#i love when we talk about types of characters

[hochsleep]

Relationship with Daryl Dixon (headcanons)

This is my first experience writing headcanons, but I have a lot to say! And yes, I used a gif from Beth, but we don't support that pairing here, guys.....

Also, thanks to the author of the gif!

Pronouns: she/her (fem!reader) / (I'll do headcanons for Daryl's relationship for gender-neutral readers later on)

Pairing: Daryl Dixon/fem!reader (Y/N)

Warnings: no, not this time. Everything is decent (underage readers can read)

• Daryl Dixon is far from stupid. I mean, he can certainly tell the difference between romantic interest and friendly sympathy. He has Carol, his best friend, and he knows that he feels for her the kind of platonic friendly love he usually feels for a family member. But that's not the case with you. Sure, you've most likely known Daryl for a long time (assuming you joined Rick's group at any point from Atlanta to Prison, can pick at your discretion). So since you've known each other for a while, Daryl has had time to realize that his feelings for you are far from friendly. All the tenderness and care that he feels for you hardly compares to friendship. Daryl definitely didn't feel like kissing Carol's lips every time she came into his field of vision. That's the difference.

• But realizing your feelings is only halfway there. Daryl isn't the type to make the first move and declare his love. He's a very insecure person because of his past, so it would be hard for him to believe that someone like you would want someone like him. Daryl will just watch over you from the sidelines, he will make sure you are safe and will always be there to protect you. Even if it's just a harmless fall down the stairs when you were arranging jars of canned fruit on the top shelf in the Alexandria pantry. He will notice that the stepladder beneath you is wobbling dangerously and will be there to catch you and prevent you from bruising any part of your body. He will take great care of you.

• Daryl is probably the type of man who idolizes and admires the girl he's in love with. Both her character and inner world, as well as her looks. He would spend hours just looking at your unconditionally beautiful face. Every mole, every freckle, every wrinkle in the corner of your eyes when you smile. God, he could never get enough. Every part of you is perfect. Daryl's not sure he's ever seen a more beautiful woman. I mean, he probably had a soft spot for women he personally thought were pretty in the past, but it was never more than a glance in their direction. Just trying to say that Daryl isn't a pristine and innocent man who never thought about women. Over the many years of his maybe not the most prosperous life, Daryl has definitely had his fair share of beautiful women. But it had always been respectful. Mental admiration from the sidelines. Daryl never "barked" or "bit" like Merle. Daryl is much more respectful of women.

• That's why he likes to watch from the sidelines and think about you. A lot of thinking. Daryl is indeed a man of few words, but he has more than enough to think about. And when he falls in love, you become the center. Except when Daryl has to think about survival or when he and Rick are making a plan of action to save the group. But rest assured, all of Daryl's free time is spent thinking about you. He's very observant and remembers every little thing about you so he can think about it later. Do you like to read? Daryl will listen to you talk about your favorite books and find them during one of your outings, rest assured. Do you like wildflowers? Great, a bouquet of a hundred of them will be waiting for you on the doorstep of your Alexandria home when you come home after a hard day's work. Maybe you like a certain kind of clothing? Like something knit? Daryl will either find it during the outing or ask Carol to help with it when she's not busy. He won't say who it's for, but Carol certainly knows. And after you get those little gifts, Daryl will watch you smile widely because you know who left them under your door. And Daryl will think about your smile until he falls asleep at night. But he'll only dream about you, too.

• Somehow you were the first to admit your feelings because Daryl is actually cowardly about these things. A man can take on walkers or hostile people with his bare hands (like the Saviors), but he definitely can't just go and tell someone he really likes how he feels. No, you have to push him. And hints aren't enough, you have to say it outright. And then probably prove the sincerity of your words of love for the rest of your life, because Daryl Dixon is a very insecure man. He knows in his brain that you really do love him and will be faithful to him, but those childhood traumas are really getting in the way of his life. Be prepared for that.

• Your relationship with Daryl will gain momentum gradually. I don't think Daryl really likes all these formalities and labels like "girlfriend" and "boyfriend". You're just his and he's just yours. There's no need to complicate it all, the world of the zombie apocalypse is already very complicated. But if you care about dates and formalities, surely Daryl can learn to take it seriously. Not right away, but he will. Just give him time and he'll lay the whole world at your feet. And he'll start marking your anniversary with a marker on his calendar so that he definitely won't miss this important day for you (he won't admit it, but for him too). Daryl will be learning and you'll have to be a good mentor in this relationship for the first few years. It will be worth it, trust me.

• Daryl Dixon gets attached to people easily. He's like a big loyal dog. I mean, have you seen how loyal he is to Rick and Carol? He bites at first, doesn't want to let anyone in, but eventually he gives in and lets you take his heart and soul under his protection. Take care of that. My point is that this is the same way love works in Daryl's case. I'm pretty sure Daryl doesn't believe in the concept of love at first sight and stuff, he rather believes that love only comes about through the process of a relationship. So at first he thinks you are just a pretty woman. Then a friend. Then a good friend. And yes, he may feel sympathy, affection and probably crush at this time, but not love. No, he falls in love with you gradually. It's a slow process, but in Daryl's case it will be forever. He's definitely a one-woman man. And when he allows himself to really love you and not just be a little bit in love, when his heart completely belongs to you and he finally says "I love you" with all seriousness and responsibility, rest assured that this is love. This man will show you what true love is. Safe, sincere, and endlessly committed. Just give him time. Let him love you.

• The following headcanon (though I think it's unqualified canon) about Daryl's loyalty follows from this. You may try to be jealous of him or think he'll fall in love with someone else (it all depends on your confidence), but Daryl will prove time and time again that he's only loyal to you. This man is serious about his and your feelings and your relationship. Therefore, he will not give not a single reason for jealousy. But there could be quite a few women around (and men probably too) who might like Daryl. He doesn't care, he will never look at anyone else. Why would he do that when he has you? You're perfect for him and his heart doesn't belong to him anymore. So if Daryl notices your jealousy and insecurity, he'll spend all his time trying to prove to you that you're the one for him. He's deeply committed. To Rick, to Carol, to Maggie, to Alexandria. He's eternally devoted to you.

• The relationship with Daryl will be full of complexities, let's not turn a blind eye to that. He's a complicated man with a lot of trauma behind him. The situation is more acute if you're a complicated person, too. There's a lot to put up with. Probably a lot of fighting at the beginning of the relationship, especially if we're talking about Daryl from the first seasons of the show. But if you're both willing to work on that relationship, it will work well. Again, not right away, but it will. Daryl is sure that his love for you will be enough for both of you and certainly for solving all your problems in this relationship. He will try his best for you and you will try your best for him too.

• Physical intimacy is probably going to be difficult. Daryl's not a fan of close physical contact, especially with someone he can't call his family. You know, the boy had a shitty childhood. But he feels the need to feel the warmth of your skin on his skin. So he may unknowingly touch you before your relationship even begins. It could just be a "casual" hand collision when you both reached for the same item on the shelf. Or he may lightly touch your shoulder when he needs to get your attention and say something to you. You shouldn't pressure him with this and force a hug or anything like that. He will definitely come to it on his own when he's comfortable and he sees that you're okay with it. As your relationship progresses, he will open up to new types of physical contact more quickly. Sure he'll hug you a lot, try to hold your hand in his, but it's all in private. And of course kissing. I think Daryl actually likes kissing, but he's not very good at it for lack of much experience. Teach him how to kiss well if you have enough experience yourself. He'll be a good student. Especially when it comes to lessons involving his lips on yours. I'm pretty sure Daryl will become very clingy as your relationship progresses. When you're alone together, he won't be able to feel comfortable unless his arms are around you in one way or another. He physically needs to hold you, to bump his nose into your neck and hair to smell your scent, which he loves so much. And of course kissing. Gentle kisses or passionate French kisses, he loves it all.

• Daryl definitely doesn't like the display of attachment on the publick. He considers it yours and his alone. Something private that needs to be kept out of the public eye. Well, he's also pissed off by those ambiguous looks Carol and Rick give him after you call him "baby" or "cutie" in public. But Daryl is willing to hold your hands and will even let you kiss him on the cheek in public if he's in a good mood. He'll save the rest for the two of you alone in your sweet home in Alexandria.

• As for intimacy, everything is ambiguous here. I think for Daryl it is not at all a mandatory aspect of the relationship. If you are asexual, he will have absolutely no problem with this. You are more than enough. The opportunity to see you smile, hug you and make you happy is all he needs. Sex is not necessary and Daryl can definitely live without it if you are not interested in sexual relations. But if you are not against it, then he will be happy to please you. I mean, he does it every day just by existing and loving you, but if he can please you in a sexual sense, he will be happy to do so. But again, not right away. You both will go to this gradually. Trial and error. Only when he completely opens up to you and is not ashamed of his scars, knowing that you love them completely and completely because they are a part of him. But most importantly, when you yourself tell him that you are also ready, then you can act. Daryl has some experience. Merle ordered Daryl... a prostitute for his twenty-first birthday and Daryl had to do it. I think he was the one feeling like a prostitute, not the woman. And maybe he's slept with random women from a bar a couple of times after drinking too much. But it was never anything special and not out of great desire. With you, it's different. Sex with you is his way of showing you love in a new way. Either way, he knows how it works, but you still need to guide him. Show him how you like it and help him the first few times. Daryl is a quick learner, especially if you help him. So pretty soon he'll memorize all the right places and positions to make you feel good as hell, nothing less. Daryl will make sure that you feel good first.

• Your comfort is Daryl's absolute priority. Over the years, he will learn to compromise and give in when necessary. Daryl loves you unconditionally and is ready to be on his knees in front of you, this is what you have done to him with your love and tenderness. Daryl Dixon has become soft and fluffy around you. Just for you. Merle would call him a pansy and laugh, but Daryl doesn't care. Not anymore. You're all he cares about.

• You're his safe place. His home. His heart and soul belong to you, take care of it. And then Daryl Dixon will move mountains for you, you bet he will.

~ A cute little headcanon as a bonus: I honestly think the soundtrack of the relationship with Daryl, is the song: The Goo Goo Dolls - Iris.

[somewhereincairparavel]

Ok, but like I feel like I've never dove in how Jason was probably the youngest in the legion. Probably for a very, very long time. And imagine how it felt to watch as kids played in new Rome, and eventually joined you. And you could never join them as they played in new rome. Imagine all of the kids you know are older than you, and you can't make friends. Imagine having to lead quests of people way older than you that resent you for it because of your parentage. Imagine how happy he was when people his age finally started joining, and I wishing he could he them? Imagine basically being raised by a bunch of teenagers, many of whom dislike you? Would love to hear ur thoughts

honestly, i imagine all of the older members of the legion whispering behind Jason's back about how easy he has it in camp jupiter bc of his dad, about how he isnt "qualified" enough to lead missions, and how he has everything "handed" to him. i feel like he had a LOT to prove and only when his missions started getting successful, people actually accept that he is capable, but even then envious members of the cohort would say that he got lucky or only succeeded bc of jupiter's blessings or smth. could you imagine a baby jason going to the older members of the legion for advice and they just coolly shrug him off? i feel like in a realistic standpoint, they arent outright mean to him bc they are terrified of jupiter's anger but they arent friendly either.

They just let him sit in a corner. i feel like at some point, even when people his age start coming in, he still wouldnt feel loved, because they all would think jason is too scary or intimidating and would avoid him out of fear, also bc he doesnt understand their jokes bc he was brought up too serious. so he would be an outcast. he would be an outcast but not necessarily in a bad way, but like "he's too good for us" type of way which actually hurts jason way more. like when he comes in they all would give him a small bow or something and it gets on his NERVES.

overall i feel like there is too much jealousy surrounding him for him to have any comfortable conversation with people, especially because he is their "leader" even if he was a praetor very late, people still subconsciously saw him as one, even the old praetors consulted him before they came to a decision.

i feel like the moment people even remotely saw him as a human with feelings is when he joined the least reputed legion simply to popularize it. i feel like that was HIS moment where ppl were like "yep this guy is actually a living person with empathy!" but it reverted back to ppl seeing him as an unapproachable artifact

which is why im so upset that frank and hazel didnt have a closer relationship with him, i mean we did see jason and frank talking together on the deck of argo 2 after jason transferred his praetorship to frank, probably filling him in his position, but i wish their relationship ascended beyond just a mentor and his apprentice. because that concept with jason's character gets so old. literally everyone saw him as an advisor and leader that they could learn from, but who really saw something beyond that about him? only leo, nico, reyna, piper and percy tbh.

and in the end, reyna had a subtle fallout with him so they didnt talk, piper broke up with him so they were awkward and tense, leo "died" and never saw him again, the last time nico saw jason was probably during the strawberry field scene when nico told him he's staying at camp, and jason got too busy with his temple project to see anyone else. he was working to keep his promise till the very end, just like a true roman. honestly thanks to you i might actually expand on this in a separate post and tag you in it :)

[jjs-brainrot]

BTR and Mayonaka Punch are animes that lose part of their meaning if the girls were not gay for each other. I thought Masaki kissed Live when she caught her. I also thought they were going to kiss after the credits, but even without a kiss, the show managed to convey how much Live and Masaki meant to each other. You can't watch it and not think they have feelings for each other.

I'd also throw in VTuber Legend, Girls Band Cry and Symphogear in that ring as well but 100% agreed.

Live is simping hard for Masaki with the whole specifically wanting to suck her blood to the point she becomes a desperate mess being multiple euphemisms in one. Masaki in turn finally seeing Live as an incredibly important person to her as she's basically the first who seems to actually like her regardless of what she does instead of just tolerating her until she messes up.

Meanwhile Bocchi has gay failgirl energy to the max, complete with fantasies of girls and outright blacking out with an application for her band being in the school festival because she overheard girls talking about how they'd fall for a rocker. And of course Kita crushing hard for Ryo but then falling for Bocchi the more she got to know her.

There's a lot that could be said about subtext vs text when it comes to queer characters and how subtext tends to leave a bit too much wiggle room for interpretation and how there's never really enough works with textually queer characters being represented.

But in general, I feel the type of person that tries to wiggle out of the idea that a character isn't queer despite all the subtext pointing them as such is usually the type to get angry if the character is textually queer (thinking of the people who got angry at ILTV after Rae talks about how she is in fact a Lesbian).

For my part, the idea that characters can only be in love if they make big romantic gestures like kissing just always feels backwards to me.

Maybe it's my aroness talking but it feels like that's just for reaffirmation of one's love rather than the requirement of being in love. Maybe I'm also just hyped up on how good genre dissections How Do We Relationship and Yuri is My Job are about relationships that "x romantic gesture needs to be there for them to actually be in love" feels a bit trite to me.

[snookienthusi4st]

mello sfw alphabet

warnings: language, gn! reader, angst if you squint, reader gets called pretty/gorgeous, pet names(doll), mentions of violence, mentions of sex

sfw, just suggestive

a (affection)

mel’s super possessive. not because he doesn’t trust you, he just likes having you all to himself. so i feel like he’d have no reluctance to show you any type of public affection, and will probably be touchy given the time and place.

like an arm around your waist in a crowd or a quick lil kiss before he goes somewhere

b(best friend)

i feel like we can agree that mello is a very distrustful person, so it’ll take time for him to even consider opening up to you. nothing personal, it’s just how things have always been for him.

but be patient, and whether it’s obvious to you or not, he will develop a soft spot for you and will come to enjoy spending time with you :3

c(cuddles)

this guy is so touch starved this answer’s a no brainer

maybe he’ll brush off the idea at first because he has that big of an ego, but if you ever lie down next to him and hug him around his neck he’s gonna consider crying and will not let you leave until the time he sees fit

as tough as he seems, he has such a soft heart and those moments where you two are holding each other are what push him to get through another long day

d(domestic)

it’s hard to tell if he would settle down. i know he would want to but the mafia stuff is making me rethink

unfortunately i think the closest he’ll ever get to settling down is having you move into their base thingy, which seems decent in theory minus the shootouts, yelling, blood etc etc

e(ending)

if he ever had to break things off, it wouldn’t be by choice. but like i said earlier he does grow a soft spot for you, and might distance himself because he doesn’t want you in danger

he’s involved with a lot of menacing people and the thought of you getting hurt or him getting hurt after you get attached could be too much for him to carry

f(fiancée)

wouldn’t get married cause of the mafia stuff and having to stay undercover, but i do think you guys would get to that level if that makes sense

like no documented marriage but after a while you guys are conjoined at the hip so it’s obvious you guys want to have a future together even without the rings

g(gentle)

it’s kind of out of character for him to be gentle by any means but if you guys get close enough, he’ll start warming up to you

whenever he attempts to be gentle it’s the hottest thing ever and he doesn’t even realize it. he’ll tone down his voice a bit cause we all know he can get a bit high strung or he’ll lean down a bit and tilt your chin up to hear you better

also he really likes people looking at him when they talk to him so once you guys start dating some of those mannerisms will be coupled with small little coaxes

“look at me, doll. there she/he is, you’ve got such a pretty face.”

h(hugs)

he wouldn’t initiate them cause he’s too nervous cool to ask

but if you’re a hugger then he’ll gladly accommodate! he’ll return it normally and let you stay as long as you want within reason, probably run a hand down your back or ruffle your hair if you’re already dating

i(i love you)

give it a while, but he will tell you he loves you eventually! prepare to be incredibly shocked when he does because the man will catch you off guard

and he’ll probably go about it like he’s already said it a million times and he’ll be surprised by how emotional you get if you’re a sensitive person

“have i told you i love you yet? no? wait, the hell are you crying for? you’re such a baby..”

and he’s holding you close while you both laugh about it together

j(jealousy)

so mel’s less jealous and more protective. not to the extent where he’ll go and hurt someone over talking to you but he has a killer stink eye

and then later on when you get a moment alone he’ll be all over you, kisses on your neck and running his hands over your waist and collarbones

not cause he’s envious of whoever got to talk to you but because he likes knowing he’s the only one that can get this physically close to you. it’s like an unsaid reassurance for him

k(kisses)

his kisses get rougher over time but it depends on where you two are, like he’s not gonna shove his tongue down your throat in front of the mafia members

subtle, quick kisses in public, on your forehead or on your cheek. he probably won’t give you many in public unless you ask, and he’ll have that lil smirk on his face when you do like aww you want me so bad

but in private he has no shame in heavy makeouts, his lips careful but firm against yours as he holds the back of your head to cradle you against him as you kiss :3

l(little ones)

homegirl hasn’t been around kids since 500 BC, and wammy’s doesn’t really count since he was a kid then too

wouldn’t end up having any kids, since he doesn’t want anyone born into a mafia “household,” but he’d be like awkward in a cute way if he ever encountered a kid

do not let him around babies though, he’ll freak the fuck out

“am i holding it right?” and he’s holding it upside down

m(mornings)

mornings are slightly chaotic when you live at their base. if you’re lucky enough you two get a cuddle session in before you hear people fighting outside

during kira, he’d be up earlier than you and out of bed already to work on the case stuff

but as soon as he’d hear you start to stir and wake up he’d sit at the foot of your bed and wait for you so he could greet you :3

n(nights)

work work work, especially during kira, but he’d always do his best to make time for you. maybe he’d have you straddling his lap and napping on him while he works, just so he gets to feel your body against his

you usually turn in earlier than he does but on the rare case where he’s ready for bed at the same time as you, you guys cuddle or have sex before you both fall asleep

o(open)

so he’s not a super open book considering he’s literally undercover half the time

but a while after you guys start dating he’d tell you his real name, but he’d urge you not to call him by it unless told that you could

he doesn’t want either of you two getting hurt but especially not you

p(patience)

his patience is usually pretty thin as shown in the series but he really does try for you

he’s super passionate about things so something that might get him slightly impatient is if you’re like super deadpan and nonchalant about things he vocally shows an interest in

not a lot of ways to get completely under his skin though, man’s been through hell and back

q(quizzes)

i see him as the type to forget a few minor details about your likes and dislikes but to remember the things that matter to you the most

like your favorite color, gifts you want, things you like about yourself, he’ll remember it all

r(remember)

his favorite thing he remembers about your relationship is probably the night he saw you after kira was apprehended

just seeing your gorgeous face and knowing that he wouldn’t have to worry about you being prematurely taken away from him made him feel so whole

he hugged you when he saw you and his voice was really shaky but he never ended up crying or so you saw

s(security)

he’s secure about your bond/commitment but he’s really insecure about himself :(

like he trusts you and knows you won’t leave but he feels like you deserve better than a mafia scarface like him

he dreads the day you’ll kiss his scar and tell him how beautiful he still is because the waterworks will be showing up VERY fast(should i make a fic about this)

t(try)

will definitely make an effort!! for anniversaries he’s got you covered on gifts, nothing you can’t buy with mafia money

but he’ll make sure you know how much he loves and appreciates you too, last thing he wants to be in a relationship is superficial

u(ugly)

some bad habits of his are being a workaholic and sometimes raising his voice

if you ever have an argument, he won’t raise his voice to try and scare you. it’s just how he’s gotten people to listen whenever he’s getting his point across in any type of conversation so if he ends up freaking you out he’ll definitely reel it back in and apologize

and he’s a total workaholic, but he manages to make time for the things he cares about, like you

also bottles his emotions up half the time since that’s what he was indirectly taught to do at wammy’s, so sometimes you have to sit him down and really reassure him before he cracks and opens up

v(vanity)

absolute fashionista

whenever he’s outside, he always has one of his fire fits on, extra points if you dress up too

you guys definitely go shopping together if you have similar or even contrasting styles

seems like the type to let you wear that big fur jacket he has whenever you’re cold and tease you about it later

w(whole)

after some time, he can feel you growing into a piece of him. like you’ve become such a big part of his life that he can’t imagine it without you

this was a big struggle back during kira, because he felt like you’re the only person that would ever love him that much and the only person he could love as much as he does

lots of nights where he’d spiral and stress, resulting in comfort from you that eventually calmed him down, until the case was finally over

x(xtra hcs)

will absolutely play dress up with you if you let him

like it won’t usually lead up to sex of any kind but it’s so intimate, just having him pick out your clothes and gently undress and redress you

even better if it’s his clothes, he’ll be so proud of himself like damn he really lucked out with you

“think this dress is my favorite on you, y/n..you really are gorgeous.”

“that shirt’s big on you. it’s a cute look, though, maybe you should keep it.”

y(yuck)

obviously all of this is subject to accommodate but he doesn’t fairly enjoy people he has to repeat important stuff for(unless it’s a normal amount and you genuinely didn’t hear him lmao) like no he will not tell you that for the fifth time

also he likes smart people and he’ll still like people that at least try to be smart, but the man does not fuck with airheads. like if you’re identical to misa if not more extreme personality wise, he will take forever to come around to you

z(zzz)

light sleeper, but he eventually starts sleeping better and getting into a better schedule after you two start sleeping together

another one of the reasons he’s so grateful for you

[dustdeepsea]

Writer Interview

Tagged by @my-favourite-zhent nearly 3 weeks ago and I've entirely missed the wave.

I've enjoyed reading so many interesting ones by my mutuals! Tagging (only if you're keen) @graysparrowao3 @coreene @say-lene @luvwich @grossestjay —and if I've missed your interview somehow, tag me in the comments!

Q&A after the cut—

When did you start writing?

I wrote my first fanwork at age 12. It was self-insert fanfiction with me and 2 of my friends in the Slayers anime universe, which meant it was several comedic sketches strung together with with lots of actions denoted by asterisks and emoticons. You know the ones ^_^ ^____^ @_@ T_T *slaps you gently with a trout*

We printed it out on someone's home printer and bound copies in plastic school folders with a two-hole punch. I've lost the original file ages ago, but I would love to read it again.

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

When I was younger, I actively sought out "difficult stories" because I wanted to experience things beyond my day to day life. I read Nabokov at 16 because everyone kept saying Lolita was a dangerous book. I also read a lot of Chuck Palahniuk and Bret Easton Ellis without really understanding them.

My pretentiousness definitely peaked in my university days. My dating profile at the time listed: Herman Hesse, Kazuo Ishiguro and Mikhail Bulgakov.

Now that I'm older, I read and write stories primarily to make myself happy.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

I'm not remotely at the level where I get compared to any published writers.

My favourite contemporary writer is David Mitchell (of Cloud Atlas fame), and my favourite book by him is The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet.

My favourite "classic" novel is The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

I type at my desk, in a study shared with my partner. Sometimes if the scene is particularly spicy or they are gaming too loudly, I take the laptop to the living room.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Bouncing plot bunnies off others on Discord, talking a walk or a long train ride, playing an immersive video game and rotating characters in my head for hours afterwards.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

According to my lovely readers:

"Romantic and sweaty"; "two silly sausages frying in a pan" (thanks to my long time beta-reader @littleplasticrat)

"Purity, temperance, glimpse of [the] ability for real love / real forgiveness" (thank you @tellmeallaboutit!)

These did surprise me a bit when they were first pointed out but it makes sense—I've been accidentally writing Regency romances and repressed idiots in love without setting out to do so explicitly.

What is your reason for writing?

I put aside hobbies for many years because of my work (no matter what advertisers want you to believe—doomscrolling is not a hobby). Started doing more creative things during my sabbatical last year, and writing was one of the things that saved my broken corpo soul.

Nowadays I'm really into bread making and cooking in general. I'm trying to balance work and creative pursuits and I'm much happier overall.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

Any and all comments are received with love <3 <3 <3 I really enjoy it when people let me know what lines really resonated with them or point out motifs I'd snuck in.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

Friendly and approachable! Not entirely hyperfixated on That One NPC from a Video Game with Five Lines (that one might be harder now...!)

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

A fairly broad vocabulary, including anachronisms, which is useful for fantasy story settings. Writing characters who are actively lying to themselves (thinking one thing and saying/doing another).

My writing tends to be on the more contemplative side and a bit sadder and slower paced, so if you enjoy A Great Deal of Yearning along with your smut, then it would appeal to you :)

How do you feel about your own writing?

I'm pretty happy with it! I write very, very slowly, with constant edits as I go, and would probably starve if I ever had to rely on my fiction writing to be paid. Luckily, I get to do this as a hobby.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

I write for myself, but I am also super blessed to have a very small but vocal audience that I can interact with directly. I guess my best advice is: Write for yourself and your 10 friends who want to read your hand-bound home-printed self-insert fanfic <3

[depressedhatakekakashi]

long ask and kinda random but- wouldn't it be so funny if two characters are shown throughout a story, not together just yet but it is confirmed they know each other. They talk about each other constantly, and you wouldn't notice it at first glance but man its there once you notice it.

Character A is the type that is very friendly and casual, suddenly becomes polite, maybe even a bit too polite and almost distant talking about them (in a way thats obviously them restraining themselves) to the point u can't quite tell if they do genuinely care but they do know a lot about the other. Meanwhile, Character B has been cursed with a resting bitch face and makes talking about anyone sound like theyre insulting them. Their very short way of speech does not help especially out of context and without proper explanation (think; "I would chain them down to a chair if i could." But they meant that as in out of worry since A is so fucking reckless. Its maddening.) Anyways, other people think A is suddenly polite (out of apprehension?? being wary?? noone knows) but otherwise willing to talk about them (B) nicely. While people think B whose normally calm and relaxed, is always very pissed at A (yes and also no.)

The first time their on screen together basically amounts to a huge explosion on both ends with Character A nervous and unsure how to introduce them but reluctantly settles with simply. "Oh. their a good friend of mine." but B who is normally pretty quiet, just. absolutely goes off. "friend?? FRIEND??? We did not go through the shit we did, and survived together for the shit we went through for you to just call me a good friend."

listen its till death do us part in this household, i am your comrade in arms, your ride or die when you plan on overthrowing the government. I may only know maybe 2/5 of your hobbies but i know what you look like in near terror at the thought of ur loved ones being threatened and rising up in the flames of fury to protect them, and then a sobbing mess when you finally break down. Friend is fine but also man you could do to hype me up more over here-

I just need two emotionally contipated besties on opposite sides of the spectrum is that so much to ask- (also loudmouth and friendly but distant x quiet and stern but also ball of emotion ready to explode, is 💞)

Oh, this is a dynamic i’d actually love to see more of. The ‘are they friends or do they hate each other? I’m getting mixed signals here’ but then you see them in a room together and realize ‘oh, ‘friends’ doesn’t even BEGIN to describe what they two are’

No one has a definitive answer

They’ll kill for each other but also be the first to stop each other from killing

They’ll bite anyone who insults the other, but character B always seems ready to insult character A at a moment’s notice yet never does.

These two are thicker than theives. They’re the best of friends yet so much more. The very concept of their bond is too difficult for any mere moral to understand. Even the gods don’t understand what the heck is going on with these two.

I can think of a few pairings that sort of match this but also, this is so very specific and perfect i wouldn’t want to try and assign it to any character because it’s just…

Easily the best pairing ever. Thank you anon your brain is SO BIG.

[brynnmclean]

saw a post questioning shipping Senua and Thórgestr and started to reblog it with a tag novel-- felt weird about doing that since this is lengthy and potentially derailing, so making my own post instead. Spitballing under the cut:

First off, any time someone is like, "the real reason people ship this is because they find the dude attractive," this is SO funny to me as someone who doesn't find men attractive IRL and has fiercely loved Senua since I played the first game, like-- actually I find the dynamic between those two characters to be compelling and interesting precisely because of all the baggage between them re: their backgrounds, the rough (put mildly!) beginning of their relationship, all the things they don't talk about, and them finding a common enemy/common ground to work with. The explicit parallels between them stated in-game scratched an itch in my brain. The minute they pointed out the dark rot on his arm, it was like, "oh! hello there! NOW I'm interested in whatever your whole deal is" for me. Also, idk man, I too would follow Senua around after she knocked me into the dirt and then showed me a way to fight the giants that I very much wanted to fight instead of appease.

The idea that Thórgestr was part of the Orkney Raid that killed and mutilated Dillion is VERY interesting food for thought, even if I don't personally have that headcanon (surely there are more viking raiding groups than just the Bjorg). I think the Furies or the Shadow said something similar about Fargrimr (his kin murdered yours, you shouldn't save him, etc.) so I completely get that line of thought, but I think the game left it ambiguous enough that it's up for interpretation. Would I read fic with that premise? Yeah, I'd check that out. Could Senua forgive Thorgestr if his people were involved? Sounds fun to explore.

If (ha, when?) I write fic, I'd have to think more about it especially wrt timelines, like when did the Bjorg start specifically raiding for slaves for giant food sacrifices vs. killing people for resources and wealth? How far off are we from the old gods "dying" and the volcano erupting? Was it indeed a different group of raiders who made a deal with Zynbel, attacked Senua's home, and made the sacrifice at that time to Hela?

At the very least, I think there's a time jump between the end of Hellblade I and the beginning of Hellblade II since Senua wasn't alone on that slave ship and at least one of the (brief) survivors knew her by name. I wouldn't mind exploring that gap of time, too.

In any case I do agree that it would take a VERY long time for Senua to consciously catch feelings for anyone let alone Thorgestr with all their collective baggage. The idea of them having a relationship beyond friendship in the far off future of an AU where he survives is the only one that can make sense in my brain, personally. It would take time! Time they didn't get in the game! But I think there are a lot of different roads that could take, and some of them might be healthier than others. Shipping them certainly isn't forgetting or excusing what happened to Dillion-- or even mutually exclusive from still shipping Senua and Dillion. Or, frankly, also shipping Senua and Astridr, because I can see that ship too.

One of the nice things about all the details Ninja Theory didn't expand upon and that they left that ending so open is that the sky's the limit. I'm VERY interested in seeing fandom tackle this game as we get farther from the initial release.

[mabaris]

no youre completely right - im a gay (trans)man and i legit wanna see so much more about the women bc There Is So Little. I wanna make a lesbian oc who gets bent in half by taash. im very normal.

i’m just tired man!!!! it feels so obvious how disproportionate it is when you’ve got. a cast of characters that we know almost equally little about. and a few of them explode in popularity and it’s like spongebob sticking his hand out the curtain. literally all a character needs to do numbers is to be a light-skinned man

[raccoon-smiles]

There are 4 distinct types of Princesses Tutu fans:

1) Duck and Fakir enjoyers

2) Rue and Mytho enjoyers

3) Mytho and Fakir, and Rue and Duck enjoyers

4) Fuck around and find out

[stop-breaking-my-heart-dragonage]

Are there any companions you can't stand?

I wouldn't say I have any that I can't stand. Something that's so engaging to me about DA is that the companions have good, bad, and a lot in between. Honestly, I don't hate any of them. There are companions that I have more issues with than others, but I like them all; even, and sometimes especially, the ones that tend to be heavily hated on by the fandom.

The only companion that might fall into this category for me is Sebastian, but I totally acknowledge that I've yet to make an effort to use him when I play DA2. I legit just forget about him. How am I supposed to have a good grasp of his character when I don't engage with him outside of his companion quests? Plus I usually romance Anders so Sebastian always leaves my party in the end with threats of bringing an army down on Kirkwall for not killing Anders, soooo... yeah. Not the greatest impression he's left me with.

I would like to have a more well-rounded opinion of Sebastian because the concept of him is interesting; he's this chantry brother who is also a prince, but his family was murdered so he puts up a bounty on the chantry board [which admittedly is SO funny] and his companion quests are about avenging his family and helping him decide if he should take back his lands or remain a chantry brother. But then I talk to him, I listen to him talk to the other companions, and it's like... oh, the chantry has become his entire personality because the dude was brainwashed and now he's saying shit like the maker was actually the one who freed Fenris from slavery, and when Fenris tells him a story about how Denarius killed a child in a ritual for more power, Sebastian just doubles down that the maker has his reasons, like....babe, c'mon now.

I feel like I've read pieces about him written by fans who love him that are more compellingly written than he is, if that makes sense. Really, I would love to be educated by those who love him, especially Sebastian romancers because of all the love interests in all of DA, he's the one I look at and go, "....okay but why?" I have a lot of fun with character discussions and other perspectives so I mean that sincerely.

Also I think it's worth noting that when I play, I tend to get super into the roleplay of my warden/hawke/inquisitor, but while they have party members they can't stand, I have opinions that are separate from them, y'know?

For example, since I've talked about it a lot recently, my mage Hawke and Aveline butt heads constantly. By the end of Act 3, they're rivalry is heated and Ed's surprised Aveline even sided with him in the end because THAT is how much their relationship deteriorated over the course of the game... but then there's my warrior Hawke who adored Aveline. The two of them were best friends and Aris always gave her the benefit of the doubt, like she had Aveline's back through and through.

I've complained about Aveline a lot in my posts so it probably does sound like I can't stand her, but that's not true. Aveline's actually a companion that fascinates me, like she makes me go, "God, you're such an asshole, tell me more right now." and it drives me crazy how she and Carver are foils, like I love it so much, I could go on and on about how foiled they are, it makes me want to bite something.

It's very easy to look at Aveline and think she's just a bitch, she's a cop, she's a bad character, #Aveline-critical, bad companion, etc. I see it all the time, and not just with her, but with every companion in dragon age, y'know? I'm not saying that's wrong or anything; some characters just don't vibe with you or you have legit reasons for hating them and that's fine. I'm just saying some of it's very surface level unless you make the effort to elaborate.

If you don't like a character, you're less likely to make an effort to understand or see anything positive about them. You're more likely to have confirmation bias, so whenever they do or say anything, you go looking for the worst interpretation. I try not to do this just because for me, that's the "boring" approach to games like this but as we've seen, I'm not immune either... y'know, Sebastian.

But Carver gets this a lot, too, and I think I've made myself clear that Carver is my favorite, I love him, the Hawke twins are S-tier companions and I would throw everyone in Kirkwall into the ocean if it meant Bethany and Carver's happiness.

Now that I'm thinking about it, the characters a lot of fans can't stand are some of my favorites?

Like a lot of people shit on Sera, and I'm like "Nah, that's my girl! Listen, she's got a LOT of internalized issues, but we're working through them okay! She's getting better!"

And Vivienne? Oh, don't get me started on Vivienne, I have a whole deal about her. She's also an asshole and I love her.

My canon inquisitor is Surana who escaped the circle and joined the dalish, becoming Lavellan. Vivienne is a reflection of what Ash could've been if she hadn't run away with Jowan. She played the game of the circle, she stepped wherever she needed to step because Ash knew she was at a disadvantage by being an elf, for one, and for two, not coming from a family with wealth that would give her special privileges. Her downfall was buying into her own hype and believing she couldn't be wrong about Jowan, believing that she could either prevent them from making him tranquil or help him and Lily run away, and believing she was above punishment because she worked her way into being Irving's favorite. Yet it all bit her in the ass and she had to run… so then years later after living outside of the circle and realizing just what the chantry is, how it conditions and abuses mages and shit, she meets Vivienne who also played the game well and came out on top, who now spouts the same shit Ash used to spout and it's makes their dynamic sooo chewable.

Then there's Cullen who's not a companion but I lump him and Josephine in with the companions anyway. They're advisors, they're in the inner circle, they count.

He's such a spineless ass in DA2 like believe me, I get all the criticisms he gets... but he's also fairly polite to Hawke even if they're openly anti-templar, he's softer spoken, and he's unwell after what happened to him in DAO and Meredith's clearly taking advantage of his state... but then he becomes an advisor in DAI who is so done with people's bullshit and blatantly honest about it, like he looks at Chancellor Roderick like "this fucking guy again" and he's so ready to just go for it, y'know? Well... unless you're a pretty lady who bats her eyes at him, then suddenly he doesn't know how words work. Like sometimes I feel crazy because I find him to be so funny in DAI, and overall a compelling character that I enjoy interacting with even when he's being a total asshole. Yeah, there's issues in his writing but I appreciate the vision the writers were going for, even if they stumbled... except for Sheryl Chee, I don't appreciate her contribution of those few posts on the DA forums that everyone uses as a smoking gun to "prove" awful things about him. Nothing gets under my skin more in character discussions than bad faith arguments and there's so much of that when it comes to Cullen.

Actually, while we're on that, can I just add a note that when I first got into this fandom, I saw someone's post about Chee doing an interview where she said all those bad things about Cullen wanting to assault the mage warden and I was like, "What? An interview? What interview?? Where??" and I couldn't find shit until much later when I read another anti-Cullen post that cited a DA forum as the source for her saying those things... so not an interview. I went digging for the forum, went into the way back machine to find it.... only to discover that this smoking gun comes from a fanfiction forum where Mary Kirby was also talking about Sten and catgirls and y'all expect me to take that seriously?

We can have discussions about whether or not Cullen's a bad person or a bad character, but the moment you bring Sheryl Chee into it, I know you're here in bad faith and your argument is void.

Sorry for the tangent and the long answer but this is the stuff I enjoy. I could talk about the characters of DA for ages unprompted that when someone does throw me a bone, I will discuss and gush about them all.

[mantisgodsdomain]

We ought to write more Pokemon fic some time. We want to recreate the Pokemon Manners/Human Manners cheat sheet that we made a few years ago we think that this site would like the Sliding Scale Of Politeness When Greeting A New Pokemon You've Never Met Before.

[icewindandboringhorror]

Apparently I can meet my goal of roughly 400,000 words in 6 months if I just somehow write at least 2,200 words a day ghbjh... Almost 2,500 today... huzzah...

[coconut530]

Here’s two doodles (late night edition)

[sinhasfluffyheadfur]

have a fluffy lad

[dbphantom]

maybe i should have gone into practical effects instead of computer science...

[nerosdayinanime]

Sanemi & Giyuu were about 16-17 when they both individually went on an undercover mission in the Kaze no Kuni capital city, they henged/disguised as fake personas Kazura (vaguely derived from kaze, wind) and Nakuu ('to lose')

Kazura is supposed to be darker skinned + two-toned eyes like that of Kazan no Kuni descendants & is sensible and confident but lazy, Nakuu has a hairstyle + facial shape from Mizu no Kuni & an outgoing enthusiastic and pretty sly personality

Giyuu put some particular effort into his disguise and really got into the character he was playing up, he also had fun with it where he could- and thats how he met Kazura. i dont have or really want specifics of why where how or such bc it ruins the imaginative bit of it ig? but while they were on the mission they were meeting up, they both knew the other was disguised but neither pried about it. they fell in love a bit, however it means, but as Nakuu's namesake they were never going to last. it was a mission and when it was done they would leave for home and never meet again.

but then they did :)

at 19 sanemi and giyuu had a political marriage arranged(forced) by Kyogo being a greedy fuck and wanting more trade from the Tomioka, in both the Happy & Broken marriage paths giyuu's the one who notices sanemi acting the same way as kazura in some ways and realizes the two are one in the same. In the Happy marriage its a thought that brings a smile to his face and a jest about how they fell in love twice, in the Broken marriage its only twice the heartbreak after the apathy sanemi regards him with and the loneliness that consumes him