#this is just a personal opinion 100% btw

[sanjipussyindulgence]

okay now that ive had time to properly stew over nayuta's death... i realized i kind of legitimately hate it from a narrative perspective. im still enjoying part 2 and everything (more than i enjoyed the majority of part 1 tbh. it only really clicked for me with the ending) but with nayuta gone? part 1 has in, retrospect, become meaningless.

the creation of nayuta's character was the conclusion to that entire story line. alongside its message that even if the world sucks, there's still always going to be love in it - and that love is the only way to break the cycle of abuse. what made me enjoy chainsaw man sm is how, despite the constant whump and bloodshed, that message was still at the core. it gave all of denji's suffering a point.

i dont enjoy many other grimdark stories because they're usually suffering for the pure sake of suffering. that isn't interesting to me personally. if a plot is just characters going through constant hell, front to back, without any silver linings... then i dont care. why should i? im basically watching someone smash a bunch of action figures with a hammer. i think tragedy carries more weight if it amounts to something in the end. it doesn't have to be anything great, or even a happy ending, but just SOMETHING to add payoff to it all. if a character starts at rock-bottom, stays at rock-bottom throughout the plot, and ends at rock-bottom, then how is that not repetitive? i thought chainsaw man shared that opinion with me.

but if nayuta was always gonna get killed off for more denji angst... then why bother writing that story at all? it's not like part 1 is being carried on in other ways. kishibe and kobeni haven't made any appearances. aki + power have only been mentioned once or twice... so what was the point of any of them? part 1 isn't impacting the larger story at all now. you probably don't even need to read it to understand what's happening in part 2!

if i gave someone a brief summary that amounted to 'denji used to be a poor homeless kid with a pet devil but then he fused with that devil and became a devil hunter. he worked with some other devil hunters but they all died. his devil hunter boss was actually a devil the whole time and was evil so he killed her and then she got reincarnated as a kid he's taking care of now' you'd be able to skip the entirety of it.

that sucks!! that's not a good sign for how your story is set-up!!! and now im wondering if the same will happen for part 2!!!!

i was always kind of cautious going into part 2. on one hand, i love chainsaw man and getting to read more of it is great. on the other hand, part 1 had such a perfectly bittersweet ending. seriously 10/10. i consider it one of the best endings to any series ever. it affected me sm and i wouldn't change a thing about it.

but at this point, i don't know if ill feel the same about however part 2 wraps up - or how the series in general will wrap up. ig thats the problem with writing something the beginning of a story so well. you risk falling short as time goes on, instead of ending on a high note.

idk though i do trust fujimoto to cook so let's see what happens.

[humblefryingpan]

The "Amy likes spiders" poem in doki doki literature club (Natsuki's second poem) just makes me think of being closeted with internalized homophobia and I think it works really well for her

There's the poem if you haven't seen it!

(This is just me analyzing the poem and it's probably my longest post yet. I've been overanalyzing all the poems but this is the only one I've typed out atm lol)

It specifically makes me think of four things - Yuri liking different things and her disliking her for it, Natsuki being so far in the closet that she'll take any excuse to avoid the pretty girl™, Natsuki's self projection onto "Amy" and most importantly internalized homophobia, like I said earlier

It generally makes me think natsuri but I'll get to that later. So if we go from the internalized homophobia + closeted perspective (more like raised homophobic and doesn't know she's gay but ykwim), it reads as "a girl I know is a lesbian and Im meant to hate her for it. She's pretty and she makes me feel things but I can't be friends with her because she's a lesbian"

'The narrator' (Natsuki) heard a rumor that a girl, "Amy" (the lesbian), apparently likes 'spiders' (girls) and is repulsed. And that's why she isn't friends with her.

"Amy" sings the narrator's favorite love song, her voice is cute and it's making her heart pound. But she still likes 'spiders', so she can't be her friend.

She hurts her leg and "Amy" helped her get to the nurse. She tried to avoid touching her because her hands might be gross due to touching 'spiders', so she still can't be her friend.

"Amy" is very popular, but "she probably talks about spiders" (being gay). "What if her friends start to like spiders too?" (This entire verse rlly speaks for itself)

The next verse is shortest and even more repetitive than the rest of the poem (to emphasize her point) "it doesn't matter if she has other hobbies, it doesn't matter is she keeps it private, it doesn't matter if it doesn't hurt anyone" because to the narrator - she can't be "Amy's" friend, no matter how bad she wants to, because she's always going to be a 'spider lover' (lesbian) and she won't be able to ignore that.

And then the final nail to seal shut the door to the closet - "it's gross, she's gross, the world is better off without spider lovers. And I'm gonna tell everyone" because she needs everyone to know she hates 'spider lovers' to make sure no one knows she is also one. It's so gross because she was taught it was and now she can't stop thinking it's gross, no matter how nice/pretty/kind "Amy" is.

Onto the natsuri part so if you don't like that ship feel free to skip the rest of this (if you're still here lol)

Yuri and Natsuki like such different things (creepy and complex vs cute and simple) and they reach the point where they've argued so much that Natsuki doesn't want to admit she doesn't dislike Yuri. Even if she likes her poems, she'd never tell her because she feels like she can't at this point.

Natsuki couldn't see past their differences for a while, when she finally does, she's too embarrassed to apologize and too uncomfortable to befriend her without apologizing.

Nearly every verse of the poem will talk about how great the girl is. How she has a cute voice, she helped her, she has lots of friends, she makes her heart pound. But every verse she will still come back to "but she likes spiders. That's why I'm not friends with her". It feels like her gradually warming up to Yuri but still reminding herself that she can't be her friend, they're too different, Yuri likes creepy things (Yuri probably does like spiders so that's a bit more literal but it's also that spiders seem to symbolise everything she likes that Natsuki doesn't) and she couldn't be friends with someone so different.

And lastly, Natsuki's self projection (this is what the meaning is said to be in-game), meaning "Amy" is Natsuki herself. Natsuki likes manga and her friends won't believe it counts as literature. Her manga is the spider in this interpretation, she doesn't want people to judge her based on what she likes. She's had to be so defensive about what she likes, she may even judge herself for liking it at this point. She doesn't want people to judge people by their interests.

I keep seeing people say that Amy is a real person but that's one of the only interpretations that makes no sense to me. Because Natsuki may be a bit judgemental but even she wouldn't make an entire poem about disliking her classmate's love of spiders. She said herself that anyone that agrees with the narrator in the poem is a bad person. It's far more likely that "Amy" is a made up idea, she's barely even shown as a person. She's seemingly meant to be symbolic of Natsuki's flaws and insecurities, whatever you perceive those insecurities to be.

Portraying Amy as an actual person kinda cheapens the poem, at least in my opinion, because she was talking about how people should be given a chance no matter what (or who) they like and if Amy was a person it wouldn't make sense

[twinstxrs]

the gorgug-porter conversation is interesting to me because like. yea for the overwhelming majority of the conversation porter’s being shitty & trying to fit gorgug into a box that gorgug just does not fit into by trying to make gorgug’s relationship with his rage more focused on the aggression aspect of it. but then there’s also this specific thing that brennan brought up again in the ap, which is that gorgug’s relationship with his rage is wholly “this is a tool i use to protect my friends.” which isn’t a bad thing! but that’s his Whole relationship with it, & gorgug seems to place next to no value on his rage in relationship to himself. which is problematic, because it’s first & foremost his rage.

being raised in a household with a sort of toxic positivity largely meant that, whether or not it was his parents’ intention, gorgug internalized the message that more traditionally “negative” emotions such as anger are the wrong response to something. part of the reason he prioritizes his artificing is probably because it’s “fixing” things. in comparison to being a barbarian, which gorgug associates with “breaking” things. good vs. bad behavior, in his eyes.

it’s a totally unacceptable bar to measure a 16 y/o by, but i do think part of porter’s reasoning for not letting gorgug multiclass is him recognizing that gorgug generally does not value anger as a valid emotional response to something, at the very least for himself. & that directly conflicts with what being a barbarian is, because whether you like it or not, that rage is what fuels you. but again, barring a kid from pursuing something they deeply care about in part (not entirely, porter has a lot of more bullshit reasons) because of their fundamental values & world outlook is crazy.

so yes, 98% of porter’s reasoning is pretty shitty, immature, rife with a toxic view that there’s only one proper way to access rage, & generally not a good thing to do as a teacher, but also within that reasoning is the 2% of ‘there is a fundamental part of yourself that you only value if you can use it to take care of other people & you need to accept that as something that can take care of you, too.’ but that’s something to discuss with a therapist or a guidance counselor, not something that should hugely impact gorgug’s academic future.

[kyouka-supremacy]

--

[kimmkitsuragi]

truly but does anyone notice but does anyone care

[arosebyan0thername]

Very very devisive opinions about GO s2 on my dash and I haven't seen it yet but so far I am siding with the "it was fun and I like gay people" group instead of the "no we liked when they weren't actually gay but now they're really gay so I'm mad about it" group

[widevibratobitch]

@anon asking about the wax cylinder recordings ill get back to you when i have some more time to make a proper post i prommy i will <3

[thatlesbiancrow]

christmas 2018 i believe? I was obsessed with it since 2016ish? idk when exactly. maybe late 2015. I wasn't able to get it on desktop, so I got it the year it came out on switch! it was crazy to play it for the first time after being so obsessed with it for so long...

Feel free to reblog and talk in the tags about the first time you played!

[moriitis]

What are all the creeps' opinions of each other?

I LOVE THIS ASK

Let's me ramble like a little bitch.

And before anyone is like 'b-b-b-but tim and brian are not creepypastas!!!!!!!!!!!21111!!!' I literally don't give a fuck. I'm including them.

Gonna include the creeps I only really know well enough btw.

Toby -

Compares himself a lot from the other creeps, so his opinion on them differs. I wouldn't say he's a jealous person, but I do feel in a sense he's a little insecure that he doesn't fit the whole 'spooky' theme. Like Jeff with his scars, Jack being a literal demon. Bare in mind, Toby is a proxy so I personally don't see him meeting much of the other creeps due to his prolonged time out in the woods or in civilisation.

Jeff.

In regards to Jeff, Toby feels super uncomfortable being around him. Give's him big bully vibes which obviously doesn't settle well with his past. Toby would probably force himself to laugh at Jeff's jokes, or try his best to impress him when really he's just really fucking awkward and Jeff judges the shit out of him. He wouldn't choose Jeff if he wanted to hang out with someone, that was for sure but if there were no other choice then he'd just have to endure it.

Ben.

Same kinda vibe with Ben really, although he doesn't find himself hanging out with Ben a lot. Just the same, awkward silence and small talk. Can't help but feel the urge to pick Ben up because he's so fucking small, the idea making him chuckle.

Eyeless Jack.

100% Feel like Toby would really get along with Jack. I think Jack's the best person to get along with, he's quiet, a good listener and only adds input into conversations when needed. Toby loves blabbering his ear off and learning more about the creature. Besides, he's seen Jack a lot due to the amount of injuries he plagues himself with, so it's refreshing to see that familiar blue mask.

Laughing Jack.

The other Jack makes him soooo fucking uncomfortable, like a really horrid reminder of his shitty childhood. Not only that, Jack rocking that whole clown looks just unsettles him. I don't see Toby interacting with him a lot but he defiantly feels unsteady being around him. I feel like Jack would have a really nostalgic smell to Toby's childhood too and it triggers him a little.

Jane.

Doesn't speak to Jane often but always gets this feeling that she hates him and he doesn't know why. Maybe because he dated Clocky? So, he'll avoid her too unless he has to speak to her. Lowkey just feel like Toby would perceive Jane to be a total bitch?

Nina.

Really gets along with Nina! He likes hearing her ramble about things and always gets her opinions on his outfits. Yes, he would absolutely bring her back little trinkets he's found, like nail polish in some chicks bedroom or even a bracelet he robbed off a corpse. Wouldn't be surprised if Toby had a small crush on Nina, but he wouldn't admit it. At times she could be annoying though, especially when Toby doesn't have the social battery to deal with her.

Clockwork.

Hella awkward. Toby would always say the wrong thing and bring up things that she opened up to him when they were dating and it makes things so fucking awkward. He likes her because thankfully they ended on pretty good terms, but he'll never feel a sense of ease around her. Plus, he can't help but notice she's changed a little since he did date her; which, good for her?

Brian.

Has always looked up to Brian more out of Tim. Perhaps it's because Brian's words carry a little more kindness whenever he messes up or becomes a little too emotional. He has a lot of trust with Brian, and finds himself opening up more to him than anyone else. Always refers it as a 'bromance' which is weird because Brian oddly gives him soft, older brother vibes.

Tim.

Yeah, he hates Tim. Sure, at times Tim makes sense in their arguments, but fuck is that guy a stubborn son of a bitch. Always makes Toby feel as if he's fucked up something one way or another. Defiantly has gotten in a lot of physical fights with Tim, which doesn't fix anything in the long run.

Slender.

And he hates Slender too, although he would never admit it. Maybe because Slender is to blame for.. everything. Well, not for his shitty father or Lyra's death, but he needs to find a blame for someone! He hates that faceless prick, the way he controls and twists his own mind. Like he has no control over himself anymore and he hates it. Maybe he would be a different person if it wasn't for Slender lurking in the depths of his mind.

Bloody Painter.

Didn't know he existed until he stumbled upon him once in the forest, painting. He's a good artist, he'll give him that but the kid is boring as fuck. Barely talks and when he does, he speaks either in riddles or is just plain rude. Toby doesn't bother to find a conversation with him.

Sally.

Being with Sally is bittersweet for him, thankfully he's pretty good with kids though. Really enjoys a child presence despite the fact it puts him on edge a little. There are.. some things about her that do bug him but he wouldn't admit it. I wouldn't say he bullies Sally, but teases her a lot or laughs in her face when he falls over.

Kate.

Really gets along well with Kate, always kinda looks at her like a sister, which is hard for him considering Lyra, so unknowingly he becomes very protective over Kate. Despite the fact that she can fully fend for herself and is strong enough, Toby hates the idea of her being sent out on missions on her own.

Jeff -

I always feel like Jeff hates everyone, so tbh I don't see him getting along with many of the other creeps. He's kinda like a loner and appreciates his alone time, though if he can get a laugh out of other peoples misery, he'll take it. Wouldn't really hang out with people for them, just himself because he's a self absorbed asshole.

Toby.

Toby is just another weirdo to Jeff who frankly he can't stand around to be with. The only upside about Toby is that he's willing to do things dumb and stupid which makes Jeff laugh. Best part about Toby is that he doesn't feel pain, so Jeff abuses that a little. He can.. vibe with him at times, just not all the time.

Ben.

Ben is just another weirdo in his eyes, but someone he can moderately tolerate. What he does with all that tech stuff is cool, but slashing people is a lot more better.

Laughing Jack.

Jeff doesn't like Laughing Jack much, probably because he's taller than Jeff and puts him at a disadvantage. Not much to say when he's near him, so will maybe crack a joke about his shitty outfit and lowkey find himself regretting it. Either way, tends to also avoid the clown.

Jane.

Despises her because he's a little pussy and finds her utterly terrifying. He will avoid her at all costs, but tries to put on a whole tough guy persona when really he's scared shitless of her. Will avoid eye contact if needs be.

Nina.

Just another crazy bitch in his eyes that he avoids. Feels like he just has a thing about women in particular. Jeff does give incel vibes tbh.

Clockwork.

This is a chick he can.. moderate but really tends to avoid her too. She's boring and lame.

Brian.

He always views Brian as a softy and cringes a little when he's near him. Maybe because the dude is too nice. Besides from the occasional bumping into each other in the woods, Jeff won't strike a conversation with him.

Tim.

Same with Tim, but this guy has serious issues and Jeff ain't about that life. Guy is too old anyway and he can't be bothered to hang around some guy who mopes around the whole fucking time.

Slender.

Lowkey feel like Slender is a love-hate relationship. Like he can tolerate him, but won't admit it because he's stubborn. Has gotten into a lot of fights with Slender that usually leaves him limping away with his tail between his legs essentially.

Bloody Painter.

Tbh, Jeff has never met the guy or spoke to him. Well, he's seen him about but hasn't had much of an interaction with each other for him to form a solid opinion on the guy.

Sally.

Ew, fucking kids. Sally is annoying and yet, she's the one who hangs out with Jeff the most. Fuck knows why, even he doesn't know but sure, whatever. In a sense, he does feel bad for her and will find himself chatting to her more than anyone else.

Eyeless Jack.

Huge love-hate relationship but it's mostly one-sided for Jeff because Jack is oblivious to this shit. As stubborn as Jeff is, he likes to speak to Jack to find out any gossip Jack may have heard. Also, weirdly enough, likes hearing Jack teach him a little about the human autonomy.

Kate.

Doesn't speak to her often and she puts up a hard wall with anyone she isn't comfortable with, so Jeff doesn't bother to interact with her. From what he could tell, she's nice and if he tried, he could maybe get along with her.

Ben -

Ben is pretty laid back and gets along with almost everyone. I see him being problematic from time to time, but it's pretty rare. Lowkey reminds me of Sombra and likes to find dirt on people.

Jeff.

Probably gets along with Jeff the most considering it's one sided. Although their friendship often results in arguments, Ben prefers Jeff over anyone else. As long as he can vibe with them, he's not bothered.

Toby.

Always finds Toby pretty weird but can also tolerate him to a certain degree when that awkwardness is gone. He has some pretty interesting shit to say and lord, does that guy have some shit on him when it comes to the internet.

Laughing Jack.

Ben vibes with everyone so Jack doesn't really bother him in the slightest. Sure, he's tall as fuck and most the time treats him like nothing but prey, but he's an interesting character.

Jane.

She's... interesting but they don't speak much. Either she's avoiding him or he's unknowingly avoiding her. Doesn't bother him anyway.

Nina.

Get's along with Nina pretty well! They spend a lot of time browsing social media, Ben helping judge outfits she has pinned on her Pinterest. A weird friendship he didn't expect out of her, but he enjoys himself whenever they do spend time together!

Clockwork.

A bit like Jane, they don't speak and on the rare occasion they do, she's pretty unfriendly. He's had times with her that were nice, just gotta get past her stoic self. Good company from time to time.

Brian.

Rarely sees Brian so can't really form an opinion on him. Just a proxy, hard worker and seems nice.

Tim.

Same with Tim, they don't talk ever. Hard worker, seems pretty cold though.

Slender.

Guy gives him the creeps a little but he can tolerate Slender. Doesn't view him as a God per say, but he's thankful for the things he has.. done.

Bloody Painter.

Sooo boring, guy talks so slow and always acts as if he's better than everyone else. Probably the one of the only guys Ben actually dislikes openly.

Sally.

Get's along really well! Enjoys her company and likes to play her little games, best game is Hide and Seek in the forest. She's a sore loser and that's the best part because he can tease her about it.

Eyeless Jack.

Guy keeps to himself so it's hard for Ben to interact with him. Not only that, but he's either skulking away in the Med Bay or he's not seen for months at a time so Ben doesn't speak to him often. Either way, he's nice.

Kate.

Haven't interacted before.

Laughing Jack -

He knows he creeps almost everyone out aside from a handful, so tends to keep to himself. Feels as if everyone is out of his time and 100% says shit like 'well back in my day!'

Jeff.

Always views Jeff as a little brat and finds himself holding back from wanting to snap his neck. Just nothing but an annoying ant at the bottom of his shoe and willingly goes out of his way to avoid Jeff purely because he fucks him off so much.

Toby.

Toby is always so tense around Jack and he's not really too sure why? Jack could probably get along with him somewhat, but only if he stops being so weird around him. Wouldn't go out of his way to form a friendship though, plus Toby is always busy out on missions, so it's rare for him to bump into the kid.

Ben.

Ben is the only one who treats him.. well, normally. Although he can't resist the urge to kill Ben whenever his eyes land on him, so small.. so childlike, it's tempting and he can't blame Ben to avoid him.

Jane.

Doesn't speak to her often as she keeps to herself and seems to avoid everyone, but she is nice when she wants to be. Only thing is, they have nothing in common to speak about. She did mention she likes this one specific candy and now Jack always sorta goes out of his way to give her one just to make her day a little better.

Nina.

A bubbly character that he gets along well with, at times. She can irritate him quickly, as she's almost too childlike.

Kate.

Doesn't interact with Kate as she is also out on missions a lot. She is approachable for someone who never smiles or rarely shows their face.

Clockwork.

They don't get along well, she must not like clowns.

Brian.

Have never interacted, he spends too much time out in civilisation.

Tim.

Same with Tim, have never interacted.

Slender.

Gets along well with Slender, probably because they are both old as fuck and can talk about shit that is nostalgic for them (?) Plus, they both meddle in disappearances with children, so there's that in common.

Bloody Painter.

The only time they had ever interacted was when BP painted a picture of Jack and it was the most twisted, beautiful shit he had ever laid eyes on. BP didn't talk to him after that and he doesn't mind.

Sally.

Easy to get along with considering he is a clown and he attracts children. They play a lot and more often than not, Sally will ride on his shoulders.

Eyeless Jack.

Jack is very mature for his age, so Laughing Jack can find himself get along with him well enough.

Jane -

Always imagined her to also keep to herself, so she doesn't interact with many of the other creeps. Defiantly has a lot of trust issues toward men sorry

Jeff.

This is self explanatory so I don't think I need to go into much detail here. Pretty obvious that she despises him, hates him even; just looking at him makes her blood boil. If she didn't have some sort of self control, she'd made him gurgle on his own blood. Even then, death would be too kind to him. He needed something worse. For now, she avoids him at all costs.

Toby.

Although he doesn't seem too harmful, he does make her feel uncomfortable. She knows deep down that he can't help his tics, but something about his twitching really unsettles her and so she also avoids him.

Ben.

Doesn't like him due to the fact that he gets along well with Jeff.

Nina.

She didn't like Nina at first, purely because she felt like a carbon copy of Jeff but Jane gave her the benefit of the doubt and gets along really well with her. She was hesitant at first, her mind playing tricks on her that Nina would betray her but Nina's character is entirely different than what she pumps out. Jane can't help but think that Nina might not even like boys..

Kate.

Jane see's herself in Kate a little and due to the fact that Kate is younger than her, she can't help but take up the older sisterly role whenever they hang out. Always tries to lecture her and warns her to be careful around certain people. Kate is sweet but broken, like her.

Clockwork.

Despite her odd choice in men, Jane gets along well with Clocky and even at her lowest times, finds herself crawling back to her for some company. It's not often Jane is vulnerable, but when she is with Natalie, it's a different story. At times they have shared moments of bliss.

Brian.

Despite his puppy dog demeanour, Jane knows there is something a lot darker within that man so tends to also avoid him.

Tim.

Probably the kind of man she would've been interested in before her trauma and before she figured out her sexuality. Doesn't speak to him at all.

Laughing Jack.

She avoids him.

Slender.

A bittersweet relationship, she doesn't trust him and yet she feels swayed by the things he has done for her. She's mad that he hasn't done or said anything in regards to what happened to her, what happened with Jeff, so that little bubble of hate still is settled within her.

Bloody Painter.

Does not talk to him. He is weird.

Sally.

Nothing speaks female rage more than when she looks at Sally. The pain within her knowing what happened to Sally, knowing how cruel people men can be. Each time she looks at the child, she wants to cry because her innocence was stripped from her without her choice. It's unfair, it's cruel. Sally didn't deserve this. Jane adores Sally, gives off the same older sister vibe as she does for Kate whenever they interact.

Eyeless Jack.

Hear me out, probably the only man she can tolerate, but that's because it took a lot of convincing from Nina. Doesn't really have much of an opinion toward him, just tends to stay away unless Nina is by her side.

Nina -

A pretty bubbly character, so naturally she gets along with everyone. Really social with a loud mouth, probably either your best friend or not; but most times you will be. Lowkey can and will give off mean girl vibes. She's also a huge trouble maker.

Jeff.

She was head over heels with him, until he treated her like shit and now she despises him for it. Plus, she's a girls girl, so after she found out what happened between him and Jane, she hates him even more.

Toby.

On terms of her BFF's list, Toby would be third. She adores hanging out with him, loves his humour and how relaxed he is around her. Total boyfriend material, although she would never date him herself because that's her friends ex, ew. So, she made him a tinder one day and they browse through it together. Slender did find out and they got in serious trouble.

Ben.

Ben is awesome! When he isn't with Jeff anyway. She enjoys his company and he's always willing to hang out whenever she forces him to.

Kate.

At first Nina got this weird vibe off Kate, that she didn't like her perhaps; but then she realised that it was just Kate's personality. After some time, they got along pretty well! They are total opposites, she is outgoing and Kate is as introverted as anything, but they work well together in a beautiful mix. Maybe Nina has a little crush on Kate.

Jane.

She has a lot of trust issues, so same with Kate in regards that it was hard to form a friendship with her. After some time, they spoke and they get along pretty well! Jane is mature, whereas Nina is pretty immature; so most times it feels as if she irritates Jane. But it's all fun and games.

Clockwork.

They get along well! Nina was so invested in the gossip when Natalie and Toby split up though, she still teases her a little for dating such a goof.

Brian.

He's nice! Although she doesn't seem him often, only when they are home from being out and about. She always probes him about his love life and when he becomes awkward, she will laugh in his face.

Tim.

She knows that she annoys him, but she doesn't really care. At some times, he can be alright!

Laughing Jack.

Tried one of his candies once and threw up, does not trust him since. But they still get along well.

Slender.

Surprisingly, they don't interact much.

Bloody Painter.

They speak, but she doesn't consider him a great friend. He's hard to have fun with, soooo boring.

Sally.

BFFs!!! Adores Sally, who the fuck wouldn't?! They always have sleepovers with one another.

Eyeless Jack.

Nina gets along well with anyone, even the most introverted people! And she doesn't like to brag, but she has made him laugh once or twice before.

Kate -

Much like the other pasta's, she keeps to herself and her job. The main people she interacts with are Tim, Brian and Toby considering they all work pretty closely together. Occasionally she will speak to other people, but prefers her alone time.

Jeff.

Seen him around, but hasn't made the effort to interact with him. Something about him makes her feel uncomfortable, so she promptly avoids him.

Toby.

They get along really well. Despite her not being very talkative, Toby fills the silence by babbling her ear off about random things or facts. At times he can become a bit too much, especially when he follows her around everywhere; but she would never say that to his face.

Ben.

Haven't interacted before.

Laughing Jack.

They don't interact much.

Jane.

A bit like Toby, Jane takes a bit of a protective role over her. Sure, Kate is a little younger; but she is strong and agile and knows how to take care of herself. She enjoys Jane's company when she isn't lecturing her.

Nina.

Another person she gets along well with, when she has the time to speak to Nina that is. She enjoys her and her character, surprisingly. They kissed once.

Clockwork.

Have rarely interacted with one another, but she has heard some stuff from Toby. Doesn't have much of an opinion on her.

Brian.

Enjoys working alongside him and likes the peace he keeps when moments become rough or tense. Almost like a little ball of sunshine they need. Has some really interesting and funny stories. Kate trusts him.

Tim.

Very tense, so tense even that just being around him makes her feel tense too. Considering how closely the trio work together, she doesn't speak to Tim much. And that is nice and she prefers it that way.

Slender.

She does not like him. No other words are needed.

Bloody Painter.

Haven't interacted at all.

Sally.

They don't interact much but Sally drew her a picture once and she has cherished it with her whole life.

Eyeless Jack.

Has only interacted when she needs to be bandaged up, he's taught her a lot of useful things. It's a little awkward when they are together though because they are both pretty introverted.

Clockwork -

I'll be honest, I view most the girls (aside from Nina) to be pretty introverted. Clocky gets along with most people, but she does keep to herself too.

Jeff.

She hates him and she's pretty sure he has no idea that she does. Avoids him.

Toby.

Awkward, so tends to avoid him too. He'll shoot her a wave and it makes her cringe a little. He's a nice guy, but yeah, it's just weird.

Ben.

Doesn't have much of an opinion on him, he's tolerable. At times he can say funny things.

Laughing Jack.

She doesn't like him, not too sure why she doesn't admittedly.

Jane.

An odd friendship she never expected frankly. A part of her expected Jane to not like her and was confused when she kept coming back from time to time; lingering around like she wanted to say something. Has a little crush on her but doesn't want to push anything.

Nina.

A little annoying, but she can be funny and enjoys her company. They get along well.

Kate.

Haven't really spoke nor interacted with one another.

Brian.

Also don't speak much.

Tim.

Only spoke once, doesn't have much an opinion on him.

Slender.

A bit torn between how she should feel toward him. Doesn't particularly like him though.

Bloody Painter.

They've spoken once or twice. She understands why many people feel the way they feel toward him, but once you understand him a little more, he is easy to speak to.

Sally.

Not big on kids, so feels a little uncomfortable around her but still forces a smile here and there.

Eyeless Jack.

He is nice and a good listener, so whenever she needs to speak to him, it's reassuring to know that he isn't one to judge.

Brian -

Don't get me wrong, Brian can be pretty dangerous and I do feel most of his 'bubbly, friendly' persona is a character he puts forward to hide something a lot darker. Naturally, Tim and Brian are forced into working for Slender, so I don't imagine them to interact with many other Pastas.

Jeff.

Seen him around in the forest but they have never spoken face to face. Brian has heard some things, but not a lot. Indifferent toward him really.

Toby.

He gets along well with Toby, the amount of missions they have done together has encouraged their friendship. Toby comes to him to vent when needs be and Brian is always open to lending an ear or even a shoulder to cry on.

Ben.

Haven't interacted before.

Laughing Jack.

Haven't interacted either but he makes him a little uncomfortable.

Jane.

He knows Jane avoids him and he knows why. Feels a little indifferent toward her.

Nina.

Nina is friendly and he likes that, despite her appearance that can be unsettling for some. She always makes him blush whenever she interrogates him about his life and usually results in her teasing him for it.

Kate.

She's quiet and he understands that maybe she just wants to protect her peace a little. When they have a moment together, he'll check in on her and ask if everything is okay.

Clockwork.

They don't speak much but he used to see her hang around with Toby many years back.

Tim.

A person he goes way back with, somebody who knows him down to the T. A little like Yip and Yang, they are an unspeakable duo despite the times where their friendship seemed tense. Brian would trust Tim with his life, despite everything. Brian feels as if he has known Tim forever, but due to the memory loss; doesn't know how long back that is.

Slender.

He would hate him, if he weren't brainwashed into working for him.

Bloody Painter.

Have never interacted before.

Sally.

Seen her around by herself in the forest from time to time and he's lectured her to not be out on her own. She is nice and they get along well.

Eyeless Jack.

Have rarely interacted but he has seen him in the forest from time to time. Brian is convinced that Jack is not human.

Tim -

Tim is mostly just perceived as an asshole at times, but that's because he's battling with himself most the time. He hates what he does, he hates being alive sometimes. Just another proxy that's been brainwashed, his memory dotty and at times he is forgetful. Hence why he doesn't get along with people very well.

Jeff.

They rarely interact, if at all. Thinks he is some kind of creep, so stays away.

Toby.

The kid is unbearable at times, but he's strong and smart. Some underestimate him for that. The only issue is, Tim is tough with him because there's a part of him fighting against Slender in some attempt to make Toby see past his own brainwashed mind. Toby could be a good kid.. But he's hard headed and in more times than not, they fight. Tim knows Toby hates him.

Ben.

Have not spoken before.

Laughing Jack.

Haven't interacted either.

Jane.

They don't speak and he has a feeling she doesn't like him.

Nina.

She speaks to him a lot and he doesn't know why. At times she can be irritating; but she is friendly and that's more than most.

Kate.

Deep down, Tim knows Kate is way too young to be involved in this mess and a part of him wishes she saw that too. But she's also under the influence of the sickness, the brainwashing, so she doesn't see that. Perhaps a part of her genuinely thinks she is doing the right thing? She doesn't open up much purely because she can't remember her life before.. well, this. They don't speak much unless needed.

Clockwork.

They've spoken once, she was nice though.

Brian.

Nostalgia always hits him in the face whenever they speak, like he's known him before, from somewhere and he doesn't know where. Same with Brian, Tim trusts him with anything and despite their petty arguments or fights; he's always been there for him in times where perhaps Tim didn't deserve it.

Slender.

Hates him.

Bloody Painter.

Haven't interacted ever.

Sally.

Also have not interacted with one another.

Eyeless Jack.

Have not spoken either.

Slender -

This entity knows everyone hates him one way or another. But everything is going to according to plan and really he couldn't care about some humans opinions on him. In his opinion, he has saved everyone.

Jeff.

A bratty child that feels as if he needs to make his point known with violence. Jeff doesn't know that Slender was the whole reason why his life is so much better. Doesn't like him much but doesn't convey those feelings unless necessary.

Toby.

Abused and manipulated him at his lowest, after Lyra had died. Of course, Toby would never know that the reason Lyra drove into that tree was because Slender himself and he knows that if Toby did find out; he would lose his shit. He is aware that Toby doesn't like him but he's a hard worker because Slender is just controlling him really.

Ben.

They get along moderately well although they rarely speak. At least Ben seems thankful.

Laughing Jack.

They get along well and occasionally will work together. He is a nice laugh from time to time.

Jane.

At times they get along well, but one time she yelled at him during one of her episodes.

Nina.

They don't talk much.

Kate.

They spoke once, when she was little. He knows she doesn't like him.

Clockwork.

They speak from time to time. No opinion on her aside from the fact that she is a hard worker.

Brian.

He can feel the hatred, although he doesn't portray his emotions much toward Slender.

Tim.

Same with Tim, Slender can feel Tim fighting against him.

Bloody Painter.

Although they don't speak, he knows that Helen is somewhat thankful for the life Slender gave him. He is sick and twisted, as he should be.

Sally.

Probably the only person who gets along with Slender, but then again its natural for most children to feel some kind of attachment toward him.

Eyeless Jack.

They speak but Jack isn't keep on being friends with him, they for real only speak on business terms.

Bloody Painter -

Just a guy who prefers painting over speaking. Kinda see him as an asshole, so doesn't really get along with people well. Not Jeff kind of asshole, just 'leave me the fuck alone' asshole. I see him being on the spectrum and most times goes nonverbal.

Jeff.

They haven't properly spoken to one another but he already know he dislikes the guy. Too loud, too much.

Toby.

They spoke once and surprisingly, he's good muse. After their interaction, found himself doodling Toby a lot (secretly of course.) He could get along with Toby but it seems Toby isn't interested in interacting again.

Ben.

They don't speak but I'm pretty sure he knows Ben doesn't like him.

Laughing Jack.

Drew him art once and now Laughing Jack always tries to talk to him, kinda annoying.

Jane.

They don't talk.

Nina.

They talk occasionally but she overwhelms him a lot.

Kate.

Haven't interacted before.

Clockwork.

He likes her, she's understanding and doesn't speak much. So sitting in silence with her is nice too.

Brian.

Have never interacted.

Tim.

Haven't interacted with one another either.

Slender.

Not sure how to feel about him, mixed feelings for sure.

Sally.

She's too much and being around her drains his energy. Doesn't like nor dislike her really.

Eyeless Jack.

They get along relatively well, Jack eats whatever is left of the corpses BP leaves and it saves him the job of discarding them. They've done a handful of missions together and BP enjoys the fact that Jack doesn't talk much.

Sally -

Naturally, as a child she gets along with almost everyone. She has her moments where she won't like them, but those reasons are stupid or petty.

Jeff.

She knows he doesn't like her but she doesn't care. He can be nice at times even with the whole 'bad guy' persona he puts out. In a sense, she looks up at him a little but she wouldn't admit it.

Toby.

They get along well! There's always a hint of sadness in his eyes whenever he looks at her though and she's unsure why, a part of her feeling as if she's doing something wrong. He puts her on his shoulders a lot and she loves it!

Ben.

He's nice to her! He takes the time out of his day to play with her but he can become pretty mean if Jeff is around.

Laughing Jack.

A clown that likes to make her laugh! What more could she ask for?

Jane.

Sally looks up to her a lot and appreciates what she does for her. She's not willing to play a lot of games but I think Sally understands why.

Nina.

Nina always gives Sally makeovers and she loves it! Loves Nina dearly.

Kate.

They don't speak but whenever they see one another, Kate always gives her a little smile and wave and Sally loves it.

Clockwork.

She seems a little tense around Sally, so she tries to avoid. Sally feels they could get along pretty well though.

Brian.

Toby talks about him a lot but she doesn't seem him often. Maybe once and he lectured her, but he was nice about it.

Tim.

Haven't interacted.

Slender.

At first she found him scary, but she adores him!

Bloody Painter.

She doesn't like him. One time he got mad at her for drawing over one of his pictures with crayon.

Eyeless Jack.

She adores him too. She loves to play hide and seek with him and tease him by throwing sticks or rocks in another direction to throw him off. He always catches her and she loves the chase!

Eyeless Jack -

Another chill, laid back guy. It's hard to be in his bad books unless you speak too loud or just generally piss him off. Looks terrifying but lowk a softy. Gives off 'he wouldn't hurt a fly!' vibe lmao.

Jeff.

Jeff is hot and cold. Some days he hates him, some days he likes him. There's no in-between but Jack doesn't really notice when Jeff is being an asshole as he minds his business too much. Neutral toward him, but likes him on the days he has questions about the human body! Gives him the chance to nerd out a little

Toby.

Likes him but sometimes he's too loud and it really hurts his sensitive hearing. Comes in a lot because the boy is always bleeding somewhere. His blood smells so fucking good..

Ben.

They don't speak often.

Laughing Jack.

They get along well but don't have a lot in common, so conversations can run dry pretty quickly.

Jane.

He had a feeling Jane didn't like him but she's warmed up a little. She only really comes with Nina on her arm, but he doesn't mind.

Nina.

She can be funny! He loves when she whispers though, makes his spine tingle a little.

Kate.

They both don't talk often when they are together but he prefers it that way. She is nice but awkward, like any kid really.

Clockwork.

She opened up once to vent while he was stitching her up and ever since, she comes back just to vent. He doesn't mind, if she needs to talk, he can listen and offer some advice when needs be. Frankly, he's a little confused why she feels so safe around him, but it's whatever.

Brian.

They haven't spoken before but he's seen him around.

Tim.

Haven't spoken.

Slender.

Doesn't mind him per say.

Bloody Painter.

He enjoys BPs company, especially when there is food involved!

Sally.

She's nice and he likes her. They only really play when he has the time.

Didn't expect to write this much tbh. But thanks for the ask! I love talking about the creeps. Half of these are my HCs btw, so take it with a grain of salt. Different for everyone after all.

I 100% would've added more characters but maybe I'll do another post for this or something.

[katiefrog217]

Walks with Aziraphale were always so amusing, especially when he took one of his different forms. Tonight, Crowley took note of a few different reactions:

1. Much to his bemusement, quite a few people crossed the road entirely just to avoid him (he didn't know why, he thought this particular form was very charming).

2. Those who didn't avoid them either didn't notice at all, or cooed adoringly at his companion. A few snake enthusiasts tried their best to impart advice upon him (Yes, he was aware it was a chilly night to have a python outside. Yes, he was aware that he had a few extra rolls on him, and he would appreciate it if they didn't body shame him, please and thank you).

3. He had a particularly interesting encounter with a stranger who tried his best to buy Aziraphale from him (he didn't know whether to laugh or be offended on his companion's behalf when the person subsequently dropped their price offering upon learning he was male. He turned them down, of course).

This just in: local vampire hunter tries his hardest to look cool in front of his crush.

I said soon and I guess I meant now haha.

I could help but draw Crowley and Aziraphale from @mrghostrat 's new Vampire AU (thanks for the permission btw!!) and I'll be damned if I couldn't pass up the opportunity to draw Ball Python Azi after being deeply entrenched in Ball python morphs and drawing them for the past few years.

I'm also a big sucker (har har) for any kind of vampire au, so I was incredibly excited to draw this!! I'm still not confident in my ability to draw Crowley (or jackets oof) but I tried.

On that, while I have ya'll here, a few fun facts about Ball Pythons and Morphs:

Azi looks to me to be based on a Blue Eyed Lucy (Leucistic) ball python. Leucistic is different from Albino - both lack pigment, but Leucistics only lack pigments in parts, rather than entirely like with Albinism. The fastest way to tell the difference is the eye color.

Blue Eyed Lucies have eye colors that range from Black to Blue - blue obviously being the more popular eye color.

The whiter the snake, the more sought after it is (not all Lucies are pure white, depends on the morph combo)

Unlike a majority of ball python morphs, Blue Eyed Lucies don't have a distinct gene combo that defines them. Generally, their morphs included Mocha, Mojave, Lesser, Butter, etc. The combos are generally endless. A Super Mojave (Mojave bred to Mojave) will produce a fairly grey/white snake, but their heads tend to be a very dusty grey, and isn't an ideal combo for a Lucy.

A snake that seems incredibly white when hatched may change color as it ages and become less white. This is common for all morphs, and their patterns define themselves and get stronger with age.

In breeding, males are generally less desired than females, and run at a lower price generally. This is because a single male can breed multiple females, so it's less effective to have more males in a clutch than females.

Obesity in snakes IS a real thing, and generally hard to manage if you do have an obese snake. Snakes tend to retain weight well, so exercise is really the only method to help bring their weight down (plus smaller meals). Good luck if you have an obese snake that isn't particularly inclined to be active.

Ball Pythons generally tend to have what's called a 1,000 gram wall - in which a snake that hits 1k grams stops eating and will not gain more weight. No one is 100% sure why this phenomena happens, but it's incredibly common.

Not a fact but opinion: Paradox ball Pythons are my favorite morph. If you want to see some incredibly interesting genetics, look them up.

[altruistic-meme]

i still think this would be the most effective and funny way to come out btw, just imagining my sister with a presentation slide behind her that's like "questions you should not ask" and "how to not take things like name changes personal (spoiler alert: it isn't about you!)"

thinking about ways to come out. came up with "make a PowerPoint presentation about 'do's and don'ts when your child comes out as trans' and then make my sister present it instead of me" and i think that would be SO FUNNY

[zizbombs]

What’s your opinion on String theory? Btw I’m 100% for legend hate-maxing

short answer? crazy tinker lady is hot

Long answer is that I really love string theory for generally what she represents. Her personality, look and power are all really fucking good, the crazy mad scientist, the doomsday clock ticking down one second at a time as the heroes rush to stop it, it's all very reminiscent of the classic superhero stuff. What I like about it in particular, is that she's inside of the birdcage. There isn't any dastardly scheme to escape and cause havoc again, it's over. that part is done, and largely the age of more of the classic supervillains are done- it ended with the 'golden age' of superheroes. The birdcage to me acts similarly to a time capsule, or kind of a place to put all the archetypical villains that wouldn't fly in the real world because of how dangerous they are, like galvante being the classic mob boss guy, or teacher being the mastermind type. now all we have are gang leaders and shit. Also, (haven't read worm in a while so this could be wrong) but she fills the similar niche that other capes do in expanding the setting's power level. the birdcage has been built up as like this fuckin hell on earth place with all the toughest motherfuckers around, and she's one of the first looks we get at a cell block leader's power level, which was probably hitting scion with the most amount of force he's been hit with in that part of gold morning and getting flung into a mountain or whatever. she just fuckin built that shit idk it's cool. to me it always fucks when this random guy shows up that maybe offhand you've heard mentioned once and they do some cool shit and you can soyface and point at them like!! thats cool!! also she's super hot and crazy

[craziertogether]

mike’s behavior shift & byler endgame confirmation

little yap moment (long rant):

just to start, i wanna say that i was a m*leven lover from s1-s2. given i was young asl, it was a wonderful ship for kids, but as i’ve grown and gotten more into analyses for media it has become clearer to me why my dislike of mike wheeler’s character despite my love for him originally, actually came from a lack of understanding.

so yeah, i truly think the moment i started developing my own byler agenda was in season 3. i had always known that will was queer, season 1 episode 1 with joyce and episode 4 with troy, it was just so clear to me. but i never saw it actually developing into a love story, i actually saw it as a little bit of queerbait when i saw the “crazy together” scene (ik crazy to say but i was also literally 11). but season 3, was like a huge smack in the face that oh mike is 100% the queer one WITH some kind of feelings towards will. i love how we as bylers joke about it? but truly will’s feelings for mike were so masked it’s insane to me.

back to my rant, i was a little caught off guard by mike’s CRAZY behavior switch from likable friend and leader to el’s personal make-out buddy and actual hater of his own best friends (mind you mike was always my favorite character originally, he was the protagonist that was a little unlikable but that’s my favorite kind of character). it wasn’t until my rewatch recently that i totally clicked for me again that mike was so in love with will, i can’t remember who mentioned it but mike inviting will to his house after el dumped him was absolutely unnecessary, lucas was needed but mike just had will there because of his genuine need for will to be there. rain fight outburst and post breakup crawling back to will was so clear that mike valued will on a level unbeknownst to anyone else around him. even beyond the el breakup, mike is lowkey such an ass to everyone else 😭. he needed to be guided by everyone else to apologize to el, lucas, and dustin. but will was like air to mike, he breathes will, the second he hurts will, he immediately crawls back to him because he knows at the minimum that will’s feelings are greater than his own arrogance.

and now season 4? there are so many wonderful analyses out there regarding mikes straight up queer behavior, but i really feel like this season is what fully converted me. btw i was still afraid of this possibility of queerbaiting, i had a strong feeling that maybe i was still reading into it too much but when will’s feeling were CONFIRMED in the first like minute, i knew in that moment that byler endgame was real. like i said above the way will’s queerness was clear to me was no shock, but seeing it be visually shown that he was IN LOVE with mike i was truly convinced in that moment that this was it, they were setting them up to be THE endgame couple. (ps i had NOT interacted with any byler content until very recently, i just had this instinct). and after now having read the analyses and rewatch the season again, i literally felt like my eyes were opened and like the show was spelling it out for us. the california plot line being the MOST boring without byler development, the fights and apologies, the heart to hearts, and van scene all just either fed my confirmation bias or proved to all audiences that this is what we need to be looking at. it is insane that season 4 has like 6 incredibly byler focused deep moments and there’s still byler doubt in my opinion. anyways yeah back to my original point the complete decline in mike’s character development the last two seasons completely confirmed it for me in my most recent rewatch. there was no reason to absolutely nerf his character like that, and if they do set up m*leven endgame, i actually will have lost respect for the duffers but also for my favorite character. but i have full faith that this show would not destroy everything it spent the last decade building up to.

TLDR: byler endgame is imminent and as a once byler skeptic and even m*levin fan, i cannot wait to see this story wrap up in season 5. i need the trailer, actually the whole season but the trailer will do for now.

[s4turnzbarzzz]

Still in your walls but now asking for a Beetlejuice with a touchstarved s/o? I mean we all know how touch starved he is and all but that's to touches he's initiated, so with a s/o that goes outta there way for those soft touches instead? I think it'll blow his mind..if he has one. Still cam be sfw can be nsfw whatever vibes just- yush

you gotta leave my walls at some point tbh but you can stay as long as you like just dont make too much noise lol but yes i love writing for beetlejuice so ofc, plus i love the people in my walls soooo

Beetlejuice x GN Reader (slightly suggestive)

tw: if you squint it gets a tiny bit suggestive but its not descriptive

hes shocked to say the least

i mean, you? being nice and giving him sweet touches?

hes losing his mind if thats even possible

yeah hes a horny bastard (/pos) but that doesnt mean he doesnt appreciate (love) the softer attention you give him

soft kisses all over his face are the best in his opinion

loves back scratches btw

honestly hes kinda like a cat, he usually loves affection but on a rare occasion he wants a little bit of space but he communicates that so dont take it personally

loves having his hair played with honestly

100% up for cuddles but that might get a little spicy (idk what youd expect from him lol)

he gets turned on easily so do what you want with that information

will always fall asleep on you first when youre watching movies together late at night

since youre so soft with him he tones down his energy a bit

[lukolabrainrot]

I am going to talk about some of my thoughts about why I believe N's behavior changed as the PR tour progressed. I am also going to talk about my thoughts on if L&N ever got "jiggy with it" 😂 I'll try to get to my thoughts on Toronto and Ireland tomorrow.

Before I start though, I want to mention that I am trying to come to my theories/opinions based off of things I have been able to observe, and verified information online. Obviously though, I don't actually know any of these people irl, so I am never going to understand the full story of what is going on between L/N. All of this is just my thoughts and theories on what is going on based on what has been put out to the public. There has been a lot of speculation online about everything, but I am going to try and not give that information too much weight when coming to my conclusions here. I am interested in hearing everyone's thoughts/opinions though, since this story has a lot of moving parts. Just wanted to put this disclaimer out before moving forward with more of my thoughts/theories.

Alright, on to the main course (this is going to be a LONG post btw)...

N on the PR Tour

I want to start off with the following that we know to be fact about N:

She is INCREDIBLY private about her personal life, especially her dating/romantic life (the same isn't/hasn't really been true about L). In fact, I don't believe N has ever publicly come out as being in a relationship with anyone since she entered the entertainment industry/been in the public eye (although I can't 100% confirm this, so please let me know if there are any articles/or something on her SM where she has publicly confirmed she was in a relationship at some point)

She is VERY online, and very careful about controlling her public narrative

She is a naturally touchy and affectionate person with people, but she seems to hold her true feelings a lot closer to her heart, and it seems to me, that she is kind of "on" in public (which is actually an important skillset to have as someone in the entertainment industry because you really need to know how to stay in control of your public narrative--your fans are your livelihood)

She LOVES photography/taking photos (it is one of her love languages I believe)

Now as I mentioned, L was always a lot more of an open book on the PR tour about his feelings for N (refer to my post here). N seemed to be a lot more reserved/gaurded during the tour when it first started in January, but everything shifted in like April when the world tour started. Below are my thoughts:

N started to become a LOT more obvious through her nonverbal cues about her genuine feelings for L as the tour unfolded. I will say that I believe PART of it probably had to do with getting a little "lost in the sauce" with the energy of the tour. However, I think the larger factor was that L & N were pushed together for many months (in close quarters), and were therefore forced to have conversations about their feelings for each other that I think they had been tiptoeing around for quite a while. From what we then saw from like the middle of Italy (I'm an Italy truther), there was more of a confidence, security, and contentment in how they interacted with each other that signaled to me feelings were shared and reciprocated.

Like I mentioned, she is a PR queen and very, very private about this part of her life. Therefore, why would she decide to be so obvious about her feelings on such a public stage when she knows people analyze everything? Well... I believe this is her way of publicly acknowledging their romantic feelings for each other without ACTUALLY publicly acknowledging anything more than "work besties" is going on with them. Which totally makes sense when you think about it because 1) The fandom would LOSE IT rn 2) That would put a LOT of public pressure on them, and I think these feelings they have shared with each other are very new (but had been brewing for a long time), and I don't think they are confident enough to go public. There is also, of course, the A of the whole situation, which L needs to figure out how he wants to move forward with that. TLDR, the situation is very messy, and I think there is a lot that L/N need to process in private regarding each other out of the public eye. I am pretty confident though that this tour put them in a situation to confront, clarify, and establish what their romantic feelings are for each other outside of the show (and they were reciprocated), and they are taking the space right now to explore that privately.    

Lastly, because I really like analyzing photos and N loves taking pictures, let's talk about those "boyfriend pics" of L she posted since the world tour started. Yes, she was promoting the show, but a lot of those pictures (especially recently) have a very specific vibe. She wants the world to see him the way she sees him. She loves that man, clear and simple. He shines around her, and she knows that. I think it’s also especially telling that she posted the most recent boyfriend pic of her last day of filming (which was the most obvious one in my opinion) now that A is publicly connected to L. It was a statement in my opinion, that regardless of all the drama unfolding, her and L have a really deep and meaningful connection that is special to her. I think it also served as a message that we don’t know the full story, which I think is a positive thing for us Lukola fans. Now I can’t predict the future with these two, but I am fairly certain we wouldn’t have been seeing the type of behavior we saw from them on the PR tour, and the types of photos she has been posting of him lately, if they weren’t confident in moving forward with their romantic relationship in the near future (especially since A has been in the picture for quite some time). I think these pics serve as another crumb that they are a little more than just work besties.

One last note, I think the reason our PR queen started slipping up and changing her answers to certain questions on the tour is because SHE WAS REALLY HAPPY WITH HIM. This can be a whole separate post at some point if people are interested, but I am almost certain from everything I have observed regarding N, that she is quite jaded when it comes to finding a romantic partner, and has been hurt in romantic relationships in the past.  I feel like L is the more sweet, hopeless romantic between the two. I think he allowed her to heal some of her relationship wounds. I think there is something about L and the experiences they’ve shared together that has reignited something within N to make her feel more hopeful about having a deep romantic connection while she can still be very independent and successful in her field. And I think it specifically has something to do with who L is when he is with her and how he treats her. I get the impression he has really altered the way she sees certain things related to romantic relationships. My whole point is that I think they both know what they have, and they know that if they can get on the same page, this relationship would get serious pretty quickly. Therefore, even though N is really private with this part of her life, for L, I think she would publicly acknowledge their relationship, but only when/if they are able to get to a point where they feel confident enough that their relationship would be able to withstand the pressures from the public. They just aren't there currently because of all the other confounding factors, but I don't think that necessarily signals where they will be in like 6 to 8 months imo...

Have L/N ever gotten freaky deaky irl?

From before the PR tour, I just don't have enough information to confidently say yes or no. A lot of people have different opinions on this, and some people think they casually dated near the end of filming season 3/sometime last year (but we don't have any proof of that). This is what I will say:

N still follows J (and vice versa I believe, please lmk if I'm wrong?), so I don't think there is any bad blood there. This makes me pretty certain that L/N never acted on any physical feelings for each other until after that relationship was completely over. I do think though that L/N have had a spark for a while (and tbh, I think L has kind of had a thing for N since they met, and his feelings for her have always been stronger). Therefore, this likely played a part in him emotionally distancing from his relationship with J when season 3 started filming, but at the end of the day, we will never know the specicifics of why they decided to part ways. My guess is that there were a lot of reasons that relationship did not end up working out considering how serious that relationship was.

Considering how WILD L/N's sexual chemistry is, it wouldn't surprise me if they hooked up at some point before the PR tour. But considering L was on Raya by February/March 2023 (from my understanding?), and the fact that N was SUPER busy last year and traveling a bunch, I just don't think there was any time for them to have anything more than something super casual/no commitment (if anything). Even if they did maybe hook up some, I don't think they really directly addressed the depth of their feelings for each other, which is why we saw all that behavior between them on the tour, because I don't think any clear boundaries had been put up and their feelings came flooding back.

Now I feel a lot more confident that somethingggg intimate happened at least once between them on the PR tour. Here are my theories:

I don't think things were great between them at the beginning of the tour (like January) because feelings I think started popping up again for these two during the reshoots in December 2023, and then the NYE kiss comes out, and N and L are feeling disconnected and aren't really on the same page about the tour.

I think they had some conversations in private, because by the VDay event, they seemed a lot more on the same page (and L was giving N those total heart eyes). The extra layer is that (I believe?) A accompanied L to the city the event was in (I think NYC?), but even though A was staying with him, L was STILL looking at N like THAT during the event (which I think speaks VOLUMES).

I think though there were a lot of things they still weren't talking about, and everything came to a head when they got to Italy, which is why the vibes were off at first and it seemed like there was tension between them. This also occurred soon after the Instyle stunt, so I feel like N probably had some feelingssss about that.

I have recently been converted to an Italy truther, so I believe that Italy was where L/N finally addressed/readressed some of their feelings for each other, and N was trying to get some clarity on WTH was going on with A, and making sure it wasn't going to mess anything up with the tour. But I think they "kissed and made up" 😉 and got back on the same page. Which is why there was the shift in Italy, and why we saw what we saw for the rest of the tour.

Not sure exactly what happened of course, but I get the feeling something physical happened after they started having some BIG conversations about each other that they had needed to have for a long time (and I think they continued to have these conversations with each other as the tour progressed). Let's also remember that these are two very non-confrontational people, so I feel like there must have been a LOT of pent up feelings/emotions for them to publicly show that they weren't super happy with each other/beefing during the beginning of Italy.

I also definitely think they physically acted on their feelings in Brazil (like they just had the "glow" imo 😂). And the eff me eyes, c'mon. Like Brazil continually reminded me of that New Girl quote "The stench of filth and lust is all over this room." It just seemed pretty obvious to me 😂 Especially considering the events that transpired right after that with A, and between L/N for the rest of the tour.

Lastly, I know a lot of people believe that L/N didn't physically act on their feelings because the tension would go away. However, I actually think it's a good sign that tension is still there, because I think it shows that there is a pretty deep connection between these two, and they are still feeling that pull/sexual energy after having sex. They kind of remind me of like two friends in a friend group who just admitted their true feelings for each other but aren't ready to go public, but are also having crazy good sex, so they are super obvious and can't really hide it when they are together LOL Regardless if they had ever physically acted on their feelings before the tour, I think these experiences (IF they did indeed occur), helped L/N get clarity if their strong feelings and attraction for each other went past the show and their characters. And I personally think they got that clarity 😉

Wowww okay that turned into an essay LOL, but I think the TLDR is that the situation seems very complicated right now, and I think there is a lot that L/N are needing to figure out in private. But I don't think that negates or invalidates what we saw between them on the PR tour, or that they were "faking" their feelings. Human beings are messy and imperfect, and that is okay. I think the part that still really confuses me is the whole A of the situation, because I just can't wrap my head around it. I would love to hear other people's opinions though on how she factors into all this, so if you have theories/questions you would like to add to that discussion, drop them in my asks. Because I have thoughtssss 😂

[freckliedan]

could you expand on your thoughts why you think dan and phil havent always been monogamous? super curious! i kind of get the same vibe.

i'm happy to expand on it tbh! it's something i think and talk a lot about with my friends.

i'm hesitant about going in depth because i've found that's when people find it okay to say deeply shitty things to me, a polyamorous person, under the guise of academic debate/it just being a difference of opinion. but i'm also not going to let the possibility of that stop me?

ANYWAYS.

quite honestly the biggest thing for me is just. taking dan and phil at their word? even when parsing something true through them saying things in silly ways that's the easiest way to be right about them.

we noticed and believed in the underlying truth in their gay jokes before they were out. people are willing to entertain the bondage and mpreg and various other horny jokes as containing some kernel of truth. more people than literally any point in time are willing to believe there's some substance to dan's career-long mentions of gender.

but for whatever reason (mononormativity) the comments about them being attracted to/flirting with/being interested in other people get written off as 100% joking and funny because they're the most monogamous people ever & because they get jealous easily. and that just? sucks.

i think they've always been committed. like, phil brought dan home to meet his parents at their very first christmas together type committed. planning to spend the rest of their lives together from 3 months into the relationship committed.

but also like? that coexists with the fact that dan wasn't able to come out to himself as gay until the lead up to basically i'm gay. 2018 or maybe 2017, i think. @freckliephil or @phulge has brought up the idea to me before that part of why they didn't label their relationship to us in 2019 may have been because they were still in flux with labeling it for themselves.

dan has also always had commitment issues due to how he saw his parents' relationship function/due to his home life growing up and i'm NOT going to elaborate on this one but it is so obvious.

(consider this whole post informed by conversations with aries and roper btw).

i think the idea that dan and phil were secure in their connection but not in a place where they had to (or could, on dan's part) ascribe labels to it in the early years is realistic?

and i think their commitment and security can coexist with the idea of like. "i think it's hot seeing you kiss other people for attention at parties and come home with me". + i genuinely think the fantastic foursome explored each other's bodies on the italy trip. etc.

i definitely think there would've been huge stretches of monogamy, and i do think that there was jealousy before they found their footing and felt comfortable in their commitment. (different rant, but i think most of what gets read as jealousy these days is them dong a bit/possessiveness).

but i think there's also always been points in time where they were either theoretically or in practice fine with having sexual experiences with other people. that wouldn't've really been possible during their deep closet era, and i don't think it was COMMON beforehand.

but i also think that it's definitely something possible after they came out.

i think people hear me say this and assume i'm degrading the incredible and beautiful love and commitment dan and phil share. that i'm reducing queer men's relationships down to sex only.

but like. i'm not fucking doing that! the people making those assumptions are doing that! and saying a lot about how they view non monogamy too!

i'm saying i think they're so secure in their love and relationship that they're literally completely unbothered and not threatened by potentially having an open relationship. devotion is not only present in monogamous relationships.

WAD makes sense as a point of post coming out timing for another open period in their relationship to me. quite honestly i could see phil being the one to suggest it to dan? 2019 thru the close of WAD was dan's self actualization era.

growing up in the context of a single committed relationship does things to you psychologically. your identity formation happens side by side with another person and even if the relationship isn't controlling and toxic you can really lose sight of your individuality, if you're not careful. this is even easier to have happen if you share all of your friends, live together, AND work together. ESPECIALLY if you're significantly closeted in some way.

i know this because i've also lived it. believe me when i say dan NEEDED to figure out who he was as an individual. we saw him do that in several iterations artistically/careerwise. but we also saw his interest in experiencing queer culture in ways he missed out on when he was young and closeted.

so i think dan actually WAS on the apps, when he was touring WAD. i wouldn't be surprised if that was phil's idea, even. a "don't worry, go see the world, we've been open before, i'm not worried you won't want to come home to me, nobody's gonna match your freak like i do". i think phil would've had the option too but probably would've taken it less.

and i think it's like. like they're best friends! it's something they would've been talking about with each other. i think it could've been foreplay to them sometimes. i think it could've been what catapaulted dan into his top era. (this is a seperate essay from drs. frecklie, frecklie and phulge as well).

most importantly we think dan came back from the first leg of WAD having completely exorcised his fear of commitment and. wait i have to find a specific message. nevermind you're getting 3 screenshots without any further context

anyways. i can't find the specific point where we said this so it was maybe an in person conversation but the rest of the idea is that experiencing other options resulted in dan coming back from WAD and proposing. and phil proposing the gaming channel return right back. we 1000% said this before phil mentioned that he's the one who suggested the gaming channel return i just can NOT fucking find receipts on that because we largely voice message.

this has been an entire ramble that touched on a lot of different subjects but. yeah. dan and phil aren't polyamorous in the "both dating another person as a couple/other people as individuals" sense nor will they ever be. but there's sooo much room between that and strict monogamy.

and a lot of that in between is in perfect alignment with the ways they've talked about their lives over the years and is yet another extension of them having a level of trust love and intimacy in their relationship that most people will never experience. so

thank you for coming to my ted talk.