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weebrecs · 4 years

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Recommended Romance Anime Part 2

Hi Everyone, Someone messaged me asking for straight romance anime recommendations. I already made one list here: (https://weebrecs.tumblr.com/post/157666048002/recommended-romance-anime) and I have included more below. The ones with the *** are movies. I hope you enjoy!!

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun (9/10) Chiyo is the definition of adorable and loveable, at least for everyone except for the person that she likes. Nozaki is oblivious to the world around him and most of all Chiyo’s interest in him. However, Nozaki’s distance is due to him actually being a respectable shoujo mangaka. In her efforts to win his heart Chiyo finds herself acting as Nozaki’s assistant. Together they undergo hilarious situations and act out possible scenarios for Nozaki’s manga. Nozaki asks Chiyo to help him with brainstorming situations for his romance manga and Chiyo swoons just like the protagonist of the manga, and Nozaki starts wondering where the manga ends and true love begins. It is a great show to watch and has interesting character development as Chiyo goes from a girl that has a simple crush to a girl with real reason and purpose. Romance, Comedy, Slice of Life, School Life

Lovely Complex (8/10) If you love height differences then this is the show for you. Meet Koizumi who is much taller than the average girl and Ootani who is much shorter than the average guy. They are known as a Comedy Duo and they are constantly play tricks or making gags at the other’s expense. However, they soon learn that they have more in common then they first realized when their crushes end up falling for each other. Then as soon as they both start to realize that they might be falling for each other too the question of their mismatched heights comes up. Romance, Comedy, Height difference

Ouran High School Host Club (8/10) Haruhi is an insanely bright and gifted girl that just wants some peace and quiet. She sneaks into a music room to get alone and stumbles into the school’s host club. Frantically she tries to remove herself from the situation and shatters an expensive vase. Since she’s a scholarship student without a lot of money she doesn’t know how she’ll pay to replace the vase. However, the host club has an option for her. Join Haruhi as she meets a delight cast of male hosts that slowly find themselves changing due to Haruhi’s influence. Haruhi starts to learn about life outside of books and the boys learn to love someone. I love how relaxed this show is at times and how crazy the characters and situations are. Romance, Comedy, Slice of Life, School Life

Skip Beat (9/10) Kyouko is willing to bend over backwards to help her childhood friend, Shou, in his dreams of becoming famous. Out of the goodness of her heart she helps him basically live his life. She thinks that they are perfect together then everything changes when she over hears him telling someone that Kyouko is like is his servant. Furious Kyouko stops supporting him and decides that if she built him to become a famous celebrity then she could do it for herself too. As she grows she meets someone that can help her not only gain her revenge on Shou but someone that might actually treat her right. This is an encouraging love story that shows that people that love you can bring out the best in you Romance, Comedy, Show Business, Revenge

Akagami no Shirayuki-hime (8/10) This is a modern retelling of Snow White, but this time with a twist: she has red hair. There are two season of this anime and if you love romance animes with a dash of adventure you’ll love this one. Shirayuki is a skilled herbalist who is noticed by a prince. Terrified that she’ll live a kept life she escapes and is rescued by Zen (who is adorable and perfect…goodness I love him!). Zen brings her to his castle and their life begins. Slowly friendship turns into romance. Romance, Adventure

Akatsuki no Yona (9/10) When I first read the synopsis of this I thought it was going to be one of those off animes that wouldn’t win me over, but I was wrong. This show introduces Yona who is the princess of a well off kingdom, but when the King is betrayed by Yona’s cousin Yona must act swiftly. She escapes danger with her bodyguard Hak (I think you mean Hunk—sorry lol). Together they team up to save Yona’s kingdom. Action, Adventure, Reverse Harem, Romance

Ao Haru Ride (8/10) After risking everything for a boy she met in a rain shelter, Futaba is ready to turn her life around in high school. She is determined to have friends and be liked by everyone. Her plan is foolproof until the boy she met returns and so do her feelings for him. However, he is different from the boy that had betrayed Futaba in the past. Together they need to learn more about themselves and each other. This show is emotional and shows the sacrifices we all make for those we love. School Life, Blooming Romance

Fruits Basket (9/10) This show has recently been rebooted and is expecting a second season. It tells the story of Honda who has lost her mother in an accident and goes to live with her grandfather. However, as renovations are being done at her house she lies to her grandfather and tells him that she’s going to live with a friend. When she is actually pitching a tent in the woods. The esteemed Souma family actually owns the woods that Honda hides in and the prince of the school Yuki Souma invites Honda to stay in his house, but the Souma’s have a secret. They are possessed by the Chinese Zodiac spirits, and will turn into their respective animals if they’re hugged by the opposite gender. This series is adorable and super fun to watch. The characters are all special in their own way. Comedy, Zodiac, Mystery, School Life, Supernatural, Romance

***Hotarubi no Mori e (10/10) I love this movie it is so beautiful. Hotaru has been fond of the mysterious tale of the mountain god since she was six and after she loses her way in the mountain forest, she stumbles into a masked spirit named Gin. Together they begin their unlikely friendship. Gin informs Hotaru that they can play together as long as she doesn’t get too close. They start to spend every summer together and Hotaru helps Gin learn what is means to be human and love someone. Soon they find that the distance that they are keeping between them is slowly shrinking. This movie is epically beautiful, romantic, and heart wrenching. Spirit, Supernatural, Romance

Ore Monogatari!! (10/10) Are you sick of the romance animes filled with beautiful girls and handsome princes? Well then it’s time to watch Ore Monogatari staring an unlikely anime pairing: Takeo Gouda and Rinko Yamato. Yamato is the definition of adorable and angelic; while Takeo struggles with love due to his tall and muscular build. Takeo’s appearance might be a little rough, but under it all he has a heart of gold. However, few ever see it since Takeo’s best friend Makoto is the definition of an anime prince. Without trying Makoto is a girl magnet and Takeo finds that people only talk to him to try and get close with Makoto. But when Takeo saves Yamato he instantly falls for her. He worries that she’s only being nice to him to gain Makoto’s love, but in truth she actually like Takeo and not Makoto. I love how this shakes up the romance genre and I love Makoto and Takeo’s friendship. Every time Yamato is on the screen I swoon. She is precious! Comedy, Friendship, Romance, First Love, Dorks

Your Lie in April (10/10) This is one of those romance animes that you hear rumors about. You know it will hurt you, but you have to watch it anyway because it’s a masterpiece. It is a truly enjoyable watch! Plus, the animation is breathtaking. Kousei is a great piano player and under the tutelage of his mother he excels in the competitions. Then his mother dies and Kousei turns from music and his world begins to turn grey. Until his world us turned upside down by Kaori, an outstanding violinist who is anything but traditional. She is free-spirited and challenges Kousei to join her in exploring music once more. Kousei starts to fall in love with music again and also finds himself falling for the girl that added color back into his world. Together they enhance each other’s musical ability and change each other’s lives. Music, Romance, Mystery, Friendship, School Life

***Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo (10/10) The last year is difficult for everyone, but for Makoto it is crazy since she can literally jump through time. She doesn’t really understand this new-found power and must learn how to control it. She fosters old and new relationships and might even fall in love, but with all time travel sacrifices must be made. I really don’t want to say too much because it could ruin the plot, but just trust me—watch it. Mystery, Supernatural, Time Travel, Romance

#anime recommendation #Romance anime #your lie in april #gekkan shoujo nozaki kun #Lovely Complex #ouran high school host club #skip beat #akagami no shirayukihime #Ao Haru Ride #Fruits Basket #Hotarubi no Mori e #ore monogatari #the girl who leapt through time

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nicka-nell · 3 years

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Hi hey! Can I have a Haikyuu matchup?

Female, she/her

I have black hair and eyes, lots of beauty marks (like scattered across my body, I have at least one on each body part), I can't remember but I think I'm a ISFJ or a ISFP, Sun: Aquarius, Moon: Sagittarius, Rising: Leo.

My likes are any kind of storms, rain, snow, thunder, etc, late night drives, music, and vanilla.

I don't know about dislikes but I don't like dropping/spilling food - since food is precious, people being in my space, people dirtying my stuff, when stuff doesn’t get done on time, people not doing what I ask, being hurt or embarrassed,

No-go for a partner? Manipulative, cheater, dishonest, someone who's not willing to put their weight into something, people like atsumu or oikawa. That's all I can think of. (I don't mind Atsumu or Oikawa, it's just that they scare me)

A Male matchup

A late night car ride to some random destination, just the two of us we can make it if we try just the two of us. Or anything really.

Also NSFW if you want! :)

Thank you!

Hi :)) here is your match-up for one of the Haikyuu boys. (I hope you like it ♥)

First, I had thought about Sugawara but when I read your message the second time and the third time; I had such strong vibes for this character:

Note: NSFW, 18+

Tendou Satori

At first glance, he may seem like a crazy guy, but behind this lively appearance hides a loving man who would even bring you the stars from the sky.

He loves nothing more than sitting next to you on the couch in the evening, snuggled in a warm blanket, you with your favorite drink and he with a hot chocolate with marshmallows. He has the feeling that time stops when the rain streams against your window and he gets lost in the deep of your dark, beautiful eyes. Sometimes he forgets that he’s staring at you a little too long, but then apologizes directly when you tell him not to look at you like that.

When it rains in the morning and you both wake up, you can expect Tendou to snuggle up to you from behind, kiss your beauty marks on your neck and shoulders and prevent you from getting up.

Now and then Tendou is at work longer, then you can always assume that he is trying a new candy. He quickly noticed that you liked the chocolate with vanilla the most, so he always tries new vanilla creations on special occasions. And for Tendou, every day is special, because every day he wakes up with you, he realizes how lucky he actually is. And he’ll do anything to make you as happy as you make him happy.

He’s not a great eater, so just making a big serving for one person is enough for both of you. In the beginning you always cooked too much, and then you get annoyed about how much food was left. But Tendou promised you every time that he would eat the portion the next day and that you should only cook one portion for the day for yourself.

As you had to learn to cook less, Tendou had to learn that sometimes you need your own space. It took a while but by now he can tell by your voice whether or not you need your rest. If you need it, Tendou often sits in the kitchen at your dining table, reading a new release of Shounen Jump magazine or prepare one of your favorite sweets, which he then takes to your room, quietly placed on the table and gives you a gentle kiss on the crown of the head, before leaving the room with a happy smile.

Tendou and you were just on your way to Semi’s concert. The music is loud in your car as you both sing to Semi’s song and get in the mood. You have fun and do not let the storm that rages outside stop you. Just the short way past the forest, then into the city, and find a parking space at the bar where Semi’s band performs.

But you only hear your bubbling now, while Tendou’s voice is silent. Asking, you look at him as you follow his gaze and see the two yellow-clad men holding a red warning signal in the air. Tendou stops the car as one of the two men approaches him and signals him to slide the window down a bit.

“Over there, some trees have fallen from the storm. The forest workers are already clearing the way, but this will take a while. You should turn, there’s a rest stop over there. If you have to go up here, you can wait there and have some boiling food. The road should be clear soon.”

Nodding, Tendou thanks the man as he turns to you and looks into your sulking face. “Isn’t there another way we can go? I don’t want to be late.”

“There is one way, but it is much longer. It would be better to go to this rest stop and wait there for a while until the people here are finished. The rest stop was only five minutes away from here.”

Sighing, you look out the window and mumble only a quiet “okay” and hope that the men will quickly finish the clearing work.

While your mood is no longer at its peak, Tendou still hums along with all the songs until you stop in the dark parking lot at the rest stop. There is no car to be seen far and wide, even in the rest area there is only one employee to be seen, but he looks as if he has fallen asleep behind the counter.

Again you sigh as Tendou’s fingers land on your lap. “Hey, lollipop, don’t sulk. We’ll make it to the concert in time. The concert doesn’t start for two hours. I wanted to be there earlier because I wanted to talk to Semi, but I can do that after the concert, right?” He smiles happily and now you remember.

He had already mentioned it last week, but you had forgotten it out of sheer anticipation of the concert. Tendou sees your face slowly relaxing as he clamps off and climbs over the circuit, placing itself in a rather uncomfortable-looking position above you, making your eyes grow big.

“Satori, what are you doing?”

“I don’t think you can get rid of a tree like that in two minutes, do you? Besides, you’re not in the mood like you were before? We should change that, don’t you think?” He grins and uses the lever on your seat to fold your backrest completely backwards.

“Satori!” You scream in terror, as now he pushed your seat back a bit and Tendou kneels in the footwell in front of you. “What on earth are you doing? What if someone sees us?”

“And who? That sleeping guy at the roadhouse? Or the birds in the woods? Relax, lollipop, I just want you to smile again.” He giggles as his long fingers touch your bare skin on your thigh and sneak under your skirt.

“Sa- tori…” You whisper quietly as warmth flows through your body and Tendou’s soft lips kiss your inner thigh. “You’re so warm, lollipop.” His breath kisses your skin while his fingers are already at your panties and play with the edges.

Instinctively, you lift your pelvis so he can pull your panties down as Tendou laughs on your skin. “So needy are you already what?”

“Don’t tease me, Satori!” You cry and want to put your hands on his, just as he pulls your panties down to your knees and his kisses move more and more to your warmest spot. Your complete body is feverish. You can feel your core tingling even before Tendou gets there.

“You’re ready?”

“Yes, yes Satori.” You answer him promptly and bury your hand in his hair, press his head slightly down to tell him to start.

You can sense his wet tongue glide over your walls, as he moves his tongue with pressure on your clit, sucks it lightly and elicits your sugar-sweet tones. “Hah Satori!” You groan as you slide further away from your seat, towards him, and push him deeper to you.

Again he chuckles, only making you moan with this little vibration in his voice, before one of his hands moves up from your knee, along your damp folds to your already dripping entrance as he pushes two of his long fingers into you. “I love the sound of my fingers moving in your wet pussy, mmh.” Tendou murmurs, who now sucks more strongly at your bud, bends his fingers in you and hits the spongy spot in you every time.

“Fuck Satori I’m close!” You groan, your hands claw harder into his hair. You feel the knot in you getting tighter, and you know you are coming to your climax every second. Tendou feels how your walls slowly pinch his fingers, feeling your legs slowly start shaking.

“Yeah babe, I know. Be good and come for me, show me how good you taste.” You hear him below you and cannot help but moan loudly his name before you reach your orgasm and spread your juice on Tendou’s tongue and fingers.

Pleasantly he licks your entrance clean, his fingers, before he puts on your panties again and looks at your excited face.

“This was… so… good Sa- tori.” You stutter out of breath before you feel his warmth on your neck. “I’m glad you enjoyed it, lollipop. The rest is for the after-show party after the concert, all right?” His giggling is in your ear before he kisses your cheek and straightens your seat to sit on his own.

“I think the clearance work should be done by now. Don’t you think?” He smiles happily as he starts the car again.

“Yes, I think so.”

You still sigh out of breath, and wouldn’t be sad if they do not finish these and you have to go back to the rest stop.

#haikyuu x reader #satori x reader #tendou x reader #satori tendou x reader #tendou satori x reader #Tendou smut

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princessamericachavez · 4 years

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I’ve barely started watching season 2 of The Dragon Prince but I’m shocked by how much I love Claudia and how much she reminds me of Jester.

It’s so refreshing to see more morally ambiguous female characters. And I mean morally ambiguous for real.

They are both so interesting in their similarities. Both pretty, dorky and powerful girls who because of their upbringing and experiences have a very flexible moral standard. Their sense of right and wrong is strong in its own way, they measure morals with their own perception and won’t cross certain incredibly arbitrary lines, generally based on their personal connections to people and situations. They are both traditionally feminine characters who are, above all, kind and sweet... but that doesn’t always equal ethically good.

i.e. Jester will want to go out of her way to protect a dying tree from a cursed island because he sounded sad and that very night casually suggest the Traveler let his followers be attacked by a dragon turtle to get rid of them. Claudia will talk enthusiastically about draining the life out of magical creatures to use their energy and then coo over the very baby dragon whose egg she deemed a weapon a week ago, because he’s cute now.

It becomes even more clear when it comes to the people they love. Claudia had no qualms about murdering a sleeping assailant but absolutely drew the line at lying to “[our] friends”. Jester is fine with absolutely destroying every single villain they come across because “they weren’t very good people” but when it comes to Fjord she insists she’s willing to make an exception even if he turns evil as long as he “don’t turn evil to [her]” or their friends.

And of course they have the parallel mentor figure (Vesirn and Artagan) who is even more morally gray, who has shaped who they are, given them power and who, even knowing they aren’t the most morally upstanding men, they love and support and want approval of.

It’s so funny seeing fandom bend over backwards in an attempt to descifer them to put them in “good or bad” categories because they fit neither. They are as gray as they come. Of course, we have been taught that feminine, sweet, pretty and kind women must be good because they are nice; and that powerful, driven, ambitious and attractive women must be bad because they are willing to bend the rules based on their desires.

The thing is both of these things can (and should more often) exist in a single female character. It’s their nuance that makes them fascinating, especially since most male characters are allowed to explore these gray areas before they rise or fall.

I think Claudia and Jester are two sides of the same coin and I suspect their stories will diverge dramatically based on their decisions (for what I’ve seen in the show and tumblr Claudia has leaned towards her darker tendencies to support her father whereas Jester is at a point where she actively questions The Traveler’s motivations and morals). But regardless of where they end up, neither is traditionally evil or heroic.

Anyway. More morally grey female characters that are also kind and dorky and willing to wreck someone up if they chose to.

#claudia tdp #jester lavorre #the dragon prince #critical role #sofia’s nonsense

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teenitinygod · 4 years

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Hello, Hello, this is the person who did the last submit. Thank you for the offer but I don’t have a discord account, Idon'thaveanyfriendswhouseittowarrantmakingone.

Although, if you liked my previous submit, I thought you might be interested in hearing me out when it comes to mischaracterization since I didn’t go into detail in my previous submit since that’s a whole rant of its own. I’ll be taking inspiration from neutinya’s haikyuu mischaracterization post but give it a BSD twist. My intention isn’t to call specific people out, I’m simply going off what I’ve seen within the fandom. Which in turn leads to diluting or mischaracterizing a character until they’re nearly unrecognizable or portraying them in a bad light that they don’t deserve. There may be a few tw instances, so you’re free to edit this post as you see fit and add any necessary warnings.

So to begin with. Let’s get the big one out of the way real quick.

- Dazai -

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen Dazai being portrayed as nothing more than a twofaced lying bastard, I wouldn’t have to work anymore. Most of these support it by saying that he doesn’t actually trust the ADA since he didn’t tell them about his past and doesn’t inform them of every little thing. Basically, they portray him as being 100% an act who doesn’t care about anyone. And then berate him by saying that they refuse to take his mental health seriously until he’s shown to have a breakdown.

I believe anyone who has suffered from depression or any other kind of mental health issue has felt the need to act happy all the time when in public and then quiet down when they’re alone. That doesn’t make them a fake. They are under no obligation to tell every single thing going across their mind to their friend and that same logic applies to Dazai.

Moreover, we also have to take into consideration Dazai’s past. He simply can’t afford to make himself vulnerable. There’s literally a list of people out for his head. Additionally, of he were to tell everything to the ADA, he would be potentially dragging his new friends into his own mess and put them in unwarranted danger. Sure, the ADA already deals with a lot of dangerous stuff but I doubt he would purposely put them in harms way because of what he would consider his own selfishness.

Now in the terms of romance. A lot of people just mark him as the one who could never be faithful. I believe a romantic relationship with Dazai would be completely trust based. Ergo, a “love at first sight” scenario would definitely lead to it becoming nothing more than a one-time fling. To go off your last Dazai scenario, I actually do believe that if Dazai felt like he was getting too attached to someone, he might try to push them away out of utter self-loathing that he could never give them what they want. Essentially, fearing a scenario like that in No Longer Human where Yozo got together with Yoshiko and she ended up getting raped because of his involvement with her.

Atsushi isn’t just a crybaby. He’s brave simply because of the fact that he’s willing to do his best despite his fear. Moreover, his initial fear of being seen as a burden to the ADA is completely valid when you take into consideration his past treatment. A lot treat him as dull and boring character and go on about preferring his Beast counterpart. It’s fine to have a preference but I don’t think this is a reason to hate on him since the point of Beast was to elaborate on how alike Atsushi and Akutagawa are by putting them in the other’s shoes. And we see in even Beast, Atsushi is just the ultimate good boy cinnamonroll.

In romance, I keep seeing him being forced to portray the badboy roll and being just terrible to whoever is his partner within the story. Do people really think that he would so much as even consider berating his partner after all he’s been through?

- Kunikida -

He isn’t just some emotionless asshole. He cares. He’s just doesn’t show it in the most conventional way some are used to. Perhaps this is because the anime caused confusion by changing the time setting of the Azure Disciple event— But within the novel you can tell that he cares for and eventually starts to think highly of Dazai as the story progresses. He doesn’t express it since Dazai would tease him to the ends of the earth. But there were moments like in the embassy in which he mentally admired how talented he was. Or how elaborated that his way of knowing when something was wrong with Dazai was when he starts acting “normal”. As the novel put it, basically, weird is normal for Dazai while normal is weird. So when Dazai starts acting “normal” that’s his way of knowing that something is up.

In terms of romance… I swear I want to fight someone. The majority of Kunikida content I find usually involves him be pedophilic by having this thing for schoolgirls or just has whoever is his partner constant cry at him that he doesn’t love them since he doesn’t show his affection the conventional way. Then, the story goes on about how the partner keeps trying to change them. For starters. There is nothing wrong with having the thought of an ideal partner. Most of have twisted the idea of him having an ideal partner as him having this list of physical traits he wants them to have or some crap like that. Do people really think he’s that shallow? Having an ideal partner just means that you know what you want in a partner. Like how they treat you, if they’re neat and polite, etc. Moreover, we’ve seen time and time again that despite what he says, Kunikida is still willing to bend a little. Obviously he will hold his ground if you berate his ideals. But it’s possible to change his mind if you respect his ideals and offer alternatives and are willing to work with him.

- Chuuya -

Look. I don’t care what you ship. But Chuuya is way more than just that one guy who is constantly yelling about Dazai. He has every right to be portrayed as his own character without the need to involve Dazai around the line.

He may be angry when Dazai is involved but he’s the nicest grump you’ll ever see towards everyone else. In the spin-off novel, there’s a scene where he talks to Tsujimura, for example. He still kept this badass aura but spoke to her with the dignity and presence of a respectable mafia executive. Moreover, I noticed this why checking. Kyouko really did make sure he drank his respect-women dose every day since I noticed he never actually curses at female characters. With the Tsujimura scene, for example, he kept his usual rude speech but didn’t start to actually curse until Ango was brought up. With the battle against Yosano, he never pulled the “oh, you’re just a woman” crap when they appeared.

In the terms of romance. I swear I feel the need to break someone’s nico-nico-kneecaps for the outrageous amount of fics I find with Chuuya straight up raping his partner. Like, the man didn’t even want to fight against his sheep friends when they literally and figuratively stabbed in him in the back. It’s hard for me to imagine him as someone who wouldn’t treat his partner with the utmost respect in the world.

- Higuchi -

People seriously need to stop hating on her just ��cause she’s “getting in the way of ships.” The gal clearly cares about Akutagawa and I don’t think it’s fair to hate on her just because of that. On that note, the whole idea of hating on female characters under the pretext of them getting in the way of ships seriously needs to stop. The fact that a female character cares for a guy, be it romantically or not, isn’t an excuse to antagonize them and treat them as an eyesore. She’s funny, she’s goofy, She’s just an ordinary lady who might be momentarily blinded by affection and get carried away. Which surely must happen to anyone who has experienced some kind of crush.

In the terms of romance. I haven’t read much fics with Higuchi as the main love interest. However, I have seen the AkutawagaxSomeoneElse types who just blatantly portray Higuchi as this terrible and wicked woman who is trying to ruin Akutagawa’s partner’s life. Sure, Higuchi may be heartbroken that she couldn’t be the chosen one but I doubt she would stoop as low as to ruin Akutagawa’s potential happiness. The most she would do is perhaps investigate if they’re a spy who intends to harm or use him.

- Yosano -

She’s a strong independent woman, enough said. I feel like a lot of people interpret her dislike for weak men as her either disliking physically weak men or disliking men altogether. Naturally, a strong woman would want and deserve someone who is equally as badass as them. So what I interpret her saying when she says she dislikes weak men is that she dislikes mentally weak men who bend over backwards easily and men who are so petty that they feel the need to look down on women just because of the fact that they’re a woman. The anime did her dirty by sexualizing her during her first introduction. We all know that one scene where she strips off her shirt before treating Tanizaki. Heck, I remember when I first saw that scene without knowing much about BSD I legit thought her healing ability involved her having sex with the guys. It was only until I read the manga some time later that I realized that wasn’t the case.

In the terms of romance. Again, she has every right to have someone as strong as herself. A badass would want someone who is just as badass standing as their partner. Moreover, I haven’t seen it to the degree as Higuchi’s case but I have seen the occasional hate on her under the pretext that she’s getting in the way of ships. To which I say again: We seriously need to stop antagonizing female characters who so much as exist in the same panel as a male character that’s involved in a popular fandom ship.

——–

Well then. Those were the most prominent ones that came to mind, so I surely left out some characters who have been mischaracterized just as badly.

Thank you for your time.

Ok quickly, our discord (dazai simps) is open to having you. We love new friends and meeting people, so an open invite is available. i couldn’t agree with you more- i hate how Dazai is portrayed sometimes, his emotions are complex and he’s not as simple as an angsty suicidal flirt. Especially went the reader comes into the picture and it turns into a “love at first sight” thing. They may be fictional characters but i care that the characters i write for are as close to accurate as i can

I’ll go deeper into this later but i agree

Also I love when you send me these, i love reading them and you’re so sweet <3

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grrrlsoverdramas · 3 years

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I'm excited to watch Start Up without all the fandom baggage, sort of in part because I want to see how I'll actually feel about it. I learned recently that though I like talking about dramas here, if the drama is popular then live-watching it just burdens me with other people's hot takes. I want the deep discourse, not the shallow discourse!! Let it marinate.

It's also wild because I was just mentioning earlier this year that kdramas had stopped creating second leads in the way that used to be ubiquitous (namely as actual second LEADS who have their own romantic arc with the female lead that lasts the entirety of the drama, often with a longer arc than the male lead tbh), but it seems that this drama did that and drama fandom was thrown back into chaos the way it was with such gems as SKKS or You're Beautiful (I'm laughing but I'm not...). Obviously it's not entirely similar because Dosan is clearly a modern lead, but all the same.

Before I actually watch the show and do my DEEP THOUGHTS, I'll say this about watching this show through gifs: ppl on this hellsite seemed to really think they were like Evolved but in the end we'll still bend over backwards to support a man. Like when I was watching Reply 1988 and I had to watch that chemistry bin be the guy that she liked and I just watched it SURE that COuLD NOT happen even though, like, I knew it would, I wasn't an idiot. I twisted that drama every which way to fit my idea of it and that's not what it was. Did my reaction have something to do with flawed storytelling? Definitely. Did that mean it was badly written, full stop? Idk, ask all the people who love teeth mannequins or whoever.

I mean, mostly this happened because Tumblr removed the 5-tag rule and now all our bullshit shows up in the tags. It's just not necessary.

Still, you will truly, genuinely, really like shows more if you watch shows you like. Come back to the frustrating ones later once you get your preconceptions out of your head if you must. I know people feel condescended to when they hear "if you don't like the show, stop watching" but like... Stop watching! Learn to read the rhythms of the stories and figure out what gives you warm/fuzzies and what makes you furious. And really REALLY question how much time you're willing to spend on the internet demanding a male character gets what he wants/deserves. Cause no matter how good a male character is.... That's some Boys Over Flowers fandom toxic bullshit, y'all.

#don't let the dick do u like that #i wish i could tag this without it going i. the tags #meta #also #i stop reading books i don't like #and stop watching movies i dont like so #i know that other people like to suffer more than me lol #i just dont get kt

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ipurpleyou1993 · 5 years

Text

My thoughts on:

Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung

Starring: Cha Eun Woo/Shin Se Kyung/Lee Ji Hoon/ Park Ki Woong

- Stand up for what you believe in. I think this is very important. People usually take advantage of those who are weak. So make your stand - especially if your boundaries and rights are being poked.

- Sometimes, being different is okay. Averting the community's standards is okay too. Why be like everybody else when you can be yourself?

We do not have to compromise our identity to match other people's standards. ✅😊💯

- Let us be each other’s support system. Let us value encouragement over discouragement. If someone wants to sing/dance/act/write, let them. Let them find what they are passionate about and support them.

Encouragement and kindness are free.

- Equality has come a long way. 👍🏻

The series is set during the Joseon Era where the status of women depended on who they marry. They are practically born to serve men during this time. So, I’ve come to appreciate the liberties we have now more than ever.

- Do your part. Do not be afraid when you are just doing what you are supposed to do.

- Adapt to the changing times. Change is the only thing that is constant. Let's all move forward with lessons from the past. 💜

- Wouldn't it be nice... if the world was Cadbury? Char! Hahahaha! Wouldn't it be nice if someone makes the decision to let go of everything just to be with you? #SanaAll

It may sound cliché but it's really romantic - how two persons can come together to achieve everything together. Wouldn't this really be nice? 😊❤️🥰

- Safe to say, no matter what era we are currently in, women make the world a better place. HAHAHAHA!

The Gist:

The series depicts the story of two young individuals who, despite being in different social classes, fell in love against all odds.

Shin Se Kyung plays the role of Goo Hae Ryung. She is a quirky young lady from a noble family who enjoys reading a lot. In saying so, she works as a book-reader to noble ladies in her neighborhood to earn money. Although, due to her book preferences, she always ends up not getting paid.

During this time, women tend to enjoy books about cringy love stories - most of which are written by “Maehwa”. Hae Ryung, on the other hand, prefers western literature which usually end depressingly. Hence, the no-payment scenario.

Little did everyone know, Maehwa is the pen name of Prince Dowon Yi Rim (played by Cha Eun Woo). He is the King’s son who lives at Nokseodang - the most secluded area in the palace - where he stays with a eunuch named Sam Bo and 2 young court ladies.

Naturally, as a kid who never left the palace, he is very innocent, naive and gentle. He found writing as a means to pass time inside the palace. Thus, the inspiration for the novels he usually writes are the secret love affairs of eunuchs and court ladies.

Digging deeper into the conflicts inside the palace, the king and his right-hand man decided to request the hiring of female historians. They meant to spy on the queen dowager who seems to be plotting against them behind their backs by doing so.

This move took a turn when the crown prince - Yi Jun - approved the plea on the condition that the female historians should take the civil service examination for government employees and that their involvement should not be limited to the queen dowager but to ALL members of the royal family.

A lot of controversy rose as females were not allowed to hold any position in the government during this time.

Hae Ryung and Yi Rim's story start to blossom here - when Goo Hae Ryung decides to ditch her arranged wedding to take the civil service examination to work inside the palace as a female historian.

They are set to an adventure of finding out their real identities and the people behind their past experiences.

The rest is for you to find out. So, watch this. It will be worth your time. 👍🏻💕

What I liked about the series:

- I love how unconventional the theme of this series is. Well, it's a gender bender type of story. The aggressiveness of the female lead and the innocence and naivety of the male lead is fun and fresh. ❤️💕😍 It makes the story more interesting since it's different from the traditional sageuk we are previously acquainted to. 👍🏻😊❤️

- I was thrilled when I found out that Cha Eun Woo was casted here as the male lead. I grew fond of him when I watched My ID is Gangnam Beauty. He's such an eyecandy! 😍😍😍

Of course, in relation to his outstanding visuals, we get to see a glimpse of his beautiful physique *wink wink*

On a serious note, what I liked about him in this series is that he has a very demure personality. Rarely do we get to see men in sagueks who are effeminate - mainly because historical dramas are very patriarchal in nature (IMO, ✌🏻).

I also liked how his character really transformed from this very innocent prince to a very mature potential king. The character growth was well-displayed so it was very satisfying to watch. ❤️😊😍

His acting is one to praise as well. I could say that he has improved a lot in the duration of the series. You might find this hard to believe in the beginning. But wait til you see him in the last few episodes. You'll get to appreciate his improvement more. 😊👍🏻💯

Aaaaand, may I just say, the term "Face Genius" really works for the man. Well, who wouldn't love this BB's face? TELL MEEEEE! 💕😂😊

- I was impressed with the acting skills of Shin Se Kyung here as well. The role of Goo Hae Ryung suits her! Her portrayal of the character was so on point that it actually came out naturally. Good job! 👍🏻👌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

I love how her character is so independent, responsible, intelligent, fun, aggressive (in a good way), lovable and just plain quirky with a sunshine-attitude. Like I said, I enjoyed seeing women do what is considered taboo in this particular era. It's something fun and interesting to watch. 💕😊👍🏻💯✅

In this day and age, I think we need more Goo Hae Ryung's in the world - someone who stands up for her rights; someone who is not afraid to do her part for the common good; someone who is not afraid of power; someone who does not bend over backwards for power; someone who is righteous and responsible.

Very few are blessed with this kind of courage. So, if you're one of these very few individuals, SALUTE!

Also, I love how she looks so elegant in a Hanbok. She's rocking the traditional outfit as if they were casual attires. No wonder she was part of the 2017 Hanbok PR Ambassadors. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

PO: I honestly think not all korean actresses look good in this traditional outfit. ✌🏻

- Their chemistry is 💯💕💕💕💕. They look good together. All their scenes made my heart flutter and skip a beat. 😍😍😍

- I like how the series tackled a bit about Christianity. There's this one scene that I really liked between Min U-won and another historian who was willing to let go of his position and to sacrifice his life for his religious belief.

I honestly appreciated my faith more because all this time (in my 26 years), I was and I am still reminded that all are equal - rich or poor - in the eyes of God. 💯😊✝️

- Friendship appreciation post: I loved how the friendship of the people in this series protected and cheered up each other.

It's always good to know that someone has your back - all the time. 😊✅💯

- Yo, I also loved the big reveal regarding the leads' identities. Goosebumps, everywhere! Especially...

SPOILER ALERT!

Especially when they confronted the king on the latter part of the series. Ooohweeee! Daebakkk!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

- Storywise, it's good. 💯

It talks about love, forgiveness, friendship, faith, loyalty, dignity and responsibility.

Kudos to the team for a job well done! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Cons:

- Okay... I have to admit, I did find the acting skills of Cha Eun Woo a little mediocre at the beginning. It was as if he wasn't ready for the role...

Some of his facial reactions were either exaggerated or repetitive... ✌🏻

But, let me tell you this. Do not let this bother you. He's got something in store for you on the latter part of the series. Do watch. 👍🏻😊✅

- I was a bit sad too when I heard that Cha Eun Woo was paired with Shin Se Kyung. My first impression on Shin Se Kyung is not that good. I honestly thought that her acting skill is not that impressive (Personal opinion, friends ✌🏻)

I have watched her in The Bride of Habaek and I was quite disappointed. Same with The Girl Who Sees Scents. 😔

But then again, all more reason to watch this because she really showed off what she's capable of. I've come to love her here because her acting prowess was showcased beautifully! 💕👏🏻👍🏻

- Again with the villain predictability. One can say that this story has the usual sageuk villain. ✌🏻

Soundtrack:

Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung OST

My personal favorite is Fall in Luv by Henry. It's the first track in the link provided above. 👆🏻👆🏻

Highly recommended for those who want to stray from conventional dramas. This one's fun and really enjoyable! You won't regret it! 💯👍🏻😊

CTTO Photos/GIFs/Music

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bottomdiluc · 5 years

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you are everything that is wrong with this fandom. fuck you for running out one of the nicest, sweetest artists that remained for some fucking fluff fanart that you took exception to. i hope one day when you grow up you'll realize the extent of the damage you and your anti kind have spread.

oh, you’re talking about that one sheef artist who told me that they don’t care if their actions hurt people, they’re gonna do what they please?

alrighty, lemme explain you something.

i don’t really care if you read this cause more than likely, you’re not gonna and you just wanted some moral superiority high out of this, but i’ve lost interest in this whole fiasco cause someone acted like getting criticized was the equivalent of death threats. i don’t have any sympathy for people who act like someone being uncomfortable is oppressing them and that really hurtful actions that are perpetuated is just the hurt person overreacting.

i sent that person 7 tweets in a convo they initiated, asking why people are upset at them drawing a canonically gay male character with women. they asked why their sh///llura doodle garnered such negative attention.

and here i come cause i had been considering following them cause i had seen their art around sometimes so i periodically check on blogs that i am considering following so i can scope out their opinions and make sure they don’t produce content i don’t want to see. i won’t excuse a person’s pretty content if they have terrible opinions.

so, here they are, saying their instagram, which i don’t have one, is a mess with people calling it gay erasure and homophobia, and they said they didn’t know why people were calling them homophobic for it. so, i had the idea in mind to approach them and tell them that yes, there are people who find it abhorrent to see people place gay or lesbian characters in m/f relationships. they have the right to feel uncomfortable and their personal reasons are valid.

i wasn’t really a fan of how they were reacting to the criticism and yeah, perhaps people were going overboard and being really rude, but the general consensus was the same and perhaps if it was stated calmly and differently and without “u deserve to die for drawing this i hope u get the electric chair” or “you should have been aborted” that usually accompanies those kinds of tweets.

so, this is what i told them:

see? that’s the first reply

i understand that people are less willing to listen to you when you come at them screaming and calling all kinds of insults and that your lack of civility will turn them off from wanting to read what you have to say.

in it, i addressed that yes, what you’re doing is engaging in harmful content and creating harmful content.

unfortunately, i can’t gather their response to show you, but i’m pretty sure you can go back through their replies and see what they told me.

they had said that it was censorship that people were imposing. they also remarked that they drew m/m content such as sh///nce and sheef, and that there isn’t any way they could be homophobic for drawing that

this is what i told them:

in their response to me was basically “i’ll do what i want, idc if people get upset at what i do, they can just block me and move on.”

and this is my response and the last time i engaged with them:

and here is basically me saying, “hey, don’t be upset if people are uncomfortable with what you’re doing and the depictions you’re creating”. i didn’t kick and scream and cry and call them all kinds of deplorable and terrible names, or @ them constantly and tell them to die or some shit like that.

this is all due to them being unable to handle people being upset at their actions and criticizing them and acting like people approaching them civilly is akin to sending death threats. y’all really need to stop thinking that your actions are free of criticism and consequences.

people are are affected by another’s actions, esp a minority group, expressing that they’re uncomfortable and hurt by what you do, and being told in the end:

and you know what? it’s not my fault or my problem that they’re acting childish and blaming people being upset and uncomfortable on them and brushing off any valid concerns.

i don’t give a fuck that they’re leaving, i don’t give a fuck that they blocked every single person that was telling them respectfully why they’re uncomfortable and acting like they were bullying and oppressing them. refusing to see what people have to say when they’re affected by your actions and perpetuating something that they have to suffer for in real life without care or refusing to take the steps to make sure you they cultivate it with concern and caution is pretty immature and dumb as hell.

i have no sympathy for someone who cries and whines about people being uncomfortable about their actions like biphobia or racism or misogyny, actual actions that are legit harmful and not “they like a ship i don’t! this makes me so mad!” kind of bullshit fandom has been producing and creating false dog whistles, who wants to participate in gay erasure and homophobia and then gets upset at others for their reaction to it.

like i said, i don’t care anymore, they can leave, they can take their sensitivity and thin skin somewhere else. it’s their problem that they don’t want to handle the backlash to their actions, esp ones that hold a heavy weight, for a situation that they created and decided that they couldn’t hold the power anymore and ran off cause it became too much.

fandom doesn’t absolve you of your behavior and people with hefty followings need to realize that their actions are going to reach a large audience. people with big followings tend to use those followings to garner sympathy and paint themselves as a victim of a situation they created and are looking to be excused and that their following can forgive them without doing anything to make up for their behavior.

you perpetuate hurtful behavior? you’re going to get people who won’t be intimidated by the amount of followers you have and and confront you.

i never harassed, bullied, or tried to do what i can to run them off; they chose to overreact to people affected by their actions and blame them for it. it’s not my fault that they’re upset about it, and i frankly don’t care that they didn’t like it.

like i said, this is the first and only time i’ve ever talked to them in 7 tweets, and somehow, that counts as bullying and trying to run people out of the fandom.

but hey, they should get a pass for their gay erasure and admit they know they’re doing it and that they’re gonna continue to produce content that is hurtful to others, and having no problem with seeing a gay character and deciding they don’t have to respect them or the audience it was intended for. all because they’re an artist and people wanna bend over backwards to make sure that assure that person that their hurtful actions are soothed.

but hey, poc or lgbt expressing concern over someone’s behavior are always seen as the aggressive ones out to ruin people’s fun cause they want people to “stop having that fun” cause the fun they’re having is hurting people.

and that is exactly what this artist is claiming, except knowing that their following is gonna believe them regardless of how in the wrong they were.

also, y’all really gotta stop acting like “anti” can be applied to every little situation that causes you infractions. someone letting you know that hey, this action hurts me and i’m concerned about your willingness to engage in it? not an anti. it’s not “anti-like” behavior to want respect and for your boundaries to be respected. it’s not anti behavior because they want you to stop perpetuating the very things that hurt or have hurt them.

yes, i can recognize an anti’s behavior because they use false narratives to push their agendas and will witch hunt people who engage in content they don’t like and will result to drastic measures to make sure someone doesn’t do that. anti behavior is misusing and abusing social justice language to paint their narrative as righteous regardless of what the situation is.

someone telling you that you’re erasing a canon gay character (you want all the interviews, podcasts, and gifs of them calling shiro “a gay man” and that his lack of reaction to women was supposed to be a hint at his sexuality? i can give you all of them but most of y’all a”ct like you can’t fuckin’ read any of the interviews since sdcc came out) and that it makes them uncomfortable? not an anti, but y’all are are acting like you’re being oppressed for people being upset about shipping a gay man with women. stop acting like the homophobia you’re engaging in is just some small, quirky thing you can ignore and that it’s okay to use because your interests need it to make it happen.

#askbox for ts #long post for ts #anywAYS idc about this cause it was dumb at the start #Anonymous

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writing-away-in-ingo · 3 years

Text

She Is

Create a scene involving two characters with a clear power dynamic, then reverse that dynamic.

I’ve been talking to this girl for about an hour now. When we started, she was already swaying a little, dizzy on her feet from just two mojitos. It was easy to ply her with a little more alcohol, to encourage her to open up to me just the right amount, so that in her mind, we’ve both been talking, sharing. She thinks I’m here by chance.

Across the dance floor, I see her, lift my hand in a wave. That’s a big part of it that most guys miss. You can’t be following the whole time, or they start to realise that you’re there for them, not the club, and then it all becomes too much. They get startled, sometimes you lose them. Give a little freedom at the start, give her a little trust, and she’ll follow you so much easier.

Right on cue, she stumbles over to me, unsteady on her neon platforms. Somewhere between the bathroom and the dance floor, she’s picked up another drink. I gently remove it from her hand and place it on the nearest table, and she sticks out her tongue at me. It’s another trick most people miss – if you’re constantly pushing the drinks on her, she’ll pick up on it, get flighty. I take her by the arm, gently righting her as she wobbles dangerously back towards the dance floor. She giggles, swatting at my hands, her tone and stance are playful.

“I wanna da-ance!” Her voice is loud, even over the blaring music pumping through the speakers. She bites her lip, flutters her eyelashes. “Come dance with me.”

“Oh, I know. But you’re plastered, love, and it’s getting late.”

She pulls me close, mock serious. The drink is sharp on her breath; she whispers, half into my shoulder, half into my ear. “I know.” The thought is inherently funny to her, and she spins around in a lazy loop, before her balance gets the better of her and she falls back against my shoulder, heels wobbling against the floor. I put my arm around her in a steadying motion, and she beams at me.

“I’m taking you home.”

The night air is frigid compared to the sweaty heat of the bar, but that doesn’t matter to me. I even slip off my jacket, gently placing it around her shoulders, every inch the gentleman. She angles her head backwards, half resting her head on my shoulder in her efforts to look me in the eye.

“Thank you.”

Her words are slurred, half formed in the quiet of the carpark. I give her my most chivalrous smile, pulling open the door to the passenger’s side.

“My lady.”

She laughs, flops down into the car with a graceless thump. I bend down and scoop her purse up from where it fell, soaked on one side with the rainwater gathered on the tarmac. Her fumbling fingers almost drop it again, and when I catch her hand in mine, she looks up at me, letting her head fall backwards onto the car-seat.

“Men are so mean sometimes. Where did you come from?”

My smile isn’t an answer, but she seems to take it as one, running her hands over the leather seat.

We make the drive in silence.

It’s hard to see in the darkness, but I can just about make out her shape on the bed, curled onto the side, her hair falling across her face. She wasn’t the type to fight back before, and now, I’m not sure she could if she wanted to. My jeans rustle as I move them down my legs.

Softly, I roll her onto her back, settling myself over her. My knees press into the mattress.

She whimpers, trying to curl in on herself, hands crossing over her chest. I laugh, low and soft.

“Shhh. I’ll be quick. Just relax.”

She’s moving, something is happening in the space between our stomachs. There’s something… sharp? It’s cold against my skin- I realise too late what it is, and by the time I’ve scrambled away, there’s already blood dripping down my abdomen. My heart pounds, so fast that I’m dizzy with it – I fall backwards off the bed and my back hits the floor, sending jitters of pain dancing up and down my spine.

“What the fuck? What did you-?”

There’s blood on my fingers. My blood. The thought is struggling to make it past my brain into reality – it won’t process the situation properly. She stabbed me. She had a knife, has a knife. I’m in danger.

My body won’t move.

On the bed, I see the girl shift, swinging her legs over the edge. Suddenly she doesn’t seem so small anymore. Her stance is straighter, her eyes are clear. My sluggish brain frantically peddles – she was so drunk she could barely stand; I saw it, I knew it. How is this happening?

She crouches down next to me, her eyes fixed on my face. Her expression is an awful mask, mingled fury and exuberance. I try to squirm away, but she places a hand on my chest, holding me in place. My heart hammers frantically under her bitten fingernails.

“You’re not going to die. Not just yet.”

I snap up at her: “I was kind to you. Anyone in that bar could have taken you anywhere. You could be dead, you could be-”

“Being assaulted?” She raises an eyebrow, swings the knife in a lazy arc.

I clutch the wound in my side, feeling the pain flare up. “You were drunk, you were fucking drunk, you lying bitch.”

She looms over me, tilting her head to look me in the eye. Then, without a word, she raises her foot, and brings it down on my head. Mercifully, the impact is enough to knock me into unconsciousness.

When I come to again, she’s staring out of the window. My hands and feet are bound. The wound in my stomach is still lazily oozing blood. It can’t have been too long, or I’d be dead already.

“The first time this happened to me, I wasn’t prepared for it. I didn’t struggle, or fight. I just sort of… froze. He was so pleased with himself. I guess I should be thankful for that. He finished quick, didn’t waste time. I didn’t know how to tell him how scared I was, how much I wanted him to stop.”

“I’m going to assume you’re the kind of person who thinks I was asking for it because I didn’t know how to say no.” She crouches in front of me, waves the knife in my face. “Are you that kind of person, Liam?” I flinch away, unable to speak. The knife hovers in front of my nose for just a second too long, then she pulls it away.

“I have a question. You know a lot about this girl you met; she was drunk, she was sloppy, she was a tease. I’m willing to bet you could pick her out of a line up, her body, her hair.” She’s pacing again, circling my body. I have the awful notion this is what a gazelle feels like on one of those nature programs, the moment before it’s pounced on.

“Just one little question, and then I might consider letting you go.”

She crouches down, and I feel her long hair tickle my throat.

“What’s my name?”

My mind struggles to find the answer and comes up blank. Did she tell me? She must have. I categorise the facts I’ve gleaned about her in my mind.

1. Ex-smoker

2. Graduated uni last year

3. Lives alone

4. No siblings

5. Few friends

I stare up at her, and she knows.

“You didn’t even notice, did you? Too focused on trying to get me to get in your car, in your bed.”

Her voice, soft at first, is getting louder. She spits the words like venom.

“Think of all the women you might do this to. Think of all those who came before me. Those are people that you hurt, Liam. I can’t let you do it again.”

I feel eerily calm.

Against my neck, I feel the cool edge of the knife, then a flash of warmth, then-

Story Planning:

- Introduce the male character and establish his position at the club

- Move him and the girl back to his apartment

- Reveal her as sober and murderous

- Kill him

#posted22.11.20

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siderealscribblings · 7 years

Note

I'm sorta confused why it seems so many people ship Gabrinette. Not only is it a no-no because of the child grooming thing you were talking about, but I don't see much going for it otherwise? I'm not trying to be rude I just don't get it, even if they were both adults they don't seem very compatible. What do you think?

Short answer: I don’t understand it either; I block it. I block and unfollow people who post it and honestly I haven’t seen any Gabbunette content in months. I highly suggest you do the same, nonny; it makes for a much better Tumblr experience.

Long Answer/A Mountain of Ship-Hate under the cut.

I don’t know, it’s especially skeevy when you consider Marinette hero-worships Gabriel and the degree of influence he has over her career/art. The thing they have going for them is “fashion” and a common theme I’ve noticed is Marinette “redeeming” Gabriel through love (as though it’s a girl’s job to suffer so a villain can be a better person). It’s quite a bit like Rey-Lo in that regard, where an assertive female character is relegated to sex-fuel for the conventionally attractive(???) male villain to consume and be transformed by. It’s the “Beauty and the Beast” shit stripped of any subtly and reduced to wish fulfillment by people who want to see their precious villainous favs redeemed.

Gabriel is also a rich White Man, and people see him as inherently worth redeeming while arguing that characters like Lila and Chloe (a child who’s biggest sin is that she’s selfish and bitchy) are irredeemable akuma causers/the real monsters behind the menace threatening Paris. People are quick to hop over the fact that Gabriel is willing to brainwash and kill (Timebreaker anyone?) to get his hands on something that doesn’t belong to him, and has been shown to be nothing but aloof, distant, and controlling to his own child.

This is excusable because he’s attractive(okay really? really, people? I know I’m new to this liking guys thing but come on.) and White to the point where people are so desperate to believe that he isn’t actually Hawkmoth (despite sharing facial features, voice actors, and an obsession with Adrien’s mother). I bet you money that no one would stan Gabe so hard if he wasn’t paler than raw bread dough and affluent. And I bet you money no one would ship him with the protagonist either.

Like people would rather ship Marinette with a man her father’s age (or older) than with Nino or Kim or any of her female classmates. Like until very recently, the Gabrinette and Ninette tags on Ao3 were dead even and there’s still so much more content shipping a teenager with a grown ass villain than there is shipping her with a kind, supportive POC her own goddamn age. They would rather see Marinette with someone who routinely neglects her friends than with a girl whose biggest crime is telling a white lie. They leap over the diverse cast of characters to pair the hero of the story with a shallow, cruel, and frankly unattractive white man to satisfy some kind of carnal desire. And the fact that so much of it’s NSFW makes my skin itch.

This is not an invitation to explain to me why I should buy into a ship that requires so much mental gymnastics to remove most of its toxicity. I don’t care if you use it to cope; I don’t care if you bend over backwards to erase the power imbalances inherent in the relationship. I don’t care if there’s good art or good stories because I want nothing to do with it. So if you stumble on this and feel compelled to try and explain to me why Marinette belongs with a fifty year old with delusions of supervilliany, please save yourself the time. As it is your right to interact with fiction in whatever way you want to, it is my right to voice my disgust with fandom trends that are quite frankly appalling to me.

#ship hate #Anonymous

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justcantexplain · 6 years

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I Was A Lonely Soul (SL with @ToANewThing)

Callie: ~I was nervous about this dinner. I didn’t know what Kadin had in mind for this shoot. But I wanted to get together with him to just catch up. It had been a while since the two of us were in the same city. And I needed him to understand that I wasn’t willing to do much of anything if there was a guy involved in the shoot.

I knew he wasn’t going to understand. It wasn’t going to be that simple. But I could only hope that things would work out the way I needed them to. Kadin was a guy that tried to understand what I was going through. But I wasn’t sure if he was going to understand all of this. And I was taking a chance on coming down here. I didn’t even know where Kadin called home. I just know that he stayed somewhere when he wasn’t travelling.

I knew I was running a little late. But we were just doing a casual dinner. I couldn’t deal with going anywhere high class. I just wanted to be in a pair of ripped jeans and a pair of converse. I needed to be comfortable. And that was another good thing about having dinner with Kadin. He wasn’t the type of guy that wanted to go out to a fancy place just because he had a girl on his arm. At least, not me. I was never going to be that girl for him. And he knew that. It was something I think he appreciated with me. I didn’t expect him to bend over backwards to make me happy.

But at the same time, I had asked him out to dinner tonight. Maybe I should have been taking him out to some swanky place. But I knew that wasn’t the relationship we had. We never had to pretend with the other person. We just were. And it was refreshing. I didn’t have to pretend I wanted a relationship with him. I didn’t have to do anything that would compromise our friendship. We could just exist.

Tying my plaid shirt around my hips, I looked at myself in the mirror one more time. Dinner was going to be simple. Just two friends catching up at a burger joint. The problem was going to be the drive. It was a 20 minute drive to The Counter in Santa Monica from my hotel. But Kadin had gotten me hooked on these burgers on one of my first visits out here.

After making sure I had all of my keys, I grabbed my bag and started out towards my car. I wasn’t sure what traffic was going to be like on the 405, but it didn’t matter. I just needed a few minutes to clear my head. I needed the courage to tell Kadin what had happened. I had to figure out a way to beg him to help me find a place to stay.~

Kadin: -I wasn’t certain why Callie had asked me out to dinner with her, but it wasn’t as if this were the first time that had happened. We’d worked together for a very long time, and we’d been friends almost the entire time. Heading out for burgers with her was something we always did every time she was in the city. I was grabbing a taxi out to The Counter to meet her. It was one of her favorite spots here in the city. She insisted we go there whenever she visited.

I could tell this wasn’t one of those normal times when she’d called, though. There was something in her voice that made me think that things weren’t just her normal social call, and that was alright too. I was her friend far more than I was just her photographer. We worked together a lot, but the relationship wasn’t just professional. That’s not to say that it was romantic either. Callie was gorgeous. There was a reason she was a model, but I saw her as more of a sister than anything else. It was kind of important to me that she was alright, though.

I was just looking forward to seeing her again and finding out what had been up in her life. It was always good to catch up with her. Never mind that I had an idea about a photoshoot that involved both her and Sin. Since I’d met Sin, I’d had a lot more ideas bouncing around in my head than normal. I was serious when I told her she was my muse, and having her work with my friend and favorite model was just a natural fit.

The ride out there was short. It was the time of day there wasn’t insane traffic, and Shaun and Elle lived on the same side of town as the restaurant. Staying with them when I was in town was a pretty natural fit, too. They were the two people who had taken me and made me feel like family since I’d arrived here in Los Angeles. It seemed like my makeshift family of people here in the states was growing by leaps and bounds lately. It was a good feeling to have. It meant I didn’t feel so alone here in a big world, half a planet away from where I’d grown up.-

Callie: ~I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face as Kadin got out of the car. This was the way it needed to be. I needed someone that I could just talk to. And Kadin was that person. I didn’t hesitate in wrapping my arms around his stomach and hugging him close to me. I needed to feel this. I had to know that there was someone there for me. Kadin might not have known what was actually going on, but he was there for me regardless. Telling him was going to be easy.

We didn’t say a word as we walked into the burger joint and ordered. We took a seat at a small booth while we waited for our food to come. I was nervous about what was going on. There was no doubt about that. But I needed to open up to him. But it wasn’t something I could just throw on his plate. Besides, I was curious about what I was doing down here.~ So you requested me as Han Solo. That’s a first, Kade. You never ask to photograph me in specific costumes. Normally, it’s just whatever I have finished.

~I gave him a smile as I raised a brow at him. I was genuinely curious about what was going on. But it also put me on edge. People liked the idea of gender bending. It was something I, obviously, did. But I wasn’t sure if I was ready to pose with a male Leia. There would be a certain amount of trust needed to jump into that photoshoot, and I wasn’t sure I could give that amount of trust in the time I had. And once Kadin had the information I was holding back, he’d understand why it was something I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do.~

I trust you, Kadin. But even I’m a little concerned about what I’m doing down here. And if you tell me it’s because you have a whole big scheme, I’m going to kick you in the shins. No schemes.

Kadin: -It was always good to see Callie. She pulled me in for a hug, and I finished it off with an extra squeeze. I could tell from the look on her face that she needed it. I was expecting the next thing that came out of her mouth. I had been cryptic on the phone when I’d made my request. Requests usually weren’t our thing. I’d call her up and find out what she had ready or what she wanted to try out and we’d go for a photoshoot on that. This was a bit different.-

Well, I always have a scheme, Callie. That’s not something, but this one kind of is. I have a model I wanted you to work with, someone I thought you’d get along famously with as a matter of fact. The two of you have a lot in common. Besides, I figured you’d like to meet my new girlfriend, anyway. She makes a hell of a Leia.

-I could tell from the expression on her face that hadn’t been what she was expecting me to say. I wasn’t certain what she was looking for. She was good at changing the sex of a character. She could play it off to a T. She was good at playing a female as well. Callie was just sort of a natural born actress when it came to costumes and photography. Why she hadn’t tried her hand at being in a movie or one of the thousand television pilots that got shot around here every day was beyond me, but she liked what she did. I understood that kind of passion.

Giving up something that could make you famous or rich for something that made you happy wasn’t always the easiest road, but it lead to the best kind of satisfaction in the end. That was something I wanted for my friend in spades, and something she most certainly deserved.-

Something’s up with you. Isn’t it? Just tell me to shut up if I’m being too nosy.

-I knew there was something she wasn’t saying. I could see it written all over her face, but I wasn’t trying to push her. She was free not to answer me, but something told me she was ready to have it out in the air between the two of us.-

Callie: ~I could only shake my head as Kadin brought up modelling with his girlfriend. Good for him. I was happy he had someone who made him happy. It made it even better when he said she made a hell of a Leia. That meant it was just the two of us doing the shoot. It made my nerves calm a little bit. I didn’t have to worry about a guy hitting on me the entire time. I wasn’t entirely ready to make that move.

But Kadin was right. I was hiding something from him. And it was something I needed to just come out with. I wasn’t sure how much of the story I was going to be able to tell him, but I needed him to know some of it. I needed him to know that I was seriously considering LA as a new home.~ How did you decide to stay in LA? I know England is where you’re really from. But you stick around LA. There has to be a reason for that. And if I’m going to make the decision to call Los Angeles home, than I need to know why you did it.

~I gave the man across from me a sad smile. There was still so much to the story. But I wasn’t sure how much to tell him. For now, I could just get the information I needed from him. I needed to know that I wasn’t going to be here alone. I needed to figure out if I had a family here that would help me if I needed it. I was suddenly completely unsure of what I was doing. I was second guessing everything, but I needed someone to tell me that this was a good idea. And maybe Kadin was meant to be that person.~

Kadin: -I didn’t know what to make of the questions Callie was asking. How did I decide to stay in LA? This place hadn’t been home for me at first. It was the people here who made it home. I was born in England, but I’d come here for work. It was the second family I’d built here that made me feel like I needed to stay. She was part of that second family, even if she wasn’t from Los Angeles. She worked here just like I did, the only difference was that she stayed in a hotel when she was in the city, and I stayed with friends. Something was up. She was talking about calling Los Angeles home, and I had a million questions. I just wasn’t sure that right now was the best moment to ask.

I took a long drink from the cup of water in front of me as I thought over my response to her question. I wanted to say something real to her. She deserved that much.-

I mean… I came here to work. You know that. This is where all the photography and modelling jobs, so when I came here from England, it was either here or New York. New York and the east coast are too much like back home. I would have been homesick, and to be honest, I just wanted to see California. You hear all kinds of things about Los Angeles growing up in England, believe it or not. That’s why I came, but that’s not why I stayed.

I stayed because I found a family here. I found a place that made me feel like I belonged. I found work that made me feel like I was doing something I was good at and something that I loved. I found friends like you and Shaun and Elle. Shaun and Elle gave me a place to live in their home so I wasn’t in and out of hotel rooms every time I was in the city. It turned into a second home. And now, I’ve found Jaysin. She’s amazing, and just another thing on the growing list of things that makes me want to stay here. I’m going to have a godchild soon. I wanted to stay here and build a life, even though it’s half a world away from where I started life.

Callie: ~I could only nod my head as Kadin spoke. I had heard nothing but good things from him about Shaun and Elle. They were the two he was closest to. They always had been. He held them up on a pedestal because they took care of him. But it was something I loved for him. He needed it. And he confirmed what I had always thought. Him and I were very close friends. More like siblings. It was the way it had always been with us. It was something I was content with.

But I knew he was wondering what was going on. He needed to know why I was asking these questions. And he knew how I felt about Napa. He knew I loved it up there. And, for a time, there was nothing that could pull me away from that place.

I could only play with the fries on my plate as I tried to think about what was going on in my head. I needed to figure out what was happening. I needed to put all of this out on the table for Kadin. I needed his help.~

There was an accident at the vineyard. Mom and Dad died, and I realized that I couldn’t stay there. I couldn’t be haunted by what had happened. And I wanted to start fresh. San Francisco is too close to Napa to be of any help. And I knew you were based down here. So I was considering moving down here. I just don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing. I don’t know what steps I’m supposed to be taking. I don’t know anyone except you. And I have nowhere else to go.

~My shoulders rose and fell in a shrug as I tore my eyes away from the man across from me. I wasn’t sure what else I was supposed to do. But I was baring my soul to him. I just wasn’t ready to tell him exactly what the accident was. I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready to explain how that was all my fault. That was a blame I wasn’t ready to let go of.~

Kadin: -I hadn’t known anything had happened to Callie’s parents. Part of me wanted to ask her why, but I understood that sometimes there were things you just couldn’t bring yourself to tell everyone. She’d gotten through it on her own, though I’d wished I could have been there for her. I didn’t even want to think about what that situation felt like.

Callie loved Napa, but I knew that it probably felt like she didn’t have anything left for her there. I understood the urge to get away from everything you’d known and dive into a whole new world. I didn’t want her to be alone in the decision to move, and I didn’t want her to feel like she had no one left to lean on. I may not have had a place to offer her to move into, but I did have a support system I could call into play here.-

Listen, Callie. I live with Elle and Shaun here in the city, but I know a ton of people. I’m sure the girls can figure something out. I just don’t want you alone. If you want a change of scenery, we can make that happen. I’ve got you. I promise.

Callie: ~I let out a sigh of relief. I needed to take a breath. I had no reason to think that Kadin wouldn’t help me. I knew, for a fact, that he was going to absolutely move heaven and Earth to get me in a comfortable place. I just didn’t know what else to say to him about what happened. But that was the beauty of having Kade as a friend. I didn’t have to come out with everything right then. It could come out with time.

But I was interested in his tiny family here in Los Angeles. I wanted to be prepared in case I was going to become a permanent fixture down here. But the one person I wanted to know more about was the girl. She put a smile on his face. And it was something I had been hoping he would find. I wanted him to be happy. I think most people would have wanted that for their friends.~

So tell me about Jaysin. Am I going to be the one that has to play big sister? Do I need to give her a warning about breaking your heart? ~I wanted to lighten up the mood. I knew that bringing up my parents was going to bring everything down. But I needed to bring everything back to a happy place. And if that meant bringing up Kade’s girlfriend, then I was going to do it.~ Tell me about her, Kadin. I need to know about her before we work together.

Kadin: -I knew Callie was changing the subject, but it was something she clearly needed to do. If she was going to move here to Los Angeles, then I was going to do everything I was capable of to make her feel welcome here. I’d already told Sin about her, even before I’d gotten the idea for the two of them to do a photoshoot together, but I didn’t get to talk to Callie as often as I would like, so I hadn’t had the chance to talk to her about Sin or any of the rest.-

So, I know you remember how I got the job at ComicCon awhile back. I was photographing cosplayers, and I saw her there. She was Princess Leia there too actually… Which is how I know her costume is amazing. She was the first person I ran into, and I couldn’t stop myself from asking her out to dinner afterwards. I just got lucky that she lived here in Los Angeles, and I also happened to find out she might be Elle’s oldest friend as well.

-I laughed, shaking my head as I ran a hand over my eyes. It had been an interesting coincidence, but it was more than that. It had always felt like fate to me, like we were meant to have met each other. I wasn’t normally the kind of guy who believed in destiny, but when something was right, it was right. And I knew that Sin and I were right.-

Callie: ~I couldn’t help the laugh that spilled out as he told me he met his girl at ComicCon. I had told him on more than one occasion that I refused to be surprised by the fact that he would meet a cosplayer her was in love with. And if his girl was the one I was thinking of, I wasn’t entirely surprised. Jaysin Bankcroft was a name that was steadily getting bigger in the cosplay world. She was good at what she did. Even if her builds tended to be on the smaller side.

I felt a rush of energy roll through me as I realized what that meant for tomorrow. I was going to be shooting with her. And I felt the nerves. I knew I was good at shooting by myself. But introducing someone else into the mix could be a disaster. And the fact that it was someone like Jaysin almost scared me a little.~

Of course. You ended up with the next big thing in cosplay. Gotta tell you, Kade. I’m not exactly sure how I feel about shooting with her. She makes me nervous as hell. Am I going to be able to hold a flame next to her?

~I knew Kadin had his personal opinion. No one was as beautiful as his girlfriend. But he was a photographer. I was mildly interested to see how his work came out after the two of us were in a shot together. Would his feelings get the better of him, or would he absolutely remain professional about it all?~ Just don’t screw me over, Kadin. I know she’s your girlfriend, but I need you to focus on me, too.

Kadin: -As much as I was into photography and all of that world, I sometimes found myself oblivious to the trends in the way things were going. I wasn’t surprised that Callie knew Jaysin’s name, exactly. For as many cosplayers as there were, the world of professional cosplay was tiny. If someone was good at what they did, word got around, and I was very certain that Sin was very good at what she did.

I also understood her concern that my focus was going to be on Sin. I could have shot her alone for the rest of my life and been content, but shooting her with someone I considered family was an exciting prospect.

I held up one hand and grinned over at my friend from across the table.- Scouts honor. I’ll give you as much film space as her. I wouldn’t be doing my job properly if I didn’t make you both look good. Besides, I wouldn’t screw over family, Callie. You know me, and if you think I’m not putting enough focus on you, then you have my permission to kick me in the shins.

-laughing as the waitress stopped by to put our food down on the table between the two of us as I playfully nudged her shin with my foot under the table.-

Callie: ~I could only roll my eyes as the food was placed in front of us. I nodded my thanks to the waitress before I went back to paying attention to the man across from me. There was still so much to talk about. I needed him to know what was going through my mind, though. He may not have the full story, but I needed him to understand some things.~

No trying to hook me up with anyone, Kadin. I’m fucking serious. I just want to get myself settled before I think about the next step. And I don’t even have a place to settle into. So no trying to hook me up. Just let me hang out with your family. Let me get to know them. Let me figure out why you picked the family that you did.

~I shook my head before looking down at the burger on my plate. I still wasn’t entirely sure what the hell I was doing here. I didn’t know if this was the right move for me to be making. But there was only so much I could do. And I needed a fresh start. I didn’t need to be haunted by what had happened up north.~

Kadin: -I understood why Callie was asking what she was asking. I hadn’t thought about setting her up with anyone, but I didn’t know how the girls were going to be once they got to know her. As much as I loved them all in their own ways, I never quite understood them all. Maybe it was a side effect of being a guy. I just wasn’t ever going to fully understand them. I was glad Callie wanted to get to know all of them, but the first step to things was going to be to introduce her to everyone and work on trying to find her a place to live-

Alright, I promise. No set ups. We’ll figure out the living situation. I don’t want you staying in a hotel longer than you have to, so I’ll ask around and see if anyone knows of anything for you. Maybe Elle or Sin know something. They’re more familiar with things around here than I am.

-I leaned in with a grin and lowered my voice- It’s going to be good to have you around. It’s like having more family here. I could always use more family. I’m going to make sure this works out for you, Cal.

Callie: ~I could only give Kadin a smile as he said he’d make sure it all worked out. That was part of the reason I loved him the way that I did. We were both willing to make moves for the other one. But I needed to remember that he was just as new to LA as I was. Even if he had lived here longer, he was always away doing work.

But it was easy to fall back into this relationship. He was the one person I knew I could depend on. And I trusted in that. I wanted him to be happy. And I wanted him to have a family. Having us all in one place would give him more of a reason to finally settle in one spot.~

Why haven’t you put down roots yet, Dude? I mean, you have a girl that seems to want you around. You could just settle in with her. It would probably make Shaun and Elle happy. They could have their house back to themselves.

Kadin: -it was funny that she asked me that just now. Moving in together was something that Sin and I had discussed. She’d asked me to come live with her last week as a matter of fact. It was definitely something I had considered. Shaun and Elle had a baby on the way, they were married, and they were going to need their space with everything they had coming.

I hadn’t put down roots because it felt weird making a home so far from where I’d started, but with Sin in the picture it was feeling more and more right every day-

I mean, I’ve definitely thought it over. She’s asked me to come live with her. There are a few things to consider. I don’t want to hurt Shaun’s feelings, but I think it’s going to happen sooner rather than later. You’re right about them needing their space back. They have a baby on the way soon so I’m pretty sure at least one of the rooms is turning into a nursery. And as much as Uncle Kadin is going to be around making their lives interesting, I think maybe it’s better it happen from a little more distance. I travel a lot, but so does she. Sometimes it’s weeks before we’re in the same city at the same time. Even then, it still works.

Callie: ~That was an odd way of saying things. Kadin was afraid of hurting Shaun’s feelings. That made him a better friend than I could have imagined. But there was something going on there. There had to be. Kadin was holding off from making a move that he wanted to do because he was afraid of hurting his best friend. I could only tilt my head to the side as I thought about that.~

What’s going on, Kadin? Are you using Shaun as an excuse to not let yourself do something, or is there a problem with you leaving Shaun behind? ~The only thing I could do was wait for him to answer. If I tried to analyze the situation, I was going to be too critical. And this was something that Kadin didn’t need. He needed support. He needed to be able to talk to someone. Someone that wasn’t going to judge. And here I was.

It seemed like Kadin had no one to talk to about this. It was bothering him. Regardless of what the situation was, it almost seemed he felt trapped. And that was something that I hated. I didn’t want him to be trapped. I didn’t want him second guessing what he wanted to do. If he needed someone to sit here and listen to what was going on in his life, I was going to do it. After all, he had been doing the same thing for me since we had gotten here.~

Kadin: -I hadn’t had much of anyone to talk to about what was going on between Shaun and Sin since all of this began. I couldn’t talk to Shaun without him shutting down, and if I brought his name up to Sin it ruined her mood completely. I couldn’t blame her. He’d been a right twat since the two of us had gotten together and he figured out who my date had been at ComicCon. I hadn’t spoken to Callie enough since all of this happened to even tell her I had a girlfriend, but I knew I could confide in her.-

He’s scared he’s going to lose his best friend. And it doesn’t help that it’s to the only person who could possibly talk Elle out of being with him in spite of the fact that she’s head over heels in love with him. Of all the people on earth, Sin scares him the most. And he’s the kind of person who lashes out at their fears. Usually it makes him endearing, right now it makes him an asshole. The two of them are in a spiral I don’t think they know how to stop. I certainly don’t have any idea how to make it better, and I’m pretty sure Elle is at the end of her rope too. It’s making for a pretty tense situation. I was hoping that some time would make everything better, that he would see that nothing is changing between the two of us, but it hasn’t done much. Mostly I think he doesn’t know how to stop.

-I looked across the table with her and shrugged. I didn’t know any more succinct way to put all of this that was happening. Callie didn’t know how stubborn Shaun could be. I did. It was just a matter getting him out of being an absolute bullheaded prat. -

Callie: ~Now I could understand why he was hesitating to leave Shaun. And there were some ideas rolling through my head about how to fix that. But I didn’t want to be the person that just rushed into everything just to fix it and leave. I wanted Kadin to understand that this could stay between the two of us.~

So Shaun is being an asshole. And it doesn’t sound like Sin is being much better. I know she’s your girlfriend, Kade. But you need to look at it objectively. If you can’t bring up Sin to Shaun or Shaun to Sin, then you need to force them into a room together. One of them may not come out alive, but something good could happen. It’s a matter of do you want to take that chance? And with the predicament you’re in, I don’t think you can afford to have them at each other’s throat.

Kadin: -She was right, and the two of them had been avoiding any mention of each other since all this had happened. If we let them cocoon up like that, pretty soon there was going to be no way of getting them out of that mode and living with each other. It wasn’t fair to Elle to be stuck in the middle of their argument. I felt worse about that as the days went on. I knew deep down Shaun felt bad about it too. He just wasn’t good with things that involved feelings especially when he felt insecure. He was just going to have to get over it though. The time for the two of them to have a real serious talk was here-

You’ve got a point. And I think I’ve got an idea. I know Elle’s ready for all of this to be over. Truth be told we all are. It’s just that some of us are more honest about it than the rest.

-Hanging out with Callie was always nice. She was a good sounding board and she had a good head on her shoulders even when she thought she didn’t.-

Callie: ~I nodded my head. That was exactly what Kadin needed to do. He needed to force them into a space together. They had to talk about what was going on. Everyone around them could probably see it. And I wasn’t even around them yet. I was almost afraid for what would happen the first time I walked into the same space as the two of them.

Rolling my eyes at the man that was my brother for all intents and purposes, I nodded down to the empty plates in front of us. The night was just beginning in LA, but we both knew we had an early morning. Even if the shoot wasn’t planned until the middle of the day, there was still a lot that needed to be done.~ You ready to go home? You’re not catching a cab. I brought my car. I’ll just drive you home.

~Kadin gave me that easy smile as we both stood from the table. We both had an understanding. This was a fresh beginning for both of us. I’d be here to help him with the entire Sin and Shaun situation, and he was going to help me set up roots. I wasn’t entirely sure what was about to happen, but this was something that we both needed. He needed a friend that wasn’t in the inner circle, and I needed a family. And eventually, we’d blend everything together. But it was going to take time. And time was something I had. For once, time wasn’t choking me.~

#IWasALonelySoul

#OC #OC RP #RolePlay

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aterriblethought · 7 years

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Yuri Katsuki is A-Spec, Pt. 2

As promised, here is part two of my analysis of Yuri as a-spec! You can read part one here. This time we’re looking at episodes 6 through 12, rounding out the season. It goes without saying, but spoilers (and lots of images) are ahead!

If I could sum up the progression of the show, it’s probably in the parallel paths of Yuri’s confidence as a figure skater, and Yuri’s relationship to Victor. Neither of these paths are straight; they have highs and lows, sometimes taking a step forward and two steps backward. I think what many people respond in Yuri on Ice is the growing intimacy between Yuri and Victor, an intimacy that’s not often seen between male characters in anime (even in BL!) – and I don’t mean that at all in a sexual way. Yuri and Victor grow towards and away from each other in both emotional and physical ways. It dances around the idea of being sexual without ever crossing the line. In that way, their relationship comes across as strongly romantic without being particularly sexual.

If you’re thinking “but wait a minute! What about…” yeah, I’m getting to that. There are plenty of times in the show that we see expressions of physical intimacy between Yuri and Victor, such as hugging, hand-holding, or generally crossing the boundaries of intimate physical space between two people. However, often times, these expressions are initiated by Victor, who also doesn’t have any particular reservations with doing any of this in full view of the public!

In episode six, we see a very drunk Victor hanging all over a flustered Yuri practically naked. In episode eight, he kisses Yuri’s skate at the Kiss and Cry. They hug so often there’s too many to mention. But of course, the big one everyone was talking about was “the kiss” in episode seven (pictured above).

In the show, it’s impossible to tell if their lips actually made contact; each successive shot deliberately obscures their angle to each other, and by the time the camera pulls out, their faces are next to each other.

However, the in-show audience reacts to it, and, according to Word of God, it really was a kiss. My point is, again, this is something that Victor does in the heat of the moment after Yuri surprises Victor by skating Victor’s signature move, the quadruple flip, as part of his free skate routine. If they ever kiss on the lips again, we don’t see it in the show, and we don’t see Yuri initiate it.

So, this isn’t to say that Victor’s physical attention is unwanted, or that Yuri himself never initiates anything. Most of the time, Yuri either looks flustered at the physical attention, or just doesn’t react much. We also see this sort of reaction which another skater, Chris, full on grabs Yuri’s ass during a competition. I would have expected Yuri to jump away, but other than looking a bit flustered, he doesn’t particularly acknowledge it, even when Chris makes a couple dirty comments about it.

We do see Yuri get unexpectedly assertive towards Victor a few times, and it’s almost always motivated by an outside force. In episode six, Chris tries to guilt Yuri for taking Victor out of competition to be his coach. Later, when Yuri is about to take the ice for his short program, he presses his face close to Victor’s.

While skating, his thoughts bend in a somewhat possessive way towards Victor. “I’m the only one who can satisfy Victor. I’m the only one in the whole world who knows Victor’s love.” As usual with a lot of lines in this show, there’s a lot of double entendre going on. On the one hand, this can sound like a very sexual thought. On the other hand, as I’ve mentioned and as we’ve seen so far in the show, Yuri is very focused on skating for Victor and proving he was worth Victor’s time and attention. When he talks about satisfying Victor he could just as well be talking about satisfying Victor with his skating, and when he talks about Victor’s love, he talks about it as he understands it – Victor’s time and attention and their emotional connection together through the ice.

In some cases, Yuri acting assertive towards Victor is just that, an act. I’m sure from Yuri’s point of view, he sees it as jealously guarding Victor’s attention and instruction towards himself. Possibly an outside viewer would see it differently, though. In episode eight, he tugs on Victor’s tie before taking the ice.

He says to Victor that the “performance has already begun”, and again, there’s a double meaning to this – both that Yuri should be out on the ice already, and that he’s more literally performing for the audience. Once he’s on the ice, he thinks “that was embarrassing”, but that he’d done it to intimidate the Russian crowd that possibly does not expect much of him, and may even be resentful for taking a star Russian skater like Victor out of competition.

Of course, probably the most assertive we see Yuri is also the instance that Yuri doesn’t remember, and the twist at the end of episode ten. At a banquet the previous year, when Yuri placed dead last at the Grand Prix Final, Yuri consoles himself by getting blackout drunk off of champagne. At the end of the episode we see many hilarious shots of Yuri getting progressively more undressed as he challenges Yurio to a dance off, and then dances on a pole with Chris (who brought a stripper pole to the banquet??). In the end, we see him practically grinding on Victor, asking Victor to be his coach. Definitely no one else has forgotten this incident, and I wonder sometimes if it isn’t why Victor is so forward with Yuri. I’m not sure if it’s worth arguing that how Yuri acted when he was drunk was the “real” Yuri in any way. Most people act much differently when they’re drunk than when they’re sober. Even if Yuri acted in a more sexual manner than usual while drunk, it’s not a particular reflection of his sexuality, any more than a straight person kissing their own gender while drunk would be an indication that they’re gay. In any case, Yuri’s forgotten all about the incident. It’s a bit of a mystery if Yuri asking Victor to be his coach while drunk and mostly naked had any bearing on Victor’s decision to become Yuri’s coach.

Sober Yuri’s highly aware of himself as a reflection of Victor, to the point it makes him a bit neurotic and compromises his skating. In episode seven we see an intensely anxious Yuri, nervous that his potential mistakes could reflect badly on Victor’s coaching, and wondering if Victor secretly doesn’t want to be his coach. Unsure how to deal with Yuri’s nerves, Victor tries to motivate Yuri by essentially attacking him, saying that if Yuri messes up and misses out on the podium, he’ll resign as Yuri’s coach. It backfires; Victor’s essentially confirmed all of Yuri’s worst fears, and Yuri immediately bursts into tears. Unsure what to do, Victor offers to kiss him. Similar to Yuri’s reaction to Victor proposing they be a couple, Yuri puts his foot down and insists on what he really wants.

“Just have more faith than I do that I’ll win. You don’t have to say anything. Just stand by me.” Yuri’s not looking for a physical expression of Victor’s love; he wants Victor’s trust and confidence.

This isn’t to say that Yuri doesn’t understand the sort of power there is in a physical expression of love or reassurance. When Victor has to leave Yuri at the end of episode eight to fly back to Japan for an emergency, he tells Yuri to turn to his temporary coach for a hug if he needs it. After skating a flawed performance in episode nine, a zombie-like Yuri turns to just about everyone for physical reassurance, whether they’re willing to give it or not.

When Yuri and Victor finally see each other again at the end of the episode, they race along the security wall at the airport and into each other’s arms. In the fit of the moment, when Yuri is feeling more lost and unsure than ever, he asks Victor “Please be my coach until I retire.”

Again, on the surface, Yuri is talking about skating. Underneath that, Victor interprets the intention behind it (“please don’t leave me alone again”) as a marriage proposal... though it’s unsure whether Victor’s serious about that.

To complicate matters, in the next episode, Yuri and Victor hit the town in Barcelona to go shopping and take Yuri’s mind off of the upcoming finals. Yuri decides to buy Victor and himself matching gold rings, as a “lucky charm” for his performance in the upcoming final, and as a thank you gift for Victor. It doesn’t seem like Yuri himself realized the marriage connection with matching rings, until he’s eating dinner with the other skaters later, and Pichit interprets the rings as marriage rings. Victor doesn’t help matters much either by calling them engagement rings, a promise to get married when Yuri wins gold. It’s probably not a coincidence the rings are gold. Yuri’s mind is set on the idea that the only way to really prove himself to Victor, and the world, is by winning gold.

I think kind of like wedding rings, Yuri saw the rings as a symbol of his connection to Victor. As he becomes more and more dependent on Victor, he feels a need to be close to him at all times, and the ring becomes something of a symbol of their bond together. In episode eleven we see them kissing the rings, or Victor kissing Yuri’s ring, as another indication of the rings as an intimate connection between the two of them.

That connection is tested a bit when Yuri doesn’t perform as well as expected in his short program for the finals. Yuri’s skating is a constant reflection of his relationship with Victor, and his uncertain performance reflects his doubt over whether Victor can or should continue being his coach. When he fails to perform as well as expected, he doubts himself too, and considers retiring. At the beginning of episode twelve he even insists that Victor stop being his coach. They agree to hold off on a decision until after the free skate. I think it’s Yuri’s acceptance of the possibility of a life without Victor, off of the ice, that ironically allows him to open up in his final free skate.

He increases the difficulty of the program without telling Victor, wanting to match the level of difficulty of Victor’s programs. His skating becomes an expression both of Yuri’s desire to finally compete against Victor as an equal, as well as the desire to show that Victor’s coaching was not wasted. He even manages to perfectly land the quadruple flip. It’s a moving performance that gets everyone in the audience, both on and off the camera, crying. It’s the culmination of everything they’ve done together, and his final score breaks Victor’s record, which he calls a bit of a “diss” as a competitor.

In the end, it’s not enough, and Yurio just barely edges out Yuri for first place, and Yuri has to settle for silver. Yuri begs Victor for another year, insisting he’ll get gold this time around.

So Victor stays on as Yuri’s coach, and in the end we see them together again in Yuri’s hometown. The season ends with Yuri and Victor doing a pair skate to Victor’s program. It’s definitely unusual, since pair skating is by regulation a man and a woman skating together, but we don’t really see either Yuri or Victor slotted into the “female” role. There’s an intimacy to their skate that feels feminine without being overtly female. The way their hands caress each other’s faces definitely has a sense of love to it.

Whether or not they end up a couple is up to interpretation, like anything else in the show. I personally stick by Yuri being asexual, but I think what it is that I like about this anime, like I’ve said before, is that Yuri sticks by and is unashamed of who he is. He gets to learn what love is, in a way that feels right to him. He finds ways to express his love, either through his skating, or small gestures, or objects like matching rings. He discovers what it’s like to have an emotional and intimate connection with another person. And he does it without compromise, at his own pace, with all the ups and downs and in-betweens.

#Yuri on Ice #YOI #Yuri Katsuki #asexuality #ace #long form

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grannygremlinaudio · 6 years

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So there has been the expected dismissal of Dr Ford’s accusations against Kavanaugh based on the old boys will be boys/he was a kid then and didn’t know better tropes. This sort of thing needs to stop. I certainly hope nobody is really buying it (I mean, even the people who say it know what a crock it is and only do so to save their political strategy, right?) but worry that too many are.

I will admit, that when I first heard of Ford’s, then anonymous, accusation I did think to myself ‘ this was a long time ago and he was a minor at the time; yeah it’s horrible but is it enough to disqualify him? He could have grown as a human being since then’ - I mean, it’s not as if I support his candidacy, but looking at it from a strategic perspective, anticipating the responses. I certainly did things back then that I am not proud of (nothing like this mind you) and would never do today; haven’t we all? But since then we have a second accuser, with an incident that took place later at Yale, when he was a legal adult; this shows a pattern of behavior stretching at least into early adulthood and is undoubtedly, and now beyond any argument, of great concern.

Or even ignore that (because the Senate committee is not full of people who tend to believe accusers or even take them seriously at all), and look at the footage we’ve seen of Kavanaugh speaking to various groups, reminiscing fondly and jokingly about his time at the high school in question, alluding to the general debauchery we have heard about.

But to get back to my main point, it is dangerous, unfair (in that it has historically not been applied equally to all people) and false to use the dismissive arguments Kavanaugh’s supporters have in the article above.

Firstly, as we all know, he was 17 at the time. Poor black boys (as an easy example, not an exclusive list; generally anyone non cis/het-white-male and at least middle class) do not get the same benefit of the doubt when it comes to crimes committed as minors. Even nonviolent crimes such as theft and drug possession. They get charged as adults and sent to adult jail, where they tend to be taken advantage of by the older, actual adult, inmates. Contrast this with that privileged white university jock (an actual adult, whose name I will not bother to look up because he doesn’t deserve it) who raped an unconscious girl and then only got, what, 3 months?

Secondly, and not to diminish the first point above which is very important and a horrible travesty but others are speaking to that better than I can, the bigger issue may be the complete fallacy of the argument in any demographic case. I’ve been a minor in a culture of escapist inebriation. I’ve been wasted at parties. No such thing as this ever happened; it would not have happened. It is NOT normal in a categorical sense, not in gendered Catholic schools, nor coed public ones (I have attended both). Every 17 year old boy I knew, would have known it was wrong and also known that the rest of us would put a quick end to it should we notice any such activity (yes, I can think back and identify certain individuals who may have, had the culture been more tolerable, tried it; but the point is, even they knew it was wrong). Sure, the macho patriarchal entitlement-to-the-use-of-a-woman culture was there, boys still tried to pick up chicks, and there were the ones I knew of who girls would warn each other about, but they were (not to diminish the seriousness of the behaviour, but comparatively) just manipulative jerks, not rapists (e.g. the pity fuck master male-slut kiss and teller). This situation with Kavanaugh, as described by Ford, is inarguably rape. Gang rape at that; he had help. There is no way a 17 year old boy, especially one ostensibly educated on the subject of Christian ethics, would not know this is wrong. That’s the appeal; to top, to dominate, to impose one’s will, to do the wrong thing and get away scott free. It is a tool to generate respect from other boys within that same culture (leveraging faux sexual prowess, without actually being about the sex at all; like it doesn’t seem to matter who the victim is very much; it’s a matter of picking off the perceived weak ones in the herd). It is practice or training, for being a leader in America.

I have also previously extolled the fallacy of drunkenness as an excuse. Lowering inhibitions does not equal turning a good boy into a rapist; that’s not how it works and for heaven’s sake we all (with the exception of dry individuals perhaps) know this. Yes, there are mean drunks. Abusive drunks even. But what’s happening there is that the usual rationality that keeps these behaviours in check when sober (and this can often just be fear of consequence; never actual moral objection) are lowered. In fact it feels as if alcohol is purposely used in order to have an excuse to be able to do the things one knows one shouldn’t - or would like to but it too scared. Alcohol cannot be such an excuse when a) there is no remorse, in fact it is bragged about afterwards, b) it is repeated behaviour, and c) it is premeditated - the repeat nature and group participation shows that much rather clearly. These people are still assholes sober, they just have more self-restraint and more skillfully applied cosmetic smiley face for the camera. There is no level of drunkenness, that a true respecter of women as fellow humans could achieve to make him into a rapist. Trust me; I’ve been pretty fucked up, and not just once. I’ve said stupid things, even pathetically hit on girls, but never lost sight of consent. Never forced myself on anyone or taken advantage of the many inebriated girls that were around. I could have - there was that one girl, from a grade or 2 down (HS as well so very good comparison) at one party I recall who apparently had a crush on me (I was unaware) and who got so drunk (first time perhaps) that she was literally fawning/falling all over me. I could have taken advantage - I mean she literally started it and she would not have resisted; I would not have had to hold her down or cover her mouth, or require any help to do so, but I did not - because I knew it would be wrong despite my own consumption of booze. I found a friend of hers and transferred care. I was a wasted horny teenager, as eager to lose his virginity as any other, and somehow perfectly able to keep it in my pants. This should not be a point of pride for me; this should be normal, and I know that in many circles it is, the problem is that it is not universal. There are numerous other examples I could give, and no, this isn’t about being the great white hope/knight in shining armour. There are also examples of when I failed to do act, or did not act enough. What this is about is about being a human being, because you done know that girls do it for each other (even boys do it for each other) and in fact were there for us boys at times as well; it is our duty to be there for them as well. It’s not exemplary, it’s the basic standard. Or at least it should be.

What this (above in the article) is, is an exposure of the prevalence of the aforementioned macho culture within the ranks of the American conservative elite. To be fair this is not exclusive to the conservative (Republican) elite, I would just argue that it is worse there - at least there is a movement against this sort of thing in liberal (e.g. Democratic) circles, but as we know there is still work to be done there as well. It is an indictment of the old boys club, one hand washes the other, team colors are thicker than morality and justice. An exposure of the farce of the Republican claim to have the religious moral higher ground. This also ties in with other areas in which so-called moral authority sees it fit and right to bend other rules (such as the right to rule and therefore subvert democracy to realise that right/take it back from the unworthy, as recently written about by Anne Applebaum in The Atlantic - that was about Europe, but it applies just as well to North America, especially the USA).

The fact of the matter is, that someone, like Kavanaugh, who has demonstrated a pattern of not acknowledging womens’ humanity, much less their equal status and rights under the law (the hallowed Constitution), cannot be fit to serve as a justice, especially in these times when we expect womens’ rights issues to appear before the supreme court. Someone who has demonstrated a commitment to protecting himself as well as his old boys as being above his sense of justice and morality, cannot be fit in these times when we expect criminal investigations against the President and other public servants to occur. Someone with such a warped and backwards view of normality, is just not fit to set de facto policy in the country’s highest court for the next few decades.

I am tired of the excuses and dismissals for these behaviours; all the while the same people trying to preach to me about my life and choices - how I am raising my kids wrong. I do not accept your moral authority, and you are kidding yourselves if you think anyone except your small community of Kool Aid drinkers do. I am tired of these bullies and dinosaurs making me, my entire demographic, look bad. The jig is almost up, the writing is on the wall and there is no putting the genie back inside the bottle. No matter how many female kapos you find (such as those who wrote/signed letters in Kavanaugh’s defense), willing or coerced; your fellow men are now turning against you. We will not tolerate or dismiss ‘locker room talk’ - we will react by shaming you in front of our peers, as your member hangs there retreating into your abdomen for safety. We will pull your drunken (or not, as the case may be) ass off a girl if we need to. We will not be your alibi or character reference. We will call bullshit on the usual defensive talking points we all know to be invalid excuses. We will do what should have always been done. You will have no refuge. You will not continue to shame us. We will teach our boys, and they in turn will teach yours if you so fail, that the best sex, the only sex worth having, is with a person who really wants to give themselves to you (and where you in turn, really want to give yourself to them; that person specifically, not just because they are the easy prey orifice at hand) - anything else is just kidding yourself. If she’s not into it, you can tell.

#this is our problem fellas #men's responsibility #we disown them #but that's just the beginning #kill rape culture #to all boys #me too #she owes you nothing

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toanewthing-blog · 6 years

Text

I Was A Lonely Soul (SL with @JustCantExplain)

Something’s up with you. Isn’t it? Just tell me to shut up if I’m being too nosy.

I took a long drink from the cup of water in front of me as I thought over my response to her question. I wanted to say something real to her. She deserved that much.-

-laughing as the waitress stopped by to put our food down on the table between the two of us as I playfully nudged her shin with my foot under the table.-

I hadn’t put down roots because it felt weird making a home so far from where I’d started, but with Sin in the picture it was feeling more and more right every day-

You’ve got a point. And I think I’ve got an idea. I know Elle’s ready for all of this to be over. Truth be told we all are. It’s just that some of us are more honest about it than the rest.

-Hanging out with Callie was always nice. She was a good sounding board and she had a good head on her shoulders even when she thought she didn’t.-

#IWasALonelySoul

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