#and like. there is something deeply compelling to me about the fact that every time Cass is out of options she thinks of Steph

[teleportationmagic]

Inspired by the latest Batgirl issue

[stump-not-found]

hellooo haiii :]

i saw a while ago that you said that you were fiddleford hater among lovers… do you mind speaking more on that? (sorry i really liek hearing ur views on stuff)

uhh yeah you know what i'll talk a lil about it . why not . i can share some analysis as a treat . will tuck my thoughts gently behind a readmore, so sweet and softlys

i think fiddleford is a fine character its just irritating when narratively he's treated as this very tragic figure when he's an adult man capable of making his own choices . this is a flaw with the books, to be clear - i do not think the actions of fiddleford align with the explicit narrative he has as a nice guy who had a terrible thing happen to him, which stanford must feel soul-crushing guilt over .

this is what bothers me about him: that he is intended to be read as just an all around good dude with tragic circumstances, rather than a messy guy who made shit-ass terrible decisions every step of the way

not even talking about fandom mischaracterization. that's a given in any collaborative fan space and i don't really hold it against people for doing that . fandom is fun, play with your dolls, do whatever - all that mostly means is im not gonna vibe w/ a lot of fanart, it's not going to impact my opinion of the character . i do think it's funny how the collective fanonization of him is simultaneously the wettest meow-meow, but also a total badass when . he's so fundamentally conflict adverse he destroys his own life and body over it .

my man fucks raccoons . i guess that's badass in it's own way . i guess

the thing that is compelling about fidds to me is he is a bit of a worm, and that worminess winds up destroying him from the inside out . he really embodies the entire concept of 'inaction is action', in a way that's deeply frustrating in both fun and not so fun ways

some of the fun things we know about fiddleford:

leveled the downtown area of palo alto

built a robot to try and kill his wife when she tried to divorce him

built robots to kill kids because his son wasnt paying attention to them

brain blasts people to get free labor out of them

started a cult to brain blast people

so horny for Cthulhu Columbo that he did not get his son a christmas present . not a single Tonking Truck . i know your brain is half melted at this point but cmon man

i don't really think the whole leaving his wife in the 70's is all that cute either . it's a one off joke, and there's something interesting about the fact that it's a one off joke . like what kind of financial freedom do people think a single mother is gonna have in this time period? why is that something that goes unchallenged?

and the fact he leaves them for a year is just like . that's also fucked man . i can personally attest to how fucked it is to have your dad just piss off for a year to do contractor work . what a wild subplot to be treated with such little narrative importance to his character . like . the fact that it holds so little importance to fidds is a narrative all on its own

it's just weird how the story treats him, man . he's not that endearing of a dude, which is what i like about him . i like that he makes bad decisions . i like that he doesn't respect when people say "no" . characters should make bad decisions and be bad people . i just really hate this presentation of his own actions being the fault of anyone other than fiddleford

oh also the research paper stint was insane . wild to me that that was presented in the story as like a cool or kind thing to do to someone . like that's a very reasonable boundary for stanford to be upset about being crossed, and its wild how that's presented as him being a jackass . there are MANY things that make ford a piece of shit . being upset about a guy doing something like that behind your back is not one of them

tho that's a whole other conversation about how ford as a character is defined by never having his boundaries respected, and this never being challenged, and in fact he should just be okay with it when it happens by the "right" sorts of people . once an object, always an object . love him

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

What a journey. I can’t believe it’s over. I’m definitely rewatching the whole thing soon because right now, it’s all about the feels. I just know there’s so much I missed the first time, and I need to go back and catch every little detail. But for now, I wanted to get some immediate thoughts down.

First off, @colourme-feral clowned correctly, going independent was the move, so she gets the crown. Honestly, considering gmmtv was working with one of their own groups at the centre of this, I did not see that coming. But I love it. Wouldn’t change a thing. I think it makes total sense within the show. As for Pemika’s redemption...not my favourite, but it didn’t bother me as much as some other cases. Even if we hate her, she’s a character that feels real, and let’s be honest, people like her aren’t disappearing anytime soon.

About the dating thing. I’m actually glad they didn’t address it. Let’s be real, there was no way to properly resolve that within the given time frame. Instead, we can just assume they’ll date whoever they want and handle any fallout together when it happens. Which, honestly, feels pretty realistic. Idols date, sometimes we find out, sometimes we don’t. Most of the time, they just keep it private. Trying to solve it outright wouldn’t have felt natural, so I’m glad they left it as is.

What I’m happiest about is how grounded the show stayed overall. Sure, ignoring the fact that they were basically dating in the open for ages without getting caught (and when they did, it was just one photographer), most of it felt really realistic enough in how it portrayed the industry, the fans, and the idols themselves. At least from what I, as a fan, have access to, it all read as pretty authentic. Obviously, it’s still a love story at its core, and it had its limitations, but it really felt like they put in the effort to explore these things with a level of realism attached.

Now, onto the two most darling mains. They’re just so good together. One of their biggest strengths is how much they can convey through body language and eye contact alone. So even in those slower moments, like when they’re just walking together, for instance, there’s always something happening beneath the surface. Half the time, they’re completely silent, and I’m the one screaming. Their chemistry is incredible, and they’ve got permanent heart eyes for each other.

I love that we got a little bit of domesticity too. And Po going back to the suit shop? Loved that. (Also how cute was it that the shop made the suits for their performance?) He didn't go there as a fallback or out of pure necessity, but just because it’s a place he genuinely enjoys being at, even if it’s not 'the dream'. It tied in well with that conversation he had with his boss earlier in the show. Maybe he'll get another opportunity in the future but for now, he's happy where he is. Also, "Because of you, I like my ordinary days". They are killing me. This show really brought out my gooey, deeply buried core with these two.

Considering they are a new pair, I'm really surprised at how good they are together. I think they play off each other really well and they complement each other, and their scenes feel effortless and compelling. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they are beautiful.

As much as I hated Fern in that episode, I did think it was good that she got the chance to grow. We all get a bit mad sometimes, granted perhaps not that mad, but still, it’s nice to see a character actually have the space to rethink, change, and do better instead of just being pushed aside or permanently written off for it. And Po bringing Thame without warning was priceless. Don't really know why I had to see Earn's face again, but it was quick so I've forgotten it already. He gets no redemption from me.

Overall, I think the show did a great job balancing both sides of the story. Giving us plenty of swoon-worthy moments (and boy, were they swoon-worthy) while never letting us forget that, on the other side, there was a group of friends just trying to chase their dream in an industry that isn’t always kind to its idols. I think the group's journey was really satisfying to watch. The friendship moments felt genuine, which is why having a real tpop group for this show was such a smart choice. It added an extra layer of authenticity that made those moments hit so much harder.

It's unlikely we'll get these two again as pair, but even if we do, it won't be anytime soon, so I just need them to cast Est in everything. He's such a pretty crier. Well, he's a pretty everything. Also this is the first show from this director I watched in full, so I'll be curious to see what else she'll be doing in the future. I really like a lot about the script and the way it's shot, the visuals, and the pace I thought was really good all the way through. I will miss them all so much, and I wish I could watch them all grow even more, but it was a really satisfying journey, a beautiful watch and a very good ending.

[quinngefail]

Comic and short story below the cut !! It ended up being longer than anticipated so. Under the cut it goes 😤

First time posting a piece of writing for these two as well..., I hope you enjoy :)

"May I take your coat, sir?"

It was a question asked through a goofy smile, and a 'fancy' tone that carried more than just a little bit of exaggeration; both very deliberate on Adam's part. It's not that he didn't like performing these sorts of 'cheesy' romantic gestures, but he couldn't exactly ignore the way a particular sort of embarrassment would take hold of him during said gestures... Embarrassment that sat within him, screaming about how 'damn corny' he was acting right now. So, this was his working method of combating those less than pleasant feelings: play up the theatrics, put on a silly voice, make it into a whole bit. Things like that.

It really only worked so well. But, it was better than nothing.

However, and far more importantly, these were romantic gestures for Lawrence. And Adam was more than willing to put up with his bouts of trivial embarrassment for Lawrence... A fact that was further solidified as an appreciative smile spread across the older man's face, and he began to remove his coat. Adam moved closer to help, of course, proper gentleman he was, and all that- and in no time at all, the coat was hanging in his grip.

"So courteous," Lawrence lightly teased, still wearing that heart-melting smile of his, as he turned to face Adam.

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm just doing it so you feel compelled to make me something extra good for dinner tonight." Adam shot back, holding his eyes shut as a cocky grin spread across his face.

Lawrence gave a scoff, and a playful roll of his eyes. "And here I am, the fool who falls for it every single time." He holds his feigned look of utter defeat for a few moments longer, before returning to a genuine smile. He then leans in, placing a small kiss on his partner's forehead. "I'll go see what I can do for us." He murmurs, breaking away and turning to the direction of the kitchen.

Adam watches him disappear around the corner, unable to keep anything but adoration in his face. After Lawrence is out of sight, he turns his attention back to the coat in his hands. Without really even consciously deciding to do so, he gives it a few shakes as he moves to face the nearby hangers.

But then, there's a dull thud as something hits the ground. Adam’s gaze turns to the source, easily locating Lawrence’s fallen wallet.

Mild frustration brewing, Adam folds the coat over his left arm before bending over to snatch up the wallet. Returning to his full height, he absentmindedly flips the wallet over, intending to close and put it back in the coat's inner pocket.

And that was indeed the plan, but...

...

He really doesn't know how long he stands there, just staring at what was before him. He doesn't even notice Lawrence reappearing, poking out from behind the wall.

Heart racing, Lawrence approaches as fast as he can, putting his free hand on Adam's shoulder, trying to figure out what was going on, what was causing such a distressing reaction from the man he cared so deeply for-

But it doesn't take much detective work at all to put two and two together, as his eyes fall to what was in Adam's hand.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Lawrence leans back a bit. "Shit, I'm sorry, I kept meaning to show that to you-" he mutters before leaning forward, eyes open once more. He holds out a concerned hand, unsure now if he should or shouldn't offer his touch in this moment. "Look, um- I should have asked you about it first, and if it makes you uncomfortable, or if it feels like I'm moving things along too quickly, I can take it out-"

"N-no, no- it's not that," Adam interrupts him, giving a quick wipe to his eyes. "It's fine, really- it's just... I don't know, I guess I just never thought I'd ever be in anyone's wallet, is all," he ends with a small shrug and a diminished voice, his gaze falling away from Lawrence's... A silence hanging in the air.

"Well," Lawrence speaks, "I didn't just put it in there for no reason," he smiles gently, moving to stand behind Adam, leaving little distance between their bodies as he fondly looks down at the picture. "It's a photo that I really, truly love, just like I really, truly love you. And I'm happy to have it with me, just like I'm happy to have you with me."

As has often been the case lately, Adam doesn't know what to say. He stares at the photo for a little while longer, before finally giving a small, genuine "thank you,"

Lawrence hums in response. "Of course,"

They remain like this, just existing together... Letting their words sink in, and letting this moment linger.

"...I don't know if this picture really shows my good side, though." Adam remarks, being the first to break the silence, as was fully expected- a wry little smile cracking.

"And there he is," Lawrence gives another playful roll of his eyes, shaking his head a bit.

"No, seriously- this is what you want to carry around with you? This picture of you, sitting next to this ugly ass gremlin, who could look so much better if you just captured his good side?"

"I'm going back to the kitchen now," Lawrence pulls away, continuing to shake his head as he walks off.

"Good- because we do not want to see what happens if we feed my ass after midnight," Adam replies with a grin, sliding the wallet back into the coat pocket, finally hanging it up. "Really, Lawrence- I can go get my camera right now and we can fix this horrific situation- you can even wear that tie of yours, and I won't complain... Much,"

With that, he follows after Lawrence... Fully prepared to keep this going for a few hours longer at least.

And really, neither of them would have wanted it any other way.

[liloinkoink]

I'm sorry. I just watched Tibby's video quizing you and how. 18 times. 18 TIMES. The most I've rewatched something is four times that being Ouran Highschool Host Club. I haven't watched third life yet (I started with Wild Life and have watched at least one POV from every other series), so what did they put into third life that got you hooked? Cocaine? Opioids? Why? What made it so good that you came back 17 times??

[the Tibbycaps video I was in about my Third Life obsession]

okay to be clear i have seen Grian’s Third Life 18 times. if you also count other povs i have probably watched Third Life like… off the top of my head ive seen Martyn twice, Ren twice, Scar twice, Etho twice, Joel, Cleo, Impulse…. i’ve seen Third Life at least 29 times, assuming i didn’t miscount any of these

as for what they put into it: short answer, loyalty dynamics

long answer? i love duos where one character is hopelessly devoted to another person. my entire personality was formed at age 13 when i read One Piece chapter 485 and watched Zoro toss aside everything which previously mattered to him and beg for a chance to save his captain’s life. this one scene gave me a horrible illness for devotion pairs which i have yet to be cured of

Third Life has many of these pairs. it was actually why i decided to watch it in the first place

for Grian’s pov: after accidentally killing Scar in session one, Grian swears to stick with Scar until Grian loses his own green life. despite complaining endlessly about being “stuck” with Scar and wanting to leave because Scar has gone mad (and despite the fact Scar offers him an out early on, which is cut from Grian’s POV), he is loyal to Scar. he stays in the desert not only until he loses his first life—something he says repeatedly he can’t wait for and will bounce immediately after it occurs—but even after, constantly returning to Scar without acknowledging his promise to leave and saying he “can’t let [Scar] die.” he returns over and over again to Scar’s side all the way until the last moment of the series. i’m deeply compelled by this sorta dynamic, so watching this it was just like, immediately over for me

on top of that, Grian also has a very fun, engaging editing style! he’s a very funny and charismatic creator and i love watching his videos, Life Series or not. as for why i rewatch it, i think his 3L POV is great for a new LS viewer, with a self-contained storyline that wraps up in a satisfying way, so i often show his videos to new people i want to get into the Life Series—probs more than half the 18 watches i’ve seen of his POV have been me showing a friend. his vids are also shorter (compared to some creators who do hour long eps), which i tend to prefer. he’s very popular for a good reason, and basically always one of the first POVs i watch every new season. he’s also just a nice dude from my limited interaction with him :’)

additionally, plot aside, Grian and Scar are a great team who bounce off each other really well, and it’s just really fun to watch them hang out and cause problems! Scar is a really smooth talker, a great liar, and a really fascinating person/character in this series, so it’s neat to watch him from another pov (tho Grian misses a lot of my favroite moments of his!)

there are also a lot of things i like about the rest of the series outside of Grian’s POV—namely that despite Grian being my favorite Third Life POV, my favorite team is actually Ren and Martyn. that pair is also a loyalty-based duo with an arc about learning/earning trust, with the bonus of a royalty aesthetic and a King/Hand thing, which is deeply appealing to me as a fantasy/royalty aesthetic enjoyer. i could go on about them, but this post is already long enough

i’m trying to keep this all very brief and not go into Too much detail while also offering Enough detail to answer the question, so i think i’ll cut my answer off there. but there’s a lot of things that make me like watching/rewatching Grian’s Third Life! if you haven’t yet seen it, i really recommend it

(also, fun fact: Third Life is my second most watched season, after Last Life)

[eggbedthewriter]

My ✨️official✨️ rant on Kipperlilly Copperkettle in relation to the bad kids and rat grinders:

WILDLY unpopular opinion, the bad kids/intrepid heroes were correct in leaving her dead, both narratively and morally.

OKAY hear me out PLEASE! I LOVE Kipperlilly's character. Imo, she's VERY well written and crafted. I also don't necessarily believe she's evil, or unfixable, or anything like that. I won't say she's a good person, because she isn't, but she's also not definitively a bad one. I actually got attatched to her too. So... why on earth would I think she should be left for dead? Well... there's a few reasons.

1. She is not trustworthy.

2. She isn't a good person, just a good character

3. It wouldn't make any sense story-telling-wise.

Let me elaborate:

1: Kipperlilly was SHOWN to be untrustworthy. She didn't have a rage star in her chest like the others. She chose to have the rune in her chest without the alternative literally being death. Every other rat grinder had a horrible, horrible choice to make; save your soul or your life. Lucy chose to save her soul, her essence, her innocence. In the words of (I think Ruben?) Lucy "stuck to her guns". The others chose to save their lives. To go back to loved ones, each other. I don't think either choice was wrong, really. These are kids who had never faced the possibility of death, and may have been the only ones in their grade to never do so. When confronted with it for the first time, it was a lose-lose. They didn't know what would happen when they came back, didn't know the extent of the rage stars or what they'd be made to do. Kipperlilly never had this choice to make. Don't worry, I'll address the fact that she was being manipulated by an adult. Kipperlilly was angry from the start. I'm almost positive that, with what the bad kids learned after stealing her file, she didn't always have that rune in her chest. She got it later in her time at Aguefort, evidenced by the fact that Brennan says there's a notable switch in what she's saying about the bad kids- "it's not fair" to "I hate them". Anger issues and jealousy OBVIOUSLY don't condemn someone to death, but that isn't all. She either murdered Lucy or let her get murdered. Lucy, her BEST FRIEND. Think about what could make you kill your best friend, because I'm willing to bet it's next to nothing. Even though she was being manipulated and groomed, she did kill Lucy/let her die for power.

TLDR P1: There's no evidence that Kipperlilly would be different had they resurrected her. With all that the bad kids have seen, they just can't risk that.

2: This is a BIG problem in I think every fandom: Kipperlilly is not a GOOD person, she's a COMPELLING one. She is not a morally good character, she's a deeply interesting one. I don't hate her, please don't get me wrong. And like I said, I don't think she's a bad person necessarily. But I do worry that a lot of the reason there's so much defense for her is that people like her and so they want to convince themselves she's perfect. No character is perfect, that would make them SO boring. Kipperlilly isn't perfect by ANY means. I don't want to make it sound like shes remorse-less either, because we don't know that. I'm sure she felt IMMENSE guilt for Lucy, but an apology or feeling awful about something like that doesn't change that you did it.

TLDR P2: A lot of things defending her may come from the fact that she's a compelling character, rather than a good person.

3: Okay, final part! Pretty much the reason I'm even making this post is to defend the bad kids/intrepid heroes, because some people think that they were cruel for not bringing her back. Here's the thing, narratively, it would've made zero sense for them to revive her. They seemed a bit loathe to even bring the others back, considering all they went through. Kipperlilly was not only more concious for what she was doing, but she also pretty much voluntarily did it. Heres the thing- she WAS technically manipulated and practically groomed by Porter, which is why I don't want to say she herself was evil. I agree that she was a kid being used. That doesn't mean everything she did is excuseable, though. Kipperlilly wasn't loyal to the one person (we know of) who cared about her. Not to mention she was literally jealous of the bad kids TRAUMA. She was a traumatized kid, sure, but... so were the bad kids. BY shit she did. My final point (promise 😭) is that it's cruel to blame the bad kids for not reviving her. She was trying to kill them, and just like in every other battle, they had to protect themselves and the world. What evidence did they have that she wasn't going to be evil when she was brought back? That she wouldn't do it all again? Buddy clearly is working with Kalina, do we REALLY think that Kipperlilly wouldn't too? Narratively, it wouldn't have been a satisfying ending. They brought the other rat grinders back because the rage stars would be gone. It was akward, sure, but they had reason to trust them. Could you imagine how it would've gone with Kipperlilly if they'd saved her? "Hey, I know you chose to work for evil... but you probably won't do it again!". Okay, I'm being so dramatic but you get my point 😭. I adore fan work (whether fanfic/fanart) where Kipperlilly IS good, where things are different and she's redeemable. This is NOT a post meant to hate on those works, because I love them and they're amazing!!! I just don't like when people call the bad kids evil for not bringing back someone who was responsible for a LOT of evil, and could likely cause a lot more. Imo, Kipperlilly being brought back just wouldn't have been a satisfying ending within the story we were given.

TLDR P3: Keep making fan works where Kipperlilly is good/saved!!! I love reading/viewing them, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with making them! I just think that in the story we're presented with, letting her remain dead was the kindest and most sensible ending.

I REALLY hope this doesn't come across as mean or passive aggressive, because I fucking adore this fandom (and honestly adore Kipperlilly too!). I'm so so sorry this ended up being so long 😔. If anyone actually read the whole thing tysm! I'm really sorry if the conclusion I reached wasn't satisfying to you, and I'm always up for a (civil 😭) discussion about her!

[ofeliaxoxo]

I don’t know if you’re still answering these questions but I’m gonna tell you anyway 😌 I’ve been deep into charlos ever since 2022 and I don’t think I can choose a favourite moment because there are way too many.

Generally speaking I love those moments where we get to see Carlos’ thoughtful self, which is a side of him I think we’ve only ever seen with Charles so far (publicly of course). I love the way he’s always so attuned to Charles’ moods and needs, the way he always knows what to say and how to say it to put Charles at ease and make him smile and laugh.

Another quote I feel like we didn’t pay much attention to back in the day is If he’s happy I’m happy which is……. Well, deeply romantic too if you ask me (even though nothing tops that complicate my life stuff, insane thing to say to your coworker because not everyone is aware of the fact that you’re in love with him, have been for years really).

Yesss I am still answering these at any time.

Wrt ur point about he knows what to say, this is something that drives me insane. Hes like ok time to Manage Charles. Who quite frankly is a force of nature in the shape of a Ken doll. Like Charles is if they accidentally made a boyband member at the big bad wolf factory. CRUCIALLY Managing Charles is highly context dependent and Charles is absolutely not always willing to be managed. Which only makes it sexier to me.

Also when he’s attuned to Charles not really for management purposes but he still points it out. Hes like oh you said/did x because of y. And Charles will giggle because he’s been got. Which is in itself a form of reaction prompting on Carlos part.

Although! I will say I think his thoughtfulness comes through with others as well, obvious example being Lando. He was and still is so nice to that little man he loves that guy…carlando doesn’t compel me as an rpf ship (no shade obviously just not what’s sexy to ME) but it’s clear that irl they’re so fond of each other and i feel like part of that is formed from in the past Carlos being SO fun and easy for young Lando

Ultimately we have some insane quotes from them. They’re so fun to me because they’d hop on the mic and be like Yes he drives me to distraction I tear my hair out every day full on I could weep my spirit from mine eyes situation but then we glance into each others deep orbs and feel the passions flowing beneath so we are able to live together another day. And everyone’s like haha alright that’s great now take this blindfold and play football for an audience.

[lurkingshan]

Dead Friend Forever is a Marvel of Mystery Writing

I haven’t been watching Dead Friend Forever live, because I am not always that into the slasher genre and I figured I would wait to hear whether it holds up before jumping in. I admit, I was a bit dubious about a drama sustaining a slasher narrative for 12 entire weeks and didn’t want to spend time on something that might be too shallow to sustain and would end up falling apart. I basically told bestie @wen-kexing-apologist to vet it for me and holler if I needed to start paying attention. And a few weeks ago, they started poking me with increasing intensity, along with a few other friends, because the writing was holding up better than they could believe. I started asking questions, and once @ginnymoonbeam mentioned that Sammon was the writer, it all started to click and I dove into a binge to catch up.

And they were right! This show is excellent, and its strength is sourced in an incredibly strong script from a writer who knows how to construct a longform mystery. Because it turns out, that’s what this show actually is. How do you sustain a slasher for 12 weeks? By embedding a deeper mystery within the slasher framework and pacing your story so that the entire middle delivers a backstory narrative that is even more compelling than the current events. This show is expertly structured to grab your attention and then get you deeply emotionally invested in the coming bloodbath, which is crucial for a slasher to feel like it has any stakes. Let me also note that the excellent writing here is supported by extremely smart direction and editing and some standout performances from young actors. I am going to focus on the writing here because that’s what I do, but it should be said that this whole production is all around excellent. 

So let’s talk about why the writing in Dead Friend Forever works so well! Great drama mysteries should support two kinds of engagement from the viewer: 

no thoughts head empty engagement from the people who just want to be pulled along for the ride and be constantly surprised

red string board theory engagement for the people who enjoy finding clues and trying to solve the mystery in advance. 

It’s actually really fucking hard to thread this needle as a writer, because it requires seeding strong enough clues that attentive viewers could reasonably guess some of the big reveals, but not giving away so much that you are unable to surprise them. A reveal in a good mystery should have you saying “oh my god WHAT” and “of course, that makes perfect sense” at the same time. And the best mysteries support the viewer being able to go back and rewatch, find new meaning they missed the first time, and realize every single thing that happened adds up. A tight mystery has no loose ends and no false steps; it never lies to the viewer, it only works to draw your attention where it wants it at any given point in the story.

Dead Friend Forever does this masterfully with several of its reveals, but I will highlight the biggest example: the reveal of Phee and Non’s relationship in episode 7. In the first four episodes of the show, the story lets us in on a few crucial facts: Phee is newer to this friend group (along with Tan and White), he was not present for whatever went down with Non three years ago, he has some kind of fucked up not!friends with benefits relationship with Jin that involves lots of sexual tension and dick biting, and he seems interested in figuring out what the hell happened once all these dudes start acting crazy about the videos. The string board theorists had enough to go on there to reasonably guess that he was intentionally trying to uncover the truth—but not why—and the no thoughts head empty crowd could just vibe, enjoying his scenes with Jin and wondering how exactly he ended up hooking up with him and getting involved with this group of people he doesn’t even seem to like.

Once we get to the backstory and see Non’s narrative, additional clues emerge, like the existence of both an older brother and a mysterious sweetheart that is only saved as [heart emoji] in Non’s phone. No thoughts head empty is over here going huh I wonder who they’re gonna be and hey when are the rest of the characters going to show up; string board theorists now have two clear options for how Phee could tie in to Non’s story and why he might care enough to investigate, but no one knows for sure. So when the show ended episode 6 with Phee running into Non’s room and began episode 7 with The Most Effective Five Minute BL Of All Time, everything clicked into place. No thoughts head empty got to experience a very pleasant shock moment, the string board theorists got to feel satisfied that they figured out at least part of the reveal, everyone got to enjoy an unexpected shot of romance in the middle of this stressful narrative, and there were still parts of Phee’s motives and involvement with this group that we didn’t understand and would require additional reveals. That is great mystery writing in a nutshell.

And it’s not only the mystery construction that makes the writing here so smart. It’s also the way Sammon is weaving in tons of social commentary, embedding Thai cultural and religious values, incorporating complicated crimes with lots of players in the mix that somehow don’t get confusing, and drawing complex and nuanced characters whose choices and behavior you understand even if you find them abhorrent. It’s not easy to make a viewer both despise a character and still care what happens to them; when you write a story about despicable people you run the risk of inspiring apathy in the audience, which is a death knell for a mystery. We have to be invested for this story to work. We have to feel deep empathy for Non to the point that we fully support axe murdering his bullies, but we also have to be interested enough in the bullies and why they behave the way they do to watch 12 weeks of them running around being awful to each other and harming everyone in their paths. And Non, too, gets to have real complexity. He is not a perfect little Mary Sue who never does anything wrong. He makes big impulsive mistakes, and seeks attention and affection from the wrong people, and lies to the ones he loves, and doesn’t always ask for help when he needs it. He is a flawed human being and that’s so important, because he is the center of this story and we need him to feel real.

In conclusion: holy shit. I tip my hat to you, Dr. Sammon, and I am very excited to be on this ride for the final four episodes. 

[lostyesterday]

It’s interesting to me that Voyager has so many episodes where Tuvok becomes disabled and then stops being disabled by the end of the episode. The obvious examples are Year of Hell where he becomes blind before the timeline is restored, and Riddles where he experiences a major brain injury whose symptoms are cured at the end of the episode. But then there’s also Endgame, where alternate timeline Tuvok is in the later stages of a degenerative illness, and Meld, where what happens to Tuvok when he mind melds with Lon Suder could arguably be considered a disability (especially from a Vulcan perspective). Arguably Flashback counts too. These types of plots aren’t uncommon in Star Trek, but I think it’s interesting that such a large proportion of these storylines in Voyager happen to Tuvok in particular.

So, why Tuvok? I think it partially comes down to the fact that many people find it narratively interesting to see the most in-control, stoic, and independent characters stripped of their skills or strengths in some way. In other words, disabling them. How does a character who is defined by their self-control and discipline deal with a sudden loss of ability to control themselves? How does a character who deeply values their independence deal with a sudden necessary dependence on others? Tuvok is arguably the Voyager character who most represents competence, ability, and control. If being disabled is to be unable in some way to measure up to the standards of what a person “should” be able to do in society, then Tuvok in his typical state represents or possibly strives to represent the opposite of that. So, from this perspective, making Tuvok disabled affects him as a character more fundamentally than it would other characters, which is theoretically more narratively interesting.

From an able-bodied perspective, it could be argued that such a storyline represents a deep-rooted fear of becoming disabled. Able-bodied people fear disability because it represents the weakness and dependence that anyone can find themselves embodying under the right circumstances. Accidents and illness and old age can happen to anyone, and happen to almost everyone in time. Disability is a fact of life, but for many people, it is a looming cloud on the horizon – something they might ordinarily choose to ignore. To explore such a theme in fiction is to thus look at a subject tinged with discomfort. To give such a storyline to a character that represents the peak of control and ability could serve either to heighten that discomfort by showing even the “strongest” person being vulnerable to disability, or to lessen it by displacing that fear from an “ordinary” and thus more relatable character to one who is unusually skilled or strong (in this case, Tuvok being Vulcan on a ship of mostly humans). Either way, though, if the character is cured in the end and their disability is gone by the next episode, that discomfort is narratively relieved. Disability affects able-bodied characters only temporarily. There’s nothing to fear – they’ll be returned to “normal” next episode.

This might make it sound as if I entirely dislike the disability storylines centered on Tuvok, but that isn’t true. To a certain extent, the cures or time resets that bring Tuvok back to his able-bodied state after every episode are an inevitable part of a mostly episodic show like Voyager. Beyond able-bodied fears and miracle cures, I do think there can be something compelling about telling a disabled story centered on a character like Tuvok. I like that Year of Hell shows Tuvok skillfully using a tactile console and navigating the ship while blind, while at the same time having much more difficulty with certain tasks than he did before, because that’s realistic – that’s how it often actually feels to become disabled. Some tasks that were easy before become impossible. Some tasks seem at first to be impossible, but over time become possible as you adapt and learn new strategies. A skilled and resourceful character can be skilled and resourceful in adapting to disability, but they are still disabled. I also like that Riddles asks the question of what it means for a person to feel less valuable when they become unable to perform the tasks they did before. That kind of question can become more profoundly unsettling when applied to a character who defines himself fundamentally by the abilities he has lost. I do think it would have been interesting if Tuvok had been disabled for longer – if disability had been a more defining element of his character rather than merely a frequent theme. But I also think that what is there in the text has interesting elements as well.

[a-bad-case-of-the-stephs]

What're some Steph Brown moments you think should be talked about more?

Thank you sm for asking me this…

This one is actually really hard for me to answer because I think society should be talking about every stephanie brown moment all of the time. Additionally, I genuinely don’t think I can tell what moments w her are underrated anymore.

That being said I have made a list:

1. This Scene w Crystal in cataclysm

Robin #54

Really shows some extremely interesting parts of their relationship. This is like one of our first indications Crystal and Steph’s relationship might be on the mend. We get a look into how close they are despite their many issues. We have a minute where Steph jokes about Crystal blaming herself for the quake “too” implying Crystal often blames herself for things out of her control, which as I’m always discussing is a Stephanie Brown classic trait. The idea that this is something Crystal might do as well is so compelling to me. And throughout it all, we have Steph trying to protect Crystal, taking care of her, even tucking her in like a parent would their child. (Cough Stephanie brown parentification cough cough)

2. This panel from GK37. The way Batmans silhouette steps forward while Steph’s silhouette stands starkly still. The purple overcast sky with the flakes of snow (the whole weather/environment in gk37 kills me). The emphasis on ‘go to hell’ as after a comic of bargaining Steph finally comes to terms with the fact that she can’t rely on anyone else, that Batman going to her and telling her she could be something, that she could be good meant absolutely nothing to him. Amazing. Imprinted into my brain.

4. Steph’s conversation with Natalia about the stars in Robin 104. Gorgeous panel with an interesting look into Steph’s brain.

5. The Riddle scene in Robin 113, because I’m not smart enough to break down the Riddlers riddles and put together the implications which I assume are there and I want someone else to do it for me. Additionally, the lighting is absolutely gorgeous as we get to see Steph at this low point.

6. Robin #92, the scene where Bruce talks to Steph about the future, deeply unsettling her to the point that months and months later at the very start of war games she’s still thinking about it

7. The moment after Tim Drake’s birthday gaslighting bonanza where he commiserates with Steph abt getting tested by Batman. I’m imagining that he feels guilty for his role in her own test. For the record I’m hallucinating that guilt. I think it’s possible Lewis straight up didn’t know how Tim lied to Steph in Batman Family. But on the other hand the parallels to GK37 are insane and clearly there for a reason. Thinking about this lots. The repetition of “I know” vs “go to hell”. Their reversal of roles…I’ve already blabbed abt this on my blog but I’m still putting it here also bc I’m thinking abt it always.

Robin #120

8. All of GK22 as a reflection of how Batman’s loneliness post officer down is actually inextricably connected with his decision to sanction Steph as Spoiler. But specifically this scene because it makes me sick and ill and because it’s my header. Love the decapitated head side eyeing Batman.

9. Okay last one. One moment I’ve been thinking about a lot recently is Stephanie’s first interaction with Batman post War Games. Like the first thing she says to him after returning from her faked death is her essentially asking permission to patrol in Gotham.

Robin #174

Which is so fucking insane. She was unironically and genuinely spiritually broken by the events of war games. One of the very core tenets of her characterization, her willingness to be Spoiler no matter what regardless of the consequences, is fractured and entirely reversed. I have a lot of thoughts about this, and in general how post war games pre bg2009 Steph has healed physically but something big has clearly changed in her and not for the better. If you ask me, that period of time is stephanie brown at her lowest point. Will be posting abt this more eventually because writing this out has given me worse brain worms than normal.

Thank you so much for the ask again, sorry this took me a second I kept writing out way too much. I’m unfortunately a rambler at heart. Would love to hear anyone’s thoughts on any of these moments or other moments I missed.

[txttletale]

idk how to put this sorry if this comes off as rude/confrontational I'm not trying to be — when you say stories about forgiveness/reconciliation, do you mean more the type about forgiving & reconciling with family, or more generally (so like including - this isn't the best example but I can't think of any better rn - catra for example? where it's about being trapped in hurting people because of trauma and breaking out of that)? or is the thing you dislike more stories' framing of forgiveness as a moral imperative?

sorry if this doesn't make sense I'm just curious what you think bc you've raised some interesting points and would really like to see you elaborate on them

don't worry you don't come off as rude whatsoever! while i think my points apply broadly to how forgiveness is treated across media (rare actual example of cultural christianity) -- i obviously am not, like, against forgiveness or stories about forgiveness on principle. what i dislike about all the narratives about people forgiving their abusive parents is that:

like you said, it's always framed as a moral imperative. there is always an underlying assumption that forgiving the abuser is the 'right' and 'correct' thing to do, that not doing so would be wrong. this is tremendously insulting to survivors who have every right to not forgive their abusers!

in most of these narratives, the parent barely does shit to be forgiven. there's very often a narrative equivocation, in fact, between parent and child. like, sometimes the parent won't even be expected to apologize -- sometimes, even more grotesquely, both the parent and child apologize for their shared supposed 'wrongdoing'. this is also obviously insulting to survivors, who are not in any way responsible for their abuse or for having a poor relationship with their parents.

the reason why this in particular pisses me off so much is that it mirrors and in turn contributes to the cultural expectation on abuse victims in real life to maintain contact with their abusers, the constant casual pressure from everything from strangers to friends to acquaintances saying 'well, can't you just put it behind you?' or 'look, he's changed' or 'she's your mom' or 'you'll only have one chance to have a relationship with your siblings' or whatever the fuck. the sanctity of the family is a cardinal value across a lot of societies and this sanctity means a constant, neverending societal pressure to bow to sweeping abuse under the rug. i've seen many people i care about struggle deeply with feeling obligated to maintain relationships with family members who treat them like shit and make htem miserable every time they interact bc of exactly these sorts of sentiments being everpresent in their cultural environment. & these narratives always paint that sort of pressure as being well-founded and fair and ultimately for the better, which is absolutely repellent to me.

so, yeah. i am not against narratives where an abusive person actually confronts their actions and changes and repairs that relationship (that's another fucking thing, these narratives always put the onus and responsiblity on the character who was abused to forgive rather than on the abuser to earn forgiveness, just like in real life familial abuse victims are always fucking expected to be the ones to repair the relationship). i think such narratives can be powerful and compelling and explore questions of what the value of 'forgiveness' or 'redemption' even are, as well as dispel the mystique and exceptionalism often attributed to the 'abuser' as a holistic malevolent figure that can be cleanly separated from every other parent/grandparent/sibling/etc.

what i'm against is narratives where someone who is abused has their feelings delegitimized -- their rage is wrong, counterproductive, they need to let go and move on, they need to forgive their abusers and let them back int otheir lives because oh, they did something wrong too or oh, their abuser had a difficult life, or whatever the fuck. to which the answer should be a flat -- no. they don't. all the more power to people who choose to do that if that's what makes them happiest and safest but absolutely nobody has a moral obligation or need to forgive an abusive family member. obviously i am exaggerating slightly when i say every abusive parent subplot should end with the parent being killed with hammers, but i'm using the hammer murder as a synechdoche for a narrative treating an abuse victim's antipathy towards their abuser as something legitimate and justified and obviously reasonable rather than a flaw or something they need to move past.

[dollypopup]

bridgerton season 3 part 2 spoilers

I want to preface this with saying that I have loved Polin for two years. Two years, hundreds of thousands of words, and almost 50 stories. I have loved this couple through fan edits, through fics, through rereads, through songs. I have loved this couple so deeply and earnestly and endlessly

And so my disappointment in Part 2 stems, predominately, from the fact that I just wish it had been better.

I wish it hadn't been as cut through with plotlines that went, ultimately, nowhere. Will and Alice with the tension of 'I don't want to give up the club' 'Well, you should to suit the status quo' 'Oh, okay'. Benedict with his 'I love being free. Let's shag freely!' 'I may have feelings for you' 'I still just want to shag freely, but now I'm opening up more options' (tho, congrats on the bisexuality!) Violet and Marcus who are just being set up for the final season. Cressida, who's story tugged my heartstrings so much, and ended up in the dirt.

But more than anything, I wish Colin had gotten more. There were so many moments where he could have been expanded upon, where his character could have shined, and I truly want to commend Luke Newton, he did a phenomenal job with the crumbs he was given, but was ultimately shoved to the wayside for the Lady Whistledown plot.

In truth, this is a writing problem. The actors are phenomenal. They have chemistry, they have passion, and they are all believable, but the writing fell flat. They gave too much time to side plots and, frankly, to Debling, who was such a nothingburger and didn't even return that it was evident he only existed because the series was afraid to lean fully into Colin's complexities. You know what is more compelling and more worthwhile to explore than 'Oh, I could lose her to someone else?'

Losing her to herself.

Colin spent part 2 ultimately SAD. And he had every right to be. But instead of fully exploring that, he was relegated to the sidelines to support Penelope's storyline. And I understand completely that this season was for the Pen stans, but damn, I wish he got SOMETHING. Kanthony's advice to him was useless, Colin started the series knowing he couldn't open up to his brothers and still not doing so by the end. Colin saying that his ultimate purpose was to support and love Pen was a horrific cop out and a disservice of his character. It's a bad plotline when a woman says so for a man, and it's a bad plotline when a man says so for a woman.

I love these two so much, and I feel like they could have had so much better. Penelope now writing the same gossip, tying herself to Mayfair, but under her name now, thus ensuring that people are aware and being different around her for the sake of her publication is bad. To imply that her dreams are Lady Whistledown is lazy- Lady Whistledown is a plot device the writers are unable to let go, not Penelope's ultimate dreams.

You want me to believe that this woman's biggest dreams are to continue writing gossip? Not novels? Not stories? Not an autobiography? Not to travel? Not to make more friends? But to have a baby and write about parties? They tried giving legitimacy to gossip as if Penelope ever had any peer review, as if she is the be all end all of what is and is not true- she cannot possibly know fully.

I wanted more for her than to be a teenage mum tied to a gossip blog. I wanted more for Colin than to publish a book offscreen and take over an estate until his son comes of age. I wanted more for POLIN. Their beautiful moments were truly BEAUTIFUL. That first time scene was lovely- but how much lovelier would it be after he knew who she was in full and accepted all of it? Their reconciliation felt hollow because he was not truly given the time to process it. The pain of separation, sleeping on the couch as she took the bed, was hardly explored outside of a few quick scenes.

No montage of their letters, no Colin standing beside her, and that Lady Whistledown reveal where everyone clapped? I don't understand it. I wish so much that this show took a good story and made it better, and that's where my bitterness lies. Not because I'm a hater, but because I'm a lover. I wanted to love it so, so much.

And I know it could have been better. My couple is better than this. My couple is better than Penelope's ultimate goal being independence and Colin's ultimate goal being an accessory. My couple is a pair of equals. My couple is a pairing of two people who love one another so damn much they can't even stand it. Where is my Penelope who fights for him? Where is my Colin who announces to the world he loves her?

I guess that Polin ended up on the cutting room floor in the edits, because what we got wasn't enough for me

[iheartmysun]

A Happy Halloween (George Weasley x Reader)

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

Genre: fluff, friends to lovers

Warnings: very slight use of swearing, some mentions of alcohol consumption

Word count: 3.6k

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

As the leaves of autumn settled onto the grounds of Hogwarts, so did the excited whispers and enlivened chatter of Halloween. Gossip about the 31st became more frequent with each passing day. Each house discussing who was throwing what party, what costume ideas they had thought of, and who they thought would get shit-faced the fastest.

George, as to be expected, was especially anticipating Halloween. Aside from April Fools' Day, it was the perfect excuse of a holiday to get his fair share of pranks out of his system. In fact, he expects his fellow peers to enjoy the pranks that he has in store, considering everyone actually wants to be spooked this time around.

Although he had become quite preoccupied by his plans, there was something else much more compelling that seemed to have consumed his thoughts.

Your name echoed at the forefront of his mind in almost everything that he did. The fact that he spoke to you every single day didn't help this at all, but he wasn't complaining. How could he? The vision of your heavenly face, the lyrical sound of your laugh, your soothing touch with which he found solace in; everything that encompassed you. How could he possibly find it within himself to be dissatisfied?

This is, he supposed, how he found himself being whacked in the back of the head by a frustrated Fred, who was very much done with his love sick antics.

"Three guesses to figure out what you're lost in thought over." Fred remarked sarcastically. George glared at his twin as he rubbed the back of his head. "Shut up, you don't know what I'm thinking about."

The older of the two then moved to rest on his elbow with his chin now in hand and leaned forward. "Oh, really? Then please, do enlighten me. What were you thinking about?" he questioned with raised eyebrows.

George stayed silent as a soft blush crept its way onto his face. Fred simply leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "See? Told you." he stated with a smug smirk.

"Whatever." George mumbled back, fiddling with a loose piece of paper in front of him, not feeling bothered with bickering right now.

Fred sighed and gently shook his head. "I don't get why you won't just tell Y/N how you feel already. They clearly like you back. Besides, you're best mates, it's not like much could go wrong."

George scoffed thinly at this statement. "Yeah, sure. Nothing could go wrong. Y/N could decide to never speak to me again, but nothing could go wrong. Thanks for the words of wisdom!" he said before rolling his eyes, sarcasm evident in his voice.

"Alright, alright. Sorry mate." he said while putting his hands up in defense. "I'm just saying it wouldn't hurt to test the waters. You'll never find out how things might go if ya don't try. Y'know?"

As much as it annoyed him that Fred was right, he agreed. He just didn't know how to go about it. He wasn't this Casanova that everyone believed him to be. He had only been in one other relationship before, and he didn't want to look stupid. In his eyes, you may as well have hung the stars in the sky. And who would want to look stupid in front of someone who managed such a feat?

He sat up straighter and ran a hand through his hair, breathing deeply. "Yeah, I know." George said sighing.

Seeing his brother so full of dispirit because of how smitten he was truly was a sight for sore eyes. Something he'd rather not see again; especially when they were supposed to be planning one of their up coming escapades.

"You'll figure it out mate. Always do." Fred said while shifting his chair a bit closer to his brother. "You may not have my good looks, but you've still got more of a shot than you think you do."

George couldn't help but smile at this. The heavy feeling in his chest feeling lighter than before. "You're dreaming if you think that you have the good looks. I'd be concerned if I had a face like yours, Freddie."

Fred smiled, laughing in return, happy to know he gave his slightly younger brother some peace of mind. He playfully nudged him in the shoulder before gesturing towards the paper firecrackers that sat in front of them. With that, they both got back to the matter at hand, quickly gaining focus over their project again.

Later on in the early hours of the evening he found himself looking for you, slowly wandering off towards your dorm. He knocked rhythmically on the mahogany door and smoothed back any flyaways from his mop of hair.

Without waiting for long, you turned the golden looking doorknob with the sound of a quiet click, and opened it to reveal a much too happy George Weasley.

"Trick or Treat!" he exclaimed with a wide grin.

"Probably trick, knowing you." you said with a smirk, examining him for any potential jokes that he could suddenly spring upon you.

"Is that all you expect of me, Y/N? Some deviant ready to pounce on the next potential victim to one of his glorious pranks?" he said holding his hand to his chest in feigned offense.

You casually rolled your eyes, chuckling at his light-hearted behavior, and stepped out of the way to motion for him to come in. Which he gladly did so.

"Sooo, what's up? I thought you were busy getting things ready for Halloween?" you asked while shutting the door again before making your way back over to the tall man who was now standing by the end of your bed.

It was only then that he realised he'd gone to visit you without a cause. He had merely wanted to see you and that was reason enough. However, that wasn't very helpful when you were asking him why he went out of his way to stop by your dorm to see you.

"Oh- well, I was just-" he laughed, trying to hide the nervousness that was now growing in his chest. He desperately thought of any excuse that he could, but just stood there silently like a deer in headlights.

Now he'd done it, he thought. He went and messed up by making things feel awkward. But before he could finish berating himself, a chuckle broke through the air.

"What, did you forget?" you asked amused. The idea of him seeing you just because he wanted to see you hadn't crossed your mind at all. You over thought how he felt about you almost as much as he did with you.

Suddenly seeming at ease, he chuckled. "Yeah, must've."

After snorting quietly in response, you stepped closer to him once more and smile softly. The room feeling rather still all of a sudden.

The way that George looked down at you could send your heart racing for eternity. He took in every little detail of your face, not wanting to miss a single marvelous feature. Your breath caught in your throat as he studied you. George noticed this and instantly felt a warmth rise up his neck and to his freckled cheeks as he realised how intently he had been staring at you.

He stepped back and almost fell onto your bed before he caught his balance and stood up right again in a matter of seconds. Feeling more embarrassed than he did a few moments ago, he quickly moved off to the side and clapped his hands together in a single movement.

"Well! I should get going! With all this- this Halloween stuff that Fred and I have to plan. You know how it is with... planning things!" he spoke hurriedly while trying to sound calm. Admittedly unsuccessful, but he just wanted to escape the uncomfortable situation he had put himself in.

"Oh, uh.. Okay?" you said confused as you watched him swiftly make his way to the door again, barely making eye contact with you.

Just as he had left the room and was about to shut to door harder than he meant to, he popped his head back in with an awkward expression on his face. "See you at the party."

And as soon as he had arrived, he was gone even faster.

You were left standing there, blinking at the door, as you tried to process what had just happened. The first thought of the matter being how it felt to have him look at you like that. His gaze looked so warm and soft. It made your stomach swirl and feel fuzzy.

You turned back to face your bed and dramatically flopped your weight onto your mattress and groaned into the plush bedding which you had now buried your face into, wishing more than ever for the 31st to arrive.

It had been four days since you and George had had a decent conversation with one another. He was either acting strangely around you or he was whisked away by Fred and Lee to get up to who knows what. It was frustrating to say the least.

Without you knowing it, George was frustrated too. But this feeling was overridden by the nerves that had settled in his chest. It sent a warm prickly feeling down his body and made his head spin. Fred had been encouraging him to spill the beans to you and so had Lee, although he was more tactful with it.

"Excited for tonight, Georgie?" Fred asked while grabbing his brothers shoulders from behind, peering over to try and see his face.

"Leave the poor lad alone," said Lee, shoving Fred away from his twin. "he's already got enough on his mind without you bothering him." he finished, sitting down across from the both of them.

"Oh yeah, that's right, you still gotta decide how you're gonna confess your love to Y/N." he said now sitting down, batting his eyelashes and clasping his hands together.

Georges face went pink before he spoke. "Piss off, I still don't know if I'm gonna say anything. I don't even know how I'd do it."

"How'd you ask out the last person that you were with?" Lee asked with raised eyebrows.

George furrowed his, and shook his head adamantly. "No, no, I can't tell Y/N how I feel like that. That was ordinary. I just told them how I felt after potions. This is different. This is..." He went quiet for a moment as he tried to find the words without revealing anything too vulnerable. It would surely be used as teasing fuel against him in the future. "It's just different." he finished saying in a soft voice.

Before either of them could add their input, George stood up and pushed the wooden chair in, causing a high pitched squeak.

"I'll see youse later. I have to get ready." he said with a slight wave of his hand before he trudged back up to his dorm room, simultaneously feeling anticipation and apprehension for the night ahead.

A few hours later, the Gryffindor common room was thronging with people who were eager to drink as much as they could and handful of others who already appeared tired of caring for their already drunk friends.

The tenseness that George had felt mostly ebbed away as the room became more occupied by lively music and vibrant conversation.

His friends had poured a plethora of different drinks, and a couple of Ravenclaws had tried to egg him on to have a shot of firewhisky, but he refused. George didn't want to lose his senses. No matter how miniscule. He wasn't sure when he'd see you and would much rather not saying something to expose himself just because he wasn't in a sober mind.

Searching for you over the ocean of heads had not been as easy as he thought it would. He felt as if he could see almost everyone else but you. Someone had almost caught their hair on fire, a fifth year was literally bouncing off the walls, and someone else had been unfortunate enough to have been standing underneath one of the enchanted floating pumpkins which had suddenly fallen directly on top of them.

Just as he was about to sit down, he somehow heard your laughter through the cacophonous sound of noisy chatter and music blending together.

He shot his head up and spotted you instantly, noticing that you were talking to a wild-eyed Neville who seemed to have soot on his face. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips and he began to make his way through the crowd to get to you.

He swerved and squeezed his way past, being elbowed in the ribs in the process, but he finally reached you.

Neville said a quick goodbye to you before he noticed George with wide eyes, quickly escaping to go and wipe the dark powder from his face.

He looked down at you with a shy, yet wide grin. You looked more wonderful than ever; it shouldn't be possible for a human to look so breathtaking, he thought. And yet here you were, standing there with the glow of the warm light surrounding you reflecting onto your face; flashing a seraphic smile that you wore, to him and him only.

"What's with him?" he said pointing in Neville's direction with his thumb, a sly smirk growing on his face.

"You're telling me that you don't know?" you questioned with a short laugh, clearly not believing his unknowingness.

"Always with the accusations, Y/N," he said pursing his lips together and crossing his arms. "I'm a saint! You'll never meet someone as innocent as me." he said with a shit-eating grin.

"Don't go making me concerned for the types of people I'll meet, George." you say with a chuckle, causing George to join in. His eyes sparkling with the joy of being the one to make you laugh.

After a few moments, there was a quiet between you. The world around you both seemed to fade away as the two of you focused in on the other. You felt the warmth and softness of his gaze again. He realised that you were looking at him differently too, but he wasn't completely sure what to make of it.

His eyes lingered on you for a short time longer until he cut the silence. "It's a bit loud in here, don't ya reckon?"

"Yeah, it is." you say gently, almost inaudible over the background noise, unsure where he's going with this.

"Follow me?" he asks you, holding his hand out for you to take.

You grin and slide your hand into his. He gives you a reassuring smile and begins leading the way past the mass of people; squeezing your hand lightly as he guides you to the portrait hole.

Once there, you both crawl through and make your way out of the rowdy home of Gryffindor. With much reluctance he lets go of your hand and nods forward, motioning the direction to go.

As you walk down the corridor another silence settles. Only this time, there were no interruptions.

The faint shadows of your silhouettes moving carefully across the stone flagged floor. Not a sound but your footsteps that echoed quietly across the walls.

George looked to you and felt a strange feeling in his chest. He felt as if he could blurt the words out right now. This wasn't how he had imagined it. But the stillness of the air felt like it was pushing him to spill his secret. And it just felt right. 'I like you. I like you more than a friend.' But no. The words got caught and he couldn't spit them out.

As he led for them to turn a corner, they had almost stepped onto a small creature with glowing red eyes. It instantly let out a loud meow as if it was calling for someone.

"Fuck!" George whispered loudly.

He swiftly grabbed you by the wrist and started booking it. You almost tripped over your own feet at first, but started to pick up speed no sooner than he had started running.

You could hear the somewhat distant meows and calls of a man chasing after you as you were being quickly tugged into different corridors to escape any potential punishments.

George had almost collided with the Hogwarts caretaker as he rounded a corner, not realising that he had snuck through a secret hallway to catch the two students who were out after hours.

Filch called after him and whoever else was on the run with him, but after being pulled into a hidden passageway behind a tapestry of a two-headed troll by George, his nagging calls demanding you to show yourselves gradually faded away.

Your knees almost buckled at the sudden halt, George held onto you to steady you.

"You okay?" he said through uneven breaths.

"Think so." you replied panting. "Are you?"

"Yeah." he said as his breathing began to even, nodding along with his words.

Looking up at him, you started to laugh and so did he. Your heart still raced as you stood still. He looked gorgeous. The freckles that scattered across his face seemed to glitter while his ginger hair fell perfectly around his sculpted face.

The crisp night air flowed into the space that you occupied and glided across your skin. The only light being from the faint luminescence of moonbeams.

The cool breeze made him shiver. George could still hear the thumping of his heartbeat in his ears. He wondered if you could hear it too, though he hoped you couldn't.

Adrenaline was still pumping through his body. He felt brave and was alone with you, so what a better time than now?

"Y/N," he paused. "I- I need to tell you something. But I don't want anything to change between us." a shy expression snuck its way into his smile. "Anything bad, at least."

Your eyes flickered over his face for a moment before you gave a small nod. "Okay..." you said uncertainly, suddenly becoming acutely aware of how close you were to each other.

George inhaled deeply before continuing. "I like you, a lot. More than you might expect." he paused again, examining your now flushed appearance. "And I have for a while." he said with an awkward laugh. "I turn myself inside out thinking about you. Sometimes I feel like I could burst because of how confused I make myself about it but, then you look at me and- I just, I just really like you, Y/N." he stopped himself from rambling on as he was afraid that he'd said too much. He didn't want to scare you off.

You had felt yourself freeze. You had an inkling that he liked you, but now he was actually telling you. It wasn't some delusion of grandeur that you had made up to keep yourself from feeling jealous or to make yourself feel better. No, he genuinely and whole heartedly likes you back. George Weasley, has feelings for you.

So many things that you'd been wanting to tell him raced to your mind. You didn't know where to start. This left you standing there staring at him with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

He felt his heart on the edge of dropping as you stood still without saying a word. He scanned your gaze to try and get an idea of how you were feeling, and just as he was about to apologise, the corners of your eyes crinkled and you laughed.

"You like me?" you questioned with a finger pointed at yourself.

He felt almost felt taken a back by this reaction but the corners of his mouth began to curve into a smile. "I really do." he said, noticing the way that your eyes sparkled.

Stepping forward, you started to close to small distance between your bodies. You felt breathless as the simple knowledge of being liked in return flooded your mind. "I like you too, George." you said in a giddy voice.

George let go of a breath that he didn't know that he was holding and broke out into a very pleased, and very wide smile. He reached for your hands and held them with care. His focus was fixed on you as a new type of warmth made its way to his smile.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked gently, a pink blush now settled on his cheeks.

"I would like that very much." you replied with a keen smile.

He leaned forward and looked at you for a moment to see if there was any hesitation before finally closing the gap. He pressed his soft lips against yours and moved them slowly.

You breathed in deeply, taking in his scent and letting it fill your nose alongside the autumn air. He let go of one of your hands and let his float upwards to cup you face. You moved your palm to rest on top on his knuckles in response.

You could feel him smile against you as the kiss deepened. He held you close as his mind emptied of everything else but you. No one else mattered right now.

The two of you pulled away in unison to catch your breaths. You looked at each other for a few moments before laughing like little kids. Exhilaration filled your bodies as you reveled in the moment.

"You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do that." he spoke breathlessly as he wore a proud grin.

"I think I've got somewhat of a clue." you said with a coy smile.

Laughing once more, George peered out from behind the tapestry and turned to you. "Do you reckon we should head back now?" he asked quietly.

"Maybe. Orrr, we could stay here?" you said with a small grin.

George beamed at this suggestion and turned away from the exit to face you with the goofiest grin that you had ever seen. "I think I like that plan."

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

a/n: This is coming out later than I thought it would, but I was determined to finish it before the end of this month! I've edited this a little bit, but I'll go through and fix any other mistakes later. For someone who doesn't write often at all, this was a lot for me, so I need to rest my mind 🧘‍♀️

I hope that you all enjoyed! ♡

[brilliantorinsane]

At the same time, I completely understand how the womaniser label formed and stuck. It’s not just the constant romance plots, though that would go a long way through people half-remembering episodes, tuning into cable partway through, watching in the background while doing other things. If for some reason I wanted to do womaniser Kirk propaganda, the only thing stopping me from constructing a convincing gifset “proving” that he has a new fling for every three episodes is that I don’t know how to make gifsets.

But the other part is that Kirk is such a cipher when it comes to romance and attraction. He’s always staring intensely at the love interest of the week, and never ever voicing what it is he’s thinking and feeling. Without exception so far there has always been a non-romantic explanation for every short-term flirtation (not in his right mind, strategy, they’re making advances that he isn’t returning), while every confirmed relationship he’s had is framed as a doomed romance built on deep connection and investment (the woman he says he almost marred in Where No Man Has Gone Before, Ruth in Shore Leave, Areel in Court Martial). But you could easily project that while alternative explanations were present, he was also organically into every one of the potential love interests—after all he never said he was, but he never said he wasn’t either! And I have no doubt plenty of people do project as much.

Even characters project romantic and sexual involvement onto him in deeply ambiguous circumstances. In Mudd’s Women Eve seems to think Kirk would have wanted to be with her if it weren’t for his commitment to his ship, but does he? Maybe! I’d ask but he won’t tell me! He won’t even tell Bones how he felt about Lenore in Conscious of the King!! At the beginning of The Menagerie a woman is mentioned as having spoken of Kirk, and he asks quickly, “what did she say about me?” From the tenor and looks exchanged it’s clear everyone is thinking ‘they fucked and now it’s awkward,’ and I’d assume the same. Except in Dagger of the Mind (to name one of several relevant instances), they invited us to make the exact same assumption in a very similar way, only for the reveal to be that the awkwardness comes from the fact that Noel wanted to fuck and they didn’t. (Did Kirk want to? One guess how much he has to say on the topic!!!) Hell, come to think of it, do they even confirm Ruth as a past love interest or did I assume that? I could well be forgetting something but the episode is so vague about their relationship, and their only physical contact is a kiss on the cheek. It’s clear there is deep history and feeling between them—is it clear it was romantic history?

Honestly I love this about how they write Kirk. I love a character who’s a cypher, I love a character whose true self is almost impossible to disentangle fully from their public performance of selfhood, from the assumptions they allow (or even encourage) others to make. It’s so fun to tease out and puzzle through a character like that (and mayhaps I find it very very relatable). And then when romance and sexuality is a key nexus of that ambiguity, it makes the character such a playground for queer interpretations. Sure many a straight person has projected straightness onto Kirk, but you bet I’m slipping right on in to those same poignant silences to project my experience of asexuality onto him. Not that I think that’s the ““correct”” read—I could construct equally coherent and emotionally compelling reads of him as bi, gay, demi, aro, you name it. And I haven’t even started on the trans potentials. Going in I really didn’t expect Kirk to be a top-tier queer playground character, but hell yeah, that’s one of my favourite genders right there!!

[juztscrollingthrough]

Seven by Taylor Swift

I always interpreted this song as someone looking back at their childhood nostalgic memories and remembering that one troubled friend who left a deep mark in their psyche but for whatever circumstances they lost touch with one another.  This edit kind of depicts the time during the “between years" where they thought of one another but never reached out. This one’s especially from Ian’s POV and all those flashback of memories that compelled him to finally reach out and arrange the meet up with Anthony after a nudge from Dianne.  Ian wonders if Anthony still thinks of him, if he still reminisces about their past as fondly as Ian does. 

Below are the lyrics with explanation/interpretation in Ian and Anthony's context:

[POV IAN] :

Please picture me In the trees I hit my peak at seven feet In the swing Over the creek I was too scared to jump in

Ian wants his friend to remember him by the fun escapades they shared together. He reminisces about their first 6th grade science project, all their sleepovers, the trips, their first experience with alcohol near the riverside in Sacramento. In their big group of friends how these two became closer due to the fact that he didn’t know how to drive and Anthony was the one who drove him home after school, how after graduation when everyone left for college, these two remained in the suburbs, unsure about their future.

But I, I was high in the sky With Pennsylvania under me Are there still beautiful things?

Ian once said "I'm not exactly the poster child for following your dreams, because I never had any”. He never had exact dreams about career or whatever the future had in store for him. Smosh became a place where Ian and Anthony expressed themselves, an outlet to make each other laugh and with smosh blowing up he finally found his dream: to keep making fun stuff with his best friend which for some reason random strangers over the internet connected with. They were riding the high that came with smosh’s success unaware of the fact that this newfound business relationship would tower over their years of close friendship.

Sweet tea in the summer Cross your heart, won't tell no other And though I can't recall your face I still got love for you Your braids like a pattern Love you to the moon and to Saturn Passed down like folk songs The love lasts so long

Their genuine love and adoration for one another, how they shared every secret with each other, how Ian lied to Anthony about his first kiss in hopes to impress his new friend in 7th grade and in later years opening up about the lie as he finally got his actual first kiss…. in his friend’s bedroom. Slowly these tender moments fizzled out as they grew up, as their channel grew, and so did their stress and workload. Though, they aren't the people they once were, but their mutual love and respect for each other remained deeply ingrained in their hearts.

And I've been meaning to tell you I think your house is haunted Your dad is always mad and that must be why And I think you should come live with Me and we can be pirates Then you won't have to cry Or hide in the closet And just like a folk song Our love will be passed on

Ian knew that Anthony came from a broken home, and how he lost an authoritative figure, his step dad, who abandoned Anthony’s mother and his step-brothers when he was merely a 12 year old, and due to his tumultuous situation at home, Anthony got this heavy responsibility on his shoulders of his family. Anthony feared that his mothers agoraphobia would somehow find a way towards him too and he would stay stuck in this haunted situation which he desperately wanted to break away from. When Anthony fell sick due to his autoimmune disease, Ian’s mom urged his son to visit his friend. The get well soon card he got signed by everyone in their class and gave to Anthony. After their graduation Ian’s parents invited Anthony for a trip to Hawaii and that was the first time when Anthony got to experience something away from his haunted house back in Sacramento. He got to experience what a complete family felt like vicariously through Ian. 

Passed down like folk songs Our love lasts so long

No matter how many obstacles there were, the power of friendship conquered it all. They not only got their company back but also rekindled their friendship. They said everything had to happen the way it happened for them to eventually reunite. They might be complete opposites but there is this red string of fate that lingers between them. Their creative partnership is too strong and in the end they proved that “Friendship always wins”.

[iamnmbr3]

HELLO! I am not sure how to phrase this ask but I will do my best so bare with me :)

I have an HP online acquaintance who joked that if Drarry shippers use how much Draco harasses Harry as a measure of his crush on him then it must be a sign of a strong Dron (Draco/Ron) romance. Because Draco harassed Ron almost or just as much as Harry.

What I find interesting about Draco's bullying of Ron is that it feels a tad more personal (similar to how Sirius' attacks on Snape felt a bit more emotionally abusive compared to James who was a normal bullying jock). Draco made badges for Ron and Harry...but he literally composed an entire song for Ron!!! Like...this is not a headcanon compared to Draco writing the valentine in book 2. That is canon. And he gets his entire house to sing along.

So I guess my question is how would you respond to my mutual's joke about harassment being a measure of love? Why would you say Drarry is a thing but not Dron?

Thanks for this question and for your patience - I wanted to have time to sit down and write a proper answer.

Before I get into this I want to say that I'm very much of a ship and let ship mindset. Just because I don't ship something or find it compelling doesn't mean I have anything against the ship or against people who like it. I also don't think that a ship needs to have any canonical "evidence" for people to ship it (and I've certainly shipped many such pairings). I happen to see a lot of canonical basis for drarry but I don't think a ship "needs" that by any means.

Ok. Now that's out of the way, onto "dron." To my mind Ron/Draco is a ship that, unlike drarry, does not have any particular canonical basis. Separately from that, I also don't find it very interesting or compelling and thus don't personally ship it.

I think the key here is context. And the context of Ron and Draco's enmity is still all about Harry. Draco and Harry's relationship is intense and personal and much more equal - it's more of a hostile rivalry than it is a bully and victim relationship. With Draco and Ron though, that's not the case. It feels much more like bullying. Draco really gets to Ron in a way he doesn't get to Harry (who's got a whole Thing TM with him) or Hermione (who just brushes it off and ignores him). Ron though is really hurt and bothered on multiple occasions and Ron doesn't give as good as he gets. He doesn't have a snappy retort when Draco comes after him usually. He's just upset/humiliated/angry.

And why does Draco bully Ron? Because of Harry. Because Harry chose Ron instead of Draco as his friend and Draco can't stand that. As Harry and Ron get closer Draco's bullying of Ron and attempts to point out to Harry how worthless and poor and pathetic Ron is escalate. In fifth year for example Draco has learned Harry spends holidays with Ron and is clearly upset (jealous?) over this fact. Also, Harry is generally pretty good at shrugging off Draco's attempts to get him to engage with him. One of the quickest ways to get a rise out of him is to go after his friends. So in addition to jealousy it's also an attention seeking behavior.

Yes Draco bullies Ron but he doesn't know every little detail of his life like he does with Harry. He doesn't deeply understand him or intuit things about him that few other people guess as he does with Harry (for example understanding Harry is actually uncomfortable with his fame or immediately knowing he would never hurt Muggleborns etc). He mostly just uses the same few insults - calling him and his family poor and unimportant and insulting his competence - because he doesn't really know or care about him. And Ron dislikes Draco but doesn't know details about his life either (unlike Harry who knows a ton about Draco) and wishes Draco wasn't in his life (unlike Harry who never wishes that). Draco also never expresses respect for Ron the way he does with Harry so it's just a very different dynamic. He also doesn't seek Ron's attention.

Ron and Draco aren't equals and opposites, aren't parallels, aren't drawn to each other, don't orbit around each other or complement each other's skills or express unwilling admiration for each other, don't deeply and intuitively understand each other or constantly watch about each other or instinctively help and save each other or spend 7 years learning every detail of the other's life because they can't look away.

They just don't like each other and have a bad relationship. So I see no canonical basis for shipping them. I also see nothing particularly interesting about a ship between them and thus don't like the pairing even setting aside canon.