#unparalleled love story

[seventh-fantasy]

re: jianghu as a queer space in mlc

here to answer @redemption-revenge !! in reply to this post

(also tagging @markiafc @ananeiah <3)

there are many definitions of jianghu, but this is specifically based on the framing of jianghu as the space people retreat to, away from the mainstream sphere governed by the imperial court. in that is a sense of rejection and defiance against the patriarchal, heteronormative values and norms, which had been enforced through a fixation on upkeeping order in the society. as such i guess it's not too much of a stretch to interpret jianghu as a queer space in a way that's characterised by a spirit of nonconformity to the norms. consequently, it makes sense for stories set in jianghu be used to illustrate and navigate queer identities/experiences/feelings - which I came to believe mlc had made really good use of.

there's always kind of a dichotomy between 江湖 jianghu and 庙堂 miaotang (ie. imperial court). like in mlc, there are two separate, distinct law enforcement bodies from the respective spheres - and jianghu strives to keep imperial court from interfering in their affairs. like how li xiangyi firmly stands against getting imperial court involved in jianghu matters. like how fang duobing is actively running away from the grip of the royal court on his life choices. the rejection of the mainstream (very conveniently and broadly put, confucian) norms in mlc also manifests in many of its key relationships being non-familial (in the sense of blood/marriage-based kinship) and there being little emphasis on the main characters' biological familial ties. (anyway this is for a whole different meta on its own... edit: it's here)

it's then actually a sort of irony that the imperial court's institution of law and order is what sigu sect/baichuan court had been formed to be a de facto counterpart to. so when li xiangyi becomes li lianhua, it triggered the process of deconstructing the meaning of installing such an institution and the need to maintain order to a fundamentally nonconforming space such as jianghu. mama fang's seemingly throwaway line of criticising li xiangyi and his mission is in fact the thesis statement in this particular reading of mlc's story: jianghu makes its own rules. nobody should dare to do it in its place.

now deprived of all means to fight like he used to, li xiangyi's new life as li lianhua is essentially a refresh of how he views jianghu. the death of li xiangyi the leader of sigu sect and top of wulin, meant taking apart the idea that jianghu is a lawless arena where the fittest fight to the top for power and control over wulin. and li lianhua then putting together lotus tower, living a life focusing on a domestic lifestyle this time for real far from the reach of the governance both from the imperial court and sigu sect/baichuan court, is him living the jianghu that's defined as a space away from any form of conformity.

with that, there's also a sense of queerness to this particular way of living as li lianhua, if you consider the chinese conceptualisation of gender being more social than biological. if femininity and masculinity were respectively characterised by inner/domestic sphere and external/any space outside of that, dare I say...it actually makes li lianhua's moving house mindblowingly smart as a metaphor for gender fluidity. lonely wanderers are common in wuxia but housed lonely wanderers? he carved for himself a domestic (ie. feminine) space in the wilderness - among a jianghu space that's still dominated by masculine values of aggression and competition. and being freely mobile makes this feminine space more fluid and less tied down than the more rigid, inert domestic, feminine spaces in traditional mainstream society. when you combine it with how his character has been fem-coded - even as li xiangyi (eg. yin-coded powers/energy) (also a whole other meta on its own... edit: it's here now), it speaks to a part of him that has always found appeal in qualities conventionally associated with femininity of stability, gentleness and non-aggression. and a rejection of expectations to fight and destroy. he is defining who he is in his own terms, in the true spirit of jianghu.

#莲花楼 #mysterious lotus casebook #my posts #lhl #lhlmeta #jielin writes something #also ofc the queer reading wrt defiance against norms in the way of choosing jianghu extends to fdb (and dfs?) individually too #fdb. ace. in particular #this meta can go longer. so much more to be said. but i was committed to posting it before i go to bed #but i'll say here first that i think it's the femininity in lxy that is what precisely makes him an unparalleled swordsman. not in spite of #apologies if it doesnt make any sense or just going off tangents in general lol it's 2am #struggled supremely writing this. for hours i was mind to mouth.meme #i sound batshit insane by the last part but at least that idea had been somewhat peer reviewed by my lovely friends........... #mark and ana don't read though before yall finish the show #also this is what happens to ur brain when ur other media obsession is a hardcore confucian critique/deconstruction #of a royal court intrigue story

[chiyune]

the letter where victor gets in walton’s boat, basically

#frankenstein #victor frankenstein #robert walton #i love waltons attitude bro really transcribed a life story within a life story in a letter to his sister about his trip to the north pole #unparalleled energy tbh like go off

[idk-bruh-20]

Irondad fic ideas #58

You know that trope where a rogue sorcerer knocks Peter's astral form out of his body during a fight, and Tony finds him and thinks Peter's dead? Fic where the roles are reversed: Tony's astral form is knocked from his body, and Peter is the one to find him there. Tony has to watch from the astral plane, completely helpless, as Peter breaks down worse than he has ever seen. The kid is holding onto him and sobbing. (Bonus if he's saying something like: "Not you too, not you too," and Tony realizes he's also thinking about Ben.)

Somehow the other Avengers get Peter away. In some of the Peter fics, Tony carries Peter's body from the battlefield back onto the jet. Peter is definitely strong enough that he could do that too, if he still couldn't bear to let go. Tony follows them all onto the jet, still invisible in his astral form. He sees the shock and grief in his team, and it's more than he was expecting, but nothing is as bad as watching Peter stare down at his motionless body, believing that he's just lost another father.

Back at base, Dr. Strange shows up for some reason and realizes what's going on. He does the big reveal / sudden fix and gets Tony back into his body again. The first thing Tony does is reach out for his kid, who is immediately hugging him so tight and breaking down.

Extra points if the dad thing is explicitly stated, either with Peter calling him Dad or with the Avengers understanding the whole time that this is Tony's son.

#the extra points are because I like it! #it simply sparks joy #and the depths of the angst here means the heights of comfort could be unparalleled y'all someone please write this #irondad fic ideas #irondad fic idea #irondad and spiderson #iron dad and spider son #peter parker #tony stark #fic idea #fic ideas #this one was partially sparked by inkinmyheartandonthepage's new story in the we forgot peter series #the fic is called sorcerer's protection and it reminded me exactly why all the fics of this trope are so great #they just love each other SO MUCH and get SO scared #death tw #? #not actual obviously #I've realized though recently that I should maybe be using tw tags

[schmweed]

#David Tennant #Alec Hardy #Ellie Miller #Broadchurch #my gifs #his outstanding Miller <3 #An incredible bond if you think about it -- they were at the lowest possible low #and everyone was judging them or against them or resenting them #ppl they loved turned their backs on them #And this case and the light Ellie brought to life at the end of the dreary dark tunnel Alec had been drowning in for YEARS #must have been this amazing all-encompassing bubble that was theirs and only theirs #and sth that actually helped them with their self-worth since it was their literal job. a lifeline. Ellie gave him a lifeline. #No wonder he disappeared for two years. You can't try to rebuild your broken family with that kind of unparalleled intimacy going on. #Even a text would've been too much because there was nothing casual about it #His quietly forlorn 'Handshake?' in the finale speaks volumes #What a beautiful beautiful story. <3

[mothsakura]

thinking about how UI gets the rot in Rotten Core AU (which i will probably have to shorten to RC AU when typing since its easier to type) UI is often seen in anti-sliverist groups, they aren't an anti-sliverist themselves, let alone care enough about SoS and how she ascended. the reason they're in multiple anti-sliverist groups is simply because they're bored and starting arguments is fun for them (omg they're such a menace.....) well one time they saw two iterators exchanging a theory document with each other, UI being the nosy bastard decides to secretly intercept the exchange and take a look at what the file contains. it wasn't too interesting, just some theory, not bad enough that its funny but not good enough that its interesting. however they didn't know this file contained malware. they discovered the malware when they lost access to half of their systems. they managed to get rid of the malware yes... but the way they got rid of malware was INCREDIBLY risky, especially when no access to half of your systems. they got rid of the malware, but basically accidentally gave themselves the rot oh the poor bingus..... little thing absolutely panics!!! they do NOT want anyone to know about this! they do NOT want to be pittied and coddled but they also have no clue what to do!!! (kicking this poor bingus with angst rn)

#Rotten Core AU #angst!!!! :D how nice!! #moral of the story: don't be a nosy bastard and mind your business! #oh! btw if any of ya'll have any suggestions or advice for writing this au pls do tell me! i would love to hear it! #rain world #iterator #unparalleled innocence #rw #lore rambles

[jerryboo]

#S1 ATE #S1 DELIVERED #s1 is unparalleled with the amount of chaotic gold it gave us #1444 vlad is an icon who spoke before he thought #THE HONEST RIVAL THING IS SO GOOFY #you just know laia makes fun of them with sandra and then noe just takes it too far as usual and they end up stopping 😭😭 #i love them so much this is unhealthy #dracula: a love story #romance club #dls

[art--harridan]

[Image description: A digital drawing of The Driller Killer and Courtney Bates from Slumber Party Massacre 2. They are facing off against one another. The Driller Killer floats above her, with a wide, menacing grin. His pose is jovial and laid back, and he's pointing his bright red drill-guitar hybrid down at her, grazing her shoulder with the drill bit and drawing blood. Courtney's expression is equally manic, mouth smiling and eyes wide. Eyeliner runs down her face, and her shirt is stained with blood. She points a oxyacetylene torch and a lighter at him, setting him ablaze. The fire is coloured with pinks and blues, following the established colour palette of the piece. The pair has an electric blue outline. The background is a gradient from pink to blue, with a wavy texture overlaid. Surround them, there's the text "come on baby - light my fire", distorted in different ways.]

let's buzz!

#slumber party massacre 2 #slumber party massacre 2 fanart #the driller killer #the driller killer fanart #courtney bates #courtney bates fanart #digital art #blood #love them both sm xoxo #this is like basically my fave horror film rn im trying to get everyone i know to watch it with me lol #also the bg is a wavy scan of the words lets buzz 👍 fun fact :) #um also the driller killer is amazing in every scene (atanas ilitch pls return to movies especially horror pls) but like #there is basically no courtney appreciation online which is criminal cos i love her #this scene?? crystal bernards acting in it??? #unparalleled tbh #long story short expect some more spm2 stuff at some point lol #also happy valentines day :)

[deangirldisease]

the whole concept of Calypso as a romantic lead… he was in love with a storm. literally in love with the sea

#HE FELT THE RAIN ON HIS FACE AND IT WAS HER HELLOOOOOOOOOO #high fantasy epic love stories you mean everything to me #the drama? unparalleled #i do not give a fuck if there is enough character work outside the romance to make it make sense #the drama is enough. the drama makes it worthwhile. superior even #god i love potc #mine

[britneyshakespeare]

i have so much nostalgia for femme fatale era because that was probably the first time i realized i was a britney FAN whether i wanted to be one or not. it came out when i was 12, around the time i was first able to make my own music-listening choices off of whatever was marketed to solely a preteen demographic. i had only heard of britney spears as someone immensely popular yet embarrassing to like, even though i knew a ton of her biggest hits from her whole career since i was a baby and pretty much liked-to-love all of them. so when i would hear brand new songs like hold it against me and i wanna go on the radio i was like oh shit, i'm old enough to listen to big kid music on my own now, and these are amazing?

and i couldn't help but follow the rest of the singles as they came out, and go back and listen to all of her older songs (the ones i knew and the ones i didn't) on my own and be like HOLY goddamn. like my mind just exploded. it's one thing to hear all her songs in passing because they're megapopular and you are alive, but it's another thing to binge her discography for the first time and really put together that she put out dozens and dozens of the great pop songs you've ever heard, one after another, constantly, for (at that point) over a decade, my entire life! just being shocked and in awe at the evolution of such a pop goddess. i was just so fascinated and in awe. i was like no one on this earth can ever touch the career and accomplishments of the legendary miss britney spears. no one ever will.

also, criminal. such an underrated song, it wasn't even that popular at the time. i still remember the first time i heard it when the lyric video dropped and i decided from that instant on that i was going to be a terrible person.

#so few words have changed my life like MAMA IM IN LOVE WITH A CRIMINAL!!!!!! #i remember i was there the first time i heard that. earth-shattering. #text post #tales from diana #rant #britney #britney spears #femme fatale #this is a personal story and im not making it for notes but im tagging it anyway just in case it interests anyone #i love knowing how people got into their favorite artists #but yeah ive been listening to so much britney again lately and whenever i do. i just feel so good #she really REALLY really is one of the most influential artists on me of all time #like i love a loooooot of pop divas. i love a lot of women in music generally! #i love a lot of iconic sex symbols and pretty faces from pop culture throughout the last century #if not a little longer... lord knows im obsessed with beautiful women no matter when they lived #there is ONLY one britney spears and there will only ever be the one and im so grateful for her #she. is. unparalleled. #her work... no one can ever match it #you cant even try

[moregraceful]

collection of things lyft drivers have said to me while i went on a trip in columbus, ohio, usa:

[first trip straight out of the airport] "why did you come here? columbus fuckin' sucks." me: i'm here for a wedding. do you have any recommendations for stuff for me to do in columbus? i have a couple free days. "bro, i'm so sick of this place. i don't know."

[on a morning trip to get bagels] "so, where are you from?" me: california. "california...man, someday i'm gonna get out of this town. i'm afraid of flying, but i'm gonna get out of here. i'm gonna get a dog and buy a van and drive across the country and see it all. i've lived in columbus my whole life, but someday i'm leaving. i don't go places, i've only left columbus once." me: i hope you get to do that! "i'm a nurse and i want to retire in six years, then i'm going to drive to all over the country. i don't want to die before i see where i live!"

[on a trip to the hotel] "i like the funny passengers. you would not have gotten this out of me, i wouldn't have told anyone, but you know what this man said to me? he got in my car and he said he was a flaming faggot. he said that. he said that he used be a father of three and he was a church deacon! and i said, well, what happened? and he said that his wife caught him in bed with another man." me: oh my god?!?! "i know, i would not have told anyone that! and then he invited me to to help judge a drag show but i was like, 'girl, i gotta drive!'"

#i love rideshares. unparalleled way to experience the locals when it goes right #cool stories with kasper

[capfalcon]

i genuinely think dermot kennedy is tapped into something else bc what the fuck are his songs im dying

#he's genuinely so #unparallelled for me #just like #poetry #i fucking cannot he's so #Tell me all that you lost Don't know if I can fix it But I promise you I'll listen I'm all yours Find your peace in my arms #It's okay to bе a little scared of it all I hope that you know that it's okay to fall #I've seen stars reborn in your eyes Sky's on fire tonight One life is never long enough One life is never long enough At last call turn out #the lights i hope i treated you right one life is never long enough #Too many people walk around with hearts hidin' Terrified of hurtin' so they stay silent Don't know what it's worth just to let a light in #If love had come to me I wouldn't recognise it Now every time you smile it's a little priceless No story I could weave would have ended like #JUST #IT'S THE WHOLE SONG. IT'S EVERY SONG. #fuck man. fuck. #if someone wrote this shit about me id fuckin #just die. just die right there #You're so easy to love #you're so easy to love. fuck. goddamn. you're so easy to love #Oh I could lay beside you a thousand lifetimes Live a thousand more and still pray for sunrise #excuse me???? #i could lay beside you for a thousand lifetimes. live a thousand more and still pray for sunrise. #the most romantic lyric ever fucking written????????

[queer-ragnelle]

I did work on that Everyone Should Love Tor post today.

But I got sidetracked when I remembered John Steinbeck’s retelling of the Wedding Quest was more like a translation and not as amazing as the Triple Quest with Gawain/Owain/Morholt and his Lancelot stuff clearly had the most love. Those are so emotionally wrought and thoughtfully crafted. The Tor episode is just like…there. I consider how Steinbeck liked it enough to attempt a retelling just wish he had been able to go back and fix it like his letters indicate he meant to. I just want Tor to be Observed.

#having just reread the entire Wedding Quest in post I am Feeling #everytime I just #love Tor & his mom sm & hate Pellinore even more #the Morte does her such a disservice by giving her like no dialogue #she tells Merlin off why would you take that out #has literally anyone else ever done that #has anyone ever called Merlin names to his face & just walked away #meanwhile Tor is there hearing how his mother was brutally assaulted like #disassociating to another realm #the words Tor’s mother sends him off with…unparalleled #other moms in the post don’t compare nobody look at me nobody touch me #anyway if Steinbeck had access to the post he would have finished his book #he spent so much time trying to decide Mallory’s inconsistencies he lost the thread entirely #ended up writing random parts with varying success #but Tor’s story is so rich in the post for better or worse #he has so many clever lines then you meet his mom & you’re like oh…yeah well we def know who raised him lol #this doesn’t even get into all his shenanigans in Morte where he mocks Cornish knights right in front of Tristan lmao #no fucks given

[b-rainlet]

Schloss Einstein was really out there, having that balls to the walls kinda plot

#The unplanned teenage pregnancy the Romeo/Juliette love story #The stalking your crush the my Mum is in jail #The using witchcraft to make my teacher fall in love with me the accidental(?!) lesbian relationship #The roofied pizza?? The being locked in a basement together and there's a BED? #Unparalleled

[missukiyo]

— ex-husband! gojo x reader

read part 2 here

cw: angst. just pure angst. co-parenting, brief mentions of miscommunication, fluff if you squint…

a/n: repost!! this post somehow got taken down last time. first ever ‘fic’ on here so i really appreciate any form of constructive criticism.

ex-husband! gojo who you are forced to see every fortnight due to the co-parenting arrangement set in place for your beloved 5-year-old daughter, sayuri.

ex-husband! gojo who would linger at your doorstep during drop-offs, almost as if searching for an unspoken invitation back into your life.

ex-husband! gojo who would intentionally leave a bunch of his belongings at your place, even if it was something minor like chewing gum, just to find a reason to pop by again.

ex-husband! gojo who would occasionally call you ‘princess’ or ‘baby’ out of habit, catching himself mid-sentence and playing it off casually.

ex-husband! gojo who would gently hold the hand of your precious daughter sayuri during his pickup, leading her to his car for the two weeks they’ll spend together. he would cast a glance back at you at least once, his heart beating rapidly when he caught your gaze. oh, how he wishes you could be a complete family.

ex-husband! gojo who would try to conceal the sadness in his eyes when sayuri innocently asks why mommy and daddy can’t live together. he struggles to find the right words that won’t break her little heart or reveal the depths of his own.

ex-husband! gojo who would still keep a family picture of you, him and sayuri as his wallpaper. a bittersweet reminder of what he once had before he threw it all away.

ex-husband! gojo who, during some of sayuri’s school events, finds himself involuntarily stealing glances at you.

ex-husband! gojo who clings onto the hope that one day you’ll look at him the way you used to, even if it was just for a fleeting moment, even though deep inside, he knew that the shattered fragments of your heart could never be mended

ex-husband! gojo who, on sayuri’s birthdays, buys her two gifts — one for her and one for you, unable to break the tradition of making you feel special, even if it’s just a little.

ex-husband! gojo who, on a particularly lonely night, contemplates sending you late-night text messages, only to delete them before hitting send. some bridges were just never meant to be rebuilt.

ex-husband! gojo who would endure restless hours, plagued by the thoughts of whether you would eventually move on and perhaps find a person that wasn’t him to claim as your lover. part of him yearned for you to choose him, and him only. that your heart will only have room for him and no one else. yet, despite the pain having a hold on his heart, he suppressed his selfish desires, opting for your happiness even if it lies beyond him. he hoped that, even if you decide to move on from him, that chosen person will bring you unparalleled happiness. whoever you decide to move onto would be the luckiest man, or woman ever — for satoru never judges. he hopes that he or she would hold you tenderly as you drifted to slumber, and shower your face with affectionate kisses the time the morning commenced. he wished for your heart to mend, even if it meant it would beat to a different rhythm. maybe, this was fate’s way of biting back at him.

ex-husband! gojo who wishes he would’ve treated you better during your marriage with him. he wished he would’ve listened to you more — the subtle nuances in your voice and the silent cries for understanding that went unnoticed till it was too late. he wanted to make you smile again, even if it was the last time he’d ever get the privilege to see your toothy grin.

ex-husband! gojo who dreams of a parallel universe where he had never let go. where he never signed those damned divorce papers in the first place. where the family portrait on the wall of his bedroom room tells a different story — one of enduring love.

ex-husband! gojo who is soon learns to be grateful that you two are civil towards each other, even if it was majorly due to the co-parenting arrangement. a life like this was better than a life without you at all.

and yet ex-husband! gojo would wish to restart everything if he could.

ex-husband! gojo who promises to love you properly in his next life. and the next. and the next.

© MISSUKIYO | do not repost, copy, translate, or alter my work

#gojo angst #gojo satoru #gojo x reader #gojo x you #gojo x y/n #gojou satoru x reader #jjk satoru #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu gojo #jjk x you #jujutsu kaisan #gojou satoru x y/n #gojou satoru x you #gojou x reader #jjk headcanons #ex husband gojo #satoru gojo #satoru gojo x you #satoru gojo x reader #gojo satoru angst #jjk angst

[alargehunkofdebris]

Why There’ll Never Be Another Good Omens 2 Experience

The strangest thing happened after a few days post my watching of S2. I got a wave of real, bittersweet sadness.

Not due to the obvious – I was dealing with that too, but with more excitement than anything – but because I realized something, as a writer and consumer of media. I realized that it’s unlikely I’ll ever get a media experience close to what I experienced at the end of Good Omens 2. Because really, its setup was absolutely unparalleled – in general, and for myself personally.

I am currently writing my third romance, and what I’ve learned primarily about the genre, the way for it to really work, is that there needs to be something keeping the couple apart initially. The more things keeping the couple apart, the stronger the romance hits. The more the couple clashes with each other, the better it is. Societal norms, class issues, initial dislike, literal danger—all these aspects are what make a romance a story. It’s that conflict that creates the compelling narrative. No romance was ever popular because things worked out well from the beginning – it’s that “look at what we were, and look at us now” aspect that gives readers/watchers that satisfaction. It’s the “I can’t believe this happened” effect. The “I would never have foreseen this” effect. The “they’ll never be together” effect. It’s why forbidden romances are so incredibly popular.

Another aspect that makes a romance story really work well is the amount of time it takes for the romance to develop. A couple that gets together after a few days? Eh, it’s tricky. You better make it really dramatic somehow. A great example is Titanic – class differences, betrothal, and a huge amount of danger threatens this couple, so them being in love after only a few days works. But what really sells this one is because we can see how this romance has survived beyond those few days. We see it 80 years in the future, still there, in the memory of Rose. That is why it hits so hard. Romances that span over long periods of time (especially ones that are bittersweet/tragic) hit so much more than ones spanning a short period.

But wait! There’s more!

You can up this effect by not only having the romance take time in story…but having it take time in real life, for the viewer/reader.

This is why romances in TV shows that take years to finally work out are so compelling. It’s that “Pam and Jim” effect, that will-they-won’t-they deal. We are waiting right along with them, and we’re feeling that same relief when all those things keeping them apart finally fall away. This is harder to pull off, because there’s never that guarantee that the story will make it that far. TV shows get cancelled, creators lose interest or die, etc. So it’s not just “Will They, Won’t They,” it’s “Will They, Won’t They, Can They Even Try?”

This is also compounded by that fear that it won’t happen in-story after all, and while in romances you’re pretty positive that things work out (they kinda have to, for it to be labeled a “romance”) in other media, there’s always that possibility. Look at Community – there’s a forbidden/conflict-ridden romance that didn’t end up working out, even though it was “Will They, Won’t They”d for six entire seasons. You also then have shows and ships where fans are almost sure it won’t happen, but still hold out hope. (See: Supernatural, Sherlock, etc.)

Now. Now look at Good Omens. Look at that absolutely unparalleled, unbelievable set up. It’s unbelievable because it takes almost every single thing that makes a romance compelling, and not only uses all of them, but dials them up to 11.

Why are they at odds? Why are they forbidden from being together?

Because they are literally the most opposing forces you can imagine in Western Canon. They are the Angel Guarding The Gate and The Serpent of Eden. The literal only way you could’ve made this a bigger deal would’ve been to make it God and Satan, and even that would’ve not hit as hard, because it’d be like two CEOs getting together – there’s no fear of a higher power adding that delicious conflict. And to add to all this, in real life, the couple is portrayed as two men, which adds that second meta level of conflict.

And what fear/danger is keeping this couple apart?

Not just familial disappointment—but disappointment from God and Heaven and Hell. Not just moral guilt, but the guilt of potentially dooming the entire Earth. And finally, on top of that, the very real danger of being killed. Not only that, but making it as though you never even existed.

And in real life, they face all those roadblocks that queer couples in media have been battling for years and years, but I'll talk about that more in a second.

Okay, then Time. How long have they been kept apart?

For…all of it.

All of the time that ever existed.

They, quite literally, could not have been kept apart longer.

And this leads into those final two points, the ones that actually really sell it. Because I can sit down right now and write a story about an angel and a demon falling for each other at the beginning of time against all odds…but what I can’t do is to have already written it thirty-three years ago.

That’s how long this story has existed. Thirty. Three. Years.

I’m not even counting how this is using characters that have existed as opposing forces for thousands of years. I’m not even saying that, even though that’s also a part of it. But besides that, this story, this exact story started thirty-three years ago, and is still being continued by the author to this day.

Do you know how uncommon that is?

Yes, we have canon that has lasted for many, many years. Hundreds. We get new versions of beloved older stories ever year. But it’s so very rare that they are by the same creator. We get new Sherlock Holmes content, but it is not written by Arthur Conan Doyle. This, on the other hand, is actual canon content, written by the author of the original. That is unbelievably rare.

That means we’ve got a fandom where some people have grown up with these characters. People who read it at twenty are fifty-three. People who read it at fifty are eighty-three. Kids who saw their parents reading the book now have children of their own. It is a cult classic that has been in the hearts of so many people for generations. Me, personally, I fell in love with it ten years ago, at age twenty, at the very beginning of my own writing journey. This story means so much to people, because it’s stood that test of time.

And yet, this story was never explicitly romantic. So many saw it that way, but it was never something confirmed. Because this was a book from the 90s, at a time where this kind of romance just wasn’t in popular media if it wasn’t played as a joke. It was, back then, the same kind of “forbidden” as a romance between angel and demon. So people imagined, but they never expected anything more. And they’ve continued not expecting more, because even in the 2019 first season, there was never any true confirmation of anything, and people accepted it. You have a 33-year-old story here – it’s possible that this major change/confirmation could happen, but all things considered, it was unlikely. You would never blame the creator for not making major developments to a story they wrote with their late friend a lifetime ago. And no one in production was saying a word to confirm or deny, but we’ve seen all this before. It was a Will-They-Won’t-They…Probably-Not situation.

And then you have the end of S2.

And that's where that bittersweet sadness comes in for me, personally. Not at a huge level, not to the point where I'd have it any other way, but it's there regardless. Because I realized that this was a unique situation that could never be replicated, for me, and likely for many, especially readers of the book pre-show. In all likelihood, I would never again experience a romantic payoff like this one. Because it was the most forbidden of forbidden romances, the couple of which have been kept apart by the worst of all dangers and highest level of guilt for the longest amount of time literally possible, written over a real-life span of time where this kind of romance went from “completely taboo even in real life” to “finally acceptable in popular media,” written by the same creator, and not confirmed as canon until the story reached the age of Jesus Christ himself.

And the real kicker is, even after everything these two literally star-crossed lovers have gone through…they’re still being kept apart. They’ve still not taken down those final, seemingly insurmountable barriers between them. It wasn’t a “here you go 😊” move to make long-time fans happy – it’s being used as a perfect, painful plot point. After 33 years, we’re still having to wait longer.

Chef's kiss. Couldn’t have been a better set up if it was mathematically calculated. And yet, the best part is that it happened organically.

It just works.

#good omens #good omens 2 spoilers #go2 spoilers #good omens 2 #gos2 spoilers #good omens s2 spoilers #good omens spoilers #good omens season 2 #good omens season 2 spoilers #gos2 #good omens meta #good omens 2 meta #neil gaiman

[gyudons]

During the last practice in Pittsburgh before the holiday break, Sidney Crosby brought cookies to the rink along with, of course, some banana bread – “his mom’s famous recipe,” Marcus Pettersson said with a grin. “He’s got a little addiction,” Kris Letang added.

Crosby bakes for the group periodically throughout the season, one of many thoughtful gestures the Penguins captain makes for his teammates – impressive from anyone, much less someone of his stature. During this season of giving, Pettersson and Rickard Rakell had been marveling at the captain’s generous nature that very day.

“Me and Raks were actually just joking around about how good he is with giving gifts,” Pettersson said. “I don't know if he has a thought behind it about when he retires, that he is expecting a lot of gifts back from everybody (laughs). But I don't think so. I think he’s just a great guy.”

Crosby goes above and beyond to mark occasions for the people around him, whether it’s a holiday, a career achievement, or simply a memorable experience. His capacity to do all of that, in addition to continuing to be an elite talent at age 36 and an unparalleled leader, is remarkable.

Evgeni Malkin, Crosby’s fellow franchise center and teammate for nearly two decades, said, “It’s almost like he’s the perfect player, perfect friend. Some guys win just one Stanley Cup, they think they’re like a god, you know? But Sid, never. You see everybody wants to play here, first of all, it’s because of Sid.”

Letang joked that he wasn’t going to use the word perfect, “because there’s nothing perfect,” he laughed. “But he always makes sure everybody is taken care of, and they’re having a good time. He loves to get to know people. For me, what he did for my dad last year… the banana bread stuff… it’s just a way of looking at things, you never want to leave some people behind. There’s not a specific gesture that comes to mind, because it’s such a daily thing for him.”

Tyson Barrie, was touched by something the captain did for his agent, Bayne Pettinger, who had previously worked for Team Canada. Pettinger had been sitting with Crosby at another one of those BioSteel camps, which was in Montreal. At the time, Pettinger had recently come out as gay and mentioned in passing to Crosby how he thought the Pride warmup jerseys were so cool.

“Bayner FaceTimed me a couple months later, almost in tears,” Barrie said. “The concierge at his condo called him and was like hey, there’s a big package here for you, can you come down and grab it? Turns out Sid had gotten a Pride jersey framed for Bayner. He wrote, ‘Bayner, proud of you.’ That’s the kind of guy he is. You'll never hear about any of this stuff. He's just always doing stuff under the radar. He’s just a special guy.”

merry christmas! here’s a sweet little story about canadian hockey star sidney crosby

#so interesting to me #sidney crosby #pittsburgh penguins #christmas #hockey #nhl #bayne pettinger #evgeni malkin #kris letang #lgbt #lgbtq