#they're still great but i don't think they thought this season through very well

[s0fter-sin]

one of my favourite aspects of supernatural that you very rarely see in paranormal shows is that sam and dean are already versed in the world they live in. there’s no sudden discovery of ghosts and demons and now they have to learn about them along with the audience; they are born into it and already know all about it. it allows the audience to follow their personal story instead of also trying to figure out this new world and its rules

the first season is full of knowledge we never see them learn; “w*ndigoes are in the minnesota woods or- or northern michigan. i’ve never even heard of one this far west.” […] “great. well then this [his gun] is useless.” (1x02), “you don’t break a curse. you get the hell out of its way.” (1x08), d: “it’s a god. a pagan god, anyway.” […] “the annual cycle of its killings? and the fact that the victims are always a man and a woman. like some kind of fertility right.” […] s: “the last meal. given to sacrificial victims. d: “yeah, i’m thinking a ritual sacrifice to appease some pagan god.” (1x11)

almost every episode in the first season is a monster they’ve faced before that they then explain to the audience in a way that should feel patronising; like it’s the same speech given over and over again but instead, the audience almost feels included in the knowledge. it’s stated with such an innate confidence and comfort in said knowledge that it feels like we already knew it too; “spirits and demons don't have to unlock doors. if they want inside, they just go through the walls.” […] “the claws, the speed that it moves; could be a skinwalker, maybe a black dog.” (1x02), “it's biblical numerology. you know noah's ark, it rained for forty days. the number means death.” (1x04), “no no no, not the reaper, a reaper. there's reaper lore in pretty much every culture on earth, it goes by 100 different names.” […] “you said it yourself that the clock stopped, right? reapers stop time. and you can only see 'em when they're coming at you which is why i could see it and you couldn't.” (1x12)

they already know and, at least in the first season, already have what they need to kill whatever they’re hunting; already know to salt and burn bones for spirits, fire for a w*ndigo, exorcisms for demons, a silver bullet to the heart for shapeshifters. there’s only three times in the entire first season that they run into something new to them; 1x14 when sam gets his first vision that leads him to another psychic, 1x16 when dean calls caleb for help on the sigil he put together and he tells him about daevas, and 1x20 when they find out vampires are real- and they only don’t know that bc john thought they were hunted to extinction and not worth mentioning

(there’s also technically two half instances if you count one of them knowing something the other doesn’t - sam figuring out the tulpa in 1x17 and dean already knowing about the shtriga in 1x18 - but those still rely on sam and dean having prior knowledge)

even when they’re uncertain about facing something, it’s not bc they don’t know what it is; it’s precisely bc they know what it is and acknowledge that it’ll be a difficult hunt (“i don't know, man. this isn't our normal gig. i mean, demons, they don't want anything, just death and destruction for its own sake. this is big. and i wish dad was here.” 1x04)

so much of the tension in paranormal shows typically comes from the main character(s) not knowing what is happening to them/the people around them and having to find out how to resolve it. supernatural is unique in that it operates more like a police procedural. the tension comes from solving the clues and identifying patterns to figure out who (what) the killer is and intercepting before they can take another victim

it’s such a different tone to go for when compared to other shows that came both before, during, and after its run. it sets sam and dean on even footing with each other since they both have the same knowledge going in, and it puts them in a place of authority usually reserved for an outside character

the shows i compare spn to most is charmed, buffy and teen wolf; every main character in those shows are brought into the paranormal world knowing nothing, putting them on the same level as the audience, and they have their mc interact with others already knowledgeable about that world in order to overcome their problem/monster of the week. the audience organically learns about this new world as the characters learn about it. it’s a sound writing strategy that prevents “as we already know”-style exposition but something that complicates it is if your world building isn’t unique or intriguing enough, this slow introduction can become boring

we’ve seen shows like these before; sitting through the same tropes of characters learning to use their powers, struggling with no longer feeling normal/relating to the regular world around them, and not knowing how much they can trust the people already involved in this new world gets repetitive. all three shows eventually reach the same level of comfort with their new world that spn starts with but if the characters aren’t enough to draw you in, you can end up dropping it before they reach that point (and often, before the overarching plot can really kick in and evolve the show beyond the villain of the week format)

it’s the superhero origin movie in tv format; dragged out and overplayed. dropping the audience into an established world of course comes with its own problems but you also have the benefit of pre-existing established character dynamics that let the audience slot in like they’ve always been there instead of just getting to know all the characters while the characters also get to know each other

sam and dean already knowing about the supernatural lets the audience immediately get to the core of the story; the conflict between sam and dean, the search for their father, and the mystery of what killed their mother

[azaharinflames]

I still don´t get what they thought they would achieve with Brad but it seems to never have crossed their minds that people would actually NOT care for the character. It is wild how much screentime he got, in a mid-season finale no less, and this public ass kissing of cast and the official account after he left is so weird. Nobody piled hate on the character or the actor they just were not interested, so why the need for this outpouring of support all of the sudden?

When the next character making eyes at either Buck or Eddie comes around and this lot decides to stay silent again we will all have our answer without a shadow of a doubt. That they hang the LI out to dry because they are scared shitless of Buddie backlash, but will jump into action for the next bit part player who just wasn´t as popular as they thought he would be.

I really started to dislike them, not gonna lie. I like Tommy, I like bucktommy but I will cheer on who ever comes next for Buck or Eddie just out of spite now. Because whoever plays them will be treated like shit by the fandom and will get no help from the mean girls clique that is the 911 production

Hi, Nonnie! Thanks for the ask. I see what you're saying, and overall I have to agree.

Here is my take. I try to play devil's advocate and give grace as much as possible. But earlier today I went on Twitter, and I saw a hate tweet (disclaimer: I've blocked hundreds of BD accounts by now, and I have blocked many, many words to not find a new one, but a BT account I follow had quoted it, so I saw it). In it, they were essentially laughing and having a party at the goodbye comments Callum had received, because that 'confirms' for them that the cast hates Lou. That they knew before, but now it's confirmed.

And the thing is... I've said it before, Lou is not a defenseless little boy. He's a grown man that, in my opinion, has a great head on his shoulders and knows very well what he's doing. And he's a busy man. So I honestly don't think he gives two craps about some losers on Twitter claiming his co-workers hate him - he knows better (he knows what happened), and he's the one with a career in acting and loving fans, so. Does he deserve the harassment? Hell, no. But I don't think he cares if some loser claims the cast hates him.

However. This behavior is only enabling hate. Not addressing the hate the LIs go through and the harassment the actors receive isn't just 'ignoring the hate so it goes away'. Ignoring that behavior and then showing support for other guest stars tells the deranged fans that they are good to go. That their bullying and hate is allowed, justified.

Is that the truth? Well, no. But it is what has happened. Because all the people being this hateful and sending harassment or death threats fully believe the show has their backs because nothing has told them otherwise.

Is it the intention of the show? No.

Is it still what they're accomplishing by their lack of response? Yes.

I don't overall dislike the cast as people because I don't know them. But the representation of themselves they're giving right now,? Not exactly a fan of that.

Also, as for Brad... I just have to laugh. They fully thought the Facebook moms would fall deep in love with him, and didn't take into account their hearts were already taken by Tommy, and that they'd be heartbroken enough for Tommy to not care for a character that doesn't have nearly the same charisma or depth.

Anyway. Thanks for letting me rant, lmao.

My inbox is always open for venting, ranting, and to discuss any topics <3

Take care!

[maghendearey]

Insecure Love    I Part 1

What if Fernando didn't have a guaranteed seat for next Season yet , and what if his only chance of getting one would be through Lawrence Stroll's daughter?

🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸

Stroll, female reader x Fernando Alonso

Tw.: Fernando kinda being a asshole , Age gap ( Reader 18, Alonso 43), english isnt my mother language.

Pov. Fernando

His gaze slowly wandered over the interior of the bar.  It looked elegant but once you got a little familiar with it you could see that it was cheap. Just as cheap as the beer in front of him tasted. He didn't understand how his sister could love this place so much.

" Fernando ?"His sister said tried to get his attention, but he was too deep in thought. "Earth to Fernando Alonso," his sister tried again and this time she actually managed to startle him. "I'm sorry, what's wrong?" Fernando tried to concentrate on her, but the smell of cheap perfume that permeated the bar made it much harder. "I was wondering if you could make it to Spain this summer?" she said, rolling her eyes. She was always so, so impatient. "Mom and Dad would be happy to see you again." He felt a little sad at the thought of his family. "No, I'm sorry, I can't do it. I don't have time for that. I still have a lot of training to do this summer." Her eyes rolled again. "Come on, you're good, what else do you want to do?" He loved how naive She was. In one way or another, the F1 was like a snake's body. From the outside, everything looked great and elegant , but the closer you got to the mouth and teeth, the higher the probability of being bitten and eliminated. "I have to work extra hard this season. You know as well as I do that I don't have a place for next season yet." He said tensely. He'd gone over it in his head a hundred times: none of the top teams could or would take him, but the smaller teams were all already full. Which meant he could only stay with Aston Martin, but for that to happen, they would have to take him on first, something they didn't seem particularly interested in doing yet. "But that's unfair. Lance is worse than you and only in this team because his father has money," his sister complained. He had to smile at that beautiful, very naive way of thinking. "Lorena, that's not how it works. For one thing, Lance isn't that bad, and for another, most drivers are lucky because of their families, whether they're rich or drivers themselves like Carlos or Max's father.""Then why don't you just do it?" his sister suggested, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "What do you think I should do? Be reborn as the son of a rich driver?" he suggested, laughing dryly. "You don't have to be reborn to be rich. It would be enough if you became a family," said his sister, rolling her eyes again. He was slowly getting annoyed with her. "What should i do in your opinion go and marry Lawrence Stroll, nothing against him but he isn't really my type."He said and his voice dripped with irony. "You don't have to marry him right away, maybe daiting and fucking would be enough." His sister had to suppress a smile and he also had to pull himself together. "Hmm, so I'm supposed to suck Lawrence Stroll's cock to avoid getting fired?" He and his sister burst out laughing simultaneously. After a few minutes, they managed to pull themselves together. "I'm not necessarily talking about Lawrence, but how about his child?" she said, leaning forward and whispering conspiratorially in his ear. "Y/N?" He'd never thought about it before, but it wasn't a bad idea. Of course, it wouldn't be nice, but it was bite or be bitten.

Pov. Y/N

The noise of the cars was deafening despite the headphones And yet, unlike my father and brother, I loved this sport, albeit more from a distance. My eyes wandered to Fernando, who was just getting into the car. I watched him. He was handsome and I liked him, but when he cast his gaze over the team one last time before closing his helmet, and it slid over to me, I looked away and blushed. I hated how shy I was, but there was no other way; it was a defense mechanism. He finally drove the car out of the garage. Aston Martin wasn't particularly good at the moment, and it showed in his performance. After he had finally completed three not-so-good laps, I heard his voice over the announcement on my headphones. "It smells burnt." Fernando's voice sounded worried, and not a second later, flames shot up from the rear tires of the car. Panic rose within me, and if he hadn't gotten out of the car immediately afterward, I probably would have burst into tears. A few minutes later he was driven back to the pits by a safety car. My father, with a bright red face, ran straight to him and yelled at him. He turned around. At first, his gaze was still harsh, but when he turned and looked at me, it softened. "Hey princessa, what's wrong? Are you trying to tell me how bad I am, like your father?" I blushed again, that lovely, silly nickname. "You know I'm not like that, Fernando. I don't yell, never." He smiled at my blush and moved closer to me to brush a strand of hair out of my face."Your a good girl right a good princessa. Which would never be mean. never would scream" He was weird; he was never like that to me. Sure, he was nice, but he was never like that. "And still a single princess?" Which made him smile. "Very well, Princessa, I'll pick you up today at 8. I need an apology for your father's shouting." His words were strange. I hadn't expected something like that But I knew arguing wouldn't help. But why was he acting so strange?

Hi guys, I hope you enjoyed it.

This was my first post. If you like it, feel free to leave a comment. ​ 💋

[pinkkop]

Best BLs of 2024

To my surprise, it appears that we've entered 2025, so before I give myself over to the new year I wanted to share my 15 favourite BLs of 2024 in no particular order. Here we go!!!

🇹🇼 The On1y One

This show came complete out of left field and absolutely blew me away! The slow burn was just so delicious which I actually think is a pretty hard thing to do but with acting this good and a great production quality, it did not ever get too slow or too boring. I just wish they would get a second season because, as I've talked about before, I'm convinced the creators intended for this to be just the first season. I'm still holding out hope for a second season but I do worry that since we haven't heard anything concrete yet that we might not get one.

🇰🇷 The Time of Fever

I already knew this was going to be good since I loved these two in Unintentional Love Story. This is actually very similar to The On1e One and did it just as well but with a slightly different approach. The yearning was palpable in the best way possible!

It's such a pity that it seems like the Korean BL market is struggling right now but this show was no disappointment. Would love a sequel to Unintentional Love Story now because I need to see these two finally get their shit together.

🇹🇼 Unknown

Taiwan does gray area stories so well and this was a perfect example. It was so delicious to witness Yuan just love and yearn for Qian and just get stronger and stronger in the conviction that he was made for loving Qian. I'm also just weak for a character who doesn't think much of themselves and don't believe they deserve to be loved like their romantic interest wants to and then for them to finally cave to the persistence of their romantic partner. Could watch a trillion of those types of pairings and this show was a really good take on the trope.

🇰🇷 Love for Love's Sake

This was an odd one but I really liked the concept. The acting, plot and production was really good and I liked how this added something fresh. It's a similar type of pairing as Unknown so again this was right up my alley. One of these days I should look at all my favourite shows and see how often this dynamic pops up because I bet it's a lot. 

🇹🇭 Cherry Magic th

Is this the same type of pairing as both Unknown and Love For Love's Sake?!  You bet it is!!!

Tay and New were just so good in this. I loved that they're both actual dorks but Karan is just better at hiding it so Ashi believed Karan was better than him. In reality they were just the same and perfect for each other. Also I just absolutely love this version of Karan because, as I said before, he' was's such a dork and hearing his inner thoughts through Ashi's powers was such a highlight of this show. Favourite scene was in the bus when Ashi leaned on Karan's shoulder and you just heard Karan's internal screaming. Such a mood!! It just made Karan so much more down to earth and I think Ashi and Karan are one of the few BL pairings where I can imagine them being together for the rest of their lives because they'd be both best friends and lovers.

I did struggle with the Pai character because she was such a good female character and representation of the struggles a lot of woman have. I so badly wanted her to stay single and happy on her own and it felt unnecessary to pair her with Rock. Even more so because her Japanese counter part was actually asexual so I would have loved for Pai to have a similar story line.

🇯🇵 25 Ji, Akasaka de

Just so much pining!!! And another character feeling unworthy of their romantic interest but I feel like this was slightly different, more in an idolizing way and Japan does that really well. 

🇨🇳 Blue Canvas of Youthful Days

This was such a raw feeling show and s big surprise coming out of China. It felt real and raw without feeling like it was low quality. I loved both pairings so much and maybe I'm a masochist but I loved having my heart broken every week.

It didn't quite stick the landing but honestly, with it being China, I'm not surprised the ending got muddled and famously I don't mind when a show doesn't stick it's landing (See my love of HIStory3: Make Our Days Count). It's still worth watching so much and I will definitely watch it again myself. 

🇹🇭 Every You, Every Me

I already enjoyed Top and Mick in their segment of My Universe so I was very excited for this one. This was also a nice surprise because I was just expecting another anthology show but the way they connected the couples was really clever. The ending was a little weak but again here, I didn't think it really hurt the show too much, it just meant this is a good show that could have been even more amazing.

I feel like Top and Mick really proved themselves in this and I really hope that we get more of them. They're a rare pairing that don't visually have a clear top/bottom dynamic while also being good enough actors to be able to both pull of playing both roles.

🇹🇭 I Saw You in My Dream

This was a cute little show and I was happily surprised that they pulled off the more ambitious concept of the prophetic dreams. Both couples were really great and I had such a good time watching along. 

🇨🇳 Meet You at the Blossom

Finally a Wuxia BL from China, by the help of Thailand and Taiwan. This was all I wanted it to be and I can't wait to see how these actors do going forward with them being Chinese and all. I hope we get more Wuxia BLs because this was soooo much fun. I loved both main and secondary characters and pairings and the plot was just the right amount of unhinged.

🇹🇭 We Are

I was worried about this show having so many couples and episodes but I loved how they intertwined and balanced the pairings and gave us a show which was engaging and interesting all the way through.

I love me some found family and all the pairings were great in their own ways. I did particularly love Peem and Phum. It's the hurt character with walls so high all over again (adds another tally to the count). To be honest PhumPeem are still rotating in my mind to this day which I think is a testament to how well this show was executed.

🇹🇭 Spare Me Your Mercy

This was such an engaging watch and it was so cool to get another BL which was really a romance second and another genre first. The crime and mystery of this show was really great and the production quality fit really well. I talked in this post about it struggling with only having 8 episodes which I wholeheartedly think is most of the reason why this show is just good and not absolutely amazing. 

🇯🇵 Takara no Vidro

Another little gem of a show with characters who are perfect for each other but don't believe they're worthy of the other person. Japan does this really well so this was a success. 

🇹🇭 Pit Babe

This was a wild ride with a wild plot and concept but it committed to the bit and made me really invested in the characters and made it easy to get on board with the ABO dynamic of this show and what it meant for the plot.  

🇰🇷 Love in the Big City

This was a top tier QL! It's one of those BLs that are really more about the realities of being queer than the romance which is when a ton of people pop out of the woodwoork to debate whether this is a BL or Queer Media™ as if the latter is inherently better than the first, which is a ridiculous sentiment. Sure, if you don't want to call this a BL because the focus is much more on the realities of being Queer in South Korea then I'm not going to burn you at the stake but don't make this out to be better than BL as a whole. BL is Queer Media and not inherently worse or better than other queer media, especially the kind that don't focus on romance. Anyways, a small tangent.

This show is great and well worth a watch. I don't know if I'll ever watch it again personally because it just left me feeling so raw and too seen. 

[ouchmyghostskin]

Season 2 predictions regarding payneland:

I've been having thoughts since seeing the cameo where George said that there was a deleted scene post confession/ pre Crystal saying goodbye, where Edwin encouraged Charles to be honest with her about how he feels (which is kinda insane character development compared to episode one??? But good for him). Granted , they deleted it and we don't know why, but I'm going to assume it was for space/time etc. Originally I wasn't really sure if Edwin had picked up on the open-endedness of Charles saying that they had forever to figure it out, though I suspected he hadn't, but I thought that if he *had* that he would most likely wait. But now I think that Edwin probably saw that as "I don't reciprocate but don't worry we'll figure everything out". So I think the likelihood that Edwin might pursue something with someone else in season 2 is a definite possibility. Fully accepting Charles "rejection" and consciously deciding to address his loneliness and desire for romantic/sexual connection, despite his feelings for Charles. And....I suspect it's going to be the cat king. And I suspect that Charles is going to be caught between his interest in Crystal and insane jealousy about Edwin, and it's going to be the catalyst for him realizing that his jealousy is romantic in nature.

There is always the possibility payneland isn't endgame but I'm an optimist 👌

Now for some personal thoughts about the above that has some mildly negative feelings about catwin so if you would rather not read you can scroll now. 👍. Yay for curating your fandom experience!

So I'll be honest, there isn't even a small part of me that ships catwin. I thought the plot line was interesting, and I think the cat king is an interesting character that functions very well as a catalyst. I don't *hate* it and I have absolutely zero negative thoughts about people who enjoy it, just to be clear about that. Ship whatever you want, it's all paper dolls in a sandbox to me. For me personally though, I found the dynamic coercive enough to put me off it entirely as a ship. (For some people that's fun to explore, or ignore, in ships for a wide variety of reasons that I have zero desire to police, so again, I'm not criticizing catwin shippers). Secondarily , I actually don't ship characters all that often, but when I do Im pretty OTP about it, so that's contributing. But if that's the direction they're going in , it makes sense for them to continue with the cat king since it's established that Edwin is attracted to him, and has appeared to forgive him for manipulating him in season 1. So....I'll not be thrilled to see catwin content in season 2? But I can grimace through it if it's not endgame. Also...I've seen whispers that indicate some parts of fandom don't enjoy the jealousy plotline specifically bc they feel jealousy is harmful? I get it if it just doesn't interest you or brings up bad memories, but emotions don't harm others. Being angry or jealous is an almost unavoidable part of the human experience. Only your behavior motivated by those emotions can harm people. So ...I'm ALL for Charles continuing to grapple with emotions like jealousy and anger and coming to terms with realizing they don't make him an abusive person. Even if he handles it imperfectly that's still an interesting flaw, and there's an extremely large sliding scale of behavior between "that's something to work on but you are a great person" and actually harmful/abusive. Yay nuance!

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

I know you’ve said in the past that you don’t think switching marinette and adrien’s kwamis would solve anything writing-wise, but do you think having the kwamis switch personalities would do the trick? marinette still has ladybug/creation, but with plagg’s personality, and adrien still has black cat/destruction, but with tikki’s personality. thoughts?

No, I don't think that this would fix anything because it's approaching the problem as if the issue is some flaw in the show's base setup. As if you have to make major changes for Miraculous to work. My stance has always been that the base setup is totally fine. The problem is the execution. In fact, I think that the current kwami personalities are a great choice, the problem is that they're not being used well.

Marinette has a pretty strong personality. She knows what she wants, but has a tendency to get caught up in her own head and a tendency to make snap judgments. Those tendencies make her occasionally fail to consider alternate paths or points of view. That means that what she needs most is someone who will make her consider those alternatives. Someone who will be direct, talk her out of mental spirals, and keep her focused. A voice of reason, if you will. Tikki is perfectly suited to that role. She is not the kind of kwami to sit passively by. Plagg, on the other hand, would just encourage Marinette along the path of glorious chaos or let her do whatever she wants so long as he gets his cheese. While I think that could be genuinely fun to watch, it's not really benefiting Marinette much and this ask appears to be treating the Kwamis as potential mentors, so I will, too.

Adrien is a little more complex. Given his rather depressing home life, I can see why someone would want to pair him with loving Tikki over more-detached Plagg, but I'll explain why I think that Plagg is the better fit IF you actually let him mentor.

Adrien is a passive follower. He never fights for himself and he bows to authority at the drop of a hat. While those traits are arguably strengths for his role on the battlefield, they're not great for him in his day-to-day life. There's nothing wrong with being more passive and more of a follower, but he needs to learn that he can make his own choices, too. The best way to do that is to give him the kind of mentor who doesn't just hand him the answers. Someone a little chaotic whose style is subtle pushes and not just handing him a possible path to take because Adrien would absolutely just take the suggested path. Plagg is perfectly suited to taking on this style of mentorship and it is a crime that the show never let him shine.

Example scenario: Adrien feeling left out in season four. (Note the following is a very rough draft)

Adrien: I feel like Ladybug doesn't need me anymore. She keeps calling in other heroes! Tikki: You need to talk to Ladybug and tell her how you feel! Ask her when she's free to meet up! Adrien: Okay, what should I say? Tikki: Tells him what to say.

This is solid advice, but Tikki is just handing Adrien an answer. He's probably not going to learn from this and may even flub up his talk with Ladybug without Tikki walking him through it because he's just doing what he's told and not coming to this path on his own. Contrast this to Plagg in his ultimate form (by which I mean mentor Plagg, not eldritch horror Plagg):

Adrien: I feel like Ladybug doesn't need me anymore. She keeps calling in other heroes! Plagg: And you're left watching from the sidelines every time? Adrien: No, not always. Plagg: So she's sharing the cheese now? Giving you slices instead of the whole wheel? Adrien: yeah, I guess. Plagg: why? Adrien: what do you mean why? Plagg: why'd she start sharing? Adrien: I don't know. Plagg: Huh. Too bad. If only there was a way you could find out. I guess it will remain a mystery. Adrien: (annoyed) Ladybug knows! Plagg: And? Adrien: And... I guess I could ask her? Plagg: I mean, if you started sharing my cheese, I'd be demanding answers! Adrien: I'd never share your cheese! Plagg: You promise? Never? Not even if you were starving? Adrien: Well, I mean, I guess I might if it was an emergency or something, but I wouldn't share it without a good reason! Plagg: And Ladybug's different? Adrien: What do you mean? Plagg: She does things without a good reason? Adrien: Of course not! She's brilliant! She always has a plan! Plagg: Interesting. Might want to keep that in mind for your little talk. Adrien: (after a thoughtful pause) So you think I should talk to her? Plagg: Is there another way for you to find out what's going on? Adrien: No. Plagg: Then why are you bothering me? Sounds like you only have one option!

Note that Plagg never gives Adrien a clear answer here. He just asks questions in a bored manner and lets Adrien think things through. He's guiding Adrien to a specific answer, but making Adrien really think about it, better prepping him for the coming talk. This mentorship style would drive Marinette crazy, but I think it would do wonders for Adrien! The difference is that, in this situation, Marinette probably already knows what she needs to do and is just avoiding it while Adrien genuinely needs help realizing that he can speak up. This doesn't mean that Adrien should never get direct, clear advice, I just wouldn't make that the standard as it's not helping him with his passivity.

All of this is a big part of why I love Plagg so much. That little cheese gremlin is just brimming with potential and it saddens me greatly that canon will never give it to us. They gave him the perfect personality, they just missed the fine details of how that personality should function as a mentor.

[selkiefinalist]

BELATED FIC REC POST

okay last(?) week i was really in the mood to rec some fics and then ran out of energy to actually do it but tonight i have a LAPTOP, i slammed a cup of coffee at 8 p.m., and most importantly have a willing heart, so here is a compilation of the various asks i received:

Fic(s) you could do a whole PowerPoint Presentation on:

generations by talahui (hockey fic, ej/nate): except my powerpoint would be about how this is the most important, exactly perfect fic for me and i would make the author (beloved) also present, but much more articulately, on the themes and content of the fic itself, as i am well known as an inarticulate pile of sentient goo. however, here is the loose outline of what my slides would be:

why ejnate is the most important ship ever written

how the author's use of casual/domestic intimacy really came for me but also, you know, tells you everything you need to know about a certain commitment-phobic character's intentions

the power of choice!!! my beloved

how to hurt my feelings while making me happy about it in three steps

the most accurate upper midwest characterizations of all time

scenes that are specifically so painful and also perfect to me. this might be also slide 4 but it's my presentation so i do what i want

future full of yesterdays (1d, narry): godddddd i love this fic, i re-read it a few weeks ago after many years of not having read it and it really held up for me, my powerpoint would be a little rusty but very sincere and every slide would be like 'why this fic is perfect, cont.'

2. a fic you would recommend to get someone into a fandom or pairing you love or have loved

listen i really had to think about this, because hockey fandom is soooooo. like there's so much good stuff, and different stuff, and just. it brings a tear to my eye. but i need to be true to who i am, and i always try to rec stuff that i haven't before, so here is a mix of rarepair fics of varying lengths/ratings/players:

laundry day by screamingcryingthrowingup (~3k, pinto/sanderson). this fic is like if you dared someone to spit in your mouth because you didn't think they would do it but you kind of thought they might because they're a little bit of an asshole and then they actually do spit in your mouth and you're like oh shit

since we're here anyway by robokittens (~4k, chabby/josh). just a really, really good fwb plus a lil extra

cut from the bone by underfallingstars (~80k, i did say there would be varying lengths lol, roope/wyjo). hanahaki disease fic!!! bless this author, i was tearing my hair out through the WHOLE THING

hold by frausorge (2.4k, dillon/jones) for the magic au lovers, i reallllly enjoyed how magic worked in this fic

at home in the uncanny valley by ionthesparrow (~36k) i remember reading this when i was just dipping my toes into hockey rpf and sending it to la and also clawing my face off

3. A fic from a past fandom that you still reread (or at least still think about if you don't revisit old fandoms)

let's go with nevada's fault (~35k, ziall, 1d fandom). ultimate comfort pairing, comfort fic. every three years i go down a big ziall rabbit hole and never ever regret it

4. Fic(s) you would/did create fanart for

one million years ago i made a collage for steph's luckyverse fic. i'm not really an arty person, but i do like doing stuff with my hands

5. Fic(s) that keep you up at night (Either reading or thinking about)

ok well quite literally when i woke up at 3 a.m. on saturday morning FOR NO FUCKING REASON two weekends ago, while also still fuming about season four of the magicians, i read the entirety of damage control for a walking corpse (queliot, ~75k) and then, more slowly, the rest of that series, which really just. the beauty of all life. is something to weep about.

6. Great Angst Fic

i'm not the biggest pure angst fan, like i will definitely read it but some level of angst or whump often crosses the line to straight-up melodrama and that's when i have a hard time sticking with it HOWEVER if you haven't read jes' anything that touches (~50k sidgeno, mind the notes) then i think you should.

in a different way, angst that kind of pries you apart and puts you back together but not in quite the right way, like in a way that's still beautiful and still you but not exactly, try how planets form by caltrain (3k, dumo/yamo)

[pretty-little-mind33]

Hi lovey!

I hope that you are doing swell and had a wonderful Christmas and holiday season! First off I just wanted to say how much comfort and joy your fics bring me. I’ll often refer back to them whenever I’m overwhelmed or anxious about life (trying to catch my breath as I write this currently haha) and that got me thinking about how the different characters would react to a reader who is anxious or struggles with anxiety attacks? Like how sweet and understanding James would be or how Dave would try to be comforting but might be a little awkward and not know how to handle it at first 😂 And I fully believe that Tan has had his fair share of anxiety before and knows the best way to calm the reader down. Anyways, I’d love to hear your thoughts about how you think they’d react because you truly write them the best I’ve ever seen 💛

hi babes!!

thank you for the sweet words, i'm so happy to hear my fics make you feel comforted when you're feeling anxious!

i think James would be such a sweetheart to an anxious!reader. he definitely knows all the tricks that make you feel better (and he'd use them immediately, like he just suddenly has a warm tea in his hand or a bath ready), and he's GREAT at giving comfort hugs if you need one 🥺 he'd def the best boyfriend for an anxious!reader because he is so thoughtful and attentive!

Dave would try his best, but as you said, he'd be very nervous to mess anything up so he might just end up just stressing you out more without even meaning to (i think Pietro would fit into this category as well). So, i think they would try and give you space, while still be there for you if you really need someone. like they'd shut up and just hold you, because them talking and rambling and freaking out because they hate seeing you like this, only makes things worse 😪 they don't mean it, they're trying their best!

i agree with you that Tan is definitely as anxious as an anxious!reader. his anxiety just manifests as anger and a temper. so i think in the beginning, if you start to express your anxiety, he would be very impatient because it would trigger his own anxiety and he hasn't quite figured out how to deal with his own, never mind yours. However, when he sees that his impatience only drives you into a panic, he'll calm himself down (he's great at solving his problems for your benefit, not for his, yk?) once he's calmed down, he'll talk to you and try and solve what's wrong. he'll apologize and his voice will be soothing and he'll promise to figure this out together. Tan will realize that talking you through your anxiety, actually helps with his own so it's a win win!!

[placingglaciers]

found em......its not good I'm actually pretty heartbroken

Hey! Sorry for the delayed response--I was busy and I really needed time to think about all of this (I got like, no sleep). I hope you're feeling a little better than last night. There have already been a few really great analyses/interpretations of these spoilers, but if you still have time for one more perspective, you can keep reading.

Firstly, I still stand by what I have said before, no matter how radically optimistic it sounds now. Feeling sad and awful about these spoilers is a normal, valid response. I sort of still feel that way, but let's talk this through.

Facts:

If these spoilers are true, they are written vaguely. I might even say a little over the top? Blown out of proportion? This all could be a bunch of nothing. This has happened before in previous seasons, especially with Nick's storylines. We have no context for any of this, so let's not worry too much.

Episodes nine and ten are still being worked on. So nothing has been said or seen about them yet. I know it seems silly to hope everything gets better and solved in only two episodes, but it's what we have to work with. Honestly? I wish this season were a little longer. What they seem to have planned is a lot to fit in ten episodes, right?

They still need an audience for The Testaments. This season has to deliver and make good, so we can keep following this story. Why make a terrible final season and then ask people to watch the sequel? I'll talk more about The Testaments a little later, so hold this thought.

We don't know what this "betrayal" even is yet. It's described as "big," "inevitable," and "devastating." But what has prompted this? Nick has been loyal to June, advocating for her safety and well-being up to this point. I'm still holding on to Nick's "Sometimes I think you're the only good thing in my life" quote. This has to mean something. I will believe in their love, even if I'm the only person left to do so!!!!

Given these spoilers, here's what I hope/want to see:

Luke finally fighting Gilead. June is "furious" over what this means for him, which might be fun to watch. He needs to step up, but he will probably quickly realize how inexperienced he is at this.

It seems like we will get some kind of Luke/Nick/June scene. I'm very intruged about this! Luke finally sees June and Nick and just knows they're in love. I want to know what June and Nick do/act to make Luke understand this.

We will get conversations between Nick and June that we've been hoping for. They've barely had any time together so far, so I'm hoping this will deepen their connection and love toward one another. I will probably not survive this lol

June being selfless/saving Nick in some way. Her turn is long overdue. Nick needs to know he means something to her.

I'm kinda over the whole "who June chooses in the end" debate. A lot of people want her to pick no one. However, we know for a fact that love is what has kept her going so far. June has become a fighter because of her relationship with Nick. I just want this settled once and for all.

More of Nick's backstory. It seems we are going to understand Nick's character a lot better, but to do that, we might have to go back. What all has really happened to him? What caused him to "break"?

Nick being more outspoken/advocating more for himself. It'll be nice to see him in a way that's separate from June.

Forgiveness for whatever this "betrayal" is. Perhaps this is the real test of character. If Nick and June's love is true, this will be no problem for them. Both of them are flawed people who have done bad things, yet here they both are, together still. Forgiveness and clear communication are a huge part of relationships, and seeing how they navigate this fallout will show us how they have matured as a couple. I have confidence in this!

A meeting/farewell between Nick and Holly/Nichole. Maybe this will ground him and remind him who he really is. Maybe the darkness will be less "tempting." I'm not quite halfway done reading The Testaments for the first time, but I know that Nick is alive and deep "underground." If Nick somehow becomes an "evil mastermind Commander" this season, how will this affect Nichole's story? This wouldn't make sense. I doubt they will bring back Nick and June for the sequel, so maybe by the end of the season, we will see Nick choose how he wants to be remembered as a father to her.

Speaking of fatherhood, I want to see how they handle this Rose and baby situation. Could this be part of the betrayal? Will June get to speak to Rose? Will Rose tell her something that makes her "spiral"? Hmmm...

Also...I just realized this...Serena will be Nick's mother-in-law, with baby Noah as his little bro??? How did it get this messyyyy

In conclusion, I'm glad I was at least warned about what might happen, so I won't get blindsided. I'm prepared, but still hoping for the best. It's been wonderful seeing Nick and June's relationship change over the years, their love being the one real thing they get to keep and treasure for themselves, and I hope we see them continue to get stronger together.

[hermitscratch]

imp n skizz + 27... the besties. did you know skizz irl sometimes kisses impulse n the cheek. to annoy him

Send me a pairing + a number! || Accepting

27. A platonic kiss, Impulse/Skizz, 873 words

This may have been the greatest day of Impulse's life.

The exhilaration of starting anew had hit him full force. The space between seasons had been spent dreaming up builds of grandeur, and he was finally able to see what he was working with. Better still, he had a partner in crime to share his vision with. Providing Bdubs his first clock was a point of pride, and Bdubs had accepted it with promises of a great future ahead of them.

He'd made momentous progress. Maybe not on the scale of Doc and his villager operation, but the humble underground iron farm he and Tango constructed would serve them well. The land that would become a sprawling cyberpunk city was sectioned off. His strip mine was fruitful, piles of diamonds to be fashioned into armor and equipment as needed. Everything was coming up Impulse.

When the day was over, the rest was well-earned. The Mountaineers, as Scar had named them, reconvened to share dinner around the fire. He took the chance to wash up in the river- a water well would be a tomorrow project, once he had a place to lay his head that was more permanent than the blocked off mouth of his cave- and laid down for a good night's sleep.

...Any minute then.

Impulse rolled onto his back and sighed. It didn't feel right, and Impulse knew what was missing.

This may have been the greatest day of Impulse's life, because Skizz was there.

Skizz was there, and so much as thinking his name made the thread connecting them hum. Before Skizz was a hermit, when Impulse had been summoned and made the decision to stay, it was easy to ignore. The proximity now, though, made it impossible. His very soul knew its other half was near, and Impulse longed.

Skizz hadn't wanted to be coddled. He was determined to stand on his own two feet in this server of building gods and redstone masters. It was with full support that Impulse had agreed to let Skizz forge his own way, neighbors instead of roommates.

...But surely Skizz wouldn't mind a late-night visit, right?

Impulse relit the torches by his bedside. He didn't change, just throwing on his shoes. On his way to the door, he wondered if it would be worth taking his wings out. It would make the trip incredibly short, at the cost of nearly guaranteeing he'd spend all night at Skizz's. He wouldn't mind, but if Skizz did...

"Aaah!" A yell made Impulse jump as he opened the door, snapping him out of his thoughts. An equally startled Skizz stood in the doorway, a hand on his chest as he settled down. "You scared the dookie right outta me, dude," He said, heaving a breath, "Don't you know it's like, dumb o'clock in the morning? Nice jammies though," Skizz snickered.

Impulse snorted. Skizz was wearing a matching set. "These old things? Aw, they're nothin'," Skizz barks a laugh, and Impulse chuckles with him, a line of tension leaving his shoulders, "I know it's dumb o'clock in the morning, what're you doing at my front door?"

"Well I- y'know, I was in the neighborhood," Skizz started, wings held around his shoulders like a mantle, "And I'm thinkin' to myself, I think, y'know... I'm really feelin' it! And if I'm feelin' it, my best buddy over here, Mr. Impy Dimpy Dippledop, well, he's gotta be feelin' it too, right? Am I right? I bet I'm right," Skizz poked at Impulse's cheek.

Impulse huffed fondly, lightly smacking Skizz's hand away. Nobody could manage to be longwinded and straightforward like Skizz could. "I might've been on my way to yours for the same reason," Impulse admitted.

"Good thing I beat you then," Skizz cackled, "I don't have a bed yet!"

"Skizz!" Impulse laughed, "That's the first thing you do!"

"I was excited, okay? Some stuff fell through the cracks!" It only made Skizz laugh harder, "Are you gonna invite me in or not!"

"Okay, okay," Impulse placated once their laughter calmed into the occasional giggle. He stepped away from the doorway and gestured Skizz to follow him inside, "Come on in, make yourself at home. Don't forget to shut the door behind you."

Impulse heard the door close. The place was basic, really, meant for function over form. A double-wide bed, some chests for storage, and the simple wall that separated the space from the outside. There was a joke on the tip of Impulse's tongue, something about excusing a mess that wasn't there, but it's forgotten the moment he feels arms around him.

Arms, and then wings, warm and white and all-encompassing like a blanket settled around his very soul. If Impulse looked behind himself, he was sure Skizz's halo would be showing. In turn, Impulse's horns grew. Dark scales climbed up his arms where he held Skizz's arms across his chest, and his tail found purchase around Skizz's leg.

Skizz squeezed him in a hug, lowering his head to leave a kiss in Impulse's hair before burying his face in it with a content sigh that made Impulse want to melt into bed and never get up again.

"Yeah," Skizz mumbled, soft and tired, "This is home."

[comradesummers]

adoring all of your takes on The Pitt. (And BTVS ofc) but wondering if you have any thoughts on Samira and Collins dynamic? Or Samira and Trinity?

thank you for asking! as you can see i'm definitely developing an obsession with the pitt. there are so many beautiful women and so many wonderful dynamics between them to dig into and explore. so thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so!

i find samira and collins' dynamic really interesting, because you get the impression that collins may have been a little judgemental of mohan pre-canon. i mean collins actually apologizes for calling her slo-mo, or at least for not intervening when her colleagues did. and mohan seems surprised when collins steps in with the influencer patient and advocates for her. so it seems like we're actually seeing a turning point in their relationship in real time, which is awesome! i really hope that next season, they've settled into a nice mentor/mentee relationship. collins may only be a year ahead of mohan, but, based on actor ages (which idk how accurate that is to the characters, but it's what we've got to go on rn), collins is over a decade older than mohan, and definitely more confident about where she is in life (another reason why i think she and mckay probably have a good relationship, they're of a similar age, meaning they both decided to become doctors later in life than a lot of their peers, but that's beside the point). and since mohan's relationship with robby can be a little rocky, i think she definitely appreciates having collins in her corner. meanwhile, i think collins maybe learns to be a bit more flexible through mohan. maybe she sees the value of making the kind of connection mohan makes with her patients and tries to implement that a little bit more into her interactions with patients, even as she maintains her own style (which is very effective and empathetic, she has great bedside manner, don't get me wrong! but samira is doing something different, and like robby says, teachers can learn too).

as for mohan and santos, i'm really looking forward to seeing their relationship develop next season as well! evidently, mohan is a far more effective mentor to santos than langdon is. she criticizes trinity for her bedside manner early on, and although santos is defensive at first, she later apologizes to samira and admits she still has a lot to learn. so that suggests to me that mohan is able to get through to santos effectively, and that santos respects that and is willing to take criticism from her. also, mohan is actually the only person to tell santos that the way langdon berated her was unacceptable. robby calls out langdon for this, but he doesn't check in with trinity until langdon actively tries poisoning the water against her, and even then, that conversation is never really about how trinity is feeling about it all. whereas, as much as trinity pretends to not be affected by langdon's rant, i think she really needs to hear it when mohan tells her that she didn't deserve any of it and that she does deserve to be there and is a good doctor. and i think that earlier in the day, mohan may have come to the not entirely unfounded conclusion that santos was overconfident and a bit of a pain in the ass, but that whole situation gave her a newfound respect for santos, and i get the feeling she'll be looking out for her in the future. also, based on actor ages at least, mohan and santos are basically the same age. and like mohan, i get the impression that santos doesn't really have much of a life outside of the hospital (at least she has her newfound wet cat bestie whitaker now!). so i'm really looking forward to them being loser best friends who kind of enable each other's worst habits. or possibly girlfriends who enable each other's worst habits! (i'm still on my mel/santos and mohan/mckay bullshit, but i could easily be sold on mohan/santos. that's what's so beautiful about this show! so many wonderful yuri combinations to be found and explored!)

[juniperhillpatient]

hey mutual i was just looking through your jackietravis tag and i just want to say i CANNOT WAIT to hear your thoughts on the finale.

Oh my gosh HI, my beloved mutual!

Well, I think THIS post (not mine) does a great job of summarizing the wildness of Jackie/Travis in the finale lol :)

But seriously, let's talk about the fact that Travis is still thinking about Jackie, still imagining himself as her! THIS is one of my favorite Jackie/Travis moments. Jackie doesn't ultimately seduce Travis with her usual sweet, flirty fun ways that she tries initially at the Doomcoming dance. Instead, she gets him to kiss her by reminding him that they are doomed. The "we're just shells with nothing inside" speech is what gets him to break & kiss Jackie even though he just admitted to being in love with Natalie.

Jackie & Travis don't even necessarily have real romantic feelings for each other. They're just the arms they fall into when they're both hurt & at their lowest - Jackie after the betrayal from Shauna, Travis after what he perceives as a betrayal from Nat. They're each other's comfort, their last recourse when they're both desperate & sad & aware of how doomed they probably are.

Part of what I love about these 2 & their dynamic is that they ARE the definition of "doomed by the narrative all by yourself darling?" They are both so doomed & so tragic & there was never a happy ending for either of them in the books. Not Travis, whose death is the mystery that kicks off Natalie's story in the adult timeline. Not Jackie, who's loss defines Shauna in the adult timeline, forever haunted by her ghost. They're both such dead wives <3

THIS is a really good meta about how Jackie & Travis are both treated as the group's "property" & I think it's interesting that in this season where Travis's mind & body have been so repeatedly violated & used, he thinks of Jackie, who was iced out (literally) & left to die for the crime of speaking up for herself & not acting as "property." (It's honestly more complicated than that, but you know what I mean).

Travis has been treated like Lottie's property for a lot of the season. We know that he manipulated Lottie into thinking Akilah was the new prophet of the wilderness, not him, & that he regretted it when he saw Akilah suffering in similar ways that he did under Lottie's thumb. But let's talk about his time as Lottie's prophet: Pushed to do drugs & make himself see things by the very person who initiated it when the group sexually assaulted him & almost murdered him when he was drugged unknowingly all the way back in Doomcoming!

I know that Travis said the thing about how "his favorite thoughts are Jackie's" & made the comment about Jackie & Shauna's slumber party make-outs partially to piss Shauna off. BUT it's clearly something that was in his head. Whether you want to go with the supernatural explanation or not that's INTERESTING.

Travis also mentions having some of Javi's thoughts, which is heartbreaking. I don't know if I think it's actually something supernatural (I've always sort of leaned toward...no? probably not?) but EITHER WAY. Travis has been hallucinating the thoughts of his dead brother, & the thoughts of his dead situationship who he related to in some fucked-up ways & that's WILD.

Does he think that Jackie & Javi's thoughts come to him because he ate them? He doesn't mention Laura Lee or Crystal & SURELY given that he spent this season interacting almost exclusively with Lottie (& Akilah, but he spent a LOT of time with Lottie) Laura Lee's thoughts would've come up.

Does Travis feel connected to Jackie when he hears her thoughts? Does he remember how they shared that messed-up comfort in each other's arms when they were both at their lowest? Does he look to her ghost for comfort because she was also assaulted by Lottie that night - though not nearly as violently, she was just locked in a closet but she was still humiliated for the blood on her clothes right after losing her virginity & treated like nothing by the rest of the girls. They both lost their personhood, in a way that night. I feel like maybe Travis doesn't see it that way but he might still connect with Jackie because of that, if that makes sense.

Anyway, I'm TOTALLY rambling. I love my doomed by the narrative failed situationship girlies <3

[leighlew3]

If I may ramble a bit on The Pitt and the debates around shipping and some things I've noticed over the last few episodes. First of all...

Some fans:

"Wait, was older superior (approx 50 year old white guy) Abbott flirting with (30ish woc) Mohan? If so I ship it"

Also some of the same fans:

"Wait, was older superior (mid 30s-ish woc) Garcia flirting with (25+ woc) Santos? That's disgusting, predatory, and totally outta place and to ship things on this show at all is silly."

Heteronormativity and homophobia is a mighty powerful drug. Even more powerful than the ones Langdon's been stealing, ahem.

Hey, if you thought Abbott was flirting with Mohan or you even ship it -- coolio, have fun with it. But then don't judge similar workplace (and less of an age gap) dynamics between two women.

Garcia and Santos have been openly flirty and going through complicated tension already in their brief interactions, without question and the reaction has been far less kind. And newbie Dr. Ellis and Santos had some *vibes* as well in this last episode. But Ellis is also Santos's superior and a Black woman so I'm sure non-wlw fans will also call that "inappropriate" due to the layers of double standards happening.

Look, I know there's been some debate, some fans saying "shipping on a show like this is crazy, there's no romance" while others are picking up on obvious and purposeful romantic elements and just enjoying it because that's what fans do. Ultimately, I think the show does a great job of balancing the human nature of the various non-platonic dynamics without it being too pushed or dominant at all.

You've obviously got Robby and Collins with a complicated, gut-wrenching history and deep connection.

You've got Whitaker flirting with that nurse that was nice to him.

You've got Javadi crushing hard on Diaz and flopping in asking him out on a date.

And even (FREE HER!!!) McKay's ex obviously still hung up on her.

There's a lot of romantic entanglements they're alluding to and toying with whether it be friendly exes, toxic exes, innocent crushes, hardcore crushes, possible love interests, open flirtations, sexual tension, etc.

And they pull all of this off to a level that has people shipping and having fun with it by now yes, but it not being so dominant that it takes over the show because they have so much more to be focused on. It's not Grey's and nobody is slipping off to screw each other in a supply closet, but it is still a show that is realistic, and IRL people get together with people they meet at work all the time.

So could I see perhaps Santos and somebody having a "thank God that hell is over" hookup letting off steam at the end of a shift, or Whitaker asking the nurse if she wants to grab a coffee some time before he leaves, or the show picking up in Season 2 with certain people starting to date or resuming dating each other during the time gap between seasons (if there is one)? It's very possible. And I hope they do little things like that along the way. Because "shipping" doesn't ruin shows. Shipping wars can be... ugh. But romance itself doesn't ruin things that focus heavily on the human condition.

We all came for the diverse, powerful representation of the medical field in a high stakes environment with incredible performances. But over time, fans will stay due to the attachments they form with these characters, and that includes more than just their ability to hold a scalpel or crack a joke or have a rough day at work -- as that interest only lasts so long, otherwise people would simply watch documentaries and YouTube videos of medical procedures, lol.

Just remember --

Part of what has made some of the patient deaths and struggles SO intensely gut wrenching: the relationships they have with those around them. A grieving spouse. A young boyfriend who just lost his young girlfriend. A woman whose disabled husband died right next to her in the shooting as she tried to protect him and now she's traumatized. Love -- both for platonic/friendships/family AND romantic -- drives (a huge portion of) us as people. And it's okay to explore that in shows like this. And it's okay for fans to latch on.

Because what's great about this show is it's all about representing doctors and nurses and other front line workers as flawed but heroic PEOPLE, especially after COVID, and we can't and shouldn't erase an entire part of their lives or identities in terms of their romantic relationships, which they at times sacrifice because of the emotional and others demands of the job. To erase their capacity to flirt, to love, to lose, to crush, to fuck, to marry, to date -- and the ability for fans to discuss these things, make jokes, make fan art and pics -- especially amidst all the HELL they go through -- is to remove part of the human element that this show inherently explores.

So, I say let's ship away but also be careful to avoid hypocrisy and low-key misogyny, racism, and homophobia at play with some takes.

[ladytesla]

Cowboy Halsin

I saw @aerynwrites musing about how Halsin would be as a cowboy or rancher. I thought I'd throw in my two cents, since I live on a farm myself.

There's more to it than just seeing Halsin speaking softly to horses, as awesome a sight as that would be. There's more to living out in the country than horses, believe me. This kind of morphed into Country Halsin and not Cowboy Halsin, but I hope y'all like it anyway. Let's go through a day in the life, shall we?

Halsin would probably be up before dawn, kissing your cheek before getting out of bed as carefully as possible, trying not to wake you. You have your own goals to accomplish today, he wants to let you wake up on your own.

Besides, he loves the stillness just before the sun rises. The nocturnal creatures are seeking their nests and burrows, the diurnal ones have yet to wake. This solitary commune with nature is one of the highlights of his day, listening to the wind in the leaves, the crickets and the frogs. It is a very referent time of morning that seems to stretch for ages and at the same time end far too soon.

As he reaches the barn, the day officially begins. Animals need to be fed. Mostly they graze in the pasture, but some need special treatment. An old swaybacked mare needs a little something extra to keep her weight up. Maybe there's a colt who managed to hurt himself somehow, and the wound needs to be tended to. Maybe it's cold outside, so he throws out alfalfa with the hay. Alfalfa is also called 'hot hay' because it raises an animal's body temperature, which is a great trick for winter.

He speaks to the horses as he works, maybe fondly berating the colt for being so clumsy in his excitement, or encouraging the mare to eat everything he's set out for her, smoothing a large hand down her side and smiling to himself when he feels her ribs much more faintly than he used to. One of the horses who is usually waiting in the mornings isn't there... that's a bit odd. He'll turn up eventually. The chickens milling around outside have heard his voice and know The One Who Feeds Them has arrived, so they peek around and wander into the barn themselves, waiting very impatiently. The goats in another small paddock nearby are just as impatient. They start yelling and bleating as if they're starving to death and He Is A Cruel And Unjust Father And They Are Going To Scream.

He likes hearing the chickens chatter as he scatters out feed for them. They don't have anything of real importance to say, but they never stop talking. Mostly it's "Food! Food! Food! Bug? Food! Scratch. Peck. Scratch. Bug!" in a dozen warbling little voices. He brought a bag of veggie scraps from last night's dinner with him to throw to the goats, which stops them yelling. "I don't think the neighbors heard you yet," he would say dryly as he throws hay to them as well. Sometimes they headbutt each other for access to the best morsels, and while he wants to prevent this to keep anyone from getting injured, he knows it's in their nature. He keeps an eye on the smallest and oldest, however, making sure they get their fair share. The twin kids born last week toddle after their mother like baby ducks. It seems like she has enough milk for both of them, though he still has powdered formula and bottles from the last kidding season, just in case they're needed once more.

Now that everyone's been fed, it's time to walk the fences, looking for that missing horse in the process. A lesser known but very important job when it comes to country life. Any breaks could not only let animals out, but predators in. He'd keep an eye out for signs of predators nearby. He hasn't seen any today, but he heard coyotes crying out in the darkness the night before. By this time of morning, though, he has company. You've made your appearance, bleary-eyed and handing him an insulated cup of coffee. You're already on your second.

The fog from earlier hasn't been burned off completely by the sun yet. It's a quiet time for the two of you to walk the property lines together. Halsin is a bit concerned about that horse. He hasn't shown up yet. Soon, though, he sees a silhouette in the last bits of fog, and sighs with relief. The horse isn't lying down from illness, he's just... trapped. The two of you look at this big strong chestnut gelding, eyes rolling and sides heaving, barricaded in the corner of the pasture because... there's a rabbit in the way. A fat little gray-brown bunny, nibbling delicately at the grass without a care in the world. Truly a terrifying sight to behold.

"Arthur we've spoken about this," Halsin sighs as he walks closer to the horse. "Rabbits can't hurt you. They eat plants, and they're tiny. Look!"

Still, Arthur isn't convinced. Halsin soothes him, stroking his nose and smiling to himself at the absurdity of it.

"My heart," he glances to you, "please convince our visitor to release Arthur."

You smile as you shuffle closer to the rabbit, gently shooing it back through the fence. Now that Arthur is out of mortal peril, he happily walks off towards the barn.

"They're majestic creatures," Halsin admits, "but sometimes..." He shakes his head, then keeps walking the fence. "Come on, my love... we're only halfway."

~~~

A round bale is delivered around lunchtime. The thing is as tall as you and just as wide and weighs an ungodly amount. But it needs to go out into the pasture somehow. Moving a round bale is a two-person job. Your job is to hold the gate open and keep the curious horses at bay... and to watch as Halsin, sleeves rolled up and muscles bulging, easily rolls it into the paddock as though it weighs nothing. He barely has time to set the feeder ring around it before the horses are nosing greedily at the fresh hay.

"I wish I could help more," you say as you close the gate.

"You help plenty," he replies, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Besides..." There's a faint glint of mischief in his eyes. "I've flattered myself into thinking you like to watch."

You grin and say he's being ridiculous, but you both know the truth.

~~~

As active a man as he is, Halsin isn't content to spend the heat of the day indoors. There are still so many things to be done. Bird feeders to fill. Eggs to collect from the chickens. The vegetable garden to water and weed. Water troughs to top up. Finally, there's a little time to take a break. Sometimes you have other things on your schedule, but today you decide to join him. The two of you find a shady spot under a tree and settle in with a book, some whittling, perhaps a snack, and you let yourselves get lost in nature. The afternoon sounds are different from the early morning ones. There are no crickets or frogs, no reverent stillness. Now there are raucous little songbirds fighting over birdseed, the chatter of a squirrel, the crow of the rooster, maybe even the far-off braying of a neighbor's donkey a quarter mile away. The windchimes you hung from the back porch. And underneath it all, the wind humming in the trees. Halsin leans back against the rough bark of the tree, closes his eyes, and feels the undercurrent of life running through all things. You can't help but admire the sheer expression of peace and happiness on his face, and set your little diversions aside to lean your head on his shoulder. His arm instictively wraps around you to pull you closer against him, and you enjoy simply existing as part of nature for a while.

~~~

The sun is about to set, casting mile-long shadows and lighting up the fields like gold. It's nearing time to go inside and help make dinner. But first the old mare and the colt need to be tended to once more. Another helping of special feed for the mare, sequestering her in her stall so that she can eat in peace without a certain someone (whose name may or may not be Arthur} attempting to share. The colt's wound is healing nicely, and Halsin digs in his pocket for a cookie in exchange for the colt standing still enough to be treated. He tosses another cookie to Arthur who protests that he too needs special food because he is a special boy.

He comes inside to clean up and help with dinner. He'll need to go back out in an hour or so to let the mare out of her stall, but in the meantime he's happy to be in your company as you maneuver around each other in the kitchen. If you're cooking, it may be a bit difficult with those big arms around you from behind. The two of you have been busy all day, and now that you're done with your work, he has decided to make things a little difficult.

"Love, please, I need to get to the spice cabinet." "I can reach it just fine. Tell me what you need."

"Halsin, I can't work with you right behind me like this!" "I fail to see how this is a problem, my heart. I'm having a wonderful time."

Halsin is normally a mild-mannered type, but his sense of humor sneaks out in sly ways from time to time. At least he hasn't broken out the horrible puns yet. And you have to admit, it's nice to be able to feel his deep voice resonate against your back.

Halsin is ready to sleep when it's time for bed (as long as you are too, of course. He's always up for 'extracurricular activities' if the mood is right). "We did well today, my heart," he says quietly in the darkness, pulling you close. "Pleasant dreams." He can hear the faint sounds of frogs and crickets outside your window, and that coupled with your soft breathing is enough to lull him into a deep sleep.

Was it a long day full of hard work? Yes.

Would he trade away any of it? Never.

[fillingthescrapbook]

Let's Talk About Misfits and Magic Season 2

I love Aabria Iyengar's mind. I love the way she creates a story that is many levels of profound--but, still, at its core: is about being good, doing good, and hoping for goodness in a world that's wrapped up in different shades of bad.

Around midway through this season of Misfits and Magic, I stopped sharing my thoughts. Not because I didn't have thought to share. It's mostly because I have complicated feelings with this show. I have not made it a secret that I didn't really care for the first season. Nor the holiday special. And I really didn't like how fans of Dimension 20 were so divided about this title because of its connection to a franchise we don't want to like anymore. Because of many reasons. This season did turn things around for me--but the feelings didn't become simple just because I liked the world and the characters more now.

When I write my reaction posts, I make a list of observations. Thoughts and reactions that I then try to turn into a coherent essay. It's really hard to do that with this season. I feel like I was working through my own history and connection with fantasy, of how I became enamored with the genre, alongside the magical misfits journeying from island to island encountering the many forms of magic. Magic that were tied down, bound, and made simple--but is allowed to be messy and unwieldly again. And, now, after the finale: magic that's allowed to be simple again, but not because it was distilled--but because it's been given a new definition. A more apt definition.

I fell in love with Danielle Radford while watching Mentopolis (and, aside: I love that Danielle remembered 57 as Alex Song-Xia's favorite number). But it's this season of Misfits and Magic that really gave her a spotlight of what she can do. Maybe only a sliver of what she can do. But from what was shared with us? Danielle is an emotional powerhouse. Episode after episode, she hits us with emotional beats that network or streaming television shows would kill for.

Then there's Lou Wilson. This may not be a well-shared opinion, but I feel like Misfits and Magic has Lou at his most reserved. And it's not a bad thing. He's letting the other players go buck wild, and he's the one who's grounding everything down. And we really see the importance of a straight man with Lou's performance. Because some of the most emotionally-charged moments of this season wouldn't have been as powerful had it not been for Lou's reactions.

Erika Ishii has always embraced the goblin-gargoyle characterization they've been given. I think that's most true with their Misfits and Magic character. And while K/Dream/Etsy Bit.ly Spider is never one of my favorite Erika characters--they still managed to make the character so engaging that you can't help but be pulled into their orbit…and want what's best for them.

And then we get to Brennan Lee Mulligan. For the man who doesn't get to play a lot of TTRPG because he's almost always behind the DM's screen--it's really refreshing to see him go balls-out with every decision his character makes. I, ultimately, still ended up not an Evan Kelmp fan after the finale--but there truly is something magnetic in the way Brennan plays him that you want to root for Evan. From afar.

That said-- I am still very against the Sam-Evan 'ship. Now more than ever. During the scene where Brennan and Danielle were trying to vocalize what happens now to their characters' relationship, and the situation and feelings that lead into this development…it kind of put into words my discomfort with them becoming a couple.

Evan is, ultimately, a broken person. Sam is too, but in a different way. Evan sees Sam as the person who brought some good into his life, and I feel like that's doing a lot of heavy-lifting in what he's feeling for her. And I really don't think that's fair to Sam.

Do the two actors have great chemistry? Yes! They're just describing scenes together and we can feel the romantic tension between the two characters! But that's not enough for me. I want someone better for Sam. But that's a discussion for, maybe, another season of Misfits and Magic. Maybe.

If there's anything I've learned with Season 2--it's that Aabria, Lou, Erika, Danielle, and Brennan are GOATs. And if they feel the need to revisit this world, we're going to get something truly magical.

I'm glad I gave this title another try. I guess I have to thank the haters who prodded the petty side of me into watching this live and not just taking a break from actual play for a bit.

That said… I really do hope that Aabria's next game on Dimension 20 isn't a sequel. Because I can't wait to see what new system Aabria is going to introduce next.

(Also, just to add: the editing of Dimension 20 is getting better and better--and it was never a slouch to begin with. And: Carlos Luna as Tabby in the last two episodes was very much missed. Aabria is great--but there's a certain mischievous sweetness in the way Carlos voiced Tabby that was just pure magic. Now, cut the feed!)

[batsplat]

speaking of smallville now that was certainly a show. how many seasons did you manage and when is it best to stop? I am currently at s2 and already I would kill every other character for lex, wyd it’s only gonna get worse 😭

lmaooo okay so I got to. six. which actually kinda kills me because I swear I poured my heart and my soul into that stupid show, it drove me insane it left me a lesser person and I BARELY GOT HALFWAY

my basic analysis of the default journey with that show that I'm going to pretend is universal is like. it hooks you with something compelling in s1 and you still have enough naive faith to give it benefit of doubt that the writers actually know what they're doing, because you just wanted to have a bit of fun but, hey, these characters are actually more interesting than you expected!! then in s2 you're starting to get doubts but you're already kinda too deep. then s3 breaks your sanity and makes you scream and at this point you just see how far this shit goes. then s4 is.... mid..... but is also in a way the last remotely palpable season? and then at some point in s5 you're just like. wow I don't even enjoy the hate watching any more. and s6 is. yeah. eventually there was one storyline that is so insanely uncomfortable that it's just. enough. enough!

[mild spoilers to follow]

if s2 drives you insane on lex grounds then!! boy!! s3!! the thing about s3 from lex's pov is that. okay it's extremely angsty and does increasingly radicalise you... I have to say I started this show in a very innocent jokey 'oh ho ho I heard they have some good superman/lex luthor queerbait in that noughties show!!' and was ready to be a lex fan like. as a bit. and y'know my readiness to adopt morally dubious characters is pretty high anyway. but the first few seasons made me go?? okay but he genuinely isn't even the villain?? like I'm not even saying this for the bit, he LITERALLY is not the bad guy in this story?? guys??? and then by the end of season 3 I had been completely radicalised to the 'Actually Lex Luthor Should Turn Evil And Kill All Of You People And I Will Cheer Him On' stance. but what really, really, really kills me is that after all that, they still manage to bungle his transition to evil. like, they ignore all the very obvious reasons for why lex would turn evil after all that, and just come up with completely new ones? that have fuck all to do with this character you've been writing up to that point?

and the worst bit. the WORST bit. is that after all that, he literally does not even have fun being evil. like, you know that season one episode where he's being mind controlled and does his gay little swagger. this scene, yeah:

first of all, again, they ended up erasing lex's canonical motivation for turning evil, which is being so queer-coded he might as well be wearing a sign with slurs around his neck while he's stuck in a small town in fucking kansas. like "you think I don't see the way your parents look at me? the way half the town looks at me?" okay, great, love how this entire arc is eventually concluded by having the show say the entire town including clark's small-minded parents were 100% right to be suspicious of him, that there was something fundamentally defect with him basically from birth and he was always going to turn out to be evil. I feel like you definitely thought through the implications of what you wrote here!

but never mind all that, my actual point is that lex is having fun here!! this is one of several episodes where they're 'foreshadowing' lex turning evil by 'having a paranormal reason to make lex evil for a few minutes' (some subtle writing, this), and he's generally having a lot of fun with it!! he's leaning into the camp of it all!! he's freed from all his nasty and completely unnecessary inhibitions like 'not killing everyone in smallville' which. good. and he's just having a great time. and then he becomes a villain and he's literally just miserable all the time!! it sucks!! like omg if you're going to butcher his writing and ruin the character then at LEAST let him have some fucking fun?? at least let him experience joy at his own depravity or whatever? like he doesn't even get to do any fun villain monologues at clark, he's literally just sad clark isn't his friend any more while clark is giving him the homophobic dog slur. and then also about twice a season something paranormal happens to clark and he physically assaults lex to the point where he like, almost kills him, and then after that everyone pretends it didn't happen and clark never apologises and continues to burst into his room demanding answers. like omg?? lex, they hate you anyway, can you please just attempt to shoot clark?? also, obviously the turn to villainy should have been in large part motivated by lex finding out clark's secret and going?? the fuck is wrong with you for not just SAYING this?? (plus finding out everything clark did to lex in season three to keep his secret like it's genuinely so fucked up #lmao) but. I hate to break bad news to you about where we're at with the whole 'does lex know clark's secret yet' situation at the point where I gave up. genuinely what is the point of all this building and perfectly interesting character work if you're NEVER gonna deliver

but quite possibly an even worse sin of the later seasons that genuinely broke my brain was the treatment of lex's father. like, not to give the game away too much here, but the show's philosophical stance on rotten apples ends up being.... well. it's interesting which characters this show feels is worthy of redemption!! also interesting when they retcon several seasons of writing for the show that already very much set up why a character would actually perfectly legitimately go insane and instead settle for 'well his father sure did know there was always something wrong with him'!! watching some season 3 and season 5 episodes back to back would leave your face scarred from the amount of whiplash in the writing. the whole thing's kinda incompetent and dumb but is also like?? actively a little bit evil when you really think about the implications of what they're writing here

anyway. it's a brave stance on superman to go 'okay but what is being a superhero really about if not a whole whole lot of gaslighting'. and I do love the clark stalking room!! but the problem is, they could've played the clark/lex dynamic in a kinda tragic 'wow clark really has been so blinded by his parents that he's gonna end up destroying his relationship to lex because he just can't be honest with him and lex really needed one person in his corner who actually trusted him but clark wasn't the right person to provide that' way. they could've played it in a sort of fun 'yeah this is kinda fucked up and weird and toxic how they simply cannot stop doing dubious shit to each other' way where you just kinda roll with how terrible the whole thing is. but they don't go for either of those!! they're so stuck with treating clark's parents as the moral centre of the universe, with their "marriage is SACRED, clark" schtick and all that (yeah, there's an episode where clark gets lectured about the importance of the bond of marriage, this is a thing that happens) that they're blatantly unaware of what story they're telling but ALSO just refuse to lean into the batshit insane elements and just have!! fun!! and it's one of those things where you really do feel like an idiot for even thinking about this stupid fucking show so!! much!! but I swear, I swear they had a dynamic that hit like crazy in season one... also some of the fic out there for them is CRAZY like it kinda does make it all worth it but still!! still!! this shit infuriates me!!

anyway, here are some bonkers plot bits I remember happening in this show for you to enjoy if you continue in this endeavour:

the lex luthor slut shaming episode

clark kent slut shaming lex luthor, which is conceptually funny anyway but becomes funnier if you just read it as clark being unable to figure out he is actually just subliminally attracted to his friend. like, okay, clark being disappointed at lex for sleeping with thirteen different women, I see you

like. multiple lesbian lana moments. she's constantly getting herself in lesbian situations. and I get this is some kinda weird fanservice-y shit from the showrunners but, sue me, I thought lesbian vampire lana was cute

which is a thing that happens

they get spike from btvs to tell clark vampires aren't real, which is the one funny thing they wrote in about a season

the native american stuff is always deeply uncomfortable but it becomes even weirder when they invent some native american prophecy *deep sigh* to explain how lex was always evil

clark steals a car from lex several episodes after committing like, one of the most obscene acts of betrayal it is possible to commit against a friend (lex is unaware of this and possibly never finds out? I think the writers maybe forgot about this.) and lex is just like. it's fine <3 I know friends sometimes have to do crazy shit for other friends!! you're my friend, right?? and clark goes... yeah. sure

I vaguely remember lex buying stuff the american football high school team at some point and showing up to the lockers to give a speech and it's just?? this is right after the friendship break up and it's basically lex talking right at clark and he's talking about the importance of fresh starts and it is so fucking funny

the one episode where lana is in paris. they had built up to this for ages as like a whole thing where lana finally frees herself from that miserable town and all the people in it (don't ask how the 'lana knowing clark's secret' situation develops. it doesn't) and then she's there for. one episode

martha kent tells clark how they can't harbour illegal immigrants at one stage?? she eventually changes her mind I think but what even was that all about

the papa kent goes into politics arc. shoot me

lex becomes like. possessed by zod. which somehow manages to make everyone involved more dull

silver kryptonite makes clark paranoid, which ends up being pretty funny because he genuinely talks the exact same way

lex thinks clark can throw him across the room because he's been hypnotised

lex starts capturing various clark super powered friends and delivers these gay villain monologues to them (like genuinely, in one of them he's got shirtless aquaman strapped to a gurney and he's like, leaning over him, teasing him with a glass of water) and they're some of the best bits of the show

clark discovers the clark stalking room, which I will say was very funny

chloe basically saying lex always sends clark these massive gifts as a way of keeping his affections which?? clearly true but I thought we were keeping that the subtext

clark gatecrashes lex's wedding high on red kryptonite

one of lex's old bullies gets killed by like, a statue falling from the top of the building they're standing next to and stabbing the guy and then some of the blood splashes on lex and he's just like ?? bleh. fantastic scene

and THEN there's several scenes with his father where lex is like 'well that sure was a nice shirt :(' and lex's father is berating him for his lack of humanity. or something

there's an episode where lex is split into good lex and evil lex and it's genuinely the only worthwhile thing the show did that season. like the writing is still kinda incoherent but, crucially. it sure is fun

the spirit of lex's mum tells him she thinks he sucks

worst show in existence. I'll never forget it