#sometimes reading about healthy and functional relationships are boring and i want DRAMA

[bts-ficrecs]

Hi! Can you recommend a few Jungkook marriage fics please! Open to all genres. Thanks! ❤️

(header cr: guwoljk)

y’know this ask made me realize how rare married fics -- that aren’t drabbles -- are lol. outside of arranged marriage aus 😂

but no worries. i did find a good amount for you anon! thanks for this lovely request :”)

If anyone has any other husband!Jk fics that I didn’t include on this list, let me know!! (cause I need it too😂)

Sorry if this clogs your feed. idk why whenever I answer an ask, my “read more” is always stuck in the actual ask where i cannot edit it out at all

KEY: (☆) = arranged marriage / ( F ) = fluff / ( A ) = angst / ( S ) = smut

 

 

The Brat by obiwrites (F)

 » Summary: It was now you and him against the world. There was just one thing…

 

Bunny Bigot by obiwrites (F)

 » Summary: “Hey babe,” you call, startling the boy hunched down in a corner, “is there a reason you’re hiding in our closet?”

 » Sequel: Baby Bun & The Little Gardener

 

Child's Play by obiwrites (F)

 » Summary: Jungkook's always had a ... unique approach to parenting

 

Concealed Weapon by @gimmesumsuga (M)

 » Summary: Jungkook turns out not to be quite who you thought he was, and your reaction takes you both by surprise.

 

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by obiwrites (F)

 » Summary: The plot of cloudy with a chance... but with Jungkook

 » Sequel: Part 2

 

Desiderium by @jeonggukingdom (M)

 » Summary: “We’ve been at it like rabbits, how are you still so horny?”

 

Home is Where You Are by @sweetbunnykook  (F A)

 » Summary: Madness and love grows from the same root in the Jeon family.

 

I Can’t Help Myself, I Don’t Want Anyone Else by obiwrites (F)

 » Summary: A follow up piece to Just The Girl. A glimpse at the wedding, life after marriage and then some!

 » More spinoffs: Life is Good (pregnant!OC) & The Kids Are Alright (1st day of school)

 

It’s Enough by @dark-muse-iris (A)

 » Summary: Preparing dinner reminds you of all the struggles you’ve experienced in your marriage. Your husband Jungkook, ever your anchor, tries to cheer you up with gentle words.

 

Late Night Cravings by erifish14 (F)

 » Summary: Imagine having a child with Jungkook

 

Meet the Jeon-Son’s by obiwrites (F A)

 » Summary: The little girl studies your face for a long time, like she’s trying to put together the pieces of a puzzle that haven’t for a long time.

 

Stress Relief by @hobidreams (S)

 » Summary: “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” “Kissing my wife?”

 

Sweater Weather by @bangtanstanst (F)

 » Summary: When Jungkook comes back from a run and you have the audacity to laugh at his admittedly bad decision to go outside in the rain, he makes sure to take his revenge.

 

The Next by @kpopfanfictrash (F)

 » Summary: No matter the fact that this is your fourth child, nor that every other pregnancy was fine – sitting in this seat, awaiting the news is always incredibly nerve-wracking. This is the moment you determine if your baby is healthy, or not.

 

Things You Said At 1 AM by @foreverpark (F M)

 » Summary: More often than not, you spend around one to two hours in bed, watching the clock tick with the dialogue of a feel-good movie or drama keeping you company, waiting for your husband to come back from his never-ending dance practices.

 

 

After All Night by @btsracket​ (M)

» Summary: “Your mom has the baby so let’s make good use of the time.”

 

All in My Head by @fatrainbowmermaidunicorn (☆ F A)

 » Summary: Jeon Jungkook’s wife. Something you have always wanted to be. Something you have always dream of. But it's something you know won't ever come true. Until today.

 

Always and Forever by @joonglows (F)

 » Summary: From childhood friends to boyfriend and girlfriend, it’s time for an upgrade. Now, you are living a happily ever after with your dear husband, Jungkook, with three loving kids and one on it’s way.

 

Black Card by @minsprings (F A S)

 » Summary: A long night at another one of your obligatory high society functions has you desperate to relieve some stress with your husband Jungkook, who’s been apparently hiding a kink from you for some time.

 » Status: complete two-shot

 

Desperate Housewife by @kimnjss (M)

 » Summary: Bored with your husband gone all the time, you decide to take up a new hobby… Jungkook can only seem to focus on one thing when it comes to your new pastime.

 

Fierce and Delicate by @mintseesaw (F A)

 » Summary: Jungkook and y/n had been brought in two different worlds. Jungkook living an unfortunate life and y/n being controlled by her parents all her life. Despite the imperfect relationship, they completed each other like a puzzle there is. Jungkook has one promise he intends to keep: to always make you happy. In the process of fulfilling your wish he had once declined you of, he kept a secret from you. And unintentionally, he has done more damages than expected…Every action, and every decision… could be blamed by the flawed past.

 » Sequel: Felicity (F A S)

 

From What Stars Have We Fallen to Meet Each Other Here by muhammie (☆ F A)

 » Summary: Yoongi and Jungkook learn how to love in a marriage they never wanted to be in.

 » Note: yes, this is mxm

 

Holiday Blunder by obiwrites (F A)

 » Summary: The one where it’s the worst Thanksgiving in the world but your husband makes it mildly better.

 

Lumière by @taehyung-me-down (series) (☆ F A S)

 » Status: ongoing series

 » Summary: Fate has a way of bringing together two souls meant to be, but to a princess like you, soulmates are out of the question. As the sole heir of the throne, it is your duty to create a strong allegiance, one that will protect your reign. Your marriage with a prince from a neighboring kingdom was sealed from the moment you entered this world, two destinies intertwining. All you yearn for is a love that will ignite your soul. One that will have your head spinning in the clouds and your heart drowning in desire. Soulmates will meet, regardless of time, location, or circumstances, but it’s up to you. There’s one thing you must do. Seek the light, and find the love of a lifetime.

 

Mafia Arranged Marriage by @leahsockhead01 (☆ F A)

 » Summary: You knew your parents had secrets but, you never realized they went as deep as the mafia. Your father was apparently a secret Consigliere. A “close friend” to the leader of Seoul’s mafia crime group. In order to officially blend your family into the mafia, you had been elected to marry the leader’s son. Upon meeting your betrothed, you run. Then something happens… to bring you back.

 

Money, Power, Respect by @minnpd (A S)

 » Summary: You catch his eye the moment you walk through the door, low-cut dress doing its job like you knew it would.

 

Of Caresses And Promises by @ditttiii (F A S)

 » Summary: You love your husband and you know that he loves you just as much, if not more. But sometimes, you can’t help but feel like he could do better—better than you.

 

Put Your Head on My Shoulder by koorara (F A S)

 » Summary: You were worried to bring Jungkook along to your hometown and grandma has never met Jungkook, and yes, she is lovely but what if she suddenly doesn’t approve of him? That would break his heart.

 

Second Chances by @parkhabits (F A S)

 » Summary: Work. One of the most important things to him. It kept him company at night, it was all he thought about, all he put his attention to. His work had become the mistress within your marriage. Years after you left him you’re back with only one goal in mind. Get him to sign the damn divorce papers. Yet you should’ve known that your husband wouldn’t let you go that easily.

 

Smitten by @megahwn (☆ F S)

 » Summary: You live in a world where loving another is criminal. Partners are chosen by your elders to produce the best offspring and to help the economy thrive. Living in this world, you feel broken. You feel broken because you have accidentally fallen for your new husband, Jeon Jungkook.

 

Taking Chances by @neonlights92 (☆ F A S)

 » Status: complete series

 » Summary: “Jeon Jungkook is an asshole.”

 

The Pitter-Patter of the Heart by koorara (F)

 » Status: ongoing series

 » Summary: Pieces of newlywed domestic moments with Jungkook, your husband. The young Film and Literature lecturer and his wife, you, who works as a journalist of a web magazine. Both of you managing the career, the time for each other and the new house. Not to forget the cat that has been with you for years.

 » Drabble: Valentine (S)

 

The Husband She Didn't Want by MyTime2Shine (☆ A S)

 » Status: ongoing series

 » Summary: Kim Mi Cha life was a miserable one since her mother had died at a young age. By 22 she was taking care of her alcoholic father who was often abusive to her. Her only respite would be when he'd leave her to go gamble as his addiction was getting out of control. She dreamed and believed in true love despite her upbringing. Her spoiled brat of a neighbor across the way from her was Jeon Jungkook. // Jeon Jungkook's life was happy and privileged one. He lived the life of a rich and only child to both of his parents who gave him whatever he wanted. Age at 23 Jungkook had become CEO Jeon Jungkook when his parents were killed in a car accident. He thought love was for the weak. His neighbor across the way from him was the shy and timid Kim Mi Cha. // Kim Mi Cha's father ends up at a poker game with CEO Jungkook and Jungkook ends up winning the game but the prize was Kim Mi Cha?

 

The Lie Untold by @54daysormore (☆ F A S)

 » Status: complete series

 » Summary: In a world where everyone has their secrets, Jung-Kook, young and naïve, wants nothing more than his marriage to a stranger to be open and honest.  His new bride, young yet experienced, knows how many lies people tell every day, but hopes her new husband never sees through her own.

 

Untitled by @lamourche (F A)

 » Summary: “I lost our baby”

 

Your First Time by @nitaescence (F S)

 » Summary: Your child performs for the first time in the school's end of year show.

[furubabes]

Okay. Somebody Asked. @shoujobell and @cryptidaicat, y’all encouraged this. I’m gonna tag this #long post if you wanna filter.

So here. I got the urge to write and so I ranked the Fruits Basket couples from my favorite to least favorite. These aren’t my complete thoughts because I could honestly do multiple full meta posts on each pairing, but I tried to justify and explain all my choices. Standard disclaimer, this is subjective and we can agree to disagree.

Part 1: Just the reasonably popular ones

1. Kyoru: Someone’s gonna call me unoriginal for this but it’s fine. Kyoru is the main romance of Fruits Basket! They bring out the best in each other and build each other up as characters. Kyoru is basically my gold standard take on Sunshine Girl x Grouchy Dude, and I’m not even usually into that trope otherwise. Their romance is one of the few that feels so genuinely necessary to the story. They love each other and like each other. Kyo understands Tohru in a way no one else in the narrative does, and vice versa. They’re in love like soulmates and also like awkward teenagers. Kyoru invented romance. If it’s boring to like healthy romances with realistic development, I’ll be boring.

2. Tohrin: If Tohru didn’t end up with Kyo I would only want her to be with Rin. I guess they have some of the same appeal as Kyoru for me - Rin reads Tohru in a way a lot of people don’t. I also like how honest and raw they are with each other. They yell! They fight! Rin is down to just straight up knock Tohru over to keep her from rushing off. Also, they’re both absolute fashion icons. Goth x Prep rights. I firmly believe Tohru Honda is bisexual.

3. Yukeru: This is my favorite Yuki pairing. I followed @yunsoh way back when the reboot first started and her blog has got me absolutely hooked on Yukeru. I think Yuki’s arc would have just made a ridiculous amount of sense if he was gay. It screams comphet. Kakeru is an excellent complement to Yuki, and their bond feels incredibly natural. Honestly I feel like it’s the most organic romantic development outside of Kyoru. I think realistically they wouldn’t have gotten together until post-canon and frankly Yuki shines in his friendships much more than romances, so I’m not absolutely dying for them to be together, but if Yuki’s going to date anyone Kakeru is my pick.

4. Arisaki: Man... I just like them. They strike me as less of an epic love and more of a comfortable partnership. I also read them both as lesbians anyway lol. Honestly I think they both had feelings for Tohru at one point and bonded over it. The way I picture them happening is honestly just Arisa at 25 frantically googling “is it gay to hold hands with my girl roommate who I spend all my time with and also we never date men“ because Saki bought them rings that look like wedding bands but they could just be super close friendship rings and oh god she’s in too deep. They’re dating for four years before they notice.

5. AyaMine: But Jessie! You literally never post about this pairing! Yeah, you’re right. I never think about them actively. But when ranking the canon ships I realized that I like the two of them together because they’re chill and understated. They’re huge loud personalities on their own but as a couple, they just feel like two people who are happy together and like spending time with one another. No drama, no mess, very understated. No plot contrivances driving their relationship. Good for them.

6. YukiKyo: Okay, so I can be convinced to put on my YukiKyo goggles more often than not. It feels iffy because there’s debate about how closely related all the Sohmas are and these two are called “cousins” a lot in school, but since half of the Sohmas are dating each other anyway, I err on the side of them being more of a clan than a proper blood family. Anyway, YukiKyo is my designated angst fuel. I think it would realistically be pretty one-sided from Yuki’s side, since we see him wanting Kyo’s approval from a very young age, but I like exploring the what-ifs of their lives if they’d been friends instead of rivals. In canon, I like to think that after high school they’re not best friends in the traditional sense, but either one could show up with a dead body and the other would help them bury it, no questions asked.

7. Yuchi: Really? Yuki’s wife is my third favorite pairing for him? Look, I adore Machi, and I still like Yuchi. But as I’ve been watching the reboot and reading others’ metas, I think I agree that their relationship could have been very powerful as a platonic one, sort of running parallel to Yuki and Tohru. I like them together but I think there wasn’t quite time for a complete character arc for Machi and her growth sort of begins and ends with Yuki. I don’t object to them being a couple in canon and I think they’re genuinely very sweet, but once again, I think Yuki stands out in his friendships more than anything. I would have liked to see Machi strike out on her own a little more.

8. Haru x Yuki: I don’t have any particular feelings towards them but I love their dynamic already and I think as a couple they’d both be really easygoing and comfortable with each other. I think a childhood crush turned close friendship is honestly the narrative that works best for them so I have no need for the two to date canonically, but every time they interact in the anime it gets a laugh out of me. They’re cool. They’d make a very pretty pair.

9. Mayutori: I’m Mayutori-neutral. I think they suffer from Fruits Basket’s pair the spare syndrome, but out of the side pairings that don’t have too much impact, they’re one I enjoy. Mayu’s fun as a character, and painfully relatable, and I like that Hatori’s eventual romance isn’t with someone who reminds him of Kana or something like that. I also want good things for Hatori. Mayutori has serious heterosexual energy though. I’m not saying this as a pro or con, they’re just very straight.

10. Hatsuzu: Okay, Haru and Rin aren’t this far down because I hate them. I’m perfectly fine with them being together in canon. But I think their romance almost... functions better as individual motivation for their character arcs than it does as an actual relationship, if that makes sense? Rin’s backstory episode is heartbreaking and her motivation to protect Haru is compelling and sympathetic, but their actual scenes together just don’t move me that much. Their romance is the least interesting part of either character for me.

11. Hiro x Kisa: Yeah I never got into it that much. It’s cute, it’s a sweet depiction of childhood crushes, but I’m not a fan of the idea of them ending up together. Kisa’s a cutie and Hiro is entertaining but the two of them together don’t actually do much for me. The dynamic between them is almost like if someone did Kyoru with none of the nuance. Ultimately though, they’re kids. I don’t expect them to have a deep and complex romance.

12. Yukiru: I think it would be a disservice to their characters if they were a couple. People far more eloquent than me have already written plenty of meta on why Yuki and Tohru aren’t what the other needs romantically, so I won’t get into it, but basically I just think their canon friendship is so beautiful and meaningful that I wouldn’t want to change it. Yuki and Tohru support my thesis that not all soulmates are romantic.

13. Tohru x Momiji: Welcome to the subjective dislike corner! This pairing is reasonably popular among people theorizing who Tohru would be with if not Kyo, but for some reason it just sits poorly with me. I can’t rank it any lower because there’s nothing evil or morally wrong about it! I just really don’t like it. I’ve quit a few fics because this pairing came up and I just can’t enjoy it.

14. Kakeru x Komaki: Idk, I just think Kakeru latching onto the one girl who was nice to him and put up with his bullshit and then being with her forever isn’t compelling. Komaki’s also probably his beard. She’s likable as an individual though.

15. Akigure: There’s plenty to say about the age gap, Shigure being in love with Akito since she was a fetus because of The Dream, the implications of a 15-18 year old knowing he’d one day want to be with a then-10-year-old... yeah, you get it. But even if I was able to put all that aside because Soulmate Destiny Logic, I still don’t think I’d like Akigure. I think they’re interesting as bitter, codependent exes, but I don’t like the idea of Akito ending up with anyone who she abused or who abused her. I think she has so much growing to do as a character and staying in a relationship within the Sohma family to do it can’t be healthy for her. I can’t see them living happily ever after, nor do I really want to.

16. Kurisa: I think what frustrates me the most here is that I want to like Kureno and everything about this romance is written to dull his most interesting traits. First of all, the age gap. Yeah, it’s gross, I don’t like it. But even past that, the love at first sight, instant fixation with each other, and lack of actual chemistry just kills me. Arisa’s stated reason to like Kureno is that he reminds her of Tohru, basically piggybacking off the chemistry she and Tohru already have, and his total lack of agency means the plot just sort of carries him along. It frustrates me that Takaya could have done something pretty cool by making them simply friends who have a chance encounter and then build a friendship from there that parallels Kureno’s abusive dynamic with Akito. It would be neat if a stranger’s kindness was the push Kureno needed to get himself out of the Sohmas’ grasp, without all the nonsensical drama about them being in love. It would also be less of a disservice to Arisa, who basically just spends the whole series pining for Kureno after they meet and I hate it. I could write a whole post about this. Maybe I will sometime.

17. Kyoko x Katsuya: I don’t think their story is romantic. I think it’s tragic for Kyoko, and if it were framed that way within the narrative, I wouldn’t object so much to its existence. But... Takaya just really likes age gaps with a younger woman and an older man, so the narrative romanticizes this man marrying his student. Katsuya can be depicted as well-meaning as you want, but he’s still got a ridiculous amount of power over Kyoko. She was also still pretty young when she had Tohru, which doesn’t make things any better because it’s clear that the relationship turned physical when Kyoko was a teen, thus dashing the idea of Katsuya legally marrying her to save her but not actually doing anything creepy. I wish Fruits Basket framed this as a story of Kyoko escaping one dangerous situation by entering a relationship with a huge power imbalance, because that happens to girls all the time and it’s tragic and compelling. The events of the story could stay the exact same and if the framing changed I would be fine with it. But this is not that. This is just a really romanticized teacher/student age gap. I’m not into it.

Part 2: Rarepairs, weird shit, and others (oh my!)

1. Yuki x Kakeru x Kimi: OT3. I’m enamored with the idea of this hot mess polycule.

2. Momiji x Kimi: Chaos meets chaos. This couple would say uwu without any irony and also steal your car keys. They’re both perceptive and smart hidden under a layer of cute and I’d wanna watch them play 4D chess with each other.

3. Kazuma x Kunimitsu: Idk how old Kunimitsu is so if he’s like 20, strike this one from the record. But I saw one post once that was like Kyo slowly realizing Kazuma and Kunimitsu were gay and had been dating for years and it was funny as hell.

4. AyaTori: It’s cute. Opposites attract, black and white hair, and Aya only listens to Hatori anyway. It’s just fun to think about.

5. Megumi x Hiro: They don’t interact in canon I just think Goth x Punk-Ass Bitch is a great concept.

6. Motoko x Nao: They’re both loud as hell and Nao having a gf that towers over him is funny. Maybe Yuki would finally get some peace.

7. Machi x Kimi: I don’t see them actually being compatible in canon but I think they could have a really homoerotic college friendship.

8. Hajime x Mutsuki: This is just YukiKyo, the non angst version.

9. Akito x Hanajima: I’m so wary of shipping Akito with anyone but this is kind of fun. The two are friends in canon and Hana isn’t remotely afraid of Akito. Plus Akito never abused Hana. I can sort of see it.

10. Hiroshi x Yusuke: Makes no sense, wouldn’t be relevant, but if those two just never spent any time apart and continued being a pair for life it would be a really good bit.

11. Akitohru: I don’t think it’s healthy to date anyone who’s previously stabbed you.

12. Kazuma x Hanajima: Stop. Go to jail. Hana’s one-sided crush is funny though.

[bluephoenixdruidicprincess]

Your experience with the spn fandom was the same I had with the Tvd fandom, the delena stan lol at the beginning i was ok with delena and then damon killed jeremy and for it was just over

Crazy how sometimes it's a ship or one faction of a community that can completely ruin your fandom experience.

Yeah, TVD fandom is a fandom I thought about joining when I first got on Tumblr but then after reading some posts and discourse I quickly realized that while I can enjoy the show for what it is, the fandom is not for me. Any franchise where the primary function is romance, I've kind of learned to be careful of because of the ship wars. And TVD has ship wars in spades and I'm just not here for that. I've dabbled in TVD fandom from time to time but for the most part, I just like to keep a healthy distance.

And it might surprise people to know, but through season one, I was actually Team Delena. I thought Stelena was kind of boring (but this might just stem more from Elena being a super boring character for me and Stefan didn't really start getting interesting for me until we were a couple of seasons in). But while shipping Delena, I still wasn't very cool with a lot of the things Damon was doing but for Season 1, I could of just tolerate it and view Damon's actions that while he should still be held accountable for them, he also was very much steeped in a literal century of manipulation by Katherine. But like you, my tolerance wore a little thin around the whole Jeremy debacle and at that point, I was like, no, I can't do Delena anymore, this relationship has now gone into toxic territory that I just can't get behind. But then Elena was still a super boring character and Stefan was also pretty one-note as well around that time, so I just kind of hyper-fixated on Caroline and Bonnie for the rest of the show's run. They were the only characters I truly cared about.

I've definitely had some rough patches with the SPN community but thankfully each bad experience has taught me much needed lessons on the kind of blogger I want to be, what I want to blog about, and who I want to associate with. I had to deal with some bad apples in the process but ultimately I still think I came out on top. The drama addicts can keep spinning their drama but little do they know, I'm spinning around on a different web with different rules and different outlooks and I love that I'm at this place now in my blogging life.

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Manga Review - Futaribeya Vol. 1

"Sweet, precious, fun, and done." This statement quickly sums up my thoughts of Yukiko's Futeribeya: A Room for Two. This 4-koma manga has been sitting somewhere in my pile for a long time. I was never enthused about it, as I expected this long-running Monthly Birz series to be a cute and mild offering with little to contribute or ponder. Indeed, when I finally opened the first volume from Tokyopop, ow the book exactly matched my expectations and left me thoroughly underwhelmed. However, I do not dislike Futeribeya and had a nice time reading it. Indeed, I equate it to a microwave meal or a box of radioactive-orange mac and cheese. It is not good, but sometimes it is the plain, simple, and comforting thing I need in moments of drudgery.

Futaribeya follows roommates Sakurako and Kasumi as they enter high school. The two girls quickly take to each other and live their enjoyable and meaningless domestic school life together. The initial book's plots include taking a trip to the hot springs, making chocolate for friends on Valentine's Day, and dealing with the frigid winter temperatures (kotatsus fix everything). Of course, such mundane plots are par for the course with slice of life works. What really makes a slice of life flourish are its characters and, usually, a healthy mix of cuteness and comedy. Here Futaribeya's execution is successful but not extraordinary. Take, for example, the two main leads Sakurako and Kasumi.

Sakurako is sweet enough to cause cavities, and Kasumi is so sugary she could rot your teeth, which is to say, beyond their single one-dimensional character traits, there is not much different about them. Sakurako is intelligent and responsible. Kasumi is carefree and a bit marshmallowy; I do not know what that means personality-wise, yet it still feels like the most apt description. Individually neither girl is that interesting, nor will they keep readers invested for the series current eight volumes. However, they work exceptionally well together, which is all they really needed to do to Yukiko's credit. The series is subtitled A Room for Two, after all. They serve as excellent foils and have a great compatible dynamic. Indeed, some of the best parts of the series see Yukiko pitting the two characters in situations that highlight their differences. For example, watching Kasumi take care of a sick Sakurako or seeing how both study and prepare for a test. Sure, the situations are predictable, but they are cute and charming enough to get by.

Indeed, "cute and charming enough to get by" is a pretty good description for the series that highlights some of the best and worst parts of the slice of life genre. We get to see the simple daily functions of life for the roommates and enjoy their leisurely activities. However, there is rarely ever drama, tension, or stakes. Yukiko never adjusts the dial, which makes for a wearisome experience. On the one hand, if you know that you want something cute and mindless, it is perfect, but if you do not enjoy a steady stream of flowers and sugar injected into your carotid artery, you will quickly grow bored. Other slice of life series avoid such rot by changing their tone ever so slightly, often reeling from extreme reactions to mundane situations and adorable fluff. Futaribeya fails on this front, sadly.

Tokyopop publishes Futaribeya as Yuri, but this label might be slightly misleading given the manga genre's current landscape. This critique is not to say that it is not, technically, Yuri but certainly is not queer. These terms do not always accompany each other; in fact, you could almost make the argument that they used to be mutually exclusive, given Yuri's origins and profound lack of queer identity until recently. However, contemporary titles in the "Yuri canon," such as Bloom Into You, Girl Friends, and even Kiss and White Lily for my Dearest Girl, imply a sexual or romantic attraction between two female characters. Although Futaribeya's central focus is the relationship between two girls, calling it anything beyond roommates, albeit codependent ones, is a drastic exaggeration. Sure, there are a few jokes about how the two are like a married couple, lounging on afternoons together and even sharing a bed, but the average cat owner does that with their pet, and by no means are they attracted to each other. If your imagination cannot stretch to imagine two girls in proximity without romance, then sure, this is gay. Otherwise, your best chance for lesbian content lies in insert artwork between chapters.

Speaking of the artwork, like most of Futaribeya, it does what it sets out to do, even if its goals are relatively low. Yukiko presents a combination of moe art with occasional simplified or chibi drawings for more comic moments, mainly when a character is confused or nonchalant. As previously mentioned, the manga is a 4-koma work, and panels read in columns rather than rows. Thus, you will find very few changes in paneling from page to page, which creates a comfortable reading experience but limits what the author can depict, as at most, they can only combine the pace for four panels into one image. Therefore, do not expect any adorable sweeping spreads, just lots of small fluffy and cute pictures.

Futaribeya is a very sweet and relaxing slice of life series. It is not really "Yuri" as advertised, and I would equate it more to the sapphic adjacent girls club titles that Yuri fans cling to during content droughts, but that should not alone be a reason to avoid it. While it may struggle to keep readers engaged because of its monotonous style, it holds a consistently relaxed and laidback tone throughout. Readers will have varying experiences depending on their interests. If you like something fluffy and adorable with minimal disruption from this pattern, this manga is for you. If you, like me, enjoy some more variety in your slice of life, this volume is unlikely to grip you and keep your attention for the entire book, let alone the rather long series. Personally, while I enjoyed my time with these adorable girls, I am left without a reason to return anytime soon.

Ratings: Story – 3 Characters – 5 Art – 7 (on 4-koma standards) LGBTQ – 0 Sexual Content – 1 Final – 4

Futeribeya Vol. 1 is translated by Katie McLendon, with editor Lena Atanassova, and copy editor Massiel Gutierrez. Retouching and lettering are done by Vibrranant Publishing Studios. Review copy provided by Tokyopop.

 Purchase Futeribeya Vol. 1 digitally and in print today: https://amzn.to/3lf6clk

[andryuska]

REALLY  LONG CHARACTER SURVEY. RULES. repost, don’t reblog ! tag 10 ! good  luck ! TAGGED. stolen off the dash! TAGGING. @extasiie @moscowsdragon @goodcousin @dearbewildered @inburgundy @anastcsie @bolkonskxya @youngwiife 

BASICS. FULL  NAME : Andrei Nikolayevich Bolkonsky NICKNAME : Andre, Andryushka (and many more, see this post) AGE : mid/late 20s - early 30s BIRTHDAY : November 13, sometime in the late 18th century. ETHNIC  GROUP : White NATIONALITY :  Russian LANGUAGE / S : French, Russian, English, German. SEXUAL  ORIENTATION : Greysexual. ROMANTIC  ORIENTATION : Demiromantic. RELATIONSHIP  STATUS : Verse and year dependent - Married in 1805, single from 1806 - 1809, courting and then being betrothed to Natasha in 1810 - 1811, single again in 1812. Generally dating Natasha in modern college verse, and single in modern verse. CLASS : Titled Nobility HOME  TOWN / AREA : Bald Hills, Russia CURRENT  HOME : Bugocharovo, Russia, as well as various other estates. PROFESSION : Adjutant to General Kutuzov, member of Military Council, Army Officer.

PHYSICAL. HAIR : Dark brown, and kept fairly short. What slightly longer parts there are near the top of his head are significantly wavy, but not necessarily curly. Parted on the left. EYES : Dark brown and very intense, made prominent by dark eyelashes and slight bags underneath.  NOSE : Average and pretty much not notable. One nostril is slightly larger than the other. It has never been broken. FACE : Conventionally handsome, though slightly asymmetrical. He has fairly well defined lines with his cheekbones and jawline ( though the latter is hidden under a short and well kept beard ). His eyes are deeply set and averagely far apart, and dark rimmed as well. He has no laugh lines, but his forehead has a couple wrinkles on it from stress, and there’s a crease between his well-shaped eyebrows that becomes especially visible when he’s troubled by something. LIPS :  Thin and usually pressed into a thin line. He’s usually either neutral or frowning. COMPLEXION : White and pale, but not to the point of being quite noticeable. Has a better tan on his face and hands than everywhere else, on account of wearing a uniform. BLEMISHES : Two small moles on his neck. A small birthmark that’s paler than the rest of him on his left hip, where the bone protrudes a little. SCARS : Some small, faded scars on his arms from childhood roughhousing. Larger scars on his side + back from being wounded at Austerlitz ( he was knocked over the head while carrying the standard into battle, and in lying there, was likely injured further in being trampled or by stray artillery fire. ) TATTOOS : None. HEIGHT : 6′0″. WEIGHT : 170 lbs. BUILD : Fit, but on the thinner side. FEATURES : Generally assertive and adult-looking. His features make him look responsible, though not entirely friendly. As said, he’s conventionally handsome. ALLERGIES : None. USUAL  HAIR  STYLE : Well-kept, and otherwise left as it is. USUAL  FACE  LOOK :  Andrei’s resting expression is a rather annoyed one. He doesn’t naturally smile or frown, but has a neutral mouth, and his eyes give off a very intent sort of apathy and indifference. He looks like he’s bored with everything and has seen it all before, and is irritated to have to experience anything at all. Of course, as soon as someone he likes engages him, or gets him on a topic that he has opinions about, he’ll animate in a very intense way, take on a very perplexed and troubled expression in arguing for what he thinks is correct. He very rarely smiles, and when it does, it’s usually small and somewhat veiled, and often without any real joy. USUAL  CLOTHING : A staple to any of his outfits is black boots and trousers. At home, he usually wears a shirt that’s somewhat open at the collar, and often prefers suspenders to a belt. Most of his shirts are whites or light blues, with minimal patterns, and most suspenders are darker colors, again without a lot of vibrant patterns. He tends to roll his sleeves. In going out, he has a heavy grey coat that’s fairly long, with leather sown into the shoulders for protection against rain and cold. His more formal wear is usually his military uniform, which consists of a green coat darker gold embellishments, occasionally worn with a sash. There are white trousers and a black leather belt to go with these. In terms of accessories, he has a saber and a pistol, both worn off a belt for that specific purpose, though he prefers not to carry these things around with him.

PSYCHOLOGY. FEAR / S : Failure, lacking a proper legacy, appearing vulnerable or weak, being completely isolated and unreachable, being inadequate, intensely emotional discussions... ASPIRATION / S : At first, Andrei wants very hard to define himself as a military commander and to rise to greatness in leadership. After Austerlitz, he makes it a goal to reform the military code as to bring more order to warfare. Once Natasha breaks her engagement to him, however, Andrei wants to punish Anatole on a very low level, and otherwise has not life goals or aspirations, he’s just tired of living. POSITIVE  TRAITS : Intelligent, polite, considerate, loyal, reflective, determined, responsible, trustworthy, committed, thoughtful. NEGATIVE  TRAITS : Irritable, cold, tends to over analyze, doubtful, selfish, easily bored, self-isolating, tends to internalize, unfriendly, condescending, MBTI : INTJ ZODIAC : Scorpio TEMPERAMENT : Melancholic VICE  HABIT / S : Paces relentlessly, escapism via intellectual discourses, doesn’t hold eye contact, clicks / plays with writing utensil ( or whatever is in his hands ), occasionally argumentative on purpose. FAITH : Russian Orthodox, but not strictly devout or heavily practicing.  GHOSTS ? : Undecided. AFTERLIFE ? : No. REINCARNATION ? : No. ALIENS ? : No. POLITICAL  ALIGNMENT : Conservative, and loyal to the Russian Empire. ECONOMIC  PREFERENCE : Used to living with wealth, though largely unconscious of it. He doesn’t care much for luxuries, and instead would rather his money be used for functional purposes and necessities. SOCIOPOLITICAL  POSITION : High class. EDUCATION  LEVEL :  Taught both at home and abroad by his father and a variety of hired tutors. Extremely well-read, and knowledgeable of politics, philosophy, and history. Still has some education to complete in military affairs. His poorest subject is mathematics.

FAMILY. FATHER : Nikolai Andreevich Bolkonsky MOTHER : Unknown, died when he was young. SIBLINGS : Marya Bolkonskaya EXTENDED  FAMILY : None of note. NAME  MEANING / S : Manly, brave. HISTORICAL  CONNECTION ? : It’s likely that the Bolkonsky family was modeled after the historical Volkonsky family, which had a few Russian generals who would have been Andrei’s age during the course of the Napoleonic wars. Additionally, it’s likely that Andrei was named after his grandfather.

FAVOURITES. BOOK : Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes. He thinks it fairly correct in many of its assessments, and himself has little optimism about human nature. MOVIE : Dunkirk (2017) dir. Christopher Nolan 5  SONGS : I Am a Rock - Simon and Garfunkel // The Show Must Go On - Queen // Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters // Tell My Father - Civil War // Miserere Mei Deus - Allegri DEITY : None. HOLIDAY : None. MONTH : None. SEASON : Autumn. PLACE : His study at home. WEATHER : Partly cloudy and somewhat cool. SOUND : Natasha’s voice when she sings. SCENT / S : Vanilla, cold autumn air, pine forests. TASTE / S : Rye bread, white tea with sugar. FEEL / S : Finely spun wool that’s very soft, being held by someone he loves / trusts, cool polished wood, cold marble, clean linens, general smooth, cool or cold surfaces. ANIMAL / S : Snowy owls, barn owls. NUMBER : Three. COLOUR : Blue.

EXTRA. TALENTS : Content analysis, writing academic prose, understanding political problems, organization and planning, debating and arguing, leadership. BAD  AT : Casual conversation and small talk, complex mathematics, handling emotions in a healthy way, comforting others, being supportive. TURN  ONS : Infectious laughs and smiles, unburdened happiness and brightness, private / secret intimacy, possessive talk ( you’re mine / you belong to me / etc. ), gentle and genuine reinforcement. TURN  OFFS : Overdone emotions and extreme acts of affection, publicity and PDA, vulgar talk, idiocy and ignorance. HOBBIES : Reading and writing. TROPES : Byronic Hero, Awful Wedded Life, Intelligence Equals Isolation, The Stoic. QUOTES :  “To spare oneself from grief at all cost can be achieved only at the price of total detachment, which excludes the ability to experience happiness.” - Erich Fromm. // “The majority of the people of that time paid not attention to the general course of things, but were guided only by the personal interests of the day. And those people were the most useful figures of that time.” - Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace //  “It’s not given to people to judge what’s right or wrong. People have eternally been mistaken and will be mistaken, and in nothing more so than in what they consider right and wrong.” - Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace.

FC INFO. MAIN  FC / S : Nicholas Belton ALT  FC / S : Blake DeLong OLDER  FC / S : None YOUNGER  FC / S : None VOICE  CLAIM / S : Nicholas Belton GENDERBENT  FC / S : None.

MUN QUESTIONS. Q1 : if  you  could  write  your  character  your  way  in  their  own  movie ,   what  would  it  be  called ,  what  style  would  it  be  filmed  in ,  and  what  would  it  be  about ?           A1 : Okay, so if I made a movie about Andrei’s life ( it would be sort of a biopic, but it would mostly focus on the wars ) it would be called War Weary and it would be a pretty stylized drama. I’d want to use a lot of symbolic methods for exposition and have mostly just natural sounds, and hold off on an elaborate soundtrack. It would start with the sky at Austerlitz and end with the Borodino wound, so it would kind of go full circle. It would get like three Oscars, I promise. Q2 : what  would  their  soundtrack / score  sound  like ?           A2 : It would be largely instrumental, and done in late classical style. Lots of minor keys and broken chords. It would have to give the impression of thoughtfulness, of never having any stillness, as to represent Andrei’s inability to stop thinking of things. The only really bright part would still have to be slow, and wouldn’t come to the very end. Heavy use of stringed instruments and piano, with some underlying percussion. Dave Malloy would compose it. Q3 : why  did  you  start  writing  this  character ?           A3 : I read War and Peace, and identified a lot with Andrei right at the beginning. That kind of gave me the idea of making a blog for him, but at the time, I wasn’t really in RP at all. After reading the book, I made a blog, and it sat there for a bit before I finally decided to start to actually put effort into it. INTJ solidarity also played a part, and encouragement from others on RP blogs that I did try and bring back later in this past summer. I really don’t make blogs lightly, and I don’t make a lot of them, so it really must have been a strong connection, because here I am, writing Andrei. Q4 : what  first  attracted  you  to  this  character ?           A4 : He’s so disinterested in social situations and other people, like he comes in to Anna Pavlovna’s soiree and just... Does not want to be there at all, basically insults a bunch of people, then goes off and complains about it to his only friend. That’s me. That’s a thing I have done. So yeah, I kept an eye on him since. Q5 : describe  the  biggest  thing  you  dislike  about  your  muse.           A5 : He can be such an asshole sometimes, let me tell you... Like there are reasons behind it, which you can find in numerous headcanon posts, but he can just come off in such a terrible and cold way. It’s especially bad when it’s to the people who are trying to help him / be good to him. it kills me that he pushes them away in favor of just isolating himself instead of dealing with his problems. Q6 : what  do  you  have  in  common  with  your  muse ?           A6 : Lonely. Single. One friend. In seriousness though, all those things, plus some more. We share a personality type and a general cynicism about the world and about other people. Honestly, I probably have a lot of his bad traits, which isn’t great, but hey, if there’s one thing Andrei and I can’t do, it’s change for the better. Q7 : how  does  your  muse  feel  about  you ?           A7 : We would probably be intellectual rivals... I can see us fighting over politics and philosophy, on account of having rather different ideological views. But like, not in an angry way, in a courteous and debating way. I don’t think Andrei would like me, to be fully honest. Q8 : what  characters  does  your  muse  have  interesting  interactions  with ? A8 : ANATOLE KURAGIN  ( blame extasiie, kay made me aware of anadrei ),  Pierre, Natasha, Marya B and Marya D ( especially in my modern college verse ), Sonya ( aka bring on the Angst ), and a whole lot of others. Q9 : what  gives  you  inspiration  to  write  your  muse ?         A9 : Reading War & Peace. There’s a few sections that I go to and reread if I don’t have muse - Andrei’s introduction through to his dinner with Pierre, his return from Austerlitz and the trauma that follows, sections with Natasha, his last conversation with Pierre, and his death. These usually get me thinking in character and it helps to read the source to get the style of prose right. For modern college verse, which I write in a lot, I can usually just go right into it without a lot of inspiration, because college!Andrei and I have plenty of similarities. Q10 : how  long  did  this  take  you  to  complete ?         A10 : I didn’t do it all in some sitting, so I don’t know. A couple hours at least.

[russellthornton]

Signs of a Good Relationship: The Lucky 13 that Define a Happy One

Sometimes, we question ourselves, wondering if it’s actually healthy or not. Well, these are the signs of a good relationship.

You’re going to have your fair share of crappy relationships, it’s just a part of growing up. Focus on making sure that your bad relationship doesn’t end up as a permanent thing. Knowing the signs of a good relationship helps you realize how your current relationship makes you feel.

It’s easy to get stuck in our heads and not see what’s really happening in our own lives and the relationships we have. So, take a look at these signs of a good relationship and see if your relationship fits in this. If not, it looks like you’re going to have to do some serious thinking about your choices. [Read: Know what makes a healthy relationship healthy so you can end the shitty ones]

The signs of a good relationship

Don’t get me started on shitty relationships. I used to be the queen of them. It seemed that every single piece of trash on the ground stuck to me. But let’s be honest, I liked the drama. I really liked it.

When you’re in an unhealthy relationship, you’re never bored but that’s not how it should work. You shouldn’t just be with someone because it keeps you entertained.

You should be with someone because they make you feel good and vice versa. Because really who wants to be in a shitty relationship?

#1 You can be yourself around your partner. This is huge. If you can’t be yourself around your partner then who can you be yourself around? Listen, I know you’re thinking it’s going to get better once they get a job or you finish school and get married, but it won’t.

It won’t get better by adding life-changing events into the picture. All it will do is mask it for a short period of time. You need to be able to not shave your legs for weeks or burp in front of them without worrying if they’re going to dump you. [Read: 13 ways toxic love can harm you permanently]

#2 You’re happy, most of the time. You can’t be extremely happy in your relationship all the time, it’s just not realistic. There are going to be some moments where you’re not going to want sex or you’re stressed from family or work, and that will affect the relationship. But on a grand scale, you’re pretty content with your partner, and they’re happy being around you as well. [Read: The steps you can take to tell your partner you’re not happy]

#3 You have sex. I know this sounds shocking, but it’s essential. Are you having sex? But when I mean sex, I don’t mean you’re pushing yourself to get aroused. But are you actually enjoying the sex you’re having together?

If you hear someone tell you that sex isn’t important, ignore them because it is important. It’s not the most important thing, but it symbolizes connection and bonding, something that a healthy couple needs to have.

#4 You trust each other. If you can’t trust your partner then who can you trust? A good relationship develops from a foundation of trust. If you feel that you cannot trust your partner, there’s no point being with them. I know it sounds harsh but it’s not. Trust is everything. If you’re worried they’re going to cheat you, well, it’s time to look for someone new.

#5 You both make decisions. If your partner is the one calling all the shots, then this isn’t a healthy relationship. If anything, it looks like you have no say. You can’t be the only one calling the shots and neither can they. It needs to be mutual.

I’m not only talking about big decisions, but I’m also talking about all decisions whether it’s what movie you’re going to watch to the flavor of chips you’re going to buy. [Read: 10 decisions you should never let your partner make for you]

#6 When there’s a problem, you talk it out. You’re going to have arguments and disagreements about little and big things. We’re only human. But when you do have a problem with something, you’re able to safely talk about it and resolve it.

Sure, you may have a fight about it, but that’s normal. Your problem doesn’t become physical, it’s not based on emotional or mental abuse. You can just talk it out. [Read: How to fix a lack of communication in your relationship]

#7 You feel safe. There are going to be times when you’re camping or sitting on the couch with your partner, and these will be moments where you want and need to feel safe. When you’re with someone, you’re with them for a multitude of reasons with one being that you feel safe with them. You don’t feel like they’re going to hurt you or that anyone else can hurt you. 

#8 You guys have fights. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, I thought healthy relationships don’t fight? Oh yes, they do. But it’s not about the fights, the sign of whether your relationship is healthy depends on how you recover from the fights. Do you know where the line is and when to apologize? Can you let go? You’re going to fight, but how you end it and how you fight matters.

#9 You both know when to apologize. You may say or do things that aren’t right or your partner doesn’t like. We all have pride, but you need to know when to apologize and recognize that you were wrong. The same goes for your partner. If you both can do this, this is one of the signs of a good relationship that many couples are jealous over. [Read: How to apologize and say sorry to a lover]

#10 You laugh together. Oh god, if you don’t laugh together then it’s going to be a long relationship for you. You need to be able to laugh when they fart because it’s going to happen. When you have giant booger, they’re going to need to giggle as they point it out. That’s just the way good relationships function. If you can’t laugh together, you won’t last.

#11 You don’t feel suffocated. There’s nothing worse than being with someone that makes you feel like you can’t breathe. Not because they’re choking you, well, if they are *in a non-consensual sexual way* then it’s not a healthy relationship.

But if they’re constantly messaging you and you can’t stand it, that’s not healthy communication. Why do they feel the need to suffocate you? [Read: How to fix a smothered relationship and reignite the sparks]

#12  You enjoy spending time with them. If you can’t stand spending more than one hour or two days by their side, let me tell you something, it’s not going to get better once you’re serious with them. You have to enjoy spending time with them.

Of course, there are gonna be moments where you can’t stand the sight of them and that’s fine, but overall, you need to like them. [Read: From crush to companion: The 12 stages of intimacy]

#13 You can see the future with them. This is crucial, but not something that you need to visualize right away. But after spending enough time with them, you need to seriously think about them in your future.

Are they someone you can actually see spending your future with? Do you see yourself happy with them in the future? Things can always change, but deep down, you can figure out what your future would be like with them.

[Read: Understand these 30 things to have a good relationship]

You’d think finding a healthy relationship would be easy, but it’s not. You may have to go through a couple bad ones to learn the signs of a good relationship.

The post Signs of a Good Relationship: The Lucky 13 that Define a Happy One is the original content of LovePanky - Your Guide to Better Love and Relationships.