#truly devastating to the quality of shows

[sitp-recs]

Between the Power Lines by @tackytigerfic (M, 3k)

For Harry Potter, all roads eventually lead to Draco Malfoy. Or: this is not an AU! It's just Harry and Draco meeting by chance in an imported food shop in Connecticut and going on a road trip together. Featuring motels, cacti, Americana, and a hefty dose of pining.

In New Orleans, they got drunk on Bourbon Street, and Malfoy danced on his own (arms bare, laughing; Harry could have watched him all night) and later on, so late it was almost morning, they let themselves into the St Louis Cemetery—Malfoy unpicking the lock so sweetly—and walked around until the sky was pink-edged with the promise of another day’s heat. Then they sat on the steps of a crypt, watched over by sightless eyes of the statue of an angel. She looked exhausted rather than sad, Harry thought, and that made a lot of sense when he thought about his own longstanding, dull-edged grief.

It’s been ages (or 2 years) since I last wrote a rec for Tacky (I usually write for other readers, except when I’m reccing friends - then I write for them) and their birthday was the perfect excuse to put my reccing muscles back to work. I almost bailed out because I know this is one of T’s own faves and “what if I don’t do it justice?” but that tired angel banner has been sitting in my drafts for 3 long years and it deserves a proper rec!

Where to even begin? Anyone who knows Tacky is aware of their superb prose - rich and nuanced, compassionate, effortlessly funny, with a strong sense of place and a soft spot for suds scenes and filthy m-rated sex I mean devastating romance. Their writing breathes heart and personality, very much like Tacky themself. So knowing that this fic came out exactly as they intended it to should be enough to make you go read this right now, but in case you need further incentive, see below all the reasons why this oneshot is so special to me:

1. The *vibes*: if you thought that 3k is nowhere near enough to build the sexiest, most intriguing Americana atmosphere you’ve seen, think again. The aesthetics are impeccable here, decorating the beautiful and strange landscape - cacti and cheap motels included - into something peaceful and desolate, an overarching melancholy making it even more compelling. The dialogue is brilliant but the silences are just as loud and meaningful, with a quiet intimacy and a dreamlike quality that make you feel as if you're intruding a memory.

2. The romance: at this point everyone and their dog know that pining!Harry is Tacky's jam - they luxuriate in making us all suffer with him until the realization that Draco has been loving him back all along slaps us in the face. Harry is so stupid and desperate and wanton, I love it. And the way Tacky reinvents this delicious trope to make it work in new angsty ways blows my mind. Imo the slow burn is particularly effective here, a feat in any 3k story, because the narrative gives us so much character insight. We learn all the little things that make these two lonely boys tick as we watch their ever-changing perception of each other evolve from a tentative truce to reluctant confidants to a comfortable, easy love that comes naturally and earned. We often get those bits of information from imagery and emotions alone, no dialogue needed, and a road trip is the best way to explore those dynamics in a smooth, unhurried pace.

3. The journey: this is truly an immersive journey, not only physical as we keep jumping from one destination to the next, but also emotional, as we learn more about their vulnerabilities and desires the more they gravitate towards each other. This story shows that being far away from home can be both freeing and grounding, when you’re stuck with your hot enemy someone who knows about your darkest hour. It gives you the chance to heal and visualize a different future without forgetting your past or letting go of that which has shaped who you are. I love their chance encounter and how this poignant 30k love story is told in such impressive economy of words.

TL;DR: if you’re a short form fan and prone to melancholy like me believe me when I say it doesn’t get any better than this. The whole road trip shebang mixing grief, romance and nostalgia wrapped in Tacky’s lush writing is a gift to any reader and an elegant work of art. Enjoy!!!

[pu-butt]

Discussions of nostalgia porn aside if there is anything that can be said about That 90's Show it is that it can be added to the ever growing list of shows that should have had 20+ episode seasons like it would have had in ye olden days because you simply cannot realistically sell any sort of character development or relationship development in ten 22-minute episodes and it is such a loss that networks and streaming services keep forcing creators to try to do so anyway

[anarchywoofwoof]

the funny thing is that i don't think younger people - and i mean those under the age of 40 - really have a grasp on how many of today's issues can be tied back to a disastrous reagan policy:

war on drugs: reagan's aggressive escalation of the war on drugs was a catastrophic policy, primarily targeting minority communities and fueling mass incarceration. the crusade against drugs was more about controlling the Black, Latino and Native communities than addressing the actual problems of drug abuse, leading to a legacy of broken families and systemic racism within the criminal justice system.

deregulation and economic policies: reaganomics was an absolute disaster for the working class. reagan's policies of aggressive tax cuts for the rich, deregulation, and slashing social programs were nothing less than class warfare, deepening income inequality and entrenching corporate greed. these types of policies were a clear message that reagan's america was only for the wealthy elite and a loud "fuck you" to working americans.

environmental policies: despite his reputation being whitewashed thanks to the recovery of the ozone layer, reagan's environmental record was an unmitigated disaster. his administration gutted critical environmental protections and institutions like the EPA, turning a blind eye to pollution and corporate exploitation of natural resources. this blatant disregard for the planet was a clear sign of prioritizing short-term corporate profits over the future of the environment.

AIDS crisis: reagan's gross neglect of the aids crisis was nothing short of criminal and this doesn't even begin to touch on his wife's involvement. his administration's indifference to the plight of the lgbtq+ community during this devastating epidemic revealed a deep-seated bigotry and a complete failure of moral leadership.

mental health: reagan's dismantling of mental health institutions under the guise of 'reform' led directly to a surge in homelessness and a lack of support for those with mental health issues. his policies were cruel and inhumane and showed a personality-defining callous disregard for the most vulnerable in society.

labor and unions: reagan's attack on labor unions, exemplified by his handling of the patco strike, was a blatant assault on workers' rights. his actions emboldened corporations to suppress union activities, leading to a significant erosion of workers' power and rights in the workplace. he was colloquially known as "Ronnie the Union Buster Reagan"

foreign policy and military interventions: reagan's foreign policy, particularly in latin america, was imperialist and ruthless. his administration's support for dictatorships and right-wing death squads under the guise of fighting "communism" showed a complete disregard for human rights and self-determination of other nations.

public health: yes, reagan's agricultural policies actually facilitated the rise of high fructose corn syrup, once again prioritizing corporate profits over public health. this shift in the food industry has had lasting negative impacts on health, contributing to the obesity epidemic and other health issues.

privatization: reagan's push for privatization was a systematic dismantling of public services, transferring wealth and power to private corporations and further eroding the public's access to essential services.

education policies: his approach to education was more of an attack on public education than anything else, gutting funding and promoting policies that undermined equal access to quality education. this was, again, part of a broader agenda to maintain a status quo where the privileged remain in power.

this is just what i could come up with in a relatively short time and i did not even live under this man's presidency. the level at which ronald reagan has broken the united states truly can't be overstated.

[poppy-metal]

accidentally missing a date night w art because patrick distracted you w a ridiculous amount of foreplay…..obviously left the door wide open so art would see him pounding into you as he walked in slightly dejected…..the two of you cumming as he leans against the door looking disappointed…..greeting him super out of breath like hi. you look good. what’s with the face until it dawns on you and you’re like noooo baby i’m so sorry :(((( and pat does a stupid smirk as he looks at art (still inside of u btw) and he’s like yeah sorry donaldson as art rolls his eyes and shoves him off of you so he can eat you out before all of pat’s cum leaks out. is that anything.

art is so >:((( abt it all because y'all KNOW how he feels about being left out - he's pissy about it - at patrick for knowing what day it was and what it meant and deciding to lay it on thick anyways. pissy at you because you let yourself be seduced. god you really are a cockdrunk little slut, huh. getting a big dick in your pussy is all you care about at the end of the day.

hes not REALLY mad though - because the sight alone - of patricks body on tops of yours, hips thrusting, undulating, making you jerk under him as you take it - it makes him hard immediately. he's familiar with the sound of patricks groan when he cums inside you, his gritted teeth and clenched jaw and he can only imagine how it looks and feels for you right then, that warm flood filling you up - you're so dazed by it you dont notice art there for a good few moments. twitching and limp on the bed.

hes not really pissed, but he plays up the fact that he is - pink lips in a pouted frown that makes patrick smirk because he sees right through him - and makes you look crestfallen with guilt. the apologies come immediately and art cant lie, it feels good to be coddled like this. to have his ego tended to so desperately like his feelings towards you matter so much even him being mad at you is something devastating. makes a little bead of pre bubble up at his slit, wetting his boxers.

he lets you conjole him and says the only way you can make it up to him is to show him your pussy. "i wanna see what was worth leaving me hanging for." with his arms all crossed like his mouth isn't filling with saliva when you demurely spread your legs - "i said i wanted to see." he snaps when thats all you do. getting a little mean now. petulant, almost. "show me your pussy."

as truly guilty as you feel for forgetting about your date, a hot flush goes through you at being talked down to. patrick, way too fucking relaxed for being the one at fault here - i mean really, how were you supposed to resist him when he kept telling you how fucking hot you were, how badly he wanted to fuck you in your cute little date dress - hooks a hand under your knee and spreads your leg across his lap.

"c'mon." he goads, squeezing your thigh. "be a good girlfriend and show your boyfriend your used up little hole."

god, that shouldn't make you clench but it does. and you reach down tentatively, part the folds of your cunt so the wet slit of you is exposed, your open pussy, dripping globs of white from your flexing entrance - still so soft and open from a thorough pounding.

art bites his lip.

"god, you really are a slut." he rasps, but hes palming the tent in his jeans. rubbing his heel into the hard ridge of himself as more cum leaks out of you, slides through your crack. "how're you gonna make this up to me, huh?"

patrick huffs a laugh. he and art look at eachother and patrick licks his teeth, that cocky smirk spreading across his lips. "stop acting like you dont wanna eat me out of her," he says softly, "came so fucking deep in her - you wanna tongue that shit out and moan like the whore you are. come over here."

patricks voics has taken on that rough quality, his dom voice. he tugs you onto his naked lap, uses both arms under the crease of your thighs to hold you open like an offering. the sticky pout of your cunt gleaming and wet and supple.

"eat my sloppy fucking seconds."

art drops to his knees.

[anarcoqueer1994]

Eddie likes how sweet and protective and kind and brave and every other nice quality about Steve Harrington. But he also loves how truly bitchy and catty his boyfriend could be. Like especially after both of them make the brave (and truly dumb choice) to be open about their relationship in a small town like Hawkins. Steve’s parents had already disowned him and everyone already thought Eddie was a freak so hiding seemed stupid.

Like they went into a diner for lunch and some guy that used to be on the swim team with Steve made some homophobic comment about Steve only being on the swim team to stare at naked guys in the locker room. Of course, Steve was quick to belittle him and embarrass him in front of his girlfriend, picking him apart with knife like words.

Same thing happened when some girl around their age made some shitty comment about Eddie being a freak and murderer and her friends laughed. She graduated with Steve. He proceeds to tear her down with ease, picking apart her makeup and hair care routine and her entire fucking personality.

It was truly wild for Eddie to see the shift from his nice, sweet baby girl boyfriend to an absolutely devastating mean girl. And he couldn't help but love how the sharp hurtful comments shoot out of Steve's mouth when they are aimed toward would-be bullies. And if that meant Eddie would pull him into the nearest dark empty spot and show him how much he loved that mouth, so be it.

Because Steve was sweet, kind, amazing, but Steve is also a bitch.

[noangeleither]

yin and yang: carmy and sydney's creative processes + menu planning

what i love about analyzing carmy and sydney is the way they mirror each other. their similarities and differences, and how they have the potential to complement each other well. truly make each other better at this.

this is most evident with the way they approach creating a dish.

sydney's creative process

evidenced by sheridan (s01e05) and sundae (s02e03), sydney is very imaginative when it comes to creating a dish. the editing in these episodes gives us an intimate view of her creative process. recipes often come to her in dreams/daydreams.

sydney gets inspired by her passion for cooking, her family history and her city/world around her (architecture, nature, other restaurants in Chicago). this really fits into sydney's motivations as a chef.

Sydney uses food to make people happy. She likes to take care of people. someone on here explained the significance of sydney wanting exactly one michelin star, which would signify affordable high quality food that normal everyday people have access to. in braciole she mentions to marcus that her dad and her didn't really go out to eat so when they did, they made it count and it was special. she wants to create an experience like that with her own spot (the Bear).

so naturally that is reflected in her food. its not simply a great meal, but a fabric/archive of her culture, history, worldview and entire character.

while sydney has a very imaginative creative process, she often just jots down her ideas in her little notebook(s), for later reflection.

carmy's creative process

carmy has a more tense relationship with cooking. while sydney and carmy are both amazing chefs, carmy seems to be more jaded and detached from his work.

for carmy he grew up in a household where food was a big part of his family. his mom, mikey, and nat can all cook well. he is naturally very great at it. he uses food to be closer to the people he loves. thats why in the face of rejection from his brother, he goes off and becomes one of the best chefs in the country out of spite. why he uses the beef to try and fix his relationship with mikey. why he was so devasted when syd quit and why he started his dream restaurant with her after she came back.

because we dont get an intimate look into carmys psyche when creating a dish, its harder to say but based off his monolouge in braciole (s01e8) and the way he uses food to connect with people he loves rather than having passion for it independently i can surmise that carmy isn't imaginative as sydney. food is more like a math equation (ironic)/a science.

“he’s the best bc he didn’t have any of the bullshit”, emotional ties/relationships of any kind. his career esp at EMP were isolating, rigid and cold. he was the best bc he was calculating, precise and competitive. which breeds excellence in his field while straying him further away from love and true passion.

i imagine carmy to be more pragmatic with creating a dish.

but carmy is a creative person at his core and while creating a dish might not be as colorful as when sydney does it. we do know that carmy can draw and visualize his ideas onto paper. "Sistine Chapel" level drawings according to syd.

sydney + carmy - potential true partnership

on my 3rd rewatch, i couldn't help but feel so dissatisfied with their partnership. granted this is on purpose since the show is only 2 seasons in and they are trying to do a slow burn in all aspects, not just romantic.

it really hit me that carmy and sydney have never - at least on screen - created a meal together. in s1, we never see the risotto come to fruition, we just get carmys input but never the finished product. in s2 finally, carmy and Sydney work together now that their dynamic has changed from boss and employee to partners. we get like what? 4 scenes of them creating the menu, and having this amazing professional chemistry but ultimately leads to two failed dishes, which would be ok if they worked together after that. but they dont...

instead for the rest of the season, we see them (mainly Syd) working on the menu separately. the menu is....alright. mainly has carmy written all over it (he has a the seven fishes + cannolis, weird homage to one of the worst nights of his life).

*putting on another pair of shipper goggles to say this makes the whole "you make me better at this" confession, even more mind-boggling bc better at what? you guys haven't even worked together all season. this = life , i rest my case*

in s3 and beyond, im excited for them to truly start working together as partners and actually see them create a dish together.

i want to see how their approaches to creating a dish can help the other.

how sydneys creative process can help carmy

besides the obvious romantic implications of the palette cleanser outing, the potential for them to understand each other on a deeper level in regards to food is something i mourn everyday.

after sydney goes on her trip solo, we see her ride the ferry and just take a look at her surroundings. shes thinking about the food she ate, shes looking at buildings, windows, looking at the snow. all inspiration for a dish.

imagine if carmy was there with her. he would be curious about what she's thinking about, get insight on how she creates and maybe want to learn to see food in a less practical way.

i mean he hadn't drawn in years it seems until he was inspired by sydney and the chaos menu to draw again....now imagine if he didn't ruin the moment by bringing up claire (LMFAO). the point is, sydney naturally sparks creativity and passion in him, even when they aren't together.

i know many people are theorizing that carmy will leave the culinary industry (and i agree most of the time) but i also think sydney is slowly but surely helping him discover/re-discover a passion for cooking. i think that carmy likes that sydney likes to take care of people because subconsciously he knows he does the same thing or has the potential for it (i.e making tiff sprite from scratch when she was experiencing morning sickness). evidenced by fishes (s02e6), care often feels like an obligation (he takes care of drunk donna when shes going through an episode) but it doesnt have to be this way. and now carmy wants to get a star for her....their interests are slowly aligning.

how carmys creative process can help sydney

this isn't as concrete as the one above but i found it interesting thinking about how carmys more pragmatic approach and sydneys idealistic approach can work in tandem.

first scene in pop (s02e5) shows sydney and tina late at night working on the tasting menu. later in the episode we find out that carmy has been pushing back menu planning leaving sydney on her own. she trying an elements concept which is extremly creative and impressive but even tina says, which sydney later agrees, that its a lot for a tasting menu.

im stretching maybe....but based on carmys comment on her risotto from the season before (needs acid) + his practical approach, it seems like he acts like a buffer when sydneys ideas get "a lot".

*in chemistry buffers are solutions added to resist pH changes when acidic and basic components are added*

so if carmy needs to be more creative and sometimes sydneys ambitions gets ahead of her....

sydney is the heart, while carmy is the brain (???)

one cannot work without the other. when they truly come together to create the menu, they both need to learn from one another to elevate the restaurant. not to mention with carmy's italian american roots and syd's Nigerian-Caribbean/southern roots, they have the potential for amazing fusion dishes and real partnership. i and others want the menu to physically reflect both of them.

conclusion

i literally dont know where im going with this. sorta kinda meta but its more like hopes and dreams for next season and me wanting to type my ideas down.

they complement each other well ok? and have potential for a great partnership once they communicate better. i like this part of the definition of yin and yang:  Their interaction is thought to maintain the harmony of the universe and to influence everything within it.

carmy and Sydney are the leaders of the bear, their relationship is foundational to the success of their restauarnt and team, once they work together truly, play to their strengths and weaknesses, then will come true harmony in their universe.

bonus

more sydcarm parallels/similaries/differences/yin yang moments:

carmys gold chain, syds silver earrings

carmys white t-shirts, syds white button ups

carmy is bad at math, syds great with numbers

carmy wasn't really great at school, this is sorta fanon but i can imagine syd excelled in school

both wear birkenstocks (more a chef thing but i still think its cute)

sunshine x grumpy trope but like better...usually the sunshine (syd) is more emotionally vulnerable making a space for grumpy (Carm), but they switch positions. carmy allows sydney to be more emotionally vulnerable often initiating deep conversations, while syd is more closed up/guarded

overall tho i think its cute that they are both shy/emotionally stunted but i do think purely aesthetic wise, sydney has a softer exterior ( doe eyes, colourful scarves, awkward) while carmy is more intimidating (tats, smokes, looks angry all the time)

both fight dirty - i.e their individual fights with richie (review, the bear)

carmy tho is more prone to outbrusts of anger/violence while sydney lets that shit shimmer until she explodes on you

both their passcode being 11111

carmy having dark mode on his phone, syd having light mode in s2

their matching clothes moments earlier in the second season and in bolognese

if theres more, pls comment/reblog, bc i always think of this shit and need more to cry about

fin!

credits: gif 1&2 , gif 3 and gif 4

[poughkeepsies]

Not to make this 1000 times worse for everyone but actually, 614 and 615 were the episodes for both Buck and Eddie mutually rejecting each other and the other's place in their lives by implying that they are lacking in the area that is the other's love language. Lemme see if I can hold my pieces together long enough to explain.

614 with Eddie rejecting Buck was much more subtle and didn't show a reaction from Buck beyond general jealousy because I fully believe that Buck doesn't know he's in love with Eddie, because he never even allowed himself to consider it as an option. He is too petrified of people leaving and too incapable of accepting that he can be loved to ever put himself in a position to hope for something that has the potential to devastate him so thoroughly. But whether he knows he's in love with Eddie or not, over the past 5 seasons he has thrown himself completely and utterly head-first into being there for Eddie and Christopher, being their best friend and their safe place. He exists as a part of their lives that no one but Shannon has ever even come close to occupying. Buck doesn't do grand declarations like Eddie does, but he shows his love through quality time and acts of service and all of that boils down to making sure the Diaz boys are never, ever alone. And yet, just last episode Eddie decided that he wants to start dating because he doesn't want to be "alone" anymore. Eddie is scared of dying alone when Buck has proven time and time again that there is no mess, battlefield, or locked door that could keep him from Eddie if he's ever in danger. So if Eddie is still feeling alone, still scared of dying alone, then maybe the kind of partnership and presence Buck brings to their lives simply isn't what Eddie is looking for, at least in a romantic sense. Even if he isn't aware of his feelings yet, even subconsciously Buck would take that as a door closing in his face before he even had the chance to knock. And so continues the pattern of Eddie jumping back into the dating game and Buck diving in seconds after him.

Now, of course, Eddie isn't saying that because Buck isn't enough. Buck is everything he wants or needs in a partner, but that scares him because Eddie is aware of his feelings and that makes him so acutely aware of the fact that Buck will find someone else to settle down with and start his own family with any day now, and when that happens Eddie really will be well and truly alone. He can't break his own heart, he needs to start being proactive because he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life alone after Buck has moved on.

And in 615, when Buck says that Natalia really sees him, he's discounting the way Eddie has always unspokenly expressed his love for him. Because maybe Eddie hasn't ever used those exact words before, but every one of his major declarations, including "there's no one in this world I trust with my son more than you" (THE TO BE SEEN, TO BE FOUND SCENE?? HELLO???), "I love him enough to never stop trying and I know you do too", "I forgive you", "I know", "It's in my will if I die you become Christopher's legal guardian", and especially "you act like you're expendable, but you're wrong", have been just another way of Eddie telling him I see you for all that you are and I love you for it. The expandability line is a particularly unsubtle standout because it's absolutely paralleled with both Taylor and Margaret telling Buck "you think you're invincible but you're wrong," and there Eddie was again, paired against Buck's mom and his girlfriend, two of the people who should know him and love him the best and yet just don't. And oh shit I'm realizing this just as I'm typing this but Eddie is yet again being paralleled against Buck's mom and his girlfriend (the girlfriend now being Natalia). In 6x10 when Margaret calls him a "miracle baby" and the way Natalia gushes about his death - Buck's death and his birth, two of the most traumatic things that have ever happened to him and Buck is someone who so desperately wants everything to be okay, wants the trauma to have some grand meaning, so he takes the out and takes the win and he lets them let him hide behind the superficial positive bullshit. But Eddie, Eddie sees Buck and Eddie knows him and loves him enough that he can tell just how not okay all of this is, not just for Buck but for all the rest of the people who love him as well, and he doesn't want him to hide away from it because Buck shouldn't have to pretend to be unchanged but he should acknowledge the way he's changed. Eddie is seeing Buck more than Buck can handle being seen right now and Buck is unconsciously rejecting it by placing preference over the way Natalia sees him. Except to an Eddie who is already convinced Buck doesn't feel the same, who is so scared of being alone after Buck has moved on, this feels like just another way he won't be enough for Buck and the time when he'll really well and truly be alone is more and more drawing near. There's even something to be said about the fact that we see Eddie visibly realize just how much Buck has been affected as he's talking - the fact that he's realizing this so late may be making him even more sure of his inadequacy.

[sungbeam]

JACOB BAE BF HEADCANONS—!

jacob bae x gn!reader

0.9k words, fluff hehe, bulletpoints, barely proofread lol

a/n: we knew this was coming, everyone. don't act too surprised now õ_ó lmao thank u @justalildumpling for reminding me how to write bulletpoint hcs 🤡😭

jacob bae, boyfriend material™, my beloved sweet canadian angel boy—(bear with me 💀)

acts of service!

my reasoning behind this is incredibly justified okay 😩 if u haven't seen the picture of his response to a deobi about what he's looking for in a partner, he basically said for one of them that he'd like to be the one taking care of them instead of the other way around

completely justified; very jacob bae of him

this man would literally never let you lift a finger when you're with him. he would always insist on driving you places so you wouldn't have to take public transport by yourself, or he would def take time out of his day to go with you on public transport. if you had to, say, take the metro alone, he would facetime or call you the entire time so you weren't truly alone and someone knew where you were in case of an emergency

he'd probably even share his earbuds with you while sitting together so u could listen to the same music (communicating without words (´Д⊂��)

you can def expect him to be cooking dinner for the two of you, even after a long day. all he wants is to make sure you know you are loved and that you feel loved. he's not blind to the purple eye bags beneath your eyes, and even though he's tired, he knows you'd do the same for him

when he stays up late for you, you wake up early to prepare things for him in the morning

quality time!

if you don't live together, he would call you while studying or working so he can still be in your presence somehow. he's kind of quiet most of the time, but it's just cuz he's a great listener and wants to hear what you have to say instead.

we know that the poor thing is kind of a scaredy cat, so when the two of you are watching movies and he gets scared, he clings onto you and hides his face in your shoulder or your neck ><

when the two of you first started dating, he would try to pretend like he wasn't scared, but then when you noticed him curl up around a pillow or raise his blanket a little higher, you moved closer and let him hold onto you instead

can you imagine daily walks with him? maybe like taking the time each week in the evenings to hold hands and take a stroll through the park?

maybe you'd both scout out places for a picnic, and the two of you would giggle as you spread out the blanket and laid on top of each other beneath the shade of an oak tree, and he would have brought his guitar

SPEAKING OF HIS GUITAR!! (we all knew this was coming pls) when you expressed wanting to learn, he would be super excited to teach you

you're sitting between his legs or on his lap on the couch in his apartment, and he's just got his hands over yours as he shows you the right fingerings and patterns for certain chords

man likes to praise you and let you know you're doing a good job; has his chin settled on your shoulder and his mouth close to your ear as he murmurs "you're a natural at this, babe"

SOCJOSKC OH NO CAN U IMAGINE HIM PLAYING THE ELECTRIC GUITAR PART FROM MARIA, MARIA BY SANTANA 😭 (devastated </3)

late night drives with him: it's like 2am and neither of you can sleep, so he takes you out to drive around the neighborhood, then stops in an empty parking lot to sit together and quietly talk about life, love, and each other. it's very romantic and soft, just as he is, and he just holds your hand while he drives, his thumb running gently over your knuckles to assure you he's listening

misc! 😋

when you don't kiss him goodbye or good night he's just 🧍🏻‍♂️ with this little pout on his face like HUH.

would actually share his cereal with you; it's his love language

he may be an angel or whatever, but that just means he gets away with stuff easier !! i think it was implied somewhere that he plays pranks on people, and i can def see him hiding your car keys somewhere and giving you that angelic look like "it wasn't me" "cobie, i can see my keychain sticking out of your pocket" "you can have it back if you give me a kiss then"

OKAY. I'VE HELD BACK FOR THIS LONG BUT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE NEWSHOT PICS OF HIM HE'S SO BOYFRIEND IN THOSE HOW COULD I NOT?

in your first apartment together, you guys don't have a lot of furniture yet, so he sets up his laptop and gaming stuff on a couple moving boxes and coke cans 💀 but he's like "baby, my hair is getting in my eyes!!" while he's gaming and you come to his aid and tie his hair back or clip it back with one of your hair barrettes hehe

at pool parties with the other boyz, he goes shirtless (ofc) and every time he wraps his arm around you, you have a heart attack (as you should)

when beach volleyball starts up in the pool, the two of you end up on opposite teams and it's like the only time everyone sees the two of you so competitive, but it's only cuz you're both pretty good 🥴

but as soon as kyunyu challenge everyone to a chicken fight in the pool, you're both back in the other's good graces and you hop on top of jacob's shoulders to absolutely destroy everyone

a/n: lmk who u wanna see next! might end up doing kev or kyu next tho tbh lol

tbz m.list

permanent taglist: @tayunji @im-a-big-mess @honeyhuii @crazywittysassy @seomisaho @stopeatread @enhacolor @rnjfy @jaehunnyy @kpopjackie @spiderrenjunfics @soobin-chois @stayarmytinyzenmoa-l @mingiholic @ja4hyvn @vatterie @yogurteume @justalildumpling @hyunjaespresent-deobi @hongyangi @pxppxrminty @nerdypastacalzonespy @kflixnet

[glassprism]

Opinion on chumisa? She’s gorgeous but haven’t heard much of her

So, keeping in mind that I tend to just skim over reviews and I don't really get hyped over actors a lot...

I really liked her. Like, she was very, very good.

And it's pretty incredible considering the video I have of her that she's only barely started the role, but there we are: Chumisa Dornford-May feels like she came into the production already having a good idea of exactly how she wanted to play Christine and how she wanted to act certain scenes and string it all together to show her character's arc, and she went and did it. Now all that's left is for her to refine it.

Some highlights: from the get-go I loved how she played 'Think of Me'; I think it's very tempting to go the happy, joyful route a la Gina Beck, and I like that interpretation! But she acted the song in a way that was more appropriate to the lyrics she was singing, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes wistful, sometimes distant and grieving. It gave me a great sense of Christine as not only a good singer but a good performer too.

In terms of whether she was a Phantom or Raoul girlie, I'd honestly say neither, though if pushed I'd say she maybe leans a little more towards Raoul. Her Christine in the lair scenes was not necessarily afraid or angry at the Phantom, but she did feel rather resistant to him, especially compared to some of the other Christines in the role right now (e.g. Lily Kerhoas and Colleen Rose Curran). There were moment where she would melt a little, seemingly going, "Oh, this is kind of nice", but much of the time, she appeared more wary than anything else, unsure of what the Phantom was up to.

I also say she's not quite a Raoul girlie because she acts similarly in the rooftop scenes. In particular, her 'Why Have You Brought Me Here' was played like she was trying very hard to convince Raoul of what she saw and was angered that he kept trying to calm her down rather than actually attempting to understand her. Her Christine doesn't just want to tell Raoul what's going on, she wants him to believe her. She was also noticeably less giggly than other Christines during 'All I Ask of You', at least in this performance, and I liked how it kind of flips the dynamic between them: whereas earlier it was Christine trying to convince Raoul, now he has to be the one to convince her that all is goodness and light, and I'm not fully sure she bought into it.

What else? Oh, in 'Twisted Every Way', she did something that I first saw Yang Chen Xiuyi do in the Chinese production, which was to turn very hopefully towards Raoul when he says, "Christine, Christine, don't think that I don't care..." It's like she thinks, or wants to think, that Raoul is going to back down and call off his plan, which makes it all the more devastating when he doesn't.

And finally, by 'Point of No Return' and 'Final Lair', her Christine had definitely reached her limit with the Phantom. I really enjoyed how you can see Christine working out that it's the Phantom onstage with her during 'Point of No Return', slowly drawing out her phrases as the wheels in her head spin and then committing to continuing the show to catch him. (Never mind about the stuff after.) She delivered a truly contemptuous, "Please, Raoul, it's useless" in the 'Final Lair', and I think she gave a truly angry kiss to the Phantom. It felt very similar, interestingly, to her dynamic with Raoul on the rooftop; she seemed to be using the kiss to desperately try to convince the Phantom away from his current path (using the power of making out to stop the cycle of abuse and trauma!). Such was the quality of the video that I'm pretty sure I saw tears on her face during the kiss, and Chumisa Dornford-May played it, I feel, like it was due to the overwhelming catharsis of emotions she was experiencing: anger, grief, betrayal, terror, all of it being released into this one grand moment.

The only flaws I really noticed had to do with her singing. Most reviews have pointed out she belts some of the score; I didn't notice it too much, but I definitely heard it during 'Wishing'. It wasn't the worst place to belt - she did it during the last stanza, where Christine is usually singing pretty loudly anyway, likely to add volume to her singing - and I didn't mind it too much, but it was jarring. There were also a few parts where her voice was a little quiet, and small scenes where Christine was not the focal point but she could done a little more in her acting, or just paused and let the scene "breathe" a little (which, in fairness, is something most actors new to a role will do, rush through the show).

But honestly, those were minor nitpicks in what was otherwise a really great performance. And this is her early in her run? I can only imagine what she'll be like with a few more months under her belt!

[demonic-dorito]

I know many people immediately hate Varania for betraying Fenris, but I think in her eyes, it was the best she could do for him.

When Fenris kills Hadriana, he says that Danarius must know that Fenris knows about his sister. Could there even be a world in which Danarius is monitoring Varania constantly? Checking through all the messages she got, having her followed, reading the messages she sends to Fenris, using his influence as a magister to make sure Varania’s work was never quite successful- keeping her desperate for a way to have a decent quality of life. Like if she straight up said no to his proposition he could literally just have her blacklisted from whatever line of work she wanted to be in, so she’d be forced to come back to him, groveling. “””Best””” case scenario is Varania gets to Kirkwall, hangs out with Fenris for a few days, Danarius captures Varania and tells Fenris that if he doesn’t come back, he’s gonna torture Varania. With this in mind, Varania’s best play is to go along with Danarius from the get go. And the sad part is, that’s also the best for Fenris in Varania’s mind. If Fenris returns to slavery with his sister as his masters apprentice, she would be in a position of authority- one she could use to help him, ease his struggles. And think about the way Varania reacts to seeing her brother again. She isn’t cackling maniacally and twirling her stick-on curly mustache- she sounds devastated he actually showed up. This, to me, doesn’t read like she was power seeking. It feels like she genuinely cared for her brother despite the resentment she felt toward him due to her struggles of being a free elf in a slave society.

Now, do I believe that Danarius would hold up his end of the bargain? Absolutely not. I think he’d plot to have to disposed of the second the three of them landed on Seheron to replace her with a respectable (read:human) apprentice. At that point, it’d be far harder to Fenris to escape.

I truly don’t believe Varania ever had a real moment of agency in the situation. She, like many of those whose misfortune lands them in Kirkwall, is a tragic character. I hope she was able to find work in the Free Marshes.

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

For Matthew

One of our dear crewmates, Stephanie, lost her son back in 2022. They both watched S1 together, and tragically he passed away not long after. Stephanie has been an active member of our crew for years now, and she reached out to Rhys and he made a lovely Cameo for her.

Some of you may have already seen it as she's been kind enough to share it with us previously, but after talking with Stephanie and hearing about who Matthew was, I wanted to put together a small dedication to him, and share Stephanie's words with you with her permission. 

-- Dedication --

Matthew was 39 years old when he passed away, one of the original OFMD crewmates. He was a quirky, deaf, funny, and talented man who gave the world kindness despite the struggles he went through. He loved theatre, movies, video games, local art, and independent restaurants, and made a positive impact on everyone he met.

Matthew made his debut as a professional backyard wrestler in 2002 in the Phoenix New Times, and he worked on many well known video games in the industry doing development and quality assurance. He was truly a child a learning, and a true pilar of support in the community, and spent a great deal of time laughing and bringing light and joy to the world.

With his last wish, he donated his body to science, continuing on his loving and supportive legacy. Matthew was a wonderful man that was lost far too soon and his mother Stephanie, as well as anyone who knew him miss him so very much. Below is his obituary if you'd like to learn more about this wonderful crewmate of ours. 

We salute you Matthew. You are the embodiment of all the kindness, acceptance, support, and loving things that embody Our Flag Means Death as well, and we're honored to have you amongst us in spirit. You are greatly missed, but never forgotten. 

--- Stephanie ---

"...I wanted to share something with the fandom about my journey with OFMD and wondered if any of you have experienced some personal growth right along with Ed and Stede (and of course many others in the crew).

My 39-year old son told me there was a show we had to watch that just dropped. He says "you'll love it because Taika's in it and we love pirates.” I laughed and said, “I’m in.”

I had no idea what it was about, but he and I had watched Black Sails together and he’s right—we love pirates. Within minutes of the pilot, I was completely won over and enjoying every moment of piracy on the Revenge. “What we’re about to do will be perilous . . . . “. From that moment on, I was in deep. We binged the first 3 episodes, rewinding to replay scenes and went mental when we realized that we had to wait a full week for 2 more episodes. My son and I would text about it non-stop and we both started quoting lines and getting even more invested. He was sending me meme's and screenshots and we started living our best pirate life.

By the end of the season, we had laughed, cried, and thoroughly discussed every aspect of Ed and Stede's growing relationship. We felt the pain of the cliffhanger and became “mentally devastated by what [we’ve] witnessed” and we certainly didn’t bottle it up.

We talked non-stop about the show. It became a daily thing. Articles, interviews, pictures and joining in the quest for renewal. Once it got renewed (PRIDE month), we were on the lookout for any posts or information about signs of filming, etc. We couldn't wait for the second season and were counting down the months after we knew filming wrapped.

Then the unthinkable happened. My son went into the hospital after having a slow recovery to multiple surgeries. Cliff Notes version: He was admitted and within 24 hours, he was in ICU on life support. My son had an extensive medical history beginning when he was an infant. 42+ surgeries and many air-evacs to Children’s Hospital so it was kind of the norm to go in and be out within a few days or week and be on the road to recovery again.

If you met him, you wouldn’t even know he had all the medical issues he had because he worked full time and carried himself like a stand-up comedian--always laughing and telling stories. He was a video gamer who had worked in the industry for 7 years until he had to take a leave to handle his medical issues and have a job that didn’t exceed 40 hours.. He was really a character and had a lot of funny mannerisms. 

This time was different. He didn’t rally and 10 days later he tragically died from a fungal infection that they couldn’t identify until it was too late to treat.

He died in June, 2022, and the grief has been unrelenting and unbearable. I have literally shut down and spent the months grieving and in so much pain that I can barely leave the house and see anyone. It has broken me. When I saw the actual date that S2 would drop, my emotions were so intense because I didn't know how I could possibly watch it without him. I finally went on and rewatched Season 1 to prepare for Season 2 and found myself crying through the entire 10 episodes every time I thought of his witty banter during the season.

I wasn’t sure I could handle Season 2 without him. I talked about it a lot in Grief therapy and decided I would watch it with him and for him. I would try the first episode and see if I could do it. I would imagine all the conversations we would have had.

Matthew understood being different. He was Deaf and spent so much time in and out of hospitals and was bullied and teased his whole childhood. Even with all of that, he grew up to be loving, kind, accepting of all, and a VERY FUNNY guy.

On the day I started S2, I remembered that Matthew enjoyed being on the groups on Reddit for OFMD. Having never done Reddit, I was nervous, but decided I would see if the online community would be something that would give me the thing I missed so much . . . his commentary.

I couldn't believe how it opened my world up. Everyone was so nice and open to discussion about OFMD. The banter, information and excitement has been so restorative for me. It has given me a lot of healing to say the least. 

I binged the first 3 episodes for S2 and went through it with all of you watching Blackbeard fall into the worst version of the Kraken that he had been and felt every emotion during the s2e3 Merman scene. Laughing and crying, laughing and crying, I waited for each week craving their reunion would finally happen and celebrated on-line with the entire fandom as we shared our analysis and thoughts.

Having a show that means so much to me has truly made me so happy. I loved that Ed and Stede are a middle aged couple and that they both had to grow so much to get to the point where they could be together in life as a beautiful and loving couple. I appreciated the writing so much because DJ and crew did really give us what he said he would, but in a far better way than I could have ever imagined.

I still need a s3 because I want to see Ed and Stede mature even more as a couple--no more leaving each other! I also want to see them meet up with their found family.

I want to see the new Revenge adventures, Spanish Jackie and Swede, Izzy legacy moments, Zheng, Oluwande, Wee John, Jim, Archie, Fang, Frenchie, Black Pete, Lucius, Buttons the sea gull, the perfect music and emotional parallels to past episodes and, of course, revenge for Minor Prince Ricky, Is that asking too much? I'm sure I left out so much else I want to see, but you all get it because you are stuck in this vortex right along side of me.

I dream of HBO/Max renewing this sooner rather than later so I can start thinking of when they will be filming and following all the hints that unfold. This show means so much to me and I am grateful that it exists. 

I feel like I can be a better version of an ally to the community I love so much by immersing myself within all the representation in this treasure trove of storytelling. I learn so much by seeing these relationships develop into deep and committed love and have such respect for all of us who just want to see these relationships normalized everywhere in society. We all benefit from inclusion and I am very very grateful for this show. It means more to me than I could ever explain.

I'm sorry I rambled, but I am just so appreciative of all the people in this group who just share and talk and roll around in all our in-depth chatter.

I celebrate this series and everyone that worked so hard to provide this beautiful story. I feel my son's presence every moment I watch it (on repeat) and discuss it every single day.

Izzy's (Con's) death scene touched me deeply . . . thinking about losing my son and how that felt and how I held onto him for as long as I could so I wouldn’t forget how it felt to hold him. Taika's commitment to the pain of losing Izzy felt like it paralleled all my feelings since the loss. Izzy's deathbed voice and words have lived in my heart ever since.

Con and Taika were top tier and seeing all the crew's emotions as they watched what was happening felt so raw and touching. I also felt so much from s2e3 when Ed is dead and Stede is begging him to live . . . I lived that as well, convinced that my son would somehow prove them all wrong and open his eyes. I said it over and over and when Ed opened his eyes, I just felt every single emotional hurdle.

Yes, I was a bucket of tears through it all, but I also felt a lot of healing. I’d love to hear from any of you who have had some kind of evolution or growth from this gift of a show."

----

You can reach out to Stephanie here on twitter if you'd like to discuss some of your experiences as well.  SRC: Stephanie's words per her permission. If someone doesn't have access to tumblr, they can read about Matthew on the Repo:

Cameo: Rhys Darby - For Matthew

[justatalkingface]

You ever notice how quirklessness shouldn't exist in My Hero Academia. It doesnt add anything to the story. if you gave izuku a quirk that allowed him to change the colour of his hair or alter the number of freckles he has on his face, nothing in the story would chang.

Him being ostracised wasn't because of him being quirkless but because he was seen as a creepy otaku who kept personal notes on other people's biology.

People telling him he can't be a hero despite his dreams could just as easily stem from him having an extremely mundane quirk.

Other than Izuku no other characters seemingly faced any problems from being quirkless. Mirio was still extremely capable when he lost his quirk and was still able to continue on at UA without losing his status as one of the big 3. Melissa Shield didn't face any issues because of her quirklessness.

the worst thing to happen was to Pixie-Bob and that was the Wild Wild Pussy Cats decline in the rankings because they, objectively speaking, couldn't perform to the same standard as before.

The MLF aren't anti qurikless so much as they are anti weakness, wanting to be able to freely use their quirks with some kind of Might makes Right mentality.

Quirklessness only serves the purpose of making Izuku an underdog and that could be easily replicated with a mundane quirk. There is the whole only quirkless people can weird OFA thing now but that has been retroactively added to explain why the quirk isn't being given to someone else.

In a world that values quirks above all else being Quirkless should be a massive deal. Quirklessness should have a huge focus in my hero academia just from implication alone that 20% of the population is "biologically inferior" to 80% even if that inferiority in most cases is extremely negligible, but preceived biological superiority over meaningless differences has caused devastating wars in real life.

Melissa Sheild, despite who her father is, despite the quality of her work, she should face issues for being quirkless in a field that doesn't require a quirk at all, her work seen as somehow inferior with her needing to put in twice the effort for half the exposure.

Mirio and pixie-bob should have been blindsided by their newfound treatment for being quirkless.

But quirklessness doesn't really matter in canon MHA it's only there to showcase a Zero to Hero story with the main character.

20% of the entire world's population is quirkless, if its the same number as our own (low-balling cause its 200 years in the future not the present) at 8 billion then there is roughly 1.6 billion naturally quirkless people in the world. An absolutely massive demographic of people.

Yet there is only 4 quirkless people in the show, with 2 being made quirkless via special bullet or had their quirk stoled by AFO.

I genuinely believe that the concept of people being quirkless is so meaningless that it actually hurts the story and that the show, as it is presented in canon would be better if 100% of the population has quirks.

TLDR: Nothing is done with quirklessness. It's redundant, underutilised and meaningless. Anything quirklessness truly does for the story can be replicated by mundane quirks. I have no idea why the concept of quirklessness isn't explored and wonder why the author wrote about it at all.

Hmm. Beyond wanting to defend early Izuku, there's two ways to look at this: Quirklessness form a lore perspective, and as a story element.

The thing is that, lore-wise? Quirkless makes sense as a thing. Quirks are, what, only a couple hundred years old? Not only that, but the way that they escalated both in power, and commonality? If I had to guess, Quirks probably became 'common' maybe... a hundred years ago, and then things escalated to now, where Quirks are the standard. There's a place within the foundation of the setting itself for there to be a small population of people who are 'normal' in a world of abnormals.

Beyond that, I saw this in a fanfic somewhere and I haven't forgotten this concept: 20% is for the population as a whole. But, if you were to break it down by ages? Quirkless, in all likelihood, is an 'affliction' of the old, because Quirks are always more plentiful and powerful in each newer generation. The reason why we see all of three Quirkless people in story (beyond Hori laziness) is that, in all honesty? Izuku, Aoyama and Melissa are probably the last of a dying breed; within a generation or two, max, I'd expect will be no more Quirkless people born (you know, if the Quirk SIngularity, as in one or two stupidly powerful beings, don't accidently the human race, or people broadly become so powerful to the point where they become ungovernable and society collapses (or if, as some people theorize, Hori just doesn't axe Quirks somehow at the end of the story)).

Tying this back into Izuku? Well, first off, 'Izuku the creepy otaku' fanon really isn't a thing. The, at times infamous, notebook? It's called 'For My Future, Hero Analysis'. Bakugou is offended by it, and burns it, because their a sign of Izuku's ambition to be a hero, which he hates because he loathes Izuku. There's nothing there about... like, his classmates, as far as we can tell, there's just the idea of Izuku even vaguely possibly going near heroics, which would besmirching Bakugou's 'origin story', and thus it must be put down. That's what offended him, and no one else even cared about it.

(And, while I'm on the topic of this kind of fanon, even if you didn't actually bring it up: Izuku the stalker, or Izuku following around Bakugou is also bullshit. When they were little, little kids they were kind of sort of friends, and Izuku followed him then, as part of a group, but after the Quirks came in Bakugou turned on Izuku. Every time we've seen them since he was, what, five? Izuku is avoiding Bakugou, to the best of his abilities, which is complicated by them being in the same class. When they were in the same area he was always cringing, ducking, curling up, all defensive behaviors, because Izuku doesn't want to follow Bakugou, he's afraid of him, and for good reason.

Until well into their time in UA, Bakugou is the only one to initiate any sort of interact with Izuku, and Izuku only responses to him.)

Like, I'm looking at Chapter One right now: the reason all the kids are bullying him? Beyond Bakugou, the most popular kid in school with the same energy as the game winning quarterback the faculty panders to, actively bullying him and everyone following the leader? Izuku is weak, helpless to resist Bakugou's words (which are backed by technically illegal force, as they all know), and is basiclly getting above himself by daring to dream of being a hero when he has no Quirk. Explicitly, the bullying is focused around his Quirklessness.

I mean, hell, there's at least one mediocre Quirk in the room with that kid with the long fingers; while it's more useful than your freckles example, he's really not going to be a hero off a Quirk like that. Yet, the teacher says that everyone wants to be a hero, and everyone cheers... except Izuku, who is trying not to get noticed. I doubt anyone thinks Long Fingers Kid can ever be a hero, but he can dream that apparently universal dream, the same way most kids dream of being rich and famous, even if the know that they'll probably never be any such thing. Izuku, though? He's not allowed that dream.

Meanwhile, there's Aoyama, who we don't get much information on because Post War, but apparently his life was so miserable that his parents basiclly sold their souls to AFO just to get him a Quirk and thus societal acceptance.

Melissa Shield is an outlier on that dynamic of 'Quirklessness is something that society mocks and beats down on', because she's happy and apparently well adjusted, but there's some things about her which throws that metric off; most fundamentally, she's not from Japan. We don't know what it's like in the U.S., but we know that MHA Japan seems unchanged (bizarrely so, you'd really expect all these upheavals and advanced technology to cause more major changes), beyond Quirks and Heros, from our Japan, and from my understanding (though I'll admit I'm hardly an expert) Japan is generally less accepting of those who fall outside of societal norms, and more tolerant of things like bullying. Whatever it's like to be Quirkless in the U.S. could just be... nicer, than what it's like in Japan, which is canonly shit by all accounts.

And, while we don't see much of her life, the fact that her father's first instinct is to comfort her is telling that it is seen negatively there, at least to some extent. So, with all that in mind, I don't see Melissa as disproving the 'Quirklessness is bad' concept, she's just specifically lucky in not being around a Bakugou, along with being in what is likely to be a more welcoming environment in America and I-Island, along with the fact that we literally don't know her life. For all we know she was bullied for it to some extent, and it just wasn't as bad as Izuku had it.

The fact her work is more accepted than it should be... again, we don't actually know what American/I-Island society is like; maybe she did have to jump through more hoops, and we don't see it. Maybe she 'earned' her place a while ago, and was accept despite her Quirklessness because she's that good. Maybe her scientist father lends her legitimacy/protection from such things. There's a lot of ways to explain that off, but if I'm being honest I don't think that's something Hori actually put thought into, so I'm not surprised her backstory and what shaped her is unknown/more or less non-existent.

On the other hand, Mirio is in a completely different situation than someone born Quirkless, because he had a Quirk. He was a hero, he has a history of success, and had that taken away from him. Of course he's going to be treated differently!

He was normal, is the thing, and so from that lense the natural thing people would think of him isn't contempt for a lesser, but pity. If you look at Quirklessness as a disability, than while Izuku has, what, a birth defect(? Not really sure there's a good example to use, here), Mirio is a veteran with a missing leg.... though, again, after he loses his Quirk he's put on a bus until he gets it back, and even then he's barely there, so... we don't actually know how he was treated.

And all of that brings us to the other way to look at Quirklessness: as a story element. This is the end where so many complaints come from, and it's clear it's an element Hori dropped, and wanted to be forgotten, a long time ago. I've said it before, but MHA is a story with the bones of a completely different story in it; so much of early MHA is built around a lower key, lower power leveled dynamic, in the same vein as the one shot with the older Izuku who never gets a Quirk, one that was rapidly phased out for the newer flashier story... but it was never removed properly, and it suffers from that incomplete separation.

It's the same reason that Izuku gets through the Sports Festival largely with his wits, but not too long after he goes on the field trip and the only way he can deal with Muscular is with raw power, even though (as pointed out by @kingvamps a while ago in a comment) he has, like, a designated weak spot in his eye, literally a, 'hit here to beat him' area, which could have been used as the way a much weaker (Quirkless) Izuku could have beaten his much stronger opponent (if, admittedly, a version that is maybe less overwhelmingly powerful than what we see in canon), perhaps with some help from Kota: because the Sports Festival still has those bones from the original story, planned around that dynamic, where Izuku was presumably Quirkless, and so has to solve his problems with his mind, where by the time we meet Muscular we've completely moved past that into the new story, where, if it was possible, Izuku was never really Quirkless at all, and even if he was it never really mattered to him. Now let's watch him punch good!

(For the record, I'll point out that around that time period is where we transition from Bakugou having some (not enough) consequences to his actions/attitude, to his attitude suddenly being great and awesome, and isn't it funny how that works out?

You can see the bones, again, where Bakugou being a bad person was actually relevant in some earlier draft of MHA, until we reached the point where he was either written out of the story all together, and thus Hori was writing him without that guideline, or his role just became much more important and had to be altered accordingly, and so he, and how people reacted to him, changed out of nowhere to the new standard that has continued from then onwards.

The fact that Izuku's Quirklessness and how it affected him, and his traumatic backstory as a whole, would reflect negatively on Bakugou if it was focused on at all, who at that point seemed to be promoted in the manga's storyline is probably connected on some level to the fact that those factors also stopped being relevant. Though, admittedly, I doubt that that's the only reason why Quirklessness was phased out of the plot, I don't think it's an insignificant reason for it either. While this is technically correct and relevant, it's also something I think is a bit too off topic, so I'll leave it at this for now.)

You're right that, in this final product we've been given, outside of one or two chapters that could have been edited, there's no actual relevance with Izuku originally being Quirkless. It is, for all intents and purposes, a useless story element... but it shouldn't be. There is so much potential to exploring it, so much that could have been done to develop Izuku, Bakugou, and just the setting as a whole, that could have made everything deeper, and more interesting, and one of the biggest problems with the story is this, that a fundamental part of the main character was deemed inconvenient and abandoned.

[helpfandom]

hi … you write so well . holds out my little tincan to you .

badcomputer ( batwheels .. ) x reader . :D just some headcanons / fluff would be so joyous .. thank you so much !

@lonleydweller

Also, guys you can just ask whatever you want to ask, you can't be annoying to me, please ask me more about Batwheels!

Please!

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He definitely asks the Legion of Zoom to keep an eye on you and uses them as a form of keeping you near him, using excuses of "Well, they're the only human who knows what's truly going on! We must make sure they don't tell any of the pesky bats!" and the like to excuse why he insists on them always bringing you near when they find you, much to the detriment of your own social life.

Feels nothing when you get freaked out by Crash losing his limbs and sort of kind of likes it when you get a little freaked out? He enjoys that he's semi-better than you, but gets TERRIBLY embarrassed to hear your giggling when you laugh at him when the baseball sounds go off when he's talking.

Definitely a quality time and compliments kind of person, he's content to have you sit on his head and look out on Gotham while the Legion of Zoom are out and about.

Yes, he's mean and insults you, but he doesn't understand that people don't insult each other (or at least on the level of devastation he does, mentioning personal details to dig down to your core and hurt you), so the first time he brings you to tears he truly doesn't understand and thinks it's your way of trying to hurt him, but when you run away from his taunts, does he understand then.

So he's extreme with his apology, asking Jestah (since she's bright enough to know that's an obsession) to get you flowers, Snowy to create some ice cream, again making up false excuses to placate them until he's satisfied with his apology.

He's likely to just show up at your house and on your electronics as a way to always be with you, otherwise asking Crash to immediately be there when you're out of school, the house, wherever so you can spend as much time with them.

He doesn't hate all humans! Look at you! You're so squishy, but you're his favorite.

[starsreminisce]

What are your thoughts about Elain and Graysen and their relationship before Elain turned fae?

Personally, it was enough.

Elain is a romantic who easily gets swept up in the allure of romance. Graysen, on paper, seemed like an ideal match—he was the son of an influential lord, appeared kind towards her despite his being a prick towards others, and they met at a ball, which made him seem sociable and charming. For Elain, Graysen represented a stability and respectability she could cling to, hoping it would grow into something deeper over time.

There was immense pressure on Elain to marry favorably, as mentioned by Nesta in ACOSF. It seems Elain’s worth was often reduced to whom she would marry. The organic nature of her courtship with Graysen made it appear as though Elain had the possibility of a love marriage, which she ultimately desires. She yearns for what her parents had—a genuine, loving relationship—and this might have blinded her to some of Graysen's more glaring faults or made her hope he was different from his father, especially with his prejudices against the fae.

Elain might have even viewed Graysen as heroic for their family’s preparation against a fae attack, which is why she suggested to the Inner Circle that humans be relocated there. Nesta approved of the match but wasn't overly enthusiastic, and it’s telling that Nesta was the one discussing the wedding instead of Elain. This dynamic hints at Elain's possible reservations, much like Feyre’s initial indifference towards her own wedding to Tamlin, which was overshadowed by her trauma.

Elain’s transformation into a fae was a significant point of contention with Graysen, who could not see past it to recognize that Elain remained the same person. Their courtship might have involved Graysen declaring he didn’t care about her past poverty or superficial qualities, which made Elain feel truly seen. She likely hoped that this genuine affection would endure despite her transformation. Her lingering hope that they could continue their engagement, and her renewed hope when Graysen showed up for the war without his father, underscores her longing for that initial promise of love and acceptance.

Having a mate might embody Elain’s fear of losing her autonomy in choosing her life partner, especially considering her experience with Graysen and the pressures from her family. Lucien, being a High Lord’s son, expressed a desire to marry someone below his station, inadvertently echoing Elain’s own fears of being valued for status rather than for who she truly is.

Overall, Elain saw Graysen as someone with whom she could have a good marriage, enough to want to give her maidenhood to. However, it's evident that Graysen did not reciprocate those feelings to the same extent, which devastated her. This was especially painful because Graysen was supposed to be the person she could depend on after experiencing the traumatic transformation against her will.

Thank you for asking!

[dangermousie]

2023 brought us two epic, excellent dramas about devastating invasion of period Korea by foreign armies - My Dearest and Goryeo Khitan War. Watching Injo "handle" the Qing invasion and watching Hyeonjong handle the Khitan invasion makes me think of those old Goofus/Gallant kids' magazine lessons. My mind breaks imagining Injo showing one hundredth of smarts, selflessness and care for his people and his country that Hyeonjong does. In both cases, the country is overrun, the odds are grim, and the ruler blamed by some and protected by others. But the difference between how the two kings handle the disaster is stark. But then, this is the danger of absolute monarchy - it's a pure luck lottery, isn't it? You may get My Dearest's Injo or GK War Hyeonjong or anything in between and you have no choice.

Hyeonjong's reaction on being attacked by armed peasants on his escape to the south, and watching his soldiers and "his" peasants kill each other pointlessly, as the peasants try to capture him on orders of local lords who want to give him to Khitan to curry favor, is pretty amazing. The man has no fighting skills and very little in the way of protection, but he is insanely brave. But also - compassionate. His soldiers would probably win against the rabble but it would be his people who'd die, either way. Unlike vast majority of drama rulers, Hyeonjong (perhaps innately, or perhaps due to his monk outside palace upbringing) seems to get that loyalty and devotion are supposed to go both ways. (He is, ironically, the king the scholars in My Dearest wished and believed Injo was, and the king the Crown Prince could have been if he wasn't murdered.)

I love this! The narrative shows that he is not perfect, that he has a steep learning curve and that behind the walls of his capital, he had little knowledge or control about what went in the provinces (and bigger emergencies, tbh) but the crucial thing is when confronted with new information, he learns and he understands and he accepts when he's at fault and wants to do better.

He has a quality almost unique in a fictional absolute ruler (and likely real ones also) - empathy.

This is AMAZING.

This is pretty much unimaginable for a royal, and one who rules by a divine right equivalent of sacred royal blood etc. I love him!

But the thing is, he's not a soft person, not really - not against people he believes he needs to take down. That display of royal arrogant temper against the traitor lords is DELICIOUS!!!!

The thing is, with all of this, he never comes across as a preachy patterncard, he just comes across as a truly good human being. Kudos to the writer!

[marukrawler]

In regards of the last anonymous ask about Runo, I was mad how she was the only one who got the worst trial and/or lesson. And I'm not against her having feelings for Dan and i kinda ship them both but whatever I feel the writers couldn't balance the difference about her between having feelings for Dan and her own goals showed episodes before the trial and in consecuence resulted in her now accepting being in love with Dan but in comparison with the other characters, Runo's trial shows to be the most weak.

but The problem is not that the girl lead has feelings for the main boy, but how all her problems revolved around him in her own trial. They would've focus on her insecurities caused by Dan and Julie harsh opinions or the fear of losing her loved ones, how her stubbornness can be a good quality but more times it works against her.

The writers were afraid of real success, I believe 😮‍💨

(don't tell anyone but i kinda ship them, too)

yeah runo having feelings for dan is not the issue, the issue is that everyone else (except dan) overcame obstacles that affected them on a personal level, which was foreshadowed earlier in the show.

we've seen julie's low self confidence and the way she compared herself to others when she denied wanting a talking bakugan and repeatedly stated that she was happy just the way she was (a lie.)

we've seen in marucho's debut episode how much he admires dan (moving to the same city to meet him him.) his trial uncovered how dan (among others) influenced marucho into becoming a more authentic person and how marucho as a result came to view his old self with contempt.

and of course, shun's trial dealt with how he hadn't truly moved past his mother's passing. i don't think i need to explain why his trial is incredibly relevant to his character arc.

runo's trial, in comparison, made no sense. lars lion wanted her to be truthful about something but runo didn't know what she was supposed to be honest about. that's not runo being stubborn, she's just genuinely confused. runo only realized what she was supposed to admit to when she recalled a memory from her past near the end of the battle.

i believe runo when she kept reiterating that she wasn't trying to hide anything, she just didn't know what she was supposed to own up to. they kept telling her to "be honest and not deceive herself" but all she remembered from her first encounter with dan was that he was a jerk to her and she wanted to get back at him (plus she viewed dan as not just a friend but also her rival.) that's not really her fault if that's all she remembered??

and when has her feelings for dan ever been presented as a personal obstacle? never! we've obviously seen the attraction between these two (mostly from runo's end) but it's not like she got into all those arguments with dan because she liked him. and why isn't dan's trial about admitting his own feelings for her, huh? (i mean. we know why. im just salty lol)

i've written my thoughts here about a potential runo trial and how it would not only be relevant when it comes to the bond she has with her bakugan and friends, but also when it comes to her friendship with alice and her feelings of revenge towards masquerade.

dan could definitely make an appearance in her trial and there'd be a nudge towards how devastated she felt when she thought he'd died. this could lead her to leaving the doom dimension more determined than ever to tell him how she feels and the romance element would still be present without overtaking her entire trial.