bees? beads!
(mantisminnie on twt and ao3 <3)
512
who? · 10mo
same on the 2kr eps. big thank u to everyone who puts the highlights on the tl so quickly!! i watched the seungsung one since they're my bias line and it was lovely to see how seungmin physically sat up straighter and became livelier when he got to talking about han's artistry. it made me think of you a bit. have you been able to watch it??
totally valid to not always be able to verbalize why you do/don't like something! i like what you said about the restraint and subtlety of binsung - i totally see what you mean and will be on the lookout for this when i reread your binsungs <3 i think i can usually identify why i'm drawn to certain pairings bc it's been a surprising avenue to learning more about myself lol. i really enjoy pairings that show their affection through action (not necessarily words) and a consistent understanding of each other. 2min is probably my fave example of this lately. - m
aghhh no i haven't watched it yet!! i've had a bit more free time lately tho i've felt a bit of mental resistance to watching it (??) but hopefully soon :)
i definitely agree on the actions > words sentiment!! i think the whole "emotions don't need to be expressed in order to be felt" motif of 2min really really gets me and reflects a lot of what i look for in other people. the pairings that tend to have big sweeping gestures and grand emotionality don't draw me in nearly as much bc i want the understated and unsaid and subtle
also hello hope you have been well !! happy 2026, i hope 2025 treated you kindly <3
who? · 11mo
ahhh it's so tough to miss places, especially when it comes to weather and climate
hehe yes, that's an omegaverse fest. omegaverse can be hit or miss for me depending on where the story goes but that's fair that it's not your genre! i'll keep your words in mind and potentially rec some fics :) okay yes i should have guessed seungsung and binsung based on what you've written before, duh. any particular reason(s) you've become attached to them?? i haven't kept up with the 2kr eps since i've been so busy so i'm sure who's left. i've been interested in seungin(? seungyang?) lately and i know theirs is already out, so i should watch it soon - m
i haven't kept up with the 2krs either :^)) most of my knowledge is just what ppl are clipping and putting online lol. eventually i will watch them all but unfortunately rn i gotta prioritize the ones that interest me the most
yk i've been asked that before but it's tough to answer! with both of those pairings i really like the kind of emphasis on artistry i feel like both of them have...? binsung i think i'm drawn to specifically bc their brand of affection and respect seems a lot more restrained and less obvious (glancing at 2min for this as well). i feel like it's so tricky to try and verbalize the vibes/why you like or dislike something. there are a handful of pairings i'm more averse to as well but i can't always say quite why :P hbu, are you able to identify why you're drawn to certain pairings over others?
who? · 10mo
hi hi! did you get an ask from me in the last week? i don't want to come across as pushy since it's totally fine if you dont want to answer or want to take your time, but i wanted to check in because i've had issues with alterspring sending asks into the void and never delivering them before - m
hello!! yes i see it, no worries! i just now checked my inbox lolll i’ll respond shortly :)
who? · 11mo
yay! happy to hear about good food and friends and weather! it's still absurdly hot here so i'm looking forward to whenever autumn will actually begin :/ i'm choosing to engage in fall activities and pretend i'm not sweating until we get there lol.
slickfest helped me get back into reading a bit since i last messaged you! i'm very much enjoying some of those works. may i ask which 2kr you're curious about? (besides 2min since i'm already assuming they're on the list) - m
ughh i feel u there, my home country has already been enjoying autumn for like two months by now so being in a new climate has made me miss it so much more </3 do u mind if i ask which neck of the woods you're (vaguely) from?
glad to hear you've gotten back into reading more !! i assume slickfest is like an omegaverse thing lol...? not super my genre but tbh a good author can sell me on just about anything so feel free to shoot a rec or two my way if u feel so inclined hehe. and i'm very interested in the seungsung and binsung 2kr as well as 2min, they're another couple pairings that i've become pretty attached to :) hbu any pairings left that you're particularly keen on?
who? · 11mo
hi!! how have you been doing? the pictures you posted last week are beautiful!! i've had some reading block lately but i reread little drops of dew today because it's so lovely and dear to me <3 - m
helloooo! i’ve been doing well hehe, lots of research papers and good food and making friends. it’s finally starting to cool down here which i am SO grateful for
i feel u on the reading block ahahah i haven’t had the motivation to read or write for a while now 🥲 i’m curious to see if a couple of particular 2krs will reignite the desire !! glad to hear from you again mmmmmwah
who? · 1y
Hihi!!! I’m glad to see you back and that you’re doing better!!!!!! I just wanted to let you know that I’m excited for whatever creative works you hope to share in the future!! I always loved your writing and just you as a person!!! I hope everything shines bright for you and you deserve every ounce of love and happiness 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶
aww that’s very sweet!! thank u for sticking around :) not sure how active i’ll be in general but i have loved creating & being in this space again, i hope i can make more things u like 🙂↕️
who? · 1y
came back to twt just to make sure you saw that seungmin went to the muse concert. i screamed and thought of you!!
Will be back for more convo when i have more time but im sorry to hear you've been sick, while also glad to hear you've been resting! also HELLO to the pc pic you posted. seungmin doesn't know how lucky he is. hope you're feeling well and are back to exploring <3 - m
i actually meant to post that muse thing on my priv and didn't realize my mistake until a while later LOLL but yes indeed i saw it!!
i'm officially recovered from my sickness which is great-- and ya actually spent the weekend exploring around shanghai and had a complete blast!! i was waffling for a while abt whether or not to post that pc pic lolll but thank u ;) i hope you've been well despite being so busy!! thanks for stoppin by i always love seeing your messages pop up hehe
who? · 1y
i'm back! thank you very much for engaging thoroughly and vulnerably with me on my interpretations of your works. i appreciate you sharing your perspective and experiences. i hope that you've been able to find some peace with the things you can't change, and that you're finding beauty in it just like your stories. thank you for sharing your work with all of us!
i finally had time to read more ff and finished to linger in tones and words today. i saw some of the themes we discussed in that work too, so i think those have solidified themselves as Mantis' Writing Style to me. those as well as minho playing a role in someone's change and growth.
lastly, some quick things. i know others already said heyyy to the chainsaw pic, but i'd like to throw my own heyyy in there as well. and congratulations on your move! i hope you're settling in well. and thank you for reminding me of time is running out! - m
heyyy welcome back! that first paragraph is lovely, thank you for your kind words :) glad you've had more time to read-- i'll admit that tones and words is a fic i definitely struggle to let rest bc of consistency issues/other personal gripes, but i agree that it does seem like a pretty Me-themed fic lol
that chainsaw pic is from like a year ago and i haven't picked one up since that job assignment, but i like putting it out there as an anecdote anyway!! i'm settling in well aside from the fact that i've been sick & all but locked inside my dorm room for the past few days, which is a shame considering all the things i want to be out and doing. and actually since rediscovering that song i've been going thru a huuuge muse renaissance and have had a few of their albums on repeat recently between binges of shows and trying to sleep thru my sickness.. anyway always lovely to hear from u! hope you're doing well!!
who? · 1y
nothing wrong with horny themes lol! yes i definitely see the influence of time on your fics. i love the way these topics shine through your work! regarding understated/nontraditional relationships, i think i've seen that as well. that may be part of what draws me to some of your works so much, since i feel like i don't always know what direction the story or relationship will go in. i'll keep an eye out for this in your works from now on.
i'm in full agreement about 2min! something about the quiet, consistent ways in which they share their love is so compelling. to love is to understand, etc etc.
i don't know that i have the proper words to explain this, but i think the role of circumstance is tied to the anticipation of change that we both mentioned. so many of the relationships and thought patterns in your works i treasured most (eight minutes, courting reason, time's arrow, semaphore) seem to be teetering on "if only"s. if only this one aspect was different, if only we were the same people in different circumstances, if only one/both of our lives had gone in a different direction, things/we could be different. it's difficult to explain and could also 100% be some projection on my part, but i enjoy it nevertheless :) - m
ooh that's a rlly interesting read & i definitely think you're right! since change is often such a prominent theme i think i also subconsciously want to write about things that you can't change and therefore just have to make peace with or work through in a different way, even if situations are suddenly harder or scarier. that shift in tone was definitely inspired by things happening in my personal life and within the past couple years (being part of the reason why i was on twitter and then deleted my account and vanished for a year) bc i was struggling to cope with things i could not change. so there is definitely something about taking a person/characterization i like and putting them in a situation that is in some way uncomfortable or undesirable and having them figure out how to find beauty in it anyway :^))
thank u for sharing your thoughts this was honestly rlly insightful for me!! i'm glad you've found some works that resonate with you bc eight minutes and time's arrow specifically are two of my personal favorites & although i'm always tempted to go back and edit parts i'm not fully satisfied with, i'm always particularly touched when silly pieces of fanfic that hold personal significance for me also speak to something important for other ppl <3
who? · 1y
hello mantis! i'm still working my way through your works (i've had so little free time for reading) but i've made it through the voice under the skin! i'm enjoying what i'm perceiving to be a through line of reflection on the anticipation of change and role of circumstance in shaping relationships. but maybe i'm just noticing what i want to lol. what do you think are common mantis themes?
hi!! i will say that after that point the themes of the stuff i've written do get a lot less focused and quite a bit more. horny? lol. but i hope you enjoy nonetheless!
i do definitely agree that the anticipation of change (& change in general) are things i think a lot about and therefore write a lot about too. that goes hand in hand with time, which either explicitly or implicitly i feel influences a lot of what i put out there as well!
not totally sure if this is a theme or more of just a general feeling, but personally i'm really big on understated or nontraditional relationships, so i rlly like exploring aspects of that in writing (how does one show affection, respect, etc towards their partner; part of the reason i like 2min so much is i feel like a lot of their dynamic is less overtly "LOOK AT HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS PERSON!" and instead more "i bring you up unprompted. i know your routine. i observe your habits" re: "such emotions don't have to be said to be felt")
i'm a bit curious as to what you mean by the role of circumstance tho bc that one i'm not sure i've consciously thought abt in relation to my writing before! so i'd love to hear ur take :)