#this works no matter what you ship imo

[k-ru-h]

not to get all analytical and stuff, but bam and endorsi shouldn't end up together- not because of bam, or khun, or whoever else you ship with him - but because of ENDORSI.

characters in tog are quite commonly either parallels or foils to the main cast - wangnan wants the role bam was forced into, hatz is the complete opposite of khun, and khun, bam, rachel and endorsi are... well. the general story of bam, khun, and rachel is "person is abused by their family, forms an unhealthy relationship with the first person they recieve genuine affection from, leaves and finds someone else". there are so many parallels between the three of them, its hard to analize their characters without delving into the other's. endorsi... well, shes got everything but the last step. her story ended on the first floor, and shes been begging bam not to leave her for whoever she thinks hes interested in. she has a team of her own - she has aanak - but bam was the first. bam was the first to offer her friendship, the first to show her genuine care, the first person she ever connected with. she didnt have a rachel or a maria or a bam, she only had her abusive family and... bam.

and bam doesn't care about her as much as she cares about him. which is perfectly fine! he doesnt owe her a return of her feelings. but to him, she isnt even *the* friend. he objectively cares about khun and rak more, to the point where its a running gag that he wont even realise shes talking to him if hes already talking to khun. he doesnt become as vulnerable or as trusting as he is with khun when around her. he doesnt revert to the sweet, happy persom he truly is when hes with her, like he does when hes with khun. he cares about her, a lot! but in the same way that he cares about team shibisu or sweet and sour. shes had to fight her entire life to be seen as worthy, shes had to be the strongest and the prettiest or she wouldnt be worth FEEDING. there is no way in hell being in a relationship with a person who shes never going to be the priority for is healthy for her.

she cares about him, a lot, and it goes both ways. but sometimes your loved ones, in any sense of the word, arent the destination, but the bridge. and she deserves someone who she is the number one to, no matter what

[cynthiav06]

Question. do you think Percy should have stayed Single? Or ended up with somebody other than Annabeth? I Really think he should have stayed Single. Because I personally don't Like Percabeth, I don't Ship Percabeth and I don't Like Annabeth at all because of the way the Shippers act, or The way the characters themselves in Canon Act, like how Percy just does whatever Annabeth says, or how Percy is scared of Annabeth, Or how fans make it seem like Percy would become an Emo Edge Lord if something happened to Annabeth, Or How much she Belittles and Degrades him (I hate the nickname Seaweed brain), Especially since she acts like Percy cant do anything without her That moment when She and Reyna were talking about how ("Percy Couldn't find his way out of a Paper Bag without you")Made me SO mad it made me Dislike Annabeth even more and Dislike the Percabeth Ship as a Whole, I even hated when she Pretty much Restricted percy of using his powers You Know? "The sea doesn't like to be Restrained" well here it is.. being restrained...Exactly what it hates, and I hate how the Fandom makes Percabeth a Godly Ship saying they are the "It Couple" which they aren't and how They treat anyone who doesn't like Percabeth or Ships Percy with someone else other then Annabeth, but the one thing I HATE the most is how they make EVERYTHING percy Does Romantic for Annabeth like she's the only person who matters to him (Percy Only Remembering Annabeth (a Girl he's Known for only a couple years) Instead of The woman Who RAISED him by a goddess who isn't even the goddess of Love Made me SO MAD and Even when Annabeth made Percy remember when he was in the River Styx when it should have been his Mom made me mad) which is why I mostly believe that Percy Should have just stayed Single (I'm all for an Aromantic Percy) or At least Give him a Love interest who he can be Comfortable around and doesn't have to Constantly walk on Eggshells around her (I wished he Dated Rachel) or Hell Even make him Gay i've saw characters who have Better chemistry with Percy then Annabeth IMO but this all just my opinion.

You honestly don't know how long I could rant on this exact subject.

It's partly Annabeth's fault, and it's partly Rick's fault.

Anyone and everyone who has read the Pjo and HoO series should have noticed how illogical Percy's personality change was.

Percy Jackson, the hero of Olympus and the strongest demigod to ever live, sassy as can be, laid back but scary beyond measure if you cross him and an absolute menace to his enemies and loyal to death.

That's who he is, and Rick remembered that initially, and even till Son of Neptune then he just forgot how Percy someone he himself wrote to be this way is.

It's like Percy has no identity of his own, and he is only significant if he is with Annabeth. Like hello, he's the main character people, is the Fandom seriously going to degrade the main character, especially when the said mc is Percy Jackson???

Percy, despite his own issues, is and will always be foremost in helping people. He would be the first person to help keep the seven together. He would be the first to try and make a bond. He wouldn't have some stupid and illogical and totally ooc beef with Jason. Instead, he would help Jason be more sure of himself to stand up to Jupiter and for himself.

He would help Leo personally to bring back Calypso and they would both shit talk Olympians and how fickle their oaths are.

He would literally do anything to save Nico. Like hello, are you telling me that the boy who at 14 took it upon himself to bear the Great Prophecy, which he thought who end up killing him just to save Nico from that fate????? He would go absolutely madly feral to save Nico from the Giants.

If Piper and Reyna had their screws all properly fit they would see that Annabeth and literally everyone else would be all left to die if it wasn't for Percy. Percy gets himself out of everything by his own efforts and his own strategies. (Annabeth's rarely work). It's time the Fandom acknowledges that the best strategist in the verse is Percy, no questions asked and finally give him due credit for all HIS efforts.

Percy would never ever leave Sally unless it was for a quest, especially not when she was pregnant and absolutely not to go to college, something he hates especially when it concerns New Rome.

Here's a thing about Percabeth shippers they care about Annabeth's plans and her dreams, not Percy's. It is literally so out of character for Percy to want to live in New Rome a place that invests in a child army, a place that despises his father and wouldn't even build him a decent temple, a place so extremely cut off from the sea.

If Percy wanted to live in peace and grow old, he would do it in a place of his choosing close to his mother, Paul and Estelle, and close to the sea. But here's the thing about Percy.

I don't think people get this, but Percy can't just up and leave, nor would he want to. His damned fatal flaw is LOYALTY. He would never ever leave demigods or anyone helpless by leaving Camp Half Blood. Sure he would take less quests on but he would ALWAYS stick around and Rick did him so dirty by making all his thoughts revolve around Annabeth and insinuating he would let others suffer just fine to be with Annabeth.

Percy gave up immortality because he took Sally's teaching to heart as she did so too when she denied Poseidon's offer. He did it for himself for demigods it didn't have shit to do with Annabeth, but of course, he would look at her because she represents his life as a demigod.

Rick making Percy see Annabeth near the Styx and making him remember Annabeth instead of Sally is just him bullshitting. We all know Percy is a mama's boy, and he would do right by Sally always, so him giving a girl who he has known for barely long enough has no basis to it.

And Percabeth stans literally can't take a mention of a single alternate Percy pairing that alone is the biggest red flag. Because they know their ship is toxic and that Annabeth is the root of it.

For the PEOPLE IN THE BACK aka toxic stans:

Annabeth's fatal flaw is HUBRIS, and she is by nature controlling and condescending, and her character had the chance to GROW and CHANGE, and it would have been the most epic character growth sequel but she did not and she is CONTROLLING, DISMISSIVE , DEMEANING.

The newest Read Riordan entry literally has Annabeth saying that she needs to catch up to Percy cause he scores a better grade than her in school (even there Percy is smarter folks there you have it) and she literally says if she doesn't catch up Percy might start calling her SEAWEED BRAIN. So it is a demeaning nickname she gives Percy and continues calling him that even after knowing how Gabe similarly verbally abused Percy.

This is the fandom's IT couple? Wow. Percy literally is going against his own nature of being free and unrestrained like the sea because of Annabeth's controlling nature.

The worst of her behavior is when she blames Percy for his disappearance when she dismissed him when he was talking about his trauma induced by Gabe, her beyond toxic treatment of Rachel, especially when she unreasonably asked Percy to supress the use of the very power that got them out alive (she is scared naturally but she cannot force her own fear on Percy when he did nothing wrong).

So yeah, Percy Jackson with anyone but Annabeth. I am all for aromantic Percy, but personally, I find Perachel to be more appealing.

Trust me, I could rant about this for hours, especially how Rick butchered Percy's personality and made it full of Annabeth, especially how he threw Percy's insecurities and trauma and PTSD out of the gutter post tartarus.

[sleepymccoy]

Please choose your favourite of my (imo) niche star trek headcanons

Now that I'm writing these, I wonder if any of them are straight up canon that I've forgotten lol

I'm gonna further defend my headcanons under a readmore, but it's up to you if you want to read that or just vote on the summary 😘

Scotty's actor is Canadian. Also he's so Scottish? Like, he's called Scotty, he drinks scotch, he is Scottish, so on. Too much. I think he has Scottish heritage, maybe his mum is Scottish, so he knows the phrases and his accent work is comedic but solid. But he himself was born in like Quebec

I have a whole post on McCoy's ex wife being Vulcan, it rules, give it a read here

The way America crumbles in trek history I think opens them up to invasion. I don't think Russia is still in charge, I think they've moved on from that and country borders are less political more cultural in TOS times. But I think briefly Russia had everything and Chekhov is joking about that when he says shit like that saying is Russian. We know, Chekhov, everything was Russian once, get over it. His joke is less about things being Russian and more like someone making the same joke about how everything was Roman once

TOS writers had a little cheat sheet of characterisation rules I saw here once and one said that Sulu has many varying interests, so if you need an info dump that's not one of the other main guys things, use him. So I've taken that and gone with he isn't actually into plants, it was just a six month project to better learn how to take care of them. He spent a lot of time complaining about them to Chekhov. Basically a hyper fixation and once he figured it out he lost interest, but retained all the knowledge

Cos Rand has that trick of heating up the coffee with a phaser on low. That's resourceful with ship technology that uses batteries, not mainframe power. I think she knows what matters when a ship breaks, and food and comfort need prioritising cos she grew up on a ship that was always broken. Broken ships are easier to tolerate if the coffee is served hot

I think Chapel's fiance kinda sucks in that ep, even if it was just a robot copy, and I think she loves being in space. I think she feels both relieved and guilty about it all, it's bad

[httpstes]

✧˚ · . astro observation VI ✧˚ · .

Links to other astrovations: Astrology observations l, Astrology Observations ll, Astrology observations lll, Astrology observations IV, Astrology observations V

ꕥ Aries and Pisces moons are equally sensitive imo, Aries most of the time outwardly expresses this sensitivity, Pisces is 50/50

ꕥ On top of that, from what i’ve seen aries moons are more sensitive to what people say to them, they can get very defensive and guard their ego closely (honestly this can go for any fire moon) meanwhile pisces is sensitive to their environment and the people around them.

ꕥMoon in 3H can indicate having a love for writing/poetry. It may bring these individuals great comfort and they could’ve been the type to write a lot as a kid. English/Media studies is probably these peoples favourite subject.

ꕥ Pisces moons are careful with what they say to other people sometimes to a point where they can’t speak their minds and be authentic, they easily soak up the energies within a room.

ꕥ Scorpio mercuries are not only very interested in dissecting every bit and piece of their childhood, who they are and what makes them, them. But when they like someone, bro, they will want to understand this person to a fault. They want to find out what makes them tick, what makes them happy and so forth. Great listeners too :))

ꕥ Cancer moons no matter what other placements they have are always so sweet man. Idek how to describe it but anytime i meet a person with a cancer moon they just radiate this loving, carefree energy. Then when i get to know them they’re still loving and sweet, just they hold a lot of emotional baggage and trauma 😭 I hope y’all doing okay.

ꕥ People with libra Sun/Moon/Venus i feel would be attracted to sophisticated, elegant individuals. Someone with an attractive appeal, who has a nice home, pretty facial features, popular or has some status in their area.

ꕥ Ive looked at some of my friends ascendant persona chart, and oml it makes sm sense. One of my friends is a pisces rising but i feel as though only some aspects of a pisces rising was shown through her outward personality, it was only until I saw her asc persona chart that i saw she was an aries rising with venus in the first house. I showed her this and she definitely agreed that her outward personality could come off as an aries rising. So when you check your asc persona chart think of it as like a second rising sign with some influence to your natal rising sign :)

ꕥ Pisces mercuries can get a bad rep within their school/work place. These people can get their words easily twisted around, and eventually they’re blamed for things they didn’t even say/do :( This could be because of the neptunian, illusion like influence pisces will have on the natives communication.

ꕥ Venus transmitting your 5th house can indicate having a fling, or being in a short situation-ship.

ꕥ Moon in the 12th house grants an individual who is extremely empathic, and intuitive to the needs of others. This can lead to people naturally gravitating towards them because of how kind and understanding they seem.

ꕥ Mercury in aspect to MC can indicate someone who is seen as well spoken in the public eye. Typically this goes for mercury in the 10th house however i believe it is stronger when it’s conjunct the Midheaven. These people can easily climb their way up the social ladder by using and manipulating their words. They know how to appeal to the public.

ꕥ Aries moons may have been very rough or rebellious children when younger. They tend to be very action oriented and could be involved in a lot of sports.

ꕥ I feel like sag moons are the types of people who enjoy learning about their friends religions and backgrounds. They find it interesting and want to understand how other people view life.

ꕥ Where you have libra in your chart can show where you like to have peace and harmony, where you like to have things aesthetically pleasing and easy. For example, Libra in 10th house may like to come off as conventionally attractive and pretty. They may want to be seen as someone who is sweet and playful. Ofc this can lead to superficiality, but this can prove to benefit them and their wellbeing, as having a Libra 10th house/MC can make you seem like a push over, this could help the individual learn how to not settle for less and to develop their assertive communication skills. Libra in the 6th house might like to have organised routines that are aesthetically pleasing and that benefit their health/work ethic. But Libra in 6th housers need to learn to balance the outward appearance of their routines with the practicality of their routines. Libra in 6th house may prioritise having a rigid routine simply because it makes them feel nice or makes them look good when they also have to know if their routine is becoming obsessive and is no longer about benefitting their wellbeing. Libra in 8th house may like to have or do have lives with little to no traumatic experiences. They don’t want conflict or life altering events that can put them off balance, and change them psychologically. Because of this, Libra 8th housers may need to learn to accept that some stages in life are not always harmonious and balanced.

ꕥ Sun in 4th house may deep down whether it was a positive or negative experience, have a deep fondness/love for their home and childhood. Even if their childhood wasn’t the best, many with this placement I have noticed tend to reminisce and look back. Some of my friends who have this placement always look back on their childhood even if it was shitty as many of them like the comfortability it gave them. Some of my 4H sun friends told me they were scared to leave and grow as individuals while others told me the exact opposite wanting to get as far away from home as possible.

ꕥ Also i noticed that many 4H suns may still live in their childhood home as adults or one day buy it from their parents.

ꕥ Moon in 11th house may deeply rely on friendships and connections to get through rough times. These individuals are very people oriented and genuinely enjoy meeting new people, none of their connections are insincere.

ꕥ Transit Venus travelling through your 3rd house may indicate having a peaceful school environment or less disruptions in your neighbourhood. This could also indicate a time where you and your siblings get along easily with little to no arguments.

ꕥ Transit Mars travelling through your 3rd house could mean the opposite. Arguments and conflicts are more likely to arise with siblings and in your neighbourhood. There could be some type of restricting, competitive atmosphere at school that makes it seem like everyone wants to be better than the other. However during this time period you could get a lot done either out of anger, competitiveness or simply wanting to meet your end goals.

ꕥMercury-Mars (esp conj) can make a person a very passionate speaker. These people could make great motivational speakers and are seen as the ones who are easily persuasive.

ꕥSun-Mercury is the same except the way i see it is, Mercury-Mars: " YOU GOT THIS! KEEP GOING! I BELIEVE IN YOU😡🫶!" meanwhile Sun-Mercury: " yes!! you got this, you’re slaying so hard rn 🫶"

ꕥNot an observation but a personal opinion, men with lots of scorpio/cancer placements absolutely terrify me, I’m sorry but i had to say it.

ꕥ Well honestly lots of scorpio/cancer placements in a persons chart generally scare me but most of the women i’ve met with this placement are really sweet, clingy, but sweet. The 4 guys i’ve met, talked to and hung out with that had these placements, made me want to obliterate the earth. 😁 (however i will say they were probably very immature and their scorpio/cancer placements hadn’t evolved yet)

ꕥ Jupiter in 6th house may have had lots of pets in their lives or want to have many pets.

ꕥ Jupiter in 6th may also have really good health and could take advantage of that. In worst cases they could abuse substances/routines that are NOT good for them however they happen to be lucky in multiple aspects and could live very healthily. However I obviously don’t suggest this, everything might be fine one moment but sooner or later things could come crashing down any moment.

ꕥ Saturn in 11th might have had restrictive friends, friends who constantly controlled them and what they did, people who criticised them to fit in.

ꕥ If not this, Saturn in 11th may have had (or still have) friends who are older than them and are almost like mentors to them. These individuals could have friends wise beyond their years and give great advice to the Saturn in 11H individual. Saturn in 11H can also indicate having long term friendships.

ꕥ People with heavy plutonian influence are generally pretty popular (depending on the rest of the chart) however i’ve noticed these individuals get into a lot of drama. Even if they hadn’t started anything, these individuals names always get dragged into things for whatever reason. I believe this may stem from the power and beauty that exudes from these individuals, and so people either are jealous and involve them in drama, or people naturally assume they are up to some shady shit.

ꕥ I consider heavy plutonian influence to be if you have scorpio placements (esp a stellium in scorpio or the 8th house), placements in the 8th house, or if you have pluto conjunct/opposite 2+ personal planets.

Thank you for reading, likes and reblogs are always appreciated 🫶

[gothhabiba]

Curious what actions in support of Palestinian liberation you’re engaging in? I’m disabled so participating in physical protests is difficult but I’m not seeing much collective actions that are more accessible to me (other than following BDS company protests, sharing the stories of Palestinians and info about the Israel apartheid state). Maybe I could organize something myself but I’m not even sure what that could look like? Do you have any tips?

educating yourself & being vocal across various social media sites & in your personal life does matter in terms of refusing and combatting rhetoric and disinformation that justifies genocide, including "both-sides" rhetoric

yes, spreading information about & participating in BDS boycotts. tell family & friends. BDS may also have a local chapter near you (note that local chapters may have a different or expanded list of companies to boycott) that you can join & ask how you can help.

contact your representatives (no it's not going to end Israel but it doesn't take much time)

similarly, look for phone zaps taking place in your state. phone zaps organise a good deal of people to call on the same day.

donate to the strike funds or bail funds of labor unions who are blockading arms factories that send weapons to Israel, refusing to offload arms from ships, &c. and spread their links

contact a local labour union or Marxist organisation that's taken an anti-Zionist stance and ask them if there's something you can do to help. some of this might be coördination and organisational work that doesn't require you to leave your home. you're going to be more effective if you link up with other people who are already organising to do work than if you try to organise something yourself without having wide connexions to local labour imo

[bthump]

what draws you to homosexual relationships in fiction as opposed to heterosexual ones? I noticed I prefer them as well but I don’t really know why. Or maybe it’s just in the media I like the homosexual relationships are written to be much more compelling, I don’t know. This isn’t hate against het relationships btw I support all sexualities

Probably a million different reasons honestly. Off the top of my head, some of my personal reasons:

-- I'm bi but more interested in gay relationships in my personal life, so my fictional interests reflect my irl interests.

-- Removes misogyny as a factor both within the romantic dynamic and, if m/m, the depiction.

-- Relatedly, I hate how 99% of hetero relationships in media have a built in lowkey unacknowledged d/s vibe due to that misogyny. Woman passive man active, woman pursued man pursues, woman weak man strong, woman soft man hard, woman fucked man fuck, woman object man subject, woman prize man winner, woman small man big, woman puts in work and money to make herself attractive man gets to live at his default state, woman desirable for looks man desirable for personality/money/skill, woman financially dependent on man, etc etc etc. Turns me off.

-- Like at least when that's the dynamic in m/m or f/f it's deliberately someone's kink and a gender norm is being subverted by one of the characters.

-- Gay relationships being more equal is something I've seen cited a lot, rightly or not, but it isn't one of my reasons lol, I like unequal relationships in fiction. That said, gender not being a factor in that inequality is definitely a draw for me.

-- Subtext is more engaging than most textual romances, and gay relationships are more likely to be subtext while het is more likely to be textual.

-- Gay sex (m/m and f/f) turns me on, straight sex rarely does.

-- Specific to m/m, but men in fiction are more likely to have compelling, complicated, deep relationships with each other than they are with women.

-- I enjoy gender nonconformity which is much more plentiful in gay ships and fiction than straight media.

-- Heterosexuality is oversaturated in media and I'm exhausted and irritated by its ubiquitousness.

-- As someone who grew up in the 90s, the existence of casually gay popular media still blows my mind lol, the shine has not come even close to wearing off. Heterosexual media just can't compete with that.

Anyway yeah, those are a few of my reasons, and maybe they align with some of yours as well.

Ultimately though I don't think it matters and it shouldn't be something you feel the need to justify imo. Enjoy whatever you enjoy for whatever reason, or no reason at all. But if you enjoy soul searching, then maybe this list is a decent starting point.

[single-malt-scotch]

Mindcrack had many moments of interacting w fandom in a way people basically don't see at all anymore that it's understandable people are surprised and put off that doc "suddenly" said he wanted to read fan fic or whatever.

I mean for one, if you're not watching doc already you should know that tbh hes like on of THE most fandom involved hermits by far imo. Seriously. He's been a huge supporter of fan art no matter (well ya know to an extent) what it is. He commissions fan artists and asks permission for unpaid fan art to be thumbnails in his videos and always credits them in the intro. He's actively taken up 'headcanons' to his skin (goat horns, butterfly wings) or other things ppl draw him in (maid dress). He has talked many times about ships with him and seems generally unbothered and jokes about it.

So in mindcrack days it was not at all uncommon for them to pick up a fan fic to read (at a podcast or something)- which iirc they asked and got permission for (at least some I know of, it has been a while). But they also (mostly) knew about shipping too and talking about it esp in context to when they'd read fics (because yes they did read some ship fics). They had their "that's weird" moments for sure but that was kinda it. And well, back then many of us on our lil Tumblr space did think it was cool because we were excited they interacted with us at all lol...

This isn't to say you can't be uncomfortable!! Of course. Idk if doc has read anything on stream yet but I wouldn't be too worried as I'd also expect him to ask permission (and as fans maybe take openings to remind him to do so).

I think we all know rule number one as a fan is "don't show the cc stuff unless they ask for it". But rule number two in regards to them is "if the cc goes looking it's their fault and their responsibility for what they find". You might still worry about cc reaction despite that and to that I say stop giving a shit. Let go of shame and fear. Anyone can see your public posts. A cc might be looking right and now you'd only get uncomfy if you knew it, but you don't. You'd can't control people and if the cc are an ass about it despite looking for it? Feel free to say something but otherwise shrug it off because it's not your fault. (And if they're enough of an ass stop engaging with them lol). Mcyt (and other similar) are real people fandoms and you gotta remember that. You cannot control this and that's alright that's just how this kind of fandom has to work. So stop worrying about it

[minniiaa]

Sorry if this seems repetitive but I haven't been active on social media in yearsss

Is it true that there's a lot of lawlu hate on tiktok and Twitter? I'm so confused because there used to be so much love for the ship back in 2017/2018 from my perspective (Amino era).

The short answer: yes and no. Let me start by saying I'm not the best person to answer this since I purely consume on twitter. I made my personal twitter in 2007 like it's everyone I've ever known irl and has nothing to do with shipping or hobbies and I follow approx 0 accounts related to anime, manga, or lawlu. I just looked up lawlu a few times and browsed and suddenly it's my whole fucking timeline and there’s no going back and now I have a lawlu twitter (This makes me very happy).

So if anyone else has an opinion on this that is more in the community, please feel free to comment away. Otherwise, below are my observations.

First off, there IS a ton of love for the ship. Most of what I see is beautiful art (they got the nsfw ayo), memes, fanfics, and headcanons just like tumblr. There are tons of comments of people swooning over these posts, Lawlu IS one of the most popular OP ships after all.

There's just a vocal minority that are very against the concept of shipping and in that subset there are those who are very against Lawlu. There people out there that will literally list accounts to block that ship lawlu or write lawlu DNI in their bios. The same can be said for other ships, it's not just this one it’s any they deem a ‘pro ship’ (problematic ship) and Lawlu is generally considered one of these. Below as is an example:

The biggest issues I’ve seen with Lawlu are the following 1. luffy is aroace and cant be shipped period 2. law groomed luffy and the age gap is gross. IMO I think most of these people are just infantilizing Luffy as some goofy autistic kid that doesn't know what love and sex are when in reality he's very self-aware and happy does not equal stupid. Also he's 19 he’s not underage. He met Law twice when he was 17, one of which was saving his life as a doctor and Luffy was unconscious most of this time. Let's not forget Luffy's a war criminal kicking the asses of people 4x his age in a pirate world, age doesn't really work the same as irl.

BUTTT Not that any of this matters because you can ship whoever the fuck you what because guess what? It's ~fiction~. I could rant about how people can ship whatever the hell they want all day but I'll save my breath for now. (my opinion of course)

Also there are just mentally ill people who enjoy telling others to kys if you like something they like do. Lawlu shippers are just their chosen target demographic. Creators get foul messages in their inboxes, rude comments, just general hater behavior. Twitter is just a firey cesspool and all fandoms have 'fans' who do nothing but hate. We live in an age of negativity where being a hater is the cool thing to do.

HOWEVER, I see more people posting about why those people are wrong and stupid than the actual negative tweets but maybe that's because I actually support the ship and the algorithm sees that. Not sure how twitter works, nor do I want to know about that dumpster fire there's a reason I came over to tumblr.

As for tiktok, I don't really consume a lot of tiktok so I can't speak on it besides seeing cosplayers and cute animations/art. I'll leave that to the tiktok people to look into.

For argument's sake, I went through the lawlu tag and picked some lovely tweets to share with you so you can see the toxicity for yourself. Sadly only 10 images per post but I think you get the point. Thanks for the ask hope this was informative. :)

[trohpi]

rating regulus black ships!!

jegulus | 11/10 - i love them so much. when i rejoined the fandom in 2022 and saw how the ship had blown up in the years id been gone i was really confused, but then i read just lovers and was immediately convinced lmao. they are the epitome of sunshine x grumpy and i adore them both

bartylus | 5/10 - theyre not very compelling to me, but theyre not bad by any means. i think they work better as friends but i understand why people ship them. i just prefer other ships personally, but ive read many great fics with them too!

jegulily | 20/10 - im obsessed with them. i love regulus, james, and lily separately, but together they balance each other out. plus it helps that its a combination of my two most favorite monoamorous ships (jegulus and regulily), like whats not to like? theyre definitely a top tier ship

moonwater | 10/10 - they are so cute and so overhated! theres so much potential here, like they could be friends to lovers or enemies to lovers or rivals to lovers, basically any trope you can think of lol. and think of the angst! the drama! i love them dearly

regulily | 1000/10 - yall already know how i feel about these two! they are literal soulmates and i love them to bits. their personalities mesh so well and, this might be a controversial take, but they make more canonical sense than jegulus does imo (not that canon really matters in this fandom lmao). i could wax literal poetry about this ship i love them so much

rosewater | 6/10 - i have other ships i prefer for both of them but theyre still cute and i can see why people ship them. honestly its a similar situation to bartylus, except they intrigue me just the slightest bit more lol

regumary | 4/10 - im sorry i just cant see this ship. i can see their relationship being platonic but not romantic. i also think mary is a lesbian, which doesnt really mean much considering i also love the trans girl regulus headcanon, but most of the time when i see this ship its very cishet and just not my thing. sorry yall!

regdora | 2/10 - i just cant see this ship either. its not bad necessarily, i just see the relationship between regulus and pandora as that of a sibling relationship. no hate to people who ship them, its just not for me lol

rosestarkillerchaser | 6/10 - i understand why people ship them, its combining three popular ships (jegulus, bartylus, and rosekiller), but im sorry i just cannot see james dating barty and evan. im not hating on people who ship them and its not bad by any means (i like them more than most other ships involving evan & barty) i just dont actively ship them. ive read some good fics tho!

rosestarkiller | 5/10 - similar situation to bartylus yet again, its just not compelling to me. i think regulus works better with evan & barty as his friends rather than lovers which you can probably tell given my other ratings lol

blackeclipse | 10/10 - ooooo i love them. all the best aspects of jegulus, moonchaser, and moonwater in one, its elite. james brings the buoyancy that regulus & remus need while regulus & remus help keep him tethered. they work so well together and i love them all dearly

xenoreg | 8/10 - a crackship ive come to enjoy recently! definitely a weird x weirder kind of ship which is the best. oh to be a fly on the wall of the slytherin common room when regulus told barty, evan, and dorcas that he was dating xenophilius lestrange, ravenclaws resident conspiracy theorist (pandora, of course, would have been overjoyed to have someone to trade ideas with)

regulene | 7/10 - they intrigue me tbh, like marlenes brashness and regulus’ coldness contrast in just the right ways. theyre like fire and water and i love that. plus the potential for a quidditch rivalry is phenomenal, especially considering that they could both be the seekers for their respective teams. theyre kinda similar to dorlene imo

regulilylene | 9/10 - im gonna be honest here i think i made this ship up, but i really like their dynamic. marlene and regulus are on the opposite extremes of hot and cold and lilys right there in the middle to keep them grounded, she evens them out

[cadotoast]

In regard to your post (this), I humbly propose:

John Price x Reader, Soulmate AU of sort, fluffy but toxic.

John is no way in hell anything but an emotionally unavailable gentleman that makes his FWB love him. (IMO)

Ohhhh I like this prompt

Here you go! I hope it's good 😅

Civilian Female Reader x Emotionally Unavailable Soulmate Price.

Content warnings: toxic Price, allusions to sex but no actual smut, allusions to potential murder, slightly manipulative price

But Your Heart Got Teeth

The knock on your door is simultaneously expected and startling. You've been expecting this particular visitor since he'd signed the lease you'd emailed him a few days ago: John Price, a Captain in the SAS, and your new roommate.

"The door is open! Come on in!" You look around your living room one last time, the monochrome view mocking you for the barest of seconds before you turn towards the front door.

It swings open, and for the barest of seconds, you catch a glimpse of a mountain of a man, broad shoulders, well-groomed facial hair, and wearing a startled expression, before your world bursts into color.

~~~

"Hang on, hang on, hang on." Miriam waves her hands erratically in front of herself, stopping your rant. "Your hunk of a new roomie is your soulmate?"

You sigh into your cappuccino, the light brown color mesmerizing you.

"It was like some stupid romcom," you admit with a sigh. "Our eyes locked, he's standing in the doorway like some kind of Greek god, and then I have the most disorienting experience of my life."

"Did you pass out? I've heard some people pass out." Miriam stage-whispers to you across the cafe table.

While the burst of color has certainly been trippy to say the least, you and John had both gathered yourselves enough to shake hands, and you had assisted John in bringing his boxes in before you'd locked yourself into your bedroom and texted your best friend immediately.

Since then, you've googled a color chart, which before had been various shades of a color called "grey", and have been adjusting to such a vibrant world.

"No, I didn't pass out..." Your voice trails off. "but this whole 'soulmate thing' seems a bit anticlimactic."

Miriam chuckles at your use of air-quotes, stirring her tea. "Just because the universe has tied you two together by your souls doesn't mean you don't have to get to know the guy first." Her smirk grins. "What, did you expect him to drop everything and ravage you over the nearest surface?"

Your cheeks and ears warm with a blush. With a muttered "no, fuck you", you drain your cup and get to your feet to return it to the barista. Miriam is watching you like a hawk, and the minute your butt touches the soft green cushion of your chair, she pounces on you.

"Where's he from? What does he do? Does he have a girlfriend? What color are his eyes? Is he packing?"

Her enthusiasm is drawing some looks, and you rush to appease and quiet her shrill excitement.

"I don't know, he's military, I don't know, blue, and wouldn't you like to know?" You rattle off the answers to her rapid fire questions. "And why would the color matter to you? You can't tell the difference!"

"It matters to you, and therefore it matters to me." She reaches forward, her warm hand settling on your forearm. "So, how are you gonna jump his bones?"

~~~

Life with John as a roommate is... interesting. He sets up an auto draft to you each month for rent and his half of the utilities, even though he isn't at the place 80% of the time. You barely have time to learn that he was an only child, and to find a new brand of tea in your pantry, before he is shipped off for something work-based, and you're once again alone.

A week later, he is sneaking into the apartment at three in the morning, while you're having a midnight snack of cheesecake. Needless to say, you were both surprised to see each other.

~~~

A knocking on your bedroom door stirs you from sleep. Blearily, you roll over, glancing at the clock. 8 AM.

"Sorry to wake you," John's voice is muffled through the door. "But I was going to make breakfast. How do you like your eggs?"

You pause for a minute while your brain processes the information. "Um... Over easy, please." You rub your hands over your face tiredly. "Thank you, John."

"o'course." And then his heavy steps are recording once more.

When you exit your bedroom, clad in a long band T-shirt and leggings, you're greeted with the smell of bacon, eggs, and toast.

"Tea or coffee?" John looks over his shoulder to glance at you.

"Tea, preferably." For the first time, John cracks a smile at you, and you can't help but chuckle, walking around him to get to the electric kettle. "Though on occasion a coffee is nice."

John is wearing some comfortable-looking sweatpants and a worn T-shirt, similar to yours. The same band, actually, just a different tour.

The conversation between the two of you gets easier, less stilted and awkward. The two of you grow close over the following months. Perhaps too close. The first time you wake up in his bed, you know something has shifted.

"I'm not ready for a relationship." You tell him that afternoon. "Whatever is between us... I'm not ready for a boyfriend."

"Of course, love, whatever you want."

That should have been your sign.

You see other people. Or try to, anyways. They always fall through. So far, four dates in a row have bailed on you last minute, and you're starting to lose hope.

John always seemed to be home on the nights those dates fell through. Always there to pull you into his lap, listen to your tearful sniffles that another date has fallen through, and you're starting to question your worth.

He hugs you close to his chest and lets you bury your face, your makeup streaming down your cheeks. He lets you blubber and sob, silent as he strokes your hair and back. Once your tears have stopped, he scoops you into his arms and cuddles you, large hands rubbing in soothing circles.

Little do you know, the same man who is scooping you up into his arms to take you to bed is the same man who has stalked your last five date prospects and warned them away. The same man who lays you out on his bed and worships your body is the one who released Ghost, Gaz, and Soap on some poor sod in town who looked at you the wrong way.

And when you're cuddled in his arms, sweaty from your copious lovemaking, he whispers something in your ear. And when you don't pull away, but instead snuggle closer, he knows that he's won.

[biblically-accurate-dca]

know it's not something that matters to a lot of people, but imo one of the more insidious ways tsams poisons the well of discussion is in the "sun & moon are brothers!" thing -- not bc of shipping (although that's gotta be frustrating), but bc of how it erases the complexity of systems. like, the fandom's come a long way in that people actually acknowledge the dca as a possible system now, but... well, "brother" is an easier, more digestible way to refer to & understand it -- particularly if you struggle with/are ignorant of this stuff -- but it's not necessarily the most *accurate* way, if that makes sense. the relationship between brothers is easier to understand than the one between alters for most people, yeah, but they're never gonna understand the latter if they don't engage with it at all. it's the coward's way out, and that sucks! (and you're free to disagree, but it's how i feel about it </3) (--springtrappd)

discourse-y stuff under the cut ahfJjdkzjgj

GAAHHHH NO YOU'RE SO RIGHT ABOUT THIS GENUINELY...... LIKE ofc the shipping thing is annoying too but THAT'S MY HUGEST GRIPE WITH IT!!!!!

i know they're not the best system rep in the world or anything but you don't fix that by completely getting rid of the fact that they are, in fact, a system!!! (or at least very easily read as one)... because then you're just erasing that part of their identity to make it more easily digestible and understandable to a common audience who's unwilling to engage with world views that aren't their own (but this is an entirely different subject ghsjgjrj)

at the very least i do definitely believe that tsams was a huge influence on the amount of people who separate sun and moon into two separate bodies in their fan works... and even if it's not entirely the show's fault (since i feel like it would've happened regardless) their huge prevalence in the dca fandom (and at such an early point in it's formation) is undeniably a contributor to it + could be why it's so prevalent these days even outside of tsams related works

tsams has just generally poisoned a lot of the fanwork surrounding the dca in such a way where it's impossible to cleanly separate the two. and as someone who mainly sticks to the source material it's just... i just hate it. idk what else to say about it

[smhalltheurlsaretaken]

Not me being mad today about people over exaggerating the "do or do not there is no try" and hating on the Jedi for it as if it's not an idiom about always trying your best and giving it your all (and considering things when you do them) instead of literally saying don't try if you can't succeed. :/

I've always understood "do or do not, there is no try" as "ultimately, you will either have done or not done" - it seems like it's about focusing on the outcome instead of the process.

(As a recap of what exactly happens in ESB: Luke is doing a handstand trying to lift stones with Yoda perched on his leg when the ship suddenly sinks further into the water. It breaks Luke's concentration and his rocks fall, along with him, and Yoda. Luke laments they'll never get the ship back, Yoda laments that Luke always thinks things are too hard to be done, Luke says lifting stones is different, Yoda says it isn't, and Luke agrees to try, which is when Yoda has his iconic line.

And critically, after Luke does try and fail, Yoda gives him a great speech about the nature of the Force and how it binds everything together and Luke despondently says that it's just impossible. Upon which Yoda lifts the ship out of the water, of course, and Luke exclaims that he can't believe it, to which Yoda answers that that's why he's failing.)

Obviously you won't always get things right the first time, and that's precisely what Luke is frustrated about in the scene. And because he's disappointed that he's not getting things right, he doesn't even want to try anymore - his first instinct is to give up because he thinks the situation is beyond fixing.

So the critical point about the quote is that this Yoda shifting the focus: he tells Luke to stop thinking about what he's doing and concentrate on what he wants to do.

This is because of Luke's current state of mind, because Luke is currently associating his own efforts with failure, it's not just a random thing he's saying to make him feel bad.

Everything Star Wars tells us about the Force is that it's used through both intuition and confidence:

That's why the Jedi train so hard from such a young age - you can't doubt yourself or second-guess the Force, or you will get your ass kicked by both the universe and your potential opponents. You have to be able to trust your instincts because you have to rely on them - hence the need to either instill good Force-oriented instincts in kids, or in Luke's case relearn his own base sentient instincts. You can't learn to categorize the material world as 'too heavy,' 'too far,' 'not possible' - you have to focus on the Force, not the physical nature of the objects or your own limitations.

Luke thinks and feels the way a non Force-sensitive would: 'heavy things = can't be lifted.' He was doing okay lifting stones upside down, but he was using his muscles to stand upright, not the Force (hence why he was struggling to stay up and why he fell so easily). His concentration was clouded by material concerns (the loss of the ship and his own powerlessness) so he couldn't maintain it. He sees success as depending on his own conscious efforts but that's just not the way it works, he has to let go because his mind is just not wired right yet and so his efforts are necessarily counterproductive. It's that materialism that Yoda is responding to.

That's the point of Yoda's lesson imo - it's not so much about the technicalities of 'giving it everything you've got,' it's about something much deeper. He is trying to get Luke to radically change his mindset and entire worldview (the 'luminous beings, not this crude matter' quote is from this scene too), because Luke is never going to succeed if he thinks in terms of 'trying.'

If Luke could visualize the starship out of the bog and focus on that, the starship would be out of the bog. If he's focused on trying to lift it out of the bog, then he'll fail because everything in his mind tells him he can't.

Which is exactly what happens.

And the fact is, we know Yoda is 100% right with his advice and that everything he says and teaches in that moment is endorsed by the narrative - because he easily succeeds where Luke kept failing.

Story-wise, it couldn't be clearer that Yoda's advice is good, because it's immediately proven that not following it doesn't yield results, but that following it does.

Like most Jedi maxims, "Do, or do not. There is no try," is circumstantial advice and I'm pretty sure it doesn't show up again in Star Wars canon, be it the movies or TCW (until Rebels that is, when Kanan quotes it to Ezra like it's a rote thing that Yoda used to say all the time and it's kind of 'ah ah' moment because neither of them can figure out what it means). Which is why it kinda bugs me that it was elevated to a Yoda proverb like it's something he says constantly and not just something Luke needed to hear in that moment. It's a banger of a quote though.

[chihoshisai]

A Healing Fire

Fandom : One piece / Pairing : You x Ace / Genre : angst, hurt comfort, mild smut / Other : this one shot is 8K words and imo too long to post here, so I'm only posting 1575 words as a preview. The full fic is up on ao3 (click for the link). Feel free to start reading here to see if it intrigues you or directly read it all on ao3. Enjoy !

Summary : Working as a geisha in Wano can be quite an ordeal. Especially when one of Orochi's men demands you get fired due to your mistakes, going as far as to injure you. Luckily, Ace stumbles upon you, and takes it upon himself to see that you're well throughout your recovery. Which causes you to become (quite badly) attached to him as you discover parts of yourself through rash actions.

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

“I’m begging you, please stop!” 

You shot a look of terror towards the glittering sword of the samurai standing before you. The other geishas, too frightened to speak up, recoiled in a corner of the room as they watched the silver blade in action. Your hands, raised to shield your face, felt an icy sensation followed by stinging and finally the feeling of warm liquid falling down your right arm. The shock of the impact made you lose balance and fall on the ground. You glanced up at the face of the furious man, tears blurring your vision. 

“You useless woman!” he bellowed, “That should teach you a lesson. Now get out and never come back!” He pointed his sword towards your face, glaring as he did so, giving anyone in your position no choice in the matter whatsoever.  

“But sir, you can’t possibly ask for one of our own to be fired?” A geisha intervened with a shaking voice.

Feeling a sense of superiority, he chuckled before replying, “I am one of Orochi’s samurai, that should be enough of a reason. I can decide who can and cannot stay in this pleasure house according to my taste.” He scanned the frightened geishas, who shrieked in response. “If anyone has any objection, please do come forward, I’ll ensure you meet the same fate as your friend over there.” His eyes returned to you, “If I ever see or hear that you still frequent this place or others, I’ll kill you.”

You looked over towards your friends and coworkers — who could no longer look you in the eyes as they shook their heads in accordance with the samurai’s wishes. Suppressing a sob, you grabbed your precious shamisen and fled the room. You ignored the few questionables eyes and inquiries, as you proceeded to the building’s exit.

The lively and bustling streets of the flower capital made you feel a sense of panic. Unless you found another brothel to work at – which you couldn’t – you would no longer be allowed to live here. In fact, without a place to stay you would go hungry, tired, weak and vulnerable. The anxiety of the current situation caused you to be lost in thoughts – not knowing where to go, you stood immobile and aghast on the street, as the blood from your wound stained your kimono. 

“Are you alright?”

You looked up from the pair of feet that appeared in your field of vision. A man wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, an orange hat, with black hair and freckles looked at you with worry. He was without a doubt a foreigner. How he got in and what he was doing there, you preferred not to know, as he probably was involved with Kaido, even though he wasn’t wearing the usual uniform.

“Yes, thank you,” you gave him a curt bow, avoiding all eye contact whilst hoping he would drop it and let you go despite your disturbed expression. 

“I can’t believe that when you’re bleeding quite heavily!”

Unwilling to get involved with a stranger, you kept your gaze to the ground, clutching your arm, as if to hide the wound. However, he, who refused to heed your body language, grabbed your uninjured arm and started leading the way. 

You looked up at him bewildered, “What are you—?”

“You should come and meet our ship’s doctor! He’s really amazing and will take care of your wound in no time!”

Ship doctor? He wasn’t one of Kaido’s men then? Your panic increased tenfold, as this man – seemingly unwilling to let go of you – strutted the streets of Wano while continuously praising his ship’s doctor’s skills, unaffected by the stares and whispers of the locals. 

“Who are you?” you puffed, at his quick walking pace.

“I’m Ace! A pirate.” He gave you a contagious smile, which you returned with a fearful one. Having your life spared, yet shamed, by a samurai, if word got out to Orochi that you were also involved with a foreign pirate who must’ve illegally entered the country, your head would roll for sure this time. 

Ace led you to Kuri where you saw a sight that caused a knot to your stomach. Being confronted to poverty for the first time, you couldn’t help but lower your gaze, too ashamed to face the locals. Your chest started to feel heavy at the thought that this could possibly be your life from now on. 

“We're here!” Ace gave you a glance before waving towards his crew. “Guys, I'm back!” 

Multiple pirates wearing clothes you never laid eyes on simultaneously welcomed Ace back. The doctor was called quickly, and before you knew it you found yourself sitting on an uncomfortable rock with bandages subsiding the pain, and ointment to apply in upcoming days. 

“So, tell us now how did a lady like you get injured?” Ace sat by your side, the other members of his crew looked at you in anticipation.

“Well,” You gave a quick glance towards your shamisen before telling the foreigners the full story. You were touched by their angry and upset faces, as they listened to your tale, feeling a sincere sense of compassion. A few of them muttered blasphemies about the Samurai and the Shogun's actions. Their fury somewhat felt personnal ; you never imagined strangers to care so much about someone such as yourself. 

“This is quite a horrible thing you've been through today,” Ace said at the end of your explanations. 

You gave him a polite smile, “Stuff like this is a daily occurrence in this country, I'm simply one of the unlucky ones.” You gave the crew a curt smile before avoiding their gaze. 

“This country is in a worse state than we thought, Ace,” said Deuce

“Yeah,” Ace stared darkly towards the ground. The atmosphere, now silent, took a sour, heavy turn, where the pirates did nothing but arbor anger and frustration on their faces. The mood did nothing but reinforce your personal lament of your situation. 

A cheery voice made itself heard despite the miasma surrounding everyone, as a child with purple hair and a green Kimono came into view. “Ace!” She waved towards the black haired man, “You're back!” 

“Tama!” Ace stood up and went to welcome the little child. They seemed surprisingly close, and as he interacted with her, you couldn't help but notice how kindhearted he's been all this time – to you, to her, and probably to this village too. Your wary opinion of him changed, as you stared at his broad back, defining the lines of his exposed muscles and getting lost in the smile he gave the young girl. If it wasn't for him, you would've been at a loss ; the citizens of the Flower Capital did nothing but pretend they didn't notice but Ace, he was the only one who saw you, and extended a helping hand – though forcefully. The thought that you hadn't thanked him yet or even paid back the favor started bothering you . 

You felt an intent gaze coming from one of the crew members, and quickly turned your head away, blushing in embarrassment. You hadn't realized that you were staring for a long time – and quite intensely too. 

Clearing your throat, you stood up, cheeks still red, “I should probably get going.”

“What?” Ace finally looked in your direction. 

Tama stared at you inquisitively, smiling, as she asked Ace who you were. He promptly answered her before returning his attention to you. “You're leaving?” 

You were secretly pleased to see him somewhat surprised by your sudden leave. “I'm not from this village, I don't think I should overstay my welcome.” Plus they probably don't want an additional mouth to feed, you thought. 

“Yeah, that makes sense, but where would you go?” Ace asked.

“Ringo,” you replied confidently – a safe place to hide from any prying eyes and Orochi's men along with the best way to put some distance between you and the samurai. 

“Ringo huh…” Ace said.

“You've no idea where it is don't you?” Deuce said.

You chuckled, before grabbing your shamisen. “Thank you for your help today, I’ll get going now before it gets dark.” You gave the crowd a curt bow before placing your shamisen on your back and quickly walking in the opposite direction of the village.

“Wait, will you be alright on your own?” Ace loudly added, Tama had kept his attention away from you again, as she explained where and what Ringo consisted of.

Once again, you gave a bow as an answer and proceeded to disappear in the greenlife of nature. This is for the best, you thought. Even if they were good company, they were still foreigners – getting attached to them wouldn’t be any good. You promptly made your way to Ringo, thankful that no additional harm came your way. You arrived at night, feeling the cold of the region making its way to your bones, making you regret your decision. With poor vision, you wandered around until you found an abandoned cabin, which you reluctantly decided to call your new home, and settled down for the day. Now settled, you thought back on today’s peripeties : the loss of a job, a wounded limb, and the warm help Ace extended your way. You felt a fuzzy feeling in your stomach at the thought of the latter and decided to reminisce no more, letting the chime of the wind serve as your lullaby. 

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

Continue reading on ao3

[amemenojaku]

Akyuu/Reimu for the ship ask, please

hi I um. turned this into akyuurei manifesto. sorry

How differently do they think of each other now compared to when they first met?

I just reread Memorizable Gensokyo and some of the FS chapters where they interact (+the bit at the end of SoPM) back-to-back and it feels like they’ve come to really respect each other. When they first met properly in MG Akyuu tried so hard to impress Reimu, who looked amused by Akyuu’s work but didn’t seem to take her very seriously… I suppose that’s partly because they were younger then. I like that small panel in MG where Reimu introduces herself and Akyuu’s like “:O!!!”… By the time we see them together again in FS, they talk as equals. Reimu acknowledges Akyuu’s authority (she’s still super blunt about the chronicles but that’s Reimu for you lol), and Akyuu trusts Reimu to get the work done when it’s needed. They know they can rely on each other. I’d even go as far as to say Reimu treats Akyuu with a bit more softness than she does a lot of characters… She worries about Akyuu walking all the way up to the shrine in a latter FS chapter, she doesn’t chastise Akyuu for organizing the symposium in SoPM despite how pissed she is at the other participants (although I do think she was still hurt… more on that below), etc. As they are now they see each other as individuals more than roles I think, which is an important part of their dynamic (and also of Reimu pairings in general imo).

What do their friends/family think of their relationship?

They’d be the type to go in circles for a while before committing to something. Take their time with it. Past a certain point Marisa and Kosuzu start scheming to get them together (much to the concerned parties’ annoyance). When it finally happens they’d be teasing but supportive. I think the relationship would be kept secret for a time… Some people still manage to sniff it out though, Yukari for example; she’d be satisfied with it. Two people she has a weird close situationship with, together? That works. There might be some gossip about them… But if/when they make it official to everyone, I honestly think they’d be blessed by most of the village – it’s the Hakurei shrine maiden and the head of the Hieda clan after all! Might break a few nameless village women’s hearts though…

How do their personalities/skills complement or contrast with each other?

They have a ton of parallels (human but not quite; role directly tied to the survival of the world they live in; bridge between humans and youkai, etc) but also a few differences both symbolically (Akyuu doesn’t fly (she’s grounded to (a relative) reality), Reimu is literally the power to fly (transcends reality); Reimu is the “eternal shrine maiden”, Akyuu doesn’t live past 30 (but even that can be turned into a parallel with Akyuu’s reincarnations*), etc) and in terms of personality (Akyuu being calmer in general and displaying better social skills). Imo it’s one of the relationships with the most interesting balance between contrast and similarities… They’re the same girl but they’re also on two different sides of the same coin and the pining that comes out of it is SO good.

*if you look too hard into this like I do you’ll see the child of Miare’s reincarnation gimmick as a parallel to how it’s implied that the past Hakurei shrine maidens were replaced often (died quickly?)

What is their favorite aspect of each other?

In canon, I’d say it’s how reliable they find each other. They’ve worked together/consulted one another a few times in FS for matters related to the human village, and despite some differences in opinion they’re on the same wavelength on a lot of issues. Now, with my yuri goggles on…. I think it’d be really sweet if they could make each other feel normal. If their similarities brought them together on a level different from their other friendships, where they can understand the weight of each other’s role and that whole “human but not quite” thing they share, and be able to completely treat each other as ordinary. I really really like it when a character with a lot of obligations gets to just be themselves, and I also love it when two characters who’re both special or generally “apart” from everyone else grow close thanks to that, so I’m just mashing things I enjoy lol

Do either of them have pet peeves about each other?

I like to think Akyuu has a healthy lifestyle and her days go like clockwork (except when she’s close to a writing deadline), so she’d probably find some of the situations Reimu ends up in very frustrating. I think that fits well with the fact that Akyuu doesn’t always realize how high her quality of life is and can sometimes act a bit inconsiderate towards people who aren’t as rich as her. Meanwhile Reimu’s a very honest, very blunt person who struggles with keeping secrets for long (see Forbidden Scrollery’s ending), so she probably wouldn’t like some of the secrets Akyuu keeps at times. But Akyuu’s an important figure to the human villagers and she does take her role as a chronicler seriously, so there must be moments she has to prioritize her obligations over honesty. I think that kind of contrast is very interesting.

How would each reconcile with each other after a fight?

They’re both stubborn… But I see Reimu as the first to try to reconcile most of the time. Her soft spot for Akyuu would take over her natural pride imo. So she makes the first move. Akyuu takes longer, but her apologies are sincere.

Buuut there’s one time I can imagine Reimu completely withdrawing into her shell and refusing to even acknowledge that she’s really upset at Akyuu until confronted about it: SoPM. I won’t ever be able to explain it better than que-de-metal did right here so I recommend reading it!!

What would be their ideal vacation getaway together?

Hot spring resort. Quiet, relaxing and good for Akyuu’s health! And plenty of time for Reimu to laze around and read mystery novels. (I’m projecting… I miss onsens…….)

Think of a new way (AU, different situation, etc.) they could have met for the first time.

I’m honestly a bit upset that Memorizable Gensokyo is when they first met proper, even though there’s no way the Hieda family isn’t regularly in contact with the Hakurei shrine maiden. I think it’d be cute if they met when they were both kids and Reimu was in training with her predecessor and they were both called at the Hieda mansion for something. Extra points if Akyuu was intrigued by Reimu’s natural powers and that’s where her desire to impress her in MG comes from, and if Reimu barely remembers that meeting (like with Alice in PCB).

[illicien]

What drew you to winterbaron as a ship? What kind of content do you read? Is it different from the kind of content you write? Would you like to rec a few winterbaron works? My friend is into the ship and I'm trying to see if it's something I might like but all the fics they've recked me are kind of the same in tone so I'm looking for others opinions for some variety.

Hmm! I've sort of answered some of this in the past so sorry to my moots getting this rehash.

A friend of mine dragged me into WinterBaron (kicking and screaming!!!) rather simply, actually, though what kept me here was the more grand implications of her simple origins. I'm kind of a sucker for a true power bottom, and fanart my friend kept sending me implied the fandom saw Zemo as such, and I was at least a little bit intrigued there. Enough to take a deeper look, at least.

The better discovery wasn't that the fandom had decided he was a power bottom, but that there was a strong push and pull of power in their dynamic. Bucky has all the physical power between them, it's a big thing, he's strong as hell. On the other hand, Zemo is just a guy, and yet despite that Bucky should logically have all the power between them, Zemo's intelligence and knowledge tend to leave him with an edge. That continues to be the fascinating concept about Zemo to me, but that's a different matter.

So for me, it's the manipulation, the push and pull of power, it's Bucky trying to break free of being the Winter Soldier and Zemo trying to decide if Bucky's just like every other super soldier. But it's also about understanding that Zemo knows Bucky in ways most people alive don't. He knows and understands Bucky's history as the Winter Soldier both through his research, and as a man who did horrific things on behalf of his country. And that thought can sometimes lead to softer moments of understanding, I think, that can be enjoyable in fic.

As for content I read vs write: I generally gravitate towards dark fic with these two, though there's plenty of really good stuff that isn't. There are some excellent explorations of kink in the fandom for them which is refreshing. I don't really write them as dark as I read them, since I enjoy writing the power dynamics more than the overt manipulation, but if you're looking for more tonal variety I'm sure I can make some recommendations! (Under the cut!)

** Please make sure you read all of the tags thoroughly. What I enjoy in fiction may not be to your taste, and I respect that, but the best I can do is to link to the site with the tags. 💜

Recs (under 20k words)

Just A Little More by @six-demon-bag epitomizes a lot of what I've said above, and if I didn't start out with it on the list here I'd be doing myself a disservice for how often I reread this.

Bucky goes into a painful rut and Zemo seizes the opportunity to sink newer, more subtle hooks into him.

Breathless by @zsparz is one I like to return to whenever I'm looking to feel sad but don't have a lot of time to read. I can't explain why this one hits me so hard but holy smokes does it make me weepy. Sparz is great at making me cry, though, so like - anyway.

The water kept rising. Bucky could hold his breath a long time underwater, and he remembered vividly how he’d acquired that knowledge. Sam might find him in time.

But Zemo would be long dead by then.

Past Indiscretions by @sagegarnish makes me laugh, genuinely. The whole idea of it brings me a lot of joy, and the execution is delightful.

Bucky and Zemo are trapped in 1941.

Unfortunately Bucky's past self is the only one who might know where the missing Pym Particles are that they need to get home.

When young!Bucky pulls Zemo into an alley, Bucky is forced to watch as a drunken forgotten night from his past becomes a lot clearer.

Recs (20k+ words)

That Which You Fear by @spintwinwb is a trilogy that starts off feeling like an AU and turns into something really fascinating imo. Lots of extra goodies here for comics fans, too.

Instead of freeing the people of Westview, Wanda pushed out across multiverses to get her brother back, and the entire world was caught in the crossfire. Cast in a new, peaceful life in upstate New York in a world with mutants, no Avengers, and no HYDRA, Bucky Barnes struggles to reconcile memories and dreams that no longer make sense with what he thinks he knows about himself.

One Two Many by @six-demon-bag is sweet and fun and complicated, and I really did try not to double-up on authors here but agh. What am I supposed to do??

Bucky and Zemo meet on an anonymous dating app and find a deep connection in each other. In the meantime, they grow closer in person without realizing they’re falling in love online too.

Too Good To Be True by AnadoraBlack is really one of those fics where the tropes are used so well, imo. A very enjoyable read.

Bucky wakes up with no recollection of where he is, how he found himself there, and what the heck is going on. There's also a ring on his finger, and time lost. What the living FUCK?!

The Original Sin by @zsparz because I might as well completely fail at the "only one per author" in spectacular fashion. This sits here because it sits on a very peculiar line between canon and AU and just... like I said. Sparz makes me cry. This isn't a departure from that fact.

Bucky and Zemo keep meeting over the course of several lifetimes. Zemo remembers everything. Bucky doesn’t, but there’s an eerie impression of familiarity he can’t shake — an old pain he can’t explain, with roots too deep for him to reach.

AU Recs

Removing Bucky and Zemo from the context of their complicated history in the MCU can highlight different aspects of their characters that are really interesting to explore, as someone who finds their unique characters quite interesting as well, though I also know it isn't for everyone. Neither of these recs are short so if you don't mind an AU, set some time aside for these ones.

It Started Out With a Curse by Thorny is a fun AU I never really expected to find in this fandom. I personally have a history of writing in fantasy settings so this one has a special place in my heart.

What happens when the King and Queen of a human kingdom slight a powerful fae Lord known only as "The Baron"?

Enter a world of FairyTale/Fantasy Shenanigans as Prince James navigates his deadly curse and his confusing feelings for one (seemingly) cold and untouchable fae Lord. Meanwhile, something sinister is afoot trying to gouge a rift between the feywilds and the human kingdoms...

A Gentleman and a Scholar by EternalBeta is a no powers exploration of their dynamic that's... Beautiful. It also tackles a lot of things about kink that it feels like most fic and stories generally seem to ignore. There's also an amazing sequel series.

(this series doesn't have an easy summary available so I uh... I'll give it a go here: college student Bucky has a thing for his professor, and a whole series of bad decisions behind him. The trouble is, Bucky is impatient, and Professor Zemo doesn't fuck students. So Bucky better hurry up and graduate.)

Many of the writers above have at least a few WinterBaron fics, and I do highly recommend checking out their collections. Sparz and Six-Demon in particular have some really widely varied concepts and stories they tackle, and if you're curious at all I'd also recommend checking out Sholio who has some excellent Sam/Bucky/Zemo fics! I didn't toss recs here because they weren't the heart of the ask, but I gobbled those up easily for some very sweet treaties.

[traceofexistence]

After reading your post about Faye, I almost got a sense of deja-vu because I also had a similar rant about it.

Like that woman has been publicly out for a few years, privately even more (imo it was probably an open secret before she publicity came out). And no matter how "open" Thailand is for lgbtq ppl it's always a risk to come out, especially if you are already in a public light.

It's not Faye's, Yoko's, or 9star's problem that some people got "tricked" by other gl couple, and now in their opinion everyone is being fake and just doing it for "money."  And no matter how open and transparent any of them are (9star/fayeyoko), nothing is good enough for those people. Because like I've said they have been too delusional and were fucked over by other gl couples and their companies/studios.

So now that you have a openly out woman who is with a company that actually treats her and Yoko like human beings and doesn't rely on some stupid tricks so that they earn more money some people don't know how to behave. And in some instances are jealous because why couldn't my faves have company be like that. But that's just my opinion.

this

and because I'm weird like that I dont block the trolls I try to study their behaviour (knowing your enemies type of tactic on my party)

one particular on twitter was yapping about how Faye is in secret relationship with her salon partner (the way these assholes bullied that poor woman🤬) and she's cheating on her with yoko and yada yada yada, and how they are an excellent investigator. and their whole proof was couple of photos she had with Faye doing literally nothing LOL

so I looked at their older tweets, and boom they were a fan of another GL couple, and then they saw one of those actresses in pictures with a guy (again nothing explicit) and they started going off about how they were lied on, but to my understanding that other loveteam were like "we are single, we are phi-nong" the same way fayeyoko say (and I personally believe them because I simply dont ship)

so whether these people had "their dreams crushed" or they built a whole ass delusion to be mad about when it didn't come true is unclear to me.

and all the trolls I have seen look like they are disappointed from other GLs and apply the same bs on our girls

to conclude, I really do thing FayeYoko are nothing currently beyond phi-nong as they say

Faye has been saying she's single for years, that falling in love is hard for her, and be with people because she works too much, so I believe that

and Yoko doesn't care enough to lie about her status and she's been saying shes single since day one, and funnily enough the same trolls got mad that she said so again recently and called her names etc.

last but not least according to thai people, only very recently Thailand became somewhat open about LGBTQ. and still old people are conservative. coming out is coming out.

as for Faye, her family knew she was dating a girl early on. she said she didn't have to tell her mom, because her sister who (was very little at the time, asked her mom, and mom said "Faye is old enough now and she knows what she's doing" something along those lines and her baby sister told Faye back LOL so the cat was out of the bag soon, and her GF at the time was close to Faye's mom and sisters. her coming out to the public was around 2021~22 and after she got permission by the MGT boss, not to mention that with her coming out she paved the way for other MGT girls to be open up as well (two of her friends Lux, and Engfa for example)