#just hilarious and cute and they compel me lol

[sailforvalinor]

#I almost put clint x natasha on here but I didn’t because it is actually a thing in the comics and in some of the cartoons #they were a thing in the avengers cartoon I grew up on and child me was SO confused when they didn’t end up together lol #polls #Felix and Bernie I do actually ship but with the knowledge that they’re relationship probably isn’t actually all that healthy. they are #just hilarious and cute and they compel me lol #also for the record I do ship romione. I just can’t help but think about the fred x Hermione potential sometimes

[aranarumei]

you listed gsnk as an option and my dopamine receptors lit up. What dyou think about mikorin and mayu

ask me about a ship and I’ll give my opinions + classify them as does / doesn’t make sense, does / doesn’t compel me

heyyy surprise for you. yeah i actually was cleaning up my notes app today and realized I'd answered this and never posted this lol. gonna start off with a does make sense, does compel me and continue under the cut.

okay. hear me out. for a period of time I genuinely believe mayumiko was the gsnk duo closest to being, like, romantic. in a sense. horikashi, nozachiyo, and wakaseo have sure got a lot of development since then (in ch 60, kashima avoids hori and we get a REALLY good moment out of it) but like. just one chapter before that, we have ch 59. one of my favorite chapters. and at that point, I feel like the main couples have had their setup and they're really fun and comedic, but there hasn't been much... advancement, in a sense?

and then we hit ch 59, where "mayumayu" (nozaki mayu, who's been conned into posing as a girl) and "mamiko" (mikoshiba mikoto, who's posing as a girl so that he's not a creepy guy commenting on mayumayu's blog, unwittingly using the name of the protagonist of let's love by nozaki umetarou under alias of yumeno sakiko without knowing that he's the inspiration for the character's personality) basically immediately hit it off over text. seriously, past the first couple of texts where there's a bunch of people commenting on it, all they say is that they'll instantly reply to any texts that come their way. what commences is a hell of texting, probably, but it is a LOT of texting that happens. and that's not something that can be empty! both mikoshiba and mayu seem worn out by the amount of time they spend on it, but they don't seem worn out by each other in the slightest, judging by the fact that in ch 89, not only is mikoshiba still regularly checking mayumayu's blog, he's getting texts with extra art and well-wishes for his exams! they talk to each other about their lives! and it's not something that exists only online, too... mayu and mikoshiba are genuinely and obviously good friends outside of their online identities.

I'm aware not everyone sees it that way, but like, to me, ch 59 was like the most outright romantic the series had gotten. so it's very special to me. so is mayumiko! mayumiko’s so fun because they’re both soooo cool and soooo uncool. but while the mayumiko situation is objectively hilarious, the way they're friends is like... surprisingly understated? it's just something that happens and it works for both of them, even when it seems like it shouldn't. like, let's be real, mikoshiba can be kind of annoying, and mayu can be kind of grating. despite that they end up being really comfortable with each other. like. no wonder they could keep up that texting chain. they just click in general.

so we meet mayu in ch 33, and in ch 37, mikoshiba runs into him, and they've got this fun chapter together where miyako both compares them to cats. then in ch 49, mayu gets mikoshiba to lend him his... questionable? sure. questionable manga. calls him mikoto-san. and it just kind of... happens, them being friends. since they both hang out at nozaki's place. it's neat. in ch 64, post-The Incident, mikoshiba's comfortable enough to ask mayu for help with working out. and mayu knows mikoshiba enough to shout out the specific name of the fake high school from one of the games mikoshiba likes (sure, it's a super popular galge, but that's a strange thing to know well! especially for a guy who's traditionally lazy about everything but judo)

then of course we get to the mayu chapters where he's just so. iconic. in ch 76, mikoshiba needs to bring a guy to the mixer and then after nozaki rejects him sakura's like, ask mayu, who's been on the floor this whole time. side note i think its cute that when mikoshiba asks mayu, he calls himself "mikoshiba-nii-san." and mayu rejects him at first (also using "mikoshiba-nii-san" lol), but he ends up going once he's told he doesn't have to do that much work. and then he grills a girl about her boyfriend bc she says he does judo. and then tries to get some guy's number because he's apparently strong. judo freak (affectionate). and then, of course, as mikoshiba's thinking that "ah, they totally think mayu likes guys, but i guess it's fine since he doesn't seem to care" and when he's surrounded by girls mayu jumps in and says "he's mine," just like nozaki's shoujo manga advice had told him to do. love that for them. in ch 81, though it's a pain, mayu goes along with the idea that all the stuff in the back room is his and not mikoshiba's (though maybe he thought it was more of a pain to explain) and when talking about dating sims, mayu says, "well, guys or girls, both are pretty similar." love that guy for real.

then, in one of the moments of all time that make me insane, in ch 94, seo's pinning mikoshiba, and suddenly goes, it's boring without waka (makes sense! he's normally the guy she pushes around like this) and mikoshiba's like. oh! that's right! I haven't gotten a souvenir for mayu yet! (makes... sense...? because. because he's getting PINNED??? and we KNOW that mikoshiba hasn't done judo with mayu because it happens for the first time in ch 135, where after some really nice moments, mikoshiba sheepishly asks if mayu wants to try throwing him around too. it's a weird expression of care and also the fact that they're still friends after this fact, considering the violence nozaki translates it as, is a testament to their friendship.)

also in the extras for that volume, we see mikoshiba got him a smartphone case, which sucks because mayu's got a flip phone (though it's better than the hairpin nozaki got mayu) but then when mayu figures out a use for that smartphone case, he runs to mikoshiba to give him the good news! 'cause mikoshiba was sulking before... they're fun.

i think I've already said this but they really are close. and i think mayu's kinda clingy. in ch 114 when kashima rei asks to talk to him again, he's like, "go through mikoto-san." in ch 128 we find out that mayu shows girls in his class photos of mikoshiba so they make sure he doesn't get caught napping. this begs the question: HOW did this arrangement exist in the first place? because there's no way I can think about it that doesn't involve mayu and mikoshiba being at some level of closeness. and there's no way mayu can get so many nice looking photos of mikoshiba without being close to him. and in that same fucking chapter when nozaki’s making posts for his blog and turns mikoshiba into a girl, people think that he and mayu are dating. like oh my god. even in gekkan shoujo nozaki-san, when the main cast is meant to be a bit older than the canon timeline, mikoshiba and mayu are hanging out together at nozaki's place. and when mikoshiba and nozaki are getting all chummy with miyoshi, mayu walks in and he's like. ah. a challenger emerges (because he presumably wants to be pampered instead). my point is that they're close they just hang out. it's comfortable, which says a lot for both of them.

in ch 59 mayu's friends are like. his type is 1) someone who's stronger than him at judo or 2) someone older who'd take care of him and. mikoshiba's not #1 but he is #2. those two can be pretty sweetly considerate actually. as we see mayu gets dragged into quite a bit of stuff and does it. in ch 101 he actually finishes up the chapter of let's love while everyone's fallen asleep. and in the vol 14 extras mikoshiba gifts a water plant to a guy he barely knows. just because. so I feel like they're both sweet people underneath it all. and extra fact about ch 59 i know you'll feel crazy about. kobayashi (the guy who actually runs the mayumayu blog) calls mayu maa-kun. i am not joking.

anyways to me mikoshiba and mayu are both this weird security to each other. mayu’s someone who doesn’t care abt social graces and mikoshiba’s someone who cares too much. but when they’re weird to each other it’s like they accept everything. and I just think. despite all of the mistaken identity drama it’s like. idk. they just like each other. they just get along well. and for mikoshiba who’s so awkward with girls, this works out well. also the way that in ch 144 his fav ever gacha character is this kind of gloomy and lazy girl… fascinating thing you’re being charmed by. what a taste you have.

so in the end despite all of the wild situations i think it’ll be simple. mikoshiba will think a little too much and mayu a little too little. but they've gotten along well for so long that I think this will go pretty well, too. it'll just be a feeling that grows kind of slowly until it works for the two of them.

#ask #ask game #sunluvclub #mayumiko #gsnk #kiri.txt #my god i said. so much didnt i #in this essay i will

[abeautifulblog]

Thoughts on the Radovid romance

A couple people have asked about the Radovid/Jaskier relationship, and I thought it was... fine? As fine as anything in this show gets?

I wasn't expecting it to dethrone Geralt/Jaskier, because 20+ years of Jaskier building his life and legacy around Geralt is a lot more compelling than Some Twink He Met Yesterday, but I did go into it with a genuinely open mind. Everyone on tumblr was gushing over their chemistry, and I was like, Yea I'd believe it, given that this is Joey Batey we're talking about. So I was expecting to enjoy it the way I'd enjoyed the Yennskier content in S2, the rare treat of two characters having a real emotional connection.

And then I watched it, and it wasn't bad, but the relationship was a lot more disjointed (and their "chemistry" a lot less compelling) than tumblr had led me to believe. (Lol, mea culpa, I should have known better than to take tumblr's word for it.) Also it’s unclear whether it’s supposed to be a cute romance, or whether it’s two people using each other for their own ends?

But it did brush up against some interesting thoughts I'd had before about Jaskier and his patrons, and got me to thinking about consent and power dynamics again, because I am THEE MOST predictable little beastie in fandom. 🤣

First off, I'm not sure what we're supposed to make of Radovid. Obviously he's ~hiding his true self~ in some way, but I can't tell if we're meant to take at face value the side of himself he shows Jaskier -- that he's more intelligent than he's been letting on, and is actually deeply lonely in the empty-headed partyboy role he's been playing, desperate for genuine connection and for someone to truly see him for who he is -- or whether that is yet more deception, and this is all part of some big ambitious scheme that he'll whip out in a mustache-twirling villain reveal. There are elements that make me think it's the latter, but Hugh Skinner's acting is also just weird (and why are his eyes so wet o_o), and I can't tell whether that's supposed to be deliberate foreshadowing, or if, once again, the people making the show are just clueless about how their creative choices are coming off.

(I assume this will get answered at some point, possibly already has in part 2, but I haven't watched that yet.)

Honestly, the part that caught my interest the most was when Jaskier showed up at Radovid's salon wanting to talk about new intel he had on Rience, and Radovid was blithely uninterested, just wanted Jaskier to sing for them -- and then proceeded to casually, completely disregard Jaskier's No.

gremble: Oho? 👀

That's a red flag! 😊 Jaskier tried to set a boundary, and Radovid brushed right past it. And in any competently-executed piece of media, I would expect that to be deliberately signaling something. It doesn't necessarily mean that Radovid is evil -- could just mean he's a crown prince who doesn't have much experience with people telling him No -- but seeing him blithely override Jaskier's wishes in a low-stakes situation sets a bad precedent, and foreshadows how he might behave later, when the stakes might well be higher.

...Except that this production team is so HILARIOUSLY bad at writing healthy relationships -- for three seasons they've been feeding us the most toxic slop imaginable and telling us that's what love looks like -- that I have no idea whether that was on purpose or not. 😂😂😂

--

The Radovid storyline does touch on some concepts that I've long found fascinating, about Jaskier's system of patronage and how he trades on his sexuality. How his work is canonically sex work, or at least sex-work adjacent (that's made explicit when he talks about the Countess de Stael, that they were involved sexually while she was supporting him financially), and the balancing act of keeping his patrons happy when they are always, always going to be second in his affections to Geralt -- and how they probably wouldn't be too happy to learn that.

Because for all that S3 tells us Jaskier is developing a crush on Radovid, Joey Batey's acting says something very different. He did not come off as a man in love, to me -- he came off as someone who's acutely aware that when the crown prince of Redania rolls up and tells you he's your biggest fan, you fucking smile for him.

(Why yes, Moulin Rouge is my all-time favorite movie, why do you ask? 🤣)

Jaskier's interactions with Radovid feel very... 'calculated' isn't quite the word for it, but Jaskier is conscious of the power differentials there, and always carefully choosing what he does and says in light of what he knows Radovid wants from him. He's conscious of having to keep Radovid happy, yes but he's also conscious of what he stands to gain from having a crown prince clamoring to win his affections, and what he could leverage out of that. (Like, say, having the entire Redanian army to protect his little found family.)

And the power imbalance isn't entirely one-directional either. Radovid wants Jaskier's affections, something that can't be bought or coerced, and wants his specifically, which means Jaskier has all the power to give or withhold it... while also being aware that toying with a prince's affections is a dangerous game.

........Or maybe I entirely misread that, and Jaskier's feelings for Radovid are meant to be genuine, and the whole thing was supposed to be a cute little romance. The way that Joey & the production team have talked about that relationship makes it sound like that's what they were going for, but what's onscreen is very ambiguous.

It will surprise no one to learn that I think the more interesting option would be the one that complicates Jaskier’s motives. That even if he likes Radovid well enough, he's still deliberately leveraging Radovid's crush on him to get help for Geralt -- and that if he oversteps, he's risking the wrath of a very powerful man. (And that as the perceived rival, Geralt could wind up as the target of Radovid’s retribution.)

Anyway, it's a fascinating situation, and almost identical to a fic premise I've been tossing around for years. It's never quite coalesced enough to get written, but it does compel me.

(Alternately, if you wanted Radovid to be noble and tragic, @coffee-mage-sans-caffeine suggested a situation in which Radovid and Geralt are in peril together, one of them is not going to make it out of this, and Radovid sacrifices himself so Geralt lives -- because he knows which of them Jaskier loves more.)

#witcher shit #radskier #witcher meta #twn season 3

[aoki553]

IDK what ships you haven't talked about before... Uh... Terusai? Chiyomiko? Mikotori?

IK you've definitely talked about torisai but I'd like to hear what you have to say about that too lol.

OKAY SORRY FOR LATE REPLY BUT I HAD MY GF OVER i can finally reply to this ask (referencing this post) <

terusai - makes sense, doesn't compel me

i know where people are coming from with this one bc duh like it's very obvious but at the same time the dynamic is just.. not there for me. maybe its bc of my hyper specific taste. they work in canon but fanfic wise i'd have nothing to add myself. they are still quite awesome and an adorable duo who have their own supernatural abilities and struggle with them sometimes.

chiyomiko - makes sense(kinda), doesn't compel me

i get the concept but i just personally don't ship mikoto with anyone ig,, but they're probably the first femslash ship i could get behind if i really thought about it honestly. they're both obsessed with romance… the more i think about it the cuter it becomes, honestly. even as i'm writing this right now…

mikotori - doesn't make sense, doesn't compel me

this one is probably one of my biggest notps. they're awesome as friends but romantically it has nothing going on or interesting for me. i think the idea of mikoto being the one who could keep reita in check is hilarious though.

torisai - makes sense, compels me <333

haters will say it doesnt make sense but i heavily disagree. it doesnt matter to me if kusuo thinks of reita as human garbage with zero morals. they're a cute pair that develops past the "master and apprentice" thing and become friends. i see them as equals in a way, kusuo keeps reita away from trouble.. and their personalities just… WORK. GRGRGRH i wanna bite them and squeeze them "but uhkm saiki actually hates him so shut up dumbass (nerd emoji)" i just burped so loud mm

thank you for the ask and sorry for the wait!! (i have like 30 more unanswered asks i couldnt let this become one of them)

#alex rambles #saiki kusuo no ψ nan #saiki kusuo no psi nan #saiki k #saiki kusuo #kusuo saiki #terusai #mikotori #chiyomiko #torisai #toritsuka reita #the disastrous life of saiki k #ask

[kingofdersecest-2]

I just think the topic of couples in Homestuck is very silly because it seems like the comic can never show two people becoming a couple, it's always just something that happens off-screen and suddenly a thing. I will always think it's hilarious that Rose had shown absolutely zero romantic interest in Kanaya until suddenly they were a thing. Same with Dave and Karkat. Jade and Davesprite were a canonical couple and then became un-canon in the very same sentence. We were told Vriska and dream John had dated but never saw any of it. I might be wrong on a couple details (possibly forgetting others too, forgive me if that is the case) but it just seems pretty silly to me.

It really is amazing. The best couples are the ones that were never written to be couples. Look at the Beta kid ships, outside of Jade/Rose (lol) almost all of the Beta kids had extensive interactions that could be cited as shipping material. Obviously it wasnt, those conversations were only meant to be read as friends talking to each other over the internet. But therein lies the rub, having a strong relationship, even if its platonic, is an excellent source of shipping material because of it being genuine, and being canon. Like, John and Rose had more conversations then Rose did with Kanaya, and those motherfuckers got married. Let that sink in. Rose talked more to almost everyone else in the Beta kid crew then her own fucking wife. Outside of the Beta kid crew, the next best written relationship was Dave/Terezi because that was written with them as strangers to friends, to eventually partners. It remains really the only relationship to have done so. But of course, once they reached that partner status, thats when it went off the fucking rails. Kanaya/Rose went directly into lovers off rip. Dave and Karkat started out as hating each each other, time skipped to best bros, then alternate timelined to partners. Fucking Dave/Jane has more development then Dave/Karkat or Rose/Kanaya, know why? Because Dave actually expressed attraction to Jane. He called her hot. Thats how low this bar is. I dont think Rose has ever paid Kanaya a fucking compliment. Called her cute or beautiful or anything like that. Every time a ship is written with the intention of becoming one, Hussie (or whomever is writing Homestuck at the time) just trips down the fucking stairs. But whenever a ship is not intended, you get some of the best goddamn development for a potential ship. The image of Jane blushing after Dave called her hot, is way more fucking powerful and way more compelling of a ship then Rosemarys goddamn wedding picture. @davekat-sucks thoughts?

[crehador]

parting thoughts on watashi no oshi wa akuyaku reijou

FUCKING DELIGHTFUL well. for the most part

i will say it clearly has its strengths and weaknesses, or at least aspects i enjoyed more and aspects i enjoyed less. whenever the focus is actually on claire and rae = brilliant, flawless, hilarious, adorable, more of this please forever and always

the middle arc was just not that compelling to me. i do think it was necessary, as it clearly was part of the plot of the game, but it just wasn't executed in a terribly interesting way to me? i guess the issue is it failed to get me invested in the side characters, so even if they drop a sister fucking bomb it's sorta like well who give a shit

like the political intrigue was not that intriguing. is the thing. but it also wasn't the worst thing ever, it was just meh in an otherwise very enjoyable series

i liked the manaria arc a lot more because even with a new character 'in the way' the focus was still very much on claire and rae and the development of their relationship

though! one thing that iirc happened in that middle arc that really surprised me, in a good way, is claire is shown to be in some ways... very not great? like it's possible i'm giving the writing too much credit here, but the moments when claire is overtly racist and/or classist are very grimace-worthy and imo very important to have

because it reminds you that, yeah, she is literally supposed to be a villainess. and while we can hope to see her learn and grow in rae's company, it makes sense that she wouldn't be some perfect angel, or even necessarily a good person, to start with

anyway the confession was cute and the finale was a very solid ep imo, but i do feel like the confession could've been even stronger. the most compelling part of rae's feelings and character arc to me is her insistence that she's happy as long as claire's happy, even if that means seeing claire with someone else

and while i do believe that rae genuinely believed that, it was an important part of her development to realize she's not actually okay with that. so i sort of wish that had been more a part of the confession, like a declaration to claire of "this is what i thought i would be okay with and i am very Not okay with that"

i don't think it was necessary to make that explicit to claire's face, since rae did have that revelation herself, but selfishly i would've rather seen more of an emphasis on it since it was my favorite part lol

with that cliffhanger i do wonder if we'll get an s2... but even s1 alone was pretty damn satisfying, and when it's funny it's so funny

#crab watches #watashi no oshi wa akuyaku reijou #wataoshi #tl;dr had its ups and downs for me but mostly ups! YURI WINS

[yuri-is-online]

Just finished Sinostra's chapter myself.... I gotta say though, was a little underwhelming compared to other chapters.... Honestly the entire thing felt like a one-man show by Ritsu + some sexual tension between Taiga and Romeo whenever they interact lol. MC has never felt more like a spectator than she did in this chapter, I was waiting for her to do absolutely *anything* but she really was just... there lmao. Not even hand-holding this time!

Even the Like Dove showed up AFTER mc left, when it was just Taiga and Romeo in the room, and then later again when Romeo barges into Taiga's room - this time mc was there but, just barely lol, the whole focus was on Taiga and Romeo's almost shoot-off, and Taiga's line saying "You really could shoot through my heart"?? And the fact that he sensed Romeo approaching before he even saw him, and so far is the only person who he clearly remembers and freely gives compliments to lol, Lulu is a cute nickname tho.

Regardless, Taiga's strange response to the Like Dove could possibly mean Kaito's explanation about it might not be true after all, since anomalies are still a mystery, wouldn't be strange for false rumors to make the rounds.

And I while I don't hate Ritsu - I appreciate he's a hard worker and tries to make the best of any situation he's put in - I dislike how he really just one-sidedly handled everything in this chapter and only ever explains after they're done lol. The case didn't feel like an investigation at all, Ritsu just pulls some numbers out of the air and acts on them (where is he getting all that data??) and in the end they won against it because it had to prevent a paradox from happening...? lmao idk overall just felt so underwhelming.

Also we never find out what the deal was about the girl in the tower?? Why even mention that detail if they're not gonna do anything with it... An anomaly that was born from the negative emotions gathering in a casino replaces people's memories with a girl in a tower.... My guess is it wanted enough people to "remember" her so she could come into existence? Like Takeru's ghost. I wonder what for though... Will they revisit this or not.....

You could pluck out MC from this chapter and absolutely nothing would change imo because Ritsu was doing everything anyways, only name-dropped mc when mentioning it was an investigation, that's it. While I don't necessarily need her to be the star or a hero, having 0 influence on the chapter is not great writing imo.

Kaito and his silly antics were the highlight for me. And I found it hilarious how him being stripped down and locked up in Romeo's "private office" feels like the setting of any self-indulgent "dark romance" fiction between a rich CEO and helpless debtor who has to cater to the captor's whims lol.

Finally Hotarubi is next, I've been curious about it since I got sorted into it, and want to see more of Haku. I agree he's sus, his dialogue in the prologue if you choose him only highlights the fact. But something about him really compels me

Sorry for the long ask, I have a thousand thoughts twirling around in my mind about TD, it should probably cool down between the entire month that's left before next story update.... but also there's new games coming out next month so hopefully I don't forget about TD completely either lol....

There is no shame in long asks. I'm always impressed at the amount of thoughts my dear anons manage to fit inside the ask box ♡

I also felt like the content was a bit lacking to the point I went and checked Jabberwock's chapter count and was surprised to find it's actually a tad shorter than Sinostra's. I think the main reason it felt so short to me was because I wasn't locked out of progressing this time around, but the case progression also felt much much quicker. If I'm sitting back and evaluating it as a writer, I think that's probably because of the setting being confined to the school and dorm. Sure, a lot happens, but you don't actually go anywhere, unlike in the previous three books.

Our MC has a very laid-back personality, which I don't mind. BUT the game really should allow for the chance for her to work things out on her own, even if she's too afraid of the other characters to verbalize it and keeps them to herself. There are several times in the book when she tries to point out inconsistencies in Ritsu's logic or other evidence she notices, but she's talked over pretty much every single time. It's what made me really hate Ritsu since you did not see that with Ren, Haru, or Towa, but i get that it's sort of tricky when writing more domineering characters to balance not making them overshadow the more laid back ones but still keeping them true to their personalities. I don't think Ritsu would have paid attention to Kaito if MC wasn't there, nor do I think Taiga would have paid attention to Ritsu, but that's just me speculating because the story doesn't clearly communicate it. This book was poorly written, a lot of the problems people have with MC could be fixed with a few additional lines where she's shown wanting to do something but reminding herself she has to play nice with the ghouls otherwise they won't break her curse. Her personality makes sense to me, but her writing does not.

Now. I disagree about the no real moments this chapter but ah. Well. You see. There is something deeply wrong with me so I completely get if this did nothing but disturb you but when Taiga has MC strapped to the torture chair 👉👈

Look I know potentially getting a hicky from a guy that strapped you to a torture chair and just shot you (for the second time) isn't everyone's thing but it is mine I was so well fed this chapter from that alone ( ; ω ; ) AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON HOW HE CALLS HER KITTEN AND EATS THE FUCKING LIKE DOVE??? RAW??? ROMEO ROMEO WHY FOR ART THOU INTERRUPING ROMEO I WANTED TO SEE WHAT HE WAS GONNA DO- forgive me anon I'm afraid I'm most unwell.

Speaking of the Like dove and the memories of the tower. The Tower thing reminds me of rapunzel, especially because she's out alone in the woods, but it feels super out of left field, no? If the anomaly is born from the Casino, which Taiga states "is him," then I wonder if the girl in the tower is representative of something he's forgotten? The chapter places an emphasis on how anomalies can affect memory, so it's not too big of an assumption to make that something must have happened to Taiga to make his memory this bad. As for the like dove... Romeo seems very surprised to see it, almost suggesting he never has before, which can you imagine how funny it would be if it showed up for him and Taiga. They've been friends and business partners for at least two years, I refuse to believe the dove would only just show up now. The image of him just never seeing it because everyone is too polite/afraid of him to point it out is too funny. The dove shows up twice this chapter, both times it sort of read to me like it had been there for a bit before it was noticed and in both cases Taiga reacts to it negatively. Given how paranoid he seems to be, I think it's probably because the idea of him caring/having someone care about him scares him due to the unpredictability of it and the potential for betrayal. He seems to think people only want to use him, so that's probably part of it too. I'm constantly doing way too many lines of copium, so to me the dove seemed triggered by Taiga's interactions with MC but I also see where you're coming with Romeo. Their friendship is much less adversarial than it was implied to be in their little blurbs, and I quite like that a lot. You know even if Taiga seems to think Romeo is always taking away his fun. And what's up with his constant want to eat anomalies, is Romeo not feeding him enough?

Slight correction, Taiga does seem to remember who Haru is, Harry and Lulu are both derivative of their names, so maybe he can only remember people in his year clearly? Or does it also include second years? He sounds very surprised at the concept of a "first year ghoul" in his house so maybe his memories are cutting off everything other than the previous two years...

I also have a bunch more thoughts but I'll cut myself off here ×-× gotta let some of them simmer before I make too much of a fool of myself (I already have)

#<3 asks #tokyo debunker #hotarubi anon #taiga hoshibashi

[prettyboykatsuki]

josei recs 🤲

off the top of my head!!! i read a fuck ton of webtoons / manhwas / manhua / manga etc. so this is by no means comprehensive

wokatoi: love is hard for the otaku - this is probably one of the most popular josei romances around for good reason. the four main leads and 2 main couples highlight the delicate intimacy of adult relationships and how hobbies don't have any real age limit. ive read this manga few times and watched the anime a few times. it's brilliant and cathartic but mostly light hearted

gokusen - this is not a romance centric josei - but follows around our main character, grandaughter of a yakuza family who decides to teach at a local highchool. kumiko is badass and hilarious. her family is so cute. this is an older manga so there's some pretty inappropriate content and the one romance has an age gap though it's only 4 years (it is a teacher n student tho). i think the story telling is so wonderful and it has stuck with me through the years - but read at your own risk.

our relationship is.. - i could talk about this manhwa all damn day. this is by FAR my favorite josei ever. it is absolutely brilliant. a ten out of ten. it's a story of two childhood friends who have spent their whole lives together, suddenly attending the same university after the male lead returns from two years in the military. the story tackles insecurity, miscommunications, and how you can know someone so well and still make mistakes in how you treat them. it is mind numbingly tender while also encapsulating some of the realest and rawest parts of a romance between life long friends. the cast is diverse and so so so human. and the main leads are likeable despite their many flaws. a must read.

the lady and her butler - being techincal this a manhwa / webtoon but given the contents i still think it fits. story about a working woman who accidentally picks up a scary looking dude and ends up living with him as a psuedo roomate while he gets back on his feet. started my love for househusbands, male lead is kind, tough, and considerate. the story really highlights human pride in a way i dont think other romances quite capture - both characters struggle inwardly with ego in ways that are relatable and uniqe to them. you can sympathize wih every person in this series in different way. this is my 2nd favorite romance manhwa of all time, no questions asked.

nana - this is another really iconic josei about two young women who happen to have the same name but very different personalities. this was published as shoujo but most people consider it a josei regardless. tales of love, relationships, friendship and the trials tribulations of chasing your adulthood desires all while facing those same responsibilities. nanas brilliance however is in how it displays sincere connection between people from all walks of life. not necessarily a romance but well.. you'll see if you read it.

kimma wa petto / you're my pet - as the title sounds, a young woman decides that she's fed up with mistreatment and picks a guy up off the street on a whim. to her surprise, they actually get along pretty well but their relationship is complicated. tales of ex boyfriend, insecurities, and other complex inner turmoils. can you tell i like a specific type of female lead yet? lol

red river - HUUUGE trigger warning for some of the sexual violence and violence in this story. this is one of the few isekai mangas i ever got into before i really got into isekai (a relatively new thing for me) about a girl who almost gets blood sacrificed then gets saved by a mega handsome prince. another older manga but genuinely hols up imo.

koudaike no hitobito - a lovely and light hearted story about a ditzy office worker and the handsome boss who she frequently day dreams about. who just so happens to invite her out to dinner despite her absent mindneness. not a particularly compelling series but super fun and enjoyable to read. mc is klutzy but genuine enough she's super endearing. love

if you want more lmk!!

#return to sender #josei reccs #ari reccs #keep

[sun-undone]

Raw thoughts here, so sorry for the scattered mess!

I wanted more of the Pogues together.

It felt like there was too much time with just John B and Big John.

Cleope was cute.

I actually wanted to like Topper, but nah. I hope Rafe continues to be a villain, because I don’t need more people sympathizing with him (and so not here for a love triangle with him). Also, Rafe is a POS for melting down the cross. I was hoping to see him get his ass handed to him by Pope and JJ.

Jiara moments for me were the creme de la creme (let’s be honest, they were the reason I got invested in the show — both together and apart). There are so many positives here, but I want to share my complaints first lol I wanted more scenes with them! Maybe more feral JJ. Better closure between Pope and JJ. More kisses (hello, final episode?). And I’m sad about the time jump because we didn’t get to see key moments at the start of their relationship. And I was hoping the machete scene in the jungle would have been better, like an ambush or something.

Mike pissed me off, but it was nice to see Kie’s mom making an effort. Wish we could have seen some form of reconciliation between the Carerras and JJ.

Okay, but he longing/angst etc. was so good. THE HUGS. Holy shit. AND THE KISS. And we actually got the “I love you” — I cried. And I cried after it was all over because now we have to wait at least another year. Excuse me? I keep replaying these scenes, and I’m just basking in them. So much to dissect here.

HI HELLO thanks for sharing your thoughts!!!! overall, i agree with pretty much every point you've made here ajshdakjdh but let's see if i can ramble about more specifics. the answer is yes and strap in cause this is a mess

the lack of pogues content (core 4 and entire group alike) is my absolute biggest gripe about the season. it legitimately made me so sad to see them split up for what felt like the majority of the season. it was definitely one of my worries going into the season since we knew it would be more romance based and the pogues have been paired off, but damn. i really thought they'd still find a way to have the pogues working together more often. it really felt like they were barely a part of the entire mystery, and it actually made me so angry that only jarah b got to see el dorado or even really do anything in south america. the pogues are the heart of the show, but i think with all the drama and the massive scope of the plot in this season, they got massively pushed to the side, and that stings. the first 2 episodes were gold mines for pogue content, while the rest of the season is a massive drought

the john b and big john stuff was also a big issue, one that's definitely directly connected to the lack of pogue content. and i understand why there was that rift, and in theory, i do like the arc for john b. i just wish it was paced better. in no world would i ever want the pogues' dynamics to suffer in favor of big john development like ?????? who wanted that????? i was also rooting for him to die the entire season so. glad he did and i'm not sorry about it.

cleope was so fucking cute!!!!!! i love how sweet and generally uncomplicated their romance was, it was such a needed tonal shift from jarah b and jiara. i kind of wish they'd done a bit more with fleshing out cleo's backstory as well as the "no love club" thing, which they literally only mentioned twice. but on the positives, i adored seeing cleo interact with pope's parents, her reaction to getting a room all to herself, and them pretending to be engaged in episode 5 that was fucking hilarious. their chemistry was off the charts

i never want to like topper but i actually did not expect to hate him even more than i already did, cause i literally thought that was impossible. but no. would you look at that. he's managed the impossible. i hope he burns in hell!!!

speaking of burning in hell, yeah rafe still sucks but is still the most compelling villain on this damn show by far. it was cool seeing him fly off the handle and go too far with his independence and then have to reel it back in by the end. i do wonder where the hell he ended up though, since we never saw him again after the airstrip. the whole ending scene was weird, but it was extra weird that we didn't get any sign of him, not even a tease. and yeah, i was hoping so badly for jj specifically to FINALLY get to fight rafe this season but. guess not. the pogues barely interacted with rafe at all cause carlos took up so much room as the new big bad.

jiara was overall such a highlight for this season!!!! i do think the writers hyped it up a little bit too much, calling them "the romance of the season" was kind of misleading imo, but YES WE HAVE CANON JIARA!!! i 100% agree about having another jj and pope conversation near the end of the season, i was truly SHOCKED that they never confided in each other about their respective relationship troubles, or really that none of the pogues talked to any of them at all???? not getting to see sarah ask kie about jj post-reunion hug was actually a fucking travesty and i'll never forgive the pates for it honestly. that one moment of john b realizing it in episode 9 was ADORABLE but god it just made me wish we'd gotten more of it. that's really how i feel about so much of the bright spots of this season, lots of potential and groundwork that was laid, but rushed execution. BUT there's also so many positive things to say about jiara!! the fucking hugs we got were incredible and so emotionally charged, every time kie looked at jj you could see her affection written so clearly across her face, and i ADORED how she was so open in expressing it to him. (although i wish there was more direct exploration into the trauma that didn't allow jj to accept that love at first, and more insight into what exactly changed on that front between the anniversary party and the kiss cause it kind of felt like something was missing there). i was hoping for a bit more feral jj too, but i was very pleasantly surprised by the slightly less aggressively feral, but more soul-crushingly worried feral jj that we got. plus the entire scheme of breaking kie out of kitty hawk was so great, he was on a mission and failure was not an option. and then adding onto all that, we got lots of great banter, lots of longing, some beautiful score and soundtrack moments, all in all: we won.

but even with that being said, i'm also 100% with you about the weirdness of the finale, in terms of jiara. i was floored that we didn't really get much of anything for our one episode with established jiara?????? not even a hand hold or a protective arm around the shoulders, idk i haven't rewatched it yet so maybe i'm missing some crumbs, but cleope and jiara in the finale were both so lackluster (aside from cleope's love confession of course that was so fucking adorable). it felt like they had no real reason to even be in south america in the first place, and the limited screen time they did have felt so wasted.

and then yes. we have the time jump. oh the time jump. i had a bad feeling we'd get one, but i was hoping with everything in me that it'd just be a couple of months. not eighteen of them. i can't even express how bummed that ending made me, it was so rushed and didn't really explain anything, and it sucks that we've missed out on such formative periods for both jiara and cleope. BUT my lovely jiara friends are giving me some hope for young adult pogues and all the goodness that could come from that and seeing established jiara a little bit older and more free. i'm also hoping that with the characters finally being older, the show might let itself get more mature again cause holy shit i miss when they let these kids curse whenever they wanted. also jiara sex scene that's all i'm saying

and last but not least, mike fucking carrera. bane of my existence. another gripe with the time jump is that he and anna are cheering for kie?????? so maybe they've reconciled off screen????????? i sure fucking hope not. i really felt for anna for a while too, i liked that she was making an effort to mediate and try to see kie's perspective while mike was so blinded by his own ties to the cut. but anna lost me again when she went along with sending kie away after all. that scene was genuinely bone-chilling, and i don't see any reconciliation from that. kie is with the pogues now. period.

this got so long so fast i am so sorry

#i also didn't really edit this and it's just after my first watch!!! #so take it all with a grain of salt these are my very first thoughts and opinions #i think i very well might like this season more on a rewatch #but some issues are too engrained to look past which is a shame #it sounds like i hated it but i really didn't #the first half was so fucking solid #and there were gems in the second half as well #jiara #obx3 #obx spoilers #cleope

[roadsidegrave]

That ask surprised at your dunmeshi ships is so hilarious lmao, couldn't be me (compared to your asoiaf ships they're quite tame!)

For some reason I'm also more into laios x marcille than the f ship - the latter is cute, yes, and if dunmeshi was your standard anime I'd find the former dull, but since it didn't happen it's way more compelling?? Simply because what would usually be the most common and expected pairing (main guy x main girl) is somewhat rare in this fandom lol.

ASDHJ ikr I’m like this is the most wholesome thing I’ve shipped in forever and the fandom treats it like it’s evil, it’s funny. it’s very tame. but dunmeshi is pretty wholesome in general so I guess the standards are low. but yeah I just think lai/mar is more interesting idk it has more friction I guess and that compels me more :P

#can a autistic boy not have a crush on a nerdy tgirl….. I ask you #IM NOT IMMUNE TO MAIN GIRL/MAIN GUY. BEAT ME TAKE MY BLOOD

[spatio-rift]

Hiya there! I see a lot of your saiki k content, and I love it sm lol. Now, I'm curious as to what your fave ships are besides kubometo. >.< Considering your recent ask which encouraged me to do this, may I also ask what your least faves are? Also, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the takahashi squad with metori so much, mwa mwa kudos to you.

Hiii im glad u enjoy my stuff even when theres not much of it going around lately😢 when summer break comes i will make more.💓(maybe)

i will answer that question about my other fave pairings with an additional condition which is that they cannot include saiko ^_^ i wont have a looot to say about them because i have really bad tunnel vision but lets try.

i think the one i probably like the most after kbmt is kaiyume ^_^ not in a way where like the situationship is so hilarious that it compels me to write 15 posts in a row about them but i think they have a special kind of really funny like. early 2010s cringe highschool couple vibe. or something. embarrassing couple on the internet. blurry grainy matching profile pics. couple cosplay. the chuunibyou. LOL i do genuinely love their relationship and its evolution from the moment kaidou defended chiyo in okinawa to chiyos confession and the way chiyos feelings for him are so consistent despite being the 'girl who falls in love super easily all the time' archetype and shes so considerate in liking him and i think they fit really well together but most importantly the idea of their romance is so weird and embarrassing to me meaning theyll never be boring (which is as weve established a capital offense for a gag manga). i think it brings out so many fun parts of their character. chiyos unhinged but shes so caring. kaidous so pathetic but hes so brave and gentlemany. its great! 👍

wait hold on i just remembered i have a relationship chart. i couldnt for the life of me remember what else i liked LMFAO. lets see whats on there.

oh my god right i love satou and hii together. i dont care much for that whole thing about helping her guardian spirit so that shes not life-threateningly unlucky anymore i thought it was hilarious how satous normal powers cancelled her bad luck and they were very cute for the like 2 or 3 chapters they were around. <3 ive got a soft spot for them for real.

lets do a quick round. midori and chouno altered my brain chemistry in a way that i find a little embarrassing to talk about HAHA but its a dynamic i quietly Really enjoy the chapters that touch on it are favorites of mine regardless of the note on which it ends for them. lately ive been really enjoying imu and arisu together for completely baseless reasons i just think theres potential there for real funniness w both thinking the other is a creep. and of course you will always find me fighting on the front lines for kurumi and kuniharu.

as for my least favorite pairings.... i really dont want to be on peoples dash bashing stuff they enjoy so i will just let the chart speak for itself :') its just not for me!

and Lastly. im so happy my $quad awareness campaign is working <3 (gives u a big wet peck on the forehead) saiko and his idiots forever. peace &love.

#im procrastinating on work again #well the chart is missing a bunch of Naur.. lines related to saiko and aren but it is what it is

[supermacaquecool]

I'm taking that invitation to send more asks!

Shiori, 2/11/26/28

2. When I think I truly started to like them (or dislike them, if you've sent me a character I don't like)

I'll be honest, at first I found her quite annoying LOL Mostly bc I was tired of how every character in rgu is an insufferable asshole; the fact she turned out to be a vindictive lil shit just reinforced that frustration lol Then, in said Black Rose saga break, I found the parallels between her and Wakaba compelling, so I softened my view on her.... But I didn't truly liked her until I watched the movie LMAO (which I did after I watched ep34 bc we were on another stream break lmao). That moment when she car crashes made me laugh so hard for days, I was instantly endeared. Every single Shiori scene became retroactively awesome 😂😂

11 What’s the first thing you think about when thinking about the character?

That I quite like the way her self-loathing is portrayed. Aside from liking when a girl's self-hatred is portrayed in outward, deeply destructive ways, I liked the portrayal on two other levels. It's clear that Shiori's self-disgust is predicated in her inferiority complex, but I quite like how both her efforts to conform to normalcy and not knowing how to deal with Juri's affection fuel that self-disgust and are kind of recursive. That side of the internalized bigotry making issues of self-loathing all the more corrosive and self-sustaining is not a corner you often see turned, but it's so fitting in here. The other layer I enjoy is that she's clearly trapped in this self-destructive, self-sustaining loop of terrible behavior and doesn't know how to break out, it weirdly helped me back when I watched it lol There's not a single good side of Shiori we know about, and, yet, the sense she needs to break out of that pattern is so palpable. It doesn't matter if she's deserving of better, she needs to break free and stop hurting herself and others. That was weirdly really helpful back then.

26. When do you think they were being "themselves" the most?

TRICK QUESTION. I keep liking girls with strong outer facades, huh? But I have three different scenes in mind. First, when she's talking to Utena and Anthy in her dorm room— when the coversation starts with the usual pleasantries, Shiori's tone is quite high pitched and cutesy (lol), but as she starts trailing off about the relationship she and Juri used to have and how she's undeserving of it, it lowers to a whisper and is overall a more naturalistic tone. I think that was a rare showing of authenticity from her; the fact she gets abashed once she realizes she's said too much and goes back to her Cute Girl voice is So Telling. The other two scenes are her elevator breakdown and her bitter tirade when Juri pays her a visit in ep 29, because they're showing all the ugly, complicated and visceral feelings she tries to keep under a lid (the Voice Actiiiiing for her is kinda Absurdly Great. Like Amazing Performances.)

28. The most unnecessary thing they ever did?

Wouldn't be a rgu character if she didn't do a series of unnecessary, petty decisions, one after another. That said, it was sending that letter to Juri, the one Juri reads in ep7 LMAO it's just so wildly petty and vindictive while still being written in that insidious tone, kinda hilarious LOL Specially when you take into account, by her own admission, that dating the guy made her feel more pathetic. She's jsut. Trying to lick her wounds at all costs there, and doesn't even get the satisfaction of a reply (did she Seriously expect a reply to That???). The fact she pathetically repeats the "You must hate me for what I've done" line in her self-pitying non-apology at the balcony just makes it funnier lol This girl is jsut a riot.

#Ask game #MY FAV WORSR GIRL YEEEES #Got quite verbose but you have to understand #I adore her LOL #Long post #This is what I mean when I say I like there isn't a single good thing about Shiori lol

[deltastra]

Woohoo! Gonna give my silly little thoughts on Chapter 117 before the next chapter comes out!

SPOILERS AHEAD

HE WON. HE GOT TO SEE AND TOUCH A PENGUIN. IM SO HAPPY FOR HIM!!!! God I love this innocent goal of his. Forget boobs! Let the man touch a penguin!

Wait what. IT REALLY WAS ETERNITY DEVIL? I’m stupid… so what is Fami’s power?

Either way, she knows how to strike deals with other devils too I guess. This may be a problem!

I hope we get follow up from Yoru about her siblings. She said Fami was lying but I just don’t believe that? That and, do all the sisters really hate each other? I just find that unlikely.

OK IN HER DEFENCE, HUNDREDS OF AQUATIC LIFE ARE PROBABLY DEAD! But seeing Yoru smile over Asa’s mindset is a nice change of pace. They are slowly getting along. Asa and Yoru’s dynamic is one of the most interesting things about part 2 so far. Yoru is more understanding of Asa now but she doesn’t excuse it. It’s a very interesting relationship.

AND DONT GET ME STARTED HOW WHEN EVERYONE WAS SO SHOCKED OVER ASA’S SPEAR SKILLS AND HER SOLO-ING A DEVIL (as Yoru), DENJI WAS TOO DISTRACTED WITH THE PENGUIN

Maybe I’m reaching here, but I see this as a type of play on the troupe where the hero reveals their powers in the open, but their “love interest” was “distracted” and couldn’t see it. If it was a play on that troupe, it was hilarious. Denji not seeing the shitshow that’s happening because he’s too distracted over a penguin is just…him.

Ooo a stare down. Fami might see Yoshida as a threat and Yoshida definitely knows what’s up…these two might end up as bitter enemies

These panels right here makes me want to bring up why I love reading chainsaw man rather than watching it.

It just feels like I’m reading a movie…

This short exchange, while lacking in words, speaks volumes over how you can interpret the convo. It’s kind of like a comforting awkwardness and the reliance on facial expressions just makes the manga more engaging to me.

Anyway, Asa is sad that the date sucked, Denji was okay with it cause of the penguin! How cute! But poor Asa feels so defeated here…

Can we talk about how when a girl told Denji she will fulfil any one request of his, all he asks is for another date? It’s just, so cute.

He didn’t ask for anything sexual, boy’s grown. I feel like now he just wants the feeling of love in general again.

Once again, facial expressions speak more than words. I love this so much. For once, Asa “disappointed” someone and they didn’t turn on her immediately. I can only imagine how comforting this felt to Asa.

If this is a romance that’s blossoming, I love the more mutual grounds their relationship is building on. Sure it might all turn to shit later but that’s Chainsaw Man for ya. Right now however, I’m loving it.

OKAY TIME FOR THE OPINION THAT MIGHT AGE POORLY IN A FEW HOURS!

This won’t work…

If I remember correctly, Yoru said that Denji has to fall in love with Asa in order for her to turn him into a weapon. But she stated that she could feel Asa’s love for Denji, not the other way around.

In addition, I don’t think Yoru understands human emotions that well. Denji asking her out on another date doesn’t automatically mean he has fallen in love with her. He just likes her to a point where he’s willing to give it another shot. Hell, I’d say that maybe Asa hasn’t fallen in love with Denji either. She was probably just little happy over how things turned out. I know I’m being a killjoy sorry ;-;

But my point is, Yoru cant turn Denji. So yea, this is gonna be pretty awkward now lol

_______________________________

Overall, this was a cute chapter. Yoru came back and kicked ass, Asa was the one who saved the day and Denji got to see a penguin.

I am serious when I say that I do find the relationship that is building between Denji and Asa compelling. I don’t really care if it’s platonic or romantic, it’s just…nice?…to see them on more mutual terms.

#chainsaw man #my thoughts #csm denji #csm 117 #csm asa mitaka #chainsaw man manga spoilers #chainsaw man spoilers

[quidfree]

I agree with everything you said about the finale of Stranger Things 4. The ending is rushed and kinda lacks of emotional impact (really annoying bc it could have been so much better, like El and Hopper reuniting).

I kinda think the Duffers want to keep everything vague as much as possible for, like they said, "the big reveal in ss5", "everything comes full circle",... there's been discussions and analysises where ss5 will go down but it's just based on small hints and subtexts. It's like the main role of ss4 is a set-up for ss5, like an 'open-ending' where every scenario is possible, which is hella confusing tbh.

I have to admit that I was rooting for Will and Mike in vol1, but Vol2 makes me realise that Michael Wheeler is really in need of character development (pls give my boy Will the protangonist era back)

Sorry for my rambling, but i do want to know your take on the character dynamics and what are your most favorite scenes?

ah anon sorry for not answering for like a week, i conflated this w my other stranger things ask and deluded myself into thinking i had

i agree w your finale thoughts- i don’t follow the media circus around the show much but i do get the impression s4 is meant to be set-up for s5, which is very annoying to me because if you’re a good writer set-up should not negate storytelling… there are many shows which use a season to set something up but still tell a compelling standalone story in that season!

re mike and will, i’m fairly neutral abt it, the same way i feel abt all the canon ships in stranger things- the kid ships are all sweet enough, although this season mike and el have been kind of tiring for me (in part because mike did p much nothing this season except be el’s kind of dumbass boyfriend). in any event i think will and mike both could do w a return to early season protag focus and that will deserves an actual coming out and general arc in s5. also you can do better, will!

response to your qs on dynamics and scenes beneath the cut :)

looove steve and his kids obviously- steve and dustin are a no-brainer, but i do wish the others got a couple of real moments with him too (as may be obvious bc i literally wrote that).

steve and robin are very fun. the whole older teen group was great this season, since their personalities were a nice mix- i have to say eddie and steve were really enjoyable together. their dual older brother energy to dustin was very cute. as was eddie’s flirting. or whatever that was meant to be.

on siblings- wish we got some mike and nancy interaction ever. glad lucas and erica got brief moments this season. jonathan and will bonding was very good if brief and a missed opportunity to talk abt the rainbow elephant in the room.

families except the bylers continue to be hilariously absent in the show. when can CPS be called on these people. mikes mom hugging him dramatically will not make me forget how bad of a parent they all are lol.

always enjoy the friendships between the kids- liked will and el a lot this season even tho it was tragically understated, loved mike and will seeing lucas again in hospital, and max’s memories of the group in dear billy. mike and will’s conversations were also admittedly good, despite the unrequited love of it all- they had a relationship core to the show once, so it still holds some weight. i do like lucas and max a lot but i wish lucas wasnt spent so much on Being There For Max hes forever sidelined for no good reason.

underwhelmed by the russia storyline in general- hopper grated on me in s3 and im always team joyce so kind of tired w her having to put up w him and murrays “oh you” vibes but i do enjoy their battle-readiness as a couple. didnt care much abt yuri or the other russian guy (dmitri?) bc it all felt so overdone.

fav scenes: obviously max escaping vecna to kate bush (deserving of her renaissance). the others are going to be random excerpts bc my mind is blanking. eddie telling steve “harrington will drive wontcha big boy” + steve telling nancy he has 6 kids already. the part in the finale where everyone jumps through to the upside down and then throws their weapons through too bc the montage was fun. el throwing the helicopter and then telling papa to choke. will singing neverending story. the ep 7 monologue where 1 reveals the whole plot to nancy (jamie campbell bower fun). the finale segment where everyone is kicking ass and nancy has a shotgun. the way will is like “what friends??” and el goes “stfu” in ep whatever it is. el and max’s reunion. etc.

#qui parle #qui repond #stranger things #anon #stranger things s4 #stranger things spoilers

[turnaboutdick]

your wish is my command!

first of all, there is no piece of fanfiction i reccomend more than the "Bionic Coping Mechanism" series by MartinKBlackwoodESQ. i'm literally rereading it right now. it's a somewhere else story written entirely in dialogue format with insane worldbuilding and it's insanely funny. best thing i've ever read easily 10/10. the series consists of a finished 81k fic, a recap of said fic and an unfortunately unfinished sequel, but you have to give this one a go. it is so worth it.

for more longer fics, i also reccomend:

"Foggier Yet, and Colder" by mimikutie - a bit out of season for this one, but its a great read with a very interesting exploration of the characters and Actually Evil Jurgen Leitner

"Like A Fly" by Prim_the_Amazing - always a good read for when you need some good ol fucked up avatar romance

"This Lonely Knight" by arthureameslove - an au with very interesting story and compelling worldbuilding. full of enemies to lovers goodness

"A Home For What Loves You" by TheWrongShop - when it comes to s1 canon divergence, i feel like this is one of it's the best little 'tropes'. this fic is very well executed and a fun read.

i also have a bunch of fics that are a bit shorter but have nonetheless occupied my mind for several weeks upon reading:

"Fools in Love" by CirrusGrey - this fic is a fun tma spin on it's own trope. it is also very cute.

"Non-Conjugal Visits" by shinyopals - martin blackwood gets annoyed for 6k words (incredibly fun fic and incredibly fun ending)

"The Perfect Valentine" by Prim_the_Amazing - this is literally so cute reading it makes me giggle and kick my feet

"Sam nie pojmuję, jak w twe zajdę progi" by Mad_Maudlin - only halfway through reading this one did i realize how good it was - when i put the pieces together and realized what was happening, i had just the biggest grin on my face. so good.

Lovebirds by green_tea_and_honey - sweet funny jmart fluff what more do you need. i can also confirm it is accurate to real life.

Office Party by chewsdaychillin - this ones a bit longer than the others but i feel like it's a good exploration of their relationship thru the entire series

Clutching Daffodils by Gemi - probably the most original spin on hanahaki ive ever read. doubles as a great read in general

Ask a Compelling Question by DotyTakeThisDown - i love jon's characterisation in this so much. incredible concept, but even better execution

a little love, a little sympathy by Did - in which martin's falsified cv is not his biggest, darkest, most evil secret..... needing comfort is!

Martin Blackwood and the Power of Research by boredshyandbi - in which jonathan sims has insane infodump game. when i read this for the first time (and every other time) my face muscles actually hurt from smiling.

Not On My Watch by CirrusGrey - in a universe where the institute is a normal workplace, elias bouchard is still a big douche. jon will not stand for this.

Biscuit Week by chewsdaychillin - what if tma was the great british bakeoff. i think about this everyday. also part of a series theres a part 2 :)

Caramel by Louffox - not your typical coffeshop au. this ones hilarious

"Any Version of You" by CirrusGrey - a series of oneshots made for jonmartin week 2024! each one is super good though can't reccomend it enough

there's also an ongoing fic called "Running with the wolves" by NohaIjiachi i've been enjoying! it's going in a direction i really like.

there's WAYYYY more reccomendations, but this post is getting super long, haha. just vaguepost about needing more fic recs when you need me.

i also urge you to check out the authors of all these amazing fics! they have a ton of good works i probably forgot to mention.

anon... ANON!!!1! thank you.

i started reading bionic coping mechanism today in class (lol) and i am Now Hooked. the author has got the characterization on Point. and i am SO INTRIGUED. i am saving all of these and will definitely be screaming in these authors comment sections at some point. THANKS A LOT!!1!

#I WAS NOT EXPECTING SO MANY RECS THANK YOU SO MUCH????????? SCREAMING CRYING SENDING YOU LOVE FROM MY SIDE OF THE SCREEN. #fav #posting this to say thank you but also for other ppl to see :D #reference

[ppjeterka]

stealth-hot anon again

you are SO right not a single one of the Sabres is pulling off that Leon Draisaitl smirk, like I'm sorry that man smolders and the Sabres, while very cute, would look like they're just super excited to play a game! None of them are making Connor Bedard reconsider his career and whether it might not be better to just drop to his knees right there if you know what I'm saying.

ugh I feel you with the curse of liking a team that's not super fandom popular... the thing is, I think they will be eventually, but there's definitely ways to speed things up!! obvi reblogging all the videos. All the gifsets. All the gifts that Sabres social media has given us (I think they might be the best in the league at that, like the between 2 stalls series is hilarious, and they let this child-team show some personality which is hard to come by in the hockey world.) Fanart helps, obvs, though I say this as someone who cannot make it. and, unfortunately, fanfic... like sometimes it's a case of drumming up interest with the Narratives and letting the audience build from there which is obvi. V annoying. But also are there any compelling narratives now?? As a longtime Jonathan Drouin-Nathan MacKinnon shipper, the narratives were definitely there, they had all this history, and then it just fell into place this past summer and it took a little while (and some good on-ice performances), but people are getting into it again. Are there any guys like that? (I think Bo Byram and... Cozens, maybe? Is that right?) If there are videos or interviews of that, that is also vvvvv compelling, even if I'm not into the ship it does make me curious to know more about a relationship in general. Owen Power was on one of those very homoerotic college teams, right, does he have any teammates nearby? JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn have excellent chemistry and the Sabres social media know it, which I appreciate. And then there are the individual personalities. Dahlin's aquarium video was hilarious. Tage Thompson might not have a personality (he very well could I just haven't seen one yet) but he is an excellent artist. And Jeff Skinner. We cannot sleep on Jeff Skinner. He is an absolute fandom goldmine, from the figure skating past to the very real personality to the fact that he's def a cutie (appeal to the more mature folk! and everyone else!) to the fact that he's got the NHL record for most games played without a playoff appearance (poor dude), he's a compelling dude and how could you NOT root for him.

stealth-hot anon yay hello again!!!!!!

unfortunately the sabres are doomed by the narrative :(( I wasn't really a big fan of them last year, but I get the sense that they were actually a really fun team to watch (high scoring, promising young talent, admittedly questionable goaltending) and thus the vibes (and filmed content!!) popped off. Then this year started shit and decidedly unfun and killed the vibes that were cultivated last year :( Dylan Cozen's been kind of cold all year, Tage has been alternately injured and/or underperforming, and it doesn't help that Jack Quinn's been out of the lineup for the majority of the season (but it seems like he's coming back soon!), so there hasn't been nearly the same amount of fun off-ice content for fans to sink their teeth into this year...that said, I have faith for next year!!

as for interpersonal player narratives...dylan/bo definitely has good potential but i think the air of tragedy that still clings to the trade needs some time to clear LOL

"Owen Power was on one of those very homoerotic college teams, right," LMAOOOO I'm not really into NCAA fan/shipping culture, but I know Owen and Kent Johnson is/was a pretty big self-sustaining thing? Might need to look into the state that ship is in...

And JJ and Jack. Now that's a duo. Every video they're in together is simply incredible, I have no shame in admitting I've watched all of them more times than I can recall. I think I have 2? 3? WIPs going for them rn?

But yeah, shipping aside, they're just an extremely charming team with great group chemistry and individual personalities. I won't stop clocking into my shift at the sabres fandom mines to get more people to let the light into their lives🫡

#stealth-hot anon always a pleasure to speak with you!!! #asks #anonymous