#the one with character growth and found family and mutual respect??

[jessicas-pi]

it's actually, genuinely, honestly hilarious that in a fandom where popular ships include characters who are biologically related, characters with a 10+ year age gap who met when one was a teenager or even a child, and characters who have tried to kill each other, people hate on a friends-to-lovers ship with a <2 year age gap where the characters have a deep emotional bond and plenty of romantic subtext, because "they're siblings". my brother in the force they are literally not.

#i'm just saying. out of all the ships in the star war; sabine and ezra have one of the healthiest dynamics #right up there with kanera and bail and breha and obitine and maybe a few others. there are SO few 'problems' with it. #not that those 'problems' make a ship BAD when it's written well or in certain context. #just that out of all the ships to pick on; people choose THIS one????? #the one with character growth and found family and mutual respect?? #the one with self-sacrifice and decades-long loyalty and obitine parallels and a jetpack chase scene???? #what's there to hate??? #and i would add a disclaimer about how if you dont ship them its fine as long as you dont bully but honestly? #i am so so tired of having to qualify my statements. #this is about the targeted hate. this has always been about the targeted hate. #and i don't care if someone loathes something i love as long as they they keep that loathing out of my personal space. #this has been a tag rant. thank you for reading. #btw i'm not being sarcastic about it being hilarious. it genuinely cracks me up to see people get SO hateful over this #for a reason that does not exist #as opposed to several other ships which DO IN FACT HAVE THAT OBJECTION. #like. oh my gosh. are you even listening to yourselves. #if u wanna have the don't-ship-siblings fight then puhLEEZE bring it to someone who ships siblings. #jessica's controversial star wars opinions #sabezra #(don't worry that this post is a vent because i'm getting bullied or anything. im not visible enough for that i guess lol) #it was written in humor not in hurt :)

[herrmannhalsteadproduction]

This is my 'How I would fix Miss Scarlet and the Duke next season' rant which I am putting under a Keep Reading since I have no idea if any of my mutuals also watch the show, but I need to get it out of my brain and I don't have time to start writing another fic series so here we go. (Note - this post contains spoilers for all seasons.):

I honestly do enjoy this show. I scream at it a lot, but I do enjoy it. My problem is that I feel like they've written themselves into a corner and we're not seeing the kind of character growth with Eliza that we could be.

Her dream is to be a detective and that's what she's been working towards, but I don't think she's fully committed herself to this dream.

Mostly because what she truly wants is to be a police detective, not a private detective, and that desire affects what kind of cases she takes on and how she approaches them...but that's not the total focus of my discussion here.

My issue is that she's always had a safety net.

William was always there to pass cases her way and get her access to crime scenes and the morgue.

Moses was around (until recently) to help her make those connections within the less than legal side of the community.

Patrick came onto the scene put her 'in charge' of the London branch, giving her a nice office and well-known name to work under.

There's always a dude coming to the rescue and I find it very tiring. Yes, she's smart and accomplished and has done a lot on her own, but it always boils down to that.

I want Eliza to start building her own network and to forge her OWN path. I feel like she is, a certain degree, a bit spoiled and she really needs someone to push back at her, but without the same power imbalance/romantic tension that we've been dealing with.

ELIZA NEEDS A FRIEND.

A real, true friend who is a woman.

Ivy doesn't count - she's family.

So. Here is my dream scenario for how the show could proceed. It would have been better if they'd been able to do this for season 4 and skipped the Patrick Nash bits, but whatever, we can still make this work.

I recognize that Eliza is in the 'you need to have money to make money' stage of things still so I've incorporated that issue into this plan.

As of the end of Season 4, William has gone to New York, Phelps is in charge, Fitzroy is still around, and Eliza is back at her old office, starting again at square one.

Season five picks up and Eliza has a meeting for a new case. The client is a woman who has had no luck with any other private detectives taking her case and who won't go to the police because where she comes from, you don't deal with the police.

Her father was well-known local gang leader who was murdered and everyone in the gang thinks it was one of their enemies, but she's convinced it was his right-hand man. She hires Eliza to help her find proof so she can convince her brothers that she's right.

They have a big adventure on the case, butt heads with each other, but in a fun 'i'm starting to respect you' kind of way, find the proof they need, case closed.

Then she comes back.

Her brothers have taken over the criminal side of her father's empire and he left her one or two of the legitimate businesses. So she has money and a lot of free time and not a lot of purpose.

She has no use for society, especially when society has no use for her, but does like Eliza and admires what she's trying to do.

She makes Eliza an offer which is to be her partner in the business. Eliza would be the main investigator, while this woman would be a) the money and b) a helpful guide to the criminal underworld which Eliza needs if she has any hope of building her own network.

She could also teach Eliza a thing or two about self-defense. Eliza could teach her about the detective side of things - maybe she gets really into the science behind it all.

It would add to the found family dynamic (Ivy would totally freak out at first and then adopt her) and it would give Eliza someone to partner with who wouldn't be continuously telling her not to do things or talking down to her or pulling the 'i'm in charge' card. They would be an equal partnership - both of them would insist on that.

It would force Eliza to get her hands dirtier than she ever has before and really invest herself in this career. When/if William comes back, she'd be a changed woman and they'd have to get to know each other all over again (which would put off the whole decision about whether or not they can actually be together just a little bit longer.)

AND! This woman could totally have a love interest in Fitzroy. She would flirt with him outrageously at first because it makes him blush and stutter which she thinks is hilariously adorable...and it's not like it means anything because he's a copper. It would never go anywhere. But then they work together. They help each other out. Share sideways glances over however ridiculous Eliza and William are being at the time. They'd bond. They'd become friends. And then, oh crap...she actually likes him. And he likes her. But he's a copper. **drama**

That's pretty much as far as I've gotten in my daydreams. I just firmly believe that we need more ladies on the scene because it's ridiculous at this point. I don't think it's unrealistic for the time period for her to find at least ONE woman to be a proper colleague/friend and after four seasons, we all deserve that - Eliza included.

#miss scarlet and the duke #miss scarlet pbs #msatd #plot thoughts #eliza scarlet #william wellington #oliver fitzroy #season 5 wishlist

[ladyluscinia]

So I think I've settled on the first trend in meta I've clocked as weird coming out of S2. Namely that Edward will not apologize to anyone about anything on account of it's not that kind of show, and he shouldn't be expected to or criticized if he doesn't.

Mostly I've seen this backed up with the fact that OFMD is more about being your authentic self than being a good person, and that physical harm is brushed off or prioritized under emotional harm (and Edward was suffering maximum emotional harm). And I mean... Yeah, the show does care about emotional health, but I'm not seeing how that means expecting our protagonists to gain the faintest awareness of their social contract to others is absurd?

Edward and Stede are both wildly self-centered and morally bankrupt people, which is funny. I don't expect them to suddenly gain a respect for the lives of every random stranger they stumble into anymore than I would expect the house vampires from WWDITS to do the same. They aren't going to stop being pirates. And frankly, they don't even have to stop being mostly self-centered (I'm not even sure they could, tbh).

But unlike the house vampires, Edward and Stede have a lot more people in their lives who they are directly responsible for. And we like those people!

The show has not pulled its punches on how Edward and Stede and their relationship issues have hurt the crew. Edward tried to murder-suicide everyone with him after making them miserable! Stede has struggled to even care about their hurts even when Lucius is shouting them in his face! Found family? Where???

The crew is doing a great job of learning to support each other and the captains, but Stede and Edward do not reciprocate that support internally. (They sometimes do against outside threats.) And, yeah, even in my silly black comedy about murderers, I would like to see them say "sorry we used you as physical and emotional punching bags" and show a bit of awareness of their authority before the show sends them off on a happy ending with the crew presumably still working for them?!?

It's not weird to expect crumbs of character growth???

And like, crucially, this isn't even a new idea in the show! Mutual respect and support and trying not to harm each other is the beating heart of Stede's new pirate culture goal. It's fundamental to any social contract where everyone gets to "be themselves" because it's hard for Jim and Archie to do that when Edward decides in his true self / place of authority they actually need to fight to the death for his broken heart. And Stede starts off not doing this correctly because he doesn't instinctively know how to be kind or caring, but that's what character growth is for.

WWDITS has Guillermo as the one person all these terrible people are obligated to give consideration to in their social contract, and they have increasingly learned and shown that reciprocal support. Including apologies.

And I'm not even expecting anything huge. I don't see any reason they need to dwell on it. We don't need to decide which crew members would realistically deem them unforgivable. Edward doesn't have to grovel on his knees. Stede also needs to apologize. And they can both do it in the most awkward, stilted yet sincere way and then put most of their apology effort into changing behaviors, but I still think it should happen.

So I suppose they can have our main couple continue without acknowledging they fucked up with people besides themselves, but it would make them worse people than the WWDITS vampires and I expect the humor to adapt accordingly.

Final scene is them exchanging wedding vows while the crew pitches the anchor they are both tied to overboard?

#our flag means death #ofmd s2 #ofmd s2 spoilers #ofmd meta #blackbeard ofmd #stede bonnet ofmd #genre #character apologism #ladyluscinia #i've seen this argument a couple of times and it seems to be gaining traction #even with people who aren't in the 'disliking ed is racist and also he only really hurt izzy who deserved it' camp

[accio-victuuri]

so more details on the game that wyb enjoyed playing. again, this bit is from a fan repo. we will know for sure if it is a fact once the episode airs on SDC. i don’t even know if it will be aired on the show itself or just part of a behind the scenes. so just chill. HAHAHAHAHA! take this as a cute story or fake rumor. 🤍

game plot:

Cody and May, a married couple, are planning on getting a divorce. After telling their daughter Rose the news, she takes her hand-made dolls, which look like her parents, into the family shed and tries to repair their relationship by play-acting. The parents find themselves trapped inside the dolls' bodies as a consequence of Rose's tears landing on the dolls. Dr. Hakim, who has assumed the anthropomorphic form of his relationship therapy book, tells May and Cody that he has been given the job of trying to fix their relationship as they try to reach Rose.

It nothing new for them to be playing together or even being a couple in-game allegedly ( read this for an example ) but this is just another level. Lol. A married couple working on their relationship? and them having to go through different games / tasks to get their happy ending.

This is like a 9 hour game play of it lol but what I gathered is the two people playing this have different strength and weaknesses and need to work together and complete the tasks. You have a split screen so you can see what the other person is doing but there are levels that the characters are together.

BXGs are pulling the “tacit understanding” card and I have to agree. This kind of game will really test that, like how partners do. I’m not saying only couples will be able to succeed in this but if we’re talking about zz/wyb. LOL. you know what I mean. They can finish each other’s sentences and communicate just by looking at each other. They laugh at things no one gets but the two of them. They may seem different — sports student and art student right? but that actually makes them stronger because they complement e/o.

This is a perfect game for them. They can play other games similar to this but they really had to pick one that’s about a couple lol 😂 granted, it is a pretty popular one so maybe they saw it and decided to play.

Add to that Yibo’s recent Q&A with Vogue Plus, where he was asked what game he wants to do in VR and he said skiing. There is a level that both them are skiing. Maybe that’s where he got the idea. We also know their plans to ski together, so this is just 🥺.

Two reviews I found that me go 👀

That's why the mini-games in "It Takes Two" have different meanings. Not only because of the collection of how many mini-games it has made, but also because the love motto contained in it is so suitable for the game master. Question: Cooperation is the main line of love, and healthy competition is the tune of love. Flavor can not only increase the relationship between husband and wife, but also promote mutual growth——If you are stronger than me, I will learn from you and try to catch up with you Even more than you; I am better than you, I will teach you skills and methods so we can grow together.

The process of reshaping marriage in "It Takes Two" is actually reshaping respect and understanding between two people, let each other see, let each other fill. Give full play to your strengths and work together to break through the barriers.

I have always loved fake rumors/cpns about them talking on the phone constantly. sending voice messages. sending gifts to e/o’s crew when filming and to each other. The thought of them making an effort to bridge the gap when they are apart makes me so soft. It is a common argument of people who don’t believe szd is how can they have time for their relationship if they are so busy? Well. You make time. Love is work after all. As simple as playing an online game together to have fun and make sure you are doing an activity. Them watching a movie at the same time. The simple things matter. It doesn’t always have to be a grand vacation or a date outside ( tho I hope they get to do that too ).

I guess a big factor here is they were good friends first. They enjoyed doing things together and have that connection.

I wish this lovely couple happiness and more time to be together in the future 🤍🤍🤍

-END.

#yizhan #bjyx #there is no science here folks im just clowning like i always do

[eosofspades]

actually i'm just gonna rant now rim of the world FUCKS and you can't change my mind

like, look. this is a bad movie in a lot of ways, i agree completely. there are a lot of aspects that should have been different or could have been better. but it's a FUN movie! it's not TRYING to be world-changing and dominate the industry with its spectacularity!! it is a silly fun wild alien invasion movie about teenagers and found family!!!! but all of the parts that get criticized are so not the actual problems this movie has??

like. to start with, i understand why some people might be uncomfortable with the sex jokes and humor but it's not BAD?? the jokes are not being made by adults toward the teens, they are being made BY teens. which is LITERALLY how teens are. i have been 13. you have been 13. i'd go so far as to say this is one of the ONLY movies i have EVER seen that does not infantilize or make a mockery of being in your early teens and it was so REFRESHING to see! this is one of the most accurate representations of a group of wildly different teenagers put together i have ever seen outside of real life.

ZhenZhen isn't reduced to a hapless love interest, she's a brilliant and capable character the whole time and Alex does NOTHING but respect her for the entirety of the movie. Dariush has an entire movie-long growth arc about opening up to people, learning what REAL friends are (yes, he's a stereotypical rich kid, NO that doesn't make him inaccurate; i think he's actually INCREDIBLY accurate for a rich kid in the way he carries himself and treats other people and expects others to treat him), and being selfless. Gabriel similarly gets to open up to his new friends and he's never ever mocked by the narrative or made the butt of jokes for his disability (a mental disability i haven't ever actually seen represented before in movies, especially not about teens and kids). Alex has anxiety and PTSD gets to overcome it, and it doesn't instantly fix itself once he faces his fear - he's still awkward and nervous, because healing is a PROCESS, and anxiety isn't inherently something that needs to be 'cured.'

do i wish Dariush and Gabriel's (INCREDIBLY) queer-coded thing going on had been explicitly shown/confirmed? YES. but that doesn't mean it was bad or homophobic. there is a DIFFERENCE between depicting something (especially queer relationships) in a negative way vs. simply depicting it in a subtextual way.

likewise, not all M/F relationships MEAN that the girl is reduced to a love interest by default! YES, even when (maybe especially when) the boy needs reassurance/support from her and/or she is shown to actively desire a relationship with him. these two are MUTUALLY pining! these two have a clear and strong MUTUAL respect for one another! M/F RELATIONSHIPS WITH A 'WEAKER' MALE CHARACTER DO NOT MAKE THE FEMALE CHARACTER HAPLESS OR BADLY WRITTEN.

on the topic of writing!! YES i do think a lot of the writing could be improved upon and there were definitely points that felt unbelievable (even for an alien movie) like the timing of the alien's appearances, or the fact that a solider asked a teenage boy to save the world, or a lot of things! but at the end of the day it is FICTION, and the characters have NUANCE to them, and having flaws does not make a movie BAD. it's a silly wacky found family story about teenagers saving the world from aliens. it doesn't have to be flawless and puritan.

#and THATS my rotw essay #fucking love this movie its so bad its so so good #DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE FOUND FAMILY OF THIS MOVIE. #FOUR TEENS WITH NOTHING IN COMMON BUT DADDY ISSUES IS A GOOD CREW TOGETHER #mine #rim of the world #rotw #rory rambles about movies #long post

[flying-bear-tv]

WWDITS RANT <3

Ok i just finished watching the WWDITS season finale and It made me laugh so much but also some of it was shitty and i feel like sharing to the class.

So most insane things first I have no idea why Guillermo decided not to be a vampire. It is even explicitly shown how great he feels after drinking human blood like he is ready??? and then suddenly its like a switch flipped and he has a problem killing a human. He has never really gave a shit about that for FIVE FUCKING SEASONS. He is even like yeah i know i dismembered a shitton of body and lured people to their deaths and killed a shitton of vampires (who tbh he can definitely empathize with like humans as he has been involved with them for years) (OVER 10 YEARS) but i cant suck this guys throat owo. Like he has devoted his entire life to this for a decade and all of a sudden he backs out? I'm not saying this isn't just weird bad writing but the lamp nandor pulled out was the big one which he knows has no wishes left. I think its possible either nandor wished that Guillermo wanted to be human OR Guillermo purposely got himself turned back into a human so Nandor could be the one to turn him. Like he had everything set up with the necromancer to undead Derick pretty quickly...... idk im just saying. Also It feels like nothing has changed. I wish Nandor would have helped him with dericks body or something. Just to show that Guillermo is accepted a little more. I know you guys will debate me on this but its the little things like that that make you really feel part of the group. Lazlo came in clutch as always though I love him so much he really is one of my comfort characters of all time. (I even think that if my theory ends up being the case that Lazlo knew about Guillermo's plan cause that would definitely go along with the theme of Lazlo and Guillermo hiding stuff from the others throughout the season) But yea. Weird ending with Guillermo and im gonna be PISSED if there isnt a seriously good explanation for that.

Next: the Guide... Yea WHAT THE FUCK they did her so dirty like no hahah we liked you the whole time haha. Are you for serious. are you joking with me. This could have been a HUGE chance for character growth on the vamps part. They could have realized that yea. healthy relationships need to have mutual respect and both people need to contribute. They could have brought Lazlo's journey with him becoming a bit more human this season full circle. Nandor could have realized that how he has treated Guillermo is not great. He could have been like yea no wonder he got turned by someone other than me. I have been using him to do dirty work for years and stringing him along with the promise that I would eventually turn him which even I convinced myself was true in order to keep things just as how theve always been. I wont kill him because he means more to me than a stupid vampire rule that im only doing because its what is always done. (Like Nandor realized he didn't want to kill Guillermo after a second of seriously thinking about it.) Guillermo could have let him out of that cage and they could have hugged and figured out what to do like the fucking found family they are damn it.

NADJA ......... nadja's whole thing this season was the fact that she treats people like shit and is pretty selfish and she didnt even have a moment where she actually showed change. IM SICK IM DYING IM THROWING UP IN THE STREET.

I realize that them liking the guide the whole time is a funny joke but guys. was it worth it. was it fucking worth it...

For the things I liked lol I really liked Lazlo he is allways slaying his fits were spectacular his matching hair with Nadja is incredible He is a real friend to Guillermo and everything that comes out of his mouth is hilarious.

Im glad the guide got some kind of revenge she deserves it I love her.

Guillermo hiding out in the motel was funny and i love how everyone visited him individually.

Guillermo being really happy after turing into a bat and getting his fangs was also really cute

Also "this meat has kissed the grill" i started crying i have no idea why this was so funny to me

Nandor stalking the fucking panera bread and setting up a whole fake ritual for Guillermo 10/10

also final round of applause for Nadja and Lazlos hair and outfits this season. I wish i were them.

anyways funny vampire show heheeh i wont get too upset about it and i wont make a conspiracy about how they wrote it bad on purpose because I cant cope with reality *cough* good omens fans *cough* SORRY but guys... guys... its not 2017 wake up please we dont need another TJLC please I have to say somthing.

love you all touch grass <3

comment 💥if you read all of this shit i want to know

#what we do in the shadows #wwdits #wwdits s5 #what we do in the shadows season 5 #wwdits spoilers #wwdits finale #wwdits theories #ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ.txt #sorry about the spelling im trying its just how it is

[sarcasticsciencefictionwriter]

A, F, J, K, M, U, and X for the ask game <3

Thank so much for the ask! 💕🥰

A - Ships that you currently like a lot. (They don’t have to be OTPs because not everyone has OTPs.) Friendships, pairings, threesomes, etc. are allowed.

Currently I am obsessed with these:

Helen/John (Sanctuary)

Helen/Nikola (Sanctuary)

Helen/John/James (Sanctuary)

Sam/Jack (Stargate SG-1)

Cassie & SG-1 (Stargate SG-1)

Helen & Henry (Sanctuary)

(Also, basically any found family bonds in Sanctuary)

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

Hmm. Not long, because I've only actively participated in fandom since March 2023, if you're going by those standards.

I've loved Sanctuary since I first saw in 2016, but I didn't start writing for it (or really for any fandom) before 2022.

J - Name a fandom you didn’t think about until you saw it all over Tumblr. (You don’t have to care about it or follow it; it just has to be something that Tumblr made you aware of.)

Doctor Who.

I've never watched it or given it much thought, but apparently a lot of my mutuals love it. I've been seeing gif-sets, screenshots, jokes, and headcanons everywhere and I didn't even really know anything about it before I got on Tumblr.

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

Nikola Tesla from Sanctuary. (Sorry Regina).

When he was first introduced, he most definitely would have hurt and/or killed Helen to get what he wanted. No one can deny that. His reasons for joining them in Bhalasaam weren't exactly unselfish either.

I know there's a lot of he always loved her, but I don't think that's really the case, beyond it starting as infatuation with a woman he respected, admired, and cared about.

But through his arc you get to see him grow from a selfish bastard to someone who actually genuinely cares about the others and regrets his actions when his good intentions are turned against him, to the point where he does everything he can to fix it.

He grows from the selfish vampire to someone who cares beyond that one person (Helen) to everyone else and what they care about, though he wouldn't admit it.

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.

Henry Foss from Sanctuary. I think he'd just be a really good friend to have. A bit laid back, but incredibly loyal and a nerd. We could fan over things, build stuff, and play video games.

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

Helen (Sanctuary) -- What's not to love? She's badass, determined, flawed, caring, bisexual, smart, mama bear, allergic to feelings. There's honestly so many reasons she's my favorite I can't think of them all.

Sam (Stargate SG-1) -- Probably for most of the reasons I listed Helen, honestly. She's incredibly smart, she's tough, she's in the military, she's a realistic female character in an almost completely male setting. She stands on her own, but is part of team she would die for.

Regina (Once Upon a Time) -- (I most certainly do not have a type) She has such a great character arc. She was a villain because of her trauma and wasn't stopped from doing the Big Bad that trauma fueled. She was very resistant to changing herself and her growth to a better person was on her terms. She's also tough and badass.

X - A trope which you are almost certain to love in any fandom.

I want to say dark! fics for some reason, but I'm not sure that's a trope. 🙈

Probably enemies-to-lovers. I've read a smattering of Sanctuary, Stargate, and Supernatural fics with them and I've enjoyed them immensely.

(I'm also a sucker for pregnancy fics, but those fall into way too many categories to straight up just say 'pregnancy fics').

Thanks for the lovely asks, sorry if it got a bit lengthy! ❤️

#lanistas #thank you! #fandom #sanctuary #stargate sg1

[iincantatorum]

Apollymi as an Ammanthia/Godmother

@mere-lullaby

In Atlantean culture, the role of a godmother holds significant importance and is considered a position of honor and responsibility. The godmother, known as the "Ammathia" in the ancient Atlantean language, is chosen to play a vital role in the life of a child, symbolizing both guidance and protection.

The Ammathia is seen as a trusted mentor and advisor, offering support, wisdom, and unconditional love to the child throughout their life. The selection of a godmother is not taken lightly, as it is believed that the godmother's influence will shape the child's character, values, and overall well-being.

The godmother's responsibilities begin at the child's birth or soon after, often marked by a ceremonial event. During this event, the godmother is formally recognized and entrusted with the spiritual guardianship of the child. It is a moment of celebration and reflection, where the godmother's commitment to the child and their family is reaffirmed.

Throughout the child's upbringing, the godmother actively participates in their life, providing guidance, support, and a nurturing presence. The Ammathia serves as a confidante, offering advice, encouragement, and a listening ear during times of joy, sorrow, and life's challenges.

The godmother is often involved in significant milestones and ceremonies in the child's life, such as birthdays, educational achievements, and coming-of-age rituals. Their presence is a symbol of love, stability, and a reminder of the deep bond formed between the godmother and the child.

In Atlantean culture, the godmother also imparts knowledge and wisdom, sharing the traditions, history, and values of their people. They play a crucial role in preserving the cultural heritage and ensuring the child's connection to their roots.

Furthermore, the godmother serves as a representative of the child's parents in their absence, ensuring their wishes are honored and the child's well-being is safeguarded. They may act as a legal guardian if necessary, providing a sense of security and stability in times of need.

The relationship between the godmother and the child is cherished and nurtured throughout the child's life. It is founded on love, mutual respect, and a deep sense of familial connection. The godmother's guidance and influence continue even as the child reaches adulthood, as they remain a source of support and wisdom, offering a lifelong bond that transcends time and distance.

In summary, the role of a godmother in Atlantean culture is one of immense honor and responsibility. The godmother serves as a guiding light, offering love, support, and wisdom to the child, and their presence symbolizes a lifelong connection and commitment to the child's well-being and growth.

#atlantis #apollymi; about #apollymi; role of godmother

[doublel27]

I would actually hate it if Owen were to die, and I didn't even realize that until today.

Is he a favorite character of mine? Not by any stretch of imagination. But he is necessary to the show. Before season 3, I am not sure I would say that.

He was always the center, but on the outside until this season. He feels more connected to the characters beyond just TK and whatever love interest they give him.

Not only would I hate Owen dying for TK, but for Carlos, Judd and Mateo too. They all have very different relationships with him, but are all very important to these men.

His relationship with Tommy is one I enjoy. They have developed a mutual respect for each other, are there for each other in times of tragedy. It was a little odd at first to me in 2x13 when Owen was the one she finally broke down with. However after rewatching, he felt like the exact right person to be there. Just as she was the right person to be with him in 3x04. I hope they keep them platonic (and really think they will), as they have a chaotic vs sane person thing going, and I like it.

I hope we get to dig more into his past, why he is angry. I am actually looking forward to watching the next episode, especially if it gives us more of him acknowledging his issues.

So sorry to not get to this until after 3x16, but I'm kinda glad I did.

Owen has really deep bonds with several characters. I really have enjoyed the deepening of Marjan and Owen's relationship this year. They're both so similar and I really appreciate how Owen actually kinda listens when Marjan talks.

Owen and Tommy make a great team of co-Captains. I really enjoy their freindship and the deep care and respect for each other.

Mateo loves Owen. The hero worship has dimmed since living with Owen. But Owen is so important to Mateo. Owen saw potential in Mateo and is the only reason Mateo wasn't deported. Mateo is a DREAMER and needed a job to stay. If Owen hadn't picked up on the fact that Mateo was talented and investigated to find out Mateo was dyslexic and then put Marjan on getting him to pass, Mateo would be in Guadalajara with his dad. I'm also fairly certain Mateo and his family got separated when he was in high school and when he found out Owen had cancer, he was immediately distraught.

Judd and Owen are very good friends and two men who understand each other on a very deep level. Judd is another person who Owen sometimes sort of listens to. Owen cares about Judd's advice and council. They share the awful reality of losing their whole firehouse. Judd respects the hell out of Owen, even if he thinks he's a bit of a mess. I loved 3x16! It was so good. I really liked how we learned about another terrible tragedy (two) that happened to Owen and how he managed to face his dad. I've said it before, TK comes by his itch to run naturally. Owen is a runner, as was his mother, as was Gwyn. Owen staying and facing it was such a sign of his growth through therapy. So was his calling TK and saying (part) of what he needed to say to his son. Owen hasn't fully changed, but I'm really interested to see the remainder of his arc through season 3. He started the season alone and isolated, even after he came back from the woods, he wouldn't let himself enjoy the party but went upstairs to be alone. I'm hoping to see him integrated into the firehouse even more and a little less secrative. I was so pleased with what we got though. they acknowledged so much I was hoping they would.

#owen strand #911 lone star 3x16 #owen strand meta #judd ryder #mateo chavez #marjan marwani #tommy vega #doublel27 talks

[asianhappinesss]

Hello Mr. Gu

Summary

Nan Zhou runs an animation company while Qing Qing is an anime artist. They bump into each other due to work but starts off on the wrong footing as he mistakenly accuses her of plagiarism. However, it turns out that Qing Qing’s father had once helped Nan Zhou’s father in his business. In his late father’s will, Nan Zhou’s father instructed his son to marry and take care of Qing Qing as her family has fallen into hard times. Her parents are dead but have left behind a large amount of debt.

Qing Qing agrees to get into a contract marriage with Nan Zhou in exchange for his help to pay off the debtors and ease her brother’s burden. Gradually, they begin to develop feelings for each other. But misunderstandings soon arise as love rivals create jealousies and rifts between the lovers. Will the couple be able to overcome the obstacles put in their way?

Review

The Usual Romance Drama Tropes

Hello Mr. Gu (原来你是这样的顾先生) is a typical romance drama that is meant to be simple and fluffy. While I’m not against simple romantic stories, they really need to have something extra or unique to convince me that they are worth the time. This is because there are too many of this kind of productions and after a while, they tend to become repetitive. So, will this particular drama be able to offer something special to the viewers? Hopefully, my Hello Mr. Gu review below will be able to give you some idea if it is worth a watch.

Does Hello Mr. Gu has anything new to offer overall compared to the usual romance dramas? Unfortunately, no. You will get the same old accidental kisses, childhood link, domineering male lead, and jealous love rivals. I guess this type of dramas has such a wide following and they are cheap to produce which means it makes commercial sense to keep churning them out. For Hello Mr. Gu, I wouldn’t say that it is all bad but be aware that it is full of cliches before you dive in.

A Very Domineering Male Lead

One of the first signs of dissatisfaction that I have with Hello Mr. Gu is how the male character is being projected. Nan Zhou is a very domineering lead to the point of being controlling of his girlfriend which reminds me a little of Be With You. I understand that he knows Zhang Yin’s intention towards Qing Qing and is jealous but to romanticize his behavior just doesn’t resonate with me. I’m into more rational male leads who understand mutual respect like the one found in Forever Love.

However, to be fair, the character growth is there and Nan Zhou knows his faults. He slowly changes and is also prepared to apologize when he is in the wrong. I guess you just have to sit through at least half of the drama to get there. In that sense, patience is needed to see the change. While I can go along with the ride, the plot then starts to become predictable and the couple’s immaturity annoying to a certain extent.

Lame Plot

The main couple’s misunderstandings are a big part of the plot. It has all those petty jealousies as well as unhappiness because he has no time for me kind of storyline. The jealous second female lead wreaking havoc is also nothing new. We have seen that in many romance dramas including You Are My Destiny and Mr. Honesty.

In short, Hello Mr. Gu is not a drama that you want to watch for the plot. It doesn’t even do a good job in tying up some of the loose ends like Jing Xuan’s fate. It starts off like a typical rom-com with an escapism feel just like Intense Love but fails to carry it through with jealous characters doing a lot of damage to the couple’s relationship as well as plenty of unnecessary bickering.

Chemistry Saves The Drama

I think the one thing that saves this drama from being unwatchable is the leads’ chemistry. The acting isn’t superb as Chen Jing Ke and Yan Zhi Chao are new in the industry but at least, they know how to generate some sparks in their interactions on-screen. They look comfortable with each other during the sweet moments and like a typical bickering couple during disagreements. The chemistry did help me to sit through this drama till the end. Otherwise, I might have dropped it midway through just like what I did with One Boat, One World.

My Verdict – Okay If You Don’t Mind Cliches

If you have watched a fair share of mainland rom-coms and romance dramas, you should know what the cliches are. Basically, Hello Mr. Gu is a contract marriage with a controlling male lead as the drama theme. It doesn’t have the same level of sweetness as Perfect And Casual which also has a contract marriage storyline or as passionate as Love Is Sweet. Some might even find Nan Zhou and Qing Qing’s relationship toxic due to the bickering, distrust, and domineering male. Hence, you really need to see this as pure escapism and discard your prejudice towards a controlling male character in order to find this couple romantic.

In other words, if you prefer a healthy, respectful, and supportive relationship for your romance dramas, Hello Mr. Gu is not the one to watch. For that, you will be better off choosing Sunshine Of My Life or Go Go Squid 2 whereby there is more maturity in the couples’ relationship. Hello Mr. Gu is more for youthful romance drama lovers who don’t mind the tropes and the immaturity of first love whereby petty jealousies and possessiveness may seem endearing. It really depends on your taste of what makes a couple romantic.

For this Hello Mr. Gu review, I would give it a score of 6.5/10. It is nothing special to me and I wouldn’t watch it again. It is not funny either as it doesn’t have a rom-com vibe as the drama progresses. But you can give it a try if you enjoy watching young bickering couples and seeing how they grow and improve their relationship over time. Furthermore, Hello Mr. Gu is also a short drama that is easy to sit through as each episode is only about 30 minutes long. Thus, don’t be fooled by the 30 episodes listed!

#cdrama

[beauty-and-passion]

A (not so) brief post about my favourite Sanders Sides ships

It all started with this ask:

I just wanted to write a short answer, I swear. Just a short answer with a tiny little explanation about why I like these ships in particular.

But then I got a bit carried away, my explanations became longer and so here I am, writing a full post.

One small clarification before starting: ships don’t have a place in my analyses. If I talk about connections between Sides, these connections are always in terms of friendships, cooperation or familial relationships. The romantic aspect is something different and I may joke about it sometimes, but it’s just a joke.

There is a time and space for romantic relationships - and it looks like that time has come. 

______________________________

Janus and Patton

I've always liked the canonical ship, in (almost) every fandom. So of course I like the canonical ship of this fandom as well :P

Jokes aside, this ship is incredibly mature, very interesting and terribly hard to talk about. The nature of these two characters, their roles and the episodes that had them involved proved how these two speak the same language, work in the same field and, ultimately, need each other.

* More similar that we think

If we look at them on a superficial level, Janus and Patton are completely opposites: one is cynical and cold, the other is a ball of sunshine. One is dark and suave, the other is goofy and bright. Janus' moral is "step on others and only care about yourself", Patton's moral is "help others because they are more important than you".

These differences became clearer over time, the more we learned about Janus and compared him with Patton. However, along these differences, some similarities started to emerge. Some qualities.

Janus and Patton want what's good for Thomas. They are humble enough to recognize their mistakes (the latest example was POF). They have a strong empathy. They’re kind. They’re mature adults (even if Patton doesn’t show it too often). And they both love and use puns.

But that’s not all. Along with these qualities, we found out that these two have similar flaws: they are both liars. They are incredibly persuasive to the point of manipulation. They have a huge influence over the mind (and the other Sides). They both deal with denial.

And this isn't just important, but it's a fundamental point for their character growth. Why? Because if they have similar flaws, if they are both liars and manipulators, then they cannot deceive each other.

And this is HUGE, especially for Patton! By his own admission, Patton lied multiple times, especially about his feelings (the Nostalgia episodes) and his thoughts (the most recent wedding/callback saga).

He always got away with it, because he was lying to other Sides and Thomas. But what would the point be, to lie to the literal embodiment of lies? Janus already knows what of his words are lies and what not, so it would be absolutely useless to do it.

Therefore, if Patton cannot lie to Janus, he cannot pretend everything is alright when it's not or hide his thoughts on a certain topic. He cannot shift the attention somewhere else or let a conversation drop. That means Patton cannot avoid confrontation about his thoughts/feelings and oh boy if he really needs to talk about them - especially with someone mature like Janus.

And yes, having someone who is able to see past your lies means being a lot vulnerable... but also a lot freerer. With Janus, Patton won’t have to pretend to be the strongest one: he can allow himself to be weak and confused, because if he doesn’t have an answer or if the weight of decisions is too much to carry, he has Janus with whom he can share it.

* A foundation of mutual respect

This point has never been fully addressed, but it was very well implied by their words/behaviours since Janus’ first appearance.

The first proof we have is CLBG: after Deceit revealed himself and disappeared, all the Sides and Thomas went through various degrees of shock, frustration and anger. Patton, on the other hand, was the only one who showed a pretty calm demeanor.

He should've been the angriest, considering that Janus took HIS place and pretended to be HIM the whole time. And yet, not only Patton didn't show any resentment, but he didn't talk bad about Janus (even if he had all the reasons to) and he even justified the other Side’s actions to Thomas:

[Patton]: Kiddo, simply put, Deceit is an inner coach that acts with the one intention of self-preservation.

Patton could’ve said anything, to make Janus appear as the worst. And his words could've had a lot of influence on Thomas, considering they were coming from his heart.

However, Patton didn't say anything too bad about Janus - not even in the following episodes.

Then we reach POF: Patton's monologue about his morals went so dramatically bad, he turned into a giant frog with abs and Janus had to sweep in to save Thomas.

In that moment, he could've said ANYTHING to make Patton appear as the worst Side ever. He had his chance on a silver plate: Patton was wrong, he had been wrong the whole time, he was literally ready to fight Thomas.

And yet, Janus took Patton's defense:

[Deceit]: He didn't mislead you on purpose, Thomas. I don't think the little guy... or... the big frog is capable of that sort of thing.

In addition to that, let’s consider Janus' whole attitude towards Patton in SvS: he basically spent an entire episode trying to make Patton understand his point.

[Deceit]: You can defend him all you like... But you can't change the facts. Is Thomas an innocent little lamb? Let's let them be the judge of that.

Why did he insist so much on this? Why not tricking Patton like he did with Roman or ignoring him like he did with Logan?

Because Janus knows how important Patton's role is and his whole behaviour shows respect towards the other Side. Unlike the others, who tend to diminish/forget Patton’s importance, Janus never did and always tried to reach him in the most honest, difficult way: through dialogue and confrontation.

And when he failed, instead of disregarding Patton’s importance, he just kept trying again, until his message finally reached the other Side.

* The perfect working partner

POF proved Patton can't bear the weight of the decision-making process all by himself. He needs another Side who can help him and Janus perfectly fills this role.

But why Janus? Why not Logan? Logan is a very mature Side, he can deal with a lot of stress, he's extremely organized and knows a lot. Surely he can help Patton with the decision-making process, right?

Not exactly. For his own admission, morals and ethics are not Logan's area of expertise (as it should be: logic can’t be influenced by what’s considered “good” or “bad”: logic is neutral). Secondly, Logic isn't an emotional-driven Side: logic is way less affected by emotions than other Sides - especially compared to Patton, who is the embodiment of emotions.

What Patton needs is a mature Side with a grey mentality, humble enough to respect him/not diminish his role, from his same area of expertise and enough emotional-driven to connect with him on an emotional/empathetic level.

And Janus is the only one who fills all those points. Even the latter, as we saw in the last part of POF:

[Patton]: Janus... Do you think there's a limit... on how many times someone can say sorry... before you have to admit... that they're just bad for you? [Janus]: Oh, definitely not. I'd love for someone to ruin Thomas' entire life one apology at a time. [Patton]: Okay. [Janus]: (After seeing Patton's reaction)The reality is that... it depends.

Janus' answer changed, the moment he realized Patton didn't get his sarcasm, by switching from ironic to honest. This is the kind of emotional connection Patton needs, something that doesn’t require words, but a small gesture that says more than a thousand words (yes, I’m also talking about that gaze and the small nod in the end card).

If we add to all of that the detail that Janus can nullify Patton's excuses and see past his lies, we have the perfect partner to help him grow up.

But this cooperation isn’t just one-sided: Janus needs Patton just as much as Patton needs him.

Why? First of all, to have a seat at the table. After years hiding, Janus can finally talk to Thomas, introduce his cynical mentality, make Thomas a little more selfish and help him grow up.

Secondly, by cooperating with Patton, Janus will become a better Side: he will learn to compromise, to work together and, most importantly, to trust Patton. And this is a particularly important point because, as I said in my analysis of POF, Janus isn’t used to trust others and he doesn’t want them to see past his barriers. Working with Patton might be exactly what he needs to trust the other Sides and lower these barriers, even a tiny bit.

* The romantic possibility

Considering all of the above points, the idea that their cooperation could evolve into something romantic-driven isn't so strange. The elements are all here, there's nothing weird to add nor need to bend canon, in order to make the ship happen. Their mutual acceptance can easily become need, learning more about each other can easily evolve into desiring each other and friendship could grow into passion.

And, of course, let's not forget marriage. These two can only end up in marriage. I mean, one is a dad, the other is a mom witch, so they are a perfect match XD

My point is: this ship isn't just a “cute couple being cute”. It's about dialogues. Conversations about themselves, their different points of view, their morals, their cooperation, how to help Thomas and the other Sides. It's based on listening to each other, on knowing each other a little more every day. On being silly together, working and failing together, going down and getting up, because there is someone by your side to lend a helping hand.

This is what makes Janus and Patton the most realistic, mature couple. And that's probably why it's so hard to perfectly nail it.

______________________________

Logan and Remus

Here it is, the couple that blew up after one episode and was confirmed in the most recent Aside.

But seriously, these two have a huge potential - first as friends/working partners, then as romantic partners. Logan and Remus need each other and the reasons are pretty clear:

- Having an interlocutor

Remus is Unleashed Creativity, a volcano of ideas in constant need of new stimuli, no matter if they are considered good or bad. After all "good and bad are all made up nonsense", as he said.

Logan is a walking encyclopedia in search of someone who wants to listen to him. He's pure, undiluted knowledge because that's what logic should be. No morals about what's good and what's bad, no emotions, nothing but neutral knowledge.

Considering that, it’s pretty clear these two have to come into contact. But what would they gain?

Well, Remus would have the stimuli he desperately craves. And Logan?

Logan would gain an incredibly smart interlocutor. And I’m not saying it because I am biased towards Remus, but because the canonical episodes showed us how smart he is. In both DWIT and WTIT Remus proved to be a quick thinker, with a sharp intellect and an even sharper eye. He's silly and over the top, but he's not an idiot and he uses everything he has for his own creative needs, no matter how small it is.

Just imagine this cleverness applied to everything Logan might say to him. Remus wouldn’t be the only one to benefit from it, but the whole creative process and, ultimately, Thomas himself, who will have better, richer ideas.

- Gaining a place

At this moment in time (just after WTIT) Remus has not been fully accepted yet. He is tolerated and his presence is a nuisance, but he’s neither wanted, nor banished. He’s just here and he has no voice on any matter.

Also because no one wants to give him a chance to prove how useful and worthy he can be. Thomas barely tolerates him, Patton does his best to ignore him, Roman doesn’t even want to see him and Virgil would rather not have any of the Others present.

The only Core Side who accepts Remus’ presence and is willing to give him a chance is Logan. He spent the entire DWIT to explain why Remus is useful for Thomas and shouldn’t be ignored, while in WTIT, he said: "There will be a time and place for you" - thus implying that, one day, Remus will finally be able to show how worthy he can be.

This is exactly what Remus needs: a Core Side who doesn’t see him as a nuisance or a villain, but as a fundamental part of Thomas that can be helpful, in his own way. Someone willing to give him a seat at the table (at least in the future). And, most importantly, someone who is powerful enough to control him.

Remus is and will always be a force of nature. He will never rest or stop being chaotic. This is why he needs someone strong by his side, someone who can’t be overcomed by his dark thoughts and that can put him back on track if necessary. And Logan proved to be perfect for this role not once, but twice.

- Understanding on a deeper level

However this cooperation won’t be beneficial just for Remus. As I said before, Remus could be a clever interlocutor for Logan. And this cleverness isn’t just related to creativity, but also to emotional understanding.

The Core Sides have known Logan for almost thirty years and yet, they have no idea of the inner turmoil raging inside him. They keep ignoring and dismissing him, clearly thinking everything is fine.

It took Remus one single day to realize what Logan’s problem is, how deeply frustrated he is and how much he’s actually angry at Thomas. Less than 24 hours and Remus knows Logan better than his long time friends.

That’s exactly what Logan needs. Someone sharp enough to notice his behaviour, find out the root of the problem and make Logan face it, instead of dismissing it because who cares (yes, Roman, I am talking about you and your “You'll be fine, Rome didn't fall in a day.”)

- The romantic possibility

I think almost all the fandom agrees that these two would have a great sex life. After all, Remus is the embodiment of Thomas' sexual urges, so he would definitely go for a very physical relationship.

But having a good sex life implies a lot of other great things: good chemistry, no comunication issues, great stability and greater trust. And, even more important, the desire to try new things together. Logan and Remus are both very curious Sides, they both want to know new things and experience them: so their relationship would probably be based on discussing new ideas, testing them and finding out together if they are good or not.

And this doesn't apply to just the sexual aspect: even just the romantic aspect or the working aspect of their relationship could have these characteristics. Logan and Remus can motivate each other, learn from one another and find new things together. They are clever enough to stimulate each other's mind, curious enough to do stuff together to learn something new and honest enough to not withdraw their opinions on any matter.

______________________________

Roman and Virgil

I am just recently starting to warm up to this couple, so I will keep this part short.

Just as it was for the previous two couples, these two can work together because canon made them work. The first part of their whole relationship is already all canonically established: at first Roman saw Virgil as a villain, then he slowly realized he could be a friend. Now moving from friends to lovers isn’t so difficult.

^ No need to demonstrate

Roman needs someone like Virgil, because Virgil is on his same level. Sure, Virgil’s mentality is way more gray-ish, but he still has a lot to learn, just like Roman.

Having someone on his side, who is on his same level is a huge relief: with Virgil, Roman doesn't have to pretend, nor to show off, nor to be dashing and perfect all the time. He knows Virgil won't care less, so he can relax. And for someone who is used to working all the time, having a moment of quiet with someone who has zero espectations is exactly what Roman needs.

Same goes for Virgil: he knows Roman won't care if he's gloomy and dark, because Roman already saw that side of him and appreciates him anyway. So no need to pretend to be different. He can relax too. And, because of his anxious nature, relaxing is exactly what he also needs.

So if they both need to relax, that implies they also need time to do it. And without expectations, without feeling like the other “is better than me and I’m slowing him down”, they can really take all the time they need, to grow at their own pace.

^ Growing together

Virgil and Roman’s is not a one-sided relationship, in which one knows more than the other and helps the other reach his level: since they are on the same level, if one of them learns something new, then it’s a victory for them both, because the other will be motivated to do more/learn more as well.

This isn’t just something I think, but something we saw in canon. During AA-part 2, Roman clearly stated that Virgil “make us... better”, thus implying that Virgil acted as a motivator for him.

Then we had FWSA and here we saw this sentence applied the other way around: Roman was the motivator and, thanks to him, Virgil overcame his own anxiety to push Thomas towards Nico. The final result was a victory for them both: Roman got the romance he’s desperately craving, Virgil found out a new aspect of himself: his bravery.

^ The romantic possibility

These two are a walking “enemies to friends to lovers” trope, so I don’t think there’s anything else to add XD

Only that they would both be quite passionate. One is Thomas’ romantic side, the other is heavily influenced by emotions: if the good one takes Virgil, he would probably be a very passionate partner.

______________________________

Two couples I understand

Janus and Remus -> I understand the appeal of this one and it would kinda make sense, especially from Remus’ point of view. Remus has (probably) sexual fantasies about anything, so I wouldn't be too surprised if he has a whole collection of sexual fantasies about the Side who is closest to him.

But also, I see them too much like father and son/bestest friends to imagine them having a romantic relationship.

So my take is more like that: Remus has sexual fantasies about Janus, just like he has sexual fantasies about anyone. They are his way to show his affection, how much he cares about Janus and wants to protect him.

But Remus is Remus and he's prone to lose control. That's why, since he reached adolescence and started to develop the sexual aspect, Janus put clear limits that give Remus enough space to express his fantasies, but never past a certain point.

So Remus can be very touchy (because, well, he's Remus) and extremely physical in showing his affections, but never go below a certain point. He can talk in full details about all his sexual fantasies to Janus, but never try to sexually force him. He can try to seduce him or propose sexual things, but never pretend he will accept.

And so, over time, it became a sort of internal joke between them: Remus tells his fantasies at the breakfast table, while Janus rolls his eyes with a "very interesting", they have a laugh, they keep going with their day. Remus wants to cuddle, Janus will cuddle. Remus proposes sex, Janus will just laugh and give him a forehead kiss.

In other words, they are the kind of friends who you can find sprawled on a couch, one on top of the other and imagine they're a couple, while that's just how they read a book together.

Logan and Roman -> This couple isn’t bad at all and I really like the idea of these two having a sorta-romantic crush on each other. It can lead to a lot of poetic/romantic possibilities.

The only problem is: Logan is logic, therefore he would destroy all the romance with one sentence XD and the romantic, poetic scene evoked would turn into these two arguing like madmen.

So, well, maybe the hate-sex would be great, but they would definitely spend too much time arguing. Still, I am very curious about it, so I will keep searching for stuff about them.

#sanders sides ships #sanders sides #janus sanders #patton sanders #logan sanders #remus sanders #roman sanders #virgil sanders #moceit #intrulogical #prinxiety #and a sprinkle of #dukeceit #logince #I know I have pretty basic tastes #it takes me a lot to warm to a couple #I blame the fandom for making these so appealing #i couldn't help myself

[edelegs]

so I have a very specific interpretation of the Edelgard/Hubert dynamic that I don’t think is particularly common, but I feel is worth sharing. This is largely because some people end up diminishing the importance of this relationship when pairing each of them with other people. It’s disappointing because I personally prefer these external ships (namely Edeleth and Ferdibert, for reasons I will make clear) but often see either Edelgard or Hubert reduced to some jealous, cuckoled cockblock in them. Honestly, that’s just . . . boring. 

(Long post under the cut)

TLDR: Edelbert is fascinating because it can be argued that Hubert’s feelings are born from guilt and shame rather than romantic love. This dynamic is unhealthy but deeply interesting, and it deserves to not be diminished in fan interpretations of these characters. 

Something that makes Edelgard so compelling is the fact that she’s full of contradictions. She can’t stand people/creatures with more power than humanly possible, yet she must use her own superhuman power and cooperate with what she despises to achieve her end goal. More specific to Edelbert, this end goal is equality, yet Edelgard is not allowed to be equal to anyone. She is a detached, untouchable princess who needs to learn how to meet her friends where they stand. It is through her connection to Byleth and to the other Black Eagles where she learns how to adapt her ideals to work in reality - and to be human. 

Unintentionally, Hubert does the opposite of this. His devotion to Edelgard began as an inherited role and evolved into something he does out of personal conviction. Either way, he is putting her on a pedestal and addressing her as a vassal rather than as a friend. Many of his supports with others involve him comparing them to Edelgard and telling them they’ll never reach her level. He takes it as his personal mission to protect her from those “unworthy” of talking to her. I don’t think this is intended to be selfish or malicious. I think that because of his role as her vassal and his failure to protect her from the Hresvelg experiments, he takes on this absolute devotion and prescribes it upon everyone else. 

Their relationship is unbalanced as a result. Edelgard makes constant reference to “fighting alone” and being prepared to end up isolated and maligned. The line “the solitary reign of Edelgard has come to an end” in her S-support is particularly telling. While she clearly views Hubert as someone important to her, she does not seem to view him as someone she can be fully open with. Hubert’s constant addressing of her as “Lady Edelgard” implies that he would not take the opportunity to call her “El” if it was presented to him. Edelgard and Hubert are both so caught up in the weight and scope of their revolution that they begin to enable each other’s bad tendencies. Hubert doesn’t dare challenge her, because he thinks of her as untouchable, and this devotion allows Edelgard to take him for granted. It is not a healthy relationship. I don’t think this is a particularly hot take. Their external supports are crucial for shifting these patterns of thought and allowing these characters to grow. 

What I think may be unpopular is this: I don’t think Hubert’s feelings for Edelgard are actually romantic. 

(For context, I am aro and just really hate m/f friends getting shoved together romantically. It may be easy to dismiss my thoughts as just me being bitter that we can’t have a m/f friend pair without one of them catching feelings but allow me to argue my point.) 

Hubert was assigned to Edelgard at a young age and told it was his house’s sacred duty to serve the Hresvelg family. He loathes his father for his involvement in the Insurrection of the Seven, which happened when he was ten. It goes without saying that this largely shapes his devotion to Edelgard. I would even say these events traumatized him to some degree. He mentions this in their A support, where he declares that his loyalty has been to her alone since she returned from the Kingdom. The path that these two share is informed and shaped by trauma - what Edelgard went through and Hubert’s powerlessness to stop it. More critically, these events radicalized them both and created the “shared vision” mentioned in his B support with Dorothea. 

That particular support jumps out to me. When I first played the game, I felt unbelievably validated by it. Hubert denies accusations of unrequited love in an edgily self-aware way (the line ”do I really look like the kind of drooling simpleton to have that kind of motivation?” made me literally cheer) and goes on to describe their relationship as walking the same path. He then highlights the qualities he feels towards Edelgard (gratitude, respect, awe, empathy, trust, and hope). None of these require romantic attraction. Dorothea then goes on to say that “loving another is really about wanting to be loved . . . I’m pretty sure that’s different from how things are with you and Edie”. This scene spoke a lot to my own experiences - my feelings for my best friend largely echo Hubert’s (though way less dramatic, of course) and I found the form of deep platonic love I feel for her reflected in that conversation. The acknowledgement on Dorothea’s part that it was different from romantic love (whether or not she truly believes it) is what blew me away. This is honestly one of the few times where a piece of media made me feel seen which makes me forever mad about the Edelbert A support.Though it could be argued that he’s just closed-off and could easily pull off lying about it, I know those feelings well. Others might see this as definitive proof of Hubert’s unrequited love for Edelgard, but I just can’t and I wanted to articulate this perspective because it means so much to me. Close, all-consuming, and important relationships can be platonic. 

I know better than to claim that the confession scene never happened. It is interesting to evaluate because it shows Edelgard finally calling attention to Hubert’s unknowing perpetuation of the gap between them. When Hubert states his feelings plainly, he is as composed as ever. Edelgard blushes and states that “you never cease to surprise me”. Hubert laughs this off, and that’s the end of that. It clearly is supposed to be a genuine love confession, but I think it’s more interesting to consider a man with only one real close friend misinterpreting his blind devotion towards her as love because he doesn’t really know what it is. I think it adds to the kind of fucked-up nature of their relationship (is it love or obsession? How is he supposed to know if a connection borne from trauma stems from love or guilt?). It also speaks to how difficult it is to identify romantic feelings when you’ve never truly felt them. 

That being said, I actually do ship Hubert with other people. I love Ferdibert because their personality clashes create a sense of mutual growth that helps Hubert learn to openly challenge Edelgard rather than subvert orders he disagrees with and it’s honestly just really funny. I also love Hubernie because the idea of a terrifying man and a girl who’s scared of everything learning to meet each other halfway shows similar character growth. I just think that for many years, Hubert’s devotion to Edelgard gave him a really fucked up understanding of human relationships, both romantic and platonic. There’s a tendency to erase the weight and importance of the Edelbert dynamic when both are shipped with other people as well as a great opportunity to show that strong platonic relationships can and should be perceived as equal to romantic ones. I have read so many Ferdibert things that suggest that their love is all-encompassing and Makes Them Whole. Wouldn’t it be more in-character to explore how they navigate the web of relationships in their lives? I love the Black Eagles’ interpersonal relationships so much and each one shapes the characters more and more. I’d love to see that reflected in ways that center platonic relationships! 

#long post #hubert is a demiromantic bi king and we stan #fe3h #hubert von vestra #edelgard von hresvelg #ferdibert #edeleth #character analysis #black eagles

[yanderecandystore]

*rolls* I have another ask of fluff. It like soft sheep's fur. Yandere Collector and his Eastern Dragon s/o but Collector hasn't see them in a while. Collector goes to find them only to see that (a much bigger) ED is in hibernation. (Sleeping in a royal bed). Collector can actually reach out and touch them. - Cold Anon

Is it as fluffy as a sheep's wool, Cold?~ It sure sounds really sweet and soft.

Also- Rolling in is literally a mood- You remind me of someone-

Anyway, welcome back Cold!

TW/Tag: #my wool is the softest UwU // fluffy train passing by, chu chu 🚂 // related to this [🍵🐉☄️] // not accurate eldritch god of pure existential horror but like- Eh :3 // Imagine having a whole sanctuary built for you by a royal family with the purpose of being your sleeping chamber •o• // short hc

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

Shhhh! [Yandere!Eldritch OC (Collector) x Eastern Dragon! Reader - Headcanons]:

I like to imagine that the reason you were suddenly away and the reason why you appear so much bigger is because you went through some sort of growing process that dragons like you go through, maybe just a growth spurt while you were hibernating.

To think he would A: Not know anything about this and B: Simply not know where you are and just wait for you to appear would be unrealistic of him. Yes, he doesn't know where you are at every second of the day, but it doesn't mean he wouldn't try to find you or persuade you in some way- Like waving his jewelry in the wind and making them cling on one another in hopes of you hearing it.

You didn't come.

He kept searching for you for so long, and because he doesn't have a mortal sense of time, he wasn't aware that weeks have flown away as he searched for you. He found you after a whole month, sleeping softly inside a structure which he assumed to be a shrine made for you.

Clearly you were appreciated by the humans just as much as he used to be appreciated by mortals before they realized he was, well, not the best deity to look up to-

A large shrine made just for you to hibernate and hide your treasures in, it's honestly adorable, he kinda wishes to steal the whole set for himself- Including the nature garden and the humans who take care of the place.

Still, he didn't really think about taking you with it, oddly enough he was thinking more about the structure you slept in then you.

You were so much bigger than before, he was really impressed by your shiny scales, he didn't hesitate to feel them with his own hands.

It's weird to him to show affection to someone by not imprisoning them as a personal object, but as a… Uhn… Possible mutual being.

You proved him you were much more powerful than he previously thought, and for that he thought you deserved his utmost respect.

You haven't woken up yet, but the feeling of soft hands gently petting your scales made curl around his calloused fingers.

You must be having a good dream.

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

Also just for those who don't know, the gif is a bunch of pokemons called Wooloo that are basically rolling sheep (they roll at the sight of danger- In that case, the player character who is chasing them lol)

🍭꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍰꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡🍮꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖🍭

#yandere #sheep stuff #yandere oc #sheep's stuff #yandere x reader #yandere headcanon #yandere oc headcanon #yandere oc x reader #yandere eldritch oc #yandere eldritch #yandere eldritch x reader #yandere eldritch x dragon reader #special delivery headcanons #special delivery request

[vampiresuns]

In The Quiet, In The Dark | Asra x Milenko

☽  IN THE QUIET, IN THE DARK ☽

1.5k words. Written for Asra Week 2021, day 5: Memories. Set when 4.5 years before the events of the game, Milenko and Asra took the mutual decision to break up, despite the love they have for each other, but the death of someone they both cared for brings them back together, even if the moment isn’t meant to last.

You can catch up with Milasra’s pre-game canon, ‘Like Thirst Holds Water’, here.

CW: Character death, talks about trauma, unhealthy family dynamics and controlling parents.

Though Paris De Silva died amid the first cases of Red Plague, it was coincidental. She had been sick for a couple of years, a blood disease that was incurable and would progressively eat up her defenses until she died. She was Anatole’s maternal aunt, one of Louisa’s younger sisters. She had run away from the De Silva’s native Altazor when she was short of 23, after finding out the real reason why her sister had left the country.

Louisa had been politically exiled for being against the Dictatorship that had once ruled the country, but her parents had lied about the real reason to her sisters. Paris, who had realised their lives where built upon lives and would always be, with her parents shortcomings and their hypocrisy, ran away with the help of their younger sister, Alma. 

She had found Louisa in Venterre, where she was living at the time. She had travelled with her to Zadith, where she had learnt magic, settling in Vesuvia at the same time as Louisa fell in love with Anatole’s father, Vlad Radošević-Cassano. Though only related to them by marriage, Paris had become one of them either way. Still, no amount of resources or contacts could save her, something Paris had known right away, after the first time she collapsed. 

Milenko hadn’t seen Asra in a while so even if he knew he was bound to be in Paris’ funeral, he couldn’t help the surprise when he saw him in mourning wear, not knowing what to do with himself. Paris had taken him in early on, both of them not too dissimilar with their free spirits and love for magic and dance, she had also taken Muriel in, to a lesser degree, before Muriel was forcibly kept in the Coliseum. Paris had opened her home and her shop, Moonstone and Jasmine, to Asra as if her call in life had been becoming everyone’s aunt. She had always treated him in the same way she treated Anatole, which was also the same way she treated Amparo and Milenko. 

“You four will go places,” she always said, “and you better send me postcards.”

Asra and Anatole were on speaking terms again, the friends bouncing back after a couple of weeks. Asra had reached him out first, to Anatole’s amazement, too afraid danger would befall on his Nana. Anatole had, of course, gone too close to danger, but he had been unsuccessful about getting into the Coliseum. Asra didn’t need to know that, nor how if it wasn’t for Valeriy throwing his weight as the Consul around, Anatole would’ve been in serious trouble.

Asra wasn’t with him, nor anywhere near their family. To anyone else it would pass for Asra not wanting to interrupt the De Silva in their grief. Not just out of respect: with Louisa exiled, Paris a runaway and Alma, while staying in Altazor, siding with her sisters and going away from her parent’s home in an act of defiance after they discovered Paris had run away, it was clear that the relationship between them was patched up, rocky and incredibly uncomfortable, even in grief. Louisa looked angrier than Milenko had ever seen her, her proximity to her parents the apparent cause. It made even more sense if one considered Joaquín and Aureliana had tried to make Louisa leave Balkovia, and heavily disapproved of Vlad. 

A foreigner communist, they had called him, who would make Louisa waste her life, and make her raise a likely child, with no opportunities in life. Asra was aware of all of that — both Anatole and Paris had confided in him, but Milenko knew that wasn’t the reason why he was lingering at the edge of the funeral.

Even broken up, Milenko would know Asra anywhere, anyhow: he was keeping his distance because no matter what anyone said, Asra felt incredibly out of place among the Radošević-Cassano. It wasn’t the house, the position, or anything material. It was because they were borrowed, and Asra felt like he couldn’t make them his own without leaving other things behind, not realising Milenko’s families would never, ever require Asra to be anyone other than who he was, with everything he was, no matter how messy, or how much hurting he felt. 

Asra couldn’t see it, he was in no place to see it, always fairing everything alone. It was one of the reasons they had broken up. A mutual agreement as they could both see all the rifts between them grow. Asra was going through so much, at all times, and the more time that passed and the less he opened up, the less space there was for Milenko, no matter how much he loved him. As for Milenko, well... he would’ve loved to wait a year or two more to marry Asra, but he would stall his growth. Even if Milenko understood that destabilising fear in Asra because he had one of his own, he would never understand Asra’s reaction to it. 

The world was wild, and unpredictable, and dangerous, and beautiful and full of love all the same. Protecting yourself against it, even if it was to use your openness as a shield, would never make you safe, it would just make you alone. You looked out for one another, and you planted the palm trees, hand in hand, song in song. 

Milenko couldn’t demand that of Asra, so they had parted ways, even if Milenko was very consciously walking towards Asra, acting with his heart rather than his head. He didn’t care, no one should carry their grief alone. He certainly didn’t want to carry his on his own. 

As he gently wrapped his hand around Asra’s shoulder Milenko thought maybe it wasn’t a conscious walking. Maybe his heart would find Asra’s in the dark, maybe if Asra called his name and he was dying, he’d bring him back to life. Milenko didn’t know, he didn’t ask, and he certainly didn’t say it. G-d would have to help him through this one. 

“I thought you’d be with Nana,” Asra said, trying not to lean into Milenko’s touch.

“I thought you’d be with him.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt… What's your excuse?”

“I don’t want you to be alone.”

Asra protested, grimacing. “Milan—”

“Please, just for now, I know how much she meant to you. I don’t want you to carry this alone.”

The plea in Milenko’s voice was obvious but the poet didn’t care. Asra agreed and that was all that mattered. He slid down the wall he was leaning his back against, plopping himself down on the floor, sitting unceremoniously and patting the space next to him for Milenko to sit. He obliged, the two of them sitting close to each other, almost touching, almost speaking. 

Milan ended up asking Asra how he was doing, not very sure where the conversation would go, or if it was a good idea. The magician smiled ruefully at the question, looking at his own hands as he played with his fingers. Instead of anything Milenko would’ve anticipated, he told him he was thinking about cutting his hair short. Milenko raised an eyebrow at him, Asra seemed to sense it, despite not looking at him. 

“You know I’ve always been torn between keeping it long so I can braid it and put flowers in it, and cutting it short to feel the breeze on my neck.”

Milenko smiled to himself, a soft laugh falling from his lips, accompanied by an even softer: “Yes, yes I know.”

One way or another, the question seemed to have done the trick, as both of them found themselves conversing easily about whichever topic their minds decided to go to next, talking quietly in their own corner, an attempt to reach for each other’s hands here and there, none of them fruitful. 

They ended up talking about themselves, about a trip to Zadith they had taken together one late summer. They talked about the things they did, memories dancing between them, of a time when they thought they would be happy forever. Milenko looked at Asra, trying to memorise his profile, hoping he’d never forget what it feels like to be in love with him, even if life decided to take them in different ways. 

They sat together, keeping each other company, until Amparo found them first. She sat next to Milenko, and not long after Anatole found them too. The dark circles under his eyes were deep. He sat down with the other three without saying a word.

Part of Asra wished they hadn’t found him, wanting to keep Milenko to himself for a little longer, just this time. Even then, he had to admit Milenko was right, perhaps it was better to go through this not alone, even if he didn’t quite know how. So he didn’t ask his friends to leave, just like he didn’t get to ask Milenko everything he would’ve liked to ask him: what he was doing with his days, how he was feeling, what he was writing, if he had eaten.

All they could do was stretch out their hands in the dark, and hope life brought them together again. Even if Milenko felt, no, knew, everything would be about to change, whether they wanted to or not. The water had never lied to him, and as the four of them sat in silence, he could see the water creep through the floor, the bright moon shining on it.

#the arcana #asraweek2021 #the arcana oc #asra alnazar #milenko #asra #milasra #like thirst holds water #paris de silva

[moons-and-stars-and-shit]

Heyo can I request a hq matchup thingy? I've been all over yer blog and its cute!

I'm 5'8 (on the verge of 5'9), sorta athletic build, lanky but not really slim and more on the curvy side, she/they, light redish brown skin tone, I have shoulder length coily dark brown hair with bangs, glasses, i wear beanies to hide my bedhead and I have a slash on my left eyebrow from when i scraped it on a desk at age nine it was very fun. Totally unrelated note but my friends say i smile like Squirtle and when I'm mad i just look like a really intimidating baby duck 😞

I'm a sagittarius, I have ADHD, a little tomboyish personality wise bc i wear a lot of skirts but im nowhere near girly, I'm a bit rowdy but I'd never do anything to make someone uncomfortable, i gots mommy issues and a little bit of a temper but I'm very approachable, I speak fluent sarcasm and can come off a little rude if ya don't know me that well but I'm very respectful but i kinda swear a lot....

Despite my 'sense of instability' i come from a family full of lawers and veterans (kept separate my parents broke up before i as born), growing up I didnt have the best childhood so i always have empathy and best believe i will fact check you if your out of line 🤬. I'm the one who's willing to cheer you on and support you through thick and thin as well as being at almost every game or event your preforming/ playing at :), I'm very generous and a bit of a care giver(more of a simp if ya squint): ya want water?? "here have mine", hungry? ''oh want McDonald's? i can pay if ya want'' cold?? "here my hoodie im pretty warm already"

My hobbies include singing, playing bass and acoustic guitar, both traditional + digital drawing, dancing and i play a lot of sports like volleyball (i spike and/or set), softball (pitch), boxing + track and field (are those two even a sport???). I've always wanted to be a really big artist and if it doesn't work out i can always try out voice acting bc even though my voice is pretty low i can make it really high pitch like shoujo anime girl high pitch or become a sports journalist ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I'm the memer of my friend group and i like to think my sense of humor and style are on point. I'm a big horror movie junkie... from 80s to late and early 2000s, every slashers, thrillers to sci-fi trust me I've watched it all >:), i loveeeee Pokémon i may or may mot have had a huge crush on Brock and James when i was 6 , and Sanrio, i stick kuromi stickers on everything i own 😅. I also have a really big Batman obsession (grew up around a lot of bois other than my brothers) but i prefer MARVEL...

Sorry this seems pretty long and totally disregard if yer busy but have a good day/night <3

@callmedirtbag

Romantic Matchup

Semi Eita

How Y’all Met

So you we’re new to Shiratorizawa

And you we’re just walking around campus when you found a gym

When you peeked inside you saw a empty gym

But what really intrigued you was the volleyball net and balls inside 👀

The gym looked pretty empty so you decided to mess around with the volleyballs for a bit

You got so into your practicing that you didn’t notice Semi walk in

Semi was a little confused on why there was just a random person in the gym

But he couldn’t deny that you had some skill 😗

However he saw that you were struggling with your sets

So he decided to help you 😃

Ngl you we’re very kinda embarrassed about getting caught practicing

But he assured you that he didn’t really care and that the rest of the team wasn’t coming for another 30 minutes or so

After hearing that you gladly accepted his offer to help you practice

You two actually got to know each other quite well during this time

So when the rest of the team started filing in to practice

You gave Semi your number and told him to text you if he ever wanted to hang out

You left just before Tendou started picking on Semi for blushing 👀

Anyways you guys became really good friends and would hang out A LOT

So nobody was too shocked when you both decided to start dating

But apparently Tendou and Shirabu had made a bet on it 😅

What They Love About You

He loves the fact that your kind

But will fuck someone up if needed 🙂

He knows he never has to worry about you

He loves that your a fellow musician

To him it’s just one more thing you two have in common

And it’s one more thing he gets to do with you

He loves how supportive you are

Even though you know that semi doesn’t get to play that much

You still show up to EVERY one of his games to cheer the team on

And oh god when he does get to play

I swear people from OUTSIDE the gym can hear you cheering for him

Honestly he doesn’t mind if your a simp 👀

There’s a teeny tiny 🤏 part of him that likes to be babied

Favorite Things To Do Together

Oml he loves for horror movie marathons

He absolutely loves them

Because A: he gets to watch almost EVERY single horror movie made

And B: he gets to watch them with you :D

Oh and he also loves to watch any and all marvel movies with you 👀

But other than movies

He loves to make music with you

Duh

It’s usually you both playing instruments together

But every now and then one of you will sing 🎶

Random Hc

You two write the CUTEST songs together

But you never ever sing them

Like wtf you two

One time semi offered to help you practice your spikes

And you accidentally hit him in the face 💀

Now he swears you have a better spike then ushijima 👀

Your friends mentioned your squirtle smile to him...

And now he can’t unsee it 🥲

Astrology

The security and flexibility they can give one another.

Once they open up to one another and to appreciate their different philosophies in love and in life, these two have potential for steamy relations, deep connections and heartfelt respect.

As long as they communicate and celebrate their differences, theirs will be a passionate relationship.

Both Scorpio and Sagittarius see each day as an adventure and as an endless opportunity to explore, to probe, to learn. Shared escapades bring them closer.

While Sagittarius may get fed up with Scorpio’s stubbornness and inflexibility, Scorpio could be thinking their Sagittarius mate is just a little too hotheaded.

They’ll enjoy learning together, and travel could be very beneficial for this pair.

Their relationship is always on the go!

Mars is the God of War, opening the door for Scorpio’s determined, courageous character.

Mars, when combined with Pluto, represents rebirth and renewal.

Jupiter focuses on philosophy, higher learning, expansion, optimism, luck and travel.

These planetary attributes — of growth, expansion and masculine energy — combine to create a sustainable relationship of mutual admiration.

Overall Aesthetic

90s

No Scrubs - TLC

Say My Name - Destiny’s Child

She’s So High - Tai Bachman

99 Red Balloons - Nena

#haikyuu!! #haikyuu fandom #haikyuu x y/n #haikyuu hcs #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu matchups #semi #semi Eita #semi x reader #semi x y/n

[lady-of-disdain]

Disdain Does a Book Review

So I’m mostly doing this book review because I feel that my 100% Inuyasha/anime fan followers will enjoy this book too. 

I’ll put it under a cut so it won’t clog up ya’lls dash, but in short if you enjoy cold, heartless (seeming) inhuman (fae-like) Lords, who start off as very clear villains, and slowly (I mean SLOWLY) become redeemed throughout the narrative (Sesshomaru). And self-centered, foppish, vain human mages (this one’s also a prince, bonus) who made questionable deals with fire demons and need to be rescued from their own bad choices (Howl), then you’ll love this book.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

So this book features three female protagonists that are all absolutely amazing, and I love all three. They each have their own story arcs and character growth they go through as the story progresses.

In short this is a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale. Miryem is a young woman with such good business sense that she makes the claim she could turn silver into gold. Unfortunately this figurative statement is overheard by the Staryk, a fae-like race who are the main antagonists of the story, and who raid human villages to steal gold. The king of the Staryk shows up, and having taken Miryem’s statement literally, wants her to turn the silver he brings her into gold. If she fails, she dies, but if she succeeds she will become the queen of the Staryk.

The “reward” here being an outcome that neither of them actually wants, but because the Staryk is bound by his word, when Miryem (of course) succeeds at her task (she doesn’t want to marry the Staryk king, but she DEFINITELY doesn’t want to die lol) she is whisked away to the Staryk kingdom and becomes their queen.

The relationship between these two characters is VERY combative, and full of sass and fighting from both sides. This is very much my cup of tea, because I love Belligerent Sexual Tension. However if you’re looking for something fast and smutty this isn’t going to satisfy you. (This is my SFW blog, what did you expect?) Their relationship is very much mutual hatred throughout most of the book, with the Staryk king slowly gaining respect and admiration for Miryem as the story unfolds, and any romance between the two is reserved for the very end. A VERY slow burn.

Irina is the second female protag who is the daughter of a duke. She is described as being very plain looking, and that the duke will have difficulty marrying her off to improve his station. However, he cooks up a plan to try tricking the Tsar, Mirnatius, into marrying her using enchanted jewelry (made of the Staryk silver Miryem has been “turning into gold”) that makes the wearer beautiful, and irresistible to others.

Mirnatius is a very cruel, self-ish, and vain man, and Irina absolutely doesn’t want to marry him, but the good news is that the jewelry doesn’t work on Mirnatius because he is being possessed by a very powerful fire demon who takes control of the Tsar at night. The bad news however is that the fire demon wants to eat Irina, so he makes Mirnatius marry her anyways.

Thus Irina is taken away by the Tsar and has to find ways to avoid the fire demon at night, and keep up appearances that her and the Tsar are happily married by day. Another unwanted marriage for both parties, as Irina only knows the tsar as sadistic and cruel because of the demon, and Mirnatius is actually vain all on his own, and only appreciates beautiful things and people, and CANNOT for the life of him understand why everyone thinks Irina is so beautiful. (One of my favorite scenes in this book is when Mirnatius makes several very accurate life-like sketches of Irina, which even she admits are very good, and goes around showing them to people, asking, “Is THIS the Tsarinna that you keep calling beautiful???” and everyone is just politely confused lol.)

The relationship between these two is once again one of mutual hate and antagonism that grows into something more, and their interactions remind me strongly of Sophie and Howl, if only it turned out that Calcifer was not as loveable as he was in the movie, but actually a truly horrible being bent on the destruction of all life. ;P

The third main protagonist doesn’t have a romance story arc like the other two, but that’s ok, because her story is also one of my favorites. Wanda is a poor girl who lives with her two brothers and abusive, alcoholic father. Wanda is described at first in the story as simple-minded, unattractive, and burly, the only value she holds for herself being that of a beast-of-burden. 

However as the story progresses she shows not just compassion, but intelligence, and bravery as well. Her arc is one of found family as she goes from working for Miryem’s family, to escaping from her father with her two brothers and finding a new loving family with Miryem’s, and helping to protect them.

Anyways that’s all I’ll divulge of the story so far. All in all it’s my kind of story. I tend to be someone who likes a rich plot and well-rounded characters before any romance elements. I’m actually just as happy if the romance aspect of a story is smaller in comparison to the plot. I certainly like romance, but it can’t be the whole focus of a story for me all the time. If you are the same you’ll probably like this book. If you prefer the romance to be first and foremost however, then you may not like it as much.

I’m also a slut for hate-to-love, and all the tropes that comes with, and BOTH of the couples in this story were this to the extreme, so I was cackling like a maniac through all their interactions. xD

#spinning silver #naomi novik #book recommendations #book review