#while my romance does have some physical aspects to it it's more focused on the emotional side

[multicolour-ink]

♡ for Mia and Pio???

Headcanon meme

♡ - romantic

Ooohhh hohoho 🤭 I could gush about Mia and Pio's romance for HOURS, and I still don't think it would be enough to get out in this ask! But I'll try and keep it focused on the overall aspect of their relationship.

Please note this will not be so much a headcanon, and more an interpretation that I am going by in my own series.

I also found a website that talks about the 7 styles of love ^^

- The main basis of Mia and Pio's relationship is trust and emotional connection. Both of them have been filled with expectations since their earliest days, and when they meet each other, they learn that they can open up to each other more than anyone else.

- At first they started off as friends, but not even long after that the relationship gave way to feelings of desire and lust. They wanted more from this. They wanted, needed, to be together, because they could only be truly happy with each other.

- Pio is a physical lover. He does all the cute little gestures like giving Mia little kisses any chance he gets (leaving for work, walking passed her in the kitchen etc), and letting her snuggle into him during movie night. He just wants this woman to know every day how much he loves her 💕

- Mia is the emotional lover. She was given expectations on what to find in a partner, but always brushed off any suiters as she didn't feel any connection. It was only after she met Pio that this side of her was able to be let out. She feels comfort in his support, and is able to draw out the emotional side of him using her patience and compassion.

I also want to talk about their very intimate moments, as it does play a major part in their romance. But it may be too much for some people so I'll put it under the cut.

- Both Mia and Pio have different outcomes with past dates, but overall had the same outcome; Pio is ultimately a giver, but was taken advantage of when others would expect him to put in the work. Mia was hoping to get something back from her suitors, but never did on account of what she was expected to look for, not who she felt was actually good for her.

- After the two of them met and built a trust with each other, they worked out that there was something they had both been missing. The two were already falling in love, but they had to earn each other's trust. Pio and Mia knew they needed each other to break their own barriers down.

- After finally getting the courage to take it further, the couple knew that this felt right. This felt good.

- Often in my fics I do portray Mia and Pio as being very intimate with each other, and while most of it is just fluff, it is often there to highlight that this couple treasure their intimacy as a core part of their relationship. I'm not saying that every couple needs to have this in order to have a fulfilling relationship (because some couples choose not to) - but for Mia and Pio, they're a couple bonded by desire, love, and assurance. They treasure it and fulfil it when possible.

[emilybrontesghost]

So not that anybody cares lol, but yesterday I watched Red, White and Royal Blue because it just came out and that’s just what you do, right? I will say in advance I haven’t read the book so I can’t speak to the accuracy of the film, only what I thought of it. I also will say that I’ve been watching Heartstopper for the first time this past week too, so that story is still very fresh in my mind and was while I was watching RWRB. I think it’s a fair comparison too because there ARE surface similarities at least: (l.e. one of the MCs is bisexual, they have to keep their relationship a secret, etc.) I have to say, though parts of the movie were enjoyable/cute, it was overall disappointing for me. I expected a lot more and it didn’t really deliver. Despite the film being about two adult men I feel the depth and maturity of the relationship between the teen MCs of Heartstopper was far better. I felt like this movie focused quite a bit on the physical side of things more between Alex and Henry and less on the emotional side. We got a handful of scenes where they were being emotionally open, (like the museum scene for instance where they dance) but I feel like we just don’t see enough of them going from frenemies to lovers. It feels like it all happens too fast so when Alex tells Henry he’s in love with him and Henry gets scared, it lessens the impact. I realize as a two hour movie that they were under time constraints and that Heartstopper benefits from being a tv show in that way with multiple episodes, but I still feel like the film should have used the time it did have better. The other thing I think Heartstopper does better is that it’s not afraid or embarrassed to focus wholeheartedly on the romance between Nick, Charlie, and the other characters. It’s very character driven rather than plot driven in that way, and it works because it makes the characters feel like real people. RWRB though, despite being billed as a romcom, didn’t focus enough I feel like on the love story, and this was mainly due to the scattered focus of the narrative.

The movie seems to be trying to be a romcom but the other storylines that aren’t Alex and Henry’s relationship are frankly, imho, boring. None of the other supporting characters are fleshed out enough for me to care about them so they feel a bit like props in every scene they’re in. Henry’s sister for instance gets very little screen time though she’s supposed to be arguably the most accepting and understanding person in Henry’s life. We also don’t see enough of the parental dynamics with either character. I’ve heard the book characters are more fleshed out but it seems they cut quite a bit of that. And I realize this is personal preference because I understand the storyline about his mom’s campaign IS in the book, but the whole political aspect of the story really was just uninteresting to me and also pretty unrealistic imho. I know some people had complaints that the book in their opinion wasn’t political ENOUGH, but as far as the movie goes I just wanted to watch a romance so the other stuff I tuned out tbh. I was looking for light entertainment and seeing Rachel Maddow on the news clips and the Texas victory rather than contributing to the realism of the story honestly just took me out of it and made it seem made-up because I couldn’t imagine that happening. The overall feel of the movie also felt like they were kinda not very generous with the budget with this film. There were a lot of shots that showed they weren’t really able to show a lot of exterior views like when it came to the palace for instance where Henry lives. We finally see a bit more of the inside of what I think is supposed to be Buckingham Palace near the end of the movie, but when they are supposed to step out onto the balcony we don’t actually see any people below, even though there is supposed to be a crowd, because they cut away. It just felt like they were trying to take shortcuts that were cheaper with filming wherever they could. I also have to say I felt like the chemistry between the two leads was a bit shaky, especially in the beginning. They seemed to become more comfortable as it went on but the beginning of the movie did kinda feel like two straight dudes pretending to be gay/bi for the film. I looked into the actors and couldn’t find anything conclusive but that was the impression I as a queer women felt while watching. It just didn’t feel super authentic. I do think Henry’s character seemed more believable to me and I think that’s in part because I think the dude who plays him is a better actor. I never really could warm to Alex personally all that much. As happy as I was to see Alex and Henry get together in the film, it’s no comparison to how I felt watching the buildup of Heartstopper’s romance. It was MUCH more satisfying to see Charlie and Nick grow from friends to lovers imho. All in all, the movie was kinda a let down for me. I prob won’t rewatch it and ultimately it was just not a film I was that invested in. 🤷‍♀️

[langernameohnebedeutung]

a thing worth noting that with the examples the reblogger gave about "female obsessive characters" is that when it is a female character that's obsessed with boys or men it is almost always played as either a joke or meant to be seen as dangerous and creepy - usually both. All the "boycrazy" female characters in the example are meant to be seen as antagonists and/or comic relief, and we know the classic trope of the "maneater". Meanwhile when a male character is "girlcrazy" and behaves in a similar way as the girl characters more often than not he is meant to be seen as an underdog, an aspiration, a guy who is "maybe overdoing it a little" but who you are meant to root for anyways. Take for example the guy in Love, Actually whose only character trait is wanting to sleep with as many women as possible and whose sole goal in the movie was trying to get to US america bc "it is full of hot babes" and who you are clearly meant to root for when he immediately gets flirted with by not one but three "horny sex manic" women at the same time (all of whom he ends up sleeping with at the same time) as soon as he arrives there. The only times I can think of something like that happening to a "boycrazy" female character and being meant as a positive thing may be romance movies targeted at a female audience already, while male characters like that can be found in almost every movie or show there is

That is a good point - usually, the joke is that the woman is being "hysteric/insane/axe-crazy" like the character I think they mentioned from Fairly Odd Parents but not really someone you should sympathise with like we are expected to with the Big Bang Theory guys. Plus, there is also a lot of attractiveness-based dehumanisation happening there. (In fact, ironically, Barney Stinson even directly says this in an episode, describing women on an acceptable hot to crazy ratio)

Plus, I also think it's important to consider that a lot of the bias against women is expressed in a misogynistic, patriarchal framework, not an egalitarian one. Obviously, our point of view (I hope) would be to look at the action that was committed and evaluate the moral implication of that action, regardless of gender. To say: "This Action is bad and you shouldn't treat anyone like that, no matter what gender you are or they are". But 2000s sitcoms do NOT operate based on that standard of morality (hell no, that's kind of the issue here).

(in fact, a lot of media still doesn't do this, that's why movies constantly have those scenes about women slapping their boyfriends which make me want to rip my own hair out. Which is a good example of why this isn't simply a dynamic of 'women are allowed stuff and men aren't': It's a complex interplay of various aspects of heteronormative culture and patriarchal tradition. Most of these movies are made by men. And these men certainly are not some dedicated feminists, otherwise they wouldn't portray (and treat) women like they do. Hollywood certainly doesn't historically or culturally come from a feminist perspective of "abuse is abuse, regardless of gender" and they are certainly not those evul, conniving misandrist manhaters that the right likes to imagine going: "I think physical abuse is okay when a woman does it, so I will portray her slapping around men" (in fact, the right rarely takes offence to these things UNLESS it is to silence conversations about misogyny in media)

The truth is: A lot of writers who write these tropes simply do not consider it abuse. We talked about why they excuse it in men like Barney Stinson (usually by focusing on the men's side of things and using the female characters as props) but that's not how it works for female characters. In fact, the men getting slapped around ARE characters whose interior workings the movie or show addresses. And we are not supposed to find either more or less sympathetic for this. If these writers came from the perspective "this action is bad, regardless of who does it", why would they make light of their lead characters suffering physical domestic abuse? Why would they still treat the woman like a viable love-interest (and her action as justified when they would never portray it vice-versa?) Even make it a punchline? - The reason is that they come from a place where a) women are by nature ineffective creatures for better or worse and b) that a manly Man-Man(TM) cannot be hurt by a woman through the same action through which he might hurt a woman. Because of Man Strong and Woman Weak. A male character who genuinely reacts to being slapped is portrayed as being whiny and weak.)

And I think if we look at the issue in that context, we realise there is in fact (back to the original point of my post) a lot of predatory (or perceived as predatory) behaviour that female characters are criticised for by the narrative that don't really play a role for a male character - BUT: It's usually not about getting The Sex.

The patriarchal, heteronormative narrative is that a) "men always want sex" and b) sex is a resource that women possess and must be "convinced" to give to men (and the more Manly Points you have, the more easily women will drop that sex-loot for you.) - that, on top of the 'women are ineffective' theme is why there are so few shows genuinely judging male and female characters the same just based on their actions. That is the reason why a lot of the time when a (conventionally attractive! of course!) female character commits what is basically sexual assault against a male character, that man is portrayed as happy about it in the end (especially when it's about scenes where he loses his "virginity") - it's because the patriarchal reading of this situation, fucked up as it is, is "she gave him a gift". (She is only treated as predatory if he finds out that he doesn't consider her attractive later) This is also the reason why a lot of men feel more attacked by something like the Barbie movie than all those classic sitcom tropes of men being slapped by their girlfriends - because for them, one of those upholds their worldview of Man = Strong / Woman = Weak and one challenges it. And the one that challenges that view is not the one where a woman slaps a man).

A lot of the time, when movies and shows conceived in this patriarchal framework actually want to portray women as predatory, they (unsurprisingly) also conceive predatory behaviour (in women) in the same patriarchal framework - or rather, their patriarchal framework informs them of what kind of behaviour is predatory in women - something that is usually informed by real-life misogynistic stereotypes and narratives - like the femme fatale, the succubus, the maneater, the vampire).

[ladymegana]

Ten Books To Know Me

Rules: 10 (non-ancient) books for people to get to know you better, or that you just really like.

Thanks @littledreamling for the tag! I wrote SO MUCH here hahaha. (And I snuck in a couple of series because c'mon we have to talk about complete stories in some cases, not just single books!)

Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner. I read this the first time as a teenager and I saw so much of myself in Lanen. I loved that she's got such a maturity, still a young naive farmgirl in a lot of ways but experienced enough that she could have taken over running a decent-sized business if she'd stayed home. Confident enough that she could strike out into the world on her own, humble enough to find every new experience delightful or at least educational instead of humiliating. I looked back on this story a lot when I was realizing I was on the ace spectrum, because Lanen went into her big epic love story expecting to never have a physical aspect to it and choosing it wholeheartedly nonetheless.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Okay, the movie maybe more than the book, but mostly because I couldn't get my hands on the book for a number of years and the movie was readily available. I wanted to be a unicorn as a child, but since I couldn't transform into a one-horned horse, all I could do was follow the guidelines the movie set out. Such as "standing perfectly still". I practiced that. Sitting at my desk in the classroom. Standing in the lunch line. On the bus. It wasn't until after college, sitting around a conference room with my new co-workers, that I realized it makes people really uncomfortable if you just sit like a statue. I had to re-learn how to fidget.

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Another case of me shaping my personality around a book character. Sara taught me that you didn't need to be royal or rich to treat people with kindness. The 1995 movie gave it a different ending and I can never decide which one I like best. I just love that I get to experience the story both ways.

Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey. This is the book that officially introduced me to fantasy as a genre, instead of just trolling the library for books that sounded like they had magic in them. It's also very focused on music, which only made me love it more, and there's a scene that happens with Menolly that mirrored something I experienced in real life, so that was magical.

The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. Yeah it's a religious metaphor. No I don't care. I read the series at a time when I needed something to believe in, and actually I was convinced that something was not the Christian God I'd been raised with. Puddleglum the marshwiggle taught me some important things about having faith (and that it didn't have to mean just faith in some nebulous god, though that was alright if it did…it could also mean faith in myself, faith in my friends, faith that the sun will rise tomorrow).

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I picked up the first book and read "the Aiel came over the Dragonwall in a flood" and a shiver went down my spine and I went to the book store and bought it with the little pocket money I had at the time. I dropped the series for a while in college when I didn't have access to new books, then picked it up again after meeting the author and being charmed by his kind personality. I have made so many amazing friends, both online and IRL, thanks to this series and it's a blessing to have a strong online community that's always there for me.

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas. I swear, I was just looking for a romantasy book with a strong female lead and a bunch of sexy dudes and it turned into the most delightful set of characters with the most wholesome and heartbreaking ending. (I mean, the romance was good too but HOLY HELL the rest of the book!)

A Wrinkle in Time by by Madeleine L'Engle. The main character shares my name, how could I not love it? I also relate a lot to her…she's smart but that doesn't necessarily make her more mature than any other kid her age, she's akward, and she has a younger brother who she adores but he keeps showing her up LOL. Also probably my introduction to sci-fi, though I didn't know the term for it until years later.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. If you run in sci-fi circles, it's one of those things you either give in and read, or you pick up the references organically, because you will hear about it A LOT. I have fond memories of taking it on a road trip and reading it out loud to my friend while she drove…I'm not an entertainer but it's impossible NOT to read this book to someone without being entertaining. It was such a blast. Good, off-the-wall sci-fi fun.

The Wayfarers by Becky Chambers. Sci-fi can be tricky for me, but I picked up the first book and fell in love with the characters before I even knew what was happening. The books are only loosely connected, set in the same universe but with a mostly new cast each time, which is something that would normally really turn me off but something about these is just magical. Found family at its finest.

If you actually read all of this, you are my hero.

Tags: @dancinglassie @groovy-lady @kenaran @woodsfae and anyone else who wants to play :D

[joeys-piano]

1, 2, 8, 10

TL;DR: Joey talks about his shipping preferences in a lot of detail. You kind of figure out that I’m a passionate, quiet lover of soft romances.

Send Joey some Shipping Preferences

List 3 shipping tropes you love 

The “Almost Kiss”

As a writer, this is one of my favorite romantic things to write for. You think something is going to happen. The scene is building to that moment. The eye contact, the breathing, how the characters are slowly leaning closer, maybe someone is having second-thoughts and is wondering if this is okay, maybe someone is letting the other know that it is okay, and both characters are so near each other both metaphorically and physically that it almost feels like the right thing to do.However, the intimacy isn’t fully-realized in that moment. The scene is emotionally and maybe even physically charged, but there’s still that air of hesitation and one or both characters concede to that before bridging the last few inches between them. As much as a kiss scene or the Big Damn Kiss is important, depending on what the story is about, I like to draw things out a little more. Kissing to me is something that I don’t want to rush, especially if someone is going to kiss someone that they care for a whole lot. Kisses can signify a lot of things about where a relationship is, where it’s going, and the conscious act of holding back and saving that kiss for later speaks volumes of its own.It adds a touch of emotional-depth into what’s going on. That right now is not the best time to do it, but at least both parties know that the other is okay with it. Also, FYI, I feel like there’s more value to an almost-kiss than an actual-kiss.

Couple’s Dance

Oh my gosh. I love this so much. Whether it’s a waltz, a tango, dancing in your lover’s arms while soft jazz music serenades in the background, feeling open and feeling free with the person that you love, and just having the time of your life. That’s freakin’ goals. I’m loving the intimacy that scenes like this can come with. This is one of my top 5 scenes to write for. I love a good couple’s dance and showing the progression and nature of a relationship through how they lead and follow the other. Also as a visual writer, it’s a stunning and compelling way to illustrate how much trust and value the characters have in each other through actions rather than words. It’s just a tender, sweet moment.

Emotional Vulnerability

One of the reasons why this appeals to me so much is because I, myself, have difficulty with being emotionally vulnerability. It’s incredibly hard and it’s easier to just wear a facade and not express what you’re actually feeling inside. So when a character that has this does find someone that they feel comfortable enough to open up to and just be their whole, true self, that means so much to me.Emotionally vulnerability is not a hop, skip, and a leap away. It takes time, it takes dedication and building trust, it takes time getting to know each other and ourselves, and what I love about it is that it can’t be rushed. Everyone reaches emotional vulnerability at different rates and some people get there sooner than others. The point behind emotional vulnerability is taking things at your speed while being mindful of what your partner’s speed is. It’s not a compromise. It’s taking the time to understand each other at a deeper level and letting each other grow naturally into the relationship rather than turn things up a notch and speed-run the entire thing.Like I mentioned before, I have a difficult time with emotional vulnerability. Talking about feelings, matters of the heart, and being open and honest is quite taxing. And even moreso when it’s rare for me to find fictional relationships out there that go through and engage with emotional vulnerability. This is something I hold onto, dearly. For me to find a ship that has this and it feels just right…I can’t describe in words how much that means to me.It’s why a ship like Odazai is something I don’t want to let go of. It appeals to the very nature of who I am as a person and in a sense, it’s personal reassurance.

List 3 shipping tropes you don’t love

Quick & Dirty

I know some young people follow this blog, so I hope I don’t have to explain what this means. I’ve come to accept that I’m an old-school romantic that resonates more with slow, long-term relationships than what’s prevalent today. Not to say that modern fictional relationships can’t be slow or lead to something long-term, but I more commonly see the “quick and dirty” version than the former.Depends on the fandom, depends on the ship, depends largely on the preferences of what people want to create out of a ship. It’s just that my preferences don’t align and that’s okay. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t like a certain ship or how it’s commonly portrayed and written. That’s why more than one ship exists so you can find something that you resonate more to.

Infidelity

Or in layman’s terms, cheating.

If there’s something going on between two characters, I’d rather have them talk it out and be civil and honest with one another. Rather than going behind someone’s back and….yeah.

Certain Kinks

We don’t aim to kink shame on this blog. You got your own kinks, I have my own kinks, a lot of us more or less have a preference for kinks. Putting that out there, I don’t want to know what your kinks are. However, some of y’all have asked me what my kinks are. So yeah, Tumblr is an interesting place.

It’s all a matter of preference, really. There’s just some that make me uncomfortable. That’s it.

If the ship is physical, reversible or not? 

Hell yeah, reversible all the way.I’m familiar that ships tend to have a designated lead and follower. There are other terms to use, but I’m using these ones because shoot...I’m wary about using the other terminology. But the thing about overly using those fandomly-conceived or even canon designations is that it evokes this feeling of a power imbalance. For instance, two characters can never feel equal to each other. It starts to go into a trend where one character is a subordinate for the other, and that’s a WHOLE conversation for another ask.If a ship is physical and there’s a reversible nature to it or if a fic writer gives the nod and shows/portrays it, there’s not enough words in the English language to describe the respect I have for that writer. It’s not necessarily about taking turns, but it gives a more down-to-earth, realistic element to the ship and the intimacy involved.

How important is the sexual part (if any) of your ship? 

If you’ve gotten this far and have ready everything, I think you’ll understand that I don’t care/give a damn about the sexual part of a ship. If it’s there, it’s there. If it’s not, it’s not. I care more about emotional intimacy than anything of a sexual nature.

Being biromantic may play a part into why I answered in the way I did, but who really knows?

[1111jenx]

🕊astro notes —

for a Friday evening🕊

I am back with another astro observations hellooo💗 please as usual take these observations with a light-heartedness and don't think too much into it<3

check out my masterlist for more post <3

Aquarius Venus individuals are actually pretty controlling, especially in personal relationships and partnerships. I would say even as controlling as Scorpio Mars. If they have Sun conjunct Venus or more fixed signs in there personal placements (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, dominant planets) this can amplify the dynamic even more🖤

There's a lot of misconceptions when it comes to the first house. While it does talk about people's first impressions of you, it also talks about how you approaches life in general and theres so much more behind the 1H. It is not a facade! In addition, other houses can further show you how different people portray you differently too. For example, look into your 7H to see how you act in relationships and closest friends, 4H to see how you treat family members and how they view you, 3H is more focused on siblings/neighbours, 11H is community and friends in general, 6H is how your coworkers see you or how you act at work, 8H is how you are when you're having sex, etc🌻

⚠️ stay ⚠️away⚠️from⚠️12H⚠️synastry⚠️. unless you two both have well developed pisces/virgo placements (6h/12h too), don't go into it. Mentally and physically draining. Your romance feels forbidden and wrong somehow. This adds to the excitement yet the unexplainable sense of secrecy would eventually wear one of you down. this is very similar to 8H synastry but i'd argue that 12H in general is more karmic and painful. (house of hidden enemies)

Scorpio venus and Leo venus is a match made in hell. Wow the toxicity, the constant hate sex, the tears and the crying &screaming. Both believe that they're made for each other and would take a bullet for one another. But they don't trust each other for some reason and Leo wish that Scorpio would tone down the manipulation cause they can't afford to be played mentally again and they don't want to look stupid at the end💅🏼

Couples with the same rising signs can go so right or so so wrong. Would understand one another very well but its likely that they'd assume they know everything about one another and when placed with some foggy/neurotic/delusional placements( Neptune/pisces energy, 12H, Venus-Neptune, 4H, Pluto, Venus-Pluto,etc) can create a sense of resentment between the two. "I can see myself doing that so you must have done it" – kind of arguments are so so common🪐

Fixed moon like to be with other fixed moons. They feel safe, secured and relaxed with each other. Easily feel like they can confide in the other person right away.

Similarly, fire moons belong to fire moons. They'd feel as if there fiery emotions can only be understood by fellow fire moons. Leo Moon's fire is hard to dim and instead of resenting their proud and profound nature, Sag Moon and Aries Moon in turns hype them up and feed even more to their ego. Bestest of friends💖

Virgo Moons should stay away from Aries Moon. They attraction is undeniable and they love one another's company so much. Yet Aries's carefree nature will sooner or later stress Virgo Moon out and they'll in turns blame Aries for being too childish. They'll say horrible thing towards each other just for the sake of their ego. In love with the idea of what they could have become.

Sun in 10th house love a good challenge. The same goes for Saturn in 10th house. They believe that they need to go through trials and changes to better developed as people and while this is true, its like they'll get bored, even a bit sad when theres nothing in their way? 👼🏼

Capricorn Mars are actually pretty argumentative people and they hate illogical people a lot. They'll more likely to tone down their side if you bring in the logical aspect and be more tolerant towards their feelings rather than screaming and cussing out at them. Their rage is very terrifying. Severe hidden anger issues.

Venus in 3H loves to talk about relationships a lot. Marriage counsellor placement! 🦋 They're able to be objective when it comes to others love matters and tend to give fantastic love advice! Splendid taste in music and a keen eyes for the art. Might know a lot about current trends too and can honestly work in the beauty industry.

Venus-Saturn beauty will stay relevant forever. As tight as the orb becomes, the more relevancy will be seen! Audrey Hepburn, Yoko Ono, Katie Holmes all have this!

Aquarius Rising have a very hard to describe beauty to them. Timeless but regal. Unique but enchanting. They have a distinctive goddess energy to them and can surprise people with their grace and charm.

Aquarius Moon tend to have issues regarding their childhood, parents or household in general. A lot of them learned about the consequences of emotional attachments and quickly learn how to detach very early on. Are severely prone to anxiety and mental issues. They can use social platforms as their emotional outlet💔

Pisces placements with hints of fire energy have developed a IDGAF attitude towards everything. Literally. They rly care a lot more than they should and people fed off this caring side of them so they're very tired now. Just rather act as if they don't care than expressing what they feel.

Libra Risings practice how to smile to become socially acceptable. I'll elaborate. More than nay other Risings, they care a lot about their facial expressions and how people would perceive them. They have a lot of control over their body language too. Libra Risings and Libra Sun may feel compelled to constantly keep up a happy face or a smiley one at social gatherings too!😂

Chiron opposing Venus/Saturn/Mars synastry in couples can indicate controlling patterns from the Chiron person.

Gemini Moons are actually pretty secretive people. No one really knows them. They have a duality to them so people can have a harder time understanding them too. Excellent at showing people what they want them to see only. 🥳

People who have Pluto in their 10H naturally earn respect from others. They care a lot about heritage, the past and are naturally nostalgic individuals. They have an elegance and air of mystery to them that can seem very demanding yet also very casual. People with Pluto in their 3H on the other hand, are actually super observant people and theres this relevancy to them like no others. They would be the one to come to for the newest gossips or secrets about the community. Through their connections, Pluto 3H owns a lot of favour and knowledge that can truly turn people's world upside down. They just know everything.

Sooo that's all for today! Thank you guys for making it this far with me:)

love,

saint jenx🪐

[prof-peach]

if fans wanted to include peach in stuff they write, would that be okay? and how would they write peach's personality? aside from "FIGHT ME" anyway, i think that much is a given lol. i only really write the anime characters 'cause that's what i know, but it sounds like it'd be kinda fun to try making a version of ash that fits into this blog's universe! nerf'd Obviously, but i think she'd probably appreciate how hands-on he gets when training his pokemon!

Ok, I get a lot of these messages, and I often hear folks wanting to throw peach into their stories and comics and writings, and I will always simply ask that if it’s published online publicly, to be linked to it so I can snoop and enjoy the content too. If someone asks about her in your work, let them know about the blog I guess? But literally I love that people take this stuff, these characters and stories, and make new stuff with it. No ones making money off my work here? So where’s the issue? Go for it buddy, knock yourself out, I’m all for it.

For you, and all the others out there who want to add peach, and other characters to your world building, I will give you a detailed rundown of the main lot, and how they behave, what they do, how they function. You can use that, use bits, or use none of it, I do not mind at all. If you’re creating something, you’re in control, not me.

So, peach doesn’t actually fight people as much as you’d think. She’s very aware most cannot and do not want to do that, and so she likes to keep to herself with regards to that aspect of her life, she doesn’t ask to spar with people, or even bring it up at all, but people ask her all the time, even if they clearly would lose or become hurt should she miscalculate during the fight. She looks at people like they usually create problems, and often has a somewhat reserved nature to other humans. You have to work quite hard to get anything more than formalities out of her. She will dead-pan handle people with blunt and very to-the-point statements, aid whenever possible, but very quickly get back to handling the Pokemon she so carefully tends. Her focus is clear, she’s all about hard work, her very small select family, and the Pokemon.

Her brutal, loud and brash personality only comes out with friends, family, difficult humans, OR any Pokemon. She will joke and laugh and play with Pokemon, but clam up around humans, maintaining tight body language and generally will be a little cold by regular standards. She does however have some weaknesses in this emotionless shield she puts up. When peach was young she was always angry, which swung so fast to sadness, back and forth. Her teenage years it just got worse and worse, it was crippling at points. She is to this day, full of fire and rage, even sadness, but now she has learnt to control it, to use it. When she sees that in others, it’s familiar, and she is pushed to drop the front, and be very real with the person. Underdogs I suppose, people who get bad reps, but deserve the same as everyone else. She can’t ignore it.

Once you start to pry open her personality, you’ll find she’s a lot more laid back and fun than originally appeared, you just have to work hard to find that side of her. She will meme reference, can’t dance to save her life, loves her coffee, and can be caught in quiet contemplation while gardening. This hobby is her calmest, and often is why she can stay so level headed when her quiet rage boils up again. Without time outside she will become grouchy, a little snippy, and lethargic. Will not go in the ocean for any reason other than life or death, is fine with ponds and rivers, or water at wading height. Likes the rain.

With regards to her training others, they usually have to tolerate her somewhat strict nature. She is a little....unforgiving, holds a grudge if you make a lot of mistakes, and has no tolerance for ignorance in the age of information that we all live in. In previous posts I’ve mentioned she’s only recently selected two students, after many years of testing kids who want to learn from her. Hundred tried out, only two have ever been approved. How she teaches is very fast paced, be prepared to get some scrapes and bruises, she will test your physical and emotional tolerances with intense tasks, carefully watching students like a hawk. Bad posture in your stance? She’ll be the first to tell you to sort it out. Not hearing your Pokemon partner? Right, now you spend the day without using words trying to communicate, let’s see how you like not being listened to.

This is a woman who has spent her life saying very little, and watching everything, she watches Pokemon and can see an issue from a mile off, and in battles, her observations are why she can react fast, and chose effective strategy to avoid damage and achieve results. Don’t let her body fool you, her strongest asset is analysing, watching, planning. Those skills have over the years transferred to people too. As a student, mistakes don’t go unnoticed with this professor.

Her methods are harsh but fair, and should you prove yourself, she will protect you with her life.

Because of her disinterest in kids and lots of noise, she does pass the training of students on to the other staff members whenever possible. Grey takes on the lions share of battle lessons, he is far calmer, more open and friendly, with patience for people, and an empathy that peach sometimes struggles to have. When you go through a lot of harsh training, and difficult events, it’s hard to change how you feel or think, with peach, well, she’s been through it. Most do not come out the other end in one piece, but she did, and it made her strong. You may think I mean strong like buff and big, and yeah sure she is, but I mean it mentally more than anything. Peach will not quit. She has learnt to destroy the boundaries that stop people getting hurt, gone is the fear that freezes you in your tracks, that feeling that you’ll pass out if you go one more step. She’s learnt to ignore it.

This means she’s a little forgetful at how it is to be normal, to be vulnerable and soft and squishy like students so usually are.

She has her issues, but for the most part, visitors get a laugh, a smile, a calm assertive confidence, and facts. She will indulge those who have genuine interest, or show a connection with nature, an understanding of the balance that needs to be struck for everyone to live well together.

Despite her many flaws, she’s fiercely protective, and will go above and beyond to defend the island, it’s staff, the Pokemon and the visitors. Injustice is her biggest gripe, along with littering, and she doesn’t stand by quietly if something happens that seems unfair.

You will not see her without Valka, her vulpix, close by. That Pokemon doesn’t like to be touched by strangers, at all, and will run the second someone comes at her with that intent. Peach will scold you for pushing yourself onto her, should you persistently try to get close to pet Val. They are in sync, if peach is sad, Val is sad, if Val is stressed, peach is stressed, and so on. They are inherently connected, it’s just been that long, the psychic bridge between them has been built, and reinforced over the years.

The only other Pokemon who follows her so endlessly is Booker, a teddiursa who’s pretty rough looking. He quietly trots behind, grouchy and stoic, they fight closely together a lot. He lost his mom a long time ago to poachers, and peach took him in, and changed her whole life for him. Not many people know, but Booker was the reason she left the rangers, changed career, and got so strong. Will tolerate people petting him but isn’t keen at all, grumbles a lot and tries to move away.

You may also need to know about the others, for the sake of writing, she here a few more bits that may be important to you, or others wanting to do this.

Grey is very tall, very burly, composed, tells bad dad jokes, is a bit of a goof if allowed to be. If he sees a pun, he’ll say it. Can’t help himself. Very nice guy to work with, good at keeping people calm and grounded. Pokemon are drawn to him like a moth to a flame, he gives off warm energy, and has inhuman amounts of patience. If you wrong his family however, he will snap back.

He grew up in the city, loves to swim and hike and cycle, can snowboard, is really sporty. A total brain box with held items, and boosting stats. He will explore many paths, to make sure visitors and students get the information they need, in a way that can be remembered and retained for later. Is a huge guy, but will get on the floor to play with a tiny Pokemon. Treats big “meaner” looking species like babies, very good with all pokemon.

His free time is spent either tinkering, swimming, or trimming his bonsai trees. This guy stares at screens a lot, so appreciates time away from them. Peach built him his own little greenhouse for his trees and tools, which he keeps clean and loves dearly.

His methods as a teacher are built around fun and games, he makes hard work easier to do by distracting trainers from the difficult bits, and focusing in on something more interesting or compelling.

His most commonly seen Pokemon would be a houndoom, Saxon, old battle veteran, retired now to herding and being a good boy. Very gentle, loves a pet.

Pari, now a fully fledged nurse, often oversees the labs front desk and pokecentre features, such as healing pokemon, and informing trainers who come to visit. Her skills with eggs and hatchlings is high, she’s great with younger Pokemon, and hands out good advice to trainers a lot. She’s not a fighter, never was, but can find any file, any study, any book, and any refrence you may need. A true bookworm, loves her romance novels, chat shows and upbeat celebrity gossip mags. Will cry at a lot of stuff, be it sad or happy.

She’s got a seriously upbeat personality, but if caught off guard or shocked, she gets a little flustered. Too much chaos will overwhelm her, but usually she’s on top of things. The years spent on the island have made her better at maintaining composure in emergencies. With lots of siblings, she’s very competent with others, and has a good ability to disarm cagey people with her jolly nature. Because of this, she can sometimes gain information from trainers that some of the more harsh professors may not have access to. Charming is a word for it.

Her partners are an eevee, and a happiny. They are quite sweet and well adjusted, the eevee gets a bit bouncy if you get it too excited.

[jar-of-omegaverse]

Omegaverse Worldbuilding Starter Kit

Welcome to my beginner’s guide to writing Omegaverse! Here are some questions you can ask yourself while worldbuilding, but they are not all necessary! This is a pretty detailed guide, so pick and choose what applies to your omegaverse!

The first step I would recommend is doing some research! Look up basic guides. I put some links in this starter kit for examples and references. Now that you know a few things and are familiar with some common terms, you can start expanding and making it your own!

The Basics

How are omegas treated?

This is probably the most important question on the list.  Omegas are usually at the center of worldbuilding for omegaverse, even if writers do it unconsciously, so how omegas are treated often shapes all of society. Of course, this is not set in stone. If you want an alpha-shaped or beta-shaped society, go for it. Keep this in mind as you worldbuild.

What are some things you want to include in your omegaverse?

What are things that are not acceptable in your omegaverse?

Here is an example post of things I will never support (as a normal part of life) in omegaverse.

Do you want your omegaverse to be more non-traditional or traditional?

What’s the difference? 

What is your favorite thing about omegaverse?

Is your omegaverse NSFW heavy?

Are you more focused on the NSFW or SFW aspects?

What time period is your omegaverse set in?

Is your omegaverse based more on romance or platonic relationships?

When worldbuilding, I tend to be more invested in platonic relationships than romantic ones, so I have a lot more headcanons revolving around pack dynamics than mate headcanons.

Does your omegaverse have any special features? True Mates? Pack Bonds (mental links that packmates can feel and express emotion through)? Animal Shifters?

Who’s on top? What does the hierarchy look like?

For example, many people set their hierarchies either as Alphas on top or everyone as equal.

How much power do the dynamics have over each other?

For example, can Alphas control Omegas at will? This also ties into hierarchy.

What is the history of your omegaverse?

What is considered r*pe and consent?

Is there a difference between sex and dynamic?

Is primary gender (male, female, other) different from alpha, beta, omega or are they one in the same?

What does submission and domination look like? How does it impact day to day life?

Relationships

Is polyamory a part of your omegaverse? How are polyamorous relationships viewed?

Non-traditional pairings? Which pairings are looked down upon, if any?

For example, Beta x Alpha or Beta x Omega relationships are sometimes looked down upon in more traditional omegaverse set ups.

How do people become mates? Is there a mating bite? A ceremony? Do they spend a mating cycle together?

Are there mating traditions such as giving your partner a collar?

What does courting/dating behavior look like? Is it strict or more relaxed?

Do the packs of the parties involved need to consent to the courting beforehand? Is it arranged? Does it reflect modern society dating? Are interactions between parties supervised?

Society

What are problems in society specific to omegaverse?

In my omegaverse, the Omegas’ Rights Movement is a very large and pressing issue.

What is socially acceptable? What is not?

Disciplining mates in public? Forcing submission? Consent before heats?

How are education and jobs impacted by dynamic?

Can everyone work? Are there limits to what jobs people can hold?

What is considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior around strangers? Friends? Mates? Pack?

What is typical fashion of each dynamic, does it differ based on dynamic?

For example, Omegas may wear collars.

How do people rebel against stereotypes? What are the consequences?

How does presenting change social life?

How do people of the same dynamic interact with each other?

For example, sometimes, Omegas are best friends and need omega socialization, other times they hate each other and view each other as competition.

How is each dynamic treated in the workplace? Hospital? Restaurants?

How do people react if they don’t present as the secondary gender they thought they would be/wanted to be?

How are mating cycles viewed?

Opportunity to breed and have pups? Disgraceful and disgusting? Excuse for sex?

Health and Biology

How is health different (mental and physical)?

What medication is available? 

Suppressants? Is there a side effect of taking suppressants or other medication? 

Are there drugs that can send people into heat (often used at date r*pe drugs)?

How do scent glands work?

Anatomy in general?

Anatomy of male omegas and female alphas?

What are the ratios of the dynamics? Which is the most common?

A lot of omegaverses set Betas as the most common dynamic. Others put all of them as equal, or omegas as extremely rare, ect.

How do disabilities and mental health play into the dynamics and your omegaverse?

For example, here are my posts about gender dysphoria and ADHD in omegaverse.

How is trangender defined in your omegaverse? Is it even a part of your omegaverse? How is it viewed? Is it socially acceptable? What medications are available?

What about asexuality and aromanticism?

Are all heats and ruts sexual?

Here are some different types of heats and ruts.

How are mating cycles handled?

Who can help with mating cycles? What are people given/what do they do to help with mating cycles? For example, nests, pack’s clothes, etc.

Can betas experience mating cycles? If so, what are the conditions?

When do people present? Do they know their secondary gender from birth or find out later?

Who can get pregnant? Are babies delivered differently based on who is birthing them?

This would be dependent on anatomy.

Do Alphas have an Alpha Voice they can use to control others and make them submit? Who does the voice work on?

Packs

What defines a pack?

Are packs strictly blood-related? Are some packs blood-related and others not?

How are packs formed?

Can anyone become a pack leader?

How large are packs?

How are pack leaders chosen?

What does pack hierarchy look like?

What are roles in a pack?

Who are the most important members of the pack? The most protected? The most valued?

Can people be packless? Are there any side effects if they are?

Secondary Gender/Dynamics

What are the defining factors of each dynamic? Instincts? Scents? Other?

How do the dynamics differ?

What are the stereotypes of the dynamics in your omegaverse? Which are true, which are not?

Some Alpha and Omega stereotypes

What determines secondary gender? Genetics? Fate? Necessity based on pack?

Why and when do omegas nest? Do they only nest when they need comfort or are going into heat? Do they always have a nest?

Can alphas and betas nest or do something similar?

Do you include sub-genders/rare dynamics?

Here’s a post by @aboheadcannonsandmore which explains some rare dynamics.

Do omegas have rights?

Are omegas treated like their own people or viewed as property? Can omegas own things such as land? Do omegas need a legal guardian?

What role do betas fill?

Is there a double standard for Male Omegas and Female Alphas?

For example, female alphas are supposed to be strong and proper alphas but are also criticized if they are not feminine enough.

How does each dynamic soothe themselves and others? How do they react to dangerous situations?

There are a lot of things I didn’t address here, but worldbuilding is supposed to be fun and creative! Make it your own and don’t be afraid to be adventurous!

Happy writing!

[backslashdelta]

referencing your tag on the aro Kurt post

it started as this vibe headcanon but the more I think about the more it sort of makes sense?? and it does fix a lot of canon inconsistencies. for example how Kurt's perspective on sex and being sexy was never clear and how he did associate sex with romance, especially later in the series when he admits that he does love Blaine but also he's conflicted!! it always gave me someone realizing that while they love someone their feelings aren't romantic and Kurt feels guilty about that, which makes sense for the break up in s6-

Yes it absolutely makes sense!!

I also have seen some interesting Klaine meta about how Kurt texting with Chandler hurt more than if he would have physically cheated because Blaine puts more value on that emotional aspect of their relationship, whereas Kurt was more hurt by Blaine having sex with someone else rather than emotionally cheating because that physical intimacy is how Kurt feels the most connected.

And I think this makes even more sense if Kurt were aro. Because of course he values the emotional relationship with Blaine, but it feels similar to how it does with a good friend like Mercedes for example. The biggest difference to him, and so what he interprets as the important part of their romantic relationship, is that physical intimacy. Which is also why he didn't think the texting with Chandler wasn't a big deal, because he wasn't crossing that physical line which is where he saw the distinction.

So he's hurt by that because he feels betrayed and he does love Blaine (though not romantically of course in this scenario) and that causes the S4 breakup but he still hasn't managed to realize that he doesn't experience romantic attraction.

He has his fling with Adam and he's nice but Kurt doesn't connect with him the same way. I think this is particularly interesting because in my mind, Kurt is trying to see if he feels that spark he had with Blaine in the beginning, and he doesn't feel that so he thinks it's just an Adam thing not a him thing. But really that "spark" he felt with Blaine in the beginning wasn't romantic, it was a scared and lonely kid trying to latch onto this other boy who seemed so put together and knew what he was doing and Kurt just wanted to belong and be understood. By the time S4 rolls around he still has issues but they're different, and he's not desperate for that sense of belonging and safety the way he was when he met Blaine.

And then Klaine get back together in S5 and Blaine proposes immediately and Kurt isn't quite sure how he feels but he's tried to date other people and he never cared about any of them as much as Blaine, and his dad is talking about how he wishes he could have more time with Kurt's mom and Kurt is just like- well this must be it then.

Then of course we have S5 happening and Blaine moves to NY and they're fighting and Kurt doesn't understand why Blaine needs the things from him that he needs, and Kurt just thinks it's because he's clingy (and I mean, maybe that's partly true) but really it's mostly just that Kurt is not in the relationship in the same way that Blaine is because he just doesn't feel that romantic attraction.

It makes sense too because sex and romance are so intertwined together, and as a kid he had all these idealized images of romance that he thought he wanted but I think deep down it was very much fantasy where he didn't know what he'd do if he actually got it, and shying away from sex was a way to make himself feel better about that because then it's not that he doesn't know how to have a romantic relationship, it's that he doesn't know how to navigate the sexual aspect. Which for a young gay kid in like 2010 was probably easier to deal with, there's already this issue of gay men being considered overly sexual and I'm sure that having those sexual feelings not attached to romantic attraction would make him feel even more out of place, so he just doubled down and focused on these fantastical idealized romances.

My brain is literally so full of thoughts right now, thank you so much for bringing this idea to my attention.

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Manga Review - Mine-Kun is Asexual

Mine-Kun is Asexual is incredibly different from the regular material I review. I specialize in Yuri and LGBTQ women in manga. However, I was way too intrigued with this title to turn down the opportunity to review it. Not only is asexuality horrifically underrepresented in media of ANY form, but it is named right the title (at least in the English version), a fantastic feat considering most LGBTQ labels in manga are at best implied. The excellent team at Irodori Sakura did such an incredible job on this highly polished doujinshi. They have my eternal gratitude for their dedication to licensing such niche titles so that readers can experience more genuine queer manga.

The following contains minor spoilers

While the manga focuses on Mine and his asexuality, he is actually not the main character. The story follows Murai, his friend, who confesses and begins a relationship with Mine. It feels less like a journey exploring a character’s asexuality and more so a vivid description of what it is like to navigate a relationship with someone of that identity. This difference is neither good nor bad, and Isaki Uta does an excellent job portraying the nuances of the relationship and the complexities of asexual identities. For example, Mine explains that he has romantic feelings for both men and women; in other words, biromantic, but is asexual. While some asexuals can be physically affectionate and even intimate, he does not like to.

Despite their inability to be physical and Murai’s struggle with this limitation, they still appear to have a pretty fulfilling relationship. Much of their time together involves long nights watching the in-universe version of Avengers movies. Although they both have traits that make the relationship a struggle, like Murai wanting intimacy and Mine being somewhat cold to her, especially in the beginning, it is a magnificent portrayal of it can look like to navigating a relationship with such boundaries. However, there are some questionable aspects to the story.

In the end, as is pretty much implied to be inevitable, the two break up. It makes Mine feel less like a character with an identity and a story, but rather a plot device that teacher Murai what it is like to be loved, a valuable lesson she brings with her to future relationships. Of course, one could flip that and say that Murai was a way for Mine to experience love, but since the story is framed around Murai, this portrait appears warped. It ultimately gives the impression that a relationship between an asexual and a sexual person is doomed. I do not have the power to declare this statement as true or false, but when the dynamic appears in real life, it should result in an honest discussion, instead of the mind-game that ends Mine and Murai’s relationship.

Despite the poor choice of narrator and less than ideal ending, Mine-Kun is Asexual still does a phenomenal job portraying asexuality and a different kind of romance. It is a rare heartwarming and thoughtful work that readers will greatly appreciate, no matter their identity. It has great, expressive artwork, emotionally vulnerable characters, and a stunning epilogue. Although, I, for one, would have preferred reading about Mine meeting his future partner at the IRL Ace meet-up, as described at the end of the manga, and exploring that relationship. While I can point lots of fingers at ways to improve or change the work, I still recommend Mine-Kun is Asexual and would like to express my thanks to Isaki Uta for creating it and Irodori Sakura for localizing it.

Ratings: Story – 6 Characters – 7 Art – 8 LGBTQ – 10 Sexual Content – 1 Final – 7

Review copy provided by Irodori Sakura

Purchase Mine-Kun is Asexual on Irodori Lite

[kookiepredictions]

Jungkook Twin Flame Reading

A little post in honour of Jungkook’s birthday after which I’ll be taking a break :)

 Jungkook Twin Flame Reading

 The relationship dynamic between Jungkook and his TF is so interesting to me. To say that they are made for each other is a huge understatement. If human beings have several layers and levels to their being, then it is safe to say that Jungkook and his TF are compatible at every level; that’s how “destined” they are. Even if you take away the spiritual aspect of their connection and just focus on the earthly, physical dimension, they are the type of people who would be instantly drawn to each other. It’s not enough said that they are each other’s type. They could walk into a room full of people and instantly pick the other. Each has the physical appearance that the other finds attractive, the personality that the other admires, and their overall goals and ambitions in life too are very compatible. Whether they hit each other up at the bar, met in a park, hooked up on Tinder, or had an arranged marriage, it doesn’t matter— they would end up together. It’s like in the movie ‘The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, where the protagonists erase each other’s memories repeatedly but still end up falling in love every time they meet again. Now you would say, how nice for them, that must make their TF journey so much easier than others’, but (very) interestingly, no, it makes it just the more difficult.

Since they are so obviously compatible, picking each other is an obvious option. It’s like, I don’t need to be divinely guided to pick you; I’d do it anyway. And this is what makes the connection so confusing because there are literally 2 Levels in this connection: 1, where they can just be together as partners or spouses or whatever other earthly relationship term they want to subscribe to, and 2, where they can show up as the Divine Masculine and Feminine and hence have a higher dimensional connection. The difference between these 2 options is that the 1st, while not terrible, would be a mere earthly connection wherein both operate from their wounded selves and therefore their love has conditions, projections, and therefore hurts and problems. This type of relationships is not very uncommon to find and one might even argue that what’s so bad with that? Every relationship has problems. That’s normal. But then I urge you to ask yourselves, is it normal or it is normalized? Also, it might be commonly seen, but with their potential to be Twin Flames, Jungkook and his DF are not here to have a “normal” connection. And they are definitely not here to subscribe to the normalized version of love as it exists in the world right now. As TF counterparts, they have been given a choice to opt for more, also known in the TF community as creating new relationship templates. This is why I had mentioned in one of my previous posts that simply being born and then meeting your TF counterpart does not automatically make you each other’s Twin Flames— it only makes you “potential” TFs. It’s only when you show up as your most authentic or Divine self that you are actually “being” TFs. This is not a very simple phenomenon to understand and a lot of times, TF counterparts meet each other and are caught up in the earthly, or lower chakra attraction that they feel for each other. This looks like intense sexual attraction, daydreaming and overthinking about each other, and being almost addicted to each other. Is this a very bad thing? No, definitely not. Understand that the lower chakras represent our earthly existence and as such, all experiences stemming from them ground us onto that aspect of life and done right, it’s a beautiful experience. Also, one thing I disagree with a lot of people about is that the TF connection is not romantic. Oh but it is! The TF connection is not a fairytale. Heck yeah it is! But I also understand where they are coming from. I think the problem is in the way the words “romance” and “fairytale” are perceived these days. I don’t know about you, but fairytales to me are all about boy meets girl, fall in love, want to be together but problems arise, misunderstandings happen, third parties interfere, sorrows and tears, breakthrough, problem-solving, maybe even some fights, songs and dances, and finally, union. This don’t look like the TF connection to you? Of course, the TF journey is not so oversimplified, linear or one-dimensional, and doesn’t end in like 1 ½ hours. But that’s still the gist though. As for romance, again, I earnestly think the meaning of romance is so skewed right now, it makes me sad. As far as I have lived (and loved), romance has never been just about wining and dining, flowers and chocolates, singing and dancing (although they are a part of that and a very fun one at that). For me, the TF connection is romance at its peak. If romance is defined as the expression of love and affection, then there can be absolutely nothing more romantic than a person who would stop at NOTHING to be with you, to the point that they would take an axe and strike down their own ego, burn and destroy themselves over and over again to be their most authentic self because they see you and think, you’re worth it. So many people in the world right now would rather replace you with someone else simply because they are too proud to look into themselves and heal their wounds that are stopping them from experiencing true love, and continue living with their masks on. Masked people bringing flowers and diamonds and basically everything else other than their heart has never been a romantic notion for me. But yes, the skewed definition of romance these days does not accommodate such depth of the emotion and expression of love, so it’s limited to being perceived (and executed) as materialistic and surface-level exhibition.

TFs, upon meeting each other for the first time, experience all of these earthly tendencies. In itself, it’s not a bad thing at all. It’s sweet, spicy and exciting because seldom do you find a person that gets your heart racing like that. The “relationship” too, seems within your reach. But just when you reach out for them, the tower moments happen. This is when TFs realize that there is much more than what appears on the surface and you got to dig deeper. With Jungkook and his DF, it just was even more confusing because them being so compatible and an “obvious choice” for each other, the delays and the “ifs” and “buts” just did not make sense. This was especially Jungkook’s energy where he was more focused on the earthly manifestation of this connection because that’s what made sense to him— boy meets girl, fall in love, together bam! (Lol I had to make that joke cuz it’s a special day). He was also focused more on the external manifestations of problems in the connection, for example, he would think, I cannot be with the DF because of X, Y, Z. But the TF journey, like any other spiritual journey, will always teach you to look inward. Any problem and situation in life is always the external manifestation of something that is wrong inside, and therefore that’s where all solutions lie. On the other hand, as DFs are usually initiated into the spiritual journey first and are more concerned with that aspect of the connection (explained in detail in a previous post), his DF kept running away from him because Jungkook’s state of mind was not supportive of her spiritual quests. It’s important to understand that neither of them was consciously doing this; both did what they did because that’s what made sense to them at their level of healing. As the “lead” in this journey though, somehow it all started with the DF. She felt the call to opt for that higher dimension in their connection and to move away from him when he wasn’t in the ready state to even understand, let alone, support that spiritual aspect, which is what is known as the Separation— the part where both parties need to focus on their own healing. However, it’s one thing to know what to do, and quite another to embody that knowledge and act on it with the trust that everything will ultimately work out. So for a while, she too was caught up in her lower dimensional cravings. It’s safe to say that just like Jungkook, she was terrified of losing him because like I said, even in a non-TF way, they seemed so perfect for each other, you just do not want to miss the chance to at least give it a shot. But her soul would be tugging at her to complete the tasks that she had undertaken prior to incarnation, in other words, her soul contract, so she wouldn’t be able to be fully present in this connection either. And so she would do this thing where she would take a step forward towards her destiny and then look back at Jungkook where he was in his journey to see if he would join her. Repeatedly. But this connection IS about your soul journey, her indecision and mental to and fro would energetically keep Jungkook in an indecisive and back and forth state too. It’s like everytime she would look back to see if she was making a mistake, Jungkook would look back to see if he was making a mistake. This was keeping him attached to his karmic situations, which would then drain him, which would make him want his DF more to fill him up, which would create energy drainage for the DF which would ultimately repel the DF and she would want to run far, far away from him. This pushing him away in turn would hurt and confuse Jungkook and he would start doubting the connection and his self worth and start thinking that he doesn’t deserve her and that she is staying away from him because she isn’t interested in him and it’s all in his head, and so he would think of walking away from her before she leaves him. This is the push and pull dynamic in this connection and this was the loop that they were stuck in for a while.

Over time though, his DF has been inching closer and closer to her destined path, trying to find faith in herself, in the connection and in Jungkook and has been looking back less. Recognizing her role as the lead, she has had to make the difficult decision to solely focus on herself and put Jungkook out of her mind— a “whatever happens, happens, I’m not abandoning myself for anyone anymore” kind of a decision. This has been difficult for her because she has always naturally been someone who puts other people’s needs before her own. When she likes someone, it has always made sense for her to almost sacrifice all her needs and wants for the other person’s. However, this energy has never been reciprocated to her in her previous connections, and her life would always eventually turn out to be one where her needs were always in the backburner. As I had said in a previous post, when she first meets Jungkook, the way he treated her was quite different from others. While other men would make these big show of love while ignoring the smallest, most basic things about her, Jungkook was observant of the little subtle things about her and more importantly, always willing and even seeking to do things that felt tailormade for her. While other people made their moves with agenda, Jungkook had this energy of just vibing in the moment, doing little things, making her smile. It was like he had even forgotten to set a purpose or intention of interacting with her; he just did what he did because it made him so happy. This caused her to put down her guard and a connection was made. However, this connection, or specifically, the happiness and bliss in the connection did not last long because both were interacting from a co-dependent place— they were both doing things trying to seek happiness from the other, to fill an empty void in themselves. But as I discussed earlier, when you seek something outside of yourself, it is never enough because that void can only be filled by you. So, what started as a beautiful and fun connection started morphing into a confusing, draining and hurtful one. This was very the signal to start levelling up into a higher dimension of the connection— the connection in itself wasn’t wrong; it was just that it was established in a lower, 3D dimension that was keeping it embroiled in pain and struggle. The DF was the first to recognize this and felt it in her heart to first, individually level up. But as said earlier, she was constantly looking back in doubt, afraid she might just lose him, which, true to the TF connection, kept Jungkook stuck in a fear of losing her. When Jungkook is stuck in the energy of this fear for long enough, external problems would manifest to reflect and amplify that fear, which then, as I said, would make him want to leave her first before she could leave him, because he felt that he loved her too much to ever be able to bear the pain of his heart being broken by her.

In present times, his DF has been a lot more confident in herself and in this connection. This has happened because she has spent considerable amount of time healing her trauma patterns which has immensely increased her faith in the Divine and she is able to see this connection clearly, not just from a knowledge point of view, but also from a deep feeling. In the past, she was stuck in the confusion of “if he is right for me, then how does it make sense to leave him behind?”, the same confusion that Jungkook had. But then again, when she stayed behind, there would be all these differences of opinions between them and problems and hurt would ensue. Both saw each other as their destination and yet, the path each proposed to take was different. Jungkook took the more rational, practical path while his DF was inclined to the more spiritual, “listen to the Divine, have faith and let go” path. Incidentally, the spiritual path is not irrational either. The real, practical problems in their connection did not go unnoticed by the DF. She noticed the co-dependency, the fact that she was constantly putting her own needs behind to try to address his needs and also the fact that even after that, Jungkook was still stuck in fear, doubt, confusion and misery. But more than anything else, she saw the once-beautiful connection deteriorate every day. This was painful to her because from the moment she saw Jungkook, as an intuitive and foresighted woman, she knew he was the one, and that this would be a beautiful and fulfilling connection, and the start had even been that way. The intense attraction, waiting for each other everyday, daydreaming when they were alone, every love song finally making sense— stuff straight out of a movie or a romance novel. But this reality kept slipping off, and it hurt her to see it all go down the drain. So when she realized that this connection needed to be anchored to a higher frequency, she had to make the choice of walking away from him to work on herself. She knew that she wasn’t being her most authentic, divine self, and as such, wouldn’t be able to create an authentic and divine connection. While in the past she was afraid of being judged by him for the choices and decisions she made, more recently she has stepped into the confidence that living her life from her heart is not something she should ever be afraid of, and if Jungkook is the divinely destined partner that she thought he was, he would never stand in the way of her living a life that made her happy. She also knew that unless she heals herself from her own trauma and wounds, she would not be able to love him right either. She isn’t perfect and in the past she has done many a hurtful things to people she loved and she is afraid unhealed, she would do the same to Jungkook. In this energy, she foresees the connection to become riddled with problems and trauma bonding and she would rather leave him and this connection right this instant where it is still relatively peaceful, than create a reality where they hurt each other that much. It’s funny that in her past relationships, whenever she hurt her partner, she would feel guilty for behaving that way more because she feels it was beneath who she is, but on hindsight she will be like, well they still deserved it for being complete jerks to me. But with Jungkook, she feels like she wouldn’t be able to ever willingly hurt him because she believes he doesn’t deserve to ever be treated that way, so it could only mean that in such a state, she would only hurt herself each time and she didn’t want that for herself either, so she feels like she’d rather stay away from him and the connection than cause all that. This is similar to how Jungkook feels about her as well, which is why no matter how tough it gets for him to go on without her, he always reminds himself that he couldn’t possibly with her until he became capable enough to give her all the happiness that she deserves, so that’s where they would mirror each other. And yet, everytime he feels empty, he wants to reach out to her. However, as the DF has started becoming confident in the connection, and stopped looking back in doubt, Jungkook has been feeling confident too. The more she heals, he heals. Now, they are both on their adventures of finding themselves while still recognizing the presence and impact of this connection in their lives. I think they’ve both realized that trying to escape this connection is a lost war. Instead they are embracing it and letting it guide them while still learning to put themselves first. Even after all the doubts and fears, their destination still remains the same, and the path seems to be aligning as well because they are both trying to meet each other halfway. Will there be anymore problems, confusion, doubts, fears, anger, frustration? Maybe, maybe not. But like I always say, that’s not the point of life at all. Nor is that the point of relationships. Problems might still arise but unlike in the past, they won’t be swept into co-dependency. The DF has learnt to listen to her heart every time, even if Jungkook does not agree with her and will address Jungkook’s needs only when she has ensured that her own needs are met first. In return, Jungkook has learnt to trust that his DF’s path will never be separate from his— time and time again, he has seen his DF return to him, never ceasing to love him and he has learnt to trust more in the Divine to give him what he believes belongs to him. Soon enough, they will be whole, complete and happy enough on their own accord and this will create a harmonious and blissful interdependent connection between them with the earthly intense attraction as well as the divine peaceful stability.

Just to avoid an abrupt end, let me share one of my favourite quotes that aptly defines this journey (except add “vice versa”):

“A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.”

― Maya Angelou

 Happy 24th birthday Jungkook, I hope you always know and remember that you are well loved, not because the person or the people who love you are good people, but because you deserve to be loved always. What is yours will never pass you by and what you seek, seeks you I promise. You will see, in time. Every single thing in this connection and in this journey might not make sense and it might seem long and dragged out, but if you want the other person to consider your needs, you must consider theirs too. That is true love. And it is yours. You’ve worked for it and you’ve earned it. Your DF wants you as much as you want her. But she won’t give herself to you unless she deems herself as someone you deserve and you deserve the best. She knows you already think she’s perfect but she also knows that you have the biggest, the kindest and the most accommodating heart and you would never make anyone feel lesser than. But she’s adamant lol. She says, Jungkook deserves the best and he will have the best. Please allow her the time and space to do this not just for you but also for herself— allow her to heal her insecurities so she never feels small and insignificant anywhere she goes. Don’t forget that your destination is the same. Allow her to take a different path once in a while if she so pleases, and don’t be afraid to do the same. Do what YOU want to do and what is best for you. Always. If it hurts her ego, best believe that it is HER problem to take care of. If you are meant to be, mistakes and slip ups will never get in the way of that. If you are meant to be, neither of you should ever have to hide any part of yourselves. Trust that being your most authentic selves, no matter how odd, shameful and unforgiving it might seem to you, will always bring you closer. That’s just what unconditional love is. That’s what you are divinely created to have. If you have to hide, pretend and suppress any part of you to please the other, it’s just not love, and believe you me, your connection won’t last that way. I know it’s scary, to show those parts of yourself to another, parts that even you haven’t been able to accept, embrace or forgive, then how are they going to do that? She knows and she fears the same about herself. But know that you both have to show up as who you are, otherwise this connection remains a daydream and an illusion, the bubble of which will burst sooner or later. You both have been given the opportunity to create something that is not just missing but is needed in this world right now. Take it and make the best out of it. At the end of your lives, as you sit on your porch, watching the sunset together, you will get to look back in triumph and gratitude for one hell of an adventure. Happy birthday once again! May this day be the start to the best, happiest, most fun, most exciting, most exotic, most peaceful, most authentic and most soul-ly fulfilling life you have ever wanted.

 P.S. I really wanted to make a small and compact post but for some reason I rambled on and also I feel so tired after this I want to go to sleep immediately. I don’t have the energy to see what I’ve written anymore so I hope it all made sense. See you after my break! PPS. :) :) :)

[wesokkasimp]

general zuko relationship headcanons

-hmm

-so i’m writing these for a post-war relationship

-don’t mind me projecting my crush on firelord!zuko

-this boy def doesn’t ask you out right away

-too nervous for that

-i know i said in my long distance h/c that he would propose right away, but that was for an established relationship

-if y’all aren’t already dating expect to be waiting a lil while

-once things have kinda… settled in the world? like it’s still rather unstable, but at this point most passive aggressiveness between nations is gone

-that’s when zuko would finally take some time for himself and his personal relationships

-if you had left the Fire Nation after the war to do other things, he may have realized he missed you more than the others

-and he missed you in a different way

-with the others he just missed interactions and the good times they had as team avatar

-and he missed that with you too

-but he also just kind of craves your presence

-your scent, your warmth, your touch, your voice

-he could probably sit in a room with you silently all day

-taking in the very essence of you

-because there’s just so much to take in

-when he realizes this, he doesn’t peg it as a crush at first

-zuko’s the guy that can read his friends and loved ones like a book but cannot decode his own feelings for the life of him

-poor kid :(

-he probably just pegs it as knowing you better than the others

-especially if you grew up in the Fire Nation

-ESPECIALLY especially if y’all grew up around each other

-but he starts to question his line of reasoning when you come to visit

-he hasn’t seen you since the southern water tribe drama

-and it’s been two or three years since then

-so you get off… the boat? idk wtf they use for transportation

-he’s waiting at the bottom of the harbor

-he knew when you stepped off the landing and he saw you for the first time in years

-he knew when all it took for him, a very focused person, to become distracted was you paging through a file of things for your work, a furrow in your brow

-when he can normally work through various natural disasters (the Fire Nation is an kind of an archipelago so i assume they get lots of hurricanes/tsunamis and stuff like that)

-THAT was when this boy finally came to his senses and realized he had a thing for you

-but him acting on it? that’s a whooooole different story

-HE’S SO SHY AND NERVOUS OMFG IT’S CUTE

-but it’s also a little annoying at times

-because for years he’s been loud and boisterous with you

-and now that he knows he has a thing for you he doesn’t know how to act

-you don’t catch on tho (thank god for him)

-like you know he’s acting different, but you don’t know why

-he knows you’re gonna figure out what’s going on if he doesn’t fix his behaviour soon

-so he keeps an air of normality around you

-but on the inside he’s still super shy and nervous

-zuko doesn’t have a ton of experience with relationships in general but especially romantic ones

-i don’t think he would’ve gotten with someone after mai broke up with him

-it took him a little bit to get over her, as seen in smoke and shadow

-he’s also a busy guy in general; not tons of time for dates

-iroh may have set up a few dinner dates but nothing substantial has grown from those

-so… in conclusion… king has no idea what the fuck he’s doing

-mai was a pretty special case as she was ridiculously low maintenance and showed zero emotion

-aka exactly like zuko

-i feel like them being so alike was probably one of the reasons their relationship didn’t work out

-like… i’m showing no emotion, you’re showing no emotion, i’m not gonna coax emotions out of you, you’re not gonna coax emotions out of me, we both bottle up anger at each other, ourselves, the world, etc, aaaand cue huge screaming match

-getting off topic whoopz

-since mai was so much like zuko, he had an idea of how to court her

-if he thought something sounded stupid, mai would probably think that too

-but it’s a different story with you

-you might have similarities to zuko but you’re not EXACTLY like him (if you are sorry but i had to make y/ns persona less generic)

-so… romantically? has no clue what the fuck you’re looking for in a relationship

-even if he knows you really well platonically, he thinks that doesn’t translate into romantic relations because he’s clueless ok

-so zuko decides on the subtle approach

-would he confess? no! of course not !!

-but do his touches tend to linger?

-does he let you catch him staring at you?

-is he suddenly very invested in the dating scene wherever you’re living?

-...yes

-and you’re not stupid, you catch on

-and… honestly, there’s no big confession from either of you

-things just sort of evolve on their own

-you end up staying in the Fire Nation a lot longer than you originally planned

-fun excursions that were once platonic turn more and more sensual and flirty

-pats on the back and high fives slowly become back rubs and hand holding

-but... HE STILL HASN’T ASKED YOU OUT

-at this point no one know what the fuck your relationship is

-friends? lovers? fwb? 

-no one can figure it out

-least of all you

-i wish i could make zuko super smooth and have this super romantic confession but that would be so ooc for him

-HE TRIES HIS BEST BUT ROMANCE IS HARD FOR HIM OK >:(

-what probably happened was he took you out to dinner

-and you’re tired of not knowing what you are to him

-so you’re like zuko? what are we to each other?

-and he has been DREADING this question

-he knew it was coming eventually

-and to be honest he’s not quite sure either

-he knows he likes you as more than a friend

-and he’s pretty sure you feel the same way

-so he decides to go out on a limb and speak his mind (finally omfg)

- “More than friends, I think. I mean, I think of you as more than a friend… I think you feel the same way? Or-”

-“Zuko, it’s fine. I like you as more than a friend too, but we don’t have to label ourselves right away.”

-the boy is RELIEVED

-it’s like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders

-he’s not the kind of guy that says “i don’t like labels” as an excuse to fool around

-even though you never really talked about it, it’s a silent agreement that you’re both exclusive

-so… i mean that’s basically dating 

-our boy just has commitment issues ok 😔

-eventually you start kissing him in the cheek

-when i tell you he was FLUSTERED when you did that the first time

-i honestly can’t decide if zuko hates pda or loves it 

-he’s touch starved, so idk if he really craves or is really hesitant to physical contact

-if it’s the former, expect hand holding, cheek/forehead kisses, him wrapping his arm around your waist, etc 

-even if he likes pda he keeps it professional

-if it’s the latter…

-the only consistent pda you’re gonna get is hand holding

-if ANYONE gives you shit for something like your socioeconomic status before you started dating zuko or if you came from somewhere outside the Fire Nation

-he will get annoyed and tell them off as politely as possible 🥰

-as for marriage…

-he wouldn’t really think it out that much if he was trying to decide if he wanted to marry you

-by the time he would be considering marriage, he knows right away that he does in fact want to marry you

-his PROPOSAL, however

-he definitely plans this big thing and then somehow messes it up after practicing it a bunch of times

-you still say yes ofc

-zuko is pretty dedicated to the Fire Nation, so he will most likely follow most traditional aspects of the Fire Lord and Lady’s wedding

-he’d integrate important wedding traditions if your culture if you’re from another nation

-married life would be pretty similar to pre married life

-he just gets to call you his wife now :)))

-so it’s canonical that people try to assassinate zuks

-like ALL the time

-he felt like he could handle it but once you moved in with him he started to become very worried :(

-so he beefed up the security around his quarters. even if you also have training in combat he just wants to sleep a little sounder

-hngh if y’all want kids that can be another post this is already kinda long

-that all folks :)

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AHHHHH HI THESE ARE VERY LATE BUT THEY ARE HERE,,,,, anyways might have to turn off my inbox because,,, uh,,, very angry anti semites and zionists in there rn don’t really feel like getting death threats today

[ranboo5]

whats 'the clip' and knifetrick?

Augh. Under the cut for shipping discourse and p/dophilia ment (nothing graphic or specific). Gets long bc I discuss my thoughts on DSMP shipping in general. You are setting me up fr anon

Some quick vocab -

intimacy here is used to refer to. Well. Any kind of intimacy between characters, of any sort, as an umbrella term /r, /p, and /qp here are used as shorteners to denote "romantic," "platonic," and "queerplatonic," both as adjectives And as verbs ("to /r" = "to portray romantically") shipping here is used to refer to any focused examination of intimacy between characters

And some clarity that Should follow from the essay next but may not - """anti-antis"""" and RPF writers delete forever

The Clip is from one of if not the? most recent Discord stage(s) Mr Live has done (which I missed when it was live RIP) wherein he issues a hard ban on shipping him ("do not ship me, in any way, with anyone!") which would less influence c!beeduo (which has been portrayed/stated to be romantic AND nonromantic both conflictingly for a while until being confirmed unconfirmed several months ago, that being the last was heard) without its direct invocation if he hadn't also cited for the reason as being underage ("'Cause, one, it's straight up pedophilia") which is! a) immediately applicable to At Least his DSMP character, Partially and b) while not Strictly True (should b obvious that portraying a relationship within the bounds of what it is in canon and in a nonsexual way is not That, and /r-ing c!beeduo etc was possible to do Appropriately again by remaining w/in the bounds of canon) is Clearly Indicative of the fact that baggage-wise it IS associated with people being fucking creeps

This Really complicates things bc like okay the apparent solution is "lol just don't /r it" but it's really like. A Worse issue than that bc like.

Okay the reason shipping in terms of fictional characters is a Different Bar is bc it's an examination of Intimacy and certain lines exist in certain dynamics of intimacy that Isn't Shown (which is the whole Within The Bounds Of Canon thing) which is important in a medium like DSMP because of the smaller gap + more personal relationship b/w character and streamer. Examining intimacy beyond th bounds of the consent that has been established in that regard is Weird at best and Violating And Creepy more often and, As Mentioned In Ranb's Stage, Literally Evil at worst

Which is why writing abt like. QPR or platonically intimate Techno and Philza (characters) is smth that is fine because that's smth that has been shown and repeatedly stated onscreen; it's in the bounds of canon n thus within th bounds of what the streamers've consented 2 be done with their characters. But writing T3chza making out or whatever is fucked up because it's smth that's beyond those consent barriers

And the thing is right

Slapping a /p on T3chza makeout doesn't. Make it less violating

Like what you CALL romantic is not the measure or whether it's past those barriers yk? And if it's indistinguishable, if it's in extrapolative territory that is Past The Bounds, it Does Not Matter how much you /p it EVEN IF IT IS TECHNICALLY PLATONIC y feel? Like at the end of the day placing a moratorium on some/all forms of shipping is placing a moratorium on certain examinings of intimacy

And okay 2 go back to Mr Live and his character. What it implies taken in context w/ older portrayals of c!beeduo and said by invoking smth that both evokes Really fucked up baggage (that does unfortunately exist btw I'm sorry if you didn't know that but People Really Do B Fucked Up Abt Beeduo) AND applies to his character is a revocation of consent to examining deep intimacies:tm: with his character, which is gonna apply regardless of the nature of that intimacy (even if nonromantic)

Like I don't /r c!beeduo myself, do not, never have, but I talk to people who have and have consumed content where they r background /r; I also don't think it matters. Like I don't Actively /r it and I don't Actively Not /r it because imho w/ the intimacy regarding c!beeduo that is plot relevant and character important whether that intimacy is /p /qp or /r doesn't really matter. I don't consider myself Less of a c!beeduo shipper than someone who /rs them because that would be dumb as hell and while none of the content I've made* is Intrinsically or Intentionally /r it certainly can be read tht way as much as it can be read /qp or /p. It's be dumb and hypocritical of me to like, dunk on ppl for /r-ing c!beeduo when I'm also invested in these two and my tonetags r not gonna suddenly Delete the picking apart I've done of the dynamic @ hand

Which Has Been. Within Bounds Of Canon. It's been what's been shown (sometimes to my great distress. There is a reason that the :canon_beeduo: emote looks the way it does) Directly Onscreen and in general keeping with the tone n intensity/directions of what they've Done With The Characters

HOWEVER

As mentioned up there. Revocation of consent

It makes. Full sense 2 me that Mr Live wants to place a moratorium or fullon ban on shipping his characters perhaps where he wouldn't have before because of the Unfortunately Very Extant trends of people being Fucking Weird about shipping his characters AND of using them as a Thinly Veiled Excuse to ship HIM, which. I should not have to explain why shipping real people is fucking abhorrent

THIS creates a problem which is a. Bit of a vacuum in interacting with what is a facet of c!Ranboo's arc, decision making, and character. Like you CAN have c!Ranboo w/o cbeeduo but you Can't Really have his plotline without examining c!beeduo. And as I mentioned earlier: even if your examination of c!beeduo is fully platonic, the significance of it To the plotline means that any examination of it and its relevance to the plotline and characters IS gonna be an examination of intimacy, which. Regardless of it's platonic, Is Still Shipping

Unless some HARD retconning happens it leaves this like. Hole in an aspect of c!Ranboo's arc and decisionmaking and it's very. Uncertain? God. Fucking months ago I was already kind of :huh. Does he know what the fuck he's doing: irt c!beeduo and desperately wishing for things to be cleared up and now it's only That Much Stronger

NOW. KNIFETRICK, FINALLY

Knifetrick (or, as it’s actually listed, Bishop’s Knife Trick) is a fic about "Ran and Jackie from The Pit TFTSMP" in a "canon-typical ambiguously romantic relationship." As you can tell from the scare quotes, especially if you've seen me vague, both of these are, to put it politely, Doubtful. I've read the fic; I will not be sharing my opinions because that would be neither productive nor responsible (I will just say I can't recommend it and leave it at that) but I WILL say the following that Is relevant to the conversation:

Ran's and Jackie's characterizations respectively have very little to do with characterizations from The Pit, and bear a dollar-store-version resemblance to tropes and personality motifs found in ESPECIALLY fanon c!beeduo, especially later in the fic. I would not go so far as to say they are Intentionally Literally Ranboo and Tubbo but they are transparent expies and were clearly written at LEAST unintentionally w/ c!beeduo in mind (esp since. Ran and Jackie barely interacted in The Pit), and for a readerbase that, as far as I can tell, is HUGELY dominated by /r c!beeduo shippers. Like. Sorry. This is off-brand c!beeduo.

The dynamic between the two is pretty unambiguously romantic, also; despite what the fic's white knights claim, romantic tropes and implications/motifs/imagery from at LEAST chapter two, and is very much explicitly romantic by the most recent chapter.

FROM CH1:

"And now, with raised eyebrows and a pursed lip, the newly named General Jackie observes Ran in such a way that makes the enderman’s skin crawl. Ran reminds himself that this kid, as short and harmless as he may look, is trained to kill. [...] Jackie narrows his eyes and tilts his head a little, as if he’s trying to read in between every one of Ran’s imperfect scales."

FROM CH2:

"It makes Ran’s skin itch with discomfort. [...] 'That actually doesn’t explain much of anything at all,' complains Jackie, and he pops a few croutons into his mouth with one hand. 'Tell me what you’re thinking, pretty-boy.'

"Ran feels his face flush, no doubt mildly glowing green.

"Yes, that was the other thing. The unnecessary compliments to his physical appearance.

"They don’t happen very often, and don’t seem to have very much meaning or intention behind them— Jackie often speaks like an unthinking kid— but when they do happen… they’re embarrassing. [...] It’s annoying how the rug is pulled out from under his feet in these moments when he’s 'embarrassed'. Like the conversation see-saw has temporarily shifted weight in the general’s favor."

I am not going to include excerpts from Chapter 6 because it's just the entire chapter.

I WILL SAY, HOWEVER, STEPPING ON THIS SCORPION BEFORE IT STINGS: they are not written in an RPFy manner and I don't think there's any grounds, including Vibes, of accusing Knifetrick of being like. Closet truthing or whatever. Also, while I think there's certainly Some Weirdness ESPECIALLY around the reaction, the romance itself is Not written in any way I'd call weird or problematic pre-clip; it's nothing inappropriate or like Weirdly Fetishy or whatever. Knifetrick is not #problematic or anything and I don't have beef with like the concept of liking it intrinsically; if I thought it was like. Abhorrent I wouldn't be sharing excerpts lmao dhjfnhdsbvdnfjh. Hence: if anyone uses this post or anyth like it to send harassment or bad faith ANYTHING to anyone involved with Knifetrick I will hunt you down in the fucking night even if it WAS #problematic that'd be the LITERAL OPPOSITE of productive and as it stands it's Literally Not. Essentially: Knifetrick is a (questionably-written /mean) fic using Ran and Jackie from The Pit as a vessel for a large chunk of the dynamics and headcanons of fanon /r c!beeduo in particular

And again, I would not call it problematic in any way (aside from the disingenuity of the insistence that it's TOTALLY UNRELATED TO BEEDUO and TOOOTALLY WASN'T INTENDED TO BE ROMANTIC GUYS like own your shit please)... IF it weren't for the advent of The Clip, which is calling in2 question the Entirety of the problem of /r-ing any variant of c!beeduo or any of Ranboo's characters at all

I really do not have an answer for this tbh. I genuinely wanna hear from the streamer on this more specifically because I like,,, I got no clue where 2 go from here? Do I just consider an arc retconned? Was it an issue of speaking abt a troubling subject kneejerk wise and I'm reading too much in2 it?

I just. I dunno

Tl;dr (AT LONG LAST)

- The Clip is a clip of a Discord stage where Ranboo (streamer) loudly explicitly decried shipping in a way that implicitly applies to characters he plays - This would be all well and good but is rendered complicated by the plot relevance of c!beeduo, which does not stop being shipping if it's /p'd due to it still necessarily being an examination of a particular intimacy in a way that is in canon hard to distinguish the /p, /qp, or /r nature of - Bishop's Knife Trick is an AO3 fic centered around using TFTSMP characters as /r c!beeduo expies which is not a bad thing in and of itself unless it also is covered under this moratorium - Things remain unclear until and unless we get clearer word from streamer, but considering Mr Live seems to be allergic to clarifying anything abt c!beeduo this is doubtful

*very little if any of the content I personally have made 4 c!beeduo has been posted publicly, for related reasons. You May have seen it if you're in servers w/ me, depending on Which Ones

[twh-news]

'Loki' Star Sophia Di Martino on the Season 1 Finale, Working With Jonathan Majors and What She Knows About Season 2

[Editor's note: The following contains spoilers through the Season 1 finale of Loki, "For All Time. Always."]

Since her introduction at the end of Episode 2, Sophia Di Martino's depiction of Sylvie, the female variant of Loki introduced midway through her campaign of vengeance against the TVA, has been a defining aspect of Disney+'s Loki. And, as we learned in the season finale, the story of Loki isn't over yet — though what's in store is pretty nebulous, following Sylvie's betrayal of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) after what was their first and what might be their last kiss.

In a one-on-one conversation with Di Martino via Zoom, Collider asked about working with Jonathan Majors in his MCU debut, what it was like having both fight scenes and more romantic scenes with Hiddleston, and of course what the conversations around Season 2 have been like.

Collider: To start off, when did you have a sense that there would be a second season of Loki?

DI MARTINO: I mean, there'd been rumors for a while, but I still haven't heard officially if it's happening, like officially, officially. I only know what I know through reading the news. And I know, because you guys know, because of the tag at the end of Episode 6.

I was going to say, that feels like a pretty official thing, but it doesn't sound like anyone has shown up at your doorstep with paperwork.

DI MARTINO: No, nothing. Nothing like that.

Now, does that mean that when you watched it, were you given a full script of the sixth episode?

DI MARTINO: Yes. We got one episode at a time. So I wasn't given Episode 6 until like midway through shooting Episode 5.

So in that situation, what was your initial reaction to reading, especially like the last, say, 10 pages or so.

DI MARTINO: Just like, holy crap. This is massive. How exciting. Woof. And then also, "who's going to play He Who Remains, I need to know because it's such an amazing part and such incredible speeches he has. I wanted to imagine who would play him, but I couldn't have ever imagined the way Jonathan would have done it. So brilliant.

In terms of working with Jonathon Majors, what was that experience like? Just because I feel like he brought such a different energy to the role than I think anyone would have ever expected.

DI MARTINO: Yeah. He just exploded onto that set with so much energy and nothing like we could ever have imagined. It was a lot of fun and he was brilliant. You know, people were saying this is going to be something really special, whispering behind the camera. He was so eccentric and fun and kind of terrifying. Very easy for Tom and I to just sit and listen to him for a few days. Very entertaining.

Yeah. In rewatching the episode, it's still so striking to me the way that, after Sylvie stabs him, he makes barely any noise.

DI MARTINO: Because he knows that it's a possibility, I think. So maybe he's had a long time to sort of imagine every scenario. Yeah. It's kind of creepy, isn't it? The way he does that.

When you were breaking down the script for Episode 6, were you talking about Kang the Conqueror? Were you talking about the comic book backstory there?

DI MARTINO: I don't remember talking about the comic book backstory of Episode 6. But you know, to be honest, it was all very quick. Especially with Episode 6, we got the script pretty late in the day. So there wasn't that much mining to be done, to be honest. I'm not sure about Jonathan's experience, but for me, it was sort of pretty late in the day, just in the case of learning my lines and trying to make sure I didn't mess that up.

Of course — and it makes sense in terms of where your character is coming from.

DI MARTINO: Exactly. So I just need to know at that point, I just need to know what's going on for Sylvie.

In that case, in your head, what was going on for Sylvie in those scenes?

DI MARTINO: Oh my goodness. So much. I mean, so much happens in like 30 seconds. Doesn't it?

Definitely. But even before the final sequences, it's very dialogue-heavy and there's a lot of listening. In playing that, what was important for you?

DI MARTINO: To really listen and to really take on board what he was saying to us at that point, and then to choose not to believe him. For Sylvie, she's just on a revenge mission from the minute she walks into that building, she knows that she wants to kill someone. When they're in the elevator with him, she's already taking swipes at him. She just wants to get him with her machete. And I think she's just so laser-focused on that goal, that he could have said anything to her and her priority wouldn't have changed.

So you don't think there was ever a moment in that whole sequence where Sylvie was tempted, not tempted by the possibilities presented, but tempted to believe him?

DI MARTINO: I think there's a moment that he really pushes Sylvie's buttons when he's talking about you have been on a long journey and it's been really tough for you, hasn't it? And you can't trust anyone. You think you can trust him. And he starts playing mind games with them, playing them off against each other. And I think at that point, he plants a seed of doubt in her mind about Loki, but I think her mission to want to kill him doesn't change. She's absolutely married to that idea. And that feeling is so strong that she chooses it over Loki in the end.

From your perspective, where does that come from?

DI MARTINO: Just revenge. Like having her life taken away from her, her life ruined, spending her whole life on the run, this sort of anger. And if you want to think of it in these terms, her "glorious purpose." I went there.

I don't think you got to say those words during the show, so I'm glad you got this moment now.

DI MARTINO: Yeah. I'm saying it as much as I can now.

Later in the episode, this wasn't the first time you had a fight sequence with Tom Hiddleston, but did it feel different from the episodes you shot earlier?

DI MARTINO: Yeah, it did. This scene was far more emotive. There was a lot more going on for both of them. It was the breakup scene. It was the fight that you have when you are leaving someone. And it's so painful because you care about this person, but you just can't be with them for whatever reason. And that's how that felt.

Which is so interesting because of course what happens at the end of it is that there's a kiss and it's given the whole big Hollywood romantic music treatment.

DI MARTINO: Yeah. I mean, but that often happens when you're splitting up with someone, doesn't it? Just one last time, a sweet goodbye. It's kind of like a goodbye kiss in a way.

Of course. But it was also, unless I'm missing something, the first kiss.

DI MARTINO: Yeah. It was. And it had been building up for a long, long time. I think it was ultimately a goodbye kiss and a clap away for Sylvie to physically turn him around so she could get hold of that TemPad and zap him back to the TVA.

Yeah, of course. In terms of that, in general, I feel like there's a temptation to just kind of look at the Loki and Sylvie relationship as a straightforward romance, which of course it is very much not. From your perspective, what was it about that you worked hard to lean into.

DI MARTINO: I think it's about sort of self-love and acceptance as well as being a romance story. And for Sylvie, she's sort of shedding everything she doesn't need before she gets to He Who Remains so she can kill him. She gets rid of her cape, she gets rid of her horns. She ultimately gets rid of Loki. It's just not serving her in that moment. And it's so cold to think of it that way. But I think that's what was happening. That and the fact that she wanted him to be safe. So, she's kind of saving him by pushing him through that time door as well.

And if you're going to think of it as like an exploration of self-acceptance and self-love, that's also interesting because she showed sort-of, I don't know, getting rid of a part of herself that isn't serving her anymore at the same time as keeping it safe.

It's really interesting to hear you talk about it that way, because it makes me think about how the one thing that came out, especially I think in Episode 5, is the idea that knowing Sylvie made Loki a better person in some fundamental ways. And I'm wondering about the opposite of that. What did knowing Loki mean for Sylvie?

DI MARTINO: I think it's slightly different for Sylvie. I don't know if he's made her a better person. I don't know if she's allowed herself to change yet. Loki's been quite brave and he's changed. He's a changed person by the end of that series. Sylvie is still hell-bent on her mission and she still chooses it over caring about someone else. So maybe she's yet to make that change.

So in talking about the scene like it's a breakup... Season 1 ends with the characters being very separated and of course, Season 2 is very much a nebulous thing at the moment, but people break up all the time and get back together. In your head, do you see there being still some sort of future for the characters as a couple?

DI MARTINO: It would definitely be fun to see them in the same room together again, wouldn't it? I'm fascinated. Yeah. After that, I'm fascinated to see what Loki has to say to Sylvie after doing that to him. Who knows? Never say never. I'm really excited to see what they come up with because it could go in so many different directions, but surely they have to come face to face again at some point.

It's like that awkward party after you've broken up with someone and you see them again. And that first conversation, whether it's in public or not, it's sorts of awful, but such a relief once it's been done.

Something that's been kind of a topic of discussion when it comes to talking about romance on screen is a quality that a lot of leading men have — for lack of a better term, the ability to give their love interest a Look. I've consulted with others and we feel like Tom Hiddleston has the look or has the ability to deliver the look. And I'm curious what it's like to be on the other side of it.

DI MARTINO: Tom's a very charming man and he could definitely make people go weak at the knees by just giving them a look. My reaction to that is always to sort of make a joke and run away. So there was probably a lot of that on set, breaking the tension by being a goofball.

I just had to react as Sylvie. And Sylvie's got these walls up. She doesn't let anyone in and that includes Loki. So sure there's a sort of, oh, this person is not as I thought they were. I'm warming to them. But Sylvie's not an easy nut to crack.

Is it fun getting to play that kind of strength?

DI MARTINO: Yeah. It's awesome because when her defenses do come down and she's vulnerable, it's really interesting. And you start to see all of the stuff that's buried underneath and that's what makes her a great character to play.

So, how do you feel about there being a second season? Do you feel like if there hadn't been a second season, you would have gotten the closure you wanted to from the story?

DI MARTINO: Probably not. I want to know what happens just like everyone else. I'm super excited and I just can't wait to see which direction they're going because it could be infinite directions.

Do you have a sense that there might've been different aspects to it, had COVID not been an issue?

DI MARTINO: I think COVID actually probably made it a lot better. We had a five months hiatus and Kate and the producers and writers worked a lot on episodes five and six during that time. And as far as I've heard, a lot changed for the better. They could rewatch what we'd already shot and just carry on working on the scripts and developing them. So I think it was great to have that time actually, as awful in most ways it was, that was the silver lining of it.

Very. Yeah. So looking forward, I imagine if there's a second season, you're on board if you get asked.

DI MARTINO: Hopefully. Hope so.

By the way, I was really excited to see the story about how your costume was designed to allow you to breastfeed during shooting. That seems like it was a really special detail.

DI MARTINO: Yeah, really, really. I'm just so grateful that that happened. It made my life so much easier and it was important to me that I carried on doing that. So it was just the little things and it's just saved a lot of time. Practically, it was a godsend.

Of course. So looking forward, what's next for you?

DI MARTINO: Lots of interviews. Lots of being able to talk about episode six finally, and then, who knows? An infinite possibility. So yeah, I'm excited to see what happens and to see people's reactions to the series because people are still catching up. People are still watching and rewatching it and probably go on.

Yeah. I mean, I imagine that you're going to be cosplayed at various conventions over the next several decades probably.

DI MARTINO: Do you think? That blows my mind.

I mean, cosplaying has a long legacy to it.

DI MARTINO: It's so cool. The way that people are already making Sylvie horns and crafting them from scratch and spraying them. And there's one woman that's just sewn a whole suit together and it looks exactly like my costume. It's so impressive, the love and attention people put into it.

Are you getting an action figure?

DI MARTINO: I don't know. Hopefully. What would I do with it? Maybe I could use it as a cake topper. Who knows? But that would be a very cool thing to have, wouldn't it?

[buckyjustbelikethat]

The Fiction of Fairytales: Prologue

Title: The Fiction of Fairytales: Prologue

Characters: (eventual) Stucky x Reader

Summary: (a/b/o au that is non-cannon compliant) After being captured and forced to live as Brock Rumlow’s mate for years you are kidnapped by the Avengers. They plan to interrogate you for information on Hydra and Rumlow, but after Steve and Bucky realize they are your true mates, they realize that their kidnapping was more of an unexpected rescue. 

Warnings: Mentions of assault, kidnapping, and abuse.

Word Count: approx. 1400

A/N: Why is it becoming a trend in my multipart series that the first chapter takes place between tony and the reader. Anyways, this part is very angsty and not fun, but there will definitely be fluff and romance coming in the future. I hope you guys like the beginning! 💕

As a kid you dreamed of finding your mate one day. Your parents had a beautiful relationship, you grew up watching the adoration in their eyes when they looked at each other and you wanted that. They seemed the most relaxed and at peace when you all were together. You didn’t know much about what your parents did, and to this day you still don’t, but at the age of 16, you learned that whatever it was that they did, they had made themselves an enemy of Hydra. You were having a movie night, all three of you watching the most recent released Disney movie. You sometimes imagine yourself there in the days that followed, praying that your mind could conjure those moments in the present rather than remain cruelly unreachable memories. But they are gone now, and you weren’t sure if you would ever know true peace again.

Hydra had invaded your home, and killed your parents. This is when you had begun to wish you never were an omega. Maybe if you weren’t, you never would have been taken that day. You would have gone with your parents, and your life would have stayed blissful up until the moment of your death. Unfortunately, when the Alphas that had invaded smelled you they decided to take you. The head of the group that attacked you was Brock Rumlow. He had decided you would be his before any of the other Alpha’s could get their hands on you. Though that didnt mean he had stopped them in the future.

For the past 8 years you were Brock’s omega, not by your own choice. You had tried to escape him a few times and soon you realized the pain when they caught you again was worse than staying. It was pointless to try and leave. Brock had all of the resources of Hydra and you had nothing, and since your parents died, you had no one.

The faith that you previously had in love that was demonstrated and proclaimed by your parents seemed like a fairytale. Most importantly a fictional reality you were not given the privilege of having in your own life. You only knew pain from alphas, not just your bonded mate Brock, but his alpha friends he would invite over to your place.

In the beginning Brock kept you locked in the cold basement, chained up most of the time due to your many escape attempts. But at some point he had broken you physically and emotionally, and he knew it. That was his goal, to not be able to see beyond the life he had given you. You were expected to please him in all aspects. You were his to command in any way imaginable, he had convinced you over the years that he only asked what was expected of every omega, convincing you that even if you left you would never be safe from your presentation. You were now able to sleep with him in his bed, though that was probably the last place you would want to be. You were given free reign of the home, mostly so you could keep it to his expectations and serve him. He even allowed you to go to the grocery store, though you knew he was watching you at all times, he would know when you left and if you didn’t make it back within what he considered a reasonable time or you talked to too many people you were punished. You were punished for just about everything, and sometimes just because it was what he felt like doing at the time.

Most people in hydra knew about you. Brock took you to all of the public events, and he would often make sure to not harm you in any visible places leading up to whatever event he wanted to show you off at. Not that anyone at the party would care about his abuse, hell most of them had, at some point, had a part in it, he just wanted you to look more attractive. Though he never complimented you, too focused on making you feel worthless, you knew from others that your scent and appearance was enticing, and you wished that it wasn’t the case.

Brock was having people over tonight, and you were expected to go to the grocery store. He didn’t give you the luxury of knowing who it was, you only wished to know what to expect, whether or not Brock would expect you to please whatever company it was. But like normal you were left in the dark, you only knew how he expected you to prepare and what food to make. Over the years you felt like you had gotten really good at cooking, though you weren’t allowed to have much of the food you made, he would tell you it was too good for you. He would either give you scraps or make you prepare something bland to eat for dinner.

You were picking up the ingredients as quick as you could at the store, despite the pain you were in from the morning. Brock had gotten mad at you for something minimal, you had looked at him in the eyes on accident, which was one of his least favorite things, and he had beaten you. Though you were sure you had a few broken bones, you were used to continuing on through the pain, he did not tolerate anything else. You thankfully had gotten used to the layout of the store since it was the only one he would allow you to go to, so you were able to make your trip as short as possible. It was the closest one to your house, and you imagined that at some point he had someone hack into the cameras.

After you loaded the bags into your car, you got into the drivers side only to scream when you saw a figure behind you.

“Hello, I’m sure you know of me, at this point everyone does, and you’re going to listen to my directions.” It was Iron Man, and though you weren’t too familiar with him, you had heard of him enough to know that he was an enemy of hydra, or that hydra was an enemy of him, you didn’t know which one was more appropriate. He almost didn’t need to point his weapon at you, he was wearing his whole suit as if he imagined you were some kind of threat, and you wouldn’t stand a chance even if he wasn’t wearing it, especially with the kind of pain you were in. Based on his threatening position in your back seat, and the fact that he smelled very much like an alpha, you assumed this was no rescue. Whatever it was, you hoped it would even be the slightest bit better than how Brock treated you. Maybe he would even give you the gift of killing you, then all of this would be over.

You looked at the cameras and noticed that in his position the car next to you blocked them from being able to see him.

“Don’t even bother looking, your mate isn’t going to save you. You’re going to put the car in drive and follow my instructions.”

You were too fearful to argue with him calling Brock your mate. Sure he technically was, but you had no choice in any of it. You originally had dreams of only bonding with your true mate, but that’s all it was, just dreams.

You didn’t respond. You had learned over the years to only speak when necessary, and you had a feeling Stark wasn’t going to listen to anything you had to say anyway. So you put the car in drive and followed Stark’s instructions. “You know you need to get out more, we’ve been following you for a while and you only go to the grocery store if you aren’t with your mate. I gotta say, that’s a little weird.” You didn’t know what to say, unsure if an honest reply would really get you anywhere.

“So, you aren’t much of a talker either I’m guessing, that’s fine, as long as you answer our questions when we get to the tower, I don’t care how much you talk.”

So, that’s why they wanted you. They thought you could give them information on Brock, or hydra. Maybe when he realized you were of no use to him he really would kill you.

Next Chapter

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Alrighty so I'm gonna go out on a limb and request Overstimulation fics. As in sensual not sexual because with the holidays coming up I wanna read about the boys curbing meltdowns from Too Much™ so I can feel better about my moments

Hey Lovely!

AHHHHHH hmmm. I’d like to read some too... I did a search of my TO READ list and here’s what I found that might work? Feel free to add your own, Lovelies!! I have to add a new tag to my fics as I reread them now, LOL

OVERSTIMULATION / SENSORY ISSUES (TO READ)

The Doctor's Reward by CarmillaCarmine (E, 3,124 w., 2 Ch. || Quarantine / Self-Isolation, Doctor John, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, Anal Plug, Prostate Massage, Overstimulation, Autofellatio, Come Swallowing, Masturbation) – Sherlock decides that John needs a reward after a day of working from home. Part 11 of the The Johnlock Utopia (Holidays and Celebrations) Series

To Show You a Night by songlin (E, 3,731 w. || Sensory Deprivation, Blindfolds, Anal, Dirty Talk, Forced Orgasm) – Sherlock's never had an orgasm before. John crafts a solution. "I forgot how badly I wanted to fuck your mind.”

The Catherine Wheel by Ghislainem70 (M, 3,762 w., 1 Ch. || Sensory!Sherlock, First Kiss/Time, PWP, Romance) – A Johnlock first time. Sherlock has sensory sensitivity. Can Doctor John Watson help?

Isolation by Nova-chan (T, 9,281 w., 11 Ch. || Drama, Angst) – Sherlock in a sensory deprivation tank.

Crimson Hymns by brilliantlyburning (E, 48,982 w., 9 Ch. || Post-S3/TAB, Angst,  Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Drug Addiction, Unhealthy Coping Methods, Demisexual Sherlock, Boxing, Pining, Sensory Processing Issues, Drug Use, First Kiss / Time, BDSM, Mary is Not Good, Parentlock, Proposal, Happy Ending, Beekeeping, Violence, References to Addiction, Poetry) – He laid his head over John’s heart, eyes level with his silver-rough scar, and listened to the crimson hymns beating beneath the surface. He imagined flowers blooming in his own chest: veins weaving intricate patterns on petals of thin muscle engorged with blood, sinew for stems and tendons for roots—the flowers would be poppies, maybe (addictive) or foxglove (deadly yet useful)—twining gleaming blood-red around the porcelain bone of his ribs. In his mind’s eye the gruesome bouquet all tied together on the left side of his chest, the stems bound together in heartstrings and the flowers fed by the rhythmic contraction of ventricles. It’s yours, he imagined saying to John—from the vena cava to the mitral valve to the arteries it is yours.— Or, the Love Song of W. Sherlock S. Holmes.

In Absentia by SeaweedWrites (T, 79,273 w., 39 Ch. || TRF Divergence, Major Character Injury, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Realism, Car Accident, Traumatic Brain Injury, Hospital, Sherlock in a Coma, Physical/Psychological Rehab, Sensory Issues, Heavy Angst, Drama, Sherlock Whump, Biog Brother Mycroft, Depression, Nightmares, Panic Attacks) – Sherlock sends John a mysterious text. While John waits for Sherlock to come back to 221B to explain, Sherlock is involved in a terrible car crash, and everyone's lives are irrecoverably changed. Will Sherlock survive? And the bigger question for John- If he does survive, will he ever be the same? Part 1 of the In Absentia Fics and Information

Sensory Science by sussexbound (E, 80,017 w., 24 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting, ASMR, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, John’s PTSD, Internalized Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Anxiety, Friends to Lovers, Drinking Problems, Nightmares, Depression, Masturbation, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Prostate Massage/Orgasm, Phone Sex, Frottage, Coming Untouched, BJ’s, Rimming) – John Watson has been invalided home from Afghanistan and is struggling with anxiety, depression, PTSD and insomnia, when an old friend from med school recommends something that might help: An ASMR YouTube Channel run by a friend. One session in and John is hooked, not only by the way the ASMR seems to calm him after nightmares, and help him sleep, but also by the mysterious man who runs it.

Periodic Tales Series by 7PercentSolution (T/NR, 253,510+ w. across 18 works | Series WiP || Autistic Sherlock, Sensory Processing Disorder, Case Fics, Chemistry, Kidlock, Angst, Suicidal Thoughts, Mental Health Issues) – Lots of science, lots of case fic! This is Sherlock as chemist, using the periodic table of elements for many different reasons. Each story is centred around one particular element, in two parts. One focuses on aspects of Sherlock's childhood and events in his life; the other part shows how that has influenced his abilities as the world's only consulting detective, demonstrated through a case fic that shows off his deducing skills. The stories are not long (1-5 parts in length) and are in more or less chronological order in terms of Sherlock's life.

Unwind Series by illwick (E, 697,027+ w. across 33 fics || Light BDSM / Power Dynamics, Dom!John/Sub!Sherlock, Switchlock, Hair-Pulling, Snsory Deprivation, Deepthroating, Face-Fucking, Handcuffs, Overstimulation, Forced Orgasm, Prostate Milking / Massage, Rough Sex, Biting, Food Sex, Consensual Kink, Sex on Everything, Chair Bondage, Voyeurism, Exhibitionism, Masturbation, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, Oral/Anal, Fingering, Sex Toys, Captain John, Establish Relationship, Bratty Sherlock, Greedy Sherlock, Military Kink, Uniform Kink, Gunplay, Roleplay, Shower Sex, Oral Fixation, Praise Kink, Dry Humping, Facials, Dog Tags, Edgeplay, Multiple Orgasms, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Threesomes, Homophobia, Size Kink, Past Relationships, Past Drug Use, Double Penetration, Angst/Hurt/Comfort, Jealous Sherlock, Possessive Sherlock, Panties) –  John and Sherlock unwind after a case.