#Those characters are written to be as annoying as possible it's unrealistic

[maoam]

Apologies if I came off a certain way but there's a pattern I've noticed in the fandom over the years. The same people who bash Sakura and say she's written to be unlikable are the same people who joke about Naruto and Sasuke being absent fathers and think it's a funny gotcha moment for their ship. Those two in the current canon are far more unlikable than Sakura. She comes across as pathetic in Gaiden but that entire manga was a Team 7 character assassination and people only talk about Sakura.

People blame Sakura for pursuing a guy who shows no interest in her, except it's explicitly written in the manga that Sasuke does care about Sakura, felt the need to apologize to her, and enjoys her company. It's also shown and stated that Sakura does care about Sasuke's feelings and knew he would leave the village that night(although it can be argued that this was to set up the VoTE fight, I still think it's worth mentioning). She's shown in flashbacks alongside Naruto. I don't think Sakura's feelings are too unrealistic, she never stalked him like Hinata did to Naruto, she was just very direct.

Nothing Sakura ever did is as bad as Naruto sending a clone to his kid's birthday party and having his son hate him, or Sasuke disappearing for a decade and never meeting his daughter(in my opinion). It just seems like a double standard. Sasuke clearly likes her and I don't think you have to be a SS shipper to acknowledge this; plenty of people date/marry while being in love with someone else. Also maybe I'm incorrect but awhile back I remember reading that Kishi did want to expand on Sakura more but his editors told him not to.

Sorry for the unsolicited rant but I don't engage in the fanbase that much anymore and I recently returned to Tumblr lol. I didn't even realize they removed the character limit in asks.

I'm starting to feel like a meanie since I drag a character you seem to like, but you are kind of prompting it by sending me asks about it. Your motive seems to be that I'd change my mind about her but it's not going to happen.

Sasuke did care about her when she was part of his team in part 1. He's also a kind boy despite what people think of him. So he gives people chances. And he also noticed Sakura didn't change in the end. That's why he says "I knew it, you really are damned annoying."

We never see him actually enjoy her company (I have no idea where you even got this impression), while Kishimoto goes out of his way to show Sasuke enjoying Naruto's company. He never thinks of Sakura as an individual, only as part of their unit. This is something a lot of people, even people who didn't ship Naruto and Sasuke noticed. In part 2, you can't possibly argue that Sasuke cares about Sakura lol. Kishimoto really rubbed it in everyone's faces how Sasuke didn't have the same consideration for Sakura anymore as he did during their time as a team, and this is something Sakura herself noticed. As for his apology, yes he gave two panel apology to her after he recoinciled with Naruto. He had committed to adapt to a new life where he assisted to make the shinobi world better with Naruto, so it makes sense he would try to get along with Sakura like Naruto many times insisted him to. But it's not like Kishi would sacrifice too much space for this, and Sasuke immediately focuses his attention to Naruto after said apology. Compare this apology to some of the others in the manga, you can tell how lackluster and not as emotionally charged it is.

Sakura cares about Sasuke's feelings? No, she really doesn't. In both of her confessions, she makes everything about herself. She shows she does not listen at all what Sasuke says even in her second confession. "If you stay with me things can go back to the way they were" seriously, she does not understand even the most basic stuff. I don't even need to mention how she compared her shallow feelings to the loss of Sasuke's entire clan, while insisting she hurts as much as he does. As for him leaving, Sakura had been noticing the mark's effect on Sasuke afterwards since she knew it was there, Naruto didn't. Here's a good takedown about it [link].

She's not as bad as Hinata? First of all, being better than Hinata is a low bar to begin with, and nothing to boast about. Secondly plenty of Hinata stans argue she's better than Sakura, by saying "at least Hinata didn't get rejected multiple times while not taking no for an answer like Sakura" while you think Sakura is better because she didn't stalk Sasuke behind a tree. Meanwhile, my opinion is that neither of them can take a hint. And both of them are selfish.

Naruto and Sasuke are gay in a world that wouldn't accept their relationship, so it's far more nuanced for them. You might realize this when you grow up. Both SS and NH also unsurpsingly involve guilt tripping.

As for Sakura, Gaiden is not character assassination for her. Sakura was ready to dump her parents and disrespect them every time they were brought up in front of Sasuke, and she was never redeemed from this, she never was shown to treat them well. In a manga that is about bonds, including family bonds. Lol. She also treats Ino badly because they both like Sasuke. She literally said the reason she treated Naruto so poorly was because she was under the impression Naruto comes between her and Sasuke. It's literally not out of character for her to get pissed at Sarada for bursting her bubble about her relationship with Sasuke.

Sorry but I think you’re the one misinterpreting her character.

#anon

[annsillsomething]

this is going to be a long post

so I watched the rings of power

and I have to emphasize that I didn’t pay anything for it because I would never pay someone for defiling the beautiful world J. R. R. Tolkien created

well, I say I didn’t pay anything but it have definitely costed me some nerves

and not only because it is so devastatingly different from the original work, it hurt, but I was willing to give the creators a chance to tell a « new story »

if they had succeeded I would have still complained because I believe it’s unacceptable when dealing with such a well written and detailed world like J. R. R. Tolkien’s but there would have been at least something positive about the whole situation

but this series don’t tell a good « new story »

and I don’t have to see the end of it to be completely sure

the number of scenes that do not make any sense even in the context of the « new story » is ridiculously large

like that one with Galadriel jumping overboard in the middle of the sea

and speaking of Galadriel

let’s ignore for a moment the fact that what we see in the rings of power is a completely different character (where is her husband, by the way, I wonder)

but I can’t ignore that she was turned into Mary Sue

like her single-handedly killing the troll that at least three of her soldiers failed to even scratch

or defeating 4 guards in full armor while being in chains and unarmed

that’s not what a strong female character is supposed to be, that’s a badly written overpowered character whose personality can be described in two words: independent (which is more like arrogant asshole who « doesn’t need anyone’s help ») and badass (not in a good way, something like « I’ll punch you in the face if you as much as look at me slightly wrong »)

seems like more than two words, but I wanted to be as clear as possible

I don’t understand why this kind of characters is so popular nowadays (not among the audience but in the industry, I still can’t get over Carol Danvers… she was so damn annoying and flat)

ok, some might say « she is an ancient elf with thousands years of experience », but so are her soldiers, what makes her different?

honestly, I’ve got so many questions, Galadriel in the books is incredible why make her so… shallow

ok, enough about Galadriel

let’s move on to other stupid things

Arondir (and some elves whose names I didn’t catch, they died too fast anyway) fighting the orcs in their camp (or whatever that was, I’m not sure I got it right)

the scene looks so unrealistic and physically impossible… ugh… I just can’t, it’s not even cool because the rings of power is not an anime, it’s supposed to be fantasy (probably dark fantasy in this case) series, that implies some magic, yes, but none of defying gravity and flying on the giant chains

then there was the tunnel that Arondir was investigating

that’s some of the horror film’s logic like « let’s go into a potentially dangerous place which is hard to get out of fast »

additional points for going alone

and when he tried to get deeper when he spotted enemies instead of going back the way he came

without knowing whether there is a way out

that might be my claustrophobia talking but I still believe it wasn’t the smartest move

and I don’t think this character is supposed to be stupid

those are the things that annoyed me the most

and I really try not to dive into the abyss of complaints about canon deviations (J. R. R. Tolkien’s works are very important to me personally, I spent my whole youth reading and rereading everything I could get my hands on, so yeah… I don’t want to speak about all this shit in the series now)

the story itself is barely there

4 (5th being watched while I edit the post) episodes in and nothing actually happened

and I don’t like where this is going (for a lot of reasons)

there is another thing which… surprised me

while watching the scene where Teo is hiding from orcs I found myself hoping they will find him

I really wanted them to

and this is when I realized that the problem is even bigger than I estimated

that has been the first time I actually rooted for orcs

I couldn’t find a single reason to empathize with Teo or any other positive character (aside from Durin, Disa and Nori with her family, those are fine), I didn’t want to see them happy or even alive, I didn’t want to hear their story

this has been the first time I wanted Sauron to actually succeed in his quest to conquer the world

and that must mean something

in conclusion, I can say that I didn’t have high expectations for these series to begin with (at least after the trailers, before that… talking about it is just going to make me sad) so I wasn’t too disappointed

it is exactly as bad as I thought it would be but now I can make a list of things that make it bad instead of just saying that it is

my sister made me watch it to see me suffer (she got what she wanted)

Upd.: the 5th episode was something

I’ve never heard anything more stupid than the explanation of the necessity of mithril for the elves (no spoilers my friends, I want you to hear it yourself)

someone must have been drunk or high when they came up with it

it was so terribly stupid I couldn’t even get angry

the rest of the episodes pales in comparison to this shit

I’m still rooting for orcs and whoever is leading them (I don’t care who this guy is, Sauron or someone else, I like his voice and overall vibe), haha

oh, and Númenóreans’ armor is probably made of cardboard or something like that, really, it looks so cheap and ugly, ugh

well, it probably won’t protect from anything but at least the soldiers won’t sink if they fall overboard heheh

#the rings of power #rings of power

[historyhermann]

“Birdie Wing”: A Golf Yuri Story Soaring to New Heights

On April 6, 2022, Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story premiered on Crunchyroll. This series tells the story of Eve, a girl who plays underground golf games to support her friends, and their orphan children, who meets her match in Aoi, a wealthy Japanese girl.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, my History Hermann WordPress blog (it will be published on Dec. 30 there) and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-third article I wrote for The Geekiary. This post was originally published on July 3, 2022.

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story is an original golf anime series directed by Takayuki Inagaki and written by Yōsuke Kuroda. Unlike other anime, it is not based on a manga or a light novel. Bandai Namco Pictures produces the series. They are a subsidiary of a company formerly named Sunrise, which produced series within the Love Live! franchise, Cowboy Bebop and Dirty Pair.

Trigger Warning: This post mentions sensitive topics such as bodily injury, blood, and bullying.

The first season of this yuri sports series began with a bang, with intense female sports rivalries, golf mafia, and smoking hot characters. Eve (Akari Kitō) defeats her opponents time and again with her golf style of piercing their hearts (and minds) with her "rainbow bullets". Aoi Amawashi (Asami Seto) changes everything for her and makes her excited, ecstatic to play against her in golf. As a warning, this post has spoilers for the first season of Birdie Wing.

This series is unlike any other sports anime I've ever seen. It fulfills what some reviewers, like Yuricon founder Erica Friedman, hoped for in the past. It is not perfect, but its absurdity and clear yuri themes mix well together.

Birdie Wing is, by far, the best anime I've watched this year, much better than Komi Can't Communicate, A Couple of Cuckoos, and Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie. All those series have their merits, but are not as intense, wacky, or relatable as Birdie Wing by a long shot.

The last seven episodes of Season 1 had even higher stakes than the first six episodes which I reviewed in mid-May. Eve plays an "ultimate" golf game against Rose and wins. She then flees the European country of Nafrece to Japan to escape the golf-obsessed mafia who wants to kill her. The later episodes have Eve enrolling in a prestigious Japanese golf academy. She gets closer to Aoi, who has a crush on her, as she tries to fulfill her promise to play her once again and win.

One of the best parts of this anime is the intensity between Eve and Aoi. While some criticized possible "questionable tropes" in Birdie Wing, the absurdity and series' unrealistic nature puts those claims into question.

The series is weird in a good way and has a sports angle which is extreme at times. Even so, it is hard to say it is trading goods for fanservice, as some critics argue, with those same critics even becoming invested in Eve and Aoi.

The series has garnered a significant following. The official Twitter account has tens of thousands of followers. Over 270 people follow the /r/BirdieWing subreddit. Fan art is spreading across social media. This undoubtedly played a role in Birdie Wing's renewal for a second season. It will premiere in January 2023.

Filled with Yuri

Eve (left), the flirter, as arrived

As I noted in my series recommendation, I became interested in this series after reading an article by The Mary Sue fandom editor Briana Lawrence highlighting yuri themes. She later described Birdie Wing as a "fantastically campy golf (love) story". There's more than that.

Aoi openly crushes on Eve, who uses her charm. In the above scene, Eve flirts with two Japanese girls and hangs out with them all day. Although this annoys her wannabe caddy, Ichina Saotome (Saki Fujita), this doesn't worry Eve.

In some ways, how Aoi feels about Eve is akin to Akari Tokitō's behavior toward Menou in The Executioner and Her Way of Life. Unlike that series, Eve often embarrasses Aoi and does things that make her heart beat fast.

For example, she lovingly touches Aoi in the head, demands Aoi play her while coming out of the shower naked, and kisses Aoi on the cheek. In the latter example, she says this is "normal" for girls to do. Aoi's caddy, Amane Shinjō (Ami Koshimizu), and Ichina are flabbergasted. Amane declares she can't do that in front of the press. Ichina mentions lily flowers blooming, a reference to yuri.

As reviewers have pointed out, Aoi and Eve are "super gay". There are also characters like Vipére (the snake lady). She inappropriately flirts with Eve during a golf match. Her affection is ignored because she focuses on Aoi instead.

The snake lady later becomes a friend of Eve. She helps get Eve, her friend Lily Lipman (Akira Sekine), Lily's sister Klein Clara (Sayaka Kinoshita), and their three orphan immigrant children, the adopted sisters of Eve and Lily, the proper forms. With the documents they can live free from the Mafia.

Others pointed out that the series is able to flex its "sapphic muscles" more once episodes take place at an all-girls academy. This theme is common to many yuri series. Adachi and Shimamura, Bloom Into You, Sweet Blue Flowers, Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl, Dear Brother, and Blue Drop, are all set in schools.

Yuricon founder Erica Friedman added that the series is similar to I’m in Love With The Villainess, with a "hefty splash of...yuri". She asked whether the audience will get "passionate platonic sisters or passionate platonic partners in golf" or something else.

Friedman said we probably won't get the end we want but gave the series a top score for yuri. She further argued the series is close to "being the greatest Yuri sports anime of all time."

The Most Birdie Wing of Them All

Eve (left) tells Aoi (right) she likes no hesitation, one of Aoi's qualities.

Certainly, sports anime are relatable. Birdie Wing is nothing like any of the other golf anime or manga out there, including one short film centered on golf girls, Sorairo Utility.

This series flaunts the rules of the sports genre, with characters either arrogant or supremely confident in their skills. They are competent enough to back up those feelings. Any of their errors turn into comedic moments, often with a yuri tinge when Aoi and Eve are involved.

This makes the series fun to watch. Although some have voiced concern that the series will "run out of crazy ideas" which make golf interesting, I doubt that will be the case. Instead, the series has beautiful musical montages of golf bullying. It has underground assassins trained in golf techniques. U.S. corporate executives sitting in their plush chairs, cancelling queer shows, would laugh off this series.

Birdie Wing is filled with terrible women, from top to bottom. It features golf crime with Mafia who believe that golf games are a way to solve problems. What other series out there are like this? I can't think of anything remotely similar other than the yuri comedy, YuruYuri.

It is an over-the-top series with dramatic tension and absurdity which pulls you in. It makes golf, a disgusting elitist sport, interesting to watch. How this series got made, and why, I don't know. But, it's here for us to enjoy.

After all, golf competition and rising the ranks is central to this series, with Eve and Aoi wanting to have a rematch. Both have a dream to become professional golfers The series follows them as they "battle it out in the biggest tournaments" as the official description says.

Birdie Wing is nothing like other-girl focused sports anime, such as Kandagawa Jet Girls, Iwa-Kakeru! Climbing Girls, or Tamayomi, some of which have yuri subtext. It is in a league of its own. It is not on par to any other sports anime I'm aware of currently.

The interaction between Aoi and Eve is one of the best parts of the series. They often tease each other and have a good time, even able to work with one another despite their different styles, even making bets. In one episode, Aoi says that thanks to Eve's influence, expectations on her will not tie her down, which surprises Amane.

Handling Heavy Themes

Episode 7 is the first time that the names of Klein's orphan children are mentioned in the series

Some criticized the series of running the risk of "mishandling heavy themes" in the midst of its "high-octane action". This includes the claim that issues of police brutality and Eve's undocumented family fade into the background. For a series which can accurately be called "Birdie Wing : Yuri on Green" and with adorable golfer lesbians (Eve and Aoi), this criticism might seen to ring true.

It is a faulty criticism. The series does focus on heavy themes. The show's seventh episode is the first time the audience learns the names of Klein's immigrant orphan children: Emily, Charlotte, and Jessica. Thinking of her adopted sisters gives Eve the strength to defeat Rose Aleon (Toa Yukinari), who is a go-between for Eve (and Klein) to the underworld.

The snake lady gives them the proper identification forms after Eve's victory over Rose. All the while they are flush in cash. Later Anri (Chiaki Omigawa), one of Rose's subordinates, lashed out at Eve, for Rose's defeat, advising her to travel abroad to Japan. At the same time, Rose is assassinated by the Mafia after talking to Leo. Some heavy stuff!

We also learn, in the eighth episode of Birdie Wing, that the orphans are from Syria (Charlotte), Somalia (Jessica), and Palestine (Emily), as stated on their new IDs. Although this is not a major focus of the series after Eve goes to Japan, we do see the orphans going to school. In another episode, we see Lily and Klein are working at their new legal restaurant/bar, The White Hart.

This is an improvement for Lily and Klein. As one fan pointed out, they were implied in episode six of Birdie Wing as working as underage prostitutes in the Nafrece slums before Klein got her past restaurant which the Mafia destroyed in their crooked "redevelopment" effort.

In some ways, the series focuses on the exclusivity of golf. This is something that Malvina Reynolds sang about in her 1963 folk song, "Little Boxes". In the song, she sings about people in suburbia playing on the golf course and drinking dry Martinis.

Aoi, as a daughter of a business executive, is tied into the high life. However, Eve would never forget where she is from. Her presence and demeanor stands against the "professionalism" of golf, putting her street smarts to good use.

This fits with her utter disregard for academics. She is no Kim Possible and trying to excel in her classes. Instead she is a transfer student at a premier golfing school, Raiho Girls' Academy, backed by a golfing brand.

She likely sees the school as stuck-up. She gives it a bad name by declaring war on Japanese golf champion Mizuho Himekawa (Yukari Tamura). It is implied that she isn't a good student, even sleeping during class. Somehow she stays there without being expelled, suspended, or the like. Possibly, the academy's shady golf club adviser, Reiya Amuro (Tōru Furuya), wants her around.

Compelling Characters and Plot

Eve (right) and Aoi (left) enter the tournament hall, with Eve in her "battle suit"

The plot and characters of Birdie Wing are some of the series' strong suits. The show's official website currently lists 24 characters. While Klein appears to be the only character listed with brown skin, the opening sequence shows a Black woman at the end. This implies that Eve and Aoi would face a Black female golfer in the show's second season.

Episodes of Birdie Wing are filled with high-stakes golf matches. Signature golf drives by Eve, often terming it the "rainbow bullets", which come in many different colors, are at the center. There's also Rose's "Crimson Rose Bullet" and other "bullets" Aoi declares.

In keeping with the show's yuri themes, the series' opening sequence shows golf drives of Aoi and Eve intertwined. In the ending sequence, Eve and Aoi are lying side by side, with their silhouettes touching.

Leo Millafoden (Shūichi Ikeda), former legendary golfer, who trained Eve and other golfers, casts a shadow throughout the series. His motivations are unknown. They will likely be explored more in a second season.

The technologically advanced golf course owned by a mafia boss, Catherine (Umeka Shoji), added an interesting flair. The design of the course can be changed in an instant, even though it requires a lot of power and electricity.

The series became a bit sci-fi when it was revealed that Rose's arm is cybernetic, giving her an unfair advantage. The fact that her arm breaks off and falls to the ground, shows the stakes of the golf games.

The first season is divided into two arcs: Nafrece (episodes 1-8) and Japan (episodes 9-13). This is similar to the division of Disenchantment into various parts or acts which divide the first season of Arcane.

Even Ichina, who seems annoying at first, comes around to be a more compelling character. She becomes Eve's caddy and competes with Amane, Aoi's well-versed and tech-savvy caddy. Ichina grows over the course of the season.

There are funny moments, too. In one episode they talk with each other in internal monologues. In another, Aoi jumps toward Eve, overjoyed to see her, but Eve jumps out of the way. This series is filled with comedic moments, providing some levity.

The reaction of others to Eve makes the series interesting. For instance, students at the elite golf academy are intimidated by her, as she looks angry and pissed. Girls at the competition see Eve as scary, and mean, but pretty. They are taken in by her beauty.

Talented Cast and Crew

Eve (right) declares that her "rainbow bullets" will pierce through Mizuho Himekawa (left), who she challenged to a golf game

The amazing animation and backgrounds by Bandai Namco Pictures would be nothing without the efforts by the staff and voice actors.  The show's writer, Yōsuke Kuroda, was a head writer on Kokoro Library, Puni Puni Poemy, and Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid. The latter series is set in the same universe as Birdie Wing!

One of the two series composers, Kōtarō Nakagawa, is well-known for his anime work on the Code Geass series, Gosick, and Active Raid. The other composer, Hironori Anazawa, is known for her work on Scarlet Nexus, Shûkatsu Kazoku: Kitto, Umaku Iku, and many other series.

Takayuki Inagaki, the show's director, worked as an episode director on Chio's School Road, Sky Wizards Academy, and Rosario + Vampire. The show's animators and other crew worked on Azumanga Daioh, Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Movie, and Sailor Moon Crystal.

The show's cast are as talented. Some have lent their voices to characters in series with yuri themes, either indirectly or overtly, like The Demon Girl Next Door, Adachi and Shimamura, Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, A Centaur's Life, and Akebi's Sailor Uniform. Others voiced characters in the trans-centered slice-of-life drama, Wandering Son, and The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!

Tōru Furuya, especially, brought back a similar voice to many Sailor Moon fans. In that 1990s anime series, he famously voiced Tuxedo Mask, a masked hero who has a crush on Sailor Moon.

Additionally, I recognized that the voice actors of this series provided voices in Simoun, Yurikuma Arashi, Princess Connect! Re:Dive, Princess Principal, Asobi Asobase, Girl Friend Beta, Strawberry Panic!, and Maria Watches Over Us. Many of these series have yuri themes, something the voice actors could tap into for this series.

Looking Toward a Second Season

(the video has since been made private)

There are many avenues to explore in the next season. The above preview premiered after the airing of the season one finale. It shows that the stakes are higher than ever, with games against students from other schools. This includes Mizuho Himekawa (Yukari Tamura), Kaede Oikawa (Yu Kobayashi), Kaoruko Iijima (M・A・O), and Kuyou Iseshiba (Satomi Arai).

The preview shows the tough nature of golf, backstories of Aoi and Eve, and a possible assassination attempt against Eve. There are hints that Eve and Aoi are sisters. The status of Aoi as "totally bourgeoisie", as Ichina put it in one episode, could be a topic of episodes. This could manifest itself in Aoi losing her privileges or those privileges being threatened.

Predictably, the second season will focus on Eve. It may show she is a golf supersoldier trained as a tool of the Mafia. Maybe there is a trigger word which makes her subservient. Likely any past traumatic experiences she relegated to repressed memories will come flooding back.

However, Eve has no reason to go back to Naeferce and will stay in Japan for the foreseeable future. The same is the case for Eve's aggressive and brutish golf style, which will remain intact. However, they may end up losing the championship match.

Undoubtedly, the romantic feelings between Aoi and Eve will continue. They may even share the same room! I'm hopeful the series will not go the route of the problematic yuri romance Citrus or romantic comedy, Candy Boy. Both have incestuous romances between sisters, which cheapens representation.

Closing Words

I look forward to seeing how the series improves and changes in the next season. Unlike what I wrote about The Executioner and Her Way of Life, I don't see any issues with tone and don't believe there need to be stronger storylines.

The success of this series could pave the way for more original anime series from Bandai Namco Pictures and those licensed by Crunchyroll, perhaps with yuri themes. I wait in anticipation for the show's next season.

So, spread your wings and watch Birdie Wing: A Golf Girls' Story on Crunchyroll!

© 2022-2023 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

#birdie wing #golf #yuri #anime #lgbtq #tropes #blood #bullying #bodily injury #japan #fanservice #the mary sue #the executioner and her way of life #adachi and shimamura #bloom into you #sweet blue flowers #kashimashi #dear brother #oniisama e #blue drop #sports anime #academics #kim possible #golf caddy #citrus #crunchyroll #candy boy

[diamondcitydarlin]

I s2g we have like an unholy tradition on this site of making up our minds about how a season of a show is going to be before any of it airs and getting preemptively, irrationally angry at the stuff we basically just made up on the basis of flimsy SEO articles that take people's quotes of context and our own grim imaginations. Like, no offense but the n@ndermo tag right now is just a lot of people angry about stuff they've made up in their own heads based on the few hints we've gotten thus far. It'll be something like...idk, we'll hear a trash can is going to be involved in the next season and within a matter of hours there'll be a handful of people that will have decided for some reason that Nandor is definitely going to throw Guillermo into the trashcan and HOW DARE HE DO THAT, AND HOW DARE THE WRITERS WRITE HIM DOING THAT AND HOW DARE- (I mean, that absolutely could happen in an ep but you see my point)

I feel like, on the one hand, it must originate from early tumblr fandom roots, that whole culture back in the early 2010's of latching on to media written by cishet yt men with no interest in what queer audiences want to see or experience (some of whom even felt actively resentful of their queer, poc and younger fans bc they weren't the young cishet yt male audience they wanted to attract in the first place) and being disappointed again and again and again by our own unrealistic expectations. I feel like this created an environment of constantly waiting for the paint to peel, like when is this show going to make it painfully clear they resent us as viewers and not only have no intention of depicting things we'd like to see, but will make an active effort to destroy/invalidate those things? Not a matter of if, but a matter of when.

And I get that, to an extent. We were all much younger then and we didn't know then what we know now.

But like...without naming specific titles, I still see this early 10's blind optimism being put towards newer source material that, to me, is pretty clearly written for a yt cishet male audience and will probably not ever deliver on the queer subplot everyone wants to see, though I have no doubt they'll continue to play around subtly with the possibility until they invalidate it at the last moment by having both male characters get married off to female characters we barely know. I hope I'm wrong! But I don't think I am!

And that would be fine on its own, it's not my place or my business to tell people what to enjoy and how, but it's discouraging when media that is written for a queer and otherwise marginalized audience and has a made a point of prioritizing their perspectives gets held to these ridiculous standards of expectation. Like, it's more than enough in YT Man Queerbait S5 for them to hold each other's gaze longer than a second, but if the gay shows don't stick to the script and have them making out, fucking and married right now, plot and characters be damned, then it's all trash. IT'S ALL TRASH APPARENTLY.

I don't think anyone doing this is thinking that critically about it, which is part of the problem. Either way it's really annoying and I needed to vent about it lol.

#once again: not aimed at anyone who'd be reading this #at least not to my knowledge #most of the time i'm over people beyond the point of ranting #so im taking it as a sign my depression is ebbing that i actually want to rant about this lol

[lil-gingerbread-queen]

There is nothing that annoyed me about JKR than people calling her a feminist. Because even if you decide to ignore her transphobia (which is not feminist), I implore you to read the way women and girls are written in HP, especially Cho Chang and Fleur Delacour. The racism, the xenophobia, the internalized misogyny, the pick-me-girl energy, unmatchable. Those two characters are literally describes as "they're conventionally attractive, so every guy loves them, but not for their personality because they're annoying, and every girl hates them", it's quite pathetic. When she wants the reader to not like a girl/classmate who isn't r*cist, she uses a stereotype used against women. Lavender is a too clingy girlfriend, Fleur is centered on her appearance, Cho likes cringy pink hearts decorations... She can say she's a feminist, but she's not.

#anti jkr #anti jk rowling #jk rowling #wizarding world of harry potter #Emma Watson is a real feminist I think #but not jkr #you need more than being a single working woman to be a feminist #Those characters are written to be as annoying as possible it's unrealistic #And there's this scene at the burrow where every girl hates Fleur but the men are hypnotized #I hate it

[aliasblack73]

I literally do not understand folks who think that it is “out of character” if someone’s approach to sex is not the same way all the time.

Once again there’s bottom LWJ discourse on twitter. And I’m gonna preface this by saying that if you prefer to read LWJ having sex the same way all the time and don’t like reading him a different way, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY FINE. We all have our preferences in terms of what characterizations appeal to us the most and that we want to see consistently.

My objection is for people who actually type with a serious face that it would be out of character for him to have sex some way that wasn’t written in canon or whatever it is that is their headcanon.

This isn’t just about whose dick is being inserted, it’s about the way they have sex. Someone on twitter defending bottom LWJ as long as it was in character and he doesn’t become an “innocent delicate flower.” Which, I DO agree that bottom does not automatically equal innocent delicate flower. But I don’t agree that it would necessarily be out of character.  One of the things I love about LWJ is that he’s very complex. He is an excellent swordsman and warrior, and he loves bunnies. He is a petty bitch to people that annoy him, but shamelessly indulgent towards children. He is a stickler for rules, and fell sloppily in love with someone who never met a rule he wouldn’t break. You gonna tell me this same man is like, “Yeah I want to be a dom top all the time, no exceptions”?

I wonder how many of these folks have actually been in a long term relationship. And if they were, did they have sex the exact same way all the time? Do they only enjoy sex if each and every time it involves being mercilessly pounded with bondage and lots of screaming. EVERY DAY?  

Because gosh that sounds kind of exhausting to me. And frankly boring.  And not at all reflective of how love and relationships are complex, and our feelings are complex. And just...people in general are complex. We really don’t like the same thing the same way all the time. Maybe in little ways. I like to have coffee every single morning.  But I don’t have chicken for dinner every day.  There’s a reason why “variety is the spice of life” is a saying. There’s a reason people say “I’m in the mood for...”  BECAUSE WE HAVE MOODS.  

I’m not saying that it’s completely UNrealistic that LWJ would only ever want to be a top and a dominant rough one at that. What I’m saying is that it isn’t UNrealistic that he wouldn’t be like that all the time. Maybe one night he wants to be a dom bottom, tying WWX up and riding him, using him like he’s a dildo. Maybe one morning they wake up and WWX looks so sweet that he can’t help but curve into his back and take WWX slowly from behind. Maybe WWX has a near miss during a night hunt and LWJ is freaked out by the idea that WWX could have died again and so he wants WWX to lay on top of him so he can feel the weight of him, with WWX whispering sweet words of affirmation as tears roll down LWJ’s cheeks. 

Maybe none of those possibilities is your preference to read, and as I said, that’s perfectly reasonable.  But if you actively dismiss it and the people who write LWJ that way as “out of character” then I have to question your one-dimensional view of humanity.

#wangxian #top bottom discourse #lemon

[dream-a-little-bigger-x]

Chapter 1 -- Perfect Harmony | Charlie Gillespie

Summary: Emily Fox is a talented 17-year-old with a passion for all things music. Her dream is to become a successful singer-songwriter one day. But to achieve that dream, she needs to get into one of the most prestigious music schools in her district – it’s all been part of her plan since she was six. Sadly enough, those schools cost a ton of money that her parents don’t want to invest. They don’t even want her to pursue her dream. So, now Emily’s hustling, working at the music store to save up to get into college. That’s until she meets Charlie, an annoying seventeen-year-old boy with the same dream as her. The only difference is, he’s just doing it. He doesn’t need a fancy college to pursue his dream to become famous with his band. He just writes his songs and books small gigs here, there and everywhere. Will meeting Charlie defer her from her dream college, or will he actually help her achieve the dream? 

Pairing: Charlie Gillespie x OC (Emily Fox) 

Warnings: mentions of death, the characters of Charlie, Owen, Jeremy and Madison are based on the characters they play on the show and i do not own their names, only OC are mine. The songs aren’t mine either, they’re all from the show except for one. 

Chapter One

~|Emily Fox| ~

As a seventeen-year-old, you should not be left to your devices. Unless you have no other choice. When you have a dream your parents have called unrealistic without ever listening to what you were actually capable of, you have no other choice but to move out and fend for yourself. Thankfully, I can stay with Uncle Mitch for a while until I’m off to college.  Since leaving my parents’ house at fourteen, my life has consisted of high school, working at the music store, write songs – if I have the time –, help Uncle Mitch around the house, sleep, repeat. It’s been a chore. But I just about manage. 

“Please, don’t touch the guitars without a supervisor, ma’am!” I say loudly from across the shop as I catch her hands rising up to pick up one of the acoustic guitars hanging on the wall for display. I rush over to her, dodging clients testing out guitars and pianos I’ve helped before. While the forty-something woman stares at me with an intense glare, I pick up the Gibson guitar for her and hand it over, offering her my fakest smile. “This one’s a nice one!” I tell her as she handles the guitar very clumsily, nearly dropping it. “What do you know about guitars?” she snarls at me. “Well, for starters, I work here, so I’m supposed to have some knowledge about guitars. Secondly, this is a bass guitar. Never just call a bass a guitar.” The woman rolls her eyes and when she casts her gaze on the strings, I roll mine. I’ve had my share of forty-something old women coming in here to buy something for their spoiled little sons, pretending they know more about guitars of any kind, pianos and drums while I have been brought up listening to Uncle Robert talking non-stop about all of his instruments. He taught me how to play each and every one of the instruments and brought me into the world of rock. If he were still here, I wouldn’t be working in a music store, trying to pay for my own apartment or my college tuition. He believed in me from the second he heard me sing and play piano. He still believes in me, I can feel it. Staying with Uncle Mitch – Uncle Robert’s husband, now widower, has been a lot more healing than it would’ve been if I still lived at my parents’. “I know that,” she grumbles, then looks back up at me. “If you know so much about everything, you little know-it-all, why don’t you tell me something more about this one?” I refrain myself from rolling my eyes again, and instead ball up my fists to put all of my anger there. “This is the Les Paul Junior Tribute DC bass. It’s actually a tribute to the historic Gibson EB-0 bass from the late 50's, but with modern features. The short scale length is actually chosen by many for its strong fundamental tone and sits perfectly in a track when recording. The mahogany double cutaway body and maple neck with rosewood fingerboard balances perfectly when playing either sitting or strapped on. It's equipped with a single expanded range LP BassBucker pickup with single volume and tone controls for simplicity. The volume pot has a push-pull feature to coil tap the pickup scooping the mids for further tone shaping possibilities.” I’ve explained this many a times, so it almost sounds as if I’ve learned it by heart. “Oh! And it comes in four different finishes; Worn Ebony, Worn Cherry, Blue Stain and Worn Brown.” The woman looks at me, clearly impressed at my knowledge of the bass in her hands. I’m pretty sure I could’ve told her anything and she would’ve believed me. “I want to speak to the manager,” she then says and pushes the bass guitar back in my hands as if handling a cardboard box. If my reflexes weren’t what they are now, we would’ve had a broken bass and I would be the one that had to pay for it. “What for?” I ask, my anger slipping through into a vicious snarl. “Just because you learn everything by heart, doesn’t mean you’re a good salesperson.” I open my mouth to say something, but I know I can’t win against a Karen. So, instead, I plaster on my best fake smile and say “Of course, give me a second.” I turn on my heel and make my way back to the cash register to get Ash, my manager who’s been nothing but an absolute gem to me. She wasn’t looking for any employees, but still hired me when she saw how desperate I was and how good I was with the instruments. She even lets me write songs after hours. “Karen alert?” Ash asks when she sees my annoyed face, at the brim of exploding. “Yep, at the bass guitars,” I tell her and take her spot to handle a paying costumer. Ash hops over the counter and makes her way to the Karen at the bass guitars. Only for her to leave the store in an angered rush without any bass guitar for her precious son. “That’s 44 dollars and 97 cents, please,” I tell the guy who’d come in for guitar strings, picks and some polish. He looks about my age. Dark hair gelled back, green almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks. He hands me the cash with a cute, nervous smile. “Thank you! And here’s the three cents change,” I hold out my hand for him to take the three cents, but he shakes his head. “Keep it,” he winks at me before grabbing his purchases and leaving the store. Leaving me all flustered and blushing. I hate when cute boys come to the shop and have the audacity to do this stuff to me. UGH. “Got rid of our Karen,” Ash tells me, “You can get back out there. I think the little girl over there at the piano could use some of your expertise.” She points to a fourteen-year-old gliding her fingers along the big wing of the white piano in the middle of our store. “Hi,” I say as I approach her, making her jump slightly. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Emily. Can I help you?” She scans my face for a moment, as if assessing whether or not I’m trustworthy. I guess she decides she does when she opens her mouth and four simple words flow out of it. “Do you play piano?” I’m a bit taken aback by the question. None of the costumers have ever asked me that question. “Yes, I do, actually,” I reply honestly. “I want to learn how to play the piano, but my mother doesn’t allow me. Says it’s too expensive. The piano, that is. And lessons are expensive too, she says.” She stops talking for a moment as if thinking about what to say next. “Will you teach me?” “Oh,” I manage to bring out, “I—we don’t really offer any piano lessons in the store. We just sell them.” Her eyes water and she visibly swallows a lump in her throat. “Okay…” she whimpers, making my heart break just that bit more. “Will you play me a song though? I love hearing people play.” I take a deep breath as I think about how to turn this girl down. But then I remember my parents turning me and my dreams down. “Sure, I can play you a song. Any requests?” I ask as I sit down on the stool in front of us, patting beside me to invite her too. “Surprise me,” she says, shaking her head with a big smile on her face. I carefully touch the keys as I think of a song to sing. Once I’ve figured that out, I begin to play the right melody and then chime in with the lyrics I’d written with Uncle Robert when he was still alive. The song I cherish the most and wouldn’t share with anyone. But this girl reminds me too much of myself, and I think she might take something from the message. “Here's the one thing I want you to know You got someplace to go Life's a test, yes But you go toe to toe You don't give up, no, you grow.” The girl looks up at me with big Bambi eyes, urging me to continue. “And you use your pain Cause it makes you you Though I wish I could hold you through it I know it's not the same You got living to do And I just want you to do it So get up, get out, relight that spark You know the rest by heart” As I begin the chorus, I hear drums backing me up from somewhere inside the store, and when I look around, I find Ash behind a drum set with a smile on her face as she helps me out a little. “Wake up, wake up, if it's all you do Look out, look inside of you It's not what you lost, it's what you'll gain Raising your voice to the rain Wake up your dream and make it true Look out, look inside of you It's not what you lost Relight that spark Time to come out of the dark Wake up, wake up” By now, Ash and I have gained an audience. Most of the costumers in line don’t even mind having to wait to pay until we’re done with this outburst of ours. “Better wake those demons, just look them in the eye No reason not to try Life can be a mess, I won't let it cloud my mind I'll let my fingers fly” The girl next to me still has the same expression on her face. Eyes pooled with admiration and inspiration. Exactly the reason why I make music and why it’s been a dream of mine to make a career out of it. “And I use the pain 'cause it's part of me And I'm ready to power through it Gonna find the strength, find the melody 'Cause you showed me how to do it Get up, get out, relight that spark You know the rest by heart” I go for the chorus again, and then pop in with the bridge. The one I added to uncle’s song. The costumers in the store stare at Ash and me with smiles on their faces whilst swaying along to the song. “So wake that spirit, spirit I wanna hear it, hear it No need to fear it, you're not alone You're gonna find your way home” I close my eyes as I hit that high note, then stop playing for a second whilst starting the chorus for the last time. Even Ash backs me up with some backing vocals after having heard the chorus a couple of times already. “Wake up, wake up, if it's all you do” The both of us pick up the melody again, putting more power behind the rest of the song. “Look out, look inside of you It's not what you lost, it's what you'll gain Raising your voice to the rain Wake up your dream and make it true Look out, look inside of you When you're feeling lost Relight that spark Time to come out of the dark Wake up, wake up” I hit the last couple of notes on the piano before a roar of applause and cheers fills up the entire store. The fourteen-year-old beside me is clapping the loudest of them all. Her eyes still wide and admiring and full of life. “What’s your name?” I ask the girl, causing her to stop clapping. “Kayla,” she replies. “Listen to me, Kayla. Even if your parents don’t agree with your big dreams, please, never give up on your dream! If this is really what you want to do, go for it. You’ll find a way, I promise you.” A tear rolls down her pink cheek as her bottom lip trembles slightly. “Don’t give up, okay?” She nods her head vigorously. “Thank you, Emily!” she wraps her arms around me into a tight hug before hopping off the stool and rushing out the store. As I watch her run out, my eyes land on a guy. Somewhat my age, I think. I can’t really function for a second as his hazel eyes stare at me and with his mouth curled up on one side. When I finally manage to move again, my eyes scan him entirely. His brown hair sticks out from underneath an orange beanie, his nose fine and cheekbones defined. He’s wearing a flannel shirt over a grey muscle tank and ripped black jeans. I give him an awkward smile before heading back to the cash register. “Can you do register for a moment? I need to check something in stock,” Ash asks me, and I simply nod before helping the next costumer. After the fifth costumer, the boy who’d been staring at me before shows up in front of me. “How can I help?” I ask with my best customer service-smile. “By giving your number,” he replies coyly. I was going to give him the cute boy card until those words came out of his mouth. “Sorry, my number ain’t for sale,” I reply and look behind him, “Next!” “Oh, no, sorry! Uhm, I don’t mean it like that, I—” Before he can mutter another word, I interrupt him. “Are you going to purchase something, bro?” He opens his mouth, then closes it again, looking like a goldfish. “Uhm… No… I just—” I interrupt him again. “Next customer, please,” I stare at him intensely, hoping that’d chase him away. He knocks on the counter before moving away, clearly defeated by the rejection. I can’t believe douchebags like him still exists in this generation. People need to learn manners. “Hi, how can I help you?” I ask the next customer, bringing back my best smile. Just got to move on, just as I moved on from dealing with a Karen again today. Best way to do that, is focus on all the other customers. For the rest of my shift, I have not been able to shake the cute-but-rude guy from before. There’s something about him that haunts me still and I can’t seem to figure out what it is. Not even when I’m focusing on cleaning up the store. As I’m dusting the piano, I hear the bell above the door ring. “Sorry, we’re closed!” I yell without looking up from the piano. “Are you going to play again?” The voice sends shivers down my spine as it takes me right back to that one douchey line it uttered just a mere hour before. “Again, we are closed, sorry.” This time it comes out more like a snarl and with a bit of poison. The boy in front of me chuckles and holds his hands up in defeat. “Listen, I’m sorry about before, but—” he steps closer to me, but I hold up my finger to make him stop, and it seems to help as he simply freezes in place. “But the store is closed. Goodbye now.” I go back to dusting off the piano and wait for the bell to ring again, but it doesn’t. Instead, the sound of guitar strums reaches my ears. “You can’t touch any of the guitars without supervision,” I tell him sternly, but when I meet his eyes and they’re looking at me intently as if urging me to do something. “You’re supervising me, aren’t you?” he asks cockily, still stroking the strings, creating a beautiful melody that fills up my head. “What do you want?” I ask bitterly, looking at him again, and hoping it would make him leave faster. “For you to sing.” “Sing what?” He shrugs, leaving me to wonder what he means by that. “I have a lot of work to do, dude. Please, leave,” I sound pathetic, nearly begging him to leave. I’m only a step away from begging on my knees. The sound of the guitar abruptly stops when I go back to cleaning the piano. “Listen, I just wanted to tell you that what you did earlier today was amazing. You know, not a lot of people have the power you have. Did you see what you did to all those people in here? Imagine doing that for thousands of people! Have you ever thought of that?” I turn to look at him, suddenly having the urge to tell him everything. Then I remember what a douchebag he really is. “I don’t have time for this. Please. Leave!” I shout at him before heading towards the cash register to start counting the money. It’s silent for a while until the bell over the door breaks it. I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. This boy did something to me without me even realizing it. Nope. Can’t trust boys. They don’t do anything but break hearts and be douchebags. But this one somehow seemed different. No other boy has ever left such an impression as he did. And I didn’t even have a proper conversation with him. I just hope I don’t have to see him. Like ever again.  

#julie and the phantoms #julie and the himbos #charlie gillespie x oc #OC Emily Fox #charlie gillespie #luke patterson #reggie jatp #alex jatp #julie molina #jeremy shada #madison reyes #owen joyner

[mira--mira]

hi, just saw your post on the hashimada AU yakuza-househusband, and damn that was the first thing I thought when I saw it on Netflix too! (hashimada brainrot solidarity lol)

but ahhh, this might be delicate and feel free to ignore this, but hum, could the character chosen to be the spouse of the ex-yakuza not be feminized (as in the manga, it's a woman) ? Obviously i'm no position to have a say in what you write, and that is not the goal (i dont really know how to formulate the question, sorry if that's what came across) but like, isn't it annoying when one member of the male homosexual pair is feminized, like some kind of "you're the woman of the relationship"? often paired with that one being exclusively a bottom, good with children, good with cooking, more emotionally mature, less (real, so not tsundere type "i punch you but im so weak it's for comedic relief") aggressive, more "leaderly" (that is not a word), smaller in height/bulk, paler, more delicate, tsundere attitude, *insert vague or not vague feminine attribute here*

Idk, maybe that's just my opinion, again feel free to ignore this! Some people like those stereotypes, and who am I to tell them what to enjoy, what you like in fiction isn't a mirror of your ideals in reality and all that, but still. In any case, you get one interesting (I hope) opinion?

anyway, have a good day, and i hope u won't get upset by this haha, i really love ur writing and all of ur stories and i wouldn't want to you to feel artistically stifled or smthg.

eyyy hashimada brain-rot solidarity!

And yeah, anon, I get what you're saying and I'm not upset by this ask lol. If I really wanted to write a feminized version I would regardless, but honestly trying to force one half of a male homosexual relationship into a (usually forced, sexist, and unrealistically stereotyped even for heterosexual women) kind of "woman's role" personally makes my skin crawl. I do think Madara and Hashirama have "feminine" traits (I usually write Madara as being good with kids and Hashirama as being extremely prone to emotions/tears as well as having traditionally feminine-coded hobbies) but that's because human beings are complex and characters, imo, should be modeled off that complexity instead of being one-note and static, esp if they're the main characters we follow. I have a similar attitude towards the sex aspect of it. I've only written one E rated fic and that one's kind of awkward because uh, merman anatomy limitations, but I don't like art/fics that make one (usually Madara) always the bottom and always submissive and shy/timid at that. It's just not how I see either character and gets too OOC for my taste.

I type all this to say, I agree with you and to explain some of my reasoning/thought process behind it. I try very hard not to write male characters so "feminized" they become stereotypes and don't match their initial characterization but I am only human so please tell me if you think any scene/fic/characterization moment fails and I'll go back and review it with a critical eye.

As for this au specifically, one thing I love about Way of the Househusband is the character of Miku (the wife) herself. She's such a delight, I love her so much, so her role will def be handled with respect! It'll take me a bit to actually write this au, I will get at least a majority of the anniversary fics done first, but I'm thinking about making it a two-shot, one with Madara as the ex-yakuza and then one with Hashirama as the ex-yakuza just because I like the fun possibilities of comparing them side by side lol

I hope you have a good day too anon! And thank you, I'm glad you like my fics! 💖

#asks #anon #madara uchiha #hashirama senju #hashimada #way of the househusband au #yes it is officially confirmed now 😂😎

[disaster-fruit]

Hey, I've always wanted to write trans characters, but being a cis person myself, I don't know how. Do you know some tips and things I should avoid?

Hello, I can give some tips sure, but also I fully recommend you read this post goes in detailed about how to write trans people, and I wholeheartedly agree with it. There’s also plenty of other posts by trans people about how  to do that, the more you read, the better, since there is not a single “trans experience” and there are thousands of ways to approach it! And also, I’m just one person, my opinion cannot possibly reflect the opinion of all trans people, and I’m sure there’s plenty who might disagree with me and that’s fine! But here’s some of my basic thoughts:

 1)      Write a trans character…. As you would write any character!

Trans people are full people, with interests and motivations and passions, and things that though can be shaped by our experiences as trans people, are not defined by them! Making all your characters insecurities about gender dysphoria (which is something not all people experience and certainly not in the same ways) for example, is limiting, and not very realistic. There’s really not a lot about writing trans people that should feel different or specially difficult compared to writing cis people.

2)      Don’t call attention to their transness in your narrative.

Basically, don’t go on your paragraphs making comments about how your character might be trying to pass/failing to pass/thinking about passing/etc. That again tends to go on a direction of defining trans people solely by the fact that we’re trans. Describe them as you would any other character, let them talk like any other, have their thoughts and emotions like any other

3)      Research about bad stereotypes, and avoid them. – this one is self explanatory

4)      Don’t make it about our pain.

A lot of the bad examples of trans rep I see tend to really focus on oh how hard and how sad and how tragic it is to be trans, usually relying on things like the whole “wrong body” idea and other harmful ideas. And yeah a lot of trans people can experience a lot of pain, both from dysphoria and from transphobia, but it’s not pain that defines us, and there’s more to ~the trans experience~ than pain. Let your trans character have complex emotions and feel joy and pleasure, even about the fact that they’re trans, because its not a negative thing to be trans. It can bring negative things because our society is transphobic, but it’s not inherently tragic neither should it be for your character.

5)      “Every cis person accepts the trans person better than themselves”

I’ve seen this a few times and it’s something that makes me really really annoyed, and I usually only see it in narratives written by cis people. Basically a trans person will constantly doubt themselves and not see themselves as their gender, but all the cis people around them will insist that they are their gender no matter what, like all a trans person needs is validation from cis people, and like cis people are oh so woke and understanding and it’s the trans person who needs to learn to love themselves !! And like, it’s ok if you have a cis person reassuring your trans characters at a moment of insecurity, but keep in mind that trans people don’t need validation from cis people, and that we are not, most of the time, the problems in our lives – its transphobes.

6)      Don’t have just one trans character!

Trans people find each other, sometimes through the weirdest ways! It’s not uncommon, at least in my experience, for trans people to come out at some point just to find out their best friends or significant others are also trans, even though some cis people live their entire lives without meeting a single trans person. I don’t know why this happens, but having a trans person not knowing a single other trans person, not even on the internet? That’s very unlikely, just like how having One Gay Friend in a group of friends is unrealistic. On that same note, trans people date each other too, all the time! Ive seen cis people thinking trans ppl Only want to date cis ppl, when in reality trans love can be an incredibly beautiful and healing thing, so don’t be afraid to have trans people fall in love in your story! – and to fall in love like any cis couple would. Being trans might give them another layer of connection, but as always, don’t let it define it. (And the same goes from cis people dating trans people!)

 In summary, write a trans character as a character, first and foremost. Remember that there are thousands of trans experiences, that those experiences can shape us but don’t define us, that there’s more than pain in our lives! Most of the things I didn’t cover here are in the post I linked in better detail, by someone who’s not only trans but also writes a lot about trans characters (which I unfortunately don’t), so again, I heavily recommend you read that, and more! And if you have more specific questions, don’t be afraid to drop another ask or dm me, I’ll be more than happy to help.

#ask #tw transphobia #tw gender dysphoria

[tomorrowsdrama]

Updated Drama Finished/Drop/Watch list

So even though I haven’t been posting as much, I’ve still been watching quite a few dramas.  To be honest, I think I might have burnt out on binging. When every other day is spent watching a drama for long periods of time, it kind of becomes monotonous.  That’s probably the quarantine talking though.

Finished since my last drama update

Psychopath Diary - Love, love, love.  What a fun drama to watch.  The characters were so beyond dumb but that was the joke.  Yoon Shi Yoon and Park Sung Hoon had amazing chemistry and their serial killer/amnesiac-confused-wannabe-killer-but-not-really romance was hilarious to watch.

Hot Stove League - Loved this drama.  Didn’t really go in expecting much but was pleasantly surprised.  It’s written in a way where even if you’re not into baseball, it’s still interesting.  More than a sports drama, it’s an underdog/rag tag team kind of story.  Each week it was fun to see how Nam Goong Min would outmaneuver the bad guys with his brains.  There was no romance (even though they totally could have!) but still enjoyable.  Nam Goong Min continues his streak of picking good projects.

Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim 1/2 - I finished both seasons and I’m not entirely sure why lol.  This drama was nice enough and had some cute moments but didn’t leave much of an impression otherwise.  But somehow there was also something about it that compelled me to keep watching until I finished.  I guess that’s why both seasons had such high ratings.  If I had to pick which series to recommend, I’d probably pick the first season.  If you hate annoying hospital politics and unrealistic violations of proper medical procedures, stay away.  

Live Up to Your Name - Very cute and romantic with a side of sageuk.  Kim Nam Gil is hot.  Kim Ah Joong is hot.  Together they save people and have hot make outs.  I think this was the drama that kind of lightened up Kim Nam Gil’s image.  Before that he specialized in angsty characters who were usually set on revenge and/or died.  I kind of wish he’d go back to those roles from time to time.  Haha, predictable, I know.

Tell Me What You Saw - Watched this solely for Jang Hyuk.  It’s the first serial killer/procedural I’ve watch from OCN but from what I can tell, it follows the usual pattern of other OCN dramas of the like.  I’d describe this drama as just fine.  If gory scenes aren’t your thing, probably stay away from this drama.  Some of the murders in this drama were truly disturbing.

Hyena - First drama I ever recapped.  I was interested in this drama purely because of the Ju Ji Hoon/Kim Hye Soo pairing and I was not disappointed by their chemistry.  The story could have been improved and I would have liked more time spent on the relationship but overall, the flaws were not enough to detract from the good.  I need JJH and KHS to do a romantic drama on a cable network like TVN so we can get all the makeouts we deserve.  If you’re looking for a fast-paced fun drama and don’t care too much for plot, this is worth a watch.  Some people may find Geum Ja incredibly unlikable in the first four episodes but it gets better after that I promise!

Story of Minglan - Omg, where do I even begin about how good this drama is?  This was actually my second time watching this drama.  I think I finished all 73 episodes in 4-5 days (kids, don’t try this at home).  I can go on and on gushing about this drama.  Actually, I think I might have to do a separate post to properly talk about how much I loved this drama.  Anyway, if you like strong and smart heroines, period dramas, fully-fleshed out characters, and an otp completely devoted to each other with brains and brawn, this is for you.  It’s 73 episodes at 45 minutes each but I swear it still doesn’t feel like enough.

99.9 keiji senmon bengoshi - my first jdrama in yeaaaaaars and probably a decade since I’ve seen one starring matsujun. Fun, easy to watch, legal procedural with matsujun playing against type as a oddball attorney. Also, reunion of matsujun and eikura nana who last starred together in a movie about twins falling in love (wow the early 2000s were a wild time). I think I finished this in two days. If Japanese humor or recurring wacky side characters/gags isn’t your thing, probably skip this.

Dropped

Diary of a Prosecutor - This was fine but a bit too slice of life for my current tastes.  If humorous slice of life without much drama is your kind of thing, I’d recommend this.

Meow the Secret Boy - Dropped after episode 10.  Yes, I know what you’re thinking.  Why not just finish watching the last two episodes?  I didn’t drop this drama because I disliked it or anything.  I just felt like I didn’t need to continue watching.  When I first heard about the premise it squicked me out to be honest.  Cat?  As lover? Buh? I had no intentions of watching but then gifs for the first episode looked promising so I ended up watching it after all.  And it was cute and fluffy, with a touch of magical whimsy, which was what I needed at the time.  But as the episodes continued, it really didn’t go anywhere.  The characters were one-dimensional and story was as paint-by-the-numbers as you can get.  I hear that the webtoon it was based on was even less developed which...I don’t know how that could be possible.  Anyway, I peeked at the last 10 minutes of the final episode and well, that ending was a choice hahaha.  Still, I think this drama is harmless and dumb fun.  It’s not something you should take too seriously.  I mean, the cat literally turns into Kim Myungsoo.  

World of the Married - Oh boy.  Wow.  This drama.  Another drama I initially had no interest in after I read about the premise.  Another dark drama about cheating and divorce?  No thank you.  The world is grim enough as it is right now.  But then I saw posts about the drama on tumblr and it looked more makjang than grim.  Hey, sometimes makjang can be really fun to watch.  And the ratings were pretty high so I thought, there must be something entertaining about it?  So I watched the first 3 episodes fully and I admit, it was pretty addicting if not infuriating.  After episode 3, they really ramped up the infuriating parts of the cheating husband and his mistress so I watched a lot of episodes 4-7 on fast forward.  The over the top makjang was indeed fun.  But then it was at episode 7 that I realized the female lead was kind of a terrible character too.  She was just as obsessed with the husband as he was with her.  I read up on Doctor Foster, which is what the drama is based on, and seems like the husband and wife are just going to continue being terrible to each other.  Watch two terrible people obsessively try to ruin each other’s lives?  No thank you, I’ll save myself the heartburn.  It doesn’t help that every other post about this drama seems to be people being pissed at the characters hahaha.

Good Casting - I’m going to have to quit this after 4 episodes.  I tried since it seemed like a fun premise but I just couldn’t.  This is the third drama with Choi Kang Hee that I’ve had to quit and I think I just can’t gel with her acting style.  I know the tone is supposed to be hokey/comedic and they’re supposed to be bumbling on purpose.  However, my problem is that they’re just really, really, bad spies even when I think they’re not supposed to be.

Currently Watching

Ever Night - I have the last 11 episodes to finish and I’m kind of sad about it.  I know there’s a second season but it just doesn’t seem like the same drama.

When My Love Blooms - A lovely drama about second chance at love with the always great Lee Bo Young and my hot tall ahjussi crush Yoo Ji Tae.  It feels kind of like an old school jdrama in how quiet it is.  Might be too slow for some people though.  I can’t believe I dropped one drama about adultery just to unknowingly pick up another one hahaha.

Six Flying Dragons - I haven’t started yet but I will definitely start it soon!  Bang Won came to me in my dream so I think it’s time I finally watched this drama after putting it off for so long.

Will Probably Binge Later

The King: Eternal Monarch - Although I like the week to week excitement of watching an airing drama, I think I will probably enjoy this best by binging it.  People seem pretty divided about this drama but you know what?  Lee Min Ho’s hotness helped me make it through The Heirs so I have faith that it will help get me through this as well.  Some dramas you watch just so you can stare at hot people doing romantic things, ok?

Born Again -  The plot seems pretty convoluted so I think this will benefit from binging and fast forwarding.  @dangermousie seems to be enjoying it and our tastes align for the most part.  Plus, have you seen how hot Jang Ki Yong looks?  Unless the ending is completely horrible, I’ll probably binge this once it’s done.

The Untamed - I mean, gay epic wuxia love?  Count me in!  I’m trying to limit the number of dramas I watch so this will have to wait until I at least finish Ever Night.  

#sbs hyena #hot stove league #live up to your name #psychopath diary #ever night #tell me what you saw #story of minglan #99.9 keiji senmon bengoshi #when my love blooms #romantic doctor teacher kim #six flying dragons #meow the secret boy #drama list #kdrama #cdrama #jdrama

[sifeng]

China’s Mary Sue

Growing up in America, I always saw Mary Sues as these perfect, destined type of heroine. So you can imagine my surprise when I went on Chinese social media and found people calling Jiang Xiaoguo, a character from Twenty Your Life On, who is plain in looks, of average talent and who comes from a less than stellar background, a Mary Sue. So, I did some digging and found that apparently in China, besides also meaning perfect angels, Mary Sue can also describe plain, simple girls who are ordinary in every aspect. Nothing sounds wrong with that right? Except, these simple Mary Sues attract the attention of a male lead that is far from ordinary in any aspect (think Meteor Garden or Scarlet Heart). A rant below:

(Remember when I said Yingluo is definitely not a Mary Sue? Well this new type of Mary Sue kind of includes her too! It just goes to show how Chinese netizens are willing to literally hate on any kind of female lead! No matter how different from the norm + unproblematic they are!)

This is an interesting character. There’s nothing wrong with the basic characteristics, as the matter of fact, their basic storyline (minus the romance) makes complete sense. It’s just your average person growing up to become a successful adult. I really don’t see anything wrong with that. I also don’t see anything wrong with their character - after all, isn’t 80% of the world the exact same? The only thing that is annoying with this character is the fact that they attract guys that are far beyond their league. Why? Most people don’t like this because it’s unrealistic, which is definitely true and you can dislike it for that reason, but, I have to ask who is watching a drama to see a realistic relationship? Cdramas (especially romantic ones) thrive off of clichés, and yet those exact people who enjoy them are also the ones who yell “ew a Mary Sue!” 

In America (or the Western World), we dislike Mary Sues because they are annoying, they (when they appear in young adult fiction stories) often act as bad role models for the young people reading them, they can be subconsciously sexist as people who read those stories develop the idea that the “other girls” are so boring or silly or evil and I must be like this bad-ass lady who tears down everyone else. But we do people dislike Mary Sues in China? Because her love stories are unrealistic, because exceptional people like an unexceptional girl. So there’s nothing wrong with her, there is just a lot of hate towards her romance storyline.

A poster for Twenty Your Life On: (from left to right) Duan Jiabao (段家宝), Jiang Xiaoguo (姜小果), Liang Shuang (梁爽), Luo Yan (罗艳)

So yes, I suppose Jiang Xiaoguo is a Mary Sue (she is simple, and two rather exceptional guys like her), but I still don’t really understand whats wrong with this type of Mary Sue. Besides being an overly common trait, I really can’t find anything innately wrong with this setup besides the fact that it will anger thousands of Chinese netizens who feel jealous that though they might be more talented, or better looking, or more pleasant than these Mary Sues, they don’t get the handsome guys like she does. Yes, I suppose Jiang Xiaoguo’s actions and their consequences are a little unrealistic, but she really will put in a lot of effort to get jobs or do good in her job. Perhaps the actions themselves might be impractical but at least the attitude she holds towards life is respectable and young people ought to learn to be courageous and hard working like her. She has more than just “everyone loves her” as a personality trait! 

Pictures from Twenty Your Life On: (from top to bottom), Guan Xiaotong (关晓彤) as Liang Shuang (梁爽), Bu Guanjin (卜冠今) as Jiang Xiaoguo (姜小果), Li Gengxi (李庚希) as Luo Yan (罗艳), Dong Siyi (董思怡) as Duan Jiabao (段家宝)

Everyone seems to hate Jiang Xiaoguo because two guys like her, but they love Liang Shuang (also from Twenty Your Life On)! Liang Shuang is another one of the main characters, and she’s actually a really cool character. She’s super confident (to a kind of amazing level really), and really selfish. I think it’s really interesting that a female lead has this type of personality, and I actually quite like her, but that doesn’t make her a better person than Jiang Xiaoguo. Liang Shuang has some really big problems (not to say Xiaoguo doesn’t - because she does - but they aren’t really huge problems that could hurt the people around her). When she and Luo Yan (another main character) are on the bus together, Luo Yan is harassed, and Liang Shuang steps in and records the entire thing on her phone (because she had been taking selfies before). She then posts the video on social media because she wants to raise awareness, however, in the video Luo Yan pushes her. It is revealed that Luo Yan only pushed her because the creepy guy tried to attack Liang Shuang, but of course that’s not in the video. So the other two friends (Xiaoguo and Duan Jiabao) try to convince Liang Shuang to take the video offline because Luo Yan is getting majorly cyberbullies for something that is definitely not her fault. Liang Shuang refuses because her video has gone viral and she’s getting a lot of followers. Also, once when faced with a product she was offered to advertise, but that could be harmful to the skin, she tricked other girls in the dormitory to use it and watched the results. And why? Because she’s way too pretty to possibly get harmed by this mask, but everyone else can suffer because they're ugly ducklings in comparison. So people like this character because she’s different, and they are totally willing to forgive her for all of these (rather cruel) actions. But when faced with Jiang Xiaoguo, a Mary Sue, they will hate on her for breathing. She can help Liang Shuang deal with a cheating boyfriend, and support her friends when they are down, and yet - she’s the annoying one?

Besides, I feel like, if these male leads have a reason to like her (a valid reason not some stupid one like - oh she’s not like the other girls). Then I don’t have a problem at all! I just want well-written romance storylines that aren’t toxic, I really don’t require this completely new and innovative relationship. Besides, realistic relationships are way too boring to be shown on television, for example, in Twenty Your Life On, Luo Yan’s main pairing is her friend who studies for graduate school with her. He is really nice, but just kind of boring. I don’t really feel interested in watching their romance develop because 1. there isn’t that much chemistry and 2. it’s just so boring. (Nothing against either or them, since I love Teresa Li and I quite liked the guy in My Huckleberry Friends). I am even more annoyed that people are really hating on the actress because Jiang Xiaoguo takes up screen time. I tried to watch an iQiyi sneak peek and literally half (if not three-fourths) of the comments were just hating on her and her actress. It’s absolutely disgusting, especially given that this show has just started and has only gone one-fourth of the way through. 

This was just a rant about how annoying Chinese netizens can be towards female characters, even when it’s unwarranted. If they were complaining about how she has too much screen time, perhaps I could agree, but they are just insulting her solely because two talented and handsome guys like her. That is just so wrong on so many levels. (Now this is solely a theory and it’s most likely wrong but... could it be that people are actually jealous? I see so many comments literally hating on Xiaoguo’s appearance, her actress’s voice, even her actress’s acting ability - which is actually really good - and yet no one hates on anyone else in this show. I really don’t understand. I really like her character actually, especially in the first episode).

I’m actually kind of sad. This show is so good, it deals with some very interesting topics and features conversations that are quite meaningful. And yet, all the fans care about are who gets the most screen time or oh my god this girl is so annoying because guys like her. They're missing the main point!

#Cdrama #cdrama analysis #oh my god if I see another 玛丽苏 in the comments for this drama I will punch someone #if someone has an opposing opinion or an explanation please tell me because I want to learn more #twenty your life on #it's such a good drama #but the fans make me want to die

[padamoosemakegirlmoosegowhaaa]

okay really I can’t stop thinking about supernatural and I’ve annoyed my roommate enough so here are my thoughts.

1. I am in shock and so totally excited that Destiel is canon.

2. I think that saying “destiel is canon” based on what we saw in last nights episode is generous to the writers when really all we got was verbal confirmation of Cas’ love for dean, but only nonverbal confirmation that dean reciprocates those feelings.

3. I believe that Jensen acted that scene beautifully. He used every subtle movement to express that he does love Cas back & I think this is so appropriate for Dean, given his idk whole 40 years of repressing his emotions.

4. I also think Dean’s lack of verbal or obvious emotional response is due in part to how utterly hopeless he was feeling then. He has just blamed himself (again) for everyone dying, for losing to Chuck (again) for getting in his own way. And when you’re feeling that hopeless, it’s easy to come off distant or stiff.

5. I do not, at all, under any circumstances whatsoever, believe that Dean (or Jensen) had any, ANY, urge or thought to use slurs at Castiel.

6. I’m going to accept this because I’ve wanted Destiel as long as I’ve watched the show, and I know a lot of us have, too. However, I am still going to critique the writers because no one is perfect. This could have happened seasons ago & we could have gotten more conversation, more processing, more reactions, more TIME. It’s infuriating that Castiel was only able to share this moments before he was sucked into celestial hell, when this could have been done so much earlier. That is where the writers have let us down and their meek attempt at satisfying our desires for Destiel at the last possible minute is pathetic.

7. It’s possible to love what happened and admire the acting of both parties, while being critical of the context in which this moment came - the end of the world with no time to enjoy it.

8. everything Cas said in his confession is exactly how I’ve felt (and I’m sure a lot of us have) about dean over the years. We want dean to see himself as we do, not as the monsters do. I thought it was beautiful and remarkable and brilliantly played by misha.

9. Lastly, This show has been such a defining piece of my life. There are so many people I know because of supernatural; so much support and encouragement I’ve felt from the cast & other fans (AKF), and I’m sad to see it go, but I think it’s time to move on. I will always get a small rush when I hear Carry On Wayward Son, or anything else jogs my son memory. I love this show & all of its terribleness and I love all of the content I’ve read that’s been inspired by the show. Whatever ending they give us, it’s okay because we’ve made these boys our own. We’ve written and read fan fiction, we’ve created and seen incredible fan art. These characters are ours and that’s what matters in the end. We can create our own perfect endings; because we know and we love these boys.

That’s what I’ve got. Maybe someone’s interested; maybe not. That’s fine!

Ps. Seriously stop suggesting anyone in that situation (real or fictional) wanted to use the f word or any other slurs. That’s unrealistic for the characters, and the actors.

#spn spoilers #destiel

[steph-fowlie]

List of Character Flaws

1. Absent-minded: Preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s immediate surroundings Daydreaming, inattentive, oblivious, forgetful.

2. Abusive: Characterized by the improper infliction of physical or physiological maltreatment towards another. 

3. Addicted: One who is addicted to a compulsive activity/ Examples - gambling, drugs, sex.

4. Aimless: Devoid of direction or purpose.

5. Alcoholic: A person who drinks alcohol habitually and to excess.

6. Anxious: Full of mental distress or uneasiness, because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.

7. Arrogant: Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance. Inclined to social exclusiveness, rebuffs the advances of people consider inferior. Snobbish.

8. Audacious: Recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety, law, or the like; insolent; brazen, disobedient.

9. Bad Habit: This is usually a repulsive personal habit. Examples - picks nose, spits tobacco, drools, bad body odor.

10. Bad-tempered: Easily annoyed or made angry.

11. Bigmouth: A loud-mouthed or gossipy person.

12. Bigot: One who is strongly partial to one’s own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.

13. Blunt: Characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion. Frank, callous, insensitive, brusque.

14. Bold: In a bad sense, too forward; taking undue liberties; over assuming or confident; lacking proper modesty or restraint; rude; impudent. Abrupt, brazen, cheeky, brassy, audacious. 

15. Callous: Hardened to emotions, rarely showing any form of it in expression. Unfeeling. Cold.

16. Childish: Marked by or indicating a lack of maturity; puerile.

17. Complex: An exaggerated or obsessive concern or fear.

18. Cruel: Mean to anyone or anything, without caring or regard to feelings

19. Cursed: A person who has befallen a prayer for evil or misfortune, placed under a spell, or borne into an evil circumstance, and suffers for it. Damned.

20. Dependent: Unable to exist, sustain oneself, or act appropriately  or normally without the assistance or direction of another.

21. Deranged: Mentally decayed. Insane. Crazy. Mad. Psychotic.

22. Dishonest: Given to, or using, fraud, cheating; deceitful, deceptive, crooked, underhanded.

23. Disloyal: Lacking loyalty. Unfaithful, perfidious, traitorous, treasonable.

24. Disorder: An ailment that affects the function of mind or body.

25. Disturbed: Showing signs or symptoms of mental or emotional illness. Confused, disordered, neurotic, troubled.

26. Dubious: Fraught with uncertainty or doubt. Undecided, doubtful, unsure.

27: Dyslexic: Affected by dyslexia, a learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.

28. Egotistical: Characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance. Boastful, pompous.

29. Envious: Showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another’s advantages; covetous, jealous.

30. Erratic: Deviating from the customary course in conduct or opinion; eccentric - erratic behavior. Eccentric, bizarre, outlandish, strange.

31. Fanatical: Outlook or behavior especially as exhibited by excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions on some subject. 

32. Fickle: Erratic, changeable, unstable - especially with regard to affections or attachments; capricious.

33. Fierce: Marked by extreme intensity of emotions of convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid.

34. Finicky: Excessively particular or fastidious; difficult to please; fussy. Too concerned with detail. Meticulous, fastidious, choosy, critical, picky, prissy.

35. Fixated: In psychoanalytic theory, a strong attachment to a person or thing, especially such an attachment formed in childhood or infancy and manifested in immature or neurotic behavior that persists throughout life. Fetish, quirk, obsession, infatuation. 

36. Flirty: To make playfully romantic or sexual overtures; behavior intended to arouse sexual interest. Minx. Tease.

37. Gluttonous: Given to excess in consumption. Voracious, ravenous, wolfish, piggish, insatiable.

38. Greedy: Having or showing an intense and selfish desire for wealth or power, or having an excessive desire or appetite for food.

39. Gruff: Brusque or stern in manner or appearance. Crusty, rough, surly.

40. Gullible: Will believe any information given, regardless, of how valid or truthful it is, easily deceived or duped. 

41. Hard: A person who is difficult to deal with, manage, control, overcome, or understand. Hard emotions, hard-hearted.

42: Hedonistic: Pursuit of, or devotion to, pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses.

43. Hoity-toity: Given to flights of fancy; capricious; frivolous. Prone to giddy behavior, flighty.

44. Humorless: The inability to find humor in things, and most certainly in themselves.

45. Hypocritical: One who is always contradicting their own beliefs, actions or sayings. A person who professes beliefs and opinions for others that he does not hold.

46. Idealist: One whose conduct is influenced by ideals that often conflict with practical considerations. One who is unrealistic and impractical, guided more by ideals than by practical considerations.

47. Idiotic: Marked by a lack of intelligence or care; foolish or careless.

48. Ignorant: Lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact. Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge.

49. Illiterate: Unable to read and write.

50. Immature: Emotionally undeveloped; juvenile; childish.

51. Impatient: Unable to wait patiently or tolerate delay; restless. Unable to endure irritation or opposition; intolerant.

52. Impious: Lacking piety and reverence for a god/gods and their followers.

53. Impish: Naughtily or annoyingly playful.

54. Incompetent: Unable to execute tasks, no matter the size or difficulty.

55. Indecisive: Characterized by lack of decision and firmness, especially under pressure.

56. Indifferent: Lacking enthusiasm for, or interest in, things generally, remaining calm and seeming not to care; a casual lack of concern. Having or showing little or no interest in anything; languid; spiritless.

57. Infamy: Having an extremely bad reputation, public reproach, or strong condemnation as the result of a shameful, criminal, or outrageous act that affects how others view them.

58. Intolerant: Unwilling to tolerate difference of opinion and narrow-minded about cherished opinions.

59. Jealous: Feeling or showing an envious resentment of someone or their achievements, possessions, or perceived advantages.

60. Judgmental: Inclined to make and form judgement, especially moral or personal ones, based on one’s own opinions or impressions towards others/practices/groups/religions based on appearance, reputation, occupation, etc. 

61. Klutz: Clumsy. Blunderer.

62. Lazy: Resistant to work or exertion; disposed to idleness.

63. Lewd: Inclined to, characterized by, or inciting to lust or lechery; lascivious. Obscene or indecent, as language or songs; salacious.

64. Liar: Compulsively and purposefully tells false truths more often than not. A person who has lied or who lies repeatedly.

65. Lustful: Driven by list; preoccupied with exhibiting lustful desires.

66. Manipulative: Exercising unscrupulous control or influence over a person or situation. 

67. Masochist: The deriving of sexual gratification, or the tendency to derive sexual gratification, from being physically or emotionally abused. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.

68. Meddlesome: Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner, given to meddling; interfering.

69. Meek: Evidencing little spirit o courage; overly submissive or compliant; humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness.

70. Megalomaniac: A psycho-pathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.

71. Naive: Lacking worldly experience and understanding, simple and guileless; showing or characterized by a lack of sophistication and critical judgement.

72. Nervous: Easily agitated or distressed; high-strung or jumpy.

73. Non-violent: Abstaining from the use of violence.

74. Nosey: Given to prying into the affairs of others; snoopy. Offensively curious or inquisitive. 

75. Obsessive: An unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something or someone.

76. Oppressor: A person of authority who subjects others to undue pressures, to keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority.

77. Overambitious: Having a strong excessive desire for success or achievement.

78. Overconfident: Excessively confident; presumptuous.

79. Overemotional: Excessively or abnormally emotional. Sensitive about themselves and others, more so than the average person.

80. Overprotective: To protect too much; coddle.

81. Overzealous: Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea.

82. Pacifist: Opposition to war or violence as a means of resolving disputes. 

83. Paranoid: Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others.

84. Peevish: Expressing fretfulness and discontent, unjustifiable dissatisfaction. Cantankerous, cross, ill-tempered, testy, captious, discontented, crotchety, cranky, ornery. 

85. Perfectionist: A propensity for being displeased with anything that is not perfect or does not meet extremely high standards.

86. Pessimist: A tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view. 

87. Pest: One that pesters or annoys, with or without realizing it. Nuisance. Annoying. Nag. 

88. Phobic: They have a severe form of fear when it comes to this one thing. Examples - Dark, spiders, cats.

89. Practical: Level-headed, efficient, and unspeculative. No-nonsense.

90. Predictable: Easily seen through and assessed, where almost anyone can predict reactions and actions of said person by having met or known them even for a short time.

91. Prejudiced: Preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. Dislike, hostility, or unjust behavior deriving from preconceived and unfounded opinions. 

92. Pride: Filled with or showing excessive self-esteem and will often shirk help from others for the sake of pride.

93. Rebellious: Defying or resisting some established authority, government, or tradition; insubordinate; inclined to rebel.

94. Reckless: Heedless. Headstrong. Foolhardy. Unthinking boldness, wild carelessness and disregard for consequences.

95. Remorseless: Without remorse; merciless; pitiless; relentless.

96. Rigorous: Rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard; demanding strict attention to rules and procedures.

97. Sadist: The deriving of sexual gratification or the tendency to derive sexual gratification from inflicting pain or emotional abuse on others. Deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from cruelty.

98. Sadomasochist: Both sadist and masochist combined.

99. Sarcastic: A subtle form of mockery in which an intended meaning is conveyed obliquely.

100. Skeptic: One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.

101. Seducer: Lead others astray, as from duty, rectitude, or the like; corrupt. To attempt to lead or draw someone away, as from principles, faith, or allegiance.

102. Selfish: Concerned chiefly or only with oneself.

103. Self-Martyr: One who purposely makes a great show of suffering in order to arouse sympathy from others, as a form of manipulations, and always for a selfish cause or reason.

104. Self-righteous: Piously sure of one’s own righteousness; moralistic. Exhibiting pious self-assurance. Holier-than-thou, sanctimonious.

105. Senile: Showing a decline or deterioration of physical strength or mental functioning, especially short-term memory and alertness, as a result of old age or disease.

106. Shallow: Lacking depth or intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious.

107. Smart Ass: Think they know it all, and in some ways they may, but they can be greatly annoying and difficult to deal with at times, especially in arguments.

108. Soft-hearted: Having softness or tenderness of heart can lead them into trouble; someone they see in trouble, suffering, or in need, and often don’t think of the repercussions or situation before doing so.

109. Solemn: Deeply earnest, serious, and sober.

110. Spineless: Lacking courage. Cowardly, wimp, lily-livered, gutless.

111. Spiteful: Showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite; vindictive person who will look for occasions for resentment. Vengeful.

112. Spoiled: Treated with excessive indulgence and pampering from earliest childhood, and has no notion of hard work, self-care or money management; coddled, pampered. Having the character or disposition harmed by pampering or over-solicitous attention.

113. Squeamish: Excessively fastidious and easily disgusted.

114. Stubborn: Unreasonably, often perversely unyielding; bull-headed. Firmly resolved or determined; resolute.

115. Superstitious: An irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear from an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.

116. Tactless: Lacking or showing a lock of what fitting and considerate in dealing with others.

117. Temperamental: Moody, irritable, or sensitive. Excitable, volatile, emotional.

118. Theatrical: Having a flair for over dramatizing situations, doing things in a “big way” and loving to be “center stage”.

119. Timid: Tends to be shy and/or quiet, shrinking away from offering opinions or from strangers and newcomers, fearing confrontations and violence.

120. Tongue-tied: Speechless or confused in expression, as from shyness, embarrassment, or astonishment.

121. Troublemaker: Someone who deliberately stirs up trouble, intentionally or unintentionally.

122. Unlucky: Marked by or causing misfortune; ill-fated. Destined for misfortune; doomed.

123. Unpredictable: Difficult to foretell or foresee, their actions are so chaotic it’s impossible to know what they are going to do next.

124. Untrustworthy: Not worthy of trust or belief. Backstabber.

125. Vain: Holding, or characterized by, an unduly high opinion of their physical appearance. Lovers of themselves. Conceited, egotistic, narcissistic. 

126. Violent: Using or involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.

127. Weak-willed: Lacking willpower, strength of will to carry out one’s decisions, wishes, or plans. Easily swayed.

128. Withdrawn: Not friendly or sociable. Aloof.

129. Zealous: A fanatic.

Please add more if you have any!

#writing help #character flaws

[kinetic-elaboration]

December 29: The Wrath of Khan

Today’s movie watching was Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

My overall impression versus TMP is that this is clearly a smoother and more consistently entertaining film. It has a definite story with very little filler, good pacing, a lot of great little dialogue and character moments, and a strong conflict at its center.

But its sci fi bona fides are much weaker. Like by a lot.

Mom and I are talking a bit about Genesis and the more we talk, the weaker it appears to me. First, it’s not really as believable, imo, as a lot of Star Trek. Maybe it’s because it’s not alien based, but I just have a harder time suspending disbelief to think this is possible. Second, it’s not clear why anyone thought this was a good idea. I mean, as McCoy immediately pointed out, it just seems so CLEARLY dangerous: an object meant to foster creation that could so easily be the worst weapon the universe has ever known--nothing could go awry there! Third, the reason for creating such a device isn’t obvious at all. Carol mentions the “growing population” and “food scarcity” but nothing we’ve ever seen of the Federation implies they’re running out of space. Or, frankly (Tarsus IV aside), food. And fourth, there really isn’t any point to Genesis in all its particulars in this film. Like, obviously, its actual purpose is a plot device to resurrect Spock. Within just this film, it doesn’t do anything. Khan wants it, for some reason I’ve already forgotten even though I just saw the film, and he gets it, but I didn’t even notice that happening, because it was so unimportant. His REAL mission is his single minded revenge fantasy on Kirk. Genesis is just a McGuffin/space filler/plot device for the next film.

And honestly that’s not such a big deal, except that when you compare it to TMP, ,and its central idea of a human made probe that gained so much knowledge, doing what we taught it to do, that it became sentient and then started searching for the meaning of life, and how this relates to the search for meaning experienced by the main alien lead, and how his search, in that film and throughout the series, is a mirror for humans and OUR need for purpose... well it just seems really weak. “We made this really dangerous and unrealistic thing for no reason whoops!”

Mom is now criticizing Kirk for being too slow on the uptake when he first encounters the Reliant, which is fair. That’s pretty OOC of him. The idea that he’s too old for space is both one that I must personally disregard, and one that the film would have you discard, since we’ve already heard from TWO characters, the people who know him best, that his best destiny is as a starship captain, and command is his proper role. And that he might be a little rusty is also not a great explanation imo, because the rust was supposed to have come off in TMP. So, plot hole probably.

We were trying to do some math--TMP is at least 2 years post 5YM and TWOK is at least 10 years post TMP, so at least 8 years post TMP. I can understand more rust growing but like... he was already an Admiral in TMP and the idea that he was out of practice with actual command was a big part of his arc there. So it doesn’t seem warranted to do that again.

Also, the way he was commanding poorly in TMP was very IC: he was pushing too hard, trying too much, caring too much about the mission and not enough about...the laws of physics. That’s very Kirk. Being slow on the uptake, caught with his britches down--that’s not Kirk. Plus, with no one to call him out on it, like Decker did in TMP, his poor command doesn’t seem like a big character obstacle to overcome but just like...sloppiness all around.

I thought Khan was over all... just not that interesting. I guess I’m just not into the obsession/revenge plot. Also...idk man he didn’t seem that super to me. He outsmarted Kirk, like, once, and Kirk outsmarted him like 4 times. He tortured some people--but regular humans can do that. He used those sandworm thingies, which is also something humans could do. Overall, he didn’t seem to have any particularly special skills. The only time he really seemed like a worthy adversary for Kirk was when Kirk wasn’t really being IC himself.

I’m also not into the fridging of his wife. Think how much cooler it would have been if she’d still been alive! The only non-super human in the bunch and she’s still there! Ex-Starfleet and bitter!

The K/S in this film is very soothing. Imo they are clearly together here, and the whole film is better if you assume they’re boyfriends and everyone knows. That Vulcan convo that Spock and Saavik have? Waaaaay funnier if you think she’s talking about his boyfriend (”not what I expected....very human” “Well no one’s perfect”). Every time they call each other ‘friend’ like ““friend”“? All the Looks? The birthday gift?

Also the “I have been and always shall be your [friend]” scene is a wedding I will not be taking criticism on this opinion. Could it have been written more like a vow? I think not. It’s not quite This Simple Feeling but it’s the best this film has in that regard.

I liked Saavik and I do think she’s one of the better later-movie additions (though I only like her, as far as I can remember, when played by Kirstie Alley). She didn’t necessarily strike me as super alien, though, at least not at first... But I appreciated how persistent she was about the stupid test, and her regulation quoting. I enjoyed her. I also liked how she was obviously Spock’s protege, which makes her Kirk’s step-protege, and they had just a little bit of that awkward dynamic going on. (”Did you change your hair?”)

The Bones and Kirk relationship was great in this film. You can really feel their friendship and their history with each other. Bones knows him so well and can be honest with him, just when Kirk needs it most.

I also love how Kirk has the SAME conversation with both Bones and Spock (re: being a captain again) but with Spock it’s sooooo much flirtier. In case you weren’t sure what the difference in these two relationships is.

Bonus: this bit of dialogue: Spock: “Be careful, Jim.” / Bones: “WE will.” Lol Spock people who aren’t your boyfriend do exist.

Obviously, I cried during THAT scene. Honestly AOS should have taken note about how to do emotional scenes like that: they come after the main action is over and the villain is defeated. Then they hit at the right time and to the right degree. Kirk just slumping down after Spock dies....like he’s boneless...like he doesn’t know what to do... I CANNOT.

I feel so bad for him that I’ll even forgive him that awful eulogy. Spock died for Genesis? Uh, no, he died for the Enterprise, and for YOU. Spock is the “most human”? You shut your whoreson mouth

I remember hating both Carol and David but I actually hated them less this time, Carol especially. My mom is being really harsh about her, though, which makes me feel less confident in my assessment. I mean first off, she’s the inventor of Genesis, which is a pretty big strike against her. Second...pretty lame to keep Kirk from David. Although I did some vague math and Kirk would only have been about 21, still in the Academy, when David was born, so you can see how that would work out. Also, she distinctly says “Were we together?” which means they were not--this was a fuck buddy arrangement for sure. More complicated. But it still feels weird to retcon that, like, he’s known THIS WHOLE TIME that he’s a dad and we’re only learning about it now, as an audience.

Anyway I’m getting off track. Carol. What to make of her? Is she unstable? Is she still mad at Kirk? My mom points out that she just decided on her own that David would want to join Starfleet if he knew Kirk was his father--whereas what seems to have happened instead is he didn’t just become a civilian scientist like his mom but became her specific protege--working on a project where everyone was probably handpicked by her? I would assume? Also..he hates Starfleet. Not to put everything on the mom, but how did that happen?

Also...going down the rabbit hole of this and feeling awkward about it... but David KNEW Kirk. As “that guy you hung around with.” That means Kirk was in his life for quite a while, long enough for him to have memories, and long enough for those memories to still be with him even into his 20s. But he was never allowed to know who Kirk was. That means Carol’s rule must have been “You can see your son but you can’t tell him who you are” which in some way seems meaner to me than just “please don’t contact us again.” If he was already on his way into space, that could even make sense--”I know you’re not going to be able to be a family with us, so let’s not pretend, let’s make a clean break now.” But that wasn’t what happened!

Anyway whatever not to be HAICG!Kirk about this or anything lol

David is mostly annoying because he’s so anti-Kirk lol. I found him least annoying when he came around to Kirk at the end. Another big strike against him: he wore his sweater tied over his shoulders in such a Preppy manner. I honestly don’t see what about him is supposed to be reminiscent of Kirk.

David/Saavik was definitely happening lol. I wish I could have heard that conversation. It sounds like she told him a lot!!! Not sure why she attached herself to this particular annoying human so fast but I guess she did.

....I think that might be all. The uniforms and general styling were much better than TMP (though less funny/entertaining), and it was certainly an enjoyable overall yarn. A lot to pick apart and critique but in a fun way. Will probably watch The Search for Spock soon.

#the year 2020 #2020: star trek #2020: fandom thoughts #star trek tos

[alfernover]

Strike of the Dragon - Chapter 2

(StrikeTeam!Genji AU)

Pairings/Characters: Gency, Reinhardt, Torbjörn, Mccree (awww yeah baby)

Chapter 1, Chapter 3 (coming soon)

Warnings: none

A/N: This chapter has been the most chaotic thing I’ve ever written development-wise. The first draft of the chapter I hated sooo much I went back to the drawing board and decided to do this. Then once I completed this one, I still hated it but it was better than the last one I’ve got to admit. Then I went over the chapter to delete stuff, add stuff, redo stuff and now nearly every word is completely different, apart from the first part of the story. This wasn’t much of a joy at first, but at the end I felt pleased with myself and gave a pat on the back for it. Hope you all enjoy!

"A month! A month he's been in the strike team and he went from zero to hero in under that time!"

 Genji gave out a fake chuckle as Reinhardt patted his back a little hard – but he was expecting that anyways – he didn't complain though as other members of Overwatch listened and laughed as Reinhardt carried on about how Genji saved and protected the French President a week after he was put on the team, and then go back to talking about the mission that the strike team had deal with some Junkers who had decided to try and terrorise Sydney in Australia.

 At first, people did not like Genji, being that he was a Shimada and there were many rumours about the Shimada bloodline possessing a deadly weapon able to kill someone instantly. And there was also the Shimada Clan which everyone feared of so Genji was expecting immediate backlash on having him on the team which was widely known to be heroic and to protect the citizens no matter what, a boy with Shimada blood was obviously not what people were expecting. But then Genji’s first two missions came and became remarkably successful to making people trust him with live footage of him on both. Unfortunately, Genji had now become quite popular through the media, even though he was appreciated not having himself be shone in the light as the worse thing Overwatch had ever decided on. He still didn’t like the fact that people had swarm onto him like bees when he was only out to at least buy new pairs of shoes.

 At least he has a bigger chance of getting some entertainment at night with a few girls, he thought to himself which made him smile broadly.

 "I mean when those Junkers went towards Genji, they thought he would be an easy target, and me and the rest of the strike team just stood there with me shielding Ana and Torbjörn, but no! Genji deflected all things that were thrown at him and back at them and completely knocked the rest out who were attacking us! Not even a scratch to his suit! He's incredible!"

 "Excuse me Reinhardt," said Genji, trying to sound polite as possible, "I'm off to do some training, call me on my comm if something comes up."

 "Ahhh! I will my friend!" Reinhardt exclaimed, "I might join you later if you save some training bots for me to smash!"

 "Let's hope not," muttered Genji, "we would destroy the training grounds."

Reinhardt bellowed with laughter and patted Genji hard on his back once more. Genji swallowed the pain like it was a drink and managed to create a stiffen smile back at the tall, muscular man. He put the remainder of his lunch into a bin, left the mess hall and headed to the training grounds. He didn’t need to get changed, he was already planning on training anyways and opened his usual orange locker that was at the training grounds and eagerly got his usual training equipment out, they weren’t the ones he wore out on missions just so he doesn’t harm anyone if he did one-on-one combat, but they good enough to destroy any training bot, he inspected every piece of his equipment and then strapped them on to him, he then headed to the actual training grounds where training bots were held, platforms could be raised and flattened for anyone who wanted it to be an open ground, he looked up to see the outside world which had been cut off from with thick walls made of cement, Genji always thought that the tall, snowy mountains looked like paintings plastered to the sky and the buildings from nearby Zurich barely could be seen with how tall the wall was. Genji sighed deeply, then went back to why he was here in the first place.

 "Athena," called Genji, as he did his stretching.

 "Hello Genji," came the robotic reply, "do you want to do your usual training protocol?"

 "Actually," said Genji, in his confident way, "I want to change it up a bit."

 "In what way may I ask?"

 "Increase the stinging lasers for the training bots up from level 6 to level 9."

 "The 9th stinging level is quite power and painful," replied Athena, sounding quite cautious, "the result of you getting hit in the limbs means numbness, no movement for a limb for at least an hour and the sting could cause you to go unconscious, not to mention if it hits your chest or head it could be possible death or cybernetic replacement to them."

 "Then just be grateful I'm not making it go up to level 12 then," Genji retorted, "now do it, I want to challenge myself a little, the rest can be the same as usual."

 "Confirmative Genji," Athena said, the Japanese ninja began to warm himself as he waited for the countdown.

 "Training begins in, 3,2,1."

 There was silence afterwards. But a second later, Genji draw out his wakizashi and deflected the lasers coming out of a pair of two training bots’ arms which had suddenly appeared from the metals doors that confined them and made the lasers go into their heads. He began to dodge another pair of them, who were shooting rapidly, trying their best to lock on to the ninja. But Genji was quick, dodging all of them quickly and deflected them with his wakizashi, heading straight back and into the training bots' faces or into their arms, making them shriek out there usual, annoying ‘OWW’ or ‘ARGH’ or ‘HEY’. Even when he was in the air, he made a single blow fatal to the bots with using his shurikens either all three of them coming out of his training arm to strike in one direction or they go in three directions, most of them hit the bots, some just got stuck in the wall or laid on the ground, making dents to the rubber ground. He then got his main, curved sword out from his back, and began slashing the metal bots up like they were a piece of paper. At last, once Genji place his sword back into his scabbard, the last bot fell to the ground in pieces, joining the remnants of the others.

 "Training exercise protocol for Agent Genji Shimada wave 1 of 20 enemies, completed," announced Athena, "wave 2, beginning shortly."

 Genji sighed and began to catch his breath. He checked his shurikens and made sure that his blades weren't blunt whilst cleaning bots came to take the dismantled training bots so they could be repaired for who else was going to train with them. He then went over to a bench where he got a towel which he wiped on his sweating head, he drank water and rested before Athena was ready.

 "Wave 2, will commence in 20 seconds," Athena said, "I'd advised you get ready Genji."

 Genji nodded and got up. He went to the middle of the arena and withdrew his wakizashi. He walked to the centre of the arena and start to decide on which position he should use before the next part of his training began.

 "Wave 2 commences in 10 seconds."

 Genji leaned into his position, his hand gripping the wakizashi and his eyes darted around the doors in which the bots would come out of and attack him. Then the door to enter the training arena opened, and then the familiar dwarf came out of with his usual cap on him, but Torbjörn wasn't alone, he seemed more happier than usual and was talking to this woman. Genji looked at her and immediately froze, as the woman looked around the arena, she had blonde locks which were in a loose ponytail, her eyebrows were thin like pencils, and she was wearing the doctor's uniform for Overwatch members. Her curious eyes finally came upon Genji’s and they were both immediately locked onto each other, he swore he could make out the ocean and sky at the same time.

 "Wave 2 commence."

 "Wait, what-"

 A strike to the ninja and he fell to the floor with a thud, whilst the training bots immediately withdraw from shooting – they were design that way – Genji felt his left leg go numb for the first few seconds and a wave of stinging came soaring through afterwards, and did it hurt. Genji groaned in pain, it felt like teeth were sinking into his shin and calf and ripping away from the rest of his body. The world around him became a little unrealistic to him the world became blurry and he could only hear a muffled version of Torbjörn's voice, angrily shout things as usual. He was then turned around from laying on his stomach, to his back, and then he saw a shadowy figure above him, blocking most of the sun and making the remainders of it wrap around the head of a woman like it was a halo. The blonde hair which draped to one side of her shoulder sparkled in the sunlight making the ninja know it was the very same woman he was distracted by. His sight refocused and his hearing became much clearer, as he blinked a couple of times to make sure his eyes focused, but to also make sure the pretty blonde woman was still real, and it wasn’t him hallucinating.

 "Hello? Can you hear me?" came a clearer reply compared to Torbjörn, which he was now clearly muttering something under his breath as usual. Genji responded with a nod and got up from his back with both arms holding his upper body up. The woman went to his leg to see where the burnt part of the joggers was. He then gasped in pain and both of his arms moved to clench his leg as another wave of stinging shot through his leg, just as much pain as the last one. The woman placed her hand on his back and rubbed it gently, trying to help sooth him down.

 "Athena!" called Torbjörn, "out of 1 to 12, how much power did Genji put to the training bot's weaponry?"

 "He asked for level 9 for laser power," replied Athena, "I personally insisted not to encase these circumstances came to a reality, but Genji was quite stubborn."

 "Of course, he is," grumbled Torbjörn, "he’s ruddy Genji."

 "Thanks for comforting me after getting hurt," Genji groaned back at the drawf.

 "Yer were the one who wanted to be stung so badly!" snapped back Torbjörn. The woman then cut in.

 "Torbjörn, I think he needs to be checked," she said, with a strong accent that Genji thought sounded very much like the civilians in Switzerland, "I’ll take him to my office."

 The dwarf looked at the blonde woman and grumbled a response whilst nodding. The woman looked to Genji with a warm smile. "Do you think you can stand on one leg?" she asked sweetly.

 Genji blinked for a split second, still not believing that her soft voice was real, then he finally nodded once more. The woman gave him another warm smile which made Genji’s heart beat faster and lifted him up, then she placed his arm over her shoulders so he can balance himself between his one leg and the woman. The ninja looked over to where Torbjörn use to be and look towards the exit as to where the little blonde dwarf was now heading towards without a care in the world about Genji. "Going to help me?" he asked, clenching his jaw once more to swallow a third wave. Torbjörn turned and looked at both Genji and the woman who was helping him balance, with a raised eyebrow.

 "I think she's got you covered," he muttered and carried on moving out of the arena, "I'll see you later!”

 The woman sighed and shook her head whilst having a small smile on her face. "Typical Torbjörn," she said quietly, she looked over at Genji who had clenched teeth, "best get you to my office then."

 They headed there with Genji hopping on one foot whilst his left leg remained numb and having waves of stinging coming to him every minute or so, whilst the strange – but attractive – woman helped him to where they were going. Other agents, doctors and scientists stared at them as they walked by and Genji just felt embarrassed with hopping along with one foot whilst the seemingly new member of Overwatch encouraged him on. They eventually reached the medical department and the woman helped Genji towards a door which made his head tilt.

 "That's the head of medical research's office," he said. The woman chuckled.

 "I thought you were told that the previous one was retiring, and you were getting me as the new head," she responded.

 "I don't listen to briefings," said Genji.

 "Obviously, you don't listen to Athena," came the response which made Genji's eyes widen a little and look to the Swiss woman whilst she opened the door who didn’t have a smile on her face and eyes were now a little wary. Even though he felt anxiety built up from his heart and clash with the pain of his leg, Genji said nothing as he was helped through the narrow door. He had only been in the head office once in his life and that was a few years ago, it was the right size for a medical ward too, not too big or too small. Its walls were the usual white that covered most of the base. A desk and a chair sat at the end of the room with the usual equipment of pens and pencils, but with slips of scattered paper on the desk and whilst a mug of coffee sat near the edge. Genji didn’t have enough time to continue his scanning, as he was tugged by the woman to a medical bed which was at the third corner of the rooms.

 "Sit," she ordered, Genji obliged with no complaints, besides, his right leg was feeling the ache of hopping all the way to the medical ward. The woman grabbed some plastic gloves which sat on a table. "Where did the laser hit you?"

 Genji pointed to place where shin met calf and the woman rolled up his training joggers up to examine his leg. "I never got your name," he stated.

 "Doctor Angela Ziegler," came the reply, "and you are this famous Genji Shimada, am I correct?"

 Genji chuckled whilst rubbing his neck with his hand. "I'm that popular, aren't I?" he joked.

 "With the stuns you pulled in front of the public and with your announcement," responded the doctor, Genji swore was trying to hide a smile as she went on, "you made headlines where I was, it's quite impressive with how agile you are."

 "I was trained by the best," smiled Genji, "I'm guessing you're the new head of department for medical research?"

 "That is correct," she said.

 "I see... how did a young, pretty woman like yourself managed to come here?"

 Immediately, the doctor froze, she stayed like that with her body tensed until she just shook herself back to reality. "Your leg will be fine after an hour," she finally states, ignoring Genji's flirtatious quote and getting up where the ninja could examine her face, her eyes showed more wariness now which Genji absolutely hated, he was just making it worse and worse for himself now and he just looked the other way whilst Doctor Ziegler stepped over to one of the closets. "I will give you some painkillers, so you won't experience the stinging at it's worse. I suggest you remain here for a while though."

 Genji nodded, still a little flabbergasted by the doctor's response to his flirtation. He was given a pill which the doctor offered him water so he could swallow it whole and he was shoved fully on the bed with a pillow underneath his leg. Whilst Doctor Ziegler walked over to her desk and began to move around her paperwork. The ninja watched curiously as she rounded up her scattered papers. "What are they all about?" he asked intently.

 "Just somethings I need to sign and examine," she replied, not looking over to Genji, "some for my arrival and some for the purpose of work."

 "I see," Genji smiled, "sounds a little boring doing paperwork."

 Doctor Ziegler immediately looked at Genji then, who was grinning innocently, she gave him a look that made Genji felt like a brick wall was put firmly between the two now. His smile falter and he looked to the wall next to the medical bed, pretending like he said nothing. He heard Doctor Ziegler mumble something under her breath and he heard paper being moved and crinkled. They both didn't say anything after that, the once comfortable silence had now become awkward for Genji, and all because he didn't keep his mouth shut. Doctor Ziegler hadn't checked up on him yet, not even a glance from where she was sitting. He just laid there, bored. He looked to where she was for what felt like the 50th time and watched her write on the paper, which was organised but felt like it was going to fall into scattering mess.

 "How old are you Doctor Ziegler?"

 The Swiss doctor finally glanced up at Genji, her hand stop moving her pen from writing and she pursed her lips a little. "I am 23."

 "23," repeated Genji, "that's quite young for a doctor that is head of this medical department, you must be very clever."

 "I hope I am," she replied plainly, as she returned to the paperwork, Genji was feeling a little perplex on how something as a piece of paper with words on it was more interesting that a guy who had made media headlines a few times in only a month.

 "I am finding it peculiar that you find that paperwork interesting," he said arrogantly.

 "People find different things enjoyable," replied Doctor Ziegler, she then looked back at Genji, "what do you find enjoyable then?"

 Genji smirked, thinking of how he had gotten a hold of her now but not realising how cold her eyes were looking at him. "I do like playing games and training keeps me fit," he replied, he then paused impressively, his smirk growing and making the doctor lean back a little. "There's also one other thing I do enjoy."

 "And what is that?"

 "Why don't you visit my headquarters and find out."

 There was a pause, both knowing exactly what Genji had just said and then the brick wall that Genji felt between him and the doctor now felt like it had doubled its strength with the doctor's eyes seemingly taking the shape of missiles so to complete the fortress. The next minute, Genji was given a crutch from another corner and was shoved out of the office by the doctor.

 "Who's your personal doctor?" she demanded, as Genji turned around in absolute disbelief, now realising the cold stare he was getting now.

 "Oh-well-I-umm.... Doctor Muller," stammered Genji.

 The Swiss doctor noted this in her head and looked back at a stunned Japanese ninja with her blue eyes, they locked on again like they did when they first saw each other, the Swiss doctor then looked down to the ground, whilst Genji stood there, more confused and perplexed. "I'll give him the report on your incident at the training arena today Agent Shimada," she said formally, "use the crutch for until after an hour where your leg feels fine and then return the crutch by tomorrow."

 "Wait, what-"

 "Good day Agent Shimada."

 She gave a smile that made Genji’s heart feel like ice had been dunked over it and the door slammed right into his face and the ninja was left standing there with a crutch on his left side, staring at the newly place door sign, saying: Doctor Angela Ziegler. He let out a groan, feeling like his flirtation had failed miserably, but it had never failed before! He turned and then noticed an agent roughly in his thirties smirking at him, whilst sitting patiently in a chair for his medical treatment. Genji only scowled at him and began to walk away with his crutch helping him keep balance.

 He almost getting to his headquarters, and every step he was taking with crutch and right foot made him feel humiliated with members of Overwatch looking at him with bemusing grins and curious glances and was feeling the relaxation being hidden away in his headquarters. "Torbjörn told me about ya little incident at the arena," said a manly voice with a thick accent, "didn't expect it to be this bad!" Genji stopped suddenly and then rolled his eyes whilst sneering to a wall as the man with dark clothing and a weird-looking cowboy hat came up to the strike team’s ninja with a wry grin that could’ve made his facial hair separate from each other from two metres.

 "Hello to you to too Mccree," replied Genji quietly, "I thought you were at the base in Norway."

 "Got moved here last night," said Mccree with a wry grin, "came in around the same time as the new doc. How did you find her anyways? Apparently, Torbjörn decided to leave you with her when you made the decision to lose a leg!"

 "Haha funny Mccree and to answer your question, I don't know," the ninja muttered, "it was mostly a one-way conversation whilst I was in her office."

 "Ahhh, I see what you did," smirked Mccree, “there’s only a few ways to not make the doc not talk and I know exactly which button you pressed.”

 "I did too," said Genji, his sour mood from being shut out was getting worse with Mccree’s pestering.

 "The doc is a stubborn sort and wants things to be as professional as possible within a workplace, a little too much if yer ask me. But she even cares for the people she dislikes and even though you might’ve treated her an object or a trophy like you do to every girl yer see, which she highly dislikes, she will still care for you if yer injured.”

 Genji then felt a pang of realisation and tried to remember some of what he had said to the doctor, and with every word he thought of made his heart go lower down in his stomach. "How do you know all of this?" he quickly asked.

 "Well, I've known her since I first joined," smirked Mccree, "Torbjörn showed her around the base at Norway and that’s where we met. We’re both good friends though, so it'll just be you who'll be gettin' the door shuttin' on yer face."

 "Yeah... totally," Genji said, he had finally reached his headquarters which was where the usual strike team members were held at, with Reinhardt next to his since he was the one who usually stayed there, whilst Morrison had his own personal place to sleep in and Torbjörn and Ana usually go to their home country to spend time with their families most often. Genji was quite glad that he had made it but Mccree was insistent on talking to the ninja whilst he typed his passcode to unlocking his door.

 "I'm guessin' yer made one of your stupid lines come out of yer mouth again," he mused. Genji felt insulted, but Mccree didn't seem to notice the expression on his face or just didn't care as he went on. "Honestly, I don't know how you managed to get to some girls apartment when you go to those parties in Zurich.”

 “I’ve said much worse.”

 “Like what exactly?”

 The door had just unlocked, and the Japanese ninja had placed his hand on the handle, but he didn’t open the door and stayed still for a bit. Then he sighed deeply and let his free hand go through his black locks. “I only said that her work must be boring and that I don’t listen in important meetings.”

 Mccree looked at Genji and smiled sympathetically and patted his friend’s shoulder. “It would be a miracle for you to ever catch her now,” he said, “you’ve literally insulted her to a degree of no return!”

 “How much did you think I hurt her?” asked Genji, with his heart beating harder and his face trying hard not to cringe for he new Mccree’s response wouldn’t be good whatsoever.

 “You know the insult when we were teenagers and we say to Reinhardt that his hammer looks like it could be salvaged to be a steam piston and then he would literally chase us down whilst gripping it?”

 “Yeah, that really got to him hard-kuso,” said Genji, as his soul felt like dying, “it’s that bad?”

 Mccree nodded solemnly and Genji groaned and banged his head on his door. The cowboy patted his shoulder again with his gloved hand.

 "The doc is a kind-hearted soul Genji," said Mccree, “but what you’ve said to her in the medical ward well… if you think you were gonna have anythin’ between you two that’s gone down the drain then… actually, naah it’s way deeper.”

 Genji didn't look back at the Blackwatch agent with the funny cowboy hat, he shrugged Mccree’s hand off his shoulder and opened his door and went through it with his body making him look like the saddest thing on the planet. Mccree shook his head as Genji closed the door on him and he was left all alone in the hallway. The cowboy had known the Japanese ninja to be quite rebellious and flirtatious to women and was still extremely arrogant about the whole ideal of him being in the strike team. Mccree knew Genji preferred to work alone and he could tell when he did tests and when he did his first ever mission when Morrison asked Gabriel to take him out on a Blackwatch mission. But it seemed he had gotten a small wake-up call from the whole ordeal with Doctor Ziegler, but as Mccree began to walk away to find Gabriel, he thought of how bad Doctor Ziegler was with her work and stubbornness. But both had heart with protecting and helping the people of the world he knew that. Whilst he got his cigar out of his pocket, he began to think of Genji and the doc as a thing, then brushed aside instantly.

 “Never gonna happen,” Mccree confirmed to himself as he lit his cigar.

#gency #overwatch #gency fanfic #fanfic #genji shimada #genji x mercy #mercy #genji literally died inside his hq #and he doesnt know why! lmao #mercy is furious with him #im british #suffer my terminology #i want genji’s suit to appear in a special part of the story #so get hyped for it since it’s gonna be a teased like hell through the chapters #genji’s hair is also down with his hair nearly covering his eyes #striketeam!genji au

[keen2meecha]

Novel Prep Tag!!

Shout out to @magic-is-something-we-create for tagging me in this!!! :D I’m doing it for Happy Endings, my NaNo project last year that I’m hoping to finish this July Camp NaNo! Enjoy!!

First Look

1. Describe your novel in 1-2 sentences

On the verge of graduating high school, a teen girl with a four-month gap in her memory moves in with the most mysterious boy in school and his uncle; but when she discovers that they and the rest of their foster family are hiding a dangerous secret, she must confront her fear of commitment or risk losing her newfound family forever.

2. How long do you plan for your novel to be?

It should be just over 100k, since I got exactly halfway done during NaNo last year

3. What’s your novel’s aesthetic?

Oh geez I'm not good at these y'all. But like. That uncomfortable feeling when it's too quiet and so you try and talk or sing to fill that silence but it just makes it worse because all you can hear is your own voice and as soon as you stop there's even more silence and all you've done is remind yourself that you're alone; that stinging, warm feeling when someone says something about you and you realize just how well they know you; when you’re camping and you wake up and the sun has just risen and everything is warm and awash with golden light and the world is peaceful; making someone laugh for the first time; having a headache but being too busy to really notice or do anything about it

4. What other stories have inspired your novel?

Teen Wolf, the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead (if you haven't read it, you should consider it, it's very good!), Fruits Basket

5. Three images that get the feel of your novel

How about three hints at important events in the form of emojis? ❄️🦂🍼

Main Characters

6. Who is your protagonist?

Melissa Adams! She's a bicon who's extremely good with her hands and even better at reading people. She is also, and I say this with all the love I have in my heart, a complete and utter dumbass. Oh, and she got kidnapped shortly after her parents died and turned up at the edge of the city limits without any memories of those four months she was missing. She's not too worried about it, though.

7. Who is their closest ally?

She's got quite a few of them! Her best friends, Fern Beaumont and Holly Song. The people she starts living with - Ace Argyris the uncle, Virgil Argyris the popular quiet boy, and Eden not-Argyris the girl who doesn't really seem to fit anywhere - certainly grow closer to her over the course of the story. But I'd say probably her cousin Jared, once he shows up in the story, becomes her closest ally because he wants to help her, not just protect her.

8. Who is their enemy?

Marceline, the shadow-y matriarch of the Argyris family. Oh, and also these people who seem to have an intense grudge against the Argyris family and seem to know Melissa, even though she could swear she's never seen any of them before...

9. What do they want more than anything?

Unrealistically? To see her parents again. Realistically? To graduate high school already so that she can build her own house in the woods, live off the land as much as possible, and not have to be around people anymore.

10. Why can’t they have it?

For the former, because they're very very dead. For the latter, she's only a junior and also everyone in her life seems determined to sabotage her dream to be on her own

11. What do they wrongly believe about themselves?

That she doesn't need people - or, more accurately, that she's just fine on her own.

12. Draw your character

I don't have a drawing, unfortunately, but I do have a rough picrew that is entirely subject to change:

13. What is the worst thing that could happen to your protagonist?

Probably losing another family! It's why she has such trouble getting close to people after everything that happened - it was so horrible the first time around, she doesn't know how she would survive if it happened again. Better to be on your own than to get hurt again.

Plot Points

14. What secret will be revealed that changes the course of the story?

Well, you see, Melissa's got this four-month gap in her memory. And she's not too bothered by it, but there are these people threatening her friends who seem to somehow be involved, so it's probably best to get that figured out. The headaches are getting annoying too.

15. Do you know how it ends?

I know how both the book and the series ends! The endings of both are actually one of the first things I wrote haha

16. What is the theme?

"If we want the rewards of being loved, we must submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known." No, seriously. This is one of the few stories I decided on the theme of early on, and it was exactly this.

17. What is a recurring symbol?

Not a symbol - I’m not completely sure what they’ll be yet - but headaches are subtle but important. Clothes are also vaguely used to symbolize Melissa's state of mind.

18. Where is the story set?

A fictional forest in Colorado! I ranted talked in this post if you wanna know more!

19. Do you have images and scenes in mind already?

I have half the book written already, plus a few random future scenes. It's also fully outlined, so I at least generally know what happens

20. What excited you about this story?

The amnesia plot, which is a pretty new thing for me and is really fun to write and foreshadow and whatnot, and the setting! Silverwood, both the city and the forest, have absolutely captured my imagination, and it's really hard to keep it from becoming some kind of weird utopia haha, and the plot! It just feels really interesting and fun to think about, at risk of sounding full of myself, and I can't wait to share more with people!

21. What is your usual writing method? Unrealistically? To see her parents again. Realistically? To graduate high school already so that she can build her own house in the woods, live off the land as much as possible, and not have to be around people anymore.

So, usually it's what I said in this post - although with this particular project, since it was my first NaNo project that I actually waited until November to start, I skipped from step two straight to step eight, more or less. This is actually the wip that got me into outlining, which was an immense but helpful change to my usual process!

And there you go! My project once I finish gifted or July comes, whichever happens first!! I’m very excited!

I’m tagging all of the people who were interested, so! @summersromance, @literary-lavender, @magic-is-something-we-create, @magicalwriting, @linariouswrites, @ahowlinwolf, @rhiannonleewriting, @cilly-the-writer, @aelenko, @paula-writes, @quenvicky, @me-between-the-lines, @writingonesdreams, @acaptainandhisrunaway, @megnrdyfreakx3​, and @kai-is-writing​ - have fun y’all, I can’t wait to see what y’all got!!

#h.e. #i'll be doing an intro post for this at the end of april too #so keep an eye out for that haha #i... don't have a lot to ramble about actually #drop a like if you read the whole thing? #im very tired we drove a lot today #hope you've been having a good day!