#dynamic: they were never in a relationship but they're definitely divorced now

[lena-oleanderson]

poems that didn't make it into Side Wounds and why series, part 1: Precious Wound

i've recently put out my first poetry collection Side Wounds (you can read it here for free) and in honour of that, here's some poems that didn't make the cut. some of these are poems i specifically wrote for side wounds, others are old faves - this is the latter

so why wouldn't a poem quite literally titled precious wound end up in Side Wounds the poetry collection?? well, this poem is about a friendship that simply needed to end and not because either party died. in the collection, the Wound ended up being my recurring metaphor for grief, and having this poem in there would've been confusing. second to that, there isn't really any section of the collection that this poem would've fit into. part I is about grief, both the immediate personal reality of it, and the way it shapes my relationships with other people. part II is loosely defined as medical school antics (and by that i mean overworking and excessive medical imagery). part III is about survival and hope and healing and love and (healthy) friendships and other good reasons to live. part IV is about queerness; my complicated relationship with god being an overarching theme throughout the whole collection. the sections bleed into each other, of course, but regardless, there isn't a place for this poem in any of them. sometimes a person doesn't fit into your life like pain doesn't fit into your heart and a poem doesn't fit into your poetry collection - and that's just that

[thebearme]

Got any re8 Heisenberg headcanons? (I definitely am so normal about him)

Don't worry, I'm completely normal about him too.

Ethan works with Karl to stop Miranda, but they aren't exactly friends after that, but they learn to like each other.

Chris was originally was going to put Karl into the military as a living bioweapon, but with enough convincing. Ethan got him to just let stay with him and Rose. They're roommates now.

Karl is thankful for Ethan to help him avoid that fate, but he is still frustrated on how his life is in someone's hand. Now he has to listen to Ethan or run the risk of being killed or weaponized. So the anger is the living arrangement is mutual.

Karl tends to be untrusting of everyone, like a feral stray dog. So Karl stays in the basement and minds his business.

Ethan and Mia had a mutual divorce, The relationship was built on rocky ground, and they understand that. But what Mia doesn't understand is why Ethan would have this moldy hobo live with him, and frankly- he doesn't know either.

Karl was a stinky man. His hands are rough and dry, chipped sharp nails that seem to always have something underneath them despite that fact of him wearing gloves most of the time. He covered in a layer of grease, sweat and car oil, smells like copper, gasoline, sweat, cigars, rain dew and a hint of mold and rot. LOVEY ISN'T IT! A sensory overload dream. His hair WILL make a crunchy noise if touched, and don't bother trying to comb through it.

Ethan made sure that his mf got a shower with some actual soap. He may look the same but trust in the fact if you were in a room with him, you'll actually be able to hug him without getting high from the gasoline.

Karl's hair gets so fluffy when conditioned.

It took months before Ethan trusted Karl in watching Rose or let alone hold her.

Karl LOVES sweets.

He originally didn't know about Home Depot because Ethan was worry that there will quickly be no Home Depot.

There's no longer a Home Depot.

Heisenberg will melt when he hears Rose's first words.

The day that Heisenberg finds out what a Samsung fridge is- IT'S OVER!

Heisenberg lived off of military ration meals till now, so he has to resort to the next best thing here: hungry man TV dinners. And kid cuisine when Rose goes into solid food.

HE CAN COOK! To be particular, grill. But he's kinda going through that depression that led you to not take care of himself.

Karl HATES the rain, It rusts all his metal, and he is in content risk of getting struck by lightning, He's a living lightning rod. Ethan tries to be nice and help him by giving him a rubber rain suit, leading him to wear three layers of protection: fishing overalls, rain boots, raincoat, rubber gloves, rain hat and a rubber poncho.

You can hear him from a mile away with all that rubber squeaking.

Heisenberg surprisingly was a virgin for a long time, and it makes sense. He was too busy in his factory to be with anyone romantically nor platonically, let alone get laid. He never really cared till he thought about it now, especially when Ethan has living proof that he fucked. *CUT TO FUNNY KARL SPEED DATING SEQUENCE* this is probably a very sharp contrast to others hc of karl but idc it's my hc

Heisenberg and Ethan have that opposite attract dynamic, Karl gets to teach him that life doesn't end or need to be tense just because they're mole zombies. While Ethan teaches Karl to unpack his years trauma, cuz that shit will come to haunt you.

Ethan found some room for Heisenberg to sleep upstairs instead.

Eventually Ethan gets so close with Heisenberg he actually starts calling him by his first name.

That was noticed by Mia and Chris, which made them nervous in where Ethan loyalty would lie when something were to happen.

Heisenberg never had clean water before, so just imagine him with the crisp 3am water.

Chris only allows Karl to experience the outside monthly. But Ethan sneaks Karl with him when he can. As long, he doesn't scare anyone in town.

Karl is like a caveman entering the present day, He's culture shock is out of this world.

He loves the phrase "metal as fuck."

When Karl has a nightmare he rearrange his room to push all the metal out or nap in the living room. When Karl and Ethan got closer he started sleeping in Ethan's room. Even though their hearts beat slow, the human warmth is still there.

Karl never wants to talk about what his nightmare was about or why he feels better sleeping in a room with less metal.

Here some songs that I always relate to Heisenberg:

Now I'm about to go into what my hc is for Heisenberg before re8.

tw body horror and child abuse

I have the headcanon that Karl wasn't from the village, but his family was. He was born in the states and unknowingly has the genes that make him very susceptible to the mold mutation. Eventually, after his grandfather died and passed the factory/mines to his parents, they all moved to Europe. Explaining the contrasting transatlantic accent.

But like all things, Miranda had to ruin. She noticed the newcomers of the village; she saw how they also have a child and decided to take action. Miranda killed Karl Heisenberg's parents and took him in to experiment on with the cadou parasite.

His gift was unknown till one check up later after all of his complaints of feeling of something tearing into him. Miranda realized that there seems to be scraps of metal like nuts and bolts dug and tear through into his body to his bones like a magnet.

When he's in is REM sleep, his electromagnet powers moves and attract scraps of metal to him. Leaving him to wake up with blood on his sheets, but the wound already healed like nothing happened. But Karl does know it feels harder to move every day.

Miranda made sure to test him on his gift. He looks completely human and is powerful, he was almost perfect… The one single flaw in him is the fact that even as a helpless child that had no one else to rely on but her. He still hated her.

Heisenberg was the youngest of the four lords and the favorite, and he hated it. Dude would just spend all his time by himself, leaving himself tape recorders. He eventually started to entertain himself as if he was a radio host. The theater kid possesses him.

Eventually when he got older he got into contact with The Duke and was able to purchase tapes and machinery scraps from him. The tapes turned out to be American documents of ww2, leading Heisenberg to his American freedom fighter rhetoric.

When he detransform from his big monster form, he has to go get a lil help. He has to get rid of the pieces of metal without just tearing off pieces of his flesh, That shit is hard to grow back you know!

[the-writing-mobster]

were there any fic ideas you never ended up writing that you regret not doing?

also, do you have any other undertale ships? {:

Ah! Thank you for the ask dear heart! Let's see...

Of course I have fics that are still deep in my drafts, and I also have a few unfinished fics currently published ON Ao3.

I don't really regret not publishing certain fics because it's not really a matter of if more than it is a matter of when. A few of these old ideas just need way more fleshing out and just aren't ready for the limelight.

And that "not if but when" mindset is carried over to my unfinished fics as well, like Baby Face and YWIW.

They'll eventually be completed. (Although tbh, I'm not so sure about ywiw now, may have to go and really take a good long look at that one and the goals I want to achieve with it. For YWIW, I guess I regret some of the choices I made with Frisk's character arc. Like I accidentally walked back on things that I shouldn't have. Sequels are hard, y'all.)

—

Now for my other UT ships? Hmmmm...

I'm gonna come out the gate swinging and say that I, first and foremost do not ship Asgore and Toriel. I think their dynamic is more interesting as a divorced couple. Boom. That'll stir the pot some.

(I have a lot of weird UT ships tbh)

Now, moving on to what I actually ship:

Asriel x Papyrus / Papsriel / Boneblossom

This stems more from how I wrote their dynamic in wdyw part 4 + ywiw. See, when Frisk and Sans are off doing hard main character work, Papyrus and Asriel were alone together a lot, working through both of their collective daddy issues together (their fathers were big ole villains and they were consoling each other about their relationships with their fathers, it was actually very sweet) Ergo, I began to ship.

But also, if you look at the game, there are instances of Asriel and Papyrus befriending, and Asriel manipulating him, or growing fond of Papyrus in his own way as Flowey. Yeah there's the problem of "well technically Asriel is a child!" Which like... Okay, he's also dead and immortal at the same time. In wdyw he died at an older age so... 🤷🏻‍♀️ It depends on where you take the story. I could also just ship them platonically. So yeah!

Undyne x Alphys / Alphyne

This one is obvious. They're canon. They're beautiful. I love gay people. I love lesbians. I am a gay people. I am a lesbian. I love them.

Also, low-key, I also just like to explore more of their dynamic than just lovey dovey sapphic stuff. The highs and the lows. And they're perfect to do that with.

Nick x Sans / Nicecream Guy x Sans

This one is unorthodox, but it's because of Baby Face. They're so gay in that fic like it's unbelievable. If not Sans, then definitely Nick. Like they've definitely explored each other's bodies at least once.

Also in wdyw, they have a more complex, complicated friendship since they're more like long lost friends, and the whole "you betrayed our ideals by joining Asgore's military" and Nick "you joined a rebellion that will never win, you've doomed yourself to martyrdom." Sans saving Nick from prison & the purge, ugh, they're so complex, I love em!

Nick is definitely gay. I know we were pushing for Alick but honestly... That boy is gay. And I really believe that. I think the only better pairing for him would be Napstablook, or... And I guess I'll concede to years of shipping before me... Burgerpants/Bryan. Because Bryan has that like, newly joined rebellion, starry eyes, just found out his crush was brutally murdered by one of Muffet's assassins, etc, and then there's Nick, shining hero of the revolution. I think it could work really well.

Muffet x Toriel / Muffriel / Spiderscotch

Bro even the name screams lesbian, wtf? This is like Everlark's alternative ship name being peenis.

BRO THEY LIVE IN THE RUINS TOGETHER, MUFFET SET UP SHOP IN THE RUINS. TORIEL BAKES PIES AND MUFFET BAKES FUCKED UP SPIDER DONUTS. THEY'RE A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN. (And I'm purely talking about classic, but who's to say that wdyw Muffet wasn't sneaking into the queen's chambers after killing her own husband and poisoning Toriel's daughter right under her nose? UGH THE DRAMA!!!!)

Ugh, I love my gay ships.

Anyway, Toriel is the sweet, albeit very flawed, old money, cottage core wife, and Muffet is the manipulative, borderline Machiavellian, macabre, new money, goth wife and they're PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER. I've never been more serious in my life.

Anyway, those are my UT ships that are not Frans. Don't come for me, I know they're unconventional (except for Alphyne) but I love them each dearly.

.

.

.

Old pencil drawing I did:

[psychicreadsgirl]

Taeyang and his wife relationship dynamics? Like the one for chen and his wife. Thanks!

The love between the two has fizzled out already. I see that Taeyang had been the one who actively pursued and kept giving his attention/care/love to Min Hyorin, who was always quite cold. Her personality is mostly cold. It doesn't mean she doesn't care about things but she's not very reactive and is quite . . . like an Ice Queen? She doesn't say much nor does she really show much. She also doesn't enjoy much physical intimacy/touch with him. I keep sensing her mind is elsewhere like not in the marriage/family. I do feel she is very tired of being known as Taeyang's wife.

I sense that throughout their relationship (pre marriage), Taeyang was the one who kept chasing after her and then she sort of just gave in and was like "okay he's doing so much for me. he's famous. why don't I give him a chance?" Her friends and family also pressured her a lot like they kept saying he's so good to you so why don't you just marry him etc. You know it's the feeling you get that you should be grateful for someone who cares about you so much and is willing to give you so much. I feel like her feelings were always about gratitude/guilt, not really romantic love. This doesn't mean she hasn't been trying. Hyorin has been trying to love Taeyang and has also tried to be good to him and compliment him etc. However, deep down she realizes that gratitude is not romantic love.

I feel that Taeyang is at a point where his focus has turned to their son. In a way it's like a distraction for him because he also knows that Hyorin doesn't love him the way he loves her. He also recognizes that she is trying her best to love him, but she just can't.

The two thought that having a child together would bring them closer. I do feel like Hyorin felt that having a child together would maybe trigger her to feel romantically in love with Taeyang or to make her happier in this marriage. However, this has not resolved the issues between them. Rather having a son together has been a blessing yet a burden too. There's an additional layer of responsibility and tie to Taeyang, making it harder for Hyorin to leave the marriage.

Hyorin is a very logically driven person, so when she assesses her options, she knows her best choice is to stay in the marriage. Though she may be attracted to someone else at times during the marriage, she wouldn't act on it and wouldn't leave a financially steady and stable environment for the unknown. She knows that Taeyang will provide for her and will likely always make more than her and he lets her live quite comfortably, so what other better option does she have? She knows people would criticize her a lot or dig up a lot of stuff if she were to divorce. Hyorin may even get pregnant again and hope that a 2nd child will make things better.

Back to Taeyang - As his focus is on his son, he'll be quite engaged as a father. I see him playing with his son and taking him to places with her. The couple definitely has help from others when it comes to parenting, so it's not just them that's looking after their son. Taeyang hasn't really experienced the more tiring side of parenting like changing diapers much (maybe a few times) or lecturing the son. He's more of the father that plays with the son. He likes to be the "good" parent and give the child gifts and fun. He's not very strict as a parent.

Taeyang has been trying to distract his mind through being a father or even through work. He doesn't want to confront what he truly knows, which is that their marriage isn't really working in the sense that they're more like umm how do you describe it ? Sort of like business partners in a way? He knows that Hyorin will never love him the way he does towards her and he used to be ok with this because he always felt like maybe one day she will realize this is true love. However, as time has passed for so long now, he recognizes that this day will never come. I see possibilities of him being pursued by other women (likely younger) who will give him more attention, love, and care compared to Hyorin.

Out of loneliness, Taeyang will likely have some romantic relationship with at least 1 of those women. He'll be tormented with regret, guilt, satisfaction and happiness. He'll for once feel that he's finally on the receiving end. This perhaps may lead to a divorce/separation or at least some big argument between him and Hyorin because I feel this other woman would want Taeyang to leave Hyorin and to marry her. There may also be complications as this woman has high chances of getting pregnant with his child, so he's going to be in a messy situation should he get into an affair. If his career happens to slow down or plummet around this time, Hyorin will definitely divorce him and she will ask for a hefty alimony etc. She's definitely not a pushover and this divorce has the potential to make it to court and get nasty.

[irish-urn]

I absolutely LOVED your response, and I agree! thanks for spending time on it <3 what draws me in about dasey is how complex it is, its forbidden love, “if its wrong I don’t want to be right”, the family dynamic, the drama, the suspense! so it’s always a let down when they hype it up so much and then nothing happens lol I want to see how dasey faces this hardship and how they present themselves moving forward. I’m so curious to hear about your after-LWL hc! I wonder how the family would react now that kids and divorce are involved. I know you’re currently writing a series about this so you don’t have to reveal too much, but how would Casey and Derek handle this as young adults? It’s not all unicorns and rainbows when dasey gets together, there’s definitely a storm coming.

LOOK, I didn't understand Taylor Swift's reputation album before I re-discovered Dasey. But now I do understand; and someone please remind me to put "But Daddy, I Love Him" on my kick at the darkness playlist because... Damn. If that isn't them.

Ohhhh Life With Luca!! You're right, I am writing a series about this — I'm actually writing, like, three parts all at once? (*hides face in shame*). The really interesting thing about the LWL world, though, is that Derek and Casey's priorities have shifted. No longer are they majorly concerned with George and Nora's opinions, but instead they're far more worried about Luca, Molly, Kai, and Skyler's opinions. And, maybe it's just me being a bit of a romantic, but I truly believe the only one of those four that would have some trouble with them getting together would be Luca: and that's because he still has a relationship with his dad. So for his mom to move on would be very painful for him to witness; but he's also very obviously fond of Derek. The six of them just really worked as a unit in the movie, and I think everyone can see that.

I strongly believe that Skyler would do everything in her power to see her dad happy; I actually HC that she figures out his feelings for Casey within weeks of them moving into the Guest House. And as for Molly and Kai -- we never see them even mention their dad, except for one instance where Kai says that "Mom and Dad don't let us swear"; and Molly tells Skyler that she wishes they could be "cousins AND sisters" -- so I think they're far more concerned with everyone being happy and them getting the attention they need than any social weirdness.

SO! With all that being said, I'm working on a part of that series where Dasey are together (because we all know that's where we're headed) and there is drama happening in the background. There's a little bit about how George and Nora did not react well -- to quote one part, "…Unfortunately, Nora and George were not handling this new relationship with any sort of grace, and there was no way they were going to take the kids so Derek and Casey could happily fuck themselves into oblivion." -- and I think Nora and George are choosing to view this relationship as a TERRIBLE REBOUND for Casey and both of them are calling Derek and Casey incredibly selfish and have they even thought about the kids?

(This, of course, made both Derek and Casey livid because, uh? George and Nora got engaged before ANY of them had met ANY of the other family; so who's considering who now???? Where they currently stand in that part of the series is that both parties are giving the other the silent treatment.)

I still think Edwin, Lizzie, and Marti would react the same way, no matter the ages. There's a little bit of concern regarding the children, but as soon as they checked in and saw that Derek and Casey are constantly checking in with the children and being as open as they can about the whole thing, I think they would just... be happy for them.

But Simon is struggling. Simon is struggling because he sees these two as his big BIG siblings, and unlike the others where blood only connects half of them, he IS connected by blood to ALL OF THEM. And, y'know, Casey has been with Peter for as long as Simon can remember -- one of his earliest memories is getting to hold baby!Luca. But Casey is so obviously happy and calmer with Derek, and Derek is happy and HOME so Simon can actually SEE him; so he's trying very hard to get on board. He fails a bit, says some things he probably shouldn't, but he's trying really, really, really hard.

I think, if he were a child, it would be easier for him to adapt. With my kick at the darkness series, for instance, he won't bat an eye — he's never going to remember a time when they weren't together, so he'll just... accept it as a part of his weird family. I'm currently playing with a sequel to "sick with sadness" as well, and he's 9/10 in that story; he finds it weird and kind of gross, but with the middle McTuris' help, he adapts quickly too. I got the sense from LWL that Simon loves Derek and Casey a whole bunch; looks up to them and trusts them, much like the younger three looked up to them in LWD. So I think love is going to win.

The fun thing is, I can actually see divorced!Casey caring a lot less about her mother's opinion about her and Derek because Casey has already been through a failed relationship, one where she tried to do the right thing -- I am a strong believer that Derek took off in LWL canon because he and Casey were teetering on the edge of the knife and someone stepped over the line and the other panicked. I suspect Derek is the one that leaned in too close or said something, and Casey FREAKED, and so he took off -- and doing the right thing didn't last. It hasn't stopped her from loving Derek, nor from him loving her. So why should she fight it any longer? She's already hurt the two of them enough; so what if Nora isn't happy? Casey is an adult living on her own, and she's tired of doing only what she's supposed to. She's going to get it right this time -- very much in the same way Nora is determined to get it right this second time too. Gosh, they really are mother and daughter, huh?

(Any other questions? I'm still not sure I really answered this one correctly...)

[burr-ell]

🔥Given your thoughts on Vaxleth in TLoVM (hard agree) how are you feeling about Perc’ahlia (and Vex in general) ?

This may not be the answer you're looking for, because I really enjoy both!

I love the slow-burn approach TLOVM is taking with Percy and Vex's relationship. The moments between them are primarily substantive conversations or little gestures—even She Wear He Coat is connected to the actual story—but they're not being pushed as overtly romantic yet. They have some really strong scenes in the last episodes of season 1, but they're framed pretty platonically as opposed to the much stronger romantic coding of Pike/Scanlan or Keyleth/Vax or Vax/Gilmore. They got more development in season 2 and some really good original moments (I love their conversation in the Fey Realm and the arrowhead symbolism), but it's primarily in episodes 4, 7, and 8; aside from a brief battle couple moment in the Killbox and them yelling each other's names a couple times in the fight with Umbrasyl, there's not much material for them in the last three episodes of season 2, whereas even Kima and Allura have more going on by that point. It does well at establishing their dynamic without real romantic tension, which is vital for getting me invested in any relationship.

I will say I would have framed the "they are definitely not worth you" scene a little better. I think they were trying to make it subtle, but even when divorced from the context of the campaign, it's an intimate conversation where Vex reveals one of her deepest insecurities and Percy reassures her with an uncharacteristic show of his hand. It needs to visually convey that with tighter framing—more close-up and shot-reverse-shots, give Percy a little more hesitation as he says that line. Maybe have an introductory wide shot where Percy and Vex are standing farther apart and then the transition shot between their conversation and Devana and Velora's entrance shows that they've moved physically closer to each other, but the viewer hasn't noticed because of the intimacy of the close-ups. It's a small thing, but I think those kinds of nitpicky pushes would have made the scene stronger while retaining what they were trying to convey.

On the whole, though, I really like that they've committed to the slow burn, even in a fast-paced show like this. I will never not lament the loss of the 26-episode season and what this show could have been if that was still the norm, but I love what we have, and I love that they've also given us some new scenes to enjoy.

As far as Vex herself, I like how she's been adapted. I think they're very faithful to her character—bitchy, but not heartless; strong, but not invulnerable; snarky, but not uncaring; hungry, but not greedy. A character with as many layers as Vex has can be difficult to get right when you're balancing everything else the story needs to be condensed and adapted for a completely different medium, and I think they do a very good job. Now, full disclosure, I was and still am pretty irritated that they added Vax to the story of how she got Trinket—but aside from that? I'm very pleased. She's allowed to be unlikable, and that just makes me love her even more.

[bonesandthebees]

Ooo are Roier and Cellbit a thing in the vampire AU? Or any other ships?

after the different covens come together to form their Giant Coven while they're investigating the Federation, Roier and Cellbit slowly grow closer until feelings start to blossom. After Bobby gets killed (haven't decided how yet) Cellbit ends up helping Roier a lot, which only leads to them getting closer. So yeah, at some point later on in the story the two get together! Though they do have a bit of an on again off again dynamic going on

The other ships present mostly reflect canon as well. Forever originally flirts with Phil because he looks like an old human 'friend' he used to have like 70 years before, but once he gets to know Phil it turns into something much more genuine. Meanwhile, Phil plays into it a bit if he's in a good mood, but he doesn't really reciprocate. Missa is also in love with Phil but he's not around enough for Phil to even pick up on it. Fit also shamelessly flirts with Phil whenever he gets a chance but that's just a joking thing and nothing serious. Still, the Philza effect is real

Wilbur and Quackity were never a Thing but they did meet in a nightclub where they danced together... a lot. After Quackity turned him though Wilbur got very pissed, and later once the binary monster attacks start and the covens start to come together, they run into each other again and Wilbur is not super friendly to Quackity. Even still, there's a lot of romantic tension there

Foolish and Vegetta met about 15ish years before the story and decided to stick together for a while since they were both on their own at the time. Gradually their dynamic grew into more and they're probably the healthiest couple in the group

Cellbit and Forever are still very great friends but act like they've been divorced for decades. No one is sure if there was ever anything romantic there or not and tbh they might not know either

Everyone in the group is convinced Foolish and Bad were together at some point and broke up centuries ago. They were not. They've known each other for 300 years and are literally soulmates but in a negative way

Charlie and Mariana definitely, uh, got up to some stuff while they were raising Juanaflippa together. Their relationship is pretty unclear now since they parted ways after her death

[sllowshow]

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 camryn

camryn's parents had a classic opposites attract dynamic, which was very cool until they got divorced, and then it fueled everything they hated about each other. her mother was a free spirit, believed in something bigger than "this" (a flight risk, never able to settle down out of fear shes missing something better) and her father kept two feet on the ground, he made sense of her (he was a stick in the mud who kept trying to "fix" her) .the way she'd always heard it, her mom, julie (linda cardellini fc) was the one to finally end things, but over the years, she'd hear so many versions of the afternoon they called it off that she couldn't tell you how it actually happened.

she is always inclined to take her father, eric (christian slater fc)'s side when it comes down to it though, because she's definitely softer on him. maybe it's because she was too nosey for her own good, and overheard one too many phonecalls where she got to hear the way her mother talked about him on the phone while they were finalizing the split. maybe it's because she's always thought her mothers motives were self-focused: she wanted to travel, and date, and she missed the thrill of when they first got together and he "challenged" her. it's easiest to assume though that its just because he's the parent who stayed.

her mother moved to new england to live with her then husband, camryn's ex-step-dad, when she was in high school. they see eachother around the holidays now, and talk on the phone, but they're not exactly close. she and her father, while living physically apart, keep in closer touch over text. when she and marley have kids, he makes more of an effort to come out and see them.

i think she's always been forward in relationships because she watched how her parents played games when they split. she doesn't want there to be any ambiguity in the way she loves.

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 5/5

Book Blurb:

Can they stop hating each other long enough to fall in love?

A commitment-phobe and a hopeless romantic clash over and over again—until heartbreak and unexpected chemistry bring them together in this clever enemies-to-friends-to-lovers debut romance. “Fresh, witty, and utterly romantic.”—Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

When Ari and Josh first meet, the wrong kind of sparks fly. They hate each other. Instantly.

A free-spirited, struggling comedian who likes to keep things casual, Ari sublets, takes gigs, and she never sleeps over after hooking up. Born-and-bred Manhattanite Josh has ambitious plans: Take the culinary world by storm, find The One, and make her breakfast in his spotless kitchen. They have absolutely nothing in common . . . except that they happen to be sleeping with the same woman.

Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again. But years later, as they’re both reeling from ego-bruising breakups, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. Turns out, spending time with your former nemesis is fun when you’re too sad to hate each other—and too sad for hate sex.

As friends-without-benefits, they find comfort in late-night Netflix binges, swiping through each other’s online dating profiles, and bickering across boroughs. It’s better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur. . . .

With sharp observations and sizzling chemistry, You, Again explores the dynamics of co-ed friendship in this sparkling romantic comedy of modern love in all its forms.

Review:

A new take on When Harry Met Sally with a dash of You're the Worst (FX). A fun and romantic story featuring a commitment-phoebe comedian who is chaos personified and a hopelessly romantic chef who lives his life neatly, who both end up meeting only to realize they are both sleeping with the same woman. Told through different spans of time, the story follows free-spirited go getter Ari, who is working to become a comedian and Josh, an ambitious chef. They were never suppose to meet but end up meeting when the woman they're both sleeping with dips and they have a pretty bad first meeting. The next time they meet, they're again at another low in their own perspective love lives, Ari doesn't believe in true love and is always the first to leave... except now she's getting a divorce, while Josh wants nothing more than to find true love but keeps finding himself in relationships that end badly. Ari and Josh end up bonding and soon realize that they have connections and could be friends, and soon find themselves bonding, watching movies together, going furniture shopping, helping each other out... but something else is happening between them. Can they both work it out before it's a missed opportunity or will they break apart? This was such a fun twist on When Harry Met Sally, especially since the gender role reversals (which I loved), but it was also reminding me of a show I absolutely love called You're the Worst (FX) and it was just the perfect mixture of both and I had so much fun with this book. I couldn't put it down and I was laughing and also crying over these characters, Ari and Josh have their own issues, but they work together so well, their friendship is so sweet and they care about each other so much. Seriously, it was great that you got to see them fall for each other and the genuine friendship between them. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a fun romance read about two messy people with a dash of opposites attract, and enemies to friends to lovers!

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[kitkatt0430]

Fuffy, Spangel, Dawn/Connor, and Angel/Riley for the ship bingo!

Fuffy:

I do enjoy Fuffy as a good fix-it fic because it's nice when Faith is able to not go down a bad path that leads to prison and gets a cute girlfriend too. But their canon relationship is so fascinating to me too, I've gotta admit.

I genuinely think that, canonically, Faith's in love with Buffy. But she's just so screwed up and let down by the adults in her life that Faith can't deal with it. She goes after guys that are infatuated with Buffy too - Angel, Xander, Riley, Spike, Robin - but she's not really happy unless she's the center of Buffy's attention. And when things go bad, well... if she can't have positive attention, she'll take the negative.

I... really do enjoy villains that are in that vein don't I? (Eobard Thawne, the Master from Doctor Who...)

That said, Faith is pretty devoted to Buffy, which we see both before and after her little jaunt on the dark side.

On Buffy's part, her actions towards Faith really do read as someone with a crush, pre-accidental manslaughter incident. Her feelings were probably too different from what she was used to for her to recognize the crush for what it was. But especially knowing that Buffy has at least one lady lover in the comics (that I've heard of anyway?) it makes a lot of sense to me that she had a crush on Faith. Faith was good at keeping up this veneer of being everything Buffy wished she could be - free of expectations and comfortable with being the Slayer.

So while their canon relationship is... a mess, I do think there was a window of opportunity where, had things gone a bit differently, they could have been girlfriends.

Spangel:

They've definitely had sex during their fanged four days. They're exes. They're divorced (yet still married). They love each other. They want to murder one another in convoluted loony tunes style plots.

They're Spangel. And they bring out the best and the worst in each other. If I were in more of a mood for vampires, I'd probably feel the need to go through their ship tag but I'm currently too focused on other fandoms.

I think one of my favorite ship fics for these two had Angel saving Spike's life and it caused him this moment of perfect happiness because the idea of perfect happiness was tied to what the caster of the curse believed it to be, deep down. And since the last time Angel had his soul shoved back into his body it was a Willow who'd lost Tara... very poignant but also now they've got Angelus around and his idea of love was... um...

Okay, so maybe I do need to dig that one up and re-read it now. :D

Dawn/Conner:

Since they never met in canon, I don't really have a lot to say about them. I do think they'd have an interesting dynamic - they're both of weird origins and struggle with being not normal - and I've liked fics that included the ship. But they're very much ships that pass in the night.

Angel/Riley:

Canonically these two very much bring out the worst in each other. Angel got his hackles up over Riley being the first guy Buffy was serious about after him. And Riley straight up accuses Buffy of cheating on him with Angel - admittedly likely out of guilt that he'd unwittingly had sex with Faith in Buffy's body and was dealing with having basically suffered rape by deception, so I do cut him some slack even if the accusation was incredibly shitty of him.

While I think scenarios where the two of them become friends would be interesting, with Angel actually acting older and wiser for once and seeing in Riley someone who is suffering and pushing the people who love and support him away... I just don't see anything romantic between them and I don't think I'd ever really want to either.

[sneezemonster15]

I once read a fic where sakura was written exactly in character and when she discovered n and s relationship she immediately got angry at naruto ( like I think she would in canon), but then some people started to flame the author about why are they writing sakura like that, like they're being too harsh on her.

So yeah, I think in some cases authors write H and S more likable so they don't upset anyone and get bullied.

Hmm it's plausible. However, writers usually write what rings true to them, what seems believable to them, otherwise it reads insincere and it shows in their writing. I can't say much in relation to fanfic writers given most of them aren't professional writers, they mostly just write for fun or self comfort.

What I do know for sure is that if one is sincerely writing a canonverse divorce SNS fic in Boruto era, one has to pay attention to the granular nuances that Kishi himself so shrewdly wrote and drew himself in Gaiden and Boruto the movie. He insistently puts repeated emphasis on how Sasuke mindfully keeps physical and emotional distance from Sakura. Their relationship looks dysfunctional, stilted and forced. While Sakura still tries to establish/force intimacy with Sasuke like usual, he still consistently keeps her at a distance, even now when they are married and have a child together, to the point he doesn't even know what his own daughter looks like. Sarada suspects her own mother is hiding something from her about her own father. Kishi succeeded to do one thing that he definitely wanted to achieve with Gaiden. To create doubt, suspicion. To make SS look shady and phoney. Because it just wouldn't have been in character for Sasuke to be happy or content in this sham of a marriage. Because he is a gay man stuck in a het marriage with a woman he doesn't like or respect. He is unhappy and displeased to see her, doesn't even crack a smile, hasn't seen her in years btw. They talk to each other in such a cosmetic manner, calling each other my husband and my wife. Never kissed, to Sakura's great dismay. Does this look like a dynamic that would facilitate Sasuke canoodling casually with Sakura?

Kishimoto insistently shows Naruto idle away his time at his office, counting headbands, even when there's nothing significant keeping him there. Like he purposely doesn't wanna go back home. He sends his clones to attend important ocassions with his family. But for Sasuke, he is always, always there in person. He sleeps anywhere but in his own master bedroom he shares with Hinata. His wife knows nothing worthwhile about him that she can tell to comfort her son about his own father. Instead, Kishi makes Sasuke satisfy Boruto's curiosity that Hinata wasn't able to. Naruto thinks of Sasuke when receiving the love bento and not Hinata who made it for him. His own son reminds him of Sasuke and not his spouse who birthed him.

Both these families are pointedly portrayed as highly dysfunctional. The husbands aren't there more than 90 percent of the time, the women know nothing of worth about their husbands. Sakura doesn't even know if Sasuke wears glasses. They have been married for over 12 years, happy families who have been together for such a long time don't behave like this. Naruto and Sasuke look perennially tired, wretched, and downright miserable.

If two gay men were forced by circumstances to keep appearances, by being married to entitled and self absorbed women they have no love for, wouldn't this be exactly how they would behave? These women who were only motivated by what the boys represent and not by who they really are. Hinata and Sakura don't know their own husbands. And it's in character for both of them. A spouse who wants to possess their object of desire without any concern for anyone but their own selves, wouldn't they behave exactly like Sakura and Hinata? They would.

And thing is, when the boys are with each other, they clearly look like their older selves. Spirited, lit up. Happy. Never with their families.

When writing a divorce SNS fic, one has to at least try to write a believable narrative. And no one has to even look anywhere else, just look to Kishi, he has already given us a lot of material to judge and interpret the characters the way it would be, realistic, believable. Kishi's writing rings true.

Naruto and Sasuke are akin to two outsiders living in a world that doesn't or wouldn't acknowledge their truth. A world where they can't be their true selves. An unfair and prejudiced world. A reflection of the real world as understood by Kishi. Naruto and Sasuke are driven to live in the shadows, having secret meetings. So if one decides to write a fic where they are made to officially unite, they will need to acknowledge the reality of world that had been stopping them until now. Hinata and Sakura are not only part of this world, but are also complicit in Naruto and Sasuke's suffering. So if one wants to portray a narrative that culminates into Naruto and Sasuke taking a stand against the world that had been the reason they were apart till now, then one will need to portray this world in character, including Hinata and Sakura. Otherwise, the narrative will not only not ring true, it will be disrespectful and unjust to Naruto and Sasuke's characters.

And then and only then, will their union look justifiably and accurately portrayed. If Kishi's worldbuilding depicts Konoha to be unsupportive of same sex relationships, and Naruto and Sasuke are a part of this world, then one will have to develop the narrative accordingly to justify their official union. If you write this world, which includes Hinata and Sakura, out of character, then you aren't really doing justice to SNS canon narrative, nor to Sasuke and Naruto's own characters.

Before anyone leaves some whiny, non-sense comment or remark about subjective interpretation on this post, please know that I don't have the energy nor the patience to deal with such comments kindly. Please really think about what I am saying. Deconstruct canon narrative, peel the layers, see what lies underneath. The issue I am talking about is bigger than some sorry ass fic. If you don't depict the challenges and conflicts of the characters in a well rounded way, you will never be able to write a believable or just narrative. Characters are not written in abstraction, they don't come out of oblivion. They are shaped by their surroundings, people around them, their world's weltenschaung, their accepted way of life, a certain philosophy, a belief system. Without taking that into account and building the narrative accordingly, one simply can't write a story or characters that ring true. And Kishi KNOWS this, given he is a master writer. Look to him, be guided by him, if one can't figure it out by themselves. Do your due diligence. Put some effort and understanding in it. Watch other gay media for research, see how these dysfunctional relationships are portrayed. Try and stay true to gay narratives, establish the gay characters' conflict, their struggles, their compromises, their woes, their bitterness with respect to the world they live in. If you wanna write a fic that does justice to SNS and Sasuke and Naruto's characters ie.

[retvenkos]

anyways i guess i'm a portwell stan now (enemies to lovers/best friends brother/make each other better trope & troy and gabriella parallels my beloved)

and i'm also exasperated at the writers at ricky's path this season. and the writers in general.

i just. want miss jenn and mr mazzara to get together this season and ej and gina to be happy, if that's too much to ask for.

AND WHY DOES THERE HAVE TO BE SO MANY LOVE TRIANGLES????

nobody wants it, they're not needed- all this season has been about romance, with a few crumbs of musical theatre, and it's not what i signed up for! i want more friendship moments between kourtney and seb, and i want more of the dorky improv games.

let the kids be kids.

the north high rivalry is getting unrealistically annoying. if anything, the theatre community is supportive of each other (i'm in a performing arts school, i should know lmbo)

ricky's parents' divorce plot was completely thrown out the window.

nobody wanted the redlyn angst.

why is carlos being kinda mean?

this whole has season has been a mess, and the only people carrying the show on their backs now is ej, gina, mr. mazzara and howie's rendition of "if i can't love her".

i'm so sorry for vomiting this all over you, i just felt this show is going downhill- kinda like glee.

dfghjdsfghjhgfdsdfghjhgfd,,, i haven't watched glee but i know enough about it to know that was a sick burn, cass. i love it.

and omg,,,,, do i have thoughts™. let's unpack them, shall we?

i agree that this season has been..... a lot™. it’s just a cluster of half-baked plot points that are strung together really losely. i feel like they should have scaled back on some of their ambitions.

namely, the north high rivalry is really bland and unnecessary. the only good things to come out of it is howie, the song around you, and the stunning location (i mean, art deco ogden high? count me in). you could take out the menkies entirely and so little would change to the overall story. i’d argue the story could have been even better without it because.... big shock..... we could focus on the characters.

because, truly, they’re trying to tackle too many things at once. whatever angst is happening with carlos and seb is the worst developed plot point we’ve had to suffer through. carlos says “does chip have any big scenes?” and it’s the catalyst for a fight? then we have them split for spring break and it’s just snippets of them fighting? literally, there’s zero reason for seb and carlos to fight - their dynamic is cute but it’s background chatter when you have whatever the hell is happening with ricky, nini, ej, and gina front and center. there was no reason to make then fight and it doesn’t add to their development, it isn’t well executed, and it isn’t particularly interesting. just let them be happy?

and i feel like that’s such a running theme for all of the side relationships? like you said - redlyn didn’t really need angst? i feel like the whole “career day” arc was well done and was compelling (but maybe that’s just because i had a friend who went through the same thing as red, so i’m sympathetic to it), but whatever went on with antoine and ashlyn was just.... really unnecessary? it didn’t add anything? maybe they’ll be revisiting the plot point, but as it stands right now, it was just really random to add in, and perhaps if i were more invested with north high, i would appreciate it more. but they’re.... so inconsequential.

and now we get to talk about one of my biggest gripes,,,,,,, ricky’s parents’ divorce. listen, i thought it was well developed in season one. it had importance. it affected ricky. it affected the plot. it raised the stakes. now it’s just underdeveloped. we’ve barely seen ricky’s homelife, given the sheer amount of plot points the show is juggling, and since ricky has mainly had negative scenes through the totality of the season, viewers aren’t really interested in seeing how the crumbs of his tumultuous homelife are affecting his behavior (which is kind of important, seeing as it accounts for the degradation of his character). 

ricky is going through a lot this season, and i feel like the main reason why people are so upset with him is because the writers leaned into his sad boi™ status. maybe it’s because the screentime is so divided and the stakes are higher, or because the writers really just got rid of all of ricky’s personality, but ricky has had two personality traits this season - sad clingy boi and bitter, passive aggressive boi. 

now, these personality appeared in season one - quite a lot, actually - but because it was framed  between light hearted moments and exploration of his conflicts, it was palatable and understandable. viewers understood why ricky was so desperately clinging onto the past and resisted change so much. we saw the tempest he was in! we had moments where friends like big red or even gina mentioned it. his reactions had merit because the viewer saw the buildup! 

this season, we have not had that. we see ricky’s dad trying to do his best with moving out, and with trying to move on, and we see ricky’s mom trying to do the same, and this is all strong for them, but when ricky can’t move on, and we see less of the struggle that ricky feels, we become disenchanted. ricky has stagnated, and we see everyone else moving on, and we do not focus on hat influences ricky to stop dead in his tracks. 

what’s worse is that the writers have ricky blow up so much more than last season, when we see less reasoning, and when he mentions how his parent’s divorce is a main reason for his angst, we really have no basis for that - except for what we saw in season 1. season 1 isn’t enough anymore, though, because ricky’s dad has moved on! so has ricky’s mom! 

i’m just scREAMING because ricky’s story is important and it was done well in season 1 and now the writers are losing ricky in the crossfire and pulling out the most degraded, negative traits of his character and running with them.

where is the ricky bowen i love and miss????

and lol, i’ve spoken so much about north high already, but i agree 10000% that it’s just getting out of hand. it’s just so not realistic. the rivalries aren’t like this,,,, someone please make it stop. they north high kids are also just so underdeveloped? the only exception is howie, and we didn’t even know he was a north high kid for half of the show,,,,,, (which, imo, should have been built up much better. kourtney said they never hung out with his friends, but we should have seen that so the mystery was more fulfilling. we should have also gotten hints he was in theatre - maybe kourtney hears him sing beauty and the beast, and she thinks it’s vvv cute, and she asks him he didn’t try out, and howie has to do some mental gymnastics to come up with a decent lie.) 

there’s so much poor or just underdeveloped writing in this season,,,, i’m crying.

even gina (my beloved) is the subject of poor writing because literally what happened between her and ricky? she was so emotionally involved she was about to leave, and then she suddenly decides to stay? and she suddenly just ignores ricky? girl worked through all of that off camera and while it’s not bad per se, it’s just lazy. they just underdeveloped that entire story.

the only one who has really shined this season is ej, and that’s just... really out of left field, but i’m not complaining.

and, i mean, i could talk about my earlier gripes with nini, but i see that they’re making narrative sense, now that the show has progressed a little further. i just wish she had stayed at yac longer, or we had seen more of her, there, so that when she says “she liked who she was [at yac],” we would have more basis for that. and i kinda wish we saw more of her sans boy drama, but i’m sure that’s coming.

and the love triangles,,,,, don’t get me started. rina didn’t have to be angsty or happen at all,,,, they could have just been friends and it would have had the same effect. don’t believe me? they’re friends and they lean on each other, but then nini comes into the picture and ricky just wants to be with nini all the time. he starts to really blow gina off and gina wonders if they were ever friends at all, or if she was just a cardboard cut out that ricky projected nini onto. the angst happens, gina realizes she has friends with carlos, she has that moment with ashlyn that gets fixed, then gina gets close to ej,,,,, literally no difference.

and lol, mr. mazzara. i think he and miss jenn are vvv cute together - definitely my favorite out of the miss jenn romances. i love a good slow burn, so i’m willing to wait for an eternity to have it. i just think they’re neat.

[bibiana112]

aoi and/or akane for the headcanon thing?

Them!! Aight, Imma start with Aoi

Sexuality Headcanon: Well it's not really headcanon, he's bi and there's nothing you can do about it <3

Gender Headcanon: Gender nonconforming he/they dude that often goes over the top with acessorizing and honestly good for him I too will die if I am perceived without a tiara, scarf, gloves and earrings all at once

A ship I have with said character: @gaulemtypefemale-dm-l-016 talked my ear off about Aoilight once and completely sold me on the two. I'm not big on shipping but I want good things for Aoi and they're really cute and snakegay so like yeah I really enjoy this one

A BROTP I have with said character: Him and Phi! I read a fic once that had a bit about them getting along and forming a friendship based on being the only blatantly queer people in the crash keys meetings, and I love that for them lol

A NOTP I have with said character: Him and Clover... I won't tag my friend they haven't been active in forever but we've talked about this So Many Times lmao. They really like the two together and whatever good for them but?? I can't?? There was even one time we were on a freaking field trip bus and they were trying to make this pairing make sense and I was absolutely losing my mind. It was a ton of fun lol. Anyways, yeaaah.. she axe murdered him and he called her a stupid bitch while holding a gun, not my definition of romance

A random headcanon: I came up with this literally yesterday or so cause of the whole health thing I had, but like, I can see him giving himself a scar from scratching the syringe mark too much in the aftermath of the first nonary game

General Opinion over said character: Gotta be one of my top comfort characters of all time, no joke, don't wanna give away this bit of my tragic backstory so like, what can I say, seeing this story from his perspective just means a lot to me. The system and general life circumstances were never kind but he was just that stubborn and determined to find a way for their little family of two to be happy again despite all the compromises, like, being the older sibling as well sure helps appreciate some stuff going on there mostly the willingness to commit a crime in retaliation. Also I genuinely love that he's, by his own words, just a secretary and there for support lol

Okay now for the girl boss half of the dynamic duo

Sexuality Headcanon: Idk never thought about it much, she comes across to me like as someone who's not necessarily aroace but will not give a crap about picking a label because she doesn't give a crap about getting in a relationship with, or even paying this kind of attention to anyone that's not her boi™ but who knows when they're not star-crossed anymore how she'd be about it

Gender Headcanon: Nonbinary she/her because idk I get gender vibes from her, I feel like she'd have a lot of gender feelings going on under the surface, like, idk how to explain it. Is it because my hair used to look like that and I used to dress in a lot of baggy purples and blacks? Probaby Love the idea of her weaponizing her inner gender ambiguity with the Zero stuff tho

A ship I have with said character: Junepei, for the soul, it's got so much to it and none of it is straightforward aside from the fact that they have like a bond™ I like all flavors this ship comes in, divorce wins junepei, healthy lovestruck junepei and c-team polycule

A BROTP I have with said character: I think she would be besties with Clover, they'd go shopping and pester the hell out of their big brothers together <3

A NOTP I have with said character: I honestly don't know? I haven't really seen many ships with her that aren't Junepei or super tiny and valid rarepairs... Well I don't like Sigma, some people must ship the two right, don't like it

A random headcanon: Everytime she comes across Junpei or Aoi asleep on some part of their houses she kind of stops for a moment to make sure their chests are going up and down and they're like... alive. If she didn't stare and check then the images she'd have in the corner of her eye would be a bit too bloody. She doesn't tell either of them but abruptly wakes them up from time to time

General Opinion over said character: Here's the thing, I always use the word Ambivalent to describe my opinion on her, like, specifically that word. Not neutral, ambivalent. Contradictory feelings, much like she herself is quite paradoxical. She's absolutely outstanding as a character and though she's the kind of person I know I'd loathe to have to deal with on many levels there are also so many other levels that I like, can relate to her on? Going back and playing through 999 again made me stop and realize that, It's weird, I'd be fully on board with her if her motivations didn't graduate to a generic saving the world plot later on tbh

[fairycosmos]

pt. 5 but didn't say her name obviously but like now they're friends n I'm not uncomfortable bc she's his ex it's just bc of what she did but ik I don't know her rly n i only know one side of the story so maybe im biased n I don't think he'd cheat on me i trust him but i just rly don't fucking like her bc of that but he forgives ppl easily it's better than being bitter ik but why lmao i don't wanna bring it up bc i don't wanna start shit n i don't wanna tell him who he can n can't talk to

hmm........i can honestly see why you’d be upset because there’s so much drama and history here with everybody involved, so don’t feel bad for questioning the situation. it sounds like a lot of baggage, but ultimately how it plays out is in the hands of your boyfriend. all you can do is let him know in the most serious way that you are not a second option, that you are not a ‘replacement’ and that you are not going to have your heart broken by him. i know you said you don’t want to bring it up, but i think it’s important to just set some boundaries and to discuss the way that you’re feeling before you can both attempt to move forward. give him the opportunity to do what he needs to do, and to say what he needs to say. if there’s any old feelings for the other girl, or if there’s anything he needs tell you, then this is his chance. it seems to me like he’s quite a confused person, so maybe having such an open conversation will help him figure things out a little. it might be sort of painful or awkward or scary, but it’s better than bottling everything up. being able to talk to your partner is a sign of a mature, stable relationship. it doesn’t mean you’re starting an argument or being confrontational, you’re just trying to stop it all from escalating into a bigger deal than it needs to be. it doesn’t have to be accusatory or vicious - just let him know how you’re feeling, and go from there. how he reacts will tell you a lot about him. 

this girl sounds like a shitty person, but you said it yourself - you can’t tell him who to be friends with. i know you want to protect him, and i know you don’t want him to get hurt. but you only have so much control over all of this, a lot of it is out of your hands. there are some things you have to make peace with for yourself. if he wants to engage with a toxic person then that’s his choice, but it doesn’t mean you have to like her or acknowledge her or even think about her ever again. divorce yourself from that part of his life. as your boyfriend, he should definitely take your feelings into account, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll stop being friends with her. but look, just because he’s opting to put himself into a vulnerable position, doesn’t mean you have to. if their friendship starts to get stressful or shitty again, then the best thing you can do is just to be there for him until he gives you a reason not to be. let him make the mistake of trusting her, because then once she reveals her true colours again (which she most likely will at some point), he’ll realize for himself that she’s not worth it.  i’m not saying you have to be naive and sit back and not say anything when you’re uncomfortable with something - i’m saying you need to look at the situation for what is is, trust your instincts and tell him straight up how it is. the fact that you genuinely don’t think he would cheat on you is a good sign, it shows that there is some level of trust, but you aren’t a bad person for wanting to protect your own heart, too. you’re allowed to say how you’re feeling, even if it’s difficult to. it’s okay, you’re okay.

obviously i have no idea how this is going to turn out, and i have a super limited perspective of the situation. idk the dynamic between your boyfriend and this girl, and i don’t know the details of it all. but i want you to know that whatever happens, the actions of other people are not a reflection of you and they are not your fault. you can’t force your boyfriend to do the right thing, or to see this girl for what she is. just do what you can with what you’ve been given, and the rest will figure itself out. if you are honestly happy with your boyfriend, then there is no point in ruining it over one of his friends. if you end up with him, then he is the person you were always supposed to be with. if you don’t, then it’s for all the right reasons. either way, you are going to find all of the warmth and happiness in the world, eventually. have a bit of faith in the future, and in things turning around. i get that it’s difficult. it’s hard to see through the paranoia and all of the shit that’s already happened, but at the end of the day you can’t change the past. all you can do is try to handle the future as it comes, whatever it holds. i just hope you know your own worth, and i hope you don’t accept anything less than someone who loves you for you, someone who would choose you a thousand times over. never even consider the idea of settling for something else, because you don’t need that bullshit in your life. honestly, i’m pretty bad at relationship advice and i’m not great with the idea of love and all that, but i really hope that this works out and that you and your boyfriend are able to come to some sort of compromise. if the bond between you is strong enough, then you’ll find a way. if it’s not, then you don’t need it. that’s really what it comes down to, you know? dfjgnhjfdekdjf i’m really sorry if this didn’t help much, i wish there was something more i could do for you. i’m always here if you need a friend or someone to talk to.