#putting them on the same post because they share the lack of romantic bones

[cantuscorvi]

FILL IN WITH DETAILS ABOUT YOUR MUSE AS IF THEY WERE A CHARACTER IN A DATING SIM. ( main verse // young!human verse )

NAME — Raum // ████ Raum Weiss

PROFESSION — Cutter & Tailor // Head of his family's PR company, Weiss Communications

WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND — The local art gallery, museum, or theatre. Pinion, his tailorshop. Antique and book stores. Lakes and forests, anywhere cold. // Board rooms, offices, back rooms, high rise apartments, five star hotel suites, high end restaurants, bars & night clubs.

FAVORITE FOOD TYPE — Fusion!

FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK — French Brandy // Japanese Whiskey

WHERE THEY WOULD GO ON A DATE — Likely somewhere with food or drink. A dessert cafe, a restaurant, a cocktail bar. A walk around a park or garden. (Neither are very date-centric and prefer to skip pretenses, however.)

IDEAL GIFT — Both like strange and unusual gifts, objects with history or a story behind them. Things that are hand or self-made that show a degree of craftsmanship.

HOW MANY DATES UNTIL THEY KISS — Generally he enjoys to string it along for as long as possible. Half the time the anticipation is more fun than what follows it, for him. // Listen, he will even fuck from the first date, but you have to work for it if you want him to give it, and he will probably ghost you after.

tagged by: @nezumivc103221 & @distopea <3

[black-rose-writings]

Reading Siege and Storm because I hate myself

To begin, I’d like to state that this is my first read-through and I only have vague idea of the plot I’ve gathered from fanfics and tumblr posts.

Long post ahead

Chapter 1

So... at first I was like - huh, this isn’t as bad as I thought, but the moment Alina gets introspective, it all goes to hell.

Like, she’s being physically made sick by not using her powers, which is making her feel useless - like, she says, pretty much verbatim: “The only thing I was ever good at was being a Sun Summoner and I’m not that anymore.”

I’m gonna beat those paragraphs over the head of anyone, who says Alina got a good ending.

I’ve also noticed just how often the like “I pushed that thought away” is used and more often than not, it’s used on thoughts that should probably not be pushed away.

Ah, yes, here he comes, my boy Darkles, being the dramatic bitch he always is. We get it, you’re the hot villain, tempting the good and pure heroine away from being good and pure.

And I’m just now realizing how many times in this chapter has Alina lamented their lack of privacy. We have to ensure the reader doesn’t hink she’s *gasp* sleeping with Mal.

Chapter 2

What?

Alina is tripping balls while being put under by a Heartrender, got it.

Darkling is being the voice of reason, but I’m getting the distinct feeling it won’t last.

Ivan gets one point, because Alina is in fact a traitor, but he’s also being a cunt, so it doesn’t really count.

Alina at Sturmhond: Do you even care about Ravka?

Me at Alina: Do you?

Chapter 3

“Mermaids are not real”. I’m pretty sure they are in the Grishaverse.

My boy Darkles is still making sense, but Alina is dedicated to being against him just for the hell of it, it seems.

Did this bitch just throw a tantrum, because he told her, what we can assume is the truth? Okay. Like, I get that she’s at best 18, but still. Not exactly the type of protagonist whose head I like being in.

And in that moment, dozens of smut fics were born.

Chapter 4

Wow, that was quick.

Aaand. What had just happened?

Chapter 5

Sturmhond is a funny bitch, I’ll give him that.

And this entire conversation, it seems like Mal’s entire purpose is to stand behind Alina threateningly and repeat what she said, lol.

I’d like to remind Alina (and LB) that a king in an absolutist monarchy (which is what Ravka appears to be) is very much a tyrant. Don’t make it sound like Ravka didn’t have a tyrant before. And at the very least, my boy Darkles seems pretty competent.

A man calling himself a Storm Dog likes dogs. No shit.

Chapter 6

I hate Mal. Dude, this is your girlfriend, maybe like... listen to her? Don’t bludgeon her with the one other guy she was kinda-sorta with, when you are a well known manwhore?

I don’t know man, I don’t like him.

Everyone: You can’t have more than one amplifier, it’s dangerous.

Alina: Haha, sparkles go brrrr

Chapter 7

In other news, pirates are funny.

Holy shit, they have a plane.

That was... a lot. And we’re crossing the Fold again, yay.

Chapter 8

You feel bad for the Volcra but not for the people you’ve left for dead in the Fold last time? Okay.

Baby Volcra. Am I supposed to say “ew” or “aww”? If I tried doing both at the same time, it would probably sound like one.

Jesus fucking Christ this book is a ride.

Did Alina really just have an “oh no, he’s hot?” moment? *sighs*

Puppy boy has a title longer than Daenerys, jesus.

Alina, my dear, you could have waited for a bit before doing that. There’s like thirty soldier with guns around you and you’ve just punched a prince.

Then again, you’ve never been smart, have you?

Chapter 9

For once, I completely agree with him. I know you two have lost your one shared braincell on that first crossing of the Fold but still, that was very dumb of you, Alina.

I’m starting to get why people were calling Nikolai “Darkling light”. Definitelly seems appropriate.

Mal, calm the fuck down, that was the least romantic proposal I’ve ever heard and you know it.

You two didn’t even let Alina get a word in for the last page. What right do you have to her, Mal, huh? Nikolai is making sense and you’re being an idiot.

What’s your deal Mal? What the fuck do you want?

And why in the hell are you the endgame love interest?

That’s an awful lot of guilt-tripping you’re doing there, Mal. No need to be pissy about it.

Chapter 10

The bones thing is definitelly yikes.

Saints, Mal, are you on your period or something? Alina doesn’t belong to you. Alina can make her own choices. Get a grip.

“You think I’m like the Darkling?” Yes. The Darkling isn’t all bad. You’re at war. No need to get your panties in a twist over a few fingers.

Oh, look, Alina has a cult now, nice.

Chapter 11

Your “dad” is a rapist, Nikolai. Quite possibly a pedo. He got exactly what he deserved.

I’d go for the second option. Especially after that stunt. Jesus, you could have asked her beforehand.

At least Darkles had the decency to make out with her in private.

Also like... why is every single person in this series so far an asshole?

Chapter 12

We meet the King again, unfortunately.

Alina gets Darkles’s old job.

This should be a total disaster, but let’s see where it goes anyway.

Chapter 13

Alina’s nuts, yay.

(I know they have a Force-bond-thingy. I also know they did it before Reylo did.)

Chapter 14

Oh boy, Alina’s not doing as bad as I thought.

For the 100th time in this book, I wish I had Nikolai’s confidence. Though it is getting a bit too much.

Puppy boy is dropping some truth bombs. Nice.

But he doesn’t realize that my boy Darkles has very good reasons to not align with Fjerdans - a) they think he’s a demon and b) they want Grisha dead.

I’m not gonna say she was, but like... the monarchy is very much corrupt.

Oh, boy, Baghra. This one’s gonna go well.

Yep, Baghra’s as pleasant as ever.

So... Baghra’s plan in book 1 really had been to just have Alina run away and hope for the best? Jesus Christ, lady. I’m not saying she deserved to have her eyes taken away, but she is definitelly a trash person and I’m not surprised her son turned out the way he did.

Also, I’m fairly certain that Baghra is literally slowly killing herself - that the reason she looks so old and frail is because she’s started to supress her power and it’s literally killing her, because, you know, she’s bonkers old.

Chapter 15

Nerd Alina > Self-pitying Alina

Also, I’m just saying, Alina comments on Zoya being attractive a whole lot - I get that she’s meant to be insecure, but I’m interpreting it as her being gay, because I need some happiness in my life, okay?

Just kill the sleazy old Rasputin-wanna-be. There’s plenty of them to go around in this series.

Chapter 16

Vasily takes after his father in creep factor.

Why not the Darkling being courted by a horny prince? Be a bit creative.

Chapter 17

Nikolai has big ADHD energy and I love him for it. Fits right in with the heavily autism-coded Fabricators.

*sighs at heteronormativity again*

*sighs at improper gendering of titles*

Date night with Mal. This is gonna be a disaster, isn’t it?

Chapter 18

Fun night of cultural appropriation, yay.

I hate cultists.

LET. ALINA. GO. FERAL. Please.

You two are going to give me a headache, I swear.

Darkles cockblocking Alina. And Malice threw a tantrum. Nice.

Chapter 19

You’re way too harsh on Genya, Alina.

Horny Alina rights.

They have a laser, now. Cool. Or, well, enormously hot.

Mal is being a drunk a-hole. Great. When does he become likable? Does he ever?

Banter between Mal and Alina? Kinda weird, always somehow comes back to either of them being insecure.

Banter between Alina and Nikolai? I’m all for it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a Darklina trash, but like... Nikolai is fun. I could see him and Alina having an arranged political marriage and ending up falling in love years into it, that’s all I’m saying.

Chapter 20

Just let this one go, Alina, please. You two are not working out. Please, end it with him. You’ll both probably be happier. (I’m saying this with the full knowledge that Malina is endgame).

Jesus Alina, get your shit together. You have every right to be mad, because you two didn’t actually break up, you didn’t kiss Nikolai and also, I don’t like Mal.

Sooo... when is Alina going to realize her manchild of a boyfriend is an amplifier?

Chapter 21

Alina has the horny sickness, lol.

Jesus Christ, girl, I don’t want to read your vaguely suicidal thoughts.

Mal, you fucking idiot.

Alina, stop defending Mal.

Chapter 22

Alina has a logical thought? Impossible.

Finally, some action.

Chapter 23

Oh, boi, this is going great.

Oh, boi, Alina’s having another martyr moment.

And, we’re done.

Finally.

That was a ride. Nothing really happens for like ten chapters and then everything happens in one and a half.

[twstdreams]

HC for enemies--friends--lovers please! With Epel, Ace, Floyd💛

Everyone is a sucker for enemies to friends to lovers, including me, but that is quite a long process so I changed it to enemies to friends to crush! I hope you enjoy it.

Warning: Floyd’s section contains bullying and not respecting personal boundaries, long post

Includes spoilers for episode 1

Epel Felmier

Enemies

You two start off on the wrong foot when Epel thinks you’ve misgendered him. You were pointing towards him and giggled with your friend, saying, “She’s so cute!”

Epel immediately shuts you down and tells you that he’s a man

Being called out so publicly shocks you, especially since you were referring to the familiar beside him. But eyes are starting to linger your way, so you decide to stay silent. Besides, why was he even listening in to your conversation?

Epel is annoyed because he takes your silence for shame. You feel uncomfortable because of both the unwanted attention and the fact that Epel confronted you so publicly instead of approaching you personally, preferably without the class staring.  

Friends

Neither of you make an effort to approach the other, perfectly content staying in your own circles until you’re forced to be lab partners. It’s a little awkward but you both know Crewel doesn’t give easy assignments, so you put aside memories of your first impressions of each other.

Here and there little bits of conversation sneak in. Discussing the latest assignment while waiting for something to reduce, complaining about the mess the ghost wedding made while distilling this or that, talking about favourite foods in the cafeteria while sharing notebooks to write down qualitative and quantitative observations

The two of you find out your common interests and take turns letting each other gush. Your relationship with Epel improves and your feelings towards him morph into something more pleasant

At the end of the experiment, you get the courage to sincerely apologize and clear air. From there, the two of you become friends.

You encourage him to go for a manly aesthetic if that’s what makes him happiest while providing your opinions to help him widen his viewpoint. He appreciates the support and discovers more sides to you as your friendship continues

Crush

He loves the way your eyes sparkle when he carves all sorts of creations out of apples but crinkles his nose when you suggest he make one that looks like a Nashi pear

You two sneak out and have yakiniku to celebrate the end of exams! 

Epel feels like he can be himself without reservation around you. He’s never been one for romance or flowery gestures, but as much as he’s nervous to admit it, the feelings he has for you have bloomed into something beyond friendship. And the nervous butterflies that erupt in his stomach every so often aren’t from some botched potion either

You admire Epel’s persistence and hardworking spirit, but even more than that you crave his attention and affection in a unique way. You see Epel’s apparent distaste for romance when topics like true love’s kiss or love poems come up, so you hide your feelings. Unfortunately, even in the darkness, they continue to grow

Ace Trappola

Enemies

When you first meet Ace Trappola, you are not impressed. He radiates little sibling energy in the worst way. You can just feel that he was the youngest that tried to get away with everything with sweet words and a cheeky smile

His lack of filter is annoying but more importantly he seems to be on Riddle’s hit list. With hopes of avoiding getting collared by the dorm leader, you swiftly avoid the troublemaker. Someone who nearly got expelled and subsequently punished by Riddle on the same day was not someone you wanted to hang out with.

Unfortunately, luck is not on your side. You were minding your own business while tending to the flamingoes only to find yourself suddenly embroiled in his harebrained scheme to skip chores. 

Ace pretends to help you out but Riddle catches him in the act and now the two of you are in trouble! You, for hiding Ace, and him for trying to avoid his responsibilities. The hundreds of rules you have to copy by hand are enough to fuel your hatred for the redhead 

Friends

You actively avoid Ace until he stands up to the dorm leader. Quite frankly, since he needed to punch Riddle to get the message through, his communication skills definitely leave something to be desired. However, his action, as clumsy as they were, bring about good change for the dorm and Riddle

You’re still a little weary, Riddle isn’t that lenient even after relaxing and Ace is as blunt as ever, but you have a newfound understanding of Ace

The two of you get closer bit by bit. One day, you’re partners to paint roses, having fun practicing casting spells and perhaps keeping quiet about a hedgehog that turned lilac for a bit. 

The next day, you’re casually chatting while playing croquet at an Unbirthday party

Another day, you let Ace have the last slice of cherry pie in exchange for him teaching you a cool card trick he showed you the day before. Little things keep adding up, intertwining your lives closer together

Crush

Eventually, you watch Ace play basketball. He describes it as a casual practice but you can’t help but be drawn in by his playing style. Ace looks so cool during the scrimmage, interrupting his opponent’s offence with ease and changing the tide of the game in an instant!

His spatial awareness shines through when all it takes is a quick glance at the hoop for him to take a shot. Your heart may have skipped one too many beats when the basketball flew into the net.

As the days pass, you find yourself looking forward to his teasing. Sometimes he actually manages to fluster you! Otherwise, you two enjoy a casual banter. Or at least, that’s what you tell yourself as you ignore the butterflies in your stomach

Floyd Leech

Enemies

Are you scared of Floyd? Why yes you are, which is why you go out of your way to avoid him. The way Savanaclaw students quake in fear when they accidentally bump into Floyd is enough to confirm that you should steer clear of the belligerent eel

Unfortunately, this sentiment is one sided. Floyd has taken to calling you glass catfish because you’re both horribly skittish around him and your terror is clear! He thinks it’s cute how you assume crowds will keep you safe and you do your best to not be alone.

Quite frankly, it’s a one-sided animosity. Floyd thinks you’re funny while your torment is his pleasure. You try to keep your calm but his relaxed comments of breaking bones and the looming threat of being squeezed keeps you on your toes

Honestly, you’re a little miffed. First of all, why is he so fast? Secondly, there must be others to scare. You’re sure Azul gives him enough work in that aspect. And finally, how are you supposed to memorize all these mushroom species and history facts when Floyd has deemed you his current favourite squeaky toy?

Friends

You always assumed Floyd’s squeeze would be a horrible experience of organs being rearranged and the nasty sound of something snapping. So when the first time he embraces you and it’s the feeling of warm, strong arms curling around you protectively, your brain short circuits 

You had been fuming and more than a little annoyed so when you crossed paths with some rowdy students, instead of spitting out some standard apology and being on your merry way, you snapped back! And, like most students at NRC, they didn’t take kindly to it. 

It feels ironic that you had avoided Floyd so fervently but in the end, you only had yourself to blame for stirring up trouble. Magic battles were most definitely against the rules but you didn’t have any intentions on letting some fireballs scorch you either

Yet your opponents quickly withdraw when Floyd chimes, “Let me join in!~” And for once, you’re happy that Floyd is around. It must show on your face because in the midst of drawling about how boring it is now that the tension is gone, he breaks out into a smile

“You’re grinning glass catfish!” It’s the first time Floyd ever makes you smile and it’s far from the last 

Your friendship is very much a give and take affair. You learn to go with the flow, but you put your foot down as necessary. More than you expect, Floyd can be amendable to your demands. He’s still as chaotic as ever though, hedonistic almost to a fault

Crush

You two have a takoyaki adventure! Cooking with Floyd is nothing short of chaotic. For the first half, he’s bored and pacing around. You chop up ingredients and he not so secretly snacks on them. Then when it’s time to fry the takoyaki in the molds, he’s suddenly over-pouring batter and eating them almost as fast as you make them! By the end, you didn’t even get to take a picture of the takoyaki you two made but his goofy grin and lips covered in sauce engrain themselves into your memory

“I could eat you up too!” he comments with his signature laugh and it does dangerous things to your heart.

“Please don’t!” you squeak out hastily but you can’t help the flush of heat that comes with embarrassment nor the hasty hand gestures as you avoid his gaze. Your pulse starts to increase rapidly, but you know it’s not out of fear

You won’t complain of boring days anymore. For now, you let the current take you where it will. And if that destination happens to be romantic, well you’re not one to fight the waves

[capri-ramblings]

Hi! Thanks for doing my request! This time, can i request some headcanons for Lilia and Malleus( seperately) where they fall in love with a female MC? How will they confess? Thanks a lot!

Please Refer to Pinned Post!

[ startling emotions ]

Malleus Draconia

- He doesn't really know how to go about it.

- Malleus starts to realise he's in love with her only when he began to have thoughts of her smiling at him or how her laugh rings through his mind so clearly and he knew he had to let her know these feelings existed vehemently in him when he envisioned a life where he'd no longer be able to see her and felt his entire being repel the idea completely

- As if it was second nature to rid of all that could potentially harm her

- The only problem now was that he would be too calculative about it.

- How to express his love to her appropriately and not scare her off

- When to express said feelings to her that would help the mood

- What would happen if she didn't feel as strongly about him?

- If the last one actually happened...His heart clenched at the thought yet if that was truly how she felt then he'd respect it and it wouldn't really deter his emotions in anyway

- Though,if she returned his feelings, Malleus would be overjoyed despite the little expression he'll display

- Oh,if she said she loved him too he wouldn't be hesitant to form a pact with her at all

- She'd be his wife in a heartbeat!

- But he couldn't dwell in a fantasy. If he wanted her to be his then he'd have to react.

- He considers telling Lilia and the others, wondering if numbers would be his greatest strength, after all if he came with an entourage, you couldn't possibly reject him, right?

- "...What are you doing, Malleus? Are you trying to make her feel cornered?"

- He shakes the idea away immediately. Reforming his thoughts and spends days pondering.

- And during that time, he keeps his distance from you. Convinced that whenever you were near he couldn't properly think.

- But then he'll come to a stump and finds himself frustrated by the lack of progress and he's starting to wonder if you'll ever be his.

- Of course,Lilia steps in. Being aware of his feelings for you for a while now, the caretaker simply laughs at his young Prince's dilemma,telling him that the best way to a woman's heart or anyone's heart really, was to be honest.

- "Talk to her, Malleus. She's not stone wall, she won't wait for you forever."

- So,he does and for the first time in his life, Malleus actually feels doubt throbbing in his bones. He doesn't know how you'd react to his feelings after all, but he hopes you'd feel the same.

- He isn't the most romantic but he'll say what's on his mind and when he finally tells you his feelings,you can expect a very straightforward confession along with a sentence of formality

- Malleus wants you to know the depths of his emotions for you, to understand that what he wants from you is an established relationship and one he hopes to uphold for as long as possible

- If you don't immediately accept him, he'll ask for a bit more time to be put into consideration,but ultimately he will be very respectful towards your decision.

- And if you accept him?

- Malleus will look at you as if his world has been enlightened and he'll thank you.

- He doesn't know what future lays before him and you, but he's confident that if you're beside him every step of the way, it's a future he'll look forward to make the best of.

Lilia Vanrouge

- Unlike Malleus,this Fae will make it very obvious that he's interested in you, though it's more of a slow burn when it comes to Lilia actually falling for you since it's common for him to find something fascinating

- But to be so invested in someone he'd actually consider it to be love is an event that happens maybe once in a blue moon.

- He does, however start seeing the signs when he finds himself protective over you, and it's not the paternal kind either. Lilia is experienced enough to know the difference between the two.

- The way he feels entitled to hover around you isn't the same kind he felt towards Malleus.

- No, the way Lilia wants to flock over you is a gesture he would closely relate to that of courtship.

- He wants to be near you and have people see it, let them understand that he's taken interest in you as a mate.

- It's a rather primal thing seeing how he isn't actually human, so it may come off as possessive as well. The way he just lingers by your side and keeps his gaze on you ever so tentatively.

- He doesn't tell you at first that he is indeed courting you, but it isn't because he's doubtful of your response to it but because to Lilia love is an adventure isn't it?

- Thus, it should be a journey for both you and him to get to know one another and form a bond that if truly meant to be will bloom into an everlasting status.

- He's wise, filled with years of learning and failures. Lilia knows not to be possessive over a dream that it blinds him from reality.

- If you were his, then time will surely let you know. And if you aren't, it doesn't mean his feelings would be wasted.

- Life is fleeting, something to treasure and that's exactly what Lilia would do. He'll treasure you, do whatever he can to ensure you live a happy life.

- If it comes to confessing, he won't beat around the bush. He'll tell you exactly what he desires and asks if you'd care to indulge him in it, to allow him the opportunity to share your life with his.

- He's a teaser though, so if you're easily flustered Lilia would make sure his proposal is extravagant enough to make you stutter.

[i-dreamed-i-had-a-son]

Ok so TOS S3E5, Is There in Truth No Beauty? is like???? So good???? So good for us aros????? It's late and this post is a mess but I needed to say it

So Spock and Miranda are set up as parallels right, and Miranda is one of the most well-written and developed women I've ever seen from Trek. She's super competent and honestly a queen but also has flaws so you know she's like actually round and can grow??

And she is 100% ARO. Like there's someone in the beginning section of the episode (another surprisingly well written character) who is super needy and says he loves her and she explicitly says, "I can't love you like you want me to love you." (WHOA big props for distinction between types of love!!) That person responds by basically calling her frigid, but when he starts thinking of murder, she (a telepath) doesn't judge him, but just tries to help him work through his feelings. He takes a jab at her for this too, but the point is she's framed as a very empathetic and caring person, although she follows the Vulcan philosophy in many ways as well (again, parallel to Spock) so she doesn't come off as exceedingly emotional.

Also when she's at dinner with the triumvirate, Jim is kind of coming onto her by saying "How did the men at the base not stop you from leaving? ...Well I'm glad they didn't, otherwise I wouldn't have met you," and then Bones says "How could someone so beautiful choose to spend her entire life being with someone so ugly?" (She is the companion/representative of an ambassador who is a very good being, but is so ugly that it drives anyone who sees it insane.) They then toast to her beauty (Spock refrains). And she says to Bones, "How can someone so full of joy and the love of life like yourself choose to spend your entire life being surrounded by death and disease? Eh, gentlemen?" ROASTEEEEEEDDDD anyways she makes a toast of her own (I think to progress?) and then Bones responds with, "To whatever you want, Miranda" in the most respectful tone and it's great.

ANYWAYS, Miranda eventually gets approached romantically by Jim (kind of as a ploy but kind of not), but she rejects him, and he proceeds to say what all aros have heard before: "You're young!", "Eventually, you'll want someone to love," "You're attractive. You want to spend your life with someone so ugly?" etc. and she just OWNS him and says no, she isn't interested in that, and anyway what right does he have to determine whether someone is too ugly or beautiful to be worth spending time with?

And then the issue between her and Spock is she doesn't want Spock to meld with the ambassador, because she's jealous and protective of the connection she's established with the ambassador and doesn't want him to take her place--which is a huge aro mood--but this jealousy is NOT because of some romantic motivation from her towards the ambassador!! And this is confirmed several times!!

Bones is trying to explain to Jim that Miranda wants to help Spock, and Jim is not buying it because "they're rivals" and Bones says "But not rivals in love!"

When the Ambassador is sharing Spock's body I was full-on ready for them to do the whole "I have a body and can kiss you now!" schtick but they DIDN'T and instead he just comforts Miranda and briefly takes her hand in a reassuring way (which he does in part because she's blind! So even cooler!!) and they are clearly close but they are friends!

And at the end she leaves with the ambassador, having gotten what she wanted (there's a cool moment about it when Bones is saying goodbye) which is a sense of security in her role/friendship with the ambassador. They DIDN'T DO THE WHOLE "I know how to love now!!" bit at the end!! We stay winning!

(Also Bones was written super well this episode because he noticed that she was blind and kept it private to respect her, and when Jim asked why Bones didn't mention it he said, "She'd have told you if she wanted you to know" so the respecting women juice was HUGE here.) She hadn't wanted to tell anyone she was blind because she hated being pitied, and she told this to Jim in their conversation as well, which means she intended it to be a comment not only about pity for her blindness, but also pity for her lack of romantic interest. She didn't want to be pitied for not wanting that with someone, which is a HUGE mood!

I was also ready for them to try something with shipping Spock and Miranda since they were so similar and they were having many other characters be interested in her, but NO they didn't do that either. She actually takes a jab at Jim about that, because as Spock is lying there comatose, she says, "You'd probably try to tell me to wake him with a kiss," and I'm like OWN HIM QUEEN bc he basically responds by calling her inhuman (rip aphobic Jim...he does this every once in a while). But no instead of having there be something romantic between her and Spock, she just saved his life and they had nice platonic conversations and respected each other greatly!!

But ALSO also what is great is (not to make this awesome woman-centric post into being about a man but):

Clearly all of Spock's interactions this episode were platonic, since he parallels her and that's certainly how they intended her interactions with him to be (and can I say how nice it is to see Spock interact with an intellectual equal--he even admits her telepathy is more advanced than his--and just have that respect there without that undertone of "are they trying to ship them...?" It's SO nice). Also a great moment at the start of the episode with Spock saying he declined the position Miranda has because "My life is here" (on the Enterprise) and thus reaffirming that Jim and Bones and what he has is more important than anything else

Because they are so similar, Miranda's aroness can easily extend into Spock being perceived as aro. Notably, Spock (unlike Jim and Bones) shows no (implied or not) romantic interest in Miranda, but simply demonstrates the deep respect which they both show each other. Also, both characters have moments this episode (explained above) in which they put their friends/platonic connections as higher priorities than romantic connections, and Miranda's connection with the ambassador is very similar to Spock and Jim's relationship. Really, we're supposed to look at them and go, "oh, they're the same type of people." So by Miranda being aro, it implicitly backs up the view of Spock as aro!!

Anyways yes I left this episode not only feeling validated as a woman because Miranda was frickin EXCELLENT writing, I also felt validated as an aro on multiple sides. And I needed to express that to y'all other starved-for-rep aros! So here ya go lol 😂

[lihikainanea]

Bill getting one of those couple cabins for him and Tiger because his girl has been overly stressed with work and he could use a break too. They can’t go anywhere, but the loving, food, and trashy tv is all they both wanted.

Mmmmm, this is just so perfect. I’m STILL thinking about their romantic little winter road trip through rural Europe.

I love winter, you know? I love love love it. There is something so crisp and so fresh, something so quiet and peaceful about winter. The blue winter sky, the bright snow, the incredible moons we always get in winter. The way everyone’s cheeks get just the cutest little rosy hue, cold noses.

God don’t even get me started on winter FASHION BECAUSE GOD I LOVE IT. I have so many coats and so many hats and so many mittens and scarves. Everyone looks cute in winter. Am I carrying extra weight, or is this jacket just bulky? Fuck you, you’ll never know.

But admittedly, the time leading into winter can be hard. It’s just dark all the time, you know? I know we are currently on a 22 day stretch where we haven’t seen the sun, and it’s apparently going to keep going like this for awhile. Even when the sun does come out, it sets at 3 and we’re plunged into midnight darkness around 3:45PM. It’s....it’s tough.

And maybe Bill has been just kind of watching tiger work herself to the bone--because in all reality, god what the hell else is there to do? She’s pulling long hours and the lack of daylight is wearing her down, she’s tired all the time, she’s stressed all the time. Bill is maybe used to not being home for so long this time of year, and he gets little breaks from the grey and dreary weather by jetting to LA for a few meetings, being on set somewhere warm--he gets a break. But he’s home this year, and while he’s not working--the drab and darkness is starting to affect him to.

But the one thing with Swedes, much like Canadians--it’s winter for so long in those countries, that they know how to do winter right. How to bring a bit of cheer to the doldrums. So maybe he starts looking, and he finds a real nice cabin in the mountain side--only about an hour away. He books the nicest room they have--spacious, with a huge fire place. A jacuzzi on the balcony. A little indoor set up outside where they can have dinner. The place has a spa, offers full course meals all day, and Bill thinks...yes, perfect. So he books it, and maybe he doesn’t say much to tiger. But when she’s working at the kitchen table he just comes up behind her, kisses her neck, puts his phone out in front of her so she can see the photos of the place.

“Oh,” she whispers, “Oh my.”

“Next weekend,” he murmurs in her ear. He expects a fight, because it’s always a fight with tiger, but to his total surprise she turns her head and kisses him softly.

“You know what? Yes,” she kisses him again, “Okay. Yes. It’s beautiful, Bill.”

He’s pleasantly surprised. And she’s practically bouncing from the walls Friday at noon when she slams her computer shut, and she tosses her duffel bag at him and off they go.

And listen, this place? It’s a country girl’s dream. Beautiful woodworking everywhere, the entire cabin is made of wood. A huge, rustic dining table. A gigantic bed, framed with wooden bed posts and piled high with fuzzy blankets, cable knits, and more pillows than tiger has ever seen in her life. Everything about the cabin is just so cozy, low lighting, a huge fireplace with comfy chairs in front, beautiful soft rugs everywhere, the bathroom has a huge tub and then Bill gently grabs her hand and shows her the balcony--a big sauna, a bigger jacuzzi, a little glass indoor spaced draped with twinkle lights. She gasps softly and he spins her around, dips her playfully and gives her a big smooch.

“Go find the robes,” he tells her when he rights her again. It’s a tradition--both Bill and tiger share a love of gigantic, fluffy bathrobes. She finds them in the bathroom closet and throws his at him. They’ve no sooner gotten bundled in them that there’s a knock on the door--and in walks a server, two cocktails on a silver tray.

“Welcome, it’s a pleasure to have you with us,” he says with formality, “Please, allow me to start the fire for you?”

Tiger all but squeals and nods enthusiastically. Once the kind fire master is gone, they clink their glasses and sit there on the same couch, just gazing at it.

And listen, it’s just a whole weekend of that you know? Three course dinners outside, under stars and twinkle lights, in their fluffy bathrobes. The fire that is still crackling when they wake up in the morning, naked and huddled together underneath a mountain of blankets. It’s gourmet breakfasts served on the huge dining table in front of the fire. Bill books them massages, and every night after a huge dinner, they always relax in the jacuzzi together. Tiger is stuffed full of good food, she’s high on all his lovin’ and affection, she’s spoiled with spa treatments.

But the kicker by far is one night after dinner, as they’re both relaxing in the warm water. She’s on his lap as he nips playfully at her neck, his hands roaming--he’s already got her bathing suit top off and he’s working on her bottoms--she sees more of the waitstaff enter their room with a trolley, setting up a spread on a table by the fire. She huddles in closer to Bill to cover herself and he takes the opportunity to leave a love bite on her neck as she giggles.

“What are they doing?” she asks. He barely casts them a glance, stealing a kiss form her instead.

“Hot chocolate bar,” he whispers mischievously into her neck. Tiger LOVES hot chocolate, and this just looks decadent-- jugs of dark and milk chocolate, hot frothy milk, marshmallows, graham crackers, big mugs, peppermint sticks--everything to make the most perfect hot chocolate.

“Oh my god,” and driven by sheer need, tiger stands right up and goes to step out but Bill grabs her.

“Uh, kid?” he gently pulls her back down, “You’re topless.”

“Oh, right,” she scrambles and Bill laughs, reaching a long arm out to grab her a towel.

“So no more getting frisky for me, I guess?” he pouts, but tiger just grabs his cheeks and crushes her lips to his.

“Oh Bill,” she says patronizingly, “My sweet, big, dumb Bill. There’s literally jugs of warm melted chocolate in there, that can be used for more than just making a beverage. You really think your night is over?”

Bill gulps, and tiger kisses him again.

“Buckle up, big guy,” she whispers.

[faedawayyy]

SIBLINGS PERSONALITY CHECK - carmichael addition. 

in this post i will rank the carmichael’s on a particular trait or whatever from most to least. just bc i think they’re an interesting fam. obviously leo, bella and anastasia are played by katie, ez and nadine who do AMAZING jobs at bringing all three to life, none of this is to undermine how they develop and play them, it’s just how i initially pictured them. 

MOST TO LEAST... 

EASILY ANGERED

brody 

leo 

bella 

mason

anastasia

miles 

brody is easily the angriest and it doesn’t take a lot to get under his skin, miles is the most easy going and is more likely to just let things go over his head or retreat rather than get riled up and argue with people. 

ACADEMICALLY INTELLIGENT 

anastasia

bella

mason

leo

miles 

brody 

all of them are/were above average in school but if they, by some miracle, ended up in the same year group in school, this probably would’ve been the ranking. everything comes easily to anastasia while brody never really applied himself.

TOLERANT & FORGIVING 

mason

bella

miles

brody 

leo

anastasia 

tolerance includes a lot of people and a lot of things, but this is like...tolerant towards people who fuck them around. contrary to what some rp events might have you believe, mason is a VERY forgiving and understanding person - although if someone pushes him too far, obviously not so much, whereas anastasia is most likely to just never change her opinion on someone.

ROMANTIC

mason

leo 

brody 

bella

anastasia

miles 

this one is pretty self-explanatory. mason is very romantic-minded while leo and brody are capable and can do it well selectively. the girls were brought up in a very toxic masculine environment and i struggle to imagine either of them being very in touch with their sentimental side while miles doesn’t have a romantic bone in his body.

EXTRA

leo

anastasia

brody

bella

mason 

miles 

this is just self explanatory - i always imagine leo to do things in excess; whether that’s partying, arguing or striving to achieve something. miles is the polar opposite.

LIKELY TO WIND UP IN JAIL

brody

leo 

bella

miles

mason 

anastasia 

...i refuse to justify this.

BE MUM’S FAVOURITE 

brody

leo 

mason 

miles 

bella = anastasia 

their mother - even though she’s the least problematic of the parents overall - was VERY all about her sons. the boys could do no wrong while the girls seemed to be held to an impossibly high standard. brody seems to be the ultimate golden child in her eyes. 

BE DAD’S FAVOURITE 

anastasia

leo = brody = bella

mason 

miles

this one needs to be explained a bit more. anastasia is the oldest, the most capable and the most similar to her dad; she’s got a business mind and is relentless when it comes to reaching goals or making sure people get the karma she feels they deserve. she’s his favourite in the sense he knows he can TRUST her. leo, brody and bella share the second ranking and their the favourites as in, they’d get away with murder.  mason was the softer of the first four, who were all born pretty close together, and often overlooked. miles and his dad clashed. 

TO INHERIT THE FAMILY BUSINESS COMPLETELY 

brody

anastasia = leo 

mason = bella 

miles

james always had it in mind that leo and anastasia would take 50/50 when it came to his entertainment company and that was usually undisputed. HOWEVER, when it was obvious brody would marry disney, james suddenly became keen on him taking on the company because it’d mean more profit if they merged with her family’s record deal. if you think about who is worthy, that’s definitely mason and bella, who tie in terms of creativity and genuine passion. miles doesn’t have a chance. it’s all currently up in the air and something the siblings will eventually have to sit down to discuss.

DIFFICULT CHILD SYNDROME 

leo = brody

miles 

bella

anastasia 

mason 

leo and brody ruled the house. easily the most spoilt and if they didn’t want to do something, they woudn’t. they’re very much two sides of the same coin. miles was difficult in a different sense; he was introverted, refused to leave his room - even for school at one stage, and wouldn’t budge on anything. bella is the baby and, to put it nicely, was spoilt rotten not just by her parents but her siblings. anastasia could be stubborn, but was quite a goody-two-shoes and mason was probably the only ‘easy’ child of the six. 

FLY THE NEST/LEAVE HOME

leo

anastasia

brody 

mason 

bella 

miles

because that’s pretty much how it would’ve happened in my head; i feel like leo wouldn’t have gone FAR when he left home, but would’ve definitely been keen to invest and buy his own property before he even turned 20. i feel like in general, he lacks the attachment to the “home” safety net that most young people have. when anastasia left, she went half way across the globe with her family but before she definitely lived with her parents while she was pregnant. brody left after he married, mason married two years later and did the same; miles and bella are the only ones still living at home, i believe, but bella is way more proactive and independent than miles.

GET CAUGHT BREAKING THE RULES

miles

brody 

leo 

mason 

anastasia 

bella 

miles always ‘breaks the rules’ but is too clumsy/obvious and gets in trouble for it. brody and leo are likely to break the rules, get caught and talk themselves out of it, anastasia and mason rarely break the rules...but if they do, they probably end up confessing. meanwhile, bella easily breaks the rules the most often and literally doesn’t get caught ever.

HAVE THE MESSIEST ROOM 

miles

brody 

bella

leo 

mason 

anastasia 

again, i doubt their rooms are ever hella messy, but in general, that’s probably the order.

BE THE MESSIEST PERSON 

brody = leo 

anastasia = miles 

mason = bella 

brody and leo are the kind of messy where they cause scenes, anastasia and miles are messy in the sense that they ignite drama/make snide comments and mason and bella aren’t as messy as the other four but have their moments.

SNITCH

bella 

anastasia 

brody 

leo 

miles

mason

the top 4 aren’t technically “snitches” but will definitely snitch for their own benefit or just to see one of the others get into trouble. miles is a genuine snitch and would’ve always been the one who’s “telling mum” and mason minds his business LOL

CRY AFTER A PLAY FIGHT 

anastasia 

miles 

mason 

bella

brody 

leo 

self explanatory. 

STAY iN THEIR CURRENT CAREER FOR THE LONGEST 

mason

anastasia 

leo 

bella

miles

brody 

it’s canon that mason makes films all the way into like, old age. he genuinely never stops. anastasia is a business women and again, i feel like she’d keep at it for a while. leo, bella and miles would probably be most likely to switch around and experiment with different paths while brody will 100% retire from everything before 40.

[peepingtoad]

THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; Mun & Muse - Meme.

fill out & repost ♥ This meme definitely favors canons more, but I hope OC’s still can make it somehow work with their own lore, and lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. Multi-Muses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm.

My muse is:   canon / oc / au / canon-divergent / fandomless /

Is your character popular in the fandom?  YES / NO / 50-50 (There’s a lot of love and a lot of hate, but I think many are actually pretty neutral on him too!)

Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom?  YES / NO / 50-50 (I’d say he may be an... acquired taste? Of course a lot of people I know here find him sexie so it’s hard to say for certain, heh. We may just be the weirdos of the fandom :P )

Is your character considered strong in the fandom?  YES / NO

Are they underrated?  YES / NO (Not in terms of ability, but underrated for just how complex and multi-layered he is, I’d say)

Were they relevant for the main story?  YES / NO.

Were they relevant for the main character?  YES / NO /

Are they widely known in their world?  YES / NO.

How’s their reputation?  GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL (I honestly think he’s a man of many reputations, both in canon and in fandom :’D)

How strictly do you follow canon?  —  I’m very much a ‘use the bones of what we got in canon and do my best to flesh them out’ kinda roleplayer. There are some things that can be taken too easily at face value that I see fit to build upon. For example, I think Jiraiya’s feelings on the prophecy and his relationship with Konoha is something that could be too easily played off as simplistic, or like they were immovable constants. But that’s unrealistic for a man of his years and many experiences, so I try to put myself in his emotional setting at various points in his life, and trace how his feelings and behaviours change, if that makes sense? 

I try to avoid saying that any of the writing was straight up wrong because it’s disrespectful to the creator. But especially for Jiraiya, who had such a significant role to play in the narrative that it sometimes took precedence over his actual character, I do find some of his actions, and the way some interactions were handled in the canon to be a little OOC... so I’ll work with it and try to spin it in a way that I feel fits how he was characterised.

Basically, I’d say that I follow canon, but I like to enrich it in areas that were lacking detail or a nuanced view that took in all the surrounding events of the time. After Jiraiya’s canon death, of course, that’s when more divergence comes in to my portrayal... otherwise I wouldn’t be able to play any post-war scenarios! But the essence of his character is the same, which I try to keep as close to canon as possible.

SELL YOUR MUSE! Aka try to list everything, which makes your muse interesting in your opinion to make them spicy for your mutuals.   —  A man of many experiences! You can bet that any topic that comes up, he’ll have some sort of amusing anecdote to share, or be able simply to talk shit about it. He's seen so much, and has a sensitive soul enough that he’ll give anyone a chance; he’s very open-minded and non-judgemental, and honestly is a humanitarian that wants to help those in need. Might leave your muse a little baffled as to how he could hold the status of ‘legend’, only to show it when they least expect it. You never quite know what you’re going to get with him: he’s generous and selfless, yet has many vices that seem selfish at times; he’s both a lover and a fearsome fighter; he’s immensely resilient at the same time as incredibly vulerable and damaged; he’s a himbo and a bit of a jock with the soul of a poet. Love him with no restraint and invite his love in return, and you’ll get not only a lover, but a devotee. Wears his heart on his sleeve... or does he? Chip away at him and find out!

Now the OPPOSITE, list everything why your muse could not be so interesting (even if you may not agree, what does the fandom perhaps think?).  —  The pervy, flirty, jokey schtick could get grating, or come across as disingenuous. In romantic situations, he’ll keep quiet about putting a label on whatever it is, and beneath his overall sweetness and devotion there may be an underlying reek of commitment issues and a fear of admitting he is afraid. He also has a habit of deflecting negativity in general, and playing things off as if they don’t matter or they’re a joke, making him actually rather a difficult person to get to know the heart of. One might feel as if they’re getting nowhere with him...

... Either that, or they get the complete opposite. Yes, as equally as he can be guarded, he can overshare like crazy, and has a tendency to become codependent with those he gets attached to, which is inconsistent with his free-spirited nature, and how adept he is at keeping others at arm’s length from his less sunny side. This inconsistency might make him seem unreliable—if the fact he’s always off who-knows-where doesn’t do the trick already.

What inspired you to rp your muse?  —  I’ve been a big fan of the Sannin ever since I first read the Deadlock, but being a very young person at the time I perhaps couldn’t relate enough to people who had experienced so much to do them justice in my teenage fic-writing endeavours, so I remained on the sidelines enjoying content by other people (there may also have been a little bit of ‘what the fuck, why do I dig the old dude so much’ denial in there haha). I’ve picked up and dropped my obsession with the series several times over the years, and my love for those three seemed to grow each time. They really are ‘the lost generation’, and as the sole survivors—alongside having a huge impact on the plot, how the shinobi world is shaped, and the three main protagonists—there’s a lot of juicy material there, a lot of emotional background, along with decades of history that basically goes untapped in the canon. 

Anyway, I digress. Coming to the Naruto RPC for the first time around this time 2 years ago at the age of 25, I made this blog and my Deidara one on a whim, but focused on the latter at first. Villains were always comfortable territory for me in my other RP experiences, and I think it made me doubt that I could possibly do someone who is frankly a lovely guy any justice, no matter how much I loved him. I even had the intention of making him fully Akatsuki/Missing-Nin AU at first. Yeah. That’s how stuck in my villain/anti-hero zone I was! But, I think in the end, the fact he actually isn’t a two-dimensional typical ‘hero’ was something I chewed over and realised would be incredibly enriching to write, worth stepping out of my comfort zone for. And being a little more mature and less angst-ridden myself by that point, I found I could resonate with his feelings and ideals in a way that I know I couldn’t have as a teen... but I was still tentative. 

Anyway, after leaving his blog empty for a bit (with its placeholder URL ‘frogdaddy’, which sadly got hoarded by someone else), I cosplayed the old bastard, along with my partner as Orochimaru. We’d been stanning that particular ship and talking about how great the Sannin are in general for quite some time by that point, but being casually in character for fun while drunk off my tits at a boat party, was a bit of an epiphanic moment. Not long after that, I threw myself right into writing this chaotic-good old bastard with gusto, and here I still am :’)

What keeps your inspiration going?  —  Taking breaks to recharge as and when I need to. Seriously. The death of all my other blogs has been pressure (mostly from myself) to be there and force myself to put out regular content, so I went into this not thinking that way and it’s really helped! 

Of course, there’s also the fact that there simply seems to be no shortage of areas I can delve into with this guy. Again, it’s his age and all the missing years in canon... but I think it’s also how much love he has and his genuine eagerness to engage with others that makes him one of the most naturally bountiful muses I’ve played. Because honestly? Most of my villain muses wanted people to just fuck off :’D this guy is open to everything.

That aside, I guess I just gel with him more than I ever expected to. I’ve changed a lot as a person and gained more confidence since various areas of my life got better, and I really just vibed with this chill, funny, romantic, pervy, big-hearted energy. I enjoy angst, but my real love is peppering the serious and heartbreaking with romance and comedy—and isn’t that just befitting of him? Writing through his eyes also helps to keep my outlook positive, so that keeps me stuck on him as much as the seemingly limitless content potential. 

And this is without even going into my cross-fandom AU ideas I have on the back-burner. Honestly, they’re there but I want to put a real effort into them while keeping his essence the same, which for some, involves brushing up on my lore!

Some more personal questions for the mun.

Give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.

Do you think you give your character justice?  YES / NO.

Do you frequently write headcanons? YES / NO.

Do you sometimes write drabbles?  YES / NO / RARELY. (depends on whether I get a flash of inspiration—which mostly comes with random asks that happen to stir up an idea for a scene, such as this one (NSFW warning))

Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day?  YES / NO.

Are you confident in your portrayal?   YES / NO.

Are you confident in your writing?  YES / NO.

Are you a sensitive person?  YES / 50-50 /NO. (I tend not to take things personally but am also very passionate—call it my innate Leo-ness!)

Do you accept criticism well about your portrayal?  —  Hmmm. I haven’t actually had any critique on my portrayal, so I’m not sure haha! I’d say if it’s constructive, then I’ll take it into account and consider it, especially if it’s a case where it helps me realise I’ve perhaps not gotten across what I intended to very well. But I’m also quite fond of my portrayal in its essence, so I may end up just thanking the person for their opinion and carry on as usual :P

Do you like questions, which help you explore your character?  —  Absolutely! I’ve had some wonderful ones recently and it’s exactly the kick I need to get ideas out, some of which I’ve had on the back-burner but not had a framework within which to write it without it getting derailed. I definitely appreciate a question that will keep me at least a little on-topic, otherwise if I go off on my own volition I really tend to... well, go off! Even if a question is a similar topic to something I’ve already done, it’s a good exercise for me to go back to the similar headcanon and see if I can build further on it, deviate, and link it to show what past thoughts I’ve been working with. A great way of keeping some consistency in my portrayal while making improvements, I find! And then of course I’ve had some questions that are entirely new morsels for thought, and it leads me to something new and fresh, which I greatly appreciate.

Basically, any questions at all, fire away! I may take a while but I will get to them eventually!

If someone disagrees to a headcanon of yours, do you want to know why?  —  Yeah. I mean I think it’s just polite to present a reason as to why not, instead of just being like ‘this is wrong/a bad take’ or whatever. Source material is down to personal interpretation, so if I draw different ideas from it to another person after discussion, then we can simply agree to disagree on it. 

If someone disagrees with your portrayal, how would you take it?  —  They are welcome to disagree with me I guess? So long as they’re respectful and don’t then treat me as if my interpretation is ‘AU’ or talk about ‘canon Jiraiya’ as if he’s obviously a different entity to my own, then disagree away. But if prompted enough, know that I will most likely defend my portrayal with what I consider to be justification from the source material :P I did pay close attention to it, after all, and I do consider my portrayal to align well with it.

If someone really hates your character, how do you take it?  —  Depends on the nature of it and the conduct, really? Like, people are allowed to dislike characters. I myself find a couple of characters pretty annoying or don’t particularly care for them (granted, usually it’s in a love-to-hate or simply a ‘this character doesn’t interest me’ way), but that doesn’t affect how I behave towards the RPer of a character. It’s just manners, really. People tend to RP characters because they like them, so why would you take negativity right to their doorstep, in this space they’ve made as an expression of enjoyment for, and to develop said character? 

There’s been some people who admitted to me that they didn’t care much for Jiraiya, but then began to like him more with my portrayal and that’s more than fine; I take it as the highest compliment in fact. It’s also the kind of open-minded attitude I like to have with portrayals of characters I don’t necessarily like or have much interest in, because by and large, people do tend to add more depth and nuance than the busy and character-packed canon allowed.

However, if it’s the type of hate that’s got its own devoted circle of bitter bitches, who seem to use so much energy hating a character... then please, don’t engage me. Doesn’t matter who the character is, don’t expect me to follow/keep following your negative ass if it’s constant on the dash—and if the target character is any of the Sannin then frankly I’ll have probably blocked/blacklisted in a heartbeat. The ‘critical’ views of them tend to diminish them as humans, diminish the context and events that surrounded their choices, and in a way that I find is a gross double standard compared to what people will allow other (read: young, attractive, fandom faves, ‘babies’ or ‘beans’) to get away with and excuse the behaviours of. I don’t need that kinda negative energy sullying my hobby, nor do I need moral superiority that isn’t applied consistently across the board.

Are you okay with people pointing out your grammatical errors?  —  Absolutely! I meticulously fret and check, and cringe when I get a reply and happen to spot errors while rereading what I wrote before it! I edit a lot but don’t always pick up on errors, so I’m more than happy to have it pointed out. Chances are, I’ll be far more brutal to myself about it than anyone else would be!

Do you think you are easy going as a mun?   —  Overall, yeah. I’m not possessive or clingy (I don’t think) and don’t expect the world from people, nor for them to focus on or favour me or be super fast. I just expect the same respect in return. Having said that, I will express it when I don’t like something or it makes me uncomfortable, provided we’re familiar enough, because if we’re strangers I’d feel like I was coming across as entitled to your energy and emotional labour. I do my best to be diplomatic about it though, and rest assured it doesn’t mean I’m forever mad at you or turned off in any way just because I have a small grievance. I just find that being honest with each other rather than letting things pile up and fester makes a friendship more solid, and basically more genuine and long-lasting.

That’s about it, congrats for filling out!

Tagged by: @dokuhebi​ Tagging: Whoever hasn’t done this yet!

[smnthchrstn]

You live, You learn part 2 | Sally Mckenna x reader

author’s note: hi, i know it’s been a giant minute. i wrote this back in september, but i left to go see my partner/had medical issues so here it finally is. this is a direct sequel to you live, you learn and you should read that one first before reading this one. you can click anywhere in the bold to check that out. there’s a brief mention of possible abortion, frank talk of suicide, and a lil bit of vampirism. as always if these things make you uncomfortable please be careful when reading. i try to write these topics as respectfully as i can - but keep in mind this is hotel and we are talking about sally & company. if you have any ideas or requests you can see who i write here and send me an idea here. the word count is 2,129. thanks for reading and i hope you enjoy!

check out more of my writing here.

Dark clouds scattered across the sky as the first wave of thunder cracked far above your head. The rain skittered onto the pavement, sprinkling everything below - including your head. You used your hands to cover your head, the fast clicks of your heels sprinting over the soaked pavement. You finally saw the doorway coming up and slipped inside the corridor and onto the blood-red carpeting, immaculately clean despite how long it'd lay in that spot. "Well, hello, my dear. Welcome back." Acrylics tapped against the countertop and tired yet, somehow perpetually young eyes watched your average frame as you took small steps to the front desk. "Hi yourself. It's only been a few weeks," you said with a small smile. "A dangerous time to visit the Cortez," she pointed out with much thought. "Maybe it's time that you've taken up a more permanent residency?" Your smile faltered. "Not just yet." You signed your name carefully and listened for the key as Liz slid it across the counter. "Iris says hello, I can feel her from down here." You took the key, holding it in your dominant hand. "Thanks, see you around, Liz."

Normally you didn't see a problem in climbing the stairs with heels on, but you didn't feel as comfortable with the elevator these days and knew the stairs would get you there faster. You gripped each shoe and pulled them off, holding both in your left hand by the straps. "Oh, hello, Miss!" a cheery voice called from the third floor. She pushed a trolley of stained linens. "Mr. March had another incident, the silly man!" she exclaimed with a giggle. You offered the woman a gentle smile and waved with your right hand. Sometimes you truly couldn't understand how Hazel Evers could still be so cheery all the time, especially after all that time. You knew much about the souls trapped within the hotel Cortez's vintage structure. "Toodle-loo!" the cheery woman exclaimed with a small wave before disintegrating into a mist of air.

You climbed each flight until you'd arrived on the correct floor. You set the shoes down near the door and twisted the key in the lock, jiggling it slightly. You got the door open and picked up your shoes before heading back in. "Sally? you called. You set your heels on the floor and your key on the table. "The WiFi is shit in the bathroom," the woman grumbled, cigarette in between her lips. "I hauled my ass up this many flights of stairs and I don't even get a hug?" Sally dropped her phone on the bed and embraced you. Feeling her hands graze over your body sent a tingle to your sensitive area. "Missed you, missed you like crazy," she mumbled against your skin. Your heart skipped a beat. "Can we lay down? My back's a little -" It took mere seconds for Sally to turn you around and push you back onto the bed. "You're always making me feel so good, baby. Let me have a turn. Have I mentioned how much I missed you?" she grumbled against your skin. Your heart fluttered at the raspiness of her voice. You helped her undress you and pulled the cigarette from her lips, putting it out in the ashtray. Her hands wandered your body, taking a firm hold over your breasts, teasing the skin gently. You were practically shaking when she added just the right amount of pressure. Her hand found its way across your skin, her lips peppered kisses over your jaw, neck, breasts, and heart before trailing down your stomach. Her fingers played with the small swell of your skin there. "Mama," she whispered her voice filled with rasp as she trickled her fingers down your thigh, stopping only briefly to feel the dampness of your underwear. "Sally," you breathed, your voice full of desperation. Your thighs began to shake as the ghost's head moved nearer and nearer and a moan left your mouth as she barely scratched the surface at relieving you of your lustful tension.

She lit a cigarette and set it between her lips for safekeeping. You were panting and still trying to catch your breath from the activity the two of you'd share together. Your lower stomach still ached with pleasure. "Give me," you mumbled deliriously, taking a long drag of Sally's cigarette. "I've been trying not to do that, but I've been craving it so badly," you groaned happily, taking another deep drag. You expelled the smoke from your lungs, the two of you making a smoky cloud above the bed. "So, you're keeping it, right?" Sally asked, handing you the remaining cigarette. You didn't hear any hostility in her voice and closed your eyes once you felt her settling down with her head against your chest. "I'm not going to terminate it," you confirmed, breathing in the very last bit of tobacco. Sally closed her eyes, concentrating on your own breaths. "Are you going to give it up?" You opened your eyes only briefly to embed your fingers into Sally's crimped locks. "I don't know a single good soul who would want it," you answered honestly. Sally took a moment of silence to think. "I can't think of anyone either - maybe that irritating maid? Didn't she lose a kid?" she asked. "Have you ever wanted one?" you chose to ask. Sally tried to focus on your heartbeat, not really wanting to dwell on her time as a mortal. "My life's always been fucked." She sat up and lit a cigarette. "I could never raise a kid. I never got pregnant either, guess even a hard junkie like me could figure out how to use birth control. No offense, of course." She took a drag and moved her head. "Light me?" you asked. Sally placed the cigarette in between your lips and lit it. "Do you know anything? Have you gone to a doctor?" You nodded slightly. "Yeah, I'm fourteen weeks. Everything looks normal, but he said that's to be expected because I'm young." Sally put out her cigarette and shifted to rest her head against your chest again. "But do you know what makes me feel worse than anything?" you finally asked with a hard swallow. "Hm?" the ghost mumbled. "I don't feel anything for this baby. I thought seeing it would or hearing the heartbeat, but I just - it's his. How could I when he's treated me so poorly?" Sally knew that you made a good point, but she also had her own reasoning. "It's half you, though. You're smart, pretty, fantastic in bed," she smirked. "You're saying that because you love me," you mumbled softly. "Wouldn't you say that if I miraculously had one, too?" Sally asked. Of course, you would. It would've been a dream come true. She could already tell how you felt by the look on your face. "So don't you think I'd feel the same?" You didn't know if Sally even had a single maternal bone in her body. She took care of you and could be loving and nurturing if she chose to be, but you'd seen her dark and downright diabolical side, too. She'd never voiced that she'd wanted a child - she usually scared the wandering youngsters residing inside the walls of the Cortez. She didn't like Elizabeth much either. You couldn't see Sally wanting to raise your child. Maybe she could be an aunt or something of the sort, but even then you both shared a romantic relationship and you'd never consider your lover a sister. "Snap out of your thoughts," she stated, her eyes wandering to meet yours. "Would you really be okay with it being around us?" The look on the ghost's face answered your question. She reached around you to pull you close. "There is one other idea," she pointed out, raising an eyebrow. You watched her smile wickedly, wondering what would be going on in that devious mind. "How far along are you again?" she asked, tracing a finger down your sternum. "Fourteen weeks?" Sally licked her lips. "You'd have to do it fast." 

"Do what fast?" 

"Ask someone to turn you or kill yourself."

The thought played in your head. Death would normally seem like such a permanent solution to well - pregnancy did seem like a very permanent situation. You knew you had so many choices in deciding when and how for instance, before the baby arrived. Sure, you'd be perpetually three and a half months pregnant, but your symptoms would subside post-death. Or after the baby came but then you'd either have to parent a living being or hand your newborn off to Elizabeth to turn. Unless she'd turn the baby and hand it back. You knew that you definitely didn't want to wait a few months - being that pregnant for all eternity sounded horrendous. It all swirled in your mind that night. You knew staying at the Cortez permanently would mean that you could stay with Sally (mostly) in peace. You would lack the fear of getting hurt by anyone. Your ex-boyfriend, the other spirits, and especially the pain of the outside world. You'd given up all of your worldly hopes, dreams, desires. An eternity with Sally and the other Cortez residents seemed like an undoubtedly good decision to make - a safe one at best.

"Pills," the disheveled-looking spirit reminded you. "The easiest way to go, least painful for the - you know." You'd noticed that Sally had quit using the word 'baby' after the two of you had started the talk of just how you would do it. You needed to think about it. You felt that you really only had two choices - now or after. To Sally's dismay, you had a feeling that you knew just who you needed to discuss this with and knowing her - she would already know you'd be coming. "I will gladly take it," the Countess spoke, only seconds after you'd tapped on her door and slipped mere feet into the entryway. She turned, her heels tapping closer and close before stopping just before you. "I can feel it. It's strong, it must get that from you. Who is the father?" she asked cautiously. "My ex. We aren't speaking." Elizabeth watched you. "And you want to live here with us, with that revolting bitch upstairs?" You nodded. "Let me list off your options, sweet girl. I turn you. I turn you after you give birth. Then, you choose. I turn your dumpling and add them to my collection. You live happily ever after with your slut and I get James to leave you be in return for your precious spawn. Or - I let James kill you or I do it myself and I take off with your baby to a place where their kind's in high demand. You can visit - if I turn you that is - and if they let you." "Where? Do you know someone looking to adopt?" Elizabeth cocked her head. "Sort of. They'd be safer here - with me." You tried to weigh your options, but you couldn't stop the spinning of your head. "What if I decide that I want it?" She smiled slyly. "Perhaps an arrangement could be made. Either way - carry to term and I'll decide when to change them. We'll keep you alive as long as we need you - they'll need your milk before they'll need blood. "

The plan seemed simple enough - mercy killing in a way and an unconventional, yet safe place for your child-to-be. You were laying in bed with Sally that night, a cigarette between your lips. "I don't know what to do. I'm scared that I'll make the wrong choice. I have a feeling that this is the only child I'll ever have - what would I do if I made the wrong choice?" Sally rolled over, pulling the cigarette from your lips. "Then you don't do a damned thing. Keep visiting me and go through with it all. Have it and see how you feel. Maybe you need time to get used to it all," she answered. At one time Sally wished she could've had a family someday. "I love you. The thought of sharing you with anyone makes me antsy - but I'd do it for you."

Your eyes wandered the waiting room just as you were called back. You dialed and waited, waited, waited. "I'm here. I thought maybe you'd want to be here for this, even if you can't leave." You hit FaceTime and watched as Sally and her cigarette appeared on your screen. You moved back as the technician squeezed the gel onto your bump, watching Sally's expression the whole time. You saw a twinkle in her eye that made you believe - even just for a second, that everything would be okay.

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

The Nuptial Necessity - Chapter 21

A 12xRose Human AU

Despite an unglamorous job description, Rose loves the work she does with The Thistle Foundation, a charity founded by her best friend’s great-uncle.  It doesn’t hurt that her boss, her friend’s father, is easy on the eyes.  With a great job, wonderful friends and a loving family, life couldn’t be better – except for having someone to share it with.

All of that is threatened, though, when the great-uncle dies – and sets a strange condition for his nephew to inherit, jeopardizing the Foundation and Rose’s future, sparking a chain of events that might just get her everything she dreamed of and more.

Chapters will be posted on Saturdays and Tuesdays.  Many thanks to my beta, @stupidsatsuma

Rated: Explicit, for eventual smut

@doctorroseprompts

AO3  |  Masterlist

—

Sunday, cont’d

“It’s absolutely gorgeous here,” Rose murmured as they strolled the gardens.  “So different from the hustle and bustle of London.  The rolling green hills, mountains in the distance.  I thought my parents’ house was out of the way, but this…”

“I’m glad you like it,” he said, with perhaps a touch of smugness.  “I’ve always loved it up here, the wide open spaces, the lack of people…  It’s been a long time.”

“Why?”

Malcolm gave her a wry smile.  “Missy.  I thought…  I was afraid that I’d come up here and just… drown in the memories.  That I’d look around every corner and see the ghost of the past.”

Rose nodded, biting back a sigh.  I should’ve known.  “Well, if there’s anything I can do to help…”  She realized the danger in that only when she finished speaking.  Yeah, sorry, that doesn’t mean a shag.  If we were strangers in a pub and you wanted to fuck me to forget your ex, I’d probably say yes.  But here, now, as us?  Not bloody likely.

“I said I was afraid that would happen.  But, thankfully, it hasn’t.  I don’t see the past, I just see… the future.  My future.”  He turned shining eyes on her, and her heart leapt in hope.

Still, she tried to deflect with a joke.  “Sheepherding?”

“Aye,” he went along with it after a beat, eyes crinkling slightly as he stared at her.  “I’ve always suspected that was my true calling, but never wanted to face facts.  How did you know?”

She laughed, shaking her head.  “You’re kidding, right?”

“Of course,” he grinned, using their entwined elbows to pull her into his side.  “Can you imagine?  Me, whistling at dogs all day?  Walking through muck?  It’s an honest living, but I’m not the man for it.”

“Good to know, because if it was, that should’ve been a conversation before the vows.”

“There’s probably a few conversations we should’ve had before the vows,” Malcolm murmured, and she glanced up to find him staring at the ground.  “But, here we are.”

Rose’s brow furrowed, wondering what he meant.  “Don’t tell me there’s another Mrs. Tucker, this one locked in the attic,” she ventured.

He laughed and looked up, any evidence of his previous pensiveness gone.  “If there is, it’s news to both of us,” he teased.  “No, no, no one else.”

“All right, but let me know if you’ve got your eye on someone to take my place,” she warned, not entirely joking.  “I need proper notice.”

“No need,” he didn’t hesitate, “there’s just you.  Only you.  And that’s not going to change.”

She didn’t know how to reply to that, so they lapsed into silence as they strolled the grounds.  The sun was starting to sink, the visitors slowly making their way to the exit, and she wondered what, in fact, the future did hold for them.

Only time will tell.

I always hated that saying.

-

Jack met them at the door when they returned from their walk, smiling brightly.  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Very,” Rose agreed as they stopped in front of him, subtly untwining her arm from Malcom’s; to her slight surprise, he allowed it, but only to skate his fingers down her forearm to her hand, lacing them together.  It was hardly an unwelcome touch, except now she was blushing for no reason in front of his cousin.  “Do you get much time to admire it?  Take in the sunset?”

“I’m more likely to see the sun rise,” Jack said with a bawdy wink.  “No, seriously, I’m usually up before dawn to get the day started around here, but I see the sunset on occasion.  When Yan has a day off on a clear evening, we’ll go out in the boat and watch from the water.  If you get the chance while you’re here, you should.  It’s tres romantic.”

Malcolm gave a slight groan.  “Well, we might’ve before you admitted to a romp in it,” he complained.  “You’re incorrigible.”

His cousin just shrugged, still grinning.  “But always satisfied.  Can you say the same?”  He scanned Rose, gaze lingering just shy of making her uncomfortable.  “Maybe so.”

“Don’t talk about her like that,” Malcolm said sharply, stiffening next to her.  “She’s still the-”

“Malcolm,” Rose interrupted quietly, squeezing his hand, “don’t.  He’s just joking around.  Right?” she sent Jack a pointed look.

Thankfully, he was as bright as he was pretty, quickly nodding along.  “I just meant that you look happy.”

Still looking as though his feathers were ruffled, Malcolm gave a sharp nod and a sigh.  “Fine.  Were you waiting for us for a reason?”

“Uh, yes,” he jumped tracks relatively smoothly, “I thought you might want to check in with Gwen, introduce her to Ro- Lady Gallifrey, that sort of thing.  She’s got a few minutes right now.”

“Yes, let’s.”

-

“Well, another fabulous meal,” Rose grinned as they left the dining room.  “Why doesn’t Ianto- that’s his name, right?- open his own restaurant?”

“He, uh, started as a footman,” Malcolm, replied, distracted, as he tried to decide where to go now.  “Fell into the cooking when the position opened up.  I’m reasonably certain he stayed for Jack- he was always talking about moving on before they got involved.  Hasn’t mentioned it in years, now.”  The last time we had a drink in the library, we ended up in bed.  I don’t want her to think I’m propositioning her, but that’s been our routine since she moved in and I like it.  “Not sure I understand that, staying in a job you’ve outgrown for love.”

“I do,” Rose muttered, and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.  “Some things are worth staying for,” she added a little louder.  “Why are we standing in the hallway?”

“Wasn’t sure where to go,” he decided to be honest, glancing at her.  “I can give you more of a tour, we can turn in early, have a drink…  Watch a movie?”

Her lips quirked up, and she arched an eyebrow.  “I presume there’s a drink cart in the library, same as at home?”

He nodded, unable to speak, too overcome with joy at her calling the townhouse ‘home’ already.

“Then, shall we?”

-

Deep in the throes of déjà vu, he purposely turned his back on her as they entered, heading right for the cart to fix their drinks.  “Scotch, or something else?  I’ve got a full cart here- you’d think they were expecting the queen.”

“The usual is fine,” she said easily, and he turned to find her browsing the bookshelves.  “Honestly, I don’t understand how you can bear not living here full time.  This place is amazing.”

“Thanks.”  Joining her, he handed over her glass.  “I love it, it’s a good respite from the real world, but… London is my home.  I treasure my time here more when it’s fleeting.”  Taking a sip, he sighed, confiding, “I always thought I’d bring my family up here, like I came as a child.  Obviously that didn’t work out for several reasons, but… the could-have-beens and never-weres haunt me, sometimes.  Makes it hard to enjoy the here-and-now.”

“I know what you mean.”  Rose turned to him, putting a gentle hand on his arm, bright and kind eyes smiling at him.  “But you can’t get lost in it, otherwise you’ll miss what’s happening right in front of you.”

In truth, he knew what was happening right in front of him, and it scared the living daylights out of him.  He knew in his bones if he kissed her she would reciprocate, would even let him have her against this very bookcase.  The idea was equal parts terrifying and intoxicating, and he wrestled with himself.  “I want…”

“Yes?”

He closed his eyes, lowering his forehead to her.  “I want to be happy,” he whispered, as if saying it louder would void the wish.  “I want someone to love me the way I love them, with everything that they are, someone who would just… be there for me, and I could be there for her, and we could just dive into it together.  Partners, in every sense. Soulmates.  But… it has to be even.  They have to be as present and committed as I am, because I’ve done that before, over and over, gave too much of myself and got too little in return.  Am I asking too much?”

“No, you’re not,” Rose replied.  Her voice was soft and warm, and a braver man would say it was full of love.  “You’re not.  And the fact that no one has lived up to that yet doesn’t mean no one will.  Maybe… maybe you’re just looking in the wrong place.”  As close as they were he felt her breath puff against his lips, could hear the shake in it.  “Maybe you just need to open your eyes.”

He did, unable to resist her, to deny her siren song.  Their eyes met, and for the first time, his heart dared to believe that she might actually, possibly, miraculously feel the same.  “Rose-”

“Oh, God,” she suddenly gagged, eyes widening in horror.  “Loo?” She broke away, running out into the hall, and he chased her, directing her into the first bathroom they came across; she slammed the door in his face, and only seconds later, the unmistakable sounds of someone being sick filtered through to him.

“Well, that’s auspicious,” he grumbled to himself, fishing out his mobile; in the 21st century, it was easier to ring the maid that way.  “Rose, you all right?”

Another retch was his answer, and he shook his head.

“Fan-fucking-tastic.”

-

Padding out of the loo still tying the waistband on his sleep pants, Malcolm yawned.  Killing the last light he climbed into bed, gingerly shifting around in a vain attempt to not disturb Rose.

“I’m sorry I was sick,” she mumbled in a small voice, and he glanced over at her back in surprise, having thought she was already out.

“Don’t be.  I’m sorry.  I completely forgot to tell Ianto about the raspberries, didn't even notice them.  Are you sure you’re alright?”

Shuffling came from the other side of the bed, and a moment later, he saw the faint glint of her eye.  “It’s all right, I forget half the time too, it’s so rarely an issue.  But I’m okay, really.”

“Good.”  Not quite satisfied but willing to take her word for it, he stretched out on his side facing her.  “I hate to think this is how you spend your first night in Scotland.”

“I’ll say you got me drunk,” she replied, voice soft and somewhat woozy.  “And the high altitude affected me.”

“It’s not that different,” he laughed softly, reaching out to brush a loose strand of hair from her face.  “Not enough to be noticeable.”

Rose just sighed, snuggling a little closer.  “Thank you for taking care of me.”

His heart melted, and he tentatively laid his arm over her hip, relaxing when she only moved closer still.  “You’re my wife.”  The words, the very idea still felt strange and unreal, even though it had now been ten days.  He wondered, vaguely, if it would ever feel real, and not just a dream.  “I’d do anything for you.”

“Ditto,” she mumbled.  “Par’ners.”  She let out a soft snore, almost out, before saying one last thing- it was hard to hear, and he wasn’t sure, but she was fully asleep before his heart could restart, let alone his brain direct words out of his mouth to ask her to repeat it.

Though he spent the next hour wide awake convincing himself it was a final thank you, the treacherous, greedy bastard living in his chest was bold enough to argue back what he really wanted her to have said.

Love you.

“I love you too,” he breathed.

He fell asleep smiling.

[anchored-in-high-tide]

Evermore

Rating: General Audience

Fandom/Pairing: Sherlock (TV)/Johnlock

Chapters: 1/1

Words: 2068

Tags: Fluff, Post-Canon, Sherlock x Disney, Beauty and the Beast (2017), Oblivious John, Pining Sherlock, Parentlock, Rosie wants to be a princess, Sherlock sings, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers

Inspired by the song: Evermore from Beauty and the Beast (2017)

He will tell him today, John decides as he carries the groceries back to their flat. Rosie will start school in a couple of weeks. It’s high time she gets her own room, to invite friends, to do homework, to have a place she doesn’t have to share with her father. Sherlock will surely understand that, won’t he? Yes, John will tell him today that he and Rosie will move out.

Maybe Sherlock already figured it out by himself. He has been a little quieter lately, has even declined some of Lestrade’s—according to Sherlock, absolutely boring—cases to spend more time with Rosie. Maybe he already knows and is just waiting for my final verdict.

That this arrangement had even worked for the past five years was a miracle, after all; Working on murder cases with a toddler on one’s arm was—a challenge, to say the least. In all those years following John and Rosie’s rather rash return to 221B Baker Street, neither John nor Sherlock have dared to talk about its implications for the future. They have simply enjoyed each other’s company, watched Rosie grow into a brilliant, funny girl, lived in the moment—because both know that those bits of happiness vanish faster than you can blink. You need to hold on to them as long as you can. The future will arrive soon enough and spoil all your plans.

And things have been fine, great really. Sherlock adores Rosie and the little girl, in return, is obsessed with her “Sher” that lets her ride on his shoulders and teaches her about bees and stars and disembowelment (if John doesn’t watch him very carefully).

John’s lips hurt a little as he smiles melancholically. Yes, they have had five good years. But even good things have to end sooner or later. Probably, Sherlock will even be glad to finally have his flat back, to experiment in the kitchen again and play the violin at all times of the night.

John just has to get it over with. It won’t be that bad. It’s not like they won’t spend time together anymore. He’ll make sure to find a place as close by as possible so that Sherlock can see Rosie whenever he pleases. He can’t separate them, not after everything Sherlock has done for them.

It has taken John longer than he cares to admit adjusting to his life as a widower, to cope with all the traumas and terror he has lived through. He couldn’t have done it without Sherlock—his help with Rosie, his friendship, his companionship. By now, he is factually Rosie’s second parent. John doesn’t want to break their bond. It would devastate all three of them.

But they can’t keep on living in denial about the lack of space for a rapidly growing child. They have to find a new place, to move on. They can make that work. They always have.

As he unlocks the front door and steps into the familiar hall, John can already hear the music floating down the staircase from their flat. He tries to remember the last time it has been quiet when he came home. Will there still be music in their new flat? Will the songs still sound the same without Sherlock?

John shakes his head determinedly, hoping that his painful thoughts would just fall off. He isn’t prone to sentimentality but having to leave Sherlock for a second time is bound to be an emotional train wreck, at least for him. Who knows what’s going on in that funny head of Sherlock’s? He wouldn't care, now, would he?

Following the soaring melody, John climbs up the stairs, trying to identify the tune. It’s either something from Frozen or Beauty and the Beast, probably.

Rosie is in the middle of her princess phase, ever since she has seen her first Disney movie. For the past weeks and months, she has barely talked about anything else than her favourites—Belle, Elsa, Moana, Cinderella, … She insists on watching the same films over and over again whenever John and Sherlock allow her some telly-time. The rest of her days, she spends reenacting her favourite scenes, soundtrack included. John can (more or less proudly) claim to know the lyrics to Let It Go even in his sleep by now.

At first, John was utterly horrified when his daughter for the first time expressed interest for something as far removed from science as possible, especially fearing that Sherlock might make some snarky comments about romantized and outdated gender roles, but, to John’s surprise and amusement, he has supported Rosie in her royal extravaganza with as much enthusiasm and diligence as he usually displays on a crime scene. He even convinced Mycroft to buy her a yellow gown—“Just like Belle’s! Thank you, Uncle Myc”—for her birthday. John has never seen anything funnier than Mycroft Holmes, the personification of the British Government, bowing to her majesty Rosie the First and graciously accepting her invitation to tea.

As he is half-way up the stairs, the music ebbs away and he hears Rosie’s high, demanding voice: “Now sing your song, Sher!” Her talent for bossing people around would do a real princess honour.

“As you wish, your majesty,” responds Sherlock’s silky baritone. He has never been one for strict parenting, John thinks as another melody begins. He would spoil Rosie rotten if John didn’t interfere, his heart being simply unable to deny her anything.

The lump in his throat grows with every step, the grocery bag weighing him down as if it were filled with lead instead of apples, toast, and beans. He will miss all of this. But what other choice is there really?

In the sitting room, only a few meters away now, Sherlock’s voice begins to sing a song John recognizes from Beauty and the Beast, the live-action version which Rosie has been only allowed to watch a couple of nights ago. She was a little scared of the howling wolves but the Beast won a special place in her heart right away. John must admit that he, too, enjoyed that particular film. Well, they can still have movie nights at their new place.

He mounts the last few steps, stopping on the landing to listen to Sherlock, the words now easily distinguishable:

“I was the one who had it all, I was the master of my fate. I never needed anybody in my life. I learned the truth too late.”

The fervency he lays into the lyrics makes John’s insides tingle. He has heard Sherlock sing to Rosie before but nothing has come close to this level of… honesty? The words drip from his tongue as fresh and true as spring water and make John hold his breath almost devoutly, a clandestine listener to a secret symphony.

With utmost caution as to not disturb them, John opens the door to the sitting room and peaks inside. The scene before his eyes is one to thaw even the coldest of hearts: Rosie, a head full of golden locks and mischief, is standing on the couch, her light blue dress playing around her bare feet as she bounces up and down in excitement. Sherlock’s slender figure is towering over her, the blanket the three of them cuddle under on cold nights draped around his shoulders as a makeshift cape. With melodramatic gestures and skillful vibrato in his honey-like voice, he entertains the little girl:

“I'll never shake away the pain. I close my eyes but he's still there. I let him steal into my melancholy heart; It's more than I can bear.”

John stops short in the doorway. He? Him? That can’t be right. As far as he remembers, the Beast sings this song about Belle. Why would he use male pronouns? Or has he misheard?

He eyes Sherlock carefully but the singing detective doesn’t show any signs of flustering, nor does Rosie correct him. Surely, John has misheard then. When it comes to reciting Disney songs, Rosie is more than unforgiving when someone makes a mistake. Unfortunately, she has picked up Sherlock’s habit to correct everyone on everything, although not with the same air of smugness as her godfather.

“Now I know he'll never leave me. Even as he runs away. He will still torment me, Calm me, hurt me, Move me, come what may.”

There it is again. He! John is sure he has heard it right this time. The syllable rings in his ears, echoes in his chest, lets every sinew in his body vibrate with alarming anticipation. He can’t move. Glued to the spot, he just keeps watching the two most important people in his life, both completely immersed in their little show. Rosie giggles satisfied as Sherlock kneels down in front of the sofa in an overly dramatic fashion, clutching his heart with one hand.

“Wasting in my lonely tower, Waiting by an open door, I'll fool myself, he'll walk right in And be with me for evermore.”

The deep note makes goosebumps spread all over John’s body. Deep inside his bones, something is shifting, falling into place, but he can’t quite put his finger on it. Why does this performance move him so much? It is heartwarming to watch, sure, but there’s something more, something significant going on. His breathing speeds up a notch without him being able to do anything about it. His whole body has become oddly rigid, no longer accepting orders from his mind. The bag full of groceries slips from his hand and lands on the floor with a thunk that makes Sherlock, at last, aware of his existence.

For a split second, their eyes meet and the hint of a coy smile tugs at Sherlock’s mouth but it vanishes so quickly that John is not quite sure if he has seen it at all. Rosie wins back his attention at once. Sherlock rises and swoops her off the sofa in one smooth movement, whirling her around in a pirouette that makes her squeal with laughter.

“I rage against the trials of love. I curse the fading of the light. Though he's already flown so far beyond my reach he's never out of sight.”

Rosie wraps her legs and arms around his body like a little spider monkey, Sherlock securing her with strong arms as he keeps spinning them around. He lets his head fall back and sings at full volume as they twirl on the worn-out carpet, his voice saturating the air with its enchanting timbre. Every single word hits John like a wrecking ball.

“Now I know he'll never leave me, Even as he fades from view. He will still inspire me, Be a part of everything I do. Wasting in my lonely tower Waiting by an open door—”

Sherlock’s eager eyes fix on John and a hint of sadness and something apologetic flit across his face as he halts in the middle of the sitting room, the few steps between them, the safe distance they had kept all these years, this unsurmountable abyss finally being bridged by a delicate construct of wavering words.

John burns up under his gaze and is yet unable to divert his own eyes from the face of the man he shares his life with. Why would he ever give this up? Why would he ever let anything as mundane as a missing bedroom rip Sherlock from his side again? He can’t leave him, he doesn’t want to, he has never wanted to, since the first day they met. The realization crushes him like an avalanche, breaking bones and convictions like brittle twigs.

“I'll fool myself, he'll walk right in. And as the long, long nights begin, I'll think of all that might have been—”

Sherlock knows. How could he not? Sherlock knows how John feels about him. And if the pleading look he gives John and the confession he has woven into the song are any indicators, he feels the same. It couldn’t be clearer. John lets out a disbelieving puff of air—half laughter, half sigh. Why has it taken him so long to see it?

“Waiting here for evermore.”

The last note of the song hangs unfinished under the ceiling of their home as John crosses the sitting room with three swift steps, takes Sherlock’s face in his hands, and shuts him up with a long overdue kiss.

@itsalwaysyou-jw @drunk-rambles @barbsiebabe @blueeyesbitch @bugzy-boiz

[deehollowaywrites]

Title: Doomed to Fail: The Incredibly Loud History of Doom, Sludge, and Post-Metal

Author: J.J. Anselmi

Release: February 11, 2020

Genre: music, nonfiction, memoir

Order here!

When I first heard Metallica’s “Battery,” I knew I’d found the real shit, J.J. Anselmi’s newest states in an early chapter. The social alienation, the depression, the anger, and the preoccupation with death: it was the music I needed, right when I needed it. Similar stories abound in volumes like Jon Wiederhorn’s Raising Hell and a recent academic anthology of gender, sexuality, and heavy metal analyses; the typical pathway to extreme music, it seems, is youthful aggression, disaffection, or malaise. It’s not very cool to recall that your teen rage was tempered rather than catalyzed by religion. Even less cool to admit that if you are currently swimming in doom’s murk, you only took the chilly plunge because of boys and men. 

A few antecedents, then: The Minutemen. Captain Beefheart. Def Leppard. The Mars Volta. 

Edgy enough, weird enough, almost metallic enough, nearly harsh enough. It’s easy to see the slippery slope, to hear my mother’s voice in my head. If that’s what you want to spend your money on, she said of The Mars Volta’s full-length debut, I guess it’s your money. A year or so later, she would be interrogating me about certain media downloads to the family desktop--not because I was infringing copyright via poorly-labeled LimeWire files, but because the music was the sort that drove away the Holy Spirit (to be fair, Master of Puppets didn’t inspire any epiphanies). Mormons are very concerned with the Spirit’s presence. Movies and music are the fastest and most seductive shortcuts to becoming lost in a mire of worldliness, spiritual miasma, and sin. Interestingly, my mother was less perturbed by my weekly emails to a much-older dude I’d “met” on a geek forum, he of the curly beard and Captain Beefheart appreciation. For a suburban teenage girl reading SPIN in 2003, music in particular seemed a clear Point A to ineffable cool’s Point B, as evidenced by--although at the time I wouldn’t have phrased it thus--fuckability. Whiteboy music journalists, from Klosterman with his contrarian hair metal love to Azerrad deifying The Minutemen, had Ideas about what made rock music good. It was a trail of breadcrumbs that could be followed by anyone, so maybe I’d start off as me and end up as Brody Dalle. Of course, wanting to be punk is proof that you're destined to remain square, so the guy in the homemade Leftöver Crack t-shirt likewise stayed a mystery. Meanwhile, I made a fansite about The Mars Volta for my web design class, wrote an AP essay about why filesharing is good, actually, and counted the days ‘til graduation.

Euro-style power metal is romantic. Good make-out tunes. The fine art of getting into something that someone you fancy is into, well, that’s bog-standard for a huge swath of humanity and I’ve never been above it because I do like exploring new things. However, there’s a certain flavor of man who encourages women to listen to music he likes not out of genuine enthusiasm and desire to share, but because filling up a vessel with water from your spring means that you, yourself, will never be thirsty. There’s no rearranging of boundaries necessary for the recommender, no exchange of gifts, no call to reassess your favorites in light of new information. Where things get hairy is when women take what is conferred and make it their own. The vaguely fringe music that had already primed my eardrums led away from flourish-laden prog and high-camp power metal, into weirder and uglier places my boyfriend at the time had no interest in traversing. It stings a bit to realize that your heart is big enough to hold all the loves that comprise the person you love, that your desire is malleable and open, and that they have always been enough by themselves, fully-formed, unswerving as a highway through the desert. It hurts to hear that you’re not doing the thing (metal or comics or horse racing) in the way that was shown you, properly. This might be when the rage starts to seep back in, poisoning the spring. But solo concert-going is only lonely until you make it past the venue’s threshold. After that, the Spirit is always with you.

Myself, I’ve seldom found the divine in places it was supposed to inhabit.

The thing about The Mars Volta that embedded itself in my ribcage seventeen years ago wasn’t their tight jeans: it was how they seemed to have misplaced all their fucks. Prior to Sacha Jenkins’ 2003 SPIN review, the ugliest thing I’d sought out of my own volition was an Anti-Flag album, a suitably edgy move in George W. Bush’s America. Deloused in the Comatorium did not care if you understood what it was going for; an impetus existed behind the unexpected time signatures, dog-bothering vocals, and salsa moves that was alluring in its opacity and bloody-mindedness. A bunch of weirdos recorded a fuck-you in album format because they wanted to. Atmosphere, emotion, tension could all be far more important to a song than melody or lyrics. Listenable was up for debate. Art formed its own excuse. In this way, although the two groups couldn’t be further apart sonically, my heart was made ready for Katatonia. Then Oceans of Slumber. Torche. Black Castle, Thou, Bell Witch, Cult of Luna, on and on, an endless sinkhole opening up. 

A great and appealing contrast of doom metal lies in the apparent dumbassery of its sound. This is broadly true of all metal, of course; Coal Chamber or Megadeth, Black Sabbath or Pantera, metal was music for drop-outs, stoners, school shooters… the purview not only of miscreants, but of boys and stupid boys at that. Punk seemed the smarter option, if you had anger issues, had heard of feminism, or tended toward hobbies like trying to form a Young Democratic Socialists chapter at your school. For older me, trying to rewrite a religious mind into a liberal and cosmopolitan one, prog metal was defensibly slick and impressive, while power metal seemed less openly hateful toward women. All the while, doom lurked beneath layers of nay-saying. Adult men I’ve known, talented guitarists with good ears and smart hands, have sneered at all the seeming lack populating the slower subgenres--lack of beauty, skill, or even aggression in its most recognizable and masculine forms. Yet, for a listener whose favorite pastime is intellectualizing everything in sight, doom is the other side of the sun. 

I don’t… really… understand what a tritone is. I know it’s important, and I could do a bad approximation of the opening of “Black Sabbath,” but definitionally I’m at a loss. Often I have no idea which instrument is making the sound that I like. I don’t know anything about music theory or how to talk with authority about what makes music good, important, or even what differentiates music from other sounds. Maybe a drone metal track is a collection of sounds, rather than a song? My Dream Theater-enthusiast ex figured since I was a nebbishy bespectacled geek, prog would be all I needed. The thinking man’s metal! No one has ever felt threatened by Steven Wilson. You can remain Smart™ while listening to assorted finger-wanky Europeans. In contrast, kicking it with a Texas weed-cult at the skatepark is stupid. Obviously, every genre of metal contains its geniuses, and one of doom’s most lovable qualities is how often unquestionable finesse arrives wrapped in brutal, bizarre, counterintuitive paper. But beyond the plausible deniability of technique and philosophy found in groups like Neurosis is something even more compelling. Sometimes, it just fucking sounds cool.

It sounds like that because someone did it intentionally, gleefully. I wrote a novel like that because I liked how it looked, sounded, felt.

One of the birthrights of normative (white, cis, straight, abled) masculinity is feeling. If you turn out queer, or are socialized as female, or live with the massed connotations of a racist culture written over your skin, overt and violent emotion may be anathema. The power of accessing a fully human emotional spectrum for the first time should not be underrated. The doom bands I grew into loving, independent of the people closest to me who putatively liked similar music, are into feelings. Even, or maybe especially, the ones authority figures wish you didn’t have (and those aren’t always the bad ones. Authority hates it even more if you feel good). If there’s a thing Mormons don’t countenance, it’s feeling bad things and informing people of them, or feeling the wrong good things. Doubt is a big no-no. It’s always better to feel shame when possible. If the Spirit isn’t telling you what you know it should, it’s on you for not listening enough, praying enough, being enough. If the Spirit’s voice isn’t soft and gentle, if it instead materializes in the best growl this side of Obituary, well, Satan quotes scripture too. Meanwhile, doubt--lack of clarity, spiritual and emotional murkiness, bone-deep ambivalence--is doom’s molten heart. Meanwhile, shame--at the self’s fondled hatreds, as C.S. Lewis has it, for things desired and things questioned--is shunned by doomsayers.

The body experiences advance warning. Fury, fear, arousal. Sure, I attribute my openness toward weird music to frustrated teen lust. Sure, I owe Roy Khan and Tony Kakko for first love and redrawn horizons. When fire dies, what’s left is not absence but ash, fertile and generative. Doomed to Fail recognizes that continual plumbing and revolving in uncertainty for its beauty and possibility. Whatever formed my rage and love, those two sides of the same forbidden coin, they belong to me now. 

[light-of-valentia]

matchup trade with edelgoth

 @edelgoth​ here are your matchups boo!! I have never done a written matchup before, though I have done them quite a lot in my head, so I hope these are good!!! -admin belle

I did two romantic matchups, one romantic/platonic, and I left a list of potential platonic matchups to follow!

matchup under the cut because I use a lot of words and I don’t wanna eat up dashboards

#1-  Mercedes

At first I was sort of questioning on if this would be ideal, but with the more I have thought about this, the more passionate I am about this pairing

You said you wanted someone who is open-minded and genuinely caring who wants to see the world become a better place, and I would struggle to think of anyone better to do this with than Mercie!

Though I did consider Claude for this as well, I ended up choosing Mercedes for #1 because I think that she would be better at consistently giving you the validation and affection that you desire

Not that Claude would not be affectionate as well, but I think that the stronger caring aura that she has would sit better with you

Both of you are open-minded and thoughtful, and you would be able to give e/o the same level of care and attention that you give out to other people

That's positive karma baby!!! you both deserve a lot for what you do for other people, and your philanthropic personalities would be a strong force together

I feel like in a relationship, both you and Mercedes would need someone who is willing and most importantly wants to give back the same level of appreciation and effort that you/she puts in, and you both would far surpass this standard for each other

I also really like here that you each take a different approach to what you do

Mercedes deals more in the emotional side of taking care of people, whereas you take the more insightful and analytical route

This sort of “similar yet different” style of partnership works really well since you have enough in common to form a partnership, but your differing skills would compensate for what the other lacks in

You each care in different ways, but it's clear that both you and Mercie share a common goal of making the world a better place and helping people out

You would be such a sweet, caring, and cheerful couple, and even without doing any sort of philanthropic work, just your presence would be enough to potentially change people’s lives for the better

Your wit and intellect would provide a healthy contrast to Mercedes' constant benevolence and optimism, and she would be able to help you ground yourself when you are catastrophizing and anxious

To compliment that, you would be able to help her set her fear of disappointing others aside and make hard choices when she needs to

Mercedes isn't necessarily as scholarly as Annette and Linhardt (though she did enjoy her time at the Royal Academy of Magic), but she still values her education, and she would enjoy listening to you talk about the things you are interested in and she would enjoy learning from you

Both of you are very patient, and it would provide a relaxing and calm atmosphere

Though, a problem could be presented if you are both too patient- neither of you alone likes to make difficult decisions and risk hurting or disappointing others, but i think that this would be easier to do if you worked together

Magic and fantastical stories!! i could really see you both taking evening dates and telling each other stories, and she would highly appreciate your creativity and encourage your passion for what you do

If you like writing paranormal and ghost stories, she’d love it even more!! She loves spooky stories and an air of fantastical mystery

Career-wise, your interests in anthropology and sociolinguistics combined with her desire to serve and help people would make a dynamic duo

Your understanding of human history and nature would provide a wealth of foundation for her to understand where people come to her from, emotionally and culturally, and the outcome of your combined careers would be stellar!

If you guys got together, I would struggle seeing an outcome where you kept your careers separate- the chemistry you have together concerning your desires for life and the word around you are too magnetic too keep apart

Mercedes would be very welcoming and accepting of your sensitivity and anxiety; she always knows what to say if you're down, and she wouldn't have to tread carefully to avoid offending or hurting you

Awareness of people's sensitivities and how to build healthy relationships without prying at them is second nature to her

Reading people and responding to them to meet them where they are is maybe one of her favorite things to do in life, and doing this with you would bring her a good sense of worth in life

Mercedes has a few opinions of her own, but she is generally soft-spoken and passive, and would be a great listener for when you talk about your opinions

She is very open-minded, and i’d argue that she doesn’t have a single judgemental bone in her body (well, except maybe against uptight nobles cough cough LORENZ)

I wouldn’t call her an agent of chaos, but I think that Mercedes really can appreciate the craziness of life the way that you do, and that she would be great at laughing the silly little things off with you

She has a wonderful knack for appreciating and accepting the world as it is, and I think that this would bring you a lot of peace when you start to over-complicate things mentally, as she would be able to ground you

She would ADORE your curiosity and interest in learning everything that you can, and she would aspire to be this way herself

She spent so much of her life simply trying to survive, especially after fleeing the empire and regretting leaving Emile behind, and having someone around her who is trying to thrive would be invigorating for her

MBTI-wise, this would be a “golden pair”, as IXFJ and XNTP are often listed as being such, especially IXFJ and ENTP, which if I had to type you by your description to me, I’d put you as ENTP over INTP, with an Fi/Fe subtype

The creativity that comes with your Ne would be very well recieved by Mercedes’ Fe, as she would be the perfect listener for everything you have to say, and she would be super interested in it as well!

Though she does use Ti as her tool function, she would be constantly amazed by how you use it so fluently

Her Ti tertiary tool would be able to appreciate your dominant/auxiliary Ti, without encouraging it to the point where you overwhelm yourself

In conclusion, I see you and Mercedes both as a sweet and soft couple but also with the subtleties of a power couple, and I think you would enjoy a long and happy relationship with each other!

2. Claude

As previously mentioned, I still view Mercedes as a more ideal match for you, but I think that you and Claude would have good chemistry as well

He has a lot of that humanistic personality that Mercedes has, but his is far more subtle and jaded from his history

Mainly, this jaded aspect comes from how he was treated in his childhood, although he doesn’t discuss it with just anyone, as one of those effects from being bullied as a kid is him having some serious trust issues

Pre-timeskip Claude would be a struggle in a romantic relationship, as his Fe isn’t very well developed and based on your profile, I think a partner with developed Fe is something you need

Post-timeskip, however, this problem would be eliminated, as by then, his Fe has very clearly developed a lot more (though it is still flawed), as demonstrated with his love-hate relationship for humanity in his A support; he hates the way that people choose to be discriminatory and mean towards each other, but he also sees the possibility for redemption and he has a genuine desire to work harmony back into the world

Some of his interactions with characters such as Cyril and occasionally Hilda show that his Fe even post-timeskip isn’t quite fully developed, but he does value the function, thus displaying a necessary element for compatibility

xNTP-ENTP couples do work out really well, but obviously, some compromises have to be made

Mainly in regards to extraversion/making sure everyone gets to talk enough, and taking care of real-world responsibilities like housework and chores

Both of you are incredibly passionate about what you do, and this would sit well with the other

I struggle to imagine Claude in the long-run with anyone who doesn’t hold a sort of fire in their heart

Your intense curiosity and desire to learn would match his own really well, and I could see you guys doing long dates where you take the full day to sit down in the library and dissect some idea that you had

Your interest in anthropology and sociolinguistics might be one of the best parts of this match! His life goal is to create a more united world, and your wealth of knowledge about history and culture would make having you around an invaluable asset for him

Just like he does with Byleth in the game, he’ll probably pick you up at first for your usefulness, but then he’ll slowly start to actually trust you and he’ll find himself desiring a relationship with you

Both of you would be the king and queen of meme, and it’d be a wonderful sight to anyone around you

Your interactions when you’re memeing would be absolutely off the shits, and your absurdist senses of humor setting off sparks with each other would be legendary to behold

He would adore these interactions with you, and the memories he has of them would be a treasure he keeps close

He can’t stand super uptight people, and you’re fairly laid-back yourself, so this is perfect in this sense

You both have a good sense of when it’s the right time to be carefree and when it’s the right time to take note, though

Although this ratio may seem more skewed towards the laid-back aspect in the perception of people like Lorenz and Lysithea, for you two, it’d be perfect

Normally with an ExxP/ExxP couple, I worry a lot about communication, but I think you two would be better off than most in this aspect

The fact that you have an extraverted side but are also a good listener is the saving grace here

Claude is a listener as well, but more often than not, he has something running in the back of his mind, so while he would be a good listener, he may not be as attentive as you’d like

He would feel bad about this, but as hard as he tries to always listen to you, sometimes he can’t help but letting his mind float back to whatever scheme he’s been plotting

If you’re ok with this, though, the road will be less bumpy- he might even appreciate it if your own mind drifts when he’s talking to you, as he would feel less guilty that way

He would try his best to help you when you are catastrophizing, but it would be a mixed bag of skittles for him

On the positive, he overthinks a lot himself, so he fully understands how you got to where you are

On the negative, he isn’t a very emotional person himself, so he has seldom reached catastrophization himself, so he doesn’t really know the best ways to handle it

He eventually learns what works and what doesn’t, but at first, it’s gonna be the effort that counts

Both of you are giant nerds and this would work rather well

He would love roleplaying and playing games with you given the free time, and you’d always be recommending books to each other to read

As for your sensitivity, Claude may not be the best at handling that, but he certainly tries

He’s generally pretty good at reading people, but with what upsets you, you may have to tell him a bit more directly for him to really understand so that he can avoid it

Claude would, though, be a boo in that he’d make you feel like the queen of the whole damned world

Insecurity??? Nah, you’re too cute/smart/amazing for that

He just loves to shower you in teases and he’d tell you every day that he loves you

If you want a flirt and a himbo, congrats you’ve found one

One other thing that makes me less confident about this pairing than the former is that Claude is a bit more free-spirited than you

He would do his best to anchor himself to you, but it’d be difficult to satisfy his wanderlust if you dislike travel- he doesn’t want to leave you, and he hates making you feel bad

To conclude, I think this has a lot of powerful potential, but it also has a few potential holes that make it somewhat less ideal

He needs someone that can teach him to value his own emotions and not just look at what everyone else wants, and I don’t know if you’d be able to reach him on that

3. Dorothea

Both of you have a lot of opinions, but you’re both careful about sharing them

I could see her as your kickass partner in crime

I am less passionate about this pairing than I am with your matches with Mercie and Claude, but I still think this has a lot of potential as well

Yyou would be able to teach the other how to appreciate the other!!

Lots of "you're pretty/no you" style interactions

Idk how else to explain this but your vibes synergize well???? Like both of you are very humanistic, but you're a bit more open and direct in your approach with it than she is

Both of you are highly creative but in different ways and this would work well

I think she would be like a muse figure for you and vice versa!

Both of you are into classical arts, which is grounds for a lot of fun dates and fun times

I can envision a lot of museum and opera dates

 and painting dates

 Y'all would just have so much fun being creative together

You both have a preppy side, but you'd be the nerd of the two, and she would poke playful fun at you whilst harboring an interest in everything you have to say

Both of you are very thoughtful and you'd find satisfaction in having someone who reciprocates the amount of effort you put into the relationship

Both of you have an enjoyment of fashion, and i could see you both having a fun time picking each other's outfits out and doing the other's hair and makeup

She would really like to flirt with you to try and get a reaction out of you

She would HIGHLY appreciate that you try hard to be an open-minded and understanding person

She wishes she had more of those in her life before she met you

Y'all would be such meme queens like...everyone else would label you guys as goals in terms of keeping a healthy air of humor around you

She is just so doting and passionate with you and she would try so hard every day to melt away your insecurities and worries

As a couple you guys have SO much chemistry; like once you guys sit down for tea and start talking, you find yourselves talking for hours, and Dorothea would fall more in love with your intellect and wealth of knowledge each day

The reason I still put this as lower than Claude and Mercedes is because I feel like it might be more one-sided, with Dorothea more attracted to you than you might be to her

I feel like she would be able to help you with your anxiety in a different way than Mercedes

Like she has gone through a lot of similar stuff with her past in its relationship to her self-esteem, and you'd both have a lot to learn from e/o here

This would work either romantically or platonically

For friendships, I’d consider: Ashe, Annette, Hilda, Ignatz, Marianne, and Bernadetta!

Feel free ofc to respond to me with any thoughts/questions you have on this, and I hope you liked it!! Sorry to keep you waiting for so long- I wanted to ensure quality on this

[jeezusgut]

OTP Writing...

So, I might write another post about how shitty the Mon-el character is after this because I read two random people post defenses of his character, one of which was comparing how the fandom is unfair towards him but forgives other characters for the same supposed mistakes, but then again that would probably just be preaching to the choir, and, seemingly, those that love the character, for whatever reasons, probably won’t change their minds. Thus I am still undecided on that one, but for now here is a pseudo rant about writing. Enjoy.

Okay, so this has little to do with my distaste of the character and more with my complete bafflement of the writing on Supergirl. We, the audience, are told, and yes I am specifically saying told for a reason, that Kara and Mon-el are in love and supposed to be the main romantic relationship of the show. Ok, fine, but then why are they written so poorly and as though they are not the endgame of the show?Stick with me for a minute. Again not arguing for another ship, simply criticizing narrative choices of the writers. 

One of the basics of television writing, particularly when it comes to romantic pairings, is the “slow burn.” Virtually every program since the 90′s has had this as a writing trope, and it’s not just for romantic pairings. There is a reason why the villains have overly complicated plans that take an entire season to bear fruit. Just like, there is a reason why the couple everyone wants to get together takes at least a season, if not longer, to finally do so. Examples, off the top of my head without looking anything up, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Smallville (twice), House, Bones, The 100 (also twice), The Adventures of Lois and Clark, and the list goes on and on. Hell, just look at the rest of the shows in the Arrowverse: Barry & Iris took 1.5 to 2 seasons, Oliver & Felicity took 4 season, and there really isn’t an OTP in Legends but Sara and Leonard kind of had a thing in S1 and that still took a whole season to develop. Yet, Kara and Mon-el took, like what, 9 episodes to get together with little to no development between their characters or on a personal level.

Furthermore, television writers love their idiotic “love triangles” for drama, or, at the very least, they will include someone else as potential competition or to cause drama amid their favored pairing. Again, looking back at the examples above, every single character in one of the main couples on those shows at some point dated someone else while already being defined as an interest or potential for the other. That wasn’t the case for Kara and Mon-el, and no Eve doesn’t count because it was one date where Mon-el apparently just talked about Kara the whole time, so there obviously no real intent or interest there on his part. In fact, the SG writers specifically broke up Kara and James, the S1 male lead/love interest whose relationship with Kara was slowly developed throughout all of season 1 culminating in a date and potential for more, before Mon-el even really showed up. That is a weird choice on the writer’s part. I mean, wouldn’t it have made more sense and been a more “dramatic” story for Mon-el to be an obstacle that eventually supersedes James. 

As in, James and Kara are having trouble reconciling their romance with their new positions as boss and employee along with finding time with their superhero activities. Then comes along Mon-el who needs Kara’s time and attention as she is the one who best understands what it is like to find your world destroyed and you stranded on a whole new one with unimaginable abilities. And while things with James are becoming increasingly difficult, Mon-el is just easy. Sure, he’s a bumbling idiot who doesn’t understand Earth and its customs, but he’s trying. Plus, he shares the burden of carrying the memory of a civilization, even if it is not one he’s proud of, like Kara, and they bond over that. From there, you have the classic “love triangle” with two potentially beneficial choices for Kara: the human she has grown to love who holds the promise of a great future or the alien who has become her closest friend and confidante and holds the cherished memories of everything she’s lost. I mean that seems like the kind of drama that the writers claimed they wanted without making one of the characters a total shitbag. Instead, we got random arguments, incessant lying, narcissistic beliefs, constant put downs, and very few “cutesy” romantic moments.

Yes, Mon-el made her breakfast once and started drinking club soda, but that was about it. If memory serves, most of the moments that could even be considered romantic revolved around some tragic event or circumstance. Kara telling Mon-el that maybe he was enough for her was because she just got fired from her dream job. Oh, and she was already frustrated a week or so later and had to be rescued by Lena. Mon-el finally telling Kara the whole truth and confessing his love for her was because she, rightfully, broke up with him over his lies and wanted nothing further to do with him. Also, he broke into her apartment for the third time to do so which is really creepy. Them reconciling was because some random villain of the week forced Kara into an alternate world that required her to follow a preset system of rules and directions to get out to show her how wrong she supposedly was, and just how much she, supposedly, was in love with Mon-el. Kara’s confession of love came when Mon-el was being forced off the planet after the Daxamite invasion. That is the first time she says those words. Now, to be fair, couples on other shows, including the Arrowverse, also fight and disagree, but they also have basic, healthy interactions that outnumber said fights and disagreements that don’t revolve around tragedy and discord. And if they do they actually focus on the romantic relationship.

This brings me to the opener of Season 3. The episode begins with Kara having a dream/episode. In her dream/vision, she is walking in a field on Krypton. A few seconds in, Mon-el comes up behind her, and they kiss. Pretty straight forward scene. Makes sense, she misses her boyfriend and is still not over him. However, from there Kara breaks the kiss off and sees a figure in the distance. This figure is then revealed to be her mother, Alura, and Kara immediately walks over to her mother and embraces her fully with Mon-el being a blur in the background. So, the writers are tying Mon-el’s departure to the loss of family and home in Kara’s mind. That is a very strange narrative decision if your intent is to present Kara and Mon-el as the primary canon relationship. I mean, Barry and Oliver have also experience great tragedies. Barry lost both his parents because of his powers. Oliver has also lost friends and family due to his choice to be a vigilante. Yet, when both their respective love interests were harmed, attacked, or taken, there was no overlap or association with anything else. 

Oliver didn’t think of his father drowning or his mother being impaled with a sword or Tommy being crushed or any of the other loved ones and/or lovers he lost when he held Felicity in his arms after she was shot. She was the only thing on his mind during that time. Throughout all of Season 3, Barry never thought about his mother’s, father’s, or anyone else’s death as the shadow of Iris’s impending demise got closer and closer. Their loved ones were about to die and they only thought about them. On the other hand, Kara’s loss of Mon-el seems to be intrinsically tied to her loss of Krypton, and not just from the example given. Practically every time Kara delved into the loss of her boyfriend in the first episode of Season 3, it was either tied to Kara’s great loss or quickly moved passed.

When Kara finally begins to open up about her emotional state and allows herself to be somewhat vulnerable, she goes to J’onn. Yes, he is Space Dad, so it kind of makes sense that she would talk to him, but, once more, from a narrative standpoint it’s an odd choice. If Kara’s primary defect, for lack of a better term, is the loss of her love, particularly the fact that she feels responsible for it, then the obvious choice for her to speak to would be Lena, the only other character who has gone through something similar. Would it be difficult with the whole not knowing the Supergirl secret? Sure, but that would also open up the writing for potential humor amid the heavy topic. Instead, Kara goes to J’onn, the only other person in this world that shares the loss of family and civilization with Kara. Furthermore, their conversation revolves around the loss of family, not a romantic partner. J’onn mentions how he misses his daughters (not his wife or M’gann) after being prompted by Kara. And Kara discusses how she dreams of Mon-el being with her mother. Again, why write this dialogue and scene if you are supposedly trying to show how devastated Kara is about losing the, supposed, love of her life?

Then, we have the picture and phone scene. This is the second time that Mon-el becomes a blurry background for Kara when she “faces” prominent women in her life. In the opening dream, Kara goes to her mother while Mon-el becomes blurry in the background. In this scene, the pictures of Kara and Mon-el together become a background blur as she texts Lena, her best friend and new boss/partner (?). It’s also interesting to note that during the episode, Kara repeatedly states how she is going to only be Supergirl from now on to not face the emotional turmoil of losing Mon-el, and in two out of the three scenes where Mon-el is visible, he becomes a blur to make room for women in Kara’s life that have no knowledge or real connection to her Supergirl alter ego, but are prominent in Kara’s (Zor-el and Danvers) life.

So, is Karamel canon? Yeah. Will it remain so? Probably, and I say that mostly because the two lead actors are dating and not because the relationship is a high point of the show or anything. I suppose the fact that the pairing will remain canonical is what baffles and concerns me when it comes to the writing. Next episode has Psi, a powerful fear based villain, and I’m assuming Kara’s fear will somehow revolve around losing Mon-el, but if the writers once again tie that loss to the loss of Kara’s family and Krypton, I will just be even more confused. Because, honestly, at that point, the writers are just intentionally being obtuse or are just bad writers. And with the CW, it’s kind of hard to tell.

[sleepingfancies]

Wait, what do the spoilers say? How does Dany die? Is it complete BS?

Oh, everything about it is bad. What terrifies me most about these leaks is that while some of it is absolute bullshit and doesn’t make any sense, other parts… actually seem plausible. Making them the most dangerous, potentially true leaks I’ve read so far. I’m putting the fates of other characters besides Dany under the cut so you may read at your discretion, or not, if you choose. And because I have no self-restraint and desperately need to vent.

Dany: Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains, badass bitch of Westeros gets taken out by… drumroll… childbirth. Yep. You heard that right. Jon’s magic dick impregnates her and she winds up getting mutilated beyond repair in labor, because of course she does. So Varys takes pity on her and stabs her in the heart. Isn’t that just swell? Our wonderful Dany, our last Targaryen (let’s ignore Jon for a minute) dies via the biggest “gotcha” cliche women in medieval-based fantasy face. Oh, and post death? Her body is captured by Lannister soldiers and taken to King’s Landing to be strung up as crow fodder. And on top of that, Euron Greyjoy remarks on how she’s still fuckable even in death. A perfectly misogynistic way for the former figurehead of feminism in Game of Thrones to die. Because this is Douchebag&Dickhead, after all. Which concerns me, because this is absolutely something they’d do without book material to work off of.

NOTE!!!!: These spoilers have NOT, I repeat, NOT been proven true. They are simply the leaks I read most recently. Take these with a shot of vodka and pray they are proven fake.

Arya: This one is the most believable of all. In the very end, Arya finds Nymeria and swears off Westeros, and it is implied she returns to Braavos or another of the Free Cities, her last line being “Valar Morghulis.” It is also implied she survives and is out there being a Faceless Man, not Arya Stark of Winterfell. It’s a bit painful to imagine our little Arya has lost and seen so much she doesn’t want to be Arya anymore, but at least she finally has Nymeria.

Bran (RIP): Ah, everyone’s favorite Greenseer. Yeah, little ole’ Bran gets stabbed to death by White Walkers, Jojen style, after Meera sacrifices herself trying to save him. Fitting, right? Douchebag&Dickhead (admittedly, like the rest of us) couldn’t figure out what the hell Bran’s purpose was beyond telling Jon he’s Rhaegar and Lyanna’s son. So after that happens… well, just kill him, I guess. The kicker being that because this little shit dies and can’t warg into a dragon to save everyone else, they lose Winterfell! Again! So everyone has to retreat to the Vale or Dragonstone. Good job, Bran.

Sansa: Oh boy, this one. My homegirl Sansa eventually goes back to Winterfell and reigns as Queen in the North and Lady of the Vale (woot woot!)… beside Gendry. Record scratch, freeze frame – what? She marries Gendry? The only boy who made Arya go dewey-eyed?? Yep. According to these leaks, their “chemistry” begins in episode 4 of Season 8 (out of only 6 episodes in this season lmao) and results in them getting married, meaning they take over Storm’s End as well. Because naturally Sansa had to come full circle from marrying a supposed Baratheon who was actually a Lannister bastard, to marrying a supposed bastard who was actually a legitimate Baratheon. Apparently Douchebag&Dickhead may have totally forgotten characterization in favor of “cool twists” and “roundabout endings.”

Theon (RIP): After all that redemption arc, bonding with his sister, etc. Theon dies via axe in the chest by Euron Greyjoy. But not just randomly - he sacrifices himself so Asha Yara can escape and go to battle alongside Jon. Which… is another concerning plot, because it actually seems plausible. Theon’s arc is greatly centered on bravery - or lack thereof - and loyalty. It would be… fitting, to say the least, for him to allow Asha Yara time to escape by fighting Euron himself, even knowing he couldn’t possibly outfight him. RIP Theon, even if this is the case, you deserved better.

Brienne (RIP): Okay, so. Get a load of this bullshit. While defending the Vale (aka Sansa) from White Walkers, she gets stabbed and dies. I mean honestly how likely is it that Brienne of fucking Tarth is going to die getting stabbed by some bitch ass White Walker? You’re telling me Brienne of mother. fucking. Tarth dies the same way Bran-who-can’t-move-and-didn’t-see-it-coming does? Anyway, whatever. The leaks say she dies in Jaime’s arms, after telling him he’s a good man, a few scenes after they shared a very romantic sex scene (the only good thing about this being they might acknowledge they love each other).

Cersei (RIP): For some reason?? She doesn’t die?? By one of her little brothers as the prophecy foretold?? The prophecy that has insofar been completely correct (her children dying before her, being betrayed by a family member, etc.) Nah, instead Arya kills Qyburn and wears his face as a mask, a la Frey slaughter style, and poisons her. So Cersei is out here dying of poison when she commands the Mountain to kill Arya (sidenote: the Hound is with Arya pretty much all of this season, which is also possibly true), Cleganebowl ensues, the Mountain is killed, Cersei dies. Euron Greyjoy (who was married to her at this point or whatever bullshit that was) becomes King of the Seven Kingdoms. It worries me because Cleganebowl is almost a guarantee, and the fact that’s in this “script” which is so god fucking awful is extremely concerning but whatever. We’ll see I guess.

Jaime, Jorah, The Hound, Jon, Drogon (RIP x5): All these bitches die in the same scene, by the same fate. Lmao. Because of course they do. They fight Euron in the Dragonpit and mortally wound him, cool, and then Drogon like a little bitch spews a bunch of fire everywhere because he got fatally wounded too and the whole place starts to shake. So then Euron is like “oh by the way there’s about 2,000 pots of Wildfire under this arena so you’re fucked” and they all die in one massive explosion. I’m not joking. That’s the end. Jaime, Jorah, The Hound, Jon, and a fucking jet sized dragon die because Euron planted a bomb beneath a gladiator pit, somehow preemptively knowing the final battle would take place there. What the fuck? What the fuck.

Davos: Dude just goes home. Fuck it. He’s had enough. He’s like 70, what’s he got to lose? After Jon and co. die he’s like “you know what sounds good right now? Going home to my wife and thinking about my dead sons. Maybe throwing out these lucky finger bones” and he’s outtie. No questions asked.

Samwell: He marries Gilly, which everyone expected, so I’m sort of vibing that that’s a legitimate leak. Sam inherits the Reach, whatever, cool. Apparently when Gilly announces she’s pregnant with his child, he says if it’s a boy he wants to name it Jon. Actually a pretty sweet touch, it’s like the only part of this satan sperm of a script that has my stamp of approval.

Tyrion: Tyrion and Missandei hook up. I just… don’t ask me why. Somewhere along the line Grey Worm died and these two found a romantic spark off-screen I guess because I don’t know how the fuck they would end up together otherwise. Tyrion is the Regent and Missandei is the wet nurse (I don’t think D&D know how wet nurses work) to none other than… Lyanna Targaryen. Yep. Remember that magical Targcest baby? It’s here, it’s 3 years old, it’s a girl, and it’s on the Iron Throne. And no shade on the baby, but it reeks of bullshit. Anyway, Tyrion is given Casterly Rock to control as well as being the Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, and his last line is “if you play the Game of Thrones, little Lyanna, you win or you die.” Because that’s totally something Tyrion would say. I’m so fucking exhausted.

Bronn: The only other part of this script that has my approval? Bronn gets a little shout out at the end, when Lyanna asks who rules Dorne now. Tyrion says “one of Oberyn’s daughters, beside a man who always dreamed of owning a castle.” Way to go Bronn. You ducked the bullshit and got your goddamn castle. I applaud you, sir.

So yeah anyway if these leaks are true Season 8 is gonna be a damn mess lmao bye I’m angry

[morozovastarkovs]

Kierarktina: An analysis

Because this keeps bothering me somehow, I decided to make a post about it, specifically about my 3 theories on how this love triangle could possibly turn out in the 3rd book. Spoilers for Lord of Shadows.

1.) Kieran becomes Unseelie King and Marktina is endgame  This is the one I believe to be most likely, at the current point in time. For one, Adaon is definitely not going to be Unseelie King — plans rarely work out perfectly that way in these types of novels and also, I feel like he’s probably going to die. Plus, I don’t see why else Kieran had to be royalty and not just some random faerie dude, if not to make use of this aspect of his character. Also, the whole thing about kings not being allowed to have a consort? I mean, it kind of seems too on the nose to be foreshadowing, but there it is. And this would be a very convenient way to sort of get him out of the picture.

Why do I think Marktina will be endgame? I don’t know, but at the end of Lord of Shadows, it also seemed like it was the end of Kierark. The way that Kieran basically tells Mark that their debts are paid and he’ll be off, kinda dramatically implying that they’ll never see each other again, felt very ominous. Also the whole love declaration while kneeling (which was described as a sign of forgiveness in Faerie) seemed... kind of final? Like, Mark forgave him, told him (one last time?) that he loved him, case closed. Obviously, this does have a lot of holes in it — I definitely do not think that this was their last interaction, but like I said, it did have an air of finality to it.

Plus, Mark kind of seemed to gravitate a lot more towards Cristina near the end. The way he asked her to stay and sleep with him (in a non-sexual way, mind you) and just overall the little things, the glances, the touches, all of that is a lot more pronounced and happens more often near the end LoS. (”“Mark and I are not meant to be near each other as the binding spell wears off.” Mark moved closer to her, though, as she went to the door. Their hands brushed. Had he thought she was beautiful the moment he met her? He remembered coming awake to the sound of her voice, seeing her sitting on the floor of his room with her knife open.” and this scene is right before he basically has his weird declaration moment with Kieran).

Lastly, in my opinion the strongest piece of evidence for this, even though I can’t find the passage for the life of me because I can’t quite remember anymore when this actually happens in the book, timeline-wise (anyone help me out here?): There’s one scene I vaguely remember, where they’re all asked this random question about what they see, first thing that comes to mind, and Mark answers “A rose with a thorn.” LIKE. DAMN. Mark Blackthorn and Cristina Mendoza Rosales. Sure. It’s just the kind of weird, little foreshadowing that you would immediately forget & not put much weight on, that Cassandra Clare just loves which is why I think this is really important.

Side note: I’ve seen a lot of people talking about how Mark’s feelings/love for Cristina are/is somehow lesser than his for Kieran are, because they’re often described as more “human” but I don’t think that’s neccessarily a bad thing? Like, for Mark, a down-to-earth, “human” type of relationship would probably be a good balance for him with his “wilder” faerie side that’s often sort of warring with his Shadowhunter side? Like Mark said himself, it’s an “easy, restful sort of love” with Cristina which is something that a more restless soul like Mark would definitely benefit from. Like yin and yang. Like coming home. That shit, you know. Also, the “passion” and “fire” Kierark seem to have is also a good metaphor for, you know, .... burning out. 

2.) Poly Kierarktina. I honestly didn’t think this was possible before, but I do think there’s a possibility of this actually happening now, at the end of LoS. There’s obviously something going on between Kieran and Cristina, although I’m still not quite sure what it is, especially because we don’t know whether he’s actually gay or bisexual. Most faeries are bisexual, so there’s a compelling case to be made for him being bi as well I was informed that Cassie has confirmed him to be bisexual and thus, being at least able to develop romantic/sexual (?) feelings for Cristina, too. I’m still a bit iffy about this one though because Mark and Kieran have an unhealthy and deeply flawed thing going on that has still yet to be addressed — especially if they continue to be in a romantic relationship, regardless of whether that relationship also encompasses a third person or not. At the moment, I don’t see enough development to make this actually work in a healthy way, but that doesn’t mean that Cassie can’t still throw in that development in QoAaD. Also, right now, I find it hard to believe that either Kieran or Cristina would actually be truly 100% okay and onboard with a triad (or even vee) poly relationship, because neither of them seem to want to really “share” Mark (for lack of a better term; I know that’s not what ply relationships are about). Another thing poking holes in this ship is the fact that with this option, I really don’t know what Kieran’s .... purpose would have been? Like, at this point I’m not sure why Kieran had to be introduced (especially as an Unseelie prince) if Clare is not going to follow through with that at all and have that be important somehow, and I don’t see it being important any other way than him becoming Unseelie King, tbh. Maybe someone else could come up with another purpose he could serve besides?

3.) Kierark endgame and single Cristina. I think there’s like, a .0001% chance of Cristina getting back together with Diego yet again, so if Mark decides to (monogamously) end up with Kieran at the end, Cristina would probably end up single (I don’t think she’ll be getting another love interest in QoAaD, lmao). Why? Cristina won’t let herself be fooled by Diego a third time and also, she just doesn’t have any (romantic) feelings for him anymore, that’s canon.  Anyway, there are a few hints pointing at a possible Kierark endgame. For one, Cassandra Clare just loooooves m/m ships. She will throw out m/m ships until the end of time while throwing f/f shippers/fans the bare minimum bones. All of her other bisexual characters have, so far, also ended up with the same gender. Also, the fact that this whole “the Unseelie King can’t have a consort” thing is so on the nose, like I previously mentioned — it could also be foreshadowing that Kieran, when Unseelie King, will not give a shit about that stupid rule and just have a consort anyway. 

In the end, however, I think this is a pretty unlikely outcome, because I doubt that Cassandra Clare would put that much effort into building up & developing Mark & Cristina’s relationship so much in LoS only to throw it all away in the end. Mark & Kieran’s relationship stagnated a lot in LoS and didn’t really move forward in any huge ways, at least I didn’t think so — yes, Mark was honest with him about the whole “Would we have chosen each other if the situation was different?” dilemma, but they didn’t really make any ... progress with it? Like, they left things at giving Mark some space and time to think about it and figure it out, and I’ve already talked about their last (real) interaction in LoS.

ANYWAY, that’s that. Idk, I just had the urge to write that all down and post it, maybe some of you want to discuss and have things to add, maybe some things I overlooked and/or didn’t consider in this post? I’m very open to discussion on this and would love some new/other perspectives, so feel free to comment!