#love beyond words

[escespace]

I held on tight and took a breath to try to say something coherent because I was stunned by this SINCERE WORK OF ART.

In what could have been the most epic love story of the current millennium, the refuge that fans find is in fics like this one. Sometimes I think that the writers of the series had a solid plan in the first seasons and then changed everything for the following ones, but if they had been faithful to the first episodes and And the small glimpses of the real meaning of two sides of the same coin that were given to us in fleeting glances and sacrifices not admitted out loud, This fic would have been the ending we deserved.

Some will say it is self-indulgence.But I say that this fic is the purest essence of what they mean to each other when you break down the prejudices and social chains.

And no matter what they say about fanfiction, this writing so delicately woven in emotions deserves to be called what I believe it is, an ode to love lost through revolutions.Love beyond romance.The only thing I can think of to explain it would be the prophecy itself, because if they called these characters two sides of the same coin and destined to build TOGETHER the Albion of the Golden age, It would certainly be because the great Emrys would live thanks to the strength of heart that makes the great Once and Future King who he is,And because the Once and future king will live thanks to the purity of Emrys' magic

I usually look for fics like this, where love is simply so devastating that there is no adjective in any language to express the consequences of losing the loved one.I almost never know how to look for it and when I find something remotely similar it deviates from the personality of the characters. That doesn't happen here... I really saw an Arthur who was more aware of himself and his emotions and that's why he could make the decisions he made. And a Merlin who is allowed to let his magic unfold the way it should (the screenwriters absurdly limited it)

Thanks to the author of this fic for doing it. It has been a wonder to experience the emotions that these words express.

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Merlin (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin) Characters: Merlin (Merlin), Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Gaius (Merlin), Mordred (Merlin) Additional Tags: Magic Revealed, Hurt/Comfort, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), overindulgence of blood, but still it's a, Fix-It, Protective Arthur, Angst with a Happy Ending, Episode: s05e03 The Death Song of Uther Pendragon, Fanart Summary:

“Merlin has magic!”

It was all that Uther needed— that momentary hesitation in Arthur’s physique... that doubt thrusted upon him ever since the day he had blinked into a world without loving guardians... that silent second of shock emanating from both sides, surrendering to circumstance and fate.

It was all that Uther needed to thrust the sword he had into the sorcerer’s chest.

[dorianthedoll]

i am allergic to colouring so i just. didn't.

luckily i don't really have any HCs for ryo that necessitate colouring in 😭😭

[riverofempathy]

Just had a thought that makes me smile but also makes me sad.

Bilbo was Thorin’s Sam.

Frodo and Sam have that deep, soulful, unbreakable bond that can’t be quantified in a few words. It goes beyond brotherhood and friendship and even romance. They’re soulmates. Period. They love each other, they need each other. When they’re sitting side by side during the eruption of Mount Doom, thinking they’re going to die, and remembering home and grieving what they could have had, they rest their heads together in such a gentle, loving, vulnerable way that just… tells us everything we need to know about their relationship. Without saying anything at all. Because how could you? How could you summarize what they mean to each other?

In one of the final scenes of the Hobbit: the Battle of the Five Armies, Bilbo says goodbye to the dwarves, and he talks about Thorin, and what he meant to him. He can’t even get the words out. “He was… He was my…” Your what, Bilbo? Friend? Brother? Partner? Family? He doesn’t even have to find the words. They understand. They know he loved Thorin, we know he loved Thorin, more than words could ever describe. And in a way that transcended even Thorin’s kin. When Thorin was mad with dragon sickness (like Frodo was with the corruption of the One Ring), who was the one person that Thorin trusted? Who was the one person he spoke to gently? Who kept him the most grounded?

Bilbo.

Just like Sam did for Frodo.

[cmcsmen]

Catholic Man Moment - Marriage: Love Beyond Words

The observances of National Marriage Week (February 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, February 11) are an opportunity to focus on building a culture of life and love that begins with supporting and promoting marriage and the family. Our theme for 2024 is “Love Beyond Words.”

One of the most beautiful and sacred moments in a Catholic wedding is when the couple exchanges their vows. These vows are a promise to God and to each other to love, cherish, and support one another through all of life's ups and downs. They signify a bond that will withstand all trials and tribulations, through sickness and in health, until death do they part. These vows are a reminder that love is not just a feeling, but a lifelong commitment to honor and cherish one another. They are a testament to the power of love, beyond words.

The family, founded upon the institution of marriage, is often referred to as the basic cell of society. The Catholic bishops of the United States understand the crucial role that strong and healthy families play in creating a thriving society. Therefore, they have made it a priority to promote holy and healthy marriages. The USCCB provides valuable resources for engaged couples, as well as support for marriages at every stage. Moreover, the bishops encourage families to live out their faith within the domestic church, which is the family unit. Through ongoing initiatives and programs, the USCCB shows its commitment to supporting and promoting marriage and family life, recognizing it as the foundation of society.

[trendingnow3-blog]

The Echo of Tears

Short Story: The Echo of Tears #Emotions #Feelings #EmotionalJourney #Heartfelt #Tears #Joyful #Happiness #Sadness #Love #Anger #Fear #ParentingProblems #FamilyTime #ParentingIsHard #ParentingSkills #ModernParenting #RaisingKids

Once upon a time, in a quaint little town, there lived a young mother named Amelia and her precious toddler, Lily. They had a bond like no other, sharing a unique way of communicating that only they understood – the language of tears. Lily, being just a year old, was unable to speak yet, but her emotions were conveyed through the melody of her tears. Every day, as the sun painted the sky with…

[denisepaul3]

What is True Love

True love is a profound and genuine connection that goes beyond infatuation or temporary feelings. It is an unconditional and selfless affection that encompasses acceptance, understanding, and support. True love involves a deep emotional bond where two individuals truly see and appreciate each other for who they are, flaws and all. It transcends physical attraction and is rooted in a profound sense of respect, trust, and commitment. 

True love is characterized by empathy and compassion, where both partners genuinely care for each other's well-being and happiness. It involves open and honest communication, allowing for vulnerability and emotional intimacy. True love also withstands the test of time, remaining resilient through challenges, and growing stronger with shared experiences. 

Ultimately, true love is a profound connection that brings joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose to both individuals involved. It is a rare and precious bond that nurtures personal growth and creates a deep sense of belonging and contentment. 

How do I know this? I found True Love myself.  Go find your person you won't regret it. 

[jkvjimin]

TAEHYUNG, NAMJOON & JUNGKOOK + memories (2014-2021) (cr. dwellingsouls, 0613data, namuspromised)

happy birthday, sky! @jung-koook 💟

[ghostofthepresent]

Why I think Shiguang can be canonically read as romantic

(I will only be using the donghua for reference, so no Studio Lan retweeting those fanarts (lmao) nor those especially gay manhwa panels (lmao x2) nor even the songs ("chase you to the end of the world, just to say your name once more" my beloved).

It's important to start off by saying that I'm aware Director Li said they ended up not making Lu Guang a girl because they didn't want romance to be seen as a must in Shiguang's relationship by the audience (and because he feels that "bros can have a good heart-to-heart connection with each other"). In my opinion that was a great move since it allows more freedom with how they write them than they'd have otherwise. I also think viewing Shiguang as queerplatonic is a great read too and it doesn't diminish their love for each other nor the importance of their relationship at all.

With that said, despite Director Li's words, there's been things that had me going 🤨 as someone who likes to adhere to canon relationships and read into the writer's intentions, so I wanted to share why I personally see them as romantic.

EPISODE 2

We've all seen this coming, right? Most obvious parallel ever, and in the second episode no less. We all know the similarities between both relationships, so I will just touch on those I consider the most important ones.

Lin Zhen and Yu Xia have gone to college together, and since then decided to start a business of their own - named after a mix of their names. They've been shown as being really close and having no romantic relationships. Lin Zhen also says that Yu Xia's happiness is her own, and then it's shown to us that she's gone through years of unhappiness just for Yu Xia. I believe you can replace their names with Lu Guang's and Cheng Xiaoshi's in your head without me writing all this again. And I'm not even going to get into the most obvious parallels like the special noodle recipe for each pair.

I think it's safe to say that Lin Zhen and Yu Xia are implied to be romantic. From that "one noodle" scene, to the close shot of Lin Zhen grabbing her hand, etc.

Now, I want to get into a writer's point of view and pose two questions:

1. What's the purpose of this episode, when even those which seem episodic connect to the overarching plot of season 1 (even the missing kid's case, as it leads to the involvement with the police)?

2. If we answer the previous question with the conclusion that it's meant to show us the nature/development of Cheng Xiaoshi's and Lu Guang's relationship, what does that say about it?

"Partner" in Link Click

Continuing with episode 2, what really got me thinking about the romantic intentions in their writing was the constant mention of marriage and anything in relation to it.

(may I remind everyone that the driver's comment was said when Cheng Xiaoshi was complaining about Lu Guang lmao)

They're telling us through "show don't tell" (for example, when Lin Zhen kept on eating the noodle despite knowing they'd kiss) and, also, connotations. They are presented to us as business partners, but then the entire episode goes on to tell us that there's more to them by tying their relationship to things percived as romantic. So what they want to really tell us is that beyond simple business partners, they're life-long partners.

And then, after establishing this kind of connotation to the word partner, Cheng Xiaoshi says this to Lu Guang in the next episode:

This doesn't stop at them. While it's the most obvious example, I think partnership in Link Click is intended to be seen as romantic, or at the very least dancing somewhere close to it. Let's go even further and take a look at our fully canon, heterosexual relationships and see briefly how their story is written:

1. Dong Yi and Xu Shanshan: both of them chose the comfort of each other's presence over moving on with their respective futures. Dong Yi had so much faith in their relationship and their love that he couldn't choose a life/future that didn't have Xu Shanshan - choosing to not go back to his family home nor go to that interview, and instead waiting for Xu Shanshan to define their relationship.

2. Liu Siwen and Ouyang: Siwen spent his entire life training with the purpose of getting his father-in-law's respect and marry Ouyang, going every year over and over to fight him. His perseverance and his undying love for her allowed Siwen to do the (seemingly) impossible.

3. Chen Bin and his wife: they're a tragedy. His wife understood Chen Bin the best, enduring feeling lonely because she loved him and wanted a future with him. But their relationship was cut short, so they promised each other to be together in a future life to make up for the time they wouldn't be in this one.

With this + the pictures I attached, it seems like Link Click has set this theme of "love is a life with you" for its romantic relationships, a partner that will fight to stay because they can't see a future that doesn't have their beloved. Going back to episode two, this applies even to the noodle ladies. When Yu Xia remembered what actually matters to her, she went back home - to the start, to her hometown. And, most importantly, to Lin Zhen.

So why is Shiguang romantic? Why aren't they queerplatonic, or just best friends, or bros or whatever else? Because besides what I said at the start of the previous paragraph, Shiguang's relationship mirrors a lot of the romantic ones. Each story and author writes romance and other kinds of relationships differently, portraying them in the way they perceive "this is what this kind of love is like". And beyond life-long partners, I think that the key elements of romantic relationships in Link Click are the ones I highlighted in bold above in the 3 canon relationships part - which Shiguang shares, too.

(I didn't mention this before with the het couples, but I find it a little amusing that season 2 happened because a man wanted to go to the past and get his wife back (still fuck you Qian Jin) and then we find out Lu Guang did go back to the past and got his boyfriend partner back lmao).

"Friend" vs "Partner"

So where is the boundary between platonic and romantic? What marks the difference between a (best) friend and a partner?

There is, for example, Liu Xiao and Li Tianchen's relationship. They aren't shown to have any kind of romantic undertones and there's even the very real possibility of manipulation on Liu Xiao's side. They're also never labeled as nor call each other partners, but instead Li Tianchen says he "met a new friend" and Liu Xiao says he's "going to meet an old friend" years later. So we could say for now that they have a somewhat close relationship (we see Li Tianchen go against Qian Jin to give the phone to Liu Xiao), but never cross that "friend" label.

We can even bring Qiao Ling and the boys' relationship. She's never labeled as a partner despite taking part in the side job and, more importantly, being super close to both of them. She is very important and a cherished friend to Shiguang, so why not call her partner too? I think it's intentional. Since she's been given a familial role already (calling Cheng Xiaoshi her brother when talking to Li Tianxi), she can't fill a partner role. I wonder why? because it's supposed to be a synonym for a romantic relationship. who said that.

So even best friends (Qiao Ling, arguably what Liu Xiao is to Li Tianchen) don't enter this close space that is being a partner. It's different, it's beyond platonic. Or at least that's what they've been showing us for the past two seasons.

I could go soo much more into this honestly, because I do think the little hints thrown here (the music videos) and there (tiny seemingly inconsequential details) are worth to be looked at too, but I wanted to get into the core reason that makes me go "woah so they're In Love fr". I hope I expressed myself well ^^

tldr; the series shows us a divide between having a (best) friend and a partner, giving "partners" romantic connotations.

[akafred32092]

"You showed up to a party wearing a dress made of spoons and said 'Why is it so noisy here?'"

-Brennan Lee Mulligan

[viinas]

i drew this for my mental health

[renaerys]

"And perish."

A Quiet Thunder by @renaerys

Art by @hallous

[certified-pinkwasher]

my daughter suddenly started allowing hugs and various other more intense forms of physical contact like a month ago and honestly i have been in heaven ever since like being able to fully hug her tiny fluffy body to my chest and actually feel her purr instead of squirming and trying to get away is actually the best thing ever

[emil1863]

where's his shirt...

[ozonecologne]

rereading some of my favorite classic fan fics and again just so struck by the fact that mainstream fiction could never give me what you people give me every day for FREE. you're all the exact level of poetic and deranged that i'm endlessly searching for. no one is doing it like fic writers.

[aithusarosekiller]

Funny modern au shit again 🙏

Regulus: Oh, my brother said he can come and get me so I'll be fine to get home on my own. He should be here any second now.

Pandora: Oh it's so sweet that you two are finally reconnecting. We'd love to meet him!

Sirius, pulling up on his motorbike like a textbook androgynous rockstar and climbing off to come and hug him: Hey Reggie! Good to see you.

Regulus: Hello, thanks for coming to get me.

Barty: ......That's your brother?

Regulus: Yes?

Sirius: Hey guys!

Dorcas: JESUS FUCK

Regulus: Um, okay. Can you all stop being weird? It's just my brother.

Evan: Reggie, there is no way you, mr-I-must-order-my-socks-by-brand-and-fabric, are related to THAT.

Sirius, nodding with an arm around Reg's shoulder: I say the same thing to myself every day...

Regulus: >:(

[yuwuta]

Wow I have been nonstop thinking about tennis king yuuta and his little baby boy I’m going to kill you (affectionate) - @yuutito

teeheeeeeeeee….. here’s some more, aleks :’) enjoy :))))))

“Everybody thinks he looks like me, but I don’t see it that way. Maybe it’s because every time I look at him, I see my wife and I’m reminded of her […] I’m a little biased so I see her in everything.” 

You find yourself with tears welling in your eyes the more you read into Yuuta’s latest magazine interview. Between his sweet quotes and the pictures of him with your son, it’s taking everything in you not to burst into full-blown tears. 

Your boys look so handsome. You and Yuuta shared your concerns with publicizing your child at such a young age, but you two came to the conclusion that you’d rather have the control in the narrative than to let private family pictures be leaked uncontrollably. As another point of reassurance, Yuuta’s career provided him with just enough lime-light to be a household name without the crazy fame and criticism that came along being a true celebrity. Besides—Yuuta talked enough about you and your son in press conferences and interviews that it was bound to happen sooner rather than later. 

The article wasn’t entirely about you, or your family—or at least, you’re sure it wasn’t intended to be; you knew your husband had a knack for rambling about his loved ones, even where work was concerned. As you continue to read, you find a segment where the author compared Yuuta’s current statements with something similar he’d said about you twelve years ago—at the very start of his professional career: “If I owe this [winning Gold] to anybody, it’s my girlfriend. She’s always believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. I wouldn’t have qualified or even thought to qualify if it weren’t for her.” 

It feels like you and Yuuta were just two kids in love back then. You didn’t think it could be more than that—you didn’t think you could love Yuuta more than you did all those years ago, but somewhere along the way just being in love wasn’t enough to describe it; Yuuta became your partner, someone you loved fundamentally, but also because you couldn’t stand to see yourself without him. And just when you thought you couldn’t love anyone nearly as much as you love him, you turn the page to a picture of your husband and son peeping through the holes of a racket and your heart feels full. 

When you scan the image more closely, you realize that it isn’t just any racket—it’s an old one, one you’d given to Yuuta as a gift probably back in high-school. You had no idea he’d kept it, but you suppose you shouldn’t be all that surprised; Yuuta is nothing if not sentimental. 

“Ah, there she is~” Yuuta’s voice cuts through your thoughts. When you turn, you see him, with your baby boy on his hip, sliding the back porch door closed. 

Both boys approach you with a smile on your face, and you set the magazine aside to sit up in the lounge chair to greet them. Yuuta presses a kiss to your forehead, then your lips before you do the same to your son. Immediately after, he reaches his arms out for you, and Yuuta chuckles, “You wanna be with your mama? Can’t blame you, I missed her, too.” 

He hands the baby off to you, and takes a seat on the other end of the chair, reaching over to coo at his son as you smother his face in kisses. 

“How was the farmer’s market?” you question, letting the baby settle into your lap. 

“Good, he picked out some very bright peppers, and we got some more strawberries, know you’ve been craving them,” Yuuta smiles, reaching over to pat your son’s head, when the closed magazine catches his eye, and he reaches for it, quickly flipping through, “Ah—I guess that interview’s out. He’s grown so much, even though it was only a few months ago.” 

You find the blush on his cheeks beyond endearing. Yuuta always finds room to be bashful no matter how many times he’s waxed poetic about his love for you, or his family—his cheeks always stain pink like the first day you met him. 

“It’s sweet. You’re sweet,” you smile, sparing a hand to run through Yuuta’s hair, charmed by the way he leans into your touch, “I didn’t know you still had that racket.” 

“Of course, I keep everything you give me,” he says, earnestly. He closes the magazine and scoots a little closer, taking advantage of the proximity and of your touch to lay his head on your shoulder, “Did you… read all of it?” 

“Almost, but no, why?” you question, with a light-hearted grin, “Did you say something that would lead the world to believe you’re somehow even more in love with me? Because you might already be past the threshold, dear.” 

Yuuta hums. He reaches to take you son out of your lap and carefully shifts himself to that he’s laying down, his head on your lap, and the baby in his arms, happily giggling and cooing as Yuuta holds him up. He lowers and raises him back and forth a few times, nuzzling their noses together when their faces are close, before sitting him up on his chest.

Then he tilts his head up to look at you, wide, love-filled eyes blinking slowly before he says, “Maybe… depends on if me saying I want more kids is past the threshold or not.”