#still a beloved OTP after all the years of soloing

[teafiend]

[counterspelling]

*rolls up sleeves* 001 - ACOFAF, 002 - PGSM Reinako for a throwback, 003 - Wedge Antilles (I'm joking, Jaina Solo)

This is so long because I love them all too much

001 | Send me a fandom and I will tell you my:

Favorite character: Chirp! You know Emily is my favorite in every season lmao. But really every single character was so good, I cannot get over how perfect this season was

Least Favorite character: Suntar

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): Rue/Hob and Binx/Andhera were incredible. We missed out on Grandfather/Grabalba and Squak/Jeremy Renner. The audacity of Lou to send the most romantic letter ever written to the baroness and then send a "you up" text to Theodore

Character I find most attractive: All of them???

Character I would marry: Binx

Character I would be best friends with: Andhera

A random thought: I so deeply wish we'd gotten to see more of Chirp with Esme and Peep. I know we didn't have the time but I wanted it!!

An unpopular opinion: I think a misfits and magic style special reunion would be perfect, but I don't want a second season with these characters. I think all their endings were perfect. A second season with the same cast and universe but all new characters would be ideal for me

My Canon OTP: The canon ones are so good!

My Non-canon OTP: The universe where we got Rue/Wuvvy and Andhera/Hob is very interesting. Also all the npcs Aabria made to romance everyone!! I would like to see them!!

Most Badass Character: Every time Andhera stood up for himself ;_; Hob finally realizing his worth and leaving his court, Rue's reveal of their true self, Binx coming to the bloom as the sole survivor of her court…. they're all amazing and badass

Most Epic Villain: Grandfather?????

Pairing I am not a fan of: I think any combination of these characters would have been good

Favourite Friendship: Chirp and Squak!! I will miss these bird cousins so dearly!! "Cousin, you can do no wrong in my eyes" they are so messy but love each other so much and then the found family of coming together with everyone else is so incredible

Character I most identify with: I think one of the things that make this season so great for me is I can relate to most of them in some way. Some combination of Rue and Andhera and Binx

Character I wish I could be: Binx

002 | Send me a ship and I will tell you:

When I started shipping them: 2003!!! I am taking psychic damage thinking about the fact that it's been 19 years since this show premiered….

My thoughts: They are perfect! Peak romance! Mina teasing Rei into opening up more! Rei showing her that her life is worth fighting for beyond just being a senshi! The rage and despair Keiko brought as a 15 year old girl when Mina died! She still blows me away as an actress

What makes me happy about them: Fighting over dog food and idol nicknames and their devotion to Usagi and their duty and working together to find a balance for it all

What makes me sad about them: Mina's weapon going to Rei after her death, the look on Rei's face as she reads the letter Mina left, her powers manifesting wordlessly as she's wreathed in flames in battle immediately after………… this ship has everything

My wishlist: That the show had gotten to adapt every arc of the manga and we'd seen them actually get together instead of ending with them bumping into each other awkwardly during the wedding bouquet toss and then immediately looking away from each other as their friends watch and smirk. Obviously the most platonic of reactions

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: In pgsm universe, nobody, but Usa/Mina otherwise. And senshi/shitennou

My happily ever after for them: Just being together!

003 | Give me a character & I will tell you:

How I feel about this character: My beloved!! Gone from canon but never gone from my heart

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Just Jag. Love them meeting after flying together and having him walk past all the people he's supposed to greet and his newly met uncle to complisult her flying lmao. Her other love interests were so terrible. Why did we have to spend 15 years stuck in love square hell (oh, because she's the only girl in the next gen and so that was of course her fate)

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: Her relationships with Jacen and Anakin, looking over them as the oldest, the despair and grief watching Anakin sacrifice himself, her twin bond with Jacen and their constant awareness of each other and their push and pull during the war but also the support they gave each other until, y'know, Caedus

My unpopular opinion about this character: She never got her due. She constantly took a backseat to her brothers, until they were both dead, and then to Ben, and then when she was FINALLY getting her own trilogy, fucking disney happened. We can't have nice things! And yet despite it all she was so incredible! So dedicated to protecting people! Just as talented as her uncle and twin! The best pilot in a generation! An incredible lightsaber combatant! In tune with the Force! I LOVE her

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: The sword of the jedi trilogy!! More of her relationships with Leia and Mara and Tenel ka and Tahiri and Mirta and Winter. More of her happiness with Jag. Not spending like two years brainwashed by bugs. More of a throughline over the series to chart her grief and responsibility over watching her youngest brother die and killing her twin and fighting a war from the age of 15 and being handed a prophecy at 17 telling her she'll always be alone but she'll take comfort in the safety she brings to others. We should have gotten eight movies adapting the new jedi order and legacy of the force series with a clone wars style cartoon about her during the vong war, dammit

Favorite friendship for this character: Lowie, Jag, her bond with her brothers, would have been nice if the authors cared to do more with her female friendships. We hardly ever saw her team up with any of them

[chuckaf]

Chuck Fic Rec List: Updated

So my fic rec post was in my notifs again the other day, and I noticed a while back that the formatting on the post has gotten all messed up and it’s also had like three reblog additions to it anyway meaning there are three versions out there lol. so, I wanted to do another list of chuck fic recs! I’ll keep the other one up still, so I’m not gonna repeat every fic here, just some I really recommend. I’m also adding the fic summaries, which I didn’t on the old post, and some more of my own opinions so, buckle up for a long post!

Chuck Versus the Steampunk Chronicles | Steampunk.Chuckster

1896. A world powered by steam, where humans and machines coexist, and airships are the fashionable mode of transport. The US Empire's deepest and darkest secrets arrive at Chuck Bartowski's doorstep. Have they fallen into the wrong hands? Or will the inventor prove his mettle, even while he's forced to hide from the very people he's protecting? AU, ongoing chronicle, Charah.

A genuinely incredible AU story, with an entire crafted world and universe, so detailed it frequently blows my mind. There is heart and family and infuriatingly brilliant slow-burn, plus a buttload of danger and super fun historical/steampunk action. Oh how I LOVE it.

Chuck vs the Charade | somedeepmystery

When computer nerd Chuck Bartowski returns home to an empty apartment and a dead girlfriend he finds himself embroiled in a deadly game of espionage and deceit. Everyone around him is playing a part to get what they want and when he starts falling for the new woman in his life, he can't help but wonder if he can trust her or if she's the one he should fear the most.

An action and twist-filled AU based on the movie Charade, which is just such a brilliant fic concept I absolutely adored it from the start.

Two Sides of the Same Coin | dettiot

When you're a spy, there's all kinds of occupational hazards when you work with another spy. For Sarah Walker, though, one mission becomes a life-changing experience. Because working with Charles Carmichael leads to protecting Chuck Bartowski.

The first time I read this fic my mind was just blown to its genius. Such a brilliant interpretation of what the Intersect and its concepts set up in the show could be, and ooooof the Chuck/Sarah interactions, my HEART. Related to it, its companion piece:

A Flip of the Coin | dettiot

What made Charles Carmichael agree to become Chuck Bartowski? Well, to start, it wasn't as much of a change as you'd think. A companion to the early chapters of Two Sides of the Same Coin from Carmichael's perspective.

Chuck vs The Butterfly Effect | n7agentbartowski

Chuck Bartowski is a normal guy who just hit rock bottom. No girlfriend, no career and no super computer stuck inside his head. It isn't until Chuck meets a gorgeous stranger on the beach that he begins to think his life is about to change for the better. An AU Chuck fic without the Intersect. "Change one thing and it changes everything."

I said it on the OG post, but this story has one of my top 5 Chuck/Sarah fic meetings. So funny, so... very Chuck. The story is a little angsty overall, but a great read.

Chuck vs the Rogue Spy | Crumby

When a rogue spy from Chuck Bartowski's past shows up to help him during his first solo mission, Chuck hopes that he'll finally find out what happened to Sarah Walker. Post-S2 AU.

There’s a lot of Season 3 fix-it fics out there, which I don’t usually read bc I actually love season 3 lol, but this one’s a good one! A twisty deviation from canon, but still feels really true to character.

Chuck Versus the Nerds Rewrite | Steampunk.Chuckster and David Carner

What happens when two nerds talk endless hours about their favorite TV show? A new take on the show you know, but with the flair, twists, and turns you've come to expect from Steampunk . Chuckster and david . carner. Somewhat canon. Charah.

As the summary says, a different take on the show, which honestly makes a couple changes I would too, but also adds a bunch of fun twists and plots that make it totally new and fresh. Seeing Chuck and Sarah’s thoughts in the more canon sections is just delicious, too.

The Trapped Assassin | SarahsSupplyCloset

After a mission goes awry, the CIA's most lethal assassin is ordered to take vacation while her superiors figure out what to do with her. But when she meets a disarming tourist, their immediate connection only adds to her disillusionment with the agency and her career. Will he be enough for her to finally take the plunge and leave the only life she's ever known? Charah AU

A warning for the very justified M rating if you don’t like that sort of thing, but this is definitely a plot-heavy fic, too. A really neat Sarah-heavy AU, with a whole lotta Chuck/Sarah fancy French vacationy goodness.

Chuck vs the Second Chance | malamoo

AU from mid-season 2 and onwards. Chuck and Sarah part ways only to be reunited years later. COMPLETE.

Literal, crying-at-my-screen angst. Not even a super happy ending. But a brilliantly written, part-reflective/flashback fic, exploring what would’ve happened if Chuck and Sarah’s relationship really was an assignment all along-- and the aftermath. It’s heartbreaking. But if you want a little heartbreak, this is your fic.

Ready at Your Hand | dettiot

In the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a Catholic plot against the queen comes to the attention of spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham. To protect Elizabeth, he develops an unusual plan: hide the passing of intelligence between two agents by a false romance. When Lady Sarah Walker and Chuck Carmichael meet, though, their pretend flirtation becomes much more.

I love Chuck fic for the very reason that it’s inspired such adventurous and totally unique AUs. Here’s some Elizabethan fake-dating Chuck and Sarah! They have to be so Proper, it’s like that hand moment from Pride and Prejudice but Elizabethan and times a billion. The pining!!

Sarah Versus Getting Married | Steampunk.Chuckster

Sarah Walker is getting married. Canon. Charah.

I’d recommend all of SC’s fics if I had the room, and I’m already recommending a ton sksks but most of my fic recs are AUs, and this one isn’t! It’s canon, and covers some of in the gap in 4x24, with Sarah just before the wedding itself. Super sweet, heart-tugging, brilliant.

A Chuckmas Carol | Mikki13

A new twist to Dickens' beloved "A Christmas Carol". When Sarah begins to shut out the world around her, three spirits come to show her the error of her ways. Season 3 AU.

Another Season 3 AU, this one written pre-series so it definitely doesn’t fit to canon, but it’s still wonderfully rich in character depth and angst and it also made me cry. Plus, festive!

Chuck Versus Thin Ice | Steampunk.Chuckster

On the doorstep of the Olympics, top American curler Sarah Walker has lost her mixed doubles partner and her boyfriend in one fell swoop. Her coaches throw newbie Team U.S.A. curler Chuck Bartowski onto her team and thrust them into the Olympics, hanging America's curling hopes on two people who only have a short amount of time to learn to trust one another. Charah AU.

Do you like curling? Or the Winter Olympics? It doesn’t really matter because somehow this fic made me extremely invested in both of those things, as well as Chuck and Sarah and them being INSUFFERABLE. Catch me now knowing a ton about curling thanks to this fic.

Walker’s Eleven | Moonlight Pilot

Not the same plot as the movie. Sarah Walker never got out of the con game or became a spy, and now she's on her final con. What happens when true love and betrayal get added to the mix? Twists, turns, and Jeffster!

Con!Sarah always interests me, and this fic is full of her. Lotta con plot, lotta Chuck and Sarah.

The Detective and the Tech Guy | thecharleses

Sarah Walker is a Pinkerton detective. Chuck Bartowski is an electronics genius. They wouldn't have met except for a case of mistaken identity and murder. Will the detective and the tech guy solve the mystery, distracted by the riddle in their own hearts? An homage to The Thin Man film series. Formerly co-written by Steampunk . Chuckster and dettiot, now ONLY Steampunk . Chuckster.

Everyone in this fic is so damn cool. There are so many martinis. But also great heart and family and like, standing up for who you love, and later also Chuck with Baby Clara content which frankly the show robbed us of. Also, PI!Sarah!!!

Gravity | Poetic4U

AU. Sarah makes a decision that altered her life forever.

This is just a one-shot, which many of these stories are not, so a good one if you don’t fancy a big read! Just because it’s short, though, doesn’t mean it’s lacking; a really awesome what-if AU, and heavy on the Chuck and Sarah.

A Yuletie Tale | Steampunk.Chuckster

Sarah Walker was dumped the day before Christmas Eve, and her Plus One at her work’s annual Christmas Eve Soiree is now officially a Plus Zero. Her best friend Ellie Bartowski has a solution to her problem, and Sarah finds she isn’t quite as sure about it as Ellie is. AU Christmas Charah.

I’m particularly in love with this fic because, instead of beginning with a meet-cute, it involves Chuck and Sarah already two years into a friendship-- Sarah is Ellie’s best friend. And she’s been crushing harrrd on Ellie’s brother. Also Chuck is in a tux. It’s pretty.

Set, Spike, Dive! | Frea O’Scanlin

Chuck never expected to even make it to the Olympics. Everything is working against him: he's too tall for a diver, too inexperienced for a medal, too much of a wildcard to really make his mark. But an unexpected meeting at the airport, some intriguing new friends, and a whirlwind romance on the sand just might set up London 2012 as the time of Chuck Bartowski's life.

A London 2012 AU, because why not. This is just a fun Olympic-y ride!

OTP (One True Pairing) Prompts | David Carner

A series of Prompts I found online about different times and places in Chuck and Sarah's life. Mostly AU, mostly one-shots. I assume mostly fluff, but I might get deep. I doubt it, it's me. Charah...ALWAYS (It says complete, but if an idea strikes me...)

If you’re not so into long stories, this fic is perfect. Individual set-ups and stories, all Chuck and Sarah, and all super cute. You could dip in and out and just pick a scenario you enjoy.

Chuck vs The Frontier | ninjaVanish

AU: Chuck was enjoying a simple life as a 19th century watchmaker until an encounter with a beautiful Secret Service agent thrust him into a world of intrigue and adventure he never wanted. But then, with Agent Walker around, it can't be all bad, can it?

This fic gets props for being historically-set but still including the Intersect. Again, a historical AU, so the pining!! the need to be Proper!!! But besides all that, there’s a lot of action fun as well.

Chuck Versus The Crosswalk: Remastered | WvonB

Will a last minute mission help our two favorite characters finally get together? This is the remastered version of my first story.

The original version of this fic is on my first list; this is the updated version! It’s not a complete AU, instead a story that diverges from canon, so if you’re more into canon characters and setting than a new AU scenario, this is a great fic for that.

Little Girls, Paper Wreaths, and Choc Chip Cookies | DanaPAH

Very AU: Sarah Walker is a single mother whose Christmas spirit needs a boost after a tough divorce. She isn't quite ready to go looking for romance, but her little daughter's affection for their new neighbor may lure it right to her doorstep, anyway.

An incredibly sweet AU one-shot where Chuck and Sarah are new neighbours, and Sarah has a super cute little girl. So much sweetness and love and hope. I love this fic so much it literally led me to write my own neighbour-kid-AU, so, not to toot my own horn but I’ll link it here anyway.

May Your Walls Know Joy | halfachance

Looking for a fresh start after some tough times, Sarah and her three-year-old daughter move to LA. When they meet a sweet curly-haired nerd who lives next door, though, Sarah realizes they might just find more happiness than they'd ever imagined, if only her past doesn't catch up to her first. AU.

It’s what the summary says; if you wanna read, feel free!

Chuck vs the Sound of Music | quistie64

AU. Chuck, nerd extraordinaire, is a man with seven children and Sarah must protect them all from Fulcrum's evil designs. Warning: there will be singing.

I mean. Not much mystery as to the concept with that title and summary lol, but this is a super fun, soft ride with a lotta sweetness, and yes, singing.

Just Two People | David Carner

Meet Sarah Walker PhD, Psychologist, specializing in personality traits. Meet Chuck Bartowski, man who has left THE electronic company of 2020. When Burton Consultants tries to figure out what is wrong with the morale of Orion Industries, what happens when a guy named Chuck meets a woman named Sarah. I'll give you a hint, it's me writing.

David’s done something pretty special with this fic. It’s Chuck and Sarah centric, but very much an ensemble piece, too, with a lot of Team Bartowski and other familiar faces throughout.

Chuck Versus the Con Game | Steampunk.Chuckster

AU. Chuck and Sarah are partners in the con game. It's an existence wrought with danger and violence. Every day could be their last. Every mission could be the end of the line.

This is where I freak out SC and declare this fic the reason I ever got hooked on Chuck fic and then wrote Chuck fic, and the reason I still love it today but. that is true lol. Just so. so good. It’s also written with the chapters out of chronological order, which is super fun from a reading perspective. But con!Sarah AND con!Chuck?? Best. The kind of fic you will be thinking about for days (if not, y’know, years).

As you can tell by the repeats, I highly recommend just about anything by Steampunk.Chuckster, dettiot, or David Carner, but there are a TON of amazing Chuck fics and authors out there. I’ve never known a writing community so wildly creative-- there are so many unique AUs and canon explorations and story concepts that this show has manifested, and it’s all so much fun.

Most of the Chuck fic community is still over on FFN rather than AO3, so if any of these whet your appetite, feel free to have a browse there for more stories. I’m sure you’ll find something great. Personally, all the incredible writing there has also led me to write a buttload; I’m at halfachance on FFN, so if you see any of my stuff or wanna chat fic, feel free to message me there or here.

Happy reading, folks!

[aion-rsa]

Psych 2: Lassie Come Home Easter Egg and Reference Guide

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The following contains spoilers for Psych 2: Lassie Come Home.

As fun as 2017’s Psych: The Movie was, its 2020 sequel Psych 2: Lassie Come Home will likely supplant it in Psych-Os’ hearts, because it’s got 500% more Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson). But how does it stack up to its predecessor in terms of Psych callbacks and pop culture homages? Using our Spencer powers of observation, we’ve tried to catch every recurring inside joke between Shawn (James Roday Rodriguez) and Gus (Dulé Hill), plus all the episodic-specific bits. It’s a feature-length Hitchcock homage, but it’s also the toughest Easter egg hunt of your life. C’mon, son!

Psych 2: Lassie Come Home Easter Eggs and References

The title is a reference to Lassie Come Home, the 1943 Lassie movie about the beloved dog making her way home from Scotland. A German-language remake came out early in 2020.

It’s always a treat to hear the Psych theme song “I Know, You Know,” performed by creator Steve Franks and his band The Friendly Indians.

Lassiter wakes up to Shawn and Gus hovering above him at the recovery clinic is a throwback to when they kidnapped him for his bachelor party in “Deez Nups” and he came to with them screaming “Surpriiise!”

Morrissey the rescue dog reprises his role from Psych: The Movie in being adorable, incredibly nosy, and oblivious to Shawn’s hissing commands.

Sarah Chalke’s nurse character Dolores is most likely a nod to San Francisco’s Mission Dolores church and cemetery, the location for Carlotta Valdes’ grave in Vertigo.

Right out the gate, Dolores is treated to the requisite Gus nickname: “My name is Shawn Spencer, and this is my partner Bill Poopingtons.” However, Shawn and Gus take a sidebar for a very meta argument about their ongoing bit (while fitting in another bit):

“Gus, don’t be the night your dad fell asleep inside your mom. We can’t just stop doing bits we’ve been doing for ten years. We have fans, they have expectations, there’ll be a huge backlash.”

“Shawn, we are two dumbasses, we do not have fans.”

Compromise: Gus gets right of refusal until they land on a nickname he prefers. And so:

Bill Poopingtons > All the Pips in One

Ding-Dong Ditch > Claude O’Dern > Big Poppa Pump > Lemon-a Lemon-a Lemon-a Liiime

Leggo My Eggo > Norman Brown Butter > Dijon Hounsou

Gus also calls himself Jermajesty, channeling some Jackson Five energy.

“Black Jello” was Gus’ nickname in their adult dodgeball league.

The Herschel House is likely a nod to Herschel Daugherty, who directed over two dozen episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents…

Gus and Shawn are still bickering over driving the drivers ed car, even if we don’t see it in the movie. They do manage to be just as bad at turning the right direction when riding a motorcycle together.

“Now I know this ‘goofy little white guy/sexy black dude’ routine the two of you have going like the back of my scrubs.” Sarah Chalke played Elliot on Scrubs, whose JD/Turk bromance walked so that Shawn/Gus could run.

Shawn calls Dolores “the nurse from Color of Night,” the 1994 Bruce Willis erotic mystery thriller that won a Golden Raspberry for Worst Picture.

The boys get Jamba Juice because you never turn down an opportunity for a Jamba.

Shawn likens Gus’ pubic hair to Eddie Murphy’s mustache in his 1987 stand-up film Raw.

Shawn offers the dismembered hand to Gus to “knuck it up softly,” per their penchant for fist-bumping. 

They later do fist-bump outside the old Psych offices, but not before channeling Han Solo and Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Force Awakens: “Gus, we’re home.” “[Wookiee sound]”

Psych has become a French-themed cat café… for now, at least. It’s not an alternative universe from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but the current subletter’s pop-up business. The proprietor (not the girl from Orphan) is played by Allison Miller, James Roday Rodriguez’s co-star in A Million Little Things.

“I am a psychic. He is a sympathetic pooper.” Poor Gus’ intestinal system gets called out again.

Henry’s (Corbin Bernsen) put-on voice gets compared to Tom Waits, Kathleen Turner, Harvey Fierstein, and Diedrich Bader.

Shawn neglected to tell his landlord that he’d moved, which tracks with his behavior in the series finale “The Break-Up.”

Henry reveals that in addition to telenovelas, he enjoys zeitgeist-y sobfests: “You left behind a slow cooker with a three-pound roast in it. You nearly This Is Us-ed the entire block.”

“This Is Us—Dad, why are you watching that show? They have the same show on ABC but newer”: Shawn’s shoutout to A Million Little Things.

Lassiter mistakes Reese Kessler, his supposed shooter, for country music singer Conway Twitty.

Lassiter’s to-do list includes “tape Galavant,” the short-lived musical comedy fantasy series created by Dan Fogelman (This Is Us), in which Timothy Omundson played King Richard. It also includes items poking fun at Lassiter’s crankiness (“yell at nature,” “chirping bird d-day plan”) and tenacity (“solve black dahlia”), and heartstring-tugging items (“pre-register for ironman” as in the triathlon). He also has written down Shawn’s S.E.I.Z.E. mantra from his short-lived career as Lassiter’s life coach in “S.E.I.Z.E. the Day”: Seize Eggs I don’t know Zebra Eighties.

Juliet (Maggie Lawson) lying to Shawn sounds strange, though not as strange as Lupita Nyong’o—the Tethered Lupita—in Jordan Peele’s Us.

Shawn’s “romantic dinner” for Jules is the menu from A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (jelly beans, pretzels, buttered toast, popcorn, and ice cream sundaes) because it’s all they had at the gas station on the way home.

That prompts an iconic “C’mon, son!” from Gus.

Gus’ ringtone is “I’m Mr. Bootyman,” which is both Henry’s ringtone and the song featured in Buzz McNab’s bachelorette party stripper routine in “Deez Nups.”

Gus’ (technically Jules’) green snuggie bears a striking resemblance to official Psych contest merch.

Lassiter spotting mysterious bleeding figures out his window is an homage to Rear Window.

Richard Schiff (as Dr. Herschel) was Dulé Hill’s co-star in The West Wing.

Potterhead Gus wants to know if there are any people hiding in the pipes of the Herschel House, “speaking in their own tongue, perhaps Parsel.”

The Psych boys’ map of suspects briefly includes the Hell Hag from Gus’ dreams in “A Nightmare on State Street.”

Shawn has only been to Norway once with his brother-in-law Ewan O’Hara (John Cena), but they don’t talk about that… Maybe that’s where Psych: The Movie went after its cliffhanger ending?

Ova’s Norwegian song/chant toast at the Viking’s Ice Den is very similar to the Swedish toast in “Right Turn or Left for Dead.”

Ova’s violent son Per is first described as “the bearded Daryl Hannah.”

Shawn’s excuse to Detective Buzz McNab (Sage Brocklebank) for being in Santa Barbara is that he forgot a frisbee signed by German writer/director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.

Shawn’s first reaction to Jules potentially being pregnant: “You know the windows in the loft don’t even fully close, right? I’m gonna have to replace them, otherwise this is Baby’s Day Out all over again.” As Gus reassures him, he always did get worked up over John Hughes’ worst idea.

At the old Psych offices, Shawn pulls out the jousting lance from “100 Clues”—as well as a pineapple! He looks about to ask, “Should we cut this up for the road?” (his question during the pineapple’s first appearance in the pilot, plus at the end of Psych: The Movie) but stops himself.

When Lassie believes that fellow patient Mr. Wilkerson (Kadeem Hardison) has been walking around, Shawn and Gus have to go “full Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” to interrogate the supposedly catatonic patient.

Shoutout to Jessie Spano’s infamous “I’m so excited, I’m so excited, I’m so scared!” speed speech from Saved by the Bell.

If it’s not Scrubs, the boys are getting compared to Ren and Stimpy.

Mary Lightly (Jimmi Simpson) returns in another incredible, extra-hallucinatory look into Shawn’s brain… this time as a baby, since Shawn’s got fatherhood on the brain.

“We got jackaled!” Gus shouts upon learning that Wilkerson can walk—a reference to “hitting the jackal switch,” or going into stealth mode.

Shawn has always had a thing for singer Jewel, even after the Civil War movie (1999’s Ride with the Devil) and the Bollywood song.

Of course there’s a nasty dance when Shawn and Gus figure out who they think is behind everything.

Gus declares that “I am not going to let you shoot Shules’ baby!” only for the Chief (Kirsten Nelson) to ask, “What’s a Shules?” That’s the fans’ name for Shawn/Jules, a cute nod to a series OTP.

And of course, we can’t forget the fact that Jazmyn Simon, who plays Selene, is Dulé Hill’s real-life wife.

More than once, Shawn quotes The Handmaid’s Tale in reference to Gus and Selene’s baby: “Praise be” and “Blessed is the fruit.”

Dolores compliments Lassiter’s “chest of hair plentiful enough to wake all of Destiny’s Child.”

Shawn comes up with possible names for Gus’ child: Shaft, Shaftie, or D’Shaft—just like Gus’ nickname Sh’Dynasty (with a “God’s comma,” or apostrophe) from “Santabarbaratown.”

They also both coo “c’mon son” to Selene’s womb.

Selene’s proposal to Gus includes his negotiation that he and Shawn have adjacent homes with connecting pools, a callback to Shawn and Gus talking about their dream setup in “The Break-Up”; as well as Pluto! She asks, “Will you make me the happiest woman on this planet, on Eres, and Pluto?”

Shawn tells Juliet that “you’re my person,” the iconic Grey’s Anatomy line (though one would argue that Gus more accurately is his person).

When Lassiter stands (shut up, you’re crying) to meet Marlowe (Kristy Swanson), they place their palms together—like they did when he would visit her in jail, like they did at their wedding. My heart.

Join us on the Easter egg hunt—let us know what references we missed!

The post Psych 2: Lassie Come Home Easter Egg and Reference Guide appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[forest-of-stories]

The “Evolution” of a Problematic Shipper

[I’ve been working on this lengthy post, which is about my early adventures in X-Men: Evolution fanfiction, for a very long time.  So, here it is, friends.  Please note a content warning for some discussion of abuse, mostly in fiction.  Also, my individual recollections are my own, and extremely subjective; others might remember the fandom differently than I do.]

Quite a few years ago, I wrote about how X-Men: Evolution was “the first fandom in which I participated heavily: watching the show as it aired, obsessing with other fans about the stories and relationships within, and writing reams and reams of (mostly very bad) fic.”  I still think that this is somewhat true; XME certainly inspired me to do all of those things more publicly and enthusiastically than I ever had before, especially where my One True Pairing was concerned.

For those who don’t know, X-Men: Evolution, which ran from 2000 to 2003, was essentially an animated High School AU of the X-Men comics in which our heroes lived and trained at the Xavier Institute but attended classes at their local high school.  For the first couple of seasons, mutants weren’t public knowledge as they are in the comics or movies, so a few characters used their powers for the first time without understanding what was going on.

The second episode, “The X-Impulse,” introduced viewers to (this world’s version of) Kitty Pryde, a lonely, sheltered fifteen-year-old who was terrified of her newly awakened ability to walk through walls, and to Lance Alvers, a juvenile delinquent whose own powers caused him to make awkward faces and terrible puns (and also earthquakes, I guess).  When they met, Lance seemed happy and excited to meet someone else with super-powers, but he quickly developed a plan to manipulate Kitty into helping him in his criminal shenanigans.  He presented himself as helpful and supportive, gained her trust, and, when she refused him help him, became aggressive and violent toward her and her family.  The episode ended with Kitty recruited by the X-Men and Lance joining the bad guys, and the two of them spent the rest of the season as enemies.

Watching this episode for the first time as a teenager, I knew that Lance’s behavior toward Kitty was wrong and abusive.  And yet, there was something about their early interactions that captured my imagination.  Maybe it was the fact that, whatever else might have happened, he was the first person to show her how to find confidence and joy in her powers.  Maybe it was the hug that they shared, or his line, “Once you own it, nothing can own you,” or the possibility, thwarted though it might have been, that they could have formed an understanding despite very different backgrounds and attitudes.  I liked forbidden romances, and I liked flipping the script to make unquestioned heroes seem villainous and villains seem sympathetic, and I liked when characters rebelled against controlling authority figures and communities, which is how I reimagined the X-Men when I first started writing about them.  I’m not saying that I explored any of those ideas well, but they were what started me writing: at first in collaboration with a friend from summer camp, who still deserves a lot of the credit, and then on my own.  I posted my solo stories on Fanfiction.net, where this fandom would enjoy some remarkable popularity that I’m not sure has ever transferred to any other platform.

I wrote about Lance infiltrating the X-Men (with psychic shields in place), and having to choose between his original mission and his romance with Kitty, whose own commitment to her team and its mission was starting to waver.  I wrote about her trying to figure out her identity beyond her friends’ expectations of her, even as Lance tried to be a better and less destructive person.  I wrote about Charles Xavier mind-controlling Kitty into dismissing Lance and falling back into unquestioning loyalty, giving way to several well-received sequels in which some of the characters tried to free themselves and each other from Xavier’s telepathic chokehold.  I wrote without much direction or concern for established continuity and characterization, and assumed the whole time that the show would never explore what I saw as the unrecognized potential of my OTP.  When canon actually went there, I was as surprised as anybody.

--

After Lance had spent the entire premiere of Season 2, “Growing Pains,” acting like a complete jerk to Kitty and her friends, his destructiveness endangered her life, and he saved her.  They became romantically involved soon afterward, and he became noticeably less of a jerk toward her and slightly less of a jerk toward others.  The series of fics that I was working on had decisively departed from continuity by this point, but I still incorporated elements of the season premiere into the installment that I was posting at the time.  And my fellow Lance/Kitty shippers, believing that canon had vindicated us, were transported with joy.  

If XME were popular today, I believe that there would be a lot more pushback against Lance/Kitty, in both good and bad ways.  Even at the time, the pairing was not universally beloved.  There were probably those who thought that its dysfunctional beginnings outweighed any potential for functionality or sweetness, and there were definitely those who thought that both characters would be better off with someone else.  It’s tempting to rewrite history with claims that “in my day, we shipped and let ship,” and it’s true that yesterday’s shipping conflicts didn’t use all of the same weapons that today’s do, but the fandom was still full of snarky, self-important brats who, no matter which side of any given argument we were on, believed that only we understood these characters and this world.

I say “we,” because I was not exempt from these behaviors.  I’ve sometimes thought that participation in this fandom brought out some of my worst habits.  But a lot of positive things came out of it as well.  It gave me the inspiration and confidence to write more prolifically than I ever had before (or maybe even since), and a chance to explore ideas that became deeply important to me: perhaps most importantly, I don’t think I’d written so extensively or publicly about the horrors of mind control.  Mutual devotion to our show and its fandom, and mutual conviction that Lance and Kitty were meant to be, connected me with a number of friends with whom I started exchanging emails and IMs and LiveJournal comments, and I’ve kept in touch with a couple of them to this day.  And even though I didn’t always respond constructively to attention and validation, XME fandom gave me what I think fandom has given a lot of creative young people: a wider audience for my writing, and a community who cared about the lives and feelings of cartoon characters as much as I did, and in many of the same ways.  My experience in this fandom was as uneven and as flawed (dare one say… problematic?), and often as delightful, as the show that inspired it.

And, for me, it had all started with Lance and Kitty.   As the show progressed, and for years after it ended, I continued to write more canon-compliant one-shot stories about them: missing scenes or predictions for the future. Their relationship was a given in more or less everything I wrote, whether or not they were the focus, and even when I’d fallen deeply into other fandoms, I still regarded it with nostalgic fondness.

--

I think that a lot of us have faced an uncomfortable tension between our social consciences and our nostalgia for the uncomplicated adoration with which we viewed our “problematic faves” as children.  I can’t provide a one-size-fits-all solution for that conflict.  I don’t know if one exists.

“Although I'm not going to say that I never thought that I'd be engaging with XME again in any way,” I blogged in late 2013, as my local cartoon-watching group began the first season, “I was somewhat surprised that I had any feelings about this show left, or anything else to say.”  But I did, and I said a lot of it in short ficlets of less than 500 words, which - since I was in graduate school at the time - were usually all that my energy levels would allow.

At around the same time, I started reading fandom-related posts on Tumblr, including the ones that stated or implied that redemption arcs in fiction, and/or shipping characters with people who had mistreated them, were universally bad because they would increase the likelihood of real-life abuse.  It’s not like I had never thought about that aspect of Lance and Kitty’s relationship (I’d addressed it more than once in the intervening time), but something about phrasing of those posts - or maybe something about my own mental state when I saw them - sent me into a spiral of self-doubt.  I wondered I would have to publicly apologize for and cast aside my affection for a pairing and a narrative that had been so deeply formative for me.  I wondered if my friends would consider me an abuse apologist if I didn’t, or even whether I might secretly be one.  

One of the reasons why it took me a long time to write this retrospective is that I wanted to avoid too many lengthy tangents or blanket statements about critical consumption of media, the toxic elements of “anti-shipping,” and the relationship between fiction and reality.  I do believe that such a relationship exists, but it’s much more complicated than “impure fiction is dangerous, especially if people might be enjoying it in ways that are not politically conscious or wholesome enough.”  Anybody who reads my blog knows that I am intensely critical of purity culture, and I do not believe in being unkind to real people on behalf of fictional characters (and I say this as someone who used to do exactly that).  Also, if you were going to ask, “So you’re saying you support [taboo and/or illegal act]?” please don’t.  I am not saying that, and we are not having that conversation.  Not all “problematic” stories are interchangeable or should be talked about in the same way, and all of the issues that surround them are bigger and more complex than any individual character or romantic arc.

So I am not suggesting that Lance and Kitty’s own romantic arc should not have happened, or that people shouldn’t enjoy it, when I point out that was built on some incredibly inappropriate behavior that reflects toxic cultural attitudes  even if it doesn’t “normalize” or “promote” them, and I can understand why some people (including at least one of my Cartoon Night buddies) would see it as irresponsible storytelling.   In “Growing Pains,” Lance harassed Kitty despite her trying to tell him off, used his powers in publicly destructive ways in order to hold her attention, and tried to keep her from leaving school with her friends.  Even when his protective leap caused her to regard him as something besides an enemy, it seemed to be setting up an arc in which her love - or the possibility of her love - would make him a better person. 

In reality, of course, it’s unrealistic at best for anyone to expect that they can “change” or “improve” the morality of a partner who has treated them (or others) badly.  But it’s an enjoyable and compelling fantasy, as are the “opposites attract” and “forbidden love” aspects of the pairing, all of which we shippers ate up with a spoon.  It’s vital for shippers to recognize the difference between reality and fiction, but it is not my place to assume - based solely upon the nature of the fantasy - that they’re unable to do so.

And, in-universe, I can absolutely understand why sheltered, idealistic Kitty might have given in to this fantasy.  But it doesn’t play out in the way that she - or I - initially expected.

I’ve seen the Season 2 episode “Joyride” so many times that I didn’t have to rewatch it in order to write this essay.  That’s the one in which Lance briefly joined the X-Men, in order to be close to Kitty and, hopefully, to become the kind of person that she might admire.  The story was full of cute moments in which they flirted, bantered, and ultimately worked together to solve a crisis.  It also spotlighted one of the biggest obstacles to their relationship, and despite what a lot of fanfic - including my own - suggested, that did not come from their respective teams’ objections.  Professor Xavier even encouraged Lance’s potential for redemption (which didn’t stop me from reading, writing, and endorsing fic in which he regularly meddled in his students’ love lives), and the other characters reacted to the situation in a variety of understandable, if not always admirable, ways.  No, the telling moment occurred when the team was running through aquatic rescue scenarios, and Lance cheerfully broke rank and “drowned” two other people in order to pull Kitty out of the water.  Here was his entire approach to redemption and to their relationship, summed up in one gesture: he wanted to ensure her safety and well-being, but didn’t always care what or whom he knocked down in the process.  This became even clearer toward the end of the season, when he tried unsuccessfully to chase her (and only her) away from a fight between their two teams, although her friends would still be in danger. This tension exploded in the third episode of Season 3, when Lance and his friends once again attacked the X-Men on school grounds, and Kitty shouted, “This is the real you, isn’t it?” Lance responded, “That’s right! I’m never going to be good enough for you!” (I typed that out from memory, too.)

Naturally, my fellow shippers and I were devastated by this development, and I, for one, wrote lots of angsty fic (often interspersed with the lyrics to late 1990s/early 2000s pop music)  in which the former couple pined for each other despite having been Torn Apart By Circumstances.  Years later, however, I’m proud of Kitty, and of the writers, for drawing that line in the sand, and for realizing that - although, as Charles pointed out, it would have been a good start - it wasn’t enough for Lance to be good for her.  Whether or not this was an intentional writing choice, the later seasons reflected an awareness that he was primarily the one responsible for making himself a better person.  

Yes, after Lance and his comrades joined the climactic battle even though he’d insisted at first that he didn’t care, he and Kitty got back together in the series finale. There were probably viewers who thought their reconciliation hadn’t been earned, as well as those who thought it had been.  Obviously, eighteen-year-old Nevanna (by then in her first semester of college) was one of the latter.  But I appreciate the time that they spent apart, and the fact that it came at least as much from from internal motivations as from external pressure, far more as an adult than I did as a teenager.

To be clear: you don’t have to like Lance/Kitty or pairings like it.  When I say that I regard it differently now, I am not trying to assert that “my ship is Unproblematic after all, so there!” because it isn’t.  Nor am I trying to suggest, “It’s okay that I had a Bad Ship, because I regret it now, and the rest of you are filthy sinners who should do the same.” I don’t, and you’re not, and you shouldn’t.  Or, rather, how you feel about your past shipping, and what kind of person it makes you, is not for me to decide.

I loved and built upon this pairing both despite and because of its problems, and that is one of the reasons why I try not to condemn other people - as long as they maintain that all-important boundary between fantasy and reality - for loving and building upon stories that have similar problems, or different ones altogether.

--

I was sixteen when I first started writing XME fanfic.  I’m thirty-three now.  I can easily imagine some of you asking, “When are you going to get over these imaginary fake not-real cartoon characters and get a life, Nevanna?” That is, I hope that my friends, whom I love and who love me, aren’t thinking along those lines, but it’s certainly a question that I have asked myself more than once.

Even when I was cheerfully participating in fandom in my youth, I still feared that my obsessions with fictional characters were bad for me, a sign that I wasn’t equipped to deal with or care about “real life.” In one diary entry, I wrote with certainty that I would have to abandon my fannish interests entirely when I started college.  If a large contingent of fans had loudly insisted that my interests were not only bad for me but bad for the world, that I was actively hurting others simply by writing about my chosen subject matter, that I was likely to enable or engage in actual criminal activity… I’m not sure what I would have done, but it probably wouldn’t have been what they wanted me to do, and it likely would have made me an even more unpleasant person to be around.

I tried my best to balance academic obligations with fandom and creativity when I did enter college, and sometimes failed spectacularly, but that owed as much to anxiety and poor time management skills, both of which are still everyday challenges for me, as it did to caring “too much” about stories.  I eventually earned a master’s degree, and found a series of jobs, in a field that is just a bit concerned with making sure people get to read whatever they want.  If I’m still “getting a life,” which I believe is an ongoing process, then my fandoms are just one part of it.  And after all this time, X-Men: Evolution is still one of those fandoms.  I find it easy and comforting and fun to write about these characters, and the only person who gets to decide whether I’m “over” them is myself.  

The last time I wrote anything that focused specifically on Lance and Kitty was a little more than two years ago, and the fic didn’t shy away from the troubled history of their relationship.  I have a preference for stories that at least acknowledge that history and the tension that comes with it, but I would never barge in and assume that because a content creator doesn’t check those boxes, they support real-life abusive relationships.

Would I still ship Lance and Kitty if I encountered them for the first time today? It’s difficult to say. Many aspects of their relationship are still things that I enjoy in fiction.  But my early interest in them was based on a specific set of assumptions about the characters, their world, and even the purpose of fanfiction, as well as, yes, some amount of ignorance about how romance and attraction worked.  I don’t want to enjoy their story, or others, solely in the way that I did when I was younger.  Most of the time, I prefer the all the ways that I enjoy stories now.

As I said earlier, I’m not proud of some of my actions in the XME fandom.  I regret sneering at the fanbase for another popular pairing that had dysfunctional beginnings, as if my OTP didn’t.  (The two pairings didn’t even have any common characters, so it’s not as if they challenged each other as far as I know, not that my attitude would have been okay even if they had.  I think I partly just enjoyed hating what so many people liked.)  I regret participating in an LJ community that publicly mocked specific people’s writing.  I regret sticking my nose into people’s reviews just to beg them to read my latest chapter, but not as much as I regret leaving at least one hostile review, with a very thin veneer of playfulness, when half of my OTP hooked up with another character in the middle of a multi-chapter fic.   And, all of that aside, there is a much longer list of regrettable choices that I made as a writer.  But I don’t regret looking at Lance and Kitty in their introductory episode and thinking, “There’s a story there, and I want to find out where it might go.”

[tokikurp]

Spotlight

Summary- "To her, I’m just Hayato and not Yamagata Hayato the famous actor. We cook together, we cuddle on the couch and watch movies, we go on dates. We bake at two in the morning and dance in the kitchen while we wait for whatever were making to cook, because why not?”

Pairing- Yachi Hitoka x Yamagata Hayato (YachiGata)

AU- Actor

Word count- 3K 

HELLO @tendous-satoris, TIS I! YOUR SECERT VALENTINES DAY PERSON AND YOUR FRIEND, BROOKE!

What are the odds of getting someone you know?! It’s amazing and I was VERY excited to be assigned to you! I also wanted to point out that you did not request YachiGata, but because I’m know and I knew what your OTP is, I hooked you up 😉 

So Happy Valentines Day, my friend!

And happy birthday Yamagata 🎉

Enjoy!

AO3

“Our next guest made his movie debut just about four years ago in the award winning film, Eagle’s Land. The movie sparked his acting career and it hasn’t lost its peak since then. Please welcome, Yamagata Hayato!” At the call of his name, Yamagata walked out from backstage and waved to the cheering audience. The actor turned his attention to the host, Endoso Kazuo, and walked up to greet him.

“Yamagata-san, thank you for joining us this morning.” Endoso thanked after the two had sat down.

“Thank you for having me, Endoso-san. I’m glad to be here!”

“We’re glad to have you here. So first off, I want to congratulate you on your recent win.” Endoso started, the audience cheering as a picture of Yamagata appeared on the screen holding up the statue award. The actor gave a nod as thanks to the host. “You won the Best Actor in a Leading Role for Reflex Assassination.”

“Yeah, I was shocked when they announced my name. I really thought they’d announced the wrong winner and I mean, everyone saw the expression on my face- oh yeah there it is!” Yamagata laughed as a picture appeared of the shocked actor on the screen behind them.

“Did you really not expect to win?”

“NO! Did you see who I was up against?”

“Yes, one of the nominees was your former co-star from Eagle’s Land, Ushijima Wakatoshi and his movie, Secrets in the River.” Endoso read on his notecard.

“I thought Wakatoshi was going to win, I mean he’s a great actor and his movie was outstanding. And it did win Best Picture.” Yamagata chuckled as he shrugged at the last part.

“So what was that moment like when they announced you had won.”

“Like I said, I was shocked. I really wasn’t expecting to win because I was nominated together with incredulity talented actors, like Oikawa Tooru and Wakatoshi. The moment I saw who I was going up against, I turned to my manager and said, ‘Well, I lost! I’ll prepare my congratulation tweet when he beats me’.” Yamagata explained as the audience laughed.

“But when they announced my name, I thought there was an error. But nope, it was my name and my movie in the envelope.”

“You at least accepted the award, right?” Endoso asked.

“No I gave it to Wakatoshi, of course I accepted it.” Yamagata responded as everyone laughed again. “Even at the afterparty, Wakatoshi came up and congratulated me and said I deserved it.”

“So you and Ushijima-san are still talking, what about the rest of you and your Eagle’s Land co-stars?”

“Of yeah, we all still talk. I actually just saw Reon the other day and obviously I saw Wakatoshi at the award show and afterparty with Eita. Satori and I play online games until four in the morning, because we’re responsible adults.” The audience laughed again at the last comment. “We see each other a lot, when our schedules allow us to. But we try to get together once a month and have dinner and just hang out.”

“It’s great to hear that you all are still very close, even after the production of the movie, that sparked your careers, is over with.” Endoso commented as the actor nodded back. “So you’ve worked on movies for the past couple of years, but now you’re doing something different.”

“Yeah I’m working on a TV drama series called The Red Crown.” Yamagata nodded as he confirmed.

“What made you decide to try a TV drama?” Endoso asked with a curious tone in his voice.

“You know, I wanted to try something different and my manager called me one day about this audition for a TV show. He told me what it was about and at first, I wasn’t going to do it, because I typically do action or comedy stuff. But I told myself that I wanted to try something different and this was something different. So I auditioned and next thing I knew, I got the part of the Red King.” The actor explained.

“What can you tell us about The Red Crown?”

“I don’t want to give too much away, because I like to wait until the series has started to air, which it will be two Fridays from now at seven.” Yamagata winked. “But all I will say that it my character, the Red King, has to make some very important decisions that could either keep his kingdom alive or potentially make it fall apart.”

“Sounds exciting, I’m definitely watching that.” Endoso commented as he moved to his next card.

“So Yamagata-san, you’re still young. You’re twenty-two and you’ve already done some amazing things, such as winning your first solo award and raise an incredible amount of money for charity. Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?”

Yamagata blinked as he thought about that question, his eyebrows raising up and his lips sticking out. Wow, good question.

“That’s a tough one. Well, uh, I don’t know. For one, I hope I’m still acting in the next five or ten years. That’d be great. But you know, I hadn’t thought about this one certain event until two close friends did it. Uh, I hope to be married to my partner.” Yamagata explained, a fond smile crossing his face as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“Wait, you’re in a relationship?” Endoso asked after closing his dropped jaw. When did this happen? Even the audience was shocked by this, small gasps were heard, eyes widened and even jaws dropped too.

“I’ve been in a relationship for about a year now and I am incredibly happy.”

“Really now?”

“Yeah, she makes me very happy and treats me like a normal person. To her, I’m just Hayato and not Yamagata Hayato the famous actor. We cook together, we cuddle on the couch and watch movies, we go on dates. We bake at two in the morning and dance in the kitchen while we wait for whatever were making to cook, because why not?” Yamagata laughed.

“She sends me encouraging text messages while I’m out filming. She also gives me feedback when I’m working on my lines and gives suggestions on what type of tone I should use, or how to say a line a certain way. She also gives great back massages.”

“It sounds like she’s important to you. So does she work in the entertainment industry?”

“No and that’s what I wanted. I didn’t want to be with another famous person, I wanted to be with someone, who isn’t famous. She’s a graphic designer by the way and is incredibly talented!” Yamagata explained.

“So when will the world to get meet her?”

“Not anytime soon.” The actor winked. “She’s shy and isn’t ready to introduce herself just yet.”

“Well I know many people are looking forward to that day. Yamagata-san, thank you for joining us! The Red Crown premieres on March 2nd at 7pm.”

“I’m home!” Yamagata called out. It had been a couple of hours since his interview with Endoso Kazuo and he had a full day of promoting The Red Crown. It was early evening as he returned home and more than ready to have a relaxing evening with his beloved, Yachi Hitoka. The moment he walked in, he could smell something delicious in the air. The smell of beef, vegetables and curry filled his nostrils and made him realize he was hungry.

“Welcome home, Hayato!” He heard her call out as he removed his shoes. “How was your day?”

“Ugh, long.” He answered while walking into the kitchen to see Yachi at the stove, stirring up dinner. He walked over and hugged her from behind, getting a little squeak out of her (he also snuck in a kiss or two to her neck). “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. How’d the interview go?” She asked, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“Good, but long. How was work?” He asked, pulling away from her and leaned against the island countertop. He also plucked a few grapes from their vines and popped them into his mouth.

“It went well. Our new project was green lit and that means meetings for the next few days.” Yachi responded, but sighing at the end of the sentence. Yamagata chuckled, he felt the same way about meetings. “I don’t think I’ll be able to catch your interview tomorrow, so I’ll have it set to record.”

“I understand, babe. Don’t worry about it.” He smiled at her softly.

“B-but still!” She turned around and pouted, ugh her pouting face was just so cute! Yamagata couldn’t take it. “I enjoy watching all your interviews. I love watching you talk about all the movies you’re in. And now the TV show that you’re in, which I’m getting SUPER excited about! I have a countdown on my phone until it airs!”

Yachi pulled out her phone and pulled up a countdown app, showing that the premier of The Red Crown was just 14 days, 08 hours, 35 minutes and 12 seconds aways. The background was of Yamagata taking a selfie in his costume (that also included the red crown). Yamagata chuckled, blushing slightly at the image she used as the background for her countdown. He was in his messy dressing room that was dark; the only lighting came from the vanity mirror that set a warm tone to the serious expression on his face.

“I know you’re excited, just two more weeks and you can go on and on about it.” Yamagata chuckled again as he grabbed the plates. “Are you still planning that premiere party?”

“Yes, indeed! I just finished the what type of food will be at the party and I’m starting to gather everything. Oh and Shirabu-san sent me a text, saying he’ll be able to make it! So all your friends will be able to make it!” Yachi announced, clapping her hands.

“Terushima probably texted that for him.” He chuckled, bringing the rice over to the table.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it was him.” She chuckled, turning off the stove as the curry finished cooking. “Okay, dinner is ready!”

“Alright, I’m starving!”

“You’re always hungry.”

“I’m a growing boy!”

Yachi giggled as she patted his cheek and said, “Yes, you are still a growing twenty-two year old boy.”

With dinner finished, the dishes washed and leftovers put away for tomorrow’s lunch, the couple retreated to the living room for a relaxing evening. Wrapping her arms around Yamagata’s waist, Yachi leaned against him as the two watched a comedy series (which happened to star Tendou Satori). The jokes were corny and puns were thrown here and there, but it never failed to get a chuckle or giggle out of the two of them. This happened to be one of Yachi’s favorite shows because of the humor, Yamagata thought it was cheesy.

But he did like cheese.

During a commercial break, Yamagata’s phone rang. Yachi looked up as the actor pulled out the ringing device to see, who was calling.

Jin

“Aw honey, I’m so proud of you. You came home with your phone.” Yachi smiled, actually surprised that her boyfriend had his phone with him. Yamagata stuck his tongue out at her while he answered his phone.

“Hey what’s up, Jin?”

“Oh, you actually answered. I had a message already written out-”

“Okay, yeah, I got it. I lose my phone a lot.” The actor cut the other off, making both Jin and Yachi laugh. Well, he wasn’t lying. One time he left his phone on a movie set and the director found it, shaking his head because he had immediately known who it belonged to.

“Yeah a lot. But I’m calling because I’ve been in this crazy writing mood and ended up writing a whole series of movies.”

Jin was a screenwriter and was one of the writer’s that wrote Eagle’s Land. Jin befriended all the actors in the movie and had been close with them all ever since. And every time when he finished a script for a movie, he was eager to ask if they’d be interested in taking part.

“Oh really? That’s great to here! How many movies is the series going to have?”

“Three scripts are finished and I’m about halfway done with the fourth one.” Yamagata’s eyes widened. Four scripts?!

“Whoa, you have been in a writing kick.”

“Yeah, I know,” the screenwriter chuckled nervously. “It suddenly happened when I was on vacation with Yumi.” Referring to the time Jin went on vacation with his girlfriend, Yumi.

“Oh well that makes plenty of sense. Hope Yumi wasn’t pissed that you were working while on vacation.” Yamagata laughed.

“Actually she helped me plan the first script, because she was interested in the idea.” Jin laughed.”So I’m calling because I wanted to know if you’d be interested in being part of the movie. I’ve already called Wakatoshi and he said him and Eita would be interested in taking part. Reon said he’ll let me know after he looked at his schedule and I’m about to call Satori after I hang up with you.”

Yamagata raised an eyebrow while he leaned forward, Yachi watched in wonder.

“Are you getting the original cast back together from Eagle’s Land?” If he was right, then after Tendou it would be Shirabu, Kawanishi, and then Goshiki.

“Yeah. I was thinking about getting everyone back together because you know, Washijo-san is talking about retirement, but wants to do one last massive project. He said either a movie series or something else, I can’t remember what it was. Maybe a documentary?” Jin responded, trying to think about what the other thing was.

Washijo Tanji, a multi award-winning director with tons of hit movies under his belt (all of which were also award winning movies). Eagle’s Land was the first movie he directed with a cast of unheard of actors, all of who he saw potential in and gave them their roles. People said that this would be the end of Washijo’s career and that Eagle’s Land would fail miserably. But every single person was proven wrong when Eagle’s Land became number one during the first weekend. And stayed at number one for the next few weeks. It became one of Washijo’s best works since The Maroon Swan, one of the first movies he directed when he had started his career back in the 70’s. That movie was what launched his career and since then, he’d been unstoppable.

Because he gave Yamagata and his seven co-stars, a chance when no one else would and their careers launched. To be honest, even though Washijo was stern and called a demon at times, Yamagata looked up to him as a Father figure (since Yamagata’s Father had never been in his life). Hearing Washijo was wanting to do one more massive project before going into retirement, Yamagata chuckled as a smirk crossed his face.

“I’m in. So what’s the idea for this new movie series?”

Yachi smiled up at him softly, she could tell how excited he was about this new project. And she was just as excited for him.

After a long two years of filming, traveling to different prefectures and even countries, and post production; tonight was the night. Tonight was the premiere of Mission File: Code X; a four movie series about a newly formed spy group, learning to work together while going on dangerous missions. All eight actors had been promoting the first movie like crazy and were continuing to do so for the next few weeks. They all had a lot of faith that this would do well. Washijo said, that he believed this might be their best work yet.

But tonight was the night, they got to see their hard work come together in the form of a two hour movie.

Yamagata was nearly finished getting ready as the time grew closer and closer for him to leave. He adjusted his blazer for the fifth time, combed his hair back and sprayed on his favorite cologne. He flattened out his white turtleneck shirt under the black blazer and uprighted the hedgehog pinned on his blazer (inside joke among his co-stars). Movie premieres always made him excited, even if it was just a movie. But something about them just made him excited! Plus they got free popcorn and goodies at the end.

“Nearly ready?” He heard Yachi ask from the entrance.

“Yup! Nearly ready. Is the car here?”

“Mmmhmm.” She answered. He nodded as he made the last few adjustments. “You look just as handsome when you’re only wearing boxers.”

“And I’d prefer to be in those now, but I don’t think that’d be appropriate for tonight.” Yamagata chuckled. “Alright, I think I’m done. What do you-”

He turned to face Yachi, who he expected to be in sweatpants, a t-shirt and slippers. But instead of seeing her in that, she was wearing a short, maroon coloured dress, that fell a little bit over mid-thigh. Its hem was adored with a beaded lace pattern as well as the long sleeves. Her hair parted parted to the right and her makeup done. She looked stunning smiling shyly at him, as Yamagata’s mouth hung open.

“H-Hitoka?”

“If you’re going to finish that sentence and asking me what my plans are for tonight. My plans are to be your plus one at the premiere of your new movie.” Yachi responded as she walked up to him.

“You...actually want to come to a premiere with me and walk on the red carpet?” He asked, stunned that she actually wanted to go. In the past, she’d declined the offer due to the overwhelming environment that premieres were. On top of that, she didn’t feel ready to face the cameras. Although Yamagata didn’t like going to premieres alone, he respected her decision and always said she was welcome to come anytime.

“Yes and yes. As much as I am nervous about going to this big premiere, I want to be there to support you. And I want to continue to do so in the future, so why not start now?” She responded. He smiled at her and gave a nod.

“I’d be honored to have such a stunning beauty like you by my side.” Yamagata responded, taking her hand and kissing the top of it. “And you look just as beautiful when you’re in sweatpants.”

“Oh you.” She giggled.

Yachi had never seen so many flashes go off at once until she and Yamagata stepped forward. She could have sworn she was going to go blind after seeing all those cameras go off. Yamagata whispered into her ear that she did an amazing job and kissed her cheek, some people saw that moment and tried to capture it. But the next couple came up and everyone else was more focused on them.

“So what’s next? Are we going into the building?” Yachi asked as they walked away from the flashing cameras.

“Not yet. I still need to do an interview or two it looks like.” Yamagata answered as he looked ahead, seeing Tendou and Goshiki being interviewed and Reon and Kawanishi leaving an interview. “Alright, ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She smiled as they were lead to the interview.

“Yamagata-san! Welcome! And who is this beautiful lady you have with you tonight?” The interviewer asked.

“This is the love of my life: Yachi Hitoka.” Yamagata responded with the biggest smile on his face.

[reconditarmonia]

Dear Femslashex Author

Hi! Thank you for writing for me! I’m reconditarmonia here and on AO3 (and have been since LJ days, but my LJ is locked down and I only have a DW to see locked things). I have anon messaging off, but mods should be able to contact me if you have any questions.

Simoun | Sleep No More | The Strange Case of Starship Iris

General likes:

– Relationships that aren’t built on romance or attraction. They can be romantic or sexual as well, but my favorite ships are all ones where it would still be interesting or compelling if the romantic component never materialized.

– Loyalty kink! Trust, affectionate or loving use of titles, gestures of loyalty, replacing one’s situational or ethical judgment with someone else’s, risking oneself (physically or otherwise) for someone else, not doing so on their orders. Can be commander-subordinate or comrades-in-arms.

– Heists, or other stories where there’s a lot of planning and then we see how the plan goes.

– Femslash, complicated or intense relationships between women, and female-centric gen. Women doing “male” stuff (possibly while crossdressing).

– Stories whose emotional climax or resolution isn’t the sex scene, if there is one.

– Uniforms/costumes/clothing.

– Stories, history, and performance. What gets told and how, what doesn’t get told or written down, behavior in a society where everyone’s consuming media and aware of its tropes, how people create their personas and script their own lines.

Smut Likes: clothing, uniforms, sexual tension, breasts, cunnilingus, grinding, informal d/s elements, intensity; stories whose resolution isn’t the sex scene.

General DNW: rape/dubcon, torture, other creative gore; unrequested AUs, including “same setting, different rules” AUs such as soulmates/soulbonds; PWP; food sex; embarrassment; focus on pregnancy; Christmas/Christian themes; focus on unrequested canon or non-canon ships; het, including mentions thereof, for requested characters.

—

Fandom: Simoun

Ship(s): Aaeru/Neviril, Neviril/Mamiina, Mamiina/Rodoreamon, Paraietta/Rodoreamon

This is a perennial request for me and anything would make me very happy. I’m so interested in how the war changes all the characters and their relationships with one another, how Everything is Beautiful and Then Shit Gets Real but amidst the war-is-hell there’s still the creation of bonds of trust and loyalty and chances to do what’s right (the bits with the Plumbish priestesses, for instance). Every character gets a chance to develop and make choices that are all brave in different ways. Would also be curious about post-canon (what happens if Neviril and Aeru make it back to the main world when war is brewing again, but Neviril has no one from the old cohort to lead because they can’t fly anymore?) and/or about magic and time weirdness retconning character deaths or disappearances. Thematically, it might also make sense for sexual first times to be a part of the fic if that's something you're interested in writing, but please believe I'd be very happy with G-rated fic! Most of my prompts lean in that direction anyway.

Obviously I've requested some canon (or close-to-canon) ships and also some non-canon ones. For Aaeru/Neviril I'd be most interested either in postcanon, or in potential loyalty-kink-exploiting situations in the canon timeframe - Mamiina/Rodoreamon I'd love to see more development of their relationship during canon (tease out their mental process a bit more for going from that initial tension to the deep later bond), or *handwave* magic post-canon to bring Mamiina back and how they feel about that! Paraietta/Rodoreamon is a ship I have a little soft spot for because it's nice to imagine them building a life together and finding purpose in ways they very much didn't expect when helping the war orphans (but they're also veterans, and war is still brewing, and neither of them is the other's lost love, so there are lots of directions to take it in). And Neviril/Mamiina I have no idea how it would go but they're both very strong personalities with different motivations for flying that clash initially, but end up being heroic - I'd love to see any ideas you'd have.

—

Fandom: Sleep No More

Ship(s): Bald Witch/Sexy Witch, Bald Witch/Hecate, Bald Witch/Sexy Witch/Hecate

One of my favorite things about Sleep No More was the idea of this world of darkness and magic that’s underlying or intertwined with the social world, rather than in a separate space - I loved seeing the Witches at the ball and, holy shit, Bald Witch pulling off her wig after the ball in her solo ritual thing! (I hadn’t realized it was a wig until that moment.) So, how do the Witches interact with the normal world, or deliberately carve out other spaces (like the apothecary shop)? How does Hecate fit in to one world or the other or both for them? How’d Bald Witch and Sexy Witch find each other - before becoming witches? After becoming witches? (or is there no “becoming” and they’re just eldritch abominations that look like people? are they immortal, and if so, were they always? what's that like for them and/or Hecate?) How much do they have day-to-day lives vs. witching all the time?

Or, sexy prompts - ritual sex magic to make something happen or share power? If they have non-witch personas and sleep together while they’re being normal people, is there still magic? Sex in one of the play locations - the apothecary, the ballroom, the bar that’s the empty shell of the real bar? Slow dancing nude, or another inverted version of something in the normal world?

—

Fandom: The Strange Case of Starship Iris

Ship(s): Arkady Patel/Sana Tripathi

Loyalty kink OTP for this show - Arkady’s “If I can put myself between Tripathi and a bullet, that’s the best thing I will have ever done” destroys me in the best way. I love Arkady’s “Have you ever been led by somebody who had absolutely no doubt? Because I have, Sana,” her “How much shit have I given you, over the years, for assuming everybody’s gonna be as honorable as you” and distress when she doesn’t know whether or not Sana is in danger, Sana’s idealism when it’s a big goal and when it’s just wanting her loved ones safe and her “Just understand that when I say that I would do anything for my crew, I mean it. But that’s not an offer, Lenny, and it never has been. It’s a threat.”

This could go to a lot of places - angsty, with their past/s? fluffy taking care of their beloved captain/first mate? casefic/heist/rescue/fighting together? I have some prompts for specifically sexy scenarios in my previous Femdom Exchange and Femslash After Dark letters, but I'd be just as happy to read something non-explicit - I'm just hungry for more fic about this canon! Maybe how they got together, since Arkady crushed on the cool heroic older leader from a distance they didn't know each other originally back in the same place? Or more about the music they like to listen to/sing/play or other things they like (any operas that aren't Rosenkavalier?), or cool space places they've been (either at leisure or, like, smuggling and fighting people)?

[benperorsolo]

Don't do the first one I messed up lmao okay so heisaki and zutara for 001, ben solo for 002 and for 003 zuko, aang, sokka, katara, toph

001. (heisaki)

when I started shipping it if I did:

I honestly don’t even remember. I usually don’t start shipping couples as I watch a show, but after when I’m looking for fanfic to distract me from my schoolwork. So sometime after finishing S1.

my thoughts:

Heisaki pretty much caters to every grossly trash thing I like in ships: enemies to lovers, preferably with some kickass woman and some super-evil looking masked dude with Secret Depths and Softness™ (I know I’m garbage okay I’ve made my peace), where Sad Angry Scary Dude is shown affection from someone who believes in their goodness more than they’re disgusted by their evil, and Strong But Soft Woman discovers tenderness and support in the unlikeliest of  places.

What makes me happy about them:

All of the above, and also the way they cycle through various identities with each other in canon, the way canon teases them as people who would make an amazing team if they weren’t pawns for organizations bigger than themselves. The way both of them are uncompromising in their work but have secret private vulnerabilities. The way both of them love the stars. 

What makes me sad about them:

The way canon bastardized Misaki in the second season into being obsessed with catching Hei because of her weird unresolved feelings for him. But not in a cool or respectful way; just in a way that made Misaki into a lovesick waif whose personality completely went out the window. 

things done in fanfic that annoys me:

Mostly when Hei becomes to emotional or emotionally honest with Misaki without a lot of buildup, considering he’s been emotionally constipated for going on a decade now and for reasons that involved not dying. Likewise when Misaki turns into a damsel to be saved.

things I look for in fanfic:

Some sort of clear ideological friction between the two of them; Misaki’s discovery of the Black Reaper’s identity and/or interacting with the Black Reaper in person. 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

No one? Hei’s other options are Amber, a ship which I find interesting as something in Hei’s past but not one I would endgame bc abusive, and Yin, who is mentally basically a child and it feels like pedophilia.

My happily ever after for them:

Haaaa the grossly indulgent Office AU. Hei becomes a contractor working with Section 4, develops a little friend/family unit with Section 4 and astronomics; he and Misaki get married; Hei reconnects with his family in China; Hei and Misaki have a little girl named Seiko and it’s gr9. Everything is beautiful and occasionally hurts but never, y’know, forever.

who is the big spoon/little spoon:

Hei, probably. But it could vary. They’re just about equal in height so there’s no reason one should be the big spoon over the other.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity:

Stargazing.

001. zutara

when I started shipping it if I did:

Don’t even remember. Sometime after finishing Book 3, I think. 

my thoughts:

Gold standard ship. The ship I keep shipping in other fandoms, just in different iterations. The ying-yang, ‘you rise with the moon, I rise with the sun’ way they complement each other, and yet at their cores are so similar: highly driven, compassionate, passionate people who are proven in battle to make a great team.

What makes me happy about them:

The way their relationship beautifully unfolded over three seasons of mortal enemies, to maybe-allies (and then would-be-ally and traitor), to allies and friends. The way each season of ATLA ends with a fight between them; the first two against each other, and the last one with each other. The way they are safe places for the other— Katara confiding to him in the crystal caves, and again about her mother in Southern Raiders; Zuko confiding to Katara about his fear of facing his uncle, and Katara’s reassurance, and then the way Zuko took Katara with her to fight Azula because he knew he needed a steadfast ally he could trust.

What makes me sad about them:

The way Bryke have insulted the ship over the years, calling it too ‘dark and mysterious’ for Nick, but then fucked up all of the canon relationships in ATLA by having their kids have extremely dysfunctional relationships with their parents, or just making the relationships straight-up dysfunctional coughMaikocough 

things done in fanfic that annoys me:

When Katara gets the Mary Sue Strong Independent Woman treatment, or when she becomes some helpless crying waif (usually Book 1 kidnapping fics, which can be good, okay, they can), and likewise when Zuko post-redemption is still a jerkass. I mean he can still be a jerk, but he’s not a jerkass.

things I look for in fanfic:

I’ll read almost anything. I like S1 fic (typically Zuko captures Katara, and Katara takes none of his shit, and then TEAMWORK HAPPENS), s2 fic where crotchety I-once-did-something-good-and-gave-myself-a-coma Zuko and Katara are forced to work together in lovehate, and post-s3 Western Air Temple fics where Zuko has to earn Katara’s forgiveness. 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

No one lmao. I’m not a multishipper.

My happily ever after for them:

Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Katara rule the Fire Nation in peace and harmony and are happy, the end.

who is the big spoon/little spoon:

Zuko’s the big spoon.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity:

Sparring.

002. Ben Solo

How I feel about this character:

ALL THE THINGS. I LOVE MY BOYFRIENDSON BEN SKYWALKER-ORGANA-SOLO.

More seriously— I love how he’s desperate for villainy, and yet cannot achieve it no matter how hard he tries. I love that this is a character who has to pray away the Light within him. I love how even after killing his father, the Light still won’t go away. I love that he is the beloved son of one of the most loved couples in cinematic history, related in a significant way to almost everyone in the prequels, OT, and sequels. I love that he effectively flips the conflict of the original films, wherein the fallen father is saved by the goodness of his son, and now it is the fallen son who will be saved (mark my words) by his father. I love the angst inherent in watching this character, who was practically born to be a hero, do everything he can to shirk his destiny and ensure his Darkness, and yet fall short. And most of all, I love the possibility (inevitability) of his redemption. I love the idea of getting to explore what redemption looks like when you don’t die before its completion, like Anakin. I love the idea of Ben realizing that his father did save him after all; of getting to smile at his uncle again;  of getting to hug his mother again; of it hurting so much— the hurt of a healing wound, at last, and not the hurt of the Dark Side. Of Ben getting to reclaim the person he might have been, had Snoke and misfortune and his own hamartia not found him, so that he no longer has to hide behind a false name and a mask, but can finally as himself face the sun, unafraid. Ben Solo means a lot to me. Maybe the hypotheticals of his character more than what we have now. But I honestly think that my strange compassion for this fake person has made me a better person. Because, if I can sit here and rail for his redemption no matter his sins— then what excuse do I have not to try to become a better person myself?

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Rey the bae all the way.

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

BenPoe/Knightpilot, especially involving them as childhood friends, and Poe having to come to terms with Ben, who he was, and who he is, after Ben defects back to the Resistance. Some of my favorite character pieces to this end are This Thing of Darkness I Acknowledge Mine and Orbital Period. Also the BenPoe fandom are pretty much the nicest people ever?

My unpopular opinion about this character:

The fact that I like him is probably an unpopular opinion. 

Okay okay my real unpopular opinion (ESSAY AHOY) is my insistence of Kylo Ren’s true name still being Ben Solo (ofc you know this is a thing with me bc you very diplomatically asked me to talk about ‘Ben Solo’ and not ‘Kylo Ren’ in your ask lmao, and you know I call him ‘Ben’ just like I call Vader ‘Anakin’— practically always, in both cases, because it’s for the same reason). Kylo Ren is a shadow archetype, an alter ego, a mask and a costume— the thing Ben is trying desperately to become and yet never will, not only because he failed so horribly at being a proper villain in TFA (going for Rey instead of the droid; not torturing the bejeezus out of Rey immediately; feeling immediate regret after killing his father, not pushing Rey off a cliff during their fight when he had the chance, and then losing to her), but because it’s just how Star Wars works. It’s the same with Anakin and Vader— as Luke says to Vader in ROTJ, ‘[Anakin] is the name of your true self; you’ve only just forgotten,’ and ultimately Luke is proven right. Throughout canon, the Dark Side is depicted as a corruption of your true self; a warping of who you really are. Your Dark Side is not your authentic self, it’s a gross imitation, and whatever you call yourself under the thrall of the Dark Side is not your true name either. This is how it functioned for Anakin/Vader in the OT; and how it was for Galen Marek/Starkiller in the EU. Your Dark Side name is your slave name. It’s just another mask; a type of verbal disassociation— another way to remove yourself from the reality of what you’re really doing and what you have become. There is also the gross, skeevy observation that Anakin was given the name Vader by Palpatine, the creep who groomed him, and it’s not a difficult leap to assume that Snoke, the creep who groomed Ben in utero, gave Ben the name Kylo Ren. It is canon that Snoke has forbidden the name ‘Ben Solo’ to be spoken by anyone in the First Order, including Ben. But who the hell knows that Kylo Ren is Ben? It’s treated as an extreme secret, and currently I’d say the number is limited to Snoke, Hux, and Ben himself. So who is Snoke really forbidding from saying the name Ben Solo? Ben. He’s forbidding Ben. He’s giving Ben a gag order on his own name— which should immediately ring your bells as being sketchy AF for OBVIOUS REASONS, including but not limited to the fact that you only forbid people from doing things you know they are in danger of doing. If Ben were really completely dead, if he were really Kylo Ren all the way down, then what is Snoke afraid of? All of this to say, it annoys the everlasting and eternal fuck out of me when I see fics or headcanons where a redeemed Ben does not go back to that name, because then to me it represents a person who is still hiding behind the verbal equivalent of a mask. It would be like a redeemed Anakin still going by the name Darth Vader. It’s watching a man stand by the name of his abuse. It stands in literal opposition of everything a true redemption symbolizes, especially in Star Wars, and it’s gross gross gross I hate it.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

A REDEMPTION ARC BITCHESSS

my OTP:

Reylo. Okay technically Reyben. But yeah. More recently I’ve become obsessed with the idea of them as parents, because it would be such a beautiful capstone for them both. Rey, lonely, orphan Rey, finally having a family of her own. Rey being terrified of motherhood, because she can’t even remember her mother. Rey feeling that fierce, wolfish upwelling of maternal protectiveness for the first time and knowing she wouldn’t trade it for the world. Ben, terrified of making the mistakes his parents made with him; Ben, terrified of his past poisoning his children’s future. Ben, now a father, realizing the sort of unbreakable love that let his own father walk out on that bridge knowing he might die, and still taking the chance on his child. Ben, looking at the bundle in his arms and knowing he’d do the same. asdfghjkl;

my cross over ship:

Ben Solo x happiness, probably. I know it’s a wild concept.

a headcanon fact:

Ben is naturally good at pazaak and other gambling/card games. It’s one of the few roguish/smugglerish things he has in common with Han. Poe, Finn, and Rey always accuse him of using the Force to cheat, but he never does. During sessions of strip Pazaak (Poe’s idea), Poe, Finn, and Rey will be almost completely naked while Ben sits across the table fully clothed.

003. zuko, aang, katara, sokka, toph

1. zuko

2. aang

3. katara (tied w/ aang but just for overall character arc aang’s affects me more powerfully)

4. sokka

5. toph