#something that at least *I* ship it’s just not like. the primary ship. + usually platonic. so we as a fandom don’t talk much about it

[steampunk-raven]

Marjolein for the bingo, perhaps 👀

Blorbo from my spice cabinet <3

pw3!marjo would fall for an mlm scheme but only if sarah was the one running said scheme. Let’s pretend that counts as a bingo for me lol, even if I didn’t color in the square

[plaintext: but only if sarah was the one running said scheme]

[fiercynn]

okay, if you have ever made or reblogged a “hold your nose and vote for biden” post, this is for you.

here’s the fucking thing about these kinds of posts. i've been seeing them since i first returned to tumblr in, I think, late 2022? they've certainly increased in frequency since october 7, but they were there before too, ready to counter any kind of opposition to biden that has cropped up. many of them are not just trying to educate people about what positive things biden has done, which, like, at least I can understand the motivation behind those ones? but so many of them are directly in response to people criticizing biden, and their only real point is “sure you’re upset at this thing biden did, but have you considered the election?” starting YEARS before the next presidential election, mind you.

and october 7 only made that clearer. i don’t think it had been a week before i saw these posts cropping up. can you not see how fucking ghoulish that is? to look at the rightful pain and anger of those whose relatives and communities are being slaughtered with active american support, to respond to one of the few pieces of agency most americans have in influencing what their governments do – their vote – by saying “yes but trump would be worse.” as if the primary people you’re lecturing – palestinians, muslims, arabs, black people, indigenous people, disabled people, other marginalized people – don’t remember exactly how bad it was under trump!

and even if you think not voting is an empty gesture – something i, who studied political science at a mainstream american lib college, who has worked as a field organizer on a previous democratic presidential campaign and for several policy campaigns, who currently works in public policy in america, used to believe, but have absolutely changed my mind on – what is in no way an empty gesture is saying publicly that you will not vote for someone. the arguments people usually have about why simply not voting is bad are that you can’t tell why someone is not voting, so it is as likely to be apathy or disenfranchisement as it is a political statement. but saying publicly that you will not vote for someone, and why you will not vote for them, absolutely is a political statement, and potentially a powerful one! but you choose to negate and/or ignore that by trotting out the “lesser of two evils” bullshit.

and then there’s the whole “yes but people will DIE under trump”. PEOPLE ARE DYING NOW. even if you’re fucking racist and have decided that palestinian lives don’t count, have you forgotten biden’s ongoing covid minimalism and dismantling of the CDC’s covid research and prevention infrastructure? have you forgotten his increase in spending for law enforcement scant years after the murder of george floyd and his administration's surveillance of protesters, including cop city protesters? have you forgotten his recent ramp-up in deportations of undocumented immigrants, including the active continuation of many trump-era policies?

maybe you have forgotten all those things and do purport to care about palestinians, but you just think that biden is doing his best to influence netanyahu and is getting nowhere! but then you must have forgotten all of the things that biden and his administration themselves have done to further this fucking genocide, including:

continuing to send arms to israel

putting together a military task force within days of yemen’s red sea blockade and attacking yemeni ships

bombing yemen

bombing syria

bombing iraq

vetoing three ceasefire resolutions at the united nations

testifying to defend israel and its genocide and occupation at the international court of justice

refusing to rescue palestinian-americans stuck in gaza

halting funding to the united nations relief and works agency for palestinian refugees (UNRWA) based on israeli claims that 12 of UNRWA’s over 30,000 staff were hamas agents, even though u.s. intelligence has not been able to independently verify this

lying that he’s personally seen photos of babies beheaded by hamas when he hadn’t because they didn’t exist (and even when his own staff cautioned him that reports of beheaded babies may not be credible)

questioning the number of palestinian deaths reported by the gaza ministry of health (when even israel has not questioned them, since they are in fact proud of those numbers)

perpetuating lies about hamas having committed the attack on al-aqsa hospital

questioning united nations reports of adults and children raped by israeli soldiers while claiming to have proof (that no one else has seen) of hamas doing the same

honestly so many more things that i can’t remember them all but others feel free to add

or maybe you haven’t forgotten any of that, and think that you’re still justified in lecturing people about why they should vote for biden, because you genuinely believe trump would still be worse. if that is the case, you have still failed to see that by saying you will vote for biden no matter what, you are part of the problem of biden continuing to act like this. because biden is counting on fear of trump to win him this next election no matter what else he does. despite his appalling polling numbers, despite the knowledge that he is losing the palestinian-american vote, the arab-american vote, the muslim-american vote, the black american vote, the youth vote – despite all of that, he is secure in the idea that he will still win because he is better than trump. can you not see how that allows him to act without impunity? how it becomes increasingly impossible for his base to influence what he’s doing if he thinks that they will be with him no matter what? this is how you make yourself complicit to biden’s actions, by not affording anyone even the slightest power to hold him accountable for anything.

and in most cases, the “hold your nose and vote for biden” thing is the response of people who aren’t even being instructed by others not to vote for biden. it is their response to people saying they themselves are choosing not to vote for biden. fucking ghoulish.

[helenanell]

You’re Good || Dr. Abbott

Dr Jack Abbott x DoctorReader

(In my head, this is an OC, but it’s written first person, with no name or physical description)

Summary: It’s been years since I walked into The Pitt as an Intern and yet amongst the devastation of the shooting, my confidence in myself wavers. Then, Dr Abbott appears by my side.

Notes: Minor Spoilers - Takes place in the aftermath of the shooting. Blood, trauma.

I also have to credit and thank @madsmilfelsen whose posting about Abbott x Mohan got me on that ship and consequently had me thinking about this dynamic.

Part Two

Having just successfully inserted the chest tube into my patient, I step back. It’s only once I’m still that I realise my breathing is shallow. I shut my eyes and work to rectify it. You can’t go to pieces. I tell myself. It’s selfish and you don’t have the luxury. Get a grip.

Besides Covid, I have never worked such a major trauma event, and I know I’m faltering. Faced with such devastation–too much to process let alone confront and help heal–I feel utterly useless. Even as Princess informs me my patient is stabilising, I can’t shake the feeling I’m faltering. Failing.

When I lift my hand to push the protective glasses back up my nose, I pull up short at the sight of my gloves. The blue latex is utterly subsumed by blood. Or maybe it isn’t, and the red is all that I can see.

I let out a ragged breath and take another step back from the patient, as if my internal panic will somehow hurt him, undoing all of our work to save his life.

“Doc?” Princess calls out, but it bounces off me. The concern falls at my feet instead.

I look around, searching for Dana, Langdon, or Robby, anyone that usually makes me feel a little less helpless when the trauma of the day lashes at me a little too hard. But they’re barely keeping their heads above water, awash with blood and doing their best not to swallow down the cries of pain and choke—

There’s a flash of orange in my peripheral vision. The luminous vest that identifies a Primary Emergency MD. For a second, I think I must have made a mistake and Dana isn’t across the department and is instead by my side. But it isn’t her.

“Turn.” Dr Abbot gently, but firmly, knocks his hand into my arm, forcing me to angle myself to face him.

His vest is smeared with blood, but he must have changed his gloves recently because he’s able to reach out and push my glasses back up the bridge of my nose without me catching a glimpse of red.

There’s something grounding about the gesture, and I make myself believe it’s because it’s jarring to receive any kind of aid from a man who seems constantly perturbed. If not by me specifically, then just from having to engage with anyone for an extended period of time.

“Thanks.” There’s a tremor in my voice, but at least it’s not a mortifying shake.

Dr Abbott’s an ass, but having his respect would feel almost like a career milestone. I’m definitely not there yet.

Dr Abbott just nods, casting his eye over the patient I just put the tube in. I wait for disapproval but none comes.

“You just saved that man’s life, Doctor.”

Seeing as I expected him to move away without another word, as is normal for our interactions, all I manage is to blink at him in slight shock.

“I’d hope so.” I say. “It’s sort of a requirement of the job.”

He gives me a suffering look. I’m sure he is going to leave now, both of us standing around for even the minute this conversation has taken feels like a luxury. A luxury we have no right to when we’re standing in a storm.

“Okay.” I nod myself, preparing to move away, but Dr Abbott stops me.

“Wait.”

I look back over to him. He’s focused on my ankle where, just like him, I have a blood bag secured, an IV in my arm feeding into it.

I frown down at it. Surely he can’t have an issue with me doing exactly what he is? It’s not like I’ve copied his homework.

“What’s wrong?—“

I barley have the question out when he’s dropping down into a crouch, his assured hands finding the bandage that’s keeping the blood bag against my ankle. He repositions it and then begins to secure it back into place.

“Sloppy work.” He grumbles, brow drawn tight.

I look up at the ceiling for strength. There’s the jab.

“I’m so glad you’re here to uplift me during this horrifically stressful time, Dr Abbot.”

He lets out an irritated huff and I narrow my eyes down at him when I feel the bandage tighten unnecessarily.

“Sloppy is never good enough, no matter the time.” He says.

“Well, next time I have to cut into someone whilst bleeding myself dry, I’ll emulate your grace.” I say, a smirk grows when he glowers up at me. “You don’t think you’re graceful, Dr Abbott?”

“Sure I do.” He deadpans. “Call me twinkle toes.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Oh, I absolutely will. We’ve just found your new nickname.”

Dr Abbott taps my ankle when he finishes and then straightens up. “See, I am capable of uplifting you.”

I gape at him and find maybe the beginnings of a smile tugging at his lips. Maybe.

Is he really trying to stop me from spiralling or is this just him taking an opportunity to goad me? I hate that I can’t tell. He has a frustrating capacity to fry the circuitry of comprehension. I don’t understand anything he does.

He considers my expression and then says, “I’m not fucking with you, Doctor.”

To ignore the warmth that ignites within me, I look down at my ankle.

“So,” I begin carefully, “how does it feel to be a trendsetter? Soon everyone will have blood bags for anklets.”

“Wonderful.” He says flatly, his good humour vanished. Well, that didn’t last long. “Okay, you’re good.”

I look around the Emergency Department, struggling to catch a glimpse of anything close to hope. Hope that things are calming down so we can start giving proper care, not just desperately trying to keep people’s hearts beating.

“Am I?” I ask shakily. “It feels like the bare minimum.”

“You’re saving lives.” Dr Abbott answers sincerely. “That’s not the bare minimum, that’s everything.”

I meet his eyes and attempt a smile. “Yeah, it is.”

He sees I’m struggling to convince myself but he doesn’t push it. “You’re doing great work.”

“I’m just trying to match the example that others have set for me.”

Something flickers in his gaze and I think maybe he’s remembering that first day, years ago now, when I first walked into The Pitt and he’d been my attending. I had been so intimidated by him, yet so in awe. Desperate to impress.

Six years later, not much has changed. No matter how self-assured I am, there’s something about him that makes me feel like that intern all over again.

Dr Abbott takes a step closer and leans in, his voice low, breath ghosting the side of my face. “You are the example, Doctor. Look around and you’ll see the med students trying to follow you.”

“I-“

I don’t get a chance to answer, not that I really know what the hell I’d say to that, because he’s already turning away.

“Keep up the good work.”

Then he’s gone, swept up in the emergency tidal wave. I linger for only a second before forcing myself back into action.

There are lives to save. Always.

Part Two - I'll Be Seeing You

[elkian]

A couple months ago I was having a conversation with my mother about books and mentioned The Murderbot Diaries, and she was surprised because she doesn't usually hear me talk about reading sci-fi. I'd never thought about it that way but I can kinda see why she said that, and it made me realize something about why I like Murderbot and Martha Wells' writing so much.

I think part of the reason fantasy is my primary genre is because it requires the least amount of prerequisite knowledge to get into. Every 'verse is going to have a different way of doing magic, even if it's similar to another's, and it's impossible to know that going in.

I think I have some experiences with sci-fi that tried too hard to be "realistic" and required the reader to either know, or be willing to read, a lot about physics and rocket science and so on before actually getting into the story. Obviously this isn't a sweeping statement one way or another, but I think it put me off of reading a lot of sci-fi because it sounded like homework, basically. And I think also it tended to be a little dry in an effort to sound 'mature' - this isn't your comic book science, this is REAL SCIENCE for SERIOUS readers.

Murderbot, by contrast, is incredibly accessible to the average reader. This is because Martha Wells understands what's important to the story: TMD doesn't go into the granular mechanics of FTL travel because Murderbot itself has the baseline amount of necessary colloquial knowledge (you go into a wormhole, stuff happens, you absolutely do not want to leave the ship while in the wormhole) and moves on. 

Murderbot having the shittiest, cheapest educational downloads possible isn't just convenient to handwave nitty-gritty worldbuilding, but it is crucial to Murderbot's personality and characterization. Murderbot -all SecUnits, or at least Company SecUnits, according to Murderbot's notably unreliable narration- doesn't know shit because it was made by cheapskates to be rented to cheapskates and potentially trashed during the rental period. And there's good in-universe reason for the Company to avoid granting unnecessary knowledge to its products - just look at what Murderbot accomplished with its bare-minimum education.

(Sidenote: this concept comes up in the IDW Transformers comics, specifically More Than Meets The Eye and Lost Light, with MTOs starting with major education downloads and that slowly transitioning to them getting the bare minimum as the war raged on and they became more and more apparently expendable.)

Anyways, it's refreshing to read when the author understands what kind of knowledge is actually important to the story. If the whole thing was, for instance, from ART's perspective, the knowledge available would be different due to ART's much greater personal library of scholastic knowledge and general know-it-all personality. Murderbot, by contrast, can get away with lines like "it's an anagram (not an anagram, the other thing)" and terms like "feed device" and "fauna", which leaves the world much more ambiguous to the reader -allowing the imagination to play- and highlighting that which is and isn't important. Murderbot is an action hero in the narrative most of the time, and the writing reflects that.

(Thinking of sci-fi I did read and get into and enjoy, it's a lot of stuff like this - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein*, HG Well's Time Machine, and Isaac Asimov's I, Robot come to mind, and most of them handwaved the specific scientific elements in service of actually telling the story; the last kind of used the scientific elements to tell the story, but presented them in a way that was easy to understand and get into. Honorable mentions go to arguably Gideon the Ninth (idk if it's a scifi but it's scifi-adjacent at the least), Iron Widow, and This Is How You Lose The Time War, which all have scifi elements that are easy to absorb one way or another due to the narration.)

*I read this for class and let me tell you, if I could go back in time and beat Percy Shelley to death with a shoe before he suggested all his stupid unabridgements I would do it in a fucking heartbeat, that was the only real problem I had with reading it.

[starheirxero]

Hey!! I really love the way you depict Eclipse! I'm writing a fic with him and i need him to open up because it's supposed to be shippy. How do you get Eclipse to lower his guard?

?!?!?! THIS IS SUCH A NICE ASK OMG???? I'm literally honored u like my characterization omg hdjshdjd!!!

INCREDIBLY fun question too omg!! I will say that who you're shipping him with changes things quite a bit, because he's a very particular person like that. You can't entirely make him open up to Sun the same way you'd make him open up to Solar, yk?

However! I think I would go with roughly one of two ways. And also I ended up yapping for 7 paragraphs so this goes under a read more LMAO

The first way is just, the slow burn of patience and understanding. Eclipse is a very slow burn kinda guy because he's very guarded and doesn't want to invest his energy into people who will end up turning on him in some way. If someone has been around him long enough and has shown that they have no double standards, is willing to hear him out, and is at least trying to make a genuine connection, then this can usually lead to vulnerable moments.

Like, Earth and Moonpea are the best examples of this method I think. Earth has shown to give Eclipse the space he needs to exist without scrutiny because she knows everyone else's kneejerk reaction is anger, while Moonpea has shown that he truly genuinely wants to connect with Eclipse because he cares about their friendship. Both of them have gotten vulnerable truths from Eclipse because he felt comfortable letting his guard down around them.

This method can work well on any iteration of Eclipse but is the primary method for any versions before v4 tbh.

The second method is if you don't wanna bother with slow burn, but it is Distinctly a more angsty path to take. That being: the beloved "break his legs with a hammer" method!!!

This basically means: put him in a scenario where he is Already prone to having a mental breakdown and then stick him with whatever character ur shipping him with!! If someone finds him with his gooey insides already starting to leak through his cracked mask, there's not a lot you can do to hide it now, yk?

He'd definitely try to keep hiding it but if someone is willing to either go "hey man. i don't mind the goo, it's alright" or "let's help you clean this up, c'mon" or even just give him the space to recollect himself before asking questions, then I think it can lead to Eclipse caving and letting his guard down around whoever is there.

And then I guess there is also just whatever Ballora did!!! Just sorta, showing up repeatedly and going "hey bestie!!!" I think this is also a more v4 Eclipse centric method because. motions vaguely at v2 Eclipse and Earth. Previous iterations are too defensive NFKDNC but it did Something so, worth mentioning I guess!!

[artisticwizard]

General Grevious

Sleeper agent phrase activated.

Favorite thing about them

Fucking. Everything? I adore robots and he's a cyborg. I adore aliens and he's an alien. I love characters with four arms and guess what. On aesthetics alone he's gorgeous to me. He's been my fav character in star wars ever since I saw him in the movies, and He's been probably one of my top favorite character since then as well. Disclaimer, but I like the Legends backstory for him so much more so I usually default to that when talking about him. His backstory??? MWAH. MAGNIFICENT. STUNNING. POETIC. LIED TO AND USED ALL OF HIS LIFE? He thinks always that he is doing what is best for his people. He lost his literal other half in the war, his true soulmate to slavers of his people, swept into the sea. He changed his name to grievous to let his grief be known to all of his enemies??? My fucking GOD. He was a demigod among his people. He is a canon polyamourous king who has several wives and sired many children. He was a strategic mastermind and sought out by the sith for his genius. His hatred of the jedi was falsely implanted in him by sith interference. He thinks that the jedi are to blame for his cyborg body when it was the sith all along. Fuck man. I couldn't write a better character if I tried, and I have. Literally a character so doomed by the narrative that he is the epitome of tragedy to me.

Least favorite thing about them

I understand why he has to lose a lot, because the primary message of star wars is that good always triumphs over evil. The light will always beat the dark. I get that. I just dislike how he seems to lose in ways that are embarrassing? Anytime he loses it seems to be in an almost childish way that's unbecoming of him. It's why my favorite rivals for him are Obi Wan or Kit Fisto. Both of them are incredibly intelligent jedi masters that use strategy and his own ego against him, which make the times he is defeated against them more satisfying than other times.

Favorite line

Jedi. You are surrounded. Your army is decimated. Make peace with the force, now. For this is your final hour. But know that I, General Grievous, am not completely without mercy. I will grant you a warrior's death. Prepare! (followed by one of the sickest fucking lightsaber fights ever)

brOTP

Hard to answer. He doesn't have many friends. I wouldn't consider them friends exactly but his bickering with Asajj Ventress is always a treat.

OTP

I've dabbled in almost every grievous ship I can think of. I can't say I prefer one more than the others enough to make it an OTP. Some of my favs are obigrievous, asajj x grievous, Ronderu x Grievous, and dooku x grievous. TECHNICALLY one of my favorite ships features an original character from a fic I've read. Fanfic writers who make compelling and engaging OCs for their fics are amazing *wink wink nudge nudge at the person who sent this.*

nOTP

None I can think of.

Random headcanon

The Kaleesh are a reptilian species in general, that will not stop me from giving him some cat-isms. What if he purrs. What if his eyes get big when he sees something he likes. What if he likes scenting things. What if he bellows like a crocodile. What if he chuffs like a tiger. Shut up.

unpopular opinion

I already stated this, but I prefer his Legends backstory over his canon one. I've come around to not hating his canon one as much as I used to, but I still prefer the other.

song i associate with them

Literally I cannot think of one. I am a failure. A sham. A facsimile of my former self.

favorite picture of them

All of them, but this has been my discord icon forever. I have no clue who drew it but it was part of a doodle page here on tumblr and for the life of me I cannot find the original artist.

[blankcest]

Okay I'm gonna try to sort my questions from least to most pedantic u can stop answering whenever I know abo isn't about practicality but u want questions and I always have questions I'm aroace and sex is a hyperfixation - :) e

Are u gonna be writing abo fics in the future?

Did you have specific characters/fics in mind with the way you view abo?

If a pack used to be perminant does that mean switching packs is stressful/harmful? Does it work different in different countries like the concept of moving away from your parents is?

You said something about sex being different because of fem alphas have weird inflatable dicks, how? Is it just because they're smaller? Different shape? What would be the purpose of that?

You mentioned different secondary genders appearing at different rates for practical reasons, is this just the bog standard 'omega males are rare and so are alpha females because sexist implications' or is it different and why? This vaguely implies environment has a role in secondary gender presentation like clownfish, is this canon? I will be adding it to my own abo takes regardless because I love clownfish and complicating everything

Why Gammas and Deltas? Did you have specific characters in mind when you were talking abt them? I've seen them before but it's usually for specific character dynamics for specific ships, is this the case with you?

Please for the love of God not ass babies. This isn't a question just Please No. I can pull up a diagram for a pelvis right now you're not getting a baby head out of that thing sideways and no one wants to crap their child. Or do fuck it do it if you want be free shit babies hebehd

Why are there primary genders? Why do they exist? Why do people trans them? What's the difference and why's the difference when the sex part of sex and a lot of the build and societal role parts of sex are on a quintinary seperate from that binary and what is primary sexism targeting? Does this affect gendered words like mom, patriarch, scientist, etc. ?

I've realized I'm way too sick to be being coherent. O well. Send!

1) I mean!! Anything is possible. I don’t have any specific ideas rn but like! I dunno! I’d love to talk about it and play around with it!

2) Yes and No, a lot of my omegaverse interpretations is based off well, me roleplaying in the universe for years on end from highschool till now. Like pack dynamics is somewhat based off friend groups and how they worked, as well as pervious relationships i’ve had.

Some fics have influenced some ideas or gave me them (such as the extra glands on the wrists and inner thigh, as well as temporary marks), but a lot of this was developed just through interpersonal connections. Like, it was a major part of my ex’s identity and slowly became a part of mine as our relationship developed. So now i have this like, really weird and intense connection to omegaverse and how it works. Defining how i interact with others sometimes.

3) Oh pack dynamics and expectations are absolutely different in different regions and cultural contexts.

I will say a lot of my ideas for pack culture is based off how I think western omegaverse society would develop! So i have major blind spots here :]

In terms of being “permanent”, that wasn’t really true? Its more like it was traditional or a major social expectation that you’ll always “belong” to your village/family/hometown etc. And as travel and global communication became a thing, that idea became less popular or thought of as true.

And in modern western culture, creating your own pack or joining a different one from your family became seen as apart of growing up.

So similar to any major life event/social development. It can literally mean nothing or be Extremely Life changing depending on the person. Humans are funny like that.

4) I think when i mentioned sex verses gender it was more about like, Biological Sex verses Gender Identity rather then like, the act of sex being different.

Gender as a concept in real life is really strange and complicated, and having a secondary sex would make that more complicated i think! So i wanted to focus on physical sex as like a “intro post” to give like breathing room for myself.

In terms of like the actual act, its?? Hrm, with female alphas in particular i didn’t really know what to do with them cause of lack of inspo for a long time until i was introduced to the idea of their clits growing during rut. To me, it gave that connection to male alphas and their ruts and well, made being a female alpha more interesting then just “oh they’re aggressive females” ykwim?

Cause the point of omegaverse is that their physical sex is weird so! The Girls should get that treatment too.

5) Hmm, i could see environment playing a role in secondary sex development but like, i would say its as impactful as it is for the primary sex in the womb. Like yes it affects it but also it can be Literally Anything.

I sort of like the sexist implications, sort of like the idea that Males tend to get favored in certain cultures while Females tend to thrown to the way side. I think in reality its kind of a even spilt and a lot of it is affected by culture.

Like i could easily see a version where female alphas tend to be shamed, so their more likely to take rut suppressants and try and pass as Betas more often then not.

I could also see a version where any alpha is favored and any omega tends to be treated like dirt.

Admittedly my omegaverse is always subject to flexibility and change depending on what I find more interesting and “accurate” in my head at the time.

Like i love the idea that Omega Males tend to be inflantized and looked down upon, and Omega females even more so. LIKE, the sexism is what makes it interesting to me.

In relationship to Gammas and Deltas showing up less. I think its because they where viewed as “intersex alphas/omegas” for a while and maybe only really recently (as in like the last century) got recognized as their own sex rather then a variation, at least in western culture. So they’re finally being less repressed and accepted in mainstream culture.

6) WELL! I sort of developed Gammas and Deltas for myself because I! Didn’t fit in the traditional A/B/O structure myself!

For a long time, I found myself out of place and not fitting anywhere, so my idea of a Gamma was born. I heard of it before, but never found it explored. So, i kinda based it a lot of myself before it became its own thing. Deltas developed similarly, cause i knew people who where omegas but werent omegas ya know what i mean?

And overtime i kept adding to it and giving it breath and ta-da, it became a major thing.

Nowadays i have zero clue what my A/B/O would be, but it’s probably still Gamma lmao. Or maybe a Gamma-Alpha intersex variation, who knows anymore LMAO

7) WELL! AGAIN I CAN SEE IT HAPPENING IN DIFFERENT WAYS

My interpretation is genuinely very flexible and and willing to change when better ideas come up so! There doesnt have to be ass babies. Who knows! The world is a strange and wonderful place.

8) This is partly why i prefaced with the idea that a lot of this is still pretty fantasy based rather then like, being super realistic.

Cause realistically! Primary sexism probably wouldnt exist or matter at all in my omegaverse, cause like primary sexism in the real world was more about controlling certain types of labor and those who could get pregnant.

And if most people can impregnate and get pregnant then that separation wouldn’t fuckin matter.

HOWEVER, ARGUABLY, the reason i always include it is because I think it makes it more interesting! It adds a layer and breath to A/B/O sexism that feels important and creates these weird dynamics and relationships.

Like, its part of why i think Omegaverse can be used to talk about Cissexism in a allegorical sense, cause the idea of “omega males” being subjugated based on the fact they give birth is!! really relatable to how transmasc people tend to get treated in regards to their reproductive rights. Without it being transphobic, and hell even gender affirming in cases!

Its the same with Trans and Intersex people existing in the omegaverse, it creates this breath and interest for me. It makes everything dynamic and I think points out how arbitrary it all is better then I can do outside of fiction.

Alphas aren’t absolute, same with being a Woman or Man. Its all a social game, you feel me?

Trans people exist in my omegaverse because well, I’m a trans person and I exist. Same with being intersex.

Its apart of life to me and it would be weird if it DIDNT exist, ya know? Especially if gender and sex in omegaverse is already strange and weird, it make sense the Humans living in it would also be weird about it!!

I think! There is a version of my omegaverse where gendered words are affected, but I think they also dont have to be at the same time. Cause like, if the point of my omegaverse is to sort of be a “reality au”, with a lot of stuff being somewhat based off experiences ive had in real life well! It can be similar to real life with the words people use, yeah?

I do think calling someone “omega” or “alpha” is common though. It sometimes working as a title or as a term of affection. “My girl” being replaced with “my omega” sort of deal if that makes sense. (this applies to other sexes btw)

I also think “Pack Head” and “Pack secondary” are also terms that get used often, since packs are bit more organized then irl friend groups and have actual Roles within them. At least in a general mainstream culture sense, in practice it can be way more casual and less serious depending on the friend group.

[makeucrawl]

I would love to see a Coyle/Eastermen drabble id your still up to requests 🥺👉👈

Maybe Eastermen realising hes not the only guy who thinks Coyle is hot and getting jealous? Perhaps reminding Coyle who owns him (Nsfw)

“ShockTherapy” ship

!!WARNING!!NSFW!!

Dr. Easterman had been sitting at his desk, working on paperwork for what seemed like an eternity. He tapped his pen on the desk, feeling slightly bored. His gaze moves to the screen on his desk.

There was a trial going on, and he watched as Sgt. Coyle stabbed a man in the chest with his cattle prod. The officer looked pleased with how the unfortunate reagent's body thrashed on the ground.

Just as the doctor pondered about visiting Coyle later, he noticed something else.

One of the guards behind the enclosed area appeared to be trying to grab the prime assets' attention.

Coyle appeared interested and walked over to the barrier. The two appear to be having a little talk, leaning dangerously close to one other on the fence.

Hendrick felt nothing towards the situation.

Coyle had always been a dog, so witnessing the officer flirting with someone didn't bother him.

It was only after the guard reached through the chain-link fence to grab the prime asset straight between the legs, did the doctor feel his eye twitch.

Coyle leaned closer to the barrier, a wild grin on his face.

The primary asset was thoroughly enjoying the attention.

He was enjoying attention.

From someone else.

Easterman looks away from the screen when he feels something wet on his hand. He had broken his pen, and the ink was all over his hand and on his documents.

With a heavy deep sigh, he shuts off the screen and stands up from his desk.

Coyle was being taken to the director's office. He didn't mind the chains on his wrists and ankles because he knew they would be removed soon. As they neared the massive doors, he smiled broadly.

He wondered what kind of fun they were going to have.

The guards lead him into the office before leaving the two alone.

"Ya just couldn't wait to see me huh?" The officer taunts and shakes his wrists, which are still tied behind his back. "Ya gonna come over here an take these damn things off or what?"

"What happened in the trial today?"

Leland raises an eyebrow at the unexpected question. "The hell you talkin about?…HEY! You said you saw all of my trials!” Coyle scoffs and continues. "Heh as usual I served justice to those stupid fucks." He puffs his chest up proudly, expecting praise.

"What else happened."

The doctor's dark tone was beginning to dampen Coyle's mood. What was it he wanted the officer to say?!

He started to think about everything that happened throughout the trial.

It hits him.

Easterman notices the officer's expression suddenly changing.

"Dunno what yer refferin’ to." Coyle struggles awkwardly on his feet as the cuffs begin to dig in. "Just get over here and get these fuckin’ things off of me! I am the law!!" He realized he was in trouble and wanted to at least try to defend himself.

As Dr. Easterman rose from behind his desk, the cop began to sweat slightly. "Oh come on! It ain’t a big deal! ‘Sides! It ain’t like you've been payin’ me any attention!”

"Oh? Are you looking for attention?”

The doctor grabs the sergeant's tie, tugging him close.

“Allow me to shower you with attention then.”

Leland was surprised when the other kissed him. It wasn't what he expected, but it was preferable to whatever punishment the doctor had planned. He was really enjoying the kiss the deep slow kiss.

Until he felt the other man begin to bite his lower lip.

Coyle struggles, but it seems to make matters worse. Easterman only stopped when he tasted blood.

"You f-fuckin psycho! T-That hurt!" The police officer stuttered, felt blood forming on his lip. He lets out a painful grunt as he is forced back into the couch. His breathing quickens as he watches the doctor crawling over him.

"Heh I uh..I think I've gotten enough attention.." Coyle smiles faintly, but Easterman simply stares down at him with those dark eyes.

The director loosens the prime asset's tie before working on opening his jacket and shirt. Easterman began kissing, beginning with the exposed bare skin of the other's neck.

Again, he was gentle and slow at first before becoming intentionally forceful and rough.

He works his way down Coyle's neck to his stomach, leaving bites and dark markings in his wake.

"Y-You…fucker!" Leland snaps as he sees what the other has done to him. Not even his collared shirt could hide the marks on his neck.

He watches as Hendrick takes something from his pocket, and when he realizes what it is, he begins to thrash.

It was a bright crimson collar with a big bell on it.

“Don’t you fucking dare!”

Easterman effortlessly places the collar around the huffing “dog's” neck. "You're honestly lucky I don't put a muzzle on you." The doctor spoke in a low, deep tone as he tightened the collar.

"But I actually have use for your loud mouth."

Hendrick now adjusted himself, practically sitting on Coyle's chest. He takes off the other man's sunglasses and cap before grabbing a fistful of the dark graying hair. His free hand proceeds to undo his belt and finally his zipper.

When the doctor notices the officer's face getting red, he smirks.

He taps the tip of his cock on the other’s lips. "Open."

When Coyle refused, Hendrick continued to press the tip against his lips and cheeks until he finally did.

The doctor brings Leland's head forward and shoving the entire length down his throat.

Almost immediately, the man choked and his eyes began to water.

He glances up to Easterman, pleading for air.

"Breathe through your nose, Leland."

Hendrick lets out a breathy laugh as he feels the other exhale heavily against his skin.

"So you can listen…”

He began moving Coyle's head, using his hair as leverage. The big bell on the collar loudly jingled with each movement.

"Then listen carefully….You're mine. Do you understand?"

The possessive doctor stares down at the gagged officer.

"You are mine. Y-You are goddamn mine."

Instead of cumming down the other man's throat, he pulls himself from Leland’s mouth before stroking himself to completion on his face.

Coyle clenched his eyes and winced as he felt the warm, thick fluid strike his face.

He groans weakly as he opens one of his eyes and looks up at the doctor. Easterman stood up and got off of the badly humiliated man, tucking himself back into his pants.

Poor Coyle lay there panting and his hard on twitched against his jeans.

"Do you understand now, Leland?"

"Yes..hnnn D-Doc..Cmon..”

The officer whines for his own release.

Easterman just chuckles at him.

"No."

He says this as he approaches his office's big doors. He opens one and addresses the guards waiting down the hall.

“You can take him."

"W-Wait!"

Coyle sat up quickly on the couch, not wanting to be seen this way.

"Goodbye, Sergeant. Have a good night's sleep. Remember what I told you.”

Easterman assists the police officer in standing and kisses his forehead before allowing the guards to remove him.

As they left, the doctor could hear the tinkling of the collar's bell and the guards mocking the prime asset.

Coyle would do well to remember who he belongs to.

[krispdreemurr]

realized i should possibly make a pinned post at some point only 5 years into running this blog. i'm so good at bios

hi! my name is risk (but i'm fine with krisp), i'm 35, white, tme, and use any pronouns. this is my deltarune sideblog; my main is at @birdnormal .

things you'll find here include my fics (check the krisp fic tag), my theories and ideas, various headcanons, and me just saying "kris dreemurr" repeatedly for some reason. i also reblog fanart i see and like, and sometimes i report on fandom news sporadically and badly.

i have a few general rules and guidelines under the cut, plus a sense of what you can expect here!

so let's get the big things out of the way. do not interact with me if:

you misgender any of the they/them users in utdr

you ship minors and adults, or ship family members (asriel and chara are family)

i would prefer to not receive asks about, discuss, or post:

kris/ralsei

kris/berdly

king spades (especially 'king spades is a good person' stuff)

artwork where kris and frisk are bright yellow (i will sometimes reblog things w the official sprites)

anything abt romantic attraction from players to the teen characters (or really any selfshipping but like. i'm 35.) this one isn't really problematic i just am the last person to go to for it

the deadnames or agab of any of the nb/trans characters (update to this: i see kris as transfem agender. this rule still applies generally, just Especially don't talk about them being transmasc to me)

this also isn't really a dni note but I do strongly appreciate it if asks do contain something i can meaningfully respond to. if you have a headcanon or fanwork or essay or whatever you'd just like me to share, please put it on your own blog and send me a link. i do not like being the "source" for other people's stuff

you'll note if you stick around that my general theory slant is towards kris being the most important character in deltarune and i tend to speculate in that direction. accordingly, i tend to think kris is the primary knight (update: oops), kris is the narrator, and there is no third entity. this isn't really like stopping me from reconsidering (toby has now forced me to), just "what if it's chara" usually won't get much of a reply from me

i take player theory as the default and will post about it pretty regularly

there's a few post-3+4 theories that I feel may or may not be "correct", but that I find useful enough to treat as a baseline to do other things with. if you're wondering what I'm talking about with any of these, here's a handy reference:

the Knight is at least partially Dess, but not wholly; key things have been lost or distorted, and she's split across worlds in meaningful and painful ways. she is not fully coherent or aware.

Carol is trying to fix Dess at any cost. she is responsible for the Knight form and is able to direct it a little. she's the phone voice.

Kris blames themself for what happened to Dess, and has promised to do anything to help her. Carol has used that to coerce them into taking increasingly self-destructive actions. becoming the cage/vessel was their "willing" choice, if one they increasingly regret

their original soul, possibly manifested as their dark world form, has been deliberately separated from them and frozen/entrapped/suspended in some way. this is why they can't go to the dark world soulless; they'd die lol

i post a fair mix of angst and humor, especially kris-focused angst. i do tag all weird route related stuff with #weird route if that bothers you any! (the tag used to be #snowgrave, so older stuff is under that)

i reserve the right to block, delete asks, not answer asks, etc but will mostly only do so if you like really violate good sense

my icon was commissioned from my partner and is for personal use only. my banner is just an edited in game screenshot

[twinsarekeepers]

🚨 READ MY PINNED POST PLEASE! 🚨

I know there’s already meta on top of meta about the EIP non-con kiss, but every time I rewatch the show and reach that specific scene, I just can’t believe it was written the way that it was.

Like, there is a way to write kisses that take a person by surprise without it feeling incredibly gross and invasive, but this was not it, which is why I wanted to examine it using a scene that functioned in the same way for a different ship that is almost universally loved within its fandom: Pacey and Joey’s first kiss in Cinderella Story.

So, what is the difference between these two scenes and why is one so divisive within its respective fandom and the other is beloved, nostalgic and swoon-worthy?

EIP

Katara: Are you all right?

Katara noticed Aang was missing and, when she goes to see where he was, she realizes he’s extremely upset about his portrayal in the play. This is consistent with her characterization as a person who deeply cares about the people around her, especially her friends, anticipates their emotional needs, and becomes an outlet for them to vent their frustrations to. She does this with every significant character she interacts with.

Aang: No, I'm not! I hate this play!

An understandable reaction to seeing himself portrayed in a way that doesn’t represent him, but this comes after the play misrepresents Zuko and Katara’s relationship, which the two were slightly uncomfortable with, but not overly upset by either. The only mention of Aang in that scene was how Katara viewed him as a brother, not romantically, something real Katara wasn’t bothered by, even slightly.

Katara: I know it's upsetting, but it sounds like you're overreacting.

Katara immediately reassures and tries to soothe him. She validates his emotions, but gently reminds him that the play isn’t something to be getting angry like this about. The audience witnessed Katara’s own irritation and frustration with her portrayal, which none of the other characters comforted her over, but she was able to take it with a grain of salt and let that annoyance go to at least try and enjoy the rest of the night. Even her slight discomfort at the implication there was something between her and Zuko, she was able to get over quickly and engage him in conversation normally and without awkwardness.

Aang: Overreacting? If I hadn't blocked my chakra, I'd probably be in the Avatar State right now!

This is concerning because it’s obviously not a general frustration with his inability to go into the Avatar State and perform his duty to the world. He takes a bit of accountability for blocking his chakra, but it’s immediately overshadowed by the implication that he’s more upset about not being able to access the Avatar State in his anger. I just don’t see how this can be interpreted any other way within the context of the scene.

Him and Katara are having a discussion about the anger that should be directed at the play and this statement is to say that he is not overreacting, in fact, his anger is so profound that if he was able to, he’d go into an overpowered state of being. He doesn’t say what he’d do in the Avatar State, but considering that all the previous times, he was not in control and didn’t know what he was doing, it’s hard not to think that he’s implying some type of destruction, especially since the primary motivation for going into the Avatar State would be anger. There had been a precedent set that Aang can be irrationally angry with the people around him for things outside of their control (like how he treated Katara and Toph in The Desert, and then didn’t even apologize afterwards), so this type of statement puts the audience on edge.

The scene cuts before we can hear what Katara has to say about this, but from what has been established, she usually placates Aang when he gets angry or frustrated, even if it might not the best solution for helping him grow (see: Bitter Work). She already tried it once in this scene and it didn’t work, and by the way the scene picks back up, she hasn’t changed tactics. I feel like it’s safe to assume she didn’t become more firm with him after this and tell him that he needs to calm down.

Aang: Katara, did you really mean what you said in there?

Aang is finally addressing why he’s so upset. It stems from not knowing how Katara feels about him. He wouldn’t have had to ask this question if he knew how she felt, whether it be familial, platonic, or romantic. But, this confirms that the reason he was angry enough to say he’d be in the Avatar State is because of the mere implication Katara didn’t feel romantically attracted to him. This set up puts her in a position where she may feel like uncomfortable sharing her feelings genuinely with him.

Katara: In where? What are you talking about?

This tells the audience that Katara didn’t previously know why Aang was upset, just that he was, and now she’s beginning to understand it has to do with her, and probably his feelings for her and hers for him. She wasn’t prepared to talk to him about this, but now she has to. Yet another factor in her ensuing discomfort with where the conversation goes.

Aang: On stage, when you said I was just like a ... brother to you, and you didn't have feelings for me.

Now, the audience and Katara are aware about what exactly Aang is frustrated about from the play.

Katara: I didn't say that. An actor said that.

What she’s saying is a factual statement, but still doesn’t clarify her actual feelings, which is the root of why that specific part of the play upset Aang so much. Just because she herself didn’t say it, that doesn’t mean that’s not what she’s feeling and that’s what Aang wants to know. It’s hard to believe a character previously shown to be remarkably aware of the feelings of those around her — particularly Aang’s — wouldn’t understand that, especially when he’s being incredibly obvious about what is upsetting him. That’s why it reads like she is stalling this conversation as long as possible.

Aang: But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the Invasion, and I thought we were gonna be together. But we're not.

It can’t get more direct than this. It tells the audience that Aang was under the impression that him kissing her was confirmation of both of their feelings for each other and not just his, until just now when he watched the play and considered another possibility. It also confirms that Aang was this mad because he thought it was true that she doesn’t have feelings for him. As mentioned, that really puts Katara in a bind because if she doesn’t have feelings for him, she won’t be inclined to be forthcoming about it, and if she does, the way he’s reacting now to the prospect of her not feeling that way, could be influencing her emotions.

Katara: Aang, I don't know.

This is the first time Katara is ever talking about her feelings and potential romantic relationship regarding Aang with any character on the show, and it’s with Aang, after he led her to the conversation with how blunt he had to be. It’s not like she didn’t know how he felt before this moment and they were both in the dark about the other’s feelings. He has had a very obvious crush on her and she knows what the kiss at the Invasion meant for him. And now, he’s directly asking her if it’s true that she sees him like a brother, and her response is that she doesn’t know.

Aang: Why don't you know?

He knows that the problem isn’t that she is unaware of his feelings for her. Everyone knows his feelings for her, including her. So, the hangup has to be with her feelings for him and he wants to know why. He’s pushing her further now because he wants a clear answer, which she is not giving him. That lack of clarity wouldn’t make sense for her character if all the previously established reasons for uncertainty in just this conversation weren’t also present, plus the idea that maybe she really doesn’t know if she feels about him in a familial or romantic way.

Katara: Because, we're in the middle of a war, and, we have other things to worry about. This isn't the right time.

Finally, she gives a more concrete answer, which still isn’t addressing her actual feelings, just that it’s not the right time. It’s phrased, again, unclearly on her part. Does she mean that she doesn’t know how she feels because they’re in the middle of a war and other things are more important than their feelings for each other, so she hasn’t bothered figuring it out? Or is she trying to let him down gently by giving an ambiguous time frame so he’ll let go of his crush on her? Or does she have feelings for him and doesn’t want to start anything until after the war? I have to say that last one doesn’t make much sense in the context of the rest of the show and it’s characterization of Katara as someone who really expresses how she feels when she feels it despite that being something a lot of the characters make fun of her for by calling her melodramatic or emotional and many times, she isn’t taken seriously enough when she is expressing those feelings.

Aang: Well, when is the right time?

He’s not letting this go because, again, he hasn’t gotten an answer about her actual feelings and that’s what he wants.

Katara: Aang, I'm sorry, but right now I'm just a little confused.

This is the line that really took her being sure of her feelings for him and just wanting to wait until after the war to get into a relationship with him off the table. Why is she sorry? Because she doesn’t want to be with him right now or because she doesn’t have feelings for him? There’s no confusion with the first, that is a clear understanding of wants and desires and because she was the one who brought up the war and the “right time”, this would’ve been the perfect opportunity for her to completely clarify that she wants to be with him after. But, she doesn’t do that. Which makes it seem like she brought it up in the first place as an excuse for why they can’t be together at all. After watching a play in the last leg of the last season of the show depicting their relationship as familial, she’s still confused and what she does know is that she definitely doesn’t want to be with Aang in that moment. How are we going to get her from confused to sure in four episodes if the three seasons worth of development hasn’t gotten her there yet? This is why the entire scene reads as Katara trying very gently to let Aang down. From the unclear language to the excuses for why they can’t be together right now to the uncomfortable body language she displays while he’s talking about their kiss, this could’ve been a conversation I have had in my real life with boys I didn’t like but liked me.

Nobody in the audience, whether they’re a fan of the ship or not, is even thinking about a kiss between these two at this point.

And yet: Aang kisses Katara either because he thinks that will jumpstart some realization for her that she actually does like him or because he thinks that she means they’ll wait until after the war to be together and this is a promise kiss.

Katara: I just said I was confused! I'm going inside.

And this was the moment that I thought kata/ang was done for good. Because at this point, Katara has expressed that she might not even have the type of feelings for him that he has for her and that she for sure doesn’t want to be with him right now at all. She gets mad at him because she feels like he isn’t actually listening to what she’s saying and is trying to push his own feelings onto her.

We have established in this interaction that 1) Aang would go into the Avatar State because he was so angry about the idea that Katara didn’t like him, which is obviously not healthy, 2) Katara knows and has known how Aang feels this entire time, at least since the Invasion, and 3) is that she doesn’t feel the same way as he does either to the same extent or at all and 4) she feels like he has violated her boundaries when he tried to kiss her after she just told him that she doesn’t feel the same way.

And that is the last interaction Katara and Aang have alone before the finale separated them for almost an hour and a half, they don’t spend much of that time even thinking about each other in a way that feels special or romantic, and none of this is ever discussed on screen again.

Alright now let’s talk about paceyjoey. The scenes is much longer, so I won’t go through every single dialogue tag like I did with EIP, but the difference in how these functionally identically scenes are written is laughable.

A Cinderella’s Tale

Joey: What do you want me to say, Pacey? You were right? You were right, okay? Right as always. Pacey Witter, the only person in my life who ever speaks the truth.

Joey’s being sarcastic and a bit mean because she feels hurt by what just happened. This is consistent with her character as someone who puts up a hostile front to avoid getting hurt, especially with someone who she feels deeply for.

Pacey: That's not entirely accurate.

At this point, the audience is well aware of Pacey’s feelings for Joey and that he’s been trying to bury them and hide them from the rest of his friends for the past five episodes. He doesn’t think he has a shot in the dark with Joey and he doesn’t want to ruin his friendships. When he tried to tell her how he feels before, he chickened out because of this.

Joey: Well, you told me what was going to happen.

Joey’s not picking up on what he actually means. She doesn’t realize that he’s talking about his own feelings here, not the situation, which despite him being correct about, didn’t play out how he had actually thought it would. His previous statements had come from a place of jealousy, not truth.

Pacey: Which was what, Joey? What happened up there?

He’s worried about her. He wants to know what happened because she’s upset and he wants to make it better for her. A very consistent trait of his concerning his friends, especially his romantic love interests, that he’s shown since season 1.

Joey: There was another girl.

Pacey: Oh. I'm sorry, Jo.

Joey: You know the whole time that I was watching them, I just kept thinking, 'This is it. This is real. Just like Pacey said. This is the real thing.' And it reminded me once again, what exactly I don't have.

She’s telling him and the audience that she’s been thinking about him even when she was with her boyfriend. This is not the first time the audience understands that she thinks about Pacey often, in situations she didn’t before, but now does.

Pacey: Keeping looking, you'll find it.

Joey: No I won't. Isn't it obvious by now? I'm not meant to.

Pacey: Why? Cause you're 16 and alone? Come on.

Joey: No, because I'm 16, and in my entire life there's been 2 people who actually know me, Pacey. Dawson and—

Pacey: This A.J. guy didn't know you. I don't care how you felt about him, Jo, he didn't know you, cause if he did, he never would have walked away.

A huge part of what makes Pacey such a compelling love interest is how, even when he is jealous and he doesn’t like that Joey is with someone else, he recognizes that she’s an amazing person who is going to attract that type of attention. He gets mad on her behalf when someone who gets to be with her doesn’t treat her right because he knows she deserves better, not even necessarily him.

Joey: I was going to say you, Pacey.

Now, we have gotten to the catalyst for what comes next. Joey equates Pacey to Dawson, her supposed soulmate. This is when the audience and Pacey know that she feels something for him.

Pacey: Okay.

[Pacey pulls the car off the road and comes to a stop.]

This is telling the audience that something big is about to happen between these two. This thing that’s been brewing between them, that Pacey is aware of is him falling in love with her, it’s coming to a head right now.

Joey: Have you totally lost it?

Pacey: Not totally … yet.

[They both get out of the car and and walk around to the side of it away from the road. ]

Pacey: Alright, what did you mean by that?

He wants to clarify what her feelings are because for the last few episodes, she’s said and done things around him that give him the impression she could be developing feelings for him like he has for her. The audience is aware that every time he thinks about it, he convinces himself that it must be something else because she’ll only ever feel that way about Dawson, his best friend. Now, he knows that what he’s been picking up on isn’t just close friendship.

Joey: By what?

Pacey: About me knowing you better than anybody else.

Joey: Exactly what I said, Pacey. You know me, okay? In a way that nobody else besides Dawson ever had.

Pacey: I'm not talking about Dawson, right now. We're talking about me. You can't keep on doing this to me, Potter.

He’s calling her out on the way she’s been acting this last season.

Joey: Doing what? So I count on you and I tell you secrets and—

Pacey: And you call me in the middle of the night to pick you up. Why?

They’ve both laid out all the things that she has done to lead them to this moment of tension.

Joey: I'm sorry that I called. I thought that I—

Pacey: I'm not mad that you called me, I just want to know why you called me.

Joey: You were the first person that I thought of, Pacey.

Pacey: What does that mean, Jo?

Joey: It means that … I guess it — it means that I can talk to you, and that you're there for me.

This is the moment that Pacey and the audience realize that she’s realized something but is not ready to accept or understand it because of Dawson but also because Pacey hasn’t made his feelings clear for her himself. He’s kept her in the dark about what he wants, so how can he expect her to be clear about her feelings?

Pacey: Don't you ever get tired of talking?

Now, he’s making his move. This whole conversation has revealed that she thinks exclusively of him in situations that she previously hadn’t, believes him to be the only other person in the world who truly knows her, and depends on him in a way she doesn’t with their other friends. The audience wants him to make a move now.

Joey: No. I don't.

Pacey: Well, I get tired of talking.

Joey: I don't get tired. I don't—

Pacey: I don't want to talk anymore.

Joey: What are you trying to say, Pacey? Why are we standing here—

[Pacey goes over to Joey and takes her face in his hands and kisses her.]

And the episode ends there.

The entire scene builds tension towards a kiss. It wants the audience to root for a kiss between Pacey and Joey with the way they’re revealing their feelings for each other and the fallout of this kiss is the immediate topic of the next episode. The entire rest of the season is the fallout of this kiss and the ensuing relationship that these two characters pursue with each other, focusing on Joey’s feelings for Pacey. It’s made clear that she thinks about him constantly and wants to be with him but is afraid of Dawson’s reaction. The understanding that these two characters definitely want each other but are separated by an external obstacle makes the audience root for them even more, and the ending of the season even more satisfying.

Now, I know ATLA isn’t a romance the way Dawson’s Creek is but let’s be serious for a minute. The EIP scene implies that Katara is using an external factor (the war) to not have to deal with a romantic relationship between her and Aang, whether that be because she’s actually confused or because she simply doesn’t feel the same way, and then to top it off, there’s a kiss thrown in that nobody wanted in that moment. And it’s not a plot that’s ever revisited because it’s the penultimate episode of the entire series. If the writers didn’t want to dedicate time to explore something they set up, they shouldn’t have written it at all, but they did and the audience is left to interpret it in whatever way the broader context of the show and the scene itself provides.

Conclusion: KA’s relationship dynamic was written so badly in EIP that it felt like the writers were trying to get the audience to root against the ship.

🚨AGAIN PLEASE GO READ MY PINNED! 🚨

[ficsforfundota]

Sci-Fi AU Billy x Mer!Steve w/automaton Max! @stmonstercalendar

Rating - G

Characters - Billy Hagrove, Steve Harrington, Max Mayfield.

Pairing - Steve Harrington x Billy Hargrove

Read on a03 - https://archiveofourown.org/works/65716291

Read Below The Line!

Comment to be tagged when I post <3

Billy checked the device around his wrist, another job was coming in. His brows furrowed as he read over the communication.

Another order for the intergalactic zoo.

He had done a few jobs for them previously, but rarely did he do jobs for the zoo at this scale. He let out a soft sigh and hit the accept button. The amount of stellar chips he was getting for this job would pay for a year's worth of meals and maintenance of his ship.

He would need to go to guandrant twelve of the galaxy, multiple of the planets there were inhabited by mer creatures and were 98% water over land mass. His ship could convert itself into a submarine which included a capture mechanism.

Checking the dashboard he punched in the coordinates for the planet Coralia and eased into the captain's chair. His automaton partner beeped and whirred as it sat at his right. “Ready Max?”

The child-like automaton nodded, fake red curls rolled down her back. She looked like a cyborg and many planet goers assumed she was alive, which made getting more rations easier. A child, or something that looked like a child, was great for conning the masses.

“They continue to order from you,” she noted, “by my calculations this is their thirty-eighth order from you alone.”

“They know I can get the job done.” Billy muttered. “I’ve always been on time or early and they enjoy the discretion.”

Max only nodded, her blue eyes scanning the window taking in all the information. All in all Max was his sister, she was a special kind of android that learned with every interaction. While she had a set amount of knowledge and could ‘speak’ many languages her primary duty was to be a companion. She could have a real conversation and sometimes Billy forgot she was nothing more than bolts and wire.

“We will be there in an hour,” she noted as her eyes darted between stars and space matter. “Do they want a mer with a fish lower half or a fish top half?”

“From the order it looks like top half human, lower half fish. They’re usually prettier, more fun to look at. For a zoo at least. Out of all the beasts I have captured, none have ever been humanoid…”

Max cocked her head. “You look upset.”

Billy shook his head. “I’m not upset, just not sure how to feel about it I guess…”

Max closed her eyes for a moment, calibrating more information she had learned about her ‘brother’. “Is it because it can talk to you when you catch it?”

“Maybe… Not sure yet, never done it before.”

Max nodded, she bent her elbow and a key began to slide out from the silicone she twisted her arm once the key was inserted into the dashboard. “The coordinates are locked in, you can rest if you need.”

“Thanks Max, but I’m okay. I do need to eat though.”

She watched him as he left the cockpit, humans and their need to satiate their needs. She felt the design of humans was subpar at best but she would never tell him that. They were as close as a human and an automaton could be, thanks to her motherboard she was more ��human’ with emotions and thoughts to a degree. She still had no need for sleep or food, though an oil change was nice every once in a while.

She sat back in her charging port and watched the galaxy zoom past, planets and asteroids, stars and fellow cargo ships. Billy returned, wiping his mouth of his meal. “We almost there?”

“We should be descending shortly, the ship will transform as it hits the water. I would put the belt on.”

Billy laughed and did as she suggested, he knew very well she was programmed to care for him but he liked to think she did care for him on her own accord as well. The ship began to descend, he gripped the seat, his nails digging into the leather.

“Ngh…”

“It’s okay Billy.” She placed her hand on his shoulder softly. Billy smirked at her, the ship began to creak and make noise as it attempted to change itself from flying cargo ship to a submarine. Max watched as the galaxy disappeared and the world came into view. Blue green water covered the mass of this world.

Billy’s eyes rounded as they began to descend, beautiful coral and aquatic creatures came into view. Max was taking it all in, attempting to get a clear picture of the species that she could see to add to her log.

“Alright the first mer we see, unless it is clearly injured, we catch it.”

“I will enable my heat sensors.”

Billy looked her over with a soft smile, he looked back over his instructions to make sure there weren't any specifications for the mer before turning back to the controls. He took control of the ship, taking it off auto and began to search.

Ever since he was a young child he had been interested in the creatures and humanoids of the galaxy, he had wanted to go to a good school to learn more about them but he had learned early on his family was low on credits and schools didn’t want ‘asteroid trash’. So he took up smuggling.

“I believe we have found some,” Max said softly as she pointed forward. Billy squinted while trying to look towards where she had pointed. He ruffled her synthetic hair with a smile.

“Good job Maxie, it looks like a group.”

Max smiled, Billy maneuvered the ship forward. It cleanly sliced through the water like a large whale. The mers began to scatter as a large net arm jutted outward and attempted to catch one.

Max watched, her eyes taking in all the information they could as she watched bright and dull colored tails flash in color. “They seem agitated.”

“They don’t want to be separated from one another, but it is needed. We need the credits.” Billy sighed as he continued to click buttons in order to capture a mer. “Max, make sure the tank is full of water, we need to keep it in the same water temperature so it doesn’t die.”

Max got up, her body made a faint metallic ticking noise if you weren’t looking out for it, you would never notice the sound. She got to work, punching buttons and waiting. The sound of water filling a large glass tank filled the sound of the ship. “The tank is full, ready and waiting for the specimen.”

Billy grinned, his eyes locked on one mer with beautiful mint green scales, a nice toned upper body and gorgeous milk chocolate brown hair. Billy honestly thought he was one of the prettiest men he had seen in all the galaxy, sucked that he was half fish. He did know however if he was going to want to stare at a mer everyday, that was the mer he would want to watch.

He leaned forward, biting his lower lip and furrowed his brow as he used the net in an attempt to catch the gorgeous mer.

The net tangled around the mers fluke and tail. Billy punched the air in excitement. “There we go, okay it should place him in the tank and we can head back to the intergalactic zoo.”

Max nodded, she smiled big, her gears shifting as she turned to watch as the mer was inserted into the tank. The mer panicked, his fists slamming against the glass in terror. His tail wrapping around himself.

“He is very pretty, from my understanding of their species he is a more beautiful one of their species.” She smiled and grew closer to the tank.

The mer sank to the bottom of the tank, pulling their tail into their chest.. “Please…”

“Oh, I can understand your dialect.” Billy grinned. “Look this isn’t anything personal, I need the credits and you’re the best one of the lot.”

The merman cocked his head, before dropping his head against his tail. Billy felt somewhat bad, this was the first time he had captured something that could speak back to him without Max helping bridge the conversation and the first time they looked so similar to himself.

Billy bit his lip as he began to punch in the intergalactic zoos coordinates. Max was watching the mer with curiosity, she was trying to take in as much knowledge as she could get from the nervous mer. His scales were slightly glowing, his hands were shaking slightly as he moved with the ship. Each turn caused the water to slosh which caused him to the do the same.

Billy looked back at him as he whined. “Pl-please.. Please put me back.”

“I’m sorry fish, I can’t.”

“I’m not a fish.”

“What’s your name?” Max asked. “Do you have a name?”

“Little girl please… Let me go….”

“What’s your name?”

“Max don’t talk to him.” Billy tried to shush her.

“It’s Steve,” the mer grew as close to the glass as he could, “please let me go.”

Max turned towards Billy. “Why should I not speak to him?”

“You’ll get attached.”

“I cannot get attached, he is not in my system to become attached to him.”

Billy snorted and ruffled her hair. “I will get attached. I was projecting.”

“Oh, are you lonely for a human companion? I noticed your cheeks flushed and your temperature rose when you saw him.”

Billy rolled his eyes at her, trying to hide his face from her. She knew too much and that was a bit of an issue.

He sighed as he looked back at the mer who was swimming back and forth in panic. Billy got up and grew close to the tank. He placed his hand on it and the mer did the same mirroring him.

“It’s alright, you’re going to be well taken care of. I know that much… I’ll come and visit you….”

“I want to go home.”

“I know.. I just… I need the credits and I don’t think I could part with you now…” He sighed, looking the mer over with uncertainty. Max was working on steering while Billy contemplated what to do with the mer. He was gorgeous, and he needed the money, but he was starting to let his conscience get in the way.

Steve looked towards the open windshield. His home became smaller and smaller as they got further and further away. He thrashed his tail back and forth which only caused the water to slosh around him more. He turned and sighed, lowering back to the bottom of the tank, tears hidden by the water around him.

“Look, it won’t be too bad….”

Steve looked up at him, his lip jutting out. Billy groaned, he needed those damn credits but that mer was pretty and it was starting to mess with his head. “Max turn the damn ship around, I’ll find another way to earn those credits. We can always get a less humanoid mer, I can say I was confused….”

Steve lifted his head up in excitement, Max punched more coordinates in and the ship began to descend once again. They hovered above the ocean, Billy popped the tank and allowed him out. Steve dove under the waves before returning with a handful of gorgeous shells. “These are worth a lot to us, they may help you.”

Billy’s eyes widened. “Wh-what. I was going to sell you.”

“You put me back..” Steve leaned up and kissed Billy softly. “You could make this world your home… There may be a lot of water, but there are land masses.”

Max and Billy looked between one another, they could make this place work. Even if it was just temporary. “Max, how much would these sell for?”

Max scanned the shells. “More credits than he would sell for,” she smiled.

“You’ve got a deal, pretty mer.”

The mer dove back under the water before returning with a fish, before stealing another soft kiss. He was just glad to be safe and returned home, it helped that this human was very handsome.

Max mapped out a good place to set up their base, and Billy noted all the things he wanted to know about the mer named Steve. He could take the loss of the intergalactic zoo credits if it meant he would get to see him everyday.

[tss-storytime]

FAQ (updated for 2025)

New for this year:

Writer sign-ups close on April 15th

First writer check-in on April 30th has a 2k word requirement

Second writer check-in on May 19th has a 6k word requirement

We’ve added more team check-ins throughout the event

The Basics of the Bang

What is a Big Bang?

A Big Bang is a challenge that encourages writers to create long stories (25k minimum) within a certain time frame and artists to create works to pair with those stories. Basically, the fandom gets a lot of long stories and awesome art all at the same time! Every writer gets fanart, every artist gets inspiration, and everyone gets to enjoy the final product. 

Is this Big Bang limited to a certain pairing, genre, or rating?

No. Most ships (except incest) and gen stories are welcome. Likewise, AUs, crossovers and fusions, all genres and all ratings are also welcome, including NSFW fic and art.

Only adults (18 or older) may work on M+ or unrated works. NSFW works must be clearly indicated as such so that no one ends up partnered with someone whose work will make them uncomfortable) So long as the primary focus of your story is Thomas Sanders and/or the Sanders Sides, you are good to go!

How do I sign up? Will there be an email or a message so that I’ll know that I’ve actually gotten through?

You can sign up via the Google Form linked at the bottom of the pinned post! It’s via google forms so you should receive a confirmation message on the site once you hit submit. We’ll also post a list of everyone who has signed up about a week before sign-ups close.

Roles

I am both a writer and an artist, would I be able to sign up for both or should I just sign up for the one I’m more interested in? 

You can absolutely sign up for both if you think you can finish both! You can even sign up for more than one story as a writer if you think you can finish more than one.

Can I sign up as both an artist and a beta? 

Absolutely! You can sign up for all three things if you think you can manage them!

I want to participate but am not a writer or an artist. What can I do?

Please consider signing up as a beta or offering to cheerlead creators you follow. Writers and artists need and appreciate all the support they can get!

Writing Requirements

What’s the minimum word count?

25,000 words.

This is a six-month challenge, from Feb 1st to August 1st, and you should use all the time available to you. So start writing as soon as you sign up, and make the most of all the time you have!

Writers must have a minimum of 2k words by April 30th. Writers must have at least 6k by the time they are matched with artists on May 19th.

Can I write more than one story?

You may, but please note that the deadlines and word counts hold for each story you submit.

Does my story have to be completed by the end of the Big Bang? Is it okay if I get past the 25k mark but by the time August rolls around it’s still going?

The story you upload in August should be complete on its own. You can definitely write a sequel and continue to explore the characters and the setting in future stories, but the one uploaded for the challenge should have a beginning, middle, and end and have its main plot threads resolved.

I’ve started a fic that I’d like to turn into a submission. Can I do that?

All works should be created specifically for this challenge. However, if you are working on a prequel/sequel piece to something you have already written, that is acceptable, as long as you link to the piece it comes before/after in your submission and it can be read and understood on its own. 

That said, so long as you have not posted any of your fic, you may use it for the challenge (this means don’t post chapters or large portions on your tumblr/AO3/etc. until your posting date. You can use your usual feedback methods so long as it’s not open to people you’re not personally conversing with).

Can the work be chaptered, or does it necessarily have to be a very very long oneshot?

We strongly recommend you chapter your work, however you will not be disqualified if you prefer to keep it as a oneshot. Be sure to meet the word minimum and have the fic complete and posted in its entirety by your posting date.

Does the work need to be a 25k words chaptered story or can it be several short stories set in the same universe following a loose timeline? Or just oneshots unrelated to each other but with something in common for each one shot? 

It should, if possible, be one story. Several snapshots from the same universe that have a unifying theme and follow a timeline would qualify under that—it’s all part of the same life story—but unrelated oneshots would not.

Does my story have to be beta read?

It’s highly encouraged, but not a necessity. However, there will be a list of betas you can ask to beta your fic and we will include any beta readers you are working with in your team channel on the event Discord server.

Art Requirements

I’m an artist, not a writer. How do I participate?

In May, artists will get to choose among anonymous summaries the writers submit. They will be posted about halfway through the challenge and artists will be given time to read through these and submit their top three choices. Once they have their assignment, they should work with their writer so that the finished product is something they both love.

Does the art for the project have to be digital or regular? And how massive of a piece is it?

The piece of art does not have to be digital or traditional - so long as you can get traditional art scanned, you can definitely use pencil/pens/markers/paint/etc.

As for how massive, you should expect to do one or more illustrations for the story you end up with. If you’re creating a large full color painting - either digital or traditional - you’d only really be expected to do one. If you’re going to create uncolored lineart, maybe two or three, etc.

The art should be commensurate with the level of effort the writer is putting into the event.

You’ll also be working with your writer directly, so you can coordinate with them once you’ve been assigned to each other to see what will work best for both of you!

What exactly do they make for the story? Can it be anything, like for example a comic of a scene in the story, or like a ‘cover art’ for the fic? 

Basically, yes. You’ll work directly with your writer, as they’ll need to give you access to their rough draft and plans so you can gain inspiration, so the two of you can work together to see what would fit best and is most exciting for both of you. But you can do any of those things. A comic, cover art, a single scene illustration, chapter headings, character portraits, whatever most inspires you and moves you!

The artist sign-ups are for drawings, paintings, and likely more if you can make a convincing argument to us and your writer! Writers are also indicating if there’s any kind of art they don’t want to receive you can be certain the person you’re paired with is more than happy to get your type of art for their story!

Beta

Are beta readers assigned to writers, or would the writer have to reach out to them? 

There will be a list of people who offered to beta with details of their preferences so you can contact them directly or ask for someone in the discord. If you’re having trouble finding someone, you can reach out to us and we’ll do our best to match you. However, we do want to avoid matching up everyone individually.

Do beta readers work exclusively with one writer or are they expected to beta multiple works if multiple writers reach out to them? 

That’s up to the individual beta! If you wish to work with only one person, you can let us know once you have arranged things with them and we’ll take you off the list. If you wish to work with multiple people, you can do that, too. Just remember not to stretch yourself too thin!

Can we have our friends edit and look at our story if they are not a part of the Big Bang? 

Absolutely! You can use any beta/editor/cheerleader you’d like. Just be sure the story itself isn’t up for general viewing until your posting date. But someone doesn’t have to sign up to be an event beta to help you edit. The beta sign-ups are to help writers who don’t already have someone to look over their work. It’s also a great way to make new friends :D

Communication and Check-ins

Communication: Discord and Tumblr

All announcements will be made on Discord first. We will cross post to Tumblr, but Discord is the place to be for the latest information. After you have signed up as a writer, artist, beta readers, or a pinch-hitter, you’ll get the link to the Discord.

We ask that all participants join the event Discord server.

What does check-in mean?

Since the sign-up period is quite long, there will be regular check-ins to be sure anyone who signed up way back on Feb 1st both still remembers signing up and is still interested in participating. This is a long challenge and people do move fandoms/have life things happen.

What if I’m not available/busy during a check-in?

With the exception of the minimum 2k word count in April and the 6k word count by the end of artist sign-ups, you don’t have to have a particular amount done by a check-in. It’s simply to let us know you’re still working on it. We’ll also create a post and send out messages/asks about a week before the check-in date as a reminder—both on tumblr and on discord - so as long as you’ll be able to shoot a quick “yes, I’ll be ready to post in August!”, you’re good! 

You can also check in early, it’ll be done in the same manner as the sign up—via google forms that are posted about a week in advance of when the check-in is due.

Collaboration

What if there was an uneven number of participants like 40 artists signed up but 80 writers. What would happen then? 

Initially there will be more writers signed up than artists but by the second check-in some of those writers will duck out (quack) which usually evens things out a bit.

That said, in some years, several artists have volunteered to create art for more than one story, and we will put out requests for more if it’s incredibly unbalanced. There will also be pinch hitters to jump in in case we need to replace an artist later into the event.

Alternatively, if we have many more artists than writers, multiple artists will be assigned to the same story. No matter what, every writer who finishes will receive art!

What’s a pinch hitter? 

An angel. 😇

Someone who is willing to jump in to create something they otherwise wouldn’t have because someone else backed out. In a Secret Santa, these will usually be people willing to write a story if one of the participants doesn’t, for example. In this case, we will likely ask for people who would be willing to be ready to jump in as artists if a writer’s partner isn’t going to finish, or disappears, or something like that. Hopefully they won’t be needed, but their willingness to step up makes a challenge of any kind run much more smoothly!

How much should you share with your partner?

You’ll share your draft with your artist and your beta reader, but not with anyone else. You should be ready to show them everything you have once they get assigned to you, and to send them updates—that way they’ll be able to gain inspiration from all parts of the story. Many teams use Google Docs and Drive to make it easier to collaborate.

In May, we’ll post the summaries writers supply for the artists to choose among, but those should just be two or three paragraphs at most, basically what you’d read on the back of a book to get you to buy it.

Is a title required for the summaries that will get posted for the artists?

Nope! If you have one, it will be posted with the summary, but no worries if you don’t - and no worries if it changes between then and posting!

Posting

How will the works be posted? 

There will be a schedule for the month of august for when which works will be posted so that all works are spread out and get the attention they deserve without overwhelming people. Works can be posted on AO3, on your own tumblr, or wherever you feel most comfortable. The work should be posted in full somewhere. If it’s on tumblr, just @ this blog on your post(s) so we can reblog it here, if it’s exclusively somewhere else just @ this blog on the post with the link.

Can you post all of your fic on one site, but post it at different dates for another? For example, could I post the whole thing on AO3, but then post daily chapters on Tumblr?

Sure! As long as the full fic is available online on your posting date and not before, you can post it in another place however you like!

As writers, are we allowed to post teasers of our stories on our blogs to let our followers know what we’re working on, or do we have to hold all the content until the very end? 

So long as it’s just a teaser and doesn’t go up until after the summaries have been claimed and artists assigned, yes. Summary claiming is anonymous to be sure everyone’s story gets the same chance among all the artists so please don’t indicate which summaries is yours/what you’re working on in detail before that publicly.

What About AI?

This event is by Fanders for Fanders. The use of generative AI to create your stories or visual art defeats the purpose and is an attack against the very heart and soul of fan events. 

Generative AI may not be used to create your submissions for this event.

We run a Discord server for artists and writers and beta readers to collaborate. Fanders are here for each other.

Chat.ai, chatgpt, Dali, CoPilot and all the rest are here to steal human ideas and make a buck.

Additionally, Google has updated their terms of service to permit them to scrape and use content added to Google Docs. We recommend writers use Ellipsus (https://ellipsus.com) for collaborating with beta readers and sharing outlines, character info, and drafts with artists. Their statement on (against) Generative AI is here (https://ellipsus.com/generative-ai). It’s short and well-worth a read.

[wolfinshipclothing]

Full intent on being cringe-on-main but.. have you guys considered A/B/O in a trans/GNC way?

I mean, like... OK, you have a Primary Gender (PM), which is the "male-female standard", and you have your Secondary Gender (SG), Alpha/Beta/Omega.

But how are those two supposed to relate? Culturally speaking, each country, and each group of people, and each household have different standards of what a man and a woman can and should do or act. HOW does that translate to your SG? Is it culturally asumed that an AlphaMan/OmegaWoman is the standard, or maybe it's just backward/old fashioned thinking? Was it considered a shame to have an Alpha!daughter, but not as shameful as having and Omega!son? Or backwards?

What about the whole pheromones thing? Alphas and Gammas have distinct pheromones, and in some stories, there are pheromones blockers or even "false pheremones" perfumes or some shit. Is it expected for people who dont fit the AlphaMan-OmegaWoman dichotomy to "mask it"? Is the reveal/rebellion of expressing your true self an "coming-out" kinda act?

AND WHAT ABOUT TRANS/GNC PEOPLE?!

What about an AMAB!Trans Woman who is also an Alpha? Would people say "why did you even change your PG if your SG aligned well with what you have?" or "you're making your life more complicated for yourself! if only you were a trans OmegaWoman/trans AlphaMan..." Are people who feel unconfortable with their assignated at birth PG but who feel alright or even proud of their SG the equivalent of real life trans/GNC people who don't do HRT or surgery?

AND WHAT ABOUT SECONDARY GENDER TRANS PEOPLE?!

This is something i've never seen in any A/B/O fic i have read yet.

OF COURSE, its pretty common for characters (usually MaleOmegas) to express they hate their SG gender. Very ocassionally this happens to Alphas, but it's usually Omegas who don't like their SG (sexism). Like, it goes from mild "i wish i had been born an Alpha" to "I HATE BEING AN OMEGA, PEOPLE LOOK DOWN ON ME, I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY PROVE MYSELF, MY BODY DOES THINGS I DONT LIKE, I HATE IT!".

And, I've got to say, this is probably tinted with my trans!woman colored glasses, but this does sounds pretty trans/GNC to me. SURE, it could be just about hating the social expectation of your SG, but... come on, its simply logic: if there's people who don't identified with their assigned at birt PG, the same logic would apply to folks' SG. And how would that work? Well, there's the masking with opposite SG pheromones, and suppresors to both heat and ruts. There's probably gotta be some equivalent to HRT to SG. But in the A/B/O worlds, the SG is ALWAYS more important than the PG, so IMAGINE the OUTROAR of someone "daring to think they can change their nature".

AND WHAT ABOUT SEXUAL/ROMANTIC ATRACTION/LACK OF?!

In the A/B/O worlds, sexual/romantic attraction is the norm. Not wanting to have a Mate, or at least a Pack, its considered weird at best, unhealty and prophane at worst. What if you're aro? Or worst, ace? "So you want to be with me but not have my pups/give me your pups? you dont love me -.-" and stuff like that.

And even if you have interest in sexual and romantic interest... do they match your partner? In A/B/O stories, Alphas are usually attracted to Omegas-Betas and viceversa. Sometimes there are B/O or O/O ships, but hardly A/A ships, because "of biological reasons, A/A relationship would always fight and be aggresive to eachothe" (homophobia). What if you're and AlphaWoman but are only atracted to woman, regardless of SG? What if such AlphaWoman finds an woman they like but she's trans!PG!Alpha?

There must be stuff i'm missing, like the social hierarchy of the PG/SG combinations (Alpha are on top, Omegas are at the bottom, and how they interact with the SG) or the treatment of Betas (they either don't exist or are unimportant or reduced to the role of caretakers), but this post is long already.

TL:TR: A/B/O started, as far as i know, to have M/M couples pregnant, and yes, its heavily fueled by sexism, abuse/rape, gender essentialism and other shit.

BUT if you go past that, if you're willing to really apply some of the real world actual issues to A/B/O, you find yourself with a complex setting with lot of Worldbuilding rip for the taking, where the characters of the fandom you're into can fit-subvert-break the molds of the world and explore how that applies to your ship/your story.

And if you're into it, you can add even MORE animal/furry stuff, like were-beast transformation and stuff.

Just... think outside the mold!

(AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, REMEMBER TRANS/GNC PEOPLE EXIST!)

[bleach-is-yummy]

Okay was it just me or was the wedding between Amaya & Janai done really badly.

Firstly, I just like to say I’m not deaf but over the last couple years I’ve been trying to learn ASL, through college courses and personal research, as I think it’s a really important language for a lot of people to learn. I haven’t been the greatest at it but I’ve been learning more and more steadily as well as learning a lot about the culture through both my deaf professors and some firsthand experiences from other deaf people. 

Having said this watching Amaya and Janai’s wedding this season had me absolutely stunned by how terribly they did my girl Amaya. Don’t get me wrong Ive hardcore shipped both of them since they’ve met but the accessibly of that wedding was just awful. It was so bad I had to go back to Amayas Wikipedia page to make sure I didn’t misunderstand and she was just mute as it would have been impossible for her to have understood anything that was evening said throughout that entire wedding.

No one was signing to her! At first I thought maybe Gren was in her line of sight signing from the background, but then we saw him step out from behind her meaning no one was signing or interpreting for her that entire time! That’s not even to mention that her wife, the person that she is going to swear herself to didn’t even bother to sign her vows meaning that she had to lipread the entire time! I have learned from firsthand accounts that lip reading is an incredibly inconvenient and inaccurate way to have a conversation with people who cannot hear! For God sake, her own interpreter didn’t even sign his speech!! he even had to read out her speech to her wife meaning not only does Janai not speak sign language the primary language her wife uses, but also cannot read it for the most part as well.

Now I probably cannot sign or understand sign that much better than Janai can but then again I am not marrying someone who is deaf! Why did the show runners not have her at least get a rudimentary grasp on the language her wife speaks. If it was an issue with the audience understanding what was being said then why didn’t she just sign along with her speech? I’m am in absolute awe because they usually handled Amaya’s deafness really well but for this wedding it was handled so poorly. She was even facing away from most of the people that were talking making it impossible for her to have gleaned any amount of information from anyone. She had people talking in front of her and she had people talking to her while their mouths were covered or while they were looking down. 

I don’t know if I’m blowing this out of proportion or misunderstanding things, but I feel like this wedding could’ve been done so much better if they made it accessible for both parties involved. To me it didn’t feel romantic. It felt like something they put in because the audience wanted these two to get married. It wasn’t something that I was awing at despite shipping these two for so long I really wanted this wedding to be something great and beautiful but the whole time I was just yelling at the screen because how could this be romantic for Amaya, she probably couldn’t even make out most of the things being said. No steps were taken to make this feel like an accessible wedding and it just ruins that whole scene for me. 

[theangryjikooker]

Why is it people are so eager to dispute Jikook could be dating low key and finding ways to adapt so they can at least be some what normal. The takes on why they can' t be dating don't even make as much since as the ones where it points to maybe they could be. Its okay to be like I'm not putting a label on them or gonna ship, but its also not something that could be far fetched given some of the things they've done and said that seem exclusive to them, like spending couple days together. Which no one wants to talk about and downplays cause Jimin said it doesn't matter. Well I would probably say that too if I was caught out with a guy on white day and silver day while we in beds smacking asses and snuggling. Or you know traveling the world together with a show as a shield so we can move around freely since we know we gonna be called fanservice and brothers. I'm not saying they can't be doing this as friends, but I think still being deadset on they can't possibly be more, after everything we seen since 2023 with them. I sorta don't get. But people hate Jikook being together, so that could be one of the reasons also. Esp funny giving they're open to the idea of other ships who barely interact or two idols they never seen in the same room together. I don't mean you, I just mean in general.

In theory, I’ve always been of the opinion that “both sides” could be entertained—Schrödinger’s Jikook, I called it. Until they say it one way or the other out of their own mouths (which realistically could be never), Jkk dating is as true as them not dating or Jkk is as queer as they are straight, etc. Doesn’t matter what it is, or if you find the notion utterly ridiculous. Until we know, we don’t.

In practice, however, JK and JM are real people who none of us know personally and are unlikely to ever know in this lifetime. This is and should be the primary focus. I might secretly think they look like friends with a twist, but with respect to what they’re willing to share with us, I err on the side of caution and assume they’re nothing more or less. They have a kinship that can only be really understood by those who’ve experienced what they have, which is the other members, so I will heartily receive what they give and only just.

Also—and this is more of a downer—RPS is, realistically, unappreciated more often than not by the subjects because it can be extremely violating. And unlike actual assault in which you can distance yourself in some capacity from or take action against the offender, RPS is unstoppable due to its nature of being inner thoughts and desires projected onto human beings. There are some celebrities/people with relative renown who entertain it but usually to a fault. While RPS is inherent in idol culture, and while perhaps they could be one of the exceptions that delight in or are indifferent to it, Jkk finding themselves being shipped strange or distasteful is actually reasonably high (same, too, for the other members).

[kalinara]

So I had a thought about Scott/Jean vs. Logan/Jean ship dynamics, in the 616 universe and I felt the need to share it. (Without scans for once because I am not at my primary computer. Alas.)

Disclaimer: I am a Scott/Jean fan (I'm sure anyone who's been to my blog is shocked) and I've never really seen the appeal of Logan/Jean outside of a throuple context. That bias will likely come through in this thought.

But anyway, something I find really interesting is how Scott/Jean and Logan/Jean kind of reverse a very common YA fantasy love triangle dynamic.

I mean, reverse is kind of a funny thing to say here, because I think both ships long predate the kind of YA fiction trends that I'm talking about, but it's still kind of funny.

Anyway, this is the trend that I'm thinking about: in many YA fantasy books, there is a female protagonist that is somehow caught in two worlds. Maybe she's secretly a faerie raised by humans. Or she's half elf, half human. But raised human. Basically, the idea is that the female character is an ordinary human girl until something happens that reveals that she has this whole other magical life and potential.

And in many of these books, there is something resembling a love triangle. The girl's got a boyfriend who is an ordinary human. He's in love with her as a human and helps her keep connected to her human side. He's usually conventional and a bit boring. Then there's the bad boy magic guy. He's the one who encourages her to embrace her elf/faerie/whatever magic side. Go wild with your sparkly chaotic magic.

Inevitably the boring dude loses out to the bad boy, because really, there's no competition.

But that's why Scott/Jean and Logan/Jean are kind of funny from that perspective. Because in this badly imagined comparison, Jean is of course, that ordinary girl. Now, she IS a mutant, so she's already not completely baseline ordinary. But we could look at the Phoenix as kind of her whole magical other self.

Scott, of course, is the conventional bland original love interest whose known her since her youth. Logan, of course, is the bad boy, wild guy she meets as an adult.

But the actual dynamics of the relationship are the OPPOSITE of the YA cliches.

Because Logan, for all his wildness, is a pretty conventional romantic. Oh, he's got the dramatic self-loathing and pining, but generally, he's a "bring flowers to the lady" kind of guy. At least with her. She's "Jeannie". She's normal and kind and sweet and she brings out the best in him and makes him want to be a better guy.

I don't know if we ever really get a clear idea of Logan's feelings about Jean AS the Phoenix in 616. Probably because back during the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix Saga, Jean/Logan wasn't really a thing. He liked her, but she seemed primarily disgusted by him. (This got retroactively remedied in some of the X-Men classic stories that rewrote a few of those scenes to add some pining and reciprocity. But that's after the fact.) Basically, during the time when we were supposed to see Jean and the Phoenix as essentially aspects of the same person, Logan wasn't a romantic factor at all.

By the time Jean/Logan was a thing, the Phoenix was narratively a separate entity, and Logan's never particularly been in favor of it. He is, however, very into Jean as the girl next door. The human side of her.

But Scott, on the other hand, has always been MASSIVELY into Jean as the Phoenix. He never really seemed that put off by the Dark Phoenix. He was happy to propose marriage just before the Shi'ar decided to poke their heads in and make everything more difficult, and that was AFTER the woman nearly killed them all and ate a star.

There's at least one point in an X-Factor issue, when Scott's admittedly running very hot and cold (mostly due to the Maddie issue), where Jean outright accuses him of loving the Phoenix more than he loves her.

Claremont's had that moment of connection at the orphanage, and we've had at least a couple of Phoenix comes back stories that involved her directly coming for him (Endsong was my favorite. Scott gets her to back down by having Kitty's hand phased through his chest. Such a stupid fucking plan, Scott).

And there was a scene that, back when it came out, got Scott a fair bit of criticism. In New X-Men, to Emma, he vents something about Jean's wardrobe, the mom sweaters verses the Black Queen's corset. Now this was Scott at his most traumatized and self-destructive/self-loathing. I don't think he was literally saying that he preferred her when she was being mentally influenced (especially since she almost killed him at the time). I THINK it was more of an indicator of the out of control way he was feeling, and how her attempt to project normalcy and repress the wilder/more passionate/more powerful aspects of herself were something that he felt very alienated from..

(There were a lot of interesting Jean-and-Phoenix elements going on in that run, alongside Scott's trauma, and Emma's...many issues. It's worth a reread, though not all of it is a comfortable reread..)

There's a reason that the "psychic affair" started with Emma wearing the guise of the Phoenix.

And of course, the more powerful Jean is, the more Scott seems to be into it. This is the man who has, more than once, used "my wife could kick your ass" to win a confrontation. He's clearly turned on when she ignites a star.

It's not that Scott is ONLY into the Phoenix though. He loves Jean too, and we've seen that 100 times over in the 90s and in Krakoa and how they interact on a day to day basis. But to him, her power is an important part of her. And it's hot when she embraces it.

I feel like this may be the fundamental reason that Jean/Logan never really took off as a pairing, even when there was ample opportunity (except in the context of polyamory). Because for all that Logan has that bad boy sex appeal, he doesn't really work as a power fantasy. Not every girl is into civilizing the wild man, after all. Some really want to cut loose with them instead.

And well, when that's not an option, a quiet conventional man who'll happily hold your flower while YOU cut loose, that's got its appeal too.