#their relationship is platonic but very close & incredibly strong

[scales-n-art]

Quick PSA, because there seems to be some severe lack of education regarding Asexuality among a certain bunch of opinionated people, who frankly have no place having such strong opinions about something they've demonstrated to be so ignorant about:

Asexuality =/= a lack of libido, sexual appetite, sexual drive, or sexual activity.

Asexuality does = little to no experience of sexual attraction.

There are many forms of attraction. For example, some of them may be: romantic attraction that you'd experience towards a romantic partner. Aesthetic attraction that you may experience when you see someone's fashion style or overall appearance. Platonic attraction that you may experience towards a close friend. Etc.

Asexuality IS a spectrum, we call it the Asexuality Umbrella; SOME people under the ace umbrella may experience no interest towards sex/intimacy whatsoever, some may experience disgust re anything sex/intimacy related, some may be indifferent or neutral about it, and some are positive or even enthusiastic about it. These things may include acts such as kissing and physical touch of the non sexual kind. ALL of these people are still asexual, and their sexual activity or lack thereof has nothing to do with it.

Asexual people may choose to engage or not in sexual activity, and the circumstances under which they choose to do so, and the reasons why, are very varied: physical pleasure, closeness to a partner, emotional connection, finding pleasure in pleasing a partner, etc, etc.

The ways in which an asexual person may choose to find their pleasure is also very varied. And yes, it may be through fiction, because it can be a safe way to do so without being expected to behave or perform in a certain way that may be uncomfortable for the individual. Nothing wrong with enjoying a good smutty book or fanfic, or comic. Harms no one involved. Enjoying this doesn't mean you're not asexual.

Asexuality does exist, and it's way more nuanced and varied than just equalling it to "not getting any."

Now read all that again, but switch Asexuality for Aromanticism. Also a spectrum, also varied, also incredibly nuanced.

So, yes. A fictional character CAN be asexual, AND also engage in sexy times with the chosen ship partner. A Queer Platonic Relationship is also a very valid option, because NEWSFLASH, sex is not the only valid bonding point of a relationship. It can be a strong, important one depending on each individual, but it's not the only way to connect with a partner.

And, NO. Asexual people are NOT "repressed." Asexual people do NOT need anyone to "change their minds". Asexuality is NOT a problem, a symptom, or a sign of trauma.

Some sources to know more about the topic:

AVEN - Asexuality Visibility and Education Network

The Invisible Orientation - by Julie Sondra Decker

The ABCs of LGBT - by Ash Hardell

ACE: What Asexuality reveals about Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex - by Angela Chen

There are many more sources out there, support groups and communities on social media that you can find mainly through AVEN, or with just a simple search about Asexuality on any search bar nowadays.

There's too much info about it now compared to some years ago to remain so ignorant about it.

Do. Better.

[the-s1lly-corner]

Cuddling w/ Various Creepypastas 1/2

Notes: some characters have shorter sections but that's mostly due to me already writing cuddling hcs for said character! Reader is GN, this entire post can be read as either platonic or romantic! Save for the usual characters I dont write romantic for. Depending on the reception of this post I might do a part two with other characters.. do feel free to ask for anyone specific who wasn't in this post!

Characters: Slenderman, Splendorman, Eyeless Jack, Laughing Jack, Masky, Hoodie, Jeff the Killer

SLENDERMAN

Physical affection with slenderman is fairly rare. Sure, he gives you the mock kiss every now and then and might even snake a tendril around you to pull you close to him if you start straying in the woods... but to actually cuddle? Good luck with that! Though.. I feel it would be likely in a moment of much needed comfort- perhaps you're sick or you just point blank ask him to hold you.. hes cold, and you can feel bones but you dont care all that much. Hes stiff as a board, though. By default hes the big spoon, will likely never be the little spoon ever. Sometimes wraps his tentacles around you if you need to get even closer 4/10 because I love him but cuddling with him would be so so rare

SPLENDORMAN

Runs more on the warmer side! Loves being the big spoon, and of course hes very tall! Sometimes hums when you two lean into one another. Rocks you too as well, if you ask him to. Very touch starved so he attempts to seek you out every now and then.. not very soft though thanks to being very thin. He likes carrying you around! Hope you're not afraid of heights! 8/10

EYELESS JACK

I've mentioned a few times that hes very cold to the touch.. like ice cold. So unless you're into that, cuddling him might be a little.. hmm.. not that some blankets cant fix though! My headcanon is that hes on the shorter side, but kind of chubby buff. Soft! Switches between being little and big spoon. Hes not too keen in physical touch so you're going to have to wait for him to initiate.. I'm biased but I give him a solid 7/10

LAUGHING JACK

In contrast to the other Jack, Laughing Jack is actually pretty warm! It's like snuggling up into a heated blanket! His torso isnt very soft, but the puffs on his shoulders are nice and soft- as are his arms! And he purrs so that just makes it more relaxing! Switches between being big and little spoon, he doesnt seem to show much of a preference! Hes a total cuddle bug, if he could he would be snuggled up against you all day every day! 9/10, and hes very large! 8 feet tall is his default! Loves snaking his arms around you

MASKY

Adverse to touch, mostly in the beginning of your relationship (whether platonic or romantic, it doesnt matter), so its best to leave the initiation to him. Even then he rarely seeks you out. Unlike some of the other characters, outright asking him to cuddle you for comfort wont.. work.. the most you'll get is him rubbing circles into your back while he sits next to you. On the rare occasion that he does pull you against him, hes pretty warm. More so than Hoodie but not as hot as LJ. Firm grip but you can tell he doesn't know where to put his hands. Incredibly stiff against you, 5/10 hes doing his best :(

HOODIE

Tall and strong, and his hoodie is very soft when you convince him to let you wash it. If he takes his mask off his facial hair can get a little itchy, but it's rare that the mask is off. Loves being big spoon but sometimes craves being little spoon sometimes. Smells like... leaves and campfire smoke. Not bad, actually. Loves drumming his fingers on you 8/10

JEFF

Very lanky and tall, string bean build basically. Average body temperature. Does not like cuddling; probably sees most acts of physical affection as "yucky" regardless of if they're romantic or not. The closest you're going to get is the two of you huddling together for warmth or something within that ballpark. His skins a little rough, but that's too be expected. Very tense throughout the entire interaction, 2/10 he does not make a good cuddle buddy

[aphroditelovesu]

Yandere Dragon Riders Headcanons (Platonic)

❝ 🐲 — lady l: this turned out longer than I expected, but that's ok. I'm rewatching Race to the Edge and I ended up thinking about this. Hope you like it! 💛💜

❝tw: obsessive and possessive behavior, manipulation, unhealthy platonic relationships, mention of death and implicit torture.

❝🐲pairing: platonic yandere!dragon riders x gender neutral!reader, platonic yandere!dragons x gender neutral!reader.

How you met the Dragon Riders may depend. Maybe you were from Berk and grew up alongside them and thus became one of them. Or maybe you were from a far away place and met them by chance. Regardless of how you met them, you became part of the group immediately.

Hiccup was interested in you and invited you to become part of the Dragon Riders and his friends fully agreed with their leader. You were warmly welcomed and your members and dragons became close to you quickly.

Having your own dragon yourself, you had some fighting experience and knew how to deal with these beasts. So, you agreed to become part of the Dragon Riders and that was the beginning of their obsession.

Hiccup is the leader and is very fair, he has always known how to deal with everything his way and it has always worked out. He is gentle and protective, sometimes becoming suffocating. He just wants to make sure you're okay, always hovering over you and making sure you're happy and safe.

He's fair, but when it comes to you, that disappears quickly. Gods forbid if anything happened to you, he would be ruthless. You can break all the rules and you will get away with anything, Hiccup would never punish you. He is very soft to you and only you.

Toothless is an incredibly intelligent dragon, similar in many ways to his rider. He clung to you the same way his best friend did. It's very common to see him seconding you around, imitating you and just being protective. Toothless will live up to his title as "the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself" when it comes to protecting those he loves. And he loves you.

Very affectionate too, he loves receiving affection from you, lying on your lap, or letting you rub his scales. You swear you hear the dragon purring when you do this. Toothless would love to take you flying with him and Hiccup. Just the three of you.

Astrid was more suspicious at first, wary when you became part of the group, but soon all the mistrust and suspicion she had disappeared as she warmed up to you. She is extremely strong and takes what she wants and Astrid will have no problem taking you for herself as well.

She will love teaching you how to fight and practicing with you is one of her favorite things to do with you. Astrid is very possessive of you and tends to fight with anyone who spends more time than she would like with you. She will have no qualms about killing anyone who poses a threat to you.

Stormfly is very intelligent and protective, very reminiscent of her rider's characteristics. She's not that affectionate, but she shows her affection for you in more subtle ways, like gently bumping her head on your shoulder and allowing you to stroke her tail.

She likes it when you feed her chicken or play with her, as a form of training. Stormfly would never hurt you, however, it is quite common to see her burying you under the snow as a joke.

Fishlegs is extremely intelligent and uses this to his advantage, his limitless knowledge of dragons, science and history makes him very insightful. He was the second, after his leader, to warmly welcome you into the group, pulling you into a loving hug.

He is not that demanding of your attention, but he appreciates the moments you spend together. He would love to teach you all about dragons and meditate with you. He's a real teddy bear, a friend and you know you can trust him with anything. Fishlegs is the kindest of them all and would never inflict harm on anyone, at least not physically.

Meatlug is an especially affectionate and needy dragon, always wanting to receive as much affection and attention as she can get from you and her rider.

She is very gentle and likes to have her belly rubbed, usually lying down in front of you with her belly up to receive pets. Meatlug is very calm and would hardly hurt anyone unless it poses a risk to you or Fishlegs.

The twins are a double package, when one becomes obsessed, the other does too. It doesn't matter which one of them became attached to you first, as they will fight about it and claim you for each other. Tuffnut and Ruffnut are always fighting for your attention and often end up forgetting about other things when they are fighting over you.

But once they both learn to share better, the fights will lessen and they will spend more time by your side. They demand a lot from you, wanting you to participate in their games and stay with them. Tuffnut and Ruffnut will have no problem fighting or killing anyone for you.

Barf and Belch are just like their riders, one body, two heads, and two brains. They are quite playful and like to scare you sometimes, but they are quite protective and will protect you with their lives if necessary.

They are different dragons, despite sharing the same body, and they act differently sometimes. Barf is calmer while Belch likes to mess with you. They are quite affectionate and like to rub their heads against yours as a form of affection.

Snotlout is the very definition of chaos and a difficult Viking to deal with. He accepted you with open arms, smiling at you and his eyes shining. He is very explosive and difficult to deal with at times, occasionally leading him to do stupid things that are fixed by his friends.

He is very close to you and acts kindly way, although he always flirts with you. Snotlout is quite protective and will kill and deal with anyone who dares to harm you. His anger is not to be taken lightly. He constantly gets into fights with the other riders over you.

Hookfang is essentially the version of his rider in a draconic form, the debauchery and bad mood have been with him for a long time. He is quite calm around you, sometimes poking you and asking for affection but nothing exaggerated. He is not a needy dragon, but he likes to receive your attention sometimes.

He is less close to you, but Hookfang protects you with claws and fire, his body igniting when a threat is close to you. He will have no problem burning alive anyone who threatens you, always with the consent of his rider.

Everyone is incredibly protective of you and will protect you from any situation. Especially when it involves a fight with the Dragon Hunters. They can't risk you getting hurt. If something were to happen to you, they will be ruthless and cruel. No one can mess with one of them without paying the consequences.

Becoming a Dragon Rider was a good thing for you, not only did you make friends for life, but an overprotective family that will not allow any harm to be done to you. Loyalty between you is the main trait you all share and there is nothing they won't do for you.

[project-sekai-facts]

Wait An/Kohane have outright stated romantic interest?

poor wording on my end bc they never actually say "an and kohane like each other romantically" but the evidence it very much there and it is clearly depicted and phrased in other ways. for example: the shoujo sparkle effect that is used for An from Kohane's POV.

This effect is often used on Haruka in Minori's imagination, which, well, let's just say it doesn't disprove that Kohane is attracted to An. While the effect is also used to show a character being cute or having a strong "idol" aura without any attraction attached, it's prettly clear the intent was to show Kohane's attraction. Also she was blushing.

Bonus points to the fact the wedding event has a underlying message (they say it on screen) about how marriage should be equal regardless of the genders of the couple [because gay marriage currently isn't legal in Japan].

There's also literally everything in Buddy Funny Spend Time. While almost all of the interactions in that event can be read as platonic if you really want to, they're written so you can interpret it as romantic if you choose to. And considering the featured pairs in this event were Minori/Haruka, An/Kohane, and (briefly) Shizuku/Airi, it's not like that reading isn't supported by the writers lol. There's one part where Minori and Kohane get jealous of how close Haruka and An are as childhood friends and aren't sure if they can amount to that, but they want to try. Doesn't necessarily have to be romantic but can be if you choose to read it as such.

When Kohane is visibly attracted to Haruka, An gets slightly jealous and says that her singing should be the only thing that makes Kohane react that way.

Haruka also points out that although An has always been super friendly she's never been like this with anyone until Kohane came into her life, and still keeps this behaviour Kohane-exclusive. An says it's because they're partners, which, kinda friendzones them, but kinda doesn't.

The word for partner used in the story - "aibou" - means, to put it in incredibly basic terms, coworkers. It's like the cowboy or detective word for partner, though I believe it comes up in shounen every so often (the genre vbs story is based on). In itself, aibou has no romantic connotation. But 3 of the partnerships we see in VBS' story have lots of interactions that easily read as having romantic undertones, so basically in the context of VBS story the nature of said partnerships becomes a little more ambiguous. The word is still platonic and that doesn't change, but you get the idea. Oh and VBS has recurring romantic soulmate imagery more on that later.

continuing on BFST, yeah they went on a date. which is strongly suggested to be a romantic date unlike how it's sometimes used platonically. like the other characters say An is "seeing someone", at least in the English translation, which is very much associated with romantic interest. Also the original Japanese for the "do you know who she's going out with" line uses the phrase デートの相手 which is the Japanese equivalent for the word "date" (as in a person/your date), so it's not really any different. they go on another one in Kick it up a notch and An's card story for the event. their relationship is never labelled or anything (probably bc this genre avoids that sorta thing for fan-related reasons) but this very much was a thing that happened.

(also when ken says partner he says aibou. so not partner /r but anyway it does clarify that this date is to do with their relationship on a different level to partners /p. ie: an's going on a date with kohane because she's cute not because she's her partner. language is fun)

Lastly back on that thing I said I'd come back to. The Walk on and on costumes have romantic soulmate symbolism included on them. The wings on the backs of the outfits are based on the mythical hiyoku bird, a one-winged bird that could only fly after meeting its other half. Kohane's costume has pink accents, one of the variants has accents in An's image color and the wings on the backs of those variants match up to each other. The card illstrations themselves also feature crows, which mate for life. While the symbolism is mostly associated with Toya, the Whip the Wimp Girl! cards take place in the same location as the woao cards which is pretty neat, and makes sense given the themes of both events. I've put both their gacha logos above as well. Oh and An's card for wtwg was. Something.

And Kohane got the valentine event this year and it was about her entering a contest to win limited edition chocolates for An I forgot about that until just now.

Have fun with that.

[wtfforged]

something i notice with a lot of op fandom talk is a very popular need to slap a familial label onto the strawhats relationships. like calling robin the crew's "mom" or calling chopper zoro's "kid/brother" etc etc. maybe im just a hearty combination of very aromantic and not very close to my blood relatives at all, but i think the platonic relationships are incredibly impactful and important, hell, imho, even more important than if they were forced into these nuclear family stereotypical "sibling/parent/etc" categories. like, idk, most of my friends are a lot older than me, ive had friends twice my age, and friends much younger than me too. theyre not my uncle or my mom or my baby brother and i never felt the desire to think abt them that way either, theyre just friends. YES the strawhats are found family but absolutely not in the traditional way with all these labels. theyre all friends with a very strong bond. friends ARE family!

[the-kingshound]

I loved the update just because it exists. I loved the bit with the mounts (especially Arthur's trying to ground MC) but my tiny bit of concrit is the "I know you're a mage" convo feels...shoehorned? Like we get the panic attack and Arthur just says he doesn't think the same way as Uther and it's just...It feels (imo) that the Hound once more just accepts Arthur at face value again? I loved the rewrite making the Hound more wary of Arthur, and this kinda felt like a slip? Idk it just feels like there could be...more there. Or perhaps Arthur will try to revisit the topic? Cause like idk about you but if I was just told "I don't want to do anything to you buuuuuut people in my court might," I'd feel threatened and like...I wouldn't believe a single word prior to the "my court might" part. Cause like the Hound is a political prisoner, the nobles (Our sister in law is amazing) made that clear, so it's just another chain Arthur is adding, a little "Be careful love, you don't know what SOMEONE might do if they found out you're a mage :) :)", you know?

And as someone who played as a Hound who is absolutely dreading this marriage (they literally feel like a prisoner) that whole thing kinda felt as if that wasn't an option? Like for example, the walking into the church thingy you have: I feel better, I'm not alone, and the "I am strong and proud" options, but no real option for...just numb? I personally just headcanoned the Hound was disassociated to the point they won't remember the day at all. (I kinda hope we might just get to breakdown with our brothers, or idk alone in the dark)

Also I forget, but is this a game where we have to rack up romance points to lock in? Or one we choose the route? Because I honestly didn't feel that my Hound would want to talk to anyone during what is (to them) a celebration of their collaring/house's defeat.

BUUUUT I truly do hope you take this as constructive. You won't please all of us, and you shouldn't try to. I love that you gave us even this and you are incredibly strong and lovely for pushing through everything. If I am out of line, feel free to ignore or tell me off and I'll just smash my Hound into a better mold for the story lol. After all, it is your story, tell it how you want.

I would really like to give you a long response to your very helpful feedback, but I fear I am lacking the energy to do so. I just want you to know that I hear you, and in truth you make really good points.

1) yeah I do admit I was getting close to burnout with writing in this update, and that scene in particular might have suffered for it. I'll revise it, and hopefully try to not make the interaction feel so jarring. (Note: did you try to pick the more... aggressive option? It goes in a different way, maybe it is less weird?)

2) you are totally right on the options for the marriage - especially because you can play a very numb MC. I'll either edit or add that option. Ohh and the breakdown with the siblings is peak idea. I'm writing that down.

3) as for the romance points: this game is focused strongly on MC. You can choose the pace of the relationship your Hound develops, and for romance, you need to first have some platonic points with said RO. Platonic means in this case that MC wants to spend time with them, and doesn't have to go further than what will become a lifelong friendship.

You do have to pick at least an option to have platonic points with a RO, but you won't get locked out of anything in this game. Every choice shapes your personal Hound's story, this is not a game that punishes you, or that is focused solely on romance.

Thank you for sending this in! This kind of feedback, especially if worded clearly and kindly lik you did, can be so helpful and I love getting it even if it makes me pause and rethink some things.

[yanderes-galore]

May I request Yandere Tobirama from Naruto? With a darling that subtly takes care of him (like ensuring he eats healthy, gets rest when he can, doesn’t overwork himself), not outwardly showing it though?

-MissPlacedHero

Also idk if I accidentally sent you another request without turning on anon and I’m a bit spooked haha

Thank you for considering my request!

From what I know I didn't see it. If I do, I'll hide your name. I had to watch a lore video on Tobirama but I think I have an idea on how to write his character.

Yandere! Tobirama Senju with Darling who takes care of him

Pairing: Romantic/Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Overprotective behavior, Stalking, Dubious companionship/relationship.

From what I can tell of his character, Tobirama would need someone like this.

Tobirama's life is stressful, it has been since a young age.

He's grown up in war and even when he helps found Konoha and tries to keep people together...

It isn't easy.

He has to try and keep up an era of peace, which gets increasingly more difficult as Uchiha conflicts occur along with war.

Things don't get easier when he's made the second Hokage, either.

Having someone look out for him would probably ease his mind.

At least a little.

Tobirama probably doesn't mind that you're subtle with your care.

He tends to repress his emotions often too due to his past.

You being quiet or not making a big deal over him is... oddly pleasant.

Tobirama is a strong man, creating several techniques himself.

He's protective and very insistent on bringing people together in Konoha.

I'm going to be honest, I doubt Tobirama has had many friends due to his past.

Having someone other than Hashirama care for him is... new.

You two admittedly don't speak much.

Yet you both seem fine with it.

Tobirama may even trust you enough to let you handle some affairs in Konoha.

You two are close, yes.

Although you both aren't the most affectionate.

What you do is small...

But it means quite a bit to Tobirama.

There's tendencies he forgets about his own health.

It isn't easy helping his brother... then when he's gone... It isn't easy being Hokage or fighting a war.

Yet you always seem to show up before he gets too lost.

You check his diet... You check if he's sleeping well... You make sure he isn't pushing too far.

You're very casual with it.

It's always a small tap on the shoulder or a small visit.

Tobirama knows whenever you visit he needs to back off.

You're persistent, always managing to force him into keeping his health up.

Even when he's Hokage, you can be difficult to fight with.

While you don't show it in your emotions, Tobirama can tell you care.

He has incredible senses and intuition, you hiding it doesn't accomplish much.

Tobirama actually feels... happy you care.

Even those close to him don't care as much as you.

You may brush it off...

But Tobirama knows you.

Tobirama is usually very composed and stoic.

Although, he's just as protective of you as he is with Konoha.

You are family to him, family he feels he needs to care for like the rest.

Tobirama is enraged when others threaten Konoha...

Yet if you're ever threatened?

He doesn't care who they are...

Tobirama, someone who's grown up during war, is not afraid to kill.

He wants peace, yes.

Although, nothing's going to steal you from him.

You may not think what you do means much...

To Tobirama it does.

He could see you as a sibling or a future romantic partner...

Either way, you are family just like Konoha is to the both of you.

You may not think your bond is strong... although, it is to him.

Admittedly, Tobirama doesn't entirely enjoy how you're subtle at times.

He's okay with it at first... but when he wants to be closer?

It's frustrating.

Tobirama is subtle too, specifically in his yandere behavior.

You're subtle in your care, he's also subtle...

For much worse things.

Tobirama may try to get closer by inviting you to provide him company.

He promises to take care of himself... as long as you're there.

You are one of the most important people in his life.

Even more so when Hashirama dies.

Tobirama would do anything for you and your care.

He'll sacrifice anything for you... including himself.

Imagine if you help him one time then try to walk away...

Only for him to grab your arm, pull you closer, and tell you he isn't dismissing you.

His cold gaze unnerves you... yet you listen and provide him company.

Earning you a smile from Tobirama as he works.

You both may be subtle at first...

Yet Tobirama knows the truth, he's good at that kind of thing.

He always keeps an eye on you, after all.

Before you can pull away or realize Tobirama may not be the most stable...

Tobirama will have you locked in by the time he's Hokage.

After all, he needs someone to help him run Konoha and plan strategies...

He thinks it's about time you ne more upfront with your feelings and stay beside him... even if you didn't mean it in the way he thinks.

[bethanydelleman]

I want to tell you about my favourite fairy tale as a kid that I wish got a real adaptation (Frozen was supposed to be but they changed it). It's called The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson.

Summary (because this is a long one): There are two kids, Kay and Gerda. They live across from each other, they are extremely close and very cute friends. Then suddenly, Kay gets a shard of demon mirror in his eye and it makes him a massive jerk. Like just the worst. He is then kidnapped by the Snow Queen who kisses him on the forehead so he can't feel cold.

Gerda thinks he's dead, but when she finds out that he isn't she goes on a Persistence Hunter Quest to bring back her platonic bestie (there is never a hint of romantic love). She has no skills except being good at telling her sob story and just keeps freaking going until she find the Snow Queen's castle. She even convinces a robber girl to give her a tame reindeer to ride at one point.

Eventually she finds Kay, whom she hugs to melt his heart and then he cries out the mirror shard. They escape all the way back home and then are like, "Huh, we are all growed up now." End of story.

I don't know why I loved it so much as a kid, but it has similar vibes to East of the Sun and West of the Moon, which is also about a woman who has no skills except the ability to keep going no matter what. I love it as an adult because Gerda wants to save Kay even though he doesn't deserve it at all and I love how persistent she is in the face of severe adversity. She's an incredibly strong character just for going on, not because she is badass in some unrealistic way. It makes me think about trying to save a friend from addiction or a bad relationship.

This was my childhood copy:

The illustrations are beautiful, but I can't find them online. Here are two:

[dykedvonte]

idk if you've written any head cannons about this before but i'm curious what your thoughts are on arcades previous relationships

I think this is a very interesting question because we can even know if he had previous relationships? I don't know if you want platonic or romantic, so I will answer vague enough to fit both.

Arcade is a man that wants to be reserved and self-assured. When he first vaguely tells you about his past you can 100% tell he is very mournful of something and I really think its partly him not knowing his place in the world and being incredibly lonely. One of the ways you can recruit him is literally just by being gay and showing interest. That's not someone who is used to having deep, long lasting relationships of any kind. He never mentions friends his age growing up or otherwise and he is honest (once he opens up) about how he is considred too young to be taken seriously by the older remanents when enlisting their help (Imagine like trying to be friends with your much older aunts and uncles who like wiped your ass).

He is desperately trying to find a place and I feel like that applies to being among people as well, I mean he does hide himself in a tent with the followers. When I think of his past relationships I think of fleeting hook-ups or abrupt endings with him often being the one to do the skedaddling or walk of shame to wherever he was residing at the time. I say shame becasue I know he'd want to stay and get close but he's just too scared. It's understandable when 75% of the factions would want you dead due to your family lineage... even if you had no part of their actions. He has so much baggage and hang-ups I don't think he thinks it'd be worth it to unpack that with a friend or lover.

But since your asking what I personally think his fleeting, wasteland relationships were like here's my thoughts:

Most of his relationships (friendships and otherwise) started occurring later in his like, likely his early to mid-twenties. He had seen Enclave remnants be hunted and those who survived did so by staying alone...

His first friend was a wasteland girl who liked how well-read he was. It wasn't so much a traditional friendship but like two people who frequent the same places a lot. He provided the closest thing she was getting to an education and she provided pleasant conversation.

They barely knew anything deeper than each other's names or the topics they discussed but Arcade had never had a non-enclave friend before so it meant everything to him.

She was inspired to get a formal education and do something with her life and thanked Arcade before leaving to go do that. Arcade liked the feeling of helping and sought out ways to do that.

His first kiss is actually how he got into the followers in my head. It was the first chance he took to form a relationship outside the remnants and he wanted to follow him (him as in his lover). He wanted to join a diplomatic Follower group in the NCR and Arcade was terrified of being that close.

Following the last point it was a big blowout fight because Arcade refused to explain why he didn't beyond "Aren't we fine here?" and received a very harsh reading about his inability to open up.

His first actual boyfriend was a king gang member that liked to brag about how he was dating the smartest follower on this side of the wasteland. Arcade felt bad cause he knew he was only dating the guy cause he was crushing on The King at the time and the guy made him feel good with all the praise.

He broke it off under the guise that his work made him feel like he was being neglectful to their relationship and due to the kings' strong sense of duty/principles he understood

Gave Arcade his fav hair comb as a token of no hard feelings and Arcade felt extra bad cause it was like the one real and safe feeling relationship he had and he hated it was built on lies and half-truths.

Hence why he only tells the Courier half-truths, both is too much

After that he made a rule to only have FWBs and casual friends.

This worked as well as you think it did for a man like Arcade.

Most of the people he "dated" (weird coy flirting until he shut them out when they asked something deeper) were all people who wanted to go somewhere with him. He has a deep desire to live, experience and find himself but never has the courage to commit

This explains why you can so easily recruit him with flirting and promising to whisk him away into adventure. (Daddy issues much?)

All his "friends" were either the socially weird Followers who never asked much or people who were passing through and wouldn't question the random guy they hung out with for a bit knows too much about energy weapons or power armor or that old defunct faction that almost killed everyone with evil water... twice.

Silly Headcanons is he loves to rag and joke and is a little shit. He has a chip on his shoulder about how smart he is but he's never a direct jerk about

Not a touchy friend but he clings and hovers around partners and people he has a romantic interest in. Hand brushes, pats, standing close, and wanting to be very involved. Sad but he really wants a connection and even a small sign is enough to make him lose his sensibilities.

He hates it but he knows he's touch and emotionally starved so sometimes he allows himself to get a little lost in the love sauce.

Prefers friends and partners that are a little dumber than him. This has nothing to do with anything, dude is just attracted to idiots platonically or romantically.

This post is long just because I need to explain just how I think these characters think. Arcade is a guy who wants to be gay and own a garden and drink a glass of non-irrated wine with his friends while snarking to his partner. But he's also affliated with violent war crimminals and genocidal factins and settles for just trying to give that life to someone else.

[passthepittcola]

was reading o brother (a "twins in time" au) and augggghhhhhh. tiny ford and big stan WILL drive me bananas.

seriously any combination of younger ford and older stan is just. adorable, incest or not. (i am the incest though so i will speak of it🙏.)

12yo ford + 18yo stan?

unmatched. insane. stan is so happy his brother wants to play with him again AND so guilty about not knowing where 17yo ford or 12yo stan have gone. SO guilty knowing he's lying to ford about what happened when the stans were 17. 12yo is much more interested in stan's new physique. he's so.. strong and muscled and- so ford becomes stan's little coach, funnily enough, just because he wants to watch him sweat through his tight, white shirts and watch them become transparent. stan realizes only when he catches ford jerking to it. and soon, little ford has stan wrapped around his extra finger <3.

12yo ford and 28yo stan!

stan is a nervous wreck and tries to protect ford as best he can. ford appreciates it and.. wow, stanley's.. so much bigger than him now... stan definitely jerks it in the shower and eventually ford joins him. they're SO co-dependent after awhile it's not even funny. 3 months in and they both start cryin' if they loose eachother in walmart. their relationship sexwise switches often because they both want to give and receive support, and they're very romantic with eachother compared to other young!ford x old!stan duos.

12yo ford and 58yo stan!

this is... VERY strange, because depending on the time/setting their relationship could change drastically. if it's before old!ford comes back, 12yo ford doesn't even know it, but he has stan quit working on the portal for a while. i think that would end mostly platonically.

during/right before weirdmaggedon would be incredibly strange and i don't think they'd have time to properly bond, so 12yo ford would have conflicting feelings about stan, similar to dipper did right before and right after canon ford was brought back.

i think any romantic/sexual feelings would only come up between them post weirdmaggedon. stan gets or has his memories still, reconciles with old!ford and bonds properly with young!ford. by day he's with young ford and by night he's fucking old ford into his mattress ;3. until young ford finds out and wants some lovin' too.. stan CAN'T resist the pines puppy eyes, especially if from ford. DEFINITELY lets the kid fuck him silly, but i think they'd both prefer stan take the reins. aaaa they're so cutesy

17/18yo ford and 28yo stan?

is someone cutting an onion in here? SO much angst. ford is pissed, but stan is.. stan is NOT doing so good. i think this ford would be very conflicted about whether to be angry or guilty, thinking 'did stan put himself here, or did i?' personally i need BOTH of them to comfort each other. hold eachother close. ford holds stan's hands again, for the first time in nearly a decade. stan starts crying. stan is a MUCH more solid weight and him laying on top of ford when he needs that pressure is so comforting. he knows stan will always be there. CRIES. it might take a while, but they might start getting into a relationship if ford starts appreciating what stanley would do to protect him, or if one or both of them get buzzed off smth and confess or fuck around a little <3. dubcon central!

17/18 ford with 58yo stan

at first ford might be angry, but we all really know he's just sad. and he hasn't had time to trick himself into hatred, so once stan breaks down those walls i think these two would be SO sweet to one another. stan SPOILS his boy and ford is incredibly into it. ford loves making stan cry and by jove does he turn it into a PROFESSION. (<- meant in a sweet way but dubcon or noncon is so fire.) i just think they'd be real sweet on eachother. this ford DEFINITELY calls stan daddy, i know it in my soul.

28yo ford with 58yo stan

DUBCON BLAST‼️ this ford is angry as hell (to cover his true feelings), meanwhile stan already knows what ford really thinks so he's a GIANT tease. ford says it's hatesex and stan calls it making love. ford calls him a pest in public but if stan pulls him into a secluded place. well. let's just say ford changes his tune after being edged for too long. stan is so mischievous with this ford, but then he'll have sex so gently it makes fords head spin. ford has told himself they hate eachother for so long that it's VERY hard to accept that stan loves him, actually. ford is wrapped around stan's finger and he doesn't even realize it keoejfoajdk.

bonus; 58yo stan twins

is ford physically older than stan? yes. but bigger? absolutely not. stan gets a kick out of how ford squirms when his "big brother stan" takes charge to get him to take care of himself (in more ways than one ;3). unsurprisingly, subspace is very helpful when ford hasn't eaten or slept or showered for 3 days, too jumpy or too focused on research! (don't worry, ford takes care of stan, too)

[lalalian]

let’s talk students: aethergarde dr (dragon rider school dr)

date: july 18, 2024

jkdshfkhskd it's been a hot sec since I've done this. Teagan won the poll last time, so we'll be going over him today!

pronunciation:

Teagan: (Tee-gen) (‘gen’ as in ‘again’)

Whit: (Wit)

appearance:

There are two kinds of people— you either prefer Teagan or Asterias. These two are genuinely so fine that students tend to like them (like a crush yk, not just platonically or smth LMAO) based on their personalities rather than solely relying on their looks.

Teagan’s got golden olive toned tanned skin, gray eyes, and full messy black hair. He’s got defined masculine leaning features and he’s ABSOLUTELY ripped. I didn’t make him like this without a purpose— It was simply because he helps his family transport heavy crates to different ships and wagons (I mean like he’s quite active in general, not just walking of course, he likes fighting and working out)

Teagan has a severe case of RBF despite his personality; he’s got no tattoos or piercings, tho I think he’d like to get his ears pierced.

I realized I haven’t said what style they like to wear, so I’ll do it for Teagan today (I’ll edit the rest of the posts with their own styles eventually). Teagan isn’t really into fashion; he values mobility and comfort over style as long as he doesn’t look, in his opinion, ‘noble and stupid’. He doesn’t like stiff shirts, so he usually wears looser garments. His wardrobe consists of brown, dark brown, black, cream, and very occasionally… dark green. He almost always wears some kind of boots (unless it’s a special occasion, he’d be wearing the black dress shoes his dad forced him to wear). As for his hair, if his hair’s long enough, he’ll tie it in the back. The most he’ll really do is brush through it.

personality:

Teagan’s a total extrovert and tends to have large circles of friends. When he’s alone for long periods of time, he can get a little antsy. I imagine that he’d bother his friends to hang out during finals season, but since everyone’s probably studying, he’d have to accept taking some notes in the library 😭

He’s the kind of guy that would try to help you out with literally anything, even if he’s not good at it. He’s a terrible artist, but loves to draw stupid things just to mail them to his friends. Teagan would definitely also pass notes around in class. Like Straus, he’s a terrible dancer, but yk at least Straus gets dance lessons… NEVER dance with this guy.

Despite his playful nature, he knows when to get serious. Teagan’s more of a logical thinker, but he’s incredibly kind and doesn’t like to see people he’s close to get hurt.

He really loves eating meat and raw fish. His dad had to stop him from eating fish straight up out a river (uncooked) many times as a child. Teagan’s also really good with kids; he knows how to cheer a kid up or teach them something without getting super irritated. Teagan’s weird asf not gonna lie, but hey at least he’s a really good cook. He doesn’t really cook for people he doesn’t know honestly, so like he only does it for people he’s close to.

relationships & status

Teagan was raised by his father after his mother died giving birth to him. Unlike a ton of Isekai manhwa fathers, his father didn’t hate him for being born, rather, he put all of his love into raising his son.

Teagan was raised well despite his non-noble status— his dad is a wealthy merchant. He often interacted with nobles because of his dad’s business; through these interactions, he grew a strong hatred for nobles. It isn’t rare for those higher in the social chain to treat people ‘lower’ than them with disrespect, and he definitely got a glimpse of this kind of mindset when attending meetings with his dad.

When Teagan was about 8 yrs old, his dad adopted another child off the street. This child ended up becoming Teagan’s little brother; his dad called him Archie because he used to arch his brow whenever he was the slightest bit confused— but then at around 3 years old, his dad decided that he needed a better name, so he named him ‘Archer’. Teagan and his dad still calls him Archie. When you shift here, Archie will be 13.

As you’d expect, Teagan’s really close with his dad and his younger brother. Teagan was supposed to inherit the family business, but since he’s an S-ranked rider, Teagan’s dad began teaching Archie all the stuff he needs to inherit his dad’s position just in case Teagan wants to do something else with his life.

His dad doesn’t want Teagan to be involved with super dangerous jobs; he’ll likely get pretty angry if Teagan wants to pursue a more dangerous career.

likes & dislikes:

likes:

-coffee, nothing added, just straight up black coffee

-wrestling with his brother

-cooking

-working out

-he likes fighting in general

-dogs. He likes dogs way more than cats

-the smell of leather

-dragons, he thinks they’re cool but he’s never aspired to be a rider simply because he didn’t think he’d be able to be one

dislikes:

-salads

-pooping (he’s got chronic constipation)

-reading

-tea unless it has boatloads of sugar in it

-nobles (yeah ik surprising, right?)

-chess

aura:

Teagan’s aura is an uncommon plume; unlike the students we’ve discussed before, his aura is single toned. I mean like the inner portion of his aura is darker, but like its bc the mana is more concentrated there yk?

#a8673e

dragon:

Teagan will bond to a male yellow wingwalker, and he’ll name him Kiser (Kai-sir).

strengths & weaknesses:

strengths:

-very physically strong

-good at cooperation (at times)

-great social skills

-dear god his martial arts skills are insane

-brave and persistent

weaknesses:

-finds reading boring; makes it hard for him to consume long texts, I’d imagine he’d ask someone close to him to read out a passage, then he’ll take notes that way

-a little dumb at times (it’s okay we love a himbo)

-has a habit of doing something crazy before thinking; he’d fight a monster he’s not really ready to fight for the fun of it

-can be lazy sometimes

-often wants someone near him to talk to; he likes to talk lmao

fighting style:

He mainly doesn’t use a weapon, but if he had to he’d fight with two sabers. His primary fighting skill is martial arts, his saber skills are average.

wanna know more about my aethergarde academy dr? here's a masterlist with everything I've posted about it!

[etherfall]

any n headcannons?

Hmm I'm not usually a headcannon-y sort of person, but I'll throw out a few of mine!

-I see him as 100% aroace. He has no interest in romance and would rather have strong platonic connections instead. I don't think he ever developed a need for a relationship, and would rather dedicate his time to creating a better future for people and pokemon.

-Because he is so smart, he often gets bored. Likes to spend his free time doing brain puzzles, sudokus, and other thinking games for the fun of it.

-He is ambidextrous (cause why not lol)

-He is incredibly close with his sisters Anthea and Concordia, especially once they are away from Ghetsis. They get to be a bit more silly around each other and their true personalities shine outside of the roles they were pushed into as children.

-He is incredibly selfless, but has a lot of scars due to the injuries he gets protecting other people/pokemon from harm. Especially from the events that happen in the anime/manga (My poor boy :c)

-Absolutely loves to ride trains. Whenever he rides one he sits by the window and his eyes are just glued to the passing landscapes in wonder. Has probably read a lot of books on the mechanics of different machines too

-Alder becomes a caring father figure to him. I will die on this dynamic

I'm not very good at this headcannon stuff but yeah! That's about it :)

[mrcarmenile]

“omg i don’t know why people think they’re in love, can we let people be just best friends for once 🙄 not everything has to be gay 🙄🙄”

(there are obviously exceptions to what i’m about to say, however i see this being said about the gayest motherfuckers ever and i have to stand up.)

a few things

1) using the term “just” best friends already conveys to me that you don’t really give a fuck about their friendship if you view it as something lesser than if they were romantically involved. true best friends are never “just” best friends. i am a BIG fan of friendship. trust me. i am an incredibly firm believe that friendship is wildly more important and imo more strong than romantic relationships/connections. genuinely, i understand where you’re coming from (if we’re choosing to ignore the “just” part), and i think we do need more really strong and intimate friendships that are purely platonic. but, my dude, when there are clear other best friends for both characters being shipped together that AREN’T romantic coded and clearly have a very deep platonic connection to each other, i think you’ll be okay. usually that relationship makes even more sense for best friends than the ship you are complaining about (probably because the ship you are complaining about is romantic coded), so if friendship matters as much to you as it does to me, consume that media with those characters with a deep platonic bond more. if you’re saying shit like this i personally don’t really believe you give that much of a fuck though

2) i have an incredibly close relationship with my best friend and i can assure you that i do not act gay and romantic as hell around them unless it is a joke. the ships i see this statement being made about are always the gayest and obviously Not platonic pairs ever. this can most easily be identified by the context of their actions taking place as opposed to just the actions themselves - time to use some critical thinking skills for yourself now

3) not everyone tacks on the “not everything has to be gay”, but if you do, that instantly tells me how much heteronormativity has plagued your brain. so many fucking people ship m/f ships that are close friends, WAY more than people ship gay ships that are close friends. the specification is crazy. just say gay relationships make you uncomfortable and/or are incomprehensible in your brain

TL;DR - get the fuck off my ass

(if there are typos in this then oh well. im not proofreading)

[fraudulent-cheese]

Hiiiii

Saw the tier list, I would love If you elborated on Sierra as I too love her and think she's fun and loved her friendship with Heather (yes I consider it friendship)

Yay let's go i got asked to elaborate!!!

Sierra's definitely one of the first characters that grew on me thanks to participating in the fandom; she has one of the most interesting premises in the entire first generation cast, that of a super dedicated fangirl who knows everything about everyone, and seeing people play with it in fan works is really fun!

Her personality's great for one, she's passionate and incredibly enthusiastic but also very socially awkward. She's very knowledgeable about her interests, and she's generally just very relatable to me?? Her hobbies are (mostly) internet centered and she's so excitable and fun and lonely and talented, she's got so many little interesting things about her!

Like, even in her delivery or lines or even animation sometimes! Her voice actress does an amazing job with her performance to the point even her crying sounds good??? How do you do that??? Also like look at this. She's adorable. And she's actually funny.

Some of my favorite headcanons regarding her are:

her being autistic (or generally just neurodivergent), mostly thanks to her fixation on Total Drama and just. Her everything. She's stimming in that GIF i don't think i could make it more obvious if i tried

Her being aromantic, as i read her crush on Cody as being one she picked herself out of the cast of Total Drama; he's a nerdy guy so there's the relatability, part of a popular boyband so he's unobtainable and would read as a more "normal" crush to have (and she could probably find like-minded folks online), and she's developped a pretty big parasocial attachment to all the cast thanks to knowing so much about them. She's isolated enough to not have much of a reference point for how romantic feelings operate for most people and i already headcanon her as neurodivergent which wouldn't help. She really seems like the type that would mistake platonic appreciation for a close friend as romantic attraction or on the flipside just. Not knowing what to picture in a romantic relationship yes im projecting shush

Her more specific hobbies she got into to get more positive attention from others or generally just as something to do with her time pre TD obsession; for instance i think she's a huge fan of kandi bracelets, and the culture surrounding them she was exposed to online. I also think she'd have an interest in different dance styles since she already knows German Slap dancing. Also stem. Specifically mechanics and physics.

She'd totally be into ARGs or Lost Media searches, or just any kind of Internet puzzle. She's clearly good at doing research, i say she'd love helping solve an internet mystery if it's related to one of her passions!

Rerailing back to her character for a second, i wish the series used her knowledge on the show and the contestants more! It's set up early on that she dislikes Alejandro, and in an early episode she tries taking advantage of Heather trying to manipulate her by pretending to fall for it; heck, in the very next episode when Heather talks strategy, Sierra actually plays along! Sierra's also VERY physically strong, like she's one of the most athletic Total Drama characters period. She's an absolute powerhouse and i find it really sad that the Cody obsession kinda took over that.

You specifically mention her friendship with Heather and like!!! I get the heatherra heads, i see the vision there's totally something there! Honestly wish they tried pulling an alliance plotline between the two that lasted longer than two or three episodes because they bounce off eachother so well!

Neither of them have very good social skills and neither of them seem very aware of this, but they express this in different ways; Heather pushes people away, she's mean, she's got sharp edges and she's not hiding from them, she's not easily vulnerable and when she is it's strategic; she was raised on superficiality and it shows. Meanwhile, Sierra's overly friendly, she's talkative, cheerful and seemingly naive, she seems far more interested in others than herself, but she's still strategic. [it's a small thing i noticed, when she reveals something about her family on the show it's usually because a challenge prompts it] Point is, they contrast in their attitudes, but are both intelligent and aware of the game they're playing. I love the idea of them falling into a friendship via alliance, Sierra could actually get to know another contestant as an actual person and not via obsessive research, and Heather could form an actual friendship with someone who accepts her, nerdy interests in all. And they'd 100% call eachother out on their respective bullshit if needed, like actually

Back on topic, i think an interesting thing about Sierra in TDAS is that out of the first gen cast, she's the one who connects the most with the roti guys. Granted, most of her teammates are from the second generation, and the only one that aren't either really doesn't like her or are Lindsay and get eliminated one episode in.

But! she seems to get along with them at first, which is very different from her first impression with the first gen cast which was negative leaning neutral at best. She befriends Sam and Cameron (at first), and she says Svetlana's her favorite alter, and i bet she'd get along with Zoey and Mike too!

Now on the topic of her canon plotline... i do actually have something to say, and i only thought of it while writing this post.

i'll preface this analysis im about to do by saying that i haven't watched All-Stars. All of this is going to be second hand info i've learned by looking at the wiki and reading other people's thoughts, so i may be off base at a couple points, HOWEVER.

I think that while her plotline during TDAS is dogshit and an attempt to do the World Tour running gag again but worse, there is something interesting set up here: how the Cody hallucination starts. Cameron is mostly victim to it, but she does just hallucinate her entire team as cody at one point (after prompting by Sam to cheer herself up). Im mostly going to focus on the Cameron bit, but... The hallucinations start when she's actually befriended Cameron.

I don't think this comes out of nowhere, as Cody and Sierra were friends at that point in time after all. And while the hallucinating bit is uh. Concerning and a weird decision. That says alot about this girl's social life AND her familial situation overall if being friendly to her is equated to being the one guy she's obsessed with.

Her mother (and possibly Grandparents, she does say she's a "third generation Chris scholar in Celebrity Manhunt) is completely obsessed with Chris Mclean, and her knowing all about Chris's career and liking him, while it's only relevant for one or two episodes, definitely comes from that. Her mom has a fucking SHRINE dedicated to the man, there's no way part of Sierra's interest in Chris doesn't at least partially come from her!

I generally think Sierra's neglected by her parents. She's super online and seemingly super lonely (like. she says herself at one point that she didn't make any friends at school), so there's a possibility that her friendship with Cody off the show was the first actual friendship she had. Being obsessed with the person you like was her normal for almost all her life, is it really a surprise that once she'd lost her other source of comfort (internet access) on a show as stressful as Total Drama, that her brain would react like this? Ok, maybe not with the hallucinations. BUT MY STATEMENT STILL STANDS, that if we're taking canon's decisions into account, her plotline in tdas doesn't come out of nowhere.

I mean it's also due to the writters apparently trying their hardest to not write Sierra as a person on her own and needing to shove Cody into it because surprise surprise he was planned to be on All-Stars but got cut from the season and im convinced the Sierra plotline was a remnant of that draft but this isn't about him and it still sucks anyways what was i talking about

IN SUMMARY: Uh i like Sierra. Literally me. I don't know where i was going with this

[mysticalfestivaloperatorbagel]

I've been questioning if I'm on the aromantic spectrum, and recently learned about squishes (non-romantic version of crushes) and zucchinis (name for non-romantic partner who is more than a friend). As annoying as jargon is, having these words and seeing them used by people with similar experiences has helped me so much in figuring out my relationships.

I thought I had a crush on a man because I had a desire to be close with him, but it was confusing because I consider myself a lesbian. We now have a very strong friendship and while I feel a deep connection with him, it is purely a platonic feeling. He is the first person I thought of when I learned the word "squish," and the new vocabulary help make sense of similar confusing feelings I've had for others.

I've had a relationship that was neither platonic or romantic but still incredibly strong and intense. When I think "have I ever been in love before" I say yes because of this person. Even though she is alloromantic and had a partner, we had plans to be entwined in each other's lives and she was the most important person to me. I definitely had no romantic feelings for her, but when we "broke up" it was different than losing a friend; I felt like I couldn't survive without her and felt so broken I didn't think I could love anyone else. I would have absolutely called her my zucchini if I had the terminology at the time, and that's the type of long term partner I always imagined myself with. I don't think QPRs are necessarily stronger or weaker than romantic relationships, to me they hold a similar level of significance but just feel tangibly different.

I recently started seeing someone in a more romantic way, but both of us have blurry lines between romantic and platonic feelings. We have strong feelings for each other so we decided to keep "dating" and be confused together for now <3 But learning about zucchinis helped clarify a lot for me, in this case because I have a word for what I DON'T want. I've had squishes that I wanted a QPR with (I saw someone call these squashes?) but that's not what I want with this person. I want all of her, I want her so strongly it keeps me up at night, I want to wrap myself up in her and kiss her until I can't breathe and love her deeply enough that she understands how special she is. I've never felt this way before and I still have some blurry lines, but I know this is closer to a romantic attraction. I know I don't want to be her zucchini I want to be her girlfriend.

People have told me I can't be asexual AND a lesbian, and I think I've written off being aromantic for a similar fear of not being allowed to be aromantic AND a lesbian (bear with me here). But I've used the split-attraction model to validate my separation between romantic and sexual attraction, and I have to remember I can do the same for other types of attraction. Zucchinis and squishes are the first time I've heard aromanticism described as an ALTERNATIVE to romantic attraction instead of a LACK of romantic attraction. So maybe I am not completely aromantic, but now I am more comfortable thinking of myself on the aro spectrum (maybe grayromantic?). Platonic, romantic, and queerplatonic relationships all mean something different to me but are all important.

I'm not a big fan of hyperspecific labels for myself so probably won't regularly refer to myself as an asexual-grayromantic-lesbian. But it's grounding to have the words to understand myself.

[virgothozul]

They’re so dear to my heart I swear 😔

I love them so many ways. I wanted to share a cj thought. I love stories about

 Cae pining HARD and facing internal conflicts. I like the interpretation of Caesar being a catholic closeted gay man. Guilting and burying himself (on so many levels, not just love and attraction, also his feelings towards platonic relationships, self worth, honor, morals, etc). He seduces many women to cope with some of his issues, overall it makes him feel in control (notably because it proves a victory over his inclination towards men, and he doesn’t feel vulnerable and overwhelmed with strong feelings as he’s not, well, into women.)

When he grows close to JoJo, he loses his mind over his bullshit, his tricks and halfassed attitude, but also over how JoJo is so surprising and exciting and everything he thought was a waste of time and energy. He thought there’s no way in hell he could respect this loud rude reckless big jerk. And he was proven wrong, bc JoJo just has a very personal way of being good and reliable and irresistible. He has a sincerity and fun thinking and somewhere hidden there, a pure heart.  He doesn’t ask for permission, is incredibly creative and quick witted. He is very proud but unlike Caesar he doesn’t cover his ego with a honorable family myth, because he’s unapologetic. Somehow it doesn’t seem he acts to do the right thing from a general point of view, he does things on his own terms and values, and doesn’t care for somebody’s judgement.