#thank you all for being patient with this bracket by the way i've been having a lot of fun with it <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[shippingismagicbracket]

RESULTS ARE IN!

Let's get a recap of the last round!

Pinkie Pie's preferred partner proves to be Princesses over Pranksters! Twipie moves on to the semi-finals! After a close run, Fluttershy pulls ahead of Applejack in the race for Rainbow Dash's heart! Flutterdash lands in the semi-finals! While their opponents put on a good show, Rarijack dazzles the crowd and moves on to their place in the semi-finals! Seems Twilight's bespectacled counterpart was chosen as Sunset Shimmer's lead vocalist, and Sciset moves on to the semi-finals!

This, of course, brings us into Round 4, the penultimate match, our semi-finals!! Thank you all for your participation up to this point! Since this is the semi-finals, any reblogs, comments, and other fun additions would be really appreciated! Our next round begins at 5pm EST on Wednesday, April 26th!

The Semi-finals match-ups ARE.........

TWIPIE, Twilight Sparkle x Pinkie Pie vs FLUTTERDASH, Fluttershy x Rainbow Dash

RARIJACK, Rarity x Applejack vs SCISET, EQG!Twilight x Sunset Shimmer

[ghoulphile]

I absolutely love ur fics!! And I want to write fics of my own soon (not for fallout yet..) can u give me any advice/tips? How do u try to write down the characters as accurate as possible?

Aww thank you so much!!

That's awesome, I'm glad you're getting into writing ❤️

I'm more than happy to talk about what works for me; however, no two writers are alike so some things might resonate and some might not.

Take what does, and leave what doesn't.

Read - a lot. Published works, fanfic, poetry, novellas, series, oneshots, longfic; read it all. Explore different genres and storylines. Find what you like about them, and what you dislike. What makes them good or bad in your opinion. Play around with what you'd do differently if it was your story. All of this will help you figure out a few things: one being what you personally like in storytelling, and two the basic structure of storytelling/what makes it compelling.

Find your voice. We all have a unique tone when telling a story, verbally or otherwise. Figuring out what your personal voice is will help you write authentically but also I can guarantee you're going to be 10,000x more happy with what you come up with.

Showing vs telling is a delicate balance. Sometimes things need to be written out plainly, and other times it works better if you add more meat to the sentence. An example would be: she's angry vs her heart rate pulsed in her temples, her fists shaking at her sides as a wave of heat rolled through her body. While they both convey the same thing, one can be more engaging to read over another.

Sometimes you have to write the boring bits - and write them plainly - to further the plot.

Most people are not a walking thesaurus, and using big fancy words like you're writing a dissertation can be very off putting. Absolutely use stronger words if you can, but you don't need to be using furfuraceous to replace scaly.

Additionally, forward momentum: one action should always lead into another which leads into another and so on.

A first draft is never pretty (if you decide to do multiple drafts) and that's okay.

If you get stuck, go back several sentences. Sometimes we write ourselves into a corner without realizing. OR add what you want in brackets and move on if you're getting hung up on certain parts. An example being something like: He was [find word for mix of angry and sad] but had to stiffen his upper lip and move about his day as if [insert phrase mentioning what happened earlier]. Worse case, put it down for a day or so and come back to it later with fresh eyes.

As mad as it makes me, and as hilarious as it is... writing in Comic Sans helps. RIP.

Saying your sentence out loud can help you figure out if something is off, and saying your dialogue out loud can help determine if it's something an actual person would say.

Taking your time and being patient is the best thing you can do for your creativity otherwise you might burn yourself out.

I find music helpful so I create playlists for every fic I write that matches the vibe I'm going for. Additionally, I have pre-writing rituals that help me get into the headspace.

Yes, cryofreeze your darlings - put them somewhere safe for later. You can use those sentences for something else, they don't need to be completely deleted.

As for keeping characters... well, in character, it depends. Watching/listening to/reading whatever media they're in and paying close attention to the words they say + how they say them + if they have any specific phrases, the way they move + their actions + how they react to things helps a lot. Personally, I keep little lists of things I've noticed that I can refer to if I need them. And sometimes, you just have to suspend your disbelief a little and determine how someone might react to the particular situation you've put the character in. When it comes to that, I tend to think back on when I've been in similar situations or have felt the way they should in that scene, and use how I've reacted as a touchstone.

Write what YOU'D want to read.

And most importantly, HAVE FUN.

I hope this helped, nonnie~!!

Happy writing, you've got this 🥰

[bl-bracket]

Hello! thank you for running this fun bracket. Having done similar fandom events before I'm not sure other folks know how much work it is behind the scenes so I wanted to send my appreciation.

I wanted to preface this with a thank you because my comments have nothing to do with anything you've encouraged or can control but if you can share with the voters who follow you:

It really does ruin a light-hearted fandom poll when people choose to be rude and entitled over it. It has nothing to do with hurting someone's feelings over a fictional character and everything to do with people choosing to be rude to others. It's fun when people make posts advocating for why their pick is so (insert characteristic) but it's no longer fun when people start insulting the other side and their fans.

I've seen it getting worse and worse with rounds with it being especially bad this round so I'm hoping if you share this message and remind participants that it's just a fun poll but the people you're being rude are real, it'll encourage people to focus on the fun part of cheering on their favorite character instead of being rude to others in fandom.

Thank you and good luck with the next round!

Firstly thank you! It means a lot!!!

And yeah, I noticed things were starting to heat up a lot more in the final few rounds. Another tournament blog I follow was also having to deal with people getting a bit more aggressive so it has been on my mind for a bit! I also received WAY more asks than I have ever received in the past in a very short period of time which was also a lot to deal with on its own, so I was planning on making a post like this regardless!

It is really important to me that things stay light-hearted and fun on here for me personally as BL and dramas in general are a fun hobby for me and not something I wanted to get all bogged down in negativity. I'm not saying that there isn't a time or place for more critical/less positive discussions or opinions on these things, this just isn't the space for that.

Competition can be fun and I don't want to limit the competitive aspects of this, but I do want it to remain a fun space where all fans can enjoy themselves regardless of who wins or looses!

I'll try my best to not respond or repost to anything I find to be a bit too mean or harsh or that subtracts from the fun of it all, but also as someone who can tend to be more sensitive, I also can tend to overcompensate and assume that things that may come off as a bit rude to me, might not to others and not want to restrict something that is otherwise fine. That's just to say that I'm probably going to make mistakes and not be prefect at avoiding more inflammatory posts, so please just be patient with and know that my messages are always open if you find one of the propaganda posts offensive or overly-aggressive.

I have lots of fun doing this, and I know many others have fun participating so I just hope that we can all continue to have fun together and not let things go overboard!!!

[anticidic]

For the 'get to know your fic writer' game 👀 13, 40, 66 plsss

👀 sure, thanks for sending this in!!

13. what's a common writing tip that you almost always follow?

Just keep writing. There's been times I've gotten hung up on not being able to remember the exact word or phrasing I wanted to use in a sentence, and my writing would come to a grinding halt because I refused to keep going until I remembered exactly what I wanted to put down.

No, BAD. So I slowly have been breaking that habit by just putting either a filler word or something in brackets like [fill later] so I know to come back later, and I just keep going. My drafts always look like a mess because I'll have things like that everywhere where a scene isn't quite put together yet, but it's important to keep writing because you can always go back later. And usually when I keep going, I end up remembering what I wanted to say or, in some cases, think of something better, then I just either jot it down for later or go back and fill it in.

40. If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see?

OK, SO. I have been so tempted to commission an artist for a very specific scene but they've had their commissions closed for a while, so I'm just twiddling my thumbs and patiently waiting until they open again. 😭 But a scene I'd want is from my fic foiled fables of kitsunezai and Chuuya sitting in a field of flowers, with Chuuya playing with Dazai's tails as Dazai threads a flower through Chuuya's hair. It just lives rent-free in my head and I think it'd be super cute as art. So many scenes from that fic I'd love to see as art, honestly, but that one just makes me fuzzy.

66. How do you deal with writing pressure (ie. pressure to update, negative comments, deadlines, etc.)?

Pressures to update and stuff, I just tell people 'hey, thanks for sticking with me and continuing to read! The next update will be available when I get around to it!' and just leave it at that. I always, always appreciate when people take the time out to comment, so knowing that someone is so excited that they're wondering when I'll update next, I match their energy and let them know as soon as I get to it, I'll update!

Deadlines have mostly been self-imposed. 💀 I make my own deadlines for absolutely no reason other than to try to keep myself writing. But what I do is at least try to write a little bit each day, even if it's just a sentence or two on my phone while on break at work. it's still. Progress. I usually have the terrible habit of, on my days off, just knocking out 8-10k words in a sitting instead of building it up over the week, so sometimes I'll go a whole week without writing, then on my first day off, spend literally the whole day and sometimes pull all-nighters writing.

Yeaaah, I don't recommend it. I think writing a little each day is way more manageable, so I try to stick to that and don't impose an arbitrary wordcount on myself so there isn't as much pressure.

As for negativity, I don't let it get to me. I do this all for fun and because I want to, so (I know it sounds so simple and easy) I don't let any negativity in my head live rent-free and I just keep it pushing. There's too many things to write and too many characters to put into neat situations for me to stop and waste time on negativity! These stories must be written! AHHHH.

[pressedinthepages]

Languid, Lingering

Fandom: The Witcher

Pairing: Eskel/OC

Rating: M

Masterlist

a/n: A COLLAB, MY DUDES!!! Both myself and Margaret @sometimesiwrite​ contributed to this piece, and we’re so happy to share it! Please, please, pleaseeee go check her out, she is a wonderful author and an even better human being :) Also......there may even be discussions of a Chapter 2...

(There is a link on my page where you can be added to my taglist :D)

The scents of home well up in Eskel’s chest as he prepares to leave.

Her fingers drifted over various jars in the cupboard, the glass tinkling lightly from her haphazard search. Cinnamon sticks bounced and little seeds were jumbled as she pulled several containers into her grasp. She extracted a large jar filled to the brim with fresh honey, smelling the floral notes that rose out.

A ceramic bowl joined the ingredients on the counter and was soon filled with oats, flour, and spices. She dusted the counter with a bit of extra flour in preparation before pouring in the ripened mother that had been sitting to the side, happily fermenting for the better part of the last day. It was cidery and sweet as she mixed it in with the final ingredients.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her waist, large and warm where the fingers splayed over her stomach. She leaned into the touch and Eskel smiled into her shoulder, breathing deeply against the junction of her neck. 

“Hello, there,” she hummed, stirring and stirring the stiff dough into submission. The dough was starting to come together, but she couldn’t help but feel that she was forgetting something… she heard the sound of a lid opening to her left, and looked over just in time to see one of Eskel’s free fingers steal a large dollop of honey. His lips smacked next to her ear as his warmth at her back withdrew.

“Oi, get out of there! Silly bumblebee,” she nudged him gently with her elbow, wiping her hands on her apron.

His laugh reverberated through their small kitchen as he retreated, cheekily licking his fingers.

She shook her head, turning back to her mixing bowl. It was mere moments later when, reaching to add a swirl of honey, she realized Eskel had stolen the whole jar. A resigned sigh seeped through the smile on her face as she turned to chase down the culprit. He was nothing if not a creature of habit, so she was not surprised when she peeked into their bedroom to find him sprawled across the blankets, pot of honey in hand and dripping down over his fingers.

“I swear to Melitele, if you’ve gotten honey on our clean sheets...” she snatched the honey back—only half-irritated. It was nearly impossible to be fully irritated with her sweet witcher, especially when he was so relentlessly good to her... for that, she forgave his occasional bouts of kitchen mischief. Even if it meant chasing down missing jars of honey. 

Eskel just hummed, rolling lazily onto his stomach. He gazed at her as if she hung the sun as her hips swayed out of the room, counting his lucky stars that he had her in his life.

He wasn’t sure exactly how long ago he'd closed his eyes, but when he opened them again, the smell of baking filled the house—honey, oats and wheat. If there was any smell on earth he associated with that woman and the home she shared with him, it was honey, oats, and wheat.

Eskel stretched out, his fingers reaching far past the edge of the bed before he swung his legs off the mattress and stood up. Bare feet padded quietly on the wooden floors to where he found her standing at the table, carefully packaging several slices of sweet bread in fabric. He could see the rest of the loaf sitting atop a wooden board, and his feet led him straight to his bounty.

By now, her ear was well-tuned to the sound of her quiet witcher approaching—it was the only way to protect the cooking from being pillaged before it was finished—and she braced herself. Large, warm hands once again slipped around her hips as Eskel’s nose nuzzled back into the crook of her neck. He breathed deep, letting the fresh-baked aroma mingle with her own.

“Thank you for joining us,” she said, passing a crumb to their little brown dog in the corner—far less little than it had been a month ago. “Now you mustn’t eat these parcels, they’re for you when you leave tomorrow. But the rest of the loaves we can have for ourselves whenever we like.”

Eskel hummed dejectedly, stubbornly refusing to abandon the sweet junction of her neck and shoulder. One of his hands, though, started to snake its way onto the table, long fingers reaching for a stray crumb of the sweet, nutty bread.

She laughed quietly as she melted back against his front. “I can cut you a whole piece, my love, you needn’t steel crumbs from the table.”

Eskel chuckled, bringing his hand to his mouth and licking away the morsels. “Well, if you insist...”

She turned her head and pressed a soft kiss against the angry scars down the side of his face. “I do.”

“Then how am I to say no,” he whispered, kneading into the soft flesh just below her waist, “when the Lady insists so sweetly?” She reached back and fondly ruffled the hair at the nape of his neck, taking up the bread knife with the other hand to cut a thick slice from the loaf. Having buttered it, she turned in Eskel’s loosened grip, offering him his very own piece. Not wanting to lose the supple warmth beneath his hands, he opened his mouth and took a bite from the slice where she held it.

“Mmm,” he groaned around his mouthful, “fuck.”

She chuckled with a shake of her head, watching his throat bob as he swallowed. She offered another bite, and another after that as Eskel’s thumbs rubbed along her hips, back and forth, soothing her and him in the same motion.

He took the last mouthful out of her hand, licking every last bit of butter and crumbs from her thumb as he continued to chew, indulging shamelessly in the soft, warm, buttery goodness pervading his senses. He was practically still chewing when he leaned in for a kiss. His lips were smooth with butter, warm with adoration, and sweet with the taste of honey that still lingered from his previous pilfering.

The witcher’s large warm hands left her hips to grasp her backside as she was hoisted up into Eskel’s arms, legs wrapping around his waist. “Woman,” he rumbled joyfully, “what would I do... without your bread?”

She fondly tsked, still shaking her head adoringly as he turned them away from the kitchen table. “And just where do you think we’re going?” She asked, eyebrows raised

A mischievous chuckle buzzed against her chest, “The same place I take all my stolen goodies. But you are by far the sweetest.”

She tucked her head into his shoulder and inhaled deeply too, swimming in the heady musk that emanated from him. Eskel’s hips jostled her a bit as he pushed through the doorway with his back first, spinning quickly into their bedroom.

Our bedroom, he pondered, lying down on his back, supporting her as she arranged her knees on either side of him. He sighed deeply, letting her weight settle on top of him as she leaned down. Linen-clad elbows bracketed the witcher’s head as his miracle of a woman stretched out over top of him. What a glorious place.

Eskel’s hands barely contained the chaos that threatened to spill from them as they trailed up and down the slope of her spine. He gained a quiet shiver for his easy efforts.

“Eskel,” she breathed into his ear, winning a shiver of her own, “tell me what you want...”

There was a groan as he stroked firmly up her sides, “I want your bread for as long as you’re willing to bake it for me, and us like this for as long as you’ll put up with me,” he breathed lightheartedly. But Gods he meant every word of it. Her laugh was low and breathy as she shifted a little, gathering her skirts out from under her knees and shucking off her bodice, leaving her plain chemise to drape delicately over her figure. Eskel tilted his head where it rested on the mattress, admiring the view. She brushed his hair away from his face, beaming at the simple, unfraught happiness written there. “Well, then, love?”

“Let’s start slow. See where the road takes us,” he ran his hands across the spread of her chest, down her arms and back up, caressing the slope of her breasts, the curve of her waist, the roundness of her buttocks. Admiring the strength of her thighs, propped wide on either side of him. 

She shuddered under his touch as his fingers dug into the soft plush of her hips. She kissed down the sharp line of his jaw as her own nimble fingers drifted under the hem of his shirt. His stomach was soft, corded muscle nestled beneath. Eskel sucked in a breath as if to say something, but held his tongue.

“What is it, my love?” She murmured, looking into the eyes so filled with fire and adoration they threatened to burn her to the bone.

She blushed under their heat as the honey gold trailed over the features of her face, down the lines of her body, and back to her eyes. Eskel swallowed, "It's nothing." But she knew better, even as he cradled her back and subtly rocked his hips beneath her.

"Eskel..." after all our time together, you’d think he’d have figured out he can’t hide. "Tell me, my love. Whatever it is, you can always tell me.”

"I don't want to leave tomorrow." The certainty of his answer cut through the muffled quiet of the bedroom.

She sat up a bit, resting a patient hand in the middle of his chest, "How do you feel about that?" 

"I dunno, I've—I've never had that feeling before. It’s nice. Not wanting to go."

"Then don't," her warm, enticing smile met the tender skin of his neck.

“I have to go sometime,” he let out a helpless moan. “Fuck it. I’ll go when the bread’s gone.”

“Which will be tomorrow, if I know you,” she teased, worrying a wine-stain mark into the space just above his collar bone.

“If I know you,” he huffed, tangling his fingers in her hair, “you’ll bake more.” Her lips trailed downwards...

[theangrypokemaniac]

I'll state from the beginning that the images below display the sort of sweet synchronicity to which only love can give life:

MaAndPaShipping is the best ship, and here are five reasons why:

1. It Made James

Like the boy do yer? Ever felt the slightest tingle of warmth at the mention of his name?

Well get down on yer knees and give thanks to his mother and father for gifting him to the world!

Where would we be without their remarkable commitment? Could James have grown into the dandified dream boat of your desires if deprived of the safety provided by his parents?

Had they not brought him up, he'd be dead, The Dog of Flanders fantasy made reality. If miraculously he survived, foraging in the wild is not conducive to a foppish personality.

Is that to yer fancy? No? Then let's have a little respect. The luxury Ma and Pa gave enabled his macaroni tendencies to reach such heights.

Their love created him! How can it not be celebrated?

You lot would ship Jessie's parents but you can't, because she has no dad, and I don't suppose you'll ever assent to his obvious identity of Windy Miller, although 'Jessie Miller' has a wonderful ring to it, so what can be done?

Should a Pa Jess be conjured for the purpose, he still buggered off, didn't he? Where's the allure in a faithless git?

I can't comprehend the obsession with Ma Jess. As soon as here she's stiff, and what is there to remember but coercing her daughter into eating snow?

Hey, I named her. What more do you want from me?

I'd rather have the living, visible ancestors, if you don't mind.

Yeah, says the history fanatic.

Why not make the most of the chances offered, and follow a devoted couple whose love made a difference to your existence?

2. Canon!

There are many ships which I find repulsive for involving depravity, or absurd as the subjects haven't met, or don't inhabit the same fictional universe.

Video et taceo: I see and I say nothing.

Neither does anyone. Forcing decent folk in to incest, bestiality etc. is quite alright.

Perverted ideas are left alone, but woe betide a Rocketshipper, because that's offensive.

It may be the only original ship left standing, with proper evidence and sanctioned by Nintendo, but no, it's fair game for undermining. People pick at your arguments, quibble constantly and NEED to register their objections NOW. You MUST be made aware of opposition. You're not to be permitted your views the way those with twisted tastes are indulged.

Why, out of tens of thousands of combinations, does making Jessie and James an item provoke hostility?

The strength of negativity actually serves as validation, for why be so concerned if it's an impossible relationship?

However sick they are, I'm not anti any ship. I can't muster sufficient interest to do it, and if I scroll on, I forget. I certainly don't attack those responsible.

Anti-Shipping is inherently nihilistic for promoting loneliness. They aren't against Rocketshipping through wanting Jessie and James to be with someone else, as an alternative is not readily available, so the outcome of it is neither finding a companion.

MaAndPaShipping attracts no sourpuss silliness, for 'tis canon beyond question. There's nothing about being 'just friends' when married with a son.

How's the state of your O.T.P.? Not looking too clever I expect, and what's your contribution: wishing, and hoping, and thinking, and praying?

Cast it off! None of that longing is necessary in these quarters, as MaAndPaShipping is a fait accompli.

Hallelujah! Wallow in that Love!

Don't you yearn for at least one ship that all of us accept by default, to the extent these aristocrats are spoken of as a single unit?

Across the internet, Ma and Pa are bracketed as 'James's parents', never 'he' and 'she', always 'they', barely counting as distinct characters. That's how undeniable the love is between them. Sheer indifference has awarded it a blessing from everyone.

MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!

Of course, now I've drawn attention to it the moaning will start, but we all know a spoilsport when we see one.

If they had any legitimate complaints they ought to have mentioned 'em before this piece highlighted the marriage!

Except it won't have occurred to 'em previously, proving the eternal, indissoluble quality of MaAndPaShipping.

You get good value with this one.

Find a post referring to Ma and Pa as individuals and I'll have written it, for that's what you call ironic.

3. It's a Fine Rocketshipping Proxy

I was at primary school when Pokémon hit the West like the bright, bearded meteor it is, atomizing all competition for a child's attention.

I have shipped Jessie and James before I knew anyone else did it, unaware shipping was even a thing.

There are other pairs where I think: 'That seems to fit', but it's incomparable to what I feel for them.

It is part of me. I bleed it.

I have shipped it longer than most Tumblerries have dwelt upon the earth.

I used to believe, what with the hints and manga finale, that this resolution was  inevitable, and all I had to do was wait.

Well I've been patient for two decades now, thus when I look at the modern incarnation, and realise it's no nearer to that goal, and instead is further away, waiting starts to wear a bit thin.

I resent the lack of appreciation shown to the fans by the cretins in charge, how any meagre shippy inclusion is done not with an interest in deepening bonds, but with the blatant cynicism of moulding us into performing monkeys dancing to their manipulative tune.

I dislike being treated like a sea lion, expected to clap me flippers at the wave of a fish, or as a panting dog begging at top table, where, because they're desperate to maintain the status quo, every scrap flung down from above now comes with an Anti-Ship kick in the teeth, just to be sure nothing progresses. Not whilst the franchise can still be milked for all it's worth.

I have lost faith Rocketshipping will happen. What passes for Pokémon today carries not the remotest indication of any intention on the so-called writers' part to finish it that way.

Even if it did, it's not my Team Rocket, it's those skeletal, gargoyle bastardisations. My Jessie and James never got the reward they deserved.

I'm somewhat in the market for a replacement. Beneath this loathsome carapace of acid and ice beats the tender heart of a true romantic, and it must have an outlet!

Shipping Ma and Pa provides a certain spurious relief, because it's as close as you can get to Jessie and James without it being them, both biologically as his parents, but they're so similar to the duo it counts as proof in itself.

Holy Matrimony! is prime Rocketshipping territory, not merely the balloon lift, but many slight additions are as important, like the haircuts matching.

Ma and Pa are therefore Jessie and James in the past, present and future:

The past for representing Jess 'n' Jamie gone Victorian, and we've all wondered how that'd turn out.

The present as it's there right now, absent of suffering the shameless whims of morons to get what you want. 'Tis yours to savour.

The future as a glimpse of Jessie and James once married with children, and they agree:

That's how they play it given the opportunity!

What, James in blue, for his and Pa's hair, and Jessie wearing purple, like Ma's, with a red shawl for her own, and Ma Jess's orange earrings to copy the beads?

• Money!

• Bun!

• 'Tache!

• Classy pad!

• Fancy gear!

• Pampered pet!

• Identical cups of Earl Grey!

4. Original Blend

Ma and Pa have only got two fans! We care more than the entire fandom has in twenty years!

Rocketshipping art is ten a penny, so why not display a pioneering spirit, sharpen up those pencils and be inspired?

Let your mind expand and marvel at the possibilities of these unchartered territories, and I'll reblog it if it's nice.

Pay attention to the condition of it being nice. I'm not putting up with any old toss.

Real Ma and Pa is what I want too, not those Sinnoh coffin-dodgers.

It's never been done! Every drawing breaks new ground!

I don't like fan fiction, but I wouldn't say 'no' to that either. Recall the 'nice' stipulation again.

Come on, be the first amongst your friends and get ship shape!

5. It Gives Us All Hope

Suppose your favourite amour one day became canon: you imagine that's the end of the matter?

Well it ain't.

Between Ash, Misty, Brock, Jessie, James, Gary and Tracey, there are three-and-a-half out of fourteen parents (Flint doesn't count as a complete man) and one out of twenty-eight grandparents, and that's not enough!

If the series drew to a close with your beloved couple apparently walking into the happily-ever-after, there's no guarantee it'll endure. In fact, the odds are they'll split up within a few years and leave another generation to fend for themselves or starve.

That's right, so don't presume the final episode is all you need to worry about. Can you rest easy knowing it'll go pear-shaped once the camera stops rolling?

It's futile soothing one's worries with:

Oh, but they know what it's like to be alone. They'd never inflict such stress on their children.

Oh really?

Look at that poor showing of grandparents. Either Pokémon has a system reminiscent of the sci-fi film Logan's Run, where everyone over thirty is vapourized, or these disappearing maters and paters were themselves victims of abandonment.

I bet when they settled down, they thought it'd be different for their kids, they'd make sure of it, but no, off they went down that same route of feckless self-indulgence, and that's being kind assuming they intended not to repeat history.

Depressing eh? What's the good in any of us surrendering to romance, real or otherwise, if love is but a mayfly of emotion, and all dreams are doomed to die?

Then Ma and Pa arrive, and suddenly the storm clouds part for a ray of heavenly light.

It's not only that they made the effort in what was probably an arranged marriage and have stayed together from youth, it's that they've stayed together when no one else has, which augments its value.

When separation is commonplace, sticking it out becomes rarer and rarer as any belief in the sanctity of wedlock erodes with every failure.

If they didn't bother, why should I? What's the use when it won't work?

Once that idea enters your head, it's over, and your gloom-laden attitude fulfils itself.

Society is collapsing about Ma and Pa's ears, but they persevere nevertheless, refusing to buckle under the turgid malaise engulfing the arrogant and weak.

It's bloody beautiful, man!

You may suggest an environment of supreme wealth erases normality, and to their class and time period divorce is still taboo, so they don't really have much of choice but to remain wedded.

Ah, but it's not as if they simply tolerate one another for appearances, or carried on for the sake of their son (which is more than anyone else did besides), not when he walked out on them.

They've been married longer than James has lived, so at least eighteen years (don't all squeal at once), and they're still blissfully contented!

They hold hands!

They use terms of endearment like 'dear' and 'my precious'!

They were made for one another!

They work as a team!

They want the same thing for James!

It could bring a stone angel to tears it's so beautiful!

See what success can be achieved when you try? When you endeavour to love the one you're with and make yourself worth loving in return?

Better that than chucking 'em at the first sign of trouble.

Ma and Pa is such an irrevocable union even the despair of losing their only child failed to tear 'em asunder, and that'd defeat many, but not this husband and wife.

Be grateful, for it means all is not in vain.

It doesn't have to be misery and pain: love can last despite the pressure of a wretched, hollow culture bent on self-destruction. Your ship might just succeed too.

God bless 'em for keeping the magic alive!

...

Why do I have the presentiment that I'm going to regret encouraging support?

[goldkirk]

You seem to know stuff about the Corona virus, so could I ask whether having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, seasonal asthma and/or hay fever (even if it's not flaring up) would mark someone in the vulnerable bracket? (Asking because I've got a friend with CFS/ME and family with hay fever and asthma and I'm worried about whether I need to worry about them) Thank you in advance!

Hey friend!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - I haven’t seen any specific info, but I’d almost bet my whole life that yes, CFS and the coronavirus are probably a bad-news combo, based on the research slowly coming out on what MAY cause CFS, how it MAY affect body systems, and potential autoimmune involvement, and a lot of potential evidence for it being often triggered by a virus in the first place. We have NO data that we know of actually talking about how any patients with ME/CFS fare with coronavirus, or if any have gotten it at all yet, but definitely not something I’d risk. Too many question marks on every side. Definitely assume vulnerability, better safe than sorry. 

Asthma - All the guidance that’s been coming out has been for just “asthma” in general, so it’s hard to say specifically what difference the varieties can make. But regardless, asthmatic lungs and bodies are predisposed to react to illness/irritants/etc. in certain ways, so the risk is present for all asthmatics. Vulnerable. It’s the mechanisms, the mechanics and structures and biology, not what kind of asthma, that matters. 

Hay fever - I haven’t seen any official guidance on this, but having seasonal allergies isn’t directly tied in with special vulnerability as far as anyone knows. I’d imagine that if you’re already dealing with inflammation and stuff from allergies and get the virus, though, it would add an extra icing layer of misery and some extra inflammation in proportion with what your allergies were already causing (just a guess, though). If you’ve ever had the flu or a cold while dealing with allergies, I’d imagine something like that but lousier. Likely not particularly vulnerable. Just keep close tabs on overall symptoms/fever/etc. if someone has allergies going on and does get sick. 

Hope this helps! And I really hope that all your friends and family and YOU stay safe and healthy and have as good a time as possible in the coming weeks!