#like its so hard to have that childhood friends to lovers when you dont have fuckin friends

[okaybut-merelyplayers]

I fear fanfiction has set me up for disappointment

[lovelyrotter]

okay but i actually kinda wanna know ur take on stridercest being canon compliant O_O <- autism stare

oh hey i am also hitting you with the autism stare. ill try to get my thoughts down in a way that makes sense to more than just me hahaha

bear in mind that im an epilogue lover and i think Meat/Candy are really valuable pieces that further all of the characters and are also hard canon in the sense that we're looking at just 2 post-game universe outcomes out of an uncountable number (the book in the picnic basket representing post-canon fanfic). i think the characters actions in the epilogues make sense and are satisfying to me. yes even jane (i love alpha jane and i will not do her the disservice of 'cleaning her up' w/o showing her work for it. thats not how you depict a character who grew up with fascist programming). i could totally go on a whole tangent about this specifically but thats another post lol we'd be here forever and its also not stridercest

but okay. canon stridercest. under the cut cause it got kinda long

basically it has to do with the cherubs and how their relationships and mating rituals are pretty obviously incestuous leaning even though cherubs dont have the human concept of Siblings or blood family. the cherub who predominates will search across paradox space to mate with another cherub who closely resembles the cherub they predominated which is like textbook Freudian sexuality. theres a lot of Freud and Jungian stuff in HS imo even if im kinda [wobbly hand gesture] at the validity of these theories applied to real life and real people. but theyre super fun tools and lenses to use in fiction and i mean. gestures at all of dave

so the incest aliens cherubs. the whole reason why im talkin about them is bc Caliborn is so incredibly interested and invested in the Striders in particular. caliborn as both Lord English and Lil Cal shapes earth NOT OVERTLY but more so embeds himself in earth society, but again, the Striders lives in particular. dave is full of incest jokes. hes even apparently got a list of his friends arranged in order of how likely theyd incest-elope with each other (thank you epilogues for this amazing factoid). he seems to think about it often enough to, yknow, Do That. have a good solid think about that and construct an organized list about it. bearing in mind dave makes jokes about stuff thats a) bothering him, or b) generally camping out in his brain. hes not even really aware of it most of the time (as we see in one of the openbounds where hes all 'why am i thinking about puppets???' after seeing dirk for the first time in that dream bubble. he is thinking nonstop about dirk at that point and going off his only frame of reference for ANY dirk, which is his bro. his bro who was most likely deeply warped by Lil Cal)

sorry for the long blocky paragraph lol. but now onto the next thing

Caliborn as Lil Cal is the centerpiece in the beta strider apartment. dave cant escape him and beta dirk grew up with him. what the fuck do you do when youre childhood comfort item is also the most evil creature across all of paradox space? if youre a dirk you try to fight it. but how long can you keep fighting something like that. its safe to say that bro was affected by Caliborns particular brand of perversion and sfw kink. i dont think i have to say how insidious abusive and toxic he is about those things. and looking at the truth of beta bro (16yo alpha dirk) you can start to see just how warped beta bro became. beta bro is a false dirk (still a very Real dirk but not the Truth of dirk. beta bro has been toxified and made infinitely worse by an absolute evil influence over decades of life. in 80s fuckin texas. presumably in the system. anyone would be fucked up after that)

so for this analysis/theory im stating beta bro as a false persona. using jungian terms he is apha dirk's shadow

both dave and dirk live with a fake, carefully manicured version of their bros. they live with personas (or shadows of their guardians on the walls. hello platos allegory of the cave). they dont actually know e/o and they dont until the striunion

alpha dirk especially grows up embedded in the Public Persona Of Dave Strider 400 years post mortem and completely alone with unlimited internet access. hes a self admitted expert on his bro and we dont get to see a lot if any of his early childhood but i can hazard a guess at how much he clung to that persona of his bro. he fuckin idolizes dave. he LOVES dave. right off the bat he is in some kind of love with dave and i think if you try to argue against that then thats you slippin. i think youre a fool and have to reread homestuck because i wholeheartedly believe the striders loving eachother is part of the win state

once again this is speculation cause we get barely anything about alpha dave, but from what we already know about him im guessing this bro-persona is

achingly effortlessly cool

oozing masculinity (toxic or not, not really interested in categorizing that although toxic coolboy masculinity IS something the striders contend with & is an important facet in their lives)

a skilled fighter

a dedicated moviegoer (hes a director need i say more. this one is probably the only genuine thing about his on-screen persona)

and now lets look at jake. someone whos grown up on pretty much nothing but movies, whos doubtlessly been influenced by hollywood and its idea of gritty 'main character' masculinity through that, and who also clings to more old-school ideas of manliness (think victorian/edwardian era gentlemanly-but-loves-a-good-scrum kinda manly. moustache twirly with a monocle kinda manly. basically everything that grandpa harley is)

but okay lets look at what jake wants to be. lets take a look at his teenager persona

achingly effortlessly cool (his own 'hollywood star' kind of cool also def influenced by his favourite characters like lara croft who is indeed achingly cool. you see him succeed in inhabiting this hollywood star persona on earth c)

oozing masculinity (the old school manly mans-man kind)

a skilled fighter (two pistoles always. harder to aim cause you cant use a free hand to make up for kickback. that takes skill)

a dedicated moviegoer (again one of the only genuine parts about his persona. his questionable-to-wretched tastes aside. but bearing in mind that the SBaHJ movies are intentionally bad which is what makes them loop around to good. such is the nature of intentionally 'bad' art. jake fuckin lives in this perpetual bad-good art loop. okay enough with the art tangent keep focused man cmon)

because dirk has obviously way more contact with jake i dont doubt he sees through jakes own (admittedly way more flimsy) coolboy persona but the point still stands i think. different flavours but the same kinda guy. dirk has a type and i dont think its a stretch to say that hes looking for aspects of the bro-persona he grew up looking at in other boys, much like the winning cherub looking for the one they lost in the cherub theyll mate with

also wtf is with dirks obvious boner for dave chasing him across paradox space to decapitate him huh?? the last few sentences in Meat are about that very thing. he wants to fuc fight dave sooo bad. haha remember how the cherubic mating ritual is one of the most violent and long running spectacles in paradox space? i sure do

[uroboros-if]

seeing your rant about how difficult it is to be somewhat rude without ruining your relationships in ifs WAS SO RELATABLE! It doesn’t feel real to be always good or nice to characters to be liked

I’m not saying you should be able beat them up and still romance without consequences but romance/relationships aren’t always perfect and peaceful!!! Disagreements/arguments should be something that can happen without it being at the cost of the relationship itself ugh because that’s normal come on >:| as an angst enjoyer, its so hard to have fun without the character being like “you dont agree with me? perish then”

so I’m even more excited for the game now that I saw your take on it because LETS GO!!!!!! <3

You succinctly explained what I struggled to! 😭

I will confess it's half self-indulgent, because I really enjoy relationships where the two must confront their conflicting ideals! I understand most seek other like-minded people, but what of characters who like to be challenged? Characters who can't help but be attached to someone they shouldn't be?

Even setting that aside, you are completely correct! As long as that topic isn't sensitive to someone and neither party is inflexible, people won't automatically like you less.

So not only does such an approval system lose out on angst potential, sometimes it's also unrealistic. There is truth in it as our opinions of others do adjust based on their actions, and those things add up! However, it's a problem when it's applied to even arbitrary choices, or it unnecessarily severely impacts your approval.

Under the read more is my "theory" on why some ROs in IFs are defined by a dynamic trope (rivals to lovers, childhood friends to lovers, etc)!! 💕

It is difficult, if not impossible for a numerical approval system to qualitatively judge your relationship dynamics; it can only judge based on the weight of each choice. It can't, for example, see you've transitioned from being rude, to softening up to the character after realizing they're not so bad. The game only sees the sum of all your negative and positive points.

Without a way to label your actions by anything but a number, a system that purely relies on numerics is incapable of interpreting the dynamics of your relationship, and therefore customizing future interactions with the RO.

Of course, I think most IFs don't purely rely on numbers. Some do a hybrid in which important decisions are tracked qualitatively and lesser ones are tracked numerically. However, even then, some romance is limited by a baseline approval you must achieve in a certain timeframe, and that leads to pressure to meet that mystery number.

Furthermore, these qualitative "important decisions" often have more to do with the plot than how it defines your relationship specifically -- things like "did you kill their father?" rather than "What were their first impressions of the MC?"

So I believe that without a way to interpret the MC's actions meaningfully, there's only one way to play a romance route. There's only one dynamic with that character, one way the relationship can really be. You can be different genders, have your relationship contextualized differently as the story changes from your actions, but rarely does it dramatically differ solely on personality. Rarely does it examine how your relationship varies from the different ways you interact with that character.

I think it's fine that some characters are like that! In fact, it's realistic that some dynamics don't suit certain characters. For example, it's not possible to have rivals to lovers with Salvatore, because they have no reason to see you as a rival, even if you hate them or try to compete with them.

However, taking Sal as an example, your relationship can vary widely by your attitude towards them. It can be a case of friends who lost touch and regret having lost touch; it can be one-sided, as Sal may view MC as a friend, but the MC is bitterly jealous of them. Perhaps MC doesn't think much of them at all.

That's the kind of meaningful interpretation of relationships I aim for--different dynamics rather than boxing in Sal as the typical childhood friends to lovers. There is no one way to play their romance; it should change as the MC is different.

I see how it's not for everyone, and I acknowledge that it is a Herculean task that may, in time, reveal the full extent of its complexity. But I strive for it because such a complicated relationship is central to the conflict of Uroboros. There is nothing more important an undertaking than character relationships in the IF.

Extremely long theory and rambling, but I am so happy someone shares my thoughts, at least as far as disagreements with the ROs!! ❤️❤️ Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share even more of my opinion, Anon! I'm thrilled you are so excited for the story!

[ohtobeleah]

Sucking Rooster off at the hard deck! Please 🙏 for your next round of strictly scandalous.

Growing up, Bradley Bradshaw had always had a thing for his non-biological uncle's daughter. As the gold star kid, all of his father's closest friends saw it as their responsibility to help Carole raise the young tot that was Bradley. Ron Slider, or uncle Slider as Bradley knew him–was one of those many men. 

“It can't be?” Bradley stood at the front door of the Hard Deck that only just opened its doors. Ten past ten in the morning. “Kerner? Is that you?” You knew that voice anywhere–Bradley fucking Bradshaw. 

“If I turn around and see that god-awful ferret you parade across your upper lip is still there I'll be thoroughly unimpressed Rooster.” You taunted as you continued whipping down the bar for Penny. 

“Ah, I'll have you know the mo gets a lot of attention.” Rooster quipped as he took strides towards the bar, forgoing the door and opting to jump up and over the bar. 

“And I bet you just revel it it dont you?” You teased back as you finally turned all your attention to Bradley. “I'm just here for the weekend, Penny was short staffed and I had some spare time.” 

“Oh, so you're not here just to see me then?” Rooster sent you that famous smug look he always had, even in his childhood he managed to get you all kinds of twisted. You’d lost your virginity to Bradley in the back of his Bronco and you'd been the first girl he’d slept with more than once. Always coming back for more because you were his best friend above anything else. The sex was great but the pizza you’d get afterwards and head out to lovers' lookout just off the eight-mile track was even better. “Never thought I'd see you in North Island again after you nearly bottled Hangman the last time you were here.” 

“Guy had it coming.” You shrugged it off because it was true, Jake Seresin had really gotten under your skin the last time you’d been at the Hard Deck visiting. Uncle Mav had introduced you to the group he’d been working with over the last few months and Jake thought he would most definitely be going home with you. Too bad for him, you had the hots for Rooster. Always had, always would. “Who just acts like that all the time?” 

“Hangman does.” Bradley laughed as his hands cupped the small of your back. Pulling you close. “But enough about him, let's talk about us.” 

“Oh there's an us now is there?” You let the question linger in the air for a moment before following up, your hands drifting upwards to stroke Bradley's chest through his T-shirt. “Because I recall all we ever do is fuck and fight and forget that it always ends the same, so why even start this time when I'm only in town for the weekend.” 

“Unless you changed your mind about my proposal, Kerner then that's on you.” Bradley made sure to remind you that he was always all in, it was you who had been reluctant to try a relationship more than just friends with occasional benefits. Until Rooster–you never wanted anything to do with the Navy. “Id have you for the rest of my life if you'd let me but here we are, about to fuck behind Pennys bar.” Your eyes widened at Rooster's statement as you fisted the fabric of his shirt in your palms.

“I'm not gonna fuck you but I'll suck you off until the first customer walks through those doors? Besides you that is.” Leaning in to suck a gentle kiss against Bradley's pulse point. “What did bring you in ten minutes after opening anyways?” 

“Came to pay my tab from last night before Penny had me blacklisted.” Rooster moaned as your hands trailed down from his chest to his belt, undoing it as you teased his neck. Littering it with bruises. “Fuck, you weren’t kidding huh?” 

“Nope–” You popped the P as you unzipped Bradley fly before he shimmied his jeans down ever so slightly as you fished his cock from his boxer briefs. “And it didn't take you long at all now did it Bradshaw.” 

“Doesn't take much to get me going when you're around, Kerner.” Bradley sighed as you palmed him, his length hardening and growing in your first as you sunk to your knees before him. “Oh, fucking hell Y/n this isn't happening–” It was hard to believe you were about to suck Bradley off behind the bar. “Oh christ!” He sucked in a gasp as your lips wrapped around his tip, hand pumping his shaft before you took more of him in your warm home. He was home. “Ohhh fucking christ baby–I missed your perfect mouth.” Bradley let his head fall back as his hips slowly bucked to meet your mouth every time you pulled away and came back.

You knew Rooster was a grower and not a shower, but you always underestimated just how much he could really grow whenever you sucked him off. 

“Ohhh god Y/n, feels so good.” Bradley moaned as he threw his head back again after having spent a moment mesmerised at the sight before him. His hands cupped your face as his hips began to move in sync with your mouth–softly thrusting into you this time. “Always so good to see you stuff your face with my cock.” As if to say fuck you, you were quick to fondle Rooster's balls. Invoking such an animalistic groan from the depths of his soul that it had your core throbbing. “Ah fuck, yes!” 

The taste of pre-cum tandalisted your tastebuds as you sucked the ever living soul from your best friend's cock. Knowing that after your shift you'd grab a bite to eat and catch up on everything the pair of you had missed over that last few months. Coaxing him closer and closer to his high as you gagged and stuffed him down your throat. Hollowing your cheeks as you used your first for whatever inches you could take. 

“Ah fuck I’m gonna cum, god I’m gonna fill your pretty little mouth, Kerner, if you don’t stop his second.” Bradley's eyes were wide and his jaw was slack as he looked down at you sucking him off. His face was flushed and slightly red–all fucked out and pretty for you as hot spurts of his cum shot down your throat as Jake and Javy came through the front doors. “Shit!” Rooster collapsed as you pulled away, watching as he hid behind the bar and you stood and greeted the two aviators. Wiping your mouth on your forearm as you did so. 

“Hiya fellas, what can I get ya.” You asked as you kept your cool as Bradleys hand snakes up between your thighs. “Same old same old?” 

“Got a good memory there Kerner, two drafts please.” Javy replied as Jake just nodded, timid around you. 

“Coming right up–” You looked down at Rooster and just smirked, not knowing how long he’d be stuck down there with a mess in his pants and a hard-on from the view up your dress.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

#Stricklyscandalous Bradley ’Rooster’ Bradshaw

[idcpxseur]

god im so stumped for the endgame ship i have so many ideas so imma just babble until my brain clears out

at the end of this theres a poll so yall should vote on what i should do!

Zanemau

zanemau has such a sweet, sweet, SWEET dynamic in mystreet

i imagine zane falls first and falls so incredibly hard

but he doesnt realize hes in love because hes so dead set on being the best, best friend.

it takes someone else calling him out on his actions (buying aphmau big, expensive gifts, being touchy with her, constantly vying to get her attention, giving her custom nicknames that he will get mad that ANYONE uses)

then when he realizes hes like "oh fuck what do i do" and completely panics around her at all times

aphmau is kind of oblivious to this. "i mean like he does this stuff all the time, why would it be different?"

meanwhile, aphmau kinda slowly realizes that shes falling for him. shes more nervous about completely ruining their friendship more than the idea of him rejecting her completely

the big gifts and compliments and touchiness make her SO happy and excited. i imagine zane is pretty tight with money (despite being a nepo baby and sitting on tons and tons of money from his rich ass parents) so when he actively forks out money EXLUSIVELY for her it makes her heart all fluttery

their feelings are obvious to everyone except the two of them. the group kinda actively puts them in situations where they are put together.

they are very much your typical, sweet "best friends to lovers" dynamic. which is why i love it sm

Laurmau

mcd laurmau makes me go WOOF WOOF BARK BARK WOAOAUEHEJFJ

and yes im relying heavily in mcd for their characterizations. those are the true versions of these characters. fight me.

yall seen miraculous ladybug? marichat and ladynoir? yeah. yeah its that. thats them

like okay: he is enamored by her looks but he just becomes absolutely smitten with her personality towards the beginning of pdh season 1. its that highschool crush that never goes away. even when he says it goes away, it doesnt. in fact, as they get closer, it gets so much worse!

he keeps the playful flirting and just teases her constantly

but you know as a friend, so he says

and she always playfully turns him down with a joke or a tease but you know. she knows that's just how he is! he has no feelings for her or anything!

but she was wrong, obviously. when they move to mystreet together after sort of growing apart during college, BOOM! those big dumb feelings come back and laurence is... well you know. hes laurence. he wears his heart on his sleeve and he pulls her aside and professes his love for her.

she turns him down (again) but hes unwavered! they go back to their original dynamic and nothing changes

...except BOOM!!! APHMAU CATCHES FEELINGS!!

mental breakdown ensues (on her end) because "HOLY SHIT I ACTUALLY CAUGHT FEELINGS FOR THIS DUMBASS!!! I CANT BELIEVE THE FLIRTING ACTUALLY WORKED OH GOD FUCK!!!"

the next time laurence flirts with her she drops the bomb so casually like

"hey, mlady, when are we going to go on that date?"

"i dont know laurence. when are you going to take me?" cue dead silence and aphmau locking Eyes with him and staring into his soul

it takes like 15 seconds for him to catch on

and he explodes. his face turns beet red. he blushes and smiles and giggles and practically kicks his feet and that motherfucker is GIDDY!!!

everything in their relationship is basically the same except they kiss

Garmau

I LOVE GARMAU IN MCD

god the way hes all shy for her and he subtly (SUBTLY!!!) tries to suggest his feeling for her

I LOVE GARMAU IN MCD IM SICK GOD

THE FALLING TREE SCENE?!?!?@? CHEFS KISS. LITERALLY AARMAU COULD N E V E R

(once again, im implementing more of their mcd personalities)

okok but this is mystreet, not mcd!

in my notes, garroth and aphmau were childhood friends for much longer! but then aphmau moved, they eventually lose contact over time so she remembers garroth the most but not really zane and vylad as much because shed often stick to his side because she has a little baby crush on him

CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO STRANGERS TO TO FRIENDS TO LOVERS DO YOU UNDERSTAND MY VISION!!!!!!!!!!!!!

okay but... not really "strangers" but they lose contact for a bit and reconnect in hs.

they dont instantly recognize each other but aphmau instantly recognizes zane when she sees him. it takes aphmau way too long (about 3-4 weeks into the school year, when vylad gets introduced and they go to the park together) to connect that garroth the "hot sophomore guy who i am fortunate enough to share air with who weirdly enough shares the name of my childhood crush/best friend but that surely is a coincidence, right?" is the same garroth ro'meave that she used to play with when she was young

garroth... knows. well he gets it much faster than she does. after all, "aphmau" is probably one of the most uncommon names to ever exist in this universe so he pretty much recognizes her right off the bat but how the fuck do you even begin to address this? (is what he asks laurence who literally just goes dude, just tell her)

and then you know how the story goes, the love triangle (love arrow? love axis? love corner??? ITS NOT A TRIANGLE WHY IS IT CALLED A LOVE TRIANGLE) commences, aphmau ends up rejecting both of them because they stressed her out and the boys chill out and then they all become friends

then college happens and BAM mystreet

garroth is more upfront to the fact that he never really got over her

sure he dated ivy and tried to date in college but nothing felt right

being with and near aphmau just felt right in a way no other person has managed to replicate

and suddenly she was back and the world felt right again

but hes still shy and has no idea how to approach her

(i imagine hes much more flirty and a little more like laurence [less extreme tho] when he doesnt really have feelings for a person)

and aphmau well? shes just happy to be back around him. the sun seems to shine brighter when shes with him and she has no idea why

theyre much more awkward then the other two ships i have listed here

esp as aphmau is falling like oh god. the tension??? the awkward pauses and long gazes??? ugh its delicious i eat it up

much like zanemau, it takes the skittles squad™ (aka the mystreet cast) to the extreme measure of locking them in a room and forcing them to confront their feelings /hj

or on the other hand, one of em confesses on complete accident or OOHH on a late night and just spilling their guts

anyway. again much like my zanemau written above garroth would SPOIL her with his ro'meave money and she would not know how to respond

wow i wrote a lot for garmau

BUT WERE NOT DONE BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE

Garrancemau & other ship ideas

so imagine garrancemau as laurmau and garmau happening cohesively much like mystreet where its a "competition" except they have the underlying tension of a college fling or smth like that

and aphmau kinda like. tries to get them together cuz she can see that they also have feelings for each other and they think this is some gay-denial like that

TRUE LOVE TRIANGLE you know???

but like i also wanna try my hand at rewriting aarmau to be less... bad...

*IN MY OPINION!!!

i really enjoy aarmaus dynamic but i do really like it more in a sibling light so i dont know if i really do wanna go the romance route

but also i love aroace aphmau! or katemau or travmau!

APHMAU IS A VERY SHIPPABLE CHARACTER OKAY? SHE HAS GOOD DYNAMICS WITH EVERYONE!!

so yeah. i dunno!! what do yall think? please, im very curious and im open to suggestions!!

*SUGGESTIONS!! i may not take them and decide to do fuck all so please if you give me a suggestion please know that i may not take it but i value your input and i put it into heavy consideration!!

[prettyboykatsuki]

not to come at you with unsolicited praise all of a sudden but im coming at ya with unsolicited but merited praise all of a sudden (or not so sudden i guess the togame piece prompted it but i do think abt this regularly) i really appreciate the way you really underline the humanity in each character you write, particularly with the reader. i think that can be such a challenging element to story and really hard to keep open enough but i like that you get in enough specificity to make them endearing while still broad. they feel human and not cartoonish the way a reader can sometimes come off, and that makes the experience of reading much more enjoyable. i also like that you're not afraid to vary the type of reader that you write, which i think also makes them feel like potentially real people (on par with the characters you're pairing them off with). personally, i really appreciate it. i was reading the ume and suo posts today and got the sense that we would not be a very good fit as a couple like they were real people i'd potentially interact with! (not upset abt it dont worry) and that's really rewarding to me, to have someone put like real measured thought into these things. i know it's just yk silly fun but still!

(also bc you reblogged the bachira fic -- i still cry abt that btw. im also the adrianne lenker anon so everytime "anything" comes on i cry out I WAS SCARED INDIGO BUT I WANTED TOOOO with tears down my cheeks thinking abt him childhood friends to lovers superior trope fr)

dude this is gonna make me cry.... SDKSKJD

the first part of this ask scared the shit out of me but im glad it was so kind and positive!!! i think this is one of those things you get better at as an x reader writer with a lot of practice. characterizing reader can be something of a challenge but it gets easier when you keep in mind that the goal is not to write a relatable story but an entertaining one if that makes any sense.

im really glad you feel a sense of humanity in my readers bc for me that is always the goal. i want these characters to feel less like you're reading a story and kinda like you're watching them since characterization is what i do the best (hopefully dkjsd) so it makes me happy.

!!!!!! im also really glad that you enjoy my varying characterizations for reader archetypes. i know that it can be kind of taboo on here for several reasons all of which i get. but i do like writing things about the way characters lean and what types they are attracted too since it adds a lot of depth. its not that those types or preferences are any end all be all but idk... i think its nice to show variety so u can make assessments like that yk!! or think of how ur personality would interact w them yk...

(ALSO ANON ITS U!!!! i think abt ur ask all the time whenever that song comes on. u are always so kind to me thank you so much!!! CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS BELOVED)

[joodles98]

do u ever think about raileon as being two sides of the same coin? the dragon guarding a castle and the king who loves his subjects yet is trapped in a tower. childhood friends (perchance) turned into friendly rivals and eventually lovers.

do you think they idolized red and blue as kids or teens (depending on how old you think they are bc in my mind reguri are slightly older, maybe like late 20s while raileon are early 20s) and they dont talk about it but you can clearly see the parallels of battle prodigy child who goes on to be champion and rival who ends up becoming the 8th gym leader who prefers double battles plus a researcher (and both r super gay)

yes to all of that a million times ❗️these characters are so intertwined to me.

i have all kinds of scattered thoughts

i think leon would have invited rednblue to galar to get their input/expertise in creating his battle tower (since they have the experience in setting up the battle tree 😋)

blue would love how cutthroat the galar league is/the gym leadership system, also really enjoy the commercial appeal of it/spectacle of the stadiums. red doesnt really care for any of that but he fucking loves gigantamaxing his charizard. he feels his cool meter thru the roof. when he sees gigantamax pikachu for the first time his heart explodes

there is something to say about red and leon confronting its hard(scary) to go back home. but its nice to have someone on your side to remind you of who you are and who you can be.

red especially, who "threw away" the obligations of being champ because the core of his journey was to test the limits of his strength, learn and grow, and battle for the sake of it because its what he loves to do. period. (and ending up becoming a hero just because he saw abuses of power and knew he could stop it, since no one else was.) leon realizes that living and battling really could be simple and fundamental once he's free of the excess of championing lol, and the only real pressure and maintenance of reputation comes from a personal definition within. that's it.

red as a character, to me at least, symbolizes we get to choose what we let go of, what we carry on, and what's new that we'll venture into. nobody's judgement, no matter how big or loud it seems, can "make" us do anything, that is, if we have the courage to decide what defines us and act accordingly

basically. i think red is a character who is the epitome of authenticity (the responsibility we have to our own life and dreams.) he is just doing his thing forever fuck the haters. mad respect. everybody can learn from him

on the other hand, i think leon symbolizes possibility. the way identity is a constant process. like the many lives we have the fortune to live in our one life, if we have the courage and resilience to begin again. (resilience and not stubborn kind that makes you blind to opportunity. im talking like a strong acceptance of reality, unwavering belief that life is meaningful. i think that's what leon's growth arc is about 🤧)

blue and leon could become drinking buddies over the self-reinventing journeys they undertook after losing 🫣. its so fascinating to compare the outcomes of someone who was champ for less than an hour vs. someone who was champ for over 10 years (a whole childhood/teenagedom!). also considering leon just had a whole fucking terrible week before his loss that probably already put his identity on shaky foundation. (the darkest day and losing to eternatus in front of hop. being betrayed by rose. etc).

when i think of older blue and post game leon they are a reminder of at the end of the day its that you gotta make sure the things you do is for You

baseline reguri for me is that blue never actually "hated" red. jealousy and frustration can make a kid who just wants recognition and praise pretty volatile. for raihan, especially when he was younger, he had to be pretty vigilant to not let his jealously of leon taint their friendship/rivaly. it could be a factor in his investment of a personal brand and celebrity through his influencer status(quiet his inner doubt/impostor syndrom/make up for the he perceivs he lacks).

but i also think raihan's interest in history makes him the contextual thinking type to have been skeptical of leon's experience as champion, especially since leon's hard to read. (the way they both have different types of trust issues. lol) it kinda protected his heart from being too hurt of the physical distance leon's championing put in their friendship over the years too, especially since their rivalry continued on into a professional, profitable setting and they both had images to maintain. (whereas red and blue are coworkers also lol, but working side by side.)

i want to talk about raileon slow burn so bad but i have to go to work rn 😭

[conanssummerchild]

stranger things characters as taylor swift albums

i saw someone make a post abt this and i decided to make my own lol. ngl it was really hard to decide and im not even sure i agree with myself, if u think smth else feel free to tell me!

Dustin Henderson as Debut

To me Debut is about youth and first loves and messing up and the lessons you learn, its about feeling like an outsider but also about being with the people you love, those who you dont feel whole without. I think that that matches well with Dustin's character, he's energetic and excited to learn and experience things, he cares for his friends deeply but can feel left out sometimes.

El Hopper as Fearless

I think Fearless is about new beginnings and second chances, about being young and in love, wishing for your fairytale ending and being dissapointed when real life isn't like a movie. It's about highschool and being brave, it's about family, found and otherwise. It's about being fifteen. El is such a pure character, she's brave and willing to stand up when she has to, but wanting to be more than that, trying to be a teenager, making the best of something bad.

Will Byers as Speak Now

Speak Now is an album about growing up but never wanting to, it's about trying to hold onto your childhood, about whimsical fantasies, about foolishness and the broken hearts that come with it, about loving and fighting and making up and hoping those special moments in your life are long lived. Speak Now is about innocence and the loss of it. Will isn't ready to move on and grow up the way his friends seem to be, he wishes that things could be how they used to because it was so much better back then, he loves bravely and says what's on his mind, but keeps some things quietly locked away, afraid.

Robin Buckley as Red

Red is kind of a lonely album, that of a people person who never has her own people in the end. It's a coming of age album about the realities of growing up and being forgotten, it's full of heartbreak and fear of rejection, it's a catchy melody with sad lyrics, but it is filled to the brim with burning red love and passion too. From the moment Robin was introduced she was clever and snarky, passionate and confident and lovable. Behind that she was a deep character, a brave one, she is undeniably, iconically her.

I KNOW this song isnt originally from red but i like it :(

Steve Harrington as 1989

If you asked me I'd say that 1989 is about partying and being young and having fun and being in love. It's about petty grudges and and love that feels all-encompassing, but is really just suffocating, it's about what people say about you and who you really are. It's about moving on and being clean and starting anew despite the strangers talking about what's not theirs to talk about. Steve is a character that has constantly bettered himself, constantly having to prove that he isn't the same person he was. He's fallen in love and had to fall out of it time and time again.

Nancy Wheeler as reputation

reputation is about revenge and also karma, it's about killing the old you but not forgetting her, it's about new loves and not letting yourself get pushed around, it's about how delicate life and love can be. It pushes the boundries of cold and seeming like you dont care. But you do. Nancy is an interesting character to say the least, she's brave and strong and she struggles with showing her emotions and care, sometimes hurting people because of it, but she tries.

Lucas Sinclair as Lover

Lover is warm and comforting like the sun coming out after a dark day. It's about doing your best to overcome hardships, it's about who you are because of them, not despite them. It's about letting go, letting yourself forget instead of holding on tight to the hurt, turning a fresh page instead of trying to change an already used up one. It's about love. Lucas is so kind and caring, he wants the best for everyone he loves and he loves so purely, he's a character who has been hurt repeatedly but has stayed strong. He's a lover, both romantically and platonically.

Mike Wheeler as folklore

folklore is a cold winter that seems to go on forever with no relief. It's sitting in a vast field of snow without a jacket by your own choice, it's about constantly trying and failing and everyone around you chastising you for not being better. It's about pulling up to the lookout and screaming into the emptiness to give you a reason for your pain. It's about failing in love and messing up with the one. Other people's pain seems to seep into you and you keep the burden of it. folklore is suffocating despair and the love you can only wish for but never have. Mike is the only one who I knew what album I was going to asign him from the start, he's a sad, lonely character who tries to help everyone but himself. His pain is invisible to those around him because he keeps it close and hidden, he lashes out and digs himself further into a hole he cannot get out of on his own.

Max Mayfield as evermore

evermore is the coldest autumn, the trees obscure your view but you've long since stopped trying to reach for the fading sun. The rain falls but you can only sometimes feel it, you try to pretend it's fine this way, yet you keep venturing deeper into the thick forest. The truth is you are stuck, and as much as you pretend you're not it won't stop the mud from sticking to your soles and trying to pull you in as you reject the branches reaching for you. evermore is what happens when love can't overcome all. Max is sarcastic and fun, but there's always that overlying fear and anger that she eventually falls into, she's hurt and she can't move on from the things that have happened to her.

Jonathan Byers as Midnights

Midnights is an album of staying awake at night, all alone in the haze you thought fit two. The things you've seen and done haunt you, they make you lose sleep, all you've lost and gained, all you never had to begin with and never will. It's simple really, you're on your own. Jonathan is a loner, he's lost so much and matured too much for his age. He never had relief from his responsibilities, always needing to be present. It's a tiring life to live.

[youremyheaven]

https://www.tumblr.com/youremyheaven/753054218607329280/httpswwwtumblrcomyouremyheaven75305074662326

i think i am a sensualist? or a lady? i think they both kinda go together but im not too sure 😭😭

ALSO WAIT ive never watched claire nakti properly but thats so interesting?? i ALWAYSSS assumed moon women would have more of that soft curvy build whereas venusians would be more of whatever was desirable in this era (like i get that right now having a model build is most desirable on social media which would be more saturnian/mercurial in my opinion) but i thought Venusians would be more of that + a bit more of a sweeter energy

omg also in western astrology, i’m a cancer rising so the curves and being more hourglass made sense to me ++ the motherly nature, the way i view the world and everything resonated more with a cancer rising, so in vedic astrology ive always found it so hard to relate to the ardra rising because i am chatty but to suddenly no moon nakshatras or anything cancer made me a little off and i only ever felt better with my moon venus and saturn placements (maybe ardra is soft though? or motherly? i dont know 😓😓) and i ended up being like “you know, half my naks are deer yonis so ill just attribute all that to the deer energy”

i had such a hard time figuring out my kibbe type because being southeast asian means im naturally below what is considered average… but so is everyone else around me 😐😒. and i used to be fleshier as a child but slimmed down a bit so trying to pinpoint the romantic part was confusing because all the romantic examples seemed to be more round and full? if thats the word. + kibbe is kinda hard to type yourself with because personally i think we are all a little warped in our perceptions of ourselves (also what do you think tyla is? i think shes very gamine, but has some romantic undertones that also show up in her form and we don’t know her height so 🤨🤨) i also used to think i looked bulky and therefore couldnt be a romantic but after a few comparisons and pictures taken of me i realise theres no way i could ever be classified as frame dominant or bulky, for that matter. being seasian definitely made the process a bit more tedious

no but you’re so right about acting different around people because i have friends i feel softer and calmer with and friends i feel so noisy with and then some where i feel like im the more juvenile one yet more mature and its so good that you have friends who get you and are willing to explain things to you like a baby omg i have some guy friends like that and i feel so much better when they do that at times too (sometimes male tendencies to mansplain are useful)

but yay its so nice to talk to you i feel like im actually learning so much everytime i come on your blog (and now im probably going to binge watch claire nakti vids since i have the time)

also hehe jupiter dk and anuradha placements and i just saw this vid —> https://youtu.be/0xvgMCUOm6Y?si=2-wbp9OEOYGcJJJk

ill be giggling to myself tonight (i say this but im terrified of being powerless to a man and to marry into a richer family because of social life differences and childhood and experience differences, even though i feel like deep down im actually going to end up with an insanely wealthy man— subconscious manifestation? maybe too much chart analysis? or just insanity?

Idk how many of you guys know how to calculate your final archetype, so there's like 7 main archetypes, right? Like The Mother, Maiden, Sage etc and so on and if The Lover is your dominant archetype (over 70%) then whatever comes second will join together with The Lover to form your seductive archetype.

Ex: The Lover (70%) is the highest and The Maiden is second highest. Then you're an Ingenue (seduction archetype)

The most curvy types are Moon, Venus and Jupiter influenced women

Moon is curvy because Moon is extreme Yin

Venus is the height of Yin energy, so 😌they tend to be very fleshy and curvy 😌🥰

Jupiter is the largest planet and has a tendency to expand whatever it touches, so it also makes you very curvy

Saturn rules the bones so it gives you a thin, lanky kinda build

Mercury makes one small and petite

Sun influence usually makes one short tbh,, but not for men. It's the most yang, so it gives you a very thin body and fast metabolism.

Martian women are more bulky imo. They're curvy but I don't often see them have a "soft" kind of build??? Theyre more frame dominant

Rahu gives average height but makes you thin-ish and Ketu influence gives you a loooong torso and very trim but looong looking body?? (Ketu is the body of the demon after all). I follow a Ketuvian model on IG and I feel like her physique is sooo stereotypically Ketuvian, she's only like 5'6 max but look at how long she looks??? (I don't mean tall, I'm talking about how long limbed she looks, like long arms, long torso, long legs etc) and also she has no curves or anything which is also on brand for Ketu

Also girlie Venus is the most yin/feminine planet along with Moon 😭😭😭 it only makes sense if it gives you a traditionally feminine aka curvy or voluptuous body 🤭like Aphrodite wasn't a skinny model??? Look at the Renaissance paintings girlieee

Mother energy is not very Rahu like 😬but nor do I think it's very Venusian 😶‍🌫️ Venusians are hospitable and socially gracious and do everything to make others feel comfortable and good. Maybe it's a combination of that energy, of wanting to make sure everybody's okay and all is well?? Combined with your Saturn influence?? Saturn influence on women can go in different ways but it also does make one traditionally feminine which means being very motherly

Take Salma Hayek for example. I think she's so maternal and sweet. She's Purvaphalguni Sun, UBP Moon and Magha Rising

I think her charisma and sweetness is her Venus + UBP influence. Don't get me wrong, Saturnian women can be very harsh and not in the slightest bit charming (Kendall Jenner is also UBP Moon) but evolved Saturnians are so mom coded (Saturn is all about responsibility after all) even Miranda Kerr who is sooo sweet and charming is Ashwini Sun, Punarvasu Moon and Pushya Rising and in her case, I think her Punarvasu influence also plays a big role bc they're very sweet and motherly as well. Even Miley Cyrus, who is Anuradha Sun, Vishaka Moon can be very maternal and sweet. She has like 20 animals and do y'all remember how she was with Ariana at that Manchester concert?? 🥺 She was so sweet and considerate and I've seen her be that way with manyyy people even if it's not something people associate with her 😤

Race/ethnicity and Kibbe is such a needed conversation 😤😤 and I'm not going to blame Kibbe because he wrote the book in the early 80s and he did cite manyy Black women as examples as well but he had no idea it was going to become this big of a deal many decades later and that the examples he used would be some official verified list which is analysed and scrutinized to death ☠️ BUT THAT SAID, I think race/ethnicity etc warps our perception of ourselves (duh) and also obviously affects our appearance. What would be considered curvy in LA would just be average in India. Also we throw words like "curvy" to describe anybody who isn't like Bella Hadid thin 😭😭 when the truth is, you've gotta have curves to be curvy 😶‍🌫️ and that many individuals are just frame dominant and of a bigger build which is underrepresented in the media so they try to dress for curve and end up feeling lost 😔

Tyla looks tinyyyy, I think she's a very stereotypical Soft Gamine. Gamine + Romantic influence = Soft Gamine. She also has a more pear shaped body which is kind of THE Gamine build bc their lower bodies are fleshier than their upper bodies ✨

I love it when men tell me things bc 😍 I'm actually clueless and so are my female friends (we're the stereotype 😔) like don't get me wrong, I'm hella emotionally intelligent but am I always making practical, logistical sense? No I'm not 😌 which is why men who only ever know how to get things done ™ are so great to have as friends like yassss 😍tell me how this works 😍 I once called a friend to ask him which side of an envelope I must stick the stamp on and not only did he give me very precise instructions, he also told me how to post the letter 😎bc he assumed i wouldn't know (he was right)

I also loveeee older women or any women mothering me 🥰 I was lowkey my professors' favourite and yk what it's like when many middle aged women have a soft spot for you??? 😩,, it's so nice, although they do fr be acting like moms and tryna interfere sometimes but I guess it comes with the territory and you gotta take the good with the bad 🥲

I'm glad you're learning new things through this blog 😌 that makes me so happy 🥺

ALSO LMAOOO yeahhh that video is truly something else 😭😂😂 imagine if all you had to say about a nak is that they'll marry rich??? Claire popped off 🤭🤪

GIRL BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. You think you'll marry rich??? Then you will 😌😎

I feel like people don't get this but being delusional is KEY to achieving what you want. The people who succeed in life are the ones who are truly crazy enough to think they can. The difference between the average person and a successful person is the level of delusion 😌

[sirenofthegreenbanks]

🐝🪳🪰

henlo!! (bops you on the nose) thank you for these great questions! im overflowing with fics i nEED to rec!!!!!!!!!!!!! (i realized all of these fics are longfics and that u may not necessarily enjoy reading those; feel welcome to drop me the same bugs in my inbox and ill do a short version for you <3)

🐝 recommend a fic with great symbolism, or themes, something really clever, or, like. just something you could write a whole literary essay about!!!

there are honestly so many fics i could write a literary essay about so im restraining myself to the first option

within us an orchard by mintyfish (guckindieluft). QY, WOH, pre-canon/canon divergence, wenzhou, tian chuang era, secret garden-esque, grief/mourning, identity shenanigans, injury tending, murder husbands, M. zhou zishu, leader of tianchuang, enlists the mysterious intruder he caught in the middle of stealing into his manor to garden work. while they heal his miserable excuse of an inner courtyard garden, zhou zishu also finds his will to live.

something something nature, grief, intersections:

By month's end, the north-facing branches of the plum tree were as black and twisted as the half-consumed wreckage of a house fire. If he stood on his roof, Zhou Zishu could see the flecks of budding plum trees painted across the city. His might just be slower—but a hard dark certainty had taken up residence in his gut. It wasn't going to bloom. In a week, Zhou Zishu would drive the second nail into his meridians.

Wen Kexing's approving little nods couldn't mask what was surely now obvious to both of them: Zhou Zishu had created a killing jar. Was it really so surprising that everything in it was dying?

But then, the book said—fire. Really, of all the things Zhou Zishu had done in the garden these weeks, treating the plum tree should have been the most familiar: cut down what must be cut down, cauterise what might be saved, and burn out the rot before it could spread. Court factions, families, trees—contain them or kill them, the tools were the same. Whether the tree would survive, the book could not tell him.

🪰 recommend a fic that makes you sad (in the best way!!)! Some great angst and/or hurt/comfort!

ripple by notoneoftheheroes. QY, WOH, pre-canon/canon divergence, wenzhou, alternative version of events, identity shenanigans, happy end, whump, angst, siji manour, M. a trick allows zhou zishu to move his sect back to the jianghu, (almost!) out from under the thump of the crown prince. but his sect, the family of his choosing, gets more and more dissatisfied with the choices zhou zishu makes to maintain that delicate balance and ensure their survival, and things start to tighten around zhou zishu‘s throat. will he lose everyone he loves? zhou zishu is an unreliable narrator in this one, and as things get worse and worse with the sect members he views as his family here, you can watch as each side makes terrible choices that lead them almost to a terrible end.

the two headed dragon by lisbeth_laufeyson. WOH alternative canon universe, childhood friends to lovers, angst, grief/mourning, manipulation, optimistic but open end*, E. out of the shadow, someone wants siji manour ill. things take a turn for the worse when wen kexing himself, one of the two leaders of tianchuang, gets fatally wounded and almost dies. over the course of his long coma, zhou zishu is vulnerable and falls into dark waters while trying to save his sect. this fic really examines zhou zishu‘s potential for committing atrocities, caused by his desire to do good and stoked by someone he trusts but shouldnt. you know who is behind it, thats not a spoiler, but they dont, and it hangs over the story like a dark cloud. this fic comes with a major character death tag! as with the last chapter that is not up to date anymore! there is a sequel! *important edit for clarification: its a bad ending! the only thing that could inspire u to be optimistic about it is that the person u think is dead turns out to not be dead!

🪳 recommend a great AU!

in a city sorrow built by wearealltalesintheend. WOH pre/canon divergence/alternative universe, family of choice, grief/mourning, fluff, T. the ghost valley is no place for a child, and thus wen kexing grows up on top of a mountain with an old monster, a goofy swordsmith, and a grieving old lady. yet, he clutches that glooming coal of rage and sorrow close to his chest, and decades later his revenge unfolds. i loved this so much for how it changes basically everything about wen kexing‘s backstory, and thus creates this alternative universe in which wen kexing Has It Better, but manages to examine how in the end it only marginally makes an impact on his desire for revenge and chaos. i loved the different faces of mourning and grief and how here, even more people join the collection of loved ones wen kexing loses. only now he truly isnt alone in his grief and he‘s arguably better emotionally prepared for it. this is a wip!

bug me for fic recs!!!!! do it!!!!!!!!

[rewritingcanon]

heyy

what are your thoughts about prongsfoot? personally I think jily is OTP (SCREW JEGULUS/JEGULILY!!) what do u think

heyyyy!! jily is my number one james ship and it’s the only one i really ship. but tbh i dont dislike prongsfoot, i think its valid even if i dont ship it. my fav trope has always been childhood best friends to lovers so maybe that plays a part. also i can respect it because james and sirius have a very deep relationship in canon, and if characters are canonically close friends then theres very few things i can pick on in a ship of them. both james and lily are dead by the time the series takes place, but even after all those years its really evident how much sirius continues to love james and its really sweet. you can tell sirius really believed james saved him from a much darker and lonelier life, and i believe so too. then there are little sweet things like how they shared a mirror to talk to each other when they were serving different detentions, james wanting to make sirius the secret-keeper and only relenting to giving the title to peter when sirius told him to, all showing slight moments of how deep their bond was. the tragedy aspect of james’ death goes so hard too, not just the part where sirius gets locked up for his murder, but also the part where james only made peter the secret-keeper because of sirius’ plan (and also how sirius distrusted remus). so i think its cute and the shippers dont annoy me so… 🤝

[h2dden]

Little recap so you what’s happening: there is a gang called “Velvet” and nobody in town knows who are the members of this gang. You and Baji are friends from childhood who fall in love, the thing is you are keeping secret from him and you CANNOT say what. Yes , you are member of the Velvet itself but your uniform has mask so nobody recognizes you. Its hard to not tell your lover about it but something happens and he found out. Where? And when? Mostly how?….

-

-

* normal day *

Y/n- come on dude hurry up or my mom will catch us

Baji - okay “dudeee” stop overacting, she knows about us whats the big deal??

Y/n- she doesn’t know your IN MY ROOM! Now get out

-

At school*

Siera - y/n stop worrying and just tell him if thats the case

Y- how can i? Then chiara will kill me! (Chiara is captain of the velvet)

Siera - thats why i said that i dont want any kind of love! Its hard abd stressful nothing more.

Y- love is supposed to be hard but mostly its so nice to be with him, you have never been in love thats why you talk like that about it🤷‍♀️

Baji- hello

Y- oh hi

Siera- okaay ill go now lovebirds

Y- birds? He’s definitely a cockroach

Baji- thats how it is

Y- yes

Baji- okay i see, so what are we planning this special dat?

Y- i dont know i really cant think of anything right now

Baji- Ive noticed. You seem a little off is everything alright? Is there something you want to talk about?

Y- maybe, bur i dont know how to tell you

Baji- its alright, think of how to tell me but for now look chifuyu is waiting for me so ill go , dont stress yourself princess

Y- okay love , bye see you

Baji- see you

-

You were STRESSING and i mean stressing whole day! Thinking of the ways to tell him your “little secret”

And the special day you two were talking about is 3 year anniversary! ( wow!)

-

25/10/2005

Velvets secret base|~|

So my fellow people, we know how the toman is and we know something is off so do any of yall have new information?

Y- there is this guy, we were friends back then and something terrible happened but he came back suddenly and i feel that he will take revenge. There most surely will be a fight

Mathilda - well we have to be there!

Chiara- good, get more information please?

Y- sure.

-

-

8pm

Baji- this is for you because you will look amazing with this on your pretty neck

Y- oh my! This is AMAZING

Y- and this is for you!!

Baji- I KNEW IT

Y- come on! You never drive slow!

Baji kissed you

Baji - thank you baby

* puts the gift with other gifts*

You two are looking in each others eyes in his room when suddenly he leaned closer…

-

-

END

EP 1 S 1

[mononijikayu]

there's actually quite a few things that still boggles my mind when i think about how hotd was adapted. because really it sort of doesnt make sense to me. and it just came to me while washing the dishes so this is messy and unorganized thoughts in this mind

first was making alicent and rhaenyra sort of friends who had very deep lovers vibes??? because its just.....weird??? considering you had a very horrible situation grasp of how in book canon alicent was very spiteful and vicious towards rhaenyra. and then to just throw that away later on???

like that ripped page from the book about nymeria was basically a threat more than it was a reminiscing of childhood love. like nymeria was a princess forced to flee her home by the valyrian freehold, forever banished from a home that no longer existed. alicent was basically telling rhaenyra that if she declared war and acts against alicent, then she'll just be another exile who has nothing.

like if the show runners and writers wanted a bisexual love story - they should have given us laena and rhaenyra. it really was not hard to try and do that. the tragedy of it would have been rhaenyra watching laena pass and then later on losing laenor that drives her and daemon close again and rekindle what love they had for one another. they wasted a very good set up for the relationships that forged the basis for good support for team black.

another being the green dress and in general being given to alicent. like prior to grrm adding that part about the hightower changing colors when needed - it just made sense that alicent chose green because that basically sums up her wanting and greed for power. cause green in negative connotations means just that, greed and envy. i mean it makes sense at least in the thought that maybe grrm is setting this up for the ironborn attack on oldtown in the next book but like,,,,it shouldn't be a bigger thing on alicent's part.

like,,,,that dress scene did not make sense at all being given to alicent for the show. because the dress reveal was a declaration on rhaenyra's part that she will not take alicent's abuse any longer. she was like bullied and humiliated by book alicent since she was young. like that reveal of that black dress showing to alicent that she was the blood of the dragon and she's heir to the throne. that this bullying and hurt will no longer be tolerated. like that was the purpose of that reveal.

and it should happened like post ep 3 or 4 esque. like imagine after being gone for a while, rhaenyra is invited to celebrate aegon and helaena's betrothal or smth and alicent's allies already have this grrrn agenda down for a while but rhaenyra just marches down to her seat and reveals the black dress. and that signals the opposition. like??? yall dont want the drama of this??? or to establish the narrative???

this also gets me to my next thought of like making alicent even younger and removing her book characteristics. because show alicent literally is all over the place. you have her being all powerful but then you have her being inept in politics then you have her being a puppet of her father again and then you have her being abusive to aegon and being very emotionally unavailable. like it makes some sense, i mean alicent was very young in the show but like,,,,thats why book alicent was a bit more older.

book alicent had more sense of power to herself. she was making her own stand to her agency, by using the holes in the patriarchy. if she doesn't get what she wants, then her being angry makes more sense. because she is greedy for power and without needing to cloak herself. like the fact that viserys in the books was more of like a party king instead of an ill king and she managed to basically hold authority is telling of the extent in power. like, she made herself the power behind the throne.

thats why we feel for rhaenyra as a young girl at court because she's tormented by a stepmother who basically wants to run her life.

the fact that this story was with two women at odds with one another, trying to navigate a patriarchal society - one defending her right to the throne and the other defending her authority as power behind the throne is very telling already that this was two women trying to defy the conventions of westerosi systems set with the example of jaehaerys. and people kept saying that like its not supporting women enough when there's so many strong willed women in the story whose decisions matter and that includes alicent in the books. like her decision to lock up viserys's corpse for DAYS till they can crown aegon. she was the one who convinced him to be king by gaslighting him by saying his own sister would kinslay him.

like SHE WAS THE ONE who wanted to keep power in the books. and thats just ripped away from her in the show by relegating her as doing what she's just told. and the thing is, you could apply her being greedy for power and wanting to protect her kids???? because those parts of a person can co-exist. they succeeded with doing that for show cersei when book cersei barely gave a shit about her kids other than keeping them alive enough to let her keep her power. like we could have gone with that route and made it easier for them to write her character LIKE YOU HAD A PATTERN???

like i know there's more in the back of my head but im not i havent had any coffee fully so ill just reblog this and add more thoughts later it they come to me and i meam you can disagree with me on this ofc thats the joy of conversing with people about differing thoughts and inputs and beliefs but yeah this is just stuff that boggled me while doing my chores

[vacantgodling]

for Ship Classifications: i'd love to see just. 4 random ships and what category they fit into and why

LMAO thank you for asking—i’ll do this for just my ocs but if you want fandom ships as well just lemme know 💀

MAKES SENSE / COMPELS ME

i think the most “traditional” (in terms of tropes) variation of this type of oc ship that i have that checks all the boxes for fandom madness would probably be di/toph in lukewarm rejection ngl. (1) monsterfucking (toph is a demon) (2) bickering to lovers (3) chemistry the second they meet (4) punk x reformed goody two shoes (5) religious guilt and childhood trauma makes you seek the bad boy type. (6) hot. i do kinda miss the more dramatic layers that their old wip had but it was good for my brain to let go of it finally. maybe the ashes of that wip can be something else. anyway, here, art of the sillies be upon ye.

MAKES SENSE / DOESNT COMPEL ME

calvin im/jake deluna from purple haze. as much as like. they have literally everything that constitutes one of my favorite ship dynamics (best friends to lovers) the two of them are just completely strictly platonic in my mind. i toyed with the idea of them being a thing but every time ive tried to think about it, even in a crack sense, its just made me go 🤢 LMAOOOO and i think its the two of them also protesting LMAO. they’re just more like brothers more than i can see them being romantic so even tho usually i can turn best friends into lovers, not these two. they’re just the best bros ever :DD woe, art of the sillies be upon ye.

DOESN’T MAKE SENSE / COMPELS ME

this is a bit hard to answer bc i tend to make a lot of things i like canon However after looking through my oc list i realize that i actually have many many ships that dont become a “thing” BUT i still enjoy them. that doesn’t mean they dont make sense tho, which is what im hung up on. i think a ship that’d fit this category would be kirsi/lord flykrost in alizath. and like hear me out: it makes Absolutely no sense. (1) he’s like 20+ years older than her (but that’s hot— *is spritzed with water*) (2) he’s married (3) kirsi already has two perfectly good handsome men she’s gonna end up with (amarette and juven respectively) (4) they literally canonically are going to have more of a father/daughter or mentor/mentee type relationship BUT THIS DOES NOT STOP MY BRAIN APPARENTLY. lord flykrost is hot to me. i can’t explain what he looks like bc i haven’t solidified that yet but just know he’s hot. more than just physically tbh his entire vibe is giving nanami from jjk so ig that’s why he’s hot to me (and if you don’t know said character dw about it bc i literally don’t go there i only care about him; tldr men who cut the bullshit and take responsibility and look after those younger than them or less privileged or capable than them are hot ? also Big. Big man. tiddies. thank you for coming to my ted talk). so idk the idea of him being all strong romantic lead and taking care of kirsi is very woof woof awooga to me LMAO. but like i said this just isn’t gonna happen it just lives rent free in my head 💀💀💀💀

DOESN’T MAKE SENSE / DOESN’T COMPEL ME

genuinely if (and probably when) i see people ship madja and jihi in tcol i will actually kill people LOL. like no spoilers ig but like while cnc can be fine in some instances this is very much a nc situation so like. you do you ig but like i actually can’t stand madja GJRJRJRJRJ

[ryantryinx]

Tag Game Wednesday! ( OMFG AND ITS STILL WEDNESDAY ) Tagged by @mickeysgaymom and @juliakayyy - You both are the best, I've been so AFK i'm surprised people remember I exist. Holidays got me stressed and depressed -

which character from any media would you like to have as a father?: Joel Miller from The Last Of Us. That man would burn the world to the ground to see you safe.

if money, laws, time, and effort were no object, what animal would you want to have?: A duck, I've wanted a house duck for a long time. Once I actually have a house to keep it in. I will have.

what is your Chinese takeout order?: BBQ short ribs, Crab rangoons

what's your favourite emoji?: Ugh.....I dont use them often, probably <3

would you rather have a library, greenhouse, or home theater in your house?: GREENHOUSE, literally is my only home goal is I must have room for a greenhouse. I am plant dad.

what childhood tv show do you think of the most fondly?: Blues Clues, I may or may not have Mr.Salt, Mrs.Pepper, and Paprika shakers on my oven......and yes Im almost 30. Fuck you don't judge me.

what was your tumblr like when you first joined?: Honestly the same as it is now? Tumblr hasn't really changed. People always been pretty chill.

what clothing style do you love but don't feel compelled to replicate yourself?: Lolita, I've always been fascinated with how cute it is. Just not on me......

if you were plopped into a fictional world, which one would you know the layout of the best?: Middle Earth and the MCU.

what is your favourite piece of art?: Um....Probably this lord of the rings poster my friend made me for my birthday that has a misspelling in it. 6 people looked at it before printing and no one caught it. I love it 1000% more because now its funny as well. it says ' Breafast ' instead of breakfast

do you have a water bottle? what does it look like?: Um....kinda? Do I have a bottle I carry around daily? YES. Is there ever water in it? Fuck no. Usually some sort of tea or energy drink.

what fanfic trope is a quiet fav?: God this one is hard.... Probably enemies to lovers. Mostly anything ' taboo '

do you carry a daily bag? what does it look like? what's the weirdest thing in it?: I carry a sage green canvas bag. It has a trans/pride pin and my pronoun pin on the outside. The weirdest thing in it atm? Probably a half eaten bag of beef jerky? I'm a teacher and I keep a snack in my bag at all times. ATM its jerky. Just incase lunch sucks one day.

If you had to ship Mickey with another Gallagher, who would it be?: Um.....no. The real answer is Mickey wouldn't be with any other Gallagher. Only Ian. The end

what is a fanfic trope you didn't expect to like and then very much did?: Fluff, its the cute cringe sometimes. Like thats not fucking realistic, but some do it right.

Do you think s11 Mickey can still carry s11 Ian?: Absolutely, Mick may be short but have you seen his arms? Man's bustin'. While Ian would pitch a fit about being ' too heavy ' and wouldn't let Mickey do it unless it was needed. Mickey knows he can easily.

who got custody of the killing bat when they sold the house?: Carl; totally takes it to the ' new alibi ' and threatens people with it. I want my answer to be Mickey. Though let's be honest our boy don't need a bat. He's got a glock in the drawer. Tagging anyone who is interested? I haven't been consistently on tumblr lately that I wanna bug people by tagging them randomly. But if you see this and you want to please do!~

[nocturnal-phantoms-fandoms]

☕ on what your top 3 tropes are and why please! ♥️

Hello Rory!! :D

Judging solely by Hard Scientific Evidence (my ao3 bookmarks) - its Established Relationship, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting and Canon Divergence (if we ignore fanfic genres). Filtered to only HP fics its Established Relationship, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting and Canon Compliant.

Although considering two of them are regarding the canon/alternate setting and aren’t exactly tropes (and Im not sure i would say i agree with this data) - I was resorted to breaking down my two OTPs (wolfstar and stucky) into pieces ;)

So, lets see what we can find inside :D

Childhood Friends to Lovers

Or friends to lovers. Or strangers to friends to lovers. Any form of buddyslash, as it used to be called, as opposed to enemyslash. I am very much not an enemies to lovers person. Even in case of rivals to lovers ships im actually interested in them after they move into a more amicable territory.

So, friends to lovers is my fav type of ship dynamic, I believe.

Im not sure why? Maybe its got sth to do with me being maybe probably on the ace spectrum. Maybe I just think a good romance starts with friendship as opposed to bad romance that starts with rah rah-ah-ah-ah.

2. Separated by war and imprisonment and Reunited against all odds

This just screams soulmatism to me, and not in a “we are soulmates bc we fit so well together” (bc r/s dont) but in a “the chances of us finding each other again were so minuscule it must have been done consciously by the universe”. Its sometimes so crazy to me that this things happened canonically. The shack scene is absolutely crazy on its own (the forgave each other 12 years of pain in one conversation) and then Sirius and Remus go live together for like a year. The whole Winter Soldier movie is, again, bonkers, when you have shipping goggles on (and even if you dont, the romance isnt in the subtext, its in the text)

I was surprised I was into exes to lovers in modern/no magic aus, but yeah its canon for r/s so it makes sense. Something something second chances something something love conquers all something something they were meant to be something something soulmates.

3. Recovering after years of torture prison

hurt/Comfort my beloved.

This trope fits fill-in-the-blanks type of canon-compliant fics for r/s and canon-divergent fix-its fics for s/b.

In case of wolfstar this is Lie Low at Lupin’s. Absolute banger. *slaps hood* This bad boy can fit so many smaller tropes. Bed sharing. Bath sharing. Helping wash/cut hair. Comforting after a nightmare. Communicating and talking and settings things straight after years of lost time. Yeah. Cannot go wrong with this one. (and I can pretend they stay in this intimate serene bubble and nothing bad ever happens to them bc im delusional)

In case of stucky its all types of post-WS or post-CW fix-its where Bucky finally gets some fucking treatment and therapy (and actual therapy, not this piss-poor excuse for a therapist from TFATWS).

In both cases there is also an interesting switch in the dynamic that im not sure i can put into right words. Just, the one that used to stand up for the other, take care of them, was more confident and outgoing, now is the one being taken care of bc they went through hell and were on a run from the government for 2 years. And the one taking care of them is doing only slightly better, had a bit more time to adjust, but still, is quite traumatized as well.

Cinematic parallels or sth idk.

***

However, i mostly read fluff so there are many fluffy tropes i could mention but i couldn’t pick my top 3 (Sirius raising Harry and getting together with Remus. Domestic bliss. Established relationships with marriage proposals. Raising kids together. Post-full-moon sick fics (that one is technically h/c). Holidays spend with loving families. etc) I eat that shit up

send me a ☕️ and a topic and i’ll talk about how i feel about it