#i’m unsure of how popular all of these are in fandom but these are my personal picks

[laxibbeb]

Don’t worry, it’s truly been a week for us all. And not to flood you with asks, I just happened to have this ready at the same time as your snippet:)

I’m a fan of those Greek mythology retellings (although I haven’t finished Song of Achilles because I know how it ends and I’m scared of getting hurt). And I don’t know if you’ve ever read Gods of Jade and Shadow, but it was interesting.

Ninth House is fun, it has that mystery vibe to it while still being dark urban fantasy. Which is a genre that I don’t typically enjoy?

Also I enjoyed Too Good to be True. It was interesting trying to figure out each character’s motives throughout the book.

Have you read Priory of the Orange Tree? I loved it, but I ran into the same problem as you. I had a massive book hangover and haven’t been able to get into the second one yet 😂

I…am hesitant to tell you one of the things I’m pretentious about. I think it might give me away. I can tell you it has to do with one of my hobbies, though! For the other, I can be a bit of a snob about wine. I love a good Sauvignon Blanc. Truly immaculate. (But YES! Let’s be pretentious bitches together. That’s truly the dream. It’s also what Mor x Nesta could have been but anyway) haha maybe I’ll indulge both of us and write that someday 😊

Ooh the weaver? I see the appeal! It’s hard to pick one for ACOTAR because most of the characters are already hot. Andras, maybe? Dying for the sake of the plot? What a guy. Although I guess he’s not special in that regard, if you think about it.

I’m so sorry I just started talking😂

For non ACOTAR? I’m going to be honest I didn’t think about this either, so I’m doing the same as you. Uh, this is definitely a popular one, but that one fish from finding Nemo. Gill, I think his name is.

I can verify I am not one of the two people in the fandom who can understand that reference. Unsure if that narrows anything down for you (so I’m going to narrow it down even further and tell you I’m American)

I feel like these asks keep getting longer and longer. I don’t know what that says about us.

Anyways!

Do you have any favorite fics? They could be for any ship, honestly. I also enjoy Nessian and sometimes Feysand, and am open to other ones too.

Do you play any instruments? (I don’t think I asked this already?)

santa ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 i hope you flood me with asks, i love them

oH MY GOD i do that too, where i leave a book when i know it'll get bad 🫢 i'm scared to proceed with other books form "The Poppy War" for an example, because i have a vague idea of what will happen and i just. i just can't i've not read "Ninth House", i wanted to but not gonna lie, i'm scared i won't like it.. leigh bardugo hasn't ever done it for me before

i wanted to give something new of hers a try, though! so maybe?

"Too good to be true" is actually going on my tbr now, especially since i promised myself i'd read more thrillers (and haven't but shhh)

i HAVE read priory, (i have like, 80 pages left, but i'm GETTING TO IT so let's say i read it for a moment) it was so good! but yeah, the second one is gong to have to wait

(i would absolutely read an 800 page long, day to day account of tané's life, though)

---

OKAY, a wine snob??? that's so classy and sophisticated of you, santa (might i say - hot) i'll wait for your other pretentious thing, that's ok see! you see the mor x nesta potential for what it really is... divine and so, so sexy if you ever decide to write mor x nesta i'll owe you my firstborn, actually

---

OH MY GOD, THE ANDRAS SHADE (i wish the most important man in the acotar series had a single speaking line, not gonna lie)

okay, here's the thing - i've watched nemo one time and, stupid me i thought that was it, so i deleted all the memories i had of this movie. little did i know people would be referencing it for the rest of time i googled gill the fish from finding nemo and you know what? i GET IT. it's his slutty fin swoop

---

you know what, if you said that you recognized what i was talking about, only then would i have IMMEDIATELY known who you are

i now have 3 pieces of information that could possibly help me in figuring out your identity, and let me tell you, it doesn't narrow it down that much 🤣 so you're in the clear

---

I BRING FORTH MY FAVOURITE FANFICTION:

i cannot have a favourite fics list without mentioning @separatist-apologist, as she's the reason why i'm even in this fandom to begin with, so even though we all know this already -> take your pick and it's my favourite ever

what lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why by @foundress0fnothing THIS ONE IS SO MUCH FUN, and it has bi lucien; what more could you want

Springtide by @clarafae i've been really enjoying this one and i'm not done with it yet but it belongs here, ok i did not think i could like high lady of spring!elain but turns out i just needed a good fic

also, i've started A Blaze in the Dark by the famous @the-lonelybarricade and i can already tell you it belongs here as well

lately i've been reading a lot of azris, actually!

Just Enough Light to Cast Shadows by @jules-writes-stories (if you're reading this because ot the tag, jules please know i haven't forgotten about you, I'LL COME BACK) anyway, i love this one and i've been having so much fun reading it

i'm due a reread of Kerosene by @chunkypossum which is my absolute favourite and changed my life, actually

AND there are so many more but i need to finish replying to you before i turn 80 years old, unfortunately

---

i do not play an instrument :(( i used to really want to play the violin when i was a kid but when i asked my mom if i could attend music school she got war flashbacks and said she wouldn't put me through that (she also said i have no predispositions for doing music, which wow, thanks mom (she was right) 😋) so no instruments for baby laxi but i like to sing in my car when i'm driving 🤣

---

we're writing love letters to one another from across the sea and as the time passes they get progressively longer we just need to embrace it

it got to the point when i'm putting dividers whenever i change the topic to make it easier to read 🤣

as always, santa tell me your answers too, please!! and have a

[maoam]

Ramblings stemming from frustration with this fandom sometimes. ( Naruto. )

I know Naruto fandom has always been a tad toxic ever since it started becoming popular and such, but something about these newer fans who are so comfortable with d3ath threats, body shaming, sa threats, and d0xxing other people for the sake of a character. Fandom discourse is truly never that serious and the fact that they’ve become so obsessed with “ratioing” or “owning” other people that they’re willing to say absolutely vile things all for what… some likes? Validation from other gross people?

And then for these people to still say they’re the “good part of the fandom” or “the sane part”. It’s almost narcissistic for lack of a better word at the moment. ( not diagnosing anyone or speaking as if I’m some sort of mental health expert. Just can’t think of another word right now because of the headache this phenomenon is causing me as it is becoming much too common. )

They have this obsession with demonizing “the other side.” To the point of making false claims, which is insane. Or maybe they actually believe them? I can’t tell. They just spread whatever makes them feel good about what they like and don’t care about the source.

This is mainly a lame annoyed rant about the Hinata fanbase which have become somehow even worse within the past few days with their weird obsession with trying to get the Boruto artist (I think he works for sp? Unsure as he says most of his art is fanart but he made a like two or three official pieces that were on the official boruto/naruto page.) fired and sending him death threats for I guess just not drawing Hinata as much as they want? Like to the point where they were literally saying she was being “oppressed and bullied” by this artists. It was insane to see in person because you really would like to believe people WOULDNT compare a character not being drawn in a way they approve of to the oppression the people of Palestine are facing but hey, I suppose it’s a competition now to see how much of a bad person you can be for the sake of a character.

Also I know this is not just an issue in the hinata fandom, although the recent need to fetishize how “Asian Hinata is compared to that white girl sakura.” Is irking me a lot more than what other fandoms have done as of recent that I’m aware of. The Sakus seem to be their usual level of delusion and crappy attitude. Which is easy to ignore for me.

Does it sound like I’m making stuff up at this point? Because as I’m writing this I’m seeing just how insane this really is. This *shouldn’t* be real. This *shouldn’t* be things people say without shame. And yet, people just throw their morals for… what, internet points? The self validation that they defended to their favorite character? Who knows.

You might not even read this, I wouldn’t blame you lol. Just me being annoyed with how comfortable people within the naruto fandom have become so comfortable with being bad people.

My only real question is have you noticed an increase of toxicity within the fandom? Do you think this behavior has gotten worse with the ending of Naruto and beginning of Boruto?

I kinda get what you mean. I remember even before the manga ended there was apparently aggressive fights between Narusaku/Naruhina shippers, like the body shaming towards the other ship's girl and so on. And SS also were aggressive. But nowadays it indeed seems worse. I'm not sure if it's because we have new big platforms? Twitter and Tiktok I mean, both have really cancerous fandom spaces.

SS/NH harass official staff all the time, as well as other parts of the fandom. And then they act like victims because some people think Sakura and Hinata are shitty characters lol. Meanwhile they treat real people like shit. I think it might be because everyone makes fun of their ships/girls all the time, because it's so easy, so they become even crazier in trying to compensate, they try to harass the staff for more content for their ship, to get back at the people who say their ships suck. Also because so many popular content creators keep making content on Naruto and Sasuke being gay and Sakura/Hinata being their beards it's also humiliating to them.

Of course, they also need to fight which girl is the best girl. Which girl is less of a single mother for example. XD

"Or maybe they actually believe them?" Considering how many SS have convinced themselves that some moments that happened between Naruto and Sasuke actually happened between Sasuke and Sakura, I can believe them being that delusional.

"Does it sound like I’m making stuff up at this point?" No because I have witnessed it myself, plenty Sakura and Hinata stans on twitter have that toxic "bad bitch" attitude that they think makes them queens or whatever, they harass people and are extremely aggressive and think female character doing the bare minimun = queen behaviour. It comes off as very childish and narcissistic. No wonder Sakura and Hinata as characters appeal to them.

[logarithmicpanda]

ok so special interest info dump time. I’m literally obsessed with the book series The Lumater Chronicles by Melina Marchetta and NO ONE ON HERE TALKS ABOUT IT like literally there’s a handful of posts under the tag. (If there is an active fandom anywhere and I’m just missing out someone better fucking tell me about it) Anywho it’s fantasy trilogy that’s technically YA but besides the young ages of some of the characters it’s quite mature and deals with heavy shit BUT like the main moral is the power of love and family and friendship which sounds cheesy but is SO beautiful in this story. And like all of the characters are so fascinating and flawed and they fight but ultimately they love. One of my favorite characters is named Phaedra and she’s more quiet and unsure of herself but she also always does the right thing even if it’s hard and when u first read these books at like 14 she was so important for me to read, like you don’t have to be a tough warrior to be a strong female character and I desperately needed to learn that at that age. But yeah I reread this series every two years because it’s long enough that I can forget some of the minor details but soon enough that I don’t go insane from withdrawal

Hey :D hey :D hey :D guess what? I did read that series! I loved it! I was so surprised by how well it handled its characters and the darkness (very often I feel the dark elements in YA are a bit cartoonish)

I really should reread it at some point (also I wish it had prettier covers, I feel like it would be more popular if it did, which is sad)

[wolfstarlibrarian]

Hullo!

Do you happen to have any wolfstar fics about horses, riding or keeping horses?

Love and admiration for your work!

Hello friend and thank you for the love!

Now to answer your question: kind of? Below are fics that all have either Remus or Sirius riding a horse at some point. Are they all focused on riding horses? Unfortunately not, but with the rising popularity of the cowboy au in the wolfstar fandom, there are certainly more horse fics out there or being written. These are just the ones the Librarian has read and hopes you enjoy.

🐴 Wolfstar + Horses 🐎

AMOR VINCIT OMNIA (love conquers all) by @prettyremus Remus, a servant boy to the cruel Emperor Voldemort, meets Sirius, a charming nobleman. Together they fight for freedom and love in Ancient Rome.

A Good League Hence by @eyra Remus has always believed that December is the Hall's very best month. It's like the place was built to have boughs of holly and fir strung from every wall sconce and picture rail; like its architect, all those hundreds of years ago, designed it specifically to bear the big, fat garlands he and Lily wind around its balustrades and bannisters, and the jolly wreaths that they hoist into place on every door, and the towering, beribboned tree that stands proudly in the hotel reception and takes four of them a whole afternoon to decorate. A country hotel in the wintertime. Plenty of snow, plenty of mulled wine, and a feeling that this Christmas might be different.

Beneath a Big Blue Sky by @eyra The four-by-four heaves its way down long, twisting lanes, little more than dirt tracks scuffed into the surrounding fields and hemmed in by serpentine walls of flat, grey stone. They truly are in the middle of nowhere: the countryside rushes past, all rolling green hills and vast, endless skies, and it's odious. Sirius wants to murder James with his bare hands. Sirius and James accidentally find themselves on a Yorkshire farm during lambing season. The farmer’s son thinks that’s a bit annoying, actually.

Neon Moon by @allhalloweve

“Come down here and I’ll tell you.”

“My parents are asleep.”

“You’re twenty-three,” Sirius said in the same tone of false sympathy, though his grin didn’t falter as he stuck his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “C’mon, I’ll be by the fence.”

Desperado by @yeats-infection West Texas, 1861. “I’m unsure when we elected to hand the reigns of this operation over to a hophead felon and a bottom-tier bounty hunter.”

A Change In The Stars by @neondomino Desperate for a change in his stars, Squire Sirius pretends to be a Noble to compete in the jousting tournament. Along the way he meets two men. Lord Lucius Malfoy, who offers to be his… as long as he wins, and clothing merchant, Remus Lupin, who doesn't care whether Sirius wins or loses, claiming nothing would change how he feels. Inspired by a Knight's Tale

Untold Blessings by @aryastark-valarmorghulis Magic once existed in England and has finally returned. Mr Sirius Black, a gifted magician, ventures, rash and ill-prepared, into Faerie.

[problems-with-botsandcons]

Finally gonna say my piece on how feel about a certain character from IDW 1, mainly for MTMTE and TLL.

It’s not okay the treatment of Getaway and how his character is now treated by the whole fandom/fanon to the point where it becomes uncomfortable for me to share that I like them.

This may be a long post so all my thoughts will be down below.

Warning for mentions of NSFW content and mentions of abuse/trauma

So right off the bat, the fandom’s treatment honestly makes me mad and so fucking uncomfortable that it has made me question if I should even bring this all up. How Getaway went from an MTO, which is basically a cybertronian's version of a child soldier, who struggled with the fact that the person responsible for his creation and trauma was not only NOT punished for their crimes, aka Megatron the genocidal warlord who nearly wiped out his whole race, with a slap on the wrist. A mech who was angry, a mech who was hurting, and not everyone on the ship agreed on giving Megatron a chance. Some of the mechs fought against Megatron’s army, most likely losing people they cared about or just the fact they may also have trauma but nothing as serious because they’re much older then Getaway.

But then his character was turned into a one-note, blood crazy, villain because of two things:

- shipping (tailgate/getaway and cyclonus/tailgate)

- because people agreed that Getawat was right about Megatron, with not only a majority of The Lost Light agreeing but the audience as well

The shipping is obviously a major point of how people view Getaway for manipulating Tailgate into trying to get Megs to nearly kill him. I can protest that it was indeed wrong but giving him small slide, a very tiny one, he might have thought that Tailgate could survive but even then he would’ve been in trouble. I get it, Tailgate is a sweet but naive character that people can't see him with an abusive character like Getaway.

Now to state, I came late into MTMTE and haven't read issues 40 and onwards.

But I can state wholeheartedly that what Getaway got as a punishment was fucking extreme that one would think he was a war criminal. He had his arms, legs, jaw, and voice box removed and was put into a device similar to what Overlord was placed in earlier in the comic’s run.

Sure, he nearly got Tailgate killed but one has to think that MAYBE the punishment was a bit too far.

Now then the shipping can sometimes be the toxic part of a fandom, I get it. I want to state I have no problems with the fandoms’ shipping of Cyclonus/Tailgate since it’s one of the popular ships. Shipping is usually one of the main forces for drama and this is one of them.

But now comes the part that makes my blood boil:

Getaway has his character assassinated then has said character reanimated into a zombie for their creator to control.

Now his character is portrayed as an abuser, a manipulator, or a straight up the most evilest being in IDW, and now Transformers in general, when there are more characters that are deserving of that. Can’t even look towards ao3 for him because it always one or more of these things below:

- abusive and manipulative partner

- rapist

- just pure evil

Getaway had depth to him just like every other character but as soon as it was hinted that Tailgate, whose a fan favorite during MTMTE and TLL, was in danger people were unsure how to feel about Getaway.

I’m also aware that the deal with IDW and Hasbro was slowly ending so the stories had to be wrapped up. So they just had to make him one note. They didn’t have enough time but they could have tired.

I’m gonna end this all off here.

I just want to see content that isn’t just ‘GeTaWaY iS pUrE eViL’ or ‘GeTaWaY tHe AbUsIvE PaRtNeR’ or some other crap.

Because people avoid talking about Getaway after his character was assassinated. People who are fans of him I don’t see speak about him or if they do it can rarely find them.

But I’ve been aware that a of lot people are starting to speak out about Getaway’s mistreatment in the fandom. Which is better than having to stay quiet.

[shadowfoxsilver]

Pet donation scams

What is a pet donation scam? - This kind of scam is most commonly done with cats though on occasion a dog is used. When someone is doing this scam, they have went on a private group or public site and saved the post there such as it’s images,story, and the owners name. The scam is that when they repost it to here, they have edited out any real fundraiser method and replaced it with their own fraudulent one. They don’t actually own the cat/dog but have copied the real fundraiser just enough to pass it off as their own pet. Nothing in the post tells you it’s someone else’s pet as they really want you to trust them enough to send money without looking too much into it. While the images and story are legitimate, the other information has been purposely removed. Nothing given goes to the animal in need.

Was there an ask sent? - Commonly found by asks that are sent requesting private answers. Recently, these asks tell you they don’t want people thinking you was pressured into sharing the post and people might be weird about it. Really, they just don’t want people seeing your answer when the ask is searched because you’d see how many others have got it and may have called it out. These asks are designed to guilt trip you and shame people who call them out but usually gives it away their not being honest since no one would ask you something like that. You might get this ask by sharing a trending/popular post.

How much content is on the account itself? - When checking the blog out that sent you the ask or has the post shared by someone you follow, keep in mind how many posts the account has overall. Usually there’s only a few trending/popular/fandom posts shared and then the pinned post itself. Their archive is usually turned off so you can’t see this; But scrolling for a few minutes should mean you’ll find the last post quickly. Turning on timestamps should also show you the posts were all shared at the same time too and they don’t have any tags either.

Have you asked them questions? - If unsure of the account’s legitimacy, I suggest asking them a few questions about the pet: How long have they had them? Do they have older vet records of past visits? Can they show you a recent pic of them holding their name on a paper near the cat? Would calling the vet itself be possible for donating? Any of these would be answered easily by someone who actually owns the pet. But those who don’t own them won’t be able to answer or properly.

What is a quick way to spot this scam? - Check the date of the pinned post. It’s usually only a few hours old, a day old, or even a week old. Another way is searching the bio to see if it’s been stolen off someone else. Look at the vet location and then press/hold or hover over the link they give you. If the country doesn’t match the state, it’s likely not the real owner of the pets link. As these suspicious accounts tend to impersonate the actual owners closely in order to look legitimate.

What to do once you figure out it’s a scam? - Warn anyone who doesn’t know it’s a scam and has shared the post unless they’ve called them out. Report the account for phishing (Report -> Something else -> Illegal uses or content -> Phishing), block them, then alert your followers as well. Keep in mind scammers will always delete/hide any replies/reblogs that have called them out.

—

To report scam posts, the original way was this: Report -> Something else -> Illegal uses or Content -> Phishing

This guide is from my other account, but I’m reposting it here as a backup. If you found this guide useful, please let me know and share it to your friends.

[iwriteasfotini]

The Marauders: Canon, Fanon, and the Battlegrounds Between

I know there is fierce contention between various camps within the Marauders fandom. Whether it revolves around ships, characterizations, or who knows what else, it’s out there. Everyone is fully entitled to their own opinion. And I’m personally unsure why there is so much animosity. People like what they like, and no one should be made to feel shame over the way they enjoy a character. 

There are things about the living Marauders era characters we can glean from canon. However, as the story is told through a single character’s POV, we have to take the narration with a grain of salt. Is it horribly inaccurate and unreliable, no. But is it biased? Absolutely. And thus how Harry views Sirius, Remus, and Severus during his teen years is not the end all be all to these characters. 

For James, Lily, Regulus, and anyone else who died during the first round against Voldemort, SO much is left open for interpretation. And there are many arguments to be made which have solid canon derived ground to stand on, arguments which at times even contradict each other. And I think this is what is so enticing and exciting about the Marauders. There is a lot of possibility depending on how you view a single character or a single event. It’s how so much fanfiction can exist without it all just being copies of the exact same story. And even when the plot lines follow a similar theme, people still love it because everyone throws their own little dash of pizzazz on these characters. 

How I relate to and then project the cast is heavily influenced by ME. Who I am as a person. And for you, the characterizations I portray may not be your cup of tea. Awesome! We shall continue to both enjoy the fandom gleaning what we love from the creativity of those who contribute. But it means I can’t complain when you don’t love my work, and you can’t complain when not enough people write about your ship or the characterization you connect with. We have to amiably agree to disagree, and find common ground from which to base our shallow internet understanding of the other. 

Even fanon is contested, as it should be. Maybe a majority of us agree Wolfstar is fanon, but people who ship Prongsfoot would heartily disagree. What I’d love to see is more posts about what you love about a character, rather than what you hate about the general characterization adopted by the fandom or a specific characterization. I think my mind would be opened to a wider array of ships if I could understand what it is about James and Sirius’ personalities which draws them together romantically rather than just platonically. I won’t necessarily agree about how those characters manifest to make that relationship take shape, but at least I can say “ah, I can see that.” It is far preferable over someone degrading a person’s characterization of James or Sirius. 

Even when a characterization goes rouge and totally doesn’t align with canon, who cares! That fic probably won’t get super popular as many people will be scratching their heads thinking “this isn't the [insert name] I know and love.” But if someone wanted to write it, good for them. They connected and reshaped a character to suit their own liking. No one says this is illegal. 

I feel like the broader Harry Potter fandom accepts that fanfiction does not necessarily have to be canon compliant or even canon relevant all the time. But for some reason, with the Marauders this sentiment is pushed to the recesses of our minds. People will climb the mountain of their ships and die on that hill. It could be generational (social media has changed how we interact with each other and how people interact virtually through fandoms as a result), it could be the nature of the characters themselves, it could be the ships. I don’t know what the catalyst is, but the things I read sometimes just make me shake my head. Thankfully tumblr’s algorithm keeps that stuff far from my feed. But sometimes people I follow reblog or post about this contention. 

I will never understand why someone feels the urge to go out of their way to write a terribly negative comment on someone’s work or a negative post about a ship they hate. Don’t like the tags, DON’T READ! Don’t like a ship, find and follow people who share your preferred ship. Don’t like the direction the fandom is headed? Dig, create, and stop complaining about how the ‘modern’ Marauders are nothing like how they are portrayed in canon. 

And accept that as the fandom grows, the way people interpret tags broadens. I’m sure fifteen years ago, a canon compliant tagged work looks a bit different from a current canon compliant tag. We can debate the minute details of canon and each of our individual interpretations or we can say, “you like the world of Harry Potter? So do I!” The only REAL rift should be between people who support JKR’s personal beliefs and those who do not. That shite’s real life folks. Not some fantasy world thought up by a single mom in the nineties. 

So spread the love! Not STD’s though cause that shite is also real. Practice consent and protection people. 

In unrelated notes, my tumblr timer app timed out for the day, kicked me off on my phone, and I promptly went to my computer and wrote this little rant. Also, it's election day and I've been avoiding the news/media/everything all day to wait until tomorrow to see the hopefully more stable 'results.'

Alright, enough for now. Night all!

Except I just saw some Drarry pirate AU art I'm probably going to go reblog because for some reason it really hit home. And by home I mean it was f*$%ing hot. :-)

[phatburd]

Title: The Marshal’s Court

Genre: Romantic Dramedy (In the style of Bridgerton)

Setting: The First French Empire, Napoleon’s Marshals as the central characters

Season 1, Episode 7: “Fractures and Farewells”

Episode Synopsis:

As Season 1 nears its conclusion, the stakes have never been higher for Napoleon’s Marshals. Junot’s mental state continues to decline, and the Marshals face a difficult decision on whether to step in before he becomes a danger to himself and others. Meanwhile, Bessières and Murat struggle with their relationship after the kiss, with Bessières seeking guidance from his faith and Murat feeling increasingly alienated. Davout and Bernadotte’s rivalry reaches a critical breaking point, forcing Napoleon to take drastic action to restore order. And in the midst of it all, Soult faces an unexpected challenge that threatens his role both as a Marshal and as the group’s unofficial chef.

The episode sets the stage for an explosive finale as fractures widen, emotions flare, and loyalties are tested.

Opening Scene: Junot’s Decline

The episode opens with a somber tone as Junot is seen sitting alone in the courtyard, muttering to himself and pacing in circles. His once sharp uniform is disheveled, and his eyes have a wild, distant look. Lannes and Ney watch from a distance, clearly concerned but unsure of how to approach him.

“Do we talk to him?” Ney asks, frowning.

Lannes shakes his head. “He’s not the man he used to be. I’m not sure talking will help.”

The camera follows Junot as he stares blankly at the sky, lost in thought. Suddenly, he draws his sword and begins swiping at thin air, as if imagining an invisible enemy. The scene is haunting, and it’s clear that Junot’s deterioration is accelerating.

Later, Soult, noticing Junot’s state, quietly sends him another éclair. When Junot receives it, he pauses, his expression softening slightly. For a brief moment, there’s a glimmer of the old Junot as he takes a bite and smiles faintly.

“Thank you, Soult,” he whispers to himself, as if his old friend can hear him.

Fan Reactions: The scene with Junot and the éclair tugs at viewers’ hearts, with fans continuing to rally behind the #SaveJunot movement. One popular meme shows Junot looking at the éclair with the caption, “An éclair a day keeps the madness at bay… for now.” Fans appreciate the tender moment of kindness from Soult, with many speculating that this small gesture might be the only thing keeping Junot from completely unraveling.

Murat and Bessières: After the Kiss

The tension between Murat and Bessières is palpable throughout the episode. After their kiss in Episode 6, the two have barely spoken, and the distance between them is becoming more obvious. Murat, ever the passionate and impulsive one, feels rejected by Bessières’ sudden retreat and is growing increasingly frustrated.

Bessières, on the other hand, is consumed by guilt. In a quiet moment, we see him in the church once again, seeking guidance from the priest. He kneels, his head bowed, and confesses his inner turmoil.

“I don’t know what to do, Father. I care for him, but I fear I’m losing my way.”

The priest listens, but his advice is cryptic: “The heart is a battlefield too, my son. But you must decide whether you fight for love or surrender to guilt.”

Later, Murat confronts Bessières in a secluded part of the palace gardens.

“I can’t keep doing this, Bessières. One moment, you’re with me, and the next, you run away.”

Bessières, looking torn, simply replies, “It’s not that simple.”

Their conversation is cut short when Napoleon summons them both for an urgent meeting, leaving their relationship hanging in limbo.

Fan Reactions: The Bessimu fandom is in full swing, with fans divided over whether Bessières should follow his heart or his faith. #BessimuOnceMore trends as fans eagerly await more development between the two. One fan tweets, “Bessières, just tell Murat how you really feel! Confession won’t fix this!” Memes showing Murat frustrated with Bessières’ indecision quickly circulate, with captions like, “When your heart says yes but your rosary says no.”

Davout vs. Bernadotte: The Breaking Point

The rivalry between Davout and Bernadotte comes to a head in this episode. During a heated strategy session with Napoleon, Bernadotte makes one final attempt to undermine Davout’s authority by publicly questioning his competence.

“You think you’re better than the rest of us, Davout. But all that discipline and cold calculation won’t save you when you’re outnumbered on the battlefield.”

Davout, calm at first, finally snaps. He stands, his face cold with fury, and delivers a chilling response.

“At least I lead with more than my tongue. The battlefield requires strategy, not just charm.”

The room falls silent as the tension becomes unbearable. Napoleon, clearly frustrated with the constant infighting, finally slams his hand on the table.

“Enough!” he shouts. “I will not have my Marshals tearing each other apart while the Empire’s enemies gather strength. Bernadotte, you’re relieved of command for the upcoming campaign.”

Bernadotte is stunned. His face hardens, and it’s clear that this humiliation will have lasting consequences.

Fan Reactions: Fans are ecstatic about Davout’s takedown of Bernadotte. #TeamDavout trends yet again, with fans celebrating his icy composure. Memes of Bernadotte’s shocked face circulate with captions like, “When you think you’re the hero but get benched.” However, some fans are worried about Bernadotte’s next move, with theories emerging that he might seek revenge in a future episode.

Soult’s Challenge: The Chef Faces Fire

In the subplot, Soult is preparing another grand feast for Napoleon and foreign dignitaries. However, his plans are derailed when he receives word of a surprise inspection from Napoleon. The stress of balancing military duties and his baking passion begins to overwhelm him, and we see Soult frantically juggling both tasks, making battle plans while overseeing pastry preparations.

At one point, Lefebvre enters the kitchen to find Soult juggling both a sword and a whisk. “You’re going to need more than éclairs to survive this one, Soult,” Lefebvre quips.

Despite the mounting pressure, Soult manages to pull off a near-perfect feast, but it’s clear that the stress is taking a toll on him.

Fan Reactions: The #SoultBakes fandom is loving this subplot, with memes showing Soult wielding a sword in one hand and a whisk in the other. One fan tweets, “Soult: Conqueror of Europe AND the kitchen. What can’t he do?” However, there’s growing concern that Soult may be reaching his breaking point, with fans speculating that the stress of balancing two worlds will eventually catch up to him.

Closing Scene: The Cliffhanger Setup

The episode ends with a sudden and unexpected development. As the Marshals prepare for their next campaign, Napoleon receives word that Prussia is mobilizing its forces, threatening to strike at France’s vulnerable eastern borders. The threat is immediate and serious.

Napoleon summons his Marshals for an emergency meeting, and tensions are high. The camera zooms in on each of their faces—Davout remains stoic, Bernadotte seethes in the background, Murat looks distracted (still thinking about Bessières), and Junot seems on the verge of another breakdown.

The episode ends with Napoleon delivering a single line: “We march east.”

Cut to black.

Fan Reactions: The cliffhanger leaves fans reeling. The sudden threat of Prussia has everyone buzzing, with fans speculating that the season will end with a massive battle. Memes of Napoleon dramatically declaring, “We march east,” flood social media. One fan tweets, “You know it’s serious when even Murat stops thinking about Bessières for five minutes.” Theories abound about how the season will end, with many predicting that Junot’s breakdown will coincide with the looming conflict.

Teasers for Episode 8:

• The Prussian threat becomes real as the Marshals prepare for a major battle, but cracks in their unity threaten to tear them apart on the eve of war.

• Junot’s mental state continues to deteriorate, and the Marshals must decide if he is still fit for command—or if they must act to protect him from himself.

• Bessières is forced to confront his feelings for Murat when they are sent on a joint mission, but will he push Murat away again?

• Bernadotte plots his next move after his humiliation, and it might spell trouble for Napoleon’s plans.

The episode sets the stage for a season-ending cliffhanger, with tensions mounting both on and off the battlefield. Fans are already speculating about how the season will conclude, with many predicting that the battle with Prussia will either unite the Marshals—or destroy them.

[xnarlie-starlightx]

Hedric (Harry Potter x Cedric Diggory) from Harry Potter

I’m unsure as for Potterheads’s first same gender ship their self but this already was/is my first fave slash, almost canon, OTP and tragic love story before and after how many ships I’ve got that has some similarity just like this tragically ship itself.

Harry’s terrible timing but unfortunately founds Cedric as his soulmate while they don’t know how it’ll turned out, this ship definitely gives me “I personal don’t care if it’s either canon, almost canon or non canon because I’m allowed view those two fiction characters together all because they deserve better” vibes and how much it foreshadows for me being a sucker for tragic love story ships and how different it could’ve turned out instead actual canon ending itself. Otherwise, I really honestly don’t care much when some most fans mention or comment their preference for notice canon or popular non canon ships because it’s still neutrally fine by me from their own liking; I’m mainly focus finding ships that’s either tried to understand/enjoy paring itself except it’s not for me or made for me afar reacting each parings instead sink into toxicity level.

Speaking of toxicity fan/shipper from this fandom: don’t let Drarry Vs Dramione and Snily Vs Jily or other red flag solution drag you down no matter how afar worst it still goes; it’s better to find rare positive fans while you shall keep them as new friends and avoiding drama as possible. Even myself as a non toxic shipper of two ships, Drarry and Snily, I still don’t comment Severus’s ‘better’ than James unlike how some most Team Snape does because he’s not while myself over here still loves viewing Harry and likable Draco together as a realistic LGBT couple instead love and hate relationship.

Besides how afar this post’s involve, reasons why Hedric’s involve because nothing still can’t change how much I despite her-name-shall-not-be-name from all the damage she cause between Harry and Cedric were almost endgame their self and how many fans she hurt before and after her transphobic comment came along. Some Potterheads mentioned their childhood’s ruined because of her transphobic comment, well.. according as for mine, already’s half ruined because disturbances why Harry and Cedric never got together instead transphobic, homophobic and racism ‘Queen’’s comment. Am I forevermore bitter towards Jo*nne all for preventing Cedric and Harry becoming boyfriends?

Yes, but, Potterheads can’t separate HP book series from her cause she’s still a creator of World Of Harry Potter and all characters she has created. She can make entire excuses all she wants to especially dodging Hedric and other Potterheads’s fave ships, at least HP fandom their self can still make this fandom a better place for all fans while it’s half of something she couldn’t do along doesn’t has to be either mentioned or involve. Yet, Radcliffe and Watson aren’t suppose to respond her transphobic tweet but they did and make Potterheads relief and better instead no longer continuing support her-name-shall-not-be-named.

My apologies this went unfortunately longer between rant and discuss all in one post about her and Hedric, it’s part of reasons why I make this another HP post. If there’s another ship that’s been accurately ruined for you by R*wl*ng after take your time reading this, take care and feel free to leave a comment anytime if I shall make another post.

Almost ending of 2022, let’s hope 2023 could’ve been a better year for all of us

[bloomingdead]

What do you comprehensively about focus of the heart? It’s definitely a project that’s certainly *there* with some talented folks on it.

This ask has been sitting in my box for a while, and I’ve resisted responding to it because I really don’t want beef with anyone on the project. My personal experience with those I have engaged with has been unpleasant, but that doesn’t fault their product nor everyone working on it. Also, I may jump around quite a bit because a lot of my feelings on FOTH have nothing to do with the game itself (it’s still in development) and everything to do with the “discourse” and reasons surrounding its creation.

Let me preface by saying, I’m incredibly impressed that the artists involved were able to come together to create a project inspired by the fandom they all love so much. Artist groups are a really great way to gain visibility as an artist. You could be making art that never reaches the people who would want to see it, but if you group together with other similar artists and support each other, your audiences begin to overlap and grow. That seems to be working really well for the people behind FOTH.

I should also warn that I am not the biggest fan of “fanon” content. I haven’t read a fanfic in its entirety in at least 10 years and I don’t make much content other than the occasional doodle and think-piece ramblings. I have nothing against shipping, headcanons, and AU’s. I partake in all of these myself, I have no issue with it. What I do have an issue with is people who say a creator intended for fanon that doesn’t exist in canon. Or people twisting dev’s words to their benefit, pulling things out of context to bolster their opinions. This has created conflict in the past between me and an artist or few on this project.

Shipping is very popular in the Horizon fandom, and has been since the first game was released. Zero Dawn provided us with many potential new friends for Aloy, some of which many fans were left confused as to how Aloy truly felt about them. After all, Ashly Burch who portrays Aloy is pansexual, and she claimed that over half the characters she’s played are queer. And Aloy, although inexperienced and unsure of herself in Zero Dawn, was definitely left flustered at some point by many of the popular shipping characters.

So why did it take the release of Burning Shores, a DLC that finishes with Aloy declaring her romantic attraction to a new companion, for the fandom to put together a dating sim? The Burning Shores DLC was released on April 19th 2023. The first post on the Official FOTH Tumblr was made on June 7th 2023. Their “About Us” post from the same day, says in the second sentence that they decided to create the game, “in the wake of negative internet discourse about fandom shipping.”

Negative discourse? What does that even mean in this context? Are they referring to devout fanon members harassing the game devs and Kylie Liya Page for the creation of Seyka as Aloy’s love interest? Who the fuck, other than people mad about Seyka, were creating fandom discourse around shipping Horizon characters at that time? Kylie Liya Page has literally been cyberbullied from the day the game came out. Yes, it’s died down considerably, but the only negativity surrounding shipping in the fandom was created by the very people who love shipping the most. Kylie was still experiencing the thick of this “negative internet discourse” six months ago.

So many of the very same people who desperately wanted Aloy to get her first romance, are the ones who were most off-put by Seyka’s story. It wasn’t good enough, it was forced, rushed, chosen “for me.” No, Seyka was chosen for Aloy, not you. A lot of people seem to forget that the role-playing element in Horizon is more of a tone-check. Heart, Brain, Fist. You’re not choosing Aloy's response, but how she responds. Is she going to address this compassionately, pragmatically, or stoically? Your attitude will be remembered in future conversations, but your choices have no effect on the quests or ending of the game. Your options in quests are to complete them as intended, or don’t do the quest. 

We were never going to get multiple options for Aloy’s romantic partner in this game. She could still have another! Seyka doesn’t have to be the endgame, most people don’t end up with their first love. But how shitty would it be for us to lose Seyka completely as a character in the third game, because Kylie doesn’t want to come back and face that abuse again, or because the devs don’t want to subject her to that or lose more fans over it? What if they get rid of Seyka with a shitty write-off, and then Aloy ends up alone? We’ve now seen that she’s capable of opening her heart and experiencing that kind of character development. It would suck to have that taken away.

When you’re allowed to do whatever you want in fanon space, why go out of your way to harass the creators of the canon? Why bully fellow fans for having different opinions than you? You were already imagining these made up relationships that don’t exist, why does Aloy having a canon love interest ruin that? Why is Aloy having a canon love interest a disruption to fanon? It isn’t a disruption to fanon, clearly, as the creation of and support for FOTH has proved. Not only just by simply existing, but by their inclusion of Seyka in the game.

I was accused of being a bigot because I posted on my own blog that Aloy reads as a lesbian to me. I was harassed after Burning Shores came out for joking that we now have more proof of Aloy being a lesbian than bisexual. I’m a silly little lesbian, I see gay bitch, I want a lesbian. But that’s an opinion that exists in my mind, and on tumblr. It’s definitely not something I’m going to bring to the devs and accuse them of dancing around. Because still, as it stands, Aloy is most likely coded as pan/bi. It doesn’t warrant me or the thousands of other lesbian fans being harassed over a headcanon, though.

To me, and probably most people who genuinely feel normally about this game, there are way bigger issues in this fandom than anti-ship. There have been way bigger concerns surrounding how the developers and actors have been treated by the fans. There are way worse attacks conducted by fans who love shipping content than those who hate it. There have been worse attacks on people in this fandom by people "defending" their favorite ships than by outsiders in the gaming community that invade our spaces to tell us how mannish and ugly Aloy is. The people who think shipping is the biggest point of discourse in this fandom are most likely the same ones perpetrating it.

FOTH portrays their product as bravely pushing the boundaries on something that is going to receive backlash because it is shipping content. It represents itself as an amalgamation of all the shipping content in the fandom, dedicated to it. The language applied is intended to attract anyone who is cool with shipping, which I’m pretty sure is over 95% of this website. Definitely over 95% of the Horizon fandom. A genius move, from a marketing standpoint.

“What? That’s ridiculous, why are they facing negative discourse for a silly little dating sim? I’m cool with shipping, they get my support.” 

It is ridiculous, isn’t it? Tumblr is full of shipping, how is a tumblr account for a dating sim finding itself in a position where it has to preemptively address negative discourse on the first day of the official blog existing? It’s because the negative discourse they’re warning against isn’t aimed at shipping, it’s aimed at the aggression seen from the creators on their personal blogs in regards to their favorite ship. But they opened with the discourse statement so that if they ended up receiving criticism from the people they bullied, there’d be a potential for fans of their project to blindly defend them because FOTH prefaced that all their haters just hate shipping. 

That one statement from their account tells me that FOTH seems to be picksy-choosing what issues in this fandom warrant concern. Apparently, calling Aloy a lesbian is a bigger offense than sending death threats to actors and developers. Apparently, the worst discourse to happen in the Horizon fandom is because of those who defended Seyka from unwarranted hate and not the people who were enraged with her addition to the series. Apparently, FOTH wants to ignore all the harassment the devs of Horizon went through, but keep their fans aware that any so-called hate (criticism) that the FOTH creators face is simply unjustified and toxic. They opened their blog with an attempt to alienate anyone who might ever have a reason to criticize the game.

I won’t be playing FOTH, I have little interest in it besides innate curiosity. The closest I get to touching dating sims is fantasy RPG’s though, so I likely wouldn’t be playing it regardless.

As I stated in the opening, my feelings about FOTH have nothing to do with the game itself and rather the people behind it and the circumstances that brought it to fruition. I don’t think every artist behind it has the altruistic goal of simply creating something fun for everyone in the fandom to enjoy, I think some of them are just scratching an itch. If they were looking for something productive to place their frustration into, they found it. I’d be interested to know which pairings end up being the most fleshed out, and which ones are lacking. Especially since every artist got assigned to a character they genuinely enjoy. DM me privately to place your bets. 

So, I guess, TLDR; I’m not going to try and stop anyone from playing Focus On The Heart, but I don't trust all the people working on it nor their intentions. For Reasons™.

[maya-matlin]

I’ve been watching Degrassi for the first time and love Maya as much as you do so far! I loved her with Cam and can’t really fully embrace her and Zig, but maybe that will change! Don’t worry, I’m not one of those people who thinks Zig is at fault for Cam’s suicide – I think maybe Zig just isn’t my type?! Cam is the sensitive awkward troubled but sweet sort of guy I seem destined to love. I would love to hear how you think Maya and Zig are different and how you think they’re similar. And I saw someone saying that Zig and Maya would be an even more popular ship than it is if the writers had kept zig more of a goofball screwup than rewriting him as a drug dealing gang member criminal and wondered if you agree? This is actually the first ask I’m sending to anyone so I can’t wait to read your reply!

I think that's a pretty common reaction to their season 12 story line. Maya's relationship with Cam was so short lived and mostly untainted by anything "bad" or "toxic" due to Cam dying so young. So as a result, he's technically Maya's boyfriend that made the least relationship mistakes. I should make it clear that my interpretation of their relationship and Cam in general is kind of marred by the fact that the fandom has consistently misunderstood the suicide arc and Zig's alleged culpability in it for years on top of unfairly villainizing Maya for choosing to move forward in her life while having negative emotions surrounding Cam. But needless to say, Cam was fine? It's funny you think he was sweet, because I never saw it that way. He wasn't mean, but like.. he was more neutral? I think he was polite and very unsure of how to approach Maya and others, but I don't feel like his personality was on display enough for me to say any differently. I do believe he genuinely cared for Maya and was aiming to be a good boyfriend, though. Especially after getting back together with her.

I answered an ask very similar to this one not too long ago re: the similarities and differences between Zig and Maya, so I'm just going to copy and paste that.

Honestly, I’m not sure Zig and Maya are all that similar. The main similarities that jump out to me is that both seem to value a relationship based on an emotional connection and friendship rather than a mostly physical one. Both are extremely loyal people and will do whatever they can for their friends and loved ones as well as each other. Neither is afraid to get involved, often being the one to step in to defend someone else.

As for their differences, Maya’s more ambitious than Zig. By the time we meet Maya, her heart is already set on having a future in music. While her passion eventually shifted from being a cellist to wanting to be something akin to Taylor Swift, Maya always tried to put her dreams first. It’s not that Zig is lacking in passion, but he doesn’t have the confidence in himself to be successful. There are hints that he’d make a good chef and it’s implied Zig continued to cook off screen during Next Class, but we never see any story line or moment that suggests he’s all that passionate about cooking. It’s just something he does and seems to enjoy, but it’s never presented as his “thing” the way Maya has her music, Tiny has marine biology or Grace has technology (?). What’s funny is that compared to a lot of characters, Zig has a decent variety of talents. It’s just that they were eventually dropped or in the case of music, Zig was retconned into being a bad guitar player to make him look like an obsessive, pathetic boyfriend for wanting to join his girlfriend’s band when he’d literally been the lead singer/bassist of Maya’s last band. Zig is much more open about his feelings than Maya. Throughout their relationship (even before they were officially dating), Zig was the one voicing his wants while Maya was more hesitant and introspective. Maya had a tendency to go into denial if it meant her feelings would cause friction within her friend group. So in that way, you could say Maya is more selfless while Zig is a bit more self involved? He’s more impulsive than Maya, not always seeing the bigger picture, while she seems to consider everything first. When Maya is hurt and upset, she shuts down, removing herself from the situation and refusing to engage unless provoked. Zig feels the need to overcompensate, sometimes acting like an asshole to convince the person hurting him that he doesn’t care. In spite of all this, I actually think Zig is the more sensitive of the two and the more observant one. Maya’s also sensitive and pays attention, but she sometimes misses the mark.

I'm sorry, but I kind of hate that? Zig didn't choose to be a gang member. He was forced into that situation due to his upbringing and where he lived. I don't think it makes him lesser or defines his worth as a person or a love interest. It reeks of classism to me. I'm sure that wasn't your intent, but I've seen many comments that severely misunderstand Zig and what he was going through. The entire point of his gang arc during seasons 13 and 14 is that he too didn't want to be forced to sell drugs and do other gang affiliated activities that the writers couldn't be assed to expand on. It's easy to say people like Cam and Miles were "better" or "safer" than Zig because they came from very different worlds than he did. Like, once Zig and Maya started dating in season 14, Zig made it clear he wouldn't have blamed Maya for dumping him and felt like shit over the circumstances of them sleeping together for the first time. If anything, I actually think this era of Zig's life made him a stronger, richer character. In the long run, it was also one year of Zig being gang affiliated vs three where he wasn't? I can't change anyone's opinion, but this is mine and I can't fathom Zaya being "ruined" over that when season 14 was arguably their best season. In spite of the circumstances Zig found himself in, he was consistently a great, supportive friend to Maya even before they became a couple. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Zig personally or how they might judge him for circumstances mostly out of his control, Maya still felt safe with him. I think that's pretty telling and says a lot about the depth of their connection. And, honestly Zig as a person. My main take is that Zig was the same guy from season 12 during seasons 13-Next Class. This was even pointed out by Maya herself when telling Zig she initially thought he'd changed when they met up again in the rubber room. He hadn't. He'd literally just cut the sleeves off his shirts and adopted a new persona. He didn't become a worse person because he was pulled into a gang.

[samrut]

*cracks knuckles* I’m about to order in bulk (regarding that writing asks you reblogged)

Can you please answer questions….

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please and thank you! ^u^

Order Up!

[Sorry if I missed some.]

Favorite character to write?

Alfred is the easiest for me, but I am unsure if he is my favorite. It depends on the fic. I like writing for Ivan, Arthur, Tolys, and Feliks. 

What character is the most challenging to write?

Of the characters I have written, Kiku, Ludwig, and Romano I'd say, are most difficult for me.

What do you keep in mind when writing a particular character?

The character's core values, beliefs, and personal mission statement.

What is your process when writing?

Lately, I've been making outlines. One for the overall story, and then an outline for each individual chapter—although I don't always follow it.

Strange things you've had to research for Hetalia fanfiction?

How long it takes to go blind without eyelids.

Other things like that . . .

Any fic writers that inspire you or you look up to?

There are so many awesome fic writers. I've been reading through Fhujeth's works recently. Dialogue is so good.

What fic is your favourite? Which one do you want to disown?

My favorites of my works are Tag, Hotel Roommates, Rumor, and Return from the Void. Most of them are RusAme. I enjoyed the process of writing all of them, and they are complete.

Blood Splattered Banner I'd gladly disown. It was my first ever fic. It reeks of old fandom and teenage angst.

Where do you find inspiration?

I do not look for inspiration. It finds me. 

What frustrates you about writing for the fandom?

Nothing really. I do wish some ships were more popular, but it doesn't bug me much. I write mainly for myself and to vent.

Have you written anything you would have never thought you would write in a million years?

I've written some pretty strange things. Nothing surprises me at this point. 😆

Any Hetalia AUs that live rent free in your head?

So many! 

I pretty much only write AUs. Anything with fantasy, the supernatural, or fairytale/folklore is always swimming around in my brain. I am an AU generator, I swear.

What headcanons are essential in your writing?

For my Canon Divergence works I have so many headcanons. I'd say the core essential is that the Nation's are poster children and seen as international celebrities. They don't have much say in government or anything like that.

They kind of just do what they are told to do by their bosses and don't really have a say.

Have you written Nyotalia, Gakuen Hetalia, 2p etc?

Yes. I've written Nyotalia characters a few times, and 2p!Can. Very little, though.

What makes your characterizations different than others?

I don't restrict my characterizations. They vary depending on the fic. 

Do you have playlists or character boards for inspiration?

Not really. I have a small Tolys playlist, but I rarely listen to music when I write.

How do you feel about using accents in fics?

I used to use them in my early writing, but not anymore. I sometimes mention that a character has a specific accent, but I no longer write dialogue that way. I don't feel it is necessary.

How do you feel about using foreign language in fics?

I do not mind it, as long as it isn't overdone. A word here or there is fine, like pet names or a greeting. 

Best writing advice you can give.

Write for yourself, not for others. Don't hyper-focus on your fic statistics. 

How would you define your writing style?

I am not sure how to describe it. Freeform? I don't follow 'proper' writing rules or anything.

My stuff is normally pretty dark and unsavory.

Favourite line in a fic?

These jumped out at me;

[Downpour]

"It's fine. Besides him violently fucking me with his massive horse dong, he really wasn't that bad. He was sort of nice, for a sadist."

[Hotel Roommates- I enjoyed writing the dialogue for this one. Has some funny lines.]

"Please, may I have a wee bit of wa'aa milord?" mocked Jones, "the thurst is causing me frail Bri'ish body chew wilt."

and

"Ivan gave you a love tap, and you nearly exploded," Alfred said.

[numbknee]

for the fic tropes - genderswap, bodyswap and de-aging 💛🤍

hmm ok let’s have a go at these!

gender swap: a solid B rating for me. I don’t necessarily seek it out but if I see a good piece of art or an interesting fic premise I’ll click on that shit no question. it’s interesting to explore how the characters would develop if they were a different gender and had different outlooks on presentation, their expectations from society, how they deal with potential sexism/newfound privilege, etc. good shit!!! it’s also great to see artists’ takes on different potential character designs

bodyswap: full disclosure, I was (or rather am currently in the process of) writing a kyman body-swap AU (of which I posted a snippet on twitter lol) but I ADORE this trope. solid A for me as long as it’s done with care. It’s such a good way to explore characters’ personalities and to challenge the characters’ perception of each other that I eat that shit up every time. weirdly enough it’s such a common trope in western cartoons that I didn’t bother to question it from a very young age??? (esp cuz western cartoon tropes are like… objectively weird??? for example the eastern anime-based trope of a generic beach episode is as common as the western trope where they shrink down to microscopic size to explore another character’s body??? like wtf??? loooool). I think I was first indoctrinated by that teen titans episode where raven and starfire swapped bodies and learned so much about each other in the process that it impacted their interactions significantly (with starfire understanding why raven needs to keep such disciplined control over her emotions, and raven understanding how starfire’s abilities depend on her emotions for their power). it was an amazing character exploration and I strive to replicate that feeling I felt all those years ago for my potential readers (if and when I finally work out the story for that AU…maybe someday lol)

de-aging: I’ll admit I don’t have much information for this particular AU! the first and only time I was exposed to this concept was “the curious case of benjamin button” which I saw in theaters in 2008 so I’m sort of unsure how popular this trope is with more contemporary fandom spaces. so maybe a solid B rating for me? I do see how it could be pretty interesting though! age is a crucial component of a character’s design, so changing it gradually over time though reverse aging could significantly impact a character’s trajectory in the narrative in a very interesting way. cool concept!

[crypticpatterns]

I posted 8,301 times in 2022

That's 1,361 more posts than 2021!

128 posts created (2%)

8,173 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

daz4i

tzila-opal

gothitelle-goddess

almightyrozenidiot

celamity

I tagged 4,028 of my posts in 2022

#p5 - 1,359 posts

#toh - 243 posts

#lgbt - 227 posts

#encanto - 188 posts

#oh fucking my damn - 168 posts

#spop - 154 posts

#star wars - 149 posts

#politics - 125 posts

#neurodivergence - 112 posts

#writing - 83 posts

Longest Tag: 136 characters

#not to take a shitpost seriously but its about the ✨ poetic downfall ✨ of being risen to his greatest heights by the person he abandoned

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I love how before everything with Shiho Joker can straight up say like "yeah I'm cool with murder tbh Kamoshida deserves it" and all Ryuji has to say is "FOR REAL?!" These idiots (affectionate).

45 notes - Posted February 7, 2022

#4

but fandoms are communities and fandoms are always defined by the worst people, even if it feels unfair. there's not any fan content or meta contradicting just evil akechi, its been years and this is what the fandom wants. that's what most people are saying. there's nothing making those people feel unwelcome in fandom, but they make others feel unwelcome.

Okay, I see what you're saying. But I dunno, maybe we're just in different sections of the fandom, but I haven't had the same experience as you. I've seen lots of fan content that favors a more balanced approach with Akechi and acknowledges both sides to his character. I've read popular fic with an interpretation similar to my own that gives Akechi a soft side while acknowledging his rough edges and giving him a place to belong with the Thieves and Akiren. That all exists. Maybe you just need to widen your scope a little, or find different people to hang out with?

I don't really care if people are going to "welcome" my interpretation of Akechi or not. I'm going to write meta about him and explain why he's special to me and what he means to me and I don't give a damn if sections of the fandom aren't happy with that.

I believe you may have left me another ask I left unanswered because I wasn't sure how to address it, but let me copy and paste some of what I left in the drafts.

Goro Akechi, and his dynamic with the P5 protagonist, are complex and dark and messy. Fan interpretations are going to allude to their past. Akechi literally tried to murder Akiren--their dynamic is inherently based on very dark concepts and incredibly complex and tragic emotions on both sides. Akechi himself is messed up. He’s a murderer who tried to kill the one person he ever grew attached to and killed many just to get revenge on one man because his own hatred for his father twisted him to a point beyond recognition. He’s desperate for belonging but he pushes away anyone once they get marginally close, and he’s not afraid to hurt people in the process.

If you have a problem with anything that alludes all of that, then I'm sorry to say you're just not going to like most of the content about Akechi. Fanart and fanfic are going to explore those aspects of his character.

That all said, I’m sorry if you’ve been made to feel unwelcome in the fandom. Use the block button--I’ve done that myself to someone who wouldn’t stop commenting on my posts about Akechi with blatant falsehoods about his character. And create your own experience. I’ve found lots of people who agree with me about Akechi and are creating content that’s sympathetic toward him. Most of them happen to be Shuake/Akeshu shippers (like myself) from what I’ve seen but I’m unsure if you’d be into that. (But for the record, it’s not all abusive.) You just gotta find the right people. Maybe you just haven’t found them yet.

48 notes - Posted January 24, 2022

#3

the parallel between belos killing untold numbers of palismen to survive hundreds of years and hunter's palisman willingly giving up his life to save hunter after belos nearly kills him. so good. chef's kiss. curled up on floor sobbing.

53 notes - Posted October 19, 2022

#2

unpopular opinion but i actually really like akechi's ugly ass black mask outfit; the stripes are iconic, it adds to his aesthetic of Absolute Cringelord Dumbass.

67 notes - Posted March 4, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I'll see takes from time to time about people getting annoyed at the "uwu soft boy goro" interpretation of the character. This is nothing new, obviously, and setting aside that this ignores on-screen evidence, this interpretation completely misses a key aspect of his character and the game.

First of all, let me clarify: I agree Goro is a selfish person who does evil, even unforgivable things as the Black Mask.

But seeing Akechi's character as irredeemable or "outright evil" misses one of the key points to his character. Akechi is meant to represent what Joker could have become if he'd been alone. Not only that, but what any of the Thieves could have become if they'd been alone and let their hatred and trauma twist them into something vengeful and empty.

If Goro is just an inherently evil person then his character loses its power. He was a child and a victim and he did not have to become the person he did. All of the Thieves were capable of becoming like Goro had circumstance been different. He no longer serves his purpose in the narrative as Joker's antithesis if you take that part of his character away.

This means both that the Thieves have an inner dark side that could have gotten out of control had circumstances been different, and that Goro is capable, or at the very least was once capable, of being a good person. Goro is capable of Joker's goodness, just as Joker is capable of Goro's evil.

So yes. Goro is an assassin who has murdered many. And he is an uwu soft boi who deserved better.

133 notes - Posted January 14, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[cbhesperis]

/puts on my “Talk Too Much” hat

Firstly, I’m assuming you mean “himbo” as-intended: strong/built, attractive, kind-hearted, and dumb as a brick. So let’s go with that, focusing specifically on people depicting him as kind of a pretty but head-empty goober. I will probably be repeating things you already know and making characterization commentary outside the himboing, but I gotta get the whole thought out or I’ll lose my direction. ADHD curse.

So partially, it’s likely due to what your commenter said earlier: people skewing depiction to suit their preferred dynamic with Voryn (since he’s really the popular one, and you see some different skews with different characters). A lot of mlm shipping dynamics in specifically western fandom borrow heavily from stereotypes, leftover from the 90s, and there’s a fairly pervasive one that is the division between Smart and Not Smart (with varying degrees of comedy). And hey! All well and good, folks gonna enjoy what they wanna. But I think part of it is also Vivec’s fault and the Sermons being treated by fanbase as like... the exact depiction of Who Nerevar Was.

Let’s be honest here: Vivec writes him out to be an idiot young adult learning how to do shit under Vivec’s divine guidance when, all things considered, that is very likely not who Nerevar was at all and probably not what their relationship was, even tossing out Vivec’s context in the Sermons. Vivec is writing a guide for the Nerevarine and a load of religious propaganda to support ALMSIVI’s apotheosis while maintaining Nerevar’s importance in the narrative of reality, not a history, but because it’s the only concrete description of Nerevar (”brb, fighting the moon”) in TES3 proper, a lot of people seem to lean on it to be the historical Nerevar while also taking the whole thing at face value (which is another babble). These are two very different figures! The historical Nerevar had steel to him and fire that Vivec-before-Vivec recognized and decided to take advantage of, if you want to consider “What My Beloved Taught Me” as canon and a basis for Nerevar’s character. He’s curious, frustrated by the world he sees, and there’s an undercurrent of rebellion—which the little thief-who-would-be-a-god seizes on. But even if you do consider that interview canon, there’s still wiggle room to make him into someone maybe a bit goofier since there’s this whole thing about him flinching from touching Vivec—which plenty of people might (validly) read as him being awkward or unsure, but which I would suggest speaks more to the ghartoki and is probably a learned response because they’re curses visible enough because of magic in the setting. No one wants to touch “hi my hands mean death”, Nerevar’s used to Negative Reactions (and Vivec sure has one initially), so he doesn’t want to touch Vivec with them either.

And then there’s the few bits and pieces we get about Nerevar in ESO and I’m not okay because ow, Seht, you had to pick those moments. But anyway.

A lot of his “goofy awkward silly not-very-bright” reads, which lead to the whole himbo thing, do likely come from the Sermons, though, and usually seem to be described or treated in such a way as to undermine the fact this dude united the Dwemer and the Chimer, organized a region into a (very nearly successful) unified nation, has the ferocity to murder when he deems it necessary (Chimer trait, there) if you trust the Sermon where it talks about him changing the canvasari guards’ route. And again: warlord!

Folks might point out that the fact that ceasefire/truce (I’m not entirely sure everyone was happy with it, so more one than the other for some folks) was essentially The Power of Friendship, and okay. Yeah, kinda, lol. I’m sure that him being the peacemaker between everyone lends to the image of kindness which can get distorted to himbo levels.

All that said, though: it’s important to note being a dominating force on the battlefield doesn’t mean too much outside it, necessarily. His personality could be just about anything. He could be sharp and cold and cruel, or he could be warm and sagely. He might play the fool to not deal with people. So, to route myself back to the original topic some and away from debating characterization as a whole:

It’s probably a matter of either not considering his historical role in-setting and how that would have shaped him and relying solely on the Sermons because that’s the bulk we’ve had to work with, shipping preference dictating the Expected Behaviour, or the choice to focus more on his off-field personality and set aside the violent part of him because it’s not what they want to create or play with.

I could be very easily missing something and there’s another reason for it, and I’m not saying people are by any means wrong to do what they want, how they want, with a fictional elf man. Just. Before someone comes at me with bad faith reaction because I have spent too long on the bird hellsite. Also I spent like half of this being a big ol’ fusspot because I have my own Opinions on characters like most folks do.

I am also not saying it is inherently and absolutely incorrect for him to be a brainless muscle man who is too kind for his own good. I think most handling of it like that doesn’t tend to acknowledge his capabilities (because himbos are trophies by definition), but hey! Based on what I’ve seen. And again: could be wrong. There’s very little in the way of absolutes in fiction because it’s... fiction, it’s malleable.

I am not going to rattle on about character analysis any more than I have, though, because that wasn’t the point and I am at work and have been poking at this between tasks, l-lol, and it would turn into a very different response. And I literally have a fic to do that for me based in frustration about characterization, ahaha.

Bonus possible: shorthand, though that’s only really applicable in out-of-narrative conversations, I think. Like I call Vivec an idiot/stupid constantly when that’s highly reductive.

What even is the reason people think Nerevar was a himbo??

[caswlw]

okay you know how there are like really popular deancas fics that everyone in the ‘cule either has read or is aware of at the very least (and this your living kiss, dta, 4lw, etc)? do you know of any staple buddie fics like that?

i honestly don’t read too many long buddie fics, so i rbed a post w a bunch of faves someone else had BUT not to leave u hanging i’m gonna rec some of my personal faves from like a year ago when i still bookmarked things

Everybody Knows - classic 5+1 where people keep thinking they’re together until they finally are, 14.7k oneshot

waiting on the sunrise - buck centric fic (written pre buck begins) where his shitty dad comes back to town and the firefam comes around and helps w the mess that ensues, 28.3k 10 chapters

where there’s smoke, there’s fire - secret relationship fic where it inevitably gets to the rest of the team, 23.7k oneshot

Making it Official - fluffy and just what it says in the title, 6.1k oneshot

and the winner is...... - buck and eddie team up on a game show meant for couples and do very well (bc they’re dating, unbeknownst to their friends n family), 18.3k oneshot

Facing Fears - chris has a field trip to a water park and buck and eddie come along to chaperone + POV outsiders w the moms watching them coparenting, 11.4k 3 chapters

In the Aftershock - eddie gets shot and buck is distraught as fuck so basically the s4 finale i guess, 8.8k 6 chapters

All Bets are Off - a 5+1 where again everyone knows but them until eddie decides to do something about it, 35.1k 6 chapters

Encore - buck is in a time loop and let’s just say it fucks him up, 20.1k 2 chapters

Buckaroo's Vegan Kitchen - this is just buck going viral and other adorable shit, 3k oneshot

Caffeine High - au where buck was in a boyband when he was a teen and it’s catching up to him, 13.9k oneshot

Objects in the Mirror - au where buck and eddie have a telepathic link their entire lives, 139.1k 16 chapters

other than that the entirety of the secret relationship tag has been great !! these are probably some of my most recommended tho :)