#in the show they're even more obviously an old married couple and i love it

[caffeinated-bibliophile]

I'm finally watching Good Omens since I just read the book and I think I'm going to prefer the show.

[ereawrites]

Hey gurl✨ I’m in my wife era rn so maybe some Shisui and/or Tobirama husband/jealous husband hcs?🫣 I loooovee your writing and tbh your thoughts are my thoughts so no pressure😩 If you not feeling it feel free to ignore me babe🧚🏻‍♀️

YOU HAVE FED ME SO GOOD MISS GIRL! under the cut for length

shisui

this isn't too relevant but I have to include it. it's too cute. I definitely see shisui getting married pretty young, like early 20s. if he finds his person he's going for it. probably gets a lot of shit for it from his family, but he doesn't care

loooong honeymoon period. in part because they're still a young couple but also... shisui is just a really devoted husband. he loves the married life. insists on kissing her goodbye every morning, eating together every night, stuff like that

LOVES DECORATING THEIR HOUSE are u kidding me. let's say they get a kinda shitty place right after they get married, and put a tonne of work into doing it up. he gets so into painting, building the furniture, even starts up a little herb garden in their kitchen

finds so many ways to drop his wife into conversation lol. he's down bad even after the honeymoon period ends, so he wants to show her off. his FAV is when she swings by his workplace to bring him his 'forgotten' lunch. he turns around to the rest of the guys like. yeah. that's my WIFE. isn't she hot.

very much a believer in keeping the romance alive. he wants to keep making the effort with her until the day he dies. veryyyy good at remembering anniversaries, scheduling regular date nights, etc. always makes sure she has fresh flowers in the house

obviously it isn't all perfect though. especially while they're young (and presumably both still active, high-ranking shinobi) their schedules keep them apart a lot. and this hits shisui really hard tbh. he hates coming back to an empty home after a long mission, knowing he might not even see his wife before he has to leave again

work is probably where most of their arguments stem from, actually. I don't see it being a regular thing, but it's easy for resentment to build in those kinds of situations. shisui is very torn between his love for his village, and his love for his wife, and the fact he can't prioritise both. thankfully shisui is a good communicator so they make things work.

in terms of jealousy... I don't see it being a common thing. maybe before they get married he tends towards it a bit more, but once she's his wife, why would he worry? she's his entire world and he knows she loves him just as much

the only way I rly see him getting jealous at all is if they're going through a bit of a rough patch for the reasons mentioned above. maybe they haven't seen each other in weeks, and they both get back from a mission on the same day. and there's some kind of event/function that evening that they have to attend

so they barely have a chance to acknowledge each other, before they're pulled apart again by the crowd. so if shisui sees some random guy getting a little too close and flirty with her, he gets more annoyed than he'd like to admit

even then though.. he's not necessarily jealous as much as he is upset. like goddamn just let this poor man have his beloved wife to himself for a night. in this situation he's more likely to behave more rashly than usual, and he might just make some excuses and take her home lol. he gets a little bit pouty until she gives him some attention

overall, though, he's very chill. he trusts her implicitly, and expects the same from her. they need to have a very honest, respectful relationship if he's going to wife her up

god okay and in old age they're so cute together. I bet they have a bunch of kids (probably accidentally tbh lol) so then they end up with a whole squadron of grandchildren. he's that fun grandpa who sneaks them sweets when the parents aren't looking. all the grandbabies want to sleep over at their house. and they LOVE it.

to sum up: very good husband. very relaxed, communicates well, makes her feel loved every day. why did he have to die I want to throw myself off a bridge.

tobirama

first of all. good job to this woman. wrangling tobirama into marriage is not an easy job. he's so fucking ANNOYING. it probably takes him years to confess he even has feelings for her, let alone ask for her hand in marriage

but once he gets there. it's pretty cute. he doesn't really act very differently for the most part - he'd already decided his heart belonged to her well before they married, and wholly committed. so his behaviour doesn't change much, and there isn't much of a honeymoon period. sorry. he's like marriage is just a contractual agreement why would it change anything between us

he does make a few little indulgences though. he gets this smug little look every time he introduces her as his wife. he's actually just a lot more prone to 'showing her off' in general, and more likely to show some physical affection in public. for tobirama that's maybe a peck on the cheek lol. but it's progress

he's definitely a lot.... gentler?idk. with her once they're married as well. he makes an effort to be more patient and less snippy, and shows his appreciation for her in a lot of quiet little ways. for example, he'll be sure to leave work on time no matter how busy it is if he knows she's putting a lot of effort into dinner that night. or if she spends a second too long looking at a new dress in the store, he's buying it for her

on that note. tobirama is such a provider once they're married. he does have that traditional idea of providing for his wife. he'll probably ask her if she wants to become a stay at home wife tbh. if she says yes, he still expects her to get out in the community of course. he'd love if she did volunteering work, maybe at the hospital or with kids or something. but he's also equally happy for her to keep working. power couple vibes very strong

they have a nice, quiet little house away from the village where no one bothers then and they loooove it. especially tobirama, his wife and their home are his sanctuary. everyone else gtfo

other than that, not much is really different from before their marriage. they probably actually lead quite independent lives, to the point where people don't even know they're married until tobirama drops it into conversation a few months later. they're very private and lowkey.

unfortunately for her, tobirama's paranoia also persists. he's a bit delulu sometimes lol and she knows this going in. but it does inevitably cause some issues, especially if she's headstrong (which is definitely the type of woman he ends up with)

he trusts his wife more than anything. he would never doubt her for a second. but other men? the enemy. not to be trusted. they're all dogs. it drives him absolutely batshit crazy to watch them ogling her, or god forbid trying to flirt with her. which is actually kinda common bc they're such a lowkey couple, so people assume she's single

tobirama isn't one to make a scene per se, but this definitely leads to a few awkward situations in public, and she probably ends up embarrassed a few times. and there's 10000% arguments behind closed doors. I don't see either of them being good with this lol. he acts like she's his political enemy he's ridiculous

but because he loves her so much, and he actually really wants to put work into the longevity of their marriage, he'll come around. he's a lot softer and more willing to compromise when it comes to her. but she can't point that out because he's mortified

over time, he chills out a lot more. they're one of those couples that just get stronger and better with time. they grow a lot together, and although they probably continue to disagree a lot throughout their marriage, it's always in a way that leaves their relationship stronger. and he only gets softer for her. people (hashirama) even start to point out how devoted he is and he can't even deny it. cute

overall a kind of difficult husband, because he is an exceptionally difficult man, but my god he loves her so much. he would do anything to make her happy.

[topguncortez]

“i’m worried that if we go there, and things don't work out... things might never be the same.” with rooster! please and thank you! :)

prompts list:) thank you for the request!

All of Rooster’s life he was told that everyone gets one “great love” in their life. His mother’s great love was obviously his father and the one reason why she never remarried. Rooster could remember when he was about 13 or 14, asking his mother why she never remarried. It had been over 10 years since his father’s passing and Carole had never so much as looked at a male the way she did Goose.

“Because it wouldn’t be fair,” Carole told her son, a sad smile on her face, “It wouldn’t be fair to marry a man knowing I couldn’t love him the way I love your father. He was my great love… and I’ll never find another one like that.”

Bradley wondered if towards the end of her life, when she was alone in the house for those last couple of years when he was off at school, if maybe, just maybe she wished she had someone there. He asked her again, on one of the last good days she had, if she wished she had found someone to spend her life with.

Carole again, gave him a sad smile, “It wouldn’t be fair. There’s only one person I’ve been praying about seeing again.”

Bradley hadn’t realized it at the time, but the older he got, the more he envied what his parents had. “A Great Love” that was as if it came straight from a romance novel. “A Great Love” that held steady for years, despite his father being deceased for more than half of it. “A Great Love” that seemed to come so easy to them but for Bradley, was nearly impossible.

Except, it wasn’t impossible.

No, Bradley did have a “Great Love”, in the form of the neighbor girl who lived in the blue house next door. The girl who used to make mudpies with in the backyard. The girl who teased him relentlessly when he got braces only to end up with wires on her own teeth a couple of weeks later. The girl who is his best friend… and is currently crying on his couch over her now ex-boyfriend.

“A-And he was saying stuff and I-“ You sucked in a deep breath, trying to will the tears to stop falling down your cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Ducky," Rooster said, using the age-old nickname, even though he wasn't in the slightest sorry. Sure, he felt bad that you got your heartbroken, but he was celebrating the fact that Douchebag Dan was finally out of your life, "You deserve better."

"I thought he was the one!" You sobbed, "He had me sending him ring options!"

And suddenly Bradley hated Douchebag Dan even more than he did fifteen minutes ago when you showed up at his doorstep.

"Hey," Bradley said shifting closer to you, his thigh touching yours, "You know what this means though, right," You looked up at him with big sad eyes and the most adorable wobble of your bottom lip, "Your great love is still out there."

You rolled your eyes, "I'm starting to think that's a hock of shit," You flopped back on the couch defeated, "I've dated three guys in my lifetime all for over two years and none of them have put a ring on my finger," You held up your hand, wiggling your ring finger, "It's just not going to happen. I don't have a great love."

"Sure you do."

"Where!?" You looked over at Bradley, "Where is mine?"

"Maybe, you're looking too hard for it. Maybe they're closer than you think," Bradley simply shrugged, reaching for his beer bottle on the coffee table.

"Yeah?" You quipped, "What about you? Have you met your 'great love'."

Bradley sucked in a breath, knowing he couldn't lie to you about this or hell, about anything, "Yeah," He admitted, "But she doesn't feel the same."

You felt a pang in your heart, causing you to sit up, pulling your legs underneath you, "Does she know?"

Bradley shrugged, "I think so. I mean, I-I've known her forever."

"Oh," You were trying to rack your brain of the potential girls that Bradley had his heart set on, "Do I know her?"

"Mhm," Bradley pursed his lips, taking another sip of his beer for he stupidly gave himself and his stupid crush away. A stupid crush that could mean the end of the longest, greatest friendship he has ever had. You were the one thing from his childhood that had managed to stick around. You were there when his mother died, when his dreams of following his father's footsteps came crashing down, when he got his acceptance letter to UVA, when he graduated flight school and got his wings, when he graduated from TopGun.

All the major memories that Bradley had, you were always right there. He couldn't let a stupid crush end that. He couldn't let his heart and his feelings complicate things. He couldn't-

"It's Phoenix, isn't it?"

Bradley spat his beer out of his mouth, coating the coffee table in sticky alcohol. Your eyes widened as he coughed and wiped the beer from his lips.

"What?" He choked out.

"Your great love," You muttered, "Is it Phoenix?"

"Hell no," Bradley shook his head, "That-that's crazy."

"Not really, she's pretty and you're around her all the-"

"It's you," Bradley cut you off.

You felt your heart stop in your chest as you stared at your best friend, "W-What?"

He sighed, hanging his head in shame, "It's you, Y/N. It has always been you. You are my "great love"."

"Bradley, I-"

Bradley shook his head, "I didn't mean to do this. Not when you're upset over Douchebag Dan, but. . .fuck, I can't take it anymore," He stood up from his spot on the couch, beginning to pace, "Watching you go with guys who have no idea what it means for you to look at them like they hung the fucking stars. To have you love them and kiss them and be with them day after fucking day. I love you, Y/N. I have been in love with you."

Fresh tears were in your eyes as you looked at the man who is your best friend, "Why didn't you tell me?" Your voice was barely above a whisper.

"Because I’m worried that if we go there, and things don't work out... things might never be the same," Bradley's big brown eyes shone with unshed tears, "And you're all I have left. I can't lose you."

"You won't lose me," You stood up from your spot on the couch, walking over to him, "Cause I love you too," You grabbed his face in your hands and placed a kiss on his lips.

[chireikiden]

Might be a pretty basic take by the standards of more seasoned yuri fans, but it's my perspective as someone who's mostly read yuri in a Touhou context (though a lot of it), and exclusively manga from the Japanese fans as opposed to i.e. written fics.

Touhou yuri (using it very broadly here to describe any kind of wlw shipping present) is, across the board, in a pool of fan literature going back twenty years, remarkably good at taking the lesbian part for granted. Not counting outright het content or works that simply don't bring it up, I have only very vague memories of a character's lesbian orientation being either denied or even brought to question (even in the cliche "But we're both girls!" manner, which even as a somewhat dead horse trope you might still expect to see, given plenty of doujin writing isn't exactly highbrow). You might be able to read "Does she like girls?" between the lines in the usual question of "Does she like me?" if you really want to, but the way it's still basically treated as default is fun to me. There's a reason Touhou basically has honorary yuri status on e.g. Dynasty Reader, even the stories with effectively zero shipping in them. You might not notice if you haven't browsed the site, but it's literally nothing but yuri + Touhou. We even got upload rights just so we could post more Touhou.

(Of course, Touhou being yuri city is part of the reason any hint of straight romance gets a really strong kneejerk reaction from people, including me. But that's also because the lack of usable male characters makes that shipping inherently hamfisted, up to and including literally making up cardboard villager OCs. Basically the only positive example I can remember off the top of my head is Hisona's An Old Poem for the Cuckoo Bird depicting Youki with a 1000-year-old mostly joking crush on Nue, which after some chin-scratching I decided I liked alright. And Hisona of course has plenty of yuri cred to cover for it.)

But although taken for granted, most Touhou yuri is one or more of: a.) On a "blushing maidens thinking about holding hands" level in its approach to romance, b.) Only depicting the starting moments of a relationship, at best - usually just pining, c.) Only off-handedly teasing, basically to acknowledge the ship is there, d.) Showing a very close and loving relationship but leaving the romance part subtextual, even if thinly veiled.

While those are all fine - some of my favorite artists like e.g. Ashiyama undeniably fall under d.) - it means that artists who depict more established couples, and couples that get depicted as more established, stand out. I love when a story is very blunt about two characters, whether the focus is actually on them or not, already being an item. Be it due to a difference in target demographic or what, many of these works seem to have a slight lean towards being more raunchy/horny even when not outright R-18, but I don't actually mind that too much when it does happen - as long as they're fun and raunchy, as opposed to only raunchy or, god forbid, unfun in raunchy ways.

I like how Moyazou depicts Mokou and Keine as basically-married. I like how Atoki depicts YuuParu or SakiYachi after drawing like twenty books of them (each). I like when Kawayabug depicts Tojiko as Miko's beleaguered wife. But the example of the day is obviously risui (of Ladies of Scarlet Devil Mansion), who you might have guessed inspired this ramble. Funnily enough, in LoSDM she seems to have walked back Meiling and Sakuya's relationship coincidentally at the same time she toned down the content to fit SCoOW's guidelines, compared to her usual works that have MeiSaku at a much more established and mutual stage.

But the point stands that it's really fun to see LoSDM almost rub it in your face from the very start - from Meiling's dream to every other conversation she has - that everyone in it is unapologetically and openly lesbian, assumes everyone else to be a lesbian, and doesn't hesitate to talk about it like a (romcom idiot) adult.

Also, risui draw lady very good

[renthony]

Perhaps a 🏳️‍🌈?

(Drop a 🏳️‍🌈 in my inbox and I’ll respond with a queer media recommendation!)

OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes is a show I'm astounded didn't hit my radar when it was still airing. I only started watched it this year. Created for Cartoon Network by Ian Jones-Quartey, it follows the titular K.O., a kid training to become a hero in a world where superheroes and supervillains are totally commonplace.

Here's the teaser:

OK K.O.! really feels like it should have been a hit with the exact same people who loved Steven Universe, Adventure Time, Gravity Falls, and The Owl House. That's not to say there's no fandom around it, it's just...way smaller than I expected. Which is a shame, because the show is in that exact same vein of "kids'/family show, but with a great emotional narrative, made by nerds who love old cartoons and want to put in as many easter eggs for older viewers as possible." There's a crossover episode with Captain Planet, of all things. It's great.

There are multiple queer characters, and I love all of them. There's an absolutely fantastic duo of queer villains who are depicted with wedding rings by the end of the series, and they're what first made me want to watch the show. They literally get a Brady Bunch parody episode after moving in together. Aside from them, one of the major hero characters is bisexual (confirmed by both word-of-god and a small bi pride sticker included in-show), and she gets a girlfriend. There are a couple other side characters that get confirmed as queer, too.

The vibes of Steven Universe and OK K.O. are very similar. Rebecca Sugar sings the outro to OK K.O.. There's a crossover episode where Garnet helps K.O. and a few other Cartoon Network heroes. Rebecca and Ian are married and their shows very obviously influenced (and directly reference) each other, so if you liked Steven Universe even a little, go check out OK K.O., because chances are high you'll love it. Ian Jones-Quartey deserves way more recognition for his work on both Steven Universe and O.K. K.O., imho.

Ask For a Rec | Other Media Recommendations | Support Links

[the-ace-with-spades]

Silly idea but what if Jake's dad actually loves Bradley

So, they're together around flight school time and Jake actually has a good relationship with his dad (it's his mom that went crazy when he came out -- his parents are currently divorced because of it, too) so he introduces Bradley to his dad when they have a free weekend in Kingsville and drive up north to the Seresin ranch.

And Jake's dad instantly adores Bradley. Like, calls him son from the first day and tells Jake he has to marry him someday (when they're out of the Navy, obviously). They actually have a lot in common, same taste in old cars, same taste in oldie music, Donny Seresin absolutely adores that Bradley can play piano and sing, and they have the same old man taste in drinks and Bradley is quite good as a mechanic (repairs a tractor the first day he's there) and they just can talk for hours without feeling awkward since day one. And Jake's dad can clearly see that Jake's boy has been through a lot and he's as soft as Jake so he takes it personally.

Since then, Jake's dad and Bradley actually talk more often than he talks with Jake. Jake finds it hysterical but also a bit sweet that his old man and his boyfriend (who is mentally a bit of an old man himself) get along so well when Jake thought there would be shovel talks and treating to bury Bradley's body somewhere on their farm if he hurts Jake.

One day, Donny Seresin just tells Bradley to call him dad. Obviously, Bradley feels weird about it since he already had two dads and a pops and they're all just bittersweet memories so he's like, I'm sorry I can't call you that, my dads are just still---

Donny Seresin tells him to call me pa, then and Bradley does. Donny gets two father's day cards from Kingsville.

When he finds out Bradley's got no one to pin his wings when they finish flight school, he volunteers. Jake gets his pinned by his sisters and Bradley gets his pinned by Jake's dad.

Thing is, Mav is in the audience that day. He knew he'd be crossing a line if he showed up on the scene to do the winging but there's this strange man who's pinning the wings on his son and he can't take it, he's miserable and fuming and just so angry (with himself, mostly).

Jake and Bradley break up and Bradley stops calling Donny. Donny waits a couple of months before calling Bradley, on father's day of all days, saying I think you forgot to wish someone happy father's day.

And they start talking again. And Jake hates it. At first.

Their break up wasn't as explosive as people think --- one day Bradley was there, arguing about which cereals they should buy, the next he was packing his stuff and flying to Japan without telling Jake a thing, not picking up his phone. Jake reacts to even a mention of Bradley with disdain.

His dad says something about Bradley sending him Japanese whisky and Jake explodes.

Then a few weeks later, his dad mentions Bradley had an emergency sea landing and Jake is still pissed but also worried. Because he's still in love with Bradley.

So he allows it. Pretends he's mad whenever his dad mentions Bradley while secretly being grateful he can keep tabs on Bradley somehow.

Fast forward after the mission, Bradley and Mav (and Ice) reconcile and Jake and Bradley get back together.

Donny Seresin comes to San Diego for holidays and to visit his sons. Bradley takes it as an opportunity to introduce him to Mav and Ice and just to make their family meet officially Jake tells his dad all about how much of big names Mav and his husband are in the Navy and Jake's dad is like, well, to me they're just a pair of crap parents.

When they all meet, one could cut tension with a knife because Mav recognizes him instantly as the guy who pinned Bradley's wings.

And then Bradley calls Donny pa in front of everyone.

Mav is green with jealousy the whole evening (which later shapes into wallowing in self-pity) that this stranger got to be a dad to Bradley in some capacity throughout the years he didn't. Especially that Bradley is still feeling a bit wary and hasn't called them dad or pops again yet.

Meanwhile Jake is even more hysterical about the thing because he's just realized it means Bradley has four dads in total.

[charlieconwayy]

Just curious what you don't like about Cory/Topanga if you feel like talking about it!

hey, i don't mind!

first off i think boy meets world in the context of just a purely heterosexual show makes it age pretty poorly, and that all stems from cory and topanga. i know one of the writers said a while back that the writers room was torn between shory and corpanga, and tbh, rewatching as an adult, that's extremely evident. i'm not gonna make this post all about shory bc that's reductive but i am first and formost a shory girl and a firm believer that cory matthews is a gay man

so let's get into it.

i really really love s1/2 corpanga. idk if it's just bc ben/danielle felt more natural back then or if it's bc they actually allowed cory to be wrong and topanga to be right, but it's just so sweet. one of my all time fav ship moments from the show is the frickin sock basketball scene where they touch hands and he giggles. so adorable! but i think what really makes them suffer after s1 (and kind of s2) is just that they clearly made topanga a normal, kelly kapowski girl-next-door type to make her more "desirable" for the male audience. that could be an entire separate post, but it's so fucking obvious that that's what the change was and it sucks because topanga was great the way she was.

they're not like hatable in season 3 exactly, but the "old married couple haha look how old gross and boring they are" trope when they were legitimately sophomores was just weird? and this is a retrospect thing but i hate how the show just kept retconning shit and pretended they never broke up in season 3, as if a HUGE storyline and one of the most iconic episodes (the happiest place on earth) wasn't about them getting back together? and for me just the concept of the ~universe wanting them to be together~ over and over again is just so fucking lame when they were so toxic. (great video on this here)

they really don't do anything wrong in season 4 either, but a long walk to pittsburgh is honestly so beyond ridiculous LMAO. i know everyone talks about how romantic it is, but i hate it because topanga literally runs away and moves back to philly just for cory. i know they claim it's to finish at john adams too, but i would find that much more believable if they had developed topanga AT ALL outside of cory. we know almost nothing about her home life and they wrote trini out so we never even see any friends of hers! the trend of them fighting and talking down to amy about their love is so fucking stupid too. like you are sixteen. it is fine to love someone and want to be with someone, but amy is right that it's not healthy for them to be as obsessed with each other as they are. like cory literally doesn't know who he is outside of topanga and that's NOT healthy.

oh lordy. s5. i'm not going to get into how much i hate that shawngela (a MUCH happier, more interesting relationship) was reduced to "wanting to be corpanga" in both their intro episode and then fucking gmw, but even the "old married couple" stuff in "chasing angela" at the restaurant is so annoying. "last tango in philly" is one of my fav episodes, but it's the perfect example of how cory can never accept he's wrong. shawn tries to tell him they should stop, and he just tells shawn he knows nothing about relationships and keeps being a dick about topanga and her (obviously gay) friend. but obviously, you're here to hear about how i feel about the cheating. yes, cory cheated and he genuinely liked lauren. for the show to act like he didn't is just gaslighting their audience. and tbh? i think ben and linda cardellini had excellent chemistry (certainly more than he and danielle did at that point . . .) and i think it's completely healthy to date more than one person! it was nice seeing cory be able to open up and bond with someone else, and yes, what he did was cheating. just bc he changed his mind and decided he "couldn't live without topanga" (bless u probably queer writer for what u did w that line :') ) doesn't mean that it didn't happen. topanga had EVERY right to break up with him. it does piss me off that we barely saw topanga's reaction to the breakup when there was a whole ep dedicated to shawn's reaction (and i say that as the #1 shawn stan), but that show hated women lbfr. AND WHY TF WAS IT BAD FOR HER TO KISS JONATHAN JACKSON WHEN SHE AND CORY WERE BROKEN UP????? bc cory can't accept things not going his way and not having control. the "we are a masterpiece" scene makes me so fucking angry omg i cannot

and i mean, bro, the yale shit has been talked about to death, but topanga lawrence going to the same college as straight d-student shawn hunter has got to be the dumbest, most woman-hating shit the show ever did. love can survive long distance if you put the effort in, trust me. (yes i am aware that the show prob didn't want to separate their main couple, but s6 was almost entirely about shawn anyway so????)

then in seasons 6 and 7 we get into the "cory yelling at and publicly humiliating topanga" trend. "undapants" is iconic so i'm not gonna go into that episode (fuck you "take her back to your tornado infested trailer park" line!), but i can name at least seven occasions where cory pressures her into sex. and rider strong is right. it was extremely holier than thou how they constantly made it seemed like corpanga was better than shawngela for not fucking before marriage. like isn't there a line where they call shawngela sluts in s7? the whole honesty bit in "the truth about honesty" (admittedly one of my fav eps) is also just ridiculous bc both of them always get pissed off at the other one for being honest, even in the past. i've seen people get mad at topanga for throwing yale in cory's face but lbr, who didn't see that coming? i guess maybe it's a little weird bc she'd never been resentful about it before, but that's a HUGE thing in their relationship. and yes, it is weird that she's using his razor without his permission but again just the pressuring her to show him her ass is also fucking weird (it's also weird imo that they've been together "their whole lives" but they've only ever kissed, but again, holier than thou bullshit)

one thing i can say about how weak and uninteresting their relationship actually is is that their ENTIRE wedding episode is about shory, bc they are the much more compelling dynamic in cory's life. weirdly enough, i do actually really like cory's vows though?? on a shawn hunter stan note, oblig "that best man speech was bullshit" comment. it's completely normal and healthy to have a best friend outside of your partner? especially when you can't be honest with your partner. god i fucking hate that bullshit. just like how i hate in "seven the hard way/the war" how they portray cory abandoning his best friend/true life partner for topanga AND THEN IN FUCKING GMW THE BAD FUTURE FOR EVERYONE LITERALLY CAME TRUE!!!!!!! omg i will go insane if i think about that for longer than a few seconds.

end of post, but leaving this here

[olderthannetfic]

Me, an aroace person: You know Miraculous Ladybug, which has used the actual words "ace" and "aro" about characters, has been accused of queerbaiting?

I admit that that confirmation about Max and Alix was on the showrunner's Twitter, and that Western children's animation is much more prone to cancellation at too big an onscreen hint that there's queer characters than a Netflix show being adapted from the book by one of the same people who wrote the book. You might have a fraction of a point about using the actual words onscreen here.

But you understand why I am not convinced that you'll think anything is aro and/or ace rep unless it's set in the present-day English-speaking featuring characters who would freely use those specific words about themselves.

And you understand that, while I would indeed like more media that meets that very narrow description, I would also like much more media with ace and/or aro rep where the characters wouldn't use those words about themselves. Either because outing themself is dangerous, or because they don't speak English so they don't have those words, or, you know, they're six thousand years older than those words are, and they have been a bit busy preventing the apocalypse to update their self-description.

--

I just want people to understand the sheer degree to which "They're like an old married couple!" and "It's a love story!" is said about absolutely every piece of buddy media ever, including by queerphobes who adore this media and have no problem with the type of love they see depicted.

GO does nothing outside of the buddy cop show mold, and that includes the heart eyes (which I agree are intense).

This is literally the same level as Starsky & Hutch in the 1970s.

That's why I'm skeptical about it as significant representation in a broader sense. (Obviously, it feels personally meaningful to lots of individual people.)

When I talk about "representation", I'm talking about something that is blatantly, objectively, and intentionally in the canon, not something that can be read in if fans choose to—Not even something the creators maybe sort of meant as one possible set of subtext among various.

It's the difference between having a black lead and making a show about an alien played by a white actor whose problems with oppression can be read as a metaphor for racism.

GO isn't a case of a character in a historical drama describing their attraction in historical terms or not having language to describe it but canon's writer(s) clearly knowing what kind of attraction the character experiences: this is a story about non-human characters that side-steps the whole question of sexuality for them and presents itself in a very standard buddy story way that a huge swath of the audience will likely read as cishet by default even as they pay lip service to angels and demons technically not having gender, sex drives, etc.

This type of love story is everywhere. It's every epic friendship stretching back through most media traditions into the time before the invention(s) of writing.

If one sees oneself in a piece of media nobody actually can invalidate that. It's a feeling. It's personal.

But I wouldn't give GO's creators any particular credit.

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 14 – AUTHOR WEEK

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Amuly

Amuly is not only a master of smut, but also of unique and interesting concepts. I'm constantly in awe of how varied their writing is. There are a ton of fantastic fics on their AO3, but I'm going to have to limit myself, otherwise I'd probably want to rec all of them, they're just that good.

Here's some of their work that I think you should check out:

Shower Rocks

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 1,268 Tags: Domestic Fluff, Sam is a Good Bro, Steve vs the Future

Summary: Steve decides it's time to stock his shower up with some of Tony's bathing supplies. Even if one of those supplies is a strange, scratchy rock.

Reasons why I love it: First off, the Sam and Steve friendship in this really warms my heart. Steve is such a considerate sweetheart, Tony should hurry up and put a ring on that. This fic is sweet as hell, so go and get yourself a little treat!

Fairy Godmother

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 5,186 Tags: Peggy is Tony's Aunt, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Alzheimer's Disease

Summary: Auntie Peggy has been telling Tony stories about Captain America his whole life. Only problem is, the real thing just about measures up to the stories. Which means, of course, that Aunt Peg has to go to work, because an Aunt's work is never done.

Reasons why I love it: Peggy is so sweet with Tony. Thank god for her, honestly, considering how Howard was. And her playing matchmaker is amazing. I love the moment she sees Steve again for the first time, and it's so heart-warming to see Tony visiting her later on in life. I wish we'd gotten that in canon. This fic is wonderful, and I really hope you check it out for yourself!

Close Shave

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 4,123 Tags: Shaving, Bathroom Sex, Porn with Feelings

Summary: Steve and Tony are stuck in a hotel room waiting on an AIM arms deal. Tony makes fun of Steve's straightedge razor, Steve thinks Tony's LASER hair remover couldn't possibly do as good as a job. Steve offers to show Tony exactly how close a shave his razor has to offer. Obviously this leads to sex.

Reasons why I love it: This fic is so fucking hot! I could cut the sexual tension between them with a knife, and shaving as foreplay is something I've always loved in fanfic, so this is right up my alley. Plus, the hints of possibly something more than just sex are fantastic. I love this one so much, please go and check it out!

Gold “Member”

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 3,004 Tags: Extremis, Sexual Humor, Bottom Steve

Summary: Tony realizes one night that the golden under-armor he pulls out of his skin with Extremis can be pulled out to cover only very specific parts of his anatomy. Namely, his penis. He decides he really needs to share this with Steve.

Reasons why I love it: This fic is hilarious in concept alone, so I was surprised how much the feels actually hit me while I was reading it. Steve and Tony give off major old married couple vibes, their love for each other is palpable. Plus, the smut is really hot – Steve being a sapiosexual made me smile. I love this fic, so I hope you check it out!

Sheriff's Watch

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 2,646 Tags: Marvel 1872, Blow Jobs, Western

Summary: Steve and Tony enjoy each other company in Tony's home of technological marvels. But there's something out there, and Steve's beginning to take notice.

Reasons why I love it: I really love the descriptions of Tony's house with all of its inventions. And the smut is so fucking hot, my god. Steve discovering the wonders of sex is always fun, and this fic definitely does the trope justice. I love it so much, and I bet you will too, so please go and check it out for yourself!

[phil-lesterfan]

What are your thoughts on Squidbob tell me now

HI!!! i know you said now and it's been a few hours but we'll put it up to time zones. anyway, i was thinking about this ask and ultimately it's that quote from dan in that interview, right? "best friends, arch enemies, husbands, business partners, partners in crime, soul mates, just mates, who the fuck knows?"

obviously it's antagonistic, but on spongebob's part, it's unintentional (my knowledge is rusty, and i'm not fully caught up on spongebob, though i've seen a few squidbob moments from more recent eps) and when he does hurt squidward, he genuinely feels bad about it – when he picks up on it, at least. but, like, when squidward says spongebob has hurt his feelings or when it's really obvious, spongebob takes accountability and tries to right his wrong(s). even if that means making the situation worse, lol

AT THE SAME TIME, yes, squidward can really hurt spongebob and even enjoys seeing him hurt, but he understands when things have gone too far, and it seems to me like he doesn't just want to be in spongebob's good books for the sake of his reputation. take "fools in april" for example: squidward really hurts spongebob with his "prank" and it's a very public prank where people make clear their disapproval of his actions. of course, no one wants to be seen as the huge asshole, and squidward even says "it hurts, doesn't it?" to plankton when plankton becomes the most hated thing in bikini bottom. BUT when squidward apologises to spongebob, while he struggles, it's clear he wants to (he just physically can't) and he doesn't know everyone else is at spongebob's house. he genuinely just wants spongebob to like him again. (plus, he finds it humiliating when it's revealed other people are there – clearly, it's not about reputation)

the other obvious one is "dying for pie" where he puts spongebob's life in danger and realises he doesn't want to be responsible for spongebob's death nor does he really want spongebob to die at all.

it's also insanely cute to me that he's, like, as far as i know, the only one who calls spongebob "sponge" – i don't think i've heard any other character refer to spongebob like that . . . except maybe patrick? but i might be confusing it with a – you guessed it – squidbob scene.

also the way squidward's voice goes all soft when he calls "spongebob sponge" :') and how he's protective of spongebob too. like in "pizza delivery", when the customer is rude to spongebob and spongebob sobs, we can infer squidward KNOCKED THE GUY OUT!!!!! and he went back over to spongebob and reassured him that the customer was happy with the order and everything was ok :)

squidward also gets flustered when spongebob compliments him and spongebob likes it when squidward is having fun. i think deep down, they both genuinely care for each other, and they both want the other to be happy, they just have different ideas of happiness and aren't sure how to get them to align. there's really great potential there, and i personally love relationships like theirs where it's just so fucked and they're more prone for divorce but they keep remarrying anyway

sorry for this mostly focussing on squidward . . . spongebob is a bit more complicated to me bc he's a mix of childish and mature and you're never entirely sure when which facet will be more prominent. ultimately though i think they have the potential to balance each other out but still have a good time together (as in, they won't settle right into "BORED old married couple"). when i have more thoughts on spongebob's side of the relationship, i will let you know o7

i know this spawned from the "to be loved is to be changed" post tags, but for squidbob's part i feel i was mostly joking or i probably made a tblitbc comment while watching spongebob with my irl and i've forgotten why, LOL – let me think on it some more and let me watch more of the show, and i'll get back to you on that. :)

[thrilling-oneway]

whenever people want to hate on d4dj why do they jump straight on "It's queerphobic bc..." as if it doesn't have the best queer rep of any rhythm game out there.

1757 words about queer representation in D4DJ and other rhythm/gacha games below cut

Like there are actual valid reasons to not like d4dj. There's definitely an issue with sexualising the high schoolers, I've made posts talking about it before. But at the same time, if you as someone who plays other of the major gacha/rhythm games is going to say that, you should probably address that SIF, bandori (and maybe enstars? it's been a while since I played) have some dodgy cards as well. Admittedly these cards are mainly old whereas D4DJ is still producing these, but you shouldn't act like your preferred game is perfect either.

But especially saying that D4DJ is queerphobic is so weird. To say that just proves you have no idea what actually happens in the game, and you're just taking screenshots out of context.

Firstly hayakoko. Okay so in the flashback where they get together they said "but we're both girls". Yeah, it's a cliche line that screams 'written by a hetero person', but within the context of the story it's not that bad if a little cringe. Neither Hayate or Kokoa had liked a girl before they started dating, this is literally stated on screen: Hayate says that she was a little surprised to realise that she had a crush on Kokoa. They're baby gay at this point in time. I think Kokoa's an interesting one to point out as well, because she's the one who said the line in the first place, and even after she admits that she likes Kokoa as well and they start dating, the True Love Kiss side story shows her being insecure about PDA in school. It reads a lot like she's had a very heteronormative upbringing, which is very common for queer people. It's probably more common in Japan where they still don't have equal rights for queer people (they don't have marriage equality, same-sex couples can't marry, the exception being if one is trans and hasn't legally changed their gender. and after they're married they can't legally change their gender). Not to mention she goes to catholic school, and as far as I know there's some issues there. So I don't see anything wrong with Kokoa not wanting to be out publicly, and being a bit insecure when she and Hayate confess. You gotta remember they are 15 as well (and ~14 when they started dating). Their relationship isn't going to be perfect, and that's normal.

And then Aoi and her gender presentation. Aoi has always been a very masculine presenting character, and is explicitly GNC, so I can understand that some people were disappointed with her wearing long hair and a ballgown in the Aoi & Haruna Relations event. But the anger some people hold towards this. Come on, how badly can you miss the point? Aoi's gender presentation has been a part of her character since her initial card story. She says she actually used to dress more feminine and have long hair in high school, but decided to change her look because she thought she suited the shorter hair. She also mentions that when she presented fem, she would be told she looked like a cross dresser, which obviously offended her. It's not hard to see that Aoi just wants to be seen as Aoi. It's not about how she presents her gender, she's still Aoi no matter how she dresses - Tsubaki mentions this in the A&H Relations. Nothing was retconned or de-canonised when Aoi wore hair extensions and a dress, it wasn't a sudden unnecessary change. The event explores the fact she wants to try different looks outside of her usual 'princely' one, but she's a bit of a people pleaser and is unsure about it because people associate Aoi with "androgynous good looks". There was no pressure from anyone to be feminine, there was actually pressure the other way. She wore a dress and had long hair for one (1) event, and 2 illustrations. Her most recent card has her in trousers with short hair again. Like you don't have to pounce on it being erasure because Aoi wanted to dress more feminine one time. She doesn't hate being GNC now, she's not permanently feminine now - Aoi being GNC is a part of who she is. Aoi being fluid with her gender expression is a part of her queerness and I don't get how you can miss the point so badly to call it erasure.

D4DJ is genuinely one of if not the best mainstream gacha/rhythm game for queer rep. There's so much more than just this: Tsubaki and Aoi are canonically in love with each other and there was even an attempted confession (they got interrupted), KyoShino have implied romantic feelings, same with NagiHiiro and RinMuni (mainly from Muni's side). Haruna was pretty much confirmed as lesbian during the A&H relations, and has had crushes on two separate characters. Saori's sapphic as well (there's one or two implications that she's bisexual). Having Hayate and Kokoa in a relationship opens the doors to more ships becoming canon in the future. The only negative representation I can think of in this game is Noa, so if you really want to go out of your way to say D4DJ is queerphobic, there you go. Noa likes cute thing, cute girls, and flanderisation took hold quickly to the point of her being creepily obsessed with the ri4 girls and a few others, and literally stalking them. Yikes. Her writing is improving though, especially in All Mix where she just occasionally comments on how cute they are without taking it too far, and they actually let her have other personality traits expressed that had pretty much been forgotten.

My point here is that if you're going to say D4DJ is bad rep or homophobic, you're admitting that your game is worse for representation. I'm not saying that the games in the "Big 3" (proseka/bandori/enstars) are bad by any means (idk about enstars actually I didn't play for very long), but D4DJ has definitely taken some big steps in queer representation that those games are seemingly too scared to make. Having a canon sapphic couple is a game like this is a huge deal, I'm not even sure if it's been done before. And before anyone says "but anhane and minoharu went on a double date in Buddy Funny Spend Time", neither of those pairs are stated or even fucking implied to be in a relationship outside of that event. It kinda just happens in one event, and even then it's still a bit vague on whether either of the couples are actually dating in the event. It's definitely heavily implied that anhane/minoharu have mutual romantic feelings, so they are arguably canon in that sense, just not in an established relationship sense. Bandori has done this as well with PareChu, have them go on dates and be clearly romantically interested in each other, only to never actually be a couple (I know tsumutsumu and reochi have called parechu an official couple, but that's word of saint paul rather than word of god, so take this how you will). Hayakoko is HUGE for this genre, and could mean good things in the future of other rhythm games (especially other Bushiroad ones).

--Break here where I went on a tangent about non-D4DJ queercoding--

Outside of schroedingers dating, both bandori and proseka have characters who are implied/canonically queer. I'll make this short because this is getting really long now and I apologise to anyone who's still reading.

For bandori, Arisa has a crush on Kasumi, Kaoru can be considered as canonically lesbian just from how she's presented, YukiLisa has a lot of implications for romantic feelings, as do MocaRan. Himari is also an interesting case, as she could be read as bisexual or comphet lesbian, it's never really made clear (at least as far as I know, I stopped playing bandori a while ago, and am not up-to-date on story, so anyone who's still reading feel free to add to this or correct me). There's probably some stuff missing here as well.

As for proseka, it actually has quite a lot of queercoding. I already touched on anhane and minoharu earlier, but Kohane and Minori are both heavily implied to be lesbian, An as well (although there's like one or two hints that she could be bi. I can cite them if needed). Mizuki is canonically transfeminine (their gender is unconfirmed), and they have been shown to be attracted to women. ShizuAiri and AkiToya have a lot of romantic implications in their relationships, EmuNene has gradually been getting more and more actually (Amidst a Dream). Ena is implied wlw and Rui is implied mlm okay I think I got everything tangent over.

--End of break--

Regardless of my criticisms, all of the games I've mentioned definitely show how much queer rep has grown and become a lot better in the last decade or so. While not focused on the rhythm game, the first generation of Love Live (2010-16) queerbaited* a fair amount. To give one example, there's an 'interview' with Honoka from 2015 where she heavily implies that she's straight, despite having ship tease with other female characters. Compare that to what we have 8 years later, and you can definitely see improvement. However I think it still needs to be addressed that what we have isn't perfect, and it probably will take while to get to a point where we can have more openly queer characters/couples, especially considering Japan as a country (and american/else localisation teams). But I think more people need to recognise how important D4DJ is for queer representation within this genre. It's really not common to have queer romance and gender presentation be directly addressed and frequently shown, and not just for the sake of making money.

I'm bad at ending essays.

* Queerbaiting - intentionally and maliciously leading a queer audience to believe they will receive representation which is then not provided. Whether the rhythm games mentioned do this or not is... debatable? It's done for the money which ticks the intentionally malicious box, queer people aren't for capitalising on. But a good amount of the time it's done to bait straight people who like yuri/yaoi. I do think it's queerbait though like heavily ship teasing a couple and then throwing in a line to imply one of them is straight definitely queerbaiting. april edit: it took me over a month to realise that there were words missing in that last sentence sorry about that. hi anyone who's reading this in the future

[tellthemeerkatsitsfine]

Things I know about the people on Taskmaster Australia season 2, before I start watching it (I mean, it's sort of season 3, or something, but it's season 2 now, we have to refer to them by the order in which they're aired or it'll get incredibly confusing):

- When I was browsing the Chortle MICF reviews to see if there was anyone I didn't know who looked interesting and maybe I'd want to look up their stuff and/or add them to my Edinburgh list this year, I clicked on someone named Jenny Tian. I saw the words "Tik-Tok star" and closed the page again, no longer interested. Perhaps it will turn out that was totally unfairly judgmental of me and she's great. I sort of hope so. Please prove me wrong and tear down my unfair biases, Tik-Tok star.

- Obviously I know Lloyd Langford. I don't know him all that well, but he's turned up as a guest on plenty of things I've watched and listened to, and I've almost always liked him well enough. By "almost always", I mean "every time except that time when I was going through a phase of watching everything I could find by Rhod Gilbert, and I watched that old panel show called Ask Rhod Gilbert, on which Lloyd Langford was a regular, and it was a terrible show, but that's not Lloyd Langford's fault".

- Wil Anderson was the favourite "alternative comedian" of Zoe Coombs Marr's character Dave, in her stand-up show Dave, in which the joke was that he's actually a very mainstream and popular Australian comedian and her character is ignorant for considering him alternative (based on reviews I've read, I think when she performed that show in the UK, she changed it from Wil Anderson to Adam Hills). Also, Wil Anderson was the guy Daniel Kitson decided to start a parody beef with in 2005, and in retaliation Wil Anderson sicced a horrible journalist on Kitson, which became that routine in his 2005 show about how much he hated that journalist. I think in that routine too, the joke was sort of that Wil Anderson is a very mainstream popular comedian (Kitson ironically suggesting that he was going to upset the mainstream comedians with his routine). Despite this, I don't actually know any more about him than that.

- Anne Edmonds is the reason Lloyd Langford is no longer in Wales, because he got married to her in Australia. Normally I try to be careful not to define female comedians by their male partners, but in my defense, in this case, most comedians I know are British, so it's reasonable for me to know the British one and not the Australian one in this couple. Her latest stand-up show has recently been released as a special, though, and I've downloaded it and intend to watch it, and then I will know her better than him as I haven't seen Lloyd Langford's stand-up. But for now I know nothing else about her.

- No idea who Josh Thomas is, though I don't mean that as an insult, like, "This guy's so unimportant that I haven't even heard of him!" I mean it as, I don't know a lot about the Australian comedy industry. Josh Thomas is probably lovely.

- Fun fact, Australian Taskmaster Tom Gleeson used to be in a band with the guy who stole Daniel Kitson's girlfriend in 2004.

- Tom Cashman is a great Taskmaster's assistant. Though I only know that from the previous season, I haven't started the new one yet so I guess it's possible that he's got much worse at his job since then. Hopefully not though.

[ghost-proofbaby]

GHOOOOST as much as maroon has taken over every single brain cell of mine, i can’t seem to stop thinking about 24 hours!eddie and reader lately! they still got me on a chokehold!

i was just thinking, like in the long run, were they endgame? i know they’re head over heels for each other but like.....are they in it for the long haul? what would happen if like the topic of getting married or having kids was brought up, how are they both going to react? 👀

i’m not asking or forcing you to write a blurb out of this or anything so please don’t feel pressured, i’m genuinely just curious about their lore!!! 😭 and i also miss them so much lmao might end up re-reading the series again while waiting for the next maroon chapter ❤️❤️❤️

anyway i luv u and i hope you’re having a great day!

wanna know a secret? they definitely still live rent free in my mind as well.

they were definitely end game in the long haul of things. in my mind, it's actually funny, because i've thought about them watching their friends constantly getting into relationships and those relationships constantly ending, and yet they're still there and going strong as ever while everyone is just like "...what the fuck?"

nancy and johnathan would probably end up breaking up in the twenty four hours universe. that's actually canon based on a sequel idea i had. like, we're talking not very long after the events of the main fic. nancy would go to reader and probably rant in the midst of her heartbreak "i just don't get it. i thought me and johnathan - we were gonna make it, you know? i thought we had the perfect relationship. and, no offense, but compared to you and eddie, we did." (which she obviously doesn't mean, but she's just hurt and projecting. we all know nancy was a number one reader x eddie shipper). and reader could grow insecure about it and overthink, but when she ends the day getting to gossip all about it to eddie, he just scoffs and said "excuse me? what the hell does that mean? out of spite, we're definitely gonna end up growing old together. gonna mock them from across the retirement home as i kiss all your wrinkles. that'll show them." and she's just reminded that, oh, yeah. it doesn't matter what other people think. this is her idiot for the long haul. and spoiler: it isn't spite keeping them together. it's the way eddie looks at reader like she painted the night sky just for him. it's the way eddie is the first person reader wants to talk to in nearly every scenario, the way he's the first person her eyes draw to in every room no matter how crowded. they bicker endlessly, they aren't always acting the most lovesick and nauseatingly affectionate with each other in front of others, and there's certainly been plenty of fights where the gang holds their breath for the announcement of a breakup, but they always find a way to make it through. always. they're one of those couples, ya know?

and i could also ramble about the whole marriage/kid discussion, but i actually had a short one shot about it i wanted to write! i think i've avoided posting any of the excess content i had planned for them because i don't want to beat a dead horse, you know? it's been over a year now, and even though i love and adore them, i don't want to seem like i'm milking that universe haha. if that's something y'all would like to see now even though it's been so long, i am finally out of my funk with writing them and could probably post some of those one shots! especially because the way they go about conversations like kids/marriage is so fuckin funny to me.

i luv you even more, and hope you have the most wonderful of days, friend <3 thank you for not letting one, but TWO??? of my stories take up residency in your thoughts. it means the world to me and i'm giving you all the hugs and forehead kisses <3

[mazeinthemiroh]

hueningkai sfw alphabet

genre: fluff

word count: 1.8k

warnings: none

song rec: astroboy by suggi

pls like and reblog if you enjoy! feel free to request anything <3

a - affection (how affectionate are they? how do they show affection)

all in small doses

he loves gift-giving and will get you cute little gifts whenever he feels like it (which tends to be a lot of the time) he likes spending money anyway, so now he has good reason to spend it by spending it on you!

other than that he can be quite awkward at first. expressing himself verbally doesn't come naturally to him but he does like a good old cuddle

b - best friend (what would they be like as a best friend?)

he has really random energy and that will totally rub off on you

once kai is comfortable with someone he can be loud af so be warned

it's just so fun being with him. he either wants to go and do something or he wants to just laze around and do nothing all day with you

c - cuddles (would they like to cuddle? how do they cuddle?)

bro is so cuddly and i can't stress that enough

at the start of the relationship, he was hella shy so he would very rarely initiate physical affection. but once he is close to you he just wants to cuddle you all the time

he's a fluffy boi

i mean his whole bed is filled with plushies so you just know he's a massive cuddler. just scoop him up in your arms and he's putty in your hands

loves to rest his head on your chest while you run your fingers through his hair i'm so soft rn don't touch me

d = domestic (do they want to settle down? how are they at cooking and cleaning?)

oh yeah he wants to settle down

he feels once he feels mature in himself he would love to settle down with his partner. he's big on loyalty and commitment, after all

he likes to bake but his cooking skills might need a bit more work. as for cleaning, he's usually relatively clean but might just leave random things scattered around the house and forget they are there lol

e = ending (if they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

it's so hard to visualise hueningkai breaking up with someone honestly

from two reasons specifically:

1. he loves commitment and doesn't think he should break up with someone over silly things or small arguments like other couples do

2. he usually dates people he can see himself marrying. he's not playing around, yk?

what i'm trying to say is breaking up with someone is a serious decision he doesn't take lightly

f = fiance(e) (how do they feel about commitment? how quickly would they want to get married?)

obviously he would loveee to get married

but he will probably consider marriage way later on in his life. after all, he is quite young still and he wants to have time to grow himself before he makes that kind of commitment

g = gentle (how gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

very gentle

sometimes he can be playful, sure. but even when he is playful, he is never aggressive. he keeps the play fighting to the minimum because sometimes he is unaware of his own strength and he doesn't want to accidentally hurt you 😭

h = hugs (do they like hugs? how often do they do it? what are their hugs like?)

highkey wants to hug you all the time

like please hug him istg 🥺

he's so soft and when he is feeling down sometimes all he wants to do is curl up in your arms and hug you forever

i = i love you (how fast do they say the L-word?)

it's not something he plans, that's for sure

he says it in sort of the spur of the moment, and all without giving it a second thought

he barely realises he loves you until he says it. then the pin will drop and he will suddenly realise what he has said

would probably be more shocked than you are, lol

j = jealousy (how jealous do they get? what do they do when they're jealous?)

i can see him getting jealous, but he doesn't strike me as the type to voice his jealousy

he will watch on helplessly from the sidelines rather than talk to you about it, which is bad because he's keeping all of his pent-up emotions inside instead of talking to you about how he feels

k = kisses (what are their kisses like? where do they like to kiss you? where do they like to be kissed?)

very quick pecks, especially on the cheek

honestly, in my humble opinion, he seems more like a hugger than a kisser

hugging comes more naturally to him and sometimes he can feel awkward when kissing you for the first time

but that's not to say he doesn't like it, obviously. he will usually want to kiss you when you guys are cuddling or something. but he gets super shy about it like

l = little ones (how are they around children?)

he's kinda awkward around children

just doesn't have much experience with them and therefore he has no idea how to engage with them or what to do with them

and is also super worried that they are going to hurt themselves or each other like this guy's nerves are shredded

m = morning (how are mornings spent with them?)

he's a soft boi in the morning, as he is always

will go about his morning dragging himself lazily around the house, probably half asleep

he can barely think straight so if you ask him a normal question he's like "huh?"

it's hella adorable, as you can imagine

n = night (how are nights spent with them?)

he literally wants to stay up all night watching something or playing video games

because of this, he claims he's a night owl

but in reality, as much as he wants to waste his night hours staring at a big, bright screen instead of sleeping, his brain doesn't allow him to do so

expect him to be passed out on the sofa by about 11 pm, tops!

o = open (when would they start revealing things about themselves? do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

kai is the type to overshare things awkwardly like on the first and second date

which, as embarrassing it is for him, is actually rather endearing

he's such a cutie-pie like-

but on perhaps more personal topics, he will be much less careless. he is not used to being vulnerable and showing his emotions, and it will take him a long time to feel like he actually can

p = patience (how easily angered are they?)

hueningkai is basically never mad unless your name is MNET so there's no need to worry there

he is very considerate and mostly mild-tempered

the only scenario i can visualise him getting angry is if you absolutely annihilate him at a video game

man gets so frustrated with him hfbhdbjhfb

q = quizzes (how much would they remember about you? do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

things fall out of his head a lot

but it's not surprising; he's got a lot on his mind. he does a physically and mentally demanding job and barely gets enough time to rest. so you can cut him some slack for sure

but he always remembers important occasions like anniversaries and birthdays, obviously

r = remember (what is their favourite moment in your relationship?)

moments where he turns to you for help or comfort

kai is very unlikely to express his emotions very regularly, preferring to keep them to himself

only sometimes, he can't bare the burden of his emotions by himself

and so the first time he turns to you for help or advice or just to have someone to talk to you, he realised how important you were to him

s = security (how protective are they? how would they protect you? how would they like to be protected?)

he's not really the protective type at first

and he doesn't expect you to be

he's just not outwardly protective like some of the others are. he will always make sure you're ok and overall he is basically more subtle

but after experiencing you protecting him in different aspects of his life, he realises that that's what he wants to make you feel like: warm and safe

t = try (how much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

he loves getting little gifts and nick-nacks for you uwu

gift-giving is a very common occurrence when you're dating hueningkai. he doesn't know how to express himself verbally most of the time so he's just like '... here, take my love in the form of gifts' and showers you with so many presents for no reason

a very generous soul <3

u = ugly (what would be some bad habits of theirs?)

hueningkai doesn't really have many stand-out bad habits

sometimes he finds it hard to discern whether s situation is serious or when it is a time to laugh and have fun, which can lead to many awkward situations. he's learned the hard way lol me too

v = vanity (how concerned are they with their looks?)

he likes looking good

and his confidence in his own looks fluctuates

like one day he will think he looks hot as hell and then the next day he will be crying and saying he's ugly

so give him a slap for me when he says that please and thank you 🥰

w = whole (would they feel incomplete without you?)

yes

there are not a lot of people he has deep connections with

so you, being the person he has expressed his thoughts and feelings to the most and the main person he trusts, are always in the front of his mind

x = xtra (a random headcanon for them.)

he loves clothes shopping with you??

it's a new thing he found out about himself recently; he likes it when you pick out some clothes for him that you think he would suit, and then he will do the same for you <33

he thinks it's a cute little couple thing that you both do now. so you make a day of it together, which he always looks forward to!

y = yuck (what are some things they wouldn't like, either in general or in a partner?)

he hates people who take advantage of others

it's easy to see other people's weaknesses. but exploiting and taking advantage of those weaknesses? that's a whole other story

kai also hates being betrayed in any way. it stifles his trust in others even more to the point where he doesn't know who to trust

z = zzz (what is a sleep habit of theirs?)

like i said before, he will likely fall asleep on the couch after an attempt to stay up all night playing video games

but other than that, his main habit it that he likes cuddling up to something when he sleeps

hence the avalanche of plushies on his bed

only now, he has you to cuddle <3333333

[frasier-crane-style]

Strange New Worlds season 2

-Feels like they overdid it with the silly episodes? Just my taste, but the Oops! All Silly episodes should be a sometimes food, and they have just about every other episode being silly. Serious, silly, serious, silly. I get comic relief, but this isn't a very heavy show. If we're going to have a quip machine like Ortegas, do we then need to do a whole episode of that, and often?

-Sam Kirk is Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Episode.

-The fact that these characters are destined to end up at TOS makes some of the wokening stuff hilarious.

Christine Chapel in her Twenties: I don't do relationships. Let's keep things casual. I have so many fuckbuddies lol.

Christine Chapel in her Thirties: Y U NO MARRY ME SPOCK?

Which probably wasn't their intent, but it's hard not to read that into this show and TOS supposedly being the same people.

-Also, they have literally twice as many women in the main cast as men, which is a good hint at how Hollywood really sees 'gender equality.'

Not pictured: Carol Kane

-I'm just saying, they have this episode Among The Lotus Eaters. One plot ends with Ortegas triumphantly declaring "I pilot the Enterprise!" The other plot ends with Pike apologizing to his overbearing girlfriend for having concerns about their relationship (when obviously their relationship is in wonderful shape when him voicing concerns about them as a couple results in her freezing him out and Pike having to beg for her forgiveness).

-The whole Human Spock episode is cringe. First, in premise. Could you imagine if they did an episode where a biracial member of the crew was changed to be fully black and he immediately started eating ribs and listening to hip-hop? This in the same season that did the most bald-faced minority metaphor imaginable with Augments. Not to mention the obligatory trans rights episode last season where we were supposed to buy that Spock was 'outside the human/vulcan binary' or something. Nope! It's absolutely possible to turn the dial to 100% Human or Vulcan.

I don't know, it's trying to be a character study of Spock, but it's trying way harder to be a "look at Spock do funny things" episode and it ends up feeling just kinda pointless. They themselves mention that Vulcan emotions are stronger than human emotions, so a Human Spock should be even better at controlling himself, but he just isn't for reasons. Wouldn't it be more interesting if Spock became fully Vulcan... something he occasionally seems like he would desire... which paradoxically strengthened his emotions and made them more difficult to control?

It's hard to invest in this Spock as a character when the show's basically telling you he doesn't matter as a person, they're just going to write him in whatever way gets a laugh.

-Call me hard to please, but it'd be nice to have a few arcs. I'm not saying I want one of those 'ten hour movies' like Picard and Discovery do, but even TNG had ongoing plots like the Borg, Lore, the Crystalline Entity, the House of Duras. I'm not asking for this show to go as lore-heavy as DS9 or ENT, but I would like a little more of an ongoing storyline than the Spock/T'Pring/Chapel love triangle. And we all know where that will end up, unless they're going to tell us that sometime after Undiscovered Country, Spock and Christine decided to make it official. You know, now that they're both as old as Carol Kane.

[invisibleicewands]

The second season of "Good Omens" will give us more of many people's favorite supernatural entities: Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), the angel with a penchant for fine wine and old books, and Crowley (David Tennant), the demon who can't help but have a conscience.

The supernatural entities' time on Earth, however, gets disrupted when an amnesiac angel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) shows up (naked, no less) on the doorstep of Aziraphale's bookshop. "I loved playing the scenes where Jon just sits there with that stupid grin on his face and just drives Aziraphale bonkers," Sheen told me in an interview conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike about his experience shooting season 2.

Sheen and I talked about what it was like to don Aziraphale's robes once more, how the story in season 2 grabbed him, and his favorite details of the production's Soho set.

What it was like for you to don Aziraphale's robes again in the second round of episodes?

Well, it was wonderful. Yes, it was absolutely wonderful. I mean, during "Good Omens," the first season, was one of the most enjoyable professional experiences I've had — working with David [Tennant] and playing these characters and working with Neil [Gaiman] on something that I've been a fan of since the book came out. So it was just an absolutely joyful experience, that first [season].

So to be able to come back to the character and that world and to take the story forward into new places, it was just glorious. Yeah, I loved it. And it was very moving, the first time I put the costume back on. It was very moving to meet the character again, to feel him suddenly appear again. It was wonderful.

Then seeing David appear as well, because David was ill when we started filming on season 2. I think he had Covid and so he couldn't start. So I did the first week or something, or the first four or five days, without him, and then suddenly there he was. He walked onto the set in full Crowley garb and it was very emotional.

How did Neil describe what Aziraphale would be doing in season 2? How did he lay out the season at a high level for Aziraphale?

I can't remember now. I'm sorry. I can't remember that, how he described it, because having done it, I now have no memory whatsoever of how he described it to begin with. But I know what we wanted to explore and I always remember what he was aiming to get to by the end of the second series, because of ideas that he and Terry [Pratchett] had talked about with where the story might go. So I remember him talking about where we were aiming to get to, and obviously it begins with [Aziraphale and Crowley] no longer working for their respective companies. They're sort of out on their own. They're a team unto themselves now.

And then this fly gets stuck into their ointment and everything changes again. So I feel like, if my memory serves me correctly — which it invariably doesn't these days — I think it was about the idea of Gabriel coming into their lives again in a very unexpected way, and then that eventually building to the point that they get to at the end of this series, which I won't say because that would be to give things away.

Speaking of Gabriel, and you see this in the trailer and especially in the first episode, Crowley and Aziraphale are like an odd couple in certain ways and it's almost like they got a child. How is that dynamic with Jon Hamm [who plays Gabriel]?

Well, certainly for a character like Aziraphale, it's great comic material. For a character like Aziraphale, who frets and worries, stresses, and gets exasperated, to have a character who just is totally exasperating that he has to look after was just a very rich area to explore. But yeah, very much so.

I mean, they are like a married couple, even though they're a very odd couple, they do complement each other in all kinds of ways. And yes, they suddenly have this person who's dependent on them […] but they're also aware, having had past experiences with him. So it was a brilliant idea to have Gabriel suddenly show up with apparently no memory of who he is and to have them have to look after him and deal with him. It's a brilliant device, I think, and it was great to play.

I loved playing the scenes where Jon just sits there with that stupid grin on his face and just drives Aziraphale bonkers. They were great scenes to play, and I really enjoyed them. And it was great to see Jon again. I mean, we had such a great time together on the first one, and I know Jon anyway, outside of "Good Omens," and it was just so great to get to spend more time together.

I know for the second season, the Soho lot, it was a whole street, right? Created in Scotland?

It was a whole block, or more than a block even, of Soho that was built in the studio. It was extraordinary. I mean, in this series, not only do we expand the world of Soho in story terms to where we meet all the people who run the different shops and cafes and stuff around there, and we get to know that community a lot more. But also it physically grew as well.

I mean, in the studio, in Bath Gates up in Scotland, there was just this huge Soho set with cars driving around in it and hundreds of people and all these shops and the detailed work in these shops. I mean, this is what I always get blown away by on productions, is the detail that goes into the design. I mean, Maggie's record shop, every single album in there had to be made up. It was just made-up albums, made-up names of bands. I would spend hours in between takes, just wandering around looking at the designs of these records and the ridiculous names of bands that they'd come up with. It was brilliant. And the pub and the magic shop — oh my God, the magic shop, I just wanted to live in. It was just brilliant. All that detail and all that design work was fantastic.

You've had a long and very impressive career, and among many other roles, you've played now an angel, a vampire, and a werewolf. Is there any other supernatural being you'd want to play next?

I played a lot of different things. I'm not sure. Have I played a ghost? I'm not sure if I've played a ghost. Maybe I have. Yeah. I'm up for any supernatural beings. I'm open to any and all.