#also a relationship does not equal true love because there are kids involved

[ingravinoveritas]

Is it just me or does it seem like Anna doesn’t have anything about Michael on her IG? I think the last thing I saw was when she and Michael went to see David’s play last year. Georgia hasn’t had anything about Michael either lately, but it just seems different. Or I’m reading too much into it. At least Georgia does have David on hers.

Hi there! I know you sent this several days ago and I've been a bit swamped, so apologies for taking so long to answer.

You are not at all reading too much into things, as a lot of what you mentioned is what many of us have noticed over the last few years, too. Anna puts Michael on her Insta when it's convenient/when there is something to sell (their relationship, typically). The most recent thing (before today, at least) was a picture from Mabli's first birthday party in May. Though she also posted this photo in a story on the same day that GO 2 was released (again, something to promote/sell):

This was obviously an old picture (likely taken midway through filming season 2, during the holiday break--so December 2021/January 2022), but it's telling that this is what she chose to post, instead of something new. And this again continues AL's pattern of posting terrible pictures of Michael, where he looks miserable and she looks smug. It seems like he was caught off-guard, too, as if she wanted a picture before he could put on his "game" face. There were so many choices happening here, and I'm genuinely confused by all of them.

Which then brings us today, and the bunch of photos/videos AL just posted for her birthday weekend, to again brag/show her "celebrating" with Michael. She posted multiple things, but I'm going to highlight these two in particular, as they stood out to me:

For those who can't tell, on the left is video of Michael at a parking meter machine, going to pay for parking. AL is making fun of him (again, which she has done multiple times previously), likely in an attempt to mimic the way Georgia pokes fun at David, yet lacking any of the underlying respect or affection that Georgia seems to have for David.

This (and AL's other stories from today) also continue her pattern of filming Michael surreptitiously/from a distance in order to generate content. In the story on the right, Michael is shooting basketballs and AL is standing behind him filming, rather than actually being in the moment, which gives the feeling of her wanting attention for herself more than wanting to enjoy her birthday with Michael. What also struck me about this and the other stories she posted is how cold and distant they seem. Pictures of empty drink glasses, a table, her sitting on the floor alone. The vibes are just completely "off" somehow, in my opinion, and it's noticeable.

What really stands out to me as well is that it doesn't look like either one of them were having that much fun. One thing we can say for certain about Michael and David--whether you ship them or not, whether you think something is going on between them or not--they always have fun together. We see it in the interviews they do, the interactions they have, how both of them are constantly smiling/laughing and there is never the feeling of one person monopolizing the spotlight--it's them, together, genuinely enjoying each other's company. Making each other laugh. And I just don't feel like that is the case with Michael and AL, because what I get from those stories today is a sense of obligation, rather than fun.

(I also think it's very telling and worth noting that in all of the stories AL posted, the only face that is full-on visible is her own...)

So yes, those are my thoughts on Michael being on AL's Insta and these new developments. As I've always said, I could be completely wrong about everything, but the fact that I've been getting more asks and comments about this makes me think others are starting to notice the questionable optics as well...

[dialovers-lover-xoxo]

Ruki's Relationship Alphabet!

Sakamaki Brothers linked at the end!

Under a cut cuz it's long

I hope you enjoy! ❤️

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A - Activities (What activities do you do as a couple with him?)

Ruki enjoys reading together by the fire, kind of like a book club. You read the same chapter using the same book or separate books and then discuss. If you're sharing a book he'll seat you on his lap. He's very reserved with PDA but only the physical kind like kissing or being in his lap. He also teaches you how to ride a horse and you do that together. Even when it's a busy day, he makes time to hold and kiss you at night.

B - Beauty (What physical attribute do they admire about you?)

Ruki likes your face but can restrain from staring. He enjoys touching your hair and plays with it when you're sitting on his lap. He likes your legs and enjoys touching your waist and hips.

C - Comfort (How would they comfort you when you're upset or having a panic attack?)

Ruki handled it surprisingly well. He does the basic shushing noises and suggest you rest but listens and takes note of what you tell him will work and help. He'll calmly get rid of anything he thinks may cause you unease.

D - Dreams (Do they picture a future with you? If so, what does that future look like?)

Oh yes, absolutely. Obviously there's the whole Adam and Eve thing, but in general he likes the idea of a simple and domestic life. After being spoiled growing up he saw that he prefers to keep what he loves close and not be materialistic or over-flashy. He wants a marriage, kids, and his brothers close, all in one mansion.

E - Equal (Are they dominating/dominant in the relationship or passive?)

Ruki is incredibly dominant. Even in a true romantic relationship that will not change. He might occasionally enjoy you being a cheeky, but he will not tolerate what he sees as disrespect or disobedience.

F - Fight (Do they forgive easily? How do they fight?)

Ruki is a prideful man, but notably in later games, he can admit when he's gone too far. Apologizing isn't easy for him and you'd probably have to reach out first but amends will be made. He does not yell or throw or hit. But his low voice still instills fear and it still holds the dominance he's known for.

G - Gratitude (How grateful are they in general? How do they show their gratitude?)

Ruki is a prideful and arrogant man. Gratitude he has is more so being pleased that you're obeying him. He does have gratitude to your love and loyalty and he shows that with reciprocation and thoughtful actions more than he does with words. His words aren't explicit "thank yous" they are "You are what matters to me" and "You have made my life greater"

H - Honesty (Do they share everything with you? If they do keep something from you, why?)

Ruki is an honest man but at the same time he's not above keeping secrets, so long as he believes it's in your best interest or there's simply no reason for you to get involved. He is much more secretive and private regarding Karlheinz.

I - Inspiration (Did they get inspired to change by you? How so?)

Depending on if it's similar to a route where he's no longer loyal to Karlheinz, you've inspired him to remember love and family over all else, and that there are other ways to show appreciation for being alive and safe.

J - Jealousy (Do they get jealous easily? How do they act when they're jealous?)

Not so much jealous as he is simply possessive. Jealousy requires insecurity, a fear that your partner will leave you because they think someone's better. Ruki is certain you love him and are loyal to him, so it's possesiveness more so than it is jealousy. He is very possessive. You generally aren't allowed to talk to other men and your time with women is limited because he simply wants you in his sight at all times. Though he's happy you get along with his brothers and he knows nothing romantic or sexual would ever happen with his brothers and you, in the beginning he didn't like you interacting with them much but now he's fine with and he loves that you're a close family.

K - Kiss (Are they a good kisser? What are their kisses like? What was the first kiss like?)

Oh, yes, he's a very good kisser. Passionate but gentle. He's not a fan of tongue, he considers it sloppy, undignified and just kinda gross. He likes to possesively wrap his arms around your waist or cup your cheek softly. Your first kiss was kind of an experiment for him. He kind of just wanted to kiss you and it was before he had really come to accept romantic feelings.

L - Love Confession (What was their love confession like?)

It was unexpected to both you and him. He didn't blurt it out, he just kinda rambled on about how much he thinks if you and how happy you've made him and how beautiful you are and it just kinda escalated into this long-winded confession of love. He never confessed like "I realized I love you" it was more "You make me feel fulfilled in a way that can only be romantic love."

M - Marriage (Do they want to get married? How would they propose?)

Yes, absolutely. He wants it private so while the two of you tell his brothers the day after (even though they already figured it was coming) it happened in private, like in Ruki's bedroom. On one knee, with a gorgeous ring.

N - Nicknames (What do they call you as a term of endearment? Where did the nickname come from?)

Obviously there's Livestock, but he'll also call you "Love" unless you actually go by a shortened version of your name, he never refers to you by a shortened version of your name.

O - On cloud 9 (What are they like in love? Can other people tell?)

Ruki is a stoic man, but his brothers can tell. Even when he has his cold expression in public, there's a warmth in his eyes when he looks at or talks about you that simply can't be denied. Other people may notice if they pay attention.

P - PDA (Are they shy or upfront about their relationship with you? Will they kiss in public?)

He generally prefers physical PDA to be in private. He doesn't even feel comfortable doing it in front of his brothers, at least not often and not for long. He'll hold your hand and maybe give you a brief possessive kiss.

Q - Quirk (Something random about them that's beneficial in a relationship)

Though he originally did, he grows to not underestimate you. In fact, he has a strong belief in you and trusts you to make decisions, though he trusts himself more and remains pretty controlling

R - Romance (How romantic are they?What is their idea of romance like?)

He is romantic. Jewelry and flowers and always making time for a nice dinner with you. He especially always kisses your hand. Even when he's busy he does small romantic gestures like that.

S - Support (Do they help you reach your goals? Do they believe in you?)

He's very controlling and there will always be a power imbalance because he sees himself as your master, but he can be very supportive and he does truly admire and acknowledge your skills and intelligence so yes.

T - Thrill (Do they like trying new things in a relationship? Or do they prefer routine?)

He likes routine because he simply likes it simple. He's happy with a life with you and his brothers and kids eventually. Maybe a nice honeymoon or vacation for just the two of you.

U - Understanding (How well do they understand you)

He has a very good understanding of you but no one is 100% consistently predictable and because he considers himself to know you perfectly he tends to get more surprised than someone usually would if you act differently due to stress or something like that

V - Value (How important is your relationship to them?)

As important as his brothers. Just like in Dark Fate he originally said you were second to Karlheinz but realized that he was in denial.

W - Wild card (A random fluff headcanon)

He has a really witty sense of humor and loves when you laugh.

X - XOXO (Are they affectionate? Do they like to kiss and cuddle)

Yes, he's a huge snuggler, especially being the big spoon. He also enjoys kissing a lot so he's frequently affectionate.

Y - Yearning (How will they cope when they miss you?)

He's less clingy than other diaboys but there's always a sense of unease when you're not with him. He tries to distract himself or seek comfort in his brothers, mainly Azusa because Azusa is more intuitive and calm about things.

Z - Zeal (Are they willing to go to great lengths for your relationship?)

Yes, without a doubt. Anything.

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Feedback and reblogs are appreciated! ❤️

[lord-astarion]

My favorite Headcanons for Astarion

________________(Non-Romantic Versions) ________________

ヽ( ･∀･)ﾉ_θ彡☆Σ(ノ `Д´)ノ

God of Debauchery, Blood, and Vampirism

He gives into selfishness with intentions to dominate the world (ascended) but it only took a little bit before Ao had a problem with it and shackled Astarion with godhood (and all its rules following a designated portfolio.) (Becoming a god in D&D isn't always a reward.)

BBEG

Alternative of the above. Astarion's intentions to take over Toril don't go completely unnoticed forever. A party gathers under whispers of conspiracy and find them to be true then takes down Astarion the good ol' fashioned D&D way. Though the Bard way is valid, too.

/( .□.)＼ ︵╰(°益°)╯︵ /(.□. /)

________________(Durge Romance Versions) ________________

ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=ε=┌(￣ー￣)┘ ε=┌(;･_･)┘

Ascended Astarion x Redeemed Durge

Main Headcanon. Astarion makes his choice, Durge makes theirs. Power imbalance as spawn but Durge feels safe under Astarion's control. They won't lose control over themselves under their master's guidance. Astarion does not resent his partner and genuinely loves them and after a period of time grows comfortable finally saying so. (Kink fantasy relationship.)

Ascended Astarion x Bhaalspawn

Villainous to its core at its start. Durge becomes absolute, controls the netherbrain and unleashes a horror upon the world. Everyone is under their thrall who has a tadpole, including Astarion. A group of adventurers get involved thanks to Astarion who manages to break free from control somehow. Astarion helps take Bhaalspawn down and goes off to live somewhere quiet and by himself. (Betrayal! Heartbreak! Destroy! End!)

!!Σ(゜ワﾟ⊂)≡≡≡ззз

________________(Tav Romance Versions) ________________

(つ≧▽≦)つ⊂(・ヮ・⊂)

Ascended Astarion x Evil Consort

Basic dark fantasy power couple. Astarion holds parties and Tav locks the door. Enough said.

Healed Astarion x Elven Tav

(Aka; trauma/comfort + fluff) Astarion is convinced to let go of the ritual. He's not happy, though, because he wants to be in the sun again. On his "1st birthday" (1 year after graveyard scene exactly) Tav finds a cure for his Vampirism thanks to a good ol' buddy (Gale) who provides them with a Scroll of True Resurrection. Surprise birthday gift! Astarion becomes a living mortal and lives his years out with his wife with equal lifespans and kids! (Going under the headcanon that Astarion's age unfreezes by that time and continues to age from 39, and that Tav is around 20-30.) (Also meeting the parents. All the fun mortal love life drama.)

Dhampir

Astarion goes through with making Tav a spawn but it doesn't work because she became pregnant. (Vampires in 5e don't shoot blanks, though it's unclear if spawn can, but either way doesn't matter because this is an Ascended hc) They have a half-vampire child (aka dhampir). Some of the other headcanons can be mixed but normally I like to go with Astarion raising a daughter as a single dad and trying to make the world a better place for her.

（⊃≧ω≦(´ω｀*⊂)

[ocil91]

I meant to do this MONTHS ago but I want to talk about the Coven Heads a bit now that they've all shown up at least a bit in Outsiders.

Let's just start with the three at the Glandus Incident.

Mason - Stern Head Witch of the Construction Coven. He's very good at what he does and has a bit of a perfectionist streak. He's a newer Head Witch and is quite proud of the title. He works well enough with the other Head Witches but he's not going to let them boss him around or speak down to him. Which generally puts him at odds with Adrian, Vitimir, Terra, Osran and even Darius.

He's generally a kind person but his strict adherence to his own personal beliefs, combined with being very openly hostile to anyone that he believes is in the wrong don't always make him come across that way.

He is Steve and Matt's father, which hasn't come up in the actual story yet but its a thing that's true. Steve and Matt are half-brothers meaning that they have different mothers, but the same father. He's proud of both of his boys. Does he know Matt is Dual Tracking? Probably not.

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Raine Whispers - We all know and love Raine. An incredibly powerful Bard with an equally strong sense of justice. As a member of the Rebellion, Raine has to pretend like they are part of the Coven Machine, but cannot bring themselves to actually hurt anyone just to keep up appearances.

They are also the leader of the Bards Against the Throne and are fiercely protective of its members. It drives Raine mad listening to Darius making snide comments at their expense. The trio of Bards might not be as strong as Head Witches, but Raine believes fully in their potential and always seeks to nurture that potential.

As a talented actor, Raine pretends to be much more meek around the other Head Witches and Belos himself. With an overbearing presence like Terra always hovering over them, its easy for them to appear more timid and weak.

Speaking of Terra, their relationship to her is pretty simple. They absolutely hate the woman. She has involved herself in their life as far back as high school. She's even constantly vouched for Raine's ability while, in the same breath, infantilizing them. It's led to an overwhelming belief among the Coven Heads that Raine only got the position because of Terra.

However, as much they can't stand her, Raine can't help but feel like a helpless kid in her presence. One day they'll work up the courage to speak the truth directly to her face, but for now...

------------------------

Terra Snapdragon - The ever-confident Head of the Plant Coven. She's held the position for decades now. Every year it is speculated that she'll finally retire and name her replacement but it never happens. Terra intends to hold firmly onto the role until she finally gets what she deserves. And to that end, everything is fair game. There's nothing too cruel or too petty.

Her age and experience put her a notch above even her peers. Despite her age her magical power hasn't weakened at all, even if her body has a bit. She looks down on pretty much everyone, viewing herself as the most skilled, most powerful, most beautiful, most... everything.

With the exception of Raine, she doesn't really get along with anyone. The others are either too young to be taken seriously or too weak for her to even consider listening to.

She even views herself as superior to Belos. She acknowledges his position in the world, but thinks of him as a lowly brute who she can effortlessly manipulate into doing what she wants.

Her relationship to Raine is more complicated than she'd like. Having never had any kids of her own, she legitimately views Raine Whispers as her legacy. This bright-eyed and endlessly talented kid who she took under her wing and boosted up to the very top! She will do whatever it takes to keep Raine on the right path and protect them... in her own ways.

However, any care she has for Raine is ultimately swaddled by her own selfishness. The core of the matter is that she views Raine as an extension of her own prowess and ability so, truthfully, her grip on them is just her trying to puff herself up further. Not that she sees it that way.

[darlingkirstein]

Rhaenyra (HotD)! I kinda want to ask every item, but if it's too much, then please 1-5 and 19-25.

+ 26: Was she the rightful queen? Did she have a right to the throne?

RHAENYRA <33 😿🩷 another one of my favs

1. Why do you like or dislike this character?

i admire her a great deal for having the courage to face all the scrutiny and deal with the pressure of being a female named heir. she unashamedly adores her children and places the realm before herself. she doesn't want war, really above all i think she just wants her father's approval 😿 idk she deserved to live a happy life eating cake with laena and alicent and all the girls

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

this entire scene. this moment.

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

i almost do wish she admitted to the boys being harwin's children because viserys surely would've legitimized them?? which i think could've solved some problems? but equally would've created a few new ones in their stead so im not sure 😭 idk shes a woman living in a medieval time she did what she had to do!!!!

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

she deserves a fairytale, something happy. and since it's my favorite, i'll say tangled??

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

imagining this with her kids 😿😿

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

feeling pressure to please everyone 💔 also the way she was rather snarky and bold as a teenager but mellowed out as she got older and matured

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

literally whenever someone says after luke's death that they support all her choices 🙏🙏

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

calling her misogynistic insults 😵‍💫

9. Could you be roommates with this character?

yes :)) as long as syrax doesn't make a mess

10. Could you be best friends with this character?

YES!!! i would adore that 🩷😿

11. Would you date this character?

yes please <3 although there's a lot of family drama involved with her so would have to get used to that REAL quick

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

i love imagining rhae having a daughter and getting to spoil her with pretty baby clothes.... i think that's something she would've loved

13. What's an emoji, an emoticon and/or any symbol that reminds you of this character or you think the character would use a lot?

👑 the crown for the one true queen <33

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character.

still so unfamiliar with fashion but literally anything where she gets to wear pretty dresses all the time — she's the realm's delight after all!!!! give her all the jewelry and clothes she desires 😿

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

probably her and laena?? but that's mostly from fire and blood because the show really diminishes laena's role pretty heavily!!

"She [Princess Rhaenyra] became fond and more than fond of her good-sister Lady Laena."

in the show i really enjoyed the brief glimpses we got into her relationship with harwin:))

16. What's your least favorite ship for this character?

rhaegon! i just hate aegon LMAO

17. What's a ship for this character you don't hate but it's not your favorite that you're fine with?

show-specific rhaenicent! i hate it from a book perspective but i think from the show perspective, i definitely understand the shipping potential even if i don't personally engage with it!

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

her kids!!!! such a good momma and you can tell by the way they respect her 😿😿 she's so affectionate for them and rhae's reaction to finding out about luke was one of my favorite scenes in the entire show — perfection!

19. How about a relationship they have in canon that you don't like?

her relationship with rhaenys is kinda weird in the show. like i cannot tell if rhaenys likes her or not? i feel like it wasn't like that in f&b but i have to reread — and maybe s2 will change things?

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

LAENA!!!! they'd be so sweet together 😿 and they were very close i just adore them

21. If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

i havent written much for hotd/f&b and haven't written rhaenyra (though i have thought about it!!!!) but i think it would be neat to explore her inner thoughts. you can see a lot of pressure coming onto her from many sides and i think exploring her psyche would be interesting! 🫶

22. If you're a fic reader, what's something you like in fics when it comes to ths character? Something you don't like?

i dont read fics!!!

23. Favorite picture of this character?

have always been obsessed with rhae in this still from her wedding (mostly because im obsessed with emma's nose 🥴🩷🫶. they're so pretty). one thing about rhae, she'll look wonderful at her wedding (even if the wedding itself sucks)

24. What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them?

i mean really she reminds me of her descendant daenerys!! 😿 a queen in her own right — facing challenges for her sex but still fighting. i think they would be equally proud of each other. rhae would really admire dany for what she's done.

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

have always loved her, ever since reading f&b!!! i support rhae's rights and her (non-existent) wrongs 🫶👑🩷 long live the queen!!!

26. FREEBIE QUESTION!!

naturally biased because TEAM BLACK!! 🐉🖤 but i do think yes. her father named her heir, and as the king that should've been enough!! fuck precedence — it should've been rhaenys at the great council but they could've rectified that error with rhaenyra. her father's oath never wavered and he always wanted her to succeed him. jaehaerys i u disappointed me so hard....

[wastewaifs]

aged between 36-42

set in The Epilogue

ruth, along with funke, plays a vital role in the freek break-out from The Badlands and is part of the group that spearheads the subsequent freek uprising. just like funke, she ends up spending some time behind bars for it. her story catches the attention of two criminal defense lawyers with ties to the freek community; they not only free her and funke, but involve her in defining a legal and protected space for freekz in society.

ruth lands a job in the government equality office/office of civil rights and works her way up to becoming a chief representative for the freek community. this can all be traced back to her work in implementing, developing and overseeing the Assimilation Scheme. the AS will always be very close to heart, and even though she could delegate certain duties to assistants, she continues to personally manage the AS.

she also helps to award the freek diner with a historical status so now they never need to pay rent!

she's making (more than) enough for her to live on, especially because living with funke changed her perspective on what she actually needs to live comfortably and happily. this includes living in an apartment that does not have a shower in the middle of the kitchen.

she lives in the same building as funke. they tried living in separate buildings; it didn't work, she missed him too much. he also needs her there to stick up for him when the inevitable complaints roll in from new tenants about his smell.

sometimes after a tough shift at work or whenever her anxiety and/or OCD is playing up, funke has to come and sleep in her bed again. if she has a partner/wife in this verse they must be understanding of this.

ruthie is either killing it as a single mom of two older-ish adopted kids, or in a long-term relationship with a woman, who may be magda (@sourwit) depending on if it's a verse within a verse :)

has won TWO boxing championships so far and teaches classes at the same community centre she trained at back in she and funke's old neighbourhood.

the sneezing is still as unpredictable and hazardous as it was before. that's never going to change. it's sneezing. however she HAS mastered smelling the future. it's fucking weird.

because lye asked: her mom dies in her early 30s, around about the time when she's in prison; her dad dies when she's in her 50s. she grieves. she grieves for herself and how things were supposed to have been. she started thinking of herself as an orphan a long long time ago. the only difference now is that everyone else thinks of her that way, too.

aged between 37-43

set in The Epilogue

following the break-out/uprising/prison/being released from prison, funke literally farts around for a while and provides emotional support for his beloved ruthie. the Assimilation Scheme was in its infancy when ruth got her government job. funke was ruth's guinea pig, and became the Scheme's first success story. the funke grew up to be a garbage man! aka an official city worker protected by a wonderful union. it's a dream come true!

part of his training involved familiarizing himself with the dos and don'ts of recycling, and for some reason this turned into a hyperfixation. he is inordinately passionate about recycling. more than that, he LOVES getting to wear overalls every shift. that's one of the perks of the job. his affable nature and (surprising) integrity win over his co-workers, as well as his inability to be offended by even the most rotten of stenches, but they rarely if ever let him ride in the inside of the truck. he always has to ride on the back, exposed to the elements, which is fine. a little insect in your mouth never hurt no one. funke LOVES providing a service for The People. he really does feel so fulfilled by what he does.

ruth manages his money for him. he lives in a very modest two bedroom apartment which he thinks is way too spacious, and everything is too far apart. ruthie thinks it's just fine.

no more sideburns.... 😢 but still donning his punk rock collar with the wee padlock charm :)

he starts treatment for his kleptomania (thanks to ruth)! he has stolen so many things from his therapist and she doesn't even know. he's going to tell her soon. he promises.

no longer pot dealer, but still smoking a lot of pot. still needlepointing. would like to teach a class on this, ala ruthie with the boxing. loves video games. still loves riding his bike, even though he doesn't make any deliveries anymore. is really into farmer's markets. have you ever had unpasteurized milk? funke is going to get you some unpasteurized milk.

he's even more of a socialist than he was before.

funke is either a single man for the rest of his life, or married/committed to beck (@vitalphenomena) depending on if it's a verse within a verse. but he always has a family with his ruthie, and he is a beloved funkle (an uncle who is funke) to her children. funke is the only male influence they're allowed to have. it's all they need really.

funke WAS there when all the history was being made and contributed just as much as ruthie, but he doesn't get much credit for it, although people definitely know who he is. it's just so hard to idolize a stinky fart man if i'm being honest. but the real ones know

the smell has gotten worse as he's gotten older. so much worse, somehow.

because lye asked: nona dies when funke's in his mid-to-late 50s :( he was her one and only; it devastates him. he has no siblings to share in their grief. nona was SO proud of him until the very very end. his aunt chiara, aunt linda and aunt paula are the only ones left at that point, and each of their passings feels like losing his mom all over again. ruthie takes good care of him. she promised nona she would. nona knew ruthie was the best thing that could've happened to funke, and she made sure ruth knew that. ruth grieved for her more than she grieved for her own mother.

[warningsine]

Some things here.

Debbie says "Mark owes me for the rest of his natural life," but does not extend the same punishment to Ruth, because she's already forgiven her. (See how in the previous episode, she encouraged Ruth to play her own role, the main heroine of their show, when for a whole year Ruth had been playing the cartoonish villain in Debbie's story.)

She actually listens to Ruth's advice about Randy.

Not only she brings her kid to Vegas, but when she wants to go out on a date and needs a babysitter, she goes to Ruth and not to any of the other ladies. (I'm sure Tamme or Cherry or Dawn and Stacey or even Sheila would have offered to help her.)

And that's because she listened to Ruth's "I think I avoid talking about Randy."

It's Debbie's way of saying,"I trust you now, Ruth, and I've forgiven you. I want you to be involved in this important part of my life too. I want you to have a relationship with my child."

When she comes back from her date, she finds Ruth asleep in her room. Debbie does not wake her up or take Randy and go to her own room, she only watches her sleep and then tries to relax too.

Moving on.

In 3x06, we also hear Debbie say, "I hate all of them. Men." And she actually goes on an angry rant about how all guys (including her ex-husband, including the younger jocks--whose first names she didn't bother learning--she fucked) suck--how the patriarchy sucks and limits both hers and Ruth's (professional) options.

While we're at this, it's interesting that Debbie only considers seriously dating someone (Tex) after Ruth confesses that she loves Sam. And she literally makes incredulous faces (that Ruth can't see in the dark) and goes "What?!" twice during that particular discussion.

(She did the same thing after she saw post-coital Ruth seem happy with Russell. "Welp, you're moving on. So now I guess I need to start dating too." That's how she ended up having meaningless one-night stands with those valets. Remember her s1 confession to Cherry that sex with that male wrestler wasn't good for her, because there was no emotional connection? There are hints that something similar happened with those valets. When she found herself in Cherry's room in order to scold her, she let that valet waiting outside and didn't give a shit about going back to him and starting their session. Instead, she stayed to listen to Cherry's personal problems. She got high with Cherry and admitted that her life would have been much easier if she had never gotten married and had a kid.)

She still advises Ruth to go after him [Sam] though, because she loves her and wants her to be happy.

Moving on again.

Turns out that Debbie's "all men suck" sentiment comes true for her again.

Tex seems nice and not a bigot (again, interesting how she lies to the guy that's interested in her, because she wants to help a gay man with his AIDS fundraiser and goes there crossdressed/in a Marlene Dietrich suit) and non-threatening. (So did Mark.)

And yet, it turns out that even Tex doesn't really see her as an equal.

For one thing, he doesn't respect her work (the wrestling part).

For another, when they have a discussion about how actors don't have agency/power (she naturally can't help but think of and mention Ruth), he basically tells her, "Well, my work is dirty and you need to stay away from it. You'll never be my business partner, you're gonna be my wife." He makes it clear in that moment that he wants a younger beautiful/charming trophy wife for his business meetings. Debbie seems like she's drowning again (like when she was Mark's housewife) when he asks her about his ties.

That's clearly when Debbie decides to ruthlessly and unapologetically backstab him and dump him--especially after Ruth gives her that "wake up, Debbie, you're talking about wanting bigger things, but not doing anything to get them" call/talk.

The actress went a step further. She said that Debbie's attraction to him was based on her desire to become him: wealthy and powerful. She was flattered, because he made her feel wanted and sexy. (It's hard to miss how much Debbie craves constant validation, what with her huge insecurities.) Also see here: Ruth's "he's fun, easy and he likes me" about Russell.

But what does she need from a partner? And why can she never find it?

Debbie needs someone who respects and admires her, but doesn't hesitate to call her out on her bullshit when needed. Someone that can't be scared away by her greed and anger. Someone that makes her feel good about her body without objectifying her/treating her like a blow up doll. Someone who loves and accepts her the way she is, flaws and all. Someone who's good with her kid, whom she loves. Someone who encourages her to chase her dreams and ambitions. Someone who's her equal in every single aspect and makes her a better person. Someone that sees through her when she lies to herself. Someone who understands her "better than anyone."

Hm. That someone already exists though. Maybe Debbie doesn't need a husband, after all, but a wife.

Not just a random wife either. She needs Ruth.

Even when she chases her through an airport terminal, because she can't wait two weeks to tell her that she's going to build a straight men free "Eden" for both of them, she doesn't seem to realize what the nature of her feelings for her best friend are. She only knows that she loves her a lot and that she needs to give her a warm hug (a la 1x01 before the betrayal) before they separate for the holidays.

And then Ruth rejects her (always the heartbreaker), and that finally seems to do the trick. (For Debbie, at least. I think Ruth would only dare go there if Debbie made her intentions clear first.)

"Oh. I can accomplish these things, but I can't--do not want to do them without the love of my life by my side. Because the most powerful thing I ever did was loving her." [paraphrasing the actress]

There goes the lightbulb. [cliffhangery ending]

(Before I forget: fuck you, Netflix!)

In season 3, they fully resume their close friendship, but both of them fail to notice how different their dynamic is to the one they had during their pre-Markgate era.

(Their relationship used to be intense for all the wrong reasons. Jealousy, inferiority complex, lies, lack of communication. Then again, maybe the unresolved sexual tension has always been there and complicated things.)

Like, sure, they're both in a different place and have grown as people. Ruth doesn't take Debbie's shit anymore, Debbie now knows how to treat her better and be there for her in return etc.

But there are also some strong romantic undertones there that even the men in their lives can't diminish or dismiss.

As Liz Flahive said, these two were the actual will-they-won't they of the series.

[mcalhenwrites]

Spoilers for (all of) Seasons below, I'm just rambling bc it has been a very difficult night, and I can't seem to get any reading or work done. :(

I'm thinking a lot about favoritism in the Liddell family. Back on the old anon Seasons blog, there was an ask about this, and I recall saying that neither father thinks he plays favorites with the children. Or rather, I think Vivian knows but denies it to some extent. Vivian knows playing favorites is harmful, but he does it anyway and figures if he at least demonstrates that he loves the children through ritualistic practices (bedtime kisses and whatnot), surely it shows that he cares about all of them. And he does, in a way, it's just that that way is different, and it isn't tailored to the children. It isn't making sure Howie gets to play sports while he ensures El always has reading materials and Bee gets new dollhouse pieces. It's down to what he wants from the children and whether or not they provide it alongside already established biases. Howie isn't wrong that Vivian did once adore him. He was a cute baby full of silly ideas about the world, and that was all charming until it became apparent he wanted more. As children always do. That he has a distinct personality. As children always do. Then there's Graham, who can somehow convince the kids that they're all loved, but he spends the most time with Bee, puts the most expectations on El, and forgets to put aside sufficient bonding time with the oldest two children that doesn't end up also involving Bee. But it looks like Bee's just the most demanding due to his small age. Which is only partially true. Graham still fails at providing necessary father-child time with his other kids. Then you have Shannon and Sophie, who are directly opposites at a different time: the least favorite and the absolute favorite for Vivian, but both cared for pretty equally by Graham. Graham did try to verbally defend Shannon, but he never stuck up for him, never physically interfered with Vivian's abuse. He has regrets about that, and he didn't necessarily want to have any children after Shannon. But Vivian went and had Sophie and later El, and Graham was talked into the last two. (In a way, it was because of El's loneliness that he accepted it, plus Vivian treated Sophie and El so much differently that Graham thought it would be better this time.) I think with a better partner and the ability to heal from his own bad relationships with his parents, Graham might have been a better parent. I also think Graham neglects El most of all. He's the reliable middle child, even though he doesn't know this and thinks it's just that he's the oldest. Which, there is that too. He's the oldest of the youngest three. He probably also harbors guilt about manipulating El into forgetting Sophie. I do wonder what might've changed if they'd all been raised together, with less of an age gap between Shannon, Sophie, and El. Like... how might that have gone? I love that I can tell a painful story, but it has a lot of what ifs that I can explore. I'm terrible at doing that in fandom - looking for all these "what if" possibilities and thinking of a million things. It's fun to do it with my own stories sometimes too :'D

[mystalwartheart]

Something else I think about a lot when it comes to Jill and romance is reciprocity.

In a healthy relationship, all parties involved should be willing and able to take care of each other equally. We all have our old wounds and we all need TLC, but if we find ourselves in a situation where we're spending most of our time attending to someone else's pain while they're doing nothing or very little about our own, that's a lopsided and destructive dynamic.

I have to say it. It's almost a cliché at this point to reiterate how it's not a woman's job to fix a broken man (and any additional genderfluid permutations of this), but it does need to be said.

There is a trend I've noticed in some (not all, and maybe not even most) portrayals of the Jill/Chris relationship that Chris is a shattered man barely holding on because of what he's been through over his life, but Jill is the one who can soothe and heal him and remind him of his humanity. It's enough of a theme that when Death Island tried to invert it the result felt weird and out of character for them both.

Jill's been through the ringer just as much as Chris has, if not more so, regardless of whether or not you follow canon or my divergent biography for her. And the portrayals of Jill I gravitate to, and that I've based mine on, show her handling it in a far healthier way: She has her wounds and her scars, but she's still alive. She keeps coming back to do what she's devoted to, and more or less takes life in stride.

But that doesn't mean she doesn't need love and softness. Even the strongest of us still need a safe space to be vulnerable. She has her own needs that must be met, and I have healthy doubts that most portrayals of Chris I come across in canon or fandom would be capable of meeting them. And that just wouldn't be fair to Jill.

That's also partly, I think, why my story has ended up the way it has. Chris certainly could be the person Jill needs: He absolutely has it in him, and I'm always down to ship my Jill with any Chris who recognizes this. But that self-destructiveness has unfortunately become a huge part of the canon character and derived portrayals over the years, even if the endings of neither Resident Evil (1996) nor Resident Evil (2002) necessarily imply that's the road he's destined to go down.

This is something that's built into Ashley's character by default though: It's simply part of who she is as a person that's established as early as Resident Evil 4 (2005), and Resident Evil 4 (2023) more or less makes it her entire character arc. Her relationship with Leon is almost the complete opposite of the unhealthy Valenfield takes: Ashley spends the entire game practically throwing herself at Leon, begging him to let her help him and take care of him. She's afraid she can't do much, because she's a scared and traumatized kid, but she recognizes the severity and desperation of the situation they're in and still wants to do what she can.

She knows what she has to do when the chips are down, and that's what makes her a true Survivor.

Leon though, brushes her off at almost every opportunity, only relenting in the emotional climax where she saves them both from Las Plagas (and again, this is elabourated on in RE4make when there are a number of puzzles Leon and Ashley have to solve together). Leon has his own special cocktail of self-destructive traits, but I'm going off on a tangent: The point is, Ashley would do the same for Jill if she were in that situation with her, and Jill would immediately pick up on and be receptive to that.

It might even be novel and unexpected enough for Jill to momentarily wrongfoot her: She likely wouldn't have been used to that kind of treatment, at least on this team. Ashley's pure care, concern and affection takes a decidedly different tone to Chris' overprotectiveness or the professional camaraderie and loyalty of O'Brian, Billy and Rebecca.

[alyjojo]

Love Reading 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 - November 2022 - Libra

Singles:

Overall energy: 9 Cups

How you will meet: 4 Pentacles

How they will treat you: The Star

Long-term Potential: 8 Cups & Page of Wands

You’re not really into this person at all, and they don’t seem to be that into you. You indulge the connection for a minute, could be someone you meet casually, but it doesn’t even get passed talking most likely. You’re happy with or without them, and they aren’t the kind of person that’s going to fight for you, or put in whatever effort you’re expecting, which is clearly an issue for you. You want what you want. You’re probably not all that open to love period, whether it’s them or someone else, you’re pretty resistant to the idea of them even liking you. I’m not sure they do out loud. 9 Cups & The Star could show they think you’re a dream come true, they could have a huge crush, but they either don’t tell you that, or they think you’re like…pretty from afar, but an asshole up close.

Long term potential is moot, you’ll be moving away from any communication with this person and just staying on your own for awhile, mulling over your other options.

Messages -

Their side:

- Selfish

- Too many people involved

Your side:

- Sibling drama

- Similar Values

Signs you may be dealing with:

Pisces, Aquarius & Capricorn

Couples:

Overall energy: 6 Pentacles

Current: Page of Pentacles

Challenge: 3 Cups

Potential: Knight of Swords

With all four mutable signs being dominant in this reading, you could have these in your chart. Or your person does, and they could come off as “superficial” to you, because they are flexible, adaptable, and changeable. Mutable signs keep up with the times, they’re always learning, always changing, always adapting to the circumstances around them. That doesn’t make them lack definition, it makes them fun and interesting to talk to. They can also be inconsistent and unreliable, which can be frustrating. For mutable signs, it’s their right to change their mind, and they may do so frequently. Some may be like literal chameleons depending on who they’re around, they’re the easiest to influence but also very hard to manipulate because they can’t tolerate just one viewpoint, hobby, or way of being for too long. They’re forever restless & curious, the teachers and students of life, which may seem “childish” to some, and it’s true that these signs never fully “grow out of” their youthful spirits.

These people in your life may actually be children, there are a lot of pages and knights here. The relationship between you and your person seem solid, there is equal give and take between you, 10 Pentacles, and patience & love where the other is concerned. If anything, you’re probably dealing with kids, friends, or family matters. All is possible, but it’s not you two. There’s an apology here to or from someone that’s gone through a betrayal in love, they’re talking with you about this. Your challenge is reuniting happily, trying to keep the peace and maneuver & adapt your life around whatever sadness has occurred. With the holidays coming, you’re giving everything you’ve got to those you love, and you’re trying to be supportive, probably giving gifts and doing things how they’re always done. The potential is you possibly being kinda cutting with your communication and truths about this person and their love relationship. Maybe seeming a bit insensitive. You could just not like this person’s person and that’s that. Or how this person is generally, which may be who they are at their core, not a behavior kind of thing. Be careful of how you say things. Love people for who they are, or don’t. Other than that, seems like typical holiday chaos, but your relationship seems to be doing very well. You may be the one with the emotional depth, the one being thoughtful, the one diving deep into these chats and truths, your person seems kinda disconnected from all of this and more focused on themselves, for most of you.

Side story: it’s possible you’re opening up to friends and family about your own relationship betrayals and love gone wrong, speaking your truth to the people you care about. If so, you have their full support. If you’ve split from your person, they may be trying to apologize, if so, it doesn’t look like that’s what you want.

Messages -

Their side:

- Gorgeous

- Superficial

Your side:

- Long-Term Potential

- Short Hair

Oracles -

Their side: You don’t innately have the inclination to do bad things, but when they inadvertently happen, try not to blame yourself.

Your side: Animals are the most perfect of God’s creations and deserve your unconditional love.

Money doesn’t make you happy. It is the good you do with it that brings you joy.

Signs you may be dealing with:

Virgo, Pisces, Sagittarius & Gemini

[ingravinoveritas]

Have you seen Anna’s latest photo of her and Michael? Doesn’t Michael look so sad and tired? I feel like the whole vibe is just like they’ve just had a fight and are trying to keep it together for the camera, and the kids.

Hello, Anon. I did indeed see the picture that Anna posted last week, and it's honestly hard to know where to begin. First, let's get a visual up, for anyone who hasn't yet seen it:

What I first thought of when seeing this pic was, "How does this even look like a night out?" They're posed against a blank blue wall that gives no context as to where they are or how this has anything to do with a night out. But what came to mind next was that AL posted this specifically because she wanted the same thing that Georgia got when she posted a picture of her and David in an Insta story earlier in the week, which is to have people sharing it all over Twitter and gushing about her and Michael being "couple goals."

The problem, though, is that in the pictures Georgia posts, David at least does not look like he is being held hostage in them. It's that even though those pictures may be posed, Georgia is very adept at being subtle and making them look spontaneous. AL, however, is not...and the harder she tries to make her and Michael's relationship look like Georgia and David's, the more obvious it is that it's not.

What truly confounds me is that we're expected to believe Michael is happy in that picture, especially when we look at it side-by-side with this picture that was taken just one day prior:

When I look at the picture on the left, to me, that is the real Michael Sheen--the man who loves being out in the community and meeting people. In the picture on the right, that is Michael playing a role, the version of himself that exists in AL's fantasy/idea of what their relationship is...but it's clearly not a role he believes in (the difference is particularly visible in his eyes, which are sparkling and bright in the picture on the left, in stark contrast to how dull and lifeless they are on the right). And the thing for me is, if Michael doesn't believe in that role, then why should any of us? It just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.

Overall, though, it's just...really a terrible picture? Even the composition of it next to the picture on the left is so strange, because they're both selfies, yet Michael looks so subdued in the picture with her--perhaps that sad/tired vibe that you were describing, Anon. AL clearly had agency over when/where that picture was taken, and yet she still chose to post it. There were so many choices being made here, and it's sort of mind-boggling to me how astoundingly bad a lot of them were.

To make matters even worse, just a few days later, it came to light that the big "night out" was them going to see a play at a community theater in Swansea, and Michael meeting with people from a charity that he supports, Adferiad Recovery:

Yet there was no reference made to any of this in AL's Insta post--not of the play, nor of the charity of which Michael is a patron, and which she could've easily mentioned. If this was in fact the night out in question, it makes it seem like she was using him for PR and making his work about her. It also seems like she had no problem being purposely misleading about what happened while showing how little she cares about his charity work in the process.

The sad thing is, this isn't even the first time she's done this. In the week before the Insta post, it came to my attention that AL retweeted two of Michael's Mab Gwalia videos, and immediately followed that with a retweet of this:

For those who may not have keyed into the meaning behind the acorn emojis in the caption, Anna seems to be bragging about Michael staring at her tits. (Though personally that is not even remotely close to my interpretation of this picture.) Painfully unfunny, and embarrassing as all get-out to boot. So she retweets the videos of his charity for PR, but it's when she retweets this picture and writes in her own voice that her true nature comes to light, which seems to involve not caring how bad she makes him look.

When the Insta picture was posted, I had several people DMing me about it, so I'd like to wrap this up by sharing a few things that were said, as I think they perfectly sum up what my feelings are. One person said to me that Michael and AL "can’t achieve the same look of happiness together as they can apart" and that "the weird distance" between them "is always present." I'm just not getting "couple" energy from them in that picture, and if Anna's reason for posting it was to convey that, I'd say she achieved the opposite effect instead.

The other thing I'd like to share comes from @thetardisisblueandroseistoo, in response to the fans who did share the picture on Twitter (though I didn't see it on any other social media channels, strangely enough) and who have gushed over Michael and AL as "couple goals":

"[...]All four people [Michael, AL, David, Georgia] are "couple goals" because they're presenting as straight, white, and monogamous. They are comfortable to consume and stan when presented like that. But if you pause and think maybe David and Georgia are open, David is very probably at least bi, Anna is collateral, and Michael is a serial womanizer that fell in love with his married male co-star, that's a lot less comfortable to think about. Fans project onto them, but instead of these people having the same problems that "normal people" have, they evidently have no problems at all. They're projecting an idea of infallibility onto all of them."

As anyone who follows my blog knows, I ardently ship Michael and David. But when I talk about their relationship, it's always from the perspective of what might be, and what seems probable from what has been publicly presented. Do I also discuss fantasies involving the two of them? Absolutely. But (I hope, anyway) that distinction between reality and fantasy is clear, whereas I don't see that at all in the people who vigorously defend Michael and AL's relationship. These fans see what they want to be true of that relationship, rather than discussing the reality of what the situation might actually be.

My aim in having these conversations on my blog and answering these Anons is to let people know that it's okay to ask these questions. It's okay to see Michael and David (and AL and Georgia) as human beings, instead of as "perfect" or "flawless." And it's okay for us to be honest about what we are seeing, especially when pictures like this are posted and stand out to so many of us for all the wrong reasons.

So those are my thoughts on the picture from last week. How accurate (or not) I may be in my observations, who knows. But I think it speaks volumes that more and more people seem to be noticing the marked difference in Michael's appearance and expression in pictures with AL versus with other people, and how that does not seem to bode well for their relationship. I guess we'll just have to see what happens...

[winchesterwhorehouse]

This isn’t me calling anyone out, just an observation about the fandom: we often mislabel enmeshment as “codependency.” Pop culture already does this, as does the show itself, so I don’t blame anyone for confusing the terms.

True codependency is a relationship dynamic with a very clear savior figure who “helps” (enables) someone with an untreated addiction, mental illness, etc. to their own detriment. The rescuee monopolizes the savior’s emotional labor without a real desire to change their behavior or take responsibility for themselves. The entire relationship hinges on the rescuee’s Big Problem(s). It’s an unstable person taking advantage of a people-pleaser whose self-esteem hinges on the care they give. It’s the girl from 50 Shades of Grey trying to reform and save her emotionally troubled boyfriend. Enmeshment, meanwhile, is a sort of “fusing” that is generally unhealthy but largely EQUAL. Sibling enmeshment is also called “emotional incest” by social workers. Which is why Wincest really IS canon! Emotionally speaking, it’s canon! Sibling enmeshment is sleeping in a car together as adults, knowing very intimate details about each other’s inner lives (and sex lives lol), being possessive, fearing abandonment, thinking in terms of “we” instead of being an individual, requiring the presence of the other to be soothed, the list goes on. It shows up in siblings who have experienced deep trauma together as children. So. Sam & Dean. Deeply enmeshed!

First of all ily for this ask, it has to be the most interesting thing in my askbox since I joined tumblr. Now

Taking the common points, personal boundaries are blurred and permeable. Sam and Dean fit this description in particular because of their clear lack of the same

Like here

Dean barges in when Sam's in the restroom. That's probably understandable as kids but for adults? I'm not so sure

(also this) And this is only just their physical lack of boundaries but we know it goes beyond that

From the other signs of enmeshment, one that was particularly fitting was

Finding it comforting that the other person thinks and acts like you or shares the same interests and worldviews as you

This is Dean's attitude towards Sam in a nutshell. He needs the reassurance that Sam's thought process and reasoning is entirely like his. He hates the idea of Sam being independent and immediately falls "lonely" even though there might be people (his own father) around him all the time, which goes right along with these other signs

• Finding it difficult to have alone time, including both mental and physical space

• Feeling threatened by the other person's dreams, desires, or wishes, especially if they don't involve you

[4.21]

SAM: Just listen for a second. We got a lead on a demon close to Lilith. Come with us, Dean. We'll do this together

DEAN: That sounds great. As long as it's you and me. Demon bitch is a dealbreaker. You kiss her goodbye, we can go right now

Feeling guilt or shame when advocating for yourself

Sam apologises for "leaving" Dean in purgatory and carrying on with his life with Amelia

He has time and again expressed his guilt for going off to college rather than following his father's orders and staying behind with Dean

He blames himself for the apocalypse and feels like he let Dean down ["You want to know what I confessed in there? What my greatest sin was? It was how many times I let you down"]

Enjoying the other person's closeness or dependency on you

In a town where other victims were lured to death by a siren presenting itself as one of their best fantasies, Dean's siren took the place of an admiring, idolizing little brother who'd follow his every say. He loves the idea of blind faith from his brother

Basically, from what I can see, enmeshment is stronger, unhealthier, more devoted, more fucked up and yes! It is more fitting to the Winchester brothers

Codependency means over-reliance on your partner but enmeshment means you don't see a partner, instead your identities become one. You sort of interwine among yourselves which Sam and Dean clearly do--

what's mine is yours, what I think of, you'll know, my body? yours, our souls? connected, my happiness? you

Like you mentioned, it's fusion and while it's fucked to the core I LOVE IT

[manikas-whims]

Recently, I'm seeing a rise in the most awful misinterpretations of some characters in Six of Crows, so I'm gonna address how wrong they are.

Before I start: if you haven't said any of what I'm going to mention here, then it means I'm not pointing fingers at you. Don't take offense for something you didn't do.

Now I'm gonna try to keep it as short as possible...

Part 1

"I don't think Inej loves Kaz." "Inej doesn't love Kaz as much as he does her." "Inej is ignorant." bla bla bla...

A cousin of mine (15 yo) read the books and said the same things as above.

I asked her what does love mean to her and she responded it meant "two people showing their emotions by acts like kisses, cuddles, etc." and "by being together with that person by the end of the story".

Obviously, that's not all to love. Younger audiences tend to not take note of the faint nuances the same way grownups do. Its just like watching disney movies and only later realising the ambiguous meanings in certain dialogues. But we can't simply say that age plays a major factor here.

While SoC is a YA novel and aimed for age groups 13-17 mostly, many adults enjoy the books.

I myself read the books this year (23 yo) and my perception of love is different from my cousin's. Love isn't simply an emotion or feeling or gestures. LOVE IS WORK. It requires both the parties involved to put in equal effort.

And so, when Inej says "I will have you without armor." , she isn't being ignorant at all. She does mean it in the literal sense. But also more than that. Inej is an honest person and says whats on her mind freely. She expects the same honesty in return. She says this dialogue because while Kaz seems to know a good amount about her— her full real name, how she was taken to Ketterdam and sold to Tante Heleen, etc. Inej knows nothing about him, not even his real name. The first thing she learns about him is that he had a brother and a vague "i had a lot of things."

And even with things Kaz doesn't know about her, she's ready to share. She tells him that it was easy for her to entirely dissociate when seeing her clients but she couldn't do it with one guy, the guy who'd seen her perform on the high wire as a kid. She shares this deep, awful experience with him and says its not easy for her either. In doing so, being honest about her past, she encourages him to take a step as well. To try and be a little honest about himself, share a small part of himself. She wants him to put some effort into their relationship because a simple "i want you" isn't enough. They both need to work on a lot of things to reach that "i want you". SHE ISN'T IGNORANT.

Later on, Inej realises, she can't ask so much honesty of Kaz because that one bathroom scene is an eye opener for both of them. She realises that she may have handled that kiss on the neck but what if she couldn't have? What if she had dissociated on instinct, as her defense mechanism? What if? Kaz adds to all that when he tells her to take the money and leave, forget him. But does she do that? NO. She thinks whether it would be better for her to find a kind man, bear his children and then sharpen her knives at night. And she realizes she doesn't want that because she can only be her true self (a kind woman who wields knives) with Kaz. She can only be her genuine self with Kaz. She thinks "he'd tried, they'd tried. They could try again." She wants to try again with Kaz. SHE WANTS HIM JUST AS MUCH.

Now for a moment, lets consider the other female character in SoC— Nina Zenik. We all call her an "Unapologetic Queen" for being herself, being proud of her body proportions and such. But if Nina was a woman of color, would she get the same hype? Don't say "Yes" because we know that won't be the case. Nina wouldn’t get the same hype for her plus sized representation if she was a poc.

And this, I'm speaking as a Desi. I know what I face in real life from people of other cultures. I've experienced a lot of stereotypes about myself as a South Asian woc. And while not everyone treats me the same, I do encounter alot of obvious stereotypical assumptions about myself.

Similarly, so many people when they read the "I will have you without armor" dialogue, completely stop looking further into Inej. Age factor is very miniscule. Most of this, whether you like it or not, stems from the internalized stereotype that "brown girls are mean and insensitive". Thats how we've typically seen them portrayed in majority of media and that's where many readers' thoughts immediately head to when they read the "without armor" dialogue. Those of you who say the quoted things mentioned at the top, don't bother to look as deeply into Inej's perspective as you do for Kaz or Nina or the others. You simply settle for calling her ignorant.

Did you ever give her more thought instead of reducing her to the stereotypical brown girl?

Did you ever consider that this girl has her own demons? That this girl was captured forcefully and sold into prostitution at 14!? That this girl sometimes even gets scared of touches from her own friends? That this girl finds it harder to handle contact that she doesn't see coming? That she suffered abuse and was rewarded with kindness by the same hands that touched her at the Menagerie!? That at some point she just fearfully anticipated for whatever was to come, be it a gentle caress or a harsh slap across her cheek? That this girl was raped again and again and again every single day when she was only 14? That she was violated and touched in places too private without her consent? That she was continuously treated so by men twice, thrice, even four times her age!?

Did you ever consider that this girl who struggles with so much didn't let her suffering define her!? That she rises above these atrocities and finds a purpose!? That she chooses to pursue her own goals and save any other kids from whatever horrid things she went through!?

Did you ever consider that despite everything this girl suffered at the hands of innumerable people, she wants to try again with Kaz?

For a girl like her to let Kaz kiss her neck completely unguarded (she doesn't have her knives with her in that scene)..to still be able to give her heart to Kaz, is a very beautiful thing. It means she trusts him so much more than she'll ever trust any other person..

Everyone expresses themselves in different ways. Thats what makes each human so unique. Just because Inej isn't saying poetic things in her pov chapters, doesn't mean she loves Kaz any less.

Inej Ghafa loves Kaz Brekker. And she always will. But her love doesn't mean she must give up on her own purpose. Kaz doesn't ask her to. And she doesn't ask Kaz to give up his position as the new King of the Barrel. They're equals who support each other in their goals. They're two people in love who will take their baby steps towards healing together.

Inej and Kaz love each other.

Inej and Kaz are together.

Inej isn't ignorant, just misread.

Rant over for now. Next I'll be talking about Matthias Helvar..:)

[shinidamachu]

I need some Inuyasha as a great father (more like DILF, amirite?) headcanons, can you help me out?

I'm here to serve!

• It isn’t until they’re happily married for at least one or two years that the possibility of children are brought up.

• At first, they took that time to relearn each other, enjoy their company and make the honeymoon phase last a little long. They did spend three years apart, after all. There’s so much time to make up for, so many catching up to do before they’d even think to throw a kid into the mix. Plus, being a modern woman, Kagome would know how to avoid pregnancy the best her new circumstances allowed and how important that time alone is for a newly-married couple.

• They never actually had the child talk because Kagome just assumed that’s where their relationship would naturally lead to, given her motherly tendencies and Inuyasha’s history of ultimately giving her everything she wants. For his part, Inuyasha knew she wanted to be a mother someday and he'd be lying if he said he never indulged the fantasy of fathering her children. However, he has serious trouble wrapping his mind around the idea that, in reality, Kagome would still be up for it if he were to be the father. He could never dare to ask of her more than she has already given him. Be that as it may, it was not a big deal because it was not a dealbreaker. Nothing was.

• But with time, Kagome would have noticed how good Inuyasha is with Hisui and the Mirsan twins. How his relationship with Shippo had developed from a sibling banter to a makeshift paternal relationship. How people like Shiori and Bunza would look up to him like he was some kind of movie hero. How every kid in the village seemed to adore him despite his grumpy demeanor.

• And Inuyasha would have noticed the way Kagome would look at him whenever he so much as interacted with a child, the way her smell would spike significantly.

• She, of course, was the one to make the first move, jumping him one night, after they had spend the whole day stuck with babysitting the Mirsan children and popping the question.

• Inuyasha was relutant. There was a part of him that was adamant on making her happy and even believed having babies would make him happy too. On the other hand, he was terrified. Terrified of how her body would react to childbirth, of if her spiritual powers would accept his demonic energy. But mostly, about what would happen once the baby was born. The last thing he wanted was for Kagome to go through everything his mother had to go through. Or for another kid to face the same prejudice he did. Besides, he grew up with no father figure whose steps he could follow. He didn’t know how to be a father.

• Kagome assures him that they won’t have a baby until they’re both ready and on the same page, that they have time and that Inuyasha will be a great father.

• Inuyasha believes her.

• Then it is him felling some type of way whenever he sees Kagome around kids. And something deep inside desperately wishes to find out what would their children look like, what would it be like to hold and take care of someone born from their love.

• Finally, he caves.

• Inuyasha wants a big family, considering how lonely his childhood was. Kagome finds it pivotal for their first-born to have a sibling, since she had Sota and their relationship was one of the most important things in her life. That’s why they’d have two children minimum, preferably a boy and a girl. However, giving how dangerous and uncomfortable childbirth can be, especially without the perks the modern era provides, I don’t think they’d have more than three.

• Naturally, Inuyasha relies on Miroku for advice and the latter is more helpful than not. Except for the times Inuyasha asks or says something that makes it way too easy for Miroku to mess with him. Like the time he told Inuyasha that if he doesn’t get Kagome whatever food she craves while pregnant, the baby will be born looking exactly like that food. And Inuyasha believed him.

• And if you thought Inuyasha was protective of Kagome before... oh boy! He’d be almost overbearing, but Kagome would see it as endearing. Most of the time. Sometimes, though, a woman has got to have her privacy. He also becomes more attentive, more gentle, sweeter.

• After their first child is born, Inuyasha gets a makeover of sorts. He’s always borrowing the Fire Rat to Kagome and the baby anyway, so he figured it’d be more practical to just pass the clothes on to them already and get something new for himself.

• It’s white.

• Inuyasha becomes taller, stronger. And often lets Kagome experiment with his hair with braids, top nots... and ponytails.

• Old Myoga is the first one to notice the resemblance. And it’s true. He’s the spitting image of Toga. Former enemies and allies often mistaken him for Toga and Kagome thinks the look on their (and Inuyasha’s) face is hilarious.

• Sesshoumaru does not care for it (I stole this one from @heavenin--hell).

• Inuyasha hates his human nights even more because now his vulnerability also means he might not be able to protect his family as he usually would (Together Changed by @goshinote and @lostinfantasyworlds inspired this one). Plus, the black hair and lack of dog ears confuses the baby, who cries and fusses for a good while until realizing it is, in fact, Inuyasha holding them (this one I saw in an adorable fanart I can’t find).

• But since he needs way less sleeping than humans and he spends the New Moons up anyway, Inuyasha gets a lot of quality time with their infant at night, which allows Kagome to actually get a good night sleep unless the baby is hungry.

• The Beads of Subjugation get dooled and chewed on. A lot.

• A little contest takes place between Kagome and Inuyasha about what the first word of their first child would be, with Kagome going for “dada” and Inuyasha going for “mama.”

• Kagome wins.

• Inuyasha’s fighting style changes. He still says some snarky remarks, but now it’s more to push his opponent‘s buttons down so they would get sloppy than anything else. After all, he has a child to think about and provide for now. He doesn’t have the luxury of gambling with his life anymore. He has a home to come back to and therefore won’t be taking any chances (credit to @born-for-eachother for this one).

• And so he becomes more lethal on the battle field. Pragmatic. Objective. Calculating. Decisive. Cold blooded. Much like... Sesshomaru.

• He had never been more offended on his life than the day Sango pointed this out to him.

• When the kids grow up a bit, Inuyasha and Kagome start to tell them bedtime stories, with the PG version of the story about how the met and defeated Naraku being their favorite.

• Kagome tries to be a reliable and calm narrator while Inuyasha exaggerates the events and the voices, almost always breaking objects of their house in the process.

• After hearing one too many times about the Beads of Subjugation, their child tries to “sit” Inuyasha. Of course it doesn’t work, but he still makes a big deal out of throwing himself on the ground every time they say the word just to hear them laugh.

• The first actual toy Inuyasha buys them is a ball, just like the one he had as a kid, at the same time accomplishing a childhood wish through them and ensuring that they would always have someone to play with.

• Kagome is more protective of their physical state while Inuyasha is more protective of their emotional one (see Fist Fight by @omgitscharlie)

• Inuyasha goes to Totosai and asks him to make a weapon out of one of his fangs to each of their children once they get old enough for it. Not necessarily a sword, just something of their choice and that better fits their personality.

• He would be a just father, doing his best to show no favoritism, treat his children equally and make sure no one felt overlooked or unloved.

• But truth be told, if one of their babies turn out to be a daughter, he would definitelly let her get away with almost anything, no matter how much of a gremlin she is. Daddy’s little girl would have him wrapped around her tiny fingers.

• Life never treated Inuyasha kindly. From a very young age, it was kill or be killed. It wouldn't be too far off for him to think the exact same thing could happen with his kids, therefore he tries to prepare them, to tough them up so they can take it.

• And I believe this sentiment would be significantly amplified with a son, because it would involve the whole “suck it up”, “men don’t cry” and “man of the house” aspect of it. The “it is your duty to protect your mother and sister when I’m gone” too, especially because he couldn’t protect Izayoi himself.

• It’s “tough love”, but it’s love nonetheless. And in the right dose, which I believe Inuyasha manages to nail, it can be very important for one’s development and growth.

• But it’s hard to imagine him being as tough with a daughter. Probably because he sees so much of Kagome on her that the mere idea of seeing her cry simply breaks him.

• Kagome would actually have to step in when it comes to disciplining and saying “no”, because he simply wouldn’t have it in him to do so.

There’s actually a really nice post by @keichanz I reblogged a while ago discussing precisely that, but I can’t find it to save my life (should I start to properly tag my reblogs? No, it’s a lot of work and I’m right not to).

Anyway, that’s all I got for now.

Peace out.

[mintchochipkookie]

Does anybody else just forget that Zutara isn’t canon sometimes

Okay, so you know how I keep mentioning that I’m not really a shipper, and it’s true. I DON’T feel the need to ship characters, and most things that I do are platonic. I have always hated the notion that friendships are an inferior form of human connection to romantic relationships because it’s just not true. There’s something so pure and constant about friendships / non-romantic relationships. People simply choosing to exist in your life and be there for you??? WOW.

Which is also why I find it curious that even though romantic subplots are constantly shoved down our throats in pretty much every single genre of storytelling, people seem unable to actually write good ones. Honestly, most romances in media either seem forced (cuz, of course, you NEED to have a romantic partner, god forbid people remain single) or some level of unhealthy/toxic because ✨drama✨.

People seem to be under the impression that if Character A and Character B smooch, we’ll be fooled into believing that makes them a good couple. This is kinda just what happens with Kata/ang. This ship is a combination of being extremely forced AND unhealthy with the added bonus of actually ruining the arcs of both characters involved. I’ll keep saying it, I think the point of the Kata/ang setup was actually to NOT have it happen, which really would have tied things up well.

On another note, something I’ve never mentioned, I was always hesitant about the way they wrote Katara. Not another female character pushed into maturity because of circumstances, while the boys around her get to be kids. I hate the Mom friend trope when it applies to young kids. I was actually willing to make peace with it had Zutara ended up happening because Zuko was the only guy who treated her as an equal and she didn’t just end up mommying. (I actually genuinely keep forgetting how old the characters were. Straight up, I still think Zuko, Katara, Sokka, and Suki were in their 20s in Book 3.)

Anyway, Ma/iko also serves a purpose to the story. It was literally introduced exactly because it was an unhealthy relationship. Having them be endgame 100% undermines Zuko’s Book 3 character arc. Sensing a pattern here?

If you take out the final Kata/ang and Ma/iko kisses, literally nothing changes, except you now have a much more solid and consistent story. Heck, if you take out all the stupid Kata/ang blushes from the series too, absolutely fuckall changes.

Finally coming to Zutara. You literally cannot take out anything that reads as romantic subtext without compromising the entire plot and both of their character arcs. They consistently have major pivotal moments with each other and are there for each other in a way that nobody else in their lives seems to be. Even if you want to insist that there was no romantic intent there, FINE. It literally detracts nothing from their relationship. I’m not saying they need to be a couple for it to be meaningful. But this is why I ship them and think it fucking makes sense!!

Even if you don’t want to read into the sun/moon dichotomy, the Oma and Shu symbolism, or their sacrifices (the lightning scene particularly, since people love insisting that Katara just HAPPENED to be there...like Zuko didn’t specifically ask her to be there and Katara didn’t jump at the opportunity and like that doesn’t mean something) as romantic. Even if you take that out of the picture, you literally STILL can’t detangle their arcs and growth moments from each other. The show and both characters would literally change if you took out all the moments that shippers mark as romantic. The show also goes out of its way to set them up as the only people who GET each other. It goes out of its way to show us that no one else has Zuko and Katara’s backs like they do. It goes out of its way to frame all their moments as intimate. in. every. sense. of. the. word.

All of this is to say - I literally don’t give a flying FUCK that some characters kissed and so now I need to accept that. If that’s what it takes to convince an audience that this is the relationship that was meant to be, it’s just not good or well written. I simply refuse that ‘because the showrunners said so’ and ‘they did a kissy’ is all that makes a ship canon. We all know why these things happened. The best part is, most Zutara fans I’ve seen don’t even wish that there had been a kiss between Zuko and Katara in the series finale. That’s how you know you’ve written a good relationship. The kiss should simply reaffirm everything else you have set up along the way, it should not be a goddamn justification for a relationship’s existence.

In conclusion: Zutara IS canon, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[sketching-shark]

I think it's the ironic fact that JTTW fans already know how DBK and Sun Wukong's friendship broke apart but are more curious on LMK versions of Sun Wukong and the Six Eared Macaque were friends alongside falling out.

HA! Well, while it often does seem that way, I'm going to go ahead and be a complete snob in a Journey to the West purist kind of way by wondering how many Six Eared Macaque fans would consider themselves more JTTW fans or more Monkie Kid fans, or if they feel they're a mix of both...

I've seen a lot of people argue that these two works of fiction are their own thing and that as such Monkie Kid (and associated fanworks) shouldn't be expected to follow the canon of JTTW, and fair enough for some parts. I've also, however, seen people who argue for this complete separation seeming to use it as an excuse to not acknowledge or learn about ANY original aspects of characters such as Sun Wukong and the Demon Bull King, or even very important deities such as Guanyin and the Jade Emperor, and who as such end up making some pretty gross generalizations/assumptions about them even though they are of great religious and cultural importance.

For example (and while I know a lot of the fun people get from fan works is in exaggerating certain traits), Sun Wukong seems to often be presented with an "inherently" evil/thoughtless/chaotic character, while his intelligence, deep love of his family, genuine efforts to become a better person, & many acts of saving lives, as presented in JTTW, aren't even mentioned. I feel like a lot of this is due to the way he acts in Monkie Kid (while I maintain that this version of Sun Wukong seems to be Bad End Monkey King, he does do a lot of deflecting his issues with a show of humor/a carefree attitude & does seem really bad at communicating due to a fear of making things worse). Even so, the popularity of Thoughtless/Evil/Selfish Sun Wukong that doesn’t really allow for any of the nuance or a display of his beneficial traits as shown in JTTW does make me wonder how many people have been exposed to a good translation of og classic Sun Wukong...As I've said before, I've noted that a number of Chinese people on this site have expressed frustration with the fact that a good chunk of the monkey king’s Western audience seems to be getting their impressions about Sun Wukong, the Demon Bull King, the Six Eared Macaque, etc. from some mix of Overly Sarcastic Productions, Monkie Kid, and social media instead of from at least a translation of the original text, and it is true that a LOT of the nuance of these work and these characters can be very easily lost, especially if your drawing your information of them primarily from a cartoony version of the original source. 

That would be an interesting poll though...out of curiosity, how many of you fine folk have read the break-up & fight between Sun Wukong and the Demon Bull King either in the original text or in a translation, or is your exposure to them primarily through Monkie Kid? 

Again, I need to make it clear that I'm not Chinese & didn't grow up with the story, but I will admit for my own part that reading the DBK/SWK break-up in the Yu translation actually made me more curious about how their dynamic is going to play out in Monkie Kid than I am curious about what's going to happen with Mr. Macaque. 

This is primarily because besides SWK’s fight with Princess Iron Fan and DBK being given a LOT of page space in JTTW, there seems to have been some serious stuff that went down between the three of them in the events post-JTTW and pre-the main plot of Monkie Kid...the last we see of DBK in JTTW (if memory serves correctly) was him being hauled off by a host of heavenly warriors to be judged for his crimes of not giving SWK the palm leaf fan & also eating humans. When Monkie Kid starts, however, we are told that DBK had emerged “from the Netherworld” & immediately starts wrecking everything around him. What this suggests--if Monkie Kid is something of a fan continuation of JTTW--is that DBK ended up being executed by the heavenly forces, but managed to fight his way out of the underworld in a manner somewhat similar to SWK, who we are told he is equal in strength to in JTTW. In that beginning fight of Monkie Kid DBK is also shown as so enraged that he won’t stop his path of destruction until SWK buries him under a mountain for 500 years. It’s never said in the show, but--and this is important--this is basically exactly what Buddha did to SWK to start him on the path of atonement. So there seems to be some very intentional parallels between SWK’s havoc in heaven & DBK’s havoc on earth, which may suggest that one of the things Monkie Kid SWK really wants is for his former dear friend, his sworn brother, to find a way like him to be less violent and thus ultimately less vulnerable to destructive and self-destructive behavior, and that the way he tried to start this was by giving DBK the same treatment he got when he was a raging warlord. 

We are furthermore told that it was right after DBK was sealed that SWK disappeared for all those centuries, and while the impulse may be to write it off as him just wanting to enjoy himself (given a lot of his behavior in the show’s timeline), given the indications that this SWK may be deeply depressed, I feel like the answer could be something a lot more tragic...there seem to be a number of clues in Monkie Kid that while the journey of JTTW happened, something made it end disastrously, with SWK either assuming or knowing that Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, Tang Sanzang, and Bai Longma are dead. And per JTTW, this wouldn’t be the first time that he’s experienced a horrific loss, given the war with heaven and the burning of Flower-Fruit Mountain. And then right after THAT, it seems DBK emerged from the underworld, and so Sun Wukong was put into a horrific position: either murder his sworn brother, or let him continue to rampage & harm and/or kill who knows how many humans. SWK ultimately gives up his staff to do the repeat of “500 years under a mountain in solitary confinement route,” which as per JTTW he considers better than the alternative, but he immediately follows that by exiling himself. In JTTW SWK is a really sociable person who makes friends wherever he goes, but man, for this SWK...his life must at that point just feel like one failure after another, that in spite of all his best efforts he wasn’t able to save anyone he really cared about, and now he just trapped someone who was so important to him under a mountain & fated him to suffer the same things he had when he was in that position. How much more does he have to hurt his fellow yaoguai? How many more times does he have to choose between yaoguai and humans, feeling like no matter what he decides it’s just going to result in pain for him and/or his loved ones? I can easily imagine super sociable & easily upset (he cries a LOT in JTTW) SWK feeling like after sealing DBK, he just can’t do this any more. He just...can’t. 

This is all just speculation, but knowing the JTTW backstory between SWK and DBK does, at least for me, make their Monkie Kid relationship a lot more intriguing than it might be otherwise. Especially now that DBK seems to actually be making some small steps to quell his constant rage & lust for power. He even saves SWK and Qi Xiaotian from an explosion/nasty fall in the season 2 special! The Bull family weren’t really present in season 2, but I really hope they make a comeback in season 3 (if/when we get it) precisely because Red Son, Princess Iron Fan, and especially DBK have such an involved history with SWK. Plus it would be really fun to see two old warlords trying to awkwardly make amends with each other & struggle to be good teachers & positive role models to their student & son. 

In any case I feel this potential is more interesting than whatever fanfic The Six Eared “I’mma Plagiarize The Demon Bull King’s Backstory Of Being Best Friends with Sun Wukong” Macaque is creating lol.