#this could be about platonic or romantic devotion tbh

[jonathan-samuel-smith]

I miss

The smell of the air

Spring having just arrived

Filling my nose with floral notes

As you cried

I remember

The pain of my split knuckles

As you stood back up and said

“Is that all you’ve got?”

I could have sworn it was you

That wiped my bloody lip

And put the bandage on so gently and warmly

As if that hand was not my very own

I thought I heard your laugh just the other day

As I opened my umbrella and left through the gate

And I could see you in the mist

As if you would reach out to me

Your smooth hand against mine

The sound of your gentle hum

As those hands clasped together

I can’t eat ice cream the way I used to

It always makes me think of you

And the way your hair smelled

And the dimples when you smiled

The crinkles in the corners of your eyes

Right before you called me

I was thinking of the furrow in your brow

When you pouted like a child

The way you don’t, now

And how it would twitch

As you held in a laugh

Because even when I made you mad

You thought I was funny

You thought I was worth something

Even when all I did was rest my head in your lap

You thought I was worth something

Even when I made you want to scream

You thought I was worth something

When I looked at you and saw my future

You looked back and thought you saw yours

You were warm and you were soft and you were mine

I still live in a world

With flowers and split lips and bloody knuckles and ice cream

And I try to pretend that I live in your world

Where I am cold and I am sharp and I belong to no one

And where there is no one

Who belongs to me

[saintsenara]

idk if someone else asked you this but: what's your fav interpretation of snily? platonic or romantic? (my fav is platonic, but tbh i love any version of them that still respecting their tragedy)

ok lads, here we, here we, here we fucking go...

i like snily a lot - as both a platonic and a romantic pairing - because i think it has so much potential to be really interesting - and, above all, that it's interesting because it's a great relationship for an author to use to directly undercut a lot of tropes about love [romantic or otherwise] which both the canon series and vast amounts of fanfiction use uncritically.

by which i mean, it's not a big, epic, written-in-the-stars love story. it's not inevitable - it's not ginny "never giving up" on harry - and it's not romcom-happy-ending-perfect - the way james and lily's relationship is described by everyone who ever speaks about them - and it's not a perfect blending of two halves of the same soul - there's no timeline in which we could hear mcgonagall saying "you never saw one without the other", as she does about james and sirius - and it never could be.

but what it can be - much like remadora, which i think is genuinely one of snily's closest parallels - is evidence that love which is none of these things has the capacity to be just as transformative, just as meaningful, as just as worth an author's time.

and - of course - has the capacity to be possible. i'm not going to bother with the argument that snily is impossible to write in a canon-coherent way [or impossible to write without it being abusive] - and i'm especially not going to bother with the argument that it's immoral to see as a plausible pairing. thinking this is a skill issue - a refusal to grapple with several of the fundamental truths about being human: that redemption is possible; that forgiveness - even of the gravest sins - is possible too; that love is strange and unpredictable; and that there is nobody - not a single soul - on earth who is unworthy of it.

which is why - of course - my favourite flavour of snily is one in which james dies in 1981 [maybe he's the one who won't stand aside, maybe the magic which causes the killing curse to rebound doesn't need to hinge on choice, and so on] but she and harry live, and that - in order to try and ground herself in the face of her shattering grief - she returns to cokeworth, seeking a reminder of the certainty of childhood which she can cling to at a time when everything else is out of control.

that snape would be lurking about is unsurprising - the man clings to the certainties of his childhood [even if these certainties are much less happy than lily's] like a limpet. he's still living at spinner's end, seething about james and sirius - stuck in the past and unwilling to move on to the future.

and not only stuck in the past, but stuck on a fantasy.

it's clear in canon that snape and lily's major issue - prior to the break in their friendship which we see in snape's worst memory - is that neither of them ever takes the other as they actually are. the lily of snape's head is a construct - especially after her death - and the snape of lily's head is the same.

lily - even in the few pages of her we see in canon - seems to be stuck viewing snape as the child, devoted exclusively to her, whose role was to teach her about the wonderful world of magic, and who acted primarily as a tool of her own self-actualisation.

this is why she can’t understand why snape is so embarrassed by the way his poverty makes him stand out at hogwarts, and why this would make him want to fit in with the sort of purebloods she clearly thinks are awful. it's why she doesn't understand his need for reassurance when it comes to whether his [platonic] affection for her is reciprocated. it's why she doesn't take what happens to him at the marauders' hand seriously until she's made an explicit part of it by james. and it's also why she doesn't engage with snape's radicalisation until she literally can't ignore it anymore. mulciber and avery can be figures she loathes - and figures she recognises as potential death eaters - because she regards them as having the agency to be bad people if they so desire. but snape isn't someone she sees as existing for himself or having a life of his own, until his behaviour is so egregious that it forces the scales to fall from her eyes. he exists for her.

and snape is the same. he sees himself as the person who gave lily the wizarding world and, therefore, as the person who gets to dictate how she understands it.

this is why he can't understand what it is about mulciber's use of dark magic which appalls her [as a teenager, he, like voldemort, clearly thinks that applying boundaries to which sort of magic can or should be practised is nanny-state gatekeeping]. it's why he doesn't understand why it upsets her when he's rude to petunia and why he fails to grasp that she can simultaneously have a difficult relationship with her sister and love and value her. it's why he dislikes her forming her own views on the marauders, instead of agreeing with his. and it's why he thinks lily's hatred of the death eaters is stupid - he believes [undoubtedly correctly, given voldemort's relationship with him] that joining the organisation will allow him to transcend the restrictions imposed upon him by his muggle father and social class, and he is incapable of seeing how this wouldn't be the case for lily. she exists for him.

teen snily exists within this context - and i think there's something sincerely interesting which can be done with an exploration of their friendship [including that friendship turning into a romantic relationship] which takes the fact that the two people involved have to confront their mutual insistence on loving an imagined version of the other into account. maybe it crashes and burns - as it does in canon, when snape and lily see each other clearly for the first time when he calls her a mudblood - or maybe they start trying to do the work.

and adult snily exists within this context magnified to a hundred. i think there's just something so compelling about the idea of them running into each other in cokeworth. and lily being torn between seeing snape clearly - knowing exactly who he is and what he's done - and still wanting to pretend that he's the best friend of her childhood, so she can have five minutes of respite from the immensity of james' death. and snape being torn between wanting to confess his role in the prophecy debacle to her - to take responsibility and commit to atonement, safe in the knowledge that this would mean losing her forever - and still wanting to pretend that everything is as it was again, and lily will listen to him, and be what he wants [and needs] her to be.

and this gives us the potential for mess - and mess which is very sad, which is the best kind.

maybe they reestablish their friendship [or even transform it into a relationship] while clinging to that childhood fantasy, and are then forced to acknowledge who the other really is and fall apart. maybe they don't ever acknowledge this, and remain stuck in a mire of toxic codependency which hangs on never being honest with themselves and each other.

maybe snape stubbornly refuses to move on from his hatred of james [just imagine...] even once he has what he's always claimed to have wanted. maybe lily can't move past the mudblood incident. maybe the revelation of the prophecy and snape's role within it is something lily - entirely, entirely understandably - would never be able to move past.

and yet...

maybe - gradually, and with lots of setbacks - they each learn how to be satisfied with the other as a real person. maybe they learn how to listen to each other, how to talk to each other, how to value each other. maybe they let go of childish resentments - maybe lily says "yeah, james was a dick to you and i could have been more sympathetic to that" and snape says "thanks, now i can work on moving on from this so i'm not the sort of person who's still obsessed with school beef when i'm nearly forty". maybe they work through bigger, more justified resentments - maybe snape shows that he is sincerely sorry about calling lily a mudblood, and demonstrates this, and she feels able to accept his apology.

and maybe snape looks her in the eye and tells her what he did, and lily still manages to find some small glimmer of hope in the midst of her fury that she thinks is worth clinging to.

[the fact that switching sides and putting yourself into mortal danger in an attempt to destroy voldemort means that you have a pretty good claim for your wish to atone for your sins to be genuine, for instance...]

perhaps the two of them find themselves in a state of fragile cordiality - polite hellos in shops, a quick drink at christmas. perhaps they bury the hatchet but then lose touch, and forgiving snape and being forgiven by lily helps them each let the other go. perhaps they have a relationship which doesn't last, but which is no less significant to either of them for it. perhaps they share a drunken kiss and laugh about it the next day. perhaps they work out how to be friends properly - and they're yapping away over a roast dinner as we speak. and perhaps they work out how to be more than that.

stranger things have happened, and they always will. isn't it fun to come up stories which think about how?

[ywooni]

Good afternoon, I saw that you did request and so I am here. Could you do Beelzebub x Male Reader Yandere? I don't know how many details I suppose to give so I just let you work with these. Feel free to ask more or warn me if you gonna take the request or not

Beelzebub X Male! Yandere! Reader Headcanons!

“Of course you would adore Me! The Great Fly!”

Author's notes: I don't know if it was supposed to be a Romantic or Platonic Yandere, so I'll leave it up to interpretation, The Yandere Reader sound as vague as possible, in intention of trying to fit in any Yandere type, Idk if is it too short or too long tbh 🕊️

English is not my first language! Forgive me if I make a grammatical mistake.

★ Someone obsessing over her doesn’t seem to bother her that much, Actually, it seemed to boost her confidence, knowing the self-absorbed persona that she displays

★ As you would boost her ego, she would keep you by her side often, like, OFTEN, to the point you would turn like her another layer of skin.

★ Even if she would rather disappear from existence than admit it to anyone or even herself, she genuinely enjoys your presence, taking away your obsessive tendencies, you're a nice and cool Man! She likes to have you around

★ Would find your Jealousy cute, no matter how disturbing it would be, Why would you be Jealous my Dear? You know The Great Fly could never replace you...

★ She grandiose herself for you, She can’t have the chance of losing her devoted and loyal “Little Admirer” after all...

★ Even Though Lucifer would Warn you that she is a compulsive liar and you not to believe anything she says, you probably wouldn't listen to her, depending on the level of your obsession, Beelzebub would find this the most adorable thing in the world.

★ Even though she doesnt show it properly, she would also love you too, maybe not as intense as you would love her, but... She loves you too, never doubt that.

★ She would show a softer side for you, as you both would grow intimate over the time, of course, you two would pass a lot of time together.

★ I would find it quite entertaining the ways in which you would express your love and/or affection for her, She would love EVERY second of it

★ The first time you two met, She started listing literally all of her titles, she's definitely not going to be a boring or nauseating friend or lover to be around.

(I hope you liked the Writing, Sorry If you didn't like It :/ but that was definitely fun to write! Even though there isn't THAT much information about Beel)

XOXO, YWOONI

[erros429]

now, you’re pretty obviously a farcille shipper (and tbh who isn’t lol). but i’m curious. do you think it’s the most important relationship in dungeon meshi?

i don’t think comparing relationships is really how someone should view a narrative at all. farcille is my favorite relationship in dungeon meshi, yes, but i don’t think it’s the most important. sure, i’m a big shipper and i’m open to the fact; i’m also not blind enough to the plot to know that fundamentally the story is about laios and his sister.

yea, almost none of the plot would have happened if marcille wasn’t so devoted to falin. but also none of it would have happened if laios wasn’t equally devoted to saving falin. both can be true at the same time.

i’d even argue that falin and marcille’s relationship is equally as important as laios and marcille’s relationship. though i read the former as romantic and the latter as platonic, that doesn’t mean the romantic one has more value.

almost all of marcille and falin’s relationship is only seen in flashbacks and in their respective motivations as characters (like how marcille’s greatest desire is to keep her loved ones alive longer. and how falin was very ready to let people die if it meant her loved ones would live). on the other hand, marcille and laios’s relationship is at the forefront of the story and actively develops with the plot. again, they’re both just completely different dynamics.

and if we’re REALLY talking about the importance of relationships in dungeon meshi, i could even argue more abstractly that laios’s relationship with monsters and food is the most important driving force for the story. but i don’t think you had the abstract route in mind, so i won’t digress further.

TLDR no dynamic is similar enough to justify comparison. they’re all equally impactful, and the story would not be the masterpiece that it is if these relationships didn’t work in tandem with each other.

[yardsards]

the carmilla webseries (particularly s3) makes some really interesting points about amatonormativity that i think are probably accidental but still fascinate me.

like there's this intended theme of like, being so devoted to one person that you put them above everyone else, and the harms that can cause. and that theme is primarily explored through laura and carmilla's relationship, especially as a foil to the dean and her beloved. but also with lafontaine and how they kinda subvert that.

(i could write essays analyzing this, tbh)

anyway. the show primarily explores the themes of putting one person above everyone else through the lens of romantic relationships, because that's just kind of the genre they're operating under. but that (again, probably unintentionally) brings up a theme of amatonormativity. because amatonormativity expects you to have one romantic partner and to put them above everyone else, to unquestionably value them more than any of your friends.

anyway, with that background out of the way, what i'm really thinking about currently is danny in s3

there's that scene early on in the season, when danny's all evil vampire mode. and laura says that her and carmilla are "just friends". and danny threatens laura in front of carmilla and is like "surely you wouldn't mind me hurting her/would be willing to let her die to keep the talisman, if you two really are just friends"

and like, while danny is correct in her observation that laura and carmilla's feelings about each kther are clearly not platonic, her logic is absolute garbage. me and the friend i was rewatching it with were both like "??? no i absolutely WOULD still mind if someone threatened my purely platonic friend like that, you'd be a pretty garbage friend to not care". like, danny's logic in that scene is peak amatonormative nonsense.

but then. at the end of the season. it's danny's *platonic* love for kirsch that ends up connecting her back to her humanity. it's kirsch that she finally breaks free of the dean's influence to protect. kirsch that she's willing to risk it all for.

it wasn't laura, the girl she had a crush on. it was kirsch, who she had a whole thing about in the previous season about how she explicitly did NOT have any romantic towards him and 100% solely saw him as a platonic friend. it was her "just a friend" who ultimately ended up meaning everything for her.

[glisten-inthedark]

Tbh I’ve seen you and other anons discuss this before and in regard to the Van Scene™ and whether Mike thinks the words were coming from Will, I have some thoughts

I personally think he does suspect or even believe that it was coming from Will, but that he isn’t sure if he’s reading into it being a romantic expression or a platonic one. I could see him being doubtful about that and gaslighting himself into believing that he’s projecting, that Will’s a nice guy he’s just being really nice and sweet and thoughtful, he doesn’t like him like that.

But I do personally consider the Van Scene™ to be Mike’s, “Oh. Oh.” scene where everything he’d been feeling for so long finally clicked in his mind and he realized that he has feelings for Will.

And in regard to the “I love you,” I think it’s a mixture of a few things: I think Will’s encouragement crushed Mike’s hope that maybe it was romantic on Will’s part. But I also think that Will’s encouragement made Mike feel like it was his duty as the Heart to tell Eleven that he loved her. He knew that Eleven wanted him to tell her he loves her romantically (she wants him to mean it, though) and so in that moment I think Mike felt that it was his duty and his role to do what he, in that moment, thought was best for Eleven and would give her strength and peace of mind….even though it didn’t.

Especially since a lot of what defines a paladin is devoutness, oaths, commitment, devotion—I think Mike felt and believed during that scene that he needed to fulfill his role as the paladin, the Heart.

So in season 5, I think Mike will be aware of his feelings for Will but in a place where he thinks Will doesn’t like him back, because either he thinks he read into the Van Scene™ even if he does believe that the words were from Will, or he thinks he was wrong in his initial gut-instinct and it wasn’t actually Will’s words.

Also since we know there’s a time jump I need to see Will’s painting on Mike’s wall!

Hi! How are you?

I completely agree with you about Mike being unsure that Will meant it romantically, because he could easily gaslight himself into questioning if he read it wrong.

Because when we think about it, Mike is the one that has made their last argument into something romantically coded, not Will. Will didn't ask Mike what they were or make any possible accusation about them, but Mike turned into it the moment he said "we are friends. We are friends" with different intonations each time. Almost like he was trying to remind himself of it, so it's not a stretch for us to believe that might believe Will meant it platonically instead of romantically.

Honestly, I think every interpretation of the van scene is plausible, yours included, although I personally feel like he already had an inkling about his feelings you could be right about that being the moment where it clicks for him and he finally is able to name what he feels.

Regarding the I Love You scene. I agree with you wholeheartedly and I'd also like to add, that while I'm not denying that Mike clearly cares about El and loves her in some way, I do feel he said out of guilt as well, not only because he couldn't say it first, but because of everything that has happened to her that he might feel responsible for.

I feel like he feels he owes El after everything she's done for them, after she got Will back. So yes, add this to his sense of responsibility and duty and we have a recipe for that speech. He says it because he feels he has to, because it's his responsibility.

And surprise surprise, I also agree with Mike knowing he's in love with Will but being unsure Will loves him back and okg yew! Mike putting with all of the other drawings Will's made is definitely something he'll do.

Thanks for the ask and I hope you have a great week 😊

[nickeverdeen]

hiiii could i have an arcane matchup?

i'm agender (they/them, but feminine terms/titles are fine by me) and queer (STRONG preference towards women), and i'd prefer a romantic matchup but platonic works fine as well. i'm 5'5" (average height queen), i have curly, black, shoulder length hair and bangs. sometimes i straighten my hair if i have the time and energy but usually i just leave it natural. i have fairly pale skin with slight pink undertones, and a few freckles on my nose. my eyes are mostly blue with a little bit of green (my mom used to say i had some gold specks in there so idk what color they are really tbh). i have a pretty casual/somewhat athletic style, since my job does require me to be active, but i accessorize to high heavens with necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and any ring i can find, pretty much. i try to look as androgynous as possible at any given time.

a basic list of my interests: animation, digital art, creative writing, acting, broadway, theater tech (such as running lights/sound/spotlight, being a stagehand, just all of the cool backstage stuff), painting, cosplay and costume making is a BIG one, really anything artsy.

now the weird interests that don't really fit into the above category: roller coaster mechanics/accidents and how to avoid them, herpetology (mainly snakes but other reptiles as well), self defense, airports (not anything specific about them, i just really like the environment in airports)

i really like music! music is a HUUUUUGE part of my life. my favorite style personally is fast paced punk rock kinda style, but any sort of alt rock fits my vibe. i really like MSI (the music, not the people themselves, screw those guys), and some various songs by FOB, The Used, Pierce The Veil, Destroy Boys, etc. I do also love music of other, more undefined genres. I'm absolutely in love with Panic! at the Disco's Vices and Virtues album, specifically Sarah Smiles and Nearly Witches. And a few other songs/artists here and there (like will wood? and jack stauber) but those are my main ones. Sharing music I like is such a big deal for me in literally any relationship.

Speaking of relationships! My love languages are mainly physical touch (receiving) and acts of service (giving). But other "love languages," or just little things that I do with people I'm comfortable with are: rant about my interests/try to get them into said interests, sharing music (like i said), sharing memes and things that remind me of them, and (here's a really niche one) making cosplays of their favorite characters (if applicable, there are some cosplays i just can't do). the way i love is just pure devotion. if i'm in a relationship with someone, they are my everything, i would do anything for them.

i'm an enfp, 6w7, i'm extremely outgoing and have a tendency to strike up conversations with random people. i'm a performer, an actor, everything is a performance to me. i'm an incredibly artsy person, constantly creating something (mainly in the form of writing or physical art/drawings and sketches). my humor is very much just one-liners that are kinda hit or miss, depends on the audience. i understand very well the concept of masking who you are for the sake of acceptance, progress, etc. in public, i'm a completely different person, putting on somewhat of a professional, agreeable front for the sake of getting people to like me. i'm a performer with connections, i know the right people and they'll give me a huge advantage in my future as i try to get where i want to be. i'm not afraid to abandon some ideals and morals to get there. this is not something i'm proud of.

i'm neurodivergent, but incredibly good at masking it. when i'm around the right people, it's obvious, but i don't usually let myself unmask in public. to really know me is to know two different sides of me. anyway, i'm surprisingly organized. i have a meticulous morning routine (i'm a morning person through and through) that requires me to wake up two hours early every morning, but i don't mind (even though i don't really sleep). i get easily overwhelmed specifically by temperature. if it's too hot, i shut down, it makes it hard to function. i'm also somewhat prone to anxiety attacks, and i have bad paranoia, so it takes me a while to really trust someone.

i think my main personal struggle is that i focus on other people more than myself. relationships tend to feel like a sacrifice. i will abandon my own mental and physical health if it means helping someone that i care about (or someone who makes me feel validated but thats a different story). i'm also an incredibly hard worker, so much so that getting things done tends to be my main focus, even over essentials like eating, sleeping, showering, etc.

is this too much info this feels like too much info sorry if this is too much

Your Arcane match is…

Vi (Violet)

Vi would love your taste in music, and you’d often share playlists, bonding over bands like The Used and Destroy Boys

She’d even attend concerts with you

Vi would support your artistic pursuits, whether it’s digital art, writing, or costume making

She’d often help you brainstorm ideas and give honest feedback on your projects

She may not understand it, but she’s trying

Given your active lifestyle, Vi would enjoy working out with you

She’d teach you new self-defense techniques and incorporate kickboxing into your routine

Vi would be incredibly patient and understanding with your anxiety and paranoia

She’d create a safe environment for you to express your worries and help you through anxiety attacks

She had experience with them herself so she knows it sucks and don’t want you to have to deal with it alone

Knowing that you often put others before yourself, Vi would remind you to take care of your own needs too

She’d bring you food when you forget to eat and make sure you get enough rest

It’d probably be pizza or something like that as she can’t cook for life

Vi, not being much of a morning person herself, would admire and be a bit confused by your meticulous morning routine

She’d occasionally join you for a morning run or breakfast, though

Vi would try to share your interest in roller coasters and mechanics

She doesn’t understand that stuff, but would let you talk about (almost) all day

She’d be genuinely interested in learning from you and sharing her own knowledge and experiences

Vi would be sensitive to your struggle with hot weather

She’d make sure you stay cool and comfortable, finding shaded spots or bringing along cold drinks when you’re out together

Fortunately she understands as she isn’t a fan of big heat either

Vi would respect your need for physical space initially, but as you grow closer, she’d be affectionate and provide the comforting physical touch you crave in a relationship

Vi would appreciate your acts of service and reciprocate by doing small things to make your life easier, like running errands or surprising you with thoughtful gestures.

Your quirky humor and one-liners would always make Vi smile

She’d enjoy your company and the light-hearted moments you share

She’d attend your shows and be your biggest fan, supporting your theatrical endeavors

Vi would value the trust you place in her, knowing it takes time for you to open up

She’d be loyal and protective, ensuring you always feel safe and respected in your relationship

Vi would help you find a balance between your hard-working nature and the need for relaxation

She’d encourage you to take breaks and enjoy downtime together, reminding you to take care of yourself

Vi would plan adventurous dates, whether it’s exploring new parts of the city, going on nature hikes, or attending underground music gigs

She’d keep your relationship dynamic and full of memorable experiences

[xenonsdoodles]

2, 12, and 15? :D

ooh, fun ones!

2. OT3?

tough one... there are a lot of good trios in this cast, but I'm either going to struggle to think of one where I can see them all as romantic with each other at the same time OR to pick one option out of the many many possibilities if I open my mind a little more. so I'm going to pick my top three and they are:

dimitri/byleth/dedue (even though my default is reading dedue's feelings towards dimitri as platonic devotion) aka the royal faerghan cuddle pile, because they're my dream team and they can all read each other's minds by the end of AM

dorothea/mercedes/ingrid, because this is among the best and most distressing things that could possibly happen to ingrid and it would be good for her. and for all of them really

dimitri/sylvain/felix. because of vibes and because they're funny. when they aren't tragic anyway.

12. What's the funniest or craziest AU idea you've ever come up with?

I cannot claim all or even most of the credit for bugvain, but he does live in my head and I think about him every time I see an isopod. here I drew him

15. Have you noticed your style change over time?

yeah, definitely. I think it's pretty much inevitable if you create for long enough. I don't think of my style as changing moment to moment (I try new ideas and vary techniques plenty, but that's not a complete style shift), but looking back on my old art/writing is like… wow. a lot has changed since then huh. though I'm not sure where I'd draw the line between "style change" and "technical skill improvement" tbh

[noblebs]

🌹💎🤷‍♂️for anyone you like!

I want to talk about Orionnnnn

🌹What’s considered “romantic” in their society? How does that impact their relationships?

so I have to admit, I haven't done a ton of cultural work on Faerie because 1) I think it lends itself to a sort of weird, inconsistent nonsense that I would like to lean into, and 2) I don't have the patience for extensive worldbuilding lmao. that said, I do know the weird nonsense means romance and courting are, by and large, extravagant and basically limitless. Orion has assimilated into more mortal society very well, but still clings to a sense that romance ought to be dramatic.

💎Would they want to propose to someone, or be proposed to?

I'm not sure he'd feel the need to get married in the traditional sense tbh. but a partner proposing to her would of course be so, so flattering and affirming* that she would almost certainly accept it. he would enjoy all the fuss and attention of getting married of course, but the ceremonial aspect doesn't hold any significance to him. otherwise, sooner or later she would want to present gifts of some kind as a symbol of devotion, which could be seen as a proposal in a way.

*he really doesn't think anyone would consider her "marriage material" lol

🤷‍♂️Would they be happy without romantic love in their life?

oof this is actually tough to answer. there are scenarios where he could be, totally. but what he wants is such a deep, committed (read: obsessive/codependent) kind of bond that is easier to cultivate in a romantic relationship than in a platonic one? like, it seems more unlikely that she'd find someone who was fine with her complete, endless devotion but also wants to keep it nonromantic (okay, now that I put it that way I realize that DOES describe his relationship with Madrigal, but uhh what they have together is not exactly happy, either lmao).

thank you annika!!

[godmerlin]

If you don't mind, can I ask something from Merlin BBC? What do you think are Merlin and Arthur’s greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? Why? What do you love about their dynamic? Sorry if you've answered these questions before.....

Also, If you don't mind me asking (again), can I also ask your top fav characters and fav moments from the series (Merlin BBC)...? Thanks if you want to answer....

Hello! I don't mind at all! I love talking about Merlin :)) Just don't expect amazingly written things, i'm not a writer by any means!

I'll start with Merlin - He is loyal to a fault. That within the series is both a strength and a weakness. When he loves, he loves hard. Also a strength and a weakness. Merlin is brave, caring, and selfless. I see these as strengths...well the selfless part maybe not so much...because he took it a bit far sometimes, didn't he? He sacrificed his own well being for others (especially Arthur) multiple times. I'm having a hard time to come up with things that are JUSt a weakness. I feel like almost everything about him was both. Except this: Merlin was so nice. Just unbelievably kind. That's definitely a strength.

Arthur - He was obviously brave and heroic. The bravery especially was sort of his baseline. Over time, Arthur became noble and kindhearted. In the beginning he was very self-centered. Once he met Merlin, things started changing for the better.

As for their dynamic, I love their love for one another (whatever way you view them, they loved each other, be it romantically or platonically) and the devotion they share. Their bickering they do. Really there's not much I don't love about them, lol. I am not sure I can correctly put it into words the way other people can.

As for fave characters!! this is easier!! i will just do a top 5 because otherwise I'll be here all night because I can find something to love about everyone, even Uther.

Merlin and Arthur are equally in first place. I cannot choose between them and you can't make me!

Gwen. I *LOVE* Gwen. She is just so amazing in every single way!!! especially love her in the early seasons!!!

Gaius. I know this is a bit controversial as a lot of people have things against Gaius but I genuinely love him.

Lancelot. I Love him so much :))

Morgana- Her arc was amusing for me. I love her in every season. I just wish there was a bit more knowledge on her relationship with Aithusa (like how she knew her name???) and a bit more of a reason BEHIND her turn to the darkness. I could go on for ages. She was under used in the series for a lot of reasons though. I also never understood how she went from like thinking servants were equals to basically mocking their existence though. I wish they hadn't done that. I know weird thing to say given EVERYTHING. but yeah.

Moments???? I don't even know where to begin. Of course the typical, Merlin and Arthur first meeting. Arthur's battle speech moves me EVERY time, tears EVERYWHERE. As well as his death scene. I love the scene in The Moment of Truth where Arthur tells Merlin he'll do his own armor. Or really almost any moment from that episode (it's one of my top 5 episodes tbh) The scene after Uther dies and Merlin is waiting for Arthur. Mordred telling Morgana that Merlin and Emrys. (that is honestly the bigger betrayal between that and him killing Arthur, in my opinion.) again i could go on, i love this show so so much. Hopefully you're satisfied with my response! And I'm sorry it took so long!

[shmowder]

I really appreciate you writing all that out! Your replies are always so thoughtful <33 Thank you for sharing.

I knew being aro was a spectrum, but wow, there are so many different flavors. It's fascinating, really. As for me, I could do without the flowers and poetry, the grand dramatic gestures; romantic gestures in public? - gtfo of here. But I get crushes, the whole butterflies in my stomach deal, daydreaming to a detrimental degree.

I want tenderness! Soul crushing devotion! For, like you said, "my favorite person to stay with me only." But as you also pointed out, you can have all of that without romance. I've never really had a best friend that I would drop everything for, and for me the tenderness and devotion is itself romantic? I'm also quite touch-averse, so if I actually want to cuddle, etc. with someone, that pretty much automatically means I see them in a way that goes beyond platonic.

Tbh I'm not sure I'll ever be able to define it, but that's okay ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It is funny how we share the same taste in characters and x reader stories though! Smut with feelings is probably my favorite as far as x reader fic goes. Even if those feelings are unhealthily obsessive; I'll eat up yandere fic too.

I love what you said about Daniil. I'm gonna cave one day and buy P1 aren't I 😮‍💨 He loves her essence and soul!

That's something I never picked up about Vlad Jr. before. Interesting. I see what you're saying about Capella. And you're so right about the "robotic" character = aro stereotype!! I can't wait to meet Aglaya again during this playthrough (just started day 6).

I'm glad you think romance is fun to write!

🐿️ anon

Yandere pathologic omfg I would love to talk and write about that actually. My take on Yandere is exactly the helplessly in love an extremely devoted to that person. I write them less murder and kidnapping crazy because eh I don't really like that aspect, however the unconditional love and soul crushing devotion? Their love suffocating them with every breath they take not by your side? the paranoia and extremely jealousy? Yeah I ADORE these aspects

Maria Kaina and Andrey Stamatin feel like the most yandere-ish out of the bunch by nature tbh.

Eva has potential too! but she'll be more of a sweet guilt tripping toxic gf than a yandere. Like a puppy love crush yandere? Sickingly sweet.

Yulia and Vlad the younger are more on the chill side. The loose leash side where you think you can roam free but how come everyone around you is pulling away? They don't try to control you or be toxic to you in any way, instead it's others they intimidate into submission or trick into backing off. If there is no competition then you'll definitely run into their arms. It's them or absolute loneliness you see.

The more unstable Yanderes who need constant reassurance and are suffocatingly clingy and overprotective are Anna, Rubin and Oyun probably. Rubin will set himself on fire just to keep you warm and is the biggest drama king when it comes to seeing you get close to anyone else, he gets all mopy and extremely sad until you have no choice but to leave the person and comfort him.

Alexander Saburov and Alexander Block are both on the self-aware type. They're very aware of how wrong their feelings and extreme urges are. How you don't belong to them and they try desperately to resist the temptation but god you're just so sweet what if something bad happens to you? what if someone else whisks you away? They can't have that. They control themselves 90% of the time and are the best at keeping their real intentions hidden while they show you a calm facade.

Katerina feels the most prone to jealousy and spite.

Daniil the most passive aggressive. He tries to stick to his morality compass and have plausible deniability. Like he justifies his actions and urges by any means necessary to prove he is in the right and you're overreacting actually.

Artemy would start as self-aware but slowly give in to his heart's desire because it feels right so it must be right.

Do tell me your thoughts and ideas about yandere pathologic 👀 I'm curious and dying to talk about the great potential oh my god Yandere Aspity my beloved

-

If you ever get P1, wait until it's on sale. I got it for like 2$ from fanatical during a random sale? It's so much easier than P2 and the writing is funnier and less serious at a lot of times.

I do enjoy our talks <3 I'm happy whenever you're here.

[specterthief]

for the meme, joe and cherry's dynamic in general >:3c

reverse unpopular opinions

I ACTUALLY REALLY ENJOY SO MUCH ABOUT IT IS THE THING, i think their antics are really funny and they serve a perfect purpose as foils to the younger characters (and having characters who are largely static to balance out the very tumultuous drama that reki/langa/adam/tadashi have going on was a really good choice and roles that they serve really well.) i love the contrast between their apparent life-long constant bickering rivalry and the fact that that still means they've been friends for 20 uninterrupted years. i love the difference in their outlooks on that relationship and what that says about their respective emotional maturity, with joe being very conscientious about how important that friendship has always been (and how adam is hurting for not having someone in his life like that) compared to how cherry seems to take joe's constant accommodation for granted. i think the fact that the series makes a point of how important platonic connections are while actively acknowledging (and not condemning) m/m romantic attraction as an option (unlike a lot of sports anime about Really Intense Friendship) adds a really interesting vector to how their relationship fits into the narrative. in particular i think the fact that for joe, a character who's openly very poly and loves flirting and dating and hooking up with girls, that his longest lasting and most emotionally significant relationship is a friendship is an interesting characterization beat itself, especially in a series where he's surrounded by messy unrequited love that Does Not Fix Anyone who doesn't also have strong friends and community to lean on. joe being very open and confident and having blurry boundaries between S and his day to day life compared to cherry's strictly locked down divide between his work and his true self is also SO GOOD for The Allegories, and the fact that this is the one place where joe doesn't really get it is an underrated point of tension that i really want to write something digging into sometime.

i'm really curious to learn more about their youth in the OVA and i'm ESPECIALLY curious if their popularity in s1 is going to lead to them getting more devoted character arcs in s2, since i think there's a lot that could be done with them if they actually get a chance to grow and be challenged by a narrative they're more central active players in. i think cherry in particular could really go some tasty places as a character from being put in a situation where joe as a constant stable presence is actually tested and cherry has to be the one to Be There and work for their friendship. put them in the plinko i would love to see it

also because i can't talk about their dynamic without talking about the shadow of adam looming over them: the contrast between the way they both relate to him (cherry being far more forgiving but not understanding adam at all, joe understanding adam better than almost anyone else but not personally forgiving him, the whole way that forgiveness is decoupled from sympathy, aaaaaa) is delicious, i am so excited to see how things shift between the three of them after the finale and how joe and cherry's own relationship might change now that their relationship as a trio seemingly will.

unironically one of my favorite dynamics in the series, i just don't talk about it very much because i have been a victim of the wizard's curse (really really specifically into it platonically or exclusively one-sidedly in the past) so i appreciate the chance to go off about all the stuff about it i do love about it, thank you lmao

and tbh maybe s2 will shake up their dynamic in the right way to get me into the ship, utsumi and okouchi are unhinged so i'm not ruling anything out

[vulturereyy]

Hello! For the character ask game, how about a Gutcanon for Lurien and a Heartcanon for Thimble? Thanks, and have a great day!

Gutcanon: it’s not that I actively want this to be the case – it just unaccountably feels like it should be

Despite all that I post, I do actually think Lurien and The Pale king were very close. I think, objectively, based on just the in game evidence, the interpretation of Lurien being highly devoted to the King has the most merit out of the headcanon mosh pit that follows him. I'm not sure I would count Palewatcher as part of the in game evidence, but I do think that they were very, very close and Lurien was extremely devoted to him. Even my Lurien was once like that, and tbh I think even in my lurimol au Palewatcher was semi a thing. I don't think it would have been a real relationship between them, but I do think that it could have been a warped platonic-romantic on-off thing of two of the most scholarly recluses of Hallownest who found solace in finding another like them. That's part of the tragedy of my AU, with how close Lurien (and Hegemol both) were to the King, and all that happened after.

Heartcanon: I don’t have a particular rationale for why this ought to be the case, I just like to imagine it’s true because it gives me the warm fuzzies

Ohh, this one took me the most to think on because the thing I wanted to say is something I felt like I had said before but actually didn't? So now you can get the Thimble lore :) Thimble actually got his name rather late in life. He's from an extremely war-ravaged village that frequently gets raided, destroyed, burned, and suffers from various illness when it spreads since they have no reliable doctor or way to get supplies. It was commonplace for bugs who managed to even conceive in these times to not fully name their children until they were well into their years, as a way to aid the mourning process when many did not make it. Thimble's mother was a seamstress, and he loved helping her make clothing for the bugs of their village. She gifted him his own sewing kit when she gave him his name around the age of six, her dear little Thimble. He still has it, his one and only prized possession, extremely well-worn but still with his mother's embroidery of his name on the front.

[fortenik]

if its okay, what is it about nina x tenma that appeals to u in particular ? i saw them more like family tbh but i also think they look p cute as a couple;;;

OMG ITS EVERYTHING

Everything about the bond they share is everything to me. Everything about their relationship (romantic or platonic) is very important to me.

They’re very fond of each other and at some point in the story they become the dearest and most important person in the others life. Chasing Johan for the same reasons or the same cause. Almost fighting in order to avoid the other to sh0t and become a murderer. Nina would do anything for Tenma and Tenma would do anything for Nina.

Through the whole series we saw them share very short moments together but even if it was short the amount of time they spent together the way the presence of the other affects entirely in them. And I’m rooting for that.

The simnifically large amount of parallels they share, like those moments taking care of Dieter.

Nina is entire, true and desperately devoted to Tenma, she tried so hard protecting him at all cost, whiling to her own humanity because she didn’t want him to become a murd3r3r. She wanted him to keep saving lives, to keep being a doctor.

Not to mention Tenma practically said that his life was meaningless without her, he begged her on his knees to staying alive, because he didn’t know where he would go without her.

A lot of people saw them as family but to be honest at least for me it was beyond that. The bond that grew between them it was so much powerful and complex. It was different the way Nina saw her father and the way she saw Tenma.

There’s a lot of more that I could say about them but I fear that I would write like 5k words lmao.

So yea basically that’s a very VERY short explanation of why I love them as a ship.

You’re free to disagree, it’s okay. We are all free to have our own interpretations about things. specially because Urasawa himself let a lot of things to our own interpretation. 💗 ^^

[ran-orimoto]

Hello greetings! Thanks for follow me! May i ask why do you like junpei-nisan and ship him with izumi-ne? Sorry f9r my rude and bad english..

Hello! Don’t worry about your english because first of all it is not bad; second, I’m not english myself so, honestly, who cares🤫. What matters the most is to understand each other, right?

I’ve recently written a little post about why I love Junpei so much:

But I guess I could tell so much more about the reason why I love Junpei. That post isn’t exhaustive at all ahaha.

For example, I could tell you about how much I love his personality being so flawed and going through a development that does happen in the background, but it’s still so beautiful. From seeing him starting off as a selfish, rude kid wanting the world to rotate around him, to observing him finding his role in the group, taking step backwards because of their sake (very ehw, but I admit it was written well from his perspective, at least).

As far as concerns Junzumi, the reasons are so many even when it comes to them. I used to ship Takumi (Takuya x Izumi) in the past, but I had never watched Frontier tbh. When I started my watching, my immediate liking on Junpei soon laced itself with a growing interest in the pair. Going beyond the fact I have got a soft spot for pairings in which a boy is so devoted to his crush, loves her so endlessly and would do anything to make her happy, I could make a little list about the main points making me like Junzumi so much.

• The main reason why I love it is that they are both lonely kids and they get constantly paired up at the beginning of Frontier because of this characteristic of theirs. They just deal with it in different ways, indeed, opposite ways: Junpei searches for friends so desperately he even sells himself, becomes a people pleaser, exchanges friendship for material stuff; Izumi has got no friends because she doesn’t want them, she doesn’t want to be treated as a special kid, being put at the center of attention (whereas Junpei DOES want to be the star of situations XD). Both also cope with this situation of theirs in different ways, almost specular, with Junpei feeling a void inside himself but trying repressing it, lying to himself, and Izumi being perfectly aware of her condition but not wanting to go deeper and looking for its root. What really makes this point (and couple) so special to me is that in some profiles about Junpei it’s stated he felt drawn by Izumi at first sight because he could perceive she was as lonely as him.

And I…I am a lonely person too, I must admit. I’m an only child like them and somehow I do relate to their need to have someone around themselves.

• They are the most well-developed duo in the whole Frontier and have got ton of potential because of their personalities clashing, but always finding a way to get along. They are…The Mum and Dad of the group, this is a certainty, but they are also great partners when they collaborate. They started off with Izumi not standing him, Junpei not knowing how to even conversate with her in a normal way. Yet, they soon learn to appreciate each other, unconsciously learn they can grow up thanks to each other. Who’s the first (indeed, only) member of the group Izumi opens up to, has got the best heart-to-heart with? Junpei. Who is the one for whom Junpei goes beyond his limits, understanding how important for him is to protect those he cares for? Izumi. Let’s also add Junpei gets interested in italian thanks to her, but this is something I have to add because of my endless love for this aspect of Junpei’s.

• They can be both a platonic and romantic relationship and, in my personal opinion, in a couple it’s so important to balance the two sides.

• Their personalities help me come up with thousand of ideas for them and it does matter for a creative person like me, I assure you. Imagining them older and applying those explosive personalities of theirs in a boyfriend/girlfriend or ,even funnier, husband/wife context is just everything to me. Junpei is the loyal, extremely devoted, affectionate, sometimes also wise husband pleasing his wife in the most disparate ways he could. There’s nothing he cares more about than seeing her happy and making her believe she’s the most beautiful, -inside and outside-, woman on Earth. Izumi is the wife liking teasing her husband, being so strict at certain moments, taking the reins of any situation and holding the scepter of the household. Yet, at the same time, she’s the most lovely companion of life, making husband feel the most desiderable man on Earth.

AND FEEDING HIM WITH BEST FOOD.

EHM, yes, moments in which you are flooded by emotions. Waves of emotions.

• They are Wind x Thunder, parts of tempests. Their elements also have got a special bond in one of the V-Pets.

• Their Digimon are both bugs in their adult forms and, Jesus Christ, consider me stupid, but I ship Fairymon and Blitzmon so hard too (especially after Blitzmon is revealed to be a simp for her in the 2019 drama).

These are some reasons. SOME, though, because there are ton of others. I…I would be banned from Tumblr because of the excessive length. Anyway! I hope I was clear and answered your question in the way you wanted. If you wanted to know something else about these topics or share your opinions, you’re welcome to do it💕 (just like you’re welcome in my blog from now on).

Thank you for the ask and have a good day🎶!

[jeanharlowseyebrows]

having #thoughts about the x files as i watch regarding mulder and scully's romantic relationship, which i believe fundamentally shouldn't exist but for reasons entirely unrelated to their devotion and sexual and romantic attraction to each other, which do exist and are manifold. they a) want to fuck so bad it makes them look stupid and b) are obsessed with each other to a pathological degree but! but! fundamentally they are incompatible. that episode where the guy shapeshifts into mulder and pretends to be him and initiates just a relaxing hangout with scully and she's so into it because it walks like mulder and talks like mulder but unlike mulder it's someone who can chill out for five fucking seconds. a mulder that might have existed if his childhood hadn't been so completely upended. she loves the mulder that is but could never be in a functional relationship with that mulder because he could never truly and 100% devote himself to something apart from the #quest for the #truth. and meanwhile mulder's giving what he can give but it's just not enough. that's sexy and sad tbh. which as a youth watching the show for the first time i did not understand. like i think all of these things are true and obvious and show watchers have understood this but EYE just wanted them to finally fuck like gawd. kiss already!!!!!! and now my eyes are open and i see. it's actually better and more romantic and more sexier when they're deeply and passionately and irrevocably in platonic romantic relationship wherein neither of them can make room for anyone else but by the same token cannot fully devote themselves to each other and make it Real. which is not to say that relationships have to be romantic or sexual to be real, i'm just saying THEY would think the relationship has to be romantic and sexual to be real. forever dangling on that precipice. best place to be for me, the viewer, and eye am the most important