#we are a quad polycule

[ilikearcanenow]

I'm just going to start posting 🐝DSM imagines of myself and ambessa sevika and grayson in a modern au where nobody dies. The more hate comments I get the more cringe I will make it.

IGAF Sevika is a fitness influencer in this universe. She also talks about how she lost her arm. She has so many stories that nobody knows how she lost it.

Grayson is a Bounty Hunter after seeing AEAB and knowing she can't change the system. She smokes cigarellos too. She's a mom friend.

Ambessa owns a firearms company and actually has a good relationship with her kids. Kino is in Politics in Noxus and Mel is the treasurer of the Piltover council.

This will be a love letter to my fucking self. If I make you laugh too please throw me a follow ^-^.

[eclipsedshadowk]

Surely, no one will understand me, but

[withacapitalp]

Maybe I should make HTRAJ end with a quad of Steve/Nancy/Jonathan/Eddie

I mean if riverdale can do it

[ro-bee]

I’m very curious about the poly quad relationship (Narinder/Lamb/Kirander/Goat). I’m assuming that NariLamb, PupiGoat, and maybe LambGoat are love relationships (Let me know if I’m wrong), but what about Lamb x Kirander, Narinder x Goat, and Narinder x Kirander? Do they also love each other or is it mostly a sexual arrangement?

Ok so

Narilamb are very very in love (after all the divorce stuff now they are fine)

Pupigoat are toxic yaouri (?) but they're going to get better eventually (lamb is their couple counciler)

LambGoat have this very special relationship that is like best friends but not quite, lovers but not really?? Is hard to give it a name

Like queer platonic??? Qeer romantic?

And about the others :

Lamb and Kiran like each others and are very affectionate, so we can say that they are in love ;)

Nari and goat relationship is like "yeah I like their company but ngl it would be really funny if now they got hit by a car"

they don't hate each others toh! They are just bastards I think lol is like passive aggressive? neutral?? Fuck buddies even???

Nari and Kiran are like that Barbie meme "I'm just like you, you're just like me" they go along pretty well but sometimes nari bullies Kiran because "he's too sweet" just like his lamb, nothing too evil or anything

Also he would find very interesting kiran's "revenge" plan against his siblings (you know the whole "go goat, kill all gods, kill everyone")

Is there any jealousy in this messy polycule? Hm probably... Sometimes, but not much I think

Is probably just Kiran being like "why my lovely goat isn't THAT SWEET with me? *sad dog noises*" idk I think is funny

[doctorcurdlejr]

at the end of the day you can't say roberto didn't polycule. because he polyculed. and maybe he cared more about women's rights? cole is dead to me. but roberto well he said bitch you're in a quad. this we cannot deny.

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

ok im not going to tag this but i need you guys to know that my endgame ships for eridan and karkat are

eridan ♦️ karkat

eridan ♥️ roxy

roxy ♦️ calliope

eridan ♠️ calliope

karkat ♥️ calliope

i call it "the polycule only a blood player could love" and although it manages to be perfectly healthy, from the outside, everyone looks like they're cheating on everyone else. nepeta is staring at it going ":33 < dodged a fucking bullet!!!"

Eridan ♦️ Karkat

the ship with the most canon backing. this ship needs to be true before all other ships can be true because it keeps the two of them normal enough to have a shot at romancing anybody else. nobody realized they were pale for each other for an embarrasingly long time because their regular day to day conversations feature slurs and death threats. sometimes looks pitch or flushed from the outside because karkat is a mess who can't stop yelling at people he's trying to romance in the red quads, and because eridan gets really needy sometimes.

Eridan ♥️ Roxy

They get together within five minutes of knowing each other and, despite Rose's protests, never ever break up. Eridan is into cute, pink, bubbly, nice girls, and Roxy is into eccentric troubled princes. Not to mention she fucking loves wizards, and Eridan is a wizard, and that they're both hipsters who use rifles. Also Eridan is weird as hell and Roxy thinks he's hilarious for it. Despite the fact that he puts on this unpleasant, nasty act, he'll pretty much do anything Roxy tells him to, and she likes that. She thinks he has himbo energy. Everyone else thinks she's deranged. Like girl that guy is an insane murderer. Girl he will not stop saying slurs

also their specific abilities are diametrically opposed in an interesting way? prince of hope = can destroy anything he believes he can destroy, rogue of void = can create anything by stealing away its nonexistence. neat!

Roxy ♦️ Calliope

since they aren't trolls and don't need to calm each other down, it's not really a proper moirallegiance, but they're bffffffs and the kinds of silly fun-loving gals who would call their friendship a moirallegiance even if it doesn't have the biological components or serve the social function of one. Two girls that just love each other.

Eridan ♠️ Calliope

biologically, cherubs only engage in pitch romances and are attracted to other cherubs that remind them of the other half they lost in predomination. what i'm saying is that calliope - unfortunately for her - has brother issues. initially put off by eridan's superficial similarities to caliborn - his bluster, his riflekind, his insane logic and thick skull, and how damn often he talks about murder - as they get to know each other, the feeling becomes mutual. eridan is generally totally ok with outright hostility, but calliope's faux-nice smugness when taunting an opponent would drive him nuts, as would the earnestness with which she approaches magic (what kind of POSER needs to RELOAD their WAND), and in general, i think he'd take her genuine well-wishes toward other people as a personal affront, a la "i didn't ever need anybody to look after me!"

they somehow have a 50/50 win ratio at the board games they play, which drives calliope nuts. "believing in your pieces" is not a valid chess strategy!!!!!!!!!

also i think it's fun and thematic, the angel killer and the cherub, whose adult form features hope-shaped wings.

Karkat ♥️ Calliope

We know two things from his crush on terezi: the first is that karkat is into clever, cunning gals, and the second is that he's really fucking messy, the kind of guy who would tell his flushed crush to "set the table on his bone bulge for their candle light hate date." Fortunately, or unfortunately??? for calliope, the fact that he will scream obscenities at her is kind of what she's into. everybody, please, a moment of silence for calliope, who somehow manages to have worse taste in men than roxy.

but yeah more seriously, karkat has a big and loving heart, and so does calliope, while calliope maintains a cleverness and intellect that karkat would be into.

normally, it would be a huge problem for your moirail to be pitch for your matesprit, and we have that both ways here. however, a few factors are mitigating that here. first, eridan will always prioritize karkat or roxy over calliope when they're around. this actually does kind of piss her off, although she feels annoyed that it does. second, calliope is generally mature enough to compartmentalize. third, karkat WILL auspicetize if they aren't careful, and nobody wants that. and fourth, everybody wants to keep roxy happy.

but yeah everyone else watching it is like. are you guys okay? blink if you need help

ofc ship what you want to ship this is not at all me telling you what you should be into. im just saying that these ships have been calculated for Maximum Funnyness, which as we know, is the only objective measure for what makes a good homestuck ship

[uchidachi]

Going through my drafts and found this Very Important Poll from December… this question is still burning:

So we've clearly established that Lucanis/Neve/Rook is an amazing OT3, and also that Lucanis/Rook/Spite is an amazing OT3, and furthermore that Lucanis/Neve/Spite is an amazing OT3... This means that the OT4 is both impeccable and inevitable.

Now we must just discover the ideal arrangement for them

[hssrarepairs]

🎄 HSS Rare Pairs 2024: FAQ 🎄

Find more info in our Rules!

🎁 What is HSS Rare Pairs? 🎁

HSS Rare Pairs, or HSS, stands for HP Secret Santa Rare Pairs. We are an anon, multi-ship, multimedia gift exchange focused on HP rare pairs run as a collaboration between the HP Rare Pairs (@hp-rarepairs) and HP Saffics (@hpsaffics) Discord servers. This fest is not self-posting. The mods will post your gifts all through December.

🎁 What is the 2024 Schedule? 🎁

Sign-ups: Aug 13-Sep 3 Gift Submissions Due: Nov 15 Gift Giving: Dec 1-Dec 25 Creator Reveals: Dec 30

🎁 What counts as a HP rare pair? 🎁

Any ships besides these common ships (LITERALLY ANY OTHER SHIP IS OKAY):

Dramione - Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy

Drarry - Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter

Harmony - Hermione Granger/Harry Potter

Harrymort/Tomarry - Harry Potter/Voldemort (Tom Riddle)

Hinny - Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley

Jegulus - Regulus Black/James Potter

Jily - James Potter/Lily Evans Potter

Romione - Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley

Snamione - Hermione Granger/Severus Snape

Snarry - Severus Snape/Harry Potter

Wolfstar - Sirius Black/Remus Lupin

🎁 How is the list of common ships determined? 🎁

Any ship with less than 10K results in an unfiltered AO3 Relationship tag search AND less than 3K results in an “otp: true” filtered Relationship tag AO3 search is considered a rare pair!

🎁 What about polyamorous ships? 🎁

Polyamorous ships (triads, vees, quads, polycules, etc.) are always considered rare and are VERY welcome (ex: Hermione/Harry/Ron is allowed even if Hermione/Harry and Hermione/Ron are on the list of common ships)!

🎁 What about a common ship in the background of a work? 🎁

Yes, background common ships are totally allowed as long as the main focus is a rare pair (ex: A Pansy/Ginny story with background Draco/Harry).

🎁 What about OCs? 🎁

OCs may appear in the background of a work, but the main ship should involve only established characters from the HP universe.

🎁 Who can participate? 🎁

Anyone aged 18+ can participate with an AO3 account. We also encourage you to be part of the HP Rare Pairs Discord Server, although it is not required.

🎁 Do I need a Discord/Tumblr to participate? 🎁

No, we will be sharing gifts on our Discord and Tumblr, but you do not need to be on either platform to participate. What you do need: an active email address and an AO3 account.

🎁 Is there a limit to the number of participants? 🎁

The 2022 round had 66 sign-ups which was quite impressive. We are tentatively setting a limit of 75 sign-ups for the 2024 round.

🎁 What is on the sign-up form? 🎁

The Sign-up Form is long and thorough. Please make sure to fill out all required sections in order for the mods to make the best possible matches and for you to receive the best possible gifts. This year the sign-up form has 5 sections:

Participant Information (required - for mod use only)

Character and Ship Preferences (required - shared with gifters)

Receiving Preferences (required - shared with gifters)

Giving Preferences (required - for mod use only)

Bonus Questions (optional - for mod use only)

🎁 I don’t like the username I signed up with. Can I change my AO3/Discord/Tumblr username in the middle of the exchange? 🎁

Please don’t. This is confusing for your gifters and makes more work for the mods.

🎁 I messed up on my sign-up form. Can I go back and make changes? 🎁

Yes, you will be able to edit your sign-up form until Sep 3 when sign-ups close. A link to edit should be sent to your email. If you do not see it, please check your spam folder.

🎁 When will I find out my matches? 🎁

We aim to have all participants matched within a week of sign-ups closing. However, it will depend on the mods’ schedules and number of sign-ups.

🎁 What kind of gifts can I create? 🎁

Any type of HP rare pair fanwork that can be uploaded to AO3 are accepted! Here are some examples:

Creative writing (fic, drabble, poetry, epistolary, screenplay, etc.)

Other writing (meta analysis, ship manifesto, recipe, tutorial, stats, etc.)

Art (traditional mediums, digital art, comic, photography, calligraphy, etc.)

Remix art (moodboard, story banner, podfic coverart, gif set, meme fic, etc.)

Craft (origami, bookbinding, embroidery, knitting, papercutting, ice sculpture, etc.)

Audio (podfic, podcast, filk, playlist, etc.)

Multimedia (fanvid, videogame, animation, stop motion, music video, etc.)

Translation

🎁 Is there a word limit for written gifts or gifts based on written works? 🎁

Yes, the minimum is 200 words. There is no maximum. What this means is:

All written works (drabbles, fics, meta analysis, ship manifesto, etc.) must be at least 200 words. If the gift is less than 200 words (a poem, recipe, etc.), the remaining words may be filled by commentary (character analysis, explanation of imagery/themes/word choice, extra description, etc.).

All podfics must be based on a fic that is at least 200 words.

All translations must be at least 200 words when complete.

🎁 What kind of content can my gifts include? 🎁

We accept all content! This includes graphic violence, MCD, rape/noncon, underage, incest, abuse, and dark or triggering themes as long as they are tagged appropriately. The mods will be tag-checking all works. The only restriction is we will not accept NSFW art containing underage characters (which is illegal by US law). If you need help with tagging, you may reference this Comprehensive List of Triggers, Tags & Squicks or ask a mod. 

🎁 Can I recycle fannish works as gifts? 🎁

No, gifts must be new and created exclusively for the exchange and specifically for your giftee.

🎁 Can I submit an AI-generated work? 🎁

No, AI-generated works are not allowed. If we find you have submitted an AI-generated work, you will be kicked from the exchange.

🎁 Does my gift need to be X-mas/winter themed? 🎁

No, it can be any theme as long as it includes a rare pair.

🎁 How many gifts will I get? 🎁

Every participant will receive at least 2 gifts. They may be small gifts and they may not be exactly what you wished for but they will be made with love and enthusiasm <3

🎁 How many gifts do I need to create to be able to participate? 🎁

You must submit at least 1 gift in order for Santa (aka the mods) to deliver your gifts. Participants are implored encouraged to submit more than one gift. If we have enough gifts, we may be able to give everyone 3 gifts instead of 2!

🎁 Can I submit my gifts anonymously? 🎁

Yes, you may choose to submit your gifts anonymously. In this case you will not be named as a giftmaker in the Creator Reveals on Dec 30. Please tell the mods your preference when submitting your gift. We will contact you about any additional steps.

🎁 How do I submit/deliver my gifts? 🎁

Gifts should be uploaded to the AO3 Collection. Then, please complete the Submission Form, one for each gift submitted. The mods will deliver gifts on AO3, Discord, and Tumblr Dec 1-25.

🎁 Can I make treats? 🎁

No, we are not accepting treats (extra gifts made outside of your matched assignment) for this exchange.

🎁 What if I need an extension or need to drop? 🎁

We get it. Life happens. If you need an extension or need to drop, please email us ASAP. It’s okay, we understand. Just, please don’t ghost us!

🎁 How will I get my gifts? 🎁

If you are on Discord or Tumblr, we will tag you when your gifts are delivered. Otherwise, your gifts will be delivered directly through AO3. Please make sure you have "Allow anyone to gift me works" checked in your Preferences. When you receive your gifts, don't forget to leave a comment to thank your gifters. We want to make sure they feel appreciated!

🎁 Can I send/receive physical gifts in the mail? 🎁

We are not doing physical gifts as part of the exchange, but you are welcome to coordinate with your gifter/recipient after the fest ends and send physical gifts granted you are both comfortable sharing your IRL addresses.

🎁 Who are the mods? 🎁

@lumosatnight, @nanneramma, @schmem14, @mischiefmandied, @venom0usbarbie and other wonderful helpers from Discord and Tumblr!

🎁 I still have questions/want to find out more. What should I do? 🎁

Message us through email, Tumblr, or Discord! We are always open to chat, answer questions, or flail about rare pairs 🍐

Email: hssrarepairs@gmail.com

Tumblr: @hssrarepairs

Discord: HP Rare Pairs

[princess-of-the-corner]

See, now I'm imagining - Bloom: "The fuck you mean 'is that a thing'!?" / Sky: "The fuck I mean, the fuck YOU mean!?" / Stella: "Wait, so like. Girls can date girls? For serious? Not just as a sex thing?" / Bloom: *about to have an apoplexy* / Sky, turns to Brandon: "Did you know about this!?" / Brandon: "…so. Is now a bad time to mention I thought the 4 of us were already dating?"

Sky: "Why would you think we were dating if I wasn't also making out with you?!"

Brandon: "Because your parents are still trying to push you to be with Diaspro since you never told them about Bloom being a princess and not 'some random peasant' so if they found out you were also hooking up with not just another peasant but a /male/ peasant they might have simultaneous heart attacks and you don't want to deal with the fallout?"

Sky: "............... Fair point."

Also re: Stella:

I think Stella knows about gay people she just never clicked on that it was an option for her? She always expected to marry some noble or even a foreign prince but it had to be a male because she's a Princess gotta continue the bloodline and all. It was just an unspoken thing. So she never really stopped to unpack the idea until now. (this wasn't intentional by her parents. Though she would still have to make a blood heir, surrogacy is fine.)

Also also re: the polycule:

Haven't figured out the exact dynamic but it might lean more Roshambo than Unicorn Quad.

[polycule-playoff]

Riverdale vs The Magicians

Riverdale:

"For years, the fandom has warred over ships involving the Core 4. Barchie, Bughead, Varchie, Jeronica, Jarchie, Beronica. Until the series finale, when canon swept in and said "They're in a quad with each other." And so Riverdale ended with the Core 4 in a canon polyamorous relationship, as it should be. If you haven't seen the scene where this is revealed, please watch it. It's so good."

"everyone jokes about it being for shock value but those people haven't watched riverdale. veronica knew betty for like three days and was kissing her and sending her gifts and being so obsessed. when barchie kisses while in relationships with the others veronica suggests kissing jughead to even it out. jughead commissions a golden shirtless statue of archie and also the iconic 'i had a crazy dream we'd move to new york together.' vughead becomes canon in the 50s, mirroring how bughead got together in the normal timeline, because jughead will fall for anyone who wants to solve a murder with him because he's insane. vughead once said what are we if not counterparts to archie and betty. they graduate high school and are all miserable without each other. they are codependent freaks who won't even let reggie into the polycule. i love them. they are trapped in a booth together forever."

The Magicians:

"So much of the show is people just getting into Situations and it’s always awesome how whatever chunk of the polycule is available immediately bands together bc they’ve all got each other’s backs. Everyone’s very ride or die."

[klonoadreams]

Due to my staffing at ALA2025, and @ stumblebee.art absolutely decimating me with their creative sticker names of Fushigi and Fushigi's son, it's called Toji is that weirdass cat who you don't own sneaking into your house feat. Nana and Gojo's polycule. Because I was thinking of Nanafushigi.

Legit, wheezing over this cuz before, Toji was just some dude but those stickers unlocked something in me

Weirdass throuple baby not on my 2025 bingo, but here we are. It ain't even a throuple baby, it's just Gojo's kid and Nana carried that thing to full term, so she's always down to throw hands with Toji with all his semi serious joking aboit the kid being his while Megumi is calling Gojo and Nana Papa and Mama.

Nanamin is not amused and Getou is just "HEY, IT COULD BE MINE TOO" like let him in on this weird throuple baby rumor mill, MAKE THAT THROUPLE A QUAD COME ON

Gets slapped by both Nanami and Shoko for that. No, Getou, just no.

Meanwhile Shiki/Mikiya (name in the works, but this is a Garden of Sinners/Kara no Kyoukai reference), the mystic eyes of death perception baby, just napping on whatever fucking chest she's held against.

[tickle-bugs]

I have an idea for a Glinda and Elphaba story based on Jennafer Newberry and Lissa DeGuzman’s portrayals of Glinda and Elphaba. I included a link for reference. In popular during toss toss, glinda does this adorable giggle and then tries to have Elphaba recreate it, but it comes across as super forced and fake when Elphaba does it. I don’t know if this is too similar to the other Glinda and Elphaba story you posted the other day, but I thought it would be cute if Glinda tickles Elphaba to help her find her natural giggle. Of course Elphaba doesn’t let Glinda do that without her revenge so she tickles Glinda after. https://youtu.be/VQxRXpDtIf8 the toss toss giggle part starts at around 4:10, but at around 3:05 Glinda does really adorable deep gutteral laughter that is worth watching.

From Your Heart

Summary: Elphaba stops laughing at Fiyero’s jokes because she’s embarrassed of her laugh. Fiyero laments. Glinda takes this personally.

Take this as either a Glinda-Fiyero-Elphaba polycule AU or just supportive best friend Glinda who’s not into Fiyero but wants to help her hopeless bestie lock him down. I wrote it with the polycule in mind though because I love them. 

Glinda stopped being surprised at finding Fiyero face down on her bed by probably the third week of term. His dramatics harmonize well with hers, she specifically chose that mattress for the healing level of bounce it has--everything tracks. What doesn’t track, however, is Fiyero being face down on her bed and not at the date that she’d set up for him and Elphaba. 

“Why are you not wooifying Elphie? I specifically requested it.” Glinda sets down her purse and slips off her heels. Fiyero groans pathetically from the bed.

“Up, scoot, c’mon.” Glinda pats him until he moves over. She sits beside him and rubs his back.

“We went picnicking in the quad. Everything was perfect, Galinda. I even wore my good pants. But halfway through she just…ran away. I don’t understand. What if she doesn’t like me?” Fiyero’s lip wobbles. Glinda ignores the way that sentiment chews at the wall of her heart.

“Don’t be silly, Fiyero. Everyone likes you.” 

“What if she isn’t into me, I mean?” He sighs. She brushes his hair away from his temple. 

“I’ll talk to her, alright? I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for this. Go mope in your room and I’ll send word.” She pats his cheek. He sighs and sits up. 

….

The door lock starts to click and Glinda’s on her feet in a moment. As soon as the door opens:

“Elphie!” Glinda throws her arms up with a joyful squeal. Elphaba freezes in the doorway. 

“Why are you so perky?” Elphaba eyes her suspiciously. Glinda frowns. 

“I’m always perky.”

“More than usual. Something’s up.” Elphaba sets her stuff down roughly. She sits on her bed. Glinda slides into the space beside her and tangles their ankles together. 

“Well, a depressed little birdie told me that your date with Fiyero didn’t go so well.” Glinda grimaces. 

“He told you?” Elphaba whispers in horror. Glinda shrugs weakly. Elphaba groans and drops her head into her hands. Glinda primly pats her back and murmurs a halfhearted ‘there there’.

“He’s just…he’s so funny, Galinda.” Elphaba picks her face up a bit, then drops it back down. She groans louder. 

“Normally that’s a desirable trait in a beau.” Glinda busies herself with unbraiding Elphaba’s hair--a habit for them. Elphaba visibly unwinds beneath the touch. It does Glinda’s soul well to see it. 

“Yeah, but…he’s funny and I can’t laugh at his jokes.”

“Are they terrible? Or perhaps risqué?” Glinda runs her fingers through Elphaba’s hair. The silky locks are soft to the touch. 

“No!” Elphaba’s face flushes a dark green. “Well, maybe, yes. Sometimes. But that’s not it. I…my laugh is ugly. I’ve been scared to let him hear it, so I’ve been hiding it. He tried to make me laugh earlier, so…I ran.”

This impacts Glinda like a chariot at speed. Her eyes rove over her best friend’s face, this beautiful once-in-a-lifetime wonder that just happened to bless Shiz University at the same time as she. A miracle in every way, and she’s blaming herself for something out of her control. Unconscionable. 

“It’s so stupid--”

“No. Don’t you dare do that. It’s not stupid at all.” Glinda squishes Elphaba’s cheeks between her hands. Elphaba softens, her gaze dropping to the floor. Glinda kisses her forehead. 

“I think Fiyero likes you because you’re you, Elphie. And that includes your laugh.” Glinda quickly wipes away the lipstick smudge left behind. 

“But what if he thinks it’s ugly?” Elphaba murmurs through her squished face. 

“That’s exactly what you asked me about your skin, and then I had to listen to him wax poetic about the color of emeralds for a week. He will like every part of you. Sorcerer’s swear.” Glinda holds her hand out. She and Elphaba exchange a complicated multi-step handshake in quick succession, ending in sparks and glitter puffing into the air between them.

“Would it be easier to let me hear it first?” Glinda bumps their shoulders together. 

“You’d have to really get to me. I’m not sure if you can.” Elphaba huffs. 

“Hey! I’m hilarious.” Glinda swats her lightly. 

“That’s not it, I mean…you have to catch me off-guard. I spent so long practicing hiding it that I don’t know if I can laugh anymore.” Elphaba tucks her hair behind her ear. 

“I have an idea.” Glinda turns fast enough to bounce both of them on the mattress. Elphaba scoots against the headboard to give her space, and does a sweeping gesture to indicate she’s listening. Even with the nonchalance, her eyes are sharp and painfully earnest.

“Well, it’s easier to start laughing than it is to stop. So what if I help you? I can teach you how to do the accepted Upper-Uplands giggle. When next you see Fiyero, try it! If he keeps making you laugh, your real one should come into the light.”

“You want me to fake it?” Elphaba furrows her brow. 

“Most magicians fake their power. Why should this be any different?” Glinda shrugs. Elphaba nods slowly as the idea takes shape in her head. 

“It’s…not a bad idea.”

“That’s the spirit. Now repeat after me.” Glinda shuffles and preens, clearing her throat. She releases something between a melody and a laugh—a trilly, pompous little thing that her mother had grilled into her during her formative years. 

Elphaba makes a noise like a dying goose. Silence falls over the room. 

“This is hopeless!” She wails. Glinda does not laugh, she does not, but she does puff her cheeks out ridiculously.

It just tickles her, the ways her two favorite people are made for each other.

Wait a minute.

“Elphaba Thropp.” 

“Am I in trouble?” Elphaba immediately leans back, eyes wide. Glinda spins around the bed, backing Elphaba up against the headboard. She gets close, close enough to see the faint glitter still smudged on Elphaba’s forehead. 

“Only if you’re ticklish.” Glinda grins, her hands finding Elphaba’s waist. Elphaba’s eyes widen past the size of the moon. 

“I am going to turn you into the slimiest, wartiest toad imaginable.” A wobbly smile overtakes Elphaba’s face. 

“You’re a very talented witch, but that sounds awfully hard to accomplish while laughing.” Glinda tuts and sets loose her fingers, tracing the asymmetrical seams of Elphie’s frock with unpredictable fingers. Elphaba’s face puffs up like the aforementioned frog. She hides behind her hands. Her shoulders shake with the effort of restraint. 

“Let me hear it, love. It’s just us.” Glinda nods encouragingly, even though Elphaba can’t see it. Elphaba peeks open one eye between her fingers, then shuts it again. Glinda frowns. She pries Elphaba’s hands away from her face, instead placing them around her wrists.

“Stop me if you hate it.” Glinda says very seriously. Elphaba blinks. 

“I can’t…it’s not…Idon’tmindit,” Elphaba says quickly, her face radiating heat. Glinda bites her lip on a smile.

“Good.” Glinda descends like a cyclone onto Elphaba’s ribs and it startles her laugh right out of her. 

An endearing mess of shrieks and cackles blesses Glinda’s ears. Elphaba slides down the headboard and into a fit of snorts, holding onto Glinda’s wrists but never pulling away. Her nose scrunches as she tries to fistfight a tidal wave—poorly, but adorably. 

Glinda fits her fingers into the curve of Elphaba’s waist and she tosses her head back, making a mess of her newly-freed hair. Hiccups filter into her laughter as it rocks her. 

“Is this so bad?” Glinda has to shout over Elphaba to be heard. Nonsensical syllables tumble from her lips as she waves her hands around. Her laughter finds wheezy silence. Glinda relents then, taking a long, proud look at her handiwork. 

Elphaba glows with her smile. It brightens her from the inside out. Little lines dance along the corners of her happily squinted eyes. Glinda pats her stomach. She jumps with an anticipatory giggle. 

“What if I still can’t let Fiyero hear it?” Elphaba fiddles with her fingers.

“Tell him. He’ll understand.” Glinda rests her hand on Elphaba’s thigh. “And when you inevitably choose to be stubborn instead of admitting to yourself that you’re ready and he loves you, perhaps a little birdie will tell him what I’ve learned.”

Glinda wiggles her fingers and giggles evilly. Elphaba narrows her eyes.  

When Glinda’s tackled face first onto her bed, screeching like her life depends on it, she knows immediately that the pursuit of Elphie’s smile is worth a few frizzy curls and smudged mascara. 

[remyfire]

🍍🥝 <3

Fruit Emoji Ask Meme Hi friend, thank yoooou!! :D 🍍 What kind of AUs do you like? Are there any AUs you hate or just generally have beef with?

I struggle with the greater majority of AUs honestly!! Part of what I love about this fandom is how claustrophobic it is. Characters who would never look at each other twice in any other situation are thrown together and forced to become some kind of family. It's hard to capture that in any other situation because we are not often confined to such a small amount of space long-term in our daily lives. Add in the fact that a lot of the character development comes from the boiling point of being confined somewhere against your will for doing nothing but living your life, as well as the growing level of trauma they experience the longer they are in Korea. How does the creator of the AU go about representing that same development? That's incredibly important to me.

That being said, I never go in for high school/college AUs at all. I will never read an AU where BJ and Peg never met/fell in love/got married because of how vital their marriage is to me, just like I don't read fics where they separate/divorce and will barely ever read ones where they are in a lavender marriage. Noir is a big thing here but that genre has never captured me in any form, so I don't read those. I am sorry to be such a picky downer ;v; It's miraculous that I got caught up in foxtrap madness at all because 9 times out of 10 when AUs get brought up, I will often just evaporate silently in the ship channel and let everyone else have at it haha.

🥝 What’s your favorite trope/AO3 tag to write?

Anything open relationship related. Anything. It can be vees, triads, quads, polycules, polyamory, relationship anarchy, solo polyam, swinging, etc. As long as I get to put multiple people together and not write infidelity angst, I am a happy camper.

[kankuroplease]

Do Uchiha brothers agree to have multiple wives or concubines🎎? They are the sons of the head of the Uchiha clan after all.

I think that would depend, because while it makes sense to how we know our world history, it’s also pretty well known in the Narutoverse that they valued love greatly. More so than other clans in the series.

So I think they would take on another spouse if it’s a polycule of a triad, sandclock, or quad. Everyone would have to love and be in a relationship with everyone or face triggering the curse of hate and in fighting for their time/affection.

Or their additional spouse can accept their place as nothing more than a broodmare because that love would be going to the spouse they actually love and the children. Which is more historically accurate anyways 🤷‍♀️

[streamdotpng]

enid x JOC polycule anon again

i saw that ask where Yoko is paying Ajax to make all three girls jealous and i thought that was hilarious

when Yoko first tells Ajax abt the idea he’s like ‘no fucking way i will actually die’ then Yoko becomes extremely annoying about it (and offers a shitton of money) so eventually he accepts mostly to get her to stfu (and also the money)

i imagine after taking the deal he lives in constant fear because he can practically hear Wednesday planning his murder every time he’s around Enid, feel Tara’s glares boring holes into his very soul and did Phoebe just growl at him—

and the thing abt Ajax is that (i imagine) it was a mutual break-up and theyre still friends so there isnt any like, super angsty shit going on between them that they have to overcome so yk

one day he overhears the 3 of them talking about the best way to get rid of him and because he’s prolly not very sneaky they see him

so after a few seconds of silence he just fucking runs for his life, screaming as they chase after him

he finds Yoko in the quad and he’s like ‘hEY CAN WE FINISH THE DEAL THING NOW ENID’S SUITORS WERE LITERALLY PLANNING MY MURDER—‘ and then they show up and he runs again and Yoko’s dying of laughter

meanwhile Enid arrives in the quad cuz its lunch and she just sees Wednesday throwing several knives towards Ajax in quick succession, Tara running after him and Phoebe jumping onto him from the second floor wtf—

i just think that would be really funny LMAOAOAO

yeah enjax are chill, they're homies and it simply didn't work out. It left enid feeling like she needs to overcompensate for her relationships tho but she holds no hard feelings

idk about yoko paying ajax to make them jealous because wednesday can be very dangerous and while she enjoys a bit like everyone else, yoko knows that wednesday would maim when willing

So i think ajax genuinely hanging out with enid would help! so they vibin, the girls get jelly because of this etc etc

enjax as bros will forever be neat

[morkaischosen]

Based on your tags on the "Why do some swingers hate polyamory" post: why DO you think that is?

so noting that this is wild, groundless speculation, and in particular that I don't know anything like enough about swinging to actually be confident in anything I'm saying:

I'd assume it has to do with the structure of the thing. Swinging as I understand it sets up quite a narrow context where the two partners in a couple set aside the usual boundaries of that relationship to do something they normally wouldn't; humans being humans, I imagine it's probably common for regular swingers to end up in a dynamic where they do their thing and then reaffirm the relationship afterwards in, you know, whatever manner works for them.

It seems natural to me that this would be one of those things where having clear exceptions strengthens the idea that they're an exception to something - and in that context, if you've built up momentum in the idea that you have a monogamous relationship except in this specific way, polyamory could easily look like it's doing exactly the thing you've been going 'but we won't do that' at for all that time.

I speculate (based, again, on no knowledge) that swinging circles - or at least the ones that are virulently opposed to polyamory - draw a very strong distinction between the defined sexual nonmonogamy they engage in, and it's easy for me to imagine that getting romantically involved with someone you met while swinging and starting an affair would be scandalous, breaching the structured boundary and calling all of the ritual of it into question. It's one of my favourite topics: it's easier to really loathe things you're closer to, sometimes, and I can see this being an example where the obvious common point of sexual non-monogamy really brings to attention the ways a swinging lifestyle centres the monogamous principles that underly some of it.

A lot of this is coming back to my conception of swinging as a couple activity - the norm as I understand it isn't a free-for-all, it's couples swapping partners, and that still structures itself around the monogamous couple in a way that polyamory's whole deal chips away at.

(I'll note that all of this is shot through with my assumptions about what polyamory means, which god knows don't seem to quite match up with the way a lot of people think about it; to me the default is individuals having their own relationships, which don't necessarily have much to do with their partners' relationships - I tend to become quite fond of my partners' partners, because I hear about them and I'm inclined to trust my partners' taste in people as much as in music or fiction, but I don't have the level of We Are All One Unit that what I've seen of wider discussions on tumblr seems to assume. As far as I know my angle lines up with how most people in my social vicinity look at it; I don't know if we're a weird niche and most people are doing the more closed-loop-looking The Polycule type shape that seems to be implied by a lot of Posting, or if we're fairly typical and much of what doesn't line up is an assumption from outside. Regardless, I'm coming at this from quite a long way from the sort of closed quad I could easily imagine coming about if two swinging couples who regularly see each other became a stable unit.)

This concludes my unfounded reckon based on a general interest in human psychology and a frankly very vague understanding of what swinging is all about.