#that romantic plot is devastating and upsetting and Not Happy

[avesseloflanguage]

mildly and perpetually baffled by lauren gunderson's urge to add a failed/unrequited romance (that never happened irl) for her real historical female characters in her historical plays based on real historical times/events/women

[kjthenbee]

I know a lot of us are upset about Nandermo not becoming canon at the end of this season (I am too), but I’m honestly not surprised by this. I could tell from the beginning and as the season went on that they were still not at a place where that could happen naturally and realistically, especially with the secret Guillermo had been keeping the entire season.

My sincere hope is that for season 6, now that Guillermo knows that he doesn’t truly want to be a vampire but that he cares about the vamps and wants to stay with them, especially with Nandor, he’s going to have to reevaluate his relationship with them and his “master”.

What’s the point in serving Nandor anymore if it’s not with the goal of becoming a vampire? We know he was doing it this season to keep up appearances (and because he didn’t want to leave him), but now, everyone knows that he doesn’t want to be a vampire.

Just like Nandor said, he’s going to need to figure out what he really wants. And I think we all know what that is.

I think with this conflict of Guillermo’s being resolved, as well as the intentional choice by the writers to show just how much Nandor cares for and knows everything about Guillermo, better than he even knows himself, is going to open the door for a romantic relationship to be seriously considered by both of them.

However, this means the conflict next season could likely be not only them actually acknowledging their romantic feelings, but navigating how a romantic relationship between them could even work as a vampire and a human, because this means Guillermo will grow old and die eventually. Of course, this would be devastating to Nandor, which may be a barrier to him telling Guillermo how he really feels.

Perhaps eventually Guillermo will be ready to become a vampire, and Nandor will actually be the one to do it, which would make it a special and intimate thing in contrast to the messy and hasty way it was done with Derek (because we now know Guillermo was absolutely not ready to be a vamp). Who knows.

I do have some concerns about how this potential plot line could be handled by the writers, because one of my main criticisms of WWDITS in general has always been its reluctance to stick to its plot decisions as well as to allow characters to have genuinely wholesome or serious moments without a joke being tacked on at the end. Nandor and Guillermo are usually the characters that are allowed to have these moments, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that all of the vamps were allowed to have them to some degree this season. This gives me more hope for next season.

I’m sure our expectations will still be subverted somehow, because that is 100% what the writers are going for, especially with the way Nandermo went last season and the way the plot line of Guillermo’s secret was handled this season.

Honestly, after what OFMD, GO, and even the endings of WWDITS S3 & S4 have put me through, I was surprised but pretty satisfied with the genuinely happy ending we got with for S5, and I’m glad we didn’t end on a painful cliffhanger.

[bengiyo]

La Pluie and the Exploration of Romance, Competence, and Queerness

It’s Sunday, so you know I had to get an essay in about this eighth episode of La Pluie. This week I want to dive into the ways that La Pluie is interrogating the nature of Romance as a genre, the ways it enables its characters to be competent, and how all this plays into its specific queer ideas.

All of the gifs in the post were borrowed from my good friend @liyazaki who I am most happy to have convinced to join us in watching this show.

The Rain Connection and Lomfon

I want to get this out of the way first, because we don’t know enough for me to want to spend a ton of time speculating on this. We know that there aren’t a lot of people in the world with Rain-Based Hearing Loss, and we know that only a small subsection of them have a connection with other people.

screenshot by @respectthepetty

When Lomfon falls here, it seems like he has the same pain we saw Tai experience the first time he developed a connection with Patts on his 20th birthday. Thus far, we don’t know if Lomfon has experienced hearing loss in his life. We were discussing this yesterday, and @lurkingshan went back to look at the café scene with Lomfon in episode 5, and it didn’t seem like Lomfon experienced hearing loss when it began raining there.

What I think is most significant about Lomfon suddenly developing a connection with seemingly Patts and Tai (this show has not tried to misdirect or trick us up to this point, so I am choosing to read the scene as if he heard both of them until we get new information) is that Lomfon has thus far been the most vocal skeptic about the societal assumptions that people connected by hearing loss should be in romantic relationships with each other. I think this will bring significant drama into the plot because he’s been developing something with Tien, and it will challenge Tien to have feelings for someone with a rain connection to someone else.

I’m not even reading into this as a throuple, because this show has expressed clearly that soulmates are an opportunity more than anything else, and the nature of this story and its references to the MacKade brothers assures me that this is going to be about two couples. @lurkingshan and @ginnymoonbeam already covered the rest of this as well.

Everyone is Competent, and Everyone is Valid

One of my favorite things about this show thus far is that no one has been especially stupid about their feelings. The most dramatic and dangerous thing anyone has done so far was Tai trying to climb a mountain on his own and realizing quickly that he had made a huge mistake.

We learn that Tai understood exactly what had happened with Nara kissing Patts and was not mad about it. He was upset that it felt like their soulmate connection ruined a genuinely good relationship Patts and Nara, and he questioned the veracity of his and Patts’ feelings for each other. Moreover, the show allows Nara to be upset about her rejection. Her feelings and her relationship with Patts were real and deserving of respect. She is also a character who possesses grace, and insists that Patts find Saengtai even though the two of them just had an emotionally devastating final breakup.

Patts realizes within minutes what Saengtai had done and immediately sets about looking for him. Even if the other vet should have reconsidered sending Saengtai into that situation with Patts and Nara, everyone responded appropriately to the crisis by trying to search for Saengtai and predict his behaviors in a crisis. Kung, who says she’s responsible for them, detailed the dangers of the mountain and made a vehicle available to them immediately.

As for Tien, he’s a hot-headed guy, and blamed himself for not recognizing what his brother would do right away. Lomfon also talks him down from running after his brother with logic as well. When Tien finally reunites with his brother, he sternly chides him for running into danger before collapsing on his brother.

In every episode before this, I have really enjoyed how everyone has been good at their jobs and operating from a believable emotional space. Little conflict on this show has felt contrived, and I’ve enjoyed how each challenge extends naturally from the setting itself and the initial plot seeds surrounding Tai’s parents’ divorce.

Our Expectations of Romance

Probably my favorite thing about La Pluie has been the way it grapples with the nature of Romance itself. Though the show has been explicit in its skepticism about destined romance, everything in this show says that we’ll end up with two couples. Everyone in this is a character in a story with a role to play in its narrative.

Multiple characters, like us in the audience, have already assumed that Patts and Tai are endgame because of their rain connection. Tien already treats Patts like his brother-in-law. Tai’s dad already teased about the accelerated pace of a soulmate relationship. Bow came on this trip to make sure Tai makes (sexual) progress with Patts. Multiple members of the vet crew have teased Patts about his concern for Saengtai. Yet, it’s this presumption that has been the primary struggle of their relationship so far.

How fascinating is it that the primary drama of a couple in a romance is that everyone (including the audience) expects them to get together as a foregone conclusion? What are the emotional underpinnings of their relationship that will give them the tools to succeed in the long term? It’s that concern that makes Tai so cautious about moving forward with Patts. He’s worried he’ll make the same mistakes his parents made.

The run up the mountain was necessary for Saengtai as a character, because he needed to face himself. He finally reached the conclusion that many of us reached weeks ago. But as the song says, “no one else can feel it for you; only you can let it in.”

And isn’t that also the point? Does it matter if they’re supposed to be together or not? What matters is they choose each other.

Patts is such a gentle man. He is incredibly patient, and the kind of partner I think Saengtai has hoped for his whole life. This is the man who doesn’t yell at him for endangering himself, sits quietly as Saengtai finally unloads all of the fears and doubts he’s struggled with, and makes sure that Saengtai gets all of the moments he’s hoped for in his life by asking him the question even if we all know the answer already, because Patts is a man who understands that it’s important to do things right.

And how does Tai respond to that moment? By giving them and us what we all need:

Let me just say again while we’re here that I love the way these two kiss. I love the way each kiss has been choreographed. You can track the beats of their relationship through their intimate scenes.

Look at this! We’ve been begging for couple kisses for years, and really only Bad Buddy has given them to us.

It’s just so important that the characters earned the understanding together that what matters most for them is that they love each other (@lurkingshan).

On To the Gay Stuff

I’m not the first person to talk about the inherent queerness of the rain connection. Tai and Patts have both expressed that they would choose not to have this condition if possible. For many of us who grew up queer, that feeling will be extremely familiar. I certainly screamed, prayed, and hoped that I wouldn’t be this way when I first started noticing it within myself at eight years old and throughout my entire adolescence. Yet what matters is how we choose to live with it.

I don’t care if Patts and Tai are destined soul mates, or just two compatible guys who will have this strange connection for the rest of their lives (and maybe with Lomfon too??). What matters to me is they stared at the hand they were dealt and chose to build something they can both enjoy together.

What I really hope we get in the final third of this show is Tai coming to terms with his parents’ divorce. I hope my theory that Tai’s dad is queer is correct, and I hope that Tai learns to respect the choice they’ve made. I hope that if Lomfon is in their rain connection long term, they all find a way to find peace with that, especially for Tien’s sake.

As a queer viewer, I enjoy shows the most when they feel like they come from a space that queer people specifically experience. This show uses the expectations that the world places on who we’re supposed to be with and how we’re supposed to live as a way to replicate the experience of heteronormativity, and still lets these two men choose each other.

La Pluie is a special show in a year of special shows. I have no idea how we’re going to handle awards when we do the VIIB Awards on @the-conversation-pod at the end of the year, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop talking about this show.

Thank you for coming to my post.

Shoutouts to @wen-kexing-apologist @kyr-kun-chan for talking through all of this with me yesterday as well.

[ohemgeeejay]

Ok this is the last time that I personally am gonna ramble about The Umbrella Academy today. Much of this season was disappointing, the last 2 episodes in particular were very unsatisfactory. So I have to get my thoughts out in a (mostly) coherent way.

Spoilers under the cut <3

I have many critiques of season 4. I know we all do. I’m just really, especially devastated about the absolute bullshit that was Five and Lila’s relationship this season.

There was no reason for that. I truly believe it was the worst decision they could have made for those two characters. It was so inaccurate to the morality and personality that had already been established for each of them. Not to mention the fact that neither Five nor Lila would ever willingly do something that they know for a fact would hurt Diego so much, and risk tearing apart their entire family. I always thought of Five and Lila as best friends, people who are truly able to understand each other because they’ve both been through the same bullshit with the Handler and the Commission. They did not have the romantic chemistry for that sub plot to feel natural. Their romance felt forced. The trauma of being trapped in that subway, jumping between timelines, never able to get home, for SEVEN YEARS is drama enough on its own! There was no need for a cheating scandal.

That romantic relationship between Five and Lila was so bad. It was bad for the plot and it was bad for the characters. And what makes it even worse is that nothing came of it at all! Diego finds out, and then he has to accept never seeing his kids again, never seeing his family again, and being erased from existence completely. He got no real closure.

Also, the fact that not a single member of the Hargreeves family got an actual happy ending? Like, yes, they died together, loved by each other despite how immensely fucked up their lives and the world is. However, nobody got to be fulfilled in their lives. Which, I guess is realistic— but when has this show cared for being realistic?

On one hand, I do think that sort of ultimate sacrifice ending was ideal, but on the other, I believe it was poorly executed. It was a beautiful action, very emotional, but there was no feeling of gratification watching it. It was just upsetting; it felt like a cop out. I don’t think the writers gave it enough time to have the proper emotional build up it needed for the impact they wanted.

I will say though, there were things in this season that I did enjoy. I really loved the relationship that Klaus had built with Claire, and the family dynamic that existed between those two and Allison. It was really sweet the way that they all loved and cared for each other so much. Also, as someone who comes from a very unconventional family structure, I always find it nice to see that sort of thing on screen. And as always, well ever since season 2, I adored Luther. He’s always in these fucking situations. Ben having gone to prison for Crypto scamming, and then comparing himself to ELON MUSK was also fucking hysterical to me.

In the end, I am gonna miss this show. I’ll miss the characters, the humour, and the entertainment it brought to me. I think TUA will always hold a little spot in the corner of my heart, even if this final season was not what I hoped it would be.

[jesterbells]

good omens season 2 spoilers

(no i really mean it, end of season 2 spoilers, if you don’t want to hear discussion about the ending of season 2 don’t click the read more)

So that ending was pretty devastating, huh? But I think a lot of folks don’t realize that this most likely means we’re gonna get a happy romantic ending?

Let me explain.

We know that Neil has a season 3 planned (and with the popularity of the show, it’s gonna happen. Even if by some chance it doesn’t, he’s said in that case he’d write the book version). We’re not at the end of the story. We’re at a very clear and identifiable plot beat. And that plot beat belongs to Romance Novel tm structure.

I’m not sure but I get the sense that a lot of the people who are super upset over the end of season 2 (which, I get it, that was rough) are not Romance Novel tm readers and so don’t recognize that plot beat.

See, Romance Novels tm have a very formulaic story structure. And one of the main plot beats, at roughly 2/3 of the way through the story (aka where we’re at) is the break up. That’s what’s going on and where we are in the story. Yeah it quite a cliff hanger to leave a season on, but the fact that the show is following the beats of a romance novel  is a good sign in the long run as it means it’s likely gonna keep following that structure and will eventually resolve with the further standard beats of a grovel, a make up, and a HEA (happily ever after) or HFN (happily for now) for our main couple.

Sure, waiting for that can be difficult, just like any other cliff hanger, but we’re gonna get there. You realize that, right? Like I’m not trying to diminish anyone’s feelings, and if you already know this then I’m not talking to you, but I see some truly devastated takes that don’t seem to understand that, so I wanted to let those folks know it’s gonna be ok.

Anyway I hope this information is comforting to someone. If you didn’t know now you know.

~your friendly neighborhood proofreader of romance novels

(sidebar: this is the exact same thing going on with ofmd--the creators have even stated that they’re following the plot beats of a romance. So breathe. It’s gonna be ok.)

[magnumdays]

Magnum PI 4.20 - ‘Close To Home’ review

WE BE CANON!

I can still not believe even as I KNEW as soon as we had the whole flashback to Higgy talking with the doc after her run! I just knew. 

Then I was like Oh no Lia! Maybe we won’t get it and they’ll leave it all angsty. But the very next scene is like Magnum telling the guys ‘nothing happened’ and then I knew 100%. (I’d also been spoiled by amazing kissing gifs from my two seconds of opening tumblr!)

Anyways, I like-loved this episode, (duh) and over all I’m not sure how much I have to say today. Only OMG if this was the series finale I’d be able to die happy and since it’s most likely not WE ARE GETTING A WHOLE SEASON of Miggy. They better not mess it up!!!

But I mean...can’t stop rewatching that last scene! Still, I’ll try to remember and talk about the rest of the episode too!

Thos one felt like a mix of so much because we have A) Magnum and Higgins acting like high schoolers in love or like some Shakespearian play. It was like a classic ‘darkest moment’ in a romance novel where the characters are finally about to come together and then something stops them. But it’s all actually a misunderstanding. So I’d say the Miggy plot this week is a romantic comedy. 

B) Gordon’s kidnapped wife (+him at first) and then Beth being shot and them breaking a guy out of prison and a big shoot-out and finding out the bad guy was responsible for Gordie’s sister’s death. It was pretty heavy. And he no longer with the HPD (are we going to get Magnum, Higgins and Katsumoto investigations next year? that be... something). So that was a pretty dang serious thriller-detective-suspense-crime plot-line.

C) the baby coming early and Suzy having complications. I felt weirdly responsible for this (since I did kill her in a fan fic and occasionally I seem to mind link a bit with the writing team... but she survived so it’s not my fault) and Rick being shook and then everyone having a moment with the cute-fake baby. Like that was a fake baby right? I mean yeah? Or did I just insult someones baby? And this last one, it’s like IDK family+medical drama? Or perhaps angst family? 

No matter. 

Despite how different they all were weaved together pretty good, and just like the contrast of the first scene with kidnapped Gordy+Beth, 

then Higgy on her jog and in the kitchen when she’s going to tell him and then the utter devastation of Lia being there...

Look at her face, she so sad and we so sad too!

(I feel like Higgy was sad a lot this episode, like even there at the end when she’s told him she’s mostly just sad, which is depressing. Because it means she’s pretty sure he dosen’t have feelings for her in return. While I think Magnum actually had a clue that she did have feelings for him just not that she was so in tune with them, Higgy was just telling him because she wanted to be honest and not because she was expecting a HEA. At least not as much as I feel he was.)

Then scene switch to Magnum and the guys waiting for Gordy and Magnum being all defensive about/ explaining to the guys that Lia did JUST SLEPT THERE - NO FUNNY BUSINESS - it was just... chef’s kiss on the tone shifts and somehow managing to make me love ever moment of it. I mean I was legit so upset for my babies and the possibility of them messing it all up but I was still smiling because I was amused by the wacky-drama-ness of it all!

Least favourite bit or thing I’m not 100% sure how I feel about Higgy getting emotional when they were all there with the baby, at the same time I did like how that whole thing played out. 

(And I was right about the balcony scene not being Higgy having said ‘can I talk to you about something’ - promos be liars!) 

Did love that he notices right away and follows. Magnum knows what’s up!

And I of course loved the last scene. I’m both torn between liking that we’re in a new set, nothing familiar just like the situation, it’s sun set (symbolising one thing ending and another starting) but I would maybe have liked their first kiss to have been at Robin’s Nest. Maybe. Still I did like this pick for setting too. Very dramatic!

I think they despite the situation/conversation nailed the whole Miggy dynamics with Juliet being all “I bet this is doing wonders for your ego” and Magnum being all “I asked to spend the day with you yesterday because I was going to say the same thing”. I do hope we get call backs to them debating who had feels first and who made the first move - since he did ask her out for a hike but she actually told him!

Then having both confessed to having feels they’re like “maybe we shouldn’t do this” and kind of agree, and then still kiss = so them! And I really look forward to seeing how they handle this going forward and how they keep them Magnum and Higgins but still give us Magnum&Higgins situations and development of their personalities. 

Now, just because...

And they were so freaking soft with each other this whole episode and I hope they keep that up for a bit, but then as they settle in to the relationship next season we get some good bickering and stuff too. Anyone know anything about season 5? When will we know? 

Overall I think I probably need to watch this episode again without just focusing/waiting for the Miggy moments because I’m not sure I gave it proper focus. Also me just having moved and the new job this week is making my brain feel a bit unfocused. So I def. think I’ll appreciate this episode more on the re-watches!

[aliensunflower-fics]

Marinette Changes Schools: A funny little Lila salt prompt

So, there are a lot of ‘Marinette changes schools’ au’s and I love a whole bunch of them don't get me wrong. BUT the one thing I haven’t seen yet is Marinette changing schools not because of Lila or salt but simply because her parents are moving and they want her to attend a school close to home. So without further ado let me sell you on my little idea: 

Lila has been plotting weeks worth of plans and lies, she’s thought up some sob stories about being stalked, about near death experiences, about celebrities that are like her family. She has plans for Marinette all the ways she could make the girl look bad and all the ways she could force Adrien to see her. That all goes out the window one day when she gets to school and it's a sob fest. There is a clear air of dread and dismay, the blue skies she saw on the way to school replaced with heavy storm clouds. And when she gets to class it's worse. Marinette and Alya are hugging and crying, Adrien looks like he's been shot, Nino and Kim are demanding to know ‘why’ even Chloe looks upset, her blue eyes a little glassy. Lila quickly learns why, Marinette’s parents' business is doing GREAT so great in fact that they have decided to open a second location! The twist? They also decided to move INTO the new location and with it being on the other side of Paris and her parents fears for their daughters safety that means Marinette is moving to a new school!

Now Lila doesn’t even have to school her face into a practiced expression of shock. She genuinely is shocked here she’d been planning months in advance picturing the ways she would destroy her rivals life and steal her friends! And now just like that Marinette is MOVING? Of course Lila quickly decides this is a good thing! After all if Marinette is out of the picture ruling the school will be that much easier. Sure Chloe might be queen bee but with Marinette gone people will be looking to replace her! In walks Lila Rossi, a gorgeous upstart model with a heart of gold and connections coming out of her bangs! She’d rule the school and Adrien would fall for her, then Marinette would probably come crawling back desperate for her old friends only to learn she’d snatched them all up! It was brilliant! And with Marinette gone she could probably do it in record time! So Lila covers up her smirk and says she’s devastated to hear that the twin tailed girl would be leaving and begins plotting.

In the month that follows Lila leaves Marinette alone letting her have her friends for what would be for the last time. After all if everyone still loved the designer when she left they’d be all the more eager to replace her with a new and better version. Of course just because Lila is playing nice doesn’t mean she enjoys it. Alya is practically glued to the girl and ignores Lila even when she’s not trying to sabotage Marinette. Adrien is acting like his life is ending and all anyone will talk about is Marinette. When she checks social media it's all just pictures of ‘old-great times with Marinette’ or new photos and videos of helping the girl pack up and move into her new room, which Lila seethes about for a week when she sees the photos of the spacious luxurious room with a private bath. Apparently the Dupain-Cheng’s new bakery was in a pretty ritzy rich neighborhood. During school Marinette is mobbed by a constant stream of people begging her to stay and when they accept that not happening they all at least beg her to ‘come back and visit’ Marinette promises and Lila has to hide her snort. Fat chance of that actually happening. 

Finally the last day arrives and Lila has to hold back the urge to gag as everyone fills the nearby park giving Marinette gifts and heartfelt goodbyes. Adrien is the last one to offer his gift and Lila seethes as Marinette gingerly opens the box with a gasp and pulls out two brand new pink hair ribbons, and Adrien goes on to say that they’re made of imported silk! SILK, as if the little baker brat deserved silk! The whole exchange is cliche and romantic as Marinette removes her current hair ribbons to tie in the new ones and Adrien ties the old ones around his wrist like some idiot who doesn’t realize what a love struck longing look he's giving his ‘good friend’. But Lila just keeps reminding herself its just a bit longer and sure enough not long after the hideously gooey exchange between Adrien and Marinette is over the designer is leaving with more tears and farewells. FINALLY Lila thinks she can get back to what matters! Ruling her empire.

As it turns out ruling her empire is not what she thinks. For the first month after Marinette leaves all anyone will talk about is the photos she’s posted online. The first week its ALL about HER new school is a private well known academy with uniforms, and isn't Marinette cute in it? And look at her in her custom black kitty thigh highs? Lila wants to scream, but not as much as when she catches Adrien drooling over the photo of said thigh highs and twirling the old nasty hair ribbons around his wrist. The second week its all about the video tour of her new home and school that Marinette sent Alya. Lila glares the whole time as Alya puts the video on the projector at lunch so everyone can see the big new gorgeous bakery and the beautiful house on the second floor and her stupid big bedroom that should belong to someone like herself and not some bratty bakers daughter! By the third week Lila has had enough and fakes some nasty texts from Marinette hoping to speed up the process of helping her classmates move on to HERSELF. It backfires spectacularly with Alya going on the warpath to learn who would dare frame Marinette now that she’s gone. Lila is starting to realize that somehow Marinette has reached a higher level of popularity now that she’s gone. But she reminds herself it won't last forever that in ‘just a little bit longer’ everyone will forget the baker. Right?

A little bit longer. Never happens. Lila asks the girls to hang out that weekend with plans of winning them over with some juicy celeb story? Alya says they all already made plans to hope aboard the train to spend the whole weekend at Marinette’s new place! Lila tries to corner Adrien into a date after a photo shoot. He disappears and all she hears from the workers on set is that he's been looking up some new bakery on the other side of town. [Marinette is suddenly being visited by Chat Noir every other night but she figures she must have moved closer to where his civilian self lives if hes dropping by so much.] She tries to throw a party for the class? They can't. Marinette will be coming out to the park today! With her new school friends!

AH HA! Lila see’s opportunity and decides to tag along. After all if Marinette has new friends Lila can twist it! She’ll whisper about her replacing them all! Make them hate Marinette’s new friends! Fill them with jealousy till they hate Marinette! It's BRILLIANT! And, it fails in less than two minutes, with Alya learning about Aurore being a ballet dancer and the two girls bonding over their mutual love of DANCE?? How the heck was Lila supposed to know Alya had been a champion ballet dancer in her younger years! Then Nino is bonding with some kid named Allen or whatever about classical vs modern music and how to blend the two! And some kid named Claude is joking with Kim, Max, and Alix! And this is definitely not how things were supposed to go!

The worst part is Adrien, who is passive aggressively fighting for Marinette against Kagami AND Felix who are both all too eager to show how ‘close’ they’ve gotten to the baker's daughter while Adrien’s been across the city. Kagami is all to happy to show off that she ALSO bought Marinette some new silk hair ribbons [in a red shade that happens to match her fencing uniform] while Felix eagerly wisks Marinette away the moment Kagami and Adrien are distracted the two fencers find him openly flirting with an oblivious Marinette her hair down because ‘oh felix was nice enough to help me get some leaves out of my hair and said i should leave it like this!’ [while both Kagami and Adrien agree she looks beyond cute they know this means war.] Needless to say Lila didn’t realize that Marinette was that damn popular with men and woman.

The week after the meet up Lila is worn so thin she’s ready to snap. Not only did the class not get jealous but they actually became FRIENDS with all of Marinette’s new buddies and were planning many more meet ups including a paintball war over the baker girl that saturday. Adrien had taken to openly mumbling to himself about changing schools and how he ‘cant believe’ his own flesh and blood would so openly flirt with HIS very good friend! And what was with Kagami showing off how easily she can pick up and carry Marinette? And why did she invite Marinette to watch their next tournament! He needed to train, what if he lost?? In front of Marinette?! And then she thought he was too weak to keep her safe like all good friends are supposed to do! Clearly Kagami was trying to replace him as Marinette’s very good friend! Poor Nino who was sitting next to the boy had actually volunteered to switch with Lila but she came up with a lie to avoid it, she’d had enough of hearing about Marinette from Alya and Juleka and the rest of the girls, she didn’t also need to hear it from Adrien! 

It all comes to a head that Saturday during the paintball tournament when Lila now at her wits end her plans out the window her schemes barely thought out hopes to find something ANYTHING to ruin Marinette’s day and reputation and everything. But Lila just so happens to get completely pelted with paintballs everytime she so much as moves and then later gets ignored when trying to wow Marinette’s new friends, and then gets called out by Felix and Kagami snaps and finally she snaps and SCREAMS and runs off and not even a dark little butterfly comes to help her ruin the perfect day. As it turns out Hawkmoth was a little preoccupied with trying to save his business after all the computers and data involved in his precise scheduling were mysteriously corrupted suddenly freeing up his son's time and schedule so he could spend more with HIS very good friend and no one else's. Kagami and Felix apparently had the same idea as when he gets to her new house their already their doing their best to get on her parents good side.

Basically just give me some comedic, fluffy, Lila salty, Marinette changes school fics. Because I love them ok.

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[constellationmelody]

Beauty and the Guard AU

An AU on Beauty and the beast but there’s no beast unless you want to count belos as one but he’s not the focus character Hunter just refuses to take off his mask the whole time.  

Takes place when luz is trying to save Eda from petrification, Luz strikes a deal with Belos, Giving the portal but manages to destroy it. She’s instead taken captive and warned by Belos that if she escapes, He’ll send an army to capture not just Eda but everyone she ever met and befriended. 

- Has to stay in the Castle as to answer Belos’ questions about the human realm and any other information gathering.

- Hunter is assigned as her chaperone but not all the time. Not when he’s on missions. Steve fills in. 

- Luz agrees with Hunter to not ask about his mask. She says that she doesn’t have a desire to get to get to know him and Considering how the majority of citizens are under the monster category, she understands that he doesn’t want anyone to look. Hunter is not sure if he’s relieve that she will keep her promise not to look under his mask or feel insulted that she basically called him ugly. 

(Long post)

- When not 'helping’ Belos information gathering, She puts to work as a cleaning lady, Luz is furious about it. She can’t believe she has to clean more there than she does at home in a dusty castle. The other cleaning witches can do their job well with magic, meanwhile it’s all manual labor. Not to mention she shares quarters with them and they snore.

- Tries to convince Hunter to let her go out even if its around the castle grounds, of course, He says no and shuts down her attempts.

- While doing her cleaning duties, Luz wanders around the castle to look around any valuable information on Belos for any way to help eda/or whatever without the Golden Guard following her. She finds the forbidden library and is amazed by the goldmine of BI’s forbidden knowledge! She only gets to look through some books before she gets caught by Hunter which he angrily yells at her about being in a place where she’s not supposed to be in. Drags her out and locks the library.

- She tries to run away but often gets stopped by Hunter, the threat of going to the dungeon doesn’t scare her (”I escaped there like twice”). He relents and allows her to go on these ‘adventures’ when he’s not in a mission, He finds it to be fun but would not admit it.

- Luz manages to get the freedom to go back to school but is secretly spied on by Hunter, though he sometimes get caught by the monsters or students roaming around. Hunter picks her up after school. (weak sauce, idk what to put here to make it more interesting)

- When he’s not chaperoning her in the outside world, Hunter gets envious how much fun Steve is having with Luz when they go on an adventure. Detailing their bounty adventures, using the snails to shop and buy things. He can’t really do much about it but when he does go, Steve gets sad; Luz promises him that she’ll get him souvenirs.

- Somehow finds out that Hunter is a magicless witch and Luz shows him that she can do magic through glyphs. Hunter is amazed and they start geeking out about it until he stops himself since it’s a forbidden knowledge.

-  Luz had succeed running away from the castle but its to the beach to stare at the boiling waters. She tells Hunter that the castle life was suffocating her and needed to go out. Hunter stayed with her until they were ready to go back. 

- Hunter secretly takes her to the forbidden library to cheer her up so she can learn more and the boiling isles history. Hunter is happy to have someone with the same interests as him to talk to about wild magic. Gets more comfortable around her and talk in secret more about it. During their time together get bond over varies subjects, the library becoming their sanctuary when its not in use, which is most of the time. They share about each other’s realms constellations, history, what kind of magic is around, creatures and about the titan. Luz scolds him for this, referring back when he got angry at her for being curious when he basically did the same thing in secret.

- After some time getting comfortable and know each other through mutual interest and deep talks. Hunter gets bothered that since she doesn’t know his name, She has no choice but to call him by his title. When they are coming back from doing errands, He tells her his name and she’s allowed to call him by it when they are together/in private. His heart fluttered when he hears her say his name.

- Luz starts to grow feelings for him despite not knowing what he looks like. She had opportunities to see what he looks at the times when he’s asleep during their time in the library or when his mask gets knocked off during a temp job but kept her promise to not look at his face which leads to uncomfortable situation where she accidentally gropes him when she was looking for him to give him his mask back, luckily never below the belt. What she finds is his built felt normal. No hidden spikes, slime or what-have-you to suggests that he’s in the monster/demon category. Hunter obviously flustered. 

- (Following the plot of Hunting palisman w/ some changes to the plot cause obviously Eda)  At school Luz can’t find the palisman that suits her and is upset about it. Hunter, although he still hesitant about his feelings towards wild magic, tries to comfort her. (convo from the Hunting palisman) Luz  talks about What happened at the school, and questions Hunter about how he manages to know what he wanted for his future and How he came to the emperor’s coven, to help her get some guidance from him. He tells her about himself and lack of future and Although she isn’t sure about hers, at least she gets to choose. Luz feels sad for him and hugs him. Hunter melts in her embrace. 

- Just as he’s about to fall asleep in her arms, Rascal pops out of his hiding place and gives Hunter a heart attack. Rascal chooses Hunter to be his palisman. Obviously Luz feels a bit disappointed that hunter got his palisman when he doesn’t want it, the look of uncertainty he has with the palisman makes her determine to get him used to it. She can always be a teacher since she has experience with Owlbert.

- With his new staff that he’s still unsure of, Hunter decides to take Luz out somewhere out of the ordinary routine after school, somewhere special (think like events like the wailing stars but something else) but that turned romantic. At some point he slightly lifts his mask to kiss Luz’s hand. She’s obviously swooned. May have peeked and sees that he has loose strand of medium blond hair sticking out and that his Lips felt like normal. Starts to think he looks like more like human(or witch?) like some of her classmates.

- They become even more friendlier as it becomes a usual thing for them to be seen together in the castle when Luz is or isn’t working, even the coven members are noticing this, especially Kikimora. Coven leaders are just shocked that someone liked him enough to be his a friend. 

- Kikimora start planting seeds of doubts in Luz’s mind about whether Hunter really is being her friend or just fulling his duties as he was told by Belos. What if their talks where his manipulative ways to get her to tell him about her and other information gathering. Was he really talking to her as she clean because he’s really saw her as a friend or just keeping guard to make sure she doesn’t run away. Kiki does this to mess whatever good thing Hunter has since she can’t kill him.  Luz tries her best to ignore her, rationalizing that that’s quite an investment for Hunter to go through to manipulate her.

- Somewhere a long the line, Luz finds out the truth about day of unity and the truth of Kikimora’s words of Hunter’s actions that she assumed was just lies that Kiki told her. She’s hurt to think the guy she grown to love had any knowledge about it and betrayed her. “I though you were a good guy [mentions all the stuff they do together and such] I guess You’re not my friend, you’re just the golden guard.” It kills him when she said that.

- alternatively he finds out that she has the key to the partially fixed portal door. Is conflicted on whether to break their bond for belos or not especially after learning that she’s homesick and wants to see her mom again. Fought with Kikimora over it with lead to Luz finding out their fight and gets heartbroken that Hunter has it, assumes the worst that kikimora was right.  Again, “I though you were a good guy I guess I was wrong. You’re not my friend, you’re just the golden guard.” His feels his heart breaks. 

- Luz gets rescued by Eda, Lilith, king, hooty, her friends. Hunter doesn’t try to stop her but apologizes to her for everything and for what it’s worth, he’s happy to got to know her and that he loved her, whether she feels the same or not. Luz obviously shocked but couldn’t give a response because the gang were fleeing.

- Back in the owl house, Luz is a mess because of the mixed feelings she has for hunter. In one hand, she knew him as this cold person who was very dedicated to his job while the other as an intelligent, funny, (other more things) and is confused on which hunter is the one she grown to love. ( Feels devastated about it because she thinks that he faked his feelings for her to get knowledge on the key or whatever although hunter didn’t really know she had it.)

- Lilith is dumfounded that Luz has feelings for him because she known him to be a brat. Luz argues that He is but much more than that. As she explains why, she gets hits with the epiphany that she does indeed had fallen in love with him. Eda laughs, “Not sure If I approve catching feelings for your nanny, I thought you were being tortured or something but I see now what you have been really doing.” wagging her eyebrows. Luz: “They have me clean the castle from top to bottom! By hand!” “I don’t approve then.” Luz shares her knowledge of wild magic with the group that she learn from the castle’s library.

- Weeks later, Luz tries to sleep but hears small knocking on the window, She opens it and sees Rascal with the key with him and a note from Hunter apologizing again for what happened. Belos doesn’t know about the key. She sends a note back, telling him to meet her. 

- idk how they makeup. (Working on it) Luz walks up to Hunter and asks if she could take off his mask which he agrees to. Luz takes his mask off and smiles, “well look at that, Magenta eyes. You aren’t ugly as I thought to you were!” hunter frowns, “But you’re handsome as I imagined,” leans up and kisses him first. Hunter tosses the mask away for good and hugs her close to kiss her better. Luz pulls back,  “and... I love you too.” Hunter isn’t sure what his new future holds but knows for sure that Luz is a part of it. 

-------------

( Had an idea in an alternative story plot around the part where they went out to a ‘date’. They confessed their love and started to kiss lol imagine them having to use a blindfold to keep her eyes closed. But it was a bit too sensual? Or Sensuous? It just didn’t fit in the flow of the storyline. Why did this became a dabble? )

Hunter, for the first time, gets self conscious about his looks. He tries not look into mirrors, though hard when his mask reflects the face he tries hard to avoid looking at when putting it on, He doesn’t really thought much about his looks, except for the scar that’s plastered over his cheek. The ugly scar that he rather forget he has.

As Hunter looks down at Luz’s face, blindfolded to prevent her from accidently opening her eyes during their ‘make out session’, He’s starting to believe that Luz lied about being magicless. He can’t help but feel enchanted over how beautiful she looked by the way the moonlight cast a heavenly glow over her cute features. He can only imagine how her eyes would look like if she didn’t have the blindfold on. “I wish I can stare into your eyes,”

“Why can’t we?”

“You know why”

“Right, I’m not allowed to look under the mask.” she pouted.

“And... well,” Luz attentively waits for him to continue, “I may not look... pretty as you think I imagine. If that makes any sense.” He sheepishly confessed

As Luz wraps her arms around his shoulders, Hunter feels her hands feeling up up his neck, tenderly cradling his face. Hunter fails to resist the blush spreading across his cheeks and the warm pleasant feeling in his chest

“I have other senses to “see” you,” She says sliding her fingers along his jawline, “Strong jaw, ... No scales, or slime... just soft skin” 

She found one patch on the left of his face in particular that caught her interest but before she could take her time to feel it, Hunter quickly shook her hand away from it. Sensing its something he feels uncomfortable with, she decides to leave it alone. 

She continues, “I can hear your voice; sound hot,” He suddenly felt shy at the comment. He was always self-conscious as he has been told that it was annoying. He felt relieved that it wasn’t the case for her.  “Heh, Thanks”

“I can smell you, " She nuzzles against his neck and scrunches up her nose, “... you need a shower.” Hunter frowns, that was certainly killed the mood a little. She pulls back, “But I like that you smell like pine forest sometimes,” weak save.

 “And,” she hums as grazes her thumb over his lips, licking her own. Hunter subconsciously sucks in his breathe, feeling himself getting hotter by the second.

“I can taste you.” finishing off her sentence by pressing her lips against his; briefly misses his lips by kissing the corner of his mouth before correcting herself. 

Hunter smirks in amusement. 

Alright, He admits that was pretty smooth of her to end it the way she did, even though she fumbled at the end. 

He feels a bit confident on that fateful day where he feels brave enough to show her his face, He just hope it lives up to her expectations despite her reassurance to the contrary. 

Luz, on the other hand, is glad that he’s feels like a normal person underneath the mask, she can’t help but feel a bit disappointed that hunter possess no fangs. 

[demons-fanatic]

Luca: Fish out of Water

Hi guys, this is going to go over the literal entire movie so if you haven't seen the movie... Don't go below!

This post will be a full film analysis of Pixar's new movie, Luca and how it is clearly a Queer Allegory more than anything else.

Disclaimer: This entire post uses Queer in a reclaimed sense, especially in a sense for the entire community. If you do not like that, sorry.

So... Fish People. Luca is a 2021 Film by Pixar and distributed by Disney on Disney+. Unsurprisingly, I did not watch Luca legally and do not ever plan to, I will never give money to a homophobic tyrant such as Disney... Ever. But, I do love this Movie.

So, first things first... Does this Movie really have that much Queer subtext? Yes, it does. It really does and I think it'd be impossible to deny it. According to the Director, the intention was not to be a strictly LGBT reading, as it is just a film about people who are different. Which is true, that's exactly what this movie is about. But with certain key events and even phrases, I find it so hard for the intent not being Queer people specifically.

TL;DR Plot:

The Plot of Luca surrounds the titular Character and his friend, Alberto as they manage to explore the Surface World. Luca and Alberto are Fish People who are also able to transform into Humans once they dry off on Land. This is called "The Change" and it's unclear why this happens.

The Movie starts with Luca going to the surface and meeting Alberto, a fellow Fish Person. They begin to dream about getting a Vespa, or a Motor Scooter. Soon, Luca gets discovered by his Parents for going to the Surface and is almost sent away to the Deep Sea. He leaves and him and Alberto reach Portorossa, a town in the Italian riviera. A town that is very Anti-Fish People.

There, they meet a brattish teenager named Ercole and a younger girl named Giulia. Alberto and Luca learn about a Triathlon event in the town that will net them some money to buy a Vespa.

Giulia introduces the boys to her Father, Massimo; who is very Anti-Fish People.

They boys train and Luca's parents come to search for him. During this time, Alberto during a training session goes awry with the bike and ends up crashing into the Sea with Luca alongside him. They make it but due to a building upset nature, Alberto reveals himself but to his surprise, Luca acts like he didn't know about Alberto's nature. Leaving Alberto to leave back to his tower.

After feeling bad, Luca visits Alberto to apologize but Alberto is too upset to accept much. Luca proclaims he'll win the race to win the Vespa and the next morning he starts the Triathlon slow but builds up in performance. During this, it starts to rain. At the top of a hill, Alberto calls out to Luca but is forced to reveal himself. Luca overcomes his fear and saves Alberto and wins the race.

Though, their identities are found out, Massimo, who has grown attached to Alberto, is accepting of them and so does the town. This creates a welcoming Fish Person Environment in the town and it's also revealed not everyone who appeared human in the town was either.

Finally, Giulia is forced to go back to School, but it turns out Alberto sold the Vespa to buy a Train Ticket so Luca can go to School as he previously expressed interest in. Massimo also practically adopts Alberto. The boys embrace each other in a very impactful event and don't stop looking at each other until they get far away.

The Allegory...

So, there is a lot of detail I left out in that description but on purpose, of course. In this part I'll be detailing all of the parts that allude to Queer allegory and what it means. Of course, most people can think on their own but this is just here to describe the parts of it that stand out.

Firstly, Fish People are obviously just the LGBT community. I mean, people who have to hide their identity out of fear, especially in a fear of being killed? It's basically staring you in the face. Fish People are able to turn into Humans, which is when LGBT members have to blend in. The two Women at the end are sort of the example of LGBT members who have fully assimilated into normal Society, especially in a Homophobic or Transphobic environment or "Comphet" and being Closeted. I personally can identify with this one. Other characters like the Grandmother can be examples of LGBT people who are comfortable enough they don't feel the need to hide but also understand living is better than dying, but have "fun" with it.

Massimo is definitely an example of the Homophobes or Transphobes who wholly make it their entire personality to hate on Gay People or Transgender People but they're actually exactly like that or one of them. Of course, Massimo isn't a Fish Person but soon after it's shown in the Credits he immediately becomes very accepting especially after having to confront with himself the person he found himself attached to like his own Child, was what he once hated.

Giulia is just an example of an Ally, someone who may not be LGBT but fully supports them. Most people if they hear about how bad something is their entire life will be afraid once first faced with it but she almost immediately becomes accepting after learning Luca is also a Fish Person, trying to protect him.

The Betrayal of Luca to Alberto is a good example of internalized Homophobia and fear of also being found out. As I will describe later, Luca and Alberto are a CLEAR example of a Queer Romantic Relationship. When Alberto reveals himself, Luca found himself in a situation of extreme pressure and anxiety. He just found a life he could be potentially be living and instead of revealing himself as a Fish Person(Queer...) he instead "plays it safe" as he sees it in his mind and acts like he had no idea Alberto was a Fish Person(Queer, again...). It's something that does happen in real life, unfortunately, being outed or having people just like you, reject you, even if they are exactly like you.

The Parents of Luca are representative of Closeted People and the fear that if you out yourself, you can at any point be rejected to the point of even death. It's this fear the perpetually stagnates and personal growth. Of course, in real life there really are situations where you cannot come out for decades in fear of the same thing. And it's not like his(Luca's) parents had a reason not the fear the same.

Ercole, obviously just represents a full homophobe or transphobe. Someone who is unwilling to change and will continue to be homophobic and never question himself even when people near him are accepting. He also represents the power someone who is homophobic may have. Even if the other people who he influences aren't homophobic or transphobic.

This one is a bit rocky, but the Vespa is possible an allegory for the idealized "Vehicle" of escape... If you've seen Adolescence of Utena, it's the exact same thing. However, in this one this Vehicle is achieved but then lost, willingly. It becomes a Vehicle still in the way that it helps Alberto and Luca in their lives, finding their own Paths. It helps them both in the beginning to realize a goal of escape or betterment then near the end kicks off Luca's path and Alberto's.

Lastly, we have Luca and Alberto themselves... Now, as I said before, they are a clear representation of a Queer Relationship, specifically a Gay Relationship. You can interpret it as a Platonic Relationship, but I do it in the romantic Sense. Yes, I am aware the boys never confess ever or do anything very romantic, like kissing or holding hands. But throughout the movie, it's clear, very clear. They start out with Luca become attracted to his ideals and his mission and both of them soon form a Mission where they want to do the Vehicle of escape as I just mentioned. Soon after almost being sent away, Alberto and Luca go to Portorossa together and continue to build their relationship. Alberto and Luca defend each other and obviously care about each other. Soon after, Giulia and Luca grow a closer bond but nothing as close as Luca and Alberto. It's obvious that Alberto really likes Luca. Like, really obvious because this goes on until Alberto crashes him and Luca into the Sea and then the betrayal scene happens. During that scene it's clear that Alberto is extremely hurt, like really hurt. It reminds him that not only is he the "Bad" one in his head, the only person he thought he cared for(or loved) would willing to betray(out) him so that he can assimilate safely into Human(Heterosexual) culture. It definitely makes him feel bad and revert a bit back into a lone wolf mindset. Nearing the end, Alberto comes back nearing the end of the race with an Umbrella to help Luca win. But he ends up being tripped and revealed as a Fish Person. This is definitely just forced outing, it's quite obvious. But then Luca overcomes his fears and basically dreams of a normal life to safe his Friend(or Boyfriend, whichever you want). Luckily for them, due to Massimo seeing how much of a good person Alberto is, instead of attacking the boys, he accepts them as he realizes they're nothing like he thought. On the movies' downside, the town does fortunately accept the boys and all the Fish People. This isn't really realistic in any sense but, it does just explain a theory of mass acceptance if one let goes of their prejudice. The Grandmother in the following scene also explains a perfect Queer-like line:

"Some people will accept him, some never will. But he knows how to find the good ones." (Not an exact quote...)

I think to anyone who is in a marginalized group, specifically LGBT for this case, will relate to this line. It's very basic, but means a lot. It's also a strong reason why I feel like despite everything officially said, with everything else, this IS a Queer intended allegory.

Finally, the end scene at the Train is a good one and explains how Alberto and Luca after finding themselves and growing as people, they find their own way and are happy about it. Alberto and Luca hug, devastated at the fact they have to leave each other, even temporarily. It's sad and very real. Leaving your lover even for the betterment of yourself is extremely heartbreaking and you don't think you can do it at first, especially if you've been through a lot together.

Final Thoughts

So, I know I am not the only one that has seen everything I just said. In fact, the film's popularity right now seems to be exactly because of that. Not to mention the Movie's visuals are fantastic as well as the music.

You don't have to view this as a Queer reading, but I find it almost impossible not to and I, again, am not the only one. You can view it as basically any marginalized group, especially the ones that have to keep their identity hidden. I do think it's great this movie can bring a good allegory and subtext about a possible Gay MLM Relationship even if unintentional. I know Disney would not allow it, but I hope in the planned sequels they do a bit more of subtext. Of course, not to the point of Queerbait. But, we'll see. I think that Pixar has an amazing opportunity to try and slip by the censors... But probably not. It is good, though, that the director openly accepts a Queer Reading, so we're not left in the dark with someone trying to deny all Queerness.

_________

If you read this, thanks! I might update this post with more or edit it to clear things up. If you want to follow me, go ahead. But I just normally do Soulsborne lore posts so you won't find much here. I am not a Pixar or Disney person either, I just did this so I can talk about gay fish.

[strangertheory]

After you so thoughtfully answered that last anon, I'm wondering a few things. Most importantly, how do you think The Duffers could write it, if mileven ends up not being endgame, in a way that was accessible and easy to understand and like for casual viewers?

The “shipping war” between Mileven and Byler fans has never sat well with me because I think there’s an elephant in the room that is rarely acknowledged by fans of either ship. I’m unsure if it’s because they don’t want to acknowledge the elephant, if it’s because they haven’t noticed the elephant yet, or if it’s because they have heard rumor of the elephant but have decided to dismiss it as unimportant.

I believe that what is going on in the story is truly not what most fans think. I think there's a meta layer that hasn't been shared with us yet but that will start to be unraveled in season 4 or 5. I cannot say for sure what that layer is: but I'm thoroughly convinced that it is there. Things are not as they seem.

El and Will are mirrors of one another, and there are details that connect each of them in a way that goes beyond mere coincidence. Their stories appear to be intertwined intentionally, and although the reasons for this remain mysterious to us currently, I suspect their connection will become relevant in later seasons.

Yes, I believe that "Byler is endgame" in the sense that I believe that Mike is in love with his childhood friend that he's known since he was 5 and he met them on the swings and that he's played D&D with and that went missing in 1983 and he was devastated upon seeing the body being lifted out of the Quarry and was relieved to find was still alive and that he greeted at the hospital when they woke up.

But I believe that something is going on here that we (as fans) are not completely aware of yet and that El’s story and Will’s story are deeply intertwined.

How do I think The Duffers could write the conclusion of Mike and El’s romantic relationship in a way that is accessible and easy to understand?

I hypothesize that the writers will eventually reveal a very specific connection that exists between El and Will. It will surely be a huge plot twist.

I believe that characters will begin to be more open and honest about their feelings in season 4 and season 5. Season 3 lacked open communication and honesty. In my opinion there was so much lying and miscommunication that it verged on being the main theme of season 3! (You can read my notes on that in this blogpost.)

I think the writers will reveal that Mike has been afraid to allow his true feelings and his true self to show because of his fear of being judged by society and by his friends. I think that we will have a storyline that involves Mike realizing that he's comfortable rejecting society's expectations of him and embracing who he really is and who he really loves.

But we can completely disregard my suggestion that El and Will are connected in some mysterious way and simply look at this as a “boy-meets-girl and boy and girl decide to stop dating” situation too.

Telling a story in which a lead character suddenly realizes that they had feelings for someone else is not complicated and is not unusual. It would only be surprising to fans that have funneled their attention and their devotion into believing that a long-term romantic relationship between Mike and El is an unchangeable certainty.

How do I think The Duffers could write the conclusion of Mike and El’s romantic relationship in a way that is easy to like for casual viewers?

The truth is: there will always be viewers that dislike discovering that a main character has feelings for a different character than the one they hoped they would stay romantically involved with. Add to that the unfortunate existence of homophobia and some fans might also be upset because they don’t like the idea of two teenage boys having romantic feelings for each other, either.

Sometimes the story a writer wants to tell might deviate from the fandom’s expectations. It happens all the time. A writer’s goal is to tell a good story, and sometimes telling a good story involves subverting expectations rather than affirming them. The Duffer Brothers seem the type to enjoy a good plot-twist. I could be wrong, but I think they enjoy layering Stranger Things with secrets and carefully crafting scenarios so that when the truth beneath the surface is revealed everyone watching the series can say "Wow! What a twist! We should have seen the foreshadowing but we can only see it now in hindsight.”

I think that Mike and Will realizing and confessing their mutual feelings for one another is a very likeable story. Mike and Will’s love story can be an incredibly well-written friends-to-lovers, slow-burn, mutual pining, angst-with-a-happy-ending, queer coming-of-age love story in the midst of a supernatural scifi fantasy horror adventure. I find it very easy to like this story. It’s FANTASTIC. And I don’t see why “casual” viewers couldn’t love this story, too. I do think they might have to be open-minded and unprejudiced in order to enjoy it, however. They will also have to be open to respecting that El is more than capable of having a happy ending that isn’t dependent on a teenage boy dating her. I hope that fans that invested all of their hopes and dreams into El dating Mike indefinitely will still have an interest in cheering for El and her new dreams and goals even if (hypothetically) she is no longer romantically involved with Mike by the end of season 5. If they care about El dating Mike more than her happiness, then perhaps they need to re-evaluate how they relate to fictional stories and also make sure that they respect when people in their real lives decide that they are better off as friends.

Whatever is going on in the story: I look forward to seeing what happens between Will, Mike, and El in seasons 4 and 5. I understand that my theories and my interpretations of the series might be incorrect, but these are my thoughts on what has happened so far in the story and what I predict might happen next.

Thanks for Asking!

...

If you’d like to read my blogposts regarding what I think is going on between Will and El and read about the Stranger Things theories that I find the most compelling you can find them all listed at my pinned index post here at this link.

[dragon-kazansky]

Otto things

General things:

Otto's the tall scary looking one who is actually just a big puppy.

He's a gentle giant.

Unless he's working.

Otto likes having any excuse to spend time with you.

One of his favourite excuses is putting things on the top shelf because you can't teach it.

That means calling on him for help.

Or struggling to reach the thing until he comes in to help.

Sometimes you're a little too proud to call for help.

He'll sometimes lift you up to help you.

Otto likes hugging you from behind.

He also likes kissing your forehead at random intervals.

Brings you breakfast in bed.

He likes snuggling with you in the early morning and finding any excuse not to get up.

There are plenty of things the pair of you get up to in the privacy of your own bedroom.

The walls may be too thin in this house.

The two of you liked to stay up late, sitting in the garden.

You like looking at the stars.

Otto likes looking at you looking at the stars.

He loves how you sleep with your head on his chest.

He gets to envelope you in his arms.

He likes it when you run your hands through his hair.

It brings him comfort.

Otto likes to listen to music.

He also likes to dance.

Only with you though.

He doesn't like his brothers seeing him.

He's a little shy on the whole dancing thing.

But it's a sweet romantic gesture he gets to share with you.

Otto has a bit of a sweet tooth.

Sometimes he'll go out for the sole purpose of buying sweets.

He will then come home and share them with you while you talk about anything and everything.

Always remembers your favourites.

He might even take up baking.

You'll be the first to test the finished product.

He's very affectionate with you.

This man knows how to make you happy!

Following the plot of season 2, but changing some of it because of sadness:

Otto adores you.

This means he does everything he can to make sure you don't get mixed up with work.

His favourite parts of the day is when he's at home with you.

Though he does focus when on a job, he does wonder how you're doing at home alone.

The first thing he does when he gets back is pull you into a hug.

He lets you see to any injuries he may have.

One of the worst ones being the night they got back from fighting Five, Diego and Lila at the cocktail party.

He was a little disoriented after being pushed though a window.

When Oscar dies, he's beyond devastated.

Axel is furious, though contains it rather well.

The fault appears to lie with Diego Hargreeves.

As upset and angry as you were, Otto comes first.

You encourage him to express his grief.

You'll hold him.

Kiss him.

Comfort him.

Otto kisses your forehead before he goes after Allison with Axel.

It's a lingering kiss.

Axel arrives home in slight hysteria.

He doesn't even look at you as he locks himself away in his room.

Otto soon stumbles in.

No words need to be shared for you to guess what happened.

The bruising around his neck gives it away.

He collapses down onto the sofa.

You hold onto him while he holds onto you.

He explains Allison's powers.

You're angry that she used them that way.

You give Axel some space for the night and focus on Otto.

He doesn't want you to see the bruises, but you're gentle with him.

You help Axel face Otto.

The brothers forgive one another and talk it out.

You're sure Axel has nightmares about it, but won't say anything.

Otto is open about his own.

He's glad he has you there when he wakes up.

When Axel goes after the handler, Otto keeps you close by as he goes with his brother.

When he sees Allison, he puts you behind him proactively.

Allison doesn't do anything.

She watches you both leave the barn with Axel.

The three of you decide to leave Dallas and the commission behind.

Otto wants to settle down and start over with you.

You're happy to do so.

No more commission.

Just a normal and safe life for the three of you.

[silentauroriamthereal]

So, I watched Happiest Season yesterday, and I have thoughts. A lot of thoughts. Spoilers abound and this is long, so I’ll put this under a cut. 

Happiest Season: a review

You have to ask yourself how “happy” a happy ending really is when you glance down at the time bar on the film and see that there’s less than fifteen minutes left and none of the story’s problems have been even remotely resolved.

Skip to the closing credits, and I hadn’t changed my mind. This is a “happy” ending where a great deal of the problems in the plot were left either completely unresolved, or whose happiness wasn’t earned – wasn’t properly fleshed out, developed, supported, or in fact, even happy.

What an incredibly toxic family the Caldwells are. Let’s start with them: there are three daughters. Sloan has apparently cemented her parents’ permanent disappointment by having left a promising legal career in favour of raising a family. Side tangent: are we really still having this discussion, in 2020? This binary choice between family OR career? Besides, Sloan evidently developed a different, and very lucrative career. I also strongly dislike the way the perception of her marriage ending is portrayed as a failure. Her awful parents both resent her having left the legal field, yet have refused to now see her as anything other than a parent, ignoring her new career choice and, it seems, literally anything else about her. Then we have Jane, who is overtly abused. Treated as lesser than anyone else in the family apart from technical support with malfunctioning printers, Jane is constantly criticized, chastised, literally told to not put herself in the centre of the family for a holiday photo. I was horrified and devastated by the wanton destruction of her painting at the end, too. I’m happy for her that her book got published and that she found success there, but I hate that this brutal, completely unnecessary destruction of her art happened and was totally overlooked.

I’m going to come back to Harper, because there’s a LOT to say there.

The way the parents, Tipper and Ted, treated Abby, was appalling from start to finish. Leaving aside the ENTIRE question of the secret girlfriend thing, if my family ever treated a friend or even distant acquaintance the way the Caldwells treated Abby, I would be furious with them. I used to frequently bring friends who were international students or just on their own for the holidays to my parents’ place for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas festivities. These people were so, so, so incredibly rude to Abby, from ignoring her when she first arrived to giving her a terrible bedroom with a door that doesn’t lock, to walking in on her multiple times while she was changing or in bed – that level of complete disrespect infuriated me! Just allowing those awful kids to be in her private space without any sort of discipline, consequences, or apologies was unacceptable. The way they treated Abby after those same kids – which she was stuck with, without any sort of request to watch them – planted that necklace on her, was unacceptable. The utter lack of apology for having literally accused her of theft, for accusing her multiple times after that – WOW. Treating Abby as though she was the unexpected, extra guest at the restaurant that first night, and giving the ex-boyfriend the parents kept shoving on Harper the proper one was unacceptable.

Then there’s how Harper treated Abby. Let’s start with the restaurant: first of all, had my parents pulled that stunt on my friend/guest/secret girlfriend, I would have let them know then and there that it wasn’t okay. And then I would have, I don’t know, asked the staff to bring a proper chair, and if that turned out to be impossible, I would have insisted that she take mine instead, and sat on the little chair myself. Asking anyone to closet themselves is an act of violence, and watching that as a member of the LGBTQ2+ community was actively harmful to witness. Again, a lot of the crap that Harper subjected Abby to would have been awful no matter WHO Abby was: you don’t abandon your guest to hang out with old friends. If they’re ready to go home, then you go home with them. It’s basic hospitality. Considering that Abby was Harper’s partner, that’s a whole extra layer of harm. THEN add the ex-boyfriend, a horribly-treated ex-girlfriend, and toxic old friends to the mix, and you have something beyond appalling. Adding this stuff on top of not standing up for Abby to her family, not insisting that she be given somewhere proper to sleep during her time in her parents’ house, not insisting that she be treated with the most basic respect, not defending her during the whole jewellery theft situation, and even going along with the parents’ de-invitation to that dinner – that’s inexcusable. You don’t treat other people that way, much less your partner. Then add Harper calling Abby controlling, while simultaneously having the nerve to get angry about Abby spending time with Riley, which is possibly the only good thing that happened for Abby during that entire, awful trip – yeah. I was finished with Harper by that point.

Harper also actively participated in the way her sisters were constantly put down by their parents. The responsibility of being the privileged favourite is to use your status to bring others up. Harper doesn’t appear to have any sort of spine or courage whatsoever. It was only after she was forcibly outed by Sloan – and such was her privilege that the parents believed that it was a “malicious” lie rather than a “shocking” secret – that Harper even admitted the truth, and that was only after forcing Abby to watch her deny it yet it again. While I did love John (the gay best friend)’s entire speech about someone’s love not being the same thing as being ready to come out, there is nonetheless a ton of harm in forcing your partner watch that. It does affect them. It does disavow their identity at the same time, when they’re in a relationship with you. Her pattern of behaviour of throwing other people under the bus, like Riley, is very much intact.

I completely comprehend Harper’s fear of being rejected by her family. Apparently it was a well-founded fear, based on her awful, awful parents. That’s one of the reasons why the ending didn’t resonate for me at all: it wasn’t earned. Harper’s turn-around from being completely unwilling to have her parents know the truth to claiming that Abby was the only thing that mattered to her, came out of nowhere. It wasn’t a supported development. It happened too quickly. Similarly, the parents both going from being just about the worst parents on the planet to having a VERY sudden change of heart and behaviour, just happened unbelievably quickly. There was no questioning the entire history of their practises or what was wrong with them, no questioning how they’d treated any of their kids. The whole “consequence” for Ted was deciding, of his own accord, not to align himself with a politician who would force Harper to zip it – sorry, continue to zip it – about her identity. He shouldn’t have aligned himself with that woman in the first place. No one ever apologized to Abby about the way they treated her from start to finish, from patronizing her for being an orphan or the constant lack of respect shown her, to the false accusations of theft. Not a single part of it was atoned for at any point. Even Tipper being so disgusted with Abby’s ipad photography skills was disgusting. You just don’t talk to other human beings that way, and there was no resolution for me on any of this. There were also no consequences for Sloan’s horrific, SUPER-public outing of Harper, for Harper’s destruction of Jane’s painting, for the kids’ planting of the necklace on Abby, or for anyone’s horrendous treatment of Abby in general.

So yes: when you’re less than fifteen minutes out from the end of a supposed romantic comedy that was more upsetting to watch than entertaining or funny, and you’re actively rooting for the main character to walk away from her so-called partner and her toxic family, that’s not good. I’m not sold on the “romance” aspect, either. John (Dan Levy’s character) was the only good part of this movie, for me, and that’s overlooking his completely rude ignoring while on his phone at the beginning, or his negligent care of the animals he was supposed to be taking care of. (Gross, again – animals’ lives have value, too, and if my pet sitter killed my pet through negligence while I was away, I would be furious!) But his point about “sticking it to the patriarchy” in terms of Abby asking Ted for his permission/blessing to marry Harper was spot on. For all the hype about this being a progressive, lesbian, holiday rom-com, this film managed to perpetuate a lot of gross aspects of straight, white, misogynistic, heteronormative culture, like women being the property of their fathers and needing to obtain a male parent’s “permission” to marry another human being. The only person’s “permission” that was needed here was Harper’s, and then it’s not about permission – it’s about two adults making a consensual decision to commit themselves to each other. It’s great if you have the support of family – aka, BOTH parents, on BOTH sides – but that support is a bonus, not a prerequisite. Perpetuating the false dichotomy of family vs career for women only, is a harmful one to keep perpetuating. That question is never asked of men.

I was honestly kind of disgusted that Abby chose to stay with Harper by the end. I get it, but it definitely didn’t leave me with warm, romantic feelings. It left me with the deflated feeling I invariably experience whenever a woman makes the choice to be the bigger person and submit herself to a damaging situation or relationship. Mostly what I’m left with is anger that no one spoke up for Abby at any point, even John. That, and anger and sorrow over Jane’s painting. So yeah: it wasn’t as bad as bury your gays, but it also wasn’t really a happy ending for me, or super enjoyable to watch. Do better, Hollywood. Do a lot better.

[sanktaleksander]

Id like to hear you talk more about your thoughts on s2 of the punisher bc it also made me very upset

I’m honestly surprised anybody cares about my opinion because my fics are, in my estimation at least, rather out of character. I also don’t generally dive deep into the storytelling elements themselves, I’m more interested in exploring stuff in fic than analyzing the show so forgive me if I sound stupid.

Also if anyone sees this and doesn’t agree, that’s fine. I’m not trying to say anyone is or isn’t right, this is just how I feel. Definitely feel free to ignore this.

Disclaimer: I have only actually watched four episodes of the season but I do know most of the plot and basically the reason I couldn’t bring myself to watch the rest was because I really didn’t want to be disappointed in it even more? I don’t know. It’s probably dumb but anyway.

A lot of the reason I didn’t like the second season is basically because I felt like the characterizations themselves made little sense based on what happened in s1. I felt like a lot of what I loved about Frank’s character basically wasn’t there in s2 and I didn’t like how the things his character was really built on seemed to be gone. He was convinced he was never gonna be anything more than a killer and that no matter what, he would never be happy because he didn’t know how to live any other way. That’s not the impression I got with the end of the first season.

Everyone who knows my blog knows I love Frank/Billy but I definitely don’t think Frank/Karen wasn’t worth pursuing because I knew there was no way Brank was ever gonna be canon no matter what I thought or would’ve done. It seemed like thanks to his whole insistent on not being able to essentially have anything resembling a normal life in any form, his potential with Karen, someone who he really cared for and valued and who felt the same for him, was sort of wasted because it would have thrown off the whole lone wolf sort of vibe.

As for Billy, the whole thing with Krista made my skin crawl on principle. Not only did it seem like a waste of his potential, I felt like the character herself was rather dumb. She seemed pretty unneeded. I felt like forcing the sexual element somehow made it worse? Maybe if that wasn’t included I would feel different but that really skeeved me but maybe that’s me projecting.

As for Billy himself, I felt like, first of all, how his scars were done was rather underwhelming and considering what happened to him, almost not believable if that makes sense. Like we saw him spit of a bullet, get his face smashed repeatedly into a mirror and then racked across broken glass so the scars didn’t seem like they lived up to what one would expect from trauma like that. Like I understand Ben is incredibly handsome and that, I assume, was a reason he was cast in the first place but that doesn’t mean they needed to half ass the scars. Losing his outward appearance had to have been devastating but the minimal scarring didn’t back up how much he would hate looking in the mirror considering how important his appearance was to him before. I also think fucking up his face more would have added intimidation or some sort of element that would have made the trauma itself more real and visceral.

Like I said, I know Frank/Billy was never gonna happen but…I don’t know. Again, I felt like there was a lot of wasted potential of exploring more of their dynamic and we did get the flashbacks or whatever, but I feel like mostly Frank’s feelings about Billy being alive and his subsequent escape were rather muted, again going back to that almost cold sort of detached demeanor he had, at least in regards to Billy. I know he showed some affection to others but it felt like Billy, this person who was so deeply a part of his life who betrayed him, didn’t really effect him as much as I would’ve liked. Like…when he kills him, Billy is more upset than Frank. It’s like it really doesn’t mean a whole lot to Frank one way or the other. It’s just something to be done.

I also didn’t like the fact it wasn’t really even acknowledged from Frank that Billy didn’t even remember what he did. I know Frank is trained to be ruthless and remove his feelings and whatever, but I definitely feel like that should have made him feel something. It’s one thing to take out someone who is evil and you never knew personally but given Frank’s characterization in the prior season, I felt like that should’ve played into it more. In the end, I felt like his reaction and feelings about Billy and his actions seemed unrealistic.

And not to repeat myself, but I really hate the Krista thing. I had no desire to see her or for her to have a backstory. She was a waste. I also felt like Madani had to have had some sort of brain injury as well from the bullet she took at the carousel considering something similar happened to Frank and I know he has to have some sort trauma related to that whether he would want to admit to it or not.

But yeah. This all probably makes zero sense and is probably off base or maybe not even correct about certain things considering I haven’t seen the whole season, but I really did not like what I did see to want to watch more. I loved the first season so much so I just didn’t have the heart to watch more knowing both deep down and from friend’s comments that I would just be disappointed. I’m probably a baby for that but it’s true.

If I had my way, Frank/Billy would somehow be canon and shit would have been handled a lot differently. But I doubt that was or ever will be something people would have wanted to see. I don’t think the ship was popular even when the show was on but I didn’t discover my love for it until my second or third rewatch of the first season a while after it came out so I’m not sure.

Anyway, I’m just gonna keep writing what I’d like to see, which will probably be OOC stuff with gratuitous smut and copious amounts of romantic sweet nonsense because that’s all I know how to do and what I really like reading and writing about. Maybe if I was a better and more well rounded writer it would be different but who knows. I’m just happy to live in the little universes I’ve created with Brank and with them and my OC so I can write what my hopeless romantic heart wants to see and be happy with it.

[hartigays]

3. “It’s always been you.”

3. “It’s always been you.”

billy storms out of the apartment, seething and fighting back tears. because billy hargrove does not cry. ever. he didn’t back when he lived with neil, he didn’t after his mom left, he didn’t when he got arrested for possession and almost lost his scholarship to UCLA.

he’s not about to start now.

not because steve pretty boy harrington has to go around acting like a grade-A asshole, with his soft hair and big eyes and pouty lips, screwing everything with a goddamn pulse. no sir. billy won’t give him that luxury.

the reality is, steve has always had a thing for plowing his way through as many people as humanly possible. or so billy heard all those years ago when he’d first arrived in hawkins and started inquiring about the pretty-faced indiana boy who billy just couldn’t seem to stay away from.

but billy thought all of that was behind them. they live together, for fuck’s sake. they’d moved out to california together so billy could go to school, and so steve could take a position at one of the offices of his father’s company in LA. steve hasn’t been seeing anyone, billy hasn’t been seeing anyone. they’ve been happy. content.

and okay, so maybe they aren’t dating. maybe billy hasn’t exactly told steve how he feels. but, like, steve should know. billy has gone out of his way to make it glaringly obvious. steve may be oblivious, but he’s not dumb. not like everyone thinks.

billy is pretty damn sure there’s no way steve isn’t aware of how he feels.

the worst part is, billy thought steve actually felt the same. at least, he had up until today, when he walked in on steve sitting on the couch with some girl, laughing and smiling and whatever the fuck else. he’d walked out before he could see anything more, despite steve’s desperate pleas for him to come back so they could talk.

there’s nothing to talk about. billy thought steve liked him, steve doesn’t. it’s done. he just needs some time to... process it, or whatever. billy finds himself on the beach soon enough, and he slips off his shoes so he can stick his toes in the sand, plopping down with a sigh.

it’s a private beach tucked a ways away from the pier, but billy knows the owners of this plot. they don’t stay at their beach house until the winter, when they want to escape to somewhere a little warmer during the colder months. he’s pretty sure the rest of their time is spent in aspen. so for now he’s safe to sit here and think, staring out at the water as the sun sinks below the horizon.

billy has brought steve here a lot. they’ve picnicked here several times, and billy even brought steve out a once or twice to teach him how to surf before they knew that steve was irreparably bad at it. the thought makes billy’s heart squeeze, and he has to pinch himself as a reminder to not be such a pussy.

because it’s whatever that steve is into some air-headed cheerleader type with a tiny waist and hair like strands of gold. it doesn’t bother billy one bit. not at all. he Does Not Care in the slightest.

maybe if he keeps telling himself that, it’ll somehow become true.

“thought i might find you out here.”

billy doesn’t turn around at the sound of steve’s voice, keeping his eyes forward even though his stomach sinks. “congratulations, you’ve finally managed to develop critical thinking skills. let’s bust out the champagne.”

“i can go if you want me to,” steve says softly, even though billy feels him sink down onto the sand next to him, close enough that their arms brush.

billy just snorts, shrugging. “i don’t give a shit what you do, harrington.”

steve just sighs, and for a long time he doesn’t speak. out of the corner of his eye, billy can see him staring out at the sunset, looking rather forelorn. billy wishes he could turn that look into something soft, something happy, but steve has made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t have that right.

“you know, i remember the first time you took me here,” steve says finally, and billy can’t help but glance over at him. steve’s smile is warm and soft, but tinged with something like sadness. “you tried to teach me how to surf. the first time, i mean. i slipped off the board and busted my ass so hard on it you had to carry me home.”

“you suck at surfing,” billy acknowledges, nodding. “badly.”

steve huffs a soft laugh. “yeah, i do. i just remember thinking that it was still one of the best days i’ve ever had. because that was the day i knew you loved me as much as i love you.”

billy goes completely still, his heart leaping up into his throat and his eyes watering, because what the fuck? where does steve get off making an admission like that just to make billy be less upset with him?

“don’t do that,” billy says, his voice rough. “you don’t get to do that. don’t pretend like you feel the same just because you don’t want me to be pissed at you.”

“billy,” steve starts, sounding distressed. he pauses, meeting billy’s eyes and fuck, they’re filled with tears too and billy doesn’t know how he feels about that. “it’s you. it’s always been you.”

the words break something inside of billy, and he crumples. he can’t pretend to be mad anymore when the truth is that he’s devastated. plain and simple.

“you sure have a funny way of showing it,” billy tells him, sniffling and wiping his nose on the back of his hand. “i saw you two. you were two seconds from playing couch twister. would’ve been if i hadn’t walked in when i did.”

“leanne is gay, billy,” steve groans, burying his face in his hands. “she works with me and she’s gay. has a nice girlfriend named annalise. they have a fucking kid. we were just- jesus, i can’t believe i even have to explain this. to you of all people. i’m the dumb one, remember? fuck. we were just going over some fucking spreadsheets. yeah, riveting stuff. super romantic.”

“i didn’t- are you fucking with me?” billy asks, because he’s starting to feel really fucking stupid and a small part of him is hoping he didn’t just throw a (rather humiliating) tantrum over nothing. “you guys were giggling. and sitting so close, i just... i thought you were making a move.”

“god, you can be more dense than me sometimes, you know that? we were giggling about you, dumbass. i told her that i liked you and she wanted to know more,” steve explains, shaking his head in disbelief. “it was just- i dunno. like two friends at a sleepover giggling about their crushes.”

“would you quit calling yourself an idiot?” billy huffs. primarily because he can’t think of anything else to say - his mind is racing too much. but also because it’s true. “this kinda proves that if anyone’s an idiot here, it’s me. i just- i don’t understand why you never said anything.”

steve is shoving his hands through the sand repeatedly, watching the sand run between his fingers. “you know i’m bi, i told you as much. i figured you were like me, or gay, or- i dunno. i just thought you weren’t ready to talk about it yet. i left the ball in your court, thinking that once you were ready, we’d, y’know. address the fucking elephant in the room.”

“the elephant being... ?” billy trails off. and he knows, but he really just wants to hear steve say it again.

steve rolls his eyes, laughing. “you know what i mean. but fine: the elephant being that i’m in love with you. and that i’m really, really hoping you love me, too.”

“i do,” billy says, his voice soft. “and i’m an idiot. i’m sorry.”

“you’re not an idiot. i probably would’ve thought the same thing if the roles were reversed and i walked in on something like that.” steve glances over at billy, giving him a tender smile. “just... next time, let’s talk to each other, yeah? i think that’ll save both of us a lot of grief.”

billy just hums, nodding his approval. they sit in comfortable silence for a little while, both still too nervous to make a move despite having just confessed their love to each other. at this point billy just finds it endearing, but he really, really wants to be closer to steve, and not just emotionally.

“i am gay, you know,” billy starts, his palms sweating, “and i really want to kiss you.”

“i know. and i think i’d like that.”

steve’s lips are soft and yielding beneath billy’s. his kisses feel exactly the way billy imagined they would - tender and sweet and a little shy, but curious. billy tries to keep it slow, not wanting to shove them into uncharted territory, but it’s only a matter of time before billy has steve’s back hitting the sand, hovering over him, their lips never breaking apart.

steve just sighs into the kiss, embracing the new position without complaint. he relaxes into the sand, one hand threading through billy’s curls, the other curling into the tufts of hair at the base of billy’s neck. it’s a kiss that billy never wants to end. but he knows there’ll be more. so much more.

“i’d say at least now we can get a cheaper apartment, but i think we’ll both still need our space every now and then,” steve says when billy pulls away, staring up a him with big eyes.

“yeah. plus it’s... ” billy trails off, his cheeks flushing bright red.

“it’s what?” steve asks, his brows coming together in confusion. “seriously, what were you going to say?”

“it’s home,” billy says gently, bracing both arms on either side of steve so he can swoop down to capture his lips again whenever he wants to. “home is wherever i’m with you, but- y’know. i like our place. it feels like us.”

“you’re such a fucking sap, oh my god,” steve laughs, but he’s smiling so brightly that billy thinks the whole beach could stay lit up for the rest of the night. “billy hargrove, secretly soft and mushy inside. who would’ve thought.”

“wasn’t, ‘til i met you,” billy tells him honestly.

and it’s true, for a long time billy hardened himself to the world, protecting himself with an armor of indifference until steve came along and melted him to his core. but billy isn’t one to complain, not when it means he gets to go to sleep and wake up to steve’s smile every day now, for the rest of his life. forever, maybe, if steve is up for that.

he wouldn’t have it any other way.

[sammansonn]

My Thoughts on the 100 7x07

alright lets start with the sanctum plot

still not Super obsessed with the sanctum plot but i do love murphy and emori also am glad that indra finally went to figure out where the others are and hopefully she’ll find gaia because we Still don’t know if she’s okay

i love emori so much and she was really trying so hard this episode to help people and things just went to shit and im So Upset

i’m also Very scared that john is gonna die this season idk if its all the talk of him being a hero or of being a survivor but i have Fear and if he dies me and emori are gonna Cri and its not gonna be good

i am So Glad madi finally got some fucking Therapy and has some fucking Friends its what she Deserves

listening to emori talk about her family and being kicked out just upset me because they Were wrong about her she is Amazing and Lovely and i Love her

sheidheda is actually real scary and i Knew he was just messing around with murphy and just baiting him it was Rough

watching emori so happy at the ceremony as families reunited genuinely warmed my heart but also i Knew bad shit was gonna happen

i also fully cried when Nelson met his mom it was so sweet and you could see nelson just felt like a little kid again who just wanted his mom (which was also mirrored nicely in hope and dioyza but we’ll get to that)

i also Continued to cry when he killed his dad the pain on nelson’s face as he watched both his parents hate him was Too Much

shit really hit the fan and i am just very concerned about nikki and nelson because they are Both very unstable and i also feel like this is gonna but a strain on emori and murphy’s relationship (which i know isn’t As big as the general murder and crime of nikki but still

okay bardo time

first off when we saw bellamy in the flashback i was so emotional i literally started tearing up just hearing his voice and even though i don’t like echo i still thought the scene was kinda cute but also i think it kinda showed that he never really knew much about her and that she really just switched her loyalty from azgeda to bellamy/spacekru and that is definitely reflected in her romantic feelings for him

but seeing bellamy even a little bit was the highlight of my day i love that man and miss him so much

so that scene with echo and octavia was genuinely sweet and also just shows how beautiful of a person octavia is and just how much she’s grown and how she genuinely is remorseful for what she’s done o that was just *chef’s kiss* but i also just thought it was a bit weird with echo just Really Resisting and octavia refusing to let go, i guess its just O’s motherly instinct after raising hope for 10 years but it just felt a bit odd but still a nice emotional scene

the scenes with hope and diyoza were all very upsetting and made me sad but we also love a mother daughter sparring bonding session

also hope’s face when she finds out about her bio dad was so painful that poor baby girl i just want to give her a hug

when hope just broke down it really Got me all the kids in the 100 just Deserve Better (also love that hope calls dev her dad its what he Deserves)

echo is just fully losing it which i guess makes sense but Jeez

not sure how i feel about the whole gang joining anders but gabriel said its been months since he joined so im nervous to see the girls after three months of being disciples??? we shall see i guess

as soon as i saw clarke i was happy again because i love that bitch more than anyone but Gabriel told her about bellamy???? her face??? the Devastation???

also raven looked Directly at clarke when she heard because she Knew clarke was gonna be devastated that girl ships bellarke Confirmed

im just Waiting to learn more about clarke being this fucking key also just want to see clarke more in general also would still Love to know where bellamy is (although im guessing they’re gonna have a whole episode following him and wherever the heck he be and then maybe at the end of that episode he’ll see clarke again we love a bellarke “one of them thought the other was dead” reunion)

[animezing-fandoms]

Fruits Basket has such a good love triangle!

So along with the other things I’ve come to really love and appreciate about this series through watching this anime, I really love the love triangle in this story.

Too often in media love triangles are thrown in as a lazy excuse to add unnecessary drama to an already developing romance just for the sake of drama. And I hate when that happens because oftentimes it does nothing for the story or the relationship. It’s just used as a plot device to add more drama or to slow the development of the romance because they felt it was going too fast.

But those never really work because usually when the third person is introduced, we already ship the main couple so it’s hard to get people to want to see one of them with the other person because we’ve already got our hearts set on the main couple. And we’ve already figured out the formula so we know that the third person is just going to turn out to be a jerk so that the person they were with has no choice but to go back to the one they were always meant to be with. Or the third person is a jerk from the start so we wouldn’t want them to get together anyway and they were just a ploy to make one of the characters in the main couple jealous and react in a usually negative way to make their partner upset with them and drive a rift in their relationship.

But Fruits Basket is different because they had that love triangle introduced right from the start with Kyo and Yuki both developing relationships with Tohru at the same time during the story. By developing both relationships at the same time it shows both of them as good and viable options for Tohru’s endgame. It’s hard for me to pick one over the other because both of them are good for Tohru and it’s hard to imagine Kyo or Yuki with anyone else.

That’s another thing about this love triangle that makes it succeed where others have failed. All three characters involved are characters I’ve known from the beginning and have seen develop over the course of the story and I care about them and want them to be happy. It’s not like I’m only attached to two of the characters and the third one was thrown in later in the story for drama so I don’t care what happens to them. I know and love Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki and I want the best for all three of them so that makes this so conflicting for me because I know that either Kyo or Yuki is gonna end up heartbroken and I don’t want that!

So the stakes are high with this love triangle. It’s a very tough choice for Tohru. And that’s what makes it good! Both Kyo and Yuki would make good partners for Tohru, but there will be consequences when she has to choose between them because they’re both so close to her that a rejection from her would be devastating. And I’m sure when Tohru has to make her choice she’ll realize that and I know she wouldn’t want to lose either Kyo or Yuki because it’s clear she cares about them both so much and having to hurt one of them by rejecting their romantic feelings is going to be really tough for her to do. It’ll be a really character defining moment for all three of them when that happens and that’s why this love triangle is good because it’ll actually change things in the story!

With most love triangles I’ve encountered, I’m normally just waiting for the drama to be over and for the character to just pick the one they’re obviously going to end up with so that the endgame relationship can develop. But with Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki, I’m actually kind of dreading the point where Tohru’s gonna pick one of them over the other because I like the dynamic they have right now. The three of them are really close to each other and honestly I don’t want to see anything mess that up! They’re all growing together and it’s so sweet and cute and in an ideal world the three of them could be in a relationship together but as of right now I can’t see that happening with Kyo and Yuki’s rivalry.

That’s actually another thing I like about this love triangle. Instead of having two of the characters be driven apart by their competition for the one character’s heart, Tohru brings Kyo and Yuki closer together. They were rivals long before Tohru came along and now that she’s here, instead of having the two boys fight over her like we would typically see in other stories, Tohru is the one thing that they can both unite over. When it comes down to it, they both just want her to be happy, and they’ll both put their differences aside in order to ensure that and I love that!

Tohru brings out the best in both of them and they both bring out good things in her so it’s really hard to choose between them because I want both of them to be with her! But I know that they can’t both be with her, and she’s gonna have to choose. But I’m just so happy that for once, there’s a story out there that makes good use of a love triangle, and uses it so well that it’s actually made me invested in the story!

Basically throughout this whole anime so far I’ve been like:

And that’s what I love about it! I’m actually conflicted over who I want her to end up with because as of right now, both Yuki and Kyo are good and viable options so it’s a tough choice to make, and for me that’s what makes a love triangle work!

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