#i used to be obsessed with boybands too

[chuluoyi]

Ah! That's so me!! Haha I love giving dramas a try by watching the first episode, if it doesn't catch my attention then I drop it, which is more common that I'd like to admit 🤭 AAAH YOU SAID DOCTOR DRAMA? IN SWEET HOME? ok I'm invested now, anything that's medical related gets me all excited so I might as well try and watch it!!

Ah! Well, for example, some of my favorite dramas are 'while you were sleeping', 'the glory' and 'w: two worlds', I'm telling you dramas I've watched more than once and everytime I see those I get all giggly and excited as if it's the first time 👀👀 I know it's something that changes with time but right now, which ones you could say that are your favorites?

which is more common—same!!🥹 honestly i watch them periodically at this point bcs i think kdramas aren’t as good as they used to be🥲

the glory!!! omg that was so good but it got me so MAD LIKE 🤬 so many times oh lord 🤯 but song hye kyo is so badass and murdering with poisonous flower is soooo 😫 i was like “finally!!”

my comfort dramas are honestly hospital playlist and dr romantic 2🥹 like not many drama and more to realistic side but that’s what i need nowadays aaa and fight for my way is also good!! park seo joon’s dramas are usually great so i love them too ehe🫶🏻

[mentally-gone002]

pretty genius boy

summary: spencer gets a haircut!

a/n: i am obsessed with jesus spencer and boyband spencer so… i decided to do a little fic abt him because he’s my husband (im delulu)

————————————————————————

the front door to mine and spencer’s apartment opened, signaling that he was home. 

he was earlier than expected. 

and so was i. 

i kept washing the few dishes that were left in the sink, blowing at a strand of hair that tickled my face when it grazed my cheek with my lips drawn to the side without looking up as spencer wandered into my line of sight, greeting me with a quick “hey” that caught my attention. he wasn’t looking at me, but at a file from work in his hands.

when i looked up i dropped the glass in my hand and then flinched when it hit the sink basin with a loud thud. “oh, my god!” i raised my voice is shock. “your hair!” 

he flinched at the glass thudding into the sink and then pursed his lips into a smile. “yeah,” he nodded. “what about it?” 

i scoffed, abandoning my chore with soap still clinging and dripping from my hands. “what about it?” i reiterated. “spencer… you chopped it all off!” i reached him and we stood toe to toe and i was craning my neck to see his new haircut. he looked very different. 

he frowned a little. “is that bad?” 

i shook my head quickly to make his frown disappear. “no, no, it’s just… i thought someone broke in at first glance.” i stifled a laugh, reaching a soapy hand to his hair. “give me an hour and i’ll tell you how i feel about it.” 

spencer nodded, laughing gently to himself at how i was looking at him. “okay.” he leaned down to my height and kissed my forehead. “i missed you.” 

“i missed you too.” i smiled into the second long contact. “and i miss your hair!” i frowned. 

he smiled. “it was too hot.” 

“you’re right.” i agreed with my arms crossing over my chest.

“i think you misunderstood the correct meaning of the word ‘hot’ in this context.” spencer told me.

i whined. “stop being so… genius. let me mourn the loss of your beautiful hair.” 

spencer rolled his eyes. “okay. you mourn, i’m gonna go shower.” 

i nodded and watched him disappear into our bedroom before walking back to the kitchen. i dried my hands and grabbed my phone, dialing penelope’s number. 

“hello my lovely!” she answered the phone in the same cheerful manner she always does. “what’s up?”

“spencer got a haircut.” i told her. 

she gasped, already intrigued. “what’s it look like? please tell me it’s not bad.”

i laughed. “it’s not bad it’s just… i wasn’t expecting it at all when he came home. it’s so short.” 

“how short are we talking?” she asked. 

i hummed. “think like… harry styles from one direction, but less fluffy.” 

the woman squealed over the phone. “oh, reid has a boyband haircut!” i could hear her typing quickly before she stopped, there was silence and then she giggled. 

“what’s so funny?” 

“i can’t wait to see his hair! he always has good haircuts. and if it’s anything like harry styles i’m going to go insane.” 

i laughed. “i told him to give me an hour to get used to it. i like it when it’s long because i can braid it.” 

she gave me a pitiful ‘awe’ and then asked, “do you think he’ll grow it back out?”

i hummed. “have you seen all the haircuts he’s had over the last few years? he never sticks to one for too long.” 

penelope agreed with a simple hum as i started walking towards our bedroom. “i’m gonna go, just wanted to update you on the ever changing plot of my life.” i chuckled, seeing the bathroom door adjoined to our bedroom open slightly. 

“i enjoy the updates. say hi to boy genius for me!” 

“i will.” i laughed and then hung up the phone prior to pulling the bathroom door wider for my entrance and then pushing it partially closed again. spencer was hidden behind the dark olive green shower curtain but that didn’t stop me from peeking around it to stare at him. 

his back was to me but i still focused on his wet hair that was a few shades darker and the smallest sight of muscle definition over his back. 

maybe i didn’t need an hour for his short hair to grow on me. 

i withdrew my head from the shower curtain and left the bathroom, smiling to myself with the fond thought of him in my head. 

i went back to the kitchen to finish the dishes and by the time i was done spencer was back in the room with me, a tee shirt covering his chest and sweatpants covered his legs. 

“hi.” he rounded the island in the kitchen to stand beside me at the sink, back to the counter. he looked down at me with the same kind eyes he always had. 

i smiled and shut off the running water so that i could move and stand between spencer’s legs. “hi.” i studied his messy towel dried hair prior to reaching up and touching some of the strands, twirling them between my fingers, then letting my hand slide down to touch his face. i looked into his eyes before saying, “i know it hasn’t been an hour, but it’s grown on me.” a smirk slipped over my lips as he grinned as well. 

“i knew you wouldn’t need an hour.” he teased lightly, leaning down to capture my lips with his for a brief second. 

i scoffed. “how did you know?”

“i’m a profiler, honey.” he reminded. 

i nodded gently, sighing contently. “ah, yes. i forgot.” my smile reflected my teasingly feigned innocence that spencer smiled at. “but seriously, i love it. it suits you, and you’re as handsome as ever.” i winked, smiling widely. spencer kissed me again. i could feel how his lips curled into a grin. “pretty genius boy.”

spencer tucked his head into my neck. i knew he was smiling.

i put my fingers in his now short hair, loving how easy it was to comb my fingers through it now.

[l-in-the-light]

Some thoughts on the relationship between Law and Corazon? Is Law obsessed with Cora? Are there romantic vibes (maybe Law would chose a partner that reminds him of Cora 🤔)? Sometimes I have the impression he values him more than his dead family🙄 I mean we never hear him saying he wants revenge for Flevance.

Tbh I see why you would think that, because I also used to think this way. Like everything Law does is for Cora-san, but never for Flevance, for his parents or his sister. This won't be the usual analysis post, but more like me trying to put everything Law did so far into a bigger picture, to reveal what his actual, longterm goals might be. But first, let's start with Law's love for Corazon.

Who is Cora-san to Law? Many people say a parent, a sibling, a religious figure (because of his devotion and obsession), but I think it's actually none of these. I think Corazon is for Law what Oden is for Yamato. Yamato idolizes Oden, wants to be like Oden, but Oden also gave him hope, a dream, a heart (you could say), because before Oden all Yamato had was Kaido and Kaido took away Yamato's freedom long before Oden even happened. He expected Yamato to be the next ruler of Wano for him, to continue in his footsteps, ever since Yamato was born. Yamato's own wishes didn't matter. But the moment Yamato saw Oden everything changed. It's exactly how Ace says it "you're imprisoned by cuffs, but why would you let him cage your heart as well?". Oden was that light for Yamato he finally saw in the darkness, passion, love for the country and people in it, freedom. And he wanted that too, probably for the very first time, for himself. That's why Yamato carries Oden in his heart wherever he goes. Because Oden just by existing and loving his country gives Yamato hope and strength to keep going. Just like Law carries Cora-san in his heart wherever he goes as well.

Cora-san is his saviour, without him, Law would not be alive anymore. But more importantly he saved Law's heart, he showed him love, compassion, he treated him like a person, not a monster. And he gave him all that when Law needed it the most, literally like a hand of salvation. In that case it indeed feels a bit religious. Does it mean Cora-san is more important for Law than his parents? Not neccessarily, let's not forget Law still has at least one tattoo in memory of Flevance, also he still keeps his hat with him at all times and that's his only memento of his family, most likely. But Cora-san is the one who gave Law a "new life", the same way Yamato received "new life" from Oden, even though they didn't even talk once. And that new life is definitely like a new (re)birth for both of them, that's why Cora-san and Oden will never get replaced in their hearts. Taking away Oden from Yamato will leave him with nothing, and while maybe it wouldn't be as drastic for Law, it would still remove the core of who he believes himself to be and cause a major inner crisis.

In another translation of this line, Law says "It's thanks to Cora I'm what I am now". Cora-san is indeed always on Law's mind, just like Oden is always on Yamato's mind. They both try to live like their idols, Law even called his crew the Heart Pirates in honour of Cora-san, but he also mimicks Cora in many ways: how he walks, how he sits, not to mention that silencing spell he used in battle. Yamato as well, even to the point of him changing his gender and wearing Oden-like clothes. Those hearts on Law's clothes also resemble a bit Cora-san's clothes that always had some heart-like motifs. Would you call it idolatry to the point of obsession? Personally, it reminds me of fans behaviour towards their boyband/girlband idols, especially in Japan. I know it, because I'm also part of that fandom. One of my idols has a special place in his hometown and he talked about it in one of his concerts. Next time he knows he hears from his friend reporting him that fans are now flooding that spot, because they all want to see it. They all want to experience that special connection and treasure it inside their hearts. That's devotion and obsession, sure, but you know, I also think it's really beautiful when the love you have for someone expands to places and things they love, cherishing them like they're special now to you as well. And it doesn't matter if that love is romantic, platonic, family-like, worshipping, because love is just love. If you feel it, you get it. It's that special feeling, the warmth, you carry with you everywhere you go and want to share with the world (or keep it close to your heart, or, sometimes, even both?).

So do I think Law has romantic feelings for Corazon? Nope. But he does love him the most in the world. Would Law want his partner to remind him of Corazon? That's a tricky one though. I basically think Law has a thing for cheerful people (Heart Pirates are cheerful, Bepo is joyful, Luffy is also full of smiles and joy), because he surrounds himself with them. But then one thing doesn't really leave my thoughts: why is Sanji the only one who is called by his title "Blackleg-ya" besides "Strawhat-ya"? Zoro, Nami, Chopper, they're all called by their names or surnames, not counting the few exceptions who get no name/title at all. I can understand why Luffy is privileaged considering the importance of their Sabaody meeting, but why is Sanji? They seem to have no connection. And then I realized what LawSan shippers probably did forever ago already: Sanji is a caring blond guy who smokes like crazy. And that must remind Law of Corazon. And that's the only reason why Sanji gets the extra respect (the onigiri though probably helped as well, ngl!). So I guess I have to reluctantly agree that maybe he has a soft spot for smoking blond guys, because they remind him of his beloved Cora-san. Law seems to be a pretty sentimental guy, so it does make sense.

Now let's move on to the question you didn't ask but sort of asked: does it all mean Flevance or his family doesn't matter to Law anymore?

For starters, Law's goals are very obscure and not really explained well in the plot. But let's look at "waves" that are the result of his plan to defeat Kaido and Mingo. Just the news of Doflamingo quitting warlords put the whole New World in a state of panic. It kickstarted rebellion in Dressrosa. Rulers of kingdoms in the middle of wars started to feel anxious, because they got their weapons from Doflamingo. Kaido was also in trouble, ofc. But it's not just that: right after Dressrosa Big Mom suddenly became interested in Germa... seems she was also benefitting from her deals with Doffy (it shouldn't surprise us, he did say he was holding reins to every emperor and monster there is in the new world!) and with Doffy out of the picture, she was in emergency to find a new business partner. Why Germa? Because of his scientifical research. Many of those kids of Big Mom might also not have been "naturally" born, who knows.

In the end those who benefitted the most from Law's plan were Revolutionary Army (they gained weapons, many nations stopped wars and they could instead influence them for rebellion), Blackbeard (unfortunately) and Buggy (his business was suddenly flourishing). After Wano repercussions for the world grew even bigger, but especially in one direction: World Government. We were told Kaido and Orochi did business with World Government, that's how they got their weapons. Now they're kinda in a pinch, aren't they? They can't get them from Kaido, they can't get them from Doflamingo. This was a huge blow to the Government.

And then we also have Sword, which is rumoured to aim it's blade against World Government or at least Marines in some way. Law clearly has some connections to Drake, whether we believe he's part of Sword himself or not doesn't matter (I know those theories are floating around, and I personally think they're just scratching the tip of the iceberg).

Now let's go back to Flevance. Who was responsible for the tragedy?

World Government. And let's not forget for Law World Government means also Navy. They're both guilty. Taking down Kaido helped Wano, ofc, but it also hugely impacted World Government's sources for supplies of weapons. Taking down Doflamingo freed Dressrosa, sure, but it also eliminated a person that was Government's errand boy, basically. That's another blow aimed at Government. It's all about weakening them, they're extremely strong enemy that no one can take on alone, overpowered, cutting them off from supplies sounds like a good first step towards taking them down, wouldn't you agree? That's a similar thing to what Revolutionary Army did to Marie Geoise, btw.

But then, Law said he only cared for taking revenge on Doflamingo, didn't he? That he has been living only for that purpose. Actually... that's not true, he says some really contradictionary things about his own goal:

Let's sum it up: his goal is to fullfill Cora-san's wish, to free himself (because that's what Cora-san wanted for him, to be free), to pull the trigger Cora-san couldn't on that day 13 years ago. If he thinks Cora-san wanted to pull that trigger himself but couldn't then that would make sense. But that's disregarding the fact that Corazon probably never wanted to kill Doffy, he even said it himself that dying is the only option for him. Law knows it. When he says the line about the "trigger" it's about Law's own wish, he thinks Doflamingo should have died instead of Corazon after all. Cora-san's actual wish was for Law to be free, but Law thinks it was something else: stopping Doflamingo. There are like multiple different wishes clashing here, obscuring the truth from us. And let's not forget the most crucial information: Law never planned to take down Doflamingo by himself! The whole plan was about making Doflamingo resign from warlords so he leaves Dressrosa. Law didn't even care what will happen afterwards to him (though it's clear he wished Navy would take care of him, more so than he cared for Kaido to take care of Doflamingo).

And then we have this:

"I've lived the past 13 years so I could strike Doflamingo down" which sounds suspiciously close to what Kyros was saying before and Law was there to hear it. Yeah, I think he "borrowed" that reason from Kyros, because he didn't actually want to voice his real intention here. We never doubt Law in this scene, because later on he repeats the same thing to Sengoku, and we don't expect him to lie to Sengoku, right? But I think what Law said was aimed just to make Sengoku feel better (he can relate to that, Sengoku is just mourning Rosinante!), and Law keeps quiet and hesitating what to say before Sengoku literally pushes an answer out of him. Law is hiding things from us, many many things, and most important one of all: what's his ultimate objective.

Whatever Law's true goal is, it must be related to this conversation he has with Cavendish. "You will be in the eye of a storm", and Law's answer: "That's my intention".

Of course as we learn from his conversation with Sengoku, Law has perhaps some doubts whether going around and causing chaos (and perhaps aiming for Government's neck) is the thing he should be doing, and he voices his concern like this:

Is this what a D. should be doing? Is this what Law should be doing?

And then in Wano we learn that his next goal is, curiously, to find out the meaning of the D. He still wants the answer to this question (is this what he should be doing?), that's why. But I believe Law is already setting a plan in motion to take down the Government somehow. That plan is very dangerous and can swallow his life in the process. He never told Luffy about it, because he wants to keep him out and away from it, not to "drag him down" together with Law (trying to finish alliance early was probably also partially a prevention of this). I wouldn't say what Law is aiming for is suicidal, but he is ready to put his life on the line and die if that's what it takes. And I hope we will finally find out the full scale of this and his ultimate objective, before this guy does something extremely stupid and reckless.

Last, but not least: Law is basically the person pushing the new era (after Whitebeard's death) forward: he destroyed the gears in Punk Hazard, he announced the deaths of the emperors, all those moments carry symbolic meaning. But is Law trying to make a world a better place or is he just trying to get revenge on World Government? I guess only time will tell us. I have faith in him and I think he cares more about the world and people than it seems. But he definitely also wants to give them a payback, for Flevance, for his parents, and also for himself. And now that he's free, truly free (in his own words: he stopped Doflamingo so he's free to do whatever he wants now), what's stopping him? Probably his own heartbroken ass at the moment, because of what happened to Heart Pirates, but ugh. I really think it won't stop him for long. We will get that revenge, Law will be the vigilante we hoped he will be and it might break us.

I could ramble more about Law's plans, but it would enter highly speculative territory and basically I would be grasping at straws at every corner. But I think I did catch on to some obscure foreshadowing, once again. Anyway, anon, not sure if this is the answer you hoped for, but those are my honest thoughts based on overthinking a lot about plot, story and stuff like that, as well as about Law, like always.

[thelesbianpoirot]

i don't really care about taylor swift one way or the other, but i love the fact the biggest celeb on earth rn is a woman who overwhelmingly dresses "comfortably" (outside of her dancing leotards you rarely if ever see her in something skin-tight or lowcut/etc, if you get me) and wears only "normal" makeup as opposed to drag queen makeup, etc. she's just a celeb to us, but to little girls growing up and seeing her that's GOT to have a mental impact. when i was growing up it was heroin chic kate moss super skinny, and it's never left me, the idea that i need to be under 100lb to have worth. i really hope all those millions of 8yo's looking at taylor singing her lil songs looking human have that imprinted on their psyche forever too.

I agree. I couldn't even pretend to give a fuck about Taylor, but the way people are obsessed with painting her like she's the devil, or that she is uniquely untalented has a lot to do with her image. For all the shaming they try to do with her dating life, she is pretty clean cut. They complain she is for basic white b*tches or say they hate her because of her carbon foot print, ignoring beyonce has sweatshops making her clothing for her fashion line or the impact of fenti. She is no different than any other wealthy celebrity. She's still very feminine, but in a closer to natural than the beauty standards of today. She's like 90s celebrity feminine, and she still has to diet, exercise, wear makeup, go to stylists, have micro procedures etc. I think it's one of the reasons people hate her. In a few ways she won't changed for them. She looks older, but generally the same as the day she entered the industry. This is quite the feat. I notice she is one of the few big named female popstars that gay men don't worship. Too many men say how much they hate her and how mediocre she is. And this is coming from men who worship Charlie XCX. And a large amount of libfem women hate her with a childish unfounded passion, while licking the boot of any untalented man or popstar sing explicitly about dick loving. Little girls and young women being obsessed with Taylor Swift isn't a problem, it's an improvement, just a few years ago they would be obsessed with a boyband, Justin Bieber or one direction. Swiftees aren't more unhinged or annoying than biebers, directioners or the beehive were/are.

However, I have to say, She isn't gay, people who think she is a closet lesbian are delusion on the level of flat earthers. That is my only beef with swifties.

It is hard to recover from the desire to be sickly skinny because it never really goes out of style. People are enamored with women looking like we're on the verge of dying, the only difference today is they want you to get a butt implant attached to your withering frame. People are going to the surgeon for hollowed out cheeks. Dickensian Orphan aesthetics pop back up every few years.

[orangemocharaktajino]

For a show that was bad pretty much from the beginning, Beyond the Star really outdid themselves by making the final episode so much worse than the rest. This was probably the worst final episode I've ever seen (other than MODC) and that's kinda impressive.

My toxic trait is if the NC scenes are good enough, I can forgive plot holes big enough to drive a bus through.

I loved Tonnam and Phupha, especially in episodes 6 and 7. And unfortunately that's where the fun ends because this bus is just too big.

I have been known to obsess over objectively bad shows before because my main goal as a viewer is entertainment. Sometimes bad writing and ridiculousness can be their own type of fun, imo.

I initially started watching Beyond the Star only because of Willi (Kita) who I loved in another high heat show with very questionable writing, Till the World Ends.

From the initial trailer of Beyond the Star, it seemed like the main storyline would be about twins Tin and Tul (played by actual twins and not simply one actor!) fighting over a man. Now, when I say man, I mean it because another thing that I was excited about initially was this cast's ages. The average age of the main cast is just shy of thirty years old which is something I would frankly love to see more of. Kind of weird for this to happen with a story about a new boyband, but hey.

The main characters and the ages of the actors who play them:

Kita - 34

Nathee - 27

Kengkla - 27

Namo - 26

Tonnam - 27

Phupha - 29

Trin - 30

Tul - 30 (obviously)

Copper - 30

Dance instructor Kawi - 30

CEO Araya - 33

CEO Kiat - 35

I didn't include the babies of the group Mawin (20) and Mangkorn (20) in this because I feel like we got more scenes of other characters explaining away their absence than we got scenes of them. They weren't even in the last two episodes at all so their story had absolutely no resolution.

Unfortunately that's kind of the case for most of the plot lines in this show. We had way too many characters with simultaneously too much going on and not enough going on. Way too much of the CEOs plotting only for them to inexplicably team up at the end. And way too much dance rehearsal footage that apparently needed to be shown instead. The last episode was chock full of loose threads.

I have so many questions

Why so many scenes of Nathee talking about how hot Kita's dad was when he was younger?

Why did they do Willi like this with this wig?

What happened with Kita and Nathee's relationship? Why did they have zero scenes in the finale?

What happened with Film's blackmail plot?

Why wasn't Nathee in the group at the end yet and previously disgraced Kita was?

What happened with Kita and Kawi being pissed about Kita's song being stolen?

Narrator: He did not deal with anything

Why wait until the very last episode to do anything with Tul and Tin and Copper? Okay, so Tul told Tin early on that he liked Copper. Tin agreed not to pursue Copper only to then immediately fuck him the very first chance he got? They decided to have a quickie in the bathtub while Tul was running a simple errand that he would be back from very soon? Not only did they not hurry, they didn't even close the fucking bathroom door????? Tul and Tin almost immediately made up after this even though apparently they already fought over a guy in the past?

Why did Kengkla even like Namo? Bro straight up told him his religious beliefs were stupid and they never really addressed this?

Did they break Namo's glasses during their sex scene? They showed Kengkla taking off Namo's glasses and putting them on the bed beside them and then a few seconds later they seemingly rolled over on them?

What was with Kengkla's pained expressions during their NC scene in the finale? Between that and Namo's unhinged smiling paired with the throat grabbing I couldn't tell what was supposed to be happening there. Kinky shit? Does Namo use cosmopolitan magazine's 2004 indian burn handie technique? Too much teeth? The possibilities are endless

Tell me this man isn't Bajoran though with his religious devotion, nose bridge wrinkles, and dangly earrings

Why even include the suicide attempt plot line? The whole thing was infuriating but especially them patting themselves on the back for solving Tonnam's suicidal tendencies by comforting him in the hospital?

You don't have to be sad buddy, you've improved as a dancer!

Narrator: It was not resolved

Also, here's where I have to admit I gave the writing team too much credit. I repeatedly thought that scenes were surely included for a bigger narrative purpose but that was overwhelmingly not the case.

In earlier episodes they showed a hidden camera in one of the rehearsal rooms at the agency that was, unbeknownst to the boys, streaming online. When they showed Phupha and Tonnam about to get it on at the agency and Tonnam specifically said he was worried about being seen, I thought that they were maybe going to be unknowingly exposed online and cause a huge scandal. When I saw the promo for the finale where it showed Tonnam on the ground with pills all around him, I thought for sure that was where they were going. I thought it was a little late for a big plot point like that but oh, how little I knew.

Why have Kengkla asking repeatedly why they're focusing so much on singing and dancing when he wants to be an actor only to have him turn down the acting job so he can be in a different boyband at the end?

Bad writing, bad directing, bad editing, bad pacing, bad dancing (perplexingly shown in slow motion which only exacerbated the lack of sync), bad singing, no character development, way too much focus on the two rival CEOs who are the producers of the show which explains so much.

The workshops must have been good though because the chemistry was the rare positive. Kita and Nathee had a few good scenes and I loved Tonnam and Phupha (except in the finale which I'm going to forget I ever watched). The kissing in the NC scenes was good all around but the lack of direction was pretty apparent. Lots of up and down and back up kind of aimlessness with too much position switching. It seemed like the actors were giving it their best but weren't given any specific instructions and were just kind of stalling until they heard cut.

The intro was catchy but I can't say the actual group they apparently built this show around promoting (in the most roundabout weird way) doesn't leave a bad taste in my mouth because of this mess.

Don't watch this unless you want to try your hand at the world's least efficient way to learn the numbers 1-8 in Thai

Or you know, maybe you could just skip around to the good parts

May these guys find better writing in their next projects

Sadhu

[blossoms-phan]

im trying desperately not to look at too many snippets/clips of the song all while I engage with spoilers bc that’s the part I lowkey want to be the most like surprised by/just taking it all in for the first time irl but i can’t help myself it’s so fucking cool and camp and they just know us and themselves so well im literally obsessed with it 😭😭 the choreo, the lyrics, how it’s just so fun the little moves they do with each other, the way it goes from like fun boyband to a whole ass fuckin rave that’s going to be going on in like beautiful historical theatre type venues and just a building beside someone’s college campus is so special to me

[miseria-fortes-viros]

(brings microphone to your face) tell us abt ur au!!!! whatever you're willing to share, i love hearing abt wips.

OOHOOHOO OK!! so i have talked abt this before but i don’t think i have a tag for it however im going to go back thru and tag ALL of it bc well. i like all of my things in one place. ANYWAY. i’m going to put this under a cut bc it will be LONG because i cannot help myself ever. so, i present: trc rival bands au!

this is the pinterest board i’ve made for the au that i cannot stop adding to. i’m refraining from sharing my spotify playlists because uh. those are a major part of the story and i don’t want to take that away from it 😭 BUT trust me they are SO good. im obsessed.

anyway. rival bands au LETS GO!!

gansey, ronan, henry, and noah make up the (pop punk?/alt rock?) band Kings of Henrietta.

ronan plays lead guitar. he’s the son of legendary irish rockstar niall lynch and also ex lead guitarist of the boyband the lynch brothers. he plays a seven-string ibanez xiphos in black flat (VERY sexy guitar VERY difficult). its name is chainsaw. he has perfect pitch. he’s also very, very irish

gansey’s lead vocals and rhythm guitar. he grew up hollywood royalty but was never really interested in acting, just did it because it was expected of him. his exodus from the film industry in order to be in a band was originally widely considered a long shot but now. well. one of the most famous bands in the world and all that. he plays an obnoxiously orange gretsch jet that fans have dubbed “the pig”.

henry’s bass and backup vocals. he’s the heir to two tech fortunes but ran off to be a musician and was a solo artist for a few years before the formation of KOH (think yungblud). he has a classic rocker haircut, he’s openly queer, he’s a weirdgirl fashion icon. he plays a custom made electric blue fender precision with lightning detailing. he calls it “madonna” but this name has yet to catch on

noah plays drums (and also provides vocals on occasion if the occasion is screaming). his parents are music producers, his sister adele is also in the industry. he breaks at least one drum stick per show and tosses it into the pit. hardcore fans can and will fight for it.

they are SO fucking famous. like taylor swift 95m monthly spotify listeners famous. like people recognize ronan just from his hair like eminem famous. about to leave on one of the longest world tours ever famous. it is INSANE how famous they are.

they all met at aglionby and often played together but didn’t form a band until after niall lynch’s murder and the disbanding of the lynch brothers. there’s a few years gap between graduating aglionby and the formation of KOH

some circles still believe ronan killed his own father however they are very few and far between. WHATEVER

blue grew up in a house full of musicians. she can play pretty much anything under the sun but prefers drums and guitar. she went to juilliard on scholarship, which is where she met adam

adam did not grow up playing music with his family. he grew up learning it in secret. he cannot play everything however he is a VERY quick learner out of sheer willpower. he graduated high school as valedictorian and immediately got the fuck out of there to go to juilliard (also on scholarship). he and blue were inseparable almost immediately

they moved in together after graduation and blue took him home to henrietta when the rent started to get a little too high. they officially formed their band page of wands in blue’s room at 300 fox way

“page of wands” merges both of their symbolic tarot cards together (page of cups + magician). did i mention blue was raised pagan? she was. as to be expected. anyways.

virtually unknown indie rock band page of wands posts a cover of a KOH song. they do not expect KOH to see it. they also do not expect KOH to return the favor in front of tens of thousands of people. KOH does it anyways. because gansey is ENAMORED. he is SO FAR GONE.

blue hates this. she hates it so much. unfortunately POW’s sudden success is now irreversibly tied to KOH and there’s nothing she can do about it. or is there

their record labels agree to a rivalry. success! this is what she wanted

except it’s not. but she doesn’t know why

cue enemies to lovers. and long distance pining. mutual destruction. the entire music industry watching this all unfold. bluesey. pynch. way too many spotify links. you get the picture

guys i literally CANNOT stop thinking about this i don’t know what to do. what do i do. i am so lost. please help me

[gracefullou]

thank you for tagging me @berlinini and thank you for the person who created this lovely game ❤️

when did you become a louie?

Around January 2019. I watched the X-factor uk and after it was over, i missed the pretty blue eyed ex-boybander (sorry for this dull description of him 😬 but that's all I knew about him from the show, they never mentioned his solo music) so i decided to check him out, i found back to you and the rest of his solo work and fell more in love 🥹.

your earliest fandom memory?

I don't really remmember tbh and tbf i was a very laid back fan before walls. At the top of my head, i remmember the two of us release and the interviews he did for it and all

your favourite song (one off walls, one off fitf)?

It changes from time to time but right now i'd say always you from walls and all this time from fitf.

your favourite music video?

Walls mv. It's a masterpiece 😌

favourite gig?

From ltwt, i'll never get over the Austin show it's so special to me idk. And from fitfwt the London and New York shows. Special mention to the Scala show that he did in 2019, i've always loved this show and after aotv i love it even more 🥹

favourite louis hair?

The first Afhf hair and cinammon roll

favourite louis interview?

Both Zach Sang interviews. I also adore the Wired video where he answers Internet questions (he was absolutely lovely in it like that's the loml 🫶🏽) and that actually me segment for GQ

suit louis or tank top louis?

I love both but suit Louis supremacy 🫡

favourite louis tattoo?

I'm obsessed with his it is what it is and far away tattoo (and almost all of his tattoos they're so aesthetically pleasing tbf)

favourite louis bodypart? (c'mon we all have one!)

I'm obsessed with too many 🫣 but especially his beautiful shiny hair, his pretty blue eyes, and of course his waist (and 🍑 of course).

[nightswithkookmin]

I'm inactive from twitter nowadays so am always somehow behind the new updates,but always catch up when I can.about jimin going to newyork for work I heard no one knew about it? But been noticing jm pulls off this crazy crowd at the airport everytime hes alone.but I don't see this crowd for others?..it looks like jimin has his own solo huge fanbase in his country? this also after jm being barely active on social media but seems fans and kmedia really love jimin.,the first time he went to us and stayed for two weeks the crowd was insane too and some said he paid kmedia to bring fans in which is ridiculous.

He paid to get fans to the airport?????

I mean if he was gonna pay anyone it would be me and I'm not seeing any check in the mail🤷🏾‍♂️

People can be so corny 🙄

BTS is the most influential boyband in the world and people marvel when the one member people have always been curious about attracts attention whenever he steps out- never mind that he's also been the most inaccessible scarce member following the announcement of their solo careers.

All this talk about jikook going private-

It's such a wonder to see their brains at work

Not even gonna lie I would pay with my own money to rally up the hoes at his front door so I'm in no position to Judge let alone condemn anyone who does this too.

If anyone is paying the media to be anywhere it is his fans. It is me. I did it. Jimin has nothing to do with it. They should leave him alone.

We gonna get him the crown, the trophies, the streams, the plays, the clout, the attention, higher ratings, play his soft core PR managers, manage his brand- if we could post and curate his IG ourselves we would. If we could pay for his flights so he flies private or 1st class all the time we would, if we could choose which programs he should be on we would, if we could be his agents we would, if we could create a whole new planet for himWE WOULD.

People underestimate just how obsessed his fans and detractors alike are with him. I tell you his haters are his biggest promoters and we thank them.

We mean business out here darling. Other stans are just lazy. Look at what they doing to RM!!! They not even giving him the clicks!it's been four days and still life isn't even clocking 10m- they should stop worrying about Jimin and go stream like the bitches they are

JM stans want to see him do better and that motivates everyone in one way or the other no matter their reach. PJMs are resourceful. It's why fake woke OT7s cancel them a lot💀

They spend so much time and energy abusing others they reserve no energy to support their faves.

He has in us a ride or die and people are just jealous.

Jimin stans we are dedicated🙃

Look at me. I've been through the wood chip, lived through several moments of BTS droughts- I should hang my coat and retire yet I'm still here💀

Had friends who've told me to give all this up and live my life- I'm no longer friends with them🙂

I'll give you up before I give Jimin up

I am here till the final curtain call🙂

On a serious note, guys go watch Still life MV and let's push it to at least 10m damn

[instantartific]

I was joking about making a beta10 oc but now I kind of like the thought of it.

The thought of the original prototype that Neon brought in being so... so damaged, so hurt from the war that the bot never truly recovered from it. And it fought him tooth and nail when he tried restoring it, too; whatever prior identity it was given didn't take well to realizing it'd been "captured" and is now being "held hostage" when it needs to be out on the battlefield. The thought of it possibly growing aggressive at first and warning to use force (before again realizing it can't. That time is really J's doing.) And all of this because it doesn't recognize who J is, because:

You are not the man I am meant to command to. Where is he?

And it takes a while. It takes a good while for it to finally adjust to this new situation and its new chain of command as it seemed. (When it finally accepts that J and its former Captain were one in the same, or that J was a renowned Captain in and of itself, it would gladly offer to dismiss itself for such horrible behavior. J heavily refused, of course.)

And something about the thought of this original, this prototype, eventually being rehabilitated enough to help J around the mansion and monitor him as it is but never being able to accept that the war truly ended, no matter how many times J tells it. Something about the thought of J finding letters written to someone who's passed or was never alive to begin with or was a serial number all along. Near obsessive amounts of writing in the beginning that eventually die off to twice a year: an anniversary and a birthday. J helps it 'mail them' to an address that doesn't exist. In reality, he still has them.

The new 1010 end up being made / repurposed in lieu of it, essentially. It gets all the tweaking and upgrades as practice before it gets distributed to the rest. And they end up being far more "personable" than it will ever be, but it is still raw. It still knows everything they've forgotten.

If it's still functioning after all this time... it helps J around with more technical things behind the scenes. It monitors security. It even can work as a body double for one of the others, should an absolute emergency occur.

I don't know, man. Just the thought of the first bot J works with since his recovery never being able to be in their little cool sexy boyband or whatever because it still can't move past the war, the same way J himself can't.

But the difference is one of them was born, not made.

[alarrytale]

Hope it´s not just me but Louis´ shorter haircut looks so good on him and he should keep it like this imo. Also idk what gifts dedicated to F he got lately on the airport and I even don´t care because it gives me creeps in general (I never saw any fans being so obsessed with their idols kids and idk it just proves how fake dad he is that he endorses it but whatever....anyway, he looks so great since his performance in Finland and especially after Berlin with his shorter hair and now even freshly shaved and hopefully well rested and I´m so in love with him and hope it´s all because H takes care of him in between his festival shows because maybe there are rumours about where he is, with no actual proof so.... Don´t know if anyone noticed these funny coincidences lately so let me point to them

in Finland Louis wore that black sweater vest by the same brand H wore his blue vest when went to football in March (ig it was march)

them both using their opportunity on stage to tell everyone "It´s coming home" like a signal they will get together in couple of days, ofc it´s plausible because every english football fan is yelling this

H and his bluegreen songbird

HL in Berlin and their synced outfits

Louis bluegreening since Berlin

Maybe it´s all only a coincidences or maybe it´s just them telling us that they are very happy together right now. Oh and Louis also wore kind of a rainbow vest recently so I take it as a coded clothing.

Hi, anon!

I like the shorter hair too! It looks much better on him. And i love the clean shaven look also, though i don't mind the beard. I should also appreciate the boyband shirt he's wearing, but i very famously hate the Bea*les lol.

I see the coding and the "coincidences" too. Louis has worn that green and blue PAL hoodie three times now. He can't love it that badly haha. I hope it continues!

[mynameisnotthepoint]

Ossan no pantsu EP 1

First of all: thank you to @isaksbestpillow for providing us with excellent subs for this drama :)

Second of all: This is a disclaimer that I have watched this drama with subs that were mostly machine translated, so this is less of a first time reaction and more of an "i finally have the whole picture now".

The first episode sets up the premise of the show quite well. Our main character, Okita Makoto, is a man who has no respect from his family (his wife Mika who is a stan of a boyband, his daughter Moe who makes doujinshi and his son Kakeru who is a recluse and experiments with cute clothes and make-up) and his subordinates at work. His world views are of decades past, he even seems to live in the past sometimes.

Makoto is obsessed with doing things in the patterns expected from society, at least as he has internalised them. This manifests at work in the fact that his subordinates want more of a work-life balance, do not contact coworkers on holiday for a work-related matter and think Makoto is strange for insisting they should work until the job is finished, no matter what. It also shows with his male subordinate who wears a bra. He sees the outline of it, convinces himself that it can't be, and then gets proud confirmation that it is, in fact, a bra. He cannot handle it - and this will be a storyline that continues in the next episodes. BUT! For the enjoyment of his family, he is willing to go into a cake shop where there are only girls - a scene that made me nostalgic for Old fashion cupcake, one of my favourite bls of all time (I even own the manga).

Then there is Igarashi Daichi, the gay son of Mika's friend, who Makoto encounters several times during the episode. The first one is when Makoto is walking down the street, encounters a young man who clicks his tongue at him (again no respect from the younger generation), then almost falls down the stairs and is saved by Daichi. He encounters Daichi again when he learns that his son Kakeru is having a guest who happens to be a gay man. Despite the positive interaction he had with Daichi earlier, Makoto throws stereotypes of gayness at Daichi. During this conversation, which is more of an accusation by Makoto, Daichi stands his ground and explains that if society could really change him, he would have been straight. Kakeru screams at Makoto to leave. Before his last encounter with Daichi, Makoto realises he must change his ways in order to find a connection again with the people around him. Daichi offers to help him "update" himself.

What I also found interesting is that Makoto said that he never learned about these things in school. Makoto is my parents' age, and I see in him a lot of the behaviors of them reflected. Insisting on formal training for learning about queerness and other societal issues, when the time they went to school was very different from today.

What I think this show does well (from the first episode) is not to villainize any of the characters. Nor does it get too preachy or educational. Makoto is an ass, but the seeds of him that can be updated, can flourish into a more tolerant and nicer human, are already there.

[sugdenlovesdingle]

Twenty questions for fic writers!

thanks for the tag @bonheur-cafe 💜

How many works do you have on ao3?

in total 265 - emmerdale 238, Lone star 27

What's your total ao3 word count?

659,962 (!!)

What fandoms do you write for?

Mainly 911 Lone Star at the moment but I do have a RWRB fic in the works (for a new years gift exchange 🙈) and I'm sort of playing with a Buck/Tommy og 911 idea because they've taken over my brain since That Kiss.

Top five fics by kudos

I'll just stick to Lone Star for this

Austin TX first responders week

It started with a concussion

Filling in the blanks

Love and Lou

See you later

Do you respond to comments?

I try to! I appreciate each and every one of them but I never really know what to say other than thank you (also I tend to over-think things). I really should make myself do it more often. We writers complain about people not commenting, but when they do, they should at least feel like it's appreciated!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't do angsty endings. Though PS I love you is kind of... emotional I guess

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

All of them. I need a happy ending in my media - always. Though Fire Camp, Love and Lou, and Love online (god I need to work on my titles) all end with tarlos getting married - so that's definitely happy.

Do you get hate on fics?

I have in the past but not on Lone Star fics.

Do you write smut?

I have attempted it... but that's as far as it goes. Nothing worth posting!

Craziest crossover:

I've never actually written a crossover. I don't really read them either. (911/lone star is the only exception)

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No but I have translated fics way back when I was into ATWT Luke and Noah, does that count?

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yep a few times.

All time favourite ship?

I don't have one favourite ship. I have a few favourites on rotation that sort of take centre stage every now and then.

Robron, tarlos, Nancy/Marjan, Buck/Tommy (my favourite at the moment), Kate/Anthony Bridgerton, Pacey/Joey Dawson's Creek, Ian/Mickey Shameless, Henry/Alex RWRB

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

All of my multi chapter robron fics probably 💀 I still get kudos on them every now and then but i'm kind of done writing fics for them I think. (Unless Ryan Hawley gets his ass back to Emmerdale, then I won't be held responsible for my actions)

What are your writing strengths?

I don't know... I like writing dialogue I suppose. Maybe banter™ I've gotten comments from people saying certain parts of my fics made them laugh. And most stuff i write is a fluffy "what if the bad thing never happened?" kind of deal.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Actually finishing things? lol I can't describe things for shit. And sometimes it's a challenge when writing tarlos fic to not slip in British expressions. I learnt British English in school and years of obsessing over British boybands and watching British soaps have *influenced* my writing/English skills in general.

And also sometimes it's "fuck what's [Dutch word] in English???" and then i spend way too long digging through online dictionaries and stuff because NOTHING FITS and WHY IS THERE NO WORD FOR [THING]???

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

Don't do it unless you speak the language or know someone who does who can help you with it. I've picked up some Spanish pet names/words in the tarlos fandom (and Spanish shows on netflix) but I won't go any further than that in my fics. And I'd rather die than use Dutch.

First fandom you wrote in?

Luke and Noah (Nuke!) As The World Turns

Favourite fic you've written?

I don't know. Most of them have something special that makes them stand out (to me). But I got kudos on The first morning the other day (aka I saw it in the email from AO3 and didn't remember what it was) and the music/musical theatre trivia i slipped in amused me.

I have absolutely no idea who's been tagged so I'm just going to leave this as an open tag for whoever wants to play!

[kyndaris]

Behind the Scenes with The Little Prince

On our second day in Busan, bleachpanda and I headed to Gamcheon Culture Village. It is a place known for its twisting alleys and colourful houses and painted murals. Built on a steep mountain-side slope, it's often been called Korea's 'Santorini' or the 'Machu Picchu' of Busan. But the creation of Gamcheon Culture Village was due to a project to contribuet to the social, cultural and economic regeneration of an underprivileged village through culture and arts while also preserving the village's original features and historic value.

Consequently, it was a must-see location for bleachpanda and I on our trip while we were in Busan.

Of course, getting to it was a trek and a half as bleachpanda and I took a local bus towards a stop nearby and climbing up a fairly steep hill. While there was another bus we could have changed to, the internet had told me the walk wasn't too long.

What it didn't tell me about were the changes in elevation!

At the very least, we didn't explore the labyrinthine alleys running in and out of Gamcheon and kept to the main road whilst we were there. I don't think our knees would have liked us for climbing up and down a series of stairs.

Still, given the brisk morning we endured on the first day of March, the climb up to Gamcheon served to warm us up before we entered the village proper. Bleachpanda, as always, immediately zeroed in on the first souvenir shop that caught our eye, buying up almost all of their stock of earrings and other goods supposedly for her family and friends. I tried valiantly to stop bleachpanda from spending more than her means but she would not be denied.

Wait. She's telling me that's not quite the full story and to stop spreading lies lest she murder me in my sleep.

Fine! Bleachpanda did buy a copious amounts of pins and a few other souvenirs for her friends (none for me though despite the fact I'm her best friend in the world), but it was not so much that it would break open her suitcase. I, on the other hand, picked up three pairs of socks and even nabbed a crocheted dragon keyring. It was a bit expensive but it was also very cute and adorable.

What stood out to me as bleachpanda and I explored Gamcheon, I couldn't help but notice a strange obsession with Le Petit Prince everywhere I looked. As most people know, Le Petit Prince is a story written and illustrated by a French writer, Antoine de Saint-Exupery. According to Wikipedia (because, as we all know, it is a fount of knowledge that is, in no way, inaccurate and should always be everyone's go-to place when it comes to information), it is the second most translated work ever published.

The story itself revolves around an aircraft pilot's chance encounter with the little prince and his journey across the stars after feeling the need to expand his horizons after falling in love with the rose. After seeing so many different thing, taming a fox, and befriending the aircraft pilot, the little prince desires to return home and see the rose again. He does so by allowing a snake to bite him. When the pilot awakes the next morning, the prince's body cannot be found.

While I haven't read the book, I have attended a live stage show of it when it was hosted in the Sydney Opera House and watched a movie.

In any case, Gamcheon had plenty of murals of the Little Prince. There was even a sculpture of him staring out over Gamcheon with his fox companion that many tourists lined up to take photos with. Heck, there was even Little Prince bread filled with either custard cream or red bean paste!

Besides The Little Prince, there was also much love for the Korean boyband, BTS (short for Bangtan Sonyeondan). Though I don't have an undying love for the group, I did remember hearing that BTS went on hiatus from recording and performing to focus on solo projects, and to also complete their military service.

Having missed our chance to rent out a hanbok while in Seoul, bleachpanda and I stumbled upon a rental store in the heart of Gamcheon. While I have never revealed my face here on my blog, I think it appropriate that I do a 'back-of-the-head' reveal. More importantly, I just wanted to show off the hanbok we rented because we could only wear it for an hour and it cost bleachpanda and I 15,000 Won each.

Still, although it was only for an hour, we had plenty of time to prance around Gamcheon village and take several photos in and around the nearby streets.

Once we had explored Gamcheon to our satisfaction, we decided to head to the beach. Yes, it was a blistering cold day and we were never going to head down into the water, but I had heard good things about Haeundae Beach, and my work friend had also recommended it. So, after taking a bus down from where Gamcheon Culture Village was located, we took the 1003 bus all the way to the other side of Busan.

At Haeundae Beach, we strolled down the promenade and took in the sights of the locals and tourists gathered there. Haeundae, according to hte internet, is South Korea's most famous beach and is often filled to the brim with umbrellas during the peak August travel season.

Of course, since bleachpanda and I were there in March, there was hardly an umbrella in sight. Nor was there anyone in the water.

It was, after all, only 4 degrees Celsius.

Now, while Haeundae Beach is a popular destination for many, my work friend had also told me there were sky capsules that would allow tourists to get in an excellent view of the coastline.

Unfortunately, by the time we arrived to book a sky capsule, a vast majority of the bookings had been taken. As bleachpanda and I had an early start tomorrow, we chose to forego the capsules and head back to Busan Station to grab an early dinner (as we had skipped lunch). This turned out to be Chinese dumplings at Maga Mandu. And what big dumplings they were - especially when bleachpanda ordered the steamed prawn dumblings!

Thus ended our second day in Busan!

And what a day it was! From a morning trek up to Gamcheon, putting on a hanbok and gallivanting around with The Little Prince, to taking in the sights and sounds of Haeundae Beach. All the while on a public holiday! The 1st of March is a national day to celebrate Korea's independence from Japan.

But we also had an early start to the morning and so were quick to retire. After six days in Korea, we were returning back to the Land of the Rising Sun.

[stylesunchained]

I was looking through my concert pics and videos and it’s just so incredibly weird to realize how much the vibes during Harry’s tours have changed throughout the years. I was lucky to have seen him in 2018, when he only had one album out and the venues were still smaller and loving Harry Styles™️ wasn’t popular on the internet just yet. I remember how incredibly different it was to be in the same room as him then, to hear him sing those songs he clearly loved and connected to so much and how meaningful it was for the fans that were there and had waited years and years to see him.

I had such a meaningful experience with him during those two concerts in my country that along with friends I was crazy enough to fly out to LA to see his last concert of that tour and it was one of the craziest, most fulfilling experiences of my life. The videos I got were shitty, the seats even worse, but I was there and seeing him do Thriwi for the first time because HE refused to leave the stage and say goodbye to us was a moment that really stuck with me throughout the years.

In 2019, I was lucky enough to see him again in two different but very meaningful moments in his career and I watched as he transitioned from the popular boybander to a respected artist and a beloved “celebrity” (I hate the word but it’s the only way to explain it) that moved crowds with his music and the kindness he preached.

But as the years went by, not only did he change and evolve, but his fandom changed too - except they changed in a not so great way. I was fortunate enough to have seen him for LOT a few times and the difference in the crowds across all of the Harry concerts I’ve attended is *shocking*, to say the least. Everything I see now, post the Harry TikTok Renaissance era, is fans competing over who’s getting more clout on the internet by attending the biggest amount of shows, getting the closest to him in pit, getting the most outrageous interaction/reaction out of him or getting noticed by the most amount of people for their choreographies/outfits/whatever the fuck they did that time to get people’s attention.

There’s been a shocking shift in fan behavior that went from gratitude to entitlement. Camping culture also has become increasingly competitive and the same people keep hogging barricade every night and shaming those who can’t or won’t camp for an outrageous amount of time, are taking away other fans chances for a GENUINE interaction with Harry.

It’s really come to the point where people have become more obsessed with the fame they can get out of being at a Harry Styles concert, than the joy of getting to be in the same room as Harry and singing the songs you love so much with him. And don’t get me wrong, I’m not condemning people who post about their shows but it’s the fact that’s so clear that getting the perfect photo or the perfect video to post on the internet for clout has taken precedent over being intentionally emotionally and mentally present, in the moment, sharing that experience with Harry, that breaks my heart. It’s just so sad to me that this is what it’s come to.

What I missed the most when we were all in lockdown and forbidden to be in the presence of other human beings were concerts. The sense of community, of coming together for the love of that artist or band that means so much to you. Of screaming and crying to the songs that made certain moments in your life or gotten you through the most difficult days.

I understand the financial practicalities of the residencies, especially given how much Harry and every artist lost when they couldn’t tour, but I long for the day we’ll be able to go back to the normal type of touring, where everyone can get excited about seeing him and sharing those moments with him and his music instead of clout chasing on the internet. And I hope, for his sake and well being, that he puts his foot down the next time so he can get rest time but also get back to doing more unique things for himself and for his fans.

[mintywolf]

A Long Road Home - Author Notes

Page 14

I’m so glad these two touch-starved neruodisasters found each other.

Regardless of how familiar you are with some of my other work you can probably guess who her is. It’s been 31 years since she’s had a hug and the last one ended VERY POORLY. :C And it’s been up to 8 years since anyone has voluntarily gone near Imogen.

I just realized I’ve been neglecting to make it clear that Pâté’s dialogue is actually coming from Laudna, oops. All his text bubbles have been pointing to him. (She’s just a really good ventriloquist, had a long time to practice.) But it’s an important distinction here because she’s using him to communicate while she’s too overwhelmed and uncomfortable to speak about herself. This is mostly extrapolation/headcanon on my part; although she does have him talk about her a few times in canon (mainly about his own origins) it isn’t because she was reluctant to do so herself. But I kinda wonder about the repercussions of him having his own voice now that he’s her familiar and not a puppet she can speak through, having that means of expression cut off from her.

I also want to take a moment to say that I’m really, truly touched by how warmly this comic has been received! It means a lot to me to know that people are looking forward to it every week.

When I was about middle school age I had to learn to curb my enthusiasm for my creative projects because I used to get in trouble when I got too excited or talkative about something I was interested in or working on. My mother would get not just impatient but punitively ANGRY about it. (Which hurt because at the time a lot of it wasn’t fandom but original stories and characters and worlds and mythologies that I’d created and was building with my friends.) She used to call me into her room and tell me “You just go on and on and ON” and that no one in the family wanted to hear it, and my friends weren’t really interested in all of this and were just humoring me. If she thought I was getting too obsessed with something she’d limit my access to it and didn’t let me visit my friends’ houses too often because she was afraid their parents would think I was weird. So I learned to keep how much I care about anything to myself. (In retrospect it’s now pretty obvious to me that there’s some undiagnosed neurodivergence here that she was just not equipped to parent, but at the time it was very damaging, especially since she didn’t treat my neurotypical siblings the same way and let them happily obsess over boybands and middle school drama.)

(And nowadays she’s pretty much chilled out about it, although I am still careful to hide my interests from her. She knows I have them, but she doesn’t know how deeply I’m involved or how much they mean to me. One notable exception was a few months ago when I came back from a convention where I’d cosplayed as Matilda and she wanted to know what my costume was and I couldn’t explain without delving into the seven layer cake of Backstory there, haha. But she was kind of bemusedly tolerant about it. Also if I emotionally damaged you at PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia last December, hi!)

All this is not to say Woe Is Me but to explain that to this day, every time, I have to punch through a wall of anxiety to put my work out there, especially something as emotionally charged and heartfelt as this, because I can’t interact with anyone without her voice in my head like Delilah freaking Briarwood telling me that no one else is really interested. I have a hard time participating in fandom spaces and discussions because even though I know we’re all there because we are rabid about the same thing I still worry that people aren’t going to care about what I have to say. Sometimes I’ll post on discord and then immediately delete it because I’m afraid I’m imposing even though I know I’m allowed to be there. :|

So, if you’re reading this, thank you. I love you! All of you!! It means so, so much to me to be creating something that is wanted and enjoyed. <3