#what about these other REALLY important relationships and how they all coexist with each other????????

[starbuck]

HATE when you find someone who’s into the same pair of characters as you and you’re like HELL yeah only to find out that they ONLY care about those two characters, to the exclusion of every other character and relationship the characters have.

[crimsonmoonlight88]

Noa's Potential Love Triangle

"You like her--Soona."

"We were born within a sunset."

Okay listen, I never thought I'd be here considering a potential love triangle in this series, but here we are.

Now, I won't even touch on the interesting choice of having Mae of all characters ask this, but there are so many answers Noa could have given that ultimately tell the audience "yes, I like her."

Yes. Of course. I do. Sure. Maybe. Why wouldn't I? What, no! *looks nervous*

(I could go on all day.)

But no, he only says, very matter of factly, "we were born within a sunset."

So with that baffling response, I thought about it some more, and two things came to mind for what he might have meant:

They were born close together, like family, indicating his feelings are familial. (This jives with the actual vibe between them in the movie, imo.)

It doesn't really matter. They were born within a sunset and that (possibly) has some cultural meaning for their clan, like a sign they were meant to be together. Therefore, a relationship would be expected of them, no matter how they feel.

Now it could be one or both of these scenarios, but with the second I can see that playing into Noa's upcoming hero journey of becoming who he was meant to be. Interestingly, in this trailer we get:

Owen: Noa has to make a choice Proximus: Do you choose a human, over an ape? Owen: And only one will prevail. Proximus: Together, you will die. Noa: No, together--strong. *cues scene of Noa reaching for Mae on horseback and saving her*

From that trailer alone, you get a sense of what his choice will be. But in the movie itself, when Proximus lays this out for Noa, he does not choose. (Yet)

"Do you choose a human over an ape? Your sweet, little Soona or that stinking human?"

I think that's intentional for now, as I think the love triangle is potentially a catalyst for Noa, and Mae and Soona in particular, are meant to represent two different paths (and endings) for him. With this concept in mind, it could mean:

Choosing Soona means following the path that is expected of him, the one laid out since birth, the one he would have gone down had Mae not come into his life. Following the rules, following tradition, upholding his clan's legacy, and choosing for the world to stay as it is with apes dominating humans. (Apes, together, strong)

Choosing Mae means following the path that defies expectations, the new one that was forged because Mae came into his life. Questioning the rules, embracing change over tradition, upholding Caesar's legacy, and choosing for the world to evolve with human/ape coexistence. (Together, strong)

So Noa's answer of "we were born within a sunset" is not a yes or a no, just as Mae's response to "can ape and human live together" is not a yes or a no, because these characters have not chosen this "together strong" path yet. They are questioning everything they've ever known, are changed by this connection to each other, but they're still following their "expected path" at the moment.

Now I might be wildly off base with this theory of course, and I acknowledge that Noa could definitely become who he needs to be with Soona by his side--but I'm looking at this from the two path/two love interest narrative, along with many other factors. But I'll just finish with these quotes from Wes Ball.

"Her [Mae] whole journey is changed by meeting Noa, just as much as his journey has been changed by meeting her."

"These characters [Noa and Mae] have now saved each other, and they have a complicated connection. There is now a history and real feelings between the two, and that’s going to be important moving forward."

"Can apes and humans live together? Can we coexist? So that will be a continued theme throughout future movies, and if there’s any chance for peace between these species, it will probably be between these two characters."

"There's literally a door that opens at the end to hopefully many more possibilities. And the relationship between Mae and Noa and how they've changed each other, you know, is going to be crucial moving forward as they navigate the future together."

[zee-has-commitment-issues]

I’m not gonna lie I actually really loved this season AND the fact that they went this way with Wilhelms character. Because I do think doing otherwise would be the easier choice. It is harder as a viewer to realize that a character you love comes from a place of privilege and aren’t just magically free from their upbringing by falling in love with someone from another standing. Do I understand why people don’t like this choice? Sure! But personally I’m really happy with it. Also just another note, this season in particular (or what we have got so far) feels very scandinavian to me. Like the plot and angst and how the writers choose to go about it. Both good and bad.

I really liked this season! I really liked what they did with every character... except Felice. I might be alone in that one, though, and maybe after a few rewatches I'll feel differently.

BUT YES.

Showing Wilhelm still being selfish and privileged was important. It was also important to show Simon really not understanding that his life is changing because of Wilhelm.

While Wilhelm continues to try to control everything and act on his privilege without consequence, Simon is still trying to be an activist and show his "fuck the monarchy" attitude. These things can coexist but not without balance, which neither of them are willing to provide. Because they are literally children.

Wilhelm tries to change Simon by censoring him until he is fit for the crown. Simon tries to change Wilhelm by asking him to take a stand on things that he (Wille) doesn't believe he is allowed to. And neither of them are talking about how they really feel about it because they both start to panic. Because of this, neither of them is willing to change, either.

But they do give in. They do compromise with each other, while not in the best way.

Neither of them can magically change because they have fallen for someone of another standing. It isn't all Wilhelm's fault nor all Simon's fault. Like everything else, it's both of them.

Their joint stubbornness to keep things exactly as they think they should be is what made them have such a rocky relationship. Both of them have a predisposition for how they believe their life and their lover should be and both of them are wrong because they aren't taking in the other's idea.

I really really love this season, actually. I'm excited to see how it ends. I know people are nervous about endgame, but I'm really not.

[taintedtort]

is it okay if you write genshin guys x reader who has an overprotective older brother? and their reactions when he finally starts to accept reader's relationship

prompt ✧ overprotective bother

characters ✧ xiao, kazuha, wanderer, childe

warnings ✧ gn!reader, you have an older brother

a/n ✧ this took me so long to get to, sorry!! (also didn’t know if you wanted readers reaction or characters reaction.. but I THINK you meant the characters so i went with that… sorry if i got it wrong)

XIAO

✧ your older brother didn’t intimidate him, but xiao did want him to like him; he was your family after all. after first meeting, xiao could tell your brother was not a fan of him. you warned your lover than he can be overprotective of you, and your mean looking boyfriend doesn’t exactly seem the most approachable. however, once your brother actually starting calling xiao by his name and not by the random insults he calls out to him, it made his body sag in relief. it made him so happy to know that your closest relative actually liked him now.

"your brother called me by my name today. do you think he’s finally getting used to me yet?"

KAZUHA

✧ he purposely goes out of his way to try and impress or befriend your brother. he wants to get on his good side because your family is very important to you. he always deflates with disappointment whenever your sibling brushes him off with a scoff or the roll of his eyes. you always try to make peace between the two of them, but your brother cannot let it go for the longest time. you just had to assure kazuha that he’d come around. and once he finally did, your boyfriend was over the moon. came to find you with the biggest smile on his face, telling you how your brother helped him carry something heavy, and didn’t made a snide comment afterwards.

"do you think he’s coming around? i hope so."

WANDERER

✧ he couldn’t care less what your older brother thinks of him, but you insist that they get along, so he attempts. they play nice in front of you but whenever your back is turned they’re glaring and mouthing silent insults to each other. wanderer cannot wrap his head around how someone like your annoying older brother can be related to you. in wanderer‘s eyes, you’re perfect in every way, and you’re brother is the opposite. he can’t find a single thing he likes about him. but over time, they learn to coexist, and even bond a few times over shared interests. they babble on about some video game while you sit there confused, but happy that they’re speaking to each other. those nice moments don’t usually last long though, one of them disagreeing about the others favorite character and they get into an argument.

"your brother is so annoying, how do you deal with that every day?"

CHILDE

✧ he has lots of younger siblings, so he knows the feeling of wanting to protect them. he harbors no hard feelings with your brother and tries his best to be as friendly as possible and not too affectionate with you in front of him. your brother finds childe‘s charm totally repulsing, telling you over and over to steer clear of guys like that. of course, you defended your boyfriend and told your sibling that he just doesn’t know childe, and that if he took the time, they’d probably become good friends. so your brother had no choice but to comply to your wishes, he just wants you to be happy after all. childe was sooo happy that he was able to sit and talk with your sibling, they bonded quite a bit and ended up becoming really good friends— just like you predicted.

"he actually came and talked to me today, like we had a conversation. that’s good, isn’t it?"

[bugcatcherkit]

What are your thoughts on Reigen I'm so curious now

Ohhh where do i start with Contradictions Georg himself.... Masking Andy... (clenches teeth) I have to make a list so I don't rant about one particular thing only.

the thing that hits hardest for me about his character is his Existentialism man. it's terribly relatable. Indeed, he is a Very Small Guy in a Very Big World and it's difficult to be Seen because of that. But also he's littered with Fear of Being Perceived and Understood. So he deals with his Existentialism by reaching for something (he doesn't know what) that'll make him somebody (he doesn't know who, just that it can't be his genuine self). MAN!!!!!!

Second thing that hits hard about his character is his unfiltered insecurities and self-loathing. Every time someone goes "We have to talk" he goes over every mistake or possible mistake he's ever made. He's the type of guy to search up the meaning of a word before he uses it, even if he's used it a 100 times before. Because what if he's wrong this one specific time?? Also his insecurities frequently make him act worse (sometimes on purpose, sometimes not) rather than better (as opposed to Mob most of the time) and i appreciate that so much.

I appreciate his Just Some Guyness over his babygirlness (not that they can't coexist i guess). Sorry guys. This is also why i think i prefer manga Reigen over anime Reigen. Like i can appreciate anime Reigen's maxed-out eccentricities and stuff, but overall I like the more Reservedness (?) that manga Reigen has. Personally it makes his groundedness, bad actions, and self-improvement hit a little harder. It goes well with his struggle to display his emotions in a loose and genuine way.

but despite this he's still silly. and frequently outlandishly embarrassing. and these are super important to his character also. Alongside his very genuine concern and care for the lives of others at any given moment.

He's always talking about his interpersonal relationships in terms of the Respect the other party holds for him. and then Separation Arc comes in with a steel chair that says "you have to give respect back to make a relationship Good and Fair and Genuine, idiot."

the only relationship this doesn't hold true to is with Dimple. Neither of them have any respect for each other really. And it's awesome.

i love how he is always just some Mediocre guy. He slowly self-improves certain aspects of his life but at the end of the day he's still paying Grown Man Serizawa 300 yen an hour (last time I checked). So.

Him being Mob's foil also means he has a lot in common with other Mob antagonists. But he has so many Mogamisms that it drives me up the wall. Sometimes he'll say a Mogamism and in my mind Mob looks at him with such a sudden intensity that he gets Scared

I frequently think of the scene where he is at the bar during Separation Arc and he realizes the bar people aren't his friends. And he says "I'm not good at this" and leaves. I don't have much to expand here but just know that when I think of how he experiences interpersonal relationships I think about this line. Because he's so good at a lot of things but Not This (Relationships overall. But also probably solving their problems in the moment).

not a fan of Dad or Uncle Reigen. To anyone really. Sorryyy. No hate to those who are though.

uhhhhhhh umm this has gotten so long. Sorry this is so unorganized i think i do better with more direct questions because i suck at staying on topic/being concise when i have free reign. There's so many aspects of his character that I didn't get to here that I also love. But its so hard to think of them all. I hope this gives you an idea though?

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

just out of curiosity – why do you like sukugo??

i've just never seen any of the accounts i follow/my mutuals celebrate this pairing so i'm really curious!

:))))))))) i smiled so wide getting this ask anon. PLS DON’T BE ALARMED just take my hand and let me tell you abt two deeply violent homoerotic men….

okay so when it comes to sukugo i just. ADORE their dynamic and relationship. it’s one of my favorites in the entire manga and i truly think akutami COOKED with it . not only the shinjuku fight itself (which is, ofc, what sold me on the ship) but also the foreshadowing beforehand!!! like sukuna telling gojo that he’ll be the first one he kills…. the two of them making the same kind of pose in their respective volume covers (vol. 4 & 14….. another parallel which is even more devastating when you remember that the number four is associated with death in japan)….. both of them being referred to as ”the strongest.”

i actually didn’t pick up on a lot of it until we got to shinjuku!! but i just think akutami teased at their importance to each other so well and so early on.

WITH THAT BEING SAID . their dynamic. their parallels. yes. they’re both the strongest and the most isolated and those two things are synonymous. it ties into one of the most central themes of jjk that equates absolute strenght to absolute solitude — it’s a kind of curse. a curse and a blessing. and they both have it.

the main difference is that gojo knows what it’s like to be understood and loved — but sukuna doesn’t. so he can’t feel lonely. he’s never known what it’s like to not be alone. but gojo has!!! gojo has felt love and felt what it’s like to be understood, and when geto died a part of him died too. he’ll always be lonely. he’s the loneliest character in the series. and when he looks at sukuna he sees the exact same isolation that’s plagued him since the moment he was born. so what does he do about it?

he tries to teach sukuna about love.

^ and THAT’S . the most delicious dynamic ever. i take no criticism. i’ll die on the hill that this concept and their dynamic is one of the absolute highlights of jjk. it’s so GOOD. it’s so insanely good. gojo wants to teach sukuna about love/cure him from his solitude by killing him. and vice versa. it’s inherently violent and inherently tender and it makes me INSANE. to me that’s the greatest appeal of sukugo!!!! violence as tenderness is a trope very near and dear to my heart (and also VERY frequently associated w queer subtext in media…. just putting that out there……) and they do it so good. they have a blast killing each other.

also i just NEED to say how much i love the ”teach you about love” line. it’s one of my favorites in the manga and akutami utilizes it so well!! he repeats it over and over as foreshadowing and to build up the sukugo dynamic. the final reveal that gojo is ”the one who will teach [sukuna] about love” made me weep (even though it was so obvious)…. it’s just so deeply. idk. it just says so much about gojo as a character :(( the fact that he wanted to teach sukuna about love. i’ve seen some people who think that part is ooc but i disagree completely!! gojo has never concerned himself w the morals of others. not really. toji kills riko but gojo still has a respect for him and allows him to say his final words. he never hated geto despite his crimes. he supports yuji fully no matter how many people die because of him. etcetc. same with all his students.

gojo looks at sukuna and sees someone who is just as alone as he is. so deeply, deeply alone. him wanting to change that is not ooc in the slighest because that’s quite literally what drives gojo as a character:

he’s just such a genuinely good person at his core. and it coexists with the way he sometimes disregards morality. this is a hot take but i genuinely think gojo’s character blossomed fully in his battle with sukuna….. i don’t see him as ooc in it at all. he genuinely wanted to reach sukuna!! he knew he was the only one who could even hope to do so. and he tried his best.

and, i would argue that he succeeded.

SEGWAY TIMEEEEEEEEE LET’S GO. okay so let’s talk abt one of my favorite panels in the jjk manga, the panel that solidified sukugo as one of my favorite pairings Of All Time:

(two diff translations bc i love them both :3)

THIS. wow. wow. wow. i could talk abt this panel alone for hours and hours but i’ll try to be coherent……

there’s just? so much meaning to be found here??? for both of them????? not only is it a fundamental moment for gojo — being praised and acknowledged and accepted as himself rather than the strongest — but it’s also proof that gojo did reach sukuna!!! he’ll remember him forever. sukuna will never fully be entirely isolated because even millenia into the future he’ll still remember gojo. gojo nestled his way into sukuna’s heart.

and that’s just . so romantic isn’t it???? so beautiful???????? this is the culmination of gojo’s efforts; the most genuine expression we’ve ever seen on sukuna’s face. he actually looks happy.

i cried seeing that panel btw 😭😭 not a joke!! i was already crying when i started chapter 236 bc i knew how it’d end but this panel (+ the one w geto cheering gojo on in his cult leader fit) made me SOB. not exaggerating. i’ve never cried so much reading a manga… T_T

so!!!! yeah. i just love sukugo. their dynamic is so interesting and beautiful and i can never get enough of it. sometimes i love it more than stsg… don’t tell geto that though……..

[euphoricfilter]

i would like to share this smut fic idea that’s been rotting my brain for days now

(cw: smut, dom! jimin, sub! reader, both wearing skirts while they fuck and a little bit of spanking, use of a dildo. mild talks of body image)🕺

likely to be titled: ‘the feminine pact’

this is half a product of a tiktok i saw and half part of the conversation that was brought up last week… maybe two weeks ago about how femininity and dominance can coexist within the same sphere

and a mildly self indulgent fic to heal my weird mindset when it comes to clothes and how undeserving i feel of actual nice things or ways i present myself

☆ jimin and you who have been in a long term relationship, both know you’re each other’s lasts and neither have any plans to break it off as you are both very much obsessed with one another and hold too much love for the other to even think of someone else in more than a platonic sense

☆ i’m thinking maybe you stumbles across a pretty little dress or skirt, something super feminine and so far out of what you would normally wear. and maybe jimin notices you’ve been looking at it for a little longer than you usually would and asks why you don’t buy it

☆ you’d shake your head and tell him it wasn’t really for you (and jimin would pick up on the double meaning). you’ve both talked about self image and self depreciation before so he knows it’s more than just not thinking it’ll fit your body— you feels undeserving.

☆ and so, as the best boyfriend he is, jimin would obviously order it for you. but he wouldn’t stop there; he’d buy one for himself too!!

☆ and maybe you would cry, a little overwhelmed, scared, worried even. but so very much in love with jimin and how much of a sweetheart he is that you don’t know what else to do but cry and cling onto him with a blubbery thank you tumbling off your lips between hiccups

☆ jimin wouldn’t have been oblivious to talk of his own frowned upon femininity. not exactly the perfect man, too lithe and too pretty. probably having grown up in a household that held ‘typical’ masculinity above everything. and so, his own personal growth would play a part in the story too!! as he discovers that it’s okay to be a mid-point. that being a ‘good stereotypical’ man isn’t the be-all-end-all and that actually accepting femininity as a part of himself makes him feel more comfortable in his own skin

☆ and hence forth the femininity pact!

☆ you’d probably both talk about it again because communication is important for the both of you! how when you wears skirts or dresses you feel strange in her own skin. and jimin talking about his own little fantasies of just, not being restrained to what has been expected of him and exploring a part of him he hadn’t felt comfortable to explore before

☆ and then comes the conversation of how you’d even approach this. starting off small. glittery pink eye shadow and hours spent watching make up tutorials from youtube, streamed on the tv so you can really take in what is being said

☆ learning how to do eyeliner, with you sat on the counter in the bathroom as jimin leans closer to the mirror. and maybe he learns how to do it a little faster, less chunky, maybe even learning how to do it with eye shadow. and then each morning, he does his own and then yours

☆ once the dysmorphia becomes somewhat more bearable with the make up, still a new feeling for the both of you. then would come the clothes. probably one of the biggest challenges

☆ both of them starting with cute tops, an easy start but still a little daunting. jimin would make sure you’re always matching, always changing before you do and then helping you into your clothes. kissing each insecurity he knows you have before helping with your buttons or zipping up a skirt

☆ and of course, jimin would find you utterly beautiful. it’s not that he hadn’t seen you as anything but before. but this, this was something new.

☆ and so, he’d fuck you with the both of you wearing skirts.

☆ glittery eye shadow clinging to the pads of his fingers that leave a shimmery path of pretty love down your body as he pulls your shirt over your tits

☆ his eyeliner a little smudged— print of your lipstick painting his cheeks, maybe dark red, or a blush pink.

☆ maybe he’d fuck you on the bathroom counter, make up and skincare clattering to the floor as he thrusts up into you. silk pyjamas pulled over your thighs and jimin’s pooling at his ankles, calling you pretty and perfect and so utterly his— he wants to stuff you full of his cum until it’s dripping down your thighs and you’re a total mess with zero thoughts except him.

☆ and maybe the days you needed that little push, swallowed by your own self deprecating thoughts and ugly emotions that made you feel shitty. jimin wouldn’t have it. tugging a skirt up your hips and then laying you over his thighs, deft fingers coming down to slap your ass until tears cling to your waterline and slick soaked the crotch of your frilly panties

☆ and maybe he gets a little carried away while the two of you are out. dragging you into the bathroom, kissing you until your lips are smudged and sticky with lipgloss that he re-applies after fingering you. your pretty glittery nails digging into his shoulders and raking down his back

☆ and being the little menace that he is. he’d buy you a glittery pink dildo. all cute and fun until he makes you bounce on it in front of him. his cock straining under the dress he’s wearing.

☆ and you’re not allowed his cock until you’ve made yourself all pretty and messy for him. pretty pussy a little puffy and used before he slides between your walls and claims you as his all over again. making sure you lick his cock clean of your juices and stuffing his fingers back into your cunt so his seed doesn’t spill out of you.

☆ just jimin fucking you in a skirt and the both of you being pretty people that learn to love yourselves and pretty things

[thesweetestdevotion]

wow thank you so much for doing reading for jay and sunghoon, i wonder if you could do ideal type reading for them too since i saw patterns in this type of reading, so i'm curious about what you see, thank you!❤️

Hey!! Im gonna do Jay for you right now! Sunghoon is here

Jay Enhypen Ideal Type:

Dice: Aquarius, Venus, 10th House

Tarot: Page of Swords Reversed, The Hierophant, Two of Cups, Six of Cups, The Lovers, Three of Swords, Nine of Wands Reversed, Queen of Swords, The Star Reversed, King of Wands, King of Swords Reversed, Seven of Swords Reversed, The Empress Reversed, Eight of Swords Reversed, Two of Wands, The Moon, The Sun Reversed

Now I started this reading and so many cards came out (17 i think 😭) Anyway i think that jay right now might be basing his ideal type on one specific person. I say this because the two of cups and six of cups and the lovers came out. This tells me there is an established relationship here, though i see it has some limitations because of the page of swords, king of swords and empress all reversed and the three of swords also came out. This is pointing out a situation where they don’t see each other often or have some other limiting factors that affect the natural flow of romance here. I think this person is probably another public figure of some sort, though i will not delve into who it is since the moon came out as well, indicating a wish for privacy (not that i would pry anyway) Anyway his type/this person is a very well developed person. They have some uniqueness to them that make them stand out from the crowd, but also have traditional aspects to their personality that make a romantic relationship very comfortable and satisfying for jay here hehe. I think he likes someone who is well spoken and well received, someone who knows how to be honest when they need to be. King of wands tells me he loves a creative side, maybe he enjoys being able to share some sort of talent with his person, idk if he plays a specific instrument but I’m hearing he likes sharing this hobby with his person. he likes someone who is self actualized and responsible and can get themselves out of problems with no help. He likes that independent fiery type that when they come together with him, can coexist and allow him to help them as well. But he certainly is not attracted to the damsel in distress archetype, he likes driven and accomplished people. He admires a good work and play balance in a person. Not someone who is all about working and not taking breaks and having fun. Someone who’s not sneaky, i just heard ‘keep it to yourself’ maybe someone who doesn’t gossip or spills his/their business to others, that felt important. Someone who’s futuristic and has big plans that they would include him in, he dreams of building a dream life together with his person (how sweet). Maybe he’s into a little stubbornness, someone who’s not afraid to call him out when needed, not a passive person. An active and fit person, I just heard tomboy, maybe he’s into tomboy-ish girls? I keeps seeing very short fluffy hair, baggy low waist jeans, black tight tank top. That’s hella specific, he’s very particular, which makes sense bc i do feel another presence here in this reading. I dont wanna get onto specifics for this person but that visual could definitely relate to them. Tattoos? A dragon tattoo, bc i also keep hearing the song Girl with the tattoo by Miguel. That could be significant. Also matching outfits? Maybe he likes when a person has similar aesthetic than he does, i keep seeing black clothes, leather, slick hair, does he really like clothes cuz my minds eye is like a fashion magazine right now heheh. Maybe he or this person like fashion, could be another hobby they share. Anyway i get the feeling this is all i should share before it gets too specific (jay always likes to share wayyy too much in my readings with him loll 😭) The color violet by Tory Lanez and Fashion Killa by ASAP Rocky just came up as well.

Alright!! That’s all folks hehe!! Xxx

[fumifooms]

What do you think of Lamari (Laios and Namari)? Both as a ship and the relationship between the two.

I don’t like it sorry broski 😔 Seeing them interacting in ep 9 again made me see the appeal more, it’s cute how they interact, how they trust each other’s abilities and judgement! But ship wise…… I can’t. I’ve been seeing cute fanart of them around though, and I know a few people on discord that like them too. Like hmmm I guess I can see the appeal in the dynamic even if it doesn’t grab me but I can’t form a narrative for them… Usually I need both to truly get into a ship, a dynamic I find fun or interesting + some sort of progression and impact it’d leave on the characters, I don’t really see the character/relationship arc that’d happen, or at least not one eventful enough for me. When it comes to how I think their relationship is during canon, I see it as being professional and hinting at maybe friends, a neutral rather than negative thing mind you.

With Laios, well I’ve spoken about his character and arc before a bunch, but with Namari the part that interests me most is the whole exile thing, how she works hard to fit in both with keeping a good work reputation and shaving, for example, and how she’s not all that good with it because of presumably her bold personality... Because of this and more, and spoilers but I’ve planning on making a rarepair post about it for a while, I like shipping her with Toshiro mainly. I think that she balances out his doormat tendency but his cool attitude would be soothing and grounding and- Well gdbdgdg you see how it is. And to a certain extent I can see why people would want to apply the same logic to lamari, but… I don’t even think Namari and Laios would be able to bond over both being foreigners much tbh, I feel like Laios would sort of remain an odd mystery to her and though they could connect in a weird roundabout way I don’t think they’d exactly understand each other— and see this is the part of lamari appeal I get, the sort of tentative tension of "oh you actually respect me. That feels… Rare. And nice." Thouuugh like I was saying to be fair, it’s true Laios also tries and fails to fit in so that could be an interesting angle to go at it with. I think Namari wants stability and I just don’t really think it complements Laios well. I think trust’s the most important thing with Laios so on his side him liking her enough to be interested or open to a relationship I could see, though in a kinda mild and dry way imo… Like with Laios especially when defining how he and someone fall in love, there are sort of two modes right, and of course these coexist to some degree, but there’s Laios being his partner’s silly goober, and there’s Laios being very mature, more of his subdued stoic but composed self, all king-like, the more like connecting through meaningful conversations side. And idk how to put it into words but with lamari, I feel like Namari being paired with him doesn’t give a fresh spin on the former, and with the latter I feel like they’d always keep missing each other halfway communication wise, I don’t see them ever getting to that level where they deeply intuitively know and understand each other and how they work, maybe Laios -> Namari yes but Namari -> Laios I don’t see it, like I said I think it’d remain like, a mystery that nags at her and she might feel attracted if anything, but I can’t see them as more than casually dating idkk idk.

Namari has that fun ‘gets fired up about what odd things Laios is doing and reigns him back in’ dynamic but it’s something that literally so many other characters have too. I’m not knee deep into Namari yet so who knows maybe I have a wrong angle, but I did start giving her some thoughts bc I have a fic I have in mind for toshimari I wanna do. But yes it’s cute how protective she can get even if it’s shouty or tough love, like how she looks out for Laios’ equipment and for him not to get scammed, or brings in Toshiro here in the convo because she doesn’t want Toshiro to do his conflict avoidance thing and not stand up for himself & stay in the party even if it sucks hah. That bold borderline rude protective personality of hers with that awkwardness with intimacy/non-professional relationships is what’s unique to her I think, but yeah the laios & namari duo strikes me as strangely distant yet strangely interested coworkers who exhange glances over the cashier desk but personally I can’t see myself doing anything with that.

I’m not here to say it’s a bad ship or anything obviously! It just really doesn’t call to me personally and I don’t see stuff with them that I’d find interesting to analyze, if anything it’d involve the wider party a lot. I do want to make a masterpost on Laios’ career history and the old members of his party so I might analyze how Namari and he interact in those pre-canon comics idk. But yeahh like I find nothing to dig deeper at personally, you could make cute fics of them hinting at interest between the two, if Laios went to get drinks with her at a tavern etc etc, but all I see with them is just what canon straightforwardly showed us and I don’t get the urge to explore the possibility of them at all.

Sorry to disappoint, but yeah I won’t be a good source of lamari content or thoughts. I have wayy too many drafts I actually want to get out so I’ll be storing further Laios & Namari analysis for a big maybe, one day. I feel so bad I really hate to be negative at all and as a fellow rareshipper I send u my best wishes truly, good luck y’all deserve fellow stans and content. Feel free to leave pro-lamari arguments in the comments or reblogs if you want idm but preferably not asks (and just don’t be aggressive & don’t expect me to respond/react 🫶) like truly this post isn’t meant as a diss but anon asked me about my personal thoughts so… I love youuu lamaris hope y’all thrive 🙇🙇

Trying to think of crumbs and it’s true she blushed when she saw him in his cape at the end so y’all got that W. Namari having a thing for tallmen is so real

Edit: oh she went with him for equipment shopping… Ok that’s cute

[kohakhearts]

Ask game- Goh or Gary, 8 and 20? 👀👀👀

thanks!!!! i say…why not both :D and sorry for the resultingly long response lmao

8: what’s something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

you chose violence with this one fjskfjskd ok side note: i actually dont care about how people want to talk about their faves, like even a little bit. and honestly i support all interpretations even when im like ew why because its fiction who cares have fun etc.

that being said…………..i cannot stand woobification and goh is a huge victim of it in this fandom. like on one side you have the people being like “he RUINED anipoke!!!” so i get where the “he did nothing wrong uwu” thing came from. i do. but he was SUCH a little bitch in early jn and honestly he had his moments later on too! like yeah jokes about jn135 being like a break-up scene are funny because it’s true but also wasnt that SUCH A BITCHY THING TO SAY????? like he wasnt having a cute little insecurity moment he was being a maladaptive JERK. and yes i agree hes insecure but like his insecurity makes him so mean sometimes. and i love that!!! let him lash out and be hurtful and then need to have some sense slapped into him when it causes problems lmao

for gary, idk i guess it’d be like…erasing the fact that he was actually REALLY mean to ash for the sake of the childhood friends narrative lol. like he was a straight-up bully and as someone who was very much bullied by a childhood best friend i find it a shame to erase that part of their dynamic because i think it’s a really important aspect of it imo. like it seems juvenile from an adult perspective ofc but being called a loser and being constantly reminded of your fuck ups by someone who you were best friends with sucks! a lot! and idk that just adds a fun flavour to their dynamic for me because regardless of gary’s reason it still affected ash and i actually really like fics where the author explores the ways it affected him without making gary out to be someone who doesn’t actually care for him. idk if i’m explaining this well i just think that gary being a schoolyard bully and ash’s childhood best friend can coexist djskfjsk

20: which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

for goh i’m gonna say iris. i think they’re both very single-minded and tend to lash out at (or ice out) people who they view as being in their way and/or who challenge their views of the world. and that being said…i think they would challenge each other a lot LOL. i liked iris’s jn debut and i liked the dynamic they established between them, i just think they could get under each other’s skin in a way that would be very productive to them both. friends who hate each other sometimes for pointing out a flaw in the other’s thinking but are ride or die nonetheless

for gary definitely chloe, i would’ve loved to see them interact and i still hate that they didn’t let her meet his umbreon, especially when its evolution is imo really symbolic of his development from someone who sees other trainers as like, people to prove his worth over to someone who sees battles as opportunities for growth alongside his pokemon and a way to establish and maintain relationships even when paths diverge, like with ash. like he was right there!!! the perfect person for her to talk about the uncertainty of the future with!!! also i just think they could have a fun dynamic, especially if they knew each other as children through professors oak and cerise. i think they’d share a kind of understanding that other characters like ash and goh, who are SO ambition-driven and single-minded, wouldn’t be able to get. i wrote a whole fic about this already so i’ve said my piece jdskjdk but just…the potential. what were the writers THINKING :sob:

character ask game

[incesthemes]

hey girlie it’s me, sam winchesters gay lover, your mootie 🥰🥰🥰 i just wanted to let you know, that your tags on the post about that wincest video are based and i agree with every word, hashtag slay couldn’t agree more i loved reading your essay in those tags heart ❤️

omg thank you!!! i'm basically only capable of talking in essays whether people want me to or not, unfortunately

i just have a lot of feelings on this topic and the whole "canon or not canon" argument is weird to me; the themes are pretty darn clear in supernatural (it is NOT known for its subtlety) so idk man. they don't have to kiss to be canon. and they don't have to have a romantic relationship to be canon either. how many times do they get into relationships with other people only for it to be treated as cheating/betrayal/abandonment, only for them have to give up that relationship in order to reaffirm their devotion to their brother

that's just what the text says. i'm not under any kind of delusion that they have some secret sexual or romantic relationship, but that doesn't change that sam and dean are each other's most important person regardless of that. which is really awesome imo, that romance isn't treated as more important than whatever horrible thing they have with each other, and that they don't have to consummate their relationship with romance/sex in order for it to be the most important one they have

(and of course there's romantic/sexual subtext, like parallels and metaphors and misunderstandings and jokes, but to me that just provides a solid foundation for presenting this relationship between them as the most important even though it's not romantic or sexual—because this language of romance is the only one we know, really, when it comes to writing important relationships between characters. it's the only one we know in our own personal lives, to a large extent. so you use the romance/sexuality to symbolize the actual bond they have. which is so much worse lmao)

anyway i think spn is fairly unique in this way because of how no other relationships can really ever stand parallel to the one they share; even in other shows that center male friendship, romance is allowed to coexist with brotherhood. for sam and dean, it's not, and that becomes a point of tension and conflict and resolution many, many times over the course of the show. so like yeah!!! just because it's not romantic or sexual doesn't mean it's not canon, in the sense that their relationship is the point of the show, and it is the most important relationship they have. they chose each other above all else, every single time. yknow, it's "the epic love story of sam and dean" and all that

[astrahannah]

Broke (me until a few days ago): Siegvinn is just Rorveth with a dash of religious guilt

Woke (me now): Maybe on surface. Really, Siegvinn is nothing like Rorveth

If you care about my rambling about a ship that I like too much for it having no freaking foundation (I mean they never talked IIRC), sorta about Rorveth, and comparison of the two, you can see below (spoilers for the first Witcher game and for the second (those being more minor, I didn't finish it yet))

Like, the similarities are obvious - on one side, a member of the Scoia'tael, on the other, an member of a faction opposing it. The representatives of the two sides Geralt can choose, them standing directly against each other.

Iorveth seems to have respect for Yaevinn (even if he finds him an idealist) and Roche and Siegfried seem to respect each other (based on the interaction in front of Loc Muinne).

But their attitudes towards their rival are so much different.

Roche and Iorveth are so much more intense. They are directly angered by the other's existence, want the other dead, they throw insults at each other... There's genuine hatred there. Sure, their factions are still important, but it's really personal.

Yaevinn and Siegfried? No personal vendetta Iorveth and Roche have. Like I said, they never talk on-screen. They've fought off-screen, but just as a part of their faction. Not even directly against one another, I think. It's not about Yaevinn for Siegfried, or vice versa. (it would make no sense vice versa, after all. Yaevinn is the leader of Wizima's Scoia'tael in the games, while Siegfried is just a run-of-the-mill member of the Order - that potentially changing at the very end of the game, only if Geralt takes the Order path) The most close they've gotten is standing next to each other as illusions on Geralt's path to fight de Aldersberg if he goes neutral.

Rorveth would be the more typical enemies-to-lovers story. They hate each other, but one day, it hits them that the line between love and hate is thin, and that they are feeling some desire for the other. Not even love at first, maybe. I think they could grow to love one other, but there'd be a good enemies-with-benefits stage between that.

That wouldn't happen with Siegvinn. They just don't feel that for each other. There's no intense hate to grow into something else. They hate the groups the other belongs to, not each other. They'd have to meet first, gain a personal connection, but even then, I don't think they could be like Iorveth and Roche. Their personalities just aren't like that. I've gone on the Order path (well, neutral till the hospital bank (edit - I forgot what the spot was, where you couldn't stay neutral. dunno why I thought it's a hospital) ordeal) and on Roche's path (but tbh I'm mainly on it bcs I wanted to meet Siegfried - my favorite character - on friendly terms. If not for that, I'd probably be on Iorveth's), so I mainly know how Roche and Siegfried differ, but I know Iorveth and Yaevinn are different too.

If a relationship was to grow between Yaevinn and Siegfried - now, I'll be taking inspiration from the two fics for it on ao3, but I think they have a point - it couldn't be through an intense tension turned lustful (even if we ignore Siegfried's vow of celibacy). It could be rather from feelings fostered through occasional wandering thoughts on the battlefield growing into some sort of a infatuation, that's not really sexual in nature, or - and this is my thought - I think it could most potentially happen with some sort of a truce happening between the Order and Scoia'tael in Vizima, with the two forced to negotiate instead of fighting, getting to know each other and starting to see the other as more than the stereotype of a Scoia'tael member/Order of the Flaming Rose member they have build in their heads.

Not that it's in allignment with canon, since Grandmaster Siegfried (important enough to negotiate with the opposing leader) and alive Yaevinn can't coexist. But the two as a couple aren't in any allignment with canon anyway.

They'd, of course, also be devastated to learn they're in love with the other, but for other reasons than Rorveth. With Rorveth, their "factions", as I've called it, would also play a role, but I feel like the personal would be the main source of the anguish. With Siegvinn, it's about the factions, and not hatred towards the other, but these feelings igniting a hate for themselves.

Siegfried vowed to help humans, loving a member of the Scoia'tael goes against that, and more importantly, vowed to be celibate. Loving, wanting at all goes against that. And I think he'd be horrified at it being a man, at that. As far as I know, being queer generally isn't illegal in the Witcher world, but it is frowned upon, especially in lower classes (if I recall right? feel free to correct me on that), and I think Siegfried couldn't really "afford" to be gay openly.

A paradox is that despite me saying this, I usually write his homosexuality as a side issue, with me writing a oneshot where he's actually semi-open about it, before his relationship with anyone (not published, none of my Witcher fics are)

Yaevinn, on the other hand, is rumored to having his lover killed by the Order. (at least the Witcher wiki says so, I never heard it in-game, but I'll believe it) In which case, he'd most likely feel awful for loving someone from the Order. I imagine it would make it even more like a betrayal than it already did, then loving a human would.

Both of them would try to repress these feelings, hating the fact they feel them, feeling like traitors to their cause, but with next to no hate towards the other man himself. Unlike Roche and Iorweth, who hate each other, Siegfried and Yaevinn hate what the other symbolizes.

And if they didn't manage to repress those feelings, I feel like it'd be less enemies to lovers, but forbidden love/star-crossed lovers sort of thing.

Which really summarizes it all. Rorweth - personal hate, enemis to lovers, Siegvinn - not personal, it's the fractions, forbidden love were the relationship to happen. That's what I've been running into the ground here.

Another difference is that Rorweth has more canon base, but that's a whole another thing. I honestly hope that they at least have Siegfried and Yaevinn interact in the planned remake. I don't want them to have a Roche/Iorweth sort of relationship, but I'd like to see them talk.

Really, there's this Rorveth fanart I have to thank here (https://www.tumblr.com/abi-kamikakushi/655332732248948736/rivals-for-witcher-rarepair-summer-bingo?source=share), without it, displaying Siegfried and Yaevinn having a discussion while the other two pairs fight (well, questionably for Rorveth), I wouldn't have had thought of this. And, it was cool to realize (and kinda embarrasing I didn't sooner) and think about, so I'm glad.

And I'm glad for anyone who managed to read this down to here, especially considering I've never seen a Siegvinn post on tumblr (the ship is not even called that! I made the name up, only I call it that. I never saw anyone else give it a name) and it has three fics on ao3 (one being a translation of one of the other two, so, technically, two fics). So, yeah, thanks if you got here, I'll cut it here����

[shitpostingkats]

Since I think you have met most of the Ignis now- what's your thoughts on them so far? They are like one of my favorite things in Vrains so I wanna hear your thoughts :DDD

BOY ARE YOU IN LUCK BECAUSE I HAVE MANY MANY THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THEM! :D

For anyone who isn't op, these rambles will include SPOILERS up to the end of season two of yugioh vrains. If ye wish to not know, scroll past quickly.

Okay SO:

Ai- Little little guy. I freaking love him so much. Yugioh has pretty consistently done a Dark =/= Bad and Light =/= Good, (more on that later) and Ai is such a freaking good entry into that. Ai is the dark ignis and he's the most human of them all, messy and lazy and silly. And he's like the only one of them who has ANY non-cyberse, non-Lost Incident life experience like!!!! Of course he talks like a comments section! Of course he has free will and self awareness and the first thing he did to prove this was "exerting his free will" by rolling his eye(s)! And OH MY GOD him and Yusaku. The relationship each ignis has with their lost child is SO important to me. Ai and Yusaku are, on the surface, the most different, but where they agree is their sense of surety and their sense of freedom. Ai and Yusaku have the exact same confidence in themselves. In Yusaku, it's the self confidence of knowing he's done everything he can and is smart enough to be prepared for anything. When Ai tells him "just get lucky!" and Yusaku goes "No, I'm not going to get lucky, but I'm going to win anyway." And that's SO fascinating because Ai has that same self confidence, but essentially learned it from Yusaku, that survival response of 'I am good enough that this will work'. Yusaku taught Ai everything about asserting yourself, and it's buried beneath layers and layer of different experiences, but fundamentally they're the same, the same trauma of 'I will be better. I will be enough by myself, because I am in this alone.' and then they find they are both strong but they're stronger together and it makes me want to BITE SOMETHING.

(Readmore because this got long whoops)

Flame- Why is he britsh??? Theo isn't british. He was not made in britain nor was anyone on the project british. I can only assume he purposefully chose that accent to make himself sound smarter. I love him for it. Flame and Theo are tied up in a lot of headcanon for me, most specifically I think Theo is the lost kid who lost the most (barring Spectre, who sometimes lost on purpose) before getting the hang of the game. Thus, his whole rising from the ashes motif. Teddy and Flame are the survival response of spitting out a tooth and getting back up again. They lived through the incident by refusing to stay down, and yet somehow they came out of it as a friendly jock and a silly little nerd guy. The obvious care they have for each other absolutely sends me. Flame's argument against the war is literally "We can coexist with humans. I am coexisting with a human right now, and you cannot stop me." When his home was destroyed the first thing he did was seek out Theodore. I AM GOING INSANE. And of course Theo dropped everything and moved across the country just to help someone he really didn't know before that day ARE YOU KIDDING ME. They are involved in this entire story because they cannot comprehend not helping eachother. Also, again, jock and nerdy solidarity but the dorky guy with the glasses is the jock and the literal being of fire is the nerd.

Lightning- ALSO INSANE ABOUT HIM. JUST IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING. Okay so like I said I have only recently finished season 2 and haven't started on 3 yet so we haven't had a whole lot of screentime with Jin so I can only guess on how they impact and inform each other but. OH MAN. I mean, I feel like I have to take a whole section just to talk about his PERFORMANCE. His english voice acting is phenomenal, just the right amount of utterly sinister, tempered with this no-nonsense confidence that feels perfect for his grand speeches of logical thinking. Lightning is terrifying, easily one if not the stand out villain performance in all of yugioh for me. You don't side with him, but the audience can see exactly how he gets from Point A to Point B, and that clarity of reason makes him both easily understandable and terrifying. And his visual aesthetics. Blinding light, scorching brilliance, the exact same electricity that the Lost Incident is so known for. Lighting shares a lot with his progenitor experiment, with both him and Revolver learn from Dr. Kogami's "The ends justify the means" approach. Really, Lightning and Revolver are the real opposed rivals here, except they're both the villain so neither one can narratively win. All they can do is ensure the other loses. And I said we haven't seen too much from Jin yet but that does not stop me from CONNECTING SOME THEMATIC DOTS. The complete and total shutdown of Jin compared to the detatched and pragmatic coldness of Lightning. Their survival instinct is disassociation. Shutting off the panicking part of the brain, and all its human responses, in favor of pure autopilot and a "Whatever It Takes" approach to ensure continued survival. Lightning rejects so much of where he cam from, but is so clearly the product of the Lost Incident, and more specifically, Jin. Of humanity. He's got this great line towards Ai where he berates him for basically screwing around in cyberspace for five years, while the rest of them were being actively targeted. Hunted. Surviving. Ai got new experiences, isn't defined as strongly by his trauma. But Lightning and Jin? Both of them completely froze their development, are still stuck in their survival instincts, and cannot move on from it. And I have a pet theory that may or may not see validation, that the Armatos Legios aren't really Lightning's. I mean, roman gladiator don't really tie into anything else about his aesthetics. No, I think no matter what he pretends, the Armatos are Jin's deck, and Lightning is still using them, after all these years.

Windy- Haha silly little fast talk guy who- THIS SIX INCH TALL LITTLE FELLA STRAIGHT UP KILLED HIS LOST KID. This little whirlygig canonically ended the life of his counterpart, something Lightning himself actually frowned upon. I think about this way too much. Windy isn't pragmatic, he isn't logical, he's the free spirited "fuck around" to Lightning's "find out". Windy does what he wants when he wants, and that's somehow equally as scary as Lightning's calculated cruelty. I am gutted we didn't get to meet or ever find out anything more about his human partner, and I'm pretty sure that's the whole point. There was a kid out there with his own struggles, his own problems, his own ways of dealing with the trauma of the Lost Incident, and we just. We will never get to meet him. Windy's kid is the first casualty in this war, and we never get to even learn his name. Also the ramifications of Windy being so cavalier about killing someone who is in some lights a version of himself, of the casual dehumanization Windy takes, not just to himself, but to his fellow Ignis. When threatening to kill Ai, Lightning had a "Well, it will kill 16% of our population, but it will ensure the safety of 84% of us." Windy has no such calculation. Windy doesn't bat an eye at his own death, or the death of another Ignis. And yet. And yet. And yet. When designing a servant for himself, Windy formed one out of a music note. A treble clef. The symbol for the start of a song. Does it mean something? Probably not. But I am freaking haunted by the idea that this wounded ai escaped a second attack on his world, and started rebuilding, not weapons, or schemes. But a new home, and one with music.

Aqua- You know, the ignis are one of the few artificial intelligences where it kinda makes sense that they have genders. Aqua is a girl because she learned from a girl. Her femininity is a gift, or a memorial. So is her kindness. Aqua is the only ignis who really internalized hope and compassion. She sees truth and she doesn't let it break her, she fights by encouraging choice, by asking for opportunity. Her refusing to tell Earth which way to feel in regards to the question of Humans vs. Ignis is such a poignant moment for me, that here is someone who understands better than anyone, what Lightning feels and how humans act, but rather than share her suspicions, she asks Earth to form his own opinion, not just listen to her as his only source. In general, I just like Earth and Aqua's dynamic so much. Two sweet protectors, two pacifists, represented by plant life and water??? Good good good visual motifs. That said, I definitely think Aqua is a character they could do a lot more with. All the other Ignis are just so weird, so charmingly strange in any conversation, that it feels a bit of a missed opportunity that Aqua seems completely "normal" and well adjusted. I also am saddened we haven't seen Miyu aside from in a coma or in flashbacks, because as I mentioned, I am utterly insane for the ignis/lost kids dynamics. But she got introduced pretty late in season two, so I'm holding out hope that we see more of Aqua (and maybe Miyu!) in season 3. Also, the crystal heart combo was some of my favorite gameplay story telling this season, hands down.

Earth- Pour one out for my guy. They really did that to him. As silly as Spectre's backstory is, it really gets me that he has this deeply unhealthy attachment to literally anyone who offers him a place to belong. And his Ignis is the protector, the caregiver. Earth, who can make flowers bloom with barely a thought, who's "socially awkward" but genuinely kind, comes from the child who just wanted attention and was at home in the forest. The freaking hardest gutpunch of the season for me was when Earth is being ripped apart, and we cut to Spectre, shedding a single tear, and he has no idea why. Also THAT'S A PLOTLINE THAT REALLY EXISTS IN YUGIOH. Earth's death is almost jump-scaringly brutal, from the same series that brought you such fun euphemisms for a character being killed as "sent to the shadow realm" and "retired retired". Yeah, no, here's a character being systematically unmade, then those leftover pieces shoved into one dude's brain. The dub could have downplayed it, but the sheer horror every character gives when Gore has his big reveal, really sells the brutality of Sol Tech towards these ai, and any living being that isn't contributing to their bottom dollar. Ryoken's cold deliverance to Ai and Flame about Earth's fate, even almost making light of the situation, had me 100% down to declare for the ignis because what the hell, you can't just do that. If Ai turns heel next season, I'm not saying I support him, but I get it. Earth's death feels like it rattles the whole narrative, in a way that forced me to be just as distraught and emotionally invested as the characters. That's good storytelling babey.

This got long, and this is barely scratching the surface on some of my thoughts for these silly little computer guys.

Needless to say, I enjoy them <3

[365sylviaplath]

what happens when past present and future are indistinguishable?

quantum theory if they weren't afraid to let lesbians in the room

here i am after stewing on *this* sarah schauer tiktok for a bit - which starts with "have you ever hated the patriarchy so much that you ended up teaching yourself quantum physics?" my musings on this concept reminded me that the world's true and foremost quantum physics lecture is found in relationship. hear me out.....

you can read the theories and study the concepts. but maybe nothing will move you more to researching spacetime than when you meet someone who you feel you've already met. you recognize firsthand how theoretical time and space must truly be, and you pursue answers because you're so blown away by what you're experiencing. someone has to have experienced this before. and the further down you go, the more you realize it is all cyclical. cyclical to the point of having no true separation. the theory of relativity tells us that time is not measured in an absolute way - it's more dependent on the observer. past, present, and future all coexist somehow within spacetime, interwoven without much distinction. some days will feel like 5 years ago, others feel oddly futuristic. when you let yourself dream, you can see potential universes unfolding for yourself. you will know today's date, but that doesn't mean you feel it. given that the majority of our best spacetime theories end up being some version of "yeah we can't really make solid rules about this, we're just perceiving the best we can", it's up to you to make sense of your current linear time experience. if the beauty of time is differentiated through the eye of the beholder, who else could meaningfully dictate my experience? i smell a candle in Target and it's 2015.

let's take it a step further - if matter cannot be created or destroyed (the law of conservation of mass, if you're nasty), all of these pieces have been here in infinite configurations for as long as we can conceptualize. statistically speaking, the same groupings were bound to happen a few times. given the whole time debacle mentioned above, there is genuinely no way that some of the same pieces of carbon haven't found each other before. people ask if you believe in love as first sight and you're supposed to pretend it's not universal law. here you are again - i loved you then, i love you now - now is no different from then, then is just an extension of now - i never stopped, i just needed to remember. by this same logic, i already know the great loves of my life, i just haven't remembered them yet! i already know on a physical level what it feels like to love them and to be embraced by them and to be wholly accepted as myself. on both my best and worst days, i remember i am always connected to these loves - i picture them in my head, nameless and faceless but identifiable through feeling. i know the feeling so well because it's not our first time doing this! in the meantime, i find inspiration in connecting with the feelings that seem out of place. i remember to write these love letters i will one day send.

to further complicate things, what we immediately label as romantic love in these sort of whirlwind connections often ends up to be something else, though equally as important. that instant feeling of recognition does not always work out to be a compatible romantic relationship this time around, but this isn't the only thing possible for the dynamic to serve us. love itself is much more vast than any singular romantic relationship. often, love is more about keeping you on the path you're supposed to travel this lifetime. like, "i'm back in this lifetime to remind you of what you will need to find fulfillment, in whichever way it best suits you to learn it". sometimes this apparition of love is actually the embodiment of all of your worst anxieties and fears. your relationship with this person feels so divinely triggering that you have no choice but to bear witness. you might find it easier to love your shadows when they appear to you as someone else. sometimes that entirely random person you find yourself infatuated with is the one who inspires you to find your creative medium/introduces you to a career path you’re passionate about/serves to reflect the parts of yourself you found hardest to love. these relationships are never a waste! you're continually brought closer to yourself. you feel that love, you let it change you, you set it free and it sets you free in return. isn't that what love is all about?

adding a note here- i started reading Notes on Complexity (one of the books mentioned in the earlier tiktok) and one of the first things he says is a dedication to his partner Mark. i swear, any time there is really meaningful interconnectedness theoretical physics-esque discussion that catches my eye, it will have been penned by someone queer. perhaps i am naturally biased toward finding such content, but whatever. i find it beautiful how queer love often ends up turning you into a physicist. love that demands you understand the entirety of the gravity of your situation so you can say with certainty at the end of the day "this whole thing, in its enormous complexity, transpired so i could experience your love - as i always have, to some extent, and always will - beyond this physical form". i want to learn every little detail about how we could find each other and what it means that we did. i want to learn about all of the past versions we've been and explore where we get to go this time. what will we teach each other? what is there to know?

[veliseraptor]

xuexiao for the ask game 👀

In case anyone was unclear on this somehow definitely this is a "ship it" one

What made you ship it?

This one I don't remember if it was right off the bat as soon as they were having a fight the first time I watched The Untamed (entirely possible, sometimes that's all it takes for me) or if it had to wait until we actually hit the Yi City Arc and it promptly stepped all over everything I like in a pairing, pretty much. Enemies to lovers but still really fucked up? Deceit and betrayal? Accidentally getting too attached to the object of your hatred? The nuclear detonation of a thing only belatedly identified as very important? Everything being extremely fucking tragic? Sign me up, kids!

Seriously though I can vaguely remember watching episodes 37-39 the first time and just going "what the fuck how is this happening how is this a thing I'm watching what the fuck are you serious this is the shit I usually have to make for myself" and it was all downhill from there.

What are your favorite things about the ship?

I mean, see above, but to pull out one specific thing I will always really love the coexistence of the absolute awfulness of this ship at its foundation with the genuine sweetness that is also there. I don't vibe with portrayals of Xue Yang and Xiao Xingchen's relationship that write out all the messed up parts of it, or ignore that the ground it grew out of is pretty fucking poisonous. But I also don't vibe with the idea that the love wasn't real. The love being real makes everything hurt worse, after all, and that's what makes it so good! They're good for each other but also they're so doomed from the beginning. Xue Yang loves Xiao Xingchen but that doesn't magically fix all of his everything. Xiao Xingchen loves Xue Yang but that doesn't mean he can just let go of the awful things he's done. It's beautiful and terrible at the same time.

Like, even if I am obsessed with fix its the reason the fix it can be rewarding ever is because of the struggle it takes to get there.

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

I don't know if it qualifies as "unpopular" but I have become progressively less tolerant of the "Xiao Xingchen as a mean dom" trend in fandom. It just doesn't work for me in my conception of him as a person, or how I think he would behave in sex.

I also sometimes think that people write Xiao Xingchen as too forgiving (of Xue Yang) and sometimes I wish there was more room for him to be angry. Or at least to want to be angry, even if he's bad at letting himself do anything about it. In general I think sometimes people are reluctant to let Xiao Xingchen be emotionally ugly and vulnerable (really upset or angry or petty), maybe because Xue Yang's dysfunction is so much louder. They can both be dysfunctional! It's why they're so good for each other. :D

[becauseits-important]

Ok so I'm a very new fan of CBS Ghosts and I am absolutely obsessed! I became very quickly emotionally attached to all the characters and the show is just so funny and charming in every way.

I was excited when first getting into the show to watch the original version when I finished BC yay! More of this concept on a different historical context! But then in my search to find fandom spaces for CBS Ghosts I was discouraged to find so much unnecessary hate towards the show I'd really come to love from the BBC fandom. I honestly will never understand what the BBC shooters who feel like they have to insert their hating voices to spaces meant for people who like and actually watch the show get from doing so. I get wanting to promote your fav show but how does shitting CBS and telling fans to watch BBC instead help sell your show? Both shows could peacefully coexist but some BBC fans really out there acting like the CBS version they didn't even watch just existing is the worst sin that could ever be committed.

But anyways that's not the point of this post. I actually wanted to talk about my journey currently watching the BBC version after completely falling in love with CBS.

I will admit that I have biases watching that I wish I didn't. It's almost subconsciously out of spite for all the times I've seen BBC fans INSIST it's a masterpiece and better written than CBS. It's also probably my emotional attachments to the CBS characters that make it a little tougher to feel close to the BBC characters. I've taken into account the things that make me a little more critical in my watching experience and try to push them aside so I can enjoy the show as it is.

It's what fans of both show need to do (and lots already have) BC despite the shows having the same concept and having similar character tropes and some of the same jokes/punchlines, they are vastly different shows. A lot of the critiques I have towards BBC comes down to me being used to the tone and characters in CBS so adjusting to the different takes on the concept that BBC had is a bit of a tonal shock. In this sense I completely understand avid BBC enjoyers being put off by CBS at first. But it's not a matter of bad writing like some fans insist, it's just DIFFERENT.

Honestly I find them to be about the same in terms of quality and writing. I bust a gut laughing watching both and thoroughly enjoy the different ghost antics that both versions get up to. Each show explores the concept in different and fun ways which really makes them both worth the watch. I just think it's unfair to say one is bad just BC it's different.

CBS isn't trying to be exactly like BBC. Where BBC functions closer to a comedy drama, CBS functions more like a slice of life (slice of death if you will) sitcom. Where BBC builds the relationship between the ghosts and Allison slowly overtime, CBS jumps right into it to establish a feel good nature to the show focused on the bonds they have with each other. CBS is also very camp in a way that I love. It's very important to understand that the tones of these shows are fundamentally different and I think both work really well for what they're trying to be.

This is entirely too long but I just wanted to get my thoughts out. I'm enjoying the BBC version so far but I wanted to discuss how my biases were playing into my viewing experience. I also feel like I needed to rant since so much of the criticism I've seen towards CBS feel very silly and like people are just trying to find an arbitrary thing to complain about and call it bad writing without taking into account it's like that BC the show functions differently in tone. And that this goes both ways! Acknowledge your biases folks and don't spread unnecessary hate in spaces where people just wanna spread their love for a show they genuinely enjoy! Don't yuck my yum and I won't yuck yours!