#I absolutely adore how you expanded on every single character

[laureliciousdefinition]

Babe wake up laurelicious has returned with more modern au headcanons 🥱 thank u to everyone who loves on these posts and adds their own silly things to it!!! Y’all make me very happy and I’m glad we can share this goofy universe!!

Previous sillies:

1 2 3 4 5 6

See yall unda da cut 😼😼😼

-little miss Unnamed Marston Daughter has absolutely been blasting Olivia Rodrigo’s new album around the house

Everyone complains but John finds himself quietly murmuring “seeing u tonight… it’s a bad idea right??” While he’s brushing his teeth

Abigail tries to be supportive and plays it while she drives the kids to school, now she and Jack know all the words to Vampire and listen to it once they’ve already dropped UMD off

-both Marston children always dress as something weird for Halloween

John and Abigail stay up late making the costumes for their weirdo children bc they love them :)

On a similar note when John and Arthur were kids they were little matching power rangers and if you bring it up to Dutch he WILL cry over it bc he loves his babies

-the entire Marston family takes Halloween way too seriously to be completely honest

Abigail and John are the cool family in the neighborhood with the really good candy

Dutch and Hosea have now graduated to the old person level of giving out full sized bars but the window of opportunity before they turn in for the night is SMALL so all the kids in their neighborhood sprint to their house first

Charles and Arthur give out tootsie rolls and milk duds. That’s it.

-the following are songs John cried to as a teenager:

Fall for You by Secondhand Serenade

Miserable at Best by Mayday Parade

Scars by Papa Roach

Disenchanted by MCR

-John and Javier were absolutely bffs in middle/high school, they kissed once at a party then never spoke of it again

Javier is now the cool childless uncle that they all see once a year and brings the kids cool gifts

-when Arthur was a teenager he got caught sneaking back into the house after curfew, he was grounded for a month

John was the asshole little sibling who was super excited that his brother was in trouble

-Arthur wears slippers, Charles wears fuzzy socks. I’m right

-Charles uses nice shampoo/conditioner and Arthur is always hovering around on wash days:)

-Arthur has broken every single toe like. 5 times at least.

-Charles and Arthur love corny ass reality TV

They started watching the bachelor to make fun of it, but now they tune in every single week and have their favorites

Tell me Arthur wouldn’t love the masked singer. He goes nuts every single time (“Charles!!!!!! They opened it up and it was KERMIT!?! That’s too good!”)

-Because Isaac doesn’t live with them full time these two go absolutely bananas when he comes to stay with them, Charles is scrubbing down the house while Arthur clears out the grocery store of all his favorite snacks :)

Before he visits Arthur is texting Eliza like “what drama should I know?? Any new friends? A girlfriend? A boyfriend?!?” Just so he’s up to date

-Arthur loves Raisin Bran/Corn Nuts/other old man cereals

-we’ve touched on this before but Charles’ mom absolutely adores Arthur and when she comes over she’s basically shoving Charles out of the way like “my baby darling Arthur how are you!!!🥰”

-Isaac plays baseball and Charles and Arthur are full on sport dads in the best way possible

They bring snacks for the team, they’re sitting in those little fold up chairs, they’re cheering louder than everyone else in the stands, etc.

Arthur ‘sentimental ass’ Morgan keeps a little box of all the memorabilia from baseball throughout the years :)

This was a particularly silly batch, methinks. As always if anyone wants me to add other characters into this universe lmk😼 alsooooo I have started writing little oneshots/drabbles/etc expanding this if anyone would be interested in reading them!! No promises on when they’d be done but I think it would be a good time hehe

#as always please ignore my tags it’s humiliating #rdr2 modern au #charthur #charthur headcanon #arthur morgan #charles smith #john marston #jack marston #abigail marston #abigail roberts #dutch van der linde #hosea matthews #vandermatthews

[simplyavatrice]

i absolutely adore your fanfic and the way you write 🫶 was wondering if you had any authors you look up to as inspiration or helped you find your writing style?

oh for sure, i mean tbh they're all fanfic writers cause that's pretty much all i read - but yeah for sure i've had a ton

i had a brief time in the harry potter fandom forever ago that really opened me up to pacing and how you need to let certain things breathe and not try to fit every single bit of plot into each chapter

i've taken things from every fandom i've been in honestly, i learned a lot about characterization in the korra fandom and i wrote my first au in the rwby fandom - i think some of my best character work was in the catradora fandom because i just wanted to take adora and expand her story so much in alternate worlds

then the clexa fandom gave me a lot of freedom to start exploring writing smut and using it as a way to build more of a foundation in the relationship

avatrice was really where it all came together, i found so much confidence in this fandom and connected with so many talented writers and artists, many of them i consider some of my best friends even outside of the fandom. i still take from the things i read, even after all this time - like with mom!ava and trying out the style of jumping around to a lot of difference perspectives like do a flip did so masterfully

the thing about fanfiction is that you can do whatever you want with it, there's no limit or boundaries - no glass ceilings. so long as you're having fun and exploring the plots and styles and scenarios you want, then you're doing it right

[martian-hermit]

After not only binging the show, but also watching a dozen video essays about it, The Bear’s only become a show that I absolutely love more than anything else I’ve ever watched.

From the insanely beautiful use of color and lighting to describe settings and atmosphere to the 17 MINUTE LONG ONE-TAKE EPISODE, it’s perfect. I absolutely adore the story, the characters, the relationships between them, the character development, and the fact that every ounce of stress that exists in the show can be felt by the viewer as if they were in this world. And as someone who has personal experience in restaurants and kitchens, there’s a lot of nostalgia in feeling the pressure and stress of existing in those environments. But among my favorite examples of the genius and creativity of this show involve S1E7 “Review”, S2E4 “Honeydew”, S2E7 “Forks”, and S2E10 “The Bear”

S1E7 “Review” is the aforementioned 17 minute one-take episode. And when I say one-take I genuinely mean no hidden cuts, no tricks, a genuine single take throughout the entire episode. Now, the biggest reason I love this relatively short episode of the show is more about the way it feels to me personally because of the single take rather than the fact that it just is a one-take. The feeling of absolute chaos in the kitchen, people quitting on the spot, stress, high expectations, and stakes just feel not only terrifying, but also exhilarating. As I mentioned before, I’ve worked in foodservice for years, and thus all of those feelings are extremely nostalgic to me. But, hearing that other people who have no experience in a kitchen still feel that same pressure really goes to show how effectively the show conveyed how that work environment is. Part of the reason it’s so effective is the fact that there are no cuts to give the viewer any relief, you’re stuck in the moment for the entire episode. You have nowhere to be except in the moment with everyone else struggling to keep their composure, and it’s fantastic. The accuracy of the setting paired with the ability to drag the viewer into that uncomfortable spot whether they want to be there or not is so well done that it feels like you’re either working in a kitchen for the first time, or you’re doing it again.

S2E4 “Honeydew” was, at least I think, completely under appreciated. Seeing Marcus’s character development throughout, especially as he gets mentored by Luca is not only a nice break from the complete chaos of The Bear back in Chicago, but also important to watch to really understand Marcus as a person. In his apprenticeship under Luca, he asks questions, expands upon his knowledge, and becomes more confident as he learns. But Luca also adds so much to this episode by simply not being a stereotypical “I’m the pro and I resent you for not being as good as me” type of chef. When Marcus asks a question, he answers. When Marcus wants him to expand, he does. It’s a wonderful representation of two people with a somewhat informal mentor-student relationship interact in a way that doesn’t establish a dynamic of greater and lesser, but just two chefs that seek to improve. Nothing more.

S2E7 “Forks”. Oh my dear god, this episode. Arguably, it’s the best one out of both seasons of the show. But this doesn’t follow our main protagonist Carmy, but rather Richie, who was thought to be the antagonist thus far. Richie gets sent off to what is said to be the greatest restaurant in the world to stage. He begins the episode waking up in his bed, reluctantly bringing himself to get ready to begin his temporary job away from The Bear as per Carmy’s demand. When Richie walks into the place, it almost feels like a horror movie. The lighting is dim and unwelcoming, Richie is completely resenting being there, and he is unfortunate to be in the typical position of having to shine forks. It’s normal for a stage to start this way, but when Richie is half-assing the job entirely, the person overseeing him brings him outside to talk. Richie, expecting to get chewed out or let go, instead learns about the passion of the people working here regarding their jobs. And that’s the turning point. Richie goes from an antagonistic asshole who couldn’t care less about what’s going wrong to a guy who actually applies himself. He’s enthusiastic. It’s most notable when he runs to grab a deep dish pizza for a family visiting Chicago, and once the chef snobifies the dish, Richie of all people volunteers to give it to them. It’s when he’s at their table, giving them the food and talking to them that we really see that new side of him for the first time shining through. The immense change of his character from the beginning of season 1 to more than halfway through season 2 is immensely satisfying, but also extremely effective in presenting us with a character arc that makes you tear up. The only thing that makes it a million times better than it already is, is the fact that the lighting throughout the episode gets brighter as Richie grows. It’s a beautiful visual representation that gives a subtle visual representation of him becoming a “brighter” person.

Finally, S2E10 “The Bear”. The last episode of season 2 aptly named after the show itself is the Family and Friends night of the renovated and reinvented restaurant. This “dress rehearsal” seems like it’ll go perfectly smooth, everyone has high hopes, and after Carmy and Sydney have a heart-to-heart while fixing up a table before the real busy work begins, we feel this sense that nothing could go wrong. And, to be honest, for a while it actually plays out that way. But the issues start (just like the story Uncle Jimmy told Carmy before they started) when Carmy fucks up the first thing that night, which is when Sydney says she’s overwhelmed and would like Carmy to take over Expo, but Carmy just says she’s fine. It’s at this point that a toilet is down, tables are all behind, one of the chefs ditched to do drugs, the tension and stress multiply by several orders of magnitude, and finally, Carmy locks himself in the walk-in. But Carmy being stuck in a situation where he can’t be involved in the kitchen is when things look up. Richie takes over Expo, Sydney can cook, they start catching up, and they manage to fix up their string of fuck-ups in just four minutes. It’s perfect that it worked out BECAUSE Carmy got cut out because he had neglected to contact the fridge guy to fix the walk-in. He put himself there. That’s all his fault. But this happening instead of him suddenly overcoming his overwhelming hostility and aggressiveness as well as the neglect of the walk-in getting fixed made that first night of service perfect for the show. It’s not a flawless performance. There’s still a lot fucked up. Carmy has a lot of baggage and issues he hasn’t resolved that almost costed them that entire night. That’s why it’s perfect. He’s been deeply flawed the entire series, and having all of that resolved by the end makes a no sense. And we really feel the weight of this when Carmy ruins his relationship with his girlfriend, berates Richie, and vents to Tina about how he’s a “psycho”. We learn so much, and get the feeling that Carmy wants to be better, but still has this fear that good things will happen to him that break him out of this pure logic routine of things he’s turned his life into. It’s nowhere near resolved. Sure, the restaurant’s first night was successful, people loved it. But, Carmy’s still so, so far from having completed a character arc like so many others have.

I rarely ever watch shows more than once, but this might be the only show I’ve ever watched that I could watch over and over again without getting sick of it. I only appreciate every detail more, and it’s honestly slightly obsessive of me to love this show this much. But the way it feels like I’m back in a kitchen, stressed out of my fucking mind trying to work and keep up with everything while people are screaming at me to get things done, it’s nostalgic and addictive. I’ve never once described a show as perfect before, but I would describe The Bear as the greatest and most perfect show I’ve ever watched. The only drawback is that there’s only 18 episodes total, and I find myself wanting more, which is a rare feeling for me to hold for shows. But the real weight you feel from it, and the fact that you feel like you know the characters personally, it’s indescribable in terms of how impressively effective the show makes you sympathize with everyone and grounds you in their world. So despite the immense amount of stress and frustration you feel watching it, it’s still such a beautiful show to experience when you can connect so deeply with so many different parts of every character and feel the reality of the situations you see. And just because I can’t say it enough, I have to end this post by saying once again that The Bear is absolutely fucking perfect. Hands down, no question.

#the bear #carmy berzatto #jeremy allen white #richie jerimovich #sydney adamu #marcus brooks #ayo edebiri #the bear season 2 #the bear appreciation post #the bear is perfect #tv shows

[j-ellyfish]

Cutest chibis / younger version of all characters in Hetalia? You can do a ranking if you want :)

I made a Top10 because there's way too many official chibi designs 🙈

(sorry for the delay, I wanted this to have anime pictures of each but I couldn't find the ones I wanted via Google so I needed the time to sit down and comb through the episodes to take the screenshots myself)

10. Chibi!England

I just really like how he went around with a cape and the glimpse we had of his relationship with his superiors where the bishop would chase him to cut his hair 😂 He was a little gremlin and it fits him so well.

9. Chibi!Switzerland

I wish Hima expanded more on him as a chibi, tbh. I love how his childhood scenes show his protective and caring side and also how he was born a soldier, basically :') In general, the idea of European woods back then being filled with Country-Toddlers roaming around with bow and arrow, knives and swords and fighting each other in such toddler-like dynamics is so sweet and funny for me and almost gives me nostalgia 💕

8. Chibi!Hungary

I really like the whole theme about her believing (and later pretending) she's a boy and how cool and feared she was, but personally I think most of the scenes where she appears with Chibi!Prussia are carried by him more than her, and I don't remember the scenes where she interacts with other chibis as vividly (I think she interacted with Chibi!Liet and Chibi!France..?).

7. Chibi!Russia

He was so cute and soft. I like that he was fundamentally the exact same as today (including the yandere vibes), it shows how Hima said that Russia's cruelty is 'innocent' like the one 'of a child' and how it implies he sort of never grew up for real due to the traumas he developed. He's still the exact same, still obsessed with wanting friends, still seemingly sweet, still creepy and violent when angered. Btw, bonus points for his introduction scene in World Series (I think?) where he meets Lithuania for the first time. That was so subtly creepy, loved the mysterious vibes. For a series that lacks a specific plot or chronological timeline, Hima sure knows how to drop hints and crumbles of character development/growth or lack thereof via the glimpses at their childhoods.

6. Chibi!Austria

He has like, one scene and he's in this list anyway because I clearly play favourites 😉✨ Jokes aside (not really), he's absolutely adorable and I love how Hima made him so sweet and carefree, almost vaguely reminiscent of those more bubbly relaxed characters like Italy or Spain. It really puts into perspective how Austria's life and later experiences shaped him into the teen and adult he became and fits very well with his whole theme of having a façade under which he's a lot more genuine and relaxed. If he had more scenes, he'd definitely be higher in this ranking but it doesn't feel fair as it is because I'd be relying mostly on my own interpretations and HCs considering there's so little of him canonically speaking.

5. Chibi!America

I'm not crying I just got a blue daisy in my eyes. Maybe he'd be one or two positions behind if it wasn't for the Davie episode/strip. I'm not much into America as a character in general but man, is his backstory interesting. I know that each Country most likely had their own Davie so it's not that special from that point of view, but this was executed so well, I believe this is honestly one of, if not the best episode and strip in the entire series. The fact that it is completely silent besides the call of Davie's name is also amazing.

Davie aside, though, I also really like the arc where he's found by Finland, France and England and Fruk compete to win his trust. The scene where America is initially walking towards France and then changes his mind and goes to ask England if he's okay when he notices him getting depressed in the background is so sweet ;_; ♥

4. Chibi!Prussia

Every single Chibi!Prussia scene is a hit. He's pretty much like his adult self except he's smaller hence the gremlin chaotic energy is much more concentrated. Also I love how despite his attitude and ways, he was raised by clerics and shows religious guilt (like for instance upon realizing he touched a girl's developing chest). I love it when Hima defies expectations linked to tropes (usually chaotic characters like Prussia in fiction don't care much about religion and rules).

3. Chibi!Romano

I love his personality and the entire arc of him learning how to cohabit with Spain and deal with each other. He has clearly an inferiority complex and is full of salt and rage, but also tries to find ways to show that he cares once he grows to actually care. Also I love the contrast between his cohabitation arc and Feli's.

2. HRE

Do I have to add anything? HRE's story is just so sweet and sad, it breaks my heart pleasantly every time. He's very close to be my #1 in this list, the only reason why he's in 2nd place is because, due to him dying (yes he died, I don't think Germany and him are the same person although I do believe they have some sort of soul bond), we don't really have an aftermath, we don't know how exactly he'd have become and how his personal luggage would have shaped him as a person and how it'd have affected his relationship with the other characters (for instance I don't think adult!HRE would've had the same relationship with Austria as Germany does).

Even in chance that he and Germany are the same person, it still wouldn't matter here because HRE's memories are gone either way.

Chibitalia

First place goes to baby Feli!!

I love the Chibitalia arc, especially from Feli's point of view because I personally believe it is crucial to understand some of Adult!Feli's traits that are sometimes treated as simple flaws or 'offensive' stereotypes. Himaruya made an excellent job at reworking some stereotypes into understandable consequences of Feli's past traumas as a person, which led him to develop abandonment issues and loathe war (despite being actually able to fight efficiently if he wants to, to the point that he beat the Ottoman Empire so savagely as a kid that Turkey still remembers it and led him to shape an opinion on Feli that is very different from Germany's). I guess, more than being inept at war, maybe the trauma of losing at least two beloved ones to it caused him to be unable to focus on it properly on most occasions because it triggers so much suffering in him that his brain kind of shuts down and makes him act silly instead when it comes to it.

Chibitalia just adds so much to Feli as a character that I cannot help but think that no Chibi deserves 1st place as much as he does.

#hetalia #ask #chibitalia #aph italy #aph hungary #aph romano #chibiromano #aph hre #aph austria #aph switzerland #aph russia #aph america #aph england #aph prussia #ary spoke

[skygemspeaks]

episode 2 thoughts:

this whole episode was fantastic, just as awesome as the previous one, but to me, i feel like peter gadiot's performance as shanks was absolutely my favourite part of it. there was just so much tenderness in his interactions with luffy, that i became attached to their relationship in a way i don't think i've ever truly felt with the manga or the anime. the live action managed to make me absolutely sob when he was saying goodbye to luffy as his crew left dawn island, which is never something i've done with the manga or anime (for that scene at least). you can almost physically feel how much he adores luffy, and it's making me really emotional

once again loving garp's expanded role in this arc! his interactions with koby and the rest of the marines were really good this episode, and the scene where koby tells him that luffy was the straw hat pirate who raided the base....you could just SEE the exasperation garp was feeling right then. i loved it!

i was a little sad that mayor boodle's role was reduced so much in this arc, and also the fact that chouchou's entire subplot was cut out. BUT it was a cool little easter egg to see him running around at the end of the episode. just a cheeky little wink wink nudge nudge to the manga/anime fans. i'll forgive them for it because the rest of the episode was so good

i audibly gasped at the scene where we saw buggy's audience laughing through pained expressions, and then the camera panned down to show their legs chained up. that absolutely gave me the chills.

i like the direction they took buggy's character in this. he still feels very true to his canon self, but i like how they made him somewhat more...empathetic, in a way? he sees a kindred soul in luffy after he makes the assumption that luffy had been abandoned by shanks. he genuinely felt like luffy was like him, like all the other outcasts in his crew, and he wanted to offer luffy a place in their family. it's found family, but make it evil!!!! you can see he has a lot of hurt and bitterness towards shanks and his perceived betrayal, and it's fantastic. they somehow made him more pathetic, but also more sinister than the manga, in a way?

i'm really really seeing why the cast and crew are all so insanely proud of this show. i'm a quarter of the way through now, and it's already obvious just how beautifully done this whole series is. the love and passion of all the people who worked on this show is evident in every single scene, in every little detail that they include for those of us in the know, and i really really appreciate it. it's everything i could've hoped for, and i'm so sad that i won't be able to watch the whole season tonight because i have work tomorrow. i think i should be able to watch at least 2 more episodes today though.

next stop!!!! SYRUP VILLAGE! i finally get to see my favourite liar! i'm so psyched to see jacob's performance in this

#opla #opla liveblog #opla spoilers #one piece #monkey d luffy #red haired shanks #nami #roronoa zoro #buggy the clown

[k1rameki]

i think i need to expand on my losergirl ayana agenda bc lord have i become hyperfixated (buckle up bc i have gone absolutely insane over this) (this might also end up becoming a hc dump uh oh) (also bear in mind thanks to all the recent art ive been seeing of her ive been on a real ayana kick when it comes to ships n shit so yeah some hcs with the other characters imma mention can be interpreted romantically too teehee) (and also!!! more general ayana hcs too :333 i have a cavity in mein cranium that can only be filled with soft ayana content)

also quick emoji keys for dialogue i may add for this ^_^

🎸 - aldryx

🩻 - tabi

🔻- ayana

🎧 - dalia

📼 - agoti

some of the many reasons i believe ayana is an absolute girlfailure is her complete and utter failure in her previous relationship/s (I SAY THIS BC SHE PROBABLY HAS BEEN IN A FEW THAT HAVENT WORKED OUT LONG BEFORE SHE MET BOYFRIEND,, also shes just awkward as hell but thats a story for anotha time)

NOT ONLY THAT BUT HELLO??? she appears so calm and collected whenever shes engaging in simple conversation but internally shes freaking out and she has no idea where anything is gonna end up going and often times she can and she WILL let stupid things slip out of her mouth and immediately she regrets it

and let me tell you this she gets more and more pathetic and losery around dalia,, this woman is in LOVE (hence that stupid doodle i made where aya's just freaking out over the slightest bit of affection given to her) (looks like she might have abandonment issues sorry what)

IN FACT. GIVING PHYSICAL AFFECTION TO EVERYONE. SHES ALL FOR THAT SHIT,, hugs, kisses, stroking hair, you name it, this girl is a massive cuddlebug you cant convince me otherwise

i mentioned my pastry chef ayana hc in passing but i'm gonna fully expand on that now: SO. also aya family hcs bc people should talk ab that but ayana's dad is a chef (no specific speciality, but he does make a lot of baked goods) and growing up she would often mirror what he does and that eventually led to her practicing and honing her skills! :D (she also studies culinary arts at college teehee) ALSO!!! she brings all sorts of baked goods she makes over for all her favourite people to enjoy constantly whether that be cookies, pastries, cakes, all of that yummy stuff

despite being an absolute loser girlfail idiot she can jam on the bass like its no tomorrow. IM TALKING ABOUT SLAP, FINGERPICKING, YOU NAME IT, SHE CAN DO IT ‼️‼️ here's an example of the bass playing style i had in mind for her, very energetic and fluid heuehehehehehe

SPEAKING OF (and this ties in a little with my band au) and whenever she drops an epic bassline everyone just stops and stares at her totally being in the zone

🔻: –casually having the time of her life playing a bassline like theres no tomorrow–

🎸: "yo holy crap aya where has this energy been this entire time"

🔻: "huh what do you mean"

HAIR EXTENSIONS!!! ive talked about this on discord before but ayana with naturally shorter hair so she wears hair extensions! (also bc gender euphoria but shhhh)

i also believe that aldryx and tabi had zero idea that she wore them and just believed her hair was naturally long. this is how their conversation went trust;

🔻: " hey guys ^_^"

🩻: ".....did you cut your hair?"

🔻: "no? my hair has always been short"

🎸: "IT HAS??!!??!!??! 😨 I THOUGHT YOUR HAIR WAS JUST REALLY LONG"

🩻: "ME TOO— jesus christ my life is a lie"

🔻: "theyre hair extensions not the holy grail calm down 😭😭😭"

AND NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AYANA INTERACTING WITH THE OTHERS, LET ME INTRODUCE YOU TO MY AGOTI/AYA DUO HC BC HELLO romantic or platonic these two are fucking adorable, the loserboy + losergirl pairing ever frfr (also bc i hc that theyre really close in age bc iirc ayana's birthday is january 28th so that would make her around 3-4 months younger than agoti to me at least teehee)

those two gossip about anything and everything and every single night they do each other's hair n spend time doing full fledged spa routines while talking shit about anyone and everyone bc theyre high maintenance as hell and take pride in their combined collection of bazillions of good smelling bodywashes and shampoos

🔻: "oh my god, goti i cant believe i forgot to tell you about some crazy interaction i had with someone earlier today i swear its driving me crazy"

📼: "BITCH AND YOU DIDNT TELL ME SOONER? YOU'D BETTER START FROM THE BEGINNING I NEED DETAILS IN FULL"

🔻: "OKOK SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS—"

also she works as a seamstress in her spare time when she's not doing music or baking ^_^ she often uses her expertise to create some outfits (with the help of sketches done by either tabi or agoti) and often has trouble finding someone to be her muse so she often gets dalia to help

she takes this VERY seriously by the way if she hears a singular complaint she will go insane

🎧: "how long is this gonna take 😔😔 my arms are getting sore babe i cant stand like this for much longer"

🔻: "dee i love you but i swear to god if you say that one more time i'm going to stab you with this needle until your arm is red and swollen BE PATIENT PLEASE IM BEGGING YOU 😭😭😭"

🎧: "😀😀😀😀😀 youre gonna WHAT"

also. shes got a BIG sweet tooth — she and tabi bond over sweets and trying all sorts of new things together, especially chocolatey things bc theyre both obsessed with chocolate anything

🩻: "aya i went to the store and i found this wafer cake thing and i thought you and i should try it"

🔻: "TABI THAT LOOKS DELICIOUS OMG go grab two spoons right now you and i are eating all of this right now"

🩻: "OKAY SURE :] i can already tell this is gonna taste good"

also sometimes she forgets to eat proper meals and will consistently only have sweets and snacks all day until someone calls her out on it, shes very forgetful, oopsies!

#this is what nearly three years of hyperfixating on ayana does to a person #anyways!!!! aya my beloved #I HAVE WAY MORE THAT I COULD PUT HERE BUT THIS MAY END UP BEING AN ENTIRELY SEPARATE POST #also yes i am capitalising on the fact that ayana is so shippable w anyone especially w the four i mentioned in this post #this girl is in LOVE #also people should draw more short hair ayana i will happily eat that shit up #like pleasepleaseplease i need to see short hair ayana drawings #anyways yawl can already guess that i am ayana's biggest fan and her unofficial ceo so...... what i say is instantly right/j #fnf ayana #fnf tabi #fnf agoti #fnf aldryx #fnf dalia #my art #digital artwork #headcanons #fnf headcanons

[wise-lizard-wizard]

thoughts on dino squad? (2007)

(btw it’s episodic. You can watch it in any order tbh (first episode is titled ‘the beginning’))

I absolutely adore it!

I run the account Victor-Veloci-Simp-69.

I've been thinking about linking it to my Main, purely bc when I reblog and reply on posts, it shows my main, so it seems like I don't interact with people as my DS account, which makes me sad because it feels like I might be interpreted as standoffish? But I never have time, and it feels insignificant to do so.

I watched the show when I was a kid, then rediscovered it a couple of years ago, and now every few years I rewatch it.

Its not Technically a "good" show but eh. I love it.

I think the reason why I'm so obsessed with the show is because (This going to get so long, I am so sorry, I have so many thoughts)

There are so much that is just never adressed. I have so many thoughts. There is so much to expand on, so many AUs that are there for the imagining.

I genuinely like the episodes. The plot is genuinely so much fun. The why's of these plots is...questionable. The how's is fun tho.

IT IS SO INCONSISTENT! Okay, not part of why I like it, but Ahhhhhhhhh. None of it makes sense. The characterization changes literally seconds apart!!!!! WHAT!!!!!

JUST FROM EPISODE 1: WHY IS BUZZ DEPICTED AS AN ANIMAL LOVER AND THEN GOES "NAH, I'M NOT SAVING THE DOG FROM DROWNING". This happens seconds Apart!!!!

Why does Roger act indifferent about the assignment and then say "we should work together on this assignment" and Care about the assignment. SECONDS APART!!!!!

THEN THERE'S THE ANIMATION! OH MY GOD. At 4:21, Caruso is shown barefoot. At 4:25 HE HAS SHOES ON.

Ms Moynihan after they get mutated goes: "I told u not to go into the water" NO YOU DIDN'T. YOU NEVER SAID THAT. WHY R U LYING.

(Okay, so she could have said that off screen,I'll give it a pass, but also Literally No Where was that message implied to have been said before she stated that. Also, that implies that she knows Veloci is regularly dumping shit in the water.)

Also, Veloci injects Peter in episode 1 and this is just...never adressed again? What does that do to Peter, besides his eyes changing? THERE IS NO EFFECT WHAT DOES IT DO, I DON’T REMEMBER SEEING THE GUY EVER AGAIN WHAT!!! WHY DID VELOCI DO THAT.

Since Peter was injected with the Ooze, but Veloci is looking for his "perfect dinosaurs", then that inplies Peter is a failed dino. What happened to him? I am in hysterics. What. DOES VELOCI JUST HAVE LIKE A BUNCH OF STAFF THAT ARE FAILED DINOS!!!? I HAVE QUESTIONS!!!

I AM....AHHHHHHHHHHHH....I am so normal about this hahahaha.

Which is probably why it sticks in my head so much. Any media I get obsessed with usually has some aspect that makes me want to rip apart a chair with my teeth. Half the fun is telling my friend about the thing that makes me choke in frustration/rage. I like ranting. Its part of the fun to me.

4) I love the animation style.

5) I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS, I AM CLAWING AT MY ENCLOSURE, HOW!!! HOW DID VELOCI AND MS M SURVIVE IN THAT CAVE???? WHERE THEY SLEEPING FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS??? IF SO, HOW WHERE THEY NEVER DISCOVERED BY HUMANS IN ALL THAT TIME?

AT WHAT POINT DID THEY AWAKEN? THROUGH WHAT TIME PERIODS HAVE THEY LIVED? HOW DID THEY EXPIERIENCE WORLD WAR 1? WORLD WAR 2? ALL THE TRAGEDIES? How did they get from point A to point B????

How did they get to their current lives?

There is so much that remains a mystery. And with the large amounts of time Veloci and Ms M had, there is so much thats just. Not there. There are so many gaps to fill. There are so many AUs that can happen. And with the inconsistencies, there are so many places where I can't image the characters are anything but either unreliable or maybe even straight up lying...

Oh, and that's the other thing:

5) They are all, and I mean every single character, Major Assholes. The assholiest. Their only consistent character trait is being an asshole. I love it.

Anyway, I am sooooi normal about this show. So normal.

Also, very important! I love your dinosquad posts!!!! They're really cool, and I love seeing you in the fandom! Just. Feel really gushy about your posts. Also, I always feel really happy when I see you liked one of my Dinosquad posts. Its a small fandom, so I always feel like I'm talking into a void.

I have more thoughts, but this post has gotte really long as is lmao. I am so sorry.

This ask meant a lot to me, so thanks ♥.

#Ask #dino squad #dinosquad #This ask has inspired me to do an episode by episode analysis I am obsessed #My dinosquad fase was dtarting to quiet down again but now Im fired up about it okay

[d3sertdream3r]

I really liked the Ahsoka show but it also felt kinda weird to me idk what did you think of it?

I have the same feeling as you, anon. Overall I liked the show, but I didn’t love it. There was a lot going on mythically/symbolically, but it didn’t all land narratively for me. 

First of all, there was a big Lack of Backstory™ problem going on through the whole thing. 

There was a lot of telling and not nearly enough showing. Ahsoka and Sabine are supposed to be the emotional heart of the story, but we don’t know anything about their history besides vague references. 

We see in the first couple of episodes how much Sabine loves Ezra, but the general audience doesn’t have a clue who he is and once she finds him, it’s just business as usual. Their hug was great but for those who don’t know their backstory (and even people who do), it doesn’t really hit emotionally because there wasn’t enough time spent on showing their relationship in live action and them getting to know each other again after a decade apart. 

We didn’t learn anything about why Morgan is so desperate to bring Thrawn back despite the fact that the Empire eradicated her people. We didn’t learn anything about how they knew each other before he was yeeted to another galaxy. 

We don’t know much about Baylan and Shin’s relationship either. They’re cool and mysterious, and that’s about it. He tells her he trained her to be something more and then decides to leave her on her own in the very next episode to take her place in the new Empire. Why wouldn’t he take her with him if he wanted her to be something more?

I understand that this is part of a larger story, but every season of any show should have solid character arcs that tie into their series character arcs. I just personally didn’t feel like the character arcs were developed enough this season, largely due to Filoni not delving into anybody’s motivations beyond surface level. 

I think having flashbacks between Ahsoka/Sabine and Ezra/Sabine would’ve helped a ton. It also would’ve been a good idea to have a Rebels recap at the beginning of the first episode for those that didn’t watch the show. Kenobi had a Prequel recap that was gorgeously edited and summed everything up before diving in.

As far as the cast:

EMAN ESFANDI IS THE LOVE MY LIFE!!! I adored every single scene he was in, every single mannerism and facial expression he made, his smile gives me butterflies, and his curls are to die for.

Natasha as Sabine was really good, but her character needs work. She didn’t translate nearly as well as Ezra did into live action imo, which is not Natasha’s fault at all. It was 100% a writing problem for me. The first two episodes nailed her character, but as the series progressed she started to flatten out.

Rosario feels really stiff to me. I don’t know if it’s her or the writing or both. I’m not familiar with much of her work, so I can’t really say. She just seemed really apathetic about everything despite her dialogue saying otherwise. I really love Ahsoka, so I hope her live action portrayal gets better, whatever the issue is! 

Hera was given crumbs, but MEW absolutely crushed it! I’ve seen a lot of people complain about her portrayal, but I thought it was amazing. I need to see more of her immediately!!

Lars is spectacular as Thrawn, but the writing didn’t quite make him as intimidating as he was in Rebels. I want to see Lars get to chew the scenery in the future!

Other thoughts:

I feel like the Baylan/Shin dynamic is kind of what Maul and Ezra would’ve had if Maul found Ezra before Kanan did. I really hope they expand on that, especially since it was mentioned twice that Ezra is like Shin. It’s super interesting!

I want to know why Thrawn is so pro-Empire without any mention of the Ascendancy. I hope they don’t turn Thrawn into a generic mustache-twirling villain. He isn’t AT ALL, and that’s the main reason he’s a fan favorite in the first place. 

I need Ezra to be in every Star Wars project going forward! I can’t wait to see him interact with all the other characters in the Mando Era!!

Anakin was awesome, but I needed him to have a deeper conversation with Ahsoka considering the last time they each other, he tried to kill her. 

I need Leia and Ahsoka to interact, or at least a reference that they know each other! Ahsoka telling Luke and Leia about their parents (especially their mother) is really important to me! 

Jacen is the cutest! Ezra and Jacen are going to be the most cinnamon roll master and apprentice duo of all time!!

PISSED THEY CUT BEFORE HERA AND EZRA COULD HUG!! WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL!!!

WHERE IS ZEB?? IS HE SAFE?? IS HE ALRIGHT??

#Damn this got long lol #star wars #ahsoka series #ezra bridger #sabine wren #hera syndulla #jacen syndulla #ahsoka tano #thrawn #dave filoni #shin hati #baylan skoll #anon #star wars rebels

[stylincheetah]

Trigun Stampede: A Multi-Part Critique

To preface this very long and passionate, multi-part essay: I am a massive fan of Trigun. I have loved the series since I was a kid, and the manga has always held a very special place in my heart. The initial announcement of Stampede had me so, so excited, but my skepticism set in as soon as I saw the first trailer. I gave the show a fair shake, and watched it to the end.

Ultimately, I have a lot of issues I want to address, starting with this first part! Here, I expand on my thoughts regarding the overall plot, side characters, and one poorly adapted organization in particular. More to come, if anyone cares to hear the rest of my thoughts in the future.

Part 1: Side Characters, World Building, and Cardboard-Flavored Nonsense

[Spoilers for Trigun Stampede and Trigun Maximum follow.]

-PLOT: A Mile a Minute-

Let’s start simple: the plot and pacing were all over the place. Sequences came and went in the blink of an eye, and none of the characters left a lasting impact. Episode 5 was, in a lot of ways, the end of my hope for the show. The cuts between the past and future scenes were so confusing that my friends and I were having a lot of difficulty keeping track of the plot at large. So much was shoved into every single episode that the show was constantly primed to burst, yet most scenes felt like little more than hot air to pad out the runtime. There was no room to build lasting connections with the characters, plot, or any aspect of Gunsmoke’s world. Interesting story beats were picked up and tossed aside without a single care (looking at you, Eye of Michael). And it was all in service of a (very bombastic and disjointed) finale, and the announcement of a Season 2. Somehow, that only makes me more upset. I’d understand if Stampede’s creators were trying to make the most of a 12-episode run by throwing in as much fan service as possible, but by making it clear that they did have more time to work with, the entirety of Season 1 gets chucked out the window as a ploy to set up future story arcs. By the time Episode 12 reaches its conclusion, not a single character is graced with anything beyond surface-level depth. Meryl, Nick, Knives, Rem, and worst of all, Vash, have nothing compelling to bring to the table. They’re caricatures of their manga–and even 90s anime–counterparts, and lend very little to the paint-by-numbers story set in place for them. Speaking of characters…

-Legato, Livio, Elendira: The Gun-No-Guns-

Talk about character assassination. 

There was one solitary interesting idea established by this show with Rollo’s inclusion. Sure! Tie Monev the Gale to Vash, that’s a fun and interesting way to re-establish the character. Not that the concept’s very original, considering there were other Gung-Ho’s (like Leonov) who already had their grudges against Vash in the source material. But fine, so be it. Then we get Legato, Livio, and Elendira. Oh boy. Let me try to make this quick. 

Legato “I don’t understand Love and Emotion” Bluesummers

Who are you? Aside from the fact that Legato appears for a fraction of screen time as a minion of the Eye of Michael (more on that later), his character serves absolutely 0 purpose in the grand over-arching plot of the story. No grudge against Vash, no adoration for Knives–not even a fun and horrifying on-screen murder spree! I kid, but not really. For how tremendously threatening his other versions are, this cameo of his was a major letdown that only gave way to more and more disappointment as the show went on. I have very little to say about him, other than the fact that his inclusion was as forgettable as his reworked “pretty boy” design.

Livio

Well-animated backstory aside, Livio was as flat as paper. His introduction in the manga is fast, punchy, and immediately menacing. He fights Nick with agency, and at the very least manages to stand by his convictions, however misguided they are. He fights because he believes in Chapel, and buys into the Eye of Michael wholeheartedly. He says little, but at least he has the capacity to do so at all! He’s not a mindless zombie–he’s Livio the Doublefang, and has the bite to back up the title. His new design is interesting, but fails to capture the looming weight of his manga counterpart, and, again he serves as little purpose to the story as Legato. He’s inserted as a temporary distraction, and acts a cheap vessel for the show’s lame attempts to squeeze out some extra characterization for Nick. Not that it leads to anything, but oh well. At least we got Razlo–for one frame. Wasn’t that neat?

Elendira…oh boy

If I had the mental fortitude, I would write an essay twice as long solely on how poorly they messed up Elendira as a character. Point-blank, the show’s portrayal of her is transphobic, and a far cry from what made her so interesting to begin with. In the manga, Elendira is a trans woman, the strongest member of the Gung-Ho’s, and one of the strongest humans alive period—a true force to be reckoned with. She’s witty and introspective, and plays off of Legato and Knives in very captivating ways. Her arsenal is unique and doesn’t require an explanation or forethought–she’s just cool, like a lot of Trigun is when it’s doing everything right. Antagonist or otherwise, she’s an interesting and refreshing member of the cast, and a relatively grounded portrayal of a trans character considering when her source material was released. Not to mention, she’s got her own perspective regarding the world at large that lends to some pretty cool scenes between herself and other members of the cast. And then, Stampede strips her of all of that. Not only is she no longer trans (which, why??? Why was that so hard to keep in?) but she’s also severely aged down, and transformed into some sick plant-human hybrid that serves no greater purpose than to throw a tantrum and kill off Roberto in one of the most contrived scenes of the show (RIP King). Not to mention Nick calling her a “monster”, “creep”, etc. Trans erasure is bad enough, but to link the only trans character to the idea of being a non-human freak isn’t just bad writing; it’s downright offensive. 

Zazie, at least, was pretty close to their original version, and got a really neat redesign. I dig it! So boom, there’s a positive. But hey–they’re not even called the Gung-Ho Guns here. Which makes sense given the prequel spin on the story, but then why were Monev and E.G Mine tossed in? Oh right. “Fanservice”. Can’t wait to see how they skirt around this major plot thread without tripping over their own feet. 

-Conrad: A Lesson In Humanity-

I liked Conrad in the manga. He was a bit player in a much grander story, but at least he served a purpose beyond exposition. His first introductory scene with Knives made for a really tender moment, which contrasted well with their eventual reunion. His presence by Knives’s side was fascinating, and I enjoyed the peeks into the inner turmoil of a man who had once devoted himself to the study of Plants, ethics be damned. Volume 6 has a really great scene where he and Knives come to a Plant on its last legs, and Conrad comments on how terrifying it feels to walk through a city while effectively leashed to a sentient atom bomb. While Knives watches in horror and disgust as his sister’s life is snuffed out for “one last run”, Conrad falls to his knees, begging for Knives to forgive the human race. Sounds familiar, right? Because Stampede rather shamelessly lifts elements of these pages for its mini-standoff in Episode 9. What the anime fails to recognize is that Conrad is not, in fact, some bland monologuing evil scientist hell-bent on filling the world with lots of overzealous plant babies. He’s a human, one who stands by Knives out of fear, pity, and an inherent guilt that drives him to atone in service of a boy he no longer recognizes. He does not approve of Knives’ actions, and still has strong convictions that give him hope that a future beyond his own exists for humanity. When the events of Volume 6 come to a head, he’s bold in his assertion that even a lone, insignificant human can know something Knives doesn't. And still, he offers help, and offers to keep his place by Knives’s side, presumably to dissuade him from harming anyone else. It’s a futile effort, but serves as a very strong and memorable moment that leaves the reader with a firm impression of his character. Stampede Conrad is a boring coward who likes to monologue, and whose motivations barely make a lick of sense. He’s as generic as the rest of the tropey collection of caricatures filling in the secondary roles. Seriously, I was waiting for Meryl to finally show some agency and shoot the guy, but that would’ve been too much to ask for.

-The Eye of Michael: Goodbye, Worldbuilding-

The Eye of Michael, as a cult, is a really cool and well-implemented idea…in the manga. The 90s anime doesn’t touch on it much, and Stampede puts too much of a spotlight on it in order to tie up loose ends that really didn’t need tying up.Everything circles back to them in one way or another, even if it translates to utter nonsense. Legato’s cool powers? The Eye of Michael! Monev and E.G. Mine? The Eye of Michael! Knives and Legato’s newfound proclivity for bible thumping? Boy howdy!

The Eye of Michael worked because it had a very strong identity and iconography that made its forces immediately recognizable. Clad in black, draped in Christian allegory, and touting slick cross-shaped weaponry, its members were well-defined and given ample time with which to make themselves known. They were an organization independent of Knives and his agenda, built by human hands for human means. By making every bad guy one of Conrad’s failed experiments within the cult, the threat of the organization has been effectively neutered. Once Conrad’s gone…who’s left to keep it running? What makes this crapshoot of a science fair worth a damn? If it’s not one of the many human-led organizations shown to be perpetuating destruction on Gunsmoke, thereby lending credence to Knives’s perspective, what’s even the point of keeping it around? I’ll touch on Stampede’s overall disrespect for the original’s compelling religious undertones in a future post, but I do think it’s worth noting that the Eye has been reduced to little more than a backdrop in Stampede, and has no purpose beyond its function as a spawn point for supplementary enemies. Trigun is not a story that needs a pretty bow plopped atop every unanswered question. In fact, the world feels a lot more intriguing and realistic because of how much goes unsaid, giving its weird cast of characters plenty of room to breathe. From puppeteers and saxophone players to Catholic assassins-for-hire, Gunsmoke features a whole cavalcade of killers from all walks of life. Knives hand-picks each one like he’s building a deck of cards, however nonsensical, because it suits his needs. The world is terrible with and without his influence, because there’s never going to be a perfect world without some form of strife. Where’s the fun in delving deeper into such a cool concept if the end result is cheapened by its over-explanation? It’s like the writers were trying to lift the curtain and yanked the cord so hard , it broke the mechanism altogether. What we’re left with is the hollow remnants of a planet that can barely keep its aesthetics straight, and a plot whose  antagonists  lack independence and motivation.

Thus concludes part 1 of my very tired, saddened rant. I’m coming hot off the heels of episode 12, and I definitely need a bit more time to collect my thoughts on the rest of Stampede’s hot mess. Look forward to that, I guess!

#trigun #trigun maximum #trigun stampede #really hope this reaches the right audience and it's not just me because I'm going stir-crazy #vash #knives #legato #livio #elendira

[abarbaricyalp]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💜

Hi! What a fun challenge. For someone who routinely despairs not being able to write, I'm apparently actually quite fond of my little stories, lol. In no particular order:

We Live Such Fragile Lives

High school, fake dating AU

I am still working on it! 😭 Despite writing at a glacial speed, I really love this story. I love bringing up old high school emotions and tapping back into being a teenager when every single emotion was the biggest emotion you'd ever felt. This is the slowest I've ever taken a relationship in any story and the ANGST is just so wonderful to work with. I love the dual pining. But I just have so much fun with the setting and their extracurriculars and friends and teachers and all the silly situations they get themselves into. The world is literally so big and open for them.

A Time For Dancing

A Footloose AU

I wrote this fic in about two afternoons one weekend after listening to the song on the way to work. I had so much fun writing about a repressed small town and the big world right beyond it that all of the characters are growing into. I adored the whole cast and each individual relationship, especially Sam and Riley. I also really liked writing about Gideon as this kind of ghost haunting Sam's narrative-- the connection Sam feels to his brother for both being queer and a little bit of betrayal at being left behind, as well as Gideon being this cautionary tale that Sam can't/won't quite reconcile as wholly good or wholly bad. I feel like the writing is fairly strong in this one (no one tell me if it isn't) and I just really like rereading it.

Of Kings and Monsters

Prince!Sam and Prisoner/Rescuer!Bucky

This may not be fair to include/recommend because really why I like this story is the rest of it in my head lol. I just think it's a (literally) steamy short with a fun dynamic between Sam and Bucky. The world is so rich (to me) and I just love the idea of it.

These Ghosts That Haunt Christmas

A Hallmark-esque Christmas fic

Man, I just really love the concept behind this one. I wanted to include more to the scavenger hunt, but I love the bits I did write anyway. I love the growth of Sam and Bucky's relationship with each other but also separately. I really enjoyed playing with their repressed history. I also love the literal ghost in the story. The fact that they're haunting themselves by keeping Steve so close and [spoilers] to move on they absolutely cannot have the last letter. I wrote the fic over the Christmas break and it always smells like hot chocolate to me, haha. It's just cozy. And now I'm kind of obsessed with thinking of hallmark fics.

I Found Something in the Woods Somewhere

A creature/horror fic about monsters and an evil forest and the good man who sees both as they are

It was difficult to pick just one of my creature fics but this is the one that I'm proudest of. I love the world and atmosphere, as well as what a 'monster' is within it. I have a handful of fics that I would expand (or scrub names off and do something more with) and this is at the top of the list

And two non-Sambucky stories because I couldn't not mention them 🫣

No Force Greater Than

A Stucky/Cap Quartet high school au

I love this fic and feel like it kind of got the short end of the stick with how the posting for the event went :/ I love that it's a Cap Quartet fic and I love the personalities for each of the characters. This is another one where working with the characters shared histories was really fun. I just think it's a fun read and love Sam and Nat in this one.

My Heart on the Gas

Blue/Gansey racer au

I love their relationship in this story and I love all the car/racing stuff. I think they're so sexy and in love with each other and life. I also had a FANTASTIC time working with the artist and beta reader, so I'm just thankful for the whole process of working on this bang fic. Fun fact, this is my only M/F story on my page. There's not a part of this story that I want to rework. I just love it and I'm so proud of it.

Everyone should also go check out everything from Cobrafantasies !

#sambucky #about me #writing #i answer things #sambucky fic rec

[bluethepineapple]

do you have dramione recs? I don't ship it either, but your comment about good hermione portrayals made me curious

Apologies for the lateness anon, but I do! Off the top of my head, the following stories have Hermiones that largely keep the parts I love about her and feel true to her character.

A Duty of Care by findinghome20

"Your sleeping problem. How long has it been going on?” “I don’t…Malfoy, I don’t have sleeping problem.” “You’re lying." ---------- It’s been six years since the Battle of Hogwarts. In the midst of a new and brutal war, Hermione Granger cannot recognize the soldier she’s become. Healer Draco Malfoy has enough on his plate without worrying about Granger and her martyr complex. Why, then, can he not banish her from his mind? It’s a duty of care, he tells himself. A duty of care, and nothing more.

This is probably my number 1 absolute favorite dramione fic. It is practically a treatise on Hermione's relationship with duty and choice and the way these two concepts are very much the heart of her character. It also expounds on her relationship with death and how she treats it with a feeling of inevitability. It has such a beautiful and nuanced handling of her trauma, and I love sheer self-destructiveness she exhibits here.

This fic takes every single thing I love about Hermione and plays and builds on it in such gorgeous ways.

Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Falling in Love by isthisselfcare

Hermione straddles the Muggle and Magical worlds as a medical researcher and Healer about to make a big discovery. Draco is an Auror assigned to protect her from forces unknown – to both of their displeasure.

I really adore the way this author leans into her competence and generosity. I usually prefer politician Hermione, but this fic kept her need to change the world for the better as a healer-researcher (and actually allowed her to do so). It also has shades of her rule-breaking and instinct for secrecy that I really love.

Let the Dark In by Senlinyu

In a world where the rise of Voldemort never occurred, Wizarding society has found new ways to repress and exclude those they consider outsiders. Hermione Granger attends Hogwarts as one of the few Muggle-born students. Despite her efforts to make a place for herself, her future seems set in stone until Sixth Year, when the Triwizard Tournament is announced and everything begins to change.

This fic is very AU, but I really love the way it expands on and explores further Hermione's status as a muggle-born and the way that discrimination shapes her life. It keeps her disillusionment arc from canon but starts it later and then speedruns it. The conversation on bigotry in this fic is exquisite, and Hermione is the centerpiece.

#dramione #draco malfoy #hermione granger #hp fic rec #apologies for the lateness once more anon #but i hope you enjoy some of these

[elisfalling]

hi i've been sobbing about the opportunity rover tonight so i'm here to infodump

SO opportunity and laika are in a game a friend was running set like 100-ish years in earths future. established lunar bases and working to expand ever further and whatnot. i ran off the idea that (in my heart) humanity would absolutely retrieve the opportunity rover and place her in a shiny new body and awaken her to welcome her home if they could, and my friend aimed for the idea of having somehow captured the "church grim" of laika's soul and giving her a new humanoid body to both apologise for the atrocities committed to her and to give her a chance to live a happy life as she chooses. both of them, by coincidence or fate, your choice, volunteered themselves to be part of the next plan of space exploration - helping establish a living colony on mars. and by design, they ended up assigned to the same team and made INSTANT fast friends. they're entirely inseparable, neither quite have the words for it but both have horrifying anxiety about being alone, isolated, away from all others for even A Single Second so they quite literally never leave each others side. laika is ENTHUSIASTICALLY prone to including herself in anything oppy gets into, and oppy is content with it, both due to lacking in knowing that that is "improper etiquette" to let someone invite themselves to a thing you're doing, and knowing that she would've invited laika anyways. up until like a month ago i had assumed they would just be extremely close friends / they Couldnt date since opportunity is a robot and, well. no lips. cant kiss 😔. but my friend approached me with galaxy brain thoughts and pointed out laika, as a shifter, tends to wear a sort of metal cage muzzle anyways, so both could communicate their version of a kiss with a little headbutt/forehead touch (the intensity has to be moderated by the fact of one of them is All Metal, but the more Love Aggression in the moment i imagine the more intense the headbutts and general increase of physical contact/cuddles there are). thus came to light: Possible Space Girlfriends.

i've stopped crying and its very late where i am so im going to bed but i shall return with more for you soon <3 thank you for listening btw i have very few friends willing to let me infodump about characters and its nice

Hi oh my gosh I can’t explain how happy I was to see you in my inbox again!!

This is such a creative and adorable story and characters, truly just darling! 🥹🥰 I love them so much already!! I seriously can’t get over how heartwarming and just freaking lovely this is!! And the way they show affection, how cute!!!

Broke my heart with the part about how they get horribly anxious being apart from each other, isolated, alone. Like they are in space 😫 I want to hear more about them, please! Tell me they are happy together!

Seriously please come infodump about characters anytime you’d like! It makes me so happy every single time! Okay my turn to go sob over the opportunity rover. ✨

#little rover finding life #asks #ref when sad

[aureentuluva70]

Spoilers for Rings of Power Episodes 1 and 2

OK, so I just watched ep 1 and 2 for Rings of Power, and believe it or not I actually found it pretty enjoyable. And this is coming from a person who was once very pessimistic about the show. While there are some details that don't entirely fit with Tolkien's Canon, I've found that it's very easy to forgive when the show manages to nail that whimsical, Tolkienesque feeling and essence so dang well.

The visuals and cinematography are absolutely stunning. Almost every shot looks like a painting, especially the landscape shots. And the music! The music is incredible, and I could listen to Bear Mcreary's score for hours. He did a fantastic job and deserves all the praise for it. It's both reminiscent of Howard Shore's score for the Jackson Lotr trilogy yet something else all on its own at the same time, matching that very Tolkienesque feeling of the Professor's books. And in the end, isn't capturing the same feeling of Tolkien's writings what really matters instead of freaking out over insignificant details?

Now for the more spoiler-y content:

I love how ep 1 begins with Galadriel narrating the prologue just like the beginning of the Fellowship of the Ring. A cool nod to the Peter Jackson Trilogy.

I absolutely adored the scenes between young Galadriel and Finrod. They're so wholesome, I was beaming throughout the entire thing.

I literally squealed with delight when I heard the name Morgoth. He's actually mentioned quite a few times.

I was jumping out of my seat and giggling when Sauron showed up in the prologue. Sure we don't see his face but still he looks FANTASTIC. Not to mention he's freaking HUGE.

I REALLY hope we get to see Celeborn and Celebrian in the next season. WHERE ARE THEYYYYYYYY.

I adore the harfoots. Everything about them. Also Nori just radiates Frodo Baggins, and I love it so much.

Is it just me, or does Theo give me serious Maeglin vibes? I'd honestly be shocked if he doesn't turn out to become an evil character.

Elrond is the biggest, kindest sweetheart ever and I am already hopelessly in love with him. Celebrian is one lucky woman indeed.

Seeing Khazad-Dum in all its glory was just 👌.

I really love Durin and Elrond's friendship even if it does start out pretty shaky at first. Hearing Durin express his anger towards Elrond about how he hasn't seen him in so long and how he's missed so much of Durin's life just fits so well with Tolkien's themes of Mortality and Immortality. AND IT MAKES IT ALL THE MORE PAINFUL WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT DURIN IS JUST ANOTHER PERSON THAT ELROND IS GOING TO LOSE.

Expanding more on the southlands, and how many of the Elves are still unwilling to see past what the ancestors of the people of the Southlands did, and how that all ties in with Tolkiens themes of Immortality and Mortality was super cool, and I'm really excited to see and learn more about it. I've always found the topic of the Easterlings fascinating, and I find it awesome that this show is going to delve deeper into that.

I love the direction theyre taking with the portrayal of the orcs in the show. How they were able to make even a single orc feel like a deadly threat, it felt like something straight out of a horror film.

I SCREAMED when Feanor was mentioned. The entire conversation between Elrond and Celebrimbor in that scene had me fangirling so hard. (Also, if anyone would have a smithing hammer as ridiculously ornate as that, it would be Feanor.)

#Rings of Power #Thoughts #Tolkien #Silmarillion #Galadriel #Finrod #Morgoth #Sauron #Harfoots #Elves #Dwarves #Men #Nori #Theo #Elrond #Durin #Celebrimbor #Feanor

[jumpinginmuddypuddles]

heyyy whats up sunnyyyy

this is a pretty neat concept, maybe there’s one for artists too!

no idea if any of these have been asked before, but could i get 4, 25 and 35?

✨

hi hobs im doin alright on this chilly october morning

4. Are there any writers that inspire you?

is it possible for me to say every single one to ever exist? in terms of fandom, there are definitely writers that are absolute weapons when it comes to gut-wrenching beautifully-made stuff that i worship (maybe i need to make a fic rec list or a collection or something idk) but in terms of actual published authors, i adore madelline miller's prose, it's just so beautifully written and makes me sob and scream and cry every time. i also love donna tartt's prose and also her characters and how deep and subtle some of the nuances in her novels are. i also love love love kazuo ishuguro and philip k dick for both their science-fiction works that manage to be so funny and so heartbreaking all at once, as well as their masterful dialogue. so yeah, i've got quite a few inspirations, but whether i actually manage to emmulate any of the gorgeous stuff they have written is TBD.

25. Have you ever daydreamed about side adventures/spin-offs from your fic? Tell us about them!

Literally ALL THE TIME. As its you hobs, my lovely mutual, I'll tell you about that hermitcraft fic and it's worldbuilding that i had planned. Before my muse was ripped from me and I fell out of touch with hermitcraft, I had visions of creating loads of off-shooting oneshots and works that explore all the different members and their backstories, and how they managed to end up in the main timeline in that au. it included a prequel of how mumbo and grian met and slowly gained each other's trust - it was agonisingly sad I will let you know now. I still have that stuff half-written because I am too attached to it but I am unlikely to ever go back to it and expand on that beautiful, tragic little world

35. Ramble about any fic-related thing you want!

It's a topic that's been spoken about so so much in recent years, but I just love how fanfiction, especially sites like ao3, are perfect symbols of how communism could and would work in our modern society. because authors do not get paid for their troubles, for their back ache and eye strain and hours hunched over a screen trying to figure out just the right words. we receive little-to-no praise most of the time, especially in smaller fandoms. so in theory, it shouldn't work. writers shouldn't post things onto platforms like ao3 and ff.net if, by capitalist standards, our labour is not being paid for. surely if it was simply a hobby, we could just write and keep it to ourselves? but because of the little communities people have built online, and the fandoms that have grown tight and strong, there is a really amazing band of people that group together to write fanfiction just because they love to do it, regardless of the time and effort taken, and want to show their creations to the world. this is especially true on ao3, which is non-proft, and is run by the people for the people. maybe that's why it receives so much goddamn funding every single time it needs it. (what a beautiful thought) sorry that last bit got super sappy, i just think it's super neat! Equally, I do think some people on ao3 need to relearn politeness and ettiquette. so many times i've had people either trauma-dumping without warrant in my comments or just rudely demanding the next chapter?? like? i am a person with work and school and a life, i cannot sit by a computer and pump out chapter after chapter for the rest of my life. it's insane and I think more people need to talk about it. I've been thinking about putting a blanket disclaimer in my notes about doing stuff like that because it sometimes has gotten so bad.

thanks so much for the questions! this turned into an entire essay lmao

check out the 36 questions for writers here

#ao3 #my thoughts #answers #fanfic #ao3 author #ao3 stuff

[milfsloverblog]

Hi, I saw someone post about how one time they got a list of things someone likes about their fic and it made them really happy so I wanted to do that for you. And because I can’t show affection, even online, I’mma do it anonymously :))

Also, this’ll be kind of long. Sorry.

1. You’re one of (maybe the only?) writer for who I’ve loved every single fic! I don’t expect to like everything someone writes because genres and topics change and everyone has different preferences, but across every character and every genre I’ve absolutely ADORED your fics.

2. You’re so so brilliant at capturing emotion in your scenes— no matter the emotion. Which is, like, really really hard. Your softer writing feels warm and intimate and sweet, and your sad stories are beautifully heartbreaking. And please take that as the compliment it’s intended to be, sad stories are supposed to make you feel sad. That’s the whole point, right? Can you imagine a character dying and no one caring? We want to mourn. We want to feel it. Oh, and your smut is so fucking hot (while also preserving the characters themselves, which isn’t super common).

3. Your stories are always worth rereading, I think I’ve read them all multiple times. They’re just as enjoyable the second time around.

4. Your writing feels very much like you (I mean, I don’t know you, but your general style, you know?) while also preserving the qualities of the original content. I mentioned this briefly before. The writing still feels like the characters, while also expanding on them and adding more colour. The story and the feel is very reflective of the setting (especially your Jan Stevens one, it totally felt true to the wacky, fun, off-centre, and kind of dark atmosphere of the movie, while still being it’s own story with its own vibes).

5. I think the quality of your writing is really really good. I don’t know how to phrase it more descriptively. Reading your work is just very enjoyable.

Sorry this was so long, and thanks for your time. Don’t worry about replying to this if you don’t want to, I’m not expecting it.

Have a lovely day, darling <3

Anon, I don’t think you realise how much I needed to read this today. Thank you SO, SO MUCH for taking the time to write me this message, it means the world. I’ve been in a very weird space lately where I just stare at my WIPs and think girl, what the hell??, everything I write feels bland and out of character and…God, your message really helps soothing my little heart.

Thank you again, I can only hope you’ll keep enjoying my work as much as you do!!

Have the best day!! 🫶

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (13-19 Nov 2022)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

😍 👂‍Ocean's Echo (Everina Maxwell, author; Raphael Corkhill, narrator) - same universe as Winter's Orbit but completely unrelated so you absolutely can read this standalone. where WO was a sci-fi romance, this is more a romantic sci-fi. Lots of space military and politicking and being used as pawns in everyone else's games. I absolutely adore Tennal, who shows up to everything with an "I think I will cause problems on purpose!" mindset and Surit, whose steadfast moral compass makes him a great soldier right up until orders conflict with that bone-deep conviction. I also really dug the expanded world building; genuinely hope there'll be more books where we get more of it.

😍 Itsy Bitsy Yoga (wearing_tearing) - reread, 59K - Stucky no powers AU with single dad Steve and toddler yoga teacher Bucky - soft & fluffy as a fleece blanket straight out the dryer

😍 Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots (The Cabots #3) (Cat Sebastian) - every book in this series is solid gold and this is no exception - great execution of the 'didn't realize we were already dating' trope. also Cat had this to say about it in her last newsletter and I think it's so dead on accurate: Earlier this year I read a slew of Kirk-McCoy fanfic in which those two fools didn't realize they were dating. I was enthralled. Delighted. Mesmerized. I took to social media to complain about the lack of this trope in commercial fiction and, predictably, within 48 hours was drafting this book. And thus was born Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots, in which two people love one another very much and then later on realize they've been in a relationship all along. I think (and I'm spitballing here) that there may be something inherently queer about this trope, maybe because in order for it to work, the characters pretty much have to be in some kind of queerplatonic relationship to begin with. Also, there may be something queer or queer-friendly about how even discussing this kind of relationship involves getting into the weeds about what constitutes a relationship in the first place, which kind of goes against the grain of a heteronormative prix fixe one size fits all relationships? 

💖💖 +107K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

love you like rlb (orphan_account) - MCU: Stucky, 3.4K - reread of this fave - forever grateful the original creator chose to orphan it and leave it available rather than remove it entirely

Ninety-Nine Problems (lordeofstucky) - MCU: no powers omegaverse, 27K - reread; semi-traditional omegaverse with some absolutely premier dirty talk from steve

Stevie Doesn't Know (aaliona) - Stranger Things: Steddie, 34K - a fun little rock star/barista AU

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

The Big Brunch - s1, e1-3 - this has the same peaceful vibes as the original flavor GBBO and I love it

Death In Paradise - Christmas Special 2021; s11, e1

Leverage: Redemption - s2, e1-3 - delighted to have my beloved thief family back again

Abbott Elementary - s2, e8

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

Ologies with Alie Ward - Bryology (MOSS) Encore with Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer

Switched on Pop - Willow Smith rocks harder

Decoder Ring Plus - The Truth About #TheDress

Vibe Check - All Skinfolk Ain’t Kinfolk - this podcast is THE BEST WAY to start your Wednesday!

It's Been a Minute - 'Abbott Elementary' gets teachers

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Trailing of the Sheep

Shedunnit Book Club - Clerical Crimes

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - African Heritage House

99% Invisible #405 - Freedom House Ambulance Service: American Sirens

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Larry Spring Museum of Common Sense Physics

One Year Plus - 1942: When Internment Came to Alaska

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Tanks of Flamenco Beach

Twenty Thousand Hertz+ - Synth War II: Digital Doom

Song Exploder - Omah Lay "Never Forget"

Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster - Ep 151: Rob Brydon

Into It - 'Wakanda' Over It or: How I Learned to Come to Terms with 'Black Panther' Ambivalence

Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster - Ep 21: Dara O Briain

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

my "Invisible Miracle Sledgehammer" playlist - basically just all of Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins & Mike and the Mechanics discography 😆

CREDITS: Joe Strummer

Meet Me @ the Altar

The Donnas

Swinging Sixties Hits

Bruno Mars Radio • Upbeat

#sunday reading recap #bookgeekgrrl's reading habits #bookgeekgrrl's soundtracks #the volume of reading was fairly low but the quality was exceptionally high this week #the cabots series #ocean's echo #fanfic ftw #i think i might have to abandon death in paradise until they get a new dci bc i cannot handle how the writing is treating neville! #allergies and chronic illnesses are not jokes! spiking someone's drink is not 'cute' or 'funny'! #at least i had the joy of the big brunch & leverage: redemption to make up for it #vibe check podcast #99% invisible podcast #20k hz podcast #decoder ring podcast #into it podcast #off menu podcast #one year podcast #shedunnit podcast #ologies podcast #song exploder #switched on pop podcast #atlas obscura podcast #it's been a minute podcast #the donnas #meet me @ the altar #joe strummer #genesis #peter gabriel #phil collins