#talking about relationship stuff

[inkskinned]

we were sitting on the floor and i was cutting out tiny pictures to make a collage for a friend's birthday. you were on your phone and you laughed about something, and i was still in love with you then, so i asked what had you giggling.

"sorry. i was just..." you took a moment and went back to texting. "i was telling someone about how you're afraid of the dark."

i'm afraid of the dark because something bad happened. "oh." i felt a little slinky of shame crawl down my throat.

you glanced up, and maybe it showed on my face, because you rolled your eyes and held the phone to the side casually so i could see the group chat. "what? was it a secret?"

i looked down to the scissors in my hand. "i just..." no, it's not a secret. it just felt like something private, something serious. saying why would you tell someone that just feels like an accusation. it's unfair. i honestly am not even ashamed of it, it's just a fact about my person that i don't usually share.

what a strange experience. is this a human thing or a generational thing? for our grandparents: did they need to worry about how quickly someone can just... share your personal information? again, i didn't even really have a true objection. what could i say? i want any person in my life to feel they can be honest with their friends. it's not like i said don't tell anyone this.

i cut out another letter to complete the rainbow happy birthday, started hunting for the exclamation mark. i heard you sigh dramatically.

"don't make a big deal about this," you said.

this entire conversation was a pattern for us, and this was when we got to my least favorite part of the pattern. i would get my feelings hurt in some oblique not-technically-terrible way, and then it would be making a big deal about something. you'd get frustrated for me for being soft, but i was born soft. you knew i was soft when you pierced me. it's one of the things that made controlling me so easy.

"i'm not," i felt my voice crack. the question came without my wanting. "why are you guys talking about me?" and why are you saying that thing? why not like - i'm telling them how you're generous and kind and pretty.

you let out this low, tragic groan. "oh my god." you tossed the phone away from your body. "there, see? i just won't talk to them if you don't like it."

the rest of the hour went the way it always went, between us: i said i don't actually mind if you talk to your friends but -, you found a way to call my minor expression of discomfort "being dramatic." you got upset that i had been offended. i ended up apologizing, even though i hadn't actually done anything.

afterwards, you picked up the phone again. after texting for a little bit, you snorted. "okay," you said, "but it is kind of funny you're afraid of the dark. i mean, when you think about it."

[pix-writes]

Stanford Pines relationship HCs

(ford pines x reader) there will be smut so, 18+ below... Some angst, mainly fluff, I HC that most if not all of the pines family are neurodivergent in some way.

A/N: I had a long journey last week and all I could think about was the stans, so this will become specific... 😅 Will do the same for Stanley too in the future.

Ford has a lot to catch up on when he comes back through the portal, but he won't jump into a relationship immediately, it will still take a little time, he's got a lot to adjust to in his home dimension and being with someone has not been his forte.

But once he does he's surprisingly clingy, will want to cuddle up to you, in bed, on the couch, wherever you both are. Not one for real PDA, but will be close to you and call you terms of endearment out in public, just a little less than he does at home. I HC that he'd call his partner "dear" "darling" "honey", looooves your hips and putting his arm around your waist (it's a great way to pull you in to snuggle).

Doesn't hold your hand at first but since you like him to hold your hand and give him assurance over the fact that you like his six fingers, he does. It loosens his insecurities around his hands a lot.

Gets addicted to kissing you, doesn't care whether it leads to more or not, Stanford simply loves kissing whether it's brief or a good long make out session. But he does prefer to take his time over it.

Stanford is very logical, good at patching himself up from decades of portal hopping and therefore will do the same for you if you need it, is meticulous if you get hurt in any way but also has an appalling bedside manner! Doesn't tell you if he's going to do something that will sting and tells you not to be overdramatic if you react negatively to it (you know how people can get a little angry when someone they love gets potentially seriously hurt?). And yet you know him to be a gentle man, generally touches you softly like you're made of glass (unless it's to pull you away from something dangerous), so having him take care of you can also be comforting, he'll never do something painful unless it's necessary. (Don't worry though, his brother will make you stan cakes to cheer you both up.)

Speaking of food, Ford definitely prefers his home universe food to what he had in the other dimensions, tried lots of different unusual dishes, some he even liked, but none of it can compare to his homely comforts. When not sailing and adventuring, he puts on a few pounds. Satiates his sweet tooth and caffeine addiction with mabel juice (is the only other one of the pines to like it), prefers it to coffee. Stanley swears his tastebuds must've been affected during his time away. Doesn't like it with as much edible glitter as mabel does, but this is the only deviation from the original recipe he has.

Excellent teacher, you want to learn how he does something? More than eager to teach you with a steady hand and clear pace. Will teach you regardless how to shoot his laser and magnetic guns, how to defend yourself and how to meditate (if you didn't know these already). Can get into the information and ramble like you know about a topic and then realise (eventually) that he needs to break down or explain what he means.

Despite this he also has a romantic streak, whilst he can forget everything aside from his work or adventures, including important dates, he can also be a very considerate and supportive partner and post-portal wants to include you as much as possible in his life and conversations. You can talk for hours about any and all topics and he loves to be mentally stimulated in a relationship, however that may be.

Does sometimes have nightmares and deep guilt over Stanley and is dealing with it as best as he can, likes to know he can count on you for comfort and guidance, makes him feel less panicked or paranoid after Bill. He and his brother talk things out too and these talks can go on all night into the early morning and it's best for them to have space, Ford is grateful for your patience and willingness to be involved in his life, especially as he knows he wasn't good at opening up to you when you were starting to become friends let alone a relationship.

Ford would be shy at first, but once he gets comfortable with how to pleasure you, expect this man to be kind of obsessed. That absorbing focus he can have on his projects and studies? Yeah that can be transferred to you just as easily, which can be a little intense!

You off-handendly mention something about sexual experiences, perhaps even a joke about things you haven't tried, catching his perplexed look afterwards, you say it's simply fantasy and not really something you need to experience. However what you took for confusion or slight insecurity was actually Ford processing what you said. In fact, it doesn't leave his mind and so he does something he's good at: he does some research 😏

One night you might even wake up from sleep to find him sitting upright, lightly snoring, bedside lamp on, clearly fallen asleep whilst writing on his portable writing desk (it's either a gift from you or the twins, not sure which to choose!), when curiosity gets the better of you and you sneak a page out into your hands, you're faced with his attempts at organising fantasies, what he thinks you would want to try, how would you react to different stimuli or some of his own fantasies... Mainly figuring out how many orgasms he could coax out of you or how long he thinks he could edge you over time, what positions or rp you might like: he's worked it all out in a haphazard kind of way, like he's brainstorming the best approaches.

It's so plan-sexual scientific it's frank but... attractive, because it's so... him.

Whether he wakes up on his own or you wake him up, he ends up blushing, though he's not really sorry that you've found it. He's looking at you with this mix of nerves for how you'll react and new found smugness when he sees that you've been affected by what you've read... And yeah, neither of you are leaving that bed for a long time.

Basically, like a true scientist, he is down to experiment! 😄 He's willing to try anything as long as it's not going to seriously hurt you or it's something he wouldn't try on himself first, this is a boundary he's never willing to cross. Trust and open communication is an important thing for him post-weirdmaggeddon especially, and he's getting better at it as he goes along, so even though he often doesn't feel confident, he is infuriatingly good at aftercare and all the rest!

This means when he's not tripping over his words or flustered by you himself -he can be a damn tease at times and will chuckle to himself when you curse him out for the subtle touches he'll give you over the course of the day before pulling away. Sometimes he doesn't even know he's done it, which is evil.

Stanley will make grumbly jokes about how "you two lovebirds need to get a room!" Or about needing to move out 😅 but honestly he's truly happy his brother is happy and if you get married he will sob the whole time, even through his roasting joke filled best man speech! (Cracks a joke more than once to you that you need to make Ford an "honest man" and then laughs at it himself before whispering to you that he can get the rings if you really want to.)

Will and does suffer in the warmer months because he will wear long sleeves, full length pants and or a turtle neck for the comfort aesthetic

Personality wise him and Stan are different as can be but they often sync up physically in their mannerisms or what they say, as freaky as it is cute in a way, when you are tired/drunk you can swear you're seeing double, which amuses both of them.

His favourite shared past time with you is any kind of board or card game, some of them the rest of the family will join in for, but will also love someone to play d&d&md with if you're willing! Loves to get into the details of the rules of whatever you're playing together and it can get quite heated (secretly finds your frustrated side quite attractive, as long as you're not actually angry at him).

I feel like Stanford would get into videogames as soon as he becomes more adept at technology in this dimension, likely it's dipper who is the one to introduce it to him and he loves it (nerd). Will marathon catch ups on all the movies and shows he's missed; especially the series he was into that got continued after the portal incident. You lose him to Star Wars prequels etc for at least a couple weeks of him getting his head round all the lore and how it works, may have controversial opinions and needs to work it all out, may need to contact dipper about this.

Regularly has calls with the family (mainly the twins) over video chat (and will always call it 'video calling' no matter what platform they're using), so once you're together that includes you too and be prepared to be bombarded with questions from them (your their new graunty or grunkle after all) ❤️

[superbat-lmao]

A mage who doesn’t like child soldiers targets Batman in Gotham. They know that several vigilantes connected to him are children or were children when they started.

Their vendetta against him basically boils down to, “What the hell were you thinking?” and they cast a spell against him accordingly.

Every day, a new family member will be able to read Bruce’s mind for 24 hours. It’s entirely random and the definition of “family member” is incredibly loose, but everyone knows the Robins are his children because of how berserk he went when Robin II died.

On the one hand, it’s a horrific violation of everyone’s privacy.

On the other, Bruce finally figures out what his kids think of him and don’t say. And his kids are finally able to realize that yes, he cares about them exactly as much as they want him to. He’s literally the absolute worst at showing it or communicating that, but he cares.

Dick gets confirmation that Bruce knows how good he is, how capable he is to lead a team. That Bruce doesn’t secretly think that when he screws up it’s because he isn’t cut out to be a vigilante. When he screws up, Bruce gets scared and lashes out in the only way an emotionally repressed father can, by making it worse. That Bruce doesn’t think Dick is incapable of looking after himself or making the right call. All of Bruce’s attempts to control Dick or his life were because he was scared. Because he wanted Dick to be better than him, and he is, just not in the ways Bruce was first able to see. Having more friends and being connected to people is infinitely more important than college, though it took time for Bruce to see that. Dick is Bruce’s first son and he couldn’t be more proud.

Jason realizes that Bruce loves him. That he tears himself apart over their relationship. That he feels there’s a clear line between Bruce’s opinion of Jason and of Jason’s actions. Because murder is wrong and Bruce’s philosophy is grounded in second chances. Because he just wants Jason to come home and his son’s actions scare him because he’s more isolated from backup than his brothers. Jason can literally feel how Bruce thinks, how he sees murder and how he thinks about himself. Bruce doesn’t think it’s a line he would be able to walk away from, and Jason feels more precarious seeing the world as his father thinks about it than in his own head. There is far less judgement in Bruce’s thoughts. Just pure concern. And self doubt over what to say. Bruce never sought to replace him, would have joined him, and has missed him. Those were always Jason’s major concerns.

Tim sees that Bruce views him as his son. That he wasn’t a substitute for Jason and he doesn’t secretly think Tim shouldn’t have been Robin. Bruce thinks that Tim reminds him a lot of himself and based on all the things people say about him, that makes Bruce nervous. Because he wants Tim to have fun and be a kid, not feel chained to work the way Bruce is. He knows they both have workaholic tendencies and wants better for Tim, wants him to have friends and a life outside of work. But Tim also knew Bruce at his lowest and so he will always feel guilty that it was Tim who pulled him out of his grief spiral, because Bruce wasn’t strong enough to do it himself.

Damian learns that Bruce was so excited for him to be born and devastated when he thought Talia had lost the pregnancy. That he was furious his son had been hidden from him. That he loves Damian and loved Talia and wasn’t sure how to separate out those feelings. That he would have wanted Damian no matter his level of training, if he gave up this lifestyle or anything. That there is nothing Damian, or any of his family could do to make Bruce stop loving them. Damian is wanted. He can also see that Bruce struggles with knowing how to handle him being a kid that acts like an adult. How he knows how capable Damian is, but that no children should go through that. Bruce didn’t have that sort of childhood. And while his own wasn’t exactly happy, he still got to be a kid. And innocence and youth aren’t things to be looked down on, just experienced. And Bruce doesn’t want Damian to not have those experiences, even if he doesn’t value them as others do. He learns that Bruce trusts him and that his father feels emotions acutely and strongly, such that he becomes reactive in a way that feels accusatory or disappointed but is just afraid.

They all realize that Bruce needs them and hates himself for needing them. That they are his children and he loves them and wants them safe. But that those feelings constantly war with how capable they are, how good his children are at what they do. How much they care about the helping and protecting others. That every time he says something they beat themselves up over, it’s because he’s scared they’ll get hurt or make a mistake that they can’t undo and will have to live with. He never wanted them to join him and it’s not because he thought they couldn’t do it, but precisely because he knows they can. And that sometimes, that isn’t enough. Even metas can get hurt and even Superman could die. By comparison his children are so vulnerable and there’s only so much he can do to keep them safe.

Does he verbalize this?

Bruce thinks so.

But all his kids hear is:

You were too reckless.

You disobeyed orders.

You’re off patrol.

And oddly? This solves like half of the current problems his kids have with him. Because they never really believed him before and always felt the conversations were one-sided.

It does create several new problems thought because Bruce just had like a significant invasion of privacy as the most paranoid person on the planet, so it takes a while for him to calm down and actually work things out with his kids in a way that lasts and isn’t just a bandaid over a bullet hole.

[spacesheeeeeep]

Actually so tired that people mainly focus on the bdsm when they talk about La Pianiste when we literally have this dynamic right here. Like, that's insane.

What if you were a little girl in her 40's who couldn't grow up because of your mother-wife who made you sleep in her bed and forced you to repress every sexual desires and thoughts of becoming your own person just to keep you close to her ? What if you fought back and yearned for dangerous things out of her reach ? But also, what if you let her because it's all you've ever known and been taught to want ?

[faynthearted]

maybe I'm overthinking things, but whenever I see people talking about significant/transformative moments in tianshan's relationship (barring their fight, the kiss, the ear piercing, etc.), I'm always a little disappointed no one points out the scene where the boys are going through the cardboard boxes of random things from he tian's childhood and he tian says something to the effect of, "the entire world is out there but everything I've ever owned only fits in these two boxes" and then he discreetly places his hand palm-up between him and guan shan. and guan shan pauses for a moment before placing his glass in his hand. and then the chapter ends.

this moment is one of the few panels I've saved over the years:

like... it's short but there's so much emotion behind this scene, it's hard for me to put it into words succinctly. and it stands out to me because it's not particularly intense or climatic like their other big moments. it happens soon after she li assaulted guan shan on the riverbank — which was heavy on the drama and ultimately the catalyst for tianshan's relationship. he tian had also just been financially cut off from his family and guan shan had been physically and emotionally vulnerable/exhausted for some time. basically, things were still raw and hectic for both of them in different ways

so this quiet, subdued, and wordless interaction between them on the balcony was very interesting. I honestly think it's one of the first instances in which tianshan have a personal/intimate mutual understanding of one another without an outside force influencing it or the moment being interrupted. and somehow, it's both abnormal and very fitting that he tian didn't make a grand gesture in this moment. like, if you think about it, he simply turned his hand on the cushion and looked at guan shan. it wasn't obvious; he wasn't making a scene. but of course guan shan, hyperaware of him, noticed

and the fact that the chapter ends after that also stands out to me. again, if he tian was being his normal self, he probably would've said/complained outright that he obviously wanted guan shan to give him his hand, not his glass, or he probably would've grabbed guan shan's hand as he was placing the glass down because he tian always just takes what he wants and tames guan shan's defiance or embarrassment after the fact

but instead, the chapter ends. and it doesn't even feel abrupt, really. it feels complete. and it makes me assume that he tian accepted the glass as guan shan's response and didn't press the issue. he might've just held onto the glass in his lap (or drank from it while maintaining eye contact) and then moved his attention back to the group at large. and, again, that's both abnormal and fitting for him in this scene

and I know I just said "guan shan's response" but what's frustrating — and fascinating! — is that I've yet to come to a definitive conclusion about what the (unspoken) question/response between them was to begin with. of course, he tian had just finished talking about the paradoxical state of his life — about how he could have everything and yet he has next to nothing — so maybe his "question" for guan shan was as simple as: "even if I don't have/want anything else, can I at least have you?"

but I also think it's interesting to consider that jian yi immediately laughed at he tian after he finished talking, accusing him of being dramatic (and in jian yi's defense, he'd never really seen an honest version of he tian like guan shan had at that point, so I don't blame him for thinking he tian was just being melodramatic for attention as per usual). anyway, jian yi and zheng xi got a good chuckle out of it, but guan shan didn't. iirc, he actually looked a bit lost in thought before he noticed he tian looking at him, and then his hand between them

with that small detail, it makes me think he tian's question leaned more toward: "do you believe me?" or maybe "do you understand me in the ways I want you to?"

I'd like to think he tian wouldn't have offered his hand if guan shan had also rolled his eyes with zhanyi — poor little rich boy — and dismissed what he'd said. but then again, with the state of their situation/relationship at that point, I don't think there was a chance in hell that guan shan would've dismissed him. I'm sure we can all agree that he tian's intense emotional response to finding guan shan injured and subsequently taking care of him without expecting anything in return drastically changed guan shan's perspective of him. guan shan had a lot to process at that point in the manhua, and a lot of hard truths to start acknowledging. it was clear that he tian had a lot on his mind during that time, too

so guan shan placing the glass in he tian's palm might've been him saying, "I'm still figuring this (us) out... but my answer isn't no" (hence the reason why he tian presumably didn't push the issue further bc he was more cognizant of guan shan's boundaries by this point) or it might've been him saying, "yeah, I'm starting to understand you, and you're not what I thought you were but that's not scaring me away" (therefore affirming he tian's question so he didn't feel the need to pursue the moment or make a bigger scene)

in any case, although there's no continuation after that scene, I think they were both satisfied by the end of the evening. I don't think he tian was disappointed by guan shan's response, and guan shan would've known that too. in fact, I'd argue that guan shan wanted to reaffirm he tian's emotions in that moment. the worst (yet easiest) thing guan shan could've done is look at him, look at his hand, and then look away and ignore him — literally leaving him empty-handed. that would've left he tian in a sour fucking mood... or at least a bit wounded

but instead, guan shan chose the more honest/reciprocal route even if he wasn't 100% sure yet. and... I don't know. it really stands out to me and I think a lot more was happening in that interaction than what could've been expressed in words. and yet I've literally never seen anyone talk about that scene since it was posted — which, fair enough. it's only a couple of panels. but I think about it constantly!

[royalarchivist]

Bad: Are you enjoying being a double-parent?

Foolish: Yeah! I don't know if I really could've picked a better double-parent! Well, we didn't get to pick, but um– But I think it's been a real- a real match made in heaven. [...] Things have been moving pretty quickly, you know? We've moved in together...

Bad: Wait, you two moved in together?! 🤨 How long have you known each other?

Foolish: Just like– you know, [Quietly] ᵃ ᶜᵒᵘᵖˡᵉ ᵈᵃʸˢ

Bad: That's really fast, Foolish! I mean, going from literally like, you just meet someone to moving in? 😥 Like... Oh my goodness!

Foolish: We may have put our beds together.

[ Full Transcript ↓ ]

—

TRANSCRIPT

Bad: Are you enjoying being a double-parent?

Foolish: Yeah! Yeah, no– honestly? I don't know- I don't know if I really could've picked a better double-parent! Well, we didn't get to pick, but um– But I think- I think it's been a real- a real match made in heaven.

Bad: So- so you and– who's your other parent?

Foolish: Uh, Vegetta.

Bad: Oh! How's that going?

Foolish: Yeah, listen– splendid, splendid. We've uh, things have been moving pretty quickly, you know? We've moved in together...

Bad: Wait, you two moved in together?!

Foolish: Well, not exactly like moved-moved in, but it's kind of like– I have like a second living place–

Bad: [Overlapping] How long have you known each other?

Foolish: Just like– you know, [Quietly] a couple days...

Bad: That's really fast, Foolish! I mean, going from literally like, you just meet someone to moving in? Like... Oh my goodness!

Foolish: Yeah, I mean–

Bad: I mean, honestly, I guess that makes sense.

Foolish: We um– [Muffles a laugh] Listen, I don't wanna like, you know, I– I mean, we put our beds together, that's like– that's, um.

Bad: Uh-huh.

Foolish: Yeah.

Bad: Wait– You put your beds together?

Foolish: We- we may have put our beds together.

Bad: That's pretty impressive, I'll give you that.

Foolish: But– listen, hey though, I don't wanna talk too much about that–

[muzaktomyears]

John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs, Ian Leslie (2025)

[whitebookposts]

In celebration of the aromantic spectrum awareness week, let's do a shotout to Bretta, the absolute icon of romance craving aromantic

She is just like me fr

[no1deahow]

The Sabo part came out of nowhere

[fairylando]

oh to be a fly so i can spy their debriefs with eachother when something is wrong🦟

[rosurie]

PCs as Love Interests

DAMSEL

- you can either meet Damsel in school surrounded by other students or after a modeling gig at the café. 9 times out of 10 she won't approach you. UNLESS you happen to catch her eye [through aesthetics, smarts, strength, personality quirks, etc. essentially if you aren't someone who she deems boring, she sets her sights on you.] Damsel can take some time to romance because she is demiromantic.

Unique Stat(s): Intrigue; Obsession/Possession

- the route of this stat that you unlock all depends on how you interact with her and how high your English+Seduction stats are. For Damsel's Possession trait, it's fairly simple to unlock. if you are devoted to her, are soft spoken/meek, or have a masochistic trait, you have a leg up towards unlocking Damsel's Possession. the higher the Possession, the more she will begin to nudge you into doing things for her, she may start manage who you can hang out with, and full Possession Damsel will genuinely start to view you as nothing more than a dog who's purpose is to be subservient to her. she won't let you leave her, she won't let you find interest in anyone but her.

Damsel's Obsession trait is harder to unlock because she's very particular about who she lets have power over her. In order to tip Damsel's Intrigue into Obsession, you have to be able to out manipulate her OR be a powerful/influential enough figure that she's willing to put her pride aside for you. her Obsession is different than Kylar's in that outwardly, she stays the same, but you will notice she's always seeming to listen to your advice or lets you push her in a certain direction of your choosing. she's also far clingier and will subtly seek praise. max Obsession Damsel is willing to do anything for you.

last little facts:

- you can raise her Possession with low love, but not her Obsession.

- you have to have at least 25> Intrigue to even unlock her love stat.

Horn Brain Content

- despite presenting herself to be a very dominant person, she is a switch! but she's very particular about which people can dom her. her lust stat is open from the moment you meet her <3

- she's still a virgin. this is partially by her choice and partially because to get to her virginity, you have to grt through Noé. though you definitely could take her virginity without Noé's approval/ interference, it is harder to do. good luck ♡

NOÉMIE

- you can only meet Noé alone at the temple, since he makes his presence at school scarce. however you can also meet him if he's with Damsel in town, typically on Barb Street or Nightingale Street if he's picking her up from the Dance or Photography Studios respectively. Noé is another hard to romance person but that's because his mind isn't really wired for romance. he thinks hes above you, regardless of your relationship status, so get used to that.

Unique Stat: Influence

- raising Noémie's Influence requires you to let him make all or most of your decisions for you. it starts with small things like choosing accessories and clothing for you and very quickly revolves into you being, essentially, a doll. you move how he wants, when he wants, and he really doesn't want to hear complaints, darling. he wants a mindless devotee, not a silly thing with their own thoughts ♡

Horn Brain Content

- Noé refuses to be anything but the dominant one. sorry babes, it's the god complex. he's also very unwilling to put his angel tf in jeopardy. he will however get you off with other methods but like he will not fuck you I'm so sorry if that's what you're aiming for. he's also a vengeful sadist so good luck soldier.

a little note as well: if you romance Noé or Damsel, expect to interact with the other fairly often. Damsel is far less likely to try and interfere in your relationship unlike Noé but...she is there. you have to be prepared to deal with Noé and Damsel's odd relationship ♡

TAMAYO

- you first meet Tamayo in one of three places. the nurse's office in the school, the pub on Fridays after meeting with Mickey, or at Darryl's being harassed while bartending. Tamayo can be difficult to romance because she often keeps to herself or she's being dragged around by Whitney. if you have a delinquent status or sadistic trait, Tamayo is more likely to approach you.

Unique Stat: Hysteria

- it's exactly what it sounds like. the higher her Hysteria, the deeper she's pushed into her masochism and suicidal thoughts. when at max Hysteria, Tamayo starts to have vivid thoughts of you killing her. she becomes desperate for you to be increasingly violent with her. she's not going to end herself though, it has to be you.

Horn Brain Content

- Tamayo is a submissive and drooling masochist. though she looks miserable, she likes to be thrown around, manhandled, used as a punching bag, etc. she'll agree to anything you request, even if it's to her detriment. her lust stat starts at 15% if you have a reputation for being violent.

my pcs are free real estate ♡

also I'll be making a separate post for Tomoe. partially because I haven't figured out their unique stat and partially because they could never be an LI, so I'll make a POI post for him ♡

[fatalism-and-villainy]

I was trying to pinpoint the main appeal or most compelling angle of Garashir for me personally today, especially when it comes to Bashir’s perspective on it. And I honestly think it’s the idea of lost youth and innocence (and this is particularly pertinent to how a post-canon relationship between them might unfold, which is useful for me as I’m trying to find the right approach to them in this fic I’m working on).

It’s that Bashir initially saw Garak as a symbol of intrigue and excitement, of the sort of adventure that he fantasized about and went to seek out on the “frontier.” The way their initial dynamic and its charming banter was a fanciful escape for him. And then that fantasy gets steadily chipped away, starting with The Wire, where Garak lays bare for him the reality of what kind of person he was and what the life of a spy entails, and where Bashir stays resolute and doesn’t turn on him but nonetheless receives a dose of reality regarding Garak’s past. The events of Our Man Bashir unfold, in which they remain on breezy terms by the end, but which nonetheless serves as a reminder that Garak’s time as a spy was marked by ruthless pragmatism rather than altruism, driven by political agendas rather than heroic impulses.

And then Bashir gets caught up in his own spy arc, and it’s wrenching and traumatizing and disillusioning. He’s kidnapped and tortured and made an unwilling party in the plot to throw Cretak under the bus - the amoral political maneuvering that espionage actually entails in order to uphold nation states. And then, when pushed to desperation, he deploys the exact same interrogation tactics that he learned from Sloan himself. All of which makes him intimately familiar, through firsthand experience, with the kind of things Garak was getting up to before the beginning of the show.

And so when they’re reunited on Cardassia… I honestly think he has trouble looking at Garak or knowing how to behave around him. Because his associations with Garak have shifted drastically, and now everything seems so much more real and consequential. Garak isn’t a charming distraction anymore - rather, their interactions with each other are both bound up in local politics (as I see it), but also with the trauma that Bashir is carrying within him, and with the crumbling of the ideals he used to hold dear. And there’s what Bashir himself has been culpable for with the kidnapping and interrogation of Sloan, as well as the way the war has generally hardened him. Which leads to the fear that he’s no longer attractive to Garak because he’s lost the innocence that once drew Garak to him, and that he reflects the worst of Garak’s past in the way that Garak now reflects the worst of his.

On top of the fact that the fantasies of Bashir’s youth have become horrifyingly real, there’s also the matter of him contending with aging in general, and with the question of what his life has been dedicated to and where it’s going. The fact that he’s still serving an institution in which his faith has been shaken, but that he still believes, or wants to believe, enables him to do some amount of good; the fact that he’s approaching forty and still isn’t entirely sure of his life choices, or if he’s doing the right thing. He’s at an uncertain point in his life, and Garak complicates things further, because there’s the question of possibly entering a long-term relationship with Garak, and the commitment and sacrifice that entails, and the panic surrounding building his life around someone else.

Anyway, that’s what I’m aiming for with the Garashir portions of this fic. The melancholia, and the hope against hope that a new spark might be possible.

[resident-gay-bitch]

Thinking about Eddie being freshly 18 and not wanting to feel shame about his sexuality no more and wanting to explore it without getting caught by his uncle, doesn’t want to get kicked out of the only real home he’s know. so he drives out to indi and finds a queer club and feels so alive, he’s a little tipsy on the dance floor, and this cute guy is making eyes at him, and they start dancing together, getting closer and closer until Eddie doesn’t know where he ends and the cute guy begins. And he thinks “fuck this is it. This is how I’m supposed to feel. This is everything to me”, and for the first time ever he kisses a boy who kisses him back and doesn’t punch him in the face after.

Thinking about Wayne who gave up his life to raise his poor little orphaned nephew, had his entire existence thrown out of whack, who loves Eddie with every bone in his body and only wants the best for him, would kill for that little shit, and would kill himself if anything every happened to his boy. Who feels so much shame about who he is and who he’s loved, has put his own life and relationships on hiatus so Eddie would never have to know the truth, would never have to be ashamed of his uncle. Who, for the first time in over 10 years finally gets a break from some of the responsibilities. Eddies 18, an adult now, and for his birthday he’s decided to go camping with his friends to “become a real man”, so he takes his chance and drives up to Indi, finds his old stomping grounds and almost cries when he sees the transgender bartender who called him honeypot and would sneak him a free beer still working there.

Thinking about Eddie feeling so free and excited to just exist without judgement that he Drags that cute guy into the bathroom and feels shameless about his pleasure for the first time ever, tries new things, likes them all.

Thinking about Wayne sipping on his beer, feeling his bones completely relax for the first time in years, spots an old flame across the bar and can’t believe his eyes, he’s still just as hot as he was when they were 17. They get to talking, and then the talking turns into something else, something Wayne hasn’t done since he had to become a parent. And he feels a bit like a teenager again, drags that hot man into the bathroom and wants to have his way with him.

Thinking about Eddie stumbling out of the stall, wiping his mouth, cute guy giggling and clinging onto Eddie right behind him, freezing in his tracks. Wayne with his shirt half undone and a man trying to shove Wayne into the cubicle Eddie was Just in, trying to put his hands in the wrong places.

And they just lock eyes, and scream.

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE FUCKING CAMPING BOY?!”

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE HAVING A QUIET NIGHT IN WHY ARE YOU IN A GAY CLUB?”

“WHY ARE YOU IN A GAY CLUB?”

“Wayne… are we both…?”

“Jesus H Christ boy, alright, let’s just pretend we never saw eachother in here, go back out there and I’ll buy ya a beer. We can talk.”

“Yeah, alright Wayne.” Eddie says with a smile as he heads out of the bathroom.

“Hey! You used a condom right-“

“Ew Wayne! I’m not talking about that with you!”

[psychopomp-namine]

the way everyone has a dislike in their profile that actually says something integral about their character. lu guang doesn't like plans getting messed up, cheng xiaoshi dislikes loneliness, xia fei with owing favors, vein with lying...

and then you have liu xiao, who dislikes... cilantro. and fish mint.

(shakes fist) (putting him in a glass jar and shaking vigorously) learn to be vulnerable!! tell me something about yourself!! I guess him liking movies lines up with the theater metaphors, and there's him liking chess, but that. doesn't count methinks

[sharktooth-jacket]

i think i've figured out what was sitting with me wrong about those shitty reviews of ofmd that were getting passed around here yesterday. because i just could not understand the one about how Taika Waititi has "no range," right? it's just not true. Ed is one of the most immediately likeable and complex, three-dimensional characters i've ever seen. Taika Waititi genuinely plays him with such real vulnerability and thoughtfulness, making him into a character who is so understandable and real in all his goofiness and anger and pain and love. i don't know how you could watch the show and come away not loving him.

and i've figured out what saying this guy has "no range" is reminding me of. i'm a substitute teacher, right, and my favorite class to take is middle/high school English language arts. and there's this thing that happens when you teach poetry, when you teach poems that make you feel raw and vulnerable: some of the kids, especially the boys, will laugh. because a lot of kids just haven't got the emotional maturity yet to deal with it, and you kinda have to tease it out, because their instinct is going to be to laugh and say "that's weird" or "that doesn't make sense." this is morally neutral, it doesn't mean these kids are dumb. it's because they're not used to engaging with that kind of art in any earnest way and if you don't learn that, life and culture (especially if you're a boy or a man) often tend to teach you that it's beneath you and things you don't automatically find comfortable are deserving of scorn.

so, all that to say: does Taika Waititi really lack range in his portrayal of Ed? or are you just more accustomed to seeing a character like him, a gay man of color who earnestly engages with questions of masculinity, as a one-note joke, and it makes you uncomfortable when Ed isn't just a joke?

[thecityofdoors]

man you all were not kidding abt the therapyspeak in veilguard.