#i'd certainly lose interest lol

[selvnite]

I actually agree with her... like this goes for any ships in the show. I think it'd take away from what's great about The Mandalorian if they focused on any sort of romance within the main cast.

[confused-pyramid]

Breaking Point

pairing: art donaldson x fem!reader

summary: You and Art were hitting partners (and a bit more) in college, so when you run into him a decade later at the U.S. Open, old sparks reignite...

word count: 3.4k

warnings: SMUT, p in v, oral (fem!receiving), slight marking, drinking

a/n: I watched Challengers last night and then wrote this whole thing in one sitting. Nothing in this is really canon other than Art being a major simp lol so no spoilers for the movie! I usually make playlists (or at least find a few songs that get me in the zone) when writing, so I thought I'd start sharing them here too if people are interested!

You should've known he'd be here. You've been following his career for the last decade since you graduated, and ever since he won Wimbledon last year, he's been tennis royalty, but a small part of you still thought you wouldn't run into him here. At the fucking U.S. Open.

Stanford was a lifetime ago, and you haven't kept in touch with anyone from the college team, but there was always something about Art Donaldson that stuck with you. Ten years later, that hasn't changed.

"It's been so long," he calls out when he spots you from across the practice courts. "I didn't think I'd see you."

You didn't either, and you still haven't decided how you feel about it yet, but when he jogs over to your side, you just shrug. "Guess it's your lucky day."

He smiles, and his teeth glimmer in the bright sunlight. "It certainly is."

The loud thwacks of tennis balls hitting rackets echo around you, but you can't seem to focus on anything but the man standing in front of you. He looks good.

He was beautiful in college too, whether he was training across the net or slipping into your bed, but it feels different now, with so much time apart. He looks like a man now.

"Anyway," Art says, jerking you back to reality. "We should get a drink sometime. To catch up."

He adds the last part almost as an afterthought, but it doesn't escape your notice how his eyes have been trailing up and down your body since he walked over.

A drink could mean almost anything with Art Donaldson, but you're too curious to refuse. "Sure. This weekend, after the semi-finals."

He nods, his eyes glinting with amusement, and you grab your bag from the bench beside you before looping the strap over your shoulder.

You walk off the practice courts after one last glance over your shoulder, and you feel his eyes following along until the doors swing shut behind you.

***

He should've expected this. You were a firecracker in college, and you kept him on his toes every single day you were together, so he really should have known what he was getting into when he met you for drinks that weekend.

Instead, he's one too many beers in, and his buzz is only enhancing the glow of your beauty in the hazy bar light. Your dress isn't even that low cut, but something about the shadows glancing over your strong shoulders reminds him of late nights in the Stanford dorms after a hard practice when there was only one thing he wanted more than sleep.

"You played really well this morning," he says genuinely as he sets his beer back onto the table. "After that first set, Mueller didn't stand a chance."

You flash him a dazzling smile as you shrug, resting your chin on your palm. "I had her after the third game, but thanks. It was a quick match."

Art hasn't taken his eyes off of you since you sat down, and while prolonged eye contact usually makes you nervous, you find that you're actually enjoying the attention quite a bit. Attentiveness was never an issue with him, and you would normally give in to your urges, but there's just too much history with him, and you can't afford to lose focus. Not when the title is so close you can taste it.

"I hear the networks are eyeing you for a commentator post," you say, trying to change the subject.

You trace your finger around the rim of your nearly empty margarita, before lifting it to take a final sip, and you don't miss how his throat bobs as you lick the salt off your lips.

"Uh, yeah," he mumbles, clearing his throat. "It was just some chatter, but I'm not looking to retire anytime soon."

You frown. "Is that right?" He's playing better than ever, but he definitely hasn't been himself out on the court in years.

He glances down, clearly trying to avoid the scrutiny, and when his eyes land on your empty glass, he changes the subject again. "You want another drink?"

You shake your head, knowing that another will lead to a less than fun morning, but he isn't done yet.

"You sure?" His eyes find yours again, and this time the eye contact feels primal. "It doesn't have to be here."

Your eyebrows lift and you tilt your head with a knowing smile. "Where were you thinking?"

"I don't know," he shrugs, before his lips curve up into a cheeky grin. "My room's nice."

You saw it coming from a mile away, but it still pulls a laugh out of you. "Oh, I'm sure it is, but this isn't college anymore, Art. You should get some sleep...focus on your match in the morning."

You push your glass forward and stand up, nodding at him as you turn to leave, but then you see him stand too out of the corner of your eye.

"I'll walk you to your car."

He looks at you with a hint of amusement in his expression, and you can't help but want to play along, even though Art Donaldson was nothing but trouble for you.

You don't respond, instead just stepping out from around the table and walking out the front doors of the bar. You don't have to turn back to know he's right behind you, and when you reach your car, parked in the center of the nearly empty parking lot, you spin around.

He doesn't stop walking until he has you practically boxed in by your driver's side door, his face less than a foot from yours as he tucks his hands into his pockets.

He had pushed his sleeves back at some point in the night, from the humid summer heat of the bar, and you can see the veins on his forearms now, under the dim light of the street lamps.

"This is me," you say jokingly, tipping your chin at your car as he looks at you with an expression you can't distinguish. "I'm good from here."

He doesn't move.

It's not that you expected him to give up so easily; you had just forgotten how persistent he could be.

Art's mouth stretches into a slanted smile. "Do you remember the Davis Invitational? Junior year."

Speaking of his persistence...he had been pursuing you for months, not in any tangible way, but you always knew what he was thinking.

After the invitational, where you and Art had been the respective men's and women's champions, you had gone back to his dorm to celebrate. Three hours and just as many vodka shooters later, he had finally gotten you in his bed. Not that you were complaining.

Art knew his way around your body, and even that first night, he had managed to get you off more times than you can remember.

"What about it?" you shoot back, your eyebrows raising at the insinuation.

"Nothing," he says with a shrug, but you don't miss the humor glinting in his eyes. "You just used to be a lot more fun to celebrate with."

"Fuck you," you spit out, shoving his shoulder harder than you mean to. He barely budges, instead grabbing your hand and tugging you a few inches closer, and suddenly a wave of lust washes over you, making your breath hitch.

You press your thighs together under your dress, hoping he can't feel the heat spreading across your skin, but then his smile turns to a smirk and you know you're done for.

"What do you think?" he whispers, leaning in so close that his lips brush over your earlobe. "Want to celebrate?"

Molten lava pools in your gut and you are only peripherally aware of his hand sliding down your hips to the flowy edge of your dress. His fingers glide over your skin as his hand goes under the loose fabric, before rising up to grab your ass, drawing your hips flush with his.

Your arousal is already starting to soak through your panties, but the feeling of his hard bulge pressed up against you sends you flying back to reality.

You lift your hands to his chest and push him back so that he's a few steps away from you. It's not far enough, but at least you can't feel him from there. "I'm not fucking you, Art."

He shrugs, his smirk only slightly shaken. "Who said anything about fucking? I just wanted to talk."

You huff out a laugh. "You're funny. Besides, I'm too tired for this. I need to rest up before my match."

"What about tomorrow night then?" His lip is still curved up in a smirk, but there's an earnestness in his gaze that surprises you.

"What makes you think you'll still be here tomorrow?"

His mouth spreads into a wide smile. "I always win."

You snort. "Fine. Win your match and we can talk."

You don't miss the grin on his face as you climb into your car and leave.

***

You win your next match in straight sets again, so by the time you're out of the locker room, Art's match is still in play. Driven by a mixture of curiosity and intrigue, you head over to his court and find a seat halfway up the stands.

He has won two of three sets, and he's leading the fourth, so with the prospect of the match ending soon, you use the time to observe him from a different angle.

His form is much better than it was in college, and you've seen him play countless times on TV, but you haven't really let yourself see how good he looks out there. The sinewy muscles rippling in his arms as he lifts them to serve. The rugged sturdiness of his legs as he races back and forth across the court.

You wish you could be down there with him, running your hands over the smooth lines of his abdomen, tasting the drops of sweat as they roll down his body-

The crowd erupts in cheers, and you are thrust back into reality as Art throws his arms into the air with a loud whoop. The scoreboard confirms his victory, and you clap along with the audience as he shakes his opponent's hand and heads over to his chair.

People around you stand up to leave, but you stay in your seat, watching as he grabs his bag and stuffs his rackets inside. When he wipes a towel over his face, his head turns up and his eyes immediately go to you, like he knew you were here the whole time.

Your stomach does an involuntary flip and he flashes his eyebrows at you as you bit the inside of your lip, trying to hold back a smile.

When he ducks back down to grab his things, you stand up quickly to avoid letting him see your blush and follow the rest of the crowd off of the stands.

***

You hear it late that night. Three little raps on your hotel room door, just before midnight.

You're in the finals, and you don't have any friends here to celebrate with, so you were sipping a beer and watching old match recordings when you heard the knock.

There's no one else who would come to see you this late, so you're not surprised when you open the door to find Art, dressed in a tee shirt and comfy-looking pajama pants.

"What are you doing here?" you ask, even though you already know the answer.

Art just looks at you, his pupils already massive. "You said if I win, we could talk." He shrugs. "I won."

"Okay," you concede, opening the door wider to let him in. "Just talking then."

He nods, before following you inside and shutting the door.

"You want anything to drink?" you ask as he trails behind you.

He shakes his head. "I'm good."

You grab your beer bottle from the side table and sit down on the floor, crossing your legs beneath you.

Art sits across from you, his feet in front of him and his elbows on his knees. You were assigned to a modestly sized room, but for someone as tall as him, the space must feel cramped.

"How did the match feel?" you ask, taking a swig of beer.

He thinks for a moment. "It was close at first, but once I shook my legs out, it became a breeze."

"Your legs were never the problem," you say, leveling him with a serious look. "It was always your attitude. Or your confidence."

He frowns, his eyebrows scrunching slightly. "I'm plenty confident."

"You are now," you tell him as you swirl the bottle around in your hand. "You won Wimbledon, you have a reason to be confident."

That makes him smile. "So you're saying my legs are fine."

"Yeah," you say before you can process what you're saying. "You looked good out there."

His smile turns to a smirk so fast it nearly gives you whiplash. "You think I look good?"

You let out an exasperated scoff. "At tennis."

His grin doesn't falter so you roll your eyes at him before lifting the bottle to your lips to take another swig. When you tilt the bottle back down to swallow, his hand reaches forward to take it from you. Your grip on the beer doesn't loosen, so the motion sends you pitching forward.

Your mouth parts with a small yelp as his arm wraps around you, tugging you closer, and before you can process what's happening, his lips are on yours.

If you let yourself think too hard, you would realize that there is way too much shared history and way too much baggage here for this to be a good idea...so that's why you don't.

Instead, you let him pull your body flush against his and when his tongue slides over the seam of your lips, you grant him access immediately. Your shirts come off in quick succession and you gasp as his hands run up and down your body, his strong, calloused fingers grasping at every inch of purchase they can find. Yours reach up to tangle in his messy hair, and when his lips move down your neck, your grip tightens, making him moan quietly against your skin.

Something about being on the floor takes you back to your college days, when you'd both be so worked up after practice that you couldn't even make it to the bed, but that feels too real right now.

"Art," you whisper as he runs his lips and teeth over your neck, before replacing it with his tongue to soothe the quickly blossoming marks. "Art, the bed. Now."

It takes him a second to process your words, but when he does, he loops an arm around your waist and lifts you up and onto the bed in one motion, before pushing you back onto the covers.

By the time your head hits the bed, he's already pulling your shorts and panties down, exposing you to the cool air. His lips follow the path of his hands as they trace up your legs, making you squirm under the hot touch of his rough fingers. He presses wet kisses to the insides of your thighs before spreading them apart and dropping to his knees on the floor in front of you.

"So wet for me," he whispers, almost to himself, before he dives in, his mouth making lewd noises as he licks a thick stripe up your core. "You taste so good."

He lifts your legs over his shoulders to give himself some leverage as he makes a mess between your thighs, licking and sucking your clit into his mouth before fucking you with his tongue.

His grip on your thighs is the only thing keeping you pinned to the bed as you writhe beneath him, trying to not squeeze your legs together from the heat spreading up your core.

His mouth feels amazing and it takes only minutes before you're already nearing the edge. You don't want to come until he is inside of you, though, so you yank his hair, pulling him up and off of you.

He looks up at you through his lashes, and he looks ethereal with his disheveled hair and his chin wet with your slick.

You, on the other hand, look like heaven itself with your eyes half-hooded from pleasure, and he can't help the grin that crosses his face as he licks his lips and climbs over you onto the bed. He lets you taste yourself as he kisses you again, and he lets out a low groan when you bite his lip just hard enough to sting.

"Fuck me," you gasp, your voice too breathy to be actually authoritative. "Fuck me the way I like."

Art grins at your desperate tone and the wild lust in your eyes, committing this image to memory for a later time when you're much further away.

He kicks his pants off as he lifts you both further up the bed, and after covering himself with a condom from his back pocket, he lines himself up and slowly pushes forward.

He gives you a few moments to adjust to his size before slowly pulling out nearly all the way and then thrusting in again.

The slight pain turns to pleasure almost immediately, but he keeps his pace steady so as not to hurt you. You need more right now, so you wrap your legs around him for leverage and flip him over so that you're straddling him.

He groans as his head hits the pillow, and when he tries to sit up, you press your hands to his chest, pushing him down as you ride him. This position gives you a lot more control, and you use it to your advantage as you bounce yourself on his cock, feeling the way he fills you up so fully from this higher angle.

His fingers dig into your hips as he helps lift you up and down, and his eyes are practically feral as he watches the spot where his cock disappears inside of you.

He's the perfect size to fill you up completely, and with each swivel of your hips, you get closer and closer to your climax, which is approaching so fast you can taste it.

You cry out when he hits exactly the right spot deep inside of you, and his eyes fly to yours as your movements start to stutter from your impending release.

Needing to see the look on your face when you come, he pushes your lower back forward so you fall against his chest, before lifting himself up to meet you halfway. With one arm locked around you, he brings his other hand down between the two of you to rub quick circles over your clit. The new angle lets him thrust up into you, and the increased pace of his movements mixed with the speed of his fingers sends you flying over the edge.

Your mouth falls open with a loud cry, and you squeeze him so tightly he's practically seeing stars. You look so beautiful when you come, like a goddess sent down here just for him, and when your eyes meet his, he finds his own climax.

His body jerks forward with the force of his release, and you let him thrust a few more times as he finally finishes inside of you.

After pulling out, he tugs you down to lay next to him, and at first you let him, but the emotions warring inside of you don't stay quiet for long.

You know that whatever this was isn't going to go anywhere. You didn't work in college, and you won't work now, and you don't want anyone to get hurt again, so you have to make a choice. Now.

"I need to get some rest," you say quietly, a tiny part of you hoping he doesn't hear you. "Before the next match."

"Yeah," he sighs after a beat. "Me too."

You let him hold you for a moment longer, before he unwraps himself from your body and sits up, tugging his shirt and pants back on. You tug the sheet back and wrap it around your torso as he stands up and walks to the door.

You're not sure what you're expecting as he goes to leave, but what you get is a silent nod as the door swings shut behind him.

[iamtheonethinginlifeicancontrol]

I have thoughts on this week's episode of Ranma 1/2 (ep 11)!

I thought that the re-framing that the anime did of Shampoo and Akane's match was very interesting. Choosing to have Akane lob a desk at Ranma and then have him hit in the head by a football (holy head trauma, Batman!) was such an interesting change to make! Ranma being unconscious for a minute or two before running off in search of Akane gave the match more time to occur, built more suspense, and gave Ranma himself more urgency in his search.

The rest of what I have to say contains spoilers (can we say this of a manga series that finished in 1996?) for the end of the manga, under the cut

I'm a die-hard 乱あ shipper and have been since I first read Ranma 1/2, so this episode delighted my little shipper heart. There are some small but significant deviations from the manga that I wanted to expand on, and one particular change that is narratively significant in light of manga canon.

Putting aside the issues of Shampoo's newer fixation on Ranma-as-male as her future husband per Amazonian law and how that impacts the dynamics of our tsundere couple in this ep, I'm choosing to focus on the scenes related to Akane's showdown with Shampoo and the changes that the anime made from the manga (and why I'm living for them).

As mentioned, the decision to knock Ranma unconscious is an interesting change to make, but I'd argue that it works well and was a well thought-out deviation from manga canon. As I said above, it gives the match more time to occur—whether that impacts the duration of time that the Xi Fa Xiang Gao technique takes is yet to be seen. It also builds suspense for the audience, especially in light of the younger generations/newer audience members who may be interacting with Ranma 1/2 for the first time. Most importantly, though, it gives urgency to Ranma's search for Akane that isn't quite there in the manga. Sure, he's worried as he runs after Shampoo and Akane after he gets delayed (by Akane slamming a window in his face lol), but the time that elapses between the two girls going off to fight and Ranma going after them is very short. Maybe 30 seconds, 60 at the very most. I'll include a panel below to illustrate this:

And of course, I'm not arguing that Ranma isn't worried about Akane or fearful that she'll get hurt. But there's a fairly significant difference in how this is portrayed (see below) versus how the anime chose to approach this.

For one thing, the framing is very different. Akane getting injured, while of real concern, is being shown in a humourous way; her facial expressions (like the swirly eyes) and Takahashi-san's characteristic "るーみっくサイン" (rumic sign) are used for comedy, to make it seem like any hurt Akane might incur won't be too serious. Plus, while Ranma does try to diffuse the tension after Akane grabs P-chan from the tray and gets the Kiss of Death for her trouble (lol Shampoo just gives those things out like party favours, doesn't she?), and tries to avert the fight between the two girls, the time that passes doesn't truly allow his concern to sharpen further. As seen above, Ranma's worried-but-determined. He's not flooded with anxiety (or particularly intrusive thoughts imo).

However, the anime chose to allow Ranma to actually lose consciousness at the beginning of the girls' match. We don't (and probably won't) know how long Ranma was actually unconscious, but it certainly was long enough to warrant his frantic search for Akane.

And frantic it is! This man starts running around the entire campus yelling her name, escalating to screeeeaming by the end. Please see below (subs are Akane's name [あかね] and onomatopoeia/sound effects for running and heavy breathing):

But don't worry, guys, he's super laid back, super chill. Jk just in these screenshots alone, he's calling/yelling her name 10 times.

Let's talk quickly about framing here! This is pretty starkly different from how the manga frames these scenes. The colouring is dark, the sky is cloudy, there's no lightheartedness to be seen, and Ranma's frantic and anxious, underscored by the, uh, musical scoring. The anime is treating this as Serious Business, which does make a lot of sense, given that Shampoo chased onna!Ranma all over China trying to kill him, and that experience is what's informing Ranma here. He has an interspersed imagination spot (see below) of Shampoo hitting Akane point blank in the chest with one of her chuí, and we see Akane exclaim in pain, fall to the ground, and remain motionless. He's panicking because he knows how dangerous Shampoo is, and he's afraid for Akane. He doesn't want her to get hurt; he wants to protect her wellbeing, especially because he's seen that she's less concerned with that than he thinks she should be. His insult from the skating arc makes another appearance here: he calls Akane "鈍い女" [nibui onna; slow/dull girl chick], which in his imagination looks like Akane leaving herself completely open for a sternal strike? But his anxiety is informing this mental image, so he's probably imagining a worst-case scenario. I'd hope that his opinion of Akane's capability would be higher, but I digress.

After he stops running about and screams Akane's name in desperation, he quickly hears Ryouga-as-P-chan's voice, he dashes toward the sound, finding Akane unconscious on the ground: fears confirmed!

And here's where, to me, it gets really interesting. We see that Ranma is calling Akane's name and cradling her in his arms; very different to this scene in the manga, where he's on his knees next to her, calling her name and saying, "hey, [untranslatable word that could best be read as] just..." (see below):

And in the anime, this becomes what I think must be an intentional reference to the end of the Saffron arc in the last volume of the manga (38). Ranma says the same thing in one of the last scenes of that story arc, cradling an unconscious Akane in his arms, calling her name, and begging her, "起きろよ、あかね" (okiro yo, Akane; wake up, Akane], among other things. See below for comparison of the manga (upper left-hand panel, specifically) vs the anime:

And here's episode 11's parallel:

Well, gee, what does Ranma screaming her name while holding her with tears in his eyes remind me of? I'm glad you asked! It's the next panel in the manga!

Spoilers, but really.

I've reached my pic limit on this post, so I can't compare and contrast much more, but I do have more to say on this parallel. Might make another post later, so that I can show more pics for illustration.

Whether I make that follow-up post or not, my immediate thought when I saw this in the episode was both that it was an intentional reference to Jusendō, and that it was intended to be the first of a pair of narrative bookends (i.e. recurring or similar scenes meant to refer & compare to one another within the narrative to illustrate something, whether character growth, story progression, relational changes, etc). If we do get the Full Ranma Series animated (may it please God), this is both foreshadowing and bookending, and I'm delighted by it!

Also, even if we don't get to see the Jusendō arc animated, Yamaguchi Kappei will have had the opportunity to play a version of that iconic scene from the manga and do his best "Akaneeeee!" scream.

[averytirednerd]

About Episodes 7 and 8...MASSIVE SPOILERS!!

Initial thoughts (because if I talk about EVERYTHING right now you'll be here for at least half an hour)...

WHAT THE HELL?!

I mean I loved getting to watch the season finale, don't get me wrong. But I have just as many grievances as things I loved about it and also SO MUCH happened?!?!?!

Charlie: Loved getting to see her be all demon-y, I've been waiting all season. Also loved her and the cannibals (especially Rosie!!!). So glad she got to work w/ Luci to protect the hotel <333 She and Vaggie are adorable too.

Vaggie: I really enjoyed watching her and Carmilla's song, that was cool. Protecting her girlfriend, very cute. I liked seeing her and Lute have that little face-off.

Husk: Sad that we didn't get to see much of him, but I get it. His interactions with the others were sweet (especially Angel). I loved the one line he got to sing on his own in that last song of episode 8. 😍

Angel: Ngl I am very glad he wasn't the one to die. It would've been a fun little "oh crap" moment but I really didn't want to be right. He's still got business down there. His interactions with the others here are everything to me, and he's just grown so much and aaaaaa. It's lovely to see! I love him more and more with every episode.

Niffty: YOU GO, GIRL!!!! Love to see the stabbing. I also really loved the...one line Nifty got. Kimiko Glenn's voice is a gift, I freaked out over getting to hear one line. Anyway. not much else to say other than I definitely thought it was Alastor doing a big "oh look, I'm alive!" thing when Adam got stabbed, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Cherri Bomb/Sir P: I was surprised, to say the least, when Cherri and Sir P had that little moment. Glad they got it before he went and DIED. Cherri is such a good friend to Angel and she's great. Now, onto Sir P...WOW, OKAY. Glad we know Charlie's plan isn't completely stupid. Wonder how Sera's gonna react to him being there now, lol.

The Vees: FIRST OFF, VOX?????? "This is better than sex!" 💀💀💀 Truly was not expecting to see as much of the Vees as we did. Not complaining though. It was...interesting...to say the least, watching Vox get as excited as he did over the prospect of Al dying (still as obsessed as ever, fr). Not at all surprised to see Val and Vox have a thing going, I figured from the interactions we've seen so far. Them dancing together was silly, them practically making out was less so 😃. Also, gotta continue the love for Velvette--putting up with these two idiots must take a lot. Also also, her HAIR! HER HAIR!! EEEEE

Lucifer: I reallllyyyyyy enjoyed seeing Luci make a return to help Charlie, even if it was in one of those "last-minute saves" that I usually hate. Idk, makes sense here I guess because he's probably always watching over Charlie some way. ALSO LUCI AND CHARLIE GOING ALL DEMON-Y TOGETHER WAS <33333333 I really loved him starting off that last song in episode 8, and telling Charlie that he believes in her. It was so sweet. I love Luci sm, hoping he becomes a more integral part of the crew in s2.

Adam/Lute/Lilith: HAHA HOW DOES IT FEEL TO LOSE??? Lute got what she deserved with the whole...arm thing. ALSO WHAT--JUST GONNA CASUALLY DROP LILITH IN HERE NOW? Sure, fine, whatever, totally cool. Not sure how to feel about Lilith atm so moving on. I dunno why I was so shocked upon seeing Adam's face. I guess I expected him to...not look as good as he does? Also so upset that he broke Al's staff. How rude. He sucks.

Rosie: Not how I expected her to sound, but I'm most certainly not disappointed. I don't have much to say other than I loved literally everything about her. No complaints--at least not yet ig, need to go back and rewatch the episodes critically. Her and Alastor is everything to me, and seeing them dance was <333333 I cannot express my excitement over it enough.

Alastor: Saved him for last because yes. If I wasn't limiting myself to a short paragraph for each, I'd be writing a whole essay just about Al, I swear....CANNOT believe what just happened omg. Not only did we get to see silly Al in episode 7, but we got to see scary (and scared) Al in episode 8. He's really freaking out, it's so entertaining! I'm so glad it wasn't him who died, I started getting a bit worried for a minute there....His relationship with Rosie is aaaaa, best of besties fr. Fighting Adam scene was glorious. Making Vox act like an idiot even when not trying was funny to watch (Vox's obsession with this guy is so silly). Him retreating sure was a move, but I'm glad he didn't get all stubborn and end up dying. Him ranting a bit in his section of the final song was so...AAAAAAA. Man is so scared, he looks stressed as can be. I need to see Alastor just have an external breakdown because he honestly feels like he's on the verge of one. 💀

Stopping for now before I go on a bigger rant than I already have. To those who read all this, I'm so sorry pfft. Feel free to leave a comment if there's something you wanna discuss (or, better yet, send one of those ask thingies. I do not have comments figured out yet...)

Anyway, have a good one <3

[tiredassmage]

veilguard thoughts!

rook + solas parallels edition

spoilery ofc because my head's not full of cotton balls today and i haven't stopped chewing on it all since i finished the game! so! this is a little endgame heavy; you've been warned for what's below the cut <3

the final first playthrough counter has come in just over 67 hours and i am all but physically holding myself back from launching right into another one with another rook because i had a blast. i'll concede it was a bit heavy on the exposition in the first several hours, but what followed has certainly won my heart, and i think the game is visually beautiful.

but i'm not even looking to do a full review here, but i think one of the most fascinating things this game did was set up rook and solas. so, two parts of preface then: one, i was a little determined to love this game and hoped it would at least perform decent. that's my spite about it, lol, but that's not the point, so we're not here about that. two, one of my admitted concerns when they had first announced this game having its own protagonist was... that i wasn't sure there was another person to finish solas's story other than the inquisitor, and this isn't a solavellan thing for me, though my beloved canon inquisitor is a lavellan. solas's friendship wasn't the biggest hitch in inquisition for me, but it was important to my inquisitor. he wanted to prove his friend wrong.

i don't believe hallaren had a plan at the time for how to achieve that. he wasn't sure it was actually possible to convince solas the dalish were not as lost a cause as he seemed to believe, but he had to try.

and when i started veilguard, i wouldn't say i'd have anticipated the parallels of solas and rook, nor how well they ended up working for me. i admit: they got me. i didn't see that twist coming. and the hindsight of losing varric from the beginning makes a lot hurt (i say that as a compliment). i think it's easy enough to explain why i didn't see it, why (my, at least) rook didn't puzzle it out, but i also readily admit i'm historically bad at seeing these kinds of things, so you're free to be amused on your own time, lol.

anyway. regret. not becoming what you hate, what you claim to fight against. not being beholden to what you were or what you've lost. the game hits these beats several times, and i think its a real beautiful repeating thing they've done if you hammer all the companion's stories with the main deal, and i did the memories of the dread wolf as well. rook and the inquisitor have a conversation about it that about touches on all of it way more eloquently than i could summarize.

and, of course, part of the reveal is solas did dabble with blood magic on the matter of varric's death, did set rook up for the level of regret and grief they must settle with to trap them in the fade - a prison fit for gods, a prison fit for a god's regrets.

and this is where i transition into blorbo-specific thoughts. because i think part of what fascinates and delights me so much about the rook and solas, potentially two sides of the same coin deal is how tyr's relationship with solas starts and then develops.

tyr does not trust solas from the outset. which i think is where a very interesting presentation of similar (at their roots) choices begins, as varric says: in a bar, as all good stories. one of the first story notifications we get is how rook chooses to handle the bar owner: charm your way out, or a more direct approach, and we're told varric takes note of this.

varric's own plan is an appeal to solas's nature. to talk his way out. as is varric's way.

normally, i'd call tyr the kind of character (having played with him as an oc in various medias for oh... going on 2 years, is it? maybe 3? time's fake, different post) to also prefer talking his way out. but he doesn't believe solas will listen. so he rebukes varric's plan of just waltzing up and charming him with his babygirl eyes.

then at d'meta's crossing, he spares the mayor. not because he doesn't hear the concern that the greedy bastard will fall to said greed again, and not out of an entirely conscious mandate for live with the consequences of your actions, but... in hindsight with other choices, i'd argue it's... from at least a little of that kind of place.

he tries and fails to reason with the first warden. several times. in the heat of weisshaupt, and with the recent conversation with solas about whatever it takes on his mind, he ends up decking the man. the stakes are too high for risking the first warden staying on his high horse again if another attempt at reason fails, is the driver of the decision.

i'd chewed for a while on how that would seem to make tyr's commitment to "talking things through" indicated by that first choice in the bar inconsistent. it all seems justifiable at the time, and he didn't get to the place with the first warden he was out of intentional malice, but he still wound up there.

much of that is natural by the circumstances he was presented. by making calls with the information and under the conditions that were present at the time, as anyone, not just rook, would have to do under such circumstances, if they traded places. sure, some of it is also by solas's engineering of his conversations with rook. by setting them up to be a leader asked to make those hard calls. maybe even for arguably goading them a bit into a situation where whatever it takes was their only feasible option. which neve has a great comment on:

this is, i think, most directly about varric's death, but also, personally, i have to say is applicable for solas's intervention during blood of arlathan.

so, back to blorbo for a moment. tyr begins from a place that mistrusts solas's motives. the I'm quoting you here, "lies, treachery, and rebellion" kind of mistrust. and then, as things progress, as the team unveils more about solas's past in the crossroads and through the murals, it circles back to what I think motivated much of his comment to varric that talking with solas wouldn't work: that even if solas has any regret for what's happened, he's too stubborn to concede, too trapped by the mistakes of that past to ever admit fault, to hear himself sound like the 'gods' he claims to despise. tyr continues to take solas's advice into consideration the whole time, true, because it's... hard to discount the only potentially close to the problem kind of advice and knowledge they don't... exactly otherwise have themselves. he's not sure what the other shoe dropping in that equation is going to look like, but he's more convinced it'll happen than he is entirely happy with the situation.

the murals create... a hunch. or develop it. that rather than just being too prideful about the harm he'll cause by tearing down the veil, that solas is trapped in this plan by his regrets and guilt for actions of the past. at that point, tyr... has a better understanding about how they got to this point, but it kind of only solidifies his reservations that solas might actually be reasoned with.

the one moment this is changed, then, is during blood of arlathan. because frankly i think that was one of the worst experiences tyr has in the entire game. elgar'nan's influence in their minds, and an incident where they're trapped with no conceivable way out and potentially facing down an archdemon again, not so long after weisshaupt that the losses have stopped aching.

whatever his reasons or motivations and whatever else happens, solas saves their lives. tyr can't find a way around that one, and he's not even certain he wants to. because it's one of the definitive moments where he didn't have a plan, and he was terrified the tables had finally turned against them, and they'd fail.

it's not... trust. but tyr's also spent all this time working with his team on this concept that change shouldn't exactly be beyond anyone if there's a little effort put in. and whatever his own feelings are, varric wanted to believe in his old friend, and so does the inquisitor - both people he respects greatly, and he's constantly calculating their desire for a better outcome into the rubix cube that is trying to figure out how to stop the gods.

the problem then, is that solas all but instantly takes advantage of this... lapse. this faint relaxation of tyr's guard against his manipulations. that whole little incident with the fade after ghilan'nain's fall is all but immediately after, and its a betrayal nearly thrice or so over in rapid succession: that varric's been dead this whole time, that solas has manipulated him and how he feels responsibility for the team and the regrets that arise out of having to make hard choices, especially in times like these, and then on the other side of the fade, that solas has gone to minrathous, solas is playing "hero" about it all in tyr's and the shadow dragons' backyard. and to add salt to the wound, in minrathous, it's been blood magic all along.

and, y'know. solas says sorry, says he won't tear down the veil by his own hand, but hands rook the weapon to do it for him. sets them up again. so maybe that's more like... four or five times, depending on your count and categorization of it all.

and rook has a choice about all of this to make, a certain level of peace they have to make with it all to even get out of the fade. and how much to follow varric's advice about don't become what you hate - what you were fighting all along, or trapped by what you lost.

here's tyr's opinion that solas has more than likely been beyond reason because he's too far gone on his own path to even see that he's done exactly that: that he talks like elgar'nan's control, he's just dressing it up in a different way. that he's trapped by what he's lost and sacrificed and admitting that will be too much.

and here's tyr's inescapable bitterness of having been betrayed, of having spent so long trying to be careful with the god of trickery only to have danced right to his tune the whole time. a fiery emotional response for a threat to his home, to minrathous that he's tried very hard to protect and leave a smidgen better than he found it in this whole fight.

by circumstance... and by a little of solas's own design then, rook and solas confront the same trouble of what sacrifice being a leader demands. what cost is too high? how much is too much?

i had the pieces at that point for the ending with mythal, but now i had tyr bitter and a bit more resentful about solas - in a kind of pain about betrayal that was still asking why? about it rather than worried about if regret was present or meaningful. which is where this came from in my head akdfnas;dfnsadf

you're both thinking it. and the endings directly focus on whether or not solas succeeds in tearing down the veil, but the thematic part of it, to me, was... do rook and solas recognize where they might be held back? does tyr act on the pain and resentment of betrayal and swing blindly at solas as repayment? or is it bigger than both of them? is it about posing the question to solas about regret? how much is it like what drove solas to this point to act on that resentment? is it just retaliation? or did either of them learn anything from that prison in the fade?

and that's what makes the parallel, and it's what sets them apart.

and that's how, still, in the end, i have tyr who is willing to choose trying to reason one last time. for the sake of the advice of an old friend. for the people that brought them this far, the ones who chose to believe against the odds. and maybe, even, a little bit for himself. a choice against letting regret and resentment rule.

for the sake of it and because i couldn't get this game out of my head, i checked out the other endings, just to see, and i... think i like sticking with convincing him the best for both of them.

the trick with the dagger swap i think is the only other fitting course of action tyr might've taken from that point, and i think some of its elements reflect similar beats here about... learning from the past, if you will.

the accusation of likeness to the gods is still there. the banter about wits. i am a fool who finally met his match. one might argue that's for underestimating rook, which... fair enough, but i think... it also falls in line with solas's regrets, the appeal to be made to his nature, the... want, in the end, to be proven wrong. to find a 'better' way, as once he suggested to the inquisitor, and as mythal's release from debt and rook and the inquisitor's forgiveness, if you will, finally allows.

and that is... very satisfying to have said between them, when it's been on tyr's mind the whole time. and... they can both be proven wrong this way: for tyr, that solas wasn't beyond listening, and for solas, that there was another way.

for both of them that they could move on from what these trials have made of them, what they have done, and what they endured.

and man... man that was good. and so, so satisfying. it worked, veilguard. you sold me on these two as parallels to each other.

and that's just... one of many things in this game that gave me a lot of emotions, but this has already been. a helluva ramble, so if you've made it this far, congratulations and i salute you, lol.

i'm sure i'll do it all over again and have even more thoughts about even more rooks to throw around and chew on with this and what it'll reflect about each of them and that's. MMM. that's delicious. i loved this game. if my brain and time cooperates, i'm sure i'll have more thoughts and maybe even some writings for it in the future, we'll see where the blorbos take me. xD

[lostcauses-noregrets]

How do you think Levi is doing post war regarding grief? I've seen a lot of people say he's happy and theiving, living his best life in peace and that it fits his character because he always moves on and fights and he wouldn't cry for decades or something lol. I just saw a lot of people completely dismiss the idea of him not being "happy" and having trouble adjusting to his new life without fighting and actually having time to grieve for the first time in his life, which i find questionable since he IS the most emotional character and always cared about remembering his friends, especially Erwin. I feel like grieve is portrayed pretty one dimensional though, like it doesn't have to look like just one way (like it can look like mikasa but it can also look like Levi who is still actively trying to help people) but i also think that grieve is a big part of Levi's character and we should talk about it! I'd be interested on your take about this though :)

Oh man I have a lot of thoughts about this.  I totally agree with everything you've said, however I can also understand people's reticence to dwell on grief, it's a difficult and overwhelming emotion. I know there are a lot of fans who want to believe that postwar Levi was able to live his best life, unencumbered by grief, and enjoying his freedom with Gabi and Falco.  And I also know that there are some fans who are really offended by the idea that Levi would spend the rest of his life grieving, never moving on from those he lost during the war. Certainly living a hollow, grief stricken life is a terrifying prospect, however grief isn’t that simple.  One of the best explanations of grief I’ve come across said that when you lose someone you love, you don’t just forget them, or replace them, time can never heal that wound or fill that void. However with time and patience your life can grow around that absence and expand to encompass new people, new love, new experiences.  The absence is always there, it becomes part of you, and your life continues to grow around it. I think Mikasa is actually a good example of that.  It’s clear that she continued to love Eren for the rest of her life, but that didn’t stop her from loving other people and going on to raise a family.  I don’t think she ever “moved on” from Eren, no one could ever replace him,  but I do think she was still able to find love in the world.  The Ackermans were fierce and constant in their love and their loyalty; both Mikasa and Kenny remembered their liege, their chosen person, to the end of their days, and I see no reason for Levi to be any different.  I believe Erwin’s absence would have left an indelible mark on Levi, and I don’t think anyone could ever replace him, however I also believe that Levi was able to forge a new found family with Gabi, Falco and Onyankopon and I hope he was able to end his days peacefully. 

If you're interested, I've written several fics about Levi's life after the war that explore his grief for Erwin and his fallen comrades, and his new life with Gabi and Falco.

The Permanence of the Young Men

A Good Man

That And So Much More

[isa-is-asleep]

Disclaimer for my sense of humor, did I tell you I grew up watching comedy theaters. Yeah that's why I can't go 5 seconds in a post without making an offhand joke because most theater humor is not kind. So sorry for that.

Alright so we have it like this:

Imagine you're a Moroccan woman, yeah couldn't be me. I'd rather be a dusty cloud....

But not the matter. You wanna shower and feel hell at the same time since you have adhd.

So you hit up your street shop owner and he hits you up with a soap like supplement called "Saboon Beldi"

Looks like this:

As far as my 5 second google search it says it's made with olive and black olive and is older than one county I can't mention.

And it's literally natural, beldi (بلدي) is a darija word (darija is an arabic slang that will make you lose brain cells, it's the worst best Arabic slang lol).

So you get that and your other girl thingys you use for showering. Idk tell me how y'all do hair care, I wanna grow mine, please 🥺.

And you go to your shower, and or the Public one if you want to shower with your friends if you have ones.

Don't be weirded out by that. Moroccan people (usually women) love these community type things, or just gossip. Yes definitely gossip.

I usually don't go, only when Forced with my brother.

Okay I should stop over sharing.

Now that out of the way, you spread that. I forgot the word for cream, you spread that black thing over you (with water ofc) sinc it makes the process of shedding dead skin easier.

Then you bring out the legendary, exotic Omega weapon that made many Morrocan children weep while getting the life scrubbed because their mothers certainly don't know how to fucking hold back. The glove of truth and power. The legendary Kharka (خرقة) !

Using the Black Glove of Darkness and The Black Concoction that smells way too nice for being made with oil. Seriously how tf did they do that.

You use it to scrub your entire body. Literally.

Can't get to your back? Well you little fucker why don't you just have someone do it for you. And free of Labor.

Isn't it fun?!

And then after 30 minutes or an hour since you're a woman and hair makes things harder if my ass that doesn't know shit knows about long hair shower difficulties is that it will take longer.

Or not cuz your adhd just says fuck it and speed run it.

And when all is finished. You see that the green dead skin or something (I still don't know what it is), you see that You've become the living embodiment of a tomato with how hot the shower and hard you scrubbed your Self.

You end it with doing the Normal shit like doing shampoo, shaving, using soap and the "normal" things you do in a shower.

You leave the shower half faint and in dire need of laying for half a day (seriously it's exhausting, except if you're not me I never get exhausted, just fatigued, wait...shit)

Then when you get your energy recharged. You feel way way better. Like seriously If it was east I'll do it everyday because it makes me feel new and shit but common it's tedious.

If you're interested in learning more Moroccan culture or just weird ass info in a weird humorous way than I am available (probably, if I am not that's cuz school)

Also pray for me that I can make coffee in secret tomorrow.

Goodbye Isa.

Owner of a hell calico cat is out

Also this.

I can't get this song out of my head, been listening to it for the entire day

https://youtu.be/Rec0a1UBz0Q

The black glove of darkness sounds painful, but your skin must be so smooth! Thank you for the bonus cat picture! Your little goblin is adorable

Good luck with the coffee!

[malin-moon]

We've been having a tough time in QL fandom as of late, so I thought I'd throw out another one of my random asks to perhaps lighten things up! If you could recast one of your favorite non-ql dramas and turn it into a QL with your favorite ql actors, which drama would it be and who would you cast as the main characters?

Oh fun!

Okay, so, I'm going to go with Charmed because who wouldn't want a Yuri version of Charmed? I'm going to give it to Thailand and GMM. Hear me out for a minute lol I just have an undying need to feature their amazing female talent that they tragically ignore. And it's my show now so HA!

Here we go!

Thank you @hallowpen for the Thai language help!

Ciize Rutricha as Prue Halliwell

Prue doesn't die in our Yuri version of Charmed OR if she does, it certainly won't be permanent or for very long, we've got magic for heaven's sake. She gets to meet Paige and be the older sister we know and love! Ciize sold me on her ability to play an older sibling with her emotional scene in 23.5. I loved Prue and Andy in the show, so they'll be the pair I put together in my GL world. Same death rules apply to Andy! No exceptions!

Milk Pansa as Piper Halliwell

Piper was always my favorite of the sisters. The middle child with so much responsibility on her shoulders. Milk would EAT. Piper and Leo were the staple couple of the show and they'll remain the same in this version💚 Be still my MuvMuv heart.

June Wanwimol as Phoebe Halliwell

June was the first actress I thought of for this. I think she'd be the perfect fit for Phoebe. Our first divergence from endgame show-canon relationships. I think almost everyone who saw Charmed was rooting for Phoebe and Cole. Well in Charmed Yuri, they end up together. Sorry, not sorry, Coop. After all, "You're not really one of us until you've dated a demon." 

Film Rachanun as Paige Matthews

Paige! Welcome to the power of FOUR! My show, my rules lol Film felt like a no brainer for this, as well. She can bring that unique dichotomy of innocent and badass that exists within the character. We're going to take some liberties with her pair in the show, too. We already have a witch-human love story with Prue. I'm going to give Paige a different relationship dynamic! Sorry Henry. It's nothing against you, I swear!

Kapook Ploynira as Andy Trudeau

I haven't really seen Kapook in anything, but I thought her and Ciize made a cute looking pair. I'm trusting GMM's call on this one. I have a soft spot for high school sweethearts and first loves. Andy and Prue were so good together and Andy won't die! They will get their happy ending if I have anything to say about it!

Love Pattranite as Leo Wyatt

Everyone's favorite whitelighter! The love of Piper's life. "I have to lose you to save you." Come on! They were relationship goals. They had ups and downs, but they never gave up on each other. Love as Leo? No question! MilkLove would knock this dynamic out of the park!

View Benyapa as Cole Turner

I think it'd be fun to see View take on a villain turned love interest. She and June have so much potential! I need more of it. In my world, Cole stays redeemed! None of this Source of All Evil business and doing terrible things to Phoebe. They are a demon-witch power couple on the side of good, kicking ass and loving each other the right way!

Namtan Tipnaree as Richard Montana

Ha ha! I bet you all forgot about Paige and Richard. I actually really liked where the show was going with them. There was a lot of untapped potential. Namtan would nail the psychology and emotion of a character resisting temptation while being in a relationship with someone who uses magic when she can't for fear of losing control. Succumbing to the temptation, finding a balance, stripping powers? There's so many ways this can go and have it be an important part of their relationship with Paige. This way we get a witch-witch love story, too.

Thank you Sammi! This was so much fun thinking about who I would cast and what I would change about the original story to have it fit my gl whims lol We'll probably NEVER get something like this, but it will live on in my imagination! LONG LIVE CHARMED YURI! new character names pending

[simplylove101]

2024 Horror Challenge: [89/?]

↳"I thought I'd lost you forever.

"Lose me? No. You can never lose me, Laura. I'm your monster.” Your Monster (2024) dir. Caroline Lindy

Plot: After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster living in her closet. A romantic-comedy-horror film about falling in love with your inner rage.

Starring: Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster & Meghann Fahy

Yes, the annual challenge is technically over since I always declare Halloween as the last day of it, but honestly, I might just have to keep it going on the whole year from now on at this point because, let's face it, horror movies still get released after October. And well, I have thoughts to share about certain ones. lol Now I'll watch older movies for the first time during this little limbo between challenges and not type up a review just because that's gonna slip my mind tbh. And it's not like I have a real audience for this thing anyway (despite plenty of people liking my reviews) so what's it matter, you know? That said, these newer movies, I have thoughts to share, and it only makes sense to get those thoughts out here where I can ramble for myself. Anyway, I kept hearing about this movie but felt like I wasn't getting the clearest idea what it actually was. Having watched it, I do get why. It's a very genre-bending movie that isn't necessarily going to be for everyone, which I think is why its rating keeps lower little by little each time I see it. I can't say that it's a complete 10/10 for me, but I actually think it mostly worked for what it was. I'm sure people went into it expecting a pure romcom since yes, its plot certainly had its inspiration from Beauty and the Beast, and it has plenty of that vibe, but it does also focus on Melissa's character outside of that where it's more about her dealing with her prior heartbreak & wanting approval from her ex, and then, without spoiling the ending, it takes the narrative a step further in a way that leaves some things up for interpretation for its audience. I personally didn't hate that the story went that way. I don't know if it necessarily stuck the landing when that happened, but I think Melissa sold it very well. I saw someone saying she was miscasted, but I actually liked getting to see her play a much softer character than I'm used to. It felt refreshing. Now again, I don't know if I'd say she hit every beat perfectly imo (I'm thinking more when her character was crying, and yeah, I know it was meant to be funny, but it did get a little shrilly at certain parts), but I think it was a great career move on her part. It was a good chance to show her range as an actress and she made me laugh. The strongest part of the movie for sure was her chemistry with Tommy Dewey as Monster. I think he really helped her make this movie work because he's so present in his scenes with her, and he definitely had me dying with laughter at certain parts. I really enjoyed their dynamic. Also gotta mention, I love that Meghann Fahy is finally getting some proper love lately since I adored her on The Bold Type, and while she doesn't necessarily get much to work with here, she was perfectly cast since ofc everyone's gonna love her. lol What's interesting is you'll watch it and wonder, so where's the horror element beyond him being a monster? Well, it comes near the end, but I promise there's something. It's not a scary movie by any means, but there's a bloody sequence, that's all I'll say. I know this movie was probably a hard sell to producers, and that's why it got the small theatrical release, but it's a solid enough indie movie that was trying to be a little different. Overall, I enjoyed it. If I had to place it in my earlier rankings, I think I would have wanted to put it in my Honorable Mentions category. I feel like it worked enough for me that feels right as a placement.

[shrimplymoray]

Hellooo, hope you are having a nice day! I discovered your work not long ago, but I already liked it a lot! I'd like to order a Cody/X Virus x Reader, in which the Reader is a biology nerd who is enthralled by Cody's skills and knowledge! Just the two of them being adorable nerds together!! 👉👈🤧💕

((it's so hard to find content about Cody, and it makes me particularly sad because he's my favorite creepypasta! 🥹🥹🥹))

Anyway, thank you in advance!! 💞

HIHII! I'm so sorry for the long wait, my life has been wild this last couple of weeks, but I'm back at writing and YES CODY'S FANS RISE UP!! Love me when he is a psychopathic scientist lol. Hope you enjoy this!

X Virus x Biology Nerd Reader

Cody normally keeps to himself in his lab, and is not really used to having people besides EJ or Toby around. So when he gets assigned a lab partner, he got skeptical.

He couldn't understand if this was some wild scheme from the others to make him interact more, or if you were actually someone with enough knowledge to work with him, but he couldn't complain since it was orders from the proxies.

You were going to be Cody's lab partner due to your area of knowledge on biology being similar in level to his, and you were certainly excited to find someone with an interest similar than yours, from what you heard of him.

When you did come to the lab, and looked around the place, you were certainly excited with the amount of biology related stuff. It was all you ever wanted, and it made your love for the subject bubble out.

Cody met you right there, on the lab, and at first he was REALLY skeptical, because you looked decent.

'since when does a scientist looks decent? They will not understand at all what I'm doing'

But the moment you opened your mouth and started accurately guessing what each thing he had was, his eyes sparkled. No way...

"Oh my god, you have a guide to the human cardiovascular system! Do you use it often? I bet you do, look at the amount of stuff that needs an intravenous application..."

"Wait, you actually know what you're talking about?"

It didn't take long to Cody to open up about his current researches and projects, like his experiments with the xelymtopa virus, or how he was experimenting on the maximization of effects on cyanide based poisons.

You were excited and eager to know, even bringing your own hypothesis on what could happen depending on the person he experiments on, which he appreciates.

Soon enough you were one of Cody's closest friends (and maybe he had a bit of a crush on you too), and were together everywhere, freaking everyone out by your casual talks about deadly diseases and poisonous animals.

Cody, while doing his work on the infirmary with EJ, opened up about how he felt close to you in a deeper level than anything, but he couldn't put a finger on what exactly he felt. EJ advised him to be open with you besides the work talk.

Cody felt confused and even a bit scarred. Open up about feelings? That is not like him at all...

His mind went in circles on how this was a bad idea and how he would lose your friendship, and you were the only one that actually understood what he said for once, but... EJ never wronged him. Why would he be wrong this time, right?

The next day, on the lab, you were working on one of your projects, some vaccines for one of the many viruses samples Cody had, when he came inside the labe with something behind his back.

"Hey, uh, I hope I'm not interrupting but... Can I talk to you for a second?"

After you looked at him and nodded, he basically dumped all of his feelings for you at once, and you couldn't help but giggle at how the usually confident in himself Cody was a blushing and rambling mess.

You did feel the same towards him, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He did have something to give you, your very own test subject. It was a golden poison frog, which was being securely held in a small vivarium.

Let's just say that both of you are probably the deadliest couple in the manor, and that if anyone bothers one of you, the other is very capable of performing inhumane tests on them just out of spite.

Hope you enjoyed it! I am not particularly knowledgeable on Biology, never had very good teachers on the subject, but it was certainly fun to write this. We need more Cody love in the world fr fr.

[bitter-panacea]

Goultard's backstory, comparing the Dofus manga and the special episode Part 2 - Falling in love

Part 1

The special ep and the manga are the most different when it comes to Goultard falling in love.

The most notable difference is that Goultard falls in love with one witch instead of three. Certainly because they thought Gou having three girlfriends/wives at the same time wouldn't be politically correct enough for a short film meant to be showed to french tv channels as a way to prove Ankama had what it takes to make a tv show (Wakfu).

In the manga, Goultard goes after a trio of witches, the dark sisters, who keep stealing food from their village and causing chaos. He's not really interested in stopping them, really he's just charmed and intrigued... (maybe he's kinda fascinated... and wishes he could be free like they are idk idk maybe who knows)

Kiki : Alright girls, I've got everything we need... Let's go!

Guy : Well, Goultard? What the hell were you doing? These three witches ransacked the whole village! And you didn't even lift a finger!

Goultard : I... I don't know, I wasn't myself, they must have cast a spell on me... / Guy : A spell? My ass. You're losing it! Talk about a hero... You're a pervert, that's what you are!

The way this guy talks to him like he's a completely useless imbecile really proves Goultard's only respected as long as he does what people expect him to do...

So he throws a large boulder the size of a small boulder at them, making them drop the bag of stolen food.

Kiki : Listen little peasant, we don't want to hurt you. Give us that bag and you'll leave safe and sound. / Elvie : Pretty cute for a little peasant.

Goultard : Shush... A small demonstration is better than a long speech...

Kiki : You think we're impressed, you pretentious macho? (Still... A tree with only one finger!) Let's see what you can do againsnt our magic powers!

Dark sisters : Take this! / Goultard : I wonder which one is the cutest...

They insult him, make fun of him, threaten and eventually attack him... and I guess that totally does it for Goultard. This is also exactly what Algathe did before he fell in love with her, so I'm pretty sure that's just his type.

Goultard : Now, you've really gone too far... You've burnt all my clothes off! (Gou like "teehee oops i'm naked lol ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ " )

Kiki : It's impossible... No man can resist our magic! / Elvie : Seems like he can.

Goultard : Now, may I give you some advice? / Kiki : Keep your advice and take this!

Goultard : Please, don't make me hurt you! / Kiki : Ow, my arm. Where does this strength come from?

Goultard : No idea, I've always been pretty sturdy... Now, if you'll excuse me... I believe this bag of provisions must be returned to its real owner. See you later, girls! (omg nobody look! he's ass)

Ah yes... No creature could resist Goultard, whether monstrous or feminine... / Kiki : What a guy... / Elvie : I'd like casting a love spell on him.

They dont ever say it, but you cant make me believe that these three "single" witches, who people call "sisters", (who lived together secluded from "respectable society"?) and did petty crimes together, weren't all dating one another. Goultard was just the latest addition to their cute little polycule. Thanks to his idiot rizz. And supposedly huge dick (If Elvie says so I believe her)

Elvie : Oh! Now that's what I call a magic wand!

His dick pictured here, here and here (pictures kindly provided by @dj-m0th thank you lmao)

( ＾◡＾)っ✂╰⋃╯No!! you leave that thang alone!!

In the special episode, the unnamed witch initiates the flirting with Goultard.

She IS very cute even if she doesn't seem mean like Goultard usually likes.

They dont waste any time getting to know each other. As shown here by this VERY subtle broom riding illustration.

In the manga, the relationship takes a little more time to develop.

Thus, after a few months, the relationship between goultard and the dark sisters grew friendlier. They first began by repairing the damage they had caused and helped Goultard to fend off the most aggressive monsters.

Over time, the three sisters and goultard became more intimate / Kiki : Take your finger out of there, naughty boy...

Looks like they're having fun. Good for them, good for them....

His wedding was magnificent and thousands of warriors came to pay homage. They were even surprised to see some former enemies arrive during the ceremony.

(Cabotine isn't there, is she dead?)

Life went on and Goultard was the happiest hero in the world. / Monster : Goultard, you little worm, come taste my balls... / Goultard : Stay in bed, girls, I'll be back in five minutes... (He'll be back right after tasting this dude's balls I guess)

They had many children and lived happily ever after

They have four children, three boys and a girl. Riri, Fifi, Loulou, what the fuck is the daughter's name oh my god (Fun fact : Riri, Fifi and Loulou are the names of Donald Duck's nephews in french)

Goultard's family is what he cherishes the most in the entire world. He truly loves that simple domestic lifestyle....

And this is it! Happy ending! No looming threat in the dark and certainly no part 3 to this post.

Part 3 Part 4

[thebottomfromhell]

reading your post about the younger demons and their father figures was so lovely and i was left wondering. Since Zohakuten has a father figure, would the other clones have one too? After all, they still look young, young adults at least. Would they have a father figure and how? Was it Zohakuten's influence or not? With their unique personalities, they would certainly have quite a variety of interactions for a parent to deal with, be the father human or demon, but mostly human. Poor reader lol

I would ask you to write for both a human and a demon parent, but if it gets too long, that's up to you. Whatever it is, I'd love to read it.

It's an interesting ask, I'll see what I can do since I really don't have the same type of appreciation to adults that I have for children. This will be trying to parent people that don't need parenting, they need a therapist in an era were therapy was a scientist fucking up your nervous system.

Male Reader over his twenties Parenting (or trying) the Hantengu Clones, AU (Canon Divergence) where Zouhakuten doesn't need the clones to fuse to be formed. Previous post.

Warnings: Mentioned cannibalism, Mentioned non-consensual bodily/mind modifications, Implied unhealthy relationships and Attacks to reader (Implied, mostly).

Human Reader:

When you decided to take Zohakuten in, you didn't expect this. For there to be other 4 young men with his very same face, each of them being a different emotion or something like that. "Oohhh, he smells tasty. Can I eat him?" The one with the wings asks in front of your face, nose inches from you as he smiles. "NO! No eating papa!" Said the boy as he grabbed the yellow eyed version by the wings and pulled him off, throwing him agains the wall without breaking it before looking at you, clearly proud of himself. "Zohakuten, not that I don't appreciate that you defend me, but you shouldn't use violence to solve problems between your loved ones." Besides, he was probably joking, right? ..... Right??

Well, the main poin is that, just like the kiddo, these 4 are in your house to hide from daylight. You soon learn to identify them, Sekido the angry/red one, Karaku the green/that only seeks pleasure one, Urogi the bird/joy clone, and Aizetsu is the sensible/blue/always sad one. And they are... a lot. Sekido is very violent, he barely shows any respect, care or affirmation, also he often lashes out, so Zohakuten and Aizetsu had to come to your rescue to not be killed several times. Karaku and Urogi steal and take everything in the house besides testing everyone's patience, causing trouble around, and the bird one almost ate you twice with, again, Zohakuten and Aizetsu to the rescue. And Aizetsu... nah, he is fine, but he could grow out some spine. Maybe you should take him to a small night trip with Zohakuten.

The thing is, without Zohakuten (and Aizetsu, but you are hesitant to add him since he came with the peoblem) you would be dead already with those demons in your house. The only thing that is stopping them from tearing it down is that they will lose their free refuge against the sunlight. "I can throw them out if you want to." Tells you the kid with those big eyes of him, only looking for approval as you reach to pet his hair softly. "No kid, they are your family, aren't they? So your brothers can stay." He looks lightly confused "Brothers? We are not brothers, we are just clones of the same demon." You laugh a bit nervious "Then technically you are brothers. Besides, Aizetsu and Sekido try to help with the chores, so it's not so bad."

He thinks about it a bit, and you leave him be. To be honest, because of how he needed to be formed before and they could only meet in Hantengu's mind he really doesn't feel that kinship towards them. But you are right, they all have the samw origin, so they are technically brothers. In the end, with your help and protecting you everytime he needs to, he starts to become closer to the other clones. It's... not so bad. Even Urogi and Karaku... they are fine.

"I have finished doing the dishes." You see his work, well done and tidy, as Aizetsu looks to the floor playing with his hands, clearly waiting for some affirmation you usually give when they behave or help around. He looked so cute you just had to pet his head "Well done, boy." Urogi saw it and started to behave too, clearly also wanting some head pats "Please, I promise I'll be good!" At times he seems more like a pet than anything else, but if it gets him out of trouble there is no harm to it. In the end, Karalu got bored of being mischievious alone and also started to bahave. "I needed to do something, don't think too much of me getting you a boar. I know you humans like to eat pork and it offered a fun time." He still blushes in the when you pat his head.

They were clearly kin in physical contact, Sekido to a less extent, but in a good humour he also accepts pats and hugs. "Very good as always, Sekido!" They all blush and, besides Urogi, evade to look at you when you show affection this way "S-Shut up. It's not a big deal." And you swear this group... really, they are difficult, even when they behave, since dor some reaaon they can't seem to grow out of certain tendencies. They will even outlive you, so there is little more that you could do than making sure they don't cause a mess.

They never see you with the same eyes that Zohakuten does, they never call you "papa" or actually treat you as if you were their parent, but they do listen to you and know you will listen to them. You don't know if it was the kid who told them, but rather sooner than later they started trusting you their burdens, looking for advice if the need it. They also help you around as much as they can.

"We are going out for the night. Get ready." You say one sunset, they usually get out at night to eat and do what their master tells them, but only for tonight, and maybe once again later, you want to have a normal family trip.

You all go outside, make a campfire (you have to teach them how) and stay the hole night up, you let them wander and rest, tell them funny stories even when your eyes become tired, teach them a camping trick or two. Aizetsu, Sekido and Zohakuten stay the whole time besides you, the kid sitting by your side and hugging you. If you came with an interesting enough story Urogi and Karaku joined in to ask questions. They are very animated.

"Y/N-san, you look a bit tired. The sun will come up in an hour. I think it's ok if we go back. Thank you for tonight." Yeah, you do feel a bit tired, and you still have work left to do. "I will carry you!" "NO WAY, YOU WILL GO FLYING WITH HIM!" "You are all annoying. Karaku, you carry him." "Huh? Why do you just shove the responsibility on me?!" They will forever tire you, but...

You will get used to it.

Demon Reader:

You know you are younger than Hantengu, and you just know you were younger than he was when he gave him blood. It's clear you were not even in your 50's when you became a demon, Hantengu must have been over his 80's. And yet, the damned clones that started to join Zohakuten after he made something for the original body to become and be trapped in the kid. (You knew he didn't like his Upper Four, but nobody expected him to behave so harshly.) "Stop eating human food, you two! I don't care if it's a game, I don't want you to go around throwing up!" Three, you correct in your mind. Aizetsu is also into it, but his innocent face made you just not include him. "Aww, don't be like that, old man. Let us have some fun!"

To your surprise, Zohakuten hits Karaku to shut him up. "Don't talk to papa like that!" You can't help but smile at the young boy. "Thanks, kiddo." You pat his head softly before turning your attention to Aizetsu, the more reliable of these three. "Where is Sekido?" He just shrugs "Urogi grabbed me before he and Karaku followed Zohakuten here. This human house is nice, since where do you use it?" You sigh as you look the place, you have been over a month in here, so you should probably leave before the week ends. "A while, so don't get used to it. While it's a secluded area, one of those damned crows might find out I killed the family that lived here sooner or later. Now thr peiority is finding-" you are interrupted by the door slamed open.

"YOU FUCKING PIECES OF SHIT! I TOLD YOU ZOHAKUTEN WAS GOING TO VISIT A FRIEND AND YOU FOLLOWED HERE! AND HOW DARE YOU ALL LEAVING ME BEHIND?!" He steps in as if it was his home as he keeps scolding everyone else. You can only sigh again, you are not even going to wonder how did they find you. (You told Hantengu where you were, that is how Zohakuten knew the area, then he should have been able to find you by the smell of human blood.) You wait for anger clone to stop berating the others as you distract Zohakuten using his tanuki to take them both out ("Kiddo, go and play with Dorobō outside before all this yelling stresses him out. Don't worry, I will go for you both once the others are finished."), he doesn't need this kind of energy.

Once Sekido finally starts panting of all the hating monologue he just did you step in. "You three don't ever do that again." Well, technically two this time, since Aizetsu didn't come here wilingly. But still. "Sekido, there is no need for you to scream your lungs out. It only affects you more than them." He looks at you as if he waa a rabid dog wanting to bite your face off, but he doesn't say anything else, just leave for a room, hopefully to calm down. "Karaku, Urogi, Ai- oh, you are already into it. Karaku, Urogi, you also clean the mess you left." Thankfully they obey, mostly because you managed Sekido for them.

"It's safe now- for Dorobō, I mean. He is already an old doggy, he is probably a bit sensitive to the yelling, just like kids." You say as you sit besides Zohakuten, you was racing his pet in climbing (obviously not using his full speed) trees, they were now taking a break, the boy petting the small animal in his arms. "I'm sorry they followed me here, I didn't want them to come. What are we doing with them?" You only smile wanting to reasure him before you look to the horizon, less than 30 minutes for the sun to come up. You can sense it. "Well, I definetely can't let you throw them out now. Besides, I'm sure they will behave is prompted to do so. C'mon, lets go inside."

You take Dorobō from his arms and jump to the floor, since you are a lot gentler that Zohakuten at landing. When you step inside the house is clean, not as tidy as before the clones arrived, but clean. Sekido is still in the room. "Are you ok?" You ask comming in after knocking 5 times without answer. He still looks like he wants to kill you, but doesn't do anything. "They shouldn't have left you behind. It's ok to be angry, but you can't explode to everyone like that. Zohakuten is a kid and needs some healthy environment and adults to take cara of him. That is why he always look for me." He looks even angrier, if that it's possible, his eyes even get wetter, so Sekido looks away in case he starta crying of frustration. You only sigh bedore going to him to pet his head, trying to smile to reasure him. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" He cuts off your arm in one movement, you heal after some moments.

"Hey, it's ok. They are fine. You are fine. I'll make sure they won't do it again, but try to calm yourself." You say calmy as you close and secure the curtains and move a wardrobe to cover the window. "The sun is starting to go up. You can hide in here for as long as you need." You smile at him before closing the door as you leave.... that was tiring. And doesn't change much, since you start to be their confident from now on (of all clones you never thought Sekido would be a snitch).

You start traveling with them, they take care of their business and you just make sure to be there. Besides Zohakuten, they barely need anything else. They do all like praise and headpats, so you take advantage of that. Guess you'll have to get use to it, and it's not that bad once they get under your skin. You'll live, specially now that they even protect you from slayers. Even thought this, with your inmortality, should last forever until the end of times with you having to handle them...

You'll live.

[pointyhatspointyears]

(2.) How important is your OCs relationship(s) to their story? Would it still make sense without it? Or is their connection to this other character integral to their development?

God I wouldn't know how else to write a story if not around the character's relationships of any kind. Wouldn't know how to flesh out a character without starting with their boundaries with others and why they were drawn to begin with. (Boundaries not in the sense of walls but like, the outline of a figure that distinguishes it from the background) or the failings and toxicities of their previous relationships that would shape their personal definition of a healthy relationship. Where we can custom-tailor the circumstances for them to grow. So I really don't know how to make sense of a story without relating its main character to others, but that's probably because my definition of relationship is wider than what was intended by the question, probably..?

So if we're talking specifically romantic or sexual relationships, our characters pretty much run the gamut, so how big a part their relationship plays in their own story is a case by case thing. LOTS more rambling if you're curious.

Very briefly, the lala wives (Yuusei x Yasumi) I'd say are the most sexually active with obscene amounts of love and doting and it's an essential, sacred ritual for them that involves a consensual and mutually-beneficial exchange of lifeforce, so yes, an absolutely integral part of the story, especially with Yuusei's trans/body issues being a big part of their story (the sex parts will never be shared ofc because people are weird about adult lalas). Verdict: Absolutely integral.

For our girlfriends (Goose x Amalthea), one has a long journey ahead of her to being comfortable with touch and intimacy while the other is frothing at the mouth trying to be patient. Couples with drastically different drives really have it tough and it adds spice, but that's only indirectly relevant to Amalthea's WoL arc and how she learns to thaw and not let the isolation of long-term anger/shadow repression swallow her up. And the advantage of having a tenacious partner who's very ready and very eager to take whatever she can dish out at her, sexually or otherwise, and contain it for her when she can't, is certainly a healing experience for her lol. Verdict: fairly integral.

And as for the malewives (Fyrstyrm x Gabriel x Theneras) their relationship is as awkward as it is fun to write. There's long-distance issues (Theneras being in the First). There's platonic vs. sexual love and how they can or can't co-exist. There's Theneras only having known human contact through longterm ritualistic cult abuse, then escaping and living alone for about 20+ years, only to find the kindest, gentlest, most caring soul in Fyr, all the way in the Source, and forming an obsession attachment to him without the other even knowing he existed for a good few years. Even after, he's only able to be with him through Gabriel, Fyr's life-long friend and Theneras's "host" in the Source. His story is relearning how to trust others to have your genuine best interest at heart when all you've known was abuse, and boy does he take a few wrong turns along the way, having only been taught what he has. Then there's Gabriel who's all too happy to provide the required dick but is also slowly losing his own mind? because a strange elf owns all his aether and lives in him now and he can only hope he plays nice. Verdict: integral-ish? it's complicated..

Then there's our ace lala (and the 3rd wheel on our sapphic tricycle lmao) who does romanticize a lot of things, but relationships not as much. Her biggest relationship arc is with her adoptive dad (Fyr) and how she can get him to get over himself and his own sense of inadequacy, and show him he raised a damned good Storm pup, whether or not he manages to locate and reunite her with her biological family. I think she's the most relatively well-adjusted of all of them, whatever that says about sexual relationships. Verdict: nah she aint got time for that.

THANK YOU for the chance to ramble about OC relationships. It takes up 90% of my brain RAM and I overheat sometimes (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)

Ship and OC Relationship Creative Process Ask List

[rmd-writes]

Hi!! I always love what you write, so I'm very excited to see whatever this secret project is! But for now I do have a question about beta reading. How did you break into it? For a long time I have thought that I would enjoy doing that for different people, and I like that kind of fine-tooth comb editing work. But I am not a writer myself, just an avid fic enjoyer, so it feels like I can't quite bring as much to the table or meet other authors in a mutual kind of way. And I would never want to imply that an author needed that extra help or anything like that by just cold reaching out to them. Sorry that so much about me haha, I'm not necessarily looking for any advice (though if you had any I would certainly take it) but I am curious about how you got into it and what your experience has been like! Thank you!!

Hi nonnie! Thanks for the ask!

Can I just say to start with, that as an avid fic enjoyer, you absolutely can meet writers and other creators in a mutual way! Everyone has a place in fandom and something to contribute. It would be a very lonely world for creators if people weren't there to enjoy what we make (and hopefully tell us what they're liking those things). Personally, I appreciate readers so much and I especially love seeing regular names pop up in my inbox 💖💖

As for how I got into beta reading, it started back when a pal in Schitt's Creek fandom was writing a fic and worried that she was going to lose motivation to write it so I offered to sit in the doc and cheer her on. Please note that my motivation for doing so was entirely selfish because it meant that I had early access to the fic that I desperately wanted her to keep writing 😅 that eventually turned into me beta reading that fic (and all of her fics after that) for her.

I started beta reading more frequently in RWRB - I'd signed up as a beta reader for an event, but around the same time I also got to know other writers via a discord server. Sometimes people would ask for beta readers and I'd volunteer - I'm still a tiny bit dirty that @three-drink-amy snagged the beta rights to bleedingballroomfloor's baseball boyfriends fic right out from under my nose even though she is far better qualified than I to beta read a baseball fic - so much so that she helped me with the baseball scenes in my rwrb lawyer au lol (please know that I love them both dearly, there is no internet beef here).

You say that you don't want to reach out to writers and imply that they need assistance, but honestly, sliding into people's DMs and letting them know that either I'm very interested in X fic that they're writing and would they like someone to beta read it or that I'm available in general to help if they want it because I love their writing is how I've ended up beta reading for almost all of the writers I do that for!! People are generally just thankful to know that someone is interested in their writing! It can be a lonely hobby sometimes and having someone to live in your docs or send snippets to can help balance the need for wanting to talk about your fics with someone or bounce ideas off someone and wanting to keep what you're working on under wraps.

God, this is getting really long, I'm so sorry. I've been rambling and I'm not even sure that I answered your question.

You asked what my experience has been like and for the most part, it's been very positive! I get early access to fics (I often say that my favourite way to read a fic is in google docs 😂), I get to cheer my friends on and sometimes they even trust me enough to let me throw ideas at them and write them into their stories - sometimes I even get to do this without actually doing any editing and that's just as fun. I love beta reading, I think there's something really special about being trusted with the draft of someone's writing and getting to help make it the best that it can be (what that involves looks different for every writer I work with). 💖

And all of that doesn't even touch on how much I learn from the writers I've worked with - it's definitely helped me improve my own writing!

[morsesnotes]

This goes with my previous post, but it was already getting too long, lol, so [again spoilers for S8 and potentially a bit of S9]:

That's what bothers me about the Strange relationship as well. I'd be totally fine with it if they had their own arc or if Joan stuck with avoiding policemen. Instead her character morphed into someone different in order to easily move forward with Strange. Suddenly she's actually fine with dating a policeman and is completely chill with going to a ball for the Masons. Giving Strange info related to her work? Sure, no problem. Morse? Certainly not.

Morse was very clearly in a bad way when Joan saw him in S8, and she has absolutely no interest in trying to help him despite the fact he was there for her when she had no one else? Not even as a friend - because why? He couldn't say he loved her? Come on. How'd she get to that point when we saw how concerned she was for him in Quartet? And why does she have zero curiosity about that deeply intense letter?

And for as much as people talk about Morse putting her on a pedestal, Strange imo doesn't talk to her like a real person. He just says exactly what she wants to hear at all times and is in total awe of her. They interact like two strangers who are at that polite stage before they start showing their true personalities. Strange is lovely, but we know from early seasons he could be ignorant and a bit of a dick who let's not forget was into beating up suspects as much as Thursday. I don't like the way he loses those uncomfortable bits and turns into this perfect man around her.

Idk, I just got the impression Joan sleepwalked into her relationship with Strange, and then woke up midway through S9. Like her character went with whatever was convenient for the plot rather than having her own development.

[luckystarchild]

ever read fanfic of a show you loathe (and liked it)? i know i certainly have and find it hilarious how much good writing matters lol

Good writing matters for sure!

There aren't many fandoms I outright loathe, to be honest, but I have read fics for fandoms I find uninteresting or bland (stuff I'd never, ever write fic for) and unexpectedly loved them. Good writing can absolutely drag me into a fandom I have zero interest in engaging with otherwise. Some fandoms' fics are better than the source material itself overall, IMO.

Likewise, I can love a fandom and find the plot of a fic super interesting, but if I don't mesh with the writing itself, I will click away and lose interest. That's not the writer's fault, though. We all have different tastes, and what we consider "good" writing and "bad" is all too often subjective.

But yeah. Good writing can grab my interest even if I dislike the source material!