#in an environment that’s very romance-centric.

[ottosbigtop]

being aromantic and thinking abt my desire to ship things is kind of interesting to me. Been trying to examine that more lately. Guy who really likes the friends to lovers trope but really just kind of likes the “strongly loving your friend while the dynamic doesn’t change at all” aspect of it.

[curio-queries]

Are You Sure?!

Episodes 5 & 6 Notes

It was very fortuitous that I've been so busy over the last couple of weeks as I really needed both of these episodes together to make sense of my thoughts. This post is definitely far more conceptual than my last ones so if you're up for it, click on though the cut!

AYS's Main Character?

I would like to propose that AYS has a main character OTHER than the individual humans we're following along on screen. (I warned you, this post was going to be conceptual.) And the main character is the relationship itself, how each of the members relate to one another.

Here's Google's AI overview on what this concept means:

A story can center on the relationship between characters as the primary protagonist, with the dynamic and evolution of that connection acting as the main driving force of the narrative, rather than the individual characters themselves.

Key points to consider:

Relationship-centric stories: Many genres, particularly romance, often focus heavily on the relationship between the main characters, exploring its complexities, challenges, and growth throughout the story.

No single protagonist: In such cases, the "character" is the bond between the individuals, not just one person's perspective or journey.

Exploring the dynamic: The narrative would then focus on how the relationship changes, adapts, and reacts to external situations or internal conflicts.

Examples:

"Before Sunrise": The entire plot revolves around the single night encounter between two strangers, with the developing connection being the central focus.

"Brokeback Mountain": The story primarily explores the forbidden love between two cowboys, highlighting the complexities of their relationship in a restrictive environment.

"Steel Magnolias ": A group of girls in a small town in Louisiana experience grief together, including weddings, fatal illnesses, and the loss of loved ones.

Now before anyone comes for me saying I'm just pitching an argument for xyz fanwar, please note that I included the above just to illustrate the concept of a non-person main character rather than stating any of the above are comparisons to the individual member's relationships. We're talking about a show that was produced and distributed for entertainment, nothing further.

Episode 5

My main feeling after finally being able to watch episode 5 was overall unsettled. There was something sticking with me about that episode and I could NOT figure out what it was.

I knew I was feeling like the entire episode was stretched well beyond what the footage wanted for a complete episode. I'm all for getting to spend more time with our fellas but the Jeju trip would have benefited from being cut down to 2 episodes rather than 3, in my opinion.

There was just a whole lotta nothing happening. The guys eat, travel around a little bit, and eat some more. I had some vague thoughts about how I could quantify some data for y'all to explain this point but then it was time for the next episode...

vs. Episode 6

And what an absolutely lovely breath of fresh air this episode was. I know there have been some Run eps that I review with a smile on my face throughout the whole episode but AYS6?? That was 73 minutes of pure bliss.

So I started thinking about what must be different between the two eps. The guys eat, travel around a little bit, and eat some more...wait, that's exactly what I said about ep 5! Lol

But I think the main difference between the two is episode 6's plot points continually focus on the relationships between the members, while 5 falls a little stagnant.

Some examples:

JM/cat & JK/dog. I'm ALWAYS down for more footage of BTS with pets but this is frankly too much time spent on these scenes. It's honestly footage I would have expected in the bonus content instead of the main product. It's not just an establishing beat or a setup for a callback, this is supposed to be a scene but since it doesn't contribute to the journey of the main character aka the relationships. It could maaaybe work if they'd cut it to highlight the juxtaposition of how JM is calm with the cat vs JKs energy with the dog but that would have shortened the time it occupied and they were clearly trying to keep absolutely everything in that would lengthen the episode.

JKs stew. The ONLY thing that ties this plot point into the narrative of this show (other than it happening while he's in Jeju and Jimin is nearby) is the offhand comment he made that Jimin would like it while he was in NY. I'm going to talk more about this footage below but this was absolutely crucial for this whole beat making it into the episode. This is also why the footage of JM eating it and randomly taking off his shirt was kept in. The cut they chose is actually pretty bad story-wise but they used it anyway. We hear JM saying how much he loves it and how glad he is that JK is a good cook. It ties all of this time we spent watching JK do something alone back into the real main character of the show (the members' relationships between eachother in different circumstances).

Anyway, I won't belabour the point any further. With Tae constantly disappearing from scenes and the slightly diminished lack of focus on the member's relationships, episode 5 left me on an odd note.

A Little Production Note

I was completely thrown by the footage of JK in NY that we got this episode. But not for the reasons you may be thinking. (I do wonder if the anon that was sending in asks about the financing behind the documentaries is still around because we're getting into some of tidbits finally.)

So, all along we've been trying to sus out as much as we can, just a few details about how AYS came to be. We've had some hints but the inclusion of this footage may be another indicator.

The facts as we know them:

AYS is distributed by Disney.

Jungkook's documentary is being distributed by Trafalgar Releasing NOT Disney (at least not now, maybe it'll make it onto streaming after cinematic release but who knows?)

Questions due to the footage of JK in NY:

Was this footage captured as part of JKs documentary?

If so, when was it pulled to be utilized for AYS? Did the editors find it or were the writers involved?

We know that HYBE gathers behind-the-scene content without always having a full plan of how it will be used. But there are times where it did seem intentional for a specific purpose. Where did JKs Golden footage fall in?

Once upon a time, production houses would make deals with distributors about quantities of projects that would be delivered. Was that the case with the Disney deal or has every single project been negotiated separately and we only heard about it once there was a confirmed quantity. Somewhere in the middle perhaps?

And that's all I've got to say for now. I do have some more thoughts about things I've gleaned during these last couple of episodes but it'll likely keep until the end.

Anyway, this footage bumped me because it broke the rules of cross-project production. They got away with it for JKs SEVEN footage in ep 1 because they likely were using the same production crew since it was literally the same day so it doesnt feel like they're'breaking the wall'. But the NY-Jeju crews could have been completely different.

Editing to add further clarification to this point in this ask.

On a sidenote, do y'all remember the last time we got footage of jikook in a hotspring?? I'll jog your memory if not, it was in BV:4 and they 'washed each other's faces'. I can't even imagine what we're about to see in episode 7.

Link to my AYS MasterList

[thermodynamic-comedian]

why do you hate dyhard? genuinely curious

mixture of hating when a ship becomes too popular (creates a ship monopoly in a fandom; lack of diversity in ships; not an enriching environment for a multishipper like me), hating the rivals to lovers trope (even more so when it's inaccurately labelled as enemies to lovers, which dyhard often is), and seeing an unlikely number of dyhard fans also hating lena kelley as a character (self-explanatory if you know how much i love lena kelley).

also throwing into the mix my romance repulsion. most dyhard content is very romance-centric.

[samchristian23]

Discussion Leader Panel Presentation - Race and Representation

While the song “Can’t Hold Us Down” by Christina Aguilera1 is mostly about female empowerment and resisting gender stereotypes, the music video conveys even more, with stark imagery of a community that is made up primarily of people of color. The intersectionality that the video possesses is key to understanding its message. In Stuart Hall’s essay “What is this ‘black’ in black popular culture?2,” he introduces his idea that the “Black” in Black popular culture is not a set idea, rather it is a fluid conversation of Blackness. In his words, “What we are talking about is the struggle over cultural hegemony, which is these days waged as much in popular culture as anywhere else”3. While, as I stated earlier, on the surface this video is about what it means to be a woman, its underlying themes are of race and representation, which is the real battle being fought. This intersectionality is still key to Hall’s philosophy. As he says, “We are always in negotiation, not with a single set of oppositions that place us always in the same relation to others, but with a series of different positionalities”4. Aguilera’s exploration of themes of sexuality while using the backdrop of a primarily people-of-color community is this video’s way of continuing the conversation about what it means to be “Black”, or in the video’s case, simply “other”. “The Other” is a concept Edouard Edward Said introduces in his seminal book Orientalism5. In the context of the Orient, better known as Asia, he states that “​​The Orient is not only adjacent to Europe; it is also the place of Europe’s greatest and richest and oldest colonies, the source of its civilizations and languages, its cultural contestant, and one of its deepest and most recurring images of the other”6. He goes on to say that Europe sees Asia as “its contrasting image, idea, personality, experience”7, yet it is “an integral of European material civilization and culture”7. While Aguilera’s video does not explicitly speak about Orientalism, some key themes are very present. In Orientalism, Said refers to the way Asia is perceived as “‘a place of romance, exotic beings, haunting memories and landscapes, remarkable experiences”6. Essentially, Orientalism places emphasis on the mystification of Asian culture, through the power of European colonialism. The environment Aguilera’s video is set in is extremely colorful, and, as previously mentioned, mostly populated with people of color. Most of the very few white people in this video appear in the beginning, shown throwing milk into the street below. This can be seen as a representation of Orientalist themes. The white people are placed above the people of color who populate the streets below, and throw milk onto them, which can represent the Orientalist turn of imposing Euro-centricity on the culture of those colonized and disenfranchised.

Of course, the question must be asked, is this music video an authentic representation of the culture and community that it’s presenting to us? In their book Unthinking Eurocentrism8, Ella Shohat and Robert Stam consider the way that race and representation exist in the media. Under the section “Writing Hollywood And Race” in the chapter “Stereotype, Realism And The Struggle Over Representation,” they argue that there is an important distinction between media image and social reality. They use the documentary Color Adjustment to help their argument, stating that “Color Adjustment underlines this contrast between media image and social reality by suggestively juxtaposing sitcom episodes with documentary street footage”9. I’d like to pose the thought that perhaps Aguilera’s video would fall under the category of sitcom in this comparison, at least when it comes to the ideas of race and representation. Aguilera, who is of Ecuadorian, German, Irish, Welsh, and Dutch descent, did not grow up in people of color dominated areas of New York. She lived in Wexford, PA for most of her adolescence, a town in a majority-white county. This music video may feel inauthentic to many because it may not be authentic to Aguilera’s experiences. Which brings me to Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar grew up in Compton, CA, at a time when the city’s high crime rates were national news, due to the prominence of gangster rap groups like NWA. The music video for his song “i”10 showcases this environment prominently. From the cars to the police uniforms, the video harkens back to a time when Kendrick was growing up in South Central Los Angeles. In my estimation, Kendrick Lamar’s video represents more of the “documentary footage” that Shohat and Stam mentioned in their comparison with media image and social reality. Aguilera’s video can be felt as inauthentic because it feels like a sitcom, not in a comedic way but in a matter of faux reality. Kendrick’s video feels like a documentary because of its groundedness in his childhood and the experiences of his city. It should be noted that Aguilera appears to darken her skin in her video. As previously stated, Hall believes that popular culture is a place where the concept of “Black” is able to be conversed about. Kendrick, in his music video for “i”, is able to redefine “Blackness” on his own terms. He presents different depictions of Black characters in every moment. One moment that shows great contrast of character and incredible conversation in his own mind on the topic of “Blackness” comes at the 2:20 mark in the video for “i”11.

Kendrick walks past a house, on the front porch of which a man yells at a woman; presumably they are in a relationship. In this very same moment, two Black children, one boy and one girl, run by, playing together, juxtaposing the depiction of adult negativity behind them. There are many things that can be interpreted from this shot, which perhaps even greater lends itself to the argument that it is more “documentary footage”. The perceived authenticity of Kendrick Lamar’s “i” video thus lends itself to a challenge of Orientalist ideals. While the video does show White police officers arresting a Black man at 1:4312, seemingly exerting that idea of power over “the other” that Orientalism is built so much upon, it is immediately followed by Kendrick and his crew of dancers/partygoers weaving through the group of cops with numbers that far outweigh what the cops possess, thus re-establishing power over themselves.

Works Cited

1Aguilera, Christina. “Christina Aguilera - Can’t Hold Us Down (Official HD Video).” YouTube, November 18, 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg8QgUIKXHw&t=196s.

2Hall, Stuart. “What Is This ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?” Essay. In Critical Dialogues in Cultural Studies. London, United Kingdom: Routledge, 1996. 

3Hall. “What Is This ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?”, 471

4Hall. “What Is This ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?”, 476

5Said, Edward. “Introduction.” Essay. In Orientalism. London, United Kingdom: Routledge, 1978. 

6Said. Orientalism, 9

7Said. Orientalism, 10

8Shohat, Ella, and Robert Stam. “Stereotype, Realism And The Struggle Over Representation.” Essay. In Unthinking Eurocentrism. New York, NY: Routledge, 1994. 

9Shohat and Stam. “Stereotype, Realism And The Struggle Over Representation”, 198

10Lamar, Kendrick. “Kendrick Lamar - i (Official Video).” YouTube, November 4, 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aShfolR6w8. 

11Lamar. “i”, 2:20

12Lamar. “i”, 1:43

Discussion Questions

Can the darkening of one’s skin make the work feel more authentic, and when might this backfire?

Does either video engage in stereotype, and if so, does it detract from the video or benefit it?

Is fair to compare the music videos for these songs, though the lyrics of the songs convey such different messages, and can a music video change a son’s message?

[loveoaths]

wait come back I am ready to hear about zabrak organs and zabrak men giving birth

alright, but you asked for this!

as a blanket statement, it is my general sci-fi/star wars belief that alien species’ organs and genitals should change according to 1)  the need of the species involved 2) the specifics of their environment, and 3) whatever i personally think is super fucking cool/funny/and/or sexy. the headcanons below are broken up into two categories: “environmental/survival centric”, “organs used for communication”, “sex and reproduction/this is hot, let’s do that!”

with that in mind, let’s chat zabrak!

ENVIRONMENTAL/SURVIVAL-BASED ORGAN HEADCANONS

the zabrak homeworld, iridonia, is described as an arid and tough landscape, presumably either a desert or with desert-like biomes, so i based my zabrak headcanons on desert species, namely reptiles-- like the horned toad lizard, one of my inspirations for zabrak headcanons! 

(doesn’t it look kinda like a zabrak with those horns??) 

like the horned toad lizard, i imagine all zabrak are born with naturally thicker and denser skin to insulate their bodies and reduce moisture loss. they are not apex predators, but essentially low to mid-level predators. (however, because of how hostile iridonia and dathomir are, they’re fearsome out in the wider galaxy, but no worse than a pussycat back home)

as low-level predators/prey animals, they have evolved several organs and adaptions to help them stay alive: 

tapetum lucidum for nightvision, as they were/are either naturally nocturnal or crepuscular, to escape the heat 

EYE SLITS. because i said so.

a translucent brille, or eye scale, that protects the eyes from wind damage

a small organ that stores an emergency portion of water, like a camel; 

a second bladder bag because all that extra pee’s gotta go somewhere; 

a keen olfactory system that helps them hunt and “taste” the air for water and prey; 

and, because they evolved among predators MUCH larger than them with even keener senses of smell and eyesight, they have small glands in their waterlines that emits foul-tasting fluid or blood, to deter predators. just like horned toad lizards. because it makes me laugh. 

this foul fluid does not seem to work on the massive carnivorous birds of iridonia and dathomir. thankfully, they’ve got horns to avoid getting snatched by the back of their neck like a naughty puppy and dropped in a nest 

potentially, it’s possible for their horns to have blood vessels but no nerve endings, as a means of regulating heat, which is vital in a desert/arid climate

okay this one is mostly a joke but i love imagining zabrak with very rough palms and feet. in these places, their dense skin hardens into something closer to scaling, so they can get purchase on the many sheer cliff faces and rocky terrains of iridonia and, later, dathomir. basically they are capable of scaling walls hands-free like a goddam gecko. imagine waking up in the middle of the night terrified to TWO GLOWING EYES GLARING DOWN AT YOU FROM YOUR CEILING and then hearing a quiet “i threw up.” that is so fucking funny.

SOCIAL ORGANS/BODY PARTS

a larger voicebox (or perhaps a small, secondary voicebox lower in the throat) that allows them to purr. purring is largely involuntary, and indicates safety, pleasure, satisfaction, or extreme joy. they can purr and talk at the same time. no, maul does not know he can do this, because he has never been happy enough to purr in his entire life. this voicebox also enables a high-pitched chirping noise used by infants to indicate distress, because zabraks do not cry naturally unless they are incredibly ill or in dangerous levels of emotional distress. i’m talking “dying of heartbreak” levels, for a few tears.

FUN COOL SEX/ROMANCE/STUFF ORGANS

i haven’t fully decided on this section, admittedly, but generally thinking, i find giving near-humanoid species “standard” human genitalia incredibly boring and wack, so these ideas are like... vague, hand-wavey brainstorms, more than hard headcanons.

zabraks bite to show affection, and claim mates. they also scent-mark territory/favorite people using subcutaneous pheromone glands at the base of their horns, under their chins and along their necks, and the back of their wrists. however they’re also very uhhhhh private, so no zabrak is going to tell you this. they’re just going to rub their face all over your pillow and fresh laundry and hand it to you, and you’ll walk around wearing their scent, none the wiser, wondering why your other zabrak friends are giving you a wide berth all of a sudden

at one point i was very into zabraks having hollow canines that could spit fluid and/or be used in marking a mate by biting them and injecting pheromone into the bite, but i don’t know anymore. i like it conceptually though.

generally speaking, most zabrak can both fertilize and be fertilized by a partner. (secondary sex characteristics such as mammary glands, horn placement and presentation are used to determine gender) 

on iridonia, who carries a child is governed more by personal preference and cultural influence. on dathomir, only nightbrothers give birth. nightsisters (who are not zabrak) center femininity, among other things, in their idealogy, but since birth-giving and child-rearing are not tied to a specific sex or gender presentation among dathomirian nightsisters nor zabraks, it is not considered feminine. nightbrothers are assigned all tasks considered below nightsisters’ attention, including hard labor and menial tasks, and it’s not hard to see why they’d include bearing and raising children as falling under both those umbrellas. 

like in humans, the pregnant zabrak body readies itself for pregnancy by stimulating mammaries and other processes to care for children. child-rearing and child-care are considered masculine traits and behaviors among the nightbrothers. sea-horse clan for life.

because nightbrothers are largely left alone and only have each other, child-birth and child-rearing are a communal affair, because they don’t get to have mates of their own. they are claimed by nightsisters, impregnated, and left. nightbrothers are close, but there is always a degree of distance between those outside their immediate family, because they know at some point they will have to kill each other, or watch each other die. but with young children, nightbrothers often carry them around on slings, keeping them close at hand, always in arm’s reach, because dathomir is an incredibly hostile planet, and a youngling wandering off even a few feet is likely to be snatched by one of the many opportunistic hunter animals populating the planet.

[a-rum-of-ones-own]

Thank you for the recommendations! I’m excited to check out The Rib Joint and of course, A Skirt Full of Thorns. I’m all caught up on the Luna/Ginny fic, too, and excitedly waiting for an update ✨

Particularly intrigued by this line you wrote: “It's not just something you are, it is, to a certain extent, something you DO - a way of interacting with yourself and the world.” If you feel comfortable, can you share how being queer has affected your worldview and psyche like you mentioned?

Have fun checking all of them out, and yes, of course I can elaborate! Just a warning, it might get long, lol.

I'm probably going to phrase this weirdly, but in a way, I've always sort of disagreed a bit with our contemporary view of sexuality as this purely intrinsic thing within yourself you just 'discover' one day. Like, we've got this societal view that your sexual orientation just springs up on you, fully formed, one day when you're fourteen years old and get your First Big CrushTM. And of course that narrative is true for many queer people/women- they grow up, and one day in 9th grade, they realise they're in love with their best friend, and boom, queerness discovered. It's viewed as this intrinsic thing you are, rather than something you do, it's something you discover about yourself, not something you shape and that shapes you in turn.

And, obviously, that's correct to a certain degree- queerness is intrinsic, you can't choose to be gay any more than you can choose to be straight. But I do think there's an additional element to it. I've always experienced my queerness as sort of happening on two layers: the 'to be'-layer of 'I am attracted to women, that's an intrinsic fact', and a 'to do'-layer of 'I actively and consciously chose to follow up on that and discover what it means to me through... actually doing the thing and dating women'. And at least for me, that 'to do' layer feels more important to my own identity? In a way, I vibe a lot with the Greek/classical interpretation of sexuality as a behaviour. Like, I was never totally repulsed by men the way some lesbians are - I found dating them very 'meh', both physically and emotionally, but it wasn't mind-bendingly horrible. There was no huge intrinsic push away from them beyond a feeling of 'this is dissatisfying and would probably be better with a woman'. I still find men totally fascinating from a sort of artistic perspective (I mean, I have no issues writing straight romance, for Pete's sakes - I find it a really interesting way of exploring the world through a different lens).

I've now been exclusively dating women for pretty much all of my twenties, and feel absolutely no desire to change that. It's shaped me in a lot of ways - compared to my straight peers, I realise I have a different perspective on things like family, career choices, big moral values. 'Family' means something different to you when a lot of your friends and partners experienced family rejection (though I was very lucky in that regard). 'Career' means something different when it's both a means of safety and independence and something that occasionally pushes you into very heteronormative environments (I'm in law, and that's...not a very progressive world). Not dating men also frees you up from so many societal expectations, and after a while, you realise that that truly impacts everything from how you dress to how you speak and move and interact with the world. My general perspective on life became very female-centric after a while, not in the sense of being a misandrist - I just interact with women a lot more than with men. Their perspectives interest me more, I enjoy hearing about them more, they 'click' more with me. I think it shows in my writing sometimes: even stories I write from a male perspective eventually end up being about the women in them, about their histories and relationships to one another.

I personally feel like I 'discovered' queerness within myself as this sort of seed, and only once I actually watered the plant and watched it grow did I fully realise how big and important this tree I was growing was going to be to me and my life. I was always queer, but I became a queer person through years of actually doing queerness. 16-year-old me was absolutely also attracted to women, but she was this little germinating seed who still hadn't shed a thousand tiny forms of heteronormativity (and I'm sure I'll look back on myself at my current age the same way in 10, 20, 50 years!), right down to not yet being able to admit to herself that she was exclusively attracted to women, because that felt too scary and impactful for her yet. The attraction thing is almost incidental, I feel. What really shapes you is the bravery of actually standing up and saying 'this is who I am, and by God, I will live it'. The attraction just is. That bravery is a choice, and that shapes your character.

This is SO long, I'm so sorry XD I hope it helps, though. Have fun exploring!

[transgayhawkeyepierce]

The problem with Elementary was, while it was fun to see a Holmes adaptation that takes his addiction seriously, it forever stuck that version of Watson in a caretaker role. Joan really wasn't given enough characterization and never seemed to be able to catch up. I stand by my opinion that they should have made her a vet with a limp. At least some significant trauma would be a reason why she needs Holmes too, outside of his Incredible Intellect. Why she's an outsider too. It would have provided something warm and understanding to their dynamic outside of arguing and disappointment.

My second big gripe with it, is how the cast generally treated Holmes? Like, as the designated Freak and Boundary Violater, it seemed like the series thought that was justification to have every other character just show such extreme contempt towards him at the drop of a hat? Even yelling at him and talking to him in such a harsh manner I would consider it extremely inappropriate in a work environment. Even if Holmes was in the wrong, I would often feel like the reaction to whatever he did was also in the wrong, if not more so lol. Like, for instance there's a plotline in season 2 where Holmes asks Watson not to fuck his brother. Clarifying that his brother is a bad person, and he just doesn't really want her too because it's his brother. This is treated as insanely unreasonable on his part for absolutely no reason lmao. Why? I just really felt like This Holmes and Watson just don't like each other. Or rather that Watson just genuinely doesn't like Holmes and feels he is a burden on her life.

And a bit of minor one, but the wierd Insistence that Holmes is straight, straight straight straight, to the point of rubbing the audiences faces in it. Like, I'm not against necessarily changing characters' genders to make Sherlock Holmes a less male-centric story or whatever, but as a character who is widely interpreted as gay or ace, it was just very weird and unnecessary? Also the Holmes and Fem!Moriarty romance obsession thing got old sooooo fast.

[obscureashe]

Hii this is request for your valentine's day matchup event.

I'm female, she/her pronouns. Bisexual, ISTP 9w8, Leo.

PERSONALITY:

I'm an ambivert, I'm very laid back, and prefer to go with the flow of life but sometimes come off as ego-centric and domineering. I have to admit I’m a lazy person who prefers having leisure more than anything else But once I find my motivation I'm pretty hardworking. It would be nice to a be boss, but at the same time, I like letting others operate how they want to do so. I dislike group works because even though I don't have a problem with socializing with my teammates thought of not being in charge is unnerving I want to be left alone to do things the way I want to do it.

tbh I often think I’m above others, yet I am always willing to acknowledge that I’m a total piece of shit [very rarely tho] Sometimes I have fantasies and ideals that I want to start creating or becoming but I give myself a reality check and let the dream fade away. I’m very innovative but still, choose the practical route a lot. It’s easy for me to create goals and envision the end results but it’s ridiculously hard for me to remain committed to the process.

I will never admit my wrong, unless internally. It might come shocking to people who are close to me but I overthink about minor things such as what others might think of me I might not admit it aloud but others opinions matter to me.

I also get bored easily and have commitment problems but at the same time, I consider myself to be pretty loyal. I'm really petty and hold grudges.

The good thing about me is that i know when to hold my tongue and temper. I'm a somewhat patient and not easily provoked. I'm neither oblivious nor ignorant but sometimes I act like I am because I see it as easy way out and I always choose easy route to get out of certain situation.

LIKES:

My favourite colour is red, i love all shades of it but i especially love darker shades. I like horror genre [movies, books and etc], watching movies, listening to true crime and music[especially indie and rock music] i like Researching and learning more about myself. I love greek and Egyptian mythology. I'm really interested in psychology and philosophy. I also find researching about demonology and ancient religions interesting. I love Victorian/romantic/vampire gothic aesthetic I'm also very in love with gothic novels. I wouldn't really consider this as a hobby cause i do it once or twice a year but i also play volleyball and piano. I also really love spicy food and cats and snakes are my favourite animals.

I may not be a religious person but i love Christinan themed paintings, sculptures and buildings. I love gothic and baroque architecture.

I may not look like it and it may come of as a shocking news to a many people but i actually love and enjoy socializing.

DISLIKES:

I hate quiet places [i have trouble sleeping in quiet environment] I dislike sweet food, dogs, romance movies[i love romance genre just not in movies], "Pinterest goth" aesthetic, sweating, heat, smell of mushrooms, thought of ever growing old, getting wrinkles and dying. When grown up people act like toddlers [unless it's from a medical condition] when people make some kind of noises while drinking or eating food, cat haters, hypocritical people,

I'm fine with being matched up with literally anyone platonically but i prefer if my romantic matchup was demon male or human female [muzan is exeption, i hate him ]

Hey, thanks for requesting a valentines day match-up from me! Yours is the first one so thank you! and 100% understandable that Muzan is your exception lol

For your platonic match-up I'm pairing you with. . .

Mitsuri Kanroji »

she would adore dancing to your favorite music! it just gets her heart racing (of course she's bad at explaining just how much she loves it but you'll get it)

she may admire your interests way too much.

and she's (not to brag) a pretty good cook.

while your reading, she'll often bring you something to eat or snack on. your favorites if she starts to know you well.

probably considers you her coolest friend

thinks about you often, especially gift wise, so expect a few small things from her like books she's happened upon. or something matching for the two of you.

tries to encourage you to do some painting with her (actually invites you to do stuff often, doesn't need to be big or anything, just likes being around you)

she doesn't always have advice if you need, but she will always listen

100% a loyal friend

comes up with a cute nickname for you that she uses all the time

And for your romantic match up, I'm pairing you with. . .

Doma »

there isn't anything he doesn't admire about you.

tries his hardest to tease you sometimes because he knows your stubborn. (provoking at times)

flirty and forward, he likes to make it perfectly clear what he wants. and he's not one to hide anything, especially if your the one making him feel this way.

as a demon i think he's the perfect match.

he's already acquired a fine collection of antiques and relics, so help yourself.

he would love your mind. just the way you want to learn about demonology, religions, philosophy and psychology. it's all very fascinating to watch you read so intently and find the answers you need.

your just the type of interesting that he needs (a bit clingy because of the fact) literally a heart throb

be warned though, he can be possessive and jealous. . . easily.

always has a soft smile and tranquil look on his face when he finds himself thinking about you.

would gladly tell you everything about himself, past or other if your interested.

he'd enjoy watching horror movies with you, especially on the topic of true crime. (lowkey giving him ideas) + holding you close while you sit/lay together

at this point you'd fully have his heart (and he'd love every bit of it) good or bad

his love language (one of them) is physical touch, and its so seamless that sometimes you probably wouldn't even notice him holding your lower back or leaning against you while you were reading.

100% offering to turn you into a demon with you, in fact i think he'd be elated to propose the idea to you. (sometimes gets all dreamy in his head about it)

kisses bites you everywhere, but especially under your jaw, neck and collarbone

an 'old fashion' romantic, flowers/flower petals everywhere + gifts (he prefers giving you jewelry)

anything you request for a certain special february day, he'll do.

how can he say no?

ended up writing a tonn for doma lol, but there you go! thanks for requesting and i hope you liked your match up!

[tremendouskoalachild]

Jedi Survivor bingo!

decided to make my own, inspired by this post. went with all different options, except for the ponchos for obvious reasons. they're a combination of things i think will happen, things i want to happen, things i desperately don't want to happen and random wildcards. elaboration under the cut :)

merrical kiss - pretty sure this one is not 100% confirmed, but it feels like a safe choice. unless multiple devs and writers have been lying to us that is

imperial deserter - type of storyline unexplored by the first game, maaaybe set up by the tie-in book?

greez kidnapped - guy still has gambling debts as per the book and i think it would be funny, as well as a rescue mission serving as a cool inversion of the arena escape in fo

trilla mention - they fucking better

cere leaves - from the book and trailers it kinda seems like that might be a direction they're going with her story. could be an impactful ending (other than her straight up dying)

coruscant mission endgame - going to the imperial capital reminds me of the nur mission in the ballsiness department. at the very least i doubt that part will be replayable

ninth sister return - my girl got dropped off a tree and we never saw the body. i have a good feeling about this one

new eno message - maybe something triggers bd's memory banks, idk

merrin makes a friend - she deserves it and so do i

cal dead - yeah 99% not gonna happen but what's a bingo card without batshit options. i live on the edge

reference to obiwan show - takes place at the same-ish time and the show ripped off was inspired by the first game's ending. maybe a mention of why vader's too busy for us?

merrin-centric mission - she deserves it and so do i

ponchos - free space basically. there's no way they don't give us ponchos (right??)

ilyana mention - she's only mentioned in a couple voice lines so idk. but if they're going for the merrical romance then i could see merrin talking to cal in a cutscene

take back mantis mission - could be cool. maybe the ship gets stolen by pirates or taken by the empire idk. fun gameplay potential

bounty hunter nemesis - we've had inquisitors as recurring antagonists. maybe set up by the book

jaro flashback - feels safe. probably not the traumatic survivor's guilt visions from the first game though

alderaan - not extremely likely but i love visiting in swtor and obviously it is not an option in a lot of the timeline. it's a beautiful planet and the first game was so great with exploring pretty environments

dathomir discussion - merrin development please. also the planet's cool by itself. we kinda killed everyone in fo so what's up now

new inquisitor - i always want new cringefail darksiders. but it seems the second game is moving away from that so idk

section without bd - feels safe just for the gameplay variety. but maybe they won't wanna retread the arena mission from fo

koboh is done - having a safe haven under the empire can't last long

the crew gets along - i can hope right

greez gets a new hobby - i love the plants but is the garden gonna be enough for our recovering gambling addict? can we make collectibles out of recipe ingredients?

cere discusses the jedi - seems important to her story. hoping for a cere/merrin cutscene or several gameplay scenes

[kwc-reads]

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross

I really enjoyed this book, even though it wasn’t exactly as I expected based on the summary I read beforehand (not in a bad way - just different).

The setting - a pastoral (and fantastical) island with a clan-centric culture obviously inspired by historical Scotland - was a bit of a surprise, as the summary didn’t paint the most detailed picture of it. However, the surprise was pleasant, as the environment was welcoming and comfortable to sink into. It felt home-y and cozy in a way, and was incredibly easy to picture as I read.

Another unexpected feature was the alternating POVs (between 4 characters). My feelings can go really back and forth on this, but in this instance I feel that it was done extremely well. Each character, already interesting in their own right, is fleshed out further during their POV scenes, without halting the momentum of the story. Two of these POV characters aren’t even mentioned in the summary, and yet they are integral to the very heart of the tale.

The actual writing of the characters is incredible. They are each complex, dynamic people with flaws and strengths, fears and desires. Any one of them would make a fantastic protagonist on their own - as a collective group they paint an incredibly compelling picture of family, love, duty, and bravery. Truly, this first book in the duology is much more about mortality than it is about magic.

When it comes to the romances, both couples had moments that made my heart ache for them - some of tenderness and some of uncertainty. Both of them face relationship hurdles internal and external, but they choose to dedicate themselves to love over and over again, even at its hardest. They feel so organic and natural - like the couple you meet in real life that tells you the secret to a happy and healthy relationship is simply to choose each other every day. Suffice to say, my heart-strings were repeatedly tugged at.

The ending - which I wouldn’t quite call a cliffhanger but something close to it - left me feeling bereft, and I can’t wait to see how the fates of the island and the characters resolve in the second book. I have some ideas - there is some obvious foreshadowing and the general vibe of the book makes me think there will be a happy ending - but we’ll see if I’m anywhere close to right once I finish the duology!

[suguru-getos]

Hi congrats on 2k! Can i get a matchup from your event?

I'm female, she/her pronouns I'm istp 9w8 937.

PERSONALITY:

I'm ambivert,I'm very laid back and prefer to go with the flow of life but sometimes come off as ego-centric and domineering. I have to admit I’m a lazy person who prefers having a leisure more than anything else But once i find my motivation I'm actually pretty hardworking. I find it hard to get along with people who don't share my passions or hobbies or desire to excel. It would be nice to a be boss, but at the same time I like letting others operate how they want to do so. I like dealing with people at work and I want to be where all the actions, while at the same time helping people, but I just want to be left alone to do things the way I want to do it.

tbh I often think I’m above others, yet I am always willing to acknowledge that I’m a total piece of shit [very rarely tho] Sometimes i have fantasies and ideals that I want to start creating or becoming but i give myself a reality check and let the dream fade away. I’m very innovative but still choose the practical route a lot. It’s easy for me to create goals and envision the end results but it’s ridiculously hard for me to remain committed to the process.

I have a very big ego but one word alone is enough to destroy it. i Will never admit my wrong, unless internally.

LIKES:

My favourite colour is red, i love all shades of it but i especially love darker shades. I like horror genre [movies, books and etc], watching movies, listening to true crime and music[especially indie and rock music] i like Researching and learning more about myself. I love greek and Egyptian mythology. I'm really interested in psychology and philosophy. I also find researching about demonology and ancient religions interesting. I love Victorian/romantic/vampire gothic aesthetic I'm also very in love with gothic novels. I wouldn't really consider this as a hobby cause i do it once or twice a year but i also play volleyball and piano. I also really love spicy food and cats and snakes are my favourite animals.

I may not be a religious person but i love Christinan themed paintings, sculptures and buildings. I love gothic and baroque architecture.

I may not look like it and it may come of as a shocking news to a many people but i actually love and enjoy socializing.

DISLIKES:

I hate quiet places [i have trouble sleeping in quiet environment] I dislike sweet food, dogs, romance movies[i love romance genre just not in movies], "Pinterest goth" aesthetic, sweating, heat, smell of mushrooms, thought of ever growing old, getting wrinkles and dying. When grown up people act like toddlers [unless it's from a medical condition] when people make some kind of noises while drinking or eating food, cat haters, hypocritical people, i especially hate those people who say most homophobic, xenophobic and racist shit and call it a "dark humor", egg white [both smell and taste], People who ask questions during movies.

Love language:

Quality time [ giving]

Acts of service [giving]

Gift giving [ receiving]

hi i match you up w the one and oni arataki numero uno itto <3

en’s 2k event:

despite being ur polar opposite, he has high morals and standards. something he’d never sacrifice no matter what & looking for how highly u take yourself as a person, hes whipped. he loves people who love themselves. but he will love you more.

he knows you hate admitting that ur wrong, so he’d never publically argue in such a manner. however in the intimacy of the bedroom, he’d say it to you. he wants you to be vulnerable to him.

he actually asked a lot of questions in movies until he figured out you despise it ;3 then he shuts his mouth but u can still see he excitement beaming in his eyed

has no prob letting you take the lead but hes the dom in bed idc he personally told me that 💅🏻

will find the onikabuto for you for beetle fights, will probs cook the best lavender melon dishes as well <3

[oceanblueeyesoul]

If you're still doing Matchups can i request percy Jackson cabin matchup?

You can call me mari, I'm Female, she/her pronouns, bisexual. I'm istp 9w8 937, my hogwarts house is Slytherin.

PERSONALITY:

I'm ambivert,I'm very laid back and prefer to go with the flow of life but sometimes come off as ego-centric and domineering. I have to admit I’m a lazy person who prefers having a leisure more than anything else But once i find my motivation I'm actually pretty hardworking. I find it hard to get along with people who don't share my passions or hobbies or desire to excel. It would be nice to a be boss, but at the same time I like letting others operate how they want to do so. I like dealing with people at work and I want to be where all the actions, while at the same time helping people, but I just want to be left alone to do things the way I want to do it.

tbh I often think I’m above others, yet I am always willing to acknowledge that I’m a total piece of shit [very rarely tho] Sometimes i have fantasies and ideals that I want to start creating or becoming but i give myself a reality check and let the dream fade away. I’m very innovative but still choose the practical route a lot. It’s easy for me to create goals and envision the end results but it’s ridiculously hard for me to remain committed to the process.

I have a very big ego but one word alone is enough to destroy it. i Will never admit my wrong, unless internally.

LIKES:

My favourite colour is red, i love all shades of it but i especially love darker shades. I like horror genre [movies, books and etc], watching movies, listening to true crime and music[especially indie and rock music] i like Researching and learning more about myself. I love greek and Egyptian mythology. I'm really interested in psychology and philosophy. I also find researching about demonology and ancient religions interesting. I love Victorian/romantic/vampire gothic aesthetic I'm also very in love with gothic novels. I wouldn't really consider this as a hobby cause i do it once or twice a year but i also play volleyball and piano. I also really love spicy food and cats and snakes are my favourite animals.

I may not be a religious person but i love Christinan themed paintings, sculptures and buildings. I love gothic and baroque architecture.

I may not look like it and it may come of as a shocking news to a many people but i actually love and enjoy socializing.

DISLIKES:

I hate quiet places [i have trouble sleeping in quiet environment] I dislike sweet food, dogs, romance movies[i love romance genre just not in movies], "Pinterest goth" aesthetic, sweating, heat, smell of mushrooms, thought of ever growing old, getting wrinkles and dying. When grown up people act like toddlers [unless it's from a medical condition] when people make some kind of noises while drinking or eating food, cat haters, hypocritical people, i especially hate those people who say most homophobic, xenophobic and racist shit and call it a "dark humor", egg white [both smell and taste], People who ask questions during movies.

Hi there, Mari! I really hope you like this a lot!

PJO Cabin Matchup

You give me Cabin 13 (Hades) vibes! You and your siblings would often go together to watch horror movies and discuss everything about the horror movies and the younger siblings would listen to rock music with you and dance to the beat of the rock music.

[teyaguide101]

I know i have not been blogging sincerely...

So here are some random paragraphs of my thoughts. 

I stumbled upon my super old blog when i was in secondary school and was just so impressed with how dedicated I was in writing long-form content almost everyday. I was honest and shared many details about my life; things i will never disclose now. Looking back, it was just so nice to see my deep thoughts written out like a time capsule. I wish blogspot had more sophisticated technology to retrieve the broken html images though....if only I could see those photos one more time to save it on my hard drive :(( Come on blogspot!! Work your magic. 

I have also been on TikTok a lot just to see random corners of the world and their trending topics. And it seems like there’s not a single authentic experience out there. What i mean is that everyone has gone through very similar encounters in life—be it super strange, random, mundane, fleeting, heartbreaking, gratifying, or serendipitous moments. In short, no one is THAT special hahaha. Here I am on the app relating to a girl I have never met before; on creepily watching a passenger’s in-flight movie that is three rows in front of me. Funnily, I am not the only one. 

On the topic of my breakup with Vogue—my one-sided and short-lived romance—I have thankfully moved on. I do not want to ponder on the What Ifs, Should Haves and Could Haves. There were just so many things I’ve learnt about myself. So, so many things. It’s so humbling to have been exposed to such a glitzy and walls-have-ears environment. I learnt that the people in fashion are one of the most dedicated, hardworking ever and they are so willing to give up a part of their life to feed their artistic soul. They are deceptively confident to a pulp, almost to a point where it feels faultless and inspiring. Simply put, they DGAF about you. They wanna be there. They wanna succeed. And they don’t mind skipping lunch to prove how much they live-eat-breathe the craft. Fashion is understandably visual-centric, but it is NOT frivolous. In every article of clothing, shoe, accessory, there’s always history, storied value, art, connotation, metaphor and a message. In every campaign, there is no stone unturned because your creative eye works non-stop. When you write about it, you have to be painfully accurate. You are damned if you say Burberry is Italian when, really, its British!!!!!! These are the little things that make the big picture. It’s how Issey Miyake got his signature style. And it’s how the fashion clockwork never stops. But for now, I just want to have time to eat during lunch time :”)

To end things off, in the spirit of the happiest time of the year (not that I am celebrating), just like magic, the house has four people as compared to nine. For the past 26 years of my life, I’ve lived in walls that buzzed non-stop. Now, when I come home late, I do not see my sisters sprawled on the sofa using their phones. I don’t see my brother eating rice at midnight. Nor do I see a pile of used cups on the table—a bad habit of ALL my siblings. But then, now the house has three little mini gremlins (my 2 nieces, 1 nephew) whom have brought all of us even closer despite not living together under one roof. Amazing how blessings can take place in any shape. Big or small, it is what makes life, life. And for that I am very thankful. 

I am done with self-doubt and overthinking. This year really showed me that I need to have more confidence in myself. I am so ready for next year!! But I am also loving December very much <3

[vermillioncrown]

about shipping stuff— i think it’s really interesting that you dont see what you’re written as including shipping etc but i honestly rlly feel like there is some romance-esque vibes between the mc of dbd and various other characters (wangxian / the senpai from her sect) that i wouldnt be surprised if a relationship happened bc i feel like the base is there? versus bil where i def only see more of a gen vibe as you said, tho now that i think on it i cant possibly point out why to each reasoning other than a feeling? maybe bc the length of each fic and time spent with the characters? also i wonder who would be a good fit for sikagami! maybe an older student? or in a shocking turn of events, one of the kns?

guess i'll braindump a bit on this ask - not saying you're wrong, and also i'm prob gonna contradict myself a bit too. i'm not really up on the formalities of writing, and most of what i think about is based on observation. good enough to pass muster but probably not completely correct

i think of shipping stuff as the relationship dynamic (romantic by common convention, platonic if we consider general intimacy) being the focus of the fic. sure, dbd can contain romance, but none of it is the focus. i'll bait you for days with Moments (fully guilty here lol) because they're interesting in the way zyx relates to their environment and peers, not just for the dynamic itself.

have you guys read Catch Your Breath by lang? even with the eventual kakashi/oc pairing, i don't consider it a shipping/romance-centric fic. romance is just something that happens in life. one part of it.

bil is also i guess, very gen in that sense. looking at it from author's view, the only way it'd turn focused on relationship dynamics is through other pov's that force si!kagami's engagement at that level. i find it easier to happen because of the shorter length - it's not as focused on worldbuilding, politics, and other 'deep stuff' as dbd is. hmm. it'd likely be still gen, but have a side of something if it's warranted.

(lol you don't feel si!kagami's simping on all his senpai? a lot?)

surprisingly, the miracles are the most likely candidates by nature of their personalities. they will force interactions. they have incentive. otherwise si!kagami's just gonna "ok i'm gonna go ball now bye :)" bc... i don't touch on it much (bc bil is not that kind of si fic) but you still feel sorta alienated and out of touch, no matter how much fun you're having in the situation, yeah? dating, in that sense, would have to come from outside.

"oh. i'm included?"

doesn't it kinda make sense that si!kagami's insistence in ballin' as a team be a way of grounding himself in the moment? feeling like a part of life?

[perperam]

Do you have any Harlivy fic recommendations? Preferably something that is already completed?

OH I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE

okay okay so quick little tangent fact !! I actually just finished my undergrad degree in "english literature analysis & writing" and reading fics is so fun bc I get to analyze them and break them down and if it's particularly well written the stars align and it's just UGH so good. 

ratings are: E (explicit) M (mature) T (teens and up) and G (everyone) anyways here is a HUGE list of my favorite fics to date, their stats/details/plots, reasonings as to why they're on the list to begin with, and a short analysis:

SHORT STORIES (less than 30k words)

for your convenience they’re in order of length bc I’m focusing on this super hard rn

KISS YOUR BEST FRIEND CHALLENGE (T)  STATS — 340 words, shenanigans, fluff PLOT — Harley, TikTok and general Social Media queen, decides to do the trending challenge to kiss your best friend. The best friend? Her roommate and the woman she’s been crushing on for fucking ever: Poison Ivy.

AM I TOO CLOSE? (CAUSE YOU FOLD INTO ME LIKE A HEART WITH A BEAT) (G) STATS — 839 words, fluff, shenanigans PLOT — Harley genuinely wasn’t looking for trouble, but it’s hard to just have a day out when you’re one of Gotham’s most wanted. Running into Ivy, she takes drastic measures (and her hoodie into the mix) to distract the police from looking in their direction.

I’M HOME (G) STATS — 892 words, domestic fluff PLOT — After a long and rough day at work, Ivy comes home to Harley. Relaying the details of her day, she basks in the comfort of her girlfriend, who provides gentle questions and is a phenomenal listener. General cuteness.

CONFLICT DIAMONDS (G) STATS — 990 words, wedding shenanigans, banter, humor PLOT — Batman and Renee Montoya respond to a break-in at a jewelry store, except even though the owner is duct-taped to the wall, it isn’t really a break-in; Harley’s just trying to shop for a ring for Ivy, and that’s difficult to do when the owner is screaming in the corner. Batman and Renee both pitch in to help pick something nice for Harley’s girl, resulting in hilarious banter.

OF COURSE (T) STATS — 1.1k words, hurt/comfort (kinda), harley quinn animated tv show centric PLOT — In the aftermath of Ivy’s death, rebirth, and the fall of Joker Tower, Harley collapses onto the ground. Since she never mentioned that her parents are the reason for most of her injuries, Ivy isn’t sure why she’s so out of it.

PERFECT MORNINGS (T) STATS — 1.1k words, domestic fluff/bliss PLOT — Ivy, who usually wakes up early and before Harley, takes a moment to look at the countless muscles, ridges, scars, and tattoos on Harley’s body as she sleeps. General cuteness.

I’D LOVE TO CHECK YOU OUT (T) STATS — 1.7k words, university au, fluff PLOT — Harley visits the library virtually every day, and it’s definitely not because she needs to work on her university courses and homework. She finally works up the courage to speak to the alluring redhead she sees there every day while absentmindedly looking at a book on sharks. 

I’LL LOVE YOU IN THE MORNING (NOON, NIGHT) (T) STATS — 2.1k words, angst, hurt/comfort PLOT — A snapshot look into Ivy and how she comes to know, care, and love all the sides of Harley—from psychiatrist to criminal to girlfriend. She loves her throughout it all. 

DAY-DREAMING (T) STATS — 2.2k words, shenanigans, psychiatrist Harleen PLOT — Ivy’s falling for her psychiatrist—her humorous, intelligent, caring, and downright gorgeous psychiatrist. It’s difficult, to say the least.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THEMYSCIRA (DOESN’T) STAY IN THEMYSCIRA (T) STATS — 2.3k words, humor, wedding shenanigans, angst with a happy ending PLOT — In a surprise twist of events, Harley and Ivy were drunkenly married at Themyscira. When asked at the wedding if anybody had objections to the union of Ivy and Chuck, Wonder Woman and the Queen of Themyscira herself come to object. Ivy, for lack of a better word, wants to die a little.

NOT A ROCKER CHICK (T) STATS — 3.1k words, rock band au, fluff PLOT — The last thing Ivy wants to do is go to a rock band concert with her best friend, Selina. Despite her best efforts, she can’t help but completely fall into the rhythm of the band and their music, so different than her own norm. And okay, maybe the singer (who Selina was friends with and called “Harley”) was also kinda hot...

A TENDER HEART AMONG THE GREEN (T) STATS — 3.2k words, gotham city sirens raise Lucy au, domestic bliss PLOT — Harley and Selina come back home to the apartment to find Ivy passed out asleep with Lucy cuddling into the crook of her neck and Selina’s cats cuddling her legs. Knowing that Ivy would rather be caught dead than in such a compromising situation (after all, she is the Poison Ivy, who “hates humans”) the two take a photo, since it lasts longer. Shenanigans and cuteness ensue.

BUILDING YOUR GIRL’S SECOND STORY (M) STATS — 3.3k words, university/grad school au, angst with a happy ending PLOT — Snapshots of Harley’s battle with her violent and abusive boyfriend, Jack, and the way in which Bruce, his boyfriend Clark, and her best friend (and potentially lover) Pamela all love Harley and will do anything, anything, to make sure she gets the help, care, and love she needs.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF NORMAL (T) STATS — 3.6k words, coronavirus pandemic/quarantine au, family au PLOT — Ivy is requested by the Justice League to help create and manufacture a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. As she works on the vaccine, she video calls Harley and their daughter Lucy, both of whom miss her very much. 

RABBIT IN THE GARDEN (T) STATS — 4.4k words, implied suicide attempt, hard angst PLOT — Winters are difficult to Ivy. When Harley comes home one day to see her submerged fully in water in the bathtub, the only thing Harley can do is cry and take her out. Ultimately Ivy is alright—but it doesn’t make it any easier.

WE WILL BE (EVERYTHING THAT WE’D EVER NEED) (T) STATS — 5.8k words, high school au, angst, hurt/comfort PLOT — Harley and Ivy are best friends from high school, living in the middle of Arizona. Ivy is absolutely head over heels for Harley, but the latter is in a growing and increasingly abusive relationship with the older “bad-boy” (literally) Jack. Eventually, the two grow together in more ways than one.  

WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS (EXCEPT NO DOGS DIE) (M) STATS — 9.7k words, domestic bliss, no powers just botanist & psychiatrist au PLOT — After her abusive ex-boyfriend tries to maniacally tear down the front door of her apartment with an ax as her best friend, Selina, pushes the table against the splintering wood, Bruce recommends that Harley gets a dog. She gets two German Shepard brothers—Bud and Lou—who lead her one day on their walk to the most beautiful flower shop owner Harley’s ever seen. The story of Harley and Ivy, told with Bud and Lou present to witness every moment.

THE MOMENT I AWAKEN GHOSTS (T) STATS — 11.7k words, falling in love, feelings & realizations PLOT — A deep look into Ivy’s feelings and how they evolve from general hatred against Harleen the psychiatrist at Arkham to a blooming, kind and gentle love towards Harley Quinn, the crown jester of crime. 

HARLEQUIN’S ISLE (T) STATS — 17.5k words, hurt/comfort, happy ending, shenanigans, humor PLOT — Harley and Ivy decide to go on a vacation on Bruce Wayne’s new eco-friendly plane, but in a surprise twist of events, things go terribly wrong, Ivy falls out of the plane, and the two (as well as all the other rich and wealthy big-name CEOS on the plane) get stranded on an island with someone actively trying to rob the investors. Harley and Ivy will fight them, god damn it, because they deserve this vacation and they will have it.

LONGER STORIES (30k words to 100k words)

YOUR LOVE (DÉJÀ VU) (G) STATS — 33k words, slow burn, mild angst, canon divergence PLOT — A what-if-Harley-found-Ivy-first fic, YOUR LOVE wonderfully illustrates Dr. Harleen Quinzel treating Ivy in a wonderfully humane and kind way, including learning floriography, the language of flowers, in order to better relate to her. Ivy is taken aback by her doctor's genuine care and begins to develop feelings, all the while Harleen falls hard and fast which wholly confuses and frightens her. The one caveat is that while this is happening, Harleen is also treating the Joker as well, who tries (keyword: tries) to manipulate her. Ivy and Harley dance a timid tango around one another as they try to navigate this new playing field of romantic feelings for one another, and things come to a breaking point when Harleen realizes that, perhaps, all of her patients have a point and that the real villains are not the ones inside the asylum, but rather the ones running it. FAVORITE DETAILS — I just love the way this is written. It provides a wonderful and almost skinny-love like romance (except this takes place in an insane asylum) as Harleen and Ivy both try to understand their strong feelings for one another. The way in which the rogues and other inmates/patients all look out for one another was very heartwarming, and Waylon and Eddie's thinly veiled camaraderie with Ivy—and her thinly veiled appreciation for it—were both lovely and created a really warm environment. It really underlined why Harley loved them because you love them too in the process, and see how she reaches her breaking point.  CHARACTER DEPICTIONS — Harley, as she is in all of my favorite fics, is depicted as an incredibly intelligent and talented psychiatrist. Her caring nature is wonderfully outlined in this fic as she helps Waylon, Eddie, Ivy, and everybody else in the asylum be treated with genuine respect and care, going as far as to get them personalized gifts. Her psyche fracturing slowly never once makes her seem unintelligent to the reader, even as she actively places a ditz persona in order to fool the rest of the asylum staff (and the Joker). Ivy, on the other hand, is illustrated in a way that perfectly shows how all she genuinely needed was someone to listen. She's sometimes harsh and crass but you can see how she begins to soften as Harley helps her and treats her with: you guessed it, genuine respect. FINAL VERDICT — I would get this tattooed on my ass if I could

NOVEL LENGTH WORKS (100k+ words)

ACROSS THE WAY (M) STATS — 128.7k words, slow-burn, tattoo artist & flower shop owner au  PLOT — Botanist and flower shop owner Pamela Isley moves to Gotham from Seattle in search of a new life. Her shop is located directly next to a tattoo shop—one that is incredibly loud and bothersome. Upon walking in to give the shop a piece of her mind, she meets one of the resident artsits, Harley Quinzel, and cannot get her out of her mind. The two become best friends, and feelings slowly start to develop. On a night when Harley is most vulnerable and in need of a place to escape, Pam offers her apartment as a refuge, and from that point on things are never the same again (in the best way possible).  FAVORITE DETAILS — The SIT sessions were a wonderful touch and I loved seeing the recovery of both Ivy and Harley, because it was so real. I also loved how once Harley got out, she did everything in her power to protect both herself and Ivy from Jack, and we got to see her and Ivy grow into their wonderful, healthy romance. CHARACTER DEPICTIONS — I love how all of the characters are illustrated; Selina, who is the caring best friend and genuinely does her best to help others around her all the while being her cocky, usual self. Pam, who escaped Seattle and started anew in Gotham and is the crass botanist and also the insanely kind and caring lover. Barbara is the adorable coffee shop owner, Floyd is the caring figure for Harley that she never had, and everyone is just wonderful.  FINAL VERDICT — literally go read this rn, what are you even doing

MAD LOVE: THE BEGINNING & MAD LOVE: THE FINAL CHAPTER (M) STATS — nearly 400k words total, angst, canon divergence, domestic fluff, slice of life PLOT — imagine YOUR LOVE except this is much longer, much more heart-wrenching, a whole lot more angsty, and Harleen's break with Harley is a lot more prevalent. Another what-if scenario of Dr. Harleen Quinzel meeting and treating the illusive Poison Ivy instead of the Joker, MAD LOVE shows an interesting depiction of the way they manipulate, hurt, care, and love one another. The entire story is riddled with well placed metaphors, recurring themes, and both Ivy and Harley's characters are illustrated in the most complex and interesting way. All throughout both the initial and the sequel, Ivy and Harleen play a metaphorical chess game in manipulation as a means to gain the upper-hand on the other, which creates a dangerous foundation for their following love story. In the sequel, "The Final Chapter," the story starts with Harley and Ivy—already married near the end of "A New Beginning"—having two kids and the entire piece spans over Harley's lifetime until she's on her deathbed, with Ivy still stuck at 33 years old beside her. I personally stopped reading the story after Harley died (I was too emotionally vulnerable to continue on) but if you continue reading on, you get to see Ivy move on and appreciate Harley's impact on her life as she finds love and happiness again after the loss of her wife. FAVORITE DETAILS — We get insight into both Ivy and Harleen's trauma, and how not everything can be fixed with love. Neither Harleen nor Ivy (or their actions for that matter) are characterized as perfect in any way, and the story never excuses any of their more-than-questionable actions; in fact they make MANY mistakes and manipulate one another throughout the story, and both have power over the other (Harleen is her psychiatrist, but Ivy could easily kill her, so emotional power over someone with immense physical power). CHARACTER DEPICTIONS — Harleen is depicted as an incredibly intelligent and capable psychiatrist, and the story somehow wonderfully mixes Harley's desire for violent chaos with Harleen's desire to help others. v Ivy is illustrated as the epitome of "I hate you and will not be nice unless you're literally either my wife or kids." She is seldom kind to others, is often crass, but an entire softy when it comes to Harleen and their children. She's a hard worker and is heavily involved in her research. Harleen, on the other hand, is equally cunning but more lighthearted, extremely athletic and active, the "fun" mom, and less into power trips (unless it's about Ivy). FINAL VERDICT — definitely the most interesting fics I've ever read in my entire fucking life, it's so complex and wonderful and a literal minefield of analysis worthy literature, I'd also get this tattooed on my ass if I could

[gemstoneconstellations]

omgggg can you share ur list of things you’ve read ? 😭 i feel like i’ve hit rock bottom thinking i’ve read everything

Alright, here we go, these are a few of my favorite reader-inserts I have saved on my AO3:

Multi Ships (collection of one shots/love triangles)

Dear Diary: Bakugo VS Midoriya VS Todoroki. Reader had her heart broken by Bakugo, moves on and develops feelings for Midoriya that might be mutual?, and now Bakugo likes reader but is a fucking dick about it and Midoriya is an oblivious green bean. Meanwhile Todoroki is just a sweety, acting like a real friend and being there for reader during the drama (that he sometimes causes). Angst alert, just pure angst. I love it as much as i want to pull out all my hair cause of these idiot children. (Wordcount: 77415 Status: Incomplete)

The Void You Left Behind: Past Kirishima/Reader, Bakugo/Reader. Reader was married to Kirishima who sadly died while on the job. Bakugo and reader mourn together and help each other to move on. The grief in this was so realistic and well done, you will feel like you were hit by a truck. I cried and had to take breaks. (Wordcount: 71016 Status: Complete)

Million Reasons: Past Bakugo/reader, Midoriya/Reader. Bakugo and reader were married, but Bakugo (a total dick) cheats on reader and was abusive towards reader who ends up leaving him, changing jobs, and now working for the current number one hero Deku. Warning: Domestic violence, abusive and manipulative behavior. (Wordcount: 55693 Status: Incomplete)

MULT-FANDOM COLLECTION (my-american-hero): Multiple story collection, not just bnha. Author’s tumblr account.

BNHA College Reader Inserts series: 5 works, all in college. Really like the Bakugo/Reader centric fics in this one, reader doesn’t take his shit. (Wordcount total of all works: 62691 Status: Series incomplete,  but only one of the works isn’t complete.)

Baby no Hero Academia: Multiple stories of our favorite characters being parents. (Wordcount: 72822 Status: incomplete)

My Hero Academia Images: multi story collection. If you like these, look at the other works by this author. Some are choose your own route stories with different endings for each ship. (Wordcount: 240426 Status: incomplete)

My hero academia one-shots!: smutty and fluffy one shots with multiple characters. (Wordcount: 155424 Status: complete)

Boku no Hero Academia One-Shots/Imagines~! (lady-Bakuhoe): one-shot collection. Didn’t realize right away that I had been reading lady-bakuhoe’s stuff for months on AO3. (Wordcount: 39963 Status: complete)

Ship Centric:

Bakugo/Reader

Bakugou, Katsuki ( Alpha!Bakugou ; Omegaverse )(AO3 Link) (Tumblr Link): Smut one-shot, omegaverse, alpha/omega, daddy kink. (Wordcount: 5087)

Wolves Among Us: I’m pretty sure everyone knows this one, still putting it down. Werewolf!Bakugo x Human!Reader, Fantasy AU. (Wordcount: 334465 Status: Incomplete)

Bakugou Household: Domestic Bakugo just being the best dad. (Wordcount: 37867 Status: incomplete)

Types of Love: A bunch of one-shots about different types of love with Bakugo as the center subject. (Wordcount: 10243 Status: Complete)

Sex is a learning, even for shitheads.: Porn with Plot. Focuses on the evolution of the relationship between reader and Bakugo and their sex lives together, from first learning how to do the sex and controlling quirks during to exploring kinks, likes and dislikes. (Wordcount: 73453 Status: Complete)

Speak (Katsuki Bakugou x Reader): Soulmate Au- first words tattooed on body. Reader isnt too thrilled about the resident gremlin of 1-A is her soulmate. Smut included. (Wordcount: 153848 Status: Complete)

Knockout: I just started this one today, but I like it so far. Underground kickboxer au, kickboxer!Bakugo meets card girl!reader. (Wordcount: 85297 Status: complete)

His Tyranny: Fantasy au. Barbarian King Bakugo is power hungry, looking for anything to boost his strength, takes reader, a girl with a strong and dangerous magical ability, from the tower she was locked away in. (Wordcount: 76038 Status: complete)

Dakimakura: Bakugo develops a crush. Porn with plot. (Wordcount: 48657 Status: Complete)

Secret Admirer: Reader leaves Bakugo love letters. Things get steamy when reader gets caught. (Wordcount: 2278 Status: complete)

Kirishima/Reader

How to get a boyfriend?: Reader is Bakugo’s little sister and wants a boyfriend, she has her eyes set on her brother’s manly best friend. (Wordcount: 22431 Status: complete)

A Helping Hand (author’s tumblr https://thetrashyartwitch.tumblr.com/): No quirk au. Reader wants to better herself by going to the gym and develops a crush on Kirishima who was just being himself and being kind to reader. This gets a gold star from me, I read this over and over and I still love it so much. (Wordcount: 5707 Status: complete, one-shot)

Rising Sun (Btw, don’t bug the author about updating, they already get hounded about this one and other fics. The wait will be worth it.): Fantasy au and arrange marriage between princess!reader and dragon!Kirishima. Reader is in an entirely new environment and culture, getting to know her new kingdom and husband. (Wordcount: 14667 Status: incomplete)

Crimison|Ink (Kirishima x Reader) : I know I posted about this one before, but I will post about this again. I read this so many times, I have it downloaded on my phone to read offline. I don’t even know where to begin to describe this one, I just love it so much and can’t wait for it to come back. I don’t want to say I have a favorite, cause I love all of these… but if I had to choose *cough* this one *cough*. Summary: “Kirishima and his band of heavily tattooed brothers own and run a very well known tattoo shop together. One day a girl wonders into the shop in search of a tattoo to mark the start of her new life. Soon enough she’ll learn that this ‘family’ business is more than just buzzing tattoo guns and ink, and finds herself caught up in the middle of it, all while having to deal with a certain sharp-toothed pain in the ass.” Warning: violence, blood and gore, toxic past relationships. (Wordcount: 119179 Status: incomplete)

Oranges: Omegaverse, alpha!female!Reader/Omega!Kirishima. Mutual pining childhood friends who are oblivious towards each other’s feelings while everyone notices. (Wordcount: 19695 Status: Complete)

Anger Management: smut one-shot, reader is pissed about something at work and uses Kirishima to get rid of the rage by riding him till she’s no longer angry. (Wordcount: 1509 Status: Complete)

The Pizza Delivery Guy: Modern and College Au. Reader’s roommate Mina puts in to send the cutest delivery boy over. Best customer service experience ever. Pure fluff and flirting. Wanna see more. (Wordcount: 1607 Status: Complete)

Better Late Than Never: Dumb dumbs pining over each other both thinking they are just friends. (Wordcount: 2996 Status: complete)

Boyfriend Me: Short and simple, i live for the fluff and awkward kirishima. Accidental confessions and lack of words when around your crush. (Wordcount: 701 Status: complete)

The Heat of a Dragon: Pure smut with fantasy dragon!kirishima… who has two dicks. (Wordcount: 2464 Status: Complete)

All in his head: Reader has a mind reading quirk and Kirishima has a surprisingly dirty mind, sexy times ensues. (Wordcount: 1415 Status: Complete)

Fatgum/Reader (warning: all are smut fics)

First Time: This was my first fatgum fic I ever read and it’s still one of my top faves. Reader and Fatgum finally take steps into becoming intimate. Fluffy porn with plot. Size difference, totally a size queen’s go to fic. (Wordcount: 5394 Status: complete)

Sugar : Another first time fic, this time with a baker!reader in the middle of her kitchen. Size difference. (Wordcount: 6241 Status: Complete)

Dine and Dash: Celebratory public sex. (Wordcount: 2883 Status: complete)

Brick Walls are Great Support: Public sex in an alleyway. (Wordcount: 3006 Status: complete)

Drizzle: Valentine’s day sexy times with food. (Wordcount: 3017 Status:Complete) 

Temporary: Omegaverse, Omega!reader goes to a heat/rut house and meets alpha!Fatgum. (Wordcount: 3367 Status: Complete)

Not a typical Office Romance: office sexy times. (Wordcount: 2006 Status: complete)

Midoriya/Reader

Warmth of You: collection of Deku/reader one-shot smuts. I actually love this author a lot, does some of the best bottom Bakugo fics I have ever read. If you like bakudeku, check out their other works.

“Just Friends” : Jealous Midoriya doesn’t like being called just friends and reminds the reader that they are way more. Smut. (Wordcount: 3492 Status: complete)

Sero/Reader

Hero Santa: Best friends become something more during movie night in a blanket fort. Fluffy smut that makes me smile. (Wordcount: 4936 Status: complete)

Hoodie [SeroxReader]: post-break up, the only thing left behind was one of Sero’s hoodies that Reader still wears. Angst. (Wordcount: 3284 Status: complete)

Sour. Sweet. Gone.: no quirk and college au. Sero and reader are both pining idiots who go from friends to enemies to lovers. (Wordcount: 10448 Status: complete)

Tape residue: fluff smut, friends to lovers. Sero misread some signals but it all ends well. (Wordcount: 3410 Status: Complete)

A Seronade of Misunderstandings: Sero plans the most romantic and cheesy way for the first time but reader thinks his secretive behavior means he’s cheating. (Wordcount: 3420 Status: Complete)