#why is it all L and XL...

[yamada-ryo]

auuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh.....

[merakiui]

Okay Azul who manages to secure you as his girlfriend after all his calculated efforts. You date for awhile but Azul is confused cause you seem frustrated with him recently. Especially when he walks you home and leaves with just a polite peck on the cheek. He vents this to the Leech twins who have a laugh at his expense.

"She wants you to fuck her boss~"

Fuck? Fuck?! As in SEX? MATING?! They've been dating only a few months surely you... okay apparently humans were more casual about this thing than merfolk were! His face is burning red thinking about it, sure he learned about his new reproductive organs in human boot camp but he never really considered... he composes himself, he doesn't want to loose you so he does what he does best, he researches!

Cut to Azul watching human porn for hours on end. At first he's covering his face with how flustered he is watching then he becomes morbidly intrigued branching out into kinks and- HUMANS WERE ONTO TENTACLES?! Why has no one told him about this?! He sits stewing with ideas on what to do with this new information.

His search history becomes like:

"Do human males have to pee after sex or is that just women?"

"Best foreplay techniques"

"What is cunnalingus?"

"Contraceptive items for human males"

"What penis sizes do XL condoms fit?"

"What penis sizes do L condoms fit?"

"What sizes do M condoms fit?"

The culmination if his research has him rutting against a pile of pillows he's pretending is you. He's also walking home from the store with a bag full of grapefruits for... practice. Increasing his endurance, timing himself to see how long he can fuck into an onahole without Cumming: 2min , 5min, 10 min...

When the day comes, he wants to be ready for you! He wants to melt your brain in his human form so you never even think of leaving him! And then after that... well maybe you can explore this tentacle kink he's heard so much about.

Omg these thoughts are so perfect!!!!! I love Azul doing an absurd amount of research and preparation hehe. All of those hours spent researching, only to fall apart the minute you’re underneath him and he’s pushing inside and,,, fuck. T_T he’s the one melting; it’s too much. He’s falling apart so pathetically. This position is so intimate and you’ve wrapped your legs around him,, and you’re looking at him with your beautiful eyes, a patient smile on your face. It was different when it was the onahole and he was edging himself, but now that you’re here and so close it’s much harder to keep his composure. Your body is pressed against his, and he can smell you and feel your warmth with this proximity.

He managed to slide the condom on without any blunders. Although his hands were shaking, they settled when you grabbed hold of them and gave him a kiss on the cheek. 🥺🥺 he’s honored to be your boyfriend. You truly are a dream come true for him.

Azul who is so overwhelmed from every sensation, emotional and physical, that he inks in human form. >_< oh, he’s MORTIFIED. Ink dribbling out of his mouth and he’s panicking because this is definitely going to throw off the mood!!! He’s kicking himself internally. He should’ve researched more. Prepared more!! Clearly he wasn’t ready. He’s going to let you down and then maybe you’ll break up with him from the disappointment and then—

But all those self-deprecating thoughts are cut short when you cup his face in your hands and bring his mouth to yours, kissing his inky lips to taste it for yourself. >:) and just like that he’s gone. Blacking out from the best orgasm of his life. OTL

[rafesteddy]

Espresso or Coors? – Rafe Cameron Blurb

+18 (Fluff – strong language, drug usage, and drinking)

Frat!Rafe x PianoBar!Reader

+18

🪄 soft!frat!rafe, swearing, name-calling, smoking, drinking, Rafe & reader’s POV

📖 Frat!Rafe gets talked into going to a dueling piano bar. He’s not happy about it but when he sees you in the alley, walking in for your shift, everything changes. From that point on he tries all night to get your attention 💕

✨Kelce: yo

Topper: that's her???

Kelce: look at his face

My cheeks burn with embarrassment. I take a deep breath, collecting myself before burying my beer, quickly ordering another. Be cool.

Rafe: that obvious?

Kelce: very

Rafe’s POV:

“5th and main?” The Uber driver drones.

“Yup. Thanks, man,” Topper chirps, stepping into the back seat before me. The Uber XL fills with people, as many as possible. I slide into the back; some sorority girl instantly falls onto my lap. Her tanned body mashes against my white button-down, making me tug at my fabric to check if that shit was staining before throwing the fit I wanna throw.

“Top, you short on cash these days or what? Why couldn’t we get another van, asshole?”

“There’s another comin’. You coulda waited,” Topper sighs, half-listening, concentrating more on the girl sharing a seat with him. “Plus, it looks like you made out just fine,” he cracks up, watching the girl staring up at me, her sticky glossed lips pressing against my neck soon after. I pinch my eyes shut, focusing on anything but this. Yeah, I’m not drunk enough for this.

“It’s called the Dueling Keys. Tell her we’re going to Dueling Keeyyyss,” one of the girls slurs into her phone to a friend on the other line.

I groan and grumble, “I thought we were going to Copperhead. What the fuck, Thornton.”

Topper lifts his hands, pleading innocence. “That’s where we were going, bro. Ask the man.” He motions to the driver, who’s lost in his own world, tuning out the nightmare in the back of his van entirely.

“It’s across the street, Rafe. It’s a piano bar. We always start there because they have $3 Long Islands,” Cassie adds calmly, my favorite of the sisters, the only sober one in the group.

“Thanks, sweetheart,” I sigh, taking out my phone, making myself look busy.

“You smell so good, Rafey,” the drunk girl in my lap mutters as she plays with the top button of my shirt “sensually,” tugging it open before working on the next.

“That’s enough,” I sigh, resting my hand over the top of hers, giving it a little pat. “Thanks.”

We pull up to College Street, cool air replacing the thick, booze-ridden fog of the van. I walk out fast, putting space between me and the girls. I need some fuckin’ air, but they follow me. “I’m takin’ a piss,” I yell back at the two tagging close behind.

“You need help or-” One of them grins, making the other giggle and squeal. Jesus fuckin’ Christ.

I walk to the end of the building, fading into the alley, resting my back against the cool brick wall, finally feeling peace. The other van rolls up; Kelce, steps out of the ride with a girl on each arm, thoroughly relishing this shit. I pluck a joint out from behind my ear, flicking my lighter a few times before it takes, ripping a hit. Thick smoke rolls in my mouth, pouring from my lips as I look out at the mess of college student coming in and out of bars.

“Thank you, Donnie,” my head turns in the opposite direction, catching sight of a woman walking toward the side door. She smiles at the security guard, her little heels clicking along the pavement, hair bouncing with every step.

“Babygirl,” the man booms merrily, making her beautiful eyes sparkle. “How are you doin’ this evening. You look as lovely as ever.”

“Thank you,” she smiles. Her spangly pink dress sways with every step as she goes up the steps ‘til she’s gone, disappearing into the bar.

“Hey, man… Does she work-”

“Stop right there,” the bouncer warns, taking a few steps closer. “I don’t need some drunk frat boy causin’ trouble in my alley. Get the fuck outta here,” he spits, looking back at me like I’m trash.

“Sorry. I’m just-”

“Smokin’ weed? Takin’ a piss? I heard it all, Chad. Y/N doesn’t want your messy ass.”

Well shit… I smile, ashing out the joint as I catch her.

“What are you smilin’ for, boy? Get! And pick that shit up. Do I look like your maid or somethin’?” He barks as he points to the joint on the ground, making me roll my eyes before picking it up.

“Have a nice night, Donnie,” I mumble, giving him the finger as I foot away.

My nerves start to rise, my night taking a turn. I double-check my shirt again for an orange stain, smoothing it out before adjusting my hat. She has to be a bartender, a cocktail waitress, maybe? I position myself away from the Delta Gammas, joining the group of boys in the back of the line.

We shuffle to the front, the music getting louder and louder as we get closer to the door. I pass a bouncer my ID, impatiently waiting to get inside. Luckily, I’m a head taller than most, surveying the scene, following the traffic flow from the entryway to the bar floor. Top flags me down, but I look past him; he and Kelce, lost in a sea of females. I wouldn’t stand a goddamn chance in there. Not if I want her to notice me.

Perfect. I slide into a booth with a group of my younger brothers, the four of them equally surprised that the kook trio got split. “A Coors, please. N’ you can start a tab for the table. Thanks,” I pass the cocktail waitress my card as my phone buzzes.

Topper: we good

I look down at the text message from Top, rolling my eyes.

Kelce: you bein a bitch for a reason or what

Rafe: ill tell you later

Kelce: so ur pissed

Rafe: I’m not fuckin pissed

Topper: you seem upset

Rafe: shut the duck up

Rafe: fuxk

Rafe: fuck

Kelce: how drunk are you 😂

Rafe: leave me alone alright. There’s a girl somewhere around here and she’s perfect and I don’t want these girls fucking it up for me

Topper: oh that’s great buddy

Kelce: congrats man

Rafe: keep them over there

Piano music fills the space around us, silencing the crowd before a swell of applause comes in it’s place. I look up from my beer, seeing the same beautiful girl from the alley behind the piano, canceling out all my previous assumptions. Fuck. I lift my drink to my lips, catching my hand shaking slightly. She leans into the microphone, her smile lighting up the room, drumming up further applause. “Dueling Keys, how are we feeling tonight?” She lets the cheering die down before starting again, introducing the man across from her, then herself.

Kelce: yo

Topper: that’s her???

Kelce: look at his face

My cheeks burn with embarrassment. I take a deep breath, collecting myself before burying my beer, quickly ordering another. Be cool.

Rafe: that obvious?

Kelce: very

Topper: do the thing

Rafe: what thing?

The thing? Are you kidding me, Top. What thing?

Another group of ours walks into the pub, catching Topper and Kelce’s focus. I feel myself getting anxious and annoyed, wanting to get her attention in some way before anyone fucks this up for me.

Rafe: tell me the thing

Kelce: order a song cameron

Topper: $5 for a song and you can leave a tip

Rafe: how

Kelce: haven’t you done this before

Rafe: …

Kelce: grab a little thing from the middle write your name and the song

Rafe: any song?

Topper: idk the rules

Kelce: there’s rules.

Rafe: what are they??

Kelce: idk ive never done this before

Rafe: duck u both

Rafe: FUCK*

I take out my wallet, thumbing through my cash: $20, $50, $100. No… What do I do now? $20 isn’t enough. Or is it? $100, I’ll look like an ass. $50… $50. Yeah – Yeah. Shit.

I quickly stuff the cash into the envelope, looking down at the next obstacle. Name… Easy. Rafe. Song. I want it to be something she likes. Something she wants to sing. I don’t wanna be some “Chad, dick, douchebag” requesting Chainsmokers. I look up, so lost in my mind that I missed the first song. Jesus fuck. Pull it together, Rafe.

Topper: Cassie says she likes Sabrina Carpenter

Rafe: how does she know that

Topper: idk I asked who’s that and she said give me 2 minutes. She found her IG

Rafe: Tell her I love her and text me the yn’s @

Topper: Espresso

Rafe: I’m drinking coors

Toppers: its a song

Kelce: 😂

Rafe: thank you Cass

I scribble down the track’s title on the envelope, rising to my feet, heading straight for the front. “Hi, Rafey,” I dodge the sorority sister coming my way, swerving around a bar top table to avoid her, hastily stepping toward the stage.

“This next one’s for Nate,” y/n announces, squinting to get a better look at the chicken scratch handwritten left by one of my frat brothers. “What does this say, babe?” She asks kindly.

“Party in the USA,” he hollers over the crowd.

“Oh, well then. Miley, it is,” she croons as she rolls out her wrists, fingers quickly striking the keys. Her voice pours out of the speakers, sending goosebumps down my arms.

The vocals are so trained; so beautiful it’s like she wrote the song herself. I can tell she’s adding a little more to it, making it her own without effort. Amazi- “Put the envelope in the bowl and sit down,” an old lady scolds me, tugging at the hem of my shirt.

“S-Shit. Sorry,” I scramble. Taking the last couple steps to the fishbowl full of requests, my eyes not leaving y/n. Her gaze lifts as she looks for her partner, catching my eyes instead. I smile, and she smiles back.

So damn beautiful.

Fuck me.

“Sit,” the old lady hisses, jarring me out of my daze. I suck my teeth and smile at her before looking back at y/n; her attention already pulled away, making me feel like I could fight an old lady in public. Bitch.

I sit down with the boys again, just hoping she’ll pull my request right away so I can loosen up a little, sip on a beer while I listen to her perform. Finally, something goes my way. Y/n opens the little envelope, eyeing the cash inside, flashing it to her partner between her pretty little manicured fingers.

“50 bucks? They must really wanna hear that song, y/n.”

“I guess so,” she giggles delightedly as she flips the card over. “Ohhh… A man after my own heart. Rafe, this one for you.”

My name leaves her lips, making my stomach flip. Adrenaline courses through my veins as she looks out into the crowd, searching for me. The boys must have been pointing me out because she finds me quickly, giving me a little nod. This night couldn’t get any better. I don’t know this song. I’ve never heard this shit a day in my life, but I can tell you it’ll be playin’ on repeat after this. The crowd sings along with her, y/n feeding off their energy.

Her voice is the prettiest thing I’ve ever heard, so bubbly and sweet as she nails each note. The song is catchy, too… Nothin’ I’d ever listen to but she’s making me feel like I could. She is so fucking talented. Maybe she plans on recording her own shit one day.

The song closes out, and the crowd breaks into applause “Earth to Rafe. Rafe?” A girl screams at me, apparently battling for my attention. “We’re going to Copperhead. Close your tab.”

“I just ordered a beer,” I lie. “Just go. I’ll meet you. Yeah?”

“No… Come,” she pouts, holding out her arms, giving me grabby hands. Fuck that.

“Who are you?” I scoff.

“Who am I? Who am I?” She starts to go off, but Topper yanks her away. That was close. The masses finally leave, lifting a massive weight off my shoulders. I widen my thighs, relaxing into my seat a little more.

It’s a euphoric rotation: watching her play and sing, performing for the crowd with her witty conversations alone. She’s got a beautiful laugh and a beautiful personality. Everything about her is beautiful. She notices me. I know it… It’s like we’re the only two here, I swear.

Reader’s POV:

Rafe… Fuck, he’s handsome. He’s a frat, bro, for sure, but he didn’t leave with that crowd. He asked about me… I’m almost positive enlisting some help from the army of sorority sisters he showed up with. Rafe doesn’t strike me as a Sabrina Carpenter guy. You laugh to yourself, thinking about it, looking into the crowd as you meet his eyes for the nth time of the night.

All set, I couldn’t help perform for him. Sure, I was entertaining a crowd, but each movement, each smile, each love song was performed just for him. I wanted him to feel like he knew me better at the end of the night, and each little adlib between my co-performer and me gave him a little more of my story: a music major with big dreams of becoming a recording artist.

Now I want to know his story.

He’s only requested one song. The night’s almost over, two requests left in the bowl. Rafe pulls out a card, writing something before stuffing some cash inside. He stands up, walking your way, making it through the crowd a little easier than he did the first time; a little more confidence in his walk.

Your heart starts to race, hands trembling on the keys. You position yourself on the bench, leaning in a little closer. He hands it directly to you with a smile. The boys at his table hoop and holler, whistling for him, making your cheeks heat up, nervous butterflies swirling in your stomach that you don’t usually have on the stage. Oh my god.

He gives you a little more of him this time: Name – Rafe Cameron

Song – Dreams Fleetwood Mac

this is my favorite song 🙂

You open the envelope, taking out another $50, but the little message on the flap has you tucking it in your bra instead of tossing it away when you see his phone number. Rafe smiles from the booth when you return your eyes to his, happy you kept it, taking a sip from his cup when the boys at his table start razzing him about it all.

Dreams. Huh? Not what I expected. There’s something sweet about it, though. It’s not exactly something a frat boy would choose. Maybe there’s a story there. Maybe he’ll tell me tonight? You search for the sheet music on your iPad, setting it up as Rex riffs. “And, who’s the next one for, y/n,” he smiles over the baby grand.

“Rafe Cameron,” you smile, your coworker catching onto your crush fast.

“The Rafe Cameron. Huh? The high roller?”

“The high roller. Mhmm… quite the charmer,” you add.

“Is he free after the show?”

“Rex,” you chuckle breathily. “This one’s mine.” Rex laughs and rolls his eyes, continuing to play with you, the two of you going back and forth, duetting different songs you can both play by ear.

“Well, is he free after the set?” Rex repeats himself dramatically, making the crowd break out in applause. You turn to Rafe and smile.

“Are you free after the set?” You ask sweetly. The blonde smiles and nods, mouthing that he’s all yours. All mine…

You break out into song, playing Rafe’s request, the two of you dueling back and forth, filling the bar with music. You steal glances at Rafe between cords and runs, enjoying the moment, thinking about how nice it would be to have someone in the crowd every night—especially someone who looks at you like he does.

He’s perfect.

YN: Meet me out back? 💕 Are you hungry?

Rafe: on my way. Yeah. Anything you want, princess

Fuck. You bite your bottom lip, reading and rereading Rafe’s message. Princess… It’s just another thing I could get used to. You check yourself in the mirror one last time, slicking on a little lip gloss and fluffing your hair.

You walk through the practically empty bar to the side door, some patrons still hanging around, sipping martinis and beer. You push through the door, Donnie pulling it the rest of the way open per usual, his face hard as stone, not his normal self. “Are you okay?” You ask uneasily, cocking an eyebrow up at him. He simply nods in the other direction, gesturing to someone. Rafe Cameron…

“You know him, baby?” Donnie rasps, looking at you with nothing but concern in his eyes

“Mhmm, Don. This is Rafe. He’s my date-”

“You know he was gonna piss on the side of the building before I stopped him?” Donnie cautions you, making Rafe scoff and laugh weakly.

“He wouldn’t be the first,” you chuckle as you adjust your purse on your shoulder, stepping toward Rafe.

“And he was smokin’ dope.”

“It was a pre-roll, y/n. Just a little weed,” Rafe mumbles, doing his best not to laugh at the older man.

“Naughty boy,” you tease as you slide your arm around Rafe’s waist, giving him a side hug. Rafe wraps his strong arms around your shoulders, pulling you in the rest of the way, holding you close. You take in his rich cologne; the feeling of your body wrapped up in him. Rafe lowers himself, whispering in your ear, setting your heart ablaze.

“Why don’t we get outta here, Princess?”

[makedonsgriva]

Some fics and fanarts love depicting Xie Lian as a weak little delicate doll who can't even raise a finger to defend himself and Hua Cheng is his knight in shining armour so as to say and personally that's actually kinda very weird.

XL spent EIGHT HUNDRED (800) years alone. That's like all the way from the 13th century to now. He spent a majority of that time in his own company and with no friends and emotional support system and encountered all sorts of problems from homelessness to starvation to sustaining serious injuries to being buried alive.... you name it. He did it all. ALONE. A L O N E.

Also, XL is canonically stronger than HC. Just because he does not need to use that strength does not mean he cannot. If XL and HC would ever come to blows (which they won't I know, the Earth will start rotating in the opposite direction sooner than that but let us suppose hypothetically) XL would SMOKE HC's ass. That's part of the reason why he never hesitated in following a mysterious ghost bridegroom on Mount Yu Jun: he has full faith in his own abilities and that he can defend himself very easily.

Oh also, XL is the one who defeated Jun Wu at the end. We see HC being very confident in his abilities and HC is no doubt scary strong but even he can't defeat JW. If we are ranking characters by strength, HC comes third. The strongest is XL, followed by JW.

Yall take the strongest character in TGCF and make him the weakest in your stories. As if XL can't snap your neck without even breaking into a sweat if he wants to. XL is a wonderful, amazing and such a kind and gentle soul because despite being capable of being a tyrant and having the reasons to be one, he still believes in goodness and kindness.

Oh and this is definitely not to again mischaracterise XL as a perfect mary su character. XL has his dark side. His benevolence only goes so far. Do not forget he almost did unleash the Human Face Disease on the people of Yong an, that he almost killed a guy once while busking because he talked disrespectfully to him. He is both at once. Anyway, I digress.

I think people need to realise that two strong people who can each hold their ground very well can be in a loving relationship. TikTok's "who did this to you" type shit is wildly weird for HuaLian because XL does not need anyone's protection. HC protects XL not because he thinks XL is weak but because this desire for protecting him comes from a place of love. Because everyone gets tired and HC just wants to be XL's shelter.

[bakibakideemon]

Ok so someone sent me this post. And like what?!

Like how do I explain that this is not what friendships are or how they work. While yes they had every right to leave (actually FX didn’t leave, XL literally told him to leave).

I’d agree to this if they said MQ and FX had every right to leave but XL has every right to feel betrayed.

Like the story is more than one situation… that’s what the book is about. The actions which are a culmination of thousands of others and its consequences. And how characters respond to these consequences.

The three were “friends” especially in XLs eyes. That’s the very reason he doesn’t blame either of them. This is so… Had every“right.” 🙄 If that’s what you think about friendships then I’ve got some news for you…

MQ was worried about his mother and saw the reality for what it was (their homelessness, their hunger etc). Ascending helped him help both his families (his mother and XL/FX). Also, at the end of the day what happened at the hill was betrayal (you can justify it all you like) MQ knew it too (I wonder if he actually discussed his thoughts with FQ or XL about ascending himself) and hence his immediate reaction. But XL was too far gone at that point (that’s one thing you wouldn’t expect your friend to do at that point).

But it was such a horrible time for all of them so afterwards (years later) even XL understood it was just awful circumstances so he never held it against MQ. AND THAT IS THE POINT.

Also, if I leave my friend during their worst time l (no matter what I’m going through) yes I’m not being a good friend. Like wise if I can’t understand my friends actions in that circumstance then I’m not being a good friend either. THAT IS THE POINT.

I wonder id MQ ever discussed with FX about his plan (may be he did because Id like to think so especially considering FX was accepting the food from MQ. On that note don’t forget after a while XL ended up eating the food MQ gave despite initially not wanting it. THIS IS THE BIGGEST HINT THAT THINGS ARE NOT SIMPLE BLACK AND WHITE). Hence yes, XL did feel betrayed after the hill. Whether MQs actions right/ wrong is irrelevant. Whether XLs reaction (right or wrong) to the betrayal (I think Jun Wu also made an appearance then and this was the beginning of XLs mental health crisis as well) is again Irrelevant. Especially 800 years later. SO GETTING HUNG UP ON THIS IS SOOO D*MB.

Which is why I get annoyed at MQs behavior in the first book (The weird smiles/ wanting to feel vindicated/ superior). Keyword “get annoyed” doesn’t mean I can’t understand why he’s reacting as such or rather it’s coming off as such (the latter part is what I like to believe). He’s still stuck in their early dynamics that he’s of a lower status than XL and FX. Honestly, he needed to realize that XL always considered him a friend. (Something he didn’t realize until the very end 800 years later). This comes from him still grappling with his own status while a human. He can’t even understand how XL would consider him a friend… Like he was shocked. All his actions in the first book point towards MQ believing XL thinks he (XL) is better than MQ bro is too stuck in his head (yes that come off as mean/ rude af. There is no denying at at all).

THESE THINGS DONT HAPPEN IN A VACCUM.

FX was more about blind loyalty. That he couldn’t see (for that part neither could XL) the reality of the situation that MQ did. Honestly FX needed to tone down his judgements towards MQ (guess who was cleaning and cooking and managing their finances even after their kingdom fell? MQ). No matter how right he was, he chose the worst way to say it. It was getting on my nerves as well. (MQ way better than me I’d have smacked FX. Having said that MQ was rude as well). This is something both XL and FX realize after MQ is gone.

I don’t think FX would have left unless XL forced him to. But he needed that to see a different perspective outside XL. Likewise (the in case of XL he too realized he’d been very selfish as well)

XL, for that matter, let MQ go. He understood where the other was coming from. Period. He was betrayed at the hill (+ he was scared being abandoned). Not to mention the whole trying to steal arc… they were all desperate. And poor guy. Someone was playing a chess game-cum-roulette against him life without his knowledge. These people (you cannot seriously believe Jun Wu did not set up FX/ MQ ascending) were specifically put in the worst circumstances possible, repeatedly. One after the other…

But guess what? Despite everything MQ and FX still helped XL once they found him 800 years ago (no matter in disguise). XL recognized them after all this time no matter that they were clones. The trio made up in the end because they were friends. THATS THE POINT. THINGS WERE UNFORTUNATE AND THEY HAD TO SEPARATE BUT THEY DIDNT STOP BEING FRIENDS DESPITE EVERYTHING…

So if someone says XL was right or FX was right or MQ was right… neither of them was. There is no wrong or right. There is no saying one was more justified than other…

[petermorwood]

I was wondering if you could answer a question about armor, especially the solid/articulated types - how much did it need to be personalized or fitted? I ask because I often see people criticizing fantasy/gaming armor for being too heavy or cumbersome, but rarely for perfectly fitting everyone between five and seven feet tall regardless of whether they're built like Legolas or Gimli.

So I'm curious about whether and what kinds of armor might have been mass produced vs what needed to be customized. Was it easier to produce broadly applicable armor or to recruit your army by height and weight?

Non-custom-fitted mass-produced armour ("munition grade" as some modern repro makers call it) started becoming more common when workshops where everything ran on muscle-power became ones whose hammers, grinders and polishers were powered by a water-wheel.

Making armour to fit a range of average sizes now took less time, effort and wages, so could be sold for less and be afforded by more people.

It would have been made in the period equivalent of S, M, L and maybe XL, with buyers either paying extra for custom adjustments, or DIY-ing for better fit with padded liners to make it snug or extra holes punched into straps for more space.

*****

Top grade plate armour on the other hand was almost like a second skin - a common term is "exoskeleton".

This post from a few years back has a lot more information, including what was done to ensure a good fit when the wearer couldn't be measured in person: for instance sending close-fitting garments or even wax model limbs to the armourer.

It definitely wouldn't have fitted anyone but the original owner anything like as well. In particular, if a non-original wearer was longer or shorter in arm or leg, the armour's knee and elbow joints might pinch at distracting moments or simply not flex through their full range.

"Is increased protection better than reduced mobility?" was a question where the wrong answer could prove fatal.

*****

Perhaps that's why medieval art shows a lot of partial armour being worn:

arm-harness - sometimes just vambraces on the forearms, often all the parts from gauntlets to pauldrons (hands to shoulders);

brigandine - a cloth or leather jacket with small metal plates riveted inside; this wasn't concealed armour, the rivets arranged in rows or patterns were an obvious decorative feature;

haubergeon (or byrnie, though that's more a Saxon / Viking term IMO) - a short-sleeved, short-bodied mail shirt, usually worn under something else;

plackart - front or sometimes front-and-rear lower-abdomen torso plates;

poleyns - knee-guards, worn on otherwise unarmoured legs.

The one thing everyone wore is the first thing Hollywood armour leaves off - a helmet - while the archer below has not just a helmet, haubergeon, brigandine and poleyns, but also something equally important, a brayette or breech...

...which is a pair - or at least the front half where It Matters Most - of well-padded mail and indeed male underpants.

Full plate armours had full plate ones which were even more emphatic. Boob-plates may be (mostly) fantasy, but obvious gendered armour was A Real Thing.

*****

Flexible armour like mail, scale and lamellar wasn't tailored for fit; being flexible it didn't need to be. That said, if the size was really wrong one way or the other, it could be reduced or enlarged by removing or adding sections, similar to a modern tailor taking in or letting out a garment.

I have a vague recollection of a photo showing a late medieval haubergeon with tailoring darts inserted under the arms, but I can't remember where or when, so "vague" has more weight than "recollection". ;-P

Genuine mail is rarer in museums than plate armour, because at the end of its working life mail armour was often chopped into pot-scrubbers for the kitchen. You can buy the same sort of thing today.

Finally, while some looted high-grade armour, or at least parts of it, might fit the looter straight away, it's more likely that after any battle there was probably a brisk trade in swapping what didn't fit for what did.

Hope This Helps! :->

[romeo-golf]

Inevitable

It started with a little bloat, an experiment. The recurring thought of what it might be like to be fat; not just a little overweight, but truly impossibly huge to the point that his gut hung down between his thighs, resting on the floor when he sat on a chair, that his upper arms could be mistaken for thighs if the photograph was taken at the right angle, was becoming more frequent and toying with it by enjoying a particularly large meal was a convenient weekend habit.

The gradual beer belly he started to grow was easy to ignore at first. Its capacity even made his binges more enjoyable as he looked around at the increasingly large number of empty containers on the kitchen counters and something about that level of excess drove him further. He'd never mention it out loud, and could hardly admit it to himself, but the surge of arousal he felt in those moments was incomparable to anything a hook-up or X-rated video could inspire.

But in time, the shift from M to L in his clothing needed to be upgraded. Even his largest shirts were straining around the front, his tees riding up a little too often, and he found himself accepting that XL was probably the right choice.

One afternoon at the mall while picking up a few new items he decided it might be a good idea to replace his very well-worn 36" jeans. They were getting more than a little tight and the fabric was wearing thin in the upper thighs where they rubbed together more these days. In the fitting room he slipped his shirt off and hung it on the hook.

Standing inches from the surrounding mirrors, he took a moment to admire himself, turning slightly side to side to see himself from every angle. Over his shoulder in the mirror behind him he noticed something new on his love-handle. A feint red mark… was that…? He ran his finger over it, feeling the raised outline and realised he had a stretchmark.

Didn't only pregnant women get them? Why was that there? Had he really been growing as rapidly as that?! The thoughts raced through his mind, his pulse quickened, and he felt the familiar expansion in his briefs as his libido woke up to the idea. Suddenly he felt hungry, a urge to fill himself.

He lifted his gut quickly to under his belt, breathing in slightly to ease the manoeuvre and as he tried on the new size-42 jeans realised how normal that had become, having to lift a thick slab of himself out the way, and how his belly was now hanging so low over the fastener on his waistband.

These thoughts were stronger than they'd been for a long time. The urge was unfightable. He quickly redressed in his own clothes, paid for the new items and left the store.

In the car he decided he couldn't ignore this any longer. He needed to know exactly what it felt like to be that man he saw in his dreams. He pulled up in the first drive-through he saw and ordered almost one of everything on the menu. He knew he wouldn't finish it, but he had to try.

That day was the first of many. It was the pivot-point where his joy of food gave way to lust-driven binges which found him sitting on the couch daily after work, feeding himself enough food to last the average man a week, and sinking his stubby fingers into every thick inch of his body.

Which is where he was again today. Legs wide, gut filling the space between his thighs. Looking down all he could see was the top half of his swollen tank, but underneath the equator of his gut, partially buried in a thick and growing fatpad, he could feel his swollen uncut dick leaking precum into his briefs. He tensed his cock and felt it gently rub against his underbelly, a delicious and hedonistic feeling which reminded him of how obese he was.

One hand held a thick handful of gut while the other moved rhythmically from plate to face as he finished the last few bites of his evening feast. He belched loudly and went stood up, lumbering to the fridge, grabbing a tub of heavy cream from the door and taking it to his bedroom where he could sit on the edge of his bed and admire himself in the full-size mirror on his wardrobe.

He peeled the lid off the tub and brought it to his lips. Thick, heavy, and cool as it flowed into him. It felt sticky and decadent, and as he swallowed his mind focused on the vivid image of each mouthful expanding his body. He imagined his gut swelling further with each swallow and he gripped his gut tight with his free hand.

The last drops slid into his mouth and he put the tub on the nightstand, allowing himself the luxury of both hands on his body. In the mirror he could see a wide wet stain on his briefs where he'd been leaking all evening.

He grunted and swung his legs onto the bed, laid out on his back and wobbled his gut a little. Lifting it with one hand he tugged his briefs down with the other and turned his head to admire himself again in the mirror. His gut ballooned in front of him, sticking out further than his dick by several inches, and rested heavily against his forearm as he held what he could of his manhood in his palm.

He loved how he looked. He was easily twice the weight he was when he first gave into this and he palmed his dick while thinking about more and watching his gut move in the mirror. The wobbling, back-and-forth motion was electric and he relaxed into it while thinking about how many calories he'd eaten that day. Two thousand… three thousand…. four and a half thousand… five thousand…. almost six thousand.

That was the spot. Six thousand calories in a day, triple what he should eat and he barely had to try. That's why he was so overweight, that's why he was getting fatter, that's why his decent into obesity was inevitable. The orgasm built quickly in him, he felt it moving under this swollen tank and grabbed his gut harder as his muscles tensed.

"I'm so fat…" he moaned as each hot gush of cum landed on his body, glazing him like a doughnut and reinforcing his addiction to more.

[baiwu-jinji]

Hello! I’ve read your thoughts on TGCF and I really enjoy them.

I also like the cultural references and knowledge you bring to the table. It’s something that gets lost in English translation and learning about it just adds another layer to enjoy about TGCF.

Recently I saw some asks/answers compare Hualian to another couple. I haven’t read the other story 😅 but I have heard similar opinions of Hualian being very idealized, too perfect, unrealistic or all three.

I’ve been very curious about this part as I also have a vague memory of someone noting that even the author says Hualian is like a fairytale.

I was surprised about this because their softness, respect and unconditional love for each other is something I really love about them.🌸🌸🌸

Could you share more of your perspective on this?

Is it the waiting 800 years part? The unconditional acceptance and devotion on Hua Cheng’s part(and Xie Lian’s side too)? The lack of arguments between them?

For my part , obviously 800 years is a fantastical amount of time to remain in love and devoted to someone. Especially considering how little time Hua Cheng spent with Xie Lian in the beginning. I am totally willing to suspend my belief for these two points and chalk it up to Hua Cheng’s personality. I also think Hua Cheng’s love for Xie Lian grew and matured as he did.

It’s really interesting too that those very positive traits - unconditional devotion, faith and love (not obedience because honestly Hua cheng quiet frequently disobeys😅) while more obviously written in a positive light can be explored in fanfiction from the other end. And I don’t mean obsession or stalking, but more like loving someone to the point of your own detriment.

And Hualian, though certainly they didn’t really argue in the book, they did have disagreements. (And I think in the revised novel, of at least the translated part I read, they do get a more serious argument)

To me, their easy acceptance and the unconditional love aspect can be chalked up to their personality, life experiences and the fact they both have lived centuries long.

Anyhow, I know I rambled on a bit. 😅😅😅

But I am really curious on your feedback about this or a link if you answered this more in detail with a similar ask.

Thank you! 😊

Hi! :) Thank you for your kind words and sorry about the really late reply ><  MXTX once wrote about a dream she had where a voice told her that TGCF is like a “a little red clay stove” (I translated MXTX’s dream here). The literary reference of “a little red clay stove” symbolises the warmth and comfort of domestic life and the joy of friendship and companionship, which I think is what MXTX wants Hualian’s relationship to stand for - Hualian is meant to be warm, tender, homely and cosy, with as little friction as possible in the relationship. It is a very idealised relationship (how can it not be with HC’s unfading love for and faith in XL and XL’s instinctual and almost instant trust in HC), and that’s why people love Hualian, because we long to be loved with such unconditional acceptance and unwavering devotion ourselves, and we want to find someone we could love with unconditional acceptance and unwavering devotion, whether such love is possible in real life or not. Hualian’s success and popularity is clearly not due to it being a gritty and brutally honest interrogation of the complexities of romantic relationships in realistic contexts, but because it is the sort of ideal relationship of pure bliss people dream of having. Therefore I can’t say Hualian’s idealisation of romantic relationships is one of its literary flaws because it’s never aiming to be otherwise, and its idealistic nature is one of its main selling points.

This is a digression but what I find interesting about Hualian is this sort of paradox in HC being both a lover and a worshipper - to worship a god is to worship his divine infallibility, but to love a human is to love his human fallibility (but then Borges said that “to fall in love is to create a religion that has a fallible god”, so that resolves the paradox?). And it makes me think about what HC means when he says to XL “I’m forever your most devoted believer.” What is it that HC eternally believes in as XL's believer? It’s not XL’s infallibility, or perfection, or omnipotence, or incorruptibility, or inexhuastable goodness that HC believes in, because XL is neither of those things, so what is it that HC believes in? Maybe what HC forever believes in is the fact that he will love XL forever - maybe that’s what HC is a believer of…

I hope this answer makes sense, and in short I meant to say that I can’t deny Hualian is idealised, but that’s what makes them appealing.

[dozing-marshmallow]

Hey pookie, could you do a Cody and Ezekiel x coquette (thicc) reader please. That would so make my dad since it's been very off. I hope you have a nice day

-Lover Anon

Heyaa my love, sorry I couldn’t post this sooner, I hope you’ve been doing much better since you requested and hopefully you enjoy this.

For future reference, please don’t call me pookie. The term makes me feel very uncomfortable. Thank you! ^^

CODY X COQUETTE! “THICC”! READER X EZEKIEL ONE SHOT

You and the other contestants from the show decided to go on a nice shopping spree since Chris was too much of a dick to allow it back in New York City.

Alas you stood in front of a huge store, too nice to go in solo.

Looking around for any nearby assistance, you found two of your fellow contestants, standing around, not doing anything other than ogling mannequins.

So a grin curves on your glossy lips as you sweetly call,"Cody! Ezekiel! Can you come here please?"

They hurry to you, Cody being more enthusiastic,"Yes milady?"

“I need your help! I want something new to wear!” you chirped your dilemma.

"Did you hear that, Ezekiel? A hot girl wants our help!" the geek excitedly reiterates to his companion.

Said man flashes a smile of his own and finger guns,"Leave it to the Zeeke Master."

“Just so you know, I only called you both because you two were the nearest. Don’t let this get to your head.” you hummed, making a head start into the girls’ aisle. The cutesy style of the store finally got to the two as they furiously blush for different reasons.

“Girls...” Ezekiel scoffed as he follow you,“Why do they care so much about clothes? I’ve worn this thing for the last five years!”

Cody takes a sniff and grimaces,“Yeah... I believe that.”

An hour passes and you guys were still stuck at square one.

“How about this, eh?” the homeschooled contestant suggested at some point, holding up a salmon pink cardigan.

You take one look at it, and your face tightens at the thought of putting it on your body,“What size is that?”

He checks the label,“Uhh... It says M yo.”

You cock your head sceptically,“Medium? Is there no L? Or XL?”

Cody looks through the hangers of that particular cardigan, nervously beaming,“Uh... Looks like this was the only size.”

“Seriously? And you guys thought that would fit me?” you hmphed unimpressed,“I need you to have your best owl eyes for me, okay? Thanks!”

Before Ezekiel threw the cardigan back over his shoulder, Cody pulled him in for a secret,“Hey... I saw somewhere online that when girls wear something that’s a size too small for them, they look as hot as if they’re just in a bra!”

“Aw man! Why’d you not say that before? We coulda seen something great!” Ezekiel groaned, yellow stuck between his teeth.

“Guys!” the familiar voice of femininity yelled for them.

“Coming!” they both yelled back in response.

Seven hours now. And you’re still going. Not once pausing for a break or food.

Whether it was intentional on your part or not, it seemed like you were gonna stay in here after closing hours.

Until suddenly, you declared,“I found it! I found what I was missing!”

The boys immediately raced to your side, buzzing with curiosity,"What was it? What was it?"

“This!” You squealed, holding up-

A necklace.

That small thing they could have made in the time they massacred rummaging in this girl shop.

The two had to take a break from reality when they saw that small thing in your hands.

“Are you serious? We spent hours just for you to pick something that’s barely noticeable?” Cody asked in disbelief.

“For real? You made me touch all that pink stuff for you to pick that puny thing? Not cool, man.” Ezekiel scoffed, crossing his arms.

“Lady! And this is just what I needed! It's so dainty!" you squealed, admiring yourself in the mirror,"This will go so well with my outfits!”

The boys sigh exasperated at the same time. You couldn't have just gone to a jewellery store when none of the clothes matched your liking?

Witnessing their reactions in the reflection, you decide to reward them with a kiss on their heads.

“Thanks guys! Your help's like, really appreciated. Maybe you both can help me find a wedding dress when the day comes!”

Their exhaustion melted when they felt your lips against their temples, successfully able to glance back at each other with optimism for their future errand.

“Well, that’ll be easier, right?" Cody fixes a shaky smile.

Ezekiel snorts,"I mean. It’s a white dress. They’re all similar anyway.”

“Oh no! I’m not going traditional, boys!” you merrily announce, arms high in the air,“I’m gonna have a pink sunset themed wedding!”

The optimism of both boys cut off as they could only glance back at each other with the alarm of the new knowledge circulating in each of their widened eyes.

“NOOOOOOOOO!”

[sarkofagos]

where are the good outletsss i live in athens too and i can never find anything… “thrifts” and “curated vintage” shops are so expensive

For the sake of maintaining a sliver of my anonymity and online safety, I won't be handing out the exact addresses of the Outlets I frequent. But ☝️ I've been doing this long enough as to be able to provide some general tips about thrifting in Athens (though, I guess non-Athenian/Greek people might find this useful too) that might be even more useful and applicable to your situation than if I simply told you where to go:

For Athens specifically, your options are going to depend on the area you live in or visit. Evaggelismos-Pagkrati-Ilisia-Zografou mostly have curated thrifts like the ones you mention. Syntagma-Monastiraki-Thiseio even more so. If you want actual 5 euro outlets, your chances will be increased by visiting areas like Panepistimio-Omonoia-Victoria (which, by the way, are not as dangerous as the paramythology surrounding them would have you think)(maybe don't wander alone after nightfall too much, though). Outlets are very frequent in these areas and especially in the streets surrounding Omonoia Square. Even as upwards as Agios Eleftherios you can easily find 5-10 euro outlets and I would also urge you to explore your general area for any outlets. They are generally not that difficult to spot but, as you say, it's finding a good outlet that's important.

Now that we've established where you can find outlets, the next step is establishing how to tell a good outlet from a bad one. The easiest way to do this is by meticulously examining the clothes sold by said outlet. Are all or most of them stained, torn or otherwise visually/functionally damaged? You wouldn't want to waste your time going through rack after rack of un-wearable clothes. Also, as a rule of thumb, I would suggest noticing the arrangement of clothes sold/displayed by an outlet at a point in time. Are the racks/shelves suffocating with clothing? Is the store generally untidy? Does it feel dirty? All this seldom indicates a good outlet.

Now to the critical part; finding good clothes. This is where you will have to put some work in and, depending on your a) style and, most importantly b) size, this could be very difficult or very easy (but do not be dissuaded — my best friend is a size L-XL and I am a size S-XS myself and we both frequently find stuff we like and that fits us). There's no shortcut here, you will truly have to go through the racks on your own in order to find a piece you might like. Since most outlets don't accept returns, I would urge you to try on any pieces you intend to buy. Make sure to apply all the usual tips, like mentally creating different outfits with other clothes you already own and making sure it fits you properly (I do have more tips on determining if an article of clothing "works" for you, but that is a different post entirely).

Do not rush — figuring out if a thrifted piece works for you is challenging enough as is; by rushing, you will only make things harder by refusing yourself the ability to properly consider your options, skip stuff you might potentially like etc. Try to enjoy the process of thrifting, elsewise it will exhaust you very quickly. Take in the different styles of clothing, the different brands, the different material etc. Someone used to own this once; to whom? Why did they buy it? Why did they give it away? These are questions I ask myself when thrifting and the most amusing part of it, because I deeply and truly love and have always loved clothing as a medium of self expression, and it is this sociological-esque aspect of thrifting I love the most.

Don't buy anything over 10 euros (or 20 euros maximum for stuff like a genuine leather jacket or something). You're being scammed.

Make note of any brands whose clothes you frequently find yourself liking/trying on. I personally like and have bought a lot of Esprit and Pimkie stuff and I've only ever encountered their clothes in a thrifting context. Keep an eye out for clothes of said brands, and you might find yourself liking a piece you previously might not have paid attention to.

Do not entirely avoid aforementioned "overpriced vintage stores". I am not saying you should buy anything from their standard rotation there but ☝️ many of them do have 5-euro bins and you can find some pretty good deals there (just make sure the product is not defective, a 5 euro bin is where I found that torn belt I was talking about and many vintage store owners will not shy from weaponizing the low price point to sell you unusable products and then act like it's your fault.)

This is a personal preference more than a rule, and it's a luxury that comes with perfecting your thrifting skills, but I am at a point where I would not buy anything synthetic from an outlet. Sorry. I'm looking for good quality clothing at a cheaper price, not fast-fashion polyester products that already costs 5 euros to produce anyway (<- however always do prefer thrifting than directly buying from fast fashion brands, even if it means thrifting synthetic fabrics!)

Vibe and have fun! This is similar to Step 4 but genuinely you truly must enjoy the process, elsewise thrifting can become very tiring very quickly. Take a friend with you and have fun with the stuff you find.

Understand that sometimes, making an investment and buying something brand new is the way to go. I find this to be especially true with heavier articles, such as bags, jackets, shoes etc, especially when the wear and damage are visible (not in a good way). Don't spend 20 euros buying a worn leather bag from an outlet when you can spend the same or a marginally larger amount of money buying a new leather bag from a local workshop (you will also need to put in some work in order to find those. sorry)

all this to say: there's no really such a thing as a "good outlet". you're not going to find anything inherently trendy or cool in there (except for my ed hardy tshirt i got for 8 euros. insane.) do avoid the dirty and untidy ones, yes, but most successful thrifting endeavors come from developing thrifting and, by extension, dressing yourself, as a skill and then applying them on outlets selling mediocre, generic clothing in order to find something you like and that looks good on you.

tldr; have fun + put the work in + always keep in mind whether the product you're buying is worth it and All Will Be Well

[akascow]

the way not two of my hoodies- all XL- fit the same way is so infuriating to me sometimes

old argument but genuinely why cant sizes be universal its so gd annoying

im wearing an XL rn and it fits like a L i feel so restricted im getting frustrated man the back to front side ratio is so off the back is so tight so when i pull my arms forward the sleeves roll up AHHHH

its like wearing a leather jacket WHICH I HATE leather jackets make me unfathomably angry when wearing them omfg

my body is technically a medium but bc of sensory issues i need them to engulf me so i get XL bc L usually isnt big enough but now im facing the same problem THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE XL !!!

its even more frustrating because i spent like 55-60$ on this for it not to fit correctly. and bc i got 3 hoodies from this company for cmas (which i havent tried on yet) like goddddd if they all fit the same im gonna end up on the news bro

[unevenpatterns]

The Lab - the gift that keeps on giving.

I finally got some ✨new lab coats✨ for the lab. Took 3 months to get them because of course the ordering system was all fucked.

But I learned some... concerning... facts in the process.

We had no lab coats in the smallest size, and the majority were L, XL or bigger. Our lab is mostly petite women 🙃 So first problem: everyone were wearing way too large coats. Annoying at best, a risk for getting your sleeves contaminated and tipping stuff over at worst. Or so I thought.

Then in the process of ordering new ones I had to talk with the company that washes them. They register each coat and how often it's been sent to wash.

Y'all. Some of these coats hadn't been washed for 8 YEARS ☠️☠️☠️

In an organic synthesis lab.

Shiiiit, you might be more safe not putting it on at that point. Who knows how much it's contaminated with.

A side effect of not having the right sizes meant that people kept the few they could find hidden, and made sure not to lose it in the washing system.

+ Of course someone thought it would be fine to store some in random cupboards on top of samples??? WHY. Come on man.

[snowfairie]

why you don’t have to do ANYTHING to get what you want

i think some non-believers and maybe some part of the community in general esp if manifesting is something new to you, are under the assumption that manifesting is magical and it’s just coming out of your ass. so allow me to explain in a way that may be digestible because this would’ve been helpful for me when i first started !

you've always had the ability to create ♡

in my opinion it’s more about becoming aware of it right? you’ve been unconsciously creating for quite some time, most have! and that’s totally fine cause now you’ll learn to realize that you’re in control! as a kid did you ever make an assumption about a situation (possibly negative) and that situation came true, and maybe in the back of your mind you’re like “i knew it!” yeah babe that was you creating and believing in a scenario! and you probably didn’t have to do a single thing for that scenario to come true, at least not consciously. you’re in control of your own life, that shouldn’t be a wild concept to literally anyone.

forcing is resistance ♡

when you manifest you’re deciding what you want, deciding the thing(s) you want in your life. for example say you wanna manifest weight loss, maybe you’re a size XL but wanna be a size L. you simply decide that you’re a size large. now ofc you can just leave it there, once you decide something it’s automatically yours but for most that doesn’t feel believable enough and that’s very valid! we’ve been trained in a very different way to think so it makes sense ! that’s where methods usually come in !

now methods aren’t NEEDED but they do help prime the brain so things are more believable to you therefore imprinting better in your subconscious. now in my previous post about how to manifest with ADHD i mentioned affirming. why? because you affirm all day every day anyway?! loll so why not affirm something differently? so in relation to the weight loss it could be as simple as “i am a size large” or maybe “i love being a size large”

now your subconscious takes whatever you tell it, you tell it that you’re a size large repeatedly it’s gonna take you literal and start NATURALLY GUIDING you to take actions that will give you your desire NOW here’s why i said forcing is resistance.

a lot of the time when people think of manifesting they think you sit and do nothing and get what you want and while that is still possible, that’s not necessarily the case. now anybody else would wanna be a size large and start immediately obsessing over weight numbers, and how many times they gotta work out etc. that’s forcing. with manifesting it will give you the easiest thought that will change your whole journey. you’ll randomly have the urge to do a exercise you’ve never heard of before and that ONE exercise alone will give you EXACTLY what you want? does that make sense?

the exercise was ALWAYS there that answer was ALWAYS there it was just more about becoming aware of it, and with that shift of a mindset you were able to notice it. in the simplest terms manifesting is purely thinking and embodying the person that has what you want and through you’re imagination and thoughts you will be naturally shown the easiest and best answer for YOU unless you want otherwise. some people like hard work and that’s alright. but killing yourself is not needed to get what you want. the more you relax the more open you are to receiving an idea or thought that will change your world and give you everything you want.

you are always only one thought away

[davemustaine]

why are all vintage band tees like ... l/xl... need my scrawny boy rep

[llycaons]

something else I really liked about that fic was hualian's trouble in paradise...their getting-together was so smooth and their relationship was so easy and drama-free in the book that they've never really weathered any serious conflict as a couple. even the stuff that SHOULD have been an issue, like hc not telling him the truth about who he was, or the statues (which EYE still find creepy!), just wasn't. because xl didn't mind it. and while romances do not have to be realistic, that made ME so frustrated to read it, and is a large part of why the romance was so uninteresting to me and why it felt so generic and immature. but a relationship that lives off faith and endless worship and one-sided devotion really isn't sustainable! like yeah obviously xl loves hc too and looks after him and all but I can see serious serious cracks in that relationship appearing eventually when they disagree on something and the expectation arises in their minds that their relationship is without conflict, and the expectation that hc puts on himself to be perfect pressures them both to deny or avoid conflict

which is why I really enjoy wangxian as a contrast, especially the cql version, because their relationship was full of conflict literally from the beginning. and we see them manage that and still become close and develop a strong relationship and trust each other even while disagreeing about extremely significant aspects of their lives, and even when wwx had to hide things about himself and lwj handled it, honestly quite poorly. they loved each other and clearly wanted to be close even when they each felt their decisions had to pull them in different directions...and that simultaneous strength of principle (neutral) and commitment to each other is actually what makes them such a strong unit postres and postcanon. because they've already been through it together. they're both extremely strong-willed people who have independently made the choices they needed to to be there with each other. well, lwj made the choice to be with wwx after many years of failing to do so, and wwx did what he was always going to do. but that strength of spirit is really matched in both of them imo

in the book lwj leaving his somewhat emotionally and mentally devastated brother and sect for three months IS a little. hm. but like in the show, he doesn't do that either, he stays with them because they need him. and ik people don't like lwj making that choice and I wish they'd been able to get together sooner too, but that decision - and wwx's tearful but willing departure - doesn't communicate lack of love to me, not after all that, it communicates maturity. which is another reason I think their postres relationship is going to be quite stable even though it's taken 20 years and it's both of their first relationships. like...they just know each other so well. zhijis! they're middle-aged men who are also best friends, so compare that to h/l too...god unless you count the 800 years of being obsessed which I really don't

wx didn't always handle conflict well what with lwj being judgemental (bc it was all he knew) and wwx being mean (as a defense mechanism) or (in the drama esp) communicate super openly w each other, and in the novel all of their issues vanish bafflingly quickly as soon as the confession comes, but in the drama they really do seem like people whose feelings for each other have withstood the test of time and war and violence and manipulation and cruelty and judgement and conflicting opinions, and they've grown so much as people both together and apart...like I have little interest in any postcanon wx conflict. some can be interesting, because everyone is flawed and no relationship is going to be conflict-free. and there's definitely still stuff to work through and complicated family situations to manage and opposing priorities to deal with, but it doesn't feel like a codependent and obsessive mess ready to implode like hualian does.

[aasourcingltd]

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