#like there are other ships as enjoyable and complex but to me in my head. poolverine just makes so much SENSE

[gossippool]

can i just say that to me there is not a single ship out there that makes more sense than poolverine. in my head just the fact that wade and logan exist at the same time necessitates them being together. it simply has to happen

[oleanderflower]

Awkward Bonds: An Alien’s Guide to Human Behavior

Summary: On a spaceship, human Y/N and their alien roommate Orven navigate the complexities of their growing bond. As Orven seeks to understand human ways of affection, their connection deepens, leaving both of them questioning what comes next.

a/n: This was supposed to be something else entirely but I couldn’t stop writing and now it’s this, unbetaed, mistakes made are my own! please let me know what you think and if i should continue with Orvens story or move on !

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

You and your companion, Orven, quickly became close friends after the start of the space mission you were both assigned to. While you were human, he belonged to a social species that thrived on interaction, finding comfort in companionship.

The captain had decided that pairing the two of you—despite being of different genders—wouldn’t cause any issues like in any other species. Orven’s kind didn’t rely on intercourse for reproduction and where pretty docile, and frankly, the captain was certain that nothing was going to happen between a human and his kind. Of course...

As the days passed on the ship, the bond between you both deepened, forming an unspoken understanding. His curious nature led to countless late-night conversations about humanity’s quirks and habits, while you found comfort in having a companion who wasn’t wary of humans. He found you fascinating, and you found him simply enjoyable to be around.

It wasn’t long before the two of you became inseparable.

The crew often remarked on how naturally you both complemented each other—your so-called “human-ness” and Orven’s species’ innate need for companionship forming an oddly perfect balance.

-Which is why that one question completely threw everything off balance.

It was another late night in your shared quarters. You were lounging on your raised bed, absorbed in a book on your portable reader, while Orven rested on his lower bed beneath you and across on the opposite wall. The atmosphere was peaceful, the quiet hum of the ship in the background.

Then, he turned to looked up at you.

“Miss Y/N… I may have another strange question about humanity.”

You immediately perked up, setting your reader aside. Orven’s questions were always so interesting—half the time they led to deep philosophical discussions, and the other half… well, they were just funny. He never dropped the Miss thing, despite your repeated attempts to convince him it wasn’t necessary. Apparently, it was a sign of respect. Oh well.

“Yes! What’s up?” You scooted closer to the edge of your bed so you could look down towards him.

His expression was alight with curiosity, his equivalent of excitement evident. “I’ve recently read that humans require two individuals to reproduce, unlike my species that is able to do so asexually if chosen, which we can do independently making the need for a partner unnecessary. How exactly does your process work, what are the differences?”

You froze.

Your face heated up instantly as your brain short-circuited.

It’s fine. It’s okay. It’s just a biology question.

No reason to panic. Absolutely no reason at all.

Except for the fact that your very sweet, very curious, and very cute alien roommate had just asked you to explain human reproduction while looking at you with that eager, innocent expression.

Oh god. Answer him.

Your mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. No words came out.

Orven’s head tilted slightly, his species’ version of a curious frown crossing his face. “Are you alright, Miss Y/N? Your face has changed color.”

Great. Fantastic. Now he’s concerned.

You cleared your throat, willing yourself to focus. This was a perfectly normal question. A scientific question. It wasn’t his fault that humans had such an incredibly embarrassing way of continuing their species.

“Well,” you started, then immediately regretted it because you had no idea where to go from there. “Human reproduction is… uh… complicated.”

Orven’s eyes—lit up with intrigue. “Complicated how?”

Oh no.

You couldn’t back out now. Taking a deep breath, you clasped your hands together, adopting the most academic tone you could manage. “Humans require two individuals to contribute genetic material. One provides an egg, the other provides… uh… genetic material that fertilizes the egg.”

Orven nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Ah, like pollination?”

You blinked. “What?”

“Like with plants.” He gestured vaguely. “One spreads genetic material to another, and then the offspring grows?”

“Uh…” You supposed that was the most PG way to describe it. “Sort of?”

Orven hummed thoughtfully. “But how does the genetic material get from one human to another?”

Your soul may have just left your body.

“Uh.” You hesitated, scrambling for a way to say this without saying it. “Well, there’s more of a… direct transfer.”

Orven perked up. “Oh! Like an exchange? A secretion process?”

Why does that make it sound worse?

“I—um—yes, technically,” you stammered. “There’s a… uh… physical connection involved.”

Orven tilted his head again. “How so?”

You stared at him, praying to whatever cosmic forces existed that he would magically drop this conversation.

No such luck.

He was still looking at you, blinking expectantly, completely oblivious to your internal suffering.

“…I’m gonna need a diagram.”

Orven brightened. “Oh! I enjoy diagrams!”

Why me?

You hesitated, already regretting your choice of words. He looked so excited—his version of excitement, at least—like you’d just promised him the best lesson of his life. It was kind of adorable.

Which only made this situation worse.

You sighed, pulling out your portable reader and tapping through the library of information stored onboard. There had to be a basic, non-graphic explanation somewhere. Preferably one that didn’t involve words like secretion process.

Meanwhile, Orven continued musing to himself. “I imagine there must be a strong biological drive, given the inefficiency of requiring two individuals to align at the right time. Do you just ask someone, or—” He paused, glancing up at you. “Oh. Wait.”

You didn’t say anything, but your burning face probably said enough.

His expression shifted.

It wasn’t easy to read the emotions of his species, but over time, you’d learned to recognize the subtle ways he expressed himself. Right now, his posture stiffened ever so slightly, his usual enthusiasm dimming.

“Ah.” He tilted his head in the other direction, slower this time. “This is… an awkward topic for humans, isn’t it?”

You let out a long, suffering sigh of relief. “Yes. Yes, it is.”

Orven blinked a few times, processing. Then, with what you could only describe as realization, he straightened up. “Oh. Oh.”

You nodded.

“…And I have been making it worse.”

“You have been making it worse,” you confirmed.

He immediately clasped his hands together—his species’ equivalent of an apologetic gesture. “I sincerely regret this.”

“It’s fine,” you mumbled, still recovering from your near-death experience.

A brief silence passed between you. Then, hesitantly, Orven spoke again. “Would it help if I offered an equally embarrassing fact about my species?”

You raised a brow. “…That depends on what it is.”

He thought for a moment before nodding to himself. “Alright. In my culture, prolonged eye contact is considered a pre-mating behavior.”

You stared at him. “Wait, what?”

“Which means,” Orven continued, a bit too calmly, “that I have been accidentally flirting with you this entire time.”

Your brain promptly shut down.

Orven observed your stunned silence, then let out a soft hum, looking pleased with himself. “There. Now we are both uncomfortable.”

…Yeah, ok. That was fair.

You sat in stunned silence, your heart still pounding from Orven’s unexpected admission.

Flirting.

“Wait… you’ve been flirting with me?” The words were a little breathless, your chest tightening. This is fine. Totally fine.

Orven didn’t seem to notice your nervousness as he casually nodded. “Yes, but I didn’t realize it was problematic for your species. If I had known—” He paused, his voice softening. “I would have adjusted my behavior to be better understood.”

He said it so sincerely, like it was just another piece of information he was processing, that you couldn’t help but find it endearing even if you where a bit (very) surprised.

“Flirting isn’t bad, Orven,” you said, your voice quiet now. “It’s just… complicated for humans, certainly more complicated then just prolonged eye contact.”

Orven tilted his head, still intrigued. “Complicated how?”

You sighed, a mixture of frustration and fondness swirling within you. He was so sweet—so honest in his curiosity. It made everything feel lighter, even in the awkwardness of the moment.

“I don’t know,” you muttered, “we don’t really do the eye-contact thing, that’s more of a respect kinda deal I guess. It’s just that there are other… ways humans show affection.”

Orven’s expression shifted to one of deep concentration. He looked at you like he was trying to work out a puzzle. “Other ways?”

You nodded slowly, a little unsure where this conversation was going but somehow not wanting it to stop. “Yeah. Like holding hands, or… or maybe a touch on the arm. You know, something gentle. Something that says I’m interested and I want to know if you are too. You know? Well, I guess not difference species and stuff-”

Orven was quiet for a moment, then took a small step closer to you on your bed, his 7’1/2 ft frame easily letting him be near you even if you where sitting on a raised bed, his usual casualness replaced by something more deliberate, more intimate. “I think…” He paused, then slowly reached out, his hand resting softly on your arm, his fingers brushing lightly across your skin. “I think I understand.”

Your breath hitched at the touch, warmth spreading from your arm to your chest. It was subtle, but the way he looked at you—so open, so sincere—was almost enough to make your heart skip a beat.

He took another small step, his hand still gently resting on your arm, his gaze never leaving yours. The way he looked at you made you feel like the only thing that mattered in the galaxy at that moment was the space between the two of you.

“I care about you, Miss Y/N,” he said softly, his voice quieter now, almost like a confession. “And I want to understand the human ways of bonding. I would like to try them, if you would accept me.”

It was your turn to shuffle forward now, still sitting on your bed letting you be just a bit taller than him. Your heartbeat quickened, your breath shallow, unsure of where this was heading but so very ready for it. “I—” You stopped, then looked at him, your heart in your throat. “I’d like that too.”

For a long moment, neither of you moved, simply standing there, the connection between you two so strong, so felt, it was as if it was pulling you toward him. Slowly, tentatively, you reached up, your fingers grazing his cheek. The warmth of his skin under your touch sent a shiver down your spine.

And then, without a word, Orven closed the gap between you. His lips were smooth, tentative at first, as if testing the waters, before he pressed just a little harder, the kiss deepening with an undeniable sweetness.

For a moment, everything else faded away. The hum of the ship, the lingering awkwardness, even the question of species—it all melted into the warmth of his touch, the quiet certainty that this, this connection between you, was something real.

When you finally pulled away, your faces were only inches apart, breaths mingling in the soft silence.

“That… that was different,” you said breathlessly, your heart still racing.

Orven smiled, a quiet, contented smile. “It was. But I believe I could get used to it, with you.”

You smiled back, warmth flooding through you. “Yeah… me too.”

a/n: the end?? if yall want ? i was gonna have a smutty ending but i wanted to leave it fluffy, lmk if you want a part 2 with more Orven!

[mydearlybeloathed]

── 𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐑

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: a soft day on the beach for a swordsman and mermaid. they're really not as odd a pair as they sound.

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: zoro x mermaid!reader

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1.3k

𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: mermaid!reader, continuation of this fic, fluffy shenanigans, requested

Having a human boyfriend wasn’t as hopelessly romantic as the girls in your pod made it out to be. Sure, the idea of star-crossed love was appealing, and the physical nature of human boys was certainly something to admire. But really, you didn't care much for human men in the carnal sense—Zoro was your exception.

Usually, you were nothing but doting on him, flaws and all, and he did the same for you. The pair of you slouched together, brooded together, gossiped together, napped together. You both wore the other’s sensual markings dotting your skin with pride, flaunting them even.

But sometimes, tensions do rise.

You watched as Nami and Robin headed down from the ship to the sandy beach down below, wanting nothing more than to join them, but you would find it much more enjoyable if your swordsman joined you. But all Zoro wanted to do was sleep.

You stood over him, fangs peeking out as you bit your lip. “Everyone’s gone down to the beach.”

He grunted in reply, eyes shut contently. Narrowing your eyes, you stepped sideward and let the rays of sun you’d been blocking hit his face. Zoro contorted uncomfortably, blinking up at you. “Huh?”

“I’d like to swim with you,” you stated simply. 

“Why?”

“Because it’s fun.”

He rolled his eyes and shifted away from the sun. “Hard pass.”

The deck went dangerously silent aside from the far off sounds of the sea, so he wasn’t all too shocked to crack one eye open and find you fuming over him. “Something wrong?”

“Yes!” You huffed and crossed your arms. “My boyfriend won’t swim with me, his beautiful, amazing, awesome mermaid girlfriend.”

He gave you a single sigh, and you knew you had him hook, line, and sinker. A pleasant smile spread over your face as Zoro heaved himself to his feet, barley sparing you a glance even as he slung an arm around your shoulder. He sported a scant grin, so he wasn’t too frustrated. “Can we go on a walk after?”

“Oh, so now you’re contributing?” You nuzzled into his side and stepped onto the soft sand. “Yeah, we can go on a walk.”

Zoro’s cheeks dusted pink, chin ducked like he wasn’t a big romantic under all that muscle. But you knew the truth, even when Sanji pleaded with you to see sense and leave the mossheaded swordsman. Like you’d ever listen to the stupid cook anyway.

“Thanks,” you murmured into his skin, kissing his hand draped on your shoulder. “I could’ve gone without you, but I didn’t want to.”

Your bluntness always warmed his heart, even when your words came out less than tender as they just did. He kissed your temple briefly, Zoro’s attention caught by Luffy and Usopp splashing each other in knee deep water. A bright laugh left you and you were gone, fleeing his side to bound into the ocean. Ten seconds later, you yelped, falling head first into the lapping waves, a vibrant tail flipping up where your feet should be.

Chuckling after you, Zoro waded in to just below his knees, arms folded over his chest. Your soaked form floated through the shallows, arms gliding your way through. He watched with amusement as your ducked underwater and raced at Usopp’s legs, clamping your hands around his ankles and sending the poor guy leaping back to the beach. That’s when he bellowed out a laugh. Your eyes darted to find him in an instant, warmth spreading from fin to face as his smile consumed you whole. 

Laugh fading, Zoro’s eyes fluttered open to your hot-cold gaze. You always bit at him harshly when he said you’re an open book, but it’s the truth—Zoro loved being able to tell what you’re thinking, never having to make complex deductions like he often does with everyone else. And though it made his skin feel warm and tight, he could see now exactly the depth of what you felt for him. Something in that was immensely assuring. 

He shed his shirt in one motion, hurling it back on the sand and trudging to meet you in deeper water. Standing over you, he let slip a warmer smirk than usual. Your eyes peeked up over the water, smile warped below the surface. The water lapped at Zoro’s chest as your hands reached for his shoulders, and you dragged yourself up in his body to hang off his neck, nose inches away from his own.

“Hey, sailor,” you giggled. 

He huffed a laugh. “Hey, fish.”

You swept your tail around his legs, curling around his limbs till he nearly toppled over, your lips a stiff line. “Careful, Zoro-Mine.” 

His eyes took on a darker tone, the name you’d gifted him some months ago capturing his attention wholly. Zoro nosed at your cheek, humming softly. “Walk?”

“I’ve barely cooled off!” You snorted, pushing his face away as you slipped right through his arms, ducking underwater and darting off before his hands could catch you. You emerged at Nami’s side, scaring her out of her skin, a laugh stifled by your pruning fingertips. 

Maybe an hour rolled off your shoulders before you scanned the area for your swordsman, finding him sitting atop the powdery sand with his eyes set on the horizon. Zoro practically glared at the sky, so much so that he didn’t notice you dragging yourself up the shore till your soft grunts of effort met his ears. Jolting to attention, Zoro reached to scoop under your arms and pulled you closer, resting you between his legs. He leaned his head on your temple, your body melting into him as his warmth spread to your cold skin.

“Ready?” he mumbled. You nodded gently, and when the sun dried out your scales and made them retreat into your skin, Zoro clutched your hand to alieve that familiar sting all through your body. Your tail parted down the middle and formed two ever-awkward legs. By some ancient magic neither of you understood, your clothes sparkled to existence along your skin. 

Zoro gripped your hands and rocketed you off the ground, relishing in the little laugh you gave when you landed on your feet. You called over your shoulder absently mindedly, not entirely caring if the others heard you, eyes fixated on Zoro alone. “We’ll be back before dark!”

You faintly heard Nami’s, “Yeah right,” before you led Zoro into the forest with a slight skip.

Having a human boyfriend could be exciting at times. Zoro never frowned at your questions, always ready with a reply whether he really knew the answer or not. He could toss you over his shoulder and race you through the trees (and somehow you always win despite your fawn-like legs). 

You just broke through another low-hanging branch when Zoro caught your hand, swinging you around into his chest. Bubbling laughter, you flashed a fanged smile up at him, gaze swallowing him whole. Zoro traced your cheek with a fingertip, simply admiring your expression as it softened into one of blissful content. 

With a shake of his head and a gentle grin, Zoro slung his arm over your shoulder and started to walk back to the beach. “Let’s just walk back, yeah? I don’t have the energy to lose another race.”

You chuckled into his shoulder. “Sure. I don’t care to win anymore anyways.”

(The fact that he always let you win hung in the air, unspoken and tender on your heart).

Time slipped right through your hands, and soon enough the sun dipped below the treeline up above. You watched it disappear through the dense branches. “Nami was right. We’re gonna be late.”

Zoro’s shrug shook your body. “She’s usually right, but she doesn’t need to know that.”

“So… we should stay out all night to scare her instead?” He cast you a smile. “Read my mind.”

Having a human boyfriend could be annoying too, sure. At times their kind perplexed you, turning you around till you didn't know left from right. Yet the only ones who held you steady were on that crew--Zoro's crew.

Zoro was human, and he couldn't help it, and you found yourself caring less and less with every day that went by, till he was no longer your human boyfriend, but simply Zoro-Mine, who happened to be human.

And with every day that passed, you lost the title of mermaid girlfriend in his mind as well, and became only yourself, who happened to sprout a tail when he took you up in his arms, ran out to the moonlit ocean, and tossed you squealing back into the waves.

𝐭𝐚𝐠��𝐢𝐬𝐭:

@100520s @murnsondock

[necrotic-nephilim]

for the ask game (3)

au where all robins develop a mental link after fighting some magical criminal of the week. what would they see in each other's minds? what secrets and repressed feelings do they discover? how would they deal with it?

for the ask game!

oooh, i love telepathic links that end up revealing secrets. especially with a family like the Batfam, who are usually so convinced they're good enough at reading each other to not have many secrets kept. so weird reveals are always fun

if i did this, i'd do DamiTim. just because of all the like, "deep dark feelings that are being hidden" for Robin shipping, DamiTim is the most fun for me. you expect DickTim or DickJay or JayTim, even DamiDick. but there's something that's so enjoyable about Damian having his feelings forcibly outted. not just to Tim, but to everyone. the way it'd be an active landmine none of them knowing what to say but all feeling each other's reactions. i honestly think Damian would try to punch somebody about it. (also, if you do a history of TImSteph where they've had sex, Damian would be directly linked to Steph's memories of how Tim was in bed, so that's fun as both something horrifying and enlightening just to screw with his feelings some more.) would they end up together? in my head probably, but it'd be weird and likely toxic bc how do you date someone you know inside out and know exactly what they think of all your flaws and what parts of you they obsess over. the answer is not very well but hey, the sex is good-

i think Jason *directly* feeling how everyone felt about his death would really rock him. he's heard all the apologies, but part of him isn't convinced there's truth to them. so to be crushed by Dick's *grief* over his death would be a come to jesus moment for him. but on the less fun flipside, you have him feeling how Dick feels about him *now*. because Dick doesn't really *like* Jason and deep down, sees Jason as a lost cause. that's his "deep dark secret". and Jason would feel and know that from the one person who he still wants to believe in him. i really do think Jason would have the Worst Time with all this, overwhelmed with everyone's intimate and complex feelings over his death. Jason is a very defensive person when it comes to his death and how reactionary he gets when other people make it about them, not him. so for Jason to have to constantly deal with that in his head, i truly do think he'd lash out a bit. the arguments. yelling at Dick and feeling Dick's guilt and snapping bc Dick has no right to feel guilty now. feeling that Tim viewed Jason as a failure. it's just a damaging mindspace to be in and man do i think Jason would take a While to recover.

oddly though, i think it'd be a good bonding moment for Steph and Jason. we really don't get much exploration of Steph and Jason bonding over dying. bc sure, Steph didn't actually die, but she *did* experience the social death where everyone believed she was dead and mourned her as such for a good while. she also felt *directly* responsible for her own death. a lot of blame falls on Steph for War Games (for the Doylist reasons of sexism but yk) and Jason feels responsible for his own death for walking into a trap. but unlike Jason, Steph had no suit in a case, no memorials, her name held no infamy. so i think she deserves just a bit of righteous fury about how dramatic Jason can be while she just has to move on bc hey, it's not like she *really* died. and she buries those feelings well, but not well enough to hide them from a mental link. and Jason, who hasn't really considered Steph before because he was so wrapped up in his complex over Tim, confronts those feelings with her. if anyone is going to know how he feels, it's going to be her. you could do it platonic or romantic, but i do think when Jason sinks to his lowest, she's the one who snaps him out of it, both with tough love and genuine compassion for his situation.

for the less serious crack of it all: they're all going to have far too intimate knowledge of each other's sex lives. everyone's gonna know Dick has fucked Slade. everyone's gonna know Jason has fucked Talia. in my heart, i believe Tim has slept with Anarky (Lonnie, not Ulysses) and everyone would *know* that too. absolute judgment all around. it's the spider-man meme of "wait you've done WHAT with WHO" and honestly, it gives a nice distraction for the more serious feelings. it's a palette cleanser they can default to. like when the fighting gets a little too serious and they're cutting too deep for comfort, someone's going to blurt out "well at least i didn't fuck Deathstroke." and the whole moment goes awry with laughter. bc i do think, at the end of it once they get through the worst of the angst, they'd be closer for it and self-aware of the ridiculous nature of all this. it's enlightening, in a way to see how they all felt about their time as Robin and the baggage/trauma they hold. even the ugliest feelings they hold for each other don't completely suffocate the fondness/respect.

that said, knowing the baggage/trauma. oof. i don't think Dick has ever fully opened up about his history with Mirage/Tarantula/Liu and now it's forced to sit in the open. Damian has never admitted the worst of being raised in the League. Tim hasn't fully faced the suffocating image of his dead father and his deep-seated want to kill Boomerang. all those ugly truths they stamp down bc well, either you're a vigilante or you're a well adjusted person, are out in the open now. and it's ugly and gruesome to force those thoughts to be shared. they all want to comfort each other for different reasons, while simultaneously not wanting their own trauma to be acknowledged. it'd be fun to see who'd instinctively react to whose trauma first. because it's an overwhelming rush of information, and you just naturally get pulled in certain directions. i think Damian would react to Dick's history of sexual abuse first, whereas Jason would be reacting to the murderous rage TIm is trying to fight off. Tim is reacting to just how much guilt Steph carries about War Games and all of it is very crunchy. there's so much they'd all have to talk about and it'd take days for them to address it all, between the arguments about the ugly parts. would they come out stronger for it? yes. but only if they didn't kill each other in the process. i hesitate to do a "and they come out one big happy family" ending, bc it's not very in canon, but i do think the bond of the Robin mantle is something special. even when the link is broken, they hold onto a freakish understanding of each other. they react and move in sync, can fight together without needing words. are they emotionally on the same page/have they forgiven each other for the worst of it? absolutely not. but they've got each other backs. it's a very much "if you called i'd drop everything to save you. but also we don't have it in us to hang out casually." bond, which i think is deeply underrated in fanfiction. sometimes, you can care about people but you have to do it from a distance.

[neuroticbookworm]

For the character ask, Kiyoi from UK

Oh ho ho, my messy child who’s in love with my other, more feral, messy child.

How I feel about this character

I want to study him under a microscope. He’s my little research project I wanna carry around in my pocket even if he’s radioactive and will actively poison me. My Utsukushii Kare watch experience is definitely up there in the top 10 of my list of most frustrating yet satisfying media experiences, and it was mainly because I could not figure out what was going on in Kiyoi’s head until the final episode. He’s a well-written, complex character with excellent side-eye game. What’s not to like?!

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I’ve only shipped him with Hira because

Only Hira matches his freak

I don’t want my and the other person’s face clawed off

My non-romantic OTP for this character

This is interesting because most of his friends suck, and also he is bad at making friends. But I watched Utsukushii Kare 2 pretty recently and really enjoyed his interactions with the more experienced and accomplished actor and his colleague, Anna. They’re in similar enough boats that Kiyoi was able to get good advice and share light-hearted banter with her. I enjoyed it!

My unpopular opinion about this character

I did not watch this live so I have no idea what constitutes as unpopular opinion. He’s my enjoyable little mess and I think most people agree

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon

I need him to sign both of them up for therapy.

give me a character ask game

[fuimus-troes]

I love spaus. I adore Roderich and Antonio. But Hima was a coward for not making Austria a woman. Not in a “make the gay ship straight” way—I’m big gay, I’ve always hated when people do that—but bc of the *storytelling* there could’ve been. Fem!Austria would have a complexity to her that I absolutely adore and I’ve definitely built up a canon for her of my own over the years. But imagine,

- a female Austria who “grows up” as a nation thinking that she is the representation of the power of the Habsburg House, that her only worth is in the ties she can make for them, the husbands and charges she can collect

- a female Austria obviously not satisfied with this role in life, taking up military education and becoming an incredible tactician—one never allowed on the field bc she’s supposed to be her nation’s pretty face, alliance-maker, songbird in a gilded cage

- a female Austria married off to one nation after another to secure the standing of the House of Habsburg—first to other Germanic nations/groups, then to the Netherlands, then Spain, then France, then Hungary, then left to define herself as an individual at the crest of the 20th century

- a female Austria who was low-key this stern matron figure to at least a quarter of Europe—never a mother or a nursemaid, but a lot of countries have faint and faded memories they aren’t sure are real of a somewhat softer version of her, of clutching at her skirts (she isn’t fond of kids, but she’s had her moments of compassion)

- a female Austria that gave Spain some sort of competency/dommy mommy style kink because while she could play the part of demure bride and deferential aristocrat in front of the courts and other nations, she did not let herself be walked over, nor was she a submissive wife behind closed doors

- a female Austria that is regal and effeminate and has an otherworldly air about her that she’s intentionally cultivated, who played the part of seductress and schemer in the past, but has long since shed those roles to the point that few seem to remember those versions of her

- a female Austria in the modern day who prefers simple, formal, outdated clothing that leads the others to tease her, underestimate her, forget the old her—until she tilts her head and gives them a *look* that reminds them that she is still the same woman who once had the armies of Europe and the might of the Church under her thumb

I call her Anneliese and I love her very much.

as i former fem!austria enjoyer (i even have a few fics focusing on her from YEARS ago) i have to say you are so spot on with this one, every single thing that you've mentioned speaks to me on such a level. like it adds so many different layers to this character, to her dynamics with other nations (especially family/lovers), SO MUCH POTENTIAL AND FOOD FOR THE THOUGHTS

[yuseirra]

I'm drawing a comic~ for the meantime...this manga honestly made me so frustrated and pissed earlier, I just ranted on and I found it so funny to read. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, here's how I feel about it rn!!

oh, this is such a perfect time to take a break from it though, i constantly feel so nervous about creating something for it because things escalate fast and I need to make good sense of it and reflect it into my works EVERY week. I am nuts for staying accurate to the source material (it may not seem like it but I'm really a perfectionist and I wish to do a good job getting the characters right) This work has a knack for making me feel extremely tense. It's been that way for the past three months I've hopped in, it's nice and enjoyable to have something to be invested on but sometimes it gets too much.. people are growing insane and pointing knives at each other, our protagonist stabbed himself and fell into the waters. The fact that I think it was an utterly foolish decision for him to have been that way does not help. I do not support what he's done. It does make a pretty impressive scene considering it's a manga and the art looks good, I think they planned that scene to be there from the beginning too but Sigh

I think he directed his anger to the wrong guy. I am not convinced that was the right choice he's made so I hate the look of it. Way to feel this way about the main character huh,

I can't draw.. when things make me this nervous, what else is going to unfold? I feel like I can see the big picture for the whole thing, but there is no way I can predict all the little details and what if things get super ugly, even uglier than how it is now?? I can't possibly work with that, it's just so hard!; Mengo-san Aka-san, what did I do to deserve this?? I came in because I thought I understood what this is!!! I have a good idea of how things are going to go!!! Why do you have to make everything SO MESSY?? It's frustrating. I AM collecting the physical volumes you know? I WANT TO TILL THE END?? please don't make me regret it, You seriously AREN'T going to make the one guy Ai confessed her love to a total freak. You know that and I know it too. It's just out there and set in stone, goodness. This isn't funny. This is so pointless. It wears me out ugghhh it's not about the ship I mean, it's about the message!!! the plot!!!!!! I really don't like how this manga makes things way more complex than what it actually is. It doesn't have to be that way.

Heheh. I ranted again- the stuff below's what I wrote earlier. Honorable mention to chatgpt for helping me translate it.. this is just. I just want things to get resolved. It's getting so dumb.

***

Kamiki is drowning and getting dragged away, Aqua stabs himself, then floats on the water with a melancholy expression on his face… and then there's a break for two weeks or so, right? Ugh, seriously.

But honestly, even in this weirdly ended situation, I’m actually glad there’s a break. If there wasn’t, I wouldn’t be able to write things like this. I get too nervous to write because I really hate making mistakes. I genuinely don’t like it. Normally, I wouldn’t enjoy talking about uncertain situations like this…

But what can I do when I see things?;;; If I didn’t understand anything at all, I wouldn’t be able to write something like this, and if I didn’t have enough time, I wouldn’t have time to think about it, so I wouldn’t be able to write then either. But now that I do understand, it’s just… so frustrating, suffocating, nerve-wracking, and I feel all fidgety because of it.

Honestly, this manga should just release one chapter and then take a break. Release one chapter and then take a break. It would be nice to have about a week to think about it with a clear mind. It’s so exhausting, really. I feel like I know where this is all headed in the end, but the creators have been dragging things out so slowly. Even with the Aqukana storyline, I got so tired with how they handled it that I took a break from reading it last year…

The story hands you the key. It even clearly shows you the door that the key can open. But then it puts up dozens of other doors next to it, meaningless ones. Even after giving you all the answers, it tries to confuse you. But you can see right through it. And while doing that, it points to each door saying, 'Isn't this door pretty~~~ How about that one?' constantly taunting you along. All while it's them that's given you the key already in the first place.

It’s really frustrating… I’m so tired. If I couldn’t see anything, I’d just watch while grumbling or be like, 'Oh…' and keep my distance without overthinking it. But it’s suffocating and frustrating not knowing why they’re doing such pointless things, and it makes me anxious too…

Well… I could just take a break, but… I really like Ai. And when I look at the man she loved, I feel like he could actually be a really good character too, so I watch carefully… There’s a lot to dig into. It would be nice to shift the focus onto the other characters, too, but…

Seriously, nothing’s been properly resolved, has it? They’ve been dragging it out for ages. The characters keep doing crazy things. You can’t end a story like this. It’s just… they're not writing well, but they’re doing it on purpose. This manga is like that; the creators enjoy twisting things, and I should just enjoy that too, but I don't think I do. I just want to use the key and go through the door; I’m not interested in looking at the various door knobs. I wish they’d just stop now. I feel like I know what’s going on. That’s why I’m here to draw fan art. I get so up and down every week, but if the outcome isn’t what I’m thinking, I have no idea what it could be, and I don’t think it would make for a good story at all. I’m not saying it has to go the way I want for it to be a good story! It’s just… if it doesn’t, it feels like the message will completely collapse. It’s not about the couple… Even if the characters die, as long as the story is good, that’s fine, but the framework has to hold up!

About Kamiki's state,

his trauma and the dire-ness of his mentality is probably even more serious than Aqua’s, right? And I actually got that right too.

They said they only felt alive when they were with Ai. That means, in essence, they’re as good as dead now. But if they still want to keep living in that state, it means there was something they believed they had to do.

That’s likely related to the wishes mentioned in Mephisto and Fatal.

‘I want to see you. I want your life to return.’ (Mephisto)

‘I want to get closer to you. I want to receive your love again.’ (Fatal)

'For that, I can do anything. I can even offer my life. I can sacrifice anything. What more do I need to use?' <(Common themes in both songs)

In short, it’s all about 'I want to see you.'"

The "you" here refers to Ai.

That’s what it is.

Well… when you think about it, what Kamiki is doing now is essentially that. His underlying wish was that, but the way he’s going about it has become completely twisted. I don’t think he developed this kind of logic on his own. He’s been influenced or possessed by something. Because he was never someone who could hurt others.

This character didn't harm Ai… I truly believe he wouldn't have hurt her. Everything he’s doing now, in his own way, is probably for Ai. It’s just that he’s gone mad.

And thus, you can infer he's in such a serious condition, yet it hasn’t been highlighted at all.

They made his past so tragic and horrifying (I try to thoroughly analyze the character's psychological state; as I mentioned before, I try to sync up with their emotions…), and yet, with this character, there are parts I just can’t dive into because it’s too overwhelming. It’s plainly obvious. He’s not in his right mind right now. He’s too depressed and tormented to be alive.

Think about it, he’s been through extremely serious things since he was at least ten years old, maybe even younger… Just thinking about it makes me… I once considered exploring this, incorporating to my works, but I simply couldn’t. I really couldn’t… it’s too horrifying!

If the author had written him in a way where he turned into a serial killer because he developed a hatred for women or something like that, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive it. Even though I haven’t experienced such things, I feel I know enough of it to say that would be too shallow, convenient, and disrespectful. That’s really not how you handle such material. It’s beyond lazy—it's irresponsible. But I didn’t think it would go that way.

Whether this character ends up being revealed as the ultimate villain or not, if they’ve created a character like this and don’t address it properly, it’s not respectful to the character. It’s too much…

But I believe that the creators have a certain affection for what they’ve created, so I trust they’ll handle it. I just… want to see it handled properly. I think the delay is because they couldn’t fully express it while the anime was airing. They keep taking breaks and adjusting their pace; part of it might be due to the creators’ conditions, but I think they might have deliberately delayed introducing new content to match the anime’s schedule.

Honestly, I got into this because I knew. I realized, "Ah, this is what this character is going through."

He really liked Ai. It was set up in a way that he had no other choice but to become that way.

Other characters have their own core identity, right? Even if you strip away all their relationships with other characters, they have something of their own.

But when you look at this character, from the planning stage, everything was set to align with Ai, and without Ai, the character itself wouldn’t exist…;; He just collapses. Like in the lyrics, "I can’t live without Ai." The only consolation is that Ai truly did love him back… It’s like, the creators made this character specifically as a match for Ai, you know?

When you create a character like that, it’s only right to handle it in a way that makes that visible.

About his relationship with Ai… it’s not like I just think they look good together or something… It’s more like, when you look at the story and the way the characters are built, it’s obvious that they were made that way!!!

But even in the current situation and how ugly it is, there's one reason I think Ai made a good choice in picking him as her husband. She picked a extremely handsome guy and passed down superior looks to their kids haha. When you look at him, it doesn't make it seem like Ai is way out of his league in terms of looks, does it? She met someone who matched her well and dated him, that’s how it feels. I’m pretty sure they’re really gods, you know? They’re like the god of entertainment and the god of light. Their story is just too similar… they resemble each other so much… If you look at mythology, Ame-no-Uzume’s husband just fell for her at first sight, got swept along, married her, and they even shared a shrine, living happily together… Ame-no-Uzume just barged into his domain, made herself at home, and they got together right away. That god really married well. He ruled over not just one or two domains, but was a supreme indigenous deity and was considered just and noble… It’s like, “Oh, I like this one,” and she picked him like that. And judging by the drawings, Ame-no-Uzume was really beautiful… She was incredibly cute… I was so happy looking at that mythology. They bless the couple’s fate and marriage because they’re satisfied and happy with each other. People even make masks of the two gods and wear them together during festivals.

Look, if I’m a romance writer and I want to write something related to the entertainment industry, and I borrow mythology, and I know this couple's mythology? And then I write a story like this? Well… from my perspective, Kamiki is a mad god who went crazy after losing his wife. He genuinely loved Ai. Look at his expression in chapter 162. It’s the same as in chapter 153. He loved her that much, and on top of that, she was his savior, his lover, and even the mother of his child, raising them risking everything she's got. He believes she died because of his mistake—so what would he do? He might have thought about following her in death but couldn’t, so he thought, "If I do something, maybe Ai will come back." And when that didn’t work, he just ended up desperately wanting to see Ai again… I think that’s what drove him mad. I don’t think he’s in his right mind. He’s totally lost it. I mean, who could stay sane after losing someone like that for over a decade?

It’s not like the readers should have to guess why he’s fallen apart like this, right? It’s time for the story to show us. I’m really struggling with this—making deductions, writing, drawing—and every time a new chapter is released, people come to me, feeling sad or offering comfort. Seriously, I’m fine! isn’t it? Aren’t the creators romance writers? How could they not cover this? It’s not just about the couple—this is such rich material, and not using it would be a waste, don’t you think? And it doesn’t make sense… Why would they write it so that Ai loved someone truly strange? It’s not like that. Ugh, seriously.

As I always say, it’s not my work, so I could be completely wrong.

Still… it just feels like such a waste. Not using this? Not doing this?

I think all the clues are there… They’re doing this on purpose. Just wait and see. I’m not called the Prophet-type for nothing (INFJ)? When it comes to things like this, my intuition isn’t that bad. There are a lot of things I’ve figured out as soon as I saw them.

What’s frustrating about this manga is that if the plot progression itself is confusing, that’s fine as a mystery element.

But here, they give you all the answers, then pretend they haven’t, dragging things out while playing dumb. That really makes me go, “What are they doing?” It’s like they show all the answers and then, without reason, go off on a tangent. It’s like entering the destination into a navigation system, knowing where you’re supposed to go, but steering the car in the opposite direction for three hours.

Then, they turn around like nothing happened and head towards the destination. It’s pointless. If you don’t know the destination from the start, there’s a thrill as you go. But this just looks like foolishness. It’s like, eventually, it’ll come to this conclusion, but the story gives you the answer upfront and then insists, "Actually, no~" and lies about it. I don’t think it’s a very good method. It’s tiring…

Maybe it works in a volume format, but reading it as it’s released makes you wonder, "What’s even going on here?"

Haha, I came into this with confidence. At this point, there’s quite a bit that’s built up.

When I think about it, I’ve gotten all the critical parts right. Look at the expressions Kamiki makes when he looks at Ai. Does he look like someone who would order Ryosuke to kill Ai just because she rejected him?

This guy just can’t come to his senses after Ai’s death. He’s been doing everything he could just to see Ai again.

And if you’re still confused, the answer is always in Ai’s video message.

Would Ai, of all people, say she wanted to live forever with someone who ordered her death? That’s not how you write that story. The answer was already there, so I don’t know what this manga is doing.

That's why I'm not worried about Aqua right now! I'm mad! LOL. Hey, your dad definitely loved your mom more than anyone else in the entire world. He loved her more than his own life. Well, maybe you put Ruby first… But seriously, is he really so crazy that he tried to kill Ruby just to save Ai?!

But if that's the case, then it means he's not in his right mind, so he needs an exorcism…;;

How could Aqua not understand what kind of person his dad is, even after playing him as his role? Why can't he get a sense of it? Why didn't he listen, and instead tried to drown him in the ocean? Why did he do that? Is he really that evil? Am I missing something? Why are you like this? I can’t sympathize with it—was that really the only way? It doesn’t look that way to me. This is like a parade of fools, seriously. Did I completely miss the mark? Am I really wrong? Did I get everything wrong, and did I fail to see it properly? Then why does Ai’s video message say what it does?

Aqua, please get a grip. And Kamiki is out of his mind. He needs to go to a hospital. Seriously. What is all this?

That's all.

[lifeofmysteries]

anyway im going to be annoying and share my opinion bc sometimes I just need to talk - I read Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh and it's enjoyable, a fun read, the prose is good etc etc I had fun

but then it got me thinking

SDG is a sci fi that feels like a fantasy due to the nebulous nature of the main plot device (the wisdom) which is basically a god that was created through Science instead of fantasy so in my head I am cateogorising it as Sci-Fantasy - not so much something that is exploring the technical potential of what could be, but a reflection on our current society through the lens of the fantastical and distant. SDG touches on a lot of topics - facism, eugenics, reproductive control, genocide, systematised rape - there's a lot it touches on. the end itself deals with these topics in a fairly simplistic manner. that feels fine when reading, as I was invested in the characters themselves by that point so the particular nature of the political resolution of the novel wasn't to my concern. the resolution of the novel I feel can be pretty accurately summed up with 'violence bad give people a chance' which is very doctor who-esque so in that regard I liked it.

howeverrrr asterisk asterisk asterisk i feel it reflects a wider issue of fantasy/sicence fantasy to take complex societal issues and then reduce it to a simple narrative resolution that I feel can be best summed up with the word deracialised.

Kyr the protagonist is raised by Gaea, a group that intends violent revenge on the aliens that once destroyed planet earth. Other humans do exist, but they live on a shared planet with other aliens. Gaea views itself as the last bastion of humanity that survived the genocide, and the aliens en masse deserve retaliation for it. The comparison invites itself with real world comparisons to violent trauma, in fact the afternote asks you to consider it. however that afternote makes you more aware of the fact that this genocidal trauma is a real trauma for many people in the current world, and just being able to 'let go' of their anger to those who eradicated their culture isn't really an option. the easily simplified resolution where one patriarchally villainous man is killed while the rest of the ship leaves into the presumably happy future, the entirety of 2000 people assumed to be going to assimilate into the rest of the world to live alongside the aliens, is emblematic of a viewpoint that can only come from an understanding of this kind of violence that comes from a distance. the fact that the author studied classics at Cambridge makes this distance all too understandable.

i'm not the first to write about the facist rhetoric inherent in the worldbuilding of fantasy - see orcs - but I think something should be noted for the recent attempts to try and depict societal complexity, but through a fictionalised marginalised group that unsurprisingly is openly depicted as white and cis. think the X-men, think Disneys' Zombies, think Some desperate glory, these groups provide an allegory of marginalisation to explain to young people but again and again this story is told through white voices, through characters that themselves don't contain traits that would be marginalised from our experiences. it tells of a truth that these stories appear to not be able to be told from the reality of the experiences of systemised violence that is experienced by people of colour, by trans people, by any other marginalised group that doesn't easily present itself to the status quo on the resulting books cover art

[nextinline-if]

I’ve seen people ask authors who they’d ship their characters with, but I’m curious which ROs, from other WIPs, are your favorite? Is there any specific reason?

I absolutely love your story so much! You’re wonderful!

I'm unsure if both of these asks are yours, but I'm sorry it took so long to answer (like months RIP). Screenshot one was recent the other is older. Also thank you anon for your sweet words. <3

I appreciate your no-choice-patience <3 This is such a fun question. I read it wrong for about 4 months and kept stressing about which ROs to ship with mine. My brain was NOT working.

I'm being fucking serious, unfortunately. Please laugh at me in the comments. </3

Here are some of my favorite ROs from other WIPs:

Seven - @infamous-if; I can write a paragraph about why I like Seven but does anyone really want that? Heh. When the game first started, I was SO ready to be like "f you Seven, you jerk!" And then we find out that Seven still has that tattoo. Okay, interest peaked. Well, played. You got me f'ed up. I like to play tropes where it's from ex - to enemies - to lovers. Juicy stuff right there.

Ari - @theoperativeif; There's something really enticing about not just a slow burn but a slow burn that has the extra burn because of the obstacles in the relationship that prevent you from reaching each other. Ouch. I normally don't like slowwwww burns. Like, a little slow is good cause it's realistic but like where I ONLY get to imagine them in my MC's head or in memories? Got me f'ed up. (Again). I think I like this because of the trauma the two characters have faced together. Is trauma bond a tope? Don't know but let's go with that.

Blade - @shepherds-of-haven; On a surface level, you get a character who fights for those he cares for, has strong convictions, and is hard to get close to. I'm a sucker for those. But on a deeper level, I really enjoy the way his story is written and told. Unearthing Blade's past and trying to weave your MC into this complex character's heart. Not sure what trope is going on here but I'll take it all.

Sol - @theabyssal; Yeah, my Death is pretty pissed at Sol right now...but you're telling me that literal sunshine fell for Death? The Abyssal has A+ writing as is, but adding an incredible love story like that really hooks my soppy lil heart. The complexities...THE COMPLEXITIES. I'm on the edge of my f-ing seat here people. I want Sol to suffer and beg my Death for forgiveness. And my Death will make Sol suffer emotionally and then accept the forgiveness :') (she's a weak betch)

Dara - @ataleofcrowns; I mean, I LOVE forbidden/let's romance my general type of vibe. But Dara is an exquisitely written character. The whole game is beautiful but the characters are so full of depth. There's always another layer. Plus, I normally play a shier MC but I like catching Dara off guard. It's so enjoyable. Got me giggling and shit.

There are plenty of other lovely ROs from amazing IFs that I like but these came to the top of my mind and I didn't want to make this too long. I like tropes that f me up emotionally. More tears = better. Rip my heart out. Maybe put it back in. Maybe leave is on the ground. Author's choice.

That said, I go for a lot of different tropes and try to do multiple playthroughs to romance all or most of the cast. I think every character can offer something different and I don't want to miss out <3

[shizukuhasei]

for ask game, reki or joe! :3

Luckily for you, we got a 2-for-1 special going on at the Puff Store, how about both?

REKI MY SON:

How I feel about this character:

INSTANT CUTENESS AGGRESSION WHENEVER I SEE HIM. HE IS SO BELOVED. I AM HOLDING HIM SO TENDERLY LIKE YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I'm racked with guilt whenever I show Langa favoritism (he's blue!! he's literally blue!!!!) because like... He has a whole complex about that... I'm horrible...... But he's SO perfect.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

TRIPS DOWN THE STAIRS. CHOKES. Him and Langa make me ILL........... That's all I can say on that or I'll blow up... My poor poor friends in a server have had to hear me ramble about my character analysis for hours on end. WITH clips. I'm beyond help about them. I NEED TO WATERBOARD SOMEONE!!!!

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

I'm not sure if I understand the prompt fully BUT. I really really enjoy his interactions with both Miya and Shadow, so SO funny. Instant 10/10 I love how many people he just folds into his life. That's my son. That is my son...

My unpopular opinion about this character:

I don't know if I have any real "unpopular opinions" about him but I definitely feel he deserves his own spotlight more than he receives it! He is very talented and interesting in his own right and I just wish more people showed him respect for it 💥

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

This show is like. A lot of a comfort series for me, so I don't think there's anything I wanted to happen that didn't! Maybe it woulda been nice to see him deck Adam or talk to Tadashi more than once though LOL

Joe Mama:

How I feel about this character:

Joe is a very interesting case for me, in terms of enjoyment. I REALLY like when he's on screen, but it's not like I necessarily look for more content of him? I definitely do like him, quite a bit more than other characters, but I'm just fed! Perfectly content.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Mostly me having respect for him and his meanass smoking hot pink wife... I'm kinda just sitting here nodding saying "Mhm mhm I see what you mean" supportively HAHA I respect him being the yearnerrrrr though I love when it hurts

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

HIM AND WHATEVER FUCKED UP THING HE HAS GOING WITH ADAM 🔥🔥🔥 YES YES YEEES RIPPING AND TEARING!

My unpopular opinion about this character:

Not sure if I have any!! He's just a guy

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

As before, not a lot of wishes were left unfulfilled, but for him I feel like it'd be nice to get into his noggin more... I feel there are secrets in his head that NEED to be spilled...

Character ask game!

[avatar-legends-confessionblog]

Gotta be honest, I didn't expect anyone saying that I should get my head checked for shipping rarepairs over makorra LMAO—but jokes aside, no hard feelings, I found it kinda funny actually. I don't mind it. In fact, I'm really happy that other people interacted with the anonymous ask! Whether positively or negatively, I am pretty happy to see the fandom interacting and sharing their wide range of takes and opinions among each other. I enjoy reading them, and seeing people's opinions on the writing of the show and fandom problems.

Anyways, I do have to admit that I expressed my opinions on mako and makorra/mako x asami very poorly. I really welcome people pointing out my stupid ass redaction style. It's pretty much my jumbled brain's fault honestly lmao. Especially bc I mixed up my thoughts of the ship with my opinions on mako, and ultimately of tlok's writing—without elaborating further. I think that's kind of what made my argument pretty much a senseless ramble. Plus adding the quick rarepair paragraph at the end made it kinda confusing. (Pretty much my fault, for some reason I really wanted to mention them regardless of the topic at hand)

So yeah, sorry, I suck at writing my thoughts out clearly. And I'd also say that I'm sometimes not very understanding of the complexity of writing and storytelling. And also because I was kinda afraid to ramble too much in a single ask. So I'll take the hit and pretty much call it my bad. Though I'm trying to learn about writing in general, so yeah, I could have my occasional lack of insight into the topic.

Also, hi to that anon that ranted abt Yuezula and Teoaang and that one Yuezula enjoyer!!!!! As well as shoutout to the two or so Sokka/Hahn enjoyers possibly running free like goblins over the blog.

Finally, I'd actually like to know what other people see in makorra, mako x asami (how the fuck do I still not know the ship name?) or mako in general. I suppose I am kinda biased in my opinions bc I never quite liked him in tlok, and I still think the show did the Krew very dirty. Anyways! That's all I wanted to say. Still excited to interact with people for some reason.

(sorry for the long ass nonsense post mod. I think it really shows that I've never quite interacted with fandoms at all until now lmao. Have a cup of tea for me fully speaking nonsense in here →🍵)

X

[blinkbones]

Title: Liveship Traders: The Mad Ship // Les aventuriers de la mer, Intg. 2 Author: Robin Hobb Translators: Véronique David-Marescot, Arnaud Mousnier-Lompré Second volume of Hobb's fantasy seafaring epic, in which the plot is continued, and so I cannot say anything that isn't a series spoiler. Thus, spoilers ahead.

* i'll be trying my best with the names, but i read it in french, which changed a few of them

IN WHICH KYLE FINALLY GETS WHAT HE FUCKING DESERVES! hahaha. I was so glad about that. He can rot in his cell, the son of a bitch. Although I imagine miss Tintaglia will probably come get his ass for Malta at some point, but truly, if she forgets, I won't mind.

Once again Hobb's strength is her ability to spin complex and ornate character arcs and to weave a strong, colorful world around them. Nothing here frustrates me; the writing is solid in every way, the translations are bangers (only some disparities in naming which are such a shame because everything else is so excellent!!!!) and I never find myself wishing this work had been done better. It's so complex, with so many threads, yet they meet beautifully and none feel weaker than the rest. Her character work is fabulous, even though I think it'll make me sad (in time).

In which Malta gains in maturity, which was truly a relief. Seeing her understand the depths of her stupidity in the previous events was a highlight. Her romance with Reyn, as age-inappropriate and weighed down by circumstances... also a delight.

Speaking of Reyn, I enjoyed him and Serilla a lot. My little scholars. My beloveds.

Most exciting for me was the beginning of the pirate-owned Vivacia. I really do fear that Kennit is doomed by the narrative, and so I will not get the conclusion I want, which is him being forcefully therapized by connecting with Wintrow, and recognizing his affection for those around him (Etta!!!!). Unfortunately the repeated warnings by the bracelet do suggest that our poor little meow-meow is gonna end badly. Oh Kennit!!! You're so funny, I will miss you. The misunderstandings between his perception and the rest of the world are some true comedy to me lmao

Althea's arc... ah... my girl... I do love her, and Amber as well, since they were together so often in this book. I did struggle, because Althea's struggles in finding her place in a man's world hit too close to home for comfort. For other reasons, they also very closely mimicked my own current worries and ngl that may have given me therapy but it also gave me unwanted emotions lmfao

It's funny how much I did not imagine the Rain Wilds city to look at all like that. I enjoyed the concept a lot. Treehouse cities are always fun.

Once Kyle was gone, Cosgo took his place in my heart as "a bitch id like to see get killed". He really deserves a smart woman to spit on his corpse <3 for my enjoyment.

One thing I truly adored was the depiction of internal family/group politics and the thoughts that go in the characters' heads as they strategize, on how to present, on how to speak, or to manipulate others. Not in a scheming way, just -- the way we all manipulate each other a little bit in daily life. And when it was proper scheming, of course, I loved it too (Malta, Serilla, Kennit). I just think it felt so true to life and that she captured the nuances of communication so well. In Ronica and Jani, especially, you see some top-notch depictions of elders being both loving and keenly conscious of the psychological currents of their flock, and how they might try to channel them. There was a specific thought that Jani had, in which she worried about the compatibility of her sons' characters after her death. I suppose it could be foreshadowing of her eventual death and the challenge the two men might face, but in my mind it also made a perfect line for a mother-leader such as her. It characterized her very well and suggested that the Khuprus' success was built by careful consideration over generations, by her and previous figures of power. It makes me wonder, writing now, if such a line may get axed today if it isn't foreshadowing. I know that many things can be considered superfluous. I also am under the impression that not many 1k chonkers get published these days -- although it may simply be that I haven't seen them.

It's true that it was a long book, and I did really enjoy it for its length, as well. This sort of in-depth character work takes a lot of pages to be deployed, but I found it extremely rewarding. In that sense, book 2 being the direct continuation of book 1 without a real threshold (other than the physical cleaving into 2 volumes), it is even more rewarding than 1 was. The campfire that was lit in book 1 has grown into a bonfire in book 2, and I suppose it may go fully ablaze in book 3. That'd be really cool. Although I'll try to temper my expectations; I'll simply see how it ends.

I will absolutely read the 3rd volume (probably next year, seeing how it took me a year to get to book 2), and honestly, I will probably want to read more Hobb overall. In time, in time. For now, I'll lay hands on tiny little books to reset my head and motivation.

[night-dark-woods]

15, 21, 23, 24!!

THANK U ECHO this got so long oops.

15. that one thing you see in fanart all the time

hmmm not destiny-specific (i dont have any d2 specific gripes i dont think) & i mostly follow cool gay & trans ppl so this is much less of an issue than in the wider fandom (every so often some Main Fandom Art makes its way to me and i do a full double take) but like. i knowww they are almost all the same character model in-game but can we please get some characters who arent super skinny supermodels in here. please.

21. part of canon you think is overhyped

not to sound like an edgelord but. the traveler. if we can acknowledge that the Darkness isnt ontologically Evil, i think we can (PLEASE) acknowledge that the Light isnt inherently good. and im not talking about the superpowers we get, they've (narrative team) made it quite clear that individuals choose to do what they will with based on their own morals. but the traveler is, imo, positioned as a Morally Good Agent Of The Light far more than the witness is Of The Darkness, and i think we need to talk more about the traveler's agenda!!! again, this complexity isnt completely absent from the narrative, but it doesnt feel like those interpretations are... metatextually supported igss? like zavala's frustration with the traveler leaving feels more like a very christian (as someone who was not raised religious) test of faith that zavala (and the canonical YW) have Passed and will be Rewarded.

where's tevis my best friend tevis. we need more characters with that pov. god is real god resurrected you god gave you a second chance at life with no memories of your past and a guardian angel (a "chattering oversoul," to quote toland) to tell you where to go and who deserves to die and raise you every time you fail just to throw you back into the divine crusade. like. lets talk about that a little more!!!

23. ship you've unwillingly come around to

this is hard bc i am in general very willing to "yes-and" ANYTHING with a hint of chemistry or a fun dynamic. it may not compell me but if you can point out a narrative similarity btwn characters i will almost always be down. unless its one i hate ("hate" being a strong word. really its just the strongest possible apathy) bc i contain multiudes :thumbsup:.

i can't think of a pairing i started out disliking and then changed my mind about due to fandom unfortunately. the closest would be igss that i hate crow/amanda as its written in the text BUT my perhaps controversial opinion is i think transitioning could fix crow specifically the version of crow i have in my head who did not get uldren's memories back. SotL was so good for the overarching plot of d2 but so so so bad for the type of awoken-enjoyer i am & imo the like... thesis statement of what a guardian is lol!

so unfortunately i dont have an answer for this one (i dont think "i like the pretend version i made up in my head" counts as coming around on a ship lmfao), bc you can pair any two destiny women and ill be like yeah for sure! and i have curated my online space well enough that i rarely see any other kind of ship, and when i do its gay men (o14, uldren/jolyon, someone i follow is cooking something with saladin/drifter which is inspired. i love whatever is happening there) which is like cheering absently for a sports team idc about but support on principle.

24. topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

mara. its always fucking mara. literally spent an hour and a half last night rehashing d1 mara-course in a server with someone who has not read any lore. which is fine! thats a fine way to engage with the game! its a valuable perspective! but use i-statements and accept that you are coming to the table with 10% of the facts about the character.

honorable mention goes to anything about redemption arcs (and savathun specifically)- most recently that fuuucking saint killing sav repeatedly lore tab. and if you (general) cant be assed to care about evil women (skill issue, but whatever), thats also backsliding YEARS on saints characterization and i dont even care about saint!!!

so really the answer is misogyny lmfao.

[daffi-990]

Weekend WIP Game

tagged by the kind and talented @jesuisici33 @wikiangela and @lover-of-mine

Rules: List your WIPs below (if you only write one fic at a time, feel free to include future WIPs/ideas!) then answer the following questions. Then, tag as many people as you have WIPs (or more)

1. WIP List:

come close, let me be home (slow dance fic)

Fantasy AU

Rival Firefighters 🚒

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest?

Fantasy AU.

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest?

Definitely Fantasy AU

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why?

Hmmm I’ve enjoyed aspects from all of them tbh. Fantasy au is so self indulgent cos it’s my favourite genre so writing it is something special. Rival Firefighters is flirty and fun and coming up with banter between Buck and Eddie is always a good time. And the slow dance fic is sweet and soft and I enjoy writing these boys already all gooey in love so yeah ☺️

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why?

The fantasy au for sure! It’s my favourite genre and I really want to be able to bring what’s in my head into actual written words.

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why?

Fantasy au haha for the same reasons as above

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why?

Fantasy au and probably rival firefighters

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer’s block?

Yes unfortunately 🤪

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them?

Fantasy AU has one OC so far and he is not a nice character so definitely not a favourite 😅

10. Which WIP is the sexiest?

Rival Firefighters … even though there most likely won’t be any actual smut until much later in the fic, there will be a lot of sexual tension .. I hope 🤞🏻

11. Which WIP is the angstiest?

Probably fantasy au?

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)?

I have no idea tbh 😅

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)?

Gonna have to go with fantasy au cos it’s in a completely made up realm. I’m very nervous about writing all that cos it’s not my strong suit.

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on?

Oh geez … umm fantasy au maybe? Like the notes for that … there’s a lot haha

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why?

Fantasy au and rival firefighters

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs?

yes. The fantasy au fic actually started as a dream

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don’t?

Yes, the fantasy au has magic and stuff

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour?

I think rival firefighters

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process?

No

20. Tell us one thing we don’t know about one or more of your WIPs

I’ve actually had the idea for the fantasy au for a few years but the main pairing was going to be Dean & Cas from Supernatural. I kind of fell out of that fandom but the idea stuck with me and the main characters just became two faceless people until Buck and Eddie came along and slotted into place like it had always been meant for them.

No pressure tagging: @thewolvesof1998 @exhuastedpigeon @callmenewbie @callaplums @eddiebabygirldiaz @loserdiaz @hippolotamus @spotsandsocks

[pennkquest]

Hello hello! My name is PK and I'm a fervent enjoyer of non-canon ships. I'm not a fic writer exactly but I've been told "Where's the fic OP" twice now by my friends. So I thought I'd format one of my fic-adjacent ramble sessions for Tumblr!

Pairing: Milo/David [No Sweetheart or Angel, wanted to go easy on myself] [MDNI*] [Let's call this "canon reminiscent /lh]

Word Count: 3.2 K

*(I wouldn't consider this smut by any means but there's a few lines that make me want to add this as a tag)

[As a reminder, I diverge from canon quite a bit with this. This is just one route I could see leading to Milo and David getting together]

My vision for this pair is that they start getting closer in a more than just friends way a little bit after Gabe dies. Not immediately because have some decorum, but it would start during that transition period for David as Alpha. Asher is trying his best to help but is also grappling with the whole Beta thing, so he feels like he's in a complex position. But him and Milo can see that David's not doing great so Milo's like "Fine, I'll bite the bullet" and tries to confront David about it.

At first it's subtle, asking David if he needs help with something, if he wants anyone from the pack to stay after for meetings, if he wants them to pick up a shift so he can have the day off, etc. But David is too stubborn to accept any of it so he keeps brushing them off. This ends up culminating in a "fight" one day where Milo again tries to make an offer that David shoots down. Milo sort of snaps and is like "Alright, what the fuck gives? Why are you acting like you're too good to get help anymore, David?" David says he doesn't know what he's talking about, Milo calls bullshit. It doesn't turn into a screaming match but it's enough of a heated argument that Milo storms out of the den.

In the days following, Milo either calls out sick, switches shifts with people, anything to avoid seeing David. David brushes it off, thinking he's got more important things to worry about if Milo's going to throw a fit. But of course, Ash being Ash means this stuff can't fly for long, so he tells both David and Milo that he needs help with something at an odd time of day and then "coincidentally" doesn't show up. When Milo gets to the den, he's real tempted to get back in his car and leave. It's a mix of still being a little frustrated with David and being embarrassed that this "fight" has gone on for as long as it has. He walks up to David (who was waiting outside for Asher) and is like "Lemme guess, you're waiting for Ash?" "How did you...?" "Fucker told me the same thing."

They do some lighthearted bitching about their friend, which eases the tension. There's a bit of silence and right as Milo gets ready to apologize for speaking out of turn, David apologizes first. He acknowledges that Milo was right in what he said and that he's been struggling with everything changing, but he hasn't wanted it to show on the outside. Milo makes a light jab at David, "Alright well did you really expect that to go over my head? C'mon, David, we've known each other since we were kids. Gimme some credit" To make up for it, the two of them go out to eat, all that's chill. Cut to when Milo gets home, maybe has a drink or two as he's winding down. David sends him a message, confirming he made it home alright (because I've always latched onto the idea that he's super attentive to that given what happened with Gabe). Milo sends David a quick reply and wonders why seeing that message made him feel some type of way (romantic? Who knows, not Milo that's for sure /lh)

Now if I remember correctly, the audio where Angel learns about Gabe, it's been around 3 years since his passing. Keeping this in mind and in the spirit of being canon reminiscent, I think around/after this point is when Milo's feelings for David start to really bubble up. They've been building for awhile, much to his dismay. He's trying to play it cool, but his heart's in his damn throat any time David touches him casually or whenever the two of them are assigned to a job together. And he knows it's getting bad enough where he might lose focus, so he swallows his pride and does what he's been avoiding for months, if not years: asking Asher for advice.

"Alright, look: You and me both know that you had a lil crush on David when we were in high school. How the fuck did you get over it? I'm drowning, Ash." If this conversation is happening on the phone or at Asher's place, cue him yelling to Babe that they owe him 20 bucks (because it's funny to me <3). Asher asks Milo why he wants to get over the feelings so bad and Milo's like "'Cause this is David we're talking about." "So what?" "We've got... history. That complicates shit all on its own." "And?" "....Alright fine, and I'm also terrified he's not gonna feel the same. Happy?" Asher is being the little shit that he is, putting his arm around Milo's shoulder. "Listen. If I know David— And believe me, I do— What ya gotta do is be direct. If he doesn't feel the same, that's one thing. But if you even want a chance, you gotta be straight up with him. If you tried to ask him out casually, he'll just assume you're being friendly because that's what you are right now. Friends." Milo takes all this in and is like, "Nope, just gonna shove these feelings down for eternity." "I'll tell Marie—" "I will beat your ass." He knows Asher has a point though. Any idea Milo might've had could be easily construed as them just chilling as friends. But he doesn't really act on anything for awhile.

Now, before we get into the next phase of this, some added backstory: David had a crush on Milo growing up. I'm thinking a little after high school (won't say college necessarily since I don't picture them in college but like, young adulthood phase). He'd always found Milo incredibly attractive and found his boldness admirable in general. David was constantly thinking about what he had to do for others and how to make the pack look good (since he was the Alpha's kid then the pack Beta). Milo always felt incredibly refreshing to be around. But he figured Milo would never be interested in because David's just himself so he eventually got over it. Cut to that argument him and Milo had a few years back. He remembers that night when they made up because dinner had been fine but all he could do was focus on Milo. It felt nice to just hang out with him without the pressures of being Alpha. And he enjoyed listening to him talk about anything because he always had a strong opinion. I think around then is when his past feelings awoke again but there was a new obstacle: He was the Alpha of the pack. It wasn't like before, things were different. He'd never have a chance to pursue Milo without feeling like he had pushed Milo into a corner somehow. So again, he tried his best to push his feelings down, appreciate and value the friendship he had with Milo and leave it at that. It was enough to just have Milo in his life, even if it wasn't going to go any further.

Back to how these two end up together: the Moonbound Solstice. They're all at David's place, everyone's having a good time together. Milo's chilling, talking to someone from the pack when Asher cuts in and is like "Sorry, just gonna steal him for a minute" "Ash, you can't just— AY okay okay I'm coming" They walk off, somewhere far from the kitchen to minimize the risk of David overhearing. In hushed voices: "Alright, so what's the plan?" "Ash, what the fuck are you talking about?" "Milo, it's the Solstice. This is the perfect time to make a move." "Are you out of your damn mind? This is the last place I should be hitting on— On you know who." "What are you talking about it, it's perfect! The whole pack's here, no one would even notice." "Look, he's already got his hands full hosting the Solstice at his own place for a change. I'm just gonna chill and enjoy the night for what it is." Asher is pouting as Milo walks off, immediately thinking of what he can do to help nudge David Milo's way. (Unhinged alt route: Ash giving Milo a flat so he has to stay the night)

Cut to the end of the night, people are heading out and whatnot. David is subtly trying to get people out because he loves his pack but his senses need a break. Asher (+ Babe, package deal) and Milo offer to stay and help clean, and David lets them since it's only a handful of people. Milo's keeping his cool, vibing to the much lower playing music when: "Babe, what do you mean you have a work call you need to take tonight? Can't it wait?" "Sorry, Ash, I need to be home in the next twenty minutes" "Alright. Guess we're heading early." Milo thinks nothing of it until he makes eye contact with Babe. They smile with a sickeningly sweet wave. Those bastards. Before Milo can try to rope Ash into staying somehow, the two of them are gone.

When Milo and David are alone, Milo tries his best to focus on the task at hand because feelings or not, he's not gonna do a shit job at cleaning so David has to clean up after him. Once the bulk of it is done, David mentions that he needs to grab something from upstairs or maybe says he's going to go change out of his clothes (I imagine he put on something better looking but not as comfortable for the solstice). Milo's chill with that, getting his keys, phone, other personal belongings together. He happens to slip into the kitchen though, stealing a bit more of the food David had made for the solstice. While he's stealing (said with love), he hears very close to his ear: "You can take some home if you want." He nearly punches David, gripping his arm as he tries to slow his heart rate. "You tryin' give a guy a heart attack, Shaw (/lh)" because he legit didn't hear David come back downstairs. "Maybe if you weren't busy trying to steal some food, you would've heard me— Greer (/lh)." Milo rolls his eyes with a grin and there's a moment of quiet when he realizes his hand is still on David's arm.

He lets go, clearing his throat, confirming that it's actually cool if he wants to take some of the food home with him. David says sure, giving him a container to fill (or Milo takes whatever the food came in, not sure what I'm picturing David's cooking set-up to be). David walks Milo to the door (as a good host does) and the two of them talk in the doorway for a few minutes about upcoming jobs, responsibilities, all that formal shit. There's another quiet moment as the two of them watch each other. Inside, Milo's like "Alright, no one else is here. This is as good a chance as any." The second he gets ready to ask David out on a more proper date, David instead says "Good night, Milo" and essentially closes the door in his face. Milo stares for a moment before cursing himself in Spanish (my HC), walking to his car and muttering about how "Of course he was just being polite, what the fuck were you thinking?" On the other side of the door, David is groaning into his hands, face warm as he tries to calm down because he came way too close to making a move on Milo.

Intermission (Wow, you're still reading? Damn /pos): I wanted to think of how to push them closer to a confession before they actually get together and eventually settled on "sickfic shenanigans". Insert deliriously sick Milo whose phone died and he can't find a charger for the life of him so David goes over to his place to check on him. Initially, he's trying to get David to leave because "I can handle myself fine". But that doesn't last long because admittedly, he feels like shit and has been for the past 12 hours. The dynamic quickly turns into Milo convincing David to stay then being so sick his filter is hanging on by a thread (/lh). "Why do you have to go rush off so fast?" "Milo, I have a pack to take care of—" "First off, I'm part of the pack— (cue Milo coughing) And second, they'll be fine without their Alpha for a few hours." Milo's playing it off as lighthearted but David can tell he doesn't want to be cooped up inside alone on top of feeling like shit physically. A little later, when Milo's on the verge of falling asleep (as many do while sick), he's like "Y'know, it's fucking wild you don't got a mate, David. Like look at you. Doesn't make sense" David laughs at first, thinking Milo's sick delirious (which he is, but that's affecting his filter, not the validity of his words). He's like "ay, why are you laughing, I'm serious. Look— if I were ya mate, I'd treat ya right. I'd cook, I'd work extra hours so I could see ya, I'd make sure we're the best dressed wherever we go— not to mention, I got a great dick." David writes this off as Milo being sick and spewing nonsense but never forgets the words. Meanwhile, Milo (after getting over the sickness) is convinced he dreamt saying any of that to David.

Back to the present, David's been a bit stressed with work as of late so Asher suggests the pack take a trip/weekend vacation. He says he'll handle figuring everything out, letting David take a backseat this time. They go somewhere, a resort, a hotel, something that involves people having rooms they're staying in. Everyone's having a good time, chilling all day, night rolls around. David's in his room when he realizes he forgot to pack something— can be anything. Toothpaste, a charger, something for his hair, the specifics aren't important. He texts Asher, asking if he has the thing he forgot and Ash is like yeah. David asks Ash which room he's staying in, Ash texts him the room number. David leaves his room, goes there, knocks and waits patiently. Door opens, and who's standing there? Milo, shirtless and in the middle of brushing his teeth or some shit.

David's checking his phone to see if he went to the wrong room but nope, numbers match. "Asher must've made a typo. I just needed to borrow something from him." "Well, what did you need? Maybe I have it." Before David can leave, Milo's busy ushering him in, closing the door so he can finish brushing his teeth before finding what David needs. They're making idle conversation, talking about what they spent their respective days doing. While Milo's talking, David's kind of staring at his back, not processing a word he's saying. Milo turns around and notices and is like "What? Don't tell me there's a bug on me and you didn't say shit? (/lh)" and David is trying to think of a good cover up. Milo tries to lighten the mood, says he's just messing with David before going to find whatever David's looking to borrow. He finds it, hands it over when for a split second, his eyes land on David's crotch. David leaves shortly there after but all night, Milo's like "...That was a boner... why the fuck did he have a boner?" But again, Milo's mind is like "Nah, I'm reading this wrong somehow."

Now, I'm painting a picture: it's the next day, Ash, Milo, David, few others from the pack plan on doing something together while on the trip. Asher gets there a bit late but is somehow on time compared to David, who shows up minutes after (that man was up all night pining). Ash notices Milo's not here yet and has a devious idea (as always). He asks David to go check on Milo so they can go. "Why me?" "You were the last one here, it's only fair. Now shoo." David rolls his eyes but goes, getting to Milo's room, knocking. He can hear Milo's definitely inside because he's cursing and complaining. He knocks again before the door swings open to reveal a mildly disgruntled Milo Greer (my vision is he's in pants and a white tank with his name chain. The in between outfits outfit).

He asks what David is doing there, David explains that Asher sent him to pick up Milo, Milo's like "What time is it— Jesus fucking Christ." The issue at hand is Milo can't find an article of clothing that he swears he put in his bag. He's been trying to get by with alternative options but none of them look the way he wants them to, which is making him quietly lose his shit. David stifles a laugh, to which Milo lasers in on. "And what do you think you're laughing at?" "You haven't changed since we were kids, that's all." Milo scoffs but admittedly, the sentiment puts a smile on his face. Almost immediately after that moment, he finally finds what he was looking for (tucked under something, irrelevant right now). He starts to get ready, pulling his shirt on, buttoning it up but let's say a button or two is fighting him for whatever reason. Without a second thought, David walks up, buttoning it for Milo. Milo's having an internal moment as a result, staring at David's hands then his face. David finishes and looks up to catch Milo staring. He clears his throat, saying something about waiting in the hall when Milo catches his wrist.

"Can I take you out on a date?" "What?" "I don't know what or where yet, but I just— I know this is probably stupid and I'm shooting myself in the foot here, but Asher's gonna kick my ass if I don't do something so— Can I take you out on a date, David?" David's taken aback. "Wait... so you were serious. That time you were sick. All that stuff you said about being a good mate for me." "THAT WASN'T A DREAM?" Cue Milo letting go of David's hand and nearly cursing himself out, running a hand through his hair because now he's mortified. "I can't believe I actually said all that shit to you—" "Did you mean it?" "Huh?" For the first time, David's not looking at Milo like a friend or pack Alpha. The look in his eyes screams pure, unfiltered attraction. "Yes or no, Milo." Milo's face is hot, "Course I meant it. I'd treat you great if you gave me the chance to show you." David steps closer, gripping Milo's face gently and tilting it up towards his. "Show me." Milo grins before pulling David down to him, the kiss they shared far better than the ones he remembered from spin the bottle games they'd played as teens. This kiss felt deeper and closer than that could ever compare. The moment they break away, gasping for air, Milo's busy unbuttoning his shirt. David asks what he's doing, to which Milo replies "I'm about to savor as much time with you as I can before I have to see Asher's smug face. Unless you'd like to explain how your hair became a mess between the time you left to find me and when you get back?" David laughs before pulling Milo to him again.

So yeah, that concludes this fic adjacent ramble (/lh)! I love rarepairs and rambling, so if people enjoy this, I may format some other rambles as they arise. I think I've got some Sam/David tucked away somewhere, so let me know. If you actually read all of this, wow, okay, thank you (/lh /pos)

[cricketnationrise]

Weekend WIP Around

so. i'm bad at responding to tag games at the best of times. and then i worked 11 days straight and lost all sense of time and space. but! ive had several days off now, my head is screwed on relatively straight again, so here we go. thanks to: @cha-melodius @three-drink-amy @inexplicablymine @affectionatelyrs @dumbpeachjuice @welcometololaland @celaestis1 @indomitable-love @14carrotghoul @rmd-writes @doggernaut @sherryvalli @kiwiana-writes @leaves-of-laurelin and @read-and-write- for the MANY tags over the last two weeks! have some words! 💜🦗

I'm using @welcometololaland's 20 question game for writers and artists (thanks Lola, this is so fun!)

1. WIP List: (from my "Active WIPs" folder otherwise we'd be here 5eva) Game Changer (Noise Boys) Tortall AU [FTH] rwrb assassination attempt AU [FTH] jon/alanna Tortall canon-divergence [FTH] an incomplete list series going platinum sequel jack's off-season wishlist series rwrb kiss-cam omgcp say yes to the dress au

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest? Game Changer AU ~2.4k

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest? eventually an incomplete list series since it has the most parts planned, but the going platinum sequel has more than a little potential to explode on me

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why? I am SUPER enjoying writing the Game Changer AU right now, it's really fun coming up with all the prompts!

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why? jon/alanna canon-divergence. hands down. it's not a pairing i usually seek out, and i want to write them believably, especially since it's for charity

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why? see above.

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why? probably everything on this list will get a beta pass, actually. kiss cam will depend on how long i end up making it/if it actually gets a whole plot XD

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer's block? jon/alanna has less of a writer's block and more of a starting block, but i'm hopeful that once i figure out the plot the writing will come fairly easily. kiss-cam au I paused on purpose because i was writing The Mummy AU and Going Platinum at the same time and a third wip was driving me crazy.

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them? none of them have OC's at this time

10. Which WIP is the sexiest? Going Platinum sequel 🤝 Jack's Off-Season Wishlist

11. Which WIP is the angstiest? rwrb assassination attempt AU, for obvious reasons

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)? well, i hope all of them!

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)? ditto from above

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on? as of today, Game Changer Tortall AU

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why? Going Platinum sequel. I cut a lot of ideas from the original fic because they didn't make sense with the hiding identities I had going on, so now that they're together, I'm really excited to figure out how alex's job (and henry's support of it) lets their relationship evolve and grow

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs? not about any of these, but while I was writing the Mummy AU I watched the movie so frequently that I would regularly dream about that one.

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don't? Going Platinum sequel - choreography complications since they still aren't showing their faces on the streams Game Changer Tortall AU - working within the framework of the show itself, possibly coding the whole thing to look like a script

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour? Game Changer AU for sure.

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process? not right now!

20. Tell us one thing we don't know about one or more of your WIPs. say yes to the dress au - Bitty as Randy, but it's a Nurseydex endgame fic AND a bonus snippet from the Game Changer Tortall fic to make up for all the 6/7 sentences/wip weds i've missed :D

“Tonight’s guests: coming in fresh from a shower: it’s Merric Hollyrose! Looking around for somewhere to tie his horse: Owen Jesslaw! Tallest, oldest, last – and certainly not happy about it – it’s Neal Queenscove! And your host, me! I’ve been here the whole time.” “Welcome to Gamechanger, the only game show where the game changes every show. I am your host, Kel Mindelan, and I’m joined today by these three lovely contestants. Now, you all understand how the game works?” Merric shakes his head. “Nope.”  “Haven’t the foggiest,” says Owen cheerful as always in the face of the unknown. “You haven’t explained a dratted thing.” Neal pouts and Kel feels the last wisps of nerves melt away in response. Kel knows how to do this – getting Neal to hit peak dramatically grumpy levels is as natural as breathing. She throws Neal a cheeky grin before turning back to the camera. “That’s right! Our players have no idea what game it is that they’re about to play. The only way to learn is by playing, the only way to win is by learning, and the only way to begin is by beginning, so without further ado – let’s begin.”

Consider this an open tag to play along!