#what a couple man! So iconic and underrated!

[deathlessathanasia]

For all that husband imprisons your children inside your body and wife conspires with your youngest son to have you castrated thing, Gaia and Ouranos seem to be on surprisingly good terms: together they tell Kronos that he will be overcome by his son, together they help Rhea save Zeus from Kronos, together they warn and advise Zeus. And they still have an active sex life, apparently (Athenaeus, The Deipnosophists 13.73): „The earth loves rain when the parch'd plains are dry, And lose their glad fertility of yield From want of moisture. Then the ample heaven, When fill'd with rain, and moved by Aphrodite's power, Loves to descend to anxious earth's embrace; Then when these two are join'd in tender love They are the parents of all fruits to us, They bring them forth, they cherish them; and so The race of man both lives and flourishes. And that most magnificent poet Aeschylus, in his Danaides, introduces Aphrodite herself speaking thus—Then, too, the earth feels love, and longs for wedlock, And rain, descending from the amorous air, Impregnates his desiring mate; and she Brings forth delicious food for mortal man,—Herds of fat sheep, and corn, the gift of Demeter; The trees love moisture, too, and rain descends To indulge their longings, I alone the cause.”

[coddda]

Everyone knows that Light and L matched each other's freak but I think their dynamic in the musical (the Japanese ver specifically) is underrated. Like it's not super different from canon but they just had this extra edge of Violence that we never quite saw from the more methodical and careful mindgames in canon death note and I think it's great. Like, yes, they did declare in canon that they will bring each other to justice, yes L says he wants to send Kira to his execution, but in the lyrics of the musical they both outright say multiple times that they just want to straight up Kill each other. It's direct the whole way through. There's more mutual contempt. This game is about nothing more than simply being the first one to Kill the Other (they actually use the word "殺し合い" (koroshiau) or "to kill each other" to describe their game (translated as "murderous ... game")).

(Sidenote but all those references about wanting to send each other to Hell?? Beautiful)

Yeah this is a battle of justice and ideals, yes that clash is a key part of their final confrontation at the end of the musical, but throughout their duets (or even songs like The Game Begins where they're singing by themselves) there's this near singleminded desire to just fucking End each other. It's fucking Raw and it's great.

Also THIS FUCKING SCENE?? THIS SCENE FROM SECRETS AND LIES. Iconic. Actually Insane. My jaw dropped. Light looks like a crazy bitch it's beautiful.

Um. Also. Obligatory Playing His Game (yknow the gay sex song) lines dump. It basically says everything I just said above in like 9 lines. You see what I mean right.

In canon they're playing a game of mental chess, trying to use everyone around them to finally catch the other as their end goal, but in the musical you really do feel like all they see is each other. They would probably beat each other to death with their fists if it came down to that. Idk they're just so excited and fired up about their little game in the musical and it's so unhinged and fun and special and I love it. It's like the writers for the musical decided to kick their murderous intent up a couple notches and the result is absolutely Beautiful.

I also think that the intensity of their rivalry in the beginning just makes the wind-down of The Way It Ends soo much better. It's such a good contrast to their previous duets where they try to sing over each other (Secrets and Lies & Stalemate) or with each other but basically at the top of their lungs (Playing His Game). It feels like there's both a quiet mutual understanding but also an underlying disappointment that the game is finally over. In canon, L's death Is instead the peak of their game, the moment he gets confirmation that Light is Kira is the exact same moment that he dies. In the jdrama it's almost sudden, how L dies, after the quiet moment has already passed. But in the musical L's death, ironically, Is the one quieter moment in their game. Their peak was the game itself. It was Secrets and Lies and Playing His Game. But the end of the game in the musical is not a victory, it's just (as L says) the end of everything they'd been wanting up until this point.

Uh. Fuck it. Clip from the Kenji Urai version because I just love his delivery here. His tone just goes so well with the silence and the sound of the clock ticking. You see what I mean right.

Their rivalry in the musical may have been more shortlived but like Damn they were really enjoying every second of it. They were truly insane about each other until the very end. (Like despite everything I just said about the ending it was still unhinged as fuck. Light Making L Shoot Him and then Making L Shoot Himself with L's Own Hand?? Holy shit man. What the fuck /pos)

Musical Light and L your game might've been shorter but you'll always be famous <33 Please never inflict what you had on anyone else ever please stay in hell forever thank you

[bluetimeombre]

Cowboy like me! ▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌‌‌၊|• 0:10

Your band has a new single out and a certain actor stars in the music video. Sparks fly just as high as rumours.

[i get so bored in work so I get so inspired to just write a bunch of thing i wish I was doing instead of sitting around. I’m still thinking of how to end ‘call it what you want to’ but enjoy this for now. In this I’ve used the last dinner party as a reference cause hello?! Obsessed, but ur band is called 15screens- idk I made it up]

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။‌‌‌‌‌၊|• 0:10

liked by… yourusername, tomblyth, florencepugh & oliviarodrigo

15screens: ‘cowboy like me’ music video out now!!! Staring the cowboy himself Tom Blyth!!

895k likes 501k comments

user: FINALL6!!!!

user: omg it’s gonna be iconic

user: my favourite band and favourite actor?!

user: omg!! Omg!!! Ahhhhh!

user: the drought is over

user: they’re feeding us!!

user: NEW ALBUM WHEN

user: cowboy like me is such an underrated track of yours

user: tom is so hot as a cowboy I actually can’t

user: I can’t tell who I’d rather be in the music video, tomblyth or yourusername

tomblyth: thank you so much for having me! An honour

15screens: come back anytime

user: I’m shipping, I’m shipping

user: did everyone see yourusername and tomblyth in the music video!!!! So hot

user: best girl band in history

liked by… 15screens, tomblyth, emmalouisecorrin, tchalamet & rachelzegler

yourusername: cowboy like me!! Feast your eyes

tagged: tomblyth

982k likes 561k comments

user: feasting my eyes i am

user: miss GURL

user: best music video ever

user: excUSE ME?! The part where your in a field just casually undressing ONTOP of the TOM BLYTH

user: you know what they say, save a horse…

user: nobody has ever looked so good in a cowboy hat 😍😍

user: tom blyth is a lucky man

user: the CHEMISTRY

user: ur so hot together

user: she never misses

user: the last pic

user: hotttt

tomblyth: 🤠

user: tom 😭😭😭

user: all I’m saying is they’d be the hottest couple out there

liked by… yourusername, 15screens, rachelzegler & hunterschafer

tomblyth: cowboy like me music video, out now. What a wonderful experience, thank you so much 15 screens for having me

1m likes 766k comments

user: omg!!

user: what’s cookin good looking

user: the crossover we didn’t know we needed

user: he is so hot

user: suddenly I’m into cowboys

user: I’ll ride you like a horse

user: the last picture!! They’re so cute

user: they look so good together

user: I never thought, in this day and age I’d be shipping yourusername and tomblyth

user: so unbelievably hot

user: I need the song injected into my bloodstream

user: gnawing at the iron bars of my enclosure

user: I’m barking rn

user: not to be horny on main but I’m horny

liked by… tomblyth, 15screens, zendaya & Jacobelordi

yourusername: let them eat cake, she said

650k likes 300k comments

user: miss gurl?!????

user: TOM?!

user: I knew it!!

user: it’s been a month and I still haven’t recovered from cowboy like me music video

user: is this their announcement

user: save a horse, ride a cowboy

user: it’s happening!!!

user: I’m dead

user: THATS DEFINITELY TOM HE LIKED

user: confirm it so I can die happy

user: mother is mothering

user: she ate

user: so hot

user: a bisexual dilemma

liked by… 15screens, rachelzegler, joshuandresrivera & yourusername

tomblyth: soft launch?

tagged: yourusername

1.3m likes 889k comments

user: WHAT!

user: I don’t think tom knows what soft launch is

user: this is the hardest of all launches!!!

user: I knew it!!

user: NOOO I WANT TO BE THERE

user: I’m in love

user: parents!

user: she’s so hot

user: they’re gonna rule the world

user: this has cleared my acne and got me good grades

user: YEYYAYAY

user: that should be me! Holding your hand, that should be me making you laugh

user: tom- babe, that’s not what soft launch is

user: I didn’t know I needed this until now

user: and all to think it was because of that music video

liked by… yourusername, tomblyth, zendaya & oliviarodrigo

15screens: ‘The greatest’ out now, featuring blonde tom blyth (because yourusername begged him to go blonde and he’s whipped)

884k likes 651k comments

user: ONG again!

user: another one!

user: 15screens are officialy the biggest fans of tomblyth and yourusername

user: BLONDE IS BACK

user: yourusername Doing gods work

user: he’s so in love with her

user: he’s whipped Omg hahahahha

user: 15 screens is officially gonna be a Fanpage dedicated ti them

user: everyone say thank you yourusername

[h0bg0blin-meat]

What hindu gods/deities are lgbt (I'm sorry if this is rude or ignorant I just wish to learn as I've heard some are)

Dw it's neither rude nor ignorant. Now before I start I do wanna say that almost all the queerness we see in Hindu mythology is highly subtextual most of the time, which is like pretty obvious cuz these were the ancient times. So this might lead to a varied number of interpretations, and I can only offer the same. But most of them are pretty convincingly queer, so let's get into it cuz why tf not. (This is gonna be a loooooong post so buckle up)

Vishnu

This fella is probably the most pan-coded deity in the entire pantheon. Extremely comfortable with both his masculine and feminine side, Vishnu can sometimes be considered one of the peak genderfluid icons out there. His avatar, Krishna, despite being referred to as the Parampurush (in other words the manliest man in the entire universe), his physical appearance (which is what is considered to be a very feminine body for a man today, i.e., slender and soft) breaks the stereotype of what masculine man should look like. There are paintings of him and Radha where I've stared for like a hot minute trying to figure out which one is Radha (mostly in grayscale cuz otherwise their complexions are a dead giveaway) and yet, he slays it like a badass.

Then we also have Mohini, the goddess of beauty probably the best seductress out there, and the only female avatar of Vishnu. Through her having a union (yk what they mean by that) with Shiva (AHEM subtext amirit), Vishnu gave birth to Ayyappa, and wouldja look at dat he has two dads, which was actually prophesized. Mohini in one of the versions of Mahabharata (not the original one) ALSO slept with Iravan (Arjun's son) the night before he was gonna offer himself as a sacrifice for the Kurukshetra war. Reason was that Iravan had a wish to get married and spend the night with his wife before dying, and wishing his wife would mourn for him after his death. So Krishna felt bad for him, turned himself into Mohini and married him. The next day she held her husband's body and mourned for him like any wife would. We can also go back to the time where he sported (make of that word what you will) with Arjuni (female version of Arjun) as well as the female version of Narad (for a year in the latter's case).

In short, we can see how chill Krishna is with his fluidity with sexuality and gender, so much so that it's hard to put a label on him sometimes, which is fine. But yes interpreting him as queer wouldn't necessarily be a preposterous claim after all.

Shiva

Tbh Shiva is also pretty queer-coded, given his union with Mohini (and yes he specifically ASKED Vishnu to turn into her and hence he KNEW it was his best friend after all), and him turning into a woman to join Krishna's leela that one time, which also denotes that he's pretty confident in his gender fluidity as well, to some extent. He also has a sort of female avatar, who's actually very underrated. I think it's called Shivani. Also no one can deny the tension between Shiva and Vishnu let's be real here. They even have a ship name- Harihar, PLUS that "Vishnu is in the heart of Shiva and Shiva is in the heart of Vishnu" line. Btw this was a joke, but now you know why they're one of the popular ships of Hindu mythology. I personally have very neutral stance to the kind of bond they share, whether you call it platonic or something else.

(Note that I personally do not consider Ardhanarishwar and Vaikunthakamalaja as any genderfluid thingy because I just see them as literal fusions of the two couples, but yes many consider these two fused versions of Parvati-Shiva and Lakshmi-Narayan respectively to be gender-nonconforming, or non-binary of some sort.)

Lakshmi

Why did I add her here? Because I have a feeling she might be bi, given the fact that her husband is also technically her wife, considering we take Mohini into account, who I'm pretty sure she loves just as much as she loves Vishnu. But again, that's just my take on it.

Agni

Now he's one of the more popular queer-coded Hindu gods, specifically known for his implied poly-esque relationship with his wife Svaha and Soma (the wind god). Now many sites on Google have claimed Soma to be his husband, but I am yet to find a scriptural evidence for that claim, so I suggest you to take their words with a grain of salt. But what IS true is that these two guys do share a pretty profound bond. There was also this one instance where Soma went to a mountain and Agni followed him. Then both of them at the top of that mountain, 'became one' (what does that mean? not sure but it sure as hell sounded romantic. anyways). Also Soma is considered the "seed" and Agni the "progenitor" hence releasing the "seed". Now again what does that mean? Idk but that's sus as hell for sure.

Plus, Agni is also very well-known to be the (oral) receptor of Shiva's (and sometimes Soma's but not sure about the second one) semen, which he then flung into Ganga cuz it was too hot to bear for him, and that's how Kartikeya/Murugan/Skanda (Shiva and Parvati's son and a God of war) was born. So yeah.

Mitra-Varuna

These two.... are another pair of popular queer-coded Hindu deities. They're almost always summoned and worshipped together, and you can say they have canonically.... well had a union, and good news is none of them became a woman for the deed. Their union is recorded in the Shatapatha Brahmana 2.4.4.19, where Mitra is said to have "implanted his seed in Varuna" (hmmm nothing homosexual going on here) during the waning moon. Many people consider this a metaphor for the cyclic nature of celestial phenomena so it's upto you to interpret it however you want.

Now they also give off that sunshine x grumpy vibe, with Mitra being the god of friendship, sun, daylight, dawn and stuff while Varuna is the god of the waters, moon, nighttime, dusk etc. Plus, the latter has anger issues but he has a bubbly Mitra (pun intended) to calm him down for dat :D.

They are also known for siring two sages, Agastya and Vasistha after they accidentally released and mixed their semen into a pot as a result of getting enchanted by Urvashi (one of the apsaras or celestial nymphs).

Budh and Ila

Budh is technically an AMAB non-binary (or intersex) deity (and technically the planet Mercury) born to Chandra (who's also synonymous to Soma most of the time) and Tara, to put it simply, and got cursed to be neither male nor female because Chandra had an affair with someone else's wife -_- (Tara was the wife of Brihaspati, or Jupiter, who was also the guru of the gods).

Ila is another genderfluid deity. Some versions of the myth says they were born a woman, some say they were born a man called Sudyumna, while some say they were born a woman, but since their parents wanted a son, Mitra-Varuna (who they preyed to) changed their gender and Sudyumna was born (but then there was some issue with the rituals, which led to the duo to turn him back to a woman, which is when they took the name of Ila. Ik, too much gendershifting going on, bear with me). Anyhoo they got this genderfluidity from Shiva's spell and every month they'd change sex from Sudyumna to Ila and back to Sudyumna and so on. Budh got enchanted by Ila and married her, and bore the Pururavas with her.

Later on, some versions say Ila permanently turned into a man with Parvati's boon. But personally interpreting, Budh was technically still married to Sudyumna so..... idk what happened to them afterwards tho. I hope they were still spouses...

[imjusthopelessenough]

Reddie (IT) Fic Rec

If there's anything that I consider myself an authority on, it is reading Reddie fics. This has been my hyper fixation since I watched the mini-series as a child. Since the glowup of the community, I have read SO MANY fics. These are all of the ones that I feel like are must-reads and have personally myself re-read countless times like my life depended on it. If you liked a fic, make sure to leave kudos and comments for the author! (Feel free to come and chat about it with me as well!)

Obligatory disclaimer: Just because I read a certain trope, or idea does not mean that I agree with it or align my values with it. Read at your own discretion.

the word's been passed (this is our last chance) - quarterdeck 44k one-shot

Summary:

“Uh, Spaghetti?” Richie waves a hand in front of his face, looking worried now. “Hello? Do you want to let me know whatever it was that was so important you had to drag me awake for it or -” “I have a turtle in my pocket that speaks to me in my head and is possessed by Bruce Springsteen,” Eddie blurts out. “Also I think it may be God.” Richie stares blankly at him. “What,” he asks flatly, “the fuck.” “Or a god, at least, I don’t know,” Eddie continues, “Either way, I think it was the one who brought me back to life, so. You know. The chances are very good.” -- It's been forty years. Eddie Kaspbrak is just trying to make it out of the river.

THE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FIC!!!! I feel like I talk about this piece at least once a week. If you at any point liked IT or felt interested in Reddie you have to read this fic. It is truly so amazingly well written, and I can't say enough kind words about it and I've read this fic at least 10x. Basically, Eddie comes back from the dead but he has a Bruce Springsteen turtle helping him guide his way. It's cute, it's campy, they're both dumbasses in love, and I believe this was one of the first instances of the iconic "The Turtle CAN help us," tag. A minor side note, quarterdeck is an amazing writer and will be recced either in this list or another list again. If you're looking for a good fix-it, dumbasses in love, and Bill rightfully getting his shit wrecked, look no further!

2. keep talking. i’ll keep walking toward the sound of your voice. - theappleppielifestyle 16k one-shot

Summary:

Eddie makes another noise, not quite a scream but not anything else either. Stan drops his hand. “Hey, Eddie,” he says. “Welcome to the peanut gallery. I wrote you a letter, but I guess you won’t get it now.” (Or, Eddie and Stan stick around as ghosts after they die. Unable to make themselves known to the other Losers, they have to find other ways to communicate.)

Big big fan of Stan and Eddie being sarcastic besties. I also love the ghost trope. This is such a good read. Basically, Eddie and Stan are ghosts and are watching the losers from the veil. We also get Patty in this one who is such an underrated character. If you're looking for a read that is slightly introspective but not super lore heavy that features Stan and Eddie, read this!

3. the mind's a funny fruit - joldiego 22k multi-chaptered (must have ao3 to read)

Summary:

A man wakes up in Derry, Maine with no memory and a hole in his chest. He names himself Richie and moves on from there.

Now normally, I am not a big fan of original characters being in fics. It feels random and inorganic and doesn't really serve a narrative focus. This fic is not the case! The lesbian B&B characters are so fun and cute and are actually fleshed out enough that you care about them! Basically, Eddie wakes up in the sewers and finds himself adopted by a sweet couple after not being able to be identified and has no memories. As time goes on, he slowly starts to remember things. If you're looking for a fic that highlights Richie's trauma from losing Eddie, the trauma of dying, and overall Loser Club feels, you should read this!

4. and nothing hurts anymore, i feel kind of free - elsaclack 13k one-shot

Summary:

“You have to remember,” Richie says. “You have to remember, Eddie. They need you. He needs you. They can’t do it without you.” Eddie furrows his brow. Everything about the conversation thus far has felt familiar, almost like hearing a once-beloved song for the first time in several years, but these words fall foreign on Eddie’s ears; he is very suddenly overcome with the distinct feeling that he’s no longer listening to Richie speak. He clenches his jaw against Richie’s shoulder, but does not open his eyes. “There isn’t a lot of time,” not-Richie says. “It’s watching you. It’s coming for you. For both of you.” The warning stirs something to life - fear, bone-deep and chilling. Eddie gets the feeling that he knows what it is, though he can’t quite grasp the memory; it slips through his fingers like sand in the breeze. The lights move faster, and Eddie does not dare open his eyes. “You don’t deserve this,” not-Richie says mournfully. “You never did.” “Why, then?” Eddie asks before he can stop himself. Not-Richie is quiet for a long moment. “He needs you,” he says eventually, “and you’re braver than you think.”

If there was a reddie fic that I could force everyone in the fandom to read, it would be this one because it is so underrated! I look at it and I can't believe that it's not one of the top rated fics because the writing is that good. All of their works deserve more praise, and it truly astounds me that more people don't know about them. The style that this fic is written in is amazing! The only complaint that I could really make about it is that it's not very read-aloud friendly due to said style. Each paragraph ending leads into another portion of the story which sounds weird, but it works so well! It's really hard to describe this fic so you should just read it and see what I'm talking about, it's not even that long!

5. you belong with your love on your arm - elsaclack 33k one-shot

Summary:

Maggie received the enchanted mantel clock three days before Richie’s first birthday as a gift from Wentworth’s Great-Aunt Grace. It’s a beautiful, ornate thing - three delicate, spindling silver arms branching out from its center, each arm bearing a sepia-tinted portrait in its thumb-sized head of Went, herself, and Richie, respectively.  Maggie can tell right away that it’s hand-made - one simply can’t find this kind of craftsmanship out of any old trinket shop down on Diagon Alley - and she finds herself fighting back an absurd wave of tears as she traces her fingers over the thin glass case protecting the clock’s face, watching the way Portrait Richie silently babbles up at the hand-lettered word Home over his head.

Another Elsaclack because I love them and they need more recognition. Obligatory fuck JK Rowling because this is an HP setting fic. This fic takes the two ideas of Maggie Wentworth loving her son more than anything and HP and forces them together and it's beautiful. Now, I am not a big fan of reading fics set from an outsider POV. I want to know everything that is going on and it feels like a waste of time to have to get to learn things from an outside perspective. Not the case here! The POV is very organic and nothing is really lost. Basically, this is a Maggie POV detailing how Richie meets the Loser's club and goes through Hogwarts, with slight canon from IT taking over at minor portions. Can't recommend it enough.

6. for a better run, pile your clothes - petalloso 13k one-shot

Summary:

Richie liked the thrill of knowing he had been just fast enough, the skim of air at a barely missed strike. He liked egging them on, a matador of the violent. Mostly though he liked the way Eddie made him feel, like he was nursing a broken heart before he could ever work up the nerve to confess and have it broken in the first place. And maybe that was fucked up but it was more than that, too. Eddie was wicked smart, stupid hot, brave and beautiful, and sometimes Richie looked at him and he was already looking back and Richie thought maybe. And then Eddie would bite his lip and look away and Richie would think no. (Vigilantes by night, best friends by day, Richie and Eddie are in love with both versions of each other)

Now, this is not tagged as such but if I had to describe this fic it would be as such: Miraculous Ladybug, College AU. And that basically sums up the entire fic. You've got the iconic four-square love angle superhero vigilante and they're in college trying to make it through life. It's a really cute AU fic and I love it a lot. If you're looking for less clownery and more dumbasses in love, this is for you.

7. Parent-Teacher Conference -trickdaggers 75k multi-chaptered

Summary:

Eddie loves his job, he really does. Even with all the shit a group of twenty-six ten year-olds can throw at him, he still loves what he does. Really, the parents are far worse than the kids, too many of them fitting the stereotypical mold of what an obnoxious LA parent is. He rarely interacts with them face-to-face, most discussion passing through the middlemen of their nannies and drivers, or via incessant emails about their uniquely-named child’s dietary restrictions. His actual students aren’t even the cause for at least half of the issues that plague him as a teacher at a private Los Angeles elementary school. Most of them are well-mannered, capable, socially aware kids, if not a little spoiled thanks to their environment. But then there’s Little Miss Peggy Tozier.

Now, I am not a huge fan of children centered fics. It often feels like someone just self-inserting themselves and the child has no depth and is kind of just...there. Not this one! Peggy is such a well-rounded character and actually serves as a plot point! Plus! As someone who is a teacher, the teacher life that Eddie leads here is very accurate and very funny. Basically, Eddie is an elementary teacher and has Richie's daughter in his class. Richie's daughter is a class clown, and Eddie repeatedly keeps trying to make attempts to rectify the situation whilst Richie tries to get in his pants. It's very light-hearted, the conflict quickly and easily resolves, and the pacing is done very well so you don't get that "nobody in the real world with a brainstem would do this." Highly recommend if you're looking for a light read that you can pick up and put down when needed with light easily resolved conflict!

8. if you could return (don't let it burn) - ShowMeAHero 19k one-shot (part 1 in a series!)

Summary:

“Not that I’m not enjoying our banter, buddy, but word on the street is you got a problem you could use some help with,” Richie says. “What’s bugging you at two in the morning on New Year’s Eve?” “New Year’s Day,” Eddie corrects again. “New Year’s Day, then,” Richie allows. There’s another beat of silence before he hears Eddie sigh audibly over the phone line. "I’m thinking about leaving my wife.” “Why’s that?” Richie asks. He’s already hooked. He genuinely cares about all of his callers and wants to help, but something about Eddie’s got its nails in him. Honestly, he doesn’t mind all that much. It’s a nice change of pace, to feel something. “We don’t get along all that well,” Eddie tells him. “I… I don’t know. We don’t really have anything in common. She’s sort of controlling, I guess. And I think I might be gay, so—”

I have so many feelings about this one. I love the trope of "we've never met but I would die for you." Plus, this fic is centered around Eddie saying Fuck Myra I want to be gay! Which is great! Without spoiling anything, Eddie is having a crisis and wants to divorce his wife. He finally gets the courage after listening to his favorite radio station which is hosted by Richie and calls into the station during a listener segment to let them know. He then continues to keep calling in and informing Richie and his listeners of his life accomplishments. There is unfortunately no Africa by Toto. I will say the part two actually deals with clownery and is a continuation and should be read but isn't needed. If you're wanting a canon divergence meet cute, read this!

9. footprints in the snow - hyruling 62k multi-chaptered

Summary:

Eddie meets comedian and rising star Richie Tozier at a comedy club, and his life is promptly turned upside down. His Twitter followers jump from 80 to 80,000 overnight, he's being photographed in the subway, and the dreams that have plagued him his entire life are becoming increasingly specific and haunting. Richie feels strangely like the home he's long forgotten, and falling into friendship with him is the easiest thing he's ever done. But the closer they get, the clearer it becomes that Richie is hiding something.

I won't lie the situationship in this fic made my fight or flight activate but it's a very good read and I believe this is one of the fics that the fandom in general regards as a must read. Now, I haven't re-read this one as much as I've re-read other fics in this list but it stands out in the list for its ending. I genuinely bawled big boo-hooed my eyes out reading it. The plot, without giving anything anyway, is very intricate and well done but explained well enough that you can understand what's happening without feeling like that picture of Charlie from It's always sunny. If you're looking for a fic that is very plot heavy, very heavy on the fornicating, and want a FWB to lovers, this is for you!

10. Tales Of A Washed Up Nothing - TheBlackLagoon 8k one-shot (part 1 in a series!)

Summary:

In which Richie watches too much Cheers, Sees a therapist, Gets a pet turtle and Saves Edward Kaspbrak’s life by playing Street Fighter.

I love this series so much. It so accurately describes the relationship between therapist and client as well as how do you move on after your whole world comes crashing down. It's a very realistic dealing with trauma and death fic but has a happy ending (but you have to read pt 2) To summarize, Richie is in a depressed slump and starts having some funky turtle dreams all while trying to cope with losing Eddie. So good I love it so much. If you're looking for a fix it fic that focuses in depth on Richie's Big Feelings, read this!

11. tell me we're dead and i'll love you even more - quarterdeck 100k multi-chaptered

Summary:

Richie Tozier is a chatterbox. The infamous Trashmouth, most relentless of babblers. Always has been. Loud enough to wake the dead, is what his parents and friends always say, but Richie doesn't know how to tell them that the dead were never sleeping. If they were, he'd have a hell of a lot more peace, that's for sure. -- or: Richie's Voices have more of a basis in reality than anybody thinks. He'd say it's a secret he'll take to the grave, but even that wouldn't be the end of it for him

Another quarterdeck because I love them and owe them my life. This is such an intricate and touching story. Essentially, a canon divergence in which Richie is like that one character from Ghost Whisperer in which he can hear ghosts and therefore has more knowledge than anyone else around him. It is written so good, and you get really invested in the story very quickly. Also, Frank is in this! Hurray! Basically, if you want a Reddie fic that is super heavy on the story line that features supernatural elements outside of the clownery, this is for you!

12. i am easy to find -zach_stone 47k multi-chaptered (Must have ao3 to read and is part 1 in a series!)

Summary:

Richie grabs the edge of the polaroid and slides it out from underneath the comic books. It’s a picture of a group of kids, all sitting on a porch in someone’s backyard. He recognizes his tween self pretty quickly — stupid hair, enormous glasses that made him look constantly bug-eyed. He’s really hamming it up for the camera, grinning with his arm slung around some dark-haired kid with a cast on his arm. He can’t remember who the kid is, who any of these kids are, but the way they’re all huddled together and smiling like they really give a shit about each other… he doesn’t remember ever having friends like this. “Who the fuck are you,” he whispers at the kids in the picture. He flips it over, and sees his own childish chicken-scratch handwriting on the back. Bill, Bev, Ben, Eddie, ME!, Stan, & Mike. September 1989! -- Or, 25-year-old Richie Tozier doesn't know why he can't remember his childhood, or why he has nightmares about yellow eyes looming in the dark. Then he finds an old photo of friends he can't remember, and things start to change. A "what if Richie and Eddie found each other again during the 27 years" fic.

I've always found the concept of the Loser's Club not having any memorabilia from Middle School/High School and not finding each other ridiculous. Like yea sure they lost all of their memories from their primitive years, that happens to everyone, but you don't have a picture or anything? This fic rectifies that situation and applies the universal truth that Richie would have found Eddie in the 27 years if Stephen King hadn't been an overdramatic bitch. Very lore heavy fic that deals with PTSD and two dumbasses finding their found family <3 also Stan lives!

[gringolet]

GAYEST ARTHURIAN TEXT BRACKET ROUND 1:

propaganda:

Le Morte:

- “Perhaps not the most obviously gay text out there but has some underrated moments. 'Everyone is in love with Lancelot', 'hoole book' edition, where this time the author is too! But more specifically, Lavayne. My guy sees his sister literally prepared to die of love for Lancelot and says 'yah same'. Luckily for him he is a MAN so he can just hop on a horse and follow him. Sorry Elaine. Specific quote: 'She doth as I do: for sythen I saw first my Lorde Sir Lancelot, I cowde never departe frome hym, nother nought I will and I may follow hym.', ”

-

- also gawains entire final letter written in his own blood hello??? hello??? «  I, Sir Gawaine, knight of the Table Round, sought my death, and not through thy deserving, but it was mine own seeking; wherefore I beseech thee, Sir Launcelot, to return again unto this realm, and see my tomb, and pray some prayer more or less for my soul. And this same day that I wrote this cedle, I was hurt to the death in the same wound, the which I had of thy hand, Sir Launcelot; for of a more nobler man might I not be slain. Also Sir Launcelot, for all the love that ever was betwixt us, make no tarrying, but come over the sea in all haste » hello???

- also of course the greater cornwall polycule (tristan dinadan palamedes isolde lamorak lancelot brangaine isolde 2 etc etc)

- the whole ill made knight ill starred knight thing is so queer like thats so insanely transgender

SGATGK:

- “kissing”

-“Gawain getting kisses from Bertilak’s wife and kissing Bertilak is very bi”

- “I'm back with another answer. Obviously the kissing game is iconic. The scholarship about this poem is unparalleled. The people cannot get enough of submissive kissy face Gawain & frankly neither can I. He definitely fucked that couple. Or perhaps it's more accurate to say, they fucked him. Easy litmus test for a retelling is how they handle adapting this. Only cowards write around the kissing. Real ones make it even gayer.”

- “Gawain kisses a man in this”

- “3some, poly, bi conduit, gay kiss, gawain”

- “i'm going to kill myself i had a few paragraphs of propaganda typed up and accodentally deleted it all. holy ahit. anyways i have no doubt that this has been submitted before but it is my moral duty to say so again. even excluding the fact that lord bertilak sets up this game of exchange of winnings and sends his wife to seduce gawaine—knowing that gawaine will have to return whatever he recieved unto bertilak—and their kisses and embraces (which are technically 'excusable' under medieval homosocial behaviour), there's a sort of erotic fascination with the green knight everpresent throughout the text, the author, the pearl poet, even taking, what, five (? give or take a few. my memory fails me) verses to describe how green and big and beautiful the green knight is. the green knight kneels before gawaine, letting gawaine take the blow to cut off his head, and later, the green knoght takes a blow to cut off gawaine's head. it's all about reciprocity and exchanges and submission. it's SO erotic . i just. yeah :)”

- ill also say the way gawain is framed in parallel to the lords hunting scenes making him a pursued animal and the wife the pursuer who has him at her mercy is very interesting gender dynamics and role reversal

[waddledeedee]

My Top 10 My Hero Academia Ships

10) Shoji x Asui

Unarguably the most underrated ship on this list (probably because Shoji as a character is PAINFULLY underrated, I literally love this man so much no one understands). But anyway, I think these two are absolutely perfect for each other, and I'm surprised more people don't see the potential here honestly. Like, this isn't even the FIRST TIME I've seen Shoji carry Asui in his arms like this??? Even putting all of that aside, I feel like Shoji and Asui's hero ideals just complement one another's so much, because the two of them from the very beginning excelled impressingly well in prioritizing the safety of citizens above all else and I just think their heroic personas in general just mold so well together. Not to mention they are both heteromorphs, which is even more perfect if you ask me. Asui comes from such a big, loving family too, and I think for Shoji to become apart of it would actually make him the happiest man alive I'm not even kidding. Moral of the story, SHOW MORE LOVE FOR THESE TWO, PEOPLE!!!!

9) Stain x All Might

I never considered these two as a ship until the very scene below where I could only be like "wait hold the phone..." I never actually thought about it before then about how dedicated Stain is when it comes to All Might, which I know should have been obvious given his entire ideal but STILL. The way Stain was the only person who was able to instill confidence back into All Might to get back in the fray and find himself again??? Not to mention they are EASILY a "two sides of the same coin" trope because they are both worshipped symbols in the eyes of their followers: the good of mankind and hero society worship All Might, whereas the bad of mankind and those who felt shunned from society saw Stain as their icon. Idk man I just think their dynamic in general has so many layers that could be dissected and I absolutely LOVE it.

8) Tetsutetsu x Itsuka

These two are an absolute power couple you guys, I don't care if they aren't canon I wholeheartedly believe these two have a connection. Like DO YOU GUYS SEE THE WAY TETSU THREW HIMSELF IN FRONT OF A FUCKING GUN TO PROTECT HER???? And you know what, even though Tetsu is a badass of his own, I DAMN WELL know that man admires / looks up to Kendou like it's nobody's business I'm telling you. She's the "big sis" of the class, and while I'm not sure if it was stated who the class rep of B is, I put all my money on it being Kendou because she is just so smart and a hell of a fighter, which is why I KNOW Tetsu is her guard dog on sight, no argument there. Even still though, I think Kendou would also admire Tetsu's strength SO MUCH as well, I think the two of them see the other as being so far out of their own league in terms of battle prowess, especially after the fight below; I just know Kendou developed a new-found admiration for him after he risked so much in this fight by her side. I really see them as a parallel of Mina x Kirishima in a lot of ways.

7) Mirio x Tamaki x Nejire

I'll be honest with you here I'm usually not much of a poly shipper but THESE THREE???? Underrated as hell. Tamaki and Mirio are a great ship, but including Nejire in there too is just so sweet to me, I just see them as a package deal through and through, especially since Nejire was once so lonely and outcasted until the two of them came into her life. Hell even Tamaki who is so shy around EVERYBODY practically flourishes around not just Mirio, but Nejire too, I can just tell that platonic or more, Tamaki has an undeniable amount of love in his heart for Nejire too, even if Mirio is at the forefront of it all. Of course, Mirio and Tamaki doesn't require too much of an analysis because Tamaki is easily the gayest mf in the series (I think he even out-gays Bakugo let's be real here) and his backstory with Mirio is just absolutely incredible, and while I don't think we get much Mirio and Nejire solo action, I think those two just complement each other so well??? Like they have such bright and sunny personalities, they are absolutely radiant, and I think that's why Tamaki draws to them both so much (it's easily a sun x sun x moon ship <3). Honestly though, I'll take this ship in any equivalent though; Tamaki x Mirio? Nejire x Tamaki? Mirio x Nejire? I love all three together or separately to be real.

6) Spinner x Shigaraki

People need to stop SLEEPING ON THESE TWO god damn it! It's not even Fanon that Spinner was risking it all just for Shigaraki, I swear he was the person in the league who held Shigaraki's well-being and best-interest above EVERYTHING and EVERYONE else, he fucking LOVED that man and no one can tell me otherwise. I'm telling you right now, Shigaraki lived his entire life with no family, no friends, no one who actually loved or gave a damn about him without their own ideals at work, without manipulation. Spinner was the first and ONLY person to come into Shigaraki's life who actually SEEN him for his humanity, for the person he was and would have become if only he hadn't been groomed towards evil. When Spinner and Shigaraki were together, they were just boys; boys with hobbies, who just exist, and I know damn well that was the future Spinner would have wanted. I just wish Shigaraki would of seen it sooner that there was actually somebody in his life who loved and cared for him all along, and god what I wouldn't give to let these two be happy and together. Spinner's confrontation with Deku at the end of the story, it says everything that needs to be said. Really, all he wanted all along was what was best for Shigaraki </3

5) Aizawa x Hizashi

Of course they are here. Why wouldn't they be here? What list WOULDN'T they be on come on now. LMAO in all seriousness though I was not on board this ship at ALL for a hot minute, I just couldn't see the vision. But after reading so many fics where those two are married and adopt Shinsou and Eri, oh my fucking god I cannot see these two apart anymore, I can't enjoy a good dadzawa fic anymore if these two aren't - not even just Together, they have to be MARRIED for me to be satisfied and they have to have all those god damn cats ok??? I'm telling you there isn't a single reality where those two don't end up spending the rest of their lives together, I don't care what manner it is these two are inseparable either way. I don't think anyone can honestly sit there and think stoic-ass Aizawa wouldn't love his absolute fucking shit if Hizashi was in danger, ESPECIALLY with how intense his trauma of losing Oboro is, there's no damn way he is failing a second time to protect the people he loves I'm telling you that right now. It's just always been the two of them against the world, grumpy x sunshine, and that's the way it's gonna damn well stay! thank you ^_^

4) Kirishima x Kaminari

Underrated af ship surprisingly enough, but I get it because I love them platonically too. However, the bakudeku-kirikami double-dating brainrot is rotting so bad I need it on my desk right now pronto, ASAP :) Idk like I see the vision with Kirishima and Ashido as a couple, I love them together too tbh, and of course the Kaminari and Shinsou parallel to Mic and Aizawa people go wild for, which I can see too though I personally just ain't a fan of that one for some reason I can't manage to get into it. Idk as someone whose favorite trope is best friends to lovers, I just love these two so much, ESPECIALLY with Kirishima being the golden retriever, sunshine type of lover to Kaminari's black cat, yet matching type of energy to Kiri's, idk I really don't know how to describe it but there's just a certain appeal that's there for these two that I can't explain. Best friends pining for one another is just so satisfying as a trope, and they just look SO damn good together I can't deny it. I feel like Kirishima is definitely the protective type when it comes to him, whether somebody says something bad about Kaminari or if he ends up in a situation needing physical protection; not to mention he would be Kaminari's BIGGEST supporter and vice versa. And like, what's better than being in a relationship with your best friend? Having the same interests, already enjoying each other's company twenty-four-seven, like I don't think we would even see a huge change in their dynamic except they are just together and sharing an apartment and being more physically affectionate. These two just WORK so well by my standards.

3) Iida x Uraraka

I love love love love LOVE these two so much! Gahhhh I miss their early season shenanigans though, they really left the spotlight after a certain point and it makes me so sadddd (though their moment at the end of the vigilante arc was amazing by my standards). Anyways, I think these two are another underrated pairing, they just fit together so well I don't know how to explain. Uraraka brings out a certain silliness in Iida I think, and not to mention I seen someone post on analysis on here once about how Iida was the only person who supported Uraraka's reasons for wanting to be a hero in the first place, understanding her viewpoint of wanting enough money to live a comfortable lifestyle unlike Deku who thought she was lacking more of a heroic ambition. I think the two of them just even each other out, and I know Toga and Uraraka had a much more developed (and gut-wrenching) storyline, I just think Iida and Uraraka's dynamic has a lot of potential; I wish Uraraka would of been more involved in the ordeal with Stain and could of been portrayed as having been there for Iida in the aftermath since she and Deku were canonically his closest friends at U.A.. I just think they both have similar ideals and would be a good fit for each other :)

2) Inasa x Shouto

I still cannot fathom how THIS isn't one of the most popular Todoroki ships below Todoroki x Deku / Bakugo. GENUINELY I can't understand it, the potential is literally all laid out for you and yet no one bats an eye???? Like, the depth of LORE is some gourmet fucking cooking; Inasa initially being a big fan of Endeavor, secretly idealizing Todoroki from afar at the entrance exams because he admired him so much as Endeavor's son, then the ANGST fest of Todoroki still being closed off and prickly and pushing away Inasa's attempts at friendship MY GOOD GOD!!!! They both have elemental quirks that are literally DEPICTED as being so complementary of one another, they are both bull-headed and stubborn to a fault, and not to MENTION they BOTH have the exact same footing when it comes to Endeavor wherein they both hate him for his past actions but want to see an improvement from there, and that point alone makes these two mean so fucking much to me. Inasa seems like the ideal support system for Shouto (even during the end of season 7 when Inasa came on the battlefield he was cheering Todoroki on in the back of his mind even as he was far away fighting his own battle like GUYS PLEASE). And we can even see in canon already that Inasa's hyperactive personality has been able to soften Shouto's defences and make him more relaxed; I'm so giddy over the fact that the popular moment of Shouto's first real, soft, and genuine smile is DIRECTED AT INASA oh lord these two I need more fan fiction ASAP please I'm starving over here. Anyways, thanks for coming to my Ted Talk :D

1) Bakugo x Izuku

Chat do I even need to explain bakudeku to you guys come on now. Obviously I in no way shipped or supported pre season 3 bakudeku by ANY means because Bakugo was a piece of shit and Deku deserved NONE of that, but Bakugo stepped the FUCK up and finally appreciated Deku for the absolute angel that he is and frankly no one but Bakugo is at the front of the line for the Deku protection squad- hell he isn't even IN line he's the fucking AMBASSADOR for that shit I'm just saying. You guys can't tell me these two aren't literally soulmates in every sense of the word, and you know it's something really special I think that Deku never once held a grudge against Bakugo at all for how he was in the past even though he had every right to; he STILL cared about him, he STILL referred to him fondly by the nickname he had for him as kids, and he STILL supported his journey towards becoming a hero every step of the way and now in the time skip Bakugo is no doubt paying it forward in every way that he can. These two are just made for each other, and I don't think anyone can deny that.

[ppeonppeonhan]

Songs That Remind Me of BL Characters & Couples

@zimmbzon kindly tagged me in their post, prompting me to share the first ten songs in my On Repeat playlist. Highly recommend checking theirs out, because mine is...rather basic. And becauuuuse it's basic, I'm gonna add another layer to this and tell you which BL character or couple perfectly matches the vibe of each song.

1 | "imperfect for you" by Ariana Grande: This one's off her new "please feel sad for me because even though I'm messy when it comes to love I still have feelings" album. I may have listened to this one "on repeat," because it's just cathartic to two-step to these lyrics: "I'm fucked up / anxious / too much / but I'll love you / like you need me to / imperfect for you." What's that? Self-awareness? Respect. I just know Ming from My Stand-In would have the audacity to sing this to body-swapped Joe.

2 | "Acid Dreams" by MAX and Felly: Could not tell you who either of these people are but this song is a snap-worthy bop that got me feeling myself every time it comes on -- probably because it opens with: "You look so good in a night gown girl / freckles on your face / lemme kiss each one." This was clearly meant for my generation, because there is not a single human under 30 in possession of a night gown. But Khem from Deep Night would 1,000% use this song to charm the pants off of someone.

3 | "Toco Toco To" by Dixson Waz: I'm Dominican. And even though I understand Spanish, I cannot for the life of me tell you what this man is saying, but I can assure you it is inappropriate. Rated NC-17 without a doubt. And for that reason, I'd pair this song with the entire cast of Playboyy -- just casually playing this in the background of one of their random, impromptu, midday sex parties.

4 | "Lie to Me" by Meghan Trainor: Obsessed. Not with her. With her music. She has so many non-butt-related songs that are worth a listen. I truly feel like she's underrated -- on par with Ed Sheeran -- and she doesn't get enough credit for it. In this track, she sings: "I don't want the truth / I want you." That sounds exactly like our lovesick boy Nick in Only Friends, thirsting after anti-monogamy Boston like he didn't know better.

5 | "Jealous" by Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, & Big Sean: While it is true that every single person on this track is problematic, including producer DJ Khaled, the swagger is immaculate. Every time it comes on, I, sincerely, close my eyes and just picture BTS's rap line to cleanse the beat. Not gonna miss out on a banger because men are the worst. Anywayyyy, the most jealous character I can think of is Way from Pit Babe, who tried to r-word his "bestie" because he chose a random nerd over him. He fits in well with these clowns.

6 | "Bounce Back" by Little Mix: The only British pop girl group I've ever intentionally streamed is Spice Girls, but the algorithm clearly thought it meant I'd like this group, and the track that hooked me was one that sampled the iconic Soul II Soul's "Back to Life." Instant replay. Someone I think lives and breathes the mantra "You can have me however you want me / however you need me" is the Sultan of Simp, Karan from Cherry Magic (Thailand). Achi could've asked for a kidney, and he would've delivered. But coming in a close second is obviously Rain from Love in the Air. Payu had to practically beat him off with a stick -- no pun intended.

7 | "Body" by Loud Luxury and Brando: It's the buildup to the chorus for me -- come to find out many listens later that it's about a guy who is begging a girl to sleep with him because he's been "waiting too long." 🙄 This one very obviously goes to Yuan from Unknown, who damn near disintegrated Qian's clothes the minute he saw even the glimmer of a green light. Talk about a slow build.

8 | "Into You" by Fabolous feat. Tamia: Back in 2003, rappers used to drop an R&B hit every now and then to remind women that they were romantics. The gaslight kings of the aughts. So in this track, this duo talks about an inexplicable-but-undeniable connection, which only makes me think of Vegas and Pete from KinnPorsche. Those two needed a PowerPoint presentation to explain to their friends and family how they went from hostage situation to star-crossed lovers. But we got nothing -- just good vibes and patricide.

9 | "i wonder..." by j-hope feat. Jung Kook: Do I miss them? Yes. Will I listen to any BTS track that's easy to Namjoon to? Yes. Now that we got that out of the way: This song is about enjoying the moment and not wasting the good times by dreading the future. And that just screams Be My Favorite to me. Kawi just kept trying to time-travel his way to a hetero fantasy, not realizing his queer happily ever after was standing right in front of him the whole time in the gorgeous form of the eternally patient Pisaeng.

10 | "MY HOUSE" by Beyoncé: Not to bring up BTS again, but 👀...j-hope would body any choreography set to this song. Without breaking a sweat. And mother would be proud. On this track, the Queen B speaks of once dreaming of the wealth, fame, and stability she has now, and making sure to only keep positive people around her, because love heals. Sailom from Dangerous Romance would certainly relate to having similar dreams and beliefs, and effortlessly exudes equally feisty bad bitch energy. I still can't get over how he disarmed his bully (and future love interest), Kanghan, by basically saying, "You clearly like me. Shut up." And saying it with tongue.

That was fun. 🤸🏿‍♂️

[peskellence]

DBH Favourites

Thank you for the tag @reedeemable!! 💞 This was a lot of fun to do, I reeeeeally had to think on a couple of these things

Favourite girl: A tricky one as I like most of the girls in the game, but I'm going to have to go with Kara ❤️ I have a soft spot for her and her story in general (which you might not guess given my crippling Reed900 addiction. It's not that I don't love my girl, I just tend to write post-pacifist stories and aus-- meaning i am very much headcanoning that she is far away from Detroit living her best life in Canada)

Favourite boy: If we're going purely on canon? Connor. If we're going fanon? His PS5 upgrade any day of the week baabbeeyy (nines cyberlife i love you please one chance)

Least favourite character: Zlatko (although Todd also sucks)

Favourite ship: **SLAPS REED900 BUTTON AGGRESSIVELY** i just think they're neat (detroit evolution permanently altered by brain chemistry. ive never once looked back)

Least favourite ship: Hankcon—although absolutely zero disrespect to anyone who enjoys it!! I just prefer the familial or platonic angle :)

Favourite side character: Does Luther count? I am uncertain if he counts as he is such a key player in the Kara story. If yes, my boooooyyyyyy. My sweet underrated masterpiece

If not, then Ralph. I love this lunatic and his succulent culinary skills (he was the best guy ARRRROOOUND. WHAT MURDDAHHHH)

Favourite theme/soundtrack: This is an unbelievably tricky one for me as pretty much the entire soundtrack is gold. Buuuuuttttt im going to go with Hostage and the rooftop chase music tied for first. Connors story truly has some bangers

Honourable mentions for the Opening Title music and Kara and Alice's escape theme.

Favourite chapter: You know what? I'm going to say it. I think we peak early with The Hostage. It is an insanely great hook to draw you in, getting you super excited for the rest of the game. At least it did for me

Is it a tutorial chapter? Yes. But DAMN if it's not a GOOD one. It serves its purpose perfectly in introducing Connor and his story and i really, really admire that about it. chefs kiss 🤌

Honourable mentions for the The Nest and Crossroads

Least favourite chapter: I passionately hate Jericho. I'm sorry to any fans of that chapter but I just can't do it. The replayability is awful for me. It's a tedious slog finding that graffiti every single playthrough

Favourite platonic relationship: Again, with these the fandom brainrot is real. If we're going purely based on the events we see in the game? Connor and Hank as a platonic/familial type bond. If we're going fanon, then Tina and Gavin have my whole heart.

I know we see them together in game—but i will never not adore the way the fandom expanded on their relationship. they are best friends for life. mlm and wlw solidarity

Favourite design: Zlatkos Creatures

Is it horrifying and is Zlatko an irredeemable bastard man for what he's done? yes. absolutely. but i simply can't look away. im a sucker for nightmarish/horror adjacent imaginary and *damn* is it done well with these guys. I want to give each of them a gentle kiss and tell them its going to be okay

Honourable mentions for Lucy and Ralph—they both also look incredibly cool (basically i have an intense appreciation for damaged androids huh)

Least favourite design: I don't really have one? If I had to pick though, I am not a big fan of the eden club outfits. love the body glitter detail (if some of them have that? it could have been a trick of the light or i simply imagined it) but there's something about the """uniforms""" that i don't find very appealing. a bit sports/swimwear adjacent?

then again i appreciate the chapter and its designs for not going AS explicit as they could have gone. given the 'oh yikes' elements that are already at play

Favourite scene: oh man don't make me pick. there's SO MANY incredible moments

that being said, i really like the bridge scene. its such an iconic visual with hank holding up the gun to connors head. there's a silhouette version of it on a poster that i have hanging in my hallway, so i think im legally obligated to pick it

Also just all of the deviation scenes. Breaking through that red wall is an insanely cool, striking visual every time

Least favourite scene: Todd hitting Alice is an extremely hard watch for me. I picked up that gun with the intention the kill (no questions asked) during my first playthrough. I was not about to let that shit slide

no pressure tags for @faxaway @geekazoidfreak @illegalvampire and @dbhstruggleposting <33

[egg-emperor]

What's your opinion on BigEgg? (Eggman x Big the cat)

Also what's your fave iteration of eggman in the sonic series?

:3

I LOVE BIGEGG 💜❤️ I've talked about them quite a bit in my tag. They're super underrated but they're so fun together. Sonic Channel could've helped more people wake up to it as it was a poll option for them to be in art together but they lost and I'm still not over that :')

I like to imagine Eggman expecting Big to hate or fear him for who he is but when they encounter each other alone for the first time, Big is friendly like the sweetheart he is. Maybe he asks why he seems so stressed and angry and recommends fishing to relax. And he scoops him into a big hug and lifts him off the ground and Eggman is all grumpy and flustered but blushes hard and thinks what is this feeling? He's so warm and soft and it's very rare for someone to be able to pick him up, sweep him off his feet figuratively and literally

And Big encouraging Eggman go fishing with him and he doesn't have the patience for such things but finds he gets that weird feeling again while he's pressed against his back, teaching him. When he manages to make a catch mostly by Big's hand as he's holding it with him, Big congratulates him with a friendly kiss on the cheek. Eggman is shocked and overwhelmed by these strange feelings while Big is just chill and wonders why his face turns red sometimes when they're together and finds it funny hehe

Most of my concepts are very ns4w because I imagine them becoming casual fuck buddies. Big saying Eggman can come and hang out and chill with him if he's feeling down or bored because he thinks he's interesting and funny and likes talking to him and he's happy to try to help cheer him up. And Eggman does show up to the fishing spot a couple more times under the guise of research but they end up kissing much more and in each other's beds soon enough. Having some nice playtime as friends ;)

I like Eggman being a dirty old man about it while Big is an innocent cutie who wants to make his friend feel good and cheer him up. He likes how he seems much brighter when they play together and sometimes even wants to cuddle which feels really nice with how soft and warm they both are. He likes that he can make him happy by doing something fun and enjoyable that feels good for them both. He cares a lot about his comfort in it too, to the point Eggman has to tell him he doesn't need to be too gentle with him!

That's the jist of how I see them together and what I like to imagine. I have more concepts I plan on sharing of them in time! But yeah I love them, I think they're funny and cute and hot together 🥰🐈🥚

Oh and my favorite iteration of Eggman will always be modern game Eggman, with classic game Eggman a very close second. I just adore everything game canon Eggman, it's where it all began for me with him being so handsome and fun and entertaining and one of the best most iconic villains in gaming! 💜

[hellitwasyoufirstsergeant]

ANGIE I’ve been meaning to tell you I’ve fallen down a Jimmy Stewart rabbit hole this year and have been combing through his films with my mom 🥹 Now I need to know what your favorite Jimmy movie is. I think if I had to make a top five list, I’d pick It’s a Wonderful Life, Rear Window, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, You Can’t Take It With You, and The Philadelphia Story!! Drunk lanky poet Jimmy take me away 🥲💘

Okay *cracks knuckles* I was saving this ask until I could give a detailed response, so sorry in advance Amy 😭😂💗 I only have a couple people in my life who are into Old Hollywood at all so I always jump at the chance to talk about it

I love Jimmy so much!! I feel like I have more than one answer though to my favourite movie of his 😅 of any movie he’s in, it would be The Philadelphia Story. It’s one of my favourite movies of all time and Jimmy, Cary and Katharine are my three Old Hollywood favourites so it’s a perfect movie for me! I know the ending is controversial though! Loads of people think she should’ve ended up with Mike. But I like the ending, even though Tracy and CK were toxic 😂 what do you think?? My favourite performance of his though is You Can’t Take it With You. That movie is so underrated! It has such a beautiful message and it’s fun yet so heartfelt. I also love Jimmy’s chemistry with Jean Arthur. And the grandpa is adorable lol

Your top five is amazing!! Rear Window is my fave Hitchcock movie, it’s so good. Even though I’m a chronic rewatcher, I’ve actually never rewatched Mr Smith Goes to Washington, I enjoyed it, but I didn’t understand a lot of the intricacies of American politics 😭 it’s very well made though. Fun fact: Jimmy said once that he felt like his Oscar win for Philadelphia Story was a sort of apology from the academy for him not winning as Mr Smith the year before! Controversially, I don’t love It’s a Wonderful Life! I can’t put my finger on why though, I appreciate it’s objectively a beautiful movie 💗 the only other movie of his that I’ve not really loved is Vertigo which is another controversial opinion 😅 have you seen it? It makes me sad though because the movie failed at the box office and Hitchcock blamed Jimmy and refused to work with him again 🥲🥲

If you love drunk Jimmy (as do I, he’s iconic) he also plays drunk in a couple scenes of the movie Vivacious Lady, if you’ve not seen it yet! It was one of his first leading man roles and Ginger Rogers, who he was dating at the time, got him the part. It’s not high cinema but it’s a really cute movie

This was too long I’m sorry 😭 but hit me up any time to discuss Jimmy! I love him 🥹

[milfjagger]

okay so... give us the list of folk horror films that are good please. 🤲

ok this took a while but here we go! it ended up being more than 10 lol

the wicker man (1973) - the definitive british folk horror film. midsommar wants to be the wicker man soooo bad it's embarrassing

the blood on satan's claw (1971) - i haven't seen this one in a long time but it's a pretty chilling early 70s british film centring around a demonic cult in 18th century england

night of the demon (1957) - ok so you know the sample at the beginning of hounds of love by kate bush, where a voice says "it's in the trees! it's coming!" that's from this film!!!! just barely in the folk horror category but it's based on a story by m.r. james who is one of THE iconic folk horror writers so imo it counts

a warning to the curious (1972) - also based on a story by m.r. james, this was part of a long-running annual bbc series called 'a ghost story for christmas'. it's only about 30 minutes long and very dated but I think that gives it extra charm and even a bit of extra creepiness

the juniper tree (1990) - icelandic retelling of the grimm's fairy tale, starring björk and featuring an incredibly beautiful soundtrack

the company of wolves (1984) - based on the short stories of angela carter in her compilation 'the bloody chamber'. this is probably more fairytale horror than folk horror but i LOVE this film and if you like intense psychosexual overtones and incredible practical effects then you will too

the devil rides out (1968) - classic hammer horror with christopher lee so you know it's gonna be a banger

wake wood (2009) - probably the most underrated irish horror film of all time (and that's saying a lot bc there really aren't many). really scary film with the "came back but wrong" premise. watch this one

the hallow (2013) - another one from ireland. it's not amazing but including it bc i don't think i've ever seen another horror film fully embrace the idea that faeries are actually terrifying. practical effects are also cool as hell

kill list (2011) - i'll be honest with you I didn't understand half of what was happening in this film and it's been on my to-rewatch list for ages. it starts out as a cerebral cop drama and descends into absolute madness like it literally has to be seen to be believed

a field in england (2013) - probably the modern folk horror film that comes closest to what british directors were doing with the genre in the 70s. it's trippy, impenetrable and often kinda funny, i really recommend this one

pyewacket (2017) - offbeat canadian indie film that you will either find really creepy or really boring. i thought the ending in particular was incredibly chilling

the ritual (2017) - i feel like everyone has seen this film at this point but i had to recommend it anyway bc it blends folk horror with monster movie and it's super fucking terrifying. i also highly recommend the novel by adam neville which if anything is even scarier

the witch (2015) - again everyone has seen this and has an opinion but it's one of my favourite horror films of all time

pet sematary (1989) - the iconic stephen king classic that is still really scary to this day

pumpkinhead (1988) - another film that is super underrated imo. people who love the creature design in the ritual should remember the OG

men (2022) - controversial opinion perhaps but i think this film was actually kinda brilliant. if nothing else it is super twisted and horrifying

on my list of i haven't watched this yet but people say it's really good: penda's fen (1974), witchfinder general (1968), the lair of the white worm (1988) (i know i know i call myself a ken russell fan and i haven't even seen lair of the white worm)

a radio play: children of the stones on bbc radio 4 (available on spotify hee hee)

and a couple of books: fairy tale (1996) by alice thomas ellis, and the owl service (1967) by alan garner. the owl service is for kids but it really did a number on me aged 12 and it still holds up as a classic. I think there's an old bbc series but i haven't got round to watching it yet :)

[bibimbinge]

10, 14, 18

10. Which Asian QL couple do you think is underrated?

I answered my fictional QL couple I think is underrated but lemme take this opportunity to answer AGAIN!

we got ThorFluke ONCE. exactly ONCE and you know what they did?? gave birth to icons. Jo and Army hold a special place in my heart for many reasons. Jo learning that he's *asexual AFTER years of experimenting with his sexuality is so important for ace rep cause I got tired af of the general public assuming asexual = pure virgin. I just love these two so much, they have great chemistry and not to mention I didn't care much for the main couple at all and mainly stayed through the series for them

*edit: thanks @lurkingshan for the clarification on Joe 🙏🏼 "he is a side, which in gay terminology means he does not like penetrative anal sex, but he is not asexual. He wants sex, he just prefers that it not involve penetration." Imma have to add that to my gay dictionary for later use 🙂‍↕️

14. Which Asian QL tropes do you want to send to the trash heap

main and/or side couple breaking up near the end of the series...

We DON'T need to go through heartbreak as dedicated viewers for one week for a QL to have great impact. Personally I think we should end all QL series on a fluffy filler beach episode where everyone is happy and in love. I DONT CARE IF ITS NOT UNREALISTIC!!! I WATCH THESE SERIES TO ESCAPE REAL WORLD!! NOT BE REMINDED OF HOW CRUEL REAL WORLD IS!!!

18. You get to pick a side character from two different QLs to put in a show as a main pairing -- Who are you choosing and what kind of story is it?

ever since Only Friends ended I've thought hmmm Mr-Stalker-Cause-I-Got-Trust-Issues Nick should end up with someone who'd make him realise that you don't need to plant spy cams and mics in various places to prove theyre unfaithful and that you can just trust them... and i think Porsche from ABAAB would be that man for him even though we know close to nothing about him other than his best friend is his ex. We know Porsche is kind, patient and SMOKING HOT. We know Nick's taste in men is smoking hot so that would reel him in but personality wise hes the complete opposite of Boston which is what he needs after the traumatic experience that is Boston... so yes

[novaursa]

Ngl, Aegon the uncrowned is so underrated 😞😞 like I think he's the only Aegon I actually like from so many Aegons in the family tree. Like I think he and Rhaena are the one of the few sibling couple in book that get along and respect one another? From my understanding, it's Aenys who felt like Aegon would be emasculated if Rhaena brought her dragon with her, Aegon seemed like he ain't give a fuck tbh. Which begs the question why didn't he claim a dragon earlier? Surely there are other dragons around? Especially since he's the heir.

Your fic of him broke my heart, like, the poor man did not deserve to go out like that. My poor pookie died from a father's fury (which is equal

Was he a bit of a dumbass? Yes, but which targ man isn't? He just wanted to do his duty to his father and family and then realized too late that's not actually what he wanted.

I fear Maegor only loves his nieces (daughter in this case) and never his nephews.

I hope I don't sound demanding, but would you ever consider writing about Aegon the uncrowned again? Maybe one with a happy ending, please? 🙏🥺

Idk, I honestly think Rhaena and Aegon are a package deal, like if you get one, you have to get the other ykwim? They're a buy 1 get 1 kinda deal.

Rhaena is an undisputed lesbian, so in my humble opinion, Aegon and Rhaena and reader should all get married. It's Rhaena and reader & Aegon and reader. In this relationship, Aegon is NOT the shared lover.

Oh Targ!Reader, my bisexual icon.

First, thank you for reading my stories. 🫶

And yeah, that was one of the more normal Aegons in that family. But I fear he would be no better king than weak willed and sickly Aenys. 🙃

Regarding if I will write another story for him again, I'm afraid I will not.

Not in any near future. I have a lot going on in my private life.

The thing is how I get requests on almost every story I post here to expand it or make more. And in the last couple of days I have gotten more of these suggestions. And it's a lot.

It's just impossible for me to do it. Even if I wanted to. And I don't.

You guys are always welcome to share your ideas with me, but I'm not indulging anyone to write long ass series just for them. That's not how things work.

So, once again, thank you for reading my stories, but I will not be entertaining nobody's idea about writing something outside my schedule.

[abcwordsurge]

very curious: what do you think is a slept on pairing that isn't romantic? like queerplatonic, platonic, unlabeled, etc..

also. polyamorous pairings you like and/or think are underrated. any polycules.

also you are so very cool and nice and i'm sorry i don't interact with you that much. i think about it a lot but get embarrassed and never do. you're very cool and thank you for being, like, one of the first people i've really interacted with in the fandom. it's always been scary for me being new to a community and you've made it wonderful (along with everyone else) <3 -floridagirlboy

Ok this is pretty long because you pressed all the right buttons to keep me talking for, like, hours, so I'm just gonna put it under the cut. But before I even do that, I have to get the most important thing out of the way- you are so flipping amazing, thank you for the ask, I'm glad you're liking your time here so far, and no need to apologize :D

Underrated platonic / queerplatonic / etc pairings? Where should I start?

First of all, platonic Illinois and Indiana. They are besties your honor. It's like opposites attract but platonic. Good cop Indiana, bad cop Illinois. Also uber-cautious Illinois and safety hazard Indiana. Indiana is probably bi or pan or something like that and aromantic Illinois just has to listen to his relationship problems and be like, "yes, this definitely makes even a little bit of sense to me, yes, romance, perfectly reasonable." But in my mind, Indiana was one of if not the first person Illinois came out to as aromantic and Indiana was really supportive (of course) so he completely understands that when he talks to Illinois about relationship stuff, Illinois will stare at him blankly and the best advice he will offer is "break up with them."

Also. North and South Dakota. This isn't, like, a rare pair, but it's definitely slept on. Like, everyone acknowledges that they're twins and hang out literally constantly, but I feel like there aren't many fics that actually focus on their dynamic. And that is a wasted opportunity. Y'know what, I might have to write a fic for them soon.

Ok, polyamorous / polycule relationships! First up, Alaska / Hawaii / Rhode Island. My reasoning? Basically 100% "Rhode Island Joins the Table," because Rhode has banter with Alaska and Hawaii calls Rhode cute. And I mean, I'm sure I don't have to explain that Alaska and Hawaii love each other. I don't even have the words for how much I love these three. They work so well together because they're all so snarky and awesome and just, aaah, I love them all as individuals and in a polycule.

And of course the four corners. That's probably a pretty standard answer, but it's standard for a reason, man. Arizona / Colorado / New Mexico / Utah- they're iconic. How did this start? Who the hell knows. We all looked at a map and were like, "yeah, look at that, four states that meet at a single point. Polyamory at its finest." But I love it so much because there's hyper-religious Utah, demon boy Arizona, tired and hungry New Mexico, and just-chilling Colorado, and they're all so unexpectedly soft with each other and it's perfect, man, it's perfect.

Also!! You are very cool and nice! Don't worry, there's no pressure to interact if you're not feeling up to it. I understand <3. And that means so so much to me haha. I remember when I joined the fandom a couple months ago, that everyone was instantly so sweet and welcoming, and I'm very happy that now I'm one of those people for you!! It's like, circle or life or whatever. I don't know. I'm just happy you've had a good first experience with the WttT community. It's awesome here :D

[battlecat-maya]

Warrior Cat Tier List Breakdown: Part Two

I really like you:

Crookedstar: The star of my favorite WC book. Crookedstar’s story resonates with me. He kept being hit with tragedy after tragedy and even when he overcame his struggles, life kept throwing more at him. It’s such a sad tale and I felt for Crookedstar. They took what was essentially a background character and made him deep and sad. Great stuff.

Tallstar: Another childhood favorite. I’m a sucker for wise old soul type characters. I like how he’s such a staunch Fireheart supporter. And his book is great! His rough relationship with his parents, him feeling isolated in the Clan after his father’s death, his revenge quest, his friendship with Jake, and him ultimately learning that revenge is not the answer were all done very well (slight pacing issues aside).

Pinestar: A disillusioned leader who left the stressful world of the Clans for the peaceful life of a kittypet. Pinestar’s Choice is the best novella out of all of them imo. It’s so interesting to follow a disgraced leader slowly get beat down by the Clans’ petty squabbling. Plus StarClan asked him to kill his own son which… I don’t have time to get into StarClan’s contradictory nonsense. In short, being asked to kill my son would stress me out too! I love his friendship with Shanty and was genuinely heartbroken when she died. I like how he sees Shanty’s two legs mourn for her and sees how loved she was. We hardly see the good side of Twolegs. Him deciding to comfort them by becoming their new fuzzy friend touched me. I like Pinestar. Underrated character. Now if only his relationship with Leopardfoot wasn’t so creepy…

Bluestar: Okay so I can write a whole essay about Bluestar and her story. To prevent this post from being an endless scroll, I’ll just say that Bluestar is a tragic impulsive leader who got screwed over by life and faith. I adore her tale. She’s iconic and one day I’ll write that essay. I have way too much to say.

Jayfeather: Grumpy, talented, passionate, and hard-headed. Even though the arcs that star him are awful and his recent flanderization has reduced him down to “grumpy man” I still love Jayfeather. He deserves a better franchise tbh.

Gorse Fur and Wind Runner: Pairing these two together because it is the only way to talk about them. As much as I fucking hate DOTC, it gave me two of my favorite pairings in the series, Gray Wing and Turtle Tail and Gorse Fur and Wind Runner. Wind Runner (Windstar) is so fun. An authoritative, hot-headed, no-nonsense molly who is prone to outbursts and breakdowns. She may be a natural leader but her propensity to fly off the handle hampers her. Thats when her husband, Gorse Fur, comes in. He compliments her by being patient, gentle, and grounded. He’s a chill guy without grand ambitions. I feel, without Wind Runner, he would be a Tree type drifter. Wind Runner provides the ambition and he provides the patience. They’re a power couple through and through. Incredible.

River Ripple: A mysterious, kind, and wise drifter who only shows up when he feels like it. Perfect and simple. His SE did him so dirty.

Lightning Tail: Thunder’s best buddy. I just like Lightning Tail, man. He is the only shining light in the second half of DOTC. I love how he calls out Star Flower’s obvious bullshit. Smart boy. I wish we had more strong friendships like Lightning Tail and Thunder in the series. They’re a treat to read.

Ravenpaw and Barley: Ravenpaw is yet another childhood favorite. A sad, anxious boy who, with the help of his friends, fled a dangerous situation to live with a kindly tomcat in a barn. As soon as he was provided a more peaceful environment, he grew in confidence and happiness. It’s a beautiful story. Barley is a kind soul and I love how much he cares for Ravenpaw in their comics and novella. Two gay cats vibing in a barn, hunting mice. Great.

Goosefeather: Bluestar’s Prophecy Goosefeather is the only good iteration of him. I hate his novella because it ruined what made him great in the first place, his ambiguity. In BP, it is unclear if he’s just a crazy old man or the greatest prophet the Clans have ever seen. I love how he’s like this spector that looms over Bluestar, feeding into her paranoia by screaming doom and death about Thistleclaw. I also love how Featherwhisker defends him when others doubt his abilities. It implies that Featherwhisker admires him, even when his mind slips away in his old age. I fucking adore Goosefeather. His novella sucks though. We didn’t need an explanation of his powers. Let mysterious things remain mysterious, especially if it’s better for the story.

Squirrelstar: This poor girl went through so much turmoil. I’m so glad she finally became leader. It’s what she deserves after the hell the Erins put her through over the years. Fiery, smart, head-strong, and righteous. Just a great character all around.