#this is such an interesting question their dynamic is fascinating

[blushedfemmes]

In a way that isn't trying to catch you out on something/make you justify it,

What appeals to you about g/t dynamics? I don't really get it but I'm really interested in learning about what/why other people are into things.

i don’t mind the question at all! mostly i think it’s the inherent physical power dynamic, for me. i enjoy the idea of someone being so tiny that i could crush them easily (even though i never would!!) having that power makes me caring for them even more tender and significant. and i do also have sadist g/t fantasies. i’m not a very physically strong person, and i don’t want to be, but i really like the idea of having such complete physical dominance over someone just because they’re tiny compared to me. it’s hot to imagine filling up someone’s pov, towering over them, etc. i also love the thought of smothering someone with my tits or pussy, completely enveloping them with my body, which would be easy if they’re the size of my hand.

i also think tiny things are super cute. i’ve always been fascinated by them. i love miniatures, dollhouses, etc. i used to build fairy houses whenever i was outside alone for longer than 5 minutes, and would imagine fairies coming upon them and moving in lol. for me transposing that fascination into an erotic fantasy is also a way of rekindling my whimsy and joy!

[lunar-inkclipse]

I be getting ideas sometimes. Good ones? Let's not get too hasty now

Basically, I've been getting back into Gravity Falls, got inspired by this drawing by @snozzlefrog, and the fact that all my AUs have made Irratino Just Some Guy, while Logico gets to be something cool, I present to you another franken crossover Gravity Falls x Murdle AU that held me at gunpoint until I drew this despite the fact I need to be awake and active tomorrow lol

I'm gonna be so honest. I have like three vibes I'm structuring this off of. Those vibes are the idea that Logico (Logico Pines? what do we call him i gotta keep my AUs straight) has been called to investigate a series of strange happenings in the town of Gravity Falls, or he's here to prove it's nothing paranormal at all. Irratino (Irratino Cipher? Super Spooky Secretino?) is very interested in Logico, drawn to how strictly he adheres to rationality. In Irratino's universe, illogicality reigns supreme and Logico just doesn't abide by that, or even acknowledge it? Fascinating. (Logico, even upon being confronted with Irratino, chalks it up to theoretical physics things that can be explained away perfectly logically.)

Another vibe I'm basing this off is that Irratino really is a force to be reckoned with. Like in @lilythelitten's headcanons, he's gotta be intense enough to handle the murderous employees somehow :P. Also he's gone to great lengths to fake his death, committed a murder while pretending to be dead, burned a slaughterhouse down and got away with it, a whole host of other things- He's uh. A little scary out of context.

And the last vibe I have are that the Institute cast is Irratino's gang of interdimensional criminals he calls friends. (Look. there's a guy that's just teeth in GF. We have Seashell in the Institute. Y'all see the vision). Is Irratino's true form a talking triangle? Does he want to ring in the end of the world? What's his dynamic with Logico compared to Bill and Stanfords? How does Irratino's mom lore compare to Bill's home dimension lore? How many fingers does this Logico have, actually? Great questions!

[hoboblaidd]

Solas and Elgie are pretty Spicy at each other. Was there EVER a time Solas thought he should help or trust Elgar'nan, or that he wasn't beyond reason or redemption?

The way the Solas writing part of my brain short-circuited at "Elgie" xD

I don't think they ever really got along because they're too similar (see also Solas with Vivienne and Morrigan). Solas admits on several occasions that he and Elgar'nan are incredibly similar - which itself is so arrogant, to compare yourself to essentially the king of the gods. If they're like brothers, as Rook can suggest, Solas is the very distant younger brother who can't hold a candle to the oldest brother.

Solas witnessed firsthand Elgar'nan's actions during the war. Elgar'nan to me is like a charismatic, unrelenting force of nature. He was The General of the wars, and I imagine he was incredibly ruthless and cruel. Mythal and Solas weren't much better, but Solas at least felt bad about it lol. Elgar'nan is like General Grant in the back half of the US civil war without the introspection: sacrificing so many men just to gain a military advantage, scorched earth policies, and underhanded tactics. Remind you of anyone else in the latter half of his rebellion?

There's also the Mythal factor, which brings with it jealousy. Elgar'nan and Mythal ruled together as equals - maybe not perfect equals in Elgar'nan's estimation, but close enough. Solas was always her Second and left hand, and most loyal to her. It's like two people arguing and trying to prove who mom loves best, even while Elgar'nan is trying to undercut her power. Sawyer (not @ing because they haven't finished the game yet) had a great analysis on the hugely problematic Andruil-Fen'harel situation that is very applicable to Elgar'nan and Solas. Basically, her actions in the story were to place herself above Mythal by using Solas as an instrument/metaphor. I'd argue that's how the Evanuris saw Solas - as an irritant and, at most, a method of putting themselves above Mythal by conquering her (once) most loyal general.

As for respect, it's a respect for his power, not as a leader, and it's born out of fear. Elgar'nan's power is vastly superior to Solas' and all of the other Evanuris. Solas was genuinely afraid to tangle with him in the second memory we find because he knew there's no way in hell he could win. And he didn't, he just kept him occupied long enough for the people to escape, and got hurt in the process. I do think Solas' plea to Elgar'nan in the Blood of Arlathan is earnest - "you could heal it - you have the strength to repair the damage [to the world] without the blight." But I don't think he was under any delusion that Elgar'nan actually would. Elgar'nan wants domination and a world built in his own image with people utterly bent to his will. He doesn't care that the world is broken, per say, he cares that his vision for the world is broken.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

bunny x cat dynamic?

Like, adhd bunny and grumpy cat dynamic? I'm going to try writing a bit where the dynamic of the main characters are fleshed out. Any input on what people often enjoy about these for me to take into account?

To me it's so cute because she considers herself more as an annoying dog but for him, he considers her to be a cute, hyperactive bunny (that's kind of useless to (literal) death but let's put that aside, or not)

The ideal response to this would come from your readers. If you've already established your reader base, try asking them their preferences and expectations. Of course—still, write the story you want (and need) as a writer. And there it is, in your second paragraph. The idea is that if you write what you want, the people who also prefer this dynamic will find your work and stay for the rest of the story, and will more likely enjoy your other work as well (this is essentially what most successful authors advise new writers—write what you want, what you enjoy etc etc). But striking a balance between your readers' and your own preferences would be great too.

If you don't have a reader base yet, I'd suggest going through your favourite literature/films and finding ones that depict this particular character dynamic. Then you yourself, as a reader/viewer now, could answer what you find enjoyable about these pieces of media, and incorporate that in your writing.

Also, here are some tropes that I think have similarities with the dynamic you described. Same suggestion with finding books or films/TV shows you like that feature these tropes. But also research their readers'/audience's feedback to find out what they enjoyed about these character tropes, and this is what you can take into consideration for your story.

Grump and sunshine. One character is so grumpy all the time; the other character is so bubbly all the time. And somehow, through that power-of-love thing, they end up balancing each other out. The grump sometimes has sworn off love.

Savvy Guy, Energetic Girl. This is a potential pairing (platonic or otherwise) between a pragmatic guy and a girl who is very full of energy. One partner in the pair will be lively and optimistic while the other is savvy and more slothful, quiet, or otherwise less expressive. EXAMPLES:

In Corpse Bride, Emily and Victor. The former is a dead bride who is rather lively and spiritual for a corpse, while the latter is a live man who is shy and awkward almost to a fault.

This defines Anna and Kristoff's relationship in Frozen nicely. She is a spunky princess willing to do whatever it takes to bring her sister home, he is a grumpy, rough-around-the-edges ice harvester helping her along the way.

In Pixar's Up, the quiet and timid Carl befriended and eventually married the energetic Ellie.

Uptight Loves Wild. He's stuffy. She's untamed. It's true love. Mr. Stuffy is in a rut: Life is boring because he plays by the rules. Along comes this wild and crazy woman to show him how to live life to its fullest, and she just might learn a few things along the way, too. EXAMPLES:

Enchanted: Stuffy, cynical divorce lawyer Robert meets fairytale princess Giselle.

The Sound of Music: Maria isn't "wild", but she is a Blithe Spirit in the face of the extremely uptight, Captain von Trapp.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Quite thoroughly deconstructs this. A relationship like this doesn't always work and after the falling-in-love part, it causes more pain than joy; so much so that both parties opt to have their memories removed of each other. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is also far more complicated: "I'm not a concept, I'm just a fucked-up girl looking for a peace of mind".

Opposites Attract. EXAMPLES:

The Princess and the Frog has Tiana and Naveen. She's a Workaholic, no-nonsense waitress and he's a fun-loving, lazy prince.

Tangled gives us the jaded, worldly-wise thief Flynn Rider and the spirited, innocent princess Rapunzel.

Treasure Planet has Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler. She's a tough-as-nails Action Girl, he's a bookish scientist, not to mention they're basically an anthropomorphic cat and dog, respectively. The two grow closer throughout the movie, and by the end they even have several kids.

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

[quatregats]

Also minor and likely underinformed complaint but for all that I absolutely love the dynamic in "The Frogs and the Lobsters" I do think it completely erases and simplifies the politics of Brittany at that time and place

[skitskatdacat63]

— Emperor Charles VI's diary entry on Count Althann's death

[text: "My only heart, my comfort, my most faithful servant, my soulmate, who loved me dearly as I did him for 19 years, [we] had a true friendship, we were one heart and one soul, and we never concealed anything from one another. He will always be in my heart, [my] beloved friend..I. have lost everything."]

[cherrymoonvol6]

.

[c-is-for-circinate]

God I am so endlessly fascinated by the world of possible options we have for what Steve's parents are really like.

(And I am even more fascinated by how rigidly and firmly different fans insist that they have the One True Interpretation and everybody else must be wrong.)

[mcyt-rarepair-tournament]

*walks up to the mic* Sashannarcy from Amphibia

tbh, sometimes the “platonic explanation for this” is the more interesting one

[lady-of-endless]

Front Man/Hwang In-ho (player 001) x player!reader headcanons (season 2)

Author's Note: This season cured my writer's block. I'm sorry but I'm down bad for this red flag. I hope you'll enjoy it! Click here for a masterlist because there's more to come.

- He infiltrated the game either to make sure everything goes accordingly, either for a sick wish to mess with the players because he's empty inside (but not for long), or both.

- Unfortunately for "player 001", his charm and manipulation are obvious to you and you're not that pleased to see him getting close to the team you're in. Gi-hun (player 456) team. What could you do? Manipulate the manipulator.

- A game within a game, a calculated and dangerous play. In-ho senses and accepts this indirect challenge from you. He's interested, he feels excitement once again after such a long time.

- However, that's not his priority. He will push away his aroused interest to keep his duties as the Frontman and keep the game going despite Gi-hun's tries to end it.

- But one day, he noticed your mask falling for a moment, a crack in the role you played with him and that got him hooked again. He wondered what it took to break through that facade of yours and see the real you.

- There's a thrilling dance of fake smiles and fascination between you two that no one else sees. Just two capable, trustworthy, charming players.

- In-ho has a very cold but intense gaze, especially when he's shamelessly admiring you. However, you can't tell if he's admiring you or scheming against you.

- When your glass is full, you come up with a plan to corner him and confront him about his intentions with the team, without alarming the others. The plan was flawless in theory. In-ho sensed that something was up from the moment you asked him to join you under the bed bunks for better safety during the night. He complied out of curiosity, with a smirk on his lips. Every plan that's perfect in theory, it's never perfect in practice. The closeness, the intimacy, the tension, and the pent-up frustration all lead to something else entirely. Your planned interrogation switched to pure instincts and denied feelings.

(If you like this idea, let me know, I'll write a one shot)

- Since that night, something has shifted in your dynamic. During the games, it seems that he's trying to... protect you? It was clear to you during the mingle game when he was dragging you forcefully with him no matter the number the speakers announced. You didn't question it, you just followed him. You didn't have a choice; his grip and determination were too strong. God have mercy on those who try to attack you to get inside the room with him. You already saw his impeccable fighting skills so it doesn't surprise you when you see him in action. However, it's shocking when he gets to even drastic measures for you (like eliminating other players, we've seen it).

- In-ho is guilty of many things and one of them is also jealousy. He's subtle with it though.

- There's something unsaid between you two. He doesn't know if it's attachment or not, thinking that he might not be able to feel that again. Especially for you. But he's wrong, and he sees that clearly when, during a risky game, you almost got eliminated. He was about to lose it; his fingers were digging into your skin when he embraced you to "congratulate you." It was more than that. There was something desperate in the way he held him against you and you could feel that.

- At night, after that incident, he tells you his reason for participating in the game. Even though you can't decide if he tells the truth or not, you can see his expression getting vulnerable and his eyes watery nonetheless.

- Since then, whenever he stares at you, he's thinking of a way to take you away from this mess, next to him. He also thinks of ordering the guards secretly, to make some circumstances in your favor during the next games.

[marksbear2]

Can i request Kraven x male reader headcanons? 🤭 also seen you were sick, hope you’re feeling better. 💗

Kraven the hunter x male reader

Dear anon you probably don’t even remember requesting this from how long it took for me to post this 💔💔. I hope you don’t mind and enjoy the fic.

1. Wilderness Dates – Instead of typical dates, Kraven takes you on hunting trips, teaching you how to track, set traps, and survive in the wild.

2. Protective Instincts – He’s fiercely protective of you, always keeping a watchful eye when you’re in dangerous areas, even if you insist you can handle yourself.

3. Animal Affection – Kraven’s pets, especially his lions and leopards, are unusually affectionate toward you. He says it’s because they recognize you as his mate.

4. Trophy Gifts – Instead of flowers or jewelry, he brings you trophies from his hunts—like a beautifully carved bone knife or a rare pelt he insists would make a good cloak for you.

5. His urge for dominance – He treats you like his equal but has a deeply ingrained need to prove himself as the strongest, often challenging you to arm wrestling matches or sparring sessions.

6. Soft for You – He may be a ruthless hunter, but when he’s alone with you, he becomes oddly tender, brushing his fingers through your hair and pressing soft kisses against your temple.

7. Cooking Experiments – He insists on cooking meat he hunted himself, sometimes with questionable seasoning choices. You once had to pretend to enjoy an overly spicy jungle stew.

8. Jealousy Issues – Kraven doesn’t handle jealousy well. If someone flirts with you, he looms behind them like a predator, silently daring them to back off.

9. Old-School Romance – He believes in grand, dramatic gestures, like carrying you bridal-style over a river or slaying a beast in your honor.

10. Hunting Together – If you show any interest in hunting, he takes great pride in teaching you, even letting you lead small hunts to boost your confidence.

11. Battle Couple Energy – If you’re a fighter, he adores the idea of battling side by side, reveling in the thrill of combat together.

12. Survival Training – He believes you should be able to survive in the wild without him, so he occasionally tests you by disappearing for a few hours and watching from afar to see how you handle yourself.

13. Affectionate Nicknames – He calls you things like "Little Wolf," "My Lion," or "Prey-Turned-Predator" depending on his mood.

14. Body Worship – Kraven is a man who appreciates strength, whether it’s his own or yours. If you work out, expect a lot of lingering hands and admiring glances.

15. Animal-Like Comfort – He’s not above curling around you like a big cat when you’re resting together, nuzzling into your neck as he dozes off.

16. Tattoos and Scars – If you have scars, he traces them with fascination, praising you for being strong enough to earn them. If you have tattoos, he asks about their meaning and if he can add one to your collection.

17. Loyal to the End – Once Kraven has claimed you as his, he is unshakably devoted. Betrayal is unthinkable, and he would cross the world to find you if you were taken from him.

18. Drunken Boasting – After a few drinks, he brags loudly about your strength, intelligence, or cunning to anyone who will listen, making sure the world knows you’re worthy of standing beside him.

19. Traditional Courting – He has an old-fashioned view of romance and might insist on proving himself to you through trials, like hunting a beast in your name or bringing home an impressive prize.

20. Predator and Prey Dynamic – Sometimes, just to mess with you, he’ll playfully “hunt” you in the jungle or around your home, only to catch you in his arms and whisper, “You are mine.”

THE END

[wlwmedarda]

I'm honestly just looking to rant and this might be long depending on how fast I get irritated the more I type so if this isn't coherent or well written I apologize in advance. Since it looks like Ambessa will take on a more antagonistic role in arcane season two, I would like to unpack the fandom's antiblackness that you guys are either blind to or aware and too pussy to call it out as my gut is telling me it's gonna increase and if no one is gonna start the difficult conversation then I sure as hell will.

Sevika:

Mel:

Starting off strong with the definition of "you guys want complex female characters but can't even handle her". Mel Medarda is in quite the predicament seeing how she's morally grey, a black woman, AND "gets in the way" of a mlm ship so she was kinda screwed from the start. A cunning politician disowned for her pacifism who acts as a sort of bridge to Noxus' slow introduction, and is THE ONLY CHARACTER IN THE SEASON 1 MAIN CAST SPECIFICALLY CREATED FOR THE SHOW. She's treated like satan incarnate or a Jezebel (highly suggest looking into that if you don't know what that is), GOOD character analysis is rare, and when she is talked about positively, it's so often chalked up to appearances that I'd rather yall not talk about her at all. Oh you love Mel? Then can we talk about her relationship with her mother? Unpack her dynamic with Jayce? Maybe more fanworks centered around her? I've seen yall's fake asses dropping the shittiest fucking takes about her only to turn around and gush over how pretty she is, and yall think you're slick about it and you're not. I would say I prefer the ones who are loud and proud about their hatred but that'd be a lie, they're two cheeks on the same ass; annoying and couldn't give a decent break down of her character if a gun was pointed at they head even she's perfect to dissect. I could talk about her more but we'd be here all day and so many black women even from outside the fanbase have already talked about yall so there's no need for me to add on 🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️🤷🏾‍♀️.

Quick question, have you guys ever tried to talk about her in a non sexual way? Yes, Sevika is undeniably sexy and you could argue that true stans of hers talk about her outside of horny time, but a good half of the fandom is a different story. In a similar case to Mel's, deep dives into her character are rare to find which is crazy when she acts as Zaun's own "kingmaker". She's loyal to her city and the cause, never to a specific person and will not hesitate to betray you. She could be your right hand man one day, and the next she might find a better kingpin to follow and stab you in the back like it all meant nothing. "Were you tempted?" "Not for a worm like him". Simple and subtle and probably my favorite Sevika scene; she comes to realize Silco is no longer the best leader for Zaun, but he's as good as it gets for now and so she sticks by him. I remember a YouTube comment breaking down how she's essentially the quintessential Zaun: a brute warrior molded by her environment, who defied Vander's peaceful ways and embraced Silco's cruelty. Her mindset and goal is interesting and you'd think it'd result in some fascinating meta or exploration of her upbringing when we got a hint that she potentially has some daddy issues right? Obviously, but what do we get instead? White sapphics treating her like nothing more than a sexual object. How delightful!

Ekko:

This might partially be Riot's fault because — and I hate to sound like a league lore nerd — Ekko is quite underdeveloped compared to the richer origins of his former pre arcane self, but I'm gonna hold off on that till the season finale to see how they handle him. Anyways, at this point the fandom clearly sees him as Jinx's trophy husband. When you talk about him, she is brought into the convo 90% of the time. That's exactly why I prefer black timebomb shippers over the nonblack ones because I trust they actually love Ekko as a character on his own. Even though I have my complaints regarding how's been written so far, I still know he's too good to be reduced to Jinx's loverboy. He fights and cares for his city, the only character that you can confidently say is pure of heart, and is the revolutionary leader Zaun really needs. He's just as smart as Jinx too, he is literally going to create TIME TRAVEL. Why does no one wanna talk about that? Can we be excited for his character development and arc not just for the timebomb scenes you'll get out of it?

Ambessa:

Can't even deny this woman is awful but her presence on screen enthralled me after a couple of rewatches and I also love bad mothers in media so I've settled on a love/hate relationship. Yes, she's definitely gonna have some influence on Caitlyn, which makes sense since she has now lost her mother; she's vulnerable and as we have seen, naive. She's practically free real estate for Ambessa. My recent worry though has been how the fandom seems to be willing to put all of Caitlyn's actions on her as if Cait isn't a grown ass woman who can make her own decisions. Of course being grown doesn't mean you're immune to manipulation, but I've seen some Silco and Jinx comparisons and it is NOT the same. Mind you we haven't even seen the first three episodes; we don't know how far Ambessa's manipulation is going to go and we can't really tell what the dynamic is gonna be like based off of clips and trailers that are likely shown out of context on purpose to throw people off. I'll never defend her actions, hell I'll join in on the lashings, but my black ass is also not gonna sit here and let yall talk about her weirdly or pin all of this on her.

Some might say I'm overthinking this, but I've been here since November 2021 and have sat back and observed for 2 years. You don't have to write deep, philosophical conversations 24/7, I'm sure it's not all in bad faith and I won't act like I don't thirst over Sevika or marvel at Mel's beauty. I'm not saying you have to like these characters and that you're racist if you don't. My frustration comes from the lack of nuanced conversations and hypocritical opinions surrounding black characters in this show. When you try to say something about this, you're hit with excuses; it reminds me of how man obsessed fujoshis act when they're questioned for not giving two fucks about female characters. They're either reduced to one character trait, only admired for their looks, or only discussed when it's about the white character they're connected to. Do NOT under ANY circumstance be black and morally ambiguous, you WILL be held to higher moral standards than everyone's wittle blorbos who can do wrong and are defended from all sides when you dare to take the rose colored stan glasses off and criticize them. What's really ridiculous is you hear the "complex characters" bullshit every two to three business days and some of you have the nerve to boast about this series being diverse while simultaneously ignoring the complexities in the characters of color. This is the main reason I took a step back and with season two around the corner I thought "Hey, maybe it'll be better this time!" and it was a mistake. Good to know yall still have an underlying racism problem you don't wanna address but with some extra classism thrown in. "What will we do once Arcane ends?" hopefully get a job, touch some grass, and reflect. Lord knows yall need it. The faster yall sizzle out the better. I'm done that's all I have to say lol goodnight 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽.

[lune-moon-nuit]

The influence of conformity & gender stereotypes on the characters of Stranger Things but also on US (the general audience)

The moment I stumbled upon the arguments of "anti-Byler," the most commonly cited one was their outright denial of heteronormative pressures and societal expectations that are instilled in us from a young age. These same dynamics influenced Mike and the other characters in Stranger Things. This realization brought to mind a personal childhood anecdote that illustrates this phenomenon perfectly.

I must have been around ten years old because I remember this happening on the bus ride home from a school trip to watch Ratatouille. At the time, I had recently befriended a boy in my class—we had been seated next to each other, which gave us more opportunities to talk than when I’d usually stick with my girlfriends during recess while he played soccer with the boys. (Just describing this setup already paints a clear picture of gender stereotypes and heteronormativity, even though this was in 2007—25 years after 1982, to put things into perspective.)

When I say we had grown closer, I mean that two kids had developed a friendship: we laughed together, enjoyed each other’s company, and simply got along well. But I vividly remember sitting face-to-face with Maximilien—yes, I suddenly recalled his name as I was writing this! Maximilien, with his freckles and ginger hair—and we were laughing and talking about the movie. At one point, I playfully held two strands of his hair between my fingers, pretending to guide him like Rémy from Ratatouille.

It was then that I noticed, just behind Maximilien's smiling face, my classmates observing us from the next row. They were whispering and giggling, their glances unmistakably filled with mischief. I immediately understood what they were thinking. Later that day, they confronted me, insisting, “You’re in love with Maximilien!”

I felt embarrassed and awkward. But the truth is, before their remarks, the idea hadn’t even crossed my mind. To me, Maximilien was simply a friend, someone I enjoyed spending time with. It wasn’t until my friends planted that seed of doubt that I began to question my feelings. For the rest of the school year, I convinced myself I had a crush on him.

Looking back, this memory perfectly encapsulates how deeply societal conditioning affects us, even as children. At ten years old, we were already internalizing heteronormative narratives from our peers, advertisements, media, movies, and TV shows. Everything around us reinforced the notion that if a boy and a girl were close, they had to be more than friends.

This anecdote resurfaced in my mind recently, and it struck me how pervasive this conditioning was—even in 2007, when societal attitudes had already progressed somewhat compared to the 1980s. Now imagine how amplified this must have been in the '80s, which sheds light on the behaviors of Lucas, Dustin, and Nancy (and others by the way) in Stranger Things.

These three characters—Lucas, Dustin, and Nancy—each insinuated that Mike had romantic feelings for El based solely on his acts of kindness and care for her. It becomes much easier to understand their reactions when you realize they were operating under the same heteronormative assumptions that shaped our childhoods. After all, didn’t we all have our own versions of Lucas and Dustin who convinced us we were in love with our Maximilien or El?

Before Lucas’s heteronormative remark, Mike had done nothing more than show empathy for El—protecting her and taking care of her after she told him she was being hunted by “bad men” and that her life was in danger. Mike’s actions stemmed from compassion and the fact that she had information about Will’s disappearance, not romantic interest. Their interactions were simply those of two kind-hearted kids getting to know each other, with Mike admiring her powers (like any kid fascinated by superheroes) and El being drawn to Mike’s stable family life—a concept foreign to her.

But then Lucas planted that tiny seed: “If you’re this nice to her, you must be in love with her.” From that point on, Mike started behaving more timidly around El, his perception of their interactions skewed by Lucas’s words. Dustin reinforced this by accusing Mike of neglecting their friendship because of El, which was a childish and reductive observation considering the circumstances. Nancy, too, perpetuated this when she directly asked Mike, “You like El?” after he inquired about her feelings for Jonathan.

All these comments were rooted in internalized heteronormativity—small seeds planted in Mike by his friends, just as their families, communities, and society had once planted similar seeds in them.

The result? Mike simply conformed to what he thought he was supposed to feel. If everyone said he loved El, then he must love her, right? So he invited her to the Snow Ball and kissed her—because that’s what he believed he was “meant” to do. After all, she had superpowers like the heroes he admired, and as a bullied, insecure boy who often felt powerless, her attention gave him a sense of validation. She needed him, depended on him, and he felt useful and in control by taking care of her.

At the same time, he barely knew her—they’d only spent a week together, and beyond the immediate crisis and her love of Eggo waffles, there wasn’t much else he understood about her. Still, this fleeting connection gave him emotional and psychological comfort during Will’s disappearance and presumed death—a situation where he felt utterly helpless.

All of this resulted in Mike simply doing what he thought he was supposed to feel and do: "If everyone says I love her, then I must love her, right? So let's invite her to the dance and kiss her! Besides, she has powers like my favorite superheroes—that's pretty cool for a bullied boy who looks like a frog, isn't it? If she's interested in me, wouldn’t that prove I'm normal after all? Plus, she depends on me, she needs me, she's lost without me, and I have to take her under my wing. I feel useful taking care of her! It's only been seven days since I met her, so honestly, apart from the urgent situation we're in, I know almost nothing about her except that she likes waffles. But at least, during this week, we needed each other, and emotionally and psychologically, it helped me cope with the disappearance and presumed death of my best friend—a friend who vanished after leaving my house, where I feel 100% powerless to protect or save him. Having some sense of control by taking care of El, who clearly needs me, might just be my way of projecting? Also, she looks like a boy with her short hair, and she was mistaken for Will three times throughout the season—what a coincidence!"

I also noticed that in Season 4, the Duffer Brothers repeatedly wrote into the script how Robin and Steve are often mistaken for a couple by others. This happens because people don’t know Robin is a lesbian, but more importantly, because they can’t comprehend how Robin and Steve can be so close, so in sync, and have such incredible chemistry without being romantically involved. And yes, it’s absolutely possible—some people can be your soulmate without being in a romantic relationship with you. In fact, there are relationships that are healthier and more balanced as friendships rather than as romantic partnerships, and the people involved often realize this themselves. This doesn’t diminish the genuine love they have for each other. They love each other, they don’t want to lose one another, it’s just not romantic. It doesn’t take away from the strength or depth of the bond they share—it’s simply a different kind of love for a different kind of relationship.

This dynamic becomes even more compelling when you consider how heteronormativity shaped not only Mike’s understanding of his feelings but also everyone else’s perceptions of their relationship. Like Lucas, Dustin, and Nancy, we’ve all been influenced by these societal norms, projecting them onto others and perpetuating them, often without even realizing it.

[aventurineswife]

👀 how about we do sahsrau again, but this is different, this is something normal like the acolyte not obsessed with creator! Reader.

I wonder what amphoreus character's reaction will be, when we came to their planet, start with the scene when phainon appear and slash dan heng's spear into two. At first phainon didn't know that we are a creator but when dan heng and caelus always calling us 'your grace' he is curious and start ask both astral express crew about it and boom! He know that we are a creator and maybe apologize for not calling us 'your grace' and then after for a few days they spent at amphoreus planet, there's a rumor there's a creator in their planet. I heard that Anaxa is not believe in creator but, will his belief change or not after he meet us 🤔? .

I guess I can't escape this au...

Anyways! 💖

This is a really interesting idea! A non-obsessive "Creator!Reader" dynamic in SAHSRAU sounds refreshing, especially since Amphoreus is already a fascinating place with its own belief systems.

So, if we start with Phainon slashing Dan Heng's spear in two, that already sets the tone—he's not here to play around. He probably sees the Astral Express crew as intruders or at least as people who shouldn't be interfering. But then, when he keeps hearing Dan Heng and Caelus refer to you as "Your Grace," he gets curious. I imagine Phainon as someone who doesn’t blindly believe things, so at first, he might think it’s just some fancy title or a strange custom.

Once he realizes they’re serious, and that they genuinely believe you are the Creator, he probably takes a moment to process it. Maybe he even scoffs a little at first, like, "You expect me to believe this?" But after watching you, the way the Astral Express crew defers to you, the way things seem to subtly shift around you—maybe he starts to reconsider. Not in an obsessive way, but in a logical way. Like, "There’s something different about you."

Now, as for Anaxa? That’s tricky. We know he’s a skeptic, which means even if rumors start spreading, he’s not going to just accept them. If he does meet you, I think he’d be polite but firm in his beliefs. He might even challenge you a bit, ask for proof, or question why a "Creator" would travel with the Express instead of ruling over worlds. Maybe he’d see you as just another powerful being, not a divine one.

But would his belief change? I think it depends on what happens. If something undeniable happens—something that aligns with the legends or something he can’t explain—he might start doubting his disbelief. Not a complete turnaround, but maybe he’d consider the possibility. And that could be an interesting dynamic: someone who doesn’t want to believe but slowly realizes they might not have a choice.

Again this might be ooc since I have never played HSR and have no knowledge about the Amphoreus quest... I'm too lazy to watch hours of a yt video so yeah 🧍‍♀️

[haedalkoo]

Hey! I thought of a question for you. What in your opinion was the most revealing moment of jikook's relationship, from a korean language standpoint? I know it might be very hard to answer since there are so many moments, but pick your favorite 💜 thank you! 🫂

OMG this is such an interesting question, and so hard to pick. I think most of the jikook moments that scream in whispers that they might be something more than friends are not just through the language, but everything that surrounds the familiarity and comfort and trust that surrounds the way they speak to each other.

I can point out Jimin's phone call to JK during his birthday live, the quiet words and the satoori slipping and that sweet "can i put you on speaker?" followed by JK refering to him as his "small and precious hyung."

I can talk endlessly about JK choosing the words pretty and cute to describe Jimin every. single. time. because his admiration for Jimin runs a little differently than it does with other members-- yes, they all love each other and he finds his hyungs smart, sexy, strong, incredibly cool and fascinating-- but his way of describing Jimin just pulls my heartstrings. Because he respects him as an artist so much, and their work ethics are copy-paste (that's why it's always these two staying for longer rehearsals, why they ride the same car on and off work, etc.) but he also finds him sexy, charming, pretty, cute, cute cute- even his toes are cute! The adjectives he uses for him are just slightly different, idk. it's so crazy

There's also this one moment from that Run BTS ep where they're both blonde and JK's mom tells JM she loves him (ALSO THAT!) where JK's saying "oh we're cooked all the other teams have smart members" and JM goes ??? YAH YOU HAVE ME? and he specifically says "넌 나를 가졌어?" which I think I already wrote a post about but basically, the verb he used was a little weird in the context they were in since it indicates a stronger sense of posession? that's why it's typically used to describe that someone is dating this or that person. Jimin was like I'm yours??? Isn't that enough for you??? (obv joking) AND IT'S JUST SO. UGHH. CAN YOU GUYS CHILL.

ALSO. god im going on and on about this but remember The NJ vlive? That's what did it for me. Jimin caressing his chest and then his chin, telling JK 'I love you' bc he was a little upset, a little pouty, and then whispering "I made my apology so may I go now?" to what Jungkook replied IN THE SOFTEST AND SWEETEST WHISPER "yeah you may" with a shy smile... I'm sorry but why is your hyung asking you for permission. Why is he suddenly talking formally and being all obedient.

Which btw, those switches to overly formal speech are so common with jikook when they're messing around, and it happened during his birthday call as well. it's always that little roleplay where JM loses his hyung privileges (only to take them back at the end lol).

Sorry, they drive me crazy.

Ahem.

I'm not sure this totally answered your question, but I'd say it's bc they are very catious with their speech and they just don't let certain things slip, or if they do, it's always under the pretense of a joke, so u can't really pinpoint one specific moment that tells-all. The complexity behind Jikook and their dynamic is what makes their bond so special and beautiful. 💗💗

[tls12lessthan3]

on a more serious note though i do love 1863rd han sooyoung offering yoo joonghyuk a way out of his miserable life because he hasn't really made the choice to keep going since the 0th turn, and he doesn't even remember it. he hasn't had any autonomy in this respect in his entire life as far as he knows, which is of course necessary to make his choice to listen to kim dokja meaningful. he's only able to discover his desire for life by giving him the right to refuse it. which is why i find their dynamic so interesting here because it contains a sort of inherent contradiction - han sooyoung is in complete control of yoo joonghyuk here, an absolutely tantalizing relationship, a master bringing a dog to heel. at the same time, she's the only one whos giving him any active control over his life. and of course the contradiction only becomes clearer when the author/character reveal happens, a big question mark is slapped over yoo joonghyuk's entire being, and you realise the same woman who gave him that out was the one who wrote him so he'd never take it. there's a strange contrast that often plays out between them, and its really fascinating to watch. they've got some weird shit going on for sure!