#I am living in a lovely little fantasy where they are enemies to lovers

[nico-di-genova]

Lestappen Texts

[hyewka]

or can u suggest any txt fic here (preferably the long ones w chapters) that u enjoyed?

sorry for the extremely extremely late reply but i’ll list some long fics + txt series’s that ive enjoyed with some comments attached to each one. spoiler alert, a completed txt series is pretty hard to find lol

series

lover = lo$er (sub!gyu, virgin fic)

it would be easy to just straight up recommend every @/wildernessuntothemselves series and i might just succumb to that later on but this is pure submissive beomgyu heaven, served as my first real awakening and i would probably attribute most of my sub gyu writing to this fic alone. 10/10, has a love triangle bit and beomgyus kind of insane

criminal conscience (dom!gyu, crime au)

on the other side of the spectrum, this is pussy clenching dom beomgyu goodness and i dont think it gets better than this. the writing is so compelling it fully immerses you in the narrative, even im getting sucked in to beomgyu’s manipulation (whats new really), blaring red flags and all. its currently on hiatus though but i would catch up either way beomiracles is a pretty consistent writer, she’d probably pick it up sooner or later :)

mosquito (soobin)

sorry this is going to be all over the place lol but this is also still ongoing (its only two parts in) but this writer is absolutely insane. narrative feels fleshed out and though it mainly follows soobin’s perspective and feelings, i am quite enjoying it so far. it has some idol x idol action as well, not the main focus of course but it is written in detail

one way (dom!beomgyu, themes of sadism)

this ones a three parter and its completed. by the same writer mentioned previously (soobrat), very very good storytelling, keeps you on your toes and has a hold on your emotions but like mentioned, it has a bit of an extremity in the smut and it is undeniably toxic but its good

sneaky link (dom yeonjun, the other woman trope)

i havent read this in a while but i remember staying up all night reading all of it lol. i would probably not recommend this to people who really cant read infidelity since thats what the fic is based around but it isnt cast in a very favorable light anyway. really toxic, seriously good

fuck you series (sub gyu, enemies to lovers, band au)

its really cute and the e2l set up is believable enough since theyre band rivals. beomgyu is so so so cute in this even if a little insufferable to mc lol. i would also recommend fairyofshampgyu’s now live series but its currently on an indefinite hiatus (its sooo good as well though so if youre willing, you should check it out)

nabi (best friends to lovers beomgyu, no smut)

two parts in, not completed but im following it currently and god i love them together their dynamic is soooo fun to read, you wont get bored

jerk! (enemies to lovers, beomgyu fic, no smut)

its another band au and its also ongoing. there isnt a consistent update schedule so that might be a minus but the most recent chapter was from a month ago so its safe to say it hasnt been left in the dust (thank god). very very good writing, excited to see how their relationship takes off

bullying choi soobin (sub soobin)

submissive soobin and its good, of course im recommending this. its finished and a 4 parter

sugar (dom!yeonjun, dom!gyu)

unfortunately probably forever incomplete but i love it and i might actually go back to reading it for the third time

let me into your world (non smut beomgyu series)

i havent read a soulmate premise in sooo long so this was refreshing to read, good stuff

supermodel (dom gyu and sub i believe)

its just. Amazing. a two parter but a goodie

the city that never sleeps (bsf smut)

also two parts but both parts are pretty long, really good stuff

ok for the life of me i cannot find this one huening series where he was getting bullied by reader and they were secretly fucking?? that one was literally perfect submissive men shit so if you find it if youve struck gold

long full fics (6k+)

telepathy (fantasy, dom!gyu)

a little out of the box compared to all the fics ive recommended so far and thats what makes it so special and good

duality (dom!kai)

i actually havent read this one yet but i will soon, i just thought id add it here anyway since i know ill love it

killer instinct (taehyun fic)

very plot heavy and it centers taehyun mainly. i could go ahead and cheat and just list out every single koqabear fic lmao but this ones a gem, very happy i set aside the time to read it

the redemption of choi yeonjun (dom!yj)

im not personally a fan of the trope but when it was originally teased the smut sounded heavenly and honestly, it is. such a good dom yeonjun here but beware hes a little (a lot) mean lol. he changes by the end

like cat and mouse! (sub gyu, inexperienced)

again, worth the reading time investment. i love submissive gyu, he is everything here and more

love love love (sub gyu, royal au)

i have probably read this a total of 30 times

i hate you (enemy!beomgyu, dom beomgyu)

ok sorry im cheating here a bit this isnt long but its so good you should check it out anyway

[jetwhenitsmidnight]

This Fatal Kiss by Alicia Jasinska

Release date: 24 September 2024

Genre: young adult romance fantasy

If you like:

Cozy/whimsical fantasy, Ghibli vibes

Slavik folklore

Disaster bisexuals

Poly romance

Enemies to lovers

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

Cursed to haunt the river running through the magical spa town where she drowned, Gisela is a water nymph who dreams of returning to the living world and the family she left behind. All it takes to regain her humanity is a kiss from a mortal...but everyone sees her as a monster.

And then there’s Kazik, the brooding, interfering, spirit-hunting grandson of a local witch. He's determined to rid the world of unholy creatures like Gisela. After Kazik botches Gisela’s exorcism, she strikes up a deal. She won’t tell the other spirits that he’s losing his magic, if he agrees to play matchmaker and helps her get a kiss. But Gisela’s plan goes awry when Kazik also falls for the devilishly handsome young man that she sets her heart on—someone who could be linked to Gisela’s troubled past.

Content warnings

Death, violence, injury, a little blood

Mentions of past murder, suicide, rape (not explicit)

Biphobia, implied homophobia

Parental abandonment

Parentification

Suicidal thoughts

Religious bigotry

Review

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!💖💖💖

This book is so swoon-y and romantic and whimsical and fun, like I can't remember the last time I had so much fun while reading. My very serious stoic reputation is in tatters from grinning at my phone like a goof.

(In public what's more! The embarrassment!)

The setting is straight up so wondrous and whimsical, it reminds me a lot of Ghibli movies. Not just because it's a spa town like Spirited Away, but because of the way the spirits and magical creatures are secretly living amongst the humans + the connection to nature.

The main focus is on the relationship between Gisela and Kazik. I loved how the dynamic between them grew over the course of the book, like, their enemies era is so fun to read, but the way they gradually grew closer to each other is so 🤌. The banter between them was so much fun to read, like this book could just be Gisela and Kazik talking and I would eat it up.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't talk about their relationship with Aleksey. I feel like Aleksey actually had more chemistry with Kazik than with Gisela, mainly because of, uh, major spoiler reasons, but also they just happened to spend more one-on-one time together. When all three of them are together though, their chemistry is pure FIRE 🔥🔥🔥.

Outside of the romance, each of the MCs have their own motivations and character arcs going on, all of which I found very compelling. I will not elaborate for spoiler reasons, but Gisela's is my favourite.

There is quite a lot going on in this book though. I found myself wondering how on earth the author was going to wrap everything up satisfactorily, because there was no way everything was getting resolved perfectly. Turns out I was right, because THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK OF A SERIES.

I am more than fine with getting more of this world and its characters, but I wish I had known that this was the start of a series so that I could have adjusted my expectations accordingly, because I went into this book fully believing it was a standalone.

Anyway, I adore this book so much, and I am very much looking forward to the sequel <3

[theladyofdeath]

Lady Death's Lover {V}

Lady Death's Lover Masterlist & Summary

19th Century Period AU Nesta x Cassian Secret Affair / Enemies to Lovers / Forbidden Romance Fanfiction / Characters from Sarah J Maas / ACOTAR Based on a prompt sent in by anonymous

A/N: This chapter is slightly NSFW. No one under the age of 18 should be reading this story. Thank you to everyone who reads, comments, likes, and/or reblogs! I'm glad you're enjoying the story and hope you continue to do so! x

TW: marital abuse, sexual content, language, depression, alcohol abuse

This story is for readers 18+. Mature readers only. Content should not be read by anyone under 18.

Dear Emerie,

I hope you’re enjoying your time away. Just know that we miss you here in the city, but I hope your travels are everything you want them to be. I cannot wait for you to return and tell Gwyn and I all about your thrilling endeavors. She is convinced that you have found someone in which your soul cannot live without, but I have assured her that it is nothing more than a foreign fling.

I cannot wait to see who is right!

To answer your very thoughtful questions, I am doing just fine. You know how Tomas is, but he is busy with his business and I find peace in the distance that brings between us. I have found myself wondering one thing — what is it like to attend a ball as an unmarried lady? We used to have little get-togethers in my village, of course, but nothing as grand as the balls in Velaris. I used to love to dance and each time I attend one of these gatherings I cannot help but daydream of dancing once again. Of course, it is not common for a married lady to dance, and Tomas would never. It is a lovely thought though, isn’t it? I know you are content with your life as a spinster (which I admire), but even you love a good turn about the dancefloor. 

Perhaps one day I will be privileged enough to just get a tease of what it is like.

Write back soon. Be safe. We miss you!

With Love,

Nesta 

Nesta

I hate luncheons. Especially women-only luncheons. The only perk is that I don’t have to attend them with Tomas, but that is by far the only perk. All of these women think they’re better than me and each other. Every one of them has something shoved so far up their asses that I’m surprised they can still walk. 

They’re all talking about their husbands, how amazing they are, how perfect their lives are, but I can’t seem to contribute to the conversation. I may be forced to be here by my husband but I’m not about to praise his name. 

As I sip my lemonade, I let my mind drift back to where it’s been, repeatedly, constantly, for the past week. Ever since he left my home, ever since I ran into him outside just after midnight, the image of him has been branded into my mind. It doesn’t matter if I’m awake or asleep, I can see his face, his smile, the intense look in his eyes as he looks at me. I can hear him saying my name, voice low and rough, like no man has ever said it before. 

I’ve dreamt of him, fell asleep every night to these fantasies that I can’t control. 

They started off seemingly innocent, the two of us dancing, touching tentatively, doing nothing more than following the same steps that everyone knows, getting lost in the music as we stare into one another’s eyes. That innocence didn’t last long; it quickly escalated. 

Last night had me writhing in my bed, needing friction, needing release, needing something far greater than what my fingers could offer. I worked myself roughly, imagining my fingers were his, imagining his cock was hard and inside me, pounding into me again and again, recklessly. 

I was no virgin when I married Tomas, and although he would claim otherwise, my husband in full denial, that means I know what I like. Laying with Tomas is a chore, one that I have never enjoyed, one that never lasts long or gives me any sort of satisfaction. I know what I like in bed, what I like from a man, and I have no doubt that a man like Lord Cassian can give me just that.

Not that it would ever happen.

Of course. I am a lady, the wife of a renowned lord, and a woman of high society would never act so immorally. 

I can dream, though. I can let those unholy thoughts fill my mind, imagine a man like Lord Cassian exploring every inch of my bare body while I fall into a state of utter ecstasy. 

“Lady Nesta?”

My eyes snap up and meet the Lady Cresseida’s from across from me. Her smile is sly and I’m tempted to match it with one of my own, but I don’t.

“Are you well? You look a little flush,” she continues, mockingly. 

“I am feeling a little under the weather,” I confess. A complete lie, but if they’re asking, I may as well take advantage of it. “Perhaps I’ll take my leave.” 

They all nod in farewell, but I know that none of them care. I, however, am overjoyed at the excuse to leave. I make haste, wasting no time as I rise to my feet and stride out of the home in which the luncheon is being held. 

The second I’m in my carriage, I call for my driver to take me home.

The long way.

But, it’s always the long way. I stopped asking a long time ago. Now, they just take me home the long way when I’m by myself. They just think I enjoy the scenery, find peace in a ride by myself in the quiet. Or, perhaps they know the truth, that I loathe my husband and hate being in his presence, in his home, our home, and they just keep quiet about it.

I wonder what the help talks about when they’re alone, when they’re in their own quarters, far away from us. I wonder if they truly hate me, if they hate Tomas. I wonder what they think of our marriage, if they know it’s as awful as it truly is.

I’ll never know. I’ll never ask. Either way, I’m grateful that they drive me the long way home.

As soon as the wheels begin wobbling down the cobblestone, I lean back against the bench and close my eyes. The velvet lined seats are soft enough to relax on, and the moment I’m comfortable, I let my mind wander. 

Back to him.

His hands.

His cock.

I know I’m pitiful, know that these fantasies mean absolutely nothing and the reality of my life, my marriage, is still in shambles. But they’re a small reprieve, because if I cannot control my reality, at least I can control my thoughts to a certain extent. 

Those thoughts drift to Lord Cassian.

We don’t know each other and we surely never will. Perhaps that’s what makes him the perfect candidate for these fantasies, for these wandering thoughts. He’s a stranger, one that I’ve gotten a feel for, certainly, but still a stranger. 

I wonder what he looks like nude. I’ve tried to imagine it many times, have pictured what I thought, but I imagine it doesn’t compare to the reality of his body. He’s muscular, of that I have no doubt, and the part that matters most is long, thick, and wielded like a weapon. 

I don’t even realize that I’m inching up my skirts until my hand has made its way into my undergarment and the tip of my finger grazes my throbbing clit. I circle it slowly, biting my lip to keep myself silent. I’ve touched myself more in the last week than I have in the last decade but I have no shame. 

It’s hard to feel shame when your senses are alive and thriving. 

Sex is not bad. It is not a sin to feel desire, although my husband would claim otherwise. In fact, he claims that women should find no pleasure whatsoever when it comes to sex, which seems to be the reason why the focus is never on me when he visits my room. No, he does what he likes until he gets off, having no idea how to truly please a woman.

Lord Cassian — the man I have made up in my mind this last week?

He knows how to please a woman.

He knows how to leave her gasping, screaming, how to make the eyes roll back in her head. He knows how to make her back arch, how to make her toes curl, how to make her cry out for the gods, the Mother, the Cauldron. He knows how to make that little feeling, wild and unruly, go mad in the pit of a woman’s stomach until she can no longer contain herself, until her heart is bursting out of her chest and she’s seeing stars. 

He knows how to make a woman find release and he doesn’t stop until she’s found it. 

I grip the plush velvet seat cushion as I squeeze my legs together, trapping my hand within. We hit a bump in the road and I jolt, but it only adds to the madness that I’m currently drowning myself in. 

My other hand joins my first and I pump two fingers deep inside of me, working in tandem with the one still making joyous circles over that sensitive bundle of nerves. A long string of words falls from my mouth in a devout whisper, words that would bring shame to my husband and his name, words that no lady should voice but I cannot help it.

His face is in my mind, his smile unfurling behind my closed lids. His body is bare and his hands are roaming my body, every stripped inch of me. I call out his name and he urges me on, thriving on my indecent vocalization. 

Within the confines of my coach, I throw a hand over my mouth to muffle what I cannot control while I find my release with those loyal, fervent fingers of mine. I keep moving until my body grows limp, that intensity that makes me feel alive fading into nothingness yet again. I smooth out my skirts and lean back against the bench, fighting to catch my breath. 

I wonder if my driver suspects anything but find that I don’t care. No one would ever dare tell Tomas, would not dare anger the Lord Mandray. 

No one would be that idiotic. It would be a death sentence, the messenger every bit at fault as I.

I can’t help myself. I laugh.

I break into such a fit of laughter that I fear I’m going insane, but oh, it feels so good to laugh! 

I laugh until tears are rolling down my cheeks and my sides begin to hurt, and it’s only when I collect myself that I realize it was the first time I had laughed in a long, long while. It feels good to laugh, as mad as I may seem. There is something utterly triumphant about feeling pure, demented joy. 

Staring out the window, I watch Velaris pass by as we make our way back to House Mandray. By the time we arrive, all of my wonderful, demented joy has faded.

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Cassian

“What do you mean you’re not going?”

We’re sitting around Azriel’s dining room table, feasting on roasted chicken, when my brothers decide to insert themselves into my personal business, yet again.

“I’ve been to two balls this season.” I sigh, stabbing a carrot. “I don’t need to attend another.”

Azriel and Rhys look at one another, concern written plainly on their faces, but I pretend I don’t see it.

“Besides,” I continue, “none of the ladies have caught my eye this season. It is a waste of time.”

“But you love to dance,” Azriel says, the same time Rhys says, “but you love to drink.” 

It’s true. I adore both of those things, but I know where the next ball is being held, and even I am not courageous enough to step foot into the Mandray’s house again.

Nothing untoward happened with Nesta and I in the garden, but it was inappropriate, nonetheless. I was a little tipsy after my closed door meeting with Tomas, but I still had my wits about me. I know that I should not have been alone with Nesta, but I couldn’t stop myself.

From the moment I saw her under the starlight, I was gone. 

“I thought your meeting with Tomas went well,” Rhys pushes, buttering his roll. The same roll that he’d already been buttering for over a minute.

“It did,” I say, and leave it at that.

They, however, will not leave it at that.

“Then this has to do with the wife,” Azriel says, mouth full of potatoes.

It’s only the three of us.

Manners be damned.

Across from him, Rhys’ eyes light up and swivel back in my direction. “Ah, the wife. Lady Mandray. Did you come on to her again?”

I drop my knife and fork with a clatter and rub my temples. “No, I did not flirt with Nesta.”

“Nesta?” They both repeat in unison, and I instantly realize my mistake.

“Lady Mandray,” I correct myself using her formal title, “and I simply do not see what she has to do with my absence.”

“You have always been a terrible liar,” Rhys quips, clearing his plate. “But, if you wish to live in a state of deception, so be it.” 

“I’m not—” I take a deep breath before I can let my frustration take control. I’ve always been prone to anger, as much as I loathe the fact. “I’m not lying. I simply do not wish to attend a party when I can be home, working.”

Drinking in solitude is more like it, but that’s beside the point. 

“Work is all well and good but you must allow yourself to have fun every now and again,” Azriel says, his tone as skeptical as Rhysand’s. “Besides, haven’t we established that it’s about time you marry?”

“If it’s time I marry, it’s time we all marry,” I grumble. 

Azriel suddenly looks horrified while Rhys chokes on his wine. I know that neither of them are ready to be a husband, although we are all quickly approaching our third decade of life. Rhys sometimes pretends that he is, but when it comes down to it, I cannot even imagine him with any of the women of the ton. 

No young lady could handle Rhysand.

Azriel is different. I cannot tell if he’ll ever marry. It’s not that he has never been in a relationship or that he is incapable of love. He loves stronger than perhaps anyone I have ever known. I’ve always felt that is the very reason why he keeps himself so guarded. The only people he’s ever truly let get to know him are me, Rhys, Mor, and Amren. There was a time when he pined after Mor, but that was so long ago. 

“I am perfectly content as I am,” I go on, trying to convince them or myself I am not certain. I pick up my silverware yet again and make another attempt at finishing my supper. My carrots have gone cold. I hate cold carrots. 

“Back to the ball,” Rhys says, sitting back in his chair and stretching out his legs. “You’re going.”

“I am not going.”

“If you’re not going, then we do not go. If we do not go, we will be sad.”

“Your sadness is none of my concern.”

“Now you’re just being mean.” Rhys pours himself another glass of wine while Azriel’s eyes swivel between us. “If this is about Lady—”

“Lady Mandray is none of my concern.” Perhaps I should have waited for his sentence to end before mine began, but I have never been good at holding my tongue. 

“If she is none of your concern, then you will join us,” he says, smoothly, and he knows he’s already won before I even begin to resign. “We will drink their champagne and dance across their perfectly polished floors until sunrise while we are still young enough to do so.” 

Azriel finally finishes his third plate of food and sits back with a groan as I sigh. “You’re intolerable.” 

“He takes that as a compliment, you know,” Azriel murmurs, and I’m afraid he’s correct. There’s always been a darkness to Rhysand. Not an evilness, never evil, but a certain…edge. A certain slyness, a manipulation of sorts. In another life, I’m convinced he ruled his own kingdom. 

Kingdoms.

“I will join you,” I say, at last, and Rhys grins as he dwells in his victory.

I, however, feel nothing but unease. The thought of seeing Lady Nesta again so soon both excites and revolts me. I haven’t been able to get her face out of my mind, haven’t been able to shake that feeling that I had when I spoke to her.

Even though I was lost and she surely thinks me a fool.

No matter. She can think me a fool as long as she’s thinking of me.

The Mother knows I’ve been thinking about her. 

[scnders]

edit: closed for now so i don't get overwhelmed! hi everyone! i'm pretty new to posting ads for 1x1 rp-ing but i have a lot of muse for writing a variety of plots! a little bit of info about me is that i'm 25+, s/her pronouns, open to m/m, f/f and m/f. as for timezone and activity, i'm in the gmt + 8 timezone and i would say i'm pretty active unless i'm working (i have a corporate job) or hanging out with friends during weekends. there are also some days when my writing muse is low of course so please do understand. (when you have those days i'll definitely be understanding as well!) i'm looking to find 1x1 partners who are at least 23+ on discord. i'm an oc type of girl who plays both male and female ocs. definitely more experienced writing male ocs, but i like having a good mix. i would hope the same for my rp partners as well! i definitely can do semi-lit to novella depending on muse or brain juice. also! i would like to practice writing nsfw since i haven't done so in a while. below the cut you'll find more information about tropes, fcs i like to use and etc. like this post if you want me to approach you for your discord! or you can message me with yours!

just some general info:

be clear when communicating especially if you have no muse for a certain plot/thread! i would appreciate it rather than being ghosted.

please put in the same or enough effort when it comes to plotting/headcannons and etc. i promise to do the same or inform you if i don't have enough brain power to come up with things.

i love angst and fluff is definitely fine too as a bit of a palate cleanser.

my only trigger is descriptive self-harm but there are some taboo topics i am really not comfortable writing despite not being triggered.

some fcs i rp/would like to: song kang, park solomon, ateez san, txt's yeonjun, the boyz younghoon and hyunjae, svt's jeonghan and jun, bright vachirawit, bibi, youha, fromis_9 jiwon, noze, twice's sana, kiss of life's julie han, billie's haram, kitty chicha, kwon nara and honestly many more. also open to suggestions!

some tropes/genres/what have you ideas:

grumpy x sunshine, best friends to lovers (pining premium, both are idiots, drops the 'bro' and 'no homo'), fake dating (for dumb reasons like i need to make myself look desirable because people think i've been bitchless for years which yes i have been But), meet ugly, enemies to lovers, exes to friends to lovers, rivals (especially for like royalty aus), high fantasy, supernatural, revenge, royalty, reincarnation, 25 lives (the poem by tongari), blind date gone wrong, based on anime/movies/series, storybook characters with a twist and a plot like hotel del luna where they're wandering souls staying at a super fancy hotel, vampires, merfolk and etc... that's a lot i realized.

specific plot ideas:

business partners who are also fwbs. two people who match in every aspect from financial status, looks, in the bedroom etc.. have tried to make it work in the romance department but it just left them frustrated but they try again

final girl who's trying to recover from the horrors of what happened (we can base it off of a movie) who accidentally falls for a serial killer

i have more i Swear this post is just getting too long fr pls don't cancel me

[voidstilesplease]

zenith

word count: <1000 words | tags: lovers to enemies; mancers or magic users Stiles and Theo. Theo is a Necromancer (a magician of death), while Stiles is a Dismancer (a magician of discord/chaos). Based from this tumblr post. Complete AO3 chapters here.

after years, i finally completed this au series. phew!

—-

Stiles has waited years for this day. He’s fantasized dozens of scenarios for when he and Theo cross paths again but somehow never imagined it happening this way. It was always some version of Stiles waltzing into the den of the Dread Doctors – the supernatural scientists responsible for taking Theo away from them almost two years ago – saving Theo and bringing him home.

Despite the initial distrust they had of Theo – the only Necromancer to be born in the last three centuries – once Theo proved himself and his loyalty to the House of Magic by bringing Kira back to life, endangering himself, and fighting the hunters, they couldn't deny anymore that he was one of them. Despite the type of dark magic he had – the darkest magic that every single magic user in existence fears – he belonged with them.

And he was Stiles’. Before those Dread Doctors came and disappeared with Theo in the shadows, he and Theo were discussing the lives they could and would like to have someday outside the House of Magic, outside Beacon, outside their ability.

But now, it is evident that those fantasies will never come to pass. 

“Was this your plan all along?” Stiles quietly asks, kneeling in a pool of blood. He can’t even tell whose blood it is mostly – just that it’s a mix of everyone he loves. Every one of their friends who wanted to get Theo back just as much as Stiles did. And now everyone Stiles may not get back.

Were any of those plans he made with Stiles even real for Theo? Even a little?

Theo steps forward, gesturing at the chamber, healthy and seeping with power, not at all the magic-depraved, sickly, and tortured man they were worried he would be. 

“What do you think of it, Stiles? The walls, floor, and ceiling are heavily infused with iron and lead, enough to incapacitate even a powerful magician.” When he looks at Stiles, he grins. “You know, like that one that we planned to build in the House as an isolation room? Of course, I made it ten times worse and added a little touch of fatality, but yeah. As envisioned.” He sweeps his hands around proudly like he expects Stiles to applaud his genius.

He can’t if he wants to since Theo has his arms and wrists bound in poison iron.

“I think,” Stiles replies, throat raspy from misuse, “you’re a piece of shit.”

The smile doesn’t slide off Theo’s face. He shrugs easily like the weight of what he’s done to his friends is not weighing down on him at all. “I guess, I deserve that after this... poor reception.”

No, Stiles disagrees. What he deserves is pain. An endless flow of it. Stiles has a lot of it from his friends; from himself, even more. If only he could inflict it on Theo.

“Was this your plan all along?" he asks again, looking at Theo, willing him to tell the truth. Willing him to stop his lies, for once. "Lure us in, slowly kill us to feed your magic, and then give us to the Dread Doctors to be their plaything as you were? Why wait years, then? Why didn't you let us find you right at the beginning? Why were you so confident we wouldn't just give up on you?" Quieter, he adds. “I guess that's where I come in: this stupid magician who makes a habit of upsetting the balance just to keep the people he loves. Was none of it real?” Was anything between us real?

The smile does drop, then. All charades gone. In place is a cold look. Theo shrugs again, “Does it matter now?”

Stiles exhales shakily, “It does.”

Theo frowns at his reply, “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me, Stiles?” He steps forward, suddenly enraged. “You’re the expert in creating illusions inside people’s heads, aren’t you? So, you tell me. Was any of it real?” 

Stiles scoffs. “When have I ever pretended with you? I'm here, am I not, as you knew I would be? My magic feeds off of pain. I create nightmares, Theo, not fantasies.”

“But when those fantasies fall, what is left, Stiles?”

Against his better judgment, Stiles’ eyes begin to prickle. “I’m not the one who betrayed us. We came here to save you. I came to get you back, you worthless son of a bitch.”

Theo stands abruptly, hands tightly fisted at his sides. “I don’t need saving,” he spats, turning and making for the exit. Then he stops and looks over his shoulder to say, “You never should have trusted me.”

“No,” Stiles says, hollow voice above a whisper. “I never should have.”

For a moment, Theo only stands there, looking at Stiles, at the unconscious and bloody bodies of their friends. The only reason Stiles knows they’re not dead is because he can taste their pain. He cannot use their pain, not inside this room, but he can still feel it in the prickling of his fingertips.

“I can feel your pain, too, you know?” says Stiles a moment later. His eyes meet Theo’s. “That’s how I know some of it was real for you. In a perfect world, we can still escape and live the life of our dreams.” Stiles watches the hard way Theo swallows and hears his sharp exhale of breath. “But we’re done living in that fantasy.”

Theo tears his eyes away, moves past the entrance, and presses a button to close the chamber's mechanical doors. 

For a moment, their eyes meet one last time as Stiles and Theo, the magicians who fell in love and dreamed of getting out. There’s no getting out after this.

“Welcome to your nightmare, Theo.”

And the door shuts.

—-

steo a-z: part 26

[mermaidsirennikita]

Is there any romance where the couple bath together?

Yes!

Princess by Gaelen Foley has a lovely scene where Darius and Serafina bathe together shortly after they hook up for the first time. They didn't go all the way~ because she's a princess and he's a kitchen boy bodyguard, but she's very overwrought about everything (she had a Big Day) so he holds her in the tub and it's very cute and hot.

The Duke by Gaelen Foley also has a scene wherein the heroine is in the bath and the hero like... helps her bathe? And then he helps her with other things while she is standing (and he is on his knees), still in the tub, so it counts.

Fantasy-wise, there's Charissa Weaks's Witch Walker series (not standalones). In the second book, Alexus and Raina go to these special pool hot spring things to bathe after a long journey, and they wash each other's hair and stuff. Tbh, they were definitely doing ALL OF IT in their little tents during the journey, so. What's super hot about this too is that they ran out of birth control during the journey (fantasy potions lmao) and the new doses haven't kicked in yet, so they have to... finds some workarounds...

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto is a contemporary romance with a REALLY good tub scene. The heroine is a high-strung overworked wedding planner, and she and the hero are kind of in a casual borderline FWB "what are we" situationship. He... helps her relax.

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley has a scene where Isabella is in the tub and Mac walks in. He does some things. When the maid comes in he wipes his face off with a towel. So he wasn't in the tub, technically, but he did get pretty wet.

Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt has the infamous scene where Bridget is in the tub and Valentine is watching her and going on about her toes and stuff. He does not get in the tub. Scandalous Desires also has a scene where Mickey is in the tub and Silence comes over and he makes her ~feel him. So neither one is a mutual bath situation, but thought I'd mention it.

The Duke Gets Even by Joanna Shupe has an amazing bath scene after Nellie and Lockwood first hook up, where she's like "I don't want a relationship" and he's like "for sure I am on the same page now let's cuddle in the bathtub while we tell each other our deepest darkest emotional secrets". He is.... RIDICULOUS.

Bride by Ali Hazelwood has an extended, very very good bath scene.

Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole has another "not bathing together but he's watching" scene which is AGAIN fantastic. The hero and heroine are SUPER ENEMIES (he has her imprisoned and wants to annihilate all supernatural creatures, she is a supernatural creature) but as it turns out, they were lovers in SEVERAL past lives. And she remembers this, because she actually never died and is immortal, but he, the reincarnated one, can't. So she bathes and talks about all the things they did in his past lives while he sits there, gripping the chair to keep from jumping her... and then he starts telling her what he'd do to her in THIS life...

American Royalty by Tracey Livesay has a scene where the heroine is in the bath... the hero isn't, I think, but it's another one where he's like "while I'm here om nom nom".

The Music of Love by S.M. LaViolette has an ANGRY BATHTUB BANG scene. The hero and heroine are married but on the outs (she is also pregnant, which is why they're married lmao) during a trip to visit his family. So they're at this inn, and she's in the bathtub, and she's been Lustfully Watching Him Undress sneakily... And he walks in and.... It is SOOOOO GOOD. But also hilarious, because they're mostly just incredibly mad at each other throughout.

A Shore Thing by Joanna Lowell has the leads' first time in a bathtub (I mean, it begins in a bathtub) with what begins as a definitely not innocent bath. They're on a bicycle race together, so they stop in an inn and Things Happen. They also do it in a Victorian bathing machine later lmao

Once More, My Darling Rogue by Lorraine Heath has a bathing scene, I believe. I can't remember exactly what happens, but I'm pretty sure it leads up to this as the hero makes the heroine wash his back as a part of like, her job lmao.

Lisa Kleypas has scenes where the hero "tends" to the heroine in an afterglow bath in Seduce Me at Sunrise and Love in the Afternoon, but I'm not sure if they fully get in the bathtubs. Or just their hands.

[theink-stainedfolk]

Writerly Questionnaire

Thank you @the-golden-comet @drchenquill and @paeliae-occasionally for the tag♡

About Me

When did you first start writing ?

I first started writing in 5th grade. I had this chapter in English course book about a timid girl who learned to write stories with the help of her English teacher. Also, i was so much into fanfictions at theat time so i thought it would be a great idea to start novels.

Are the genres/themes you enjoy reading different from the ones you write?

I enjoy writing mystery, crime / psychological thriller, political Intrigue and historical , fantasy types writing but i enjoy reading cozy fantasy, mystery and crime thriller.

Is there an author (or just a fellow writer!) you want to emulate, or one to whom you're often compared?

Nope. Not really. I take inspiration from various sources but i never felt anything like this nor did anyone ever compared me to one.

Can you tell me a little about your writing space(s)? (Room, coffee shop, desk, etc.)

Mostly it is my bed, i do best when i am in my comfort space. Because i can't write anywhere else without being criticized for being "too much on my phone"

What's your most effective way to muster up some muse?

Idk honestly. I just look at things, random things at that and i get flooded with ideas. I just looked at a pen once an i got the idea. I also watch music videos of my favourite froups and get ideas. I watched the ODDINARY trailer of stray kids and i got a story idea which i am currently trying to write. I'm the worst person to ask this question.

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and places you write about?

No. My writing life is pretty different from the way i live because of the need to be separated from reality. And i hate where i live so it wouldn't do me much favour.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing, and if so, do they surprise you at all?

Yep. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, queer people, mystery, slice of life, fantasy, romcom and i turn everything gay because of the ✨spice✨ i feel in it. Sometimes it does surprise me because i originally started as only mystery and crime thriller writer. Slowly i evolved. And i never saw myself writing queer romance. But i am still learning and i will not give up trying my best.

My Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? (Current WIP, past WIP, never used, etc.)

This will get too long. My current favourite character is Dante from Beyond The Pages. Because i surprisingly found myself attracted to unhinged villain with no redemption but just an attractive smile, fashionista outfits and screw loose. My current WIP is Shades Of Erudition . Which i love dearly idk why i just got the idea. And I'm beginning to love Asterion too.

Which of your characters do you think you'd be friends with in real life?

Vesperine said Cleo for sure. Because i like their sense of humor and Cleo would probably let me in their friend circle. I hope so. And also probably Maurine because of her love for books. I'd probably sit for hours and hours at her house, her husband, however, would kick me out for taking too much of her time and giving him none.

Which of your characters would you dislike the most if you met them?

.... Dante probably also Dr. Anselm Ravenscroft and his puppy creation, Acheron. All the characters form Wicked Game, Wicked Fates . And more that i can't think of.

Tell me about the process of coming up with of one, all, or any of your characters.

This is... a very difficult question... haha...

Ok so sometimes i get the idea of the story forat and sometimes i get the characters first.

In the case of getting idea first, the character build is not hard to decide. I make up scenarios in my head and imagine stuff while listening to music that matched my story and i automatically get the idea.

But in the case of getting the character idea first.... it is freaking difficult because i only get the design idea and dialogues, but not the personality traits. So i spend days and weeks thinking of a story that would match my character so i can develop the character more. Some of my characters with no story are still waiting and I'm feeling guilty.

Do you notice any recurring themes/traits among your characters?

Probably it is intelligent/cunning bastard x strong sweetheart. I don't remember much maybe someone could remind me.. haha...

How do you picture them? (As real people you imagined, as models/actors who exist in real life, as imaginary artwork, as artwork you made or commissioned, anime style, etc

I imagine them as real people of course. Sometimes I'm so obsessed with it that i make a list of possible actors i want to play my characters. And i also imagine them as random people and artworks on pinterest too.

My Writing

What's your reason for writing?

Self enjoyment and the comments i get from people who take time to read my works. It makes me ecstatic. ♡♡♡

Is there a specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating coming from your readers?

Not specific. I find every comment really uplifting because it means that they read the whole thing. They read it and wrote, they took time for me. Because nowadays time is very precious and quite fast and nobody would want to spend it by reading some unknown person's probably worthless works. ♡♡♡

How do you want to be thought of by those who read your work? (For example: as a literary genius, or as a writer who "gets" the human condition; as a talented worldbuilder, as a role model, etc.)

I don't want much i just want to be thought as someone with great ideas and writing style. I hope i had a good fandom where people post about on Pinterests and Tumblr and people make tiktoks of my book in the future. Basically i want to be remembered. And loved.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

I feel very embarrassed to say this but i think it is my ideas and my ability to finally try and write different genres. And the fact that i don't give up.

What have you been frequently told your greatest writing strength is by others?

I think it is that i manage writing different types of genre. It was truly mesmerizing when drchenquill said that to me honestly because i always felt like i couldn't write any other genre than mystery, crime thriller and historical fiction. I feared trying out other genres too. And another one of my friends told me that the more ideas i get, the better it gets from the previous ones.

How do you feel about your own writing? (Answer in whatever way you interpret this question.)

I think that i have improved a lot since before but i have a lot to improve. I want to write beautifully, with prose and beautiful lines, i know it is not easy, like Erin Morgenstern, but like i said, like my ideas are evolving, my writing style will too.

If you were the last person on earth and knew your writing would never be read by another human, would you still write?

I would still write. With not so much enthusiasm as before because i really enjoy talking about my stories with others but i would still write because i started as someone with zero readers and i didn't stop there.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely what you enjoy? If it's a mix of the two, which holds the most influence?

I am influenced by both. But to me, my enjoyment holds the most value. Because if i don't enjoy what i write, nobody would enjoy it either. There are many ideas of mine that i love a lot but many of my friends do not like it but i still enjoy writing them because the feeling that i get when i get the whole idea, the ecstasy, it is so exciting and addicting that it becomes my hyperfixation for weeks.

I'll tag @cssnder @finickyfelix @willtheweaver @ascotwriting @agirlandherquill @leahnardo-da-veggie @illarian-rambling @winglesswriter @paeliae-occasionally @the-golden-comet @graveyardshift111 and this is an open tag.

[michellemisfit]

🚑✨Weekly Tag Wednesday🪄💫

Look at this super fun tag game @deedala made!! And thanks for the tag @lingy910y @energievie @tanktopgallavich @mikhailoisbaby

🚑 Get in bitch, we're going on a mystical adventure through space, time, and reality. (in ian and mickey's ambulance of course) ✨

Name: Michelle

Zodiac Sign: Pisces ♓️

Personality type in enneagram, myers-briggs, or both: I’ve done all of these quizzes and I can NEVER remember what I am. Whatever that personality type is where the answering paragraph literally told me I couldn’t be an EMT because I am incredibly studious and hard working and great in a crisis, but I am also convinced that literally anything going wrong is my fault personally, and it would kill me. That. It me.

Before we hit the road, what snack are you gonna bring for our trip? Normally I’d say POPCORN but @deedala is already bring that so I’ll go buck wild and say crudités & hummus, because road snacks can be yummy AND healthy!

Navigator gets to pick the music so what song are you turning on? I’ve got a whole road trip playlist, and I hope we’ll listen to most of it, but this should always be played in a car!!

💥 What is a universe from a fantasy tv show you would like to visit? The Golden Age of Albion, ie. BBC Merlin

And what about a fantasy movie? Fuck Rowling, but Harry Potter’s a pretty good world.

Okay, how about a scifi tv show? I don’t really watch Sci-Fi and the things I have seen… well, I don’t wanna live in Stranger Things world, or Humans, or Lost in Space, so… The Umbrella Academy? Mostly the normal world, and I can stay away from the weird shit? Maybe?

And a scifi movie universe? Again, don’t really watch Sci-Fi, and any I have seen I wouldn’t want to live in. Also there’s just too much fucking running in all of them. I’d be dead within 24 hours, let’s face it. Planet of the Apes? I might do okay there for maybe 72 hours… 🤔

Any other tv show or movie universes you'd like to swing by before we move on? Shadowhunters? Normal world with added magic and a fuck load of cool tattoos? Yeah, I’d do okay there. As long as I didn’t have to do the running bit lol

Okay hold on to your butts we're switching gears to fanfic universes. Tell me which fanfic universe we're visiting first? @deedala is spot on about cooperative gameplay by grayola for hours and hours of YouTube watching!! Also I Keep Going Over the World We Knew (Over and Over) by Mellacita, where Arthur Pendragon returns to solve the climate crisis with a lot of science and a little bit of magic. I would like to live in that world please.

Cool, do you have one more you'd like to stop at before we head home? Literally any and all of Ravenheart’s Magic AUs

Alright, on our way out of fanfic land you get to snag some tropes to bring home and apply to your own life, think fast! - - soulmates or enemies to lovers // coffee shop or flower shop // fake relationship or slow burn // amnesia or time loop // body swap or miscommunication // love triangle or arranged marriage // sharing a bed or drunken confession

Wow okay, hope those tropes work out for you!! Our adventure has finally come to an end, where in the world am I dropping you off? Can I please be dropped off in malu’s There Are No Gays in Football universe? Where Arthur Pendragon is the bravest puppy - For love, and a little bit because it is the right thing to do.

Thank you kindly.

Tagging @suzy-queued @mybrainismelted @too-schoolforcool @creepkinginc @heymrspatel @mickeysgaymom @mickeygifs @sleepyfacetoughguy @sam-loves-seb @look-i-love-u @loftec @callivich @transmickey @scurvgirl @sisitrip @celestialmickey @sickness-health-all-that-shit @darlingian @ian-galagher @iansfreckles @rutherinahobbit @palepinkgoat @whatthebodygraspsnot @gardenerian @metalheadmickey

[dyrewrites]

I have come to the realization that a lot of people like the concept of Weald and Wen (and the Mar series it'll lead to) but they get lost on the lack of people.

My intention was not to write a furry novel, and I maintain that I did not, but they certainly aren't human.

->I'm going to ramble a bit, it seems, as I did and am now going back to warn you and put it under a cut<-

Faerai could be considered anthro, I'll give you that, her species and one of the main antagonists of the first book's species are certainly furry-adjactent.

The others are fairytale or mythic monsters though. Not entirely, it's not 1:1, and I didn't do it on purpose but I did notice and lean in a little.

Mitra is a fairy.

Delgrij is a dryad.

Parnamyr is an evil puppet.

That's your main cast through four books. Four big books if the first is any indication.

There are no humans. There are no ties to our world or anything likely recognizable as it. This is a purely fantasy world that little me used to escape into when the real one got to be too much.

And if you read this monster of a book at any point, you may wonder how that worked exactly. As Mar is not a nice place. It is a hostile place. The Weald and Wen especially (hence it being the beginning, there are so many reasons for that actually but I don't think anyone wants me to yammer about it).

I am worried, genuinely so, that these things are going to turn people away. I'm going to write the series anyway, I have no choice, these idiots live in my noggin and demand I write their story.

But I worry. Both that the nonhuman of it all will deter, but also of the genre "dark fantasy" seems to be in so many spaces (hint; it is not adventures through a dreary alien world).

Is this my favorite of my projects? No, it is not, it is in fact deeply stressful and brings me back to places I'd rather forget. But I adore this world and these characters and I cannot imagine a reality where I don't write this series and a bunch of sidestories in it.

Will anyone care is the question. Will this be for me and me alone (not even family can manage reading it, with my husband saying it's too "fucked up" for him). Will people get into the prologue, realize it's about furry creatures and give up? Will they see the genre and think "enemies to lovers romantasy", hop in, freak out, get a refund and write something nasty in the review (I'd almost pay to see that one actually, someone do that it'll be great)?

I dunno...I just...wanted to ramble about this. Kind of worry out loud in a way I spose.

Closer it gets to finished, the more worried I get.

I know people will love Before Deluca, and I'm sure someone will enjoy Pale Blood's weird grasp of narrative, but Weald and Wen is...a lot and I'm worried it won't have an audience. Which would suck.

I can accept it failing miserably to turn a profit (writing being what it is, I never expect one) but for no one to even try it...that might kill me.

[foxglovefantasy]

ramblings about my favorite games

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but a good starter on the games close to my heart. I will probably do another post later.

LOZ Ocarina of Time –

“I’ve been waiting for you… Hero of Time.”

Classic, one of the greatest video games ever made, etc, but what I remember is being a wide-eyed 5-to-6-year-old when the game came out, and it being the first big 3D video game I’d ever seen. I was too little to even play it, really, but I remember my mom would let me ride Epona around Hyrule Field, and the world just felt so massive. It was everything a tiny little horse girl could dream of, and the first instance of what I would later identify as “writing fanfiction.” I had a whole sequel I’d plotted out in my head that I’d daydream about.

As for the game itself, it stands as the quintessential fantasy game. A world that felt real and lived-in and full of magic and possibility. A princess in disguise fighting against the forces of darkness, a hero traveling through time, the violent repercussions of the villain actually winning for a time. It’s as good now as it was then. It’s the top of everyone’s best game ever lists for good reason.

LOZ Majora’s Mask –

“You’ve met with a terrible fate, haven’t you?”

So, I never actually finished this game until I was an adult and playing the remastered version on the 3DS. Long story, but tragedies kept happening to my save files, and my emulator crashed. That said, this is probably my favorite game ever, and definitely my favorite Zelda game.

The thing that strikes me is the melancholy. Over the course of rewinding time over and over again, you get to really know all the people in Termina and help them with their struggles and as you learn more, this heavy feeling of doom never goes away. There is no way to save everyone in a single three-day span. You go to unfreeze the Gorons? Well, the little girl at the ranch is abducted by aliens and traumatized, an old woman is robbed at midnight, two doomed lovers are separated by forces beyond their control… The knowledge that all of these storylines will continue no matter where you are, knowing the consequences of inaction…

The richness of that world is so intoxicating to me. I can’t get enough of it even after playing the game to 100% completion. I fell in love with that world and all the characters living in it so much that I can remember all of their stories and quests like I played the game yesterday.

Dishonored –

"The one who walks here is all things. Cradle songs of comfort and bones gnawed by teeth."

Oh, how to describe my love for this game. Gameplay-wise, it’s incredibly versatile and fun, with environments brimming with little secrets to ferret out. You can do little challenges with yourself – like a ghost run where you never get spotted by anyone, or high chaos runs, or completely nonlethal runs. So many ways to play the same game and see all the little differences in what your choices lead to. It’s pretty deep.

But what draws me back is the atmosphere. A steampunk world in a place like England, an empire in decline, a terrible plague from a deadly continent, a mysterious deity or perhaps a demon who lures his chosen in with power and leaves them to rot when they bore him. You carry the heart of a murdered empress in your hand as it whispers secrets to you. You can force a man to walk into the path of a bullet, you can summon a swarm of rats to devour your enemies screaming, you can choose the cruelest kind of mercy for your enemies… This game echoes in my heart and memory.

Hades –

“The heavens and the seas belong to my brothers; but know that you are still in my domain.”

Further proof that you can love a game that you are genuinely not good at.

No, seriously, I am so incredibly bad at this style of game. That said, I couldn’t stop playing it. Being bad at the game actually made succeeding feel so much more rewarding. The art style is so good, the story is compelling, the cast of characters you interact with are so fun and endearing. Playing this game was a blast. Also, poly bisexual relationship with Meg and Than? Yes, please!

Fire Emblem: Awakening

“You deserved better from me than one sword and a world of troubles.”

Not the first Fire Emblem game I ever played – I joined this franchise on a whim when Birthright and Conquest were new. But I heard so much good stuff about this one that I just had to get a copy and try it. And – it’s as good as they said.

The “children the same age as their parents” mechanic that made no sense in Fates actually worked here to quite good effect. I love the entire cast of characters, and I can even ignore my distaste for time travel because the future of your characters is to all be murdered in the future – leading to the children traveling through time to save their parents and prevent apocalypse. It’s impactful and fun and has one of the stronger storylines in a franchise that maybe has some questionable writing decisions if we’re being honest with ourselves. All in all, a fan-favorite Fire Emblem game and one I greatly enjoyed.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

"As unwavering as your convictions may be, the others also feel strongly about their beliefs. If you hate all those whose beliefs are different from yours, you will hate everyone eventually. People with exactly the same beliefs as you simply do not exist."

The Fire Emblem game that even people who don’t like Fire Emblem like.

Honestly, love this game very much. I have hundreds of hours on it – with 4 different paths to follow, it almost necessitates an insane amount of time dedicated to it. The thing I appreciate most is that there is no “perfect” ending. In no one ending do you uncover all of the secrets of Fodlan, so you as the player might know what Claude uncovers at the end of Verdant Wind, but Dimitri in Azure Moon gets an entirely different experience.

People die. It’s a war. Recruiting a student from one house to your own may directly lead to them killing their friends later – like Dorothea’s heartbreaking dialogue if you’re forced to kill Ferdinand, or if you maneuver events in such a way that you get Felix to kill his own father. There’s so many gut-punch moments that can arise in this game, and it all boils down to the utter hellishness of war and how holding true to one’s convictions to tear down the things separating us is an endeavor that will ultimately take sacrifice and make victims.

Replayability is a little rough with having to physically run around the monastery over and over again to build up your army’s supports, but still. I love all these little gremlin characters, and it’s a shame that ultimately even if you recruit every student you can into your house, someone’s still going to die. You can’t save everyone.

Jak and Daxter –

“I have asked the plants, but they do not remember. The plants have asked the rocks, but the rocks do not recall. Even the rocks do not recall. Every bone in my body tells me that the answers rest on the shoulders... of a young boy... oblivious to his destiny, uninterested in the search for truth, and rejecting of my guidance!”

I’m not talking about the sequels here. Yeah, they’re cool. But I’m talking about the first game.

It’s just a good, platforming, quest-heavy game, okay? A style of game that they really don’t seem to make anymore. Very PS2 era, and I have good memories of playing it. It’s fun, it’s an interesting setting, it makes me happy to recall memories of playing it. Very nostalgic.

Dragon Age: Origins –

“The Maker smiles sadly on his Grey Wardens, so the Chantry says, as no sacrifice is greater than theirs.”

Nobody’s doing it like DA: Origins.

I remember waiting for this game to be developed years before its release in 2009. Checking out little snippets teased online with my mega-nerd mother. And then when it was finally released? Oh, I was in love.

Nobody really is doing it like this, because I’ve never seen another game put so much effort into the origin story of your character. And each origin felt impactful. Each origin was worth playing through – each one actually impacted the outcome of the game. Certain endgames would be closed to you if you weren’t a certain race. Plus the easter eggs hinting that the origin you didn’t pick still happened, but the character you would have played died due to Duncan not being there to recruit you? Oh, I live for that (see Majora’s Mask above.) Still my favorite Dragon Age game, still my favorite team of companions (sorry DAII companions, but you kind of all suck even if you’re lovable) and yeah, I do like the RPG combat that everyone nowadays seems to cringe at so badly. It was the only DA game where I could go into stealth as a rogue, scout ahead to see what enemies were there, and then lay traps down so when I came back with my friends, the darkspawn would run right into my traps. (I miss doing that a lot)

Baldur’s Gate –

“You must gather your party before venturing forth.”

Baby’s first experience with Dungeons and Dragons.

I was way too young to be playing this when I did start – i.e. back in the same year I was not-playing Ocarina of Time. A 6-year-old sucks at D&D. But damn did I have fun with it. I still quote random NPC dialogue from this game to people. I have clearer memories of playing the sequel, Shadows of Ahm, but this one is still the original and the beginning of becoming a super nerd.

To my shame, I still haven’t purchased and played BG3, so no mention of that one.

Northgard –

My current obsession – Viking-themed RTS that I’ve been putting way too many hours into. It’s fun. It has lots of little challenges to do, and I feel like the difficulty is a good balance. All the different clans you can play as have different mechanics outside of the baseline, so it’s a wildly different experience depending on which clan you’re playing as. Highly recommend.

Shadow of the Colossus –

One of the most atmospheric games I’ve ever played. There’s such a feeling of loss and desolation as you travel this still and empty landscape on a quest that’s never fully explained. The mystery of it is what haunts you, the meaning that you have to apply yourself. I feel like it wouldn’t have been half as memorable if they’d spelled it out for you.

[findroleplay]

. 🧚‍♀️

Hey beloveds!

I’m searching for all those fantasy loving people out there. At the moment, I’ve barely gotten past the plotting stage and I’m far too enthused to start some fantasy threads, specifically medieval / historical fantasy threads. I’m overly keen on modern fantasy, I apologise if that is what you were looking for. Now, if that got your attention — a little about me.

My name is Jade, I’m a twenty two year older woman — pronouns are she / her. I’ve been writing for an exceptional ten years, thus leaving me quite experienced. My writing style varies between advantaged literate and novella. I ask my writing partners to be the same, considering I live longer replies. I typically send at least two full discord messages, so I’m on the hunt for somebody who can keep up with that. The more the better, honestly. I’m big on things like Pinterest boards, playlists, art, out of character communication, world building, plotting together, matching energy / being enthusiastic. That is to name just a few. I’m hoping to find a writing partner who’s the same about those things because I truly need it to keep the inspiration flowing. If I don’t have the same energy returned to me, I unfortunately lose muse because I hate one sided enthusiasm. I only write with those eighteen and above. Not under, even if we choose not to include smut. I love smut, but it isn’t required. I’m willing to fade to black too. As for pairings, I am mostly looking for mxf at the moment. I can play both female or male muses, I ask though, please don’t use me for my male muses. As much as I love playing them, it’s gone to a point where it’s just purely expected. I currently have no female muses at this time. I’m happy to play either gender, just don’t be specifically using me for them. Speaking of muses, I use realistic face claims or AI art. I don’t use anime or drawn, they make me uncomfortable for some reason. I require the same for my writing partners. Overall, I’m looking for a friend as well as a writing partner. I’m really hoping to bond and create a really beautiful friendship, it makes writing together all the more fun. If for any reason you are no longer interested then please tell me! I won’t take offence. I’d just rather know! I am fine with darker topics and tropes. Moving on to tropes —

I love the following tropes, but as much as I try to include all of them, there will be some I miss so please bring them all to me if you have one you love that isn’t included because chances are, I adore it too. •. — Enemies to lovers, childhood friends to enemies to lovers, fated mates, villain gets the girl, anti hero’s, morally grey characters, found family, forbidden lovers, star crossed lovers, human x fantasy creature, human turned fantasy creature, traumatic pasts, grumpy x sunshine, rivals to lovers, kingdoms at war, any war themed plots, one bed, teaching one to fight, strong female characters, dark male muses, dark powers, hates everyone but them trope, stabby women, intense sexual tension, men who simp over their women, touch her / him and die, height differences, sun x moon, spicy female muses. There are so many more but I feel like I’ll be listing forever, please note I’m completely okay with darker themes too!! Onto fantasy creatures I enjoy but not limited too •. — Elves, Fae, Dragons, Vampires, Gods, Deities, Witches, Demons. Those are the only ones I can think of, my brain is going blank. Honestly, I like them all. Except, I don’t enjoy playing werewolf muses myself but that isn’t to say you can’t!!

We can double up or leave it as a 1x1 and I’ll be happy either way! I enjoy creating rich lore for our world and I love kingdoms and courts and realms and all those good things. You can either message me yourself or you can interact and I will reach out! I write on discord only, with that; I hope to hear from you soon.

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[a-feller]

When reading a book, watching a show or a movie, or even experiencing real life, I often find, when a major character or important person dies, I mourn, not so much the person but more their loved ones, the great bond lost and the incredible damage done to them. Over time, almost subconciously I have grown to value a great bond of love, lust, friendship, romance, great platonic love, or that weird sixth thing two inseperable stray cats have, almost as much as human knowledge, something I greatly revere. This is most prominent in fantasy worlds, where for certain there is some haven beyond the barrier of death, where a person and their knowledge can go to live in harmony after whatever happened to them. Yet leaving their loved ones behind for years to come, perhaps forever. Maybe it is more amplified in the real world, or universes like the star wars one and my belief of real life, where there is no life after death. Just nothing. All bonds severed by death's scythe in one fell swoop.

I will list an example for every book/tv show/movie I can. Spoilers ahead for: The Bad Batch, The Scythe series by Neal Shusterman, Harry Potter, Trials Of Apollo, The Six of Crows duology, The Lord of The Rings

The death of Tech, a clone from the bad batch. His close, paternal bond with Omega, shattered as he sacrificed himself before her eyes, the unrequited mutual love with the pirate lady whom he promised he would come back safely and of course the rest of the bad batch, now a gaping hole within their group.

The death of Tiger, the Best friend of Rowan in the scythe series, slain by people he was played by and his body contorted into a new one for Rowan's greatest enemy. Their friendship gone and spited by the monstosity created from his headless corpse.

The death of Sirius Black and the huge damage it did to Harry and Remus Lupin. Harry losing his first ever loving paternal figure he can remember and Lupin losing a dear best friend (or more considering what half of you post about)

The death of Jason Grace. Killed slowing down an unkillable enemy to save his friends and close-ex-lover Piper McLean, leaving behind at least a dozen dear friends who fought, battle after battle together, almost dying time and time again, only for him to fall far away, after it was meant to be over. And specifically Nico Di Angelo who as anyone who read the book will know had a priceless, unique friendship with him that simply could not be created with another.

The death of Matthias Hevlar, just beggining to fit in with the people around them and his romantic relationship just springing up with Nina, those bonds once again shattered, and the last thing he asked for was a kiss (hold up just gonna go cry for a second).

Edit: The edit is here for the smoothness of the post. I cannot believe I forgot. The very ones who inspired me to make this post in the first place. David and Genya from the Grishaverse and the King Of Scars duology. Another romantic one I'm aware however they had just had a wonderful ceremony, a proper marriage at last. And then David left to go do something and the city was attacked by bomber planes. He wasn't seen throughout the following fight until Genya noticed his absence at the end. They later pulled his body out of the rubble. Some ink Genya was fussing over still there. Queue the funeral, Genya, in private afterwards reads from his notebooks containing all the little things he picked up on that make her happy (hair, skin etc). I am genuinely tearing up just thinking about it. David was also a leader and a role model to the other Grisha, especially other fabrikators. Close friends with Nikolai and Zoya. All of these bonds gone.

The leaving of Frodo Baggins. This one is a little different as he isn't dead but to all of his friends but Gandalf and Bilbo, he is. Never able to be seen or contacted again, no way to hear or feel them either. Sam, who carried him up a mountain. Refused to leave his side ever. Pippin, Merry, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, All his shire friends, All the people they met along the way. Those bonds were shattered as if he was dead.

This last one is very different. It takes place in the real world. This death is obviously a thousand times more important then any of the others. A real human with thoughts, feelings and of course friends. This person is Technoblade. Funny, kind, skillful, he was friends with pretty much everyone he played with, best friends with those like Philza and of course the people around him in real life. The innumerable amount of people he either just made laugh, or helped get through some really dark times. Like me. 10 million people. Bonds reasonably one way but still there. 10 million people. Bonds snapped like rubber bands. All his friends. Online and off. Those he helped, those he inspired. All grieving with that bond suddenly a gaping hole, all lost. o7 Techno. Fly high.

Edit: I cannot believe I forgot. The very ones who inspired me to make this post in the first place,

[erlie]

Favorite books of 2023

You seemed to like my historical m/m recommendations, so I am going to give you my favorite books of the 2023!

Doesn't mean they were published on 2023, I just read them that year.

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The Scottish Boy - Alex de Campi Historical fiction, M/M, politics, war - Harry, a young English man participates on a raid to Scotland where they capture a wild and unrefined Scottish boy, who mysteriously can speak fluent French. Their lives are entangled forever. This I already recommended, but it bears saying it again. This is wonderful. It has enemies to lovers, star-crossed lovers, political intrigue and betrayal.

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Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree Fantasy, F/F, coffee shop, romance - Viv is an orc mercenary, who after a life of adventuring and battles wants to start a coffee shop, but she is battling tax office, suspicious customers and magic.

Tooth rottingly sweet. Absolutely cozy, low stakes fantasy series that makes you kick your feet and giggle.

Also read the prequel, which is also wonderful: Bookshops & Bonedust

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This Is How You Lose The Time War - Amar El Mohtar, Max Gladstone Sci-fi, time travel, war, F/F - Agents on opposing sides of the time war leave messages to each other over time and space, falling in love with each other in the process. If Bigolas Dickolas Wolfwood did not get to you, hopefully this will. Beautiful and poetic story about love and faith and war. -

A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara Contemporary fiction, drama, M/M - Four classmates go through life, sometimes alone, sometimes together, always concerned about Jude.

Changed me as a person. There is Elsa before A Little Life, there is Elsa after A Little Life. Hated every second of reading it. Physical discomfort. Never again. 10/10 PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF THE TRIGGER WARNINGS WITH THIS ONE. It'll kill you if you don't. TW: Mental health, suicide, suicide attempts, rape, child abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, there might be others but these just from the top of my head.

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Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide - Rupert Holmes - Historical crime comedy - Three people want to murder their employers and they go to school for it. One of them will fail. Absolutely fun, easy read. One of those "can't put it down" type of books that will keep you entertained all the way through.

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I think that's all for now. I'll do a part two maybe tomorrow, so I won't clog your timeline with a gigantic post. Anyway, hopefully at least one of you finds something new to read from this list!

[betterbooksandthings]

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem is a beautifully textured Egyptian-inspired high fantasy book that rips your heart apart and puts it back together again. As an orphaned apothecary’s assistant in a small town, no one expects Sylvia to hide powerful magic and an even more powerful lineage. When the kingdom of Jasad fell to the kingdom of Nizahl a decade ago, everyone believed all members of the royal family fell with it, but the magically adept Jasad heir escaped, and she has been on the run ever since. Her magic has been dampened for years so typically there is little threat it will be detected, but one day Arin, the Nizahl heir, discovers her power anyway. He cannot imagine she is lost royalty, but Arin knows her magic is powerful and can tell her strength will serve his political goals. With knowledge of Sylvia’s powers and Jasadi background, he blackmails her into becoming his champion for the Alcalah, a deadly series of trials where each kingdom has one chance at selecting a future victor that will bring pride to their country. Now she must keep her identity as the lost Jasad heir a secret from the strict and inscrutable heir, even as they grow inextricably close. If she wins, Sylvia will have enough money and status as the Alcalah victor to hide for the rest of her life, but as Jasadi rebels and her own conscience demand she takes up her throne, she has to decide if she is willing to live a life of peace at the cost of her people. The book is filled with magic, political intrigue, friendship, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a magical competition to tie it all together. I could not recommend this book more.

I must say, Hashem’s debut is an impressive feat of the genre. The magic system and world-building are top-tier for those looking for fantasy with multi-kingdom political intrigue and well-developed characters. Everyone and everything introduced to the book is there for a reason and they all have well-developed backstories and interior lives. I believe the book follows an iceberg approach to fantasy where we see a fraction of the worldbuilding that goes into crafting such an intricate system where everything feels real. Small details from clothing, food, and value differences between kingdoms give life to the people and the places they inhabit.

Sylvia is a wonderful character. She is a believable traumatized 20-year-old. The book is a good recommendation for fans of New Adult-aged protagonists, but it is firmly adult fantasy. She is comfortable with murdering for survival and capable of doing so. Even without consistent access to her powers, she is clever and calculating and knows how to wield a bevy of weapons. It doesn’t stop her from caring about a select group of people including her two best friends Sefa and Marek who follow her throughout the book. They have their own story that I will not spoil but rest assured they are wonderful and Sefa is on the ace spectrum for anyone who wants to know.

Now, there is also an enemies-to-lovers subplot in the book between the two heirs, Sylvia and Arin but it is a slow burn, backburner, low-spice (but high-heat) romance. Both characters have a certain level of touch aversion one due to a magic curse, the other due to a traumatic childhood. They are also two people who don’t trust or love with any level of ease. Nonetheless, they care about each other, and the growing care leads me to believe in their chemistry. I can find no confirmation that Sylvia was written to be on the ace spectrum so please correct me if I am wrong, but I read her character as demisexual or somewhere on the ace spectrum. I am completely on board with this ship either way.

Training for the Alcalah and the Alcalah itself is so well done. Anyone who likes a good high-stakes fantasy competition will be satisfied with this storyline. The secrets and political intrigue create ongoing tension throughout the book and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen in book 2.

All that is to say this book is absolutely wonderful. Thank you Orbit Books for providing me with an arc for an honest review and I would highly recommend you preorder yourself a copy because when The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem comes out on July 18, 2023, you will want to get started.

[darkdoverpseeker]

Hey beloveds.

I’m searching for all those fantasy loving people out there. At the moment, I’ve barely gotten past the plotting stage and I’m far too enthused to start some fantasy threads, specifically medieval / historical fantasy threads. I’m overly keen on modern fantasy, I apologise if that is what you were looking for. Now, if that got your attention — a little about me.

My name is Jade, I’m a twenty one year older woman — pronouns are she / her. I’ve been writing for an exceptional ten years, thus leaving me quite experienced. My writing style varies between advantaged literate and novella. I ask my writing partners to be the same, considering I live longer replies. I typically send at least two full discord messages, so I’m on the hunt for somebody who can keep up with that. The more the better, honestly. I’m big on things like Pinterest boards, playlists, art, out of character communication, world building, plotting together, matching energy / being enthusiastic. That is to name just a few. I’m hoping to find a writing partner who’s the same about those things because I truly need it to keep the inspiration flowing. If I don’t have the same energy returned to me, I unfortunately lose muse because I hate one sided enthusiasm. I only write with those eighteen and above. Not under, even if we choose not to include smut. I love smut, but it isn’t required. I’m willing to fade to black too. As for pairings, I am mostly looking for mxf at the moment. I can play both female or male muses, I ask though, please don’t use me for my male muses. As much as I love playing them, it’s gone to a point where it’s just purely expected. I currently have no female muses at this time. I’m happy to play either gender, just don’t be specifically using me for them. Speaking of muses, I use realistic face claims or AI art. I don’t use anime or drawn, they make me uncomfortable for some reason. I require the same for my writing partners. Overall, I’m looking for a friend as well as a writing partner. I’m really hoping to bond and create a really beautiful friendship, it makes writing together all the more fun. If for any reason you are no longer interested then please tell me! I won’t take offence. I’d just rather know! I am fine with darker topics and tropes. Moving on to tropes —

I love the following tropes, but as much as I try to include all of them, there will be some I miss so please bring them all to me if you have one you love that isn’t included because chances are, I adore it too. •. — Enemies to lovers, childhood friends to enemies to lovers, fated mates, villain gets the girl, anti hero’s, morally grey characters, found family, forbidden lovers, star crossed lovers, human x fantasy creature, human turned fantasy creature, traumatic pasts, grumpy x sunshine, rivals to lovers, kingdoms at war, any war themed plots, one bed, teaching one to fight, strong female characters, dark male muses, dark powers, hates everyone but them trope, stabby women, intense sexual tension, men who simp over their women, touch her / him and die, height differences, sun x moon, spicy female muses. There are so many more but I feel like I’ll be listing forever, please note I’m completely okay with darker themes too!! Onto fantasy creatures I enjoy but not limited too •. — Elves, Fae, Dragons, Vampires, Gods, Deities, Witches, Demons. Those are the only ones I can think of, my brain is going blank. Honestly, I like them all. Except, I don’t enjoy playing werewolf muses myself but that isn’t to say you can’t!!

We can double up or leave it as a 1x1 and I’ll be happy either way! I enjoy creating rich lore for our world and I love kingdoms and courts and realms and all those good things. You can either message me yourself or you can interact and I will reach out! I write on discord only, with that; I hope to hear from you soon.

Kisses.

interact if interested!