#while the show is reallying building up the characters and exploring the dynamics before the action kicks off

[twinsarekeepers]

Reading some of the critiques of pjotv and now I know why y’all are on tumblr and not in the writer’s room 💀💀

[gotigersiguess]

I want to talk about how Duffers write romantic subplots, because it's such a simple, but at the same time effective way to make people invested. TL;DR: it's usually a love triangle.

Every potential couple in the show obviously starts with the typical will-they-won't-they dynamic. Most of the time, will-they-won't-they is actually what the audience enjoys in a story, it builds the anticipation until we finally hit crescendo - after all that juicy build-up, the couple finally gets together. Now, it's important not to lose the momentum and keep the audience invested. Budding or established relationships could get boring pretty quickly so it's important to throw in some internal (emotional) or external conflicts (supernatural and/or a third party) into the mix. Duffers love their love triangles. It's usually clear who the narrative favors in that dynamic - that couple gets all the heart-to-hearts and is shown to have a mutual understanding / similar values. Let's see some examples:

(I won't mention Dustin and Suzie, that relationship is not explored at all)

Lucas / Max / Dustin

We get a bit of the will-they-won't-they with some internal and external conflicts mixed in (the latter one involves Dustin as a third party only briefly), Lucas is favored by the narrative, Lucas and Max get together at the end of season 2. Season 3 doesn't really explore that relationship further, we see some hints of it (like them breaking up and getting back together constantly). Their romantic subplot takes a backseat in that season. Season 4 starts with them being broken up. Now, things are becoming more interesting. We get the will-they-won't-they once again, we get internal (emotional) and external (supernatural) conflicts to develop both the characters and their romance. A third party is not needed here, they have enough going on for them. We get a possible resolution of them getting together, followed by another obstacle (Max almost dies). The audience is invested, the relationship is at it's peak. We're all rooting for them to be together and live happily ever after.

Steve / Nancy / Jonathan

We get the will-they-won't they, we get conflicts and a third party (first Jonathan, then Steve). Jonathan and Nancy's relationship gets established, but to keep things going we get some new conflicts in season 4 - long-distance, fears for their future, supernatural threat and a third party once again (Steve). Their romantic subplot is engaging and unresolved. The narrative at this point in time favors Jonathan, because he is shown to have the same wants and values as Nancy.

Hopper / Joyce / Bob

The will-they-won't they - check, conflicts - check, a third party (Bob) - check. The narrative favors Hopper so much that Bob dies. Still, the will-they-won't they and external conflicts persist to keep the audience engaged and further the plot. We finally get a resolution in season 4, because season 5 will have enough relationship drama in our love triangles to feed the audience.

El / Mike / Will

This dynamic has the will they won't they of all the will they won't they's (sorry for that monstrosity of a sentence). First, we get the intrigue of Mike and El's potential relationship - they are kept apart by the external conflict. Once they get together, the audience doesn't get a room to breath - season 3 introduces another conflict (Hopper and Mike's lie) in the first episode. This couple's internal and external conflicts continue to haunt the narrative, but this time they're used to further the characters individual arcs. They almost seem to be out of sync: season 3 ends in El reviving the romantic part of their relationship while Mike is confused, season 4 ends in Mike doing the same while El is in pain. Both times, we don't get a mutual happy resolution for their subplot. A third party (Will) is always present in that triangle, even before the eventual confirmation of his feelings for Mike. Time and time again, we are shown that Mike can't manage both El and Will at the same time. The narrative favors Will in both season 3 and 4 - we get the heart to hearts, we get invested in Will's feelings, we once again get the internal and external conflicts that further only El's emotional arc and Mike's emotional arc respectfully, but never resolve their romantic subplot in a satisfying way. We're going into season 5 with the knowledge that El and Mike are still out of sync in their romantic subplot. The narrative continues to favor Will.

Let me know if I missed anything.

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 64 Samurai Posting

HELLO, VOID! We got some excellent stuff this chapter. World building, character dynamic exploration, character progression, all told with awesome action- this is peak Kagurabachi! Bit shorter than usual because IRL is steamrolling me...

Rough TL of the Editor's Notes:

Front Page: 座村の娘イヲリを狙う久々李. チヒロを前に…? [Samura no musume Iori wo nerau Kuguri. Chihiro wo mae ni...?!] Kuguri targets Samura's daughter, Iori. Chihiro stands before him...?! Last Page: 逭せるなら今のうち♪ [(ni)seru nara ima no uchi] Now's the time to escape♪

The Fight

World building!

So all the bearers were chosen because of their skill and personal approval from Kunishige! Makes sense. Gotta have solid fundamentals to make the most of using these swords- but where does that leave Chihiro?

Pissing off Kuguri, the guy who studies the blade instead of going to parties and having normal social interactions!

So he's kind of scuffed with how he fights sans Enten. Also makes sense. But trying to learn in the middle of battle is a bit risky, isn't it?

He won't become a sword master after this fight but I wonder how he'll keep improving. Will he pick up random moves to copy? Maybe the Sushi Bearer can help him with the basics once this fight is done? Inquiring minds would like to know...

HMM

Chihiro is narrating this and we don't know if he got details on what actually happened from Shiba in the hospital yet or not. All he knows is propaganda that everyone else is taught. So this throws theories of Magatsumi's wielder being a child who accidentally picked up the sword causing The Incident into serious doubt, but doesn't totally deny it... god, we need more info. Please, Hokazono-sensei! I'm going numb from all the teasing!

But at least this explains why Samura et. al. are leagues above Chihiro. He's been figuring things out on his own like Hiruhiko wants to do and his fundamentals are actually pretty shoddy. He can tap into the blade's True Realm easier, and draw out more of it's abilities, but his stance and such leave him wide-open to experienced swordsmen.

Trying to summon the Great Serpent of Ronka...?

For the record, all these clangs and screech effects are to show how messy Chihiro's swordsmanship is. Someone who could fight properly wouldn't be dragging the blade around when parrying or swinging it like a club. Kuguri's got a lot to teach Chihiro...

Someone... listened to me?!

I'm pretty sure he's going to be yelling instructions at Chihiro on how to fight better while trying to kill him and I can't wait to see it. His need to fight and slice got tangled up with being taken seriously as a learning resource and I hope the results continue to bring the laughs! I'm completely won over by this guy and the "while you partied, I studied the blade" energy he radiates. I gotta know how he came to idolise Sojo but thank you for keeping the slightly ridiculous takes on "to clash is to converse" alive. Hokazono-sensei is keeping his favourite guy around even if it's in an indirect way.

It was really funny to see that John spoils Hiruhiko rotten and Kuguri can't fuckin' stand it. They're basically oil and water. I like that we are getting these great dynamics between the villains too- I'm even starting to warm up to Hiruhiko as John's special little boy that everyone else sort of tolerates. I'm genuinely interested in the backstory of how they all came together and... I say this every time, but... I hope we don't have to wait too long to find out.

As for what all of this means for Chihiro and his personal sorcery, we could find out what it is this arc but I think it will leave off at him learning to apply it to his swordsmanship. He's not adept at using his spirit energy like Shiba and had no foundational training like Hakuri did. All he's doing is dumping it into the weapon and using the White Lotus Iai move that Uruha explained and Samura demonstrated. The question of what his sorcery is would come up as more of a legacy question I think, as in if he could make more enchanted blades or whatever his mom could do (that blood test is still hanging around, don't forget).

There's ambiguity in what the sword contract means too- does it permanently remove the Bearer's ability to use their sorcery even if the bond is broken? Or is it only redirecting the flow to itself while bonded? ...Yet another question that will get answered eventually. Hopefully.

Can Someone Who Doesn't Feel Guilty as Fuck Please Stand Up?

You better believe I'm ranting about this with ship goggles strapped on at the end of this post.

And so, Chihiro does in fact blame himself a hell of a lot for Hakuri's current predicament. Never mind that Hakuri has his own personal issues that drove him to this point, Chihiro's adding to his burden of his own accord and no one's gonna stop him. The Masumi are doing their best but there's no getting through to everyone's favourite traumatized MC. I sincerely hope they stick around to keep trying though (and shoving food in Chihiro's face because it's funny).

The phrasing is interesting to me- remember this?

Chapter 58... feels like ages ago.

I'm definitely going to bet on Hakuri making some kind of grand gesture down the line- something in the vein of "we're friends so stop blaming yourself and let me help you!". There's so much tension being set up over Chihiro's complicated feelings involving Hakuri and feeling like he got the guy involved only to let him down by being weak, after all. Toss Hiruhiko's misunderstanding of friendship in the mix and we've got an angst cocktail garnished with crazy. I've got ideas about how it'll play out, but the author will be the best one to tell his own story so I'll just patiently wait to see what happens. Something something Hakuri/Uruha and Chihiro/Samura parallels right?

At any rate, we take a break from Hollywood block-buster action movies to do some super traditional shounen things this chapter and I'm completely in love with the execution. Chihiro's guilt and his insecurity as a swordsman are eating away at him, and now that he can't use Enten, he's actually not gonna fare too well with someone who's studied the blade. The only thing he had an advantage on others was sheer time spent with the enchanted blade- his basics are actually pretty poor! Makes sense since being able to cleanly cut a training dummy is nowhere near the same as fighting someone one-on-one. And a slicing freak like Kuguri who apparently cares quite a bit about technique would be too much for him... if not for some inspiration and Chihiro's ability to adapt.

Some Cool Shit

Small appreciation here:

Talk about making an impact.

I'm in love with how the キン (KIN, sharp clang) sound effect forms the border to separate Kuguri's face from the action shot. It's incredible use of non-traditional paneling and I hope it's not removed in the EN volume release! It would be ruining the artistry of the page to remove it!

Alright, and now...

WARNING: Ship Brainrot Ahead

I'm completely normal about this chapter after months of Chihiro and Hakuri not interacting with each other. Hokazono really saw me complaining in private about them being separated for four months in real time and gave us... this.

"Power of Friendship"? Never heard of it.

Yeah.

The title of the chapter is ビカム侍, "Become a Samurai". But they didn't have to have this flashback- Samura and Uruha are both clearly inspired by samurai already and they were the reason why Chihiro was able to pull off the awesome Iai move he did. It simply could have been a reference to those two and Chihiro learning more swordsmanship to become like them.

BUT NO

We had to know that he was doing this because of Hakuri. Specifically because Hakuri called him a samurai when they first met. Even though Chihiro doesn't seem to recall the "that's you!" part, he still wants to be that samurai Hakuri needs.

I. AM. VERY. NORMAL.

Like, even as a friendship thing, isn't that kind of... intense? Everything about Hakuri is intense, yeah, but I don't know man. Chihiro wanting to live up to the high regard that Hakuri had of him from the start and become the samurai his friend thinks of him as is... I ship this for a reason, okay? Every time I think "surely this will not go so far" the author trounces those expectations and says "NAH I'm making this gay as hell".

We finally got Chihiro's response to Hakuri saying "I need you in my life", and it's "I will become the person you think I am so you don't get hurt for my sake ever again". His feelings towards Hakuri were a bit unclear until now but it's obvious that they're burning bright. He cares so, so much about his "equal partner". HNNNGH YOU CAN SEE WHERE I'M COMING FROM, RIGHT?

And just as a reminder, not even two weeks have passed since they met each other.

So normal.

Both of them are trying to be the better person the other sees them as.

I'm having a Kuguri-style brain implosion right now.

I gotta say, it's really nice to see this sort of push to be better that isn't built off of rivalry but rather mutual respect. Chihiro and Hakuri both see each other as the better, stronger person that saved them and it compels them to keep improving themselves. They just have to work on the personal issues that drive them to hurt themselves in pursuit of this goal.

Friendly rivalry isn't a bad or unhealthy dynamic at all, it's just a bit over-used in shounen as the default relationship type between the MC and his deuteragonist. But that might be what happens to Chihiro and Hiyuki. With Hakuri, it's all about admiration from both sides. You know, the stuff the strongest relationships of any kind are built off of (but especially romantic ones).

The conflict in their relationship comes from the unhealthy personal issues each of them have, I think. Because as wholesome and sweet as Hakuri and Chihiro are with each other, their flaws are what's adding tension. For Chihiro, it's guilt over getting Hakuri involved and over-relying on him. For Hakuri, it's the Sazanami mindset of giving one's all compounded with his guilt over Ice Lady. This whole arc seems to be about addressing guilt, so hopefully both of them will be able to start forgiving themselves and become better partners to each other by valuing themselves a little more.

See you later, kind void, I've got fan fiction to write if I can find the time. Take care and hope 2025 is treating you well so far.

[greyonelost]

They really butchered season 2 of Andor, didn't they?

The Ghorman massacre was the only plotline holding the season together. The rest was just put there and also season 2 had huge "men writing women" energy.

First, I hated what they did to Bix. She was shown to be broken by her torture in season 1, then they had her repeatedly traumatised by having her almost sexually assaulted in a graphic detail and being unable to deal with the daily rebel life. They had her taking drugs and turned her into a burden for Cassian and then they shipped her off to have his baby while he is doing the revolution.

Second, the Syril and Dedra thing. I enjoyed the subplot, but what was the point of bulding sympathy and nuance for these characters only to then turn around and say that it makes no difference and let them burn anyway? Dedra's love for Syril wasn't enough to change her, it only brought her down, Syril's idealism and love for Dedra destroyed him. If he didn't have morals and didn't care about what the empire was doing, he would be alive. If they weren't conflicted, they would be alive. Literally, their humanity killed them. That is just cynical and nihilistic.

And I couldn't help but notice that while all the male imperials got quick deaths, the writers suddenly felt it necessary for Dedra to be mentally destroyed and turned into a slave. Also, all the men who respected her in season 1 (Syril, Heert, Partagaz) were turned against her in season 2. And the second part of season 2 involved men putting their hands on her, screaming at her face and there were graphic shots of her being disheveled, having a thousand ward stare, breaking down and sobbing. There is no way the writers weren't indulging in misogyny using the excuse of making a point about fascism.

And then Vel and Cinta. They were also diminished. They were barely explored before Cinta was killed off for shock value. Vel was better represented in season 1, but still rather superficially, because we never got any insights into her life and she was reduced to a background character in season 2. And throughout both seasons, Cinta remained just a face in the background, that sometimes had lines. She was never the focus. We never learned anything from her point of view. It's like she was not a character on her own.

The senator, just like in season 1, was constantly disrespected to her face, both at work by her male colleagues and at home by her daughter and husband. Again, these dynamics in her story were already explored in season 1, you would expect that in season 2 they were going to build her up and show moments of strength. But no, she was put in the same unpleasant situations as in season 1. And even worse, she had to sacrifice her best and only friend to protect the cause, and we watched her getting drunk and dance to cope with it. Her work in the senate was shown to be futile, the only moments of strength were her giving money to the rebellion and her speech, before she had to be rescued and shown to be visibly shaken by the violence.

And again, the woman who demonstrated the most ingenuity, intelligence, strength, who was the most composed, proud and independent, and commanded the most respect, Dedra Meero, got the most cruel punishment of all the fascists in the show.

Aside from the bad writing of female characters, season 2 had segments that were too prolonged and carried no message. The idiots in the beginning, who captured Cassian, were totally unnecessary. Season 1 had already done a good commentary on leftist infighting with that conversation between Saw Gerrera and Luthen Rael, where it was shown that Saw looked down on Anto Kryger and other rebel fractions and didn't want to work with them. It was much shorter, more clear and well done. They did not need to have a bunch of morons bicker in the forest for three episodes.

Then there was the wedding. We already saw what Mon Mothma thinks about the tradition through her conversation with Vel in season 1. Again, the commentary was better done in the first season, and that elaborate wedding did not need to stretch for that long, it added nothing to the message. On the contraty, it led to confusion. It led to expectations that it would be mentioned later or that the girl would play some role. But no, it was just one elaborate ceremony stretched in three episodes.

And was that Wil Paak and Saw Gerrera segment with them getting high on rhydonium and howling at the moon really necessary? It was presented as this climactic end of the episode but all I was thinking was "Why would they do this!?" Maybe it's just me. I never saw the appeal of getting high. I guess that's the type of audience the scene was meant for.

And there was that moment in an interview, when they said that Tony isn't afraid to upset people. Then it already was a red flag, but after episode 12 it leaves a really bitter taste in my mouth. Because it turned out that the people whom they weren't afraid to upset, were the ones who sympathised with strong female characters and conflicted imperials. And the people they were careful not to upset, were the ones who wanted to indulge in the trope of the destruction of the girlboss and the man who loved and respected her. The people they were careful not to upset, were also the ones who wanted to indulge in the fantasy about the pretty, soft, helpless, traumatised, latina girfriend having the main character's baby.

To sum it up, the prolonged but empty segments, such as the wedding and the idiots in the forest made me think that the original story was different but it was later changed and minor moments were stretched and added to fill the void. There is no other explanation. Compared to season 2, season 1 was flawlessly coherent. Nothing felt disjointed, out of place or too long. And the women were much better written.

Season 1 was like a beautiful puzzle. You enjoyed all the details and how it all fit together. Season two was that same beautiful puzzle with half the pieces missing and a bunch of pieces from a different puzzle put in their place.

For my longer, Syril and Dedra rant, see here.

[the-mpreg-guy]

Okay, entering kinda controversial territory here but I really enjoy your meta and I put a lot of stock into your analyses so I'd genuinely like your opinion: what're your thoughts on exploring emotional incest in the Winchester family? While I do say ship and let ship, it is frustrating that Wincest shippers kind of take over the conversation when this topic comes up, because I'd like to explore the concept of emotional incest WITHOUT leaning into titillating smut territory because emotional incest is a common staple for abusive family dynamics and I think there's an argument to be made that it's present in the show. In all honesty, what got me thinking about it was more dean and John's emotional enmeshment rather than anything to do with Sam and dean, because John often pigeon holed dean into the role of 'partner' when he was younger, especially when it came to taking over stereotypical caretaking duties from Mary. Anyways, I'd just like to hear your thoughts on this pretty delicate subject because I love you well thought out your meta is!

Banger ask, let's get into it. Also everyone be normal about this, or else.

I'm going to answer your core question first before I get into my rambly thoughts on whether or not John got weird emotionally with his kids. My thoughts on exploring emotional incest within John and Dean's relationship are this:

1) people are allowed to do whatever the fuck they want with fiction

2) John and Dean have an incredibly well written, fraught relationship that lends itself well to many kinds of critical analysis.

3) as someone with specific trauma that I'm not getting into on tumblr dot com, sometimes the best way to interact with your own issues is to explore them cathartically through fiction.

In other words, I'm on board with people looking at John and Dean and going hey that was weird right.

EVERYONE CALM DOWN THERE'S NUANCE. Because, like, also I don't think anything happened.

Let's get rambly. I don't actually believe that any of the Winchesters engaged in any kind of incest. Emotional, physical, or otherwise. If we analyze the show from a Doylist perspective, we can know for sure that incest was not something happening. At all. Kripke nor any of the creatives involved were interested in telling a story about incest when their target audience was middle America. And even from a Watsonian perspective? All the tongue in cheek references to sibling incest are the creators directly mocking shippers. It's fairly consistently portrayed in a light where both brothers react with revulsion and embarrassment. You can also throw together an incredibly strong classism reading from the incest jokes (Zachariah, a white collar-coded character, calling the boys, two blue collar-coded characters, homorotically codependent?) which is usually the analysis lenses I use.

But again, on the other hand? Season 1-5 is about the abuse we see offscreen.

Oh, Kripke era aesthetics I miss you. Remember when they referenced the night Sam left for Stanford, but we never see it? Dean and Sam stand outside the building in Sam's Heaven and we never see what happens inside. This compels me. But do you know what compels me even more?

Dean never brings up the night Sam left for Stanford. We never hear what happened after Sam left, we never hear what happened during the fight, except from Sam and John. Dean's perspective of that night is completely cut off to us.

Other things to note about seasons 1-5: Dean summing up John's reaction to Sam running away with the sentence "and then when dad came home," Dean figuring out John was possessed because he didn't "tear Dean a new one" for protecting Sam, Dean's shifter explicitly saying "you left me with Dad" to Sam, Alastair calling Dean "Daddy's little girl," Dean having a secret in that made him a target for Bloody Mary, Dean being used as bait in 01x20, and of course Dean offering himself up as bait in 01x02 like it's a given that he's supposed to do that.

Later seasons do some other interesting things with Dean and John. We have the "wide-eyed hitchhiker routine," we have "I had to be a father, mother, and brother to him," we have an incredibly suspicious story about how John showed up out of the blue to save Dean from being roofied and SA'ed when he was "way underage," we have MOC Dean calling a girl a skank, but immediately identifying the specific kind of abuse that she suffered, we have Bela aka Dean's s3 mirror who underwent horrific sexual abuse from her father, and then we have Dean's entire relationship with sex ever.

There are a bunch of ways you can unpack this, and I don't think there's a wrong way as long as you have the reasoning and evidence to back up your claims. To me, this reads a story of a young boy who was parentified, emotionally (and at times, physically) abused by his father, and has a relationship with sex that is directly informed by being enabled and encouraged into unsafe sexual situations as a minor. In other words: I don't think John ever touched Dean sexually or wanted to. I would respect someone who took all of the evidence above and constructed an argument for it, but it isn't a personal take of mine.

But like, it's also complicated because of the whole grooming thing.

I don't really attach sexual connotations to this. Grooming is when a specific kind of power balance is built in a relationship where the victim is getting manipulated- and that dings all the bells on Dean and John for me. Dean also being parentifed into a little-mini mom for Sam was certainly a choice, and should be considered as upsetting and icky as it sounds.

And then there's the Mary mirror stuff, because we have a weird relationship between Samuel and Mary. He doesn't want to bring his wife back, he wants to bring Mary back. When Azazel possessed him it got weird and incest-y with him and Mary. And Dean, being Mary's mirror, has a complicated relationship with John that can be paralleled with Mary's relationship with her dad.

We also have to take Dean's Mary flashback in Dark Side of the Moon into account. This might be a stretch, but given the fact that Dean was emotionally stepping up in places where John wasn't when he was four years old indicates to me that both John and Mary have a tendency to fill a hole where their partner is lacking (also see: Mary relying on Cas almost as if he was John in later seasons).

Again, I don't personally read this as emotional incest on John and Mary's part, but it wouldn't exactly be a stretch for someone to draw that conclusion.

All of this has been an incredibly rambly way to say, I don't usually explore the concept of emotional incest with any of the Winchesters, but I can't discredit any analysis other people make on the topic. And I also can't say that I'm always uninterested in exploring darker takes that I don't usually engage with.

John creates a power dynamic between him and his children, and Mary is entirely capable of doing the same thing, but it's really up to the individual person on how they wanna read that. My reasoning for usually not going down that route are more personal than anything, but it's not something that's going to trigger me or ick me out if someone wants to talk about it.

[missgryffin]

Just out of curiosity, how do you see Jilys dynamic based on their astrology signs?

Omg anon I LOVE this question thank you so much for sending it!! I have done a lot of astrology research in connection with writing because I find it to be such a good tool for characterization, so I feel like I could talk about this for days!

I'm going to do this bullet point style because I'm kind of just rattling off thoughts as they come. (And also, I can tell this is going to be long already, so I'm not going to go into their individual traits too much here, but if you google Aries Man and Aquarius Woman you'll find pleeeenty of material!!)

They have insane chemistry. It's air + fire, so how could they not? The attraction + energy match is just there, and it feeds off each other. When they're dating, they're obviously leaning into it, but before they're together, I think it wildly throws Lily off to feel this kind of chemistry with him (because it's him, y'know?)

They both value independence and approach each other as equals. This is so central to their characters. Obviously the dynamics of him being pureblood and her being Muggle-born during a war about blood purity make this incredibly important for them. But even on an interpersonal/relationship level aside from the war, it sets the whole tone for them. James is known to be arrogant and the only other person we see him give deference to is Sirius. He's not the type to suffer fools, he's not patient, and he likes to take charge and be in control, so the fact that he steps back from all of those impulses to give more equal deference to Lily I think speaks volumes about not only his respect for her but also their ability to match each other.

Building off that, they challenge each other. Because they are on equal footing in terms of skill, intelligence, energy, they can challenge and mentally stimulate each other in a way that they don't necessarily get from other people. (There's a scene coming up in ES Ch 6 that starts exploring this dynamic that I'm so excited for you all to read!!) There's a really deep intellectual attraction there in addition to the physical attraction, and this is what ultimately brings so much depth to their relationship.

They also share degrees of impulsiveness, playfulness, and creativity that just naturally bounce off each other and create a really fun energy between them. Like they're constantly flirting (especially in a teasing kind of way), and there's a healthy amount of spontaneity with them.

But! They still have challenges!!

They're both stubborn as fuck. James's arrogance can drift into a lack of empathy that makes him callous, closed, ruthless. (See: his dynamic with Snape.) Lily's strong beliefs and convictions can lead her into being hardheaded. He wants to be in control, she wants to be right—and she will go to great lengths to avoid being wrong. (See: her serious case of denial wrt James and struggle to end her friendship with Sev.) This type of clash, where one or both of them is being extremely stubborn, is the source of most of their conflict.

In a similar vein, their pride can easily get the better of them and both of them being stubborn and argumentative can turn things explosive very quickly. Passion can manifest in a bad way just as easily as it can manifest in a good way! Though I think with time they get better at recognizing this and just turn bad passion into good passion, since the root of the feeling is the same.

They struggle with communicating feelings and emotional vulnerability. Their independence makes them afraid to appear weak. Especially in all the lead-up to getting together, I think they struggle with talking about their feelings and showing that vulnerability to one another. On top of that, James can be brash and insensitive, while Lily's defense mechanism is to shut down — not a good combination. She can be aloof and distant when she's like this, and James struggling with being vulnerable makes it hard for them to bridge the gap. They both need to dig deep, put aside ego, and make an effort to resolve this kind of conflict.

[lunarzomb]

What did you think of Yellowjackets season 3?

Hello evilhorse936 !! That is a really good question,, one that I am not sure I will be fully able to answer because I don't think I can gather all my thoughts jumbling around in my head about yj season 3 in order, but I will try my best!

There were tons of things that I was disappointed by when it comes to season three of Yellowjackets. Most of them being around how some of the characters and their stories were handled (Specifically Taissa and Lottie). I know I have said it before... but I feel like it can't be said enough how much I dislike where they took Taissa's character (in the adult timeline). I really feel like the introduction of Van in the adult timeline was handled in a way to where Taissa's character and story became completely reliant on her,, and I was definitely not a big fan of that. I also HATE the fact that we get so little of Taissa's family, like they were just thrown away to be forgotten about, as if Simone and Sammy aren't a huge part of her life. I mean, Taissa is the only other Yellowjacket with a kid, and we barley see any of that! While Callie gets tons of screen time. I just wish that the writers took more care when it came to adult Taissa. Also... I know I have said before how I really don't like Van, so I just feel eh about Taivan as a ship... but when I heard that someone decided to cut Taissa's monologue/speech to Van's dead body as she was burying her and eating her heart, I WAS SO UPSET!! Like... it just seems so unfair that such an important moment for Taissa got cut,,, and for what? What good reason did they have to cut that scene? Ugh I can't stand thinking about that.

ALSO... THEY CUT THE SCENE BETWEEN NAT AND MISTY WHEN NAT FINDS HER WITH THE BLACK BOX... While I do feel that cutting that scene was less disrespectful vs what they did to Tai... it still makes me so mad. Especially since I am a biased fan of Mistynat... I really feel that showing that scene was necessary in the steps for how adult Mistynat gets the relationship dynamic that they ended up having ya know. I just don't get the reason they needed to cut it... sigh

And about Lottie... I just feel like she did not need to die... the adult timeline already had enough going on in my opinion with Melissa. I just feel like what happened to her did not really make sense either.

Also... I just really missed the character dynamics and interactions between my favs. I kinda feel like there was less exploration with all of the different characters than there could have been.

Anywho! Onto some of the positive feelings I have about season 3.

I really loved most of the Misty content that we got from this season. I loved how they actually had Misty grieving Natalie. I love how we got CANON CONFIRMATION that Misty slept with Nats jacket. And I really love how Misty started to finally stand up for herself when it came to things like how Shauna just expects Misty to do what she wants all the time to help her. And I love how we got that scene of young Nat telling Misty that she doesn't need to take shit from anyone.

Another thing I loved was seeing how the girls were able to build this sort of community with each other in the teen timeline. I think the structures they created were so so cool. And I love how they were growing crops and keeping animals. I really think that was so neat to see.

I also really liked Hannah! I think the actor really did such a good job with what she was given, because I was IMMEDIATELY attached to Hannah. Like,, her big beautiful sad eyes,,, I just love her. And from what we know about her, she's so tragic and I just really find her interesting.

Anyway... that's all of my main thoughts that I can remember at the moment on season 3. To summarize... I have very mixed feelings overall. But I still love Yellowjackets.

[panicloser]

Okay last thing before I shut up for a bit at least until tomorrow:

Overall, I did enjoy myself while watching this season but I do agree that this season is definitely flawed.

But my issue this season is not so much WHAT they did, I actually really like a lot of the concepts and ideas presented in this season, I think they're really interesting and can add a lot. MY issue is the WAY they did those things or the moment that they happened or I think certain things could of used more time and development or just done slightly differently.

(also the writers should have communicated with their actors better (Simone Kessel & Lauren Ambrose))

Alright if you're not interest in a long spur of the moment yap session stop here

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

-I don't like that they rushed through the warm months, I would've happily spent the whole season in that era, it feels like there's so much time that was skipped. But I do like that it was a prosperous era for them, it allows them to grow more enjoyment of the wilderness. So I see why they may have skipped through that because the writers may have thought that could have been boring. It could have. But it also could have been interesting to see things go to shit at the end instead of halfway through.

-I'm really into Melissa and Shauna's relationship, even more than I thought I would be. I love what it did for Shauna, I love the power dynamics, I loved learning more about Melissa, I loved both their conflict and weird fucked up connection. I honestly loved every single scene they have had together. BUT I think it could have been done better. There's an imbalance in how close I feel to both of them, we've been learning about Shauna since season 1 meanwhile we only began learning more about Melissa this season. I wish that in season 2 Melissa had been more of an actual character, a side character, but a character the way Mari & Akilah were characters. And I wish we'd focused more on her as an individual, I still have a lot of questions, when did she start liking Shauna? Why was she attracted to her brutality? I got the idea that she wants to be special to someone cuz turns out she wanted Shauna to treat everyone else like shit except her, but why does she want that? Cuz she felt overlooked? They could have gone deeper into that. I also wish we saw more moments of connection between before they broke up, they were dating for months so Shauna must have had some moments of affection towards her for Melissa to stay so long cuz we saw she wasn't afraid to stand her ground when Shauna's was being shitty to her, so why didn't we get to see that? It could have made Shauna's rise to brutality in the end even more impactful by seeing that's she's capable of momentary moments of love. Why did we never see them kiss again? What did they do together? What were their nights in the hut like? How close did they get? Adult Melissa seemed to know Shauna REALLY well. Speaking of which, Melissa being a survivor was unnecessary and I stand by that BUT even that I have mixed feelings about since I did thoroughly enjoy Melissa reading Shauna to filth then turning out to be a hypocrite by killing Van. Maybe I could have been fine with Melissa being a survivor if I just FELT closer to her as a character...and also if they had maybe waited another season to reveal that. But still, I'm glad their relationship happened rather than not

-I am not opposed to Lottie dying, I'm fine with them all dying I get that's in the theme of the show. I am opposed to how EARLY she died. I am opposed to that fact that they began to set up this really interesting dynamic with her and Callie that I was really enjoying and intrigued to see where it went only to rip it away. At the very least, I wish Lottie had died at the END of the season. They could have spent the entire season building up and exploring this dynamic between Callie and Lottie and both of them as characters only for Callie to end up killing her at the end, because I really like that part. The wilderness baby, the product of the wilderness, the one that Lottie worshiped so dearly being the one to kill her is phenomenal.

-I think Hannah joining the group was interesting, but like Melissa I think it all happened too fast. Her being apart of the whole plan at the end didn't feel as impactful from her because we just met her, I don't feel an attachment to her yet so it feels like that plan could have been executed with a different character. But I love that she killed Kodi, I love that she was beginning to make connections, it just could've been better.

-Taissa's wife & child & previous career all being pushed away this season is irritating but I think it could have been done well. I like the other Taissa taking over plot line and that causing her to neglect those parts of her life. I just think they could've discussed and it incorporated her old life by giving her actual consequences for neglecting those parts of her life

-I'm actually quite happy with the execution of Van's death but I get why the actress was unhappy with it, it definitely happened quickly and there could have been more to be done with Van as a character. But I do think the show and the season was definitely building up to her death, it made sense. And the scene itself was actually really good, the music killed it, Van having her last moment be doing something good, Van in the plane watching herself, saying she brought the real love of her life back. I just wish she hadn't been killed by fucking Melissa. All those times she avoids death and the perry the platypus lesbian that just became a character this season is what gets her??

-Love how Ben & Mari's deaths were executed too

-LOVE Misty, she's always good. I love that she's the sanest one this season, really shows how crazy this shit has gotten because she was the weird one back in season 1 and now the few weird things she does are just business as usual. And I LOVE that she's been calling Shauna out on her shit this season, it's hilarious and she's so right and I'm so happy for her. No notes, Misty is perfect.

-The other thing I have no notes on is what we've learned about Natalie and Misty this season, the LAYERS! Make their whole previous dynamic make so much sense and it's gonna make rewatching them so SO interesting and enjoyable.

-Also, I loved the trial in episode 4. It was really good, really engaging, one of my favourite episodes this season other than what happened at the end of the episode (Lottie death)

-The scene of Natalie crying as snow falls was also perfect and insanely heartbreaking.

-And I love how Mari was developed this season, I wasn't into her as a character before this but I really learned to love and appreciate her with the way they fleshed her out. I'm gonna miss the hell out of her next season.

-I think there was a lot going on this season, the first half and second half feel like they happened in different seasons

-Last of all: Shauna's rise to power and where it ends: for the most part love it. I actually wanna do a an entire analysis on Shauna specifically but I wanna rewatch the show first so I'll talk about that another time. But I think the way she took over and stopped everyone from leaving when they were about to was lazily written far too quickly and seemed far fetched so makes it feel a bit less earned. But I'm still cool with it happening. Now for where it ends, I have two different opinions: on one hand, I love that she's become the embodiment of all the awful things in the wilderness, this show began with her, it works for her and what she's been through, I love how horrible she is and how she saw that as her peak. However it is not lost on me that the iconic pit girl scene, lost that group mentality of the horrible actions that the show set up in season 1 and 2. BUT then I think that maybe it's interesting how they lost that group mentality they had, that everyone else (except Lottie) is tired of the horrible things they've done out here yet Shauna is still holding on to this. Shauna is still stuck there. And she wants everyone else to be stuck there with her because she doesn't want to be alone in that. She wants everyone else to be like her. That's why she says "WE had fun." So that's why she forces everyone to be stuck with her and that's exactly why she's the embodiment of the worst of the wilderness. But I understand that it's a lot of whiplash to so drastically change the nature of that scene from what it originally was pitched as.

-also the JackieShauna confirmations this scene resurrected my lifeless corpse and I also wanna do an analysis on their relationship

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

Alright that's ENOUGH yapping for now. Overall, I'm happy enough with what we got and I can see the good in it even though it's not as good as it could have been and there's been disappointments. But that's okay! I'm just glad this happened and I hope there's more. There's more to say I'm sure but that's what's on my mind at the moment. Love you ppl 😘

[scaredpigeons]

Sunrise, Crystallize I: to pray to a fallen deity.

Masterlist // Next Chapter

Zhongli x Gn!reader

SFW (there will be nsfw chapters but I will keep them separate so everyone may enjoy.)

Word count: 6.2k

You find yourself seeking solace in the prayers you speak to the god of your new home, despite the fact that he’s passed away. Despite the fact that no one answers, your loneliness seems to be lessened by the warmth of the sunrise. You gain a few new companions, and push through your awkward and nervous disposition to embark on a challenge that you may or may not have little hope of succeeding in.

CW: reader has anxiety, real deep lack of self confidence. Very socially awkward. Reader is a florist, running a greenhouse in the harbour. (Author has absolutely zero florist experience or knowledge, so many apologies.)

Authors note: this is the first chapter of many to come, as Zhongli was my first love in genshin impact. This is kind of self indulgent, because while I really enjoy badass, beautiful, desirable reader inserts who exemplify everything I want to be, part of me really fantasizes about what it might be like to have such a desirable character love me not despite of, but because of my self-perceived flaws. I also think that Zhongli is a wonderful character to explore this dynamic with, as he’s incredibly patient and thoughtful, and having lived for 6000+ years— I can really see him finding someone who is socially his opposite very charming. Anyways, please enjoy this first chapter!

———————

Watching the sun rise on Yujing Terrace had become your most beloved pastime since the death of Rex Lapis. You’d never really ventured up the steps further than Bubu pharmacy, but after everything that happened, you decided to go and pay your respects in a more private setting. 

You hadn’t attended the rite of parting. It felt too strange, seeing as you weren’t from Liyue, but you’d lived in the harbor long enough to feel a little twinge of guilt afterwards. 

The attack on the harbor had halted your plans, you really hadn’t wanted to venture outside when there was an ancient sea god wreaking havoc in the waters just beyond your home. But once everything was settled, and the novelty of Rex lapis’ passing finally became outshone by recent events, you decided it was time. 

You’d spent all evening working in your greenhouse, realizing the night had escaped you only when your eyes barely skimmed across a clock on your way to grab fresh potting soil from your storage room. You’d figured beating the morning rush to the terrace was better for your sanity, and washed your hands before heading out. 

The sun had not begun to rise, everything washed in fading starlight as you made your way up the stone stairs. You breathed a sigh of relief when you saw that only the Milileth were occupying the terrace, a few standing guard here and there and a few making their rounds. 

One soldier looked at you a bit warily, most likely wondering why you were here so early. But he only nodded politely when you sheepishly showed him your box of incense. 

When you made it to the topmost part of the terrace, you lit a singular stick and placed it in the holder. You’d seen people immediately murmuring their prayers after lighting their incense, but you weren’t really sure what to say, so you walked around a bit before standing at the railing facing east over the harbor. 

The water looked so peaceful. The sky had started brightening, the first glimmers of the rising sun peeking up from the horizon, casting early shadows along the boats and buildings. 

You took a deep breath, pushing your exhale further than normal. Your chest felt strange, You’d never really prayed to anyone before. 

“Um…” you fiddled with your hands on the stone railing, watching the sun rise ever so slowly. “I’m sorry I didn’t attend your rite of parting. Crowds are really not my thing.” 

You felt too strange to say his name out loud, hoping that wherever the wind took your words would eventually lead to wherever he was resting. Where did gods go when they die? 

“I’ve not lived in the harbor long, but I can see why you loved it. Though I have been here long enough to understand the love you must have had for your people, and the love they gave to you in return. Despite that, I feel as though we’re all going to be just fine in your absence.” 

You cringed a little, wondering if your words came across too crass or irreverent. 

“Ah, well, what I mean to say is you shouldn’t worry.” you chewed on your lip, watching more shadows form along the harbor as the sun grew and grew over the sea, bathing the sky in oranges and pinks.

“Oh, what else do people say when they do this…” you mumbled. “People usually ask for blessings or good fortune, don’t they? I’ve never really understood that. I won’t ask for anything… or is that rude too?” You could never remember the protocol for things like this. 

“Maybe I’ll just ask for happiness. If you can send some sense of fulfillment my way, that would be nice. But don’t put yourself out or anything.” 

You scoffed at yourself, rolling your eyes as you gazed out at the sea. “Or maybe I should just give my blessing to you. Does anyone do that? Ask for blessings and good fortune for you?” 

You shook your head, leaning on the railing and smiling at yourself a bit. It felt like you were talking to yourself, but it wasn’t nearly as embarrassing as you thought. 

“Well then, I ask that you rest in peace. You deserve it after the multiple millennia you endured. I can't imagine having to work for that long, sounds exhausting.” You yawned, stretching out your limbs. 

It was strange, you felt tired— obviously. Being up all night was not exactly ideal, but standing there, watching the beautiful sun rise over your city, you couldn’t help but feel a warm wash of pure… peace. You felt good. You didn’t feel so alone. 

You looked around a bit, still seeing that no one was near you, before looking up half heartedly at the sky. 

“Is that you? Is that why people do this sort of thing?” You smiled as the sun finally broke its way from the water, painting the sky in all its glorious colors. 

Hmm. Perhaps I should design a new sunrise themed bouquet. 

You rubbed the tiredness from your eyes as you made your way back to the stairs, but as you walked through the first archway, your eyes caught sight of the most beautiful man you’d ever seen. 

He was standing, holding a cup of tea while he chatted with an elderly woman at her table. The warm, early sunlight bathed him in its amber hues, making the colors of his clothing gleam, and exposing the rich warm tones of his hair. 

He was exceptionally tall, that much you could tell, even from so far away. He held himself with such grace and poise that you couldn’t help but stare. He looked like royalty. He looked like he belonged on a throne, not walking amongst the common people. 

His smile was small but contagious— you’d pressed a hand over your mouth to hide the fact that you were grinning as he did down at the little old lady in front of him. 

The woman chuckled a bit, before turning to the small flower bed behind her, before picking one of the flowers that was growing there. 

A glaze lily? They were extremely rare, you knew that for certain. They hardly grew in the wild, which is why you hadn’t bothered to grow them for your shop yet, as you harvested the majority of your seeds by yourself. 

He took the delicate flower in his gloved hand, bringing it to his nose and taking what looked like a deep breath. Your heart lurched as his face became almost solemn, but he pushed a smile through and nodded to the woman, saying something you couldn’t hear. 

You couldn’t help but watch as he finished his tea, his striking eyes scanning around the terrace. It was a moment too late when you realized his eyes were eventually going to fall on you. You— who was watching him like some sort of lunatic. 

His eyes met yours for the briefest of moments, and even from a distance they seemed to burn in the early morning sunshine. You instantly flushed, an embarrassing noise fluttering past your lips as you turned around and hid behind the archway, hoping that it looked like you were just heading back towards the overlook. 

You took several deep breaths before you dared peek around the corner again, sighing in relief as you watched the beautiful man make his way down the steps. 

That was the single most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done. You thought, before shaking your head as memories of far more embarrassing events flooded your brain. Actually, never mind. That was pretty far down on the list. 

You almost thought that perhaps you never wanted to see that man again, for fear of embarrassing yourself once more— but that thought was quickly swept away. It would be a shame never to see him again. He was far too pretty. 

———————

it was about a month into your new habit when the elderly woman called out to you. 

You were simply making your way back towards the stairs, having only ever greeted her with a polite nod or a rushed “good morning!” Here and there, so you were surprised when she called you over and invited you for tea. 

You introduced yourself, and she smiled, pouring you a cup. 

“Ah, you’re the young one running that new flower shop, yes?” 

You nodded. “Yes ma’am. ‘New beginnings: flowers and things.’ I sell little trinkets and gifts here and there when I collect them on my travels. But mostly it's just my flowers.”

”oh, you little darling. No need to be so formal. You can call me granny if you like— or Ping. Either or.”   

Normally you wouldn’t be so formal with someone you’d just met, especially an elder, but there was something about Ping that made you feel so comfortable. 

“Alright, Granny.” You smiled. 

“Much better. “ she said, taking her seat. “Now why don’t you tell me all about your shop. I was very surprised when I heard that someone had built a little greenhouse in the city.” 

And so began your new routine of waking up early to watch the sunrise— talking to yourself under the guise of “praying to Rex Lapis”, and having your morning tea while chatting with Madame Ping. 

Ping turned out to be quite the gossip, and you got most of your updates on the comings and goings of the people through her. You learned about her disciples, though you weren’t quite sure what she was a master of. She seemed very wise, having many a tale to tell and advice on things that plagued you. 

One morning you brought her a speciality bouquet of Cecelia’s, one of your more popular flowers, and she gushed about how thoughtful you were. 

“I hope you don’t mind, I stole one from the bouquet earlier and left it on the overlook as an offering with my incense.” You said, sipping your tea. 

“Nonsense, they’re your flowers to begin with, dear. I never would have even known if you hadn’t said something.” She pulls a vase from beneath her table, and pours some water from her nearby jug inside. Ping places the flowers in the vase, fluffing up the greenery to look nice and setting it on the other end of her table. 

“There, just beautiful. Thank you my dear.” She says, sitting back down.

”It's really no trouble. They’re some of my last Cecelias, my recent batch of seedlings went bad. I'll have to make a trip to Mondstadt to collect more seeds soon.” You fiddled with the sleeve of your shirt. 

“If you need someone to watch over the shop for you while you’re gone, I’m well acquainted with a traveler who is just perfect for odd jobs like that when they have the time.” 

“Oh,” you said, looking out at the colors fading from the sky. “That might be nice, I’ve been putting off going out because I’m not too sure who I can trust to watch the greenhouse.” 

You were trying hard to hide your wavering tone, but you knew immediately Madam Ping had caught on. 

“Is there something else on your mind, dear?” She said, “You know you can talk to me about anything that troubles you.” 

You paused, looking around a bit before you took a deep breath. “It’s just…”

Chewing your lip, you sighed at her kindness. You knew better than to be anxious around Ping, but your embarrassment over what you had been doing the last month was eating at you. 

“Is it strange that I've been… praying to Rex Lapis every morning, even though he’s no longer with us?” 

“Ah,” Ping hummed, her eyes glittering with mirth. “I had been wondering what you do over there before the sun rises. When you said you left a flower as an offering, I thought perhaps you prayed to a lost loved one, but Rex Lapis?” 

“I know— it's odd isn’t it? I don’t even know if gods still hear prayers when they pass but—“ 

“Nonsense.” She interrupted your downward spiral, her tone light to soothe you. “There are plenty of people who still pray to our fallen archon. And I can guarantee you that wherever he is resting— those prayers still make it through to him, and crystal clear at that. He may not be able to descend from the heavens as a magnificent dragon to grant the wishes of his followers anymore, but he will always bear witness to our prayers, of that you can be certain.” 

“Oh,” you breathed. You weren’t sure if you believed her, but you didn’t want to seem rude. “Do you think it bothers him? To hear so many people while he is trying to rest?” 

“I’m sure the requests for wealth and glory get rather tedious very quickly.” Madame Ping laughs. “But what do you pray to him for?” 

You flush, running your finger along your teacup. “I don’t really ask him for anything. I just sort of… tell him about things?” You shrug, feeling rather sheepish. 

Ping simply nods, encouraging you to continue. 

“I wasn’t really ever certain he could even be listening. It just feels nice to get things off my chest, you know?” You took another sip of tea. “I feel sort of bad, I mainly just vent to him— it’s kind of like chatting with you, granny. Only I say things I might not be comfortable sharing with others.”

Ping hums, staring out over the harbor thoughtfully. 

“I’m sure your kind of prayers are the most interesting to him. Perhaps even his favorite.” She says after a few moments. 

“Really?” You scrunched up your nose a bit. “I find that sort of hard to believe.” 

Ping smiled, and her eyes seemed to glitter with something unknown. She always seemed to be brimming with unobtainable knowledge, it kept you clinging to her every word in hopes of soaking it up. 

“It was once said that after so many years of being a god— watching over his people and nation with the weight of thousands of years of history and bloodshed upon his shoulders — that Rex Lapis would don a disguise and wander among his people, to gain a taste of what it was like to be human.” She gathered your empty teacup, placed it on the tray with the rest of the tea set and put it aside. “I think perhaps your prayers would remind him of simpler times, of what it is like to be human.”

You let her words ruminate for a while, watching as the harbor started to wake up— typically your sign to tuck tail and run home. 

Finally, you spoke. 

“Do you think he enjoyed my flower offering?” You asked. 

Ping smiled wide, eyeing her bouquet of Cecelias. 

“I think it's a lovely gesture, but he was particularly fond of the glaze lily. Perhaps those— as opposed to the anemo archons favored flower would be more fitting.”

You cringed. You hadn’t even registered that Cecelia’s were known as Barbatos’ favorite flower. After giving yourself a mental scolding, and a reminder to brush up on your international flora guidebook, you hesitantly spoke up once more. 

“I’d love to, but I harvest my own seeds, Granny. I wouldn’t even know where to look for wild glaze lilies. Aren’t they extremely rare?” 

She pulled a little sack from beneath her table — she always seemed to have whatever she needed right on hand, how curious. — and gently placed it in your hands. 

“These are quite old, but I have a feeling if anyone will be able to get them to sprout, it will be you, dear.” 

————————————

You weren’t very hopeful. 

Seeds, when preserved under the perfect conditions, can last up to ten years. But extremely rare and delicate flower seeds tucked in a sack under Madam Pings table? 

You started small; putting six seeds into six little nursery pots, and diligently reading up on the proper humidity, soil, nutrients and water required for glaze lilies. Within the week, small little green shoots were poking through the soil, and you nearly jumped for joy. 

The revelry was short lived when the following week you entered the nursery to find six shriveled up, sad, and very dead plants. You cussed under your breath as you stomped around your greenhouse, reading through your glaze lily guide and wondering what went wrong. 

You had plenty of seeds, plenty of room for trial and error. 

You just did not expect the trial and error to last several months. 

It was the morning after you found your most recent batch absolutely ruined. The humidity or the hydration levels were off, they had to be. What other reason would they have turned to mush for? You’d abandoned the guidebook long ago, it was a lying liar who killed your plants before they even budded. 

“It’s just so frustrating, you know?” You said, leaning against the railing of the overlook. “I feel like if I can't do this, then my entire life as a florist has been for nothing.” 

There was no response, but you sort of enjoyed that. You still weren’t sure if you entirely believed Madam Ping when she said that the archon could still hear you, but you’d never stopped your ranting and rambling to him either way. 

“I know, I know. I’m being dramatic.” You flicked a pebble off the railing, watching as it tumbled down into the trees below. “This started out as me just wanting to give you a proper offering, one that you’d like. But now it feels like something I’m meant to do. If I can find a way to make Glaze Lilies more prosperous in Liyue again, I feel as though that would be a much better gift in your honor—  as opposed to just… sitting one on the terrace to get stolen or blown away in the wind.” 

Still no answer, but once again you were enveloped by that warm and lustrous feeling of peace as the sun rose over the water. Perhaps you were becoming addicted to this feeling. You certainly would not feel as ready to get through another day without it. 

You gave a deep sigh, thinking long and hard before you decided it was time to ask for help. 

“Granny?” You said as you made your way to her table. “Do you know anyone who has information on how Glaze Lilies were cultivated in the past?”

——————————

You were absolutely filthy. 

Your knees were coated in dirt, wet soil clinging to your arms where your gloves didn’t cover. You were nearly certain your hair was a complete disaster. 

None of that mattered. Your other plants were thriving, your shop was freshly stocked with premade bouquets and trimmed flowers for custom bouquets. You just unloaded your shipment of silk ribbons and wrapping paper, and were now nearly elbow deep in buckets of potting soil for your Mourning flowers. 

They required a specific blend of nutrients and earth in comparison to your other flowers, and with your newest batch almost ready to trim, you needed to get a move on with the new growth before they all sold out. 

You had just finished the mixing when the bell on the front door of your shop jingled. 

“Just a moment, I’ll be right with you!” You yelled out. 

The greenhouse was built connected to the shop which housed your little apartment on the second floor. 

Everything was relatively close, so you often worked in the greenhouse during the slow hours. And that damned bell was so loud, though you supposed it had to be, otherwise you could run the risk of people sneaking in and taking what they’d like. Now, you didn’t think that was likely to happen, but it never hurt to be cautious. 

You tossed your gloves onto the nearby counter and washed your hands with the bulle fruit scented soap by the sink. 

You took off your dirty apron to exchange it for the clean shop apron. It helps to look somewhat put together when greeting customers. 

You wiped your damp hands along the sides of the apron as you finished tying the knot, rounding the corner into the shop. 

“How can I help you today?” You said, making your way to the front counter and pausing to make sure your bags were stocked in case they were purchasing something. 

“I was told by a friend that you were in need of some information on historic flora cultivation?” The mans voice was deep, with a delicious rasp about it that had you wondering exactly what kind of man had a voice so alluring. 

You looked up finally, trying to peek through the shelving as he walked along, only to catch glimpses of rich, warm browns. Curse you for stocking your flower bins so damn full. 

You caught sight of warm brown hair, the morning sun gleaming in the windows to catch along the amber hues scattered throughout. 

Your heart lurched as he turned the corner, watching as his eyes scanned the walls lining your shop— decorated with plants and trinkets, little baubles glimmering in the sunlight. 

The face of quiet admiration he gave as he looked at the flowers might’ve buckled your knees if not for the realization that this was the man you had seen Madam Ping speaking to— that day. 

This was that man. The man who may or may not have haunted your dreams for weeks after you saw him. You had wanted to ask Ping who he was, but you were so incredibly embarrassed about the whole situation. Now here he was, standing in your shop as you wondered if this was insanely good luck, or insanely bad luck. 

“Ah, yes. Gran— I mean, Madame Ping said you might be around today.” You introduced yourself, welcoming him to your store as you tried to keep your voice level. 

“It’s a pleasure,” the man said, giving a slight bow. “My name is Zhongli, I currently work at wangsheng funeral parlor as a consultant, but in my spare time I am somewhat of a historian, among other things.”

”It's lovely to meet you, Zhongli.” You wrung your hands together, unsure whether you should look him in the eye or not. They were so startling, so liquid gold it was difficult to hold their gaze. 

He simply smiled softly. “I am at your service. Would you perhaps be willing to show me what you’ve been working on?” 

As his gaze traveled across you, awaiting your response, but you suddenly became very aware of your current appearance. Surely any minuscule chance you had with this man flew out the window the moment he saw your disastrous hair and dirt scuffed knees. 

Not that you thought you really had a chance with him to begin with, but it doesn’t hurt to dream big, right? 

“Ah, yes. Of course.” You said, gesturing towards the back entrance to the greenhouse. “Right this way.” 

He followed closely as you made your way back. His eyes roamed the expanse of your greenhouse in what looked like appreciation, and he nodded encouragingly at you when you paused to watch his reaction. 

“This is quite impressive.” 

Feeling your face heat up, you turned to remove your shop apron and threw your dirty one back around your waist with unsteady hands. 

“It’s nothing really, I just figured that I should turn my hobby into a source of income, and well…” you hoped he didn’t notice your slight cringe as you donned your gloves once again. “I have a lot of free time on my hands.” 

“Such dedication is nothing to shrug off so casually.” He walked around, his eyes catching the latest batch of little failures and he stood in front of them, leaning in close as if to inspect their misery in finer detail. 

“These are the lilies?” He said, eyeing the drooping sprouts. 

“Yes.” You sighed, coming to stand beside him. You were anxious, sure. But your greenhouse was your safe space. You ruled this kingdom, he was just a guest here. A well dressed, knowledgeable and extremely attractive guest, but you had to convince yourself that everything was fine. If you remained calm and collected, everything would be fine. 

Fake it ‘til you make it— or however the saying goes. 

“They either shrivel up and dry out, or they take in too much moisture and rot. I had a guidebook, but it was about as helpful as a catalyst in a crystal mine.” 

You nearly gaped at him as he let a little chuckle fall from his lips, but he cut it off with a rough clearing of his throat, continuing to look at the plants. 

“Hm, well. Let us take a look at the book. I can revise any incorrect information, and we can work from there, yes?”

Nodding, you turn to dig the accursed book from its time out in the pile of shame. (A pile of useless guidebooks that carried misinformation, or were just overall genuinely bad. However terrible they may be, you’d spend decent money on them and refuse to get rid of any of your books. Hence the creation of the pile of shame.) 

Handing it to him, you move to start clearing the ruined plants from their nursery pots. You tried not to watch him as he flipped through the book, only allowing yourself little glances from the corner of your eye as you cleaned up. When you were finished, you lined up fresh nursery pots and flicked at a loose thread on the bag of seeds. 

“Surprisingly, there are only a few minor discrepancies in this guide. Overall, it seems to be alright, however there is one glaringly obvious detail that has been completely missed.” Zhongli spoke behind you. 

“Oh?” You turned, leaning against your countertop as you waited for him to elaborate. 

“In order to successfully grow Glaze Lilies, you must sing to them.” 

Your brow scrunched in confusion. “Excuse me?” 

The corners of his lips tilted up, and you flushed at the attitude leaking from your tone in such a casual manner. You’d only just met this man, and he was being extremely professional and kind in helping you with this matter. Where were your manners? 

Zhongli however, seemed unbothered by your casual display, and simply continued on. 

“I’ll make the necessary notations here, to correct the minor discrepancies, but the main focus should be — that after the first sign of sprouting — you need to sing to them at least once daily for them to continue growing properly.”

You crossed your arms and looked at him through a furrowed brow. 

“You’re not just making fun of me, are you? Because if this is some kind of practical joke, I don't find it very amusing.”  

Zhongli smiled warmly, closing the book and leaning quite casually against the opposite countertop, his liquid gold eyes glittering with amusement, but it didn’t seem like the kind that was at your expense. 

“I can assure you, I would never jest about something so important, nor would I play any kind of practical joke at your expense. I am simply sharing in my knowledge, hoping to help you in your desires, however I can.” 

You felt your heart fluttering, and you attempted to steady your breath. “Alright. I’m sorry, I just…” how could you tell him you weren’t used to people being so sincere? How could you explain that you weren’t used to such kindness without seeming pathetic? 

“Please do not worry yourself,” he said, stepping closer. He gestured to the small starting pots behind you. “Shall we get started?” 

—————-

“—And now he’s spent the last two weeks dropping by after the parlor closes every day and just— hangs out in the greenhouse while I work? I mean, his help with starting up the lilies was wonderful, but now it’s just about keeping the right moisture levels and singing to them every night, which I refuse to do while he’s there, because I’m not up for embarrassing myself in front of the literal most gorgeous man alive, thank you.” 

Your voice carried a little louder than usual, but by now the Milileth knew your routine, and hardly even batted an eye if they heard you speaking to yourself. 

The sun hadn’t started to rise yet, you’d gotten to the terrace early, early enough that the lanterns were still lit, illuminating the darkened path up those torturous stairs. 

“And he’s so polite? I don’t know how to act around him, he’s always giving such genuine sounding compliments, asking me questions while I work, helping me with little things. Surely a man like that has better things to do with his time?” You huffed, that creeping sense of self loathing wrapping around your shoulders like an old blanket, scratchy and rough, but oh so familiar. 

“He’s so beautiful, and intellectual. He’s literally a walking historical archive and I could honestly listen to him talk for hours— But in comparison, I’m just… I’m just a little girl who plays around with dirt and flowers. I really don’t understand why he keeps hanging around.” 

You scrunched your nose as the sun started to spill those beautiful colors across the sky. 

“Do you think Madame Ping asked him to keep coming around? I know she thinks I'm lonely, but I don't need her to bribe a grown man into being my friend.” 

You shook your head, rolling your eyes. “No, I can't see her taking it that far. I just… I really don’t see why he would want to be around me.” 

That warm feeling started to envelop you, and you took a deep breath to soak it in. “I know… I have a lot of self worth issues. It’s not like I've asked him why he’s hanging around, I just kind of… let him.  Maybe I can work up the courage to ask him why he’s so interested. He probably only wants to see if I can actually manage to grow those flowers.” 

You rubbed the lingering sleep from your eyes and lingered a bit longer than usual, wondering what Rex Lapis would think about Mr. Zhongli. 

——————————

Around the 3 month mark, when things started looking promising, you developed another new habit. 

Instead of spending a dedicated section of time at night standing awkwardly and singing to your newly budded plants, you decided it would save time and effort to just sing away while you do your evening chores in the greenhouse. 

You wouldn’t go out on a limb and say that your other plants were magically affected by your singing, but like your lilies, everything in the greenhouse seemed just a bit more vibrant as you did so. 

You checked the clock, chewing your lip as you scolded yourself for missing Zhongli’s presence. 

About a week ago, he’d stopped by to say that he was taking a leave of absence to go on a trip with a friend of his. He’d introduced the traveler and their strange floating  companion to you before they headed off. 

“I’ll only be gone for a week, maybe more, but I truly look forward to seeing the progress when I return.” 

You’d sort of settled into the strange routine of greeting him in the evenings, making the odd pot of tea while he spoke about anything under the sun, entertaining you while you worked. It felt strange to not have him here, but you knew you couldn’t get too attached. When the lilies bloomed, he would most certainly lose interest, and you’d have to go back to your regular routine of lonely nights. 

Your heart felt a bit somber as you hauled a few buckets of mulch along, not really focusing on your surroundings, just zoning out while you sang random tunes to help your lilies grow. 

You remember a song you’d heard your grandmother sing a long time ago, a distant memory, but the melody was still so vibrant in your mind. 

“Eyes shining like the sunrise,

 Ever deeper than the night sky,

Nature sweet, like faun and flora,

More valuable than jade or mora, 

Take me me there, safe from harm,

Safe at home, in your arms.

nature's bounty he—“

Your voice caught in your throat as you turned to grab the next bucket only to find Zhongli standing silently in the doorway, eyes nearly glowing in the lantern light. 

You jumped, and you were sure if you had something in your hands, it would’ve flown out of them, most likely spilling all over you— embarrassing you even further. 

“Zhongli?!” You yelped, throwing a hand over your pounding heart. “I didn’t hear you come in! You nearly gave me a heart attack.” 

He chuckled, a warm sound you’d grown so fond of hearing. “I did not intend to startle you. Though I am surprised you did not hear me, considering how you’re always on about how loud that bell is.” 

“Yes, well,” your face grew so extremely warm, you pulled off your gloves and shoved them in your apron pocket, kicking a foot on the flooring of your greenhouse. ”I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here tonight, so I suppose I let myself get too carried away.” 

“I wouldn’t say you were too carried away.” His eyes were sparkling, his smile deeper than you think you’d ever seen it before. 

“Wha— are you teasing me? I thought you said you wouldn’t—“ he cut off your rambling with a simple murmuring of your name, nodding to the countertop behind you. 

Confused, you turned, and in the moonlight streaming in through exposed glass sat six perfect glaze lilies, fully bloomed. 

You walked towards them in awe, feeling Zhongli’s presence not far behind. 

“I…” you stared at them, eyes wide and mouth nearly hanging open. “I can’t believe…” 

You were hopeful, of course you were. But a part of you genuinely expected to come in one day and find them dead, destroyed like the others. You had wanted this so badly, but after months of failure, you had lost your confidence. But there, sat in front of you in their little pots, sat six perfect fully grown glaze lilies. 

“I did it.” You mumbled, turning around to face Zhongli. Your heart felt like it was bursting in your chest. You jumped, barely able to contain your joy as you shrieked. 

“I did it!” You excitedly danced around, pumping your fists in the air and whooping, in total bliss at your accomplishment. 

“You did it.” Zhongli simply said, smiling down at you.  

“We did it!” You yelled, your joy uncontainable. Without thinking, you threw yourself at him, giggling as he caught you effortlessly, spinning you around as you wrapped your arms around his neck. 

He smelled like amber, like the forest and the mountain air, crisp and pure and addicting. You took another deep breath before you realized what exactly you were doing. 

You quickly pushed yourself away, backing up with a squeaking “sorry!” Only in your embarrassment, you completely lost your bearings, immediately tripping backwards on a stack of potting soil sacks and tumbling down. 

You tried to catch yourself on the side counter, but only succeeded in grabbing hold of a stack of books you’d been meaning to relocate, the pile of shame.

Perhaps it was your karma for naming it such, perhaps it was irony, but the pile of shame merely tumbled down along with you, spilling onto your head with a terrible series of audible smacking sounds to accompany your little cries of pain. 

“Oh!” In Zhongli’s defense, he really had tried to catch you, but you supposed when you pushed away, you must have shoved him a bit farther back as well, and he was merely seconds too late from grabbing your arm to steady you. 

You sat in your embarrassment, letting a loose book stay where it landed, covering your face. 

“Are you alright?” Zhongli said, his voice filled with genuine concern. 

“Can you pretend like the last five minutes never happened?” You said, cringing beneath the pages of an extremely outdated copy of Flowers in Food: recipes for your floral tastes. 

“Unfortunately, my dear,” Zhongli began removing the book from your face, peeking down at your reddened cheeks beneath the pages. “I have the pleasure of having an impeccable memory.” 

“I had a feeling you’d say something like that.” You grumbled. 

You began peeling books off yourself, face warm as you wondered how you were going to get out of this one. 

“You did not need to apologize, though.” Zhongli said, crouching down to help you. “I am more than comfortable sharing in your excitement at such an accomplishment.” 

Your heart fluttered, and your face heated for entirely different reasons. Maybe it was okay that you’d hugged him? As much as you want to think he’s always teasing you, he has never once lied about how he’s felt about anything. 

“Oh.” You said, peeling away the last couple books. “Well then, I’m sorry for pushing away so abruptly, and uh… that you had to see all that.” 

He smiled, shaking his head as if he was going to tell you something more, when his eyes seemed to catch something along your torso. 

You looked down, and under the last book you’d pulled off your stomach sat a little glowing orb, about the size of your palm. 

Its warm amber light glowed against the fabric of your shirt, and you looked just as shocked at Zhongli for a moment. 

But his face steadied, and he smiled down at you. “It seems that your perseverance has been recognized in the highest regard.” 

You gapped down at the geo vision sitting on your stomach. 

“I… what?” 

—————————

AN: what did you think? Please let me know in the comments/tags/askbox! Also feel free to send in ideas for some dynamics you’d enjoy seeing between these two, as I have a vague idea of where the story will go, but its not entirely concrete yet!

- from Pidge, with love <3

[mariasont]

Do you have any advice on writing Hotch?

I really want to try my hands on a writing fanfic, but I'm afraid of messing up Hotch's character.

absolutely bestie!!!! writing hotch can feel intimidating so i get it but also it's so important to remember that this is fanfiction which by definition fiction, is literally whatever you want it to be so don't stress yourself out too much about messing up a character because it's really not possible

but here are my understandings of his character and how i try to write him as (which half of the time i don't follow this to a t because it's fun to write out of character)

so hotch is defined by his control and deep emotional repression. he is incredibly dedicated to his job and internalizes his emotions to a fault, rarely letting anyone see him vulnerable. his past traumas like his abusive father and haley's death i think heavily influence his sense of responsibility, guilt, and said emotional detachment. when writing him, i try to showcase that he's not cold, but more so private and controlled.

hotch tends to isolate himself by carrying logistical burdens alone, highlight his internal struggles between protecting his team and also feeling responsible for their well-being, even at his own expensive. i think to show him as being decisive under pressure, but also internally conflicted.

when we explore romantic dynamics with hotch, in my opinion (which literally doesn't mean much, pls don't take too much stock into this), he is usually reserved and deeply conflicted at first (common theme lol) and his protectiveness often morphs into emotional attachment before he realizes it. his romantic relationships are rarely straightforward because of his position and the way he perceives his heart v. responsibilites.

he never rushes into relationships. i also tend to write feelings simmering under the surface and tension building until he literally can't deny them anymore. i also tend to write a lot of age gap dynamics and hotch definitely would be constantly checking himself and battling between what he wants and what he believes is right.

hotch is discreetly territorial so he doesn't usually act outwardly jealous instead his possessiveness probably appears in other ways like moving closer to you in public or like a weirdly intense gaze that silently signals other to back off.

i also have it in my head that hotch's love language is deeply intertwined with acts of service, protective gestures, and more subtle but powerful emotional displays. he may not be constantly saying i love you but his actions reaffirm it.

hotch also speaks succinctly and decisively. he is not one for super long speeches but rather for meaningful glances, short reassurances, and clipped commands. when he speaks about something more emotional, it should feel significant because he rarely opens up.

but anyway i don't know if this literally helps at all but!!!! these are some of the things i keep in mind while writing (again i don't always stick to it because YOLO and we're all just doing this for free and for fun so who cares?!?!?)

just trust yourself and lean into his complexities, and you'll potray him beautifully!!!! again you can't mess him up, pinky promise <3

[let-us-cultivate-our-garden]

The reason why the toh fandom can have such wildly diverging interpretations of the Wittebane story is because the show did not do its job. How old was Philip when Caleb left? Did Caleb truly believe in witch hunting or was he just playing along to what the town expected? Did Caleb ever tell Philip anything? Did he ever talk to his brother and try to change his mind? How long was Philip searching for Caleb? How did he get cursed? How exactly did the knife fight start? Did Philip kill Caleb accidentally or on purpose? Did he kill him only because he married a witch or because he left him? Or both?

The fact is, we don't have definitive answers to any of these. We only have educated guesses based on portraits barely glimpsed in the show that lack any context, Masha's barebones version of events, and Belos' self-justifications. Casual fans shouldn't have to be knee-deep in fandom just to get the main villain's backstory, especially when said story is the literal basis of the whole plot.

Plus, if you're going to spend the final half of your last season barely exploring the villain's origins, only to completely ignore it in the series finale, then you've written a bad ending.

Update: This is getting some notes so I'm including additional thoughts to the original post. The rest will be under the read more:

Just to add onto this because some folks argue that we don’t need his backstory because we already have the essentials or it’s not really important to the plot. The thing is though is that Belos’ story launches the entire plot of the show, his character and motivation are the direct result of actions that happened centuries before the main characters were born. It needs to be depicted and not largely inferred. 

His story is important to creating a more fleshed out character and can strengthen the themes of the show (the rivalry between Eda and Lilith and Luz struggling to fit in at home are parallels to Belos). Instead the show gives little kernels of his story and character that make him more interesting than just Evil Emperor (the fact that the brothers became witch hunters to fit in, the fact that Belos worst memories are of killing Caleb and making grimwalkers are never touched on again). The first (and last) time we see Caleb in a full scene is in For the Future and it has huge implications for the dynamic between the two brothers. But again, nothing is done with it. It seemed like the show was building up that Belos’ lies and self-justifications would lead to his undoing but it doesn’t. So him dying with his ideology and self-delusions intact feels empty.

The worst part of how the Wittebane story is handled is that since it’s largely inferred and you have to be pretty involved in fandom to have a more nuanced take of it, a casual fan can easily just accept other characters’ views on the matter. Masha says “looks like little bro was jealous of big bro” and it undercuts the story of the Wittebanes (to say nothing of the tonal whiplash). The Titan dismisses Belos as only caring for himself and to be the hero, which while technically true, misses a lot of context and makes it easy to dismiss Belos as a whole as simply being evil and crazy instead of a more layered villain. And it can’t be argued that these are just the characters’ perspectives and we shouldn’t take it at face value because there’s nothing really in the show to pushback against that. 

Now, yes, it is fun to imagine how the Wittebane story played out and in hindsight, it’s probably better that the show didn’t depict the entire story because they probably would have botched it. But the point remains that the handling of this storyline was a mess (and don’t give me the cancellation excuse, the show learned early on about this and wrote all of 2B with it in mind). The Wittebane story and Belos as a whole showcase why setup and payoff matter. You show the villain feels guilt about their worst deeds? What’s the payoff to that? The villain was originally an outsider who tried to fit in and conformed to a town’s toxic ideologies? What’s the payoff? The villain continually lies to himself and commits atrocities to justify his actions? What’s the payoff? 

If you’re going to raise interesting and thought-provoking questions then don’t give the audience a simplistic answer.

[ndrv3expert1]

Why Post Game AUs Hit Different

Hear me out, okay? Post-Game AUs in the sense of Danganronpa hold a special place in my heart. They’re what first brought me into the fandom space, they’re some of the first fics and fanart I made, and yeah, I know it’s kind of weird, but there’s just something about them that I can’t shake.

When I first sat down to write this, I stared at a blank screen for hours. I really wanted to talk about this topic, especially since no one else seems to have tackled it in depth before. But I was stuck. At first, all I could think was, "I want the V3 cast to be happy and alive," and, "I love angst."

However, after re-reading some of my favorite post-game fanfictions and really reflecting on them, I realized there’s so much more to this AU than I initially thought.

Post-game AUs are so compelling because they dive deep into themes like healing, found family, rediscovering happiness, self-identity, and the truth about fame.

These themes are what make the stories emotionally impactful and really connect with readers. They make you think, and they allow the audience to resonate with the characters and the world they inhabit.

For example, when I read about Kaede digging her nails into her neck, desperately trying to pry off the chain that dragged her to her execution—a chain she never actually wore—it makes me stop and think. It makes me feel something.

Or when I read about Maki having nightmares about killing people and being tortured, even though she never actually did. Those moments resonate deeply, and I find myself thinking about them long after I’ve finished reading.

Then there’s Kokichi, atoning for his past mistakes and opening up, allowing himself to be vulnerable. And when I see Ryoma discovering that there are people who genuinely care about him, it hits so hard.

It’s like watching that final, epic battle in a movie that everything’s been building toward. It’s satisfying, and it gives you an ending you can feel content with.

I know a lot of people complain about V3’s open ending, but honestly, if there had been a definitive conclusion, we might not have gotten all the creativity that’s poured into post-game fanfics and fanart. The beauty of that open ending is that it left so much room for fans to craft their own narratives—nothing feels too absurd because there was no ending at all.

And I’m not going to talk about every single post-game fan art or fanfic that’s completely changed my view and perception of post-game, but some of these fics have inspired thoughts that go beyond just the post-game world For example, It’s Just Showbiz got me thinking about the reality TV side of fame and made me start headcanoning Tenko as a trans woman, which I hadn’t considered before.

Here Comes the Sun shifted my perception of Kiyo, showing me a different side of him that I hadn’t thought about in the context of the original story.

The Friends We Used to Know led me to a rabbit hole of exploring platonic Chabahara, which opened my mind to new dynamics between characters.

These fanfics didn’t just change how I think about post-game—they expanded how I view the characters and their potential after the events of the original game.

There are so many vastly different takes on what happened to the V3 cast after the events of the game. (Well, all the casts, but V3 is the most prominent in the post-game space, followed by SDR2.) Some interpretations focus on the survivors struggling with guilt, forced to carry the weight of everything that happened. Others bring back the dead students in different ways—some with injuries reflecting how they died, some as puppets controlled by Team Danganronpa for publicity, and some just living happily together in a one-bedroom apartment.

Some fics depict V3 as the final game, while others frame it as just the beginning of something even bigger. Some characters signed up willingly; others had no idea what they were getting into. Post-game AUs are completely open to interpretation, with no right or wrong answer. Sure, you could say the same for Hope’s Peak, non-despair AUs, or even pre-game stories, but there’s something about post-game that just hits different. Maybe it’s the characters. Maybe it’s the themes. Maybe it’s the perfect balance of angst and healing. I can’t fully explain it—but it works.

Post-game AUs are more than just a way to keep the story going—they’re a way to explore what happens after the cameras stop rolling, after the killing game ends, after the characters are left to pick up the pieces. They allow for healing, for growth, for alternate interpretations that make us rethink everything we thought we knew. And maybe that’s why they hit so hard.

No matter how many versions exist, no matter how different the interpretations may be, post-game AUs will always be special to me. They take everything I love about these characters—their struggles, their resilience, their ability to change—and push it one step further. They remind me why I fell in love with Danganronpa in the first place, and why I keep coming back.

I love post-game aus so much and I can’t wait to see what other incredible stories and art will come from this space, because if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that post-game AUs aren’t going anywhere.

[charmac]

curious - do you think rcg may have had any notion that they may seriously explore the possibility of mac being gay in s6 era? s5 functionally lays the majority of groundwork for the subtext that they evolved into canonical text and s6 opens with mac fights gay marriage and imo mac is pretty heavily gay coded throughout that season. however, s7 totally makes me believe they hadn’t really considered it, because mac’s gay subtext is almost completely nonexistent, bar the flashback from s6 in 7x10. he is overtly “straight” that season. clearly by s8 it’s fully canon and one of the most logical next steps they could’ve taken with his character in retrospect, but i have always wondered if many of the choices in s6 wrt mac’s sexuality becoming increasingly more ambiguous were deliberate and i’m curious about your perspective.

I do 100%! I've definitely spoken about this before... I'm not sure if it was here or a Discord or maybe even an in-person conversation, but I've always thought it was so insane how they tell you Mac and Dennis Break Up is romantic in some sense. They are realising that their codependency is more than some "bromance" and it spooks them (obviously, really more-so Dennis).

I think acknowledging it on TASP isn't a surprise, but the fact that it's stated in the DVD commentary, before they even filmed S6, makes it clear that this was intentional foundation they intended to work off of. When Dee shatters the glass closet by stating Dennis' codependency with Mac is viewed as an "old married couple" situation, it fucks Dennis up way more than Mac, because Mac is unable to recognise the queerness of their relationship while Dennis can.

Once they make up, they've established something in the writers room going forward for Mac & Dennis that they clearly want to keep a part of their dynamic (again, as reaffirmed on the MADBU TASP episode): they are gay for each other. But they're not going to (mutually) recognise or accept it, because that ruins the joke.

So, in my opinion, they go into Season 6 really digging into that dynamic and playing on the joke by pushing against it: Dennis recognises the issue of being into Mac internally so he needs a wife; Mac recognises the issue of being gay externally so he needs to fight the gays. No doubt in my mind that throughout S6 they were writing and acting with this idea - though probably with no firm idea of where they wanted it to end up.

So we get to Season 7, and your point is the reason why Season 7 is one of my least favourite Seasons as a coherent part of Sunny (keeping in mind the flashbacks in How Mac Got Fat are just a scrapped S6 episode, reworked) - it seems to ignore a lot of the build up in order to make funny stand-alone episodes of the show. Was it because of Fat Mac? (Only one identity at a time for Mac, pls!) Is it because they had a chunk of guest writers? Is it because they thought there was a large chance it was the final season of the show? (They've talked about how when they shot the final scene for S7 (HS Reunion) it was under the idea that they might not get renewed)

Probably only RCG truly know (and maybe they don't even remember). As for me, while I don't think it was necessarily deliberate, like they sat down and said "actually lets roll back the gay [Mac] stuff here..." my idea is that going into S7 they hadn't yet figured out (or couldn't agree) if/how they wanted to make Mac's homosexuality crystal clear.

Maybe they dropped it for a season before deciding... or maybe this downtime served a purpose, because the reveals on Sunny serve one main goal: Subvert expectations.

Going from S5/6 to 8 is very obvious. That is a closeted gay guy. BUT when you have S7 cut in there in the middle, this working-season where they kind of play hard into Mac's aggressive temper and his stupidity and the fact that he's a voyeur, it's a little less-so. You're hit with Season 8 and that attempted kiss kind of comes out of nowhere and then every episode following has some kind of Mac is GAY moment and it's just extremely funny... Like, oh holy shit he's gay and he can't even recognise it.

But that gap does kinda throw you off like, was this a decision once they got renewed going forward that they needed one of them to be obviously gay based on their history? I really don’t think so, the foundation seems too intentional and the evidence we have that RCG acknowledged the character’s queerness (of all them) back then is enough to have me firmly believe the S6 stuff was just further groundwork for Mac’s character and his and Dennis’ opposing relationship

[tunamayojazz]

Love your art, any Toge/Yuuta fanfic recommendations? Thanks so much!!

hi!! thank you so much...🥺🩷🩷 and i am SO glad you asked this. i have so many!! here are the ones i read/reread more recently along with some of the tags. tried to make every rec here different from each other hehe have fun reading!!! can't help it (if you look like an angel) by glimmiks (12.4k)

tags: college au, friends to lovers, mutual pining, IKEA

THIS WAS SO FUN TO READ PLEASEEEE i absolutely love college aus so much. and you just know the 2nd years would be the most fun and chaotic as college students. their dynamic is just chefs KISS, and it's written so well here. the mutual pining in here is truly a 10-course meal and i always go back for another round.

i'm alright if you're alright by anonymous (14.2k)

tags: spoilers up to ch146, fluff, hurt/comfort, injury recovery, fix-it, love confessions, pining

post-shibuya fic excellence. i always have such a great time reading this like inuokkos really do eat so well in this fandom. yuta pining is always so great to read like he is Longingly thinking about toge at all times im cry

Magnificently Cursed by diggingupthegrave (91.2k)

tags: dark academia, magic au, magic school au, slow burn, angst, mutual pining

i will always always recommend diggingupthegrave fics. they are easily my favorite inuokko writer pls you have to read all their inuokko fics...i saved this particular one of theirs to read for much later bc i knew it was going to change my life (7 chapters ok) and boy did it do exactly that. the way they implemented canon elements into a magic setting was so so brillaint and i savored every bit of it.

Beat the Turtle Drum by CasuallyScreaming (7.4k) tags: major character death, post-shibuya incident arc, angst, minimal comfort, no shibuya spoilers read this before sleeping the other night and honestly how i managed to still fall asleep after was my body trying to protect me from full out bawling and having a mental breakdown...i don't think i've read a lot of MCD inuokko but god this one shook me to my core. almost like the feeling of loss and grief were bleeding through my phone screen. so well written and while it's definitely mostly painful, the ending....well you'll find out :')

a special occasion by Cheshire (2.5k) tags: idiots in love, established relationship, first dates this was so so cute...!!!!!!! panda: but aren't you two already dating? yuta: well yes! no. sorta, kinda. super cozy and fluffy read!!

is this how every day begins? by mitgi (5.4k) tags: roommates, living together, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, angst i will always love me a roommate au. this fic was such a lovely read and i'm actually going to reread this right after i finish writing this! there's so much to explore in inuokko's relationship and also when it's in different settings. every time i think about how the actual source material are literal crumbs, i'm just even more amazed by how writers are able to draw out the most of what info we have and write their mannerisms so well. it all feels right and so WARM UOGHHHHH

haunted by sieling_fan (3.3k)

tags: pining, hurt/comfort, canon typical angst, character study

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭���😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

you showed up just in time by diggingupthegrave (14.6k)

tags: time travel, friends to lovers, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, slight age gap

another diggingupthegrave fic that had me crying screaming shaking throwing up because god. this was so so good. the build up had me at the edge of my seat bc like oh my god what happened? what's happening?? why is this like that? @#$%^&*()_!!!!!!!!!!!!! and when it's all pieced together? oh it ended me. read this again and again for DAYS you would think i was researching it for a thesis or something. take your time reading this btw like im so serious.

okie that's all for me from now, i have so many more to rec honestly....sending out 100000000000 hearts to inuokko writers you are my roman empire....

[bananaproved]

Who will write the arcane reverse Piltover/Zaun AU I want to read so bad 🙏🙏 Like the possibilities for character and dynamic exploration and the world building are crazy I would love to see that.

First thing is if you want to write canon Zaun characters growing up in piltover, you need to take into account how growing up in a way more privileged context would have impacted them and their relationship to society. The use of violence or certain the way to present oneself is really different between the two city too.

Imagine Powder and Vi raised in Piltover by Council Member Vander ? Powder would definitely be the star of the academy, brilliant and on the brink of getting expelled twice a week. I’m afraid there is also a good 70% chance that Vi would be an enforcer 💔 But in my heart I believe there is also a 10% chance that she instead became a professional saxophone player bc this is the only hint we have of her liking something outside of fighting. Also Vander hit me as a guy that would still at least try to care for all the people including the ones in Zaun (Kind of like Heimerdinger ?) but with limited success.

Tho if Silco is here as a council member too, Vander is going to have a lot of work on his plate because if Silco used child labor and spread drugs freely in Zaun when he felt a sense of belonging here, I’m scared of what he does to the city if he is not even part of it. I know they are fighting about it like 24/7 and everybody is tired.

Viktor is also an interesting character to put in this setting because how would he have turned if he received adapted medical care and the opportunities he deserved while growing up ? He would probably be a lot more confident in himself, but it might not totally erase his self esteem issues. However I feel like he could develop some character weaknesses similar to Jayce in this context, like arrogance, naivety and since we are talking about Viktor probably a strong tendency to believe that he know exactly what other people need.

On the other hand on the side of Zaun ? The potential is so interesting too.

First because of the living conditions in Zaun the risk to develop some kind of handicap is higher so I think it would affect characters in a reversed AU too. Like Caitlyn might have been born with an issue to her left eye or Jayce might have gotten into an accident that hurt one of his legs (or arm or whatever if you wan to be different from canon).

I think Cait would be really involved in her community in this context (and she would probably hate enforcers, ironically). Maybe she could become a local legend for liberation in this AU instead of Jinx ? But on the other hand she could potentially turn really dangerous too. She could be one of the hardest but also most interesting characters to write in this context because of how important privilege and her piltovian identity are in her canon writing.

Jayce is also a super fun one to consider. His main goal is to invent things that will improve the world in canon and it could stay the same here. I think that because of his personality he might not even be interested in attending Piltover university (we know he have no problem doing things in own way in his corner, sometimes for the worse lol) so he could be an important member of his community too but he would be more limited in some of his creations despite being brilliant. Also being too brilliant in Zaun can be dangerous so he would probably fighting Chembarons trying to hire him every Fridays and Mondays.

Also Mel could be incredible here, if she is as skilled in politics here as in Piltover she is running half of the city before turning 22. I think she would make a really good team with Jayce and Caitlin if they work together to improve their situation (King Poet Soldier kinda deal. Except instead of a poet it’s an engineer which is kind of the opposite but it’s okay). + she got the best design in the show so I’m sure that her undercity version would look so good that it would kill me but in a good way. Maybe her brother could be here too btw I think he was cool.

Tho there is some characters that would not really make sense outside of their canon context, like Ekko is really linked to the undercity idk how you can make it work in Piltover. I guess he can be the exception and get raised by Heimerdinger who is in Zaun too and become besties with Mel and Jayce and not Caitlin for some reason. One day he will get a bonus second Dad when he meet Benzo in Piltover.

Anyway I wish it was a more popular AU concept to explore in the fandom, it can be so fun.

[dana-chan-the-control-brain]

Wish there were more people like you who were open to exploring dynamics between two characters in an alternate universe where they are not bound by familial relationship/title or whatever it's called. I get it tsams/tlaes have a lot of family things going on and a-specs things but eh what do I expect from a fandom that started the hate on sunxmoon shippers? I'll continue shipping sunxmoon, eclipsexsun, solarxmoon and solarxearth(thanks to that one anon from before for introducing me to this) not as family related, and the fandom can suck it

Honestly.

Like one person told me "Moon and Solar are brothers" once.

And?..

They're not.

That's like saying Ink and Dream or something from the Undertale Au verse are brothers cause they're alternate realities of eachother and people ship them all the time???

"but they have the same face"

So???

So does Lolbit and Funtime Foxy. They're a couple in SBshow verse.

Mickey and Minnie mouse have the same face and no one raises stink about the most classic example of same face syndrome.

They're robots and I think physical appearance matters very little to them in the grand scheme of things. But that might just be my demisexual ass talking.

On a side note, I know the VA for Earth, Aka: Kat has been very "ship and let ship" with the fandom. And I think that's why in the Solar therapy session, she clarified that she knows Solar isn't biologically related. Technically none of them are, she just wants to consider him part of the family.

I remember awhile back the fandom was so hostile to people who saw Lunar as an adult and would draw him in adult situations. (Like taxes/half joking you know what I mean)

And I believe that was the last big drama the actors like Davis was directly involved in before he took a step back from that and told the fandom to sort it out themselves. And I really don't blame him. There are people who are crazy and just feel entitled to things.

And in more recent episodes, Lunar has stated more frequently that he is an adult animatronic of sound mind who can make his own decisions, so that they can put that issue to bed with the discourse.

(I personally think that gen1/2 Lunar was very much a kid psychology and through the course of the course of the show, and due to his experiences and truama he grows up in two years and he's a young adult now. This reflects in every time he has a model change or appearance.)

See this is what I mean when I say they are robots. Robots can grow up from 13 to 24 (approximately) in the span of two years. Robots can change their mind about family dynamics and say "you know what I think that i don't feel like a cousin, as what I feel for Moon is more intense then familiar bonds. So I change my mind." And this is allowed. This is allowed. Like I would not think this way about human characters.

People in the transformers fandom are really familiar with this concept as well. At least the few people I talk to from an outsider perspective. The transformers robots change their relationships in canon to eachother all the time from what I hear.

And yes. I know tsams is focused on themes of family and found family and togetherness. Like I'm not media illiterate. I know what one of the themes are. For some reason, people think I don't know tsams is about family.

Like bruh.

This whole show took two years for them to build the family and support network they all have with eachother when before the show was a toxic family relationship with Sun and Moon only. And I think it's beautiful how it evolved and how many characters there are and how big the family is now!

It's great!

And I do separate in my brain what's going on in canon and what's going on in my shipping brain.

This doesn't mean I can have fun on the side. With silly speculations and silly headcanons.

Giggling to myself and twirling my hair about the "what ifs" and aus

Staying out of the main tags and talking to my own friends with my own company.

While also analyzing the show and leaving tsams lots of long lovely YouTube comments about what the show is actually about.

Also. Consider this.

Since the multiverse is canon in tsams, in definition, by their own rules, there is a universe where everything in tsams is the same, except your ship is canon.

Evil!Sun even said that Sun and Moon being brothers is more rare across dimensions then we initially assumed.

So they're either enemies, strangers, they killed eachother, or something else.

They only are brothers after their canon event of separating and agreeing to work together. So there are some universes where that never happened.

Meaning most likely that our Moon's portal runs on a central finite curve.

So take that as you will.