Just a brief note, my interest in MHA is still shot. Between the lack of regular updates even though the Dabihawks tag now has just past 10000 works on AO3 and I just can't skim through and nod with the direction theorized by people who know the characters best, I just can't be interested.
I was utterly exasperated by the completely stupid reaction to Dabihawks and Akeshu. It's as if people don't understand the basic concept of enemies much less enemies that can reconcile and understand each other.
It's as if they never experienced popular ships from other fandoms when MHA and P5 had yet to exist. Have they experienced Suzalulu, Shizaya, and Lawlight?
I want to throw those ships to those people's faces and say that Dabihawks and Akeshu's popularity is expected and it's nothing unusual.
Legitimately, I question these guys even trying to contest Dabihawks and Akeshu when from all my years in fandom Dabihawks and Akeshu is nothing different from Suzalulu, Shizaya, and Lawlight.
For Godoka's sake, Lelouch killed Euphie!
To make true enemies-to-lovers, there has to be a power balance. If one side tried to kill the other with the other not trying to fight back, then it's actually abusive. Both sides have to fight each other be it with scathing remarks or with physical fighting which is attempted murder at the very least.
Akeshu got Akechi trying to kill Akiren certainly but at least Akiren is a far better fighter and can outsmart him. While here Akechi is the only one who would do the killing due to Akiren’s Thou Shalt Not Kill, Akiren can fight back and won’t take it lying down. Akiren won’t kill him but sure as hell will give him a fight that will have Akechi reeling.
In that Dabihawks fight, it was remarked by Dabi that sentimentality tripped up Hawks because if he wasn't so distracted by Twice Hawks could've better fought off Dabi. Hawks fought back even though it's pretty obvious Dabi won that fight only based on brute force, concentrating on Hawks' wings and just monologue. It was still a relatively equal fight even though Twice got the bum end of the deal.
Because that's the point when Horikoshi is making these two foils fight each other. They are equal.
It was remarked upon by Dabihawks fans that had the two not concentrated on their personal missions and been honest with each other, the life of Twice would have been averted as well as many others because those two would work better together if they want to be together.
This is the same case for Suzaku and Lelouch. Lelouch knows full well that he and Suzaku are better working together than apart and we see this in canon. The first time we see Lelouch and Suzaku actually work together albeit from opposite sides, they are spectacular.
Both sides are too principled and have to compromise for them to work.
As much as I see Hawks siding with the League fics and I like that, there’s just no way unless Hawks meet in the middle with Dabi. Hawks won’t go full villainy just as Dabi won’t go quietly for many reasons. Hawks have to let go of some but not all of it. He wouldn’t sacrifice thousands of lives for his own selfish wish even though he so badly deserves it; he doesn’t want to kill Twice but at the same time he can’t listen to the everyday distresses of the normal people joining PLF because the mission and the need to prioritize the needs of the many. I wonder if he spent more months he’ll adapt possibly. He’s been groomed so it will take a lot to break out of if he even wants to process anything at all, just pushing away potential bonds for the mission he has been spending the last 15 years dedicating himself to just as Dabi spent the past decade on his. Their missions have been something they dedicated so much of their time to so it will take a lot for Hawks and Dabi. That’s on top of their issues. The only way Twice can possibly be saved is if Hawks and Dabi chose to be emotionally honest and compromise.
This would've been the case for Dabihawks as well had Dabi and Hawks just been honest.
At this point, I have no idea what Dabihawks canon relationship even is. While some Dabihawks shippers hold out for the childhood friends theory, I have a preference for the chance-meeting fate kind of thing. That the two people destined for each other have their paths crossed coincidentally and fall hard for each other. Seriously, what is the point of that tear at the corner of Hawks' eye?! Is Dabi crying too?! We know Tokoyami and Dark Shadow cried but the subtlety of the tear on Hawks and the possibility Dabi is crying then just throw everything for a loop. What is Dabihawks canon relationship to the point Hawks will cry when he's preparing himself to die?! He sure has hell not crying the other times he's preparing to die in the case of the AFO fight at Gunga Villa ruins. We didn't see little Keigo cry himself! Except for again a subtle moment in the flashback when he saved the bus full of people.
I feel like a BXG all over again. Just what kind of relationship does the canon Dabihawks even have to have Hawks cry when he knows he's gonna die then and there when at other times when he's preparing himself to die, he didn't cry, implying that Hawks was hurt and upset by Dabi specifically?! Are they friends? Coworkers with benefits? Lovers?! Just what kind of relationship do they even have, Horikoshi, what did you intend to have?! For fuck's sake, Hawks is the first person to learn Dabi's true identity, not the LOV or Endy or Shouto. Why are Hawks adamant Dabi has to be someone and not some random person? Why does Dabi say Hawks wasn't looking at him, the looking motif attached to the Todorokis? Why is the conversation so loaded now looking back with the tear that throws everything off?
We could say Hawks was crying then because Keigo was pulled through the shattered mask of Hawks. Because the fight started out as Dabi vs Hawks but ended with Touya vs Keigo. Or crying out of pain because of you know.
Regardless, he's crying in a scene he was going to die when in others he's not even crying.
I was fine with the two divides of Dabihawks shippers wherein one camp is adamant there is no way there is a bond between them because they are far too focused on their missions with all the paranoia and suspicion while the other camp is adamant there is a bond that is having a divorce right now. Now it's likely with that tear and possibly tears from both sides, there is a bond but what kind of relationship?
This entire relationship is just ambiguous. Post-canon, I’ll rather see them develop a healthy friendship while still keeping it open-ended enough. Just a hint of a platonic friendship. Again, they can understand each other as do Togachako, DekuBaku, and DekuShiga. Again, even in canon, Togachako is going to end up having a platonic friendship too. It's very unlikely we're gonna get more than friendship. Besides, ship fixes are found in fics, not in canon. Again, if you have been in fandoms as long as I have, ship fixes are better found in fics than in canon. Why bother canonizing or insist it should be canon whereas shippers are drawn to the potential relationship and wish to explore it? Yes, I do agree that if it’s canon, the story potential will be upped coinciding with the themes and characters, but at the end of the day, it’s non-canon and whatever potential with the ship is best told in fanfiction.
I don't mind if Dabihawks won't meet again as long as their foil storylines conclude satisfyingly though it seems they will be in the Dabihawks divorce 2.0 for at least for that but afterward who knows. Individually, it's fine. On the other hand, Hawks had to confront Dabi about the wings at the very least.
For the love of Godoka, boiling it down to hate just because one tried to kill the other makes no sense. You are allowed to not ship them but say there is no way because of hate instead of being enemies. They’re enemies. The relationship is ambiguous but I always have disdain for people who just can’t see these two are foils who can understand the other.
Hawks don’t hate Dabi and we don’t know Dabi for Hawks but Dabi hates Hawks after the fight because that’s of the trauma, Dabi responds with overpowering emotions of hate. Dabi kept saying he doesn't care about the LOV when he does. Dabi has a tendency to say he doesn't care about somebody and does care.
Why are ShigaDeku, DekuBaku, and Togachako fine in understanding each other but not Dabihawks?
You know what, I'll throw my Dabihawks headcanons at you!
After much healing together and learning who Touya and Keigo are together, they lived together in this private beach house. Either they run away together and lived in another country or it's post-war where they are living on one of the coasts of Japan. Keigo works as a paramedic after retiring post-war while Touya works as a writer/artist/potterer because he would rather not destroy but create something with his hands without his fire. Just to be clear, they are already a married couple via elopement that they spontaneously have without considering anybody: the Todofam insisted on a vow renewal years after. They were already married before Rei and Best Jeanist married though this one depends whereas Rei and Best Jeanist married first before TouKei post-war while TouKei would marry first before Reijeanist in the running away scenario. Regardless, they are still the first of the Todosibs to marry. Yes, Reijeanist has surprisingly ensnared me though Dabihawks remained my OTP with Spinneraki in 2nd place. The kids though at this point are in a polyamorous relationship because I can't choose at this point. Rody and Toga are not helping, throwing them in this salad.
As a couple, TouKei likes to annoy each other as much as they annoy the family. Not helped the two are dramatic and the Todofam has to deal with it. They are annoying as fuck.
If I have to see Dabihawks to another ship, it would be Gomez and Morticia. Honestly, it’s a dynamic I like: scary, very sexual, devoted, in love, and romantic. In the Hawks chooses Dabi* or the happily ever after scenarios, this is what Dabihawks becomes openly, not caring that their PDA disturbs both sides though the villains had time to adjust though not without mental scars while the poor heroes have to witness especially Endy. Endy, the loser, has to watch his son be touchy-feely with a former colleague for their love was a chance encounter fateful meeting that turned the UST into ever investment of a relationship that they will be attached to the hip. After Endy, it would be HPSC, particularly the madam president. Ohh, how I would see her face that Hawks is now openly affectionate with his lover now husband, not giving a shit about her.
* As much as I like Hawks getting selfish for once and choosing Dabi while Dabi becomes selfless as he waits for Hawks to make the first move, it’s incredibly unlikely Hawks would choose not to kill Twice. If there is a work that showed Hawks choosing Dabi, it must come to an understanding of all the ramifications of averting the war and running away. If that fic is the only fix-it in the author’s mind, let me say that other fanfics that showed Hawks choosing Dabi before Twice’s murder and remaining in character are limited and I would like her take on that. I will not be pleased if it’s the only canon fix-it that she is ever going to write even when she admitted that she personally does not see any world where Hawks didn’t murder Twice and saying that Dabihawks will get back together regardless while also admitting Hawks choosing Dabi for once selfishly while Dabi becomes more selfless for waiting for the first move is her favorite flavor, whether she is talking about the talk where Hawks admitting he belongs to Dabi or just kissing him as the first move in the start of the romantic relationship or fuck even the different choice of instead of the murder, find another way to stop the war I do not know but I am not pleased. When I never once had any Dabihawks fics come close to my bookmarks, I would like to see other fix-its that take different routes. After her friend’s fic teased the other choice for that one shot, I am left wanting that fix-it when other fix-its are not to my tastes. Godoka, I sound entitled but when the selection for Dabihawks flavor is limited, I only found one fic that takes a lot from the author and had Hawks choose Dabi because I know that author admires the other author. Just anything at all that has that choice because another fic got so close but I need the next chapters to see if they’ll make it to my bookmarks. Seriously, while other fics mention the selfish choices, they never once touched on the Twice issue if at all. Considering canon Hawks is increasingly reaching a breakdown and slowly growing insane from his issues, Hawks is simply not self-reflecting and self-destructing in his toxic martyrdom. I’ll make sure he’ll self-reflect because the three Wild Cards will see nothing less than growth as they know Akechi and even Adachi did. I’m pretty sure Hawks’ Shadow is simply little Keigo wanting his real self to just look at him and reflect, overwhelmed with emotions that Keigo won’t let out. Oh, Hawks’ Shadow is delicious in both his Palace and his TV world Dungeon. I’m sure the three Wild Cards will be these therapists as they are authorized psychiatrists to help him through his PTSD and trauma he refused to acknowledge, and just turn away from. I’m sure Minato might see little of himself in him. Oh, I’m sure to write that these adult Wild Cards will ask thought-provoking questions through sheer charisma and will say Hawks will choose the terrible option because of the lives of many even if he can’t save the other person while also saying Hawks need all the help. Of course, they can’t sound invasive but their concern is so mighty that they, Tokoyami, Dabi, and the LOV will break his fortress walls for him to choose something for himself for once. They might even suggest other heroes who could break his walls down. Because breaking down the walls are far more necessary for him to grow as a person, the Wild Cards know the potential for growth there.
They are an artsy couple. They love Van Gogh's art and decorate their house with it. There are shelves of books all over the house. They go to museums and planetariums often yet just as much homebodies to relish in a quiet day together. They love stargazing as they chose their house for that reason, far from the city so they can see the stars. They love slow dancing together. Touya, a hopeless romantic, gave everything a romantic can take and give to Keigo who is just as much as a romantic.
They love nicknames for each other; it was when they were Dabi and Hawks, that they use as words of affirmation when they couldn’t say the words they desperately want to tell each other.
Touya to Keigo: birdie, pretty bird, songbird, little bird, (turtle) dove, angel, Kei. I have seen Altair used but not too often.
Keigo to Touya: ‘ouya, Tou. I saw Nova and nicks relating to stars but I never saw a lot of it.
All the normal stuff like dates they never were able to go before or were out of their reach before as normal life was denied to them, they went happily, having a date day every week. All those cheesy dates you see like apple picking dates, kayaking, you name it. They tried it because they wanted it.
It took Rumi - then dating and later marrying Fuyumi - time to warm up to Keigo who is vastly different from the hero mask he portrayed in the past. She had liked Hawks which Keigo made explicitly clear was a mask and not the real him. A lot of the heroes, Hawks' sidekicks, and Tokoyami took some time to adjust to who Keigo is after having Hawks since his debut. Keigo is an introverted quiet gentle introspective personality who listens thoughtfully with a lopsided true smile and hyena laughter who wants to help and really doesn't want to deal with the trappings of the hero life he hated before, making them realize that he truly did hate the life he led as Hawks. Part of the reason he fell so hard for Touya Todoroki was that he sees past the mask and seriously affected him and just wants Keigo as Keigo wants Touya. It took them a while to learn just how much he hated when he offhandedly mentioned Dabi back then declared he would’ve burned down the HPSC HQ for him as one of the most romantic things he ever said to him. I mean it shows them two things Hawks was fucked up to see an act of terrorism as a romantic gesture and Hawks hated his life back then.
Unlike Tokoyami and Jeanist who make a face upon seeing Touya and Keigo so affectionate initially (Hawks just won't stop visiting him to the point of having an equivalent of a conjugal visit post-war because Hawks went back to him! The guy who almost killed him and gave him the most brutal injuries he ever have! And he went back to him! To poor Tokoyami and Jeanist’s dismay.), Shouto took to it gladly since he was very supportive of it once he learned of TouKei's weird lovers status; he took Hawks' lie that he didn't know his brother at his time infiltrating rather well as he'd want his brother to be happy. Then again the honest conversation he later had with Hawks was eye-opening on Hawks’ interest in his brother. Hawks made it clear there was no honeypot scheme because flirting with Dabi never ever crossed his mind even as a part of his hero mask. Hawks said Dabi flirted with him first that took him off-guard which Touya corroborated; Hawks did admit trying to use the flirting charmer persona on Dabi but Dabi was never interested in that kind of flirting as he prefers Hawks giving him sassy and witty flirting, giving as much as he got and just won’t take shit from him kind of flirting. Sleeping with him and later being domestic with him that his love for Touya was something Keigo ever have for himself and learning to keep it.
Heck yeah, when they were Dabi and Hawks, they were fuckbuddies in a weird relationship, falling in love but using each other for their end goals. They are both Demi Homo and had casual sex before but stopped because all the talk of sex and booze and parties filling the void isn’t doing it for them which is all the better for them as they could concentrate on their goals. When these two met very much attracted to each other and have sex, it was holy shit because this was the sex they were told about. They are very sexual because there are few places they hadn’t had sex in Hawks’ old penthouse, Gunga Villa, and their home. Poor Natsuo who still knows his eldest brother well doesn’t want to know about his brother and his brother’s husband’s sex life even though he is far more likely to know. They’re the type of couple to have a few to several rounds of sex in one day.
While I don’t like mentioning Enji near my Dabihawks, his reaction to Hawks sleeping with Dabi and knowing him intimately than just the sex was spectacular, especially upon learning about their dates, elopement, and life together after the war or after they ran away together. The only two people who even visits him were Fuyumi and Shouto and the latter was sporadic at best. First, one of his coworkers married his son, then another married his ex-wife, and another married his daughter.
About Rumi x Fuyumi, they didn't meet until after the PLF war and before the start of the second one. At this point, Fuyumi has yet to know about Hawks' true relationship with her eldest brother; it wasn't until after the war or after her brother revealed that he had no plans to stay in Japan in the runaway scenario, that she and the family learned it. Though they are still happy nonetheless that Touya and Keigo found each other.
Unlike Touya and Keigo's spontaneous quiet elopement in which they invited nobody and an intimate vow renewal ceremony years later as both ceremonies are private, Rumi and Fuyumi have a proper wedding, which helped Rumi has the fortune to spend. It's on the semi-formal side as Rumi just dislikes formal stuff.
Okay, I'm digressing.
Enemies are enemies. Opposite sides. An attempted murder at the very least. Opposition with massive dislike or even hate, refusing to join the other. Hell, think Beatrice and Benedick who never got over each other yet don't like each other with all their verbal prowess and wit to snap back. Both sides have to be equal only if both sides have at least taken lives in the past or fought on equal footing.
Both Dabi and Hawks aren't entirely good people. They both had taken lives and had sins to atone for. Hawks is a government assassin who probably killed when he was 15 and in black ops when he hit his teens.
Similarly, Lelouch and Suzaku explicitly kill people. We see this onscreen! They explicitly want to make up for it in R2.
We know with the Port Mafia everything, Dazai and Chuuya killed.
I like my pairs of assholes. It's nothing unusual in the grand scheme of things when both sides preferably had done terrible things. Please Luffy had done terrible things by basically allowing the escape of criminals in Impel Down loose after his breakout. I love Luffy but I know that was just terrible.
Why can’t you see the eroticism of attempted murder and betrayal? It’s the point of enemies. A lot of my ships have this whether it was each other or someone close to them.
There has to be a power balance.
It's not just being terrible people. It could be using each other that helps level the playing field such as in the case of Dabihawks. Dabihawks shippers know they are using each other thus equaling the balance between them just as Dabihawks are in this weird relationship they can't name but are in love yet they are using each other. Hawks won't even deny it but Dabi would have to admit that he used Hawks too.
What tips the balance into actual abuse is what makes abuse, ya know. Not fighting back in any way is one such thing. The other cannot be a doormat just to bend over. There must be antagonism there at the very least.
Rivals are different. They aren’t trying to kill each other. Sabotaging each other or cheating is likely from those on the side who want to do that. They want the honor of having that prize. They’re aiming for that accolade. At best, it’s respect even begrudgingly.
Rivals that do try to kill will cross that line into enemies.
See the difference.
Enemies should be on opposite sides with their different ideologies. With understanding and empathy, they could either reach a compromise or something to achieve a happy ending. Enemies should at the very least attempt to kill the other if that’s a viable option.
However, there’s a difference between that and enemies-to-lovers ships that just isn’t possible. Like, hey, there’s this white conservative man and indigenous progressive woman who is depicted as such. There’s no way that’s possible unless it took the white man to admit fault because there’s no compromise here. It’s one thing about state policy but about the -isms about the world that is where they won’t compromise.
Just I saw that and I was WTF because there is no way. Seriously, Stede x Ed has a better chance as the series actively examines the layers in which their race, class, and queer experiences impact the relationship. That other relationship needs more than romcom good feels. Stede x Ed is a romcom but we see that actual movie irk is still needed. Just as Mary and Stede were able to reach an understanding so can Ed and Stede.
Just that there are enemies that won’t compromise. Dabihawks can compromise as they are foils and can reach an understanding. That other het ship is unlikely to happen.
Just to be clear, when -isms are at play and the conservative side refused to see their wrongdoings and privileges, then it’ll get ugly. This is more than just people breaking up relationships with anyone over political views. If you are being an ass to these people who just want to be treated as an equal and have enough of your privileged bs and calling you out for it, then you are an ass. If you are being an asshole in general with no provocation and refused to have basic human decency, then you are an asshole. Instead of looking inwardly, these guys would pretend the issue is ludicrous and avoid accountability by saying the opposite is too sensitive and talk smack as soon as their backs turn. They would be happy to say not all whites and not all men when exactly they have privileges. Using one privilege is better than admitting no wrong.
Honestly, speaking of heterosexual enemies-to-lovers, it's still far more accepted. Not me, I don't want heterosexuality in these kinds of ships.
Yet it's still relatively more accepted.
While ships as a whole had been lampooned, heterosexual ships escaped the scrutiny the homosexual ships did. Even Allurance fared better despite the terrible writing. Even canon pairings in shows like SVTFOE are still better received even when they are lambasted for bad writing.
Honestly in those situations, people complained about how ships ruined the writing as the romance plot tumor. They are still heterosexual ships so unlike the queer ships that got explicit art, they aren’t lampooned or tried to make as clean as possible. It’s the homosexual ships with explicit art that is the target.
Seriously, Dabihawks had it existed around the time of Suzalulu people won't even blink. Now, people argue against it because it's now 'toxic' which is laughable, people are unable to get past the enemies part when they clearly did for Reylo, and the purity bs.
I'm not all enemies-to-lovers, particularly if it's heterosexual. I wasn't interested in Reylo especially when I'm far more concerned about the entire whole trilogy and every part that is just going wrong.
Darklina is still fucking accepted when it's obvious it's a grooming situation! Reylo is accepted because it's fucking heterosexual!
These are enemies-to-lovers ships that are generally accepted and fared better than Dabihawks and Akeshu. Apparently, in the latter two, people are unable to get past the enemies.
All I ask is would they accept enemies-to-lovers if it's heterosexual? Or is it shipping that is the problem?
Because nobody argued against Reylo outside of being a ship from what I have seen. I have hardly seen enemies or even fucking purity be put forward because apparently, Rey is a girl boss and Ben is a traumatized white boy.
Because queer enemies-to-lovers ships are far more toxic than heterosexual enemies-to-lovers ships. Because all queer enemies-to-lovers are toxic over Darklina and Reylo.
Enemies are all about ideologies, compromises, and physical altercations that inevitably will hurt each other.
Listen, there is a major difference between Dabihawks and Harringrove. Dabihawks are foils and can help each other as we can see the other foils are also doing. Harringrove and perhaps even Steddie began as enemies. However, Harringrove, while having foils as well as Billy foils Jonathon as well, had one major difference: understanding as in knowing each other so well that they could know themselves more and making each other happy and better. Billy cares not to understand his foil outside of lusting after him. He cares not to understand Lucas or anybody in Steve's circle when Steve cares so much for his kids and it was Max who threatened him and he actually kept his damn promise. Really, it seemed like Billy avoided Steve and the kids after the events of S2 and they returned the favor by trying hard to ignore his existence. He made no effort to understand nor change himself for the better except keep at a distance.
Steddie, wow, we can see the change in the interactions we do get to see and the implications. King Steve and the Freak never interacted but heard about each other, regardless of their misconceptions blocked out potential. Though Robin and Dustin definitely acted as buffers, if they interacted before, it would be icy as Steve wouldn’t take to understanding the socioeconomic statuses he took for granted. Steve unfortunately knew more about classism now than his ex-girlfriend.
Yeah, I am not letting go that Nancy insulted Jonathan with the Oliver comment. Wow, way to make the endgame couple so poorly handled. It’s not even the first case the Duffers handled romance incorrectly as we do see Jopper with the crazy lady by Hopper after the S1 comment. No improvised kiss was enough to get that taste out of my mouth despite knowing Jopper is an endgame.
In the scenes we do see, there are a lot of positive emotions as we see Steve reassure Eddie and Eddie assuring him back and in their final scene together, Steve worried for them both and trusts Eddie with Dustin’s safety. Their views of each other were destroyed and Steve was just as protective of Eddie as Eddie was in awe of him.
This is what I mean by understanding each other and making each other happy and their best.
For the love of Godoka, any antis trying to say the fucking obvious ‘they hate each other, why ship them’, fuck you and your self-righteous ass. You are helping nobody, neither the shippers nor yourselves.
Shipping is fun, not activism, you dumb idiots. Let ships be ships and don’t try to dissuade.
I already said my piece about EndHawks and I refuse to touch their grounds. You do not see me invading EndHawks spaces to say that they shouldn’t be shipped even though I do think their existence is a horrid ship. Trying to invade these ships and say the fucking obvious as if you can’t use your imagination other than whatever it is and try to imply the ship is bad because you’re unable to get past enemies… I have seen this so many times in Dabihawks with the antis invading the spaces that it’s just annoying.
The antis are annoying and add nothing to the conversation. At least in Dabihawks spaces, I don’t see a lot of Dabihawksers invading other ship bases to prove a point. If anything, the Dabihawks antis want to prove a point while the shippers just want to be left alone.
Just leave us alone.
I have seen antis invade spaces where they aren’t welcomed simply because they want to be right. In spaces where people want to have fun.
Shipping is fun. Antis invading ship spaces of ships they don’t see or hate is just annoying and prove nothing but their lack of imagination and trying to be right in a fandom where fun is the point.
I have been in fandoms for nearly two decades. What antis say means nothing in the face of my fandom experience. What they say means nothing.
Enemies are not rivals. It’s not the same.
Rivals. It’s obvious what rivals differentiate from enemies. Rivals are in the same field aiming for the same goal.
That’s so easy.
Rivals are Contestshipping, Appealshipping, Comashipping, and Palletshipping to name a few. Those are rivals even argumentative ones but don’t hurt each other the way enemies do. Sure they’ll use cheats but they won’t kill the other.
Why is this so hard to understand?
The most famous rivals to lovers ships are from Ace Attorney, Narumitsu and Klapollo. Narumitsu has gotten chance childhood friends thrown in there.
Seriously, those two pairs aren’t trying to kill each other. Teasing each other yes but no death.
Really, Jessie’s initial cheating, Harley’s sabotage, and Paul’s hardness are rival behavior. Fuck, Edgeworth and the von Karmas’ intimidation are rival behaviors than the actual attempted murders on the part of Dabihawks and Shizaya. Those guys are actively trying to kill or ruin the other.
It’s not the same.
People seem to lean more on the rivals side of things in the ongoing war against any critical thinking or are unable to look past enemies.
Enemies won’t be looking to a tea party and picnic. Well unless they want to poison them or try to threaten them somewhere they have power.
At least with rivals, we get to see those begrudging outings. Fuck, we see Harley with his rivals when we do get to see the Hoenn coordinators.
Rivals that cross into enemies are trying to actively kill each other at best.
Why is it so hard to comprehend the difference?
Of course, it comes down to antishipping vs proshipping, shipping wars with new paint, and just as annoying. I refused to take sides on a nonsensical war that just has new paint on it.
I agree misogyny has a large part in popular mxm shipping and queer ships but that’s another nuanced conversation about the overall genre in relation to women, both real life and fictional. Fuck, I have seen inoffensive ships twisted into pretzels because a character seemed ‘minor-coded’. I won’t discuss it here because it’s tiring when I keep giving the same advice and I’m not the best person to discuss that even though I read queer and shounenai.
I’m basically an oldie in fandom. I know how to curate and how to ship without going into all that nonsense. No, I won’t make a post discussing that when it’s just so stupid.
