#APOLOGIES FOR THE RAMBLE DEAR VIEWERS!

[rqtenna]

streaming services SUCK because they dont play early morning cartoons. they barely play ANY!!!! this is why i say we end streaming services!!!! cuz what do u mean i gotta watch 4 gazillion ads to watch an episode of ONE show? or pay 40 dollars a month to watch something youre gonna cancel even though every1 loves it?????????? STREAMING SERVICES ARE EVIL! and no one should trust them! at all!!

I COULDN’T AGREE MORE, DEAR VIEWER! STREAMING SERVICES ARE CREATED FROM SHEER GREED. NOT ONLY ARE YOU PAYING TOO MUCH, BUT ADS AS WELL? WHY PAY FOR SOMETHING SO EXPENSIVE WHEN YOU STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH SO, SO MANY ADS?

COMMERCIALS ON CABLE TELEVISION SUPPORT THE CHANNEL! ANNOYING, SURE, BUT STILL NECESSARY TO KEEP US FUNCTIONING! STREAMING SERVICES ALREADY COST SO MUCH FOR JUST THE BASIC PACKAGE!

PLUS, WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO WATCH, WHY NOT LET US DECIDE? WE RUN A TIGHT SCHEDULE HERE, FOLKS!

NOT TO MENTION THE FREE PUBLIC BROADCASTING.. I KNOW PBS KIDS IS SOMETHING MANY FAMILIES LOVE TO PUT ON FOR THEIR YOUNGINS, AND IT’S EDUCATIONAL! SO MUCH BETTER THAN THOSE “IPADS” AND “COCOMELON.”

IF YOU REALLY WANNA WATCH A SPECIFIC SHOW SO BAD, I’M SURE YOU CAN FIND IT ELSEWHERE! (Not that I support Piracy, but whatever keeps Streaming away!)

..THOUGH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, STREAMING OR CABLE, I DO ENJOY THE QUALITY TIME SPENT, SO MAYBE IT’S NOT TOO BAD.. BUT THOSE PRICES, LORD!

[theflyindutchwoman]

I was re reading your anatomy of the 5x01 kiss and loved it! that kiss was amazing for us viewers. It was so hot and intimate. Plus, there was no one around to interrupt them. Lucy wanted Tim and vice versa. He could of pulled away but didn't. 💕 apologies for my ramble!

Aaw thank you so much! What a way to start my morning. You just made my day, dear Anon ღ

And no need to apologise! I think this might be my favourite kiss of theirs. Like you said, it was so hot and passionate… And intimate. Not only did he not pull away, but he also deepen the kiss… And their hands… It was the most unnecessary kiss in terms of cover since no one was watching, but I'm really glad they thought they needed to be this convincing!

[beansprean]

Queening the Pawn part 4-5

Uh oh... 👀

Part 1-2 Part 3 Part 4-5 Part 6 Part 7

Masterpost

(ID in alt and under cut)

1a. Nandor and Guillermo standing facing each other now, Guillermo grinning shakily as he starts unbuttoning his collar. He stutters, "Th-thank you, Master!" Nandor puffs up with pride as he places a hand to his chest and says, "My word is my bond, dear Guillermo." The sitting area of the fancy room is in the background, along with a portrait of the three vampires over the fireplace. There is a version of Millais's "Ophelia" with Nadja floating through a river of blood and a version of Klimt's "The Kiss" with Nandor biting a woman's neck, blood running down to their knees. 1b. Repeat of prev panel, Guillermo steps a little closer, smile becoming a bit more confident as he asks, "Is-is this because I beat you at chess the other day?" Nandor starts, scowling in affront, and replies, "Beat-?! Guillermo I am second-guessing you deserving your reward!" "Sorry!!" Guillermo apologizes immediately.

2a. Close up on Guillermo, smiling gently with pink cheeks and looking at the floor as he pulls his collar open to expose his neck. He explains, "I'm just excited...to get to keep playing with you for the next few centuries." 2b. Reverse shot from behind Guillermo as he reddens and hastily clarifies, "If-if that's okay, of course! I know not everyone stays with their sire forever, I just..." Nandor, standing in front of him and fiddling with his fingers, noticably blinks to attention, thinking to himself, "Forever...?"

3a. Close up on Nandor as, unnoticed by Guillermo, he brightens considerably and his expression morphs into a warm, excited smile, eyes shining down at his familiar. Text behind him reads "forever" over and over again. Offscreen, Guillermo continues to ramble, "I mean we can play other games, it doesn't have to be chess... Have you ever played Scene-It? Oh, no, I don't think that would be a good game for you, actually..." 3b. Same angle as 2b; Nandor gets control of his face and is aloof again as he slaps both hands down on Guillermo's shoulders and orders, "Hush now, Guillermo." Guillermo looks up at him and replies "Sorry... I'm nervous." Nandor says, "There is no need for nervous!" 3c. Close up on Guillermo looking up at his master with undisguised warmth and affection, smiling widely with happy tears gathering in his eyes as Nandor continues, "I would not offer this if I was not sure it was the right decision."

4. The background fades out to a red-orange sunset layered with splatters of blood as Nandor raises his hands to Guillermo's cheeks, tilts his head to the side, and brings his face down to bite into his neck. Guillermo closes his eyes with a blissful smile, one tear sliding down his cheek to rest on Nandor's thumb as blood begins to dribble down his throat.

5. The background stretches downwards, darkening to a deep rusty red, the spatters of blood increasing in frequency.

6. Back in the present: Nandor and Guillermo standing in a mirror of their past selves from panel 4. The background is now full black and spattered with blood, a red haze lighting up the edges of the two men. Nandor has his back to the viewer, head bowed slightly, and Guillermo stands before him still holding a sharp stake to his throat. Guillermo's gaze drops to it, expression tight with shock and horror as Nandor says aloud what he had been fearing to hear: "But it did not work." /end ID

[carmenlire]

aaa happy new year!! 💖 and i was thinking about jangchu for the new year too the brainrot is just too real sdkfj but i totally agree with your point. what i loved about se was that it was more of a rivalry than a typical bullying relationship that most shows do. jaeyoung was like 'im going to annoy you with my presence' rather than aim to humiliate sangwoo (except for the marker scene and even jaeyoung thought he went a bit too far). he was thrilled that sangwoo was going against him (1/2)

+ and became more curious on how sangwoo functions. if sangwoo was the type of person to apologize when jaeyoung confronted him, i think jaeyoung wouldve lost interest because like you said there isn't a challenge!! he would've let it go and went on with his life but sangwoo stood up to him and sparked jaeyoung's interest :') i think a huge part of their relationship is getting to learn more about each other.. and they learn a lot even when theyve grown old together it's so sweet 🥺 -se anon (2/2)

hello dear!! Happy New Year! I hope you had a lovely weekend and that the start of 2023 has been good to you!

and yes!! you get it!! It was a rivalry but what i love is that this is such a low stakes/angst show and i would argue even the rivalry is half-assed. i mean it's literally just 8 episodes of jaeyoung annoying sangwoo and sangwoo realizing he likes it and wants more of it lmao. their rivalry is rather short lived-- once they start the game and start getting to know each other, it very quickly just becomes these two guys who admire and respect each other (professionally for now, at first) and grows from there.

(I think this might've gotten a bit long for mobile so here's a read more lol)

i love the enemies to lovers here especially because it is so light! and you're so right pointing out that the one time jaeyoung does reach a bit beyond what he should, he acknowledges, or at least the viewer sees, that he knows that was a bit too much and from there on out it's very mild and we know confidently that jaeyoung is into sangwoo-- in a healthy way, not a manipulative jerk way.

and yes!! even jaeyoung says at first that he just wants an apology. and he probably would have gotten one from literally anyone else but sangwoo. so the fact that sangwoo is 100% convinced that he was in the right and is so obvious about sparked!!! jaeyoung's interest!! and from there it becomes "oh wow this dude is different.... tell me more" and we see that while jaeyoung's love language is lowkey just annoying the object of his affections, he's very smart (!!!) and so he engages sangwoo to 1) yeah see that spark in his eye and get a reaction and have sangwoo's attention but also 2) to learn what makes sangwoo tick.

Both Sangwoo and Jaeyoung are people who need a challenge and they find that in each other. they both have to learn to work around and with each other but it's a labor of love because they want to-- so yes, i totally KNOW that their entire lives are spent always learning about each other and even after years, that spark and curiosity is still there because 1) people are constantly evolving and 2) there's always something new to learn 3) their attraction to each other is a live thing that they both feed into.

it's seriously so sweet and i'm so happy that you saw my little new year's ramble about these two and agreed/added your own thoughts!! i really do love the show but half the fun of semantic error is just the sheer possibilities of these characters. i just find them endlessly fascinating and have a grand time thinking about them. because on the surface they fit their archetypes! but the actors? the content? just gives them so much meaning and complexity and i can't get enough!

[gayngelcastiel]

Destiel Thoughts...

Okay, so my dears, if you are currently enjoying the celebration of canon destiel, please feel free to scroll past these ramblings. However, if you care to read what an English teacher, story lover, and 15-year fan of this show actually thinks…then buckle up.

I’m just going to say it…what happened in 15x18 is NOT how you canonize a romantic pairing, and the spn “powers that be” are well aware of this. The people making the decisions about how the show is written, and what gets shown on screen, are not complete idiots. They know this fandom exists, they know exactly what we want to see, and yet for whatever reason they have actively chosen to walk the frustratingly ambiguous line between keeping destiel shippers on the hook, while simultaneously being careful to maintain plausible deniability in the event that anyone should accuse their little show of being “too gay”. If you need proof that they could have done a whole lot better, then look no further than these beautiful examples...

This kiss happened on “Xena the Warrior Princess” in 2001. Granted, they had to be a bit sneaky about how the gay content was included in the plot. However, same-sex romance wasn’t exactly common on TV back then, and yet fans still got to see Xena and Gabrielle kiss.

 This happened nearly 20 years ago!

This one comes from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, and it is also an episode from 2001. This one is arguably even better representation, because Willow and Tara are canonically dating and in love.

This kiss comes from a 2008 episode of “Torchwood”. Jack and Ianto also end up in a long-term relationship.

This adorable wedding comes from “Steven Universe” in 2018. This is a literal kids show with lots of positive LGBTQ messaging.

Now, why have I chosen these examples in particular? Well aside from the fact that some of them were groundbreaking when they originally aired, all of these shows also share themes/tropes with Supernatural. All of these shows are some blend of adventurous, magical, sci-fi, fantasy...and yet they all manage to have some pretty good LGBTQ representation as well.

So, in case you haven’t already understood my point...SPN HAS NO EXCUSE!!! The fact that they are well aware of what fans want, but they refuse to either take a stand, or stop leading us on is POSITIVELY SHAMEFUL. It is an insult to the writers who pushed for better representation 20 years ago, and worked really hard at it!

To be perfectly honest, even if they had made destiel unquestionably canon in this episode, I might have been happy, but I definitely wouldn’t have been impressed. There is no reason to wait until the end of your series to explore a character’s sexual orientation, or to make it clear who they love. Waiting this long isn’t some kind of “slow burn” or story writing trick...it is simply BAD WRITING.

If the showrunners actually wanted to explore the depth and complexity of these characters they wouldn’t leave out a trail of breadcrumbs for clever viewers to follow; they would lay out clear plot points and meaningful, unambiguous  characterization.

However, I do have some positive things to say not about the show directly, but about this fandom. The destiel fandom and the deancas/destiel canon that this community has created is what will stand the test of time. I hope that for long after this show has ended, the many fanfic writers and artists in this fandom will still be taking inspiration from our favourite characters. The Dean and Cas whom I love are NOT the  ones from a TV show, and they haven’t been in quite some time. No, the characters that I love have been created, and re-created with great care and passion by the people of this community, and that is what I love about stories. Your stories are just as valid as any on the official show, and many of you could write a much more interesting show than the one we have. 

We have created something so much bigger than any one TV show could ever be.

Keep writing, sharing and telling your stories. They are powerful and beautiful. Goodnight everyone! I apologize for typos...very tired after this long exciting day.

[alistircrat]

Hetalila Fanfiction Recs

Here’s a list of some of my favorite Hetalia fanfictions. Most have pairings, which I’ll specify. I put this up because I know I’m always on the lookout for good fanfiction and I wanted to help out anyone else who’s in the same boat :D Feel free to add onto this or rec me some too ;) Also a good master list of the ones I like LMAO. I’ve noticed I either like tragic, angsty fanfiction or really fluffy ones. A lot are rated M. And a LOT of USUK and Spamano #srynotsry Disclaimer: I did not write any of these; they all belong to their respective authors.

Update: Ive had this sitting in my drafts for like over 4 years and i began it when i was super into hetalia n fanfiction LMAO, what better time to post this when i should be studying lmao its nearly 4 am halp

UsUK

The Secret : Rated T, 32k words, 5 chapters, Drama/Romance, Complete Arthur's sister, engaged to prince Alfred, is killed before she even meets him. Arthur's parents do not want to shame themselves by ending the engagement and force Arthur to dress like his sister and marry Alfred instead. But can this secret be kept? (note: very interesting!! I loved every second of it)

The Courting of Alfred Jones : Rated M, 26k words, 13 chapters, Romance/Hurt/Comfort, Incomplete Alfred Jones is the most popular guy in school and also extremely homophobic. This is why Arthur is his new favourite 'victim', but Arthur has no intentions of grovelling in the dust for him. Punk!ArthurxJock!Alfred (note: Rated M, so there IS some explicit material and I advise viewer discretion. Another highschool AU. Sad that it’s probably not going to finish but it’s worth the read)

When I Only Wanted to Save the World : Rated M, 29k words, 11 chapter, Romance, Complete Alfred is a firefighter in New York City. When he gets badly injured, he takes a trip to London to recover. There he meets a man named Arthur, who ends up helping him recover from wounds he didn't even know he had. (note: warmed my weeb heart)

United Again : Rated T, 31k words, 7 chapters, Humor/Romance, Complete Arthur gets a letter in the mail informing him of his school's ten year reunion.

Unexpected : Rated T, 5.7k words, One-shot, Humor/Drama, Complete World Academy. When Arthur was asked to tutor the star of the American Football team, he expected several things. Sitting in an apartment full of Asian children was not one of them. (cute!)

The Invitational Year : Rated M, 208k words, 41 chapters, Romance/Drama, Complete Alfred is an awkward dork, despite the fact his dad is President. Arthur is a member of British royalty, and he's a perfectionist loner. Both boys are given an invitation to attend the prestigious World Academy and, naturally, they're roomies. (note: A favorite of mine! Quite long but very much worth it. Highschool AU. Can be silly yet dramatic. Anyways, you should read it! Viewer discretion due to sexual themes)

The Sophomore Year : Rated M, 173k words, 34 chapter, Romance/Drama, Complete After meeting at boarding school, Alfred and Arthur became unlikely friends and then lovers. Now, they'll face their sophomore year in America and all the challenges that come with being young, famous, and madly in love. (note: sequal to The Invitational Year)

And All That Jazz : Rated M, 98k words, 22 chapters, Romance, Complete Alfred is approached by the Student Body President, Arthur, for help on his math exam. They hate each other, but maybe opposites can attract with the help of something unexpected. (note: I love this fic. Highschool AU. Also involves music...cuz liek yknow the title)

1912 : Rated T, 52k words, 9 chapters, Romance/Drama, Complete Cynical, overweight and bored in the dull twilight of his empire, Arthur finds distraction in the form of rekindling his relationship with Alfred on board the RMS Titanic during her doomed maiden voyage.

The Arrow was Shot : Rated K+, 5.8k words, One-shot, Romance, Complete In order to win his family's respect, Arthur enters a tournament to win the Princess of America's hand in marriage. At the tournament, he befriends the mysterious Alfred- a fellow competitor who is equally determined to win. As he and Alfred grow closer, he begins to question what is more important to him: his family's respect... or Alfred.

Flirting with Failure : Rated T, 2k words, One-shot, Romance/Humor, Complete Alfred just wanted to get one date with Arthur Kirkland before the semester ended. To do that he had to speak with him. Thus, he was set up for failure.

Hero Frequency : Rated T, 12k words, 3 chapters, Romance/Humor, Incomplete America's got the coolest and most awesome band in school, and he's totally going to win the Battle of the Bands contest. Or at least he might, if he can get England to put aside their past issues long enough to play guitar...

The Gentleman and the Hero : Rated T, 57k words, 21 chapters, Romance, Complete World Academy students have been paired up for an anonymous email exchange program, so they can talk to someone about school and personal problems in private. These are the emails of two students nicknamed 'The Gentleman' and 'The Hero'. (note: I also love this. I find it very cute and also very in character. I want an email buddy lol. Highschool AU)

Breathless : Rated T, 35k words, 4 chapters, Angst/Hurt/Comfort, Complete Arthur Kirkland never thought that golden boy Alfred Jones would ever have a reason to attempt suicide. Then again, how much did he really know about the oh so popular blonde? The rumor mill would surely chew him up and spit him out. (note: p sure this is another favorite of mine. Though angsty, I really enjoyed the development between the two. Highschool AU. Really great read!!)

Static : Rated T, 45k words, 9 chapters, Drama/Romance, Incomplete Sequel to Breathless. Arthur always thought that the incident with Alfred's arms would forever be the biggest hurdle their friendship would face. But as the looks change and the touches linger, it becomes frightfully clear that he was dead wrong about that. (note: continues after Breathless, but not finished ): worth the read anyway)

Ask Me Anything : Rated T, 7k words, One-shot, Romance/Humor, Complete Alfred starts to follow Arthur on tumblr. It's not long until they become friends... and possibly more.

The Cost of Affection : Rated M, 61k words, 32 chapters, Angst/Romance, Incomplete Being a whore is easy: all Arthur has to do is spread his legs and take the money. He doesn't have to face his past; nor does he have to deal with love. And for good reason - because when he does fall head-over-heels for someone, he's forced to realize that his sins go beyond prostitution, and that even as he rediscovers himself, his past is coming back to haunt him after all.

You Can’t Take the Sky Away From Me : Rated T, 113k words, 32 chapters, Adventure/Romance, Incomplete Ace pilot America is on a mission for the World Military when a chance encounter with a group of sky-pirates leads him to team up with their captain, England, against a malevolent group that wants to fill the sky with zeppelins. (note: Steampunk AU. This is a really cool fic!)

We’ll Meet Again : Rated M, 43k words, 13 chapters, Romance/Angst, Complete WW2 AU. London pub owner Arthur Kirkland is driven to distraction by loud, brash American fighter pilot Alfred Jones. Unable to stop it, Arthur finds himself falling for Alfred's charms... just as the pilot is preparing to leave for war. (note: a hetalia fandom clASSIC. MUST READ. unfortunately the OG fics were deleted so someone reposted it, giving credit to the OG author George deValier. this will rip ur heart out n tape it poorly back together)

Franada

La Patisserie de La Rose : Rated M, 35k words, 6 chapters, Romance, Complete Accountant Matthew Williams is used to being unnoticed, ignored, and forgotten. That is until pastry chef Francis Bonnefoy appears like a burst of colour in his dull, grey life. 

AmeViet (yes, Vietnam!)

Hard to Get : Rated T, 57k words, 20 chapters, Adventure/Romance, Complete During World War Two, serious, limited Vietnam meets the boisterous America. Amid fighting, friendship, and stress, America tries to get Vietnam to like him, but she won't let that happen. Or will she? (note: One of my all-time favorites, unforgettable. I can never find fics of this pairing, it’s so hard! But this is a really great fic, highly recommend. also after learning more about Vietnam history, i might give this yet ANOTHER re-read with my new perspectives)

Of Broken Promises and the Taste of Freedom : Rated T, 1.4k words, One-shot, Hurt/Comfort/Romance, Complete Vaguely, Vietnam wondered if this was what freedom tasted like. If perhaps, the hot waves that crashed through her body and set her skin on fire was what it was like to know that you are truly free.

GerIta (apologies, I don’t read too much GerIta LOL)

Auf Wiedersehen, Sweetheart : Rated M, 104k words, 18 chapters, Romance/Angst, Complete WW2 AU. Feliciano Vargas is a passionate, if slightly scared, Italian resistance member. Falling in love with a German fighter pilot was the last thing he expected... and it will test his national loyalty, and his heart, to their limits. (note: another VeraVerse, so well written! you will not ragret. also a repost since Og was deleted, all credit to George deValier)

RusAme

Dear Diary : Rated T, 55k words, 17 chapters, Humor/Romance, Complete Alfred F. Jones isn't gay. Just read his diary; you'll see. (note: I absolutely love high school or college AUs, omg. Also this is hilarious. I can really relate to how Alfred's rambling)

PruHun

The Most Awesome Date Plan Ever : Rated T, 7.5k words, 6 chapters, Romance/Humor, Complete It was foolproof. He had worked out every plan, every detail and each possible outcome almost guaranteed him Elizaveta's love. Until it was ruined by Gilbert's two cockblocking best friends. (note: funny and cute)

Táncol? : Rated K+, 24k words, 6 chapters, Humor/Romance, Complete Elizaveta is determined to find out who Gilbert wants to ask out for the school dance. If that means bullying his friends, being hired by Gilbert to slave over a cake, and invading his diaries, so be it. (note: Another favorite! Very cute)

Hello Hurricane : Rated T, 61k words, 18 chapters, Hurt/Comfort/Tragedy, Complete Sequel to "Táncol?" Elizaveta, Ludwig, Francis, and Antonio are forced to watch Gilbert slowly fade away every day. (note: It might seem like I have lots of favorites, cuz I do and this is one of them. Warning, I cried a lot towards the end. Highly recommend)

PruCan

That Song Called Love : Rated T, 62k words, 25 chapters, Romance/Drama, Complete Matthew had always resigned himself to a fate of musical obscurity on a supporting instrument, but after meeting an ex-delinquent named Gilbert, he just might learn to take the lead. (note: contains other minor pairings. Although she doesn’t play a huge role I’m so happy Vietnam is in it Dx)

Operation Not to Hot : Rated T, 10k words, 2 chapters, Romance/Humor, Complete Gilbert Beilschmidt is dorky, nerdy, and has serious confidence issues. He doesn't really care about himself until he sees Matthew Williams, AKA super-hot-hockey-jock. With Matthew's heart in mind, Gilbert undergoes a complete transformation. (note: funny story. Prussia being Prussia)

Overdue : Rated T, 12k words, 8 chapters, Romance/Supernatural, Complete "Well, Gott, Mattie, at least look someone in the eye when you tell them you're a ghost. Make a good impression!" (note: cute lil one-shot series)

I Have all Summer to Fall For You : Rated T, 162k words, 38 chapters, Incomplete At school, Gilbert makes fun of Matthew, and Matthew just wants to be left alone. But then when the hot days of summer roll around, and they have nothing but free time, things happen that NO ONE could have planned for! (note: MY ALL-TIME FAV PRUCAN FiC Ever. Probably will never finish but the length and quality make up for it)

PruAus

Please Don’t Read the Verdict : Rated M, 57k words, 11 chapters, Romance/Crime, Incomplete District Attorney Roderich Edelstein is faced with a gruesome, controversial murder. He has three months to build a case against the accused, but more than his will to prosecute may be destroyed in the process. (note: sadly not done, but highly interesting!)

Lily of the Lamplight : Rated M, 27k words, 4 chapters, Romance/Angst, Incomplete WW2 AU. Austrian musician Roderich and German soldier Gilbert are forced into an army prison unit and a fight for survival on the Russian Front. But in the midst of blood and death and hell on earth, how long can they fight their desire for each other?  (note: MY 👏 FAV 👏 VERAVERSE 👏 I loveeee this fic, I’m so SAD it’s nEvEr going to be completed. Savor those 4 chapters. Luckily theyre long *cries* Also love the set of main characters, including Prussia, Austria, Berwald, and Poland. Also listen to the song the title is based off of, i luv it too)

SuFin

Cheers to a New Life : Rated M, 94k words, 47 chapters, Romance/Family, Complete Sweden could only find a job as a Kindergarten teacher and the famous Kirkland's little Peter happens to be enrolled into his class. But it is not Mr. Arthur Kirkland who is picking Peter up, it's this angel with the greatest ass Berwald's ever seen. (note: viewer discretion, mostly on later chapters. also has cute lil Peter/Sealand)

My Heart, In Segments : Rated T, 14k words, 10 chapters, Family/Hurt/Comfort, Complete Berwald is a man left alone, and Peter was a kid left behind. Berwald's not really the perfect dad, Peter's not really innocent anymore, and Tino's not really sure he's ready for something so real. But, maybe... Maybe it's time.

In Want of a Wife : Rated T, 41k words, 18 chapters, Romance/Humor, Incomplete Berwald's life is turned upside down when he is accepted into Hetalia International University, and everything changes for the better when he catches a glimpse of his future wife who lives down the hall. Who cares if Tino doesn't accept it yet? (note: Human AU; Lietpol is a bonus in all this hehe)

Treatment : Rated T, 55k words, 12 chapters, Romance/Humor, Incomplete Tino is a young psychology major, well known for being kind and eager to help others with their issues, but less so for his habit of profiling "patients" on campus. His therapist's eye has fixed on Berwald, but will he be the one who ends up on the couch? (note: Though not fully done, it’s one of my favorite sufin fics. Also hilarious bahah)

Catch Perfect : Rated T, 35k words, 8 chapters, Romance/Friendship, Incomplete When Berwald loses everything he is forced to move into a share house with an insane Dane, a sociopathic Norwegian, an unfathomable Icelander and a perfect Finn who makes it all worth putting up with. (note: can be crazy and random, which is probs why I liked it so much. also by George deValier I believe, reposted onto wattpad after it got deleted)

DenNor

Hummingbird : Rated T, 61k words, 12 chapters, Tragedy/Hurt/Comfort, Complete Lukas' only goal in life was to take care of his younger brother, until he was diagnosed with an irregular heart rhythm. His originally peaceful stay in hospital was interrupted when the loud, cheerful Mathias was moved into the bed beside him and refused to leave him alone; yet as his health began to deteriorate, the Dane decided to fall in love with him. (note: I love this fic so much, it’s also another favorite of mine. Very cute but with lots of angst, ahhh just what I ordered)

Secret Crowds : Rated M, 3.4k words, One-shot, Hurt/Comfort/Romance, Complete An explosion leaves Denmark with a permanent brain injury and Norway struggles to find his role in their relationship as the line between lover and caregiver begins to blur. (sad and touching)

I also read a lot of DenNor so im like ?? where the fics at LOL. but i think i read more DenNor doujinshis, so that’s def something yall should look into

Spamano

A Beautiful Story : Rated T, 16k words, 10 chapters, Tragedy/Romance, Complete Lovino Romano Vargas is a suicidal designer who is unhappy with his fate. One day, he chances to meet Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, who turns his life upside down.

Flashlight : Rated T, 38k words, 11 chapters, Parody/Romance, Complete "If I throw a tomato at you, vampire bastard, will you still sparkle under the sauce?" (note: OKAY SO This is actually a Twilight parody w Romano as Bella and Spain as Edward. I don’t really like Twilight but I really like this version of it lmao. Funny and a good read. Mostly Romano’s POV, cRACK )

New Batteries : Rated T, 41k words, 10 chapters, Humor/Romance, Complete Sequel to Flashlight. "WELL, I NEVER LIKED YOU, EITHER. WHAT NOW, YOU STUPID SPARKLY EXCUSE OF A VAMPIRE?" (note: also a parody, just the sequel to the previous one listed. I understand the Twilight plot through these better than the original)

Kismet : Rated M, 174k words, 52 chapters, Romance/Fantasy, Complete Lovino learns the hard way that things change and that they can change quickly. The necklace fell and now he's in a strange land far from home. Will he ever see his brother again? Will he find his way home? Or will he discover home is where the heart is? Fate is a strange woman and can work in mysterious ways. (note: RATED M, viewer discretion. the author has a list of warnings on the first chapter you can look at so you know what you’re reading. Fantasy AU)

Catch You, Catch Me : Rated M, (basically)37k words, 7 chapters, Drama/Romance, Complete Clumsy, clueless detective Romano is on the trail of the infamous handsome and charming thief El Apasionado Caballero. But there's more to this, what seems like a simple game of cat and mouse, than meets the eye.

The Bet : Rated T, 20k words, 9 chapters, Romance/Humor, Complete When someone kisses you, and then moves away you'd think that would be it. But when Antonio comes back from Spain he wants Lovino to be his again. Except Lovino now hates Antonio...which sucks for Lovino because Antonio isn't going to let go that easily.

Zero Tolerance : Rated M, 55k words, 24 chapters, Romance/Drama, Complete Lovino lives a perfect life. Or atleast thats how he is suppose to appear. Antonio lives a life as a dangerous gangbanger. North Side meets South Side as these two are partnered in their Chemistry class. But there is one chemical reaction these 2 arent prepared for- Love. (highschool AU)

Breathless in the Atmosphere : Rated T, 31k words, 3 chapters, Hurt/Comfort/Romance, Complete Antonio only needed money for marble. He needed to make his art. And a chance encounter on the subway offers him a job as a male escort. It was just for the money. He could stop anytime he wanted to. Really. (note: viewer discretion advised. contains prostitution and suicidal ideation)

Before the Snow Falls : Rated T, 19k words, 2 chapters, Romance/Drama, Complete Lovino, jersey number nine, right winger. He was ready to pass the ball, ready to set up the win, but Antonio, opposite team, center fielder, was ready too. Someone thought, and someone didn't, and they crashed. Hard. A few months later, Lovino's on crutches, Antonio has scholarships, and they have to deal with the aftermath of what happened.

Door to Door : Rated T, 3.5k words, One-shot, Humor/Romance, Complete Do not open the door. It could be a zombie, an unwanted boyfriend of your brother's, or a persistant salesman by the name Antonio Carriedo.

Numbered Lithograph : Rated M, 133k words, 29 chapters, Drama/Romance, Complete When Lovino starts attending art school with his brother he finds his most important lesson doesn't come from his professors, but from a culinary student at a sister school: sometimes the flaws hold the beauty. (note: Probably my favorite spamano fic. Very touching. Has fluff and angst)

Bésame Mucho : Rated M, 48k words, 6 chapter, Angst/Romance, Incomplete WW2 AU. Lovino Vargas only ever wanted something exciting to happen in his boring, everyday Italian village existence. He never expected war, Resistance, love, passion, treason, or a cheerful, confusing, irritatingly attractive Spanish freedom fighter. (note: ANOTHER 👏 ONE 👏OF👏MY👏FAVS👏 BUT SAD BC ITLL NEVER FINISH HDUEOFREGH. Also by George DeValier and reuploaded onto wattpad (originally on ff.net)! I’m in love with the writing. Incomplete but sooo worth the read.)

Bad Touch Trio (may or may not contain pairings/slight pairings)

Oh No, We’re Hot : Rated T, 1.4k words, One-shot, Friendship/Humor, Complete In which, after a summer apart, the Bad Touch Trio realizes that they have become really attractive. Really slight hinted Spamano. (note: I absolutely love the BTT, this is a cute short fic about them)

The Trap : Rated T, 4.7k words, One-shot, Friendship/Humor, Complete The prompt was Prussia and Spain meeting France for the first time, thinking he's a girl, kiddy-courting him, then finding out he's a boy, but still kiddy-courting him. Exactly as wacky as it sounds. (note: another cute story about the BTT and their rad friendship! I need this in my life)

Multiple Pairings

Playing Cupid : Rated T, 24k words, 15 chapters, Romance/Humor, Complete In Everett High School there is a secret club called the yaoi club. It is their job, during Sadies, to set up couples. This year Elizabeta has an ambitious plan. She is going to find a date for the infamous Lovino Vargas. Her choice is Antonio, unfortunately half the girls want to ask him too. Will she and her friends succeed? Spamano, UsUk, Prucan, GerIta, others (note: very cute highschool AU! highly recommend! also contains many of the hetalia girls, which is amazing~)

No Pairings

Bad Pasta : Rated T, 13k words, 6 chapter, Mystery/Tragedy, Complete Kiku and Arthur trade rooms. (note: Author also made a game based on this posted on deviantart: Bad Pasta game. I really liked it, especially since I’m into hetalia fangames and whatnot. warning, contains death of characters)

Fun with Former Vikings : Rated K+, 63k words, 17 chapters, Friendship/Family, Complete Brothers that are too awkward to even stand next to each other, husband and 'wife,' and that one guy that drinks a lot. The Nordics couldn't be any more different. And neither could the situations they get themselves into. (note: I love love love the Nordics. This is also probably one of my all-time favs. I love them as bros Dx)

God Only Threw the Humans out of Paradise : Rated K+, 4.5k words, One-shot, Friendship, Complete 12 years is nothing in the life of a Nation. But to a puppy, it's a lifetime. This is a look at 12 years of England's life through the eyes of man's best friend.

Gutters : Rated M, 98k words, 20 chapters, Adventure/Drama, Complete 'The Calamity' has left the world stripped and dying. Alone in a civilian bunker in Munich, Sealand will be reunited with the last known living member of his surrogate family and together, they will set out across Europe to find those they have lost. (note: It’s an adventure story starring Sealand and Denmark. Can be really intense and eMOTIONAL i cried like a bitch, highly recommend. Probably one of my 👏 favorite👏  fics of all time)

Ditches : Rated M, 2.4k words, 2 chapters, Drama/Family, Incomplete Prequel to Gutters. In the days leading up to The Calamity, the world braces and families struggle not to be torn apart.

Breathe Me : Rated T, 66k words, 21 chapters, Angst/Hurt/Comfort, Complete "God I'm so fat." "No, Alfred. You're not. You're –" "Stop it! I am and you know it! The whole world knows! Just stop okay?" Trigger Warning, Human AU, and F.A.C.E. Family. (note: very important TRIGGER WARNING due to mention of eating disorders, verbal abuse, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.)

[lionettea]

ok no one asked for this but here comes some moomin analysis!!

the last scene in Moominvalley episode 12 The Invisible Child with Too-Ticky and Moomin got me thinking about that ending song “Ready Now” and (of course not to distract from Ninny’s amazing story at all) but how the narrative seems to want us to ALSO consider this song in relation to Snufkin. keep reading for a rambly analysis of why I think so LOL. its long read at ur own discretion lol

(moominvalley spoilers if you’re not caught up!)

Alright alright alright so first off. When Too-Ticky tells Moomin to watch out for other lost souls, at first I thought it was going to be a touching but generalized message to the viewers to look for invisible children in their own life (very good) but THEN-- after Moomin thinks for a sec he seems to realize something, and then as the music starts the camera pans over to where Snufkin is walking away.

stuff like that in animation is rarely coincidence and usually super planned out, so it’s not a far leap to think the song also relates to Moomin and Snufkin!!!

Before I get into lyrics I wanna point out a few things about Moomin. Bless that guy. So I’m obviously not 100% on what Moominvalley canon is as far as how long he and Snufkin have known each other & what adventures they’ve already gone on before the first ep, but it’s clear that they’re already good enough friends that Moomin knows how to respect his space, even in Snufkin’s mind/memory.

And he is able to guide others in doing the same (like when he stops Sniff from continuing to bug Snufkin after Snufkin has reached his limit)

I think this experience helped him tremendously when it came to Ninny! Out of everyone there (besides Moominmama, where he must have learned his patience from) he is able to intuit her needs the best of everyone and is most effective in making her feel welcome! (probably from having dealt with Snufkin so much, or maybe its just in his nature) It works well until he gets ahead of himself and starts talking over her/thinks he knows what she needs without listening to her. This fails, and he quickly realizes what he did wrong and makes amends and is the first to realize how important it is to LISTEN! and then he explains that to the others.

Moomin’s ability to understand and be friends with uhhhh basically everyone he meets is nothing to sneeze at AND is pretty unique to his character when you think about it. More than anyone else (excluding Moominmama cuz she’s God Tier) he shows again and again --even when it may take some time-- that he has the patience to get to know someone and find value in them, no matter how different they are from him or how annoying they are to other characters. We see this in Sniff, the ghost, the ancestor, Little My, Ninny, (a hint of it with the groke), Snorkmaiden, Moominpapa, Too-Ticky, etc. etc. (and way more in the books but I’m just talking about Moominvalley for now) and of course our dear Nuuskamuikkunen.

Basically Moomin is really good at at least giving empathy a shot, something not every character can do (moominpappa, little my, and sniff can be kinda bad at it). That kind of caring can be life changing to someone who hasn’t really had much understanding before! 

Which brings us back to Snufkin, who’s privacy/introversion isn’t often respected/understood.

To the point where (even though he DOES like people!!!) he often gets overwhelmed and can’t see any way out besides to just- leave. Like he left Moomin at the party, like he left moomin & sniff at his own campfire with an abrupt “sleep well”, & how he leaves every winter. 

And why does Snufkin act like that? I really hope Moominvalley dives into it!! *rubs hands together* Besides it just being his Nature or whatever, in the books it says that he was found abandoned in a box (if memory serves) and basically grew up totally on his own as a wanderer and never had a home of his own and DEFINITELY never had anyone he could rely on besides himself. When you grow up that unstable, its no wonder you might want to take the stability into your own hands anyway you can. Why form strong attachments if they’re not going to last, or if it means you have to give up an integral part of yourself/your freedom/the only thing you’ve been able to control? This is just speculation though (I’m still reading the books too and I’m curious if the show will even address his past much at all!)

Anyway, considering how often he’s misunderstood even in super friendly Moominvalley who knows what he experienced elsewhere. It’s easier to retreat inward and fall back on to relying on yourself and no one else. The fact he views strong connections to people as something that can cage you/prevent you from being free, reveals a lot about the relationships/lack of relationships he’s probably known. however. we keep seeing hints that Snufkin isn’t always.. totally okay with this. we see that sometimes Snufkin needs company too.

(It’s also worth noting that when Snufkin realizes he feels lonely he assumes he must be sick or something because it feels so at odds with his identity. THE BABY DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO DEAL.)

He really has no idea how to grapple with the concept of Sometimes Needing People. He doesn’t know how to admit it to himself let alone others. In general despite spouting a lot of generic wise hot-topic-like phrases of advice (hehe i love them), when it comes to explaining himself to others (ESPECIALLY MOOMIN) he has NO idea what to do. which is seen in him stuttering and being evasive and hurrying away whenever questioned LOL.

Even when he does think he understands himself and is happy with his own solitude, he gets kinda knocked down a peg with both Titi-uu and Little My/the woodies. Both instances leave him realizing that, while being alone is great, company can also have some benefits!

Okay now we’re ready for the song “Ready Now” (hehe) and Moomin & Snufkin’s relationship. To Snufkin, someone as considerate and unendingly patient and loving as Moomintroll is probably still new, foreign, and full of constant surprises! (he was so shocked when Moomin wasn’t mad about the party thing...)

“You saw through me all this time I'd forgotten people are kind”

Even though Snufkin cares deeply for Moomintroll & does NOT hesitate to help him in a pinch and often goes against his solitude nature in order to comfort him (letting moomin&sniff eat by his fire, letting the dragon go), when it comes to verbalizing his OWN needs he struggles. And yet, Moomin somehow still seems to understand him and is gentle and forgiving (again with the hemulen’s jail, he never demanded an explanation or even an apology, he just wanted to help his best friend despite being stood up haha). 

Point is Moomin seems to be able to understand how to connect with Snufkin in an effective way.

“I was hurting and you knew So you showed me what to do You said "I will listen, tell it all When you're finished we'll talk more" But I didn't know how so we took it in turns To my surprise we found my words”

If Snufkin will open up to anybody it’s Moomin. And we’re talking year after year slow burn.... You can even tell that Snufkin wants to open up as seen in his imaginary conversation with Snow-Moomin. That’s the best back and forth convo they had specifically about Snufkin’s needs and it was in his head.... orz... (just talk to him you KNOW he’d understand...)

But, as revealed in this conversation, a big thing he talked about was not being ready (specifically to come back to Moominvalley, but the way it’s framed hints it’s also about other things as well) and now these lyrics....

“Feet firm on the ground, We stood hand in hand The world seemed to tell me That I have a plan Together we sang

I'm ready now.”

Obviously a big part of Snufkin’s character is that he doesn’t do things the conventional/common way at all. He very much does his own thing and won’t let anyone else threaten that. But the thing about Moomin is that understands/tries to! Moom doesn’t want to force him into a lifestyle or role that Snuf doesn’t want to fulfill, he just wants to be with Snufkin in whatever way works, even if its unconventional.

“You said "I will listen, tell me it all You don't like the ending? Then we'll find one that's yours."

To have someone who’s willing to work with him like this, big or small-- This is probably new to Snufkin!!! Or at least, maybe Moomin has always tried to put that out there, but it’s taken a while for Snufkin to finally start to believe/understand/trust that? He used to think building a strong relationship would mean sacrificing a part of himself, but maybe learn to see that he wouldn’t have to? He’s growing! and its a good grow!

“Something new, something strange Ten feet taller, I had changed I believe you, I'm not wrong Oh, it suits me to feel strong“

There’s that little bit of euphoria where he realizes.. caring about someone deeply can be a really good and positive thing.

And finally... remember how all of Snufkin’s life and identity revolves around wanting to be free? And how at first he thought being free meant to have no strong attachments? But maybe... just maybe... after working in loving tandem with Moomin....

“Oh, how did you know? That's all we need? A promise of hope Is enough to feel free.”

:’) the end

the potential is all carefully set up and there, I’m so excited to see what Moominvalley does with it! Especially since Moomin’s storyline seems to be revolving around him becoming more independent and finding his own, while Snufkin’s is about learning it’s okay to need others. They meet in the middle.

But things are never quite that easy in Moominvalley, so who knows how lost we’ll see snufkin before he gets “found”...? or vise versa. I can’t wait to find out!!!!

[tarasharmashow]

A v Happy New Year blog post and some ponderings on getting to know ourselves & our own priorities and paths & not comparing & competing in races that may not be ours’..Chill Be Happy & Each to their Own Do write in with any comments & apologies for the ramble haaha

Most often I spend about 3 months saying #HappyNewYear and then another few months questioning how is it already so many months in! In an attempt to keep wishes time sensitive and relevant I’m writing this post. Good health for us all forever and being humble, good, happy, empathetic, kind and successful people touch wood:) continue to be a line up of wishes. The list goes on, but I am trying to keep this brief as if you have been following my blog for the last 10 years or so of it’s existence you will know consistency is kinda my middle name and there is perhaps little difference in the values I hold dear and the wishes each year. 

Now that that’s out the way, how are you? How has the extended lockdown treated you or rather how have you adjusted to it? Not sure how one comments on here but if you figure it out please do write in. Never sure if there are readers on here or if this is an exercise of thinking aloud and writing to oneself haaha. Either way it is therapeutic. 

We are fine touch wood:). I assume you would have asked a question warranting that response if we were conversing face to face, hence I took the liberty of replying un prompted. Our new normal, as everyone describes it, has made virtual conversations the norm and going a step further anticipating the flow of a chat seems plausible.

I say this often on my lives, so if you follow those, apologies for the repetition, but for those who haven’t heard my mantra, here goes. Deep prayers and thoughts for those who have been directly affected by #covid. We all hope it goes and the good parts of normal resume touch wood:). But I also do see the silver linings that this time has brought for many. Bonding with family, reassessing priorities, focusing on things that really matter, appreciating nature, to name a few. With that comes often subconscious frustrations and perhaps some angst at what sometimes feels like a pausing of time. 

I for one, feel grateful for a lot. And almost in parallel I sometimes feel useless. Almost like a pendulum I find myself often oscillating between feeling great contentment and thankfulness for us all being healthy and together as a family and having created work, that enables us to work from home and earn and be with each other touch wood:), and then almost like Jekyll and Hyde emotions switch to self doubt and questioning if I shouldn’t be out acting more and doing bigger work things and earning more etc etc etc. Comparing myself to colleagues or random strangers that social media shows me. Once the wave of doubt flows, almost instantly I reprimand my mind for being so ridiculous and self pitying and I swing back to optimism, positivity and a few #YogaWithTara sessions, to re group and get back to my trademark optimistic self. Do not compare yourself to anyone else. Each to their own. Success and priorities are different for different people. Having a loving family and us all being together, healthy and happy with a good dose of work ambition to earn enough to be happy and comfortable and help those we are able to touch wood:), are values my rational side reminds me, are most important to me. Not climbing a comparative ladder whether in entertainment or business, but being aware that each of our paths are different and unique. And being happy, grateful and content in that awareness.

All the lives I do have perhaps made me more of a philosopher than I already was. Ponderer rather. As most of those are in the visual medium where I have the ability to interact real time with viewer comments rolling in, often helping me shape my often dichotomous thoughts. Apologies if translating those conversations to the written word, have turned this into a bit of a ramble, but I do find tremendous joy in writing, even if sporadically, and not very well.

Thank you. I have been helped greatly in lockdown and always, by my social media audiences. Whether reading this or not, whether listening or not, whether appreciative of my content, or not, you all have often given me the platform that back in the day, a person like me, may not have had. I am not a big shot actress and not a big corporate person, but a sort of mix of actor, entrepreneur, a devoted Mum, creator, yogi, fitness enthusiast, ponderer and more, trying to create and find ways to work and earn and stay relevant while being with my family. Your kind words and encouragement along the way, have always helped me, so thank you. And know that you are all super special in your own way. And your unique paths are just as important as anyone else’s.

I have been grateful to have received an offer to act in something and this post was sort of triggered by the games my mind was playing in trying to make the decision about how to respond to the potential offer. Would I be okay filming for 12 hours a day, away from home, although fortunately this one would be in the same city. With Covid cases much lower and hopefully covid on it’s way out and us all fine forever touch wood:), but still a need to stay safe, would I be ok going to a set with lots of people each day? If the money is good, is it worth sucking it up and doing it? I want to act more but the luxury of creating and co producing my own show for the last decade and working on my own terms creating what I like to believe is quality content which may not have a huge mass audience but does seem to have a loyal, engaged high quality one that respects the quality of our content #TheTaraSharmaShow and more. Is it time to create Season 6? Hunt and pitch to sponsors and try and woo more inspiring guests? It is hard to make it, as any good work often is. Or should I create that new fiction show I have been writing? Should I push myself and give myself the boost of confidence that has perhaps been holding me back? 

Sorry to be thinking aloud. Other parents out there probably have similarly divergent thoughts.. Cliched as it sounds, balancing it all is often not just hard but a lesson in learning who you are and what our priorities really are. I think for me creating work around my family was perhaps the main inspiration of my starting my show all that time ago, and yes unless an amazing role in an amazing film or show, perhaps I am actually content with the pace of work I have. Jobs come and go. Money and practicality are no doubt important, but the metric of valuing what matters most is often intangible, and only you know what that is for yourself. So I guess this post is about wishing us all and also saying chill, don’t stress, know yourself, do what’s right for you and your family and don’t compete in a race that’s not one you want to be in, but question, ask, ponder and create or choose your own path! 

Have a super day all and stay safe. Tarataratara!!

[rkmeiqi]

[ NOTIFICATION ] VLIVE JUNE 5TH, 2020 @ 11:03PM

Surprise LIVE! AND*ROMA : 춤추자! lets dance! 💎💃

the live starts with a view of one of nova’s practice rooms. meiqi shows up on screen shortly afterwards, waving for the fans and smiling brightly despite the bags under her eyes that show her obvious exhaustion. “hello, everyone!”

she keeps waving as she waits for more people to arrive. the numbers slowly go up and more comments start to fill up the chat, before she finally starts talking. “it’s me, meiqi! this is the first time i’m talking to you guys through vapp, right?” 

“where are the other members? i think they should be back at the dorms by now.” meiqi glances at the door that everyone disappeared through a while earlier. “i decided to stay back to talk to you guys and impress you with some dancing! i’ll wait a little longer though, so more of you can join.”

she answers random questions for a few minutes, things like what’s your favourite starbucks drink? (cotton candy frappuccino) and dogs or cats? (both). then, there’s a fan requesting drama recommendations, and meiqi can’t help but promote one of her best friends.

“have you guys watched revenge note 1? isn’t the actress for ho goohee so cool?” meiqi, herself, has been keeping up with the episodes as they come out, watching them before she falls asleep. “everyone, please support eclipse’s anna and watch the webdrama! i promise it’s good!”

meiqi leans in closer, squinting to read the comments. “are you and anna close? yes! me and yerim-ie went to school together and we still talk a lot.” as she speaks, meiqi unlocks her phone and scrolls through her photo album. finding a cute selfie of them, she turns the phone around to show it to the viewers. “this is from the time i went to visit her at a photoshoot for a chicken cf. security almost kicked me out because they thought i was a crazy fan!” 

she shows a few other pictures of her and yeri, some from high school and others from the rare times they were able to meet up. she also shows pictures of the food truck she had sent yeri on set of her webdrama, and the selfies with gourmet ice cream that she had received in turn.

after rambling about how much she loves her friend (and probably boring most of the viewers), meiqi remembers what she had initially promised she would do and quickly stands. “right! i said i was gonna dance for you guys. why didn’t you remind me?! you guys just let me go on and on about yeri!”

her laughter rings out as she disappears off camera to plug her phone into the speakers. meiqi presses play and then runs backwards as the first few notes begin to filter through the practice room’s speakers. she takes a few steps back to make sure her entire body is in the frame, and then she’s doing the infamous point dance of up and down.

she’s seen some idols get shy after attempting the dance, but meiqi doesn’t falter once. she’s in her element with this song, this concept. she knows the dance considerably well for someone who hasn’t formally practiced it. that’s not to say meiqi wasn’t blasting it around the dorms for a good week, singing into her toothbrush and dancing in her bed. 

she performs it up until the end of the first chorus, before approaching the camera once again with a proud grin. “what do you think?” she asks the viewers as she settles onto the floor again, tilting her head inquisitively. meiqi reads the comments as they come: as expected of meiqi! and jfkdjsjkdg QUEEN. she laughs loudly, basking in the compliments that come in every language. “ah, wait, what did you say? dance meiqi-ne? i like that!”

“are you an olympia? yes, i love luxe! i’ve been following them since they debuted!” meiqi clasps her hands in front of her chest dreamily as she thinks about her favourite group, and now her seniors in the industry. “they have really good music and i think they’re all so pretty! one time, i met ella—i think it was last year during the halloween party. we both dressed up as royalty and she approached me first! it was kind of embarrassing though because i was still technically a trainee and i kept stuttering… but she didn’t make fun of it even once. still, i hope she doesn’t remember that.” 

meiqi presses a hand to her forehead, embarrassed that she’s shared one of her weak moments. she’s still smiling, though, giggling even, because she holds the memory dear. 

she remembers that she’s doing a vlive and removes her hand so that the fans can get a proper look at her rosy cheeks, and so that she can keep reading the comments.

“what other groups do you like?” meiqi strokes her chin, pretending to think. “and*roma?” she chuckles at her own (poor) joke. truthfully, she doesn’t know if there are other groups that she’s really a fan of; she might like their music or know the members, but no one can compete with luxe. might as well promote herself—though it’s stupid, considering 99.9% of the people watching this live must be fans of the group already.

“show us more dance covers!!! wow, so you guys don’t wanna talk to me, huh?” she purses her lips to hide the teasing smile, but it doesn’t quite work when she reads the onslaught of incoming messages that protest and promise that they enjoy talking to her. 

to appease the fans, she pushes herself off the floor and dusts off her shorts. meiqi reaches for her phone and presses shuffle on the playlist she had prepared beforehand. it’s filled with the latest songs that she’s learned and a few older tracks that she likes.

she starts with she’z. to anyone who knows her personally, it might come as a surprise because meiqi has never been a fan of the group. their concept was always too cute for her liking, but their recent releases were right up her alley. unfortunately, she only knows the chorus for dumhdurum, so she fast-forwards the song until then, and starts dancing.

dolls by k.arma is next, another group that meiqi likes. the sophisticated sexiness of the song caught her attention almost immediately upon release. to a lesser extent than luxe’s songs, meiqi has replayed it many times, and after only a handful of times watching the dance, she had picked up on most of it. so, she performs from the beginning until the end of the chorus just as she had done with up and down.

she lets the rest of the song play at a lower volume as she returns to read comments. compliments, compliments, compliments. god, she really loves this. “so cool~ do you know any convex songs? yeah! one sec!”

meiqi searches through her music library and clicks on boom boom. she doesn’t know the choreography as well as the other songs she’s performed, but she thinks she can make it work anyways. besides, she knows the point dance exceptionally well, so she exaggerates that part with a laugh.

she’s having fun. after practicing high heels all of last month, a part of meiqi dreaded being in the practice room. she just associates it with a bad time now, but being able to dance freely to songs she actually likes is oddly liberating. and maybe she just enjoys being praised by faceless strangers who love her.

“oh! there’s also this new group,” meiqi starts once she’s completed the chorus. she taps on gorilla, and raises her voice to be heard over the music. “do you guys know de:code? i went to meet them backstage during promotions because i’ve known seonho since…” meiqi counts on her fingers, but it’s useless. “i actually don’t know. but it’s been a long time! he’s like a little brother to me, so i was shocked when he debuted with such a cool concept!”

cupping her hands around her mouth, meiqi shouts out, “a.c., i’m your biggest fan!” before launching into the chorus’s choreography. 

she’s been dancing so energetically for the past half an hour or so, that she’s finally broken a sweat. her breathing is irregular and heavy now, so she rushes to turn off the music. meiqi plops down in front of the camera, making an x with her arms. “no more dancing, guys! i’m so tired!”

catching her breath, she reads through more comments. “what about per_se? i’ll learn their dances properly and show you guys next time, okay? sorry everyone, and sorry to my seniors.” she presses her hands together and bows her head in an apology.

it’s getting late now, and meiqi really needs to return to the dorms. as much as she doesn’t want to leave, wants to continue talking to fans and dancing to her heart's content, she wasn’t lying about being tired.

“i think it’s time to go, everyone. no, don’t leave? what? you guys have to sleep too, you know! not just me!” she runs a hand through her hair, all oily from the sweat of a long day spent practicing. ugh, is it obvious to the fans that she really needs a shower? she sure hopes not.

“i promise we’ll see each other again soon,” she says earnestly. even if she doesn’t plan on going live again for a while (they’re far too busy right now), and*roma is preparing for a comeback. the fans may not know it, but she can assure them that it won’t be long until they’ll see her again. 

“goodnight, everyone!” just like she’d started the live, meiqi ends it with a wave and a smile. the manager confirms that it’s over before meiqi falls back onto the floor, letting the day’s exhaustion take over her body. “that was fun,” she says aloud, not listening to whatever the manager responds with. probably something about getting ready to go back to the dorms, or maybe scolding her for talking so much (has it really been over an hour since she went live?).

she hadn’t noticed so much time had passed, a stark difference to recent practices where all meiqi did was count down the hours, minutes, and seconds until they could leave.

it’s true, what they say. fans really do give you motivation.

[kayliapickfairy]

Dear Followers and Viewers~

I’d like to apologize for the lack of content, and unfortunately have an announcement to make on here. 

I am no longer going to be active on here. I haven’t actually committed to this part of my social media circle due to a lot of things happening. I mainly reblogged interesting art and messages.. barely posted my artworks... and it’s just... really been used mainly for venting too. I’ve made many posts that extend to a page filled with my annoying ramblings of life.

I will always admire Tumblr for its contribution to social media, and social media platforms alike. There’s the blog feature, and several ways to approach it and execute it. There’s the ask box which has been used for answers, advice, and ask blogs alike. Ya know, the basics of Tumblr that makes it Tumblr.

In the past, and in my youngerness twas a passion of mine. I had another blog besides this one, and ended up being more active on this one- and then- just lost track of when to post and what. 

It’s been a long time inbetween posts on here, and it’s just- well - I’ve decided to call this off. The posts will remain, and the page will remain the same n’ all that. 

And, yeah- therefore, if you wish to continue following me, links to the other social media below~

Where I stream artwork~ https://www.twitch.tv/pickfairy

Gallery at DA/ DeviantArt~ https://www.deviantart.com/pickfairy

Youtube~ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRFVAKBfv_QbIJAEbkToPjw

Twitter~ https://twitter.com/PickFairy

Facebook Page~ https://www.facebook.com/KayliaPickFairy-557792050990063/

Instagram~ https://www.instagram.com/pickfairy/

and support via

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Patreon~ https://www.patreon.com/pickfairy

[vagabondretired]

While the end of the interview, when Jake Tapper finally cuts off Stephen Miller’s ass-kissing ramblings and apologizes to viewers for wasting their time is getting a lot of hype on social media, it was the beginning of the interview that provided one very significant moment. Tapper rightly kicked off the interview by getting the most important question out of the way: Did Donald Trump himself meet with any of the Russians at the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower, the meeting where we know Donald Trump, Jr., Jared Kushner and then Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort attended. Stephen Miller’s answer? To change the subject and talk about what a genius Dear Leader really is, if only CNN could see it. When Tapper pivoted back to the actual question, Miller again refuses to say whether Donald Trump met with any of the Russians during that Trump Tower meeting. This is significant. If Donald Trump didn’t meet with any of them, wouldn’t his team be flatly and rightly denying it?

[isabella-aldwyn]

silcntpoetics​:

What a look, teeming to the brim with pure mischief. The young lady reminded him of himself — in only the best of ways of course, for at her age ( he assumed, based on a number of factors, that she could be no older than twenty five ) Jasper had been quite the impish bastard — in a way. He recognized in her something he carried within himself. There was not a name for it, but he simply knew; their souls had been cut from the same cloth ( or, at the very least, two rather similar looking ones ).

“Unruly? Madam, I’m unsure of what you mean, truly! ” Jasper scoffed. Despite his best efforts, he could not feign a convincible offense. The wrinkle of his lips as he fought to suppress a grin tattled on him almost immediately, any hint of seriousness giving way to the humor lying beneath. 

Perhaps she had not meant for the question to be taken so seriously, and yet Jasper found himself deep in thought. “I’d begin with a smile; not a wide one, but more so the hint of one, piquing the corners of your lips. Then, a raised eyebrow, as though beckoning the viewer to join you on the canvas amongst the azure hues of the water. You have rather bold cheekbones and a strong brow — they are the features I was initially drawn to upon our meeting — so I think I would leave those untouched. But your eyes, your lips, the shape of your jaw simply must be changed — as to not draw too many similarities between the lady of the lake, and yourself.”

Flattered — the sentiment drew a chuckle from his lips. Then, she knew of him, or of his name, at the very least. The curse of renown, he supposed. “Perhaps,” he continued her fable, with as much fervor in his tone as she carried in her own voice. “I portray the lady submerged only just to top of her hip —” He demonstrated, standing so that only just the his torso could be seen above the water line. “— so that if you were to gaze at the paint strokes with a critical eye, there could be the hint of a tail in the rippling of the water! A mermaid, from the old fisherman’s tales; but the good kind, not the kind meant to warn of impending doom. And, perhaps, the lady of the lake becomes the next big reason for my eternal status as a bachelor! Imagine the rumors that would spread! Like wildfire, they would — Oh, haven’t you heard? Jasper Nightingale had his heart stolen — by a mermaid, no less! That is why he is yet to wed; truly, it is! Shame, though … Were it not for that scaled harlot my youngest would’ve made the perfect match!” His “Nosey Mama” impression was not an act he shared with many, but all caution had been thrown to the wind the moment he had removed his boots. 

He dismissed her apology with a shake of the head. He would much rather be in the company of one who talked “too much”, than one who must be coaxed into conversation. He had, in his adolescence, been chastised innumerably for his own tendency to ramble. Now, in his adulthood, it was a trait he valued greatly in others. A subtle act of rebellion, perhaps.  “Breathing is, indeed, important … However, Miss Aldwyn, you must never again apologize for indulging in your own thoughts. They are precious, and must be shared with the world, lest you hold them in and let them shrivel up into nothingness.” 

He crossed his arms over his chest, returning her raised eyebrow with an inquisitive one of his own. "I must admit, I never was the athletic sort. That title went to my dear brother, Lucien — perhaps you’ve heard of him, perhaps you’ve not. Though, I would imagine my own skill, hm … decent in comparison.” He paused for a moment, only then now becoming aware of how the distance between one another had seemingly shrinked. He feared a glance towards Nancy would be met with only the iciest of glares, and so he silently vowed not to look to shore again until it was time to depart. “Are you suggesting a challenge, Miss Aldwyn?  Though my lung capacity may not be the greatest, I simply cannot turn down a challenge.” 

There was something about seeing someone attempt to express one emotion while their genuine ones shone through that brought much joy to the girl. Like whenever  For someone like Bella who found it hard to keep, well, anything in check, she enjoyed a meeting of authenticity. And undoubtedly, Mr. Nightingale was not disappointing her, considering how he entertained even what the regular person would find a silly topic. 

Her hand followed his words obediently as she touched her cheekbones, her brows. Stopped at her eyes. “That would be an easy alteration.” She noted, quirking one brow. “You must give this Lady of the Lake the most beautifully coloured eyes. Such a being would not merely see the world through plain brown hues like these ones.” The girl had come to terms with her light brown eyes years ago and spoke with a comfortability of one who was at ease with her body. “Many of the Aldwyns sport shades of hazel green and various earthy green tones. As you can tell, mine were forgotten in my creation.” Her feathery laughter lifted above the sounds of water lapping, and only grew louder at the man’s imitation that was eerily accurate of the words of the many intense (and that was probably the nicest word that Bella could use) Mothers of the Ton. 

“My, a scaled harlot. The perfect excuse for bachelorhood, I believe you have come up with a fine escape route.” She mused. “It is unfortunate that it is unilateral in purpose. This Lady of the Lake will be likely forced into a marriage by the end of this Season, to her utter chagrin.” Her tone remained light but its ease momentarily reduced. “You must drink from this goblet of Freedom for the both of us.” This awakening and its subsequent bitterness had passed long ago when Bella realized that Edmund, even reaching his thirties, and Harry, who was only a few years older, were not reminded in the same way that she was of their obligations to marry. Or rather, they had very little of said obligations. Every bit of her still longed for the same freedom. But she felt no resentment towards this gentleman who could. 

In fact, he confused her if anything.  

Bella must have suddenly appeared troubled, her smiling lips flattening at his words. They are precious, and must be shared with the world. No one had ever told her that before: that her words shouldn’t be restrained. The young girl almost did not know how to respond, as if waiting for the man to break into laughter and claim it all as a joke. She distracted herself by sinking back down into the water, using the side of her hand to skim the surface. Finally, she looked back at the man, a soft “Thank you” hovering in the small distance between them. Brows furrowed before unfurrowing again, her smile creeping back with a vengeance. “If possible, it would be greatly appreciated if you can convince my Mother and Governess of that.”

Finally, she swam closely enough that Bella knew she would not have to raise her voice any longer, quickly tiring of this own restriction she had placed on herself. She had indeed heard of a Lucien Nightingale. If her memory served her correctly, he had gotten married only a year or two earlier. “I believe I have heard of your brother. Of his athletic prowess, though, I am unknowledgeable. Reputation aside, I believe action speaks more than rumours in the Ton.” And it was with that, Bella knew she had caught his interest. “Indeed, a friendly challenge of time. We cannot possibly swim without testing our abilities to hold our breath. Whoever can hold their breath longest wins our little challenge.” A pause. “And takes the name Lady or Gentleman of the Lake, of course.”

[nalanimated]

Summer Anime 2017 in Review

Greetings Tumblr-ites! This summer I followed through with 24 new anime this summer. While I do still have a couple finales to finish, I’m excited to hop into the new season but first I wanted to reflect and share some of my top picks and disappointments from this past rotation. The continuations of Rage of Bahamut, Sakura Quest, My Hero Academia, and ReCreators will be excluded for the majority. This being said, these are only the opinions of a random viewer who, admittedly, watches at accelerated speed in order to keep up. So if this method has left me missing something about a series that leads to an underappreciating of something dear to you, my apologies. By all means, enjoy what you enjoy!

Without Further Rambling:  

All in all, of the series I kept up with there wasn’t anything horrible. Just Mediocre at the worst. That’s not the worst outcome.

 Kept Up Appearances Both Kakegurui and Hell Girl delivered in a consistent performance. And Restaurant to Another World proceeded in the same enjoyable tone. But I’m going to give this one to Welcome to the Ballroom for not only coming to the table earnestly but by remaining entertaining while managing to stay within common genre themes.

Exceeded Expectations Partly due to the award above, Welcome to the Ballroom made it higher on this list than I thought it would. And 18if certainly left its mark, but I started both those series with at least a level of intrigue. With that in mind, I’m giving this to Clean Freak! Aoyama-kun. It may not have blown me away. In fact I could even be irritated by it. But I liked the expanded world around the character more than I thought I would.  Unanticipated Hands down, Made in the Abyss. Holy heck WHERE did that come from? What started as a fluffy little series turned into quite a drama. I did not see that coming.

 Failed to Deliver I’m going to blame Chronos Ruler’s faults on plot pacing. I want to shake a fist at the misleading pilot of Hitorijime My Hero. But Vatican Miracle Examiner, you had so much opportunity.

You Could have Been Great This could be a victim of allotted episodes or my speed reading, but Altair: A Record of Battles had all the workings to live up to the series it piggybacked off stylistically (Arslan) and even exceeded some of its faults. But man…this just didn’t have the grip, the pacing, or reel-in that I had hoped it would be.

Also, Princess Principal was so close to being really superior. Possibly also due to my watching methods, I just was waiting for it to go that extra inch. I’m still holding my breath and faith. Most Creative 18if came out of nowhere. Now plot wise it may not have excelled, it wasn’t exactly experimental, but it took so many stylistic choices that I REALLY cannot emphasize that this deserves recognition.

Most Anticipated Weekly I was so excited to see the ladies from New Game were back, and loved seeing them each week. But I have to say that Welcome to the Ballroom, Restaurant to Another World, Princess Principal, and Kakegurui always made me dance in my seat upon release.

Most Amusing Gotta shout out to Mahoujin Guru Guru for being such an amusing genre parody.

Left the Warm and Fuzzies While Elegant Yokai Apartment Life and Centaur no Nayami had its moments, Restaurant to Another World was just always a nice, calm, little breath of fresh air. Likewise, the positivity and determination of Welcome to the Ballroom was empowering.

Guilty Pleasure Love and Lies. The execution wasn’t terrific, but I was still really in for the ride. Also, it was crazy problematic, but Netsuou TRap certainly falls here to. And to some extent Kakegurui.

Most Memorable This has to be 18if for style and Made in the Abyss for its shift in tone.

Best Character Dynamics You know what?  I’m giving this to Dive!! Why you ask? Because while it turned out to be a slightly run-of-the-mill genre piece, what really stayed with me about it was the team’s interactions. It fell outside of the box in that while there was support and competition alike, it felt natural as opposed to dramatized. It felt like this was really a group of people who wanted to do what they loved and excel where they could, but the over-the-top SWORN ENEMY aspects or FOREVER LOYAL AND WILLING TO STAY ON SIDELINES were minimized. I appreciate that.

 Annnnd Drumroll please!

Top 10 Series of the Season

Honorable Mentions: Netsuou Trap and Clione no Akari were really great short series, but it didn’t seem fair to rank them on the same level. The later series gave me the most trouble. There was lot of flopping around but Fastest Finger First slipped out because character interactions exceeded general enjoyment in this case.

10. Love and Lies

09. Elegant Yokai Apartment Life

08. Restaurant to Another World

07. 18if

06. Welcome to the Ballroom

05. New Game 2

04. Princess Principal

03. Hell Girl

02. Made in Abyss

01. Kakegurui

           Now you’re all going: whaaaat? This was barely mentioned above. It was over-the-top and full of common characteristics. Yes, yes it was. It was also ridiculously gratuitous at times, which I usually find irritating. All that said it was hecka pretty and there’s just something about an evilly cheerful person putting snobbish people in their place that just kept me grinning. So while it wasn’t the highest in merit I had a lot of fun with Kakegurui this season.

 Series I Let Go: Knights and Magic   ~~ Battle Girl High School  ~~  FateApocrypha ~~  Aho Girl  ~~ Tsurezure Children  ~~  Skirt no Naka wa Kedamono Deshita  ~~Konbini Kareshi  ~~ Hina Logi  ~~ Tenshi no 3P!  ~~Hajimete no Gal  ~~ Classroom of the Elite ~~ In Another World with My Smartphone

Castlevania**- Watching at a Later Date

[tarasharmashow]

A v HAPPY NEW YEAR and wishes for all good things for us all this year and forever touch wood:)...And Yipee just saw my #TheTaraSharmaShow YouTube Channel is almost at 14 MILLION view all organically Please SUBSCRIBE

Hi Hi! My Dear Blogamily and once again apologies for another long hiatus between posts but as social media is the immediate and consistent medium that has us all in touch we are constantly connected! HAPPY NEW YEAR to us all! Here is to wishes for good health, joy, love, success, kindness, empathy, success and all other good things for us all forever touch wood:)!

How are all of you? Do write in with news.. Would love to hear.

Here is our annual HNY photo...same location as the last several years and same resistance from all to stand and pose even when promised it will only be a few seconds haaha! The teller of time is our kids’ heights. Zen taller than me Kai getting there. There are 3 dogs in this picture but one seems to be hidden in there somewhere haaha!

As always I am bursting with so much to share and a desire to hear back from all of you too, but alas, rushing between things and as happens in posts after a while, not sure where to start, so suffice to say I really will write more regularly and in fact as I am trying to write a new show / book / film, not sure what it will be, there will be lots more writing on here henceforth.

Last year saw a return to normalcy for us all after the 21ish months of covid lockdowns and more. Needless to say it had been a very strange time yet as an eternal optimist I did look for the silver linings and we all got through but being back to real normal things is and was fab! Prayers for those who went through very touch time and tragedy.

School for our kids, real, physical school topped the back to life list. Then gradually letting go of masking when safe to do so. The long awaited amazing family trips and holidays. Travel. Me back acting in a big film, The Archies. My standard joke that goes with that revelation - ‘I am not Betty, I am not Veronica, I am the Mother!’ Haahha, took me a while to accept playing the role of Archie’s Mum in the film, but they are young stylish cool Mums and a film directed by fab Zoya Akhtar with the super cast and crew it has, was an immediate yes for me, when I got picked post auditioning. Will reveal more about it nearer release but yes, good to be back on the big screen and I hope you all like my work and it is all a success touch wood:)!

Now onto creating new work. Have a few things up my sleeve and hoping to make them happen successfully touch wood:).

@roopaksaluja and #BANGBANG continue to work hard and as they do more in the production and content creation space with long form global content potential blockbusters in development I hope they succeed too touch wood:).

Football has become an even bigger part of our lives. It helped us loads in lockdown being a release and surprisingly exciting regular source of joy and fitness as our family played lots. Kai plays football for BARCA Elite now and Zen and him for school and us managing to go to Qatar for a #WorldCup match reiterates the joy sport and football brings to us all. 

#YogaWithTara that I began at the start of lockdown and unexpectedly continued bi weekly for over 2 yrs and in fact still do at least once a week helped keep me going too and is and was a super way to stay in touch with my communities. #SaturdayNoonLiveWithTara too.

Again, as this began as a HNY wish, I hadn’t  intended to ramble, but clearly I have, so will zip it now, but will say au revoire with a bit of exciting news that only just came to me... Our #TheTaraSharmaShow @youtube​ channel is at almost 14 MILLION VIEWS all organically!!! Thank you all. The amazing guests, sponsors, our kids Zen and Kai, for being the inspiration behind me starting teh show over 12 years ago now, our fab Team TSS and all of you, our viewers The episodes are timeless and listening to people like #RohitSharma #ViratKohli #SunilChhetri and other inspiring guests now, I am just as motivated and moved and hope you are too. So please do head to the channel, watch, subscribe and share and yes I hope to bring more seasons with more exciting guests on successfully soon touch wood:). Same goes for all my platforms, do please join me there too. As mentioned as I post regularly on insta, YT and FB, I am guilty as charged of sometimes neglecting my blog, but will try and be more regular. Here are my links:

https://www.instagram.com/tarasharmasaluja/

https://www.youtube.com/@tarasharmashow/featured

https://www.facebook.com/tarasharmashow

Ah and something brewing with #MixedThat’sUs.. watch this space to find out :)

Have a wonderful year and beyond all! 

And until we meet again, 

Tarataratara!!!