#now imagine all this in the context of an enemies to lovers story

[cheeseanonioncrisps]

Stuck on the idea of vampires as a kind of reverse fae, or like someone's twisted, perverse attempt at moulding humans into fae.

They're repelled by liminal spaces.

A vampire could never enter fairyland, not just because they'd never be welcomed, but because most of the usual entry-ways are naturally barred to them.

They can't cross running water. They can't be seen in mirrors. They will wait forever at a crossroads, unable to pick a direction to go in. They can't even step over a thresh-hold unless there is absolutely no ambiguity about whether they are welcome inside.

They crave human blood, iron and salt, but are repelled by herbs and plants. They are supernaturally prevented from harming you unless the rules of hospitality have been invoked.

A fairy may replace your newborn child with something unnatural and ever-hungry. A vampire will do the same, but with your grandmother's corpse.

The fae are typically associated, even in stories where they're the bad guys, with flourishing and purity. Vampires, even in stories where they're the good guys, are typically associated with decay and corruption.

The fae turn ancient human burial mounds into fancy halls for their courts. Vampires take ancient human castles and let them grow mildewed and cobwebbed, exchanging the beds for coffins, turning them into burial places.

Fae don't tend to live among humans, but can generally pass for them with relative ease if they so choose. Vampires nearly always live among humans, but tend to find not revealing themselves a huge struggle.

I can't think of many stories I've read where fae and vampires even exist in the same universe, let alone ones where they actively interact. I feel like their enmity is almost more inevitable than that between vampires and werewolves, however.

The rivalry between vampires and werewolves is, essentially, the rivalry between two apex predator species who share a territory. (Even in stories where the werewolves aren't actually hunting humans.)

The vampires hate the werewolves because the werewolves interfere with their access to prey. The werewolves hate the vampires either because they consider themselves aligned with humans (the prey species), or because they are also predators and the vampires are competing with them.

By comparison, I think there's some story potential in the fae finding something genuinely creepy and uncanny valley about vampires.

They're immortal, like them, but also dead. They can be beautiful, like them, but that beauty is something they actively require humans to sustain. They like to inhabit beautiful and ancient ex-human dwellings, like them, but they actively work to make those places dark, damp and empty.

Fairies who are unflappable in the face of all sorts of Otherworldly monsters, can look an eldritch horror in the eye(s) without blinking, and have never been phased yet by any human, but will recoil from even the weakest vampire.

Vampires who hate fairies just as much, but in a more envious way. The way that the creature for whom immortality is a curse is bound to hate the creatures for whom immortality is an eternity of sunlight and laughter.

Maybe their touches burn each other. Maybe vampires can't stand physical contact with anything so alive and vital. Maybe immortal fairies become ill from too much exposure to the undead.

Maybe they fight over the human population when their territories overlap. The fairy need for servants and people to make deals with, competing with the vampire need for thralls and blood to drink.

Just… fairies and vampires. We need more stories about them interacting.

[anthurak]

Okay here’s a fun bit of off-the-cuff, unhinged rambling:

So I’ve been playing some Yugioh Duel Links lately, specifically the current Arc-V event focused on Rin and Lulu. And I noticed that Rin has some rather interesting dialogue when summoning both Clear Wing and Crystal Wing Synchro Dragons (for context, the ace-monsters of one of Arc-V’s Shonen-Protags; Yugo. For whom Rin is the plot-designated love-interest).

Stuff like; "I know you'd rather fight by my side than with Yugo!” for Clear Wing Dragon and “A monster this awesome is wasted on Yugo!” for Crystal Wing Dragon.

And not only is it rather interesting and frankly fun for a designated-shonen love-interest to be making comments like that, but she’s also not exactly wrong either…

For one, mechanically-speaking the Clear Wing dragons slot EXTREMELY well into Rin’s Windwitch archetype, which is very effective at getting out Level 7/8+ WIND Synchro monsters. To the point of even being a bit better at it, or at least a bit more reliable/consistent, than Yugo’s own Speedroid archetype.

And aesthetics-wise, the Windwitch’s whole motif is that of Icy Wind. And well…

Clear Wing Dragon, Crystal Wing Dragon, Crystal Clear Wing Dragon…

Sounds like something what would go quite well with an ICE motif, no? Certainly just as well as the ‘speed’ motif of Yugo’s Speedroids. Heck, those crystals on Crystal Wing Dragon look quite a bit like ice crystals, don’t they?

So! With all that in mind, combined with both the fact that Rin frankly deserves another badass ace monster after all the disrespectful shit her series put her through AND how the idea of a designated shonen love-interest making off with the protag’s best cards and possibly even making better use of them is frankly EXTREMELY FUN…

Yeah as far as I’m concerned, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon is Rin’s monster now whenever I play Duel Links and will have a permanent place in all of her decks.

And heck, while we’re at it let’s take this idea of Rin using Clear Wing Dragon a bit further and envision the story potential of this.

Consider if you will: An alternate version of Arc-V where Yugo is the one who gets damsel’ed and/or fridged, and RIN comes into possession of Clear Wing Synchro Dragon. To the point of even eventually becoming/revealed to be that dragon’s TRUE partner.

Sounds ludicrous, right? After all, Rin is one of the fragments/incarnations of Ray Akaba, who is basically the nemesis of the four Dimension Dragons.

But consider also: This would have made for a way more INTERESTING STORY for Arc-V!

Imagine a version of Arc-V where multiple character, mostly villains/antagonists, spend the show hyping up how the four Yu-boys are ‘destined’ to become one and recreate the terrible Zarc, and that the four bracelet girls are likewise ‘destined’ to become one and recreate Ray in order to stop him.

Only for multiple characters and events across the show to subvert and DEFY this so-called ‘destiny’.

Like say, some of both the ‘Zarc’ and ‘Ray’ fragments rejecting merging together on such a fundamental level that they CANNOT merge like what we saw in the anime?

Or one of the Yu-boys learning a summoning method that perhaps Zarc himself originally rejected? As in, RITUAL summoning.

Or one of Ray’s incarnations defying all conventional expectations and actually bonding with one of Zarc’s Dimensional Dragons, to the point of said dragon rejecting Zarc himself.

I don’t know about you, but that sounds WAY more interesting.

Also, because Clear Wing Dragon seems to be a girl dragon, I am definitely shipping her with Rin for the sake of underappreciated Yugioh yuri*. Heck, it’s a fragment of Ray in love with one of Zarc’s dragons so it’s basically an ‘enemies-to-lovers via reincarnation’ thing XD

--

*NO, not the smug Melvin-wannabe who SHOULD have gotten his ass kicked by Alexis Rhodes.

[firelightmuse]

Possibly a silly question, but Yume is very much associated with the phoenix from what I understand? Given Zenos' dying and returning from the grave in the MSQ, is there some link between the concepts of death and rebirth in their stories and characters? Is this something you've already explored? Or is it incidental to their relationship?

Ohhhh this is a very good question!! I’ll be happy to explain Yume’s symbolism with the Phoenix and how it also ties into her relationship with Zenos as well.

So to give a bit of context, Yume’s association with the Phoenix is something that goes back to her history before she arrived in Eorzea and became an adventurer. After she was stopped by her Daimyo father when she attempted seppuku, Yume was banished from her homeland, never to return and she was stripped of all her titles and status.

Though Yume had not been successful in taking her own life, her banishment proved to be the beginning of a new life for her, as forever after she would be known as a ronin, a wandering masterless samurai. Thus, she marked the beginning of this new life with a tattoo of a phoenix on her back, which I have a reference for what I imagine it to look like below: 👇

Another theme that surrounds the Phoenix is the idea that fire not only is a force of destruction but also of healing, a cleansing of the soul, and rebirth, and I believe both Yume and Zenos have this symbolism in common, as after each “rebirth”, they have been transformed from the people they once were, and especially in their latest rebirths, after their final clash in Ultima Thule at the end of EW 6.0.

Both Yume and Zenos have had literal and metaphorical rebirths throughout their lives, as Yume had her metaphorical rebirth detailed above, and she literally died and came back to life after her battle with Zenos in Ultima Thule, while Zenos has now literally (and metaphorically as I write it anyway) died and has been reborn twice, once after he took his own life after his battle with Yume in Ala Mhigo, and once again in Ultima Thule.

As they have both been through a literal and metaphorical rebirth after Ultima Thule, they are starting yet another new life, but this time they are walking their paths together. They have finally arrived at the understanding that the emotions that they have been feeling for one another is in fact love, and no other person they have ever met has been able to fully understand them except for one another. After EW, they have been reborn from the ashes of their pasts as enemies, and they now live together as lovers.

I think that’s the extent of how much I can explain Yume and Zenos’ association with the Phoenix without just babbling on incoherently, so I’ll end it here. Thank you so much for the ask @mimble-sparklepudding!!! If you or anyone else has any other questions about Yume and/or Zenos, please don’t hesitate to ask! 💖

[bidisasterevankinard]

Inspiration Saturday 🎸🎙️🎧

Tagged by my love @honestlydarkprincess who started it with really amazing Natalia/Lucy post💙💙💙💙

I was waiting months to find idea for enemies to lovers and FINALLY

Meet mood board for enemies to lovers singers buddie au + snippet

context Buck's ex outed him to public when Buck wasn't even thinking about coming out as bi

Drowning in sadness and in the feeling that his whole life is going downhill, Buck hears the doorbell ring and despite all his desires to fuck off the one who came, he still goes to the door. 

Maybe it's Bobby who came to say that Buck ruined his second chance and he doesn't want to see him on their label anymore. Buck will understand. Doesn't mean it won't finish him off now.

After open the door all the desire to say fuck off only increases exponentially when he sees who is standing behind the door. Meeting with brown eyes Buck wants to disappear underground

“Great. Like I need more problems now.”

Call him an asshole; he doesn't have any forces to be kind to Eddie despite their truce.

Eddie only raises his hands up in sight of surrender. In one hand he had a bottle. He has his trademark grin on his lips, which Buck wants to erase with his fist. Or his cock.

“I came with peace. And whiskey," Eddie shakes the bottle.

He is silent for a second, obviously choosing his words, and then his grin subsides and Buck sees in his eyes regret and something that can be described as sympathy and concern. 

"I'm sorry, Buck. Sincerely sorry. No one should have to go through this. You had to come out on your own terms when you were ready,” big browns look him right in the soul and Buck feels like he has new portions of tear ready to come. 

He refuses to cry in front of Eddie, so he clenches his fists so that his nails leave marks.

“Yeah, well, it's not like that anymore. And my career may be over.”

“Maybe yes, maybe no. Some people will certainly send negative messages, but I'm sure many will support you. I've already seen tweets that aren't very flattering about your ex. He may think he's done something cool, but he's just an asshole. And I have a suggestion.”

The smirk is back in big plush lips.

“Which one?” Buck frowns.

“Another song. About him. Where you lay out everything you think about this asshole. I'll add some. I already have a sketch. I wrote it when I saw the news," Eddie takes his notebook from jacket. "That's why I came late. I wanted to give you some time to cool down.”

“Hate song? Seriously?” 

Buck could expect many things from Eddie: came here to have fun about the fact that Buck's career is over, to point out that Buck always went to destroy himself, hell, Buck admits that he could even have expected real sympathy from Eddie, but not an offer to write a song about his ex.

“And why not? I'm sure you want to kick his ass, but shaming him for the whole world by telling your story and recording a song seems to me a worthy "reward" for him.”

For a second Buck lets himself imagine it and can't deny that the idea of using their talents and humiliating this asshole seems pleasant to him.

Remembering that they are still on the doorsteps, he lets Eddie come in and leads him into the living room.

“Let's have a drink and I'll think about it”

song which is inspired this scene and au

Tagging if they want to share :@911onabc @ebdaydreamer @alyxmastershipper @transbuck @cowboy-buddie @lover-of-mine @heartshapedvows @bekkachaos @panbuckley @rogerzsteven @the-likesofus @elvensorceress @shortsighted-owl @barbiediaz @buddierights @housewifebuck @thewolvesof1998 @wildlife4life @wikiangela @hippolotamus @transboybuckley @devirnis @heartbeatdiaz @spotsandsocks @monsterrae1 @spaceprincessem @userdisaster @caroandcats @mandzuking17 @sibylsleaves @translasso and anyone who wants to share

[hauntedpenguinobservation]

Carpe Noctem - Intro Post

DEMO - tba

You are a nobody. A supposedly ordinary human in a world full of powerful beings. Your life is all in all pretty average if not bordering on mind-numbing, like watching paint dry... That is until you were kidnapped and tossed into one especially small carriage to be delivered somewhere only the ancients knew of.

From now on nothing will ever be the same and you need to adapt to the ever-changing outside world as fast as possible. All the while trying to decipher your past and with that your part in an every-growing political conflict that borders to develop into an all out war the world has yet to see.

General content warnings: Bigotry & prejudice, horror elements, interspecies awkwardness, explicit language, depictions of violence, injuries, blood and death, explicit sexual content (if selected), flashbacks of a dark past to unveil, sprinkled with some homophobia here and there & general an unfair treatment of people with disabilities.

FEATURES

-> customizable MC (name, pronouns, appearance, identity)

-> semi-set personality due to evolve (MCs reclusive upbringing)

-> 5 characters to romance (3 in book 1, not sure if the other two will follow, they'll probably be fully romanceable in book 2)

-> POVs of the ROs included

-> an open-minded author that is inclined to change NPCs to fully fledged ROs depending on the general opinion/wishes of readers

-> an emotional roller coaster, all in all nothing for ppl that want a light-hearted theme

-> later on you'll be able to choose part of your race (vampires, merpeople, demons, shapeshifters, phoenixes -and many more) & with that you can determine and further develop your special skillset.

romanceable characters:

the master [Alois|Alice|Alix] (m|f|n) 24 winters

Aloof, cold eyes and reclusive as fuck. And your esteemed master -as if any of you actually want this dynamic... A hates you and your position, especially the hidden context it supplies to everyone they meet...

A has silver eyes that always seem distant, defined cheek bones with mostly soft facial features and long, silver hair. A wears fine dark clothing without other prominent features to despict their wealth.

Content warnings for A's route: denial of feelings aka one of the slowest burns imaginable, domestic violence, implied/referenced rape/non-con, anxiety attacks, self-harm, angst & hurt/comfort

the protector [Leto] (m|f|n) too many to count

Leto is a raven-like creature most would describe as monstrous-looking. They are rarely seen and the few moments they are, death is certain. For many commoners it's enough to see one of Leto's black feathers to warrant a swift escape.

Their past eludes them and you have to wonder - why does some antics of them seem kinda...familiar?

Content warnings for Leto's route: survivor-guilt, body dysphoria, touch-starved, angst, hurt/comfort, captivity & enslavement, torture, ptsd

the assassin [Zane|Zoey] (m|f) 28 winters

Z is everything their mother wanted them to be. Her own personal weapon. One she is now inclined to use for her vendetta against you.

They have dark brown hair with intelligent hazel eyes that seem to observe their surroundings constantly. They were raised with stories about you, stories you know nothing about. How can it be that Z seems to know more of you and your family than you yourself?

Should it worry you that they sound extremely resolute in stating their sole purpose is to rid the world of your existance?

Content warnings for Z's route: enemies to frenemies to lovers, eating disorder, alcohol-addiction, a tendency of morbid jealousy, past emotional abuse & manipulation

??? [redacted]

??? [also redacted]

more info tba

Small note of the author:

Everything is slow burn in this - even the character customization, cause I want to add those moments seamlessly into the story.

I tend to take my time. You can expect me to heavily focus on the characters and their feelings, with a slight disregard to describing the environment and such. I work with minimalistic efforts to still give a sense of what I imagine everything to be but with the intention to leave fine details to the reader's own imagination.

I'll try to be considerate of everyone's preferences, especially in the more kinky parts of the story. There'll be versions for more assertive characters as well as more passive one's. Though I should add that the ROs all have their own set of bias that they prefer. However there will be growth throughout the story, including that.

The gravity of your choices will intensify throughout book 1, especially as you get to know the Circle and the Court and every other political hive of intrigue.

And yes. You can die. The ROs can die. Almost everyone will be able to at some point, I guess. Though I don't like the idea of writing a total distopia, don't expect me to change my mind regarding that one that easily.

More infos will be added over time. I'll post lore snippets of my sketchbook soon, like the worldmap, the general outlines of the Circle & the Court, the different races and such.

Asks are welcomed.

[call-sign-shark]

Shark!! I have questions 🦈.

If not Arthur, let's say an AU where Arthur doesn't exist, do you think Heaven could fall in love with John or Thomas? (Or Ada, why not!)

I love the chemistry between Heaven and John, but I feel they're like siblings . Although John is a flirty, sassy man and he's hot af 😂.

On the other hand, Thomas... Their rivalry. Enemies (fierce enemies) to lovers? Tommy knows how to seduce a woman. And he's really smart.

And Ada... Well. Queen Ada 👑. Nothing to add here.

Wow Flor, this is such a clever question!! Thank you so much for asking this, you really made my brain go brrrrrr 😁💚 The short answer is: She could have fallen for both of them depending on the context.

✞ If John had not been married she would have gone for him, I guess. As you said, he's flirty, sassy, hot, and caring. Heaven needs someone who's not afraid to lavish her with tenderness. Moreover, they already share a deep and unique bond in the story. Some feel ambiguity about whether John has a little crush or not -- and it's up to readers to decide if they have a sibling platonic relationship or if John does feel a little innocent something for her. But I feel like it would not have been a long-term relationship. More like an intense fling that would have ended up in a strong friendship.

✞ Regarding Tommy... You know, a lovely reader on AO3 wondered if part of Tommy's hatred towards her could come from jealousy and attraction -- once again, I prefer readers to imagine what they want. The most logical choice for the canon story with John being married would be Thomas and Heaven falling in love in a very slow burn revolving around the enemies-to-lovers trope. At first, he would have only used her for her powers and for sex before falling for her first and trying to seduce her. That being said, their relationship would be toxic: they would always fight then fuck, then threaten to murder each other, but keep coming back to each other for comfort. Also, Tommy's tendency to sleep around would really make her suffer. At one point in the story, Heaven would have slept with Jack Nelson to hurt her husband, which could have resulted in a twisted love corner.

Isn't it hilarious to think that, in a parallel universe, there is a 100% angst series called "After You, Hell Should be Easy" featuring Thomas x Heaven in an enemies-to-lovers trope?

As for Ada, I don't think so: they are too different. The truth is, Heaven would have 100% fallen for May Carleton, and they would be the happiest and most healthy little couple of all the Peaky Blinders universe. 😂

Congratulations, Arthur is sulking now and mumbling "yeah, very fun Flor eh, but don't forget she's me fucking wife"

✞ For those wondering, Heaven is “you” in Heaven in Your Eyes, an Arthur x Reader!OC ongoing series. Check out the Masterlist

[gingersp1ce547]

ok it’s jojoever i have brainrot now i need to assign stands to every qsmp eggs

ramon : Killer Queen - bombs + cat what more do i need to say

Chayanne : Pearl Jam - Just making extremely good food

Tallulah : Hermit Purple - Thorns design that reminds of Rose

Leo : Purple Haze - Color matches + rabid dog vibes

Sunny : Emerald green - using jewels to fight is perfect for her

Empanada : Paisley Park - don’t have an explanation, em just gives me yasuho vibes

Pepito : Bohemian Rhapsody - go make spider-man real king

Dapper : Gold experience - gruesomely killing your enemies with your knowledge of living creatures is such a dapper thing

Pomme : Sex Pistols - go my little sniper queen

Richas : Heaven’s door - Perfect for an artist with a taste for fofoca

Dude i saw the word sex pistols in the context of stands my brain went “part 5? PART 5!” Like a dog hearing its name being called so im more than happy to brain rot with you bout all of this!

-killer queen is so perfect for ramon. If he had it during the election arc, fit would have to have stopped him form making foolish a speck of ash on the floor after he arrested tazercraft

-chays fits so well from a symbolic, “stands are a reflection of ones soul” perspective too. Like even though he’s a warrior, at heart he the main thing he cares about is taking care of his family though both physical protection and just general wellbeing. Such a good pick for him

-Hermit purple is such a good pick with tallulah. Im imagining phil sighing as he pulls out another camera for her to destroy before they eventually start having super cheap ones on hand for that exact purpose

-Listen i see purple haze for leo, i get it i can see the vision. But my fugo loving brain refuses to let go of what purple haze means for him as a stand symbolically and wants to give it to q!cellbit EVEN THOUGH WERE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE EGGS.

Anyways in context of only assigning stands to the eggs 100% i think she should get out purple haze, but if were talking about everyone i also think born this way would be a really good fit for her and i cant quite explain why outside of the vibes just mathcing in my head

-sunny would so be besties with emerald green. Like tubbo would have to not only give sunny stuff but also it. I can totally see her giving it a nickname and its own room and stuff

-Your so right about empanda having yasuho vibes. Something about the crypticness of the power of paisley park coupled with all the shit both the characters have been though mashes really well together

- Bohemian rhapsody is so fucking funny for pepito. Especially because like idk if youve ever read any jojo’s fanfics but theirs this really good one called chimera were long story short the ascended version of dio from eyes over heaven goes to another universe and just fucks with the dio their by basically forcing him on a part jumping self-betterment arc? Anyways during it the author had the reason ungalo’s life became so shit was because he accidentally used his stand to make the story of holes come true with him acting as the main character and now every tine i think about that stand i cant not think of that.

But anyways him and roier would abuse the fuck out of his stand and it would in fact be hilarious

-As a giorno lover, dapper is so giorno coded. He would be so fucking unstoppable with that stand even without it being its requiem version. I can so see him using it to fuck with his dad for funnsies too.

-Pomme would be so sweet to the pistols too, she would make sure they get the best treats. I think at first she would struggle with keeping them in line but with etoiles help she would be the perfect balance of stern and sweet.

-richas with heavens door would be the absolute worst. Like the biggest menace ever. He would use it on his parents to make it so they could never give him a bath again and then they would have to find a work around for what doesnt count as bath but still technically got him clean until their able to convince him to reverse it.

[phoenixtakaramono]

The Name of the Game

There’s too much on my plate presently so I won’t write this brainworm right now but imagine this Enemies-to-Lovers Butchlander AU premise: Butcher transmigrates into different worlds where every identity he assumes pits him against its “virtuous hero” (Homelander).

The catch? Butcher has to somehow win his enemy over—or it’s death.

So, for context before I start going into detail, what the heck is “quick transmigration” you ask? It’s essentially world-hopping through various worlds in one story (think multi-short stories that all somehow connect together in a bigger narrative).

The original world this Butcher hails from is an alternate reality where Vought International has expanded all across the globe—and he himself is a Supe affiliated with Vought UK.

On a PR visit to Vought-American (Homelander would have to be tied early into the story here somehow), Butcher’s inner circle gets ambushed by “Supe terrorists”/ “supervillains.” One of those Supes has the power to temporarily banish a person from their plane of existence (or whichever power it is that’d jumpstart the “Quick Transmigration” system)—and Butcher gets caught in that.

He wakes up with a splitting migraine, and a “Conquer System” that explains his return conditions. He’s allowed to go back to his world as long as he fulfills his mission task in each world.

His mission? Fulfill the dying wish of each “soul” he’ll transmigrate into. Fight fate.

The caveat? Whatever identity Butcher assumes, he’ll be the natural nemesis of that world’s equivalent of the “Favorite Son”/ “Golden Child” (the meta equivalent of each world’s main character/ male protagonist/ rival).

Most of all, Butcher CANNOT kill that person. Or it’s automatic erasure.

At this point, Butcher doesn’t know who that person is yet so he’d naturally snap, “You expect me to know who the bloody hell that’d be?”

System: “Oh, you’ll know.”

——————————————

There are 3 main twists:

The first twist is each body Butcher takes possession of is an AU version of him so we can play with 5-6 (or more?) different settings.

There’s full (medieval) fantasy, modern showbiz/ entertainment industry, A/B/O, interstellar (sci-fi), etc.

What’s important is the world before Butcher returns to his original world is ‘The Boys’ (TV or comic) canon universe; it’s so that this AU Supe version of Butcher lands himself in a reality where he’s, once again, powerless—but this time he’d apparently married this American woman called Rebecca Saunders. Essentially the canon events of the show or comic.

But with the same win conditions set by the System, Butcher has to tackle the situation differently from his counterpart. It’s the hardest challenge to pass (it’s the world most similar to his reality but the body he’s inhabiting has burned many bridges).

The second twist is “the Homelander” of each world somehow always falls for Billy.

So we’re talking King Stillwell’s greatest and most loyal knight falling under the charm of the dragonkin he was under orders to slay/ subjugate.

The prince of Hollywood—Vought Entertainment’s top A-list moneymaker—falling for this English chav paparazzo.

An Alpha falling for another Alpha.

Their names—and age—will always change in each world. For example, in one world Homelander is called “John Gillman” and in other worlds he’s “Johnny, J'onn, Jon,” or whatever is the appropriate variation of his name.

Butcher, for example, can isekai into “William, Will, Bill/y, Wilhelm,” etcetera.

And the last twist is, when Butcher accumulates enough “points” to return back to his reality, kick ass and chew bubblegum, *his Homelander* has experienced the longing and affections his alternate versions had felt for the Butcher through his “dreams”—even though they’ve never met.

Homelander and Butcher meet for the first time officially in their world, as strangers (competitive rivals because of their different divisions), yet they’ve both “experienced” worlds where they’d somehow become companions. Partners. Lovers.

And we end this story hinting it’ll be the same.

[fanaticsnail]

If you ever need visuals/inspiration for the dancing prompts I am HERE.

Mihawk (tango):

You obviously are familiar with Mr & Mrs Smith and the ICONIC Morticia and Gomez dances. However, may I suggest;

"Cell Block Tango" - you know I had to include it.

"Shall we dance?" (2004) - so sensual and intimate. Poetry in motionm

"Take the Lead" - there's a tango in a detention centre with two people (which is what I was thinking of), but there's also a lovely sandwich tango (iykwim)

And my personal fave: the introducing the tango scene from the story of Vernon and Irene castle - and old movie, black and white, but my GOD the CHEMISTRY. The CUNT. The FLUIDITY. The subtle but adoring smiles and glances.

Luffy:

Ok the Bachata for Luffy is perfect and I don't want to change it but I would like to offer up for your viewing/imagining pleasure: La Cucaracha. Simple, sweet. Folk dance. Gives young love. Lots of Luffy vibes. Just imagining them dancing in a town square.

Otherwise, no notes. The song is amazing I can't wait.

Buggy (swing):

Songs wise:

Tangled up - Caro Emerald (specifically the Lokee remix)

Dancing with the devil - Elle & the pocket Belle's

And idk how swing they are necessarily but; I don't have a name for it by Steam Powered Giraffes, Gentlemen by OR3O (or even All eyes on me by OR3O, but that's less of a love song and more angsty), vending machine of love by the stupendium

Zoro (Capoeira):

I love this. When I heard(read) "dance series" I immediately knew a dance fight style would KILL. I never knew Capoeira before this so I have to thank you for introducing me because *chefs kiss* muah.

I couldn't find many Capoeira scenes in movies or shows, but from what I did see there's a lot of break-dance-esque leg action. So I gotta suggest the Eggsy vs Gazelle fight from Kingsmen. (Side note: the kingsmen movies are actually so camp).

If you don't know, Gazelle is an antagonist with prosthetic legs that are basically spears and she fights with a lot of slashes. The scene is beautiful. Lots of legs swinging, lots of fists flying, very lethal. Lots of physics defying and frankly reality bending moments that fit into the drama of anime fighting, specifically one piece.

Now idk where it would fit but I would kill myself if I didn't mention the Naacho Naacho dance scene (essentially a dance battle) in the movie RRR (seriously good movie, it is v long tho). It's an Indian movie set during the war of the English colonisation. One of the main characters has a crush on a white girl who invites him to a party, and his friend tags along for moral support. They use the power of friendship and dance to defeat a racist white guy who thinks that they're not sophisticated bc they don't even know how to dance any of his fancy dances (which aren't even english dances, by the way) by dancing a dance that gets everyone to join bc it's so fun, and they manage to continue dancing as everyone falls around them bc of the pace and stamina needed. If you watch none of the scenes I've suggested, please watch this one.

Honourable mentions;

Zendayas dance off in dancing with the stars (https://youtu.be/2Iw951fviP4?si=_Bj4Wav5pcpYyLIZ)

And it's not necessarily a romance song and the context is icky but the tempo and the cunt in 'Papi' by Todrick Hall and Nicole Scherzinger from 'Straight Outta Oz' (musical) is unmatched, and there's a music video with some dancing.

Oh my gosh, yes 😫. I love all of these things.

For the Mihawk Tango/Pasadoble; immediately my mind went:

-Zorro & Elena from The Mask of Zorro: Soooo enemies to lovers

-Mr & Mrs Smith, the drama and disaster: I love it

-AND!!!!! El Tango de Roxanne from Moulin Rogue: Need I say more? The DRAMA, The EMOTION, AHH.

-TAKE THE LEAD is where my brain went YES!!!!!! The dominant gentleman lead, the DRAMA I LOVE.

For the Luffy Bachata its a bit more tricky for me to find an appropriate reference for it because he's so PLAYFUL and less sensual than the way it.

-Mr & Mrs Smith has the Mondo Bongo scene that I think about quite regularly for references.

-I also am on the dance side of TikTok currently, these vids keep popping up and I adore them.

Now, for the Buggy Solo I'm having some conflicting thoughts. He deserves a soft little dancey dance, but I could also see it getting VERY ANGSTY very quickly.

My song choices are as follows:

-Sway by Mr Bubes himself.

-Express Burlesque by Christina Aguilera just screams Buggy to me.

-The improv style that Emeline brings to this dance off is just MENTAL, I love it. Like, soooo playful my brain can't process it.

ZORO is REALLY TRICKY.

However, my inner teenager went immediately here, to Aang and Katara's dance in the caves.

I will need to check out RRR again, it has been a hot minute.

Shanks as a Jig is superb: @sordidmusings has me in a chokehold with this suggestion and as a former Irish Dancer myself, I simply can't imagine anything more FUN than THIS. Like, as a violinist, this is going to be so much fun to write.

Hobbits dancing on a table, The Jolly Roving Tar is just immediately speaking to me. I could also see the circular jig from Disney's Tangled being incorporated with the entire crew.

The Buggy x Mihawk Sandwich is just writing itself at this stage, my brain rot is simply drawn to the dynamic and I can't even process it.

Masterlist Link for when they drop!

[starsscarmyceiling]

the only thing i have ever known about merrical is what i've seen you reblog over the years, and i was always fine with that like go off...but now idk, i have seen so much of this pairing on my dash and i find myself being a little more curious? i feel kind of insane going to your askbox about this, but it seems to have certainly intrigued me ngl. and since you are the og merrical i've been following forever (reylo 4 life!), is there any sort of way you could give me a crash course on it? 🥺🙏

Holy gee WOW did I smile so very hard at this nonnie, I can't even tell you omfg. I was kind of wondering if Merrical would reach others in the SW fandom. I just know it's a smaller ship, especially in comparison to Reylo...and let me just tell you, Reylo Merricals, I think are mighty cool people.

Alright, well, I had another ask where I just gave all my fic recs and stuff like that, so you can find all of that here!

Okay okay okay, damn...where to start? I mean coming from Reylo you're still getting that enemies to lovers the grumpy one is soft for the sunshine goodness. Just imagine like...a Dark Rey/Jedi Ben AU? Yeah that seems like the right vibes to me.

Alright, so like the absolute 🤌thing🤌 for Merrical imo is all of the unspoken understanding between them. When I first played Jedi Fallen Order, what truly got me to start shipping is the moment Cal looked into Merrin's eyeballs and dropped the "I know what it's like to lose everything" line, like damn. That fucking--that ruined my life. He looked at her and validated her and then told her that how she'd been treated was wrong, and I just like fainted the old Katie can't come to the phone right now because she's dead. Here are two people, who both have been through so much, all of the same traumas of losing their entire people at such a young age and they found each other...like...do you know how special that is??

I think that is just another thing that I love about these two. There really is so much unsaid understanding between them that it seems like no matter the universe, they just seem to just naturally want to be around each other, and maybe they don't always understand why, but what it has is the potential to turn into is like *chef's kiss* of building something together that may have a foundation of joint trauma, but can then turn into everything they have been seeking and not even knowing they were. About two broken people, finally feeling like it's okay that they are, like they don't need to be fixed, like they don't need to explain, and they can just be.

It's about what they can build together.

They are so very healthy, have such amazing communication, and ISTG Star War if you don't give us this one pairing that won't end in tragedy I am setting everything on fire.

Alright, so obviously I would suggest playing JFO and then Jedi Survivor to get like the full story, but if you're not a gamer and want to commit to watching the "movie" version JFO, I thought this one was the best of the ones that weren't like 5+ hours but still providing enough context with cut scenes and some game play. I know it's still long but I tried to pick the best one under 3 hours!

For the JS movie. I thought this one was also a good balance of game play and cut scenes to get context. Let me just, like wow Respawn really made this game for the Merricals. Oh shit, these two are going to fuck your life up...in like the best way.

Also...HEH you're still gonna get all the freckle and hair appreciation in the world. Yes, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Fellow Merricals, if there was like anything that I left out that you think is important, just comment on here! I hope that was as succinct, you know, for me, and efficient of a Merrical crash course that I could give you anon.

This was fun, thinking this all out, and I truly hope you enjoy just another lovable set of space idiots over here. Also don't be shy! If I've successfully converted you, please show some love to the amazing authors and artists that this fandom has to offer.

AW YEAH guys we could have another convert to the house of Merrical I am kicking my feet in the air and screaming love all of us always 💖💖💖

Also, yes, our home base is Applebee's. Come join me for a drink sometime 😏

[dorianslayyy]

13 Books Tag Game

Tagged by @bubblegum-blackwood

1) The last book I read:

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros - I absolutely devoured this sequel, omg. Obviously it’s nothing fancy or anything like that but hey what’s wrong with a smutty YA? Not to mention DRAGONS

2) A book I recommend:

Perfume by Patrick Süskind - when I read it I had no idea it was a whole entire modern classic, I just picked it up at Oxfam for like 3 for £1 or something but, wow, I can 100% understand how it earned that status! If you like an eery not-too-long horror story with the most beautiful imagery describing some fucked up gothic storylines and a lot of social commentary, you’ll love this book!

3) A book that I couldn’t put down:

Ahhh ok, im gonna say In Memoriam by Alice Winn. The ending was… idk I wasn’t really a fan of the ending, I thought it kind of disengaged and took away from the struggles and severity of war and sexuality the rest of the book portrayed but until that point the rest of the story was everythingggg, there’s a sweet forbidden romance/coming of age/found family in the 1910’s propelling into a story of the horror of WW1 and losing everything you know. All I can really say is that I read it all in one go (more or less) and it had me laughing and sobbing throughout

4) A book I’ve read twice (or more):

I mean… there’s an obvious choice here - The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. HOWEVER I’m going to absolutely cheat and also say Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, the drama, the trauma, the vast majority of these characters are awful and I love it 🤌🤌

5) A book on my TBR:

So many… so so many… I’m gonna say House Of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski tho because it was expensive and it’s cool looking and I’ve actually been meaning to read that for a while but boy howdy it’s huge

6) A book I’ve put down:

The Tale Of The Body Thief by Anne Rice UGHH I’m trying so hard!! It’s so many words with so little going on, and I do enjoy it, I really do, it’s so goofy, but it’s so.. i mean verbose isn’t really quite the right word but you know what I mean. Sorry mutuals :( I just need a break to read something short and silly - which I’ve almost finished the little series I’m currently reading

7) A book on my wish list:

Prophet Song by Paul Lynch - it sounds absolutely soul crushing and miserable, I know this completely contradicts what I just said about being in the mood for a silly read but <333

8) A favorite book from childhood:

Omg 10000x the Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy, guys you don’t understand, as much as I would love to talk about how my mum and I used to sit and read Anne Of Green Gables before bed or my Enid Blyton obsession when I was like 6, Skulduggery Pleasant was my absolute jam - I must’ve read that series (the original 9 + spin offs) a million times in primary school. I did keep up with phase 2 when that was coming out but I don’t know if I’ll bother with phase 3, I’m just too old now and phase 2 wasn’t all that imo - I think it’s sort of beating a dead horse at this point :( but the original 9 and Maleficent Seven/Armageddon Outta Here were my childhood and I definitely absorbed Valkyrie Cain into my identity as a child so that series probably shaped a big part of who I am and my hobbies as an adult

9) A book you would give to a friend:

Love On The Brain by Ali Hazelwood. Silly, nerdy, fun, a cute little Pride and Prejudice-esque enemies to lovers feat. women in STEM

10) A book of poetry or lyrics that you own:

Ok so anyone who’s seen my other poetry blog @apoemadaykeepsthehoesaway knows my obsession with The Complete Poems of Wilfred Owen (I have a lot of difference versions) AHHH by far my favourite poet - as you can imagine with such a young man, you can clearly see his changing mentalities, his growth as a person and a writer, his influences, and really gather a lot of context for what’s going on with him in general through his poems. And he grew up in all the same areas I grew up in and hung around as a kid/younger teen, which I think adds to my personal interest in him too. Idk ig we’re very close friends on a parasocial level lol.

And ofc there really aren’t that many poets around that give such visceral, truthful, and emotional insights to the First World War as Owen does (also a queer icon). He was my intro to war literature and I have tattoos relating to him, he and his work are just incredible to read about, would highly recommend having a look at Siegfried Sassoon’s war poems too; another very blunt poet who was a celebrity and war protestor at the time and happened to mentor Wilfred Owen, as well as being linked with other influential folks of the time such as Robbie Ross, Stephen Tennant, Rupert Brooke, and Ivor Novello. Ok Ill move on :,)

11) A nonfiction book you own:

Surprisingly I quite like nonfiction, mainly history and essays from philosophers and the like. Speaking of, Friedrich Nietzsche’s Beyond Good And Evil is a pretty solid one I own, I’ve never read anything where the author begins by calling himself and all his coworkers socially inept incels 🥹 but even though I don’t remember the specific reason I bought it (I was reading it to argue against some other philosophers in an essay in college and I really don’t remember who or what it was) I remember it being a really interesting read

Or yknow in a more traditional sense of non-fiction, I also have Notes On A Nervous Planet by Matt Haig. Really helped me get through some stuff, if you’re struggling with anxiety or feeling a bit down lately I’d very much recommend

12) What are you currently reading:

Omg ok, The Hitchhiker Trilogy by Douglas Adams, I’m currently on book 3 of 5 - Life, The Universe, And Everything. Really silly and nonsensical space bs but somehow also a bleakly satirical social commentary on the unseriousness of our ‘serious’ world. Really enjoyable, fairly political to some degree, really short (around or less than 200 pages a book), really fun. Martin Freeman truly was the perfect casting for Arthur Dent in the film of the first book. Full of that quintessentially British cynical humour and of course plenty of cups of tea

To give a little preview, the second book literally opens “The story so far: In the beginning, the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.”

13) What are you planning on reading next?

Books 4 and 5 of The Hitchhiker Trilogy, and then I suppose I had better carry on reading The Tale Of The Body Thief :D

Tagging whoever wants to have a go, it’s super fun, sorry if I went on a bit on some of these 😅

[starwalker03]

So now I have to ask. WMLP au where the team had a poly thing going before they were separated. (Everyone made out that new years and didn’t stop for a few week) What would change?

Okay so the thing about this ask is I read it, loved the concept, thought about it for more than 0.00000001 seconds and took psychic damage from it and then put my phone down and walked around the house a bit and I've been putting off coming back to it since.

So sorry about that.

But look. I'm one of those people who loves the interesting dynamic of ex-lovers. Irregardless of what type of love. Platonic, sexual, romantic, anything in any capacity, best friends, work buddies, soulmates, married couples, friends with benefits, all of it. Because once there was a time you were something to each other. Once you laughed and cried and talked and had stories and made stories. Once upon a time things were good and now they're not. And neither of you know how to fix it. Or worse, you know exactly how to fix it but simply refuse.

It's why I love making Dick and Bruce's relationship so complicated and difficult and somehow still functional but not in any way that is simple or straightforward.

But in this context. Oh god.

Imagine you are a teenager. 14-17. Mid teens. Everything is difficult already but it's worse because you're a hero. You're responsible for the lives of so many. You're a soldier in an endless war and there is no easy answer. And you have a team you love. Five people you would lay down your life for, you would stand between them and death, and you know they'd do the same for you. You stand in front of one, another stands in front of you; a circle of you all interposing yourselves between your loved ones and danger in an anti-Oroborous. Backs to one another and trusting you will be guarded.

And it's not enough.

Some of you die, some of you are taken where you'll never truly be heard from again, you are at the whims of the enemy and there is no presence at your back, no familiarity with who stands in front of you anymore.

And when you see them again the circle is broken, you cannot get close, you don't understand what happened to these people you once knew inside and out. They look different; you look different. Part of you wants to trust they would still stand by you at the end of the world and yet you look in their eyes and a flash of fear runs through you: you can't find it in yourself to put your back to them again.

Part of you blames yourself for it. Part of you thinks you're responsible. Part of you thinks you could fix it. Part of you is horrified at what they let themself become. Part of you is mad at them for letting you become what you are. Part of you is ashamed. Of yourself, of them, of everyone else.

Nothing is good anymore and it makes you wonder: was it ever really good to begin with? Were you all just lying to yourselves? Was this inside them, inside you, all along? Was this always how things would end? Was the clock ticking down to the day you'd hold a weapon at them, pointed, accusing, scared, angry, hurt, desperate. For them to back down, stop, finish this, finish you.

Was there ever a point at all? Was it all wasted?

Are you wasted?

Are you...

Who are you? And who are you to each other?

And why is the answer... Nothing?

[420thewritersroom]

Hello, I'm CelestiaShipp on Ao3 (and I'm also tatyfer, I have two accounts, one for pure shipping and the other is pure friendship and family) I'm curious about Raiden's harem since I'm curious about who makes it up (although I imagine Liu and Lao They are one of the members) and I'm sorry if I'm screwing too much

Yeah, so I have a reoccurring thing with characters and harems lmao. Before, it was my OCs where I (intentionally or unintentionally) would put them in harem like situations, but now it seems like even Raiden isn't safe from the "everyone wants to kissy you" squad

Also this got exceptionally long, so my answer is under this READMORE bracket

Yeah, Liu Kang and Kung Lao are obviously in the harem, especially in the context of the "Oops, Kung Lao's Dead Again" AU. Kung Lao is self explanatory, a classic "Childhood Friends to Lovers" trope, and I actually have a bit of a sad story between the pair that explains their eventual friendship, but I wanna save that for the next part of the series (so no spoilers!)

Liu Kang, as demonstrated in the most RECENT chapter is the "unrequited love/never meant to be" trope. When LORD Raiden rejected Liu Kang's love for him, Liu tried to move on from that chapter in his life. And when he became Fire God Liu Kang AND Keeper of Time, he almost wanted to recreate events so that Raiden could still be the god of thunder and they both could protect Earthrealm...And MAYBE spark a relationship together. But Liu Kang saw that this idea was a selfish one and reasonably thought that it also violates the one thing he still wanted to present every mortal and being in his new ear, the ability to choose their destiny. And forcing this new Raiden into a life where he's (technically, but not really) forced into a relationship with Liu defeats that purpose.

So instead, Liu Kang directs his love for Raiden by having this new Raiden have the life that he lost and would've wanted. A family, a loving mentor, a best friend (and soon to be bf), and a home. Even if Liu Kang couldn't make Raiden emotionally or physically happy, he gave Raiden a life where he was happy regardless, and that makes Liu Kang happy...At least he thinks it does.

Yo, listen, I just love possessive Liu Kang, especially if it's "slowly growing possessively feral, but is trying SO HARD to hide it". If you want a (albeit narsty ;) ) example of this, I highly recommend this fic series here (Earthrealm Poly)

Johnny and Kenshi don't really fit in the harem, but I'm still including them anyways because they both have a deep care for their friend.

Now, hear me out...The Lin Kuei brothers. Lemme explain. I like to imagine that out of all the Earthrealm warriors, Raiden is the one that came out alright as Liu Kang intended (perks of being gods favorite princess). Raiden didn't become orphaned, loose a parent or family member horrifically, didn't grow up in a dysfunctional household, didn't loose their hometown, just had a well-rounded life that was trauma free compared to the rest of the warriors (including Kung Lao).

And I like to think that Raiden's peaceful life and kind personality is what lured the Lin Kuei brothers to Raiden (along with everyone else too. Raiden stays not having enemies). The first time each of them realized that they liked Raiden was when he invited them (along with his other friends) to join him and his family for dinner one time. Just being surrounded by the good vibes that Raiden possessed just caused these feral men to go "Yep, I'm gonna wife that man up."

Bi-Han is obviously the tsundere type, and before he betrayed everyone (and listen, I got a lot of beef about that that I will not get into), I like to think that Bi-Han saw potential in Raiden much like Liu Kang did. But I think that Liu Kang and Subzero, without even knowing it, would've been strangely...Territorial about Raiden, if that makes sense lol.

There's more I could probably say, but I'm having a hard time expressing who else would be part of the harem. To kinda shot ball some things. As much as I don't like the (imo) forced relationship that netherrealm attempted with Kitana and Raiden (especially since they're trying to give Raiden the Liu Kang treatment with this new timelines), I'm also not opposed to it either. One, everyone likes a good "small town hero falling for a warrior princess" type thing, and maybe I'd be more into it if Kitana was taller than Raiden (I'm a "Outworlder women are tall" believer).

This is more crack than anything, but General Shao being part of the harem...Ok, this option is really just horny me speaking lol

[f3arl3ss]

HOW TO SEND ME A REQUEST

this blog is made especially for times when i just want to post bullshit but consider this post if you plan to enjoy a request on the @cutiedwaekki account (aka my main account)

First things first , what i do NOT write

Death feederism

Vore

Rape

Any BDSM stuff

toxcis relationship

Angst (the plot may have an angst part but I like to write stories with a happy ending)

Wg stuff on an underage idol (for example I refuse to write about Niki from Enhypen, newjeans etc...)

Now what i do write :

feedrism (obviously)

Mpreg

Hybrid au

Omegaverse

Rapid wg

Realistic wg

Magical wg

Burp

Breaking furniture

Tight clothes

Wg denial

and more ...

For the groups , even if i'm mostly used to write on skz , i can do write for any other groups !!

Mainly for boygroups i'll focus on :

Straykids

Ateez

Txt

Seventeen

Nct

And for girlgroups :

Twice

Loona

Here i gave my perception with the jars of kink with what i appreciate and what i don't

The "?" mark are for those that depend on the context or I don't know if I like it or don't like it

but for those who don't have a precise idea, I offer you a concept based on emoji, it is possible to send it an emoji lskte according to their meaning so that I can write according to your request!!

So for example if i got a reques with 🧸☀️👔

That'll mean a fluff imagine with an happy end and thight clothes I don't know if I'm making it clear, if necessary, don't hesitate to ask!! see here the possible emoji !!

☀️ = happy ending

🧸 = fluff

🔥 = smut

☁️= angst

👔 = tight clothes

🍔= stuffing

🐷= massive wg

🐱=hybrid au

❤️ = first love au

🩷 = enemies to lover au

🧡 = friends to lover au

💻 = office au

🍞 = bakery / restaurant au

💙 = wg denial

🩵 = fake dating

💜= etablished relationship

🐡=wg denial

And if necesary just add somes element like AU or ship you want ♡

Now i'm wakting for all your requests ;)

[cat-downthestreet]

THIS.

I've read some really good fics that explore these ideas and I completely agree with you. most of what people call enemies to lovers is really just rivals to lovers. both are good, but there's always a lack of that gorgeous, gorgeous angst when people write rivals instead of enemies. imo, a true version of enemies to lovers would look like this: both parties hate each other at first, but they're eventually forced to work together for some reason. they start to warm up to each other, at first they hate being there but they start to feel a little less hostile after awhile. blah blah blah, some fluff happens, they might start being frenemies for a bit, then there's an actual fucking battle between them because of some repressed feelings and internal conflict. I imagine they're both thinking something like "they're my enemy, I can't love them this way" or even "I was so terrible to them in the past, they'll never love me" later on in the fic. etc etc etc, someone calls them out for being close and slowly but surely they go from enemies to rivals to lovers.

that was a mess to describe lmao. but do you understand what I mean by this? there HAS to be gut-wrenching conflict in an enemies to lovers story, otherwise it doesn't count. bonus points if they end up as friends and then become lovers.

from here on out, I'll be discussing my favorite enemies to lovers ship, Sonadow. because they've taken over my life

if you look at Sonic and Shadow's relationship development in the series, you'll notice how they literally hated each other when they first met, but they're a lot friendlier with each other now. a lot of the original conflict had to do with Shadow being manipulated and his trauma being used to get him to do things he would've never done otherwise- oh, and the memory loss didn't help. if we're talking about their relationship in canon, just imagine how difficult it must be for these two to slowly come to terms with their growing respect for each other. again, they literally hated each other at first. plus, Shadow fears connection because the last time he let someone in, she died saving him from people who wouldn't have been there had Shadow never existed. I made a post about this topic that is more detailed than this, go check it out if you'd like to see my take on Shadow's trauma. uh anyways- shameless plug out of the way...

my brain is a little scrambled at the moment. I have a lot more things to say about how difficult it must be for Sonic and Shadow to move past their trauma and past conflict, but I'm too frazzled to try and type it all right now. I hope this post is interesting to someone lol. if anyone would like to add on to this mess, please do.

also, if you know any Sonadow fics that really explore the enemies aspect of their relationship, feel free to share it here! those fics are always amazing to read, plus I love connecting with other fans.

that's all. thank you for listening to me ramble about my favorite dynamic in the context of hedgehogs. lmao

Also, some of you don’t actually know what enemies to lovers is huh… Where is the clashing of principles? The righteous fury? The gut wrenching guilt of having unwanted affection for someone who is actively trying to destroy everything you’ve worked your entire life to build? The overwhelming anger thrown at the object of your affection to mask your anger for yourself? The reluctant truce brought about by extenuating circumstances? The begruding birth of respect? The creeping realization that you are on the wrong side? The long agonizing journey to redemption? The slow quiet blossoming of a friendship? The underlying current of a desire that has always been there but you have never been in a position to act on before? The fear that your antagonistic history carries too much baggage? The resigned acceptance that a friendship is more than you are even worthy for? A heroic display that solidifies your position as one of the good guys? The epiphany of love and a hint that it might not be so unrequited? The inevitable conclusion??

Honestly, you guys see two people on opposite sides and just skip to the lovers part….

[the-voxel]

Is fake dating a thing in voxel media when *vague gesture at the stripes showing emotions*?

Is there a 'stripe change moment' trope when an enemies-to-lovers pairing starts getting into lovers territory?

Do they engage with a lot of non-voxel romance media or do they not 'get it' because it's reliant on humanoid expressions and body language instead of stripe colours?

What would a 'Beauty and the Beast' AU look like to them? Rival athlete AU? X-Men AU? The infamous coffeshop AU?

You can get away with fake dating if you're confident enough. If you're nervous people will find out, they'll all know you're uncomfortable and your nosy great aunt will dig to figure out why. But if you're good friends with your fake partner and relaxed and happy with them, people will buy it. And if you're a little extra giggly about getting away with it? Well that's just new love for ya.

Their stripes turning bright is very similar to when humans blush, so normal romance always has that first moment where their stripes turn very bright with each other. I bet in enemies-to-lovers there's a widely popular moment where one of them will have their stripes go from and angry deep color (say dark red) to a bright one (scarlet) and the enemy in question will suddenly realize everything. Everyone always waits with baited breath to see how the enemy reacts seeing the other has some kind of feelings.

There are a few xenophiles among voxel, who of course are not widely accepted or even known. They may still consider any other species with stripes as objectively beautiful, but not strictly someone they'd want to pursue. But occasionally you'll find one (such as Liithal) who are genuinely attracted to an alien and find their different expressions mysterious and alluring. (if a voxel got with a human, other voxel would consider them a monsterfucker, ESPECIALLY since humans eat meat that's like,,, MASSIVE monsterfucker energy) I have just realized this wasn't your question and will now go on to answer your question.

If they read standard alien romance, they likely wouldn't understand many of the clues and context, meaning all human romance books/movies feel like the kissing comes out of NOWHERE. Not only are human romance stories only set to a time frame of a few days to weeks, but they go through none of the familiar flirting and courting rituals and they go zero recognizable attraction clues.

Many AUs will be similar, but with added layers

'Beauty and the Beast' AU: would be the most different. Of course nothing would have to be changed about the trope for the entire structure to change. To voxel, a beast is something that eats flesh and subsequently has the power to damn a soul, being turned into a beast has MUCH darker implications for the prince. Because as a beast, he's not just "ugly" and outcast, he's essentially the devil of their religion. Quite literally. Their word for predator and their word for evil are the same. So he would be turned into a savage animal that consumes flesh and renders a soul to be lost in the Mirror World.

The Beauty could go a couple ways. Given herself up in place of her father would be seen as the ultimate sacrifice. Because the assumption would be that whoever stayed would be eaten by the Beast. (I can't imagine the father being very liked in this version.) She would start as this ultimate virtuous character, but her felling in love with the Beast would be viewed as her falling from grace. She would be accepting a monster.

Now, the story MAY go the classic fairy tale route, and have the Beast give up feeding because he loves her and refuses to hurt her, and he just slowly starves to death. This may let him die and be redeemed, or he could be transformed back into a prince for learning to love and put other people before himself. It may go the shrek route and have Beauty join the Beast and they become a villain couple to scare little kids into behaving with. Or they may go the disney style and she come to love and understand him more, and she makes him realize what kind of person he wants to be and he has a big heroic moment in the end where he puts everything on the line.

No matter what, this concept is highly complex, factory made to be filled with religious messaging, and can have endless variations.

Rival athlete AU: Not much to change here. Voxel have sports and they get competitive enough for rivalries.

X-Men AU: There may be some reluctance toward getting people to read this one, since the idea of superpowers isn't highly popular. But once you got an audience voxel would LOVE sending characters to the x-men universe. The idea of a voxel going to Xavier's school and being surrounded by humans would resonate with how many voxel feel about taking their place among the galaxy. It would have all the usual x-men themes of acceptance and equality.

The infamous coffeshop AU: Well, as they function on communism, there is a stark lack of shop to go with their coffee. Also, voxel don't really have an equivalent to coffee to be putting in these shops. It's probably more common to write about characters working in a brewery together. They can have to romantic tension over tasting for fermentation levels together, pine while watching each other suggest fine thick wines to a mother planning her kid's wedding, and of course there has to be that one scene where they get a lil tipsy and confess their feelings. Just all around, this is what they write instead of a coffeeshop.