#we've only just begun the romance is not over

[djevilninja]

I remember oh so well, When I first held your hand and we started to dance. I had this awesome crush on you, Hoping deep down inside that you wanted me too.

Glenn Jones - We've Only Just Begun (The Romance Is Not Over)

[charlesslut16]

-losing means letting go-

summary : you and oscar realise, that it is over for you...

PAIRINGS : oscar piastri x reader(y/n)

WARNINGS : break up?

note : it took me so so long to finally write something,as i have run out of ideas...

masterlist

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Oscar Piastri sat in his apartment in Monaco, staring at the lights reflecting off the Mediterranean Sea. It was a breathtaking view, one that had once filled him with inspiration and excitement.

Now, it seemed to mock him with its relentless beauty, highlighting the growing darkness within his relationship with YN, his girlfriend, whom always was there for him and always would be

They had been together for four years, a Fary tail romance that had seemed perfect from the outside. But behind closed doors, the cracks were growing wider with each passing day. Oscar was a rising star in the world of Formula 1, and YN was his steadfast supporter, at least at the beginning. The endless travel, the high stakes, and the intense pressure of his career had begun to wear on both of them.

Their once passionate love was now marred by frequent arguments and silent treatments. They still loved each other dearly, but maybe that wasn't enough anymore.

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Tonight, Oscar had left the apartment after another heated exchange, and you were left alone with your thoughts. You replayed the argument in your mind. It had started over something trivial, as it often did.

Oscar had returned from another race weekend, exhausted and frustrated after finishing outside the points. He had wanted nothing more than to collapse on the couch, but you had been waiting for him with a list of grievances.

You were tired of feeling like a secondary character in his life, of being ignored and taken for granted. The argument had escalated quickly, voices raised, accusations hurled, until Oscar had stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

You sighed, hugging yourself to make you feel better. Oscar knew you had a point. He had been so consumed by his career that he had neglected your relationship.

But what could he do? Racing was his life, his dream, and it demanded everything from him.

Still, the thought of losing you was unbearable. He loved you more than he could express, but love alone didn't seem to be enough anymore.

Hours passed, and you remained in the same spot, lost in thought. Finally, you heard the door creak open, and Oscar stepped inside. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he looked as tired as you felt.

Oscar walked over to the couch and sat down, keeping a distance between you both. For a moment, you sat in silence, the weight of your unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.

"Oscar," you began, voice trembling slightly, "we can't keep doing this." He looked at you, his heart aching at the sight of her pain. "I know," he admitted. "But I don't know how to fix it."

Tears welled up in your eyes. "I've been thinking about this for a long time. Maybe we're just not meant to be together right now. Maybe we need to let each other go."

Oscar's chest tightened. "No, YN. We can work through this. I promise I'll do better." You shook your head, a tear slipping down your flushed cheek.

"We've tried, Oscar. We've tried so hard, but it's not working. We're hurting each other more than we're loving each other. I think we need to break up."

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. Break up? He couldn't imagine his life without you. But looking into your eyes, he saw the truth. You were both miserable, and clinging to each other was only making it worse.

He didn't want to admit tit, but he knew for a while that the two of you were doing more bad than good. He never wanted you two to end, but the moment his priorities shifted, it was over between them.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. You nodded, tears falling freely now. "I am. I think it's the only chance we have for happiness, even if it destroys us right now."

Oscar reached out and took your hand, holding it tightly. "I don't want to lose you." "You won't, not ever," you replied softly. "We'll always have the memories, the good times. But we need to find ourselves again, separately."

He nodded, tears streaming down his own face. "I love you, YN. I always will." "I love you too, Oscar," you said, your voice breaking. "And that's why we need to do this. For both of us."

They sat together for a while, mourning the end of their relationship. Eventually, You stood up, and Oscar knew it was time to let you go. Forever.

He walked you to the door, feeling like his heart was being ripped out of his chest. "Goodbye, Oscar," you said, giving him one last, lingering look.

"Goodbye, YN," he replied, his voice choked with emotion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She walked out the door, and Oscar closed it behind her, leaning against it as he sobbed. The apartment felt emptier than ever, but he knew deep down that they had made the right decision.

It was the hardest thing he had ever done, but sometimes, love meant knowing when to let go. The months that followed were a big blur for Oscar. He threw himself into his racing career with a newfound intensity, using the pain of the breakup as his fuel.

He climbed the ranks, securing podium finishes and earning the respect of his peers. But no matter how successful he became, there was always a part of him that missed YN, that longed for the days when they were happy and in love.

YN, too, found her own path. She pursued her own dreams, rediscovering passions she had set aside during their relationship. She traveled, met new people, and slowly began to heal. There were days when the loneliness was overwhelming, but she reminded herself that they had made the right choice.

And though they were no longer together, their love had left an indelible mark on their hearts, a testament to the strength and beauty of their time together.

[time-to-write-and-suffer]

Ppl are (understandably) upset abt fae shit taking over YA/NA romance but I think getting mad at the very concept of fae and why it's popular won't really do much. Mainly because the "fae" we see in popular books are just the same flavor of guy, with minor variations based on author appeal. The "fae" are no different from the vampires back in the Twilight ripoff era (in fact they can be traced all the way back to Twilight itself), they're just using a different word for that specific flavor of Straight Romance Guy and his associated tropes, which is what you're really mad at.

Usually the main fae guy is a bigstrong man, there's some sort of mating system, potentially some gender essentialism, and everyone's a model. It's a generic but "appealing" (to mostly straight women) enough concept that it can be pretty much anything you want it to be, all while tapping into that high fantasy/"political intrigue"/enemies-to-lovers buzzword soup. I think the only reason this trope is specifically called fae and not elves is because you want to be darker and edgier, and elves have a cultural association with being more ethereal and sexless. So we have these guys, who are really just the same guy, who are really just elves who fuck, and we call it fae because it sounds more mysterious and, well, fey than elves.

(It could also be argued that fae and elves are the same guy also, but most girlies are not ready for that conversation.)

I think it's understandable that it became this way, as the concept of "fair folk" exists across different cultures and has fewer set rules compared to Tolkien/D&D elves. It has a bigger and more varied pool of inspiration for writers to take ideas from. However, instead of actually taking ideas from any folklore, a lot of the current fae shit is just repackaged vampire/werewolf stuff: these are guys who are better than you, they have superpowers, they fight and fuck like animals, and they claim your weak human body with their bites, and the ultimate upgrade is becoming one of them. It's the same old shit under a different name.

The reason it feels like an epidemic is because smaller authors are just cribbing shit from the bigger ones and using the same names for the same guys, the same tropes, the same plots. Like "oh this made me horny, so I'll just repeat it!" and this echo chamber has begun spawning its very own lore and mythology, and newer authors are assuming that this is based on real folklore and not some woman's personal wank bank, and don't bother to check because this is good and made them horny, so why change what works? Like, I've legit seen authors claim that SJM didn't invent fae mating because "it's part of the original mythology." Which, to be very clear and admirably restrained, is not the case. SJM didn't invent mating, but it's not becuse it's "original folklore." It's just the same old stuff but with a different name, and unfortunately, the fair folk and associated folklore is a lot more vague than, say, werewolves or vampires, and that's why these tropes are now becoming "canon" lore.

We've basically taken a vaguely defined existing concept, slapped its name on the old paranormal romance tropes of yore, and because there's no cultural understanding of fae the same way there was vampires, there's no "vampires don't sparkle" pushback, and we've begun adopting a few women's fetishes as the Universal Truth, and that's the part you hate. The part where it's the Same Guy again, but he's wearing a different hat.

And while I get why you'd be tired of this shit specifically (I am also tired), I think to dismiss fae in general is like dismissing vampires back when Twilight was popular. It's a type (or types, rather) of supernatural creature that has a rich history across cultures and it's a well of inspiration for writers that has been used before and will be used after. I think to blanket-dismiss the concept of fae in a book is counterproductive. You want to encourage writers to tap deeper into that well if you want that generic samey-ness to go away. What you want to dismiss are the tired tropes that are forced on otherwise interesting folklore/mythology that's open to endless different interpretations.

At the same time, I do fully understand why wouldn't want to do that, because as much as writers like to complain that readers just don't get their flavor of unique, sometimes there's just not a lot to get. It's the same fucking guy, girlies. You wrote the same guy again! To find one unique and interesting take on the fae, you have to sift through a thousand of That One Guy, and it's just not worth it.

(There are also and will always be really cool books about fae that aren't romance as well, but I'm specifically talking abt romance because it's infested with fae shit right now and I get it. I really do get it, I get both sides of the issue. I'm part of the problem, I wanna see cool fae shit with romance so I keep reading them, but it's the same guy again, so I'm writing my own, but it might be the same guy again because I'm also braindead!)

Anyway, I look forward to years from now when fae get their renaissance and we get wacky and interesting takes on them. First we had Twilight, now we get What We Do in the Shadows. First we got ACOTAR, and eventually we'll get ... ??? We'll see! We can only go up from here!

[nellie-elizabeth]

Grey's Anatomy: We've Only Just Begun (20x01)

And we're back! Crazy that this is the 20th season. I saw that Station 19 is ending after this season, which means Grey's has a very solid chance of outlasting another spinoff! Let's dive right in.

Cons:

I am still repulsed by Jo and Link, I cannot help it. They just do absolutely nothing for me and it feels like such a forced, lazy writing choice. I think part of it is just that Jo and Alex, and Amelia and Link, both felt like real, organic, interesting romances to me that were earned over a long period of time, and this is just like... eh, throw the leftovers together I guess.

My Owen and Teddy dislike will never go away, but in this episode it wasn't so much that they annoyed me as that the storyline felt completely unnecessary? Teddy collapsing and needing emergency surgery and potentially dying felt like even more of a lazy tacked on drama for the cliffhanger last season than I'm used to with this show.

Pros:

The good news for the future of this show is that I do continue to be interested by our intern characters, our new crop of leads. Jules and Blue with their awkward, hostile attraction and connection, Adams and Simone with their obstacles as they continue their burgeoning love story, Yasuda with her career doubts and anxieties. And in even more good news, Nick is leaving the hospital: I'm annoyed that it's to go be with Meredith, who deserves better than that stick in the mud, but at least that means he hopefully won't be around as much anymore.

This show is famous for its ridiculous disaster scenarios, and I like that it knows how to have fun with them and also comment on current events. The self-driving car malfunctioning and slamming again and again into the ambulance was a wacky scenario but also a believable extrapolation from stuff that's happened in real life, and it also gives an new and interesting challenge to several of the characters. I like that Adams and Simone have to make some of their own tough calls in the ambulance where they're trapped, but also have Meredith and Bailey outside guiding them through. Kind of a poignant metaphor for the current direction of the show, in a way: these characters we've been with for decades at this point are still around, and can still be depended upon, but the new kids have to forge their own path as well. I'm glad the patient in the ambulance survived, as did the guy inside the test car: a stressful and bizarre day of work, but ultimately a win, which I think everyone needed.

In Teddy news, as I said I was a little underwhelmed by the existence of this plot thread to begin with. But I did appreciate Winston being calm under pressure and totally handling the situation, saving her life and also steering Owen away from the midst of everything, encouraging him to get some rest. I also like Owen and Amelia having this steady friendship after all the tumult of their past relationship. Seeing her there for him during a difficult moment was great.

I love the role Meredith has in this world, now. She is a steadfast presence, and if this show continues for another decade to come, I hope Ellen Pompeo is willing to keep coming back for a couple episodes a season, so her presence is still felt. We're setting up an interesting plot that can develop in the background: Catherine Fox wants Meredith to drop her controversial takes about Alzheimer's research and go where the funding is, and Meredith actually seemingly agrees to this. She'll take the party line and stop making controversial waves for Catherine to deal with. But... she hands her research off to Amelia, so that it can continue in secret. This is really intriguing, and I actually got a little emotional thinking about Amelia and Meredith working on this project together!

We end with Teddy waking up, thank goodness, Link and Jo sharing a romantic moment (no thank you), and Richard going to an AA meeting to recommit to his sobriety - good for him! I'm excited to see where the show takes us next; there are always enough characters and stories going on in this show that it keeps me hooked, even when some of the characters are... not my favorites. We'll see which way things go from here!

8/10

[ashleyfableblack]

Continuing from the events of "The Jello-shots Incident"

Agent Sweetie Drops sighed heavily, thinking over the catastrophic events of the evening. It had all begun so simply, four inter-species couples, out on the town as friends.... "Once the karaoke contest got going-" She thumped a hoof on the interviewing table. "-that was when things got out of hoof. We all voted that Queen Chrysalis should be disqualified from competing. It felt uncomfortable, maybe a bit racist but still, the facts are that Her Changeling ability to perfectly mimic voices gave her an unfair advantage. She grumbled about it but with her wife present, she yielded without incident. Though she did insist on opening things up with a spicy little number from 'Good With Horseshoes'. That was when I should've ended things." Caufax Cauliflower raised an eyebrow. "Queen Twilight?" "Yes Ma'am." Sweetie Drops rolled her eyes. "I swear. Those two are just..." She shook her head, rubbing at her temples. "I know." Caufax sighed. Reaching across the debriefing table she refilled her water glass and pat her shoulder sympathetically. "We've had to re-assign agents to them several times now." Sweetie Drops chuckled and sipped at the glass. "It's unreal. It's like every time you get them together they turn into a bit-store romance novel, that or a stag film." Sweetie drops pantomimed excitedly. "Chrysalis started singing at her and just like that I swear Twilight was about to take things into adults-only territory..."

[texasthegreatdestroyer]

Qrow Branwen x OC/Reader: Saving Grace.

Trigger Warning: Mentions of Domestic Abuse and alcohol usage along with depictions of physical harm. This excerpt is inspired by personal work I've written for my own OC, but translated to a POV piece. "You've been working an awful lot this past month." Gruff yet comforting words coming from your colleague who you could tell by the way he often interacted with you, trying to be a little bit more than colleagues. A little bit of work place romance. Unfortunately for both you and him, it wasn't a thing that was possible. You're taken and committed. At least you try to be, but it can be hard sometimes... "Qrow, please tell me you're not about to lecture me about kicking back and relaxing for a change-" "Well someone has to! I used to see you at the bar once a week, but this is the first time you've been here in three-" "I know, I know... It's just how I have to be. We can't afford to live otherwise." Qrow couldn't help but roll his eyes upon hearing of her financial situation. "Why not put that dead beat boyfriend of yours to work? After all, he isn't much good for anything else."

"Hey now-"

"Look. I'm sorry. I know you like the guy, but I can't stand him..." "Oh... I've noticed..." "He's all hoity toity, acting like he's better than everyone. Likes to act all nice and sweet, but you can tell he's stuck up-" "Oh come on Qrow~ I know you're not the biggest fan of him, but give yourself time. You'll warm up to him, I'm sure!" "And don't get me started on how you've changed since you got back with him..." You can't help but feel a little confused by Qrow's words. Had you really begun to change that much to him in his eyes??? "W-what do you mean by that??? I'm really confused." "Come on-, you think I haven't noticed? You seem like you're unhappy. Maybe it's all the work, maybe it's something else. But you've been out of it. It also seems like you're doing everything not to go home, which is why you're working so much." "Jeez, mister therapist. Didn't know you could read my mind." "Heh-. No mind reading involved hun, I can just read you really well." "Is that so?" You couldn't help but smile a bit. Thing is Qrow wasn't off. Part of the reason you're sitting at this bar right now is because you finished everything you needed to do early, and what better way to spend your time than at the bottom of the bottle with your dearest friend? "We've been friends since Beacon. I know you better than anyone else. At least I'd like to think so. I can read you like an open book... Be honest with me, you aren't happy, are you?" Qrow is now completely turned to you in his stool, his drink the least of his concern now, instead putting you first. It makes you so happy that he cares so deeply, but then you remember everything and how it matters not in the end, because you could never express it. Your bones begin to ache with dread. You rub your arms nervously, not daring to flinch at the pain as your hand slides over the bumps and bruises hidden under your long sleeve. You turn away from Qrow, trying to further prevent false hope and dread from a beautiful thing that could never be...

Qrow realizing that his concern could not be reciprocated turned back to his drink, swishing around the ice in the glass, as only a small sip remained of the dark, syrupy, remedy that he used to often bury his own demons. You couldn't help but notice as his concerned glances directed at the glass in front of him quickly changed to that of anger. He wasn't going to give up just yet. "I take that as a no." "Why does my relationship with another man matter to you? You shouldn't concern yourself with such things."

"Because you're my friend, and I care. I thought that was obvious-"

"I get that, but what about my love life of all things." "Because if he's-!" Qrow stops and grits his teeth, trying not to utter the words. He only suspected things. He didn't want to chase you away with unfounded accusations, especially if they were true. Over the years you had begun to close yourself off from many of people when your boyfriend entered the picture. Qrow was the only string you couldn't truly bring yourself to cut. After all, you were a source of comfort for him when he felt out of place at Beacon. He even trusted you with his darkest secret and his deepest regret. Not only did it hurt you to even think of breaking away from him, but you sometimes worried that he would take it the hardest if you just suddenly stopped being there. Qrow wasn't the kind of man to walk away from you either even if you had begun to change in front of him. He was easily your most loyal person in your life. He couldn't bare the idea of losing you... "I just want you to be happy... you deserve that after all these years..."

"I-... I am happy. I'm happy because you make me happy. I just wish things weren't so complicated..." "I remember you being so bright and beautiful. You glowed everywhere you went, and you still do, but it seems like that light is dimming. I worried he's keeping you down. Keeping you from shining your best... God, I sound cheesy... But do you understand what I mean?" "Yeah... I was a lot more confident... less self conscious" "A lot less. It feels like he's keeping you down. And I want to help you so damn bad, but I can't if you don't talk to me..." Your face... it's so hot... and your cheeks feel enflamed. They must be a blush pink right about now... "It's uh... It's not cheesy... it's just really uh... how do I put it..."

"Really sweet? Sickeningly poetic? Yeah, I don't know how I did it. It's just how I felt."

"R-romantic... It's really romantic..."

Qrow now seems to be in the same boat as you, his cheeks a bright red pink, his hand coming up to rub the back of his head embarrassingly. Did it really show that bad? His feelings for you??? "It's really how you felt???" You can't help but push him on the subject. You knew he harbored feelings. He could never bring himself to stop talking when he was drunk. Would always praise the earth you walked on. He'd remind you how beautiful you were and how everybody was out of your league, because you were just too amazing. Of course it would always follow with ramblings about how you could do soooo much better than your current boyfriend, but the sentiment was still there. Now, you just wanted to hear it again while he was sober- er well... mentally there, and not just rambling in a drunken stooper. "W-well obviously! I didn't say it for my health. When have I ever done anything that's "good for me"?" "And you tell me I should be more mindful of myself???" "Hey now- There's no saving me. You on the other hand? That's a different story..." "Well maybe there is! You just have to find that thing that pushes you in the right direction, ya know???" "Yeah... You..." You can't help but giggle a little bit. "Now that's cheesy~" "Hey now. I'm poorin out my guts to you and you're laughing at me?" A playful smirk peaked on the man's face, as he sipped the last of his cup, though not as enjoyable as the ice had melted a fair amount into it, watering it down." "Sorry... I couldn't help myself..." "But seriously hun. I'm you're biggest fan, your most loyal friend, I'm here for you when you need me. So please... Promise me if you need help, you'll come to me? Don't sell yourself short for anyone. Please? For me?" You can't help but feel overwhelmed now. You're so happy but your heart hurts too. Truth is, Qrow has always been your only source of kindness, meeting in secret to keep your boyfriend off your back, merely being friends sitting at the bar. You're used to curses and obesities thrown in your direction. lack of acknowledgements of efforts and implications of your uselessness. The kind words are bliss in your miserable life. The cuts and bruises, the broken bones- They are so easily soothed by the soft affections of the man who accompanies you at the bar once a week. The man you grew with during your pursuit of a career as a huntsman/huntress. You have tears in your eyes, and they won't stop coming down. Qrow is quick to act, getting off of his stool and pulling you into a embrace from behind as you had buried your face into the counter. Guess you couldn't help yourself. Everything had just began to overflow. You soon are able to lift your head from the table and turn to Qrow, hiding your face in his chest. He too gets carried away by your sudden outburst, lifting you from the stool, and taking you over to a secluded table out of site and mind from prying eyes, just holding you there in his lap, doing anything he can to comfort you. Kisses on the forehead, caressing of your hair and face. Anything he can to let you know he's here to stay, and no shitty boyfriend would ever get in the way of that. "Can I please just take you home with me? I don't want you to go back..." "But can we really??? I mean... what if he finds out???" "I don't mean like that... I'm not that kind of man. Jeez... I'm worried if you go back, you aren't coming back... That TERRIFIES ME." You two just sit there quietly, still holding each other close... "But what would happen if I did go home with you???" "You'd never go back to him. I'd love you so much you wouldn't want to go back. I'd be there to wipe your tears away, to hold you, to let you know just how beautiful and amazing you are every day. You'd know damn well how much you mean to me. You wouldn't have to question if you're happy..." "I-... You really mean that??? Really? Things could be different?

[lazypanartist]

A fun bonus to the Starsick thing to kinda add a bit more Romance--

"So...why do you like stars so much?"

Michelangelo was currently the only one of the brothers awake. Donatello had curled around a pillow and passed smooth out, Leo was draped over one of Mikey's legs, snoring quietly while Raphael had rested his large head on your gut and drifted off listening to your rambling about the pictures you'd make appear.

You paused, stopping your story about Vulpecula- or was it Lyra? He had begun to lose track, but he didn't mind.

"I'm sorry. Is...You're probably tired, am I keeping you up?"

(Am I annoying you?)

Mikey shook his head. "No, keep going, I just. I'm curious, yknow. What interested you in them?"

The question made you quiet for a while. Raph grumbled and shifted, and you continued your tale about Lyra-Lyra! Right.- while you pondered.

"It's...a bit cheesy, I think."

"Go ahead. You know I live for extra cheese."

He grinned as you snickered, eyes flicking away from the projected sky. He was amazed how, despite it being so late it was early, you didn't seem exhausted. You didn't stay up late being a ninja, after all.

(or maybe you did. All the best ninjas are those never known about and whatnot.)

"I think...it's the connection." At his confused look, you took a breath an elaborated. "I mean...The stars have remained relatively unchanged for...millions of years. This is the night sky my ancestors saw, and its the same one the dinosaurs perished under, and it'll be the same stars that I'll see in my grave."

The box turtle's eyes widened as you went back to staring up at the faux sky. It was littered with drawings from your pointer: Cygnus, Heracles, Orion...

"People who shared this view have always looked up in the stars and made...pictures. Shapes. Something so the night wasn't so vast and scary. We took the night and made it a story to connect us with others and its..."

"Beautiful..."

You smiled at the other's whisper, unaware as he watched your eyes glint with love and adoration for these burning balls of gas millions of eons away.

"Exactly. It's just...something about how, no matter what, we've always felt love and care enough to make stories is incredible. And that...they change. They morph. The night sky does alter, stars die, new ones are born...but we always make new stories. It's...Love, you know?"

Mikey felt his fingers twitch before he slowly, quietly, slid his hand into yours, silent and understanding.

"...Do you...Want to make one? With me? I could draw it, and you could tell the story. I-If you want, that is."

You smiled and squeezed his two-fingered hand, passing over the pointer to the artist. "I'd love to."

AHHHHHHHH SO SOFT!!!

Just- the connections? Reader and Mikey?? The VIBES???

I'm exhausted right now, but- damn. Might have to go outside because of This..

[pennamepersona]

woke up thinking about the narrative use of astarion & how weird it is that his personal quest doesn't tie into the main narrative At All bc something is wrong with me, etc

ftr, i'm saying all of this as a bigtime astarion fan. love this guy. i keep romancing him and it's begun to feel like a cry for help. And Also, @ larian it's really fucking weird that you made a guy who doesn't tie into the plot at all

i'm putting the rest of this under a readmore. also i'm maintagging this mostly just for being able to find it later, if anybody wants to come @ me then pls know i basically never engage w/ tumblr and you'll probably be disappointed.

best i have for a real justification is that astarion exists in part for players who want to be Evil And Fucked Up. none of the other companions are fully down with using the tadpole powers or trying to take over the cult. and it is genuinely good to have a companion who gives you that option! if players who wanted to explore the fucked up options had complete disapproval from every companion, it would be kinda feelbad and make those options feel less like a real choice you're allowed to make.

why does that matter re: astarion being entirely detached from the main narrative? thank you for asking. it means that "guy who is down for being fucked up and taking over the cult" doesn't come across as secretly being in league with the bad guys the whole time. astarion having no link to ketheric, orin, or gortash means that his power play ideas don't make you suspicious that he's been lying to you and is just waiting to deliver you to the Chosen.

to be clear: still weird that he has no direct tie-in. but this is the best reason i could think of for why he'd be so completely not involved.

the other Point Of Him, i think, is for The Dark Urge. it's no secret that astarion is a killer parallel for durge. i'm not gonna go into that but goddamn, i love it.

and if we're looking at things from the durge perspective, i think it kinda works for astarion to be so detached. he then becomes Random Baldurian Affected By Durge's Actions and it adds more strength to him also functioning as a piece of nuance for the tadpoles. he's the only one who directly benefits from the tadpoles existing! and that on its own is a cool bit of narrative. i think the durge side of things makes astarion's narrative tie in just a bit more. we've now got Dude Who Was Saved By Player Character (Albeit Unintentionally). i think it adds more depth to the durge narrative, and if the dark urge was the only non-origin option and tav didn't exist, i think it makes astarion's lack of narrative relevance a bit less glaring.

tldr; useful for the guy who's down to be fucked up to not be involved with the villains At All so you don't get suspicious of him and the option to be fucked up feels like more of a real option

(also tasty durge & astarion narrative depth)

[sanyu-thewitch05]

Girls in Red

Wonderland

Savannah

Completely Under Your Love

What’s Real and What’s Not

Sandy Skies Ahead

"Ok, the mirror should be all fixed. You know what to do, Yuu," Crowley says, sitting in a chair while reading a romance novel.

"I hope you come and get me if I'm in trouble," I sneer, annoyed by Crowley's lack of caring for my wellbeing.

"You'll be fine. Besides, Ace and Deuce already entered before you."

"They what?! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"I was being oh so kind and wanted to surprise you! Who wouldn't want friends helping them out?"

"In case you've forgotten, I have almost died there, sir! You know what, never mind! I'll find them on our own! Come on, Grim!"

Grim and I angrily go in the mirror and land on the bright green grass, wearing red cloaks. My hair is a rose red, while Grim has red in the places where blue usually is.

"Oh, cool, we're Rose Red! My mom used to tell me about how she was Snow White's sister that everyone left out!" I squeal, looking at her red locks. "I've got to take a picture of this."

Grim hands me the camera Crowley gave me, and we take a selfie in their new forms. I put the photo in a nice place where it will stay and venture through the woods to find the Evil Queen's castle. After an hour of going through bushes, vines, and logs, we find the Evil Queen's castle. It's bigger than usually pictured, and the well is shiny and clean.

"Woah, this place is amazing!" I squeal, dusting myself off.

"Snow White, go see who's at the door?!" The Evil Queen yells, making Grim and I think of running away.

Neige, known as Snow White, trots down the stairs and hugs me.

"I'm so glad you're back! I'd thought you'd never return from your travels! Tell me, how was it?!" Neige questions, spinning around and hugging me, Rose Red, his sister.

"It was fun! I saw a lot of magical things! Tell me, how is stepmother?" I ask, following Neige up the stairs.

"She's-she's fine. Stepmother has been on edge lately, but we've gotten along better recently. Come on! I have to show you a surprise we made!" Neige exclaims, running up the stairs and going to the Evil Queen's room.

I follow behind and glance at the purple decor around the room. But the most intriguing part was the blood splatter elegantly hidden behind a violet curtain. I tiptoe into the room while holding Grim and find a bloody sight. A young white man with brown hair and noble blue clothing is splayed across the table with his stomach cut open and guts spilling out. His eyes are lifeless but have the eternal look of pleading for help. I back away, knocking over a vase, gaining the attention of Neige and his stepmother.

"We killed him for you," Neige says, touching my shoulder.

"He was looking for you so he could take you away to his kingdom. You have to understand why we did this," The Evil Queen adds, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"No! He wasn't coming for me! He was coming for you, Snow!" I scream, pushing them off of you.

"Why does that matter? I like staying here with my stepmother. I like staying here with you. We don't need anyone else," Neige calmly says, stepping toward me.

God! I go into this story expecting everything to be normal, but instead, I get Norman Bates and his evil stepmother!

"I thought you two hated each other!" I scream, going behind the dead prince.

"Not anymore! I’ve realized there’s more to the world than beauty! And that’s love!” Vil says, making me shiver in disgust.

"I hope you mean love in a platonic way," I groan, trying not to gag. "Oh God, why couldn't I have a story with characters that act normally!"

"Please don't leave. We've only just begun to your presence," Vil pleads, his heels clicking more as he walks toward me.

Neige circles in from the other direction leaving me nowhere to go. Nowhere to go but down, that is! I hold onto Grim tight and leap out the tower window, trying to grasp the vines for a soft and hopefully painless fall. I grab the thorniest part of the vine, inches above the ground. I recoil my hand, rose-red blood going everywhere, and flee for the woods. As I go into the woods, the thorns and vines seem to circle in until I find a cottage.

"Come out, dearest! You can't hide from us for long! You'll never survive in these woods in the dark!" Vil yells, his voice sounding like an old wicked wizard's.

I run to the cottage, lock the door behind her, and hide underneath a small bed. She stays there as the daylight wanes and the woods begin to get a bit wilder.

"Wow, these woods are truly something else," I say, noticing the ground-shaking footsteps of a giant or large beast. "You can hear people talking and the magic gathering all at once."

The cottage door suddenly slams open and hurried footsteps go to a bed next to me. A girl with auburn with dark red hair and a red cape slides underneath a bed accompanied by a lovely gray wolf. Their green eyes look at me, and she flashes a nervous but friendly smile.

"Nice red cape," She compliments, taking down her hood.

"Thank you. Say, are you hiding from someone as well?" I ask, stroking Grim's back as he sleeps.

"It's not the Big Bad Wolf this time. I made a couple of giants mad while trying to help this baker couple break a curse. My friend, Jack, I think he killed a giant's husband, and now the family wants revenge. But what about you? What are you running from?" The girl asks, huddling her knees.

"I was visiting my stepmother and sister-you'll probably know them-the Evil Queen and Snow White. Everything was going well until I found the prince on a table covered in blood, and his stomach split. And to think I thought my sister loved him," I say, still in shock that Snow White and the Evil Queen killed the prince. "Turns out they get along too well and want me to stay in that tower as well.”

"Really? I thought the Evil Queen didn't like Snow? Crazy how things change so fast. My name's Blanchette, but most people call me Little Red Riding Hood. Nice to meet you, now what's yours?"

"My name's Rose Red. Any idea how to get out of these woods?"

"No idea, but most brilliant ideas come in the midst of darkness. Come, it's best we travel now while the giants head toward the kingdom."

Blanchette gets up with me and travels through the woods in the darkness. Our arms are together as we skip through the woods. A man with a blonde bob suddenly appears in front of us, offering his services.

"Oh, Mr. Huntsman, you've appeared again! Off to kill some more beasts?" Blanchette asks, smiling at Rook, the Huntsman.

"No, no. A queen and her stepdaughter have caught my eye. No person, never mind, two would be caught dead in the woods at this time of night," Rook replies, giving a creepy smile.

"Well, we'll be sure to yell for help if we spot them. Good day, sir!" Blanchette says, quickly skipping forward to get away from Rook.

Even though they were feet away, I could still feel Rook's eyes boring through me. The path begins to clear with fewer vines surrounding the road. The road gets darker, and soon, we encounter a black canyon.

"I guess this it?" Blanchette asks, throwing a rock into the darkness only to hear silence. "There's got to be a way across."

"I think we have bigger problems, way bigger problems!" I exclaim, pointing at the giants, Neige and Vil, walking toward us.

"Oh no," Blanchette says, staring at the giant. "Huntsman, if you're around! Now would be a great time to help!"

"Found you!" Neige and Vil say, running towards me.

I make a last-minute duck and Neige and Vil jump into the darkness. Their screams get softer and softer until no one can hear anything except a gentle thud. An arrow hits a giant in the eye, and the two others come tumbling into the dark canyon. Their bodies create a bridge to the other side, letting Little Red and Rose Red(Yuu/me) travel to the brighter side of the woods where the sun rises. We, the two girls in red run across the giant's back, leaving the woods together.

"I made it! We made it!" Blanchette squeals, hugging me while spinning around. "I hope I see you again!"

"Goodbye!" I say, hugging Blanchette back and not letting go. "Oh, wait! Let's take a picture!"

I pull out my ghost camera and take a picture of her and Blanchette. The morning sun washes over the girls, bringing a classic fairytale end to the story.

Grim and I appear outside the Dark Mirror, but with two keys instead of one.

"Ooh! Look! We got a key with a red hood and a mirror!" Grim yells, pawing at my key chain.

"We got more than that, Grim! Look at this awesome cape!" I exclaim, spinning around in the red cape.

"I see you two are happy," Crowley says, getting up from the floor as if he's fallen.

"Yep!" Grim and I say together.

I take out the selfie from earlier and smile at it. I take the photo of Blanchette, myself, Grim, and Blanchette's wolf from the ghost camera, putting it into her cape's pocket. Grim and I skip out of the Mirror Chamber and back to Ramshackle, happy as one can be.

3rd POV

Meanwhile, Ace and Deuce come out of the Mirror Chamber traumatized by what they’ve seen.

“I had no idea fairytales were so brutal!” Ace cries, helping Deuce steady his balance.

“Between chasing Cinderella and getting rid of the giants I’m quite tired of fairytales. What happened with Little Red anyway?” Deuce replies, hobbling out of the room.

“Who knows,” Ace responds.

[my-chaos-radio]

Release: July 11, 1998

Lyrics:

Baby join me in death

Baby join me in death

Baby join me in death

We are so young

Our lives have just begun

But already we're considering

Escape from this world

And we've waited for so long

For this moment to come

Was so anxious to be together

Together in death

Won't you die tonight for love

Baby join me in death

Won't you die

Baby join me in death

Won't you die tonight for love

Baby join me in death

This world is a cruel place

And we're here only to lose

So before live tears us apart let

Death bless me with you

Won't you die tonight for love

Baby join me in death

Won't you die

Baby join me in death

Won't you die tonight for love

Baby join me in death

This live ain't worth living

This live ain't worth living

This live ain't worth living

This live ain't worth living

Baby join me in death

Won't you die tonight for love

Baby join me in death

Won't you die

Baby join me in death

Won't you die tonight for love

Baby join me in death

Songwriter: Ville Hermanni Valo

SongFacts:

"Join Me in Death" is a single by Finnish gothic rock band HIM, taken from their second studio album, Razorblade Romance (2000). It was also released as "Join Me", since they were not allowed to include "Death" in the title for the US version. It was featured in the end credits of the European version of the sci-fi movie The Thirteenth Floor (the US version features the Cardigans' "Erase/Rewind" instead). It is the eighth-best-selling single of all time in Finland.

HIM performed this song for the first time in Ilosaarirock, Finland, on 11 July 1998, which featured an extra verse not included in the studio versions.

The song has been met with controversy regarding its subject matter. "A couple of people blamed me for a suicide someone committed over here saying that 'Join Me' is an invitation to kill yourself," HIM frontman Ville Valo told the European magazine Metal Hammer in 2003. "What I was trying to do was sort of rip-off 'Don't Fear the Reaper' by Blue Öyster Cult, making a rock track of Romeo And Juliet." Lyrics such as "Would you die tonight for love?" have contributed to the misconception that the song is about suicide, which Valo denies, claiming the lyrics refer to giving things up for the sake of love. "It's not about suicide, that song. It's about giving it all away," Valo told the magazine Modern Fix.

Four versions of the song's video exist: three "lazer versions", two of which include different scenes from the Thirteenth Floor movie, and the fourth being an "ice version", with a vague Romeo and Juliet theme also attributed to the song.

"Join Me In Death" was included in the film The Thirteenth Floor (though not on its soundtrack) and on the Resident Evil: Apocalypse soundtrack in 2004. The band Gregorian covered "Join Me" with Sarah Brightman on their album Masters of Chant: Chapter III and on Brightman's Limited Edition The Harem Tour album. Another Gregorian version exists with vocals performed by Amelia Brightman.

[ichigoromi]

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 | 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧 | 𝐇𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐲𝐮𝐮 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧

I've wanted to write a Makki headcanon!

Pairing: Hanamaki Takahiro (timeskip) x fem reader! (she/her) x a little Seijoh four moments

Genre (s): fluff, romance

Warning (s): none!

Enjoy!

Hanamaki Takahiro

You and Hanamaki have been in a relationship for three years and recently move in together in an apartment that you two call home.

Both your friends have no idea that you two are in a relationship even though you two have moved in together already.

Since Oikawa moved to Argentina, the boys would at least facetime/zoom each other once a month to catch up.

Your friends are curious about your new place, but you made an excuse that you have a roommate, so it's inconvenient to have guests over.

Except for that roommate of yours is your boyfriend of two years.

You were classmates with Iwaizumi and got acquainted with the rest of his friend group.

Hanamaki asked you out after you two have graduated from university.

Only your parents know about your relationship.

It was their usual catching-up, and you were in the master bedroom reading.

And it was getting tiring, so you went out to go bother your boyfriend since that's what you do when you're bored.

But you forgot that he was on a call.

The three other guys gasped in shock as you entered into the view and plants a kiss on Hanamaki's cheek. He was confused as well why his friends were freaking out, then he realized they are not aware that you two are dating.

You froze when you realized you just kissed him in front of your friends.

"Ah, hello!" You awkwardly waved, and Hanamaki pulls you into his lap. His friends glared at him, and you two were laughing.

"Explain this, Makki!" Oikawa shouts through the screen.

"Well...We've been dating for three years." You revealed, and the chaos has begun.

"THREE YEARS?!"

"YOU DIDN'T THINK TO TELL YOUR BEST BUDS FIRST?!"

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET A GIRLFRIEND BEFORE ME?!"

Both of you winced from them, trying to get an answer from you two. You two were nonchalant and shrug your shoulders.

"Oh my lord, how did Makki get a girlfriend before us?" Oikawa shook his head in disappointment.

"Can't blame my girlfriend for being so hot. If I don't ask her out first, she would have been taken by others." You nodded your head to his statement.

"Too bad for you singles, I'm the first one to be taken. Don't cry because you're single; cry because you're not as lucky as me." Hanamaki smirks at them as they hurl curses at him for being taken.

You laugh along with him and snuggles closer to him.

"Ugh, can you guys don't be close to each other in front of us?" Matsukawa lets out a groan when you and Hanamaki share a short kiss.

"Nope! We're going to rub in your faces!" You hug Hanamaki closer to you, and the other three singles gave up since you two are the best at teasing.

"Alright, we are going to leave you lovebirds alone. It was nice catching with y'all all! Let's hang out when I come back!." You all agreed and says your byes.

After that, you and Hanamaki were left chilling on the sofa, just in each other's arms.

"Hey, want to go get some ramen?"

"Yeah, I was craving it. Let's go change." He pulls you up, and you two head back to change for some ramen.

This is why you two are suited for each other; great minds think alike.

Hope you guys enjoyed reading this! Thank you for reading this!

As always, please stay safe and healthy!

With love,

Rosalie🍓

[askyourwritergrandma]

hello!! I hope you're doing great! I just wanted to find out a few things~

I've begun planning my very first multichapter fic (I know some people who prefer to just go with the flow of the story but I need to know where I'm headed with this to stay motivated) but I've run into some bumps:

1. how do I interlace complex plot with the protag and love interest?

2. how do you write a slow burn romance? all the scenes I've planned out feel too "choppy" and the chemistry doesn't have any flow to it - not to mention there's no relation to the plot (which connects to my first question)

furthermore, do you have any general tips for writing a long fanfic? this is new territory, and I want to learn about it as much as possible.

thank you in advance!!! :)

Hi anon!

This is a complicated ask to answer but I hope to consolidate my thoughts into something that's helpful for you.  

First off: congrats on moving into multi-chapter fics!  If you're just starting out it's a wonderful challenge.  I know you can do it, but if you find yourself at a point where everything feels like drudgery and you want to shoot someone in the leg for excitement, understand that we've all been there.  Take a break, put the gun away and come back when you're feeling rested!

To answer your questions (in the opposite order):

2. slow burn romance is less about how to slow down your romance and more about when to introduce the idea that it's a proper romance to your audience.  You start out with your two characters as friends/co-workers/enemies/frenemies/whatever.  They aren't a romance from the outset, they either don't know one another well or they do know one another and they don't like one another.  You force them to get to know one another by creating the situation where they keep running into one another.

They hate it and/or they have no emotion about it.

Like, oh it's Jake from accounting ok fine I guess if I have to he's not the worst.  But meanwhile I'm interested in literally anything else slightly more.  

Your plot moves forward, your characters keep bumping into one another.  There's always a moment (not the oh moment) where they kind of choose one another, like kids setting up a softball game, they always pick the person they like best first.  That's the start of some kind of affection between them.  Your reader should already want them to see one another romantically at this point, but even if they don't, as soon as you start writing them behaving more romantically together they will

This is when the flirting starts to happen with the intent of being seen as flirting.  Maybe they're both aware or maybe only one of them is really putting on the nice shirt and fixing their hair up pretty.  Maybe one of them has the notion that they're not good enough for that kind of attention, or they have another reason why they don't reciprocate.

Your second moment happens when the second character has that same moment, like oh wait.  Wait.  Wait Jake from Accounting was flirting with me?  He's so nice, charming, wonderful (see how our perception has changed from boring) am I really the one he wants?  

Suddenly the things that happen between them become charged, they're both aware there's a thing happening but neither of them has taken that final step to ask someone out.  You can drag this out as long as you want but by the time you get to this point, your romance is at a low boil and will bubble over soon.

Then you do whatever happens near your climax of the story, they're in danger or they're emotionally upset or whatever and in that moment, they turn to one another.  Do they kiss?  hug? snuggle?  passionately declare their love?  That's up to you, but that will be the moment your slow burn ends.  You've done it.

Now, some of this you can weave into your plot, like how they bump into one another can be made to fold around your plot like crust on bread, but the actual chemistry and getting to know you stuff is just...difficult to plan?  Some things you have to just start writing to see how it's going to go and in my opinion, chemistry is one of those.  So don't worry too much if it feels awkward where you put it on your plotline because it'll probably move itself around so it feels right.

how do you interlace your plot with your characters?  I like to think of plot as the things that you do to your characters, those things that they have no control over.  Imagine a thunderstorm rolling into the area--your character can't prevent that, he can't cause it, he can do nothing but react to it.  Maybe he goes the safe route and stays home and/or in some kind of shelter.  He's secured his outdoor furniture, bought his bread and milk and is fully able to ride it out.  Or maybe he's out driving around going to bars.  Maybe he has a hankering for pizza so great he leaves his house in the middle of the massive storm and is like: lol hail only hurts when it hits you. all those things are what your character does.  so if you need your characters to interlace with your plot, allow them to react and act in between your main plot points.  They'll naturally develop their own subplots and romantic plots if you give them enough characters and opportunities to do so.   Imagine your first plot point is someone starts a fire and your character is in the building where the fire is.  What do they do?  Get out? save people? get trapped?  what choices are they making in that moment, what does that say about who they are, how does it affect them when  the danger has passed and what are the consequences.  A man who runs for his life and survives while other people die is going to have some measure of survivors guilt.  A man who goes back and saves people but can't save them all will have guilt, maybe injury, probably some level of lasting trauma.  Those things don't go away immediately. so then you find out the fire was set on purpose and the plot of your story is figuring out why but now you've got to deal with the trauma sustained.  Other people are also traumatized--maybe his friends and family try to be supportive but he's become obsessed with solving the arson case because he couldn't save someone. Maybe his quest to find the truth is about his own absolution or maybe it's about revenge. You write the story and as you go, let the characters grow.  the more they grow, the more story you have.  give the relationships, obstacles, goals, flaws, etc.

As for general writing long advice?  take your time.  be patient with yourself because it's tough to learn how to start writing long.  if you find yourself struggling to meet your word counts, don't add a bunch of nonsense to your chapters, go back and ask yourself if you can add introspection to a scene (from the character's POV), add scene description (that matters) or actions during conversations.  

If you have any more questions feel free to send me an ask, but I hope this helped!

[starkjoy]

I just binged the 5 episodes of season five and there's a whole lot I can say about everything but about buddie in particular, I thought it was funny that not only were they shoehorning a relationship with Eddie but they admitted to it and it fell apart before it even started... like... hello? In addition to your post, buck is more concerned with his family(ies) than his "relationship" that doesn't feel like he's all the way in either?? He spent what 2? Episodes dogging Eddie about what happened, but barely has a real conversation with - I think her names Taylor? (Shows just how important she is /hj)

Thank you for the ask!

Ana and Taylor's reintroductions certainly felt contrived last season. Two minor characters, reappearing out of nowhere after 1-2 seasons, who enter romantic relationships with Buck and Eddie a few episodes after they come back...on overlapping timelines? To use your word, it felt as if the writers were "shoehorning" these shoddily developed romances into Eddie and Buck's storylines as an effort to friend zone them.

Carla's "make sure you're following your heart" line still sticks out to me, though—was that included as fodder in case the writers retconned EddieAna later on? Or as intentional foreshadowing?

To your point, the writers made EddieAna fall apart so quickly in S5, whether that was the plan all along or a new decision (perhaps based on the nearly universal negative fan response).

Now, the EddieAna Syndrome may be happening again with BuckTaylor. Two characters shoved together with little romantic build-up, then boom—time jump months forward out of the honeymoon phase where cracks have begun to show. Was this the plan all along?

If so, why did the writers hastily give Buck and Eddie new girlfriends just to break them up fairly soon after? Are they really gonna do this all over again? Introduce more side characters no one will care about, instead of pursuing the relationship most fans/critics are waiting for, one that's been organically building over seasons of development? Hell, even the general audience would probably root for Buddie more than either of them and Random NPC #5127283. I digress.

I totally hear you on Buck being more concerned about his family(ies) than his relationship—why wouldn't he be though, because from what we've seen so far his relationship with Taylor isn't super serious. As always when Buck dates a minor side character, his relationship with Eddie and the rest of 118 will be more important narratively.

Personally, I'd prefer for Buck to end things with Taylor rather than vice versa. For him to decide to leave on his own terms because he's unhappy, rather than be left on Taylor's. Let Buck choose Eddie.

[plague-of-insomnia]

Lol I *hate* that post. Also like, most people don't read classic lit, and classic lit in general can be critized as being made up of primarily cis, white, straight men. Women and queer authors often have their works shuffled into YA. And fanfic?? Primarily made of of women and queer folk (and queer women). Which... is often what the reasoning is why it's targeted.

Also, children's lit and YA lit are some of the best works I've read. They deal with harsh topics. One of my favorite books from when I was a kid is Gossamer by Lois Lowry. My class read it in fifth grade (so like, 10 year olds) and it dealt heavily with abuse and coping with and recovery from trauma. The book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson also deals with very dark themes, and it's YA. (Also both very good books and I highly recommend each. Look up the trigger lists for them. When I say they deal with dark subjects, I mean it.)

Fanfic and YA are such broad categories, and to dismiss them shows a clear lack of true understanding of literature. Typically, when people say they dislike them, it boils down to bias against queer people, women, and romance as a genre (which was spear headed by, you guessed it, queers and women).

Also, there's nothing wrong with liking tropes. I like tropes. Everyone likes specific tropes. We've all just been copying off of one another since the beginning of art creation, and we will continue to do so. Just let people enjoy things ffs. Reading is for fun and creating fanfic is for fun. Just because I read or write something doesn't mean I want to base a master's thesis around it

[In reference to this post: TL;DR - people who only read fan fic/YA aren’t capable of understanding/analyzing complex themes bc they’re obsessed with tropes]

Oof! @gabedemon, this is all a really good point/addition to why that OP’s point was 😬.

Now I’ll confess I do not personally like YA as a general rule, largely for two reasons: 1) I don’t like reading about teens and 2) for a while EVERYONE and their grandparents were writing YA to try and hitch onto the bandwagon of popular novels turned films like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, et al, and so a lot of people were writing stuff just to try and ride a trend rather than bc that’s what they should have been writing/what their story actually wanted.

However, you are 100% right that there are some amazing novels that fall into that broad category and are worth reading whether you’re 15 or 95 (or somewhere in between).

One of the best novels I read before my headache began (and I stopped reading novels 😞) dealt with some really heavy issues (it was focused on suicide) — and it managed to delve into complex mental illness (like BPD, borderline personality disorder) and suicidality in a really realistic and complex way while not glorifying it in anyway. I highly recommend it, if the topic isn’t too tough for you (general you) to deal with, Suicide Watch:

I definitely think you see queer authors and their stories forced into niche publishers or fan fic (I don’t know if I would say only YA here as I’ve read a ton of non-YA queer published fiction).

I think you have some people who are just “snobs” who think only “serious” “literary fiction” is worth reading and has any depth. Those people have probably never read a really good YA novel (I also recommend Freaks Like Us for one that tackles mental illness in a insightful way) or any fan fic at all. (Or if they have, it’s something like My Immortal.) So they make the assumption that all fan fic must be meaningless drivel (as if there isn’t plenty of that in mainstream, published adult fiction or other media for that matter).

They also forget that people read for different reasons, and like you said, not everyone wants to read something to write a master’s thesis on.

Some “pulp” stories, like the Sherlock Holmes tales, have survived and proliferated across time and languages because people find them entertaining and can identify with the characters in some way. (Ofc some people like to analyze those stories but not everyone does; in fact, most people don’t, and that’s perfectly fine.)

So I think you have the snobs who really aren’t looking at it from a “I must crush queer writers,” though ofc you’re absolutely right about the fact that bias still exists among readers and publishers.

As I mentioned before, trying to publish a novel with a queer MC or romance through one of the big ones is really difficult for the same reason we see plenty of queer baiting in film but very few actual queer stories. Publishers are afraid that those stories won’t sell, will offend and affect sales of other books, etc, etc,

So we see the proliferation of queer stories and writers in fan fic where people are free to write whatever they want. And that’s really wonderful, imo. (But I also hope we finally see more mainstream queer stories and authors/creators as well.)

And as for tropes, honestly that was the dumbest part of the whole argument. Tropes have always and will always exist bc there’s just some things we humans love to see over and over and over again. I’m sure you could label just about any “high” art with a trope of some kind. Just bc something can be distilled into tropes doesn’t mean that’s all it is. I mean, writing programs always talk about things like “the hero’s journey” or whatever and that’s a kind of trope, too.

Anyway, I’m gonna stop before I keep rambling 😅 but yeah I think you make some really great points/additions, and I absolutely think that “all generalizations are bad” 😅😂 and trying to make a sweeping assessment like that is ridiculous.

Kind of reminds me of how much scorn “genre” fiction has gotten (think mystery novels or romance novels or sci fi, etc) because it’s “shallow.” But that has begun to change, and I do think we’re slowly seeing the attitude toward fan fic changing…. Now, if only we could chuck all the antis and their puritanical BS out the door….