#which is so fair. she's right btw

[yewphoric]

Finally finished my redesign of my HoK, Mazourkh!

Design and lore rambling under the cut :3

Her last design really didn't speak to me, so I had to spice her up. I wanted to make her more obviously half Altmer, which I'm not entirely sure I accomplished, but I do like this skin and hair color combo better. I also wanted to make her fatter! Because fat characters aren't often shown in fantasy media, and definitely not as the protagonist or physically-active hero. Plus she's cute!!

This is my first real attempt at designing a fat character, and I still have a lot to learn with drawing fat characters. I'm really proud of how she looks though!

Some lore, while I'm here:

Mazourkh is the bastard daughter of an Altmer nobleman, the result of his tryst with one of the Imperial Army blacksmiths that resided in Firsthold. She was born there in Firsthold, but as her father wanted nothing to do with her, her mother (Yagarz) moved the two of them to Leyawiin. Yagarz scraped by a living there, working as the smith for the Fighter's Guild. Mazourkh helped her mother at the forge and with finances as a teenager and young adult.

By 3E 433, the gra-Yamworts' business was expanding. The proprietor of Slash N' Smash in the Imperial City was looking to expand beyond blunt weapons, and had his eye on Yagarz's armor. Mazourkh was tasked with bringing samples to him to discuss supplying him. The meeting was a success, and gra-Yamwort armor would be sold there!

After this meeting, she stopped by Red Diamond Jewelry to browse. Following a massive misunderstanding in which Mazourkh thought Hamlof said she could have the pendant she was looking at for free (he'd only said she could try it on), the guards were called and she was promptly arrested.

That very night, the luckiest (or, perhaps, unluckiest) thing happened. A cult was attempting to assassinate the Emperor, and Mazourkh's cell happened to contain a secret passage out of the city. Oddly enough, the Emperor recognized her from his dreams, and allowed her to escape with him--and when he died, just hours later, he entrusted her with a powerful artifact and an important mission: take the Amulet of Kings to Jauffre, and find the last Septim heir.

------

Anyway, enough rambling from me for now!! Last thing I'll drop here is just this glowup!! I am so obsessed with her, you have no idea

[justsumtransdude2000]

And what if I wrote ATYD but for the Skittles? Huh? What if I write half a million words about Barty Crouch Jr. pinning over his bsf (and maybe Regulus' brother - hear me out!)?? Huh?? What if I write Regulus dying and Barty having to watch and it finally pushing him over the edge because Reggie was all he had left and he thought he was being careful??? What then??

[welcometogrouchland]

Based off that one scene in eclipse lake I've decided that willow's favourite human music would be the world's worst fucking ear-bleeding hyper pop.

Hunter sits down to listen to it with her and has to rip the headphones off 4 seconds in because he thinks he's gonna throw up and willows like "omg are you okay?? I'm sorry we can stop listening to it if you need to :((" all concerned and hunter's like "no no it's fine! I just...don't know why you listen to this. Or how" and willows like "it makes my brain itchy :)" and hunter says "THAT'S A GOOD THING??"

[kakusu-shipping]

I was looking for a WIP I wanted to work on again and found a bunch of Slasher Orphanage (by @echoes-lighthouse) doodles I just?? Never posted??

So here are those I guess. The slasher Orphanage is a Slapstick Comedy to Me <3

[vaugarde]

beating a dead horse but people can be soooo weird about wc deaths. i know we are kinda desensitized to it but like.... some of the things people say are just strange like “russetfur actually deserved to die and lionblaze was right to kill her even if it wasn’t an accident because she was old and brittle at the time anyways. also she mocked a baby stuck in a trap in one book so she deserves death and much more. her clanmates are actually so stuck up and entitled and stupid for being upset lionblaze killed her. they should have expected her to die next time a clan raided their camp and attacked them because she was old. what a bunch of brats. its so stupid when a character who isnt the protagonist is upset their clanmate died and that manifests as anger towards their murderer, idiot should know better.”

[satsuki-yumizuka]

pet peeve i hate when ppl are like "i dont get (why ppl like) X" bc i always take it as "explain why people like X" as if they want to be convinced and i do not. convince ppl to like things u know. its like u either get it or u dont. i can not debate u into likin somethin

[jameslongforjimshortforgabriel]

chat should I kms bc i just lost the engagement ring I got at the registro civil of the school kermes in which I play- married my crush or

[talktonytome]

Ok I couldn’t stop thinking about this post and how Eddie’s cultural background impacts his life so I’m adding some of my thoughts:

re: repression and emotions- unfortunately for those who subscribe to the machismo part of our culture, they are taught to repress emotions- boys&men shouldn’t cry, suck it up, showing pain is weak. And we see that with Eddie and his Dad, who ingrained that so much so Eddie resorted to unhealthy outlets (like cage fighting-another macho thing) and he was having panic attacks because his feelings and emotions had no where to go. He was so reluctant and skeptical of therapy (again another machismo/ Mexican thing)

re: being forced to grow up too fast- when he was a BOY, his dad told him he had to be the “man” of the house now and take care of the family, which segues into getting Shannon pregnant in their teens. By his dad’s measure, he was a man right? He was expected to get married and assume the role of husband and provider. And sure, religion plays into it as well. he felt pressured and never had the time to think what do I want to do? And as is the case for so many to escape their situation, he joined the army and boy do you grow up fast there.

re: relationships- he married his first serious girlfriend when they were so young and even though they loved each other, people change so much and they weren’t given the option to consider not being together. Eddie mostly assumed the role of provider because he didn’t know how to deal with everything going on, especially with Christopher. (btw I don’t think it’s fair how harsh some ppl are about Shannon bc she was left alone with a kid and Eddie’s parents who hated her) He wasn’t there to be a husband or a father because, as he said himself, he left first and ofc he felt guilt over that. His only impression of love and their relationship was stagnant and frozen in time. When he reunited with Shannon, he was only maybe just starting to get closure when she died and he fell into that grief and never let himself fully heal from it. After being with Christopher again, he fully took on the role of father and that is all he was. His subsequent relationships did not work because he was really looking for a mom for Christopher and again didn’t ask himself what he wants, he struggled with relationships, and as a result, the women he tried to date suffered.

We know that his aunt constantly tries to set him up with people and oh god if that isn’t relatable. If you’re Latinx, we hear it all the time! “Cuando te vas a casar?” (When are you getting married?) “No tienes novio(a)?” (You don’t have a gf/bf?) “Deja the presento a” (let me introduce you to). There’s this pressure and stigma about being alone and Eddie goes along with these set-ups, women that are not chosen by him so ofc it feels like a performance. (I mean dating already is when you’re just getting to know someone.) and there’s the expectation in our culture that you need a partner and nuclear family to be complete.

In conclusion, I wish more people could see the influence and impact all of this has on Eddie’s life and decisions, and how he’s hispanic man forced to grow up too soon and become a dad-coded. I wish that nuance was considered more often, and my hope for season 8 is that he finally breaks it all down and figures out what he wants and who he wants to be!

[cozage]

Hello!! Love your writing beyond words.

Wondering could I have a fem!readerxzoro fic where they fully match each other's energy - them both being dumb, and the crew beggins teasing them daily for spending so much time together and being the same but they choosing to be fully delusional until they get in their heads? I'm aware you wrote simillar fic which is btw my fav of all time but not quite like this

Love ya 💗

Characters: female reader x Zoro Total word count: 900

Two People, One Mind

“Good workout,” Zoro complimented as he set his swords down on the ground. 

“Not too bad yourself,” you hummed. “I’m going to grab a snack. Be right back.”

“Get me-!”

“Onigiri!” you shouted, climbing down the ladder. “I know!”

You popped into the kitchen and smiled when you saw Sanji. 

“The usual post workout meal, my love?” he asked, already beginning to work on a fruit platter for you. 

“And for that pesky mosshead too, if you don’t mind!” You always felt obligated to insult Zoro when you were asking for something on his behalf. It felt like a fair trade off. 

“Only because you’re the one who asked,” Sanji said. 

You laughed as you exited the kitchen, choosing to bask in the sun on the deck instead. You sat with Nami, who scrunched her face at your arrival. 

“You look sweaty,” she said. “Why would you train so hard on such a beautiful day?”

You shrugged. “Have to get stronger. Always room to be better.”

The orange-haired girl groaned. “You and Zoro are almost too similar, you know. It’s scary sometimes.”

You raised an eyebrow at her. “Because I train during down time?”

“It’s more than just that, dummy.” She rolled her eyes and turned back to her magazine. “You’ll see it eventually. You guys are practically one person already.”

“You’re too damn confusing,” you grumbled. You started to ponder on her words, but Sanji called for you and broke you from your thoughts. 

You returned to the kitchen to find meals for both you and Zoro packaged away into a tote. You quickly snatched it up, said a quick thank you, and climbed back up to the crow’s nest. The deck of the Sunny was too loud and lively anyway. You preferred to be up in the tower, tucked away into solitude. 

Zoro seemed to feel the same way about the crow’s nest, but he was the one crew member you never got tired of. And he didn’t seem to mind you much either. Sometimes you could swear he was reading your mind. He knew when to talk, he knew when to be silent. He knew when it was time for a nap, and he knew when you wanted to fight. He knew when he could be in the room, and he knew when he needed to leave.

The two of you were just always on the same page, even without ever having to say a word. 

As you got to the top of the ladder, the hatch door opened. Even though you hadn’t said or indicated you were coming up, Zoro just seemed to sense your presence. You clamored up into the crow’s nest and the two of you sat on the floor, sharing the food that Sanji had made for you. 

You ate in silence, which was more than fine with you. You were still exhausted after your training session with the swordsman. Zoro seemed to feel the same way, or at least respected how you felt. 

Once the two of you were finished, you packed everything into the bag and handed it to Zoro. 

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not-”

“I got the food, you take it back down.”

He frowned. “I don’t want to go down there.”

“Neither do I!” you said. “And I already went down there once! And I had to deal with the cook!”

“I’ll take it later.” He began to turn away, but you shoved the basket into his hands. 

“Take it now!”

He scowled at you, gritting his teeth in irritation. “You just want me to leave so you can take the couch to nap.”

Your cheeks flushed with red. That hadn’t been your primary intention, but you were definitely planning to jump on the couch once the door had closed. 

“No!” you squeaked, but you knew he had caught you. 

He gave you a devious grin and took off toward the couch. 

“Zoro!” you screamed, dropping the basket and sprinting after him. 

The two of you dove onto the couch, trying to compete for the comfiest resting place in the room.  

“You had it yesterday!” you yelled.

“And I’ll have it again today!” He gave a light chuckle and he tried to push you away, but you wrapped your arms around his torso and interlocked your fingers so he couldn’t pry you away. 

“Dammit woman!” he shouted, trying to push you away. “It’s my couch! Get off!”

“No way!” you giggled. “The only way I’m getting off is if you get off first!”

Zoro finally stopped fighting, realizing this was a battle he couldn’t easily win. With the both of you still and flush against each other, the couch could fit two people quite comfortably. 

“We could both sleep here,” Zoro muttered after a moment. 

You looked up at him in shock, surprised he would be so quick to compromise. The pink that was dusted across his cheeks caused color to rise in your face. 

“Sure,” you whispered, curling into his chest a little bit more. “You’re pretty sweaty and gross, but I think I’ll survive the stench.”

You could feel him stiffen, but when you smiled at your own joke, he relaxed again, letting out a soft chuckle of his own. 

“You’re gonna wake up with your nose in my armpit.” He closed his eyes, shifting slightly to get comfortable next to you. “And it’s going to be nobody’s fault but your own.”

“If you do that, you run the risk of me not sharing the couch again,” you teased, letting out a soft giggle. 

His arms wrapped around you, pulling you tighter into his chest. “Can’t have that. Gotta keep you close.”

You liked the idea of Zoro keeping you close. You could get used to this. 

[sainamoonshine]

So the more I think about Palamedes during Gideon the Ninth, the more I realize how confused the poor dude must have felt. The first time we meet him, he’s telling Camilla about how all the energy signatures in Canaan house are wrong, and how he’s pretty sure he’s being deceived. He is talking about the house, yes, but probably the poor dude has been feeling like this about a fair few of the other characters, too!

We know he can’t feel Cytherea, who is a lyctor. He probably can vaguely feel that Pro is a corpse (I’m basing this off his abilities in Nona here btw, when Pyrrha asks him to find Gideon’s body in the cohort barracks.) or maybe he can’t, since this is necromancy done by a lyctor; in this case he might not be able to feel Pro either. Which, if this had been the only ‘problem’ with his fellow necromancers, he probably would have figured out faster than something was up.

BUT! Let’s examine the other people also present at Canaan House:

Teacher and the priests, whose energy signature must be WACK;

Harrow, whose energy feels like 200 people;

Whatever Gideon feels like with psychometry;

Known necromancer Coronabeth Tridentarius which doesn’t actually feel like a necromancer;

Etc etc.

My point is: homeboy seems to have come to the conclusion that his psychometry is lying to him all across the board, which slowed him down figuring Cytherea…

(Paired with his heartbreak of course, making him dumb and unwilling to examine her whole deal in more details.)

But I think that he WAS testing her when he offered her the cup of tea (according to the doctor sex short story, he knows she’s not big on tea). And he deffo knew something was up when she asked him to do that syphoning trial. Then Gideon brings him Pro’s head, and I firmly believe that is when he started to figure Cyth out. Because when they were all in her room and she had that coughing fit, he examined her. With his hands.

Right then he would have known that this is not Dulcinea. Because he touched Dulcie’s letters for years, he knows what SHE feels like. And here’s a second thing we know from the doctor sex short story: Dulcie has been living in the countryside on planet for years. When Teacher asks Palamedes about « dulcinea’s » condition, Pal’s analysis includes how breathing recycled air on Rho took ten years off her life. NOT a diagnosis that fits with the real Dulcie!

So I think at this point Pal definitely suspects that the other body along with Pro in the ashes they found might be her, but he doesn’t know for sure and desperately doesn’t want to jump to conclusions yet.

But when they find Ianthe in the lab, and he accidentally brushes up against the paint letters on the wall, well. They feel like Cytherea. So now he has all the pieces of the puzzle to realize who she is, and he just needs her final confirmation that Dulcie is truly dead before he goes apeshit.

[nevermeyers]

Yeah, I know I said I'd keep quiet about it because I plan on ignoring the ending. I've done it plenty of times, even with books I consider my favorites. "Oh this book is so good, it's one of my faves... How does it end? I don't remember." I'm going to do that with jjk because I've done it more times. Anyways.

Seriously, where's the character development? Why dedicate an entire chapter to showing how much criticism affects you and making excuses for your narrative instead of fixing it? Gege could have written about the characters and their problems, their worries, their evolution even while talking about how the politics of jujutsu world are changing rn.

What are Nobara's thoughts right now? There could have been an entire chapter dedicated to her character to fill in the gaps and finish defining her, what about her mother? How does she feel about her childhood friends? What are her plans now?

What about Megumi? Yeah, seeing him laugh was therapeutic, but honestly his character hasn't had the development/ending I expected. The timeskip was weird, his acting is literally the same as the beginning of the manga. It feels like I'm reading the same person who appeared in chapter one and not a traumatized boy who is learning to live. Where is Itadori teaching him that it's actually worth moving on? Where's the whole PTSD thing I'm sure he has? (fuck megumi haters btw fuck them, and fuck the way they victim blamed a kid). What are his thoughts about Gojo? About Sukuna?

Yuuji... Our mc. I was expecting to see him mourning Choso, mourning Gojo. But no, apparently it's more important to explain that there was a secret society (lmao) than to have him show respect and tears for those people he loved. His family, who he never got to spend time with, and his sensei, who decided not to execute him and who taught him almost everything he knows. I wanted to see him taking his friends to the movies to see some B-movie horror instead of going through the horror of watching characters insult him and tell him that it's better if he were dead.

And yes, I know there are two chapters left and some of the things I mention here might appear, but we've already wasted our time with one chapter, that's many pages. There won't be time to fix whatever is this. I feel bad :/

Now, one of the things that bothers me the most is that there are characters that were implied to be dead and now suddenly appear alive. I thought this was about letting the new generations create a fair world, but no. Do you know which character bothers me the most? Mei Mei. No, I'm not against someone writing sa/csa in fiction as long as it's not romanticized (I accept the unreliable narrator because that happens a lot irl and it's sad). The thing is that Mei Mei literally embodies the values ​​of the jujutsu world. In the jujutsu clans there was everything, sexism, abuse, neglect and most likely incest since (at least that's how I see it) they are like the monarchies of the Middle Ages. Mei Mei is the embodiment of all those rotten values ​​that Gojo hated, that the new generations are destined to eradicate. Seriously. What is she doing alive? Take her out rn. Gojo didn't die for this.

I read someone saying that maybe the point of this chapter isn't to break the cycle, but to repeat it. I have to say that I'm a big fan of that trope! It reminds me that humans repeat the same mistakes, but even if that were the point I think it wouldn't be well written.

There came a point in the story where both options: love is worthless and love is worth it were acceptable by the end of the manga. This is the ending where love is worth it, but why hasn't anything changed? The characters we saw in 269 are almost exactly the same we saw in chapter number one.

If this is a story about how love is worth it, accept the consequences and write characters who, thanks to love, move forward and build a new world instead of neutralizing any kind of development

[ghostboneswrites2]

Hi!! I want to start of by saying that I love your writing!

So while watching twd I noticed that Daryl has more tattoos in the later seasons and can only guess that they’re stick-and-poke and that he did them himself. Do you think you could write a fic where the reader(f) is in a relationship with Daryl and asks him to give her a tattoo (which she has none of btw)? I was thinking like a little arrow or something because she “wants to have something of him even when they’re apart”? And make it super fluffy and stuff?

Marked

18+ MDNI || Warnings: Needles, profanity, mostly just fluffy nice cool Daryl

Note: I am not encouraging you to give anyone or receive an at home tattoo via sewing needle or tattoo gun, but I have received my fair share of both and the descriptions in this story are just based off my vague memory of how it was done for me! It is definitely not a tattoo guide.

edited to add: tysm for the compliment ilysm <3

        "Did you always have that tattoo?" You wondered, tracing over the dark marking on his arm. The two of you were on one of your regular afternoon strolls through the woods when you decided to lay against a log and chat. The sunbeams filtered through the canopy above and littered little golden rays over his arms, highlighting the light hairs and texture of his skin. These moments were your favorite. Peaceful bliss in the natural world.

        Daryl shook his head.

        "Nah. Did it awhile back." He said.

        "How?"

        "Never had a stick-n-poke?" He asked.

        "Never had a tattoo, period. Let alone a prickle-poke." You shrugged.

        "It's stick-n-poke." He snickered silently. You glared.

        "Whatever. Can you give me one?" You asked.

        "A tattoo?" 

        "Yeah. The stick-n-prickle kind." You joked.

        "Alright." He nodded. "Gotta get some supplies together for it."

----

        You watched as he carefully burned the little sewing needle and wrapped it in thread. 

        "Why thread?" You asked.

        "Kinda helps hold the ink but mostly jus' for grip." He explained.

        He set up a tiny container on the side table of your bed with black liquid.

        "Is that ink?" You asked.

        "Mm-hmm." He nodded.

        "You made it?"

        "Uh-huh."

        "How?"

        "Soot. Alcohol. Water." He shrugged. "Ain't hard."

        "Cool." You whispered, fascinated by his expertise. 

        "Wha'd'ya want?"

        "I was thinking about an arrow." You said. "A small one. Real simple." He raised an eyebrow. "For you, dummy."

        "I got that but.. Why?" He tilted his head a little.

        "'Cause. I wanna have something for you... Always. Even when we're apart." You said with a soft smile. He hid his face bashfully, not wanting to expose the little blush that was creeping over his features. Instead, he pretended to adjust the thread around the needle.

        "Where ya want it?" He asked when his flushed cheeks returned to their normal sunkissed glow.

        "Right here." You pointed to your ring finger, right where a ring would go.

        "Ya sure?"

        "Mm-hmm." You nodded surely. He wiped some alcohol over that spot to disinfect it.

        "Alright." He said. He delicately grabbed your finger and held it in place. "Y'ready?"

        "I've had worse than a little pin prick." You giggled. "I'm ready."

        Without another word, he got to work carefully poking the needle through your skin, freehanding a perfect line. You watched in awe, studying his look of concentration, the way he tilted his head to see though his hair, holding your finger up close to his face to make sure every detail was perfect. It only took about twenty minutes. You looked it over when he finished, holding your hand up the way someone does when they're admiring their engagement ring.

        "Wow." You grinned. "How did you make such a perfect line?"

        "Ain't perfect." He shrugged.

        "It is! I love it." You insisted. A half smile curled at the corner of his lips.

        "'M glad, 'cause it don't wash off." He joked. You rolled your eyes.

        "This is no laughing matter, Daryl. You just proposed to me, ya know." You said in mock seriousness.

        "What?" His eyes widened. Even under the tan skin, his face still drained of color. 

        "Yeah," you pressed on. "This is my ring finger. Like, the ring finger. And you permanently marked it with something symbolic to yourself." You gloated.

        He blinked. He couldn't tell if you were joking or not.

        "Anyways, I'm gonna go talk to Carol about planning the wedding. I bet Rosita and Tara would be beautiful bridesmaids." You rambled. "Oh, and instead of cake, everyone gets a glass of moonshine!"

        "I don' think.."

        "I'm kidding, genius." You rolled your eyes. He relaxed a little. "Thanks though. I love it."

        He cleared his throat and stood up, cleaning his workspace so not to clutter your bedroom.

        "Oh, by the way.. This is the ring finger." You smirked. He stared at you for a moment before shaking his head.

        "Don't go showin' the whole damn world and tellin' 'em we're married." He grumbled.        

        "Would that be so bad?" You pouted. He smirked and planted a kiss on your forehead.

        "Nah. But I ain't proposin' with no damn stick-n-poke. Gon' find ya somethin' better than that."

        Your face lit up, practically brightening the entire room.

        "You're gonna propose?!" You bounced with joy.

        "Wha-- I didn't--"

        "Oh, my god! I have to tell Carol!!" You squealed as you darted out of the room. He stood there expressionless, processing what he had just done.

        "Shit." He mumbled. It wasn't that he wouldn't propose one of these days. He'd love to call you his forever. Otherwise, he never would have marked you with something that represented him in the first place. It was just.. That it would draw so much attention to him. He sighed. He guessed he walked right into that one.

---

        "When did you do this?" You asked him, holding up his ring finger that was now decorated with a little cloud shape.

        "Yesterday." He shrugged.

        "Is that a cloud?" You eyed it closer.

        "Mm-hmm." 

        "For what?"

        "Dunno. Ya always stare up at the clouds when we take long drives." He explained. "Now we're both marked."

Join the taglist! || Masterlist

Tags: @kissmeunicornbaobei @thesadcatt0 @clairealeehelsing @duckybird101 @tmntfixationxreader @ryoujoking @blackvelveteen1339 @yondus-girl @ladylincoln @sunshinebug9 @saylum559 @yoowhatthefuck @duffmckagansbandana

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

I am annoyed. It's episode 10. How are we still here? Look I'm all for slow burn. I enjoy it. But that's not what this is. It's episode 10 and Taichi is still not aware of his feelings? or if he is, he still hasn't acknowledge them. In any way that matters. We had one scene with the mains and it was a giant step backwards in the relationship.

Kohei is frustrating (and honestly that scene with them got a bit too close to noble idiocy for my taste, except they're not really a couple so it's just Kohei saying what he thinks Taichi wants to hear, which is still annoying) but honestly, I don't totally blame Kohei at this point. He thinks he has a one sided crush (and to be fair why wouldn't he?), so he doesn't want to hold Taichi back. But again, I say, it's episode 10. This lack of communication was cute fine in episode 5 or 6. And this was episode 6 btw...

4 episodes later and we have not moved an inch. How is that possible?

And it wasn't even a bad episode. If this wasn't the tenth episode, I would think it was a great episode. I was in pain. When Kohei said "I'll be fine without you" my heart dropped. His speech at the end was touching. But at this point they should be talking to each other. At this point they should've spoken to each other several times over.

Also I hate Maya again because if she still doesn't get it it's because she doesn't want to. At this point to still be oblivious about these two tells me she doesn't really get Kohei. Right now I think if she's not there to help the main couple, there is no point to her character. If she had been introduced in the beginning as a serious obstacle, I could get that. If it was clear that she had a crush on Kohei, I would probably not like it, but sure, it happens. But right now, her purpose was to get that speech out of Kohei, which, although it was a great speech, there was actually no new information given. He confessed five episodes ago. FIVE. And then... nothing.

And you know what sucks the most right now? It's the second day in a row that I write a post criticizing a japanese bl. I hate this so much.

[dotster001]

The Dilf Floyderverse!

Took a headache med that had caffeine in it, yesterday, and created the Dilf Floyd Leech family. Enjoy!

*picrew links at the end

CW: toxic family, hot wife (I made her too hot and now my bi ass is like 😍), she's an absolute monster btw, I wanted to make it so I didn't feel bad about killing her

Sirena Leech

Age 42. Gorgeous. Love her. She's a salmon mer in her true form. She's for sure a rich man's daughter, not satisfied with anything but she can step on me . Will yell at wait staff because the food is "too cold". Lowkey, she was hoping she was betrothed to Jade, because he's the calm one. But joke's on her, he's a master of poisons, it would not go well for her.

Side note: Just like Floyd is planning to kill her, she's been planning to kill him for a year. She's just a little too slow. Perhaps in another lifetime she succeeded, but not in this one. But in that other universe, she is sending the kids off to boarding school the second dad is dead.

I want her to kill me she's so hot

Kai Leech

The oldest, at age 15. Has his Mama's eyes, and his papa's disposition. He's starting to prep for the NRC entrance exams, but he's definitely a family man, who is not excited for college because it means he'll have to be away from papa and his siblings. He's a protective big brother, despite his eccentricities. He has been known to have a bit of a temper, and has swung at some bullies who went after his cousins or his siblings. Probably will be placed in Savannahclaw. He's very well aware of how often his parents fight about whether he should be betrothed or not, and is crazy grateful that his papa has stood up for him and his free will.

Coral Leech

Age 13, and angsty. She won't take any bullshit, and she and Sirena are at each other's throats constantly. At age ten, she asked dad, "What happens if mother dies?" With dark eyes. Sometimes she leaves articles about husbands who murdered their wives around. Papa always says it's a joke (he is well aware it is not) but mother wants to ship her off to boarding school. Coral refuses to be the cookie cutter rich girl her mother wants her to be, and is doing everything she can to make herself seem scary enough to not be married off should something happen to papa.

Pearl Leech

Age eleven. She's cute and sweet, and mother's perfect angel... usually. She has her father's energy levels, and while she is very kind, her kindness is often loud and frenetic. Her kindness usually leaves a mess behind, whether it be a messy kitchen after she makes brownies, or a room full of broken items where she made a craft. But she means well.

Caspian Leech

Age nine. He's the serious one. Dedicated to his studies, wanting to be a big man so that Papa will let him take over the family business....

Most of the time.

He's close in age to Anemone, which makes them best friends. But it also means they fight constantly. One moment they'll be playing house with some dolls, the next they are breaking each other's dolls because "you aren't playing the game right!"

Mother will be so proud of him one moment, then ripping her hair out the next.

Anemone Leech

Age 8. Again, best friends with Caspian. Well behaved, until they are wrestling on the ground and destroying a store. Has her mother's eyes, which makes her mother have a little bit of hope, but Leech genes are strong. She is still young, still developing her personality. And with how boring mother is, and how fun papa is, take a wild guess about which direction she is going to go in.

Jade Leech (Jr.)

Age 5. Floyd begged to name a kid Jade. And the answer was no 6/6 times. But when Jade opened his eyes, Sirena rolled her eyes and said he could name him, but also made sure to note that she was done. Which is so fair after six kids, but the reason isn't the number of kids, or even that she doesn't want anymore. No, she's just lost hope that any will be "civilized". She entertained his desire for a big family because none of the kids so far had been worthy heirs, but she's giving up. A cruel thing to say when you're holding your newborn baby, but hey, rich people, amiright?

He's a good bean, a complete sweetheart. He just enjoys being included! Sure, he has no idea what's going on, and he knows mother is mean, but everyone else is wonderful and he's so happy!

Picrew Links 🥺

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/1342558

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/2151243/complete

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/61925/complete

https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/186583/complete

[dangermousie]

I genuinely started screaming at this scene. Because JW gave info about bribes to the reporter right before confirmation hearing for his father which was nuts enough but unsurprisingly daddy was able to weasel out of it. And then this happens:

Look at Ju Won's face. He's bracing himself. He knows. HE KNOWS!!!!

This is a man who was expecting it. And not just because of his conscience or w/e, because I 100% bet he planned it. The thing is, it's an objectively an insane thing to do. Running your own unauthorized sting operation during which the mole dies because she comes across a serial killer and which you have by now reported to the proper police auditing authority is not something for which one needs to be arrested during a freaking confirmation hearing for one's father. It's highly unlikely to even be an offense from which you will be dismissed from the force let alone jailed. And both he and Dong Sik have to know this - so it has to be part of some sort of plan. (And also the thing is, Ju Won genuinely believes he should be punished and he's asked for punishment during the audit and got none because nobody wanted to piss off his father. I am sure at least some of this for Ju Won is driven not just by desire to crack the case about DS' sister but by his desire to be punished and if they won't do so otherwise, he will force the issue.)

The way he raises his cuffed hands when asked if he remembers LGH? I love that so much! Ju Won's belief in taking responsibility - not just by others but by himself - is probably the best thing about him. He is my favorite character in a drama full of great characters because he's such an absolutist idealist who applies his insane standards not just to others but to himself whatever the cost. He's a zealot and he's willing to immolate himself for what he thinks is just and I just love love love that in a character. (I mentioned before that he made me think of CWN in 2ha in insistence the same rules and punishment apply to him as to others; even if everyone else knows this is supposed to be only on paper he refuses to live in that reality. And the penalty for violating the law would not stop him from doing what he thinks is needed, but he will also insist on punishment. He believes that it's fair to pay the price for what one's done and it's worth it. He's whatever the opposite of a shirker is and I love that.)

Look at the looks on their faces. This was totally planned by them both or I will eat my nonexistent hat.

I think this is what draws DS to JW btw - he has been surrounded by people who shied away from facing their wrongdoings or the wrongdoings of their loved ones, who tried to hide them or forget them or ignore them - that even includes the Chief let alone everyone else - and then here is Ju Won who comes in as an awkward by the book martinet with seemingly unrealistic standards and HE LIVES UP TO THEM and keeps living up to them in insane circumstances. He will never hide or ignore or try to justify anything of his or his close ones. This is one person DS can always be certain of in that regard. The rest of the characters all have some sort of lever than can be found if one pushes hard enough to make them deviate; but not Ju Won. Because to deviate would be to destroy the basis of his self. It would never be worth it to him because he would not be able to live with it; the pain of whatever happens if he adheres to his code is immaterial compared to the destruction of him at his base that would happen if he failed to adhere.

[cochart]

Some of my observations about Korean webtoons.

Also some more serious thoughts. Don’t read if you’re super fan of the genre btw.

I knew that this romance fantasy stuff was popular, but seeing the extent of how many webtoons of this genre is being produced and enjoyed kind of baffles me.

Obviously, romance has been a huge genre always, and a lot of shoujo manga classics are also romance/historical romance. So romance being popular is nothing new.

But I think Korean “romance fantasy” genre is different in that it’s much more “blatant” about the fantasy underlying the romance genre. It’s so “girl gets hot rich guy” without any fluff. You can argue that K-drama has the same trope, but at least in most K-dramas, the female protagonist isn’t usually harping about how she’s “trying to stay under the radar.”

That’s also what catches my eye. Usually, in romance fantasy webtoon, the female protagonist who’s a modern-girl-in-fantasy character, is supposed to be a supporting character or a villain. So she makes a huge emphasis during the initial episodes about how she just wants a peaceful life which we know is not going to happen. The whole “I’m not trying or doing anything, but (rich and handsome) guys keep getting attracted to me and giving me buncha stuff” is so blatant that sometimes it’s embarrassing. I guess this also does happen in some K-dramas but it’s more spelled out in romance fantasy webtoons.

To be fair, this is kind of an escapist genre, so I can’t be too harsh on them. Still, it sometimes creeps me out to think about how many young girls enjoy stories about modern girls dropping into a premodern fantasy world… so they can get married? Because that’s basically the only thing that happens in these stories. The female protagonist gets married to the male protagonist and has children—usually one smart girl who looks like the father and one sweet boy who looks like the mother. Usually, the story pretends that the female protagonist is more than just a wife by giving her a small business or explaining that she does the bulk of managing the land. But it’s almost always only the male protagonist who has the title and an official position. Sometimes, these webtoons almost feel like some Korean version of tradwife fantasy.

Everyone has some sort of guilty pleasures they enjoy, and I don’t want to shame anyone for whatever weird stuff they like looking at. I, for one, enjoy watching crappy horror flicks like Big Ass Spider! (2013). But to think that young girls and women enjoy stories about going to the fantasy land to get married and have kids is kind of sobering in an age where companies in Korea fire illustrators for retweeting a tweet supporting a women’s rights protest (true story lol).

By the way, I know not all romance fantasy webtoons are tradwife fantasies, but I think you’d be in denial if you say that a significant portion of them are not.

*It’s almost insulting when you think about how in isekai fantasy involving men—whether it’s webtoon, anime, light novels, or manga—the protagonists usually end up becoming a hero or some kind of powerful figure. Of course, they also “get the girl” if there is one. So when guys go to isekai, they become heroes but when girls go to isekai, they become wives? If that isn’t sad, I don’t know what is.