#i AM dying to talk about it pls do come to my inbox or dms haha

[blindbatalex]

So I’ve been rereading the first two chapters of your marcheron soulbond WIP (as I await with bated breath for updates), and something that always give me pause is the scene where Bergy goes to drop off the jersey at the cafe and is mistaken for a hookup of Brad’s.

I’m really curious how dating would work in a soulbond universe, like I imagine there would be dating apps dedicated to matching you specifically with your soulmate, right? But it would be different from current dating apps, because the categories are aimed at narrowing you down to find one very particular person among 7 billion. Almost more like a 23&me or something, where you need the database to be large enough to be useful. People probably upload photos of their soulmarks and then you can use filters to search for what you want? And there would be all sorts of other interesting soulbond categories (like they can probably set up meetups for those with timestamp soulmarks to meet). And then there’s probably apps specifically dedicated to hookups only so there’s no messiness or pressure of getting emotionally involved.

In this world, wouldn’t it be less common for one night stands to develop into something more, when there’s always the expectation that there’s only the one person out there for you, so other romantic relationships could easily be seen as placeholders in the meantime? So wouldn’t Brad only doing casual relationships at the moment be more of the norm for folks who haven’t met their soulmates, rather than those hookups Kelsey mentioned who wanted more from him?

All of which is to say I’m fascinated by the relationship rules of your universe, and in particular, Brad’s dating life and everything leading up to the moment your fic actually begins. (I would dearly love to have the moment where he actually figured out who his soulmate is.) Given how mysterious and ungovernable the human heart is, throwing the implacable idea of a soulmark/soulbond into this universe probably simplifies things in some ways, but would seem to cause so much more emotional distress in others (hence it’s right up your alley haha). And I can’t wait to read more!

Oh man, I saw this ask right before I went to bed after the game last night and it made my wholeass night; people engaging with the inner workings of any AU verse is great and triply so for this one, so thank you! The rest under the cut because it got long.

You hit the nail right on the head with your second to last sentence. Soulmate AUs have always read as a little dystopian to my on the aroace spectrum ass so I thought let me explore all of those implications in my own writing. You know how sometimes you meet someone and you immediately hit it off and feel like you could spend hours just talking to them? To me, as the writer, that is what a soulbond is -- that and the fact that barring early death and so on, you are guaranteed to meet them. Any additional meaning people imbue to that bond is as societal a construct as anything. But of course, both of our narrators buy into that contemporary Western allo notion of 'your soulmate is The romantic partner for you' framework, which complicates things. The other thing I should have perhaps established more strongly in the first two chapters is that not everyone has a soulmate in this verse.

So then when it comes to dating: you are absolutely right that it would be less common for one night stands to develop into something more in this verse. But for one, a good portion of the population (maybe 20-30%?) are unmarked, so they have to find love like the rest of us do. And even for people who have soulmates -- if you don't meet them before you are 21, or 25, or 30, what do you do in the meanwhile? Opinions would diverge on this, I think. Some people, like Brad, don't want to date at all, because what's the point when your true The One is out there, waiting for you? But other people might -- the same way you and I may embark on short term relationships even if we don't want or see it leading to e.g. marriage -- perhaps with the implicit understanding that if either party meets their soulmate in the meanwhile, they will call it a day. (And man, there are so many stories you can tell about the ungovernable human heart within that space -- if you already have a partner you love dearly, is that instant connection you have with your soulmate worth throwing away what you have? And if you don't, won't a part of you always wonder about what you could have had?) And also another important question: who is Kelsey? How informed or reliable is her opinion on Brad and the people he sleeps with?

Then, w/r/t online dating: for one, this fic is currently set in ~2009, which is actually the year Grindr launched. So online dating exists but is much less of a thing then than it is now. I actually didn't give it much thought before your ask, because given that you know you will meet your soulmate eventually via natural means, why try to force that connection? But I think you are so right: and in fact maybe this is a controversy in their universe, with on one hand, people who don't want to wait until they are 30 to meet the One, and on the other, people who think trying to force a meeting will mess things up. I am also SO interested in the pop culture around soulmates within the verse, which Brad is as well, and thanks to you, I might just work some of this in later on 👀

Lastly, your ask made me interrogate why Patrice hasn't reacted to the implications re Brad's soulmate situation when he talks to Kelsey, which I think will make the upcoming chapters stronger, so thank you! And re how Brad found out who his soulmate is -- *I* have always known and it is coming, perhaps as early as the next chapter depending on how the editing goes :D

[wakasa-wifey]

Okay so umm it's 14th Feb here so it's already Valentine's Day!! It's nothing much but I just wanna show some appreciation to several mutuals that I've been talking to!! I don't tag all my moots I'm sorry T-T but these ppl are the ones that I interact with the most. Heads up its gonna be so fcking long.

Here's a love letter for you guys <33

@iz-ana - Sarabi my twin flame <33 bb i remembered me asking u why u followed me gszgxyx and u said its bcs of my vibes. just for u to know, i appreciate ur existence in my life like fr. u also the kind of person that comes to check up on ur moots if u don't see their posts AND PLS I WILL CRY bcs i just felt cared for T-T. I love our conversations bout TR theories, drabbles and thoughts about them (PLS I LOVE YESTERDAY'S BRAINSTORM THE MOST) AND THE WAY WE'RE PROTECTING IZANA . i sucks at writing love letter here shush but do know i appreciate you popping in my notifs and ur dms always gave me lots of serotonin. and hajsheyd just adding here i love how u are like "encouraging" me more to be a bitch to those who messed with my irl friends. what did u call me again- AH "scary dog privilege" bye hskxhxnx i love chatting with u bcs our convo can starts with a matured aura but then randomly we go into crack mode lmaoooo then kaboom espresso depresso bcs we missed izana :( ily okie don't stop shining!!!

@sanzu-sanzu-sanzu - ANRI, MY FELLOW HORROR MOVIES/STORIES ETHUSIAST! okay so we don't really interact much these days bcs we're both busy with outside life yes yes BUT I AM REALLY REALLLLLYYY HAPPY that we got to bond over our love on horror stuffs. and i'm really happy that you take my Thai horror movie suggestions for your to add into you to watch list. i followed u back then bcs of the Songs for the Toxic People fics and i don't remember when u followed me back lmaooo but u were the 3rd followers of mine AND i remembered our first interaction was me asking how u incorporated arts into ur story. always happy that u appreciate my barking in the reblogs lmaooo. just remember that u are talented okay? anri, u are one of the softest, gentle person i ever known and even if u are older than me istg i will squish u if we ever meet. and i'm gonna be part of ur protection squad <33 yhanks for existing in my life

@roczdust - DEI MY CRACK PARTNER!! my dude pls step on me u are literally stunning😭💕 and anddddd let me tell u, ur writings??? IMMACULATE. i first followed u due to that vulnerable drug addict Sanzu i remembered that but my first read was the Kaku's sniper s/o!! i hadn't manage to go thru all ur series yet due to uni and a certain grade a a-hole prof BUT I'M ON A BREAK SO I WILL GO TRHU EVERYTHING. PLS EXPECT THE BARKINGS IN TAGS. OH OH EVERYONE!! IF U GUYS WANNA READ ANGST, CRACKS FICS, EVEN POEMS PLS GO TO DEI'S WRITING ACC RIGHT HERE @rozcdust THEY HAVE SO SOOO MANY GOOD UNGOING/FINISHED SERIES!! my fave one forever gonna be Sanzu's and i don't accept other criticism. OH AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE UR EXISTENCE IN MY LIFE FRFR I LOVE UR CRACK HEADEDNESS IN THE CJATS AND THE WAY WE BOTH FORGOT TO REPLY TO EACH OTHERS TEXTS LOLOL ILY PLATONICALLY pls do take care of urself n dms always open if u need me or wanna ask stuffs!!

@arosora - AVAAAAAAAA <33 i don't think u gonna expect this but hajshsjz PLS yes we don't talk too much since we just started being moots a week or two ago(?) BUT i like that u randomly popped into my inbox after the message i sent in ur gform lmaoooo <33 AND!!!! AND THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE'RE BOTH COSPLAYERS?!?!?! PLS THE CONVO STARTS BEING ME SIMPING OVER YOU (praise the lord i can't get ur wakasa cosplay outta my head) PLS PLS PLS TAKE CARE OF URSELF AND UR HEALTH!!! if one day i'm able to travel, i'll definitely go and visit u and we can go to a con together!! i stalked both ur cosplay tiktok n insta hhh and pls i'm dying over each cosplay. they're so so soooooo good <33 ALSO LISTEN UP EVERYONE!!! AVA HAS A WAKASA SERIES THAT YA'LL MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN!!! SHE'S DEPICTING WAKASA'S PERSONALITY LIKE MIKEY! (with the dark impulses) she's currently on hiatus due to a con BUT YES DO GIVE IT A READ ISTG!! oh and ava, take care at the con n take care of ur health <33 thank u for existing <33

@p-antomime - KIKI, MY PIE, MY SOULMATE, MY WIFE, MY EVERYTHING, THE MAIN CHARACTER IN MY LIFE. Ik u know this BUT i will tell u over and over again. U are talented. don't let others bring u down just bcs they're jealous of ur talent. don't be sad of not being chosen for performances bcs that's just bs (who knows if the chosen ones actually bribed the instructors/j) just unleash ur talent bitch don't hide it in. again ik u know this but i love you🙄❤️ yes i do bully u a lot but take it as affections will ya? and andddd i really realllllyyy love our conversations. i love the way u just stop typing and let me rant bout my cats and the shitty day i had. i REMEMBERED that message when u hit 2k followers, u were so soooo happy and i am so happy that u texted ME to tell bout it. andddd ah what else.. Oh kiki u are one oblivious person pls 😔✋it's funny that u still don't get the idea of my bday gift to u although it's literally written in the convo. u are a dumbass but u are my dumbass so ily -_- bitch if u didn't followed me back then, fr i would had missed my chances to interact with u and thus i really appreciate ur random follow (heads up ur my first follower bye) n ur existence in my life <33 oh and our convos always somehow ended up being fruity bye ur theatre kid ass ain't straight don't try to act like one -_-

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY I LOVE YOU GUYS <33