#it feels good to have it filled :)

[obsob]

the joy of creation :3 !! (anything worth doing is worth doing badly)

[nicollekidman]

buffy knows spike loves her during season five. buffy knows spike loves her when she comes back and seeks comfort/silence in his presence. and as she comes back to herself and tries to make peace with the fact that she’s Here Again, she still knows he loves her. and i think part of the Big Bad Grabbing The Slayer For The Darkness routine they both cling to is that it allows them to pretend this huge thing isn’t between them so they can get what they both want (someone to stay).

and like obviously buffy cannot allow herself to believe that he loves her for many reasons, but she DOES believe it, she can’t make herself unknow it even though she tries so hard. which is partially where the breakdown with tara in 6.13 comes from because the cognitive dissonance of soulless spike loving her as if he has a soul while she is so lost within herself that the only way she can reach for him is to use him (which would be fine if he was the big bad grabbing the slayer for the darkness) which is hurting him! unfathomably! but he’s supposed to be the corruption! how can he??? any of it???

meanwhile spike has watched the woman he loves be brought back as a shell and he wants to see the light in her eyes and he can touch her now and sometimes that’s enough to make her laugh but he can’t linger in those moments or she’ll go away again! so he can play the role he needs to play so she’ll stay, as if he could keep her anywhere she didn’t want to be. as if he wants her to be in the dark instead of bringing him into the light. but how could he ask for anything more when he already got her back and he didn’t even need to kill her afterwards.

and so they hurt each other and he forgets himself and asks her if she even likes him and it’s too honest and he’s asking too much (he asks for nothing) so before she can throw her life away like it’s nothing, he puts the game face on, makes himself a target, and swallows it all. and she can’t unknow. and it would all be fine except he’s a vampire and she’s the slayer and how can he just say it like it’s nothing when she needs to beat his face in just to keep from screaming.

[vaguely-concerned]

having seen at least the rough outlines of all the romances now I have to say that I think emmrich's is probably objectively the best in terms of coherence and completeness of story arc (with the understanding that ultimately the 'best' romance is whichever one makes YOUR heart sing anyway so objectivity is a silly thing to claim that way, it just felt like it's the arc with the most well-paced focused content and the least dangling threads)... but lucanis' is my favourite haha. just. the whole kneeling before your beloved full of reverence but without any of the distance that usually implies??? his complete undramatic certainty and calm in every scene with rook after this, having spent the whole game caught between fear and longing???? mr. lives in a pantry but it says nothing about my psyche don't worry about it it's purely for tactical reasons that I keep myself contained in a small dark room not entirely unlike a cell, love among the parsnips -- finally coming to rook in their room and it's so comfortable and comforting???? after all the times rook supports and comforts him through the game he's finally able to return the same to them when they need it while being so calm and steady and it's so fucking sweet and feels so effortless and with no price attached?????? he basically assigns himself the role of your bodyguard and he WILL stab a god over it??????????????? the turn to protector (which was in his heart all along longing to get out and find a place) of it all????? he sounds like he's found himself unexpectedly stumbling into such a soul-lightening state of revelatory existential relief, full on 'you only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves' mary oliver style, and he goes and he shares that with rook and protectively envelops them in it when they're hurting??????????????????????????? hello for the maker's sake hello can anyone hear me?????

[dirtytransmasc]

atwow hot take:

if jake had said his "son for a son" shit out loud and spider had heard him, he would have been so beyond pissed, he would be seeing red.

spider loved his little siblings so much, neteyam included, even after they grew apart. he loved them like they were his own blood and protected them like they were too (we see a lot more of them together in the comics, where spider is the big brother without a doubt). neteyam's death most certainly rocked him hard, even if he hasn't really been able to show it (how could he? he's already going through all the shit with his dad and the RDA and their nonsense, he can't grieve around neytiri, he's just so tired after it all. he doesn't have the room or the energy to grieve yet)

so if jake had the audacity to say that to/around spider not even a few hours after he watched his little brother get shot after coming to save him, after he stared at the bullet hole in his back, after he watched him take his last breaths, after he watched the light leave his eyes, after he watched his little brother die for him; if he said that while his little brother's body lay in a pool of his own blood not even ten feet away, not even cold yet, blood still clinging to his chest, the scent of it still filling the air: he would have lost his shit.

because the disrespect for his brother is wild.

jake was an active player in spider's neglect and abuse for the last 16 years, he let it happen, he helped it happen. he tried to send spider with the humans, tried to take him away from his siblings, from the forests, from eywa to live with his foster family that didn't love him (not to mention Nash was an asswipe of epic proportions) and the RDA of all people. he had referred to spider as a stray animal since he was little. he was the reason spiders life was hell.

and after all that, years and years of putting him in shit positions and allowing him to suffer the fate of being forever unloved and uncared for (by an adult authority figure, cause I love the kids, but they don't make up for the gap left by a parent), this is what it took for jake to care about him? his little brother had to die in front of him first? he had to be traded out to fill the space of a corpse, to fill in the gap left by his little brother's death?

in canon, spider was in deep in shock with nothing to break him from it, he wasn't in the place to really think about any of it, and I'm sure we're gonna see this anger in the coming movies, but if jake had said it out loud, that would have been enough to snap spider right out of it, and he would have given jake a piece of his mind, I just know it.

[kagooleo]

doodlin some joh’s

[justanintrovertedweirdo]

TADC SPOILERS

(Also slight Kinger rant)

This show is gonna make me go insane. Y'know, when Pomni and Kinger were listening to all the recordings, I was making some connections due to how Kinger was acting in the moment. Oh, no, it's reminding him of his wife :(

But I wasn't being serious about it cause I didn't think Queenie was canonically his wife. Heck, it wasn't even canon that he had a wife. But oh my god. Then, this scene happened.

I was already going insane over what they had said, but holy shit.

We were right

WE WERE FUCKING RIGHT

HE MISSES HIS WIFE, GUYS

"You look beautiful, honey"

As he looks into the black mass of a bunch of glowing eyes, ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS

[squirrelno2]

All right so I haven't been active in the Julie and the Phantoms fandom in a long time, and although I know there are definitely still people creating and reblogging in the fandom it tends to be a much smaller handful of people than it used to, which for me felt disheartening and was part of why I've backed off from it. I'd love to see new stuff more regularly and start recirculating older things just to remind myself and anyone else who needs it how much I love this silly little show.

All this to say, I am putting out feelers to see if anyone is interested in a blog that runs consistent, casual event-type things for the fandom to try and revitalize interest in jatp fanworks, like featured weeks for individual characters here, fic rec events, etc. I'm toying with ideas to inspire people to pick up their wips, spark new stories, and highlight older content that didn’t get much attention or would just be nice to see again. I’d like to create a community space to liven the fandom back up for people who miss the show or got into the fandom after the hype died down. Does that seem interesting to anyone?

[skunkes]

thank god for the rarity of befriending ppl you really click with. It hadn't happened to me in so long... <- and this will start making you feel like you're unlovable and that there's something wrong with u

[lost-in-fandoms]

A little kitten knight Max AU prompt because honestly, I will never have enough... Also, don't worry about fulfilling it any time soon, just for when the brain worms want to worm, and if they never want to, that's fine too. But I noticed, a common trend in this AU is that Max turns into his cat form when Daniel least expects it and its like a welcome surprise to him when it happens, cue cuteness and love.

So what about a time, well in their established relationship, probably when he's used to Max's shifting pattern, something happens and he's expecting Max to shift, and it doesn't happen? And Daniel is just like ???? but cat form????

OR one where Daniel is the one in the need of comfort at the time, which is rare, despite Max being the Knight Captain and supposedly the tough one, and Max tries to help him in his human form but nothing works, so he shifts into his kitten form and that's the one that does the trick...

I'm sorry, this AU really corrupted my brain now, I will shut up now and patiently wait for another bit at some point

Thank you so much for sending this! It means a lot to me that you enjoy this universe so much <3

It took me a few days, but I hope you like this! I took the two prompts and combined them into one! Also this is accidentally almost 1.8k.

Daniel loves his life.

It's not perfect, and it's not the easiest, he could do with less dead hour watches and more hours in bed, preferably with Max, but it's good. He has a group of friends he loves dearly, even if they're mostly dickheads, and the last time he lost one was because he left the guards to go live on a farm with his family, not because of war and death. The kingdom has been mostly peaceful for years, and even the occasional border skirmishes have become less frequent, mostly solved with words and carefully placed marriages and threats.

And he has Max. Max, who is his own little piece of magic, who would make this life worth it even if it was worse than this.

So yes, Daniel loves Max, and he loves his life, but sometimes... Sometimes, when the nights are long and cold, and the rain seems endless, he can't help but miss the searing hot burn of red sand and the blinding glare of the sun. Sometimes, when one of the guys leaves the castle to have a meal with his family, his own food turns to ash in his mouth, tasting nothing like the things he used to love. Sometimes, when him and Max take three days of leave to go visit his mother or his sister, he can't help but think about how three days would not even cover half of way home for him, no matter a whole round trip.

Sometimes he's homesick.

He doesn't regret leaving, doesn't regret the adventures that brought him here, doesn't regret this life, will never regret putting down roots by Max's side, but he wishes it didn't have to be that far away. He never stopped exchanging letters with his family, with his mom especially, but it's not the same. It's not the same when he thinks about how useless he'd be if someone grew sick, or died. It's not the same when, even if he'll never tell anyone, he misses his mom's arms around him more fiercely than anything.

In those times, he pulls himself away. He doesn't hang out with the others outside of his shift, he doesn't spar for fun, he doesn't sit down with them in the hazy vapor of the baths, doesn't share meals with them. It's not easier to deal with the feeling by himself, but it's not harder, and that will have to do.

He's sitting on top of one of the high towers, eyes fixed on the horizon as if he would suddenly become able to see all the way home, when Max finds him.

He's still wearing his fancy cloak, the one he wears when the King has important visitors and Max needs to look less like a random guard and more like his Captain, he must have come straight from his duties, but he still leans against the wet stone ramparts with Daniel.

For a long moment, they stand in silence. Daniel can feel Max's eyes on him, but he doesn't look, busy trying to pierce insurmountable distances.

"Are you alright?" Max finally asks, shifting closer, their arms brushing from shoulder to wrist, their fingers knocking together. Even if they're alone, it's not safe to touch any more than that, and Daniel appreciates the gesture.

He nods, not really feeling like talking, suddenly wishing Max could hold him right there. He doesn't want to take his eyes away from the horizon, doesn't want Max to move further away. He wants both, always wants both, and it would make him laugh if it was any other moment, how simply the ache in his heart can be summarised in this single moment.

Max shifts again next to him, moving his weight from one foot to another, an unusual show of hesitance from him that doesn't really surprise Daniel. As lovely as Max is, he never really knows what to say when Daniel is like this.

Where Daniel had been raised with gentle hands and words of love, Max had known bruises and reproach, and even if he's come a long way, he still struggles sometimes with reassurances and feelings.

Max shifts again, their arms no longer touching, and Daniel almost expects to look to the side and find a kitten watching him instead. It's what Max does when he doesn't know what to say to Daniel: he turns in a shape where things are easier and then pours out his love in purrs and kitten licks, cuddling as close as possible to Daniel's heart.

But when Daniel looks, Max is still there, taking off his cloak to carefully drape him across Daniel's shoulders.

Daniel shivers, surprise and sudden warmth making his chest feel weird. He hadn't even realised he was cold.

It's not quite a hug, but he accepts it with the best version of a smile he can muster at the moment, and it seems to be enough to satisfy Max. They stand on top of the tower in silence for a long time.

The feeling doesn't go away the next day. Or the one after that.

It's unusual for him to feel this heavily homesick for so many days in a row, but he doesn't know how to make it go away, and it's clear Max doesn't know either.

He's been staying as close to Daniel as possible, taking care of him in many small different ways, holding him tight when they find each other in bed, but it doesn't seem to be enough. There's an ache in Daniel's chest that doesn't go away.

He's walking through the courtyard, limbs feeling heavier than they should be even after a long watch in the city's streets, when his eyes catch on a shadow, slinking away between some crates, and he realises what it might be that he needs.

"I saw a cat earlier," he tells Max.

They're laying in bed, Daniel's head on Max's naked chest, both too tired to have sex but still needing to be close.

"Are you going to make a joke about cousins again?" Max grumbles, chest vibrating under Daniel's cheek. He doesn't have to look up to know Max is frowning and smiling at the same time.

"No," Daniel replies with a giggle, "even if..."

Max pinches him before he can finish the sentence, and Daniel yelps, squirming away and then closer again.

He takes a breath, steadying himself. He doesn't know if this is okay to ask, has never had to ask before.

"Is everything okay?" Max asks, serious again, one hand coming up to gently cup Daniel's cheek.

Daniel nods, then hesitates some more. He doesn't want to...offend Max, or something like that, but he also just. He thinks that would make it right. Maybe.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Max's answer come so quickly Daniel would tease him for it if it was another day.

"And if I am out of line, you'll tell me?"

Finally, Max seems to have enough of this uncertainty and he moves Daniel around until he's able to meet his eyes. There's a deep frown line between his eyebrows, and Daniel almost reaches out to smooth it out.

"You are worrying me, Daniel. Just say it?"

Daniel bites at his lip for a second, but then he nods again. If he drags it out further he'll either end up not saying it at all or turning it in an even bigger thing than it needs to be.

"Can you shift?" he blurts out, almost immediately regretting not thinking of a better question.

Max's frown deepens.

"You mean...I am able to?"

Daniel shakes his head, moving his hands restlessly.

"No, I mean, could you? Right now?" He hates not knowing if he's like making an horrible faux-pas right now, but at least he's pretty confident Max won't hate him for it.

Max tilts his head, eyes studying Daniel so carefully he feels a bit like a miniature in a gilded book, understanding slowly making his way onto his face. Daniel both loves and hates how well Max knows him.

"That would make you feel better?" he asks gently.

Daniel nods again, helpless, unable and unwilling to lie.

"It..he..." Max swallows, frustrated. Daniel is glad that at least they both seem uncertain on what way is the best one to talk about this. "It's better when I am like that?"

And oh, Daniel can't have that.

He shakes his head, hands flying up to cup Max's cheeks, crashing forward to push their lips together.

"No, no! You are perfect, and I..." he kisses Max again, tries to put too much into it. "You have been great, but I think..."

"Daniel," Max calls, half a smile on his lips, grabbing Daniel's shoulders.

Daniel takes a breath, letting Max slow him down again. The next kiss is softer, sweeter. His thoughts clearer.

"I love you, like this and like that, but I would like some furry cuddles right now."

Max smile grows at his choice of words, but he gently pushes Daniel away to get himself some space, not needing to be asked twice.

"I love you too," he says, pressing one last kiss to Daniel's cheek.

And then one second Daniel is looking at his eyes, and the next he has to look down to find the small kitten already fighting with the bunched up blankets.

He laughs, helping him out of them while ignoring the disgruntled little meows. He doesn't know what it is about this, but his soul already feels more settled, lighter.

"Hello baby," he greets, laying back down on the bed in a comfortable position. He immediately feels Max climbing over him, little pinpricks of pain following his journey towards Daniel's collarbone, but he stays still, letting him do his thing.

When Max is settled down, curled up in a little furry ball next to Daniel's neck, purrs already vibrating through him, he brings up a hand to pet him softly, feeling his wet nose press against his skin in response.

He reaches over to turn off the oil lamp, letting the moon take over. He still misses his old home, still misses his family, but the pain of it has subsided in the familiar thrum that always resides between his ribs, bearable once again.

"Thank you, Maxy," he whispers in the silver darkness, brushing his cheek against Max's little body. Max just purrs louder, and Daniel smiles.

Tomorrow he will write a new letter to his mom, will ask about his nephews and about the harvest, but for now he closes his eyes, letting Max lull him to sleep.

[utilitycaster]

I read a book over Rosh Hashanah that like...the best way I can put it is that I really understand that for centuries, the only option available to queer writers who wanted to write about queer characters was to only show and never tell and not just that but to show veiled in symbolism and coding and open-to-reader-interpretation and plausible-deniability, and now we can be open and indeed proclaim it from the rooftops! But show-don't-tell is still in fact excellent advice for writing, and contrary to what Tumblr Writing Advice and The Fanfic Style will tell you, most people don't want to read pages of infodumping in their fiction, and unfortunately it feels like there is a generation of younger queer writers who are like "oh wait! I can tell you these characters are gay" and forget to like. write the fucking story around it. There's gotta be a happy medium here.

[that-was-anticlimactic]

i will never understand how or why the httyd movies did the books such an injustice.

the movies aren't even an adaptation - they stole the name of the series, the name of some of the characters and places, and the general idea that there are dragons. honestly, i would be fine with the movies and maybe even like them if they didn't capitalize off of cressida cowell's incredible books that never get any credit.

the books are an amazing story about the cycle of violence and how vengeance and revenge is dangerous. hiccup says that the past is a ghost story, one we need to learn from to better ourselves. the books are about how everyone deserves freedom, how every creature, every being on the earth deserves to be free. we see that in the slavemark, with the dragons.

and like... hiccup is so different. they did him a severe injustice. he's scrawny and intelligent and learned to talk to dragons simply by observing them! he chooses kindness first above all else; instead of yelling at toothless to train him, he is kind. and in the end, that kindness is why toothless chose to save him. bc even toothless himself says that dragons are inherently selfish creatures who care only for their survival. hiccup is brave - his beliefs differ drastically from both the vikings and the world.

hiccup is a child who chose to do the right thing even at the expense of himself. he agreed to free the slaves on nobert's ship, and in return, they gave him the slavemark which is easy to give but cannot be removed. he was like twelve. and having the slavemark means he cannot be with his tribe or his family, it means he isn't considered a human being anymore. and he keeps it a secret for awhile until it's revealed and when it is everyone turns their backs on hiccup. his family, his tribe, his mentor, people he TRUSTED. everyone except fishlegs, and, once she got over the shock, camicazi. he was thirteen. and even when he lost his memories and was really injured, he persisted. he was told to go to tomorrow and to save the dragons and he did bc in his heart he knew it was right even though he didn't know who he was or how he got there.

and fishlegs,,, oh my god FISHLEGS!!! the did him SO DIRTY!!! fishlegs is hiccup's best friend, one of the main motivators for hiccup. he steals norbert's potato for the sake of fishlegs, he gives fishlegs his dragon and goes to retrieve another, he takes the blame for fishlegs. and fishlegs does the same for him. he takes the slavemark with pride. he refuses to turn. he gives hiccup his lobster claw necklace which is his most prized possession. he is brave for hiccup, he believes hiccup is alive. he fights for hiccup harder than anyone else ever has. he does not turn. his is loyal, has allergies, has asthma, has a squint and a limp, has glasses bc he's blind without them... and he's still a hero despite being a runt, despite everyone even the adults telling him he's hopeless, telling hiccup to leave him behind.

and they cut camicazi! i'm sorry, but astr*d is nothing compared to camicazi. camicazi is a tiny, feral child who can easily best hiccup, fishlegs, and pretty much anyone in a sword fight. she can bring a grown man to tears with her rudery and smack talk. she is recklessly brave and craves adventure and follows hiccup blindly bc she trusts him that much. she isn't in love with hiccup - in fact she doesn't care about romance and love. she gives up everything to help hiccup bc she has a strong sense of justice. she is the motivator, the cheerleader, she finds a positive in everything. she never gives up. literally never gives up. and that's one of the most inspiring things about her: she always has hope.

and toothless! god!!! toothless is *thought to be* a common or garden dragon. he is horrifically tiny, he is literally toothless, and is the biggest brat in the world. he will cause problems on purpose. he has a stutter, he's the most selfless selfish dragon around. he and hiccup can talk to each other. he masks his fear with singing and being annoying. his growth is remarkable. he starts off refusing to obey hiccup, doing the opposite of what he says, making life harder for literally everyone around him, and he's still somewhat like that. but he's also braver, more caring, more willing to make sacrifices for the sake of others. he's clever, which he needs to be to make up for his size and aggression. he protects hiccup with everything he has, therefore, he protects what hiccup cares about just as hard. he was the only dragon that didn't abandon the vikings in the first book bc he cared about hiccup.

and snotlout,,, god,,, i will never forgive the movies for butchering snotlout. hiccup's cousin, the bully character, the one who is horrifically jealous that hiccup's dad was born before his. the one who desperately wants to prove himself, to be worthy, to make people proud. and you hate him, you despise him. he betrays everyone many times bc of the nothing promised to him by alvin and his mom. he loses himself, turns his back on himself, all bc he wants to prove himself. all bc he wants to be better than hiccup. and hiccup still forgives him and gives him chances, sometimes out of pity, but also bc snotlout is his cousin. he can't just turn his back on him no matter how miserable snotlout made his life. and in the end, snotlout sacrifices himself for hiccup. he gives up his life for hiccup in one last attempt to set things right. his death and the events preceding it are one of my absolute favorite moments in the book. gives me chills. makes me cry.

that's the thing with the books - they're so realistic. there is no inherently happy ending where everything works out. the first book begins with "there were dragons when i was a boy", implying that they're gone now. the books show there are consequences to our actions. they enslaved the dragons, they fought against them during the dragon rebellion all bc alvin and his mom said to, and now they're gone bc a simple apology doesn't fix hundreds of years of enslavement. and the only way for the world to move forward was for the dragons to leave and heal on their own. and now they have to learn to live without them. and yeah i've heard the third movie ends like that but. it doesn't have the build up. it doesn't have "there were dragons when i was a boy". it doesn't have eleven books of development to back it up, to make it feel meaningful.

i know that the movies are really special to a lot of people. i know that, on their own, they're genuinely good movies. i can acknowledge that the soundtrack is amazing and the animation is beautiful. i just can't see past the way they butchered the world that i love, the world that i grew up with. i can't see past the way people yelled at me for saying i liked the books better, the way that people gave me weird looks when i showed them a picture of the original toothless, when i tell them that nightfuries aren't even a type of dragon. cressida cowell created hundreds of different dragons, and the movies couldn't even pick from that. i can't forgive the way that barely anyone knows there are books bc the movie barely gives credit to them. i cannot forgive the way they capitalized off the books and then shoved them aside. i know cressida thinks they're good movies and i know a lot of httyd book fans also like them. but i just... i cannot get over how much they changed and how they missed so much and ignored the books. also they got rid of camicazi so hiccup could have a love interest and that is unforgivable to me.

if you disagree, that is a-okay. we're all entitled to our own opinions. i just ask that you, perhaps, try the books out. give them a chance. bc they're amazing works of art and also just like. don't yell at people who don't like the movies? whether it's bc they prefer the books or just aren't into that kind of movie. and just remember that dreamworks didn't come up with the story; cressida cowell did.

[qrevo]

Was tagged by @humanaaa to make a list of 13 songs I've been listening to lately!!

Haven't listened to many different songs lately (currently my main playlist is a Disorganized Hell), but these are the ones that I've been listening to the most:

Deep Cover - Milgram

Chimera - Deco27 (MegaTeraZero Cover)

Bug - KairikiBear (Chogakusei Cover)

Zombies - Deco*27 (Giga Remix, Chogakusei Cover)

This Is How To Be In Love With You - Milgram

Overdose - natori

Turing Love - NanawoAkari & Sou

Dramaturgy - Eve

PLATONIC GIRL - MikitoP (Amatsuki & luz Cover)

Double - Milgram

Say It - Yorushika

Aesthetic Sense - wanuka

Conveying Love Or Something Like That - aimyon

(Of course Deep Cover would get first place JKSKDBKSDF!! Been hearing it non-stop since it released. Like, go seigi girl!! Banger!!)

Besides that I've been hearing mostly songs from Milgram, Deco*27 (he can't stop releasing banger after banger❗❗), and some other vocaloid producer songs. Tho I usually prefer to listen to human covers (sorry Hatsune Miku i hope you can forgive me 🙏)

I'll tag @tokyogruel @good-beans @cubelogic @nilovalentine @mukuberry and @rainbowghostcat!! As always, no pressure tags, and anyone else can join :3

[batsplat]

pecco rant please please

*spins wheel on possible topics* absurdly underrated but in a dumb way. you'd think you can stumble your way into two premier class titles. I don't care he's on the best bike - let's be honest, how often this century have the title winners not been on the best bike? 2004 and to a lesser extent 2005 you can say clearly weaker bike, 2007 late 2010s 2021 there's a clear enough disparity with anyone else riding the bike that you can say clearly the rider is making the difference/it's an unrideable wreck one guy is making respectable, then there's a few seasons where it's at least very close whose machinery is best or they're fighting with people on equal equipment, which pecco has done! but generally speaking, good/promising riders end up on good bikes and then they win. that's how the game works!

the thing about 2022 is that it had such a massive mid-season swing that overhauling a ninety something point margin cannot come down to any single factor. is it fair to say fabio lost that title? on balance, it's a bit harsh - yes, there were a few too many errors post-sachsenring, yes, some were driven by desperation, but also you can't really expect anyone to ride a flawless season. but pecco did win that title as much as yamaha lost it. I don't care if you're riding a literal rocketship with two wheels, you can't win four races in a row if you're not extremely good at what you do! if we're saying that title was worth less because the yamaha turned to shit in the second half of the season, then let's keep going. let's put an asterisk next to 2013 because jorge and dani both got injured (let's not even get into the 'if marc hadn't been injured' asterisks because that's where you get into truly silly territory). is 2006 not a legit title because of all the bad luck valentino faced that year? let's say all titles between 2007 to 2015 were worth less because at any one time only 4-6 bikes had a realistic chance of winning races. throw out any title before 2009 because they were constantly fucking about with the tyres and there wasn't a level playing field. if you're motivated enough, you can play this game with basically anything, but it's dumb and pointless because that's not how sports works! you can only win against whoever you're facing. it has always been thus and it will always be thus

it's narratively fun and juicy that pecco has these insecurities himself - but within the context of everyone else doing discourse over it, the whole thing is massively overblown! linked to some of the worst sports discourse about how much people love to disparage late bloomers, because they need every single successful athlete to fit the same mould of the ultra-talented wunderkind, apparently. it's more interesting when it's not always the most 'talented' (whatever tf that means), naturally gifted, *fast the second he touches a bike* bloke who wins. sometimes they have to work hard for it, sometimes they have to improve themselves year on year and be smart about how they do it, sometimes they have to be in the right place and right time, sometimes they have to be very lucky. sports is all about competition, and competition is all about contrast. it's a contrast that can be generated in a whole lot of ways, and in fairness to motogp they have come up with a bunch of interesting narratively tense contests that don't rely on a massive fundamental 'talent' differential - but at the end of the day, that's one of the best ones you can have! the more ways you can have to win in any given sport, the better, both in the literal sense of how you go about the actual process of winning and how you even become a winner. none of this means that pecco isn't very very good, it means he got there in a different way than every other multiple champ this century has. it fundamentally flattens the sport if you want every top-level competitor to be an alien-level talent... one of the best things about this current era is that it has given us something new and exciting in that regard, where you well and truly believe some very different blokes might have what it takes to eventually be champion

anyway, pecco is absurdly adept at digging himself into holes and absurdly adept at digging himself out of them. he's one of the worst frontrunners imaginable in every sense, biologically incapable of dominating without at least a perpetual hint of jeopardy, both in the context of a race and a season. but when his back is against the wall, somehow he keeps finding performances you never imagined he was capable of. his mixed up and slightly odd skillset, his strengths and weaknesses, how he's better and worse than he has any right to be... all of it lends itself to perpetual momentum shifts and thrilling seasons - because you never quite know what you're going to get. love him or hate him, he's a gift to the overall competitive landscape! god knows the racing hasn't been much to write home about these last few years (though, yes, we did have a good little run this season), but somehow he's managed to get himself involved in two out of the six title deciders this century back-to-back. is that not the dream for the viewer, to have a bloke at the top of the sport with a little self-combust chip in his head every time he builds too much of an advantage? build a hundred of those guys! throw a marc marquez at him and see what he does! I can't wait to see what he'll come up with next

[ginzburgjake]

a what

(i’m altering between manic crash learning and procrastination, so drawing michael seemed about right)

edit: played with filters for a bit and the discoloured version hits so hard

[goodomenscalendar]

What is this? | Submit your own event or tag us! | Be sure to click through to the original post for the latest updates! Last edited: October 12th.

Ending Events

Good Omens Holiday Exchange | Prompt Claims close Oct 4th

The Good Omens Holiday Exchange has operated every holiday season since 2005, so by now it's something we consider a fandom institution-- and you could be a part of it this year! Sign-ups are closed, but you can still claim a prompt to fill for someone else! - @goexchange-mods - Claims List -

GOAD Fall Ball Kink Thrall | 18+ | Sign-ups close Oct 31st

Autumnal kink roulette split into two sections. One 'edge' event taking place over a month of writing or drawing. One 'heat' sprint style event weekly on the sub (over the posting period). Prompts sent out November 1st! - @goodomensafterdark - Reddit -

Good Omens Fairy Tale Bang | Posting continues!

This is a Good Omens Mini Bang themed entirely around Fairy Tales! Writing your own or adapting a favorite! All versions of all Fairy Tales and Mythology are welcome! Featuring both SFW and NSFW content. - @fairytalegobang - AO3 Collection -

DIWS: Silver Screen Bang | Posting continues!

The Good Omens Silver Screen Bang brings writers and artists together to retell a movie through a Good Omens lens! AUs and fusions welcome! Featuring both SFW and NSFW content. - @do-it-with-style-events - Twitter - AO3 Collection -

Good Omens Theater Bang | Posting continues!

A Good Omens bang dedicated to theatrical plays and musicals! Featuring both SFW and NSFW content. - @gomens-theatre-bang - AO3 Collection -

Ongoing Events

Chill Omenstober | Runs all month!

A chill list of Good Omens themed October prompts filled with lots of break days. Feel free to use with any form of art! Good luck and have fun! - Prompt List -

Ineffable Kinktober | Runs all month!

A month-long prompt list full of truly Ineffable kinks! This isn't a challenge, do as many or as few as you are inspired to! - Prompt List - Twitter - AO3 Collection -

Inktober | Runs all month!

Classic Inktober: make a drawing in ink, and post it! Inktober is about growing and improving and forming positive habits, so the more you’re consistent the better. - Prompt List - Twitter - Reddit -

Whumptober | Runs all month!

Whumptober is a month-long, prompt-based creation challenge (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are 31 official themes this year - one for each day of the month - which can be used, skipped, or combined in any way you’d like! - @whumptober - AO3 Collection -

Upcoming Events

Thwarting Wiles Zine: Vol 2 | 18+ | Applications open Oct 5th

A bottom!Crowley Good Omens zine. This is an 18+ zine, so no minors will be accepted. - @thwartingwileszine - Twitter -

Ineffably Grey Zine | Pre-orders open Oct 18th

From the Grand Opening in 1898 to modern times, follow this Demon and his Angel on their adventures, and the routines that surely follow at a table for two for An Evening At the Ritz! All proceeds donated to The National Center for Transgender Equality. - @ineffablygrey - Twitter - Instagram - BigCartel -

The Ineffable Society: Langhorne, PA Meetup | October 19th

A free-to-attend Good Omens fandom meetup in the States. Just outside Philadelphia, PA. All ages welcome; under 18 must attend with guardian. Masks required in our Event spaces—help keep your fellow fans safe! - @theineffablesociety - Twitter -

Good Omens Spooky Bang | Posting begins Oct 28th

A spooky Good Omens bang to kick off the autumn season! Whether it's Aziraphale pumpkin-picking, a pumpkin spice latte coffee shop AU, or Hell hosting a Halloween bash, you're invited to the Spooky Bang! Featuring both SFW and NSFW content. - @spooky-bang-good-omens -

Ineffable Secret Angel Event | Sign-ups TBD

When you register for the event, you will be randomly assigned to another participant, who will not know they have been assigned to you. You will then create fanart or write a fanfiction for this person, which you will present to them as a winter gift! Join the Good Omens Reference Library Server to participate! - Info Post - Discord Server -

On The Horizon

Keep an eye out for these works-in-progress in the coming months!

Good Omens Frames | @gomensframes Good Omens Monster Bangers Bang | @gomonsterbangersbang

[the-switch-conspiracy]

SVSSS AU Post Canon Time Loop. Warning: people dying a lot and gore.

~(O-O)~

One, two. The first times came as a surprise. Between a breath and the next; dropped tea cups shattering. Their shocked eyes meeting, barely widening enough to expose blood shot whites, before the rippling wet sound of metal into viscera filled the stilling air. Like flowers, red bloomed on green, on white, soaked through black. They were but puppets falling from cut strings, their glass eyes staring accusingly at the coming dawn. Three, four. A little faster, a little more refined in our response. The first bodies to fall crushing the delicate stalks of grass beneath them, were not their own. Their attackers staining the visage with their rot. An ever growing expansion with no end in sight. A shining sword glare pierces through bone. Movement to his left, his companion falling lit my the gentle morning glow, before a blinding pain to his eye. Then black. Five, Six. Curls blowing in the wind as demonic Qi rose, several demons cut down. Zheng Yang singing as it dispatched three, four attackers in a row. The edge of the blade shining red in the harsh midday light, his robes twirling around his body with each nimble twist. He turns his back towards the sight, hope forming in his heart. An arrow shot towards his eye blocked, a sword glare cast, slicing head from body. In an instant comes a familiar sound, his husband's voice releasing a death knell of a gasp. Before him; a white lotus painted red, the delicate mist raining from a still beating heart. Twelve, Thirteen. It all started a few day’s earlier, at the reminder of a certain upcoming plot point. The mating migration of the Silk-Winged Butterfly-Hawk, a once in a century event wherein the said birds left the hidden realm the predominately resided in to dance above the great Eastern Lotus Lakes.

- He dodges a strike to his side, his back hitting his husband’s. One by one they slaughter those circling them. A hand seal summoning a thousand lotus petals to rip through flesh, peppering strangely corroding skin. The moons soft glow beamed down on them, their hands slickening with heat and silver reflecting blood-

A hint to his husband later and they were packed and ready for their trip. Sure they could have had Mobei-Jun teleport them there, but it was about the journey AND the Silver-Winged Butterfly-Hawk mating migration destination! It was to be a leisurely bit of travel, he and his husband, stopping just a few times along the way. So imagine his surprise when he came across his favourite Shidi just two days into their trip!

- The beats of thousands of wings taking off, hundreds of birds scattering to the sky. Brilliant white robes flaring against the waters' glare. Cheng Luan glowing silver, fuelled by it’s user’s potent spiritual energy struck out in a shining ripple. His strikes flow like a wave, his form strong and ceaseless under the barrage that assailed him. The War God and his Soaring Phoenix -

His dedicated Shidi had been travelling in the area as part of a mission for the sect. There had been sightings of strange phenomena, and stranger creatures appearing in the area surrounding the Lotus Lakes. While Liu Shidi hadn’t seen anything of the sort himself, he was concerned about their safety. Or well specifically his Shixiong’s, although Shen Qingqiu did have a plan to change that. Well, the outline of a plan, more of a partial kind of well… it was a work in progress! So, this information was perfect! If there was indeed issues in the area it would be remiss of Shen Qingqiu to not survey the area himself as an immortal cultivator, and he couldn’t just leave Binghe, plus his Shidi was already on it so joining them would be no problem! Perfect.

-Liu Qingge parry's a strike, his sword burying itself to the hilt. The wound festers red and black around the blade, the skin pulsating as it seemingly climbed up its’ surface. Trying to tug the blade free was fruitless, as if it was being consumed by the deforming mass beneath him. He swings both the blade and the body stuck to it to block the blow from his front. He can't block the blow that impales his side, nor could he stop the blow to his throat. Thrown from his feet he lands in the lake, sinking beneath the silver water. Bubbles form as his body thrashes in his death throes. White stained red, petals crushed beneath his submerging form. The stain spreads; the bubbles stop.-

It’s fun travelling with them both, yes his husband and Liu Qingge fight like cats and dogs, but on Binghe’s side he practically playing! It’s enrichment!

“Shen Qingqiu, control your husband!” The red flush spreading across his Shidi’s face was rather fetching, he could see why his husband liked causing it… and well, it’s not bullying if his Shidi likes it. The satisfaction points speak for themselves! Though admittedly they are much, much higher when he’s the one teasing his Shidi, a gain however is a gain!

“Liu Shishu just can’t handle losing to this one, maybe Shizun should kiss his wounds as a consolation prize~” A teasing sneer spreads across Binghe’s face as he gloats, a sneaky little glance towards this husband follows. Ah Binghe, you’re coming across too strong! We talked about this, be more gentle! Treat him like a skittish cat!

“Ah Shidi, Binghe’s only teasing.” He raises his fan to cover his face, coyly glancing at his Shidi from behind it, “After all, I’ll only kiss your wounds if you win.”

“Y-You- Shameless!” Yes, he did so love the time they spend together.

-Time after time, one after the other, the grief never fades. The deaths will haunt his mind forever, a permanent scar across his psyche. Will he ever be able to close his eyes without seeing Qingge cut down? His husband gasping for air? His own limbs severed? Yet the hoard encroaches. A never ending onslaught.

"Husband! Behi-" Pain tearing through his spine, an arc of gore glowing in the moonshine. Red blood, black blood. It doesn’t end.

3̵̨̲̰͉̤͓͓̜̯͉͈̕̕͜͜0̶̧̛̝̭͈̤͕͇͙̩̠%̷̞̦̈́̄͆̓̕ Thirty four, Thirty FiVe. His lungs were screaming. Every block, and lunge, and slash, and parry exhausting him to the bone. All he could taste was rust and ash, Qingge fell silently a breath, an incense stick, a shi chen, ago. His body a shield again this master's blunder. He can barely lift his sword, his meridians felt almost burnt from the power cloying the air. A sickeningly wet squelch, Binghe's roar faltering to a whimper as his body hits the rocks. Another demon down, or a cultivator? Bodies falling, falling. He can’t, he can’t. Two red moons fill the sky, water fills his lungs. [User seems to be struggling with this Mission! >_< Poor showing from host! Well User can always retry!! 500 B-points!] [Y/N] [Y]

6̶̠͠0̵͇̐%̶̆͜

FiFty SeveN. He's drowning in blood. Was it Binghe's arm he was holding? It must be, Shidi was dragging him. Somewhere. Hmmm, the shouting is getting closer, and Qingge's breaths sounded quite wet! Ah! He's coughing! Well better out than in, Shidi, ah it's... Dripping. Here, Shixiong will wipe it away... Why... Tears? Ah Shidi looks so!! So!!! If this master wasn't married! Ah Wait we...Well maybe Binghe will... Here Shidi hold on to Binghe for this one a moment. Why are you giving me that look? Ah you're crushing me! For someone so lithe looking you're really quite heavy! Ah, it's quite- Shidi... Liu shidi.. you... Please keep coughing please you're too quiet. Please I can’t... It's tOo quiEt it’s toO [User seems to be running low on B-points. User has 427 B-points remaining! Luckily User 0002 can use his VIP to reduce the cost to 400 B-points for the next attempt!!] [Y/N] [Y] FIFTY EIGHT. Not just demons, not just cultivators. No, of course not. It was him. His fault. Who else could it be? Only he had the power, only he had the will. Only he had the golden finger, the halo, the fucking audacity! But there was something wrong. Glowing red eyes, skin twitching, shifting, like textures not loading in. His voice crackling, modulated.

"Ah S̸͕̑ḫ̴̅ĭ̶̟z̶̡̏u̵͇͂n̵͓͝~ you thought that s̸͍͠e̴͋ͅà̸̗l̵̰͠i̷͓͝n̵͎͑g̵̜̉ this world from me would be so simple? There is nowhere you could run, no world you could jump to, that I would be u̵͚͊n̷̜͆ä̶̢́b̸̞̊ḻ̷͌ě̷̤ to follow. So please, just submit, this Junshang will treat you well."

“go… fuck… yourself..” Spitting words like spitting blood, the ringing of bells…. No… sirens blaring in the skies.

The monster’s ribs cracked and spasms, a twisted knot of glossy black bone and gently pulsating red wires. An artificial monstrosity. What had he done to himself, to gain access to this world? Qingge sprawled in a heap, a black puddle spreading beneath him, Xin Mo sheathed like a grave marker in his back. His husband split throat to navel, his body failing to knit itself back together, strangled gurgles bubbling in his throat. A hoard of demons, no… cultivators? They surround him in twitching, glitching, grinning masses. Their distorted faces all corrupted copies of his own. This time its his own blade that takes his life. The howling, glitching screams of rage following him into the dark.

“Y̷̯͛o̸͇͆ǔ̷ͅ'̴̗̐l̵̦̓l̷͍͠ ̵̜̂b̷͙́e̷̟̊ ̴̱͆m̵͚̈́í̵̲ǹ̷̻e̵̛͚ S̷̝͠h̴̭̔e̵̺͝n̶̆͜ ̵̳̏Ỳ̴̻ü̷͇a̷̤̔n̴͈̅!̴̼̐”

7̸̝̓3̷̬́%̵̧͊ [User 0002 is out of B-Points! It appears you have failed! (>U-U)> But! This generous system is willing to offer User 0002 a super! limited! one! time! offer if User is willing!] [Y/N] [Why]

7̵̙̑8̵̰͗%̸̯̈

[Because User 0002 transformed a stupid work into a magnificent, high quality, first-rate classic! It would be a shame for so much work to be unmade due to… external meddling!] [And the cost] [^-^ Will User 0002 not pay any price? This SYSTEM is offering User the chance to escape this fate! Protagonist Luo and Second Male Lead Liu will be alive! The best ending could be in your grasp!! After all “You can you up, no can no bb!” ] [Y/N]

8̷͙͊1̴͉̈%̴̘́

[Y]

8̸̘̊5̷̣̐%̷̟̆

[User 0002 has made the right choice! This SYSTEM can’t wait to work closely with User Shen! <(^3^)>] {Loading World State: 10….........33..............68.............99.........100%} {Creating Mind Space 100%. Building Temporal Archives 100%. Allocating User Permission. . . Complete}

{Clearing WORLD CORRUPTION FILE DATA: E̸̹̋Ṟ̵̅R̵͉͊O̵̳͘R̵̭̿} {Activating ARCHIVIST Protocol...}

F̷̥̀ï̸̮l̸̘̋ḙ̵́ ̶̘͊R̶̲͘e̵̯̋c̸͈̅a̸̡̍ĺ̶̤l̷̪͂ ̴̧̀C̷̤̑ȏ̵͇r̶͎͋ȑ̷͎u̵̳̔p̷̧͑t̵̤͝e̸̡͛d̸̨̽

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