#i absolutely ADORE tragic endings but also otp

[swanmaids]

year end rec list wrap-up

2023 was such a good year for silm fic, I read so much great stuff from all corners. But I would be very much remiss if I did not rec each of the wonderful gift fics that I was lucky enough to recieve throughout the year!

The Silmarillion, in reverse-chronological order:

Indissoluble by @polutrope [idril/tuor/voronwe; rated e, 2.6k, nawa]

All the banter-filled, life-affirming sex for my ot3 equals merry christmas to ME.

untitled by @polutrope [tuor/voronwe; explicit, five sentences, on tumblr]

Sensual, tender, and full of hope against all odds on the way to Gondolin.

a passionate kiss by @jouissants [earendil/elwing; on tumblr]

Amazing worldbuilding and sensuality in this portrayal of Sirion-era Starwing.

she is so tired of fleeing by @that-angry-noldo [morwen; five sentences, on tumblr]

Perfect refugee Morwen characterisation in just five sentences.

blessed disorder by @sallysavestheday [turgon & aredhel; rated g, 0.1k, nawa]

The sweetest snapshot of these two being the best of friends.

Muntjac by @jouissants [celegorm/orome; rated e, 2.2k, nawa]

Hot, emotional and fairly dark sex between these two in Beleriand as everything falls apart around Celegorm. Just so perfectly THEM.

salt by @verecunda [earendil/elwing; three sentences, on tumblr]

Super sweet and romantic slice of life for my otp.

the glassmaker by @thelordofgifs [ofc/ofc; rated t, 1.9k, nawa]

Such excellent worldbuilding and a tender blossoming romance between two ordinary women of Sirion while it was still thriving, by fellow Sirion-understander.

swing by @welcomingdisaster [nerdanel/indis, rated t, 1.3k, nawa]

Beautiful imagery and wrenching emotions in this post-flight of the Noldor fic. And yet, despite it all, some hope.

Leaves of Countless Years Lie Thick by @polutrope [celegorm/orome; rated m, 0.8k, nawa]

Stunning, sexy, emotive post-canon reunion between these two. Fantastic Orome pov.

a kiss to wake up by @polutrope [Idril/Tuor/Voronwe; rated t, nawa]

A lovely moment of tenderness and then hope as Earendil rises in the sky.

the longed for that cometh beyond hope by @meadowlarkx [earendil/elwing; rated g, 0.4k, nawa]

Beautiful bittersweet fairytale vibes in this tale of "peredhil living through their own myth", as Earendil's quest is completed.

forced to watch by @theworldisquietheretooquiet [morwen & aerin; 1.1k, implied rape, on tumblr]

Wrenchingly sad exploration of Morwen's emotions as she is forced to watch Aerin and Brodda marry.

warmth by @that-angry-noldo [earendil/elwing, elwing & earendil & elrond & elros; on tumblr]

A lovely soft and adorable moment as Earendil and Elwing play with their children.

what remains by asterisq [dior/nimloth; rated t, 2.2k, mcd]

Impeccable clinical horror vibes and tragedy in this remix gift! Observations of the corpses of Dior and Nimloth following the second kinslaying.

summer by @halfelven [earendil; on tumblr]

Evocative and heartwrenching portrayal of a young and traumatised Earendil in Sirion.

House of the Dragon

a discreet kiss by @ellrond [rhaenyra/alicent; on tumblr]

A sweet stolen moment between a young Alicent and Rhaenyra, tragic when one remembers what's to come.

and as if that wasn't enough, I was also #blessed enough to receive several stunning illustrations of my own fics. Each is absolutely beautiful and adds to the fics immeasurably. Go and Look at them.

one of your girls

Celegorm in a dress by @curufiin

nothing beside remains

Uinen tends to Tar-Miriel's bones by @meadowlarkx

the salt in the wound

Curufin's wife holding angrist by @matrose

Luthien/Curufin's wife by @matrose

sister, sister

Young Aredhel tags along on a Turgon/Elenwe date by @matrose

[banterismylovelanguage]

So… Genshin ships, huh?

Here’s mine.

(They’re numbered but everything past #1 gets scrambled depending on the day and the feels).

XIAOVEN. It’s my Genshin OTP. I got into the game because of these two pretty much. Individually, I adore their stories, their VAs, all their scenes, everything. And then you want to put them together?? Count me all in. (Plus, I’m grabbing onto the scraps that Xiao wants to meet Barbatos in canon 👉👈)

CYNARI. This popped up so recently but my love is growing rapidly. I love Tighnari’s sassiness. I love Cyno’s dual personality of a stoic guy with dad jokes. They have an adopted child. They have BANTER. Need I say more?

SHENJIN. Grew on me SO much. I love a stoic Shenhe and an overactive and over-thinker Yun Jin making it work. I kinda see Yun Jin as the female version of Venti, but a little more… self-aware? Self-conscious? Assertive? Just more of something. So short girl trying to pick up the tall beauty? Hell yes.

VENLUMI/LUMIVEN. All right, OTP aside, I love most ships with Venti. You could slide into my dms, say, “Hey Banter, what do you think of [random character] x Venti?” And I’d probably be A-Ok with it and start brainstorming headcanons for them (y’know, just don’t give me a child character ship). I’m so easily swayed. That being said, Lumine’s (mostly headcanoned) sassy, headstrong, and almost stoic personality mixed with a sly, teasing Venti (who gets easily flustered/vulnerable sometimes) is my absolute jam in f/m ships so you can bet this one runs in my mind rent-free. Plus, the whole “my warrior” pet name business? MMMM.

DILUVEN/ZHONGVEN. Okay, I know these are totally separate ships but I’m going to put them together because I gotta get my favorite Venti ships out of the way and explain that I do see these two on the same level, but love them for very different reasons. So, Diluven is—hot, but also just. Tragic. Mortal and immortal? Count me in. The whole business where Venti calls Diluc Master? (A translation thing and it’s just Venti being respectful but it’s still hot). Zhongven, on the other hand, has banter. Old friends. Immortal and immortal yearning. Tragedy ending, tense beginning. Lots of potential. Yeah.

And that’s pretty much it for ships I actively seek out.

But there’s some that I either want to get into more or am curious about. Let’s list a couple:

Albether—two blondes together? Very calm and gentle personalities? Aether is adorable? Interested.

Jeanlisa—witch and knight. Also, I like the potential for a mature romance from them, you know? They’re both responsible adults, so I don’t think there’d be much shyness here, just the existential questions to explore this really deep, intimate relationship and whether or not they have the capacity to put their all in it with Jean’s responsibilities and Lisa’s half-cut life. It’s really nice for it to be so. Adult.

Yanlan—Assassin and lawyer? Is Yanfei completely oblivious or does she… help? Fun, fun potential aus.

Eimiko—They’ve got banter. I really like Yae’s design and both of their personalities. I see political aus abound with these two.

Thomato—aside from the adorable name, I like the dynamics of this ship. Housekeeper and lord. Awesome.

That’s all for now. There’s others but… I’m not super invested as of now.

Though, I wish I could get into ships with Kaeya, Gorou, and Heizou, but I can’t seem to get into the ships with these three. Maybe if I actually read a good fic on them or something. Idk, recommendations for any ships listed (or new ships) are welcome!

[killyourrdarlingss]

razikain for the ask game!!

Send a ship and I'll tell you : razikain

-

RUBS MY HANDS TOGETHER !!! LET'S GO !!!

What made you ship it?

I never shipped it at first because I played these games when I was like ... God idk maybe six years old? I literally have a core memory when I was a kid of playing defiance and just LOVING it.

But fast forward to when I'm 16, replaying the games and I'm like - WAIT JUST A SECOND.... The whole game is a romance ?? This game is a love story....

But basically the dynamics, the love, the tragedy!! They are by far one of my OTPS of all time, I always find myself coming back to them and going "wait this new ship I like is basically just a reskin of razikain...." Like how I've been with Tarhos/Vittorio lately LMAO !! But yeah they are PERFECT... Hit all the boxes for my kind of ship and I just adore them so, so much.

I will say though it was quite lonely on Tumblr for a while, I think one other person besides me shipped this, and a few others were very nasty about anyone who shipped them, and I ended up going quiet for a little bit until I met so many lovely friends -- you absolutely know who you all are !! ♥️

What are your favorite things about the ship?

My favorite thing is the devotion... The Lord/knight aspects of their relationship, how much Kain loved Raziel and tried so hard to save him while knowing he'd be hurting him the whole time.

Kain painstakingly running through every option he could, killing anyone and destroying anything who would get in Raziel or his way to a life together .... Sobs.....

Raziel being a bitch too, Raziel is so funny to me, he absolutely has no clue what's happening and he's ANGRY about it. His whole attitude towards everything and how gutsy he is ... Like when he almost stabs Kain, how much he talks back - and the two of them ALWAYS find their way out and find eachother again and MAN I just think about this game and wonder how we haven't had a remake yet ?? Like I know I'm off topic but GOD.

Basically, their dynamic, their dumb arguing, how much Kain loved Raziel... Honestly ALL of it. I love everything about them 🥰

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

I'm not sure when it was, but once a couple of people tried to tell me this ship was incest which baffles me honestly because I think not only they need to get their eyes checked but also I need them to leave me alone forever and never talk to me.

Other unpopular opinion? Raziel still loves kain in some way, he truly does, it's complicated and would have taken time for them to be on equal footing to something close to love, but Raziel sacrificing himself at the end? I think that was love, I think he knew the only way to stay with Kain was through that, and now in the saddest way? They get to be together forever ... Ahh how romantic and tragic huh... ♥️

Also I think Kain only cared about Raziel out of all of his other lieutenants, there is nobody who can convince me he cared about any of the other ones 💀 just from letting them all turn to monsters ? And only saving Raziel ?? Yeah something 🏳️‍🌈 happened there - LOL

[brooklynislandgirl]

what’s your OTP when it comes to your muse?

A Little Turtle Talk || Accepting

Bri. Briiiiiiiiiii. I know you did this on purpose. You saw a pot and you just haaaaaaaad to stir it, didn't you? Well, what if I counter with...define the verse/fandom for your request. Because I too am the devil. <grin> Okay, just kidding. But what isn't kidding is that I don't have the same view as some people when it comes to the whole OTP thing. I think they exist. I know muns have their favourites, in and out of verse/fandoms. I am equal opportunity here, whether the pairing is romantic or platonic. In that spirit... Onto the OTPs: @multi-mused with Zarek Morrians, the Greek Demigod husband and Father of Beth's child, Styxx. This is Beth's first love. The most tragic and triumphant of them, the most complicated one I've written for ~checks with Kitmun~ six years, and two generations of muses. Currently Kit's super busy with real life, but she knows I am always here. @ronmanmob with Ron Kray, the younger gangster twin. This was a surprise to me because I've never before played with a fictional character that was also a real person. And the core of this pairing is the comfort of knowing, when you are a person with disabilities, that you have someone who understands you so completely, so doesn't make you feel othered, and is accepting. It's beautiful. @mynameisanakin with Anakin Skywalker. I love they're take so much. I have never once disagreed with a story, interpretation, plot, HC, or verse. I never intended to do SW on here, and yet, I will move the stars for Shady, for Anakin, and I love every verse we write together in. Also Shady may actually be the only person I know that can out salt me on the regular without even trying. @lokitheliesmith with...you guessed it... Loki. Now I am fully aware of rules as written. I honour and respect them. Beth on the other hand did what she eventually wanted to. I love the writing, I love the story. I love Hela. I love Bucky. I really just love writing with Z and am glad to be a partner in whatever way the story goes. Regardless of what happens here, I am absolutely with them until the end of the line, and I mean that in the most visceral way possible. But I would say... Loki could do much worse than having a friend like Beth. @whosxafraid with Luka. And Lorcan. We have spent years building up an alternate celtic mythology with one another, adapting the story as it goes. They don't always end up happy together, and sometimes those relationships shift in the verse but that makes things interesting. And as for Lorcan? I do not even know what to say. Crow and I will swear they cannot be left unattended for a single second with each other before there's fire, blood, screaming...and biting. And neither of us can say those are bad things. @rugini with Baz. Crow stares at me. I stare at them. All of our various muses stare anywhere but at each other. Everyone is extremely uncomfortable about the heavy silence between us. This has been going on six years. In one verse, they may actually go out on their first date. In another, they might not kill each other. In a third...it will never be, no matter how hard everyone tried, but then again, isn't that the poignancy of a real life? @goodlawman With all of the Marshals. This might have to do with the fact that I absolutely adore Kmun with all my heart. They are also my Danny Williams. They are also my Martin Riggs. Every muse they've written feels like home, so comfortable, charming, troubled, and perfect. I love our verses. I love how we've managed to interconnect them in ways that are beautiful, and in other ways the stand-alone nature of the writing is equally fun, equally perfect. @tangleweave with...one could say all of the gentlemen on this blog, as we write stories with all of them, some interconnected, some separate. As I've said before a million times, the very first thing I noticed is that Matt is the only other person in all of this place that I've seen mention Beta Ray Bill, one of my longest held comic book loves, muchless play him as a muse. Taking a glance down the list, there isn't a single muse here that I, as a mun, don't love with every fibre of my being. That said, everyone probably expects me to say Stephen Strange. Especially those that suffered through casting changes melt-downs I had, the insistence of seeing it opening night some 45 miles away from where I live, and the years of subsequent velociraptor screeching. What can I say, I love my wizards. But my OTP here that took me by utter surprise was actually Eddie Brock. Maybe I should call it an OT3, because Beth doesn't love the alien symbiote any less than his human host.  Matt writes a beautiful, compelling antihero, and I live for this. We are also both convinced the muses started shipping themselves before we even noticed.

@thebiggestlies Oh you minx. I know you did it on purpose with Mischa. You gave me a beautiful, broody, and demented Malkavian. We write in verse, both our own and in other poetry. I would actually consider allowing you to carry out his plot to drive Andy to the brink and maybe nudge him off if there was a way that Beth would never know. And you took this tragedy of a story and you iced it with Larry, quite possibly my favouritest, funnest NOtp to ever exist. Damn you.

@therealgamble. With Brian. And part of this may be a mun otp, too. I think you're awesome, and you just GET it, although to be honest, there have been several times in our history as friends where I've actually had to consult other people as to whether or not you were being funny/snarky/ic or ooc. Tabs has always had your back on this, lol. And like Loki, I don't know if it's fair to call this an OTP, because 99% of the time I don't know that it is romantic, as opposed to what feels more natural, and that's a deep and all encompassing friendship that just has some questionable edges that blur over the line. Does Beth love Brian? Absolutely. Is Brian in love with her? The world will likely never know. But they would murder for each other, and do very questionable things for one another, so there's that. And between you and me? Thank you. {regarding Andy, and I don't have to explain}.

~*~ This is not exhaustive. I love all my partners, all our stories. Some of us are just starting out. Some of us have drifted apart. But Beth and I are alway here, and we are open to discussion, at the very least.

[starlytenight]

🪀, ✨, 💌 for Vladimir? Or Galacta if he's not available please!

Oho, interested in my boy are we? I can do both here for you, though for Vlad it's just straight up canon since he's my boy. xD

~Vladimir:

🪀silly headcanon:

There's the obvious running gag of his genes being so wild and messy that he's a little bit of everything. 99% of any Demon Beasts you can think of he probably has like 0.000001% of it SOMEWHERE in his genes LMAO. It's what makes him confusing for anyone to encounter. He's a big cluster-heck of everything and thrives on messing with people by honestly telling them so.

✨a ship i like with this character: (I'll include my characters for both answers to this)

Oh man, there's a few. There's obviously the end-game one which is on here, but I'm not specifying which. Should be easy to figure out though!

MetaVlad is hilarious but they're besties. They would absolutely wreck havoc and be a chaotic duo if things went this way.

NecroVlad is a hilarious one since the two will have their moments together. It would be a hellish dynamic and would be just as chaotic as Meta and Vlad. OriVlad is also amazing because mmm that tension and delicious chemistry. I mean have you seen these two? It's a fun time.

...I realize these are all m/m pairings despite Vlad being pan. Oopsie. Not too many ladies to choose from, haha.

💌fluffy headcanon:

Vladimir, while being an absolute harbinger of chaos and quips, is actually a pretty soft guy. He's gentle with the kids and very careful around delicate emotions---he would NEVER take advantage if one of his friends was having a moment of weakness/distress. (Obviously enemies are an exception.) One of his favorite uses of his Dreamscape control is to make his friends and family happy by giving them a dream come true for a bit, or dragging them off to whoever they want to see the most.

He also knows magic tricks without any actual use of magic and loves using such to make the kids smile if they're upset or crying. He's extremely good with kids despite being engineered to murder one.

Despite his body hosting his Dark Matter, they can feel everything he does. They get to experience happiness and joy, as well as misery and the like. Vladimir opts for happier feelings to not sink and let them hijack his body to become... That. If he gets overwhelmed with happiness (or say love) he'll freeze up more frequently and have trouble moving from the intensity, which to me is adorable as hell. Sincerity throws him off in the best of ways, since he's so used to hell.

~Galacta:

🪀silly headcanon:

Gala is very proud of his wings and despises them getting dirty. He scoffs at even the idea of folding his wings away into their cape-form because he prefers them out at all times. He frets when it's molting time and keeps them very pristine.

Despite their big size, he does not like just anyone touching them. He's very particular on who gets access to his feathers.

✨a ship i like with this character:

MetaGala, obviously. Big OTP for me. MorphoGala is one that originally I didn't think much of but it really grew on me and now I love it a lot, haha! MetaMorphoGala is also grand because I'm a little self-indulgent.

GalaNecro is also cute, given Necro did have a crush on him at one point. Necro still cares for him deeply. Sis Knight also had a crush on him at some point too and I used to have a spin off AU where she and Gala were a thing! They were actually a very cute pair in that world, haha. Artemis and Gala are also a cute one and in a very different AU they were a thing too. Obvs now it's very different and they're basically siblings, but the dynamic was more on the tragic side.

💌fluffy headcanon:

I've always given Galacta an ability to cook and sew---He loves very traditionally feminine things despite being the most powerful entity in the galaxy. He is very loving and tender and strong in both senses of the word. Galacta could obliterate an entire solar system if he wanted, but why when he could be making the best cheesecake ever?

Galacta also wanted to go into the healing side of things rather than be a warrior, but his power was too great to just squander, so he was unfortunately forced into his training and knighthood. But he did learn a little and cherishes the knowledge, even if it's been more often used to figure out where one's most vital weakness was. If he could retire from fighting, he would love to just focus on healing the injured and making everyone happier.

[kdramaxoxo]

I fell out of Kdramas for a while, anything great on the romance side? I liked Cloy a lot, but after that couldn't get into it :( I would be very grateful for your recs!

Hi Anon!

I don't know what shows you've watched before Crash Landing On You but it sounds like you enjoy classic romance/rom com with a little bit of over-the-top k-drama styling?

I'll rec you some new shows and some old shows I love that I think are in the realm of Crash Landing On You (though it's real hard to pick something similar since it's got such a unique setting!)

So I'm going to go for:

Over-the-top style

Great Romance as the main genre

Has that epic k-drama feeling that's hard to describe

No tragedy or sad endings

Newer K-dramas with great romance (that aren't tragic and have that k-drama vibe)

Extraordinary You: Taking a Boys Over Flowers genre and turning it upside down is this show’s specialty! It’s a magical drama people and without spoiling anything that’s all I’m going to say about the plot. I am in love with it regardless of some of its imperfections and I feel like it should be on everyone’s watch list. The OTP is fated and perfect and I live for them!!

Run On (Romance, Slice of Life): I loved this slice of life drama about an athlete, a translator, a painter and a CEO so much that I have already rewatched it. This drama has so much to offer: Interesting and strong characters, a painter I’d die for and unique friendships. Did I mention there’s a legit ACE character? I mean... AMAZING.

Dali and the Cocky Prince (Rom Com): A funny and sweet romance between an art gallery owner and a wealthy restauranteur. This almost didn’t make my list because the overall plot and side characters were very annoying, but listen: Dali and Moo Hak are ICONIC. Their characters are the kind that stand out as being super unique and their pairing was so adorable! Because of them, it’s worth watching.

My Roommate is a Gumiho (Rom Com, Romance, Fantasy): I had pretty low expectations for this drama about a Gumiho that wants to become human. But the leading ladies are a GIFT and there’s forced cohabitation which I always find super fun. Lee Dam is one of those characters I could watch forever (she’s hilarious) and the second lead lady was also amazing. This show wasn't flawless but it was super fluffy and fun. Plus the kisses were amazing and I lived for the 2nd couple.

Light On Me (Boy’s Love): I absolutely adored this simple and sweet drama! One of my favorite korean BLs EVER! Because it’s longer than the average Korean BL, it actually has: *cues triumphant music* Character development!

Happiness (Horror, Romance, Action): As much as I tried to resist watching this drama (I hate zombies), the gifs won me over and I’m so glad I picked it up. A high school duo fake their marriage to get into some fancy apartments, just before a zombie outbreak. The female lead is a super strong bada*s and her man is 100% dedicated. Sure, some of the plot makes no science sense and the side characters are quite ridiculous, but the mains and their found family makes this totally worth watching.

Into The Ring (workplace/romcom): The perfect slice-of-life rom com! Goo Se Ra has trouble holding down a job due to her passionate personality so after she loses her latest job working for the ML, she decides to run for a small government office position because it pays a salary. Literally she does it for the money which is just *chef’s kiss.* The show is about her dealing with local politics and it’s SO FUNNY and smart and the OTP is the best!

Older K-Dramas with great romance (that aren't tragic and have that k-drama vibe)

Shopping King Louie

This adorable fluffy drama is full of k-drama nonsense and I LOVE IT! It’s got amnesia, a rich heir, and is very trope heavy but sweet as hell. If you’re looking for light-hearted fun, with very innocent romance (think hand holding, piggy backs and PG kisses) this is for you! Great Soundtrack as a bonus.

Fight for My Way (slice of life/romcom): I love this drama! Always a fave for me, this drama is funny and heartwarming! The leading lady is a strong female which I LOVE, and Park Seo Joon plays her really cute down to earth best friend. It’s a childhood friends to lovers trope with a group of regular people (no rich heirs in this show!) and has a happy ending and a lot of cute flirting, cuddling and kissing. Argh I love these two!

The Secret Life Of My Secretary

A CEO chaebol loses his ability to recognize faces and needs his secretary to help him navigate his new reality. The two mains are the most adorable dummies and the side characters are awesome! You’ll laugh a LOT at all of the dorks and I plan on rewatching this soon just to chill and enjoy.

Oh My Ghostess A shy withdrawn girl working at a restaurant possessed by a sassy ghost. Do I need to go on? There is a little bit of sad but for the most part it’s super fun.

Why Secretary Kim / What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim

I was prepared to hate this drama’s premise: Boss in love with secretary. YUCK. BUT they turned all of the tropes on their heads and this show was a joy to watch! There’s a bit of kdrama childhood trauma but overall it’s a very easy watch with great chemistry (some people even though it was boring because they get together and a bunch of episodes are just them happy together which I personally loved)

Chicago Typewriter: This K-drama has it’s backstory in a very interesting historical time period: during the Japanese Occupation. The past lives of freedom fighters find themselves linked together through a ghost in the current timeline. I personally loved this drama and cried a lot but most importantly, you KNOW I think it has the best kiss.

Her Private Life (workplace romcom): Park Min Young really knows how to pick dramas. I loved this one about a museum curator who is secretly a fangirl obsessed with an idol. It’s fun and fluffy but does have a very mild childhood trauma thing with his mother but I mean, 99% of dramas like this do? If you like this one, Touch Your Heart and Why Secretary Kim are by the same person and have similar vibes.

[lauwrite1225]

For the ask game: best wifey Ingrith because she needs love 💕

favorite thing about them

Ingrith could do anything for the people she cares about and she demonstrates it through various actions. It can be taking the risk to ride down river in the middle of an attack or bury someone in a place they loved even if the trip is dangerous for her, as a Dane. It's also keeping her fears for herself when Finan has to leave for battle so his mind isn't worrying about her. It's staying strong for him after Osferth's death. She is married to a man who carries a difficult past with him and I believe she's patient and understanding not only because she's genuinely kind, but because she cares and she knows Finan needs time to open himself and it would hurt him to rush him. She's not selfish, she only wants what is the bests for those she loves.

least favorite thing about them

To be honest, we've seen so little of her, I can't really find a thing I dislike about her.

favorite line

"Listen to me. It's not your fault. You understand? You need to stop torturing yourself. You did what you could. You hear me? I'm here, it's alright" - These are the words she whispers to Finan when he is sobbing and blaming himself, we don't hear them well in english, but the french version allowed me to hear it better. She's just so supporting, I love it.

brOTP

Eadith and Ingrith are besties and you can't fight me! Already, the alehouse proved how they can get along despite the things that clearly happened between Finan and Eadith (that scene is really hilarious). I can easily picture them making fun of Finan when he is being an idiot. And absolutely 0 jealousy, just a healthy friendship.

OTP

Finan, obvioulsy Finan. I said it on my Finan's post, they stole my heart in a split second. I've seen Mark and Ilona joking about how they laughed a lot and therefor got along pretty well, and it shows so much on screen. There's a clear chemistry between them, heart eyes that make me scream and small details that make my heart melt. Their height different is freaking adorable, she only reaches his shoulders and it's the perfect size for a forehead kiss. Have you noticed they held hands during the Blood Month Festival? Because I did and I screamed! I could ramble about them for hours, ngl. It's just, them <3

nOTP

I have nothing particular in mind? I mean, beside Finan she's never been ship with anyone.

random headcanon

I like to think she has been married before. Another happy marriage but with sadly a tragic end. It gives her more depths and some common points with Finan who's been through tragic events in is life as well. I also think she's a very good hunter for some reason. She doesn't go hunting often, it's not something she particularly likes, but when she does, she is always the one to bring back the biggest game.

unpopular opinion

Sometimes I feel like liking Ingrith is an unpopular opinion itself ahah. I am always open to a polite debate, but the fact that we diverge in opinions won't prevent me to sleep at night (despite the fact that I am an owl 🦉). Anyway, Ingrith turned out to be a character appreciated by most of the fanbase and I am very happy about that. And I can't really find another unpopular opinion lmao.

song I associate with them

Home by Gabrielle Aplin, it is also linked to her relationship with Finan. It's sweet and cute, just what they are u.u

favourite picture of them

just, look at her. she's just beautiful.

[crying-over-spilled-feels]

My Love Will Be Your Armor

Disclaimer: The canon characters belong to Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff in the Aurora Cycle series. No monetary gain is being made off of this drabble. Based off the drabble prompt: “I had a nightmare about you and just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” The picture is from the official book website and is attributed to the amazing @kiranightart​

Word Count: 210

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           Aurora startles awake as she hears the door to her quarters begin to open in the darkness. Grabbing the heaviest object she can find on her nightstand in one hand, Auri flicks her lamp on to find her intruder is none other than…

“Kal!” the Terran girl gasps in relief, the large book in her hands clattering to the floor.

“Whatever were you planning on doing with that?” Kal inquires, a teasing smirk on his lips. “Bludgeoning me to death?” he continues, his purple eyes shining in mirth as he catches sight of Aurora struggling not to laugh at him.

“I might have! What are you doing in my room?” Aurora whisper-shouts, pulling the blanket up over her chest once she remembers what type of clothes Scarlett gave her to sleep in.

“I had a nightmare about you and just wanted to make sure you’re okay, Be’shmai,” Kaliis admits, both concern and adoration present in his voice as his violet eyes lock onto Aurora’s now heterochromic ones.

“Oh. Kal, I’m fine. I promise. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“I will always worry about you. You’re my Be’shmai, Aurora.”

“Thank you.”

“I am on watch next. I will protect you this night.”

All Aurora can do is stare.

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Author’s Note: I read Aurora Rising in August of 2021, and I am so glad I gave it a chance. The first half of the book started of slow to me, especially because I wasn’t reading a lot of it in one sitting due to my Nursing school schedule, but I am glad I stuck it out because GOODNESS this book was one of my favorites! Aurora and Kal? OTP of this series easily. Scarlett and Finian? I see lots of potential there. Tyler and Cat? Tragic lovers that are separated by death and definitely something that is sure to traumatize Tyler, which I may have to return to at some point. Also, if any of you know one thing about me through my work under my other pen name of Outsiders Obsessor (which hopefully I will be posting on here as well), it’s that I am an absolute sucker for the “teams as family” idea! So Squad 312 becoming a family is just the perfect thing for me to write about. Expect more Aurora Rising stories from me, especially once I get around to reading the other two books now that I have dutifully added both of them to my collection. Anyway, I’d love to know your thoughts on the book series, but please no spoilers for Aurora Burning and Aurora’s End because I haven’t read them yet. Feel free to drop prompts below, and thank you all for your support! Until next time, dear readers; have a wonderful day, afternoon, or night!

[classysassy9791]

Hey anon! Sorry I didn't publish your original ask, but I'm also not one to be a catalyst for any shipping wars or hate. I hope you understand!

So, I'm going to go ahead and break down my thoughts on this. First, we'll start with the Inuyasha fandom:

By far, my OTP from Inuyasha is InuKag. Ever since I was young and first watched the anime, I have adored them and have eaten up every crumb that they portrayed on the screen. I saw a bit of myself in Kagome and related to her, so I was overjoyed when canonically the two of them ended up together. They are beyond precious!

That being said, I also respect InuKik. Way back when the fandom was a baby, there was a lot of shipping hate between InuKag and InuKik (unfortunately, being as young as I was, I was involved in that). But I have grown so much since then, and have come to understand the dynamic of InuKik. I love Kikyou as a character, and believe she deserved so much more than what she ended up with. I will die on that hill. I now write her in my fics as getting the happy ending, because after everything she was put through, she deserved to be a normal, happy girl [see my fics Last Call or Yesterday's Promise] Kikyou's life was tragic, and she was the first person besides Inuyasha's mother that was kind to him. Kagome may have been the end-game, but Kikyou opened Inuyasha's heart to the possibility of Kagome. And I will always full-heartedly support people who love that ship!

As for the Fairy Tail Fandom:

From the very beginning I was an OTP GrayLu shipper. I adored their interactions on screen, and I loved the balance that Gray and Lucy brought to the chaotic Team Natsu. I think they compliment each other well, with their tragic backstories, and their losses in the GMG arc. It's obvious they care for one another, and always show concern when the other is hurting. I appreciate their dynamic so much!

However, I also love NaLu. Natsu is such a hot head and absolutely clueless, balanced by Lucy's caring nature and witty comebacks. They have such a fun relationship that brings me so much joy and laughter, completely opposite of GrayLu.

I know that NaLu will most likely be end-game. I'm not opposed to that, because I can see their appeal. That doesn't mean I can't still root for GrayLu within the fandom.

It is okay to love different ships. It is okay to not like certain ships. And guess what? We can still coexist and root for the ships we have in common. It's okay if someone doesn't like InuKag or NaLu or GrayLu, or whatever other fandom ships I like. Because if we all shipped the same thing, fandom would be beyond boring. This world of creativity and artistry is brought about by imagination - coming up with the what-ifs that the OG creators don't explore.

I also tag 99% of everything I post on my blog. I post InuKik, InuKag, NaLu, and GrayLu, because I love and respect all of them, and I love and respect those who create content for them. If there is something that one of my followers doesn't want to see, simply block the tag.

I appreciate you reaching out, anon, but my blog is a safe haven, and regardless of what ships I adore or dislike, I am open to other's thoughts and opinions. There are only a handful of ships that don't appeal to me whatsoever, and I simply just don't reblog their content. And I also won't tolerate shipping wars in my little corner of the internet.

I hope you have a wonderful day, and if you ever want to talk InuKag or NaLu, feel free to drop me a line! <3

[fancy-a-dance-brigadier]

Also also 001 - DS9 for the ask thing (because we all love garashir, but what's up with the rest of the show?)

I don't think anyone knows what's up with the rest of the show, not even the people who were on it. That show is chaos personified I swear (and that's why I love it)

Favorite character: Julian!! That man walked onto the screen, made an absolute fool of himself, and from then on out I knew he was my favourite and latched onto him like a barnacle. He is an agent of chaos and I love him for it, and I find him to be such a layered and detailed character even though you might not realise it at first. I think also think his character arc is really tragic, and as someone who flies to angst like a moth to a flame, that very much appeals to me. I could go on and on about him, but I don't want to make this post any longer than it no doubt will be. Also he's pretty <3

Least Favorite character: The Female Founder. She was pretty good in the last few episodes of season 7, but every time she turned up before that I just couldn't stand her. Her plots just felt so repetitive and dull, and she actively made me dislike Odo, which I cannot forgive because I love that goo man and she really brought out the worst in him. So yeah, not a fan of her

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): Garashir, of course, but I've also become a slave to the Siskoshir brain rot lately. Kiradax is definitely up there too, and Jake/Ziyal is very cute. I also like Kira/Odo, but only when it was one-sided on Odo's part - I never really thought it made sense for Kira to reciprocate his feelings, so I didn't like it so much when she did, as sweet as they were together.

Character I find most attractive: Julian and Jadzia worked in unison to remind me that I am indeed attracted to men and women, they're both so PRETTY. Honourable mention to Ezri, because she's adorable and Mirror!Ezri is really something else

Character I would marry: Probably Jadzia, or maybe Sisko. They just seem like good marriage material

Character I would be best friends with: Honestly? Jake. He just seems like a cool guy to hang out with, and his relative lack of baggage appeals to me

a random thought: I reckon it would've been neat if Keevan had got to hang around a little longer. It'd be interesting to see how they'd handle having a rogue Vorta around the station.

An unpopular opinion: IDK if this is unpopular or not, but I really don't care for the Ferengi episodes. There are some exceptions, of course (Bar Association, The Magnificent Ferengi, and Little Green Men come to mind as Ferengi episodes I enjoy), but I really don't vibe with them otherwise. The misogyny just gets a bit too much for my tastes, which is saying a lot since I tend to be able to handle that sort of thing. So yeah, even though I know it's supposed to be a send-up of extreme sexism, I just don't really vibe with it.

My Canon OTP: I really like a lot of the canon couples, so I don't know if I can choose just one! Definitely a tie between Sisko/Kasidy, Jadzia/Worf, and Rom/Leeta

My Non-canon OTP: You see, if I'd received this ask a week or two ago, I probably would've said Garashir. But at the moment, I really am kind of obsessed with Siskoshir - I think it offers more of what I like in a ship in general. Still love Garashir of course, but Siskoshir has my heart at the moment

Most Badass Character: Oh my god there are so many! But Kasidy springs to mind first, so I'm gonna have to go with her. Oh, and Kira too - both of them are brilliant and badass and powerful and I love them so much

Most Epic Villain: Damar!! I know he turns good at the end, but I don't care he's still great. Words cannot describe how much I adored that man's character arc, I was literally cheering whenever he stood up against the Dominion. Pour one out for Damar, he was a real one

Pairing I am not a fan of: Jezri, but that kind of goes without saying. I think I don't like that ship because I love both Julian and Ezri as individuals, and seeing them just get smushed together because they were the only two left without partners at the end just felt like a disservice to both of them. I think if they'd got a focus episode or two together, and if they based their romance on more than just Julian's old crush on Jadzia, it could've worked. But in the end it just felt rushed and shoehorned in, so yeah, not a fan.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): Julian in season 7, hands down. There was just SO MUCH wrong with how they wrote him in that season, from the rushed romance with Ezri to the way they handled Section 31. Ugh I have such a bone to pick with Extreme Measures - I firmly believe that episode would've been so much better if it was just Julian VS Sloan without the Miles buddy comedy element, and I think that would've done Julian's arc a lot more justice in terms of his loss of idealism. I've already discussed how I feel about Jezri, and don't even get me started on Chrysalis, or how cutting his relationship with Garak short damaged his character. But yeah - in season 1 it felt like they didn't know what to do with Julian in a fun way, but in season 7 they didn't know what to do with him in a not-fun way, and I think that's a shame.

Favourite Friendship: Jadzia and Julian, the bi buddies in blue!! I know we all love Julian with Miles and Jadzia with Sisko, but I just adore how their friendship grew from that awkward crush type thing in season 1 to the amicable companionship of the later seasons. And I also just have a fondness for strong platonic relationships between male and female characters in fiction too, so there's that. Honourable mention to Jake and Nog

Character I most identify with: I always struggle with these types of questions because I don't really think about characters in that way, but if I had to pick someone I'd have to pick Jake purely because of our shared love of writing.

Character I wish I could be: uuuHHH I have no idea. Someone who doesn't get traumatised?? Is there anyone who doesn't get traumatised on this show???? Again, I just don't think about characters in that way, so I have no idea how to answer this question.

Thank you so much for the ask!! This was a lot of fun (and I apologise for writing you a whole ass essay whoops)

[dhanilyman]

How did you come up with your character's name?

I wanted a Pakistani last name that I could shorten to a first name. And liking the tragic idea that with Dhani's parents dying on the car ride home with him, they hadn't yet named him, reading about a Muslim tradition of not naming your child until they've been with you for at least a week.

As soon as I saw "Dhanial" I had to have it. I absolutely adore Dhani Harrison (whose name is actually built from the Indian musical scale) and George Harrison, of course. Dhani's love for George is no mistake, he's my absolute favorite Beatle and artist. Dhani's music is also amazing. And how many people are named Dhani? I wanted something original as well.

Dhani's middle name Tobias is a tribute to his paternal grandmother, Toby. Their relationship was broken and troubled but in the end they were fiercely loyal to each other. It was at Bubbe's encouragement Dhani take the opportunity to come to the Institute, which he put off to take care of her in her last few years.

Lyman is straight up stolen from The West Wing. It was almost Ziegler, Richard Shciff was almost Dhani's dad's face claim before I settled on Peter Tork (and after the rules change Dennis Christopher). Dhani's mom's name is Donna. Because Donna Moss and Josh Lyman OTP. <3

[oceangenasi]

D&P and Merther for the shipping ask game???

Yax I would die for you except you’d probably stop me from dying with your EMT wizardry and then where would we be

🖤 D/P 💙

1. What made you ship it? I have eyes? But seriously, I like to joke about how my ships are either softboys and their badass women or queerbait m/m angst.... and then there’s this shining exception. A canon m/m ship that gets a love story and a happy ending :’’’) I started watching the show very casually, knowing David was queer but not that D/P was endgame and then the next thing I knew I had ascended to another plane of existence

2. What are your favorite things about the ship? I am never not thinking about the Dynamic... it’s the complementary aspects of their personalities for me!

You’ve got David: flamboyantly queer and deeply dramatic, who’s had intense emotions his whole life that have scared people away but he’s also brave and unique and creative and wonderful. He’s everything that Patrick didn’t know he needed. He’s been hurt a lot of times and he almost doesn’t believe that he’s capable of being loved so wholly and completely. Enter Patrick.

Patrick is so straight-laced and repressed and invested in being well-liked that he had built up a whole seemingly perfect life that was making him deeply unhappy. I don’t think that even Patrick knew he was capable of loving David the way he does, because he hadn’t cast off his old life and gone on that emotional journey until he met David. His “you make me feel right” speech is my favorite bit of the entire show. Patrick found himself in finding David.

They balance each other: Patrick grounds David, providing him the unconditional love that David can flourish with, and David brings beauty and color into Patrick’s life.

I also adore how much casual intimacy they get on screen, all the kisses and shoulder touches. It’s incredibly healing to watch after so much queer angst and suffering, when we get representation at all.

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship? Yeah, Patrick’s not perfect. I get very pissy when people trash David for his actions surrounding the barbecue and/or the wedding and imply he was being unfair/selfish -- because even if he was, Patrick has a responsibility to communicate his concerns if he wants David to respond to them. Patrick has a tendency to avoid/repress his feelings and that can be incredibly damaging in a relationship if not addressed. David can’t read Patrick’s mind, nor should he be expected to. He doesn’t need to magically intuit Patrick’s distress from Patrick’s micro-expressions or whatever the fuck -- Patrick needs to step up and tell David when he doesn’t like David’s behavior. Yes, I’m projecting like hell when it comes to this but it is something that made me furious during season 6 and the discourse surrounding it.

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💙 Merthur ❤

1. What made you ship it? I watched the first episode and was like “oh wow this show is even gayer than I’d heard it was.” No but seriously... fellas, is it gay to be literally and canonically someone’s other half? Fellas, is it gay to stare intensely into each other’s eyes at every given opportunity? Fellas, it is gay to dedicate your entire life to serving and protecting someone? Fellas, is it--

2. What are your favorite things about the ship? ah jeez where do I even start... Arthur is Merlin’s whole world. Merlin’s magic is “only for Arthur” and Merlin’s magic is... everything he is. I literally don’t know how you could read that as Merlin not being in love with Arthur. I genuinely and honestly think this interpretation is backed up by commentary by the actors and writers: Merlin loves Arthur, and that’s not even a point of debate. I adore Merlin as a character (son boy baby sweetheart sunshine child) and his unwavering faith in Arthur, his dedication, his tenderness, the years spent protecting someone who didn’t even know how much Merlin had done for him.... it gets me good.

And then there’s what Merlin is to Arthur! Setting aside the stuff Arthur doesn’t know about, which I will talk about in a moment, Merlin is possibly the only person in Arthur’s life who has always, always treated him as a person first and a prince second. Merlin’s unwavering faith and freely given friendship are because he sees the best in Arthur, not because of Arthur’s hereditary right to the throne. Merlin is Arthur’s first and truest friend -- I know the knights and Gwen care for him, but there is a component of social discrepancy to their relationship that Merlin simply has ignored. Merlin’s disrespect is because he fundamentally views Arthur as his equal, which is a gift Arthur didn’t even know he needed. Arthur was touch-starved, emotionally repressed, and incredibly lonely before Merlin came into his life. (Yes, the similarities between my two OTPs are well-known to me.) Just because Arthur struggles to express his emotions (thanks, Uther) and doesn’t have the same plot opportunities as Merlin to show how much he’d sacrifice for Merlin, doesn’t mean he doesn’t love Merlin as deeply as Merlin does him. This is why I like writing Arthur POV so much -- I like describing how fundamental and immutable a concept Merlin is to him. He takes Merlin for granted, yes, because there is literally nobody else that he is so vulnerable around or trusts so completely. This is why the magic reveal was so temporarily devastating to Arthur -- it broke something he’d built his entire life around. Or at least, that’s what he thought.

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Canon is a trash fire and I hate a lot of things about season 5, because it had some stellar opportunities that got rushed and squished by the way they timed the plot.... but I actually really, really like the finale. I think that considering what they’d done with the plot up to that point, it was brilliantly executed and gorgeously acted. There wasn’t enough time to do everything I would have liked with the magic reveal*, but in the last episode they hit every one of my buttons at least once. Arthur witnessing a competent Merlin, Arthur experiencing realistic grief and anger but being able to see how deeply Merlin loves him... Setting aside the plotholes and the timing, the people who made the show realized what was critically important in the finale, and it was digging deep into the relationship between Merlin and Arthur. This is why it completely and totally wrecks me, incidentally, and why I can’t watch the last part of the episode because it actually unhinges me too much. I’m not joking, I went into some kind of grief spiral the first time I saw it that took me a literal week to recover from. I care about things too much and feel my feelings too intensely, but we been knew.

Oh, and an even spicier opinion on later seasons/the finale: I don’t think that Morgana “isn’t really evil” or that her fall was “unnecessary.” I think that Morgana was indeed capable of being a fiercely good and loving person, but I also think that people with the kind of anger she carries can be dragged into some very dark places. I don’t think it was unrealistic, I think it was painful to watch, and there’s a difference. She didn’t get the support she needed -- she was gaslighted, manipulated, and tortured -- and I think that the same person who could be good in another situation is absolutely capable of becoming monstrous, considering the hand she was dealt. I have very similar opinions on her as I do on Anakin Skywalker, which is to say: her evil was both believable and tragic. She was a product of her circumstances, but her actions are not excusable, and she is responsible for how she responded to her trauma.

*I can and will read every damn magic reveal on ao3 because it’s really important to me that Arthur understand what Merlin has done for him. Truly, truly conceptualizes how crucial Merlin has been in helping him build his kingdom. That’s the one thing that I wanted to see so badly that never happened in canon.

[andoqin]

Tale of the Nine Tailed

Oh man, what a great little show that absolutely sticks the landing, which is very rare for 2020. So many shows crashed and burned this year or fizzled out, but this one used its last hour perfectly.

So often when the trope of (forced) separation in the last hour comes into play it feels, well, forced. Characters that should be able to speak to each other either via phone or just returning home don’t and maybe we get some semblance of what the other characters go through but it just feels like the writers scramble to wring some last ditch emotions out of us. 

ToNT also wrings emotions out of me, but in this case it is earned, because this whole drama has been about trying against all odds to defy fate and sticking together, but when Lee Yeon had to sacrifice himself in the last episode they couldn’t defeat fate after all. The first section of the last ep is just about our main characters coming to grips with Lee Yeon’s death. Or in the case of Lee Rang, not coming to grips with it and how both Ji Ah and Rang have to deal with their grief and it’s very hard for them, but in the end they do. They’ve started to move on with their lives, but I love that the show still gives us the glimpse of the Lee Yeon shaped hole that they are missing. That scene where they are talking about Lee Yeon, basically having a little contest about who knew him better was adorable but when they then slowed down and just got silent when the realisation that he was gone hit them once again, that was so good and felt so true to life to me. 

And of course Ji Ah would deal with her grief by trying to document Lee Yeon’s life, I loved that so much.  I also loved that Grandma called her brother, the King of Hell, so often to get him to bend the rules he blocked her phone. Oh Grandma, you do care. Lee Yeon’s basically become her son now!  The glimpses we got from Lee Yeon preparing for his own death killed me too though, because it showed us that this wasn’t a decision he was making lightly and it was also killing him inside. Oh Yeon. 

OH OH and Lee Rang moving in with Yu Ri and the vet and the little kid omg, that was so cute I loved their little family unit but it showed how much Lee Rang had mellowed too, he’s become a real boy with feelings and all! I loved it all so much I pretty much forgot all my premonitions that Lee Rang was doomed as a character from the start. And when we got that call back to the judge of death who wants payment, I went oh noooooooo ;_;.  I loved that it was the fact that Rang actually valued his life now which made the deal possible. T_T HE LOVES HIS LITTLE FAMILY! Rang’s arc across the drama really worked for me and his death while tragic at least gave proper payoff to it. And then Yeon is back and it was so so so so good for me, he gets to enjoy being with Ji Ah, being human and live out his life. 

OR DOES HE BC WTSDLKFJ WHAT WAS THAT LAST SCENE? AHHHH!

I do have a few niggles with this drama though: Ji Ahs parent story line never got resolved in a way that made me happy. For being the driving reason for her initial character arc they featured surprisingly little once they are back. Plus how the fuck do you deal with being dead/missing for 12 years and then coming back? I think that was a giant misstep by the writer.

The other misstep for me was the somewhat inconsistent tone: It could get really spooky, and did that spookiness well, but in the end this was a romance drama and so the spookiness never quite meshed with the overall plot, like the sickness that was dropping people left and right which looked like someone went amok on people with a red felt pen and then we just get a voice over that it’s done with when Imoogi is dead. 

These are minor niggles for me though, because all in all I adored this drama for its OTP, its (found) family and how it dealt with its overall themes!

9/10!

[revasnaslan]

Give us your Thane thots

how i feel about this character: thane my beloved 💜💜 he is not my first choice of romance option, but i still adore him with my entire heart. his design is great, i love the drell as a species So Much, even though it's clear they only exist because he does (but we won't get into that today). his backstory is heartbreaking to me, and i'm not just talking about his family, i'm talking about all of it. and the worst part of it is that he doesn't seem to realize just how mistreated he actually was by this system he was raised in, like he made his first kill as a twelve year old thane what the hell. i'd get really REALLY heated if i started going on about the compact, so we also won't get into that today but sufficed to say thane sweetie you need therapy. i do think it was uh... shitty?? of bioware to cut his mlm romance in development.

all the characters i ship romantically with this character: love him and irikah to bits, especially how they met. or well, "met" cause she didn't know who he was at the time. but if there wasn't so much ship hate and die for our ship in this fandom i think they'd be way more popular, considering they're canon. as for other ships... i really like the idea of him and garrus too! idk why but it compells me. him and shep (any gender) is good too!

my absolute favorite for him that isn't him and irikah is him and kaidan though. i'm honestly shocked that this one doesn't pop up more considering they're stuck in the hospital together in 3 for several weeks, and thane outright states they were together when the coup started, implying they hung out during that time. there's also thane promising shep to watch out for him. it has all the makings of a slowburn, one that you can make as tragic as you want depending on if you want thane to die at the end. but i guess it's more fun to write them squabbling over a girl like a pair of teenage boys when they're both in their mid-to-late thirties?? *cough*

my non-romantic otp with this character: looooooooove him and kolyat. they have such a compelling relationship to me, i just wish the fics made it as deep as it actually could be. people seem to skip past the work they'd have to put into fixing their relationship because i guess it's not fun to write about or something.

i also love him and fshep just being friends too! like i like them in a romantic relationship just fine, but ohhhhh my god, the idea of them being best friends who are super close but have no actual interest in getting together is just *chef's kiss* i would love to see this more in fics where she has another romantic relationship going tbh.

my unpopular opinion about this character: he has short person energy and i will not take criticism on that, i see so much fanart where he's like a foot taller than fshep but i personally headcanon him as being around 5'6, or roughly the same height as her per my headcanons. irikah towers over him and he's only interested in people taller than him, don't @ me, he just is.

one thing i wish had happened with this character in canon: this might seem a bit confusing, but i don't actually mind his death so much as how it went down. we knew thane was dying of a terminal illness, so like, we were kind of prepared for it. but i do find it questionable how he just went to c-sec headquarters simply because. idk what he thought he could accomplish there, considering he didn't even know the councilor was there until shep was in the building. and i think this can be chalked up to the writers knowing how they wanted him to die, but not actually thinking of a reason for him to get there. i think they missed a golden opportunity to show his growth by having kolyat be in danger at headquarters, because he's still working on his community service. like it's not a perfect solution, but it makes a hell of a lot more sense for him to be tearing off across the citadel to save his kid than to just go???? when he's literally struggling to breathe???? also sir how could you miss kai leng, he was three feet in front of you and you are an infamous assassin.

my otp: oh god... my favorite ships for him are him and irikah and him and kaidan so

my cross over ship: don't have one

a headcanon fact: after the war, he takes up crocheting. everybody gets a sweater. did you just announce a pregnancy? well congrats because he made you a baby blanket and a set of booties because he went into a crocheting fugue state at 1 am as soon as he heard.

[dangermousie]

2019 END OF YEAR KDrama Post

Wow, I haven’t made one in years. This is going to involve only dramas that came out in 2019 because I watched a hell of a lot dramas made prior to that and trying to figure out which ones will give me a headache.

DRAMAS WATCHED (In order of liking from most to least as opposed to pure quality; I am including if I’ve seen at least two eps AND feel it was enough to make up my mind; yes I realize that’s inaccurate, but that’s my list)

Extraordinary You -  A philosophy and religion course AND a love story, and perfect at both.

My Country - a brutal, passionate, intense masterpiece of a sageuk. This is how they should be.

Crash Landing On You - the two eps that have aired brought my joy in watching kdramas back to me so vividly. This is everything. 

Encounter - the perfect noona romance of the year for me. It seems to have little plot (powerful older woman, idealistic younger man) but the characters made me love them with an unhealthy amount of attachment and the mood is just perfect. 

Haechi - smart traditional sageuk with a heart. This one will make you love it but also respect it in the morning :)

Queen: Love and War - Period, romance, mystery, helpless king and feisty heroine. It’s everything I love in one package. 

Chocolate - if, like me, you like slow old-school melo with genuine grown-ups, this one is for you. Ha Ji Won and Yoon Kye Sang are both incandescent in this. 

One Spring Night - a rare slice of life that worked for me so so much. I rooted for the main OTP like crazy (I did skip all the sister stuff though because boring to me.) It’s just a breath of fresh air.

The Tale of Nokdu - a rare funny youth sageuk that worked for me (except, ironically, for when they tried to be politics-heavy and serious about it.) Wonderful OTP, funny situations and just generally a delight. 

Memories of the Alhambra - I can hear people screaming that I put this so high, but this is a faves ranking, not objective one, and I loved the unusual premise (it ultimately fell apart but it tried), and Hyun Bin’s performance was out of this world and the aaaaagnst and I enjoyed waiting for it each week until almost the end. That ending though!!!!!

Psychopath Diary - this is black comedy at its best and hysterical and smart and somehow got me invested in the hapless protagonist. 

Hotel del Luna - clever and funny and smart. Hong Sisters largely back to form. I found the sageuk parts more engaging than modern ones, but what else is new.

Search WWW - some parts of it worked for me more than others, but it had solid writing and cool characters and some interesting OTP(s). 

Love is Beautiful Life is Wonderful - has the weekend drama slowness but it lovely and fun. 

When the Camellia Blooms - it was well made and the OTP was great and the acting top notch, I just don’t tend to go gaga for slice of life dramas, especially ones involving market ladies, much. 

Flower Crew Joseon Marriage Agency - competently done, pretty period piece about nothing. It was enjoyable and forgettable at once.

Catch the Ghost - I put it as high as I did because the OTP really did have lovely chemistry but the story was a complete mess, the police work made no sense and the heroine’s character was like nails on a chalkboard for me.

Joseon Survival - I got about four episodes in and liked it a lot but then Kang Ji Hwan turned out to be a convicted rapist, they replaced the lead and I didn’t go back. I kind of want to because I liked what I saw and I am madly curious as to whether they changed the main character or just said he had a different face now, no explanation. 

The Last Empress - pure inconsistent trash but so entertaining!

Vagabond - I made it eight episodes in before I realized that I would have as much fun staring at traffic. It’s a competently done actioner but without more, actioners never work for me, so this was a viewer/drama mismatch.

Arthdal  Chronicles - incoherent, visually odd and boring, this is arguably the worst drama this year but I am giving it higher place because the cast really tries (even if it tends to fail because it has nothing to work with) and because it attempted something different even if it failed spectacularly. SO BAD.

Melting Me Softly - yes, my brain was fully melted by this soulless, charmless waste of Ji Chang Wook and my limited free time.

VIP - Any drama that makes the main mystery and thrust of the story who the husband cheated on his wife with is BORING. Seriously, this is not exactly Hercule Poirot. They wasted their cast - I have NO idea why Lee Sang Yoon agreed to be in this as a one note character and Jang Nara is playing a second scorned wife in a row but without even the entertainment value of her previous outing.

Abyss - aptly named. The best thing I can say about it is it didn’t offend me but oh boy was it dull.

Absolute Boyfriend - I loved the manga but it’s time to accept this can never be adapted well. They wasted the cast and that ending was just an insult on top of a trash heap.

The Lies Within - you cast that cast and deliberately have no romance. You are dead to me. 

Woman of 9.9 Billion - competently made, but it’s everything I dislike - dour unpleasant bored people behaving as if they are in a particularly dreary art-house French movie but without any nuance or interest the latter came provide. 

Love with Flaws - shrill, dumb, neither acted nor written by anyone trying at all. 

Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung - objectively, it’s not the worst drama on the list, but it’s everything I hate in one package - willfully ahistorical but not cleverly so, male lead incapable of acting, the characters so one-dimensional they disappear, this purports to be a period drama but about as period as a space ship. God, I loathed this. 

FAVORITE DRAMA

Extraordinary You - smart (so mind-bendingly smart) and moving and totally unpredictable and with so many things to say about free will and religion and self and nature of memory and narrative, this had an insane impossible premise and yet somehow managed to do it full justice and stick the landing. 

WORST DRAMA

People with Flaws - this is different from least favorite because even if I loathed e.g., Rookie Historian or Woman of 9.9 Billion, I recognized some positive features; it’s just certain things really rubbed me the wrong way due to personal preferences. But this shrill hot mess of a drama is really everything that’s wrong with dramaworld.

FAVORITE MALE CHARACTER

Prince Yeoning, Haechi - fiercely smart, strong, tormented by the duality of his birth (royal father, servant mother) but not letting this distract him from his purpose, loyal to the bone, and with integrity nothing can shake but where you can feel that it’s not easy and that it costs him.

FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER

Eun Dan Oh, Extraordinary You - a go-getter who remakes the world (literally); smart, cheerful, strong, beautifully human. She feels so real and yet is larger than anything around her. 

NEEDS TO BE MURDERED

Yi Seung Gye, My Country - a sociopath destroying lives in his quest for power and control, even the destruction of his own family barely gives him anything but momentary pause. He is the reason for the tragedy of MC. 

FAVORITE SHIP

Eun Dan Oh x Haru, Extraordinary You - their love is literally universe and god-defying. They have loved each other as different people in three separate worlds (and counting), and have defied loss of memory and even loss of self as well as death, the end of worlds, and their god and the narrative and literally anything and everything, to be together.

Runner Up: Soo Hyun x Jin Hyuk, Encounter: tender and decent and his bringing her back to vivid life and the way they love and support and compliment each other.  

Probably gonna be on list if doesn’t go haywire: Crash Landing on You: she is a SK heiress, he’s a NK officer, they have mad chemistry and so much potential.

NOTP:

Tae Mi x Morgan, Search WWW - love the actors, love the chemistry, love the characters in terms of the way they are written, but they are absolutely wrong for each other and there is no future of any sort but misery ahead. None of their issues are resolved but are swept under the rug. It’s a cautionary tale, not a romance. I did a long rant before so not repeating. 

BEST SECONDARY OTP

Scarlett x Ji Hwan, Search WWW - they stole the shippiness in the drama for me. Cooky and adorable and noona romance done right.

FAVORITE SCENE

Haru’s final disappearance, Extraordinary You - the lights start to go out, the world literally dissolving, Eun Oh and Haru clinging to each other, with his telling her she was his beginning and the end. His name, the one she gave him, is the last thing he hears. In a drama full of amazing scenes the very gist of which was defying the very creator and universe and meaning of existence, this was the one that stayed with me the most.

BIGGEST CRUSH

Seo Hwi, My Country - I have a thing for deeply honorable, deeply tortured period badasses with long hair and a death wish (see Choi Young in Faith etc.)

BEST SCENE STEALER CHARACTER

Yi Bang Won, My Country - he started out as an antihero and ended up as arguably a tragic villain (or maybe still an anti-hero) but oh boy, was he magnetic and fascinating and sucking out all the oxygen whenever he was in the scene.

NEEDS A SEQUEL

Memories of the Alhambra - WTF ending was that?! All that misery and no real resolution?! Dammit!

TROPE THAT NEEDS TO DIE

Youth Sageuk - I hate most of them! They are anachronistic and dumb and honestly, what is the point of having fully modern people in period clothes? Just make a modern show and call it a day.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Melting Me Softly - Ji Chang Wook’s first project back from the military was an unfunny, unmoving, pointless mess with not an ounce of genuine enjoyment despite the excellent pedigree of everyone involved in front and behind the camera.

Arthdal Chronicles - the makers made excellent Queen Seon Duk, Tree with Deep Roots and Six Flying Dragons. The cast was uniformly A grade. The result was an open-ended, boring, incoherent mess that looks like a bad sort of a drug trip and made about as much sense. 

BIGGEST GOOD SURPRISE

Extraordinary You - I had zero interest in yet another high school drama with no actors I recognized. By the end, EY was an emotional brainy twister of a marvel that became my favorite drama of all time. I’ve been watching dramas for over 13 years so that’s saying something.

2019 DRAMAS I HAVEN’T SEEN THAT I MOST WANT TO WATCH

The Crowned Clown - I love sageuks and cast and it looks so smart and emotional

Angel’s Last Mission: Love - my next contemporary - I watched a little and loved what I saw

Fates and Furies - I saw a few eps and classic melo is so up my alley.

Clean with a Passion for Now - I like the cast and it’s a year of falling for hot weird bosses apparently.

Graceful Family - I love makjang and Im Soo Jung.

The Secret Life of My Secretary - downmarket Beauty Inside and I loved BI.

Love Affairs in the Afternoon - artsy adultery FTW

Item - I don’t like crime stuff but I am here for Joo Ji Hoon.

My Strange Hero - seems a little cooky but I am fond of Yoo Seung Ho.

MOST ANTICIPATED IN 2020

King: the Eternal Monarch - Lee Min Ho and Woo Do Hwan and parallel worlds and written by Kim Eun Suk. Yes Please.

I should probably make one for cdramas too though that one would be rather shorter.

[all-inmoderation]

kaz (soc) and aang (atla)

Kaz

1. How I feel about this character

love him to bits. he really left an impression on me for some reason, even tho ive read plenty of characters before who are characterized as assholes-with-a-heart-of-gold, he just felt different to me. i think its because despite his tragic backstory, his assholey-ness was very unapologetic, which I liked, lol. and speaking of tragic backstories, oh my god his really hit. like, the imagery of little kaz fighting for his life on his brother’s corpse, and how that experience later formed into the near debilitating phobia of touch for him, broke my heart. it absolutely crushed me but also made me root for his character even more, bc i wanted to see him get his revenge on pekka rollins but also allow himself to be soft like he once was, before that day. 

2. All the people I ship romantically with this character

allowing himself to even admit he loved inej was hard enough for him, so i cant imagine kaz ever loving anyone else like he does her, tbh. if he did, it would be very very far in the distant future post-canon, where he’d presumably be a changed character (after healing from his trauma), i hope. because he deserves to learn how to be soft again, and i think the best person to do that with is inej, for him.

3. My non-romantic OTP for this character

i know people ship him  with matthias, which is an interesting dynamic for sure. i wouldnt ship them romantically but theyve definitely had some really interesting interactions together, (like when matthias says kaz has nothing sacred in his life, or when kaz says matthias was right and he was out of tricks) and i love how matthias calls Kaz demjin/demon, haha.

4. My unpopular opinion about this character

idk if this is unpopular but as much as i called him an asshole before (lmao) i don’t actually think kaz is one. okay dont get me wrong, he can definitely be a dick, but from what i can recall, kaz doesn’t say mean shit just to be petty, it’s more like he’s a no-bullshit type guy who can be pragmatic to the point that it comes off as cruel. which makes sense considering thats how hes survived in the Barrel, and i think that makes him far more interesting than him just being a snarky character. Also! i think kaz’s ability to read/manipulate people is underrated- hes not just a barrel boss bc he’s ruthlessly violent, it’s because kaz knows how to read people like a book and knows their likes, dislikes, fears, etc and uses it against them/for his own gain. this ability of his is so much more sinister and impressive to me than him cutting people up.

5. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

i wish theyd gone onto more detail about what kaz does as a barrel boss. bc towards the end of crooked kingdom when hes finally confronting pekka rollins, pekka says something like “if it hadn’t been me who conned you and your brother, it would’ve been someone else” and “you cant trick an honest man, brekker, you know that”. the last part “you know that” made me realize we don’t know much about what operations the dregs runs. does kaz scam pigeons too? it seems to be a commonplace thing for gangs to do, from what it seems from pekka’s line, but i wonder if kaz would do that himself knowing what it feels like to be on the receiving end. does he scam them but not give them the illusion of kindness like pekka did with him & jordie ? or does kaz simply steal and pickpocket and minimize the manipulation ? i wish leigh bardugo had gone a little bit more in depth with that bit bc pekka’s line arose a lot of questions for me that would be cool to delve into.

Aang

1. How I feel about this character

if you follow my blog you probably already know how much i absolutely adore aang. Aang and i are very similar, except he’s, like, Better lol. tbh I think he’s everything people should strive to be: kind, resilient, patient etc. etc. 

 2. All the people I ship romantically with this character

anyone. literally anyone. lmfao he’s just that type of character! his personality is so open and charming that he puts everyone around him at ease and is able to have meaningful interactions with every character ! lately i’ve been really into suki x aang tho ugh something about suki being so devoted to aangs past lives is just 😩😩😩👌👌

3. My non-romantic OTP for this character

i love toph and aang’s friendship ! i ship them romantically too but even when im contemplating a ship with a different character with aang, taang’s friendship is always important to me and very underrated int his fandom tbh.

4. My unpopular opinion about this character

he’s mister popular, hide yo wife hide yo kids he can steal anyone from you bc hes just that charming.

5. One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

i dont wish to change canon in any way, i think it was masterfully done. but post canon, i wish to explore the dynamics between aang and older characters such as bumi, guru pathik, etc more. i think aang deserves to be able to hang out with people who remembers a time when his people were alive and his culture was valued !