#this is why I don't write romance

[oxenfreeao3]

There aren't many hobbies out there that are free to do, inherently creative, and capable of bringing joy to people all across the globe.

But that's why I love writing fanfiction.

#fanfic #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic writing #writers on tumblr #writers #romance writing #“why waste your time writing fanfic #creative writing #hobbies #oh and hobbies aren't supposed to be side hustles btw #“why waste your time writing fanfic? you can never publish or sell it” ok bozo why don't i abscond with every flower in your garden??? #you are under no obligation to convert your creativity into capital

[thelaurenshippen]

ah yes, the sweet sting of rejection from a billion dollar corporation who believes that "action stories don't appeal to romance audiences", welcome back my old familiar friend

#personal #writing #this was the EXACT problem I ran into with my gay outlaw story #and why I was just like FINE IT WON'T BE SCRIPTED IT'LL BE A BOOK #(and I mean who knows if it'll sell as a book) #(but it was NOT selling as a podcast) #how do I tell these companies that there's a whole website of people who love both action and romance #how do I explain that these people pull ships from the barest two second looks in action movies “aimed at men” #it's the conflation of romance = ladies and action = men for me #that's what really makes me roll my eyes #companies being like 'sorry lauren we just don't think people really into romance are into action' #HI I'M SITTING RIGHT HERE YOU'RE TALKING TO ME #my favorite movie is mad max and most of what I read is romance #I play violent action video games and I have a pathological need to ship #we exist #and we are legion #ANYWAY #might delete later

[gojonanami]

you know who would be a good househusband? suguru.

in an alternate universe, instead of suguru dying, he's put under house arrest with seals plastered all over his body living in your house. your CT is something that can counteract his abilities—either something like CT neutralisation or bone-bending to force his bones to move in a certain way (hence not leave) or break fingers (in case he ever somehow tries out domain expansion).

and so he ends up living with you, and despite it all, it is almost weirdly domestic. and since he's living with you anyway (for safety reasons, since you can sort of control him), you end up almost exploiting his househusband like abilities—he ends up cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you find yourself growing crazier and crazier because he looks so normal despite it all.

i don't think he'd want this plan to come to fruition, though. he'd rather die, i think, that live this life of 'humiliation'. but for the sake of this scenario, i am willing to entertain the idea that he would comply with this plan with the intent of figuring a way out to escape (whether by emotionally manipulating you or through his own smarts) and then bringing his plan to a climactic point (we have seen his cult, yes, him fighting jujutsu high, yes, but we haven't seen him exert mass control over the population).

and so, in this universe, he would bring non-sorcerers to their knees, forcing satoru's and your way into something big, potentially forcing yuki to utilise herself, too.

.....why are you doing this to me because i wanna write this

BUT, i want to make it so that when he's trying to emotional manipulate you, he actually falls for you, and while trying to concoct his plan, he doesn't really want to escape. and you realize that all he really wanted was peace for him and his friends --

and he abandons his ambitions and his misdeeds are pardoned when he helps deal with the troubles that face jujutsu sorcerers :)

#sab [asks] #sab [anons] #if you don't mind the changes i made #i would love to write this #sab [future fics] #god #i love an enemies to lovers romance #also i would have reader's be a neutralizing technique #the breaking of fingers or binding muscles sounds...a little too grotesque for me to stomach writing hahah #i have a weird thing with finger breaking #that's why i never finished the anime darker than black

[altschmerzes]

on a related note, oh my gd is trying to find advice on or information about writing sex scenes ever a fucking Grim experience. it's like a roulette wheel of arophobia, acephobia, insane generalizations, transphobia, misogyny, gender essentialism, more insane generalizations, and half the links on guides or compilations of resources are dead lmao.

and so much of what i CAN access, all of the other weirdness aside, is written in such a like... catty, rude tone? like hello can we all calm down please. can people who write about sex a lot or want to provide resources for writing about sex please be less fucking weird about sex.

#gav gab #THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON HERE. SO MUCH. #me trying to do research and running face-first into a lot of the reasons why i simply don't go near this type of writing/reading #even without the romance repulsion #sex ment #the tone issue is so fucking weird too lmao #i'm just trying to look up advice for how to write about x sex act can you stop being weird and mean to me

[hephaestuscrew]

“This has both our names on it”: Viewing Fleet and Clara’s relationship in Victoriocity through a queerplatonic lens

TL;DR: By Season 3 of Victoriocity, Fleet and Clara have developed a committed emotional partnership that certainly moves beyond the purely professional. Whilst very much operating as a duo, they can be interpreted as often rejecting or subverting romance-coded elements in their relationship, instead embracing a unique dynamic that can be read as resonating with the concept of a queerplatonic relationship (QPR).

Buckle up because this is over 2,500 words long! If you'd rather read it as a document, you can access it here: Fleet & Clara QPR Google Doc

Disclaimer: I'm not making any claims about creator intent, nor about how anyone else ought to interpret Fleet and Clara's dynamic. It's also worth acknowledging that queerplatonic relationships are inherently defined by the people in them and any attempt to apply such terminology to a story set in 1887 is obviously anachronistic (although whether that should matter when said story also contains a cyborg Queen Victoria is up for debate). 

With that said, if we define a QPR as a committed personal partnership which is not entirely captured by the typical expectations of either friendship or romance but may contain some elements typically associated with either (other definitions of QPRs are available), I enjoy viewing Fleet and Clara's relationship through a QPR lens, and I want to talk about some of the reasons why I think this reading works.

***Spoilers for all three seasons of Victoriocity and the novel High Vaultage***

Detective duos

Even before we actually get into Fleet and Clara's particular bond, detective / crime-solving duos as a general concept have QPR energy to me (which probably predisposed me to this interpretation). It's the Holmes-and-Watson legacy. It's the use of the word 'partner' in a non-romantic context (‘associate’ or ‘companion’ can also serve a similar purpose). It's the intense trust and reliance on each other. It's the sense of being a recognisable pair, always appearing together, known as a duo, with skills and attributes that complement each other. 

Romantic assumptions

Moving on to Fleet and Clara specifically, one aspect of their relationship that can be read through a QPR lens is how they are often in situations where other people believe or imply that there is a romantic relationship between them. Sometimes this is a deliberate strategy of theirs, and sometimes it’s imposed upon them by others. But I’d argue that there’s never a point where they both simultaneously seem entirely comfortable with that romantic narrative for their relationship. Usually one of them will actively deny the assumption or react negatively to the implication:

When Mrs Hampshire interprets Clara and Fleet as a couple experiencing “young love”, Clara might be happy to adopt this as an effective cover story, but Fleet seems unsettled and keen for them not to be perceived this way: “No. No. You’ve misunderstood, we are not, that is to say I am…” (S1E2)

When Warden Hughes assumes Fleet is the new Warden and Clara is the new Warden’s wife, Clara says “I am certainly not”, with emphasis on the ‘certainly’. (S2E2)

Fleet definitely doesn’t sound enthused when he realises Clara has gone for a married couple as their cover story at the Grand Salcombe: “I am sure I’ll regret asking, but by any chance am I [Mr. Theasby?]” (S2E2)

When Titus Byrne tells the pair “I take it you're happy sharing [a room]”, Clara responds with a horrified “What?” (S3E4) (Obviously sleeping in the same room isn’t inherently romantic, but it is often perceived that way.)

Of course, fake dating and external assumptions of romance are very common tropes in romantic will-they-won't-they dynamics, and these moments could definitely be interpreted that way for Fleet and Clara. But I prefer to read these instances as reflecting a different kind of closeness between these two characters. They have a sense of emotional partnership that allows a marriage cover story to seem plausible to others and that other people sometimes automatically assume to be romantic (obviously with some period-typical heteronormativity at play). But to me, it doesn't seem like either of them are fully comfortable with their relationship being perceived in a directly romantic way. Perhaps they are a couple in a different sense…

Proposal via door plate 

The way that Fleet asks Clara to be his business partner has always seemed to me like a platonic version of when people find personal ways to surprise their romantic partner with a proposal:

CLARA: You bought me a door plate for your office? [...] This has both our names on it. FLEET: What do you think? CLARA: I like it. (S2E7)

Fleet could have just asked Clara outright, without going to the trouble of buying a sign that would have been useless if she’d said no. If it was purely a professional business proposition with no emotional meaning behind it, I think he would have just asked verbally. But instead, he gifts her a sign with their two names paired together: Fleet-Entwhistle Investigations. There's something so intimate about that to me: about Fleet asking Clara whether she would like to be a duo with him in a more formally-defined but still non-romantic way; about him choosing to present this offer in the form of a gift; about the way he presents her with their two names joined together etched into metal and asks what she thinks; about the significance that this gesture attaches to their partnership; about him having enough trust that she'll say yes that the effort and vulnerability of presenting her with that sign seem worth it for him. And the gesture means an awful lot to Clara:

She thought about the door plaque he’d had engraved with both their names on it as his way of inviting her to be his business partner – typical Fleet, refusing to tell her so much as his favourite breakfast food and then to go and do something like that. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her. (High Vaultage, p187). 

Anniversaries

In the special episode ‘Murder in the Pharaoh's Tomb', Clara says “And you know what else is a big occasion Fleet? It's our one-month anniversary.” She wants to celebrate the anniversary of Fleet-Entwhistle Investigations. Their partnership holds a significance for her that means key dates associated with it are worth remembering and remarking upon. 

When Clara first mentions their anniversary, Fleet nearly chokes on his drink, which seems like an instinctive reaction to the usually romantic connotations of an anniversary (see my point above about Fleet not being comfortable with their dynamic being perceived as romantic). But when Clara clarifies what she means, Fleet seems much more cheerful about the notion of their anniversary: “Ah, so it has.”

“Miss Clara Entwhistle, my partner”

I get extremely strong QPR vibes from this moment, when Fleet introduces Clara to the sailors at Grave End:

FLEET: This is Miss Clara Entwhistle, my partner - in business, my business partner. CLARA: I'm also his friend, but he doesn't like to say it. (S3 E3)

Fleet and Clara are partners, but not in the way the average person might assume from that word, which Fleet realises mid-sentence here. This is another instance of Fleet reacting negatively to the idea that their relationship might be interpreted romantically (see above). And yet, 'partner' (rather than, say, ‘colleague’) is the word that comes naturally to him in this moment to describe who Clara is to him. He then frantically emphasises the professional element of their relationship so as to avoid the romantic implication, but Clara is keen to proudly assert that there is a personal, emotional aspect to their dynamic too. They are first-and-foremost partners, and they are friends, and they do not want to be seen in a romantic light - this post basically writes itself... 

“Her ridiculous detective.”

When Clara fears for her life at the display of the Lanterns, the narration tells us:

“she thought of her brother, her sister, her parents... Her ridiculous detective.” (High Vaultage, p172) 

The fact that Clara thinks of Fleet in this moment of fear clearly indicates his importance to her, but I think the phrasing of this quote is particularly interesting. The narration lists Clara's immediate family: two of whom are dead (her sister and father), one of whom is publically mourning Clara's life choices (her mother), and only one of whom we have any real evidence of her having a positive relationship with (her brother). And then, separated from these complicated familial relationships by an ellipsis, the narration tells Clara also thinks of Fleet, “her ridiculous detective”. 

Parents and siblings are familial relationships that tend to come with established expectations, in which the use of a possessive pronoun (i.e. her brother) to indicate the relationship is a norm. ‘Detective’ does not fall into this category; unlike ‘brother’, ‘sister’, ‘parent’, ‘friend’, ‘partner’ etc., ‘detective’ is not a word that inherently implies a relationship or that we'd usually expect to see preceded by a possessive pronoun. The idea of ‘her detective’ therefore stands out, giving the sense that there is a unique relationship being indicated here. The way in which Fleet is ‘hers’ is something that Clara has chosen for herself, something that they have shaped together. Who they are to each other can't necessarily be fully expressed using standard phrases that traditionally describe relationships between people. But Fleet is Clara's detective, of which she only has one, and who she'll think of in the midst of “the screaming of the heavens at the end of the world”.

Fleet is also the only one in this list of Clara's loved ones who gets an adjective - her love for him has detail. And while “ridiculous” might often be perceived as negative (it's certainly not a classic romantic endearment), it seems to me like there's such fondness in it in this context: the recognition of and affection for eccentricities, the idea that his importance to her is not (purely) based on his professional strengths but on Fleet as a whole - perhaps at times ridiculous - person.

“Settled”

When Clara and Fleet talk about Clara's mother’s expectations for her, they have this exchange:

"She's still living in hope that one day I'll settle down."  "You're not settled?" asked Fleet. "I am." (High Vaultage, p259) 

By ‘settle down’, Clara's mother of course means ‘marry’, ideally into “at least a minor baronetcy”. But Clara already considers herself "settled", just not in a way her mother would understand or appreciate. She's not looking to "settle down" into a lifestyle other than her current one. She is settled in a situation where Fleet is certainly her closest personal connection in London (and perhaps anywhere), and where the two of them work closely together, operate as a duo, and then go back to their separate homes. And this partnership with Fleet is a comfortable set-up that feels right for Clara exactly as it is, rather than being a precursor to, or a distraction from, the marriage ambitions that her mother wants for her.

I think this exchange also contains an implicit sense of the commitment between the two of them. Fleet wants to check that Clara is ‘settled’ in her current situation, of which working closely - and platonically - with Fleet is obviously a major element; Clara confirms she is. There's a subtle indication of their shared intention to be in this for the long haul.

As a sidenote, Fleet and Clara’s implicit assumption that their partnership is a long-term one can manifest itself in joking contexts as well as serious ones. Look at this exchange from S3E5: 

FLEET: We're not bandits, we're just going to flag it down. CLARA: We'd be terrific bandits! FLEET: Let's just see how our current line of work goes.

I think it’s notable that, in this joking speculation, both Fleet and Clara use ‘we’ and ‘our’. The joke could have been phrased just as effectively if they were imagining only Clara becoming a bandit. But the suggestion is that, if either of them was a bandit, they’d be bandits together. Even if they changed their lives entirely, they'd still approach life together.

Inseparable 

Fleet and Clara have become a nearly inseparable duo in a way which is noticed by others. For example, after Clara and Fleet fall out in High Vaultage, Fleet meets with Keller, who says: 

"You're here with me instead of barrelling across town with her, so I'm just assuming there is some thickheaded puffinry for which you need to apologise to Miss Entwhistle" (p335)

Keller, hardly the most emotionally perceptive man in Even Greater London, automatically infers from the fact that Fleet is on his own that he has had a falling out with Clara, rather than that they just happen to be in different places. When all is well, Keller expects to see the two of them together, whether or not they are in a position to be actively working a case.

Going back earlier in their partnership, Keller makes a similar assumption about Fleet and Clara being inseparable in S2E6. When Clara shouts her name amidst Keller's anti-Vidoc booby traps, Keller asks "Entwhistle? Which means… Fleet?" Again, there's this idea that if one of them is there, the other is likely to be there too - they come as a pair. (It's worth noting that this scene takes place less than two weeks after they first met.)

“Like a friend might?”

At the end of S3E7, Fleet suggests that he and Clara go to the theatre together. It would have been easy for this invitation to have been explicitly framed as a romantic proposition, or even for the nature of the offer to have been left more ambiguous. But Clara says "Archibald Fleet, are you inviting me to a social activity? Like a friend might?" The use of the word 'friend' directly labels this as a platonic interaction. And it's with that platonic lens on it that Clara is extremely excited to spend non-work-related social time with Fleet.

“Maybe it'll just be my good luck charm.”

CLARA: My grandmother's ring, I don't suppose you managed to hold on to it? [...] FLEET: Oh, it's been crushed.. I'm sorry Clara [...] CLARA: No, you keep it. FLEET: What? No... CLARA: Keep it. Maybe it'll remind you not to run towards trains. FLEET: Maybe. Maybe it'll just be my good luck charm.

In S3E7, Clara gives Fleet a ring, which - as a gift from one person to another - is traditionally a symbol of a particular, legally recognised, kind of personal commitment. But when Clara tells Fleet to keep the damaged ring, down in the Underground tunnels after the destruction of the beast and Fleet's latest brush with death, it is quite a different situation to a wedding or a proposal. A married man would traditionally wear his wedding ring on his finger for all to see, but Fleet won't ever wear this ring like that. The ring itself has been bent into a different shape between the wheels of their misadventures, subverting the usual associations of a ring given from one person to another. (In a heteronormative world, those associations are particularly strong when the two people in question are a woman and a man.) 

That ring is not an engagement ring, but it is Clara’s grandmother's ring, an inheritance from the blood family she never really felt she belonged in, now given to the man who might be a very different kind of family for her in London. That ring - with which Clara saved Fleet's life - is a symbol of their bond. And it therefore serves as a reminder for Fleet “not to run towards trains" and as a “good luck charm”. I like to think he'll carry that ring with him, perhaps in his jacket pocket - a little piece of his partner, kept close to his ticking heart…

Thank you for reading all of this!

If you’ve read all of this, I'm assuming you also enjoy the concept of Fleet and Clara as a QPR (unless you're really a glutton for punishment) and that makes me very happy! This was long because there's so much to say about them… And I wrote all of the above without even getting into: the potential to headcanon Fleet and/or Clara as aspec (which I don't think is necessary for QPR headcanons, but which is also fun); Clara's baggage around and discomfort with marriage in general; the speed with which Fleet and Clara become a ride-or-die duo; and the many other demonstrations of care, understanding, trust, respect, and affection between them that didn't feel as directly QPR-coded to me but are nonetheless wonderful. Please do feel free to share your own thoughts!

#victoriocity #clara entwhistle #inspector fleet #archibald fleet #high vaultage #I'm not really trying to persuade anyone who doesn't already vibe with Fleet & Clara QPR as a concept #I just enjoy digging into that interpretation #I don't have any lived experience of QPRs myself #I'm just an aro who occasionally yearns #which tbf is probably the demographic most likely to obsessively interpret fictional duos as QPRs #I tried to avoid straying into anything like ‘they are too important to each other to be *just* friends’ #when writing this #because I deeply dislike that outlook #That's not what I'm getting at here #Friends can be that important to each other without being in a QPR #I just think Fleet and Clara are important to each other in a particular way that can easily be read as a QPR or QPR-adjacent #Ngl for me personally I was very happy that there was no explicitly romantic Fleet and Clara moments #in S3 or High Vaultage #I’m sure I would still love their dynamic if they did explicitly take it down that route #I’m sure it would be done well #But the fact that Fleet and Clara are platonic (or at least ambiguous) means a lot to me personally #A related thought to that bit on romantic assumptions is that under amatonormativity #even the denial of romance/attraction is so often treated as evidence for it #which can mean that there's no way to escape that implication #so that's another reason why I enjoy taking characters at their word #when they express discomfort over a dynamic being interpreted as romantic #I finished writing this on Wednesday and I've been so impatient about waiting until S3 is fully out to post it lol

[hamartia-grander]

Wyll breaking up with the player character if Ulder dies so Wyll must become the Duke makes me wanna throw up sobbing because he actually thinks that just because his father's first duty being to Baldur's Gate made him a Bad Father that Wyll himself will inevitably be a Bad Lover because surely no one could match love with duty if his father couldn't, unknowing he has more love in one hand than his father had in his entire body. fuck

#More in my reblog #“my father taught me more lessons than I can count” yeah dog they were called CAUTIONARY TALES 😭😭😭 #“pull me too close and I'm destined to hurt you” FUCKIGN. BITING YOU #“a champion's heart is as sharp as a new blade” SO CRAZY I GOT THIS SICK ASS ARMOUR. TRY ME. #I'm actually in physical pain over this. Wyll my love. #I need to rip ulder in two with my bare hands right now. #sorry I JUST saw the breakup scene for the first time today and I haven't stopped thinking about it it's making me ill with sadness #he didn't even break up with ME but it fucking feels like it goddamn #bg3 #Wyll Ravengard #baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 analysis #oh my GOD and the fact that he offers one last dance. I'mgoing to ufckingexplode #and he spends five whole seconds just. holding the character. not even dancing. #I watched the version with him and astarion ofc I don't romance wyll myself (lesbianism) #makes me wanna write a fucking fic (derogatory) #why the fuck is everyone so ill over astarion when mr insane mental health issues is RIGHT here (i know why. but still)

[wizardsix]

astarion stans who refuse to try befriending or even romancing anyone else are the most annoying mfs. "I only romance astarion I just can't relate to the other stories" really? you can't relate to gales deep self loathing? his deep love and loyalty for those he cares about? you can't relate to wylls kind heart and desire to always do good, even if it means he's miserable? can't relate to shadowheart blindly following a god, only to learn the truth and reinvent herself? you can't relate to lae'zel or karlach who were lied to and used as weapons their whole lives, but continue to push on even when they're scared? you can't relate to the overarching theme of authority vs autonomy???

it's not difficult, it's just people refusing to appreciate and explore the game to its fullest bc their manipulative sexy vampire is all they need(something astarion actually loathes being seen as btw). but ok, you can be boring and do whatever you want, but don't lie and say the other stories are bad, because they're not. it's simply a lack of media literacy and critical thinking. because to you, if a character doesn't tell you point blank that they're aware of their situation, it's bad writing. missing the entire point that victims don't always realize the situation they're in. keep in mind astarion and karlach are the only ones who got away from their abusers, which is why they tell you clearly and confidently about what happened to them, fully aware that it was abuse. whereas the others give only their tunnel visioned perspective and speak highly of their deity(not caring about themselves, wish to appease them for something in return).

don't get me wrong (seriously, if I see one person misunderstand me I'm going to lose it) astarion is a good character, but people who only like him need to stop acting like he's the only complex and well written one. stop crying when people with brains call you out for being weird about his ascended ending. the game isn't about him. at least try and show some respect to those who worked hard on the game. make an oc and try new things, i promise the fictional vampire won't care if you don't romance him one run. have a drink with shadowheart, dance with wyll, go to a restaurant w karlach, maybe then you'll calm down.

#this isn't astarion slander this is a critical post against his annoying ass fans #if this post offends you then youre exactly who im talking about. use your brains. i want people to appreciate larians hard work #idk man i just dont understand people who play heavily choice based games and don't try different things #again dear god do not get me wrong. play how you want. its the people that literally lie about characters that irritate me #'gales full of himself/lae'zel is mean/wyll is boring' tell me your brain is full of holes w/o telling me #also. shocking. but youre allowed to dislike or be neutral on characters but at least try to see their story and give a Valid reason why #no 'gale was toxic to mystra' doesn't count bc thats a blatant lie. and him forcefully triggering romance stuff is a bug. try again #the thing is too i just know this chaos is caused by dragon age stans that migrated to baldur's gate bc the next game is gonna fucking tank #cant keep their stupidity in the da fanbase it seems #astarion ancunin #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 spoilers #bg3 spoilers #six speaks #also im not saying every stories writing is perfect bc not even astarions is perfect. i have criticism for all of them #but at their core they succeed in delivering the themes mentioned above

[lameotello]

I find it very interesting that antis are usually preoccupied with the shipping part of fandom. You'll see fics and artwork that details torture and gore with "proship dni" on it. I'm not saying that those works don't deserve to exist, obviously they do, but I just find it interesting that antis tend to only have a problem when it comes to taboo relationships in fandom. If you're able to separate reality from fiction when it comes to violence, why not when it comes to romantic or sexual relations?

#I don't get it #genuinely #someone writing gore fic isn't romanticising torture and saying that's okay in real life #so why is it then that when I write a fluffy romance fic about brothers suddenly a line is crossed? #what's the difference here? #I can't get into the mindset #maybe a result of culture? #sexuality tends to be demonized and deemed as less appropriate than violence in media #tello talks #proship #tcest

[project-sekai-facts]

Out of all the ships, which would you say are the most heavily implied in-game?

generally i have a rule of no shipping on this blog and will ignore any asks i get about it but you know what i'll do this one because idk sounds fun. and also if it's canon i get free pass.

the thing you have to remember is that this is an idol game. idol games/franchises like love live/bandori/enstars etc are known for ship baiting to hell and back but never actually doing anything about it because, well, money. even though they'll tease at lots of ships because that way you make more fans happy the writers often have more obvious favorites (sometimes if one that they don't really write becomes popular within fandom they'll add it in as well), and this is definitely the case with project sekai. will they ever make any characters be official couples? i dunno, but it's unlikely unless they decide to pull a D4DJ (that said prsk isn't subtle about the fact that Mizuki is trans and they did address that gay people exist that one time, so there's always a chance). anyway

it's explicitly stated in the text that An views the events of Buddy Funny Spend Time as romantic. In her Peak Excitement card story she calls it a date and the way that she, her dad and Mizuki talk about it is in a not-platonic way. Out of the four from that event though, she is the only one who seems to view it as an actual date. So she's canonically romantically interested in Kohane. Oh and Kohane is attracted to her and is very heavily implied to reciprocate if the An wedding event wasn't obvious enough about it.

also i wrote this that one time

other than that there's definitely some other instances of characters showing attraction to each other, and some things that are very much written to have romantic undertones that fans can interpret in that way if they choose to, and also the use of daisuki on like 6 ships (which is the idol game's favorite word for love because it's more ambiguous), and some cover songs that are explicitly romantic but then again you can do the "it's just a song" excuse. the above two examples are the most explicitly stated ships though. at the end of the day at least we technically have two canon ships even if it's only confirmed in the text from one side and they aren't dating because as long as the feelings are there that's really what counts as canon, right? like who cares if they're dating it's incredibly unlikely that the game will ever do that so it's not really worth arguing over which ones are more likely to date.

#asks #i think prsk is a lot of ppl's first idol game and maybe that's why the arguments around shipping are so...*gestures vaguely* like that. #like i think some people genuinely believe there are actual romance subplots and stuff #and yknow maybe prsk will do that some day but. not right now at least #anyway ship discourse is pointless and makes everyone pissy when shipping should be fun and make you happy bc you want your blorbos to kiss #and ultimately what's most canon/implied in the game doesn't matter because i don't think the writers really care that much and will write #whatever will make fans happy because they want to get paid. so just like what ships you like and enjoy it #and don't threaten to murder 13 year olds

[suddenrundown]

ot3 camping is a great scenario (to Me) because from eliot’s perspective it’s the most romantic thing he could possibly be doing (pre or post relationship, doesn’t even matter), from parker’s perspective it’s a Challenge she has to Survive (which is a challenge she’s up for...for like 10 minutes before she’s bored) and Hardison’s like “i’m in hell” from the word go

#actually sorry camping trip for eliot is only the 2nd most romantic cuz its one step below fishing in the dark #which is Thee Pinnacle of Romance to him and i stand firm on this hill ive chosen to die on #leverage #ot3: hitter hacker thief #parker #alec hardison #eliot spencer #idk why im obsessed with the idea of an ot3 camping trip lol but i am #keep suggesting it as a prompt on the last 2 fic exchanges AND I'LL DO IT AGAIN because no one has seen the Potential in it yet i guess #why dont i just write it? well because I Don't Want To #or rather i do but its at the bottom of my list of things to get to lol

[miraculousagentsofkrypton]

/Not once did Seyka put the responsibility of saving her sister on Aloy's shoulders. They helped each other, but it was mutual. / like every other single character? we could had an amazing love story and slow burn but no, all rushed with a random she just met and forcing it down the players' throats. but we are accepting this mediocrity, yay, really scared for horizon 3

I'm of the opinion that the ending with Seyka would have been best with a mixture of all three replies because they don't know each other very well, and Aloy is still working through things. I can see where people come from with the it feels a little rushed complaint, but it's also not the build up to some deeply committed relationship. So far, it's just a crush for both of them. Those dont need to have a drawn out build up. (Not to mention, picking a new character is actually less controversial than forcing one among the many choices people feel deeply about.)

Im fairly certain the writers are setting up the idea of romance choices for horizon 3. You likely won't be forced to romance her if you don't want to.

As for Seyka herself's dynamic with Aloy, yes, it is different from most of the other romantic possibilities in the game, aside from Talanah. All of them have points and interesting dynamics to explore in a ship, but there is some awe from all. Katallo views her as an admirable commander. Erend did rely heavily on her for solving his sister's disappearance, and felt like he owed her a debt. Alva had to get over her ancestor worship, etc. None of these things take away from their relationship potential with Aloy, but they did bother her a little.

They all learn to become real friends with her given time, but Seyka never needed that time. She framed asking for Aloy's help as helping each other, not as a plea. She took Aloy's immense capability as a challenge for herself. She pushed back against Aloy at every opportunity, but not in a way that hindered, in a way that forced Aloy out of her "Im responsible for everyone" shtick. She actively and consistently put herself in an equal and supportive role to Aloy, wanting to bear just as much weight. She was unwilling to just follow her lead (not in a bad way).

Her differing views on family and community were good changes from Aloy. To answer the other ask in the same answer, they aren't carbon copies. Aloy needs someone who can keep up with her intellectually and physically. She has a habit of not respecting people who bow down to tradition when it hinders them, so Seyka couldn't be that person. Those are the only things that we know Seyka really shares with her, but they are things Aloy finds appealing and would desire in a partner. They are necessary connections. We don't know much about Seyka yet, but we know enough to know they aren't the same person.

#literally just look at their reactions to alcohol #its actually a big difference if you think about the whys of it all #talanah actually has a little bit of an opposite power imbalance to all the other friends #in all honesty my favorite part of the romance in the dlc is just Aloy being flustered #i don't think the romance was some masterful bit of writing #but it also wasn't really bad either #they did do a great job of setting up sapphic Aloy tho #it has been hinted at since the first game #burning shores #horizon burning shores #burning shores spoilers #hfw spoilers #hfw #horizon forbidden west #hzd #horizon games #seyka #seyloy #aloy

[plushchimera]

ROAN ❤️ obviously who can resist him? And then the second pt can be any version of Lex I lov them all.

Roan’s pt is a fun romance with a fancy fire-magic-man who may or may not be an actual dragon. People are still speculating, fan theories are wild. There is going to be at least one fancy event he suggests to ditch not even halfway through. Roan also wouldn’t mind if you decide to romance another character at any point of the game, or so he says. Please don’t break his heart, he’s not used to it.

For your Lex pt prepare to consult some guides, a lot. People on forums complain that they always end up in a friendship route instead of a romantic one. While it’s actually pretty easy to start Lex’s romance, it’s also easy to get locked out at any point of the game. For those who still want to try and get that last steam achievement, Lex is a pillar of support, cool under pressure and surprisingly affectionate. Every version of Lex has something to do with music, be it career or hobby. Their main love language is physical touch. If they are angry with you, you will know.

#Lex is the problematic asexual representation #why problematic? i don't know x) #but they have to be if that game gains any traction whatsoever #guess we'll have to wait for the dev to release an official romance guide for them #askfhlggah #thank u for this ask!!! 💜💜💜 #my brain is frying from trying to write sth coherent in english #but i'm having fun #didn't expect Roan to be popular x)

[niobiumao3]

People can feel free to keep posting their bad takes about Tech/Phee because I just write another 2-3k in a WIP or make a new one in response. If your goal is to up my fic output then gratz you've succeeded!

#I don't care if you don't like it #that's whatever #but passing off your opinions about #how tech would never be into her #or it's 'rushed' (WHAT IS RUSHED? NOTHING HAS HAPPENED) #or how she was so terrible to him #as if they're objectively correct #and not your read on the material #I am just so over all of that #so you don't like it #you don't need to write a screed on why it's actually #objectively bad and OMG IT'S ACTUALLY BAD AUTISTIC ROMANCE REP #shut up you don't speak for every autistic person #also the part where everyone remains #so convinced she's not trustworthy #and is going to betray them #racist as fuck read and it would be racist-ass writing too #ofc after the way they've done saw I wouldn't be surprised #but boy would I be mad

[twitterdotcom]

If Izzy dies, I'm not watching season 3. This isn't even out of spite either, I only watched s2 because of Izzy, and if he's not there, then what's the point

#izzy hands #i had a longer post. but my main point boils down to #i don't like comedies or romances much in general anyway #its why I dropped wwdits #but I did like Izzy and was especially interested to see how he would interact with the other characters in the show #and I wanted to see those interactions for myself rather than just through meta posts and gifsets #which is honestly all I'd need to enjoy the main plot #because as I said earlier. Romance isn't really something that interests me. Especially once the pining stage is over #i know i said both on main and on here that Izzy isn't dying #but the paranoia is setting in. and I am lost faith in the writing once I learned that 'Izzy is more than a jilted spouse' #meant that he was going to become the wingman. rather than him actually having a meaningful interaction with ed post reunion

[bitchthefuck1]

I will never understand the fanfic impulse to take characters with thee most coo coo bananas codependent/nuanced/toxic/insane relationship and turn them into love interests #1 and #2 in a generic romance novel. like what is even the point anymore

#i don't just mean 'bad' relationships that they're trying to romanticize or sanitize; this happens all the time with 'good' relationships #with some funk or flavor to them where they sand off all of the things that actually make them interesting and compelling #and you're just left with this bland ball of nothing like they're generic couple no. 4 in a clothing ad #like girl why are you even here then?? what was the appeal for you that made you want to write about these people in the first place??? #you've taken all the flavor out??? #it always reminds me of that one screenshot someone took of a tag on a succession fic that was like 'logan is a good dad au' and its like #okay well why are we here then? like that changes so much about the characters and the story (and also like the entire point #the show is making about power and abuse) that you might as well write about literally anyone/anything else bc you're sure as shit #not writing about these characters anymore #and like. there's nothing wrong with enjoying bland or formulaic romance i'm not gonna find you and come to your house #but if that's what you're into then why do you even like these people??? #to be clear i don't mean 'take them and place them neroses and all into a suburban home to watch them chew the wallpaper and #confuse their neighbors' that's completely different

[powdermelonkeg]

#bg3 #wonder if this will have different results #i think i've figured out why i keep making so many tavs to romance gale with yet not doing anything with them #gotta buckle down and force myself to write a whole fanfic #my creativity keeps spiraling into new projects and it's gotta be because i don't have a specific one to fixate on #the curse of adhd. that's the real curse. but i will break it