#soulmates imo just don't really add much

[project-catgirlpillar]

So soulmates and Love at First sight are tropes that i've Seen a Lot of people deride for being Like shallow or unrealistic or amatonormative and i while i definitely don't disagree with that as a practitioner of the noble Art of aromancy myself i Just have to say i could Not give less of a Shit about any of that. I don't hate These tropes because they're problematic i hate them cause they're boring

[vagabond-umlaut]

gojo satoru x reader fic recs (I)

‣ now that i've got loads of free time, thought why shouldn't i use it well by showing (few of) my fave authors their much well-deserved love, respect and attention? ^_^

‣ this is merely a list of works i've enjoyed reading. kindly heed the tags and warnings in each of them and consume content responsibly, at your own discretion. that being said, i own neither these fics nor the characters nor the above gif. enjoy reading! 🥰

⌀ all that is solid [series] by GrilledTandooriSmoke on ao3

one of the best series there is. period. the fluff, the angst, the drama, the humor, the romance, the friendship, the plot, the dialogues - everything is top-notch in this series, i'm telling you. bonus points for being narrated in both reader's and gojo's pov.

⌀ The King is But a Man [series] by Petrichorium on ao3 (@petrichorium on tumblr)

royal!gojo who's terribly in love with the reader x reader who's equally (but way more discreetly) in love with gojo. add to that, the trope of childhood sweethearts reunited as adults, excellent communication between the couple and a wonderfully-crafted world and dialogues - what more could you ask from a series?

⌀ Ten to None (Soulmate AU) (oneshot) by Oreosmama on ao3

a fic which i adore with every fibre of my being. i will not say anything more about this, except to request you to go read this. you'll love it. (especially the fantabulous ending. btw, did i already say how much i'm in love with how well-written this fic is?)

⌀ Scarred [oneshot] by cainis on ao3

one of the best angst-with-a-happy-ending fic there is. i wish i could give thousands of kudos for the heart-wrenchingly amazing way the author has portrayed gojo's character here.

⌀ Mother of otherness, Eat me [oneshot] by itsbaby on ao3

one of the most beautiful works i've read so far. told from yuuji's pov, it explores gojo and reader's relationship and its nuances in a way seldom done before. however, what stole the show for me, was the soft and sweet mother-son duo the reader and yuuji grow to be in this fic. i really love this one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

⌀ something sweet [oneshot] by heresan on ao3 (@pretty-toru on tumblr)

i love love love this fic. it's so fluffy, so funny, so cute, so heart-warming... just read this fic, people. you won't ever be disappointed by the dynamics reader and gojo have in this one. one of my all-time faves, tbh.

⌀ teen dad Gojo [series] by pantao on ao3 (@seravphs on tumblr)

a sweet and realistic depiction of reader and gojo being teenaged parents to young megumi, all the while they try to figure out their feelings for each other. a perfect mixture of fluff, angst, drama, slice-of-life and romance, imo. (also, the author's notes are pure gold. whatever you do, please don't miss reading them! :D)

⌀ To see those eyes I prize above mine own (twoshot) by koyama on ao3

if you wish to watch godlike!gojo willing to let go of his powers, out of guilt and immense, immense, protective love for the reader, this is the ideal fic for you. i'm in awe of the way the writer wrote gojo's complex persona and the way the sorcerer realized his feelings for the reader. (the second chapter's the cherry on the cake. it's so good!!!!)

⌀ keeping up with the fushigojos (series) by @augustinewrites on tumblr

fluff? A+; angst? A+; drama? A+; characterization & dialogues? A+; humour? A+++++. a sureshot way to end a long hectic tiring day on a happy note is to read this series. (my go-to comfort series, ngl. :])

⌀ CAT & DOG (oneshot) by @mimiriko on tumblr

an adorable fic of gojo being in love with the reader, who knows, yet doesn't really know, much about it. plus, the feline-like features of gojo are sooo cute... and this fic is sooo sweet... the story left me smiling when i finished reading it.

⌀ surely summer wasn't over yet [3 chapters] by 3rdgymbros on ao3

an amazing fic set against the backdrop of the hidden inventory arc. the portrayal of the characters and their dynamics is simply impeccable. despite my kind-of-dislike towards this particular arc of the manga, i really enjoyed reading this one.

[incesthemes]

Happy Wincest Wednesday Ciel!!!!!

If you haven't already and have the time I was wondering what your answers were to 7 and 17.

I'm like almost 100% I know your answer to 7, I just like to hear you talk about why you like things honestly lol

i go to ice my hand and you immediately ask me to write essays, i see how it is. i guess i'll ice it later lmao

do you have a preference between wincest, weirdcest, or gencest?

WEIRDCEST!!!!!!!! i make no overt distinction between any of them because i am a spiteful man, but there is a delicious flavor in weirdcest that appeals to me specifically.

imo sam and dean are way too stupid to actually put hard labels on anything they feel for each other and especially on themselves, so the more "traditional" romantic understanding of their relationship isn't something that really speaks to me. i for sure think they have sex but i don't think they'd ever cross the mental gap between "i'm fucking my brother" and "i'm in a (non-familial) relationship with my brother" if you get what i mean.

on top of that it's just that the weirdness of their relationship is what speaks to me. i don't care about sex or romance much at all, so i'm way more focused on how completely insane they are about each other. and weirdcest offers a lens to take that weirdness to an extreme and zero in on it, to pick them apart and play with them in ways that i feel more align with my tastes in fiction—as in, i'm a huge fan of the gothic, and the gothic genre hinges on anxiety and uncertainty. the unspoken existence of something between these freaks is where i pitch my tent, so toppling over into overt romance sort of diminishes the effect for me tbh. there's no existential anxiety in domestic bliss, you see 😔

how do you see their soulmate relationship? any headcanons?

soulmatism 🤤 i love soulmates as a horror concept and i love the general vibe of horror that surrounds supernatural's soulmates as well. the abject lack of autonomy fits well with the themes of destiny and fate within the story, and it's incredibly fitting that sam and dean have been forced into yet another ugly mold by those fucking angels. not only destined to kill each other cain and abel style, but also to be desperately intertwined in ways they can never extricate themselves from. and because these are the two options presented to them from the very start of the show, the only two paths they can ever walk, it's just such a satisfying development to behold.

as for headcanons, i am extremely partial to dyed-red's soulmate meta and theory. it's a beautifully horrific concept to think about and it makes a lot of sense in the canon of the show, based on what we know and what the audience is told.

as for OTHER headcanons, here's something: dean has a perhaps uncanny ability to locate sam, because he "knows" him. i'd love to take that and apply it to soulmates—maybe people do have more success finding their soulmates wherever they are because they're just one single person in the end. and then on the flip side, when dean is a demon in season 10, sam can't find him because his soul has been corrupted unrecognizably. in the context of them being able to find each other in the past due to their connection, it adds another layer to sam's panic and extreme reactions 🥰

[we-pay-for-everything]

And to add to insult, it was already a bit surprised the show be renew, so the odds of getting yet another season were really low. So or the Nancy drew writes didn't even really wanted to go there but to please the fans went there the most superficial way just to get over or they thought not giving the fans a really nice last season of them together would maybe have the fans do a #savenancydrew, which it was a bet that they lost, because the show was never a super hit, also the state of cw and tv as a whole. Sucks when writes just don't care enough to end on a high because somehow most of them think angst, separations, other LI, will they won't they, will sell more that. As audience I think all that just water down what supposed to be great love history. Like you said does Nance even love him? They mess up the golden rule of televison, don't tell me something, show me

Yes, the last season should've been more impactful and a homage to the fans and to what the show did best. We love the show because of the characters and their relationships. We didn't need a last season that completely undermined some of these dynamics and was so heavy on new relationships and characters we don't care about. It's bad enough that we lost The Claw lmao.

Nancy and Ace absolutely had the chance to be an epic love story but their relationship is so underdeveloped that it will only ever be a very shippable ship with potential and outlines of greatness. The way Ace and Nancy's friendship developed in seasons 1 and 2, especially in late season 1 and early season 2, was beautiful, but even season 3 was a misstep imo. Park's introduction and the lack of good Nace content in some ways brought their relationship to a halt, especially after Nancy's big revelation in the season 2 finale. The writers also needed to develop their relationship in other fronts. Romance isn't just about jealousy, insecurity, and the revealing and confessing of feelings, and Nace's relationship should've deepened in other ways. More than Nancy relying on Ace, we should've seen Ace rely on Nancy - and Ace actually reaching out for help, or learning how to -, or Nancy being more in tune with Ace. But Ace's insecurities weren't really solved then and certainly won't be solved now, and Nancy was just as distracted by other stuff in season 3 as usual, and we even had an episode of Ace being in trouble and Nancy being clueless about it (because Ace didn't ask for help and she ignored his random request to solve a riddle that in the end took only two seconds to solve). Ace establishing a connection with Nancy by tapping on her shoulder in Morse code was not proof of the strength of their bond lmao. We needed their relationship, both romantic and otherwise, to be developed, so it was less unbalanced and limited to solving cases.

We also deserved an actual relationship between them, which now we won't ever get because the writers wasted the final season on bullshit love triangles and forbidden love stories. We deserved to see how badass Nace really are together, how they can manage their differences and make each other better (since we haven't seen much of that lately), and how Ace can overcome his insecurities and Nancy her fear of commitment and intimacy. A healthy, loving, supportive, equal romantic partnership between is what would elevate their relationship to legendary status - not this forbidden love, possible literal soulmates whatever, angle.

Nace could've been something so beautiful, but the writers are clearly stubborn and uninterested in maturing Nancy. She's forever the girl who can't see past her need to solve cases, or been on a real relationship where she has to compromise, let someone else in, and not just do everything her way. She's the cliché detective type... Usually shows care too much about romance, but in this case it's less about romance and more about how a real romantic relationship would be great for Nancy's growth and character development, but sadly that won't happen.

Nancy may love Ace but truly her immaturity and poor writing make it seem like she doesn't, or like Ace isn't really a priority most of the time - not unless he's in danger and especially not when she feels rejected. *Sigh*

Thanks for the ask!

[missbrunettebarbie]

Top 5 songs from the Tortured Poets Department (anthology also)? :)

Honestly I dob't think I have a fixed top 5. I do have songs that I love above the others -and that's saying a lot since I think I love every single song from this (double) album- but this top 5 is more of 'top 5 songs I love right now for a number of reasons':

1. Guilty as sin? - I love how unique this song is for Taylor, how the lyrics and the music perfectly blends together and how immersive it is. When the tracklist was posted I would have never guessed this would make its way into my top 5 let alone that it might battle for a spot at THEE favorite. My fave part is how she uses death as a metaphor for orgasm. A classic xDD

2. I can do it with a broken heart - Perfect song is perfect. I love how this provides the upbeat 'break' the album needed while also being pretty much a thesis statement for it. I love how well-written it is: every detail, in both lyrics and melody, is well-thought out. It also have some really catchy and memorable lines, so I hope Taylor makes this the second single.

3. Clara Bow - My predicted #1 when the tracklist was posted and on another day, it might have been #1 on this list as well. I love how it is a 'zoom out' moment -and as such a perfect closer- where we can get away from the ~claustrophobic set-ups of the other songs by forgetting the subject of love for a moment and looking at the bigger picture. It also provides much needed context for the album we have just listened to as it forces as to take a look at our narrator and realize why her life is so messed up. UO but I think a lot of people misunderstand the 'you look like Taylor Swift' line when they try to say that it applies to Olivia, Sabrina etc. IMO the point of that line is that ten thousand girls are gonna be told they are 'the next Taylor Swift' and maybe MAYBE one of them will manage to achieve her dreams. But in the process she would pay the same price Taylor and countless others have paid. Maybe it would be worth it -it is for Taylor- or maybe not, but the point is: this unknown succesful popstar will suffer just as much as 'the failures', and as such her identity doesn't matter. Will in fact never matter as this is a never ending cycle.

4. The prophecy - Maybe the most vulnerable TS song we have so far, this destroyed me on first listen. I'm not one to believe in faith or soulmates, but I got what Taylor was trying to say here. I don't really have deep thoughts about this as I think the song is so transparent there is nothing more to add to it.

4. The alchemy - This was a grower for me, but man do I love it now! The second half of the standard album is IMO the strongest part of all of it -and it shows in my ranking- so I liked this song since the begining even though I didn't find it ~deeply moving or masterful. Well, that had changed. I think this could be another potential great single as it is very radio friendly and it provides a ray of hope in an otherwise depressing album.

[trashlie]

kousuke.exe not only stopped working but was unable to process the input and was glitching and malfunctioning the entire night lmaooo sigh. i want to remain hopeful that this night will spark at least some kind of change in him despite yui doing yui things… but we'll see.

speaking of yu jing, do you think rand has assured her some kind of protection from yui once the article comes out? yu jing must be aware of how risky all this is. is she prepared for when yui seeks her revenge? idk maybe i'm overthinking this because i'm from a country where journalists get killed all the time, but i still wonder what makes yu jing so brave. what is, to her, worth making an enemy of yui? is it really just righteousness? i'm lowkey really scared for her tbh but ahh i can't wait til we get to the article.

aahhh i'm glad the romance is giving you everything you want!!! it may not be my personal focus but i do enjoy the romance in ily a lot. slowly learning about all the ways shinae and nol are delicately interwoven has been a delight. it adds so much to the story and i can see their romance blooming into something very beautiful! and please, i'm looking forward to you talking about them in more detail when/if you have the time <3

…..actually, thinking about it, maybe "devotion" wasn't the word i was looking for 😅 sorry, i'm not a native speaker so i wasn't aware the religious connotations were so strong. but i really like your interpretation, and it was very kind of you to not dismiss it! i guess i was looking for something stronger and more emotional than "loyalty". because to me, shinae's actions read not only as "you were a good friend to me so i'll be a good friend to you", but also as "you mean a lot to me and i don't want to lose you". idk if there is even a word that captures this?

and not to get too analytical but i find it interesting to compare nol to minhyuk in that aspect. maybe you will disagree but imo shinae's actions aren't necessarily romantic. i believe she'd be just as affected and do the same things if it was minhyuk, who is similarly meaningful to her. except with nol, there is a different layer to it. there is the soulmateism she isn't aware of (yet), but she IS aware of her heart thumping and not being able to hold his gaze, there's also the change in his behavior, and her attraction to rand which she still has to unpack (it's not just for comedic effect it's obvious she's projecting lol) and i cannot wait for her to do the math and realize what's happening lmao it will likely take her some time but that's fine. she'll get there 👍 and yes yes yes after everything these two (and kousuke too) have been through all i want is a happy ending whatever that may look like 🥺 and therapy for all of them. maybe they can get a group discount /j

-lil anon 😼

That is a REALLY good point about Yujing. It's partly why I do believe this piece she's working on started with her friend at the root - it HAS to be worth risking her career and potentially life. Yujing surely knows the risks she's taking. I remember at the beginning of 151 she tells her friend that what she's working on might take several years, but that it's something her friend would be very interested in. If Manli is the friend Yujing has that was sa'd, then it would give her a reason to chase the story, I think. Once she finds out Nol pled guilty, though, she calls her mysterious contact and the story that once was seemed like it would take years suddenly has only the amount of time as Nol's sentencing.

Isn't that interesting? I still am not entirely sure what to make of it. Clearly everyone expected Nol to plead not guilty, for the trial proceedings to take place, for Shinae to give her testimony. Also something that stands out to me - Meg was told her testimony wasn't needed, that it wouldn't matter if she testified anyway because it'd get thrown out and before Nol could get much more out of her, Yui appeared. Not so subtle, right?

That's a small tangent lol but the point is: yes, I think that this is an important story to Yujing, not just for her journalistic integrity, but for something more personal. Vindication for a friend? For multiple friends? Because while I don't know if Yujing is aware of the full extent of how Yui has raised Kousuke, I think she knows enough to sense otherwise. She was disappointed to find that Kousuke hadn't changed, much like Nol is disappointed he hasn't changed - in a way, they've been rooting for him to come to the conclusion we have, right? They've been waiting for him to really comprehend the full scope of his life the who his mother is.

Another interesting thing is that Yui absolutely tries to play her tricks with Yujing, to put on that maternal mask, but Yujing doesn't even bother entertaining her. Also, that day that she was interviewing Nol, Yujing wrapped up with Yui's entrance. She definitely has an inkling that Yui's presence would compromise Nol's responses and make him uncomfortable, and she could probably deduce that was exactly what Yui was hoping for, to meddle more than she already had.

And that comes to another point about Yui. She notes that what she's doing with Nol is below her paygrade and she's doing it as a favor to Rand, but I have to wonder if it wasn't rather self-serving. Nol's drug-related charges link right back to Yui, and we have enough to deduce that this isn't the first time Yui has provided such drugs. If you haven't read this post yet, please do! It poses an interesting link between Kousuke's college incident and Yui providing drugs.

All this to say: I think the story must be very important to Yujing for her to tackle it, knowing who Yui Hirahara is and what she's capable of. But it also leaves us wondering what kind of protection can Rand even provide? He couldn't protect Nol. He couldn't protect Kousuke, though perhaps he was just too late. He can't even really do much to protect himself. And the way the judge managing Nol's case just so happened to retire? We know she pulled some kind of strings, intimidated someone, something. She has so much power and we don't even know the extent of it all. So. What kind of protection can Rand even afford her?

But yes, I do worry about the outcome of this story, even though I also look forward to it. It feels like it will end up being a bombshell in a lot of ways. I also wonder about how the setting of ILY plays into this. In the past, quimchee has referred to it as the United States of Korea - not quite Korea, definitely not America, but as the story has unfolded and characters have gone to and from America, England, Ireland, Japan, does that mean we definitively are set in Korea - and if yes are we following Korean laws? Libel and slander in Korea are a big deal - you could sue someone for running a story defaming you, even if they reported the truth! And again, with the contacts Yui seems to have, I have to wonder what her reach is.

I guess that's what makes Yujing seem like such a cool and formidable character. I want to know what she knows lol i want to know what her angle is. Also while I'm talking about her, here's something interesting I just noticed. Yujing spoke of Kousuke and Nol with familiarity when she interrupted their fancy meal. She said that it was a surprise to see them getting along enough to eat because the atmosphere would be hostile whenever they were in the same room together. There's also that history between her and Nol and her dog Senator. It raises some questions - when has Yujing been around them together? Especially because of the way Yui played dumb about her; it could be an act altogether, asking if they went to university together full well knowing it's so.

Also one other thing while I'm on this subject lol. The morning that Yujing saw on the news Nol pleaded guilty, she was going through a news story about an altercation between Nol and Kousuke. Without knowing the angle of her story, I wasn't sure what this had to do with what she's working on - sure the framing of Nol as a bad person plays into it, but also - during his interview with Yujing, before it got cut off, he says to her "It's not the first time the truth has been twisted in the media to fit a narrative". Is he speaking about that article, the one that frames him as the aggressor? Is that the one Kousuke has that fabricated memory of? Ahhhhhhh the more I think about what Yujing is working on the more desperate I become to read it!

and please, i'm looking forward to you talking about them in more detail when/if you have the time <3

This will definitely be coming hopefully soon! It's just something that's been on my mind as I reread lol. Like you said, it's very delicately woven! For me, there's something about watching two characters really come to matter to each other; it's not something I feel like I'm good at writing myself, but it's something that just really gets to me. I'm definitely ILY for the story and learning about their pasts, and seeing what will come of everyone, but the possibility of romance is just the icing on the cake, tbh! I really enjoy scenes where we get to see Shinae be honest, and we tend to get those when Nol is involved lol. (But also while looking at some earlier chapters I got weirdly emotional re-reading Yujing and Shinae's first meeting at the mall, when she helped pick out clothes that flatter her and Shinae asked if it was weird or wrong to favor comfort over style and Yujing reassured her it's not. idk it was a nice little moment, Shinae deserves all the reassurance!)

But I definitely get what you mean! I think devotion DOES work - frankly I'm not a particularly religious person I think of devotion as lol one of those foundations for a lasting marriage/partnership lmao. And I don't think it necessarily needs to be seen as a romantic thing, either! I just enjoy the religious imagery of it because it makes it feel somehow... idk, transcendent? Since right, it's a stronger word that loyalty is! And I do agree that her devotion, her dedication, her insistence on being there itself is not inherently romantic, which is what I love about it!

Idk how to explain this so please bare with me lol. It's like... to me romance isn't a raging forest fire, because eventually that kind of fire will just. Burn up and one day all that will be left is ash. It burns hot and strong and it's passionate, until there's nothing left. But a steady burning flame? Something that isn't so extreme, isn't so magnificent? But it's steady and constant, it's reassuring. You can trust it to continue. Sure a candle will eventually burn itself out but it's not like that wildfire that just burns and consumes until there's nothing left.

So when it comes to romance and things that seem otherwise mundane, I love it SO MUCH. Because I think it really plays into that narrative of how do you even define platonic vs romantic love? Shinae could very well have the most platonic feelings about Nol and still want to sit by his bed and keep watch over him, to make sure he's okay, to make sure he doesn't go out of her sight again. She absolutely would do the same thing for Minhyuk, someone we know is one of the most important people to her outside of her family. She did it as much as she could for her father when he was in that same position, too.

there is the soulmateism she isn't aware of (yet), but she IS aware of her heart thumping and not being able to hold his gaze, there's also the change in his behavior, and her attraction to rand which she still has to unpack (it's not just for comedic effect it's obvious she's projecting lol) and i cannot wait for her to do the math and realize what's happening lmao

THE BIG DUMB SMILE THAT GREW ON MY FACE WHILE READING IT because that's it THAT'S EXACTLY IT lol that's why it just GETS to me! Because she WOULD do this for any other person she loves, anyone else who is important to her, but this isn't any other person, it's him, and it's the way she can't hold his gaze, it's their tendency to lean towards each other (metaphorically or literally), it's the way he's let his defenses down a little more than she's used to, it's the way he's acting on something she once upon a time thought he was and told him not to but now she's not so concerned about crossing that line. In fact, that's BEEN going on! She went from telling him not to be too familiar with her lest he make his girlfriend mad at him waaaaaaay back before the formal to LMAO holding his dumb hands because it brings her comfort so she assumes it will do the same for him. It's all those little things!!!!!!!!

I, too, am waiting for her to have that realization that this version of Nol, this side of him he's shown her, that intensity, is SO much like Rand LMAO. I fully agree - that was not simply for comedic affect LMAO that was a little seed planted (although, hands down, the conversation Nol and Kousuke have following that is one of my FAVORITE scenes. There's something about the way Nol is just. Talking to Kousuke like maybe they don't hate each other and maybe they aren't at each others' throats all the time, casually noting that sure he finds Dieter's mom hot but is he going to SAY so and Kousuke just like PLEASE SHUT UP THIS IS SO UNCOMFORTABLE such a FUNNY scene lmao).

BUT ANYWAY YEAH IT'S EXACTLY THAT!!!!!!! I love love that isn't grand and overstated. Like, that's fine and I definitely can enjoy a really grand gesture, they're fun to read! But I love the kind of love that blooms from a seed that was planted long ago and maybe you didn't even realize you were nurturing it but eventually it grows and will bloom and that bud has grown and it may not have completely unfurled itself but. In time!!! Soon!!!!! It's the "calling insistently to check up on you and worrying even when i'm told you're okay because i want to hear it for myself". It's the "defending you even when you aren't around to see it because it's not an act i put on you are special and i don't like it when people mistreat you." It's the way!!! Her acts of care!!!! Linger even after she's gone!!!!! It's the way he always seems to reel from whatever mark she's left - her hands bunching up his coat, the earbud she returns to him, the stupid chicken nugget hand holding. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH all these little moments that could just as easily remain platonic, except they're stirring something up!!!!!

That they are each people who aren't good at receiving care from others but end up doing exactly that for each other! And how they receive that concern and care! Nol always seems SO affected by the times she pays attention to him, when she notices things. The medicine she bought him!!!!!!! Because he is a person who deserves to be taken care of!!!! When no one else but Nana does that. ;A; Like alfkjakfjkjaf lmao see I'm accidentally going on the tangent already but that's! Exactly what I love about them. That, as you put it, they are so delicately woven, it's been happening all along but NOW we can see that tapestry they've been weaving. We can see exactly how they've affected each other in a way that's led to these flirty little fingers dancing, to this additional layer atop something that could be otherwise so platonic. It could be Minhyuk and she'd still be asleep at the side of his bed, but it's not, it's Nol, and that makes all the difference.

;A;!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GROUP DISCOUNT THERAPY FOR ALL!!!!!!!!! lmao I really do look forward to the end even though I HATE things ending and I tend to hold off finishing them as long as I can lmao because I get sad but ILY is special because I DO hope as many characters can get the happy endings they deserve, can find the comforting peace they need. I think everyone will always carry some kind of baggage, but bagage isn't as heavy if you can share it with someone, if someone can lighten the load. I mean that very platonically, too - I just want to see these characters find some kind of peace and have someone who understands, who gives them that space.

But I definitely want them all to get therapy LMAO PLS

[cinamun]

Gooood mornting sunshiiiine 🤭

Figured I’d get my day started with some fun as I try and avoid my game right now. Lol. For the couple questions:

#29 & #30 for Indya & Darren

and, and if it’s not too much hassle…#11 & #13 for Juan & Elise

🫶🏽

Me too... about to finish up these last two meeting for the day though! East Coasters... that update should be dropping NOW!

Indya and Darren:

29 - Where is their relationship lacking? What could they do to improve it?

They REALLY need to go out more. That's one thing they don't do much anymore is date. Darren's aspiration was Soulmate and ever since he completed it, he's stopped going on dates with his wife. They've also been heavily focused on their kids. There is an easy resolution though, they need to go out at least once a week and I think I'm gonna try and add it to their calendar. They haven't even been to the Copperdale Carnival yet! Poor grown folks...

30 - Where is their relationship the strongest?

Definitely trust, loyalty and protection. These two are RIDERS and will let nothing come between them. They have a strong bond and its beautiful to behold. Even when they get outta pocket lol I'm going to add intimacy of course. These two are very strong in that department and not just sexually. They are constantly turned on by each other and that is super healthy imo.

Juan and Elise

11 - What good do they bring out in each other?

Elise is very practical and matter-of-fact, Juan has this ability to bring out spontenaeity in her. They might jump on a flight in the middle of Elise's precious laundry day. He helps her let go of her inhibitions and we love that. In turn, Juan is actually insecure about a lot of things and Elise is his biggest fan, she brings out courage in him when he needs it most.

13 - How do they express love for each other? Do they have compatible love languages?

Compatible love languages, I'd say so. They express love through music. Elise has this look she'll give him and she'll start singing. This man will stop whatever he's doing and dance to it. Or grab her hand and slow dance with her. Its a reminder of how they met and fell in love the first time.

Thank you Chae!!!

[bookofmirth]

There won't be any books questioning the Lasso meaningfully when it's a character who is the High Lady's sister.

I think some expect a book where the female will spend the entire book questioning a Bond.

To have this, the female needs to be in a situation where the Bond cannot be rejected.

Like Helion and LoA who have huge reasons for not accepting the Bond.

I think that's the problem... Sarah also likes soulmates (I do too)

And I don't think there's room for that in the future either.

To develop the Book well, it should be both female and male if refuse and I don't think it would be a whole romance and happy book.

Lucien is the one who doesn't care if rejects him, when rejects him he won't raise any questions or add anything to an example of partnership.

I confess that from the moment I see that Feyre had a relationship before meeting her partner, I see that nothing is that difficult.

Obviously there was no awareness of the bond and if there was, would they have changed so much what they did before meeting their partner?

Because Feyre in love wouldn't dump Tamlin just because she had a Partner.

I mean, we already have two main ships that resisted it at first, and then accepted it! Feysand had 3.5 books of potential to explore what a mating bond is, how it works, and the idea of not accepting one (as if we really thought Feyre would reject it by the time we get to chapter 54!) That exploration hasn't happened. And yeah, sjm is rather slapdash with her world-building, and she can do what she wants, but it would feel very incongruous to suddenly throw all of this explanation of the mating bond, a major aspect of the series, in book 5 or 6. (edit, I forgot to finish this thought lmaoooo)

The possibility that it can be rejected is necessary for two reasons:

It gives the characters agency in deciding what they want

It gives the readers a hint of uncertainty. Like when you read a romance, you know who is going to get together, but there has to be something that causes conflict or makes us wonder how and when they will actually get together.

Sarah does totally love the soulmate trope, so imo her process is to decide what characters will be endgame first, then make them mates second. It's like her big neon flashing sign to the readers about what's going to happen. So yeah, that's why she made Feyre mates with Rhys, and not with Tamlin. Feyre loved them both, but who is endgame?

[xserpx]

So, say I, or someone else, wanted to write up a RAD ace character or two or even more! Just theoretically, of course. 😉 Given it's Ace Week, I wanted to ask if you've got any insight on the matter, general guidelines, big and small no-nos with depiction, nitpicks with current ones, nuances/things you'd like to see more of, and any other misc. tidbits? Totally theoretical, of course.

No-nos: Don't be House MD? The ace community is diverse af, every ace experience is different, so I feel like it's tricky to get it "wrong" per se, especially since most of what is wrong with ace rep atm is simply that there isn't enough. I guess maybe avoid making the only ace characters robots & aliens? But even then characters like Murderbot are fantastic, esp w the way they double down on the aceness with that "if I had a sex drive I would still feel this way" stuff. Virgin shaming is another big please don't do that, but I think it's worth acknowledging how that affects ace people if the world you're writing about has similar shitty hang ups to our own re purity & allonormativity.

Avoid "blink and you miss it" rep. If a character just says "I'm asexual", and that's it (I'm thinking Sex Education), it's fairly meaningless IMO. On one hand, yes it's canon ace rep, box ticked, you are officially Aware, but on the other, it's like one episode with a one-off character. The show is clearly not interested in addressing allo/amatonormativity in any substantial way, and it somehow ends up even more alienating. I would much rather watch Heartbreak High, which does an amazing job with its ace character, despite the fact they never say the word asexual.

Avoid pairing everyone off into romantic/sexual relationships. I would say it's perfectly OK to have an romantic ace character who finds love, but just balance it out with a straight person who is single. It does so much to add diversity, it helps reduce the ace experience of feeling broken, and shows it's OK to not be in a relationship at all if that's what you want. It broadens the idea of what a happy ending looks like.

I personally would like to see more "gritty" ace rep, tackling allonormativity head on, the confusion, the alienation, how sex is tied to ideas of maturity and how you sometimes feel like a child and sometimes feel more adult compared to others. I like ace characters who are a bit prickly, who lack patience for people and their relationship drama and don't try to fit in with the allos, but are also scared of loneliness. I'd also like to see more acknowledgement of the internal frustration & confusion - ace people frequently go through questioning phases, analysing every interaction for a sign of sexual attraction.

Also I have yet to see an ace character who masturbates. I think you could get some decent comedy out of it tbh.

Personally I don't like it when ace characters realise they're asexual by feeling coerced into sexual situations, or having a sexual situation become awkward and uncomfortable. There's never any way to "prove" you are asexual because it doesn't rely on the act of having sex, so I think it's better to write ace people who just know/figure out they are ace without getting into sexual assault territory, though I know that some ace people relate to that experience.

I can't really speak for romantic & sex-positive ace experiences and what rep is needed there. I'm wary of how demisexuality could be treated as a kind of clunky HEA monogamous perfect soulmate situation, but maybe that's an unfounded fear 😅, and I think it'd be great to see more sex-positive aces in fiction.

[mskatesharma]

S2 had a lot of plot holes, things skimmed over and unanswered questions but I’m particularly wondering what happened to Mary and Edwina at the end? It’s odd they were not present in the epilogue and lady Danbury was. Did they not remain in England after the season? I wonder if they’ll bring them back S3 and maybe have Edwina find her match/Bagwell. I’m not a fan of show Edwina but I would welcome a better arc for her, with some growth and maturity and repairing her relationship with Kate (e.g. Edwina atoning!) I also don’t want the show to keep adding new characters with each subsequent season. I’m sure that’s too much to ask of the show having seen S2 lol.

I also wouldn’t be mad if we never see them again lol. It’s such a bummer how poorly served all 3 were by the writing. I like the idea of the Sharma dynamic being less fairytale than the book, but they took it too far. I don’t think it’s irredeemable since Edwina said it in anger/embarrassment, but I cannot believe the half sister line was never addressed.

I’m glad Kate is married now and will have some distance from them, probably for the best for their relationship. Anthony will prioritize her and they’ll have their own family.

My first thought when I watched the epilogue was indeed "Mary and Edwina aren't there?" But then having watched Kate and Anthony being unashamed about being the horny married couple in public (as is their fucking right), ngl, I would feel weird if Edwina had been there? It still felt a little odd though that they weren't there though, unless Edwina did indeed find another match and got married, and Mary is with her.

I was a bit confused about Lady Danbury being there, but then I think @nanso pointed out to me that she's basically Augie's grandmother, so maybe that's why she was there, especially with Simon's absence.

Idk, part of me is glad that Kate has Anthony (and the other Bridgertons), because at least we know that Anthony is going to care about and for Kate in the way that she deserves, because even with Kate and Edwina's reconciliation in episode eight, and Mary finally acknowledging to Kate that she should have been the one to step up, there were still so many things left unaddressed (THE HALF-SISTER COMMENT ANYONE??!!?) Look, I've not hesitated to say that Kate got things wrong, and that Edwina didn't deserve what Kate and Anthony did to her, but can we at least acknowledge that she wasn't exactly a great sister to Kate? Like, can we at least appreciate that on some basic level, Kate deserved better from Edwina?

If the way they portrayed Kate and Edwina is their idea of sisters who are soulmates, then I don't want to see anymore of it. I get and appreciate wanting to add complexity to the relationship that we saw in the book, but they just completely butchered it on the show, to the point where I don't really care if we don't see Edwina and Mary again. And I hate that this is how I feel about them, because IMO, the relationship that Kate has with Mary and Edwina is just as important as the one she has with Anthony in the book, but in the show? Kate deserved so much better, they all did in fact, and I hate that they ruined them in the way that they did.

[sheepwasfound]

I've been thinking a lot about dnf and their communication. First off, I feel like a ton of people tend to romanticize d and g's friendship, while the reality is they are far from perfect. They're human, they make mistakes, and from what we have seen, they don't have the best communication, which is totally normal. I couldn't even imagine what it must be like to have all of these people analyzing the relationship of you and a friend you have had for years , every conversation and all that.

From what we have clearly seen, they can have the ability to communicate very well. With their opposite personalities and their enjoyable flirty-banter, they compliment each other and that is why people enjoy dnf and their dynamic so much. As Dream said himself, they just link. However, I feel like their understanding of each other just barely starches the surface. You know, on the terms of deepness and personal understanding. In instances like the cursed 8 hour stream, the MCC 6 stream, and the Valentine's Day convo, they seem to lack understanding of how the other person is feeling. And since they both seem to move on rather quickly and push aside uncomfortable situations, this only adds to the lack of deep understanding I feel they have for each other. Don't get me wrong, they are very close, platonic soulmates 100%, but the thing is, I could never imagine Dream and George having a long meaningful conversation about an instance that might have made them upset or personal feelings.

This could be because, in my opinion, that they want to preserve the easygoingness of their friendship. They both seem scared to cross that line, maybe because they don't want to make things complicated and messy between them, they obviously care very deeply about each other, and I think being so far apart makes them afraid to break the close bond they have. So, maybe that is why they just seem to throw uncomfortable instances we have seen under the rug.

Overall, I just feel like all the instances where we have seen them discuss anything personal, their has been a lot of tension, especially lately. Like I said before, the Valentine's Day convo is a prime example. I think it was clear that there was some true genuineness in George telling Dream that he didn't mean it and also genuineness in the way Dream said he did. Just the way it happened was so awkward, live in front of thousands of people, so obviously their was not likely to be any break through in their communication. Maybe it was George's way of confronting dream possibly, him taking that step across that line? I doubt they have talked about it since the moment, I am guessing it is just another unsaid "moment" that happened between them..

However, I guess they have improved in their communication, so I think that it is only going to get better for them. Moving in together will definitely change a lot of things, and I for sure think that one of them will be their communication. Only time will tell.

good points. we can’t really know what they do in private, but just judging by what we’ve been shown publically, their communication is almost intuitively fast and easy -- when it’s about simple everyday stuff. it doesn’t come off as though they talk about emotions or deep things or upsetting things much. they’re both good at getting over things, so i feel like they might just...not talk about it if something upsets them, and just ignore it until everything’s cool again.

it’s a pretty common dynamic for friends, and can last years without issues, cus it’s easy to put a bit of distance when need be to cool down. but it doesn’t work for super close relationships like lovers imo. you won’t get enough emotional support that way. for best friends too, the ideal is when you can be really honest and open about everything, even the upsetting things and scary things and overwhelming things. i get the feeling they aren’t that way yet.

george is likely the side with the stronger barricades on that stuff. there’s also how dream said he goes to george to have fun. that seems to be the focus for their interactions. george especially seems like he would rather just not talk to his friends for a bit than talk to them about bad stuff, making it so that they only ever have fun when they do talk. living together can potentially have a huge impact, cus it’s harder to close in on yourself and it also gives a sense of stability, of being together for good, that can lower the expectations of always having to have the best and most fun time when together

[winepresswrath]

i saw your other post and i have questions? (but i already used the ask meme up ;w; ) if you would like to! could you elaboarate more on lwj's character change from book to show? (or in ask meme format 'the change in character for lwj from mdzs to cql was good')

strongly agree | agree | neutral | disagree | strongly disagree

I personally like him better in the drama, but hey! To each their own. I think a lot of it is just where the story's focus lies. CQL adds in things like the lantern scene and Lan Wangji interrupting the prison break, which IMO really emphasizes the idea that Lan Wangji is a person who cares a lot about goodness, comes to realize that his society's values do not perfectly align with his own, and eventually does something about it, with Wei Wuxian serving as both an impetus and example for that change. It's not that these elements aren't present in the book, but the emphasis is much more strongly on how Lan Wangji feels about Wei Wuxian; Wei Wuxian being a good and moral person is much less important to him, and I think less important to his internal moral compass.

The rest has a lot to do with how he expresses his feelings towards Wei Wuxian and where those feelings come from. He doesn't actually know Wei Wuxian very well in the first life, which casts his devotion is a different light to me. He is significantly worse at making himself understood to Wei Wuxian- their snurtle cave adventure is a lot more hostile, they don't have that rooftop accord, they're not calling each other soulmates, most people think they hate each other, Wei Wuxian himself spends a lot of time thinking Lan Wangji doesn't like him, etc etc and that makes their early second life relationship a little more antagonist in ways that I don't think match up with drama!LWJ. I have a really hard time picturing him casting a silencing spell on Wei Wuxian and dragging him to the cloud recesses under protest! He's a more jealous than he is in CQL as well- he gets upset about Wen Ning and is just sort of generally possessive.

[faemen]

hello mutual who wonders why people like romance i have reached a conclusion and i want to share it with you if youre comfortable

if not (since its romance themed anyway) you are free to ignore all the info below yet say hi to me anyway <3 hi

anyway, if you've chosen to read this then i believe people obsess over romance and involve it everywhere so much is because of multiple reasons.

first of all, i've heard crushes are said to be very exciting. they make you happy when you think about that person. or at least that is what i've heard from others, i don't think i've had a crush so don't expect me to know for sure. and naturally, one often enjoys positive feelings and crushes fall into that as well. most people also want to be with someone, not necessarily in a romantic sense - but just, have someone to love and to be loved by so they aren't lonely and so that they can always go there for the support they need, you know? and since a crush makes you happy - that seems like a good option does it not? you are bound to the happy feelings because it'd only seem logical to want to be with the one who makes you happy. and so, since they're so bound to those happy feelings and desires to be with a person, they remember their crush for that. and it's not surprising you don't want to be logical because you're happy anyways right? if you feel happy around someone, then most want to go after those feelings instead of the logical thinking they could also use. and that is where the 'unflawed admiration' comes in. they follow their happy feelings and stop to think logically about things such as the flaws of their crush. so that is why they love romance so much, i believe.

and, some people find comfort in being understood by someone and having someone to relate to. you know? that is why they project onto characters and headcanon them their own experiences all the time. and even people who do experience crushes do that, because they enjoy the feeling and they experience it so projecting it onto a character and imagining them with another character gives them the happy imaginations they're looking for. they want to be loved and to love and (as i've explained above why) they look for their crush. so imagining such a happy experience and projecting it onto a character is probably the reason they ship characters together. sadly it's really alienating towards those who don't experience romantic attraction or are simply uninterested in it - because the majority is projecting about their own experiences and so they don't bother to think about others'. i am not saying that is good but i believe it's the reason why it happens

anyway, im done! this got long dnfnvkmjkmrm and obviously since i don't experience romantic attraction i can't know this for sure nor do i claim it's the truth or something. it's just my guesses and reasons why to it. i hope this made sense though /lh and if you did read it then thank you for all this ahbdwehbjnjdfnjmdc

hello hello, thanks for sharing!! i think youre right. i hope you dont mind me adding some of my own thoughts as well :}

i think why people also obsess over the idea of romance so much is because they WANT that happiness, and thats all romance is ever advertised as. for people who arent happy, they think that a person who understands them so fully would be the solution to everything. but i feel like these people also forget that romance and relationships are a give and take effort. in order to have someone truly get you, you must give them that in return. and that may also add to why couples breaking up and arguing is seen as loveless, bc crushes are always put on pedestals. people dont want to admit that the source of all possible happiness is human too, with wants of happiness and other feelings of their own.

that might be why fictional characters are so popular too, i think. many more options for your so called soulmate without any of the required commitment. you can make them all perfect and stuff, without ever having to be perfect for the character in return. they get the happiness anyway.

its sad, that bc of society, romance is seen as such a fix it all that people dont even bother trying other things that could make them happy. love is never seen as flawed, and so people lose logical sense since they want that so badly. they dont try and help themselves, or appreciate their friends, or the world in general, since romance just must be so perfect and happy. but when they get it, and find out it isnt, they get upset at the work.

imo, i think the only sort of romance that works out are well... ones that arent romanticized. humans clash with humans no matter your feelings, and unless youre willing to put aside personal values and understand the other person or people, things will never work out. romance is just as much work for the happiness and people should realize that, i think.

anyways, thank you again for the discussion, harai!! we may not really get romance ourselves, but with the addition of our logic not being impaired by romantic thoughts, we can understand it together in this way, i think.

[werifestaria]

Hi I love your blog layout it so tidy!! Also would it be alright if I got a bnha matchup please?. My pronouns are she/her and I'm bisexual. My personality type is ISTJ, I'm a sagittarius sun, scorpio moon and libra rising. To the public I'm pretty closed off/reserved but with my friends I'm brave, loyal and love to laugh. I don't trust easily and I'm pretty cautious of everyone so I try to keep out of the way.

My hobbies include gymnastics which I did competitively and won a few medals, I also do figure skating and have leveled up pretty quickly at that. I workout everyday because even though I dont compete now I still want to improve and if anything I'm better now than I was back then.

I like indie music, horror movies mainly psychological, nature and wildlife and the peace and quiet it brings. I hate loud, busy places, untidy, dirty things and people messing up my routine.

My love language is quality time like I just wanna be around that person a lot. I think the love language that speaks to me most is probably also quality time, like the fact that they would want to be around me willingly seems so unfamiliar I love the idea of it. Also words of affirmation or physical touch, I'm awkward at giving those but receiving them would make me melt cause I'm not really used to any of it. My ideal dates are simple things like going on walks at like 3am or dancing in the livingroom or movie nights just cheap simple things like that.

hope that's okay sorry it kindof long :)

𝐦𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐚

Thank you so much for one of our first requests! We appreciate your love for the layout as well!! Tbh, I spent multiple hours straight getting it just right, so it’s a relief people find it pretty- and also, Scorpio moon gang! anyways, I hope you enjoy your matchup from me! Have a lovely day, hun

𝐦𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 . . .

𝐞𝐣𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐚 !

runner-up : hanta sero

Easily, Kirishima is one of BNHA’s most easygoing, compassionate characters. His heart is big and always in the right place. Based off of your description and his own array of traits, I think he is the perfect character for you! Like, almost a little too perfect. A Sagittarius and a Libra (Kirishima’s sun sign!) are said to be very compatible and harmonious. Even better, it’s also said that people are often drawn to others who have their sun sign in the ascendant—Kirishima being a Libra sun and you being a Libra rising! To make things even more fantastic, perfect, and everything in between, Kirishima’s MBTI (according to The Personality Database) is ESFP. Guess what? ISTJ’s and ESFP’s are said to be extremely compatible! Of course, he’d find your inner demeanor to be extremely attractive. As he is naturally social, he wouldn’t mind your reserved nature and would pursue you in both friendship & romance regardless. Your outer shell would only lead him to appreciate your comical inner-self even more! He’d greatly admire your bravery and loyalty as well—it’s not something you see often anymore, after all. He’d try to bring the best out of you as naturally as possible, letting you do the same to him. Easily, he’s the most supportive boyfriend you could ever get! This man would adore you with patience, admiration, and sheer love, all with his own cheesy, dorky flair. I imagine Kirishima is careful in love, yet just as bold as the sun. He’s grounded, but on his most passionate days, his admiration can never be paralleled. You’d simply make him weak in the knees with every glance you’d spare him!

𖥸 Your music taste simply infects him. Imagine him listening to indie music with you 🥺🥺 your head in his lap as he plays with your hair- omg!! he loves to just sit and vibe with you. Nothing can compare to the fun you have on your chilliest days- he loves spending time with you in little ways like that

𖥸 Workout dates!! He’s infatuated with you for many reasons, but one of them is because you work out. The dude literally thinks it’s the coolest thing in the world and he adores working out with you. It’s easily his kryptonite lol

𖥸 Kiri has no concept of grace, so he is extremely impressed with your gymnastics and figure skating skills!! He could watch you do your thing for hours tbh. Like, slack-jawed and wide-eyed. In fact, I think he’d try to incorporate more nimbleness to his moves even though such a feat is kinda difficult when you can turn into rock. You gotta give him some credit tho- we all know he can be a little too opportunistic!! Just imagine him tripping all over himself because he wants to be nimble like you- that little blush on his face as he apologies for being a dummy- aww 💕💕

𖥸 Simply the king of casual dates. Sure, he’d love to spoil you with the stars and more, but he knows you like it calm- fr, you two are actually the cutest when it comes to staying up late and just messing around with no care in the world 💕 also, nature dates? Small picnics in the park?? I bet he’d love to go hiking with you. He likes to point out cool flowers or pretty weeds whenever you two are outside for even the shortest amount of time

𖥸 He loves watching horror movies with you.. even though they scare him a little bit LMAO- but just cuddling with you as your favorite movie plays in the background is simply heaven to him. Maybe you can turn him into a psychological horror buff!!

𖥸 He is also the king of words of affirmation~ the dude loves to remind you about how much you mean to him and how confident you make him feel within himself

You two really are couple goals imo 💕💕💕

𝐦𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡

Gahhh!! I was so excited to ship you with someone!! Thank you so much for requesting!! Also! Don’t worry about long bios in your matchup requests! The longer they are the more mod Ara and I can assess who’s best for you! Its definitely preferable. I hope you enjoy who I match you with. ^w^

𝐦𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 . . .

⠀

𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐨 !

runner-up : hanta sero

In my opinion, I feel that Mina is the perfect match for you!! First lets get some compatible basics out of the way. Like our good friend Kirishima above, Minas MBTI is also an ESFP (according to the personality database lol). As we know, ESFPs tend to be the most compatible with ISTJs. To add onto that, Mina just so happens to be a Leo!! Leos and Sagittarius's are often compared to soulmates and having a twin flame like connection! It’s a little scary how well you two fit each other, personality dynamics and all. Though you may have been cautious and quiet at first meet, Mina most likely pestered and wiggled her way into your life! She loves making new friends anyhow, and saw no issue in going out of her way to talk to you every chance she could. Now becoming your girlfriend later on would just be an added bonus for her! You better believe she finds your bravery admirable, it drives right up her alley. The two of you would make an absolute power couple, even a fan favorite!! Often, she’d make jokes or even play along with ones that you make in return, just to be able to hear your laughter. It fills her stomach with butterflies and she’s near falling apart at the seams with every melodic giggle. Get ready to be showered in compliments and praise, that’s this girls specialty, and she’d happily fluster you any day with her sickeningly sweet words. 

𖥸 Mina would probably ask you to spar with her a lot. Practicing new moves and quirk related techniques. God knows she loves staying active, and doing something she deems this fun with someone she loves. It makes the moment even more worth while. With your experience in gymnastics, you’d find that you’re able to run circles around this girl with your skill. Afterwards she’d probably offer a massage to ease any sore muscles. 

𖥸 Now as much as Mina would probably prefer a night on the town as a date, she would not think twice about choosing a secluded casual option for your comforts sake. Be that stargazing or even staying in to watch one of those horror films  that you love oh so much over popcorn and sodas. (She’s actually terrified of them, and has a weak stomach, but she’d never tell you that.) 

𖥸 Aimless car drives. Picture the sun setting, painting the sky in a soft pink and an orange hue flickering off of the distant buildings. Your preferred indie song blaring through the speaker while the two of you belt out the lyrics. Neither of you can hear each other over the sound of the wind rolling in through open windows, or how high she cranked the volume. You’ll definitely have to be the one to turn it back down, she can’t help but love loud music, even if the music wasn’t intended to be loud in the first place lol. 

𖥸 Don’t be surprised if she comes to you one day with a gift bag in hand. Every time she goes into a store she has to come out with something that reminds her of you. She’s not even aware of it either until you point it out. This could range from something as simple as your favorite drink to a giant teddy bear that she claimed resembled you. The possibilities are endless. 

𖥸 My word is she in love, infatuated even. That one night she caught you dancing about in the kitchen, probably making a late night snack, she couldn’t look away. In fact, she still thinks about it from time to time. How happy and carefree you looked lip-syncing the lyrics, in the silliest kinds of pjs you owned. She tried to sneak her way in, trying her best to not to make you jump in surprise, though she probably failed with how eager she actually zoomed in. Her love for dancing couldn’t go unnoticed here, oh no, not now. She brought you in close with a twirl under her arm, her smile the widest you’ve seen it. Her flirty nature, only for you, had her compliments laced with sugar and honey. Who knows how long the two of you spent dancing and goofing off to your playlist in that darned kitchen. 

Gosh the two of you make me squeal!! There’s absolutely no way you aren’t made for each other!  

𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫

𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭-𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 !

[lucidpantone]

I have friends on Wtfock team and one thing they always told me is - I understand your point on not wanting any plot (on this case Sobbe to move in together) but the thing here is even if the whole purpose of the show is being realistic you all are forgetting that Wtfock still is a show!!! And not just a show a remake!!! Wtfock always try to follow OG soul plots....Now that said I can add any other Evak couple that has move in together the money, situation or age wasn't really a issue not for the characters and not for production they all make it "make sense" and honestly wouldn't mind this plot if s4 people don't touch them and the writing is ok.

similar anon: I think Skam fans forget that even with all the realism Skam keeps being a show, so the people putting so much discussion on the is not realistic part of it is just dumb plus if they want they can make any plot make sense an even the fans wanting it with a little bit of good writing and this s5 been the last, Sobbe move in together make total sense.

similar anon: When are ppl gonna leave OG outta these discussions? OG started this. Whatever great choice, questionable choice or bad choices they made, we watched them for the 1st time there (if u watched it live or it was ur intro to skam) and processed those decisions differently, or at least ppl should bc unlike the remakes OG didnt get to do things over after seeing its own reception and feed back. So in the case of Robbe moving out: it doesn't seem to make sense for him, but wtfock still might do it

similar anon: The Sobbe leaks are giving me an ill feeling like they're gonna spoil Sobbe for us --- I would absolute go bonkers if they create that jealousy drama with Sander moving out with his buds and Robbe feeling left out and that is the only thing we see and they end by oh they move in together in the end ...I'm gonna ..I'm gonna.. IF they don't show them in a stable relationship NOW then What the fuck really ??????S4 spoiled wtfock now if S5 spoils Sobbe I'd die and I'm so dead serious. I'd die .

My thoughts after the cut

Alright no need to die or get in a huff friends it’s a show at the end of the day. Now I can only say it so many times I am vehemently against the Sobbe moving in plot I am pretty much against it in every remake but at least in OG it has some contextualization. Also you do realize we just witnessed what moving in together did to Zoenne? It literally broke them up. Also I know its a show but its also a show targeted and marketed to teenagers and I think promoting a legal child moving in with his boyfriend is not a worthwhile pursuit imo. We have had enough bad decisions in s4 so lets not pile on. We don’t need 17 year olds getting any ideas that moving in together with their SO is cute and everyone ends up happy because it’s not cute and that almost never happens. But if we want to live out our fantasies in a Nicholas Sparks novel then sure... go for it, I am not stopping you. Go ham and head canon your life away. I just don’t want too and have no interest in that plot line but will it probably happen? Probably, its wtfock we are talking about here. You know what would be super romantic if for some reason Sander found some cute apartment(maybe a family hand me down thats empty) and tells Robbe at the end of the season when he turns 18 he can decide if he wants it to be their home and they leave it open ended because it shows that Sander sees forever with them but its also about waiting for the right moment. Now thats some soulmate shit. So as I said before let’s agree to disagree because I don’t think either side is going to sway the other. Also to anon with a friend on the wtfock team I take everything they say with a pinch of salt because during s4 they were all like “We know some people are gonna get offended with s4 but it will all work out”. Well it didn’t, and now when they look back at the season they are all like “ok so maybe on rewatch its not the best decision we made”. So wtfock’s word means peanuts.

[adziedoodle]

Hey Adzie! What are your thoughts on people, such as ImAllexx, accusing the Phandom of essentially ruining Dan's life and preaching that we basically shouldn't knowledge their bond/potential relationship at all, if you don't mind sharing?

(just want to apologise for all the commas and dashes -  I honestly have no idea when the right time to use one is i just do it when my brain pauses in a sentence and it makes it easier for me to process what i’m saying when reading back ahaha)

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I don’t really want to watch a monetised discussion video to Dan’s coming out video tbh. From what I’ve seen others who have watched it and have saide about what it involves, it seems Alex is jumping on a misinformation and inexperienced-of-the-phandom-history train to voice an opinion and create more talk about and in a community that already has a bad public image from (understandably not so good) past behaviours of certain individuals/groups of individuals. 

Again, I doubt this was Alex’s intention, and I think without proper pieces to the puzzle, it’s easy to fill the gaps with your own opinions and speculations of the people involved. Heck I may be being a bit hyprocritical here for not .. watching the video but… err … overall, I mainly trust Nora’s @pseudophan​ judgement that she expressed in her reply tweets here because it’s my understanding she’s a fan of Alex’s videos usually and I feel like she’d be able to shape an opinion  regarding his content and new video better than I could :). I also agree with others who are adding to the points Nora gave (the majority seem to be saying this).

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Speaking outside of Alex’s video - There’s been this weird rise of people saying stuff along the lines of ‘DON’T FETISHISE DAN AND PHIL, STOP MAKING THIS ABOUT PHAN’ … and I just wanna add my two cents…

1) in regards to fetishising - I want to argue the majority of folks NOW aren’t sexualising dan/phil/their relationship - from what I’ve seen, solely on twitter mind you, it’s just folks reminiscing or being reminded of on old content that’s already public and applying a new context now that we know more about Dan, and from this, enjoying the idea of two, now out, queer people being happy together (in interactions or in a relationship) ☺♡ That can sadly still be a rarity in this world we live in, so it’s honestly just… heartwarming to see! People should be allowed to enjoy that!

I think I’ve mentioned this before already, but I speak for myself as a queer person when I say I’ve always resonated with both Dan, Phil, their experiences, and their seemingly growing harmonious, happy and safe relationship, even before I really knew I was queer myself, and now I have more knowledge about who they are and what that means to them themselves, it ultimately shines a more validating light over all of what they’ve done together and shared with us ♡ 

I believe if others like me wanna express that joyful reassurance (or any other feeling, or just general joy for dan and phil) in the form of a fan fic, fanart etc. - which dnp, even before they were out, have both expressed multiple times is OKAY, and even taken part in themselves both in TABINOF, their videos and TATINOF, and II. It’s simply a form of creativity, feeling and I honestly think D&P have expressed enough. They GET IT and it’s okay to do.

To reiterate, boundaries should be established and respected, but overall I believe the majority of people are happy for Dan (and Phil) and their relationship they have. If I haven’t impled already -  it’s empathy, it’s relatability, it’s forming a community and expressive art of all kinds in that community around those things. 

I’d also argue, there are those who wanna disrupt all that jazz, those who don’t feel the same way (not the ones who don’t mind/care like y’all chill but the ones who get angry at it all or feel the need to protect Dan and Phil from ??? it??), are usually the ones who ignored and denied this outcome of Dan (and/Phil) coming out / being together ever being a possibility in the first place. 

Yes, there is definitely an issue of folks sexualising online personas of real people, and it’s hard to tackle because it’s still so new in the grand scheme of things… and yes, fetishising queer people in general, outside of the phandom, is very much a thing …but I want to believe most of those/us involved in the phandom have grown from and past the evidence folks (like Alex) used which, from what I’ve seen people say, is dated.  I want to believe it’s different, we’re different now and from that… I want to believe one of the reasons Dan came out now is because he’s felt that change and difference too.

2) In regards to ‘phan’ - Dan made it clear in his video, his queer story, that Phil was a vital part of it. Phil was a vital part of his growth in feeling safe and happy and it’s likely without that, Dan wouldn’t be where/who he is today or out and proud like he is now.  The audience/phandom who’d I’d argue are of a majority queer/LGTBQIA+ which adds a whole over layer I’ve already expressed embracing and continuing to love this aspect of Dan’s life that/who happens to also be Phil, is not on the same level as someone being like ‘omgggg phan is real’ or ‘omggg my ship is canon!!’.  I feel like this is a very common misconception people have of the [demon] phannies/people who appeared to ‘ship’ D&P… in and outside the phandom.

I want to put forward also that generally speaking ‘phan’ is a term used to abbreviate ‘dan and phil’s relationship’, usually in romantic/sexual/whatever contexts, so in a way, yes, at the same time, TECHNICALLY, ‘phan’ is and has been real, but NOW, with new context (and for those who discovered/concluded this for themselves before Dan’s video), it’s not about shipping or our perception of what D&P’s relationship is, so ‘phan’ as a term isn’t necessary – and, really wasn’t ever but !! language is annoying.  – it’s about the reality of D&P and what their relationship is to each other. 

Personally speaking, I’ll say what I’ve said for the last few years when I moved away from ‘shipping’ them and seeing myself and my relationship in them/theirs… I just like seeing two people I care about, care about each other and be happy together. The layers of them being men expressing themselves openly with each other (and us), men who have experienced something ‘more than romantic’ together, queer/gay/out men who describe themselves as ‘soulmates’ is significant too. They’re going to mean something to people and honestly to just say that we’re ‘making it about ‘phan’’ as a ship, is not cool and a misunderstanding of what’s really happening. 

I think, if people want to use the term ‘phan’ for convenience (e.g. I use ‘phan’ as a tag just to categorise any content to do with dan and phil, it isn’t to do with their relationship aside from the fact that they do stuff together) instead of using the clunky ‘dan and phil’s relationship’ phrase like I have been doing throughout this reply - that’s like.. okay.. imo. It’s not ideal, sure, but, it communicates what you’re trying to say clearly! Again. Language is annoying, communication is hard when it is.

here are a few other cool tweets with points that I attempted to repeat but honestly don’t do justice so please read for more insight into all this (and if you’re gonna say anything, be nice to the OP’s pls #nicerinternet):  X , X, X, X , X this one isn’t entirely related but it made me cry so, X , X , X,

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I hope.. I worded this okay.. I may come back and edit it . anyone’s welcome to add what they think in response to anon’s original message! thank you for sending your message anon and allowing me a chance to get my rambly thoughts out!