#shipping and fandom ask

[princesssarisa]

For the Shipping & Fandom Ask:

7. What are your top five ships of all time?

16. What gif or screenshot most sums up your ship?

29. What’s your favorite fanfic AU scenario or setting?

7. I couldn't choose out of all media, so I'll pick a specific media. My top five ships of all time in the standard opera repertoire.

Figaro and Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro): Everyone's favorite comic opera couple. Two smart, witty, lively, funny people with different, complimentary forms of cleverness, Figaro's scheming and Susanna's presence of mind. They're utterly devoted to each other, and they work together to outwit the lustful Count and secure their wedding. They have their issues with jealousy and misunderstandings – and by modern standards, Figaro's Act IV misogyny aria and Susanna's violent streak aren't so funny – but they resolve them in the end with an ease that shows the strong foundation of their love.

Rodolfo and Mimí (La Bohéme): *sigh* It's very flawed. I've wanted to punch Rodolfo many times for the way he emotionally hurts Mimí in the months leading to their breakup, and their meeting scene in Act I has some consent issues. But something about them keeps drawing me back to them. It's clear that their love is true and mutual, and they share so much tenderness, warmth, poetry, and beautiful music, capped off with an achingly beautiful tragic ending. And they're both so easy to identify with; sometimes too much.

Tosca and Cavaradossi (Tosca): Another relationship that has its flaws, conflicts, and jealousy issues, but this one has a sense of dedication and stability through it all that others often lack. This is probably helped by the fact that they seem slightly older than other operatic lovers. (Realistically, I suppose they're probably in their 20s, but they always come across as more in their 30s to me.) Yet regardless of age, they still have plenty of passion, sensuality, tenderness, and romantic Puccini music to sing.

Norina and Ernesto (Don Pasquale): A sweet young pair of comic opera innamorati. Romantic Ernesto has more heart than brains, but cunning, playful Norina has enough brains for both of them, and despite their different personalities they mesh well together. I especially like the way they each emphasize how much they want the other to be happy. And when he sees her apparently about to marry his uncle, he doesn't act like a typical tenor and fly into a jealous rage, but just has a moment of shock and disbelief, but then is quickly made to see that it's a trick. For that alone he wins points!

Tamino and Pamina (The Magic Flute): A classic fairy tale pairing: two innocents who fall in Love at First Sight and prove willing to brave fire, floods, darkness, and death to be together. Their interactions are few, but Mozart's music makes their love truly felt. It's unfortunate that in Act II, Tamino figuratively pushes Pamina aside for the sake of Sarastro's trials, but at least on some level he does it for Pamina, to prove he's worthy of her hand. And in the climactic scene, not only do they finally unite as they should, but Pamina is the one who guides Tamino through the deadliest trials.

It wasn't easy to decide on these five ships. They all have their problematic aspects, but most of the other operatic couples I could think of are either much worse or much more boring! It's amazing how dysfunctional most of the romances in the standard opera repertoire really are!

16. I'll share a photo for each of the ships listed above, in order.

29. Call it problematic, but I like gender-bending. I like examining how the characters' social roles would be different in their specific time periods and places if they were gender-bent, and how this might alter the story. (Social roles, not personalities – I don't assume their personalities would be very different because I don't do gender essentialism.) And I like breaking gender stereotypes, which is typically the result.

My unpublished novel An Eternal Crown is a gender-bent retelling of The Magic Flute. I've loved reimagining Tamino and Pamina as Sarisa and Zeran, respectively, and fleshing out their love story from this new starting point.

@leporellian, @tuttocenere

[aroaceleovaldez]

i had a thought of "do people not know what AUs are anymore?" and then i remembered nobody explains fandom stuff to new people anymore so it is entirely plausible people genuinely don't know what AUs are and nobody has explained it to them, so for today's lucky 10,000:

"AU" stands for "Alternate Universe" or "Alternative Universe" (same difference) and is basically any thought scenario for a fandom that isn't canon and can't fit within the canon universe. If it takes place in the canon universe but something is notably different, that is typically what's known as a "Canon divergent AU," because it diverges from canon.

an AU can be absolutely anything. There's a couple of widespread pan-fandom au scenarios that often get thrown around, like coffee shop aus, genderbend aus, hanahaki aus (hanahaki is a whole thing in itself i'd recommend researching on your own), etc. One you might hear sometimes is "crossover AU" which is when you have characters from one fandom interacting with characters from another.

You can have as many aus as you want. They can be whatever you want and you can do whatever you want in them. It's a sandbox for you to play around in and explore how things would be different or how the characters would act in those circumstances or environments. Maybe they have different relationships with each other. Maybe they behave slightly differently. Or you can just say "Okay, [x] is true. How did they get here? How would things have to be different for this to occur?" which can also be fun.

If you are ever confused about why people ship something that seems completely out of the blue or doesn't make sense to you in the canon setting, there's a good chance they like it in an AU setting! Not everything everybody is interacting with is necessarily the canon! Not everybody wants things to exist in canon and just want to explore playing dolls in a different sandbox and that's okay. And their sandbox might look a lot different than yours, and that's also okay. You have the freedom to make your sandbox whatever you please. Do whatever you want forever. Get funky with it. AUs are fun.

Okay that's my schpeal. everybody go have fun and play nice now.

[oobbbear]

I want to post this here too because I’ve seen it happen a few times

Please understand that there are cultural differences and language differences, if you see this happening let the person clarify what they meant, that person might just not be familiar with words the western side of the internet use

[sw33tm0urningl4mb]

Deep/Fun Questions to Ask!

Do you like watching sunsets?

Have you ever started a rumor?

What makes you laugh hard?

What's the last concert you went to?

If you believed in it, what would you be reincarnated to?

What's your current vocal stim?

What shirt are you wearing?

Who or what is on your mind?

What are your favorite pair of shoes?

What would easily win you over if someone gave you it?

What three words describe you?

What's a funny memory you have?

Do you have any drunk stories?

What's one thing you own that you're sure no one else has?

Do you have any superstitions?

What is your guilty pleasure?

What weird thing do you do when you're alone?

What is the worst food you've ever had?

What fictional character would you bring to life if you could?

If you could join a career immediately, what would it be?

What keeps you going during the day?

Current song on repeat?

Funniest inside joke?

What's your favorite piece of jewelry you own?

Favorite niche topic?

What fandom are you currently in?

Most controversial take?

Favorite ship and why?

Do you have any piercings or tattoos, and what are they?

What is your worst & best quality?

[boobilby]

Being even more cringe than usual

Featuring my friends drawing of Joel, who I’m pretty sure they don’t even know, @dustystripe is the friend

[serendippertyy]

Can u do more funnybunny? I love your art

OF COURSE!! 🫵💥

I like drawing them sickeningly in love ...and I also like doing very messy sketches shh

[trashytracktales]

any visions of maneater!reader and womanizer!lando yet? that'd be so hot omg 😩

You guys shouldn’t put such images in my head, because look what happens. Look!!

𝗗𝗬𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗖𝗦

✦ None of them is used to being outplayed, which makes their relationship a constant battle of control.

✦ The sexual tension is insane. I’m talking arguments turning into make-up sex, and every flirtatious glance is seen as a challenge.

✦ They’re toxic for anyone else, but somehow they thrive in each other’s fire. What they have it’s fueled by a chaotic chemistry, and it wouldn’t work with other people, because the main thing that bonds them is a mutual obsession.

✦ Talking about mutual obsession, both are addicted to the game, and neither of them is willing to lose. Their version of love is possessive, passionate, and always a little crazy.

𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖 | the ultimate power couple

✦ In public, they are constantly teasing each other, just enough to rile the other up.

✦ Using jealousy as a foreplay is basically their love language.

✦ From the outside, they look like they’re made for each other, always immaculate, matching in power looks; they look like sex, and everyone knows it.

𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗘 | everything is a competition

✦ Sex isn’t soft. I’m seeing scratches down backs, maybe even broken furniture, handprints on thighs. They leave marks like trophies.

✦ From choking to spanking to edging, their bedroom is a war zone. His hand is constantly around her neck while telling her she’s his; she bites his lip until it bleeds, then rides him until he begs.

✦ The control games are strong. She’ll edge him for hours just because he pissed her off. He’ll cancel her orgasm mid-session and leave her soaked and irritated, only to return later and wreck her all over again.

𝗘𝗫𝗧𝗥𝗔 𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗘

✦ Lando is a starved man, no matter how many times he eats in a day. She makes sure he always has his mouth full (because she likes it more when he shuts the fuck up).

✦ When he does talk, it’s usually him asking existential questions 🤔💭:

“Who’s cock gets you this wet?”, when she’s stuttering, moaning, and lost in it.

“You think anyone else could fuck you like this?”, right before slamming into her harder, just to prove his point.

“How many times did you think about me today?”, while he’s finger-fucking her open.

✦ When the power switches, she makes sure to let him know, by riding him while mocking his ego. ���Thought you were the big bad womanizer. Look at you now, crying like a baby for me.”

✦ Dare I say... threesomes? Because they both get off more on jealousy than on the third party? Let that marinate.

𝗗𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗘

✦ Waking up at noon, bodies tangled, hungover and still high off last night’s sex. She’s wearing his shirt and is covered in love marks; he’s shirtless, displaying his own punishments.

✦ Every mundane activity ends in something filthy.

✦ Their fights are legendary... until they end up pinned to a wall, fucking like it’s the last time.

✦ They do spoil each other; he’s always buys her stuff and she makes sure to say thank you by leaving him breathless.

𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘?

✦ Probably not. Mostly because they are two people who are way too similar and, in time, the fire will consume them both. Finding their madness mirrored in each other will eventually make them go from love to hate.

𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦 𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗢𝗦

✦ The Ride Back Home: after that intense public teasing, Lando will make sure she’s paying for her recklessness, and drives the entire time with two fingers buried inside her. “I love this car, so make a mess and I’ll make you clean it with your mouth.”

✦ Post-race Rage Fuck: missing a podium or after he’s DNFed for some reason. “Didn’t win, but at least I get to fuck a prize.”

✦ Family Yacht Party: she’s bent over the railing with Lando behind her, fucking her slow while people are chilling below deck. “You’re so cockdrunk you’d let me fuck you in front of your parents, hm?”

[aro-culture-is]

Aro culture is liking shipping bc it is a game to me. I am playing with my dolls. They are kissing. I am told that is a thing people do. For some reason.

.

[official-time-loop-posts]

woe, timeloop sign be upon ye

(mind to soul/whole)

cool sign!

(REAL AS HELL OH MY GOD. HEAD IN HANDS.)

[gokuisahimbo]

And it felt like meeting the whole world.

Alt version, combined the layers!

[ryusaidate]

very stupid post i'm not going to do anything else with because i used all my energy for it process-testing so i am posting it before i lose it in my files, you're welcome

one of those aforementioned process tests. :^)

[frankensteinposm0]

« But you are everything to me. »

I might turn this into a comic but I have to think about it. Anyways the sillies 🫶🏻

[linkcharacter]

Oh I have so many thoughts on aroace Curly, I think it brings so much on the table when analyzing the game's story.

Amanormativity ties in with the reoccurring mentions of the nuclear family, from Wrong Organ making 1950s mock advert posters, to Swansea talking about how getting a wife and kids didn't bring him any fulfillment in life.

In the cake cutting nightmare sequence, where Jimmy talks with Dream Curly about the mediocre cake, Dream Curly begins to talk about how sometimes you can only get the subpar stuff in live. Sometimes he'll get promoted, buy a house, fall in love. But other times he'll just have some awful fucking cake with his friend.

I think there is that subtle implication that Jimmy does buy into Amanormativity, with him projecting his beliefs on Dream Curly that a platonic relationship is lesser then a romantic one. But we never see Curly suggesting that he wants such a thing in the pre-crash.

With Jimmy thinking that Curly has everything in life, except for the desire (although I think Jimmy would view it as Curly not having the skills for it) to get a romantic partner, he would heavily lean into getting the one thing that Curly couldn't get in life to one up him.

THATS EXACTLY WHAT IM THINKING!!! AMATONORMATIVITY BE DAMNED!!!!

Looking at Mouthwashing through an aroace lens is interesting

"Jimmy thinking that Curly has everything in life, except for the desire", well said, well said! And references to the nuclear family fit in very cleanly thematically for Mouthwashing.

Jimmy leaning into amatonormativity is a smart observation. Jim internalizes all the social norms and standards on what you have to do to have a normal and desirable life, who sees everything Curly has and what Jimmy wishes he had, and is offended that Curly isn't satisfied, that he has the "audacity" to be unhappy. Curly meanwhile only wishes for his life to be something he doesn't have to run from, because by all means, he has already reached a point where he should feel accomplished, but isn't. Curly doesn't want to be a freighter captain his whole life, he doesn't want to settle with his sustainable position, he just wants to be happy. Like Swansea who has reached the "ideal" outcome of his life, having a wife, kids and a good career, it will never feel as good as embracing all what society deems undesirable yet right for you.

Jimmy does imply to seeing himself as lesser as a friend, "fall in love" being a goal and a "cake with a friend" being something he "has to settle for", it's all in the subtleties with underlying themes of "what you're "supposed to want" by society's expectations" against "what feels right for you". Jimmy is frustrated that Curly is going to "leave the dirt behind him", when in actuality, letting the crew and him go is the last thing Curly wants. Curly wants to be with his friends, he deeply cares about his crew, and about his close friend.

Mouthwashing as a whole reads to me as platonic through and through. Swansea and Daisuke having such a meaningful familial bond, Curly and Anya being sweet, playful and caring without romance, Anya and Daisuke having something of a siblings dynamic are dear to me. Also it's really rare to get to see representations of "toxic friendship" in media. Its always toxic romance this, toxic yaoi that, toxic family there, however in reality, friendships aren't excluded from being as rotten and abusive as the others, yet they're often overlooked. Jim and Curly are especially unique in this way. It's very impressive how they managed to showcase Jimmy's mistreatment of Curly in such a platonic way (at least that how I read it). Jim too, like Curly, in general avoids hints at romance and attraction explicitly related to him during his gameplay, not with Curly, nor with Anya (dear god thanks for that at least). It's all spite, annoyance and parasitizing off of these two. (That man's dry and lowkey hates everyone and everything) No attraction attached, no desires except hoping it hurts.

Curly to me is very much aroace, or at least on the spectrum. Like, the trivia fact that one of Curly's fondest memories is that of his friends putting in effort to make a shitty awful cake, tells us all we need to know on how dear his friends are to him. Platonic relationships mean so much to Curly, even when it's Jimmy fucking Mouthwashing, the worst friend ever imaginable.

[cryptcoop]

Maybe the second person

[dymitre]

OMG I NEED TO SEE MORE OF YOUR FEAR AND ANXIETY STYLE LIKE BRO IT’S SO GOOD PLEASE DRAW MORE OF THEM

- Tw!z

I only came back for this 😭❤️‍🩹

[dewwshi]

The people demand more Minlach. ( please more we are desperate and your art of them is so good 🥺🥺🥺)

🫡

my beautiful yuri... sooo critical to me that minthara 1. fell first 2. fell harder. something abt the idea of this self-avowed villain being utterly and inexplicably smitten with the sweetest nicest golden retriever girl in the world