent Tumblr history, and I didn't make a follow up poll for this one.

The number of people joining BL Tumblr year by year has grown fairly steadily since 2018 (roughly 6.6% per year), except for a small drop in 2021. The biggest jump was between 2021 and 2022 (went up 7.8%).

We also saw 0.6% of respondents say they joined in 2024, which is exciting (welcome!).

The "started to watch Asian BL" numbers for 2023 were pretty low compared to other years, unlike the "joined BL Tumblr" numbers for 2023, so seems that there were a significant number of people who had been watching Asian BL for any number of years before joining BL Tumblr. The spike in new watchers in 2020 and in 2022, as well as a decrease in new watchers in 2021, do coincide with increases and decreases in people joining BL Tumblr for the first time though, which is interesting.

Note: I tried my best to make a distinction between "joined BL Tumblr" and "stopped lurking on BL Tumblr," but I know the very concept of a start date for "joining" BL Tumblr is quite nebulous. For example, I myself had seen and sought out Asian BL content on Tumblr before I made a side blog, so when did I really "join"? Furthermore, there might have been people who joined BL Tumblr and subsequently left before this poll came around (not to mention the lack of reach of the poll to begin with - there's many people currently on BL Tumblr who's vote I didn't catch).

When did you stop lurking on BL Tumblr?

In short: 2023 had the highest number of respondents who said they stopped lurking on BL Tumblr (27.5%), followed by 2022 (20.0%). This is a significant increase over all the other time spans investigated (2017 and before, 2018-2019, 2020, and 2021), which boasted an average of 5% of respondents. Once again, this poll was limited by the number of poll options and by my initial focus on recent Tumblr history, and I didn't make a follow up poll covering the time span of 2016 and before in more detail.

The number of people making their own posts and interacting with other users in this corner of Tumblr has also increased over the period of 2019 to 2023. There was steady growth over the period of 2019-2021, before we saw a big jump occurring (like in the previous category) from 2021 to 2022 (went up 13.5%). The jump from 2022 to 2023 was less than the one from 2021 to 2022 but still much larger than those previous years.

There were also 1.4% of respondents who said they stopped lurking in 2024, and 31.5% of respondents who said they were still lurking (hi!).

Interesting to note this in light of other data - while 2023 didn't necessarily have as many people joining BL Tumblr for the first time, it did have a lot of existing BL Tumblr folks coming out of the woodwork to make their own posts for the first time. Furthermore, the poll results for 2021 saw a small dip in people watching BL for the first time and in people joining BL Tumblr for the first time, but more or less continued the existing trajectory for "people who stopped lurking on BL Tumblr".

What show did you start writing meta for?

For this poll, I picked some shows I had heard people say was their first foray into meta, as well as other shows that seemed to have a lot of meta about them.

No one on the initial poll said Our Skyy 2 was their first foray into meta, and some of the other shows people mentioned in the tags were Word of Honour, I Promised You the Moon, Manner of Death, and Chains of Heart. Also, shout out to those who answered "I don't remember".

Now of course the release date of these shows does not necessarily correspond with the time period these metas were written in - Bad Buddy, for example, continues to have new meta written about it all the time even though it aired 2021-2022. However, it is interesting to note the strong showing of shows that aired in 2023 on this list. Part of this was my own selection of choices, obviously, but still, 23.4% of respondents said their first meta was written for a show that aired entirely within 2023 (this doesn't include MSP).

I did a follow-up poll to investigate my hypothesis: When did you write your first BL meta?. There were fewer respondents for this one (53 vs 137 for the poll for "which show"), but it still paints an interesting picture: a whopping 45.2% of respondents said they wrote their first BL meta in 2023. (also 3.8% said they wrote their first meta in 2024!)

As you can see, the graph for "When did you write your first BL meta" follows a similar trajectory to the graphs for "When did you join BL Tumblr" and "When did you stop lurking on BL Tumblr".

Alright, that's it from me! Thanks again for voting on all my polls. Obviously this represents but a small and limited fraction of BL Tumblr experiences, but I hope you found it interesting regardless.

[take-the-hidden-paths]

HIDDEN PATHS: A Celebration of the Smaller Tolkien Canons

Hello, and welcome to Hidden Paths, a fortnight-long event dedicated to the celebration of smaller Tolkien canons!

We all know and love the tales of Tolkien's Middle-earth, but the Professor's creative and academic endeavours didn't stop there.  However, fanworks for smaller Tolkien canons (such as Farmer Giles of Ham, Mr. Bliss, Leaf by Niggle and more) are much rarer than works inspired by their Middle-earth counterparts.  This event was created to be a low-pressure, low-commitment opportunity to explore those lesser known works, and create and share fanworks based on them.

Define “smaller Tolkien fandoms”. 

Basically, any Tolkien canon or text (including academic works and translations) that is not explicitly set in Middle-earth and is not based on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or The Silmarillion and closely related histories.  This includes, but is not limited to:

Beowulf/Sellic Spell

Farmer Giles of Ham

The Fall of Arthur

The Father Christmas Letters

Finn and Hengest

The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son

The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun

Leaf by Niggle

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún

Mr. Bliss

Mythopoeia

The Notion Club Papers

Pearl

Roverandom

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

Sir Orfeo

Songs for the Philologists

Smith of Wootton Major

The Story of Kullervo

Tolkien (2019 film)

Tolkien's essays, poems, letters and non-ME artwork

We also accept fanworks based on The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (because it collects a number of poems that were not originally intended as part of the Middle-earth canon) and The Book of Lost Tales (because it differs so significantly from later versions of the legendarium), and/or centring characters or concepts that only appear in extremely early drafts of The Lord of the Rings (e.g. Trotter).  

We know that this leaves a bit of a grey area, but ultimately, we will trust and accept the judgement of fanwork creators.  Act in good faith, and assume that others have done the same. 

How does it work? 

At the start of the event (14th February) the mod will post seven optional prompts to inspire you.  There will be a thematic prompt, a character-based prompt, a setting-based prompt, a text prompt, a visual prompt, an audio prompt, and a wildcard prompt.  A second batch of prompts will be posted on the 21st. 

If you like the prompts, then use any or all of them to create and share a fanwork based on one or more small Tolkien canons.  If they don't speak to you, then please feel free to do your own thing – the prompts are there to spark creativity, not impede it! 

What types of fanworks do you accept? 

Anything you like.  Fic, poetry, meta, art, edits, vids, podfic, craft, cosplay, rec lists, playlists, compositions, interviews with fellow fans...it's all good. 

Are there any minimum requirements? 

No, none.  Want to write a six-word story?  Be our guest. 

Are crossovers permitted? 

Yes!  We accept crossovers with the Middle-earth canons, and with non-Tolkien fandoms.  We only ask that one of the smaller Tolkien canons plays a significant role in your fanwork. 

What do you consider a significant role? 

We don't.  The event is intended to be low commitment and low stress for both participants and the moderator, and we trust that people will act in good faith.  We are not going to police fanworks or apply an arbitrary definition of “significant” - we leave that up to the creator to decide. 

Does actor RPF count? 

For the purposes of this event, no it doesn't, unless you are also drawing on elements from a smaller canon (e.g. Liv Tyler encountering the Shadow-Bride).

Where do I post my fanworks? 

We have an AO3 collection, but you may post your fanworks anywhere you like.  We'd appreciate a link back to our Dreamwidth or Tumblr page, though, to spread the word about the event! 

Are there any restrictions on rating or content? 

Nope.  Tag and warn appropriately, as you normally would, but make whatever your heart desires. 

Can I post fanworks that were inspired by or created for another event, or created prior to the event's inception? 

Yes!  The goal is to celebrate and increase content for the smaller Tolkien fandoms.  Please feel free to share your creations and add them to the collection, regardless of whether they were created specifically for this event. 

I want to take part but I don't know anything about the smaller canons.  Help!?

Tolkien Gateway has helpfully collated a list of Tolkien's writings, and some of the articles reproduce or link to the actual text.  This is a great place to start browsing, and to find out more about a text before you invest in your own copy.

Have a look at fanworks for some of the smaller canons and see what appeals.  Innumerable Stars and TRSB both have several works for the smaller canons in their collections, and many of them can be understood with no prior knowledge of the source material.

Lists of characters appearing in the various texts and canons can also be a useful jumping off point - like this one for The Book of Lost Tales.

Many of the smaller canons are just that - small!  If you can get hold of a copy from your local library, book store or from a fellow fan, they are generally quick to read and digest.

If anyone has any other ideas and resources for folks wanting to dip a toe into the smaller canons, please get in touch so they can be added to this list. 

When does the event run? 

Officially, February 14th-28th.  Unofficially, as long as you like; the prompts will stay up and the AO3 collection won't close.