#AtoS

[melissarthomson]

Finally, I present my favorite fic right now by @unorthodoxx-page , A Tale of Spirits!

This is my favorite scene tbh 👀 with my two favorite characters

[archonghoul]

KillerCreamMare icons from 2020! Feel free to use them, if you like. ^^

Inspired by a taste of sunshine (🔞) by 0neType and LyraLV ✨👌

[ritadcsc]

O Espírito Santo estava com eles e os fortalecia.

Atos 9: 31 (versão A mensagem)

[eeveethehyenafrog]

Lucy goose doodle for the first time in months!

guys tlos is starting to drag me back helppppp

[absolutebl]

Heyo! I have a friend I'm trying to get more into BL. She's watched KinnPorsche and I recently got her to watch 3 Will Be Free (I know, not BL). She's somewhat picky about the romance she likes to consume, so I thought I'd ask you which BLs you think would be best to get her started with the genre. Her specifications are 1) a good, solid plot (any type is fine); 2) slow burn; 3) and good chemistry. She also loves sci fi and fantasy. My initial thoughts are MoD, Not Me, and AToTS. Any additions?

BLs with: 1 Good Story, 2 Slow Burn, 3 Good Chemistry, 4 PNR elements if possible

I have not one specific list for you, but several! Many of these not updated so likely to recommend pre the 2023 madness. (Imma rag on some of your choices briefly: KP & MoD only satisfy one criteria - chemistry IMHO.

I did give you a final list of winners at the bottom tho!

1) BLs with the best stories:

2) BLs with best slow burn:

3) BLs with the best chemistry:

(by my definition)

4) PNR BLs (paranormal, sci-fi, or fantastical elements)

P'ABL did the math:

BLs that do or should show up on most of those lists:

Dear Doctor I’m Coming for Soul (Thailand) - the first one I thought of that satisfies all criteria. Good story, great chemistry, PNR & slow burn. By your friend's accounting, this should be the perfect BL. I'm a fan of this show and I have a full review here BUT I don't actually rec it often. Why? My quibble with DDICFS is that for dyed-in-the-wool BL or romance fans the ending may not satisfy, BUT that seems to be the one thing your friend is NOT - so this should be perfect.

Triage (Thailand) - good chemistry, frustratingly slow burn, def PNR, and good story. This was my second pull. It suffered at the time of airing from distribution issues and (perhaps more sadly) being up against KP. It's really good tho. A “correct the past” Groundhog Day plot, that has narrative baggage I normally do not like but is so clever about time loops, I have to forgive it my hang-ups. About a doctor who must save a boy to fix reality, but not in the usual way. 

Until We Meet Again (Thailand) - GREAT story, decent chemistry, very PNR, but not slow burn. It’s a perfectly executed fated mates reincarnation plot, fantastic well-seeded twists & reveals, and the only BL I would love to see adapted by other countries or read professionally translated. 

Old Fashion Cupcake (Japan) - slow burn, great story & chemistry, no PNR. This is a deceptively simple office romance that actually has a lot to say about life, love, maturity, and pancakes. It’s charming but also deeply moving and loving in its exploration of what it means to give up, and how connection can bring with it second chances. It’s also beautifully filmed and acted. 

Seven Days (Japan) - slow burn, great romance plot, good chemistry, no PNR. This is a pitch perfect elegant little YA romance that stays completely true to its yaoi roots but neatly avoids all the flaws of the genre. The story is deceptively simple but allows for angst and miscommunication to develop with VERY good reason, and is almost worth studying because of that. As a romance, it is elegant. I can see why it got stolen adapted.

1000 Stars (Thailand) - solid romance, very slow burn, okay chemistry, no PNR. All BL is romantic, but not all BL is a modern romance in the literary sense of the term, but 1k* is just that, an absolutely glorious slow burn gay romance that nods at BL but isn’t behooven to it. It’s just a really well executed linear romance story.

HIStory 3: Trapped (Taiwan 2019 Viki) - not PNR and maybe not exactly slow burn but aces everything else. (This was MY KP when it aired.) Taiwan often struggles with story because their BLs aren’t always long enough to really get stuck in, Trapped is different. It has a baby murder investigation that promotes conflict between the leads, so the romantic tension is between plot and character, it’s so smart. The leads did a GREAT job of showcasing mature chemistry. The side dishes in this series are wonderful too. The main couple has an amorphous ending, but like with Dear Doctor, that shouldn't rank under these specific circumstances.

My School President (Thai 2023 YouTube) - great chemistry, very slow burn, okay story, no PNR BUT you have to like YA. I know not everyone does. This is very youthful. GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORE this. And there is a lot to be said for the classics being executed perfectly. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? Possibly too slow burn for some, we wait many eps for that pay out, and Tin's pining is NOT quiet, but it defines dorky and earnest, so when the payout comes? Lovely.

About Youth (Taiwan 2022 Gaga) - exactly the same criteria as MSP just Taiwan's version. A truly lovely little coming of age high school BL with a classic YA low drama but high angst and an earnest depth. I didn’t even mind the singing, and that’s saying a lot. A weak seme/uke dynamic but tons of BL tropes (both rare in a high school setting but common for Taiwan) makes this one feel both sweet and colored by an almost real world queer authenticity and grit. Full review here.

See You After Quarantine? (Taiwan 2021 Viki) - it's short there isn't a ton of story development, but it's a nice nugget introduction to Taiwan's style. Great chemistry, def slow burn, and CUTE. This under-appreciated gem is Taiwan’s answer to Gameboys and is just as charming and adorable yet still quintessentially Taiwanese. It features a Japanese love interest and the cutest most confused disaster gay. Slow burn because the two have almost no actual screen time together and yet manage some truly amazing chemistry. How does Taiwan do it?

Why no KBL?

Fascinating but despite the fact that KBL tends to earn the highest ratings from me and occupies the most slots in my 10/10 BLs of all time, because they are so short they tend to fall... erm... short in the arena of story and slow burn. Also, until recently, not a lot of great chemistry.

So here are a few others I considered but ended up eliminating for not containing enough of your required elements:

He's Coming to Me (Thailand) - review here

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (Korea) - this has a 12th Night meet Cinderfella feel to it, plus some great story tricks like a plot that requires a historical setting (I love it when narrative elements are codependent). 

Our Dining Table - It’s a quiet & cozy little parable of found family alleviating loneliness. Possibly too slow for some but definitely high up there for me with the best of what Japan can do, it’s only flaw (if I dare say such a thing) is that it is not really “romantic.” Lovely & sweet but the romance beats are being used to build a family relationship, not just couple intimacy, it’s OK with me, but not totally BL.

DNA Says Love You (Taiwan) - full review here

Ghost Host Ghost House - if your friend likes horror and culture immersion this might be a winner. Boys shack up with ghosts and each other. The story is weak but everything else is on point and it has some of the best slow burn HOT chemistry ever to hit our screens. No... really. The THIRST is real.

Semantic Error (2022 Viki) - Simple story, no PNR, not slow burn, but for Korea it’s some of the best chemistry the traditional studios have ever managed. It is flawless BL. Truly, perfection for the genre. If your friend doesn't like this, BL is probubly not the right genre. Full review. 

Light on Me - def slow burn but story is a little weak and while there is chemistry, it's not really acted upon. Also v YA and a little stiff. I love this BL unreasonably.

KP not tagged to protect me from the fandom. Don't troll me and prove my point. Remember I can has ban hammer and am not afraid to use it.

(source)

[petrichoraline]

phupha like "so this is what it'd be like if dogs could talk"

[sege-h]

Had this scene in my mind for hours so I got it out of my system

Vice belongs to @riftclaw

[toxture]

Я НАКОНЕЦ-ТО НАШЛА ЧТО-ТО ПО МУШКЕТЕРАМ!!!!

[baba-the-yagaa]

Bro in the three musketeers D'Artagnan legit rocks up to Paris, breaks the law thrice by setting 3 duels at the same time at the same place and then teams up with the people that were supposed to duel him to beat up what I can assume are supposed to be cops? That were arresting him for breaking the law of no duels?

Truly "miss me with that gay shit" "what gay shit the law"

[eusouevangelica-eusouevangelico]

Seja providência de Deus na vida de alguém.

ESE meditando em Atos 27:39-44

[fredericolimablog]

"O Deus que fez o mundo e tudo o que nele há é o Senhor do céu e da terra, e não habita em santuários feitos por mãos humanas. Ele não é servido por mãos de homens, como se necessitasse de algo, porque ele mesmo dá a todos a vida, o fôlego e as demais coisas."

— Atos 17:24-25

[sowizardmentality]

I finally finished reading The Three Musketeers, all the novels. I think one day there will be several fanarts on them, but for now just sketches)

[ritadcsc]

Se o projeto deles é algo meramente humano, irá fracassar; mas, se é de Deus, não há nada que possamos fazer - e é melhor que vocês não sejam flagrados lutando contra Deus.

Atos 5: 38-39 (versão A mensagem)

[dribs-and-drabbles]

This is a PSA that if you haven't seen any Soonvijarn react/recap videos then you should check them out.

This, for example, is them reacting/recapping the GMMTV 2023 QL trailers and it's such a joy to see them talk about the shows, the actors/actresses, and the little bts details. Some of the things they say makes me even more excited for the series...if that's at all possible.

Soonvijarn are a group of friends who either work in the Thai TV/film industry (Aof and Jojo are directors of many series you know and love) or nearby (e.g. one is a management agent to some of the actor/actresses, one is a singer/songwriter, etc...). They have a wonderful rapport with each other and banter about the ql series, themselves, and each other.

I got to know them during Bad Buddy, when they would react and then recap each episode (the videos have approx. 200,000 views each - the ones with Ohm and Nanon guesting have two and four times that respectfully), and I think the first one they did was A Tale of a 1000 Stars. After a long break, they are back with react and recaps of Never Let Me Go (as brought to my attention by @jemmo), and I highly recommend you watch them alongside the series (they'll eventually get english subs, we just have to be patient!).

It will enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of the series immensely, I pinky promise.

[eeveethehyenafrog]

Violetta Vee appreciation post

[precioushybrid]

Stuff i forgot to post here, but there are some recent drawings