#mannn you guys know i love humanity but i do mean it in a physical way too! not just like. idealogically or emotionally or whatever

[just-spacetrash]

i love finding beauty in every single person its the best trait i have

[actualbird]

and for this rec list for @dghdafeedbackfest​, it is time for the TEARS!!!!! here are some fics that made me cry real actual goddamn tears, many times in public. be warned and have tissues ready if you decide to embark on these fics!!!

in this world, we’re just beginning by cakesnake, nosecoffee

“I'm going to solve a mystery.” He tells Todd proudly.

Todd snorts. “Because you're a detective?”

“Correct. And you're going to help me.” Again, telling him, there is no question, Todd is intrinsically linked, he can feel it.

“Says who?”

“Says me.”

“This place is legitimately paradise, there's nothing to be solved, no mysteries here.” He shrugs, and takes another sip of his drink.

“If this place is such a paradise then why aren't you having fun?”

( A San Junipero AU )

CONTENT WARNING: DEATH. it’s a san junipero AU and if you dont know what that means, i implore you to quickly google it before you endeavor on this fic, just like i did. will that make you cry any less now that you know whats going to happen? ABSOLUTELY NOT. i read this fic right before an 8am class and my eyes were RED from BAWLING. the emotions in this fic are intense and really god me in the heart but also made me believe love is real.

I Can't Tell One From the Other (Did I Find You Or You Find Me) by Lavellington

"I can't possibly meet your parents on Sunday, Todd! It's too soon! I haven't done any preparatory research!"

"Yeah," Todd says, "we all know you're Mister Preparatory Research."

*

Todd's still trying to Fix Things with his family, and he's not sure if introducing them to Dirk Gently counts as progress in that department.

part of a series!!!! the whole series is wonderful but this fic is really my favorite of the whole thing. it doesnt look like itll make you cry, but it will, oh it will. i love this fic so much because it’s the kind of hurt that feels like pulling out a splinter. it has to happen to get better. wonderful piece.

and i could give you all the olive trees by orphan_account

Todd opened his eyes to a vision of dancing white and yellow blobs.

‘Daisies,’ he croaked.

‘I told you to run,’ Dirk said.

(Dirk and Todd get captured by Blackwing. It's no picnic.)

CONTENT WARNINGS: BLACKWING, VIOLENCE, AND INJURY. this fic is not for the faint of heart but if youre a fan of seeing characters get hurt but never give up this fic is gonna be amazing for you

The Only Way Out is Through (Or: How to be Almost, Mostly, Okay Again) by electricteatime / @kieren-fucking-walker​

"Terrible as it is, it’s easier to cling to the hope that there were good reasons for what they did. That the people who treated him well were at heart good people, and they hadn’t just been lying to him the whole time, that the small amounts of affection he’d been given were real and tangible. Even when he knows the truth somewhere deep inside it doesn’t mean he wants to acknowledge it.

But, like all things, it’s only a matter of time."

*** The only thing Dirk Gently has ever learned to do with his trauma, is shove it down as deep as it will go, lock it away, and hope that ignoring it means it isn't really there. For a while at least, it works. But when the past comes knocking looking to make amends, and pretending that none of it was as bad as it seemed isn't an option anymore, the delicate balancing act he's been practicing for years finally tips over the edge.

Healing is painful, recovery isn't linear, sometimes you have to tear everything down before you can start to rebuild.

His own demons might be the scariest thing he's ever had to face, but it's not something he has to do alone, and in the end that makes all the difference.

OHHHH MANNN OKAY OKAY SO. this fic is my all time favorite wip right now. i patiently wait for new chapters like a frothing at the mouth chihuahua waiting for a treat. this fic contains some real heavy stuff in terms of dirk’s trauma but more importantly, dirk’s recovery, and it is handled so goddamn well. this fic makes me cry, but it also gives me hope. do you want dirk gently to Get Better? THIS FIC IS FOR YOU!! PLEASE READ IT, I LOVE IT A LOT!!!

All Roads Lead to Nowhere (Except the one that Leads to You) by electricteatime

Todd’s heart stops. Or it feels like it does because… that’s a voice. That’s a human voice. That’s a human voice that he must have been hallucinating. He’s been driving too long, drunk too much coffee, didn’t get enough sleep last night he’s just-

“Bloody hell, it’s dark in here.”

Nope. Todd scrambles to open the car door and flings himself away from the vehicle, stumbling backwards until he lands on his ass, staring at the car with wide eyes and struggling to catch his breath past the sheer terror that’s overcome him all of a sudden.

This isn’t happening. ***

Todd knows the work he does isn't the most morally sound, being a delivery guy for a local gang was never going to to be, but the job is good, the pay is better, and no matter how temporary it was supposed to be when he started he has no intention of stopping now.

Then a strange man with an even stranger name wakes up in the trunk of his car, and everything goes to shit.

this is one of the first few fics i read for this fandom and i am blown away every single time i reread it. todd’s characterization in this fic hits the ball out of the park, and characterization and journey are just done so well it brings tears to my eyes. gorgeously crafted fic!!!

(He Wouldn’t Say) Kidnappings Were a Routine Part of his Career by Bumblie_Bee

Dirk is woken by something colliding with his face. Hard. He opens his eyes, and at first the room around him is hazy and dark, but as his eyes adjust and the blurriness clears a little, he sees he’s in what looks to be a warehouse and realises that the ‘something’ that had collided with his face was, in fact, probably a fist. Which would make it more of a ‘someone’ than a ‘something’, if he’s going to be precise.

CONTENT WARNINGS: VIOLENCE AND INJURY. okay this is straight up whump with comfort but goddamn do i love whump and comfort. what i love so much about this fic is that it doesnt just whump the hell outta dirk, it makes dirk go through the messy process of physical recovery. it’s so so difficult, and that makes me cry. oh but what an honor to cry for this fic!!!

you are the one (you hold me in my place); by unintentionallyangsty

three months after the events of Bergsberg and Wendimoor, Dirk is kidnapped again.

following this, it becomes very clear, very quickly, that Todd hasn't yet taken the time to mentally process the drastic shift that has taken place within his life, leading up to this point.

this is the aftermath.

CONTENT WARNING: BRIEF SELF-HARM. this fic is pretty intense on the emotions and it makes me cry because it is so apparent that the trio care about each other so much!!! wonderful look into how todd is dealing (or not dealing) with everything happening

if you cry reading these fics, dont forget to drink some water to re-hydrate!!! also dont forget to leave a comment to show these fic writers some love!!!! happy (or not so happy...) reading :Dc

[dent-de-leon]

Hi there! I love your blog, your explanations and pretty much everything. I was curious what are your favorite Shieth moments? Maybe with some details? I'd love to compare and contrast with my own. And I also want to share with some friends. I absolutely love reading your thoughts.

oh mannn,, ok uh,,, alright, here we go (it’s top 12 cause I couldn’t cut it down to 10 ok)

12) THIS GLORIOUS SCENE–It’s such a small thing, but we see Shiro and Keith really going through a lot in this first episode. Right from their first scene together, everything is tragic and heart-wrenching. So seeing them just…being themselves and being happy, just relaxing–probably one of the first times either of them really felt at peace since Kerberos–and that’s just really heartwarming to see 

11) KEITH SAVING SHIRO FROM THE DROID–we get this scene super early on and I love it because it immediately sets up this idea that Keith is really Shiro’s knight in shining armor, and that if anything happens to Shiro, you just know who it is that’ll be rushing in to save him. Keith also takes the time to recognize when Shiro is having an attack and immediately moves to defend him. It means so much to see that a character with mental illness is never portrayed as weaker or less capable, but still receives comfort and support from loved ones  

10) SHIRO REACTING TO KEITH SIGNING ON FOR A “SUICIDE MISSION”–Again, whenever Shiro or Keith are gravely in danger, we see this pattern where they’ll always be more concerned about each other than anyone else. And the animators and writers both make sure to put those reactions as the main focus. So when Keith volunteers for a “suicide mission” and says “No one’s commanding me. I’m doing it,” you can literally see the pain in Shiro’s eyes. He grits his teeth and says Keith’s name, then has to stop and compose himself before he–very resigned and unwillingly–agrees. 

The fact that Keith mentions no one can command him is interesting, because we see Shiro has already learned this lesson about the Black lion earlier–”No one commands the Black lion!” So he understands how much respecting Keith’s decisions means, and decides to put his trust in Keith’s instincts. Just like how he had to learn to let go and trust the Black lion. And of course, both of them ended up saving the day 

9) WHEN KEITH FINDS KURON–okay so this scene was framed as if it were romantic. First off, this isn’t Team Voltron rescuing Kuron. It’s Kuron being saved by Keith. The scene is this uninterrupted, private moment between just the two of them. If “Shiro” were really like a brother to Keith, and they wanted to stay with that idea of found family, there’s no reason to separate them from the rest of the team. 

The fact that everyone else was removed implies there’s an intimacy here beyond just this idea of found family, which would extend to the rest of the team. So it’s really just Keith and Kuron’s scene, complete with longing looks across the vast expense of the universe as they gradually float into each other’s orbit–which again, to me, that final shot of the episode just reads as distinctly romantic. This scene is very personal–both characters are extremely vulnerable, and it’s really just the two of them in empty space. The scene is quiet, heavy, intimate. There’s this weighty atmosphere to it you just don’t get with bros are casual friends. It’s also interesting that Keith was the first memory of Shiro’s that surfaced, implying that he was Shiro’s most important person 

8) FORMING BLAZING SWORD–listen, I’m sorry, but it doesn’t get much more magical anime true love destiny than you and your boyfriend combining bayards to make the Ultimate Cosmic Superweapon and overthrow an intergalactic dictator together,, that’s just common sense. 

Okay, but really–Shiro lights Keith’s fire, and that’s true in more than one sense. For a long time, Shiro has been Keith’s one and only support, and when he loses Shiro, you see just how much Keith kind of relied on him just to keep going. In an interview, Steven said that “Shiro always took him under his wing. Keith always hoped that he could reach a place where Shiro was and hopefully more. I think Shiro saw that in him and tried to stoke those flames and cultivate that within him.” (source) And honestly, I think this is like the physical manifestation of that–they are on equal ground, Keith does have that fire thanks to Shiro, and they both just fall into perfect sync. Together, they can create Voltron’s greatest strength 

7) THEIR FIRST SCENE TOGETHER–literally Keith goes from mercilessly knocking people out, showing up like a thief in the night–a thief who brought exPLOSIVES–to suddenly melting at the sight of Shiro. From their very first scene we can glean two things: 1) these two mean a lot to each other, and 2) whoever this Shiro guy is, he’s clearly Keith’s weakness. You really see how vulnerable and tender hearted he is, and the way he breathes out Shiro’s name, his very first line, before reaching out to gently hold his head so can turn it closer for a better look after all this time?? This is how you setup someone meeting their love interest, complete with a fairytale rescue of the “princess.” 

6) bOTH INSTANCES OF “IT’S GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK” “IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK”–I don’t really need to explain this except just to say that there is no other ship that has a particular phrase they exchange upon reuniting with each other, and if that isn’t the sappiest and most romantic thing, I don’t know what is. It’s also really sweet in that you know they remembered (similarly to when Keith mentions Shiro’s mantra and he’s really touched and says “That really stayed with you, didn’t it?”)

5) tHE SHEITH HUG–see here. All I’m going to say is–this was definitely the follow-up to BOM. A lot of people left the episode thinking okay, but where do we go from here?? How does Shiro really feel about the whole galra thing? And it turns out, they’re even closer. Everyone is kind of keeping their distance from Keith, and Shiro is the only one who says goodbye. Not only that, he holds him close in a gesture that plainly says where he stands not only to Keith, but to any conflicted onlookers who may be watching–hi Allura. 

And speaking of Allura, the way we see her turn and stare back at them is definitely deliberate. It’s an interesting way to frame the scene, because not only does it look more intimate, but it also feels like this stolen moment you shouldn’t be privy to, like it’s just for them and you’re an uninvited guest. So yeah, definitely feels more romantic to me than platonic. 

This is also the only time when Keith is hugged and doesn’t tense up, because rather than someone else just latching onto him, Keith and Shiro both hold hands and walk into the hug together. As equals. Also, going back to Allura real quick, she looks a bit guilty when she’s caught staring and quickly looks away. She can’t reconcile this picture of the galra as evil traitorous monsters with this person who’s so affectionate and caring, who holds Shiro so tenderly. Shiro symbolizes Keith’s humanity, and by seeing this glimpse of Keith’s love for Shiro, Allura remembers that he is a person first and a galra second. 

4) THE WAY THEY CONSTANTLY WORRY ABOUT EACH OTHER IN S2E1 and “YOU’RE GONNA MAKE IT”–aHHHHHH,,, see here, but just real quick: I love the way they’re both hurting but still try to push on for each other, and as Josh has said, Keith here is really Shiro’s hero: “Shiro is in really bad shape and he’s waiting to pretty much get rescued by Keith. I love this clip because you really see the weak side of Shiro, you really see Keith’s determination to find him. And it was just really exciting for me to watch it. Because it really looks dire, and it really looks like he’s not gonna make it in time. And then–a hero comes through and saves the day with the lion.” (source)

Beyond just saving Shiro in the traditional sense, I do also think Keith really convinced him to keep him fighting and that he has to go on. Because he was really ready to give up, but here’s Keith, all passion and fire, and he looks back at Shiro and says, voice aching, “You’re gonna make it.” And Shiro really wants to believe it 

3) KEITH MOURNING SHIRO IN S3E1–it was of course expected, but we as the audience really experience Shiro’s loss through Keith. All this time, he is the one still in denial and searching. He’s the one who really loved Shiro and won’t ever give up on him. He’s the one pleading with the Black lion not to replace Shiro, he’s the one who undergoes the five stages of grief and still continues to carry a torch for this man even when everyone else is telling him it’s time to move on. The passion, the outburst, the adamant denial and insistence that everyone else seemed to have forgotten about Shiro, that not one cared about him like he did–Keith’s grief is intense and possessive in a way that reminds me of someone mourning a lost lover, and it’s just really painful to watch Keith lose the person he loves most for the second time 

2) “AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES”–full analysis here, but just know that it’s this really intimate scene with a lot of interesting direction from the lighting, to the framing, to Kuron’s disheveled appearance, to the way this scene compares alongside Keith’s talk with Lance. Again, this just felt like something more in line with what you’d expect from a love interest. Keith is literally the only one allowed at Kuron’s bedside–because even if this isn’t Shiro, his memories of Keith were enough for him to be the only one Kuron knew he could trust to let him see at his weakest. And Keith’s vow to always save him is nothing short of love

1) THE BOM TRIAL–I feel like I’ve talked about this so much already, so just some quick points: 1) Whenever Keith puts his life on the line, we see just how fierce and defensive Shiro gets 2) like with Keith rescued Shiro, we also see Shiro’s vulnerability really come out when Keith’s hurt. Keith is his weakness 3) “Your friend desperately wants to see you”–the word “desperate” here does not connote a mutual platonic relationship, but rather sounds more like unrequited love to me, which would explain the desperation and intensity of Keith’s feelings 4) “Then you’ve chosen to be alone”–implying that, despite all of Voltron being his found family, literally none of that matters if he loses Shiro, because that will render him all alone. He can’t bear the thought of going on without Shiro, which is why he runs back and chases after him 5) Shiro getting fired up and ready to fight every time someone even suggests Keith may die. That’s simply not an option 6) Shiro rescuing Keith here mirrors Keith’s rescue of Shiro when they first appeared on screen (really go back and watch them, you’ll notice that visually, they’re very similarly animated and framed) 7) Shiro cradling Keith in his arms 8) Shiro being willing to fight off everyone in that base for Keith’s sake, much like Red