#there must be many more we don't know about

[earthtooz]

Rin is definitely the type of boyfriend who gets flustered when you praise him and tell him how cute he is

FOR SUREEEEE, gn!reader, new relationship rin so he's a bit clueless.

“what are these bags for?” 

itoshi rin stands before your doorway with multiple grocery bags in his hands, all stuffed to the brim. he doesn’t let you help, striding into your apartment without a care in the world. granted, he probably lifts more at the gym, so you doubt some groceries would inconvenience him. he doesn’t even struggle when he places them on your kitchen counter.

“they're for you.” 

your eyes widen a little. “everything?”

“is that problem?”

“no- it’s just that you bought so many things,” you murmur, rummaging through the bags. inside you see numerous packagings of the same product, all in different flavours. “you bought... chips, cookies, cakes, milk, and melon pan?”

“there's matcha and strawberry as well.”

“rin," you huff, shaking your head. "as much as i appreciate your thoughtfulness, this is a bit much.”

he tucks his hands in his pockets. “i didn’t know which ones you liked, so i bought one of every flavour.”

“you could have just called and asked.”

rin blinks at you before averting his gaze, shyness overtaking him. “i… didn’t want to bother you.”

suddenly, two cold hands cup his cheeks, forcing him to look back at you and your cool skin is a nice contrast to the sudden heat that creeps up his neck.

“you're so cute,” you murmur.

then he feels you press a kiss to the corner of his lips, and his eyes widen. your warmth- the heat of your body pressed against his, always sends his brain into overdrive, and his whole face is flushed red by the time you part from him.

"you will never be a bother, message or call whenever you want." you reassure, the athlete watching you like a hawk as you take a step back to go through the bags. "you even bought some things i've never tried before! we can eat them together."

rin wants to listen. really, he does, but all he can think about is how he wants you to kiss him again, except he doesn't think he can utter a coherent sentence.

'you're so cute', he keeps repeating your words over and over again to try and wrap his head around the fact that you find him cute.

you even sealed it with a kiss.

"this must have been so expensive," you mutter while picking out every item. "i should pay you back for this-"

he scoffs. "you don't need to pay me back, that's stupid. i got these for you because i wanted to."

rin feels your arms circle around his torso, your face burying into the cashmere of his sweater and then he feels you squeeze him even tighter. "you're so sweet. i really have the best boyfriend."

the heat rushes back to his cheeks. this time, you notice it.

"are you blushing?" the turn of his head is instantaneous, hiding his flustered face from you.

"no."

"you're cute when you lie."

he grows even redder.

© EARTHTOOZ 2025, do not steal, translate, repost my fics and do not recommend my fics onto any other site.

[archangeldyke-all]

I’m BEGGING for angst to fluff to casual by Chappell with Sevika

I’m PLEADING for “working opening shifts/weekday shifts when Sevika doesn’t come in at the last drop” to Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers and reader falls in love with Sevika once they finally meet. (I will physically pay you for this one xx)

ohhhh my gosh the phoebe one..... holy shit...

listen to punisher here

men and minors dni

i love a good place to hide in plain sight...

you're one of the most popular nameless faces in zaun.

you know the name of every of the last drop's regular customers. you overhear gossip and plans and drama about some of the biggest people in the city. the liquor you slide across the bar for a living makes everybody's lips loose, and you know more secrets than any one person should know.

but nobody knows your name.

customers call theiram 'chuck.'

they call you 'doll.'

you don't mind it. knowing how to go unnoticed, how to keep your head down-- that's what's kept you alive this long in zaun.

but it gets lonely.

when there's a birthday at the bar, you're the one to pass out party hats and pull out the sparklers. last year, you ate a cupcake alone on your front porch to celebrate your own.

when you bump into strangers on the street on your walks home, you apologize with a duck of your head. it's either your familiar face and the fact that you pour their drinks; or the meek way you shrink in on yourself-- but they let you go each time.

when you clock out, if you're lucky, you'll time your leaving to overlap with sevika's arrival. and, for just a moment, you can pretend that she knows you as well as you know her.

what if i told you i feel like i know you?

you've known sevika your whole life.

you're certain she doesn't recall, but when you were children, sevika caught you shivering and cold-- the cardboard box you were living in soaked through with rain. she lent you a jacket and all the pocket change she had. she even smiled at you.

you were a barback when she was running with vander. you were there when she turned her back on the man-- when she chose her city over her friend.

you were there to watch her deteriorate under silco's employ. first her arm, then the various beatings she'd be doled each month, then the arrival of the dark bags under her eyes.

on occasion, she'll get belligerently drunk, loitering at the bar far after close, there to greet you when you open again the next day. on these days, you're the one to give her a glass of water and walk her home safely. her home is always a mess. the star patterned blanket you pull over her shoulders is so old it must be from her childhood.

but we never met...

silco dies, and everything goes to shit.

there's a week there where you're too busy avoiding the grey to worry about work.

and then there's the war.

and then...

the last drop is just a pile of rubble. jinx and isha are just as dead as the bar. and sevika is named ambassador.

here everyone knows you're the way to my heart. hear so many stories of you at the bar. most times alone, and some looking your worst. but never not sweet to the trust funds and punishers...

ran and thieram rebuild the bar. they offer you a job. you're right back where you've always been-- standing behind a bar and eavesdropping on people with real lives.

from time to time, you'll hear about sevika.

sevika, who's lost everything. sevika, who lives in piltover now. the thought makes you snort-- you can only imagine the glare permanently imprinted on her face now.

sevika starts welfare programs for zaun, slowly but surely. schools open, widows and orphans are paid, and more bridges start being built across the river.

sevika doesn't smoke. sevika doesn't drink. she quit for a girl who's dead now. but occasionally you'll hear that she's been sulking around piltoverian bars, nursing a fizzy juice and looking haunted.

you'll hear that she doesn't scowl at people who approach her anymore, instead, she signs pictures of herself with a resigned smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

you'll hear rumors that ambassador sevika can sometimes be heard quietly crying from her office.

sometimes, you'll walk by her old apartment. you wonder who lives there now. you wonder if she remembers those walks, if she remembers you.

you know she doesn't.

still, it doesn't stop you from crying for her.

i can't open my mouth and forget how to talk, 'cause even if i could i wouldn't know where to start, wouldn't know when to stop.

sevika's all alone in piltover and you're all alone in zaun. you wish you'd said something to her but you don't know when you could've.

maybe when you were kids, though you didn't know you were in love with her then.

maybe when you were strangers, though she would've simply laughed at your words.

maybe before she left zaun, though it happened so fucking fast.

you trail down the winding streets of the city she built, sipping on a bottle of her favorite whiskey, crying for her. for how lonely she must be. for how much she lost. you find yourself in front of her old home, like your feet have a mind of their own.

for a moment, you let yourself close your eyes and pretend that you're walking her home again. the woman you've loved your whole life-- the woman who doesn't know your name. you imagine the drunken slur of her voice, the stumble of her mis-matched boots, the warmth of her arm around your shoulders.

"dollface?" someone asks. your eyes fly open, and you blink at the woman in front of you. "what're you doin' here?"

sevika's wearing pajamas, her hair's a mess. she's got sand in her eyes that she's rubbing gently as she examines you from her front stoop.

you blink then stumble forward, reaching a shaky hand out to grab sevika's shoulder. she's real, solid and warm under your grasp. you gasp.

"have you been crying?" sevika whispers, her voice soft, her touch even softer as she reaches up to cup your cheeks.

there are a million things you want to say. i love you. i miss you. i am so sorry for you. for what happened to you. what are you doing here, don't you live in piltover? you look so tired. let me hold you, just for a day? let me tell you every single thing i love about you, i've got a list that's thirty years in the making. do you know who i am? do you know my real name? do you remember the nights you'd walk home with me under your arm? do you know those were the best nights of my life? do you remember when we were kids and you lent me your jacket? do you know i still sleep with it under my pillow?

but sevika's time with the pilties must've really softened her up, because instead of telling you to scram or spit it out, sevika reaches forward and pulls you in for a hug. "it's good to see you." she whispers against your shoulder.

you sob as you cling to her.

you don't think you'll ever stop crying.

you don't think you'll ever let go.

taglist!

@fyeahnix @lavendersgirl @half-of-a-gay @thesevi0lentdelights @sexysapphicshopowner

@kissyslut @chuucanchuucan @badbye666 @femme-historian @lia-winther

@lavenderbabu @emiliabby @sevikasbeloved @hellorai @my-taintedheart

@glass-apothecary @macaroni676 @artinvain @k3n-dyll @sevsdollette

@ellieslob @xayn-xd @keikuahh @maneskinwh0re @raphaellearp

@iamastar @sevikitty @mascdom @nhaaauyen @annesunshiner

@mirconreadzztuff22 @veoomvroom @lushh-s3vik4s @katyawooga @lesbodietcoke

@strawberrykidneystone @sevikasfan @fict1onallyobsessed @dvrkhcld @sweetybuzz25

@sluttysierraaa @snake-in-a-flower-crown @ruiwonderz @littlemisszaunite @biblicalcrybaby

@blackgaladriel @nightlyconfusion @dancingqu33n17 @losernb

[accio-victuuri]

Xiao Zhan Portrait Magazine Interview 📝

🎤: xiao zhan, we actually filmed a cover back then in 2019, and then in interview video, we also filmed a five year video. the last sentence in that video is what do you expect xiao zhan to look like in the next five years. five years have passed now, i want to know what kind of person xiao zhan has become.

XZ: just now, during the filming process they showed me an interview from five years ago and then when i saw the ending — i think it's amazing. at that time five years felt like a long time, at that time i thought i didn't know where i would be in five years, and then what i will become. now five years have passed in the blink of an eye, i feel like something has changed but it also feel like nothing has changed. it seems like everything has undergone an subtle changes but in reality it seems that nothing has changed. it's a wonderful feeling. i can't use words nor statements such as "change" and "unchanged" and then describe it.

🎤: in those five years there will be a lot of growth. i actually want to know what do you think is your biggest growth.

XZ: i feel calm and composed. i feel like i have became a little more self-reflective.

🎤: compared to oneself — what does this self refer to?

XZ: because i have always believed in the words "self" and "freedom" i think those are very neutral word. my former self words is that we will consider all aspects to visual. as i mentioned in my previous interview — i am very concerned about how other perceive me, i care a lot about others' opinions about me. but perhaps over the past five years we have walked slowly along the way so now i think it's more about asking oneself, and then based on one's own opinions

🎤: you will have a persistence, so to be honest whether it's five years or something else do you think you have something firm that it won't change from you?

XZ: of course there will be.

🎤: what is it?

XZ: i remember i said this before — i remember a friend of mine told me "you may not know what you want, but you must know what you don't want" i think this has never changed.

🎤: what do you not want?

XZ: there are many things i don't want.

🎤: can you share with me an example?

XZ: for example — something that is luxurious but uncomfortable, or something that i feel not suitable for me.

🎤: i see, because i actually meet you now there are also quite a few changes. one of them is starting to exercise now right

XZ: yes!

🎤: and over the five years i actually want to know if have there been any changes in the control of your own body or some changes perception of body?

XZ: actually i have been working out all along. for the past exercise i may have been more pursuit to be a little thinner so there are used to be a lot of aerobic work done before, but now it's actually more about stability, to be more calm, so more importantly i did some strength training.

🎤: i feel that sometimes the passage of time also means that we grow up or even get older, so sometimes you may suddenly realize that your control over your body or your own experiences are little different from before.

XZ: just like when i just watched the interview video from five years ago then in the middle of conversation i just saw myself in the mirror i feel like it's an improved version from the past then now. is it a widened version or narrowed version. i can't say for sure. i don't know where are the subtle changes have occurred — maybe it's about appearance, then it could be the body shape or it may be a state. in every aspect i feel the person in the mirror is a plus version of myself that i just saw in the video. then if we talk about mentality, i think there have been many changes.

🎤:what you say — maybe five years about the body you just mentioned. i want to know if you have had a moment of spiritual freedom in the past five years.

XZ: the most spiritual freedom moment?

🎤: yes, the most spiritual freedom moment.

XZ: actually i feel that i have been relatively free and relaxed for a period of time. it was during joining the filming crew. on the contrary when i was on the set. i don't think it's like a job but more like creating a work — creating a character, the process of creating a character so i am actually very invested.

🎤: so you may feel that speaking of a relative freedom it's when you completely immersed yourself in this character. is it to some extent of isolation from real life. let's said like that?

XZ: it can be said like that.

🎤: i actually remember the reason why you referred to five years as it back then it's because from an ordinary person no matter what or rather entering the entertainment industry as a non actor and then during 2015 and now 5 years have passed. you have actually been in the entertainment industry for 10 years. will there be any changes in the perception of the entertainment industry.

XZ: woah it's been 10 years?

🎤: we can have a 5 years term of 15 days which is 10 years.

XZ: what changes have occurred? — i don't think there has been any change. there hasn't been any change. i think it's relatively achievable, their scope is relatively simple…yes relative simple.

🎤: do you remember the last time i asked you a question? if you are not an actor what would you do. do you remember your answer?

XZ: it's to open a bakery.

🎤: yes. be a baker. i also want to ask this question now. if one day you don't work as an actor anymore what could be your next career? or what do you want to do?

XZ: perhaps…there will still be to opening a bakery. although there may be many practical problems encountered but i still really want to (open a bakery) because i think it's a very happy thing.

🎤: and if we talk about now. does 33 years old xiao zhan have something special? for example the so-called moment of collapse? or it could be a regretful breakdown of the realm.

XZ: i think it might be when acting there are really…i don't think it can be considered a breakdown but i think it's the hurdle. you may not be able to step over but you and i will try every possible way.

🎤: you want to do it better.

XZ: yes, when encountering some obstacles during acting it may make me feel a bit overwhelmed at the moment like — "why can't i do it…" when that hurdle remained insurmountable, it's something that makes me feel a little overwhelmed.

🎤: is there a so-called moment of compromise.

XZ: i don't think it can be considered a compromise right? but i'll do as much as possible. probably the final result may not have been achieved by you today. perhaps it will be resolved by looking back at the present after a few days.

🎤: actually i think something speaking of adults is actually a process of constantly recognizing boundaries as you just said, actually sometimes the so-called compromise is also a process of recognizing the boundaries. do you have that feeling of like you suddenly realized that in all aspects you actually has boundaries there?

XZ: of course i think this can be considered a rule. you can understand it this way.

🎤: if we actually said that five years have passed what will the next xiao zhan look like? have you ever thought about what kind of xiao zhan you hope to be in five years? at that time you will be 38 years old.

XZ: what do i hope xiao zhan looks like? i hope he can have a great time.

🎤: that’s all? is there or what kind of actor will he become?

XZ: no no no…i don't hope much…i just want him to be happy, to have a very happy life.

🎤: do you still dream frequently now? what was your most recent dream?

XZ: i haven’t had a dream for a long time.

🎤: do you often suffer from insomnia?

XZ:: there might be just a little time to sleep, there is bit of difficulty.

🎤: because we often say everyone actually has their own memory building i want to know in your memory — is there a moment that leave you with a recurring memory or could it been repeatedly reminded to you.

XZ:: the last time i dreamed was probably about the place where i used to live when i was a child. it's an old residential building and then our house is on the fifth floor. i remember what the aisle looked like.

🎤: seems to have gone back again

XZ: yes, and then it's really amazing, the structure of the room, and then the people. my parents and grandparents both. everyone is still stuck in that time because it was when i was still a child.

🎤: have you ever wondered why you keep dreaming about that repeatedly?

XZ: this might feel strange but maybe to me it's bit like a safe house. yes, a safe house. this kind of existence may occur when i feel tired or unhappy. maybe, i just want to go back.

🎤: your case reminds me of my previous interview with zhu deyong. he is a taiwanese cartoonist — he said that every time he felt unsafe he will go back to his childhood house in his mind, and he will go patrol room by room then use his memory to build the entire house. he can even see the most delicate table, the chair, and all the vivid memories.

XZ: i was like this in my dream. the kitchen at home, then the restroom, the living room, the two bedrooms, the structural cabinets of the balcony, at the time even the exhaust fan that never replaced. it's either a range hood or a wonderful one — all the details are clear and precise.

🎤: will that make you feel at ease?

XZ: i don't know either but instead of getting up…after waking up there will be a little feeling of loss and melancholy.

🎤: your childhood was particularly happy.

XZ:: my childhood…it's very happy.

🎤: so to some extent that’s also a way for you to nourish yourself.

XZ: yes

🎤: because i know you were actually a designer before and then you can also draw. so do you sometimes draw things about it? for example are you still drawing now? can you draw your childhood house?

XZ: no..but you reminded me. i can give it a try

🎤: it's because i feel like you will rebuilding your memories, some kind of similarity. it is also a very good feedback for yourself.

XZ: it's very good.

🎤: actually it's been five years to some extent…family members also aging. do you have this feeling? like i feel like my parents are getting older?

XZ: i do. but every time i try to stir up emotions then do it with them and message them they will immediately jump out and say "i'm playing ball now" so i don't have time to tell them otherwise my mom and i are out on a road trip again. she will says just be good to yourself, you will feel better okay? they are…very happy.

🎤: they are doing well, so they actually don't have the anxiety of aging at all.

XZ: they are full of power. so i think they are the object of my learning.

🎤: have you asked them why do you think they have no such anxiety at all? like they should think of it.

XZ: i have no idea. so i envy them very much. i really envy them. i learn from them this mentality.

🎤: we just asked our photographer. he has had a lot of contact with you in the five past years he says he will feel your current sense of security or rather your sense of relaxation is gradually increasing especially this year. so i don't know yet if it's a cue do you think there will be something this year that will make you suddenly feel this kind of openness or relaxation?

XZ: i think it’s very subtle because i believe life is not a novel not a movie, not a script. i didn't have a suddenly awakening point right? i think it't a long process, it’s a gradual accumulation then slowly and slowly some changes occurred. so you are asked me when it all started at which moment which i don't really know. but i can only feel like i'm here right now, i don't care that much, maybe it will be better.

🎤: i remember asking you back then 'are you smiling when you're happy' you said "i can't say i'm happy but i'm lucky”

XZ: i also feel very happy now, i am very lucky now

🎤: if you say so then i was also very happy it was a perfect five years. i think if you say so are lucky and happy in five years this show you have actually gone very far in the past five years. how to say this..you may not always gone so smoothly but you really is. so it's better to it to go smoothly. i hope the next five years will be smoother.

XZ: yes, just like what i do every year. people will ask me what kind of blessings do you have for yourself in the new year or give it to someone who likes you? i will says "safe and smooth" people may think that being smooth and healthy is so simple but let's think of it carefully it's not that simple at all. it's again a wish, a blessings.

🎤: so if you want to say something to everyone in 2025…

XZ: it still the same sentence "safe and smooth" i think it's safe and smooth for now then other will come follow naturally.

🎤: alright that's all for now. i have no other questions left. i am looking forward to the next five years with you.

XZ: thank you

[neonmaycry]

This may not be entirely on topic, but… we also need to remember that communists are often credited with achievements in women's rights, but even on thematic resources you can read that these achievements are the achievements of feminists themselves, not the party, and attributing achievements in women's rights to the party is absurd and misogynistic

If the party were really concerned about the attitude towards women and women's rights, then at the very beginning of the revolution women would not have been forced to go out with posters saying "universal suffrage without women is not universal", then the party would not have made "feminist decisions" and spoken offensively about "solving the women's question", which is aimed at repealing almost all previous decisions regarding women's rights. If the party really paid attention to women and their achievements, we would know about the confrontation between white feminists, who supported the monarchy and "traditional" power in the empire, and red feminists, who believed that achieving women's rights was impossible under the monarchy and that it needed to be destroyed in order to build "something better" on the ruins and ashes of the previous empire

We always talk about how the USSR was the first to give women certain rights, but we don't read further about how an additional burden was placed on women, where they are still the only person who does all the housework, but now they are also officially obliged to work, and then the party again decided that women have too easy a life and began to propagate that a woman must definitely give birth to many more children. Moreover the party like a lying husband's: only feeds with promises of a good life, but at best does nothing and you have to do everything yourself, or usually only makes things worse

Many Western communists unironically believe that the USSR was a very feminist and queer-friendly country, but if you know Russian and can read real stories on the topic, rather than English-language propaganda about rainbows, butterflies, and the friendship of peoples, then you will never in your life have the audacity to say that everything was fine in the USSR with women's or queer rights. Women and queers. NOT the bourgeoisie, but ordinary women and queers.

Something more pseudo-communists on this site need to start understanding is that while the theory may go on and on about killing the rich and creating a classless society, that has never been the case in practice and it never will be.

The revolution in Russia targeted the Tsar, targeted the upper class, killed (though often just put them under house arrest) the rich - sure. But then what happened? It was justified to kill anyone who didn't support the revolution as degeneracy. The Jews are ruining our utopia because they're behind capitalism. The Queers are ruining our utopia because they're destroying the family unit. The ex-serfs are ruining our utopia because they're stuck in the Russian Empire in belief.

When a movement begins with violence, it will always continue in violence. The violence will always be justified, and will always find a new target - because the intention is violence.

Cambodia targeted the Khmer who were 'too western'. Russia targeted the marginalized. China targets religious minority ethnic groups. Among others, just examples.

When Russia's revolution began killing the rich the rich just moved to France and returned later, after millions of poor people died from starvation, militant governmental policies and war. Rich people can afford to survive your rEvOLuTiOn. Poor people can not and will not by the millions.

The real target is NEVER the "Rich" and ALWAYS the people "in the way", who more often than not, are marginalized.

You can NOT be for marginalized communities and continue evangelizing communism. The economy is built on exploitation, whether it's run by the working party (Which lmfao it usually actually isn't, in reality), or the upper class.

[tiredandoptimistic]

What I think works so well about Clary and Isabelle's friendship is that they're very similar people, but they present themselves just differently enough to appear alien to each other. Both of them were the only girls in a group of boys (Isabelle was raised more or less isolated with Alec and Jace, while Clary doesn't seem to have any friends other than Simon and to a lesser extent his band), and they responded to this in very different ways. Isabelle basically committed herself to her role of "the girl" and always performs extreme femininity, while Clary attempts to sink into the background as "one of the guys." Both of these behaviors can be seen as rebellions against their culture. Isabelle comes from the very misogynist world of Shadowhunters, where women are respected as warriors but expected to act in a masculine way in order to earn that respect. She rejects this, and proves her place as a brilliant fighter while maintaining her fun and glossy feminine traits (compare her with Jessamine Lovelace, who was seen as silly and frivolous for her feminine interests). Clary on the other hand is a child of the nineties growing up in NYC. As a teenage girl in the early 2000s, she would have been surrounded by "not like other girls" philosophy, and hyperfemininity would be both pushed on her and demonized in popular culture. Because of all the pressure placed on gender roles and her lack of connection with other girls her age, it's no surprise that Clary would develop a certain bitterness towards people who perform gender in a way she won't.

With all of that out of the way, we get two teenage girls who have no fucking clue how to handle each other. They're both jealous of how the other one fits in with the guys in a way they can't. Obviously any friend group is made up of friendships which fit together in unique ways, but Clary and Isabelle both see themselves as The Girl, and thus are worried that the other one will make them redundant (Clary gets along with Jace, so will he still need Isabelle? Isabelle and Simon are getting along, will this take away Clary's place as Simon's most important person?) Of course this isn't something that will actually ruin their friendships, but Clary and Isabelle don't know that. Instead they need to learn how to engage with each other, and I enjoy that TMI actually shows them having those conversations. They're trying, but it doesn't all happen at once. Clary still has bitter thoughts about Isabelle's femininity, and she also looks down on other girls like Maia.

Speaking of Maia, there's a really good moment in COA where Clary starts grumbling to herself about how unfair it is that a werewolf can be pretty, and that Maia should be gross and hairy. She then catches herself, and literally thinks "this is exactly why I don't have any female friends," showing that thanks to Isabelle she's learning to recognize her internalized misogyny. She can hang out with other pretty girls, and it doesn't decrease her value as a person.

It's just so nice seeing a character whose internalized misogyny is actively acknowledged by the narrative and treated as a flaw she must overcome. So many female protagonists in the early 2000s (and other decades) had the hyper-femme "best friend" who they hated, but even though that's how Clary sees Izzy at first, she's able to look past it and see the ways they click together. The two of them don't become besties immediately, but they're at least able to get past that first layer of hostility.

[betweenthescarletmoon]

Random Thoughts on the Arcane Fandom about Jayce

this is gonna be a mess but I have nowhere else to talk about this.

I've recently noticed how Jayce Talis has been subjected to all kinds of sexualization since the drop of Act 2 of the second season. People have mentioned many times how trauma has made him "hot". A good and well-known example of this is Danny Motta's reaction to episode 5, where he said, "Holy shit, they made Jayce hot! [...] My dude went from looking like a Muppet to the king of Rohan, and all it took was a little bit of trauma."

This isn't entirely new for him? If people didn't hate Jayce back in S1, they ogled him in the scene where he works on the Forge shirtless, which IS kinda the point because the animators are making him very obviously attractive. But most importantly, he as a character has been reduced to his sexual or romantic relationships since the beginning of time.

It seems that S2 is a response to this in a way. His arc from the ending of S1, where he took responsibility of his actions out of guilt for the child he killed, was slightly set aside for Viktor. Well, ALL of his life, dreams, decisions, everything about him was eclipsed by Viktor's shadow because of the whole "all times, all possibilities" twist. He wasn't expected to show up as a Councilor in any of the meetings, and we must assume he quits at some point, but he surely hasn't resigned from his position by the time Viktor wakes up. Apart from that much needed scene between him and Cait, and the one where he attends the memorial (and is attacked by a vengeful mother), we don't see many of his decisions or what leads him to make them, other than Viktor. This is beautiful in a way because we can SEE how it is a trauma response to losing him. He is obsessive by nature, and he clings to what keeps him and his loved ones safe excessively, but I still had to do a bit of mental gymnastics as to why he went back on the second promise: to not build Hextech weapons again. (Hint: it has to do with the fact that VI saved him with HIS weapon, but it went so fast it's hard to process in the first watch.)

Now back to the sexualization problem. Every time I look up his name and trauma, or PTSD, 95% of the results are thirst edits on Tiktok about how hot he is. No joke. One of the more serious results is my own edit. Of course, a lot of people connect with his suffering without naming it as trauma, and that is great. My concern is that there has been so much focus on Jinx's trauma, Viktor's trauma, even Silco's trauma (which are all valid and fascinating to explore), but there's less attention for other characters who clearly show how their own traumatic experiences has shaped them. Vi, Caitlyn, and Jayce are some of the clearest examples of this, and they've experienced some truly heinous things in the show. Trauma cannot be compared, ever. But why is it that Jayce, who lived through an apocalypse that HE knows HE caused, and lives in complete isolation except the "company" of metal watchers, to the point that he loses touch with reality, and is changed so irrevocably that he loses the naivety and starry-eyed optimism that has always defined him...is seen as hot? And more importantly, why is it that there is very little attention to his experiences on that cave? Every scene between him and Viktor is uploaded in 1080 HD quality, but the scenes of him alone? Fighting to survive? Showing remarkable resilience in the face of his suffering? No, that's not as fun. Not a single one of those scenes is uploaded fully, and I have checked many times. (Some people have actually skipped those scenes to focus on Timebomb. I'm...)

I went online and looked up "why do people sexualize traumatized characters" because let's face it, it's real, it's interesting, and I cannot judge or else I am a hypocrite. Bucky Barnes, Loki, Ellie Williams, Dean Winchester, Vi herself, the list goes on much longer but I can't think of others off the top of my head. We connect with their suffering, and we are pulled by their experiences.

However, Jayce is such a complicated case because he is usually thought of as the greedy himbo that fumbled two baddies, or the confused bisexual, or the guy who lost it because of a situationship (much like Vi, who DID NOT lose it because of a failed romantic endeavor bfr). And then the plot goes and tells us, "Actually, yeah, his life outside of Viktor doesn't matter, he's not even supposed to be alive, because Viktor saved him. All of time is completely inextricable from Viktor." People hate meljay because she manipulated him and "trapped" him in a relationship or something, only to celebrate it when something suspiciously similar happens with the male romantic interest? I initially thought it was beautiful too, bc Soulmates, but man. Mage!Viktor really left the man he loved to rot in complete isolation, eating raw reptiles until throwing up, losing his mind. Say what you want about the allegory for Viktor's life, at least Viktor's isolation was metaphorical up until the Glorious Evolution.

Despite us being shown this, people make thirst edits of him in his black fit, and fighting with sexual tension with Viktor. I fear...that I am the only one who finds this tragic. The man forced to create a larger than life persona to sell his work and be seen as an attractive pawn of the system, has become the attractive pawn of the narrative. Viktor's narrative.

Perhaps Viktor was forgotten by the world. But Jayce's kind heart, and brave soul, were forgotten by us.

Just some thoughts to chew about my favorite character and my wish that more people focused on his arc with me

[theliteraryarchitect]

Hi, this is a really specific situation, but I'm at a loss. I had an accident that left me with lasting brain issues, and my writing has taken a hit. I went from being able to churn out a 3k word chapter in a day to needing an hour to write 50 words. I have so many ideas but can't express them, and I hate writing as a result. I know practice and just pushing through are going to be the main pieces of advice, but do you have any other suggestions or resources for someone who is having to re-learn how to be a writer?

Hey there! First off, I’m so sorry this response took me so long. Your Ask really stuck with me, and I wanted to give it the thought and care it deserves.

I can’t imagine how frustrating and heartbreaking it must be to go through such a big shift in your writing process. Losing that ease and flow—especially when you have so many ideas—is a huge adjustment. It’s a testament to your creativity and drive that you’re still thinking about how to keep writing despite the challenges.

You’re absolutely right that practice and pushing through are often the go-to advice, but I think it’s equally important to give yourself permission to grieve what’s changed. Writing can feel like such a core part of who we are, and when it’s harder than it used to be, it’s natural to feel a sense of loss.

Here are a few suggestions that might help as you navigate this:

1. Try Different Mediums: If typing feels like slogging through mud, maybe experiment with dictation software or voice-to-text tools. Speaking your ideas aloud could help you capture more words without the same strain.

2. Focus on Smaller Goals: Instead of trying to write full chapters, set tiny, manageable goals—like jotting down a single image or one sentence that excites you. Those little wins can add up and feel more achievable.

3. Explore New Ways of Outlining: If you’re struggling to get the words out, focus on the ideas instead. Create bullet points, mind maps, or even doodles to capture the essence of your story without the pressure of fully fleshed-out prose.

4. Be Kind to Yourself: This is the hardest one, but it’s so important. Writing isn’t just about the final product; it’s about the joy of creating. Even if the words come slower, every step you take is progress.

And don't forget to give yourself a ton of credit! Re-learning how to write in a way that works for you now is an incredible act of resilience. You’re still a writer, and your stories are still worth telling, even if the path looks different.

Hope this helps!

Bucket

/ / / / / / / / / / /

@theliteraryarchitect is a writing advice blog run by me, Bucket Siler, a writer and developmental editor. For more writing help, download my Free Resource Library for Fiction Writers, join my email list, or check out my book The Complete Guide to Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.

[genderqueerdykes]

100% on the cis women can be dangerous too. It kinda bothers me when I see "no men" queer events in my area, my partner understands that its for women who generally don't feel safe around men and want a space just for women, but I've said that theres no way to enforce and separate just men without excluding people who would benefit from that space also.

and I'm AFAB and genderfluid, I tend to look more masculine because of hormones and not being white. I use womens spaces, so from just my own experience I've been harassed, assaulted, yelled at, policed, and discriminated against more from women than from men. I understand that's probably just because of me using those spaces, and I do kind of agree with my partner that women should have spaces for women, I just don't feel inherently safe being in spaces that are women only.

god that's so terrible, i'm so sorry, i actually have feelings on this that i haven't touched on before, so thank you for sending this ask

and I'm AFAB and genderfluid, I tend to look more masculine because of hormones and not being white. I use womens spaces, so from just my own experience I've been harassed, assaulted, yelled at, policed, and discriminated against more from women than from men. I understand that's probably just because of me using those spaces, and I do kind of agree with my partner that women should have spaces for women, I just don't feel inherently safe being in spaces that are women only.

the thing about this is that queer spaces are not women's only spaces. you're being alienated from spaces that you should belong to. queer spaces do not men "women only". if someone wants to make groups for queer women that are only for queer women, fine, but if they're general queer spaces, especially like trans and lesbian spaces, other people MUST be allowed to participate. not every single queer identity is centered around women.

i agree with you that women should have spaces for women. and you know what? we do! they're called women's support and resource groups. they exist in many, MANY places. even towns in the middle of nowhere end up having women's support groups. women's hospitals, women's shelters, women's hobby groups... they're out there. i have NO clue why people are trying to turn the queer community into one big """women's safe space""" but it's not right. it's because of rad fems and people are listening to them.

the queer community isn't a "women's safe space". if you think that queer spaces need to be "women's safe spaces," you're actually thinking of women's spaces. you're thinking of women's support groups. if you doubt me, please google this:

these are genuinely real places and events that happen. we don't have to try to turn the entire queer community into one big "women's safe space". trans men need safe places to go. queer men need safe places to go. genderqueer and non binary people need places to go. gays need safe places to go. intersex people need safe places to go. questioning trans women and trans women who are also men need safe places to go.

take care of yourself, anon. this behavior is just ridiculous. it's out of control

[quitealotofsodapop]

Wukog stomped his foot, glaring at his Master.

"Master, they would not hesitate to kill us! Why should we show them mercy when they hold up signs of remorse or change!?" Wukong growled, gesturing towards the bandits, one dead and all other either unconcious, beaten, or tied up, "All letting them live does is let them free to kill and rob more people!"

"It is not out place to decide their fates, Wukong." Tripitaka simply stated, hand held in a prayer sign, "Karma shall come to all eventually, but it is by the Buddha's will, not our vengeance."

"And what if that's why we met them!?" Wukong shot back, "We are on a mission ordained by the Buddha's will, it'd make sense for those who deserve retribution to be put in our path and face karma!"

Tripitaka's brow twitched in annoyance as he smacked the monkey lightly upside the head with his shakujō, "Enough. It is not our place to question the Buddha's intentions. Or have you forgotten that you yourself once faced death and destruction at the hands of those who would not have shown you mercy if not for the Buddha's grace? Many would claim that you and our fellow brothers would deserve no second chances, yet the Bodhisattva Guanyin had chosen to give her mercy upon you and gave you this opportunity. Would it not be prudent to share this blessing to others?"

Wukong grumbled as he turned away, rubbing st the spot where the staff had lightly tapped him. It wasn't meant to hsrn or cause pain in any way, not at all like Sutra. Guess the argument wasn't enough to invoke the monk's wrath.

"I still say it's a stupid risk."

"I would listen to your little master, monkey." The bandit leader, a demon cat with a missing eye, sneered, "Who knows what you might lose if you don't!?"

"I have no reason to listen to a cutthroat!" Wukong lowered back at the cat. How a group of humans managed to get a cat demon amongst their ranks he has no idea. One who apparently found his annoyance amusing as he jsut laughed at Wukong's threat.

"Hey, Shut up!" Wukong barked, shaking him by the scruff. He only stopped, throwing the cat to the ground and stomped off when Tripitaka's voice barked, "wukong, thats enough! Put him down! He is just trying to get a rise form you, ignore him."

"Oh yes, ignore me!" The cat snickered, "But then, if you do, what would happen to the dear prince?"

Wukong paused, tail twitching as Tripitaka furrowed his brows. Their fellow Pilgrims, having been watching the show from the sidelines, glanced at each other in confusion. What prince!? They were ambushed on the side of a road. Miles from any civilization.

"I'm not sure what you mean." Tripitaka admitted, "We... aren't anywhere near any kingdom we know of, much less a prince in peril."

"Your king know what I'm talking about." The cat purred, "You might hold the Monkey King's leash, but how loyal is he when faced with a decision."

"How dare you!" Wukong snarled, "I would never betray my brothers!"

"Even if it meant the life or death of your son?"

Tripitaka sucked his breath his as Wukong's grip on his staff turned white with stiff he got. Silence rang through the clearing as they absorbed what the cat demon had said. Eventually Baije coughed, splattering.

"You must be lying, Brother Wukong doesn't have a kid! We would know, right?"

All eyes turned to the monkey. His fir was bristled, his hands trembled, and his face darkened as he hid it, refusing to look at any of them. Ao Lie tentatively approached, reaching a hand out to touch his arm. "Brother? You're shaking."

He flinched as Wukogn shook his arm off, hands clenched at his side, face tilted inwards.

"...Where?"

The first sign of life out of Wukong was a whisper, do quiet and chilling, it took a moment for Tripitaka to realize it had been his student who had spoken. Air got heavy and magic roared to life within it, Wukong's emotions squirling into a typhoon of magic centered around himself, only percievable as a heavy aura about him.

"Brother?" Sha Wujing cautiously questioned pulling Tripitaka closer. When Wukong finally turned they caught their breath as his eyes, blazing red with the most terrible rage they'd yet seen glowed, highlighting the tears hidden behind them.

"Where his he?" Wukong demanded, voice rough and deep, cruel. He pushed past everyone, a raging god on a mission, to confront the laughing demon. "I just tried to sense him. No matter how far i could always sense him. What did you do to him!? WHERE IS MY SON!?"

Even still the cat laughed.

"The Havoc King wasn't too pleased about your last meeting. He has an ultimatum for you, oh Great Sage?" The demon spat, "The little princling for the monk and scriptures. You have three days."

With that the cat stiffened, becoming inanimate. It hadn't been real, a false creature given life only to serve the purpose and then returned to a mere toy once said purpose was finished.nwukong roared in raged, staff shattering the wooden doll. And then the ground next to it. Wukong raged and struck out, not stopping until the puppet was completely turned to dust and the surrounding area was little more than a crater in the ground.

They only dared to approach once his rage had calmed.

"Wukong..." Tripitka started, "You must calm-"

The Monkey King, no longer the friend he once knew, turned on him. Fangs bared loud and proud, fur bristled, he looked every bit the monster his legends used to portray.

"NO! I will not calm down while they have my son!"

"And raging like this will not help." Tripitaka spoke plainly, calmly. It surprised even himself, as Baije and Wujong both cowered and even Ao Lie looked frightened to approach Wukong at this moment, yet all that he felt was a sense of calm and kinship towards his disciple. "This reaction is exactly what they want from you. If we are patient, if we had a true, proper plan before we confront them, not in rage, then we can get him back."

Wukong looked taken aback.

"We?"

"He is your family. Therefore, he is our family." Tripitaka smiled, gently, encouraging, and he dropped his adornments and knelt down to meet his student eye to eye, taking his arms into his own in a show of support, "I know your rage intimately. You're scared. Terrified even. And you're lashing out, but we are here for you, Brother. We will get him back!"

Yeessss. The Hidden Egg AU we discussed.

You know how we joke in the other Stone Egg aus that upon learning of Wukong's condition, the Celestial Realm thinks the Havoc in Heaven was basically a hormonal rampage?

In the Hidden Egg Au... it's true.

Wukong had been pregnant during his time in Heaven. He only discovered for himself around the time of the Bimawen incident. Him and Macaque panicked, barely adults themselves. A honeymoon baby if there ever was one.

So they keep it a secret from everyone. The Brotherhood, the Celestial Realm, even Guanyin is left out of the picture. The only people Wukong trusts to know is his Stalwarts and DBK (who learned on complete accident).

The Peach Banquet had been a step too far for a hormonal pregnant monkey, and Wukong indulged to his hearts content on the food. He wandered into Lao Tzu's not for a hangover cure, but for something to quell his severe nausea and heartburn.

The Egg was born literally hours before Wukong and Erlang's fateful battle. The King's War Form bursting out from maternal rage.

Wukong laughed at every failed execution. At least he could sense that his child was safe at earth, still resting in their shell.

However...

Wukong saw Macaque flee the battle, not knowing that his mate had been taking the Egg to a safer location. Hateful words were shared under the mountain, and many accusations were tossed around in the heat of the moment.

But when Macaque attempted to return to apologise and tell his mate that their son had hatched; he found that the Buddha had sealed the Mountain shut. It appears their meeting had been Wukong's "One Phonecall", and now no one, aside from the Mountain Gods and the Buddha's diciples themselves, could enter or leave to speak with the prisoner inside.

Both Wukong and Macaque spend the next 500 years regreting their words.

Macaque found it only suitable to name the baby what Wukong had suggested; Xiaotian. Their Little Heaven. The Heaven that tje Monkey King fought for.

Xiaotian is very sheltered. His father/bama is overprotective, but is quickly finding that Xiaotian's powers are developing faster than anticipated. The Prince does get to see the outside world at times; Macaque allows his son to attend his performances on the road with the Nine Tailed Vixen. Though these trips are under tight observation.

Basically its sort of an Odyssey Au. A King far from home, his mate holding down the fort of their kingdom, and a lonely Prince wishing more than anything to finally meet their missing parent.

And weeellll...

Xiaotian gets himself into trouble after hearing his mother/baba is on a probation from Buddha, and runs off to seek him out. Only for the Demon King of Havoc to find him first...

When Macaque finds his mate he is going to slap the everloving heck out of him and the monk who's keeping him from home. And hug and kiss him and never let him go again.

Also bonus funny lore; Tripitaka has a sore spot regarding kidnapped family members. He *did* rip out Liu Hong's (murdered his dad/SA'd his mom and kept her hostage for 19+ years) liver while he was still alive, and sacrifced his body to a river dragon to revive his dad. We joked that Tripitaka be fighting some mad rage demons when families are involved.

Ironically, when Tripitaka is captured (a given, and because Wukong refused to bargain) he ends up being the first Pilgrim to meet Xiaotian in person! The scared boy is assured that the monk's diciple is the most loyal, cunning being he knows, and that Wukong would never stop until he has saved those he cares about.

After the incident is said and done - lots of hugs and kisses are shared between the fanily of monkeys. Especially the son and mother who have just met for the first time.

The Pilgrims' journey gains two unoffical members!

The entirety of Heaven feels a chill run up its spine.

[lunarriviera]

What are your thoughts on the last ep of under the skin...that cant be shen yi right...im seeing a lot of twin theories but thats a weird plot twist honestly 😅

to answer this question i guess i have to get up off the floor first, where i have been lying facedown and motionless since uts2 ended over a week ago. two weeks ago? yesterday? today? i don't know anymore i've lost all track of time, who are you? where are we?

oh right—the s2 ending. you must mean this scene, right? what a great way to end things! du cheng, happy, walking to meet a group of friends at his birthday party! truly wrapped up the whole drama, and left us in such a heartwarming place with our favorite characters!

...oh you didn't mean that ending? you mean there's another one?

[mindless screaming behind the cut AS WELL AS SPOILERS]

[and this winds up being about all of s2 as well as the final tag, OOPS]

so okay listen before i can even address this without the mindless screaming, i have to level with y'all here: s2 was rough on me. there are only like three du cheng stans in all of anglophone cdrama fandom and i'm probably two of them ( @wannings-wontons is the other one, thank god for her). i've written eleventyleven fics from his pov so i am ferally protective of my big stupid hot cop son. this season put him through the goddamn wringer and for my taste there were just a few too many scenes of du cheng looking like he was about to burst into tears while shen yi was smiling winsomely, for all the world as if he were not the one personally causing his captain to experience devastating mortal agony. allow me to demonstrate.

in the driver's seat: unspeakable anguish. literally can't talk.

in the passenger seat: hey nice air conditioner! guess what i have a new friend! i spent the night at his place, talking about infinity and human potential! in a few more episodes he'll be a murder suspect!

(i'm getting to the cliffhanger, believe me i'm getting there, no really i am, we just have to spend a minute dealing with the divorce arc first)

because, while i absolutely adore angst bambi (as @whomst-art-thou-whomst-whomst has immortalized him), and thanks to @elenothar have firmly adopted him as a most beloved emotional support twink (not least because i suspect tan jianci is himself kind of a genius; no triple threat should be this good of an actor), i also honestly not infrequently this season wanted to drag shen yi into the men's room by his pretty hair and flush his pretty little head down the [redacted] until he came to his pretty little senses. because while later in the arc he clearly is, you know, attempting that deep-cover thing, and has to reject du cheng to his face, right in front of Evil Eugenicist Art Critic Weasel Man, in order to gain Weasel Moriarty's trust, etc.—

there are also a bunch of times when du cheng is visibly upset and miserable and in genuine pain, and shen yi just laughs. literally laughs at him. like tan jianci what are you doing, do you want the audience to dislike you? how are you trying to play this?? are we supposed to think, wow shen yi sure knows what he's doing? are we supposed to think he suddenly has the world's worst taste in men? because long before Weasel Man smashes a vase and snaps at his lab assistant and possibly kills someone and has assorted tantrums which start to tip off shen yi that maybe his new bestie is kind of a bag of dicks—long before that starts happening? shen yi just likes that guy. he LIKES him. enough to quote whitman to him (fang kaiyi you take his queer name out your mouth); enough to stay up all night painting the stars with him and we don't know what all else. enough to hang out in his lab for days on end, listening to junk science and pretending to understand the human genome and just what. shen yi. WHAT. he's literally a Bond villain styled like an asymmetric reptile—all this, just because he's tall? and he's gone to the symphony a few times? what, because he negged your painting, and that turned you on? i shouldn't have said any of that, but i did; and now i refuse to take it back. because inside me are two wolves, and they sound like this:

one wolf has been extremely online for many years, and thinks she's very hip and chill and jaded. this wolf talks in memes and laughs at herself, and she's like: “haha fun drama! Solving Crimes Through Art! lol i can't believe this turgid love song playing over a romantic montage, wow it's so stupid.” and also: “lmao divorce arc so hilarious, WELCOME HOME CHEATER lol get it, good joke right?” and: “oh my god why is there another pointless cliffhanger, they will NEVER GET a s3 what are they thinking. this scene is therefore not canon and can be safely ignored, just like the s1 tag turned out to be a ~~~dream."

but the other wolf is lying motionless in her barrow in the darkness flat on her stomach in mouldering leaves and mud head resting on crossed paws staring into the night with her old yellow eyes and she says they stabbed my son and left him alone in his blood and the last thing he saw was a cruel face worn by the boy he has come to love a boy standing at the end of the alley looking down at his phone who then moves past him and keeps on walking

and then, you know. then i lie on the floor for a week! which is fine, i'm an extremely psychologically healthy person who has certainly not at all outsourced her entire emotional well-being to an imaginary public safety bureau criminal investigator on the coast of southeast china.

so what do i think about the cliffhanger? here is what i think about it; and again, sorry for the hatchet job on shen yi but it was relevant:

1. i do think it's a dream, yes. they've already played that game with us—we waited two years to find out who was carving up shen yi's creepy murder-red self-portrait and whomst should it be but…nobody! just shen yi having nightmares about his future fling, apparently. (notice, too, how fang kaiyi GRABBED that craft knife, which shen yi had deliberately left on the easel, and didn't even ask why it was there. he might be tall and elegant and have good taste but he's nowhere near as smart as you are, shen yi. do better.)

2. whose nightmare is it, though: shen yi's, or du cheng's? remember that the first time du cheng meets fang kaiyi, he tells shen yi, "he reminds me of someone: the old you." (and shen yi laughs merrily, even though nothing about that is funny, either the observation or du cheng's immediate mistrust and jealousy. TAN JIANCI WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING). then, later, on the precinct rooftop, after the case is all over, shen yi confesses yet again that there's something in him that's not altogether good, that he has quote "demons," and that if he hadn't met du cheng, he might have gone down some vague unspecified dark path. not quite sure how a portrait artist was gonna become a mass murderer or whatever, but okay i guess. there was something off about shen yi 1.0, and du cheng could see it even a decade ago and he didn't like it then any more than he does now.

given all that, then, the nightmare is probably shen yi's. he's prone to them anyway, and he knows now how badly he's hurt du cheng, and that he came dangerously close to, well, getting into bed with the enemy. i don't think it's even until fang kaiyi is so limpidly nonchalant about zhou shanshan's death that shen yi's inner moral compass comes shrieking back into play (and then it really does; shen yi who never raises his voice out there just shouting that man down).

there's one argument to be made for the case that it's du cheng's nightmare, though, which is the way that he looks up at the camera at the very end of the shot, and laughs. shen yi 1.0 is standing too far away for that to be his point-of-view. so who's standing over du cheng? and who would he laugh at, in recognition, like that? shen yi 2.0, presumably (or 3.5? not sure what version we're on anymore).

either way here's my final observation, and then i swear to god i'll shut up, before the shen yi stans come for me like maenads. i was chatting with @wannings-wontons and she said something that absolutely blindsided me, which is that the cliffhanger literalizes the arc of the series: shen yi did, in fact, metaphorically stab du cheng in s2. why else would either of them dream that? du cheng being badly, even fatally wounded by arrogant young artist shen yi is precisely what happened during the divorce arc. and their reconciliation was so heavily censored as to be, to some of us anyway, unpersuasive. (two cops, talking on a rooftop all night! five feet apart cause they're not gay!) as @wannings-wontons said: "the last scene just reflects how badly hurt he was. and we're left to decide whether he'll recover."

so which is worse, dreaming that your lover stabs you? or dreaming that something twisted inside you stabs the man you love?

tldr, shen yi doesn't need a soap opera evil twin: he's his own evil twin, and he knows this. and what is more, du cheng knows it now too. if there's ever a third season, which seems completely impossible to me, the writers have to know that they have NOT fixed this.

fortunately, we have something censored production companies don't have, and it's called fanfiction. so bring on the episode codas, my friends. bring on the long painful conversations and the shouted arguments (du cheng never even got to yell, except once in a parking lot because he was frantic). bring on the tender reconciliations that can only come after those blowout knock-down-drag-out fights, and are therefore real and grounded, not stilted, wooden, woefully inadequate mockeries of reunion. let people throw furniture and cry and try to explain and plead and confess and even, sure, why not, grab the other person and kiss him breathless, and say I don't want to do this without you, say don't put me through that ever again, say but this isn't enough and I need something different, say okay then let's figure that out together, say i'm sorry i hurt you, you're the most important person to me and that's the last thing i ever want to do.

it's up to us, not to leave them there in the alley like that. but the good news is if it's work, it's only work. and it's our work to do.

[sky-of-fantasy-stars]

THIS. THIS RIGHT HERE.

SPOILERS FOR THE GAME, PROCEED WITH CAUTION

It would be the stupidest decision for the company to steer from the original story line after how POPULAR the first game was and how HUGE OF A FANDOM it possesses.

There are so many ambiguities after the events of the first game, such as with Sebastian's quest line or Isidora's destroyed portrait. The game purposefully left the doors open and the perfect opportunity to continue the story in a second game. Veering off course could potentially risk the downfall of the fan base or even the second game just doing so poorly.

And it's not like it's impossible for it to continue: yes, MC defeats both Rookwood and Ranrok, and both are (presumably) dead, but it's not the most difficult to introduce another villain, especially since MC literally saved Hogwarts at the climax of the game. If anything, this reveals their Ancient Magic secret even more, and it's definitely possible for some other character to have a thirst for power. Perhaps it's someone within Hogwarts, or someone who has a connection to a villain we defeated prior. Regardless, Ancient Magic is incredibly valuable (which is why MC had to prove themselves as a Keeper in the first place), and there's no way only two groups were after it.

Even if this doesn't work, the devs could also steer off of Isidora's story, and perhaps dive further into her intentions or her uses of Ancient Magic. Perhaps this could reveal more about the Keeper's themselves, and who's more in the right, as that's another big moral debate among the community from what I've seen.

There's also the side characters themselves. Moving the story further into the future (eg. 1930s-40s, when Tom Riddle is at Hogwarts) completely eliminates any opportunities to expand on the side characters we already met, since they've already graduated and presumably started their own lives. We'd have no clear ending to Sebastian's story, we'd never get to learn anything about any of the minor characters, and even MC themselves would just completely vanish. While Natty and Poppy's quests are more complete (although it's possible to continue them in smaller manners), Sebastian's isn't. We never learn if MC's Ancient Magic can heal Anne, and we never know if they can rekindle a relationship after Solomon's death. We don't know if Anne dies from the curse, either, since it's unclear where she went. Does Sebastian even end up in Azkaban? There's some lines in the game suggesting that the game's canon is he doesn't...

But, disregarding those three, there's still so many more characters we spend little to no time with. I'd love to learn more about Ominis, but there's more than him, too. Merlin, there's Amit (who we go on like two quests with), Garreth (although he's a Weasley, so I'd understand him not getting as much attention), Leander, Imelda, Samantha, Lenora... the game has ample opportunities to add in new story options for characters we never got to see in the first game.

The fact of the matter is that a "connection" or "tie" is really ambiguous. Since the HBO series is based on the Harry Potter books, the story must obviously tie into the canon mentioned within those stories. For all we know, it could be regarding Dumbledore, as he would start his first year during MC's seventh. But even that doesn't solve the problem, as then we completely skip sixth year, and that presents more continuity issues.

In my opinion, the smartest thing they can do that would tie the game into the HBO series while simultaneously keeping the timeline of the game correct would be to either provide a relationship quest line with Ominis or to go deeper into his backstory. It's presumed that Marvolo (Tom Riddle's grandfather) is Ominis's brother, making Ominis Voldemort's great-uncle. Going into his backstory would absolutely provide an incredibly tie to the series, as Voldemort is the main villain and we'd get to learn more about what turned Marvolo into the nasty human that he is, which had a major domino effect. Plus, and don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure Ominis had a scrapped story line from the original game, so it would be very easy to take the pieces they had and tie it to what we witness a century later.

Overall, distancing from the game they had that already did so successful would be an awful move. The game obviously hasn't been released yet and is still in development, but seeing how much care they put into the first one, I really hope the devs decide to stick with the original story. Part of the reason I liked the game so much was it was a completely fresh start; we knew practically nothing about what happened in the earlier years before Voldemort was even alive. There are so many options they could have to keep the original game's line while making a connection to the HBO Series. If it comes down to it, and they do decide to change the story line, they shouldn't advertise it as Hogwarts Legacy 2. It would make more sense for it to be another entity entirely so fans aren't disappointed when their favorite characters don't return.

These are just my (very long) thoughts on the situation. I loved this game and I was, and still am, really excited for the future of it. Hopefully we'll get the game we were all dreaming of.

hey if the producers of hogwarts legacy 2 decide to completely erase the characters and plot from the first game in exchange for a brand new story, i will simply turn into the biggest hater!

there was so much left unsaid and unexplored for the og characters…. to completely forget about them and the plot would be so… silly….?? and to throw away all of that potential for what?? they could easily connect their stories to preexisting wizarding world lore if they just fucking TRIED

im gonna be so dramatic ab this

[cantareincminor]

Day 8: Worst Moment

It's hard to remember any moment in Spy x Family that I would really characterize as "bad." There are a few contrived (minor) moments that came off a bit lazy or not well thought-out to me, such as the way Twilight as Robert broke off his relationship with Karen in chapter 1. Telling her she's stupid and then leaving her with the bill at a fancy restaurant? And I don't like how Damian repeatedly bullies Anya and it's played for laughs, but I don't tend to reread Eden-focused chapters so nothing particularly stands out.

If I had to pick a "worst moment" that made me pause and go "What? That's it?", it would be Twilight's reaction to the bus hijacking.

What's with that bored face? Boredom?? I get it, Twilight is a spy who repeatedly tells himself his family is just for the mission, but even then, would his reaction really be boredom instead of relief and gratitude when his daughter was literally just in the hands of a terrorist? The guy held her up as a meat shield and the SSS nearly shot her! If it hadn't been for Martha Marriott's intervention, Anya would have died or been severely injured!

The next day isn't much better:

He's extremely clinical about the experience, and even though he recognizes the trauma that it must have caused Anya, there doesn't seem to be any level of emotion in his thoughts. It reads more like a "This variable happened so I must do XYZ to counteract it." Which does tend to be the way Twilight thinks about everything, BUT this scenario is so much more extreme than anything he's encountered before as a direct threat to Operation Strix! His daughter ALMOST DIED.

The most reflection we get out of him is this:

I'm really trying to understand Twilight's point of view here, and as a parent myself I can sort of stretch my imagination to get halfway there. There are many times when I am so mentally and emotionally exhausted from the constant neediness of my kids and lack of sleep and lack of breaks that the next time they cry or trip on something and get hurt, I really struggle to drum up any sympathy and compassion. I have to force a smile and some comforting words out of my mouth. Twilight just came back from a gang infiltration mission in another city, and he's never taken a vacation ever, and he plays rationalization/compartmentalization Olympics in his mind to prevent any true emotions from ever surfacing. So maybe, maybe he's just super burned out and deadened to any empathetic response.

But still! ANYA ALMOST DIED.

I know other readers have felt disappointed by this part of the manga as well so I won't say much more. We can try to defend Endo and say that he's acknowledging once again that no parents are perfect, or that Twilight has a lot of character growth to undergo before he's a "real" father. Or that maybe Twilight had more emotional thoughts offscreen, or whatever. But the whole "maybe it happened offscreen" argument falls flat when it comes to a momentous event like this.

[projectjasper]

Pond and Phuwin talking about their friendship in an interview with Praew Magazine

[TRANS. CREDIT]

Interviewer: How have you felt during the time you have been working together as partners?

Phuwin: If we really count, it's been exactly four years. In terms of work, I feel that there are many more things that both of us can still do and improve on. But in terms of our relationship, we've come a long way. We started at 0 and now we are at 90+. I've never thought I'd have such an important relationship in my life.

Pond: It's really great. It's a journey I'm very happy with. Now that I said it, I feel shy... I don't want to say too much, or people will accuse me of fanservice, but I'm telling the truth. Because when we just started working together, the word "friendship" wasn't exactly right. But as we worked together more and more, there was a point when we decided we should try to do something that doesn't involve work. And that's when we became friends.

Phuwin: Our relationship is both like that of colleagues and friends. And I feel like both of these aspects developed a lot, until Pond became a really important person in my life.

Interviewer: What do you think made you guys so close?

Pond: At first, we were very different. Not so different that we couldn't get along, but we had different lifestyles. We grew up differently. When we got to know each other more, we felt like we got to know each other's true selves and how we can fit together. It felt right.

Phuwin: I think another common point is that we are getting older, we are growing up. We have more responsibilities, whether it's work, family, or other things. And there are a lot of similarities there. It makes us feel like we've found someone, who is by our side through all this, and it's another thing that made us feel comfortable with each other.

Interviewer: What impresses you the most about the other person?

Pond: Many things. If this was before, I would have said I was impressed by his dedication to work. But now that we have spent more time together, went out to eat together, just did things together that didn't involve work, I feel like we respect each other and care for each other, which is what's important and what keeps us together. It's all about understanding. There is no competition in terms of who is better. We grow together

Phuwin: Something special about Pond that I have not found in anyone else is that he can say something and make me feel fuzzy on the inside. He gives compliments in this very sweet but sincere way. Usually when someone compliments you, you think there must be something behind it for sure. But when Pond compliments someone, it's in earnest. When hearing that, I'm not sure what to do...

Pond: Hey, thank you wa~

Phuwin: There was this one time we were talking on the phone and Pond said: "I'm shy, but I feel like I have to say this..." So I replied: "Hmm... I feel fuzzy listening to that. I don't know what to say, but thank you very much."

Pond: We don't compliment each other often. When there is a chance to do it, let's do it. We've spent this much time together. But I'm feeling really shy....

Interviewer: In that case, let's take the opportunity this New Year's and give each other a compliment or say something to one another.

Pond: Really? When I say this to media, I feel shy. If you get goosebumps, don't take offence. But what I'm going to say is the truth.

Phuwin: Because what we both really care about is not wanting to do anything that seems like fanservice. We don't want to say anything that's not true.

Pond: We feel like being natural is best. This is true. We've known each other since before I was even 20 years old. As we are growing up, we are focusing more on the people around us. Like I said, as I moved away from the word "co-worker" with Phuwin, we really became friends: going out to eat, hanging out together, not forcing each other to do anything, just doing what comes naturally. I'm really happy about it.

Phuwin: Exactly. Pond is a good person. And in the past four years, he has become even better. It turned out that, as we were hanging out, we were picking up each other's habits. He did something and I thought: "Eh... this looks familiar. I do this too." It's like we're learning from each other and becoming better by borrowing good traits from one another.

Pond: Yes, I can say that he is one of the reasons why I've become a better person. He is great at his job and has a very high sense of responsibility. He is a good example. Watching him makes me want to push myself to become better, to be on the same level with him.

Phuwin: Pond is the same. He has a great mindset, he thinks positively, and he sees things from the bright side. Sometimes I look at the bigger picture and see the negative side, but Pond helps me see the positives.

Pond: I feel like we are partners, not just an on-screen CP. I remember when I was a kid, there was a time when my family was having financial problems. But after I acted in a series with Phuwin and it was successful, I could solve all those problems. If we didn't have each other, we wouldn't be where we are today. And we have to continue our journey together.

Phuwin: Do you understand why I get goosebumps now?

[violetasteracademic]

Yet again, a million years late but I cannot control when I must burrow in my hidey hole

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup

Thank you for the tags, my beloved @rosanna-writer @foundress0fnothing @yourstarsmyscars

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going!

(If you're in my answers consider yourself tagged if you'd like to play!!)

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

This was my first year on AO3, and I posted 216,682 before the calendar year ended!

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

2, one longfic Golden Doe in a Valley of Shadow and a one shot, Before the Night Ends, made specifically for my beloved @theseersgarden and some beautiful Elriel art she had commissioned by Lulybot! (This one may technically not be finished... we shall see)

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

Four in progress, all three parts of Velaris Memorial Hospital (which is kind of like one big intertwined Feysand, Nessian, and Elriel AU) and another long fic, A Court of Twisted Fate

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

Oh this is so hard. Everything I wrote was what I needed in the moment, so it's difficult to disentangle myself. But I do think Me, You and the Moon Part One and Two from A Court of Twisted Fate was one of my favorite experiences writing. Also some of my favorite things I wrote haven't been posted yet, so I can't share yet!

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

Absolutely Velaris Memorial Hospital. I have been writing third person limited fantasy and sci-fi for well over a decade, and have followed that in my fanfiction. Writing contemporary romance or modern AU in first person perspective was not something I ever imagined doing, but it has unlocked something in me. I am a huge contemporary romance reader, but writing has been an incredible new journey and I have so much newfound respect for first person perspective!

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

Again, Velaris Memorial Hospital. It is by far my smallest readership (which I expected, I am new to the Nessian and Feysand arena and of course there's a huge variety of ship and character preferences. Not everyone is a fan of all three brothers and all three sisters) but it has wound up by far being some of the most engaged and supportive readers, and I have been absolutely loving writing for it!

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

Hmmm it's a bit hard to say, I don't have have that many fics out and not a super good sense of this yet. I do think my Nessian fic, The Albatross has my lowest metrics overall. And writing for Nesta and Cassian has also unlocked something very deep and inspired within me. But VMH is an enormous project and kind of choose your own adventure, so I hope it gets some more love in the long run!

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

Literally too many to count but I have to give the biggest shoutout to @elainemg97. Her artistry knows no bounds, and she is one of the best Elriel eggs out there. She is always kind and encourages positive fandom behavior, and is so encouraging and passionate about helping other artists grow and encouraging them on their journey! @stickyelectrons has such a beautiful eye for color, I just love what she manages (especially for Lucien) and I'm such a fan of @santkazoya and @tealeaves-and-rosepetals

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

Literally way way too many to count. @yourstarsmyscars, @rosanna-writer, @foundress0fnothing, @nikachansstuff, and citizenofvelaris are not only phenomenal writers but inspired beta readers and I feel so lucky to know them. @bloomingdarkgarden and @tealeaves-and-rosepetals are magic and pixie dust, truly phenomenal writers but also so available to support other writers and brainstorm and daydream with. I definitely have a lot more fic to read, I write much more often than I read so it leaves me pretty behind. But I'm sure I missed some and there are so many exceptional writers in this fandom!

Oh also, @tswaney17 has stepped away from fic writing but I'm SO excited for her journey repurposing I Do Bad Things With You into an original story for publishing!

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

See all of the above, but a special shoutout to @jasmineandcedar who writes such lovely short form pieces for Tumblr and did a Shakespeare inspired piece that had my jaw on the floor.

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Before the Night Ends with @theseersgarden! It started just with @theseersgarden brainstorming ideas for a caption for an artwork in process, and trying to come up with a title/head canon/sweet moment to describe the scene. And then it spiraled into, wait a min... there's a whole ass fic here.

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

It has been really awesome to see how well received Golden Doe in a Valley of Shadow was. I try not to get too caught up in what fic is the most popular and whether or not I'm showing up on "best" lists, because art is subjective, and as I mentioned, I think some of my best work has had the smallest engagement. But Golden Doe in a Valley of Shadow was my first ever fic. I was a little baby on tumblr and thought maybe four or five people would read a few chapters. I had no idea it would take off in the way that it did, and it still stuns me to this day. Other than that, just writing consistently, and finding wonderful people who fill my cup and and are so supportive and encouraging.

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

Fic writing is super different from original novel writing in a lot of ways, and I still feel like I'm getting my footing in a lot of ways. I find myself very often coming to my fellow writers being like- does this fly in fic culture? Am I overthinking this? But I think the heart of all creative writing is the same, which is trying to find the joy and a build a story that draws readers in and it's just a beautiful thing to invite people into the visions that take place in your mind, even if you are still learning and imperfect. Because you never know what will connect with someone. Also, shadows make great dildos.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Don't be afraid of the work. Do not fear the muck. Lean into the trenches. I am a huge advocate for transparency in the writing process, and the writing world (fic especially) I think is extra guilty of uplifting the work that just flowed out of them and took no effort at all. Grabs face LISTEN TO ME. Your best work might be what you fought the hardest for. Your strongest scene might be the one that had you in a black pit of despair, extremely close to giving up. Writing is a craft. The only way to get better is to write, this is true. But many people write thousands and thousands of words and never improve, because of the notion that writing should be easy, that it can only happen when you are inspired and flowing and know what you are doing.

Do not fear the trenches. Do not shy away from the work. Not everything comes easily. That doesn't mean you are a bad writer or can't do it. DISPEL the ideas that writing should be easy or come naturally or not require deep effort and work.

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

To focus back more on original work. I don't do well with working on more than one project at a time, and I really dug myself into it working on four stories at once. There is no room left for my novel writing, but I can't leave projects unfinished or they will weigh on me. Also continuing to figure out my place in fandom and sharing what I can while staying away from the things that drain me and take away my joy. OH and letting myself take more time. AO3 is an archive, the work will live on. Encouraging myself to be human and need rest and time away. It's so critical to detach from the need for a constant stream of validation, breathe, and focus on the work and your well being.

If you’re tagged in this, please consider yourself tagged for the game!

[lullabyes22-blog]

It's such staleass takes, too.

Like yes, we get it. Despite Arcane having been in the mediaspace for over four years now, your idea of Gotcha basically devolves to the equivalent of "B-But he's coded as Bad so you can't like him as a character and you're also Bad if you do!"

:c

You know, I'd give 'em more credit if they were critiquing how hypocritical he is, or that he's not a suitable leader for a healthy nation, or a suitable father for an emotionally stable child. You know, something with an iota of gradation.

But no, they just fall back to a very black/white reading of his character. It's boring. They're boring. They don't want to like Silco because he doesn't match what they're used to, so they reduce him to the barest components possible and use that as a bludgeoning tool.

Their 'takes' are just them being terrified of complexity.

For a show like Arcane, which thrives off complexity and shades of grey, you'd think that the audience would follow the tone of the show itself, instead of falling into these reductive, binary ways of looking at characters. Instead, we get people who think Jinx is a helpless little muffin, or Caitlyn is an angel descended from on high, and if you don't defend your fave as a plaster saint stripped of all layers, you must secretly hate the show itself.

We get Sevika thirst posts absolutely saturating her tag, but no Sevika critiques, which is just as hilarious.

Critique doesn't make someone a hater of a piece of media. You can like something, or someone, while being fully cognisant of its flaws. But when you're dishing out your critiques, ffs, at least make them interesting? There's so much about Silco to critique! So many layers! And they all just come down to him being 'evil' and therefore Bad, as if we all haven't seen that take a million times.

You're not adding to Discourse. You're just regurgitating playground-level prattle. You want a take that's simple and can fit into a tweet. You're not willing to put in the work for anything more complex, but it's okay, because your friends all think the same thing, so you get lots of retweets and likes for your 'brilliant' insight, which just further cements the idea in your head that you've really understood what makes a complex piece of art work.

If everyone's repeating the same shit, it must be a 'correct' read. Right?

Right.

Meanwhile, Silco enjoyers have moved on to pastures more enriching. I can link you to dozens of nuanced, well-reasoned analyses of his character. It's not a one-time thing, it's not a rare thing. It's not a deluge of "Ohhh, I'd let him choke me, even if he does smell like a wet ashtray" thirst posts. And it's not the equivalent of a 'hot take', because people aren't looking at Silco's complexity for clout, they're doing it because it's genuinely interesting.

You can get engagement in fandoms without having to be controversial.

Who knew?

<3

begging you guys to start using the anti silco tag or some shit like that even if you feel stupid using it bc YES people who like silco realize he’s a bad man EVER OTHER FUCKING POST YOU MAKE IN HIS MAIN TAG IS ABOUT HOW HE SUCKS WE GET IT!!!!!!!

[le-trash-prince]

I know this website has been shared in BL fandom before, but I just want to pull some information from fujoshi.info that I think can be really enlightening in regards to how TERF rhetoric is used against BL fans, namely the idea that BL fans are straight women or that BL is made for the consumption of straight women.

I grew up having things like this said to my face as a young queer by people who knew I read BL, and it made it that much harder to accept both my gender and my sexuality, which, ironically, BL helped me to process. So I have little patience for these kinds of statements regarding BL. They are invalidating of many people's queer experiences.

Here is my stance: BL is made for BL fans. It's not made "for the hets" or "for people who aren't queer." It's made for BL fans. That includes us queers. We are and have always been part of the audience that BL is made for.

BL authors and fans come in all different shapes and sizes. Trans men and cisgender men both read and produce BL media. Based on multiple surveys of queer BL fans the majority of fans, male or female, fall on the bisexual spectrum. (source)

There is more, in the link above, about BL demographics, under the "Misconception 2" tab, that I think is well worth the read.

Second of all, I think the idea that "some BL is made for queers and some BL isn't" is just a repackaged TERF talking point that BL is made for straight women. Let me be clear: I am not implying that people who say things like this are TERFs. But you are parroting TERF talking points and propogating their ideology by implying that the people for whom these shows are made must not be queer.

Under gender critical ideology, trans men in fandom are treated as ‘hetero sexual female fujoshi’ who consume too much ‘sexual gay male content’ only to later ‘come out as “gay trans men”’ (Anti-fujoshi 2023). Gender criticals refer to trans men (and by extension fujoshi) as ‘homophobic’ due to their belief that trans men are heterosexual women forcing their way into authentic (i.e. cisgender) gay male spaces (Anti-fujoshi 2023). (link)

Unfortunately, this concept has long since been picked up by people in the queer community who think they're fighting homophobia... and TERFs love it.

I hate fujoshi but we’re even more astounded how [social justice warriors] [took] our statements as some pro-LGBT agenda […] [and] swallowed our thinly veiled gender critical statements […]. We’re ‘transphobic’. (link)

Here are examples from fujoshi.info of TERF talking points regarding BL fans being cishet women. These are quotes from actual TERFs, and I am placing them under a cut because they can be triggering, even though this is only just a sampling. But statements like these are the roots of the idea that BL is made for straight women, and I want people to understand the implications of what they are saying.

To keep my conclusion above the cut, I just want to say that it is dangerous to play into this agenda by making claims about who BL is made for. KinnPorsche was made for me. Pit Babe was made for me. Kidnap was made for me. Queer people have always been part of the BL audience, whether the series reflects what any given person considers to be "an authentic queer experience" or not.

"Yaoi is made only for women by women and seeks to commodify MLM identities and love while oppressing them and denying them their rights. “Fujoshis” are not friends of queer liberation."

"the idea that we should just let cishet women have a fetish for gay men at the off chance they might be gay or trans is fucking insanity"

"No fujoshi is a proper LGBT advocate. They are all straight women pretending to be bi."

"Fujoshis just started calling themselves non binary and gay trans men and most of you just fell for it huh?

"[fujoshis] refers to specifically cishet women who only consume and create m/m content because they view it as something sexual because it is taboo and don't care about actual gay men, along with blatantly hating gay women [...] We cannot dilute what the term fujoshi means and the severe homophobia that mindset is rooted in."