#yes I'm tagging this Buddie because this is important for the Buddie arc

[lemotmo]

Hi!! First, I just wanted to say I always enjoy checking out your posts because you have such great takes and treat every single ask with such respect. Even when it’s something that you may disagree with, you always take the time to ensure everyone that it’s just your opinion and respect the other person’s point of view! :) It’s so refreshing to see because I feel like over hiatus especially the fandom has become somewhat of a dumpster fire…lol.

Also, I agree completely about Oliver. He always says that he trusts Tim and his writing so I don’t think he would necessarily ask to have Lou leave or for BT to end abruptly or anything. And as much as we all say “oh he hates that man” we truly don’t know. What we do know, at least by his tweets at the time, was there was some tension in his friendship with Ryan several years back. Like it’s crazy to think during the shooting arc and will scene and Eddie breakdown arc in s5 that there was so much tension offscreen. It just goes to show how much of a professional he is! I also don’t think the other side is true either where Oliver is apparently purposely not promoting BT or interacting with Lou on social media to “protect him from the buddie fans.” I just think Oliver isn’t super active on social media for his own reasons and people look waaayyyy too much into things. Anyway, sorry this was so long winded LOL I just wanted to point out that we truly don’t know Oliver or his thoughts and feelings and some people making these inferences sound almost more like headcanons and it’s giving parasocial.

First of all, thank you Nonny. That means a lot to me. I always do my very best to try to stay respectful towards people and ships on my blog. That doesn’t mean that I don’t give my very honest opinions and critical takes on certain topics, but I don’t feel the need to yell over it and use more explicit language. I also avoid specific shipping tags for ships I don’t like and character tags for characters I don't like. I find that being respectful like that ultimately gets you further.

Now, that also doesn’t mean that I don’t get frustrated with some takes in fandom. But I mostly -and wisely- choose to rant about that to some of my Tumblr mutuals/friends in private. Throwing out all of my more hateful frustrations in public would only generate more hate and I try to avoid that. My inbox is so much more interesting when I get positive asks. I admit that I get so many asks these days that it has become impossible to answer them all.

Now, I do want to reply to your ask because you talk about a few topics that are near and dear to my heart and -of course- I have some opinions about. 😊

I first want to address The Ryan part of your ask. I was around in fandom during those days. It wasn’t pretty, but the way people talk about this now is a complete overreaction. The cast’s reaction to this event totally gets blown out of proportion. There was some tension for a while there, sure. Oliver deleted some of his tweets/Instagram posts that had to do with Ryan and then he unfollowed him.

But it was obvious that it didn’t take Oliver and the rest of the cast too long to move on. I’m pretty sure that, by the time the shooting arc came along, followed closely by the breaking down arc, Oliver and Ryan were on good terms again. Maybe not as close as they were before at that specific moment, but still on good terms. Both men are professionals and they did such a fantastic job when it came to those amazing scenes.

Now, don’t get me wrong, what Ryan said was inappropriate and disrespectful, I agree. However, the man apologised immediately and he has been working hard since then to become a better and lighter version of himself. And he has succeeded as we can all see how well he gets along with the entire cast and especially the POC in the cast that have completely moved past his mistake.

These days Ryan and Oliver are like two peas in a pod. They have always been close and they have always had insane chemistry, but ever since the beginning of season 7 it has all been ramped up. I’m one of the people convinced that they got the news that Buddie is finally happening. That they got the green light to go there. Which is something they have wanted for a long time now.

Now, second… as to Oliver not liking Lou? I’m afraid that I’m going to have to disagree with you on this one. I really do think that Oliver doesn’t like Lou all that much. If he was upset and angry over what Ryan said in one video a couple of years ago, I can only imagine his horrified reaction to all those terrible, disrespectful and inappropriate Instagram posts Lou made, for which he hasn’t apologised at all by the way. That interview he did with Lou also doesn’t help. Oliver wasn’t comfortable at all. His body language screamed: “I don’t want to be here.” And Lou just kept on talking about himself. I don’t know why Oliver was even there. BT was hardly even mentioned.

So, while I don’t think that Oliver would ask Tim to get rid of Lou, I only think he wouldn’t ask in function of the Buddie arc they are telling. If Tommy’s presence is necessary in that arc? Oliver will suck it up like the professional he is, because if there is one thing he wants more than anything for Buck, it’s Eddie. If Tim were to tell Oliver that he wanted to take the BT relationship further in any way, I do think he would protest and say ‘no’.

Oliver not promoting BT or Tommy has to do with the fact that he knows that Tommy isn’t sticking around as Buck’s love interest. Tommy is a plot device. He has always been a plot device. That is the way the show set him up. He is meant to have a purpose in the Buddie arc. What that purpose is? We don’t know. But it’s all there in the narrative for those who are willing to look at it logically and from a writer’s point of view.

A few seasons ago Oliver just stopped talking about Buddie. In some of his latest interviews he confessed that he stopped talking about them because he didn’t want to lead the fans on. He knew it would never happen under FOX. As soon as the show came into the hands of ABC, he started yapping about Buddie again. Him and Ryan were so vocal about them. It was clear that something had shifted. They knew that they were finally going there. Buddie was happening, but it would take some time to get there.

When they got renewed it was obvious that Tim decided to take his time for Buddie and put a temporary break on their development, so he could do it right in season 8. That didn’t stop him from putting them together in every other scene they were in. 😉

Now, like with all good slow burn couples there has to be a narrative foil. And in comes Tommy. Tommy who seems interested in Eddie. Buck who clearly gets jealous over the fact that Tommy is stealing Eddie (and Chris) from him. And then Tommy realising that he won’t get far with Eddie, but Buck (who is completely confused about his own emotions at this point) seems a little interested, so why not give it a go?

So, why is Oliver not talking about Tommy or engaging with anything BT while he still talks about Buddie and interacted with Buddie stuff up until the finale? Because he knows where the story is heading. History is repeating itself. Oliver doesn’t want to lead the BT fans on, so he simply doesn’t react or interact with anything Tommy or BT. And there is also the element that it is very clear right now that both Oliver and Ryan are actively rooting for Buddie and only Buddie. They know what their characters need. Love that for us! 😊

None of this is about headcanons by the way. It has been said -in words- time and time again, by Oliver himself (and Ryan as well) that he would love Buddie to happen, if it was written well. He shows it in everything he does on social media. Him and Ryan talked about reading fan fiction and watching video edits. I mean, he couldn’t make it anymore clear that he wants Buddie and not BT. So, this is not a headcanon. This is fact.

This is also not about parasocial relationships. We all like Oliver and Ryan, but most of us admire them from afar. We don’t go into their inboxes to message them or we don’t send them weird messages. I know that there are always some more outspoken fanatics in every fandom and the Buddie fandom is not an exception to that. It sadly cannot be avoided, but overall we have been pretty good as a fandom I would say.

That brings us to Lou and his army of goons…

Mind you, I’m not talking about the many normal and lovely sane BT fans and multi-shippers who genuinly like Tommy. Ship and let ship and all. Most of these fans fully realise that Tommy’s time on the show is probably limited. Anonymous OP shoutout!

I’m talking about the select few (the more outspoken and loud fandom fanatics I mentioned before) who accused Buddie fans of hacking one of their Twitter accounts and who thought it was a swell idea to DM Tim with a too long video about strings of fate (which Tim later admitted to never watching)  and ask him about Tommy’s age and other stuff. That is just crazy and a big no no in any fandom. Leave the show runners and actors alone. I don’t care who you ship. Just leave them alone.

The biggest problem is this: Lou made up a bunch of nonsensical headcanons about Tommy and BT that go against every single thing we have seen in canon so far. Canon has shown us, time and time again, that Tommy isn’t really interested in Buck for a loving relationship. Everything he says is reduced to sexual innuendo. And no, I am not a little quivering virgin lady who is afraid of sex and who doesn’t understand the dynamics between two adults in a sexual relationship. I am, in fact, an adult who has had sexual relationships and who knows exactly how relationships work between two adults in their thirties or forties.

Fully grown adults have paid hundreds of dollars to listen to Lou spout his nonsense. These people have all bought the same shirt Lou was wearing in one of his cameos. They call it the Louniform. These people believe every single thing that comes out of Lou’s mouth and take it as gospel. They have extensively hated on Ryan and Eddie. And lately they have even been hating on Oliver because he doesn’t support BT enough in their eyes.

Now that, THAT is a textbook example of a parasocial relationship with an actor.

They call the Buddie shippers ‘homophobic’ for not liking a character. I myself have received some asks in my inbox accusing me of being homophobic. I’m sorry, But WHAT? Look, I have never lied about not vibing with Tommy. I don’t like him as a character. I’m not hateful about it. I don’t spew my dislike for Tommy all over the BT tag or something like that. I just respectfully talk about how he isn’t right for Buck on my own personal blog. This is called ‘Having an opinion and sharing it.’

Tommy is just not my kind of guy at all. I don’t vibe with his demeanour and behaviour. I don’t think he is a good match for Buck. I don’t like the way he treats Buck. And yes! I am a Buddie shipper! So of course a part of why I don’t like him is rooted in the opinion that he is the wrong guy for Buck. But there is so much more to it than only that. Now all of this is not me being homophobic. It is just me being critical and actually using my brain to understand what the show is ultimately really trying to tell me: Tommy is a plot device and we are not supposed to like him!

I’m tired of being accused of something that I am not, over disliking a character that we aren’t even supposed to like in the first place. It’s crazy behaviour. It needs to stop!

Anyway, I’m sorry Nonny. I didn’t mean to end up venting like this on your ask, but it just happened. Now I’m the one being long winded. Sorry.😊 I’m not mad at you or anything like that. Don’t worry.

On the contrary, you helped me get some of these things out in a well written, but still respectful way. You got me writing about all of the fandom things that have been bugging me lately. I was on fire. So, in a weird way: Thank you for your assistance. ❤️

[queenofapeacefuldawn]

SxF Crack Theory: The Identity Of [REDACTED]'s Father

Hear me out here.... but, maybe, Twilight's father could be Yuri's boss, aka, the SSS Lieutenant.

Now, this might be a crack/joke theory, but here is the evidence I have to back up my claim (yes, I'm presenting it because I'm just Like That):

(Warning: Manga spoilers ahead)

Exhibit A: Physical Characteristics

Here is a picture of Agent Twilight:

Here is a picture of Yuri's boss (who, from now in, will be referred to as YB, for my own convenience):

We can see that Twilight and YB have very similar facial characteristics: bluish-grey eyes, blond hair, and a similar face shape (nose, jaw).

We never see Twilight's father's full face: only the lower half, because he has presumably forgotten his face, along with his mother's (King of Emotional Repression™️), but we can see that his jawline and shape of his mouth are very similar to Adult Twilight.

Oh, and look at that- rather pronounced cheekbones, if I do say so myself. Where else did I see those? Hmmm

Exhibit B: Ambiguous Fate

During the War Arc, we're never told about [REDACTED]'s father's fate. We just know he never returns to his family: and the reason why he left for the very last time, was that, "Things have been heating up at the border. I need to take a little business trip." The fact that his, a (presumably) rather important man's, body was never recovered: nor were [REDACTED] or his mother informed of his death. Of course, his body could have been lost in the bombings, or the part of [REDACTED] finding out about his father's dead could have been omitted, but for most of the part, we're left to assume about his father's dead. And... this sounds familiar to another instance...

Like the instance of [REDACTED]'s friends. He (and we) assumed they'd died in the warehouse as children, but later we see that they're alive and in the army (only to die a second time, RIP), but this time, for their deaths to be confirmed: for [REDACTED] to only receive their dog tags after the failed campaign.

This may have been a setup: for Endo to reintroduce [REDACTED]'s father, later in the story, as YB.

Anyway, one thing I've learned after reading and watching so many books, comics, and TV shows: never assume a person's dead, not unless their body/proof of their death has been explicitly shown. This belief was only reinforced after [REDACTED]'s friends.

And, [REDACTED]'s father's last known place was around the Westalian-Ostanian border. He could have escaped in the crossfire, theoretically...

Exhibit C: Fatherly Nature (?)

We all love a good found-family dynamic in the workplace. It's there with WISE, it's there with Garden, and it's kinda there with the SSS.

My main argument about this stems from the chapter which focuses on Yuri's work.

We see YB continuously worry about Yuri's physical health, in panels like:

Obviously, this doesn't happen only in this chapter. Whenever Yuri's there, YB is also there, yelling at him to a) go to sleep, or b) STOP GETTING HIT BY BUSSES OH MY FUCKING GOD IT CAN'T HAPPEN SO MANY TIMES TO ONE PERSON-

And, of course, there's the Yuri Sick Fic chapter:

Not gonna lie, this point is extremely weak, if I brought this up in court I'd be laughed out of there-

Anyway, I just wanted to put this in.

If it does turn out that YB is [REDACTED]'s father then. Bestie. Buddy. How are you managing to be a better father-figure to some insolent kid who gets hit by busses than you were to your actual son, like 20 years ago. Maybe he learned along the way.

Exhibit D: Symbolism (???)

Oh, look, another point I'm pulling out of my ass! But whatever, you're reading it <3

During the War Arc, we see Twilight sustain two major injuries:

One, as a child, when his home is bombed:

And two, as an adult, in the army:

and these injuries are both to his left eye.

Of course, this has given rise to theories of him not being able to see his left eye, it being his blind spot, and Yor guarding his blind spot on missions, etc., etc., which I love bc ✨Twiyor✨

Getting back on point, if we look at YB, we see that he has injuries too... or rather, remnants of them, what with the scars he has...

which, are also on his left eye. Huh! Interesting... this might just be me, but could this be parallels to how similar he and his father were? Are? His father also wanted peace between Ostania and Westalis: but he taught his child that in a very harsh manner (by slapping him), but Twilight wants to teach Anya that in a kind manner. Whenever we see him teaching her, he never loses his cool with her (of course, he loses a lot of hope, but this man's a pessimist, what can we do).

Also shows how much kinder Twilight is, compared to his father.

---

Of course, these points are very weak, and it might just be that Endo reused some character designs for efficiency, but let me be, ok!! This is a crack theory!!! Let me be a clown!!!! AKDFJSJF

If I'm being honest, this post was inspired by a convo I'd had with my friend, around the time Chapter 86 was released. She was theorizing that [REDACTED]'s dad is the Shopkeeper, and I was theorizing it was this dude. Of course, our theorizing was sidetracked by Chapter 86, and a certain panel within it, but... WHATEVER.

So, what are your thoughts? Obviously, my own theory is very weak (for example, why would the SSS accept a Westalian citizen into their ranks? Why would he even join the SSS? Could he have defected? Abandoned his wife and kid?), but this was fun to think about, lol. What are your theories? I think the Shopkeeper-is-the-dad theory and the YB-is-his-dad theory are both cool, so, what do you think?

(Also, yeah, I know, his dad could very well be dead. I just refuse to believe it, bc I'm just Like That <3)

[countlessrealities]

SHIPPING INFO // ANSWER THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR MUSES SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW SHIPPING WORKS ON YOUR BLOG.

tagged by: @dynamoprotocol [[ thank you 🖤 ]] tagging: @imprvdente @omniishambles @misstantabismuses @bossblitzy / @lankybirdy @vastayan--vigilante @halfghcst @hclluvahctel @treasurechcst & whoever wants to steal it !

[[ half of it is under the cut because it got long ^^" I guess it comes with being a multimuse with quite a few muses xD ]]

WHAT IS YOUR OTP FOR YOUR CHARACTER(S)?

If we're talking canon x canon ships, I have a few, but not for all my muses, also because some of them are OCs. To mention some: Adrien/Cat Noir & Marinette/Ladybug, Mabel & Pacifica, Blitzo & Stolas, Millie & Moxxie.

For what concerns ships that I've developed through RPs, that list is much longer and I've built quiet a few of very meaningful dynamics that I love and cherish, just as a I love and cherish the RP partners I write them with:

@advnterccs / @thcpresidcnt / @mcltiples: Rin is that RP partner with whom I have a lot of ships (some on Tumblr, a lot others on Discord) and I love each one to bits (yes, I consider them all OTPs of mine). I suppose that our main ship here on the hellsite are the Ricks (who are self proclaimed soulmates and act obnoxiously about it, followed closely by Evl Rick & Weird Rick (whose relationship is messed up, twisted, unhealthy, unbalance and yet perfect for them), but they are hardly the only ones. We also have our Mortys (who are too cute to be legal omg), whatever it is that there is between our Evil Mortys (that's another twisted interesting relationship right there x3), her Evil Rick with one of my OCs (AR) who have this very playful fling (until it's not), and we've been plotting a dynamic between two of our OCs (Mercenary Rick & Vampire Rick)...another weird one xD The funniest thing is that none of these ships developed as we were expecting and I'm really glad for it because they are even better like this! We also have not fully established ship ideas, for example Rick & Verosika being fuck buddies, or we're still deciding what to do with Adrien & Marinette. And of course, just as important, we have a good list of platonic ships! To mention a couple, our Summers are BFF and her Evil Rick is the best friend of one of my OCs (SR). Also there's that real freaking odd thing between my Evil Rick and hers, which I wouldn't know what to call.

@imprvdente / @hvbris: Chloé is one of my oldest RP and shipping partners and there hasn't been one time when we haven't come up with some, at times unexpected ships x3 We ended up with her demon OC Salomé and Bill being engaged in an arranged marriage, which was the last kind of plot I had expected to write for Bill xD But they are amazing and I love them! In her human verse, Salomé is also my Summer's girlfriend. Then we have her main OC Fish (in her main verse) being Rick's fuck buddy and ex-wife (yep, sonone ended up getting drunk married and it was hilarious), while in her teen verse she's Morty's classmate, close friend and secret crush x3 We some great platonic ships too, like the GIdeon twins & the Pines twins, or the Gideon twins & Bill (not a friendly bond as you can imagine xD). In the verse where FIsh has a thing with Rick, she's also Summer's mentor figure and she's friends with Morty. And there's more to come!

@dynamoprotocol: Where can I start to describe the pit of endless ask and past bliss that Rick and Clarissa are? It started off years before the series are a passionate but unhealthy romance that ended in a disastrous break-up, and is currently a bitter, painful relationship made of constant fighting and playing the guilt game. Locke and I have discussed possible plots that could lead them to reconcile (not necessarily getting back together) and I'm really looking forward to explore those! Just as I'm really excited about Clarissa's transition arc and Rick and Chance's rebuilt, healthier relationship. Not to mention that Clarissa / Chance exists in a variant of my and Rin's shared verse and she's dating her Rick x3 But our endgame is a poly relationship with the three of them! Also Clarissa is starting to befriend Morty and Summer too, and Chance's relationship with Morty is just beautiful.

@technodromes: Let me start saying that the developing ships I have with Saby were born kinda by chance, because she sent a meme in which I mentioned that Rick would fuck everyone of the Technodrome crew (aside from the manchildren ofc) and all of a sudden Rick was flirting / teasing / messing with all three her blorbs (Krang, Subprime, Bishop). For now, nothing is really officially established, but it's pretty obvious that they are (sometimes reluctant) friends who are attracted to each other...in some way xD In any case, all those relationships are hilarious, but I'm also waiting for the parts were they will not be -insert evil laughter- Also BIG shootout for Morty and Bishop's friendship because it's one of the most wholesome platonic ships I have on this blog! Also, I'm curious to see what will happen between Summer and Subprime xD

@moonspower: Virote & Rick are another very fun pair. Looking at them, you would expect them to get along because they are extremely different, and they do butt heads a lot. However, they also relish said differences, because they allow each other to experience a completely different lifestyle and view of the world. Not to mention that, under their personas, they are both flawed, traumatised individuals who struggle a lot with everything they have gone through. Rick at times resents how much more put together than him Vi looks and Vi is a little envious or Rick's apparent freedom, but the truth is that they are more similar than they realise. By now Virote is a family friend, and he has a good amical bond with Morty and Summer too.

@misstantabismuses: Jinx and Summer started as a crack ship, but it turned out that they work really well together, so Miss T and I decided to let them live their mutual (still unconfessed) crush on each other x3 Summer provides a somehow healthier, stabler point of view for Jinx, while Jinx pushes Summer to believe more in herself and not to fear her wilder side. I think that they make a really good pair. And speaking of being good for each other, Morty and Jinx are each other trauma support group. Their experiences are very different, but at the same time they can understand and relate to each other. They feel appreciated and accepted for what they are and I love how they have come to always have each other's back. It's a beautiful friendship / kinship right there.

There are a few others relationships I'm enjoying, but they are still at the early stages, so I still need to get a proper vibe out of them. But I'm looking forward to see where they will go too!

HOW LARGE DOES THE AGE GAP HAVE TO BE TO MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE?

Honestly, most of my muses don't really consider age as a factor that can stop them from being attracted to someone else and, personally, I don't have an issues with large age gaps. As long as it makes sense for the character and as long as it's mutual and consensual, then age isn't really a deal breaker for me.

Of course, if it is for my ship partner, I do respect their boundaries and let them choose what gap is too large for their comfort. I just roll along with it.

The biggest, clearest example is the ships I have with my Ricks (also because they get engaged with aliens, non-organic beings, etc, so age becomes an extremely relative concept)...C-137 especially, since he's the muse who has more relationships than anyone else on this blog.

As I mentioned, among his main ships there are Clarissa [@dynamoprotocol] who is roughly 30 years younger than him, Virote [@moonspower] who is almost 40 years younger than him, Fish [@imprvdente] who is immortal and has been around for more or less 400 years. And then you have Saby's blorbs [@technodromes] who are like...5000 years old? And same goes (to quote a more recent sexual relationship he has acquired) with Petal [@petalsxfallen] who is even older than the Utrom trio.

So yeah, I think this proves that no age gap is too large for me, as long as what I said before about consent (for both muns and muses) is respected.

HOW FAR DO STEAMY MOMENTS HAVE TO GO BEFORE THEY ARE CONSIDERED NSFW?

This kind of depends. I always tag threads that can't be considered PG-13 as "suggestive tw", to allow people who don't want to see the slightest hint of steam to curate their content. So, like, even just a make out session that isn't going to turn into an intercourse but that's written with some details, that gets tagged as "suggestive tw".

As for when "suggestive tw" turns into "nsft tw", I usually draw the line at when certain words start being used (mostly words to explicitly describe genitals) and when clothes start to come off in a sexy way (if that makes sense xD). At that point, not only the threads is labelled as "nsft tw", but it also gets shoved under "Read more". Or moved to Discord, if my writing partner prefers not writing this sort of content on Tumblr.

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WHEN SHIPPING?

Yes, in the sense that I ship with chemistry. I have to feel a good connection both between the muses and between me and the other mun, otherwise it's really hard for me to get involved and attached to a ship. That considered, some basic but more or less regular OOC communication is strongly prefer, because it allows to keep the interest alive and the dynamic evolving. There's nothing worse than a relationship grown stale and static, if you ask me, because it gets boring very, very fast.

That said, some of my muses are pretty easy to engage in casual, strictly sexual relationships (even if, in that case too, there has to be sexual chemistry between them and the other muse), and I'm always happy to play long with that. Rick, AR, Stan and Blitzo are absolutely open to have fuck buddies and friends with benefits, not to mention short flings and one-night stands. On the non-sexual side, Morty and Mabel crush on people very easily, but on the other hand said feelings are usually also very superficial.

However, when it comes to actual, stable ships that involve feelings, then I tend to be selective because I need the chemistry and the communication I've mentioned before.

It's also worth to mention that some of my muses are almost unshippable, so building a ship with them is hard and requires a lot of discussing / plotting / commitment. I headcanon both Evil Morty and Jinx as ace and greyromantic, which means that they won't be attracted to others' looks and it takes a strong connection with the person for them to develop feelings for someone (and even when it happens, these feelings are going to be twisted and unhealthy and definitely not the sort of love normal people would feel, due to their traumatic pasts and upbringings). The only other muse (who's not my Evil Rick), my Evil Morty has connected so far is his timeline split counterpart [@thcpresidcnt] and it's very hard to tell what that relationship is about. Then there's Bill, whom not only I headcanon as aro-ace, but who is a dream entity with no real interest or understand for sex and romance. I'd say that he is unshippable if it wasn't for the "business marriage" turned into real partnership I'm building with him and @hvbris's Salomé. He eventually becomes pretty fond of her, but it's an attachment purely based on respect and intrigue, so nothing to do with love or sexual attraction.

All the other muses are more or less approachable, but the rule about chemistry still applies to them all, no exceptions.

WHO ARE OTHER CHARACTERS YOU SHIP YOUR CHARACTER WITH?

I tend to be a picky shipper even outside RPing, so I tend to have few pairings for each media to which I'm extremely attached. Aside from the pairings that I've already mentioned in the answer to the first question, there's very few other ships I like / don't mind, even if they aren't ships I spend time and efforts on.

To make a little list:

I want Morty to get a boyfriend / show interest in a male-identifying individual at some point, because no one in that family is straight and it's very obvious, but he's the only one who still hasn't shown open attraction to anyone who's not female.

I'd also love for Summer to have a not-guy love interest, because she deserves someone who can treat her well and who can keep up with her. I've seen around some art of her and Jessica and I think that they are pretty good together and could make sense as a pairing.

In my own personal canon (which I usually don't apply to RPs unless previously discussed with my writing partner), AR and Rick have known each other for a while, do business together and are also fuck buddies (no romance involved, even if AR probably has a mug that says "C-137's #1 fan" xD), so I guess that counts as a ship I like...?

I sort of like the idea of Blizo & Verosika going through a "bitter exes to having hate sex to friends with benefits" kind of arc. They hurt each other badly, but it's also obvious that they still care for each other. I don't think they could function as a healthy couple, but with some (a lot of) work they could definitely become good friends.

Millie & Verosika could make an interesting pair too. I have a soft spot for badass queens couples, sue me xD

There's probably more that I can't think of right now and I'm always open to suggestions, so don't hesitate to come to me with ideas!

DOES ONE HAVE TO ASK TO SHIP WITH YOU?

Tendentially yes. As I said, I need chemistry between both the muses and the muns to get involved in a ship, which means that I require at least some basic communication, or I end up losing interest very quickly.

This doesn't mean that it can't happen that our muses can't grow attracted to each other through interactions, even if the ship hasn't been discussed yet. Tbh, some of the most interesting pairings I ended up writing have built themselves on their own xD However, to "seal the deal", I do require that the other mun comes to talk to me about the ship...or that I go and talk to them about it. I'm more than willing to do the first step in that sense if the chemistry between the characters is good and I can see them working well!

This goes for requited feelings. If you want your muse to crush on / be attracted to mine, you can totally go for it, no need to come and ask me about it! Unless you want to. Unrequited crushes can be really fun to play out and so is making laughing at our muses x3

ARE YOU SHIP OBSESSED OR SHIP MORE-OR-LESS?

I love shipping and I make no secret of it. If I feel that two characters have chemistry and I like them together, then I do pursue the pairing. However, I wouldn't say that I'm strictly ship obsessed.

When I read / write fanfictions, I tend to focus on shippy ones, even if the ship isn't always the focus of the plot. I like having it in the story, but I'm also more attracted by stories that also explore other things or that have a more general context. And that's what I try to give when I write a long fic (for one-shots it's different, mostly because there's not enough space to explore too many themes).

With roleplay, it's more or less the same, with the exception that, more than being "ships driven", I tend to be dynamics drive, and that includes also non-romantic relationships. I like to build relationships, of every kind and sort, and to watch mine and my partner's muses walk along the road that takes them into becoming a stable part of each other's life.

It's honestly one of my favourite parts when it comes to RPing, and that's why, whenever the other person is open to it, I create a whole verse for us, so we can keep developing our muses' shared story through multiple interactions.

So, I'm a ships lover, but I also believe that there's a lot more than shipping when it comes to writing and roleplaying.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHIP IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM?

Fandom per fandom list? Looks like we're doing it x'D

Rick and Morty: Beth & Space Beth

Arcane: Vi & Caitlyn, Jayce & Viktor

Gravity Falls: Mabel & Pacifica

Helluva Boss: Millie & Moxxie, Blitzo & Stolas, Asmodeus & Fizzarolli

Miraculous: the love square (especially Adrien & Marinette, Cat Noir & Marinette), Alya & Nino, Rose & Juleka

There are other ships I like, but these are the main ones!

FINALLY, HOW DOES ONE SHIP WITH YOU?

Come and talk to me. As simple (and complicated, because I know how nerve-wrecking it can be to approach someone, especially if you want to ask them to ship) as that. As I said, I'm selective when it comes to shipping, but I'm always open to new ideas!

This said, once again, your muse is welcome to be attracted / have a crush / falling in love with mine and act on it. Depending on the chemistry (between both muses and muns), this could either develop into something or remain one-sided. I personally like exploring unrequited love dynamics too, but I understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea!

[matan4il]

Is it just me or is 911 improving writing and cinematography wise?

Hi Nonnie, thank you so much for this ask!

So, I have to say s1 is IMO the weakest one of the whole show. It's not that that season was devoid of warmth and humanity, but I do think we got so much more of that from s2 on, there's just no comparison. So based on that alone, it's a resounding yes.

If I take seasons 2 to 5 separately from s1, I think they've all been great. They have been consistently well written, well acted, well directed and well filmed. We've had certain moments (like the montage at the end of 402, for example) where I could go on forever about how well they were done in every aspect of TV making even as stand alone moments.

Something that I think is important to keep in mind when comparing older to newer seasons, is that the further into a show we get, the richer it is. Its past that the writers can draw from, our knowledge of the characters and what makes them who they are, the parallels that can be built as layers upon layers upon layers. The older seasons were the foundation, so there was a limit to how many layers each scene could hold. The further along we get, the more every scene, every line, can become charged because it reflects back to so many previous moments.

I can talk about my own writing, too. I love writing Buddie, and I hope that even when I write one shots, they're interesting, rich and hopefully insightful. I have the advantage that as a fic writer I can play off canon, so hopefully I'm not completely wrong. And yet, when writing a longer fic like Blue Against Blue, I can build intertextual layers within the fic in a way I can't quite with most one shots. To give the simplest example I can think of, I had Buck listening to a specific song and trying to get a message across to Eddie through it in chapter 13, and the song meant a certain thing. And then I had Buck listening to another cover of the same song in chapter 18 (both featured in the fic’s playlist), so the return to the same thing from a different place highlights the arc that Buddie have gone through between these two chapters, and listening to the song takes on a whole new meaning, but one that's (hopefully) made richer and more poignant because it is built on top of the previous one.

Argh, I hope that's clear? My point is, IDK if 911 is getting better or if it's the optics of having a really great writing team which knows how to utilize the show's past material, but either way, there's no doubt that the experience keeps getting richer and more profound, and I'm glad we get to enjoy it together! ;) Have a nice day, lovely! xoxox

If you're looking for my ask replies, here is my ask tag! xoxox

[narrativelysignificantturtleduck]

003 piandao!

YES

003 | Give me a character & I will tell you:

How I feel about this character: there are two versions of piandao, as far as i'm concerned. there's the guy we meet in canon - a cool old swordmaster who exists in the narrative solely to love and appreciate sokka - and then there's the fully fleshed-out character that i built from that foundation. the latter doesn't contradict the former, exactly, but if i say i love piandao i'm probably thinking of the more nuanced character. that's what i'll be using for the rest of these questions.

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: jeong jeong <3 they had a secret relationship while in the military that abruptly ended when jeong jeong deserted, and then after the war jeong jeong moves in with him and they get back together.

i also have an old wip where he dates a guy from the earth kingdom during the "traveling the world" part of his backstory, and i think it'd be fun if he and hakoda had some sort of Thing post-canon when sokka introduces all his dads. like, i couldn't straight-up ship them because i like pianjeong and bakoda too much, but maybe they flirt to embarrass sokka and get a little too into it, end up having a little fling with their partners' consent.

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: sokka obviously <3 he loves his son so much

My unpopular opinion about this character: i like the idea of a piandao&zuko relationship and piandao adopting zuko is certainly better than the hakoda adopts zuko trend, but it is an absolute crime that there are more fics on ao3 tagged piandao&zuko than piandao&sokka. sokka's the one with an established relationship with him! he's the nonbender who needed another nonbender to reassure him he was worthy! piandao exists as a character specifically for sokka! his episode is literally called "sokka's master"!

like i said, it's not as bad as the hakoda adopts zuko trend, but it's the same underlying issue - taking minor characters who are important to sokka's arc and giving them to zuko instead. it annoys me and i wish fandom would stop being so zuko-centric.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: i feel like the "abandoned for being a nonbender" thing is an interesting bit of fire nation worldbuilding that would fit right into canon, but i'm not sure how it would actually fit in. maybe sokka feels bad for being a nonbender because someone in the town says something negative about him? or he overhears someone talking about how they don't want a nonbender kid and that's what aggravates all his insecurities and brings him to train with piandao? and then the payoff would be piandao revealing that he was a unwanted kid and you can't worry about what people think of you?

but i don't know. i feel like that changes sokka's conflict. his arc in that episode is more internal, about how he views himself rather than about how other people see him. i don't think there's room for more piandao in canon.

Favorite friendship for this character: also sokka. they're master and student and father and son and also pai sho buddies <3 they talk white lotus business and share white lotus gossip and have all kinds of inside jokes with each other.

My crossover ship: i don't have crossover ships but i DO know which star trek character each atla character should meet, and for piandao the answer is sulu. obviously.

[verobatto]

Destiel Chronicles

Vol. LXXXII

It was a love story from the very beginning.

Is Not Allowed (Part III)

(12x10 c)

Hello everyone! And look what Yockey made me do! A third part of his episode! 🤣

But this is the last part from 12x10, and I will throw here the Sacred Oath again, and the transference Ishim makes while talking about 'human weakness'.

Cas is family and is more than that for Dean

So, when Ishim and Cas finish their story about Lily, Dean and Sam feel they can talk and reason with this woman.

SAM: We're here to talk, that's it. We come in peace. Just hear us out. We heard what happened to your family.

LILY: My family?

DEAN: See, Cas is our family, so we can't let you hurt him.

Dean continues placing Cas in that spot, because is the top place he has. But we all know he feels different about him, that's why when they discovered the truth, and who Ishim is, the worrisome in Dean's face alerts Sam, who let his brother go to save Castiel.

Is extremely important the disrespectful way Ishim talks about Cas and his relationship with the Winchesters. Because Ishim sees any kind of relationship with humans as a weakness. He transfers his own fears and ideas to Cas, because he sees in Cas his own relationship with Lily, but he deeply is envying the bond Cas reached with Dean, because he couldn't achieve it with Lily.

ISHIM: The way you let those simians talk to you... Castiel, when did you get so gooey? You know why we're meant to stay away from them humans? Hmm? It's not because we're a danger to them. They're a danger to us. Case in point.

Here we have a parallel with Sam and Dean saying to Cas why he let the angels to talk to him so mean. But also, Ishim is pointing humans like danger, why? Because his experience with Lily make him have strong feelings, he even got obsessed with the woman. Is a toxic mirror of what Destiel is.

CAS: Well, my friendship with Sam and Dean has made me stronger.

ISHIM: You can't really believe that.

Castiel is sure he's much better after knowing the Winchesters, and he will repeat these words in episode 12x12 in the barn, because the truly believe this, but to Ishim, have feelings for human, mostly for one particular human, romantic feelings, as he felt for Lily, makes you weak. Because he feels that way. He feels weak because of that strong feeling inside of him. Because Ishim relationship with Lily were sick and Cas and Dean is not.

Human Weakness

The way Dean approached Cas, is showing us he's not mad at him anymore. He was conciliation. The ways he places his hand on Castiel's shoulder, is supportive and protective. Because Cas is family, and more than that.

And the words he says to Ishim, about his relationship with Cas, are priceless. It shows the huge difference between Destiel and Ishim with Lily.

ISHIM: Who are you gonna believe? Your brother, or some filthy ape who's always talking down to you, always mocking you.

DEAN: You know, Cas and I might not agree all the time, but at least he knows who his real friends are.

Beautiful, you know why? Because Dean is using the word 'I', is this a kind of apologies? Yes it is! And again, Castiel chooses Dean.

Then we have the pivotal Destiel scene...

ISHIM: You survived Hell. You were chosen by God. But now look at you. You're just sad and pathetically weak.

Why is Castiel weak at the sight of Ishim's eyes? Because he knows he fell in love with a human too, just like him. Transference.

ISHIM: So now... I'm gonna help you. I'm gonna cure you of your human weakness same way I cured my own– by cutting it out.

Gif set credit @godshipsit 👇

And is not surprise, he was talking about Dean, because he approaches him slowly, blandished his angel blade, looking straight to Dean. And now, is time for Dean to choose Castiel. (If this is not romantic, idk what it is guys.)

DEAN: Don't move.

ISHIM: Do it. You blast me away, you'll blast away every angel in the room. I'll survive. Castiel, on the other hand, he's hurt. He might live or he might just end up a bloody smear on the wall. Roll the dice.

Gif set credit @inacatastrophicmind 👇

And Dean lows his hand. *SOBBING*

The Touch

Before talking about the way Dean touched Castiel's shoulder in the last scene, let's talk about this...

CAS: I truly can't imagine the depths of your loss. This was your child. I can't imagine the pain. So if you leave here and you find that you can't forgive me... I'll be waiting.

What a way to place a foreshadow here, as I said, Yockey is the one writing a guide for the entire Destiel plot and the most important incoming topics. Castiel will be able to feel what to be a father is, it will be part of his arc. And in an episode in which we talked about WEAKNESS AND NEPHILIM, WE ARE SHOWN HOW ONE CHILD (JACK) WILL MAKE CASTIEL STRONGER.

Now, time to scream about Destiel...

Gif credit @rosewhipped22 👇

Look at this gif... They're back in the bunker and is time to console Castiel, because he had a hard day. So Dean brings him a beer. But... Look at his hand. He touches Castiel's shoulder, but then he carresses it, looking away!!!! He's looking away because what he's doing feels huge inside of him, he is touching the angel not in a brotherly way, not in a platonic way at all, he's being subtle about his feelings towards Cas!!! So have a beer, buddy, and here have a nice touch. Because Dean needed it. He needed to show Cas, even if is in this subtle way, he cares about him, he cares A LOT, about him.

Okay, I'm done with this episode.

To Conclude:

Ishim's transfers into Cas his weakness and his relationship with Lily, a human.

But the huge difference between them and Destiel is, Dean and Cas love each other, even if sometimes they fight, they love each other, and that love makes them stronger.

Hope you like this one, see you in the next meta!

Tagging @magnificent-winged-beast @emblue-sparks @weird-dorky-little-deana @michyribeiro @whyjm @legendary-destiel @a-bit-of-influence @thatwitchydestielfan @misha-moose-dean-burger-lover @lykanyouko @evvvissticante @savannadarkbaby @dea-stiel @poorreputation @bre95611 @thewolfathedoor @charlottemanchmal @neii3n @deathswaywardson @followyourenergy @dean-is-bi-till-i-die @hekatelilith-blog @avidbkwrm @anarchiana @dickpuncher365 @vampyrosa @authorsararayne @mybonsai1976 @love-neve-dies @dustythewind @wayward-winchester67 @angelwithashotgunandtrenchcoat @trashblackrainbow @deeutdutdutdoh @destiel-shipper-11 @larrem88 @charmedbycastiel @ran-savant @little-crazy-misha-minion @samoosetheshipper

@shadows-and-padlocked-hearts @mishtho @dancingtuesdaymorning @nerditoutwithbooks @mikennacac73 @justmeand-myinsight @idontwantpeopletoknowmyname @teddybeardoctor @pepevons @helevetica @isthisdestiel @dizzypinwheel @jawnlockwinchester @horsez2 @qanelyytha

@destielle @agusvedder @spnsmile @shippsblog @robot-feels @superlock-in-the-tardis @superduckbatrebel @2musiclover2 @nickelkit @anon-non2 @cea1996

If you want to be added or removed from this list, just let me know.

If you want to read the previous metas from season 12, here you have the links...

Vol. LXXV, LXXVI, LXXVII, LXXVIII, LXXIX, LXXX, LXXXI.

Buenos Aires, October 4th 2020 9:30 PM

[dragonofdarknesschaos]

I've been thinking (because I'm quarantined and bored, sorry )..how it could be possible for Jack to form a good friendship? ...I mean even if a person shows affection, good intentions or a real interest on his stuff... the chance of Jack's betrayal is still there. I don't know I'm wondering ..if he can have a healthy friendship.

*cackles*  Jack Spicer, as he is in XS, is not capable of forming a stable and healthy relationship, despite the fact that he desperately wants and needs one.  And if that ain’t the tragedy of the whole series.

The Jack of Showdown

Just when Jack finally starts to actually warm up and be open and honest about his feelings with others, he either gets grossly mistreated (“The Deep Freeze,” “The Apprentice”) or is presented with the choice of being loved and accepted, despite who he is and what he’s done, or giving in to his baser instincts and double crossing his new would-be friends to get praised by someone who could not care less about him (“The Apprentice”).  It’s difficult to tell if Jack feels he doesn’t deserve to be happy for some deep and personal reason, or if he’s so focused on being seen as EVIL™ and not good; that he believes he must take any and all opportunities to prove his evil worth.  Whatever the reason, the Jack in XS would need someone that will stick by his side no matter what decisions he makes, or what actions he takes to push that person away.  Someone who unconditionally supports him and wants to be by his side.  The problem is, that’s more of a pet and has the potential to become quite toxic.

The Jack of Chronicles

As for the Jack of XC, he has some boundaries, and he’s not quite as ruthless.  He knows he’s kind of a loser, but he still really wants a girlfriend to help boost his sense of masculine ego.  But more importantly, he just wants a friend, to the point that he was willing to pay people to hang out with him (just like in XS “Something Jermaine,” “Judging Omi” and XC’s “Magic Stallion and the Wild Wild West,” “Buddy Blue Ray and the Golden Bunnies,” and “Heal Me”).

Jack enjoys Wuya’s company, but she gets frustrated with his lack of action in favor of building capital or just having fun (the Golden Toilet arc, “Super Cow Patty,” “Tokyo Madness,” and “Omi Saves the Holidays” among many others).  Jack seems to have moved out of his parent’s basement, and is now in his own warehouse/factory, so he’s really trying to focus on starting up his Evil Business idea and often refers to himself as an “evil entrepreneur” throughout the series.  While Wuya appreciates the “go get ‘em” spirit, she still feels that Jack isn’t doing enough to help her, which is the whole reason they teamed up in the first place.  Because of her nagging attitude and matriarchal approach to the relationship, Jack often feels smothered and refuses to act.  However, he still has boundaries and refuses to do certain things if they are not in his interests as well (“Back in the Flesh Again”).

Jack and Shadow

With Wuya as Jack’s pseudo-mother, he needs a datemate to call his own.  Gone is his curiosity in Kimiko (though he does seem to think she’s still cool), but if it’s any other girl, he will do his best to impress her.

Case in point Willow--who he tried to ask on a date if he won the Showdown Trio in “The Fall of Xiaolin.”  She strongly states that she isn’t interested in him in the least, and because the two never see each other again, I would assume Jack dropped the pursuit.

Shadow on the other hand, he likely sees a lot of himself in her.  They’re both evil, admire Chase, they seem about the same age, and... that’s about where the similarities end.  Shadow’s actions say that she is repulsed by Jack, but she never pushes him away, and even praises his “doo-hickies” (“The Laws of Nature,” “Rocco”).  With the use of camera drones, Jack witnessed a lot of the private behavior and abuse between Chase and Shadow, and even some of the abuse in person ( “Tigress Woo,” “Rocco”).  Even the cold open of “Who Shrunk Master Fung?” features Jack being very careful not to harm a strange bird, who is later revealed to be Shadow.  Case in point, the Jack of XC has a streak of kindness in him, and it is unclear if Shadow sees that and resents Jack for having it, or if she admires that aspect of him.  Regardless, after the events of “The Laws of Nature,” where Jack effectively double crosses Chase (and her by extension), Shadow likely made the choice to never trust Jack completely.  She double crosses him at the end of their wonderful team up in “Back in the Flesh Again.”  And Jack doesn’t even get upset or angry about the loss and betrayal.  He’s even more smitten and tries to brag to Omi and Ping Pong before realizing they aren’t into it and flies off.

Overall Jack and Shadow have feasible grounds for a relationship--even a romantic one--if they could both create some honesty and trust between each other, but neither is willing to do that, despite Jack’s over sharing (literally every time he opens his mouth around Chase).  For further reading on Jack’s relationship with Shadow and Chase, check out this post.

Jack doesn’t interact with Tigress, Kimiko’s older sister, much, but he does bother to keep tabs on her and warns Kimiko about her sister’s more nefarious activities (“Tigress Woo”).  It’s unclear if he did this in an effort to get closer to the Monks as a friend, or if he was stalking Tigress because he was attracted to her.  In either case, Tigress is never seen again or mentioned by Jack.

Jack’s Other Interests

There are a handful of episodes in XC that revolve around Jack seeing or meeting another evil-doer and fixating on them, often trying to model himself after them in some fashion.  He does this with PandaBubba to a lesser extent in “Magic Stallion and the Wild Wild West,” then goes full blown fan for Super Cow Patty (in his self-titled episode) and later Le Mime in the same episode, making fan videos and full costumes with personas for both his fixations.  In both instances with the truly evil characters (PB and Le Mime), Jack was looking for a sense of acceptance by an Evil Businessman and entrepreneurial peer, and a sense of belonging to a larger community with Le Mime and his henchmen.  That desire for belonging to a larger community is reiterated earlier in the series with “Heal Me” and Reverse!Jack’s cult.

However, when presented with an actual fan of his, Tiny Sim, Jack is actually somewhat reluctant to have the fan tag along with him.  And maybe that was for the best, as Jack soon discovers that the fan he inspired to become Evil is actually a lot better at it than he, himself, is (“Drawn to be Evil”).  In retaliation, Jack confines the fan to being just a creative idea intern.  Jack is essentially taking credit for all of Tiny Sim’s ideas, and not paying the kid a thing.  Sim, either because he’s doing what his idol taught, or because he feels cheated, makes it a priority to take a Wu or two when he can out of Jack’s stash (“Mark of the Dragon Spirit”).  Sadly, the series ended before the relationship between these two could be further developed.  It wouldn’t have been healthy, but at least it would have been something.

Another important note, Jack does make the clear distinction in both series that the gallery of sellswords he pays to be around him are only in it as long as there’s money for them to be had.  They are not his friends, they will never be his true friends, they’re just people he pays until the money runs out (“Something Jermaine,” “Judging Omi”).  So Katnappe, Tubbimura, Cyclops (after their initial debut), and to a lesser extent Vlad will never truly be Jack’s friends.  Vlad does make a return in XS’s “The Demon Seed” to try and cheer Jack up (not that he’s very good at it), but he doesn’t seem to want anything from Jack other than to do evil things and pal around.  This is a bit of a departure from their first encounter where Jack was presumably paying Vlad to be his hired muscle and inside man (“The Deep Freeze”).

Jack’s Robots

Jack’s relationship with his various Jackbots and other robots is an interesting one.  It’s possible that he created them out of a sick sense of wanting to have friends that he could control, but it comes back more to how the bots are presented in both series.

The Jackbots of XS seem to have a hive mind of sorts, as they will blindly (and sometimes literally) follow their master’s commands.  Those that fall are replaced as if nothing happened to the fallen Jackbot; their numbers are legion.  The bots are later programmed with emotions and feel sadness, but not fear.  This is interesting, because Jack is shown having temper tantrums from time to time, but he doesn’t break things, only tosses them around (“The Journey of A Thousand Miles”).

Jack’s relationship with the more “custom” humanoid robots is split into a binary.  On the one side are the bots that went rogue and have tried to annihilate him or simply want nothing to do with him: Chameleon Bot, Robo!Jack, and the patent-pending Shen Gong Wu Detect-o-bot.  On the other side are the bots he grew very attached to: Yesbot, his Cheerbot squad, and the Shen Gong Wu Detect-o-bot before it went rogue.  Both Yes~ and Detect-o~ allow Jack to be more of a child, as he is depicted being held like a scared child with both of them (if I remember correctly.  “Oil in the Family,” “The Demon Seed”).  He treats them like the parent he doesn’t have around.  The Cheerbots are his hott Barbie dolls that he gets to dress up and maintain.  He doesn’t go much farther than projecting personalities and life problems onto them.  Eventually they are absorbed into the Jackbot hive.

Remember how Jackbots don’t show or know fear in XS?  XC opens with Jack having a tantrum, and many of his various designs of bot run away from him.  Jack is left cornering Chefbot, who has darts sticking out of his chef’s hat.  Rather peculiar for robots to be afraid of their master, especially since they are meant to be hoards of drones.  As Chefbot is developed as a character, Jack comes to respect his creation more, but Chefbot says he has no interest in hanging around someone like Jack; he wants to go places and be a real chef!  He can’t do that if he’s making paltry snacks for Jack.  Chefbot’s last appearance in the series is on a cooking show (either on TV or YouLook) making pizza, while Jack follows along from his RV.  Jack seems quite relaxed and at ease, even using the Banyan Twister Shen Gong Wu to stretch his body and the pizza dough.  It is never stated, but perhaps Jack is proud of his creation accomplishing it’s dream.

Thank You for Being a Friend

In conclusion, the Jack of XS is incapable of having a healthy friendship with anyone, either because he thinks he doesn’t deserve it or because he really is just a terrible person and pushes everyone away.  He would need someone to stand by and support him no matter what he does and no matter how horribly he treats that person.  Such a relationship has the potential to become toxic if boundaries are not set and if Jack doesn’t grow as a person.

The Jack of XC is desperate for a single friend, but 98% of the cast sees him as a pathetic loser, and not worth a second of their time.  Those that do see value in Jack’s companionship have all been hurt by Jack’s betrayal and lack of trust, or have betrayed Jack, because they have no trust in him (often from a previous encounter).  For this Jack to form a stable friendship, he needs someone who he can talk to honestly, openly, and not be judged for his feelings, and he seems to want someone who talks the same way to him.  He’s ready for a relationship, he just doesn’t have the rapport or trust built up with anyone.

TL;DR

Jack lacks basic trust in all his relationships.  He would need someone he can constantly count on, while also setting healthy and reasonable boundaries with that person.  If honesty and trust--ABSOLUTE TRUST--is there, Jack can have a friend, maybe even something more.

[lemotmo]

Follow up to the sexuality arc

Q. When you put it in the simplest possible form like you did of course you can arrive at it being a sexuality issue but there are lots of other reasons people can feel broken. And Buck has never been the reason why his relationships didn't work out.

A. Of course there are plenty of other reasons a person can feel broken. But the show has been very particular in the way they have framed Eddie's relationships, and especially his feelings regarding them. I wasn't putting it in its simplest form. I explained Eddie's canon dating history. What facts did I leave out in order to simplify or slant things in a particular direction? I also didn't imply that his relationships weren't working out specifically because of Buck. What I was saying is the aspects of his relationships that seem to cause his freakouts are things he already has with Buck.

The show has pretty much established that Eddie dates because he thinks he needs to date. He thinks he owes Christopher a mother. It's why he introduces them to Christopher so quickly. The only reason they're there is to fill a void Eddie believes exists in Christopher's life. But the show has already made Buck the person that's filed that role. And the audience sees him in that role. With the exception of physical, in other words sexually, what other role does Buck not fill in Eddie's life? He fills the partner role. He fills the co-parent role. He fills the confidant role. He fills the best friend role. He fills the emotional connection/support role. He fills the safety role. He fills the comfort role. The show has established what Eddie is looking for he already has in Buck. The same argument can be made for the roles Eddie fills in Buck's life as well. The only thing their relationship doesn't currently have is a physical level of intimacy. That's it. Their relationship checks every other box. That's the way they are written. That's the entire problem. It's why no outside relationship works for either one of them. It's also why the leap to putting them in an actual relationship is not that big or scary because they're basically already in a relationship. All making it official would do is add the physical element. It's also why we have reached the point where legitimate articles about the show are now saying that it's odd that the show hasn't addressed the Buddie aspect. That is where we are now. Of course the show could choose to continue to ignore it but at this point it would be detrimental to their product. Because everyone, including the two actors who play them, see this the same way. It is the only long-term satisfactory relationship storyline for either character. It's time. It's past time.

Thank you Nonny! Appreciate it!

Yes yes and yes. I'm just going to shut up now. Ali explained it so well. This is the way I see it as well, so I figure my own musings wouldn't add anything relevant to this post.

IMPORTANT! Please don't repost this ask and/or a link that leads straight to my Tumblr account on Twitter or any other social media. Thank you!

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Remember, no hate in comments, reblogs or inboxes. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

If you are interested in more of Ali’s posts, you can find all of her posts so far under the tag: anonymous blog I love.