#they have the tension and chemistry you usually see in male-male relationships

[venussaidso]

Vedic Astrology Observation (based on shows/films part 4)

I'm watching the series Archer and I guessed three main nakshatra archetypes correct! This includes Uttarabhadrapada, which is so potent in the two of the most prominent female characters in the main character's life.

First of all, this series is about espionage. So immediately, I know there are moon nakshatras. The main character, Sterling Archer, embodies lunar qualities: being a secret agent, going undercover, using disguises/aliases, trickery etc. etc.

Another hint that supported my theory of the character being lunar is how the fandom literally compare his character design to Henry Cavill who is a Shravana Moon.

As Henry Cavill is also famous for being in the espionage, spy film The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

Another hint is Archer being a huge fanboy for Burt Reynolds who he inspires after or quotes during his epic, spy missions. And Burt Reynolds is a Hasta Moon, Rohini Ascendant.

Burt Reynolds even guest starred in an episode as himself and we see our main character fanboying throughout.

Burt Reynolds is famous for his spy film Operation CIA in which he plays a CIA agent who is undercover as a university professor.

The character Sterling Archer has to be voiced by a moon nakshatra native, right?

Finally, I went out to find the voice actor and calculated his vedic chart. Thank goodness the guy has his birthtime available; and accurate, at that. And I guessed right!!! 😭👇🏼

Just like Henry Cavill, also Shravana, who was a highly voted candidate in the fandom to play the live-action version.

But, in the very beginning of watching this series, the character Sterling immediately struck me as a Sun nakshatra native. His inability to commit to a relationship or anything; having zero devotion to anything.

He improvises everything; not much of a planner which makes him come off more carefree. He is missing this cold, lunar quality to him of being a strategist or even just being highly intelligent. I've always believed that Sun men are quite... bimbos, to say the least. Claire Nakti explored this in her Sun dominant men video more articulately and respectfully; and Archer embodies this energy too.

So, in the beginning episodes of the series, I believed he was mainly Sun dominant before witnessing other aspects of the character expanding.

I also noticed that he is emotionally volatile and loud and extremely comedic, which is not really Solar or Lunar, but Rahuvian. And guess what? The voice actor is an Ardra Moon, which makes a lot of sense.

But, I was right, again, to assume him being a Sun nakshatra. Because the voice actor also has Krittika Sun. Ha!

The reason why his Sun nakshatra was more blatantly obvious in the beginning for me was because of his relationship with his ex girlfriend, Lana!

Lana, whose character design is quite literally inspired by Rihanna's physique.

Rihanna, who I personally believe is an Uttarabhadrapada Ascendant, as her birthtime is rated C (unlikely to be accurate). And even if you don't think she's Uttarabhadrapada, fine, but the character Lana is.

She is the Saturn nakshatra archetype.

She's very kickass, warrior-like and has a masculine edge— which are the type of characters usually played by Saturnians/Uttarabhadrapadas.

I immediately noticed with how she butts heads with Archer. Uttarabhadrapada is a nakshatra in which its women are known for emasculating other male archetypes/even going head to head with men ruled by fiery-hot planets such as the Sun. Their chemistry in the series is the epitome of the Saturn woman x Sun man pairing.

Sun and Saturn are literally mortal enemies.

But people with this planetary rulership tend to be intrigued by each other. It seems to be very similar to having an intense square synastry with someone, in my opinion, which might add sexual/romantic tension more often than not.

Archer's mother is another important female figure in his life who is also Uttarabhadrapada.

She's a hardened woman who is in charge of a spy agency, a masculine job, and she acts or looks very similar to characters such as 1996's Cruella Deville or Miranda Priestly (both also played by Saturn nakshatras; both characters' hair are pale white).

Malory Archer quite literally ruined her son's life since he was born; always emasculating him even in his adult life. She's had a very cold, (Saturn) oppressive nature towards him since he was young. Saturn nakshatras are either known to humiliate its natives, or natives under this nakshatra lord will further humiliate/abuse others into their cold grip.

A trope I've seen often with this nakshatra, which makes sense if you think of them being the literal ice dragon.

I immediately noticed that she is Uttarabhadrapada not just from her masculine, commanding role in the series— but from the outfits she wears in every episode. She's always wearing cold colours, especially powder blue.

Uttarabhadrapada characters almost always have something significant that is coloured blue, which you'll always associate with the character; as Claire Nakti brilliantly pointed out in her Uttarabhadrapada video. And that's how I knew.

And her relationship with Lana, who is also very Uttarabhadrapada coded, is interesting. The same way Sun men tend to respect each other and always find each other from across the room, Saturn women always have a quiet air of respect for each other's strength.

The first time Malory met Lana, she pointed a gun to her head and Lana stubbornly stood her ground. It was like Malory immediately recognized herself in Lana. She was so impressed by her that she hired her to work at her agency as a top spy, just like that.

I was so certain that they were Uttarabhadrapadas and finally had the courage to check their charts AND I WAS RIGHT! Both voice actors are Uttarabhadrapadas!!

Their dynamic features this very Ascendant-Moon synastry — I definitely couldn't have guessed that one. This synastry quite literally demonstrates seeing yourself (Moon) in someone else (the Ascendent person). I've been very into studying synastries lately and it's always interesting how it plays out.

Anyway, now it makes sense why Sterling has a connection with Lana. Even though Lana isn't half as worse as Malory, I've always noticed their similarities. Like Lana, Malory used to be a kickass, spy lady before Sterling was born. They both have very sharp, stern personalities and are frequently annoyed by Sterling's existence. And in Sterling's case, it is true that you'll subconsciously seek out traits in a partner that are similar to your parent's.

Also, Sterling's unhealthy relationship with women & sex (unsuccessfully) fills up the empty hole inside of him that was supposed to be nourished by his mother's love as a child. This makes him fearful of intimacy and closeness, which is common with Sun nakshatra natives.

Malory's neglect is still a running gag in the series — she's emotionally hardened which is a prominent theme for Uttarabhadrapada (especially for the female natives). Being the middle nakshatra in the Pisces segment, it truly is the only Pisces that can struggle with intimacy, vulnerability or melancholic fluff. Which makes sense as Saturn is there. Luckily in Revati, there is more freedom and unrestrained expansion. There is a reason why Venus exalts in 27° of Pisces, where Revati lies. Revati is everything love and philosophical. Uttarabhadrapada isn't always comfortable expressing sentimentality, as they tend to be very self-restraint or outwardly hardened.

Anyway. I'm not done with the characters. I'll make a part 2 once I have the energy.

Ugh I'm sooo good at guessing nakshatras! LMAOO 😭

Especially moon nakshatras. I'm still so intrigued by moon men.

[limeade-l3sbian]

That anon you got about straight women liking m/m content while ignoring m/f or f/f pairings... Where to even start...

First of all, I'm a straight woman who doesn't like yaoi/slash/bl/whatever it's called now and never have so I see where you're going. But I understand why so many women prefer m/m overall.

Many women say they enjoy m/m content because it's devoid of gender roles and misogyny. I understand this. I've consumed straight romance (sometimes against my will) and there's so much bullshit in it like I'm sorry. My sister asked me to watch this period drama with her and literally pretty much every pairing starts with the man being sexist or rude in some way to the woman. And they literally bicker most of the time but it's supposed to be "sexual tension" or whatever until at some point they kiss and I guess everything is forgiven. Yay? I don't know what's exciting or good about any of this. This drama somehow managed to make 1800s europe devoid of racism but not sexism, so pretty much every male love interest is sexist in some way. I don't get why women don't write more romance where the males are actually respectful of their gender as a whole. Or perhaps I do and here's comes my other point: many women cannot conceptualize a world where men are actually women-loving.

Seriously, have you ever seen the weird trend of refering to fictional male characters that are actually loving and respectful towards their gfs as male lesbians, or their het relationship "lesbian-coded"? When I was younger, it used to piss me off when women would say they didnt write or draw m/f pairings because they didnt want to deal with sexism and gender roles, I was like "then write a world where men and women are seen as equals!!" But then I started writing myself and it's incredible how fake it will appear to write a male character respectful and loving of his gf AND her gender as a whole. Now I write and draw for myself so I do whatever I want no matter how silly or fake it is, but I would never publish any of that because I don't wanna deal with people telling me "men really don't act this way, you dont know how to write male characters :/" or "Oh I love the male love interest, he's such a malewife!!".

And yes, many gay male romance has them dealing with homophobia, but that's basically them against society/the world. You can tell they are still in it together, and they will choose each other any time even if that means getting ostracized by everyone. With het pairing and sexism is more like man against woman. She has to deal and fight for this man to see her (and perhaps her gender) as capable and worthy of respect so they can have a better relationship. It doesn't seem like they're in it together and the woman has to put all the effort so her man can see the error of his ways.

Why do you think there are many people who joke about how a male character seems to have more chemistry and rapport with another male character (usually a friend or mentor) than his supposed female love interest? Because they're written as equals with interesting traits and a relationship that surpasses many trials, while the female love interest is written as "the woman" - writers will avoid giving female characters interesting traits because they dont think they look good on female characters or believe women dont or shoudnt act a certain way. And believe me, i'm saying this as a woman that's very attracted to female characters - the majority of shows and movies I consume have (a) female main protagonist(s) and I prefer shows that have a bigger female cast. I also get attached to female characters even if they're "badly written" or whatever the fandom says idgf. Ive even watched a lot of those animes and manga that only have female characters, because I have a preference for women in fiction (and real life I guess)

The f/f stuff is another whole issue that it's not very related to this. Most women producing m/m content are straight so they will want to see at least one male in their pairing. F/f can't provide that for obvious reasons. This is like asking straight guys why they don't consume gay male porn if they like lesbian porn so much. It literally makes no sense. These men give the answer of why they like lesbian porn usually as "one woman is hot, two women is DOUBLE the hotness". Think about it like that with women; now they have two men to ogle at.

I had much more to write, specifically about the sexual part (since fanfiction is usually very romance/sex centered) and m/m vs m/f and f/f, but this got too long. Perhaps i'll write a second part.

.

[teganstable]

rwby ships brainrot thoughts pt1

lowkey I would rather ship Weiss with a can of tuna before I ship her with Jaune💀 and I cannot explain why I dislike him so much(which actually bothers me usually I feel like i have solid reasons) but when it comes to Jaune I can't think of any that are satisfying.

And before people say I'm hating just to hate. I'm not I love most of the male characters in rwby because they were presented in a much better way e.g Ren Qrow Ironwood Ozpin all of these characters had something about them that made them interesting and more appealing to learn more about they had a sense of "You're a little strange.... why?" Which is important to me at least to get your audience to like said character. With jaune home boy started out acting so "woe is me 😔 I'm never gonna be good enough" and that is an immediate turn off his vast lack of self of steam (other than flirting with Weiss for some reason) was just so Fustrating. Because in a world like Remnant you can't afford to have that sort of attitude but then still want to be a hunter

But I digress

RWBYs general messy writing aside I feel like when it comes to Jaune there's just something about his compatibility with both Pyrrha and Weiss that I instantly hated it didn't feel equal or natural but after finally watching the cross over I was actually suprised with how mildly intriguing him and Jessica were.

A lot can be said about the ships of Rwby and I do think some have more natural chemistry than others there are a few that I just know for a fact I'd hate to sit through as a viewer and kinda hate that I do. (Terrible addiction I've got here)

Jaune and Weiss kinda feels very.... forced of course they have both changed a lot since Vol 1 but they seldom did any of the growth... together which if your going to devolp some sort of romantic tension or something they kinda have to interact outside the bounds of Weiss just shutting him down

Pyrrha and Jaune were unbalanced. In the sense that what we did see of them in the show it was really Jaune was so full of self doubt it felt like without Pyrrhas constant support he'd wither away and die and Pyrrha was also full on the poster child for "I can fix him!" And I just hate that trope all together but ironically even with all her "fixing" she still didn't trust Jaune to fight along side her at that tower. And isn't that like one of the most important things in a relationship? Of course on some level she was doing it to save him but I feel like she would have had less hesitancy, if her partner had been stronger or even a proper student 🤭

Which is another Intresting point I think about often, what if Pyrrha was partnered with someone else would she have gone alone still? Or not. It's hard to speculate about that I mean I saw so very little of her to fully form a character assessment. But anyway I'm not tryna yuck anyone's yum if you do ship either Arkos or WhiteKnight you obviously see something I dont and that's the great thing about storytelling I guess but to me at least they both feel very off. 🤷

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

not sure if this was brough up already but thinking of zutara - realistically - we are having two highly, HIGHLY strung up, intense and stubborn people. neither of them fall on the B-side of the spectrum regarding neuroticism.

combine them together, and you have high tension level and imbalance.

personally (as a stubborn, no-bullshit-allowing indivdual) one of my close (male) friends is very close to my temperament. and it works, not only for the fact that we are both mature enough to keep the waters smooth, but for the fact that it is strictly PLATONIC. intimate relationship with person who mirrors you in temperament, is a recipe for disaster usually. and i know that just from friendship with said person.

tl;dr, zutara is realistically a disaster and would be doomed for failure had it ever happened. i get the chemistry, maybe the passion (though we are talking children here) but on the long run, i don't see it as a succesful canon ship.

i love your blog💖

To me, Katara and Zuko are the definition of "simmilar/different in all the wrong ways."

Their temperament is about the same, which is not good because they'd clash A LOT, and they don't want any of the same things in life (like I've repeatedly said, they're so incompatible they wouldn't even live in the same country) which combined with their temperament would make them an AWFUL couple.

Zutarians love talking about Zutara is the Yin ang Yang ship, but they forgot that Yin and Yang is not just about differences - it's about said differences working well together. Which is why Zuko, the hot-head overly emotional character, ended up with Mai, the "aloof" and usually very chill character, and Aang and Katara are living stand-ins for Tui and La (both waterbenders, one died and the other went BERSERK, we see them do the "push and pull" thing in the episode Bitter Work, etc).

[phoenixtakaramono]

2, 12, 26

<3

Re: Questions for Fic Writers

Thank you for the Ask, anon! So sorry it’s taken awhile to respond but finally I’m on a brief break from writing so I can finally answer this! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)♡

I do have to give everyone a warning. After Question 2, I do get a bit nitpicky and kinda specific of what I personally do not like. Please don’t take offense, luvs. <3

2) Go to your AO3 “Works” page, to the sidebar with all the filters, and click the drop-down arrow for “Additional Tags.” What are your top 3-5 most used tags? Do you think they accurately represent your writing habits?

I had to lol a bit looking at them. So disregarding the Fanart and Illustrations tags (I usually make a cover art for my long fics), what we’re looking at are:

Developing Relationship: You’re talking to a slowburn romance writer. By nature, I am also very much demisexual irl. And I am an avid consumer of light novels and danmei where 100-300 chapters in, they finally hold hands or kiss, and I have to scream into a pillow and kick my feet in delight upon reading it (the number is an exaggerated hyberbole, haha, but you get the gist). It’s the developing relationship that makes the experience special imo so I like to spend more time and effort showing how these characters can come to fall in love with each other in my own works.

Possessive Behavior: So, irl, I would hate this. Dear lord, I would run for the hills if a man showed an ounce of possessiveness and has essentially revolved their life around me to a disturbing degree (it’s not cute being love-bombed and isolated from friends and family, etc). But since this is fictional and the love interests tend to be canonical d*ckheads whereby possessiveness is very much in-character for them, and especially if it’s for a dark fic, I will serve you psychotic yanderes or clingy, obsessive Male Leads who love only the Main Character and would end the world just for them. I am so used to wholesome healthy cookie-cutter relationships irl, so I like to explore the opposite in fiction.

S*xual Tension: Same as the developing relationship. I mean, yes, I can write the NS/FWs and can churn them out with a straight face, but it’s usually not the focus of my works. It’s the s*xual tension where it’s at. I wanna see chemistry. I wanna see it sizzle. I want to see them pine. When I write a romance, I want to make it clear from the start how well-matched these two characters are for each other and, why, yes, you should continue to read my super ultra long fic if you want to see how I will make them kiss and make love to each other.

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence: Alright, this one is especially indicative of my writing habits and the stories I tend to write, aka Post-Canon AUs. It’s very much What-If scenarios that keep me up at night and inspire me to write what you read. I don’t think there exists a fic of mine which is not either an AU or an AU - Canon Divergence. For me, after I finish a source material, usually I want to see a continuation of the same characters—with their core essence and personality kept as true as possible. And that is also indicative of what I write. What I like to read myself extends to what I like to write.

Fluff: I like fluff as much as the next person, but I like it when it’s earned. When that coldhearted Love Interest who’s grown embittered gradually warms up to the Main Character and entwines their fingers to slowly bring their hands up to their face to softly plant a kiss to the back of their hand, or the Main Character who’s grown to be besotted with the Love Interest and nuzzles their face into their chest as their arms wrap around them, sharing body heat as their bodies spoon up against each other—you see what I mean? It hits better when it’s earned (when you see their journey). Since my fics tend to be long, I also like to inform my readers that, yes, there will be fluff in the story. They’re coming.

Character Study: I do use a lot of my fics as an opportunity to do a character study on some characters that fascinate me, whether it be a character introspection or their POV, etc. Some fics are more obvious think-pieces and character explorations disguised as stories. It’s exploring my love for a character, seeing what makes them tick, and condensing their essence down to mere words on a page.

Canon-Typical Violence: I’m a detail-oriented writer. 99% of the time, what I write is on the graphic end. I go lush with the sensory details and descriptions. And for the source materials with canon-typical violence, I feel obligated to include violent scenes in my own works so it feels like you’re reading an extension of the universe. I also tend to put this warning up just in case, just so readers have been forewarned.

The last tag is pretty self-explanatory I think, considering the fics I write are 🔞 queer literature between two consenting adult fictional men, haha. Nuff said.

12) Are there any tropes you used to dislike but have grown on you?

So, funny thing about me and my love-hate relationship with tropes…. In the spirit of honesty, this is a bit of a landmine to navigate for me, haha. I’d answered an Ask about this (if you do read it, skip down to the Contrarian Tendencies section), as why I tend to develop an aversion to tropes and clichés that’s affected not only what I consume as a reader but also affect the content I write. So if my brain happens to identify a pattern of tropes or clichés or popularly used words or even popular fanon nicknames for characters, I will instinctively dislike the fad 90% of the time on sight and I will go outta my way to avoid any fics/ stories/ shows/ manga/ manhua/ manhwa that even mention them—unless the creator is intentionally satirizing a classic cliché or reinvents the wheel to breathe new life into a tired trope. As an analogy, think of how fatigued some of us have become of the generic superhero movies being pumped out via DCU and MCU—and then think of how The Boys (TV) is like a breath of fresh air. It’s the execution and originality for me. I like it when there’s a clear attempt on the writer’s part to be unconventional. I love trope subversions and deconstructions. That’s kinda how my brain operates with tropes. I can’t exactly explain why my instinctive aversion to fads exists for me. It’s probably the predictability/ unoriginality and sensing a popular fad that kills it for me. It might be because as much as I am a bibliophile (person who loves reading books), I only have a limited amount of free time and don’t like to spend it on something that’s completely unoriginal with the usual tropes that come with the premise/ genre which comes across like beating a dead horse with a stick to me, and it shows me that the writer has put little to no effort into trying to come up with something new. So unless it’s intentional or satire, it’s pretty much become a compulsion for me to dislike clichés, fads, and generic cookie-cutter writing on sight.

This is just me though! It’s not a measure of what I think a writer’s skill or creativity is! I’m just an eccentric contrarian with hipster tendencies, haha. I just typically don’t like following trends in writing, and prefer to pave my own path to do my own thing. This aversion is similar to how I am as a writer. As an example on the smaller level, while not a trope, sometimes in fandoms I see a character affectionately being given non-canonical nicknames. For me…if I see it, chances are I will likely just drop the fic I’ve been reading, no matter how well-written it is and how amazing the plot and characterizations are. If I think a nickname has overstayed its welcome, I have reached a point where I won’t even come ten feet of it in my own stories. When it has reached that level of nausea for me, I have essentially developed an allergy to the nickname—that if I see it in any other franchise I have yet to check out but know that name exists for a character, I will avoid that other fandom like a plague just so there’s no cross-contamination of my writing or reading material. (So I’m not gonna name names because I don’t want writers to think I’m calling anyone out—because this aversion is only specific to me and is not a metric of the true quality of a writer’s work—but as a general example, it’s one of the reasons why I don’t like “Johnny” being used for a certain character in The Boys that have shown up a handful of times across various authors’ works already—because my brain associates that with another well-known character from CoD (🧼) who coincidentally shares the same first name (John) who also canonically has a certain nickname they’re known by (Johnny)—and what a funny coincidence that it’s the same as their nickname for a character I’m reading about in this different fandom. It could be very well that it’s cute so that’s maybe why some writers use it (which, I have to say this: don’t let me stop you; it’s your fic so do whatever you want; I encourage you to continue so in fact; this is just me being nitpicky to a fault) but there are writers I know who are in the CoD franchise as well as The Boys. So I just cannot remove the association my brain has made and that’s personally why it’s not my cuppa tea.)

“A-Yuan” is a good example, for the character Shen Yuan from SVSSS, where I saw it everywhere in the fics I read, disliked the fad because my brain strongly associated “A-Yuan” with a character from MXTX’s other work, MDZS, so it was incredibly jarring to me on principle, but over the years—and especially engagement with my cute readers—it has grown on me. A-Yuan though is probably the one exception I’ve made so far where I will read works with that fanon nickname while also include it in my own work myself. No other fanon character nicknames for other fandoms so far have pierced through the barrier of my initial dislike to the other side. If you ask me for reasons of how this manifests for me, it can differ. 1) It’s too cutesy and can be immersion-breaking if it’s not done right or if it’s out-of-character (especially if no one would call them that in the source material). Or 2) the nickname reminds me of another character from a different franchise, which makes me feel like I’m reading about an entirely different character from that franchise than the character I want to be reading about. Or 3) it makes me feel like I’m reading about a writer’s Original Character and not the actual character I’d wanted to read about so I feel like I’ve been misled by unintentional false advertisement. Other examples are (in no particular order of which fandoms they come from): Hanni, Dray/ Drake, Johnny, Tommy, Sesshy, Sev, Jimmy, BeiBei…I could go on but I already feel my soul has shriveled just mentioning these. In my opinion, just a made-up fanon nickname or petname being mentioned once or twice or a handful of times is okay, or if it’s said mockingly or if it’s like an earned thing to show relationship growth, but dear lord if that cutesy nickname has replaced the actual character’s first name for, like, 90% of a fic and has become their go-to. This also applies for Original Works. If I have to read a character calling someone by something corny like “Little One,” “Goddess,” “little lamb,” “cub,” or “kitten” for the 3,000th time in the same work and it’s not the writer trying to be ironic or funny, I will take a fork to my eyes.

As for actual disliked tropes that have grown on me…gosh, there are none. None, zilch, nada. It’s either A) I dislike it wholeheartedly and will go out of my way to avoid my pet peeves, or B) I like something and will continue to read 100 iterations of it because everyone does it differently so it’s refreshing to see everyone’s different take (I will read any dark fics revolving around a villain or antihero or hero-turned-ruthless with a scheming mind and twisted motives; I eat that up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and will love it till I’m in my 90s or buried in my grave). There’s no coming back once I’ve become fatigued by something. And if I have come to dislike something, I will loathe it with every fiber of my being and nothing can convince me otherwise once I have put it on my Do Not Like list. We’re talking about tropes I find insufferable like unnecessary miscommunication/ misunderstandings leading to a fall-out/ unnecessary poor communication leading to unnecessary drama, fake-out deaths (if not done right), love triangles (if not done right), damsel in distress (if not done right), unnecessary and undeserved character assassination character bashing to make way for a ship, etc. Now can there be exceptions to this? Yes. God, yes, they exist. But these are the tropes I rarely see executed well. And if it’s not executed well, it grinds everything to a screeching halt for me and I notice its existence even more. I will however make a strong attempt to persevere and patiently read on despite so in hopes that it gets better to see what the hullabaloo is all about, but even I have my limits for how long I can keep holding on.

26) Would you rather write a fic that had no dialogue or one that was only dialogue?

First of all, why? Hahaha. Secondly, I guess I’m going to be nitpicky here as well. So unless it’s a satirical fic where there’s only one character (lmao, y’all recall that infamous Groot masterpiece?), I would rather write a fic that had no dialogue because at least I can differentiate everyone’s introspection and thoughts, interspersed with descriptions and other storytelling elements. Maybe instead of dialogue, they communicate via telepathy or body language. I’dunno, but it’s certainly more flexible. It’s just a small pet peeve of mine where I read a story where there’s a large chunk of dialogue—but I have absolutely no clue who’s speaking. It’s frustrating. And is a surefire way to break my reader immersion and take me outta the story.

[onyxisnotuniqueenough]

RANT ABOUT SHIPPING

before we start, i'd like to say that this isn't about situations like sherlock and watson, or byler, those are usually very much good and great and canon to me.

I'd also like to make it clear : idc about your headcanons. this is not about seeing max as bisexual or bucky as gay or smt. this is about shipping only.

i'm okay with shipping, and ofc more power to the alphabet mafia if its gay shipping, but if there is a healthy friendship ANYWHERE you guys interpret every friendly gesture as flirty.

HEY??? CAN WE JUST BE GLAD THAT THESE TWO MEN LOVE EACH OTHER UNCONDITIONALLY WITH NO ROMANTIC INTENTIONS??

like HELLO let them be the siblings that they never had they need a family

the examples I'm most mad about are matt and foggy, elmax, and stucky (this is wrong with friendship between genders supposed to be attracted to each other too, but usually producers and writers are scared of keeping them platonic and does all the shipping for you. i have never seen a man and woman, or a gay and a straight being friends with no crush implied, no weird unneccessary tension or jealousy)

EXAMPLE 1 : ELMAX

el needed a friend that would understand what she's going through and have a little normal in her life. She's only seen around men, like Hopper, Mike, Papa, etc. and finally she gets to hang out with someone willing to guide her through romantic relationships and such, and without using her for her powers like Kali did. (f-ck Kali)

And max, as we all know since season 2, is not the type of person to be comfortable around girly things (when her mom is getting ready for the snow ball, her interest and skill with video games, even her style of clothing in s2. Even if its completely normal today thankfully, girls with male-dominated interests or 'hot-headed' personalities were considered tomboys in the 80s). Or at least, she's not comfortable showing her interest in girly things because with her temperament, maybe she's self-conscious about not standing out and seeming 'strong'.

So when Max gets a chance to guide El through important milestones of female friendship, like sleepovers, shopping, etc, she takes it, because she knows that she's in a situation where there's no chance of being judged, not like the rest of the party (she says something's romantic and the boys are very quick to say how annoying and disgusting it is, well...Will is a special case but still)

and yes, in s4, we clearly see that their time with each other are amongst their happiest memories, but why does that mean that they should date??????? it's clearly a healthy sister dynamic and it's kind of a shame that we transform it into romantic love.

ROMANTIC LOVE DOESNT HOLD MORE VALUE THAN PLATONIC LOVE!!

EXAMPLE 2 : AVOCADOS AT LAW

Matt and Foggy are very similar in that sense. Matt has never really known true friendship and doesn't have much of a family, like El, and his friendship with Foggy is a chance for him to feel normal. Wether its about the fact that Foggy has never underestimated him, or been uncomfortable around his blindness, or the fact that they were close enough for Matt to feel like Foggy's family also welcomed him in. If anything, in s1ep10, when they cry, it's only a powerful scene because we know how important to each other they are and, frankly, its very refreshing to see two straight men cry about their love and friendship without a "no homo" atmosphere. Gayness has been the butt of the joke so many times, and emotion portrayed through men is always interpreted as weakness or gayness. Do we really have to perpetuate that??

EXAMPLE 3 : STUCKY

(this one is a little dissapointing. y'all saw a great bucky ship with chemistry with SAM and decided to walk on the brotherly friendship with no chemistry or banter whatsoever? AND NO, SAYING "YOU'RE TAKING ALL THE STUPID WITH YOU" IS AN INSIDE JOKE, NOT ROMANTIC BANTER PEOPLE)

Steve and bucky is a situation when they've known each other for so long, and they love each other so much that they're willing to die for each other.

Pre-Serum Steve has spent his life being bullied and judged, and you guys wanna turn the only person that he feels safe around into a romantic relationship??? agreed, steve's relationship with peggy is very stale and cliché, especially with the endgame thing, but COME ON.

if you wanna ship bucky with someone : SAM IS RIGHT THERE. THE BANTER IS THERE. HELLO? TFATWS AND THE ROLLING IN THE FIELD THING??

anyway rant is over you may continue your activities now

[axolotlsauce]

Okay so Im bored and autistic so im gonna rant about why lumity is great

(besides the obvious, which is that its a canon wlw ship in a disney property)

One of the things I HATE HATE HATE in media is a romance subplot that ends with the two people kissing and that’s just it. It infuriates me, because there are only 2 possible scenarios here.

1. The classic case of “kissing cause its in the script” aka “we’re pairing up the characters whose relationship only exists to fill a quota of what’s expected from a mainstream piece of media, and this kiss signifies that the relationship is complete, happily ever after.” this is bad because I dont give a fuck about this pairing because you used western audiences automatic expectation for the most obvious het ship to just happen to just... skip the part where you write a story where the characters actually develop feellings, because you know the audience will see a sexy male actor and a sexy female actor be co-leads and naturally assume that they’ll be the endgame relationship. This is lazy and boring

2. You actually did write the couple well, and I’m invested in their relationship. They have chemistry and their relationship develops well across the story, and they’re cute enough together for me to write at least three fanfics. In which case. Having the subplot end with the big kiss is just fucking cheating me. You gave me this whole story to want to see them be together. and then the second they came together, you ended the story. that’d be like if you built up a villain for the entire story and the protagonist killed them with their first attack. I wasn’t excited to see those characters kiss once and then be satisfeid with the knowledge that they will be together in the happily ever after: I WANTED TO SEE A CUTE ON-SCREEN COUPLE

And then there are the issues common with both of these: - A big kiss is a cliched and unrealistic way to start a relationship. for most relationships, getting together officially and the first kiss are seperate milestones, and cmon that’s way more interesting - The big kiss start relationship is always at the fucking climax because OF COURSE you cant dedicate any time to actually showing the couple, and then they’re usually broken up or physically distant in the sequel because GOD FORBID you write an actual relationship happening ONSCREEN. (like seriously why are you putting a relationship into a story just for the sake of having a romantic subplot when its so clear you have no interest in acutally writing a romantic subplot) - This leads to writers dragging out the relationship so it can happen at the end, when it would probably make more sense, both metatextually and in universe, for the characters to get together earlier. this is ESPECIALLY egregious in TV shows which are longer than movies, and thus more likely to pad out the relationship preamble with willtheywontthey BULLSHIT

and yet lumity. avoids all of this. everyhting I hate in fictional relationships isn’t present

For one thing, the romantic tension doesn’t start the second they meet, because it’s an enemies-to-lovers ship, so instead the focus with their interactions is initially antagonistic, but there’s a focus on how luz changes amity, and we also see their crushes on one another naturally develop and we actually get to see the chemistry they have with each other

The “oh shit they kissed” moment was a kiss on the cheek, and then when they got together officially it wasn’t a big kiss in the climax after defeating belos because that’s not engaging and also that’s not what teenage romance is like. Having them get together in a slower, lower-stakes episode where they just. ask each other out like normal kids is so much more engaging 

And then. Ever since that ep. We’ve got to, you know, SEE THEM BE ADORABLE GIRLFRIENDS. The thing that lumity shippers ACTUALLY WANTED

in conclusion, this is a well paced romance between 2 characters who have great chemistry with each other, which isn’t the highest bar and yet the owl house has cleared it better than so so many other shows

[homosexuality-at-its-finest]

yooo sending in a request for a bruce banner x male reader fic where reader basically has telekinesis and it's powerful enough to hold back hulk and he's just gotten these powers but he's known bruce for awhile so he goes to him freaking out but bruce helps him control his powers and uh maybe after one night of intense, tiring training the two are lying on the floor of the training room lol and bruce just asks him out ;)

Plot: Requested

Pairing: Bruce Banner x Male Reader

Y/n: Your name

L/n: Last name

E/c: Eye color

N/n: Nickname

H/c: Hair color

Warnings: Cussing, angst with fluffy ending, crying

Word count:1028

Y/n L/n and Bruce Banner went far back, having met in freshman year of college. Both of them were geniuses who were trying to make the world a better place. Bruce’s specialty was in biology while Y/n’s was in medical chemistry.

During college the two were two peas in a pod, always attached at the hip, bouncing ideas off each other. The two obviously were in love with one another, but each was oblivious to the other’s affections.

After college they went their separate ways but kept in touch. They regularly met up, always texting and wanting to be around each other, they were best friends to put it simply. After Bruce’s accident he stopped contacting his best friend, breaking the other man’s heart into pieces.

They didn’t talk for four years, not until the Avengers Intuitive was created and Bruce was no longer as scared of himself. The day after the Battle of New York he contacted his long-lost best friend, feeling heart wrenching guilt as he heard the other man sobbing.

It took quite some time but eventually Bruce had earned Y/n’s trust once more, and they had the same relationship once more, but this time with more ‘sexual tension’ as Tony had oh so gracefully said.

Bruce was happy to have his best friend back, he felt complete again. Y/n would come over regularly to work in the lab together, keeping Bruce up to date about what projects he was working on. (That weren’t confidential.)

The blissfulness he was living in was shattered on a late evening in early December when JARVIS alerted him to a distressed Y/n arriving at the tower. Immediately the doctor’s mind was on overdrive, wondering what was wrong and what he could do to fix it.

Bruce met Y/n at the elevator, the usually confident man hunched over himself, quivering and twitching ever so slightly. Bruce reached out to touch him but was pushed back by an invisible force.

Y/n looked up at him, his beautiful E/c eyes red and glossy with tears, stealing Bruce’s breath away. “Bruce, I don’t know what’s happening to me.” The man choked out, arms wrapping protectively around his stomach. “I’m scared.” With those heartbreaking words came a sob, and then another.

Bruce forced himself up, pushing past whatever invisible barrier there was, wrapping his arms around the other man. He tucked Y/n’s head against his shoulder, gently shushing and soothing him as he rubbed his back with his free hand.

Admittedly Bruce was slightly terrified, he had no idea what was going on, and had a feeling that invisible force earlier was Y/n.

“N/n, start from the beginning. What’s going on?” Bruce questioned, fingers never stopping their soothing motions.

The quivering man began his explanation of the new experiment they were beginning at his work. Even he wasn’t high enough to know exactly what they were making, but all he knew was the government was involved and whatever they had been making had exploded and he had been covered in it. The pain had been excruciating and he’d passed out, once he’d woken up the lab was completely trashed, and he was in the middle of it.

He kept hearing voices, people’s thoughts he assumed, and was able to move things without touching them. The scientist was terrified and it broke Bruce’s heart to bits. He’d do anything to help, he knew the exact situation Y/n was in.

After the explanation Y/n seemed to calm down, sagging against Bruce with a small huff. “Can I stay with you?” His voice was still so heartbreakingly small, and Bruce would give up the world to see him smile again.

“Of course, N/n, cmon.” Bruce kept a hand on his lower back, leading the other man to his room and grabbed some clothes for him to sleep in. Y/n changed on instinct, before crashing on Bruce’s bed, passing out almost immediately.

That had been two months ago, and since then the two had been experimenting and practicing with Y/n’s powers. It seemed the other man had control of them unless he became too emotional, then it was harder to do so.

The E/c eyed scientists’ powers consisted of mind reading and telekinesis, both of which proved to be a bit of a pain in the ass at times, but he took it all in stride and worked his ass off to control them.

It was another night of grueling training, the two laying on the mat in the training room, Y/n panting heavily, his eyes closed but a proud smile on his lips. He’d been able to hold back the Hulk Buster suit, which meant he could do so with the Hulk as well.

Pride and love swelled together in Bruce’s chest as he watched the other man, eyes full of admiration as he scanned over his features. He took a moment to think, before finally speaking up.

“N/n.” He nudged the other male, gaining his attention, E/c eyes turning to look at him. “Do you wanna go on a date?” He questioned, surprised that his voice held so even as he asked the question after 20 years of being in love with this man.

Y/n let out an almost hysterical laugh, rolling on his side to face Bruce. “Jesus Christ, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you to ask that.”

Bruce’s cheeks burned bright red at the other man’s words, fingers running through his damp curls. “I’ve been wanting to ask you out for 20 years.” The older man admitted, looking at the H/c haired man from under his eyelashes.

Y/n let out another laugh, bringing a hand up to cup the side of Bruce’s neck, thumb brushing over his pulse. “Took you long enough.” He teased, leaning forward to brush their noses together.

Bruce smiled boyishly, cheeks warm with embarrassment, eyes fluttering shut at the feeling of Y/n’s hand against his neck. 20 years was well worth the wait.

[leianaberrie]

Notice how whenever a male and female that are presumably close (usually interracial, guy is white)... think PLL Toby & Emily, TVD Damon & Bonnie, HTGAWM Conner & Michaela.... the fandom always states obvious cringey comments like "I love their friendship". It's actually annoying that they refuse to see what the actors are actually translating which in reality is likely 'sexual tension' or really off the charts chemistry.

I rarely see those friendship comments when the supposed friends are white male & white female, for instance Teen Wolf Stiles & Lydia. Everyone typically ships them or doesn't and/or probably ships them with another white character instead.

Its like fans have to go out of their way to make sure everybody knows this white male character A, would never see Poc character B, in a romantic way. Kind of like the writing in TVD (season 7 & 8) where in order for Damon to tell Bonnie he loves her, he always has to say "I love you as a friend" or casually drop Elena's name (even when the actress is embarrassingly no longer apart of the show)...as if the writers are purposely trying to keep it on the audience subconscious mind that these characters are in no way equal. One should be platonic no matter the context given (Bamon) while the former is & can always be normalized as romantic even when it no longer works for the plot (Delena).

Basically another way for fandoms to be passive aggressive racist... Men & women relationships in reality rarely work the way these fandoms suggest.

In the PLL books, Emily was apparently bisexual, I was pretty shocked to see the fans never bring this up in show as Emily in canon television is strictly gay. The chemistry between Emily & Toby season 1 was way better than Spencer & Toby's relationship all throughout the show...yet most of the fandom is silent on this & only says things like "Toby & Emily, Their friendship is so cute". Like yikes... can you be anymore obvious with your bias. Emily missed out on a lot of good storylines (that were apparently already written in the book) & of course we don't see any of this translated in the actual show. Out of all the liars, her family gets the least screen time. It's no wonder the fandom gives Emily the most hate. Similar to Bonnie in TVD.

I personally notice men don't like to waste time having "female friends", if a guy is trying to get close to you in proximity, chances are he probably likes you for more than just a friend. This denial is prevalent in all fandoms with regard to interracial couple pairings it seems.

It’s gate keeping.

[kale-bun]

When I watch a TV show I almost always take notes so.. I formally present (mostly to myself because who the hell is gonna read this) :

 Watching Shadow & Bone without reading the books:

first of all Alina and Mal are both very pretty...I am looking

If I see one more voice over of that same video of the field I am canceling my netflix subscription. Was that the only scene they filmed with the kid actors?

so far Kirigan is Giving me very much male manipulator. He and Alina do have chemistry,, but it feels like it's all coming from jessie. Go ben give us nothing!!

The other starving half dead grisha seeing Nina refuse Matthias’s food: 👁️👄👁️

Genya and Alina girlfriends when?

I’m glad Alina initiated that kiss bcs if Kirigan did I think it would have made the power imbalance even worse for me, but it was still very prevalent. no matter how hard she tried to make herself believe she's the one in control in this relationship… she is very much not. Also sorry but how can people ship them??  he forced her to come live with him and manipulated the people she cares about? And he’s centuries old while she's 25 at most? Wow so cute.

I love it when characters pause their important and timely task to just,, fuck. Especially when they’re gay. notable examples include Tony and Shelby from the wilds having sex under the lychee tree while all their friends starved.

Okay overall the pacing has been alright, but I feel like they could have done a better job showing the passage of time while Alina was at the little palace. The development of her powers feels kinda sudden, even though we did get that training sequence.

Mal and Alinas chemistry,,,, your honor I love them (and also I can’t believe this show has got me rooting for more than one straight ship wtf) extra weird because I usually hate the “Mal” character in love triangles bcs I feel like they’re whiney and hold the protagonist back.  I remember LOATHING gale in the hunger games. 

^ but don't worry I’ll still be on my genyalina bullshit

Something about jessie mei li’s eyes,,,, they have chemistry with everyone. shit I feel like they have chemistry with me (insert “I slowly started to be seducted by him”)

The way matthias pulls his arm back,, boy is whipped I fear

I don't know what kaz just did but good for him

Not the “I have to treat your gross festering wound but really it's just an excuse for the audience to see you shirtless and for me to trail my fingers along your back in a way that is plausibly platonic but also laced with sexual tension ” trope

“I do like you” !!!!!! okay now kith.

Aw darkwing im sowwy ur widdle girlfwiend died (*jake peralta voice* cool motive, still murder)

Kaz you fucking idiot she wants you to tell her she was right and you care about her!!! All these bitches do is stare at each other smh

Alina has been stripped of her agency at basically every turn. It makes sense that she started a romantic relationship with kirigan, it was the only way she could find a sense of power. I hate men. Truly sick and twisted. How anyone thinks this is romantic and not abusive is beyond me

Genya safin…. safin/sapphic,,, yeah i think so.

“Make me your villain” buddy boy i think you made yourself the villain

Nina and matthias!!! Y'all I can't tell you how happy i am to see them againTHEY'RE SO !! AHHhhHHHHHHhhhh they make me feel insane

I wonder how fucked mal’s internal organs are after getting beat up for 8 episodes straight

So they’re all on the same/nearby ships headed to ketterdam? And Nina knows the crows need a heartrender? This is such a perfect setup for season 2!!

I dont believe for a second that the darkling’s bitchass is dead

..what did I say

[pinkhairedlily]

Every Glance A Step Closer

Prompt: Glances | AO3 link here. Connect with me on Twitter. Happy SS Month everyone! 🌸🍅🥗 @ssskmonth

“This one barely goes out of her laboratory. I swear to god she smells like formaline.”

“He smells like the dust and cobwebs in the library. I cannot even pronounce what he’s doing – archi…something. I just know he handles lots of old papers and books. B-o-r-i-n-g.”

“So anyway, Haruno Sakura meet Uchiha Sasuke.”

This was her one free day in her experiment period week, but she needed to steam off for a night and so she allowed her friend to tug her along for a chill night drink. What Sakura didn’t expect was to socialize with a small group of people in their year and to suffer the cold indifference of the guy in front of her.

To her another surprise, he held out a hand to her. “Hello there.” She took it, slightly conscious whether she used her formaline-cancelling hand lotion. A brief and firm shake and he quicky turned away.

“Sasuke finally speaks.”

“That hello sounded a little spicier.”

“Oh my, that hand holding definitely had some electricity.”

The cajoling and teasing finally stopped when the first round of beers came in. Local university gossip was the go-to conversation opener, from the open secret student-teacher relationships to recent couple break-ups. It eventually led to Sasuke and his list of confessions.

“I heard you turned down Mio from fashion design department.”

“No way. I heard she was approached by Celine for a gig.”

“Really Sasuke? That makes her the fifth girl you dumped for this week alone.”

“You never actually had a girlfriend, did you?”

Sakura stared at him doe-eyed, genuinely curious of his answer. He returned her gaze and raised one brow. “I have high standards.”

Oh wow, what a douche, Sakura thought. Hoots erupted in their table but only for a few seconds. While the drinking and the exchanges went on, Sakura found herself wanting to go home early. She was bored and her neck was tired from not looking at him. Under the guise of stretching her already strained neck, she stole a glance, hoping to have a brief moment to take in all of his features and remember his face.

But he was already looking at her. His eyes went to the door of the restaurant then back to her. Bored? He mouthed.

Sakura looked at the door, knowing perfectly what he meant. She chugged her supposedly last bottle of beer and made a small gap with her thumb and index finger. He caught her signal and started to stand up. Their group was tipsy enough not to notice their sudden movements as they shuffled out of the door.

She halted after a few steps, Sasuke’s figure already paces in front of her, wondering whether she should say goodbye or just walk towards the opposite direction back to her apartment. She didn’t think too much of it and quickly chose the latter.

She had to get ice cream first though, a sugar rush to help jolt her senses awake. She was choosing between chocolate and strawberry when a large figure stood beside her.

“A vanilla one, please,” Sasuke said, looking smug with his hands both in his pockets. “Your treat.”

Sakura felt weirded out by the fact that he actively kept on engaging her. His reputation preceded him, but she decided to humor him for tonight. “So library science and you’re an archivist.”

“Intern archivist actually. So you actually know me.” There was arrogance in his voice that made Sakura almost choke on her ice cream.

“Process of elimination. There is no male major in our year in the History department.” She glanced at him and saw that smug look slowly transition into a slight flush of embarrassment. Cute.

“And what if it was a hobby?” Sasuke fiddled with his still unopened vanilla ice cream.

“There was a job posting in the bulletin specifically calling for Library Science students.” Their feet led them to the park still bustling with university night life and settled on a bench under the canopy of a fully bloomed dogwood tree. “See, I’m not your admirer.”

“Well, that’s a downer,” he smirked.

They talked like that for a while, fleetingly exploring related topics to their degree programs, the usual prominent teachers, the busy schedules, until Sakura finished her chocolate and strawberry popsicles. It was on her way home, finally this time, that she realized he never ate his ice cream.

--------------------------

She next saw him on their building’s rooftop with a group of friends, a piece of unsmoked cigarette in between his fingers. He quickly met her eyes, did a brief nod, and looked away. She inadvertently expected more than that but she wasn’t here for a smoke break, and it wasn’t her intention to take it further. She was here for a quick getaway from her microscope and to appreciate the city view dotted with the flowers of spring.

He kept glancing her way, however. He would be in the middle of a conversation and his eyes would stray to her, and she would catch it in her periphery, trying not to notice it. She got tired after a few repetitions of this, and the next time he glanced, she caught his gaze.

Stop it, she mouthed.

I’m bored, he mouthed back. Walk with me. His fingers mimicked the gesture, his fingers walking in the air.

She put her hands together and slightly bowed in apology. Next time, she winked at him before running back to her laboratory, a small smile painted on her lips.

--------------------------

It became like this for the next few weeks; they conversed through glances and awkward gestures whenever they were in public with their friends. When it was time to come home, they would walk in separate ways and meet again in the park under the same dogwood tree and they would converse for hours. It was mostly Sakura word-vomiting about her experiments while Sasuke would look at her with abandoned fascination.

“Stop doing that,” Sakura called him out one time.

“Stop doing what?” Sasuke asked, his ember eyes never leaving her face.

“You stare too much I feel like I’m melting.”

Sasuke made a small grunt and wore his hoodie over his head to mess with her more. He waved his hands on both sides of his face, and she immediately understood the reference of a horse having its blinders on. “Good because usually I’m the one being stared at.”

Sakura reached out to his hoodie and tightened the strings around his neck. “You’re hopeless.”

He leaned forward, almost touching her lips, his face still between her palms. “Hmm, maybe I am.”

Sakura moved away just as quickly as he moved into her personal space, a hot flush creeping to her cheeks. She hated this particular situation since blushing always made her look like a cherry tomato.

“Cute.” Sasuke apparently said his thoughts aloud because he was taken aback the moment she glanced back at him. “Cool, I said cool.”

She laughed this off just as he completely covered his face inside his hoodie.

--------------------------

She visited the basement section of the library for reference materials. Her writeup was due tomorrow and she was missing a section on historical evolution of vaccines and dosages for the viral DNA she uncovered. The small library slip in her hand, she made her way to the dimly lit rows on Biology. The shelves were twice taller than her, but there were spaces in between stacked books.

Would make it very easy to spot a ghost, Sakura chided to herself. A shadow moved along the row adjacent to the Biology section, but she dismissed this as the library staff. Her fingers traced the spines of ragged books and examined the list of recommended titles in her hand. When she raised her head, ember eyes stared back at her between the spaces of the opposite row.

Hi, Sasuke mouthed. He glanced around and seeing no one, he whispered, “Can I come over to your side?”

She found it hard to stop her grin from rising. “More eyes, the better.”

It took only a few minutes for Sasuke to find all the titles in her list, but they littered around, walking in between shelves, taking one random book and flipping its pages, stopping when they find something interesting. When heavy footfalls were heard on the stairs, Sakura inclined her head, gesturing she needed to go.

Sasuke seemed to misunderstand as he pulled her through the sleeve of her cardigan to the area further behind the room, and as the shadows grew darker, and the noise became more muted, she heard the racing beat of her heart.

Finally reaching the wall, Sasuke slumped to the floor and patted the space beside him. Sakura followed suit, consciously leaving a space between them as she was slowly becoming hyper-aware of their proximity.

“How are you faring so far? Done with the requirements?” Sasuke asked, his voice low but audible enough for her.

Sakura nodded, and after beat, rolled her eyes at him. “Shouldn’t you be out there assisting others?”

“I believe you need more immediate help.” Sasuke pulled his knees in to rest his chin on and trained his eyes on her. “Sakura.”

“Sasuke.”

The longest minute of silence hung between them, tension strung by the stare, until Sakura broke it off with her eyes shifting to the floor. “What are you doing?”

“Flirting,” he said like it’s a matter-of-fact. “This is what they usually do to me.”

“And what should I do?” She let the words roll out of her mouth, unsure why she asked, uncertain also of what he felt. She met his gaze again.

And in that moment, he just sincerely looked at her. “Flirt back.”

--------------------------

Sakura was done for the school year. She will be officially graduating in a month, and to celebrate, she went out with their group for a sem-ender discotheque clubbing. She was gonna shoot her shot for a one-night stand with literally anyone who had chemistry with her – haha she was just kidding. As this seemed to be the final cap-off to her university life, she went all out with her clothes Sakura-style – basically a boxy cropped tea, high waisted jeans, and old heels her best friend gave to her in pity.

This was actually her first club experience, but she was glad to be with veteran friends. The first few minutes inside a closed space with bass boosted, unfamiliar crowds, and lots of skinship made her very uncomfortable. Her only reprieve was the free-flowing drinks – ironically she can handle alcohol well. The disco lights would have made it difficult to spot faces, but she found him in the dark, on the corner directly across her group, his eyes already glued on her.

She wondered if he ever forgave her for scrambling out of his presence in the reference section last time, explicitly avoiding his request to flirt back. It seemed like she worried for nothing since Sasuke raised his glass to her and mouthed congratulations. She raised her glass back, resolving to mind her own business tonight. But he kept looking, a smirk etched on his beautiful face, urging her to meet him halfway.

She didn’t need to look for an excuse as her friends suddenly pulled her into the harmless mosh pit of friendly grinding. Sakura allowed herself to move to the beat, enjoying the bubble offered by the club to lose herself for a few seconds. But she kept glancing towards his direction, his eyes looking for her in the mass of bodies. At first, the glances were mischievous, like playing hide-and-seek, then they held gravity, heavy lidded and palpable.

Sasuke was impatient, and soon enough, at her next spin on her heels, he was right behind her, his hands hovering over her arms, seeking consent to touch. Sakura turned to face him, one part shy, other parts unnerved, and she slowly encircled her arms around his neck, her eyes a definite yes. His hands went to her waist, and he brought her closer to his embrace.

“You don’t have your hoodie though,” Sakura said, a little louder over the crooning of Carly Rae Jepsen to Gimmie Love. “Someone will definitely see you.”

Sasuke closed whatever distance was between them and brought his lips to her ears. “That’s a relief then. I want to be seen with you.”

“Simp,” Sakura teased. “You’re probably expecting a confession out of me, aren’t you?” This was a long time coming and she wanted to get it over with tonight especially when she had alcohol buzzing on her side.

“I am actually,” Sasuke said. “I was hoping to beat you to it in the library last time, but you ran away. Coward.”

“What?”

“What? Didn’t you hear me?”

“You like me.” Sakura said in realization. She edged her face away from his hold to take a good look at his embarrassed face. “Oh, you really do.”

“You could be dense sometimes, Sakura.” Sasuke poked her forehead playfully, and he was rewarded with a bubbly laughter from her.

Their friends finally noticed them and the intense skinship happening. The yells and woots started to drown out the speakers.

“That took you two long enough, huh?”

“They really waited for the end of the school year to do their big reveal.”

“As if the whole school doesn’t know already.”

“What?” Sasuke and Sakura asked in unison.

“It was the constant eyesmex.”

“Really, they do it every time with no shame. It gives me secondhand embarrassment.”

“Right? Sometimes I think I need to yell get a room.”

“Maybe they’ll get a room tonight.”

“Oh my god, shut up."

🌸 It's my first time participating actively for SS Month so please go easy on me haha. Work is loosely inspired by Nevertheless webtoon (which now has a Netflix adaptation). Hope you enjoyed reading!

[ordinaryschmuck]

Top 10 Favorite Fictional Couples

Happy Valentines Day, people on the internet who probably won't read this! I'm an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons. And even though I'm a lonely bastard who will absolutely die alone one day, I am also a sucker for romance. If a story decides to include a cute couple in it, then you better believe I'm going to gush over them for an unhealthy amount of time for a man my age. Even more so if they answer the three most essential questions that I think applies to every romantic couple in fiction:

Why do they like each other? (Looks don't count. It can be an option, but it shouldn't be the only option.)

Would it make sense for them to be together? (Like, if this couple would exist in real life, would you expect them to last.)

Do they have chemistry? (This is the most important one as a couple can dominate just by the chemistry alone.)

So today, I am going to rank my top ten favorite couples in fiction, who just so happen to answer most, if not all, of these questions. Now, I could be cute and make a top fourteen list...but not too long ago, I just listed off the twenty best-animated series of the 2010s, so I think it's best if I stick to the basics. Also, I should make a few things clear:

A. These are couples, not ships. The pairing has to have a canon kiss, or at the very least, a canon confession to be on the list. This means sorry, Lumity fans, but Luz and Amity are not going to be on this list...even though they would absolutely be #1 if they could be!

B. The couple has to at least spend an entire episode being together, which means no last-minute hookups because the writers wanted to drag out the romantic tension. (Sorry, Catradora fans)

With that out of the way, let's get started with--

10. Laura Hollis and Carmilla Kernstien from Carmilla (Web Series)

The chemistry between these two is on point. Laura’s and Carmilla's actors Elise Bauman and Natasha Negovanlis are so convincing when acting like a couple that I am honestly shocked to find out they never actually dated. This is good because everything else about Laura and Carmilla's relationship is...kind of the worst. Don't get me wrong, as a couple, these two are fantastic, adorable, well-written, and well-performed. But the writers seem very fond of keeping them bickering and broken up rather than actually having them together. And that is where the issue lies. If the writers committed to Laura and Carmilla being together instead of doing this whole "will they or won't they" crap, on top of them being selfish idiots in season two, then you better believe they would be in the top three, at least. As they are, they at least act adorable enough to make the top ten.

9. Gregg and Angus from Night in the Woods

Ok, I'm gonna level with you: I just wanted to put an mlm relationship on this list, and this was the best I can come up with (I haven't seen Good Omens, nor have I finished Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts yet to see Benson's relationship with Troy. Leave me alone). As a male bisexual, I'm kind of disappointed. I know that male pairings exist in media, but for the life of me, I don't think they are as celebrated as much, or as frequent, as female pairings have been. This is sad because I would honestly love to see how more couples like Gregg and Angus.

These two act so much like a real couple. Gregg and Angus care and support each other so much, yet they still have big arguments as any couple would. They clearly love each other but still have issues they both need to deal with if they want to grow. Plus, I'm just a sucker for opposites attract. And you can't get more opposite than the loud and bombastic Gregg and his quiet and serious boyfriend Angus. There are probably better mlm pairings than these two (And if there are, then let me know. I'd love to check them out), but Gregg and Angus prove that any relationship, no matter the gender, can be the same as any other. Both the wholesomeness and the faults.

8. Peter Parker and Michelle Jones from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

I put these two a little low because we barely see them spend time as a couple. Peter and Michelle got together at the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, and we only get a glimpse of how their relationship works in the last few minutes. However, I'm willing to argue that they count because they are guaranteed to be a couple in the sequels, and we'll be allowed to see them grow. How often do you get to say that for other fictional couples who get together at the end of a long story? Plus, Peter and Michelle earn extra bonus points for being the best couple in a Spider-Man movie. Michelle is a league's better character than the MJ in the Sam Rami trilogy, and the chemistry is still adorable but not overtly cutesy like it was in The Amazing Spider-Man movies. So even though Peter and Michelle just got together, they show a lot of promise, if you ask me. Their interactions are adorable, you can tell that Michelle likes Peter for Peter, and they are the most accurate depictions of young love you’ll ever see. Just look at that first kiss. It was one filled with inexperience and awkwardness and I just love it! I’m already interested in what these two have to offer and I can’t wait to see what happens next with them.

7. Andy Dwyer and April Ludgate from Parks and Recreation

The best description you'll ever hear about this couple is that they are what happens when a dog and a cat fall in love. Andy is dopey, happy, and loyal to no end. April is intimidating, cynical, and is already plotting your murder as we speak. What I'm saying is that these two shouldn't work...but they do. Somehow, by every leap of logic, Andy and April complete each other. They are both so far gone from reality, yet at the same time, both keep each other grounded in more ways than one. It's a weird paradox that never ceases to amaze, nor does it cease to be adorable. They do go through bullcrap love triangles and a "will they or won't they scenario" in seasons two and three, but once that crap is over, the writers lean into the potential these two have as a great couple. And trust me when I say that it is all lovely to watch.

6. Rapunzel and Eugene from Tangled: The Series

Huh. I guess romance really does exist after Happily Ever After.

Joking aside, I was surprised by how well these two work as a pairing. Usually, when the Disney Prince and Princess get together in the end, there is nothing more to the relationship. And even if their movie gets a spin-off series, the dynamic is as generic and forgettable as it can be. For Rapunzel and Eugene, it is different. Their chemistry is top-notch, their constant love and support for each other are admirable/adorable, and the complete trust they have for one another is absolute perfection. I was already surprised by how good Tangled: The Series was, but the fact that the main couple is somehow better here than they were in their own movie is something I would have never expected.

5. Rigby and Eileen from Regular Show

And seeing how we're talking about surprises, who saw these two being the best couple in the series? With the number of times that the writers focussed on Mordecai's romantic hang-ups and how often Muscle Man and Starla were considered the only canon couple, I was shocked when it turned out Rigby and Eileen have the best loving relationship in Regular Show. Even crazier, their relationship is built entirely in the background of the first six seasons. Since her introduction, Eileen has been head over heels for Rigby since the beginning (for reasons I'll never understand), and Rigby slowly reciprocated. Until the big reveal in the season six finale, there was nothing but implications as they were trying to hide their relationship and not rub how perfect it is in Mordecai's face (no matter how much Rigby wants to). But once we get to see them as an official couple, it all becomes clear why they work so well. Eileen loves Rigby for Rigby, and will always support him, faults and all. Rigby pays it all back in spades, wanting to be a better person, as well as a better boyfriend, for the one person who always believes there was something good inside. Not even his own best friend had that much faith in him. And on top of all of that, they're just cute. They may not have been the central hook in the series, but they are definitely much appreciated.

4. Chris and Elise from Dan Vs./Millie and Moxxie from Helluva Boss

These four are tied because they pretty much have the same dynamic. Chris and Moxxie are these pathetic losers who somehow managed to marry Elise and Millie: Badass assassins who could effortlessly marry any man they want. And what they want are their pathetic losers. It's extra wholesome for Chris and Elise, as Chris really can't do that much right, especially in comparison to the ever-perfect Elise. Yet, she still cares deeply for Chris and will promptly destroy anyone or anything that causes him harm. That being said, while Millie and Moxxie are both equally deadly, there is an odd hilarity to the fact that these literal demons from hell are so gosh darn wholesome. Seriously, their literal job is to kill people who screw over those who went to hell, and I'm always going "D'aww" when M and M always do something cute. Explain that logic to me!

There's nothing more I can say about these four, as they're adorable couples that prove love comes in the most impossible circumstances and the unlikeliest places.

3. Ruby and Sapphire from Steven Universe

I'll always remember that Ruby and Sapphire are the first couple that proved to me that there is nothing wrong with a same-sex pairing, especially in children's media. Before Steven Universe, I wasn't necessarily told that same-sex couples are wrong, but they're not meant for kids. Then I found out that these two girls, on a kids show of all places, we're madly in love and my first response was: "...Huh." And this was before I knew I was bisexual, so I wasn't even that obsessed about it at the time. But the more I saw Ruby and Sapphire, and the more I learned about how starved the LGBTQ+ was for representation, the more I really appreciated them. Ruby and Sapphire never fail to be precious, and the fact that they barely spend any longer than a few minutes apart is downright heartwarming (and incredibly literal if you've seen the show). They also broke a ton of barriers to proper representation. Not only were Ruby and Sapphire one of the first explicit lesbian couples in children's animation, but they're also the first ones to actually get married. Because of such a power move, many networks and shows make it less of a challenge for writers to include more gay characters in their stories. There is still a lot of hard work that those writers face, but it certainly seems it's less of a challenge than it would be before Steven Universe came out (Ha!). Ruby and Saphire are the first fictional gay couple I have been introduced to and have made an incredible impression ever since.

2. Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum and Marcelene Abadeer from Adventure Time

But while it's Ruby and Sapphire that introduced me to the concept of a same-sex couple, it's Princess Bubblegum and Marceline that made me root for one. In (I want to say) 2017, I started rewatching Adventure Time, knowing that queer relationships were indeed a thing. This means that not only did I finally caught the INCREDIBLY noticeable subtext in "What Was Missing," but I was legitimately chanting, "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" when I got to the episode "Varmints." And when they finally did kiss in the series finale, I full-on jumped out of my chair and screamed, "YES!" That never happens. Not even for the straight couples that I've obsessed over before this. Either I coo at how adorable they are, or just smile a warm and gentle smile. But letting out a very audible cheer that my college roommates definitely heard? That shows how deeply I cared for these two. And can you really blame me?

Not only is the chemistry on point with Bubblegum and Marceline, but it's interesting getting to see their relationship evolve through the course of the series. They have a dynamic of a couple who broke up on bad terms (long before "Obsidian" confirmed this), and you slowly get to see them reconnect to that spark they lost long ago. Plus, the more you see them interact, the more of their history is revealed, and thus it becomes clear why they fell for each other in the first place. Bubblegum keeps Marceline responsible, while Marceline helps Bubblegum learn how to loosen up. They balance each other nicely, and after some much needed growing up from the both of them, that spark returns. And they're much more of a loving unit than they were years ago. It's incredible to watch, and I would honestly see an entire spin-off series about them. But, as great as Bubblegum and Marceline are, there is a reason they are not my number one.

(There’s no art for this one because they’re characters from a book and I don’t want to steal someone else’s fanart for the sake of my crappy Tumblr post)

1. Percy Jackson/Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus

And that reason is that I can't resist the first-ever pairing that I obsessed over. Percy and Annabeth might just be the example I live by for how couples should be written in media. Dynamic wise, of course. In terms of telling a story, their relationship was handled poorly in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It was filled with agonizing love-triangles, a very long wait, and they were one of those couples who didn't get together until the end of the series. Which is a major no-no, in my opinion. But, when they finally get to be a couple in Heroes of Olympus, it is downright perfection. Percy and Annabeth are what happens if these two badass warrior heroes fell in love. They worry about each other and are willing to die for each other (if need be) but still have an intense amount of faith and trust for one another. The number of times Percy or Annabeth knew they would be alright because they have each other is incredibly high, no matter what series of books they appear in. They work well together, as well as off each other. Percy is this bumbling idiot who wins his battles through a mix of luck and skill, where Annabeth is this intelligent warrior who has trained since the age of seven. They compliment each other perfectly, and their constant playful bickering is always fun. I love these two, I love their love, and they will always be one of my favorite fictional couples in media.

(That is until Luz and Amity from The Owl House become cannon. In which case, you better believe they'll be number one.)

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And those are my favorite couples. Out of curiosity, what are yours? Or, at least, what are your top five? Don't feel afraid to let me know or even make a list of your own.

Have a happy Valentine's Day, with whoever you want to celebrate it with and however you want to do it.

Now, if you don't excuse me, I have an entire to-do list of s**t I have to do, and I gotta figure out which to work on first.

(Should I review Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles next, or do that scene breakdown for Amphibia? Oh, the possibilities are killing me...)

[ellelans]

You made a tag comment about how Buddie wasn't planned from the beginning. And therefore what we got in Season 2 wasn't (at the time) the groundwork for a love story. I agree completely! Much of it I can see as either a bit of fun (the Christmas elf, the instagram girl) or that kind of hyper-masc heterosexuality that loops around itself and becomes gay (Buck's whole...thing with Eddie in the beginning, the focus on Eddie's body/hotness/physical appearance). But sometimes I step back and look at the whole and I'm all 🧐 🤔.

I don't even know what I'm asking lol. Would just love your thoughts/feelings on the confusing spectacle that are Buck and Eddie in season 2. And when/how/why did the show change their mind?

Thank you so much for the ask and you know what? Let’s talk about it.I recently had an in depth chat about this pretty unpopular opinion with a friend and I tried to explain to her why I don't see buddie as an actual pairing or having any canon potential until early s3 and why I don't believe they were planned from the beginning.This will be long and all over the place of course lol

The first and the most obvious reason is the way 911 deals with main characters and their romantic arcs.They don't actually drag it on for long because there is no need or time for that since every single main character has a strong storyline of their own and any romantic development between any pair as an additional combined storyline. Relationships happen fast on 911 because they are planned ahead and the only relationship that took longer than usual few episodes was Chim and Maddie and they were already kissing and planning a date in 2x11.

Also when shows enter their second season there is never a way to predict how long it will stay on the air and because of that it is impossible for me to believe that buddie was planned as some epic old school slowburn that is nowhere as close to be resolved after 3 seasons.When I say old school slowburn I mean shows that have this one heterosexual romance at the center of the universe that is usually stretched across seasons and builds up sexual tension between characters and it takes literally years for them to finally get together.We have these two characters that where made for each other and you KNOW that they will eventually get together because of some ridiculous pining that will eventually end in a kiss and everyone will scream and cry.And maybe that’s how buddie feels to me now after years of careful build up-but the way I see it they as a potential something didn't happen in s2.

We all joke about how character introduction of Eddie is the gayest we have ever seen and Buck's reaction to him as true bisexual and I do that myself too because I am a bisexual too and tbh its hard to unsee (also I don't want to) but lets remove our rainbow glasses for a second. What really did happened in that scene? Eddie's perfect abs on display,Chim and Hen fun comments on how beautiful he is,Bobby's praise and bragging about getting Eddie and his Silver Star on the team and Buck's insecurities flaring up as a reaction to all of this.Buck immediately feels threatened.At this point we of course have no idea how deeply his insecurities run or why,but as episode progresses we witness Eddie on his first call making a better decision to how to handle a medical situation and backed up by Bobby.It has sort of a devastating effect on Buck,who suddenly starts acting like we have never seen him before.Then there is a that scene at the gym where Buck tells Eddie how he is his problem. And later we of course have the scene in ambulance when Eddie asked what exactly they are measuring. Because that's what it looked like - a usual macho men measuring context. But the thing is 911 doesn’t toxic masculinity when it comes to main male characters and we saw many examples of that already by then,but the biggest one was supposed to be BuckandEddie. Equals,partners and best friends.

911 was already pushing boundaries with cast,characters and relationships diversity and I strongly believe that what they wanted to show us was a male equivalent of what we are used to see in female bffs -a different kind of a friendship between men. Men who care about each other,who talk about feelings,discuss sex,dating or why they don’t,who again openly acknowledge that they find each other attractive and giving advices on how to take a more flattering selfie,who are not afraid of crying, admit they are struggling or heartbroken or loving their kid.Honestly when was the last time any of us saw a male friendship like theirs?Men are not allowed to be like that on TV (I am still shocked that its a Fox show tbh) and especially with each other.We are not used to see such a development so no wonder people started paying attention-which was what writers wanted,of course.

But that also brings us to that important question about queer undertones,subtext and do what we actually see in s2. Are there queer undertones?Absolutely. Subtext?It’s right there but you will probably not get it unless you’re reading between the lines.Before we get to Christmas Elf,there was ‘’He is cute!/He gets that a lot,you should’ve seen his kid...’’ Maddie and Buck scene that is once again reinforces that Buck finds Eddie attractive and it shouldn’t be a surprise because we already know from 2x01 he has eyes - but they mention it AGAIN and that personally made me raise a brow or two.By the time we get to that Christmas episode,we already have Shannon back and Buck finally moved on from Abby with Taylor and then Ali and then we are given another queer coded scene-with Christmas elf.And its very cute and to an average heterosexual viewer its a nice little joke,but any queer watching that scene was probably taken aback a little.

So why imo did Tim&Co do it and when they realized they can actually see where they can take BuckandEddie and when they started becoming buddie?My answer is ship teasing.It’s what a lot of people actually mistake for queer baiting,but we are not talking about that rn.Ship teasing works like charm and if shows can get away with that-they will totally use it to their advantage.It’s usually not always malicious,but it IS always intentional because that brings in a category of people that were overlooked for a long time-online fandom.Now I have seen some opinions that fandom doesn’t really matter,it’s the ratings that count and that is NOT TRUE.You can have your ratings,but if there is no buzz online?Your show is going nowhere.For at least a decade now every self-respecting production has teams to monitor fandom activities because it gives them better ideas about how consumers(fans) are interacting with their product (show).Fandom is important because we generate the buzz.So I do believe that BuckandEddie and that sweet ship teasing were to get a certain part of the fandom pay attention.

I wasn’t here when S2 aired so I don’t know if that was the case,but it is obvious that these scenes I talked about above made fans pay a LOT of attention. And maybe that was the reaction writers needed to start changing course from ship teasing to start building up to something else.They maybe didn’t plan it at the very beginning and on paper,but lets also not forget the insane chemistry between Oilver and Ryan,which imo is another big reason-it's impossible to ignore.

Because S3?Is light years away from S2 in terms of BuckandEddie-they became buddie.In s3 Buck and Eddie become each other’s significant other,they are in a primary relationship. ’’Buck invites Eddie...’’?!!!!! It is not yet romantic and probably won’t be until ending of s5 if we are lucky-but it is in your face,they are not subtle anymore.I personally saw buddie only at the end of 3x03 when Eddie came over and said that there is noone in the world he trusts with his son more than Buck, looking like he did into Buck’s eyes,while ‘Photograph’ played in the background right before Buck’s overvoice about being seen and found and a raft to bring one home. After S4 ending tho...we all know that something is about to happen and its like there is electricity in the air as we are waiting for s5!

Probably a lot more thoughts than you expected,but I have many feelings about these two and when buddie goes canon this post will become completely irrelevant lol 💖 

[flatsuke]

Webtoon Recommendations

I’ve spent a lot of time reading webtoons lately, so I wanted to recommend some of my faves! 

The following are my personal thoughts and insights on some of the webtoons I’ve read:

1. The Evil Lady’s Hero

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Josei, Romance, Isekai

Pros: I’m really enjoying the direction of this webtoon! The heroine is genre-savvy and full of guile, while the male lead is sweet....but with many hidden layers inside. I can tell this is a character-driven webtoon and not a plot-drive one (not that I mind), so most of the focus is on the chemistry between the two, and boy do they have chemistry and sexual tension. In particular, I really like the fact that it doesn’t feel too wish fulfillment-y, like most webtoons do.

Cons: It took a while for the art style to grow on me.

2. Who Made Me A Princess

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Isekai

Pros: First of all, the art is just amazing. I feel like Spoon puts so much thought and effort into every little detail (Athy’s outfits!!) in the webtoon, and I really appreciate that. Also, the plot is pretty compelling imo! The base plot is similar to a standard isekai, but the way the author executes the concept to make it into something compelling really blows me away. There are times when this webtoon gets really emotional and cathartic, and I think those moments of poignant storytelling are what sets this webtoon apart from the rest.

Cons: The pacing gets a little slow come Season 2, but it picks up again after a while!

3. Death is the Only Ending for the Villainess

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Historical, Psychological, Romance, Shoujo, Isekai

Pros: This webtoon is VERY cathartic (probably the most cathartic one I’ve ever read so far). I really sympathized with the heroine’s pain from the beginning, and every moment she interacts with the people around her (especially her prospective love interests) has me on the edge of my seat. Yes, the plot was probably designed to make the audience sympathize with her and woobify her (as most revenge reincarnation webtoons do), but I feel like this one does so without overdoing it and slipping into soap opera territory. 

Cons: I normally don’t mind character-driven stories (as I think they’re more fun to read), but I do want to see some type of external conflict drive the plot aside from the heroine’s own issues.

4. The Villain’s Savior

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Josei, Romance, Tragedy, Isekai

Pros: The male lead for sure. He’s manipulative, conniving, vindictive, and obsessive — all under a princely facade. Though this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I really liked how his inner darkness colored his interactions with everyone, especially the heroine. I’m a sucker for darker male leads, and this guy really takes the cake lmao. The stakes in this webtoon are also pretty high; there’s a real sense of urgency with the rising action of the plot. Oh, and the art’s amazing, too.

Cons: Now, I don’t normally nitpick on heroines because I usually give them the benefit of the doubt (especially since most heroines are young women who’ve traveled through spacetime), but man....there are moments that I wish the she’d be just a tad more genre-savvy.

5. Doctor Elise

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo, Isekai

Pros: I really enjoyed how the heroine and the male lead got together. Their chemistry felt genuine to me, and the slow buildup of their eventual relationship was such a treat to read because 1) the meet cute scenario was done well, 2) it didn’t feel forced.

Cons: Well....now that they’re officially in a relationship, I feel like the pacing slowed down significantly without any substantial conflict. Also, there are some instances with the heroine that seem a little too contrived and convenient to be chalked up to her efforts alone. 

6. Survive as the Hero’s Wife

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Shoujo, Isekai

Pros: The slow burn between them is just so satisfying to read? Seeing the male lead’s absolute, unwavering devotion to the heroine is just hnnngh so good, especially considering this story is told in chronological order (from childhood to present).  The side characters are also a treat, especially Gracie omg. She could get a webtoon of her own and I’d read the hell out of it. 

Cons: At one point, this webtoon strayed dangerously close to misusing the dreaded misunderstanding trope, and it almost made me lose interest in it completely. Thankfully, they managed to resolve it without prolonging the drama even further.

7. Sincerely: I Became a Duke’s Maid

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo, Isekai

Pros: Really nice buildup of the relationship. The pacing isn’t too rushed or slow in my opinion, and seeing how the male lead fell for the heroine felt really natural to me. I can also sense the impending conflict looming with the introduction of the new characters. I just know Big Suffering is coming and I’m excited!

Cons: None so far, actually! 

8. The Blood of Madame Giselle

Status: Ongoing

Genre: Adult, Drama, Fantasy, Historical, Josei, Mature, Romance, Smut

Pros: THE BEST FOR LAST!! Wow, where do I even begin? First of all, the art is just so good, and wow they really nailed the designs for the heroine and the male lead? Character-wise, I’d say the heroine (Giselle) is my favorite webtoon heroine? She’s a cynical and tragic person trying to find some semblance of happiness in her miserable life. The male lead is an enjoyable mix of endearing and sensual (yes, you heard me!), and that makes for great chemistry between the two. The conflict is slowly brewing, and I can’t wait to see certain characters getting what they deserve lol. Also, the sex scenes are hot lmao.

Cons: NONE. I’d have to say this is my favorite webtoon so far.

[septembersghost]

sorry i'm about to drag this bluecheck man, and i have more substantial thoughts on this that i'm too tired to write right now, my brain is whirring with, "what the hell"

(naturally it gets offensive, in some of the responses agreeing too lol)

what's completely insane to me about this take - other than it's wrong - is i've only ever seen a certain portion of the audience (ie: straight men. mostly on reddit) say this. we're over here constantly melting down about their romance and their chemistry and how bcs is fundamentally a love story, and they're like, "uhhhh i don't see it," and it's irksome, but it also fascinates me, because there is some part of this that is so conditioned to hypersexual (you know what i mean, usually with objectification of the woman in a relationship), very obvious and conventional portrayals of a romantic/sexual relationship that when something different is presented to them, they can't seem to comprehend it. and yet it profoundly appeals to many of us because of the levels of intimacy, the foundation of friendship, how closely connected they are. the sexual tension is everywhere, the tender warmth is too. they feel so REAL in what they have together, there's an honesty and a groundedness to the way their love has been approached. but it's unique and in many ways so utterly different than what's usually presented to us - the courtroom wedding lacking entirely in any frills, the "i love yous" unsaid and yet existing in gesture and deed. their relationship doesn't cater to the male gaze or even to obvious social convention. i think it's special and speaks to a lot of us because of that precise quality. (also kim is steering a lot and often makes first moves, and jimmy admires and adores her, a bunch of archetypes get flipped or mixed together there). they're one of my favorite couples ever, how sad to imagine not understanding it.

[zalrb]

Do you think there are couples that don't have chemistry not because they're stiff, flat or trying too hard, but they are, like, they miss the mark on 'passionate' and end up looking brutal instead? Because I do sometimes, even with couples that I do think have chemistry, sometimes the male characters just give a super predatory vibe and it's not cute or hot and it doesn't look like the woman is enjoying it... Also, do you think there are couples that can do sexy, wild, passionate, but not the +

"Do you think there are couples that don't have chemistry not because they're stiff, flat or trying too hard, but they are, like, they miss the mark on 'passionate' and end up looking brutal instead? Because I do sometimes, even with couples that I do think have chemistry, sometimes the male characters just give a super predatory vibe and it's not cute or hot and it doesn't look like the woman is enjoying it... Also, do you think there are couples that can do sexy, wild, passionate, but not the fluff, soft, affectionate touches and heart eyes kind of thing? I think it's not common and it's usually the other way around, but I've seen it. I know one pairing that I believe falls into both categories and if you remove the tension and sex they have nothing, lol. Anywaysss, thank you :)"

I think that pairings with chemistry have what they're good at, sometimes they can be versatile, but sometimes they're meant for a specific type of relationship.

Connell and Marianne from Normal People are a pairing with physical chemistry

but I didn't believe it when they were supposed to be affectionate outside of sex, they felt cold and removed and I mean their characters have communication issues and they can be very opaque personalities but together, there's supposed to be this kind of cosmic connection between them that keeps pulling them back in but I don't see that in this

so I didn't believe them unless they were having one of their sex scenes.

I've also said that Genevieve and Jared had physical chemistry as Sam and Ruby

but in stares or interactions, not so much, there isn't that charge, like here for instance, this should be sexually tense but it's not because he’s giving more than he’s getting

I’ve maintained that Klaroline have the stares, the smoulder etc.

but when it gets to them trying to be physically passionate, it’s not brutal but it's underwhelming and awkward