#otp: still doing taylor's dirty work?

[margridarnauds]

wash/mira with 2, 4, 12, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26 lmao, 28, and 29

THANKS AVERY NOW I GET TO DIE OF ANGST. 

2. Who is the most insecure and what makes them feel better?

God, BOTH of them have very, very valid reasons to be concerned. Wash obviously is still hurt by Mira’s betrayal, and that isn’t going to go away easily even after their reconciliation. I can see her looking at Mira just casually doing something and wondering “What’s your game here?” And on Mira’s end, I can see her still feeling like Wash is going to choose Taylor/her job/etc. over her. Because of past experience. And, even postcanon, there’s the question of “Would she have made the decisions she had if Taylor HADN’T gone cuckoobananas?”

And then they’ll have that little reminder of their life together, Sienna or Leah will ask for help coloring something in, Wash will come up from behind and hug her, they’ll see each other giving orders and co-ruling the colony like a BOSS and just have that moment of “Okay, this is NOW.” It’s not going to be an EASY process, but it’s one that they are going to work through over time. 

4. Who can’t keep their hands to themselves?

Wash. I’m not even going to elaborate just...Wash. 

12. What first changes when it starts getting serious?

The GUILT starts to set in for Mira. For Wash, she starts to really feel HOPE for the first time. She’s spent a lot of time trailing behind Taylor, wanting to believe in the new world he’s promised, but for the first time, she has that possibility right in front of her. And then we all know what happens, goodbye youthful idealism. 

18. When they fight, how do they make up?

By not talking to one another for years but occasionally meeting up for bondage-y reasons, then bonding over a shared enemy. 

It’s funny because in a potentially postcanon world, I actually don’t see them fighting that often, given that so many of their current problems are related more or less exclusively to being on opposite sides, a few issues when it comes to the integration process for the Sixers aside. But, when they do, I think that they can both be pretty brutal, usually Wash is the first one to reach out, and it usually takes Mira a little further to come along. (MIRA? HOLDING A GRUDGE? NOT TRUSTING SOMEONE?) But, eventually, they do work it out, and Mira in particular can’t really resist Wash when she’s in the “Please look at me” stage. Neither of them would ever, EVER admit it in the crossover, but she’s at Peyrol levels of being whipped. 

19. Where do they go on their first date?

See 22. Alternatively, they went to Boylan’s. Because of course. They went. To Boylan’s. It’s not like there are that many options available. Which means that Boylan ALSO knows about the two of them dating. It’s why his hair’s so big; it’s full of secrets. 

20. Where do they go on holiday?

Honestly, I know that the holiday options are TN are limited, but I love the thought of the two of them lying on a beach while their kids play in the waves, the two of them working on building a sandcastle together. A massive prehistoric shark comes near Sienna and Wash casually snipes it. (Mira finds herself oddly turned on by it.) You know. Everything that you’d expect.

 At some point, Wash’s comm device goes off. It’s Jim. They need her at the colony, something’s going horribly wrong. She turns it off. 

22. Where does their first kiss happen?

I’m probably going to roll with the Paradise Lost canon and say that Wash took Mira OTG like a fucking teenager, Bullshit Happened because it’s TN, they had to build a fire, there were Very Intimate Conversations about Wash and Mira and the future, and then they kissed. And then at some point in the night, a carno tried to attack Mira and, without a second thought, Wash took it down. Romantically. She would always wonder whether that was a good idea, after the fact. Whether, if she knew what she would later know, if she would have let it. Privately, she knows that she wouldn’t have. 

23. Where is their favourite place to be together? 

Command Center. For more reasons than one and for more definitions of the term “together.” 

26. Why do they need to have a serious chat?

THESE TWO? NEED A SERIOUS CHAT? I CANNOT. IMAGINE. WHY. THEY WOULD. NEED. A SERIOUS. C H A T . 

To begin with, the whole “You lied to me for months at LEAST and made me believe you didn’t love me when it was over” thing. And the whole “You support an actual military dictator who fucking KILLED SOMEONE and there’s no way that I can believe that you didn’t know” thing. And the whole “I have no idea why you’re even doing this - what do you mean ‘your daughter needs it’ WHAT DAUGHTER?” thing. And the whole “You could do so much better than being brushed aside for Taylor’s new boytoy, let me express this in a nonviolent, healthy way” thing. And...

Basically, this is why they should have spent that whole ep tied to one another instead of Taylor and Mira. 

27. Why do their friends get annoyed with them?

Elizabeth (understandably) does NOT trust Mira, and I don’t think she really understands the process that the two of them are going through even though she’s fundamentally enough a compassionate person that she’s obviously going to push for it. It just...takes a little while. 

28. Why do they get jealous?

I think that Mira’s jealous of Taylor, but it’s not a ROMANTIC kind of jealousy. I don’t think that she thinks that he and Wash are banging; she KNOWS Wash too well for that one. And she isn’t into DILFs. But that doesn’t change the fact that Wash has still chosen Taylor over her, and that STINGS. If the two of them actually were banging...it wouldn’t really impact that one way or another. What matters is who Wash is going to stand by at the end of the day, and unfortunately...it isn’t Mira. And on one hand, Mira always KNEW this would be the case, especially since Wash has history with Taylor, but on the other hand...she really, really wishes that it wasn’t. 

29. Why do they fall a little bit more in love?

The little moments of vulnerability. For two people who tend to be so good at putting on fronts, especially in Mira’s case (Wash HAS them, but she’s better at pretending that There’s Nothing Wrong as opposed to pretending that she doesn’t have any emotions at all), whenever they have those moments, it’s a big OH. Because they wouldn’t do that for ANYONE else, and they both realize it. Wash personally loves to try to (non creepily) wake up before Mira and watch her sleep for that reason alone, because she’s so UNGUARDED then.

30. Why does it work (or not work) between them? 

At the end of the day, they’re both highly competent and mission oriented people. When they’re not at each other’s throats, they work on the same wavelength, and they both have a HUGE amount of respect for one another’s abilities and can’t stand to see them wasted on their respective sides. They also both functionally WORK in a good cop/bad cop scenario, with Wash inspiring loyalty and Mira (generally) inspiring fear in the people under their respective commands. IF circumstances had been different, they would have been damn effective co-leaders of Terra Nova. They’re really one of those cases where there’s nothing in their personalities that is really keeping them apart; it’s all in the circumstances, and if the circumstances changed....

[feysandfeels]

Which TS songs remind you of the different couples in SJM’s books???

Boy do I ??

You are a blessed soul for asking me this, and know that I adore you. 

There is now a part II to this.

Feysand:

Begin Again: “I've been spending the last eight months Thinking all love ever does Is break and burn, and end But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again” Baby Feyre finding that love is not toxic, that love is supportive, that love can be wonderful. “You said you never met one girl who had As many James Taylor records as you But I do” but think of is as “he said he never met a girl who wasn’t afraid of his power, but i do”. Also also “Walked in expecting you'd be late But you got here early and you stand and wave I walk to you” because Feyre’s used to T*mlin’s mediocre ass but Rhys surprised her by being a decent human and treating her with respect, which makes her realize that she was starved for respect and that T*mlin was not giving her what every decent human being should get from the get go from their partner.

Ivy: Feyre slowly falling in love with Rhys, thinking about Rhys in the Spring Court between Night Court visits Also throughout ACOMAF how she battles with her ever growing feelings for the Lord of the Night, while feeling guilty about T*mlin, because they *just broke up*: “Oh, goddamn My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand Taking mine, but it's been promised to another Oh, I can't Stop you putting roots in my dreamland My house of stone, your ivy grows And now I'm covered in you” and “I wish to know The fatal flaw that makes you long to be Magnificently cursed He's in the room Your opal eyes are all I wish to see He wants what's only yours”.

End game: I can practically see Rhys singing this in the shower thinking about Feyre, when she decided to work with him and him thinking like “YES THIS HAS TO BE A SIGN”. His reputation precedes him and in rumours he’s knee deep, him and Feyre would be a big conversation, he has enemies, he has heard about her and she has heard about him. He thinks “she’s so dope that he might overdose”. She’s been calling his bluff on all his usual tricks so here’s the truth from his red lips!!!!!

Dress: “Even in my worst times, you could see the best in me Flashback to my mistakes My rebounds, my earthquakes Even in my worst lies, you saw the truth in me And I woke up just in time Now I wake up by your side My one and only, my lifeline”. Need I say more? I think not your honor. 

Call it what you want: “I said you don’t need to save me, but would you run away with me?” That’s Feyre’s whole arc, I rest my case.

Nessian: the happiness I feel about the fact that these two are together is just enough to make me smile on a Monday

False God - The song literally opens up saying “We were crazy to think Crazy to think that this could work Remember how I said I'd die for you” HELLOOOO?? NESTA THINKING ABOUT THAT SCENE IN ACOWAR?? but also feeling that she’s unworthy of Cassian and that there is no way in hell that he will love her with all that she is.

Don’t Blame Me - The power of this song lies in the I unapologetic- powerful-full on I give myself to you and I will do it over and over again energy it has. And this is the energy that Nesta has for Cassian (even when homegirl really tries to pretend otherwise lol boo you tried). The “through your love I found salvation” religious aspect of Don’t blame me is Nesta, because through Cassian’s love and presence she found the perspective she needed on herself. Also this book was a religious experience for me. Jesus fuck.

Sparks Fly: From Cassian to Nesta, with love. First of all Cassian would be a diehard swiftie (all of the bat boys for that matter, merch a the concert, what will we do if we get invited to the rep room?? fans. Az woud be like the quiet yet “no, speak one ill word of Taylor and that’s your end, she did nothing wrong she was framed and I have evidence”). Second of all “The way you move is like a full on rainstorm And I'm a house of cards You're the kind of reckless that should send me running But I kinda know that I won't get far” That’s him alright, that’s him knowing that Nesta is a force to be reckoned with and he wants nothing nothing but to be in that storm and live within the force of nature that she is. Thirdly “My mind forgets to remind me, your a bad idea You touch me once and it's really something You find I'm even better than you, imagined I would be I'm on my guard for the rest of the world But with you I know its no good And I could wait patiently But I really wish you would” 

Elucien: This is an Elucien blog. 

Lover - In all honesty wanted to give this song to Feysand, because they are my main otp and this song is the highest of the high from Taylor, but I can’t deny the fact that this song screams Elucien. “With every guitar string scar on my hand” I think is a beautiful parallel for Elain and gardening, “My heart’s been borrowed, and yours has been blue” this speaks of Gr*yson and Jesminda, “I loved you three summers now but I want them all” that’s Lucien speaking ma’am. “Have I known you 20 seconds or 20 years?”, both of them about the bond. “And you'll save all your dirtiest jokes for me and at every table, I'll save you a seat, lover” we all know Lucien has a mind for dirty jokes and sass and Elain would always save him the sit next to her because he is the one who truly saw her and, in his distance, was the presence she needed while she figured it all out. Finally, The fact that the song has very clear wedding tones I think fits the headcanon, that more than a mating ceremony, Elucien would have a wedding, because it feels like something Elain would feel more comfortable with. 

Treacherous -“I can't decide if it's a choice Getting swept away I hear the sound of my own voice Asking you to stay”..... mmmmmm is this or isn’t it Elain getting closer to Lucien, but still wondering if it’s the bond or her, yet nonetheless surrendering to the fact that she wants him to stay. “This slope is treacherous This path is reckless This slope is treacherous And I, I, I like it” Elain doesn’t want an easy love, to simple do as the bond suggests she wants something that has twigs and branches and where she needs to question herself and truly ask what she wants out of life and this relationship. Also the softness of the melody juxtaposed with the vulnerability, brings a soft rawness that is Elain. 

King of my heart: Neither of them expected to feel like they could love with all the hope and unapologetic free falling feel characteristic of first loves, yet here we are. They rule their kingdom inside the room because they are discovering their feelings for each other away from prying eyes and people that have expectations on how they should work with the mating bond and all that. “Late in the night, the city's asleep Your love is a secret I'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep Change my priorities The taste of your lips is my idea of luxury” Again, with the love away from everyone, feeling their world shift around what they are starting to feel for one another. “Is the end of all the endings? My broken bones are mending With all these nights we're spending” did we say healing arc through love and support an “not expecting anything to come off this, but I just want to see you well” à la sjm?? I THINK WE DID.

Emorie: I’m working with crumbs here, delicious crumbs that will make a delicious emorie cake, but crumbs nonetheless.. I need more and I need it now.

I think he knows - My girl Emerie crushing hard hard haaaaaaaaard on Mor.

Cruel Summer - “I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you And I snuck in through the garden gate Every night that summer just to seal my fate (oh) And I screamed for whatever it's worth "I love you, " ain't that the worst thing you ever heard” this is prime PRIME PRIME ANGST, we will get from these two.  

Gwynriel: this is an edit because I'm not a hoe for these two (yet...trust me once I see Az heal this is the tag where you will find me) and I did not know which songs might fit them and then when I posted it I was like WAIT WAIT I KNOW.

Gold rush - Gwyn talking herself out of her crush on Az after finding out about the whole necklace and being like “I don’t want a gold rush”.

Daylight - Az is a Taylor hoe first, spymaster second. She just makes him feel things. But in all seriousness “Like daylight It's golden like daylight You gotta step into the daylight and let it go Just let it go, let it goI wanna be defined by the things that I love Not the things I hate Not the things that I'm afraid of, I'm afraid of Not the things that haunt me in the middle of the night I, I just think that You are what you love” this is Az healing and being in better place where he can reflect on how he used to relate to love and romantic relationships, he now understands that love is not black and white but golden. He stepped into this notion of love and through it he found a beautiful relationship with Gwyn, he wants to be defined by the love he feels for her and the love he feels for his family, not by the things that haunted him, not by his mistakes, not by his trauma. He is golden, he is daylight, shadows and all he is daylight. 

Az + Elain: As a romantic end game they are not my ship, but I do stand by my pre-acosf position that these two would be really good friends

Out of the woods -  Where we stand after acosf I say that it is not far fetched that they might hook up and then realize that it’s not for them and that experience helps them access a new part of their healing: “They lost each other, but they found themselves”. The anxiety that this song mirrors is the anxiety of them knowing something doesn’t quite *fit* right, that they are both in turbulent times emotionally and this relationship is not giving them the peace they thought it would. They are paper airplanes, because they know that it’s not the right call for where they are in their own journeys if they want to heal properly and that neither will get what they truly want from the other one. The monsters who turned out to be trees, they are in the woods in this relationship, they were built to fall apart.. are all images that speak of the dynamic we could see of them, they try it doesn’t work and then after, when they are in better places mentally they will look back and be like “we dodge a bullet there didn’t we”.

Bonus: His necklace hanging around her neck, the image is clear there and so is the commentary. 

Az + Mor: formerly known as Moriel, the ship that used to reign my heart

Breath - This song is entirely from Az’s perspective once he and Mor talk about, well, everything. This is not how he had planned it, this is not how he wanted this to go, but “people are people and sometimes it doesn’t work out, but it’s killing me to see you go after all this time” referencing letting go of the romantic feelings he had for her. They were a crutch for him and now he has to face life and the things that torment him about it, without the protection and comfort his crush on her offered him. “And we know it's never simple, Never easy Never a clean break, no one here to save me You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand,” regardless of what you all want to think, they do love and know each other but shift in their dynamic will mean an adjustment for both of them... it’s not a clean break. “Never wanted this, never wanna see you hurt Every little bump in the road I tried to swerve”, also Idc about what you all think, Az never never never wanted to hurt Mor, if he knew his behavior was in someway affecting her he would have done something, and I think from the aftermath of him going after Eris on ACOWAR we can see that... also this might allude to him actually knowing that Mor is a lesbian and he has tried to make sure she feels safe around him and knows that he has her back agains the whole world if need be, regardless of her lack of romantic feelings for him. 

Feyl*n: honestly who knew there would be so many songs that would fit these two. Such bops for a crappy dude like T*mlin.

Exile - “I never learned to read your mind (never learned to read my mind) I couldn't turn things around (you never turned things around) 'Cause you never gave a warning sign (I gave so many signs)” He never even tried to learn to read her mind, he never turned things around and she gave so so many signs. The way he looks at Rhys like he’s his understudy, but no sugar he’s the principal actor and you got fired.

Getaway car - and I oop. Because that is essentially what they were both to each other. Feyre needed someone to give her security and financial stability, T*mlin needed someone to break the curse: “It was the best of times the worst of crimes”.

Bad blood - LOOOOOL. They used to be mad love and now they have bad blood.

Tell me why -  Imma just leave a collection of quotes here that well allude to them through the first act of ACOMAF: “I took a chance, I took a shot And you might think I'm bulletproof but I'm not You took a swing, I took it hard And down here from the ground, I see who you are” Feyre seeing T*mlin for the abusive person that he is, from the ground.. where his behavior put her. Also “I'm sick and tired of your reasons I got no one to believe in You tell me that you want me, then push me around And I need you like a heartbeat But you know you got a mean streak Makes me run for cover when you're around Here's to you and your temper Yes, I remember what you said last night And I know that you see what you're doing to me Tell me why” The if he loved me, why did he do it and the “it’s not a question of if he loved you but how” conversation she has with Rhys.

I could go on and on forever placing all T-Swift songs around acotar characters, but I think this is getting longer than we all anticipated.. or did we? we all know I am not ✨concise✨. Anywho, thanks for sticking around.

Besos!!

BOOOONUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSS:

Obviously, Invisible String is for all my mated/soon to be mated boos, and I think Peace is a song that can apply to both Feysand and Nessian from Rhys’ and Nesta’s perspectives respectively. 

[foofygoldfish]

(Eli and Erin for the ultimate ask meme because my love for them knows no bounds)

god the sex part of this was so fucking awkwarrrrrrd

Eli/Erin:

General:

Rate the Ship -   Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP to rule all other OTPs sush i think these two are adorable and eli deserves all the softness in his life that he can get

How long will they last?

A long, long time

How quickly did/will they fall in love? -

Very slowly - they’d been aware of each other for years, Erin knew of Eli’s wife leaving/his son dying, Eli knew of Erin getting divorced, but… even when the war started, they were just aware of the work the other was doing. They’d collaborate when they could, with erin being the unofficial official liaison between the whitetails and the cougars, and after the war, when they were sure it was safe, eli was brought to erin’s house to recover. They got closer and closer while he was there, and a year or two after the war, they started (officially) dating, and a while after that, they realised they were in love, and he officially moved into her house.

How was their first kiss? -

It was soft. They were watching a movie in the Wolf’s Den (Eli shooting glances in the direction of Wheaty’s room - he was loudly listening to records), and Erin was just about asleep with her head on his shoulder. Before actually passing out, she looked up and kissed him, then snuggled into his side and fell asleep.

Hi i’m really bad at writing kisses

It was adorable

And super sleepy

That’s all you need to know

Wedding:

Who proposed?

Eli!

Who is the maid of honor/best man?

Erin has Hudson, Eli has Wheaty

Who are the bridesmaids/groomsmen??

For Erin - Grace and her daughter, Taylor; For Eli - Tammy (she wanted to be the best man, but Wheaty was so excited lol) and Erin’s son, Sam.

Who did the most planning?

Erin took a risk and asked Adelaide to plan it - luckily, Adelaide understood that both of them wanted something low-key, and kept it that way.

Who stressed the most?

Eli. His relationship with his ex ended pretty badly, while Erin is still friends with her ex, so he wanted to make sure he did everything “right.”

How fancy was the ceremony?

Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding?

I… Can’t really think of anyone.

I mean, the Seed brothers, obviously, but… Beyond them wanting something smallish? They didn’t exclude anyone on purpose.

Sex:

Who is on top?

……Erin.

Who is the one to instigate things?

Eli, usually.

How healthy is their sex life?

Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

How kinky are they?

Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head

How long do they normally last?

Erin usually lasts longer than Eli, but Eli’s pretty good at going for a while.

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms?

….Let’s just say Eli is very giving.

How rough are they in bed?

Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it.

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do?

No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory.

Children:

How many children will they have naturally?

None together.

How many children will they adopt?

They are happy with just Sam and Taylor - the twins can be a lot, and they’re happy with the size of their family.

Someday, when the twins have moved out, they may consider fostering, but they aren’t looking to do it now.

Who gets stuck with the most diapers?

They are both past the diaper stage, and Erin is very glad lol

Who is the stricter parent?

Erin. For sure.

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school?

Eli.

Are we ever told how his son died?

No matter how it happened, his son’s death makes him pretty protective - not necessarily strict, but he doesn’t want them doing dangerous things.

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)?

Erin - Sam is pretty particular about his lunch, so she makes sure to pack just the right things.

Who is the more loved parent?

The twins love all of their parents! They love Eli as a friend/cool adult at first, it but eventually they call him dad (they love confusing people with that - their birth father is papa, and Eli is just dad)

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings?

Neither, usually - Erin’s ex usually does those, and fills her in after.

Who cried the most at graduation?

Erin was a mess.

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law?

Lol, just like with Alice - the kids should know better, but considering their mom is the Sheriff… They don’t get off easy just because of Erin.

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking?

Eli. Erin’s a good cook, but Eli has fun in the kitchen.

Who is the most picky in their food choice?

Erin - she has a somewhat sensitive stomach, so she does stand over Eli’s shoulder while he’s seasoning things sometimes lol

Who does the grocery shopping?

They both will - Sam has a few food allergies on top of being picky, so Erin will go get things specifically for him, while Eli will do the shopping in town.

How often do they bake desserts?

Not often - the last time they did, a bag of flour ended up exploding all over the kitchen…. Taylor has no idea how that could have happened lol

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater?

They both like meat, but they’re perfectly happy with a good vegetarian dinner

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner?

Eli - Erin forgets, and comes home after a long shift to the twins at the sitters, the house super clean, and candles and food laid out on the dining room table.

She cries.

Who is more likely to suggest going out?

Eli! There’s not many places to go in Hope County, but he loves going down to the 8-bit once it’s open again, or to chill at the Spread Eagle.

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidently while cooking?

Neither - they’re both pretty capable chefs.

Chores:

Who cleans the room?

Erin. She is fighting a neverending battle to keep her house clean.

Who is really against chores?

Eli’s not against chores, but he doesn’t always remember them.

Who cleans up after the pets?   

I don’t think they have any?

If the twins ever end up getting a pet, they are told that they have to clean up after them.

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug?

Neither!

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over?

Erin, but mostly because something always happens that causes a mess when someone’s supposed to be visiting lol.

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning?

Erin. SHe was wondering where that went…

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths?

 Erin. Sometimes Eli will join her, but she likes her alone time in the bath.

Who takes the dog out for a walk?

 If they had one? Eli.

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays?

 Erin goes all out for Christmas. All out. That’s really it, though - she’ll do pumpkins for Halloween, but… Not much else. Eli doesn’t mind.

What are their goals for the relationship?

 To be happy, really - while they love each other, they both expect very little of the other person. They just want this to be better than their previous marriages.

Who is most likely to sleep till noon?

 Erin, when she gets the chance. It doesn’t happen often, so Eli will happily let her sleep in when she doesn’t have morning plans/work

Who plays the most pranks?

 Eli will do little harmless pranks on the kids - frozen orange juice, etc.

[whatmoredoyouwant]

I was tagged by @laufire (okay like, not really, but it said whoever wants to do it! lol)

Rules: choose any three fandoms (in random order) and answer the questions, then tag some friends

Fandoms:

The 100

Grey’s Anatomy

Lost

The First Character You Loved:

Oh wow. Hard one. Hmm...it’s especially hard cause I just rewatched the whole show, so my “first impressions” are a little skewed. I don’t know if it’s more Octavia Blake or Clarke Griffin tbh. I’m like horribly in love with Eliza Taylor, so that’s a big factor, but Octavia’s character is so dynamic and fun. I loved her from that first, “We’re back, bitches!”

This is even harder because the characters have changed so much! I think it would have to be Cristina Yang, even though she’s not in the show anymore. I miss her so much!

100% without a doubt, Charlie Pace. When I watched the show when I was younger, when it was still on TV, I bawled my friggin’ eyes out every near-death and then his eventual death. It’s funny because now I don’t like him nearly as much.

The Character You Never Expected To Love So Much:

Just based on how she was first introduced, Lexa kom Trikru. We get introduced to this badass warrior Commander, twirling a knife and ordering the deaths of Skaikru for burning her warriors, and she turns out to be the biggest gay softie in the world.

A L E X K A R E V. Holy shit, dude. If you told me that Alex Karev would be one of my favourite characters of all time during the first few seasons, I would have laughed. He’s such an asshole, he doesn’t care about anyone, he’s all about machismo and sleeping with the ladies. And then all of a sudden he does this 180 and the whole macho tough guy is just an act, and he’s just this SWEET SOFT TEDDY BEAR UNDERNEATH.

It’s actually crazy how much of a Sun-Hwa Kwon stan I became after rewatching. She’s just such a fucking badass??? Like, nothing gets her down. And the people that disagree with me that Sun is a Slytherin are just WRONG. Like, the woman learns an entirely different language to get away from her murderous, tyrannical father and arguably abusive husband, and plans to just disappear off into a different country. And then, in the flash forwards, she BUYS OUT HER FATHER’S COMPANY? Slytherin. SUCH a Slytherin.

The Character You Relate To The Most:

Hmm...it’s hard to relate to characters in a post-apocalyptic setting, to be honest, cause I just don’t deal with their issues lol. I feel like I would have to say Clarke Griffin, if only for the fact that she’s a headstrong, stubborn bisexual who tries her best to do the right thing, even if sometimes she’s wrong. That’s the closest similarity I can draw from the characters.

Hands down, Cristina Yang. The commitment issues, the aversion to having a baby, the total 100% dedication and obsession with her job and working? Oh, please, I AM Cristina Yang.

Let’s see, Kate’s a runaway, Claire’s pregnant, Shannon’s a rich kid, Sun is too, I don’t know that I can necessarily relate to any of the women. And the men, like, not at all. Everyone seems to have daddy issues and I don’t have those lol. I have “mommy issues.” Does anyone have mom issues? Ooh ooh! Ana Lucia Cortez! Totally had mom issues. Again, that’s really the closest similarity that I can draw from these characters.

The Character You’d Slap:

Ooh man, so many. Thelonious Jaha, for starters. Like, why are you even here anymore? All you do is cause chaos. They should have locked him out of the bunker.

I don’t know that I’d necessarily slap him, but I really don’t like Richard Webber. He has such anger issues and I feel like he just causes unnecessary tension and drama all the time. And his and Catherine Avery’s relationship is so tumultuous and at times, borderline toxic, I’m just sick of seeing the two of them.

Haha, I feel like my first instinct is James Ford aka Sawyer, just because he’s an ass most of the time, but I love him too much. So I’m saying John Locke, because holy shit, dude, can you cause any more trouble?? Just like I said with Jaha, ALL YOU CAUSE IS CHAOS.

Three Favourite Characters (In Order Of Preference):

Raven Reyes, Clarke Griffin, and John Murphy.

Cristina Yang, Stephanie Edwards, and April Kepner

Desmond Hume, Juliet Burke, and Sun-Hwa Kwon

A Character You Liked At First But Don’t Anymore:

Jasper Jordan. This show did you so dirty, my poor child. They should have made him go up in the rocket into space with the rest of them. Can you imagine, crazy alcoholic Jasper Jordan, basically being forced into rehab and made to face his demons? Anyway, yeah, he just went a little too crazy for me, and then he just became a nuisance.

I can’t really think of a character that I liked but don’t anymore. If I had to pick someone, maybe Izzy Stevens? I think she got kind of selfish after living through her cancer death, and then she treated Alex really horribly. I was really happy when he told her he deserved more. But like, it’s honestly me nitpicking a character. I certainly don’t hate Izzy, not even close, I just have to pick SOMEONE.

I already mentioned her, but Ana Lucia Cortez was my first girl crush. When I was young, when the show first came out, I was nine years old and didn’t have any idea I was bisexual. I was IN LOVE with Ana Lucia, I was so upset when she died. Years later, when I rewatched it, it dawned on me just how much I hated her character, and I was like, “Why was she my favourite??” And my gay ass was like, “Ohhhh, it’s cause she’s hot as fuck. Got it.”

A Character You Did Not Like At First But Now Do:

They kind of already asked this? But well, I guess it’s a little bit different. For this one, I’ll say John Murphy. He was SUCH an ass, and I mean, he still is, but now he’s a little more human. And even when you watch him being an ass in the first season, you kind of understand it a little bit more now. Certain things can’t be excused, obviously, but at least they’re better explained.

Ooh, wait, another good one! I couldn’t STAND Arizona Robbins when she was introduced. My boss at the time, Ricky, I was talking to him when I first started watching it (when we were in season 12 I think) and he kept asking me to tell him when I’d met Arizona. And when I finally did, I didn’t get it at all. I was like, “Why do you like her? She’s awful??” And now I LOVE HER SO MUCH.

Benjamin Linus. God, I HATED him when I first watched the show, because obviously, he was the “big bad guy.” Now...well, he’s still a bad guy, but I appreciate his character so much more. Especially in the last few episodes! He really redeems himself.

Three OTPs: (I decided to read this as 3 OTPs for each fandom because I can) (I’m following suit, 3 OTPS per show!)

Oh man. Don’t even get me staaaaarted. Linctavia will forever be like, my most painful OTP. Followed of course, by Clexa. The third one is hard though? Honestly, I just wanted to ship Roan with someone, just cause I found him so effing hot. Any time he was on screen with someone, anyone at all, I went, “I ship it.” But realistically, like a real ship, I guess I would say Memori. Even though Emori is hard for me to like. I’m hoping she’ll be more likeable in season 5.

This is so painful. Mark Sloan/Lexie Grey, again, my most painful OTP and oh GOD, I miss them so much. Alex Karev/Meredith Grey, don’t JUDGE ME OKAY? And again, the last one is hard. I think it’s a tie between Calzona and Japril. Calzona really fell apart, and fell apart hard, whereas Japril is still kind of being hinted at? (Even though this awful Maggie/Jackson thing is being pushed now, I can’t staaaand this.) 

I was a total Sawyer/Kate shipper as opposed to Jack/Kate, and I stand by that. But on that note, Sawyer/Juliet is my I WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP ship. THEY BELONGED TOGETHER. When I was younger, I shipped the hell out of Claire and Charlie but now I kind of hate them together. And now I ship the hell out of Desmond/Charlie lol. Oh, and of course Desmond and Penny, but still, the Desmond/Charlie ship has sailed and I am the captain.

I don’t think I really have any friends on this site who would actually do this if I tagged them...so I’m just gonna say anyone who wants to do it should, just tag @sassybrowsreyes in your post!

[savvyliterate]

Can't get enough of your otp drabble memes. I love Luke and Lorelai I started reading Java Junkie fic because of your fic! 3 more please! (Preferably almost dirty ones 😁) (And can you make them a little longer?) Please & thank you!

Thank you! Let me know if you need any fic recs, I’ve been acquiring quite a few (and have been saving them to my Kindle when they’re really, really good).

Here’s three more, and it does get a little frisky!

27, 95 and 10 - all rolled into one

Luke looked out the passenger window of the Jeep, wondering for the 47th time why he had to pick a Friday to take the truck in to get the timing belt replaced. He’d normally do it himself, but Lorelai’s success at the inn had indirectly led to increased traffic at the diner. It was something that greatly pleased Taylor, but it left Luke with little time other than running the diner and Lorelai was at the inn all the time. Hell, this was the most he’d seen her in the past three weeks despite the fact that they shared a house. And it was only because both of them had been summoned to Friday night dinner.

How ironic that he’d actually leaped at the chance to spend the evening with the Gilmore parents just so he could have time with his girlfriend.

He drummed his fingers on the door handle, frowning as he realized they were going in the opposite direction from the Gilmore mansion. “We’re going downtown,” he observed. “Why are we going downtown?”

“There’s a strip club downtown,” Lorelai said.

“Lorelai, we’re not going to a strip club!”

“Oh, why not? You, me, dollar bills thrust at scantily clad people? This one caters to both sexes.”

“Geez, I hate those places.” He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Besides, the only person I want to see naked is you.”

“Right back atcha. Which is why we’re here.”

Lorelai had pulled into the U-shaped drive of one of Hartford’s trendiest hotels. She waggled her fingers at the waiting bellhop as Luke gaped at the building.

“Still not your parents,” he told her.

“I know. I lied.” Lorelai leaned across the console and drew him into a kiss that left him aching for her. Of course, she had to make it worse by brushing her hand over the front of his jeans. “I actually got us out Friday night dinner and booked a room here. We’ve hardly seen each other in weeks, and too many people have easy access to our house. I want to see you strip for me, Burger Boy.”

Despite the waiting bellhop smirking at them, he pulled her back to him in a kiss that let her know that he was on fully board with this plan. “Only if you strip for me too,” he said huskily as they gasped for air.

“You’re on.”

They scrambled out of the Jeep, going through the check-in process as fast as they could. Then they were upstairs, the bags Lorelai had sneaked into the Jeep earlier that day deposited by the bed, and their hands were busily disrobing each other.

“What about the stripping?” Lorelai gasped.

“Later,” Luke vowed, parting her blouse and going weak-kneed at the lingerie she had hidden beneath her work clothes. God, she was going to be the death of him. One night wasn’t going to be enough. It wasn’t going to be nearly enough. When was the last time they had a vacation anyhow? It had to be Martha’s Vineyard, and that was what … three years ago?

“We need a vacation,” he said, backing her over to the bed once she was down to her underwear. That he would make her strip off for him.

“You read my mind too much, it scares me.” She tugged at his belt. “Off. Off!”

He backed away, the urgency replaced by a playfulness and the desire to tease her until she was as half-crazed as he was. “Come over here and make me,” he taunted, undoing the buckle himself.

“Fine. I’ll just take care of things myself.” Her fingers slid southward, under scant pieces of lace, and his mouth went dry. OK, screw playfulness. He lunged for her, and they rolled over the bed, laughing and unable to keep their hands off each other.

[leahazel]

11, 22, 34

11. Talk about your favorite first kiss.

First kisses tend not to be my favorite of the romantic firsts in fiction. So I thought I would have a hard time answering this one, but that turned out to be a dirty lie because I know exactly what the answer to this would be, and once I figured it out it was like DUH, OBVIOUS. It's Damen and Laurent from Captive Prince. They have the best first kiss.

Listen, this book is amazing. It's the complete opposite of what I usually look for but somehow it sucked me in completely. And Damen is so obtuse about so many things and yet, when they finally get to the point of actually kissing, he somehow manages to not be an idiot about it. Like, he somehow manages to grasp intuitively that he can't rush it, without ever actually figuring out why.

So Captive Prince gets my vote for best first kiss, because it shouldn't work but it does anyway. That's a feat.

22. Which of your ships have the best chemistry?

Felicity and Zarad, probably. I did not think I would like Zarad at all. But, I knew that he was involved in the sheltered princess's storyline somehow and I was determined to get to the bottom of the matter. So I tried to create an SP who suited him perfectly and, IDK, I think it kind of worked. Because I'm much more invested in them than I expected to be. And although there's a certain scene that will never not bother me, overall their dynamic is great.

They always get very close to Zarad being basically a substitute for her, more of a concept than a person, because he's exactly what she *shouldn't* want. And yet somehow they always manage to stop just short and recover, going back into being just themselves. Felicity is one of those characters who's much smarter than she lets on, even if she mostly does it as a side effect and not a form of artifice.

They have a fun dynamic where on the surface they look a lot like a Taylor Swift song. Which is, well, fun. But they also have a more interesting, deeper connection. Basically I created Felicity to fulfill one role (looks more innocent than she is), and the role she ended up filling was quite different. Because I've played Zarad's romance with a bunch of different MCs, but Felicity is the only one who I can imagine actually saying that line about trust from his week 1 event, completely sincerely, without sounding either naive or manipulative.

34. Share your favorite fanmix for your OTP.

I don't do that many shippy mixes, and my pairings are usually obscure enough that I don't know any other mixes for them, either. Once upon a time I had a draft of a fanmix for a DA pairing, before I ghosted on the whole fandom. And, well, I suppose there's the Cut & Run mix which was more or less a companion piece to a Hawke/Isabela fic. I don't maintain my YouTube playlists very well, though, so what you have is basically the graphic with the song list, ahahaha.

I had a couple of mixes for my OCs, from back when I was still working on CotD. That was fun. On my next big original project, I've got to try and do that again.

[margridarnauds]

Ronan/Laz and Wash/Mira

Thank you!

Ronan/Laz

To fully understand my relationship with this ship, we have to go into one of the darkest periods of my life, a period of time that, to this day, I struggle to talk about: The first time I was into 1789, circa 2015-ish. I was young, I was impetuous, I was heavily closeted (to myself; my mom had already given me my “YOU KNOW I WILL LOVE AND SUPPORT YOU NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS” conversation) and…I shipped…Ronan/Olympe. 

100%. 

Like, “Google Translated French Fanfiction on FF.net to get more content” shipped it. (Now, I suspect it’s because I was a bisexual mess, but I digress). 

As I said, a dark, cursed time where I shipped the *100% canon* brother-in- law/sister-in-law. 

I barely remember it. I scarcely acknowledge it happened. It physically pains me to mention it.

I had the Takarazuka version, but I didn’t have subtitles to it and, as a result, I didn’t really…watch it…all the way through, instead skipping around as it suited me. I knew about Laz’s sex dungeon, but it really didn’t…register, I suppose? How very, very gay it was and the chemistry that was there. I did NOT like Lazare, I didn’t see why he occupied a considerable piece of fandom time (Not enough) when he has such a small role and he’s portrayed fairly consistently as an asshole throughout the musical (Yes, he’s an asshole, but he’s my asshole now). R/L has NOTHING on FF.net to this day and, I don’t think at the time, there was anything on AO3? And if there was, I don’t remember seeing it and, if I did, I’m pretty sure my initial reaction would still have been, “Who cares about Lazare? He’s so mean! EW!” (Oh, my sweet, naive, teenaged self. How the tables will turn. How the tables will turn.) 

Now, it’s hard to sustain an interest in a show with negative chemistry between the leads and the growing realization that French!Ronan is an asshole, and eventually my interest in 1789 dimmed considerably. Not entirely faded, but dimmed. 

Then came The Stream. 

So, last year, around June-ish, the Moraholics set up a series of European Musical streams that lasted around half a year and was an absolute masterpiece of cooperation, and among them, we had the Takarazuka 1789, as subbed and hosted by the utterly phenomenal @berncat, who I’m eternally grateful to but who is also still not off the hook for getting me back into this Hell. And, suffice it to say (1) Having the Japanese actually translated and, for example, hearing Lazare promise to “give [Ronan] release” while looking at him with bedroom eyes, (2) Watching Magee with that whip, answering many questions about my sexuality that I didn’t know I had, and (3) Watching it with a group of people who were likewise cheering it on was a completely different experience with the musical than I’d had before and I jumped onto the ship HARD. (Btw, whoever said, “Someone should write a smutfic with Peyrol/Ronan” fuck you because it’s been nearly a year and the Abomination is, well, the Abomination and my 2k-4k pwp is now a sprawling universe in its own right currently clocking in at around 31k words and most of them aren’t even smutty, damn it). And, the week immediately afterwards, we watched the French and, well…

If I had any doubts about the viability of French!L/R, this kind of showed me that they were unfounded, with the Other Maniaque video (You know the one to which I refer) being the clencher (Was it really necessary to nuzzle your future arch-enemy, Ronan? And Laz, couldn’t you have been at least a little more proactive in making sure you didn’t get peasant germs on your nice fur coat rather than leaning into him?) That’s the weakest ass intimidation tactic I’ve ever seen and the only way I can justify it is Laz being in a constant state of “CUTE PEASANT BOY ABORT ABORT. CONCEAL DON’T FEEL” Right now, the only production I’m not really certain about is the Toho, since it looks like the Lazare there is significantly more…brutal than we’ve gotten before but, tbh, I can probably find some way to ship it there by selectively ignoring the canon as I always do. 

So, yeah, I’ve basically been stuck in 1789 Hell since then, because apparently my brain said, “Special Interest? SPECIAL INTEREST?” It’s a bit unusual to me since I’m really not used to actually creating content for a ship this much (even if very little of it gets published). 

I still ship it as hard if not harder than I did when I first jumped on; I think that they both have the most potential for growth and development from each other and the most potential as far as an overall plot arc (and delicious, delicious angst, hence why, across the board, no matter how much of the French production I bring into a given WIP, I always keep Peyrol being the one responsible for Ronan getting shot, though there’s also significant angst potential in Peyrol not knowing, thinking bitterly that Ronan had gotten what he wanted but still going back to their apartment only to find it empty, keeping hope that he’s alive for the rest of the night even as it becomes increasingly unlikely, thinking that perhaps Ronan’s still mad at him for everything that happened in Nous ne Sommes, only to learn the next day that Ronan’s dead). I can drop them into roughly any situation, both in the French Revolution and outside of it, and, for the most part, I can have fun with it. September Massacres? Check. Zombie Apocalypse? Check. Being dropped into the Cretaceous Period? Check. One of them’s a dragon who abducts the other one? Check. Afterlife Fic? Check. Going to Disney World together? Check. I was going to say “Childhood Friends AU” but we both know that only leads to pain but, otherwise? CHECK. 

It’s very much a multipurpose ship for me; I can do basically whatever I want with it as it suits my mood, and Lazare de Peyrol is an absolutely fantastic torture subject.10/10 would recommend. 

Mira/Wash

I hadn’t even considered this one until you brought it up and I’m very, very grateful you did because ANGST! PAIN! BETRAYAL! ANGST! WASH GETTING CHARACTERIZATION! ANGST! BONDAGE! ANGST! It’s definitely my dominant OTP for Terra Nova, I absolutely love it to bits. I liked both Wash and Mira the first time I watched it; I thought that both of them were more interesting than the main plot we got and, tbh, I wanted Wash content that wasn’t necessarily Wash/Taylor centered because I tried it once and it just felt…off. It’s not “NO BAD WRONG” for me and I have the distinct feeling that it’s what the writers were edging towards (which, given the other relationships in TN, might be why it felt off), but I definitely ended up preferring it as mutual, longstanding respect/loyalty rather than an actual romance.

 So, Mira was definitely a better fit for me, in the sense that there’s a lot of potential there for Wash’s characterization that’s not really touched on in the show, there’s a chance for conflict for both of them, there’s a lot of potential as far as backstory, etc. And, looking at the trajectory of the series after Taylor goes, to use the clinical term, bat-shit insane, I think that there’s a lot of potential for a team up between the two of them and a moment where they basically end up meeting in the center so they can fuck up their respective old sides together, get Sienna, and live happily ever after. (Which is also why the Taylor/Mira team up was such a waste compared to Wash/Mira, because WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU SET UP THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A PARALLEL SCENE IN A FEW SEASONS AND NOT USE IT.) 

The only reason I’m not as active with it as I am with, say, Laz and Ronan is because I feel significantly more uncomfortable writing in sci-fi and fantasy settings than I am with historical fiction/modern day fics. Because with that stuff, I have a decent grasp of the world I’m dealing with, how it works, the basic technology I’m dealing with, how to navigate it, etc. whereas with a sci-fi/fantasy element, it’s harder to nail it down, especially with something like TN where we got so little time in the world and most of it was wasted doing other things. (GIVE ME A SERIES BIBLE, SPIELBERG YOU COWARD; NOT JUST THE ARCS AND MYTHOLOGY WITH CREEPY!!TAYLOR.) I can’t really do research on it the same way I can for, say, The Women’s March to Versailles, and I don’t personally feel like I have as good of a grasp on that universe as a whole. I’m fine taking the characters in places that would make the original writers faint, but I want to have a decent grounding for it when I do it. 

[margridarnauds]

for the ship thing: wash/mira, ronan/laz, solene/olympe, ivanova/talia, domona/elisa

Wash/Mira 

The TN pairing we deserved. Like, we’ve talked about that “Still doing Taylor’s dirty work?” for ages and you did such a good job discussing it in your answer, but it’s just....SO IMPORTANT. Especially given that we get so little of a personal life for either of them. Like, Mira does NOT like Wash’s position with Taylor and obviously thinks she could do better. I know what the writers probably were going for (bitchy comment by female rival, probably out of jealousy) but....it didn’t work, especially because the look on Mira’s face is rather...irritated? Tired? Pissed? Like, this is not just a casual comment. Mira thinks Wash could do better than Taylor, and if she ever decided to leave Taylor for the Sixers, they would be a damn good power couple. And then that Wash does know exactly where Mira’s old quarters are....like, I’m sure Wash knows where everyone on the colony is, but you can’t tell me they didn’t bang in that house. (Which would have made it more painful when the Shannons moved in because it was one more reminder that she’s Gone and things are never going back to normal.) And, really, we don’t really get how much of a personal BETRAYAL what the Sixers did was, even though you know that personal bonds would have formed. Like, for me, they missed out on a lot of potential by not deepening this bond (and instead giving us an Unfortunate Taylor Bondage Ep), not just as far as giving both of them development, but also on a broader level as far as increasing the emotional stakes (and giving you more vid editing potential because I NEED THAT GAY SHIT IN MY LIFE). 

Ronan/Laz 

Definitely not the ship that I jumped onto 1789 for, but definitely the one that I stayed on it for. I think it’s very versatile, as far as the number of dynamics that you can work with, and the fact that both pairs (Matthieu Carnot/Louis Delort and Ryuu Masaki/Seijou Kaito) had better chemistry with each other than Olympe certainly helped. Obviously, it’s an inherently unequal pairing on multiple levels; I don’t hold any ill will towards anyone who ships it as such, but personally I find it more fun to reverse it so that Laz is a total gay mess who is totally whipped by his boyfriend even though neither party really notices. Personally, I think if we’re going to have Laz represent “the order and rigidity of the Ancien Regime” and Ronan representing the common man’s hopes for the Revolution, there has to be a point where they meet up and reconcile, given that, historically, there did come a point where both sides were pretty damned burned out. (Which is why I go SO HARD for the French version having them embrace each other at the finale, though I’m also enough of a slut for angst that Zuka!Laz turning his back on Ronan at the end also owns my soul.) 

And, in both the versions that are currently available (I’m steeling myself for the Toho with the knowledge that we’re going to get a much more...aggressive Laz this time around), there are so many queerbaiting signs that there’s...something that extends past hatred. Like, you’ve got French!Laz SWITCHING THE FUCKING “YOU”S DURING MANIAQUE (Going from over politeness to an extent that really would NOT be necessary with a man so below his station to using the informal “you”....after the half-naked homo-erotic dance number. Gee, I wonder what they could have done to merit the switch), you’ve got Laz jealously lingering in the background during La Rue Nous Appartient, you’ve got Olympe’s nightmare having the words “Monsieur de Peyrol, he’s yours now. Do whatever you wish with him” (Which....Olympe knows.) And...again....the FUCKING HUG DURING POUR LA PEINE. And this is post-Father Killing, not including the Almost Kiss. And then the Zuka version just.....ramps it up. From the entirety of Maniaque to Laz IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS trying to get Ronan away from the Revolutionaries, to Ronan actually calling out his friends the next time he sees them (if he really hated Peyrol that much, why the Hell would he give a damn what he thought about his friends, AKA the people who gave him a job when he staggered into the print shop?), the way Laz steps up from behind Ronan when he talks about “being able to make the ones we love happy,” and then...the finale, where Ronan gets shot in the cross-fire, Laz IMMEDIATELY gives the Bastille up, and Ronan reaches out to him before falling on the ground. And that’s not even touching on things that can be strung together like The Coat Theory. 

Basically, they banged on the printing press. It’s canon. And Ronan wanted to save his boyfriend and his boyfriend wanted to save him but, at some point, they just...barely missed one another. It’s so nice they end up in the Cretaceous together. 

Solene/Olympe 

The age old joke with me: 

Me: Oh, Peyronan is my OTP; I have so many ideas I want to work with them! 

Me: I want to do some writing! *Writes Solympe fanfic*

*Starts sweating*Me: I have no idea where that came from, I swear it just--

*Three more Solympe fanfics crawl out of my Notes application*

Me: .....Fuck. 

Still a very odd ship for me, because it’s so damn hard to work with what we’ve got in canon and keep a continuity going. I ship it to Hell and back, since it gives me an opportunity to work with two characters who never got the chance to meet up, as well as really touch on a lot of things that we never really got in canon. (Also, I’ve lowkey considered doing a straight-up self-indulgent role reversal where Solene is arrested and sent to the Bastille, where she meets up with Olympe, who is following in her father’s footsteps.) In many ways, I think they do work as a more functional version of L/R, having to make many of the same decisions and choices (though I’d argue that Solene parallels Laz more than her own brother and, in some ways, Olympe mirrors Ronan.) In many ways, I can’t really...conceive of writing one without the other, in the sense that I think they’re very much two sides of the same coin? I don’t know; one day I’ll actually type out how these two ships mirror and contrast one another, but suffice it to say I do try to tie the two of them together SOME WAY even if it’s not always exactly...clear to me. Solene has definitely gone through some hard knocks, and it’s a lot more obvious in the way she carries herself and goes about relationships, whereas Olympe has never really taken a fall like that. She’s obviously experienced pain (especially post-canon), but she’s still had a somewhat rose-tinted childhood, with a loving, middle-class aristocratic family deeply entrenched in Enlightenment ideals. I think in some ways that it’d be hard for Solene to really trust Olympe in a relationship, given how many people she’s loved have betrayed her. (Personally, one thing I really try damn hard to do is to build them up so that, if and when Solene decides to leave her profession to be with Olympe, it’s not so much “Let me take you away from this” cliche for sex work and more...Solene weighing her possible decisions based off of where she is and taking a risk.)

It’s a bit hard because I tend to write them a bit more....pure than I usually like writing, in the sense that so much of their dynamic comes from healing one another. Which is good (obviously, it’s more the relationship ideal that you want to aspire to IRL) but also is very odd to me. Like, with Ronan and Peyrol, I tend to write them as helping one another as well, but they also have so much baggage to get through whereas Olympe and Solene don’t...have that, as much. There are differences, obviously, but it isn’t AS WIDE as I’m used to dealing with. One thing that’s going to be interesting with Pour la Peine is dealing with some of the political differences between the two of them, though I know that tbh it’s not going to last. 

Ivanova/Talia

Obviously, I’m still fairly new to B5, but there is SO MUCH tension here and I really, really appreciate that they’ve built it up like an actual RELATIONSHIP? Complete with fighting over PsiCorps, THE WATER SCENE, etc. Like, it isn’t an insta-love situation, it isn’t just SOFT GIRLS IN LOVE, it has a lot of...weight given to it, and the dynamic isn’t something we get all that much with WLW TO THIS DAY in media. Like, I know that referencing the DS9/B5 Schism is a dangerous game (I love both dearly, so when I speak, I speak as a fan of both), but compared to the cop-out they did with Dax, where we got a kiss, the relationship being due to Dax being (heterosexually) married to the host in another life, and then the love interest being shuttled off, not to be seen again because of a Trill law there was NO sign of in TNG, this feels like a more solid relationship as a whole, even with the knowledge of...what’s going to happen. It wasn’t something that was done lightly or as a stunt, it was a relationship built from the ground up. Which SHOULDN’T be praise in the Year of Our Lord 2018, but here we are. I’m fully expecting this ship to crush my soul. 

Demona/Elisa Maza

Outstanding chemistry in the battle scenes we got, a lot of potential, though it’d be hard to work it into a complete arc with how DEEPLY entrenched Demona’s anti-human attitude is. It would take a long, long arc to do something like that, but goddamit Gargoyles I WANTED it. Also, so much of Demona’s attitude, aside from her own unwillingness to take blame, comes from this sort of need to pull the trigger before someone else betrays her, so it’d be interesting to see how that dynamic would work in a relationship. Like, we got a hint of it with the Thailog/Macbeth situation, where she showed that she STILL could be trusting in a relationship, but Thailog is...odd in the sense that he’s a clone of her ex. Being with someone else, especially a human post-Macbeth...that would be interesting for her. And we do have Weisman saying that Elisa, “also proves or rather disproves Demona's theory that all humans are evil destroyers of the Gargoyle race. Demona's semi-fragile -- or at least ultra-calcified -- psyche can abide that thought.” Obviously, he’s using it to explain why Demona HATES Elisa so much, but...hatred’s a funny thing, and no matter what, Elisa does challenge Demona’s point of view. (Which...again, the last time we really saw that was with Macbeth, which, even though it’s not a ship of mine, still has a lot of romantic tension. And she has the same level of absolutely blinding hatred for him that she has for Elisa. My girl’s even worse than me at dealing with this sort of thing.)

I do like that this is a good, solid enemies to lovers type of ship (or, alternatively, just hatefucking), which is SO RARE to get solid examples of in femslash. And, on many levels, Elisa and Demona are really toe for toe. There wouldn’t really be one of them that’s “weaker” or “more innocent” than the other, and I think Elisa could give as well as she could take, which...being with someone like Demona, would have to be a necessity, and I think that’d extend as well into calling her out on her shit. (We’ve seen repeatedly that she’s not afraid to call Goliath out openly, even in front of the Clan.) Basically, I think it’d be a long arc, it’d be tricky to pull off with anything more than just hatefucking, especially given how often Demona does hurt people around Elisa (with a body count post-City of Stone that at least ranges into dozens of people smashed in a non-fun way), but I think it’d be a fascinating one. And even though I like Goliath, obviously, I never really felt the chemistry between him and Elisa (I know, I know, fandom heresy), and I think Demona/Elisa could yield a LOT more. (Pls Greg Weisman don’t kill me.)