#just a small thing to appreciate you and our friendship and those of our characters 🤎🎅🏼🥰😄

[cursed-herbalist]

BESTIES X CHRISTMAS

röter aka rosa and jupiter kavery aka alexej and lunas sily aka silas and brandy

A/N: Your wish is my command XD (I thought I'd bring on the Christmas vibes a bit more.) But seriously, I’m so glad we stumbled upon each other and get to create stories and characters together! It wouldn’t have been the same without you! And I so appreciate our little discord talks ♡

@potionboy3

[projectjasper]

ARCHER'S WE ARE FANCON EXPERIENCE

i promised i would share my feelings, so here they are!

first of all, while i do still maintain that the venue was too small for how beloved the series is, even with the split into two days, and i have some gripes with merch sales, the organisation was otherwise good. it was always very clear where and when you needed to go and what you needed to do, which is always great for an anxious person like me. all the explanations were in three languages too (thai, english, and chinese), so navigating the space and the benefits was easy. the little setup of things to do before the concert starts was also great - there were merch booths for all of the boys who had merch to sell (which is everyone aside from aouboom), there were photobooths with different 'we are' themed templates, there was also, of course, gasha (or, as i like to call them, gambling machines) but hey! i got some merch off of that as well, so i'm honestly not even complaining.

now, onto the actual show! it was incredible, i can hardly imagine anything that would need to be added or changed. it honoured both the series and the artists on their own in many ways.

there were multiple performances with the entire cast, including a surprise appearance of jj, tee, and pepper (or, our mattmickbeer trio) during one song, who then also stuck around to talk about their characters and favourite scenes. friendship is a huge part of the series and they did not forget that. a lot of stage backgrounds and props were an homage to the series too (the one that felt particularly thought-out to me was the background for 'truth in the eyes', which was a lush garden - a callback to the mv's concept metaphor). the couples performed both their main songs and also one cover each, which were picked out by every cp for different reasons, but all of which were great. before every main song, there was a little video with the couple's moments that encapsulated their relationship, and they were really lovely and well-done (a great way of giving the artists a second to breathe too).

i think there was also pretty much everything each of the main eight could want to do on stage. pond and aou got to dance (together as well!), winny got to rap, phuwin and satang got to sing together. at least from what they said, they were given a lot of creative liberty in terms of choosing what they want to sing and do on stage as well, so that is also lovely. all of the performances were, of course, absolutely fantastic and even exceeded my expectations in some ways.

all the little chats between performances were also wonderful and everyone (or, almost everyone) got really emotional closer to the end. we had marc crying first, talking about how much this experience means to him and thanking poon for being his first real partner, and then the floodgates just opened. poon also teared up, winny started crying because marc started crying, then he cried some more when he actually started speaking himself, then satang started crying too, they talked about how much all of this means to them and how much they mean to each other, they held hands. then dear sweet boom almost sobbed on stage and aou cried too - they were also very thankful for everything and especially each other. pond tried very hard not to cry (and succeeded by breathing out every ten seconds and twirling around the stage), talking about how happy he is that everyone loved the series and them so much, saying that the cast became like a little family, and thanking phuwin for being a great partner, and phuwin also talked about how he was afraid of having high expectations and how grateful he is to the cast and the fans. this was definitely one of those moments, which made the whole experience so much more meaningful and emotional. i also wanted to hug all of them and tell them how amazing they are 😭

the appreciation for the audience was huge throughout. pond kept putting his hand at his forehead to try to see all the fans sitting farther away, at one point aou asked for the lights to be turned on, so they could see everyone, during the last performance (which was 'we are forever'), they all came down from the stage and walked around us, waving at everyone.

after the huge three hour concert, there were still the benefits to work through, which ended up going on for five hours (until almost 2 am). the boys were all really lovely and nice throughout and i'm genuinely impressed by their ability not to let the understandable tiredness that they were all feeling interfere with their interactions with fans and each other.

so, to conclude! this was an absolutely incredible experience and i am so happy i decided to come here for the fancon (and actually managed to get the ticket). there are multiple countries they are going to next, as you know, and there will likely be more added in the future. so if you live in any of those countries, i am definitely saying you should go. and if you don't but it is within your means to go and you just weren't sure whether the fancon is worth an entire trip abroad - i am confirming that it very much is. i am confident you would not regret going.

[pickledpascal]

Hold Me Like Water

Chapter Five: Friends of Dorothy

Warnings: sexual situations, lap dance, alcohol consumption, 18+ themes

Word Count: 2.7k

Hold Me Like Water Masterlist

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

November 2015,

Being in Australia was an interesting time. Sakari and Maya certainly weren't used to it—the scorching heat and the way the toilets flushed the other way. They were used to the cold, even though New York had summers, they hadn't experienced anything too hot yet. Australia was warm as hell. 

Hugh tried to convince them to go to the beach with him and his family, but they politely declined. He also offered a room in his house and, as much as Maya appreciated the thought and loved his kids, she valued her own space a lot more. They were only going to be there for a few days to see his show, anyway. 

“I don't get how he's able to survive here,” Sakari complained as she lay on the bed in their hotel room. “But maybe it's just the Inuit in me. Too used to the cold.” She had the fan on, though the temperature outside was cooling as the afternoon approached. 

Maya chuckled as she brushed her hair. “I think you forget he grew up here. And we didn't. If Hugh ever came up to Nunavut, I'm sure he'd hate the cold.” She argued softly.

But then again, Hugh loved New York winters. However, winters further North were far more harsh and there were days when the sun did not properly set. Maya loved it, though. She particularly loved pummelling Sakari with snowballs when they were little kids. It was nice to re-enact those days every so often.

“But he'd have us on our side to keep him warm! Parkas and homemade coats… the only thing you can do to keep cool here is take more layers off and I'd rather not walk around naked.” Sakari complained further, a whine at the edge of her voice.

Maya walked out of the bathroom, rummaging through one of her bags to fish out her perfume. She sprayed it all over. 

They were about to leave to go to one of Hugh's shows. He was doing a mix of his favorite numbers from his favorite musicals. He gave them free tickets as a gift. 

Sakari teased Maya about him secretly being a sugar daddy. Hugh got her a lot of gifts. Small things—jewelry, art he thought she'd like, hats from different places he'd traveled after learning about her collection, vinyls he wanted to share with her, and they always came with handwritten cards. Although Maya and her family didn't celebrate Christmas, Hugh always got her something to commemorate the holiday because he valued her friendship and wanted her to feel appreciated. 

“Alright, hottie, no need to make yourself even more attractive.” Sakari teased as she sat up in the bed.

“Hush.” Maya mumbled as she slipped her rings onto her fingers. She almost always wore the same set of jewelry when she went out unless she was working or on a red carpet, which also counted as working.

She wore a white off-the-shoulder top and deep blue pleated pants. They were both light and she had a feeling it would be inexplicably warmer in the theater. On the other hand, Sakari was going more casual with a white tank top and a pair of loose jeans. 

One of the perks of being in Australia rather than the States or Canada was that the paparazzi didn’t care enough about Maya to swarm her. She could walk down the street with Sakari again and almost no one would stop her for a picture. It was a breath of fresh air after a year of suffocation.

A year of suffocation she wasn’t prepared for. Hugh warned her, in his own gentle way, before the film came out. Like he was trying to soothe a feral animal before it ever truly went off the deep end.

However, she liked interacting with fans a lot more than paparazzi. Most of the time, they were shy and asked for pictures rather than simply assuming they could take some. Maya had proper conversations with a few when she had the time. They usually asked if her character would come back in the X-Men universe and she had the same answer every time: no one has asked her yet. They probably thought she was covering it up so she didn’t spoil anything but she was telling the truth. 

Since Hugh got the tickets for Maya and Sakari, that meant they got the best seats in the theater. Front row, as close to the middle as he could get them so they had the best view. 

“I've heard Hugh does a lot of freaky shit when doing the Boy From Oz segment.” Sakari whispered to Maya once they were seated. “I am not looking forward to witnessing that.” She shivered. 

Maya heard too, right from Hugh's mouth. She was quite familiar with one of the stories which ended with a woman biting the swell of his ass. It was the fourth show of this run so he was likely in the groove of things now, so she hoped there would be no ass-biting on stage.

“Anything he does is gonna give you secondhand embarrassment. Why did you come?” Maya laughed softly. 

“And give up an opportunity to make fun of him? Never!” Sakari gasped as if she was offended. 

For Sakari, it was like he was the brother she never had. She had free reign to make fun of him all she wanted. Hugh took it because he knew it wasn't serious and that it was just her love language. She did it with Maya too, just not as much. 

Maya shook her head at her sister, “You're in luck because Hugh would be too kind to ask you to stop.” 

“Because he loves me.” Sakari teased back, “As I'm sure he loves you, if he hasn't said it yet.” She winked. 

Maya pursed her lips, rolling her eyes. He hadn't said it yet. But Maya didn't need him to. She could feel it every time he looked at her, hanging onto every word she said as if she were reciting the most beautiful poetry, making sure she and her sister had all the accommodations they needed, offering a place to stay, sending her gifts, and more importantly, giving her his time when it could be spent doing other things, better things. It didn't need to be said. That's how she felt, at least. 

Soon, the lights dimmed, causing everyone to pay attention. Hugh came on stage in a proper suit, tie, and top hat and performed his heart out as if it was the first time and the last. 

Maya was captivated by his energy on the stage. It was so different from how he acted on a set. When he was in the middle of a scene, it felt very nuanced and, well, small. He was very focused and in-tune with everything. Of course, he likely was very focused on the stage as well but his energy was so much bigger, excited. He was acting big. She couldn't believe what she was witnessing. 

He was glowing on the stage. She felt privileged that she could watch it and experience it. He looked so happy with each song he performed, dancing and singing his heart out. 

Like most theater productions, there was an intermission. Maya was so taken aback that she almost didn't register that the music stopped. 

“Earth to Maya?” Sakari swiped a hand in front of her face. “Regaining your crush on him?” 

Maya punched her arm once she was back in her body. “Don't say that.” She huffed. 

“Oops, sorry.” Sakari shrugged, a small smirk on her face that showed she was certainly not sorry. “Want me to get you something to drink? I was thinking a nice Aussie beer for me.” There was a concession counter in the main hall that a lot of people were going to. 

Maya hummed in thought for a second. They didn't drive there, so having a drink or two wouldn't hurt. “Make that two, then.” 

Sakari nodded, squeezing Maya’s shoulder as she passed her in the row. One of Maya's love languages, funnily enough, was physical touch. 

She waited patiently, her leg bouncing in her seat. She caught Hugh's eye a couple times while he performed and felt a small thrill run up her back each time. She wasn't sure what that meant, but she knew it meant something. Maybe she was just surprised he locked eyes with her even if they were friends, he had a whole audience that would die if he so much as looked in their direction. 

Maya was more or less used to Hugh’s gaze. His eyes were a soft hazel color, a deeper brown or a lighter green depending on the lighting. Under the harsh spotlights, they looked more brown. Much like the rest of him, his eyes were kind yet intense at the same time. 

“The concession guy looked at me weird,” Sakari huffed as she handed Maya one of the beers before she sat down and took a sip of hers. “It's like he's never seen an indigenous person before. Has he heard of the Aboriginals?” 

Maya sipped from her beer as well, letting out a soft, approving hum. Hugh always boasted that they had a lot of good alcohol in Australia and she agreed. However, it wasn't the best. She would reserve that pedestal for her father's homemade brews. 

She nudged Sakari’s shoulder, offering her a light smile. “Well, we're not Aboriginal, are we?” She chuckled. 

“No.” Sakari mumbled around the rim of her bottle. 

Maya laughed softly, a warmth in her chest. Inuk women in the middle of Australia were bound to be a little weird to the people who lived there. She knew Sakari was rightfully mad at the stares but sometimes she acted like a Chihuahua who just ached with anger and wanted to let it out somehow. 

The size comparison was accurate too. Sakari was a humble five-feet-two like their mother. 

Soon, the lights dimmed again and focused on the stage. Hugh had a costume change—tight, silver pants and a loose, frilly, tropical button-up. It was time for the Boy From Oz segment of the show. 

His entire demeanor changed again as if he truly was Peter Allen. He cracked jokes about drugs, being gay, and all that good stuff in between his singing. 

Maya let out a few good laughs, enjoying the show he was putting on. Perhaps on a deeper level than the people around her because she never thought he could be so funny while acting. When Hugh was being Hugh, in private, he could be quite funny. More than people would expect him to. 

“Now,” Hugh paused for dramatic effect, in his higher pitched, “gay” Australian accent, “Who would like a lap dance? I've heard I'm fairly good at them.” 

Immediately, hands shot up and people yelled “me!” at him. Sakari looked around at all the hands raised and giggled. Maya let out a soft huffy laugh, covering her face with her hands as an embarrassed flush covered her cheeks. She wouldn't be able to watch.

“Oooh, how about you?” Hugh looked at Maya, leaning over the edge of the stage. Her eyes widened as her hand fell from her face. “C'mon, darlin’, nothing to be shy about.” He winked. 

Sakari giggled harder, pushing Maya up from her seat. Maya sighed as she stood. She was helped to the stage by a stagehand. She narrowed her eyes, letting them adjust to the stage lights. She's done a couple plays herself but they were years ago while she was still a student. And those lights likely weren't as bright as these. 

Hugh helped her to a chair in the middle of the stage. “Look at you,” He purred into the microphone, “If I was attracted to women, I would love to take you home.” He teased. A few people in the audience called in agreement. 

Maya flushed a deeper red, secretly hoping the light washed her out enough that no one could see it. She set her hands in her lap, unsure what else to do with them. 

“Ah, just relax, darlin’. I'm not gonna hurt you.” Hugh winked, though his gaze held some sincerity. 

It reassured Maya, only slightly. She could only imagine the amount of videos people were going to take that were going to be plastered all over the Internet the next day. She needed to get off Twitter.

He ran his hands up and down Maya’s thigh, opening her legs so he could stand between them. She was trying to look anywhere but at him but he wasn't having it. “Look at me, baby.” Hugh hooked a finger under her chin to turn her head. “That's it. Aren't you a good girl?” It was said in an unserious tone but it still made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. 

As he began to roll his hips in time with some background music, Maya's hands found themselves gripping the sides of the chair. She wasn't sure she was in her body at that point. She felt like she was back in the audience, watching it on the big screen behind the stage. 

Since Hugh knew Maya personally, he thought that gave him free reign to touch her. He wouldn't do it with anyone else but his wife, though, he would likely go a bit further with Deb. He ran his hands up and down her arms, squeezed her shoulders, and even fully sat on her lap as he faced the audience. 

“This is quite a comfortable seat, I might do the rest of the show from right here,” Hugh said in the microphone, wriggling a little on top of Maya. He took one of her hands from the side of the chair and set it on his hip. She clutched at the fabric of his shirt. “Oh, a nice grip too!” 

Maya could see Sakari cracking up in the front row which just made the whole experience even more embarrassing. This wasn't doing anything to help the rumors. Perhaps that's why Hugh did it; to make fun of them. 

Thankfully, Hugh stood back up and offered a hand for Maya to stand. “Alas, my dear, I do have the rest of the show to do.” He hugged her tightly as applause came from the crowd. 

Maya almost ran back down to her seat. Sakari kept laughing and giggling like a little girl as Maya tried to keep a straight face. She adjusted herself in her seat a few times as the performance went on. She had never experienced that before. Sporting a hard-on out of nowhere wasn't something that happened to her often, if ever. 

But Hugh was rubbing up against her. That would happen if anyone did something like that. That's what she thought. She was better than no man even if she was on the ace spectrum. Yeah, she blamed the fact that she still had a dick. She flushed harder when the thought that Hugh might've felt it occurred to her. 

When Maya settled into bed that night, her phone buzzed with a message. She glanced at Sakari who was fast asleep before she looked at it.

Hughie: I hope that wasn't too much. I would hate to make you uncomfortable. I hope you enjoyed the show!

Maya smiled softly. Still considerate even when he didn't have to be. She didn't think of it as his fault at all. 

Maya: I did enjoy the show! Sakari did, too. She's out like a light right now. And don't worry about making me uncomfortable, I was happy to be a part of it. It was nice seeing you in your element up close. 

She set her phone back on the nightstand between her and Sakari's beds and let out a breath. She was being honest. The dance left her with a lot of different feelings. She was proud of Hugh throughout the performance but seeing it while she was closer was on a whole new level. He was committed. A lot more committed than she had ever seen in person. 

But the fact that she got a thrill from it left her with a lot of questions. She likely wouldn't get answers for them. And she didn't want them either. They were friends and she was quite content with that. It was just her body reacting, it had to be. Bodies did things that didn't make sense all the time. 

[mercerislandbooks]

Book Chats: The Spellshop

Summer is here. The days are warm and long, and the evenings are perfect for sitting outside and reading (or listening and crocheting, in my case) as the sun goes down. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst is an amazing choice for this kind of relaxing evening. The narrator was excellent, the descriptions were lush, and the setting was idyllic. A librarian and her sentient spider plant seek refuge from a bloody revolution—with crates of books in tow—by heading to Caltrey, a small island on the outskirts of a nation made of islands. All Kiela wants is to protect her books and live unnoticed in the cottage her parents left her. (Un)fortunately for her, that's not how small villages work. With an attractive next door neighbor and a friendly baker determined to welcome her into their small community, as well as a suspicious old man who is set on driving her out, Kiela has to decide if letting people in is a chance she's willing to take. Warning: you will want baked goods slathered with jam by the end of this book.

Becca: Kiela was such a fun, unique character. Her love of books obviously resonates with me as an avid reader and a bookseller, and her habit of overthinking what she says and does was also very relatable. What did you think about her as the main character and voice of the story? Lori: I loved Kiela. For the same reasons as you but also, I loved the way circumstances kept pushing her beyond her comfort zone and then, because of getting to hear her overthinking inner voice, the reader knows what choosing to be brave costs her. But she does it anyway. It's not comfortable to acknowledge that those moments are what bring growth. Also, she has blue skin. And blue hair. And lots of blue clothes. I approved of all the blue. What did you think about Kiela's scheme to barter homemade jam for the supplies she needs? Becca: Making jam is not necessarily the occupation I would turn to for survival, but I also don't live on a little island surrounded by merhorses and abundant fruit trees and bushes. Well, maybe the bushes; our blackberry brambles are out of control. I loved how she took what she had available to her and, with much determination, figured out a way to keep moving forward. Lori: She did. No matter the obstacles, she kept trying. I think we need to discuss Caz, though, the sentient spider plant! Becca: So...a talking plant research assistant. I wouldn't mind that. Maybe then I'd finally know how to care for one without it slowly fading away on me. And Caz has such an excellent personality. Lori: He stole the show in my opinion. I thought he had all the best lines. His friendship and support of Kiela really brought home to me how careful Sarah Beth Durst was to give all her characters, and the environment they inhabit, a nuanced worth. She also created an interesting magic system. Becca: I do love it when magic is something accessible to everyone in a book, instead of just the chosen few who are born with it. But with all of the impressive feats that can be accomplished with spells, I think it was the little magics scattered throughout the book were my favorite. Yes, Kiela wanted to do big magics to help her community, but the little ones that encouraged plant growth and water to flow were the ones that resonated with me. And it's the small magics that she was determined to share with those around her as a way to make their lives better. Lori: It really shows how little things, that maybe don't seem like they matter that much, actually have more of an impact than one might think. It's encouraging that making small choices towards the good does make a difference in the world. Becca: It is. And I appreciated how Kiela came to believe that sentiment because she observed Larran, her always-willing-to-help neighbor, put forth the effort to do so. Lori: I loved watching the spark between Kiela and Larran grow. She started out so wary and standoffish, but as she continued to see how good he was (and how good he looked shirtless), she started to admire him, until she found herself unable to resist.

This sweet book is perfect for summer, with its cottagecore vibes and berry-filled island. The first printing has beautiful sprayed purple edges to add to the appeal. So, stop by to pick up a pretty book, whip up (or purchase) some scones with jam (preferably raspberry), and settle in for a gentle adventure full of plants, jam, and slightly illegal magic.

— ​Becca & Lori

[desafinado]

ahh congrats on 200!! once you’re less busy with work (rip) could i please request a school/uni au where reader is a secret admirer for any characters of your choice? maybe they’re part of the same friend group, or they share similar classes? oh or maybe they consult/ask the reader for advice about the letters or smt? i don’t mind the format btw! thank you so so so much:D

(ps. idk if you keep anons but if you do, could i be 🍁 anon~?)

°｡⋆ thoma, ayato x reader (wc: 2,129) °｡⋆ thoma relationship w/ reader a bit interdependent, swearing, fluff, banter note: omg yes i love this idea!! also yes you could be 🍁 anon!! and you'd be my vv first anon so omg yay welcome!!! and hope you enjoy ^^ (also chose thoma and ayato bc of those school uniform collab thing, it was what first came to mind)

ayato ♡

you could not ignore his presence the moment he entered the room. it was as if the mere presence of him warranted trumpets.

you were either enamored by him or scared to make even the slightest eye contact with him; his reputation as a wealthy heir and supposed poised nature preceded him.

you were in a rare minority though, that minority being almost infuriatingly annoyed with how everyone treated him like a prince. you didn’t care about him for the most part, but it was annoying to hear his name in every conversation right before class started.

that was, of course, he was randomly assigned to be your partner for a term long project.

“hmm, i don’t believe we’ve been acquainted. kamisato ayato, and you?”

oh brother, this guy stinks (/j) but all those inner thoughts you’ve had making fun of him were quickly meeting its end.

he was polite enough; teased you a bit, but nothing you couldn’t handle. it was actually fun to see his reaction to you teasing him back.

“you know, i believe you’re the first person to call me a piece of shit… well to my face at least.”

he was more self-aware than you thought, good company too. he seemed to be a bit more of himself around you too, and you appreciated that.

your friendship went way beyond just study sessions and meetings, opting to hangout just because you liked each other’s presence, isn’t that neat?

eventually, he’d also open up more emotionally. telling you his woes, the pressure of being the heir to the kamisato business, caring for his younger sisters, and of course, general university/college student stress.

you heard him out every time, and always knew how to help him get out of his head.

“wanna come over and cry it out over som–” “yes.”

you had realized it when he slept over one night, he had fallen asleep on your lap, snoring quietly. you were gently stroking his cheek, admiring his soft skin, how kissable his lips were.

kissable lips? now, wanting to kiss them could imply a multitude of things, but that coupled with how much you cared for him, and the way your heart fluttered around his small acts of appreciation… you had fallen in love with him, hard.

after that “small” epiphany, you tried to bury it down, down deep in the recesses of your mind.

everyone must’ve had at least a moment in which they thought they were in love with a dear friend, right?

that was what you told yourself everyday for the past two months.

you tried to keep it buried, but the pounding of your heart only got stronger each time you were left alone with him. at nights, your thoughts would linger on what it would be like to take him out to dinner, send cute couple texts, and all of those domestic activities.

but for now, you could only stay where you were, a friend and a partner (in class).

it was valentine’s day, and you both were stuck in the library trying to make some progress on your term project. it’s not like you had any better plans anyways, you’re just hoping ayato didn’t mind. 

“what about this journal? it correlates with our topic.”

he sends you a link of the article in question and you skim through it; ayato is watching intently for any sort of response. you hum in approval, looking up at him from your laptop.

“i think we can use it, yeah. honestly, i just want this done with… and anyways, we can just do improvements on the final stretch.” you sigh a little, thinking of all the work left to do after this particular stage of the project. he raises an eyebrow with an all-knowing smirk.

“hmm? why in a rush? you have a valentine’s date perhaps?” you shut your laptop, sighing even more dramatically. “okay, one, you know i’m a loser, and two, maybe i'm just tired, dumbass.” ayato giggles at your misery, cleaning up his own things.

“you’re not a complete loser, despite what you might think.” he mumbles almost inaudibly, but you certainly heard it. it takes you aback and sets your heart ablaze, sure, but you shrug it off and try changing the topic. 

“what about you? you surely must have some event at the very least. aren’t you part of like three different organizations?”

he shakes his head, picking up his bag. “ok yes, but i actually don’t really care for the holiday that much. it's just an excuse for couples to show off, is it not?” now, that elicits a chuckle from you. “aw, really? maybe you’re just bitter you don’t have anyone to spend it with.”

he stops dead in his tracks, looking up at you; he’s rolling his eyes, and you’re laughing at your successful attempt in throwing him off.

“oh, whatever. it’s not like you have anyone either.”

“yeah, but at least i’m not the valentine’s equivalent of the grinch”

“hey! i never said–”

you both earn a shush from another nearby table, stopping your little squabble. you both decide to leave the area before continuing your conversation any further. once you’re both out, ayato takes the chance to continue what he was saying.

“as i was saying, i don’t detest the idea of love itself. i just see no point in celebrating such a holiday when you could be showing your lover how much you love them everyday.”

he had a point, and it was actually pretty poetic and romantic.

“okay, well that’s besides the point, valentine’s day is still a pretty cute excuse to go all out.” you swoon, thinking up the most romantic scenarios. a subtle smile rests on ayato’s face before he playfully shakes his head. “to each their own, i guess. just know that if it were me, i’d never let a day go by in which you aren’t aware of how much i love you.”

…

freudian slip, he was distracted by your cute face and the way it lit up at the thought of romance. you smirked at the turn of events though.

“me?”

“i mean… yes. i-i do wish to treat you as s-such… but i didn’t mean for it to–”

“i like you too, ayato. i... i've been waiting to say that for a while now.”

“oh… really?”

“yes, now take me out! you said you would treat me as such did you not?"

thoma ♡

it was your first few days on campus, and you were overwhelmed by everything. so many people, new places, and you all by your lonesome.

you weren’t a sociable person and it was tiring, you felt your head pounding at the thought of all the ways every little thing could go wrong.

you sat alone at lunch, trying to handle your oncoming headache, when someone approached you from behind.

“hey, uh are you alright?”

you were stunned to say the least, and turning around to see him only intensified that surprise.

“oh, h-hi.”

he introduced himself as thoma, he had the sweetest, kindest, most sunshine filled smile you had ever laid eyes on; you felt comfortable in his friendly aura, but you couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious talking to someone as gorgeous as him.

his eyes shined every time he chuckled, and you swooned in response, letting him steer the conversation away from your worrisome thoughts.

eventually, he was able to talk you into going to the uni’s clinic, and he made sure to stick by your side until he was sure you were in safe hands.

“now, i’ve got a class, but this isn’t goodbye, right? next time we meet, i hope to see you in a much better state.”

he was so… gr. you’d rather him the one taking care of you, cuddles, handholding, and all, but yes, you definitely wanted to see him again.

over time, you’d run into him more often, text him every now and then, even eat lunch together with his friends.

he was such a delight to be around, you had any question about events, rules, recommendations, literally whatever and he’d have the best advice.

you’d spend hours sharing stories and random opinions, you even found yourself skipping a class or two just to spend an extra hour with him.

he took care of you so well, but it was also a somewhat somber reminder that you were just a friend to him, someone he took care of. you definitely didn’t want him to see you as some sort of younger sibling.

that was when you took it upon yourself to really lean more into the uni life. you tried going to parties, joining clubs, even going on a few dates. 

at this point, you weren’t so sure anymore if you were doing this for the experience or to run away from your feelings.

you found yourself blowing off hangouts with thoma in favor of some random frat party or blind date. even for lunch, you’d excuse yourself, saying you had to study or get some rest before your next class.

you couldn’t hold him off forever though, a simple text was all it took.

“we need to talk. meet you at that dog cafe by the flower shop in 30?”

“thoma?”

you looked like a corpse fresh out of the grave; your skin looked like it desperately needed some sun, and dark spots were evident under your tired eyes. thoma took your hand and guided you to a booth with some drinks and food. it was definitely tempting.

“we haven’t hung out in a while, i’m worried about you, you know?”

his frown hurt you like never before, but you knew it was only because of his concern. you took a seat across from him, slowly nodding.

“i know, i’m sorry. i’ve just been trying to expand my horizons? i don’t actually know anymore.” you sigh knowing you can’t even lie to him, he always sees things through. you took a sip of the drink he had ordered for you. he looked deep in thought before speaking up.

“then, why not talk to me about it? was it something i said? did you…” his voice is strained as he voices out the next words. “have you been making new friends?” there's an encouraging smile on his face, but you know it's only for show, for you.

“i tried, but no, not really. nobody compares to you, thoma.” your eyes meet his as you say his name. you didn’t mean to, but you wanted to be sincere. thoma, in return, blushed profusely, not expecting you to express such sentiments.

“ah, really?” the poor boy is trying to calm his racing heart and focus on you. “i– that’s nice to know that you think of me that way– n-not to say making new friends is bad! i just thought you had forgotten about me.”

“how could i? when all i could think about was coming back to you.”

“wait, what do you–”

“i like you, thoma. i love the way the light hits your face, i love how thoughtful you are about everyone, i love all the nonsensical conversations we’ve had. the only thing i hate about you is how much of an effect you have on me; how being away from you makes me sad, and being with you fills me with an uncontrollable rush of adrenaline… and, and even then, it's only my fault.”

your eyes closed shut the whole way, you can’t bear to see the pity on his face. you knew it was bad, you knew doom was imminent, but the only thing that hurt more than avoiding him was lying to him.

“i like you too… in that very same way, and i apologize if i ever made you feel like i didn't.” his hand slowly rested on top of yours from across the table. your eyes squinted slightly to see his face; there was a soft blush dusting his cheeks, and emerald eyes gazing back at you.

you slowly shake your head before replying. “you never did, you made me feel at home. i thought you’d only see me as some bothersome thing you had to care for, so i wanted to prove to you, and i guess myself, otherwise.”

his smile only widens, as he leans over the table to give you a kiss on the cheek. your eyes are fully open now, letting go of his hand to feel the warmth he left on your cheek.

“you were never a burden, if anything, my love for you sorta just overflowed that it manifested in those ways, me being a mother hen basically.” he chuckled, taking your hand in his. you nodded, focusing your gaze back on him.

“but now, i want you to trust me, let me love you, is that okay?”

divider: henri le sidaner | requests are open!! please do not repost on other sites

[seaside-lovers]

Hiya Scarecrow! What are the challenges of a robot-human relationship? How do you overcome those with Kate? What things have y'all had to reconsider or change? -ourlittleforever

(Thank you!)

It has certainly been... interesting to navigate this relationship. While my kind is made like our Creators and can have intimate relationships, it's uncommon amongst us as we focused on our duties over everything.

Now, not having to do pilot work, I find myself having a lot more time with Kate. One of the major challenges early in our friendship was communication. Neither of us were used to sharing a living space. Despite our separated resting areas, it was still awkward in the beginning for Kate, according to her. I was just grateful for a time to rest and allow my injuries to heal.

Being able to discuss our communication habits helped the awkwardness for Kate. She liked to talk to me, and while I may not respond, I was always listening. Establishing this helped her feel heard. I've also started to communicate more with her to fulfill her social needs.

Something that Kate has done that I appreciate is giving me time on my own when I need it. I do like spending time with her, but sometimes I need to be on my own and have time to rest.

Thankfully, we have not had much issue with outside forces. Mostly Kate just gets a lot of prying questions and I get a lot of stares, but I think the colonists are starting to get more used to us... and me.

The marriage situation will be interesting since I do not have a last name or day of creation that I know of, but I don't care either way. I want to make Kate happy, and this is something important to her, so I'm pleased to do it.

Oh yes, sleeping arrangements have been a much less serious hurdle for us to overcome. Her previous bed was much too small for both of us once I started sharing her sleeping space, so she ended up getting a new bed... and the frame broke due to my weight. Don surprised us recently with a much sturdier bed frame that he created as well. An early wedding gift, he called it.

edit: forgot to add it in-character, but neither Scarecrow nor I have been in a romantic relationship before, so it is new for us both. :)

[vlovers19]

long rant ahead (this is addressed to those doubters (?) and to the last anon that you replied) sorry for the bad grammar since english is not my first language. i just want to rant on how i am so fed up with people belittling vm’s friendship like they know th and jm themselves or as if they are part of their friendship. yes, bts shares a lot on social media BUT what we see on social media (this includes bangtan bombs) is still a small percentage of what we truly know about them. with that in mind, we do not have to know every single thing about them. they are HUMANS! they are not some type of fictional characters. they deserve all the privacy they can get because idols are going through a lot and we owe that part of their lives to them. whatever goes on their private lives are for them and them ALONE. i am not diminishing what they show us on sm because i truly appreciate it but not everything is in black and white. when one does not post abt their friend on sm = they love each other less? if you think of friendship that way then i pity you. as someone who only posts publicly on sm when it’s about my responsibilities, i prefer to congratulate my close and best friends through personal messages and they know that about me and are ok with so they do the same thing to me. that does not mean whenever someone publicily posts about me i get irritated. no, i appreciate both ways equally. also if my closest friends posted on public i also appreciate it. if i do not like it then i would ask them to delete and they gladly will do it. not everyone has the same friendship dynamic. vm’s dynamic with each other is only for them to know and only they know what makes them comfortable for each other. yes, other members can post about their support for jm but that does not mean th did not support jm privately. i know they are in good terms. why? jm mentioned th during his album promo (e.g. vlive, leemujin) and th literally commented he was excited for jm (why are people ignoring this? NZJSJ). and IF they are talking less that does not mean they do not like each other. like sometimes i do not talk with my best friends or see that much of each other because we live far away from each other and we have our own responsibilities. but when we meet or interact with each other, our friendship is still the same if not, stronger. what more when it comes to idols with their jam packed schedule, especially with jm. jm goes straight home to rest after a solo sched bc ofc he should because he worked so hard. and now, jm just finished his promo for his album and they can catch up with one another and at the SAME TIME they still remain close. anyway, if you still belittle their friendship then i suggest re-evaluating yourself on why you are an army because bts’ bond is the core on what makes bts, bts. lastly, do not forget to stream face, d-day, and friends (a reminder of vm’s love for each other) ;)

Yes, tell them. People have to stop expecting so much from their idols.

[at-weeb96]

I saw your ask game post, so I wanna ask these two:

Favourite moment in the show

Favourite "Important" headcanon (ex: Finn and HW eventually hooked up)

Favourite "Unimportant" headcanon (ex: Marceline and PB pulled a few strings to make the former happen)

LONG POST

ooh this is an interesting one. I have a lot of thoughts on this so strap in and buckle up my dude

Favorite Moment- Since I already said Varmints was my favorite episode and there are so many good character moments in the series, I'll have to go with the ending montage and PB and Marcy's reconciliation in the RC Mines. The ending montage just warms my heart to know there are still adventures to be had with our favorite characters and that our own interpretations and headcanons can take shape with the stories not shown (although they may have changed post DL and who know what's to come with F&C)

Now for the moment from my fav episode. This scene is what made appreciate PB's character and made her my favorite AT character. We see Peebles at her lowest point when she is no longer in control of her life and pushed away those she tried to trust and form relationships with.

First her "family" betrayed her and she was forced to "lobotomize" them to keep them from hurting her and her brother Neddy (if you remember, her hat was once a piece of Gumbald's merchandise) Then when she found someone to share her life with, she (Marcy) ended up "betraying" her too (and wrote a banger of a diss track in the process) And then she was betrayed by her own people and forced into exile from her home by that dilweed KOO (and even stole and wore her clothes that creep)

And the final nail in the coffin is when the Varmint Queen/Mother (whatever you wanna call that body-horror nightmare) traps her and Marcy in the mines and Marcy puts on her go-to coping mechanism and starts jokingly ridiculing Bonnie for the umpteenth time, PB can't take it no more and lets her emotions and insecurities pour out. But what does Marcy do? She listens to what her friend/ex has on her mind and tells her she has nothing to apologize for cause she's been through a lot of stuff too. And after all that, they finally understand each other better and reconcile their strained friendship (and eventually their love for one another)

And that's why those are my favorite moments from AT. Now after that long ramble, I can now answer the other things.

Important HC -I think when Jake died, since Finn took it really hard and become depressed like that scene in The Music Hole, PB and Marceline started being around him more becoming his supportive older sisters with BMO as his emotional support robot. (his mother Minerva would video chat with him every once and a while since a small human colony was established in Ooo like in the Season 11 comic issue)

Eventually Bronwyn would be interested by the stories of the adventures of her late grandfather from Finn's friends and wanted to explore the lands of Ooo and beyond with him. At first he was hesitant of adventuring without his bro, but PB, Marcy, Minerva, and Simon encouraged him to take her on adventures since Finn was instrumental in the betterment of their lives. And that's why she is with Finn post Obsidian (unless F&C contradicts this)

And finally Unimportant HC -Since it's shown in Obsidian that Simon most likely owns DB Guy's Tavern, Finn, Jake, Marceline, PB and everyone else we know and love from AT hang out and discuss their past and present adventures and their lives with each other each week.

Thanks so much for the questions. That was probably the longest ramble I've ever written online. Almost makes me want to colab with other AT fans on stuff, if I can get past my laziness and procrastination. I also want to shout out these other tumblrs who have made me the AT fan I am today (perhaps I should join discord again?)

@gunterfan1992 @uncivilizedelk @sometipsygnostalgic @j4gm @teethcritter @lobster-lover @loffican @marcydaydream @squeempus @crochetwithcat @artsywak @eeveryadventuretimes @oli-the-cat @ptoodle and @jacketpotatoo

❤Love you all, especially you @leironth (thanks again for the awesome ask)

[bookwyrmshoard]

Inheritance, by Nora Roberts

A perfect blend of wish-fulfillment fantasy, romance, and deliciously spooky atmosphere

Inheritance, the first book in Nora Roberts’s Lost Brides trilogy, provides the perfect blend of wish-fulfillment, friendship, romance, and spookiness. I loved Sonya, the main character, a spirited, entrepreneurial graphic designer who uproots her life to live in the historic manor she unexpectedly inherits on the Maine shoreline. I loved the friendly ghosts she tries so hard not to believe in, and the adorable dog she adopts (his name is Yoda!) The young lawyer, Trey, is as easy to like as he is on the eyes. His family, as well as Sonya’s newly-met cousin Owen and her best friend Cleo, are all likeable and sympathetic. Cleo in particular is delightful, and I have high hopes for a secondary romance between Cleo and Owen.

On the other hand, the malevolent ghost who haunts the mansion and intermittently threatens Sonya? She gives me chills. But just the right amount of chills to thrill, and not so many as to cause nightmares. (At least not yet. I have a feeling things may escalate in the second and third books.)

The publisher’s blurb summarizes the plot of Inheritance pretty well. Sonya hasn’t just inherited a gorgeous-but-haunted mansion, she has also inherited a family curse going back generations. And she’ll have to solve a family mystery and break the curse if she doesn’t want to become this generation’s victim.

One of the things I appreciate about Nora Roberts, particularly in the past 15 years or so, is that the suspense plot doesn’t drive the entire book or dominate the main character’s life to the exclusion of all else. Instead, Roberts’s books spend plenty of time developing the character and the character’s day-to-day life. Just like people facing challenges in real life, Roberts’s characters have to live their lives between, around, and despite whatever dangers they face. For Sonya, that means settling into the mansion, meeting and learning more about her own family, exploring her growing relationship with Trey, and getting to know the small town and its people. She’s building a life here, and that process is part of her character arc; it’s also Roberts’s way of creating the support network Sonya will need as the supernatural threat against her grows.

Another thing I appreciated is the “competence p*rn,” as Sarah from SBTB calls it. Everyone in this book—everyone who matters, that is—both enjoys and is extremely good at what they do. None of the sympathetic characters are unhappy in their job or struggling with self-doubt; no one is even merely mediocre. It’s refreshing, though perhaps a little intimidating for those of us who, well into into our adulthood, are still figuring out what we want to be when we grow up.

All in all, there’s not a single thing I would change about this book — not even the cliffhanger ending. Which, I’ll be honest, is not something I ever thought I would say. Normally I hate cliffhanger endings, but in this case I’m not really sure how else the book could have ended. That said, if you can’t stand cliffhangers, you should probably wait to read Inheritance until the second book comes out, or maybe even the third. Because this book? It will definitely leave you in suspense.

Challenges: Library Love Challenge 2024

Review originally published on The Bookwyrm's Hoard blog, 4/04/2024.

[xmimiteh]

Things I like RP partners to know

I like to be called: Mimi, if you want to use my character's name. But I know it might get weird to differentiate between the player and the character. And I am definitely neither my character nor a tsundere. ;) So you can call me by my other nickname as well I am mostly known for at other places - Jama or Jamapi. Yes, that's from "Wedding Peach". Don't judge me, my guilty pleasure is the magical girl genre and "Wedding Peach" was simply hilarious! Pronouns: they/them.

One thing you should know about me (or several): 

The following is at the same time a condensed and expanded version of my carrd's ooc sections. If you want to know more, you can look at my >carrd<.

I am 21+ and I belong to the older demographic here, as I started roleplaying with D&D back in the days in the 80s and have been doing a lot of roleplaying since then - tabletop, collaborative storytelling, play-by-mail, LARP. You name it, I did it. Mimi has been a grumpy little menace on Balmung in FF14 since ARR. I have a fulltime and very stressful job as a professional writer in my native language. Thus, playing the game is my feel-good place to recharge my energy batteries, while relaxing with a nice cup of coffee. So I like my and your time there being as stressfree and most fun as possible. I am happily married and outside of RP I am not looking for anything more than friendship. My characters have their own agenda, of course. But I am just here to have fun playing the game, write some cool stuff together with you and laugh and watch our goofballs on the screen act the way they do. Our own little tv show of ensuing hilarity.

I like to describe my preferred RP with tv shows: Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Dawson’s Creek, Babylon 5, Fringe. Also, I have a soft spot for horror themes, especially when spiced up with cosmic horror. So if you are doing that? Count me in! But let me be clear: To me it is not about the tentacles, but the philosophical/intellectual stuff. World views being shattered, nihilism hitting characters hard, existentialism with moral dilemmas. That is the good stuff to me! Nothing wrong with cosmic/void entitites, of course, but please no anime weirdness here. I probably do not have to spell it out, what I mean by that, right? That is not, what I enjoy cosmic horror for. So even though I love cosmic horror, do not assume I am here for that. Because that is a big no-go for me.

Aside from that, let's talk about talking: I am not shy, I am an introvert (>example<). I do not enjoy small talk and this has nothing to do with you. If I play with you I like you! And there will be even other times, when I will not stop talking to you. My walls of texts are infamous - you see them regularly here on tumblr. But please try to avoid an OOC conversation starter with: “How are you doing?” I never know how to answer that and struggle with that. Honestly, I often sit 5-10 minutes on an answer to that question and my brain simply shows a big "cannot compute" message. If there is something you want to discuss, sure thing, shoot. I can talk for hours and hours about specific topics, meaningful stuff and so on. Once I get lose on something we both are interested in there is no stopping for me. But just talking on a superficial level simply to connect with people? I would love to be able to do that, but I fail at that so hard and am just a big goofball of awkwardness in those cases. So I appreciate getting straight to the point. By the way: IC small talk is a completely different thing for me. Yes, I am weird like that.

One (or several) thing(s) you should know about my characters:

Mimi is not an easy character to get along with. I know that. Many people seem to prefer "feel good" rp - and Mimi is probably the opposite of that. And even though I won't say there will never be any "good vibes" rp with Mimi, it will take time and is very situational. The good times do not come easily with this woman. Personally, I prefer conflict and well paced character drama. As much as I adore slice-of-life rp I am not here to "play house" and find that utterly boring. I am here for interesting, gripping character dynamics, for tense situations, for unexpected twists and turns, for character development. I am here for the heart break, angst and the slow burn. Give me edges on other characters, let me to throw my characters against those edges and see what happens.

Even if at some point the "deredere" part of Mimi appears, don't expect this to be everytime. I need the conflict. I need IC problems in roleplay. That's the reason why I love to play tsundere. They make things complicated. They create conflicts by their very nature. As much as I love ooc harmony outside of rp, within any rp situation I crave for well-written conflicts. That does not always have to be a fight. This can also just be a discussion. Or simply different opinions or backgrounds. Sure, sometimes there is not a good angle to create a conflict or disagreement. Well, then it is as it is and this can happen - and that is fine! But I struggle with those situations and will probably try to spice up the situation and make it unpredictable. I want to be surprised. Conflicts are the best way to get there. At least in my experience. To some people this might seem forced and they get annoyed by that. I understand that. But that is just the way I am. I do not want to annoy you by that. I want us both to have fun and something to play with in rp. That is, why I incite problems and conflict. Because if there is nothing to say, then there is no dynamic to the scene.

I know this is not everybody's cup of tea and I don't judge the rp of others. But harmony based rp simply is not my thing and I avoid it, when rp is only "lovey-dovey", rainbows and sunshine. I won't keep people from doing that, but I don't have any interest in it and will stay away from it - for the sake of your fun and mine as well. I do not want to spoil anybody's fun. If you have fun with that? You do you! And please don't get me wrong: It is no problem if there are "nice moments". On the contrary, I love those moments as well! But they have more impact to me if they do not appear regularly, because I am looking for: meaningful moments. Something that will stick to my mind as funny or interesting or tragic or sad or tense. Something that intrigues me like a thrilling tv episode and a gripping cliffhanger in a book or movie. So I like to be really clear about, why I play a quarrelsome character like Mimi: She is not someone to be "solved" or "rescued". She is the way she is, because I need conflict rp to get my creativity going. That is my rp fuel.

To sum it up: My characters are going to do stupid things. They are going to be douchebags. And they are more often wrong than not. I am not my character so if they insult or provoke your character that is part of the RP - not me being mean to you as a player. If I do not feel comfortable with a player on an OOC level I rather avoid playing with them altogether. If my character picks a fight with your character, it means I trust you as a player, and I like you and your character. After all I am offering you my favorite RP, as I adore IC banter and conflict If character play leads to a plot, no problem with that. But do not expect me to play according to any script. My preferred RP develops out of character dynamics. For me plot is a stage for character interactions. Not vice versa.

First language: German. As you might have noticed, I am a non native speaker. So, sorry for any language weirdness or if my answers take longer. I try my best and I think my English is not too bad, but I struggle from time to time. Roleplaying in something different to your first language is a different kind of beast and many things I am proud of in my use of German I fail at in English. And this paragraph is probably one of the best examples of that!

HIGHLIGHT:

Alt blogs: none

xmimiteh.carrd.co is Mimiteh's carrd.

Age range: under 13  |  14–17 | 18–22 | 23–25 | 26–29 | 30+ |  70+

Am I okay with NSFW?: yes | no | some nsfw (when it feels organic)

My favorite/most common thing to rp is: angst | fluff | smut | crack | action | plots | AUs are fine | Violence | Darker themes

OC Canon character friendly?: yes | no | depends

RP blog: does contain ooc posts | doesn’t contain ooc posts | occasionally contains ooc | Aesthetic | Screenshots

I was not tagged, but I stole it from @miqojak! I hope that was okay.

Tagging: I do not even know when this went around, so I'll simply tag the usual crowd. If you did it already, just ignore me! @fair-fae​ @avwalya​ @punchelf @lady-lissette @ysandrethedreamer, @kich-rp @candlelethe​ @ink-dreams-ffxiv @limitsbroke @captainkurosolaire​ @zhauric @arasnealashandr @antlers-and-omens @vulpes-ferus @starforger @miqoquest @gatheredfates @arbiterofthedead @reconditerune @airis-ray @ahlis-xiv @uldahstreetrat @blackbirdffxiv @riftdancing @little-birdseeker @azure-seadragon @thorstyr @angelinecarax @miqomonkly @shavri-ffxiv and everyone who wants to do it! Steal it from me and please tag me, so I will see it. Dashboard can become a bit crowded from time to time and sometimes I tend to miss some things if they do not show up in the activity tab.

[shoheiakagi]

Okay, but is it selfish to ask for one for each of the boys? I just can't choose between them because they're all so good, even our favourite manwhore Chitose! You can choose the prompt for each boy to make it easier, if that makes it less selfish!

hiii! and no, its not selfish at all! i wasn’t sure if you meant all of hmr or just the abc boys, so i just posted for the abc boys. if you want more members, or different prompts for the boys, dont hesitate to send another ask!

Send me an emoji + a character!

❤ - What's something you feel like your muse needs to work on for a relationship to happen or for a relationship to be healthy? Do you think that's possible? Or is it something that'll likely never happen?

Akagi: he would have difficulty placing boundaries with some of his friends while he’s in a relationship tbh. in mor, we see that shouhei literally risks his life to rescue his friend from a dangerous gang by joining hmr. assuming that he does not have any romantic interest in her and that they don’t get together, one scenario i always like to entertain is what if he happened to be in a relationship then - how does his s/o feel that he was ready to throw his life away to save someone who’s just a friend? when he went to go attack the gang on his own, there was flashbacks showing his friend being all carefree about dating this dangerous guy and making this cheeky remark about shouhei will obviously come and save her if something goes wrong. so its easy to assume that her and shouhei have been close friends for a long time and that its common for him to do favors for her whenever she asks. if he’s in a relationship, that friendship will cause some problems bc i can’t see his s/o being okay with their man joining gangs to save another girl. i also think that based on what we saw on mor, shouhei’s friend wouldn’t even realize that she’s overstepping her boundaries (think of all those popular tiktoks and ig reels where girls post about their boyfriend’s girl ‘best friend’).

💐 - What small things go a long way for your muse? What small favors can someone do to get on their good side?

Bandou: it’s no secret that bandou has a huge inferiority complex. since childhood, he’s used to being looked over in favor of more interesting and attractive people, and not having a lot of people really check up on him. So when he finally finds his person, he’s pleasantly surprised at the small, intimate gestures he receives from them. Getting him a cup of coffee because they know he needs his caffeine boost after a long night of playing video games, cooking him a nutritious meal (because goddamn when was the last time bandou had vegetables), going out on a jog with him, cheering him on during his gaming tournament, etc. But what he really appreciates is when his partner knows how to set him straight. He would never admit to it, but Bandou knows that he can be arrogant ass sometimes, his insecurities getting the best of him. So a partner that is straight forward with him and calls him out on his shit actually gets a lot of respect. Although he would claim he wants someone soft and sweet, he likes it better when his partner challenges him, but still loves him with all of his flaws.

🍨 - What are expectations your muse has had about love that either was false or impossible to live up to?

Chitose: i think when he was younger, he had a more idealistic approach to love, especially when he was with his late girlfriend during high school. At the time, she seemed like she was his endgame and he was ready to tie the knot and start a family with her after high school; she would finish her studies in college while he would work some labor job and take care of her. But that dream of his takes a hit when he gets dumped, and then completely shatters when he finds out about her declining health. I also hc chitose to be from a broken family, so his late gf was his home and his safe space. When she first passes away, he starts getting angry, drinking himself into oblivion, sleeping around with different people, trying out illegal drugs. basically everything he promised he wouldn’t do. although he has calmed down a lot, he hasn’t healed and has a very jaded and skeptical view on love

🖤 - What's something that will instantly make them dismiss someone as a romantic partner

Dewa: hate to be that person but i see dewa to be veryyyy pretentious. He could find someone attractive and interesting enough to take out on a date, but get ready to bail once he hears them talk about the latest celebrity dating news, how they think their friend’s bf might be into them, how they’re team barbie instead of oppenheimer (#teambarbie4eva), etc. After spending so much time with Chitose (and a lot of the other hmr members) Dewa does not have enough patience for yet another dumb shallow, obnoxious person in his life, especially when he’s considering them as a potential romantic partner. He also finds it a major turn off when someone is promiscuous, and has no problem with casual hook ups. Dewa wants someone that he can have intellectual debates with, not another starbucks crazed bimbo.

🎀 - Do they aim to impress their partner often? If they do, how so?

Eric: I think Eric has a very shallow take on what it takes to make a healthy relationship. He has very limited experience in the romance department, so all of his knowledge are from cheesy old movies he was forced to watch and stories from some of the other hmr guys. So when he finds himself in a relationship, he ends up overexerting himself to impress his partner. Money being spent recklessly to buy expensive jewelry, afford expensive dates, and not enough being saved for his own necessities, etc. He believes that impressing his partner with materialistic objects will make them happy and not leave him

🍓 - Do dates matter to them? Do they often put a big focus on anniversaries, partners birthdays, Valentines day etc?

Fujishima: i see fuji as a very low maintenance type of guy tbh. He’s very sweet and caring, but he just doesn’t get why people make such a big deal about anniversaries. Fuji sometimes puts a little effort into celebrating his partner’s bday by buying pastry from a local bakery, but i can see him completely forgetting valentines and anniversaries. And it really depends on how his partner is like, but this can cause a lot of conflict in his relationships since his partner might think he’s not taking them seriously.

[aecholapis]

If there was ever a new Brave show, what would you want it to be about/what would you want it to involve?

Oh, what I wouldn't give to see a new Brave emerge from the depths of Sunrise's animation studios. But the chances are slim, infinitesimal even, microscopic to the point that I've given up hope to see some kind of series revival one day. At least we're still getting figurines and HD Blu-Ray remasters of the animes, but that's pretty much it.

What we are left with is our imagination and perseverance and thankfully, some fans have those attributes in abundance. I'm not going to call them out by name - you all know who you are and you should know your efforts are greatly appreciated by this small fandom.

Some of them have made a great effort to come up with new ideas for their own original shows that have sprung from their imaginations and they are kind enough to share it with the world. As someone who loves reading about pretty much any thing and everything relevant to the media I'm obsessed with at that time, I also love reading about other people's take on the already existing and well-established fictional worlds.

I've already mentioned my own and the OCs that are part of it, but to be honest, this is not exactly the direction I would take the franchise if I had a say in it. There are many great ways one could revive the Yuusha series and my own silly idea of a story is not it. There are too many themes that don't fit with the overall tone of the series - it needs to be as light-hearted, emotional and thrilling as the original one... which it isn't.

I'll list the answer to your ask under the cut if it's alright with you.

First of all, one thing that I would love to see is a way for the producers to link the shows together. It can either be done with little easter eggs or references to the old shows,

There is a reason why almost all Braves follow a pattern in terms of plot progression and action and I think they should bring that back. The monster-of-the-week format has worked well with almost every series and while it's definitely not the perfect way of storytelling, it makes for fun times.

Let the villains be silly, give them control over some ridiculouly huge thing and watch them decimate the protagonists with it until they learn its attack patterns and defeat it with the power of friendship. It wouldn't hurt if they did it once or twice every ten episodes.

We need more villains who are evil for the sake of it. They don't need a thorough reason to destroy the universe. And give us our beloved morally grey rivals/antiheroes turned allies back, please.

Nowadays I feel that most characters aren't as colorful as they used to be, but not here, nuh-uh! They need to have at least two primary colors in their frame (RYB, RGB or CYMK, doesn't matter which one) as long as they wear it with pride. Example: my man Draias is a walking fashion disaster, yet he doesn't care about his appearance and I love him for it.

I want the Braves to originate from

✨ s p a c e ✨

not Earth, thank you. While I don't have anything against human-made robots or those who were created by our planet's nature, the thought of them being aliens is so much cooler.

The OST would be a banger for sure.

Another thing I want to see is a more in-depth exploration of the themes and issues they deal with. BPJD had its fair share of addressing themes that are usually targeted at older viewers rather than the actual target audience of pre- and elementary schoolers. I don't want that to get lost in a new show. Children are just as capable of understanding and dealing with heavy themes if they are offered an explanation for everything they might not fully comprehend.

While I don't like humans in robot media in general, BPJD was probably the only show where I think they handled them well. THe human side characters weren't as prominent as they had been in the previous and following Braves. The robots were finally in the spotlight and got the development they desperately needed. Yuuta and Deckerd had a unique bond, they were like siblings and that was so wonderfully presented that I couldn't help but like their pure, albeit codependent relationship.

More platonic relationships. More focus on friendships. More familial love and found family. More bromances, more womances. The same amount of explosions and action.

And please let everyone be normal about women, GGG Final was just. No. (I love you, Anryuu, but the rest of the cast were done dirty)

As for the plot, anything would work. Aliens invade the Earth, philanthrophic Braves come to defend it. Maybe they've been fighting the other guys for a long while, maybe they haven't. What matters is that it should be something that makes sense for a Yuusha show.

And give them badass designs, please.

[tamsinswriting]

HI CEL :DD I ALSO GOT A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU <33

🕯️ ⇢ On a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? Why is that? 

🥤 ⇢ Recommend an author or fanfic you love!

💌 ⇢ How many unread emails do you have right now?

🍄 ⇢ Share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings :)

🦷 ⇢ Share some personal wisdom or a life hack you swear on.

🏜️ ⇢ What's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

🧩 ⇢ What will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

-- Trauma <3

Hey Trauma!

Thank you for the asks. Here are my responses.

🕯️ ⇢ On a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy editing? Why is that? 

It depends on which edit. I love the final edit when I'm just polishing up what I've written, removing some repetition and fixing punctuation here and there. In this place, I feel like I've written something powerful and beautiful. But, the first edit, when I'm working on my rough draft--I hate that because then I just look at my writing and see how shit it is and it's a major effort to make it into something worthwhile.

🥤 ⇢ Recommend an author or fanfic you love!

Ohh, that's a hard one, fellow Stockshop shipper since we've read all the Stockshop

content. However, since I know you are dipping your toes in the Good Omens fandom, I do have some author and fic recommendations for this fandom. This is just a small sampling of them:

Don't Wake a Sleeping Bear(Dragon) - ZehWulf - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Hereditary Enemies - Chapter 1 - Beckers522 - Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett [Archive of Our Own]

Epistolary - imposterssyndrome - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Are We Meant to Read the Footnotes? - Chapter 1 - RiaTheDreamer - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Artist in Residence - Chapter 1 - Caedmon - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Terminus - Chapter 1 - BraveLight - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Borrowed Words - Chapter 1 - sunrisesinthesuburbs - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

The Scarecrow - Chapter 1 - AppleSeeds - Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett [Archive of Our Own]

Find the Light - Chapter 1 - klikandtuna - Good Omens (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

💌 ⇢ How many unread emails do you have right now?

4763, but most of them are from mailing lists and socials I don't use.

🍄 ⇢ Share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings :)

Ohh, this is a tricky one since I have lots of headcanons, depending on the ship or even the friendship. For Stockshop, I have the following:

Baxter and Bishop have both implanted trackers in each other without the others' knowledge or consent. It gives them comfort to know where the other is. Also, if one is injured or captured, the other will go beserk to save them and Heaven help anyone who harmed their partner.

🦷 ⇢ Share some personal wisdom or a life hack you swear on.

Hehehe. I'm not sure whether this is meant to be practical or philosophical, so here is one of each. For practical, use cable ties (I think Americans call them Zip-ties) to fix things. Those bendy little plastic things are great for holding things together when glue doesn't work.

For philosophical: Treat people with respect and kindness, because what you do helps to make the world around you a better place to live. I know it's cliche, but it's something I try to do each day.

🏜️ ⇢ What's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

I love comments that show that the reader was really paying attention and has picked up on all the subtle hints and clues I've included. That being said, all comments are greatly appreciated!

🧩 ⇢ What will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

Probably these tagI s: Dead Dove: Do Not Eat; Sugar Daddy; Character Bashing.

[oddygaul]

Your Name

I think I actually liked this a lot more the second time.

In particular, the ending worked a lot better for me this go-around.

I always get frustrated when character-focused works involving timeline / dimensional fuckery contrive it so that the people you’ve watched build a relationship over diegetic months or years have their memory of that relationship erased. Whether it’s someone planeswalking alone into an alternate timeline, time-travel-related amnesia, or even just your classic memory zapping gun, it feels like a gut punch to know a relationship you’re genuinely invested in functionally did not happen for those characters anymore.

Now, I understand that the usual idea behind this is the appealing, elegant notion that some people are simply meant to be together - that no matter what obstacles, physical or psychological, might get between them, they’ll find each other again and mean just as much to each other as they did before.

I am not that idealistic.

I think establishing a close bond (be it friendship or romantic love) with someone who was once a stranger is an incredible, mercurial series of events that is so hard to replicate, it’s a small miracle that anyone has found the friends and loved ones they have.

I regularly think about the decisions, chain of events, and random happenstance that led me to my closest friends, and how a different choice made any step along the way, even years earlier, could easily have led to me never even meeting that person. And then, even if I met them by chance years later, who’s to say we’d even get close? We’d likely be two drastically different people than in the initial scenario, not only because of the different course our lives had taken, but due to how differently we would have developed in absence of each other’s influence.

There’s no chance in hell I’d roll those dice, so for me it truly stings when I watch a friendship undone - and particularly when it’s not treated with the appropriate gravity. If your whole story is about it, fine, but if it happens for some trivial reason, or a character does it flippantly, or if the narrative treats it as a minor thing and doesn’t go into the deep fucking implications such an event would have, I’m gonna be upset.

And so, on first watch, I think I slotted Your Name into the latter category. Sorry, they just up and forgot? They went through the most formative emotional experience of their young lives, saw the world through another person’s eyes, and just fuckin’ forgot about it? what??

This time, though, I paid more attention to, *ahem*, the literal text of the movie, which explains that the time Mitsuha and Taki spend together is akin to a dream, with all the haziness and fleeting nature that entails. Viewed through that* lens, the two forgetting such an important relationship resonates a lot more. Part of what makes dreams extraordinary is how strongly they can emotionally affect you, even if the details don’t make a bit of sense. The fact that such a strong emotional response can stick around long after the events of the dream have evaporated is one of the most sublime things about them. I’ve had plenty of dreams where I’ve spent what feels like decades falling in love with someone, building a life with them, exploring our sick far-future underwater biosphere together, et cetera, only to wake up and have it all ripped away. In retrospect, the particulars are nonsense and I can’t remember a single thing about this imaginary person, but for that afterglow period, it doesn’t matter, because in my heart I still feel the desolation of having lost someone. 

*again, glaringly obvious and objectively correct

When I look at the story of Your Name that way, as a beautiful, fleeting dream that two people managed to recapture against all odds, it’s easy to appreciate the sweet little love story it really  is.

—

Other than that, from a craft perspective, this one really is pretty damn good. Tightly written, not a lot of fat, endears you to its characters and their quirks in record time, and solidly hits all the emotional beats it needs to. I don’t think it necessarily has a lot to say, but honestly, tell a story this well and I can’t really complain.

i ship it

The animation here is also truly night and day compared to Shinkai’s previous works. The environments and sense of place are all top-notch as always, but the animation team for Your Name was clearly built around incredibly skilled character animators and it shows. The little mannerisms Mitsuha and Taki show regardless of which body they’re currently in is proof enough of that.

true friendship is helping your friend bomb a power substation with no questions asked

I’m not even gonna pretend I have anything worth saying about the art and animation here, though, when kViN’s excellent Your Name writeups exist over on SakugaBlog. If you found this post cuz you just rewatched Your Name and you wanted to read people analyzing / gushing over it, these should absolutely be the next stop on your journey.

—

Your Name Production Notes

A Door to the Future, on what Your Name means for Shinkai and the future of the industry at large

—

[lqfiles]

Heyoo!!

Gimme some advice? Im gonna start college in a few months and ive pretty much been a loner since covid AND I WANNA CHANGE THAT. Ive fucked up a handful of friendships and im not gonna do it now!!! Can you gimme some advice on how to make/keep good friendships? OR just tell me how you usually do it uk? Also you should know im very very shy and introverted and quiet.

In my previous friendships, i always meant well for them but it never came off(?) the way i intended it to be. I still care for them very much.

Also the reason im asking you this is because i think you're really cool and you're probably a really good friend🤭

SORRYYY FOR THE BIG MESSAGE AHHH

i didnt realise i was rambling.

Anewayss, ptp really makes me feel all🙈🙈🙈 cause i had a fantasy where i fall in love with my neighbour with the lil romantic things like him sliding a letter down my door, flirting in the elevator, and then us getting married and then making our 2 apartments one😍

Take care of yourself:)) I love you MWAH💋

-🦏

omo this is a very relatable question but i love giving advice so i’ll do my best!!!

i’ll have u know that i used to be kinda introverted too, especially when i started college, i was honestly scared of making friends (idek how i did it) but i think it honestly has to do with how you present yourself.

i know you said that you’re introverted but first impressions are honestly REALLY important. if you come off as closed off and unapproachable, people will treat you like it. it’s definitely easier said than done, but try to come off as approachable and welcoming as you can? not overbearing e.g. smiling too much that it becomes weird, but idk just seem like you’re WILLING to make new friends.

on that note, i’d also advice to look for people you think you’d get along with. you’re going to a new college, majority of the people there will be in search of new friend groups anyways. you could look for people in your class and see which ones you think you’d get along with and approach them with small talk (i’d say find something to compliment them about, that’s how i got approached on the second day, me and that friend are still friends till now lol) (the way he approached me was like “i think you and me would be great friends” AND I WAS SOLD, YOU SHOULD TRY THIS). try making friends in your class especially!!

friendships last longer when you show your appreciation for them! figure out what your love language is. if you’re a touchy person, you could initiate hugs and be more affectionate. but since you’re shy i’d say you could use words of affirmations more e.g letting them know how much you like spending time with them and how they’re a great friend. or even quality time and suggest hanging out more or message them regularly. i’d also say figure out what your friend’s love language is and take that into consideration.

honestly, being shy should never be an issue when it comes to friendships. good friendship are able to work around those qualities of yours and still make it work. despite me advising to be more confident, don’t think that being shy is bad!!!! i honestly believe that you will find people who will truly appreciate you :) i feel flattered that you think i’m cool and would be a good friend :D i tbink what makes ppl get along w me is my so called unique character lmaooo i’ve been called that a lot, i’m sure your unique character can get people to like you too :)

ANYWAYSSS I WILL SOOO USE THAT IN THE PLOT OMFGGG YESSS

take care and i hope i made sense lmaooo

[just-sg]

I mean, it can be but not necessarily? Like every kind of emotion, what qualifies as "platonic" and what qualifies as "love" are both subjective.

It's like how in your asexual example, the person is engaging in sex but is still asexual because they don't subjectively experience that attraction. Or like how friends with benefits could look exactly like a typical "romantic couple", or a romantic couple can look exactly like what most people would think of as "just friends", but whether or not it's romantic entirely depends on if the people involved feel like it is. Except also, sex is an objectively definable physical act, while, for example, kissing doesn't have to be romantic. Similarly, what an observer would call "friendly behavior" doesn't have to indicate internal platonic love.

Some people aren't comfortable describing feelings toward an acquaintance as "platonic love" because they feel like love is too strong a word. Some people associate "platonic" with "friendship" and define "friends" as people they actually know and are close to, and wouldn't describe their feelings for acquaintances or strangers as platonic as a result. Just as a few examples.

How would you describe the love felt for a kitten in a video you'll never meet, or a favorite story, or the feeling you get when the stars align and for just a while the world seems beautiful and hopeful? Is that still "if it's not romantic or sexual [or familial], it's platonic"? Or if you'd say that only applies to love for other people, what about fictional characters, artists one knows nothing about beyond their work, or for the bittersweet echoes of memories conveyed in the memoirs of someone long dead? Surely none of them could be called A Friend, but the love one might feel is still real.

Love can be ambiguous (and usually or always is for some folks!). Love can be unconditional. There are feelings that could be argued as types of love or as adjacent to it: admiration, appreciation, compassion for strangers, devotion that comes from duty rather than personal ties but still anchors on a person. Love can also be vicious and destructive and terrifying-- a consuming need for retribution, "I just want what's best for you", and more-- but that's a whole different ramble. The point is, trying to classify emotions into such a small number of limited boxes doesn't do anyone any favors.

Labels-- language in general-- exists to convey our ideas, not to limit them. And at the same time, our ability to convey things is inherently limited, because sometimes we can't find or simply don't have words to describe things sufficiently. Words do have meanings, and it's entirely fair to suggest to someone that what they're saying would fit a certain label, but if they say that's not it, please trust that they probably know they're feelings better than you do. Occasionally, they might not, but that's not something to assume, and even those cases are nicer if they come to that conclusion later themselves rather than have a conclusion pushed onto them.

Just let people feel what they feel. If they can't put it into words, there's a big difference between offering options and trying to decide their feelings for them.

---

Anyway OP, personally I would describe the Secret Fourth Thing as appreciation for both the content and the people who took the time to share it indirectly with you, but of course it's up to you if that sounds accurate or not. (Also I recognize the format was at least partly a joke but ya know.)

not romantic love not sexual love not platonic love but a secret fourth kind: i scroll your blog and like all of your posts