#on writing a romantic ship but that doesn't mean you can't take what's given and weave them together in a way you think fits them the best

[gojosbf]

What do you think about the answer to this https://www.tumblr.com/gojuo/742796780522061824/is-satosugu-a-queerbaiting-ship?source=share ?

Each to their own, though I would like to add that it isn't "manipulative gaslighting" to see certain characters and their interactions through queercoded lenses and talk about it so much. I understand op's pov about how some stsg are annoying and send death threats to people who just want to have fun and ship gojo with whichever character they want because at the end of the day they're all fictional!! Let people think however they want and ship whoever they wish to!! But this argument also coexists with let stsg shippers make theories and art and memes and have fun without shitting on them so much just because you think it isn't canon. Fandom interactions are what makes a fandom, and fandom is a backbone of the series, I am sorry but that's the truth! You cannot separate fandom and the manga but sure you can choose not to interact or look away if it isn't what you like. And yes it's not canon but if a person chooses to view their interactions through queercoded lenses it's on them and you don't have any say in that. The artists and writers who take these characters base their art/fics around them are doing so because they love it, it can be delusional for you but that's how fandoms work, you take the characters and the interactions you like and choose to add onto that and it's fun!! Most fandoms do this, why do you think there are so many fix it, time travel, hurt-comfort fics? Sure it might get annoying because that's the most prevalent and loud part of this fandom and yes I agree shoko didn't get enough screentime and gege really fumbled with her (let's be honest he fumbled with all the potential his female characters had) but there are still some of us who root for them and wish to see more of her but thinking that just having more interactions of the trio would somehow "force" us to focus on "her dynamic with other characters in a meaningful way" as an argument against how that'd lessen the focus on ship is honestly very dumb. We have people dissecting the single panels of geto/shoko and gojo/shoko interactions, we have pages of thesis on "i was there too" panel, we have people writing and wondering about how everything effected her and we have art of her with both of them together, upon that if we had more of the trio the fandom would've simply shifted their focus on the trio+the ship, neither is going to lessen the focus on other. Her presence wouldn't take away but rather add more and fleshen out more personalities and quirks which inevitably would've led to more stsg content, just think about it. At the end of the day people who feel strongly about certain topics will continue to feel them and a stranger on internet stating their opinions isn't going to persuade them to do the otherwise easily, so think what you will!

[celestialholz]

Live long and fuck in Hondas (or 'why that Vulcan salute is way more significant than you think it is')

Hey. Hey Holz. Did you know Deadpool and Wolverine fucked in the Odyessy? Did you know that they now live in a one-bed with Blind Al? Did you know that -

Yes, friend. I know all of it. And you're all super fucking valid for pointing it out.

... But maybe all of you aren't seasoned Trekkies like me. Maybe not all of you gorgeous people understand the true significance of this.

Or maybe you just want a definitive way to win the argument of "are these two fucking?"

But either way, I'm here to help, and to tell you why, amongst all the absurdly homoerotic text of this film, this moment? Might be the gayest of them all.

Now, we must start by saying that although you wouldn't know it from the bullshit Abrams films, these two:

Are the fathers of gay fanfiction. Spock and Kirk here are the reason you're living in the fantastic timeline where you can write/read men fucking without any other shred of plot and that this is a legitimate and normalised internet experience - everyone say thank you, iconic papas. These guys were so homoerotically coded that even in the 60s, the era of wondrously overdramatic performances of all kinds and fairly prevalent homophobia, The Girlies still took notice, still started mailing each other fics and making zines and being just hugely excited at the thought of these two getting space-married. They are fandom as we know it today's beginning, and seventy years later they're still an enduringly popular ship on AO3. (You should all go and watch Amok Time, by the way. Contains the Honda Odyessy scene of the 60s, except there's weird biology and wrestling and just go and put it on your screens, thank me later. They fucked on that planet.)

Anyway, these two were as close as early colour TV could ever allow two men to be, deepening their *coughs* friendship almost every single episode or film - Trek's creator Gene Roddenberry even gave them a unique word in Spock's Vulcan language, with the meaning of 'friend, brother, lover.' (And if that isn't ringing any Poolverine bells, I'm not actually sure what you want out of this post. Enjoy it anyway, love you.)

... And then we get to 1982's The Wrath of Khan, and to that moment that every iconic screen couple must face - the ol' classic, it's you or me and I won't let it be you.

Sure, the set-up's a little different here - the chamber Spock's in is filled with radiation, and the scene's quieter, softer. And Kirk isn't a mutant so he can't smash his way in, he can just sit there and inwardly die as his emotional support Vulcan does.

... But you get where I'm coming from here. Ryan Reynolds doesn't take a million other potential love scenes from across the cinematic ages - no, he takes this. What is for many the romantic acknowledgement of a whole generation. The humble and desperately sweet beginning of it everything we fans know and love nowadays. The most ambiguously romantic homosexual relationship in television, directly comparative to what is now arguably the most ambiguously romantic homosexual relationship in cinema. And lest we forget, Wade doesn't believe in a fourth wall - this is a conscious choice, both in canon and in the writer's room.

Oh it's so clever and so beautiful a girl could weep. Ryan just introduced the MCU to the gays, just as Kirk and Spock did all those years ago to the masses of the time.

And then there's what it means.

This is the Vulcan salute, created to mean either 'live long and prosper' or 'peace and long life' - it's used more or less interchangeably.

But part of that's irrelevant when you're as immortal as these two.

So we're left with the sentiments of prosperity and peace, given to a man who up to this point can't imagine ever prospering again, is the furthest thing away from being at peace. Wade gives Logan the opportunity to go on, to find the things he's been lacking for so long now - things he has already helped him find. Spock tells Kirk during The Wrath that 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few,' and that's exactly what Wade's doing here - sacrificing himself for the greater good of his friends and his newly beloved, however much it will hurt them all.

And that's lovely, and poignant, and character-growing, and I think we all would have been content to leave it at that and have our noble sacrifice, however much we would have wept. Kirk goes on to find the remnants of Spock's soul in the next film in the series, to bring him essentially back from the dead because he felt it was more than his own soul's worth not to have done... which, again, ringing a bell anyone?

Because Logan, in not so many words, tells dear Wade to fuck right off, and we get this.

What we've got here is a direct translation of one of cinema's gayest moments, made somehow infinitely more gay. A true achievement here - I genuinely think I spontaneously acquired tetanus in the cinema for a good minute, my jaw dropped so hard on seeing this. The pillars are the same colour as Kirk and Spock's original uniforms, for fuck's sake. I'm dying out here.

What we've done here is create narrative equality. The whole film's kinda done that leading up to this anyway - they're both mentally fucked up men who can't die, who are constantly dying anyway, who are evenly-matched in battle and both enjoy Honda fucking, who have forged a real love even as they piss each other off at every turn.

But here, they place one another in narrative equality for the first time. It's not about a sacrifice, not now, even though they're assuming it is one - it's about what should be done. It's about righting wrongs, being heroes, being together because every option other than that is unacceptable, because neither understands quite how to lose anyone else. They've both made the same choice, and that's not to let the other die alone.

It's about holding hands and loving and never letting go, even if it kills them.

... It's just about the most romantic and gorgeous thing I've ever fucking seen.

There are no more instances of masks, once they're done in this station. They don't need them any longer; they will never need them again.

And that's only emphasised by the parting shot we get of this... almost directly after Vanessa and Wade share a final sweet look.

I don't know, man. It's almost like the true conclusion is hidden behind the acceptable masquerade. Imagine that in the MCU, folks.

They've taken one of the most intimate and sweet moments in screen history, and made even more glorious.

They did The Wrath of Khan better than The Wrath of Khan did it.

And that's... that's gay. That's just about the gayest thing they could ever have done, and I adore it to the smallest pieces.

So remember, the next time your friends disbelieve you... show 'em this. Show them that they redid the very beginnings of slash fandom, and did it better.

(And then you can add on that they now live in a one-bed with their grandma, daughter and dog, and will do for the rest of their lives. Kirk and Spock didn't even get THAT shit.)

[ezra-editss]

Just watched X-men Apocalypse. What the hell.

Okay, so I kinda have a take on all this and idk if that's just how it feels to me, but that's what I wanna know. (I don't think this actually happened, but it's the vibes it is all giving)

So it started when I told my mom about First Class (keep reading I'm gonna get to apocalypse eventually) and we came to the conclusion that it feels like they wrote the script, looked at it again and thought:

"Hmm, this seems pretty gay.. Erik and Charles both have no female love interests and they have those lines that seem pretty romantic. Also, Erik seems almost obsessed with Charles at the end with how overprotective he is. Let's fix that!"

And then they gave both of them a kiss with a woman they weren't interested in and added the line "We're brothers, you and I" and then were proud of how well they "saved" it.

And then they made Days of Future Past and didn't even think of it, but when it came out they saw how people were shipping it and then they were like "oh shitt"

And in the first hour of the movie, I thought they were just doing all of this stuff to "erase" any potential gayness people thought there was and wanted to make sure nobody got the wrong idea about the recent movies. But it was more the reminder they like women, before the EXTREME GAYNESS in the second half.

(This is getting so much more unserious than initially intended💀)

Anyways, Apocalypse.

Either I missed something or Erik settling down and HIDING makes NO SENSE. In the last timeline it was 100% clear that he'd never stop believing in what he did, he would never stop fighting his war. So yes, this is a different timeline, but there is no reason given why he suddenly decides to try Charles way. He failed in Days of Future Past and Charles let him go, but there is no way that's enough. And they played this off like that isn't the thing they both wanted since forever and never seemed possible. Being on the same side. Erik switching to Charles side is insane, why wouldn't he talk to Charles in all those years then?

I can't believe they threw away everything that IS Erik, just so he had a reason to be angry enough to join the guy.

(They also died in such a weird/lame way)

And Charles and I still don't really know her name😭.. I have to admit the scenes where Charles was nervous were cute, but that's just because Charles is adorable. But in First Class she was obviously only there for the plot, in Days of Future Past, she wasn't even mentioned and in Apocalypse, she was, again, only there for the plot. She literally doesn't say anything the entire movie after the beginning. She has like two lines. And in the end fight, she's just standing there. And then Charles makes her remember and the flashbacks are soo bad, BC THEY HAD NO MOMENTS. (Especially bc you can compare it to Erik's flashbacks, we're gonna get to that)

(I don't think I have to say it, but to be sure. I have absolutely nothing against straight couples. I don't care if it's gay or not. But if one of them were a woman, I wouldn't be writing this. I just hate how often they prefer to write a heterosexual couple that has no chemistry at all instead of making the two guys/girls kiss.)

Let's talk about the ending. Sometimes when I talk about this stuff I'm a little worried that I interpret things wrong bc I want it to be like that and I'm not being objective anymore, but I was proven right so many times in this. When Mystique and Erik kissed in First Class, it felt really weird to me because Erik obviously had no interest in her. (I suppose it was to show her she's beautiful) And that was pretty much proven right when she talks to him and he barely reacts to what she's saying. I also thought that he probably didn't know Charles was dying, bc he wouldn't let that happen. Then Mystique says "Charles" and suddenly he does show a reaction and when she's gone, he has those god damn flashbacks. WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS ISN'T A ROMANTIC PLOT?😭 and then the specific one of Charles turning away and leaving him. (Could be a metaphor for Charles giving up on him) THAT'S WHAT GOT HIM.

And they make it even more clear when Mystique is dying and Erik doesn't react, but when Charles is dying, is when he steps in.

Ending was cute, but damnn the "you can make me do anything" was crazy.

(This turned out soo long, I've never been so obsessed with something.)

[sevensoulmates]

Season 7 Press Article Buddie Analysis

Okay I don't usually write meta/spec on press runs/articles but I found these super fascinating today, especially in comparison to how the showrunners (including Tim himself) and the actors have spoken about their arcs in the past.

First I want to say that in these interviews the goal is never actually to give the audience any important information but rather to tease, and purposely be as vague as possible. So most of what they're saying will likely have double meanings and all of them are being extremely careful with the words they choose to say. Now with that out of the way in the first EW article (linked here), I found several things extremely interesting.

Calling Marisol Eddie's "Hardware store flirtation". It's so funny to me, for one, but it's also interesting that that's all she's reduced to. A flirtation. I know that was really all they were in the last season, but we know Marisol's involved (likely minorly) in at least 2 episodes out of the first 5. Natalia on the other hand is for the most part understood to not be coming back (I would honestly be surprised given the actress is in NYC). But what's even more interesting is that Marisol is not mentioned anywhere else in either of these articles, meanwhile Oliver WAS asked about Natalia. So, I want people to keep in mind that in whatever way Marisol IS a part of this season, I SEVERELY doubt she's making it past the finale.

2. This answer about Natalia is your typical non-answer but to me, it's basically a confirmation she isn't coming back, which lends a tad bit more credibility to Tommy potentially stepping in as a LI for Buck (fingers crossed).

3. Buck is apparently called in to help talk to Christopher about dating women. Do I even really have to talk about how weird this sounds? Eddie had a whole WIFE? He dated Ana for many many months. He's currently dating hardware store flirtation Marisol right now. And yet, Ryan is claiming that Eddie feels like he doesn't know how to talk to his son about women? Enough so that he calls Buck to help? Talking to your kid about dating is a new avenue yes, but why are we acting like Eddie has never been with a woman before? Like I know last season in particular emphasized that Eddie isn't the best when it comes to dating but like ??? I swear to GOD y'all it's giving such severe compulsory heterosexuality. Eddie, my man, I hope this is indicative of where your story is going this season because it's been heading this way for many many many years. Separately, I also find the lack of mention of Shannon very interesting as well.

4. Which brings me to this part. The whole family dynamic aside...Buck's romantic relationships have been severely questionable at best the entire show. Before Abby, it's canon that all Buck did was sleep around a lot, which doesn't seem like something you wanna tell a young teen dating for the first time. So what's he gonna talk about? How women flee him? As I saw someone else say on the timeline "are the successful relationships in the room with us"? This is especially odd if the spec is true and he and Natalia broke up off-screen prior to the start of the season. Eddie, you just saw Buck have yet another failed relationship with woman #4 and your thought is that HE'S the one best suited to talk to your son? These two men are so queer and so dumb, but their hearts are in the right place.

Okay, moving on to EW article #2 linked here. Here I'm shifting a little bit more to Tim Minear, and what he's said before in the past as showrunner about Buck, Eddie, the buddifer dynamic and the buddie ship.

I have a love-hate relationship with Tim. On one hand, I think he's a far better showrunner than Kristen (for OG 911, 911 Lonestar does and always will suck ass). But on the other hand, I remember some of the things he said back when season 2 was airing. It's part of the reason why I can't take things like "he's so cute. he gets that a lot" or "does this boycrush on eddie mean you're over abby" or "you two have an adorable son" or any Big Buddie fanservice line in season 2 seriously or as any definitive proof of anything. Tim has openly admitted most of those were in season 2 to throw shippers a bone. Not to be taken seriously. And that didn't sit right with me. Very obviously, there was a shift in season 3 and no longer was buddie and shippers the butt of the joke. Season 3 is when I genuinely think the writers and Tim shifted from "haha this is funny" to "oh wait, maybe there IS something here" and obviously The Powers That Be (Fox) had some control over whether or not that happened and is honestly why I think it didn't happen in season 5 or 6 where it realistically could've fit very well after s4.

So firstly, please take everything I say with a grain of salt because Tim is a Known Liar and Word Twister and is very VERY good at saying a lot while absolutely saying nothing at all.

5. So...I find what he says in this article interesting because it's not in the first article. First, his word choice is very interesting. Using both "friendship" and "coupling" in the same sentence, which have two different connotations. Secondly, he says that "at their core" their relationship is about their friendship. When something is the core of something else, that doesn't mean that's all there is. The core may be the essence, or the foundation, or the glue of something. But it is something that is BUILT UPON, something that extends past the core. To me, it means that while the core of buddie's relationship is their friendship, their relationship encompasses much more than that. It's like those successful old married couples who say the key to being married happily for 50+ years is that "we're still best friends" or that "the key to a successful romantic relationship is having that foundation of strong friendship" etc. Now, I'm not SAYING this means canon buddie, but I just find it interesting that this is how Tim chose to describe them this time around. To me, that says Tim is very much aware that there's far more to be explored in their relationship than just their friendship. Whether that means far more buddifer family arcs, or an actual real exploration of Buck and Eddie as a romantic couple, I'm very excited to see where it goes.

[carnelianwings]

Since @orchids-skyflame asked me over on Twitter which version of the AsuCaga kiss in Seed I prefer more, I figured I'd just write the Massive Wall of Text here, because the post I was writing in Notes on my phone was getting crazy long, to the point where I'm pretty sure it's more than 4 screen shots.

As a refresher, this is a(n unsubbed) clip someone posted of the original version off of the original DVD release of Seed, and this is the same scene, but from the remaster. The dialogue for both versions is the same, but it's the animation that's different, and I think it leads to some changes in how the scene comes across, and I think it's worth discussing.

But if you're not here for a Massive Wall of Text (that will include discussion of AsuCaga into Seed Destiny and Seed Freedom) and just want the short version, the answer is the original, even if AsuCaga kissing with the Earth in the background makes for a very pretty and romantic picture.

(Long answer behind the cut, in writing about this scene I kind of just ran off on an entire tangent about them so, uhhh, take it as you will? XD)

The biggest difference between the two versions is what Athrun does is the opposite - in the original, he pulls Cagalli into his arms before telling her he's glad they met, whereas the remaster has him moving towards her and surprising/flustering her with the hug. And watching both back to back, I realized I came away with two very different sets of feelings from each version.

In the remaster, with Athrun going to Cagalli and hugging her, it puts a greater emphasis on his vow to protect her. He's moving towards her, to cover and shield her, and with the Earth behind both of them as they're kissing, it's putting this idea that Athrun is going into this final battle to protect Cagalli and the Earth. And while that does align with his character and nature as a protector first and foremost, it doesn't match his mindset at that time, and it's something that I think the original scene does a better job of.

With the original, there's a vulnerability to Athrun's body language pulling Cagalli towards him that mirrors his mental/emotional vulnerability in that moment - he has to open his arms (thus metaphorically opening himself up) to pull her in and hold her close. Up until the moment he was shot by his father, he'd believed that his own life had value and meaning to his father, that he was more than a tool, that he was doing something meaningful by fighting to protect PLANT in the service of its military. That his father, like him, was fighting to prevent another Bloody Valentine, and if Athrun had to sacrifice himself in the process, so be it. But GENESIS changed all of that, and it made Athrun realize his father was so lost in his anger and need for revenge that he could no longer see reason, let alone stop and listen to his last remaining family, his own son (who arguably, as a father, Patrick would be hoping to create a better future for) reach out to him to say "Hey, maybe killing all the Naturals isn't the answer here".

And in the process, Athrun's left adrift, separated by his father due to the massive difference in their ideals - despite having a new cause to fight for, it still doesn't help him deal with his inner turmoil in finding he no longer believes in the cause he risked his life for, and, by extension, his connection to his father. What hope is there for him, then, if he can't even talk his own father down from believing and spreading the idea that genocide is the answer? He hasn't given much thought to what comes after - after all, why should he if there's no reason he'd live to see tomorrow - but at the very least in joining the Clyne Faction and the Three Ships Alliance he can protect the people he cares about and stop both sides from destroying each other in an all-out war of mutual destruction.

So here he is, getting ready to sortie into what's shaping up to be the final battle, and he's ready to sacrifice himself here if it means he can stop his father from ending all life on Earth as they know it (and simultaneously make up for it). And here comes Cagalli, telling him she's going out there this time too, because she "doesn't want him to die". And it's not even a general "I don't want more people to die (because I've had enough people I care about die)", it's a very specific "I'm going out there, to make sure you don't die ... and to make sure Kira, who's maybe my little brother (read: my last surviving blood family member) doesn't die either", with an unspoken "because both of you are so important to me I'm willing to risk my life to make sure both of you come back from this battle alive" attached to it.

And Athrun's surprised, because this entire time, he's been told "You're a soldier, if you die fighting to protect PLANT, if you die in battle carrying out your duty as a soldier, your sacrifice will be worth it to make sure PLANT stays safe for another day, so it's okay to throw your life away for this." And it's Cagalli who's reminding him (again) that here's someone who sees value in him continuing to live, someone who desperately wants him to keep living, because she genuinely and sincerely cares about and loves him as an individual, at least as much, if not arguably more than her last surviving family member. And in him pulling her into his arms, it's like he's taking those feelings and accepting and cherishing them, holding them close to him - his heart, really - because in doing so, she gave him a purpose and meaning and something to live for at a time when he felt like he had nothing.

And this sets the stage for the later scene inside GENESIS' reactor room, where she tells him it's a bigger battle to keep living instead of sacrificing himself there like that (so won't he take her hand, her offer of salvation, by hopping in the Rouge with her so they can escape together). And I'm sure it's here that he's decided (if he hadn't before when he kissed her) that he'd live (and die) for her, because more than any other person in his life, she's the one person who most consistently tells him to live, and to keep living no matter what, because he's as important to her as what's left of her family.

And it also feeds into his desperation in Seed Destiny - he really didn't want to go back to ZAFT, but as Alex Dino he had no power, and power is what he needed because between Cagalli's arranged marriage to Yuna and the world spiraling into war again, he felt powerless to stop anything and again, lost his sense of purpose. But at the same time, Cagalli did too, and it's not until the end, when she's sending off the Archangel and they, again, hold each other before a final battle, that there's this wordless exchange. They're both building a better future that has a place for both of them to be together, side by side. And like before, it's him initiating the hug by taking her into his arms, but this time it's the opposite; this time it's him saying "I know you're no longer wearing my ring, but it's okay, we don't need to rush, I still cherish and love you despite everything that's happened." And her hugging him back despite her initial hesitation (because she's the one who took the ring off in the first place as to say she's breaking up with him) is her response - even if she has to (publicly) let him go for now, he's still important to her, she still holds onto him in her heart as tightly as he holds her in his.

So is it any surprise, then, when the chips are (arguably) down, it's Cagalli that Athrun thinks of? That she is his mental (and emotional) shield, to the point that she's enough to turn the tide of the duel in his favor? That despite saying upon their first meeting that he'd kill anyone who tries to steal the Aegis from him, he willingly cedes control of both the Amazing Z'Gok and the Infinite Justice Type II to Cagalli, a less skilled pilot, for her to control them remotely? And when he finally taps into his inner strength to decisively win the duel, it's her colors that come bursting out of his Seed break animation as he's telling Shura that true strength isn't in combat prowess but the will to live (something that Cagalli's taught and reminded Athrun of time and time again)?

On the flip side, the remaster mostly has Cagalli present as a passive participant in the scene - Athrun surprises her with the hug, he's the one who makes the move to kiss her and it's not until near the end as the camera pans back that she kisses him back. It's set up to emphasize Athrun's half of the promise. The original still has her surprised by the hug, but the kiss? That was mutual. She meets him in the middle, and it makes her an active participant in that scene, on par with her Action Girl status up until that point. And it puts her on equal importance, that her vow of protection - despite being the less skilled pilot out of the two of them - is just as important as his, that to Athrun, her determination and desire to protect him is equal to his determination and desire to protect her.

And that desire is what drives her to keep trying her hand at diplomacy and politics even when she's (quite frankly) terrible at it in the beginning of Seed Destiny, because she's been out-maneuvered by people who don't agree with her world view that Naturals and Coordinators can live in harmony (because what they don't realize is that "Alex Dino" is as much her strength as she is his). And in the end, when she ultimately starts getting results (in large part thanks to Durandal conveniently killing off the Seirans and their political allies), it's in service of creating an Orb where Athrun also has a place next to her, not in disguise, but out in the open as himself.

And it's a real pity that Seed Freedom doesn't give Cagalli the opportunity to tap into her Seed mode, because despite the time they spend (physically) apart he's as much a part of her life as she is a part of his, and it would've been nice to have seen it represented on screen with his colors bursting out of her Seed break animation.

So all in all, I like the original version better, because I think it ties better into their future relationship and reflects their situations better.

[midgardian-witch]

Drunk Words, Sober Thoughts

Reader is Nathan's assistent and struggling with a crush on their boss. Nathan is drunk and flirts with them.

[next]

AO3

tags: alcohol | unresolved sexual tension | unresolved emotional tension | unresolved romantic tension | drunken flirting | pining | gn!reader

ships: Nathan Bateman/Reader

AN: I had a vague concept in mind (basically just the 'drunk Nathan proof = baby proof' joke) and this is what came of it. 2k words of pining reader and unresolved tension mixed with smart-ass quips. I may resolve this in a second part or maybe write a Nathan POV of this but idk yet.

"Oh Nathan. It's one of those days, huh?", you ask into the otherwise quiet room. You're not sure he actually hears you given the amount of empty bottles you see strewn around the place.

You step around the couch to see Nathan laying there: slumped over the upholstery, limbs spread wide and head buried in his own shoulder. In the low light you can't even make out if his eyes are open or not. And yet he somehow looks peaceful like this. Like his body and mind finally decided to give him a break. It’s a rare sight. You’re more used to seeing his face illuminated by computer screens amidst complete darkness or his muscles strained and body slick with sweat as he pummels into a punching bag. When you see him at all.

Either way it doesn’t take much to recognize that Nathan is a very attractive man. A man that you also work for. Which means you shouldn't really be thinking about how pretty he looks, probably passed out from a drunken stupor. You shouldn’t really be finding this attractive at all.

You shake your head, trying to rid yourself of those thoughts. Not for the first time, you loath to admit. Quietly you start gathering the glass bottles laying about, making sure that if Nathan is truly hammered, he at least can't hurt himself with these by accident. Though you're sure he wouldn't even see an issue with that. The guy probably has a robot built specifically to pull glass shards out of his ass or something.

One by one you pick up the empty bottles and carry as many as you can to the kitchen to recycle them later - always careful to keep your footsteps light and to not clink the bottles together. Nathan needed some sleep. Even if drunk sleep wasn't the best, at least it was sleep. You weren't sure when Nathan had slept last.

When you think you’re done with your little clean up project, you look around to see that the only bottle left is one clutched in Nathan's hand, still half full. Deciding that making sure Nathan doesn't stab himself in his sleep (and avoiding a big spill) would be a good idea, you gently grab the bottle by the neck and pull a little. When there doesn't seem to be any resistance you carefully pluck it out of Nathan's hand and place it on the now empty coffee table.

You turn your back to the sleeping man, surveying the small-ish room again for any hazards you should take care of before going to bed yourself. It reminds you a bit of friends and family members talking about how important it is to make sure a living space is baby proof so an infant doesn't hurt itself while exploring the space. This isn't that different really. Ýou're just making things drunk Nathan proof so that the resident genius doesn't break his neck stumbling toward his bedroom. It's not what you'd imagined a personal assistant would do but you stopped asking questions when part of your job required moving your life to a remote facility in the middle of nowhere.

Not that you thought this position would be all sunshine and roses. Nathan Bateman was a famously reclusive man. Thus you had prepared yourself for the worst. Nathan is interesting to say it diplomatically. He's a genius, of course, and he knows it. While his arrogant tendencies are annoying his confidence can be quite charming. Sometimes - when he decides to be less of a dick - he can be nice, funny even. But those times are rare and usually limited to a very specific point of inebriation.

Not finding anything more that could potentially injure your employer you step away from the couch and start walking towards the door but a hand on your knee stops you from moving further.

"You leavin' already?"

It takes you a bit to understand Nathan's mumbling, his face still half-buried in his shoulder. You give him a short nod.

"It's late, Nathan. And some people need their beauty sleep."

That earns you a snort-giggle that makes you smile against your will. Nathan doesn't often laugh at your quips. Oh but when he does. His laugh makes your stomach tingle. You don't want to think about crushes and butterflies in stomachs so you push those emotions away.

You hear him mumble something else and as you turn you see him slowly sliding down the couch.

"Hey, watch it!"

Moving quickly, you gently push him back onto the couch, hands on his leg and shoulder. Once he is laying safely again he gives you another laugh. You roll your eyes at him and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I'm glad you find me entertaining, Nathan."

Finally he opens his eyes, glassy from the alcohol and looks up at you for a moment. His laughter died as quickly as it came and you are now stuck in this awkward silence, just looking at each other. You raise an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to explain himself.

"You don't need it."

Your eyebrows furrow as you look at him confused.

"What?"

Now it's his turn to sigh. It's a familiar sound - every time you need a clarification to his genius he sighs and looks at you like he expected more from you, like you should be smarter than this and he's disappointed by the fact that you're not. It's only mildly insulting.

"You don't need beauty sleep."

Was that a compliment? It's hard to tell with Nathan and his whole Nathan-ness but that almost sounded like a compliment. You're stunned for a moment as you just blink at him, shocked into silence.

With a grunt Nathan sits up on the couch, elbows on his knees and propping his head up with his hands. He scoffs.

"Come on. You can't tell me you don't know you're hot."

OK this sounded more like a compliment from Nathan. You roll your eyes at him again.

"Yeah sure. You compliment all your assistants like that?"

He grins at you and you know he has taken the bait just by the mischievous look in his eyes.

"Only the hot ones."

He leans forward, looking you up and down, studying you. You gather that he is not too drunk for now, even though the empty bottles would suggest otherwise, if he can still make quips like that.

"Alright, Casanova. I think that's enough of your compliments for now. I'm going to bed. And you should too. That couch can't be comfortable."

Nathan raises an eyebrow at you, one hand sliding over to the space next to him and giving it a pat.

"It's very comfortable, that's why I bought it. Take a seat."

It's unusual to see the genius in such a jovial mood. You think it over, not feeling too tired yet, and take a seat next to Nathan. Spending a little more time with him seems harmless. The couch is remarkably comfy, just as Nathan said, a good balance of soft and sturdy. You let out a sigh, your body relaxing into the cushion, head leaning against the back of the couch. You didn't even realize how exhausted you were before you sat down. You close your eyes, taking a breather before looking back over to Nathan. The resident genius is looking at you with a knowing grin, obviously enjoying that he was right.

"Yeah yeah, you're right. It's really comfy."

His grin gets impossibly wider at your admission, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I usually am. So if I am right about that, that goes to show that I am right about the first thing too."

You almost forgot what he means before it clicks. You let out a frustrated groan.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"Nathan, you're drunk."

"So? Drunk words, sober thoughts and all that shit"

You wave off his comment. Nathan usually is a little flirty, drunk or not, but he never means it. There isn’t a goal to his flirting. The man doesn’t really get much social interaction in this remote facility and from what you’ve gathered Nathan doesn’t really do relationships of any kind. You’re pretty sure you heard him fuck one of his androids the other day. And while, admittedly, Nathan is a very attractive man, he is also your boss. Flirting isn’t an issue, it’s harmless, it’s fun. But you won't let it be more than that. It can't be. Even if Nathan can’t stop himself to tease and prod, to poke the open wound until you either snap or give in. Sometimes you’re so sure he knows. He’s a genius with an ego the size of Jupiter, how could he not figure out that you are attracted to him. Every damn smirk pushes you closer to the edge and you don’t know what you will do when he finally pushes you over.

You won't let him get you to that point.

"You're overthinking. I can see the gears turning in your head."

His voice is so much closer, almost too close. You flinch and look over to where Nathan is almost leaning against you, face just a few inches away from you. His eyes look so much darker in the low light, pupils like deep, dark voids you could fall into if you let yourself.

You don't.

You scoot away until you hit the side of the couch with nowhere else to go. In turn Nathan rolls his eyes at you.

"Just take the fucking compliment."

"Just go the fuck to sleep."

Your counter startles a laugh out of Nathan. He looks up at you through his lashes, his wicked grin making you feel a little uneasy with how much it affects you. Stupid, sexy Nathan.

“Take the compliment and I’ll go to bed. Fair deal, hm?”

Your eyes are glued to his lips, still smirking, knowing that he has you now. You swallow hard, your mouth suddenly feeling as dry as a desert as you realize the situation you’re in, pinned between the couch and Nathan. The closeness does not help you push down the ill-fated attraction you feel towards him. You shake your head, his name an exhausted sigh on your lips.

“If you can’t take the compliment you can always give me a good night kiss.”

Your eyes immediately flick up towards his, your mind reeling. Without conscious thought you lean in further, pulled in by the dark voids of his eyes. It would be so easy to just give in, to finally put an end to this cat and mouse game the two of you had been playing since when you first moved into this damned facility.

Your lips almost meet his as you hold his gaze. His eyes burn into you, anticipating and analyzing your movements, clearly enjoying himself. Your mouth opens just enough for your tongue to run over your lips.

“I-I…”

Your heart pounds in your chest, a frantic rhythm playing against your ribcage. You’re just a hair's breadth apart. It’s just a kiss. Just one quick press of lips and you can go back to business as usual. It doesn’t matter. It won’t change anything. He doesn’t feel anything. He is just playing with you because he can. Because it’s fun for him. It won’t change anything.

“I don’t need it.”, you whisper instead.

Nathan blinks, dumbfounded for what may be the first time in his life.

“Huh?”

You swallow the lump in your throat and gather all the confidence you have. You lean back, keeping your eyes on his and with the smuggest smile you can muster, all while your heart is still beating like a wardrum, you repeat yourself.

“I don’t need it.”

You break eye contact and with one swift motion rise from your seat. An exhausted laugh escapes you as you turn back to Nathan.

“I don’t need the beauty sleep. I’m already hot.”

You can see it in his eyes as the shoe finally drops. A few moments pass and yet there is no witty quip, no smart counter, no smartass one liner. Taking your chances you give him a grin, as confident as you can fake it, and turn to leave. 

“Good night, Nathan.”

As you open the door and leave the room you swear you can feel him staring at you. But that may just have been your imagination. This is a game after all. And you won’t lose it. 

[sichore]

23 combined w/or 20 for Pickles and Jimi!!!

[23. Write about your ship supporting each other through a hard time.

+

20. Write about your ship sneaking a romantic moment together.

Y'all are getting a preview of Dethmas: Director's Cut baybee!!!]

"Honestly, they've got all the money in the gahddamn world but don't even have one can opener? Ugh!" Molly huffs in frustration as she continues to slam through drawers.

Jimi opens one on her end and finally finds the prize, liifting it up for the older woman. "Oh, hey, I found one–"

"Ope, there we go." And Molly snatches the device from Jimi's outstretched hand, immediately attacking the canned pineapples.

Jimi catches Pickles' eye, again, and he gives her a slight shake of his head, lips pressed into a firm line.

"Honestly, Jamillah –"

"For the last time, Mom, it's Jamila–"

"Ja-MEE-la." Molly rolls her eyes, aggressively dumping the pineapples into a bowl. "Didn't I teach you not to interrupt a lady when she's talking? The nerve. Anyway, Jamila, it's nice having someone who knows how to follow directions in the kitchen for once. Yer honestly too nice to be hanging around this silly little band."

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime for me." Jimi says, forcing a casual tone into her voice, keeping her eyes on her hands as she sets up her cutting board and knife. "And I'm glad to be here. Did you want the pecans or walnuts for this one?"

"Walnuts, dear, pay attention. Still! Goofing off with these ruffians all day with yer pictures and all that. What would your husband think?"

Jimi tears open the bag of walnuts with a little more force than necessary, takes a deliberate breath, and meets Pickles' eyes again. He fidgets, now, tugging at the left sleeve of his sweater, soon averting his gaze.

"I mean, assuming yer married n' all. If not, that'd be pretty sad, as you're not so young – actually, wait a minute now." Molly pauses in stirring together her slime green concoction (so that's what the pistachio pudding was for?) to lean over and look at the painter's left hand. "Ah, well then," she sniffs at the lack of a ring, and dumps in the marshmallows.

"I'm happy where I'm at now," Jimi says with measured patience, slowly chopping the walnuts.

"You really should think about it," Molly's voice is a bit further way, and soon Jimi hears the hiss of the refrigerator door opening, then shutting with a thud. "I've already long given up on Connor giving me any grandkids – well, unless he's got any rascals running around, but I doubt it. Never could keep a girl long enough to–"

Jimi's knife comes down with much more force than necessary, and this time, she doesn't hide how she has to stop and take a deep breath. "Or maybe," she says slowly, "Pickles is very particular and hasn't found the right partner to meet his standards. Not everyone has to settle for the first thing that's given to them."

"Yeah, Mom. You have any idea what kinda PR nightmare a marriage would be? It takes someone real special to put up with that pressure." When Jimi looks up, Pickles is no longer slumped over on his stool, but sitting straight up. Looking at Jimi directly. "I wouldn't choose just anyone."

"Sounds more t'me like you just lost yer chance a long time ago." Shaking her head in disgust, Molly takes the chopped walnuts from Jimi to add to her bowl. "You still like coconut in this?"

"No, Mom, I don't."

"Since when?"

"Since never."

Molly tsks, stirring her – salad? Dessert? Jimi has no fucking clue anymore. "You are so disagreeable now, can't listen to nobody since you got all this going on. Should've found a nice girl like Seth did, that'd straighten you out–"

"Hey, Pickles, didn't you have some demos for me to listen to before I go?"

"Eyep, sure do!" Pickles slams his hands on the countertop as he stands, swiftly making for the exit. "Sorry, Ma, gotta work!"

"You haven't even done a taste test–"

"See you later, Molly!" Jimi tosses back, already halfway across the kitchen, skin crawling as she feels Molly's judgmental stare follow them. It doesn't fade until they're well out of view and down the hall, Pickles gripping her arm, almost dragging Jimi to keep up with his hurried pace.

He doesn't stop until Jimi tugs back, tugging him into some grandiose-but-empty room like the many dozens scattered throughout Mordhaus. He doesn't stop, until Jimi presses him back against the closed door and holds his face in her hands.

"Baby, baby, hey," she urges, voice hushed and low. "Look at me. Breathe."

The last thing Pickles needs is an asthma attack. His cheeks are tinged red with anger, but he listens, taking big, shuddery breaths, closing his hands over Jimi's wrists. She stays with him, breathing with him, until they breathe as one, calm and collected.

Jimi's thumbs rub against those delicately freckled cheeks, offering a smile to the moss green gaze locked on her. "You didn't have to come with me back there."

"You don't know how she is." Pickles starts to shake his head, but Jimi holds him still, and he inhales. Exhales. "I wasn't gonna just let her talk to you like that."

"I know." Now Jimi finds her own gaze dropping, to their equally garish sweaters, to their feet. She thought she'd be used to dealing with women like Molly, but given the circumstances... of course, this would be different. A lot more uncomfortable.

And painful, judging by the abject misery radiating from Pickles. His head drops to her shoulder and his arms wrap around her, his weight fully against the door behind him.

Jimi leans into him, arms sliding around his waist, and waits. The silence is never truly silent, their hearts beating in tandem to fill the void. She closes her eyes as Pickles settles, until his misery folds in on itself and is once again tucked away into a place Jimi can't reach quite yet.

She turns her face to press her cheek to his chest. "... We gonna tell her?"

His arms tighten around her. "I... I dunno."

They stay like that for minutes, hours, eons. As usual, time is insignificant when it comes to the two of them.

Eventually, Pickles pulls back, brushes a stray curl from Jimi's face. "Y'know, Jim..." His eyes drop, and he pointedly pauses.

Which makes Jimi blink at him. "What is it?"

"Huh." There's a distinct shift in the air between them. Pickles' hands brace around her ribcage, and move up until he's cupping her breasts. "Yer tits look fuckin' huge in this."

Jimi's mouth falls open. "What–"

"Seriously, are they bigger? Is there somethin' yer not tellin' me?"

"Oh, my god, stop! It's just..." She can't stop the giggles that spill out of her, increasing at Pickles' pleased little smirk. "It's just a thing that happens when I wear sweaters, I dunno!"

"We should get you in 'em more often," he muses, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "Or maybe out of 'em, I can't decide." He kisses her other cheek, sliding one hand beneath her sweater and over the bare skin of her belly.

Jimi, predictably, expectantly, shivers. "You're such a horndog."

"Nyeh hehehe." He just chuckles, continues to rub calloused fingertips over her skin. "You love it." And he tilts his head to kiss Jimi properly.

This is how it should be, always. Jimi glimmers and gleams as Pickles wraps around her in seven ways, crimson and content. He pulls back just before Jimi begs for him to sink his hand into her chest and please, please grasp her heart once again. As usual, yearning for that oneness, that completion.

"It would've only been you," he murmurs against her lips. "Ya know that, right?"

"I do." Even if Jimi the mortal still struggles with that truth, sometimes. Jamila, luminescent and eternal, has always known. She trails a finger down freckled cheek and scruff, sighs when he captures her fingertip between his lips. "But I could always use a reminder.

[Soft OTP Prompts]

[aprillikesthings]

I think I finally have the energy for more rewatch

We're on the home stretch now folks

*cries*

s5 ep9 An Ill Wind

Me when I started doing this nearly two months ago: oh my god I can't do this for every episode it'll take me MONTHS to watch them all I want is to refresh my memory of the show enough to write my damn fic

Me now, having done this for Yes, Every Fucking Episode: I'm not ready for the show to be over ;_; Also I am devastatingly obsessed with Catra and learned I have a specific kink I didn't know the name of before and I keep practicing eyeliner like every night so I can cosplay Catra :D

ahahahah oh god

also from here on out I am going to not read the synopses

(I didn't do that for most of the episodes anyway tbh)

Glimmer can teleport relatively far distances with multiple people again but Catra is NOT a fan

also they're toUCHING

Adora, looking into the woods: hey come look at this

Catra: *still suppressing puking from some form of motion sickness caused by teleportation*

oh they find the empty torn up camp

Glimmer: maybe they went to Bright Moon or Mystacor? Catra: dude you know they could all be chipped so maybe we should be careful Glimmer: oh you don't trust princesses? Adora: Catra's right Catra: *grins in satisfaction*

just look at her

the fuckin. lack of subtlety here. as always. *chef's kiss*

("ugh they didn't HAVE to be so obvious don't you think it's Too Much" listen I've literally seen people who've watched Arcane be surprised to find out that people are shipping Vi and Caitlyn. "Really? I didn't think that was romantic." You didn't? Did we watch the same fucking show??? The one where those two have romantic tension so thick you could carve it with a KNIFE? The one where they had an overdramatic breakup scene in the rain even tho they hadn't kissed or anything? The one where they lay on Caitlyn's bed and talked about Vi's past while making significant eye contact and holding hands and Caitlyn pet Vi's face? That scene where they hug on the bridge and Vi does that like, face pet thing before walking off and they're clearly both in AGONY at being separated?! Are you really that fucking oblivious??? Jesus H Christ. Yes She-Ra made it SUPER OBVIOUS because some people are BAD AT PICKING UP THIS SHIT also She-Ra is aimed at kids and they haven't learned subtlety. Arcane was aimed at adults.)

no really I've seen people express surprise that people think they're going to be a couple. when that ^ was after they'd known each other like two hours

(seriously tho, if you can handle violence (there's a LOT ngl, it is not a show for kids) then you should watch Arcane, the people who make it have made it pretty clear that it's gonna be canon, and the next season is out in November; but also leaving shipping aside it's just REALLY, REALLY GOOD)

ANYWAY back to other animated lesbians

lol Glimmer teleports them all again without warning and Catra really does look like she's gonna hurl

And Erelandia ain't looking so good, oops

(but also yes Adora helped Catra up again)

intro is the same as the last episode

AHAHAH a dozen planets are rebelling against Horde Prime he's so pissed. And they apparently all mention She-Ra

yeah I am again surprised at how much of the actual plot I forgot lol (but I remembered that Glimmer liked to sneak into the kitchen to eat cake with her hands. Y'know. Important things.)

given his tiny facial reactions I think that's Hordak-Hordak. Our Hordak. Not the Wrong Hordak. I think.

once again I ask myself: where did y'all get those outfits

Entrapta teaches Wrong Hordak how to wink and it's so cute. I also love that she explains what it means--because I'm sure she had to consciously learn it, too: "It signals unspoken intent behind my words. In this case, our mutual deception of the Horde. Now you try."

awww

but yeah everyone in town is terrified and won't talk to them, and especially doesn't want to talk about any princesses

"should I buy property here?"

"...go team."

C'MON THAT WAS FUNNY, GUYS

Also, note to self, Melog definitely understands human speech--they split up, Catra is told to stick with Entrapta and Melog (and Catra frowns at this, just barely) and Adora tells Melog to keep them safe and it does a little noise of affirmation. (wait is Melog a he or a she or a they?)(fan wiki says it's an it but dang I feel weird using "it")

Okay so the scene where Glimmer, Adora, and Bow hide in a shop and then end up arguing with the shopkeeper is like, fascinating on multiple levels

Because on the one hand: I can't blame the townspeople for just keeping their head down and trying to get out alive. On the other hand, reporting them to the Horde isn't cool; they could just pretend not to be suspicious of these guys; there are in fact lots of places on the spectrum between "actively collaborating with one's oppressors" and "mounting a full-scale armed rebellion."

But on the other other hand I also think it's interesting that Adora's the only one of the three who's like "nah dude just let these people live their lives omg," something about Adora having lived in an oppressive environment for her whole childhood maybe

poor Adora someone get her an ibuprofen

Anyway Spinerella found them ack

Also Melog steals an apple for Catra, just magically takes it from someone's basket and into Catra's hand, which implies they're communicating non-verbally more than just moods, though I suppose "hungry, that apple looks good" is a mood

speaking of things that would make ANYone motion sick--

(Adora is saying it) Catra's right there, dude. You spent the last four seasons fighting her. lol.

Oh I paused it too soon lol Catra says this line:

LOLOL

Back on Horde Prime's ship, Hordak keeps looking at the chip thing Entrapta gave him and gets caught by Prime, whoopsie

oh hey, lore: Horde Prime can't access ALL the memories in his previous bodies without going into them, and he keeps his old bodies around in that green goo, that's fucking weird and gross, anyway he plugs a connection into his old body

Horde Prime: "The First Ones sought a new source of power of ancient worlds. Why? Why bend themselves to the whims of magic and myth?"

Poor Hordak has flashbacks to Entrapta and the Fright Zone. Mostly Entrapta. Including a moment of her looking at him fondly--I think it's the moment when she says "Imperfection is beautiful."

Horde Prime: "The fools took their secrets with them when they died. But I will find another way."

(I've seen a fan discussion suggest that there aren't actually any First Ones left--that when Light Hope made it so Adora came through the portal, the portal itself went back in time. I like that explanation in part because it means in my fic I don't have to figure out why Adora doesn't go looking for her birth family. Which tbh most fic-writers don't worry about anyway lol.)

Back with the rebellion, poor Catra is once again trying not to lose her lunch because they've all teleported.

And Netossa is like WTF IS THAT BITCH DOING HERE

Melog doesn't like that

Adora: "It's a long story, but she's with us now" Netossa: "...really??" (Catra in the background: hisses)

BAHAHA and then Netossa spots Wrong Hordak and they have to explain, no that one's with us, too 😬

But yeah p much the entire rebellion has been chipped except like Netossa and Perfuma

Adora and Bow have a guilt trip about having been gone for so long (...to rescue the queen! and also Catra)

and Catra's remembering what it's like to be chipped :(

Glimmer gives them all a ra-ra little speech

Adora just makes the sword appear in her hand without transforming lol that's cool

but they're doing the "I'm in" "yeah me too!" thing and

like, on dates?

(lol)

yayyy

Anyway the team heads back to Erelandia and starts kicking some ass

there's a great moment when Catra's like "you go deal with Spinnerella we'll take care of the bots" and Adora says "be careful" and Catra grins and says "always am!" like ma'am that is a LIE

Spinnerella is torturing some poor villager, and Netossa is worried her wife isn't still "in there"

Adora would know. From literal, personal experience. ;_;

She transforms into She-Ra and Netossa literally does a whistle of appreciation and says, "New look?" and She-Ra grins back. And somehow that is, like. Super queer. Like literally just one lesbian to another, in a flirty-but-not kinda way. Like I have *had* those interactions, where the underlying meaning is "I know we're each in a relationship, so I'm not actually hitting on you; but as one queer woman to another I want you to know that I see what you're putting out there and I like it." It's one of the best things??????

Netossa gives a little speech to Spinnerella about how she loves her and Spinnerella actually comes back for a few seconds ;_; but then she's gone again, but She-Ra and Netossa convince her to disappear for a while at least? And the locals rejoice.

And Catra would know. ;_; (She rubs the back of her neck after saying this.)

Anyway word gets back to Horde Prime that She-Ra is back on Etheria :D and he's so fucking pissed he's going to go there

...and Hordak spends a long moment looking at that chip from Entrapta again

They go to where the rebellion is actually hiding out, Glimmer and Catra recognize it

and I'M BLANKING ON WHY THEY'RE REACTING THIS WAY HELP seriously I have spent like ten minutes trying to figure it out, I don't think they talked about it while on Horde Prime's ship? Fuck!! IF YOU KNOW PLZ TELL ME

Any Perfuma ties them up and makes sure they're not chipped and then it's Happy Reunion Time with everyone :D

Adora to Catra: it's time for you to meet everyone Catra: are you sure??

I got that one without trying I didn't know it was coming lololol I was trying to get a shot of Catra looking hopeful

poor thing

Adora: long story but she's with us now!!!

Adora (well, as She-Ra) gives them all a little pep talk

ANNND EPISODE OVER

and I don't have time to do another one tonight and I won't have time tomorrow until like after 6:30pm aaaaaaugh

ON THE UPSIDE I only work two days this upcoming week.

Because it's Holy Week. I'm going to be in church like every day starting Wednesday and twice a couple of days ahahaha including an hour in the middle of the night on Thursday.

It is DEEPLY HILARIOUS to me that I'm going to end up watching the last episodes of She-Ra mere days before Easter. Like I literally have four left. Assuming I watch one tomorrow, I could end up watching the next one Tuesday night and watching the last two BEFORE GOING TO CHURCH ON WEDNESDAY how tf am I gonna focus for SHIT lolol

[ingravinoveritas]

Crowley and Aziraphale always came off as romantic to me; both in the book and in the show. They have so much more chemistry than anyone else. And I always second guess me reading their relationship as romantic when I see the general public's takes. So then I go back over like, okay, if this was a man and a woman, how would this read. They do couple things all the time. They use pet names. The show leans more into pining but in the book it feels like they're already married. Both the narrator and other characters refer to them as a couple and its never contradicted. Is that subtext or just plain text. I wouldn't call it queerbaiting, but queercoding or representation doesn't feel quite right either. Are we reading too much into it or is media literacy dead.

Hi there! Thank you for sharing these thoughts in response to my post from the other day. What you've mentioned here (how this would read if it was a man and a woman) is something I have thought about as well--both in terms of Aziraphale/Crowley and Michael/David, as I have shipped them outside of the show for some time now, and especially given the increasingly fuzzy line between them and the characters (which both Michael and David themselves have talked about in multiple interviews).

I think what we're seeing is neither queerbaiting nor queercoding/representation, but instead a sort of incongruity between what was put on the printed page when Good Omens was first published and what was brought to life on screen when it came to TV. What I mean by that is I often see a lot of people point to the line "gayer than a treeful of monkeys on nitrous oxide" as proof (almost typed "poof" there--hello, Freudian slip...) that Neil/Terry meant for the characters (specifically Aziraphale) to be gay. But from what Neil has said, the main intention here was for this to be a play on words--so, "gay" as in homosexual, but also "gay" as in happy, which was the original meaning of the term. I'm then led to think that in the minds of two cishet men in the late 1980s, "gayness" conjured a particular, unserious image, which they then brought into the writing.

Fast-forward to thirty years later, and you have Good Omens finally becoming a television show. Terry Pratchett (Gnu) had sadly left us, and so the task fell to Neil to write the screenplay and honor Terry's last wish by faithfully adapting the story. And while Neil wisely decided to cast Michael for his goodness and angelic-like nature, what I think he didn't count on was Michael's long-held beliefs and ideas about the character of Aziraphale and how he would portray him, or his profound penchant for playing numerous queer characters over the last several decades. The gayness of Aziraphale on the written page was something that Neil could control, but he couldn't control the gayness of Aziraphale as interpreted by Michael.

So that led to Neil having to address some things that I don't think he was quite prepared to address, both about the show and inside himself. Mainly, that if we are to extrapolate that what we see in season 1 is a reflection (to some degree, anyway) of Neil's views on relationships, a straight couple with little to no chemistry can jump into bed together without any hesitation, but a gay couple with tremendous chemistry and who share a deep and profound connection can't express that, either physically or by simply saying "I love you."

Much discussion has been made about how it's not necessary for someone to say "I love you" to convey such a sentiment. But what I've noticed missing from this discourse is the age/experience of anyone who has been in a relationship where that wasn't said (or conveyed) by one partner and how painful that was for the other partner. And as I mentioned in my other post, even once gay/queer people started to exist in media, they still weren't allowed to fall in love. (The phrase "the love that dare not speak its name" even came into being because of this taboo, for crying out loud.)

So when we then look at the countless tweets from Neil about how Good Omens is a love story while considering the vastly different ways in which that love is regarded when it's straight vs. when it's gay, his words start to ring somewhat hollow. And if he repeatedly has to emphasize that something is a love story, then maybe it isn't coming across as a love story in the way he thinks it is. Maybe Neil being more comfortable with casual, meaningless sex than a deep commitment speaks to a larger issue on his part. Or maybe Neil was fine with the abstract idea of a gay love story, but suddenly less comfortable with the concrete, three-dimensional reality of it.

If I had to use a word to describe it, then, from a media/cultural standpoint, I think I would call it "queerplaying," which I would define as roleplaying queerness on a surface level without actually delving into the complexity and messiness of what it actually means to be a queer/non-cishet human being. (To be clear, I am applying this to the writing/the original GO text, not to what Michael and David ultimately brought to the roles as actors.)

I hope this all makes sense. Again, the second season could come out tomorrow/Friday and prove me completely wrong about everything I've just said here, which would be wonderful. But I'm glad that other people have felt similarly about what we saw (or didn't see) in the first season, and the disconnect between the perceptions of fans/the perception of the public vs. Neil's authorial intent. Thanks for writing in! x

[maya-matlin]

If you ever feel like talking about Gilmore Girls: 1) How would you rank the seven seasons from most favorite to least? Feel free to throw in the revival too! 2) Five favorite characters? In order if you can, in any order if you can't! 3) Top three romantic ships despite how much I agree with you about this show being dreadful at writing couples once they were finally together? 4) Top three platonic ships (For instance, Rory/Lorelai, Lorelai/Sookie, Luke/Jess...and I know that you know what the word platonic means, so don't ask why I felt compelled to include examples!) 5) Your five *least* favorite romantic relationships? 6) Five or more unpopular opinions about the show? There's never any pressure to answer if you don't have the time or energy!

Seasons:

1.) Season 3

2.) Season 2

3.) Season 1

4.) Season 4

5.) Season 5

6.) Season 6 (mostly the first half)

7.) Season 7 (mostly for the post-Lorelai/Christopher episodes)

8.) Season 8 (has good moments, but suffers from feeling as though the characters were left frozen in time so that plots could be reworked into being plausible nearly a decade after the show ended and needed to trim A LOT of the unnecessary fat in favor of tighter characterization/development)

Five favorite characters:

1.) Lorelai Gilmore

2.) Luke Danes

3.) Jess Mariano

4.) Rory Gilmore

5.) Emily Gilmore

Top three romantic ships:

1.) Luke/Lorelai

2.) Rory/Jess

3.) Richard/Emily

Top three platonic ships:

1.) Lorelai/Rory

2.) Lorelai/Emily

3.) Luke/Jess

Five least favorite romantic ships:

1.) Lorelai/Christopher

2.) Rory/Dean

3.) Paris/Asher

4.) Luke/Nicole

5.) Rory/Logan

Five or more unpopular opinions about the show:

1.) Even though I don't like Dean and don't feel as though he's consistently written especially after Jess shows up, I have some sympathy for him during seasons 3-5 in regards to his failed marriage. He was a stupid kid who rushed into marriage with a girl he had barely dated while on the rebound and because their families normalized jumping into marriage right out of high school. I think anyone in that situation would have eventually self destructed and blew their life apart. So while I disliked his affair with Rory and believe it was incredibly selfish, it's not totally surprising that it happened. His behavior during his cameo in the revival gives me the impression Dean eventually grew up and ended up happily married once he was ready to be a husband.

2.) Richard is a great character and clearly loved his family, but sometimes he gets a pass for terrible behavior because his presence in the girls' life isn't as consistent as Emily's and because he's much more underhanded and passive aggressive than she is. So even though I missed Edward Herrman's presence in the revival, it was refreshing to see Emily on her own.

3.) Even though the little bit we were given of Jess's arc following season 3 was more good than bad, it's understandable why Rory could never take Jess back. As much as I would have liked to have seen Jess around on a more regular basis to the point he officially reconciled with Rory, he's on the periphery of Rory's life so infrequently that nothing of much significance ever happens. When he's around particularly in season 6 and the revival, he says the right things and gently inspires Rory to make the best decision for her life when she's in a transitional phase. But then, Jess is gone again, and Rory is left with her normal life. Just because Jess keeps popping back up, always a better version of himself than when she last saw him, doesn't mean that she's necessarily the asshole for not wanting to leave something more certain and familiar such as her relationship with Logan to take that chance again with Jess when she's known him to be a leaver. I don't know. This isn't even all that critical of their relationship. I just feel that until Jess finds a way to be in Rory's life and stay there, they don't stand a chance of getting anywhere.

4.) Lane and Zach > Lane and Dave. Lane's relationship with Dave was very sweet and was the first time we saw Lane in a relationship where someone truly understood her. But that relationship was also pretty fleeting and not super memorable in the grand scheme of things. Even though Adam Brody is the better actor and more charismatic, I feel like Zach was Lane's best pairing. While Zach had his flaws and was afflicted with the same curse all Gilmore Girls men have, aka being perfectly pleasant and then blowing up on a semi regular basis to keep the relationship drama going, he truly loved Lane and proved himself to be a devoted husband and father. Their relationship and all the Hep Alien scenes were some of my favorite parts of the later seasons.

5.) I liked the Rory/Lorelai rift. It was painful to watch, but was also necessary from a story line standpoint. Rory needed to make her own decisions independently of Lorelai's guidance. I only wish the story line had ended with the two meeting in the middle rather than Rory conceding on everything so that they could fully make amends.

[smallidarityfan]

hiii i pinky promise i voted for smallidarity in the ship things both against bdubs and cleo (i had already done that) and against scarian (while looking through your blog just now) but i want to be anon so i cant prove it. anyways if it is okay instead of art i would like u to make a ship chart of whatever your favorite ships and relationship status headcanons are among the hermitcraft/empires/life series gang, like otp and divorced and qpr and whatever. no pressure to do this though i know its not exactly something you offered but given that you like smallidarity and scar/pearl i am very curious what else you like

Thank you for asking!!! i shouldve done this with or without need to rig the trafficshipping polls, so thanks for insigating me to make it anyways!!! :D

I'll try summarize the preferences I have that I feel dont make much sense?

shipping rant belooww....

��👇👇

Firstly I can't really describe well why I like Pearl x Scar, but I'll try:

Life series

Scar POV about Pearl: 'Caring motherly and honest person who's smile lights up the room is just the person who I need in my life full of people I can't trust. Oh, she's traumatized? for losing all the people she loves and as a result developed abandonment issues? .... oh..... oh she just like me fr.'

Pearl POV about Scar: 'this guy is kinda wacko tbh but... now I know what he goes through, and I want to be there for him. We're in this together or some shi i guess. and his abs are kinda hot. wait who said that'

(to quote the part in Secret Life where Scar talks about not trusting alliances and Pearl saying "you're growing on me, Scar.")

Hermitcraft

Scar POV about Pearl: 'This lady creates the most gorgeous landscapes..... ohh now she wants to fix my unhealthy chest monster habits.... and she also helps me out when I need it even if i give her minimum wage..... and she also has a cute smile. wait who said that'

Pearl POV about Scar: 'Silly goof :3 also why doesn't he take care of himself well? Anyways, cleaning lady time'

=====

I could talk about Zedango and XBralis but basically they call each other pet names and roleplay gay people just like Smallidarity but with no instance of the "doomed narrative" or "slow-burn in denial" that they have. Otherwise, Ethubs is self-explanatory.

Speaking of doomed narrative, i dont think ive heard much talk about how doomed scott x pearl is..... They were in a trio group in last-life with Cleo, fought in an honourable 4-way battle with treebark, Scott won, they're now soulmates through unpleasant means, Scott leaves with Cleo, leaving Pearl alone and hurt, they had to work with each other despite the saltiness and eventually resulted in Scott sacrificing himself in honour, for her to win. The bitterness lasted in Lim!Life with the enchanting table shtick, then in Secret Life with the whole "We have unfinished business from Double Life, Scott!!!" from Pearl. (you could also count the doggy alliance with Cleo ig)

Do you see it?!! Do you see it?!?!?!?!?!?!

I could also write about Scottyn but it's relatively the same concept of how Scott prioritizes honour against the watchers' encouragement of chaos, and Martyn listener lore ykyk. (also in Lim!Life with Martyn betraying honour, opposite of Scott yk?!)

Now to Scarian........ I love desert duo a lot. They are in fact my favourite duo overall, I just— can't picture them in a relationship? Like yeah, they tick all the marks of a great narrative pairing and they also love each other, but I personally don't think they two are the type to whisper softly 'i love you' in bed to each other with eyes of passion and romance, nor the types to get flustered over romantic gestures by the other. They are, however, each other's comfort character and would hug and cheek-kiss each other just to be a little silly. I do see the appeal of Scarian though! just not with the version of the two that's in my head...!

Joe x Cleo are cute. They just give me the QPR vibes yk. (even though i might not fully get what a QPR means)

Now to disliking Mumdoc.... I only know of their dynamic through HC8 and 9.... and I really only ever got sour vibes from their dynamic....... they then kissing just irks me ig...... (but yk ive only watched a summative 50 episodes from each of them so i dont know the full idea of who they are to each other)

Honorable mention to Stresskall who doesn't receive the attention they deserve... they're so cute.........

Otherwise, yeah that's it !!! the others I mostly dont get, but are all valid nonetheless👍👍

[summercreolefanfictioner]

Well, I can understand how's that Jigokuraku anime-only watchers jump into the assumption that Gabimaru and Sagiri would end up together. I mean, their dynamics are strongly exposed episodes to episodes. In the current episode, they seems already understanding each other. Meanwhile Yui only appears in Gabi's memory. Although Gabimaru still mentioning his wife like always, it gave the "okay, something isn't right with our MC that he's overly obsessed to his wife, there must be something fishy about his wife" vibes. Moreover, in the opening theme we saw a scene where Yui is bowing and multiple doors slam right before her. Also that scene where Yui and Gabimaru are standing face to face, then suddenly Yui is replaced with Sagiri. That's dragging people to conclusion "so the wife is going to disappear?" "Ohhh sure they will get seperated". It must be spend years to get all the episodes animated. I hope people would take their time to read the manga since it worth reading (and remove their bad thought about Yui's existence).

(tbh I agree with you on the last part since I would love if people would just read the manga but alas some of them have no patience)

in my honest opinion, I like both ships (gabiyui and gabisagi). it's just that I don't ship sagiri and gabimaru romantically and I know well they won't develop any romantic feelings for one another (I have canon evidence for this). and even if I didn't read the manga, I would be aware that gabimaru is fixated on being with yui as soon as possible and this is evidenced by episode 1 up until episode 6 (I am writing this in a time where episode 6 is the latest ep)

episode 1 already hinted abt yui being closed off from the public after gabimaru was arrested. she doesn't talk to anyone. she doesn't eat the meals prepared for her. she is basically locked up in the house she shared with gabimaru in iwagakure, waiting for his return bcos she knows he will return to her. remember, they already had this one convo that if ever he wanted to leave the village and stop killing, she will stay and follow him.

and gabimaru, realizing that she was still out there waiting for him (as per sagiri in episode 1), decided to embark on this whole shinsenkyo journey. hence why this toasted marshmallow of a guy (huhu I am sorry) is like "let's go find the elixir" "I can't waste more time" "I need to return to my wife" to the point of almost killing sagiri bcos he has to get the elixir before the other iwagakure ninjas make landfall. in short, as much as possible, gabimaru wanted this shinsenkyo trip to end quickly (as evidenced in episode 6). the only time he made a stop on rushing their journey is when sagiri fainted due to her injuries and inhaling poison (w/c was gabimaru's fault so yeah nothing romantic there)

and I don't think there's anything suspicious abt gabimaru thinking or mentioning his wife or something. dude has nothing after all other than yui. remember, the only good thing in iwagakure that gabimaru has is his wife and with her, he learned a lot of things (like saying thanks, praying to gods, cooking like a normal couple, emotions called love and hatred and weakness).

as for sagiri, well she has a lot on her plate given how men always look down on her being a samurai and that she should just be a woman and go home and bear children from the next yamada head. hence why she was always in a constant "I am a samurai and I will not back down just bcos you see me as a woman" thing. but hey episode 6 has highlighted her in a new light so yeah I am glad people are now changing their opinions abt sagiri bcos she ain't weak as what they deemed her to be. plus given how she's has not been sent off to the battlefield before shinsenkyo, it makes sense why some people look down on her.

I know there's a lot of emotional development and learnings gabimaru and sagiri have with each other throughout the series, but I don't think it's something that will turn romantic (even Mappa emphasized in the ending song abt sagiri's wish for gabimaru and yui to be reunited and this also speaks abt the song). one thing abt Hell's Paradise that I like is that they make all romantic ships SO OBVIOUS AND STRAIGHTFORWARD. like viewers won't have to think "I think this person will fall for this person" or "there's sexual tension" bcos the show will let you know if there is romance blooming.

besides, just bcos two people develop emotionally together, doesn't mean there has to be something romantic between them. you can grow emotionally through a reliable mentor, a close friend, a stranger, a scene from a movie or drama. in short: NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO DO WITH ROMANCE.

plus I take Hell's Paradise as gabimaru's redemption arc but also sagiri's new beginning arc. bcos after this trip, gabimaru will finally have his happy ending while sagiri will embark on her own journey (they just met in the middle to teach each other an important lesson)

and I didn't know people take the opening like that hehe. tbh yui bowing with the doors closing kinda signifies gabi's journey in kotaku tho. like there are 3 sliding doors and kotaku has like 3 areas??? that they all need to bypass before getting the elixir. and getting the elixir means getting the pardon which is equal to being free and being with yui. that also seems to be the case with yui being replaced by sagiri like he has to face this trip first before meeting her. again this is MY TAKE on the opening.

maybe we should just ask Mappa why they animated it that way so we won't have further assumptions.

bottom line: while I do get annoyed at gabisagi shippers who think of the pair romantically, I get uhh 'sadder' than 'annoyed' bcos some of them tend to romanticize stuff just bcos a guy saved a girl or they comforted each other. the thing is, if people always romanticize every interaction between gabimaru and sagiri, then they are missing the whole point of these two characters' self journey.

(but if you still ship gabimaru and sagiri romantically without accepting canon evidence and basing everything on all your delusional beliefs, then uhh idk bout that)

[acourtofthought]

Forgive me, I'm back to rant about a few things I just dont get how elriels miss, in terms of big picture. And even subtle contrast between elains behavior around Az and Lucien in terms of character reveals and behaviors telling of endgame couples. NOT the in between, I mean the "you need to read between the lines" context to get it and see the bigger picture vs taking things for face value and not critically thinking.

For example, ACOWAR, when Azriel helps Feyre rescue Elain, which Elriels romantize like their ship depended on it, a few things.

Azriel didn't volunteer to save her first. It was only after Cassian offered that he spoke up. Cassian was hurt. We as readers by now should know Azriel has a hero complex, so really not surprising he put his life on the line for Cassian and Feyre, and yes, even Elain, she is who they are saving after all, but Azriel stepped up for more reasons than just Elain.

When they find Elain. It is NOT specificed whether Elain is speaking to Feyre or Azriel, when she says you came for me, could it have been both, sure? Could this moment have been when Elain saw Azriel in a different light, maybe. I see the appeal, a handsome male carried you back to safety, but its just almost too perfect. SJM, to date has never written an endgame couple in which the LI is the one saving the heroine.. They stand back, let their heroine shine. Rhys, Cassian. Rowan, Chaol, Dorian, Hunt, all stood by and watched their mates/endgame save themselves and others. This is why I firmly believe it wasn't Lucien who saved her. SJM made a very conscious decision, because if Lucien is Elains endgame, he isn't going to treat her like a damsel in distress. He can't be the one "saving her" when he's going to be the one building her up. She even has gone as far as explaning why she doesn't always give her heroines mates a role in their final showdown (when she said she needed to give Cassian something to do when Nesta was in the rite). It's very clear that it is important to Sarah that her heroines are independent and can save themselves, they don't NEED man saving her in the literal terms. I think we will see Elain in another situation where SHE will outwit and come out triumphant in the end because of her own strength. Not because of Azriel or Lucien. So my point is, I do think it was dilebrate it wasn't Lucien, aside from the obvious, he wasn't there. He'd already taken off to the continent to find help.

But it does bring me to my next point, when Lucien returns. at the end of ACOWAR, she shows concern for Lucien. He responds that the blood isn't his. Which, for someone who is underestimated, proves he is as capable of handling himself on a battle field. But the point is, Elain doesn't search for Azriel, isn't by his side. On page, she shows no concern for him in the end and this is a book, if it didn't happen on page, it didn't happen. She gives Lucien a soft smile. He is the first to acknowledge she stabbed Hybern. This is kinda big, as it is a huge telling and such a  parallel to the way SJM has her male characters see the strength and bravery in their mates before others do. Rhys saw it first UTM in Feyre. Cassian with Nesta, Hunt with Bryce, etc. Lucien doesn't fuss or worry, he is proud of her. Whereas, Azriel in ACOSF, still doesn't believe in Elain enough to go after the trove, elriels claim it's because he cares, sure maybe he does, but again that's not how SJM writes her couples. That in itself is telling. Imagine Rhys, Cassian, Hunt, Lorcan, Chaol, all telling their significant others they can't do x,y,z and see how that goes down. Actually, we can, we have enough textual evidence it doesn't go down well. Azriel holding Elain back, behind her back, even after he saw what she was capable off in ACOWAR, is not a good sign. But, in a turn of events, who is Azriel supportive off ? Gwyn. Elriels love to say it's because he doesn't care but, given SJMs  parallels, they are in for a rude awakening.

Lastly, sunshine. I can't believe how obvious this is. Anytime Sarah reveals something that is close and important to a character that ties another is telling. Example, Elide and Lorcan both were guided by gods who are lovers, Rhys and Feyre both look up to the stars and dreamt before knowing one another. The way Azriels shadows behave around Gwyn, which is unquestionably unique only to HER, per canon, no matter how much elriels deny it......:. Elain telling the readers she needs sunshine, and Lucien who is literally the sun personified is significant. I mean, yes, we know they are mates, what more proof do we need? They may not be together right now, but SJM has given us enough buildup for their story.

I went back over the scene to see how it all played out and I do get why E/riels make a fuss over it.

"She shook her head, devouring the sight of him as if not quite believing it. “You came for me.” The shadowsinger only inclined his head.

"devouring the sight of him" is a pretty intense way of phrasing it.

And taken as a single line, of course it looks like something.

But this is what happened before and after:

When you look at everything together, how romantic is it?

Cassian was the first one to speak up about saving Elain.

Az sat there observing Nesta's distress and her telling Cassian he can't go in injured so after "some unspoken debate" with himself he speaks up.

Nesta tells him he'll die but Az is cocky as hell and has a hero complex so of course he thinks he'll be fine. It's not that he's willing to die for Elain, it's that he doesn't think there's a chance of that happening (there is canon evidence of Az wanting to run head first into dangerous situations even when Feyre and Rhys tell him not to).

Feyre says with his shadows he might stand a chance, probably the exact same thing Az has convinced himself of.

Elain's eyes went wide over both Az and Feyre entering the tent because Feyre looked like Ianthe.

Then Feyre, after changing her appearance back tried to free Elain from the chains first using her powers from Helion.

Az only scooped up Elain because he said they didn't have time to wait for Feyre to figure it out.

Then they land and Az is barely able to stand but only Rhys is worried about his injuries. Elain gives the guy who's about to pass out a "thank you" kiss on the cheek then goes to her sister where she shows real emotion when she throws her arms around her.

Elucien's and E/riels can go back and forth all day on how they interpret these scenes. To me it seems clear that whatever hint of romance there was is always followed by something that shows why nothing between E/riel was ever going to be lasting.

But even without the back and forth debates, and leaving out how compatible Elain and Lucien are written to be, the one thing that trumps it all is that Lucien was the one who met Elain's father and spent time getting to know him. Lucien is the one who was with Elain after the sisters said goodbye to their father, Lucien is the one who offered his condolences.

Lucien will always be the one who holds this connection to Elain, with the first man she ever loved. It cannot be denied that what Elain shared with him was special and I think it was extremely intentional that SJM wrote it so her Mate developed a relationship with him before his death.

There is such poetry in that and all those shallow "cute" moments between E and A will never compare.

And as far as Gwynriel and his shadows are concerned, it's ridiculous to think there's not pretty major hints for them ending up together when we have the following in the bonus chapter:

Az's shadows will always be a part of him.

Az's shadows disappear around Elain.

Az's shadows are playful with Gwyn and she's the only character to treat them independent of Az.

[satohqbanana]

A couple of thoughts on SekiRaku, Youko and Rakushun, and their questionable age gap - and by a couple I mean a multitude.

Canon Says

As reference, Youko is canonically 16 and Rakushun 22 (iirc).

On the more canon side, Youko's romantic feelings - if any - for Rakushun feel quite one-sided. Though she tries to be bolder through her words (e.g. "I consider you a prince of Kei"), he tends to dodge, deflect, or even scold her (perceived) declarations of affection (e.g. He told her "[not] to indulge in personal whims like you're naming a pet" in regards to naming her ruling era as "Sekiraku").

Add to that, Rakushun still keeps his Kou citizenship, pours his time into studying (which could take up to two full decades! - meanwhile Youko is eternally 16), and maintains that they live in different realities and are far from each other. He literally thinks he doesn't deserve to be treated so handsomely for picking up the then-unknown ruler of Kei. He's very mindful of their statuses and social ranking. Rakushun's actions make me think he's actually actively pushing for the gap between the two of them - whether he acknowledges her affections for him or not.

I think it's also good to consider that Fuyumi Ono mostly ever does shiptease for these two but confirms little, since she likes to write politics, warriors, and philosophies after all.

Shipping Says

That said, on the shipping side, Youko is eternally 16 - for a few years now. Counting the actual years, she is technically already of age, and even if she "waits" she'll never really "be" "older". Then again, she's already a deity, so the rules that apply for her have since changed. As the Imperial Kei, she can't even be married via ceremony to another; she would only have a common-law marriage with any partner she might want to bring into the court.

Also, if anything, I think it would bring massive relief to the anxious Keiki to know that she holds affections for someone else who is not him.

On Rakushun's side, it's harder to imagine what he feels towards Youko as a person and not just as a King. He needs more character development for a romance to bloom between them. But I see why his more humble views of himself makes him an attractive, non-aggressive option as a partner.

My Opinion

Is it dodgy? Yeah. I admit I forgot that Rakushun was 22. Do I ship it? I sure do.

Like I said, no matter what happens, Youko is 16 - eternally. (And it's Keiki's "fault" he even came to get her at 16. By him making her the King of Kei, her age stopped forever.) She's no longer human - if she wants her godhood to end, she literally has to die. (Compared with Shoukei and Suzu who can get in and out of humanity and demigodhood via the Registry of Wizards.)

Despite so, shouldn't we apply our rules of age of majority on her? I'm not so sure. I think she's at the age where she would be dreaming of finding someone to spend her life with. I imagine Youko getting upsetti spaghetti over it. Besides, given the themes Fuyumi Ono intended for her to tackle (and that is young girls going against tradition), I think Youko just disregarding her age gap and other whatever social gaps with Rakushun would be on-brand and in-character for her, even if we (or Keiki) disapprove.

And like I said, for the relationship to actually happen, Rakushun needs a massive character upgrade. He constantly talks himself down in his POV.

Besides, they're legitimately happy to be in each other's company. Their conversations are amusing to follow. They're cute together and they treat each other as actual persons and not as Imperial Kei or hanjyuu - even if they do consider those things once they're not in front of each other. I like that.

Fuyumi Ono however would likely not touch upon this more, though. Besides, 12K is a political high fantasy novel. TBH I want more stories of the other kingdoms - Dreaming of Paradise (Sairin and her first emperor) tore my heart out and Blue Orchid (very early Shouryou En) still has the most beautiful catharsis in the series for me.

What-Ifs

Now, if I had to answer how the ideal SekiRaku romance would go, I think I'd like it to tackle the following.

Youko's perspective should explore the age gap thing and her identity as a deity. There will be a lot of embarrassing conversations. I think we should also get more worldbuilding stuff on courtship - I don't know, maybe have Suzu and Shoukei receiving gifts or proposals, or even Shouryou giving unsolicited advice and even dodgier life stories. I would also want to see how Youko perceived/perceives romance as a 16-year-old, both from when she was in Japan, and now as she is a King of Kei.

I would also like to have Keiki's opinion on this matter - mostly because of his constant comparison between Youko and Jokaku, and also because he does acknowledge Rakushun as someone important to Youko. I would also like to know if kirins actually understand romantic love; all I get from reading Keiki's perspective on Jokaku is that he couldn't understand her (romantic) love for him even if he indeed already (non-romantically) loves her.

Rakushun also needs to get over his hanjyuu complex. As realistic his views towards society could be, his relationship with his hanjyuu identity is unhealthy. (I think he's been dehumanized to the point he has to shun clothes - a basic commodity - to manage poverty.) I think he should spend more time getting comfortable in his human form - that is still himself, after all!

TL;DR

Yeah, I see why you wouldn't ship them and why Fuyumi Ono wouldn't write them as an actual couple, but I still ship them for reasons beyond the age gap thing. Also I need their ship to answer a couple questions beyond what makes a legitimate romantic relationship, and yes, by a couple, I mean a multitude.

But yes, it's mostly just wishful thinking.

[juniperhillpatient]

The Drill Re-watch

The Dangerous Ladies are back! And they have a big scary drill. I love how Mai is just happy to get something to do & I had honestly forgotten how consistently ecstatic Ty Lee is at any opportunity for violence. She's so adorable & scary at the same time. Have I mentioned lately how much I love Ty Lee? +1000 iconic behavior points to her for taking out all those earth-benders & scaring Katara. I had also forgotten just how scared of Ty Lee Katara is & how much she dislikes her. Katara yelling & calling Ty Lee a circus freak was a badass moment. +1000 iconic behavior points. Mai disobeying Azula just because she doesn't want to get muddy & popping up in the end like "we lost" in a deadpan voice was hilarious & very based of her, +500 iconic behavior points. Sokka's plan to take out the drill from the inside was pretty smart. +500 iconic behavior points.

My favorite part of the conflict with the drill was actually Ty Lee. I also really loved the flirty moment between her & Sokka, & Katara having to drag Sokka away. Honestly, I've never given much thought to Ty Lee/Sokka as a potential ship until this re-watch but their flirty banter during fights is so funny & cute. And I just can't get enough of Ty Lee happily kicking ass.

Surprisingly, I don't have that much to say about Azula in this episode which is rare for me but this was pretty much standard hero vs. villain "let's keep the Fire Nation out of Ba Sing Se" stuff. I mean, the Azula vs. Aang fight was badass, but I don't have any meaningful analysis of it. I think the most meaningful takeaway I have about Azula in this episode is regarding her relationship with Mai & Ty Lee. It's been commented on a hundred times that Mai disobeys Azula's order in this episode, but still, I'll comment on it again. I think it says a lot about the dynamic between Azula & Mai. Mai is a subordinate, & there is a power imbalance but Mai knows what she can & can't get away with & isn't afraid to do what she wants under certain circumstances. I think that the dynamic between these three girls is layered & this episode gives evidence to the idea that Azula does treat Mai & Ty Lee like friends to the extent that Azula can treat anyone like friends. Mai never felt coerced & if she was reluctant to follow specific orders, she simply didn't.

Jet & Zuko were my favorite part of this episode, actually. I can't believe it took me as long as it did spending time in this fandom to warm up to Jet/Zuko as a romantic pairing. Shocking & disappointing for me, really, I feel like I usually have good taste right away. SMH past me. Oh well, I see the truth now. They're literally Thee Template. Like, they met each other, said "be gay do crime" & had a touching heart to heart about both being traumatized & Zuko realized that he didn't always have to be alone & by the next episode Jet is following Zuko around like a lost puppy begging him to join his little found family. THEN freaking Iroh warms up his tea with fire-bending. Iroh, I was just warming up to you & starting to stand up for you, dude. What are you DOING? Zuko is right. For a supposedly wise old man, that's just.....really fucking stupid. I don't even know what to say. I guess Iroh got a little too comfortable? Like....what? Anyway....

Despite the rather contrived way in which it happened (yeah, sorry, I'm gonna say the writing is a LITTLE contrived like, I just don't get it is Iroh supposed to be smart or not?) I DO love a dramatic breakup between two characters who technically never even dated. Jet now knows that Zuko & Iroh are fire-benders. And MAN. A hundred smarter people than me have written fascinating essays & analyses & metas about the tragedy that Jet is right that they're fire-benders & more right than he knows because they're literally Fire Nation royalty & both personally responsible for a lot of harm inflicted by the Fire Nation but he's wrong because they are actually refugees now & not causing any new harm & also because he needs to let go of this obsessive hate because it will (& does) lead to his downfall like....We'll get to my thoughts on Jet's tragedy & his death when we get there but this set up for drama (by itself!!! pretending I'm watching for the first time!!!) IS excellent writing (if the specifics weren’t so contrived.) If only they ---- never mind, I'm done for now. I'm ending this ramble. Goodnight. Oh yes, Zuko & Jet get +1000 iconic behavior points for their quick little fling that will change them both forever & for having a dramatic breakup without Zuzu (king of drama on any other occasion!) even knowing about it.

Anyway, this was a great episode. I'm surprised I had so little to say about Azula & that she earned no iconic behavior points, but it's okay because she will blow everyone else out of the running in Crossroads of Destiny, I already know 100% for sure. Yeah, my favorite parts of this episode were the Dangerous Ladies & Jet & Zuko but I should also mention that I liked Sokka joking about the different group names even though "gaang" hasn't come up yet. And the hints about metal-bending & its potential were fun subtle foreshadowing.

[strangertheories]

I feel like there's too much discourse surrounding Mike's character nowadays that you cannot really talk about his character without it being turned into a ship war situation or slander. It also feels weird because many people seem to think that his character can be 'good or bad' based on Byler/Mlvn happens or not and it's just...? Do you even like him as a character or just perceive him from ship POVs then? It's like saying you wouldn't like Lucas or Max if they broke up or you wouldnt like Hopper, Joyce, Nancy etc if they just entered a relationship that you personally dont like. Because a character cannot be primarily defined or perceived based on shipping reasons, because they also have to stand on their own characterwise.... Max is my fav character and I wouldn't dislike or love her based on her romance choices. Yet whenever I see takes about Mike's character it just seems like both sides only ever focus on his romantic endgame. Or oftentimes just misinterpret his character by inventing made-up things about him that do not exist in canon. So is he that weak of a character then idk, because it seems like Mlvns will just hate him if he ends up with Will and many Bylers will call him a badly written character if he continues to be in a relationship with El or if the narrative doesnt turn out the way they expect or *exactly* want it to be. And it's especially kind of annoying when these both sides just want to insert Mike into a category that they like but when you just look at it, it sounds like they don't even like the canon!Mike but the fanon!version of it.

OH MY GOD, YES. I do get why people will like him less if Byler is not endgame, less because of Byler but more because they interpret Mike within the frame of being queer which means their justification for his behaviour or the reason they relate to him is now gone. However, I also think it's important to remember that he's 14 and traumatized and him getting angry at Will doesn't have to be projection or secretly be him being the best guy ever. He is flawed, canonically, and he has been a bad friend to Will since S2.

But people tend to act like he's an evil asshole or a perfectly innocent guy because their analyses are working backwards from each of those conclusions. I used to actually not like Mike very much, and I'm still not a huge fan, but I think understanding why he has his flaws without explaining them away helped me to understand him more. Also someone edited him to First Love, Late Spring by Mitski and I'm not even joking when I say it was the first time his characterisation clicked for me. And the show has been making this explicit, both in his need to be needed and his depression in S2, but they've not been as effective as writing him in years.

Even within the show, Mike is always defined in relation to other characters ever since S3 when he was less of a central character. In S2, they introduced all of his struggles with depression and emotional issues because of his loss of Eleven which was solved when El returned but it never really addressed the actual root issues that he had. I think fans analysing this behaviour from that perspective is completely valid because I do it too.

He could have a lot of depth but I feel fans give him much more than the show has awarded him in a way that Byler endgame can't exclusively solve. Because whilst they can write him falling in love with Will, they've given themselves eight episodes to break up his 4 season relationship, have him accept his queerness, come out and get with Will. And whilst I'd enjoy that, I also think they've just not written Mike as well in the later seasons. This may sound silly, but there's a point when I blame a character's actions on the writers and not the characters. Think of Nancy and Steve being weird in S4.

Overall, I think the route of this issue is that they didn't know what to do with him after S2. His primary goal in S1 was to find Will. His primary goals in S2 were to "get over" El and to help Will. In S3, his goal was having a good relationship with El and in S4 it was to confess his love (which he already did?). The issue with the last two seasons is that it felt like they were working backwards from a conclusion. They wanted conflict but didn't know how to and so he became a bad friend and bad boyfriend so he could have a character arc.

And I know we can explain his behaviour from a Byler POV which is why I do think it impacts my perception of the character, but Mike's "it's not my fault you don't like girls" line, Mike not contacting Will, Mike not noticing Will was crying, Mike saying the best day of his life was the one where Will went missing (I think the Duffers forgot that context too), and Mike being unable to effectively communicate with El feel out of character to me. In S1, we saw how even when angry with Eleven, he was highly emotionally intelligent and was able to communicate effectively. And we saw his special bond with Will in S2 where he was highly aware of Will's emotions, much more so than the other people in his life. And then by the next Summer, that was all gone. Even his whole "need to be needed" thing fell flat for me because it felt a bit random, it would've been way better for me if they had instead looked at his fear of loss or emotional repression or parental issues.

Jesus, this post grew arms and legs. TL;DR: Mike isn't an evil asshole and he has depth but he's also been failed by the writers in a way people justify with fanon but not the canon text. Byler helps to improve his character, but he's not been written outside of his relationships, romantically or platonically, and his struggles with mental health get solved by the power of love or whatever. Don't get me wrong, people hating Mike is bad but acting like they just don't understand the show or are stupid is also bad in my opinion. Everyone is just trying to fill in the gaps left by his under-writing in the later seasons.