#Moomin loves his partner

[floralstorms]

they’re dads..

@sludgemetalsnufkin

[flowerbloom-arts]

AU where the Shifting Mound doesn't snatch the Damsel so soon and you have to deal with the repercussions of existing past "Happily Ever After" with a voluntarily undeveloped Sweet Love Interest™.

(also, yippee finally found a way to put my 2 interests together!!)

(absolutely incomprehensible ramble under the cut.)

Okay so I'm going to make this as understandable as possible for the uninitiated, whether it be for the Moomin comic strip or the franchise at large.

The plushie the Damsel is holding is that of the Snork Maiden (or just Snorkmaiden), the girlfriend/love interest for the main character, Moomintroll. Now, Snorkmaiden is an interesting and largely misunderstood character, especially when it comes to her comic version where she's a bit of a "promiscuous" character who oftentimes ditches Moomintroll for another man when she sees fit, this is where the misunderstanding lies.

Snorkmaiden haters will dismiss this (if they were to read the comics, because in all honesty they aren't that widely considered or even read in the fandom) as an addition to her general unlikeability as an "obstacle" to the fandom's main gay ship between Moomintroll and his best friend, Snorkmaiden sympathizers will leap to justify this with the good ol' It Was Heteronormativity All Along, which is a very... Honestly lazy reading/justification of her character which doesn't hold up under scrutiny. I, however, have an obviously superior reading of her character (/not serious)

Snorkmaiden simply has a very different definition of romance or at least wants to gain something different out of the concept of romance as opposed to the general public perception built up around it, one which even Moomintroll can't even begin to grasp.

What she gets out of romance, and where it begins and ends for her, is the adventurous fall and honeymoon of it, and each new man she gets into a relationship with is thematically appropriate to the adventure/problem of the week that she and her boyfriend's family are currently facing. When she goes to the French Riviera she starts dating a rich actor because it is a tourist shoreline city where all the celebrities go, when she finds herself in the wintery unknown (she and the Moomins usually hibernate through it, they're creatures like that) she catches a crush on a professional winter sportsman, when she decides to live a hedonist life because some self-proclaimed prophet came in and told everyone to she decides to start it by running away with someone new, when she gets a job as a secretary she falls in love with a coworker who is really interested in accounting, so on and so forth. Even with Moomintroll, they fell in love upon her introduction and Moomintroll signifies a new life in the valley in which they currently live in.

And in the end all of these new romances fall apart either due to unfortunate circumstances, Moomintroll's jealous intervention or her simply becoming disinterested eventually, and in the end of all of them she returns to Moomintroll, as per formulaic comic strip storytelling. (I must mention that Moomintroll also falls in love with other women based on their looks, and he also fell in love with Snorkmaiden because he thought she was pretty, so, he's not that much better really)

This is a repeating cycle, one that Snorkmaiden is simply incapable of breaking out of due to the conventions of her narrative. No matter what she tries, where she goes, who she gets with, she'll always end up back in Moomintroll's arms whether he "earns it back through chivalry" or she runs back to him much to her previous chagrin. It's a self-fulfilling cycle too, in one comic it's shown that she's so used to Moomintroll's behavior that it sours her current relationship with an already bad partner even further. If she was capable of Truly Leaving then she stopped being capable at that point. Snorkmaiden is stuck with a long-term boyfriend when she normally strives in a short-term relationship.

She's also deeply entrenched in romance tropes and loves to roleplay them with Moomintroll, and especially loves them when she thinks they're real, these tropes she fancies usually tend toward kidnapping (and not alot of rescuing) or romantic sacrifice such as dueling or... Romeo and Juliet. These things are extensions of her ideas on what romance is, more about the short-term thrill than the long-term contentment.

Of course, with most Moomin media having a child demographic as opposed to the adult newspaper readers of the comics, Snorkmaiden's character in adaptations of these stories get presented without the depth or the means for that depth, as she gets presented as either a somewhat boring playdate to Moomintroll with grand, childish ideas of romance or a naggy girlfriend whom the writers try to make feminist but ultimately fails to deliver on anything subversive or substantial.

How this ties into the Princess is the cyclical nature of it all, the choices with no branching ends, the new experiences with seemingly no development, the change and then the sudden stop. And with the Damsel in particular it is the reduction of such an interesting and intriguing person full of potential to a cutout of a simple Love Interest. All that anguish is suddenly washed away into something more palatable, a parody of a fairytale princess, a goodness so pure that it is sickening, no motivation behind the eyes except for one simple goal.

Now. Don't get me wrong, the Damsel is my favorite princess, between the Adversaries and the Towers and the Witches and Wilds, the Damsel is the one which captivated my singular interest, becaus I'm not immune to her trappings of adorable beauty and saccharine sweetness with no other motivation than to make her hero happy, I believe that it's a combination of the player's desire for her to be a normal princess they can have a happy ending with but also her willfully stripping herself out of guilt of what she's done to the player.

She stripped herself of any real personhood just to make us happy, and that is the purest motivation anyone can have, really, a terribly misguided one but the sentiment is immeasurable. I pity her and I love her and I want her to be so genuinely happy because of what she's gone through but I know very well that she's incapable of that because the decisions the player chose made her that way, she is made incapable of genuine happiness without total dependence on the player's feelings and that really breaks my heart.

It breaks my heart when she's reduced to a crappy middle school anime drawing when she's put through the pressure of getting interrogated or being told strange things about what would make the player happy.

It breaks my heart when she's finally free but then immediately met with the coldness of the Shifting Mound and thought that coldness was happiness.

It breaks my heart when she accepts her second death with tears in her eyes and a smile because she thinks that's what made the player happy, and yet somehow she couldn't accept it as a real decision the player made on their own because in the first time she was warned that they were possessed, so the only conclusion she could come up with was that the cabin was causing this pain and so as the Grey she decides to burn the whole place to the ground and stare at you lovingly until her face melts away.

It breaks my heart that the Grey is in a wedding dress, on top of that.

She's so desperate to cling onto the first person to show her kindness that she seems to have become broken over it. She's so terribly tragic that I can't help but keep thinking about her and the million heartbreaks knowing that she's so lovely and selfless but she wasn't Real anymore.

I want her to have a massive fairytale wedding like at the end of Disney's old Cinderella movie and live forever with some physical manifestation of Voice of the Smitten. I want her to come back to personhood and cry and not be snapped like a twig over it. I want the Damsel to be happy in any way she seems fit to be but I know that can never happy, both by the nature of the game but also in the very programming of her character.

She is trapped, whether it's in the cabin, her own circular mentality or as part of the Shifting Mound, she's incapable of of being really free as her own person unless you count the ending of us leaving with the no-blade blade starter princess.

... And that's why I think she should hold a massive Snorkmaiden fair prize won by her darling new butch knight girlfriend.

[fullsunised]

hii!! can i request maybe scenarios or bullet points (whichever you like) of things dreamies would do with their partner? like fluffy and all. ty btw i like what you write <3

𝙉𝘾𝙏 𝘿𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙈¹⁹: 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗬𝗢𝗨

genre: fluff

trigger warnings: none

a/n: well hope this is what you wanted and thank you for loving my work </3 i love you sm. I did the top 3 things types and have included like affection types as well bro idfk what I made anyways. jungkook is so leng bro.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° ✧. ┊  ❝ 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗟𝗘𝗘 ❞

late night calls. cause he's so busy, he absolutely adores talking to you over calls especially after a long day. just the thought of you being there for him is enough for him. yall just be talking about anything fr, from gossips, complains to how the day has been going, anything fr.

music. making music, listening to music, writing lyrics all that. he loves spending time with you doing what he loves the most- if you share the same passion, that's great because he's coming to you for help a lot and that. sharing playlists, listening to your favourite songs.

calling each other dude and bro. those are endearing terms for both of you. it's funny how easily you two do it, making everyone else doubt if you're actually dating but nah that's so normal in your part. you'd be calling him dude and bro everytime you have to make a point and him doing the same to catch your attention. of course there are occasional baby, and babe slipped in.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° ✧. ┊  ❝ 𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗝𝗨𝗡 𝗛𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗚 ❞

painting skies with you. bro loves the company of you and the setting sun, calms his mind like no other. your sessions consist of you two making fun of each other's drawings, talking about life, future, present- or sometimes its just quiet, where yall are enjoying each other's presence.

watching moomin. even if you aren't actually watching it, the show just plays in the background while you two talk softly. these usually happen during nights, right before both of you are about to sleep. yk just the peace and quiet, with moomin in the background. thats it, that's heaven for him.

holding hands. he loves it man. just how perfectly your hands fit in his. he's just going about on his day, your hand in his when he suddenly kisses your hand, happy that you're by his side all the time, even if not physically. his favourite type of pda.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° ✧. ┊  ❝ 𝗝𝗘𝗡𝗢 𝗟𝗘𝗘 ❞

gyming. although he isn't much into working out all the time, he loves going to the gym with you. like one of them routines yall have atleast thrice a week to keep both of you fit. he helps you with your workouts, and that.

watching anime. considering how bro loves one piece, yall be watching it most of the time (me fr). it wouldn't be just one piece it would be a lot of airing animes, that you two talk to your fans about on lives causing them to ship you two lmao.

having your arms around him. this is not an activity but boy loves it when you rest your arms on him or like touch him even slightly. makes him feel secure, and confirms the fact for him constantly that you're there for him.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° ✧. ┊  ❝ 𝗛𝗔𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗟𝗘𝗘 ❞

gaming. boy is gaming 24/7, so he expects you to do so with him as well. both of you are either competing with each other, or teaming up to beat others but either way that's his favourite pass time activity to do with you.

you sitting on his lap. just like how jeno likes you touching him constantly, my sun likes you on his lap especially on those days when you are lazy and don't feel like gaming, he loves you on his lap, watching him play while giving him ideas and that. boy plays 200 times better like that.

making playlists. yall would probably have like a playlist for every occasion and situation. oh someone is crying, play the sad songs, someone is mad play the angry playlist..yall do this so much that others find you bare annoying but it's your source of entertainment.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° ✧. ┊  ❝ 𝗝𝗔𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗡 𝗡𝗔 ❞

cooking. you'd cook, he'd watch- or he'd cook you'd watch, or both of you will cook and make a mess out of the whole kitchen but in the end yall will be making dishes that are meant for the books- cooking is a natural talent for you two. he's on a day off, he's over your house and you two are cooking every meal for the day together.

watching horror films. you know how much he loves watching them. even if you're scared to death, he'd make sure you sit, tugging onto his arm while he watches it with no soul whatsoever. like what's the point of watching it, he loves ridiculing you and cooing at your cute self everytime you get scared.

baby talking. constantly. every single time. all the week. boy just speaks like that naturally, and being around him most of the time had you develop this alien ability. you despise doing it but do it unconsciously. his members eye you two weirdly as soo as you start doing that.

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° ✧. ┊  ❝ 𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗡𝗟𝗘 𝗭𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗚 ❞

basketball. even if you suck, you'd be on your way home and boy is gonna see a court, pulls the car, and plays a match with you. loves making fun of you for your mistakes, would even take multiple videos of you playing and posting it on his insta or weibo.

touching knees. bro that's so hot, but listen he needs that physical contact. if you're ever sitting next to each other, instead of being over the top with holding hands or sm like that, he'd subtly just lean his leg towards you, and you do the same until your knees touch. reassurance you get me.

learning girl group choreos. New song is out, he's sharing it with you, with a comment saying 'let's learn this'. or you are blasting tiktoks onto his account, sharing one for every dance you want to learn. and then, at home yall play the song and teach it to yourselves, later uploading it

┊ ➶ ｡˚ ° ✧. ┊  ❝ 𝗝𝗜𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞 ❞

netflix. watching every show there is on that streaming site. yall don't even hesitate with what you have to watch, just find smth and play it- and definitely get invested in the show. that's how jisung knows almost every show to exist. because you force him to watch them all with you.

nuzzling into necks. his favourite thing of all time bro. even if he's meters tall than you, he's plopping himself onto your lap, and nuzzling his head into your neck. down bad fr. he loves breathing in your scent, makes him feel safe fr.

comparing sizes of hands. bro is laughing at you for how small your fingers are, but internally he's dying of cuteness. how can you be so cute bruh. boy is taking pictures like multiple to save them as his lockscreen and that.

©️FULLSUNISED.

[tamtamandtim]

Season 3 of Moominvalley (2019) Once again is banger after banger and has honestly become a show that I’ll definitely rewatch again!! (Especially since I now have someone to watch it with!!) P.S THIS IS PROBABLY GONNA BE A PART ONE BECAUSE IM ✨TIRED✨

To be honest I think Jack Rowan as the new voice of Moomintroll is honestly a pretty great choice, he sounds like he took time and grew into himself. With a nice hint of Moominpapa in his tonality (especially when being dramatic) but still is relatively soft spoken and mixes well with the rest of the cast.

God Episode 3 got me in the guts too, seriously what is it with this show and knowing just where to attack me. Little My’s struggle with feeling like one of the family, especially with her father figure is. Once again very relatable considering so when Moominpapa said he loved her, my heart warmed up so much because goddamn I wAnT tHaT…. And seeing the family growing closer together is always a delight!

Stinky going around saying ‘pinch, grab, take, steal’ over and over is so goofy and that Moominmama has/had a bad girl streak feels so appropriate for her. We love a badass, good mama.

I’m honestly shocked that Moomin didn’t immediately go to Snufkin when it came to taking toffle home p.s my partner literally was like

“ah there’s ya boyfriend” (he hasn’t fully watched the show he’s just watching with me now)

I was so hyped for the lonely mountain episode and honestly it was pretty darn great and fruity with just the right amount of pinning!!

“Your wetter than a fishes flannel”

Lil Ma’am w h a t. We lost our minds to that

Jesus Moomin found him so fast like I know Snufkin said where he was staying but like GODDMAN THERE WERE SO MANY MOUNTIANS. I also love how Snufkin immediately was like ‘alrighty let’s warm you up dear ^-^ ‘ and then immediately got overwhelmed. Once again completely understandable, especially since my partner had just moved in the week before we started watching it so we’re learning to co-exist and I’m so glad the Moomin parents were there to save the boys and the possible confession of Snufkin In which way? Who’s to say.

I’ve very much enjoyed this season and I’m super hype for what they have planned next!! I’ll probably post part two tomorrow sometime!! (Also how is this style of formatting?? Please let me know!!) but thank you very much for reading this!! Have a lovely day/night/time!!

[unagrancantidaddepanes]

sometimes I go nah their not gonna make snufmin canon but then I remember snorkmaidens introduction scene and just go what the FUCK what the HELL was that 💀💀💀

NO BECAUSE CAN WE SIT DOWN AND. TALK ABOUT THIS SCENE.

like it's snorkmaidens introduction scene, it's the set up and first impresson of snorkmaidens character and moomintroll and snorkmaidens relationship. Like for example the first appearance of sniff shows him being impulsive and quite silly. He also trys to start a business with moomintroll but moomintroll declines and seems quite annoyed with him. Like the first appearances are set ups for the characters relationships and is something your suppose to remember throughout the show. It's suppose to clearly show how the characters and relationships are and what to think about them.

So why the HELL is snorkmaidens introduction literally just moomintroll ignoring her in favour of snufkin 😭😭😭 LIKE IT JUST DOESNT MAKE SENSE ?????????

Like yes, it shows that moomintroll is kinda nieve and their relationship is kinda comedic BUT IT ALSO JUST SHOWS THAT HE ????? PREFERS SNUFKIN ????????? TO HIS GIRLFRIEND ?????????? 💀💀💀💀💀 like what this scene does is literally just. Establish that snorkmaiden and moomintroll are both unhappy in their relationship and not only that IT LITERALLY SHOWS US HE WOULD RATHER BE WITH SNUFKIN 💀

Like. Oh my goodness. Snorkmaiden trying to talk to him and him looking away just daydreaming about snufkin. Snorkmaiden getting angry at him for it. WHAT GETS ME IS HE DOESNT DO THIS WITH ANY OTHER CHARACTER EITHER????? NOT ONCE IN THE SCENE BEFORE WITH SNIFF OR ANY OTHER CHARACTER LATER DOES HE JUST START COMPLETELY IGNORING THEM TO THINK ABOUT SNUFKIN LMAO

hE QUITE LITERALLY. oh my god. OH MY GOD. HE QUITE LITERALLY. CALLS HIS GIRLFRIEND SNUFKIN BY MISTAKE. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS FOR A MOMENT ??????? LIKE THAT WAS WEIRD RIGHT. THAT WAS WEIRD. The establishing scene of moomintroll and snorkmaidens relationship. Is moomintroll. ACCIDENTALLY CALLING HIS PARTNER 'SNUFKIN'. THAT WAS WEIRD RIGHT?????? RIGHT??????????? I'm gonna scream I'm gonna loose it.

He quite literally ????? Starts swooning??????? Over snufkin???????? AND ITS NOT ME EXAGERATING SNORKMAIDEN LITERALLY CALLS HIM OUT ON IT 💀💀💀

'ITS ALWAYS THE SAME THIS TIME OF YEAR, THERES NO ROOM FOR ME'??????????

THE WAY HE SAYS 'until snufkin comes back im all yours' UNTIL SNUFKIN COMES BACK?????? LMFAO EVEN HIM TRYING TO SAY HE LOVES HER CIRCLES BACK ROUND TO SNUFKIN LIKE????????????? Saying 'you are my whole world' THEN IMMEDIETLY TURNING AWAY AND DROPPING HER WHEN HE HEARS A SOUND THAT COULD BE SNUFKIN???????? he really said sorry ur not my whole world because of snufkin ok OK 💀

SNORKMAIDEN STORMING OFF SAYING 'unless ur names snufkin ur wasting ur time'???????????

AND THEN THE SNOWDROPS?????? 'THEY HERALD THE RETURN OF LOVED ONES'????????? 'THE MORE WE PICK THE MORE LOVE WE GET'???????? SNOWDROPS BEING HELD BY MOOMIN LATER IN A SNUFMIN SCENE??????????

IM DONE. IM DONE 💀💀💀💀

Enjoy my bandicam recording lmao

[nickeverdeen]

Hi! I didn't see anything saying you weren't taking match ups, so I was wondering if you would make me a harry potter match up!

I'm a demifem, they/her, I'm a lesbian, intp. I'm very emotional, thinking about becoming a therapist. I don't cry a lot, but I get teary eyed from time to time. I talk to myself alot. like, ALOT.

music is a big part of my life, I like Alice Pheobe Lou, Clairo, Girl in Red, and Dreamer Isioma. I love oldies, (Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Lesley Gore) listen to most music, depending on my mood.

I wear Gremlincore[cottagecore but grunge, worms, mushrooms, bones], dark academia, chaotic academia, or outfits inspired by the 1920s-1970s. I have brown fluffy hair, layered pixie thing with bangs. I'm plus size, and 5'3, but wear old doc martens and boots.

I love nature, and make art. I do leather and wood pyrography, beadwork, and watercolor the most. I love moomin (fave: smufkin), Harry potter, studio ghibli(howls moving castle). I spend most of my money at estate sales and local resale stores.

I'm not super comfortable with touch, except for my partner. my romantic love languages are touch, words of affection, and time. my favorite plant is mossy weeping willows. I also love reading fantasy, mystery, and mythology(Celtic, Asian, Gaelic)

Your Harry Potter match is…

Luna Lovegood

Luna would love taking you on quiet walks through the Forbidden Forest or the Hogwarts grounds, pointing out magical creatures and plants

You both share a deep connection to the natural world, and she appreciates your knowledge of different plants, especially your love for mossy weeping willows

Luna would be fascinated by your leather and wood pyrography and beadwork

Luna would adore your Gremlincore and dark academia style, often borrowing elements from your wardrobe or gifting you odd trinkets she finds, thinking they’d suit your aesthetic perfectly

She might even introduce you to some of her eccentric accessories

Despite her usual dreamy demeanor, Luna has a way of understanding and supporting your emotions

When you're feeling down or teary-eyed, she offers a comforting presence, knowing just when to speak and when to let the silence heal

Luna enjoys your diverse music taste, especially when you introduce her to oldies like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

Sometimes, you both sit by the fireplace in the Ravenclaw common room, listening to music together, with Luna occasionally humming along

Estate sales and resale stores are your shared paradise

Luna has an eye for unusual and unique items, and she loves how you can transform old finds into something beautiful through your art

Luna would join you in reading fantasy, mystery, and mythology books

She’s especially intrigued by mythology, often drawing parallels between ancient myths and magical creatures

You both spend hours lost in books, sharing theories and insights

Luna understands your discomfort with touch around others but loves how you seek out her embrace

Whether it's holding hands, resting your head on her shoulder, or gentle caresses, Luna cherishes these moments of connection with you

"Howl’s Moving Castle" would be a favorite film for both of you

Luna loves the whimsical nature of the Studio Ghibli world, and you bond over the beauty and depth of the films

She often compares you to Howl, seeing a kindred spirit in your creativity and depth

Luna encourages you to pursue your goal of becoming a therapist, often reminding you of your natural empathy and ability to understand others

You and Luna often talk late into the night, discussing your day, your dreams, or just random thoughts

Luna loves planning impromptu picnics for the two of you, often in secluded spots like near a hidden grove of willow trees or a quiet corner of the Hogwarts grounds

She packs quirky snacks and brings along some of her odd trinkets to show you

Luna is fiercely protective of you in her own gentle way

She doesn’t let anyone dismiss your emotions or belittle your thoughts

While she might seem aloof, she’s quick to step in when someone tries to hurt you

Luna frequently whispers sweet nothings or words of affection when you're together, especially when you're in your shared bubble of comfort

Luna would love to help you care for a small collection of magical plants, perhaps even finding some magical moss for you to add to your favorite plant collection

Luna loves watching you do pyrography, often fascinated by the intricate designs you create

Christmas with Luna is always magical

She’s as enthusiastic about the holiday as you are, often crafting homemade decorations and filling the air with a sense of wonder and joy

You two create your own little world during the holiday season, complete with traditions that are uniquely yours

Luna absolutely loves your fondness for Moomin, especially Snufkin

Luna loves your adventurous spirit and is always eager to join you in exploring new places

Whether it's wandering through the woods or discovering hidden corners of Hogwarts, every journey with you feels like a magical adventure

You and Luna find comfort in shared silences, often sitting together without the need for words

Whether you’re both engrossed in a book or simply enjoying each other’s presence, the silence between you is never awkward but filled with unspoken understanding

Your artistic talents inspire Luna in her own way, and she often weaves stories or creates little charms based on the designs you make

You both feed off each other’s creativity, making your bond even stronger and more magical

[imp-panada]

What are your art inspirations?

Loaded question! 

But I'll start with the obvious and say my partner, Yugo, is one of my biggest inspiration, it was very encouraging to use shapes however I want! 🥰

1. Al Columbia 

If you know horror, then you probably know al Columbia. One of my biggest inspiration when it comes to disturbing art

2. Wilfred Lam

Probably one of my favorite old artists, the shapes he uses is everything I could ever dream of

3. Masaaki Yuasa

Both in art and Animation

His art led me to make weird looking guys but also his animation is very expressive. Reminds me that I can get wacky with it too

4.Tove Jansson

Love her art style and coloring. However it's her line art and environments that really catches my eyes, she was a very interesting person to read about, I recommend learning about her since I know people are big moomin fans on here

5. Francis Bacon 

The visceral feeling he puts in his art. Another interesting person to read about but watch out!

[2n2n]

Riffing off of my last post... I want to think about something! Or, introduce a thought....

first off, a magical spell to ward off evil. In your mind spins the image of the Yugi twins kissing peacefully, happy in their futon together... ahhhh! Okay... we resume now.

Perhaps this is obvious to some, but it might not be to others, so why not voice it.

I think valuing the gender of characters is your preference individually, there are preferences I have, too! Tastes, aesthetically, and such. But, to some extent, I think being rigorous and strict about avoiding say, 'male/female' relationships, or hating 'male characters', in the pursuit of loving queerness & loving women for example, can go a little overboard... ooonly in that, narratives are not always representing only what they appear as, and you can't be so sure what other people are representing in abstractions. This post is only for people who might feel sensitive about those abstractions-- if you don't have a care in the world, don't bother reading on...!

Here is an example, from a popular series many love. The Moomin novels are precious to me, I love the expressions of the author, Tove's, relationships and human experiences. Tove largely expresses herself through Moomin, a boy. She expresses her relationships with women AND men through that conduit. Ironically, the relationship between Moomin and Snufkin-- beloved by many!-- represents a 10-year love affair with a man in her life, Atos. While the story of Moomin and Too-ticky, is a representation of her relationship to her later long-term female partner, Tuulikki. I don't see fandom much explore or care about Moomin/Too-ticky, probably because it is M/F. I think that's kind of funny? I'm not here to make a judgement-- I write Snufkin/Moomin-- but, when I think about what people value in Tove VS what narrative they like in fiction, it's interesting that the real-life experiences influencing that fiction doesn't matter.

Meanwhile, a lot of female mangaka represent their traits through male characters. Arakawa connects to Edward Elric, and Yana Toboso projects a lot of herself into Ciel Phantomhive. While it's not stated as outright as all the other examples, I do believe Iro-sensei projects a lot of their personality into Hanako, and Aida-sensei seems to playfully draw Iro-sensei as Hanako, or embellish him with Iro-sensei's IRL habits.

We can look at a story like JSHK, and we can look at it literally as a story about ghosts and humans and such. Or, we can look at it thematically, and see a story about many, many more things we might relate to. Broad concepts of eschewing society's morals, strictures, or values (suchas Tsukasa), or following them to the point of pain (suchas Teru), who gets punished or forgotten and why, how to be happy in a world that doesn't care if you are happy (Hakubo, Sumire).... etc...

Hanako's struggle with Nene-chan, is that he cannot marry her, he cannot grow up with her, and 'has no future' with her. I would describe Hanako as chronically unable to conceptualize commitment for himself. At the start of the manga, this makes him a kind of playboy to Nene-chan-- flirtatious, harassing, but also closed-off. He sees his dynamic with Nene-chan as a temporary, short-term thing... a year of frivolity with a girl, something that can't 'go anywhere'. He can be capricious, but only because of a sense of hopelessness. This relationship cannot "go anywhere".

Much to be said about queer relationships being seen as 'a phase' in many cultures... something you do when young, but grow out of, moving into normative adulthood. I'm not saying that's the INTENTION-- but that you could happily choose to read it however you want, connect to it however you want.

I mean... gay marriage is not sanctioned across Japan... this concept of "a person you can play with a little when you're young, but never truly commit to" is a cultural concept there. It's interesting that when Nene-chan dreams, "I want to get married some day in the real world!", Hanako receives it as a rejection, and no longer plans to attempt to entrap her through bizarre, indirect circumstances.

Hanako can use strange, convoluted systems like making Nene-chan his kannagi, or binding her to him with the mermaid scale, to ensnare them together .... as much as you could uh, start a business with your lover, but perhaps not legally marry them. It's an interesting compromise, or as he says in Picture Perfect, 'I'm only using what I can'.

Picture Perfect is also about creating a fake fantasy world which fictionalizes everything into a saccharine and acceptable, normative fantasy one wherein Hanako is no longer a Mononoke, but the human, Amane. As Mitsuba says, "in this world, she can even marry No. 7!". What does it mean for Nene-chan to reject this sanitized, acceptable rewritten version of their love, & desire the haunting ghost, even with all of the foibles of that? She doesn't claim to hate the fiction, but it isn't the love she remembers.

The concept that kaii simply 'cannot access' certain aspects of society is interesting. This concept that humans engaging with kaii sincerely, are naive, short-sighted, and incapable of thinking of the 'big picture' is, too. It's childish of Nene-chan to chase Hanako, and others who 'know better' or think more 'realistically' chide or laugh at her for it (Akane, Teru, Mitsuba....). Mitsuba finds it funny that Nene-chan is so smitten with a lover she can't have for life. Mitsuba longs to be 'normal'. Hanako wants a 'normal' life for Nene-chan.

Just as well, however Amane or Tsukasa may have felt about each other, they were brothers. There is a limit to the level of closeness they can have. To put it bluntly, they can't get married, either, lol.

Amane/Hanako the entity may not 'have a future' with anyone he loves, as he may not ever have a proper, societally-acceptable love, with anyone. His love might always be something impossible to achieve-- the moon, out of his reach. That's an interesting trait for a main character.

I think it shouldn't be shameful or stupid or reductive to connect to Hanako/Nene, or Akane/Aoi (lifelong 'best friends'), or Sumire/Hakubo (who were hardly seen as people by anyone, their relationship's value anywhere from invisible to repugnant) .... we literally do not know Aida or Iro's relationships, experiences, we don't even know their own identities or personal lives all that deeply....! We don't know where they are writing or drawing from. But in that way, I think it would be doing a disservice to what you can connect to in a narrative, to presume it's only ever what it looks like on the surface.

For a great many authors & artists, we didn't get to know the greater narrative of their life until long after they died, and could reread their works with new context. I don't think people need to die for you to do that, though. If you notice a consistent theme, it might be intentional... or it might not be! You should have fun. You shouldn't worry too much about it IN-TEXT being wlw or mlm lol.... that's, just not how a lot of people choose to write their stories, even if their lived reality is exactly one thing. Even if there's not a deep reason, maybe it feels more fun or more playful to imagine oneself, a lesbian, as a nasty teenage straight boy. Maybe it even feels more 'real' but in a 'lol... tfw' way. Do you feel me on that??? Sometimes... I think things get a little too literal around the web lately in media analysis!!!!! I would love to encourage anyone who needs permission, to get a little less literal. I don't think you need to, imagine Hanako as a woman to make HanaNene appropriately lesbo vibes, or to justify yourself, a lesbo, liking it. You could be a lesbo and Hanako could represent the type of girl you are exactly. There are girls like that. I mean. Tsukasa represents the type of girl I am.... *paws out*

and aouhhhrho aoaaoouou disclaimer anyone can enjoy whatever they like etc etc have fun etc, live your life etc not saying everyone who likes XYZ is insecure or XYZ or should just blah blah or it's wrong to do blah blah write blah, this all isn't relevant to you whatsoever if you're happy and confident in what you like, proud to like it or whatever, this post is only!!!! relevant if you feel ashamed, embarrassed, silly, or dumb for 'seeing something' or relating to something 'not for you' or 'not there'!!! You don't know that it isn't there! You don't have to choose from .... the few same-gender options actually in-text. Or contort the canon around. You can see your own relationships in anything. Because people write their own relationships in a thousand ways.

My husband and I can write ourselves as two girls. As two girls and a boy. As two boys. As a boy and a girl. As two boys and a girl. As a boy and a nongendered thing. We do this obsessively. I wouldn't say any of these narratives are more or less accurate or true to our lives depending upon the genders aligning with our real life human bodies. We can be a thousand things, and we're still 'us'. We recognize 'us' in that which resonates.

[river-taxbird]

I am becoming dangerously obsessed with The Moomins.

In which I explore my deeply ingrained weakness for furry media, and why a weird kids series that comes from a queer, poly, anti fascist place speaks to me deeply.

The moomins were always something I was aware of. I saw a couple of episodes of the 90s show when I was a kid, and we had one of the books in the house when I was a kid, but I never read it. Not sure why, but discussing it with my mum she said she never liked the moomins much.

A while ago my roomate introduced me to Comet in Moominland, the 90s movie that is a prequel to the TV series, and based on the first full length moomin book. It was a beautiful and harrowing movie about the moomins dealing with the knowledge that a comet is going to hit the earth, and having to deal with an apocalypse of biblical proportions.

After that, my partner and I decided to watch the 90s anime that follows on from the movie. It's cute and charming, it's wholesome and positive. It is depicting the childhood you maybe wish you had, with good friends and positive role models. I also picked up some of the books, those are my own copies in the picture.

Now throughout my life, I have always been a sucker for furry media. Being a furry is essentially my favorite thing and defines a lot of my identity. Most of my favourite media is furry media, be it core fandom, or wider furry adjacent media. On the surface, Moomin is obviously furry media, it deals with creatures having adventures, but I believe the furry connection goes deeper.

I found this video from youtube channel Culturally F'd, that gives a queer, poly, anti fascist reading of the moomins.

The video basically alleges that the Moomin's creator, Tove Jasson, was queer and for much of her life was in what we would now call a poly relationship with a man and a woman at the same time. It also notes how the moomins first appeared in a left wing magazine, hence the anti fascist element. If you want an example of cottagecore media without a hint of fascism, the moomins is probably a good place to look. It's not apolitical of course. There is that one post that is doing the rounds like "I only want apolitical media, like studio ghibli and the moomins" which is very funny and has never left my head.

While the text may not be explicitly queer, you could call Moomintroll textually "In love" with Snufkin, as well as his girlfriend, it's not like they openly date, but I have verified the things that video says about the author with other sources and it seems to be true. It does seem like the moomins comes from a queer, poly worldview, and now I have realised that, I think that is when I crossed the line from interest to obsession. That is how my life works, I tend to become obsessed with a specific piece of furry media for a year or so, hyperfixate on it as much as I can, then I move on but can always engage with furry fan work for it.

I think a lot of the appeal of furry stuff is explored in this awesome video from Patricia Taxxon. It argues that a lot of the appeal of being a furry lies in "The symbolic, the sensory, and the autistic" and that a lot of furries also have other intersecting identities that may have made you feel simultaneously human and inhuman. I guess what I am trying to say here is that I feel the moomins are very deeply furry media in a way that a lot of mainstream "furry" media isn't. Don't get me wrong, I still love a lot of mainstream furry stuff, but I think the true appeal for me is using symbolism effectively. Using your funny little animal creatures to explore things about the world and your life.

The moomins come from a genuinely weird, non corporate place. I would maybe even say if the author were still around today, we would probably consider her a furry. It may be a pleasant, pastoral, almost childish setting, but it deals with all aspects of childhood, from scary or dangerous events you don't understand, to interpersonal conflict, to even stuff as simple as getting sick. It's speaking to me on a level that not many things have before, with its depiction of subtextual, yet healthy and real feeling poly relationships, and real classical feeling adventures and family dynamics. This isn't a word I use much but it's wholesome, yet deep. I know I am only scratching the surface of the moomins and I can't believe it has taken me this long to get into them. I know this is probably fairly incoherent and it is mainly just my initial thoughts on what I have been getting into for the past month or so. I will probably post about it more going forward but just wanted to say something.

[bwoahtastic]

What verses and ideas do you miss?

Oh so many!

First of all any verse where Max is a sub or omega who never found a partner who knew how to handle him (be it because he likes it rough or he needs to be treated so gentle and no one ever understood)

Also kings au with the angst of the arranged marriages and then trying their very best but struggling! And ofc just pretty sweet Omegas in their queen dresses <3

Rule63 I love so so much too! Just bad ass girls racing <3 I just adore it! Especially girl maxy who is shy but getting more confident, nico who is maybe too confident but also emotionally constipated and Seb who just wants to get her tits out aksks

And feral au🥺🥺 feral little bitey pups who show affection their own way! Poor little babies just need love! But also imagine an adult omega being feral and so scared and an Alpha slowly trying to gain their trust not caring about all the times they get scratched up! And didn't we say Val would br feral and lost his pup so he has his moomin stuffie unless he gently steals someone else's pup for a bit sksk

Also abo wolves! I just love the added aspect of wolf forms, i also love non racing aus with thar!

[kuradoberijam]

Any hcs for the Ultra-Family? (Taro, Ken, Marie, Ace, Taiga, Z, and if you're feeling fun Tregear as Taro's partner.)

I mainly have hcs for Marie, Taiga, Taro, and TaroTre so I’ll focus on those with some others sprinkled in.

Marie:

- I feel like because she’s a medic. She also knows a lot about techniques to calm people down and de escalate situations which was very useful as a mom. It also helped stop a lot of sibling fights between Ace and Taro.

- I need to develop more hcs for her, miss Marie I am so sorry.

Ace:

- I like to think Ace is bigender.

Taro:

- He’s an early bird. Insufferably so. He’ll wake up hours before work just to go on a run and make breakfast for everyone before he has to work.

- Certain alien planets are just obsessed with him. Not in the hero idolization way, but in a way that he’s their moomin. There are gift shops of him on these alien planets that sell Fuwas of him amongst other things.

- He says things like “Gee!” And “Wowza!” And “Fiddlesticks!”

- I’m pretty sure he has PTSD but every time he has PTSD nightmares he just says some silly little affirmation to himself in the mirror while crying all, “Don’t cry because it happened, smile because it’s over 😃! (Suffering)”

Taiga:

- He gets the zoomies like crazy. Sometimes when Hiroyuki would work late, Taiga’s projection would dart around the room out of boredom because that boy needs to get his energy out.

- When he’s not around his friends, he cries more about things that have happened to him, like when he fails to save Tregear while going back in time in that one stage play. The one exception is when Hiroyuki nearly died and Homare got shot in episode 19, Taiga’s spirit projection was weepy and would not leave Hiroyuki’s side for the rest of that day.

- If Taiga were a dog he’d be a Pomeranian but don’t tell him that.

- He was a screamy little kid which made things difficult during the holidays because Taiga would scream at Santa (aka his grandpa). He was also very hyper active so with these two things combined, Taro would always have to tell him, “Taiga! Inside voice please!” When Taiga was a kid.

- The Tri Squad/Quatro squad was Taiga’s first friend group. Sure he had friends before, but he always wanted a friend group and got that with Titas, Fuma, and Hiroyuki.

- Taiga would occasionally recover enough power to witness some of Hiroyuki’s developmental milestones. While he didn’t fully watch him grow up, he did experience certain moments of Hiroyuki’s.

Z:

- Z was the opposite of Taiga as a kid which made Ace very relieved. Taiga would be the one to drag the both of them into weird caves in childhood and Z would say, “This is an Ultra bad idea!”

TaroTre:

- Their circadian rhythms are virtually incompatible. Taro is an early bird which means whenever he gets up, Tregear is half asleep clawing at him not to go. Meanwhile Tregear would spend the nights talking to Taro about his “curious hypotheses” meanwhile Taro would be already half asleep.

- Tregear’s always very casually touchy with Taro. When they’re alone together there isn’t a single moment where Tregear isn’t touching Taro in some way. That’s his emotional support stress ball dkskskks.

- In their student days, Tregear used to sneakily leave scented letters in Taro’s locker and would wait around the corner for him to read them. Taro never caught onto the fact that Tregear was the one behind the letters.

- Taro’s love language is cooking so when he and Tregear hung out pre Tregear’s fall, Taro would always cook for him. In a post fall Tregear lives type scenario, not much changes in that regard.

[iminthetunnels]

what are ur feelings on screen time….. i think i already kno hehe

im trying to cut down drastically on it:( but sometimes i just feel like i’m at my capacity… i try my best to provide crafts and all sorts of technology-free activities. he is 21 months old btw.

i’m going to be very open and honest! my son can’t exactly see the tv, so he’s not watching, but he’s listening!! i will put on things for him like moomin. he loves moomin. he loves hearing their voices! i put on moomin audiobooks for him too. i put it on when i need to do something like spray my hair with rosemary and braid it, or brushing my teeth, washing my face, getting dressed. it’s not everyday, i’d say probably 2 times a month i do this. i’ve even put on ms. rachel to help with his talking. i do this when he’s in need of constant interaction and toys/stuffed animals don’t help it.

oh yeah, and his dad lives across the country, so we facetime, and he holds the phone while he talks to dada.

i think balance is key!! u know, i do have harsh opinions about things like cocomelon, paw patrol, mickey mouse and pj masks.. not only does it bother me greatly to hear it, i think these shows use loud music and flashing images on purpose. it gives me, a grown adult, intense anxiety and the feeling to pace LMAO.

i also don’t judge anyone for doing this at all. don’t let my opinions change the way u do things girl. we are all just trying to help our children and also ourselves. because if we don’t take care of ourselves? who will? unless u have a really amazing partner LOL. it’s important i take care of myself in order to take care of my son.

[timomoe]

finny for the blorbo bingo? (not to be predictable but i love the way you draw him sm)

K let's go through this 1 by 1

1. I Don't Trust The Fandom With Him

Alright so idk how long the ppl reading this have been in the fandom but I have been here since 2012 or 2013. Back then, the fandom was absolutely horrendous to Finland. They had this awful habit where they would make him weak, fragile, and hyper femanine, which normally is fine, but they almost always did this because of SuFin. They only did this because of weird stereotypes about gay relationships. They perceived Sweden as the dominant partner and as the top, and Finland as the sub and bottom. This lead a lot of people to call Finland "the woman in the relationship," and this ticked me off so much at the time that not only did I throw canon Finland in the trash, but it very high key lead me to dislike SuFin as a general rule. It also lead me to heavily hc Sweden as submissive in general romantically, while Finland is dominant and outgoing in his relationships. It is getting a lot better nowadays, though, since most of the people in the fandom at that time were children with no idea what they were doing, and were probably just following in the footsteps of older fandom members at the time.

2. If I Could Rescue Him From the Narrative, I Would & I Know Him Better Than the Creator.

I feel this way with about 50% of Hetalia characters. I'm just so attached to the Finland I wrote up in my head. I do like canon Finland (so much that when I came out as trans, I looked at the name I hc him to have, Timo, and said "hey what if that was MY name instead?") and honestly, most of the issues I had with him were a result of the fandom, and - for once - not Himaruya. Finland is a good character, but at the same time... I really really love my gay, trans, burly, one-armed, profane, scar-covered sharpshooter that loves the Moomins and causing problems on purpose.

3. I Would Trust Him With My Drink

This one's pretty simple. I just think Finland would be the kind to watch everyone's drinks and then absolutely demolish anyone he thinks is trying to mess with them. He's a good dude.

[antihibikase-archive]

8 (gonna say also headcanons!!), 15 & 16 for the aro ask game ^_^

HI MAIT thank you for the ask! x]

8. what are some of your favorite arospec characters? this can include characters from popular media or OCs.

I'M TRYING TO THINK OF CANON AROSPEC CHARACTERS BECAUSE <- BAD MEMORY SUPREME

But here are some I recall that I like/some that I heavily headcanon to be arospec!;

Judith from Tales of Vesperia

The DQIX protagonist <3

While I'm at it. Mark/Chelsea from Harvest Moon Island of Happiness + Sunshine Islands. If you play your cards right, you can matchmake everyone else in the island except for yourself + your protagonist's counterpart.

Tome Kurata from MP100

Alisa from Harvest Moon Island of Happiness/Sunshine Islands <- her TOTT incarnation is .. different but well. I still consider her aro <3

And speaking of TOTT- Eileen from HM TOTT!

Jughead from the original Archie comics

I think Michaela from Evillious Chronicles is aro, though she holds a deep love for Clarith, as much as she understands love in a human sense!

Snufkin from the Moomin series..

Speed round! Pokemon characters I consider arospec are; Colress, Emmet, Aurea Juniper, Fennel, Fantina, Jupiter, Cynthia, Valerie, Guzma, Plumeria, Raihan, Oleana.

15. what are some things you associate with arospec identities? i.e. frogs, arrows, white rings, anything the color green, etc.

THIS IS A FUN ONE SINCE. I GENUINELY DON'T KNOW. Much like how arospec experiences are varied and they tend to not be similar, thats .. how I see being arospec is KJSHAJKSAK so the thing I associate with them is the difference in experiences ..

Though I do associate them with the flag colors!

16. do you have any arospec OCs, if so tell us about them?

As for my arospec OCs;

Antihistamine/Anti, my little mascot! They're aro, but not ace!

By extension, Radish (my gym leader sona), since Radish and Anti share a spot of "this is literally my self-insert".

Anti's "uncle" Solmux/Sol, and their granpappy Paracetamol/Para!

Almond Starling, Apricot's twin!

Twins Beta Starling and Alpha Starling...

Koushi Yamamoto/Koko! One of the guys I took inspiration from when making Slater. They're the partner of Anti's sibling, Yanna!

Ryuto Katsuna (a pink-haired punk who evolved from an old AU version of a canon character; he also has a qpr!)

The Blur/Blight incarnations of the Pokemon characters mentioned above, particularly Nikolai Colress, Emmet Graystone, Audrea Juniper, and Fennel Dreamer!

I WILL DEFINITELY SHARE MORE ART/PICTURES OF THEIR MII SELVES IN THE COMING DAYS but <3 Here's Anti, Sol and Para, Radish, Almond (ourple girly next to Apricot), Beta, Alpha, Ryuto, and Nikolai!

[penanggalan]

I want to kind of post a life update, sorry it's mostly embarrassing and depressing lol. TW: sexual abuse, alcoholism, childhood trauma. About 4 years ago, I split up with my ex (who is still my best friend), and for the first time lived totally alone in my own house. I would still often visit my parents just to sleep in a house with someone else in it, as I not only healed from an ended marriage but hated to sleep alone. I reconnected with my first love from high school when he and his friend messaged me out of nowhere, but they turned out to be drunken users who almost dragged me down with them. Their good traits were gone and their bad ones remained on top of deeply disappointing new ones. My best friend rescued me when she came up and saw how bad it was. I was practically sleeping on a sea of empty beer bottles. Then I went home to find that my dearest pet, Eyeball, had to be put down or suffer a painful death from cancer. I had a period of severe depression when things settled down and I had time and quiet to really reflect on everything that had happened. It felt like when you're running from something so hard it's all just pure instinct fueling you past the point of exhaustion, then once the thing chasing you is gone and you realize you're not going to die, your other emotions kick in and you can't stop crying and reliving it. After a short while, the loneliness got to me again and I then invited someone in who physically abused me, and I decided enough was enough, I was done being desperate from loneliness and hating who I was so much I couldn't bear to be alone with myself. So i started focusing more on gardening, my art, and speaking to almost no one other than my parents and best friend. I cried myself to exhaustion every night, until I noticed it wasn't happening so much anymore, and I was able to sleep alone without it feeling like a nightmare for the first time probably in my life. This was a very VERY big deal for me. Even as a kid, I couldn't sleep alone. I slept with my grandma til I was in probably 2nd grade, then lived with my mom and her boyfriend at the time who fought nightly and not even my radio or singing to myself would cover it up. My mom would read to me, and if I'd wake up when she tried to leave, I'd just start crying and she'd have to come back and read more until I was out. I'd often wake up to her boyfriend in my room uninvited, almost every morning, for years. So yeah, I have bad associations with sleeping alone. I'm 38 and I still sometimes get an icky feeling waking up alone, like he'll be there, and I am still in the habit of pretending to be asleep when I first wake up. But yeah, I started actually... healing. It was an odd feeling. I hadn't let myself heal in so long. It was one bad relationship to another. ANYthing to keep from being alone. Then, 2.5 years ago, I "met" someone truly wonderful, and it was completely unexpected. He had been on my friends list on facebook for MANY years, so I knew he was a great person with good morals, but we barely spoke until I got the courage to comment on his Moomin shirt. He's the most grown up, predictable, kind-hearted person I've ever known, and possibly the first person I've ever known to actually work on their issues and show progress with fixing them, though they're nowhere near as problematic as alcoholism or abuse. It's been a slow process since we can't live together, and since moving with my parents to north GA, we're further from each other than ever. And also, my ability to trust has been somewhat obliterated. But we see each other for about a week every month. And I'm working hard on myself, have grown accustomed to living and sleeping without a partner for the better part of the last 3 years, and am almost starting to learn to love myself. I protect myself, I stand up for myself, say no, and don't let people in my life if I feel a bad vibe. For the first time, I feel actually *ready* to start a life with someone. He's been so patient with me. I'm going to see him in Florida in a few days <3

[skruttet]

hmm