#like. yeah. complicated relationships are raw and real

[keroujack]

it’s not even the fact that max apparently didn’t care about billy. it’s the fact they went out of their way to rub salt in the wound of everyone that actually does

[boxofthings]

got any roach-centric fic recs? like idc the pairing, ghostroach/soaproach/ghostsoaporach any thats roach focused plzz

*cracks knuckles* I GOTCHU ANON this is my time to shine

If anyone wants to reply with their own pls do!

(These are in no particular order)

GhostRoach:

i left my heart in the mountains (right next to yours)

I'm going to want you 'til the stars evaporate

and here i stand (in the dirt with you)

These are all by Santihan and ugghh these were the fics that pulled me back from my near decade-long ghostroach obsession sabbatical. Well-written, emotional, they are amazing, my favs, I will rec these til I die (the first two are painful :'))

Things That Burn by abel_obel

Such a good one, I always go back to this when I'm in a ghostroach mood. Good ol' classic person A gets injured and person B freaks out

Roach Wouldn't Really Do It...

Exhaustion's a Funny Thing

Both by tinyduckies! Def read the TWs for the first one, but arghhh, I go back to these ones a lot!. I really like how the first one's more realistic/gritty when it comes to the aftermath of surviving Loose Ends

Second one's just a lovely depiction of Ghost and Roach's dynamic. Loved the banter and the second chapter ends real sweetly :)

The Barracks: Part 2

Ulterior Motives

Both by doberman, these two are much longer fics (which ghostroach is in desperate need of) and are such interesting reads!!

The first one is an AU that takes place in a pub with Ghost being his repressed, unhealthy self, and Roach coming in as the new co-worker to sweep him off his feet lol

The second one is ongoing and takes place slightly after MWII with Ghost meeting Roach outside of deployment

Sovereign by Applescone

God, this one really puts me in an introspective mood. It's so well-written and just feels so grounded and human. Takes place years after Loose Ends, with Ghost and Roach rekindling their relationship whilst dealing with the complications of Shepherd's betrayal and death

我给你早在你出生前多年的一个傍晚看到的一朵黄玫瑰的记忆 by Alex_Upshur

Ok I know this is in Chinese, but just use a translator like I did and yeah, while it won't be as accurate as the author wrote it, it's still a really lovely fic and i adore it :') A lil bittersweet look into the 141's lives and sweet moments with Ghost and Roach <3

Of Doubts and Dreams (Retold)

The Hook Up

All written by Call_Of_Booty, an og ghostroach author from wayyy back during the og trilogy (and ff.net) days. The first one's a rewrite of one of their old fics and it focuses on Roach and Ghost's dynamic up until the night before Loose Ends.

Second one's about Roach deciding to leave the SAS whilst he and Ghost have complicated feelings for eachother due to past hookups. Both great reads!

Distance Makes the Heart Pissed Off by krwaken

I'm sure every GhostRoach shipper knows this one lol. A lovely 200k word slowburn of these two <3

Fear & Delight by EpiKatt

Hornet's Nest with more GhostRoach :))

Tell Me Why This Has to End by Feral_Raccoon

ANGST :( Post-Loose Ends. Ending broke me haha

and you wrote your name / right there next to mine by cheese_n_crack

more Loose Ends angst :( A bittersweet ending with Ghost and Roach looking at the stars in their final moments

You'll Get Sick Anyways by ghostslefttit

Very short, but very cute lil fic with Ghost taking care of a sick Roach :))

If We Crash (I Hope We Do) by mintyiecat

Man I can't even begin to describe how much I love this one. Portrays Ghost and Roach's relationship post-loose ends where Roach is now a civilian. Loved how the author depicted their relationship as not flawless. Felt very human and raw. Very sweet ending :)

GhostSoapRoach

Something in the Orange by fixfoxnox

Y'all been knew this would be on here lol

Follows Roach's pov where he's been reincarnated into the reboot timeline with all his memories from his old life and him trying to make his way back to Ghost. This one makes me sad as hell. Has all the feels :')

Something in the Orange by insomniamemoirs & RandomWordsAndStormyDays

Funny how my top two GSR fics are named the same thing, but hey, they're both amazing. I was apprehensive because of the "calling Soap Roach by accident" trope, however they really diverted my expectations and made these three really feel like equals in a relationship. Really love how they made sure to establish a strong dynamic between Soap and Roach instead of pitting them against each other. And Roach isn't just some 2D character here, he's very nuanced and I love it!

Freezing Waters by AmphibianEft

Sweet fic of Roach getting injured and Soap and Ghost freaking out and taking care of him

Stress Relief by Anonymous

Just Soap and Ghost taking care of Roach after Hornet's Nest (smut) :)

SoapRoach

Leg Day by tinyduckies

Good ol' smut lol (09 soaproach mm)

Everything That Isn't Said by pajamabees

More 09 smut

Taste by fixfoxnox

Just 3.5k words of Roach wanting to kiss his captain :)

fall for me by punishervest

Just a sweet moment between 09 Soap and Roach with Soap reminiscing on his past with Price but also considering how he wants something more with Roach <3

She (Means Everything To Me) by mylareading

Just 1.9k words of Soap being down bad for Roach (super sweet)

Roanig (Roach x Konig)

I Really Like The Way You Stare At Me by turqu0ise

The fic that introduced me to roanig <3 Just a cute fic focusing on the development of their relationship

Subatomic by tinyduckies

Another nice fic focused on the development of their relationship. Loved the interactions they had in this :)

These are the ones I have so far! I'm sure later on I can add to the list, and if anyone wants to reply with their own feel free :)

I've also been made aware there are Keegan/Roach fics, but I haven't gotten around to reading them yet, but def check out their tag anon! Hope this was an adequate rec list haha

[ambrosiagourmet]

I notice no one has asked yet so for the character thing: laios! Or if you want to go for a less common one: the winged lion

Laios!!!!!!

First impression

Honestly its hard to even limit this within the confines of starting the actual manga. I genuinely think I'd have to say my real first impression of Laios was the "autism be damned, my boy can work a grill" joke that gets passed around a lot 😭

Impression now

Older brother.

Loves his friends and family so much. Let him infodump!!!!! A guy that can character arc so hard he becomes a king because its the only way to deal with the things he can no longer let himself look away from. A guy who wants to eat a good meal. A guy who wants everyone to eat a good meal.

A guy who can be all that and still kind of pettily complain that he doesn't get to hang out with monsters anymore & can mope about it soooo annoyingly. A guy who decided to eat the concept of all-consuming hunger because it was the only way to deal with the problem so he might as well try. A guy who can completely change his life by deciding to share his special interest. A guy who can imitate a dog really well.

Favorite moment

Don't make me choooose... okay I'm gonna do three:

1. Assembling Falin's bones with Marcille

The humor. The patience. The slow realization that, despite how absurd of a task it is, it is actually all possible. The moments of admiration for the way skeletons work, the love of the details, the care of assembling all three skeletons just to make sure they get Falin right. Iconic scene.

2. Killing Falin

"Unable to make myself accept. Unable to make myself resist" lives in my soul now idk what else to say. Life is so vibrant and horrifying and raw and beautiful and to let yourself fully be a part of it you must take up space. You must consume. You must fight. You must take and be taken from. Ourgh

3. Talking Marcille down

I love that he looks so goofy on his way up to her. I love the context of how much he refuses to give up on her leading up to this, and how he refuses to give up on her now. I love how everyone is part of this scene, but he's the first one to cross the threshold. I love how she almost blows him up but can't do it (fun fact: this exact situation/post was how she killed Mithrun a couple of chapters ago. It was close).

I love the way he appeals to her mostly just with messy honesty, and I love the silly three rules callback. It's such a sweet chapter.

Also honorary mention for the final page of the story, which gets me every time.

Idea for a story

I'm actually currently fiddling with a longer story concept dealing with the question of Laios needing an heir. Dungeon Meshi is grounded enough in politics that it genuinely feels like a question that the characters will have to grapple with at some point. At the same time, there's no way that like arranged marriage and even having kids in general are not messy topics for Laios and I don't think anyone involved would want to force him to be miserable.

(I also don't personally like the idea of Falin as his heir ftr, bc I think forcing Falin into that role sucks and I don't think anyone would go for it)

So how DO they deal with the issue? Idk! I might write a long meandering story about it! Maybe! I want to, at least.

Unpopular opinion

Ughhhh I don't realllly want to poke this with a stick but yeah I definitely think my most generic (apparently????) Unpopular Opinion with Laios is just that his relationship with Marcille is meaningful and loving. I personally don't view it as romantic and they mean a lot to me as a platonic-life-partners kind of thing, but I also think that dividing relationships in general into Ships TM and Definitely Not Ships isn't really appealing to me personally. I just care them.

(at the same time I really do worry about trying to write about them and it being taken as romantic despite me very intentionally not framing it as such. idk, navigating this stuff is complicated.)

Favorite relationship

UGHHHH LIKE. It is probably him and Marcille. But it's so hard to rank that against him and Falin. Both relationships mean a lot to me and I love them and I love to think about them.

Because him and Marcille have more on the page interactions to dig into and because I don't see them discussed as much, I do tend to gravitate to Marcille & Laios stuff above all else. But like.... don't make me actually commit to picking.

Favorite headcanon

I can't think of a strong answer for this so I'm going to make one up on the spot: I think he giggled to himself soooo much when he included the winged lion in his king outfit but made it so that it looks like the wolf head is eating it. I think he continues to giggle about it years later. I think he gets dressed in the morning and puts on his cloak and goes "get ate, idiot" as he fastens it around his shoulders.

Oh actually for a more genuine headcanon related to the story thing I mentioned above: I think Laios is really good with kids but would be scared of having any of his own. I think he'd have trouble with the classic "I don't want to mess them up the way my dad messed me up" abused kid struggle.

[broodybuck]

Title: Looking for Something Real

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes

Rating: E

Tags: 18+ explicit smut, pornstars, no refractory period, emotional sex, love confessions, denial of feelings, retired Avengers, top Steve, bottom Bucky

[ao3 link]

It's not really complicated. It's quite simple actually. Steve and Bucky are best friends who both decided to enter the porn industry after retiring from saving the world.

It wasn't exactly a difficult choice when the serum has them both lasting for hours with no refractory period.

The only rule they decided was that they'd never fuck each other. They accepted jobs at separate production companies for this reason but even the producers were begging to make a deal. To get the former Captain America and former Winter Soldier to do the dirty. It's what everyone wants but Steve and Bucky discussed it. Their friendship isn't worth a price and they don't want to degrade it.

Steve never exactly told Bucky the real reason for this decision. He didn't so much care about capitalizing on the friendship. For Steve, it was more raw, deep, and probably a lot of other words that weren't meant to be innuendos for porn but go pretty well anyhow. Steve knew the second he got intimate with Bucky, he'd quite literally reveal to the world how hopelessly in love he is with the guy.

He's pretty sure he doesn't hide it all that well but then again, Bucky never seems to notice. Like how jealous Steve gets when they talk about work. Bucky casually mentions which pornstars he has to fuck or how this guy was rough with him or this other guy had to play tender for a marriage scene. Steve nearly fumes hearing the tales regardless of the fact, he does the exact same thing for work.

But god, hearing how other people are using Bucky like a toy, throwing him around, getting to come on his face — yeah, Steve's less than thrilled with that. But obviously, he can't say anything unless he wants to admit why he's jealous. And he's never gonna do that.

The most shameful thing Steve does is watch Bucky's scenes in the privacy of his own home. Of course, he's subscribed to the company that hired Bucky. And even if his best friend found out that fact, he would simply excuse it as supporting him. Bucky would readily accept that lie. What Steve really spends his money on, is the nights where he shamefully jerks off to Bucky's videos on loop. He's not kidding, he's watched them all countless times.

The truth is, the videos make him sick. To see people who get paid to vandalize his best friend. But he's also helplessly in love with the man so watching every angle of Bucky's naked body be played with, pleasured, and manhandled gets Steve off so fast he seriously can't stop. He's addicted to it, he watches Bucky every night. He knows he has a problem, he knows.

~~~

One night, Bucky is over for beers when he slams his phone down on the coffee table and curses.

"What happened?" Steve asks.

"Just bullshit," Bucky snaps. Steve eyes him worried and Bucky relents a moment later. "I'm so sick of guys having an issue with what I do for a living."

"You on the apps again?"

It's another harrow in Steve's life. Bucky has confided in him that he still wants an honest relationship, a true connection with someone, and he's yet to find one since they've both begun their porn careers.

"Yeah," Bucky groans, dropping his head in his hands.

"Is it on your profile — your profession?"

"Like it needs to be? Everyone knows who we are, Stevie. The whole world had something to say when we started doing this."

"Right, yeah," Steve says unsure how to make this any better. And all he wants to do is make this better for Bucky, he'd do anything to give him what he wants.

"I just want something real," Bucky sighs, gripping his hair in his hands.

Steve puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sick of playing everything up," Bucky goes on.

"You thinking of quitting?" Steve asks with surprise.

"I don't know," Bucky sighs, letting his hands fall. He leans back against the couch and closes his eyes.

Steve wants to kiss him so badly right now, wants to make every hurt feeling in his body float away.

"I'd support anything you wanna do, Buck," Steve tells him. "You deserve something real, you do."

Bucky opens his eyes and looks tiredly at his friend.

"Don't you want that?"

"What?" Steve plays coy.

"Love?" Bucky says.

Steve nods but he can't say anymore because if he does the words, I'm already in love with you might spill out. And that's the reason he never tries to date because no one else will come close. Steve already knows this.

"You don't do a good job of looking, Stevie," Bucky scoffs.

I'm looking at him right now, Steve thinks but shakes his head.

"Since when are we talking about me? Here lemme look at your profile," Steve offers.

"You've seen it."

"Lemme look again," Steve insists.

"I'm over it. The apps are shit."

Bucky sighs digging deeper into the back of the couch and spreading his legs unintentionally. It makes a warm flush spread over Steve's skin.

All Steve wants is to make this right. Maybe he could do something for him.

"Then lemme make it real," Steve says.

Bucky turns to him with furrowed eyebrows.

"Make what real?"

"One night. I wanna give that to you."

Bucky sits up, swallowing tensely and staring at him firmly.

"What're you saying, Stevie?"

"I'm saying," Steve pauses to take Bucky's hand in his. It feels so natural that his thumb skims over the back of Bucky's hand comfortingly. "I can give this to you. It won't be for a job. It'll be with someone who cares about you and wants to make you feel good."

Bucky swallows again.

"Steve... you're serious?"

Steve nods. More than you know, he wants to say but doesn't.

"Lemme do this for you," Steve nearly pleads.

Bucky holds his gaze a moment longer.

"I thought we said we'd never—"

"It's not a scene," Steve cuts him off. "This is real. It's what you deserve. And tomorrow, we'll still be best friends. Nothing's getting ruined."

Bucky's eyes widen slightly like he can't fully believe what he's hearing. At this point, Steve wants this so bad he'd fully beg.

"You're sure?" Bucky asks.

"Kiss me," Steve commands and leans forward an inch.

Bucky's eyes go a little wider but then he leans an inch forward. They're so close now only one of them needs to move to close the rest of the space.

It's Bucky who does. And their lips collide effortlessly in a long, spell-binding kiss that's better than Steve's ever imagined.

They break apart and stare at each other.

"That was nice," Bucky says like he wasn't expecting it to be.

Steve has a lot more confidence now and he easily cups Bucky's face and draws him back in for another kiss.

They make out slowly and leisurely make their way to their bedroom. It feels like a dream. Like Steve's floating through the air with the man he loves in his arms, on his lips, lying on his mattress. It doesn't feel real.

He undresses Bucky so carefully, it's like he's unwrapping a glass relic. Bucky lies openly for him, letting Steve pull and tug each article of clothing until he's naked. And sure, Steve has seen every inch of the man a thousand times. Online and in real life, they've never been shy around each other. But tonight, he looks different. He looks like he was placed here for Steve to love and cherish and devour.

Steve's restraint is quickly dwindling. He moves fast to remove his own clothes and Bucky sits up to watch. Steve's skin burns under his gaze. He's never undressed for Bucky like this, not for him. Steve rushes forward and kisses Bucky hard, holding his face in his hands. He wants more, he wants all of him.

"Damn, Steve. Didn't think it'd feel like this," Bucky breathes after the kiss, his eyes still closed.

Steve smiles, he can't help himself. He's always known it'd be like this. Amazing. Steve kisses him again and slides their naked bodies together as he lies over him on the bed.

Bucky's hips are already canting up, gliding their erections together. Steve has seen him do this a dozen times on screen but actually feeling him brush against him needily makes Steve think he might die from the arousal coating his body.

He presses down and grinds over Bucky's hard cock. It makes the man moan. And oh, Steve's heard that sound too many times to count but tonight it's just for him. That makes Steve dizzy. He grinds against him again, kissing a line up Bucky's neck, sucking on the soft skin. Bucky moans louder, clawing at Steve's back.

"Fuck, Stevie."

"Yeah, I got you," Steve whispers.

He gets up to reach into the drawer of his nightstand for lube. He pours some over his fingers. Bucky spreads his thighs on instinct. It makes a flame simmer low in Steve's gut.

"It's nice not pretending, huh?" Steve notes and he tosses the bottle aside and circles his fingers around Bucky's rim.

Bucky licks his lips, watching Steve's fingers prod at him gently.

"Not having to play the part, be extra loud, draw things out," Steve goes on, pushing a finger inside. Bucky breathes in sharply, then relaxes.

"I want you to enjoy this, Buck. Come whenever you want, however much you want. Don't even gotta tell me, 'kay?"

"Fuck," Bucky groans and arches up as Steve pushes a second finger in. "Getting me hot when you talk like that, Stevie."

Steve nearly grins but he focuses on his hands and curls both fingers to find the spot he's looking for. A familiar moan tells him he found it and he basks in the feeling. He's been dreaming about opening Bucky up for years — decades, actually — and now it's finally happening.

Bucky takes what Steve says seriously because when Steve's up to three fingers and starts pressing repeatedly on his sweet spot, Bucky just comes. Easy and quiet, Steve could've missed it if he wasn't watching every moment.

"Jesus, honey," Steve marvels. "Beautiful."

He frees his fingers and wraps them around the base of Bucky's cock and sucks the head in between his lips.

"God," Bucky whines, arching up, greedy for more of Steve's mouth. Steve's happy to give it to him.

He slides down to the root and sucks him steadily. Bucky lets out a small whimper, a sound Steve hasn't heard from him often. He revels in coaxing a new sound out of him. He sucks harder from the reward.

Bucky comes again. And this time, he groans low and squeezes Steve's hair in his fist. Steve sits up and watches Bucky calm down. He looks so relaxed, so blissed out from the pure pleasure radiating through him. And the best part is, they've barely begun. Steve launches forward with excitement and kisses Bucky hungrily.

"Gotta start making you come," Bucky mumbles in between kisses.

"It's all about you, sweetheart."

"No, it's not," Bucky protests and flips them around, shoving Steve down into the mattress under him.

He slides down and slips Steve's cock in his mouth. Sucks on the tip light and teasingly. Steve chuckles a little. He's seen Bucky do this too and he never thought he'd be on the receiving end of it. He lets Bucky tease him and thankfully it's only a few more seconds before he swallows him down.

Apparently, Steve's letting go too because he completely loses himself in it. He basks in the feeling of Bucky Barnes, the love of his life, sucking him off. Steve comes, faster than he's ever let himself but it feels too good not to.

Bucky's smirking at him when he opens his eyes. Bucky leans down to kiss him, one small peck on his lips.

"Haven't seen you lose it so fast," Bucky comments.

Steve stills for a moment, reality dawning on him.

"You watch my stuff?"

"'Course," Bucky shrugs casually and lies on Steve's chest leaving another small kiss on his mouth. "Gotta keep up with my competition."

Steve frames his face, combing his hair back with his fingers.

"We're not competition, Buck."

"I know."

"All I ever wanted was this," Steve says before he can stop himself.

He feels Bucky still above him and for a split moment, he believes he's ruined everything. It's over. But then Bucky shakes his head at him.

"Why didn't you ever do something about it?"

"I didn't think you were..." Steve feels himself blush viciously.

"Interested?" Bucky finishes with a scoff of disbelief. "You gotta be kidding me. I'm the one who said we should do porn — as a joke."

"What?" Steve sits up abruptly, moving Bucky up with him. Bucky slides off him and runs a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I didn't think you'd go for it. But then you agreed and I thought why not? Maybe we'd do scenes together. But then you said we should never work together."

"Wait, you weren't serious? Why would you go through with becoming a pornstar if you were kidding?"

"I don't know, I was really horny. And I couldn't believe Steve Rogers was gonna be a pornstar. I guess, I figured I could watch you anytime I wanted..." Bucky blushes with the last part, looking away.

A beat of silence falls over them.

"I watch you all the time too," Steve says quietly.

He feels embarrassed admitting it even though they're sitting naked on his bed. Bucky looks at him again.

"We're so stupid."

Steve laughs, he has to, "we really are."

"Fuck," Bucky says, staring at him.

In a flash, it's like the lust takes over again. His eyes darken and he surges forward, kissing Steve with renewed passion. Steve kisses him right back, snaking his arms around him and pulling him back on top of him.

"Can I... Buck?" Steve asks dazedly. "I've been waiting so long, this feels so rig—"

"Yeah, you can fuck me already," Bucky cuts him off with another kiss. "Don't gotta get all sappy on me."

Bucky rolls them over, landing on his back with Steve above him now. He smiles up at him so sweetly. Steve has never been more in love.

By the time Steve gets inside him, Steve feels high. It feels so damn good to be inside him. He slides in and out of Bucky at a slower pace than he's ever fucked someone. He can tell Bucky is growing impatient when he grabs Steve's ass and forces him deeper inside his ass. He thrusts his hips up in urgency.

"Fuck me," he growls.

Steve breaks into a hard and brutal pace. But hearing Bucky pant wildly with a drunk smile strung across his face is what makes Steve really lose it.

"Fuck, fuck," Steve curses under his breath and grabs Bucky's ankles, pulling them over his shoulders and fucking him harder.

"Yes, god. Finally," Bucky cries and that's it for Steve. He's gone. He's coming hard, eyes sewn shut, hips still ramming forward incessantly.

He doesn't stop when he's done. He still has more in him and so does Bucky. They smile at each other. Steve leans over him, bending him in half and fucking him deeper. Bucky can kiss him now, dirty and wet with his tongue. Steve loves that. A few more minutes of that and he comes again.

Bucky's on his lap after that, riding him savagely. Steve has fantasized about Bucky riding him like this far too many times. And worse, Bucky's kissing him all the while like he needs air. Like he's never needed anything more than Steve's cock and tongue inside him at the same time.

They come together the last time, groaning in unison. Bucky slows on his lap and they breathe hard against each other.

"Christ, Steve. That was..." Bucky pants, pausing to catch his breath but Steve can't wait for him to finish. He needs to tell him.

"I love you."

Bucky looks up, meeting his eyes in astoundment.

"I'm in love with you," Steve repeats and he doesn't regret it. He's still inside the man and he doesn't care, he just needs to let him know.

Bucky kisses him. That's his first response. Steve kisses him back although he assumes it's Bucky's way of distracting him because he doesn't feel the same.

That's okay, Steve tells himself even as tears threaten to sting the backs of his eyes. It's okay. He keeps kissing Bucky.

Bucky finally draws back and frames Steve's face in his hands.

"I love you too."

[pinkorchidsinspring]

Ivy is so so gay, to explain let us lyric analyze:

How's one to know? I'd meet you where the spirit meets the bones, In a faith forgotten land

Hoax: “your faithless love’s the only hoax I believe in”

A complicated relationship with religion is not something lacking throughout gay culture.

Taylor is more than likely referencing her own struggle with her relationship to a religion not approving of her sexuality.

Your touch brought forth an incandescent glow, Tarnished but so grand

The lovers touch while beautiful, was a sin, and wrong in the view of most but to Taylor this touch was amazing despite being tainted with those ideas.

Oh, goddamn, My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand, Taking mine, but it's been promised to another

This is probably a reference to the "adultery" being committed here, because the narrator has a fiancé/beard.

Oh, I can't, Stop you putting roots in my dreamland

She can’t control this love.

Her dreamland of “Folklore” is based in her real, honest, raw emotions.

She can’t stop this lover from being the reason for this dreamland.

I wish to know, The fatal flaw that makes you long to be, Magnificently cursed

Being gay has never been easy, and early on makes everyone who is gay in any way, wonder why they can’t just be straight. Taylor has most likely dealt with her own version of internalized homophobia shown in the original version of “Picture to Burn”: “Go and tell your friends that I'm obsessive and crazy, that's fine; I'll tell mine you're gay”.

Clover blooms in the fields, Spring breaks loose, the time is near, What would he do if he found us out?

This whole paragraph just gives forbidden gay love, and screams I don't want to care what other people think in this moment.

Crescent moon, coast is clear

Again with the hiding in “coast is clear”

Associated with feminine energy??? Combined with the coast is clear??? Yep, screams hetero.

Spring breaks loose, but so does fear

So very gay. Very gay. Come on. Sound like recent political events in America? With the turn of a new season, fear, specifically fear of being caught together, or the media finding out becomes more relevant than normal.

He's gonna burn this house to the ground

This male partner/beard is going to ruin their relationship, completely out of fear of what would happen if the truth of who she loved came out.

I'd live and die for moments that we stole, On begged and borrowed time

Even though this love was kept a secret, it was still Taylor’s whole life at the time.

These moments were "on begged and borrowed time" due to outside pressure. Possibly the pressure to be straight, and to appear straight, and not have longing looks directed at your "best friend".

So yeah, it's a fire, It's a goddamn blaze in the dark, And you started it, You started it, So yeah, it's a war

You Are In Love: “You understand now why they lost their minds and fought the wars”

The Great War -so LGBTQIA

She finally understands that she has to fight through societies pressures to keep the love of her life.

It's the goddamn fight of my life

What would be so hard about being straight and in love with Joe Alwyn? Especially when you’re only known for writing break up songs about “men”…

Most recently while introducing “Dear, John” Taylor told swifties that : we should not “feel the need to defend [her] on the internet against someone [we] think [she] might have written a song about 14 billion years ago."

There are many things that don’t allow this song to have a hetero explanation. These are the things. <3

My other song analysis’ if you’re interested <3

[puffpasstea]

The requested aftercare part to this blurb.

Warnings: small mentions of smut

---

I whimpered in pain as Harry removed the vibrator from between my legs. Even in my current state, I was aware it would leave a visible bruise.

"Did so good for me, babe." Harry's delicate hand moved the sweat-drenched hair away from my eyes and ran his fingers down the sides of my face.

I'd never in a million years confess this to him, but, these moments were my favorite thing about our relationship. As complicated and undefined as it is, I have never felt more safe and comfortable than I do in Harry's arms after sex. I mean, the sex itself was good. No doubt about it. We had an undeniable chemistry and I felt free to experiment with him, to let go of, or at least temporarily escape, pieces of myself that haunted my real life, and for all of that, I'll forever be indebted to him, but aftercare was still my favorite part.

I will never forget the first time he turned around after fucking me and started actually looking after me. I was an emotional wreck for days after that.

"You okay?" Harry kissed my temple sweetly.

"I-mhm." I'd forgotten how raw and dry my throat felt. His punishment has definitely achieved its purpose.

"Was a bit rough, wasn't I? It's okay if you're not feeling great. You van tell me."

There he was. The real Harry. Not that his dominance was an inauthentic act in any way. It definitely came naturally to him, partially motivated by his need for control, and, partially out of love and care, but I've come to realize that the switch between his indifferent sadism and his tenderness is what makes him a dominant. It certain never gets old. Blurry-eyed as I am, staring up at him, seeing the concern in his eyes, his goofy, boyish smile when he's relieved to see that I'm okay. Fuck was I in love with him.

"I'm fine. I promise." I mumbled.

"I'll go get a wash cloth, then." The layer of sweat that his punishment had left over my body had glued his skin to mine. I felt like he was peeling himself away, leaving me exposed, light, incomplete.

"N-no. Stayyyy." I grabbed onto his biceps as hard as my clammy, still trembling fingers would let me.

Harry chuckled and brought his biceps up to his mouth to kiss my fingers. "Won't be long."

I reluctantly let him go, relaxing back into the bed and closing my eyes, focusing on my breathing in an attempt to get my body to calm down.

I hissed and tried to squirm away when I felt the cold damp wash cloth on my skin.

"I know, I know. Sorry." Harry consoled me as he held me in place and wiped me clean.

"Stocked the fridge with those cookie dough snacks you like, by the way. What do you say to a bath? and then we can just make a spread of different things to munch on. Maybe watch a little tv while we make sure that you're all the way back in your body before you head home?"

"No."

"Pardon?" He let go of the cleaning products that he'd been diligently applying to my skin and tossed the washcloth to the side, giving mr his full attention.

"Hey, honey, what's the matter? No, hey, don't cry." Harry pulled me into a hug and let my tears stain his shirt. "What's the matter, baby? Please, need you to talk to me, yeah?"

"I-" I pulled away from him to catch my breath. "I- I don't want-"

"Don't want what, darlin'?"

"I don't wanna go home tonight. Don't wanna be alone. Please? I know I'm the one always saying no sleepovers, but- do you think...Could I stay the night? Just this once?"

"You read my mind, babe." His body hovered over mine as he gently leaned over and kissed my lips. "I want you to stay the night too."

[powderblueblood]

Powder, powder oh my God. My God. This was truly breathtaking. Been thinking about it all day non stop. Digging really deep into the psychological aspects of these fictional characters’ well-being actually soothing me but that’s a story for another time. I just want to say that a) I love Wayne in all universes and iterations as he deserves, and b) I can’t get the love making scene out of my head. At any time when people are talking to me today my mind is playing Eddie’s lines on the loop. People make Eddie either a stuttering virgin or this cool super sex god dom and I respect both visions but can I really connect with them? No. This was so raw and real. It really felt like tension breaking, like two people coming together. The vulnerability, the awkwardness, the desire. They feel like real people. I’m so happy for them 🥲 This scene moved me so much. You are terrific ❤️

anon on the psychological deep archeological dig front i AM RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. I’m glad Wayne came across so well to you, I have so many Thoughts and Feelings about him particularly re: his relationship to Al and how complicated it is and re: Lacy (cue guttural screaming)

ANDDDDDD ABOUT THAT SMUT thank you so much, your words actually made me tear up a bit LOL because yeah, as you said, totally up for whatever anyone’s jam is re: writing Eddie in bed but in the context of this story, he’s all nerves and eagerness and knockout in love even if he doesn’t know it yet. It’s so nice to be able to write it because he’s so sweeeeet and he’s so fuckin horny and hungry and full of want and ready to give give give, my sweet panting prince

thanks for the lovely message pal 💕

[sometipsygnostalgic]

(Shipping bingo) Catrapta?

it's--- it's not a shipping bingo, flare xD

nonetheless i will answer for both characters individually

Catra:

I really do think Catra's an amazing protagonist/antagonist. One of the best written villains, period. And I love drawing her!!! I've put a lot of thoughts into Catra. I think she's very emotionally intelligent and tender.

However I feel alone in how I approach this show sometimes, and it's because the big thing that draws me to she-ra isn't one or two characters, it's the wider ensemble. Specifically the dynamics of Best Friend Squad, Super Pal Trio, Entrapta and Hordak, the Horde Trio, Catra and Glimmer....

When it comes to She-ra, 95% of fans focus on Catra and Adora's relationships to each other, and that's it. But they spent SO MUCH of the show apart. Catra has relationships with so many other people, and one of the points of the series is showing just how unhealthily fixated on just having that One Person she was, to the point she pushed out all other possible connections when she lost Adora. There's also complicated dynamics like Catra and Hordak which undergo a huge power shift. And you all know how much I love Super Pal Trio, with all their unhealthiness, and how at the end of the show they actually start becoming friends for real.

So it impacts not just how important other characters are in fan works, it also impacts Catra's own growth. I think her relationship to Glimmer is for example one with enormous raw chemistry. I do think part of this is the show's fault - towards the end of season 5 it fixated on the Catradora relationship but didn't give the time of day to any of these characters' OTHER dynamics. Adora didn't get scenes with Razz, Mara, or even Glimmer and Bow by the end of the season. Catra lost out on Scorpia, big oopsie, she didn't talk to Hordak again, her interactions with Entrapta were present but minimal, and she only got maybe 2 scenes with Glimmer after Corridors. So it's not a surprise that fans ALSO ignore all those other relationships, but it's still sad.

THE BLORBO OF THE YEAR

I don't think Entrapta has much wasted potential, the only problem I can think of is she never got a reunion with Scorpia. That would've been great, but during the only s5 ep where they interact, it's way after that and things are a lot more tense.

Entrapta is a paradox in terms of her handling of the show. From one point of view, she's an incredibly strong character, very relatable autistic representation, who retains relevance from start to finish - the ace card, the chess piece that sways the direction of the game - and she makes tons of friends along the way. Instead of being heartless she's proven to being very sensitive and emotionally mature. From another point of view, she's a caricature of autistic people who is consistently dehumanized by characters who are supposed to be her friends, with the biggest offender being how she was thrown on an actual fucking leash, and this ableism was never properly addressed or even recognised by the people who wrote it in, who assumed we'd side with the good guys because... i dont know. were the writers really that allistic???

I think she can be both things at the same time, yeah? you can have a character who is amazing in some ways and painful in others. and that is my experience with entrapta, but frankly, because the show's crew evidently loved her a lot, i find it easier to embrace the positive aspects. also she's just so much fun. how can i not? she just has her own energy that pushes out of the show she's trapped in. never change, entrapta.

You want to know my opinions on them as a ship...?

My favourite ship in She-ra is Glitra. I like Catradora too. I don't have any other gravitations to actual ships. I love drawing Catra and Entrapta as a duo and @phosphoricbomb is constantly egging me to draw them together, which is adorable. But they don't have any romantic chemistry in the show (much like how Entrapta doesn't have much romantic chemistry with ANYONE) outside of one or two interactions where Catra flirts with her to mess with her or with Adora.

I think they are one of the FUNNIEST pairings, however. Can you fucking imagine if Catra and Entrapta had started dating and Scorpia found out? Also there's no way they'd realise straight away they were dating. They'd just be hanging out a lot and get really affectionate until one day someone asks "are you two dating?" and theyre like "what? no. wait. wait, are we dating?" "we cuddled this morning and you kissed me on the head" "oh shit well that probably means something" +

But in terms of canon compliance, Entrapta is very much an "older sister" character to the best friend squad in the final season. Like. Sometimes she's the one looked after, and sometimes she's looking after them. And Catra falls into that equation. What's unique about their dynamic is they fall into a position where they have the potential to understand each other in a way the others will never get, because they've fucked up the world together, hacking the black garnet, building portals, and now they're facing the music together and making up for it by helping their friends. Catra can see how far Entrapta's grown, she might be the only person who knows her well enough to see since Hordak hasn't got the same perspective, and Entrapta is now starting to truly understand Catra for the first time, helping her out of a panic attack and even making her a new outfit and space suit because she's excited to be friends.

That's at the heart of their potential dynamic, I feel. Two people who are learning and growing at the same time, Catra's certainly the "smart one" but she does look up to Entrapta from time to time like Stevenson said.

Oh, also, theyre both autistic, and cats. 

[ambitionsource]

I found ambition when looking for Jack and Eric fanfic on ao3. I genuinely thought it was it's own show with characters who just happened to have the same name as my two bmw favs (I didn't watch gmw and for my own sake I probably never will because they do my babies; jack, eric and angela, so dirty, and I knew of certain things namely Lucas Maya Riley I didn't know enough for it to make me click). I had no clue what I was getting myself into but then I started reading. I'm so beyond glad I did, I've loved every second, every laugh and every tear. Ambition is the show I wished I had as a teen (instead I had glee... and Riverdale... that says enough...) but I'm glad I found it when I needed it, as I face the same challenges the gang has been facing in season 4 as they move on from triple a and onto life in the real world. I like to believe the stories we need find their way to us, the characters we need to meet come to us, thank you for bringing all the characters but especially Jack, Charlie, Nigel, Asher and Jade to life, joining them on their journeys throughout the show and seeing parts of myself - good and bad - reflected back on me has helped me in ways I'll never be able to put to words so I'll simply say thank you. That's the power of good writing, it leaves the reader changed, the writing in ambition is incredible. I've been invested at every step, hooked by every twist. Ambition feels so real, so poignant, the characters feel like real people, it is so true to life in all it's complexities and in all it's ugliness and beauty. It's raw and it's human and it's about community and hope and it's about flawed people who make mistakes but are still worthy and deserving of love and who are trying to do not only do their best but do good and it's the story I desperately needed. I just wanted to write a wee note to send some appreciation to you all for your incredible work and everything you do to bring us this brilliant piece of work.

If the multiverse is real there's a universe where I follow Dylan Orlando on yt and TikTok and debate and jokingly bicker with Nigel about Shakespeare and am mostly likely a techie, I'm kinda sad that I'm not in it lmao but I'm glad and so grateful in one where I found your story. Looking forward to the rest of season 4 and in time season 5, it's going to break my heart to say goodbye but that's how you know that it mattered, if it hurts to let it go.

{backpedaling to bmw for a sec, BLESS YOU FOR WRITING THE WRONGS. I loved the Shawn Angela storyline in season 1 and honestly it healed a part of me that bmw/gmw broke. Without a doubt ambition did it better. I love when they pop in and they have some of my favorite lines. Shawn absolutely kills me, to paraphrase ; "oh yeah I could be jack, authority baby" destroys me every single time. I adore his dynamic with the techies too and Jack. Speaking of Jack, I am on my knees praising y'all for Jack and Eric, so rarely are older couples in teen/ya shows given such depth and it's even rarer to see a queer relationship between two men in their 30s/40s. Their relationship isn't perfect, it's flawed and complicated and there is so much love, their journey so far has been beautiful. It's rare for older characters especially teachers and parents to be treated as three dimensional and as complex individuals, they're typically just the joke or unreasonable antagonist, not in ambition. They are just as complicated and as real as our mains and I love that}.

omg hi! hello!! welcome welcome to the ambition family! full disclosure when i got the notification in my email that i had an anon on this blog i always lowkey dread it's going to be something harsh -- because internet -- but this message was the absolute opposite and the most lovely of surprises. i don't even know where to begin, but you wrote such a thoughtful and packed note here so i wanna address it all in turn -- please bear with me for the long response!

(though if you've read all of ambition up to this point, you're probably used to my writing being way too long. ahaha.)

first off, i wanted to highlight, underline, emphasize in bold what you said here: "I like to believe the stories we need find their way to us, the characters we need to meet come to us..." because you quite literally put our mentality about creating the show into words (beautiful words at that). that is near word-for-word the approach esther and i have taken with this show basically since its inception when we started writing it for ourselves -- we never ever expected it would reach as many people as it has. and we think of it that exact same way, that those who are meant to discover ambition will find their way to it (and its never too late to dive in). so it's so special to me to see you say that, to reflect that sentiment back to us, as like... proof that it is true. this series has brought a specially strange and wonderful cohort of readers together and it is always amazing when another one pops in to make themselves known. so thank you, thank you, for taking the time out of your day to share that with us. and again, welcome!

secondly -- HELL YES TO FINDING YOUR WAY HERE BECAUSE OF JACK AND ERIC! as someone who admittedly has grown less than fond of bmw in the intervening years (does our version of ct show that a bit... oops lol), jack and eric as a duo are still who holds my heart because they were that iconic in the source material of yore. i typically just tag them because they are so central to ambition (though as you probably noticed, i don't tag bmw as a fandom -- at this point i wouldn't tag either show honestly since its so like it's own thing but i have to unfortunately lmao), but i had considered not doing so because i didn't want to clog up the jeric tag but now i'm so glad i do, because look what a lovely little happenstance of bringing you to ambition it fostered!!

(also, you're correct. don't watch gmw. i enjoyed my time with it back in the day, it's cute, but there are better shows and the fandom was absolutely horrible. basically everyone who was there will attest to that LOL. that's partially why we emphasize that at this point ambition really is its own thing, because it's so far removed -- and clearly you can vouch for that now 😊)

and thank you for your kind words about how we write jack and eric -- we 100% agree that adult characters on young adult dramas tend to be useless at best and downright vile at worst (hellooo mr schue, speaking of glee), and we wanted them to be fleshed out and flawed and featured just as much in their own right. plus not only do they have a great relationship with each other that we enjoy writing (enemies to friends to lovers done right, if we do say so ourselves), they have such incredibly important dynamics with others (lucas and isa being the obvious ones) that it's impossible to think of the show without them. so it is SO great to hear such specific praise for them from a reader! and i love that you shouted out a shawn line, he is an underrated gem in the ambition story world for sure (and allowing him and angela their due was very satisfying for us, yes, hahaha).

lastly, can i ask, are you a writer too? because the way you phrased this is absolutely gorgeous and i want to just. hang it up on my wall and hold it close to my heart forever: "joining them on their journeys throughout the show and seeing parts of myself - good and bad - reflected back on me has helped me in ways I'll never be able to put to words so I'll simply say thank you. That's the power of good writing, it leaves the reader changed, the writing in ambition is incredible. I've been invested at every step, hooked by every twist. Ambition feels so real, so poignant, the characters feel like real people, it is so true to life in all it's complexities and in all it's ugliness and beauty. It's raw and it's human and it's about community and hope and it's about flawed people who make mistakes but are still worthy and deserving of love and who are trying to do not only do their best but do good and it's the story I desperately needed."

like legit, that means so so much to us. it's so heartening to see readers engage with the material so deeply AND come away from it with exactly the themes we set out to explore -- community, love, complexity, humanity, faith, failure, rebirth. so thank you, genuinely, for taking the time to send us this wee little note. it is incredibly kind of you, and we're so glad you found this series and get to take the journey with us.

enjoy the rest of the season to come, and please feel free to pop in at any time ✨

-- Maggie

[frankieking]

Final Confessional  Mentions of: You know you’re in here.

“Do you remember our staring contests?” Frankie kept a straight face, crossing one leg over the other. 

“We do, yes. Is that what we’re doing right now?” The producers chuckled in unison which Frankie found to be rather amusing. 

“Maybe. I like to keep the mystery going. But also, I want to get back to the gala event you guys have planned so I’ll be quick.” They offered them a smile, a small white flag and leaned back. “Wow, I can’t believe this is it, huh?” 

“Frankie, we’re really sorry about the way things ended up for you and Emma.” 

“And Emmie.” They cleared their throat. “Emmie too. You should be considering you gave us zero time to really sort anything out and all. In a perfect world, we’d all be SebTony and just fall in love but it was a little complicated with the remaining three.” 

“Well, we apologize. We would have loved to have seen you fall in love and break away that exterior.” 

“I feel like I should be offended by that but I feel you. Look, You have the wrong idea about me. I did come here in search of something meaningful because I didn’t have much or any of that back home. I just wanted to be sure of the validity of it all. So I kept myself protected in case this was all just a game for the others. Knowing me, I’d fall fast and hard and that’d only end in me being hurt and some ridiculous reality show edit for others to make memes about. And honestly, I’m the meme maker. You can’t beat me at my own game.” Frankie sighed. 

“And your thoughts now?” 

“Well, I was wrong. No one here is really like that. Even the ones that weren’t sure at first, they all had their reasons and they were just doing what I was. Keeping their heart protected. So if I were you, I’d be very careful what light you paint the others in. Slander is a thing you know. Just saying. Everyone here is very valid and I’m glad to have learned that because I adore each and every single cast mate. Some more than others of course.” 

“I feel like you have some specifics in mind.” 

“Yeah, I do. Emmie, Khamani, and Raj are just at the top of my head. They’re all amazing and have been wonderful to get to know. Funny and cool and great people but I know it’s not good television if we don’t have our villains I guess. But yeah, Everyone’s valid. Maybe certain things should have never been said, sure but...” They shrugged. “You take away burgers and Snickers from your best friend and see if they’re your best friend at the end of the day.” 

“I’m not sure if we follow.” 

“Just...this was the perfect scenario to create these characters and just remember it can follow them forever. Some become memes, some will be affected in their real-life relationships, some with their work lives. Just...keep that in mind.” 

“Our footage is pretty raw.” 

“Mmm don’t know about that but okay. At first it may be but things get edited. Listen, I get it. I work in the industry. Just...these people are all my friends so...be cool.” 

“You have a soft spot for those three?” 

 “For everyone. Did you know Celeste offered to bring me into her family? Raj is like this older brother-dad I never ever had. Riley and Aldrich are like big brothers and Cisco is like the uncle that spikes the iced tea. And don’t get me started on Chris. He is a gem! A GEM! Thomas is definitely the father chicken.” 

“Father chicken?” 

“Yeah, like Mother hen. Keep up.” 

“Anyway, Tony is literally a bag of marshmallows and I swear if he gets hurt by his exposure here, I will tear up the reality television show genre.” 

They chuckled and nodded. “Ok, ok. considered us warned.” 

“Look, I came here for love. And I found it. So I guess you guys win, huh?” Frankie offered them a final smile. “Oh and protect Juni and Luna and Astrid forever. I will make the damn t-shirts! Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Oh and if you’re wondering, I’ll be doing a whole segment on ship-wrecked so you’re welcome to come on for interviewing. Especially you, Chad. Call me.” They signed a phone and held it to their ear. 

“We always leave these confessionals with you amused and confused.” 

“Then I did it right baby! Frankie OUT!” 

[lesbiansanemi]

From Jjk, Maki! For the character opinion

Mmmmm, Maki, Maki, Maki!

Alright.... I relate to her... It's already not looking good for her lmao

Nah, jokes aside, I'm so alskdfjfkdla about Maki because I tend to relate to male characters most often. Just the way they're written tends to be something I see myself in more often (loud, angry, impulsive, brash, spiteful, etc), and Maki is one of the first female characters I've seen that I genuinely 100% can see myself in, so that's pretty fucking epic. I remember as soon as Maki said her "I'm doing it all to spite my family" line in the movie, my roommate looked over at me and went "Yeah, I get why you relate to her so much now"

I've made posts about it before, but the fact that Maki is allowed to be bitter and angry and it's not treated like she needs to get over it or forgive and move on or something like that? It's amazing, and I have so rarely seen things like it in fiction for female characters. Her anger is justified by the story, not treated like a flaw just because she's a woman

I also think her relationship to Mai is the most realistic depiction I've ever seen of siblings who grew up in abusive families together, which is... idk, neat isn't the right word, but it... makes me feel things. Especially as an Oldest Sister myself. I get it. I get it. I am bitter against my siblings, I hate them, it's not fair, but also every time an adult in my family hurts them I want to rip said adult apart. It's so hard to capture that love/hate siblings tend to develop for each other when growing up in shitty situations like that, but Maki showcases it so well and it's so raw and genuine. I love my siblings, but I also know they resent me for getting out/fucking up their lives because of decisions I made about my own. It's complicated, and I've never seen a sibling relationship in fiction like we got with Maki and Mai

Also also very neat that she gets to be muscular and have full body scars not meant to accent beauty. She gets to look like the brawler she is, which is also super fucking cool

Onto more fun, less depressing aspects of her character that I really enjoy lol, she is a Whole Lesbian, not accepting arguments, so that is fun. She doesn't think about what she says until it's already come out of her mouth, and I love that. She's low key kinda dorky. She loves her friends.

She's just such a well-layered, genuine, real character, and I can't express to you how much she means to me for so many reasons. She's so, so important

[hikkomori-era]

The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthropology

Day 2: The Tortured Poets Department

Oh, my fellow co-interns, our Chairman Taylor Swift has truly outdone herself with these lyrics! 🌟 Let's dive into the emotional rollercoaster that is this song without spoiling too much.

First off, Taylor perfectly captures the essence of a tumultuous relationship, right? It's like she's delving deep into the messy, complicated parts of love that we all experience at some point. From the quirky moments like debating over typewriters to the deeper struggles of self-sabotage and vulnerability, she lays it all bare.

And let's talk about that chorus! Taylor's asking who's gonna hold and know her like her partner does. It's like she's acknowledging the unique connection they share, even if it's not picture-perfect like something out of a romance novel. Instead, it's real and raw, just like life itself.

But it's not all sunshine and rainbows, you know? There's that bridge where she wonders if things might fall apart, but then she's reminded of the deep bond they share, the kind that makes you feel truly understood by someone else. It's like she's saying, "Yeah, we're crazy, but we get each other, and that's what matters."

Now, let's sprinkle in some juicy details about the song. Did you know that Matty Healy, the rumored inspiration behind the song, is known for his love of typewriters? And Taylor cleverly references Law & Order: SVU, one of her favorite shows, adding another layer of depth to the lyrics. It's like she's setting the stage for a captivating drama, and we're all hooked from the start!

Oh, and don't forget about the Chelsea Hotel reference! It's this iconic spot in Manhattan where Dylan Thomas and Patti Smith used to hang out, and Taylor's nod to it adds this nostalgic, romantic vibe to the song. It's like she's weaving together these threads of history and love, creating something truly magical.

And those references to smoking and eating chocolate bars? Total nods to Matty Healy's habits! Plus, the mention of waking up with dread could be a subtle acknowledgment of the struggles they both face, but still choose to weather together.

Overall, these lyrics are a testament to Chairman Taylor Swift's talent for storytelling and her ability to capture the messy, beautiful reality of love and relationships. As co-interns, we couldn't be more grateful to have her music to turn to whenever we need to feel understood. Long live Chairman Taylor Swift and her lyrical genius! 💖✨

[pippytmi]

Roommates au, enemies to lovers, “you confuse me.” Supercorp obvs

“You’re a fucking liar.”

This is—objectively speaking—not the worst greeting Kara has ever received from her roommate, and so she takes it in stride. “Uh, hello to you…too,” Kara says slowly, silently running through a list of everything she could have done wrong to warrant such strong words.

But Lena does not offer any explanation; in fact, when she spots Kara in the doorway, she sends her a nasty glare as if Kara has said something wrong. “Don’t pretend you’re a saint in this matter, Lex,” Lena hisses, and only then does Kara notice the cell phone in Lena’s hands. “If I have to go and clean up your mess again…”

So it’s one of those days. Kara wisely shuts the door quietly behind her, and sneaks into the kitchen as Lena takes her argument into her room.

There is a list of chores pinned to the fridge—four black X’s cross out Lena’s, and Kara’s are underlined twice. They have a code, so as to avoid speaking to each other; X’s mean done, underlined means Kara you're a slob and a pain in the ass to live with. (All verbatim, by the way.)

The dishes, however, are not on Kara’s agenda at the moment. She instead takes the expensive whiskey hidden under the sink (that belongs to Alex, not that she has noticed it’s missing), and pours it into a glass with some ice. Then she whips out the ingredients for a stir fry, complete with every vegetable she had been saving for the potluck at work this weekend.

It is an unspoken rule that Lena will shut herself off into her room after this phone call is over. She does that every time her brother calls (and on occasion her mother), and Kara has picked up enough information about her roommate to know Lena will appreciate a hard drink and some food. She hasn’t said so or anything, but every time Kara knocks three times on the door and leaves a plate outside, it will re-emerge an hour later completely empty.

Lena’s voice grows louder despite the distance, and Kara turns on the stereo out of respect for her roommate's privacy. Lena hates the stereo and all it stands for; she argues it is outdated, and they have numerous pieces of technology that are less bulky and fully able to connect to radio stations. But Kara keeps it around anyway, because she still likes buying CD’s (and maybe to bother Lena, which is a bonus).

Blink-182 is playing on that alternative station Alex likes. Kara cranks it up as she cooks, singing under her breath as she sautes bell peppers and onions, ignoring the rumble of her stomach and the tight belt of her work pants still digging into her hips. “Say it ain’t so, I will not go,” she practically yells, poking her head into the fridge for the tofu that Lena always keeps. Kara personally won’t touch the stuff, but Lena is trying to eat less meat. It cuts up easily enough, even though Kara isn’t sure what the proper technique is.

She leaves the finished plate and drink outside after it’s done, rapping on Lena’s door in tune with The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army,” and then finally has some dinner herself. Since the tofu is unappetizing, Kara stores the rest of the stir fry in a container for Lena to take for lunch, and opts for a sandwich. She eats while scrolling through her notifications (she owes Nia twenty bucks, and so far Nia has been clogging up her phone with Venmo requests all well over $500), and keeps the radio on just for background noise.

That’s probably why she doesn’t even notice when Lena approaches; Kara has barely begun to type a text to Nia swearing to bring some cash next time she visits when a sharp voice declares,

“You confuse me.”

Which. Is not at all what Kara expected from her usually empty kitchen. And, caught exceptionally off guard, she nearly falls off her chair. “What the—Lena,” she sputters, righting herself. Unfortunately, the crust of her sandwich is a casualty of the surprise, and she watches as it crumples devastatingly on the floor.

Lena is not half as concerned about the fate of her dinner, and she stalks forward to jab a finger at Kara’s chest. “You confuse me,” she repeats.

Kara blinks. Then blinks again. “Um, okay,” she says. “…why?”

A strange, strangled noise rises from Lena’s mouth, and she appears angrier than Kara has ever seen. (Well, except for that one time that Kara did laundry and flooded the apartment laundromat, which had other pissed off tenants leaving mean messages for two weeks straight). “Because,” angrier-than-usual Lena says, “you do shit like cook food for me and don’t even say anything.”

“What do you want me to say?” Kara frowns, not sure where this conversation is going. “If you want I can start saying ‘Hey Lena, I made dinner’ every time.”

“You and I don’t do dinner,” Lena says, and it sounds like an accusation. “Every time I get off the phone, you decide to leave food outside my door. Why? What on Earth compels you to do that?”

“Because you’re always upset afterwards,” Kara says slowly. “And I thought you could use some cheering up, or at least a drink.”

“Whiskey,” Lena notes. “It’s always whiskey. And it’s never a cheap brand.”

“Well, yeah,” Kara says, gesturing pointedly to Lena’s designer work clothes (that she never seems to be without; Kara’s not sure Lena even owns pajamas). “You would probably accuse me of poisoning you if I gave you anything less.”

Lena narrows her eyes. “You don’t owe me anything,” she says. “So whatever this is, you can stop it.”

“What do you mean, ‘whatever this is’?” Kara repeats incredulously. “I’m just being nice!”

“I never asked you to be ‘nice’!”

Kara exhales, and reminds herself that it is illegal to strangle people. Especially since she is Lena’s roommate, and will therefore be suspect #1. Kara has never been a violent person, but her roommate just manages to test her limits.

“Look,” Kara says patiently, “I give you my sister’s whiskey, and she doesn’t care because she is trying to give up drinking. And I’m not a frequent cook or anything, but I can still throw together a plate because I know you don’t cook at all. That’s it! I don’t have a hidden agenda, or some secret plot here. I’m just being friendly.”

“We are not friends, Kara Danvers,” Lena says. “And I know exactly what this is, even if you refuse to acknowledge it.”

God, what an insufferable—“Okay, know-it-all,” Kara says, instead of the ruder words echoing through her head. “What am I doing?”

Lena’s jaw clenches noticeably. “You pity me,” she accuses. “You look down at my relationship with my family, and—and I don’t want your sympathy, or your stupid food, anymore.”

“If you wanted me to back off, that’s fine,” Kara says, holding her hands up in mock surrender. “But I don’t pity you, or feel sorry for you. Heck, with your track record, I’d feel more sympathy for your family. They seem to be on the other end of some nasty phone calls.”

Lena’s expression darkens. “You don’t know my family.”

“I don’t know you very well, either,” Kara retorts, and she turns back to her phone where three new Venmo requests are waiting (two of them well in the thousands range; Nia must think she’s hilarious). “Message received, okay? I’ll leave you alone.”

At first, Kara assumes that's the end of it—assumes that Lena is going to stalk off, and leave a strongly worded post-it on the fridge later that night for Kara to wake up to. That has always been how their relationship works; they fight, reiterate how much they hate living together, and go right back to ignoring each other.

But Lena doesn't walk away. Instead she sighs, and at that unexpected sound Kara looks up just in time to catch Lena frowning. “I—” Lena begins, and then she pauses uncomfortably before getting the words out. “I'm...sorry. I have been having the worst day, and it’s—it’s rude of me to take it out on you.”

“Okay,” says Kara dumbly, because she’s not sure what to respond. Lena never apologizes. Ever. It’s about as rare as, well, Kara actually doing her chores on time. “Thanks?”

Lena bites her lip, glances away. “You’re welcome,” she says stiffly. And this time she leaves—leaves, and abandons the plate of food Kara left her on the edge of the table.

Kara looks down at her phone. There are ten texts waiting from Nia, and about double that of Venmo requests. But she can’t shake the feeling that she is forgetting something, and it’s more than a twenty dollar bill. “Wait,” she blurts out, “Lena. What—what does that mean? You were an asshole to me, and I was an asshole right back, so why are you apologizing?”

“Well, you are more than welcome to apologize too,” Lena says, pausing in the kitchen doorway. She has a quizzical expression on her face, a kind of raw confusion that Kara has never seen before. Without the sharp clenched jaw and the angry eyes, she’s…just a girl. A girl, with a nervous tic of wringing her fingers together. A girl, despite her guarded nature, who is gazing right back at Kara as if she has no right to.

“Do you want me to apologize to you?”

A beat. “Not really,” Lena says. “I don’t—want that. You’re right, you don’t know me. Or my family. We’re nothing to each other, and I can’t expect you to know how complicated my relationship with them is.”

“Still,” Kara says, and she scratches the back of her neck absentmindedly at the sudden flush of guilt that overtakes her. “I am sorry. It was rude of me to, um, say that. Like if your family is a bunch of serial killers, who am I to say you’re worse than that?”

Lena scrunches her nose in a manner that is sort of cute. “Serial killers? Really?”

Kara shrugs—aiming for casual—and really that just looks like attempting nonchalance when suddenly she’s consumed with thoughts about how pretty her roommate is. “Like you said,” she says, “I don’t know your family.”

And, surprisingly, all Lena does is smile. A real smile, the kind that Kara has never witnessed, barely soft and just kind enough. “They’re not,” she says, and unnecessarily clarifies, “serial killers.”

“That you know of,” Kara points out, and Lena’s cautious smile becomes something fuller. That is the only thing that gives Kara the courage to add, “So, now that we have covered the whole you’re not your family thing, are you really not going to have dinner? I cooked tofu for you and everything!”

“You didn’t have to,” Lena argues, because she is defensive to a fault. But she falters immediately after, and sighs again, albeit in a more mellowed tone. “What I meant to say is, I really don’t need you to keep cooking for me. I’m fine.”

“Well what if I want to cook for you?” Kara says, and that is her own fault: she is ready to argue to protect her (noble) intentions. “We don’t have to be friends, if it terrifies you that much—”

“It does not terrify me—”

“—but we can be friendly,” Kara offers, and it’s a testament to her newfound appreciation for her roommate that she manages to even make a sentence. “If you want.”

Lena tilts her head, considering, and this time when she smiles it is curious. “If you knew what I wanted, Kara Danvers,” she says, “your delicate sensibilities would blush to their roots.” And with that odd goodbye, she eventually takes her leave; however, she does take the plate of stir fry with her, so Kara guesses that means they’re on their way to being friendly, if anything.

[uomo-accattivante]

Excellent article about bringing a re-make of Ingmar Bergman’s Scenes from a Marriage to fruition, and the twenty-year friendship that Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain share:

There were days on the shoot for “Scenes From a Marriage,” a five-episode limited series that premieres Sept. 12 on HBO, when Oscar Isaac resented the crew.

The problem wasn’t the crew members themselves, he told me on a video call in March. But the work required of him and his co-star, Jessica Chastain, was so unsparingly intimate — “And difficult!” Chastain added from a neighboring Zoom window — that every time a camera operator or a makeup artist appeared, it felt like an intrusion.

On his other projects, Isaac had felt comfortably distant from the characters and their circumstances — interplanetary intrigue, rogue A.I. But “Scenes” surveys monogamy and parenthood, familiar territory. Sometimes Isaac would film a bedtime scene with his onscreen child (Lily Jane) and then go home and tuck his own child into the same model of bed as the one used onset, accessorized with the same bunny lamp, and not know exactly where art ended and life began.

“It was just a lot,” he said.

Chastain agreed, though she put it more strongly. “I mean, I cried every day for four months,” she said.

Isaac, 42, and Chastain, 44, have known each other since their days at the Juilliard School. And they have channeled two decades of friendship, admiration and a shared and obsessional devotion to craft into what Michael Ellenberg, one of the series’s executive producers, called “five hours of naked, raw performance.” (That nudity is metaphorical, mostly.)

“For me it definitely felt incredibly personal,” Chastain said on the call in the spring, about a month after filming had ended. “That’s why I don’t know if I have another one like this in me. Yeah, I can’t decide that. I can’t even talk about it without. …” She turned away from the screen. (It was one of several times during the call that I felt as if I were intruding, too.)

The original “Scenes From a Marriage,” created by Ingmar Bergman, debuted on Swedish television in 1973. Bergman’s first television series, its six episodes trace the dissolution of a middle-class marriage. Starring Liv Ullmann, Bergman’s ex, it drew on his own past relationships, though not always directly.

“When it comes to Bergman, the relationship between autobiography and fiction is extremely complicated,” said Jan Holmberg, the chief executive of the Ingmar Bergman Foundation.

A sensation in Sweden, it was seen by most of the adult population. And yes, sure, correlation does not imply causation, but after its debut, Swedish divorce were rumored to have doubled. Holmberg remembers watching a rerun as a 10-year-old.

“It was a rude awakening to adult life,” he said.

The writer and director Hagai Levi saw it as a teenager, on Israeli public television, during a stint on a kibbutz. “I was shocked,” he said. The series taught him that a television series could be radical, that it could be art. When he created “BeTipul,” the Israeli precursor to “In Treatment,” he used “Scenes” as proof of the concept “that two people can talk for an hour and it can work,” Levi said. (Strangely, “Scenes” also inspired the prime-time soap “Dallas.”)

So when Daniel Bergman, Ingmar Bergman’s youngest son, approached Levi about a remake, he was immediately interested.

But the project languished, in part because loving a show isn’t reason enough to adapt it. Divorce is common now — in Sweden, and elsewhere — and the relationship politics of the original series, in which the male character deserts his wife and young children for an academic post, haven’t aged particularly well.

Then about two years ago, Levi had a revelation. He would swap the gender roles. A woman who leaves her marriage and child in pursuit of freedom (with a very hot Israeli entrepreneur in place of a visiting professorship) might still provoke conversation and interest.

So the Marianne and Johan of the original became Mira and Jonathan, with a Boston suburb (re-created in a warehouse just north of New York City), stepping in for the Stockholm of the original. Jonathan remains an academic though Mira, a lawyer in the original, is now a businesswoman who out-earns him.

Casting began in early 2020. After Isaac met with Levi, he wrote to Chastain to tell her about the project. She wasn’t available. The producers cast Michelle Williams. But the pandemic reshuffled everyone’s schedules. When production was ready to resume, Williams was no longer free. Chastain was. “That was for me the most amazing miracle,” Levi said.

Isaac and Chastain met in the early 2000s at Juilliard. He was in his first year; she, in her third. He first saw her in a scene from a classical tragedy, slapping men in the face as Helen of Troy. He was friendly with her then-boyfriend, and they soon became friends themselves, bonding through the shared trauma of an acting curriculum designed to break its students down and then build them back up again. Isaac remembered her as “a real force of nature and solid, completely solid, with an incredible amount of integrity,” he said.

In the next window, Chastain blushed. “He was super talented,” she said. “But talented in a way that wasn’t expected, that’s challenging and pushing against constructs and ideas.” She introduced him to her manager, and they celebrated each other’s early successes and went to each other’s premieres. (A few of those photos are used in “Scenes From a Marriage” as set dressing.)

In 2013, Chastain was cast in J.C. Chandor’s “A Most Violent Year,”opposite Javier Bardem. When Bardem dropped out, Chastain campaigned for Isaac to have the role. Weeks before shooting, they began to meet, fleshing out the back story of their characters — a husband and wife trying to corner the heating oil market in 1981 New York — the details of the marriage, business, life.

It was their first time working together, and each felt a bond that went deeper than a parallel education and approach. “Something connects us that’s stronger than any ideas of character or story or any of that,” Isaac said. “There’s something else that’s more about like, a shared existence.”

Chandor noticed how they would support each other on set, and challenge each other, too, giving each other the freedom to take the characters’ relationship to dark and dangerous places. “They have this innate trust with each other,” Chandor said.

That trust eliminated the need for actorly tricks or shortcuts, in part because they know each other’s tricks too well. Their motto, Isaac said, was, “Let’s figure this [expletive] out together and see what’s the most honest thing we can do.”

Moni Yakim, Juilliard’s celebrated movement instructor, has followed their careers closely and he noted what he called the “magnetism and spiritual connection” that they suggested onscreen in the film.

“It’s a kind of chemistry,” Yakim said. “They can read each other’s mind and you as an audience, you can sense it.”

Telepathy takes work. When they knew that shooting “Scenes From a Marriage” could begin, Chastain bought a copy of “All About Us,” a guided journal for couples, and filled in her sections in character as Mira. Isaac brought it home and showed it to his wife, the filmmaker Elvira Lind.

“She was like, ‘You finally found your match,’” Isaac recalled. “’Someone that is as big of a nerd as you are.’”

The actors rehearsed, with Levi and on their own, talking their way through each long scene, helping each other through the anguished parts. When production had to halt for two weeks, they rehearsed then, too.

Watching these actors work reminded Amy Herzog, a writer and executive producer on the series, of race horses in full gallop. “These are two people who have so much training and skill,” she said. “Because it’s an athletic feat, what they were being asked to do.”

But training and skill and the “All About Us” book hadn’t really prepared them for the emotional impact of actually shooting “Scenes From a Marriage.” Both actors normally compartmentalize when they work, putting up psychic partitions between their roles and themselves. But this time, the partitions weren’t up to code.

“I knew I was in trouble the very first week,” Chastain said.

She couldn’t hide how the scripts affected her, especially from someone who knows her as well as Isaac does. “I just felt so exposed,” she said. “This to me, more than anything I’ve ever worked on, was definitely the most open I’ve ever been.”

“It felt so dangerous,” she said.

I visited the set in February (after multiple Covid-19 tests and health screenings) during a final day of filming. It was the quietest set I had ever seen: The atmosphere was subdued, reverent almost, a crew and a studio space stripped down to only what two actors would need to do the most passionate and demanding work of their careers.

Isaac didn’t know if he would watch the completed series. “It really is the first time ever, where I’ve done something where I’m totally fine never seeing this thing,” he said. “Because I’ve really lived through it. And in some ways I don’t want whatever they decide to put together to change my experience of it, which was just so intense.”

The cameras captured that intensity. Though Chastain isn’t Mira and Isaac isn’t Jonathan, each drew on personal experience — their parents’ marriages, past relationships — in ways they never had. Sometimes work on the show felt like acting, and sometimes the work wasn’t even conscious. There’s a scene in the harrowing fourth episode in which they both lie crumpled on the floor, an identical stress vein bulging in each forehead.

“It’s my go-to move, the throbbing forehead vein,” Isaac said on a follow-up video call last month. Chastain riffed on the joke: “That was our third year at Juilliard, the throb.”

By then, it had been five months since the shoot wrapped. Life had returned to something like normal. Jokes were possible again. Both of them seemed looser, more relaxed. (Isaac had already poured himself one tequila shot and was ready for another.) No one cried.

Chastain had watched the show with her husband. And Isaac, despite his initial reluctance, had watched it, too. It didn’t seem to have changed his experience.

“I’ve never done anything like it,” he said. “And I can’t imagine doing anything like it again.”

###

[calliecat93]

Hi Callie! In your opinion, what are the top ten best Mccoy centric episodes in TOS? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, thanks for reading anyways! ❤️

Ooh, good question! This is a little hard because McCoy, compared to Kirk and Spock, didn’t get a lot of centric episodes. Actually I think he only really got like… two out of 79 episodes (depending on how you view it). But he DOES have a large prescence in others, so let me see here…

1. The Empath Technically it’s a Triumvirate episode, but this has McCoy’s best moment in the entire show. Like if you want to understand McCoy’s character, this is the episode that you turn to. I already blabbed about why once so I’ll let that go into it for me.

2. For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky: While some of the execution is a bit iffy, this is still a realy excellent episode. Mainly because DeForest Kelley plays McCoy here with everything that he has and just nails everything, McCoy’s sadness, loneliness, and invevat le fate of dying in a year, masterfully. The episode would be NOWHERE near as good if not for De Kelley.

3. The Man Trap: This and the last one are the only two McCoy-centric episodes, at least that I recall. This one often gets overlooked since it’s first so I think that the emotional impact gets lost. But God McCoy in this episode is just outright tragic. I wrote a whole post about it because it felt so unfair that it was overlooked because there is SO MUCH there. Also mrke amazing De Kelley acting

4. All Our Yesterdays: While McCoy does spend a good chunk of it passed out from hypothermia, he is freakin’ excellent in this episode. He’s not only hilarious (“He means it’s cold!”, De’s delivery made me burst out laughing) but when he’s finally awake, he’s just freakin’ awesome. He put himself at GREAT risk to snap Spock out of his mental state and then went ‘screw it’ and tried to find the portal home cause he wants his life back, with or without Spock (but preferably with Spock). He’s just great~!

5. Return to Tomorrow: This whole episode is super underrated. It’s the one where the alien beings posess Kirk, Spock, and Lady of the Week’s bodies. McCoy is the ONLY rational person in the episode and the one who has to deal with the majority of the problem. He has to both worry about everyone’s minds in the orbs and what the aliens do to their human bodies and is VERY concerned throughout. It also demonstrates how devkted to his profession and oath that he is. He even outright risks Kirk dying for good, as painful as it is for him, because it would mean allowing another to die and like Hell is he doing that. Seriously, this one is so freakin’ overlooked.

6. Bread and Circuses/The Immunity Syndrome/The Tholian Web: Yeah three way tie cause they all have one thing in common: they feature his complicated relationship with Spock. The first one I wrote a whole meta about already. It’s a Spones analysis, but it reflects why McCoy himself is great in this episode along with all hos geneal grumpy snark throughout. Oh and the ending with him throwing a mattess at a guy… and he wins IIRC. Best underrated comedy moment EVER. With the second, he’s not at all happy with Spock being picked over him to examine the amoeba and that Spock may die. Their whole interaction in the hangar, McCoy waiting until the doors close to wish Spock luck, Spock’s seeming final words, and of course “Shut up Spock! We’re rescuing you!”. The last one of course has Kirk gone and McCoy is angry, grieving, and stressed with everyone losing their minds and Spcok pressuring him to fix it all at the same time and he takes it out on Spock. Then they see Kirk’s final message and we all know what happens after. All three do such a great job showing how much McCoy cares about Spock and showcasing how great they really are together, and not even just the shippy sense. Only reason they’re at six is because of how closely tied to Spock he is in those episodes instead of being the central character, but he IS still central in them and showcase some of his best moments. So I hope I got my point across XD

7. A Private Little War: The episode’s message is kind of… questionable. But ignoring thay, McCoy is the real freakin’ hero of this story. It’s only because of him that Kirk survived and he’s more than willing to contront him on his questionable decision making. Which is the very thing that Kirk brought him for to begin with. It’s one of the best episode to show how much he cares about Kirk and the lengths he’ll go for him. Oh and he kept Spock from dying along with Chapel and M’Benga. Thank God he has competent medical staff who can do the job without him XD

8. Journey to Babel: Okay yes this is a Spock episode, but McCoy is VERY prominent throughout. He’s both hilarious in the cold opening and we all remember his reaction to Spock’s ‘teddy bear’ XD. But he managed to conduct a VERY risky surgery that put Spock and Sarek at great risk if he screwed up. A surgery he’s never really conducted. And during a battle that causes frequent rattling to boot. He succeeded and the episode appropriately rewards him by allowing him the final word. It’s not only oen of the best episodes showing why he’s the CMO, but he’s just freakin’ great the whole episode.

9. Amok Time: Again it’s a Spock episode, but I repeat what I said about Return to Tomorrow: McCoy is the real hero. He’s the one who recognizes that something is horribly wrong, puts up with zero excuses, actually usus logic to get Spock to comply, and of course it was him who saved both Kirk and Spock’s sorry butts. They’d both likely be dead had McCoy not been there. He may have had the least screentime of the three, but he damn wel made up for it.

10. Operation: Annahilate: It has one of the saddest but strongest McCoy scenes. Through the whole episode he’s super protectice of Spock, running various tests to get rid of the parasites and trying to keep Kirk’s kid nephew alive all at the same time. Then he gets made by Kirk and Spock to risk blinding the latter… and DOES blind him. Then his face when the test result revelaed that he didn’t need to use an jntense light and being outright unresponsive when Kirk calls him later… just ouch. It’s one of those moments I wish it had gone more in depth, but upseide is we have haply McCoy by the end. Want proof of how much he cares for Spock and others? Here you go

And he has really good scenes in other episodes despite varying levels of prominence (Miri, Space Seed, The Galileo Seven, This Side of Pradise, The City on the Edge of Forever, Mirror, Mirror, Friday’s Child, The Ultimate Computer, Spock’s Brain… no seriosuly he’s the biggest bright spot in that and for certain S3 episodes tbh). It’s a HUGE shame that he was treated like the third wheel both in series and the films, and even now gets the raw end of the deal in popular media. But I hope that this was a satisfactory list Anon. Sorry it got all wordy and long, I can’t help myself sometimes XD

(Image Source)

[figonas]

kaitlyn! can you sell me on black sails? I’ve been trying to figure out if I should watch it for ages

CAN I SELL YOU ON BLACK SAILS?!

It would be my honor 😈

The short: Black Sails is a prequel to Treasure Island chronicling how Captain Flint & Long John Silver met and where they got the treasure that is the focus of Treasure Island. Don’t worry if you’ve never read Treasure Island or seen an adaptation, it won’t make a difference.

**There are trigger warnings for nudity, violence, gore, and specifically for Max’s character in episode 3 there is a storyline involving sexual assault & rape. Essentially if you watched Game of Thrones (derogatory) and had no issue with the nudity, violence, and gore in that show Black sails will be absolutely no issue for you.**

First off, Black Sails is beautiful. The sets, the scenery, the actors, the acting, the music, everything.

Second, this show is lousy with queer representation. I don’t just mean there are a lot of queer characters. There are alot, I can think of at least 5 main characters off the top of my head, but it’s also queer people in a variety of relationships both good and bad.

Third, it’s nice and compact just 4 seasons with a set, discreet storyline that isn’t dragged on for 80 million terrible seasons.

Fourth it’s just good. I don’t know how I can explain that everything about this show works in its favor and makes it a worthwhile experience.

Essentially Black Sails is an action packed queer pirate drama that gorgeous toe to tip.

If you need more of an endorsement or want to watch me lose my mind over this show, I have expanded on my points under the cut;

If you’ve braved your way under the cut, welcome and buckle up.

Black Sails is full of amazing music, absolutely beautiful scenery, filled to the brim with a cast of phenomenal actors. I don’t really think this bullet point needs any additional explanation but have some screen caps and listen to the opening theme in case you don’t believe me.

Everyone in this show is hot…like everyone..everyone

When I say this show is lousy with queer people I don’t just mean there are queer people in this show; they are the focus of this show. I can’t really elaborate for spoiler related reasons but trust me, you’ve never watched an action drama like Black Sails. Have you ever watched a show with one, let alone TWO canon polycules?? How about an implied third?? Yeah I didn’t think so. The queer people in Black Sails are allowed to be people in relationships just like anyone else. Meaning they can make bad relationship choices. They can fuck up and break up and move on to someone else and none of that is written in a way that makes the viewer pass judgement on their sexuality.

The storyline in this show will blow you away. I really thought I understood Captain James Flint you know? I got him. Former British Naval Officer who’s been disgraced and turned to piracy. Fits in a nice little box of “characters with clear motivations that lead them from point A to point B”. HA HA WRONG, wrong wrong wrong. Black Sails took the version of Flint I boxed up as “interesting but ultimately a pirate cliché” and slapped me full in the face with his backstory. Flint’s motivations and backstory hit me so hard my Irish ancestors are wondering why their teeth hurt.

At the end of all this Black Sails is just good. The story is compact and complete. The characters all have depth; strengths and weaknesses, powerful motivations, their own brand of intelligence, etc. Relationships are complex and complicated, loyalties change, people die, love and trust are broken only to be rebuilt with someone else. What really sets Black Sails apart is this dark, gritty, straight-bait, action drama about pirates and treasure and rebellion has a beautiful, hopeful ending that leaves you satisfied. The people in Black Sails are people it’s real, and raw, and beautiful, and it will haunt you forever.

I’ll leave you with some of my favorite out of context quotes from the series;

“I am so sorry for working so hard to protect the wrong things. For failing to see that there is nothing important that doesn’t include you.”

“Everyone is a monster to someone, since you are so convinced that I am yours I will be it”

“Eleanor this place is just sand, it cannot love you back”

Goodbye, good luck, god speed, Black Sails will take over your brain forever!! You will never forget about it as long as you live!! Abandon all hope ye who enter here!!