#zee answers questions

[ladyzee-oddityhunter]

So you are messing with the multiverse....shit.

And on my fucking break of being a hero too?! Zee, why the fuck?

@askthedistortedfandomcrew

Language, sweetie.

[earthmixsclowderofcats]

Just genuinely asking, do you actually believe that ZeeNuNew is dating? (I believe in them)

Oh, this never ending debate.

When I first got into BL these two confused and confounded me for months. It always seemed like people were either very strict and defensive truthers or pessimistic deniers.

Honestly, I went back and forth several times on them, and I think what I have come to conclude is that they're both and neither and whatever the hell they want.

Because due to the parasocial aspects of the Thai bl industry these men (Thai bl men in general) play a version of themselves in public, the same way most people do. Only their public persona is what makes them marketable. It's part of their brand.

That doesn't mean there isn't truth to it.

Fanservice and genuine affection do not exist in vacuums separate from one another. Real life relationships are way more fluid and complicated than black and white.

There are things they do that seem very performative, but I have to wonder if maybe that's just part of their personality and relationship in general. But obviously it is also, at least partly, for the fans. As it is their brand. But again, that's something that doesn't exist in a vacuum.

In a classic, western sense they haven't officially actually come out but rather were like "you can think whatever you want."

(I think this might have changed recently with the language they've been using but I'm not 100% sure due to fan translations being subjective. But like, I'm pretty sure they've said recently in an interview they basically date at work.)

At some point (especially in the past few weeks)I've legitimately just started feeling like a homophobic crone for thinking it was ALL for fan service. Like, those two clearly are very important to each other. They clearly love each other in some way.

It's so interesting because like, in a way these shipped pairs are living their own fake dating au's. And I fully believe there are some people who just committed to the bit to the degree that it no longer became a bit, and I'm pretty sure that's zeenunew.

You can see their relationship change over the years. I don't doubt there was fan service in the cutie pie era. I also don't doubt that those big sappy displays of affection are sincere.

So i used to put them in the category of "shrodinger's ships." They were both together and not until proven otherwise.

But recently I've shifted them into the category of "committed to the bit too hard and now it is no longer a bit."

Because I think it's both fan service and legit, and like, that's just how they roll. If it is an entirely false charade they've been on for years then consider me bamboozled and in awe of their hustle, but in this economy we take all the serotonin we can get.

Also, like, regardless of any outside perspective of their relationship, their personal relationship is going to be what it is or isn't either way. What are we gonna do about it by arguing over semantics and technicalities? What would they get? Nothing. We have literally no stake in this and no influence.

[valeriefauxnom]

Phares' Lost Lines!

Long story short, after much much much toil of trying to surf through computer- and audio-nerds' jargon and decidedly untrustworthy-named websites, I was finally able to crack the .acb and .awb audio files that people were able to preserve of the Dragalia voice cast! (If you've never heard of those audio files, well then, now you know where I was starting at, too... Let's just put it this way - it's an audio file that even audio players/editors like Audacity aren't equip to handle, at least ordinarily.)

And as you might suspect from the title, Phares had three voice lines that go unaccounted for in his actual unit anywhere in the game. Strangely, all three I'm guessing seem to hail from The Blood That Binds event, which makes it doubly strange since, well, we didn't get voiced events here.

Transcripts in order (and hopefully the actual voicelines, if you want to take a listen!):

"We have our belief in possibility to thank for our retaking the Halidom."

"It's been so long since we were all together, and yet fate prevents us from enjoying it."

"A summons from Leonidas? I have a bad feeling about this..."

Also not sure this one is truly lost per se but it's certainly a line not recorded in the wiki despite being 'accessible' (for however a very short window in-game) in the form of his summon quote, which is: "Let us begin our inquiry into truth!"

Hm, actually, before I post, I think I might take a guess that these are instead lines for him on the homescreen while the event was active, which might make them not 'unknown' per se but certainly inaccessible now, since I highly doubt anyone caught ordinary gameplay of all of them occurring.

Still, they're pretty darn niche and hard to get to in the game, even on the servers, so maybe someone finds it interesting regardless!

[xysidhequeen]

I do want to see Jason ranting to Ember and Kitty. I’m curious 🧐

Let's see what I can do!

This would be once Jason is a bit more comfortable giving details about his previous life.

Jason, Ember and Kitty are relaxing in Ember's haunt. There's ban posters, both for living and dead bands, splashed across her walls. Instruments of all types fill the space, and the three are spread out on various pillows. Jason is painstakingly painting Ember's nails while Kitty paints his toenails bright red. There's several cartons of open ice cream in between them and a TV is playing a reality show in the background that none of them are watching.

"And then! The dirtbag just fucking trips and falls off the balcony!" Jason told the girls, pulling his hands carefully back so he doesn't mess up Ember's nails while he gesticulates wildly to punctuate his point.

"Good riddance, scum like that deserves it." Kitty said decisively, pulling back to access her work.

"I woulda pushed him, had it been me." Ember said with a shrug.

Jason pointed at her, "right?! I wish I had! But I didn't and B-" Jason's face twisted in pain, and he swallowed harshly. "Batman thought I actually did. He benched me for it." Jason finished with a mutter, all righteous anger gone and replaced with pain.

Ember and Kitty shared a singular look. Ember's hair flared, the flames igniting and blooming in a pillar of ferocity. Kitty's features twisted, fangs lengthening and eyes glowing.

"He benched you? Because some jackass piece of shit offed himself?" Kitty demanded, voice rising in pitch.

Jason looked up and blinked, skin flushing at the anger so obvious on the two women's faces. Anger for him, not at him. "Uh. Yeah, he thought I did it."

Ember huffed, standing up, her half finished nails wrapping around her forearms as if to hold herself back as she stomped across her floor, kicking spare clothes and pillows out of her way.

"That asshole! What a dick move, honestly." Ember growled out, flames snapping behind her.

"We should beat the snot out of him!" Kitty raged.

"We should burst his eardrums!"

"We could haunt his house and hide all his left shoes!"

"We could– his shoes? Seriously Kitty?"

"What? How would you feel if someone stole all your left shoes?"

"Alright, fine. Fair. We could burn his house down too,"

Kitty and Ember fed off of one another, coming up with new creative ways to get revenge on Bruce on Jason's behalf. It all ended when Jason fell over, laughing so hard at the thought of Bruce being vengefully haunted by the two ghosts.

He might have been crying too, but that's what the (slightly melted now) ice cream was for.

Kitty and Ember shared a smile once Jason finally fell asleep. Kitty gently rubbing away tear tracks and Ember pulling a blanket over him. They had been mad, yes, but they had been more angered over the pure hurt they'd felt pouring from Jason like a river. They were just glad they could alleviate it, even a little.

Anyways, the girls are very protective of Jason. And they weren't entirely kidding about haunting the shit out of Batman. Not because of what he did exactly, but because of the fact he hurt Jason. Also, they don't really see what the big deal is with some random schmuck dying. So what? So they understand Bruce's POV even less.

[froggydoodles]

Do you think Chelsea is homeless?

Like, where's she living? All other mermaids somewhere far off in the sea, she's all alone, with nobody to crash with. Was she just living under the bridge or something?

Considering after the war all mermaids separated and gone hiding and even one of the directors of the film already confirmed Chelsea wasn't lying about being alone for years yeah i think it's safe to say that she was indeed homeless. Since she is more of a sea creature i assume she would sleep in an underwater cave or something. I really feel bad for her when i think about that. Imagine acting all cool during the day like everything in your life is perfect while searching for a safe place to sleep all by yourself at nights. It's not that hard to read the emotions on her face when she is with Ruby, in all that acting she was still genuinely enjoying not being alone and having fun with someone who understands her. I'll never forgive writers for wasting all her development at the very end for a stupid twist 😢

[thegreatyin]

question at what point should someone know where parabola is in fallen london?

depends on if you mean lore-wise or gameplay-wise!

lore-wise, i think you can learn about parabola as early as the flit if you pursue the cats and bats plotlines enough. there's also a ton of stuff referencing and relating back to it the more you explore, so you're bound to run into at least one mention of it eventually. it's kind of the neath's worst kept secret. like. to the point where i think we all kinda forget it's a secret in the first place.

gameplay-wise, establishing a parabolan base camp and unlocking the ability to traverse to-and-fro parabola is one of the major milestones to hit in early-midgame and mid-midgame (as odd as that phrase sounds) progression. it's not something you necessarily need to beeline for, but it's definitely something you'll want to put high on your to-do list after becoming A Person Of Some Importance.

the main function of parabola early on is acting as a sort of "advanced skill bootcamp" where you can level your glasswork, APoC, etc, with more functions and goodies unlocking as you upgrade and explore more in-depth with it. you likely won't find yourself heavily relying on it for a good while, but speaking as an endgame player; build your basecamp. upgrade your basecamp. invest in your basecamp. you will thank yourself so much for doing both, Especially the latter. the wounds and nightmares reductions alone are both Super Worth It.

overall though, if you haven't even built your laboratory or gotten a ship yet, Do Both Of Those First. and if you don't even have them as options... parabola is something you shouldn't even be worrying about right now. don't sweat it. play the game at your own pace. it'll still be there when you get there.

[angelinecarax]

Your thoughts on Angeline and Krile pls :3

OOOOO a thinker.. Angeline and Krile....!

This is really difficult I think because Krile is one of the people she's gotten to know the least. She's happy to leave Sharlayan and all of its foibles and habits and tendencies behind, and like all of the Scions Sharlayan has left its mark on Krile. Angeline doesn't get awfully close to her (as of playthrough 2) and to her Krile is more like her boyfriend's coworker who makes him come in to work and gets mad when he switches out too much.

I think if Krile and Angeline had opportunities, or causes, (or lack of choice to the contrary) and had to work with each other, where Angeline was made to take Krile seriously, and then Krile would chill out a touch, they could actually TALK... then perhaps Dawntrail would have had a story where Krile does actually get to develop as a pictomancer and have an arc where she and Angeline fall in love in a brand new place, especially one as beautiful as this....

Well, I can see that working!

(for 'thoughts on your OC and a non-canon pairing?!' Ask box open!)

[zee-has-commitment-issues]

Heyyyyyy

so I've definitely asked this before, BUT are there any doctors/medically intelligent people out there that are willing to answer a very bizarre question for a fic? Pretty please.

[catinfroghat]

Sorry just woke up dead upright in bed thinking about the guy saying the phrase "illegal drugs/substances" is a case of hypallage I can't think of a more stupid thing to complain about in a public lecture about mephedrone. By the way the literal actual doc zee was also in the chat which was an absolutely wild jumpscare when I saw his name pop up out of the blue

[pinkjunepeanut]

I've always wanted to make this crossover come to life (and am still in the process of creating it)... rottmnt and warriors cats (hear me out);

The brothers would be separated into the four clans during the era of "Crookedstar's Promise" and "Bluestar's Prophecy," changing the course of history for several characters in the books, as well as healing from their own trauma after the movie.

Raph would be a red Maine Coon (the biggest, but a huge softie) in RiverClan,

Leo would be a Russian Blue (like Bluestar, blue eyes included) in ThunderClan,

Donnie would be a Siamese Cat (smartest & blue eyes to match his twin) in ShadowClan,

and Mikey would be an orange Bengal (spotted and affectionate).

This would not be a fusion crossover, but rather, the turtles are fee-line not themselves, lol. 😆

In all seriousness, I've yet to come up with a reason as to how they traveled to this dimension, but changing their appearance was probably the best course of action for them to not be the elephants in the room, lmao 👀 😂

Hope this helps 😁👍

😹😸🙀😺😻😼😿

🐢❤️💙💜🧡🐢

Rottmnt fans! Gimme ideas for crossover art! Go!

[ladyzee-oddityhunter]

I think I saw a picture of you in a magazine earlier today!

What makeup brand do you swear by?

// @ultimateunshackler 📚

Eeeee that was probably Masqueraide!! ✨ Thank you SO much for the question, my darling!

I will swear up, down, left, and right Magmarvelous is THE best makeup brand out there! It won’t break the bank, and they have a wide range of colors, shades, and finishes for every skin type and look!

As a darker lady, it can be difficult for me to find my shade in a lot of brands, but Magmarvelous has always had me covered 💖 And their waterproof and smudgeproof-ness is top notch! I especially adore their extra glossy lipstick in Cinnamon Applin red!

If you want to give it a try, use the code ZEE10 to save ten percent on your first order! ✨

[sweetfushi]

zee my darling !! :3 ITS ASKIE REVIVAL TIME FOR YOU NOW !! <3

if you had to choose, would you rather marry a demon & live forever, or marry a hashira but lose in the battle with muzan ?

if you were a drink, would you be hot or iced, & what would your flavor be ?

if you could manage a team for an entire month in haikyuu, which team are you picking and why ?

ask revival 2024 !! 🍓

ask revival time!!

if you had to choose, would you rather marry a demon & live forever, or marry a hashira but lose in the battle with muzan ?

i think to live forever is a curse - it's never truly appealed to me. i would love to see the way the world changes and progresses through its different eras, but i don't think it's worth marrying a demon to witness that. i think i'd rather marry a hashira and lose in the battle with muzan.

if you were a drink, would you be hot or iced, & what would your flavor be ?

i would be a lot like a cappuccino - slightly strong, frothed milk, no sugar and no other sweeteners, because that's how i like my coffee :D

if you could manage a team for an entire month in haikyuu, which team are you picking and why ?

oh God uhhh karasuno would probably heal my depression but idk if i could manage them. maybe shiratorizawa because the most chaos i have to deal with is goshiki and tendo lmao plus almost everyone in that team seems to already know how to manage themselves, i'd just be there for moral support <3

[aliza-sophie]

Not alone

warnings: self harm, mentions of self harm, comparison

synopsis: the little sister of paige bueckers, has a bad game and falls into an old habit. but paige is there to help

Freshman year at UConn had always been the dream.

For Elize Bueckers, walking into Gampel Pavilion for the first time as a Husky wasn’t just exciting — it was symbolic. Her jersey had her name on the back, sure, but in the stands and on social media, everyone knew her as Paige’s little sister.

And truthfully? She didn’t mind.

Paige Bueckers was everything: a senior, a leader, a fan favorite, and a big sister who still called her “Zee” like they were little girls playing HORSE in the driveway. Growing up, Elize would watch Paige play on TV with their dad, memorizing her crossovers, her no-look passes, her calm under pressure. Now they were on the same court.

But being Paige’s sister came with shadows. Expectations. Comparisons.

And on the night of the South Carolina game, those shadows swallowed Elize whole.

She went 0-for-5 from the field. One missed assignment on defense. Three turnovers. Her confidence unraveled, possession by possession, and when Coach sat her down midway through the third quarter, she knew she wasn’t going back in.

On the bench, she tried to hide her shaking hands.

After the game, reporters surrounded Paige — they always did. Elize slipped quietly into the locker room, showered quickly, and pulled her hoodie over her head. Her headphones went in, and she walked the long path back to the dorm alone, head down.

By the time Paige got back, it was nearly 11. Elize’s door was cracked open, but the room inside felt… still. Too still.

Paige knocked lightly. “Zee?”

No answer.

She pushed the door open gently. The room smelled faintly of lavender and anxiety. A hoodie was crumpled on the floor, the corner of a small first-aid kit sticking out from under the bed — something Paige hadn’t seen since high school. Her breath caught in her throat.

“Elize?”

She found her on the floor by the bed, knees pulled to her chest, eyes swollen from crying, a hoodie sleeve tugged over one hand. Paige crouched down immediately.

“What happened?” Paige asked, voice shaking.

Elize turned away. “I didn’t mean to… I just— I couldn’t take it. I suck. I’m not you.”

Paige’s chest clenched. She gently reached out and took Elize’s wrist. Faint red marks lined the skin.

Her whole body tensed. But she didn’t flinch. She didn’t get angry. She didn’t cry — not yet.

Instead, she wrapped both arms around her sister and held on tight.

“I’m sorry,” Elize whispered. “I told myself I’d never go back to that place, but… I feel like I’m drowning. Everyone expects me to be the next you. And when I mess up, it’s like the world’s watching.”

Paige didn’t say anything at first. She just held her.

“You don’t have to be the next me,” she finally said. “You never did. You get to be you. And that’s enough. That’s always been enough.”

“But I’m not strong like you,” Elize said.

Paige pulled back and looked her in the eyes. “You think I’ve never felt like this? Zee, I’ve had nights where I wanted to disappear. Nights where I hated myself because one bad game made me feel worthless. You’re not alone in this.”

Tears spilled down Elize’s face. For the first time in weeks, she let someone see her.

They stayed on the floor together for hours — Paige sitting with her back against the bed, Elize leaning on her shoulder, her heartbeat slowly calming. Paige eventually got up and made her some tea, then brought her a glass of water and sat back down, gently braiding Elize’s hair like she used to when they were kids.

“I think we should talk to someone,” Paige said softly. “Not just me. A real therapist. Someone who can help.”

Elize didn’t respond right away. But then she nodded.

“Okay.”

And Paige smiled — just a little — because that was the bravest thing she’d seen all night.

The Next Morning

Coach excused Elize from practice without question. Paige had already spoken to the team therapist and made an appointment.

They sat together in the waiting room, Paige flipping through an old magazine, Elize bouncing her knee nervously. When her name was called, she looked at Paige.

“Will you be here when I’m done?”

“Always.”

Weeks Later

The headlines started to change. Not because Elize suddenly started dropping 20-point games, but because she stayed. She kept showing up. She found moments of light in between the hard days. She spoke openly to her team about mental health. Slowly, her strength began to look different — not in her stat lines, but in her honesty.

And through it all, Paige was there.

Not as the superstar, or the captain, or the person the crowd came to see.

But as a sister. The one who reached into the darkness and said, I’ve been here. I see you. I’m not leaving.

Because the truest kind of strength?

Isn’t in how you play the game.

It’s in how you help someone else find their way back to themselves.

Together.

[little-one-eyed-monsters]

Hot take (from a media nerd): How to achieve BL branded pair longevity (a.k.a. what SmartBoom should have done to preserve their brand)

Hello friends! 🥰 (especially those from the SmartBoom community) How are we all feeling? This wasn't a sarcastic question-- I really do hope you're all feeling well.

I logged on to Tumblr and found A LOT of asks about SmartBoom, and really, I feel for all of us (and definitely for them).

I'm not really an expert on any of these BL couples I talk about or will be talking about, as all of my information only comes from social media (including their interviews and official press releases). I'm also not the merch-buying, concert-going, discord-moderating type of fan either-- I use the groups and servers for lurking and research instead of posting. That's why I'm so grateful for the lovely fandom insiders who take the time to correct my posts with more reliable information-- really, no cap, you guys are awesome and I will always defer to your superior knowledge.

What I DO know, with confidence, is how the Asian media industry works, ESPECIALLY queer media. Not Thai-specific, and not any particular pairs, but the branded pair concept in general. So I'll be talking about longevity here from 1) my very basic knowledge of these couples, 2) my understanding of trends and company politics, and 3) how the industry generally runs, from production to promotion.

Anyway,

The asks I got so far (aside from my thoughts on that disaster of a fansign) is what I think would be the future of SmartBoom as a branded pair. Is there any hope for them at all?

Well the joke-y answer is yes. Since Headliner and Grand Ivory Records have decided to go all Top Form meta on SmartBoom, but in hyperspeed, we're on Ep. 9 right now, no? The breakup?

We'll skip Ep. 10 (unless death comes for Miss--- oh sorry, let's not wish death on anyone. Not very Christian).

That means... man, I can't wait for Ep. 11- The Revolution 🤣

Hey Smart, is there any Jin left in there? Probably time to let it out.

(Wouldn't it be fun if you had a whole Junta in there, too? Just max levels of crazy? 👀)

Anyway, jokes aside, if the question is: is there any hope for SmartBoom?

Yes and No.

The ship itself, in its current state, is dead. It's gone beyond the companies now. Judging from that photobook fansign (and only that fansign, so I could be wrong), I'm guessing the rift has affected Smart and Boom's personal relationship, too. Boom barely looked at Smart or addressed him throughout the event, and when he was about to cry he didn't turn to Smart like he used to. He stared up, stared down, turned to the side, but never towards this acting partner he used to call a friend. Smart had to EXCUSE himself when he grabbed the photobook from Boom during that one question, and asked for permission anytime he would go near him (you don't do that to an acting partner you've spent excessive workshop hours with. You licked honey off his neck dude, I think you're allowed to touch hands). Even China couldn't stop your fanservice. What happened now?

[Pardon the dramatic background music. It's from Tiktok, can't remove it.]

There's an elephant in that room (probably colored purple and named TaiLai) that both of them cannot address. That statement from TaiLai and GIR were pretty incriminating: SMART himself said no to projects with Boom, not just GIR. They offered Smart up on a platter for the fandom to pick apart, and off to the side, on the brink of being neglected once again, there sits Boom. I don't know what Boom believes exactly, and if he chooses to trust his friend more than the statements of these money-hungry company monkeys. But to be honest, he hasn't spoken in favor of Smart so far. He hasn't really spoken at all.

Smart looked devastated.

Boom... Boom looked humiliated.

The ship is dead. Both for us, and for the people in it. If there's a friendship they could salvage in there, like with Perth and Saint (and Zee), I suggest they start saving it now.

But first, let me just come out of the woodwork and say this: even though I MOSTLY BLAME GIR, this isn't the first time WeTV has botched a branded pair they've initially invested in.

Behold, SamYU, from WeTV's We Best Love:

You hear that in the distance? It's the sound of a thousand hearts breaking all over again.

We Best Love was WeTV's first foray into ORIGINAL BL content, not just affiliate distribution. They saw how successful queer content was in China with their MASSIVE hit bromance The Untamed, and wanted to capitalize on it. But China has... a queer censorship problem. After abandoning The Untamed's lead star Xiao Zhan during the 227 scandal (God, I really do hate you WeTV), they hopped over to Taiwan to try their luck in a more queer-friendly location.

Sam Lin was a former idol-turned-actor who debuted in the Taiwanese boy group SpeXial, and who's been in a few minor roles prior to We Best Love. YU (Maruyama Yusuke) is a Japanese-Taiwanese idol loaned to WeTV by a company from Nagoya, Japan (WeTV has a thing for underground actors and loaned idols apparently). Though virtually unknown prior to We Best Love, these two were PHENOMENAL actors, had natural chemistry, and had pretty compelling personalities. WeTV initially signed them for a three season contract for their original series (sigh), slapped WeTV's name on the title (WBL- We Best Love. Get it?), and produced and promoted the heck out of this show.

And it WORKED. It was a massive hit in Taiwan, Japan, China, and Korea, sparked a new renaissance for Taiwanese BL productions, and made Sam and YU household names. It really was a WONDERFUL show. Imperfect, but still wonderful, and still my all-time favorite Taiwanese BL.

But WeTV apparently didn't reach proper contract arrangements with YU's team. YU apparently thought that WBL was a one-and-done deal, because he didn't want to do any more BLs-- he wanted to focus on his music. YU's team asked WeTV to renegotiate loan terms so YU could do music first before they could shoot Season 3 , but WeTV refused. Season 3 first, before the idol career. YU decided to buy himself out of the contract.

Sam took YU's refusal to shoot Season 3 as a personal affront. Though he never spoke about it publicly, he initially unfollowed all of YU's social media accounts and terminated all contact with him except in a professional capacity. He refused to do fanservice with YU during the press run, and after all cp projects were done and dusted, they never spoke (publicly) again.

WeTV transformed the planned third season into a multi-episode camping reality show for the cast, in order to accommodate YU's buyout terms. Here, Sam and YU exhibited the most AWKWARD and STILTED interactions from a branded pair that used to claim they were great friends. They finished that awful show, YU went on to launch an album, Sam went into acting hiatus for a while to, as he said, recover his mental health, and that spelled the end of Taiwan's only OFFICIAL branded pair to date.

To be clear I don't want SmartBoom to be SamYU. This is the stupidest route for their careers.

SamYU's situation was a nightmare for all parties involved. Companies fighting (but with the decency to NOT DO IT PUBLICLY), endless contract renegotiations, awkward encounters, Sam and YU duking it out behind closed doors, the fandom in SHAMBLES... this is not the way to achieve career success in an industry already BRIMMING with competition.

So let's go to the Yes portion of that ask. Is there hope? YES. Here's how:

Step 1: Get Industry Recognition

OffGun, the true GOATS, hello!

This is one step I believe that SmartBoom partially has. A successful ship needs to be recognized both in the inner and outer circles of the Boys' Love industry, either by their experience, their talent, or both.

Take for instance, OffGun: they're celebrating their TENTH ANNIVERSARY this year (dear God), and will be shooting their 10th series, Burnout Syndrome, in the coming months. They're actually not the oldest BL ship in GMMTV-- that honor goes to TayNew-- but they're the ones with the most number of shows together, AND the most number of awards (individually and as a cp)

OffGun have stood the test of time, scandal, and their critics by proving their commitment to the industry: give them any role, any project, any subject, and they'll perform it. They host, sing, dance, but most of all, they act. No role is beneath them: whether it's filler fodder or the most compelling story this side of Bangkok, they'll do their best at it.

Furthermore, OffGun's commitment to their brand showed the industry that the ship itself is irreplaceable. Whether they were doing support roles for other projects, being loaned out of the company, or being partnered romantically with other actors, they always made time for couple activities. They interacted with their joint fandom even during solo appearances (even more than their solo stans), and they truly FED the machine: soc med interactions, joint guestings, random outings. The branded pair took precedence over any new project, and the Babii fandom prevailed over their solo fandoms, ALWAYS. They were awarded for their efforts, and the industry recognized that they were a force to be reckoned with.

Talent, commitment, and making their fandom a priority: Smart and Boom have those in the industry already. They've partially proven it with their performance in Top Form, and that documentary is further proving their commitment. So what's next?

Step 2: Commit to a JOINT Loyal Fanbase

MaxNat is DMD/Mandee's OLDEST branded pair at seven years, with 9 shows as a couple and two more on the way this year. They predate the 4th gen pairs of GMMTV, they predate ZeeNunew, they even predate the PANDEMIC (and you KNOW you've made it when you're older than Covid). They are also DMD's most LOANED pair, having been individually and jointly loaned to Copy A Bangkok and Viu, sometimes concurrently with their projects with Mandee.

Though not as famous as the other pairs in the Mandee roster, MaxNat is FORMIDABLE because of their very loyal joint fandom, Heartdis(k). And to legitimize the group, they interact with this fandom the most often, and this group gains top priority over their own solo fandoms. They insist on the joint branding for all projects, even for solo events. Similar to OffGun, they're very loyal to Heartdis(k) and feed the machine constantly by posting joint content on the regular. They are media-savvy and engage with fans even on their off days. They post all activities personally and ahead of schedule, and their management listens to the demands of the fandom.

When the fandom wanted a spin-off of MaxNat's story in Cutie Pie the Series, and petitions circulated in favor of this new show, Naughty Babe was quickly produced by Mandee for the pair. When fans complained that MaxNat were being typecasted in rom-coms, Mandee gave them the fantasy melodrama Two Worlds. Even Copy A Bangkok, an outside producer who borrows MaxNat from Mandee, is now doing a longer version of the pair's Y-Destiny episodes because the fandom demanded it. The list goes on. Fanmeets in obscure locations-- if enough fans wanted it, off they went. Old discontinued merch from long-finished MaxNat BLs that fans wanted to purchase again? No problem, Mandee will provide.

And for their part, Max and Nat are deathly loyal to their fanbase too. If fans wanted to ghost ship them with other Mandee actors, they'd make content with said actors while teasing their actual partner (Max does this a lot with Zee, and Nat with... everyone else in the new gen 😅). If fans wanted a joint live, Nat will randomly pop in on Max's streams, and vice versa.

It can be stiffling, and probably looks unhealthy from the outset, but Max balances this by saying he and Nat are actually in constant communication with each other-- their limits, what works, and what they should and shouldn't be doing to themselves and each other. They both admit that the system isn't perfect, and they've had arguments before especially given their large age gap (ehem Smartboom ehem), but they both work through it and acknowledge each other's faults and shortcomings.

Actually, I loved watching their interviews. It's a masterclass in maturity and proper communication. Though they often play inane characters on screen, they're actually self-aware and well-grounded. They know what fanservice is and what limits they should have for their audience.

Going back to Smart and Boom, um hey Smart, I think you already know what your fandom wants you to do now. So:

Step 3: Always choose your partner

So this is YinWar. Yin and War met at an audtion in 2019 for Studio WabiSabi's En Of Love BL anthology series. Prior to this, they'd never met before, and according to War, they initially HATED each other's guts. War said Yin was too quiet, while Yin said War was too all over the place. Workshops fixed that, they became friends, they shot the 4-episode series En of Love: Love Mechanics.

During this time, War actually had a recording contract with GMMTV for a boy group called BOYFRIENDS. His acting projects were being handled by WabiSabi, though he wasn't signed to them exclusively as he was being jointly handled. Yin was an independent talent before he signed on to Rookie Thailand.

Fans fell in love with YinWar's acting talent and natural chemistry, and clamored for a full series version of Love Mechanics that would stay more true to the book. Though Studio WabiSabi intended to shoot the show, they got into a very nasty company rift with Rookie Thailand over LOANED actors, among other things (sounds familiar, huh) during which WabiSabi threatened to shoot En of Love without the loaned actors, including Yin.

War left WabiSabi, left GMMTV, and jumped over to RookieTH (Yin's management). Their series Love Mechanics was then cast into a two-year long production hell, with the companies bickering back and forth over IP and production. RookieTH entered into an affiliate contract with WeTV to air the show. After Love Mechanics, YinWar wanted to be launched as a branded pair, but allegedly, RookieTH didn't see any benefit to that and refused.

Yin and War left RookieTH in 2022 and started their own production company with fellow co-stars Prom and Benz: YWPB Entertainment in 2023. With no funds to stage a new project, the foursome launched concerts and loaned themselves to other production houses just to build resources.

To fund their first BL series under YWPB, Yin sold his most prized possession: a Porsche 718 Cayman he saved up for from all his earnings throughout his career.

They contacted their old sponsors themselves, borrowed money from actual banks, and entered into an affiliate production contract with Dee Hup House, with the provision that DHH's team will help helm the show. They licensed distribution to IQIYI, which allegedly demanded a large cut of the shares IF the show didn't trend and suffered market losses (this is a common contract requirement for larger distributors that agree to air rookie productions. They need to make a profit on very expensive international licensing). If this happened, YWPB would lose all of their capital, which was mostly debt to begin with. Yinwar said fuck it, and licensed to IQIYI anyway.

Yinwar often said in interviews that their dream destination was to see the Northern Lights in Iceland. They've never been, and with their new company's woes, they often joked in their YT vlogs that they might never. Their manager said that if at least five episodes of the show trended on social media, they'll find a way to bring them there.

Jack and Joker: U Steal My Heart went on to become IQIYI's most watched show of the year. Yin and War got to see their lights:

The gamble paid off. But you'd ask, why gamble in the first place?

War revealed that in 2022, after their companies' spat postponed Love Mechanics and placed Yin and War in acting limbo, War's mental health suffered and he wanted so badly to leave the industry. He said he knew Yin could thrive in a new ship without him, and that he felt he wasn't cut out for this industry that kept abandoning them. Yin convinced him to stay, but after Love Mechanics, and with no project in sight, War renewed his desire to leave. So War left the agency, and Yin went with him.

Yin chose War.

Yin pushed for the creation of YWPB, and he sold his car to do it. He entered into debt with his partners and gambled on this one series they hoped audiences would like. They had no other means to prove their bankability except this one large IP: Love Mechanics, and a fanbase that dwindled because of their acting limbo. In truth, Yin wasn't betting on their company-- he was betting on War. Their ship, their talent, their sheer commitment to make a body of work that would represent their talent. War chose Yin when he left his agencies and joined Rookie. Yin chose War when they made YWPB.

Because in the end, the brand is more valuable than the company.

Fans support the pair and not their source. GMMTV knows this, Mandee knows this. WETV KNOWS THIS. This is why WeTV is quick to throw out actors who've lost favor with them or their fans--because they know brands are replaceable. The fans will gravitate to a brand so long as it's well made, and that's what ships are to these people-- a brand, a product. Boom can have a partner overnight and launch a new brand before June ends. Smart already has a new hetero brand under GIR, launched three months ago while Top Form was airing: KadMart. The actors choose their company, and the company makes the brand.

What separates the fallen ships (and b-rate actors) from those that truly succeed is that these actors recognize that their BRAND is more important than the company. Didn't Akin say that in Top Form?

"If they only want my popularity..."

Companies want their products' popularity-- their BRAND. Once the brand becomes irrelevant, the product loses its value. That's why OffGun, MaxNat and YinWar succeeded when SamYU didn't-- they know the VALUE of their brand, and will do everything in their power to keep it, even if that means gambling their stability for it.

Wow, you're still here? Isn't this so looong already? 😅

I am under no delusion that this post will reach Smart or Boom or their managements, and I'm sure as heck they wouldn't listen to me anyway.

But if Smart is any kind like his namesake, he only needs to look around the general BL industry and see the patterns that would put him out of his misery.

And Boom, you need to choose Smart too. Not in a romantic capacity. Not even in a familial way. Just for career's sake, you need to stand by him too.

You need to choose each other. And maybe rewatch your show, it has all the answers.

Stay kooky folks.

[stickthroughthephases]

MK1 Intro Dialogues

Earthrealmers and Reader who is in charge of their own clan + married to Sub Zero

Johnny Cage: What is it that you find attractive in a man like Sub Zee-Ro? You: Why? Would you like to "act out" those qualities?

You: Liu Kang should have designed you with an off-button Johnny Cage: Darling please, the last thing you want is hearing the end of me

Johnny Cage: So you have your own clan but are also a Lin Kuei? You: The logistics are bit more nuanced but short answer would be, yes

You: I’m not saying I’ll pay for Hichuli but is there any other compensation I can offer Johnny Cage: I guess we can arrange something, if I can use your clan members as stunt doubles

Kenshi: Is it complicated being pulled in every direction? You: I feared this the day I recited my vows

You: I know you have it covered but I can help you take down the Yakuza Kenshi: An offer I will certainly use if the time calls

Kenshi: Your skills are formidable, but they are no match for my swordsmanship You: Your bravado is laughable, I’ve beaten men stronger than you

You: Yakuza to a government agent, quite an interesting transition Kenshi: I can’t say I anticipated it 

Kung Lao: Tell Sub-Zero I thank him for the inspiration for my hat You: I admire your innovation, I do not however like the injury you caused him

Kung Lao: I would love a chance to train with your clan You: I honestly thought you were going to ask to train them

You: Visit my hometown, I’m sure you’ll find the food to your liking Kung Lao: I’m there, but I won’t foot any bill

Raiden: Do the Lin Kuei have any plans to attack the Wu Shi Temple? You: I suspect something brewing but I cannot confirm

You: Why is everyone so curious about my relationship? Raiden: You two are so different, it’s like night and day

You: Is it true? Your crush on Kitana? Raiden: How is it that everyone knows about this?

Raiden: The anger inside me feels like it is threatening to come out You: Be cautious in how you choose to release it now with the amulet’s power

Liu Kang: I trust you in your path to help Bi-Han You: I can only advise him, I fear I may need more extreme measures 

You: Are the brothers doomed in every timeline? Liu Kang: That is a question I fear I cannot answer

You: I keep having dreams of different timelines completely opposite to ours Liu Kang: We must discuss with Geras what you have seen 

Liu Kang: There is hope for the future of the clans to be united You: I doubt it may be possible in this timeline

[ghostbsuter]

Magicians way

A Zatara meets a Drake before the Young Justice-fication of Danny!

1/4 previous interactions

.・゜-: ✧ :-

The portal closes, and waddling in comes a teen in his PJ's, a space themed blanket thrown around his shoulders and hair dishevelled.

In all honesty, he looks like he'd just worked up and dragged himself here.

Probably what happened.

"Oh, so you get to call me at 4 am on a Friday night and when I do it it's suddenly a crime?" The teen scowls, glaring daggers at Constantine, who'd had told the big Bat he was going to call in reinforcement.

He didn't expect a child.

"Get over her shrimp," the man waves the teen over, throwing an arm around the blanked clad shoulders.

"Batsy, meet Danny. He's my kid."

Ah.

"Nice to meet ya," the kid yawns, literally dozing off on John's side. "'m gonna sleep."

At least the man seems somewhat regretting for pulling the kids from his impromptu nap?

"Sorry, kiddo, need some help here. Did Zee go hard on you during the day?"

Danny whines, but answers despite the disturbance. "Mom had to leave for a show, I didn't go along, ended up on an adventure that took a bit too much out of me."

John snorts, ruffling unruly black hair.

"One of the bat's birds will join us shortly. I needed a second opinion, minx helping?"

Interested, Danny peered up at his dad, raising a brow in question.

"There is a powerful entity currently free, I'm having difficulties identifying it." He explains. "Did anyone mess with Pandoras box? This feels like something not supposed to be on our side of existence."

Brows knitting together, he thinks. "No, I was the last and most recent one to have accidentally messed with her box." He admits. "But every monster has been contained. There shouldn't be one free, we would have noticed."

John hums, picking through his well used brown leather bag, grabbing a sack of ash.

"It doesn't feel like a demon, lest a fallen angel. It's unique in its own kind that I had to get you for help, it shares the same feeling as the curses inside of pandoras box."

Catching on, Danny stares. "You think one of her curses got away and formed a humanoid form, not much different from city spirits."

Nodding, golden glow follows the words the laughing magician speaks, answering his question with the usage of ash.

Danny looks away, knowing the spell already and meets the whites of a domino mask.

That's not batman.

Squinting, he recognises the vigilante.

That's Red Robin!

"Red Robin, right?" He asks, just to make sure.

Red Robin nods.

"Nice to meet you, heard some stuff, pretty cool in my opinion."

"What exactly did you hear."

"Stuff here and there." Is the vague answer, the bird only continued to watch him, slightly unnervingly.

"Well—"

"Kid! Got an answer!"

"Let's talk again, okay?"

He couldn't answer before danny left to go to constantine.

That was... weird.

"B, what just happened?"

Batman only shakes his head. Huh.