#there's a post floating around like 'it doesn't matter if you view them as romantic or platonic the point is that they love each other'

[incesthemes]

"their relationship is romantic" "their relationship is familial" "their relationship is platonic" you're thinking too narrow. their relationship goes beyond labels. the family is inherently queer. their platonic love is romantic. the erotic is familial. each one is the other and the other is them

[chobani-flip]

the disconnect between the storytelling of the show and of the fandom

lately, I've been thinking about storytelling and storytellers in the context of 911.

like, there's two sides to this storytelling business, right?

there's the small group writers and showcreators who have an idea for the characters and plots and have to come up with a way to share those ideas within the constraints of a network television series

and then there's us, a massive international community with a wide-range of life experiences, who watch their show and then go on to tell our own story about it.

and i wonder if we're always watching the story they're telling.

im not even necessarily talking about the buddie goggles right now.

what got me thinking about this was ana flores.

and the one scene the fandom likes to pretend sealed her fate (when in actuality, let's be quite candid, it was the fact that she was a beautiful woman who dared to date eddie instead of allowing him to remain a viable option for canonical/fanonical offscreen cannoodling with buck)

"there's a lot to be said for getting back on the horse, but there's also some value in learning that you don't like horses." eddie: "i'm sorry?" "sometimes, our limitations tell us when to stop. but sometimes, they can show us where to look next." (romantic, feelingsy song starts playing) "today, he falls off the skateboard. but tomorrow, he writes the great american novel."

see, the problem here is that this is CLEARLY meant to be viewed as wise and deep advice. as a moment of connection between ana and eddie... the way the scene is cut, the music that plays in the background, the intense eye-contact between the two characters, the way eddie reacts to her words... we're meant to enjoy the simmering tension and potential between them...

but... it's not great and deep advice, not really. it's been pointed out that it comes off as ableist. and ana is supposed to be a teacher at this excellent inclusive institution; she is meant to have experience with children of different abilities feeling frustrated and wanting to do the same things other children are doing... someone on here pointed out that if they were the teacher, they would seek to understand what need christopher was trying to fullfil by getting on the skateboard and help him achieve it by other means

but what ana comes up with is this awkward horse metaphor that doesn't really make sense for the situation, and a condescending: "awwww, well, im sure he's the next hemingway"

BUT SEE, THAT'S NOT THE STORY THE SHOW IS TELLING US. the show is ostensibly framing this scene as romantic and great and deep. and that is NOT ana's fault. the character of ana didn't travel to our reality, didn't block the scene, didn't cut it and add the soundtrack. that's on the showcreators.

but somehow, it's really difficult for us to see it that way when it comes to ana.

in a way that it's not when it comes to Hen, poor little Mara and the Doberman.

because we know Hen and Karen, and we like them.

so we awkwardly shuffle around, side-eyeing each other, quietly nudging each other and going: "bit of a fail that, huh? kinda a weird thing to do on the part of the show, huh? comparing a little Black girl to a dog...why did they do that???"

or there was an excellent post floating around about whether Buck and Eddie realize they can say no to sex, that their consent matters.

"what if i come home and she wants to haaaaaave..." "well, you'll get through it somehow," says buck with an amused grin on his face.

see, the problem isn't necessarily whether the characters know that their consent matters, but whether the showcreators do. because this is clearly meant to be viewed as a joke.

eddie is a macho guy, who tends to keep his cool in difficult situations, so it's funny when you see him freaking out over the fact that his girlfriend wants to have sex with him and he doesn't want to have sex with her because her former chosen-profession taps into his well of Messy Catholic Feelings.

isn't it? isn't that just fucking hilarious?

and the answer to that is: no. it's not funny to any part of the audience who's ever felt pressured (by a partner, by society, by their own expectations) to want or to have sex.

but does the show realize that?

i'm sorry but i don't think so. this is the show that framed dr.wells sexually assaulting buck during a therapy session as a joke to casually bring up and needle him over later, that felt the need to reassure us that chimney and maddie can and do have wild, passionate monkey sex (you remember, albert teasing chim, then the hotel with the revolving room, etc), that had karen ask hen what the point of a relationship was if the couple weren't having sex...

now, i genuinely don't think the showcreators mean to be hurtful, or harmful. i don't think they realise how all these things come off. because they're a fairly small group of people from Los Angeles, North America, and are working within the constraints of a network television show

(and the point of the Eddie and Buck scene was Buck coming out to Eddie, so maybe they felt Buck saying: "you know, you can tell her you don't want to have sex, right? that's allowed." would fraction the focus of it? idk)

but what happens is that there's this disconnect between the story they're telling us and the story we continue to tell among ourselves.

when it comes to the characters we like, we tend to ignore the unpleasant meanings and messages in relation to the character, or we retcon it in fanfic, or we Fix-it with some heart-to-hearts and apologies.

(for example, i haven't seen many fics that show athena being a Cop as not-a-great-thing. but are we really ok with her saying "i wasn't on their side, but i understood their side." when her son expresses some reasonable dissatisfaction with her reaction to a cop pointing a gun at him and michael? or are we just ignoring it because we love angela bassett?)

when it comes to characters we are predisposed to dislike, this disconnect makes us dislike them even more. which leads to the writing of bashing fics, and in some cases harassing the performers online jfc do not do that people that's never ok

(of course, some characters are hated justifiedly imao, like the buckley parents and chimney's father...)

maybe this is the frustration that makes for such a prolific and active fandom?

I don't know.

but I think it's something to keep in mind when watching the show. because that disconnect is always going to be there and I know that for my own personal mental health, it's easier and nicer to believe that a group of RL people might sometimes be just a bit ignorant at times and write in weird shit unintentionally, than that my favourite characters are massive assholes unpredictably and randomly

[lorei-writes]

Hi there! I was wondering if I could request a headcanon/one shot type thing with Kenshin & Hideyoshi with a super innocent/pure/kind/aloof type MC? Where they are super protective and sheltering of her (and romantically involved)? I absolutely love your page and was so happy I found your account. It keeps me breathing.

Hello, Anon! Ah, it seems that I'm (un)fashionably late this time around. Oh well. But I see you did have some more specific idea in mind already, given your further suggestions? So I hope this post now is a pleasant surprise.

Notes from the future: unexpected turns were taken, it appears

Innocent / Kind MC

Characters: Hideyoshi, Kenshin

Content Warnings: none

Hideyoshi

Hideyoshi's primary mode is to protect. As such, it comes as little surprise that, when involved with a person he deems as too pure, he's more alert than ever.

That being said, he doesn't view that purity as a bad thing, no. It is more of a... trait he wishes to cherish and shelter at all cost, especially given the times of turmoil they've both found yourself in. He wants to believe that it is possible for people to stay this way, and believes it to be means of bringing forth a brighter future.

He still worries, however. Especially when others see it as a liability, and thus try to exploit his lover's kindness.

No matter. He just has to stay close, and to watch over them when possible. He won't let them be cheated out of money, he won't let anybody kidnap them, he won't let Mitsuhide drag them into his schemes --

Unless he fails. Nobody's infallible, after all, especially not when swarmed with as many duties as Hideyoshi.

The corridors of the Azuchi castle seem nearly endless as Hideyoshi paces down them, one thought stubbornly stuck right at the front of his mind. The dinner time has long passed, but even so, nobody has seen his lover anywhere around, their meal untouched. The possibilities for what could have gone wrong are endless, and quite frankly, they do cloud his judgement. Hideyoshi sighs, both defeated and deflated.

Enemies, or friends, no matter -- in times of need (and now certainly is such a time) he can think of one person to aid him in his struggle. Mitsuhide.

Hideyoshi breaks his vow of "no running in the corridors". Any injury is worth arriving at the Akechi manor sooner, even if just by a mome--

Hideyoshi freezes. There they are, happily sipping on tea, Mitsuhide keeping you company. His shoulders slump in relief. "Oh? Could it be that you've forgotten to inform Hideyoshi about your whereabout, little one?"

Their face pales. They explain what had transpired -- about the ronin that troubled them while they were out shopping in town, about Mitsuhide's intervention, about the worry they wished to spare Hideyoshi from, and about how they forgot of time... They feel guilty. Is this very result not what they were trying to avoid?

Hideyoshi crushes his lover in an embrace. To think that all this happened while they were outside the reach of his hands...

He spoils them rotten that night. And the following day. Heavens, have mercy on this man. Is it too much to wish for those who he cherishes to be safe?

"Hideyoshi... Can we talk?" they ask, a bit unsure of themselves. "Hm? Yes, of course." He blinks in surprise, their hands reaching for his. "I'm sorry about what happened, but... Please, don't worry about me this much. Please, Hideyoshi. You've only seemed to frown since then."

Oh. How could have he forgotten? To love is to care. And his love is nurturing, not suffocating and punishing. Perhaps he has to learn to forgive himself... and trust that his lover's goodness is not something that's easily bent out of shape.

Kenshin

Now, Kenshin is the one who struggles here most. He has known this world to be a brutal place that tears hearts out of chests. His lover? They're a single sakura bloom, floating atop a cup of water, just a single gust of wind away from being spilled into nothingness. How is he not to worry?

He'd like to have them locked in his castle, but then that doesn't seem to be enough either. Gardens have thorns. Wood has splinters. Maids have tongues, and most importantly, his lover has eyes. Eyes that are not happy.

It takes his all to dare be more trusting... Although that may be not the right word, not exactly. It is more similar to a believer praying upon their faith to withstand the trials -- he does want to believe. He is just... scared. Overwhelmed. Worried.

But he is not alone, for better or for worse.

Shingen is a safe person, Kenshin is sure of that much. However, Shingen still has a tongue. Perhaps that much should be remedied. "Thank you for the tea, lord Shingen. It's delicious," his lover says, a content smile on their face. "It is, isn't it? It is also said to have the most glamorous effect on the heart." "Oh?" "It allegedly aids it in its work, and so puts stars in the eyes of those who drink it. I can certainly see that claim being true... It also produces the loveliest blush, ---"

They cannot hear a word more, Kenshin's hands covering their ears. He does not appreciate the direction in which the conversation is going, but... Nevertheless, it seems to provide him with some ease.

Overall, the greatest challenge for Kenshin is to reign in his anxieties. There's a thin line between offering shelter to somebody, and suffocating them in your shadows -- and hell, he is just as terrified of losing his lover as of the latter.

He eventually manages to find some balance, although he remains on the cautious side. He prefers to accompany his lover, doesn't mind speaking for them if needed be, likes to hold their hand, and will stare down anybody who as much as looks at them threateningly.

In the end, Kenshin himself needs reassurance that everything is okay. And he will ask for it. In form of an embrace.

He wants to be better. He wants for their light to shine. He just... struggles with picturing a world in which they are not torn apart, strictly because of what he considers to be the beauty of their heart.

Tag List: @cilokgoang @violettduchess @the12thnightproject @oda-princess @tele86