#there are some things i don't want to do and i am sick of people assuming that really i *must* want to

[pinep-ne]

Mmm. I usually don't get into fandom drama because sometimes it's really just a waste of energy. But TikTok's got some... interesting people. I've noticed a pattern and I hope I have a place to speak on it.

I'm kind of sick of non-Americans/Southerners being blatantly and willingly uneducated towards, or even just entirely ignoring the political+societal themes of rdr2. It's literally the game man. I just think sometimes they really don't feel the weight of the topics they're throwing around.

Why are you calling Charles a "redneck" in a failed attempt to call him another slur, neither of which were you aware were derogatory, nor did you think to educate yourself on the significance of?? And then when people called you out and educated you, you throw out a meager apology with the words "I'm sorry if I offended anyone."

And then proceed to half-ass a google search, post it, and further prove your stupidity by saying "redneck isn't a slur, it's a derogatory term for Americans" which yes, it is— towards white, southern, lower-class Americans, with actual history tied to it. It's still derogatory, and Charles isn't white. And THEN when confronted about it even more, you throw your hands up and say "I just can't make jokes I guess." Like it was never a joke in the first place dude. You're just being racist (and accidentally classist?) on account of your illiteracy.

And this one was just a wild argument I had the other day— why are you calling Micah's racist remarks "not as black and white as that"??? He quite literally says a derogatory term within the first ten minutes of the game. There's a whole four minute youtube video of his racist actions. Joking or not, or whether you think his intentions were to 'rile people up', it's still discriminatory. Racism is often, if not always, as black and white as that. (no pun intended /srs)

Thinking otherwise, I'm tempted to believe, is your own projection. It shows a lot that you'd stretch so far to continuously deny and defend a continuously emphasized theme, that directly affects the characters as it has directly affected real people. Hell, even if it was vaguer than that. How much tolerance are you privileged with to brush off and prance around something that irrevocably damaged entire communities for centuries. Just because it's fiction? 'Cause it's not real? Because "it doesn't affect anyone"?

They also said "He can't be racist! He works with POC!"

???

I'm all for liking and appreciating whatever character you want— I'm not gonna spend my time leading all those horses to water— but snatching and running with the veil of fiction to dissolve the connotations and gravity of a very real thing, simply depicted within a story, just so you can slobber all over your favorite character, it's just undoubtedly shallow and disrespectful to the history and media that you claim to comprehend. You can't just create lines to read between and pull the "have some media literacy" card when someone calls out that you really never had such power in the first place. Like I said, do whatever you want with a character, but at the very least acknowledge every single part of them instead of brushing it off.

Ah anywho. I'm not a POC myself but I am Southern. Racism is still very present here and I felt it'd be important to me to speak up about it. If anyone's got perspective to offer, or they'd like to correct me on anything, I'm open. I think my prose may be a little too flowery to have gotten every point and logistic across, so there's always a chance of misinterpretation. Just let me know!

*** Hh and disclaimers because I'm afraid of misunderstandings. I know racism exists in places outside of the U.S., but the game is placed in America. It's in the context of discrimination against American POC, that some non-Americans tend to poorly gauge the difference and weight of. In neither of these instances were the people from the U.S. And as another thing, this isn't to ignore the treatment other characters receive regarding their culture or country (Sean, Javier, Charles, etc.) by folk who are not a part of it. It's just ignorance. The cycle sickens me. I just think in general if you're going to consume historical fiction and you're going to discuss it, at least understand the historical part. Don't be blissful x

[writingdevil]

Hello! I see that you are open to requests for STP and I was wondering if you are able to write something regarding Cold and Smitten? It can be a ship or just plain platonic

Thank you very much!

(AH!Of course!The iconic duo with the most homoerotic tension I've ever seen!Enjoy!)

Cold was quite fond of surprises.

They were something unexpected,something that Cold,or someone else,couldn't predict.It caught people off guard,including him,from time to time, and the unforseen actions led way for some very fun times.

Right now was a particularly nice surprise.

One second,he's chatting away with some of the others-Hero,Skeptic,Cheated-until the next second,he felt claws being buried into his arm as he was dragged away,staring at the shrinking face of an exasperated Skeptic,until he found himself in the kitchen.

Cold had no idea what was happening,not until his body was suddenly being shoved against the door, and he found himself staring down at the livid face of Smitten.

If Cold was associated with ice,then Smitten was pure,fiery passion-a blazing fire of hatred in his eyes as he glared up at him,looking seconds away from tearing Cold's throat out.Would he do it?How long would it take for him to regret it?

Smitten's usually beautiful face was twisted into an ugly grimace as he snarled,"How dare you."

Cold merely lifted his brows in question,which only seemed to piss Smitten off more,judging by the claws digging further into his skin.He felt the little beads of blood dripping down his arm,hearing them hit the floor,but neither he nor Smitten looked down.They only stared at each other.

"How dare I what?"Cold casually asked,and Smitten bared his teeth as he spat out,"How dare you say such things about the princess!Our one true love!"

Cold rolled his eyes."Oh,this again?"He thought that he had found a new way to make Smitten tick,but it was just the same old thing with that lovebird.

He didn't even care enough to remember what he said-all he he was that the four of them were reminiscing on the past,particularly on the princess and whether they missed her or not.He obviously must've made some not-absolutely-head-over-heels comment that sparked Smitten's ire,and now here they were,and Cold was disappointed at how sensitive and predictable Smitten was being.

Smitten finally let go of his arm,his hand slicing through the air angrily as he snapped,"Yes!I am sick of having to defend our beloved princess from your icy and vicious words!"

Cold tried to push himself off the wall,to walk forward and intimate Smitten into stepping back with his height,but he only managed to lean his body forward before Smitten forcefully shoved him back.Pain exploded against the back of his skull from the impact.It made his ears ring and his eyes tear up for a second.When he could focus again,he watched as Smitten held no regret or guilt in his shiny eyes.Huh.

Cold shrugged as if that hadn't of affected him at all."I don't understand what's not getting through to you,what with all that space in your head being taken up with nothing but air."Cold had the pleasure of seeing Smitten's expression darken even further,so he kept going,"Your loud and passionate love for the princess is useless,and caring about her when she's not even here,even more so."

Smitten's eyes widened in shock,and he leaned in closer as he started to say,"How could you-"

"-I'm bored of talking about princesses,"Cold interrupted,using that moment to push Smitten back enough for him to actually walk away and have some personal space again.He sighed,before he realised that his feathers were relaxing now that he wasn't up close to Smitten's fire.

A part of him missed it.

He quickly flicked that annoying little thought away, but still turned to stare at Smitten in the eye as he said,"I want to talk about you."

"Oh,what could you possibly have to say about me,I wonder?"Smitten asked sarcastically,and Cold was honestly surprised that the other was capable of making such a toxic voice.He liked it.

"Yes,well,I just find it a little unusual-that someone so committed to their love,would stoop so low as to eavesdropping."

There was a flicker of shock and worry in Smitten's eyes,arms falling to his side as he stuttered out,"I-I wasn't-"

"I have to admit,eavesdropping,along with attacking people who speak ill of your love,doesn't make for a very-kind partner."

"What do you know about kindness?"Smitten asked bitterly,"What kind of lover wouldn't rush to defend their beloved from such harsh words?"

"Even when they're not here?"Cold taunted,"Even when she was just a part of a larger Goddess?"He tilted his head to the side as he noticed the way Smitten's fists clenched.

Smitten's voice was dangerously low and calm as he replied,"My love for her is stronger than time and distance.You will never be able to change that."

Cold shrugged."Unfortunately,you're right on that. But I just find it interesting-"and then he had the pleasure of seeing a flash of fear on Smitten's face, because he knew that if he has done something to interest Cold,then it definitely didn't mean anything good for him.

"-that you can call yourself such a devoted and perfect partner,when the only time you've decided to showcase that,is by eavesdropping on a conversation you weren't a part of and threatening someone.What a scary partner you must be."

Cold felt a satisfied smirk being pulled across his face,and he felt excitement course through him at the fiery rage he had reignited within Smitten.He wasn't sure what it was,but there was something about watching a person go from being sickenly sweet to sharply sour,and to know that his presence was the cause of it.

Smitten exploded upon him."You know nothing of me,villain!You have no idea the lengths to which I'd go for the love of my life!"

"I think I do know,"Cold replied,and Smitten took a step towards him,making his breath hitch."I know how you let your little feelings possess you,until you're practically obsessed-like how you are with me."

Smitten froze,stammering on the spot while his feathers puffed up,almost covering his chin completely."W-Why would I be obsessed with you?" Smitten said incredulously,a chuckle of nervous disbelief at the end of his words."We have nothing in common.You're only goal is to freeze and hurt others for your own sick amusement."

"Oh?"Cold said innocently,tilting his head to the side."Is that so?Then what do you call this?"and then he lifted up his bloody arm with the holes Smitten had poked into him.

The blood had trailed all the way down his forearm now,and the limb was trembling slightly in a way that wasn't from the usual lack of heat his body didn't make.

Smitten stared at him,aghast at the evidence of his own violence,and Cold grinned wickedly at him and taunted,"What kind of sweet and loving partner would do this to someone?"Smitten's face was filled with horror,before Cold blinked,and he was suddenly being shoved again.

He grunted as he hit another wall,but also because, instead of his arm being gripped,it was his throat. He gasped as Smitten pinned his neck to a wall, squeezing dangerously tight,and Cold felt his head spin in pleasure.

He managed to look down at Smitten,who's face was eerily calm,except for the intense heat of hatred in his eyes.Cold couldn't help but look down at his other hand,the one with still wet blood on his claws.

Smitten squeezed once in warning."Do not make me do something I will regret."

But Cold did want to see it.He wanted to reach in and claw at Smitten's core,until he uncovered all the dark and rotten parts of him that he hid with poetic words and soft hugs.Cold wanted to be the one to shove all of it in Smitten's face,to show his burning fire for the world to see,how dangerous he actually was,and Cold wanted to see how Smitten would react to him.

Cold wanted to be the one that brought this out of Smitten.

So he reached up and almost lovingly caressed the hand around his throat."Do it,"he forced out,never breaking eye contact with Smitten.

Smitten glared,before his grip tightened.

[magpiemirroring]

Glad to have finally run across this criticism.

Here's a meatier version of that quote: "You’ve always wanted to cure what you thought were weaknesses. Your leg. Your disease. But you were never broken, Viktor. There is beauty in imperfections."

I would love to know what the writing room reasoning behind this was, because it's such a swing and miss.

I feel like maybe the writers had two ideas they wanted to get across and combined them in a really clumsy way:

Jayce acknowledging how Viktor's struggles gave him some bad ideas about his self-worth in general and that played a part in the choices he made. (And perhaps how Jayce's own choices fed into that.)

People are imperfect in a lot of ways, but a lot of beauty comes out of those imperfections and so turning people into one weird hive mind made of "perfect" forms is getting rid a lot of good things.

I wish the pacing of the show and this scene had been different. Because I do think we needed a scene where Jayce says something that reaches out and acknowledges the very imperfect and real human feelings that led Viktor down this path to begin with.

Viktor's a mess with some real self-worth issues and I think in terms of character arcs and motivations, this scene really did need for Jayce to touch on Victor's own imperfect humanity. But rather than lines that read as "your terminal condition is beautiful, why are you trying to fix it?" we needed more of a "I never thought less of you for being sick/disabled. I admired your skills! I was too distracted by my own ambitions to understand what you were going through. I'm done with that now. I'm here. Let's fix this. Together." sort of beat.

Which. I will agree with OP is difficult to write in-character for Jayce to say quickly, while thinking on his feet as it were. He is not really a people skills person. But it has to be his words that stop Viktor. Not just because the show literally says so, lmao, but because even without all the weird arcane stuff, their arcs are bound together and more than anything, Viktor needs a friend to reach past everything he's done and what he's become and See Him and love him for who he is with all his flaws (not in a shippy way. like. not against rolling with ship feels here lmao but it needs to resonate even for folks that aren't looking at the scene thru shipping goggles in order for it to really land.)

But ultimately, yeah, this scene was sloppy in a way that was rather insulting to real world folks with debilitating chronic conditions or terminal illnesses. I can turn this scene around and around in my head and try to work out intent, or headcanon a Watsonian reason for why it works for the characters, but at the end of the day, what was written was not well written and I think folks are justified in being angry about it. I am, in a weird way, excited to find that other people are angry about it! It's not just me!

Heck, while I wanted to discuss it in a larger content, the "you were never broken" line annoys me all by itself. (this is a bit of a long aside! you may skip it if you like.) I don't have any major physical issues at this time but I had had some mental health issues, including a major case of autistic burnout that has left me feeling a bit broken. And it's not been helpful to me to be told that I'm not broken. It is a rare person who gets through life without being physically or mentally broken at some point. It happens to some people more easily and some people heal better than others. It is what it is. People generally mean well when they say "you're not broken." Sometimes they mean that you're still you. They view things that are broken as no longer having value but they still value you, so you must not be broken. But sometimes they just say that because it is easier to say that than to sit with the rough edges and they want to ignore your hurt because it's inconvenient to them to acknowledge what has changed. Some folks break and will always have visible mends. And some folks can't be mended or find mending is out of reach. Being broken means having to be careful of yourself and the choices you make and with the people that insist that you aren't broken it's always a gamble of how much they are willing to tolerate being careful of all your rough edges and delicate parts that need special handling, whether you're mending or not. So, for me, "you're not broken" feels like people are trying to ignore a crucial part of my experience and life. (This is just my take. If you are disabled or ill and don't finding embracing the idea of being broken to be a framework that works for you, that's fine! Also, to be clear, I do not view autism itself as something that makes me broken, but it does cause me to be prone to some breakage without accommodations.)

I am about to be critical of Arcane because this one bugs me.

The "you were never broken" speech is a fucking stupid thing to say to someone who was terminally ill.

Viktor seeing himself and other disabled people as broken is a problem and Salo's "who else could mend such a broken creature" as a reason for worshipping Viktor and Viktor's easy acceptance of that is creepy.

Still a fucking stupid thing to say.

Jayce saying it is fine, Jayce says many fucking stupid things.

The narrative frames it as helpful, important, and true, which is less fine.

DESPITE framing it this way it doesn't seem to help, which is not a problem, because it SHOULDN'T help but is weird.

Viktor doesn't even seem to be listening.

Did it need to be there at all? Could it just have been cut?

[scribefindegil]

When you encounter a person who does not do something that you consider normative, you need to understand that they could be either stating a barrier or expressing a boundary. A barrier is "I would like to partake of the normative activity, but I can't due to other factors." A boundary is "I have made a decision not to participate in the normative activity."

Many people do not believe that boundaries actually exist! This is why it's so common to give a clear "No" on an issue and get inundated with people saying "But have you tried-" They can't conceptualize that anyone might actually want to avoid X thing, so they assume that you totally want to do X and you would love X so much if only they could figure out a way around whatever pesky obstacle is getting in your way. But humanity contains multitudes, and for any given experience you consider vital for happiness I promise there are people who are Just Not Interested.

If someone is stating a boundary, do NOT talk about how sad their life must be, and do NOT try to push them! Just accept that their life experience is very different from your own, and isn't that a beautiful thing?

Barriers are different. Barriers suck. With boundaries, the only problem is other people being dicks. With barriers, the problem is the barrier itself . . . and probably, additionally, people being dicks. There's really not a way to win in the people being dicks department when you don't do something that other people have decided is Necessary For Humaning.

If someone is talking about a barrier they face, still don't talk about how sad their life must be, although it's fine to commiserate with a friend if they're complaining. It's hard! Some barriers are pretty insurmountable; the person might not ever get to do X even though they want to. And a lot of people don't believe that this kind of barrier exists either; we're very much taught that you can do anything if you try hard enough, when that is simply not true. If someone tells you that they can't do something, listen to them and respect that.

The only reason for not doing X that people really acknowledge as real are the surmountable barriers. And these are real, but even in these cases you should always assume that the person knows themself best and not give advice unless they've specifically asked for it. But if they have asked, it's chill to try to brainstorm solutions with them.

As someone who has both things going on, it really sucks that people tend to assume that everything is a) a barrier issue and b) that they personally have the solution to it. Don't do this.

The only way you can tell if something is a boundary or a barrier is to listen to people and believe them.

Example:

If you offer someone a drink and they say, "No thanks . . . I haven't really found anything that I like yet," (barrier, potentially surmountable) it is probably cool to ask them if they're open to trying something new, and if they say yes ask about their tastes to try to find a drink they would enjoy! They might like it or they might not.

If you offer someone a drink and they say, "I can't, it interacts with my meds," (barrier, insurmountable) you can say, "Aw, that sucks!" and offer them something nonalcoholic.

If you offer someone a drink and they say, "I don't drink," (BOUNDARY) you should give them a mocktail and shut the fuck up.

[mazken]

brush test slash rendering practice with ayem

[kundaquarius]

Thank you for the tag loves @rosesandpearlss @yeullove 🤍

It's so crazy that of all the ongoing books I'm reading only two of them are the ones I really want to read quickly when there's an update, the others I either wait for the first Diamond Rush or it can be two DR's later and then I read them. Also 7B being here??? Hahahaha I love that book!

HSR: I don't want to fall into the group that reads it because it's the most popular, but I really think that of all the new books, it's the one with the best story development, and even though it bears the punishment of belonging to another story, it doesn't need it to shine (equally HS was shit so it couldn't save HSR's ass either). I like the characters, the plot, the settings, etc. Some things can be improved? Sure, but I'm not complaining at all. It could have been worse.

ATHWTU: The story is fascinating, as long as there is mystery, weirdness and paranormal, I will be there. Sometimes I get fed up with all the angels and demons stuff, so I'm thankful this book doesn't fall into the same old same old to give us some decent horror.

7B: Are you surprised? Don't worry, I am too. I can't believe 7B is one of my favourites, believe me it's worth reading. We don't have to go to a remote village or a fictional world to have drama, death and so on. I think 7B works excellent this in modernity, if people complain about the parties or Gossip Girl style, who are you kidding even your mother watched Gossip Girl, stop hating for the sake of hating. 7B is great.

Special mentions for KFOS, SOTCN, WTC and ABH.

KFOS and SOTCN were among my favourites, even with all their cultural ups and downs, but they both made exactly the same mistake, screwing up halfway through the book and losing all the enthusiasm I once felt for them. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy reading them, but only after I've finished the ones that I really like.

WTC, I think I lost the initial flame after we chose Nova's side, it's like now all that adrenaline for not being discovered died, and I only read it to see her pretty face and Shen and to see the church fall because death to the church. But it's not with the same enthusiasm.

ABH, one of my favourites of the least favourites, I'm sick of HS and his shadow honestly, but I think ABH does well staying out of the way of what it takes to follow in the footsteps of a previous book, it doesn't quite grab me like the favourites but it's still better than others.

And finally Soulless, I started reading it for fun, and honestly, I don't like it at all xD I mean, I don't hate it but it's been updated or two I think, and I still haven't read it, I'm sorry, I try, but I find it super boring, I read it literally when I have absolutely nothing else to do in my day.

Tagging @ferrerochase @a-cloud-for-dreams @dmitryswifey @fates-castiel @heavenly-requiem @heavens-secret @innerstorydunker @malachor5 @mikaelsrose

Bringing this back !

Here's a fun little thing I'm bringing back for the fandom - reblog this (or make ur own post) with your favorite ONGOING books, if you want you can add reasons as to why they're your favorites, and tag people who you think would like to participate ! 😁

reasoning & tagging below the cut to not clog the post ✨

honorable mentions: astrea's broken heart, the missing, w time catcher, kali: flame of samsara.

tagging: @theodoravery @suckitphaneuf @lanesrequiem @haitianempress @ratanslily @jillfvs @a-cloud-for-dreams @taemcains @webanglikethat @hexesandroses @renninflight @rosesandpearlss and anyone else who would like to participate ! <3

a) Soulless - where do I start ? Amazing. Showstoping. Spectacular. Totally unique, completely not ever been done before. I LOVE every single love interest, I love Vyxaria as an MC no matter the path, I looove how neatly the plot all ties together - it's just all amazing. Best ongoing story I think.

b) Shakespeare's Code - despite the fact it's been 6 episodes, this story is bumped to the TOP of my favorites. It's just amazing, Amabelle is extremely entertaining as an MC, the love interests all have different plotlines, and I love how many stats & combinations you can have !

c) 7 Brothers - of course, it wouldn't be fair to talk about my favorites without talking about this story I've been defending tooth & nail since forever. A misunderstood work of art, I really like the MC, Jaynie's so relatable & an all-around character, I absolutely cherish her. Of course, there's the love interests & Langley's amazing writing strikes again. It's always the first story I play every update <3

d) Love, Sin & Evil - another underrated work of art, my favorite thing about this story is the mechanics of saving the characters ! Super innovative, I love it. I also think Mina's a super entertaining MC and the fashion is just top notch, though on the more expensive side 👌 Eagerly waiting for the next update & the upcoming finale.

e) Heaven's Secret: Requiem - unfortunately, despite all its problems, specifically romance-wise, I still really like this story, at least for the plot of it. I'm still invested in what the fuck is the deal with Lane, and how it's all going to end.

f) And The Haze Will Take Us - Suuuuper invested to see where Alice is taking this story. I was kind of torn on season 1 but I'm actually really focused on season 2 to see where this story and this haze will be taking us ! Looking forward to the next update.

[admincourtneykissesgirls]

i drew (and headcanoned some of) people's courtneys. too out of it to tag the specific ppl these courtlets come from so if you see your courtlet say hi i guess? wanted to post this since i love this piece so much and i love seeing how people interpret concepts.

and a bonus featuring my own courtlet. thank you.

[lordelmelloi2]

🥲

[astheskycries]

Thank you for the tag lovely!

Last Song - Ignoring the rick roll I sent my mom, Poison from Hazbin Hotel

Favourite Colour - Lately it's been sage green

Last Book - Uh... Honestly it's been a while because I have so many fics to read...

Last Movie - I'm pretty sure it was Red One, I usually don't watch a lot of TV/Movies with my anxiety.

Last TV Show - Hazbin Hotel. I don't know why, I literally keep watching it on repeat.

Sweet/Savoury/Spicy -Sweet, usually I'm a sucker for desserts. But also savory, I'm not great with spice.

Relationship Status - Single Pringle. And never on all- never real dates, never real kisses, never sex, nada. Maybe some day but I wanna get myself together before I try a lot of it.

Last Thing Googled - Rick roll links... to be fair, my mom couldn't remember what a rick roll was

Looking Forward To - Sleep? I've been sick for the last three days and am finally feeling better, so...

Current Obsessions - .... Sylus from Love and Deep Space.... I need to get into the fandoms and more of the fics, because that man just- umph. Also Corpse, because I always adore and watch Corpse Husband.

Not gonna tag anyone specific since I know people stay super busy, but if anyone wants to do this I'd love to see it and learn more about everyone!

10 people i'd like to know better!

thank you for tagging me @barnesafterglow and @demxters ily both!!! 🥺💛

Last Song - would that i by hozier (i'm on a real wasteland baby trip lately)

Favourite Colour - sunshiney yellow <3

Last Book - just started these violent delights by chloe gong

Last Movie - ? ? ? honestly it's been a while, it might've been three wishes for cinderella

Last TV Show - the witcher

Sweet/Savoury/Spicy - yes

Relationship Status - so single i downloaded bumble (but haven't made a profile yet)

Last Thing I Googled - scrivener delete project

Looking Forward To - being DONE with my LIS degree !!!

Current Obsessions - fully been getting back into the witcher again. but also my planners. i adore my planners <3

no pressure tags!! @just-french-me-up @avisalix @levanswrites @catofthebarricades @fandoms-writings @youremyfriend-youremymission @thereoncewasagirlnamedjane @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory @bigtreefest @sweetdreamsbuck

[icewindandboringhorror]

It's always interesting to hear about people's weird/unexpected "alternate life paths". Like, something that you could have done with your life, a job you almost took, a school you almost went to, etc - that was still actually realistic enough that it could have happened, but NOW it seems to not suit your current personality.

Like for example, I currently hate advertising (how manipulative it is, brands trying to be 'relatable', social media amplifying it to an obnoxious extreme, etc.) so much that even seeing a little ad before a youtube video is grating to even witness, but there was a point in time where I was genuinely seriously considering going into marketing/making commercials as a career lol. Or like, I have a relative who was very inclined to be a pastor when they were younger, even though today they're a super strong atheist, etc. etc.

[kenobster]

seriously, i am so sorry to anyone i have ever called brave for literally just doing the things that are required for existing lol, it's so fucking annoying

[skwivr]

-

[soonhoonsol]

you guys ever get tired of friends who only talk about themselves? how do you respectfully tell them off?

[secondpersonpoetry]

hi! oh my goodness. i am SO sorry i didn’t say anything earlier. i did read everything a couple days ago, and i Have been chewing on it, rotating it in my mind, etc etc…..and the graphic has been my phone lockscreen since i first read it!!!!!

frankly i am obsessed and have also been a little frazzled this month lol. saw your post late because of the general whirlwind that is december and then couldn’t quite get my thoughts into sufficient words n got worried “oh no would it be weird to say something now…..” which is incredibly silly in retrospect, so sorry for that. 

i’m relatively new to hockey fandom and the Narratives don’t always quite click for me (yet, at least :)) because i don’t know all of the lore for a lot of the popular pairings haha, so it means a lot that you’ve taken time out of your day to break things down for me and share your own thoughts <3 tysm. again, super sorry for the delayed response. i’m very sorry if you felt as though you’d wasted your time or something along those lines :’) just wanted to let you know that i really appreciate you and the time it took you to get everything down and make the graphic!!!! and like i can’t overstate how much your tags both over here and on your other blog have helped me to Get It since the start of this season, so thank you.

but now the house is quiet, the in-laws are gone, and no new work stuff until january :) so i can finally get some stuff down. every point you brought up hits in it own way but gosh you are very incredibly right the mcstrome of it all…..that’s sort of the lens i’ve been listening to the song through since you mentioned it.

the golden boy and the “draft bust” and the ever present notion of “isn’t it all about old friends? like everything? all of it?”.  like idk looking back on a bestfriendship from when you were a teenager that was Super intense and the lines were blurred and maybe realizing (if you hadn’t had the words or the “guts” or awareness or wtv to put a name to it at that point in your life) that y’all were a smidge more than just friends. 

best friends forever until you just aren’t! growing up and growing apart. it’s just the way things go but it can and will ache for a damn long time! you think you’re over it until their birthday or the holidays roll around and you wonder in a distant sort of way who they’re spending it with. what you would’ve hypothetically gotten them as a present if you still spoke. what do they even like nowadays, anyway?

maybe having the friendship end subtly. going from playing and traveling together and living in one another’s pockets to 2,080 miles of distance? (i may have my timeline/details confused here so sorry in advance) texting as much as you can at first but he’s a phenom he’s mcjesus he’s the next in line he’s expected to win the cup with his new team and end the drought for Canada. and they have him now but he was yours first, wasn’t he? but it’s fine. because you’re busy too. you’re captaining the team now. you’re gonna get the memorial cup that he couldn’t. it’s fine. you’re fine. you don’t even have time to worry about it anyway. 

one conversation a week turns to one a month turns to once in a blue moon turns to stale words until it goes cold. these days you can’t quite seem to remember who ended things, but does it really matter all that much now?

or maybe it doesn’t end like that at all. maybe it ends in a flurry of angry words and digs in some or other of the endless hotel rooms you’ve shared together over the years. who knows!

and that’s not even getting into the rest of the 2015 draft class. or the ld19 of it all! ooh hoo hoo. you grew up with him but he’s not your waiting room. he grew up with you but he’ll grow “old” (end his career) with someone else. and isn’t that just something! 

i don’t think it’s totally them, but sort of the sentiment of “I hope you get everything you ever wanted and I hope I never hear a word about it.” I want one ticket off of your carousel!!!! merry christmas, please don’t call!!!!!!!

dylan being sent up and down and traded around until finally landing in washington, a place where he is clearly at home and LOVED for the guy and player he is!!!!!!!! watching a game and seeing all the strome jerseys in the crowd……..wagh.

all that said. some other songs that are mcstrome to me in various ways: hot & heavy by lucy dacus (lol kinda the whole song). before the world was big by girlpool (“i just miss how it felt standing next to you wearing matching [jerseys? sweaters?] before the world was big”). happiness by Taylor swift (“i guess it’s the price i pay for seven years in heaven”), cut your bangs by radiator hospital (maybe? possibly? unsure. i like the whole dog thing there). i’m so glad i feel this way about you by insignificant other (!!!!!). there are so many THEM lyrics in there……..waough.

anyway. other things off the top of my head: 2015 connor specifically saying something like “hey let’s wait a minute so we can see this” to stand by the stage when dylan was getting drafted after him. MAN. you reminded me of the fact that they couldn’t even make eye contact at the handshake line!!!!!!!!! they didn’t go to each other’s weddings!!!!!!!!!! (do you think once upon a time they ever thought they’d being each other’s best man?). just a couple months ago dylan liking the tweet of connor getting that goal during the playoffs!!!!!!!! makes you wonder if he texted him………..

lol this was all over the place and i was probably wrong on some things and there’s SO much more that someone else could say way more eloquently, but i digress. i dunno everything about them is so nuts to me!!!!! needless to say i will be incredibly sat for the game january 21 🙂‍↕️

thank you again for your time :) hope you have a good one and a happy rest of the holiday season! <3333333

what a lovely message to receive 🥰😭🥹 i had to break it up into chunks because i couldn't sit down to read all of it at once without just. bouncing right back up and shrieking. i am also at heart terribly shy so i understand the struggle but it is never too late to say something <3 you are always welcome here

first!!! i love sharing!! i think most of hockey tumblr loves to see people finding out the Lore for the first time and the wonderful thing about hockey is that. it keeps going on. so there's years and years and generations and generations and always something new to learn about. i've learned to just not be afraid to ask!!! between different teams and players i'm always discovering new narratives (learning about the sharks old man yaoi rn... cbj rarepairs...)

no... to my heart's despair... you have the timeline right. i think in the best most tragic sense there's a mcstrome narrative where it is truly that nothing went wrong. the love was there. we couldn't do enough to save it because we didn't see it slipping away. i didn't notice when you didn't call until you never did. i don't know you now but i still remember when i did, do you?

HE'S NOT YOUR WAITING ROOM?? passing out. i do see "i hope you get everything you ever wanted and i hope i never hear a word about it" as them because!! they didn't go to each other's weddings!!! i don't wish you harm but i'm not going to put myself through that!! i hope you're happy and i'm never going to look on purpose.

i love dylan strome so much and the best part is that they all love him so much too. he wore a cool vintage ovechkin jacket!! and got slapped in the face with a tortilla!! he loves to gently rag on the rookies!! it just takes some time, everything'll be just fine. you're only on the middle of the ride.

OKAY WHEN I READ THIS PART I SCREAMED BECAUSE I DO HAVE A MCSTROME PLAYLIST AND!!!! HOT & HEAVY BY LUCY DACUS IS IN FACT ON IT!!! SO IS CUT YOUR BANGS (BUT BY GIRLPOOL SO DOUBLE JINX)!!!! i have dorothea by taylor swift on there but i don't know happiness so i'll have to give all the other songs a listen. mostly i just shrieked because i was like NO YOU GOT THE VIBES EXACTLY

🧠〰️🧠 truly the mind meld happening here. the handshake line. the mutual wedding non-invitations. i won't block your number or your name on twitter i just hope i don't see it come up on screen!! i do think that we got confirmation the last time they played each other that dylan did text him to say congrats on a milestone but i would have to check the archives

p.s. i think you said it perfectly eloquently :) what matters is that you said it at all and i was delighted to read it 💕

[ardri-na-bpiteog]

Personal shit in the tags

[keeps-ache]

okay i'm out of evil mode. peace love and a little bit of still-tired on planet earth lol 🧃