#going back to the roots of this blog

[pen-to-paper15]

[thenoman-sland]

[romance-evil-aro]

romance repulsed aros and romance favourable aros are both cool and valid but because i never see anything about us: shoutout to romance indifferent aros. romance neutral aros. aros who just couldn't care less. aros who have a conflicted relationship with romance. aros who are fine with romance in some contexts but not in others. aros who don't mind romance when it's not amatonormativity being shoved down their throats. aros who haven't yet figured out their feelings about romance. aros to whom romance is Just Something That Exists. y'all are rad as hell and it's okay not to 'pick a side'!!

[petorahs]

Yuri Leclerc as a concept is sooo funny because here is the most beautiful woman you've ever seen, sike! He's a man actually. and you're like okay, okay, cool. he's still the most beautiful person ever, looks introverted yet elegant, so you'd expect him to have a demure-ish personality with delicate hobbies. speaks in noble tongue, voice as soft as the lilac in his hair maybe. probably into fashion as well.

and then he opens his mouth.

DEEP voice, crass, and a menace. were it not for the game's rating and setting, this guy would be cursing worse than a sailor. ANDDD the funniest thing is that he's 😂 an underground mafia boss. his first conversation with the player character is that he'd slit their throat for crossing his men. he's confident, sarcastic and smug, absolutely at odds with his soft appearance. NONE of his hobbies aside from the makeup are ""girly"" at all.

but that's not all! get this. he's... a momma's boy. intimidating fucker that he is, everything he does, the maiming the killing the swindeling, it's all to send money back to her. AND following that, he's something of a Robin Hood minus the heroic fanfare. as in, he's for the common folk. from orphans to the disabled, his care protects them all. beneath the scary job and personality, his compassion runs deep.

he can't stand not knowing things. he sings so prettily but scowls when he's made to do it in public. people call him a Savage Mockingbird and he does do nothing but mock and toy with his prey sometimes. he hates attention. A+ honors student but dropped out for doing crime. he's gotten into shit situations where people took advantage of him for his pretty looks.

he likes stargazing. he's named after a star. his real name at least. the one only his mom calls him.

isn't the dichotomy just the funniest. like don't all these aspects combined together make for the most delightfully jarring character ever. but it makes sense. the totality of his life circumstances made the person that he is now and it just... works.

"Yuri is the best he's my favorite!" -Yuri himself (actual line in game btw)

[quietmonologues]

So. I hate shipping discourse and I try to keep it off my blog nowadays. I also don't consider myself a part of the fandom. But, I find discussions about this series particularly engaging and interesting, and Elucien do have me in a bit of a chokehold these days so I feel the need to get this off my chest and put this out into the world.

A common question I see is "why do people ship Elucien? They don't even like each other". And to that, I say this:

What about it? This is why shipping discourse in this fandom (and in general) is so ridiculous, because why is there confusion as to why people ship Elain and Lucien together? SJM literally wrote them as a potential pairing, that's why she made them mates. Pairing = shipping. It's not rocket science.

Two characters not liking each other is never gonna be a deterrent for them becoming canon or for people liking them as a ship. That's why enemies to lovers is such a popular trope. However way you define enemies (on opposite sides of a war like Zuko and Katara, or thinking ill of one another based on misunderstandings and assumptions like Darcy and Elizabeth), when it's done well, the story of two characters changing their opinion about each other, getting to know each other on a deeper level, and growing to love each other after their initial discomfort/hatred/loathing/indifference is a compelling story. It's about the journey, the development, and overcoming all the hurdles and bumps that are in their way.

Another reason for why the "they dislike each other" argument is so weak is because you literally have two other canon couples in this same series who had very rough starts. No matter how you feel about these two pairings, it's blatantly clear that Rhys and Cassian did put Feyre and Nesta in uncomfortable situations and have hurt them (physically/emotionally). But clearly, that was not a deterrent for them getting together in the end. So why the heck are Lucien and Elain different? Why is "Elain is so uncomfortable around Lucien" a continuous argument? It's so hypocritical given the fact that Lucien is the only guy that isn't forcing himself upon his mate.

Also, I'm sorry but some people (me...I'm some people) are tired of the "dark, battle-born, winged-warrior brother" and "previously human, traumatized archeron sister" pairing. Elain and Lucien are both associated with nature, they're both social and like interacting with people, they both experienced a deep love previously, they both abhor violence, they are both overlooked by others yet have the ability to see what others can't. They are a compatible pairing to me because they share many characteristics that are harmonious and complementary. They are the anti-thesis of Night Court aesthetics and thought, and if they ever have a book together then I can only hope it's the best one in the series.

And yes, the "Elain needs sunshine" and "Lucien is the heir to the Day Court" connection is important, my goodness. That's what symbolism is!

Sometimes it's that simple.

Okay, that's enough shipping discourse from me.

[shkika]

kitty kat moonie

[shigaeru]

Coattails art for @pain-in-the-butler

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

heyyyy who wants some lowish-resolution Lights Out angst scribbles before i go sleep!!!

(gonna put this under the cut bc im not sure if it can be considered spoiler-y or not? does this au even Have spoilers if there's no shared cohesive plot yet? who knows! i'm doing this impulsively i don't know what i'm doing ever! ! i like drawing characters in distress and anguish! thank you!)

[lambf4rm]

your guardian angel

[christiangeistdorfer]

GILLES VILLENEUVE - WINNER OF 1979 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

[sunsetcorvid]

genuinely obsessed with the fact mickey is taller than oswald

[leafbunnysketchbook]

Oh hey another indulgent art piece. That's about all I have to say?

[gophergal]

That's where you'll find me. Swaying with the rhythm of the wind, waiting for your touch

[megumi-fm]

.

[breakthebeam]

I feel so privileged not to have to do any time zone conversions or wake up at weird hours of the night to watch the Olympics this year

[aalgorithm]

MUSE ICEBERG!

there are sooo many honorable mentions that i just couldn't include. the last 3 tiers just aren't big enough. My 10 years of lore is too much for one tier list. but please give me your ideas and suggestions!