#it's not epic or anything it's just weird and i like it

[poorlittleyaoyao]

Beefleaf isn't canon. Mxtx has said she doesn't like to write another gay ship different from the main (she struggled with svsss)

I have heard about this! The content I saw was just so insistent about Beefleaf that I wondered if maybe I was misremembering and the "no same-gender side couples" thing applied to MDZS only. (I have gotten similar vibes from Moshang and from whatever Yue QIngyuan and Shen Jiu's ship name is, but I've now obtained Vol. 1 of SVSSS and plan to read it, so if those two aren't actually canon, don't tell me! It can be a surprise!)

The "no side couples"--or, in MDZS's case, "no queer characters AT ALL besides the protag, his love interest, and the disgraced goth weirdo who annihilates himself to resurrect the protag"--thing confuses me, because... I guess I don't get the point of it? I totally understand not having the bandwidth to develop more than one couple. The challenge of adequately building up other relationships fully independent of your main couple without detracting from the exploits of your protagonist and his love interest could be daunting, as would expanding the story's focus and juggling multiple equally-prominent lead characters for an effective ensemble piece. But here it seems like people picked up a vibe between the characters from what was already there in the text and then MXTX was like, "oh, no, they're not a couple! there's just the one couple!" and THAT I don't get. If she's disinterested in writing women, but has a cast of attractive men who are all obsessed with each other, why not toss a romance in there between some of the guys? Again, you can keep it entirely as-is and just toss a kiss in there or confirm in interviews that yes, they were in love, and you're so happy readers picked up on that even though you didn't get to tell their full story on the page.

I am extrapolating based on the Xiyao situation specifically, so maybe this doesn't apply to her other works! But it is a choice that confuses me. A couple doesn't have to be that developed; Xuanli certainly aren't, but their existence is a major plot point. I should think that the presence of other m/m couples would bolster the main couple, if anything, because it sets a precedent for them existing in their world. There are situations where adding an expressly romantic element would change something fundamental about the relationship, but there are just as many where the addition of a romantic element changes nothing or makes it make more sense (case in point: Xue Yang's freakout after killing Xiao Xingchen).

Like I said, I get not wanting to devote energy to it, and I also get that sometimes a work or performance is received by the audience in ways the artist didn't intend (this is the Destiel website, after all), but to make it a conscious choice to have One M/M Couple Only? Based on what I currently know, this perplexes me.

#there are plenty of works that have a bajillion guys and only like two women but do NOT intend anything romantic between the guys #but these are things like shounen anime (or fuckin SPN lol) that are written for straight male audiences and don't prioritize romance #whereas these here are epic romances about two gay men written for predominantly female audiences #it's not like your audience is going to be like 'a romance between two DIFFERENT men in my m/m love story? outrage!' right? #anyway the 'nobody likes men except the protags' is so funny in MDZS because of Xuexiao specifically #notable danmei author MXTX I find it very unlikely that the plot you repurposed from an earlier novel project was Just Guys Being Dudes!! #unrebloggable bc this fandom gets WEIRD when ppl say anything that could even be construed as critical of craft

[keymintt]

bisexual, but not rly in an "i'm attracted to xyz" way so much as a "whatever the fuck happens, happens" way

#something something abt how sexuality and gender and queerness is 'defined' vs how it's experienced #maybe this is just how my own bisexuality is! idk im a nonbinary guy who's general outlook on life can be summed up as fuck it we ball #i ofc have my preferences and tendencies and attractions but those are broad at best nor am i like. super beholden to them #for instance i'd prefer to date someone who's not cis but if i hypothetically am into a cis person who's chill with my whole Situation- #-then it's like shit. alright! #and obviously anything that's a dealbreaker in a friendship to begin with is also going to be a dealbreaker in a relationship as well #also please don't be weird on this post! this is about my own sexuality and if you relate to it that's epic #but if you don't or otherwise feel the need to 'correct' me on smthin then pls just move on #no i won't shut up #< talking tag #also also its fine to rb this if you want idc

[sylphwing]

hm. i do not like chilshi 🤔

#sylph.txt #everyone likes to joke abt how much of an epic divorce man chilchuck is #but i dont think he ever even refers to her as his ex-wife. i could b wrong bc it's been a while since i read it tho #idk a lot of his arc is him learning to b more open w others (which is essentially what ended his relationship) #and u can see how much he's grown in the chapter where senshi goes into his past #to me it would b a lot sweeter for him to take on these lessons and go back to her and make things work #it's been 4 years but he's remained loyal to her depite their issues. idk to me it rlly does feel like he still loves her he's just a fool #it's made p clear that he's a coward and that he's quick to run away so actually committing to her would b a nice way to wrap things up #we don't get to see much of his wife so i get y ppl r quick to put him w the only other man in the party #but like senshi knows abt his wife too like i do not think he's gnna b making any moves here bc he has morals lmao #(*only other older man in the party. laios doesn't qualify for old man yaoi to most chilshi likers) #(even tho chilchuck isn't old either but shh they don't care abt that) #when it comes to senshi the changeling chapter def helped him w understanding how old the rest of the party is #but he clearly still views them as significantly younger than him #i don't think he views chil as a child anymore but for the majority of their time together he did #and so going from that to in a relationship is uhh rlly weird to me! #senshi has always taken a sort of parental role upon himself #w him romance is no where as interesting as the platonic bonds he has w the rest of the party #similar to how romance is entirely unimportant to izutsumi in the succubus chapter #idk i def don't hate the pairing and there r some takes on it that i find funny #but for me i just don't see anything between them i think ppl just want an m/m ship to play with #that ao3 gap is only gnna get bigger lmao

[sonknuxadow]

update to whatever is going on in my tomodachi life game : blaze and surge broke up #LOVELOSES . but everything is ok now because i gave surge a cheeseburger (it is her favorite food)

#also sonic and knuckles went on a trip to space because sonic saved up enouhg money for it 👍 epic sa2/unleashed/frontiers/etc reference #anyway back on the topic of surge and blaze. not surprised they broke up it was just a matter of time really #like i said before theyre the only couple that wasnt really doing too well #also at the time they got together blaze was still obsessed with shadow and had shown no interest in surge #but she accepted when surge asked her out regardless of that #idk that combined with the fact that they again were the only couple that werent doing so good has some Implications #surge was actually the person to end it though not blaze #anyway theres your update on . the mess that is the romance situation here #for the record im not like. an actual blaze and surge shipper im just letting these guys do wahtever the fuck they want #(within reason. im not letting any couples with weird age gaps or anything like that happen) #tomodachiposting

[savage-rhi]

😳

#lucid dreaming is the most epic and teriffying thing sometimes #I've been building it up over the years and i feel like im getting to that point where when i feel that space between sleep and alertness #i can push myself into whatever is happening and mostly be in control #for me it literally feels like im walking through a heavy veil #like that tingling static you feel when your foot falls asleep #its like you're detaching from your body and going somewhere else #i can't pick how my dream turns out i kind of just walk through and deal with whatever I'm dealing with #earlier while napping i did it and i was like in my 50s or so checked my mirror and saw my wrinkles then i went out to my car #lived somewhere else entirely and i get in the car and im going down the highway and I'm in the left lane going the speed limit and this #older guy with curlyish white hair and a peppered beard black sunglasses and a white dress shirt is driving a convertible #and he looks over at me and gets pissed that im “trying to pass him” and proceeds to try and run me off the road #my car starts to begin to flip i can feel this whoosh of air in my face and hair and right before i start tumbling i shoot up from bed #like ive had an exorcism and my hearts going like 90 bpm #it felt so real like you couldn't distinguish if it was a dream even if you tried hard enough #touch taste sight smell its all there #i stg for me lucid dreaming feels like im highjacking the bodies of alternative mes in the universe and using them as temp avatars #to experience some weird shit #lmao 😂 #I don't have apnea or anything else like that so not worried there #but shit man #these have been getting pretty intense over the last few months as ive gotten better at it #ted talk info dump #no magenta here #i feel like i need a safe word for these types of posts #magenta has already taken the mantle of complaining/venting

[quibbs126]

Okay, I just wanted to do this for posterity’s sake, but basically this post is: Things About Dark Cacao Cookie That (At Least to Me) Point to Him Having Odd Origins (But I’m Probably Overthinking It)

No I will not shorten that name

So I really only have three points (at least that I can currently remember) that apply here, but let’s just mention them regardless

So first up: his abnormal strength

As shown below, his story specifically states that his sword takes 3 average Cookies to even budge, yet we see in game that he’s able to wield it with seemingly little struggle. There is no explanation ever given for this. I mean I suppose you could say that it’s the Soul Jam that gives him the strength, but given that none of the other Ancient descriptions mention their Soul Jam bestowing upon them enchanted physical attributes, it’s little more than conjecture, and it seems more likely to assume that this is just natural for him. But then the question remains: how and why?

Next up: the slit eye thing

In these two sprites, we see Dark Cacao have these slit eyes that he never has in any other sprite. The Wiki names them his “rage sprites”, and while yes, the Wiki is unofficial, the only times we really see these sprites in game seem to be when he’s incredibly angry, or in other words, enraged

Again, no explanation is given for these. I have seen some people say that it’s because cacao and chocolate have small amounts of caffeine in them, and the coffee Cookies are noted to have dilated pupils due to their amounts of caffeine, and thus this is a reference to him having small amounts of caffeine. And yeah, I can accept that as an answer. But also at the same time, these eyes don’t exactly operate like the other coffee eyes, given that they only show up at certain emotionally driven points for Dark Cacao, as opposed to them where it’s just natural and doesn’t seem to ever go away. Also again, this is just a fan theory, and in canon there is no official explanation for this

Now let’s get into my third point: his younger self’s clothes

I know that sounds a weird one but hear me out

Now there’s two parts of this that I want to take note of

First, let’s compare this to the other young Ancients’ outfits

I’d say that by comparison, Dark Cacao’s outfit looks much nicer than theirs

Now yes, you can have explanations for why theirs aren’t the nicest looking. From what I’ve gathered, Pure Vanilla was a pilgrim, and if the art book is to be believed, was once a shepherd, and let’s just say that kind of lifestyle probably isn’t leading you to be wearing particularly nice clothes. As for Hollyberry, while she know she came from a noble house, you can just say this is her adventuring attire, made for battle and roughing it out in the wild rather than looking nice

But that in itself isn’t the weird thing. The weird thing is that Dark Cacao’s clothes look a lot nicer than theirs, which is odd considering the Dark Cacao Kingdom doesn’t seem to be known for having clothes that look particularly high quality. I’m not saying their clothes aren’t of nice quality, it’s just that clothes like this look a bit too nice for just a presumably normal villager, no?

I mean, both the cape and top have those trims you usually put on clothes to make them look nicer (at least I think that’s what it’s called, sorry I’m not good with how clothes work), as well as his nice looking brooch that has a small gem in it. Not to mention the sword he’s carrying, which looks like it has engravings and has what looks more like a dark gem at the pommel. Compare that to the swords we see the Watchers at the Citadel use, and it looks much higher quality. Again, odd for a normal person of a kingdom that isn’t known for its wealth or high quality of clothes or swords (again not to say they can’t have it, it’s just odd in this scenario. Those people who do have high quality stuff are cookies of high ranking in the kingdom, not normal cookies. I don’t think I’m wording this well)

There’s also the fact that it’s purple, which back in the day, was hard to come by and rather expensive. Yes in the current day kingdom, we see people wearing purple, but first off nowadays purple isn’t as hard to obtain, and second those cookies are all those who are at the Citadel, the place of highest ranking in the kingdom. They’re probably allowed higher quality clothing. But also keep note that these are Cookies, not humans, and how clothing colors work could easily be different, so take this point with a grain of salt, it’s probably not all that strong. And I know he’s associated with purple, so it makes sense for him to wear it, but it doesn’t look a particularly dull shade of purple (I mean it does somewhat, but it’s nice enough that it doesn’t just look like grey fabric with a purple tint), and that’s why I call it out

Secondly, there’s the fact that aesthetically, it doesn’t really match the Dark Cacao Kingdom

Now sure, fashion isn’t constant, and it’s not ludicrous to imagine that outfits 1000+ years ago would look radically different, but let’s compare this to the only other cookie we see of the soon to be kingdom from this time period

Just compare the two and they look nothing alike, which is odd considering they’re supposed to both be from the same place. (also it again affirms my point about his clothes looking pretty high quality; Reluctant Cookie here looks like they’re wearing torn and ragged clothing unlike Dark Cacao)

Like Dark Cacao has said himself that he is native to this land, and his features compared to other members do support this idea, so why doesn’t he dress like them?

I mean sure, at this point the land was a bunch of different tribes, and you can assume they probably each have their own style and don’t all look the same, but still, the radical difference

Now okay, those last two points are more speculation on my part, while the other two are objective facts, but you see what I mean? Him being a normal Cookie from the (future) Dark Cacao Kingdom just doesn’t seem to add up

I mean yeah, I know he’s an Ancient, he’s not a “normal Cookie”, but like, everyone else only became “different” later in life, they seem to have started out relatively normal. Dark Cacao stands out as the odd one of the bunch (I mean other than Golden Cheese, but that’s probably because we don’t know anything about her yet)

Originally, back when I was first getting into Cookie Run, I speculated his oddities could be because he’s related to the dragons or was raised by them, hence his unusual traits and clothes. However, Might of the Ancients seems to disprove this, as there, he seems to not be familiar with the dragons at all, not even knowing they were the ones causing the odd storms and snow, simply trying to find the sources of these “anomalies”. And when he does know, nothing tells us that he has any familiarity with them. So I think it’s safe to say he’s not connected to the North and South Dragons

Alright, I so I should mention here that I don’t actually have an answer for all these oddities. I just made this to point them out and say they were weird, at least to me. Hopefully at some point these things get answered. Or again, I’m just overthinking it all

#cookie run #cookie run kingdom #dark cacao cookie #ramblings #not really speculation/theory as I’m not doin anything with this info #merely pointing it out #so if you want to know how I got here #so after hearing of Capsaicin I thought “so I guess food compounds are fair game now” #“what about a Theobromine Cookie? Since they’re like the only other compound I know aside from like caffeine?” #“but if there was a Theobromine Cookie they’d have to be related to Dark Cacao/Choco” #“since theobromine is named after the cacao tree and is mainly found in cacao and chocolate so why wouldn’t they be?” #“but if capsaicin is a Super Epic would theobromine also be? (I forgot that Super Epics could also be normal Cookies)” #“and also just given the name (and the fact that it means “food of the gods” which is metal as hell) they’re probably not just a relative” #“maybe an ancestor or even parent of Dark Cacao that’s possibly supernatural in origin?” #and yeah everything spiraled from there #that was just my imagination going wild I don’t actually think there’s gonna be anything like that #or at least it’s not seemingly necessary #(though I’m not opposed to making that just for personal fun) #but it still led me to want to talk about possible weird things about Dark Cacao’s origins #and so yeah #random stuff

[darcyolsson]

finally moved into my new room today, completely forgot i had a shift at work and only found out when my boss called me, realised I have the energy/will to read and draw again after being completely unable to do any of that for months, realised I literally didn't even sign up for classes next term, i own a yellow toaster now, slay in the flop era flop in the slay era etc

#really experiencing the epic highs and lows of being a 20something girl today girls #i feel SO DUMB for forgetting i had to work today. this morning i literally thought to myself #'wow its so weird i have so little shifts this month.... anyway' #my boss was very chill about it but like. scary chill. the kind of chill where youre terrified its just a cover for unbridled rage #he didnt even tell me off or anything which somehow was worse #but whatever [smiling through the pain] YELLOW TOASTER!!! yellow kettle even. #my new place is crap in many ways but its a place to live and my landlord (who loves below me) has a very cute dog. so #also i have a cunty big bed now #its pink #and thats what you missed on ivicky! #personal

[alligaytorswamp]

me every day getting online trying to figure out how to interact with people without losing my damn mind (i fail each time)

#i had . four weird encounters today #w hy #i #what am i #who am i #who am i to all of these people #i honestly dont know anymore #i start to think i someone have this epic garbage can energy #that people must just throw anything at me #and im not trying to sound whiny here it does sound lame but like what else ?? #well another option is a wall #like my response my takes my feeling my boundaries do not matter #i am not asked to share my opinions not asked wether or not i want to talk about these things #just simply given words to react to #to the point of me having little rage moments because its just impossible to stay calm and polite #and im just confused as to why #i am some guy over here who isnt even that nice by default yet some people see me as ??? what??? what do you see me as to act this way #and then just .......... ogh .. when someone talking to themselves in a coversation with you #like you just react and your words go nowhere #what a silly and goofy thing! #man #also i am not even trying to hold conversation anymore bc its really tiring and i genuinely dont know what to say lol #so i should very uhh not satisfying to talk to #AND YET #*should be #god im tired lol #i wonder if its just my generic politeness that makes people so fucking comfortable #eugh #anyways its just a weird day of too many weird interactions and i just got over my rage #tee hee

[origamiyoda]

Did u learn any cool bug facts from worm lady?

UH I found out that one of the only reasons most common wasps are "aggressive" is because, like EVERY OTHER ANIMAL, youve probably gotten too close to their babies !! (that being said she also said that, like EVERY OTHER ANIMAL, there r some bugs that r just. Mean on purpose)

AND when they swarm its bcos theyve released a pheromone that tells the other wasps that youre a potential danger to their babies to protect them, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WHATS HAPPENING WHEN U CUT INTO AN ONION AND CRY!!!! Thats the onion trying to protect itself !!!!

IDK I thought that was p cool :]

#She was so passionate about it and she just KEPT TELLING ME MORE BUG FACTS IT WAS AWESOME #She also was talking about that one parasitic wasp and I was like 'oh yeah omg thats one of my favorite bugs' #and she was really impressed that I knew ab it and I didnt have the heart to tell her its bcos of that one tmnt 2012 ep that I weirdly love #Its called Parasitica its. its weird LOL #BUT SHE WAS SO COOL Ive been thinking about going into entomology for a little bit and this is maybe. Convincing me LOL #My partner was. Obviously Not As Thrilled but they didnt say anything and were being a good sport 👍 #We talked about bugs for like 45 minutes it was epic she was so nice and cool #Leo yells

[cantofworms]

Hi I just wanted to discuss if you want of course because I read your post regarding dnf and I wanted to maybe explain why I think it's different than any other relationship they have? I personally take under consideration the whole context of their time they know each other. Because it's not at all about what they say or do now, like yeah they might smooch other people and say they are not dating. (That and their friends saying they are free might be just to protect privacy) But still George put his life on hold for dream and then moved to America permanently and dream didn't face reveal earlier because he waited for him. Yeah there is also sapnap and their bond with sapnap is also super strong and they all love each other, but you need to admit its different. They definitely don't look like that at anyone else and don't post candids like that of anyone else. I'm ace so for me it's definitely not about fucking and sucking. But they have different aura than men who pander imo. Like yard boys for example. They are also lifelong friends and they joke about all those things but they don't seem like life partners. And for me dnf do. That's why I'm leaning more towards romantic.

When it comes to sexuality discussion and analysing I think it's fine as long as it not on twitter or anywhere they can see and feel self-conscious about it.

But everyone can have their own opinions and I respect yours

anyways

#I think you missed the whole point I was trying to make but thank you for not being a dick about😭🫶🏻 but. yeaa respectfully hard disagree #also if ppl wanna be weird and constantly pick apart everything to do w dnf Possibly being real or gnf not being straight keep it in the #discord dms or smth it just gets annoying after literal years of it #personally I think we’d all be better off to just take a step back and take everything they say at face value #another thing whenever I post a thing that’s just ‘.’ and a long ass rant in the tags #is basically just me getting my thoughts out of my head and into writing and then I post it bc #maybe some ppl will relate and they like the post and we have a moment of #hashtag Solidarity✊🏻 and then we all quietly move on #but now ig that I’ve gained more followers ppl wanna give me their thoughts which is completely fine and natural obvs #but I make rant posts like that and if the ppl that get it Get It then that’s epic but for the ppl who don’t pls just scroll and move on👍🏻 #like I don’t indend for them to be turned into public discussions or anything idk #anyway this is the last I’ll say about any of it disclaimer I love dream and geogre more than anything they’re the two ppl I blog about most #!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the fandom but I think (and Ik I’m not the only one) that the truthing has become A Lot recently and I needed #somewhere to complain about it END SCENE

[lilgynt]

my eldest brother and i make the same joke for someone watching our drinks is it dumb yes does it make me happy yes hehe

#personal #like it’s an extremely unoriginal joke but like when he was like #oh you also do the pinky thing i just thought i was a freak #about lifting pinky’s when drinking anything i’ll think about it every time i do it with a bit of fondness #anyway driving him was nice he bought me dinner and when i tried TIPPING. JUST TIPPING. #he was like NO DO NOT TAKE THAT CARD and i was trying to convince the girl but she was like that’s my manager so. #also he kissed my head in passing and it was very nice #especially with like #my mom held my hand several times the other day for the first time in YEARS #in her defense i’ve been weird about physical touch for years so not just a one way street #and i’ve been agressive about it too #anyway so she held my hand and it was very nice. but weird? and complicated #so it was nice to have like. some random affection that didn’t mean anything else #like he patted my back in passing and i was like woah. epic. #also LOVEDDDD how his dog was clearly uncomfortable with other people but i left to piss came back and he JUMPED my ass #that was very nice #not as nice people thought i was my brother’s girlfriend like #like play high school never ends #context everyone thought my brother was my boyfriend in hs bc we were close and vastly different skin toned 😭😭😭

[keeps-ache]

i should learn to make hash browns

#just me hi #the diner style is my favorite :> #that and sonic tots. i love those sm #oh and there's a gas station that makes these little fried potatoes with cheese in the middle! 15/5 would recommend !! #potatoes... #also i wanna learn to make alfredo pasta #love it v much but the restaurant i liked it from filed for bankruptcy and thus exploded hfbsh ;w; #that and chicken pot pie #the frozen ones you can just pop in a toaster oven are GREAT #but i don't want to company to explode one day and i be left chicken pot pieless. it would be utterly devastating hfhs #and in that vein - menudo as well. best food on the planet nothing else to say nothing else to compare #i always put So much lemon in though hfsh - one day i'll just be eating lemon juice with some seasonings thrown in lmao :) #anyway can you tell i'm hungry. i'm hungry hfbvshf #//but in other news oh my lllllllaaananndndnsnssssjhdhbshf #fighting for my life against my lack of motivation for anything rn #poking my brain with a stick. with another stick. and another stick. and another. and another #maybe if i use more sticks it'll start to do somethin i dunno lol #i COULD be drawing. or writing. but.. i'm not. ? ????? #why? that's the big mystery baby !!! :D [<- slowly dissolving into a goop (not the epic kind)] #i'm not feeeeeeeeeeeelin it and i think that's. it's. it's SILLYYY #it's just ridiculousssssssssssssssssssssssssss #preposteroussssss wwahauhauha #and my head feels a tad weird. is that a symptom or a cause? i will investigate further and gather more clues [<- will wait for it to go #away and then not think about it again] :3 #really though i hate how i get halfway through something and then Stop #like ?? hey ?? i was still using that ?? what's up ?? #and my software will go 'oh this :) no yea i see that :) but it breathed around me funny dude :) no yea yea it's going into the #fridge (it won't return) :) yea nice chat dude see ya :)' #criminal. absolutely criminal. it should be the deaths sentence for this ! who's with me !!! #/lol but yyyea

[odinsblog]

“One weird, silver lining positive from the WGA's strike has been a sense of calm over a reality that has plagued me with anxiety for years — the fact that despite having a great agent, manager, and lawyer, despite having been in hundreds of rooms with top execs and producers, despite having pitched countless networks, and despite having sold multiple pilots and pitches, I still work in food and bev. For so long, it felt like such an embarrassment in so many ways because it felt like I was the only one who was biding time in between sales with a side hustle. When I would tell people at work that I wrote television, they'd look at me like I had ten heads, or like I was delusional. They couldn't IMAGINE someone who *actually* wrote television would also be asking them what temp they wanted their salmon.

But the reality is, TV money goes fast, especially when it's just a pilot sale. And if shit doesn't get picked up to series, that money only lasts for so long. Being responsible meant swallowing my pride and keeping a job that was more consistent and steady but also gave me the ability to take pitch meetings, to write on my down time, do rewrites, answer e-mails, and take notes calls.

And for so long I thought I was a minority in that regard. Like I had done something wrong to not be successful enough to rely solely on my career as a writer.

Yet the strike has pushed SO many stories to the forefront of writers doing the exact same thing I've done, GOOD writers, great writers, writers who shit I watch all the time, whose names I instantly recognize, whose reputations in this industry precede them. So when the studios leaked that the goal was to bleed writers dry, to make it so we lost our homes, I had to laugh. Writers like me will literally do anything to keep the dream of writing alive. It's in us. It never goes away, no matter how many steaks you server, how many martinis you mix, how many cold calls you make, how many Uber passengers you pick up, how many pizzas you have to deliver. We always always always find a way to make it to that next great hope of a pitch, a sale, a green light.

And that's how you know that the CEOs are so fucking out of touch with reality. With the industry. With the POINT of the industry the point for most (not all, but most) has never been to be filthy rich, or own a yacht, or even have a membership to SoHo house. It's been to make something we love. To see it come to life, and make other people happy, or sad, or angry, or scared. To take this story you have kicking around your head and turn it into some epic journey. To be part of the process of making worlds and characters come to life. To tell stories.

The CEO's point has been to make as much money as humanly possible. And so they think that's all there is motivating writers. it's not. It never has been. Just because those CEO's wouldn't wait tables or mix drinks or drive a Lyft in order to keep a dream going, doesn't mean the rest of us wouldn't. The CEO's don't have a dream, they have a lifestyle. And I promise you a dream is a much better motivator than a yacht or a Porsche.

Try to bleed us dry, guys. Just because you'd let your own dream bleed to death, doesn't mean we would. We will always find a way to keep it alive.”

—Stefanie Williams, a tv writer on strike

#hollywood #writers strike #corporate greed #bob iger #disney #living wages #wga strong #sag aftra #writers #writing #dreams

[idlyfretting]

I want everything we missed between S3 and S4. I want all of it.

I want the kids starting high school and being totally overwhelmed by normal shit when they’ve only just gotten used to weird alternate dimension shit. 

I want Robin starting senior year and all of her friends from band and soccer and drama club and everything else being like “who the fuck is this person and what did they do with Robin????” because she comes back from summer break and is just not right.

I want Steve baffling Keith because he’s definitely flirting with every girl over the age of eighteen who walks into the store, but he’s not being a douchebag? He’s not being mean to Keith, like at all? He’s not being all buddy buddy with him obviously, because that would be fucking weird, but he’s just sort of being normal? Like a normal flirty good-looking former jock who knows how to talk to people? (And Keith definitely thinks he’s been flirting with every hot adult person who comes into the store, but it’s Steve fucking Harrington so that can’t be right????)

I want Nancy running that newspaper like it’s the goddamn New York Times and nobody even thinks to question her about anything because who the hell is gonna question Nancy Wheeler? She’s scary.

I want Eddie seeing these three freshies walk into the cafeteria with what he thinks is fear, but after corralling them and inviting them to Hellfire and making them eat lunch with him and the other members every day, realizes it’s not actually fear, it’s just sensory overload. They’re not actually afraid of the popular kids or the jocks or the teachers or the bullies, they’re just baffled. Almost like they didn’t realize it should be an issue at all?

And they start coming to Hellfire meetings and these kids are fantastic. Their characters are perfect additions to the group and the campaign he started at the beginning of the year is gonna be fucking aces because their group is so well rounded now. 

And sometimes Lucas bring his girlfriend Max Mayfield to the sessions, which isn’t so bad because she mostly just sits in the corner doing her homework or listening to music. But sometimes she does listen in, and scoffs at certain plot points in the story, or laughs at parts that definitely aren’t supposed to be funny.

And Robin Buckley shows up a couple times as well, mostly doing the same as Max, but one time she watched them play and it was nerve-wracking as hell having someone essentially stalking around them, giving whispered comments to the three freshmen that either resulted it grim nods or obnoxious laughter. Which, what the fuck, how does she know these kids???? (Kids who Eddie definitely thinks are half feral, but absolutely loves them anyway.)

But then one day late in October, the session runs late, and it’s just the Hellfire boys this time, and it’s a FANTASTIC boss fight (not the final one, but still a big damn deal), and everyone is tired but riding high on an epic win, and they all file out of the school into the cold parking lot. And just a couple spaces away from Eddie’s van is Steve fucking Harrington’s stupid maroon beemer. 

And Harrington is sitting on the trunk of it, leaning against the back windshield, casual as anything, with Robin fucking Buckley sitting right next to him. 

Leaning against him. Practically sitting in his goddamn lap.

She’s got a book propped open on her knees, combat boots up on the trunk, and she’s resting her head on his chest.

Harrington’s laying all the way back, stupid douchey sunglasses on, either staring at the sky or just full on sleeping. 

They’ve both got matching green vests on. 

A shout from one of the kids has them perking up to look in their direction. Robin rolls her eyes and marks her place in the book before hopping down from the car. Harrington stays where he is but sits up with a grin on his face.

Before Eddie can say anything, Dustin, Lucas, and Mike race over to them and start talking over each other about the campaign. About how fucking cool the session was, about the monster they defeated, about the tactics they had to use to survive the whole things. 

Eddie doesn’t know what he expects to happen, didn’t even consider the possibility of these nerdy freshman knowing Steve “The Hair” Harrington, but they obviously do. 

Harrington just nods along, asking them a question that Eddie can’t hear that spawns another slew of comments from the kids. The three of them pile into the backseat of the beemer while Buckley takes the front and Harrington slides into the driver’s seat. As the car starts up, the radio blares something loud and poppy and definitely something from the top 40. 

This doesn’t seem to deter the kids, who Eddie can see leaning forward from the back, still regaling Harrington and Buckley with their successful session. The red beemer pulls out of the lot, and continues down the street out of sight.

Eddie is still standing by the back entrance of the school, Gareth, Jeff, and Alan behind him. All of them frozen, completely dumbfounded by what the last five minutes.

“What the actual fuck?”

#stranger things #stranger things fanfic #stranger things 4 #steve harrington #robin buckley #eddie munson #nancy wheeler #dustin henderson #lucas sinclair #mike wheeler #pre steddie #steddie