#this is the only valid straight ship for caroline actually

[kmze]

Just wanted to let you know that after our discussion on s7,I looked up on YouTube and found this one interview that had Plec,King,Neil and Melinda talking about the season.And I laughed because what they said and what happened was so so different.This proves, yet again, that what writers say in interviews are either lies or they mostly make up sh** to bait and switch.I mean we already knew julie wasn't involved in that season but she straight-up made up a scene where Caroline wasn't ready to leave Stefan behind when Stefan's life was in danger.And Neil said they knew going from s6 that the long arc of s7 would be about Damon-Bonnie and Stefan-Caroline.I don't remember Bamon and Bonnie getting importance at all except the first few episodes and the last few episodes although most of that was happening in Enzo's presence.The only two things that remained constant were Plec blaming Candice for getting pregnant and Dries for the flash forwards.Unbelievable!

Oh Anon I had no idea they did hour long podcasts for each season a few years ago until this! I've seen snippets of the clips on Twitter but I didn't realize it was a whole series. So I watched it and I actually felt like it validated my theory that Dries was behind so much of the S7 fuckery. There's a part where Julie says she can't do "math" storylines and that Dries whole pitch about the FF involved that so that's why she stepped away from the plotting of that. Makes sense Dries would use that to be like "oh don't worry I got this whole plan it's gonna be great" and Julie believed her until she started seeing the finished episodes (while they aired apparently *sigh*) and was like WTF. I feel like Neil and Melinda were talking about what they thought the season was going to be about with continuing the arc but then Dries derailed that.

I mean Neil's episodes had good Bonnie and Bamon in them (7x04 then later 7x21) so it makes sense he'd say that even if overall it wasn't a lot. That's because Dries hates Bonnie and I remember her being so rude to Kat at SDCC before that season aired when Kat was talking about how fans liked Bamon. Julie hates it too but at she'll at least give importance to their friendship, Dries does everything in her power to exclude it. Julie also said how Stefan and Caroline's storyline changed once Candice told them she was pregnant. I thought there was going to be way more Lily/Caroline/Stefan in S7 especially in regards to vampirism/ripper-dom but instead Valerie got inserted there. I remember how in 7x01 Valerie has straight light brown hair and then it becomes curlier and blonder as the season progresses and I know that was intentional.

I think the lazy development of Bonnie and Enzo falls on her too! I know a lot of people like them but I just find them so basic, I never like ships with so little build-up like that. They also talked about how they had to connect the FF with the current episode and I feel like that caused BS too like Stefan burning the car and needing to say in the present "do whatever you want but do not touch my car" was a jab at SC because Lily was holding Caroline captive.

Edited to add: OMG there was a lot sorry, I don't know what Julie was talking about with the motel scene and Candice seemed to confuse it with the scene in 7x12(I think?) when Matt saved her in news studio but, Neil was the only one who knew what he was talking about there. He summed up the 7x21 scene as at first how Stefan didn't respect Caroline's choice (TO DIE FFS) by being caveman-y but then they talked it out and why he did it. But that scene has wayyyy more nuance to it in the overall character of Stefan that can't be explained in a podcast setting like that.

[dying-suffering-french-stalkers]

For the ship game: prime numbers for Lupin x Jigen!

HERE YOU GO GHOST, THIS WAS FIVE PAGES IN A GOOGLE DOC AND TOOK ME SEVERAL HOURS

Under a cut, allegedly, though mobile has been known to just IGNORE THAT. Sorry in advance if this gets goofed for anyone.

2) Who is always horny and will have sex at any time, in any place?

Lupin, obviously (and canonically). Just the horniest man you ever did see. Jigen knows what he wants and when he wants it, but he has difficulty keeping up with Don Juan Triumphant over there. Lupin is also far less picky about locations and times than Jigen is. Jigen still has a FEW standards, thank you, and also a stronger sense of self-preservation. Lupin sometimes tries to start shit in public or during a heist and Jigen is like “I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT BUT CAN WE NOT.” The closest to public anything Jigen will put up with is bar bathroom/back-alley hookups, and he doesn’t really tend to do that with Lupin or Goemon since they have secondary locations far more suited to such activity (or at least the damn Fiat, if nothing else). That said, Jigen is a spiteful bastard and gets a huge kick out of riling Lupin up over the walkie-talkie during jobs. He is more than happy to get jumped by his boss after they make it out and secure the loot.

3) Who is more into taking showers/baths together? Who tries to make it relaxing and who tries to make it sexy time?

Honestly, while I can totally see Lupin and Jigen doing this with their other partners, I have a harder time imagining the two of them doing this together and I’m not sure why. I feel like these two on their own both like the privacy bathing gives them, whether it’s to clean wounds or decompress from a job.

On the occasions when they do bathe together, I feel like it’s an unspoken kind of thing, where the other person quietly slips in the tub/shower with them and they just don’t bother protesting. I think Lupin is more likely to join Jigen in his bathing, but if Jigen is sleepy enough or lonely enough he might do the same. There is a lot of mutual appreciation of scars. They’ve definitely smoked in the tub before (Intricate Rituals™). Lupin is probably more likely to get handsy, because Lupin, but two can play that game if Jigen is feeling it, and also Jigen gives Lupin a run for his money in the staring department. No hat to hide behind now.

Lupin has also 100% done the whole “Hey Jigen, do you know if—stop screaming, it’s me—do you know if we have any more instant dashi? Goemon’s gonna slice up the sofa if I ruin soba night again.”

5) Who sleeps on the couch when they get into a fight?

Jigen, but to be fair, he canonically sleeps on the couch most nights (possibly to keep an eye on the door, possibly because he knows that place, at least, is always “acceptable” for him to occupy). It’s an odd night if you don’t see Jigen out there with a glass and a bottle of scotch and an old movie on TV. The main difference is that if he and Lupin have been fighting, he won’t bother with the formality of a glass and the TV will be playing far louder or not at all.

7) [A] Who said “I love you” first? And [B] who ends their arguments in a fight with “Because I love you”?

I hate to take the coward’s way out here, but I think the answers are A) either one - depends on the headcanon/fic/version of the characters I’m feeling that day, and B) both.

For A, they’re both the sort of people to show their love—true love/affection, not just flirtation/infatuation, LUPIN—in action, not words. Lupin is a man of many words to a fault, generous with his verbal and physical affection, so Lupin has to find a way to make sure Jigen knows he means it and how he means it. He may rightly fear that Jigen won’t believe him (or else believe him but take it platonically) if he says “I love you” to his face, so first he’ll show him through every little action he can. Jigen is a man of few words to a fault, so saying personal stuff like that out loud is both a last resort and the point of no return. Getting him to say it at all, unambiguously, and while sober is like pulling teeth. Once one of them finally spits it out, though, I think the other is quick to reciprocate (again, if they manage to say it clearly and under good circumstances and not ambiguously/while drunk or wounded/etc. They’re both idiots and selective cowards so this is a big if). The mutual relief is palpable and immediately followed by sex, because they’re both (horny) idiots and selective cowards who do not want to talk about Emotions and Personal Things any more than strictly necessary.

For B, ohhhh man, if it isn’t that same emotional avoidance coming to bite them in the asses! Looks like talking about deep emotions is strictly necessary after all! You know it’s a Big Important Argument for them if this is what it comes to. This is going to tie in somewhat to the answers for 11, 17, and 23, so stay tuned. “Because I love you” coming from either of them should give the other pause, but if they are angry enough, they’re both quite likely to storm off after that declaration anyway. They’ll come back and have a real discussion later, but the shock or frustration of that arresting declaration dropped in the middle of an argument is something neither of them are great at dealing with. Hearing that from Jigen might be enough to stop Lupin in his tracks, but Lupin might also be so dead-set on something that he’ll steamroll right over it even if he knows he’ll regret it later. Hearing that from Lupin probably only makes Jigen angrier because of his awful self-esteem (see answers 11 and 23), and even if he’s been working on that, his instinct will be to snarl “Yeah, right” and storm out the door. I like to think that one day they are able to get to the heart of the argument sooner (because this is almost always it) and work on the behaviors that worry the other so much, but alas, they are a mess.

11) Who makes fun of the other for having a crush on them, and who has to remind them that they are in a relationship?

Once again, either of them depending on the day.

As you mentioned in your JiGoe post, Jigen says it partly because he thinks it’s funny (“You have a crush on me, Boss? Fuckin’ embarrassing”) but also because he’s fishing for validation. His self-esteem/confidence in anything outside his shooting skills is shit and he still can’t quite believe that Lupin isn’t lying/he hasn’t conned Lupin into something. This is rather overestimating his conning skills and underestimating his many good qualities, but, well, genuine, lasting affection is kinda new for him. Much to Jigen’s annoyance, Lupin figures out exactly what Jigen’s up to after the first few times and answers him seriously (and positively) instead of continuing the “joke”. Lupin loses patience for this particular tactic over time but I like to think that Jigen finally begins believing in the affection, too, so it comes up less and less and one day Jigen might actually play the quip straight without the self-deprecation. Ideally he would just take the damn compliment, but it’s LupJig and banter is one of their love languages.

When Lupin says it, he typically is playing the quip straight and fondly giving Jigen shit for showing an Emotion and motherFUCKER I just realized Jigen could probably be considered a tsundere. I hate this. ANYWAY. Jigen then immediately snarks back that yes, Lupin, considering we’ve been travelling the world together and actively fucking for X years, it’d be damn awkward if I didn’t by now.

13) Who initiates duets? and who is the better singer?

Lupin absolutely initiates duets, or rather, he tries to; whether or not Jigen actually chimes in is another matter entirely. Lupin is also the better singer by far (when he’s sober). He loves singing along to pop and rock in the car (“This is the reason God invented America!”).

Much as it would please me personally to give Jigen a smooth operatic baritone, there’s no way in hell he sounds good after smoking a pack a day for twenty-something years. I think Jigen can carry a tune and he’s a decent hummer and whistler, but his singing voice isn’t spectacular.

Lupin occasionally succeeds in getting Jigen to join him in car karaoke, though as in all things, Lupin is much louder and more impassioned. Jigen frequently hums along under his breath, though, and Lupin loves hearing Jigen’s a cappella renditions of classical music (complete with hand motions).

When Queen starts becoming popular, car singalongs become much more involved because it’s MY silly headcanon and You Are Not Immune To Queen. Jigen cried the first time he heard “Bohemian Rhapsody” and he will kill Lupin if he ever tells Goemon or, God forbid, Fujiko. When the four of them are in the car it’s a full-on Wayne’s World headbanging party. (Pops is the drunk guy they pick up along the way. Also, seeing Payless Shoe Source in this clip dealt me psychic damage.)

Lupin and Jigen (and Goemon) are the living embodiment of the drunk friends singing “Sweet Caroline” post, and Jigen is specifically this version of “Sweet Caroline”.

17) Who is more protective?

THAT IS THE QUESTION, HUH, GHOST? Jigen’s job and, to a certain degree, raison d’être is protecting Lupin, but (to cheat slightly and quote your own DM to me), if you think Lupin won’t raze everything to the ground to keep Jigen (and the others) safe, you don’t know him at all. They are this meme to the deepest of faults. They are both so desperately afraid of losing what they have (and in Lupin’s case, this is tinged with a bonus, even more concerning “what is his”) that they will go full self-sacrificing, scorched-earth policy. This is, in fact, my favorite reason for Lupin to do the worst thing he does: fake his own death to protect his partners. Lupin never stops to think that maybe, JUST MAYBE, he should trust his partners to fake grief and keep the secret long enough for whoever’s on their tail to give up or let their guard slip. Lupin is willing to hurt them in an effort to protect them, so in that way, I suppose Lupin is the “most” “protective”. Jigen’s self-abasement to the point of unhesitating and perhaps even hasty sacrifice is painful, too, but Jigen would never dare go to the same level of deception (except in Goodbye, Partner, apparently? But 1) I haven’t watched it yet and 2) while awful, I still feel like fake betrayal pales in comparison to very convincingly (AND MAYBE REPEATEDLY) faked death).

19) Who drives and who has the window seat?

They split driving duties, but Lupin genuinely loves driving and Jigen is more than happy to prop his feet on the Fiat’s dashboard and smoke or sleep the hours away.

23) Who thinks they are not good enough for the other’s love? and who’s more afraid of losing the other? Who thinks they keep messing up, only for the other to tell them they don’t need to worry?

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!! I think the answer to all of these is ultimately Jigen, but that’s not to say Lupin doesn’t share the exact same worries.

Jigen has a very difficult time believing that his partners’ love is genuine, and since Lupin is the one he knew first, that’s where it first manifests. Jigen has had very, very few good romantic connections in his life (if any). He doesn’t know what Lupin could possibly see in an older, prickly hired killer with a drinking problem and a head full of demons. He’s willing to believe that Lupin keeps him around for his skills, for protection, and for sex, sure, but anything past that? Doubtful. This ties into the other two parts of the question: Jigen is afraid that if he fails in his sharpshooting or his protection, he will be cut out of the gang, or worse, Lupin will end up dead because Jigen slipped up. As mentioned in question 17, Jigen cannot bear to lose Lupin and he would never forgive himself if he believed it was somehow his fault. Accordingly, Jigen takes “failure” that exceeds his usual margin of error very seriously in the early days. Later, he is better about this, but the worst-case scenario still stands.

Lupin, on the other hand, has had plenty of romantic connections, some good, some bad, though it is perhaps telling that Fujiko is his longest romantic relationship other than Jigen. He is afraid that if he doesn’t put on the world’s greatest show at all times, no one will give a rat’s ass about some scrawny grandson of an old French thief (or the perhaps unwanted/disliked son of a ruthless crime lord, because I love that fanon for Lupin the Second). He must live up to and indeed surpass the previous Lupins, he must shower his partners in money and adventure, he must always, always come out on top no matter how south the plan goes, or else what is the point of him? It takes time for him to turn his persona off for more than a few seconds, to let the quieter, sometimes contemplative side that slips through the cracks come to rest out in the open. Years down the road, Jigen finally gets up the courage and the words to tell Lupin that he would love him no matter what he did or where he went, even if that was nothing and nowhere. And again, see question 17 re: losing Jigen.

29) Who does some crazy stunt to try and impress the other and who ends up driving them to the emergency room after it backfires?

Lupin is by far the most guilty of this. He’s constantly pulling dumb shit, whether that be for World-Renowned Gentleman Thief reasons or just He May Be Stupid reasons. Case in point: the tunnel scene in The First, after which Jigen was duly impressed. Fortunately for Lupin, Lady Luck must be head over heels for him because the bastard keeps surviving, but sometimes even she can’t save him from medical consequences. Jigen bulk-ordered “Stupid Hurts” band-aids specifically for Lupin. Jigen’s bad choices are more likely to literally backfire on him, but Goemon more than makes up for Jigen’s slack in the Crazy Stunt department.

[jbuffyangel]

Hi Jen! I know you're a diehard Stelena shipper so here's my question for you with a bit of backstory. I was a hardcore Stelena fan until when Stephan made Elena think he'd drive them off the bridge (3x10?) so she'd let him go. I understand why he did it, but that went too far for me and i couldn't ever ship them again after that. I couldn't get over him forcing her to relive her most traumatic moment, regardless of his reasoning. What are your thoughts on that moment in their relationship?

Yeah, that was a real low point in Stelena’s story. For me, not as low as Stefan drowning in a safe all summer while Elena banged his brother, but still low.

Before we get into this I’m going to just say - every viewer has to draw their own line in the sand. If that moment was your line that’s completely fine. I may have different lines for different shows and characters, but I don’t believe anyone’s lines are more valid than others.

So here’s the way I look at The Vampire Diaries Nonnie - they are all terrible people. Arguing morality with these characters is a black hole. They are all murderers. In fact, if a character runs the straight and narrow for too long Julie Plec & Co. actually went out of their way to make that character do something horrible. 

Case in point - Caroline. Pure sunshine.

She murdered only one person and it was when she was a newbie vamp. By the numbers count Caroline was doing pretty good for TVD. Then she was up on the moral high ground and threw a lot of judgement Damon’s way (well deserved in my opinion). She was extremely anti Delena in Season 4 and was not pleased with Elena’s choices as a vampire. So what did the writers do? They had her kill 12 witches in 4x17. Say goodbye to the moral high ground, Caroline.

That’s the show and you are going to do terrible things if you’re a vampire. Humans like Matt, Jeremy and Bonnie fared better, but each makes morally questionable, if not down right wrong, decisions. Their opinions about vampires and all the murderer was typically correct, but frequently viewed as judgmental by fans.

So what’s my point? Any fan of the love triangle got on board with these relationships with full knowledge the brothers were killers. Just because Stefan was a solid dude when Elena met him didn’t erase the fact he spent the better part of the 1920s ripping people’s heads off. Hell, Damon murdered people while he was dating Elena. Murder is not a deal breaker- either to Elena or Stelena/Delena fans. If Elena was supposed to end up with the most moral person on TVD she should’ve married this blue eyed cupcake.

Stefan (or Damon for that matter) being cruel to Elena didn’t really make me want to peace out on the show or stop shipping their relationship. Just because Elena is the focus of the terrible thing doesn’t suddenly make it more terrible than all the other things Stefan and/or Damon have done.

I’m not going to defend what Stefan did. You are kinder to him than I am because I think it had zip to do with forcing Elena to let him go. Stefan was still on human blood which made him a rage machine. He was pissed at Klaus for destroying his life (rightfully so) and hell bent on revenge. 

Do I believe Stefan, with his humanity switch on, would actually kill Elena? No, which is why I kind of yawned my way through the whole driving her off the bridge plan. Klaus was an idiot for buying it, but the only reason he did was because Elena was terrified. Stefan said her fear sold it. The point was to traumatize her, which makes Stefan an enormous dick. 

And yet, three episodes later he’s off human blood and Elena is begging him to feel something for her. 

This show was ridiculous. Both sides of the love triangle are abusive, co dependent, toxic train wrecks at certain points in the story. Some points last longer than other points, but I’ll side eye any Stelena or Delena fan who argues  differently.

Stefan was faaaaar too “heroic” by The Vampire Diaries standards the first two seasons. In order to make this love triangle a real love triangle Stefan had to be a dick with his humanity switch ON. The whole Ripper/no humanity thing gives him an easy pass. And The Vampire Diaries, for better or worse, was based on the love triangle.

No, in order for Elena to really struggle choosing between the two brothers, and not looking like a loony tune for giving Damon a second look while Stefan was literally the vampire equivalent of Clark Kent, they needed Stefan to go to the dark side. This made Damon step up to the plate and he became the hero in Elena’s life. And we’re off to the races with the love triangle, which was the whole point of Season 3 - ELENA’S CHOICE. If I took a shot every time Elena said, “I don’t know how I feel,” I would’ve permanently damaged my liver.

So why did I keep shipping Stelena after that moment? 

Because I knew what the show was trying to do. Stefan had to do something as terrible as Damon killing Jeremy to even the playing field. 

Do I feel those moments equate? No, but I’m a Stelena fan so that’s not a shock. I own my bias. Bloodaholic Stefan was never going to hurt Elena (no not even turn her into a vampire) whereas Damon literally killed Jeremy. 

I also kept shipping them because I knew this was the low point. I knew good Stefan would start to come back after this. And Stefan, when he’s not ripping heads off, has his humanity switch on, and his blood addiction under control, is one of the best people on that show. Selfless, heroic, warm, compassionate, protective and giving. He’s devoted to Elena and loves her deeply, but he also loves her friends and family. Does Stefan put those people first all the time like Elena wanted him to? No, but he prioritized them a hell of a lot more than Damon. 

I was willing to forgive Stefan for Wickery Bridge because I knew Stefan would feel immense guilt once the haze of revenge lifted and he allowed the full weight of all the things he did hit him. Stefan would punish himself more than I ever could and do everything in his power to make amends because that’s who he is. 

This is the same reason Elena chose Stefan at the end of Season 3. Did he “earn” his redemption by 3x22? No, the dude had been acting good for a total of nine episodes. Well, techinically five if we’re being strict about what constitutes “Good Stefan.” Elena didn’t choose Stefan because of the person he was during Season 3. She chose Stefan because of the man he had been in Season 1 and Season 2. That’s the man she loved and she knew that man had come back. 

But if we’re really being fair - Damon probably deserved to be chosen more than Stefan just based on their behavior in Season 3. Same rules apply for Season 4. Stefan deserved to be chosen more than Damon then.

***Side note. One thing TVD did extremely well was parallels. I loved that she told Stefan on the phone that she loved him in 3x01 and to hold on to that. Then told Damon on the phone that she is choosing Stefan in 3x22. 

(This is also why Elena told Damon she loved him for the first time over the phone. It was to make up for the time she dumped him over the phone and left him for dead. See? They all did crappy stuff to each other CONSTANTLY).

The difference between the brothers is not good and bad. Stefan isn’t entirely good just like Damon isn’t entirely bad. The difference between the two brothers is one fights the good in him while the other fights the bad. Neither are successful in their battles all the time. Stefan did terrible things, with his humanity on, and Damon could be wonderfully heroic and sweet. 

But Damon pushed against that goodness A LOT. Whereas Stefan pushed against his badness A LOT.  I’m not into the bad boys or the anti heroes. I like darkness in my fictional men, but I enjoy watching them fight it and not relish it. 

But I don’t glean any morality from The Vampire Diaries. It was a fantasy show. It’s crap I watched for fun and had pointless, but entertaining, ship debates with strangers on the Internet. Nor do I apply my real world principles to my shipping preferences. I am married to the kindest, gentlest, most moral man I know. I like the goody guys with NO darkness in real life. I would never allow my kid to date a Stefan or Angel or hell not even Oliver Queen in real life. Are you nuts???? THEY MURDERED PEOPLE.

But in my fantasy world, yes I am extremely forgiving. Not unlike Elena Gilbert, Buffy Summers and Felicity Smoak. Oliver Queen is as squeaky clean as I get. It’s a little easier I think with Angel (versus Stefan) because he only did horrible things after he lost his soul, which was not his fault. 

It’s really two personas. I love Angel, but I hated Angelus. I never wanted Buffy to hook up with Angelus. 

Does that erase his responsibility over Jenny Calendar? 

Nope. But simply because I knew Jenny Calendar as a viewer, and Angel was hurting people Buffy loved, doesn’t suddenly make that murder worse than all the others Angelus killed. Just because Buffy didn’t know those people, and they died hundreds of years ago, doesn’t make their lives any less valuable. But I got on board with Buffy dating Angel knowing all that before he lost his soul, so the morality factor didn’t really change after he got his soul back. Make sense?

It’s similar with Stefan. Stefan and The Ripper are two personas, but TVD liked to muddy the water a little more than Whedon with the humanity switch - a grey area. But in general I divide his character into two selves. 

Now, in real life if I was on a jury these guys would be serving 25 to life. But this is fantasy. Vampires don’t really exist. Teenage girls don’t date men over 110 years old. It’s illegal.

Characters like Stefan and Angel are an allegory. They represent the struggle between good and evil that live within all of us. The writers use vampirism to represent our sinful nature. The human struggle to be good and battle against our (hopefully) lower scale darkness/sins is the only real moral lesson I apply. That and always put Paul Wesley in a white tank top.

So, that’s how I look at that scene Nonnie. As I said before it is completely fine for that to be the moment you stopped shipping Stelena. I never stopped shipping Stelena and I never will, which is why they are one of my OTPs. They are a tragic story, but I will always love them. Despite all of Stefan’s terrible mistakes, I will always believe he was the best choice Elena ever made.

[charismaticsage]

so I ve been wondering about JoMo. I saw him answer in comic con. He was trying to brush off Klaus& Camille connection, and reasoned that Caroline was still alive. Granted that he was trying to please fan, but I heard that he liked Caroline, and had a crush on Candice, but she was already taken. Is that true? I find it hard to believe that he doesn't like Klamille pairing, frankly because the on-screen chemistry btw Klaus & Camille seemed to suggest otherwise.

(Kcers are gonna say JM and CA had romantic feelings for each other behind the scenes to make them feel better about their ship. I don’t believe it, there were actually signs he liked Kat G (Bonnie). He told the writers he wanted to work w/ Kat, he wanted klonnie (as opposed to kc for his romantic pairing), and I think he spent Thanksgiving or some other holiday w/ Kat’s family. But if you really want to know more I’d ask a tvd/Bonnie blog.) 

OKAY here’s the thing w/ JM: he’s a people pleaser. To the point where he’s a spineless coward. He didn’t stand up for Leah or Phoebe during TOs run despite the MASSIVE hate they received for their respective dynamics with Klaus (although Phoebe’s died down because she was romantically paired with Elijah and Jackson). So, I don’t respect him, and I don’t expect him to ever acknowledge klamille as the romantic soulmate pairing they are. I received an ask about why I don’t respect JM, and I answered with receipts so if you’re interested here.

Now, way back when when the first half of s1 was airing (before klamille received all the fandom backlash), JM openly praised klamille. 

“ As for Leah who plays Camille, I filmed my favorite scene with her. It’s later on in the episode and I don’t really say much, but I think it’s some of the best acting I’ve done. I don’t know what you guys will think but to me, that scene stood out. For me, she was really solid. She made some interesting choices as an actress and came across so strong in the pilot.”

(tvd 4x20)

JoMo teased that there will be “some distance” between the two, though it sounds like they have an epic scene coming up. Joseph called it “an amazing scene in episode nine, which I’m really proud of. We got loads of nice comments for the scene we did in episode 4 where I… compel her to forget everything again, and we were really proud of that scene.“

Here’s some more gifsets of Joseph talking about klamille in s3 at Comic Con &JM and LP talking about klamille scenes , JM and LP bts 

My point? In no way shape or form does JM ever outright hate on Leah or klamille. in fact, out of all the love interests, she’s the only actress whose abilities he praises. He respected her and knew they worked well to elevate each other in scenes. 

Now again, he’s a people pleaser. In s1 he was trying to make sure TO got picked up for s2 and he didn’t want to risk alienating any fans because he has no spine. So he’d never outright praise klamille bc he didn’t want to piss off klaroline shippers, or klayley shippers, or stans who didn’t want Klaus in any romantic relationship. He’d downplay klamille even though they were getting straight up romantic scenes. What you see at cons and fan meet and greets is a continuation of his old habit. If he senses he’s in a room full of kcers, he’ll pander to them, which is what you saw.  “Well Cami’s dead” no shit Sherlock. He stated the truth, without saying too much. He didn’t outright choose Caroline, you can also take that to mean “so you’re only choosing Caroline because Cami’s dead? Is she the backup?” or kcers can twist it to mean “Klaus is ready to move on, he picks Caroline over Cami”. It pisses me off how he never gives an outright answer, but that non answer is enough to sate kcers. He’s careful like that. BUT, he also took a picture with a klamille fan saying Cami deserved better.  JM will do the minimum to not offend.

He hadn’t acknowledged Leah on social media in YEARS but he came on twitter to tweet her an official goodbye and thank you. Out of the goodness of his heart? Because he’s a good leader? NOPE bc after 3x19 aired there was huge backlash on twitter, and it lasted the entire weekend (the ep aired on a Friday). I mean it was the nastiest ugliest rage the writers had ever seen (bigger than all the hate Cami and ck haters left in their mentions for 3 seasons). JM saw the criticism of the show, and him as the lead, and he hurried up and tweeted Leah. 

Please, save yourself the headache of looking to JM to validate klamille or gush about them. Those days were over as soon as fans flooded his mentions w/ their anti klamille hate. I suggest you do what I do, and look to canon where we have more than enough material to fangirl over. You can also check Leah Pipes’ likes and replies on twitter, every now and then she’ll like a klamille tweet or respond to a fan. I compiled some of them here. 

[sunshineandfangs]

Klarosummer - Bali, Indonesia || Terbang Menjauh

@klarosummerbingo

​Caroline stared up at her light yellow ceiling from where she was sprawled on her bed. Even gazing straight up she could see in her peripherals the gaps where photos and cheer competition trophies and wall decorations used to be.

Most of her things had been moved to her dorm in Whitmore, leaving only the essentials in her old bedroom. And as Caroline laid in the bare bones of her childhood she wondered to herself what the hell she was doing.

She had turned down acceptances to her child self’s dream schools, bundling herself up and shipping away to somewhere close to home. And she had her list of reasons. Wanting to be close to her mom. Wanting to be close to her friends. Not wanting to waste the limited amount of time she had left with her human life, not when she had all of eternity promised to her.

And they were valid and important reasons, but she was also tired. 

College was supposed to be one of her last big human milestones. Instead she and her friends were inundated with more Supernatural shenanigans: killing Silas (again!), burying collateral damage (how she fucking hated those words), uncovering anti-vampire secret societies (Augustine 0/10, do not recommend), Travelers, endless friggin’ drama.

So, that’s how she ended up here. 

Contrary to her Caroline Forbes neurotic, control-freak on crack persona, she had spontaneously taken the weekend off to just get some space. Some perspective.

The sound of the front door opening carried up to her ears.

“Hey, Mom?” She called out, already half-down the stairs.

In uniform, as always, her mom jolted, hand going for her gun holster until she processed who was there. 

The woman relaxed, though her eyebrows pinched together a bit, confused.

“Sweetie, I wasn’t expecting you.” The older blonde set down her coat, lips slightly down-turned. “Is something wrong?”

Caroline shifted, fingers rubbing at the material of her floral dress.

She bit her lip. 

“Mom? ...Would-would you be angry if I took a break from college?”

And although Caroline’s relationship had vastly improved with her mother (it only took her death), she was still surprised by the calm reaction. 

Her mom just pulled a chair out from the kitchen table and sat down.

“Can you tell me why?”

She paced back and forth, trying to put her mental state into words. 

“I just- I feel tired. Right now, school is actually one of my lower priorities because it seems some new supernatural problem pops up every week. And even if that wasn’t part of the issue, I also know I can go do school anytime. Hell, I can go more than once if I really want to. And honestly, I never thought it would be me who’s saying something like this, but I want more time to discover what it is I want from my life.” 

Caroline turned to face her mother, offering a slightly self-deprecating smile. 

“You know me, I had all these plans. My five, ten, twenty year goals and lists and priorities all mapped out. And then a year ago I had to scrap most of it.” She ran a hand through her curls, turning slightly to pace a few more steps. “But now, I’m coming to realize maybe I’ve been clinging too hard to the parts I had left, rather than scrapping it and coming up with a new plan. One that works for the me I am now.”

“You seem to have given this a lot of thought.”

A giggle burst from Caroline’s lips. 

“Actually I haven’t! Maybe it’s been building for a while, but earlier today I just hopped into my car and drove down here.” 

She turned back to face her mom, hearing as the woman stood from her chair and walked over.

Her hand was warm but firm on Caroline’s shoulder.

“Caroline, I know we haven’t always been the best people to each other, and I haven’t always been the best mom. But I did always want you to be happy, healthy, safe. And this is the first time in a while I’ve seen you truly passionate about something. So, if you came here for my blessing, you have it.” The sheriff affixed a wry little grin on her face. “And if you wanted my guidance... well, maybe a happy medium between a twenty year plan and hopping in the car.”

Caroline’s resulting smile was enormous, practically beaming in delight. And she threw her arms around her mother, all but smothering the poor woman in a hug as she hid the beading tears starting to gather at the corner’s of her eyes.

“Thanks, mom,” she whispered.

Back in her room, having hashed out some of the logistics of leaving so suddenly (Thanks, Mom!), Caroline dug out her old globe. She grinned, tickled by the cliche she was about to indulge in.

Shutting her eyes and giving it a quick spin, she set her index finger on the textured plastic as it slowed and stopped.

Eyes opening, her finger traced over the bright pink islands. Small black text declaring her destination.

“Indonesia,” she breathed in wonderment.

A smile started to stretch across her face, she knew little about Indonesia.

In a blur, Caroline darted around the room, snatching up her laptop and scrounging through her near empty desk for a notepad and a sad three little highlighters (cyan, pink, and yellow).

And even as she pulled page after page of Google results, her tab count growing by the second, another resource idea wiggled around in the back of her head. Almost subconsciously her hand reached for her phone, pulling up her contacts, and pausing. Her thumb hovering over the K’s as Caroline glanced down at the screen.

Spontaneity has been working for me.

Before she could second guess herself and talk herself out of it, she tapped the name, pulling up the little menu and hitting ‘Call.’

It rang.

Ring. Ri-

“Hello, Caroline.”

“Klaus,” she breathed.

“I must say, sweetheart, this is a pleasant surprise. After our lovely rendezvous in the woods I wasn’t expecting to hear from you so soon.” She could hear the smile in his words and felt a bloom of heat in her cheeks (God, she couldn’t wait until she didn’t blush so noticeably anymore. Old vampires got all the perks). And then his tone shifted. “You’re not calling because you’re in trouble are you? I haven’t received any such news recently, but if you need something just say the word I’ll-”

Caroline cut him off with a laugh, ignoring the little flutter of her heart and the silly grin on her face. “No, no, it’s nothing like that!” Pause. “Wait a minute, ‘received any such news’? Klaus!” She admonished.

He was unrepentant. “I have not broken my word, I’ve not set foot in Mystic Falls.”

She scoffed. “Gee, I didn’t think I had to voice how not okay creepy spies are, Klaus. My mistake.”

Rather than reacting to her typical jab, Klaus responded with his unnerving brand of sincerity.

“I will not apologize, Caroline, for wanting some measure of the dangers in your life. Your friends aren’t exactly known for their restraint.”

“Yeah, well,” she mumbled, not having much defense against that. “That still doesn’t make it okay!”

“I’d rather your ire than your death, Caroline. Augustine, the Travelers, Silas? I admit I was a mere hairsbreadth away from breaking my word to you.”

Caroline coughed, flustered. She waved her hand in the air, as if he could see her trying to brush away the sentiment.

“Well, nevermind all that, it’s not why I called.”

She heard a door close and sheets rustle, Klaus having apparently retreated to his room to talk to her. Unbidden, imaginings of his bed sprang into her mind, before she quickly snapped herself out of it.

She cleared her throat. “Right, um, so actually I was wondering, if you had any traveling tips for Indonesia?”

“Indonesia?” He repeated, surprised.

“Um, yeah, I decided I wanted to get away for a little while. See a bit of the world and all that.”

“And college? Building a life for yourself with all your plans and the future and the things you want?” 

She blinked, not having expected to hear her own words parroted back to her.

He continued, seeming to sense the direction of her thoughts in that uncanny way of his. “I remember all our encounters vividly, Caroline, and that day in particular is quite seared into my memory.”

She clicked on one of her forgotten tabs, absently reading the quick tips guide as she tried to calm her suddenly elevated heart-rate. 

Her eyes froze on a line of black and white pixels, unsure of what she was even reading. Did she really want to keep doing this? Wasn’t she trying something new?

So, she took a breath and took a chance.

“I still have plans and things I want, Klaus. It’s just expanded to include some genuine beauty as well. After all I’m free, right? No longer bound by trivial conventions?”

Klaus sucked in a breath, and Caroline was pleased she could catch him off guard for once in this conversation.

“Yes, you’re free, Caroline,” he said softly, layers of meaning in his tone. The words sat heavy between them, the two feeling as if they were on the precipice of something.

And then he cleared his throat. 

“So tell me then, what parts of Indonesia do you most wish to see?”

---

Caroline grinned, pink toe nails gleaming as she wiggled her feet in the smooth, hot sand.

She had been in Bali for a few days now, mostly indulging in its gorgeous beaches. 

Of course Klaus had tried to steer her towards some of the more culturally enriched spots as well as a couple of the hidden gems he had come across in his own travels. But he had conceded (with some grumbling) to her desires to experience the more touristy attractions. 

The beaches were first, just for their sheer relaxation factor, but she also had a list of temples, and Pura Besakih was one she was particularly looking forward to seeing.

And she may have casually mentioned that, perhaps, next time she visited he could show her his preferred places. That earned her another surprised breath and significantly less grumbling. (She was quite glad it wasn’t a video call though, her expression far from the cavalier attitude her voice implied).

Caroline shook herself from her thoughts, eyes glancing around to find the perfect spot to situate herself. Settling on one quickly, she then set it up to her liking. Towel, beach chair, beach umbrella (closed for the moment though, she wanted to bask in the sun first!).

Lounging in her chair, she shucked her shirt and sarong, leaving her clad in a light blue bikini. Sunglasses perched on her nose, she let her eyes drift shut, the sun warm on her skin.

---

She wasn’t sure how long she laid there for, but a frown pulled at her lips as a shadow fell across her.

Wondering which rude fellow beach goer was about to get an earful from her, she cracked an eye open.

Both eyes blew wide as she shoved the glasses up.

“Klaus?!” She spluttered.

He smiled.

“Hello, Caroline.”

...Should she be mad about this? Did she want to be mad about it?

As Caroline continued to stare at him, it was the tinge of uncertainty she saw that convinced her.

Pushing her glasses back down, she leaned back in her chair once more.

“Well,” she sniffed. “Don’t just stand there, you’re blocking the sun.” She held up her fingers. “Sun, sand, swimming, the three essentials of the beach. I won’t settle for just two of the three, Klaus!”

His smile turned into a grin as he quickly sat on her towel, leaning back on his hands as he turned to look at her.

“Lay down, Klaus,” she commanded. “This is quiet, relaxation time. We’ll talk later.” She hesitated before tacking on, “I’m glad you’re here though.”

...

“Don’t let it go to your head!”

Klaus grinned as he laid back.

Too late.

---

Author’s Note: Today’s title is “Fly Away” in Indonesian. Also le gasp, what’s this? Mid-TVD canon divergence?! Wow, I didn’t know I knew how to do that lol. Also the vagueness and timeline jumbling is because I quit watching after season 3 so everything I know after that point I’ve absorbed through fandom osmosis.