#we really aren't great at ship names lol

[hollowed-theory-hall]

what's the one harry potter pairing u like that u mentioned in the tags of your hinny post?

Anonymous: Can I ask who that minor character you ship with Harry is? For some absurd reason my mind jumped to Stan Shunpike lol but it's probably not him.... Or is it?

Okay, so this is kind of a funny story. Like, my pipeline through hp pairings was a weird one. Like, I used to read a lot of Harry pairings, still do on occasion (some make more sense than others). None of them were ones I would point at and say: "that should've happened in the books"

One day, I was innocently writing a fic (canon divergence of GoF), and it was just for me, for funnsies, never posted it anywhere and not planning to. And I planned to pair Harry with someone there (honestly, I don't remember who because I didn't write the plan down) but when writing, Harry ended up with a different character. And it was so strange to me because that never happened.

Like, how do you write a ship accidentally?

But I did. I wrote Harry into a ship by accident. So I went back to the books to try and figure out why the hell would my subconscious decide that's the way to go.

I'll also preface it by all this being my subjective opinion and I do read other Harry ships in fics, this one just quickly became my favorite to write (and the only one I write). Also, I don't actually think this is a pairing that should've happened in the books, it's place is in fic and that's where I like it.

So, the character I accidentally shipped with Harry is... *drumroll*

Stan Shunpike!

Not really, it's:

Theodore Nott

Now, you might look at the name and go: "Who the fuck is that?"

And you'll be correct. Theo has 0 speaking lines in the entire book series. His name appears twice. He, himself, as a person, only appeared on page, like, 3 times in the background. The scene that gives the most information about him is other characters talking about him. He isn't even present.

That being said, I'm very good at extrapolating a lot of information from very little evidence. So allow me, to walk you through who is Theodore Nott and why I ship him with Harry.

Basic Information

So, let's start with the most basic overview before I pull out the quotes and go any deeper.

We know Theo is a Slytherin student in Harry's year. So he likely shares a dorm with Draco, Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle.

Theo's father is both at the graveyard at the end of GoF and in the Department of Mysteries at the end of OotP, so we know he is a Death Eater. We also know Thoe's father was one of the first and closest Death Eaters to Voldemort, who waited for him during his interview with Dumbledore in 1967:

“Then if I were to go to the Hog’s Head tonight, I would not find a group of them — Nott, Rosier, Mulciber, Dolohov — awaiting your return? Devoted friends indeed...”

(HBP, page 444)

We also know the Nott family is "as pure-blooded as the Malfoys" according to JKR in an interview. We also know Theo's great-grandfather (maybe? the family relation isn't clear), Cantankerus Nott, is suspected to be the one who wrote the Pure-Blood Dictionary, the book that coined the term "Sacred 28" and made that list (which the Nott family are on).

The name Nott is potentially to be derived from the name Nótt, which is the personification of the night in Norse Mythology. So it has been theorized the Nott family have a Nordic origin. Possible, but it doesn't really matter for this post.

What does, is that he comes from a dark, Death Eater, blood-purist family similar to the Malfoys. Even so, Theo never took the Dark Mark and never joined Voldemort in the books.

Now, that we have the basic information out of the way, let's look at Theodore as a person.

All the details I could gather from the books

Alright, now we get to the fun part. That is, me going through all the relevant scenes that mention Theodore Nott and actually creating a character psychoanalysis out of basically nothing.

So, the quotes aren't organized in a particular order. I'm just going to explain Theo and then explain why all this makes me ship him with Harry.

“Well, I pity Slughorn’s taste. Maybe he’s going a bit senile. Shame, my father always said he was a good wizard in his day. My father used to be a bit of a favorite of his. Slughorn probably hasn’t heard I’m on the train, or —” “I wouldn’t bank on an invitation,” said Zabini. “He asked me about Nott’s father when I first arrived. They used to be old friends, apparently, but when he heard he’d been caught at the Ministry he didn’t look happy, and Nott didn’t get an invitation, did he? I don’t think Slughorn’s interested in Death Eaters.” Malfoy looked angry, but forced out a singularly humorless laugh.

(HBP, page 150)

This is a part of the conversation between Draco, Pansy, and Blaise, Harry overhears when he is hiding in their compartment at the beginning of HBP. I have a few things to note regarding this scene.

Firstly, throughout this conversation, Pansy, Blaise, and Draco all call each other by their first name. This shows closeness, they are all friendly and familiar enough to use their first names with each other. Theo, though, is referred to as "Nott" by all three in the compartment.

He doesn't actually sit in their compartment which is in itself a sign about how he isn't really friendly with Draco's group. Considering the group is most of his year from his house, Theo is likely very lonely, and it will be apparent from other scenes I bring up later.

Secondly, Theo's father is in Azkaban. We know Draco is bothered about his own father's predicament. He mentions it to Harry and bothers him over it, Theo doesn't though. Theo doesn't seem to be bothered by Harry or his father's incarceration.

The only conclusion I can draw from this is that the relationship between Theo and his father is not a good one.

(I know some fics like to have Lucius be abusive towards Draco, for some reason. But the books really don't back this up. Lucius loves Draco and Draco adores his father)

Theo, though, Theo seems to be the one with a very strained relationship with his father. Strained enough that he isn't bothered the man is in Azkaban. What I'm saying is that Theo's father likely abuses or mistreats him in some capacity.

If anything more was needed to complete Harry’s happiness, it was Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle’s reactions. He saw them with their heads together later that afternoon in the library, together with a weedy-looking boy Hermione whispered was called Theodore Nott. They looked around at Harry as he browsed the shelves for the book he needed on Partial Vanishment, and Goyle cracked his knuckles threateningly and Malfoy whispered something undoubtedly malevolent to Crabbe. Harry knew perfectly well why they were acting like this: He had named all of their fathers as Death Eaters

(OotP, page 583)

This is a scene at the end of OotP after Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Theo's fathers were caught at the ministry and sent to Azkaban because they are Death Eaters. There are a few important notes about this scene.

The first, Hermione knows Theo, while Harry and Ron don't really. This means she likely knows him from the classes she takes and Harry and Ron don't — Arithmancy and/or Ancient Runes.

The second, he is sitting with other Death Eater children, but I don't think it's by choice. I mentioned in the previous quote how he isn't close to Draco and his crew. He sits with them here mostly because he doesn't have another choice. Theo doesn't seem to really have any friends, so he sits with the closest people he has to friends — kids he has known since he was young because their fathers were in the same circle.

The other note about this is that Crabbe, Goyle, and Draco are all mentioned as being threatening and malicious towards Harry because they don't like that their fathers are in Azkaban. Theo, though, Theo doesn't threaten Harry, he isn't part of their whisperings. As I mentioned above, he's likely happy his father is in Azkaban.

A pair of blank, white, shining eyes were growing larger through the gloom and a moment later the dragonish face, neck, and then skeletal body of a great, black, winged horse emerged from the darkness. It looked around at the class for a few seconds, swishing its long black tail, then bowed its head and began to tear flesh from the dead cow with its pointed fangs. A great wave of relief broke over Harry. Here at last was proof that he had not imagined these creatures, that they were real: Hagrid knew about them too. He looked eagerly at Ron, but Ron was still staring around into the trees and after a few seconds he whispered, “Why doesn’t Hagrid call again?” Most of the rest of the class were wearing expressions as confused and nervously expectant as Ron’s and were still gazing everywhere but at the horse standing feet from them. There were only two other people who seemed to be able to see them: a stringy Slytherin boy standing just behind Goyle was watching the horse eating with an expression of great distaste on his face, and Neville, whose eyes were following the swishing progress of the long black tail.

(OotP, page 445)

“The only people who can see thestrals,” she said, “are people who have seen death.”

(OotP, page 446)

The stringy Slytherin boy mentioned here is Theo. This scene proves that:

He takes Care of Magical Creatures

He saw someone die

Let's explore the second one for a moment. The fact Theo can see Thestrals means he watched someone die and was old enough to comprehend what he was seeing. We also know Theo's mother is dead. So it's likely the person he watched die was his mother.

I also want to draw attention to Theo's distaste towards Thestrals. He could likely see them carrying the carriages every year since 2nd year, it's not his first time seeing them. But it doesn't stop his displeasure with their sight from showing. Which says something about him. It means he likely recalls his mother and her death whenever he looks at the Thestrals. and these are memories Theo rather not experience.

We don't know how his mother died, but I'd hazard a guess it wasn't natural. After all, wizards have long life spans, they are more durable to illness and injury, and don't usually die from accidents unless very extreme or magical. And there was no epidemic of dragonpox (a disease that does tend to kill wizards) in the time since 1980 and the books. So, she was more likely killed at some point between 1985(ish) and 1991.

“No, I don’t think so, sir. I’m Muggle-born, you see.” Harry saw Malfoy lean close to Nott and whisper something; both of them sniggered, but Slughorn showed no dismay; on the contrary, he beamed and looked from Hermione to Harry, who was sitting next to her.

(HBP, pages 185-186)

First, Theo is an O student in potions since he is in the potions NEWT class, and was probably meant to be there even if Snape was the teacher.

Second, again, Theo doesn't really have friends. He sits next to Draco as the only other Slytherin in the class. Also, they share the circumstances of being sons of Death Eaters currently in Azkaban. Although both of them seem to deal with it quite differently.

Third, Theo joins Draco in making fun of Hermione's blood status, but he does not initiate it. Considering the environment he was raised in and is in, it makes sense he would make fun of it. Whether he's a blood-purist or not, he would want to keep his image considering he doesn't have many allies. Hanging out with Draco is survival, not friendship. They aren't even on a first-name basis with each other.

“Amortentia doesn’t really create love, of course. It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. No, this will simply cause a powerful infatuation or obsession. It is probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room — oh yes,” he said, nodding gravely at Malfoy and Nott, both of whom were smirking skeptically. “When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love. . . .

(HBP, page 186)

The final quote I have about Theo is from the same potions class as above. Both he and Draco are portrayed here as underestimating amortentia and its potential damage. It makes sense for their upbringing in the Wizarding World, which has no real laws or regulations regarding love potions that are seen as harmless fun more often than not.

I'll add Theo likely didn't witness a healthy romantic relationship. Considering his father is a Death Eater who is likely abusive and may or may not have killed his mother. With this as his reference to a marriage, it's clear why he'd look down on love and love potions.

Why I think Theo and Harry have potential

Okay, so now that we know who Theodore Nott is, let's talk about why I ship him with Harry.

I think Harry, in general, would get along best with a clever partner with the ability to be ruthless (Slytherins or Ron fall into this category). Because Harry isn't some golden savior; he casts unforgivables, and is very willing to poison Umbridge or Crocio Snape if he could get away with it. He needs a partner that won't be horrified by these thoughts.

Also, Theo literally never speaks on page. Even when spoken to, his reactions are silent. I think this quiet and no need to talk, the ability to be comfortable in silence, is something that would be comfortable for Harry. Harry in the books finds himself annoyed with Ron and Hermione's constant banter on occasion, so I think it fits well.

Theo would also be comfortable around Harry without a need to play a certain part. Because Harry wouldn't care about that. He would honestly rather Theo forgo the pure-blood Slytherin act.

I feel like Harry and Theo, have a good potential to understand each other. Theo lost his mother and likely experiences abuse from his father. It makes them very likely to trauma bond over their crap life and shared experience. Two out of three only ones who could see the Thestrals in the entire class.

The other thing I feel they could connect over is being lonely. Harry spent all his childhood until Hogwarts basically being on his own. Theo stayed on his own. Draco at least has his parents, he has other students he's closer to, not that he shares everything with them, but he has some support network. Theo has none. And this is something Harry knows well.

Theo, I think, wouldn't expect anything specific from Harry. He doesn't even interact with him, not to mock him, and not to idolize him, he doesn't care at all. And we know how much Harry appreciates being thought of as Harry and not as the Boy-Who-Lived. Theo would allow Harry to be himself without some mold he wants him to fit in.

The fact Theo never becomes a Death Eater, even though he was in Draco's year and his father was a Death Eater before Lucius (and in better standing than Lucius with Voldemort) is so interesting. It's somewhat surprising Theo wasn't marked. It means he didn't want to be. It means that Theo Nott didn't want to torture and kill muggleborns or blood traitors, or anyone really. And he didn't want to swear his allegiance to Voldemort. This is just a fascinating fact to me and something I enjoy considering. What life experience made him come to that conclusion? Was it just his dislike of his father that pushed him away? Could he have been another Sirius Black (Gryffindor in a Slytherin family) under slightly different circumstances? I mean, Voldemort likely wouldn't force him to become a Death Eater, but would his father? I don't know what at all went down there, but I like that potential story.

We also know he wasn't part of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad, even though some minor Slytherins were mentioned to be part of it. He just seems to be an actually decent guy (I don't care what Cursed Child says about him, I know he's there but I avoided almost anything to do with Cursed Child so I barely know the plot).

Finally, this is a character Harry doesn't have as much drama to get over with. Yes, sometimes I want to read overcoming drama between characters before it becomes a romance, but sometimes I want something chiller than that. And Theo is a really chill, safe, Slytherin option for Harry.

[mochinomnoms]

Silly scenario, but imagine something goes wrong in Alchemy, which results in Riddle getting turned into a fish, specifically a goldfish like a legit goldfish, not a merman. If Floyd were to find out, depending on his mood, he would either laugh or annoyed that his goldfishy quite literally turned into a goldfish. Now imagine Floyd carrying goldfish Riddle around the campus in a small tank. This was funnier in my head, I swear.

I'm so sorry, Riddle, because Floyd has the impulsive decision-making of a 2-year-old who just discovered free will.

He's dropping Riddle into his mouth and just barely registers, “oh wait, I probably shouldn't eat him lol” before spitting him back into the bowl.

If you wanted to take it on a much sweeter, shipping note, this would be a great opportunity for Floyd to show a much softer side to Riddle. I'm assuming that Riddle is still very sentient and aware in this new form, but maybe the others aren't aware of that.

This includes Floyd, for plot purposes of course, as he takes to carrying Riddle in a little baggy. Riddle's not happy, as he's been snatched from Trey and Cater's very dependable hands and is now being jostled around in this stupid eel's hands.

Imagine his surprise when Floyd, upon entering an unfamiliar part of Octavinelle, carefully drops him in a pleasantly cool, refreshing tank. It's a freshwater one, too, which doesn't match the rest of the waters surrounding the dorm. It takes a moment for him to realize that it's probably one of Jade's terrariums, perhaps gifted to Floyd, if the random knick-knacks like a small bouncy ball and a still wrapped lollipop were any indicator.

I suppose he could be fascinated with freshwater marine life, being from the sea. Still, it's much more well-kept than I'd expect from Floyd, of all people.

There's a few other small freshwater fish swimming in the small tank as well. They looked remarkably healthy and lovely, despite being mostly gray and silver. The filtration system looked expensive too, was this all really Floyd's doing?

“Floyd, did you really put Riddle into my tank?” Ah, never mind, this makes more sense. “I thought I told you after the last time, stop added things into my tank. And when did you add that candy?”

Riddle had never heard Jade speak in such an irritated tone, it reminded him of how Cater would speak with his older sisters on the phone. Siblings don't always get along, he supposes.

“Aw it's fine, the little guys love my decorations! And besides,” Floyd leaned down to stare at Riddle with his bi-colored eyes. They looked quite pretty, he'd hate to admit.

“I gotta take care of my Riddle!” Huh, Floyd never, if ever, called him by his actual name. “Sea Turtle and Seabream probably would've kept him in that stupid bag until he turned back. That's no good!”

Riddle watched as Floyd rested his head on his arms, gazing at him with an expression he'd rather not name as Riddle swam around in the water. He had to admit, the water against his scales felt quite nice, Riddle wondered if being in a merform would be the same?

“And I gotta make sure he likes the water, that way he'll agree to move into our home after we get married.”

WHAT

Riddle was glad that he couldn't do more to express himself other than fan and flutter his fins and gills, as he's sure Floyd would rub his sudden embarrassment in his face.

“Please, you have to confess for that to even happen.” Jade scoffed as he reached his hand in to pick out the toys and trash Floyd had left in the tank. “And that's if you get him to not hate your guts.”

“Jaaaaaaade! You're being meeeeean!” Floyd turned back around to wrap his arms around his brother's waist, letting himself become deadweight for Jade to drag as he tried to walk to the trashcan by his desk.

“You can't say nothing! You're in the same boat with your mate!”

“I am most certainly not!” Jade's huff was almost amusing, if not unsettling coming from him. “My darling is just shy, I need to be careful—”

“You're a scared little bitch is what you are.”

Riddle watched as Floyd immediately ran out of the room, Jade following right after him. He thinks he could make out sounds of crashing, but it was muffled from the water and glass. It took all but of a few minutes for a disheveled Floyd with a blood nose to zoom back into the room, nearly smacking against the tank as he fell to his knees.

“Sorry Little Goldfishie, didn't mean to leave ya alone. I'll stay with ya for a while until you turn back into my Riddle. 'Kay?”

Perhaps delusional lovesickness ran in the Leech family. Perhaps Riddle was also a bit delusional, as the fond look in Floyd's eyes didn't completely turn him off.

[rwbyrg]

Another thing I had noticed was the way Ruby interreacts with everyone vs. how she interacts with Oscar. Like her mannerisms seem to change a bit when she speaks or is near him or she treats him differently from the others. Because personally I've never seen her act very nervous around the others when she met them versus how she met Oscar, and she still does it to this day. What do you think?

I am soooooo late to answering these asks and this got sooooo long aha. Thank you for your patience. 🙇‍♀️

I have noticed that Ruby acts markedly different around Oscar than the others! And in my opinion, it is done with a great deal of intention. The thing with RG is that a lot of what makes the ship so strong is how subtle its writing is. So much of it is paralleled themes and a lot of it relies on an absence of something that is usually present. Often treating the absence itself as a presence of something to be paid attention to.

When we first meet Ruby in V1, she says she gets along better with weapons than she does with people. (Lol isn't it funny that Oscar's name means "God's Spear" haha. surely that has no correlation whatsoever... anyway).

When Ruby meets Weiss, she gets screamed at and makes a dust bomb explode in the courtyard, but by V2 so many of their conflicts are resolved and they've become rivals/besties/team partners.

When Ruby meets Blake, she's got her foot in her mouth and is super awkward... until there's an opportunity to connect with her about stories and fairytales. Then we see Ruby's earnest side come out and the anxiety in her pretty much disappears.

When Ruby meets Jaune, it's remarkably not awkward. Their shared social awkwardness and feelings of not belonging at Beacon cancel each other out and they're able to have a fairly normal conversation.

Very quickly through the early volumes, Ruby gets comfortable. As a leader, as part of her team, as a welcome part of their social circle. She's young, still optimistic and full of hope. She hasn't been given too much trauma or cause to question herself by that point. She has her moments, sure, but like a lot of kids that don't fit in much and aren't super social, she's actually really good at it once she's given the chance.

But when Ruby meets Oscar - while she has experienced some of the Horrors™ that have chipped away at her self confidence - she's not too different than usual. Not at first, anyway.

He comments on her eyes and she responds naturally by asking him who he is, she's able to be candid with her response when she's told he's carrying Oz around, and yeah she giggles a bit when they're all playing the 'getting to know you game', but she also smiles at him. Earnest, trying to make him feel at ease cause this situation is kind of weird for all of them. When they spar later, she's being a goofy kid. Sticking her tongue out at him, laughing while they throw and dodge punches, running to help him when he collapses, grabbing his wrist with very little hesitation to tug him towards the rest of the group. It's all fairly normal...

...and then the Dojo Scene happens.

With the Dojo Scene, the narrative tone of their relationship is both established and changed. Ruby comes down the stairs and she's open, at first. But as they talk a bit more, her body language becomes more and more closed off the closer she gets to him. Clasping her hands in front of her when she asks a question about his past, then hugging herself as she dares to step a little closer to him, as if putting up some kind of protective barrier.

She tries complimenting his efforts, laughing a bit to hide her nervousness, is fairly candid, and makes a bit of a joke. But the joke reveals a wound of hers that hasn't healed yet and opens the conversation up to vulnerability. A vulnerability that Oscar points out immediately. One she has not spoken to anyone else about up until that point.

"How do you handle all of this?"

Ruby pauses. She's not used to talking to people about her problems. At first, I don't think she's even thinking about herself when he asks. She nudges him to clarify what he means and he opens up about his own fears, which prompts her routine song and dance that she gives to everyone. Uplifting words, holding onto hope, keep moving forward, just don't let the things that haunt you catch up and you'll be fine.

And Oscar doesn't accept it. He isn't moved by it. He's not comforted. He rejects it, questions it, and completely lashes out. Is actually angry that she's telling him to "just press on" in spite of those fears. Is angry on her behalf that she's not being honest about her own feelings.

And Ruby cracks. She actually opens up and talks to Oscar about all the grief she keeps buried down and doesn't burden anyone with. She might have argued to herself that it was the only way to make Oscar feel better, but it's uncharacteristic for her. She doesn't usually have to go that deep to cheer other people up. When she tells him about her losses and motivations, Oscar joins her in that open doorway, in shared vulnerability... and the moment she sees an opportunity to retreat, she takes it. Not used to this closeness in the slightest.

From then on out they're still friends, clearly. Their bond strengthened, if anything... but Ruby does not know how to handle him when he has such a skill for seeing through her in ways no one else ever seems to catch onto. She's able to push it away a bit when he's pre-occupied with something else. When he's worried about the merge or his mistakes in Atlas, or they're in a group conversation, she's able to act with some sense of normalcy... but when they're alone that awkwardness comes creeping back.

When WBY confront Ruby about her decision to keep the truth from Ironwood, Yang specifically asks how Oscar feels about it, and we see Ruby falter. This is a direct parallel to Bumbleby circa V8 when Yang is the one worrying about Blake thinking less of her for her own decision. We've seen Ruby disagree with people before and remain confident in her choice... but she questions herself here because of how much she values Oscar's opinion. And their disagreement colours more of her interactions with him throughout V7.

When they're all practicing in the academy training rooms, Oscar comments on her semblance. Asking if she's always been able to do that, which is something he wouldn't ask if he didn't pay close enough attention to be able to notice such differences. She's laughing awkwardly, scratching the back of her head.

And the fumble, when they finally come back together with renewed trust - that I already dove into a bit over in this post - she's still doing it!!

She is so excited to talk to him again, to not be at odds, that she almost runs directly into his back and is all flailing arms, and awkward giggles as she tries to tell him she agrees with him. When they finally establish that they're on the same page, she's hugging herself tight, rubbing her arm, looking away from him in her nervousness. Even when she walks away she's hugging herself again. Meanwhile, Oscar is all open body language, hand on hip, hand extended to her, active listening and receptive to what she has to say.

Interesting that this conversation's themes around choosing truth over fear calls back to the Dojo Scene so well, innit? 🤔

The last example I want to give isn't about Ruby. It's about Oscar. Throughout the show, he's always been a bit skittish, jumpy, and expressive with things like loud noises and - quite noticeably - touch. Oscar's been tackled to the ground by Nora in multiple hugs, tackled by the whole team in V6 after he went missing, scooped up by Jaune after he was kidnapped, and in all of those instances there has been a noticeable physical discomfort from him. Often a flinch or a wince beforehand, only relaxing into it after the surprise of the impact is over with.

But Ruby has put her hand on Oscar's shoulder multiple times (outside the Dojo Scene) without eliciting that response from him. One of those touches made him blush, if anything. And when Oscar returns from Salem's prison, beaten and covered in bruises. Ruby is running to hug him and not only does he not flinch, he smiles with open arms, completely ready for and accepting of it. And then the narrative robbed him of the chance 😭

Ruby, despite her usual confidence, resolve, and unwillingness to talk about her issues, becomes nervous, awkward, and self conscious around Oscar. The absence of her usual demeanor becomes the presence of how much she values what Oscar thinks of her and how vulnerable he's able to make her feel. (Which, for a character as emotionally guarded as Ruby, is a good thing).

Similarly, Oscar's established pattern of resisting physical touch - even when he's injured and probably sporting a few broken ribs - is absent with Ruby. It becomes a presence instead of his comfort, trust, and (desire for) closeness to her.

While these examples aren't exhaustive, generally speaking, the absences of their usual behaviours around one another become the presence of something unique to their relationship and often serve to highlight their attachments to each other. Be it how they interact with each other directly... or how they act when they're apart. But that, my friends, is an entirely different post and I have rambled long enough for today.

[luxurydumpsterfire]

Hazbin Hotel ships I like!!! 1¡!!¡(In no particular order) (Includes non-canon ships) (This is just for fun and is not meant to offend anyone!) (Okay, I'm going to stfu now).

Let's go!

Radiodust!

These two live in my head rent free,all day,every day,24/7,365.

And most of the time they're kissing.

Anyways.

We know that they both lived in the same decade and have similar tastes in music and cuisine,which is already a great start! I also love the idea of Alastor adoring everything about Angel EXCEPT for the sex. Cause let's be real,Angel needs that. He deserves a complete and total gentleman who would never lay a finger on him; Especially after tolerating abuse from you-know-who, cough,cough,fuckyouValentino,COUGH.

Also,the tropes??? Good old fashioned lover boy x Killer Queen? Mafia x Serial killer? Hello???

10/10, Literally one of my favs.

2. Chaggie!

My babies!

Okay, I admit these two are very cute. Since neither of these two age normally, Charlie's a hellborn and Vaggie's a fallen angel,it means they'll get to grow old together! :)

I love the opposites attract trope and these two are no exception!

I would definitely like for them to get more screen time in the second season 2,since they didn't get much in the first one,but other then that, they're perfect!

3. Nifty x Baxter

(Do these two have a ship name? Idk?)

Baxter hasn't even come on to the show yet but I can already tell these two are going to be Chaos gremlins,in their own,lovable,concerning ways 😌

4. Lucililith

I don't believe for a SECOND these two aren't in love,even if just a little bit.

Yes,yes,yes,I know they're divorced. AND? THEY CAN STILL GET BACK TOGETHER! THEY'RE IN THEIR DIVORCE ERA, GUYS.

I think it's mostly the fanart that got me hooked,lol. And the fact that I would love to have them as my parents, honestly.

5. CasinoBomb

(No photo for this one,sorry 🥲)

I...I don't know,man,@zaebeecee 's posts about them altered my brain chemistry and...I DON'T KNOW WTF HAPPENED,IDK

I just saw one of their posts and the more I thought about it,the more I liked it

Something about them just clicks,you know? It's one of those ships that makes no sense but also a lot of sense.

Also,if you don't know what characters I'm talking about, it's Husk x Cherri bomb.

5. Radiorose

He doesn't mind her touching him 😢

They're so cute,omg 😭

Look at them!!! 💗💗💗

Although I mostly prefer them as besties, I also like the idea of them being together. You can tell he's a lot more comfortable with her then anyone else in the show and I love that ☺️

6. Radiohusk

(Art belongs to @vadoodlevee and it will be taken down if I am asked to).

Ah yes,the two loser old men in love. GIVE THEM TO ME.

They've known each other for years and are sick and tired of each others bs. They know what the other like's and dislike's because they're begrudgingly stuck together. They actually can't stand each other.

I'M SOLD!

And no, I'm not glorifing the slave x master thing. I've shipped these two HARD since the pilot,so calm down.

Alright, let's get more into the crackships/rarepairs. Not counting Casinobomb cause we've actually seen those two interact,lol.

Feel free to give your own personal take on these(as long as they're not hateful)!

7. Caramel Apple!

Apart from me just really liking their ship name,I feel like these two would be a really cute couple. Like,she would take him out to one of her parties when he's feeling down and would comfort him about his relationship with Charlie and Lilith.

I also feel like she would be very polite to Charlie and Vaggie.

And I like the idea of them baking together ❤️

8. Angelic Ballet!

A little hesitant on this one.

So, realistically,these two would probably hate each other. Sera was the one who approved the exterminations,resulting in the death of billions of sinners, which puts Carmila and her daughters in danger. So that's not really a great way to start a relationship...

However, I think in any other circumstances,I think these two would be a nice couple.

They both just want to protect the people they love and are willing to go to extreme measures to do just that. It could be Sera realizing not all sinners are absolute monsters,and some were just people who made mistakes in life. Kinda of like Vaggie realizing the hellborn weren't terrible upon meeting Charlie.

Also, they're both very elegant ladies who need another refined woman to treat them right 😌🏳️‍🌈

[austinslounge]

Nicholas is the new Hollywood “it” boy. If Kaia or her parents showed interest, he’d take it in a heart beat. Girlfriend, who?

Nicholas doesn’t have the resume Austin had by the time the Gerber clan got their claws into him. He was on a soap opera for a few years before he got the Monsters gig. He’d probably love to date a nepo baby.

The shippers are having a meltdown about this. Because Nicholas fans are shipping him and Kaia already. Which is fine. So you’re thing.

We want Austin away from her anyways.

Yea girl, Nicholas SO fits the mold and usual type that Kaia tends to go for. The only difference is that he's actually around her age and not in his 30s rofl 🤣

Nicholas and Kaia would actually make a much better match because he's only 2 years older than her, and they're in the same place in their lives. They might actually be way more compatible with each other than Austin and Kaia tbh. 👀

The ship name NicKaia even has a really cute ring to it too! 🤭

And yea, let her family get their claws into Nicholas, and leave Austin alone, please. 😩

Austin and Kaia don't even look happy with each other anymore. And it's pretty clear that Austin doesn't like being in the spotlight or paps like that, but maybe this Nicholas guy does?

He might actually want the exposure because he's still trying to make it in Hollywood.

Kaia really needs to continue to be around her friends closer around her age, live the young 23 year old life, and date a guy closer to her own age, instead of being tied down to a guy 10 years older than her, who's (let's face it) way more mature than she is, isn't into the party scene anymore, prefers to be a homebody and chill instead of being out and about at the latest Hollywood bash, Burger King Fan-fic reading, Taylor Swift concert, or BDSM birthday party. 👀

We've seen what Austin loves to do in his spare time as a 33 year old man. Among other things, he loves to visit art museums, go to plays, make pottery, spend time with older friends, watch movies, read, and be at home lol. 😄

He and Kaia are at two totally different places in their lives, and like that Life & Style article said, "they have nothing in common", and it shows! They look miserable together. It almost looks like a chore or an obligation to be with each other at this point. Where's the fun? Where's the spark? Where are the smiles?

When you look at Dua and Callum, for example, they look like they are having the time of their lives, and it looks like they are having great sex lol. 😅 Sorry to be so graphic, but that's exactly what they look like. That woman is all smiles lol. They actually look happy. Truth be told, Austin and Vanessa looked the same way, and it looked like they had a great time in the bedroom as well.

Austin and Kaia already look like they are bored with each other, and they have only been dating for almost 3 years. Do shippers really think these two are going to be getting married? Ha! Get real lol 😆 The spark has already died, and they aren't even married rofl. 🤣 Idk any man who says to himself that this is what he wants to look like with his woman for the rest of his life lol.

So yea, Kaia and Nicholas might actually be a good match. She's already tossed the ball, and he's accepted. (Yet another reason why I know for sure that Kaia went after Austin and not the other way around)

I'll be curious to see what comes of this, if anything.

[darklinaforever]

My god. What did you smoke to think that was well written ?! At what fucking moment ?! And lol ! If people really think that this kiss will have an effect on the Daemyra couple, people are completly dreaming. That Rhaenyra will have a serious relationship with Mysaria ? Even less ! It is very likely that this stupid kiss will not even be discussed in the future. Also... at one point in the video, the girl tries to say in relation to those who would have reacted badly to the kiss : "But don't straight people also kiss when they are sad ?" THE FUCKING CONNECTION ?!

And the rest is WORST !

Except that fucking yes ! There could have been official sapphic content in HOTD without these shitty relationships that are Rhaenicent and Rhaesaria ! Why ?! BECAUSE THERE ARE CANONICAL LGBTQ+ COUPLES IN THE HISTORY OF DANCE ! INCLUDING SAPPHIC ! But obviously you're not complaining about the non-adaptation of canonical queer relationships which are therefore not doomed to go nowhere or break up like Rhaenicent and Rhaesaria ! Why are you happy with representation that won't go anywhere and the erasure of canonical queer relationships ?! Are you stupid or what ?!

And yes, Rhaenicent is what we call queerbaiting ! Pure and simple ! How can you even dare to say otherwise with such aplomb ?! The writers and actors are constantly contradicting each other about the Rhaenicent relationship ! Open your fucking eyes !

Pigeons, that's what everyone who supports these two shitty ships are ! And no, I'm not sorry to say it, and I will never sorry. Wake up people, damn it !

And you know what could have been good to confirm Rhaenyra's possible bisexuality, even if I don't think she's bi in the source material ? LAENA VELARYON ! HER FUCKING BEST FRIEND ! AND NOT WITH THE TWO WOMEN WHO RUINED THE BEGINNING (ALICENT / yes yes, in HOTD, Alicent is still Rhaenyra's abuser, because Daemon, outside of the OCC strangulation scene, never really abused her) AND THE END OF HER LIFE (MYSARIA) ! BUNCH OF IDIOTS !

Also, instead of fundamentally choosing to make Rhaenyra a bi person when she probably isn't in the book objectively speaking, well just adapt the true queer characters of the dance ? No ?

No one complains that the real queer characters and relationships aren't adapted ?

You prefer that we transform a potentially straight character into bi to make her be in relationships that will go nowhere because she will never leave her man ? Well you really are pitiful.

I'm so tired of the attempts to defend Rhaenicent and Rhaesaria, two shitty relationships that were poorly written in HOTD but when you take Fire and Blood become downright insulting.

Also, another thing I find ironic. The fact of always trying to say in defense of these two ships that we don't care about the source material that is Fire and Blood. Listen to me, you idiot, without Fire and Blood there is no HOTD. So you shut up about the neglect of the source material because you just come across as even more stupid than you probably are. But strangely, to talk about the so-called infidelities of Daemon, present precisely in Fire and Blood and not HOTD of these same fans, well there are people ! While these infidelities did not take place in HOTD and may never take place. And beyond that, at no time have these so-called infidelities been proven. At no time. And if you have a functioning brain in terms of reflection and analysis, it is necessarily probable that these infidelities of Daemon with Mysaria and Nettles are purely false. But of course, the fact is that most of these people are condemning Daemon for something he hasn't done yet and may never do, in the only material that matters to these people, namely HOTD. But strangely, Rhaenyra's infidelitie, no one cares about that. On the contrary, it's apparently great because it's sapphic "representation". Rhaesaria is representation ? An improvised scene that comes out of nowhere and has no impact on the storyline ? Let me laugh. And apparently, Rhaenyra would be justified, because Daemon strangled her at the end of season 1. You know, that other scene that came out of nowhere and made no sense. But obviously, critical thinking is dead in this type of person.

Put Fire and Blood aside if you want to justify these two shitty ships, but the reality is that they don't need Fire and Blood to be bad. They are simply poorly written in the context of HOTD alone.

These two ships make me so fucking sick.

[g4rchomp]

I finished "Ancillary Justice" and I need to talk about it (spoilers down below + very, very long post sorry) This post is mostly a repository for my thoughts so it's messy but anyone is welcome to read and reply ofc, it's always fun to share :^)

First, I really loved the book. I loved the concept, I loved universe, I loved the characters, I loved the story. I was warned the pacing would be slow but I was on the edge on my seat most of the time, it just clicked for me.

I think you can never go wrong with exploring what it means to be human. To explore what consciousness, grief, love, hope, revenge means. Ann Leckie does this really well in this book and Breq has been on my mind ever since I read more than 10 pages of the book.

what it means to be an AI, what it means to make choices

Since it's a central part of the book, I was a little bit disappointed that Breq and other ship consciousnesses were simply explained as being "AIs", which little elaboration. I would have loved to have a little more substance around that. That being said, I think it's mostly because conversations around AI flourished in the past 2-5 years, the Radch chronicles were written in 2013 so just saying "AI" didn't have the same implications as it does today.

One thing I loved was the exploration of what making choices meant for both ancillary and human characters. It is both central to Awn and Breq's characters. Awn feels helpless during the Tanmind riots and thinks she has "no choice" which is then questioned by Skaaiat. Breq understands that in a way, but it really resonates with her when she's confronted with orders to kill Awn later on. to me that's a moment where Breq's (One Esk at that point) humanity starts to truly shine through. What does it mean to have a choice? What does it mean to make choices? What's the difference between the two? Under the Radch rule, choices are constrained and consequences are heavy, but it doesn't mean the choices you make can't have a long lasting impact, one way or another.

speaking of empires...

who doesn't love an evil empire? I'll never get mad a "empires are evil" tropes in sci-fi because it simply is true and that message is still very much needed. In Ancillary Justice, I just wish the bureaucratic works that underpins the stability of such huge empires was more insisted on. what do you mean it only takes a few days to receive a visa to enter the Radch????? it's easier to enter the Imperial Radch than it is Canada lol. the ships, the palace, the thousand of Anaander Mianaai, all of it is part of an administrative structure that, at the same time, is integral to the survival and reach of the Empire and also a major source of breaches that make it impossible for an Empire to truly see and control everything.

in a way, we see that through Anaander's split, an empire that stretches so far out it falls into pieces and cannibalizes itself. I thought that was great. however, I feel like the Empire is a little too centered on Anaander Mianaai as a person, it's personalized in her which I think is reductive. empires aren't bad because their leaders are bad, they're bad because they're empires. I hope this will be touched on during the next two books!

on another note, I love that the two parts of Anaander Mianaai aren't in complete opposition. one part is expansionist and openly violent but the other part doesn't want to abolish the Radch, she's reformist, she's liberal. nowwww an empire that transforms into a version of itself that still holds immense power but through a "democratic" facade where have we seen that before I wondeerrrr. it's a strong point of the book and I hope Breq continues to distrust Anaander Mianaai forever. also when it's reveal that Breq's last name is Mianaai now. eye roll of the century. when Anaander thanks Breq for being confrontational with her "no one else does this hihi" yes because you kill them. great vilain. an empire that absorbs everything like a black hole even it's strongest detractors. I hope this gets even more expanded on later in the series.

on returning to previous states

another thing I hope the next two books address is Breq's new position as a ship commandant. the destruction of the Justice of Toren marks such a big shift in Breq's character it just feels weird to see her in a position of power, on a ship, with at best mixed feelings about the situation. it feels almost a bit out of character to see her lead after the last 20 years of her life. it's like she went back to a previous state, which is not something I like to see in fiction. I'm looking forward to see how things develop but my impression was that Breq was longing for something else now, a revenge that did not imply playing by the same rules she did before.

also, Breq's goal in the first book was to shoot (not kill) Anaander Mianaai, which she did. so what's her goal now? I feel like it's not clearly stated and her post-shooting attitude lacks exploration. she just goes with the flow and see where it takes her next but for some reason it didn't feel satisfactory to me. it's what I thought was the biggest weakness in the book.

I love Strigan

that's it I love her, I loved her relationship with Breq. in a way she is to Breq what Skaaiat has been for Awn: a turning point. she pushes her to recognize her own agency, think deeply about the choices that are afforded to her and the consequences of making or not making those choices. I hope she makes a comeback.

ofc I love Seivarden too, there seems to be much about her we don't know bc Breq simply doesn't care but I like her and I want to see what's next for her.

I didn't get the bridge scene

I feel like I missed something. why would Seivarden fall? what was the significance of this scene? so Seivarden could be grateful for Breq? but she already had a reason (Breq saved her in the snow). or so Breq could be grateful to Seivarden for saving her? but it's already established Breq has a weird attachement to Sievarden, it didn't need more. was it to show Breq's superhuman abilities? we already knew that (in both timelines) was it to force Breq into a vulnerable position? but then why do that through a 3km fall? I would love to know what everyone's interpretation of this scene was. it felt significant but I can't say why, it bugs me lol

"pronouns are gimmicky" blablabla

ik the series is well known partly for the use of she/her pronouns throughout the text, telling the story through a radchaai language perspective. people noted that Breq speaks multiple languages and isn't human anyways so she wouldn't struggle with discriminating gender. first of all, I don't care. second of all, it was seamless and well executed. everyone who says it's gimmicky is wrong in my eyes and I'm not willing to elaborate. I loved it, it was fun and it was a fresh perspective. also I read the book in french, which uses masculine pronouns as a "neutral" form so it felt even better.

(voice of a guy who has only ever read Dune):

which gets me to my next point. the series has been compared to Ursula LeGuin's work and I can see why (I love LeGuin, I haven't read all of her work yet but she's a staple in my heart and mind). buuuuut I thought a lot of elements were very Dune-esque which I personally loved. the obsessive attention to minor physical changes to indicate emotions, the subtle but meaningful hand gestures, the grand houses competing for power, the divided emperor god, the space poems (Gurney Halleck am I right) the sentient/ almost human made-to-serve clone (Duncan Idaho am I right) and the list goes on.

so yeah I feel like we compare women sci-fi author for their inclusion of feminist perspectives in their work without giving a lot of consideration to the other themes they explore and how they do so. the comparison with LeGuin (or Martha Well) is interesting but to me the merits of Ancillary go beyond the issues of gender. (and by that I don't mean that LeGuin or Well's work is only good bc of their perspectives on gender I hope that's clear I love both their work for many, many reasons INCLUDING but going beyond this one does that make sense?)

Anyways that's ittt! pitch me tomatoes or nod sagely or tell me what you thought abt that bridge scene I'd love to hear it! onto Ancillary Sword now

[mo0n-water]

persuade me into liking moonwater go

BET

so i feel like the biggest barrier people have to shipping moonwater is the fact that they don't see the chemistry. we're very used to the opposites attract dynamic in marauders, like jegulus & wolfstar. which i love. i love opposites attract, but moonwater offers something different (not lesser or greater!!) for us to enjoy.

i bring you... the catharsis of someone who deeply sees & understands all the messiest parts of you, & is okay with them. remus & regulus don't fight to fix each other, or to change circumstances that can't possibly be changed -- they embrace the misery & find love anyway. bad things are there to stay, but love can exist alongside that. THAT is why i love moonwater.

i've posted a little manifesto before on why i like moonwater as much as i do, as well as my thoughts on the ship name. you can read that here!

elaborating on the earlier part of them just really getting each other, i'm thinking of this post i've read like a thousand times. i really just love the idea of them reading each other's minds, knowing things instinctively just because... "duh." they have so much in common, even though you wouldn't think so at first glance -- a marauder & sirius black's little brother. but the way they respond to the world around them is so similar, & given how the two of them are both so prone to isolation & loneliness, that's such a crucial thing.

literally, the two of them is like "how'd you know i needed that?" "??? well duh, who wouldn't need that?" & i think there's something so beautiful about that intrinsic sort of understanding... ahhhhHHH <3

i love their pessimism. like c'mon look at this & tell me these two aren't SOULMATES

i think they'd both have a fucking blast together, being the snarky & judgemental pricks they are. i saw a screenshot on tumblr of a tweet someone made about their opposite (& kinda complementary) styles of humor:

one criticism i've seen a lot is like, "why can't they just be friends?" which is super understandable. platonic moonwater is great! but like, that's the fun thing about multishipping to me... why do they have to just be friends? it's fandom; we can have it all!

leaving you with a couple other moonwater posts for your perusal:

this one

also this

& this one (lol)

(i think about them all daily)

...and i do have a moonwater tag on my blog xx

[aylish91]

I really like Sea of Hope so far! Fics with a skeleton mc aren't too common from what I've seen.

First time asking this sort of thing but I saw you were taking writing requests, so I thought it couldn't hurt to ask lol.

Any chance you could write a Piratetale Fell!Papyrus meeting a female reader, preferably she's human and doesn't have experience traveling the sea even though she's always wanted too? You can make him as tsundere as you want.

Love your work, keep it up! :D

Hehe. Pirate Fell Paps... ao3 link in title.

TW: *very brief* physical violence and attempted manipulation from supposed partner (Not Paps!)

I Will Sail!!!

You had made it. You reached the Crow’s Nest tavern before the search party could catch up to you, finding yourself walking toward a rather tall Monster lounging off in the back corner. Your chest was ablaze. Finally, after all this time of longing! And yet, you prayed you had made the right decision.

There was no going back.

You ignored the calls and looks sent your way as you made your way through the tables, hoping beyond hope this was the man you were looking for. Then, once there, you gave a shaky bow of your head. There was no time for pleasantries.

“Apologies for interrupting your evening Sir, but do I have the honor of addressing the master of the Burning Rose?”

Red glowing orbs looked up from beneath an intricate tricorn hat. Though the man in front of you was mostly obscured by darkness, his fine dress and stature led you to believe he was indeed the one you were looking for. Steeling yourself, you pressed on to meet the gaze. The orbs obscured and dimmed as if squinting before shifting up, head tilting back enough to reveal the face they belonged to.

A wave of relief overtook you.

A lithe skull greeted you with that of a sharp-toothed scowl. You had been right in your assumption. He was, in fact, the captain of the Burning Rose. Papyrus R.T. Ghaster, a skeleton Monster intimidating and strong enough to navigate the mostly human merchant trade within the Ebottion Sea. Or at least, what little information your father had on the newcomer surmised. A merchant willing to travel great distances to retrieve that which any desired. The only man you had heard of that actively employed women.

Someone who could grant you a way to the seas…

Fiddling with the sleeves of your dress, you did your best to tune out the noise and rowdy nature of such a tavern after dark. Waiting.

The captain stirred from his relaxed lounge, taking a drink from his tankard before cocking his head to the side. “PERHAPS. THAT IS THE NAME OF ME SHIP.”

You took a deep breath and nodded. You had to hurry. You reckoned there wasn’t much time left.

“Very good. My name is Y/N, L/N. I am aware that you have women in your employ. As it is, I would like to request—”

“NO.”

You were a bit taken aback. He hadn’t let you finish. “But Sir, you haven’t—”

“I DON’T NEED TO HEAR TO KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU WISH, LASS. THE ANSWER IS STILL NO.” He looked away from you, uninterested as he took another draught from his drink. There were chuckles from a few others at tables close enough to hear.

You bristled. “But why!? I assure you, Sir, that despite my disposition, I would work just as hard as any man and am more than willing to learn how to do anything you might need of me.”

There was a scoff. “THAT WOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. YOU WOULDN’T MAKE IT PASSED A WEEK, THAT I ASSURE YOU. YOU ARE TOO SOFT FOR WHAT WE DO. YOU KNOW NOTHING OF THE GOINGS ON OF A PROPER SHIP, LET ALONE MINE.”

He was looking down on you, you could tell. Just like all the others. You couldn’t let that sway you. You could prove your worth. You just needed to convince him of that. You stepped back into his line of sight, letting all your pent-up anger from the unfairness of it all show.

You were determined.

“I can do it! I will do it! Even if I am placed as nothing more than a cabin boy, I would make it my undying goal to prove you wrong. I wish to sail captain. The sea calls to me! Surely you can at least understand that. Please, I am running out of time…”

A lot of the voices had quieted at your rant, mumbled words you couldn’t hear rumbling around you. The captain, to his credit, kept his cool. The only thing letting you know that he was even contemplating your word was the brightening of his eyelights as he stared seemingly through you.

Just as he finally leaned forward to say something, however, the door to the tavern burst open with an assortment of guards and young nobles. To your horror, you recognized most of them, your fiancé the one taking the lead.

He was quick to spot you, moving with purpose through the tavern towards you.

“Y/n! I insist you desist this unbecoming behavior at once! Your father has sent me to fetch you. Do not disappoint him any more than you already have.”

You couldn’t move. You thought you had more time. You thought you had more time!

The men were already halfway to you before you could force yourself to think, looking around for anything that could help you avoid what was surely to come. But you were stuck. Barring starting a fire with one of the lanterns or attempting to break a window, there was nowhere you could run they couldn’t catch you. All you could do was put an empty table between you. 

Your fiancé was not impressed.

“Really Y/N. We’ve gone through this. What would your mother think should she still be alive?”

You shook with unbridled anger and apprehension at being caught, still not wanting to submit. “She would have agreed with me! If she were still alive, none of this would have been allowed to happen! You are a scourge upon my life! I refuse to entertain the notion any longer of your and my marriage! I will suffer no longer under the expectations of my father!”

He was around the table gripping your arm before you could move, his fingers gripping hard enough to bruise as you fought to wretch it free. Your stomach clenched uneasily with the venom with which he spat.

“You will do whatever you are told! As your fiancé, I will not tolerate you tarnishing my name by whoring yourself out to some strangers of the night!”

Something inside of you cracked at such an accusation. It was wrong and hurtful, nothing more than a jab at your reputation for daring to go against him. It hurt even more knowing this was the man your father had forced upon you.

You didn’t think about your next actions when you were finally able to pull free, simply moved how your soul so desperately wanted you to. With the balling of your fist, you brought it back just like your older brother had once taught you.

The look of shock on your fiancé’s face would have been satisfying had it not been so fleeting. Where you had managed to turn his cheek, the backhand he threw back was hard enough to knock you to the ground.

Through the pain and determination to not show just how much he had hurt you, you didn’t hear the heavy footsteps pass or the crash of a body hitting the floor. Back on your feet, watery-eyed and red-faced, you were shocked to see the back of the captain, rubbing the knuckles of a gloved fist.

Your attacker was splayed on the wood floor.

“YOU WOULD DARE BRING HARM TO THE ONE YOU ARE BETROTHED? HOW PATHETIC. YOU DESERVE NOTHING MORE THAN TO HAVE THEM TAKEN FROM YOU.”

The guards were quick to step forward as the other nobles helped your fiancé regain his bearings. By the look of it, having a hard time.

“Stay out of this Monster. This matter doesn’t concern you. Should you continue to intervene in the retrieval of this girl, we will be forced to apprehend you.”

You couldn’t believe this was happening. Riling yourself to snap back, the captain beat you to it with a booming gravelly laugh. 

“ON THE CONTRARY, GENTLEMAN. I BEG YOU, TRY.”

Everyone in the room was now at attention, the guards taking such offense at the notion that they predictably charged forward to make good on their threat. You were enchanted by the way the captain's eyelights seemed to glow and flash with that of hellfire, more cackling laughter filling the room.

“ALL HANDS! MAKE YOUR CAPTAIN PROUD!”

With that simple phrase, it was as if the tavern itself was on the verge of collapse; the sheer amount of hollering cheers, clashing of fists, and weapons shaking its very foundations. Broken glass and toppled drinks littered the floor as tables and chairs were used in the ensuing fight. For a while you could only watch, awed by how quickly the crew overwhelmed guards and nobles alike. 

It was enough to make up your mind. 

Picking up a bottle to aid the captain and his crew, a large hand gripped your shoulder. “OH, THERE’S NO NEED FOR THAT NOW. YOU’VE ALREADY PROVEN ME WRONG.” Smirking, he turned you to him. “SEEMS YE JUST MIGHT HAVE WHAT IT TAKES AFTER ALL.”

A heave had you mercilessly slung over his shoulder, the captain quickly turning to leave with a shout.

“COME! TIS TIME WE WEIGH ANCHOR!”

With riotous laughter and good spirits, the tavern soon emptied of crew and anything worth taking. You were carted off to a grand ship anchored within the port until you were unceremoniously tossed onto the bed in the captain’s quarters.

Heat blossomed across your face.

“WELCOME ABOARD THE BURNING ROSE, LOVE.” His voice lowered as he leaned forward. “I HOPE YOU’RE READY FOR WHATEVER COMES NEXT.”

Grand Master Post PirateTale Aus

[be-the-glenn-to-my-maggie]

You know what, I want a fic where ikran racing is like a super big thing (think like the Pandoran version of derbies and all that) and is a big part of the culture. Nobody knows what to do with Spider who, being a human, doesn't really stand much of a chance but still seems intent on participating, so they just make him the clan ikran groomer to keep him out of trouble. Enter Neteyam, his best friend Lo'ak's older brother who's on the fast-track to take their father's place as ikran racing champion---or at least he was. Recently he's been having major trouble and things aren't looking good.

Imagine over the next few months Spider, who has like a shit-ton of knowledge about ikrans due to the fact that he's been the caretaker of pretty much all of them since he was knee-high to a grasshopper, helps Neteyam in secret to fix whatever's happening meanwhile they sort of fall in love even though they really shouldn't (for various reasons). Think of all of the themes that could be explored! Think of the angst! Neteyam strikes me as a brooder, so think of all the brooding!

And what's even better? This could also work for all you locorro people out there. Picture, if you will, a Lo'ak who's stuck in the shadow of his father (the greatest ikran racer known to Na'vi) and Neteyam, who seems to be following in the footsteps of their father's greatness. Desperate to prove himself, he comes to Spider for help (let's just say he and his ikran don't really. . . vibe) and Spider agrees despite all of his misgivings and fast-forward through a whole training/bonding/falling in love and finding themselves montage and boom!

How would either of these end? Idk. But man do I want this and if I don't get it I may just have to take matters into my own hands. (For some reason I just dig chill ikran caretaker Spider and high-strung, works himself to the bone to achieve perfection Neteyam or desperate to prove himself despite the fact that both him and his ikran are a mess Lo'ak.)

HOLY FUCK this is my favorite ask of all time. Alright that's it new tag folks: the people need this fic we are begging for it (please explore I have gone back and tagged appropriately).

Hey buddy hey fam I am a huge huge Star Wars fan and you are gonna come in here with your fucking Anakin Skywalker podracing au fic and think I'm not gonna sniff that shit out instantly? Ur crazy dog.

-Spider is like, THE guy for the Omaticaya's ikran care. It's tradition that if you want to participate in ikran racing then you care for ikran for a year before you complete your iknimaya, but Spider has been doing this shit for years longer than anyone else.

-He's like an expert all of them love him, he's like the Hiccup of the Omaticaya he knows all their weak spots, their favorite foods, things they're allergic too, plants that bother them, their favorite places to be scratched: kid could probably ride everyone's ikran even without a rider, but only a select few people have noticed.

-Toruk Makto is the most famous ikran racer because motherfucker rides a toruk. He doesn't participate on toruk anymore after a big legendary competition, and the only person that rivals him is his equally legendary wife (who's better than him it's just toruk that makes Jake better lol)

-Neytiri is as good as she is because unlike a lot of other ikran riders, she does all the care for her ikran alone. It is something she has instilled in her family, but, they are busy. Busy running and leading their clan. So sometimes, Spider steps in. But still the amount of time they dedicate to their ikran compared to others means it's hard not to notice Spider's expertise

-I love the idea of Neytiri being like "yeah no one but me or Spider can touch my ikran, hands off"

-it's a slow build but that equal passion is their connection

-OBSESSED with the idea of the Neteyam and Spider version (getting too many asks about them, we gotta make a ship name poll lol), my bad if I focused heavily on that I might reblog later with the locorro one.

-Neteyam and his ikran bonded but have they bonded. He NEEDS to live up to the level of precision and skill that his parents have with their ikran. Hell, flying is how his parents fell in love! They go on date nights once a week still to fly together, bonded through their love of the sky. He just can't figure out how to translate his thoughts into actions through his ikran. His too wired and anxious all the time, and his ikran's thoughts are always a mile a minute.

-He knows Neytiri only trusts ONE other person to care for her ikran, and that person doesn't have anything to lose either so he goes to Spider and begs him to keep this a secret and to help.

-Without tsaheylu, Spider's bonds with the ikran are formed through a building of trust, care, empathy, and affection through actions. If Neteyam wants to build a bond and he can't trust his mind or his ikran's mind; maybe he can trust actions.

-Oops the bond is formed between Spider and Neteyam too, they slipped and fell into trust, care, and empathy born of actions!

-Neteyam like "how do my parents fall in love flying, flying is stupid and stressful and scary" and then Spider's wrapping his hands around his waist to encourage him to make his movements lighter and he's like 😳

-the jeytiri parallels i'll kill myself frfr

-Lo'ak is still in his year of ikran care pre iknimaya, so he's just around and bitching all the time in the background about how annoying Neteyam is and how perfect he is and Spider is like 😶 yeah he's so perfect 🤭 he's so annoying.

-Kiri has her ikran but would rather die than race, she feels it's inhumane to make the ikran race without asking them first. So she's just bitching the entire time, moping around Neteyam like "why do we have to race, who would even want to?" and Neteyam just REALIZES Spider does.

-He becomes determined to help him be able to race as well. I haven't decided how yet...

Anyways this is how it goes when Spider can:

[tobiasdrake]

It's nice to get some non-gross Mikuru content. I haven't talked much about Mikuru because she's...

She's hard to talk about.

Mikuru bonding with, uh... with... the sister....

Does she have a name?

Anyways, Mikuru bonding with Kyonsis is cute. I wish I could like the Kyon/Mikuru ship. Which is to say, they get enough cute moments and development together that I would totally support this ship if the show didn't also have Kyon grossly indulging in Mikuru's harassment too.

...in general, a lot of the way the show handles Mikuru is gross. Like. They even brought in Future Mikuru at one point to wax nostalgic about Haruhi's harassment.

That's the kind of move a creator makes when they know they're being gross and want defensibility. "It's okay, she secretly likes it; She'll look back on it fondly some day."

I'm never really sure what to make of Mikuru because this isn't, like, a Male Gazey kind of show. It doesn't have the typical background noise of camera shots lingering on objectified body parts or slow panning over female bodies that typify shows made from the perspective of the Male Gaze.

Even things like the bunny girl outfits or Haruhi aggressively beginning to change while people are still in the room as a power play aren't dwelt on to the extent you'd expect from the Male Gaze.

But Mikuru feels like a character from one of those kinds of shows. The recurring joke is Haruhi physically bullying Mikuru, forcibly stripping her, making guys molest her, making her dress in various fetishized costumes, forcing her to eat expired shit from that guy's fridge they broke into, etc. - often to the point of leaving Mikuru in tears, and... that's it. That's the punchline. LOL Haruhi objectifies her body and treats her like shit.

This is one of three main things Mikuru does. The second is to form a Love Corner of

Haruhi -> Kyon (<-?) -> Mikuru

And honestly? Like 90% of the time, Kyon and Mikuru's interactions are great. But then he does shit like saving those erotic Mikuru photos he made Haruhi delete to a private folder for his personal perusal. Or says shit like this.

Or the show does shit like this.

Future Mikuru literally telling Kyon, "For compensation, feel free to make out with my past self while she's drugged!"

He does not. Thankfully. But it's so fucking weird that she even said that. Why would you write this dialogue?

And then her third thing is time travel. Which isn't given the same level of gravitas as Itsuki and Yuki. She can't fight the battles like they can. She can't exposit information like they can because everything's classified. She isn't even very good at time travel; It's explicitly brought up that Yuki's better at it.

Essentially, she has no powers or abilities beyond being present in the group so Kyon can ogle her and Haruhi can molest her.

If this were a big Male Gaze type of show, I'd be like, "Oh, yeah, she's the Fanservice Girl. Got it." But it's not. So I just. I don't understand why she's handled like this. Why is this here?

Which is what makes it nice when the show isn't doing that, and instead we get nice Mikuru content where she's being happy and everyone's treating her well.

Less of... whatever all of that is and more of this please. She's great with kids! She plays Go Fish!

Which she took second place in, by the way. Mikuru beat God at cards and entertained the small child while doing it. So HA!

[baek-at-it-again95]

Walk The Plank (K.HJ x fem reader)

Chapter 3: San’s Resolution

You had grown up hearing tales about the infamous pirate crew ATEEZ—the fearless, power-hungry men that roamed the seas in search of the most valuable treasure they could lay their hands on. You almost didn’t believe the stories your mother had told you as a child...not until you wound up on their ship

Warnings for this chapter: Guns, mean Mingi lol

A/N: I am in school at the moment but I just want to publish this story so bad AH! Please feel free to leave feedback or comments, I really appreciate it :)

Previous: Chapter 2, Masterlist

Chapter 3: San’s Resolution

San stands behind you, his arms around you to hold the musket in front of you. "Put one hand here," he says as you place one hand near his on the barrel. "And the other here," he says, adjusting his grip near the trigger. You follow his instructions, albeit a bit distracted by his close proximity. "Good, now you see that target over there?" You look near the railing of the deck where San had placed a bag of grains marked with a target of red ink. You nod. "Close one eye and aim just a little bit above where you want the bullet to land. Then relax, breathe in, and pull the trigger."

You do as he says, closing one eye to aim and adjusting the tip of the barrel to line up just above where you want to hit. You take in a deep breath and pull the trigger as you exhale, the recoil slightly pushing you back against San's chest. Your senses are momentarily flooded by the ringing in your ears and the unpleasant smell of gunpowder in your nose. As you lower the barrel, you see a hole right in the center of the target. "Would you look at that," San mumbles, a smile spreading across his face. "I knew you would be a good shot! Yeosang, come over 'ere!" He beckons the passing man over to his place, pointing to where your bullet had landed. 

"Aye, looks like you were right, San. Nice shot, Y/N." You smile at him, beginning to feel pride.

"Just wait until Mingi sees this." San snickers.

"Is Mingi good at shooting, too?" you ask curiously.

"Oh yeah." San laughs. "The best."

"Not anymore," Yeosang says under his breath, giggling.

"Why is my name in your bloody mouths?" A deep voice asks from behind the three of you. San turns with an expression of false surprise. 

"Mingi, we were just saying that lovely Y/N here is a great shot." Mingi eyes you up and down and you shift uncomfortably, nervous about his reaction.

"Go on, then. Shoot again," Mingi demands. He stands tall with his arms across his chest, watching expectantly as San reloads the musket. San's lips linger close to your ear as he hands the gun back to you.

"Just like before," he assures. And so, you do just as before. One hand on the barrel, the other on the trigger. One eye closed, aiming slightly above your intended target. Breathe in, pull the trigger. This time you know what to expect, not as affected by the noise or the kickback. You immediately lower the barrel and search for your second shot. You are pleased when you find that the second shot leaves a mark directly beside the previous one on the target. San looks smug and Mingi...well, he looks surprised.

The expression quickly disappears as he scoffs and gives you an angry look. "Don't step out of line, wench, or you'll end up overboard," he growls, turning and stomping away. You chew on your lip as his words repeat in your head. You don't deserve to be threatened, do you? San pulls you from your thoughts.

"Don't worry about him, Y/N. He'll warm up to you."

"Soon, I am sure," Yeosang adds, returning to his duties. You decide not to think too hard about it as you follow San around.

*****

You stare at the ceiling above, slivers of moonlight prying their way through the boards uninvited. You aren't sure how long it's been since the boys fell asleep, but between their snores and collective body heat, it feels like an eternity. Maybe you should go up to the main deck to get some fresh air. You throw your feet over your bed and quietly stand up, tiptoeing your way up the stairs. You wince as you step onto a few creaky floorboards, but it doesn't seem to wake anyone up.

The deck is peaceful at nightfall, the warm breeze mind-clearing and comforting. You lean on the railing and take in the dark sky, glittering with stars and the shapes that they make. The ink-like waves below reflect the full moon. You close your eyes and listen to the sounds of the water, only to hear the light thump of footsteps coming towards you.

"What brings you out here at this hour?" Hongjoong's voice questions from behind you. You continue watching the warped reflections of the moonlight on the waves as you answer. 

"I could not sleep."

"That makes two of us," he replies.

"You know, they say sometimes that we become restless during the full moon," you say, facing him as he joins you at the railing.

"Ah, do they? That does not give much explanation as to why everyone else is dead asleep." He smiles. 

"I suppose not." An idea comes to you as you turn back to the water, your eyes widening with excitement. "Will you tell me a story?" you ask, turning to Hongjoong.

"What story?" He asks.

"Tell me about your journey to Mist Valley."

You remember coming across an entry about that place in the diary he had allowed you to read, but you had not gotten around to reading it in depth. "Very well, Y/N." You take a seat on the steps to the quarter deck and lean your head against the railing. "When we first arrived at the mainland, we had to venture over the vast mountains—to get to the valley of course," he starts. "Everything was going well until we reached the valley. I had demanded that everyone stay together, but the mist was almost like...like something from hell." 

His eyebrows furrow as he recalls the events of that day. "Getting through the valley had started to seem impossible. I was alone in the mist, my head pounding and my thoughts panicked. I am not sure how long I was traveling for, but there were moments where I almost gave up. Moments where I felt that going on was useless, and that I would never get out. But I kept pushing, because I needed to get back to my crew." 

You find yourself holding your breath as you listen to him, not wanting to miss anything. "Eventually, I trudged into a clearing void of mist. There, I found Yunho, Seonghwa, and Wooyoung, who was very distressed. We waited as the others emerged from the mist one by one, each with the same fear in their eyes as the last. We had tried to figure out why Wooyoung was in such terrible condition compared to some of us, despite all going through the same mist. Though, after talking, we discovered that we did not experience the same things. The mist created a reality of our fears, breaking us down with our own thoughts."

"So, your fear was being alone," you state. He nods.

"Only San and Jongho were willing to talk about what they experienced. Jongho had lost his voice. He said that his throat felt like it had been filled with sand. He could not scream, could not comfortably breathe." You shift uncomfortably at the thought of such a horrible thing. "San had run into Wooyoung and Yeosang...but it was not really them. They were cold, telling him to leave them alone, and that they did not need him."

"It must have been a difficult time," you say, your throat dry. "I wish I was not so curious, but it makes me wonder what Wooyoung had encountered."

"We suspect that he had seen something happen to San," Hongjoong sighs. "That his fear must be the strongest."

"I see. There is a good ending to this story, is there not?" you ask.

"Yes. After leaving our fears behind, we finally came across Twilight Cove. The stone walls were decorated with colorful gems and treasures." He smiles. "The sun was starting to set at the time, and the fragments of colors being reflected were magnificent." You feel the familiar tug of sleep as you close your eyes and try to imagine Twilight Cove as Hongjoong describes.

"It sounds beautiful...I hope to see something...just as beautiful..." you whisper, finally drifting to sleep.

>>chapter 4

[yumedoca]

Are your opinions on UY characters that dont get the spotlight often, like nurse sakura, cherry, kotasu cat, benten or oyuki, ifntheres one i missed pls tell me i love hearing your analysis

Hai there, hope you're doing great!!

Sorry this is a bit late, I had some events to attend the past few days..! And thanks!! It makes me happy to hear that you like my rambling :)

As for my thoughts on the other characters, I love most of them actually!! I love love love Sakura!!! I especially love how well her character is structured: through design, through her backstory, through daily life and relations and even how well her name suits her lmao. I really like how she has a background where she was really sick as a child (till we meet her), and how her being a miko, nurse and counsellor (she has three fucking jobs and I love it) has her help others since she knows how it's like to have problems (physically or psychologically). Sakura counselling might be my favorite bit though, just seeing how she helps guide mostly the students is really nice and I wish it was appreciated more. And don't get me started on how she is the perfect straight man to the craziness of the others. She was part of the craziness at first (from her intro to her earliest nurse days, Ataru straight manned instead), but it seemed like RT thought Sakura straight manning was much better while Ataru was cemented as the funny man in their dynamic and it suits them so well. The sane Sakura having to deal with everyone's BS (esp Ataru's) is my favourite thing lol. I also really like her relationship with Tsubame, him being the dumb to her smarts.(The remake plays down Tsubame's idiocy btw and it disappoints me so so much) They're that one couple we all ship without knowing it lmao. The chapters which focus on them are really nice, esp that one with the ghost girl who interfered with them and Sakura got super jealous lmao, it we interesting side to see from her and it was really fun :)

Oh shit, I rambled so much about Sakura, I forgor this ask wasn't just about her, I'm so sorry lmao, she is in my top three UY gals for a reason XD

I think up next in UY blorboism to me (who aren't main characters) would be Asuka. Idk, I just love her, she is so cute and so silly. I think what put her in the blorbo category specifically were these panels: one where Asuka made her own armor from a military tank or something idk and she looked so cute while wearing it!!!! And the second is from the arc where Asuka goes to school and she wears a pair of broken glasses in the final panel of the arc which looks super funny and silly XD

Asides from that, I love her voices, both of them!! They sound so soft and sweet!! And her shtick is very entertaining and chaotic, I love all her chapters!!

I think up next in terms underrated characters I love would be Benten and Oyuki. They both have personalities which bounce off well on other characters and especially each other. They're like my #1 Yuri ship in the series, but even in a platonic sense, they're dynamic is really good!! I need to draw them more, lol.

That's it for characters who I feel are widely underrated.. this post would be even longer if I talk about everyone in detail so I'll just speedrun my thoughts on the ones you mentioned plus a few others...

Ran and Ryu are two characters who I feel are really popular which is why I didn't mention them above. Ran's bipolar nature is so good and funny while her growing understanding and reconciling with Lum slowly is really sweet. Ryu is one of those characters who I wish was treated better because I feel like she deserves everything she wanted but her stupid father comes in the way. Ryunosuke's character is one of those things I wished was done better. Give her all the sailor suits, bras, swimsuits, skirts, etc. she wants!!

Cherry is really funny, like in a way he's basically Ryunosuke's dad but done so much better. The amount of moments where I've wheezed laughing cause of him is way too many too count. I like Kotatsu neko, he's cute and it's funny how he's one of the strongest characters!! Ryoko is another one I like because of how insane she is lmao and Inaba is so so sweet!! Meanwhile, Rei is hilarious and his cow form is so silly XD

I also really like Rupa and Carla too, Idk, the way they're supposed to mirror AtaLum and their crazy dynamic captivates me.

And I guess I'll stop here! There are others, but this is already super long so I'll end it here!!

[onlyinthedas]

LET'S GET REACQUAINTED ! hey rpc ! lets be honest, datv brought us all back in one way or another either you're a veteran or new, i'm sure there is stuff that has changed or we don't know each other so let's have a game about it to reintroduce each other ! repost this to do the same & tag some pals if you want !

Name / Penname: Kat. Short and sweet right?? for veterans, did you go by something previously ? name &/or penname: nope, that's always been my penname. age & gender ( if comfortable sharing ): 39 female what was your first dragon age muse: my bby boy Wyatt Hawke. There's a reason he's my favorite child lmao do you have any other darp muses / blogs: Not anymore. When I FIRST started I made a solo Hawke sideblog to my personal cause I was too lazy to sign in and out of different accounts every time, but back then people didn't like or interact with sideblogs lmao. TIMES HAVE CHANGED I SEE. Anyway I tried to do a small multi once with just my Wardens, that fizzled out fast so I went back to just my solo Hawke, and then I got too anxious/bored and left. Now I'm back lmfao. what muses / blogs do you have outside of darp: I have my personal blog @factorykat which I've been neglecting lately lol. Otherwise I write all the same muses pretty much in my private sandbox server and then in my group server I just have Wyatt, Bethany, Nate and Clara. thedas has two moons: the fact that Bioware can't remember they have two moons is one of the reasons why I like to say that canon is "merely a suggestion" lmfao.

single line, para, or novella: Para/Novella depending on how much I have to work with. Never single line. I am completely incapable of it. plotting or winging it: I'm fine with either BUT I prefer to plot, simply because my audhd brain needs structure. I like having a rough plan or outline in place so I can stay on track, stay focused and stay inspired by the scene. Winging it is great for asks/memes but otherwise i feel like I tend to fizzle out quickly without plotting. Alas, plotting seems to be an uphill battle around here sometimes. ;o; fighting threads, you bold enough for them? YES PLEASE GIMME GIMME. I love fight scenes and consider myself to be fairly good at them. what content warnings are on your blog?: very few atm, mostly about death or depression or whatever. I haven't delved too deep into things yet. what things do you need tagged for your comfort?: honestly, i make flagrant use of the filters and xkit so I'm pretty good at curating my own feed. If I discover something I'll make an FYI about it.

shipping preferences: single | multi | no ship | polyship. Multi-ship here, as long as the chemistry is there. Same for polyships. I'm down to clown if the dynamic works. shipping boundaries: I made a page with more info on what I like/don't like in ships. my big ones are unequal power dynamics like mage/templar, and extreme age gaps (less than 9 or 10 years pls) I also don't like love triangles which aren't the same as polyships.

fun facts about yourself that may have changed since in the past ten years( when inquisition dropped )-- man I don't remember what I was doing or thinking around then other than I learned to shiny up my spine and set better boundaries.

be honest, did you miss darp. come on now-- I haven't really gone anywhere. I mean I was off the tumblr RPC for a while and I missed parts of it like making new friends, discovering some really cool OCs or amazing portrayals of canons, HCs I never considered, etc. :D

challenge round! put a small top five things unrelated to dragon age ! - I'm a FFXIV player (I've been slacking but I'm raien decuir on Ultros) - This tiktok account is amazing and she makes a skit on a customer service help desk in Hell. - My cat's name is Professor Kitty. - healthcare should be a human fucking right (oops) - dogs are not actually color blind but cows are, did you know that? lol

tagged by: @alitlantern ty friiiend

tagging: @pugna-nobilis @mocksfate @ofandrastes @that-hawke-woman

[fallloverfic]

OH OH im so sorry, that was very, very dumb of me.. but im asking about the ennead chapters! Sorry again for the inconvenience of me : (

It's all right! I get being too excited <3

Unfortunately I'm not sure which ENNEAD episodes you're talking about, because the Korean is ahead of everything else, I also read in English, and I'm not sure how many episodes you mean!

Spoilers for S2E107-8 of the manhwa below

I've enjoyed the last few episodes in Korean a lot (we'll say S2E107-8 for this). They're really great! The art is lovely, Seth and Horus are so sweet and fun together. I love that Horus got to call Seth by his name. The smut is awesome. I love when they clasp hands and cuddle. Seth is cute when he laughs, and Horus is so adorable when he's happy. It's just all fun! And I'm excited to see if we get more in 109 or something else, whatever comes (Seoul Comics kind of implied it's more smut based on their original contest, which was for 107-9, but who knows!). Horuseth is my favorite ship and it's fun to see them together like this and to see Horus admitting his love and Seth responding strongly to it :3 They're so in love and they're such a great couple. I'm excited to see where they go from here. It's nice to see that they both trust each other a lot, and Seth feels so comfortable and confident with Horus. Things could go really badly, depending on how Seth learns about the mirror stuff, but it could go a lot of ways, so who knows? I'm curious what Isis will think lol

I started a fic that's set after 108/9 that'll sort of just be a "what if" for how the story could end I guess? Just messing with information we know to pass time during the hiatus.

I've also enjoyed S2E99-100 as they've come out in English! It's nice to finally understand what was happening with the mirror and mirror!Nephthys, and what Horus' perspective is on it. I also really enjoy getting confirmation that Horus can misinterpret his intuition and that means the conclusions he comes to aren't necessarily accurate, and require a lot more fluidity in interpretation, and he has to take a better understanding of his own mental landscape and assumptions. It goes with the general theme of truth being in the eye of the beholder, and experience and bias framing what you view as "truth", and it humanizes Horus in a neat way (he's very fallible). It's also interesting seeing more into Nephthys' character, like how she was before the mirror, and what her relationship with Seth is like, and hints at what she might be like if her memories are restored.

I'm also curious if Mojito is going to keep pairing up Anubis and Khnum. Anubis is a love interest for Seth but he's not the endgame love interest (that's Horus), so Anubis has the potential to be paired off with someone else, and she keeps connecting these two. These shots in S2E100 are particularly pointed, especially since the last time Anubis was like this, he was attacking Seth.

The second shot reminds me of a scene from one of my Khnubis fics in a minor way, which is fun, too lol

There's just some interesting posing here and as someone who likes Khnubis as a ship, but honestly wasn't sure we'd get more of them, let alone have them be potentially endgame, it's been a fun time in fandom :3 I'm still not sure they'll be endgame, but I can dream XD

And I'm looking forward to seeing the translations of the other episodes! We're getting double updates for at least the next two updates in English, and I hope that means it might catch up enough to get us simultaneous publication/near-"simulpub" alongside the Korean, rather than the current schedule, which would be five episodes behind the Korean when the Korean comes off hiatus on December 20th. If the double updates keep going, we could be at simulpub on January 20th, or even just one episode behind if it goes back to single episodes then instead. It's never been simulpub or near-simulpub the entire time I've been in fandom, and it'd be so nice to have official English translations in ~14-15 hours after the new Korean episode drops (the English updates ~14-15 hours after the Korean, so even if they were on the same episode, it'd still be a little later). Even just being one episode behind would be such a nice change.

Hope you're enjoying the episodes too <3

[pansy-picnics]

Okay hi! I first want to apologize for how long this will be, but I just found your page and am sort of new to tumblr.

For one, your art is amazzingggg! Every fandom you're in is heavily blessed. It's especially awesome for myself as a tts geek, to see so many dedicated to creating content. As far as the unknighted ship goes, from what I can tell, and this may be totally wrong so please correct me if it is, you want more people to be in the ship? I 100% agree that the division in this fandom is honestly detrimental to its growth, however, I feel like it keeps the peace in a way.

I myself like new dream and am fine with the poly ship, but, i was speaking with a friend who doesn't ship unkighted and cassunzel at all. They were explaining to me how it seems like most of the unknighted shippers do prefer cassunzel, which is again fine. I'm not sure if that's a fact through and through but the sentiment is there. But it got me thinking about how that perception in itself could disuade newcomers who are more into the Eugene/Rapunzel relationship? As far as division goes, I mean.

Again it's no problem to have favorites, in fact it's actually great that this fandom has so many spaces to include people who have a particular liking to any one thing, but it's rare to see anyone here really neutral on pairings if that makes sense? I know those people exist, but even beyond ships, our favorite characters, platonic relationships, and much more are pushed usually, very individually.

Love Cass? Great there's a ton of blogs for that! Rapunzel? Eugene? Varian? So many blogs for them too with art, concepts, etc! But with this fandom being so tiny- and that other weird anon we shall not mention by name, I think as long as people aren't flat out rude to each other, maybe a little separation is alright. Not everyone mingles well together. Maybe it's for the better?

I hope this wasn't annoying to read oops- but I am interested to hear your thoughts, if you feel comfortable responding.

oh no absolutely and i really enjoy these kinds of discussions!! i 100% agree lol and i’ve never meant to make it seem like i don’t. the distance between the fandom is absolutely what keeps the peace and as much as i SAY i want people to branch out more i know if it actually happened it would probably just leave us with even more division and infighting LOL😭

the neutrality is VERY rare and it’s honestly the only reason i’m so passionate about it, because i’ve never fallen into any of those divisions and it makes it really hard to find likeminded people!!! it’s why i put so much effort into my characterizations and how i portray all the dynamics, it tends to cater to everyone because i’ve never been able to pick and choose favorites myself haha

i would love for more people to find enjoyment in uknighted dream especially, since the dynamic is so important to me, but i totally understand it’s just not everyones thing and thats cool too!! :) i’m a bit surprised about the idea that most of us prefer cassunzel though, i never thought about it that way especially since i’ve never had a preference myself. i do sometimes find myself drawing cassunzel more, but that’s less because i prefer them over new dream and moreso because i feel the need to be super upfront about it…💀 i’ve had a lot of new dream fans comment on my uknighted dream art who seem to COMPLETELY miss the point and/or just disregard cass entirely. when i try to be subtle abt it most people don’t acknowledge it so most of my art is just me like violently pointing to them like LOOK!! she’s in love with BOTH of them!!! THEY’RE KISSING!!!!

as someone who’s been super involved with the uknighted dream community i’ve never felt like any of us really have a “preference”, a lot of us are hardcore cassunzel fans but that’s a given cuz that’s usually what drives us to the polyam ship in the first place. i have seen a lot of people argue that like “its just an excuse to ship new dream and cassunzel at the same time” and like….Yeah???? thats kind of the point??? 😭 i really don’t understand how people make it out to be a BAD thing bc like. the point of fandom is just to do whatever and have fun. so what if we wanna ship two pairings at the same time. why NOT just shove them into a polycule

it’s not like cass and eugene don’t have chemistry either???? they obviously care about each other and they don’t get along solely for rapunzel!!! i can’t speak for all ukd fans obviously but i think in my experience most of us did just start off “shipping two things at the same time” but with all the substance involved they VERY quickly become a set. cass and eugene’s dynamic whether platonic or romantic is really fun to explore and they all bounce so well off of each other i think it’s perfect!! they all just mean so much to me ok. they’re all equals and at the end of the day that’s really what i try to portray most in my work :3