#the trope is kind of fascinating in a way where i like don't get it?? but not in a mean way just like

[risingshards]

Someday I'm gonna write a toxic yaoi about a guy and an entity that's effectively an evil shape falling in hate/love and I'm gonna blow people's minds with it.

Something with that trope is brewing in my head and once I adequately study the weird evil shape sexyman guy trope like a scientist in a lab, I'll unleash my own take on the demonic shape guy x some regular-ish dude onto the world.

I mainly write about the gorlies but I think this would be fun to try, I read a yuri manga by a yaoi author and that got some gears turning about BL written by someone who's primarily doing GL.

MS Paint visualization of me in my gay writing laboratory analyzing this phenomenon:

[darkfires]

you guys just don't know how to write angst anymore. putting people who say they like "toxic yaoi" in my dni cause they have no idea how to actually write toxicity

[befuddledcinnamonroll]

We Are and the evolution of Thai BL tropes

The QL discord started a rewatch of My Engineer a few weeks ago, and damn, has it been an interesting experience. At the time I originally watched My Engineer, there was little that stuck out to me, because so much of what happened felt so incredibly common in a lot of the (admittedly rather limited) number of BLs being produced. It felt like pretty standard fare.

But going back and watching it in juxtaposition with We Are airing has been so fascinating. This genre has been evolving, y'all.

As much as we all joke about always getting more university BLs, there is something to be said for a format that can be used as something of a metric for the genre. And though there's only four years between My Engineer and We Are, seeing them both at once gives me such an incredible appreciation for the direction the genre is going in, the impact of having more queer voices involved in the creation of QLs, and how there's a lot of good we can find in seemingly simple spaces.

Obligatory disclaimer: This is just my perspective and subjective interpretation of what I have seen as a BL viewer of some time; also I don't have time to go in and do a university deep dive, so this isn't a real analysis, but more of a brief writeup of observations.

Trends are not black and white, of course, there is a spectrum. I'm sure we'll suffer through more Dinosaur Loves. At the same time, having such predominant production companies as GMMTV putting effort into hiring queer creatives and subverting old cliche tropes is an encouraging thing. (Especially as they were the creators of the original university trendsetting BL with Sotus).

Note: For newer QL viewers, I highly recommend @absolutebl for brushing up on trope history. For university BLs in particular, this post and this post are great starting primers.

Let's talk tropes!

Ok, one more note - some tropes are being what I would consider subverted, some more adapted to a newer framework, and some just played with - I'm going to talk about how they appear to me, but I'm not going to be super pedantic over it, because this is just for fun.

Trope: Bullying/hazing behavior

This did not age well in My Engineer, and I would guess hasn't aged well in a number of BLs (and other media, because the whole "he's mean to you because he likes you" bullshit has been around forever). Not just because the behavior was shitty, but because it was played off in the script as cute, and implied that it was completely justified for the seme to do whatever he wanted in his pursuit of his uke.

(There was also quite a strong tone of internalized homophobia, with the lead feeling more comfortable in expressing his interest through harassment than honest emotion, but the show never actually engaged with that in any meaningful way.)

We Are sets up a very traditional enemies to lovers/bullying start to the story, with Phum taking advantage of Peem's economic situation to make him his "slave".

And yet... there's some important elements here that make this more than the standard use of the trope.

Phum keeps it pretty light in his bullying behavior, and clearly is using it more to keep Peem around as company, versus the kind of bullying in My Engineer, where Duen is literally hit by a car, and yet still expected to keep jumping to Bohn's whims.

As soon as Phum realizes he really upset Peem by leaving him waiting at the mall, he genuinely feels awful about it. It's clear that his intent is not to cause harm, and that he has a conscience. He wrestles with his feelings on it quite a bit, and it ends up being the thing that gets Phum to finally express an honest emotion with Peem.

And most importantly, the script does not let him off the hook. His behavior is bad, and is identified as such by the writing. Peem pushes back and is shown to be right to do so, Beer openly says he disapproves.

So instead of a cliche story beat that's used just to start the action, or a seme who's allowed to do whatever he wants because "passion" (blech), we're seeing it used for characterization, giving us important beats about who both Phum and Peem are in how they engage with each other through the use of the trope.

Trope: Obsessive/jealous behavior

Oh, this one was painful in My Engineer. Duen couldn't even talk to another human being without Bohn getting jealous and angry and dragging him away.

Phum gets jealous, particularly around Kluen, but what makes it feel so subversive here are two key things.

Phum's jealousy has a purpose here, it's not just for drama's sake. It's not the cliche seme doing whatever he wants and being treated as justified. It's deliberately being used to explore his insecurities, and give him a challenge to overcome. Phum doesn't stomp over and drag Peem away, he retreats, he hides. When his jealousy causes him to lash out at Peem, he is immediately aware he fucked up.

And again, the script is making it clear that this behavior is not ok. Peem chides Phum when he acts unkind to Kluen, and Beer makes it clear that the solution is not petty behavior, but actually figuring out a way to communicate his feelings with Peem before he misses his chance. This is portrayed as a barrier for Phum to overcome in order to be with Peem, not an expected part of a romantic relationship.

Trope: Friendship group

There are not enough words to express how much I love the friendship group in We Are. To be fair, this is one of the better historical tropes. We've gotten a lot of amazing friend groups, even in mediocre BLs.

But it's still different in We Are, for one simple reason. In most university BLs, the friend group is a supporting structure. But here?

The story lines may be about the romance, but the point of We Are is the friendship.

I will die on this hill, y'all.

I don't have enough time to go into it fully here, but this show is a love letter to friends. It's a tribute to finding the people who see the real you and have your back unconditionally. Who cheer your successes and commiserate over your defeats, who pick you up when the world knocks you down, who call you out when you make mistakes, and push you to be better.

And romance is lovely, but all of these budding relationships are about being friends first, and then lovers, because that friendship is just as important as everything else, if not more.

Trope: Pink milk

Lol, ok, kinda kidding, kinda not. I know we all got mad over the drink wastage, but also check out these visuals - it's about diversity baby!!

TanFang speed round

My two little trope-busting bebes. These two are already so beautifully non-traditional in their composition, but I love how frequently they are used to make fun of and play with tropes just on their own.

Introduced as pining crush/friend's older brother pair, but actually secret enemies to lovers.

Grumpy/sunshine pairing, where the sunshine used to be a fighter, and grumpy smiles when he thinks no one is watching.

Wound-tending where they keep poking each other instead of acting soft.

Openly mocking the jealous boyfriend trope.

Setting up the possessive trope when Tan doesn't pick up Fang's calls, only to immediately have Fang question if he's being unreasonable.

Setting up their own cute eating scene for kicks.

"First time" sex scene making it clear this is anything but their first time.

Tan holding Fang down in the cliche possessive pose, only for Fang to take the agency of kissing Tan. (And overall saying eff off at the cliche top/bottom roles old BLs were such a fan of).

In Summary

I'm sure there are more tropes that will come to me, and we do still have 5 episodes left of We Are, so there are some potential trope uses that I am keeping an eye on. This is by no means an all-inclusive list.

But I wanted to write this, because I was genuinely shocked to realize how different my My Engineer watching experience was this time compared to my first time. How over the last few years I'd come to expect more thoughtfulness in my QL media, even in the ones that seem shallow on the surface.

Considering how fast and furious the QLs are coming these days, it's easy to forget how recent it was that we were much more starved of content. And I think sometimes we forget to take in the big picture, of how far we've come in just a few years.

Critique is always going to be important, of course, it's part of what helps us make progress. At the same time, it doesn't hurt to take a moment to look around and see some good in where we are.

@sailorbryant thanks for the push to get this written! Feel free to add thoughts!

[antianakin]

Out of curiosity: do you believe Anakin was truly was the Chosen One or was it Luke the whole time?

Anakin. 1000% Anakin. I believe it's Anakin as per Word of God, as well, but I don't have the quote on hand right now.

Part of the weirdness over this is because of how the films were released, Luke is obviously the main character of the original trilogy of films, he's the one on the hero's journey, and there was never any mention of a prophecy in those films. So when the Prequels came out and made this whole prophecy thing for Anakin, it's understandable that people sort-of looked at it and went, "But if Anakin was the Chosen One, why is Luke the hero in the end still?" Which has obviously led to a bunch of theories that it was Luke all along, that Qui-Gon misunderstood the prophecy or just misapplied it to Anakin, or even that Luke BECAME the new Chosen One when Anakin fell (all of which are made worse by Rebels sort-of validating this take by having Obi-Wan claim Luke is the Chosen One). I get it.

But the entire purpose of Anakin's story to me only works if he IS the Chosen One and he just... fails. Anakin fails. He defies his own destiny and it destroys an entire galaxy. One of the BEST things about the Prequels is how hard they work to subvert certain tropes and narrative expectations. Padme and Anakin are forbidden lovers, but it's a toxic unhealthy love and the relationship is forbidden for good reason. Anakin is willing to burn down the world for Padme, but it's not at all romantic when the world is actually burning and it's going to burn both of them down with it. Prophecies exist, Chosen Ones exist, but prophecies can be DEFIED and Chosen Ones can fail if they're making selfish choices. You only get the happy ending from the prophecy if you're making the right choices.

So Anakin DOES end up destroying the Sith and bringing balance to the Force, but only when he makes a choice that's primarily SELFLESS in nature. He MIGHT'VE been able to destroy Palpatine the Sith way, but then he himself would still be a Sith and so the prophecy isn't actually fulfilled. There would be no balance in the Force while Anakin remains a Sith. So until he figures out how to leave his darkness behind, he'll continue to defy his own fate.

And that is a FASCINATING way to represent a prophecy and apply a destiny to someone without completely removing their agency or making all of their choices unimportant. Anakin's choices literally define the fate of the GALAXY because the prophecy only gets to come true when he makes the right choices. Theoretically, Anakin could defy this prophecy until he dies. Personally, I think that this is something that could happen. Anakin could make that choice, he could literally just defy the prophecy FOREVER and it would just never happen. It doesn't mean he ISN'T the Chosen One, he just chose incorrectly and so the prophecy never actually gets to come true.

I also like that this leaves room for other people to achieve the same end without being part of the prophecy. Theoretically, Palpatine could still be killed in other ways, even while Anakin's alive. The prophecy isn't stopping someone ELSE from killing Palpatine (or Anakin), it's just a LOT harder. We do see people more attuned to the Force kind-of stepping back from something they can feel is perhaps someone else's destiny or following someone specifically because they have a destiny for something, but the opportunity is there for regular people to step up where a Chosen One has failed. And it's one of the things I love MOST about the Star Wars universe, I love the way this worldbuilding works.

Luke is still a hero, obviously, he plays a major role in Anakin ultimately making that final selfless choice, his faith in Anakin and his refusal to kill Anakin and his adherence to Jedi compassion are what eventually help lead Anakin towards making the choice that allows the prophecy to finally be fulfilled. I'm not downplaying Luke's importance or his heroism at all, but I think it kind-of makes all of his choices even MORE heroic if he's NOT a Chosen One. He doesn't do these things because he was destined to do them, but because he's a good, kind, brave, strong person making the choice to do heroic things. He's choosing to do what he believes needs to be done for the greater good. He's just a regular person, with no prophecies to fulfill, having to step into the shoes of a hero because his father failed and threw the galaxy into chaos. How is that NOT more interesting than just saying Luke was the real Chosen One all along?

So you'll never catch me saying the Chosen One was anybody but Anakin in canon. It's absolutely Anakin and it'll always BE Anakin. You remove SO MUCH of the best parts of Star Wars if you take away that part of it.

[yuurei20]

Hi there! Quick question, How does Idia feel about Leona?? to me, they have such weird dynamic. They don't like each other but they don't outright hate each other either, but sometimes it feels like they're totally fine with each other?? Is this just a respect thing??

Hello hello!! This gets into character analysis which is definitely not my strength, so I reached out to one of the most knowledgeable Idia-analyzers I’ve ever seen ( @frost__tw ) who was so kind as to collaborate with me on this response, and I am forever grateful ♡

Also: agreed! Their dynamic is particularly fascinating because they are both complete opposites and extremely similar, simultaneously:

Both are housewardens, near the same height, canonically attractive, unusually intelligent, very sarcastic, enjoy chess, are from important families, keep others at a distance, often complain about having to go out of their way to do things they are uninterested in, have brother issues and won’t put effort into things they have predetermined to be impossible, which ties directly into how they are trapped in situations they can’t do anything about due to the circumstances of their birth.

And we also have their recently introduced titles (on JP server): “Ambitious King” and “King of the Underworld.”

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly how Idia feels about Leona, possibly because he doesn’t know very much about him (which is possibly because Leona doesn’t want him to).

During Book 6 he assumes that Leona isn’t suited to a leadership role, for example, despite how people who actually spend time with Leona say otherwise.

The two overlap in Idia’s second birthday vignette, where Leona gifts him with an artisanal chess set and the two pause the interview to play together.

They seem to mutually agree not to mention who won the game, and it may have been a draw.

We see Idia categorize people and generalize them into character tropes (from anime/manga/games) throughout the game, and based upon Leona’s appearance/outward behavior, Idia may labeling him as the scary top boss of the Savanaclaw hooligans (re: their Halloween vignette together) in his mind.

But he is able to overcome his initial flight response in this birthday vignette once Leona procures the chess set (one of Idia’s personal interests).

(This is part of the reason why Idia’s stutter is such an important part of the character: he stutters when he panics, but then speaks smoothly when he becomes passionate, which the characters even comment on in the game (Ortho calls it his "go off switch" on EN, and his "heat up switch" on JP).)

(Recreation of this trait varies by scene on EN.)

Leona is difficult to read because he will insult the people he likes and respects just as readily as he does those he does not (something that we see Jamil come to understand in real time during Book 6), so trying to work out his true opinion about anything can get into conjecture.

They also do not overlap particularly often, which gives us less to work with, but his teasing of Idia in the birthday vignette is not dissimilar to his teasing of characters like Jamil and Vil. Whereas they understand Leona’s humor, however, Idia may not.

What we know for a fact is that Leona has canonically complimented Idia for being both intelligent and powerful during Spectral Soiree, and this may have been a parallel to Terror is Trending when, extremely impressed by Savanaclaw’s Halloween set, Idia asks, “Did Leona use his magic for it?”

Idia also comments on Leona’s power during his evaluations at STYX, saying, “I already knew Leona was tough and could handle whatever danger comes at him…”

I think you are correct, and it is a respect thing!

They are both aware of the other’s familial situations and strengths and, in any other circumstances, they might get along well. But their personalities are just too different, they frustrate each other in every conversation they have, and whatever positives the other person has might just not be enough to outweigh how obnoxious they find the other to be.

We learn from Vil that the rule at NRC is “the weak obey the strong,” and the Housewardens at NRC seem to take this literally, with Idia, Leona and Vil all being constantly torn between sincere annoyance and grudging respect. The three referring to others as “spudlings,” “normies” and “herbivores” is another interesting overlap that they share.

(Despite being even more different than Leona and Idia, Leona and Vil repeatedly find common ground in allying against Idia.)

(In a parallel to this, Leona and Idia find common ground on the subject of Malleus, with Leona saying, “It’s a pain when the majority forces their opinion on you,” which is an opinion Idia seems to share.)

Thank you so much for this question, it was wonderful to dive into!

Overall, Leona and Idia seem to share a mutual undertone of “I know you’re the best at what you do, but I can’t stand you. I acknowledge that you’re intelligent, capable and talented, but please go be that somewhere else,” which ties directly into a comment from Yana’s 2023 interview:

“Since the characters in the story are villains they do not admit defeat, but they will admit, ‘Hey, you did pretty good.’ Even if they don’t like each other, they will recognize each other’s abilities.”

(And thank you again to @frost__tw for all the amazing insight! ♡)

[smehur]

Drarry fic recs #6

[podfic] Kill, Fuck, Marry written by @lettersbyelise and read by @timothysboxers

Malfoy leans toward him with a baleful look. “I do believe Pansy Parkinson, my best friend, paid you to spend the evening with me. It’s my birthday, Potter. So you’re going to get off your Gryffindor arse, and you’re going to dance with me. I want to dance. I want to win. I want that bloody trophy on my shelf before the end of the night.” Harry and Draco unexpectedly meet again on Draco’s birthday, years after their last encounter.

A delightful fic and a phenomenal reading! There are few things I love more than ex-rivals Harry and Draco discovering they actually enjoy each other's company, especially when it's done with such humor. The game of kill, fuck, marry was hilarious, and so was the dancing. And Draco's final birthday wish, well. 🔥 A phrase seen in many stories but rarely delivered with quite that much cheek. I'm all smiles and biting lips just thinking about it. 10/10 would read/listen again.

ready, able by @garagepaperback

“Well, even if we went through with it, it wouldn’t work. But thanks for the grand heroic rushing in. A certain element of purity is needed to break it." Malfoy licks his lips, "You’d have to be a virgin.” Harry keeps every muscle on his face particularly still, hoping it looks to Malfoy as absolutely blank as it feels to him. Half a minute passes. “No,” Malfoy, already doing a poor job of sitting normally on his chair, bends in half, nearly falling out of it. He’s laughing. “No, Potter, no. No- don’t- you’re twenty-five years old!” “And?” Harry asks, heat staining his face. - Malfoy has a problem, Harry wants to help.

Apart from being captivating, tantalizing and touching, this story is also an interesting (and, for this reader, unique) take on the fuck-or-die trope, which I'll generally read "for fun" but will only take "seriously" if it's somehow challenged and reshaped till choice reasserts itself. Like in this fic! Which, on top of everything, (spoiler alert!) ends with one of the hottest sex scenes in my HP reading so far. Truly exquisite. 👌

Savage by @marguerite26

In a post-war world that lives in fear and ignorance of werewolves, Draco Malfoy has taken every step to keep his condition hidden. When the delicate balance of his life shatters in a single moment, it is Harry Potter alone standing in his defence.

Another instance where excellent fic managed to sell me a trope I'm not a fan of: werewolves! It's a phenomenal story, with an interesting, political plot, excellent pacing, flawless characterization and steaming hot sex. What more could one hope for?

Virtuous by @heyjude19-writing

Draco is only sin inverted.

I loved this short piece down to the last word. It's so multifaceted! At face value, it's a confession of an unredeemed Draco, but is he? Is he really? Or did "fake it till you make it" work a little better than he expected? I'm fascinated by this because it touches on the question of whether a person can really change, which is, obviously, central to Drarry. Does a selfish motivation behind an act of kindness make the act less kind? I don't know the answers. But I do so enjoy fic that asks the questions!

Draco in Darkness by plumeria47

Following an accident in his seventh year, Draco loses his eyesight. After Harry elbows his way into Draco's dark world, both boys find themselves in a strange new friendship, and they each learn new ways to see each other … and themselves.

This story is very old and predates the canon ending of the series (thus missing out on a lot of canon Drarry content that would've made it even better). It's also a bit old-fashioned, compared to the fic I mostly read these days, and it triggered some of my technical pet peeves. Yet it hooked me within the first few paragraphs, and I grew to love it with a slow-burn passion. Draco's sudden disability is depicted in a very straight-forward, matter-of-fact, incredibly effective yet sensitive way; and his manner of coping with it is perfectly in character. Meanwhile, Harry is blind in his own way, which helps build the tension but never crosses the line of being too contrived. I had so many feels reading this. It's just beautiful, warts and all.

As always, my heartfelt thanks to the authors of these, and all other lovely stories shared within this amazing fandom, and to the readers helping spread the word. 🥰

[ninja-muse]

The Dollmakers by Lynn Buchanan is the most original fantasy novel I've read in a good while. It doesn't follow a familiar plot structure. It's peopled by characters rarely seen but true to life. It tackles its issues, themes, and conundrums without turning them into morals or even necessarily reaching conclusions. The magic has been done before, but also not this way. The world, while familiar in some aspects, also feels fresh and different.

Did I like it? I'm not sure. But I definitely think it's worth picking up.

Because this book is so different, it's hard to encapsulate. The premise of a young woman determined to prove herself and gain the job and status she deserves sounds like it should launch a novel of revenge, of conquest, or of an underdog—but this doesn't. A story about magical dolls designed to fight ravening monsters sounds like it should be about great battles and increasing odds—but this isn't. This also isn't a story about a stranger upending a small town, or mentorship, or political conflicts, or even a mystery. Instead, there are elements of all those things, but this novel is too character-driven to fall neatly into boxes. Shean of Pearl is simply going to do what she thinks best and we're along for the journey.

The complexity of the plot is mirrored in its characters. Shean is capable of kindness and delicacy and righteous anger, but she's also tactless and self-absorbed and unwilling to listen to reason. There are brave characters too afraid to interact with society, kind mentors who fail in their mentorship, sour but welcoming villagers, wandering scholars who hold themselves apart until they don't, rule-abiding citizens who can't value originality, thoughtful people who come to snap judgements, and a host of other people who are flawed and complicated as anyone of us might be in their place. There's nobody I can point to and say, "Here, she relied entirely on a trope."* Buchanan's character work is arguably where this book shines most.

As for the themes and issues, I've grown used to fantasy and science fiction with clear morals, clear good guys, and clear political points. Again, this isn't that sort of book. You have to get well into it before you see what Buchanan's talking about on that level and she's more interested about raising questions and pointing out problems than she is in solving anything. We and her characters are left with things to think about, and with introspection. And no, I won't say more than that. Spoilers!

This isn't to say that this book is without flaw. Mostly, on that front, I found Shean's emotional journey a little sudden and jerky at points, with greater or quicker character growth than her personality led me to expect, and there's one particular moment near the beginning that felt exaggerated for the sake of demonstration rather than being true to character. The rest of my problems, and what's holding me back from saying, "This book was amazing!", I think stem from how different this book is. Is my grumble at that minor character's reaction due to weak writing or because they're so perfectly poised within their world that of course they don't act like a "normal" character? Is this plot line wrapping up too neatly or are we being set up for a sequel? That sort of thing. I should point out this is a debut novel and these are issues I've run into with debut novels before—but at the same time, this is much, much more polished and subtle than a lot of debuts are.

As for the magic and the world, I've run on too long to cover them much, but the doll magic is lovely, the monsters are fascinating, the idea that every nation has its own entirely separate culture and magic is familiar while the details are not, and in general, it's all very strong. Buchanan has a lot to play with and I'd happily read more in this world whether or not there's a direct sequel.

To sum up: this is a very strong, very interesting, very unique debut fantasy. It's a novel to mull over and one I'll be sorting through my feelings for. If you're interested in smaller fantasy stories, fantasies that take their time, or are tired of current fantasy trends and plot types, you should absolutely give this one a look. Buchanan's going to be an author to watch, I think.

* apart from third-tier non-speaking characters, like waiters or shopkeepers

[mangoshorthand]

If we're insisting on a romantic plotline for Five set up in Season 3

Right. I've heard people saying that Five/Lila was set up from season 3. That all their banter was deliberate foreshadowing or something. Now, I'm not sure if that's something the writers said or if that's just people seeing banter and affection and then attributing it to romance with the benefit of foresight. (If it's the former, then it was set up extremely poorly and frankly I refuse to believe that was the plan).

So, if Five had to have a romance plot in s4, (as Blackman decreed) here's how I would have set it up from season 3 in a way that would hopefully not have seemed too weird/forced.

One of the main gripes people had about that season is that most of the Sparrows were introduced and then discarded quickly, so the introduction of a plotline in which Five has a dynamic with one of them might have gone some way towards helping with this.

Now, I know that pairing Five with a Sparrow is an overused fanfic trope that rarely plays well and it's kinda weird for TWO Hargreeves boys to pair up with their multiverese sisters, BUT we are living under Blackman-law and thus Aidan Gallagher must swap spit with someone as soon as possible after turning 18 so this is the best I have:

I would change/develop (and potentially recast) Jayme. Be prepared...this is long:

Personality/Background

She feels out of place in her family.

She hates the limelight and doesn't cooperate in their branding activities.

Even with Reggie drugged up, life feels just as shitty (maybe shittier) to her being under Marcus' regime.

She's been done with the whole sparrow academy thing since she was a kid and is fascinated by the somethings and nothings of ordinary life.

She has a tendency to 'run away' and do her own thing. The Sparrows see her as unreliable and selfish.

She's cynical and feels no loyalty to the Sparrows as a whole, but she does have personal loyalty to Sloane and Alphonso.

You could put her in the wrong/younger body like Five, which could also be leveraged to put distance between herself and the other sparrows, but I also think that would be too convenient a plot contrivance to play well on screen.

I would keep Season 3's plot largely similar, just with the addition of a friendship between Five and Jayme:

S3 E1+2

Initial fight

Five and Jayme have the same initial fight scene with a little more prominence. It goes roughly the same way but perhaps add a bit more interaction/smack talk between them.

Bar Room conversion

At the point Five is first wearing his retirement outfit, a situation occurs that sees he and Jayme sitting at the bar of the hotel obsidian. There are few hard feelings about the fight. They grouse a little and rub along well even though Five clearly thinks she's a spy.

They get onto the kiss with hallucinatory Delores and Five's whole story comes out.

Jayme thinks the peace and quiet of the apocalypse sounds kind of nice (a notion he thoroughly disabuses her of).

She finds herself oddly touched by Five's devotion to getting home to his family, although she can't really fathom doing the same and finds it hilarious that he continues to insist that she must be a spy because they're her family.

Jayme tells a story of being a child and hiding in the mansion and playing house in a little den where nobody could find her. It was her escape. When she got older, she used to escape the mansion and hitchhike around the country for weeks at a time, enjoying a slice of ordinary life.

Five asks her why she came back every time instead of staying away. She can't answer him, but the answer is obvious to him: she too loves her family and doesn't really know how to live in the real world beyond her childhood 'playing house' in her den.

She strikes back that it takes one to know one, and Five concedes this.

But her story chimes with Five, and this is what catalyses his retirement/roadtrip arc with Klaus.

S3 E3-6

Five is pretty busy so they don't interact again until E7. BUT...

The bar room conversation with Five pricks Jayme's conscience and she throws herself into trying to find Marcus and protecting her family.

The confrontation with Harlan goes similarly except Jayme doesn't die and she is instead devastated about Alphonso's death, making her one of the fiercest advocates for killing Harlan. She's angry that Allison did it and she couldn't.

S3 E7

Before trapping the Kugelblitz in Christoper

Jayme lashes out at Five/all of them. Five correctly intuits that she's still upset about Alphoso and angry she didn't get to kill Harlan.

He comforts her in his uptight way and tells her from experience that killing for revenge/out of anger doesn't do any good, but resonates with her that not being able to save the people you love is a terrible, powerless feeling. He ends in saying that, for what it's worth, she shouldn't feel bad for wanting a normal life.

She hugs him tightly, surprising him. He hugs back stiffly but not unhappily.

Post-Kugel-trapping

Lila encourages Five onto the dancefloor, and Five in turn encourages Jayme onto the dancefloor.

They dance and laugh, and it's clear that they enjoy being dance partners. There are a few cross shots that show them liking one another's company. The last we see them together is somewhere around Lila telling Diego she's pregnant and Luther and Sloane's engagement:

Five and her are slumped on a couch. She said she's glad it's over and she's going to put all this behind her.

He asks what she's going to do. She says she wants to try to be a family without being a Sparrow and find her own way in the world. She's going to open a little coffee shop, grow her own food, find a simple life. What about him?

He tells her that his road trip with Klaus didn't go as planned, so he's planning to get nice convertible and go travelling for a while. She says that he'd better put her coffee shop on his route. He replies that he'd like that, and then leaves to find Viktor.

Right before the Kugel-splosion

She is in the conversation with Ben, Christopher and Fei and states her intent to leave and have nothing to do with their plans, but still wants to stay on good terms.

They reject her pretty roundly, and she leaves to go and find Sloane thinking she'll have more luck with her.

And then Christopher blows.

Halfway up the stairs, Jayme is unconscious as a result of some falling rubble, and the expanding Kugelblitz puts her and Ben in equal danger. Five instinctively saves Ben (because he will always choose his family) and Jayme dies in the mansion.

S3 E8-10 (After Jayme's Death)

Five feels guilty and more than a little resentful of Sparrow Ben's assholery given what happened.

His decision to give up the fight and accept the end of the world is somewhat influenced by his bitterness over this.

Otherwise, S3 continues unchanged.

S4 (nearly there)

I would have to rewrite the entire series, but here are the basics:

Jayme crops up again, unable to remember anything until marigold is reintroduced.

She and Five are the ones who get stuck in the subway (or similar plot device that allows years to pass for them while no time passes for Five's siblings). They get together relatively quickly, maybe within a year or so. They have a peaceful few years together growing their own food and trying to coax an old barista station back to life so they can make their own coffee. They're both genuinely happy, Jayme absolutely thrives there, and there would be lots of scenes of Aidan Gallagher kissing someone for Steve to enjoy. (Sorry Steve. Your writing decisions might suck but I'm really giving you a hard time here.)

When Five finds the journal, he hides it from her, although he clearly struggles with himself over it, and becomes unhappy. After a few months of him not being himself, Jayme finally gets it out of him.

When she asks why, Five's all: "Because I choose you. I didn't choose you last time so I'm choosing you this time. I love you blah blah kissy kissy for Steve"

And Jayme's like "Yeah, I appreciate it but I love you too. You wouldn't be the man I love if you didn't leave this behind and go back to your family. I want you to be happy and you can't be happy knowing that you can get back to them."

Five accepts this sadly and thanks her for the little slice of normality and peace they shared together. For a moment it looks like she's going to stay and he's going to leave, but at the last second she joins him. Five is her family now, and so are all the Umbrellas too. She can't keep 'playing house' alone. Wherever they are, she will be happy.

And then the series ends totally differently and they all get their happy endings.

[bug-in-a-cage]

at a top level, i don't have an issue with the concept of "sfw g/t" (though i'm not sure how much of this stuff can really be considered "safe for work" - it certainly wouldn't be safe in my workplace) but...it's kinda weird and othering when i see people from that sub-community talk like "sexualising giants" is something shameful and weird and disgusting, and that having a non-kinky interest in relationship dynamics between giants and tinies is, somehow, more "pure" than thinking giant or tiny people are hot.

like, fine, being sex-repulsed is valid, it's possible to have a fascination with size tropes that is not kinky, or is kink adjacent. i myself am on the ace spectrum and i understand the complexity that brings to relationships, both with others and with your own sexual and romantic orientation.

but uhhh.

it's kind of...weird to see people imply that if you do get off to the idea of giants or tinies, that you're somehow a disgusting pervert with an adolescent libido who is intruding while The Adults Are Talking.

i'm not saying that people should be allowed to sexualise characters explicitly labelled as sfw g/t, not at all. boundaries are important and should be respected.

but what i am saying is that size spaces will inevitably contain people, like myself, who think giants are hot, and if you are repulsed by that in general, your response should not be to think of those people as sex-crazed intruders who don't Truly Appreciate size.

sexuality is not inherently bad nor good. it just is. it is another mode of being. and indeed there are people who like size solely as a sexual fantasy and have absolutely no interest in romantic or platonic g/t relationships. those people are not wrong to feel that way about size.

it is true that there are many size kinksters, pretty much universally heterosexual men, that are genuinely regressive in their views on women in kink spaces, and who regard giantesses largely as dispensers of orgasms rather than thinking and feeling human beings.

but that does not describe all people who have a size kink. it doesn't describe me or any size kinksters i associate with. to paint all people who like size tropes chiefly as a sex thing as afflicted slaves to passion is, at the end of the day, just reproducing 19th-century Protestant sexual repression, where sexuality is seen as something aberrant that must be avoided or controlled to remain Pure rather than, you know, just another biological impulse, like eating or shitting.

it's fine to find sexuality distasteful and unpleasant and want to avoid it. it's not fine to talk about the people who do have kinky fantasies like they are disgusting and gross.

we are all human beings and it takes all sorts to make a world. it's fine to say "i don't get this or like it, but i recognise that others might feel differently" and then just...walk away.

[kurogane2512]

Hello there! I'm a big fan of your work and I've read almost all your stories on wattpad and Damn I love it so much 😌.

Anyway, can I request a one-shot where the reader is working under Beidou, as her first mate and because of that, the reader does work that roughs up her hand, like you know, her hand is rough and dry and Ningguang took notice of this one day and decided to do a full body care for the reader.

Like Ningguang applies hand cream on the reader's hands, she massages the reader's face and stuff like that. I'm kinda bad at explaining things 😭

Aww anon this is so cute istg comforting/caring is one of my favorite tropes with all my wives especially the ones who are more authoritative and hold a high position (Ningguang and Signora come to mind most). And dw your explanation was perfect I get it :))

Ps this turned out longer than expected hope you don't mind

Game: Genshin Impact

Characters: Ningguang x fem!reader

Type: Fluff (caring and pampering from mommy Ningguang)

The Tianquan sacrificed her Jade Chamber to protect the people of Liyue and now it was time for the people rebuild that same abode for their Tianquan. Ningguang organized a competition to gather materials and labor for the Jade Chamber, many businessmen and merchants attracted by the prize took part in it and diligently worked day and night to gather materials.

"Baiwen, isn't that the First Mate of the Crux?" Ningguang questioned her secretary while looking at the construction site of the Jade Chamber, inspecting the working when she spotted a familiar yet unexpected face.

"Yes, Lady Ningguang, she is." Baiwen replied.

"Why is she helping among the construction workers? Did Beidou send her? Are there any other members of the Crux helping around?" Ningguang questioned more as she looked at you carrying and assembling construction materials around like a daily wage worker, appearing as common labor hired to rebuild the Jade Chamber.

"From what I know, there is no other member of the Crux seen on the site. I will find out more, Lady Ningguang."

Ningguang pondered for a moment, her gaze fixated on you working so hard with a smile on your face. "No need, I will talk to her myself."

"As you wish, Lady Ningguang." Baiwen bowed and excused herself away. Ningguang didn't come to meet you immediately, she decided to wait and see what your intentions were.

She observed the site for 3 days and saw you every day doing the same kind of work; sometimes transporting materials from one place to other, other times assembling the materials as instructed and so on. Her curiosity perked, and she finally decided to indulge it one day. She walked up to you and you immediately greeted her then engaged in conversation.

"I have been observing you for some days now, First Mate of the Crux." Ningguang didn't waste time and jumped to the topic of concern, "What might be your reasons for engaging in common labor like this? I believe this is rather below your paygrade. And I hope you are aware that this is separate from the competition to acquire the materials, there is no special prize for this only the appropriate wage."

"Oh, yes I know, Lady Ningguang. I'm not here for money or even the competition prize....."

"Then what might your reason be? I don't believe Captain Beidou sent you to assist considering there are no other members of the Crux here."

"Yes, she didn't send me. I came by my own accord. Captain Beidou is helping in acquiring the materials of the competition so everyone else is engaged in that. I....um....I was just more interested in this kind of work so I came...." you trailed off and made-up whatever reason came to your mind. You weren't expecting the Tianquan to notice you this way and question you, you almost felt like you did something wrong due to her constant questioning.

Ningguang chuckled after a moment of pause, "How interesting~ I was right to think the First Mate of the Crux was much more capable and fascinating than the Captain. You have my gratitude for assisting here, if pos—"

"Oi! Look out! The ropes will snap!" suddenly someone shouted and you noticed there was a trolley carrying stones right above you and Ningguang that broke from the rail and came crashing down. You swiftly reacted and jumped away pulling Ningguang along with you, both of you falling on the ground. You softened the fall for Ningguang by taking the force and shielding her above you, your back hitting the ground first with Ningguang wrapped in your arms.

The trolley crashed with a loud thud, alerting everyone on site to come rushing and see what had happened. Baiwen came running to look for her Tianquan and was relieved to see her safe and unharmed as you pulled her away at the right moment.

"A-Are you okay, Lady Ningguang?" you asked out of concern, slightly panting beneath her. She was shocked for some time until she grasped the situation and realized she was lying above you in your arms. Baiwen came to your side and helped Ningguang stand up then Ningguang offered her hand to you and you happily accepted then stood up and brushed your clothes while Baiwen checked Ningguang all over.

"I'm fine. What about you, Y/n? You took the fall, I hope your head isn't injured." Ningguang almost instinctively caressed your head but held back and folded her arms over her chest.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine, Lady Ningguang. Your safety is more important here."

Ningguang let out a sigh then turned around to look at the scene, her eyebrows furrowing as anger rose in her.

"Baiwen, get me whoever is responsible for these trolleys and the ropes. Have a thorough inspection of every trolley and rope before resuming the construction, I do not want anything like this to repeat."

Ningguang ordered with a glare and Baiwen immediately rushed to complete her command; it was rare for Ningguang to become so worked up, after all. The crowd of on-lookers gathered quickly dispersed away as well then Ningguang turned to face you before gently holding your hand, the action causing a blush to spread across your face.

"You can take the rest of the day off and rest, I will compensate you for this."

"O-Oh, no, it's okay. I'm completely fine, Lady Ningguang. Please, allow me to keep working."

"Not much construction is left now, I will pay you for all the days the construction went on. You can rest easy and go back."

"I...." you hesitated to reply but seeing Ningguang's gentle and concerned expression made you melt and agree, "As you say, Lady Ningguang. Please do call me if you need more workers any time."

Ningguang smiled and gently caressed your hand before releasing it and allowing you to leave. She watched you walk towards the harbor and board the Crux then looked at her own hand that was previously holding yours and pondered, "....Such rough hands. What a shame someone as adorable as her has to live a life like that. And I wouldn't be surprised if Beidou gives all the dirty work to Y/n while she drinks and slacks away. Hmm, perhaps I could do something...."

The Jade Chamber was finally rebuilt after another 2 days and Ningguang gathered the winners of the competition to let them collect their prize. The top 3 winners were the Traveller, Yun Jin and Captain Beidou herself who went a little later as she was with the crew giving out instructions.

"Keep your eyes and ears open for anything once the battle begins."

"Yes, Captain!"

"Oi, Y/n. Are you sure you don't want to come up there?"

"Huh? For what?"

"For your prize, of course! I won't let Ningguang get away with making you work your ass off and paying nothing!"

The crew let out a laughter while you sighed, "Don't say that to her, Captain. She has promised me she will pay me everything."

"Hah~ You...." Beidou let out a drawled sigh and left the crew in your hands then went up to the Jade Chamber where Yun Jin, Shenhe and the Traveller had already asked their questions and Paimon prompted Beidou to be next.

"Huh? No, I have nothing to ask. If anything, you should compensate my First Mate for all the work she did for you."

"Don't make it seem like I forced her to work, Beidou. She was there by her own accord and I already promised her the right amount."

"Yeah yeah, she was there for you, after all~"

Ningguang squinted her eyes in confusion, "What are you implying, Beidou?"

"Huh? Don't tell me you are so thick headed that you didn't realize even after she did so much....Hah~ This girl, I told her it's futile but she still insisted to help you just to please you."

"Please me? And whatever might that mean?"

Beidou clicked her tongue and turned around to walk away, "Never mind, forget I said anything. I'm going back to the ship to prepare."

Ningguang was about to call her back but Beidou descended long ago, leaving Ningguang confused and pondering. "What is that supposed to mean? Please me as in.....please me to get on my good side for her own benefit? Is that what she means?"

Ningguang looked down in contempt and thought back to what you said to her and bit her lower lip, "So, she's just like everyone else too....get close for benefits from my position. Haha~ can't say I'm surprised, I suppose...."

"Lady Ningguang, it's time." Baiwen called out to her and she put all her thoughts aside and began the ascension of the Jade Chamber. A fierce battle ensued soon after with Beisht over the sea, you commanded the Alcor alongside Beidou while Ningguang soared in the sky in her Jade Chamber and defeated Beisht together. Nobody was gravely injured thanks to the Traveller and Shenhe's help with the combined efforts of the Millelith.

"Y/n, come on, Ningguang has called us to see Yun Jin's show right now." Beidou informed you after the battle, preparing to go up the Jade Chamber.

"You can go, Captain. I'll stay and look over the damage and if anyone requires medical help, then we have to treat the crew as well."

"Ah, shut it. She specifically asked you to come so move it."

You found it hard to believe but Beidou left no room for negotiation and practically dragged you along. You reached the Jade Chamber and found Ningguang seated on one of the tables, she looked at you and squinted her eyes before standing up to greet you. You watched the show together sitting on the same table until Ningguang asked you to accompany her to get something from inside and you agreed hence went to her office.

"As promised, here is the remuneration for the days of the construction." Ningguang handed you a bag of mora which you hesitantly accepted and thanked her, she then stayed silent for a moment before walking up to her table and leaning against the edge.

"....Ask away what you require and I shall see that it is done." Ningguang spoke in a serious tone, glazed with her usual formalness.

"What do you mean, Lady Ningguang?"

"Wasn't that your purpose for helping in the construction? To please me? Well, I was pleased. Now state your requirement and our deal will be complete."

You looked at her wide-eyed, "Why do you think that, Lady Ningguang? I-I wasn't—"

"Your Captain told me you wanted to please me; naturally, I understand you must have something you want from me for which you wanted to get on my good side and gain favors. It is quite a common strategy in business and I believe in equivalent exchange so I'm ready to give you what you want."

Your heart almost broke at her words, you didn't understand why she reached this conclusion.

"I....Y-You misunderstand, Lady Ningguang. I did want to please you but not for this....I don't want anything from you or your wealth, I just wanted to help you rebuild your home and see you happy...."

Ningguang was also surprised now and walked closer to you, standing in front of you with her arms crossed over her chest.

"....So, you don't want anything materialistic? Why would you even want to see me happy?"

Your face turned red and you shyly looked away, appearing extremely adorable to Ningguang who had rarely seen you this way.

"I....I happened to see you at the harbor one night a few days after you sacrificed the previous Jade Chamber. And....you looked really upset, sorrowful. I couldn't bear to see you that way....I wanted to do something but it was difficult from my position. Then I heard about the reconstruction and urged Captain Beidou to return so that I could participate....I would have participated in the material gathering competition but I felt that wasn't enough so I let her handle that and I came to the labor side."

Ningguang felt her heartbeat fastening at your honest confession, an unexpected feeling of relief spreading in her chest.

"Well then, you did accomplish your goal. In return, would you let me do something for you now?~"

"H-Huh?! I don't want anything, Lady Ningguang. E-Even this mora isn't required but I can deposit it in the crew's treasury, other than this you really don't have to bother!"

Ningguang smiled and gently held your hand, the blush on your face darkening feeling her so close.

"It's not a bother. Come with me~"

You slowly agreed and let Ningguang lead you towards her private chamber, you felt her soft and delicate hands hold your dry and rough ones and suddenly felt nervous, even distant. It made you recall the distance between you both and the differences in your state of living. You were proud of your job and didn't regret it ever, but falling in love with the Tianquan made you almost wish you were in different circumstances.

"Have a seat." Ningguang made you sit on the bedside while she went to her dressing and picked out a few things before coming to sit beside you.

"....Life at the sea must be tough, right?" she spoke as she took off her gloves then proceeded hold your hands and caress them.

"Uh, i-it is but it's also fun with everyone around, and Captain Beidou especially keeps us well-fed and entertained."

"Hmm, well-fed for sure but not well tended to." you felt her soft fingers brush across your palm before intertwining with your own.

"That day when you saved me from the falling trolley, I felt your rough skin as you held my arms. I wouldn't have noticed it in the moment of panic but it felt uncharacteristically prickly that I couldn't help but remember and I also confirmed it later by holding your hand." she let go of your hand then gathered some cream on her own.

"I understand you cannot take care of your skin and personal appearance at sea much; you'd prioritise health and hygiene more. But still, you shouldn't let your adorable appearance go to waste this way. You are still a young girl; don't follow in Beidou's steps and become a brute like her, at least." she proceeded to rub the cream across your palm followed by your forearm.

"I....I j-just never cared for how I looked, especially...." you trailed off and averted your gaze, making Ningguang concerned as she massaged the cream on your hand.

"Especially?" she asked in a soft voice.

You furrowed your brows then swiftly pulled your hand away from her hold, catching her off-guard. "You don't have to do this, Lady Ningguang."

Ningguang looked at you firmly and lightly held your wrist, "I want to, let me."

"W-Why do you even want to? You don't have to pay me back for what I did, you don't have to waste your time on this."

"I decide how I spend my time and I deem this to be worth it."

You knew it was pointless to argue with the Tianquan once she had decided something. You were feeling overwhelmed seeing how eager she was to do this; you didn't understand her reasoning at all. A celebration was being held for her outside at this very moment yet here she was tending to a mere pirate. Ningguang observed you for some time before shifting closer and gently cupping your face, making you move your gaze towards her.

"Hmm....now that I'm seeing you up close this way, you really are quite cute and have rather youthful features, at least compared to the other crew members I have seen~"

A dark blush spread across your face at her compliment and how close she was, Ningguang rubbed her thumb across your cheek and slid it up towards your eye-patch in an attempt to take it off. You reacted out of instinct and stopped her hand from moving further, earning a soft smile from her.

"Let me see, I have always been quite curious about it. Not to mention, I need to apply the cream on your face so this needs to be removed anyways."

You bit your lower lip and slowly agreed then moved your hand away and let her slide off your eyepatch. She then brushed aside the bangs hanging over your eye and tucked them behind your ear before gathering moisturizer on her palms and gently spreading it in circles on your cheeks. Ningguang's gentle smile didn't fade even for a moment, she was focused on applying the cream all over your face and covering every part.

You noticed how she was especially careful when rubbing it over your eye as if the scar still hurt you— which it didn't as it was years old now. It almost shocked you how accepting and normally she was treating you; you knew the Tianquan was rather humane than what people made her to be but this felt extraordinary. Her soft and gentle fingers drawing circles on your face made you relax into her palms and close your eyes to relish the feeling.

"....Would it be okay to ask how you got this scar, Y/n?"

The question caught you off-guard but you agreed to tell, "Yes. It was before I joined the Crux, I was attacked by some Treasure Hoarders who raided my village. I got careless and let down my guard which gave them the chance to attack me and....yeah, that's how I got it."

Ningguang looked at you with a sympathetic look, "My apologies if it was uncomfortable to recall...."

"N-Not really, it was a long time ago. In fact, that's when Captain Beidou took me in. Seeing that she had a similar injury and how confidently she carried herself gave me some motivation too but...."

"....But you still remain insecure about your appearance due to it, right?"

You nodded in guilt, feeling weak in front of her. You didn't expect to tell your deepest secret to the Tianquan at all, but you also felt lighter telling her because of how accepting she was.

"I-It's okay now, Lady Ningguang! It's not like I brood over it all the time, I see it as a battle scar and know nothing can be done about it. I'm blessed nobody mocks me for it and the crew makes me feel accepted for who I am...."

Ningguang smiled wider and nodded in agreement, "Well, would you mind taking off your shirt? I wish to apply the cream on your body as well~"

"H-Huh?! I can do that myself, Lady Ningguang!" you exclaimed, feeling extremely flustered. Ningguang let out a chuckle then patted your head, "Alright then, let me apply on your back, at least. It would be difficult for you reach there anyways."

"Uh...o-okay."

You turned over and pulled your shirt up till your neck to expose your back to Ningguang. She saw the scars and injuries adorning it as well and felt more upset for you but decided to not bring them up and continued rubbing and massaging the cream. Your face was red up till your ears, the feeling of her smooth fingers rubbing over your bare back sent shivers down your spine and you did your best to hold back any kind of strange noises.

"Alright, it's done."

Ningguang helped you pull your shirt down then you turned to face her and she gently smiled, "I'll have some of these products delivered to you tomorrow. Try to apply them as much as you can, I can assure you that you will see improvement very soon."

"....Thank you very much, Lady Ningguang. T-This wasn't required at all but you—"

"Shh~" Ningguang put her finger on your lips, "Consider us even now, I won't listen to any excuses~"

You nodded in agreement and she retracted her hand then both of you proceeded to go outside. You stood at the platform to go down and bid farewell to her and thanked her once again for what she did, she smirked and all of a sudden walked closer then you felt a kiss planted on your cheek, near the place where your scar was. Your heart skipped a beat and you looked at Ningguang with a flustered expression while she looked as confident as ever.

"I'll call you if there are more similar jobs in the future for you to do. We can also discuss the right kind of remuneration for them~"

[thattimdrakeguy]

What Happens When You Only USED To Care

I find it extremely hard to take any person in the fandom that does that schtick where they make fun of Tim based on made up or overly exaggerated stuff seriously.

I can't even find it within myself to give them the power of my hate, because it's more like a fly near your ear. You swat em away and bye bye bye.

Maybe it's because I know so much about how DC ended up being, that I can tell when they're bullshitting and saying stuff others put in their ear.

I mean you take a kid's favorite toy, and add modifications and paint jobs that take away the whole point of the toy, the kid's aren't going to want to play with it anymore.

Am I expected to blame the toy itself?

Especially with how the fandom has bastardized these characters that they so clearly love, but they still constantly get cancelled.

And I won't make mention of who, because someone will get sensitive, and plus then say "WELL TIM DID TOO" showing they're completely missing my point and didn't read the whole post.

I'm not sure why the fandom thinks taking complex and fascinating characters that allowed readers to escape their potentially bleak lives to jump into something more joyful (at least in an entertainment kind of way) and turning them into sitcom tropes is a great idea that OH IS SO GREAT, and EVERYONE WILL PREFER.

'Cause when the comics start copying that trend, you're actually scaring most people away.

Sure it's different from the big bad edgy we had to deal with a while, but it's still not getting these things back to were the once were.

You're replacing the bad, with a different flavor of bad. This time coated in a superficial dusting of praise that doesn't help anything get anywhere.

See, the fandom isn't as big as it may seem. It functions as an echo chamber which gives the illusion of their being way more. These comics wouldn't constantly be cancelled if they were as good or as popular as people make them out to be.

So all those posts praising the nonsense are as functional as having that one friend who praises you no matter what while the rest of the world says otherwise. Might feel good at the time, but let's face it, it gets you nowhere.

And that's just how the internet works. A bunch of little weirdos sitting around making their chamber, and thinking what they say to someone else still matters.

But it don't.

It doesn't.

They're all just so confident they mean something, when they mean as much to the greater world as a weed so far out of view, you don't bother trying to pull it.

You can make up what ever you want, and try to be as abrasive and irritating about what you made up as much of you want, go out praising when some desperate writer that settles for brownie points over critical praise and legacy puts it into a comic to find validation also as much as you want.

But the lack of genuine interest from most people still leaves it as a dud.

So many characters people think are popular, when they're tragically not, no matter if they were formerly good, is saddening. Because a lot of these characters at one point were good, and interesting, and genuinely popular beyond the small pond filled with indignity.

At best they have fan bases that once cared but now no longer do. That don't bother paying attention, because why should they after being denied the simple thing they want--good writing and characterization. The whole reason most start reading in the first place.

I might point one finger at one of these dudes, because I can comfortably say I used to love them too.

No one bothers trying to help out, and bring them back up though.

They want the instant glorification from a bunch of nobodies, who don't care about them as a person, and are only a validation machine instead of anything with a beating heart in it that will truly be there for them when times gets rough besides thoughts and prayers alone.

And as many years as I've seen this stuff, it never stops.

If I haven't been in a better place since I've almost entirely left DC behind in the dust, I would consider that depressing.

These people are online doing this so much that it is what they dedicate their lives to.

It is their life.

They made themselves so unlikable though, that a lot can't be bothered to find pity.

If you have to rewrite reality in your brain, what's the point of living there? You're just convincing yourself you're the only one not wrong, with no hint of irony. What a weirdo thing to do.

Clinging on to things with no solid backing.

In the grand scheme of things they are that insignificant unless you're also stuck in the chamber.

Hell, the only reason I made this post as long as it is, is less out of care and passion, and more because I can't help myself from being overly wordy.

If only DC could be fucked to remember what it takes to write good stories instead of ripping fandom people off. Maybe something would click in and once again take off.

And giving the illusion they now care--

As we can see with the frequent cancelations--

That only works when you have the talent and know how, to tell good stories, with great characters once again. A retro paint job and partially putting the character where they should be can only do so much, when limited talent has to take the rest of the wheel.

Otherwise all you're gonna get is a month or two of decent sells...and it's back into the dumpster again. Where the higher ups might eventually decide to blame the toy and not the manufacturers.

Unless you're Batman or Superman or that level of iconic/popular.

Disappointingly and quite obviously, it's not hard to know if not assume most characters don't have that level of icon to have their back in the dark times. Meaning most go back into the void unless the ones upstairs think this time their new failed from the start scheme will win them all back.

The secret of success in comics is simple, now it may not go back to the way it was, but they can still come back a bit, and here's the secret--

Learn how to fucking tell good stories, with good characterization, with artists that are beyond simply having good talent, but actual passion that shows them how everything's supposed to be.

If I order a nerf gun, and comes not looking anything like what it did on the box.

You know damn well the person who bought it is going to be displeased and not order from them again.

You're testing customer loyalty, and the economy not doing as grand, and prices going up--

The amount of time you have to get them back is depleting.

So get your head out of your ass and actually do something.

[stackslip]

Just wanted to say I love your fma 2003 posts. While I do think the original story is more cohesive and stuff, I think that the stuff they did with the 03 show is really interesting and provides a lot of cool angles on the character. It's a completely different story after a certain point with its own merit, and I think that it gives a lot of development to the characters in fascinating ways. I feel like seeing it added depth to my appreciation of the story. There's juicy bits in there that I wish were in the original and I'm just glad they were explored and that I'm not the only one who loves it. :))

sorry i took so late to respond lol

i think the og IS a lot more cohesive and planned out, and more consistent in quality! it's just that i don't think it's much to write home about either. it's a very solid fun shounen and as long as you don't think too deep about its implications, it's definitely a lot better written than 90% of mainstream shounen. and i can see the appeal in that, i genuinely do. i don't think 03 is to everyone's taste, even outside of people for whom og fma is comfort food, for whom even a slight deviation feels Wrong because that's their emotional support anime or whatever. like, i'm a fucking dbz fan always and forever you know? i don't have room to say "why do people enjoy mangahood better, it's so much less mature than 03" bc i still get pumped and emo from super saiyan transformations. i do wish these fans at least would understand WHY one might have frustrations with the themes of the story and what it does with very serious subjects lol

i do think that 03 is its own story but i don't think it's its own story "from a certain point". yes the early anime follows a lot of the manga's story, albeit rearranging it differently. but i'd argue that it's different in essence from the very start. its tone it starkly different from the manga, which is and remains a Cool Mystery Action Shounen. fma 03 from its very first episode leans more into brooding and psychological horror territory, even outside of the extra gore. even the subtle changes it makes early in the story aren't just to change/"improve" or adapt the manga's story, but to set up what they do when 03 REALLY departs from the manga's storyline. ed and al's characters are, i'd argue, leagues away from their og counterparts by ep 10--the flashback and making them go through all that trauma at age 12 really sets up that 15 year old ed isn't a confident shitlord like he is in the og, but a deeply insecure and guilt ridden teenager forced to grow up too fast and hiding his insecurities behind a mask of confidence. al is still kind and polite, but also a lot more ruthless and even more dependent on his brother than the og one is--the sensory deprivation and dysmorphia from the armour is cutting him off from other humans than his brother, and a lot of his own doubts and anguish at his situation begin eating at him to the point that when barry throws out the "you're an artificial person" accusation, al's brain immediately latches onto it because he's been wondering if he's even human for years.

i do think 03 has pits and valleys in terms of quality--but honestly i'm fine with it (bar a few genuinely infuriating decisions such as the transmisogynist serial killer trope in ep 8), it's a 2000s anime that was insanely ambitious and butting against the author and funding, some episodes visibly have a shoestring budget and while it remains thematically consistent you can very clearly see moments/places where the production committe threw in "hey uhhhhhh put in more kimblee he's popular" or "we're not giving you more episodes sorry. wrap it all up in three". do i wish a more consistent version of the show existed, meticulously planned out and with all the time and money in the world they needed existed? yes. would that version have been perfect? not necessarily tbh!

but really, 03 has a number of strong decisions and genuinely genius twists on the og that make it very hard for me to come back to the fma manga without feeling deeply underwhelmed. i like greedling so, so much--i just don't like him enough to not feel really bitter about how lust is treated in the manga. i genuinely love the scene where ed swears he'll get al's body's back at the gate, 10/10 shounen scene--but also, there's the scene ed happily tells al that after digging up their mom's body it turns out the transmutation they did had nothing to do with their mom, and every time i'm like "this is so stupid and i wish they'd kept the failed transmutation homonculi". the absolute heights of fma as a manga never ever manage to hit nearly as strongly to me as 03's does, because og fma will always feel just..... lacking in ambition and in depth, where imo in some aspects fma 03 still hasn't been outdone. where can i find something like the 03's homonculi? how many narratives are there that celebrate a character like scar instead of playing the trope of the Well Meaning Extremist Who Kicks A Puppy? this is a real question btw send them to me immediately i need them.

[k-s-morgan]

Heyy! I am such a fan of your work in the Tomarry fandom, and I don’t want to sound intrusive, but I’m just wondering if you ever shared your history with the ship. You said before that you were a huge Snarry fan, so how did you transition from that to this? (Hehe, maybe I’m getting it wrong like you were always a fan of both since then, my apologies if ever. I don’t know if I’m assuming you’re no longer a Snarry fan.) And what made you write fanfic of them? How did you come up with such unique and great storylines? I wonder if you got inspired from someone or something because damn, the way you tell your stories is just my perfect cup of tea. And I can see you enjoy it! Really great.

Hi! Thank you so much for your sweet words <3 You are absolutely right, I used to be a Snarry shipper. I can't say I'm indifferent to this ship now, but the years where I gulped down all kinds of fics featuring them have passed. The passion isn't there any longer.

How I stumbled upon Tomarry: some months before publishing the first chapter of WHGTB, I was re-reading a Snarry fic called The Marriage Stone. Snape is not nearly the bastard I prefer him to be there, but I liked the world-building a lot, so I enjoyed reading it. There is a small arc there where Lucius Malfoy is attracted to Harry, and I found myself fascinated by it. It occured to me that it might be interesting to try the fics centered on Harry and Lucius - I was never a fan of the latter, he's overly pompous and a coward, but I wanted to find something where Lucius would be dark, regal, and a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, the fics I read didn't appeal to me, so I started wondering what other dark, regal character to pair Harry with. I was in the mood for something darker than I typically found in Snarry.

And that's how I thought of Tomarry. In retrospect, it's amazing that I hadn't found them sooner. I always liked the parallels between Harry, Tom, and Severus, and since I thought Harry and Snape might make a potentially great couple, I don't know why I never considered Tom and Harry in the same context until years into shipping Snarry.

I tried some Tomarry fics, and ohh, I fell head over heels. I could no longer go back to my other HP ships, it was like my most perfect drug.

I'm so flattered that you referred to my stories as unique because I actually really hesitated about publishing WHGTB. I knew I would write this story, but the fandom has so many Harry-raising-Tom fics that I thought people are already bored to death with it, so it'd be something I'd create just for myself. Needless to say, the response to it shocked me.

I consider WHGTB and ATLWETD very plain in terms of plot uniqueness - they are just my takes on 'Harry raises Tom' and 'Harry studied with Tom' tropes. To me, stories like Consuming Shadows and Train to Nowhere are unique, while I'm doing the maximum relationship, minimum plot thing. That's what I prefer as a writer, and I love it - knowing other people enjoy it just as much never fails to make me incredibly happy.

As for why I decided to write these fics at all - to be honest, I can never tell how these things work. For example, despite my intense love for Snarry and the years I spent dedicated to this ship, I never wanted to write about them. Same goes for my other fandoms. I can be absolutely insane about a ship, I can love the characters and the universe they come from to death, but the need and desire to write something can be lacking. With Tomarry, I wanted to write about them immediately.

I can't say I got inspired by anything except for a general Tomarry vibe. I think a couple of fics I read might have had an impact on me in terms of some ideas, especially Fate's Favorite since I read it an absurd amount of times, but there is nothing specific I would point out as my source of inspiration. Just a ship itself.

[theeldritchcorvid]

Thoughts On The D20 Campaigns I've Watched Thus Far

This is by no means completely exhaustive, it's a mere summary of my absolute BRAINWORMS about this show. Been a long time coming, this one. Under the cut because this is a LONG ONE.

A Crown Of Candy: First campaign I watched. I loved the stakes and how complex these characters were. Brennan getting his murder on was something I didn't expect to like as much as I did. The sets? the design? INCREDIBLE. I want to build Calorum in Minecraft. I bingewatched it and it hurt so badly but I loved it. It was all the bits of Game of Thrones I liked without the bits I don't.

You almost forgot one of the major villains WASN'T made of broccoli. Almost. That levity was sorely needed and it came at very important times.

Ravening War: Watched the Calorum campaigns pretty close together. Found it fascinating how Matt's GM style meshed with the PCs. It felt like the House Of The Dragon to ACOC's Game of Thrones. In the best way. Lou Wilson being actively involved in killing his previous character's own parents. Deus Pa'zuul giving horror and kind of grindhouse energy. Reminded me of a show I like.

A Court Of Fey And Flowers: REGENCY YEARNING. Ruehob! THE COUSINS! Andhera being a constant mood! Aabria serving absolute LOOKS every episode! Loved it. Laughed my ass off and got weirdly invested simultaneously. Really good regency love stories are my absolute kryptonite.

Was introduced by the concept of 'The Goblin Code Of Chivalry' and expected pure comedy. Was wrong. This campaign wrenched my heart out of my chest and restored my faith in love. Also, sidebar: I need to GM or play Good Society these days. Holy shit. I love RP games.

Neverafter: I am spooked senseless and delighted. The fights in this one feel so tense, comparable to ACOC but in a very different sense. I'm a sucker for a really good Fractured Fairy Tale but it has to be very specifically done. The red tokens mechanic made me so happy when I learned how it worked in the finale which I won't spoil but I thought it was a really fun mechanic.

The evolutions of the characters with death was absolutely fascinating. Zac Oyama is now forever a cat to me I'm sorry. And I am blown away by the editing of this season. And Brennan's E1 'make a wisdom saving throw' to Ally out of nowhere is something I enjoyed. It has impacted significantly on my DMing style a LOT as I am someone who likes sharp left turns into horror.

Burrow's End: Currently watching so I can't expand fully on the season but liking it so far! Jasper Cartwright is delightful (he is excellent on Oxventure when he guests on that show which is where I know him from.) The characters all feel so rich and there is clearly something deeply unsettling behind these lovely forest creatures. Never fully understood the Humans Are Cthulhu trope until now. Aabria yet again brings an absolute banger of a campaign and I cannot WAIT to carry on with it

Sorry for the long post, everyone. I'd absolutely recommend 'You Awaken In A Strange Place' on Oxventure for D20 enjoyers who favour the chaotic. It slays me in the best way.

[idkman-ijustwannamakeatournament]

Round 1 - Match 2

"Two Sides of the Same Coin"- Two things that are regarded as part of the same thing. Even if they're very different, they have at least one common thread that helps them fit into this trope.

Propaganda (under the cut):

Quatre and Relena:

"I am fascinated by the parallels between these two. Blond, sheltered heirs to major pacifist families who see their father die and inherit both a fortune and a duty to peace and to the colonies. Except Quatre decides the best way to protect the colonies is to start a war, and Relena choses to defend peace instead. Quatre goes to war knowing he's betraying his father's values and will most likely get disowned for it while Relena choses to champion her father's values even if it costs her everything.

They're both incredibly resolute and stubborn people who are ready to die for what they believe in. And they're both kind and compationate and ready to give chances to people who maybe don't look like they deserve it (and they might both have a thing for mysterious soldier boys who could kill them). And all this time, they're doing everything they can for the same goal with opposit means."

Gon Freecss and Meruem:

"HxH fans are gonna want my head for picking Meruem over Killua but you know what just because they're besties doesn't mean they have character arcs that are the exact opposite of each other. 'When you flip a coin one side shines brighter while the other grows darker'. The entire point of this arc is that Meruem (main villain in this arc, guy who was born to kill and conquer and be the strongest lifeform) is discovering the value of life and learning how to love, while Gon (12 y/o shonen protagonist who up to this point has been cheery and optimistic) is sinking into despair and revenge obsession after his one parental figure gets killed and turned into a flesh puppet. This arc does not have a happy ending for either of them but in terms of characterization each of them ends up where the other started. Genius writing tbh."

[goldstarknight]

Today I want to talk about Duel Masters. Specifically: The Duel Masters anime from the early 2000s.

For those who don't know: Duel Masters is kind of the little brother of Magic: The Gathering. It was also made by Hasbro and there is a lot of fascinating history between the games. You can listen to Maro talk about it here.

The thing about the anime is that it is a parody dub that gets more unhinged as it goes on. Feels like watching an abridged series on YouTube.

For some reason the official localization team was allowed to do a parody dub instead of a faithful adaptation that takes itself way too seriously for its own good. As a result the official version of the English Duel Masters dub (which was shown on childrens' TV programs in the early 2000s!) is closer to Yu-Gi-Oh! Abridged than Yu-Gi-Oh! (which would be the most obvious comparison).

I mean it: they didn't just go for some light dialogue changes. No, they cut tedious, tropey dialogue, inserted pop-culture references, added some 4th-wall breaking jokes about common tropes in shows like this and sometimes even heavily edited the footage for comedic effect. There is a scene where they put a bad disco filter over the video and make a character sing karaoke. Seriously, I can't convey how weird this gets at times. The only thing separating it from an abridged series you'd find on YouTube in the 2010s is probably the lack of swearwords. And that's not really the kind of thing you'd miss anyway.

It gets even more unhinged in the final season. I assume they knew the English version wouldn't be continued since the TCG failed to catch on in the west, so they just went all out. There is a scene pretty late into the series where two characters are dueling and one of them summons a creature, but the wrong summoning animation plays. The characters then complain about the editor they hired on Craigslist. Again: this was meant for children's television. Not the internet.

A lot of jokes went way over my head as a child and I took it super seriously, but rewatching it with a friend last year had me howling with laughter at times. Maybe it's not your sense of humor, but if you like silly anime parodies, I urge you to check it out.

Also, if you speak German, I recommend you watch that version. The localization team did a great job of adapting the jokes and the voice actors really leaned into it. Can't speak for other European versions, but maybe there is something there too. :D

Here is a random assortment of my favourite characters to pay tribute and hopefully whet your appetite:

First we have best girl Mimi, Kokujo, an edgelord and Matrix-aficionado and Jimmy Three-Horns from Iowa.

Yumama, who had her name changed from Yu Fua just so the dub could make "yo momma" jokes and EXTREME BUCKETMAN.

Knight, one of the most pathetic mentor figures I have seen in all of anime (I love him for it) and Dr. Root with his weird crow-mouth (peak or rather "beak" character design).

And finally Tom & Stu (might be the same guy, depending on the localization).

Alright, got that off my chest. Hope this was interesting to you. :)

I usually stick to posting (pixel) art, but I really wanted to share this with the world.