#maybe it’s time to reassess being a fan

[edinaanin]

Shit Stirrer: A great cause with a dash of irony

Jumping into my first blog post with Nicola!

Looking fresh, well rested, gorgeous and Christmas ready from - I'm assuming - her family's Galway living room, Nicola posted a photo of herself today wearing 1 of 8 specially designed "Saltburn Insults" t-shirts. These limited edition t-shirts were created by Carey Mulligan and Emerald Fennell (director) to both celebrate one year since the release of the movie Saltburn on Netflix and, more importantly, to help raise funds for War Child UK's "Emergency Christmas Appeal" fundraising efforts. War Child UK's single goal is to ensure a safe future for every child affected by war. This is a cause we know Nicola stands firmly behind! If you're interested in supporting this important cause, follow this link for the t-shirt Nicola is wearing... or scroll to the bottom of the Everpress page to see the other 7 "Saltburn Insults" t-shirts on offer: https://everpress.com/warchild-x-shitstirrer#more-info

So what, you ask, did I mean about that dash of irony?

Look at the angelic look on her face. Nicola, a shit stirrer? Shady Whistledown herself?! Maybe, perhaps sometimes 😉

Over the last week the Lukola fans in my chat groups as well as those sharing thoughts in my live streams, or those sending me DMs, have been expressing the same thing: exhaustion! They (heck... me too. We!) are tired and feeling a whole lot of frustration. Some quotes:

"I feel like we're all here trying to defend Nicola and Luke, trying to fight off all the negative propaganda being put out by the Jakolas and trolls, and all the while Nicola is the one feeding much of the {front facing} narrative. I'm tired and discouraged." "I believe they're together - 100% I do - but I'm tired of not knowing for sure and it's annoying to spend so much time worrying about a couple that may only come clean years from now, or if they get papped." "I'm sick to death of breadcrumbs. I want the whole loaf now!"

Yet we also laughed at the ironic humour in Nicola as a "Shit Stirrer"; the primary distributor (and organizer of other distributors, with Shonda's & JVN's help sometimes) of breadcrumbs, morsels and golden nuggets! The breadcrumbs are so much fun to find, and they can also be confusing and frustrating! Shit stirrer indeed. Xx

Nicola also has ruffled some feathers because of her political and social beliefs (support of the LGBTQ community [Gay Icon!] and abortion rights in Northern Ireland), humanitarian work. From my perspective, GOOD work! To others who perhaps have a vested interest in the status quo? Shit stirrer indeed. Xx

Yes, we Lukola fans know that Nicola and Luke don't owe us anything and that privacy is their right. We also know that Tomdaya took years before they acknowledged their relationship publicly. We should be prepared for the long haul, yes? Yes. 🥴 Le sigh.

As we enter into a new year I know the question for me will be how much of my time, energy and heart will I place into all things Lukola? Over the next week or so I'll think about the wonderful connections I've made in our Lukola community (and the angst I've experienced because of divisions)... I'll think about how fun breadcrumb speculation is, how I relish the hunt for golden nuggets (those solid truths that are ballast for our ship)... and of course the enthusiasm (and agony) that I feel for the ongoing watch for launch.

Today I'm feeling tired and at times, discouraged. My plan is to relax, reassess and come to 2025 with a fresh mindset. No obsession... just patience and fun will be the aim... and keeping up with this blog too.

Will you be on the ship with me in 2025? Or will Nicola and Luke launch before the New Year and save us all from the misery?! Ha!!

Cheers to Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Seasonal Celebrations... and to my fellow Commonwealth Countries, Yay for Boxer - I mean Boxing - Day (Dec 26th)!!

P.S. Best doggos in the whole wide world! Convince me otherwise ;-)

[lunar-years]

There’s a brand of [largely new] swifties who genuinely aren’t satisfied with anything and it’s so fucking annoying.

They hated midnights. They hate Jack and blame him for any songs they don’t like even the ones he wasn’t fucking involved in. They begged for 1989 TV to come out only to say the vault tracks sucked when it did, and also proclaim she obviously wrote them for midnights which explains why they “sucked.” They were already chanting for rep tv at her show two weeks later. They think the TTPD song titles are corny and don’t fit the ~aesthetic~ they’ve made up in their heads for what the album is going to be. They’re still begging for the rep tv announcement during a new album release cycle, but I guarantee when she does release it all we’ll hear about is how the cover art sucks compared to the original and the production is all wrong and Jack should be drawn and quartered for what he did to [Insert Rep TV song that sounds exactly same as the OG]. And then two weeks later they’ll be clowning for debut TV, because they care more about Easter eggs than they do the music.

It’s getting exhausting.

[wildrangers]

"Slut!" // William Nylander

Word Count: 2.8K

Summary: Famous singer reader x our boy Willy

{For my 1989 Vaults Track Challenge}

Warnings/tropes: fluff, resolved angst (very minor), mentions of anxiety, strong allusions to sex but no serious smut (like PG-13-ish), cursing

You were used to attention but even you had a limit. You’d hit it a few months ago after the tabloids latched onto you being seen with a mystery man, aka Marc from your agent’s office. When your team published that to dispel the rumors, the media reframed it as you sleeping with him for favoritism within your agency. While they hadn’t actually been yelling “Slut!” at you, they may as well have been and you’d needed to get away from New York.

You’d escaped to Toronto because you enjoyed the city whenever your tour had passed through and decided it was busy enough to get lost in without attracting the press. You were hunkered down working on your next album, doing your best to lose yourself in the rhythm of the city and get back to what you loved most—your music.

Got lovestruck, went straight to my head

Got lovesick, all over my bed

Love to think you’ll never forget

Handprints in wet cement

You’d been walking your dog, Edith, when the air changed around you—you couldn’t quite explain it, but you could feel a group of people getting excited about something and it set you on edge—had you been spotted? You froze, eyes darting around as your breath fogged in front of you.

You spotted a group of maybe a half dozen girls giggling as they walked away from a tall, blonde man with two dogs. As you let out a deep sigh of relief, Edith spotted the other dogs and yanked the leash out of your grip, charging for them and their owner.

“Edith!” you called, heart in your throat, as you jogged after her. Luckily, you were in a quieter part of the city but you were still panicked until you saw the guy grab her leash.

“I am so, so sorry, thank you so much” you called out once you were in speaking distance of him.

“It’s no problem” he replied, smiling easily at you. “I was relieved when a dog was running over—when I heard someone yelling ‘Edith!’ I worried a grandma was really in trouble.”

You chuckled and shrugged, “I mean, she’s just an Edith, you know?” Normally, at this point, you’d disengage to avoid being recognized but his face was so open and you hadn’t realized until now how lonely you’d been holed up writing. “Who are these gentlemen?”

William introduced himself, as well as Banksy and Pablo. You discovered your buildings were near each other so when he offered to join you on your return there, you took him up on it despite your reservations.

“So, what do you do for work?” William asked after a natural lull in conversation and your pulse picked up.

“Oh, I work in the music industry, what about you?”

You felt him reassessing you and his cheeks suddenly flared pink, “I’m sorry, I thought you looked familiar but it didn’t click until just now.”

“Please, don’t be sorry” you laughed, your own embarrassment rising to meet his. “It was nice talking with someone as a human being.”

“Yeah, I get that” he sighed.

“Oh?” you asked, wracking your brain for how he could possibly relate to such a strange feeling.

“I play for the Maple Leafs” he explained and you nodded, pretending to know what that meant. He must have caught on because he let out a rich laugh that made you smile from the sound alone. “The NHL team here, this is kind of a hockey town.”

“Well, that explains the girls back there…” you mused, reflecting back on the frenetic energy that comes with a person meeting someone they only know through a TV.

“They were sweet” he shrugged and you glanced over, noticing his legitimate nonchalance.

“It doesn’t bother you?”

“Not really, it comes with the territory and 95% of the time people are nice.”

“Well, that’s good” you mumbled, mostly to yourself. While your fans were lovely, your mind flashed to all the times you’d been met with judgement and jealousy from girls who were into your famous exes. It was a bizarre, shame-inducing experience despite you doing nothing wrong.

“Hey look!” Will said excitedly, pulling you from your thoughts. “Come here, quick.”

You followed him in confusion towards a small section of sidewalk that had been replaced and was surrounded by caution tape. “What exactly are we doing?”

“Come on, we gotta do our hand prints, no?” he grinned and his genuine excitement made you smile too.

“Fine, but quickly” you agreed and he whooped before taking his left hand out of his glove, you doing the same with your right hand. You two quickly stuck your hands in, the wet concrete cold to the touch.

“My plan worked” he smiled and you tilted your head in confusion. “Now you have to come over, make sure we can wash that concrete off your hands. Can’t play guitar with chunks of that stuck to you.”

Lovelorn and nobody knows

Love thorns all over this rose

I’ll pay the price you won’t

You must have dozed off watching the Leafs game because you were woken by Will softly greeting the dogs. You stretched, letting the throw blanket fall around your waist as you yawned.

“I’m sorry, babe, did I wake you?” he asked quietly, placing a kiss to your forehead.

You hummed in response, wrapping your hand around the back of his neck to pull his lips to yours. His kiss was gentle and attentive—he always seemed to anticipate just what would make your heart flutter in your chest. He pulled away a moment later, his blue eyes shining with joy that warmed you from within.

It had only been a few months since you’d met and, if you were being honest, you were a little terrified by how quickly you were falling for him. Contrary to what the tabloids said, you normally guarded your heart quite closely. But with Will, it was beginning to feel like all you needed was him.

“Where’d you go?” he asked and you realized he’d sat down beside you, concern all over his face.

“I’m sorry, just got lost in my thoughts.”

“What were they saying?”

You hesitated, trying to decide how to phrase it, “It just worries me how much you mean to me already.”

“Oh, älskling” he replied, pulling you to him. Your arms wrapped around his middle and you buried your face in his neck, breathing in his scent. “What concerns you about that?”

“I’m scared of people finding out” you admitted softly.  

“Because of the media being assholes?” You nodded, pulling him tighter. “Y/N, people say shit about me all the time. It’s just what happens when you’re in the public eye.”

You sighed, pulling away slightly to look at him. He didn’t get it—how different it was being a famous woman versus a man. “What would the story be about you if it came out that we’re dating?” you questioned and he grinned.

“Just that I’m lucky to have somehow landed a woman that is way out of my league” he replied and you rolled your eyes, butterflies filling your stomach at the compliment.

“What do you think it would be about me?”

He took in your serious expression and paused to think before shrugging, “Tell me.”

“Y/N, dating William Nylander!” you proclaimed dramatically. “Another new man for the songstress! Will she ever settle down? How many famous men will she use for attention? What will her ex think? When can we expect the break up album?”

You’d tried being light-hearted but your voice cracked on the last word as tears pricked your eyes. “Hey, hey” he said quietly, embracing you again and running a soothing hand through your hair. “They can say whatever they want. Only we know what this is—how real it is. They can’t take that from us. But, if we keep hiding, think of all the things that fear is taking from us. You coming to a game, me being able to go to a show of yours someday. Me being able to take you out to celebrate a win or on a nice date.”

Tears flowed freely at his words, “I didn’t mean to hide us, I’m just scared.”

“I know” he replied, wiping away your tears. “And I’ve loved getting to know you and developing this relationship, just us two. But that’s not how relationships work—I want you to meet the team and me to meet your friends, see your home in New York.  I mean, if you’d want that” he said, faltering at the end.

You grabbed his face in your hands, placing a gentle kiss to his nose. “Of course, that’s what I want” you reassured him, getting lost in his deep blue eyes. And as he leaned in to kiss you again, you accepted that you’d likely get backlash in a way he wouldn’t. But you wouldn’t let that stop you from being with him fully.

But if I’m all dressed up

They might as well be looking at us

And if they call me a slut

You know it might be worth it for once

You were nervous as you left Scotiabank Arena with Steph and a few other girls. You’d felt safe up in the suite, watching the game with the other partners and families but away from prying eyes. Now, on the street surrounded by fans, you felt your anxiety rising. You could feel people watching your group, noting the WAG jackets—you couldn’t tell if they’d realized who you were or were just intrigued because of your relationship with a player.

As you saw Will’s car pull up to the curb, you confirmed with Steph which bar you’d all meet up at to celebrate the win before sliding into his passenger seat.

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Will asked, eyes scanning your face.

“Yeah, I’m sure” you nodded, despite the nerves filling your stomach. His strong hand gripped yours as he pulled out, heading a few blocks away to the bar. You’d gone to a few closed team events to meet everyone—parties at people’s apartments, joining the girls for at-home brunch, etc. All to help you feel comfortable enough for this milestone.

“You look beautiful, Leafs blue suits you” Willy complimented as he pulled into a spot and you squeezed his hand in thanks. He quickly came around to your side, opening your door and helping you out as he always did, ever the gentleman—it was one of the things you loved about him. You paused for a second at that thought before deciding you had enough to worry about tonight without bringing the L word into it.

You were escorted to a private room where you enjoyed a few hours of joyful company, dancing and drinking, celebrating the guys and their hard work. You’d almost convinced yourself you’d overthought this outing—everything was going great, why had you been so worried? But by the time you were leaving, cheeks flushed from the warmth of the bar and the alcohol flowing through you, your fears were confirmed as cameras began flashing.

Will wrapped a protective arm around you as your name was shouted from all around, Steph tucking herself closer to your other side, bracketing you in their safety.

Send the code, he’s waiting there

The sticks and stones they throw froze mid-air

Everyone wants him

That was my crime

It was the following afternoon and you were spiraling. All those moments you thought were private were plastered across the internet. You and Steph cheering after a goal, you picking up John’s daughter so she could see the ice better, you shielding your eyes when Will had taken a hard check. Let alone all the photos they’d gotten outside the arena and of you walking into and out of the bar.

Even worse, a fan had gotten past your building’s security, knocking on your door shortly after lunch. Luckily, she’d been sweet but it still rattled you. Your building’s manager had apologized profusely, quickly changing all the codes into the building and retraining the staff on privacy procedures.

Will was at practice and wouldn’t be over until later that afternoon, leaving you to your own devices. You’d successfully fought off Googling your own name for hours before finally caving.

Y/N spotted with William Nylander—but is she still with Marc?

Y/N has gone through all of Hollywood’s men—she’s moved onto Toronto now!

When can we expect the Nylander album?

That last one had been the worst—as if your music was owed solely to the men you decided to be with, not something you worked tirelessly on. Your phone vibrated beside you and your shoulders sagged in relief as Will’s name popped up.

“Hey babe, are you almost here?”

“I’m outside, can you send me the new code? It’s a zoo out here.”

“Fuck, I’m sorry, I totally spaced, it’s 161152. I’ll call George to let him know you can come up.”

A few moments later, you were pulling Will into your apartment and locking the door behind him. You began to explain everything that had happened today but instead simply burst into tears.

“I’m so sorry, älskling—I believed you but I didn’t realize how crazy it would be. But we’re going to figure this out, okay?” And you let yourself believe him as he rubbed soothing circles on your back, his presence filling you with a sense of safety. “And I’m going to be taking your laptop away from you” he added, spotting what you’d been searching.

You chuckled through your tears, pulling away to grab a tissue from nearby, “I knew I shouldn’t but couldn’t stop myself” you admitted and he nodded. “I’m sorry about all of this.”

“Hey, no” he countered, gently gripping your face between his hands. “We knew this could happen.”

“I know but why would you want to put up with all of this?” you asked, emotion clogging your throat again.

“Because I’ll take anything and everything that comes with being with you” he answered, eyes serious as they held yours. You didn’t know what to say to that so you just wrapped your arms around his middle again. “Want to take a nap? I could use one after the last twelve hours.”

Half asleep

Taking your time

You’re not saying you’re in love with me

But you’re going to

A few hours later you were woken by kisses placed all over your face and gentle hands caressing your waist. “There she is” Willy mumbled into your ear and you giggled, turning your face so you could capture his lips with your own. His exploring hands made quick work of both your clothes and soon he was a comforting weight on top of you.

You’d obviously had sex with Will countless times by this point but this felt different somehow. You both normally favored faster, rougher sex but Will was moving so purposefully and slowly, seemingly drawing out the time you two were joined together, impossibly close.

Later, as you came down from your high and felt his rhythm falter, you opened your eyes to meet his and the look there stole your breath away. Such affection and care were in his deep blue eyes before he dropped his head to your chest, burying his face in your neck as he caught his breath.

“That was incredible, Y/N” he said softly and you pulled his face up to yours, pouring all your unsaid feelings into the kiss.

Half awake

Taking your chance

It’s a big mistake

I said it might blow up in your pretty face

A few nights later, you were curled up in Will’s bed, wrapped in his embrace. The dogs were fast asleep around you but you were clinging to wakefulness, enjoying the warmth of Will behind you after a long day in the studio.  

“Y/N?” Will said softly and you hummed in response, turning in his arms to face him.

You smiled up at him sleepily but felt yourself wake up a bit more at the intensity in his eyes. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just…” he began, swallowing thickly. You frowned slightly at his nerves, reaching up to brush a piece of hair out of his eyes. “I just love you, that’s all.”

You fought back a smile, “Oh is that all?”

“Shut up” he giggled, hiding his face in your neck, pulling you even closer to him somehow.

You ran a hand through his hair, placing a kiss to the top of his head. “I love you too, William.”

“Yeah?” he questioned, pulling back just enough to gaze up at you.

You nodded before smirking, “You may come to regret it but yeah, I love you.”

He placed a gentle kiss to your collarbone before settling into your chest again, “I could never regret this, my love.”

A/N: My first Willy story! Thanks to those who sent support for this little series I'm working on to hopefully get out of this writing slump. I wrote this in a few hours so please let me know any feedback you have ☺️ 'Say Don't Go' with Lindgren next!

[writtenjewels]

Maternity Ward part 2

Part One

Salim had been working the maternity ward for almost two years now, and quickly learned it was best to allow couples to settle when they were admitted. Adjustment times varied, but an hour seemed like it gave them long enough to relax and familiarize themselves with the room. He smiled thinking of his newest patients, the Kolcheks. The father in particular acted frazzled, barely able to speak. Salim looked forward to helping them.

He entered their room and found that the two of them already made themselves comfortable. The blinds were pulled up to allow sunlight into the room. A radio was set on the bedside table. The couple were each armed with a soda, and they were chatting while playing cards.

“Hey, doc!” Penny greeted him. “Want Jason to deal you in?” At the sound of his name, Jason tensed. He turned to look at Salim then quickly snapped his eyes back to his cards. Salim reassessed the man: maybe he was just shy.

“Maybe later,” Salim said. “I wanted to see how you were doing. May I?” He gestured to Penny meaningfully. She shrugged and set her cards aside. Salim pulled on some gloves before approaching her. Jason shot to his feet and scooted out of the way. “Not a fan of hospitals?” Salim asked him sympathetically.

“No. I mean, I just figured to give you room.”

“Thank you, that was considerate.” Salim gave him a smile. Jason's ears turned pink and he looked away. The shyness was sweet; Salim would have to think of a way to put the man at ease. For now, he focused on his patient. “Could you walk me through your latest contraction, Penny?”

She was more than happy to do so. She described how it felt, leaving a significant pause that Jason filled in with the duration. Salim shot him an encouraging look.

“It sounds like things are progressing well,” he remarked. “You have more hours ahead of you, so be sure to keep hydrated and fed. The food provided at the hospital cafeteria is decent, though you're allowed to order out. I'll be checking in with you frequently, but of course you are welcome to call me if you have any questions or problems.”

“How many more?” Penny wondered. She cradled the underside of her belly.

“It's hard to say; it can be anywhere from twelve to twenty-four hours for a first birth.”

“Holy shit,” Jason gaped.

“That's why it's encouraged for you to stay active, and rest when you can,” Salim explained. “Now, I usually like to discuss this before the labor becomes too intense: do you want to have a natural birth?”

“Fuck no!” Penny burst out. “Do what you gotta to make this easier.”

“All right,” Salim agreed, chuckling. His gaze shifted over to Jason again. The man was rocking back and forth on his heels. “You look like you could use some air,” Salim noted. “How about you and I walk down the hall for a bit?”

“Uh.” Jason's ears turned red again. “Okay.”

“I'm looking at your cards while you're gone,” Penny warned. Jason rolled his eyes at her and chuckled. Salim smiled and the two men exited the room.

“She's very spirited,” Salim said.

“Yeah. She's always been like that.” Jason fell into step beside Salim. “So how long you been a baby doctor?”

“I've worked at the maternity ward for about two years. It never stops being a miracle.” He reached out to pat Jason on the shoulder. “Don't worry, my friend. Your family is in good hands.”

“Uh. Yeah.” The blush had spread to Jason's face.

“Would you like to hear a joke?” Salim offered. When Jason didn't answer, Salim told it anyway: “Do you know why ducks can't be doctors? They're all quacks.”

“Wow.” Jason let out a snort, his lips cracking into a smile. “That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.”

“You still laughed at it,” Salim pointed out. Jason's smile grew a little more.

“I didn't say I didn't like it.”

Salim was more than happy to tell him more jokes. He liked seeing Jason laugh. By the time they got back to Penny's room, that initial shyness from Jason was gone. Jason caught his eye and smiled before taking position next to Penny.

Salim almost didn't want to leave.

[arceespinkgun]

Thoughts on Rung/Skids

I realized that I've never actually explained anything about why I ship Rung/Skids, and that it's not a ship I see discussed often... and it must be kind of weird to see I ship it given that I'm not even a MTMTE/LL fan. In the same vein as that one post I made where I said I personally felt like an interesting and natural couple would probably have been Tailgate/Swerve in MTMTE/LL, I want to talk about this relationship.

I've mentioned before that when it comes to many different things about the series, when I read it as it was coming out I misinterpreted a lot of elements. Somehow, I thought that Rung/Skids was a canon romance, or at the very least that Rung having romantic feelings for Skids was canon! There's an issue of MTMTE where Ratchet tells Skids he should spend more time with Rung and Skids brings Rung a drink after this, and I thought this was like a date...? When it became clear that Skids had interest in Nautica, I wasn't sure what to make of that at the time. I thought maybe he just liked both of them in different ways.

But I also found the relationship between Rung and Skids in general to be unsettling and thought Rung might even be a predator given that Skids is a character who clearly needed mental help and Rung was the ship's therapist. Since the issues in which Rung ends up quitting his job were also the only time we saw Skids in therapy with him and depicted Froid taunting Rung about his connection with Skids and targeting him, I thought all of these themes were intentional. Especially since Skids's guilt and suicidality began increasing after that point. And despite how repulsive I found the connection between Skids and Rung at the time the series was coming out, as it went on and those characters went through some of the worst things possible, I also thought that nobody deserves to go through what they did.

Before Rung committed suicide in Lost Light, I thought the fact that he tells famously-married Chromedome and Rewind (who had also struggled with suicidality) to forgive themselves, then steps into his office sad and alone, was implying that Rung blamed himself for things including not being present for Skids's suicide... especially given that right before Rung kills himself, he thinks back to the time Skids first saved him.

Time passed, I eventually realized through seeing things James Roberts said and that fans said that I was wrong, these characters weren't intended to be romantically involved. I saw that JRo said in an interview that he didn't think Rung saw people in a romantic way.

When I ship characters it's in all kinds of ways. While personally I do ship these two romantically what's really important to me is just highlighting the significance of their bond.

Years later, now that I've reread MTMTE/LL again, I see things a bit differently and actually ended up shipping the characters. Now, I feel like JRo just didn't comprehend therapists or their jobs very well and wasn't prepared to write about these subjects effectively. For example, ethically-minded Ultra Magnus (a character Rung specifically wanted to see in sessions) saw nothing odd about going drinking with Rung, Skids, Whirl who was another patient of Rung's etc. at the very beginning. Rung jokes about his nemesis being people who don't know the difference between psychiatry and psychotherapy... but that's an error JRo makes himself later on. I see Froid as a very flat, not particularly insightful commentary on therapists, if he even is that. I could go on and on. This combined with ableist themes in MTMTE/LL made me reassess Rung and appreciate him more as just a character with a fun personality, given that the story just isn't well-written or thought-out enough for me to critically engage with his questionable behavior.

I think what I ended up liking about the dynamic between these characters this time around were two things: how natural their relationship feels, and the themes it engages with. When it comes to the former, we see Skids and Rung meet very early on, and the development of their friendship is paced very naturally. Rung is the one who explains to Skids what the Lost Light's mission is, Skids saves Rung, visits Rung in the medbay, rouses him from a coma, they go on vacation together... I could go on and on. One issue I have with MTMTE/LL is that sometimes plot threads or relationships go without followup or development for ages, or it feels like the story is focusing on the wrong things and is paced poorly. But when it comes to these characters, everything is paced well when it comes to the two of them becoming closer over time. I never felt like there were huge gaps in seeing them interact or anything like that, and when Skids dies, Rung's grief isn't glossed over (unlike the grief of other characters, but this isn't supposed to be a post about bad writing so lol). Their dynamic was also believable and fun and I could easily picture their conversations, but didn't have to take a lot of time to imagine them because they are shown talking to each other.

Then on the thematic side... there is a lot going on that could be very moving. Both of these characters suffered amnesia. Both suffered immense guilt. They both commit suicide. They're part of the same friend group. One of the only things Rung remembered from being in a coma was Skids smiling at him. Skids basically Sleeping Beauty'd Rung... by annoying him awake lol Rung is often treated like an unmemorable person, but Skids has a special super-memorization ability and also always remembers Rung and helps him. He even defended him to Getaway once. Skids used to be religious but lost his faith because of the terrible things Primus appeared to allow... and Rung actually is Primus, cares for Skids, but also doesn't necessarily have the ability to help others the way he so desperately wants to. But Skids died before Rung remembered who he was, so when Skids was alive, he cared for Rung as he is and never learned this about him, which is bittersweet. Even more tragic in a way, Rung's most desperate wish was to be remembered but ended up being forgotten... but Skids died before he could ever forget him. I think it's telling that before killing himself, Rung didn't flash back to his first meeting with Skids, he instead flashed back to the first time he was remembered by him. And the image of Skids pulling him up into a vent is very much a "together in death" sort of moment. Oh, also, in the alternate, Functionist Universe, Rung only produced photonic crystals after two million years of torture. But in the main timeline, he starts producing them after mourning Skids's death!!!

There's also this panel, which was drawn this way because as a relic of a plotline in which Skids was pining for Nautica, but I didn't know that until recently. I thought it was meant to indicate that Skids already knew he was going to commit suicide at the first opportunity.

I think something that stands out about them to me and encapsulates their relationship is the moment where Skids travels into the consciousness of Adaptus. Skids has no context to know what is actually happening, so from his perspective this could have been an amazing new world/reality and a fascinating or potentially transcendent experience (that's certainly how other characters react when studying it later). But then Skids runs back out without hesitation as soon as Rung calls out for his help.

TL;DR I don't really have a conclusion, I guess I just find them to be a really obvious ship, think a lot of their interactions were compelling in canon, and I think more should have been done to address a lot of the interesting themes their relationship brought up. I don't think I'm the right person to really engage with a lot of this, but felt I ought to share my thoughts with the fandom anyway. Most of all, I think Nautica and Rung talking about their shared grief would have been very interesting, and is something I'm surprised hasn't been done in fandom more often. I'm also kind of surprised that other what-if scenarios like what Skids would have made of Rung being Primus I also don't see explored much.

[you-can-be-what-you-want-to-be]

People aren't mad because John/Arthur aren't canon, people are mad because the creator made fun of the fans that ship them in the Christmas special

I see… the post has been deleted

I’m just very used to being in bad fandoms where something as small as “I don’t ship them personally” is taken as a homophobic statement, and people have been saying forever if it’s not canon it’ll be queer bait, so I assumed which I maybe shouldn’t have done but with it coinciding with the “John is a child episode” it just made sense

now, I do have to say though, that while I don’t know a whole lot because I’m not on the Patreon, I was for awhile. Again take this with a HEAPING load of salt for that reason since I clearly don’t know the specific situation. Everything I’m going to say I will try to say from an objective viewpoint since I don’t know the situation and will only focus on the facts I do know.

But how is this new? For the karaoke creep special they keep calling it weird to call each other romantic terms. And when Arthur died by not sacrificing the little guy last season Harlan was ROUGH. He said anyone who voted to not sacrifice were children smashing dolls together, that they forgot the story they were in and hopefully this punishment would remind them that actions have consequences. He basically said this is your fault for being stupid. He ended up having to post a semi apology saying it’s eldritch horror story, it’s supposed to be about harshness and not knowing the consequences before hand, and that he teases his audience and that if they don’t like that this isn’t the right show for them. His phobia play through he did a bit as Arthur and John where he was like “and we are NOT doing anything in the shower no matter what the fan fictions say” “let them dream John”

I also would like to mention that word of god should be ignored in these stories and that Harlan does NOT have a PR team. Again I don’t know the situation. I don’t know if he was ad libing live, in which case he should be given more Lee way as self editing in the moment is hard, I don’t know how if he said the most vile stuff alive, or if he said something a little mean but harmless like the “no we are not doing this” “let them dream” or what. Maybe it is bad and he deserves to be roasted, idk.But making jokes about a non canon thing can be a normal thing, especially if it’s a thing people keep bugging you about.

I do know that fandom as a whole has a problem attacking people over though, being someone who frequently got called homophobic for headcanoning single characters as aro, this one specifically has already harassed him about this ship which I’m sure gets annoying, and that he has explicitly said he will poke fun on the Patreon, and that he has said Jarthur won’t happen, and that he is one guy without the means to sort through hate mail removed from situations and doesn’t have a PR team to tell him “hey this off the cuff joke is a bad idea”

all that being said, again I do not know what he said specifically. I think either way a lot of people need to reassess if this is the fandom for them. I’ve seen a lot of people only get into the show for shipping and then get mad when there’s eldritch horror and the attitudes of eldritch horror in the eldritch horror podcast. If he said something that bad then maybe consider getting out since he writes about delicate subjects and it will only get worse. If what he said wasn’t that bad and people are getting mad about being lightly teased but it wasn’t confrontational or homophobic, they might want to leave because that’s just what Harlan does, tease people, and it’s not new and will continue, especially about non canon stuff in his own work. And if you got into and are only staying for the shipping…. Yeah. If that’s the only thing you want maybe it’s time to move on.

and if you decide to stay, know that. Know and be warned ahead of time that you will be teased so it isn’t a surprise next time

edit: so I did get the full context quote and it’s literally just “we want to hang out together alone for Christmas” “platonically, as in canon” “oh of course of course.” This. This isn’t bullying. It’s a little tongue in cheek sure but the whole thing is just saying it isn’t canon. I’ve heard complaints on comments on this post about other stuff he’s done, which I don’t know much about but is also applicable. I did my best to say “either way, this is stuff related.” As someone who writes and has written things before where every single chapter people kept pushing for something I wasn’t going to write I get it. I’m not saying anything he might have done is right but I think it’s understandable at the very least, for a writer to be upset about his stuff being constantly misinterpreted and having fans try to push it where he doesn’t want it.

him reminding people it won’t happen is fine, especially when people keep accusing him of queer baiting. I still think what I said earlier stands even hearing other opinions, because although I can’t say either way, it seems like everyone who is upset says this is a repeated behavior, and if you stay you can’t be surprised by it every time. If it’s going to bug you you have to either be prepared for it to keep happening or leave.

That isn’t to say no one can be upset about anything else but this specific thing I don’t think is worthy of that. All he did was jokingly repeat canon in character (which is much better than like. Someone who keeps hinting at something and never giving it) in a teasing manner. He didn’t say anything negative about shippers, or anything homophobic, just said “hey remember kids, we aren’t into each other like that.” Which is. Fine. It’s annoying but it isn’t malicious.

If the issue is mods or his interactions with people say that. Don’t make it about him light heartedly going “don’t accuse me of queerbaiting.” it makes it so when actual issues like what people are talking about in the comments (if they’re legit, again I try to stay only in the actual content part and abstain from knowing about creators) come up no one takes them seriously because so many molehills were mountained.

If you’re pissed about how he talks to his fans say that, don’t make it about a lack of queer rep when he said day one there wouldn’t be any. Make it about the issue itself. You don’t mention that someone’s a domestic abuser for example after you say “and they have NO CHEESE in their house thats MONSTROUS who does that.” If you want to be taken seriously about a problem you focus on the thing that matters which is. Hurting people.

I guess at the end of the day I’m no one’s boss, but I am tired of not knowing what to believe or not when someone saying something like “no comment” on if characters they wrote are together is homophobia, or a character who’s been Described as a dick acting like one and then the creator gets accused of being shitty (random examples not to do with this specific fandom). If everything is a big deal that makes someone the worst when the subject is not actually hurting anyone… it’s exhausting. Idk anything about Harlan. At the end of the day I’m here for my little horror stories. But I will say definitively that I don’t think it’s bullying to say a ship is not canon and that to act like it is makes it impossible for people who actually care about morals and what someone is doing to keep the energy to stay that way without becoming part of a mob just taking people at their word.

If it upset you I’m sorry, it’s always disappointing when our take on media is dismissed, especially by the creator. And it’s fine to be disappointed. I get that. But don’t blow it out of proportion, and don’t make it about something it isn’t. If you’re upset about the quote say that it’s disappointing without saying it’s punching down. The author is dead and it’s one of the biggest podcast ships out there. If you’re upset about anything else make a post about that issue without tying it to this fun bonus non canon episode. You are allowed to be upset just and if it is about shipping: stop making someone disagreeing with you about a ship a big controversy. You can ship whatever you want regardless of canon and no one is trying to stop jarthur shippers, and if it isn’t about that stop making things about shipping if that’s not what it’s actually about.

[natureboy96]

Tamlin’s biggest mistake

I’d like to start by mentioning that I am very much a person who likes Tamlin as a character, starting after ACOFAS. Up until then I was entirely accepting of how the narrative was going and was satisfied with Tam’s place at the end of ACOWAR. What happened in that short book forced me to reassess the entire series up until that point, which is obsessively binged in a week.

Nowadays I have come to the opinion that Tamlin is a deeply flawed and traumatized character who has made many mistakes, and that he has been overly villainized by a large group of fans of the books (I still can't get over someone blaming Tam for not teaching her to read, despite literally offering multiple times), and that the twist into villain/antagonist was narratively ham-fisted, problematic for turning trauma responses into something to be blamed for rather than understood and helped, and in general could've been done much better. That said, I find that in critically thinking over the majority of Tamlin's mistakes, I can at least understand them, even while acknowledging the harmful effects of those actions. Some of his reasoning feels much more forgivable than others, to me, but still, understandable. I'd thank @nicolemabes though for making me realize the one mistake I genuinely cannot forgive, and understand in the barest of comprehension; Letting Ianthe back into his inner circle after Hybern. After realizing he'd been manipulated and lied to by Ianthe, and hearing what the king said of her motivations(if I remember correctly it was him that mentioned it, though pretty sure someone did), should have been the last and only straw to send her to the curb, and it can be criticized in multiple ways.

First, if we were considering his love for Feyre, seeing and knowing just how much it hurt her to have her sisters taken and knowing Ianthe was responsible, that should be something unforgivable for her to have done. I can find something commendable for Tam trying to see a bigger picture over just Feyre's feelings, to try and put the stability of the court over his love's feelings, but it also feels contradictory to making that deal with Hybern in the first place. It does support my theory that Tamlin was planning to be a double agent from the first place, but that's another point entirely.

Second, and what I think is even more problematic, even considering Tamlin's motivation to present a united front for his court against Hybern and whomever, he still knew she was incredibly duplicitous and had already manipulated him! We've only seen him react to betrayal from Feyre and Lucien (more misunderstanding than betrayal, but still) and he clearly is deeply hurt when people he trusts and love mess with his trust in them, but I'd still have expected more than a stern talking to to Ianthe over breakfast. If Tamlin had been able to see Feyre as the people saw her, as Feyre Cursebreaker, and not the girl he'd fallen for before UtM, who had wanted nothing but shelter and quiet and being kept safe, Feyre could've been the thing to unite his court! Feyre seemed devoted to destroying him for what happened to her sisters the moment they got back, and Tamlin made actual, genuine efforts to improve how he treated her with more freedom and apologizing for how he had abused her before, BUT if he had made even more of an effort to see what she was and not who he thought of her as, had sent Ianthe away and genuinely opened up about his plans with Hybern, maybe there could have been just a chance for Feyre to understand and keep Spring from collapsing due to their combined actions.

It's pure speculation that Feyre might have reneged on her plans to destroy the Spring Court from the inside if Tamlin had included her; it's possible even that wouldn't have been enough. But not holding sending Ianthe away for her clear and blatant manipulation of his trust, or even seeming to hold her to any consequences, leads me to consider this to be the biggest mistake that Tamlin made. Now I would say Tam has suffered enough for it, and I don't really blame him for the things he said later at the HL meeting (as flawed as his decision making was, he still felt betrayed and manipulated by the woman he risked his court for, which is all technically true) but still, biggest fuck up out of a number of very minor to major mistakes, and the least understandable to me. God, it makes me just wish these guys could have just communicated a bit better, or used their mind reading powers, or just been written better. As in, by making his reasoning for why he keeps Ianthe around so barebones just makes the actual narrative worse to me, one of a number of places where it does. It turns a character into a caricature, making the other character's (i.e. Feyre) actions feel far more shallow because of it. It encourages people not to think too hard about motivations or consequences, and that really does cheapen things by making Feyre's revenge plot just about her hurt, without considering how it would affect the people there and the rest of Prythian. (also let me know if you have some other insight on this one, I think I've thought through most every aspect but I could easily have missed something too.)

[shannendoherty-fans]

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/17/opinion/shannen-doherty-gen-x.html

The New York Times — Opinion

We Owe Shannen Doherty an Apology

July 17, 2024. By Jennifer Weiner

Shannen Doherty was difficult.

If you were alive and sentient in the 1990s — whether you, like me, were a devoted fan of “Beverly Hills, 90210” and E! or you were just the most casual reader of People magazine — you knew this to be true. The sky is blue. The earth is round. Shannen Doherty, the star of multiple hit movies and television shows, is difficult. She was, per the tabloids, a volatile, unmanageable diva, and that reputation was only reinforced by the pouty, prima donna roles in which she was so often and so brilliantly cast.

Ms. Doherty died on Saturday, at the age of 53, of the cancer that was diagnosed in 2015. Since the news broke, the tenor of the conversation around her has changed. Instead of being an eye-roll-inducing wild child, Ms. Doherty is now being praised for the sensitivity and candor with which she discussed her cancer diagnosis and her time in the spotlight. And those ’90s tabloid stories? They’re hitting differently. The glee with which they were once consumed no longer feels appropriate. Ms. Doherty made her fair share of mistakes, but Gen X’s quintessential bad girl no longer looks all that bad.

If this reassessment feels familiar, it’s because in death, Ms. Doherty has joined the growing ranks of female celebrities whose scandals and legacies are being reconsidered by a newly sensitive culture.

In 2002, when Britney Spears’s high-profile relationship with Justin Timberlake ended, she was a train wreck, a bad joke, a problem. Eventually, her career and her money were placed under her father’s control. In 2008, Katherine Heigl went from queen of the rom-com to Hollywood purgatory for the sins of taking herself out of Emmy contention and having the temerity to say that “Knocked Up” was “a little sexist.” In 2009, Megan Fox got slammed — and fired — for calling out Michael Bay, her director on “Transformers,” for a desire “to create this insane, infamous madman reputation.” (OK, maybe she did also compare him to Hitler, which never ends well.)

Today, so many of the former tabloid mainstays do not look like punchlines or cautionary tales, but like regular young women enjoying the pleasures of fame. Some even look like role models. Ms. Spears emerged as a hero, not a villain, and it’s her ex who’s the target of comedians’ jabs. Post #MeToo, Ms. Heigl and Ms. Fox look like truth-tellers, not ingrates. Ms. Doherty, sadly, did not live long enough to enjoy her restored reputation.

A former child actress, Ms. Doherty was only 19 when she landed a starring role in “Beverly Hills, 90210.” She played Brenda Walsh, half of a set of fish-out-of-water Midwestern twins navigating the halls of West Beverly High. She left the show after four seasons, reportedly after feuding with co-stars, including Jennie Garth and the boss’s daughter, Tori Spelling. When Aaron Spelling hired her again, giving her a three-season run on “Charmed,” tensions with a co-star reportedly led to her being fired a second time. She was separated from the other actors as though she were an irrational toddler rather than a skilled, valued employee.

Those high-profile roles, along with her talent and her beauty, made her a star. But the conversation about her often made it seem as if her real job was to be fodder for the tabloids and a target for late-night comedians.

To be sure, Ms. Doherty gave them plenty to work with. There were the feuds and bar fights, a pair of quickie marriages and a D.U.I. arrest. Producers complained that she showed up late to the set, hogged the spotlight, bailed on the Emmys. A former fiancé filed an order of protection.

Ms. Doherty was eviscerated for this behavior in a way that indecorous male actors were not, at least at that time. A People magazine cover labeled her a “hard-partying, check-bouncing bad girl.” A zine called Ben Is Dead published an “I Hate Brenda” newsletter, complete with the “Shannen Snitch Line,” where informants could call in reports of unaired bad behavior.

In a 1992 cover story, People asked “TV’s brashest 21-year-old” why she, “alone among ‘90210’ co-stars and teen idols,” got stuck with the “difficult” label. Is she “one of those women who rhyme with rich? Is she, as the tabloids have gleefully reported, impossible on the set? Is she a prima donna? Also: After hours, does she party too much?”

Years later, Ms. Doherty copped to some of her misdeeds. “I have a rep,” she told Parade in 2010. “Did I earn it? Yeah, I did. But, after awhile you sort of try to shed that rep because you’re kind of a different person.”

So what drove the scandal? Blame it on youth. “90210” begat a whole generation of shows with ensemble casts of teenagers. Ms. Doherty was not the only one who needed time to grow into her outsize prominence. “We were locked in this sound stage for 14 to 16 hours every day,” Ms. Garth, who was also just a teenager, said years later. “There were times when we loved each other and there were times when we wanted to claw each other’s eyes out.”

Blame it on a desire to typecast female celebrities as heroes and villains, sweethearts and shrews, and the time-honored tradition of setting women against each other.

Or blame it, if you like, on plain old sexism. Ms. Doherty said the first time she was called a bitch was when she called out a male cast member on the set of “Heathers” for taking advantage of an extra. “I’m a strong woman,” Ms. Doherty told People. “There are still some people out there who can’t deal with that.”

Today, maybe more people are equipped to deal, more likely to look askance at misbehaving men instead of the women who call them out. Instead of the coy, “is she a rhymes-with-rich?” of early ’90s People, a Rolling Stone tribute is headlined “Nobody Could Break Shannen Doherty, and Everybody Tried.” “Shannen Doherty was irresistible, underrated and permanently shackled to misogynistic speculation,” wrote Adam White in The Independent. The headline on an opinion piece in Vogue read, simply, “Team Brenda Forever.”

The reassessment is more than just a desire (sincere or otherwise) not to speak ill of the dead. It’s a result of a few tough decades that have taught us what real bad behavior in Hollywood looks like: not impolite ingénues but Harvey Weinstein. Or Bill Cosby. Or Danny Masterson.

Maybe Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton and Tara Reid were not hot messes, but just girls being girls, the same way we’ve always allowed boys to be boys. And at least their misdeeds were largely victimless, unlike the missteps of so many male counterparts or superiors.

Maybe showing up late to the set, while not ideal, is not completely unexpected from a teenager adjusting to sudden, unimaginable wealth and fame. Maybe the bitches and the bad girls were giving voice to inconvenient truths about men with power and the sexist scripts they greenlighted, the abusive film sets they ran and the bad behavior they indulged in or ignored. Maybe the difficult women like Ms. Doherty are the ones we should have been listening to all along.

[randomhead52]

Hey Critical Role "Your Statement Isn't Good Enough" Fans.

Let's have a chat.

First of all, glad you're part of the fandom. But you're behavior is absolutely not okay. Let me explain.

Yes, it's a part of your life. It may have even saved you at some point, literally and/or figuratively. But there's something you need to understand.

Critical Role is a BUSINESS and it's run by HUMAN BEINGS who are under obligations (business contracts, NDAs, sponsorships) you don't have optics or understanding on. CR made their best statement of support under restrictions and conditions that support the ongoing business that is Critical Role. It's the business that brings you what you love every Thursday night.

"They can just break their contracts and sponsorship! Our fandom can support them!" No, honey. That's not how life works. You don't cut your nose off to spite your face.

If Critical Role's best isn't good enough, then maybe it's time for you to reassess your fandom priorities and perhaps move on. It's totally okay to feel that CR isn't doing the best to your standards. Just understand your standards aren't the mark for everyone.

Love you but yeah, it needs to be said.

[5and3nevermind]

That is why the comment confused me. What has happened to make Jimin question whether he can experience romantic love?

I'm really wondering this too cause this statement completely caught me off guard and then it just lead to more questions like if yoonmin really are together and this is how jimin feels how would that even fit into it did something bad happen? or was he with someone else at some point and being with that person caused him to question himself? Again so many questions? Maybe we aren't meant to take that statement so literally? But it just seems too personal not to since it came from jimin himself? I don't know maybe you or one of your followers can make better sense of it cause I'm drawing a complete blank.

Hi anon! I think it’s confusing for us because we have so much to consider: the lyrics, the album itself (the concept photos, graphics, packaging, photo book, etc), the music videos, Jimin’s words, Pdogg’s words, what we’ve observed over the years, etc.

If the discussion of love in the album is an analogy for Jimin finding his artistic inspiration, then the comment could be referring to that. Maybe Jimin is wondering if he’ll ever reach his full potential as an artist, if he’ll ever find his muse?

Sometimes when I am feeling confused about new information, I try to go back to what I know. I still look at yoonmin and see such a special bond. My feelings about particular moments hasn’t changed. I still see what I saw before. So…the interview is new information but it isn’t the only information.

In terms of something bad happening between yoonmin: I don’t think it did. Whatever they were in 2023 and prior (whether it was romantic or platonic), I still think they are today. It was after Yoongi started his service that he saw Jimin and brought him hotteok for his birthday. It was after that when Jimin talked about Yoongi at his fan meeting. He said that this is a difficult time for Yoongi. He made it clear they talk often. He mentioned the two of them getting drinks together. After that, we see Jimin and Yoongi standing close in the photo from the day Jin was discharged. I really don’t see anything to suggest a rift between them.

To me, as a yoonminer, Muse and everything we’ve learned doesn’t make me see yoonmin differently. It does make me wonder about their plans for the future in terms of openness. It makes me reassess how they define their relationship. But it doesn’t make me see the actual moments any differently, and it doesn’t make me question their deep bond.

I hope that all makes sense. This is an evolving situation. We could learn something tomorrow that changes everything, good or bad. Often when I write about yoonmin moments, I’m looking back at them and have the benefit of hindsight. For now, we don’t have that yet.

[phil-lesterfan]

straightman count your fucking days

ngl i understand why g*iman might want to say heaven/god isn't homophobic in the sense that like "oh people love the g*mens 'verse and want to imagine a world without homophobia"; however, i think it's safe to say that, definitely by now, heaven are also bad guys. perhaps god isn't homophobic and fans could maybe take comfort in that, but heaven can be without that reflecting on god and ruining that illusion.

that being said, defensively shutting down an interpretation (coming from the "interpret everything however you want" guy) that makes the story even more meaningful than it already is, especially when focussing on the show's version of the story, which has definitively moved into "love story" territory, is such loser behaviour. you're allowed to tell fans things they don't want to hear, and fans should be allowed to recognise themselves and the things they've been through without being called delusional or wrong or whatever for it.

covering your ass with the sandalphon comment is hilarious too, because yeah, everyone totally thinks about everything but homophobia when they think of sodom and gomorrah. be serious for me for just one second, please!

no one even called him homophobic for the scene's inclusion (because duh, what you write about doesn't 1:1 reflect your values), but tbh, with the way he reacted, well . . . it's not a very good look, i think. saying "hey, this scene reflected homophobia experienced by gay people [in this instance, specifically gay men]" isn't at all the same as saying "you endorse homophobia" — imagine how impossible it'd be to write a story without any ~problematic~ elements — and if you interpreted g*yziraphale's statement as accusatory, you need to take a step back and do some serious reassessment.

(and the tags about "it doesn't even have to be 'boyfriend'! it could've been 'lady friend' or 'bosom friend'"? what? first of all, if only it were that easy to avoid homophobia! sadly [sarcasm], gay people exist. secondly, WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST SAY ONE OF THOSE THINGS THEN? if angels don't have an understanding of gender or sexuality, why didn't they use one of the neutral terms you suggested? and again, if a and c being just friends was enough to spark heaven's anger and if heaven really has no concept of sexuality — let's remember, s1 had their relationship hella ambiguous still, so if some viewers of the show couldn't pick up on anything between the two, you think 'i don't get sex' heaven would? — they should've just said "friend"!)

i hate that i've written an essay because i hate that i'm putting so much time and (emotional) energy into this, but i'm just so sick of gay people being called delusional or "looking too deep" for pointing out where stories parallel their own. also, nice little "actually *you're* the homophobic one for even noticing it!!1!"[1] there. really deserving of a glaad award, sir. (or is that yet another statement i'm not allowed to interpret?)

1 look, i get he could be acting like he's just got the gender version of colour blindness, but he's a grown up. he should know damn well how that line comes across.

[catchyhuh]

What would their reaction be after seeing some particular fan art / fics about themselves, if you know what I mean ;)

see i told you we were inevitably gonna reach stuff like this!!! you can never fully divorce lupin the third as a franchise from Sex !! 

not really nsfw but… pretty suggestive talk below the cut

lupin:

oh he loves it. he pulls out a bingo sheet to check off if certain things come up multiple times, keeps a tally of when people give him abs and when they don’t, all that shit. probably bought like four body pillows of himself just for the hell of it, and has given each of them dumbass names like “lupin the 3rd and a half” and “lupin the 3rd the 2nd.” just make your portrayal at least semi-flattering, and he’s all onboard for it

honestly the way people treat him IN franchise, especially in more recent parts, i wouldn’t be shocked if it existed even within the story, and i feel like his reaction would be the same as it is ANY time the public speculates and gives him attention: a strange, almost giddy delight, followed by joining in himself. he’s a weird little man. for god’s sake he’d probably pose if asked and everything. i cannot stress enough that he is the opposite of uncomfortable with this

i gotta say, if we’re being completely transparent with ourselves, if anybody outta these guys would ACTUALLY use stuff like this t-- no, no, maybe that’s a little excessive to say. funny, but excessive. you get the idea there

jigen:

confuses him more than anything. why would anyone wanna see. he kinda gestures vaguely at himself. all this? like, he gets WHY porn exists he’s not in any kind of denial about the appeal of all that. i mean he is not immune either lmao but. but honestly. him? people want to see him? it must be some sort of bit. not that jigen has any self esteem issues like that, he very much is fine with the person he is and how he presents himself, but… THE IDEA OF TOTAL STRANGERS BEING SEXUALLY ATTRACTED TO HIM IS STILL INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO HIM

very critical. like writing columns of analysis critical. this is supposed to be him, and he imagines he knows himself better than anybody. so out comes the red sharpie, ready to make corrections. sit down, he’s gonna be here with you a while: he’s got more hair than that. he’s got less hair than that. he only leaves his hat on if it’s funny, not all the time, c’mon man. he’s not that loud. he’s not-- okay, well, he WOULD bottom in certain occasions, but not every damn time! you think just because he has a track record with huge guys means he can’t top? reassess your preconceived biases about sex and relationships, i mean honestly jesus christ people!

overall has more of this weird. not distaste but contempt? i guess? for art as opposed to writing. if it’s writing, the sins are less obviously apparent. usually. don't prove him wrong

fujiko:

relatively passive about the concept, but interested in the finer details. she’s had many different looks, y’know, and it’s interesting to see which specific hairstyles and colors really stuck with people enough for them to go out of their way to include them while drawing something like that. she kind of subconsciously doesn’t even see whatever is being depicted as herself, so she kinda sees it the same as… any other kind of sexual content? it’s just a novelty that the woman presented before her is SUPPOSED to be her, and it’s weirdly fascinating.

fujiko is very blase about sexual matters in general, so really, i don’t think the idea phases her much. she knows she’s hot shit. she’s planned multi-million dollar heists that hinge SOLELY on the fact she is hot shit. of course people would desperately crave the closest thing they could get to getting a piece of her i mean damn! who wouldn’t! however she would disagree on a factual basis in some instances, as after all, some fic writers don’t seem to understand that reproductive organs don’t work like that at all, but that’s her main beef with it. you want to impress fujiko mine, you have to a. do a little googling or b. get some bitches and take notes. not offended by inaccuracy to her, but inaccuracy to the process and (ironically enough given who we’re looking at here) anatomy

goemon:

buh? huh?? wait. what?? huh? him?? guh? his?? his p

the initial reaction (as for everything even slightly romantic or sexual with him) is baffled, stunned silence. again, he’s not alarmed by the idea of people creating/reading/viewing art like that, but. really? he has to assume people… enjoy seeing him that way, and that adds another layer of embarrassment, but also a weird sense of un-acted-upon duty: this person could be moderately attracted to him, and he’s never even properly spoken to them. he believes the word is “parasocial” (fujiko told him about it recently) and he doesn’t want people putting him on an unrealistic pedestal! or putting. specific parts of him on an unrealistic pedestal either for that matter!!

again, (you may be noticing a trend here) he will only Allow it if it feels realistic enough in his mind. he’s not all “NO! NOT PREMARITAL HANDHOLDING!! ANYTHING BUT THAT” but he DOES feel there should be a level of actual companionship present for it to “work.” if it’s him and some random who tried to kill him for a week two decades ago, he’s will make his lack of appreciation known. silently. because god he is not ever, EVER going to be discussing this with ANYONE, no matter HOW MANY TIMES THE OTHER THREE KEEP BRINGING IT UP

zenigata:

cuts you off before you can even fully explain it. nope. hm-mm. aht aht aht. not becoming aware of this. because if he starts becoming aware of it, toooo many things are gonna start popping up in his head, so NO, HE’S NOT AWARE OF THIS (except for the fact he very much is)

the only one to not have this weird mental notetaking relationship with it, because inaccurate or not, just the fact it’s here in front of him is enough to shut his brain down. the often ignored sensible part of him looks down at the computer and goes “what?? no, that’s not-- using actual police handcuffs would just be a bad idea all around. that’s why they make different ones specifically for this purpose so nobody gets hurt. and besides that, i just wouldn’t do that” but. the zenigata part of zenigata is red in the face all the way down to his neck, only focusing on the fact that that’s… not a bad idea, which he immediately backtracks on in horror at himself, and thus, the self imposed principle: I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THIS.

[rainbowdaisy13]

Hey Rainbow, not saying this in a hater way, but do you ever think that Taylor might not be what she seems and maybe is actually off her rocker and with that horrid dude? It’s so, so, so loud and to what end? Her fans wanted her with a guy and she is shoving him down their throats to the extent that he’s being presented as more special than ANY OTHER DUDE she’s been with. He is so undeserving that I can’t help but wonder if she’s changed and he is a massive rebound of some kind. She’s acting like a lovesick puppy.

Sorry, I’m like 99.999999% it’s not real, but this is all so ridiculous that I’m questioning her judgment. TTPD made me feel seen but now I feel kind of toyed with. I hate that I now can’t wait for this tour to be over so I can get a break from the deluge of gross Americana on my dash. Like Taylor…take a break, babe. Take a break and reassess the plan for your legacy.

I feel mean. Why do we only get winks and they get a douchebag carrying her bridal style on stage? Who the hell am I really stanning here?

This became more of a rant than I meant. A huge stunt from Karlie followed by a huge stunt from Taylor is pretty demoralizing.

Your feelings of demoralization are valid

It is hard to watch this all play out in real time. Learning about it after the fact will keep people entertained and amazed for years I truly believe because there’s so much evidence to unpack

The fact that whoever famous that works with her publicly posts about “being honored to be part of her story/journey” leads me to believe there is an eventual reveal in the works, but who knows on the timing

[ncisfranchise-source]

Tonight's new episode of NCIS will include an appearance from Knight's father, Special Agent in Charge Feng Zhao, played by Russell Wong, and Katrina Law and Brian Dietzen exclusively spoke with PopCulture.com about what to expect. Dietzen shared that while the episode basically starts with "what seems like a pretty standard NCIS fare of investigating a crime," they soon "realize that this investigation is also going to include Jessica Knight's father."

In Season 21, Episode 5, "The Plan," the team works to unravel the mystery of a recently used service weapon belonging to a missing agent with the help of Knight's father. But the investigation is not all that Knight needs to worry about, as Law admits that they also find out that she "may have forgotten to tell her father about her relationship with Jimmy Palmer."

Even so, with the relationship still a secret from Knight's father, that might cause some problems. Law did say that Knight "has a great relationship with her father. She talks to him, if not on a daily basis, maybe every other day." She continued, "So the fact that she hasn't told him about Jimmy is a pretty big deal, and that all comes down to the plan. And the plan is something that Knight and her father came up together about the trajectory of Jessica's career. So when Knight's father unexpectedly shows up in D.C., he takes that opportunity to check in with her about the plan of how it's going, if she's still going to go forward with it, and who is this guy that you're not telling me about but I can obviously tell the two of you have a relationship? And things just get really awkward."

"So it's a little bit of a moment for Knight to reassess and kind of figure out where she stands with her father, and the plan, and with Jimmy, so you'll have to tune in to see where that all leads," she shared. It seems like things might be a bit tense between the three of time, and Knight will be at a "bit of a crossroads," Dietzen added.

"The father-daughter interaction, I think, is pretty great, and I'm excited for people to see it," Law shared. With Knight and her father being so close and now working together, it will surely be interesting to see what happens when he finds out about her and Jimmy. Not to mention the fact that Knight seems pretty content with her career as an NCIS Special Agent right now.

"Knight thinks the world of her father," Law explained. "He is her hero. She looks up to him. She cherishes and values his advice. He has been the rock in her life throughout all of her hardships, and she definitely wants to make him happy. But I think, at this point, she's getting to the point as every child does, of is it more important to make myself happy or to make my father happy? So now she's at a crossroads where she has to make that decision of, do I stand up to my father in a very respectful, grown-up adult way, or do I continue down this path of being in his shadow a little bit? So you get to see that tonight, too."

Fans will just have to tune in to NCIS tonight, Mar. 25, at 9 p.m. ET on CBS to see how it all comes together. The episode will be streaming tomorrow, Mar. 26, on Paramount+, along with the rest of the series.

[journey-to-the-attic]

Dragon IK AU:

Im glad that you like the idea, it has been brewing in my head for a good while now. About Bailu, you dont need to know about her, what i meant is Bailu’s design is what i imagine Ik would look like with visible dragon traits. Just search up Bailu in google and see her design, it would somewhat fit Ik.

Now i originally imagine her to be a small bby dragon when she goes full dragon but i like the idea of Ik being able to be a BIG and little dragon because it would hilarious. Like the small human you’re trying to kill is suddenly a huge ass dragon, easily beat you up, then after beating you up, become a small little baby dragon. (Also do you know that small dragon zhongli merch plush? Yeah that’s small bby dragon Ik)

Now that you mention her powers that comes with being a chinese dragon, i feel like Levi would be the most helpful on trying to understand it. I dont think i mention this but Ik doesnt know she was half human and half dragon at all. All her life, she thought she was fully human, now she is actually a dragon with all these cool powers. But not everything comes easy the first time. Ik might have some crisis with the revelation she is a dragon (maybe??? I mean being an actual dragon that your home country worship isnt a small revelation). With Levi’s connection to the sea and such and also having Lotan, Levi can help Ik control her powers and Lotan can help with her getting used to her new form since hydra and chinese dragon are somewhat similar. (Also about the wish granting magic idea, maybe it’s best that Ik doesnt have that because Mammon would definitely use it to get more grimm or pay off his debts)

And about the god thing, wouldnt that make Ik a demigod? She’s half human from Zhao and half dragon from her mom, that’s essentially what a demigod is right? But tbh, i just see it like a half adeptus thing with Ganyu and Yanfei. Also the celestial realm… idk how they would feel with a demigod(?) being in devildom but what i do know it wouldnt be a pleasant one

What do you personally think the brothers feel about Ik being a dragon?

- 🐧 Anon

ah, gotcha! i'm always a sucker for this specific kind of dragon horn, so definitely a fan of this design (though not sure how to feel about the fact that bailu apparently isn't a child and just looks like that)

i think levi would definitely be ik's main guide for figuring out her new dragon abilities! they'd go out on a trip to the sea and just spend ages playing around with the water (though ik's control isn't great, so sometimes she'll accidentally start summoning a tsunami and levi has to jump in to get things under control)

i definitely wouldn't use the god aspect of chinese in a literal sense, but the celestial realm hearing of a 'functional demigod' appearing in the devildom would probably be cause for alarm. unlike the angel hybrid au though, they've got no claim to her custody despite the divine heritage, so i guess they'd just have to stew in it until they think of something...

as for the brothers, levi of course is super hyped!! mammon is similarly so ("hell yeah we can go flying together now!!!"), while satan is reassessing his animal tier list because ik's little dragon form might actually be even cuter than a cat. asmo's delighted by both big and little forms, because the former is magnificent and he loves getting to help shine her scales, and of course the latter is adorable

belphie probably tries to get ik to conjure up storms so that they'll cancel school. he basically uses her little dragon form as a hot water bottle, and meanwhile beel likes getting flown about when she's in Big form because he's normally the one doing the carrying, so this is a breath of fresh air!

lucifer's probably the only one who even considers the celestial realm's thoughts on this, but ultimately he's like "who gives a shit what they think" and starts a little diary to keep track of ik's growth (which he's very proud of)

[septembersghost]

Taylor joking tonight about how she never reads any news or articles about herself so didn't know about being honorary mayor like. it makes sense for her mental health, I get it, but girl we know you don't pay attention that was the problem two months ago 😭😭😭 Sometimes maybe you should LISTEN idk!

what frustrates me about this is she does obviously know about certain fan engagement because she makes jokes about that too, but what i imagine is that her team goes through and shows her acceptable/funny posts and tiktoks and filters out anything else. which is fine and understandable given the sheer level of media trauma and detrimental, unwarranted hate she's been through, i'd never want to see anything printed about myself ever again! she doesn't need to be informed of pointless negativity. the problem two months ago was the fact that it wasn't pointless, and the optics were so terrible - like the way everything went down with ice spice? i believe that was not intended to look like she was using a woc as a shield, but it threw gasoline on a four alarm fire. i still think that was all handled atrociously at the time, i still think she was spinning out in an egregious and worrying way. i don't feel comfortable criticizing the karma remix in the same tone now that ice spice has spoken so positively about it and about working with taylor and reaching out to her first and taylor's reciprocal support and kindness, because that feels like talking over her experience, and i'm glad it was such a positive one, but the timing was a mess, the PR was a mess, and certain corners of the internet will unfortunately continue to hold it against her (unfairly calling her racist, slut shaming, etc). it was one time when she did need to step out of her bubble and reassess, and maybe she wasn't in a good mental or emotional place to do that. tbh the karma remix and the extra song will always be nonexistent to me because they're unavoidably tainted by everything (i have not been able to bring myself to listen to either or watch that mv because it'll just stress me out lmao). given recent events and "they're not even in contact anymore," it seems like she did realize it and has distanced herself, and it probably feels like an embarrassing lack of judgment, and it's okay and even healthier that we've all moved on, but some awareness could've avoided so much angst and pain for everyone. it doesn't change my connection to her or her music, but we can still acknowledge that it was not a good time, and we can hope for more informed judgement in the future, and that she's doing well and healing.