#otp: touched by some sort of destiny

[kazoosandfannypacks]

"I'm pretending to be in love with you because I'm using you for some ulterior plan, but the hardest part of it all is the fact that I know I'm not actually pretending," is such a delicious and underutilized trope.

[kazoosandfannypacks]

I don't have the word adore anywhere, so here's a snippet from my fic from day 1!

based on my original wip, The Admiral's Daughter

It had almost been easier to pretend he was gone for good, that all she had left of him was a picture in a locket. That was safer, anyways. A picture in a locket couldn't come back to hurt you. A picture in a locket could never abandon you. A picture in a locket would always be there.

But now, he was a more than just a picture in a locket. Now, he was here. Now, all the what-ifs she'd dwelt in were words she could speak, were moments she could hold, were lives she could live.

And now that he was here, she couldn't bring herself to say much of anything.

[p.s. you can read the full fic here!]

This week’s word is…

✨ ADORE ✨

Find the word in any WIP and share the sentence containing it. Reply, reblog, stick it in the tags, tag us in a new post, or keep it private. All fandoms, all ships, all writers welcome.

If you don't have this week's word, share a sentence from any All Ships Week fic!

[shadowsong26fic]

Thumbprint AU (aka BSG Soulmate AU) additional ramblings

Last night, I was explaining some of the concepts behind this fic to my roommate. So, naturally, rather than working towards anything I actually am writing/planning to write, my brain was still on that track and fleshing out some of the other details/thinking about some of the Impacts moving forward XD

Brief background, for those who don't actually want to dive into the fic: it's one of the ones I wrote for Year of the OTP, it's a BSG Soulmate AU.

I'm...generally not actually super into soulmate AUs, unless they're baked into the worldbuilding of the story itself (i.e., some fairy-tale retellings trend in this direction; heavily prophecy-based settings; lifebonds in the Valdemar series; the Sun-blessed and shadow in Starless which I'm currently rereading...)

But in this particular universe, I think they're interesting. Not because of the way prophecy and destiny work--in fact, I'm not even really touching on that side of things. Mostly I was interested because of how that might impact any among the Significant Seven, given the culture they exist in. Specifically Caprica and Athena. (I'm writing Caprica/Baltar for the challenge; but there are other soulmate sets I'm interested in.)

Anyway, the rules I came up with:

Not everyone has a soulmate

It is possible to have multiple soulmates 2a. They do not necessarily have to be each other's soulmates

It is possible to have platonic soulmates

The mark is your soulmate's thumbprint; the location varies

The marks appear after both (or all) parties involved have reached an emotional point of no return, which is why it's so inconsistent.

I've picked out five soulmate relationships for this AU, though I'm not sure I'll actually write anything further about them, but just for reference:

Gaius and Caprica

Helo and Athena

Bill and Saul (platonic)

Bill and Laura

Saul and Ellen

Some further thoughts behind the cut

So, starting with Gaius and Caprica - His emotional point of no return is giving her the codes/granting access. - Hers is her confession - This means, as shown in the one-shot already written, their marks appear during/after the chaos of the attacks. - Hers is on her thigh - I did put some thought into the locations of these marks; sometimes there is a level of Meaning that I can articulate, sometimes it's just Vibes. In this case, it's...sort of both? In that it's something that you generally have to be already intimate with her to know. - She notices it as soon as she downloads. - His is on his collarbone - The placement here is that--it's something that's generally covered up, or easy to cover up without looking like you're Actively Hiding Something...but it's also fairly easy to uncover. Once it is, it's something he can explain away (or at least cut off any further questions). For once, by telling the actual truth--his soulmate isn't in the Fleet. (No one's really going to follow up on that.) - This might impact how things fall out between him and Kara. - I'm...actually not sure when he notices. Unless Head!Six points it out, for the first couple of days he might assume it's a random bruise...except it's a pretty specific shape, and then it doesn't fade... - Other potential threads/directions this could go: - Possibly Caprica's alliance with Boomer breaks down faster. Boomer does not have a thumbprint. - This might impact Gaius's relationship with Gina (at least once she's out of her cell/after the actual Pegasus/Resurrection Ship arc; I...don't think it'll necessarily cut through the tangle of Everything Else in the moment, but in the aftermath). - It doesn't really affect things with Head!Six or Head!Baltar, I don't think. They're already...A Lot.

Bill and Saul - So, 95% of the reason why I'm including them is to highlight some of the Rules of this AU (i.e., platonic soulmates are Also a thing; you can have multiple soulmates who aren't necessarily tied to each other as well as you) - Also, it's frankly hilarious to have a cluster where Several of the people involved despise several of the others XD - Bill's mark is on his shoulderblade; Saul's is on his bicep. - Saul's is entirely Vibes; Bill's is because Saul always has his back. - I don't know when the marks appeared, in part because parsing the timelines here is. Complicated. Also don't know the specifics behind their points of no return, but oh well. It doesn't...super matter by the time the series starts, I don't think? - (I am considering adding Felix and Dee to the list as another pair of platonic soulmates, because their relationship definitely could be written that way? But I haven't explored it much/don't have any real thoughts on it).

Bill and Laura - Their point of no return is actually a shared one! It's on Kobol. - They're also (probably) the only ones with a shared point of no return. Make of that what you will XD - Her mark is at the pulse point on her left wrist. - Mostly Vibes here. - His I keep changing my mind on where it should be...any suggestions? - (I love these two, I very much enjoy reading about them; but I don't actually write them myself very often hence not a lot of Fleshed Out Details here)

Saul and Ellen - I'm pretty sure they woke up in their new lives with their marks and it was built into their new personas as a result, but. uh. yeah, who the frak knows, anything to do with the personal timelines of the Final Five is. a Mess. - His is right over his sternum; hers is at the nape of her neck. - Pretty much entirely Vibes here. - They're included in part for some of the same reasons Bill and Saul are included, in part because my best beloved 2000-year-old dysfunctional robot drunks in love (every time I rewatch the series, I like them more and more; particularly Saul), in part because "you guys are horrifically toxic in a way that strangely works; you are perfect for each other; please never involve anyone else in your bullshit.) - (But, of course, other people are involved in their bullshit XD Bill, Sam/Chief/Tory...)

Helo and Athena - Okay, so here's where things could Really Go Places in terms of AU/canon divergence. - Athena's point of no return, obviously, is her decision to take Helo and run rather than sticking with the plan. - His is actually after that, during the confrontation with Kara when he stops Kara from killing Athena. - You'd think it would be earlier, that point where he turns back to rescue her rather than continuing on on his own. There's two reasons why I'm going here: - First, it actually genuinely makes sense to me. There's the complications with (as far as he knows) her prior relationship with Chief. Then there's the whole Reveal. It's not until Kara is threatening her that he has this moment of Clarity and realizes that--whatever else is going on, whatever other complications there are, he needs this Sharon in his life. One way or another. No matter the cost. - Second, it's for Storytelling Reasons, which I'll come back to in a second. - Both of their marks are actually visible unless they are Actively Covering Them Up. - Athena's is on the back of her hand. - Helo's is on his cheekbone. - Which brings me back to the second point for putting Helo's point of no return where it is. - Because the marks appear once both parties have crossed that line. - Which means Kara actually sees Helo's mark appear. - Obviously, this has a huge impact on everything when they get back to the Fleet. - The first instinct, of course, is that the marks are fake--tattooed on or something. - But Kara actually witnessed when Helo was marked. - Also, any infiltration attempts by Athena get. A little more complicated. - ...I don't actually have a plan or anything, lol, just. Hoo Boy That Changes Things.

...so, yeah, that's where I am. XD I don't know that I'm actually going to write any of this (I have other projects that interest me more), but I figured getting it down on paper, so to speak, and out of my head was a good place to start!

[notthatiwilleverwriteit]

In your opinion-would he tian have a romantic relationship with only mo guan shan in the future?

Good evening, dear anon-san!

The question concerning the future of Tianshan has certainly been raised by the latest chapter and He Tian asking Mo Guan Shan to marry him. Do I think he was 100% serious? In his own way, yes. It was a clever line by OldXian that both sounded like HT was just messing with MGS and trying to rile him up but also left room for him being serious about tying MGS to himself in the same sense that marriage does.

“would he tian have a romantic relationship with only mo guan shan in the future?”

In short, my answer is a resounding yes. But perhaps not for the reasons that might seem the obvious ones at first. In real life, I don’t believe in True Love™ that manages to overcome all of life’s hurdles and stick two people together until death do them part. Nor do I think Tianshan is that kind of love story even if fiction is oversaturated with happily ever afters, each more rosy than the next.

I think the key to their future and why I believe HT would stay with MGS for the rest of his life if it was up to him lies in the origin of their relationship. In other words, why he got interested in MGS in the first place (ch. 297):

When ch. 297 came out, I gave quite a lengthy analysis of what HT said to MGS. In short, their relationship started out as HT looking for a way to distance himself from his family and the dark, dishonest and distasteful way of life they represented. He wanted to prove he was better than that and could change his destiny to his father, brother, and most of all to himself. And to begin to accomplish that he chose MGS as his project of sorts to nurture the qualities in him that he admired and to make him into an outstanding person (ch. 150 and 160):

It wasn’t “love at first sight” or “true love”. HT’s romantic affection and interest in MGS came later as he got to know MGS more. It’s difficult to pinpoint when exactly HT started having other kinds of feelings, and I will not even attempt that. But somewhere along the line, he went from a strong, solitary savior seemingly without weaknesses to someone who was quite lonely and starved for comfort. And in the beginning, it even looked like he couldn’t quite hold himself back from sneaking those little moments from MGS (ch. 202):

The more HT got to know MGS, the more he realized he had misjudged him. Instead of being someone in need of saving, MGS was actually reliable in the sense that he could hold his own and handle the “burden” that was HT’s nature and complicated past. MGS was not only someone HT admired for not being a sneaky or fake cheater but also someone who wasn’t afraid of his “darkness”. MGS went from someone needing HT to be the hero to someone HT himself actually needed and to whom he could show his true self. And at some point, HT’s desperation to keep MGS in his life grew stronger than his initial goal to “save” him (ch. 297):

Over time he had involuntarily shown sides of himself to MGS he would have rather kept a secret (nightmares, being afraid of the dark, and the need for physical reassurance) but at the same time, relying on someone like that must have been liberating and comforting. He had been denied those things for so long both by his upbringing and paradoxically also by himself (ch. 260 and 291):

Imagine if all of that suddenly disappeared from his life again and he was forced to go back to solitary and isolating himself from other people (ch. 130):

So, when I say HT would most definitely want to stay with MGS in the future and for as long as he can, it’s not because of something as fickle as “true love” which might seem like the obvious answer for many people. Of course, that doesn’t mean he’s with MGS only for selfish reasons or doesn’t care for him for real, but his love and affection are based on something else than a promise of a “happily ever after”. Starting to have feelings for MGS has only strengthened his path to change himself for the better but not in the way he had initially planned.

And none of that is replaceable. He can’t get that kind of “silent” comfort and intimacy but at the same time certain resistance and pride from anyone else than MGS. Certainly not from females. And baring himself to another person would be too risky in his line of work (whatever that ends up being). In the future, there seems to be a level of uncertainty in their relationship (be it platonic or romantic at that point) which suggests to me that HT wants to shield MGS from whatever he’s involved in but at the same time, can’t help but allow himself to be pulled by that craving for what he can only have with MGS (ch. 224):

All that being said, though, there’s of course always a possibility that they won’t stay together forever. Personally, I could see that happen in one of two ways.

Firstly, HT could be put in a situation in which he has to choose between putting MGS in jeopardy or having to rely on his family’s connections to keep him out of harm’s way. Even HT can’t fight certain truths and rules of reality which has already been demonstrated to us at least once (ch. 245):

To protect MGS’s very life, HT was forced to submit to someone he had set out to resist and prove wrong. And given HT’s hero status and goals of protecting his friends, it wasn’t even a choice for him to refuse HC out of pride when his friends’ safety was in the line. It’s unclear to us what HT ends up doing after high school, but I have a feeling the criminal underworld managed to rack up enough debt over his head that he had to make compromises. Especially, when his father seems to merely be waiting for that moment to come when HT realizes he can’t make it on his own (ch. 251):

If HT is involved in the underworld in the future but still keeping in touch with MGS and sneaking off to visit him, he’s possibly threading a fine line. As much as it would pain him, I could see him giving MGS up if the risk of associating with him grew too big. Deciding otherwise would strongly go against his character's motivations and development.

The other scenario would be MGS pushing HT away. Tianshan is often accused of being abusive and having a severe power imbalance, and admittedly it easily looks like that on the surface. Even as a diehard Tianshan shipper, I fully acknowledge HT’s behaviour is overbearing and forceful at times and he needs to work on that. I’ve talked about this and many other aspects of Tianshan at length in my OTP post.

However, the power balance between HT and MGS is actually quite delicate and HT is more depended on MGS’s consent and tolerance than might meet the eye. For HT to get close to MGS takes perseverance and pushiness no doubt but also requires trust and delicacy. He has to know how hard to push without crossing lines that can’t be uncrossed. But at the same time, he can’t not apply some pressure to nudge MGS forward because that’s what it takes to open him up and also see HT past his prejudice.

I’m reminded by HT talking about what the connection between two people (be it friendship or romance) really means with JY (ch. 187):

All the time HT’s been pursuing MGS, he’s been waiting for an honest answer from MGS. Not one clouded by his prejudice or pride but what he truly feels in his heart. And he’s not going to give up until he’s gotten one - be it in his favor or not.

But if the day ever came when MGS wanted to cut all ties with HT and truly rejected him, HT would back off. And I imagine he would do so surprisingly easily if he saw MGS was serious. To force MGS into something he truly doesn’t want would defeat the purpose of the choices HT had knowingly made in his life. He’s not looking for someone to submit to his will but someone to protect and help them thrive. Also, if he was forcing MGS and kept seeking comfort and reassurance from him their relationship would gain a much darker and heavier vibe quite fast. So, HT would rather let MGS go than to push him to truly hate and despise him.

Be it scenario one or two, I believe HT would find himself alone yet again and couldn’t form that kind of relationship with someone. At least, not easily. He even might come to resemble his brother in the sense that he hardens his heart and has little private moments of softness and neediness behind closed doors.

So. Yes, I most definitely think HT would only be with MGS in the future but it would have a Tianshan twist.

Thank you for your question, anon-san! I thoroughly enjoyed answering it and I hope I managed to do so to your satisfaction.

[cherrys-self-ship]

Cherry’s new f/o’s/crush!

I have been watching MKIceandFire’s play through of Final Fantasy XV !! I have been really nervous to officially add these two to my list of loves because I felt like my ships with them would be less valid then those who actually played the game but !!! I’ve had such overwhelming positivity from some people in the community !!

Huge thank you to @tibrstar, @elijahs-angel, @spiritusxvitae, @slothisms and an anon !!!!

ROMANTIC F/O:

Gentiana/Shiva - The goddess of Ice !!! 

I adore the story behind Gentiana. I adore her elegance and beauty and how she is so caring and kind towards Lady Lunafreya !!! The fact that she was so touched by Lunafreya that she sheds a tear and how she has hope once again in humanity just sets my heart into rapid beats of love !! 

Ship Name: OTP: Mystic Messengers

Noctis Lucis Caelum - Prince/King of Lucis

I really love Noctis’ character !! he’s sort of similar to Alfonse not just because they share the same voice actor but because they’re both princes but they don’t really act like it !! Not at the start anyways !!! I loved watched Noctis grow from a man who was afraid to take up the throne and be in his fathers place to a man who accepts his destiny and rightfully takes his place on the throne !! I love his growth and I love his personality from start to finish. I instantly felt a strong connection to Noctis !! His story is truly a tragic one but the journey was amazing !!

Ship Name: OTP: Fighting Darkness

CRUSHING:

Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret - Princess of Tenebrae and Oracle

I am pretty sad that this wonderful character didn’t get enough screen time !!! She is so strong and full of determination !!! She heals the sick and goes on her own personal journey to speak with the gods so that Noctis can succeed in awakening the six !!!! Like Noctis her story is tragic but I love her so much. She and Noctis deserved the world and when I seen the ending scene I cried so hard !!! I actually cried through out the game !!! Luna Deserved to be happy and had so much responsibility and pressure put onto her !! She is such a strong and amazing character !!!

Ship Name: Crush: For The Light

[sagemoderocklee]

gaalee👀

apparently no one else needs to send me the otp asks for gaalee cause i gotta answer all of them now smh i love you

Who is the most affectionate? Lee is the most physically affectionate from the perspective of like other people seeing their relationship, but i think it’s cause all of gaara’s physical affection is very subtle but like he’s always reaching for Lee and casually touching him or trying to get close. i’d say lee is still the more physically affectionate, but it’s certainly not like Gaara isn’t also affection 

Big spoon/Little spoon? Lee is the little spoon and Gaara is the big spoon. you’re a coward if you think otherwise (the only exception is if gaara is like genuinely upset about something and then Lee holds him, but like full offense Gaara is the big spoon 110% of the time) 

Most common argument? Lee not being allowed to open the 8th gate

Favorite non-sexual activity? lee obviously loves sparring and he loves when he actually gets to spar with gaara, but his absolute favourite thing is lazy mornings when he gets to wake up a little later than usual (like instead of 5:30am he wakes up at 6am) and he gets to like watch the sunrise with his head in Gaara’s lap while Gaara cards his fingers through lee’s hair. just time spent together, quiet and soft and intimate. gaara’s favourite is also this, but he likes the before part too--when lee’s still asleep and snuggled against him and fully at peace. he likes watching lee sleep

Who is most likely to carry the other? Lee 

What is their favorite feature of their partner’s? Lee’s favourite is gaara’s eyes and his forehead because it’s perfect for pressing kisses against. gaara’s favourite is lee’s hands (he’s also a sucker for lee’s lil turtle mouth). 

What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other? for gaara, i think he’s terrified. like genuinely terrified because this is not like anything he’s ever experienced before and he doesn’t have any sort of frame of reference for it. so when gaara realises how he feels he kind of... goes inward, becomes really quiet and introspective in a way different from his usual quietness. i think he’s like terrified of lee rejecting him not as a romantic partner but as a friend more than anything and so he starts moderating his actions and the things he says around Lee even more than usual. like he’s already very careful and always very self-analytical but then he has these feelings (which is why i generally feel like he figures it out first), and suddenly he becomes even more so that way with Lee. like “would this be crossing a boundary? would this make him uncomfortable? would a friend say this?” becomes like so much MORE of a concern than it ever was and like it becomes obvious to Lee because he feels like Gaara is acting really distant with him and like maybe he’s done something to upset Gaara. gaara like shies away from touching him and lee is like convinced Gaara hates him because gaara didn’t used to do that, but in actuality gaara is just like “is it okay for me to touch him? will he misunderstand my intentions etc” when lee figures out his feelings he panics--like full on melt down because gaara’s the kazekage and what if he causes some sort of political scandal and also gaara’s never gonna like him back and he falls into this huge depressive slump because he’s never felt this way about anyone before. and everyone’s like “what is WRONG” because he’s soooo subdued and sad all of a sudden. eventually gai-sensei gets it out of him and tells him to follow his heart, besides kakashi won’t punish lee for his love and if he tried to be like “don’t because politics” gai-sensei would make him sleep on the couch forever.  

Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate? none. i can see lee being the type to come up with pet names, but i just can’t see gaara being the type and i feel like he wouldn’t want to be called by pet names.  

Who worries the most? i think it’s really pretty equal. i think gaara is always worried lee will overdo it, that lee won’t listen to him and will open the 8th gate; whereas lee is always worried that someday, something will happen and gaara will die protecting suna and he’ll be powerless to stop it

Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant? they both remember because they are both lowkey obsessed with each other--like healthy obssessed. like god i love you so much how did i get so fucking lucky im gonna remember every little detail i can about you so i can always make you as happy as possible 

Who tops? lmao these questions are so fucking funny to me but fully gaara’s a power bottom and lee’s a service top (he’s technically a verse, but like... for gaara he’s a service top) 

Who initiates kisses? they both do. 

Who reaches for the other’s hand first? it’s really situational. i think on like an average day, Lee does, but on his bad days it’s Gaara.

Who kisses the hardest? Gaara

Who wakes up first? i mean can you even answer this question when one never sleeps????? 

Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer? both of them if it’s a night gaara was able to come home to sit in bed and snuggle with Lee. 

Who says I love you first? i think Lee does. i think gaara has a lot of hang ups about the word love so he’s way more hesitant to say so at first. 

Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?) Lee. he usually says things like “i hope you have a splendid day, my love. i cannot wait for you to return so i can kiss you and i will miss you most achingly while you are away” which is like hilarious cause if he’s not on a mission he can literally just... go to gaara’s office and see him.

Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first? oof that’s so dependent on the situation i really don’t have a set headcanon for this. i think it can go either way and a lot of the times i think it’s less telling and more ppl just... observing it. 

What do their family/friends think of their relationship? Temari like cries because she never thought Gaara would be in a place where he’d accept love like this from someone else; kankurou’s super supportive about it and teases lee a lot; Neji is like quietly concerned because of their past but trusts Lee to make this choice for himself; Tenten is fully supportive and kind of floored that someone like the Kazekage falls in love with Lee; Gai-sensei cries a lot. he doesn’t stop crying. he sees them together, so deeply in love, and he just bursts into tears and goes on about the springtime of youth and lee’s man of destiny 

Who is more likely to start dancing with the other? Lee

Who cooks more/who is better at cooking? Lee. Gaara cannot cook for shit and doesn’t have the time to. but sometimes when he does have time he like chops vegetables for Lee.

Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines? Lee

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times? Gaara. Deadpan. Nonpulsed. Monotone. they’ll be like at the grocery store and gaara will be like “hmm i think i want to have sex when we get home’ and lee like... breaks whatever he’s holding 

Who needs more assurance? that’s a hard one because they both need a lot of it early on for very different reasons. i think lee is the one who seeks it out more openly, but i think they are both equally in need of assurance in the first year of their relationship. but once they’re settled into it they don’t really need that reassurance anymore 

What would be their theme song? asdlfkasldfjaklsdf god this is SO hard because i have so many songs for them. right now i am really really into No Choir by Florence+the Machine as a gaalee song

Who would sing to their child back to sleep? Gaara. Temari teaches him the song their mother used to sing to her and kankurou, a song from their mother’s home, and he would sing that if they ever had kids.

What do they do when they’re away from each other? i think they go about their days as usual. like they can exist separately from one another, they have a perfectly healthy relationship, so unless it’s like a really long time apart where lee might pine a little bit and gaara might start longing for lee’s kisses... they like aren’t out there being like “oh god my boyfriend is gone i can’t go on i need him back” 

one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart i like... try really hard not to have like headcanons that are sad... which doesn’t mean i don’t have fics that are just.... i generally try to avoid headcanons that would upset me. that being said, lee would be the first one to die because he’d open the 8th gate to protect gaara 

one headcanon about this OTP that mends it i think they have the sort of love that transcends lifetimes, so no matter what they will always find each other (i have like a reincarnation fic idea but it’s like super loose lol) 

[shadowmaat]

Not sure if you ship it, but if so for the OTP ask thing Obimaul 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 19, 29, 30

Me? Ship Obimaul? Mmmm, I suppose I could give it a shot. :)

3. Most common argument?

Depends on the AU. I’d say some good-natured ribbing about which lightsaber form is best would be a favorite topic. Or whose turn it is to do the dishes or feed the tooka. The closest they’d get to a real argument would probably be about reckless endangerment, which is a thing both of them tend to do, especially for the sake of the other.

4. Favorite non-sexual activity?

In Taking Flight, probably preening. It’s calming for both of them and if their thoughts get a little… intimate at times, well, who could blame them?

In Twin Suns: Altered Destiny, eventually it’ll be sleeping together. Just sleeping. Having a warm body next to theirs, listening to the sound of their breathing, having that sense of connection is important for both of them.

In Runaways of the Force there are a few things, but hand-holding is one of them. For Maul it’s a sign of connection and solidarity: Obi-Wan isn’t going to leave him behind. For Obi-Wan it’s a small defiance to the “not attachments” rule that was ground into him before the Order dumped him. It’s also just nice. And he likes how much Maul likes it.

6. What is their favorite feature of their partner?

In Taking Flight Obi definitely loves Maul’s wings. Most versions of Maul are fascinated by Obi’s hair. And though it isn’t a feature, per se, both love listening to the other talk. I’ve also had Obi-Wan being fascinated with Maul’s markings. That may get some play in Curse of Ma’at’s Temple at some point. 

In The Lost and the Forgotten Maul definitely isn’t a tactile sort of person, but I’m sure he’s tugged on Obi-Wan’s padawan braid a few times. At least until Obi finally cuts it off. ;)

7. What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

Olympic levels of denial. LOL! Each would probably find excuses to touch/brush up against the other, even as they feel guilty about it, knowing that the other could never reciprocate their feelings. XD

10. Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?

I’m inclined to say that Maul orders the same thing wherever they go, which makes it easier to remember, but he’s also good at guessing which random thing Obi is likely to try. And… is maybe willing to try a taste of it. Just to humor him.

12. Who initiates kisses?

Obi-Wan. Maul gets better about it as time goes on, but it takes a while for him to get used to the idea that he can.

19. Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?

I think Taking Flight is the only ‘verse where they have “family” to tell and I’m pretty sure it’ll be a case of everyone around them knowing before they finally admit to anything. Nerds.

In the Happy Tooka Cafe Maul’s the only one with family and his brothers were shipping them from the moment they met. Much to their mutual mortification.

29. one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart

I’m not sure I really have one. Maybe the fact that before they admit their feelings to each other they tie themselves in knots about it, utterly convinced that the other couldn’t possibly reciprocate their feelings.

In some stories, like Twin Suns, the sheer weight of history between them (and individual history as well) is something that can be gotten past but never entirely forgotten.

30. one headcanon about this OTP that mends it

Always, in any universe, it’ll be how good they are for each other. They boost each other up, whether it’s the prickly “I’m not doing anything, you fool” way of Maul in Twin Suns or how Obi offers a shoulder to lean on when Maul has nightmares in Taking Flight, they support each other. I love that.

[smoaking-greenarrow]

Olicity Trope-tastic Awards: ‘Soulmates’ Official Rec

Cue those twin flames burning during the 3x20 sex scene because Oliver and Felicity are soulmates. Here we go!

Awards Time!!

@memcjo’s recs:

Count the Days by @olicityandklaroline

Words: 15,463 // Chapters: 9/?

In a world where soulmates are real, Felicity's is a long time coming.

**Award: Felicity the Wise**

Things Left Unsaid by  @nerdyandturdy

Words: 27,829 // Chapters: 8/8

Felicity never believed in soulmates. She made the largest effort to ignore the mark on her right hip. That is until Oliver Queen came into her life.

This is a story of the six times Felicity could have told Oliver about their mark, and the one time she finally does.

**Award: Most Stubborn OTP**

The Bond by @green-arrows-of-karamel

Words: 13,405 // Chapters: 2/2

On Earth-837, a world so alike and yet so different from ours, people bond with their soulmates through a single gaze into each other's eyes. Oliver Queen has not found his mate yet, and he fears that he never will. But one night, he meets a woman with sapphire eyes and their life changes forever.

**Award: Best Use of Surprise Domme!Felicity**

Long Distance (soul) Relationships Sometimes Work by @wherethereissmoak

Words: 2944 // Chapters: 1/1

Felicity Smoak has a Level 5 bond with her soulmate - and she can feel his intense emotions and physical reactions all her life.

**Award: Hurting for my OTP**

For Every Scar, A Story by rangersandlegends 

Words: 15,634 Chapters: 1/1

In a world where soulmates take on the injuries and emotions of each other, Felicity Smoak may have it the worst of all.

**Award: The BAMF Felicity Smoak**

@hope-for-olicity’s recs:

Our love will never fade away (I'll bear your mark on my skin for eternity) by @charlie-leau

Words: 335175 // Chapters: 24/?

Felicity Smoak started taking the Med that cut the emotional connection between her soulmate and herself when his family sent a mediator to her. The man told her that they did not think she was worthy of their son and she therefore needed to give up on her soulmate's rights.

Now, four years later, Felicity just moved in Star City and is desperately trying to run away for her past. There, she meets Oliver Queen, heir to the Queen's legacy and soon to be married to the cold and mysterious Isabel Rochev, who quickly becomes both her boss and friend.

Lines quickly start to blur between Felicity and Oliver as they found themselves drawn to each other for no apparent reasons…

**Award: Best Extreme Angst Before the Happy**

We loved with a love that was more than love by @wrldtravler

Words: 127304 // Chapters: 21/?

When Felicity's father leaves her and her mother behind, she loses all her faith in the very idea of soulmates. After Donna Smoak remarries into the Merlyn family, events are put into motion that bring Felicity into proximity the very destiny she never wanted to be apart of, and the family she never knew she needed. After years of unknowingly fighting and dancing around her fate, Felicity finally receives her soulmark on her 18th birthday. With the truth revealed, Felicity's fate is left in her hands, and only she can decide whether to let him in before it's too late.

**Award: Best Friends to Lovers Soulmate**

Colors Fade by @bekaoperetta

Words: 28751 // Chapters: 12/24

Soulmates are marked with a black bruise. It’s the first place you touch. When you do they fade into brilliant shades of purple and blue.

**Award: Best Discovery Leading to Intense Immediate Feelings**

You Had Me at Hello by @tdgal1

Words: 29489 // Chapters: 21/?

Oliver Queen and Felicity Smoak met at a Gala and had an instant attraction but Smoak Technologies and Queen Consolidated have to work together. Can they make that sexual chemistry work and still work together.

**Award: Best Discovery of a Soulmark**

Idiot with a death wish by @bitchwhwifi

Words: 4522 // Chapters: 2/?

Felicity Smoak is a firm believer that her soulmate has a death wish. One night out with friends changes when her soulmate’s life is once again on the line she get’s nosy and ends up in the basement of Verdant and meets the head of the Bratva in Starling who helps her put an end to the search to find her soulmate.

**Award: Best Badass Felicity Taking on Her Soulmate**

@it-was-a-red-heeler’s recs:

It's all behind us now by @wherethereissmoak

Words: 1,158 // Chapters: 1/1

What if Oliver and Felicity fell in love before they discovered they were soulmates? Set after they drive off into the sunset at the end of Season 3. Also their soul mark location is kind of funny. ;)

**Award: Sweetest Fic**

Be My Zing by @missyriver

Words: 3818 // Chapters: 1/1

Oliver Queen thought the soulgaze was a myth. He had heard the stories, seen the movies. He knew that, according to the stories, he would make eye contact with someone and he would know them instantly. He would see flashes of their life, from their past and present. And if that wasn’t enough, he would see what their life could be, together. It’s commonly called the Zing, that first moment of connection with your soulmate. The rush. The feeling of excitement, the tingles, that come with learning about the past, present, and your future with your soulmate. And it was complete bullshit.

**Award: Best Angst with a Happy Ending**

Matched by @spaztronaut

Words: 10573 // Chapters: 1/1

In a world where everyone wants to be matched to their soulmate, Felicity and Oliver only want to live their lives on their terms. Neither has any use for a soulmate, especially once they meet each other. It figures, of course, that Fate has something else in store…

**Award: Big Dumb Pine Tree (aka Read the Damn Email, Oliver)**

@smoaking-greenarrow’s recs:

Free Fall by @supersillyanddorky06

Words: 86794 // Chapters: 22/22

Felicity Smoak has never believed in the concept of destined lovers or soulmates. That is, until she encounters a man in green leathers, who seems to have taken an equal interest in her. And she develops very non-platonic feelings for one hot billionaire playboy too. Oliver Queen and The Vigilante are vying for the spot of her destined lover and the tension is hilarious but dark forces await. Her life will never be the same.

**Award: The Creative Genius**

Of Souls and Mates by @supersillyanddorky06

Words: 6045 // Chapters: 3/?

THE MARK- In a world where everyone is born with a Mark on their wrist, Felicity Smoak is not. She never grows it either.

In a world where everyone is born with a Mark upon their wrists, Oliver Queen isn’t. (Oliver’s POV)

Soulmate AU. Sort of canon.

**Award: You’ll Want to Protect This Felicity At All Costs**

THE CURSED- Oliver Queen is born with a curse that kills any woman he is intimate with. Then, he meets Felicity Smoak. Curses AU. Sort of Soulmate-y.

**Award: Best First Kiss**

i walked with you once upon a dream by @felicityollies

Words: 9,833 Chapters: 7/?

Connected since their respective births, Oliver and Felicity were soulmates. What started off as a person that they dreamed of at night, a person they had never before met, turned into the greatest thing they could have imagined.

**Award: Most Intriguing Plot**

Our Time Is Endless by @walker-oliciter

Words: 6,280 // Chapters: 1/1

In a world where people stop aging at 18 until they bond with their soulmates, Felicity Smoak doubts whether she wants to have a relationship with her mate. It's not because she wants to live through decades. It's because she wants to spare herself the pain that comes when a mate leaves or dies. But then, Oliver Queen steps into the picture…

**Award: Out of the Box Thinking**

Souls, Mates And Surprises by @walker-oliciter

Words: 3,446 // Chapters: 1/1

The most bizarre thing that could happen to Felicity Smoak? Getting kidnapped and accused of being the Arrow because of some matching fingerprints... It only escalated from there, though.

**Award: Best Established Soulmates**

Till Your Last Breath by @walker-oliciter

Words: 4,780 // Chapters: 2/?

The countdown plastered to one's skin showed how much time the other's soulmate had left to live. For Felicity Smoak, that meant she had 3 months to find and warn her soulmate before he would die. When she met him though, she got more than what she signed herself up for. Especially when his secret identity was revealed to her...

**Award: Most Original World Building**

[redigitizing]

For the character ask . . . Chaltier or Leon (I couldn't decide! XD)

I CANT DECIDE EITHER so i’ll just do both o u

Leon:

How I feel about this character: my disaster son, he tried so hard and deserved so much better than the shitty hand fate has dealt him. when i came across Destiny, i knew right away that Leon was the sort of character i’d like – but some things still took me by surprise, like just how fiercely he loved Marian, or how utterly extra he can be, like an overdramatic child. the remake did a lot to make him more nuanced, i have a lot of feelings about Leon, and i will probably never stop crying or talking about him to anyone who’d listen lol. i also thought that his backstory was more than enough to explain why he’s the way he is, that he had his own reason and motivations. he’s a well-developed character and anyone who says otherwise can fight me.

All the people I ship romantically with this character: Stahn……….i love Stahn/Leon so much. they didn’t know each other for that long, really, but both of them have had such a profound effect on each other and i really think that, had Leon survived, the friendship could very well have developed into romance. Stahn’s unwavering belief in Leon was all too touching, and Leon cared an awful lot for him too no matter how he liked to deny it. these two were a good influence on each other, and i just ship them really hard dammit ; v ;

My non-romantic OTP for this character: where do i even start lol bc like, Chal? Marian? Rutee? but if i had to pick one it’ll absolutely be Chal, who had been there for Leon this whole time and even cast aside his own duty as a swordian for him. in many ways, Leon has really taken Chal for granted. he had never been alone, so long as Chal was with him.

My unpopular opinion about this character: he gets a lot of shit from the western fandom tbh and i often see people write him off as a one-dimensional asshole. this is no doubt in part due to the lack of localization for the remake so people didn’t see his more redeeming qualities, but like…even in psx, his backstory is there and you’d have to be heartless not to feel some sympathy? if i have to see another person mock him with “god how hard is it to open up, not be a jackass, and ask for help?” i’m going to scream, because yes it’s pretty fucking hard to ask for help and trust in people after his own father has physically and emotionally abused him all his life, drilling in the idea that he is a tool and always will be to the point where he broke down sobbing about it! the way he builds walls around himself and pushes other people away is understandable!! 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: a whole lot of things but HE NEVER MADE UP WITH RUTEE AND I NEVER GOT THE SIBLING BONDING I WANTED TO SEE. i am endlessly frustrated about that and the little moments we got teased with wasn’t enough! 

Chaltier:

How I feel about this character: an absolute sweetheart, too good for this world. his loyalty and dedication to Leon is really touching, and it’s hilarious whenever he goes into fangirl mode and just starts gushing about all the ways his young master is The Most Amazing. i adore him to bits and i can’t wait til i reach the Past Arc in Destiny 2 to meet human!Chaltier as well!

All the people I ship romantically with this character: i’ve seen a lot of ships for Chal ranging from the most obvious cargo ship with Leon, but also Igentos and Karell from the Aeth’er Wars era. and i think all of them have the potential to be pretty cute, so like… *shrugs* depending on the fanwork itself i’d happily accept any or all of these.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Leon (and Judas) goes without saying! but i’ve already talked extensively about that, so i think it’s also worth noting that Chal super admired Dymlos back when they were human, and some of it carried over to the point where Dymlos is still the first one he thinks of getting help from in a difficult time (when he told Leon to ask for help), and there was a nice section in the manga where Dymlos pep-talked him during their final assault on the Dycroft and helped human!Chal find his answer about being a valuable comrade to the team.

My unpopular opinion about this character: are there any unpopular opinions about Chal? i love him, Chal for best swordian. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: i was satisfied with Chal’s role, but i want to see more of the swordians in general…if you give me an entire game on the Aeth’er Wars era with the swordians + Harold as main characters, i’d buy it in a heartbeat. 

[loxlia]

Hard to believe it’s already been fifteen years! 

Beware, mushy gushy personal story under the cut...

I’ve only been playing KH for eleven years, but I’d wanted to since it came out in 2002. I was way into Disney Interactive games as a kid, so when I saw this new game I got pretty hype. Unfortunately, as a five-year-old, I saw the ads and thought “man that looks hard to play”. I had never played any sort of hack-n-slash. I remember going to Blockbuster with my mom and sister and just staring at it in the game aisle until it was time to go. Then I forgot about it more or less for the next three and a half years. 

My dad worked in a boxing and shipping company. They shipped dvds and games to retailers, but sometimes they’d get too many copies and my dad would sneak them home with him (they only would’ve destroyed them otherwise). Some fateful day in 2006, he brought home KH2. I briefly thought “oh, isn’t that the game I saw a few years ago?” I still wasn’t confident in my motor skills so I didn’t touch it. 

A couple months passed and it was summer break. It was the afternoon and my sister had gone to a friend’s house. I sat down to watch cartoons, but when I turned on the TV I was met with the KH2 save screen. My sister had just started a game and didn’t turn the PS2 off before she left. I shrugged and started my own game. I immediately fell in love. 

Well... until the first boss that I needed my sister’s help to fight. 

I made it to the mysterious tower before I thought “huh... I should play the first game”. So I ordered it online and played it alongside the second game. (I actually had so much trouble with the first game that I didn’t finish it until high school). 

Before I knew it, Kingdom Hearts was more than a game to me. From grades 4 to 7 I had no local friends. My closest one lived in Chicago. The Destiny Island trio became my friends. There were nights when I had to imagine myself there just to sleep. I would silently wish I wouldn’t wake up in my own bed. The music made me cry and I would feel ghost nostalgia for it. Since the first time I played the game I’ve almost consistently been playing it. 

This game--these kids--are the reason I could make it through day to day. Kingdom Hearts shaped my art style and so many things I pride myself in. It houses my alpha OTP. I never get bored of these games. I’ve played the second game all the way through at least 14 times. So, if anyone questions why I’m so defensive about these games... that’s why. 

Happy 15th American anniversary, Kingdom Hearts! Sorry for the long ass story. 

[feedingthewrongwolf]

Azula Week 2017 - Day Six - OTP/OT3

Azula Week 2017 - Day Six - OTP/OT3

Alternate Title: Mr. Steal Yo Girl

Say goodbye to fluff, unless you understand how I peg Azula as a human. Another bit from my WIP Azula Longfic - I’m callin’ it “Almost” - it’s never gonna be good enough, you guys.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12491919/1/Almost

Will follow canon, but the fic is dark and full of terrors. This scene takes place after the season two finale, “The Crossroads of Destiny”.

OTP/OT3: Maizula / Maizulee Honorable mention: Maiko

It even comes with a song rec! I Can Only Stare by Sleigh Bells

Azula was well aware of the pathetic surge of insecurity radiating off of Ty Lee’s form beside her, but she was far more attuned to the way her own skin was prickling with heat, every nerve alight and desperate to cascade the palace courtyard in bitter blue flames. Her stomach was rebelling as well, and she was worried that she might vomit right there in front of them all.

All of this served as nothing but an annoyance - until Mai and Zuko disappeared around the corner, huddled together and laughing quietly, leaving Azula and Ty Lee standing on their own in the middle of the courtyard awkwardly. Once they were out of sight completely, the muscles in her arms began to twitch. Wondering, not knowing what they were doing, was somehow so much worse than seeing them together… On top of this, Azula could tell that Ty Lee wanted to reach out and touch her, be sure that she was still in fact there. The vague sense of it wouldn’t let her attention free - Ty Lee was a tidal wave of emotion, so much so that she felt it pelting her skin - almost in the way Azula understood Ty Lee’s babbling about ‘auras’. Her movements had slowed, become less hyperactive. Much more shuffling of feet, twiddling of thumbs…A small part of Azula wanted to be a little guilty for Ty Lee’s sudden change in mood, but for her, it seemed the way she felt now couldn’t possibly get worse, couldn’t possibly be more painful.

Mai had never smiled at Azula that way. She hardly smiled at all, anymore. Azula had never once seen those tired grey eyes shine with what she could only perceive as genuine happiness, the weight lifted from her slim shoulders at last…

She hated it.

What could Mai possibly see in Zuko, after all this time? That hideous scar aside, her brother had proven himself to be a failure, a sorry excuse for a prince and heir, his honor restored only on paper - thanks to nothing but Azula’s own efforts. Mai’s infatuation with Zuko made an asinine sort of sense when they were all just children, she supposed. Yet even now, after all of his failures and all of her victories…Things had changed - very many things - since then. Was this some kind of cruel, sick joke?

It had been days since they had all safely returned to the Fire Nation, and still she had seen next to nothing of Mai. She’d been latched onto Zuko practically since the trip home from Ba Sing Se on that damned ship. It was completely pathetic. Azula wondered if Mai even cared to realize how ungrateful she was.  Azula was beyond her, beyond Ty Lee,  far beyond Zuko, or anyone else.

Perhaps they deserve each other.

She ground her teeth and exhaled sharply through her nose, grateful there was no smoke to give away her blinding fury. She felt her right foot grinding into the courtyard grass and wanted more than anything to get out of the blazing sunlight, suddenly feeling the fire in her veins running a bit too hot, the sounds of the birds and wind in the tree's branches a bit too loud. She was humiliated by her inability to control her emotions. She hadn’t felt this out of control in quite some time. Here she was, staring after the two of them like a complete fool, her gaze as well as paralyzed.

“Azula,” Ty Lee began softly, finally reaching to touch her shoulder, slender fingers brushing the metal of her armor. Immediately and without trying, Azula shrugged somewhat violently away from her touch.

She’d forgotten she was there at all.

Ty Lee said nothing more, didn’t reach for her again, and Azula didn’t turn to look at her. She knew precisely what she would find - a different pair of grey eyes straining to hold their endless supply of tears, pink lips cast downward to match - a display of utter frailty. She was struck jarringly with a different and completely unwelcome emotion - a sick combination of admiration and pity. Ty Lee was fierce and strong, even for a non-bender. She was beautiful…and so much smarter than this. Why did she always seem so weak?  It was overwhelming, the contradiction. It always had been.

Azula shook off the thought, the thought that the people around her were out of their minds before it overcame her fully, causing her to make some sort of scene for the entire palace to behold. She wiped the image of the entire structure in disarray, fire licking the edges of every building … the image of Zuko convulsing with the shock of her lightening out of her thoughts.

Two or three slow breaths forced the waves of rage to recede, giving her the time to pry her fingernails from the flesh of her palms, to calm down and think.

There were just less than two hours remaining until the next war meeting that she was due to attend…She and Ty Lee could easily sneak away to her chambers, while her father was still occupied and the twins were gone for the day… It certainly would be best for her to work out this anger before facing the council, let alone Ozai, wouldn’t it?

A strained grin took over her face as she envisioned the way Ty Lee would look when their time together was through, making a mental note to set aside time to tally the marks she planned to leave on her fragile skin.

“Come on.”

With the sharp command, she turned and headed back into the palace, leaving Ty Lee to wilt silently where she stood. A few moments later, Azula heard the sound of her feet treading lightly through the grass in her wake, hardy audible over her own racing thoughts.

[kazoosandfannypacks]

🌼Pick your own pairing!

adristella + celebrating

I wasn't overly pleased with this drawing as a whole because I couldn't get the colors of anything or anyone correct with my markers, but I'm reminding myself that I don't need to be perfect to share my work 💙

send me one of my otps and i'll draw them 🌼 bmc 🌼 otp roulette challenge

[xblackrosevirusx]

OTP Challenge

Pick 5 OTPs

1. Garrus Vakarian x Shepard (Mass Effect

2. Jughead Jones x Betty Cooper (Riverdale) 

3. Sasuke Uchiha x Hinata Hyuuga (Naruto) 

4. Takumi Arai x Tsubasa Fujimoto (Mystic Destinies: Serendipity of Aeons)

5. Draco Malfoy x Hermione Granger (Harry Potter) 

1. Does OTP 3 have a pet? If not, what would they have? 

Sasuke has snake summons, which I think would be the closest animals they’d have for pets. I would picture Sasuke using them mostly for ninja business while they’d be looking forward to seeing Hinata because she’d coddle them and treat them well. The snakes divided loyalty between the pair would be a bit annoying to Sasuke but ultimately very useful for them both when they’re on missions. 

2. What is a song that you think describes OTP 5? 

“I’ll be Good” by Jaymes Young. It sort of describes the Draco redemption a lot of fanficiton have for the couple. The song is basically about being good for all the times you were bad, waking up to see the blood on your hands and trying to fix things. 

My past has tasted bitter for years now, So I wield an iron fist Grace is just weakness Or so I've been told. I've been cold, I've been merciless But the blood on my hands scares me to death Maybe I'm waking up today

3. What is the most common argument between OTP 1? 

Who’s a better shot. 

4. If OTP 4 were to have kids, how many would they have and who are they? 

I think Tsubasa and Takumi would have at least one kid. Takumi would be a super proud dad wanting to pass everything down to their son or daughter. I think Tsubasa would probably suffer severe postpartum depression after the pregnancy due to her own fucked up mother. However, I think Takumi and his supportive family would help bring her through it. I think their kid would grow up pretty sneaky and wishfully looking to grow up to join mum and dad in their investigation business. 

5. Does OTP 2 enjoy horror movies? What’s their reaction and which movies do they enjoy/hate? 

Jughead enjoys horror movies, Betty is a bit jumpy. I think Jughead would make her watch a lot of the classics and Betty would talk him into foreign horror movies she had read about on the film festival circuit. Though horror wasn’t Betty’s favorite genre, she enjoys her double features with Jughead and the long conversations they have about the movies. 

6. If OTP 5 was trapped on an island, what three things would they bring? How long would they last? 

Draco would bring his wand, his eagle owl, and his broom. Hermione would bring her wand, muggle tooth paste, and Crookshanks. It’s a bit cheaty with their wands, but they’d both survive for a while with their magic. Even without their wands, they could probably still perform some basic stuff. The real question would be how would the survive with each other. Though they have great (fanfiction) chemistry, they still have pretty different and competitive personalities so their would be some infighting and a lot of stubbornness. 

7. If OTP 1 and 3 were challenge to the thunderdome, which half of the pair would compete and who would be the victor? 

Out of Garrus and Shepard, Shepard would compete and out of Sasuke and Hinata, Sasuke would compete. I think it would be a bit hard to say, with no abilities and no weapons, who would win. Sasuke isn’t a scrapper. He’s a tactical fighter that relies pretty heavily on his blood limit, though he’s not completely useless without it. Shepard is still pretty dangerous whether or not she’s holding a gun. I think Sasuke would rely on his fancy moves and underestimate shepard and that would be his downfall. Shepard isn’t above using underhanded tactics to win and coupled with her skills and years of experience, I think she’d use mind games to throw Sasuke off balance and win. 

8. If 2 and 4 went on a double date, where would they go and how would they get along? 

I think Tsubasa and Betty would get along famously. They’re both pretty studious and curious people. Both couples had experienced their fair share of sleuthing, so I think they’d have some fun conversations about their investigations. Jughead, on the other hand, would probably get along with Tsubasa but not be able to stand Takumi. Takumi is very emotional and easily excited and I could picture him annoying Jughead straight away. However, I could totally see them staying in touch, what with Jughead and Betty being the investigative journalist and Tsubasa and Takumi being information brokers and private investigators. 

[straydogsandsaranghaes]

Which k drama should I watch next? I've only seen boys over flowers and weightlifting fairy kim bok joo so far, but I see you posting about all these shows and they look good, but which ones are the best? I mean I have to work so I can't watch all of them unfortunately haha

Hey! Okay, so be prepared for a huge deluge of information and incoherent babbling over the kdramas I love. This is gonna be a lot…

And thanks for asking the question! I’ve honestly been thinking about doing a totally random post about this anyway :)

So, I totally understand about the job thing, I am just insane and watch way too much tv way too fast…but with kdramas, slow and steady will still get you there, and probably it will be healthier and with the same if not more enjoyment if you don’t plow through them like a tornado as I do. Okay, so enough of that…here’s the list:

Goblin: the most beautiful, well-done, tragically happy (…so actually sad but with hope and some happiness at the end) kdrama out there….honestly, there is too much to say. The cinematography is stunning, the acting will blow you away, especially gong yoo’s and kim go eun was terrific too. This one has a really cool plot that deals with reincarnation in a super cool and interesting way. Honestly I wasn’t really a fan of the concept of reincarnation until I got to see it from the cultural perspective that’s presented in kdramas. This is half historical drama/half present day. 

Scarlet Heart Ryeo (Moon Lovers): A time travel trope starts off the story, sending the female lead back in time to the Goryeo dynasty and she’s thrown into the political machinations of the many princes/sons of the first king of Goryeo, many of whom are vying for the throne: cue tragedy…honestly, this show is so good, with a stellar ensemble, but you gotta be prepared for tragedy and heart break…but you’re going to enjoy it.

AND CURRENTLY I’VE BEEN TOTALLY OVERWHELMED BY THE SUNSHINE THAT IS JI CHANG WOOK and I’ve been working through his filmography.

Healer: which is one of his best shows (and a good show regardless of whether he’s in it or not) is a fun action adventure. It’s about this guy who is a thief (nighttime errand boy) for hire, whose code name is ‘Healer.’ Ji Chang Wook is great at action BUT is on top of that, I think, a really good/enjoyable actor. And honestly, his smiles are sunshine and when he cries, it will break your heart. Basically, it’s about him and the female lead (who’s totally great too) working to bring to justice the people behind the murders of some journalists in the 90s who were murdered but honestly, I would definitely recommend this show if you don’t want something as heavy as Goblin (which, warning, is a bit slower paced than some kdramas) or Scarlet Heart Ryeo. Some other good Ji Chang Wook shows, (but not as good as Healer) are: Warrior Beak Dong Soo, Bachelor Vegetable Shop, and K2. Warrior Beak Dong Soo, is a sprawling historical drama that’s kinda long at 29 episodes, though honestly the plot sustains itself fairly well. And in Bachelor Vegetable Shop, Ji Chang Wook plays the most pure cinnamon role in the whole world who just wants to sell quality fruits and vegetables to people and make their life better (there’s honestly a ton more drama but that’s the basis, lol). K2 is a bodyguard-love story, political drama. 

The Master’s Sun: This is also one of my ALL-TIME favorite kdramas. It has So Ji Sub (who is beautiful and a compelling actor) and Gong Hyo Jin (who is amazing in everything she does and she’s one of my favorite actors). Anyways, it’s a bit long (23 or 24 episodes rather than the usual 16 that the others I’ve mentioned so far are) but it’s amazing. It’s about a girl that can see ghosts after she had a near-death experience and she runs into the ceo of a company (who has a traumatic past) and for some reason when she touches him, the terrifying ghosts she’s been living with for years suddenly disappear. And through a series of circumstances, they end up working together to mutual benefit and it’s a bit of a serial sort of show (which is a bit different than the normal kdrama that just has an overarching plot). For almost every episode there is a new ghost/story and at the same time the show’s story arc also follows the investigation of uncovering the truth behind the male lead’s traumatic past. (And maybe it was just me) but some of the ghost stories definitely got me teary/sobby, but they are so compelling, and then the otp is such a great slow burn with a fantastic resolution. This and Goblin and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo are my favorite kdramas of all time. 

Coffee Prince: This is another Gong Yoo show. It’s a bit older, but just give the first episode a bit and you probably won’t notice. It’s about a girl in a Twelfth Night/She’s the man cross dressing scenario, where she gets mistaken for a boy and through a somewhat convoluted way that makes sense, ends up getting a job at a coffee place called, Coffee Prince, that only has male baristas. And honestly it’s so great, and the female lead is super great and hard working and I love her and Gong Yoo’s character’s whole inner turmoil of his attraction to her (whom he believes to be a him) is great and fun and angsty and perfect. 

Other honorable mentions are: Full House, Strong Woman Do Bong Soon, Jealousy Incarnate (which is honestly this really great show about a weather girl-turn newscaster who’s in love with a male newscaster who gets breast cancer and she is the one who tells him he might have it and honestly it’s so good and interesting and deals with a lot of great stuff, k, this one’s actually a strong recommendation too), She Was Pretty (strong rec. as well), Chief Kim (about a rag-tag team of accountants trying to take down the man, it’s hilarious), Cheese in the Trap, Entourage, Hwarang, Cheer Up, Page Turner (a great little three-episode thing, Kim Ji Soo and Kim So Hyun are TERRIFIC in this), Shopping King Louis (which is light and happy, the main two are actually human puppies), My Shy Boss, Oh My Venus (Shin Min Ah and So Ji Sub are in this and their chemistry is terrrrrrific), Descendants of the Sun.

Also for a quick k’drama’ fix there are a couple movies I’ve watched which were great: Finding Mr. Destiny was kinda great, pretty light (a bit tv-movie-esque) but still strong and really enjoyable. And Train to Busan, which is the THE BEST ZOMBIE/HORROR film made in the recent past. And honestly, if horror’s not your thing, still give it a try. It’s not really mine either but I managed with this movie and it ended up being totally worth it–soooo good (and sad). Also, Werewolf Boy was great (the half that I watched) but I haven’t finished it yet.

Okay, gosh, that was SO MUCH, but that’s basically all of the good ones, although I may have missed a few here or there.

Enjoy! Please let me know how you like any of them. I’d be so happy to discuss your thoughts :)

[kazoosandfannypacks]

playlists by kazzy (4/?) like loving the sea

to access this playlist, either tap the link on the playlist title text, or download the second image and select the file from your device in the spotify code scanner

[kazoosandfannypacks]

kazzy's otp valentine's- day eight: adristella

adrian alyward and maristella arrington are two of my beloved characters from the novel i'm working on, "maristella arrington: the admiral's daughter." if you wanna hear more about them, feel free to send me an ask. (also yes, there's a double meaning in the text ;)) feel free to save and share this image, but do not repost