#if not feel free to yell at me lmao

[m0th-h]

I love how my blog is just 75% reblogs, 10% complaining, 7% actually funny posts, and 3% posts about my actual writing lmao

[rockwgooglyeyes]

It's This Moment (or Nothing)

One of the biggest things that I have run into over the past day with Blink, Gone is the way that it feels incomplete and that is something I still stand by. This could be something completely purposeful, meant to illustrate that the round wasn't ever going to be a legitimate competition anyways, intended from the beginning as a lure for Hyuna and Mizi, to add extra emotional effect to the cliffhanger, or perhaps it really is one half of a wider whole (in a more localized sense than it being one part of the whole series, anyways). I don't really know which I think is more likely, at this point, because I'm not sure enough about any of my theories on that front to make real predictions. I still believe that Mizi will end up on her own when this all finished, all of the people she ever loved dead and gone, the bodies littered at her feet.

With the "special guests" I presume that Hyuna and Mizi will be forced to go up against each other. My friend Zen, (@verdantlights) said that hy thinks that it'll end up being a Hyunaluka round where Hyuna is set to win and then a Hyunamizi round where Hyuna is set to lose (edited because i got the order wrong and zen corrected me lmao). I agree with the idea that, at this point, it's damage control. They successfully lured Mizi (and by extension, Hyuna) in with Till, killed Till and now they're going to make their hostages perform for their lives, as is their brand.

One of the most interesting parts of Blink Gone, for me, is how this was presumably all planned from the start. Zen mentioned something that made me realize this yesterday, that this is the 50th season of Alien Stage. There's no way they would let it get this rowdy with rebels and disrupted rounds unless they were letting it happen, because it was planned from the start, because they were trying to tie up loose ends (Hyuna). Not only that but this round in particular was undoubtedly planned from the beginning, with the amount of preparation that went into it (the giant billboards of Ivan, the chanting of the crowd, the song itself). Till was ranked 2, it was always going to end up this way, Luka's superiority reinforced and his opponent dead on the floor. (btw I'm coming back to Luka. There's gonna be another fucking post just you wait). The way that they used Till's triggers against him, they drugged both of the performers but only gave Till enough to last him halfway through, forced Till to perform against Luka right after Round 6, where he lost one of the people in his life that was most important to him, and then rubbing salt into his horrible fresh wounds.

This is also one of the only rounds where Mizi is one of the POV characters that we have no mentions of Sua, at all. Perhaps that's merely because Mizi wasn't the focus and by extension, neither was Sua, but in another way, you could argue that it's because someone else was busy haunting the narrative: Ivan.

It kinda fucking hurts that the only way we really got to see Ivan was two ways- a direct flashback to the kiss from CURE, a explicit representation of the trauma that Ivan left Till with, and the billboards/Luka manipulations where he mimics Ivan in order to get Till on the back foot. And the thing is, it works. Ivan, despite his every intention otherwise, has become a trauma for Till, the way he thought he never could. To a degree, I was happy about this, because it proved Ivan wrong, that he would just be forgotten in a blink, but it hurts as well, because him only being used as a weapon against Till only reinforces his beliefs about himself that he is a monster and a negative impact on others. He would view himself being used against Till as a bad thing, that he hurt Till when he never intended to, rather than seeing it for what it is- an explicit sign that he was far more important to Till than he previously thought.

(Also something driving me up a wall right now is the way that one of my friend's described the lyrics of Blink, Gone as being in reference to the way that one moment Ivan was there, and the next he was gone, because Till took advantage of Ivan's presence and didn't know how much he needed it until it was gone and I'm sorry I'm going to go scream some more now.)

One thing I've talked about with friends a lot the past day is the way that, if Till is truly dead, then what was Ivan's character even for? And while narratively, it wouldn't make sense to kill TIll here with all of the potential he has and where his arc is going, one thing that @pwippy pointed out to me is how it makes a lot of sense thematically. Alien Stage is a universe full of suffering and pain for humans, forced to perform until they literally die on stage, all for the entertainment of the audience. It's not even meant as a way of exerting control or oppressing them, though it serves that purpose, because why would the seygein bother to oppress something that can't even fight back? Why go to the trouble of controlling something that is just a pet, whose cries are the fuel for a new age?

For Till to die now, reaching out for this glimmer of light when he is an animal caged, surrounded by enemies and bombarded with triggers of his suffering and pain, it would only be fitting. Another confirmation that life isn't fair, especially not in a system that is actively working against you and your attempts at happiness. Yet another sign that none of them were supposed to live very long, that even if they won, they wouldn't be around for much longer anyways. Now, it wouldn't necessarily be in character for Till, as he wants to live and he wants to fight, but he got to see one of the people he loved most in his dying moments, just like Sua and Ivan did. (Thank you this post for grabbing me by the throat and squeezing). In this world of pain and suffering, perhaps death is a mercy. If Till is truly dead, then he no longer a tool for his oppressors, he is free of their control. For Ivan and Sua both of their deaths were mercies to them- Ivan was able to die for the one he loved, as was Sua, and neither of them were forced to live in a world without their beloved.

So, while it might not be in character for Till to die, it makes sense within the themes and the established mechanisms of the universe, and it hammers home just how much more Mizi has to lose, even at this point where she thinks she's lost it all.

Mizi, who at the beginning, was the only one of these characters filled with innocence and hope, Mizi, the apparent protagonist of this story- at the end, she will be alone and she will know the true lengths of cruelty, with all that which she has ever loved destroyed.

[bi-badass-geek]

Hades 1 vs Hades 2 Designs

● Hermes besides Hypnos was first character that made me think when i saw him oh some time has passed since Zag's escapes indeed, makes you feel that time skip. In this particular debate between those i'm really digging both but if needed to say which i prefer would go with second. I feel it should be said he sure rolls nicely with longer hair i would say darker outfit too but that's probably because pallet that's used for levels.

Ps. I saw post that mentioned how his ring is the same as ones Charon is wearing in first game and if it's a hint at something i'm here for it!

● Zeus for this god specifically there is discourse about how his pose is less dynamic and oh boy if i don't agree with that so much. In first game you see him and his look makes you think yeah this is the king of gods while in second game man is just there with posture i take often because i'm useless gay that don't know what to do with my hands and feels like they took all this might and put it into chiseling his nipples & abs into his golden chestplate. Not to mention the detail of missing the iconic bolt! Don't think it needs to be said but 100% would pick Hades 1 design out of those options.

● Poseidon the King of the Sea another example in my humble opinion where they went with flattening that dynamic looks exchanging it for man that just standing there chilling which is good for him but where first screams cool uncle second one goes uncle that wants retirement. I really like how we can see the trident now tho and need to point out his outfit sure got more print on it. When it comes down to pointing out which one is the winner in my eyes it would be 2020 one.

● Aphrodite if she wasn't the one that got thrown into drama because people double standards and hypocrisy. Design from first game and the pose straight up makes you think of love, lust, seduction all the things that are associated with said goddess. As for Hades 2 version i have no clue why it feels like this considering it's actually the opposite because we can see armor on her legs now but she feels less covered for me, do i find it negative or in any way problematic? Not one bit let the woman show off all her assets all day long! Really love the adds of her weapon and shield makes you immerse in the store of oh fights are happening around these parts. From seduction to i stand here at the ready kinda vibe and i'm really digging it.

Ps. Another post i read was about fact that her war paint i will call it (not 100% sure if that is it or just line for the giggles) is reference to Ares and considering her myth i really like that touch!

● Hypnos was the first OG i saw and was like man not only catching up on his sleep but also got such glow up i absolutely adore the design. Not to say he looked bad in Hades 1 but there it was like okay nice to Hades 2 like Damnnn and his lil helpers that keeps him up! Love the fact that of all things they made him be tucked into his cape like burrito.

Ps. I really do hope by the end of the game we get to wake him up so he can try out that nectar that we all leave there waiting.

● Chaos so many things to say and at the same time silence says it all. Seen people focusing on fact some out there call them he or how it's a downgrade from previous but don't even elaborate why they think that because everyone has right to have their own preference but at least put it into words instead of going trash next..there was also notion how they resemble Meg and while i see where people get that idea from for sure before reading that my mind didn't went there at all. I think both designs really work with someone who is primordial originator and how time goes so can their form. I find it very fascinating that they put old skeleton with new one and adore galaxy under suit makes me think of Nyx right away and how they're connected. Can totally see how between those two gamers got major stance that left reminds them more of male and right of female beings but at the end of the it chaos is chaos. Gotta take chair routine from Meg while they at it! The face on the shoulder surely throws me in loop tho fits? Sure. Does it disturb me in micro scale? Yes. About frames and poses don't have much to say cause both caption the essence of i mind my business everything unrelevant until i say so.

Ps. I know it's about physical aspect but let me say Chaos roasting Mel about how her brother is amusing one out of two Hades spawns is living rent free in my brain.

[bonefall]

So, I'm writing an essay on the whole STATE of misogyny in WC for one of my university classes, and I was wondering if I could ask you a couple of things! No pressure of course, please feel free to say no!

A) Could I reference your good takes with appropriate harvard referencing and links back to your blog?

B) Are there any specific moments from the books that you think should be covered the most?

C) The end result will be a visual essay, so it's like those fun infographics people on Tumblr make on like ADHD and stuff, so when it's done, would you like to be tagged to read it?

(Sorry for anon, I'm nervous lmao, but if you'd be more comfortable I'll resend this off anon)

AAY good topic! You've got a lot to work with. Absolutely feel free to reference anything I've written, and tag me when you're done.

While you're here and about to write something so legitimate, I'm also going to recommend you check out Sunnyfall's video on gender in Warrior Cats. She breaks down the arcs into numbers, directly comparing the amount of lines mollies have to toms, and examining the archetypes women are usually allowed to be.

I think it's a must-have citation in a paper about WC misogyny.

...and, I think it's insightful to look at the WCRP Forum thread about the video. Note how the respondents immediately come into the thread to complain about how the video is too long so they didn't watch it, dismissing Sunnyfall as not being entertaining enough to hold their attention, even whining that she starts with statistics to prove her point, which I'm convinced she did exactly because they would have cried that she "had no evidence" if she didn't.

I am not a scholar, so I don't know how to document or prove that the books have an impact on the audience outside of anecdotes. But I think if you do write a section about fandom, it would be worth mentioning the in-universe and metatextual apologia for Ashfur and its reflection in the real world discourse, the authorial killing of Ferncloud because of fan complains, and the utter defensiveness against the discussion of misogyny you see outside of Tumblr.

You may also want to check out Cheek by Jowl, a collection of 8 essays about sexism in xenofiction by Ursula K. Le Guin. There's a very unique manifestation of authorial bias in animal fiction, having a lot to do with how the author views "the natural world," and it's worth understanding even though Warrior Cats are so heavily anthropomorphized.

So... Warrior Cats Misogyny

I think discussing individual instances can be helpful, but I'd implore you to keep in mind what's REALLY bad about WC's misogyny is framing and the bigger picture.

Bumble's death is shocking and insulting, but it's not just that she died. It's that the POV Gray Wing sees her as a fat, useless bitch who took his mate so she deserves to be dragged back to a domestic abuser, and he's right because the writers love him so much. It's that Bumble's torture and killing only factors into how it's going to hurt a man's reputation.

It's how Clear Sky hitting, emotionally manipulating, or killing the following women,

Bright Stream (pressured into leaving her home and family)

Storm (controlled her movements and yelled at her in public)

Misty (killed for land, children stolen)

Bumble (beaten unconscious, blamed nonsensically on a fox)

Alder (child abuse, hit when she refused to attack her brother)

Falling Feather (scratched on the face, subjected to public abuse and humiliation)

Tall Shadow (thrown into murderous crowd, attacked on-sight in heaven)

Rainswept Flower ("blacked out" in anger and murdered in cold blood)

Moth Flight (scratched on the face for saying denying medical treatment is mean, taken hostage in retaliation against mother for the death of his own child, which he caused)

Willow Tail (eyes gouged out for "stirring up trouble")

Is seen as totally understandable, forgivable, or not even questioned at all, when killing Gray Wing in an act of rage would have been "one step too far" with the ridiculous Star Line.

"Kill me and live with the memory, and then let the stars know it would only matter if a single one of your murder victims was a man."

It's the way that fathers who physically abuse their kids out of their ego (Clear Sky, Sandgorse, Crowfeather) aren't treated anywhere near the same level of narrative disgust and revulsion the series has for "bad moms", even if they're displaying symptoms of a post-partum mood disorder (depression, anxiety, and rage), an umbrella of mental illnesses 20% of all new mothers experience but are heavily stigmatized with (Sparkpelt, Palebird, Lizardstripe).

It's Crookedstar's Promise giving him two evil maternal figures in a single book, while bending over backwards to make every man in a position of power still look likeable in spite of the fact they're enabling Rainflower's abuse. Leader Hailstar is soso sorry that he has to change Stormkit's name for some reason, in spite of leaders being unaccountable dictators the other 99% of the time, and Deputy Shellheart functionally does nothing to stop his own son from being abused or even do much parenting before or after the fact.

It's the way men's parental struggles are seen sympathetically, and they don't have to "pay for it" like their female counterparts (Crookedstar's PPD vs Sparkpelt's PPD, how Daisy and Cinders are held responsible for Smoky and Whisper being deadbeats, Yellowfang's endless guilt for killing her son vs Onestar's purpose in life to kill his own), even to the point where a father doesn't have to have raised their kids at all to have a magical innate emotional connection to them (Tree's father Root, Tom the Wifebeater, Tigerstar and Hawkfrost).

It's less speaking lines and agency for female characters, being reduced to accessories in the lives of their mates and babies, women getting less diversity in their personalities, with even major ex-POV characters eventually becoming "sweet mom" tropes.

You could zoom in on any one of these examples and have an amoeba try to argue with you that "Oh THIS makes sense because X" or "Ah well my headcanon perfectly explains this thing" or "MY mother/girlfriend was abusive/toxic/neglectful and I've decided that you are personally attacking ME by having issues with how a character was written or utilized," but the beleaguered point,

That I keep trying to hammer in, over and over, across books worth of posts,

Is that these are trends. More than just a couple one-off examples. It's the fabric that has been woven over years, showing a lack of interest in, or even active prejudice of, women on behalf of the writers.

LONG STANDING trends, which have only gotten worse as the series progressed. From Yellowfang being harshly punished with a born evil son who ruins her life in TPB and the mistreatment of Squirrelpaw that begins in TNP, all the way up to the 7 Fridgenings of DOTC and Sparkpelt's PPD being a major character motivator for her son Nightheart.

So, I would stress that in your paper, and structure it less as "the Sparkpelt slide" and "the Yellowfang slide," and more as "The paternal vs maternal abuse" slide, and "the violence against women" slide. They're really big issues, there's tons of examples for each individual thing.

Anyway to leave off on a funny, look at this scene in Darkest Hour that I find unreasonably hilarious,

"Everyone who matters to me; my truest friend, my sensible and loyal warrior, the wisest deputy I've ever known, and 2 women." -Firestar, glorious idiot

He can't even think of a single trait for either of them what the hell does "formidable pair" mean lmaooo, when I finished a reread about a year ago this line killed me on impact.

[good-beans]

HI @rainbowghostcat and @boxx-sama -- I have been enabled so I'm here to ramble a bit about my faves >:3 Top three are definitely Fuuta, Mahiru, and Yuno! Good taste gang !!🤝✨✨✨

It's a mix of enjoying their songs, genuinely getting into their stories, and relating to them just enough to go a little crazy asdfsd :') Shidou comes in at a close 4th, I love him a lot but I'm not as insane as I am about these guys lmao.

I was holding onto these asks to ramble when I had the time/energy but uuuuhhh I didn't mean to go on for so long sorry 😭 Woe, 03 06 02 thoughts be upon ye...

Starting with Fuuta!! His character has everything – He’s cool, he’s lame, he’s terrifying, he’s tragic, he’s funny, he’s unbearably real, he’s my silly little guy, he makes me cry, etc. The core of his character that always gets me is how normal he is. How he’s probably closest to the majority of the audience – he (and Kazui) are the only ones who did not have murder on their mind at all. He anticipated harm, but the thought of someone dying never once crossed his mind. He’s right around teens/early twenties. He engages with the online world a lot. So many milgram fans are in that age range, on the internet a lot (in order to enjoy the project and its fanbase), feel a strong sense of justice (since they’re so engaged in a project about morality), and aren’t in any situation dramatic enough that they expect anyone to die. He’s so much like all of us. 

Continuing on that, his heart really is in the right place to start. He cares deeply about people and society, which is why he wants to fix it. His vision is a bit small, focusing on petty issues rather than huge social issues, but the point is he cares. He attacks Es because he’s trying to be the brave representative after hearing Haruka and Yuno were attacked. He yells at Kazui and Mahiru because they’re not helping the others. He takes care of Haruka. He gives Mahiru a birthday gift even when he has nothing to give. 

His biggest issue is, he doesn’t belong. I’ve written up a whole analysis on how he’s written very neurodivergent: he misses social cues, he’s on the outskirts of friendships and groups. It’s more clear in characters like Haruka and Muu, but Fuuta is just as incredibly desperate for attention. For love. For that feeling of belonging in a group. His knightly fantasies aren’t ones of violence and weapons – they’re mostly scenes of him surrounded by a close-knit party of adventurers who are cheering him on. 

All of this together is what makes him so compelling and so tragic to me. All the characters are human and real, but he’s the closest to a lot of viewers (myself included). He let the attention get to his head for just a bit too long, let himself get swept away in finally having friends. He got distracted thinking that the focus of being a hero was defeating, and not protecting. And all it took was a brief time of getting drunk on this attention, and now he has a little girl’s blood on his hands. It makes me absolutely insane.

I also think he’s such a cool special case because he truly got a taste of his own medicine. The other characters are being judged in an unfamiliar way, but he is being scrutinized in the Exact same way that Fuuta pried open others’ privacy. He was attacked and almost died because of Es’ judgment, just as his victim was attacked because of his judgment. The process of Milgram is putting him in his victim’s shoes, and it’s so cool to see.

Aaaaand on a lighter note – he’s just so fun!! He’s my little skrunkly fr!!! I love his shit-eating grin. I love his ridiculous laugh. I love his crooked teeth. I love the knight theme, and the fire symbolism. It’s pretty standard, but it suits him perfectly. He’s got such cool, badass songs! I’m obsessed with his voice, both his singing and vd performances are incredible. His vds are the only ones I’ll listen to often and out of the blue – Arthur Lounsbery uses such an interesting and fun voice for him ;--; His design is so fun (apparently I have a Type for redhead characters…), and his t2 development and design were amazing! There has been no other Milgram character that I want to reach through the screen and shake violently by the shoulders and also hug so badly 😂

I’m so obsessed with her theme of ‘being so kind that it causes harm’!! Because it’s very easy to dismiss the other characters as unforgivable when you look at the harm they wanted to cause their victim, or disregard they had for their victim’s feelings. But Mahiru… she doesn’t want to cause any harm. At all. She took her boyfriend’s feelings into consideration so much so that she didn’t stop him when she definitely should have. She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body and yet she fucked up big time!! It’s such a unique type of murder!! The other characters need to be sat down and told “don’t hurt innocents, don’t seek revenge, don’t be selfish, etc” and then Mahiru is over here like “don’t be… nice to people.” Because it’s not about being nice per se – it’s about not being a doormat. 

(I know her story is still a bit mysterious – my running theory is that her bf had health issues completely separate from their relationship. They started getting bad and he started to consider suicide. Instead of stopping him, Mahiru combined her need to copy her lover (as seen a lot in TIHTBILWY), her ideas that lovers do everything together, and her belief that one should do anything they set their mind to (as seen in her comments about Es/Kotoko and the attack). She says she’ll join him, make it a lovers’ suicide, but doesn’t follow through at the last second.)

She (and Mikoto) have really interesting themes of how not caring for yourself can actually hurt others. They put all their efforts into giving back to others, to society, fitting into the norms and expectations, not questioning others, and it backfires catastrophically. If she had stood up for herself and her relationship, she would not have assumed anyone deserved to die. She would have known that it wasn’t up to her alone to deal with her bf’s mental issues. She obviously wasn’t handling it correctly (rats….) but she didn’t need to! She should have pointed him to professionals instead of deciding she deserved to die along with him! But she was so poisoned by society’s expectations of being the perfect girlfriend and being considerate of others…

She’s just such a tragic case because the power of love is supposed to be perfect. She’s been taught her whole life that it’s wonderful and magical and pure. Who can kill with the power of love, after all? I can completely understand her denial of the situation, because I also wouldn’t picture a terrifying, dark scene if I knew I was only being nice for my whole life! 

And her crime aside – she’s super fun :3 She has The Most Fun songs, she’s full of energy and excitement and enthusiasm! (out of the various english covers I like, hers is the one I jam out to most often hehe). She’s the most stunning character there! I’m a sucker for sunshine-coded characters ����🌻🌻I think she has the best symbols out of everyone, between the birdcage and the carousel. The fact that both Mahiru and her bf could be the bird and the cage. The two symbols representing beautiful things that can be trapping. Representing cycles. Representing relationships. I know the hourglass is a popular one but I think this is Yamanaka's finest set of symbols. I am unwell about it. So yeah, rather than give her a good shake I want to yank her right out of there – Get in loser we’re gonna get you some self-love!!!!

And a slightly shorter rant on Yuno because that was a lot adfsdf. Ad I'm aware of the irony that one of my points is that it kinda sucks how most rants on Yuno are cut short :( The thing is, she’s been very honest about her crime, and most people have considered her issue in a context outside of Milgram so they already have a pretty good idea on where their vote stands. Despite being the “obvious” innocent one, she really is the most emotionally charged character imo. It’s easy to relate to the other characters and feel knee-jerk reaction, but none have been so widely discussed as abortion and sex work. I can talk openly about everyone else and get into a nice discussion on morals and emotions, but Yuno is the one character I have to talk very, very carefully around. Whether I’m rambling about Milgram to my family or interacting with new fans, I never know what’s acceptable to say without falling into a whole debate on politics.

So, if it’s made me into someone who keeps quiet and skirts around things, I shudder to imagine the amount of lying/masking Yuno herself must do on a daily basis. I can easily avoid the topic if I choose to – she was dealing with that debate long before coming to Milgram, and is currently dealing with debates and judgements and insults and pity surrounding it. She’s naturally strong so I think fans often forget all the shit that this 18yo is dealing with on a daily basis, and how effortless she’s making it look <3

[froganni]

Maybe a little overly serious approach to the situation, but y'all have GOT to be more respectful towards the creators you watch and consume content for. fWhip's message about getting a lot of hate is honestly abysmal.

Like, don't get me wrong, I love lore-related series! I think they're a lot of fun and I love watching them.But give non-lore series a chance! They're also a lot of fun!

These creators are all responsible adults who are very capable of creating boundaries for themselves and deciding amongst themselves what rules they want to follow when joining a project.

Obviously, there are many viewers and community members who this isn't directed at. :D

Please don't send hate to anyone, it's not helpful. If you don't like something, don't engage with it. Just leave it at that. Show respect to the community you're apart of, and to the creators that head it.

(It's fine to be annoyed with something and talk about it, but don't force a creator to see that negativity. It's not benefiting anyone.) The more hate a creator gets, the less they engage with and organize fun things for the community. Please remember to be kind.

[virgil-kain]

listening to dndads finally and HOLY SHIT THIS IS SO FUKIN GOOD!! HOW HAS IT TAKEN ME THIS LONG TO LISTEN TOO IT?!?!!

[qsmp-where-it-shouldnt-be]

dantdm should not be in superhell

q!Dan should not be in Superhell!

[lavenoon]

Reversed Au Au roles... Sun as the rival sounds like a whole new monster to deal with. Too much energy for the night shift in an endearing way. I can see it now, if Robin ever got hurt on a mission Sun would be so concerned and kinda overbearing with how much he may care.

If the roles were reserved though, does that mean Moon may be the one in a suit instead? Or something close to that. Going around and getting information in a calm collected way that chills your bones.

Would this be Au Au Au?

Okay so, by the time you sent this I was already neck deep in an au au au ramble on discord, so it turned out a bit differently from this!

Robin is the one who changes shifts - less parkour for them (though they're still really good at it), but they are still a star agent, just doing the day shift's undercover work!

Sun and Moon/ Dawn and Dusk keep their job as is - Dusk just may end up a bit more bored with it all, since Dawn seems to be hogging all the entertainment (:

Rest of the rambles under the cut, because BOI this got long:

First off, link back to the ask that sparked this insanity with more details on the dynamic between Y/N and Moon!

So civilian Y/N got their earnestness going for them, though they definitely wouldn't share as much about their beef with their coworker with Moon - dude seems kinda reclusive, and they can respect that. no need to prattle on about work trouble if the other party isn't a "oh god whats the polite level of small talk when I cannot talk about this small talk topic uhhhhh lets just be super vague about it all" type of person

Maybe some time down the line he lets some concern slip - they look tired, everything okay? and they just laugh softly and explain it's fine, just a coworker that's testing the durability of their nerves

He's more subtle (sheepish) about caring, but does ask more and more from then on, just quick check ins and at some point quiet reassurances Y/N hears and interprets them as "hey, we're friends now!" and starts doubling down in their approaches, too - Moon gets a very special emotional cocktail when Y/N first gets him some cool crafting supply they saw while running some errands, made them think of him! They get a craft back unreasonably quick, where some of the material is incorporated, as a thank you. Lot less verbal about it though, because he still feels like he needs to keep that distance to not put them at risk

Post reveal Y/N gets whiplash with how comfortable he suddenly is lmao

They might ask Moon about his get up at some point, asking if he's into parkour or something, and he just freezes. After that, climbing park date SO real for these two <333

Dawn and Robin rivalry? Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god. Sun's secret agent persona does not fuck around, so it's a lot more tense. Dawn enjoys it much more than Robin would assume, and they're very frustrated with how suave he always reacts. They're more hotheaded, but also a lot more smug when they do feel like they get a "win"

Dawn quite enjoys teasing Robin, might lean into calling them a little thief, with them insisting that Robin Hood was a good thief, and they're a damn good agent, so!

Dude definitely gets a kick out of showing off, though he would never admit that it's that. The higher ups notice the tension here, too, but also realize that putting Dawn and Robin on missions together just makes them push each other to even greater performances. So they do that. And just assign them the same undercover missions. Lots of tense smiles and under breath jabs as they pretend to be whatever cordial cover they slipped under this time. (Fake dating/ relationship undercover missions is what I'm saying) (Also tense dancing scenes where they bicker the entire time? Please Oh god) (they get a mirroring scene post reveal when Sun invites Y/N over, cooks for them too <3, and just dance to some tinny radio song in their casual outfits - as far as Sun's is casual lmao)

Dawn doesn't mention Dusk at all, because in the end their job is to collect intel, what happens with that then isn't their responsibility anymore. So it just drops off the radar.

He tells Moon a bit about their little rival, and Moon's reaction is basically just "poor Robin, lmao. Good luck to them they need it" and that's that - he knows Sun, and knows that he sticks to the rules given to them by the agency, so everything happening is perfectly fine by their standards

But when Y/N gets hurt on the job? Oh no. Oh no no no. No one gets to do that. That's his little rival. Possessive protective Dawn? Check. Whatever fuck hurt Robin doesn't even get the time to regret it, really (even though Dawn is tempted, maybe). Robin is just extra confused bc ouch, stab wound, and what the fuck is up with Dawn, what's with the sudden attitude shift? Soft, concerned, almost hesitant to get close to them with his fingers fluttering all over them

They just blurt out a "Go back. Can you go back?" and startle him, but then he laughs, caresses their (masked) cheek, and tells them "We're getting you back to HQ, and when you're fully recovered again, I'll be just the Dawn you know. Promise."

Moon also gets that appendicitis message - and honestly, with Sun just wordlessly frantic in his head and Y/N out of commission, he kinda wants to bang his head against a wall. Has the idea of get well soon baskets - and Sun is MUCH more enthusiastic than canon Moon. Definitely also adds a card like "Better not get hurt again, or next time I'll add flowers. The time after that, the most embarrassing balloons I can find" and Y/N just gets that card and an embarrassingly elaborate gift basket (and a more appropriate one, with some of their favorite snacks, some new bedsheets in their favorite color, and a good book, from Moon) and is VERY close to ripping up the card. Comes home and just goes "thanks for the gift basket and not being weird about it" and doesn't further elaborate with the stormiest expression.

Moon just goes ??? and later DOES get them to admit that they got another from their coworker that bothers them, but not how he was "weird" about it

The reveal I don't wanna touch yet for this bc it would give away too much about the canon one, but post reveal?

Y/N and Sun just this weird dynamic of "STOP being so sweet it's weird" "Make me (:" and immediate return to being genuinely caring and they just are so thrown off their rhythm, but after the initial acclimation period just realize that it's all him - the bastard, and the caring neighbor, and they throw in a joke about how well he can separate his off time and work, and gets one way too smooth "There are some things I do enjoy in both" back

Moon post reveal also over the moon, similarly to alt reveal Moon. He's so so happy about not having to hide anymore, and he gets Robin on missions now, too! Ideal world for him fr. Probably started with calling Y/N dove pre-reveal, maybe after the bird feeder scenario, and then just very much enjoys that he can now continue calling them bird names on the job, too. They race a lot, and Robin kinda gets used to menace Dusk easier than suddenly sweet Sun - mostly because they can jab at him for it, meanwhile it feels strange trying to apply their rivalry rules to sweet neighbor Sun

Also, I officially got attached - I might just adopt this as AU AU AU (because yes, of course! <3) and do some comics/ drabbles for this on the side along with the main AU stuff. I'm just a little sucker and happen to love the reverse dynamics a lot, too

[trashlie]

My Year in Review (Webtoons)

Idk if Webtoon is going to give us a year in review this year or not, but I’m making my own! I don’t talk nearly enough about the other webtoons I’ve read/been reading, so I’m going to use this as an opportunity to at least name them all and talk about why I enjoy them. Who knows - maybe some of my followers/mutuals are also reading what I am and want to gush! 

Frankly, I cannot really rank things because I’m wishy washy and terrible at listing favorites, so this will be in no particular order. Read what I have to say about it, rather than where I ranked it, haha. 

I attempted to limit the number of webtoons I fastpassed on but... uh. I wasn’t good at it. Sometimes I just did it all in one go, sometimes it’s a steady, every single week deal. These such webtoons are denoted with an F. I’m not gonna say me fast passing means it’s a favorite, because sometimes I end up fast passing because I just REALLY want to see what happens next, so... don’t assume it means it’s the best of the best lol. 

Sometimes I get SO into a webtoon that when I hit all of what I can read in English, I’ll go look it up in Korean and try to read THAT lol. I’m not totally good at it yet but it serves as really good Korean practice so I’ll keep it up. These such webtoons are denoted with a K.

Let’s dive in!

I Love Yoo (F) Drama

I’m putting this first because that’s what a lot of people follow me for, and that’s where it deserves. I haven’t dedicated this much time and energy to many fandoms in the last 5 years, and ILY just reigns supreme there. Honestly, it’s exactly what I want out of a character-driven story that explores the complexities of our experiences. I understand why people want more out of it or aren’t fans of the slower pace, but that’s them, not me, and I LOVE it. Without fail, I fast pass this one so I can barf out all my thoughts on reddit and then yell some more over here. I love grey characters, I love complex characters, I love sad characters. Everyone does it for me, I stay winning! 

How to Become a Dragon (F) (K) Fantasy

Lol I say I try to read this one in Korean but lol this one is WAY  out of my league. Eon is a creator I already ADORED from Super Secret, so when HTBaD dropped, I was so excited. I’ve been reading it ever since and it’s been a steady Fast Pass for me. Bari is just... absolutely endearing and the whole of the story is fantastic. There’s a lot of hurt in the past to uncover, a lot of character development to witness, and so much fantastic lore. Admittedly the translations can sometimes be a little difficult, but that hasn’t been a very common occurrence. I say I don’t play favorites but if I did, this would be up there. Genre-wise it’s very much a fantasy, very light on the romance. PLEASE I beg of you guys, go read this and fall for Bari’s adorable Imoogi form! 

Seasons of Blossom (F) (K) Drama, Romance

You wanna know how much I absolutely love this one? I bough physical, Korean copies! Seasons of Blossom is separated into four stories (one for each season, beginning with spring) that all weave together through the characters involved. Spring is sweet and innocent and subverts a few tropes in a fun way. Summer is oppressive and overbearing and I sobbed so much. Full disclosure, summer follows two characters still dealing with the suicide of someone five years prior. Fall is, ironically, a time for starting over, for turning a new leaf, as a character who was bullied in her youth tries to get revenge. I haven’t started winter yet... I’m bad at endings and I’m sad that this will soon be over and I’ll probably binge and catch up on it really soon lol. I genuinely, ardently love this one SO much. Please! It’s beautiful, it’s wonderful, my heart ACHES so much. It’s perfect! 

Romance 101 (F) Romance

The only reason I haven’t read Romance 101 in Korean is because it’s complete and I need to pay to do that and I still haven’t figured out if there’s a way I can actually pay for it lol. It’s one I’ve been considering buying in Korean, though, so... yknow. Romance 101 is SO well done, and I’m obsessed with the art. All of the main characters are so wonderful and endearing, and Bareum makes a delightful main character, a university student who has never made room in her life for love and is thus sorely inexperienced and also sits on the cusp of true adulthood. There’s a love triangle that will tug at your heart, and so many WONDERFUL demonstrations of friendship! That’s something I appreciate a lot - a romance that isn’t about just the romance and acknowledges the importance of platonic love as well. 

See You in my 19th Life (F) (K) Drama, Romance [completed]

I can understand why people have been put off by the “age gap” in this story - when you’re a person who has remembered every single life you’ve lived, you are mature beyond anyone you’ll ever meet. But despite that, I was really, really sucked into this one and absolutely read ahead in the Korean version lol. There’s just something about Jieum that I love so much, and the way the story connects everyone, but most importantly, how much Seoha means to her. There’s also some fantastic family relationships, and character growth that’s fun to watch. Idk I love this one and I felt SO sad when it ended! The spin off stories were sweet additions, though! Everything tied up so nicely I’m not so much left wanting more as much as just knowing I will miss this ensemble cast for months to come. 

Act Like You Love Me (F) Romance 

God, this is one hell of a love song to tropes and cliches, and I say that in a really positive way and mean it! The writing absolutely knows it’s making use of many tropes and is just haven’t unabashed fun being what it is. There’s boss/employee, cohabitation, bouts of fake dating, a love triangle, a touch of fantasy ? Idk this one is so fun to me and I remember feeling really bummed when it had a short hiatus lol. I’m not currently fast passing but I know I will when I’m ready to binge. Like, look the premise is just SO fun - possessing a plushie you can use to make a famous actor do anything you want? Famous actor and normal person falling for each other? It’s just GOOD FUN! 

Odd Girl Out (F) Drama, Romance 

This is another one that I fast-pass off and on. Full disclosure, I much preferred the first season of this story to the current one, but mostly because the first had so much wonderful friendships between the girls. The second season has a lot more focus on Nari’s romances and love triangle and I just don’t currently feel compelled to fast pass but we’ll see when it changes. Don’t get me wrong, I love good romances, but I ALSO am a sucker for wonderful girl friendships. Regardless, it’s a cute coming of age story and the plucky lead is neither meek nor dull, and the running theme of people being drawn to her for the colorful, wonderful person she is continues throughout! 

Our Secret Alliance (F) (K) Romance 

God, this is my catnip. Childhood friends to almost strangers to lovers? Fake dating? Really cute art? Man this is IT! Is the story terribly deep? No. Are the characters wildly complex? Also no. But sometimes I just want to enjoy a sweet, saccharine story filled with really pretty art, and this scratches that exact itch. It feels like it’s coming to an end and I find myself more sad that I expected to be about it. It’s just so endearingly cute to me and I’m gong to miss it when it’s completed! 

She’s Hopeless (F) (K) Drama, Romance 

From the creator of Orange Marmalade comes this story about a high schooler hired to be a chaebol heiress’s secret bodyguard. The catch? Said heiress has a nasty, nasty temper, and it’s his job to try to get her to get along with her classmates and shed her prickly exterior. This is one that I read off and on, catch up on and binge when the mood strikes. I do enjoy me a terrible female character sometimes when her motives are good and her personality is complex and this one does it SO well. It has a nice touch of enemies to lovers lite and some forbidden romance for those who dig that lol. 

Wished You Were Dead (F) (K) Drama, Romance

Man a lot of people dislike this or find it too drawn out but idk I don’t share that sentiment with them. I guess it depends on your patience and what you enjoy lol. Arranged marriage where Emperor Karloi is betrothed to the daughter of his enemy and his Empress wife, Evonne, is actually the child who saved his life many years ago. But she can’t tell him that, because she’s forced to live a lie to keep her mother safe, and a magic spell prohibits her from even attempting to reveal her identity. As you can imagine, it’s created incredibly frustrating situations where poor Evonne, who is really Rue, endures hardship after hardship, while Karloi is unaware that the person who he is so cruel to is the person who sought out his whole life. HEAVY enemies to lovers, like I mean HEAVY. A lot of people are frustrated that Karloi hasn’t figured out Evonne’s identity despite him having nothing but a nagging sense that she reminds him of Rue. It’s one hell of a slow burn and I, for one, enjoy it (though honestly I’m like is this even gonna HAVE a happy ending or is this man gonna die miserable....) 

Rewriting the Villainess (F) (K) Drama, Romance 

I know isekai is really overdone but I never read them lol so this is fresh yet to me. Liza has returned from war only to find her one true love, her fiance, Illian has fallen for the princess of the very kingdom she went to war against. Hearbroken and anguished, she drowns her sorrows in alcohol only to wake up in the modern world, where she finds not only is she a character in an incomplete story written by Doeun, but she now occupies Doeun’s body. And even worse, she finds out she was not the protagonist of the story but, in fact, the villain. Angered by the way the writer planned to complete the story, she intends to ruin the author’s life as she lives it, until the day they can switch back to their respective places but... well, that doesn’t go according to plan. Honestly this one is SO fun and there’s a lot of mystery to unravel about Doeun and how they ended up in this place at all. There’s also some incredibly WONDERFUL exploration in different kinds of loves, and how familial love vs friendship love vs romantic love all differ from each other, which is something I’ve GREATLY enjoyed. The relationship between Liza and Illian is not a very healthy one, which is something she needs to learn for herself, and boy is she loving. It’s DELIGHTFUL, I’m having so much fun with this one! I tried not to fast pass it so I could save my coins but I couldn’t help myself ;~; 

Daytime Star 

Remember my love for saccharine little romances? This one fits the bill! It’s sweet and pretty and not terribly complex but I still find myself having fun and enjoying the story. The art is SOOOO pretty like WOW so pretty! There’s a part of me that wants to fast pass because I do enjoy it but I’m saving it for now! Besides the romance side of things, it’s just really fun watching Yura, a struggling actress, finally get noticed and start to make a name of herself in the acting world, and ngl that’s probably the thing that keeps this from being a story that fades into the nether. I don’t say that in a bad way, either! 

Beyond Virtual Drama Romance [Hiatus]

Full disclosure, this one has been on hiatus for most of the year and I DON’T KNOW WHEN IT’S COMING BACK. There’s not even a Korean version of this?! Even though it’s DEFINITELY a Korean webtoon?! PLEASE I need my fix! I really, really dig this one and I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I wound up! It takes place in a near distant future where the world has fallen into further ruin due to climate change and pollution, where people turned to VR to escape the misery of the real world. In VR they can see flowers where there are none, blue skies, animals that have gone extinct, and live the lavish lives they will never have in reality. They can also participate in events with virtual reality idols, who can beat out any human any day. Sora is one such high schooler who is content to live out her fantasies in VR and go on dates with her idol bias. Her best friend, though, has other ideas, and rejects the world of VR. He’d rather be a real human, in the real world. There’s actually lol a LOT of parallels in Beyond Virtual and I really love the story being woven, and the war against VR, the fight to turn to the real world and appreciate what is tangible and real. Okay, I ALSO enjoy the friends to lovers, so sue me! 

Operation True Love (F) (K) Romance, Drama

Listen. I started this like, last Friday. lmao I JUST started it and I’ve devoured it completely, which isn’t a surprise, but I’m also fast passing it AND have started to read it in Korean AND I’m already feeling itchy for more lol. Suae knows her boyfriend is scum, but she can’t help that she’s still into him. But everything in her life goes sideways when a pink Jellypop phone appears in her locker. It’s not just any phone - it can show the amount of love that anyone will receive in life as well as how much life they’ve already received. And Suae? She’s 0/0. She’s got to convince the creator that she’s not a bug in the system and that she can defy the rules and change her 0 into a 1. And look, if she has to do it by using her scummy boyfriend’s best friend, then so be it. After all, she’s already found out there’s a lot more going on with him and her adopted sister than she thought. AND LISTEN I LOVE IT. I love it SO much. The art is so good, it reminds me a little of I Love Yoo but also maybe a touch of Daytime Star? Suae is WONDERFUL and I absolutely LOVE her antics with Eunhyeok. Raim makes for a really complex, if not awful lol, antagonist and I’m really looking forward to seeing how things play out. Look I’m all caught up with this thing and the Korean version is only one!!!! episode ahead of the English FP what the heck am I to do?! (I translated it. lmao this is my Korean practice now, translating the Korean episode.) 

When the Day Comes Drama Romance [Complete]

The creator, OMOYO, is up there with eon in that when I first started using webtoon, I binged their webtoons. The Story of Those Around Us was fantastic and I really enjoyed OMOYO’s art a lot, so when I finally got started on When the Day Comes, I knew I would be utterly charmed. And I absolutely was! OMOYO has a wonderful kind of humor and even more importantly, presents stories in a really candid way. Ngl this one really tugged at my heart in MANY ways - like I found myself having a sweet little mournful cry one night lol. It’s just. Idk delightful, really well done. I look forward to whatever OMOYO works on next! 

Rumor Has It Romance Drama [Complete]

I don’t really like daily pass webtoons because I’m bad at keeping up with them. I can’t even remember how I started reading THIS one. Boredom and need to read something, probably? It’s very up there in saccharine, sweet little stories, and follows two exes who end up as neighbors as they enter college. It’s a really fluffy story, not incredibly deep, and is a generally fun read! 

No Longer a Heroine Drama Romance [Complete]

I don’t use the term guilty pleasure, but I guess if I did, this would probably be considered one. In some ways, this story is really makjang - it just goes OUT there and there are things in it that genuinely made me go “oh shit I didn’t see that coming”! It’s also very much up there with complex, unlikable female leads. I know the art isn’t very pretty, but if this was a drama, people would eat it up solely FOR the drama. I can’t say a lot without spoiling it but I genuinely like where they went with the romance, I didn’t expect it but it was exactly what I’d hoped for! 

Back to You Drama Romance [Complete] 

Full disclosure, this is now a daily pass and I have not finished this one lol. I can’t say why exactly - I guess I kind had a feeling of where the story is going? I think maybe I could have enjoyed it more WITHOUT the romance, actually? That’s the element I wasn’t here for. The idea of going back in time to change the past, to save a person you deeply cared about? Love that. The idea of messing with time and being messed up back? SO good. The irresistible urge to create big ripples and alter the entire timeline? YESSSSS. But meh @ all the romance that happened, I guess? lol Now that it’s a daily pass idk if I’ll ever finish it? I peeked at the ending when it completed, though! I think if this were a drama, I’d probably have quit it, too, because there were some things that were just too frustrating for me to deal with lol. But it may be someone else’s cup of tea! 

The Star Seekers

LMAO look I don’t expect most of my followers to read or take interest in it but as a fan of TXT lmaooo I am. It’s cute, it’s fun, I like fast passing it, Viken is an ADORABLE rendition of Beomgyu, I’m really into the Star Seekers universe and was hoping this would give me insight to the MV storylines. IT DOESN’T! But I’m still having fun lmaoooooooo 

Special shout out to Super Secret, which is now a daily pass, that I reread again because I will never tire of it. It’s so fluffy and sweet and I just love it. I also have already reread Beyond Virtual because it’s been SO LONG SINCE IT UPDATED PLEASE BRING IT BACK 

Everything else that follows is stuff I have begun but maybe haven’t gone back to or just go back every so often to catch up on! 

Honey Lemon My Reason to Die Maybe Meant to Be  Sunny and Rainy Our House Our Time Vampire Husband Unfamiliar Our Beloved Summer Your Letter  Heavenly Eats Your Smile is a Trap Seven Years Later Exchange Student Spring Once Again

And here are things I started and dropped!

To You Who Swallowed a Star (I cannot overstate how MUCH I could NOT stand this afljkafjkajkfkjafjkafkaljajkf) A Summer Night’s Dream  To Love Your Enemy I guess Back to You? Superstar Associate Manager There’s Love Hidden in Lies What if Feels to Date You Loaf App To Love and Be Loved

One day I will properly start Purple Hyacinth and maybe I’ll get into my TBR list (and probably drop some lol) 

[dearlyjun]

wearing my retainer after 4(?) days of not wearing it and ngl she hurt

[orcelito]

Made some progress on ITNL 15 editing during some downtime in my shift today. I think the writing juices are through for now, but I made progress, and now I am Even Closer to done...

Gonna try my best to finish writing first thing tomorrow so I can maybe be done with editing about midday. Best case scenario, I could have an update out within... 16 hours? Within 24 hours tho almost definitely.

Soon...

[enavant]

goodmorning 💖

[xannerz]

i feel so frustrated reeEEEE

[outercrasis]

Spotify wrapped is out! Here's a look at mine:)

[moralesmilesanhour]

I actually successfully completed a series AND WE SMILED