#given how important intimacy and affection and closeness are to me

[altschmerzes]

if your response to an aromantic person challenging assumptions and norms about relationships and standing firm on the fact that no actions or degrees of affection/commitment/intensity of feelings etc are inherently romantic and the only people who get to define a relationship are the people in it is to get so mad you feel the need to pitch a fit at them about how guess ALL WORDS ARE MEANINGLESS and there’s NO POINT in even having words like romantic and platonic WHY BOTHER (implying also that they’re being stupid and ridiculous in the process) then there’s some things you clearly need to work on and unpack and you need to do that in a way that sucks less.

[rimatsu]

I feel like the mood among the bucktommies has changed once again, it was more hopeful and now it seems like it's more in the phases between bargaining and acceptance, as if a reconciliation was already out of the realm of great possibilities.

I don't know if this is just because of the renewal, which I find kind of absurd since the renewal was already a sure thing, or if the last episode + the lack of any mention of Tommy after 811, made people less convinced that the show will deliver something narratively satisfying. I don't know, I personally end up being affected by these waves of reality/negativity and my expectations have also lowered again.

What do you think? Has anything changed in your expectations for a reconciliation? Do you have any hopeful words to share?

i'll be honest, i don't understand how doom and gloom can still persist given everything we know about upcoming episodes. i've said it before and i'll say it again: the 806 press debacle (wrong buzzer noise) made the bucktommy troops entirely too cynical. there's being cautious, and then there's being unhelpfully pessimistic. as per previous tags: please be serious 😭😭😭

nothing that we’re seeing unfold on screen (and off-screen for that matter when it comes to leaks) points toward closure — quite the opposite, actually. and the simplest explanation is usually the correct one: if it feels like the third act of a romcom, it probably is one.

alright, this is going to be long, and redundant, so please bear with me as i try to convince stubborn doubters that a reconciliation is in fact very, very likely.

first things first... tommy is officially an outlier in buck's romantic history. let's review the facts, shall we?

in order of narrative importance:

- ali was arguably the most underdeveloped LI of this list. dating her was a decision made in an effort not to regress to past behaviors and she brought buck to his loft. ultimately she couldn't handle the risks of the job and broke up with him in the s2 finale. ali got one mention post-breakup

- natalia was the supposed happily-ever-after partner the show paired buck with under the threat of cancellation. she was the extreme opposite of ali and had a morbid fascination for buck's brush with death, something that was initially refreshing before becoming off-putting. their breakup happened offscreen in between seasons 6-7 and she got one expository mention

- taylor was his longest relationship and the most fleshed out, at least in term of screentime, their story spanning seasons with casual hookups in s2, a friendship marked by romantic tension in s4, and finally a committed relationship in s5. the first fracture was caused by buck's infidelity and more importantly the lies and overcompensation brought on by guilt, but the reason they split was ultimately because of fundamental differences in morals/work ethics/ambitions. his experience with taylor was formative because it taught buck not to give up on the whole relationship at the first sign of trouble (a valuable lesson he seemingly forgot since then but i digress…) she got one tv cameo post breakup (indirect mention)

- abby was the person who opened buck's eyes to his true desire (emotional closeness and romantic intimacy) but they had vastly different attitudes toward their relationship: she was the first big love of buck's life, but as much as she cared for him, maybe even loved him, he was mostly a distraction from the chaos of her life, and she seemingly had realistic expectations about their future together. their 'breakup' is a case of unusual circumstances. buck was hung up on her for a good chunk of s2, but they didn't technically end things in the previous finale. buck wholeheartedly believed she'd return to him after a few months and abby never dissuaded that notion. but once he realized she wouldn't, buck promptly moved on: first by pursuing taylor, and then ali. abby only got mentioned again in s3 to foreshadow her guest appearance for closure purposes. i'll compare and contrast her reintroduction to tommy's later on.

- and then we have mr. self-sabotage himself, tommy kinard, who unlocked the wonders of bisexuality laying dormant in buck (and unleashed his #Spoiled Brat tendencies). the first distinction from previous LIs is that their breakup wasn't written as definitive or unfixable. allow me to quote myself like a pompous asshole because i can't be bothered to rephrase the same sentiment (i'll be doing a lot of copy/pasting, actually... i did warn you against redundancy): they didn't part way because of irreconciliable differences or because passion/attraction fizzled out or because they envisioned different futures. if they wanted that door closed, tommy could’ve simply said he was uninterested in pursuing longterm commitment with buck, that they’re not compatible in the long run. there: a clean, uncomplicated break. instead, we were told that tommy desperately wants to be the person buck settles down with, except he’s convinced buck is propelled by the excitement of novelty, that he suspects buck is latching onto him for the wrong reasons, that he can’t allow himself to merge their home life together in fear that he’ll never recover once buck wants out. the implication here being tommy was in love with buck already, or at least halfway there. for his part, buck came to the realization that he wanted a future with tommy and immediately decided to pursue it because that's just the type of man he is: never one to do things by half-measures, seeing no value in waiting once his mind is made up. so there was no conflicting desire there. they wanted the same thing: permanence with each other, but fear and insecurity derailed the whole thing. let's call 806 Miscommunication 1.0. the second notable distinction? there has been a grand total of 4 tommy name drops post-confessions when we usually only get the one before buck moves on to greener pastures. hell, buck was having such a hard time with the breakup he developed a coping mechanism in order to deal with it. the baking was comically excessive and lasted 5 whole episodes. buck considers the breakup to be the beginning of his life unravelling — he implied that being with tommy was life as it should be, even... yeah, there's no precedent for this behavior. we've never seen him stuck on an ex to this extent before. tommy is starting to earn his most transformative relationship title beyond the obvious queer awakening aspect of it all, isn't he? now these repeated mentions weren't necessary (and unnecessary will be a word i use liberally moving forward), especially the one we got after a 4 months hiatus. we know why the writers included them now: they were keeping the thread alive for buck & tommy's reunion in 811. that's something the most optimistic of us kept pointing out despite those disheartening "exit interviews" — the breakup was too abrupt and open-ended, and the tommy mentions too frequent and pointed, for 806 to be the end of their story. 

speaking of 811, let's dissect that episode and establish why holy mother of god alone is a strong indicator of an upcoming makeup. because my god, did it do the opposite of presaging closure...

time to compare and contrast with abby! when she reappeared, both her and buck had moved on. yes, there was still some lingering affection, and he was single and had plenty of unaswered questions, but he wasn't haunted by them or abby anymore, and she was happily engaged to another man. i repeat: they both had moved on. getting back together was never an option introduced by 318. abby came back for one thing: firmly close that chapter of buck's life and heal whatever scars he still carried because of her. that isn't the case for the bucktommy Bare Mattress Fuckfest of 2025.

first of all, a hook-up? really? unnecessary. if the only goal was to shoehorn in the buddie question (as some people naively claim), then that could've happened at the bar. hell, tommy didn't have to be brought back for it at all: maddie could've floated the idea by herself when buck kept showing up at her doorstep looking as pathetic as a wet dog. it sure would've saved production some money! and if the showrunner was going for closure (he wasn't), having buck sleep with tommy was counterproductive. it only served to highlight desire and sexual chemistry between them (something that was only ever vaguely implied in s7-8a). why emphasize an aspect of mlm relationships that was missing from the og show until now? (also, remember when the doom-and-gloomists were convinced buck's queerness would be buried, never to be mentioned again, after the hiatus? only for him to initiate gay sex on national tv? it was an understandable concern considering the current fate of DEI programs, but catastrophizing caused unwarranted stress and grievances. let's maybe give the show a modicum of grace until proven otherwise?)

more importantly, 811 established that tommy regretted the breakup. that's something we could infer from the bubbling in 807, but there's a world of difference between considering contact a week post-breakup and still actively pining for buck 3-4 months after they ended things. tommy drove by the loft just the other day. recently. he hasn't moved on — is more affected by the breakup than buck himself, even. that's... you guessed it, completely unnecessary (and frankly cruel) if closure is the destination ahead. but it can't possibly be, because you know what else 811 nearly established? a reconciliation. tommy asked for a second chance, and buck was receptive to the suggestion before Insecurity and Foot-in-Mouthism derailed the plans.

instead of letting their romance naturally fade into the background after the hiatus, the writers purposefully reignited that flame. they crafted a scenario meant to prolong uncertainty about bucktommy's future together instead of closing that door forever. even without the contagion spoilers confirming that tommy will be back for the two-parter, the audience expects another conversation between the two exes. there were too many things left unsaid after that aborted kitchen argument. buck owe tommy an apology and a clarification, and he has yet to reveal that he missed tommy as well during their time apart — the viewers know that to be true but tommy was left with no reciprocation after admitting he fought constant urges to call. worse, he was left heartbroken after being told their night together meant nothing. sorry if i sound like a broken record, but that was unnecessary: there's no point in introducing conflict and Miscommunication 2.0 if they have no payoff.

as for the jealousy over eddie reveal... as many have pointed out, narrowing down tommy's insecurities is actually a good sign. the fears he spoke of in 806 were more formless and abstract, harder to assuage. jealousy over one specific person is easier to confront and work through as a couple (and it can be fodder for more drama if the writers don't sweep the whole thing under the rug). though i'll say that i'm inclined to believe tommy when he claims he was mostly joking — as in i don't think eddie was the root cause of the breakup. 811 doesn't retcon 806, only adds an appendix. tommy questioning the nature of buck's feelings for eddie is part of a larger picture (and a larger issue).

now i keep parotting the word unnecessary because 911 does not exist in a vacuum. every writing and acting choice is intentional and must serve a purpose. the hookup could've ended amicably but it didn't. tommy could've agreed with buck when he said their drunken romp didn't have to change a thing but he didn't. buck didn't have to sniffle and look miserable when he admitted that loneliness was no reason to pursue a relationship. in fact the whole episode is peppered with parallels and callbacks. buck and tommy wearing their breakup outfits as if they've been suspended in time since november is deliberate. the fact that the first night buck ever spent in his new place was with tommy in his bed was also deliberate. and this isn't my bucktommy-addled brain reading too much into a scene. slamming each other into walls while a song about never finding home plays in the background is no coincidence. quoting myself like a pompous asshole again: tommy was the necessary catalyst for buck to make peace with eddie's departure and start viewing the house as his own. he says verbatim "[sharing a bed with tommy] was the first night i was actually able to sleep in that place" — once again tommy is linked to comfort and safety and the beginning of a new journey. tommy started the unpacking process for him with that coffeemaker. buck is baking (an activity that was established as a visual indicator of pining for tommy) while he firmly shuts down the notion that he might harbor buried feelings for his straight-heterosexual-notinterestinmen-notanoption best friend. he expresses frustration and anger at the idea that tommy seemingly spent their entire relationship worrying about another man. later when maddie (the audience/buddie stand-in) assumes he's talking about calling eddie, buck corrects her and reasserts that tommy is the person he's thinking about. that was the throwback to 704. it's not about eddie.

for a brief moment in that kitchen, buck and tommy slipped back into domesticity. tommy waking up at the asscrack of dawn to buy groceries and prepare a veritable feast isn't meaningless either (at least i hope it isn't): it's a callback to masks — tommy the caretaker dotting on buck. i want to believe that scene was intentionally designed to contrast buck's dynamics with tommy compared to his relationships with the rest of the cast: the baker being fed, the eternal giver being the recipient of care. buck is loved but he's no one's priority. everyone he knows (with the exception of ravi who wants nothing to do with him lmao) has a spouse and/or children who naturally take precedence over him, but he could be tommy's priority.

it's also worth noting that tommy's "i can't move in with you" morphed into "i'm not ready to move in yet." could it be... foreshadowing i sense? third time's the charm is shaping up to be bucktommy's operating principle.

alright, enough yapping about 811. let's move on to spoilers territory. i'll try to keep speculations to a minimum but they're inevitable so take everything with a grain of salt.

tommy's unique skills set (tim's words) will be featured in the two-parter. his status as a previous member of the 118 was also emphasized. he'll readily assist his old firehouse in a time of crisis agsin (the rule of three strikes once more). contagion is described as a season opening/finale worthy emergency. 814-815 will be a large scale spectacle and is sure to be memorable given bobby's alleged death.

again, involving tommy in the two-parter is unnecessary. if a pilot is needed, background character #34 could do the job. i won't bring up the "it's way too much effort and money for closure" argument because we know for a fact that 815 isn't the end of the bucktommy storyline. tommy is featured in at least another episode, and a major one at that. i beg all debby downers out there to exercise reason: why on earth would they bring back buck's ex not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES (and counting) post-breakup if it's not for a reconciliation? a makeup is the only thing that makes narrative sense.

bts pictures/videos place both tommy and buck on the rooftop helipad during daylight and in the coliseum at nightfall, surrounded by heavy military and fbi presence. i think it's safe to assume they'll be stuck together in a helicopter for a few hours. forced proximity is a classic romcom trope for a reason: if there's ever a time to hash out their issues, it's midair with nowhere to run.

now let's focus on buck for a second. he followed maddie's advice: learning to be alone, to be content on his own so he doesn't spiral again the next time he's broken up with or a friend moves away. and content buck seemingly is, comfortable in his home and in his skin. it's a breakthrough: when he interacts with tommy again, loneliness will no longer be a factor influencing his desire to reconnect. buck has gained some measure of clarity since 811.

and reuniting under these less than ideal circumstances? pretty promising actually. tommy's loyalty and his willingness to help the 118 are two characteristics that captured buck's attention in the first place. it's an opportunity to recreate the initial spark, with the added knowledge of the man hiding behind the confident façade.

as for the presumed 816 leaks... tommy is part of bobby's honor guards. that tells me he plays a crucial role in 815, and if you ask me, there are only three reasonable options to explore:

1. buck and tommy makeup during the two parter. they're officially a couple again by the time the credits roll

2. what i think is more likely to happen: they start to reconcile in 815. they have a frank conversation and the groundwork for a reconciliation is laid down when buck asks for a saturday date but a proper makeup is put on standby as soon as the ripper knocks on bobby's door. they're left to navigate grief in this weird in between-state, but the desire to give it another try has been expressed free from the influences of loneliness or grief

3. they reconcile in the finale. tommy offers support as a 'friend' and buck leans on him until bobby inevitably rises from the dead ("i'm not lonely, and i'm not mourning, and i still want you")

i'm optimistic but not delusional: a love confession in the two-parter is way too ambitious and i'm not holding my breath for it. i don't think buck is quite there yet. his feelings for tommy are pretty... nebulous. he saw a future there, one he wanted to cement, and he sure looked and acted in love, but he never said it. hell, he had to be talked through realizing he was serious about tommy. in contrast, he readily defined his feelings for ex-girlfriends (he loved abby and taylor and told us as much) and for eddie (he knows he's not in love with the guy). i find buck's limited introspection when it comes to tommy endlessly fascinating... but that's a conversation for another day.

i'm losing steam so let's wrap this up. i wasn't thrilled by the s9 renewal but that's only bc 911 is an objectively mediocre show with a godawful fandom and i'll be held hostage around these hellish parts for at least another year. i don't see why the renewal would automatically mean bad news for bucktommy. the point of wanting them back together is to see them explore the joys and challenges of a committed relationship. another season is a prerequisite. oliver said buck is maturing: he's entering a new, more settled phase of his life, and i can't imagine the return of the hamster wheel at this point. if anything, i expect buck to reach new relationship milestones next season.

anyway...... i'm not claiming it's a 100% guarantee, let's start celebrating now (let us not forget the black mold infestation plaguing the writers' room) but logic dictates that a reconciliation is underway. so, long story short... yes, i am genuinely very optimistic about our chances <3

[ceaselesswatchersspecialboy]

i need to hear those thoughts, pretty please,

Okay this is a very late reply, but I finally feel as though I can word the thoughts I have regarding them. I want to preface this by saying that all my talks of Jayvik being queer coded stem from my own personal aroacespec perspective. I don’t perceive all forms of close affection and devotion as romantic, but the visual coding regarding Jayvik, and Meljayvik leads me down the path of ‘this is something I personally interpret as romantic’.

MelJayVik is such a deeply fascinating relationship to me because I think a lot is gained from their relationships in the series by looking at them through a polyamorous lens. It may be my own bias, I’m willing to admit that, but the dynamic feels as though it was written to be Poly.

It begins with the obvious queercoding between Jayce and Viktor, and the visual and thematic parallels between them:

Both are written as representative of Jayce’s choices, which can be simplified down to politics and science, and as characters, they inform the choices Jayce makes, and the consequences of those choices, while simultaneously being their own well-developed characters and having their own agendas. I would argue the way it’s written and depicted in the animation, taking into account a lot of the animator’s personal romantic agenda regarding Jayvik, feels akin to the setup of a typical romantic love triangle.

Two people harbour feelings for Jayce, and Jayce is given the decision between the two of them, but that to me is where the similarities between them a love triangle ends… because Jayce never actually chooses. I know some may argue he does because of the final scene with Viktor, but I don’t perceive that as the case at all.

Jayce clearly has a deep love for the both of them, seen so clearly in his actions.

With Mel and Viktor, he truly feels like he can take on the world.

Jayce struggles to balance his life between politics and science because he wants both. He wants Mel and Viktor to be important in his life, but he isn’t capable of managing that, and his own biases and privilege do begin to damage his view of the system and his relationship with Viktor, and Mel does unintentionally worsen that divide. It’s why I love the polycule so much honestly — to me it isn’t just slapping three people together to stop any ship wars, no, it’s a genuinely complex and nuanced dynamic that has initial struggles and hardships.

And to claim that Mel doesn’t care for Viktor is said in complete ignorance of the source material. Mel does come to perceive Viktor as important. Initially, she does ignore him, and treat his presence as secondary to Jayce, but that changes once she recognises the flaw in her actions and how close she was to becoming like her mother. In the final scene of season one, she smiles at Jayce and Viktor. In the beginning of season two, she says that Viktor will come back to ‘us’. Not just to Jayce.

It feels tragic almost. They could have had such an interesting relationship with Mel now wanting to connect to Viktor, but she shattered the chance of that happening. The same way Viktor’s magic repels and rejects her, he does the same.

And god don’t get me started on their magic parallels. For as much as I criticise season two, this is a compilation of my thoughts on MelJayVik in canon, and so I am willing to analyse the way they’re portrayed in season two, and the fight scene in the council room In particular makes me violently ill.

It feels intimate on both ends.

I know people focus especially on Jayce and Viktor’s scenes, and I get it, the scenes between them are particularly intimate

However, both Mel and Viktor and Mel and Jayce also show intimacy in that scene. The way Jayce holds Mel after the fight, despite their previous ‘break up’ scene, and how even though there’s conflict between them, they still can’t help but handle each other with such care and affection. It’s just how they are.

And to me there’s something equally horrifying yet beautiful in the way Viktor bypasses Mel’s own magic, no longer rejecting her, but being intrigued and fascinated by her.

“The arcane stirs within you.”

They are connected by something more than just flesh, more than just physical, and that’s kind of insane to consider.

The tragedy of Mel regarding this is she loses both of these people: the man she knew, and understood, and allowed herself to be vulnerable with, and the man she wanted to know, and to understand.

So here’s how the Noxus spin-off can fix that and canonise MelJayVik! <- lying to myself.

[anghraine]

It's a very little bit funny that I used to be mildly notorious in my corner of Austen fandom for disliking Colonel Fitzwilliam, who at the time was extremely idealized in those fandom spaces, particularly by contrast with Darcy having things like "flaws" and "character growth."

I still don't like Colonel Fitzwilliam as this perfect ideal apart from maybe some extremely minor, defensible faults because he's human after all, someone who would have been exactly suited to Elizabeth really and did love her but truly is too poor to choose her (alas!) and totally is handsome, to boot.

But I do like Colonel Fitzwilliam as a man who is fundamentally decent, good-natured, intelligent, and strong-willed, but with a fundamentally aristocratic perception of himself and the world. I like that he's willing to tease and criticize Darcy as part of flirting with a pretty girl, but leaps to Darcy's and Georgiana's defense when he thinks it's important. I think it's interesting that it would be so easy for him to resent Darcy, and instead they seem to be genuine bffs with healthy respect for each other (likely for a very long time given their blood relationship and close ages) as well as co-guardians and amicable relatives.

Darcy is not a man prone to overstatement, so his description of his relationship with Colonel Fitzwilliam as one of "constant intimacy" is really intriguing to me—far more than Fitzwilliam's casual and rather shallow and self-interested flirtation with Elizabeth, tbh. It's doubly interesting because Fitzwilliam seems to only sort of know the Bingleys, and while he approves of Bingley, my impression is that he knows the whole family through Darcy rather than as general social acquaintances. We never see the Bingleys and Fitzwilliam in the same social settings, even ones where they might credibly interact like Pemberley, and Fitzwilliam makes a point of clarifying to Elizabeth that he only slightly knows Bingley's sisters. There are all these gradations to how Darcy interacts with both social sets, his mentorship-type friendship with Bingley and his intimacy with his cousin, that I don't think a simple consultation of the table of precedence fully explains.

I do find Colonel Fitzwilliam deeply boring when he's reduced to Darcy's rival for Elizabeth's affection despite never having any serious interest in Elizabeth—the kind of "so there, Darcy" vibe that underpins Fitzwilliam-as-rival is meh given their own relationship. But for such a minor character, there is genuinely quite a bit going on, I think.

[salty-croissants]

what do Bullfrog and Rayman/Ramon like to do when they're cuddling with the reader? 😊

Thank you for the request ! 

It’s like , very late for me right now … but I got a burst of inspiration as soon as I read what the request was about : this is something that I’m always happy to write … just wholesome affection between the reader and the boys , love this prompt very much :,) ❤️

I hope this turned out okay ! 

I’m probably gonna pass out after this lmao , it was worth it tho :,)👍

Details : use of gender neutral reader ; 

established relationships ; 

no warnings needed 

Bullfrog 💚

The number one rule this frog has when cuddling with you ? He wants you to be as comfy as possible , and if you want Bullfrog is going to bring something to drink for the both of you : a nice cup of tea , some juice … anything goes , as long as you like it .

< Here’s your tea , mon amour … be careful , it’s still hot . > 

< Thanks love , you’re the best ~ > 

If you’re someone who happens to get very flustered when he speaks French , Bullfrog will have the time of his life whispering sweet nothings in your ear while holding you in his arms … 

The way you blush is just so cute for him ^//^ 

< y/n , ma bien-aimée, tu es merveilleuse à tous points de vue … ~ > 

< B-Bullfrog pleasee ! ~ > 

One silly personal headcanon that I have is that Bullfrog gets especially relaxed by sounds of streams of water streams , waterfalls and other similar things , so I imagine that he would be very happy to have them as a bit of a background ambience while snuggling close with his beloved … 

He probably saves all of those “10 hours of waterfall sounds to sleep and relax to” compilations , he just likes them a lot :) 

Rayman 🧡

Now this man … 

This man doesn’t get as many chances to cuddle you as he’d like , given that he has to deal with so much while working on his show , so you can be sure that Rayman will make the times he can be with you truly special … 

< Aw … did you light up all these candles for me ? > 

< Mhm , I sure did . Cuddles with my lovely y/n need a bit of atmosphere after all ~ > 

< Hehe , you’re always so sweet Ray , thank you ~ > 

Rayman loves to just lay his head on your lap while staring up at you … it’s such a nice moment of intimacy , especially since it’s a position that makes it easy to snatch a kiss or two … or maybe three ;//) 

< Here , come a little closer y/n … god , I’ve missed this so much … ~ > 

While he likes to be able to talk to you while you cuddle ( especially since you’re possibly the only person who he can be fully sincere with ) , Rayman adores to just listen to anything you may want to say while snuggling close to you and let the sound of your voice relieve him from all his troubles …

He is just so glad to have you , he can’t stress about it enough ! 

Ramon 🖤

I think it’s safe to say that after everything that’s happened , Ramon has become even more physically affectionate than before : he just really needs all the reassurance he can get , so one thing he’ll do when you cuddle is wrap his hands around your waist to prevent you from even thinking about getting up …

< Ah geez , is that my phone … ? Can I just check real quick who it is ? > 

< No . Might be another one of Eden’s tricks to try and locate us . > 

< Heh … are you sure it’s not also an excuse to keep me from getting up ? > 

< Hmm … I dunno what you mean ~ > 

He really loves to bury his face in your chest : the sound of your heartbeat and your warmth are like a shelter from the outside world , and Ramon longs for nothing more than having you as close to him as possible . 

It’s also so very relaxing for him to be able to be vulnerable at least for a moment … he just can’t begin to express how important you are to him , but he’ll do his best .

< y/n … I love you so much , you know that … ? 

You’re … heh , literally everything I could ever ask for . > 

If you end up falling asleep while you cuddle together , Ramon is going to be watching over you for quite some time , looking at you while occasionally leaving little kisses on your face …

He won’t rest until he’s sure that you’re safe , he won’t allow anything bad to happen to you … not now nor ever . 

[reaper2187]

Ningguang x female reader

In the bustling harbor of Liyue, where the aroma of spices mingled with the scent of the sea, Ningguang stood at the highest point of the Jade Chamber, gazing out at the horizon. Her elegant figure was silhouetted against the setting sun, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Liyue's prosperity and safety. Yet, amidst the responsibilities and concerns, there was one thought that lingered more persistently than the rest: Y/N.

Y/N, a traveler who had captured the heart of the Tianquan herself. Intelligent, courageous, and kind, Y/N had become an integral part of Ningguang's life, both personally and in her work to maintain Liyue's stability. The two had met during one of Y/N's adventures, and what had started as a chance encounter blossomed into a profound connection.

Ningguang sighed softly, her usually stern and composed expression softening as she thought of Y/N. She turned away from the window, her robes rustling as she made her way to the chamber's grand staircase. As if on cue, a gentle knock echoed through the chamber.

"Come in," Ningguang called, her voice steady and welcoming.

The grand doors swung open to reveal Y/N, her eyes lighting up as they met Ningguang's. She stepped inside, the flickering candlelight casting a warm glow on her features.

"Ningguang," Y/N greeted, her voice filled with warmth and affection.

Ningguang's lips curved into a rare, genuine smile. "Y/N. It's always a pleasure to see you. Come, sit with me."

They walked together to a plush seating area adorned with luxurious cushions and a low table set with fine tea. Ningguang poured a cup for Y/N, her movements graceful and practiced.

"How was your day?" Ningguang asked, handing the cup to Y/N.

Y/N took a sip, savoring the rich flavor before responding. "Busy, but fulfilling. I helped some merchants resolve a dispute at the market and assisted the Adventurers' Guild with a particularly troublesome commission."

Ningguang nodded, her eyes never leaving Y/N's face. "You always manage to bring order wherever you go. It's one of the many things I admire about you."

Y/N blushed at the compliment, her heart swelling with affection. "Thank you, Ningguang. That means a lot coming from you."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. Ningguang reached out, her hand gently covering Y/N's.

"Y/N," she began, her voice softer now, "I've been thinking a lot about us lately. About what you mean to me."

Y/N's breath caught in her throat. She looked into Ningguang's eyes, seeing a rare vulnerability there. "Ningguang… I feel the same way. You've become so important to me. More than I ever imagined possible."

Ningguang's grip tightened slightly, her thumb brushing over Y/N's knuckles. "I want you to know that whatever happens, you have a place here. With me. In the Jade Chamber, in Liyue… in my heart."

Tears welled up in Y/N's eyes as she leaned in, her forehead resting against Ningguang's. "And you have a place in mine. Always."

Ningguang closed her eyes, savoring the closeness, the intimacy of the moment. "I've always been cautious with my heart, Y/N. But with you, it feels right. It feels like home."

Y/N smiled through her tears, her free hand coming up to caress Ningguang's cheek. "You've given me a home too, Ningguang. In more ways than one."

They stayed like that for a while, basking in each other's presence, the world outside forgotten. Eventually, they pulled apart, though their hands remained intertwined.

"Stay with me tonight," Ningguang whispered, her eyes pleading. "Let's forget about the rest of the world, just for a while."

Y/N nodded, her heart pounding with love and anticipation. "I'd love nothing more."

They spent the evening together, sharing stories and laughter, the bond between them growing stronger with each passing moment. As the night deepened, they found solace in each other's arms, the weight of their responsibilities and the world's demands fading away.

In the quiet intimacy of the Jade Chamber, surrounded by the soft glow of lanterns and the gentle hum of the night, Ningguang and Y/N found a sanctuary in each other. Their love, forged in the fires of adventure and adversity, was a beacon of hope and joy, a testament to the power of connection in a world that often seemed overwhelming.

As they drifted off to sleep, wrapped in each other's embrace, they knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. For in each other, they had found not just a partner, but a kindred spirit, a love that transcended the ordinary and touched the very essence of their souls.

And so, under the watchful gaze of the stars and the serene calm of the Jade Chamber, Ningguang and Y/N dreamed of a future filled with love, adventure, and the unbreakable bond they had forged.

[bigsurlor]

cowboy like me by taylor swift, my interpretation and analysis

And the tennis court was covered up with some tent-like thing

Beginning with "and", it is important to note that we start our story in medias res, or in the middle of the narrative. Also that it begins in past tense, giving the audience the story of how our narrator got to the present, why they're "never gonna love again".

On expensive properties, the tennis courts are often located near or next to the gardens which makes a lovely venue, for both parties and weddings, once a marquee is placed on top. Given the "tent-like thing" covering the tennis courts and our narrator's habits of swindling rich people, both a party or wedding is the likely setting.

This opening line not only helps to set the scene of this event, but gives the listener the first insight into the character of the narrator. Of course this swindler would not know the name of this "tent-like thing", nor do they care to find out. They are there for one thing: conning old rich people.

It is also important to note that the narrator is seemingly uninterested and generally less than impressed.

And you asked me to dance, but I said, "dancing is a dangerous game"

This line paired with the last not only helps to set the scene of this event but also invokes imagery as well. Dancing typically requires a dance floor, so it is reinforced that our narrator likely is at a wedding (interesting note for later) or party.

I think dancing in this sense is to be taken both literally and metaphorically. Dancing as in becoming closer with another, the forming of a new relationship. So, this other person wants to become closer or more intimate, but our narrator knows and recognizes that doing so breaks into precarious territory, it becomes a "dangerous game". We'll come back to that.

Dancing with a partner is an activity that requires closeness, vulnerability, and an intimacy of sorts. It is moving in a way that is almost co-dependent. Every single thing you do will affect your partner in such a visceral physical and emotional way. Which makes it all the more interesting our narrator chooses to describe dancing as a dangerous game. We all know, games are a type of play or sport often between two people, a back and forth, using both skill and intelligence… which is kind of the opposite of the mindset to be in while dancing and outlook to have on it. Dancing is a partnership.

I believe this line is also an allusion to the short story, The Most Dangerous Game. Spoilers if you haven't read, but it is a story of the hunted and the hunter, one in which the hunter's barbaric game was twisted and turned against himself. The ultimate twist of fate, and the joke was inevitably on him. The "most dangerous game" occurs from the human ability to reason, it was a test of the mind. It was the protagonist's ability to ultimately stop running, to halt his prey behavior, and instead strategize, to outsmart his hunter that led to his safety. We know hunters for Taylor represent the public ("they are the hunters, we are the foxes", I Know Places) ("these hunters with cell phones", the lakes), so I would keep that in mind. For this person to dance with our narrator, it would put them both in a dangerous game, perhaps the most dangerous one.

Oh, I thought, 'this is gonna be one of those things'

To me, this is a double meaning lyric. "One of those things," being just another fling. Someone who comes and passes you by all the same, over before it really even started. But also, "one of those things," such as in reference to a bad or unfortunate event that could happen to anyone (ex: I missed my train, so I had to catch the next one. It was just one of those things, I guess.)

Now I know I'm never gonna love again

Note: alternating between past to present tense

At this point in the song, it is unclear in which way the narrator means this. Are they never going to love again out of the sheer heartbreak from meeting their match and someone who was able to deceive them in the ways they've deceived so many others, or because they will never find another and will love this one lover forever? Let's continue.

I've got some tricks up my sleeves

To have a trick up your sleeve is to have a secret plan, idea, or advantage that one keeps and can utilize when the time is right.

This line adds further characterization to the narrator. They aren't necessarily upfront or honest, they may use certain things to their own advantage. They are a swindler and bandit, after all.

This line also draws certain imagery to mind, like a magician doings tricks, pulling things from their sleeve to fool people. This imagery is important to keep in mind.

Parallels So It Goes...: "See you in the dark / All eyes on you, my magician / All eyes on us" and "All eyes on me, your illusionist / All eyes on us"

Takes one to know one

This phrase is an idiom meaning that it takes one specific type of person to be able to recognize that same type of person elsewhere. It is usually used to describe a trait so central to their personality that it sticks out very clearly to others with the same traits.

I believe this line functions as a double meaning. It gives some insight into the other person, letting us know that this person too is a con artist. They are a swindler like our narrator. But also, this line of thinking can also easily translate to a queerness "gaydar", or the queer community's ability to sense and pick up on subtle signs that another person is queer themselves.

You're a cowboy like me

This line tells the listener so much, but especially in regards to giving more insight into the characters of our narrator and their love interest. Cowboys are symbols of independence, isolation, and often lawlessness. They may always come into town, but they'll always leave it as well. They're hustlers, sometimes cheats, can be the best con artists, but ultimately, they're just trying to survive.

Cowboys have also long been a symbol for the queer community. Often preferring a "buddy" over a wife, building a closeness, homoerotic admiration, and level of intimacy much like with romantic relationships, historians do consider many cowboys to have been gay. Hollywood has even taken to this, with movies such as Brokeback Mountain (starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger). Make a mental note of that movie for later.

Another correlation I considered between cowboys and queerness is the lawlessness cowboys are often known for and the struggle for the legality of queerness.

Quick note: who remembers when WMagazine released their "Cowboy Karlie" photoshoot on July 2, 2018 and then eight days later Harpers Bazaar released their photoshoot of Taylor in which she's wearing the same dress from Givenchy's Fall 2018 collection?

Never wanted love, just a fancy car

Love and affection were never the ambitions or priorities of this narrator. It was success, money, all the fancy cars that drove them. Their focus has always been on hustling, which is what makes this next verse even more compelling. Look at the dichotomy of who this hard cowboy once was compared to who their love has transformed them into in this next line.

(For more reference of this dichotomy, we can view the parallels this has with King of My Heart: "Cause all the boys and their expensive cars / With their Range Rovers and Jaguars / Never took me quite where you do", "The taste of your lips is my idea of luxury", and "Say you fancy me, not fancy stuff".)

Now I'm waiting by the phone like I'm sitting in an airport bar

Our narrator using sitting in the airport bar as a simile for waiting by the phone fits so much into the characterization already previously established. Airports are a place where no one really stays or lingers too long, every person is just traveling through, stopping for a moment, but going onto their next destination much like a cowboy passing and traveling through towns.

While waiting at an airport bar, one is typically dealing with a lot of big emotions: feeling nervous about the flight ahead, having all types of thoughts swirling in your head while you anxiously await your drink. This is how our narrator feels while waiting to hear back from this person. Their hard exterior has broken down, priorities are starting to shift: they're beginning to realize they may have found love.

You had some tricks up your sleeves

Takes one to know one

You're a cowboy like me

Notice: past tense on "had". You had some tricks up your sleeves. You used to. This person is a cowboy, a bandit, a magician like our narrator (recall So It Goes...), but the tricks to take advantage of another are all past tense now that they are with their match, they are no more. Keep in mind as we move forward: our narrator has repeatedly expressed that these two are one in the same.

And now let's take a look at the "Kowboy Karlie" campaign Karlie did for Tamara Mellon in July of 2014:

Perched in the dark

Taylor's use of diction is so important and the word choice here, perched, draws such specific imagery and feelings within. Being perched on an object is to sit high above and is most often used and associated with birds.

This is yet another lyric I think has a double meaning. In a sense, it is metaphorical like an owl sitting high up and waiting for the perfect moment to swoop down to strike and kill, or looking for people to gain from or take advantage of. Yet also, its literal meaning can be taken as well. The narrator feels they are sitting high above everyone, hidden away in the dark as opposed to living in the daylight that is truthfulness and love. I could imagine it would feel such a way to be both a celebrity and closeted.

This lyric also brings to mind lines from tracks off reputation ("See you in the dark" ; "Gold cage, hostage to my feelings", So It Goes...) and folklore ("Living in a gold age, sneaking into my bird cage", Cardigan original lyrics).

telling all the rich folks anything they wanna hear, like it could be love

Like and could are the keys word here. It is like it could be love, they could love this person, it could be a possibility. Not a certainty.

This lyric aligns with our current understanding and characterization of the narrator: a swindler. It gives us more information though, and makes it likely to assume this was our narrator's intent at the party/wedding they met their true love at.

Being one line with, "perched in the dark', a metaphor for closeting, this reads as bearding and PR contracts.

I could be the way forward, only if they pay for it

They could be the rich folks way forward, what propels them, what benefits them, their answer, but only if they pay for it.

Given the money-seeking bandit we know our narrator to be, I interpret this instance of paying for it to be literally, to be physically paying in cash or some sort of monetary/status exchange. This brings to mind business exchanges/deals in regards to love: setting up relationships, potentially fake ones.

Being hidden in the dark high above, lying to rich folks about potentially being able to be someone's love and their way forward in life (because of who they are), but only if they will pay for it, paints the image yet again of a celebrity that is closeted and making contracts for both PR relationships and bearding. 

What's also interesting is how often we have been reminded that the narrator's love is just like our narrator, which poses the questions: Are they lying to old rich people as well? Faking love to them as well? It's likely, so keep that in mind.

You're a bandit like me

There is strong diction with this lyric again, it invokes quite a bit of imagery as well. The word bandit sticks out, it's one that you hold onto.

This line, like many others, is giving further characterization and yet again reiterating that these two are the same.

A bandit is a robber, an outlaw, echoing what it means to be a cowboy.

eyes full of stars

Stars often serve as symbols of both hope and destiny throughout literature. Think Shakespeare's Julius Caesar: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars." The meaning of Shakespeare's phrase, in short, is that the fault was not with fate (or in their stars) but in their actions as humans.

It is so interesting to see the ways in which our narrator has changed over the course of this song, this line being one of the main displays. This cowboy never thought they could settle down, just traveling town to town, building no true connections, only swindling, Now they're starting to feel hopeful, starting to see a future and a life they likely never could see before. They are no longer the disinterested, apathetic person we met in the opening line.

Hustling for the good life, never thought I'd meet you here

Hustling in this context means to obtain by illicit action, swindling, cheating, but also working hard and doing so by focusing only on success.

The narrator never thought they would meet their match, never thought there would or even could be someone just like them. Not only that, but there, at the exact same place, doing the exact same thing.

It could be love

No more like. With this person, it is not like it could be love. It just could be love. Despite being almost the same phrase, this one carries much different meaning. The narrator has met their match, they're dreaming of a future with them now, but they're still this cowboy, the same old con artist that we know. They were just anxiously waiting by the phone, they're still hesitant on accepting this person and letting them in, but they're beginning to recognize… this could be love… ("Is this the end of all the endings?", King of My Heart)

We could be the way forward and I know I'll pay for it

We! No you, no I, it is now we. You and I together, we could be the way forward.

Not the way forward as in before, not propelling someone else to get the means the narrator desires. No more hiding in the dark either.

Together, they could be this incredible change, this way forward. They could pave the way in the industry, help break the chains of fellow queer people, but this narrator will pay and suffer the consequences of it. They are surely to face the backlash that comes from paving a new way forward.

The key word here is still could. They could be the way forward. But will they?

And the skeletons in both our closets plotted hard to fuck this up

This lyric has a double meaning. The first being, their past sins build and compound with one another, making this relationship difficult to continue and carry on. They are both cowboys with a history of conning, after all. The second being, the evidence of their queerness with past lovers combined makes staying closeted and having this secret relationship together hard.

And the old men that I've swindled really did believe I was the one

This line is quite straightforward I believe, adding more characterization to our narrator and showing how truly skilled they are at deception. 

It also brings to mind a lyric from Don't Blame Me: "I've been breakin hearts a long time and toyin with them older guys, just playthings for me to use."

And the ladies lunching have their stories about when you passed through town

This other person is truly one in the same with our narrator, a cowboy just passing through town, causing ruckus, and leaving the ladies lunching with stories to tell of them.

but that was all before

 I locked it down

The way this line ("but that was all before") is written, it is connected to the previous lyric and simultaneously both connected and separated from the next. The swindling of old men, the stories from the ladies lunching happened, yes, "But that was all before", all before our narrator locked it down. Before they entered this relationship, before they kept it secure.

Note: Locked it down? Like "love locked down"...?

2014:

2015:

2016:

Now you hang from my lips like the Gardens of Babylon

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon are known to have been an incredible feat of engineering and considered to have been an overwhelmingly beautiful place. People traveled far and wide to witness it in its glory. They are a part of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but yet no archeological evidence can be found to prove its existence.

This phrase also brings to mind the act of "hanging onto every word" a person says, which I would say is a similar process to a fan attempting to analyze the words and lyrics of the person they admire.

So, this person hangs from her lips–she speaks these beautiful words of them, love song after love song flows from her about them, they are a constant. In the same ways this lover hangs from her lips, others (perhaps those hunters, if you remember) hang onto the contents that flow from them, but despite this, they cannot find this love, may not even believe in it, for there is no evidence to prove its existence.

This parallels something Taylor said in the reputation prologue: "When this album comes out, gossip blogs will scour the lyrics for the men they can attribute to each song, as if the inspiration for music is as simple and basic as a paternity test. There will be slideshows of photos backing up each incorrect theory because it's 2017 and if you didn't see a picture of it, it couldn't have happened, right? Let me say it again, louder for those in the back… We think we know someone, but the truth is that we only know the version of them they have chosen to show us. There will be no further explanation. There will just be reputation."

With your boots beneath my bed, forever is the sweetest con

Boots being beneath the bed is yet another double meaning. The phrase 'boots under the bed' and its variants is slang to refer to a sexual relationship, though especially an adulterous one. And then there is the direct, literal meaning:

With their lover's boots beneath their bed, tucked in and fast asleep at night, out of all their trickery and deception, out of any con, their forever together is the sweetest con of them all.

How could this be? How could their forever be a con? Let's recall the prior line about the Gardens of Babylon and all the way from the beginning, The Most Dangerous Game. Think of the necessity that exists to outwit these hunters to survive once one decides to jump into the fishbowl with our narrator. And outwit them, our narrator and their love did. ("Your love is a secret I'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep", King of My Heart)

Side note 1: Taylor released the 'forever is the sweetest con' chapter on January 28, 2021: National Daisy Day.

Side note 2: Karlie Kloss included multiple charms of cowboy boots and hats on the friendship bracelets she purchased for her Eras concert in Los Angeles on 8/9.

I've had some tricks up my sleeves

Takes one to know one

You're a cowboy like me

Yet again our narrator is reminding us of the tricks they have had, maybe potentially even used on us as the listener (as hinted in the previous line). At this point in the song, our narrator is fully resigned. They know for a fact that they have met their match, their love is indeed just like them. They have found each other in the most unlikely world and through the most unlikely events, but found each other nonetheless.

Note: Remember that mental note of the gay cowboy movie, Brokeback Mountain? Bring it to the forefront now, because in June of 2019, Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner had their second wedding ceremony. And how did Derek Blasberg, Karlie's long-term best friend and chosen family, choose to describe the theme? As a crossover with Brokeback Mountain.

He went on to say via Twitter:

And I'm never gonna love again

I'm never gonna love again

I'm never gonna love again

At the resolve of the song, we finally have our answer. We know how the pair met, we followed their story; we finally know why our narrator is never going to love again. Despite thinking that this would just be yet another soul-crushing fling that ended before it began, the narrator now knows that they have met their person, that they are one in the same, that they are able see a future for themselves for the first time, that they've experienced a true transformation ("I once was poison ivy but now I'm your daisy", Don't Blame Me), and because of this, they know that they will never love another person again. It was "the end of all the endings" (King of My Heart). They've already found the one, and in that, despite a lifetime of conning, together created their greatest trick of all. And together, the cowboys will continue in their tricks, but not to each other, no, instead with each other. This is no longer a road for the lone traveler, but one that it is nice to have a friend on.

I do think these last lines, though, also have a double meaning. After all, throughout the course of the song, we have followed two narratives: the story of our narrator and their love, and the one in which our narrator is conning rich business folk. I think that while the final line is a recognition that they will never love another person other than their lover, it is also a statement to these business deals and exchanges in regards to 'love': they're done with them. With forever as their sweetest con, our narrator is never going to love again, at least in the public eye, unless they decide with their love that together they will be the way forward.

Ending note: I love, support, and wish all the happiness in the world to these two cowboys, regardless of their choice. Whether they are the way forward, whether they continue in their cons, either way, I will be here and thankful that they have chosen to share with us what they have, as it is truly the century's most beautiful and captivating love story.

One last note: I LOOOVE the way Taylor uses assonance and consonance throughout the song, giving the illusion of rhyming which is much like the swindler's behavior in this story.

[sl-ut]

Hey, i love your work so so much. I reread your college!Abby every once in a while, it's so good. Based off of college!Abby, I was wondering if you could make something with We'll Never Have Sex by Leith Ross as a prompt. Idk, it just a song that hits me rll hard, it has lead me to tears more than once. I just feel like it could fit so softly with Abby and her gf, because it's a song that narrates love and romantic intimacy as non-dependant or unconditional to the erotic aspect of a relationship.

more college!abby

OMG I THOUGHT I POSTED THIS SO LONG AGO BUT ITS BEEN IN MY DRAFTS FOR MONTHS PROBABLY IM SO SORRY

this is soooo them! i always had it in my mind that their relationship was very stable and reliant on the genuine and innocent ways that they show their love (i'm a sucker for domesticated couples).

sex was something that abby genuinely enjoyed with y/n. there were levels to it; it wasn't quite the kind of physical intimacy that she felt with others before her, but rather how they show how much they love each other through physicality. every ounce of abby's soul was bound to y/n's, and demanded that she find some way to feel her flesh against her own.

in saying that, sex was not the only way that she felt that this was conveyed. abby wasn't a neanderthal, she was able to recognize affection from an even more intimate aspect than just through sex.

there were times when abby knew that she needed to touch y/n, though as she forced her into bed, it dawned on her that it wasn't the pleasure that she was after, just the comfort that came from feeling her lover's skin against her own. she feels that this is one of her utmost favourite ways of feeling close with her, and even insists from time to time (especially in the summer) the pair of them should sleep in the nude just for the sake of sleeping pressed up against each other's naked bodies.

she also thinks that little domestic aspects of their lives are so important. it makes her so happy that they can feel comfortable enough around one another to lower almost all boundaries when they are in the comfort of abby's apartment. this could be through cooking for one another, showering together, casual nudity, knowing the other's phone password (but only using it when given permission), etc, etc.

i love abby sm she my babyyyyyy

[makutaservaela]

Headcanon Ramblings: Nonverbal Cues

Rambling a bit on Nonverbal cues, signs of affection, etc, and theorizing on throwaway lines and scenes from Bio-Parenting to assist.

Masks are, of course, very intimate. Taking off your mask in front of someone is equivalent to a human pulling their pants down in front of someone- either mooning, if meant as an insult, or closely intimate if meant for affection.

(Top is pre-me getting a Hahli Mahri figure and learning how dark her blue is) Given that Baina, who is around age 7 has a running gag of trying to take people's masks off, this generally implies that kids don't really understand the inappropriateness of masks being removed. This is equal to a 7 year old girl put in a dress by her parents who just decides to throw the dress off and run around in her underwear when she finds the dress inconvenient. The kid can probably be taught not to do it, but can't really comprehend why it's important.

Masks would also get in the way of kissing, so Matoran tend not to do that. For Matoran, asking your partner to weaken themselves just so you can add unneeded levels of intimacy to the scene is basically their version of a spanking fetish. They can eat with their mouths, and in my HC they lost the ability to absorb energy any other way, so presuming they make saliva to do so, they likely also have an instinct to kiss for the same reason we do: to share genetic information.

Otherwise, the Matoran version of kissing would be a gentle headbutt. This could act as a cheek kiss, head kiss, lip kiss, etc, so an outsider viewing can't generally learn the intimacy of the action just by the action itself.

Speaking of kissing-

Given that Makuta have more mouthy masks that can even interact with their expression, they can and absolutely do kiss. They are the most likely to do it, and it can be a close-friend gesture to them.

Skakdi can't really kiss due to the strain needed to close their mouths. They can do it, but it's not very comfortable or a preferred method of affection. Agori and Glatorian kiss.

Vortixx kiss too, but it is considered quite private, as is any other display of affection.

For that matter, Vortixx are quite promoting of lesbians, and lesbian affection is considered aesthetically pleasing and often appears in art, as are displays of a male being affectionate to a female, but for a female to publicly display affection to a male is considered strange or demeaning to her. Vortixx ladies can be very gentle with their husbands behind closed doors, but in public, he is expected to dote on her and she is expected to ignore it (if they are married) or downplay it (if she is single and he is flirting with her).

Canonically, Toa seem to like to pat Matoran on the head as a friendly gesture.

Back to the HC, The first Toa who tried this on an Agori got sucker-punched. Agori don't mind a headpat from another Agori or a shoulder/back/arm pat from an Agori or Glatorian, but I HC they generally do not respect Glatorian and consider them a threat, so any action a Glatorian would take that would be showing off their height would be seen as a personal insult to an Agori.

Makuta and Skakdi are both prone to tongue-grooming. This is much more intimate to Skakdi than to Makuta. Getting anywhere close to a Skakdi's teeth is generally a very intimate action.

The fist bump is a classic symbol for Toa and Matoran. It is used as a greeting, a casual farewell, and just generally an acknowledgement of friendship. Shoulder and back grabs are around this level as well for both species.

The handshake, hand grab, or wrist grab is much more intimate, and seen as a deep greeting or deep farewell.

General proximity goes a long way for Skakdi-

Especially being willing to sleep in close proximity to another Skakdi. Sleeping with physical contact is very intimate to them, and any sort of close proximity sleeping is a trust that they won't attack you. The Piraka have come a long way since the days of canon.

Making yourself bigger is a common threat tactic for more aggressive species like Makuta and Skakdi. This can include puffing out chests, Makuta flapping their wings, etc. Brandishing weapons such as claws, fangs, and actual weapons is also useful for them, but not so much for Toa. Toa and Matoran weapons are often tools with multiple purposes, so a Toa or Matoran holding a weapon out at another doesn't automatically come off as a threat, depending on the weapon.

Skakdi tails are very emotive. They wag when excited and tuck when distressed. They are also useful for balance and quick turning.

Matoran are not prone to reading facial expressions, given that it can be a bit hard to do behind masks. This caused some confusion when they met the Agori.

[jungkoode]

Ehh, I respectfully disagree with what you said about some humans not immediately being like ugh I hate you internally for having something I want (in regards to Tessa) I’ve had multiple girls in my life act that way before when having crushes on my guy friends, which is wild to think about but happens! I think everyone’s responses to things are very nuanced and i feel like we can’t assume that humans will never work that way, because sometimes they do for weird reasons! That’s why we’re humans! (Also I LOVE your stories, this is not hate or anything just wanted to share a different perspective as someone who works in psychology)

Oof yes—thank you for such a respectful and insightful message! This kind of nuanced convo is exactly why I love having an audience that thinks. I definitely hear what you’re saying, and I’m glad you brought it up because it gives me the chance to clarify something important that might’ve gotten lost in the chaos of my usual rambly tone:

I never meant to say that people like that don’t exist. Of course they do. Some individuals do have that reflexive, scarcity-based reaction to competition—especially when it comes to attachment figures or perceived romantic threats. That internalized bitterness or hostility? It’s a known psychological response, often rooted in unresolved self-worth issues, envy linked to insecure attachment styles, or even maladaptive interpersonal schemas developed early on. It can happen. But it’s not commonplace, and more importantly—it’s not default human behavior.

What I’m critiquing is the normalization and overuse of that trope in fiction—especially in fanfiction and media targeted at women—where it’s presented as the assumed reaction any time two women are in the vicinity of the same man. As if female relationships are inherently fragile and competitive. That’s the issue. Because in reality? That brand of interpersonal hostility is actually not typical, not psychologically healthy, and frankly, not the way most people function—especially when there’s no emotional investment yet, as is the case with Nix and Jungkook.

So yes, it can happen. But the conditions for that kind of reaction are very specific. Usually, it involves:

A pre-existing sense of emotional entitlement or insecurity.

A scarcity mindset around attention or affection.

A clear perception of the “other” as a direct and immediate threat.

And none of those apply here.

Y/N doesn’t even consciously like Jungkook. They are not in a relationship, or even close to emotional clarity. Tessa barely knows Y/N. There’s no intimacy, no bond, no betrayal, no pressure to compete. So it would be narratively dishonest and psychologically implausible for me to write a character like Tessa as petty or antagonistic in this context. She would be lashing out at a stranger for merely existing. That’s not tension. That’s poor character writing.

As someone who actively works to write with psychological realism, my framework is always this: characters behave not just in a way that’s possible, but in a way that’s coherent given who they are, what they know, and where they’re at emotionally. Is it possible for someone to act like a snake for no good reason? Sure. Is it believable, satisfying, or smart storytelling in this particular world, with these characters, at this point in time? No.

I also think this goes deeper into how we define “normal” in the first place. We confuse “common” with “healthy” a lot in both psych and media. But just because some behaviors exist doesn’t mean they’re rooted in psychological balance. And I I don’t want to frame petty competitiveness between women as an unquestioned default. As if we expect it. As if it’s just what girls do.

So you’re completely right that humans are unpredictable and emotionally messy and weird as hell sometimes. That’s what makes them fascinating. But good writing isn’t about covering every possible behavior—it’s about choosing the right behavior for the right person, at the right time. And in this case, it would make no sense for either Y/N or Tessa to be hostile. So I’m not writing them that way.

Thank you for being open, respectful, and curious. I love when my readers think critically and bring in their own expertise—that’s the highest honor. 🫶🏻

And I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story.

[yellowocaballero]

kinda obsessed with yuri and claude in rosetta headstone,,, like theyre just the stupidest smart people, and only now are they finally communicating with each other. like the way khalid has grown up throughout the fic, and yuris complicated issues with trust and intimacy. idk, don't mind me, im just gonna go sit in a corner while rotating them and this whole story in my brain.

Thank you!!! I'm love them also. Honestly, Yuri was the only character who I put in real effort to try and keep in-character. Which was tough as hell - I feel like I only actually landed on his character a few stories after I wrote this one.

Yuri is so good. Your early interactions with him are nothing but him repeatedly trying to convince you how terrible he is. He's a lot of bluster and obfuscation and kinda tsundere but he can be painfully sincere too. Yuri grows close to Khalid because he's one of the few people he does trust - because Yuri and Khalid are the same guy and Yuri will always trust a self-centered asshole, aka Yuri trusts what he understands. But then Khalid grows too close, and Khalid's growth as a person means that he turns into somebody Yuri doesn't understand anymore, and Yuri realizes way too late that he's let Khalid into his heart, and then he panics and starts pushing him away. I think Yuri would have just propositioned him like five months ago and tried to win his affections that way if Byleth (Dimitri vibed out Khalid's aceness for her) hadn't mildly suggested that Yuri try the long way and actually getting closer emotionally with him. ("Try flowers." "How did I know you'd say that.").

I think main characters have to change throughout a story, even if it's just in self-acceptance or a change of understanding. I think a story where the most important person is a teacher should involve a drastic change in their students, and everybody should take away a different lesson. Byleth's influence on Yuri was through allowing him to be a student too: Yuri, like Khalid, understands the world through a give-and-take framework, and he struggles repeatedly to accept Byleth's generosity and care given with nothing expected in return. Yuri's growth as a character comes to a point where he expresses what he wants honestly with Khalid, allows himself to be a young person, and accepts the care that Khalid has learned to supply. Khalid believes that all people are selfish and self-centered, so he has no obligation to try and be a good person. Byleth shows him that we have a responsibility to ourselves and to others, that there are good people in the world who care about him very much, and that the least we can do is return that care.

I've said like ten times that the story is about communication, and despite how Yuri and Khalid are literally the same guy (or because of it), it takes the entire story to get to a confession scene. Yuri pulls the most teen boy bullshit and teases him and flirts with him in a way that he KNOWS Khalid isn't going to really understand, and as a result the Khalid who actually does really like him just assumes that it's not reciprocated, so he doesn't say anything. So juvenile.

In the end, you have to trust someone enough to let them turn you down. You have to trust yourself enough to say what you feel. It's not so bad to be young and do stupid young person things. If you need something said, ask somebody to say it. I should finish that follow-up story with them but it was literally going nowhere jaksldf thanks for the ask!

[salmonellatrenchcoat]

In the beginning of good omens season 2, we see the world through Crowley's eyes; the creation of the universe puts us in a position where we have no choice but to align with Crowley as a character. Most of the Flashbacks we see Aziraphale's perspective. He NARRORATES! This highlights the significance of the confession scene where we finally get Crowley's perspective again, specifically when it comes to Aziraphale and the alignment really becomes more important; not only are we initially seeing Aziraphale's proposal as a rejection, we have just enough of a glimpse of Aziraphale's beauty to make it painful for us on a more personal level. We see Aziraphale's whimsy and how fiercely protective Crowley is of him when he's not around, which is another way I'd say we see a reflection of Crowley's love.

This brings me to my next point; the way they express love towards eachother opposes their statuses as an angel and a demon. Aziraphale is physical, Crowley expresses emotionally weather he thinks he is or not, which is a lead up to the confession scene. Crowley's emotions are never directly expressed to Aziraphale until he confesses. With every one of his actions; threatening "Jim", saving Aziraphale making him "so happy", helping Aziraphale when he's under threat, doing anything for him even if he thinks it's ridiculous (the magic act, loaning him the Bentley, ext), learning Aziraphale's mannerism and tones; points to his emotional attachment. Everyone around him can see this attachment and it manifests in the way he speaks of Aziraphale- in the way he tells Nina "he's far too pure to be anyone's 'bit on the side.'" These actions are an expression of love and a substitute for physical touch he struggles with giving. You would expect a demon to have no issue with intimacy, given that one of the seven deadly sins is lust, though that isn't Crowley. He isn't really a demon, atleast not in the same way the others are. In a way, it feels as if he's worried any physical advancement would be taken as a temptation.

Conversely, Aziraphale struggles to say what he means, which leaks into the confession scene. He never speaks of his love for Crowley but its in the way he touches him and the way he physically expresses. The face he pulls when Shax suggest Crowley would never be interested in him exemplifies what I mean by this; he doesn't need to state his feelings for Crowley for his feelings to be known. His love is expressed in how close he stays to him, constant physical contact that you would think would be unbecoming of an angel. Despite what he is meant to think or feel, Aziraphale desires to be physically loved.

Both of these affection styles bleed into the Confession scene; Crowley emotionally expresses how he has loved and does love Aziraphale through words and when that doesn't work be tries to speak Aziraphale's language. He kisses him. He attempts to physically dedicate himself to Aziraphale and give him what he wants; this is met with his worse fear being realised. Aziraphale treats him as a tempter. Aziraphale, during this scene, attempts to be emotional for Crowley, trying and partially failing to verbally express what he's feeling. His plea for Crowley to come with him comes across wrong, his "I need you." Is lost in his accidental implication Crowley is only worthy of love if he changes. When Crowley kisses him, he struggles between leaning into it and pulling away, his hands being the tell all of his wants and fears.

Conclusively, I think it's safe to say that they failed to speak eachother's language and share one brain cell.

P.s. anyone else think the 25 Lazari miracle is just a testament to the power of love between them and generally within the world of good omens?

[kanazero-vampireknight2]

Me: Let’s say Zero and Kaname have a room together, after the final battle in vol 19. At night, Kaname softly calls Zero’s name and asks if he wants to snuggle with a gentle expression. How do you think Zero would react? (Ik i’m crazy)

Chat gpt: As an AI language model, I can speculate on how Zero might react based on his character traits and the dynamics between him and Kaname. However, please keep in mind that this is a fictional scenario and interpretation, and different readers or writers may envision the characters differently.

Given Zero and Kaname's complex relationship throughout the series, Zero's reaction to Kaname's invitation to snuggle would likely depend on various factors such as their current emotional state, the resolution of their conflicts, and the depth of their connection. Here are a few possible reactions Zero might have:

Surprise and hesitation: Zero might be caught off guard by Kaname's unexpected request, particularly if they have been on opposite sides or had a tense relationship. He might hesitate before responding, unsure of Kaname's intentions or if this is a genuine offer of comfort.

Guarded acceptance: If Zero has grown to trust Kaname to some extent or if they have reconciled after the final battle, he might cautiously accept the invitation. He may be hesitant at first, but if he recognizes Kaname's genuine desire for closeness, Zero might allow himself to snuggle with Kaname.

Resistance and refusal: If Zero still harbors deep animosity or distrust towards Kaname, he may react with resistance or refuse the offer outright. Given their complex history and potential personal boundaries, Zero might not be ready or willing to engage in such an intimate act, even if it comes from a place of kindness.

Emotional conflict: Zero may experience a range of conflicting emotions upon Kaname's invitation. He might feel a mix of longing, vulnerability, anger, confusion, and even affection. This emotional turmoil could lead to an intense internal struggle as Zero weighs his feelings and decides how to respond.

Ultimately, the specific reaction Zero has would depend on his individual growth, the state of his relationship with Kaname, and his personal boundaries regarding intimacy. It's important to note that interpretations of character reactions can vary, and different readers may have their own interpretations based on their understanding of the story and the characters involved.

[stormyoceans]

Puentalay as love languages?

IF I HAD MORE TIME AND WERE A BETTER GIF MAKER I WOULD ACTUALLY ANSWER YOU BY TURNING THIS INTO A WHOLE GIFSET SERIES but unfortunately im afraid you will have to put up with my ramblings instead ;;;;;;;; which tbh i don't even know how coherent they're going to be because as soon as i started to think about it i realized THEY LITERALLY FIT ALL 5 LOVE LANGUAGES AND NOW I FEEL LIKE PULLING A TALAY AND HURLING MYSELF INTO THE VAST UNCARING OCEAN (too soon? yeah okay too soon my bad)

puen in particular pretty much actively gives and seeks most of them:

physical touch: it's honestly pretty obvious how much puen values the feelings of warmth and comfort that comes with physical intimacy. it's in the way he always seeks talay's touch, either by hugging, or kissing, or holding hands, or more. the biggest example of it is actually the glasshouse kiss: the moment he genuinely tries to express his love, this is the first language he resorts to;

gift giving: the hourglass, the way he recreated for himself and talay the friend credits folder and shirt, the watch he gives talay in our skyy..... puen clearly appreciates the careful reflection, the deliberate choosing of the object to represent the relationship, and the emotional benefits from receiving a meaningful gift. it's maybe not a coincidence, then, that a gift is what makes puen realize who talay is;

quality time: puen's desire to actively spend time with talay, having meaningful conversations and sharing recreational activities, is put front and center in our skyy, but even in the main series this is made into a major plot point. "why are you doing this?" talay asks puen in episode 7, after seeing him going out of his way to try making their movie happen. "because it's the only thing i get to do with you," puen answers, and for him, that's love;

acts of service: maybe not as obvious as the others, but it's undeniable that puen likes to spoil talay with little thoughtful gestures (cooking for him, driving him around) just as much as he likes to be spoiled (being given a bath [still can't believe that's actually a thing GOD]).

if i was forced to pick only one, though, i do think quality time is puen's primary love language, followed very closely by physical touch (i'd say it's because they're the two things he missed the most, having lost his parents so young and being alone most of his life, but let's just not go there). on the other hand, the reason i left out words of affirmation is because i do believe that those aren't as essential to him as the other ones are, which is what makes words of affirmation being talay's primary love language even more interesting. talay needs words in a way puen simply doesn't. i mean don't get me wrong, of course hearing talay saying 'i like you' and 'i think im falling for you' was incredibly important for puen, but the biggest reason is because that's how talay expresses his love. compliments, verbal encouragements, words of appreciation and reassurance, those are the things talay always seeks out to feel cherished and safe, and also what he prefers to use to show his affection

maybe this is also why it takes them a while to understand each other and effectively communicate their feelings: their love languages are fundamentally different, so they need time and some effort to find the right balance between their needs. and here's what's making me want to throw myself down a well and drown in 5 cm of water: throughout the series, we can actually see the two of them adopting the other's love language to make sure they feel loved in a way they can understand. so on one hand we get puen trying his best to verbally reassure talay and express his appreciation for him, while on the other hand we have talay giving him more physical affection and coming up with a 30 days love challenge to spend more time with puen

i think that's why they just hit different: i've never found any other ship where both parts were so committed to make things work by actively trying to understand each other and accommodate each other's needs so they can always feel safe and loved

[part-time-princess92]

Discover Your Core Values in a CGL Dynamic Instructions: Answer each question as honestly as possible. At the end, reflect on which themes appear most often in your answers. This will help you understand your core values in a CGL relationship.

What makes you feel safest in a dynamic? A) Having clear rules and a structured daily routine B) Knowing my partner is emotionally available for me C) Having gentle but firm guidance and correction D) Being able to play and express myself freely E) Feeling completely taken care of and protected

How do you prefer to express love and affection? A) Acts of service – doing things for my partner B) Emotional reassurance – verbal encouragement and affirmations C) Obedience – following rules and being “good” for them D) Playfulness – engaging in fun, silly, or little activities together E) Physical closeness – cuddles, being doted on, or pampered

What do you need most from your Caregiver or Little? A) Structure and routines to help me thrive B) Deep emotional connection and understanding C) Clear guidance and discipline to help me grow D) Playfulness and fun to make life more enjoyable E) A strong, protective presence I can fully depend on

What role do rules play in your ideal dynamic? A) I need them to feel secure and stable B) They aren’t as important as emotional connection C) I appreciate them as long as they help me grow D) I prefer flexibility over strict rules E) I want them, but I also love to push limits a little

How do you like to be comforted when you're upset? A) Being reminded of my routine or daily structure B) Receiving kind words, reassurance, and deep conversations C) Being gently corrected or redirected toward something productive D) Distracting myself with fun, play, or little activities E) Being held, cuddled, or protected from the problem

Which statement describes you best? A) I love organization, structure, and having set expectations B) I’m emotionally sensitive and need a strong bond with my partner C) I appreciate discipline and correction when needed D) I value self-expression and a playful, carefree side E) I want to be fully protected and cared for in my dynamic

When you think of an ideal CGL relationship, what excites you the most? A) Daily routines and structured care B) Deep emotional intimacy and trust C) Growth and learning through discipline and rules D) Playful moments, games, and creative expression E) Feeling completely cherished, pampered, and cared for

How do you feel about punishments in your dynamic? A) They should be structured and consistent B) I’d rather talk about mistakes than be punished C) They help me stay accountable and improve D) I prefer playful consequences over serious ones E) I don’t like punishments at all; I just want to feel safe

What’s your ideal way to spend a day in little space or as a Caregiver? A) Following a comforting routine with planned activities B) Spending time bonding and being emotionally close C) Practicing discipline, guidance, and structured care D) Playing, crafting, or doing something fun and silly E) Being nurtured, held, and completely looked after

How do you handle independence in a relationship? A) I like some freedom but thrive best with guidance B) I need emotional support more than rules or restrictions C) I want my partner to guide me but not control me D) I like a mix—playfulness and responsibility together E) I prefer to be fully dependent on my Caregiver for everything

What makes you feel most “in role” in a CGL dynamic? A) When my daily routine is maintained by my partner B) When I receive loving attention and validation C) When I am given rules and expectations to follow D) When I am free to be playful, silly, and creative E) When I am being completely taken care of, without worry

What is your biggest fear in a dynamic? A) Chaos, unpredictability, or lack of structure B) Emotional disconnection from my partner C) Feeling like I am failing in my role D) Losing my ability to express myself freely E) Being abandoned or left without care

What’s your ideal bedtime routine with your Caregiver or Little? A) A set bedtime with a structured nightly routine B) Talking about our feelings and winding down together C) Reviewing the day and learning from any mistakes D) Playing, cuddling, or having fun until we fall asleep E) Being tucked in, comforted, and feeling completely safe

What do you seek most in aftercare? A) Reassurance that everything is okay and balanced B) Emotional validation and connection C) Understanding how to improve for next time D) Playful cuddles, fun, and lightheartedness E) Feeling pampered, protected, and unconditionally loved

What would make your CGL relationship feel perfect? A) A consistent, stable daily structure B) Deep emotional support and love C) A balance of discipline and affection D) Lots of laughter, fun, and playfulness E) Feeling fully nurtured and taken care of Results & Reflection: After answering these questions, take a look at your most common responses: If you answered mostly A’s, your core value is Structure & Routine – You thrive with rules, schedules, and stability. If you answered mostly B’s, your core value is Nurturing & Emotional Support – You seek deep connection, love, and reassurance. If you answered mostly C’s, your core value is Discipline & Guidance – You appreciate rules, growth, and structured correction. If you answered mostly D’s, your core value is Playfulness & Self-Expression – You love fun, creativity, and playful freedom. If you answered mostly E’s, your core value is Trust & Dependence – You feel happiest when fully cared for and cherished.

[artseducation2024]

ART EDUCATION IS GREAT

Vada Christine Gomera 

ART EDU 

BLOG 2024 

HELLO! Future art educators, 

This class has been miraculous. Every meeting and activity kept me 100% interested and engaged, which is honestly kind of crazy. This is my longest class, but it feels like my shortest. Through this class and everything we’ve done, I feel like I’ve discovered how much I value art in my life. Analyzing it, learning about different artists and what they stand for, creating it, and realizing how much art means to the world, it’s all been intensified for me this semester. I loved that we were even challenged to ask ourselves if we consider ourselves artists.

As someone who (hopefully) will be a future educator, I’ve learned so much about how to get to know your students and create a meaningful classroom environment. The classes and experiences I’ve had lately all seem to fit together perfectly like they’re connecting into one beautiful semester. Everything was just intertwining and this period in my life is almost yearning for things to love, lately, all things to do with art, education, and history have been making me feel incredibly fulfilled. :)

Every activity was fun and reflective. I would call my friends to tell them about our class discussions and projects because they were so stimulating. I felt like I genuinely liked what I was doing, and the projects even helped me solidify some ideas I had about myself especially when it came to art and connecting with people. My favorite class activity had to be the collage we made reflecting on ourselves. Even though the actual collage I made might not immediately show what I was going for, getting the chance to talk to my classmates about it gave me a space to be vulnerable and expressive. It’s always lovely to hear someone’s thought process and see their vision laid out in front. 

My collage had a lot of blues and question marks, plus cats and people showing affection. The cats are there because I love them, I feel a deep connection to them, and getting called a “cat lady” does not offend me at all. The affection represents how much I value intimacy and love. I even shared with a classmate that the blues and sea creatures in my collage were tied to a meaningful experience for me. There was a time when I couldn’t leave my house for months. I feared everything having to do with going outside and forming connections, I didn’t know how to deal with what I was feeling. One day through tears and so much reassurance I was practically forced to go on a trip to the Blue Hole upstate.

I jumped, and I wish I could’ve captured that moment in a picture or some kind of jar so that I could close it and never open it again, just keep that moment frozen in time. The water was so cold, extremely cold to the point where my brain went blank, and everything I ever feared or worried about was swatted away in my brain. After that, blue became a comfort for me and even taught me to wash my hands with really cold water any moment I might feel weird. 

I loved being able to reflect on that moment and other experiences through this class and the activities we did. Everyone was so kind and understanding, even when we didn’t all share the same values or ideas. And of course, having a wonderful professor made everything even better.

Taking art education has given me so much. I’m filled with immense love just thinking about creating and learning more about myself and others. In a world where it feels like people will hate you the second you open your mouth, I think it’s so important to create things that let you love yourself and others. Using art in any form, we can advocate for ourselves and others. This class was everything and more. It’s a core memory and an experience I’ll never forget. 

Picture of Blue Hole: https://www.dominicanabroad.com/peekamoose-blue-hole/