#gay chains of fate

[tacobellabeanburrito]

Anybody know that Narumitsu fanfic were Miles and Phoenix are connected by the Gay Golden Chains Of Fate and where Phoenix can see these chains and also other peoples relationships through different colored strings? I need to find it soooo badly.

Edit: Fanfic has been found, and they actually use the phrase “Gay Golden Chains Of Fate” which I think is hilarious. It’s in the replies if anyone wants to read it! It’s very good and cute!

[likealittleheartbeat]

Here's the conclusion to the longest atla meta I ever wrote (about platonic love in the show) for all the old and new fans coming into the fandom (def spoilers):

"Ideally, within the morality of the series (at least as it appears to us with no regard for whatever limits or self-censorship occurred due to its era of production and child-friendly requirements), “friends'' are maintained alongside romantic partnerships. Both Zuko and Aang’s separate romantic relationships blossom within the same episode that they declare their “friendship.” In fact, a vital plotline is the development of Zuko’s relationship with Aang’s romantic interest. While anyone in the fandom is well aware of the popular interpretation of romantic affection between Zuko and Katara because of their shared narrative, I have to point out that romantic feelings across the series are made extremely explicit through statements, blushes, and kisses. Zuko’s relationship with Katara can be better understood in the light of the coming-of-age counternarrative: While the love interest often serves as a catalyst for separation for a homosocial relationship, the friendly relationship with Aang’s love interest—seeking her forgiveness, respecting her power, calling on her support, etc—is vital for Zuko to ultimately create an environment of peace in which he and Aang can fulfill their destined “friendship.”

We can look at Katara’s femininity as the most important device for manifesting Aang and Zuko’s eventual union (and therefore the restoration of balance to the world). It’s her rage against misogyny that frees Aang from his iceberg, midwifing him into the world again after his arrested development, the complete opposite of a Wendy figure. It’s her arms that hold Aang in the pieta after his death in the Crossroads of Destiny, positioning her as a divine God-bearer. Afterwards, its her hands that resurrect Aang so that they together can fulfill his destiny. It will be these same hands with this same holy water that resurrect Zuko in the finale. Only through Katara’s decided blessing could Aang and Zuko proceed toward the fated reunion of their souls.

The importance of this critical relationship to femininity becomes relevant to a scene in “Emerald Island Players” that one might note as an outstanding moment of gay panic. Zuko and Aang, watching their counterparts on stage, cringe and shrink when, upon being saved by The Blue Spirit character in the play, Aang’s performer declares “My hero!” Instead of the assumption of homophobia, I wonder whether we might read Aang and Zuko’s responses as discomfort with the misogynistic heterosexual dynamics the declaration represents. Across the board, Avatar subverted the damsel in distress trope. There’s a-whole-nother essay to be written on all the ways it goes about this work, but the events in “The Blue Spirit” certainly speak to this subversion. It’s quite explicit that Zuko, after breaking Aang’s chains, is equally dependent on Aang for their escape. And, by the end of the actual episode, the savior role is reversed as Aang drags an unconscious Zuko away from certain death. To depict these events within the simplistic “damsel in distress” scenario, as The Ember Island Players do, positions Aang as a subordinately feminized colonial subject, denies him his agency, and depicts the relationship as something merely romantic, devoid of the equalizing platonic force that actually empowers them. The moment in the play is uncomfortable for Aang and Zuko because it makes Zuko the hero and Aang the helpless object. Aang is explicit about his embarrassment over his feminized and infantilized depiction in the play. And Zuko, newly reformed, is embarrassed to see, on one hand, his villainy throughout the play and, on the other hand, see how his character is positioned as as a savior to the person who has actually saved him.

At the heart of the series is not the idea of a chosen one or savior. Instead, we are saved by the ability for one person to see themselves in another person and to feel that same person equally understands their own soul. This is the ideal of platonic love. Platonic love between two matured boys—two boys within whose memories and bodies bare the scars of their queer sensitivities—is an essential part of the future of peace.

Many fans have a sense of this, labeling the relationship as “brotp” and “platonic soulmates.” I simply encourage people to acknowledge that platonic love, especially in this context, is not a limit. There is no “no homo” joke here. When we remark on the platonic love between Zuko and Aang (and across media more generally) we are precisely making room for friendship, romance, and whatever else it could mean, whatever else it might become.

While I find Legend of Korra lacking and in some ways detrimental to appreciating the original series, it’s finale interestingly parallels and extends this reading of platonic love in a sapphic vein. And most recently, She-ra Princess of Power was able to even more explicitly realize these dynamics in the relationship between Adora and Catra. Let’s simply acknowledge that Aang and Zuko’s relationship blazed the trail: that peace, happiness, hope, and freedom could all hinge on a “friendship,” because a “friend” was never supposed to be set apart from or less than other kinds of relationships. For the ways it disregards gender, disregards individualism, disregards dominion--platonic love is the foundation of any meaningful relationship. And a meaningful relationship is the foundation for a more peaceful world." 

[regulusrules]

Ranking the best 10 Merlin episodes + a fic rec based on each one:

(absolutely not based on how gay they were) ((no order for the eps; they're all chef's kiss)) (((last two fics have a hold on me that levels the show itself; worth scrolling for)))

1. The Poisoned Chalice

Look. There is something just absolutely entrancing about introducing this episode in the first five of the entire show. Like, this hands-on was the sole reason everyone fell for those two idiots. It beautifully captured how the saving each other thing is reciprocal, because the first three episodes you just have to watch Merlin run around saving Arthur, never the reverse. Producing it early on in the show was the decision that, in my opinion, held everyone in their chokehold for eternity.

Fic rec: you are my favorite mistake (it can only be fate) by @multifandom-jess.

2. The Death Song of Uther Pendragon

I could go on and on for how this episode singlehandedly carried s5 on its shoulder. Like, okay I unfortunately love s5 with all my fucking heart, but this episode was perfect. Ghosts? Check. Banter? Check. POETRY?? Check check. A slap to Uther's face? Oh how beautifully checked.

It's so easy to recall how Arthur truly loved his father, but in this episode, the turmoil you see in his eyes from the actions of his father and how he resorts to saving the ones he loves (Merlin) over his father, is just too beautiful to be overlooked. Ever since Arthur became king, we see him struggle from his father's legacy. But in this episode, he begins to detach both consciously and subconsciously from him. Whether it's in his decision to save the old sorceress in the beginning, or to shun Uther's ghost, both the literal and the figurative, from his life any longer. This was one of the episodes that captured the true essence of King Arthur.

+1: the innuendos of this episode were 🤌. They knew what they were doing, you can't convince me otherwise. (are you threatening me with a spoon? / I'm teaching him some poetry.. he can't get enough of it! / what was that? h-horseplay. why don't I show you?)

Fic rec: My heart is readily yours by @regulusrules. (absolutely love how after all this introspection, i decided to throw it all away and made uther stab merlin in the fucking heart instead. but still it was my honourable attempt to shit on the finale and give them the happy ending everyone deserved).

3. The Sword in the Stone pt. 2

OKAY. This episode! Aside from how badass Merlin was in both pt.1&2, but here, especially in the part where us audience were impatiently waiting for the revival of the sword in the stone, there could've been nothing more perfect. Just like their adaptation of the round table scene, this was perfect in its own way for how different it was. They didn't make it so that people will finally find a king; they made it so that the people believe in their king. And more than that, for Arthur to believe in himself. With the estrangement and losing his crown, the writers gave him the best way to re-establish his inner glory. And Merlin being this guide; what more perfect culmination to their relationship?

You have to believe, Arthur.

Iconic.

Fic rec: Couldn't choose between Only Friend by @captain-ozone, and Fathom Me Out by @supercalvin. Brilliance ahead in both of them, I tell you.

4. The Eye of the Phoenix

Magic. Gwaine. Quests. Need I say more to explain that this was the show's holy trinity?

Fic rec: From Past to Present by flowersheep. (Prince Merlin. Archer Merlin. Perfection my friends).

5. A Servant of Two Masters

Look look; if there's an honourary wall of opinions for all the people who've watched Merlin, I DARE you to find just one who disliked this episode. Like, the series was so full of BS sometimes, but this episode was above all. The level of brilliance in this episode; showing Dark!Merlin, who's at the same time hilariously funny, and seeing him BAMF his way with Morgana, even when he's chained and tortured.. oh dear holy Lord. His "do me a favour, could you? let Arthur know." was able to steal all breath from my lungs the first time I saw it (and until now).

And don't get me started on the Protective!Arthur we got. Caring for Merlin, screaming for him when the rocks fell between them, silencing Agravaine immediately when he told him he's sorry for losing such a loyal servant because bullshit if he doesn't reign down hell before he loses Merlin. And ofc, Courage and Strength on their way to find Magic, which just filled my heart with an 'aaahhh!' moment, because we didn't get enough Gwaine-Arthur-Merlin shenanigans. And at last, the Hug™. Fucking screamed let me tell you.

It is an episode that truly showed everything; from comic elements to fluff and angst and everything. The only thing it lacked was, as always, giving Arthur the space to know. Because ffs what would they have lost if they made Arthur understand that Merlin's under Morgana's control? It wouldn't have exposed shit. It would've just been a plus to us to see Arthur caring for Merlin even more. They tried so hard that it completely backfired sometimes.

Fic rec: Still I Surface in Morning Light by @queerofthedagger. (I swear to you, anything written by this author, I readily throw whatever in hand to read it).

6. The Dragon's Call

Let thy gif caption speak.

No but really, that first episode was the stuff of legends. I could list down tens of tropes they did in just that episode alone. Honestly, no "family" show I've ever seen had started this powerfully. Just the music alone, the beauty of beginnings, not the CGI, was truly so gripping. Also bonus points for just Colin Morgan's sass abilities. None can compare.

Fic rec: This Time Around... series (incomplete) by Oneiric (lkdaswani). (this is a time travel AU, but the way the writer rewrote this episode was one of the best deviations I've read for an episode I already find near faultless).

7. The Sins of the Father

I might be subjecting myself to true wrath with my upcoming statement, but here we go:

S2 sucked.

From the beginning of the season, Arthur's shift in characterization from the honourable lovable prat of s1 to a letting Merlin act as a horse stool got me going wtf? It was like they deliberately ruined everything in their relationship and started out fresh just to force the Arthurian narrative of Arwen. And it's fine by me, truly, even if I'll never ship them, but they could've developed Arthur's character SO MUCH in that season beyond comic relief and romantic rendezvous.

Anyway so that I don't stray so much from the topic; this episode was, by fair comparison, the best in the entire season. By now it's pretty obvious that I gravitate towards all the episodes that give Arthur a semblance of agency. Him going against Uther and his maniac murderous agenda was the start of actually seeing King Arthur in front of us. Also, him listening to Merlin when he was on the verge of committing patricide was one of the things that gave me hope in how there's still hope in them. Even if they ruined it with making Merlin lie to Arthur, but the writers practically ruined every good episode with this.

+1: Morgause's intro was badass.

Fic rec: The Sins of the Father (and how to right them) by @cupcakezys. (what we deserved. to see arthur with agency, with an ability to decide for his future without being lied and deceived to).

8. Diamond of the Fucking Day

No matter how much I hate this episode, I can't, in good conscience, deny its hold on my heart. As I wrote before, there could've been no better magic reveal than this. And for all of my bitterness over their decision to kill Arthur, I sanely admit how it was a decision that insured the immortality of this fandom. It's been ten years since that episode aired, and I bet my ass off that it will still feel the same even after countless more decades.

Fic rec: literally the entirety of the fandom's fix-it fics. We all started from there, didn't we? Choosing only one would be so undervaluing to all the brilliance I've seen. However, my tags filter for it usually include: fix-it, angst with a happy ending, court sorcerer merlin, shitting on bbc writers 101, canon era, not canon compliant, everybody lives especially king arthur you mfs.

Update: I subconsciously took all these tags and wrote them in a fic

9. The Wicked Day

Throw me from the highest tower there is because every time I remember this scene, I just want to fade into the light. The sheer level of love and understanding shimmering between those two. Sometimes I marvel at the choice of bringing Colin and Bradley together, because no two could have achieved such chemistry, platonic or not, as those two did. This whole episode of showing Arthur's grief, and Merlin's desperation to heal it, was truly unforgettable. I try not to linger on its ending, Arthur denouncing magic for the millionth of time, but other than that it was a gem served to us on a silver platter.

Also seeing Uther finally die was a plus.

Fic rec: As much as I'd love to recommend my own fic for this, but honestly, whenever I get the chance, I will always take it to scream and wail about one of my absolute favourite fics of all time, which really isn't given ANY of the goddamn credit or attention or kudos it deserves. Beauty in the Ashes of Our Lives by Fulgance. I swear to you, you will never read something as beautifully heartbreaking as this. This fic resides in my mind rent-free. Basically any work by Fulgance is amazing, but this fic— oh God, my heart cannot take it sometimes.

10. Arthur's Bane pt. 1

Fuck, that episode was a masterpiece. You know, if it was all in my hands, I would've magic revealed at this particular episode. It was just.. the perfect opportunity. King Arthur in his glory, beginning of the season, enough time for Arthur to fully understand the depth of what Merlin did for him. Also, the range Arthur was given starting from here; God it's what we deserved. I always blame the writers for being inconsistent with his characterization (s2 and all), but they beautifully crafted it in the end, and it was their perfect chance to even explore the whole extent if only they made the magic reveal earlier.

Fic rec: Our broken pieces by @aramblingjay. Okay so this fic rec isn't necessarily linked at all to the episode, but I can't, in good conscience, recommend fics and not include it. Technically context wise it fits s5, for in it you see Arthur in his grandeur as king. This shall be my only exception because it's the only fic that was able to make me cry. Truly, I never shed tears, but in this, my heart stuttered. The fact that it is so unnoticed makes my blood boil because of how much praise it deserves. I can never recommend it enough.

To conclude, BBC Merlin has a powerful hold on everyone because of the fact that they knew how to eternalise it. It is significantly unique in its interpretation of legendary figures. I think I watched nearly all adaptations of King Arthur throughout the years, but even with how great some really are, to me none compare with this sword-swishing, banter-driven, CGI-messing, emotionally-killing 2008 show.

Honorary mentions:

| The Labyrinth of Gedref | Gwaine | Le Morte D'Arthur | Lancelot | The Coming of Arthur | The Moment of Truth | The Hunter's Heart | His Father's Son | The Darkest Hour |

[More fic recs]

[thealogie]

the way they had baby sheenberg 1 and baby tennant #5 (or 6? idk) basically at the same time during gomens promo (and it led to michael saying he's pregnant with david's child but that's another conversation) and now those old men are besties their wives are insane on ig fanning the flames they did staged they kissed for the gays of the world they did All That during macbeth and now they're doing holiday greeting cards. starting from 2019. 2017/18 if we want to be more technical. their red string of fate has the tensile strength of like. the chain of fenris or something. polycule slash daycare this was an insane progression of events to witness.

In some ways it started in 2017 in other ways it started in 2005-ish when David Tennant decided to fan cast Michael Sheen as the doctor every chance he got

[absolutebl]

I'd like to specify a request for good Thai shows that just finished. They're my favorite for many reasons, and I also enjoy getting to learn more Thai words.

Good 2023 Thai BL That Recently Finished (to Binge!)

(I actually held off answering this one until a few had ended this week because I didn't have many for 2023. It's not been great year for Thai BL so far IMHO. Now South Korea is KILLING it. So is Japan.. in a different way.)

My School President

9/10

GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues.

Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORED this. And there is a lot to be said for the classics being re-executed perfectly. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? This show was fantastic, it’s only flaw was the singing (and that’s my baggage).

My favourite GMMTV BL offering to date. And yes, I've watched them ALL. (YouTube)

Step By Step

9/10

This was Thailand’s answer to The New Employee, and everything I loved about that show I loved about this one.

This was an office romance between stern boss and sweet subordinate that felt more authentic to an office environment than previous Thai BLs of this ilk. And that authenticity added tension to the narrative and character development (how novel). Now that might be because it has western source material, or it might be because it is actually kind of old-fashioned (it’s been years since I worked as an office grunt). I also really enjoyed the brothers’ relationship, and kinda wished they hadn’t attempted (and failed) to give said brother his own side BL.

(Gaga & YouTube & Viki)

La Pluie

9/10

This BL takes to task the fated mates trope and what it means to have love chained intimately to predestination. It’s about how faith in destiny before choice diminishes the authenticity of emotion, relationships, and connection. This is a high concept to examine through the lens of a BL.

By activating + examining the soulmates trope this show is challenging a foundation of romance: the idea that there is one person meant to be your one romantic partner all your life. This means that we, as viewers, spend much of the show worried about it having a happy ending, and that’s the source of both its brilliance and tension: would the narrative have the strength to truly challenge its own romantic core?

But, ultimately, all this elevated complexity was executed in a somewhat shaky manner with the narrative derailing into some serious pacing issues and characters manipulated by miscommunication. However, with good chemistry and decent acting all around, plus some excellent high heat and representation of consent and a few other rare tropes, this one has to (like it’s sibling show My Ride) earn a 9/10.

I enjoyed it even as it made me think. (iQIYI)

Make a Wish

8/10

PNR (from Sammon: Manner of Death & Triage) about a doctor who can see the dead and strikes a bargain with a wish-granting irreverent tree angel - naturally they fall in love.

Stars Fluke Natouch opposite not-Ohm, but who cares bc Fluke has chemistry with everybody. Once again the Thai afterlife is incredibly bureaucratic but I enjoyed the premise and the unfolding of the story (it’s not predictable but still satisfying and with nice little twist). I like that the doctor is just gay af and has a fag hag bestie and everything.

The cast is excellent but the comedic stylings are too overblown and tonally off. It had sad parts and did make me cry but is ultimately happy with a great sex scene, good smiley kisses, and all the agency. (grey)

Moonlight Chicken

8/10

I enjoyed this complicated little show, even though it’s spectacularly messy gay with lots of shrapnel and authentic pain.

I thought EarthMix turned in their most compelling performance to date. But it was GeminiFourth who stole my heart.

That said, the most interesting central relationship was that of Jim & Li Ming, their father-son angst mixed with evident affection made me tear up.

This was more slice of life than it was BL, but it ended happily so I’m not mad at it. (YouTube)

Never Let Me Go

8/10

Bodyguard romance where poor boy must watch over rich boy for family obligation reasons. Simple premise well executed with a few bumps that made it feel like it was trying to tackle too much (when it wasn’t).

Still, an enjoyable show that benefited from being handed to PondPhuwin who did a stellar job with their roles and chemistry. Is it going into permanent rewatch rotation? No, but a solid GMMTV offering. Of GMMTV passing out new series to established pairs this has been the most successful IMHO. PondPhuwin were about 10000x better in this than FUTS (and that's FUTS's fault, not theirs).

It's typically Thai in that its a bit bloated and has a confusing plot, but at least it HAD a plot and the central relationship is solid and loyal. Their Our Skyy 2 follow up is great. And very much adds to the cannon in a fun way rather than feeling superfluous - making this show ultimately 14 eps rather than the usual 12. (YouTube)

Destiny Seeker

8/10

A darn near perfect pulp featuring 3 likable grumpy/sunshine pairings with uncomplicated iterations of enemies to lovers. At least one half of each does a decent amount of pining and there’s good chemistry, classic tropes, and communication rep. It’s fun and full of linguistic jokes.

Sublimely cheesy but a good rainy day offering with tons of rewatch potential. (WeTV)

Bed Friend

8/10 (Triggers include: child abuse, attempted rape, family abuse)

Office frienamies transition a flaming hot one night stand into a f-buddy relationship that is built on a puppy/cat dynamic (and kinks into it at one point). Our puppy is loyal, smitten, and protective with endlessly longing eyes, while our cat is snarky, prickly, and deeply damaged (ALL THE TRIGGERS).

NetJames give lovely high-heat with excellent chemistry and tuned-in performances of surprising depth, unfortunately the story ultimately failed them. Had the show had the strength of its convictions and kept to a tighter, darker, harsher 8 eps it would have been the first high heat to earn a 10/10 from me, but once they fussed with it, it dropped to a solid 8/10.

Could have been great but was overworked. Still if high heat is your thing, this one will not let you down. (YouTube)

Between Us

8/10

Featuring the hugely popular side characters from 2019′s Until We Meet Again, Win Team (played by Studio Wabi Sabi's most popular, and commercially viable, pair BounPrem - Long Khong, You Never Eat Alone, Seven Project, Even Sun), adaptation of the y-novel Hemp Rope.

It’s a serviceable series about hot swimmers flirting and dealing with family drama in a sweetly earnest manner, but ultimately it squanders the talent in play. I would’ve preferred a cleaner narrative arc, less angst and more plot, fewer couples, and a shorter series.

That said, there’s nothing objectively wrong, sub-standard, or off-putting about this show. And it has lots of consent and other good qualities.

It’s fine. Watch along here. (iQIYI)

This list dated July 16 2023, not responsible for anything that came after, that'll probably be in end of year wrap ups.

[apoli-meow]

When the Red String Of Fate™ isn't enough:

Prepare to witness

THE GOLDEN CHAIN OF FORCED ASSOCIATION™

(Designed for dumbass gays who can't admit to being in love)

[burnsopale]

Now hear me out ... What if Chauvelin had a second villain song and it was kinda gay?

I wanted to set my country free No man shackled or oppressed So why do I feel these chains on me? How did I myself end up possessed?

All men are equal in this fair land But there is no equal to his fair hand I’ve used all the powers at my command And still he eludes me! Still he eludes me!

Phantom rise from your field of flowers We’ve lain siege to the ivory towers Come, my phantom, come to their rescue Hear their voices call out and bless you

I’m waiting for you with men and steel I’ll see you captured, I’ll make you kneel Let this night hold the fateful hours Phantom rise from your field of flowers

[real-fire-emblem-takes]

Camilla should've been more overtly unhinged. Massive shoutout to the gay fates mod to adding a bunch of backstory and character building to her (everyone do yourselves a favor and read the support chain between her and peri)

.

[gyrovagi]

hello and welcome to my gamer's den. here's a quick and dirty guide to the ocs i talk about constantly

CANON PROTAGS/NORMAL MEN. INNOCENT MEN:

eloy "el" surana (blood mage/arcane warrior) - i'm like if a control freak could control things ❤️ with blood magic ❤️. generally well-intentioned but hypervigilant, always playing 5d chess about the worst scenario. world's first moral (not necessarily ethical) male bigender manipulator. wields a wholly inappropriate degree of political influence in denerim

seongmin hawke (primarily diplomatic, sword + shield berserker) - afraid that his abandonment issues will leave him. pathologically conflict avoidant, fawn response to the max - up until someone he loves gets threatened, at which point good luck leaving alive lol. 'i don't think i need to talk about my feelings,' says man who just broke the arm of a templar asking around too much about the darktown clinic and then continued making casual conversation with varric as if nothing happened

ciuying "arav'assan" lavellan (archer, assassin) - king of compartmentalization. would really prefer to be one guy helping people on the ground rather than the unwilling inquisitor chained by power he never wanted, fighting for his life to be as politically uninvolved as possible. guy who is duty-bound never to return home

dak-wai (wi)thorne(s) (spellblade) - prospective rook, direct port of my bg3 durge. tal-vashoth grey warden mage seeking a righteous purpose after a complicated and bloody past, but who has yet to find a better general approach to problems than killing things with hammers.

TGIRLS SAVE THE WORLD(STATE):

sang tabris (champion) - next shem bastard who pisses me off i'm just going to fucking kill you. alistair did you eat yet ^_^. struggling to reconcile an irrepressible hope for a better world with the abject horrors he's been subjected to by the world he lives in at present. morrigan's lesbian husband.

so-min hawke (blood mage) - girl could you at least pretend not to be a chantry-hating apostate in the middle of the gallows. carver just got suddenly pissed off in a darkspawn tunnel and he knows it's not because of the genlocks

r trevelyan (rift mage) - tranquil since 18, and at age 33, honestly dealing pretty well with accidentally getting a magical lobotomy reversed. yeah ok so maybe the random prolonged neutral-expression weeping is a little off-putting. it's hard when you're the white girl who needs to save yourself

yazmin de riva (duelist) - embittered bastard child of the young lord owain trevelyan. frighteningly competent and driven, but has difficulty taking orders and working with others due to the huge chip on her shoulder. thinks lucanis dellamorte is a nepo baby

INSANE WOMEN AND MALE MANIPULATORS:

ngayu brosca (reaver) - what do you MEAN the fate of the country is dependent on two twenty-year-olds one of whom gets scared looking at the sun. has never once in her life believed she would live past twenty and that's looking increasingly likely as a prediction

rina hawke (assassin) - when you are endlessly bitter and refuse to deal with it in any healthy way because that would require you to acknowledge your resentment towards the family members you perceive as a burden. chronically insincere, subservient but seething the whole time, wouldn't be able to name a solid belief if you asked her, incapable of self-reflection. crack baby you don't know what you want...

caden trevelyan (templar) - gay transgender homophobic misogynist. has weird ideas about being a man. constantly develops obsessive fixations on authoritative older men. believes he has the divine right to mete out violence. white boy who sucks 🔥

ha-neul aldwir (slayer) - prospective rook, veil jumper. fascinated by magic and magical artifacts. something of an oddity by both dwarven and non-dwarven standards, a guy with an endless thirst for life and little interest in denying himself pleasure or dwelling in guilt, for better or worse. can be surprisingly cynical and self-interested, despite his generally upbeat, affable vibe.

PRONOUNS USERS GOING THROUGH IT/TRAGEDY WORLDSTATE;

enasa mahariel (ranger) - deadalive nothing girl who isn't. didn't anticipate that taking the vallaslin of dirthamen, twin brother to death, would be quite so prophetic. very clearly crumbling under mounting pressure while refusing to stop dragging the rotting corpse

bryn hawke (force mage) - half-avvar on malcolm's side, raised with what avvar beliefs and practices their father could half-remember from childhood. never quite at home in ferelden and struggling to come to terms with the idea they'll never be quite at home in their mother's city either. quietly shouldering other's burdens until it chokes them.

meiying lavellan (knight-enchanter) - turns out when you take an anxiety-ridden elf burdened with excess responsibility since youth out of their familiar environment and support system she'll have a bad time. solas' ex-spouse still misses him… but their aim's getting better!

orpheus ingellvar (death caller) - < he doesn't know (that he's the child of the last theirin king and the missing presumed dead hero of ferelden). surprisingly cheerful for a guy collectively raised by a bunch of necromancers, seems like a polite young man, but then he says something weird and offputting that makes you realize he's spent a lot of his life interacting with skeletons

ASSORTED GUYS:

dea surana - reserved but observant, knows it's best not to attract attention, tries to look after herself and her own in the ways she can. surprisingly worldly/cynical after her brother was taken by the templars at a young age and her life afterwards was spent largely on the road. then her situationship was like 'you know the hero of ferelden is named surana? circle mage, relative of yours?' and now she regularly talks to the king of ferelden

owain trevelyan - never really stopped hoping his older brother would come back from the circle and everything would be fine again. he's socially well-connected and charismatic, and could make for an influential heir to the house with motivation and an advantageous marriage - but he's a lot more interested in dragon hunting and boy bestiesisms with the prince of starkhaven.

valerie trevelyan - black sheep of the family, annoyed that this is more about lesbianism than being a fantasy communist. managed to pull off a 'buy my silence - for $8000 a month i will stop' ploy on her parents at 20, before she knew that this would end with her as the warden-commander's sister-in-law

ga-ying lavellan - middle sibling b/w meiying and ciuying, closer to both of them than they are with each other. tends to take things a little too lightly, an optimist unconcerned with anything outside of the clan and the present. the siblings' dads (and meiying, and his wife) are hoping the birth of his daughter will make him more serious. ciuying likes him as he is.

everybody's parents tend to be less developed than their kids are but they exist. In my mind . there's also a couple other extremely incidental fellas but they'll come up when they come up. i might also ramble about my non-da guys here but (closes my eyes and passes away silently)

[steddie-fanfic-recs]

Slutty Social Media

by blissedoutvixen

Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationship: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Character: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson, Robin Buckley Additional Tags: Social Media, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University, Semi-Public Sex, party hookups, Slut Steve Harrington, We Say With Love, Slut Shaming, but only kind of, Size Queen Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson Has a Big Dick, it's fate, Top Eddie Munson, Bottom Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington Wears Eddie Munson's Clothes, It Leads to Feelings Realizations, Steve Harrington Has a Praise Kink, And Likes to Be Called a Slut, Dirty Talk, All the Petnames, gratuitous use of the word slut, light degradation, Light Dom/sub, Kink Discovery, Subspace, Mildly Dubious Consent, Because Steve is Drunk and Eddie is High, But They are Both Sooo Into It, Soft Dom Eddie Munson, Under-negotiated Kink, Situational Humiliation, just a little, More Discussion of 90's Music Than You Would Think, Eddie Munson Has a Crush on Steve Harrington, steve is oblivious, Maybe Very Slight Dumbification, Eddie Munson is a Sweetheart, Eddie Munson Takes Care of Steve Harrington, Sub Steve Harrington, But He's Just Realizing it and Doesn't Know What It Is, Swimmer Steve Harrington, thirst traps, Gay Eddie Munson, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Exhibitionism, I spell it 'cum', Sorry Not Sorry, Steve Harrington Being Called "Princess", Babygirl Steve Harrington, Praise Kink, Crying During Sex Words: 15,495 Chapters: 1/1

Summary

"Your Instagram is kind of slutty, Steve." "What?" he protests. "No it's not!" Robin raises an eyebrow at him. "Steve, come on." Or: Steve has a really slutty Instagram presence and it's kind of ruining Eddie's life. Also, Eddie would love Alice In Chains and I will die on that hill.

[ruby-static]

After all this time- I finally have a good ref for my Fallout New Vegas Courier 6: Riley Redmont Haddock. (But friends just call him "Red") AKA the nerdy human embodiment of anxiety.

+ some doodles of him with various companions I plan for him to have in my playthrough.

Riley is my timid, easily annoyed, anxiety-ridden mess of a wasteland wanderer. Dude has an affinity for robots, tinkering, inventing, repairing and general science nerdery. Poor guy is wrapped up in an absolute bullshit chain of events and is quietly losing his shit.

If you wanna know a little more about the dude, I'll leave more info under the cut. (I'd also be more than happy to answer any asks about the dude.)

Name: Riley Redmont Haddock

Age: Mid-30s

Pronouns: He/Him (Transmasc)

Sexuality: Gay/Ace

(Current) Voice Claim: Lin Manuel Miranda. Mainly just because of his voice as Fenton Crackshell Cabrera/Sheriff Marshall Cabrera from Ducktales 2017. That is, unless I find a better voice.

Personality: Timid and overwhelmingly anxious, and a bit easily irritated in the face of his new travels. Due to his affinity with tech, he tends to be more comfortable around robots than people. (At first, at least.) A bit near-sighted and stuck inside his own head, while still fiercely looks after people close to him. Over time in his adventures, he slowly develops into a more confident, collected, yet reckless person.

Bio:

Riley grew up being the child of a Mojave legend known as "The Scarlet Rider", a woman (named Ellie) famed as a masked vigilante who fought to help the people of the Mojave wastes as the stories would tell. But people rarely knew abot "Scarlet's little girl". (Riley had obviously not "cracked the egg" yet for a good while.) Growing up with a traveller and masked hero for a mother, he learned a lot of what formed him into the person he is. Being a decent shot, a skilled mechanic, and more.

But when in a tragic incident his mother disappears, presumed dead, Riley was then sought after and brought in by his estranged father. This man, however, wasn't exactly as noble as his mother. Him being a notorious crime boss of the Vegas area. Having to spend his teenage years as a pawn to a crime lord, certain events would lead to him running off at the age of 16.

Now with his father's men after him, and almost no one to turn to, Riley would travel across the Mojave wastes and other surrounding areas to find safety.

Young Riley ends up finding a group of travelling performers, who he spends his time with for some years. But after a tragic death in the group, the remaining members break apart- leaving Riley on his own again.

Riley starts further developing his skills in robotics where he finds his love for tinkering and repairs. His endless tinkering ends up in the creation of his closest companion, Buddy. A tiny companion robot made completely from scrap, but somehow harboring an endless rabid thirst for violence and wanton destruction. But due to his size, he's effectively harmless. And for a while, he's Riley's one close friend.

So over the years, he's gotten around the wasteland by keeping his head down and taking various jobs and roles. Scavenger, singer, mechanic, and many more.

To Riley, his position as a courier is just a temporary gig "to get me from here to there". He's never really been too attached to it. But with his latest gig, he didn't really have any idea what this seemingly insignificant job would be getting him into.

Because that fateful night with the poker chip and the man in the checkered suit- Well, it just changed everything to say the least.

After the shock from taking a nasty shot to the head wears off, Riley isn't looking for any petty revenge- but answers. Because he can tell something is deeply wrong. And he's just too damn curious to let it go.

Random Info:

Riley tends to be a bit of a "robot whisperer". He seems to become friendly with bots a lot easier than he does with other people. This is typically due to his repair skills, but he generally seems to socialize easier with robots. (Prior to the NV story at least.) For example, he tends to get along pretty well with Victor early in his journey. And the first real 'companion' he meets is ED-E.

As mentioned- prior to the events of the game, Riley has a connection/history with one of the companion characters. Raul Tejada was a close friend of Riley's mother Ellie. So as a kid, Riley grew with Raul as a sort of uncle-figure. After his mother disappearing and him being turned over to his father, they lost contact. After running away from his father, he would come across Raul again, but it wouldn't last for long before he would have to run again with his father's men searching for him. Sadly, they wouldn't meet again for many years until Riley comes across him imprisoned in Black Mountain.

Riley has no idea just how in high hell this happened, but he manages to form a decent relationship with The Kings. He can't explain why he's friends with them, it just... happened. And he's incredibly confused about the whole thing. The King lets him hang out with his adorable robo-dog, though, so he's not complaining.

He also tends to hang around the Followers of the Apocolypse on occasion after bringing ED-E to them. He just tends to chat around with the members- (Arcade in particular.) But he likes to fix any broken tech around, so nobody really complains.

Riley has a texan accent! He tends to hide it around people, but it tends to slip out when he's emotional. (Extremely angry, extremely happy/excited, you get the idea.) Or when he's around certain people, like close friends. As the story goes along, he tends to hide it less and less.

Riley has an interest in various pre-war topics. Specifically, pre-war fashion, pop culture, and music. He believes that if he was born before the war (or if the war never happened) he would be working in fashion. Namely, working in a bridal parlor.

With his additional background in music/performing, he knows a few instruments! Namely guitar, violin, and a little piano.

[symphonic-scream]

I'd like to hear about the inaba au

Right right sorry it took me so long I was a bit sick today

Anyways- yes! Since I'm finally actually playing P4G I've built up a little more to the au! Aka. Given it some actual P4 flair

This is to say, I have the order of them being on the TV. Joker starts out with his besties, Ryuji and Ann, they're the starting trio. Ryuji's shadow is like a little kid, crying and sniffling cause he just wants people to like him,,

He's the track star, and he's been taught that it's a one persona sport. That he doesn't have to worry about his teammates, but they've come to resent him a bit for being the golden boy, and. Especially after he got arrested at the end of the last season and cost them greatly. He had been sent to get a "delivery" for his bastard dad. Turns out it was drugs, and he was accused of doping and all

He wanted to start this year fresh, but they all still hate him. He's cleared to compete since his tests never showed any signs of drugs, but. Y'know.

And then there's Ann! Her shadow, it's about how she sees herself as two faced. She hears what her classmates say. She's visibly an outsider, the rich bitch from the city. All she cares about is herself. So, she let's them believe that. But,

She's been in Inaba since elementary school! She's so sick of being the outsider when she's been there the whole time! She was there when that one kid pissed himself at graduation. She was there when their teacher threw up during an assembly. How come they still don't see her as one of them? She just, wants to belong,

Plus she's super gay for Shiho. But that's a given

So once they've got that covered, they're teaming up with the weird Horny Cat in the TV to hunt for the missing third year student. "Burger Girl", Haru Okumura. The last two to go missing died, and. They're determined to save her

Haru's little TV set is themed like a fancy restaurant. She's also from the city, her parents used to own a 5 star elite restaurant. Then, her mother died, and her dad moved them back to her mother's hometown, opening up a food truck where he experimented on American style food. Burgers, mostly

Haru sees her dad stressing over the bills sometimes. Or, crying at the little shrine they have in their small home for her mother. Haru, sees a lot of it as her own fault. Talk on the town is she's going to take over Big Bang, but. She, doesn't want to. She feels trapped in this confusing legacy.

Her shadow has this big fake smile, in half of a formal waiter outfit, the other half the cutesy Burger Girl outfit she wears daily. Her shadow is loud about what she wants. Haru meekly argues back from the floor, tears in her eyes, as her shadow screams about wanting to be free from that dumb title. "Burger Girl."

Then, Haru, she just shouts. "YOU'RE NOT ME!" It's silent. The others watch in fear as her shadow transforms, the tears finally flowing down Haru's face

They rescue Haru, and her dad crushes her in a hug when she returns. In this, all he cares for is his daughter. She joins the group, and agrees to help them find who pushed her in

Next up would be Yusuke. TV victim 2.

He and his mother live in town, where she runs an art shop that is frequently filled with children attending lessons. His mother was left disabled after her former teacher attacked her to claim her art for his own, and to protect her son from a similar fate, she now refuses to produce art herself

Yusuke. Really cares for his mom. She's given so much, and he feels he has to be good, better, to repay her for all she's given him. He's a tortured artist. He barely knows who he is, but he expects himself to be great

His little TV set is, abstract. Colours everywhere, as if Yusuke himself flung the paint around in anger. It's a sensory nightmare, and when they reach the end, it's to a blank room

Yusuke kneels there in the centre, chained to the ground by chains of clay and paint. His shadow, dressed in a torn but colorful smock, scowls down at him, paint palette in hand. Hurling insults and colour at Yusuke, about how he's a fraud, he's not meant to be an artist, he's a disappointment and a disgrace

Yusuke is silent the whole time. When he looks up and sees his classmates and the third year in the room, he's filled with. Horror almost. "This, it isn't me, I swear-"

"DONT LISTEN TO THE LITTLE FRAUD, HE'S NOTHING! HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT THE WORLD, OR THE TRUE PAIN OF AN ARTIST!"

"stop it, please,"

"HA! IF MOM ONLY KNEW WHAT A SHELL OF A MAN SHE WAS RAISING... MAYBE SHE WOULDVE BEEN BETTER OFF GIVING US UP TO THAT MADARAME AFTER ALL!"

"YOU'RE NOT ME, SHUT UP!"

And queue the fight, the room slowly filling with colour as they fight and such. And they drag Yusuke back home, where his mom sobs as she holds her son, she was. So terrified while he was missing,

Oh also, he has pet lobsters. They're named after famous female artists, and he insists the lobsters are soulmates. The true lesbian icons of Inaba.

Anyways next up? Their Navi! Futaba!

This one. Is my favourite idea. So, y'know how Rise is an Idol? Futaba is. Behind one of the most famous vocaloids ever. She develops the vast majority of her songs, rigs, and is responsible for keeping this Internet sensation up with the times. She even poses as this idol for interviews and such

...she's Hatsune Miku.

"wah wah but Scream she should be Alibaba because-" NO. ITS MY AU I GET TO CHOOSE THE SILLY

Anyways. Ryuji is a huge Miku fan and is excited to see the face behind his favourite idol and. He sees Futaba and. Just stares. "Dude. Hatsune Miku is a Weeb."

Futaba is, an orphan. She was living with a programmer for a while but, he got caught up in some. Allegations. And it was no longer safe for her to be around him. So, she was sent to Inaba where someone who worked with her mom owns a little coffee shop

(psst. That's Sojiro)

He doesn't have room for her and she. Is a shell of a person. Didn't go outside for years, doesn't know how to be a proper person, and. Fears no one would like her for her,

So her TV set? It's. Like diving into a computer. Wires and coding along the walls, electronica music. The further in they go, the clearer it becomes that the voice they hear singing isn't Miku, it's. Futaba. First floor sounds like Miku, last floor would just be Futaba

And her final room is a hate shrine. Torn posters of Miku, statues with the heads missing, even a computer with a bat through the screen. Shadow Futaba seethes about how she hates Miku, how she's taken everything from her, that. She'd be better off if she'd never created her. No one loves Futaba, they only love Miku.

She goes as far as to shout that, the world would be better off with just Miku, and that Futaba should just. End it. Futaba is shaking, and mumbles about how, no, no, that's not it,, that's not her-

When things simmer down, she ends up living with the Niijima's like Joker. She spends a lot of time at Sojiro's, learning about her mom, but really, he wasn't prepared for a kid at the time and. She wasn't ready for that either.

And then they'd have to do Morgana's, and. I'm glossing over that we can probably all guess how it would go

So the final TV set they have to venture into, is Makoto's. She's last. Her issues have been boiling over on the side the whole time, watching her "cousin" quickly becoming friends with people she's grown up with, and. Being left on the side once again

Her set is like an empty school. Papers on the floors, flights flickering, spray paint on the windows. But, they catch Makoto's shadow doing the spray painting somewhere inside, and it makes the team kinda. Question if, they really know her

Her shadow is like. In a science teacher getup, but. Way more punk. Black torn labcoat, wild hair, and. In her final room, faceless women dressed in very sexy getups all over her behind her desk. She openly flirts with the girls on the team too, leaving poor Makoto on the ground horrified

"no, no I'm a feminist- I'd never-"

"Ha! At night, we lie awake and Crave, we wanna pin em down and fu-"

"NO! THIS ISNT ME-"

Shadow Makoto is about how. She hates being the rule follower. She's always wanted nothing more than to break free and experience, life. Also, feeling bad about being gay. Shes got some internalized homophobia

They beat her up and take her home, and. Yeah

OKAY THIS WAS LONG WINDED BUT. INABA AU.

[thanksjro]

More Than Meets the Eye #48 — Froid and His Awful Boyfriend Come For a Visit

So you know how last issue Getaway manipulated Tailgate into going on a suicide mission, by telling him they’d get space-married if he did? And then Whirl got shot? And then Cyclonus had to stab a former warlord and brain him with a flatscreen to go save his crush? And then Cyclonus got shot? And then Tailgate exploded all gay-like?

Yeah, we’re not focusing on that right now. It’s time for Rung to do his goddamned job for once.

Our issue opens up in Rung’s office, where he’s having Skids talk through his memories. I should have known he’d bother doing his job for one of the hottest guys on the ship.

Skids, shortly after the nightmare hellscape that was the Simanzi Massacre, was employed as a bomb negotiator. Now, you may say, that doesn’t sound like quite the right pairing of words to use, but you have to understand that Cybertronians are robots, and also never had a Geneva Convention to work out what was and wasn’t a war crime, so they sort of just did whatever back in the day.

I bet whoever figured this shit out got a huge pay bump, and then was shot in the street for being an absolute monster.

The anti-personal mines were a head and other vital robo-organs locked in the galaxy’s worst pressure cooker, set to blow if the still-living robot got too stressed out. Skids’s job was talking these guys down so he could turn their brains off and disarm everything. Because Skids, as we know, is very good at talking people down.

Just an absolute ace at deescalation, this guy. Certainly doesn’t suffer from snark poisoning.

The flashback takes place during Skids’s religious phase, which also doesn’t help matters; he goes and drags the mercy of Primus into it, and when you’re a head in an IED, you’re not exactly feeling like god loves you all that much.

Our dear bomb boy explodes, sending Skids soaring straight into the custody of a Decepticon Hygiene Team, who drag him and a few other Autobots away in chains to the unhappiest place in the galaxy (that doesn’t contain Overlord).

Skids in the present takes a moment to collect himself, as these memories are related to the ones that Chromedome had refused to uncover for him with mnemosurgery way back in issue #8.  When we get back into it, we see a friend that we haven’t visited in quite a while.

Maybe Mr. Flywheels Scavengers deserved to get super-blendered after all.

Flywheels is in charge of gluing inhibitor spikes to the roofs of all the prisoners’ mouths. If someone with one of these spikes attempts to transform, the spike deploys, turning their brain module into a donut.

“But what if someone doesn’t have a mouth?”, asks James Roberts’s canonized self-insert character Rev-Tone. Well, not to worry, you fucking moron, because you’re at Grindcore, the home of pain and suffering!

That’s a series wrap on Rev-Tone, folks! Let’s give him a hand!

Skids is assigned to room with another prisoner, though his name won’t be found out til it’s more devastating for the readers, as present-day Skids is starting to run out of steam with remembering the worst days of his life.

We cut back to modern day, where Skids and Rung have finished building one of Rung’s model ships— likely a tactile distraction while Skids was recounting what he could remember. Skids laments not being able to pull the ripcord on all this and just have it needled out, but Rung reminds him that Chromedome didn’t want to re-traumatize him with just slapping everything on the brain-table.

We then learn a little bit about Rung, as it’s revealed that he only purchases models of ships he’s been assigned to, and that he was scheduled to be on the fateful Ark-1 trip, before the Senate yanked him back planet side. He’s also a bit of a loser, his own theories on psychology being overshadowed by Froid’s. Must really hurt, being outshone by the guy with the ballgag mouth.

Rung asks Skids how he wants the thumb-recording of today’s session sent to him, and Skids says he wants it emailed directly into his brain, because you can do that shit when you’re a robot. They schedule their next appointment, Rung is revealed to have his entire ass out, and Riptide lets him know that he’s got a guest.

I’m sure that dramatic shadow over his face isn’t anything to worry about.

There’s a stunned silence, an awkward introduction, Froid confirms that he has not, in fact, been dead this entire time, and then he gives Rung the most horrifying hug in the universe with his terrible gibbon arms. Skids takes this as his cue to dip, remarking on Froid’s “primal beads”, some sort of religious paraphernalia on-par with the matrix tattoo he had on his cheek all those years ago.

Over in the medibay, we come to find that Cyclonus isn’t actually dead, because he was protected by the power of love, and also being the toughest motherfucker to ever exist in an undead capacity. Nobody’s super sure what the hell happened to Tailgate, but he’s still out cold.

The ship co-captains show up, Megatron being very, very defensive about how much he totally wouldn’t have hurt Tailgate, despite having been fully ready to crush his little head like an egg just a few hours ago. Cyclonus says that he should be the one to apologize, though his stance makes it look like he’s one misplaced glance away from throwing another television into Megatron’s teeth.

Thankfully, it looks like everyone’s up to speed on what a shitlord Getaway is, as Rodimus had Chromedome poke Tailgate in the brain while he was unconscious to figure out what the fuck happened.

Rodimus, shit like this is why 89 members of your crew voted “no confidence”.

Cyclonus, ever a romantic, is taken with the idea of someone setting up a fireworks show just for him surviving a hail of gunfire. Velocity bursts his bubble, however, as the light show is actually for Thunderclash, who was re-awoken by whatever that weird rainbow explosion was.

Back over in Rung’s office, Rung is waiting for an explanation as to why Froid has the audacity to be alive right now. Froid hasn’t been seen since the “Tetrahex Ripper” was caught, when he joined the prison ship taking him— Sunder— and his brother Septre to Garrus 6 for their crimes.

No word on if it’s any better than Garrus 9.

Froid became obsessed with Sunder, which worked out about as well as anyone could expect, when he was taken hostage by the brothers after they escaped their cells. There were some causalities, including Septre, but Froid managed to escape to the mechanical planet of Scarvix, where he continued his work as a psychiatrist. Rung has been cleaning his glasses this whole time, probably so he doesn’t have to look at Froid’s awful, awful body.

Froid starts fiddling around with Rung’s models, and Rung finally asks why the fuck Froid is here, considering Rung was under the impression he was dead until about five minutes ago. Froid drops the buddy-buddy act, asking for Rung’s patient notes. Rung refuses. He asks again, stating the importance of having them, though he doesn’t clarify why. Rung refuses again. Froid alludes to letting a very big secret of Rung’s slip if he doesn’t get what he’s oh so politely asking for, grabbing Rung’s arm to make his point extra clear.

Over in the oil reservoir of contemplation, Skids is having a think, trying to remember more of his worst memories. Like how he used to room with Quark.

Quark, as thanks for having removed the death spike from his throat, gives Skids a piece of advice to help him survive Grindcore: don’t do anything to stand out. Of course, this is Skids we’re talking about, who is both supremely talented and in-canon hot, so that might be a bit of an ask. Quark then comments on the lack of a soundtrack these days, which gives someone outside the cell a perfect entry into the conversation. This is someone Skids recognizes in the past, but present-day Skids just can’t get any further with the memory.

Back at the Psych Rumble Power Hour, Rung is holding firm to his morals, once again refusing Froid’s request. Froid folds, saying that he’ll just take his sorry ass back home then. Rung goes to see him off, and finds that Froid’s ship is being guarded. Rung questions why Magnus would have folks stationed at the shuttle bay, since they typically don’t do that. Other than the fact that Tailgate and Cyclonus violently assaulted a superior officer and then bolted, it would appear that Froid is also being a naughty little bastard.

Rung put some goddamned pants on, you’re ruining the dramatic reveal!

It turns out that Froid and Sunder have been living together since their escape, and Froid’s taken quite the liking to Sunder, completely hand-waving his obsession with Cybertron’s god of death, and the concept of sin, and his history of being a serial killer. Rung is horrified by this, stating that Froid’s become codependent and is way too close to Sunder to be doing his job correctly.

Of course, Froid throws that right back in his face, because, as we’re all quite familiar with by this point, Rung is super buddy-buddy with everyone on the ship, especially the hot guy who’s one of his most involved patients. That’s when we get the real kicker— Rung’s secret, that Froid’s been helping keep all these years? Rung’s been delicensed since well before the end of the war.

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: nobody on the Lost Light can do their goddamned job.

That begs the question of how Rung could have gotten away with such a thing, given that half the ship’s crew is cops, with Ultra Magnus having once held the title of King Big Dick of Policeland. It turns out that the ship Rung was serving on at the time, the Fateful Archetype, had been shot down shortly after his hearing, with him being the only survivor, and all the paperwork burning up in the crash. Awfully convenient, that. Considering how scary Rung has proven to be in the past, I’m not completely sure he didn’t set some shit up, but anyway! It’s time to meet Sunder.

Well, hello to you too, sunshine!

Sunder’s lack of eyeballs does serve a purpose beyond shock value; in order to have a modicum of control over his buff as hell serial killer boyfriend, Froid’s convinced Sunder that he needs to be able to see his victims in order to remotely mnemosurgery them. Because that’s a thing he can do. He also says that traumatic memories are delicious. Because that’s a thing he does, eating memories. With his remote mnemosurgery skills.

James, what the fuck.

Anyway, this is why Froid wanted Rung’s patient files; he was gonna find the guys who were repressing memories and feed them to Sunder.

Then Skids shows up and shoots Froid with a grappling hook.

Rung tells Skids to run, but it’s too late, because Froid just broke his primal beads and is bowling them at Sunder as he yells for his fucked up boytoy to hit the deck. And boy howdy, does he get a strike. Let’s see what Sunder’s all about.

Okay Mr. Tumblr Poetry, let’s calm down now.

Sunder, now knowing that Rung’s the guy in charge of the ship’s mental health, give him the evil eye and riffles through his brain like a phonebook, picking out all the tastiest treats, which makes Rung’s glasses explode for dramatic effect.

Then why the FUCK did you take him to the Lost Light, you malpracticing buffoon? This ship’s basically a twinkie with a trauma cream filling!

Sunder, of course, notices that Skids and his delicious brain are right there, so he goes for that first, dragging us back to where we left off in the flashback, where a level 5 theatre kid moment is happening.

Jesus, he’s even got a cape. What a dweeb.

[absolutebl]

Hi there! I've just returned from a two-week holiday (as I'm writing this I'm actually still driving back home, but I want to get on top of it lmao), so I would like to defer to your knowledge:

could you pretty please provide me with an update on what series ended/started while I was away? I have a vague idea, but I don't want to miss out on the things that didn't get as much promo and are therefore not on my mdl.

if you can, my watchlist will be forever thankful!!

July Report: BL that Stopped & Started & Is worth Your time

Ended July 2023

Step By Step

This was Thailand’s answer to The New Employee, and everything I loved about that show I loved about this one.

This was an office romance between stern boss and sweet subordinate that felt more authentic to an office environment than previous Thai BLs of this ilk. And that authenticity added tension to the narrative and character development (how novel). Now that might be because it has western source material, or it might be because it is actually kind of old-fashioned (it’s been years since I worked as an office grunt). I also really enjoyed the brothers’ relationship, and kinda wished they hadn’t attempted (and failed) to give said brother his own side BL. That one flaw made it a 9/10 for me.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

La Pluie

This BL takes to task the fated mates trope and what it means to have love chained intimately to predestination. It’s about how faith in destiny before choice diminishes the authenticity of emotion, relationships, and connection. This is a high concept to examine through the lens of a BL.

By activating + examining the soulmates trope this show is challenging a foundation of romance: the idea that there is one person meant to be your one romantic partner all your life. This means that we, as viewers, spend much of the show worried about it having a happy ending, and that’s the source of both its brilliance and tension: would the narrative have the strength to truly challenge its own romantic core? But, ultimately, all this elevated complexity was executed in a somewhat shaky manner with the narrative derailing into some serious pacing issues and characters manipulated by miscommunication.

However, with good chemistry and decent acting all around, plus some excellent high heat and representation of consent and a few other rare tropes, this one has to (like it’s sibling show My Ride) earn a 9/10. I enjoyed it even as it made me think, so despite its flaws:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Started July 2023 & Looking GOOD

Jun & Jun

Korea Thurs Viki 8 eps

THANK YOU BL GODS. It is so good. Like everything I want in the world. I’m incandescently happy with this show.

It’s office set,

it’s an ex idol,

everyone is pretty as peaches,

and it’s all about remembering somebody’s smell!

I could not be more delighted.

Laws of Attraction

Thai Sat iQIYI 8 eps

(Icky picked it up but they are serving it in a complicated way that may require a VPN.)

Stars the pair from To Sir With Love with the same production team. IT’S SO GOOD. A morally corrupted trickster lawyer with a tragic past, sad eyes, and a beautiful smile that he uses like a weapon. Meets paladin martial arts instructor from other side of the tracks (who is out, at least to his baby sister).

Corrupt police.

Spoiled rich kid evil.

Ambitious politician.

Tragic death.

Terrible subs.*

This show is very like Manner of Death but so far it is a much better/tighter story (there's a Devil Judge aura happening). It’s NOT BL but it is fucking phenomenal. And you should watch it. Not wait to binge it. WATCH IT.

On a global scale this might be the best thing currently airing featuring gay romantic leads. Its really fucking good. It’s Lawless Lawyer but more complex character motivation and gay af. Fuck yes please and thank you. FINALLY.

Triggers for violence, beatings, death & torture depicted on screen. Like MoD they are not holding back. 

(* A lot of the familial names they are using are not gendered in Thai but translated as such, like “nephew”. This one is gonna go down a lot easier if you know some Thai.)

ALSO:

Stay By My Side - Taiwan Fri Gaga 10 eps

Hidden Agenda that isn’t hidden - Thailand Sun GMMTV YouTube 12 eps

Low Frequency - Thailand Sat iQIYI 8 eps

Started But You Can Probably Wait IMHO

Dinosaur Love (Sun iQIYI)

Be Mine Super Star (Mon Viki)

Wedding Plan (Weds YT & iQIYI) it's mame so A trash watch is happening! 

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry Season 2 (Japan Thu Gaga)

Hope this is what you wanted.

[ex-textura]

Hey I hope you still want people rambling about their Tavs because you've opened Pandora's box with that one and now I'm back!

My actual canon Tav is named Tristan, like me. He actually had the name first. I first made him as an OC, and then fell in love with him so much that I decided I'll use the name for myself as well.

Anyway! His full name is Tristan Trevelyan, because someone in his life thought it'd be funny to troll him like that. No, there's just some interesting naming conventions going on in the Trevelyan bloodline. His father, for example, is (or was) named Trevor Trevelyan. He's not in Tristan's life anymore though, and they've never had a great relationship to begin with, but I haven't decided what exactly happened to him. I might have to revamp a bunch of Tristan's story anyway.

So far, Tristan is a literal prince, but he gave up his right to the throne because he wanted to travel the world instead of being chained down by the heavy duties of a future king. Whether or not he'll remain a prince, I'm not sure of, because I don't know how well that'd fit into the entire BG3 lore, but it's his canon origin so for now I'm rolling with it, and even if I demote him, he'll still have a noble background.

He's also transmasc like me, but unlike me, he's known it his entire life, and his mother, Shanna, has always supported him, to a point where she supplied (and still does to this day) him with ~a tincture that allowed his body to develop in a masculine way~, so pretty much fantasy HRT. When he's wearing pants, he passes perfectly, but since that tincture is medicine, and not magic, it didn't change the bits he was born with. Tristan is also outrageously gay though, and although his past hasn't been free of any and all kinds of struggles, he's come to see it as a blessing in disguise, because it gives him at least a hypothetical chance to have biological children with a man, should he ever find one he'll want that with.

Spoiler alert: He will.

Tristan is a sweet, wholesome kind of guy. He's kind, optimistic, and will give absolutely everyone at least one chance. He's helpful, and supportive of those he even remotely cares about, and makes an effort to uplift the people around him. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and he's a terrible liar on top of it.

His best non-romantic friend out of the group will be Wyll, because those two have a lot in common even already at first glance. They're both valiant swordsmen with noble backgrounds, questionable fathers, a penchant for helping others, and a huge romantic streak, and I could've absolutely seen them falling in love, if it wasn't for the fateful moment in which Tristan pulled a certain man out of a certain portal, falling head over heels for him the second their eyes met for the first time.

There's much more to tell about my boy, but I think this is enough for one ask. Hope you've had fun reading!

It's Tristan!!! I've been dying to know more about him 😭

I love a good sweet boy, and a bad liar to boot. He sounds so wonderful. He and Gale are going to be so disgustingly(affectionate) romantic together, I can't wait to hear more about their love story

Tell me more! Are they going to have a big family?? One happily spoiled child? Is their wedding gonna be so huge???

(I still ALWAYS want people rambling about their tavs in my ask box they're all so beautiful and fun and lovely and I want to know them all!)

[cindysnuts]

FATES NOHRIAN ROYALS HEADCANONS IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2023 BECAUSE I HAVE BRAINWORMS RN OKAY LETS GO:

Nohr:

Xander- Xander handpicked both of his retainers because he thinks they’re beautiful (canon btw. Okay well it is for peri but cmon). He of course could only marry a woman, and one of high standing at that, because of his duties as crown Prince, but he spends a suspicious amount of time with his retainer, taking “dance lessons.” Closeted bisexual. Camilla asked and knows and Leo surmised it. It is a secret to everyone else, including Elise and even Corrin (though only for a matter of time for them), as it is a scandal that could rock the nation.

Camilla~ Camilla is a lesbian. She ALSO picked out her retainers because she loves them and wants to dominate them. Well. Selena at least. She is a brat in need of taming frfr. Beruka is just a feral cat she’s trying to show love to. Technically Camilla is bisexual but she just loves women so much and only has female partners rn anyway so. Everyone knows though, she hardly makes a secret of it, much to Selena’s embarrassment. Technically an open secret due to Nohrian high society’s general intolerance, but it’s only spoken of in whispers, since no one wants to be on the bad side of the wyvern riding princess.

Leo- oh boy. This guy. The complexes… SO. Leo is very sharp. He’s very private, but very observant, and analytical. Being away from the spotlight of being the crown prince, he was able to privately deduce that he was gay very early on. Right? So like that’s it that’s the answer. So why doesn’t it feel quite right? And why doesn’t he fit his role exactly??? Must be something about being the second prince, yeah that’s it. Right? I mean he’s trying to be the man he has to be. I mean it’s weird being called a prince?? But that’s not right I mean he WANTS to be a royal so. Huh. Weird anyways he NEVER looks at the box in his mind marked “Gender” that’s rattling and SNAPPING at its lock and chain. Leo is the biggest egg this side of the bottomless canyon and everyone around him with even a hint of what trans people are know he’s a girl including all of his loved ones who already accept her for who she is. As soon as she realizes it. Camilla keeps trying to get Leo to wear dresses (while she wears the sharpest suits of all time, of course) but he just gets really weird and sweaty everytime she suggests it and always chickens out. Odin and Niles are NOT helping they’re both too insane to help (affectionate). Elise has the coming out party PLANNED on LOCK it’s in the CHAMBER ready to fire the second she gets the message. They’re all just lovingly waiting for her to crack.

Elise- Elise is ultimately straight. All of her closest, most meaningful relationships throughout her life are with women, but that’s a love that doesn’t run romantic, really. She is the STAUNCHEST ally tho!!! She isn’t really privy to many of the family secrets, not for a while at least, and is a bit oblivious when she’s younger, but she gets it eventually! And she loves her family so much you guys. She wants to throw them ALL huge coming out worries (even if they have to be private) no matter how they may object. Ultimately though, she loves boys! All kinds really. Later in life she even falls in love with a commoner boy, and they have a beautiful life together! The most normal and well adjusted of the Nohrian siblings, funnily enough, since she has the least pressure to succeed and has plenty of examples to lead from.

That’s it for now, I may do Hoshido + Corrin/ Azura or the Nohrian retainers later on, if there’s demand lol.