#this person is a shipper so it is relevant i promise

[theunsinkableship1]

LUKOLA FANDOM: The bad and the ugly

DISCLAIMER: This is LUKOLALAND only. Skip this if you're not a shipper. This is only my point of view. No harm intended

Luke

Luke has recently found himself at the center of an undeserved hate campaign. Luke is not only a talented actor but also a genuinely kind and down-to-earth person. Those who know him personally often speak highly of his warmth, and strong work ethic. His colleagues frequently commend his positive attitude on set, his dedication to his craft, and his ability to bring a nuanced, relatable charm to his characters.

Despite this, Luke has been unfairly criticized for a range of baseless reasons. One of the most prominent accusations involves "Papgate," where he was allegedly involved in a publicity stunt that some claim detracted from the show's success. However, it's important to recognize that Luke has always been committed to the success of Bridgerton. As a professional, he understands the importance of the show's reputation and would never intentionally jeopardize it. A professional PR team would never have advised Luke to engage in such a stunt, especially given that there was no pressing need or benefit in doing so, after all, the hard launch has yet to occur. It's clear that Luke genuinely admires his good pal Nicola and values their relationship too much to have intentionally ruined their night. The lack of evidence to support these accusations further highlights the unfair nature of this criticism. His hard work and talent should be celebrated, not overshadowed by baseless accusations.

Another point of contention has been Luke's personal life, with some fans unfairly speculating and judging his choices. However, Luke, like anyone, has the right to live his life privately and without undue scrutiny. We might raise an eyebrow at some of Luke's associations and choices, but that's something we can ponder in the privacy of our Lukolaland without spreading negativity. Luke wasn’t jobless; he was taking a well-deserved vacation after months of hard work with his friends before returning to work in August, just like many do. There's nothing out of the ordinary here. It’s important to remember that we don’t have all the details, so we shouldn’t be quick to judge without knowing the full story. I trust that both Luke and Nicola will navigate this situation wisely and come through just fine. He has conducted himself with integrity, and the assumptions made about his relationships are purely speculative and often harmful. It’s wrong to attack him, his family and friends.

Luke Newton is a promising young actor with a bright future ahead of him. Beyond his undeniable talent, he is known for his kindness, and humility. Luke has always been a good-looking guy, though attraction is subjective. If he’s not your type, that’s fine, but many others do find him attractive, and it doesn’t make sense to broadcast your disinterest across Lukolaland. If you’re not a fan, simply move on without trying to ruin it for others. What truly matters is the work he’s done. Luke plays Colin with skill, bringing depth, relevance, and nuance to the role, with a performance that is both detailed and deeply empathetic. If his performance wasn’t to your taste, feel free to critique it constructively, but keep the focus on his acting. Luke is talented, passionate, and generous, and those who know him appreciate and love him for that. Even his Barbie, I mean-his costar, Nicola has nothing but kind words to say about him. While fans may have opinions, it is important to approach these with empathy and respect, rather than extending unwarranted criticism.

Nicola

I've come across articles and comments that unfairly critique Nicola’s appearance, suggesting she isn’t attractive enough due to her so-called "average" or "oversized" body. The only thing average about her body is that it fits an average size. Let's set the record straight: Nicola is neither fat nor skinny, she’s simply herself. And let's stop equating body size with beauty. Fat people can be stunning, just as skinny people can be less so; it's a fact of life. To claim she doesn't meet certain standards of beauty is not only incorrect but downright absurd. Have you seen her? She is a definition of beauty, both inside and out. Her radiance is undeniable, fitting most conventional beauty standards effortlessly with her baby blue eyes. She embodies all the qualities we value collectively in terms of feminine beauty and her body is a Roman empire.

While you might not personally be attracted to her, that view is far from the majority. Nicola outshines 99% of the population, and among the remaining 1%, she’s in the top tier, thanks to the beauty that comes from within. Her intelligence, brightness, and wisdom add to her allure, making her truly captivating. It's absurd to claim that Luke isn't attracted to Nicola simply because she doesn't fit someone's narrow idea of "his type." Attraction is highly personal and goes far beyond superficial traits. Luke and Nicola share an evident deep connection that likely transcends physical appearance, focusing more on personality, shared values, and mutual respect. Moreover, the idea that Luke wouldn’t be attracted to someone as radiant, talented, and charming as Nicola is equally baseless, if anything, she embodies qualities that many find irresistibly attractive. And we have no definitive idea of what "his type" is as both of his exes looked different and the only trait that they have in common is that they’re attractive talented genuine and kind women who are actresses; Its therefore not wrong to assume that Nicola could fit that description and not the contrary. Just as some may assume Nicola isn't his type, the reverse could be just as true, maybe she is not attracted to tall, dark and handsome men with a remarkable shade of blue eyes, which only underscores how irrelevant these superficial judgments are. Nicola is human, at least I think that she is, and like all of us, she might make mistakes. But unlike many, she is thoughtful and deliberate in her life choices. Nicola has every right to choose her own partner, and while we may wish otherwise, that decision is hers alone. She’s independent and career-driven, and she’s certainly not desperately waiting around for just anyone, only for the one who truly makes a difference in her life. That’s likely why she hasn’t publicly claimed anyone yet. Thankfully, we can trust her judgment, as she knows best who brings happiness and adds value to her life.

Tifaine

Within the Lukola fandom, some creators have been unfairly attacked for their dedication and hard work. Tifaine, in particular, has faced criticism despite her contributions to the community. While it may seem unusual to outsiders that grown people dedicate so much time to shipping real people, it is essential to understand that this community is built on love and admiration, not harm. The only people who have the right to criticize this are Luke and Nicola themselves, and they have expressed appreciation for the support they receive from fans. If Nicola or Luke ever express discomfort or a desire to reassess those boundaries, most of us would comply or, would stop because, contrary to popular belief, we are functioning adults with full lives.

Tifaine's work in the fandom has been invaluable, and while disagreements may arise, it is important to recognize the effort and passion she brings to the community.She has certainly sacrificed time, money for the cause and she puts herself out there which attracts a lot of negativity. Based on my understanding, she was merely presenting facts mostly well-known and non-detrimental ones that do not undermine what’s happening between the two leads. She has consistently shown that she cares deeply for both of them and genuinely wishes for their success, whether individually or together. I trust her intentions and appreciate the significant effort she has put into her work, which is far from negligible. Her dedication is commendable, and her contributions have helped create a space where fans can come together to celebrate the love and success of Luke and Nicola.

In conclusion, I believe that the recent wave of negativity in the community is both unwarranted and harmful and frankly quite counterproductive. And if none of them is above criticism, it is crucial to remember that behind the screens they are real people deserving of respect and kindness. As fans, our role should be to support and uplift, not tear down. By fostering a community built on love and understanding, we can ensure that the fandom remains a positive and welcoming space.

[sgiandubh]

A different public

Via tireless @luckydogsgroove - thanks a LOT, chica!- my morning back in Athens starts with this, freshly out:

The mythical NYT, to which this stupid shipper is subscribed since at least the beginning of her mission abroad - along with Le Monde, The Economist and the local best I Kathimerini (The Daily News) these are indispensable work tools.

Lo and behold, it's a completely different vibe in here, far far away from BBC shitty innuendo or the rehashed, diluted Waypoints hogwash in recent interviews. Time to play it seriously and create significant content, not timeline fodder.

Things like this, for example:

I note the slight error - it's 43, not 42 years old - but also the use of 'heartthrob' instead of 'hunk': in the highly formulaic universe of press jargon, this is a -notable- notch up the respectability scale.

And before the Disgruntled Tumblrettes harpies start their grotesque, gratuitous and incompetent bickering again, NYT played by the strike rules and I doubt they would host a strike saboteur in their pages. Stick it way up where you know, duckies:

Of course he had to include her, he always does. And I bet the journo is always nicely asked (also bet he did it personally, not the publicist) to do so in print. And by the way, where did the old, pretzel contorted explanation of " Sassenach means foreigner and I am a foreigner too, and we are all foreigners in a very inclusive Scotland" (not verbatim, just the gist of it) go?

Heh. Thought so. We're back to the good basics and I would take the Sassenach/C association any day. Counting small blessings, here.

Of course, the main info is the SS gin launching: this confirms my theory of a new, younger, urban and more sophisticated crowd for his alcohol. Eat your socks, Mordor. This is how everybody begins to shift gears, when changing marketing and branding strategies: what your hatred and stupidity didn't let you see, is that the mommies were the readily available sandbox for things obviously designed for a greater scale.

I will not comment the 5 GLA highlighted recommendations, that include the Kelvingrove Park, a cheesemonger and a seafood place (I'd try both in a heartbeat), because I have to start my working day and you do not need me to read all this. I will, however, keep readily available a word copy of this article for anyone without a NYT subscription who wants to read it, exactly as I did for C's essay when I commented it at length.

Judging by the three available comments (it is, after all, very fresh), it has been very well received, by a completely different, well-traveled, epicurean urbanite audience. And that is a BIG plus:

I see change. I see different. I see exactly what I needed to see. Unlike LAX, which seems reserved for silly shenanigans, New York is their real US port of call and the place they use when they want to go relevant about something they really care about.

I am back. And I didn't forget I promised you something about Tehran. I think it's feasible, very soon.

Onwards.

PS: I will be completely relieved and happy the second I read something at least similar in The New Yorker. For relevance, primarily: they need that knowledgeable, disposable cash crowd like there's no tomorrow.

[tearsofcalamity]

wriofucker's fine by me lol unless u have another nickname that'd be both as accurate & funny!

i wasn't too clear earlier; i think our mandatory education goes up to 9th grade, and then it's like a minimum of 4(ish) years for a uni degree. so it's not all that different lol

nahh im telling you i had one macroeconomics class once and it fried my fuckin brain. only reason i could stand it was because the professor was too right-brained for his own good (he'd start his lectures with a song he liked. i wrote a bunch of barely-relevant shit abt environmental pollution on the exam—he was super passionate abt it—and he just let me pass<3 loved that guy). ik i said it before but good luck on ur studies!! im sure you'll absolutely kill it out there. and, thank sm! i actually finished the short story assignment last night but im too scared to submit it jdhdj

im so glad you've got more kaveh brewing omg he's so<33 bit of a shame you're not into kavetham (they make me bite & scream) but that's just fine; more kaveh/reader for the world! except the world is me and nobody else<3 can u imagine teasing kaveh in public, maybe he's even all nice & plugged up, and you're warning him not to let a single person figure out what's going on bc he's for your eyes only<3 but it's so difficult and you're relentless and it feels so, so good... he doesn't even care about people finding out anymore, but he wants to be a good boy for you... phew. lord have mercy

HAHA WRIOFUCKER IT IS THEN!! happy to have a named anon :D

ohhhh I see I see! okay yeah so it's pretty similar just a few differences! I think the only reason I'm surviving my business/econ work is cause I've got a math-wired brain lmfao. I've got autism ("high functioning" but I don't really like that term for it, I think the more acceptable one is "low support needs") and I got the "math autism" as my friends put it so that's probably a bigger part of it. I like making spreadsheets and working out equations HAHA, also thank you for the well wishes I actually just found out I passed calc 2 with an 82% so I'm very happy about that!! I'm glad to hear you got your short story done as well, sounds like you're moving through it all good <3!!

HONESTLY I don't hate the ships (like either kavetham or haikaveh I think they're different? like some shippers put the top's name first or something?? I'm not 100% sure) like I TOTALLY see the chemistry don't get me wrong, I think it's mainly just that I get so sad seeing like nearly 0 kaveh content without alhaitham included. I love both of them but kaveh's got such a unique and deep story too, yet people often just kinda treat him like an accessory to alhaitham likely cause he's 4 star and haitham is 5 star so it turns me off of the ships a bit </3 still though that's so true MORE KAVEH/READER!!!!

oh don't even get me started on teasing kaveh in public there's so many ways you could do it and each one would make him squirm more than the last... shove a nice little vibrator deep inside of him, remote controlled of course, and enjoy watching his knees practically buckle every time you up the intensity. ooh, maybe he's giving a one-time academic seminar for some kshahrewar students and you just stand in the corner, grinning at him all the while while he shakes and tries his best to keep his voice level, praying his face isn't as red as it feels...

or play around with him in the tavern, sit right next to him and brush your hand along his inner thigh while he squirms, not sure whether he wants to move closer or further way from you... this one's easier to hide since his flushed cheeks could easily be attributed to a bit too much to drink, but once he's grabbing at your wrist to push your hand into his bulge at last, he knows by your stare that he's messed up. I mean, he hadn't kept his promise to be good, had he? guess you'll just have to rail him over his workbench back at home when he least expects it! (totally ignore his needs/pretend he's not acting super horny when you get back at first, though, he'll be so good for you when you finally do bend him over)

[matan4il]

Hello!

I saw your post where you spoke about the 911's cast and writers being aware of Buddie, and the explicit support from some of the cast for Canon!Buddie.

I am quite new to the fandom and so I was wondering if there were any links you could source for this? I am genuinely curious :)

Funnily enough, I started 911 after loving LS, and saw a lot of buddie content on 911 blogs. I figured it was typical queerbaiting (tumblr 2012 era was ✨️ traumatising ✨️ and so resolved not to ship them.

But then I watched the show and yeah…there were definitely interesting choices made that make Buddie such an intricately beautiful ship. It's a slow burn to rival all slow burns :fire:

Needless to say, I'm now 100% on board!

Hi lovely Nonnie and welcome to the fandom! :D I hope you enjoy everything about it and I am so glad to hear you're on board! *hugs*

Okay, for links... TBH I mostly remember things as they happen, I'm less into saving links, but for you I made the effort, I traced my own steps (who knew I actually remembered where I yelled about certain things two and a half years ago? The power of Buddie), and found the source to the stuff I had in mind when I said Ryan, Oliver, JLH and Gavin have all shown support for Buddie. Her we go...

Let's start with Gavin! Obviously it was explained to him in age-appropriate terms, so take that into account, but still, look at how pure his response is (interview from Oct 2021):

And then they went and they filmed the lasagna scene in 601. You can't tell me that doesn't mean anything!

Now Oliver and Ryan have both expressed support for Buddie more than once, for example you can find my post showing how they were the ones who named our ship! In terms of official interviews, they've mostly given answers that are noncommittal but supportive, stuff along the lines of making sure they don't raise fans' expectations (in case it doesn't happen), but also letting us know they do like the enthusiasm for Buddie, and would be cool if 911 went that way. So most are kind of... let's say diplomatic. I will, however, throw in this live that Ryan did where at first, he had a few answers of that vanilla sort (encouraging the shippers, not promising anything, leaving room for Buddie to happen, but also leaving room for fans who don't want Buddie, and sort off summarizing with, "We'll see what Tim writes"). But then he got a question about Abby and I don't think he could help it, the Buddie shipper just jumped out of him, which I love. I edited and uploaded it to YouTube for you, since stupid Tumblr only allows me to directly upload one vid a post here:

Lastly, but maybe my personal fave, in May 2020, a gay fan of JLH uploaded to his personal IG account a video that he asked her to film with a message for his husband's bday. Here's the relevant part of the vid which I've edited and uploaded for you, where JLH is basically being all of us:

BTW, this is also a reply to the Nonnie who sent this ask:

I know about Ryan, Oliver and JLH but when did Gavin say anything about that?

I hope I managed to answer both of you! Have a great day, and as always, here's my ask tag.

[novelmonger]

For the ship ask, Ed & Winry, Aragorn & Arwen, and Steve & Sharon, please?

Ooh, nice variety! And I ship all of them ^_^

EdWin

What made you ship it?

You know, I actually can't remember when I first started shipping them? It just seemed so obvious they were meant to be, I guess XD Maybe it was in the Barry the Chopper episode in the first anime, when Ed goes to rescue Winry. But I love friends-to-lovers, so I would probably ship them even if it wasn't explicit in canon <3

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

I love how they're completely on the same wavelength in terms of "I will demonstrate how much I love you by yelling at you and beating you over the head" XD I love all those soft moments when they comfort and encourage each other, when they're there for each other. The way Winry doesn't have to pick up a gun and fight to support Ed and Al - and, in fact, she shouldn't! The way Ed looks to Winry as motivation to keep trying, to survive, to make sure he makes it back more or less in one piece. The promise about tears of joy, and the promise about apple pie. They're just so perfect for each other T^T

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Okay, I don't know if this is unpopular or not, but I have this little headcanon that Ed actually does settle down once he and Winry get married, despite how restless he usually is. Depending on what sort of job he gets after the main story, he might travel for work or research purposes or just to visit old friends, but he never stays away for very long. When it's just him and Winry, he might take her with him on his travels, and then after they have kids, maybe he takes them with him sometimes and sometimes leaves them at home. But the point is that, especially once he has his first child, he determines that he is going to make sure he's a constant presence in his children's lives, so they'll never have to experience what he and Al did.

Aragorn/Arwen

What made you ship it?

Mostly because it's canon. I don't have many strong opinions about the relationship, sorry.

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

There is a certain legendary quality to their relationship, hearkening back to the whole Beren and Luthien thing. I also really appreciate Aragorn's tenacity in pursuing Arwen, despite all the obstacles in their way, and how willing Arwen is to love him back, despite what it means for her mortality.

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

The kissing scene in the TTT movie is completely unnecessary, too long, and should have been cut. Fight me. Is that an unpopular opinion? I don't know, but it's one I'll be taking to my grave!

Staron

What made you ship it?

I can't really remember what I first thought of them, but I think it was probably something like, "Aw, they're cute, lookit them :3" And then in CW, I was like, "Yessss, I like this! They work really well together!"

But you know what tipped me over the edge into a feral Staron shipper? I don't think it was the first time, but one of the other times I went to see CW in the theater (I went to see it every weekend it was showing ^^'), during the credits I was sitting there enjoying my thoughts and waiting for the credits scene, when I heard two girls sitting in front of me talking about the movie. When Emily Van Camp's name came up on the screen, one of the girls said, "Ugh, I hate her, she's so ugly and annoying." Right then and there, I said to myself, "Oh yeah? Well, just to spite you, I have just now decided that I love Sharon Carter to death! >:(" Which was only exacerbated when, later that week, I saw an article somewhere about the whole "give Cap a boyfriend" thing, that said Steve and Sharon had no chemistry. (insert baffled animated Legolas face here - um, are we even watching the same movie, person?! o.0) And the more I thought about Sharon, the more I realized how great she is and how perfect for Steve!

(Note: Powerbroker!Sharon is a Sharon from another timeline and is not relevant to this discussion XD)

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

I love how simple and straightforward it is. There's not a ton of drama between them, it's just sweet and understated and cute. The kissing scene is so sweetly simple and beautifully done! (The exact opposite of the TTT AragornXArwen scene!) I love that little interaction in the hallway before Steve discovers who she is. I love their conversation after Peggy's funeral (especially the deleted scene!). I love the way Sharon keeps helping Steve and the others, even though it gets her into trouble. I love how, when Steve points this out, she just says simply, "I know."

Annnnd I have a ton of headcanons about how their relationship goes and stuff in Sharon's past, but that's fanfic territory ^^'

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Lol, I think shipping them at all is an unpopular opinion :P Maybe my unpopular opinion is that I do ship Steve with Peggy in the 1940s, but then I ship him with Sharon in the 21st century. Sharon is right for Steve right now because of the ways he's changed. I expect it's unpopular to acknowledge that people don't just have one perfect person for them, but rather a whole host of people they could have a successful relationship with if they commit to it. So yeah, Steve could have married Peggy and lived a full, happy life with her if things had gone differently...but that doesn't mean he can't also have a long, loving, beautiful relationship with Sharon now.

Ship Ask Game

[meruz]

im gonna reply to some asks but not that many bc the last time i tried to type up one of these posts i accidentally closed the tab and lost like several paragraphs so now im scared

lots of heavypaint questions

@porch-gremlin

its the fan tool on heavypaint!! which is a free drawing app that i love a lot. and the fan tool is my fave its kind of a crutch actually im trying to use other tools gkfdhgsdg but its so fun i can do a whole painting using it exclusively. heres a video of it in action while i mess w the configuration options. u can slide the noise jitter up and down so its more or less streaky hehe ^^

thank you!!! heavypaint ROCKS!!!!! I love it... its like the only art program ill be a shameless shill for lol

also im flattered you think of my art while playing splat...i should draw more splat i feel like i havent done enough.

my phone!! I have a samsung galaxy note 20 that I am still not done paying off LMAO.... but I've been a galaxy note user for years. combined with heavypaint its a shockingly good mobile sketchbook.

I'm sorry it's crashing on your tablet... I don't have a tablet so I don't really have an advice. Unfortunately because HP is a small dev app it can be kind of finicky... especially in between updates. I think if you reached out to vaughn ling/heavypoly he'd probably respond though! he seems to keep up with the community pretty well.

@hellisrealsign nice nice.. I'm glad our tastes match up a little! hopefully that means you don't mind my frequent fandom jumping LOL. I promise to always be true to my homestuck-loving infinity-train-loving self.

LMAOOOOOO I HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME? (covered in blood)

idk is it worth it to read any shounen manga for female side characters?????? (??) HEAVILY DEBATABLE. on one hand the casual observer would say no but on the other hand femslash shippers are the strongest people on god's green earth and will endure great tortures for paltry table scraps.

I think mha is a good manga but it's still a shounen, some of the tropes they squeeze the girls into kind of suck. I can kind of put my annoyance aside because regardless im still a big fan of cool fight scenes and the power of friendship but I think your mileage will vary depending on how much tolerance you have for that kind of story...? There's an awful lot of chapters afterall. I will say this: though toga and ochako aren't the main characters they're not in the background either. the path of their relationship spans multiple arcs across the entire manga and is both plot relevant and relevant to the greater themes/thesis of the story. it's pretty clear that the mangaka and editorial team are dedicated to giving these characters the time and page space to play out. it's not perfect but thats better than a decent amount of big shounen femslash in my opinion? shrugs

Thank you! for both the compliments and the concern. but I want to assure you that... to be perfectly honest I don't think I'll ever stop posting my art regardless of AI. I don't want to make this into a hot take like this is an entirely personal opinion and I don't expect any other artists to share my position but: Everything about my art that I consider valuable is inherently impossible for AI to replicate and everything about my art that is replicable and monetizable is not something I'm interested in owning or protecting. (this is also why at the end of the day i dont really care that much about art theft, tracing etc. and i think 90% of the time style theft is just silly)

I believe art should be freely shared and to restrict that is to make art into a product which is morally despicable and moreover uninteresting... to me. lol. I DO RECOGNIZE HOWEVER I'm very lucky to have both more of an online audience than I even want + a fulltime job that takes the pressure off any of my other art to make money. it's totally valid for other artists to have differing opinions on this especially depending on personal circumstances. AND also I make art that is primarily a product above all else for work everyday so im a hypocrite but. yeah thats my two cents.

I love posting art online LOL. I do it because its fun for me.

HAPPY NEAR YEAR!!!!!!!!!11111111

[lovemoone]

༻✦; w e l c o m e ✦;༺

ɢʀᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢs! ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴀʏ ᴄᴀʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴍᴏᴏɴʏ. ɪ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ғʀᴇᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʟɪᴋᴇ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇǫᴜᴇsᴛ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪsᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴛʀʏ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ sᴏᴏɴ! ɪ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴀsᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ʀᴜʟᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ʀᴇsᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ. ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ɪɴ ᴍɪɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴇ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢᴇᴛ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ʜᴀɴᴅsᴏᴍᴇʟʏ.

✧༺✦✮✦༻∞ 𓃠𓃠𓃠𓃠 ∞༺✦✮✦༻✧

All characters requested must be 18+ I will not write anything that isn’t platonic with minors, even if you yourself are a minor.

No noncon/dubcon or any other triggering material like that, please.

I do not wish to write or interact with anything along the interests of pro-shippers. I ask that this boundary be respected.

NSFW is allowed! If requesting smut, please make that clear in your message. You can add a lemon emoji if you’d like, I will find it funny.

All x readers are gender neutral and of unspecified sexuality by default unless requested otherwise. That being said, in smut works please say if afab, amab, intersex or if no specific genitals should be used for your comfort. As an afab, I usually write with afab bodies in mind.

I will write for ocs! I just need as much relevant information as possible so that I may characterize them correctly.

It should be obvious but no requests will be accepted if containing hateful or bigoted content.

I do lead quite the busy life, so if you do not wish to wait long for your request to be finished I am always open to discuss payment to boost your priority. I cannot promise when free works will be finished, but if you pay we can work out completion dates.

Representation matters! If you would like to see a certain demographic of ‘reader’ please don’t be shy to ask. I will do my very best to make an accurate portrayal.

I really hate the use of “y/n.” I feel like it breaks the immersion of the work, so most likely y/n will not be used.

If you would like to request anonymously for any reason, please DM me what you would like, otherwise anon is disabled in the ask box so that you get a notification when I’m finished.

I mainly write oneshots but I am open to continuing any of my works, so please don’t be afraid to ask.

I reserve the right to decline any requests I do not like or personally find uncomfortable.

❥; ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴛᴀʏ↶

♡Currently writing for♡

Marvel

Doc Ock/Otto Octavius(TSSM/USM/Raimi) + Olivia Octavius

Baldur’s Gate 3

Lae’zel

Shadowheart

Astarion

Gale

Wyll

Karlach

Halsin

[jisokai]

𓇼 ˚𓆝 ⋆｡𓆟 ⋆｡𓆞˚ 𓇼

jiso! (they | 20s)

cultivating authenticity

☆ about

writer & artist. multi-fandom, multi-shipper, & reader-insert enthusiast. i write to project onto characters and i draw to be a silly goose.

☆ links

masterlist | art tag | ao3

expanded below...

☆ more info

i can be quite chatty, so feel free to tag, ask, DM, etc! i promise i don't bite. i looooove talking about my writing <3 and i'm very receptive to personal questions lol. i don't care to police what other people do (including minors), but if your interaction with my blog makes me uncomfortable i won't hesitate to block you. go nuts. my work is NOT spoiler free. my fandoms and where i'm at for each one is as follows: bnha | manga finished haikyuu!! | manga finished hunter x hunter | anime finished one piece | beginning of zou *i plan to start jjk at some point & have the tag blocked*

☆ organization

potentially helpful tags: fics | drabbles | asks | add ons/games | rambles this is my parent blog and primarily my personal fandom archive. i reblog fandom posts here. if we're mutuals and you're interested in my other sideblogs or discord, please ask!

☆ extra

this blog was made years ago and went through a dry period, so if you look around just note the dates on posts. anything before 2024 is not relevant to my current use. i have elusive and inconsistent online behaviors so i'll disappear at times, but i always come back. it may take a few days or even weeks for me to respond.

𓇼 ˚𓆝 ⋆｡𓆟 ⋆｡𓆞˚ 𓇼

[spacelords]

we need to talk about this

This is an informative post about Rachey, aka bbtdgfan882/racheymaybe/i-am-a-factorygirl/flytowestvale. I am posting this now because she is now participating in pedophilia apologism, and actively talking over minors who are against pedophilia. Proof of this is at the bottom of the post.

Additionally, people interacting with her should be aware of the things she has said. Screenshots (and archived links) under the cut. tw for racism, harassment, sex/nsfw mentions, pedophilia apologism, and ableism (including use of gendered slurs and ableist insults). Since Rachey herself has said that she doesn’t understand what she did wrong, perhaps this will enlighten her as well. 

firstly, here’s proof that all of the above urls indeed all belong to Rachey:

http://archive.fo/l6qWa

continuing on to things she has said. 

Racism

http://archive.is/FAbSD (speaking over black people though she is white-her url was bbtdgfan882 here)

http://archive.is/GimlS (attempting to justify erasing Poe from the trio and throwing a temper tantrum when someone called her racist)

http://archive.is/hTHG2 (trying to justify rey//lo by saying “but i would still ship it even if Kylo was black”)

Harassment/Bullying/use of gendered slurs

http://archive.is/BSXOE (“antis are ignorant wh*res” “this user should be eliminated”)

https://archive.is/kWSXB (use of c*nt-misgendering the person she’s talking about, and use of ableist words like moron)

Ableism

http://archive.is/wSDMx (mocking abuse survivor/mentally ill antis for trying to relate to Kylo Ren)

Rachey often also frequents the anti tags just to reblog posts & put insults or other nasty comments on them. Again, these are properly tagged posts.

http://archive.is/FmpFI (shitting on finnrey-again, on a properly tagged post)

Additionally, shippers themselves have admitted that they feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed by her (urls have been cropped out to protect the innocent)

Pedophilia Apologism

http://archive.is/lbpj7 (calling minors “whiny” for speaking out against pedophilia)

http://archive.is/Wh0Q6 (straight up pedophilia apologism, stating that dd/lg is not pedophilia)

http://archive.is/fmD7W (more apologism)

http://archive.is/KdhAL (mocking a minor who responded to her, more insistence that dd/lg is not pedophilia)

In conclusion, racheymaybe/flytowestvale/etc. has said racist & ableist things, harassed people on properly tagged posts, misgendered more than one trans person, and becomes irate and aggressive when challenged even by other shippers. i do not condone sending any type of hate to this person & will block you if i see that happening. 

[nedconte]

Hello friends! It has come to my attention that there's a shortage of fic rec lists in this fandom*, and as an avid fic reader, I thought I'd try my hand at making some. I was originally going to name this list something like "Roosmav 101" or "A New Shipper's Guide to Roosmav", but quickly realized that this is a very subjective list with some of my personal favorite Roosmav fics. I may be planning to make more rec lists in the future, but can't promise anything at the moment. (*here's one existing rec list that I know of!)

I'm trying to include relevant tags and warnings here, but please take a look at the full tag lists before reading. :)

in between what's already done by crawsley 5k, E, creator chose not to use archive warnings extremely dubious consent, omegaverse, daddy kink

“We aren’t doing this,” Maverick says, firmly, and he’s tensing like he’s about to move, about to shove Rooster off of him, push him away like he pushed him away before, when all Rooster had wanted was some guidance, some help, some love and kindness and— Rooster bears him to the ground, right there on the rug in the entryway.

Reccer's note: Roosmav fandom staple, this one has that delicious dynamic of Rooster taking his anger out on Mav.

seventy minutes by AortaArgent 19k, E, no archive warnings apply dubious consent, angst with a happy ending, implied/referenced child abuse, self-esteem issues, mav/ofc in first chapter

If he were staying on as an instructor, Maverick reflects, Cyclone would probably have to ream him out for employing unnecessary violence, and particularly for ending up in a brawl with civilians. Even if nobody at the unofficial-official Navy bar would side with a bunch of drunken dickheads over their own and report it, the admiral would find out soon enough. He still hasn’t actually told anyone that he’s leaving. With a trail of wreckage behind him again; Rooster’s bruised jaw, half a dishwasher tray of smashed glasses, one pool cue now in two different places in the bar, some yuppie’s no-longer veneered teeth, and his own crumpled dignity. And two crashed F-18s. Three total damaged planes, to be technical about it.

I could recommend any fic by this author, but seventy minutes is extremely important to me and a formative part of my Roosmav fandom experience. This is the fic that made me go from "I like this ship for horny reasons" to "oh shit, I actually love these characters."

Take These Broken Wings by pohjanneito 11k, E, no archive warnings apply time travel, young Maverick/canon era Rooster, emotional hurt/comfort

Bradley leaned against his cue stick, his eyes glued to Mav’s baby-smooth face. It was uncanny, like an old home movie bleeding out of the TV screen. Mav's voice was soft and pitched a little higher, but he carried himself like he did thirty years in the future, with the bravado and ego of a man twice his size. Or: Rooster travels back in time to 1986 and meets young Maverick.

Reading this fic was a very emotional experience, but in a good way. Amazing characterization and writing in general.

We'll be a fine line. by Exorin 16k, E, underage pre-canon, coming of age, grief/mourning, hurt no comfort (check author's note for info about Bradley's age in this)

Bradley really notices Maverick for the first time when he's thirteen. Every year after that is a struggle. OR: 4.5 times Maverick had no idea what was happening and 1.5 times he said “wow, what a terrible idea but I guess we're doing this”

This is a little different from the other fics listed here - there's no happy ending in this one. It works really well as a pre-canon fic though, and the angst is SO GOOD.

Kissing to Trick You by thedastardly 25k, E, creator chose not to use archive warnings extremely dubious consent, eating disorders, vomiting, sub!mav, sub drop, dom drop, no aftercare, injury, mentions of past icemav and hangster

Maverick doesn’t much care if his love line is long or broken, or if his life line intersects somewhere on the mound of his palm with the line of his heart. He’s played too fast and loose with this mortal coil for too long to be concerned about if the universe has foretold his fate in the lines of his hand.

Take those tags seriously - this one is pretty heavy (but definitely worth it in my opinion). There's a happy/hopeful ending and a promise of healing.

your body keeps the score by Lake 23k, E, no archive warnings apply canon divergence, hurt/comfort, physical therapy

Pete gets injured in the Darkstar ejection and the Navy assigns Bradley as his physical therapist.

Classic hurt/comfort where a character's physical recovery mirrors the emotional arc of the fic. Reading this was a life-affirming experience.

the man with the child in his eyes by hazelmotes 3k, E, no archive warnings apply angst, pining, pre-relationship

Rooster fights against the undertow.

Also known as "fic so good I once recced it to a family member" (I don't think they ever read it though, which might be for the best tbh). Truly beautiful writing and I just love the pining in this. Hopeful ending.

and yes I said yes I will Yes by hazelmotes 7.5k, E, no archive warnings apply secret marriage, wedding night, feminization

The window trim is painted the same white as the cabinets, with matching brass hardware to boot. Maverick contemplates the ledge beneath, what it could hold: a small vase of dried flowers, a colored glass catch-all dish. The kind of dish a wife places near the sink to hold her wedding ring, safe from the maw of the garbage disposal. from the kinkmeme prompt: secret marriage, honeymoon/wedding night sex

This fic is soft and tender and emotional and full of love. And the sex is super hot. Warning: it took me a whole weekend to emotionally recover from reading this.

Toxic Pony by yellow_crayon 3.5k, E, no archive warnings apply dubious consent, identity porn, pwp

The kid staring at him across the bar is young, Hawaiian shirt and blue board shorts, aviators pinned to a thin white undershirt, the V of his crooked collar showing a light smattering of freckles over sun-kissed clavicles. Probably some navy admiral's rebellious kid looking for a good time. Maverick's gone through his fair share of them way back when. This one is at least a decade too young for Maverick's current tastes. That ridiculous old-school mustache he's got going on does nothing to hide the signs of youth in the rest of his body — smooth supple skin and the effortless muscle that Maverick has to work hard to keep at his age. "Like what you see?" Maverick says in way of greeting. It's a lot more straightforward than his usual pickup lines, but he's four drinks in and itching to be bent over some flat surface and fucked hard. Something that looks like disbelief flits over the kid's face, then his expression smooths out once more, hardens. He opens his mouth and it's a man's voice that says, "Yeah, I do."

I love a good identity porn story, and yellow_crayon delivers. This is incredibly hot and also a galaxy brained way to write a pre-canon fic.

This Empty Love by yellow_crayon 11k, E, no archive warnings apply hurt/comfort, angst with a happy ending, intergenerational trauma, Maverick's a+ parenting

He’s sick in the head. Sometime in all those confusing hormonal teenage years after Maverick had left, a wire had crossed somewhere. It's not his dead dad that had messed him up. Bradley doesn't know Nick Bradshaw. Nick Bradshaw is a distant blurry concept that lives in his mother's memories and musty tomes of old faded photographs. He’s not the one Bradley busted his ass to impress growing up; the one he bled and cried for, and whose attention he spent his entire childhood obsessively trying to capture like lightning in a bottle. It’s Maverick. It’s all for Maverick.

This is a companion piece to 'Toxic Pony', but very different tonally. It's beautiful and heartbreaking and probably one of the best written fics I've ever read. I cried a lot.

[sgiandubh]

Such unsmiling people

The comment that moved me the most after posting that August 10 diatribe came from a very special blogger, @myrthil23. I promised her a longer, thoughtful answer, so here it is.

I share with her way more than meets the eye and with a bit of deductive skills, you could easily place us very specifically on an European map. To be honest, I was surprised (and then absolutely thrilled, of course) to find someone like her hanging on in here. But this is not the only reason prompting a response - her comment made me think a lot about a couple of relevant things.

For those who loathe foraging for reblogs, here goes:

In the colorful Shipper family, the Eastern Europeans are (supposedly) the unsmiling ones. This is one of the stubborn clichés that informed the Western gaze, especially in Communist times. Unsmiling, foreboding and unfathomable people: I am not smiling, I am laughing while writing it, because if anything, Myrthil, @zeya-zg, a couple of others and I do share a superb ability to use bullshit-o-meters, an unsinkable sense of humor and a hefty dose of sarcasm. All of these are basic, compulsory street smarts if you want to survive, God knows how, a nuclear winter of sorts.

Imagine you grow up in a world with empty supermarket shelves but permanently sold-out concert halls, where trivial details such as cotton swabs, potato chips (crisps, heh), political parties or The Last Tango in Paris are virtually unknown. Imagine your family is either cautiously aligned to some public idiocy they loathe everyday at home, teaching you at the same time to never talk to strangers. Or even worse, a political pariah, for reasons that have everything to do with the way you sip your tea, as Ella Fitzgerald would say. The latter situation (mine) was something very much akin to a civil death. And you just knew you could never be, for imbecile but firm reasons, an architect, a lawyer or even an epidemiologist: jobs way too sensitive to entrust the enemies of the people (and their spawn) with.

What is left for you, then, when the view from your window, in 1982, is something not very different from this photograph:

(side note: these people are staying in line to buy 1 kilogram of sugar for each person, which was the monthly allowance fixed by law in my country, from 1980 to 1989; you could only buy those with Government-issued tickets, not unlike what happened in the UK during WWII or what you can see in series like The Handmaid's Tale)

When all is seemingly lost, you will still have, in no particular order: books. Music (including piano lessons). Sports. Each other (although that was overall more complicated than it seemed). Going to the opera and never taking off your winter coat inside, but enjoying every second of it. Impromptu dinners by candlelight during power outages ("wir machen ein bisschen Stimmung"/let's make a bit of atmosphere, grinned my aunt). Foreign languages (a must). Fits and giggles and jokes galore. And the ability to adapt to just about anything, anywhere.

When change finally reached us, many had the almost surreal opportunity to go West. Some came back, others didn't, simply because they chose to continue elsewhere their pursuit of happiness. And yes, Myrthil is right, that fabled West was always something to behold and measure up to. In my case, it was almost too easy, but then I consider myself really lucky: going to live in Paris, at 18, felt both as homecoming and being left alone (and with unlimited credit) in a candy store.

So, here we are. We may have discovered Sylvia Plath a bit late, but I think we are decently knowledgeable about Chaucer. We sometimes may sound Edwardian and if we do, you should probably blame C.E. Eckersley's Essential English (this is how that life-long affair started, for me). And if anything, we bring another, perhaps even more inquisitive, angle to these strange things we are dealing with daily, in here.

But for the love of Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ, don't you ever dare tell us what to think and with whom to talk. Don't call us stupid. Don't call us liars. Historical reasons prompted a durable allergy to sanctimonious speech and yes (I can only speak for myself) I will always, always react. Because we do not deserve the arrogance of people who have no idea of how it really was to grow up somewhere in Eastern Europe during the Eighties. Oh, and something else, lest I forget: being pariahs never bothered us - we can cope.

Other than that, we should go along just fine. :)

PS: @claraisabelcampohermoso, you probably don't know how your gif made me smile. Nadia will always be Nadia: a humble, warm person with a terribly heartbreaking story.

[fallingsunflower]

I'm going to try and be as nice as I possibly can right now while still getting my point across, but no promises.

Some of y'all, and this isn't directed at anyone specifically, need to stop paying so much attention to Olivia. There is a very real obsession amongst those who believe Holivia is PR/those who dislike her, and I'd argue that the obsession is more damaging in some ways than shippers' obsession with her.

Stop looking at photos of her just to pick them apart. Who cares what she wears? Who cares what her hair looks like? Who cares if she wears makeup? If you don't like certain features of hers, then that's your opinion and you're entitled to it. But don't broadcast it all over social media, especially if you have a following. Your definition of beauty isn't objective. Stop preaching it like it is. It's immature and just really fucking rude. And I don't even care for Olivia but you have to keep in mind that there are people out there who might feel uncomfortable with your words because they look like her or they dress like her etc. I've talked to A LOT of people who've expressed discomfort to me over this based on what they've heard other people say.

And for those who say "well she's a shitty person so she deserves it" - this is such a weak argument and I'm tired of hearing it. Focus on the stuff that really matters (racism, fake feminism, toxicity, lying, etc), not the superficial things such as her looks. You run the very real possibility of affecting good people through your words.

And for the love of God, stop giving Olivia so much attention if you hate her. Why on EARTH are you spending hours looking through articles or pictures of her? Some of y'all go on and on about how "Olivia just wants attention, it's so toxic" and then you...give her attention? How does that make sense? And obviously I run a discussion blog where Olivia's come up A LOT so I can't say too too much but it's become obsessive with some people to bring her up even when she's not relevant to the conversation. Some of y'all are just focusing on the wrong things and need to reel it in.

Again, this ^ isn't directed at anyone specifically. This is just based on general things I've been witnessing for months and I'm tired of it. It is 10000% understandable why shippers view PR believers as jealous and childish.

I could talk more about this in depth for those interested (like on what specifically I mean, how this can affect other people, why making fun of her looks is wrong, etc.). Just shoot me a dm since my asks are off and I can make another post about it. I just needed to put this out there since this message isn't getting though people's skulls and someone needs to say it.

And also just to be clear I HATE having to defend Olivia. I despise her and think she's a terrible person (read about it here). But the obsessiveness over her has been going too far, bordering on creepy and stalkerish. We don't need to know where she is, where her kids are, what her friends are doing, etc. And the abhorrent discussions about her looks are just plain old fucking rude and immature.

[strawberryjamsara]

Keiji and Sara’s relationship throughout yttd

In which I analyze the found family dynamic between Sara and Keiji then nobody reads it. But jokes aside, I realized back when that anon asked me for my thoughts on Sara that I had enough thoughts on the relationship between these two alone for its own meta so here goes. What Sara and Keiji’s relationship means in the grand scheme of yttd.

ALSO THIS IS NOT SHIPPING SHIPPERS GET THE FUCK AWAY

Sara when she meets Keiji is distrustful of him. And how can she not be? The guy has some creepy bags under his eyes, doesn’t seem to care about the situation, and for no reason is gravitating towards her. And his response when she asks why the hell he keeps putting a random stranger in charge? “Because you’re cute.” Yeah. I’d stay within 50 feet of this guy too Sara. Especially when he’s not spilling a word about himself.

Alright we might as well get the gross part out of the way. To clear things up. In the Japanese version, the word he uses “Kawai” can be seen as a more fatherly word to use with a kid. But the comments about going on dates from himself and from Shin? Those are still there. And I still think they’re really uncomfortable and wish they weren’t in the game period but we can get thematic significance out of them.

We still don’t know Keijis reasons in game for being attached to Sara. My theory? She’s his handicap. He was told to get close to the higher scorer who could easily backstab him, and he’d be stuck with her. It just kinda makes sense to me. But since that’s just a theory I won’t lean to heavily on it for support. But let’s talk about his comments.

Keiji… well, it’s shown at many points in the game that Keiji just thinks of himself as doomed to be a bad person. It can be seen during his day two negotiations when he calls himself a killer and explains he can’t even trust himself so Sara shouldn’t really bother and more explicitly so is the classroom scene between him and Ranmaru where he says he isn’t fit to protect Sara because of his sins. The flirting is both a way to distract people, and to put distance between himself and Sara. He’s not really “protecting” her.

Okay gross bit nobody wants to talk about is over I promise we won’t talk about it again. Let’s talk about Russian Roulette. In this scene, Keiji once again tries to make Sara the leader with no explanation, but then, Sara yells at him, something he didn’t expect. And through this he actually reveals something huge. The source of his trauma. His shooting. For Keiji to have actually revealed something that big, I think that this is the first moment he began to see Sara past whatever reason he first started making her a leader. This is the beginning of their bond.

This bond gets solidified over chapter 1-2s investigation. Keiji is still putting her in charge because his handicap said to build her up for whatever reason, but they’re able to have chats, and she keeps picking at his armor. He reveals his dark sense of humor to her, and she, suspicious just sort of keeps him at arms length. Also she rides his shoulders to screw in a light and he complains which is funny. The scene post Nao also helps the two of them sharpen investigative skills together, as they discuss the mystery of Miley, and Mishimas head.

Then another significant scene. The white room. I call this scene significant because, instead of letting Sara investigate the gruesome scene of the first trial, Keiji for the first time, allows Sara to walk out. Something that will become relevant later but until then, Keiji has begun to put Sara’s well-being above serving whatever purpose he had by building her up. So keep that in your pocket while we go over the main game.

There’s only two points for the main game I want to cover. While Keiji and Sara do put their heads together a few times, Sara still doesn’t fully trust him, so I will only go over 1. When Shin brings up Kai’s emails. Keiji has been fully logical this whole time, questioning everyone’s alibis including Nao’s who he saw the emotional plea from, but when Sou brings up potentially damning evidence of Sara, he just asks if he read the emails wrong. 2. When Sara is panicking over being chosen for the final round, Keiji loudly shouts “GET A GRIP SARA!” With a serious expression. Before quickly backtracking and going back to a devil may care expression. This shows he is both already emotionally attached to Sara, but unwilling to stake himself towards giving himself to a new cause.

Anyways, he stops her from pressing the button blah blah blah, onto chapter 2! I’ve made a post about this before but it seems as early as here, Keiji is trying to talk Sara down from pushing herself further. But at this point, Sara has already dedicated herself to the role because her best friend died due to her priority to protect everyone. Keiji sees the problem and he tries to get her to rest up, but he still doesn’t spend the time to have a serious talk about it because as he says in the classroom. He isn’t fit to protect her. He doesn’t think of himself as a good person who can help her. He thinks of himself as a murderer and he doesn’t allow himself to recover from the trauma.

Sara however is starting to rely more on Keiji. He’s been willing to comfort her in her times of grief and furthermore, she has something to relate to him on. They both have deaths of important people in their lives they feel responsibility for.

There’s also the fact that Keiji sees a lot of his old self in Sara. An idealistic person, being beaten down, and worrying over the idea they might be becoming a bad person. He feels the same as her.

Not to mention… Keiji follows through on his promises. He actually tells Sara about the person he respected like he said he would which establishes a further sense of trust.

However, something that tears that sense of trust apart is the tokens scene. When Keiji doesn’t even let Sara hold 50 tokens, it raises suspicion. Sara already knows he shot a person- what more could he have to hide? That scares her away. The negotiation event is an attempt for Keiji to win back her trust. But it slowly turns into Keiji’s self-loathing session. And his declaration maybe Sara shouldn’t trust him.

However, time passes enough (and Keiji supports Sara enough in the final attraction) for them to get together and investigate in 2-2. And there’s a lot of moments I can talk about there so I’ll be just doing a few rapidfire things. So first, Sara is in peak weird girl mode and Keiji can hardly control her chaos. Second, Keiji makes a full on decision at one point to go against Sara when she’s putting herself in danger of getting caught for their search so they can hide. Third, his response to “I don’t intend to die” when he asks “will you die with me” is that’s a good answer.

And fourth… a moment I really wanna touch on… Keiji watches something that could easily incriminate Sara. It’s not just some word of mouth thing like with Shin who lied about things several times before this point. But in that moment, he still relies on Sara and says he wouldn’t feel bad betting his life on her. The message is clear. Keiji supports Sara unconditionally.

Now let’s talk about Keiji totally dropping Sara’s ass with the card trades.

The way Keiji makes his trades is very telling. He first, steals a keymaster card from either Sou or Kanna to give to Sara. This is supporting Sara, but it’s doing it in a way that supports his view of himself. That he’s a scumbag who would steal someone’s immunity just to give it to someone he likes more. And would a shithead like that be “worthy” of sacrificing themselves and taking the card for Sara? (And he knew she had it. Qtaro had to tell him for their plan to happen) no. Instead he essentially opts for a revenge plot. A plan to ensnare Shin and kill him for pawning off the sacrifice to Sara. Basically, he wanted to fuck up Shin like how he fucked up Megumi. Nice going Keiji. This is… kind of his low point in the story.

But 3-1….. man this chapter hits in all the right ways. I don’t remember 3A that much, (although I do know that Keiji shows a lot of concern over Sara potentially being triggered by Joe memorabilia) and also if you fail the Keiji Midori fight you can have Sara attempt to tag Keiji and he rejects. And how can we forget… the mr policeman flashback. As Sara says, this is Keiji’s first time opening up on his own.

And then… coffin saga. Sara through everything is not willing to let Keiji die. Although she’s had her ups and downs with him, leaving him to die is inconceivable to her with everything they’ve been through together. So she opts to sign the contract both times she is offered it.

Keiji clearly is somebody important to Sara. Important enough that Ranmaru bringing him up is enough to snap her out of her murderous trance. Enough that she throws logic out the window when she has a sign he’s okay.

Likewise, the scene in the classroom for Keiji is… a huge step. When he’s alone with Ranmaru, who is unstable, in that classroom, his priority is Sara. He turns his back to the threat to hold Sara and try and make sure she’s okay- dumb move, but it shows how far he’s come.

And again, I want to reiterate- Keiji is Sara’s anchor. At the banquet when Sara is about to give up, she imagines Keiji talking to her which brings her back in the game. Much like Joe did back in chapter 2. The message is palpable. Keiji is Sara’s new Joe. And when Keiji comes back to comfort her? He’s now fully willing to sacrifice himself. It winds up not being needed seeing as Qtaro is the one that died. But in that moment, we see Keiji has made a huge leap from chapter 2. He almost sacrificed himself for Gin. And he would’ve used his final moments to comfort Sara. He’s embraced that he’s a father figure. He allows himself to be a good person.

Anyways I don’t know how to conclude this and I’ve been writing for hours. Bababooey.

[wild-chaser]

so, 9-1-1 and Buddie

I am a bit torn about the fandom recently

On one hand, there are lots of lovely interactions, gifs, and amazing fanfiction circling my dash. It's so positive and uplifting to see this creativity flowing! (and the actors are handsome, so the dash becomes very aesthetically pleasing)

On the other hand, I start seeing some negativity recently. People hating on newer episodes, complaining how it's not what they have signed up for, knit-picking and rolling their eyes oh so loudly.

Apparently there's been some hate towards actors too, but I don't follow those things and as much as I generally disagree, I'm just not up to date with that entire shitstorm -- I am here for the plot, for the characters, not for the actors, even if it does make me smile when I see them elsewhere.

I will not look into their private lives and even official twitter accounts because I am a firm believer that actors' personal lives are just not relevant to the experience (but boy, they can totally destroy the experience if you find out something bad! That's why I try not to, because the character they play is a separate entity but I won't be able to look at them the same way afterwards -- it just sucks my enjoyment out, so what's the point?)

and then there's Buddie

we have shippers and non-shippers, and I feel all the shippers are close to flipping the table recently

now let's make one thing clear: I am a shipper myself

Buddie all the way!

But honestly, let's give this show a chance.

Recently, I have this feeling that every time the show gives us even a glimpse of Buck and Taylor, people lose their shit here.

As if Buck didn't have many girlfriends before! As if Buck having girlfriends wasn't part of why we're so much waiting for him to realize he's into Eddie. The oh-I-thought-I-was-straight-boy getting love-slapped into bisexuality by this wonderful male specimen that is Eddie Diaz. Them jumping from brief-enemies (yeah that was just Buck, I know) to BFFs to casually co-parenting Chris as if it was just the most natural thing in the world. Them being idiots in love while having no damn clue they are in love.

And as I see Buddie fandom on the rise, I see so many voices demanding Buddie to become cannon NOW.

Not this episode? Then surely the next one! Not the next one? GOD DAMN YOU WRITERS! How dare you lead us fangirls astray?!

People, my fellow shippers: how about we take one collective deep breath here?

This story is not over yet. There is (hopefully) rather slim chance of us getting queer-baited by this very rainbow-friendly TV show.

Trust me: if the last episode of 9-1-1 will have Buck and Eddie no-homo'ed with some random women they'd met two episodes earlier, I will be the first one flipping the table, I promise

(╯ರ ~ ರ）╯︵ ┻━┻

But before that happens, how about we stop winding ourselves up for what may turn out to be nothing? Is it really worth it? Does creating drama and overthinking our fears really spark joy?

Remember: if it all actually goes to shit, just flip the table, curse the writers*, and then turn to fanfiction.

Fanfiction will save us.

*but maybe not directly, personally I find venting on tumblr rather cathartic

[thinkingisadangerouspastime]

hi! i really like your posts and recently i came across some anti kataang arguments and i would like to see your opinion on that (if you want to answer because you must be very tired of answering those lol)

“i remember perfectly aang forcing himself into katara. not only once, but a lot of times. in that talk they were having during the play it was one of the moments aang was intrusive”

“i saw people saying that katara was jealous of aang with that kids in kyoshi island, which she obviously was not. she was annoyed at them”

“kataang had no development. it feels like a ship made out of nowhere”

“aang is completely obsessed with the idea of katara being his. proof is that episode were the guru tells him he has to let go of her and he choses to break the connection. it’s like: look what i did for you, you should stay with me. aang learning to let go would have been a evolution for his character”

“making them stay together in the end just because aang is the protagonist and has to stay with the girl is boring and adds nothing to the plot”

“he spend years after a girl that never felt the same for him”

hi anon! im very flattered you like my posts 🥰💛 and you’re not wrong that sometimes it gets a lil tiring addressing anti kataang arguments, but that’s because 90% of them are the same foolish rhetoric dressed up in a different costume, lol. i finally have some free time, so i’ll take a stab at these for you!

“i remember perfectly aang forcing himself into katara. not only once, but a lot of times. in that talk they were having during the play it was one of the moments aang was intrusive”

not gonna lie, this particular “argument” made me crack up laughing because they “remember perfectly… lots of times” but can only name one instance 😂 like i am on the floor, because trying to get away with that in a formal essay would earn them nothing more than a goose egg. you need evidence to support a claim, which this “claim” has none of. i mean,, when does aang force himself onto katara?? when katara initiates every cheek kiss they share?? when they are mutual participants in several shared hugs?? don’t get me started on DOBS - the Now or Never Kiss that falls under literally requires reciprocation from both parties, lol. but regarding the ever-so-infamous EIP episode they bring up:

This post talks specifically about EIP and the play’s portrayal of Aang and Katara (and how it cannot be used to define their relationship). This post explains the true source of Katara’s conflict in turning down Aang (i.e. the war itself and the risks the war presents for both of them) and why the EIP kiss did not “ruin” Kataang’s relationship. This post explains how the EIP kiss was resolved through narrative parallels. This post explains how the EIP kiss is so often blown out of proportion. This post explains how Aang did not “threaten” Katara in EIP (with some excellent commentary in the notes, too).

the fact of the matter is that yes, aang overstepped a boundary with katara there. no one has ever contested that because to do so would be to disregard canon, and here’s the thing about kataang shippers: we love atla canon. it gave us everything we wanted and more. (imo, that’s what anti kataangers don’t understand.) the EIP episode can be interpreted as a “low point” for many reasons, but the primary “takeaway” is that the play performed was imperialist propaganda that preyed on the gaang’s insecurities and demeaned them (much to the pleasure of the Fire Nation audience), which had negative consequences, one of which was aang kissing katara largely out of desperation. no one has ever excused that! thus, what i think isn’t clicking with anti kataangers is that aang and katara’s miscommunication in EIP is not a representation of their relationship being doomed to fail. aang made a mistake and immediately backed off without question or hesitation. katara has time to make her own decision and chooses to forgive him. doesn’t it strip more of katara’s agency away to conclude that katara could never ever ever forgive her best friend for a single mistake that - comparatively - could have been a whole lot worse?

(im just saying.)

“i saw people saying that katara was jealous of aang with that kids in kyoshi island, which she obviously was not. she was annoyed at them”

honestly, i have a question for whoever came up with this jfksjdasks. okay, yes, she was annoyed. that’s a given based on her exasperated eye rolls and sighs. but why was katara annoyed with them, hmm?

here’s my thing about katara’s feelings in this ep: jealousy and annoyance are not inherently the same, it’s true. a person can be annoyed without being jealous (obviously). as such, there are essentially two possible interpretations that have validity, although one in my opinion has greater weight in canon:

1. yes, it is possible to interpret katara’s annoyance that episode as being solely related to their delays on kyoshi island. one can reasonably argue that katara’s romantic feelings for aang were not as strong so early in the series (it’s only episode 4, after all, although lbr - she was Looking at aang’s tattoos in episode 1 lmao), and therefore the primary reason she was annoyed at the fangirls is because they were one of the causes extending their stay on the island when katara felt they needed to leave. it’s a fair interpretation.

2. a different and stronger interpretation, in my opinion, is that katara’s irritation was a product of both annoyance at their extended stay and jealousy of the fangirls’ obsession with aang. because here’s the thing about jealousy: it doesn’t have to be some extreme, exaggerated emotion/reaction! when katara gets jealous of on ji in book 3, she makes a single comment about aang and on ji dancing together. when aang gets jealous of jet in book 2 (because of sokka’s teasing), he, too, makes a single comment (i.e. that it would be a bad idea for katara to kiss jet). i bring these two moments up because they explicitly demonstrate within atla canon that reactions of jealousy do not have to be dramatique and outrageous, à la zuko throwing ruon-jian across the room in book 3, lmao. jealousy can be simple! kept to oneself! as such, katara’s disgruntled manner in that episode - which, might i add, is largely if not only shown in reaction to aang with the fangirls - can certainly be interpreted as a quieter form of jealousy akin to several other moments within canon.

more than that, however, if the writers did not at all want jealousy to be an interpretation on the table… why on earth would they have bothered to mention jealousy as a possibility? here’s the relevant excerpt from the episode transcript:

Koko: [Stomps her foot in annoyance and puts her hands on her hips, while another girl happily waves at Aang; irritated.] What’s taking you so long, Aangy?

Cut back to Aang and Katara; the former enthusiastically waves back at his awaiting fangirls, while the latter raises an eyebrow at the scene.

Katara: [Slightly mocking.] Aangy…

Aang: [Enthusiastically.] Just a second, Koko!

Katara: [Sarcastic.] “Simple monk,” huh? [Annoyed.] I thought you promised me that this Avatar stuff wouldn’t go to your head.

Aang: It didn’t. You know what I think? You just don’t want to come because you’re jealous.

Katara: [Close-up; angrily.] Jealous? [More high pitched voice.] Of what?

Cut to a broader shot. Aang moves back slightly, when an irritated Katara resumes to ferociously stuff the basket with more fruits.

Aang: Jealous that we’re having so much fun without you.

Katara: [Irritated.] That’s ridiculous.

(sidebar, but can i just say that seeing “ferociously stuff” to describe putting fruits away is arguably the funniest thing i’ve ever read sjkdhsjalks)

to me, this excerpt alone all but proves katara’s irritation is a mixture of annoyance at the girls’ (and aang’s) behavior/their delayed departure and jealousy regarding how the fangirls’ fawn over aang. katara clearly demonstrates frustration at aang’s seeming lack of concern for their time crunch and how he’s letting his status get to his head (and remember, y’all: this is very early book 1 aang, he’s barely begun to truly reconcile what it means to be the avatar and the last airbender, which is understandable and a-okay! can’t have growth if he doesn’t start somewhere!). that checks out. but next thing you know, katara’s reaction proceeds to dramatically heighten when aang teases the idea of jealousy to her. again: why include this moment if jealousy was never on the table whatsoever as an interpretation for her feelings of irritation? why make katara’s response intensify so strongly if she’s not jealous even a little bit?

in sum, while i don’t think katara’s aggravation is solely fueled by jealousy, the episode itself points to jealousy as at least a part of it. simple!

“kataang had no development. it feels like a ship made out of nowhere”

this take screams willful ignorance, like did they even watch the whole show?? it’s not worth addressing over and over, ngl.

This post and this post explain how Katara’s feelings for Aang develop throughout the series. This post explains how Aang consistently supported Katara throughout the series. This post demonstrates how Kataang is literally ingrained in every episode.

“aang is completely obsessed with the idea of katara being his. proof is that episode were [sic] the guru tells him he has to let go of her and he choses [sic] to break the connection. it’s like: look what i did for you, you should stay with me. aang learning to let go would have been a evolution for his character”

“completely obsessed” h e l p i weep for the lack of brain cells 😭 it is so hard to just say “kataang isn’t my cup of tea” and go?? seriously?? i thought we were past making stuff up to support shipping agendas. lord help us. real quick:

This post explains how Aang never acted like he was “entitled” to Katara’s affections. This post explains how Katara and Aang do not “idolize” each other. This post and this post talk about Aang’s chakra being blocked and unblocked, and how it had to do with fear, not attachment. This post talks about Aang and the Avatar State, explicitly discussing “The Crossroads of Destiny” and the notion of attachment/letting Katara go.

okay, let’s take this claim one sentence at a time:

“the guru tells him [aang] he has to let go of her [katara] and he choses [sic] to break the connection.”

first of all. FIRST OF ALL. can you imagine the hellfire that would have rained down if aang hadn’t chosen to go rescue katara? here is a piece of the episode transcript:

… Right before he is able to completely open the final chakra and master the Avatar State, however, he hears a shriek from Katara and sees a vision of her in chains. At this, he jumps out of the energy sphere and runs away from the Avatar Spirit. The energy bridge that leads him there slowly vanishes behind him until it catches up and falls from underneath him, causing his image to plummet toward Earth. This cuts his connection to the Avatar State, which forces him back to reality.

Aang: Katara’s in danger! I have to go! [Prepares to exit.]

Pathik: No, Aang! By choosing attachment, you have locked the chakra! If you leave now, you won’t be able to go into the Avatar State at all!

Aang hesitates but leaves anyway, leaving Pathik concerned and disappointed.

aang chose to leave because katara was in danger. if he had chosen to stay,, dear god. the vitriol that would have been thrown around. “aang doesn’t really love katara! he chose not to save her!” “aang is so selfish and greedy! he chose power over love!” it’s literally a catch-22. damned if he does leave, damned if he doesn’t leave. #fandomlogic

anyways, yes, sure, aang chose to leave, which at the time broke the connection. he was indeed in avatar state limbo for a Hot Minute. whoop de do.

“it’s like: look what i did for you, you should stay with me.”

logical fallacy: ad hominem, hasty generalization, ∴ not worth our time 💛

“aang learning to let go would have been a [sic] evolution for his character”

i have amazing news for those who perpetuate this take. aang did let her go! he would not have been able to enter the avatar state in COD if he hadn’t! point blank, it is utterly untrue to pretend aang did not “let go” of his attachment to katara. now, im not going to get into the concept of “attachment” here and what it truly meant for aang to have “let katara go” in the book 2 finale (if it was good, bad, etc. etc.). there is a lot of material to work with there that would require like,, an entire post to dig into, if not more. the fact of the matter is that aang did let katara go, and the proof is that he successfully entered the avatar state before azula killed him. the above claim thus sits in complete contradiction to canon and is a moot point.

“making them stay together in the end just because aang is the protagonist and has to stay with the girl is boring and adds nothing to the plot”

“making them stay together” again, is it so hard for someone to just say “kataang isn’t my thing, im gonna stick to fanon pairings, but y’all have fun” i mean that really, really does not seem so difficult to me! also, “making” is a hilarious word to use just because,, atla is a work of fiction. in that respect, the writers “made” everything happen. you cannot escape their sphere of control.

anyways. that’s just funny to me lmao

but no, aang and katara did not get together in a romantic fashion just because aang was the lead male protagonist and katara was the lead female protagonist. i refer back to these posts from earlier:

This post and this post explain how Katara’s feelings for Aang develop throughout the series. This post explains how Aang consistently supported Katara throughout the series. This post demonstrates how Kataang is literally ingrained in every episode.

aang and katara got together because their relationship had been developed since episode 1, duh. reducing their relationship to “lead guy + lead girl” completely disregards the legwork done and the foundation laid for their romantic partnership. like, all someone has to do is rewatch the show 😂 and i hate to break it to whoever created that take, but to say kataang “adds nothing to the plot” again ignores how their relationship is one of the two most important in the show (the other being aang and zuko’s relationship as narrative foils). it is not a cheap coincidence that kataang embodies multiple complementary themes/motifs of atla: push and pull, yin and yang, air and water, oma and shu, etc. etc. their relationship adds emotional depth! how is that not relevant to the plot! atla is a show where just about every relationship is important in some regard (this post touches upon how aang alone transforms all of his friends - think of the bigger picture, then, and how every other dynamic weaves in a crucial thread to create the beautiful tapestry we call atla!).

my point is that kataang is relevant to the plot the way every relationship in atla is, whether or not someone ships/enjoys them. you cannot have a good show without having intimate relationships (emotionally, i mean). can you imagine if someone said zuko and iroh’s relationship wasn’t relevant to the plot?? there is a reason it is such a powerful moment when iroh and zuko reunite in the finale. similarly, there is a reason yue’s sacrifice and sokka’s consequential (and lasting) grief is so poignant. there is a reason it is so heartbreaking when katara and sokka have to leave behind their father at the beginning of tsr. to tie back to kataang, there is a reason it is so hard to watch katara dismiss aang in that same episode. there is a reason so many people are moved when katara pulls aang out of the avatar state when appa is stolen. there is a reason emotional reactions are incited during atla and it is because these relationships are so important!! i don’t care if someone thinks kataang is “boring” - that’s their opinion, they have a right to it. but to insist their relationship wasn’t relevant to the plot? to the story? when in fact it was a key component from episode 1?

are you kidding me?

“he spend years after a girl that never felt the same for him”

“years” lol doesn’t atla take place over the course of a year at most? pretty sure this person didn’t even watch the show 😂 for a third time, i refer to these posts:

This post and this post explain how Katara’s feelings for Aang develop throughout the series. This post explains how Aang consistently supported Katara throughout the series. This post demonstrates how Kataang is literally ingrained in every episode.

i hope i addressed these (nonsensical) arguments to your satisfaction, anon! a lot of them are the same tried-and-failed anti kataang arguments, smh. not to incite new discourse lmao, but it’d be nice if there was at least some variety 😂 thank you again for your kind words, my friend! 💛

[septiembrre]

It just seems really flat? And cliche? Rio feels like he’s falling way back into the Latin criminal stereotype with a resurging hint of Latin Lover~ and i don’t love that. I just feel like it’s weird that he’s narratively punished when he isn’t an active love interest for Beth

You’ve put my exact jumbled thoughts into words. They also barely acknowledge the fact he’s Latinx. Except those 2 words of spanish he spoke in S3. That’s why I love your fics so much. You’re always showing a more layered version of him 💕

Thank you!!! Looking at the character roles is really helpful to me even if it’s hella fatiguing. I was hopeful that by now there would be a better standard of representation for Latinx characters on-screen across film and tv. 

A digression on the character stereotypes: 

Charles Ramírez Berg published Latino Images in Film: Stereotypes, Subversion and Resistance in 1990 — it’s a foundational text of Latinx-American film theory/critique. In it, he explores his theory that there are six stereotypical roles that any Latinx characters in classic Hollywood and in the 70s and 80s can fit into. 

1. The “Bandito”/The Criminal (the criminalized, dangerous, lawless Latino — in Good Girls this is Rio and Mick)

2. The Harlot (the sexualized, ~spicy Latina, think Salma Hayek in any role she’s ever been in)

3 & 4. The Male Buffoon and the Female Clown (Latinx folks characterized as dumb and comedic relief, think Gael Garcia Bernal in his American roles or like anything with George Lopez. For ladies, I feel like it’s usually a Latina who is gorgeous and dumb)

5. The Latin Lover (this specifically refers to the sexualization of Latinx men and the fetishization of the sexual experience they can provide for white women — Rio in Good Girls) 

6. The Dark Lady (mysterious, traumatized and/or sad women that are visual foils to white female characters — I would argue Rhea could fall into this stereotype). 

I’m not a huge film theory nerd but I do appreciate Ramirez-Berg’s framework. It’s somehow both absurdly salient and also antiquated (it’s literally older than me). More recent Latinx film critique has argued that it’s missing the stereotypes more relevant in film post-90s/post-NAFTA/post-waves of 80s-era immigration: 

7. The Immigrant

8. The Servant/The Maid

Rio very easily falls into the stereotype of the Latinx Criminal. As his storyline progressed through the end of Season 1 onwards to Season 2, his character began to occupy a hybrid-role of Criminal/Latin Lover, too.  I would say as of 4x03, he’s at about 95% Criminal,  5% Lover. Hahahah, I guess I don’t need to break it down into percentages but I would say he still occupies a hybrid-stereotype. 

I think the word “stereotype” is universally understood as bad. But, just a reminder that stereotypes are redundant, problematic, harmful for lots of different reasons across race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other identities -- it lands differently depending on what we’re talking about. However, a common consequence of a stereotype is that it perpetuates power dynamics for the sake of saving time or as a placeholder for on-screen characterization. For Latinx representation a common harm is lack of on-screen commitment to a character’s background — it means that Latinx end up reading as racially ambiguous and lack cultural specificity. 

Despite falling into stereotypes, Rio’s characterization on Good Girls is still net positive for me. Yes, it’s an old fucking line, but I do love that Rio is a crime boss. I also ~mostly? enjoy his toxic relationship with Beth (idk this is more contentious, but I am obviously a huge a shipper!). I think this is because despite the limitations of what is written in the scripts, Manny Montana does an incredible job of bringing nuance to the character. There are pieces of Rio that just read as so subversive to me -- like that he’s wicked smart and that he’s a good dad (sometimes). 

But, at this point in time, having just watched 4x03, I am feeling the fatigue of this ongoing problem of shitty Latinx characterization. Good Girls should do better. I’m holding out hope because there’s the promise that ~soon~ we’re going to meet a whole bunch of Latinx folks on the show??? We’re going to see his family? In this fourth glorious season, we are finally going to build out his character? We will actually learn more about his motivations? WILD.  

I just-- y’all— I am holding out judgment until we see it. I feel like 90% of what I like about Rio has been willed into existence through Manny Montana’s personal headcanons and acting choices. I would love for this show to do more to earn my trust.