Sometimes...characters being in a romantic relationship is worse.

general!kiba becomes a soft sex addict when he finally realizes that the rubbing n kissing and cuddling you love doing feels better than just fucking you <3

18+ fem!reader / cw: soft, lovey-dovey handjob and fingering, mentions of an imbalanced power dynamic. royalty AU.

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your husband’s tenderness comes out to play at nighttime — when he’s absolutely sure that it’s safe from being seen by prying eyes.

hand to heart, you must admit that you’d thought of his initial reluctance to exhibit actual, proper intimacy towards his own wife as an oddity of sorts. being the softer sex by default, or perhaps it being the consequence of how you’d been raised, his hesitance has left you feeling somewhat baffled in the beginning of your arranged marriage.

after all, his way of caring is, in fact, nothing like what you’ve read about in the romance novels you still shamefully hide in the darkest corner of your dresser even to this day. he is not even anything remotely similar to the things you’d picked up from hushed bits and pieces of gossip coming from the young, giggling maids that are constantly running about the halls of your new home, as well as the subjects merely brushed over in the chatter of the noble ladies you’re sometimes burdened to sit down to engage with over lunch, simply because your high status — and your birth right — compels you to do so.

and speaking of those women; no matter which company you end up in, they all end up looking at you in the exact same way. with saddened eyes, both the maids and the prestigious women of the court all gaze at you like they almost pity you.

to be fair, how can they not? to a stranger’s eye, your spouse is seen as nothing but a big, intimidating brute that’s acquired himself quite the reputation of being utterly ruthless on the field. every inch of him is covered in scars, deadly weapons and grime, and he’s always wearing that irked scowl on his face that makes him look older than he actually is. his footsteps are so heavy as he walks alongside you, they make the iron that he carries on him at all times clink.

in contrast, you’re such a delicate little thing when compared to him. with your inexplicable poise, gentle mannerisms, kind face, pretty gowns and the blue blood that’s coursing your veins, you could be called his polar opposite.

but all of that grace of yours is to be used for what, exactly?

to be mounted by some common man every night, who just so happens to have lucked out only because he’s great at wielding a sword and shouting orders at an army of men who are just as dirty as him? to have all of your sinless attributes tarnished and besmirched by his greedy hands that have surely been covered by someone else’s blood more times than yours had been with soap?

he’s a warrior. you’re unblemished royalty — well, not any longer. the only embrace you’ll ever receive from a man like him is the suffocating kind. an embrace, whose only purpose is to hold you still on top of the bed as he proceeds to tear through your expensive regalia, and has his way with you again and again; breeding you until you birth him a child he’d never even considered of helping you raise in the first place.

well, that’s what you’d thought before, at least. what everyone has thought.

however lately, not as much — as far as your opinion about him is concerned. others still see him as a bastard who’s only good at baring his teeth and putting up a fight, sure, but for you, the turmoil doesn’t last as long. no, being his wife, you get the fortune of quickly learning that there actually is some kindness hidden inside your supposed brute of a husband’s heart, as well as the fact that there are plenty of reasons as to why he tends to keep that kindness at bay — at least until you’re alone, that is.

for one, it’s not seen as proper for a person of his and your rank to publicly fawn over their spouse in this day and age; that much is obvious. secondly, he’s actually awfully clumsy and remains stuck in the wrong mindset. your union is still fairly young and thus makes him rather addled and inexperienced when it comes to handling a wife and fulfilling her needs and wishes, as well as the overall married life that she brings into the house he’d never even once dared dream of owning before. sometimes he simply forgets that it isn’t just him that he has to worry about anymore.

lastly, being the top brass of the royal military, working under the command of your father, his position makes him obligated to represent all things virile and pertinacious whenever he finds himself in the company of others; all things so stereotipically — and insufferably, much to your dismay — male.

that one is the peskiest of the three. it’s a lesson that’s been drilled into him ever since he’d been a young boy. a lecture that’s taught him that he must function in this world with no squeamish reactions, no fear, no mercy, no tears, and the most important one of them all — definitely no heart; with the rare exception of it being laid down on a silver platter for the sake of the kingdom whenever its rightful ruler demands it.

all that matters is devoted loyalty. utter submission and respect towards the hierarchy. now that you think about it, perhaps he’s not all that much different from you, despite being male. he’s just as much of a prisoner to a system with a defined set of rules just like you are.

but while you’re attending your fancy tea parties, he’s willing to die for his homeland if it were to request his life as sacrifice, and has made that deference evidently clear with his actions every single day. while you’re attempting to charm numerous social circles, he’s willing to draw his sword, face war head-on and kill in the name of his country, too.

and that last part, the cold-blooded killing of soldiers and young men — sometimes boys, for fuck’s sake — that are just trying to serve their rulers exactly like he does and that he sometimes has to do as a goddamn job, really tends to bring out the worst in his nightmares.

———

he’s thrashing on top of the bed by the time you finally get him to wake up.

the room is dark. dawn barely peeks at the corners of the limitless night sky that still has a long way to go from appearing bright and clear. and whilst the semi-darkness is supposed to bring a sense of tranquility to your private chambers, comfort and whatnot, you can’t help but notice how there’s palpable tension hanging over the entire space as you reach out a wary hand for your husband.

you watch as he pushes up from the bed and starts to gasp for air in a series of short, and what you could almost call petrified, breaths the moment he comes back to. shock riddles you — you’ve never seen him act so disheveled before. he’s trembling all over, visibly squirming in his attempt to realize his surroundings. the way his palm presses to his forehead with a soft smack before he runs his fingers through his now-mussed chestnut hair causes your lungs to tighten all of a sudden. it’s even worse when you see him shudder again and rub it in self-soothing circles over his heart instead.

he looks… scared. jittery. your fearless, strong as a bull — and stubborn just as one — war general looks terrified.

“hey… hey, it’s all right; you’re all right,” you try to whisper towards the shadowy silhouette of him whose shoulders you pretend not to see involuntarily shake once more at the merest sound of your voice. he’s skittish like the herd of deer that you sometimes see hanging around the edge of the woods during your walks in the garden; that is before they see you as well and scurry off to god knows where. it’s so peculiar.

and as a result of it, you’re talking to him, cooing and whispering as if he’s a wounded animal. perhaps he is one, because when he turns to look at you, the expression that sits on his face makes him look like he didn’t expect to see you there at all; much less to see you extending a helping hand in his direction with eyes so kind that he’d melt on the spot if he were any more conscious than he is as of this exact moment.

the sight of the pure confusion mixed with the evident fear and disapproval that now swirls in his wide open brown eyes saddens you greatly. it’s as if he’s already so used to consoling himself all on his own that he’s been almost caught by surprise by the fact that there’s someone else there this time around, willing to selflessly soothe him without any hidden motives at all.

his chest keeps rising and falling in a way so rapid that it causes his nostrils to flare and the vein in the side of his neck to protrude against the tan skin. you can see the ridge of it in the moonlight whenever he tilts his head at just the right angle and swallows the saliva that’s gathered in his cotton-filled mouth. it’s not supposed to be there in what should be the most serene hours of the day. he’s supposed to rest.

perhaps you can help with that.

“it’s all right,” you repeat. your tone falls flat but remains calm for the sake of his dignity that you know matters to him immensely as you apply weight to your hip so that you can lean over and caress his face. it’s probably better than treating him like a baby; the last thing you want to do is upset him. “it was just a dream; whatever it was, yes?”

sweat immediately sticks to your fingerpads as you touch him. he’s slick with liquid salt; is absolutely drenched in it. it makes his hair damp. his skin is so hot that it feels like he’s running a fever. the dead that he’s put into their graves have come to haunt him in his sleep as punishment, so he flinches against the touch you place on his cheekbone, producing a low sound that almost reminds you of a whimper, but immediately gives at the tenderness you apply behind it.

the noise he’s just made melts your bones. you try to shut it out because indecent thoughts start to pour at it, as well as simpathy.

still only half awake, he rubs the sleep from one eye with twitchy fingers and another quivery exhale before you ease him back onto the pillow with a small amount of effort and a gentle push to his chest. you rub the space where his heart lies, the silken soft hairs tickling your digits. the goose feathers inside the pillows rustle under his weight as he turns to his side and presses himself against you so closely that there’s no space of emptiness in-between anymore; not even a ghost of it.

it’s pure instinct to push closer towards the sense of almost motherly safety that you exude now and that he hasn’t experienced ever since he was a child. it’s an action he does without thinking, because if he did think about it, he wouldn’t initiate it in the first place. he’s curled up into himself like the house cat does whenever the room gets too cold because the flame in the nearby fireplace gets snuffed out. with his nose smushed against your chest, he sighs as you hug him and rest your chin on the top of his head.

his hair brushes your jawline as he nuzzles his face even deeper into you, and you can’t help but secretly relish the vulnerability he’s putting out into the open at long last. minutes pass, the blue on the sky gets lighter. every breath he takes turns depeer and more calm as he inhales your scent — subtle notes of lavender soap mixing with the warmth of sleep — and listens to the sound of your peaceful heartbeat whilst trying to tame his own into a similar rhythm.

he catches the way your pulse stutters as he wraps his arm around you at some point and digs his fingers into the small of your back, but he’s simply too exhausted to acknowledge it in that cocky way he tends to use as of late. his callouses make your skin tingle; the sensation causes your thighs to rub together almost unwillingly as he falters for a mere second before he strokes along the curve and leaves feather-light touches that make you want to shiver in the same way he did earlier, though for an entirely different reason.

his almost unbearable body heat pours into you, limbs sticking together because of the sweat that hasn’t gotten the chance to dry up yet. shamefully, you must admit that it warms you up on the inside, too. you’re not sure if your sudden greedy arousal has arrived, plaguing your mind, body and spirit alike, because of the intimacy that stems from how open he is with his emotions at this exact moment, the late hour, or the fact that you’re both completely naked underneath the covers, but it causes you to drag your nails across his strong back until you’re reaching the nape of his neck and digging your fingers into his hair like a whore which you certainly aren’t.

you’re trying to soothe him, to not make him feel scared anymore, but instead he’s kissing your chest, leaving small, warm patches of saliva across your collarbone and everything to surround it. with each messy kiss and lazy flick of tongue, you can feel the subtle graze of his canines dragging across the skin, making a certain kind of heat begin to pulsate at the apex of your thighs.

he just wants to feel you beside him. feel your warmth, scent, love, soul intermingling with his. without any words spoken because it’s too early for that and he’s not ready for it yet and his brain still feels far too sluggish. without any consequences and shame for being a soft-hearted kind of man for a change. he wants to thank you in the best way he knows and to not feel as alone.

arousal grows and grows inside your core, whether you want it to or not. it drips, turning you slippery between your legs; so wet that all you can do is trouble your bottom lip with your teeth and breathe through your nose as you feel a droplet of it slide down the inner side of your thigh. it’s embarrassing and sinful — how hot and bothered you are getting during what is supposed to be a sweet and tender moment between a wife and her husband. how dirty you’re becoming; all of your princess teachings lost to a mere thought of a cock stuffing you full.

kiba doesn’t seem to mind the sin, though. he only grunts something incoherent in reply to your soft whimper and the needy tug that you place upon the roots of his hair as soon as he wraps his mouth around your nipple and starts to suck.

you can see how goddamn innocent he looks despite the scar; pressed against the fat of your breast and with his eyelids terribly heavy both with sleep and lust. can see how comfortable he’s gotten; with his face buried between your tits in a way that makes him seem like he’s right at home. it makes his thick eyelashes flutter. makes his cock hard, until it’s poking against your tummy, leaving a thin trail of sticky wetness behind.

his cheeks are pink and warm, and his cupid’s bow has been smoothed out from the way he languidly keeps suckling on your sensitive bud. sometimes he even nips at it gently, making you not only feel, but also see lightning flash before your very eyes. he’s still stroking your back with his hand, reaching over to slide his fingers over your hip and to sneak them right between your legs where the shameful wetness gathers in copious amounts you’d never admit to yourself of being able to produce.

all of his affections are slow, sleepy, but they drive you absolutely wild. pulsating, white-hot heat drops upon you like the most treacherous mistress as he cups your pussy, spreads your lips gently apart and starts to rub small circles over your clit, making you unknowingly part your legs just so that he can touch you better. you squirm, lifting slightly, and he uses the chance to slide his other arm under your side, pressing the flat of his palm on the middle of your back just so that he can keep you from pushing away.

“so wet, princess,” he rasps softly, his voice still deep from slumber. “what are we gonna do about it, mm?”

everything is a blur after that. somehow you end up with his cock between your hands; smearing the precum that’s gathered from tip to base, making him grunt gruff obscenities as he presses his forehead against your own. your hips wiggle from the way he’s stuffed your tight princess cunt, as he lewdly calls it, with two of his thick fingers; pumping nice and easy, still spoiling your clit with his thumb.

he looks so good with his jaw locked in tight like that, kiss-bruised lips slightly parted and a subtle tick of concentration and obvious strain repeatedly appearing in his cheek. his muscles are taut, brow furrowed, hair slicked back and sweat of a different kind than the fearful one earlier sits on his skin now. his eyes are so dark, they make his pupils barely visible even if they’re blown wide open.

you’re just touching each other — exploring, taking your time, not fucking nor talking. instead you’re kissing. panting. he’s throbbing as you use both of your hands to stroke him, leaking precum whilst his hips keep pushing in and drawing back so that he can fuck your fist better, his balls tightening at the feel of it. you’re throbbing and gushing slick because he’s bullying that soft, squishy part inside of you that makes you want to wail in absolute pleasure even though you’re still so embarrassed by the wet squelches it produces.

he’s left such big lovebites marking your neck and bossom that the maids will surely talk about it in the morning, as will the ladies of the court. they’ll call it ghastly and bestial and an insult to god. they’ll say it’s blasphemy, which will only spur him on to give you more of them because he’s a good-natured but annoyingly wicked delinquent by heart, not a killer.

surprisingly, neither of you seems to care about what kind of consequences you’ll invoke later when it’s time to face your duties as princess and general — yes, even you. you just can’t bring yourself to care whilst quickening the roll of your hips so that you can fuck yourself faster on his fingers, still learning the mechanics of it, whilst he whispers your name like a chant with a voice so hoarse that it cracks as he watches you do it. you just can’t do anything else but listen and cling onto him for dear life and just feel.

he wants to say so many things. that he doesn’t sleep well because he sees the faces that had begged him for mercy, and sees the throats he’d sliced in response to said pleas, and feels guilty because he did in fact drag the knife across from one end to the other so many times that it’s become muscle memory. that he feels like he tosses a chunk of his own life into purgatory each time he has to take someone else’s life for the sake of the country, even if he roars in apparent delight as he does so.

he wants to tell you that he’s fond of you for not questioning him why he comes to bed so late at night and leaves long before you’d even begun to stir awake. that he appreciates the things you do — like the way you copy his actions that he does during the day and wrap yourself around him like a human shield when the night is long and the nightmares plague his defenseless mind, even if his body is armed and there’s a blade always hiding underneath his side of the bed. that you’re a good wife. that he might learn to love you, if he’s actually capable of it and lives long enough to do so.

but he can’t say it. the pride is drilled too deep, the soldier in him holds the leash too tight. the walls he’s built around himself will come crumbling down at some point; some hidden, more genuine part of his psyche knows they will. not yet, though. not so soon.

so for now, all he does is watch as you break into a million little pieces on his fingers and scream for god to help you like the pure little thing you are. all he does is hope that the way raw affection pools and glimmers in his amber eyes at the sight of your fucked out face is enough.

it’ll turn into love at some point, the affection. it’ll smooth out the sharp lines and edges of his face, brighten his grin into something a little more charming instead of feral, and will turn his eyes into a golden shade of honey.

a sugary kind of nectar, that he now swears he tastes on his fingers as he pulls them out of you and licks them right clean.

it’s sweet enough to drive the tastebuds wild. it’s sweet enough to give him equally as pleasant dreams.

So—- Do you think Missa and Philza will ever get out of the you are very special to me and I talk to you in a romantic way nothing to dissect here. Or would pissa be like how it until end of Qsmp. (Feel free to say things you think needs to happen to break pissa out of will they won’t they situation they been in since the start of the egg event.)

Completely forgot I was gonna answer this I got distracted by pocket love

I think like all rp events it's something the actors need to go hey so are we doing this or can I do something else. I think both of them are pretty aware that they're playing a typically romance-leaning couple, so average hopes on it. Definitely don't think it'll be like this forever things are amping up to be more serious and have more consequences I could definitely see a heat-of-the-moment or a while-i-still-can reveal, or even some new plotline around missa that forces qphil to confront some feelings about it

First of all Missa needs to log on. With or without Phil also Not just during events please I want to see you just hanging with people outside of your husband or even make up your own convoluted storyline to add to the rest Nothing is going to happen unless we actually fucking SEE HIM!!!!!!

and i've said this before but Missa needs to somehow break free of the idea that Phil is infallible, is unfailingly good, is out of reach, is always going to be there or be stable enough to handle anything that comes their way. It's like hero worship how he sees Phil, and it's clouding other memories he has with the others ("Phil was the only one who protected me, who gave me a home" said to Roier. To ROIER.) and his own capabilities as a player, he was doing completely fine from before Phil to the early days of their marriage, and there's a good chance it really is just the difficulty spike of the server catching up to him, or ccMissa could absolutely be playing it up deliberately, but with qMissa's already dwindling self-esteem, it's very easy to look at your ever-capable husband and grossly underestimate your own skillset, what's the point he knows better anyway I don't want to hinder him I'll let him lead, and it's going. To affect his perception of Phil as a flawed, hurting, scared person and completely miss that his husband might actually need his help

Phil also needs to start actually trusting Missa to handle himself, because at this point it feels a bit like Missa is more of a favored family pet than a partner. Kind of helpless so he has to take care of it, easier to put affection into without romantic payoff, loves unconditionally, it's funny to distress him. Part of this is on Missa but it also doesn't particularly help when the first idea you have of your partner is how poor and helpless he is and that you have to go help him out and save him from himself like it's an egg task you need to complete. The closest they've had to actually treating each other like real partners was the first day taking care of their new egg, building the house and doing their tasks together, playing off each other's strengths and needs, and while wet cat missa with strong cool protector is funny and cute and very ship dynamic-able I don't think it's enough to move their relationship forwards.

That and actually acknowledging the fact that Missa has more than friendly feelings towards him Phil is pretty notably missing (ignoring?) Missa's sometimes outright declarations of love the Most we've had is the LoudAsHell "that's the love of my life!" at the introductions for the frozen people, where we got punched backwards Sit The Fuck Down!! and nothing yet so far. Every romantic implication has yet to be addressed but He Still Won't Bite The Bullet And Turn Him Down. come on man get it together yes or no bitch

Also. They haven't. Really spent enough time with each other to really know each other. The lack of trust the barely any conversation, most of their interactions centering around keeping Missa alive and getting him geared up or updated (and for maybe 4-ish hours at most fur every stream <- spans months in between) is not a relationship to get into even in Minecraft roleplay it's not going to let them have any real romantic connection they simply don't spend enough time with each other. It's very cute that whenever they do get together they barely spend any time away from each other but they need to do more with that time

If this continues on the same path I genuinely think they're just going to drift apart. Ultimately Phil is most attached to his kids and if he can't find them here he's going to look elsewhere and he's not going to ask Missa to leave hhs friends and family for him and Missa's going to be too much of a coward to actually tell him how he feels before he leaves and we'll crumble and explode. Arguably worse ending, we're going to watch pissa fester and stagnate until it's not as fun for anyone and we'll all move on from what could've been.

Very few ways I can think of to actually get them together*

¹eeeeeeeehhhhhhhh "together"

1) Divorce. It's not working out with your government-issued spouse? He hasn't been on in months you're leaving anyway and the kids are gone so there's nothing tying you together anymore? Take him down to the courthouse, shake his hand, ignore the conflicted look in his eyes as he thanks you for everything and the empty feeling of looking around your house and parading your new single status around and greeting him as neighbors now and feeling like your bed just keeps getting bigger

2) Desertion. Hundreds of thousands of blocks away living on nothing but avocado toast and the occasional messages from your friends wishing you well looking if he's talking to you yet why are you looking for his name anyway.

3) Noble Self-Sacrifice. What if only one of us was in the Spanish dub

Yeah that's all I can think of it's really not likely at the moment and I think they'd know how to conclude whatever they've got going on better than I can

I will never understand the notion that Zuko was the only one to support to Katara or that Zuko supported Katara more than Aang. Like that’s objectively false.

As someone who likes lots of hero X villain ships, and plenty of Good Girl X Bad Guy ships in particular, let me explain: it's just a popular cope/lie to justify hating on the good guy that is either part of a love triangle, and thus the bad guy's rival, or the only real love interest for the girl in cases of "fanon love triangles" like the Kataang VS Zutara one.

Lots of people who like that kind of dynamic, or simply rooting for the bad guy, are, for some reason, uncomfortable with the fact that these dynamics can get (and sometimes forever remain) messy, toxic, unhealthy or downright abusive, and that the bad guy is, in fact, bad and will do evil things to harm the hero, even if they are canonically in love (and again, the romance sometimes isn't even canon to begin with).

So they try to fix that "problem" by pretending the "evil love interest" was the only one that actually cared, and either never did anything to genuinely harm the romantic lead or did so much good stuff that it balances it out.

Meanwhile the "morally correct/default choice" is always demonized and talked about as a character that is not only boring, but also secretly selfish, controling, uncaring and/or abusive, yet the writers refuse to acknowledge is not the saint they claim he is. That is done solely to make the "bad guy" look better in comparison. Only twice in my life have I ever seen the "good guy" in the love triangle genuinely be as bad as the fandom says they are - Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother and Riley Finn from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Pretty much every other time I've seen fans use that argument? It was total bullshit.

That's literally all there is to the nonsense 'argument' of "Zuko cared about Katara even when he was still a bad guy, but Aang acted worse than he ever did all while being the hero the show never calls out." It's disregarding canon almost completely and creating an alternative version of the story that goes out of it's way to glorify Zuko's every action, while demonizing Aang, solely for the sake of saying "Therefore Zutara should have been canon and endgame instead of Kataang."

That's why they talk about nonsense like "Zuko was the only one to ever help Katara with chores during camp, while Aang expected her to be do everything by herself just because she's a girl." It never happened, but if it had it'd make Zutara look better than Kataang, so they just convince themselves that's what happened and repeat it to everyone else.

You'll never understand the logic in these arguments because there is none to be found in the first place, and you can't reason with these people because they simply don't care what happened in the show. They only care about their version of Avatar. The "Zuko" and "Aang" they describe in their fics, metas and headcanons are completely separate from the actual Zuko and Aang.

I'm kind of amused by Shaun Evans going from befuddled about the Morse/Joan storyline to outright annoyed over the years.

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Jace Lacob: You mentioned your love for the fourth episode this season, “Coda.” I’m wondering if there’s a favorite scene that stands out to you from this third season?

Shaun Evans: Yes, and it’s the last scene where Joan leaves.

Shaun: Throughout, we’ve always had little glimpses of them catching each other’s eyes in the mirror, in walking her home, seeing what’s going on, and I’ve always been curious. And each time we have an interaction I always say, “Where are we going with this? Where are we … What are we doing here? Should we be playing that there’s a bit of an attraction here, or should we be … should she just be my boss’s daughter?”

Shaun: I think for something to be engaging, the audience have to root for what the hero wants. Now, if the hero doesn’t know what he wants, it’s difficult for them to root for him, then it just becomes procedural, every week he solves a case. Whereas, if you think of the great sort of stories of like Friends, or like Sex and the City, or any of those stories, you can think, “Will they get together? Won’t they get together?” And it’s that which is engaging.

God I’m going on now aren’t I?

But in conclusion I was pleased because I really felt strongly that there should be some interaction between those guys that we’re really driving towards. But I feel like it really came, the heart of the story, came to fruition in the final scene.

PBS Masterpiece (2016)

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Jace: Why doesn’t Endeavour tell Joan that he loves her when he does have the opportunity?

Shaun: Oh, $64,000 question.

Shaun: There were so many back and forths about this, I’ve gotta tell you. And for me, I really … not agonized, but I thought, “Well, why go to all that trouble and not say anything? Why not? Why not just say something?” And we spoke about it constantly with the writer and it was his instinct that he doesn’t say anything, and I thought, “Why? But what’s the- why not just say one thing, not just say … Even call her by her first name?” You know? Why not say something, you know?” So you go with the majority sometimes, in cases like that. But I think it plays … I think it plays beautifully, you know?

Jace: I mean, so much of the show is in the unstated, rather than the stated.

Shaun: Mm-hmm.

PBS Masterpiece (2016)

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Q: Morse is pretty useless with women -- does he have more luck this time?

Shaun: Yeah, he ballsed it right up with Nurse Monica, but she was just too nice. He needs someone who's a bit more [thinks] "Grrr". But Monica comes back, so we get to end that in a better way. And things with Joan take a twist, which is quite satisfying. It can be frustrating for me, too. I'm like, "Why isn't Morse saying something? Why isn't he speaking up?" But the writer says, "Please, just trust me on this." And he gets it right.

Heat magazine (2017)

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Jace: The dynamic between Morse and Joan Thursday has provided a romantic spine to the series thus far. In the first episode of season six we get a bit of a flashback to the end of “Icarus,” with Morse asking if Joan’s offer of a coffee still stands. What happened between these two after Fancy’s death?

Shaun: This is one thing that we disagree about. I personally think that it would be interesting to have these two people begin a relationship and to have a night of passion and then the next day or a couple of weeks later, they’re like, ‘Oh this isn’t what I thought it would be. This isn’t the answer to all of my prayers at all.’ In a way for me, I think that’s way more heartbreaking, that you can’t be happy with anyone, rather than this, will they won’t they, which I personally think has a shelf life. So we have a disagreement about that, but that’s cool. So nothing happens between them. She’s busy, her life moved on. She hasn’t got time for him any more.

Jace: I do think it would be gutting for him to achieve this sort of idealized romance only to for only to find out that it is not working.

Shaun: Right?

Jace: And that there’s something broken within him.

Shaun: Because that speaks about you. Yeah exactly so, that’s my point exactly, right. That’s my point exactly. I think there’s not a fear, and I hesitate to say fear, but I think that for whatever reason, our writer, who I love and is one of my best mates, likes the idea of this will they won’t they. But I think that it speaks more to a real inability to form a lasting romantic relationship if you do that. So I’m very depressed about that. Someone you’ve lusted after for five years and then she’s like, ‘You know it’s…’

Jace:  ‘Thanks but no thanks.’

Shaun: Yeah, totally, or even if it’s him it’s like, ‘What’s this here?’

PBS Masterpiece (2019)

Modern Leper

Summary; Despite living with Simon Riley for several months now, the intricacies of his mind still find ways to surprise you; Tonight is nothing new for either of you.  Word count; 2,245 A/N; This is the first fic I’ve actually finished and decided to post for CoD! I rarely ever post my writing, so forgive me if it isn’t the best. I just really love Ghost, and my fiance deals with night terrors and I saw an outlet and decided to run it into the ground with this. The relationship dynamic for them is something I cherish and is loosely inspired by this song. I could write a three hour power-point on all the trauma this man struggles with, but for now y’all gotta deal with my drabbling instead lmao. No beta we die like men. 

I’m also open to taking requests, if you have anything to offer me :>  Warnings; Vague mentions of past trauma/gore/death, night terrors, ambiguous and complex situationships, minor physical harm (unintentional), hurt/comfort. 

It had taken you months to finally convince Simon to move in with you, just like it had taken nearly a year for him to admit to your not-quite relationship. It was based on understanding more than love or romance; The common knowledge that you shared the same weight as the other, that your weird quirks were complimentary despite their usually volatile state. 

You both understood each other's needs, traumas, the baggage you both carried within yourselves that you’d yet to find the space to put down. He needed space and quiet, a silent companion who never seemed to judge him for whatever ailed him at any moment, and you had a supernatural ability to read him like a book and offer what you could when he needed it without a word being exchanged. It was an invaluable bond you two shared, not quite love, but not quite friendship. You just knew each other like you were one and the same, and found safety in that fact. He had grown to trust you, and you found solace with him, and you were relieved when he relented to moving into your sad one bedroom apartment. Filling some empty void that always seemed to follow you in life. 

You had been having such a nice dream, something warm and soft and honey sweet for once, when the yelling started. It dredged you from the depths of sleep, like ripping off a band-aid or throwing ice water down your shirt, and you blearily shot up in bed in surprise as you blinked into the dark of your shared bedroom, seeking its source.

Simon had warned you about his night terrors, but you hadn’t fully comprehended just how bad they could get sometimes. Yelling, screaming, pained moans and thrashing like he was an animal caged, feral and in desperate need to escape himself. He’d told you that there wasn’t much to do about them, and apologized when he said to just let him be until they were over. He’d even insisted on sleeping on the couch for several months upon moving in under the concern that he’d hurt you or cost you sleep, or god forbid traumatize you even further than your shared line of work already had. 

It took you a few moments to process that it was happening again, blinking the sleep out of your eyes as you watched Simon jerk in his sleep across the bed, sheets twisted around his limbs in a way that you found both angelic and heartbreaking in the moonlight from the window. You were sure there wasn’t a single way he could appear to you that you wouldn’t find beautiful, though you knew better than to voice those thoughts out loud. 

He remembered everything if he was woken up in the middle of a night terror, though waking him up while in one of his fits was a feat of its own. You had relented to leave him be and fight his demons in his dreams undisturbed, until the neighbors started to complain about the noise. It killed you to see the haunted, distant look he would always get the following morning if he didn’t sleep through it, but he understood that it couldn’t continue, not in your subpar apartment. After a few too many noise complaints, things had to change. 

“Simon?” You called softly, voice heavy with sleep as you shifted to face him, watching him for a few moments. You knew that pinched expression, visible even through his balaclava that his face was an image of agony. You’d never learned what he had been through- never anticipated you’d get to know- but it still made you question the poor man’s past as you watched him squirm and groan in pain in your sheets. 

“Simon,” you call his name more loudly this time, shifting closer to him on the bed as you did. 

You had never let go of the hope that maybe one day, you’d be able to soothe away his nightmares with just your voice. That your presence alone could banish the horrors that he hid inside of himself, the things he fought back during the day that he couldn’t run from at night. You prayed for a day when you could simply whisper sweet nothings to him, and ease his pain without having to wake him. 

It had yet to work despite your insistent efforts, and after a couple more minutes of soft crooning and attempts to console him with no changes in his behavior, you relented to the one trick you and Ghost had found to wake him up; Sternum rubs. 

“I’m so sorry,” you said as you always did, before shifting to get out of bed and walk around to his side of the mattress. He’d attempted to grab or punch you the few times you’d had to resort to this specific method in the past, and you couldn’t blame him for it; it was an agonizing sensation to experience, and he had always been adverse to physical contact regardless of whether or not he had just suffered a night terror. You couldn’t fault him for lashing out when you woke him from painful dreams in an equally as painful way, even if it cost you a few bruises. At least if you were standing, you had a better chance of moving out of reach when he did come to. With a sharp breath in, you lowered your knuckles down onto the solid muscle and bone of his sternum and pressed, dragging your fist across his chest.

It didn’t take long for him to let out a shuddering gasp, a choked yell of “Get the fuck off me!” following after. It left you flinching, startled by the outburst despite this situation not being a new one. His eyes flew open in shock as his hand locked tight, too tight around your wrist in a grip that brought a squeal to your lips. You knew by now it would leave bruises, the skin tight and twisted under his calloused palm as he ripped your hand off of him.  

“G-ghost! It’s me, it’s me,” you chanted, fear evident in your words as you tried to not struggle against his grip. You had never been able to get used to the violence in his awakenings, the way he would shudder and heave like he’d been shot. His eyes were frantic, manic as he stared at the room around him, at himself, at you as if he had never seen you before in his life, your words foreign in his ears. 

“Simon… It’s okay. You’re okay, you’re at ho-”

“Shut up.” 

He panted heavily, releasing your wrist from his ironclad grip as he shifted to sit up in the bed. His eyes were squeezed tight, hands reaching to cover his face as he tried to reorient himself to the waking world. His body shuddered and rattled as if still stuck inside of his dream, somewhere else, experiencing who knows what. You stood silently beside the bed as you watched him, letting him calm down in his own time.

It felt like a century before he spoke, but his words were much softer despite the way his hands trembled against himself. 

“...I’m sorry, love,” he mumbled, fingers rubbing at his eyes as he forced everything in his mind down into the trenches of himself. Hiding away from your concerned eyes as you watched him like a hawk. His scars throbbed, his skin still clinging to the feeling of blood and dirt and rot as if he had never showered since everything had happened to him. 

“It’s okay, Si,” you said quietly, finally letting yourself move, breathe, as you made your way back to your side of the bed and settled back into the sheets there. 

“You… Can I get you anything?” You offered, always trying to be helpful after an episode. Always supportive and gentle and quiet in his presence as he struggled to hold everything down like bile in the back of his throat, threatening to spill out. A mug of tea, an ear, a shoulder, a warm bath, it was always the same with you despite him always pushing you away every time. He usually settled for silence and nothing more, and this time didn’t seem any different. 

Simon finally pulled his hands from his face, blue eyes exhausted as he stared down at your red wrist with a look of heartbreaking guilt. You knew he was staring; he always did when he’d hurt you after this happened, guilty and pained as he struggled to chew and swallow the reality of once again doing the one thing he always told himself he wouldn’t. 

“I’ll get you some ice,” he offered, no room for argument in his words as he shifted out of bed with a groan and disappeared from the bedroom. Your hand cradled your inflamed wrist, and as you looked down at it you could already see the angry, finger-shaped signs of a bruise forming under your skin. 

He’d always shown his care through action, insisting he was bad with words and worse with touch, so he settled on the little things to try and bring his affections across to you. Grabbing things that were too high for you to reach, doing the extra steps to make whatever task you had at hand that much easier, bringing you small souvenirs when he went on an assignment that you couldn’t follow him on. 

He returns with a deep rooted sadness in his eyes, silently asking for your injured hand as he goes to wrap a bag of frozen peas around it like you were made of glass; something so fragile, so delicate. It felt wrong to feel you in his hands, no matter how careful he swore to be with you, the feeling of staining or breaking you never leaving the back of his mind as he iced the wound he’d caused.

“Really, it’s okay,” you reassured him a second time, offering him a gentle smile as you let him ice your wrist for you. It felt like he was licking a wound like a dog, trying to erase the accidental damage he caused like he always tried with himself. He only offers you a curt nod at your words, and once he’s decided your wrist is sufficiently encased in the frozen peas does he let you go and return to his spot in the bed. 

“It was the coffin, this time,” he says in a low voice, rough from yelling and the cigarettes he tended to chain-smoke every second he was off base and out of your shared home. 

You turn to stare at him in surprise, not expecting him to be open about what happened as your mind reeled from just that one sentence. He stares down at his hands in his lap as he speaks, but you can tell his eyes are looking at something beyond your gaze. 

“It… Isn’t the worst one, but it’s still not great.” Simon laughs bitterly, shaking his head to try and rid his mind of the memories. Some part of him still felt like he was stuck down there trying to claw himself out, nothing but the rotten bones of someone else to help him along. 

You aren’t sure what to say in response. A part of you wants to pry, to take the mile he’s offered with the inch given and see what horrible things seem to follow him like a shadow, but you can’t bring yourself to respond. Instead, you open your arms to him, head cocked to the side in question. 

A hug. Simple, easy, comforting- For you at least. He looks up at you quietly for a few moments, the air easy and calmer in the space between you both as he considers your offer. His eyes are raw and wet when he finally relents, folding himself easily into your arms. 

You make a point of ignoring the way his shoulders silently shake as he presses himself against you, his own arms going to loop around your waist with that same fragile care he’s always given to just you. An olive branch in the distance he always held between you, for his safety or your own you weren’t sure. You accept it all the same though, hands light and gentle as they go to rest against the back of his head, his shoulders, his spine; petting him like a wounded dog, some poor pet dying on the side of the road. 

“You’re safe now, love,” You whisper in hesitance, body wound tight like a live wire as you wait to do something you shouldn't, cross some unspoken boundary you weren’t able to pick up on in this uncharted territory; But the moment never comes. His shoulders still shake, his face finding refuge in the pulse point between shoulder and throat, and you both act like your skin isn’t damp as you let him hide inside of you. 

You don’t think you’ll ever find the right word for what you two have. It felt like something too delicate, too raw and wounded to be love, but it felt like it went deeper than just simple understanding. Beyond the realms of your minds or bodies, beyond the atrocities the two of you had both committed and been subjected to. 

All that really matters to you though is that he trusts you, and you trust him, and you decide that that is all that matters. 

sherlock & co. review from an insane person (me) coz this is like. the 25th? sherlock adaptation i've checked out so ofc i have opinions on everything ever. and ik ppl who work on indie podcasts browse tumblr sometimes so just in case you work on this DON'T click keep reading, this post is not for youuu shoo. thanks x

ok so far it's like. fine? which is lowkey sad coz i wish it was smtg i really liked but it hasn't gripped me yet which is a shame but yknow. early days. i'm giving it time since it's only 15 episodes so far

my main issue is like. i really wish it wasn't so obviously influenced by bbc but it just so clearly is which is a shaaame like it's better than bbc in every aspect but yknow. not a high bar to clear. like it kinda feels like they liked a lot of things abt bbc and set out to fix the bad parts (h&w friendship being nonexistent, the mysteries being shit) but just kept the rest? in some places keeping things that were invented by bbc which is. baffling tbh

i'm not really picky when it comes to h&w personalities like i think it's fine to just do whatever you want w them, i think it's really fun when an adaptation gives them different personalities than what you're used to but, and this is where it feels far too bbc-ish for comfort, i just don't like it when sherlock is a cunt for no reason? like. he's not a mean person he's only mean in bbc coz moffat thought house md was cool and ripped it off. can we stop making him mean pleeeease 😭 he's just some guy..................

h&w relationship wise it's like... ok so i tend to go into adaptations with a fully clean slate so like i never let my general attachment to them influence how i view them in specific adaptations, the work itself needs to sell me on both the characters and the relationship and like... here neither of those really happened yet which makes me sad coz i think by now it should've but i'm giving it time. at least they're friends and i like that watson is useful for cases/knows things holmes doesn't sometimes coz thats like. such an essential element to sh stories for me and a loooottt of adaptations tend to just completely forget it so that's a win but idk if anything they're too tame? like i dont expect a romance but they can't just be casual friends they need to be bat shit crazy about each other. to me. but like maybe that'll develop over the rest of the podcast we'll see

kinda related to that point but case-wise i think holmes is a bit too ahead of everyone else sometimes which isn't inherently a problem but it does once again smell of bbc which like. noone should ever emulate moffat writing don't do that 🙏 god bles. but i've been able to solve every case along with/before the mcs which is like. thee point of mystery stories for me so yea i really like the stories themselves so far, especially the way they manage to make them solvable even without visuals or narration. OH and i almost forgot but i rly like the soundtrack, i love it when sh soundtracks have a heavy emphasis on violins coz. yknow

howeverr i am on my hands and knees begging them not to give watson a girlfriend tho like please oh myfffucking god . obvs watsonlock doesn't usually factor into my enjoyment of adaptations given that like. y'know. out of the hundreds out there theres only two where either of them is even gay so it's not something i expect nor require but like. to me it is essential that these two ppl are insane abt each other and don't really have anyone else, definitely noone important. like even the rdj movies got this despite ritchie's obsession w the 2 men 1 woman dynamic so idk why i'm constantly having to wage a war against random unnecessary romances for either watson or, god forbid, holmes. when the only interesting relationship either of these men have is with each other. that one granada holmes quote about them choosing not to include mary coz holmes and watson dont need anyone else etc etc. like i seriously dislike it when they introduce anyone else like cmonnnnnn thog dont care

anyway tldr. i guess if asked to pick a short description i'd say. promising? i hope it's gonna be good in the long run. the way they do mysteries is already something i like so. i hope they keep that up and i hope the h&w relationship evolves into something i enjoy coz so far i'm like. i can see the bones of smtg i'll potentially like but it's not there yet. but also like. this is an indie production i'm listening to for free so ion wanna rip into it these are mainly just what i liked/disliked based on the preferences i developed with this one quick trick (grow up completely insane abt sherlock holmes -> consume every adaptation that you can get your paws on -> no profit)

Pac: Your love story... , A movie

Produced and written by : @ariesluvz

Disclaimer this is only for entertainment purposes! Only take what resonates and leave what doesn't <3

♡1 ♡ 2

♡ 3 ♡ 4

...

Sections >>

# Genre

# Story

# Keywords

...

♡ Group 1

# Genre: A love story of 2 students. Friends to lovers. Frenemies lol. College crush. Heartthrob and the struggling student.

# Story: You guys were coworkers who fell for each other. You got to live the typical love phrase of ones life. Romance was never a thing more than fictional books but when you met each other you felt electricity in your body. Pure feelings involed. Puree reference to 90s movies. Especially bollywood movies. Like it!

Lovers. In one word you felt for their personality. Yoy fell for a beautiful human not only from outside but truly amazing from the inside. The chaotic day in your life brought you to them. Love, ishq. "Ishq" is actually the keyword here, (it means love in hindi or urdu idk.) A story about 2 people becoming each others peace. Becoming each others lovers. You guys complete each other. Past life connection for those who believe. You feel complete with them. A feeling that was only in books and movies is what you feel in real life with this relationship.

You met this person at the moment when you least expected them. When you were fighting for yourself. They gave you a hand when you were struggling. They offered you help and their shoulder when you needed without even you saying anything at all. They surprised you every day showing you a better version of themselves when you thought they were already perfect.

# Keywords: Peaceful love, historical love, beautiful love, soulmates, fiction, fantasy, healing.

. . .

♡ Group 2

# Genre: Forbidden love. Waiting. Yearning for each other. Escape. Street love (?)

# Story: You guys met when one of you just moved to your town. You instantly felt drawn to them. But never intended anything. Somehow you got closer and closer and closer. You guys started hanging out together. Buddies (?) Partner in crime. You felt for their risky but gentle personality lol. Someone is very careful of the other and the other one is literally the dare devil lol.

Overwhelming feelings for each other but hesitant to express. Shy or just careful of your feelings. You don't want to say about your feelings. You guys don't know how to word it. Your feelings bother you alot but no one wants to bring out the topic of falling for each other.

Sudden act of love is what reveals the feelings. The overwhelming feelings of these individuals. Sudden kiss, closeness etc. Passionate love. Extremely passionate and addictive love. Crazy for each other. You made each other your pain, happiness basically your feelings is whole all of them. You become happy when you see their smile.

Alot of physical closeness. More like daring and risky closeness not shameless lol. Respect for each other but still alot of passion. You do the most crazy things ever! Still you understand each other so well. You fight like cats and dogs sometimes but someone pulls the other person harshly into a passionate kiss. Full of feelings.

This relationship have freshness. Getting wet in the rain. Sitting in a shelter to avoid rain. Rain. It rains alot and almost every day when you are experiencing the start of this relationship. Also peace, its like putting water into fire, quenching ones thirst. It's what your relationship is!

# Keywords: kiss, Red, strawberry, night, rain, cold breeze, tears, talking.

. . .

♡ Group 3

# Genre: fun relationship dynamic. Cool and chill type. Everyday life.

# Story: You guys started dating by chance or got arranged mostly. You liked their cool and carefree, charming personality. You are treated like a literal queen by them. They literally worship the ground you walk on. You think of you as a goddess, blessing. Their heart melt and they get flustered whenever you are around.

They think of you as the most prized possession ever in their life. Elite. You are elite to them lol. It makes me think of a story like a rich kid got married to a person who had a crush on them and now they want to do everything to make them happy and comfortable. Do enough for them.

They do silly things with full sincerity for you. They make your heart warm by their actions. "Cute" you often mumble this word while watching them. They are very famous in their area also i heard lol. They act silly infront of you but otherwise they are actually very wise.

They got the biggest crush on you! They are genuine about their feelings and acts towards you! Literally a ball of happiness and like bubblegum. They are like the sweetest melody in your life. A total genre change! This person has a unique personality or their personality changes from "daddy/mommy" to "baby" around you.

They try their bestestest to make you smile and then they faint seeing your smile lol. Shy but cheeky. Flirtatious but also gets shy and blushes after 1 line of flirting lol. You find happiness and excitement in their way of living life. Simple but chaotic and CUTE!!!

# Keywords: pink, yellow, crush, dance, romantic, glasses, funny, entertainment, contentment.

. . .

♡ Group 4

Genre: separation, missing, break up, loss, distance, new beginnings.

Story: this story is different. An unfinished ending. Maybe not unfinished but unwanted. Longing. It's like you guys will get separated for a long time before coming into union. You guys accepted the distance and longing but you still have a light of hope that one will come back.

You guys look into the unknown future with hope lighting up in your heart. Pain and suffering. You guys have alot of patience. Really!! You don't feel annoyed (?) But restless for sure for them. But you guys are still praying and patient.

You had a very healing relationship. You guys were each other's sleep, medicine and divination. You guys found comfort in each other. You had some kind of inconvenient relationship according to society but you guys knew the true meaning of your relationship.

Pure relationship is what I'll describe the feeling as! It has lust like group 2 but it's more for soul. Bringing your souls closer is what it meant. Whatever happened you guys separated for some kind of betterment for the other person (trust me ik it's annoying but trust the process.)

I will not say you will not meet them again. Probably you will. You guys will not feel excited but broken and feel like crying when you meet each other. Like your patience has come to an end!!

Keywords: family. White sheets, early morning, sunrise, cuddling, streets, breeze, sincerity.

. . .

That is all!! I hope you liked my pick a card/picture reading. Please do leave your feedback as it is the most important motivation for me! Love ya <3

since you are a queerbaiting scholar, I have a question that I don't remember if you've ever covered. Do you think the t'hy'la footnote in the Star Trek TMP novelization could be considered an example of queerbaiting or is it just too iconic to fall under that category?

oh unequivocally like for clarification for people i guess who have a more narrow and specific definition of queerbait i do think it like kind of dodges around the entire central conceit of hoped for "gay representation" or something that is not really the lens i think its viewed thru in 70s fandom the way it was in 2010s as in like the way people frame queerbaiting they want characters to join this pantheon of confirmed gay characters fitting a mold of existing gay characters on tv to some degree and nobody was assuming like from that tease that kirk and spock would be portrayed as a couple in future movies or anything the way the queerbait dance between creator and fandom was portrayed in 2010s queerbait discourse but i think it was probably the first and most high profile attempt to date for a creator to try and mediate the relationship between the media property shippers and ship haters through like a direct communication of like canon material i guess like i would have to go on a pretty big deep dive back into some of the random star trek zines ive looked at to find sources again im struggling to find it right now but i know i read some various responses from fans at the time and kirk/spock shippers did react negatively to the footnote in much the same way people reacted to like ship tease jokes in classic queerbait tv shows on tumblr which i found really interesting people did think it was trying to shut kirk/spock shippers down just as much as people thought it was energizing them and speaking to them it really threads the needle so perfectly by like opening the door to a whole new type of possibility and whatever to the types of people who want that while also in text saying theyre not lovers hah hah isnt that weird which i think some fans also felt uncomfortable about because it was like shining a light on their niche corner of the fandom letting people know there were people who thought the relationship between kirk and spock might be romantic but again ive only read like two accounts of this so i honestly have no clue how widespread each type of reaction was i wonder if it also like re inflamed fights about if they do or dont have sex lol because that was a whole thing which is slash was for people who believed it was sexual vs kirk&spock was like homoerotic friendship to nonsexual romance fanfic and these were bitter fandom divides as well but of course and like this isnt to paint it all in a negative light but i do think the dissenting voices get a bit lost in the history and i thought it was kind of fascinating how similar a lot of the weird mediations felt to like some actor at comiccon 2012 saying well i dont know but it could be romantic you know it creates the perfect vessel for everyone to see what they want thru it so i think in many ways it was groundbreaking queerbait but also tbh did it better than anything else like truly stoking the fires of fan speculation and probably introduced a lot of people to the idea of "the premise" and planted the seeds in their minds to begin with and again few other queerbait texts are out here inventing special words that mean lover for the characters to call each other few people that bold like again somewhat different context but it does kind of feel like a first of its kind broaching into that messy dynamic between fans and the powers that be as they sometimes called them and truly a fascinating iconic piece of queerbait history

ok upon further looking i believe i must have read a scan of "a careful analysis: the roddenberry footnote" by christopher randolph (a pseudonym for della van hise the author of killing time) that was printed in the star trek zine naked times issue #3 but i have been unable to locate an actual link to the full text beyond the excerpts from fanlore here [x]

Decline (2023) is a pretty cool little thing

So, I just stumbled upon this short Cdrama today and ended up watching it in one go. It was actually much better than I expected!

Basically, smart and free-spirited Su Cheng Xi (in white) crosses path with no-nonsense Sui Han Bai (in black) while investigating a strange disappearance of a theatrical troupe, and the fun starts from here.

Hidden identities, the mysteries of the past, treasure maps, murders and bromance - literally, what more could you possibly want??

It's a 20 episodes drama, 10 minute each. Viki combined it into 7 longer ones, which is much better to digest, at least for me.

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The first thing that I noticed was - unexpectedly really good cinematography! I am generally quite lenient towards the technical side of shows, but I still have eyes, and those eyes were pleasantly surprised today. The chase scene at the very beginning was beautifully shot. Do you see the colors? Chef's kiss!

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Second great thing is characters.

Su Cheng Xi - a wandering detective, mischievous and seemingly carefree, but also very sharp and with the hidden agenda:

Sui Han Bai - an uptight and serious constable of Dayong City, follow-the-rules kinda guy... Or so it seems. But more on that later. For now - behold the visage:

When those two meet for the first time, they literally have a battle in slow motion, dramatic song and flower petals in the air. Sure, that's totally normal thing for anyone to do, what are you even talking about.

There are also two female characters present, but they don't feel like being there just to appease the censorship overlords. It's hard for me to say anything about them without spoilers, but the dynamic between them and the boys is interesting.

Yue Xiao Qiao, an assassin from Qianji Pavillion:

Zuo Han Qin, Dayong City Lord's daughter:

This is Zhao Yin, a servant of Su Cheng Xi, he's there and he's nice:

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Third thing is the plot and pacing. This is a crime-solving drama, so there is an (unusually high) number of dead bodies to identify and secrets to uncover. The cases are not overly complicated, but at the same time quite interesting. I managed to guess some of the twists, but was also surprised by others.

Because of the shorter run-time there are no unnecessary fillers, something is always happening to someone. Sometimes several events are going right after another or even simultaneously, and you're sitting here like wtf. But in a good way, you know?

(Skulls are awesome, and frankly there should be more of them in every drama).

And at the same time the pace doesn't feel overly rushed. We have time to witness some dramatic flashbacks, tender scenes and some funny moments sprinkled in between.

Also-also, and this is a slight spoiler, but I know that a lot of people are pissed about generally crappy endings in cdramas, so I'm happy to announce that Decline has a good one! Like, wow, what a rare thing this is. Though not every mystery is solved, so there's a potential for season 2, but at least you won't be left feeling like you've been slapped in the face with a rotten fish afterwards.

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Forth thing (and this is my personal opinion), this drama is definitely a love story between Sui Han Bai and Su Cheng Xi. They obviously don't say anything out loud, and regard each other as "best friends" (this "xiong di qing" aka "brotherly love" excuse has been cracking me up since Guardian), but come on. Like, you literally have several tropes that are common in het romance dramas! And the lengths that they go in order to protect each other? Simply insane.

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Speaking of protectiveness, Sui Han Bai. This guy surprised me the most in terms of his disposition. Based on the initial impression, his dynamic with Su Cheng Xi (playful vs strict), and his archetype that we've all seen in previous dramas, you'd think that you know what kind of character this constable is going to be, right? Well... I don't want to spoil anything, but there was a moment in ep.3 where I was like: "Holy shit, he could just do that?" So I'm just going to put this picture here, and leave it up to you to guess the context:

This was a scene where I was like, I love this guy. Devotion, combined with ruthlessness. Delicious.

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Overall, I really liked it! Adding this little gem to my collection of mystery-solving boys. The history books will write that they were really good friends.

This has been your friendly ghost from Abyss, with some recommendations on how to distract yourself from the horrors of existing（*＾-＾*）

Oh boy, this Is a complete love square....

Guys, I don't know what I have about polyamorous romances but it's like a strange feeling of 'look at that, no one is sad and everyone loves each other.'

That just crossed my mind when I saw the new member of the trio of strange friends (now it's a quartet).

Louise is a breath of fresh air among the extroverts that make up the group.

Louise is practically an introvert. Someone closed who was even the last to be chosen on the boat trip (if we leave aside the trio of protagonists). Louise mentions that she has been in the Sparrow Scouts for some time now but has made almost no friends (or so I think).

I understand what it's like to be an introvert, more or less. I am the type of person who acts with a lot of concern, nervousness and gets serious so as not to say something stupid the first time they meet him... However, when I gain the necessary confidence I transform into someone different. I go from being 'a mouse thinking carefully about its next move' to becoming 'a monkey with a shotgun'. I hope I'm not the only one to have that strange way of being....

My life aside, I'd say Louise is kind of like that too. At first she tries to fit in by being normal with the team, but then she begins to get to know them and identify what things the trio of friends think are right or wrong and that is when Louise begins to show more of her personality. It emerges from the cocoon like a butterfly to show its true colors.

And in short: it is perfect for the trio of friends. It's so weird and different that I feel like it's necessary for the group, and I'm speaking in a positive way when I say weird. A good time.Now the main topic..... Romance.

I've seen a lot of Frida X David, Hilda X Frida, David X Frida fanfics and blogs, there's literally everything. But with the arrival of Louise the combinations are doubled. Now it could be Louise X David, Louise X Hilda, Louise

*Music from a 80's TV game show plays*

Hello ladies, gentlemen and other magical creatures who visualize us! I want to welcome you to this little head-canon idea I had of what each character in the trio of friends would be like if they were Louise's partner!

To do this, we will see the qualities of each suitor and what their dynamic with the character would be like:

Let's start with the one who represents better than anyone the shyness and courage that exists within us, he died twice to try to demonstrate it. Here we have David.

David may be a scary guy, but he will definitely come to save you if you are in danger. This kid would literally show what he's made of on a battlefield if he feels like he needs to prove something.... Don't tell me no, we've all seen the Vikings episode.

Our next contestant is not only smart in school but also in witchcraft. If you ask him about a certain topic, rest assured that when he finishes his talk you will at least have knowledge of the entire topic and its related subtopics. She is willing to do anything for her friends, she would even open a portal to the unknown and create non-existent spells just for you. Let's give a big, fervent wave of applause to the young city witch: FRIDA!

Frida may have been a bit of a perfectionist in the past, but after meeting Hilda and experiencing several events she went from being miss perfect to becoming the smartest friend you can count on. To be honest, sometimes Frida can be a bit boring, but that doesn't stop her from reaching your heart by showing great gifts of her intellect and the magic she possesses means that any topic can arise from a conversation. So, if by 'boring' we mean a lot of context and extremely long topics that she explains to you with excitement and great happiness, then boring is pretty good.

Finally we have the icing on the cake, or in this case the blueberry. Coming from the wild and with more extroverted energy than any of the other candidates mentioned above, we have a young woman with blue hair as long as she could grow it (I don't doubt that she would have let it grow longer if it didn't bother her in her adventures). This girl can literally make friends with almost anything and her circle of friends is huge, ranging from elf scribes to giants who are no longer on this planet. She would be the one to always take the first step in battle with her sword if I see it necessary and— Wait, where did he get that sword?

With you, Hilda!

Seriously, where do I get it from?

Hilda is by far the most outgoing and curious person I have ever seen. Don't you remember what Tofoten was triggered by his curiosity? Dude, it was literally the end of the series. And if you hadn't already noticed, this girl would fight barehanded against a king to save her loved ones. She would be the first to take up weapons to save her friends, she is capable of moving every rock in the entire city to find her pet, she is even capable of doing an act of terrorism just because the bells were bothering her friends.

Oh my god, I'd be afraid of this girl if I were someone who played some practical joke on David in the past or something. I would be locked up at home for what might happen to me. Better confinement than meeting Hilda on the street and having her recognize me.

So.... In a little while we will see Louise's possible choices about who she would like to be with, why I think they would be a good couple and also about what their relationship would be like. And it wouldn't just be from my point of view. Indeed, dear reader, you can also have your opinion. Comment what you think a relationship between Louise and any of our favorite trio of friends would be like.I retire to write incorrect quotes and more about this romance because I am burning with emotion. See you later

ALL OF THEM FOR EIF YA BITCH

first of all, how rude.

What's something about your OC that people wouldn't expect just from looking at them?

His resilience. Eifra is constantly seen as an easy target, and physically, he's not particularly strong, but he's endured a lot and has the ability to bounce back from just about anything.

What is your OC's fatal flaw? Are they aware of this flaw?

His kindness. It's the one thing he's most taken advantage for. He's aware of it, and people constantly warn him, but I don't think even he would choose to be different.

When scared, does your OC fight, flee, freeze or fawn?

All of the above lmao. Depends on the threat. He does naturally frighten easily, but he's also a very seasoned hunter. Even if he's afraid, he has the ability to temper his nerves to withstand a fight, but if he knows it's a fight he'll lose, he'll happily flee.

How far is your OC willing to go to get what they want?

Eif would never endanger others, but he would put himself through a world of pain if he thought it would help someone he loves. Again, all depends on the context.

How easily could your OC be convinced to do something that goes against their moral compass?

Not... easily. He would have to be put in a very precarious position, to know it was his only option, or if someone's life depended on it. But he's also not so much of a goodie two shoes that his moral compass is swung so far to one side.

What's one way your OC has changed since you first came up with them?

Ah, this is a fun question. I think I mentioned before I actually intended for Eifra's PoV to only exist as an introduction to Zeh's. But instead he became pretty much the defacto protagonist and narrator for the sequel. I didn't expect to love Eifra as much as I did, and I got attached to him, both as a writer, but also through Zehel. In the same way that I fell in love with Yeryn's romance, Zehel and Eifra's relationship *is* the main dynamic of Arcaen'vel. Eifra is Zehel's crux. He's his driving force and he pushes both the plot and Zehel's character development forward. I went in thinking Zehel would be the main character in what I thought was his own story, but Eifra really had another plan (though I'm sure if I explained it that way to him, he'd disagree and hold Zeh's pedestal that much higher lmao). The two share the spotlight in different ways. But if you asked me like three years ago if I thought the successor to Yeryn's line would be some random hybrid kiddo I'd have slapped your face.

Would your OC ostensibly be able to get away with murder?

NO lmfao. Eifra would never just commit murder. But he certainly wouldn't have the braincells to get out of it if he did.

Do you have a specific lyric or quote which you associate with your OC?

Yes! Zehel's theme for Eifra is "A Sky Full of Stars" by Coldplay, and I can literally not listen to this song without thinking of him. "Cuz you get lighter the more it gets dark, I'm gonna give you my heart."

What's an AU that would be interesting to explore with your OC?

Tbh, I think Eif would work in any AU, but I'll have to choose the most boring and say I'd love to see him in a modern storyline with Zeh. Just because Eifra adapts so well to our timeline.

What is your OC's weapon of choice? Have they ever actually used it?

Bow and arrow. He can hunt well regardless, but his arrows are also the only way he can channel dragonfire. It's the only defense he has, not having been born with arcane magic.

Is your OC self-destructive? In what ways?

Yes, and no. I think he sometimes gives too much of himself away, but I wouldn't say he's actively tearing himself down. But he'd be willing to let people walk all over him if it'd make them happy and that's not a particularly healthy way to live, either.

If you met your OC, would the two of you get along?

Probably LOL. I mean he's a much MUCH better person than me, but his self-deprecating humor is so relatable. He's a really uplifting person, which is actually the type of person I most enjoy being around, but he does lack the petty shittalk side I require my friendships to have so that I may thrive lmao.

How does your OC want to be seen by other characters?

I don't think he much cares how other perceive him, but I think he'd like his friends to see him as reliable. Someone that can be depended on, even when things get difficult.

Does your OC have a faceclaim? If so, who?

We all know I don't do real human face claims, but I do have an artwork I pinned ages ago that encapsulates his vibes down to his stature and dress style, the only thing off about it is the hair, otherwise really spot on: here.

What is your OC's pain tolerance like?

Surprisingly high. Eifra has been through... shit. And he's conditioned himself for things most people have never had to. He's been forced to survive most of his life, and I think that gives someone a lot of internal strength. He also has an incredibly good hold of his mental. In a situation where he knew he'd have to endure something to save someone, he wouldn't even miss a beat.

Is your OC more cold and detached or up close and personal?

He's very personable, but honestly he understands people wanting space. He gets attached to Zehel so easily because he feels like he owes him his life (he kind of does lmao), so it's a bit of specific situation. Normally, Eifra is the type to only approach if asked, but he'd always be able to reply. He's incredibly charismatic.

How does your OC behave when enraged?

I think Eifra has only been truly angry a handful of times in his life. Only once severe enough to have some physical repercussion. Usually he lets things slide off him, and doesn't get caught up on negative feelings.

Does your OC have a tendency to get jealous? If so, how does this manifest?

Unsurprisingly not at all lmao.

Does your OC have any illnesses or disorders? How do they handle it?

Neither, but I suppose in the context of their world, he's sort of "broken". He's half elf, half dragon, but he was born magicless, and his wings never developed properly. He's also not able to shift into dragonform, which is usually something that gets bred out over many generations. As he's a "first generation" mix, this is exceedingly odd. He's the only known halflyn to have one dragon parent and not be able to shapeshift.

What character alignment would you consider your OC to be?

Lawful/Neutral Good

What emotion is the hardest for your OC to process? How about express?

Desire. Eifra has an incredibly difficult time asking for anything, even if he needs those things to actually survive. He feels embarrassed and burdensome to ask favors of others, and hates to be indebted to them. He constantly sees himself as a weight holding back his friends, and would rather starve than to ask for money for food or anything similar.

What is your favorite thing about your OC?

His tenacity. Eifra is such a hard person to keep down, and even though I find these people really annoying irl, I think in stories, juxtaposed characters like Zeh, they become so much more likeable, and important. I think Eifra has a lot of qualities I gravitate to, but being in Zehel's head for almost four-hundred pages, my love and violent need to throw my life on line to protect Eif at all costs is so deeply engrained in me LOL. Zehel really following in Daddy's footsteps by being the world's second biggest simp, only in his case it exists within a platonic friendship, and honestly, I think it's the most fitting storyline I could have written for him.

i feel like such an asshole in fandoms sometimes because on one hand, i can enjoy shipping. i like different romantic dynamics, writing about them, reading about them, drawing or seeing them. i like rarepairs and encourage people to ship rarepairs because, fuck it, it's fun to take two people who never even breathed in each other's direction and make them kiss.

but i also hate shipping so, so, so much. rarepairs can become annoying because those two characters not only haven't met, but they don't even have anything in common. they wouldn't be friends, much less romantic partners. and i also hate when someone ships everyone, like, EVERYONE from the cast with one another, leaving no room for a single character.

it feels like everyone is shipped just... for the sake of romance. even if there is no chemistry, no chance in any universe that it would happen, people still want it to happen because 'it's better than being single'.

and i feel like an asshole because i like my specific rarepairs and ships but then i see so many others, that make absolutely no sense, and seem so forced just for the sake of having a romantic relationship, and i feel like such a hypocrite :')

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omg i never thought about how haruhi ending the series single would've worked better for what ouran was trying to do until i saw your post about it?? and now i 100% agree even as someone who ships hikaharu askjfdgfdg. i also agree with what you said about tamaharu, i remember during my last reread + rewatch of the series i ended up feeling like they just worked better as friends than as a couple, honestly. i remember getting really frustrated with the development of their romance and with the comedic stuff the same way you did, even though there are things i like about their dynamic.

Yeah! Like I feel like it just would’ve made the series feel more like it was trying to subvert expectations bc like. Idk about you, but 10 volumes of characters denying their feelings gets. Really Bland to me lmao?

That isn’t to say Haruhi shouldn’t have had a romance at all, but I think having her get together with Tamaki might have just? Been better if done that way, plus a lot of the love triangle stuff would actually feel like it had weight instead of knowing basically the minute that Hikaru realizes his feelings that it was never going to happen? I do really enjoy seeing Tamaki and Haruhi interact and their relationship is built on mutual respect and admiration for each other but yeah I agree, they work better as friends in a lot of aspects than partners. I’m personally biased bc I love Hikaharu but also their dynamic felt more natural to me as they were established as better friends in some ways? But I also don’t think that them dating in high school would’ve super great either because Hikaru’s character had a lot of growing to do independently. I probably would’ve ended the series with her going off to Boston for university as normal and then go into a relationship or even had left it open ended?

A lot of my gripes with the ending have to do with the way I interpreted her character as someone who was very driven in her accomplishments and probably wouldn’t have wanted something super serious before she at least established where she was going to go because she had a very clear plan of what she wanted. The host club is pretty close knit but also I feel like they’re all very…. Co-dependent on each other sometimes? The writing near the end sometimes gets kind of messy and I’m not sure if Bisco Hatori intended for that or if the series was just getting to a point where all the story lines couldn’t be fully explored, I could never find anything if the series was cut short. Idk I have a lot of thoughts I could go off all day though LOL

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the reason suselle fans are freaking out about the Susie Not Even Noticing Noelle Is There in the newsletter... it's because they're starved for content too!

people have likely emotionally registered the lack of content, but because noelle is enough romance for 20 people and makes any scene she's in feel romantic even when susie is just standing there, and because they like the ship and seem to put a lot of emotional stock in it happening (likely because they identify with it personally which i cannot fault anyone for, even as much as i dont like suselle) they take any scene with noelle and susie in the same room as food!

i've been so fascinated by the discrepancy between the actual newsletter, featuring noelle trying to approach susie to offer a valentines card, but susie not noticing her, and noelle running away the second susie flinches, and the fanart depicting susie nervously blushingly offering her OWN valentine, and the way people take it as food!

i was shocked earlier to see susie's cotton candy sprite from ONE OF THE MOST RALSUSIE SCENES IN THE GAME on a SUSELLE FERRIS WHEEL STIMBOARD.

it's so strange, how can these people act like their ship is a fact of life, totally inevitable, completely canon and susie is a lesbian who loves noelle, and then turn around and use sprite from other people's ship fuel for their stimboard, completely misunderstand susie as a character, and collectively fabricate a version of the newsletter where susie DID notice noelle and had the same romantic feelings as her?

and i can't think of a better reason than this, that suselle fans are just as, if not more starved for content than the rest of us, because there just really isn't a lot of good food for them. 3 unique lines of dialogue and one scene, which they have to keep talking about, keep going over again and again, using sprites from scenes where susie is having fun with ralsei in their stimboards, inventing a version of that scene in their minds where susie was having the time of her life, where the two of them held hands and it was like a scene out of a romcom, hyping up a gif from a newsletter as food which in reality depicts exactly the same non-food dynamic we see them in all the time, where noelle obsesses over susie, and susie fails to notice. this isn't normal ship behavior, is it?!

im not saying suselle definitely isn't going to happen, because it certainly kinda looks like it will, but i am saying that the continuous need to fabricate suselle material in order to maintain the hype combined with the absolute confidence people have in it confuses me, and that when i look at suselle, i see a familiar trope of a main character being obsessed over by a secondary character (i mean secondary not in the sense that noelle isn't important, but in the sense she isn't literally on the screen for 3/4 of the game, and isn't part of the main group of 3) with the main character being totally oblivious.

the need to fabricate material to maintain hype, the overconfidence in it winning the future, and the refusal to see any of the flaws, combined with the way some people harass disbelievers, accusing them of being phobic, reminds me of crypto!

the only explanation i can come up with for the discrepancy is that they are starved for a real win, and are taking anything they can find as food. why they have this crypto-like group, i can't say. i dont know why people put so much stock in this ship. if anyone who likes suselle who read this post wants to tell me why they like the ship, i very much would like to hear it!

even if i might act kind of jerkish sometimes, i really do want to have a legitimate discussion about these things.