#most of them are like ??? circumstantially toxic

[musicalmoritz]

Glazing TBHK again idk

There are absolutely valid critiques to be made about the writing of TBHK but I keep seeing teenagers on TikTok make the most mind-numbing takes about how the manga is problematic because it has toxic relationships. Sure there are some questionable scenes that I hate but of all the things to bitch about, you choose the relationships??? And not even a take about the way they’re written, you think a manga having toxic relationships in any capacity makes it bad???

I specified teenagers because I wanted to cut them a little bit of slack but I’ve seen grown ass adults make similar takes. Do ya’ll not watch adult shows with adult themes??? Where the relationships are much worse than what you find in a ghost romance manga aimed at tweens???

I wouldn’t even say the toxicity is glorified, they just don’t tell you how you’re supposed to feel about it 24/7. Like when Hanako says he wants Nene to live the life he gave her, or when Kou wants Mitsuba to be completely reliant on him, you’re supposed to understand that these are severely traumatized characters who’s baggage is going to weigh down their relationships. They don’t give a disclaimer every chapter that you’re not supposed to agree with them because they expect their audience to be sensible enough to come to their own conclusions on how they should feel about those scenes.

I hate to break it to ya’ll but mentally ill people have relationships irl, whether they’re ready for them or not. These relationships may go poorly or they may turn out to be very beneficial depending on how they’re handled. All types of people, whether they deal with trauma/mental illness or not, have flaws that sometimes follow them throughout life. Not all of these flaws will go away, because no human being is 100% perfect. Sometimes we hurt the people we care about even if we’re generally good people. Fiction that falls under the category of magical realism (aka TBHK) is meant to reflect reality, so we’re often going to see characters deal with flaws that they may or may not overcome.

Not to mention, half of these characters are dead, they’re not going to be capable of having normal healthy relationships. They behave realistically for their circumstances, it doesn’t have to have a moral tied up with a pretty pink bow. Most of the ships are doomed to fail anyways so them being toxic is a relevant part of the natural decline of their development. The toxicity doesn’t automatically make the series bad, in fact I’d argue that element is well-written and necessary for the progression of the story. If HanaNene weren’t a little bit toxic, we wouldn’t have gotten the Picture Perfect arc or the Severance arc

It’s perfectly fine to dislike toxic ships in fiction, but don’t ridicule authors for wanting to depict more complex themes in their work. AidaIro have certainly included some weird fan service scenes/official art in their series, but those criticisms should remain separate from creative choices you personally dislike.

[dcdreamblog]

Followup, the Joker has claimed a few times that he was the original Red Hood--do you think there's any credibility to that?

Am I placing much historical stock in one of the many, MANY manifestos written by a murderous sociopath? No honestly I can't say that I am. Thankfully, I do not have to because as any Gothamite will tell you, the Joker is not as slick as he likes to think he is. SO, let's talk some dates and times.

(The Ace Chemical Process Planet located in Gotham City, NJ) The raid/robbery that The Joker cites as his "one bad day" in his manifesto DID happen. That much is a matter of public record. Generally, here is how it went down.

(All times are taken in EST)

2:00 AM: The Gang makes their way, unnoticed into the factory's central processing area

2:02 AM: The Gang's gunmen are spotted by Ace security, a call to the GCPD is made and the security guards open fire against police advice.

2:03-2:15 AM: Most of the Gang members are killed in the resulting firefight before the police arrive outside the building. Leaving only "Red Hood One" the Gang's assumed leader.

2:16 AM: Batman arrives on the scene, breaking through the skylight of the processing area. His presence is noted entering the building by the GCPD and within the plant by Ace security

2:17-2:20 AM: Batman and Red Hood One engage in a short scuffle and chase through the processing plant, eventually ending up on a catwalk overhanging vats of caustic chemicals. Red Hood One is characterized as "nervous", "jittery" and "terrified" by Ace security

2:21 AM: Red Hood One backs up against the railing of the catwalk, seemingly over committing his weight he falls backwards over the railing. Batman lunges forward in an attempt to catch him but Red Hood One's loose evening glove slips free and he tumbles into the vat below.

2:25 AM: GCPD arrives on the scene, all members of the Red Hood Gang are marked DOA by paramedics.

1 Week: The tanks are drained in full, their contents and the drainage pipes, outflow stream and factory grounds are searched. Red Hood One's body is never recovered. Ace Chemical releases a statement saying that full immersion in the chemicals within the vat is "incompatible with human life". On their advice, Red Hood One is declared legally dead, his identity never established.

1 Month: His single evening glove is left in a sealed evidence bag on the desk of Gotham's then new police commissioner, Jim Gordon. This is taken as evidence that even Batman has declared the case cold.

4 Months: The Joker makes his first public appearance, attempting to release toxic chemicals into the Gotham reservoir. After his defeat and arrest, the chemicals are tested. They are the same chemical from the vats at the Ace Chemical Planet where Red Hood One went missing. The chemical is not publically available for purchase and is a controlled substance, meaning it is only purchasable in bulk for corporate and government manufacturing. This means the only missing batch is the one drained from the vats to search for Red Hood One's body.

It's that last detail that I think will leave this door open until the end of time. Famously as it has been noted though, it's impossible to prove beyond circumstantial evidence.

The Joker has no fingerprints (consistent with them being burned off, which is a common enough criminal tactic that it doesn't prove anything), dental and DNA records matching his own do not exist on any public database.

If Red Hood One left skin, hair or prints on the inside of that glove it's not in the case file and Batman's not telling.

[hihopelessromantics]

Fantasy Tails

Messing around with magical biology with some rough sketches and lore :) Tagging some who might be interested :3

@librathefangirl @zorria @7-ratsinatrenchcoat @theprinceofliones @stvrlightthearts

Demon

Another take on the traditional (?) demon tail! The heart on the end protects the demon's retractable, venomous (or just very pointy) barb.

Tails, venomous and nonvenomous, are used for balance, especially while the demon is maneuvering in mid-air. whether they are jumping or flying. flight. They're deceptively strong even though their mechanisms seem delicate and the fluff covering them doesn't appear as tough as the rest of the demon's skin. A younger demon’s tail reaches full size before they reach their adult height. Coloration depends on the demon’s primary colors, including features like hair, eyes, teeth, skin, and tongue.

Tail venom develops during late adolescence- an evolutionary process that serves two purposes. One, that the baby and toddler cannot injure its parents, itself, or its other potential packmates with a potent and uncontrolled poison. Second, that the toxin may adapt to whatever might suit the demon best as it grows. Environmental conditions are thought to play a direct role. High-level demon venom has no ‘antidote’ because it, structurally, is one-of-a-kind; antivenom would require an (albeit slightly) different formula even between identical twins. There are three official categories this venom can fall into: defensive, offensive, and constructive. Some demons will inject their venom into themselves or other demons on a circumstantial basis to help, not harm! A few toxins specifically adapt to treat a temporary condition their demon frequently suffers from- for instance, to treat extreme insomnia or muscle cramps, to dissolve abscesses from the inside, or to reset one of the body’s natural cycles. Level of toxicity can fluctuate throughout the demon’s lifetime.

Goddess

Goddesses’ legs are built for flight - not just for landing - they are very strong! 

Feathers all along the tail can fan out and adjust individually, though, of course, the tail end has the most maneuverability. For potion recipies requiring the physical essence of a goddess feather, it is not usually specified whether it need be a tail or wing feather. Instead, the recipe will reference a specific altitude or bloodline. The wings and tails of goddesses contain special adaptations per their homeland and family line. A feather separated from the body of some goddess species becomes serrated and sharp like a blade, for instance, and these contain a potent defensive energy. Coloration also depends on place of origin and closely resembles that of the wings. 

While aiming for the wings is considered a legitimate battle tactic, aiming for the tail is considered an extreme insult and foul play, a sentiment largely reciprocated and respected by the Demon Clan. 

Fairy

The creatures known as fairies / fae / faerie display immense biological and magical diversity and that's fascinating to work with, so I added them to the list for funsies.

A fairy’s tail begins as a simple prehensile limb and grows into a symbol of the fairy’s power as they mature. In their base form, tails are most often used in dancing and in daily nonverbal communication. Fully awakened fairies’ tails transform in the likeness of their wings, sprouting insect-like appendages which greatly increase the speed and maneuverability of the fairy’s flight. For those of the highest ability, it becomes near-impossible to disorient them or to knock them from the air.

Some examples I thought up!

[samkerrworshipper]

(if you feel comfortable talking about it) whats it like with the adf? im in year 12 about to graduate and am looking into doing a gap year in the adf, hopefully something air force related but im lowkey terrified

okay disclaimer this is my personal experience of being in the adf for a short amount of time so please don’t feel influenced by it!!

i personally love what i do in the adf but it’s also circumstantial based on where i was when i signed up.

when i joined the adf i was in a pretty dark place. i’d just been forced to retire from the sport i loved most in the world and had seen myself having a serious career in due to persistent injuries. i was pretty depressed, anxious, not treating myself well, etc.

if i hadn’t of joined the airforce i don’t know where i would have been in life right now. i wouldn’t recommend it for a person who doesn’t like routines, has a super active social life or is super reliant on having complete freedom. for me, i needed all of those things and it worked for me. i moved out of the toxic environments i was living in at the time and moved on and it was perfect for me.

i can’t really speak on what a gap year is like but i’ve loved my experience working on humanitarian missions and aids (that’s been most of my job working as AUSMAT)

it’s definitely not for the faintest of heart but if it’s something you want to do and think would work for you then i’d definitely say look into it! there’s no harm in exploring your options and if you look through them and think it’s not for you then that’s that

i hope that maybe helped or made sense if not i’m happy to answer more questions!!

(although the benefits, free food, accommodation and money is a massive bonus and definitely isn’t one of the main reasons i’m still working rip)

[smilingmxsk]

✿ :3

PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2

THE PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2 send me a  ✿  and i’ll fill out the template below. bold for things i could definitely see or want, italics for things i could see or am unsure of and striked out for things i don’t want or cannot see.

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /  [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  /  [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from my muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from both sides ]  /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]  /  soulmates  [ literal ]  /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ]  /  cheating [ with your muse ]  /  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing  /  other

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other 

Dana Notes: AIGHT *RUBS MY HANDS TOGETHER* WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THESE TWO

Currently in that *forcefully shoving the random puzzle pieces together to see what works* phase, but we're starting to trudge past that so that's the good news!! We just gotta keep these two shmoovin >:3 My biggest barrier has just been understanding Coyote's motives and wording phrases and me myself parsing that (I have a tiny brain and sometimes things don't get through.......)

EITHER WAY. You will always have my permission to have Coyote pester Margaret as a menace like a little stinky raccoon she can't get rid of NJKDFGNSDG

I would still LOVE to get to the point where Coyote has to deal with Shade, and we can both plot for an organic build-up to that point! (Boy howdy are they gonna hate not having the fun Maggie around :) they get the unfun unnerving demon)

Most of anything antagonistic is them having the frenemy dynamic of calling each other 'bitch' and making dumb jabs at each other or being petty like a game of tag LMAO

I have very little experience in building frenemy relationships like that??? But I am willing to try and learn because they're some of the BEST relationships and I've only ever had that success ONCE on a different character (because both characters were genuine enemies at one point and it snowballed and developed from there)

Regarding actual bonding though? I think somewhere along the way, that's gonna have to come from either of their walls being pierced or brought down for one reason or another! Also probably means Marg will have to 'know' what Coyote is. Both wanna be the weird mysterious friend but we both know they can't have that luxury skjdfsjd

Oh yeah and if Coyote ever wants help with something/someone, Marg will be [reluctantly] willing to help :3

If u ever have any more ideas just... *grabby hands* enter my IMs always.......

[jor-elsemissary]

Just encountered a very rare pair that I didn’t even know existed. It only has one fic on Ao3. It was okay and would fit just fine on a multiverse Earth.

But I’m one of those people that gotta figure out how to make it work in canon with as few tweaks as possible.

The rare pair?

Lois Lane and Lionel Luthor. What would that even be called? Loinel? Luthis? (I’m gonna fucking turn off autocorrect now) Luthois? Lionois?

Haha.

It’s a rabbit hole ship for sure.

But for it to work, Lionel cannot be behind the attempt on Chloe’s life. Her murder is what motivated Lois to come to Smallville in the first place and hating on Lionel Luthor, and not trusting Lex Luthor.

I think I’d have to take her line she said to him about being set up to take a fall for the attempt and actually make it a setup. *scratches head* Cause the plausibility is there and I wouldnt put it past Lex to do that in the hopes it would cement his father’s conviction.

Frankly Chloe being infected with a truth inducing gas and making Lionel confess his crime so openly is flimsy evidence and not enough to really get a conviction in a real court case. They would need Morgan Edge’s confession and evidence of sabotage/arson from a 30+ year old accident.

From what I remember, they only had the transcript from Lionel and Chloe’s conversation and she was antagonizing him, and his defense could easily make it sound like he was humoring her. The audio was destroyed after all. Lionel would not have been convicted on circumstantial evidence.

So yeah the whole attempted witness assassination quite possibly might not have been Lionel’s doing. I just find it very convenient that there was an Underground Railroad passage in that safe house and Lex finding out about the bomb.

I mean I know he sent the T-1000 assassin after her but that was not until after Lois’ visit and he realizes Chloe is not dead.

Anyway I digress.

Lois & Lionel.

No attempt to assassinate Chloe is a must for such a pairing to work.

It would be an amusing pairing to be honest. Don’t think Lionel would know what to do with Lois’ snark and sass, and whatever sarcastic pet name she would give him. She’s not like Lillian or Martha, or any of the other women he’s dealt with and dated.

Marrying Lionel is out. He’s not interested in marriage anyway and she doesn’t hedge all her bets on one horse either, even if he does have a shit ton of money and nice hair. There would most certainly be fights, no real relationship fails to have them. People do form deferring opinions after all.

She would frustrate him to no end and he’d be a glutton for it. She would be a puzzle he’d want to solve and that is how he gets hooked. He thinks he knows her type but she keeps proving him wrong.

Lois plays the dumb college girl on purpose. She’s a hellalot smarter than she lets on and he learns that quickly and early in the relationship that isn’t romantic or sexual and they’re not even sure if it’s even friendship yet.

Frenemies?

It would certainly be unrequited at first. Lois isn’t interested right off the bat, especially over a man who was acquitted for murder. She believes Chloe that he did do it and it would take a lot for her to believe otherwise. Might have to get him to open up about his childhood to her or reveal it in some way. Murder is still murder but she might be more understanding if he had done it to save himself and the money was just a means to an end.

Yep I’m going down the rabbit hole.

It would be a slow burn relationship that requires a lot of build up and work from both sides to even make it work. Lionel definitely would try his manipulative tactics on her when he’s not getting his way and she might fall for them a couple times but quickly wisens up to them.

I can see her giving him a taste of his own medicine that gives him whiplash. Is it toxic? Yes. Does it last? No. Lois, despite her bimbly portrayal in Smallville, is no pushover. She comes from his world and knows how to play that tune effectively. She just doesn’t like it because it’s not honest and she’s an honest person.

Which, I think, is one of Lionel’s attractions in women he’s serious about. Lillian and Martha were honest, and unyielding women. Lillian had the misfortune of dealing with an ambitious and ruthless, younger Lionel while Martha dealt with a more humbled older version and easily cockblocked Lillian’s older version from Earth-2.

Lois would be dealing with a Lionel in between. Still ruthless and ambitious, but his experience with the Stone of Transcendence set him on the path of humility.

Hey anyone got a light in this rabbit hole?

Would they end up together in the end? Seriously? Probably not. He’s old enough to be her father. She will want a family and the father around to raise them. Even if I were to set his age back by a decade (why people insist on making birthday-less characters the same age as the actor is beyond me), any offspring he gives her will not have him around in their late teens when it matters the most.

They would more than likely part as Lionel gets older. Barring any murderous children offing him, he’d probably let her go. Especially when she starts working for the Daily Planet. His presence would do her career no good.

This leaves her open to falling in love with Superman. Which is the Lois & Clark relationship I prefer anyway. She’s not suppose to know who Superman is until after he’s been on stage for a while. Half of her career is made by her stories on the mysterious superhero, and the other half dredging up Lex Luthor’s oil barrels from the river.

Yep rabbit hole.

[doxolove]

I guess I do one of these every year on Tumblr since it's okay to yap behind a read more, but here's a review of my 2023. (tw: mental health, death mention)

I honestly don't know where this year went. I spent a good portion of it in crippling mental pain which was a wakeup call in a lot of ways. I went to therapy, I was serious about a self-help journey and freed myself from a tremendous amount of negativity. I learned to put value into my own needs, which has been a new concept as a whole. Codependency was ruining my life and it fucked up it's good share of connections along the way– I was finally sick of it.

I lost a lot of connections and people in my life, circumstantial or not. My grandmother also passed away and it brought in a whole new avenue to grieve. It's never been easy to say goodbye to people, I've let too many in the past long live their stay. I let people I was convinced cared for me unconditionally walk all over me on purpose. I gave too much of myself willingly to any and everyone I have met–

And now I'm finally feeling those repercussions. I'm mentally checked out more than ever, I can't focus on one thing for too long. I had to stop taking artwork commissions, I'm deeply struggling with my craft. I am incapable of letting someone in too close or even give them the appropriate energy, I'm overwhelmed with a lingering trauma I wish would go away already.

Even through all of that, I'm allowing myself to feel disappointed in others. The lack of communication is astounding me, how anyone would just let a decade+ friendship end because they couldn't conjure the strength to talk to me– or outside input influenced them, I just don't know. I'm disappointed in the people I had what seemed like healthy and chill relationships with just die because there was no urge to communicate (or again, most likely influenced)... It's just really upsetting. I don't know what made someone that assured me they had no issues with me start being a toxic asshole any time I was matched against them in pvp? It's all baffling. I wish it was easier to just ask what went wrong -- but I know sometimes it's nothing particularly logical. It just happens.

They all still haunt me, but I have learned most people don't actually want lasting or meaningful relationships and it was hard to come to terms with that. My science and fact-driven mind always wants to know why– but sometimes (most of the time) I'll never get to know that answer.

I still feel really broken, I'm not going to lie. I don't know how long I'm going to feel like this– but I've gained a newer appreciation for the people that are still in my life and understand that my social battery has deteriorated. I'm still learning how much energy to give to new people, but I am tired of being afraid to be social. The right ones are out there and it's not fair I rob myself of the chance of meeting more.

In summary, be kind to yourself going into 2024. You can try as many times as you need to, just go at your own pace. Surround yourself with individuals who reciprocate, communicate often. Not everything works out, and that's fine. I can only hope this next fever dream of a year will be a little better.

[magnusmodig]

PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2 / @particlexxdealer / ACCEPTING !

╰┈➤ ✿

✿  and i’ll fill out the template below. bold for things i could definitely see or want, italics for things i could see or am unsure of and striked out for things i don’t want or cannot see.

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /  [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  /  [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from my muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from both sides ]  /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]  /  soulmates  [ literal ]  /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ]  /  cheating [ with your muse ]  /  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing  /  other

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other 

ooc notes:

It's no surprise to anyone that post!Infinity War Thor onwards is a bit of a mess. A bit volatile, more than a bit depressed ... He's lost a lot, and has a ton of ground to cover in the way of recovery. What I love most about Scott is just how fluid he is. He's amicable. He's able to go with the flow – and very good at lifting others up. Thor, by nature, is an extremely similar person. They share an easy-going, generally docile nature. Thor is just largely more .... explosive intense in comparison. I'd love to explore their dynamic as friends in a world without the original Avengers (save Thor and Hulk). A world post!snap... Thor could really use a friend like Scott in the mcu. He hasn't got a lot of them left. 🥲 And! even beyond the scope of post!IW, I'd imagine Scott and Thor would largely get along anyways! They both value and respect Steve greatly, and if Thor were on Earth, he would've been Team Cap all the way.

[witchcraftandburialdirt]

✿ (for robin, because we have a thread and such)

✧ ━━ 𝐏𝐑𝐄-𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐄 𝙻𝙴𝙰𝙶𝚄𝙴 𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙴 𝙱𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝙸𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚎

━━ Sivir Sivir Sivir, these two really do make my brain itch with possibilities. It's rare that Robin truly gets to interact with someone on the same moral alignment as him, and I can see the two of them bouncing off of eachother in really curious ways. I think they'd have a very business oriented friendship based around their personalities and desires - and Robin would encourage Sivir to dip into her greed. I think ultimately these two would have a high amount of respect for the other that could possibly turn into genuine care; but I suspect it will most likely stay professional. I think it would be good for both of them!

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /  [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  /  [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from my muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from both sides ]  /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]  /  soulmates  [ literal ]  /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ]  /  cheating [ with your muse ]  /  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ Sivir ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ Robin ] is taken under yours wing  /  other

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other 

[throne-for-queens]

Whether or not the attempts were made beyond an expiration date is still very subjective.

Oh, but this anon doesn’t give up! I see the same person who claimed there’s supposed “secret animosity” between him and Casie’s mom is back. Interesting.

Well, honey��erm, anon—welcome to reality. Most engagements happen in the winter season, between December and February, for a reason. Similarly, most breakups tend to occur just before the Christmas season starts, with experts pointing to December 11th (wasn’t 11 supposed to be a master number or something?). That’s the day many people announce their breakups or sign up for dating sites. And didn’t the news of their breakup leak just a month after she shared about the “magical, reincarnated dream child” baby?

If your relationship was conventional and circumstantial, then of course, the timing of its major milestones, including a pregnancy break up, would fall into predictable, common patterns.

During the Christmas season, half the world’s population tends to be more reflective, especially about love. When you’re with someone who was supposed to be a placeholder for a future partner but things grew from there, the holiday season forces you to sit down with yourself and mentally prepare for what’s next. This is the time of year when time’s ticking feels the loudest, and as you organize the holidays, the idea of family weighs on you.

If you're still in the honeymoon phase, or if the relationship has already been tainted by guilt and expectations, you might decide it’s time to settle down. Settling down is what you do when you have someone next to you who isn’t necessarily great for you but is “good enough.” You think what you always hoped for is unattainable, so you take what you’ve got while you still can.

On the other hand, if you’re already fighting with your partner or have spent years in a toxic cycle, you look at yourself in the mirror and promise that the next holiday season won’t be like this—drowned in doubt. You realize this isn’t how you envisioned your future, and you decide to call it quits, holding onto hope for something better.

Maybe the anon has spent their life in la-la land—it checks out, considering their level of delusion and conspiracy theories, especially about Casie’s mom and him’s secret beef. But let’s face it: a good chunk of people are affected by the holiday blues. Holidays are a reality check—a reminder of what’s missing in your life or what has overstayed its welcome.

And Megan? She’s not the first, nor will she be the last, single mom (of four—DAANGGG) who spent the holidays crying. It’s up to you how you react and how you spend them. You can decide whether to show up for the people who matter most or throw responsibility aside and cry it all out. Megan, unfortunately, chose the latter. She could have spent five minutes visiting her kids, who live just a short drive away. And we know she didn’t, thanks to Sharna.

And “objectively speaking ☝️🤓” the constant (mis)use of qualifiers—especially when they’re wrong—doesn’t strengthen your argument; it weakens it. Why does anon feel this need to act like the ultimate authority on objectivity? Packaging your subjective views as “objective facts” so no one can disagree without sounding biased doesn’t help your case. Why is there such a need for everyone to agree with you? I still remember your meltdown when the host of this blog expressed her opinion that the couple was supposed to be in each other’s lives only for a season. You whined and called her view “objectively offensive ☝️🤓” toward Megan.

Well, newsflash: not only did Megan overstay her welcome, but her fans did too! Just like the woman you idolize, you’re out here looking crazy, coming back every single time—acting goofy, being a cornball, and exposing yourself as a pseudointellectual dweeb. Or, in the words you’d prefer: the overly verbose, pretentious, sesquipedalian, awkward-looking individual you truly are. We’re exhausted. For the umpteenth time, take your snowflake attitude and white woman tears and get out of here already

❄️ 🐇

.

[planetbass]

funnybunny is literally the only jax ship that has any appeal to me. overall jax is seen as like an annoying twink but bc the only other male characters in the show r an older widowed man and a mentally unstable ai, neither of which jax would have any sort of chemistry with anyways, the only sustainable ships with him are with the 3 girls and zooble.

these are all my personal opinions so dont come at me with pitchforks or anything. idc if you like any of these ships for any reason, have your fun, i just like to analyze these freaks. ok disclaimer over.

TL;DR: i think funnybunny is the only jax ship that "makes the most sense" in terms of character, considering pomni is the newest member of the circus that doesn't yet have a solid established relationship with jax. i also personally just find them to be the most compelling compared to the other potential ships with jax.

ok now onto the actual ramblings.

with zooble, them and jax seem to have a bickering sibling relationship to me. zooble's the only one who really shuts jax down when he's being mean or stupid, which in turn isn't entertaining to him, so he shifts targets. i do think this also allows them to get along the best compared to jax with the other circus members, but i don't think they're like, particularly close. zooble's just the only one that meets jax at his level by retaliating or shutting him down.

with gangle... jax is just too mean to her for me to find it appealing (even in like a toxic relationship or bitter exes sorta thing). gangle is an easy target for jax because she's sensitive and doesn't fight back. the only time so far that she has was very circumstantial and while she was literally manic and in a perceived position of power over him. and even then, she's barely masking her true feelings; she's still hurt by him (and others). idk i can see how you can twist their dynamic into something more equal and interesting, but personally it doesn't do anything for me. jax picks on her just because he can and because he sucks.

ragatha is by far the most popular choice for jax shippingisms and i can see why, but again on a personal level it just isn't isn't my thing. ragatha is jax's #1 target for teasing and pranking because ragatha consistently has the biggest reactions, which in turn is most entertaining for jax. she gets scared easily, she's trusting and people-pleasing, she screams when scared, she gets mad at him, she yells at and reprimands him. this is fun for him. i think back to ep 2 when he calls her licorice hair, she clutches her hair and yells at him, upset, to which he seems proud of himself. the other characters probably would've just rolled their eyes and ignored him, but ragatha getting riled up at even just a small comment is where he gets his entertainment. his constant teasing and her falling for it/putting up with it (despite protesting) again feels very siblinglike to me, especially since jax is very raggedy andy-inspired. ep 4 even reveals to us that ragatha straight up doesn't like jax, but still wants to be liked by him. this goes back to ragatha's people pleasing nature – she wants to be liked by everyone, even if she doesn't like them, and already we know this is to her own detriment (coming off as disingenuous). this particular interaction with jax can be read in a way where she's got like, repressed feelings for him. that's fine, though definitely an interpretation made when wearing shipping goggles lol. and jax's teasing of her in particular definitely doesn't come across as a "being mean to a crush" thing on jax's end either. again, out of all the ships i can see how this one is most popular, but personally it doesn't do anything for me.

the biggest reason these ships don't do anything for me is because these dynamics are already established by the time the show starts, and i don't see them changing too significantly anytime soon. nobody likes jax, including pomni, but at least with pomni i can see that changing.

pomni is still new to the circus, still settling in and getting used to everything. by ep 4 she seems like she's almost completely adjusted. while she's been adjusting, jax has been testing his limits with the new circus member. in eps 2 and 3 in particular, jax is teasing pomni during their shared screentime, like he's seeing how she'll react and how much she'll retaliate. so far she hasn't really fought back but isn't afraid to call him an asshole in ep 2, though she's still pretty shell-shocked in that one, so it's possible now that she's more comfortable she'll be willing to challenge him more. by ep 4 it's clear that pomni doesn't like jax nor does she trust him, yet she also was part of a miraculous moment... where jax wasn't being an asshole and had his guard down. all it took was one day of working fast food to completely suck the soul out of his body. and clearly pomni is taken aback by this interaction, as the scene lingers on her for a moment after jax makes his leave.

pomni is established as someone who is upfront and honest, but also extremely empathetic and doesn't want anyone to feel like they're alone or unwanted. we even see in ep 4 that she knows how to show this in different ways – talking didn't work with gangle, because gangle closed up again before getting too vulnerable, but pomni was able to show gangle support and kindness through actions later on. in that moment with jax, i think pomni is realizing, oh yeah, this guy can be genuine, and like, has emotions. he's capable of being normal but chooses not to be, instead pushing others away. i think this little moment could be the very start of pomni eventually breaking through to jax, whenever that time comes. the others have reached a point with jax where they won't give him the time of day, or probably wouldn't take him seriously if they did. personally, i think pomni is the most capable of having a heart-to-heart (ish) moment with jax. she isn't one to sugarcoat things or dance around topics, but she's also sensitive in how she approaches these things.

jax is very troubled and impulsive (as said by gooseworx), but i get the impression he's also inherently very anxious (based on this ask response where gooseworx said jax was gifted hydroxyzine in the glitch christmas render, which is a prescription antihistamine that also treats insomnia and anxiety). he has an established personality that he wants to stick to; he is masking just as much as everyone else, if not the most out of all the characters. i can see jax as worried about acting "out of character" in front of the others – he has an established relationship and role and personality with the other circus members and breaking that mold can be very anxiety inducing. he is in the process of molding this same mask around pomni, but i think their dynamic is new enough that it can be changed. i think that jax will be more willing to open up around pomni than the other characters because she's the new one, because she doesn't know him as well as the others [think they do].

that's been my thought on their dynamic since the get-go, but especially after their moment in episode 4 i can really see pomni as being the only one who will be able to get through to jax, or the only one willing to understand him. she's also the main character let's be for real.

i also think jax just... likes pomni more than the others. this i can't really explain and is definitely my personal bias. truthfully you can't rly tell what his opinions are of the others, but it's the impression i get based on what he's said about the others and how he interacts with them.

i dont even completely see them as a romantic ship either. just like. idk. i can see them in particular getting close, platonic or romantic. jax needs someone to confide in and/or actually be able to relax around, and i can equally see pomni becoming more relaxed and silly due to his influence. she needs to grow into her jester shoes.

[smilingmxsk]

✿ sending it back because i wanna see YOUR opinion on it lol

PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2

THE PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME 0.2 send me a  ✿  and i’ll fill out the template below. bold for things i could definitely see or want, italics for things i could see or am unsure of and striked out for things i don’t want or cannot see.

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /  [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  /  [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from my muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from both sides ]  /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]  /  soulmates  [ literal ]  /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ]  /  cheating [ with your muse ]  /  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing  /  other

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other 

Dana notes: I can def see them probably getting off on the wrong foot at first! Marg is known to butt heads with mostly anyone she's just getting to know and will be difficult for the sake of it (we're gonna say if there was any bad blood, Marg started it lmao) c: But once she realizes Shiloh's not that bad she'll slowly start to loosen up. It'll probably be a little awkward for a bit, but once they find something in common it's gonna click! More than likely they've chilled out by now lol Her main verse will prob be the most solid one I can throw atcha, but I could def see Shiloh's Supernatural or Mutated verse working out :D

[no1psychic]

✿ For serizawa let’s go !!!

pre - established relationships prompt, @raytm, accepting.

things striked out are things i cannot see happening at all, italics are a "yeah i can see this vibe", and bold are things i can for sure see happening. answers under the cut!

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /[your muse] is the good influence  /[your muse] is the bad influence  /[my muse] is the good influence  /[my muse] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /[your muse is mines] childhood crush  /[my muse is yours] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [from your muses side]/  unrequited [from my muses side]/  unrequited [from both sides]/  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]/  soulmates  [ literal ]/  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [on your muse]/  cheating [with your muse]/  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [half]/  siblings [step]/[my muse] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /[my muse] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /[my muse] is a parental figure to yours  /[my muse] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /[your muse] is taken under mines wing  /[my muse] is taken under yours wing  /  other

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other 

chucks input: ya know em ya love em, serirei. anyway, i love these two very much. so for secret relationship in italics i just think reigen and serizawa trying very hard to keep their relationship secret at first from the spirits n such gang and them both failing very hard bc they're simps for each other smh. anything antagonistic i think would most likely happen due to reigen being garbage at talking about his true feelings or admitting when he's having a hard time. i think that could give us some sweet sweet hurt comfort vibes.

[dcwnthercbbithcle]

✿ - for Rosie

PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP MEME || OPEN & ACCEPTING! || ESPECIALLY TO NON-MUTUALS/NEW MUTUALS/NEW FOLLOWERS

Bolded text are relationships I can really see between our characters. Italicized text is for relationships that could be explored and/or presented in small amounts but would need to be plotted more. Crossed-out text are for relationships that are NEVER present.

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  /  [ your muse ] is the good influence  /  [ your muse ] is the bad influence  /  [ my muse ] is the good influence  /  [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

It's such a complex situation that it makes my heart ache. Poor Rosie, Zuriya is that last of so many doors she and her family have opened in an attempt to give her some peace of mind, and Zuri knows this. It's nothing she holds against Rosie; in fact, that aspect of their friendship makes it all the dearer for Zuri. Rosie and her parents trust Zuriya with not only her protection but finding a way to help with her affliction in the long term, and it's heartwarming. Zuriya... she's not ignorant of how her persona leads her to be perceived. Usually, she prefers not being taken so seriously but to have her efforts and magics respected enough to warrant that honour, it gives fire and fuel to make her want to prove them correct in their faith. Her ethics may be non-existent, her honour, well dubious at best. But she will live to ensure they never regret trusting Rosie and her care to her and that she will learn to protect herself against the spirits and the terrors that plague her. It's that one meme: 'I've only had Arlo Rosie for one day and a half, and if anything happened to him her, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself,' Zuri has been trusted to create the warding spells and find conjurations that can give Rosie strength to block out the access of spirits but not impact her development or spiritual load for no longer than a week. She feels for this child so much. She is her newest younger sister, and even though there is that knowledge that after her work is done, she will most likely never see her again, she's happy. Because Rosie is worth fighting for, Rosie is worth every minute toiling over magic, and frankly??? Rosie makes Zuri a better person!

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  /  [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  /  [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from my muses side ]  /  unrequited [ from both sides ]  /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ]  /  soulmates  [ literal ]  /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ]  /  cheating [ with your muse ]  /  other 

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ]  /  siblings [ step ]  /  [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  /  [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  /  [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  /  [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  /  [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  /  [ my muse ] is taken under yours wing  /  other

ZURI IS SO IRRESPONSIBLE, BUT SHE'S TRYING SO HARD TO BE THE SISTER SHE ALWAYS ENVISIONED AND DREAMED OF. Throughout her childhood, I've kind of highlighted that Zuri's siblings were resentful and little to non-present, but that doesn't mean she never wished and prayed she had her siblings and that they loved her. Day in and day out, she wished she had an older sister to look out for her, to scare off the bullies, to teach to braid and style her hair, to have her back when the nuns and priestesses were on her case. She wished she had someone who, no matter what, had her back and loved her unconditionally and on some level. Now that Rosie is turning to her with that same sad, hopeful expression. She wants to embody everything she prayed for as a girl. To be someone who can help, even this one child, not grow up with nothing but dreams and unanswered prayers and have someone who can look out for her and love her and guide her as a friend and family!

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other 

I HATE TO CALL ANYTHING ABOUT THEM ANTAGONISTIC, because, let's be real, Zuri feels ZERO antagonism or hatred in her body towards Rosie. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, Zuri is going to introduce her to sorcery through all the magic she is using to protect Rosie, and Rosie is allowed to feel all kinds of 'WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK,' about it! It is dangerous, even though the danger isn't that 'holy fuck,' given Zuri's skill and experience!

[jikoku-a]

✿ / jun & judai

breathes in deep ....... you underestimate how much i adore this duo

FRIENDSHIP.     childhood friends  /  work buddies or coworkers  /  family friends  /  friends with benefits  /  smoking buddies  /  adventure buddies  /  fake friends  /  recently friends  /  party buddies  /  friendship of need  /  dying friendship  /  circumstantial friendship  /  partners in crime  /  old friendship  / [ your muse] is the good influence  / [ your muse ] is the bad influence  / [ my muse ] is the good influence  / [ my muse ] is the bad influence  /  opposites attract  /  ride or die  /  frenemies  /  roommates or flatmates  /  penpals  /  exes to friends  /  enemies to friends  /  other

i love their friendship ..... truly brainrot over them ! i just adore the rivals to reluctant friends trope hehe, with judai being completely apathetic to jun's grumbling and groaning and just being happy to have a rival who constantly challenges him to get better (: they truly are the best adventure buddies and the fact that they can eventually both see ka too !!! they're sort of frenemies if only because i don't think jun would ever admit that he and judai are friends, and there's some baggage attached to their relationship on jun's side, but i think their friendship is tried and true either way. they're so goofy and ridiculous together that i just adore seeing them interact no matter what form it's in or what it's about.

ROMANCE.     childhood sweethearts  / [ your muse is mines ] childhood crush  / [ my muse is yours ] childhood crush  /  exes  /  exes to lovers  /  forbidden lovers  /  highschool sweethearts  /  secret relationship  /  opposites attract  /  long distance  /  unrequited [ from your muses side ] /  unrequited [ from my muses side ] /  unrequited [ from both sides ] /  skinny love  /  friends to lovers  /  enemies to lovers  /  spurious relationship  /  power couple  /  newly entered  /  soulmates [ metaphorical ] /  soulmates  [ literal ] /  awkward  /  turning toxic  /  toxic love  /  cheating [ on your muse ] /  cheating [ with your muse ] /  other 

i do really adore these two as a ship and i think they vibe romantically as they get to know each other ! judai's carefree nature and genuine acceptance of who jun is eventually forces him to grow as both a duelist and a person, and that sort of openness is what jun needs in a relationship imo. their dynamic is just a bunch of different applicable tropes that have me by the throat: cat and dog, red oni and blue oni, tiger vs dragon. i love them as a friendship and love them as boyfriends.

FAMILIAL.     siblings [ half ] /  siblings [ step ] / [ my muse ] is an older sibling figure to your younger sibling figure  / [ my muse ] is a younger sibling figure to your older sibling figure muse  / [ my muse ] is a parental figure to yours  / [ my muse ] is a child figure to your muse  /  guardian figure  /  legal guardian  /  adoptive child  /  foster child  / [ your muse ] is taken under mines wing  / [ my muse] is taken under yours wing  /  other

ANTAGONISTIC.     dangerous to each other  /  dangerous to others  /  unpredictable  /  rivals  /  petty  /  developing into sexual or romantic tension  /  based off family matters  /  based of off circumstance  /  based of professional matters  /  based off misunderstanding or lies  /  conflict of ideology  /  betrayal  /  hero - villain dynamic  /  enemies  /  fight club  /  friends turned enemies  /  lovers turned enemies  /  exes turned enemies  /  other 

it's a little funny to say that they're enemies because judai just doesn't even see jun in that way, even when he's at his most intense ? at most they're rivals and fucked up little petty frenemies. i love the slice of life episodes like the duel festival one because even though they're constantly bickering, they're really just two idiot dorks who love this card game, and the more lighthearted settings in the anime let them just be normal students and highlight how petty their beef actually is at times. still, their rivalry is not only important to help both of them learn and grow, but i don't really think they'd be the same people without each other hehe c:

[darkstarofchaos]

So when I first started reading TF fics, I had a weird relationship with MegaStar. I sort of liked it, but also didn’t want to like it because of the abuse, and even went so far as to claim that I could never ship it because of said abuse. It took years (like, seven or eight of them) to get to the point where I can say I sort of ship it, and even that is circumstantial; ironically, I don’t enjoy portrayals where they’re super lovey-dovey and never antagonize each other.

With MegOp, I never had that reservation. There are probably a few reasons for that, but the biggest one is that I was mostly working with G1, where they had no relationship prior to becoming enemies. To me, the ship was straight enemies-to-lovers, and any hurtful behavior was coming from an inherently different place than abuse.

Another part of it (for me) is that I’ve never been sold on Megatron and Optimus being friends before the war, never mind romantic partners. We’re told that they were great friends, of course, but when it actually appears onscreen, such as in the Exodus novel, they feel more like business partners than people who would enjoy each other’s company. So even when their conflict is deeply personal, like in TFP or IDW, it falls flat. It doesn’t feel like abuse so much as two incompatible people developing an intense hatred of each other.

(Well. I’m not sure how often Optimus actually hates Megatron, so much as he hates what he does. But Megatron definitely goes to unwise lengths to make Optimus suffer, which I’ll come back to in a minute).

There’s also the fact that Optimus has an unwavering support system in the form of the Autobots, whereas Starscream rarely even gets sympathy in canon, never mind friendship. Not to mention, Optimus and Megatron’s relationship is defined by their being mortal enemies, while Megatron and Starscream are supposed to be on the same side. And then there are countless scenes of Starscream being afraid of Megatron or craving his approval, which you simply can’t have with Optimus because he’s Optimus. He’s the Hero who can never show fear unless it’s for someone else, and he certainly doesn’t want Megatron’s approval when he knows their values are so dissimilar.

Everything about their circumstances is just so different, it’s easy to look at the two ships as having entirely different dynamics. And, I would argue, they do have entirely different dynamics, which is probably part of why the toxicity of MegOp gets dismissed. It doesn’t look like how abuse “should” look, so it can’t be abusive.

All of that being said. I have a weird relationship with MegOp. On one hand, I suppose I ship it. At very least, Optimus has the honor of being one of only two characters I can handle pairing with Megatron. On the other hand, I find the ship infuriating in any context other than G1, because most of the time, Megatron doesn’t deserve a second chance. Not from a relationship standpoint, anyway. I can’t look at someone like IDW or TFP Megatron, and the way he specifically wanted Optimus to suffer, and enjoy any sort of reconciliation between them. Maybe I’m just a cynic who believes love doesn’t conquer all, but there are some things you don’t forgive and some people you don’t go back to. And in most canon, Megatron crosses that line. Repeatedly and deliberately.

(To be clear, I feel the same way about MegaStar. If the line is crossed, the line is crossed).

At the end of the day, I can see how easily it could feel like MegaStar is abusive but MegOp isn’t. But I can also see an argument for both pairings being messed up beyond repair. Either way, it feels reductive to say MegaStar is “just” abuse, or to ignore the toxicity of MegOp. Both pairings are more complicated than that, and the characters are all more complicated than that. And in both cases, I’d rather read one really good story that explores that complexity than a hundred stories where everything is perfect.

complex megop opinions below!

Not necessarily positive or negative, just a very objective view of it and how fandom sees it vs. other ships with a similar dynamic. 

This isn’t ship hate, because it’s my OTP. It’s just a realistic look at MegOp spurred on by the fact that I tend to see people overlook the obvious issues for moral points. Meaning, I’ve run upon some sort of hate towards megastar shippers from megop shippers, usually with people accusing the former of being unhealthy and abusive, and i’m like, the latter isn’t? 

And not just the ship, but people too. 

I credit most of the great development and realistic approach towards a positive MegOp portrayal to fans, given that in most media we have of them, their relationship starts out great and disintegrates into one of the most tragic relationships of all time. Not only because they fall out, but because they hurt each other, drastically. Megatron, arguably more. Not only does he hurt Optimus, he targets him by harming those close to him. Whether it’s children or his closest friends, he personally hurts those around Optimus.  

In Prime, it’s arguably worse. Because it’s not just physical, but it’s psychological too. Especially during the Orion Pax saga. 

And the same could be said about Optimus to Megatron as well. Initially. Just in a different light. Optimus, a privilege mech, using his position and power to speak over Megatron, to dismiss his want to use violence and overthrow a government who abused him, etc., is a great example of an abuse of power. 

And I always stand by the fact that Megatron was 100% within his rights to want to use violence to hurt those who hurt him. 

In IDW both have an entire conversation about how badly they’ve hurt each other, Megatron flat out admits to wanting to hurt Optimus by hurting people around him. He knows what emotionally fucks with his closest friend, and proceeds to do it on a galactic level. Repeatedly. 

But people aren’t supposed to interact with megop shippers because they ship megastar? On the basis of abuse and/or an unhealthy relationship? 

What makes them different? A lot, i’m sure. There’s an arguably closer work relationship with Megatron and Starscream, the abuse is physical and psychological. There’s a larger power imbalance, and it’s over the span of a longer time. Starscream has less of a chance to fight back as opposed to Optimus, and the relationship between Megatron and Starscream is not always as equal as Megatron and Optimus’s. 

So it’s much easier to say “This is an unhealthy relationship”. 

But that’s canon. Shippers and artist work very diligently to change it, fix it, and write happy endings to it that end pretty well. They’ve worked to create complex endings to an abusive ship, very similar to how canon and fanon writers have done the exact same thing to Megatron and Optimus. 

But the bottom line is that both ships are very unhealthy. At least a a point. They don’t start that way, and they might not end that way, but a significant chunk of time, they are very, very unhealthy. And the even bottomer line is that fans work very hard to give it a healthier ending–both ships. 

And that said, I don’t understand the vitriol that comes from MegOp shippers to Megastar shippers, especially when both ships have similar dynamics. 

I guess the argument is that “well, one ship is more abusive/unhealthy than the other”, but you get in a weird space when you start to say one version of abuse is more valid than the other. 

And don’t get me wrong, there are stark differences between both ships. I do think Starscream is in a place where he experiences abuse more, but that doesn’t make Megop unhealthy or a morally superior ship. It doesn’t it any less hypocritical to add  “megastars dni/megastars get hit by trucks/i hate megastar shippers” on your profile on the basis of abuse or unhealthy relationships if you ship MegOP. 

I think it’s just dismissive of what both megatron and optimus go through during their time together, because their unhealthiness is acceptable. And that leaves a very sour taste in my mouth. 

So yeah, those are just my thoughts. I welcome another perspective, just be kind about it. 

And I love MegOp. Megatron and Optimus are my favorite characters. but I also know the ship is the most complex ship, imo, to date in transformers. and it’s not without it’s fair share of pain and agony. But why is their dynamic okay. why does it give is the right to be crappy towards other shippers who ship a similar dynamic to ours?