#also the romance is background for now bUT IT WILL HAPPEN I PROMISE

[faeofdusk]

Chapter 3 of Entropy is live~!

“Oh no…” Lance swallowed dry and raised his eyes to meet Keith’s. The shadows of the alley covered most of his features, but Lance’s eyes were accustomed enough to the dark that he could see the color vanished from his friend’s face. “You don’t think…” The silence between them was broken only by the dripping of water somewhere nearby and the hustling of the street connected to the alley. The former Red Paladin looked Lance in the eyes, and he knew Keith had also understood their situation. “We traveled through time.”

--

In which Lance and Keith are sent to a future where Voltron lost the war against the galra, and now must find a way to get back to their original timeline else the universe is doomed.

[bengiyo]

Blue Canvas of Youthful Days: BL is So Good When The Characterization Holds

I've been enamored with this show as each week builds on the actions and information we previously received. I am white knuckling through the end of this show, because we have caught up with the prologue just past the midpoint (@benkaben). I've been thinking a lot about this show, so I want to get some of my thoughts down before any unwelcome turns happen.

Qi Lu Feels Recognizably Gay

I've been thinking a lot about Qi Lu since we had the attempted first kiss with East Palace, West Palace (1996) playing in the background (@twig-tea). The fact that he has this film implies that he's known about himself for a while and has been looking for resources online to feed this part of himself. He pushed for that moment, and he recognized the attraction in Qin Xiao.

Later, he doesn't allow Qin Xiao to play coy about what's going on with them. He also doesn't fold in on himself and collapse because he faced a rejection. He's one of the rare characters who Knows himself that has the response that feels more real to me when they get rejected by a boy they know likes them: they get mad.

I loved that Qi Lu got defiant and demanding about Qin Xiao. He's totally wrong (@lurkingshan), but it was so correct for the position he's in. He's stifled by his dad, and beaten for showing any defiance. He's clearly lacking in other friendships. I completely get Qi Lu becoming possessive of Qin Xiao, and getting frustrated that Qin Xiao wouldn't return his feelings.

I'm also enamored with the way he seems to see past Qin Xiao's threats of violence. There's something so specific about a gay man who regularly suffers beatings from his father recognizing the false bravado behind Qin Xiao's own threats, and choosing to respond with gentleness to it every time. I'm still thinking about him kissing that man's fist in episode 8.

Like any young person caught up in their first romance, they're enjoying the honeymoon phase and promising things that will surely cause us immense pain. Still, Qi Lu is one of my favorite gay boys of the year, because he didn't get smaller when he faced rejection. He got bigger and stubborn. I love him.

Qin Xiao is a Great Romantic Lead

Zhang Xuan Yu is killing it as Qin Xiao. He is perfectly calibrated to be the kind of man any young gay would fall for.

He's a talented artist that has a strong moral center. He is willing to learn new ways to communicate to take care of the people that matter to him. He is caring for a sick grandparent. He's also so beautiful.

Even his rejection of Qi Lu is attractive. He's obviously drawn to Qi Lu, but this was not what he had in mind for his life. He's also leery of the big economic and social lines between them. He's got gangsters showing up at his place of work to threaten him.

But how can he stay away? As soon as he got a little bit jealous, he broke at the persistent kindness of Qi Lu. They let themselves feel what's happening between them and it looks so comfortable. I'm so ready for all of the drama to come, and I am crossing my fingers that we don't get a traumatizing ending to justify this getting past the censors.

Teacher Liu is a Mess and I Love Him

This man needs to get his shit together, but goddamn am I invested. He started helping a guy who reminded him of the brother whose death he feels responsible for, only to fall for that young man. Now his sensibilities as a teacher are clouding the issue for him, and he's lying to that boy. What a disaster of a man. I love him.

I was a teacher, and I have been in the position this man was in when he faced down Qi Lu's father. I've had to say the correct things to a parent to diffuse a situation where I was worried for my student's safety. I've also been in the position of having to tell gay kids between the lines to focus on their responsibilities over their relationship issues without saying anything that could be seen as me not meeting the responsibility of a teacher to report behavior. You have to maintain a level of plausible deniability that I find myself connecting to with Teacher Liu.

That being said, he's doing wrong by Tan Yin, and I'm glad Tan Yin is assertive about what's happening with them. I don't think this would work as a drama if the show didn't show us constantly that it knows Liu is a fuck up here.

We're Really In it Now

As we enter the final two weeks of this show, I remain cautious about how we'll finish. However, regardless of how this show ends, we've had eight incredibly strong episodes that show us that the people behind this know what story they're telling. If their ending feels contrived and doesn't make sense, I hope that it feels like something that was forced on them. In either case, I wanted to write about how strongly I've responded to the first eight episodes, because this is one of the most satisyfing experiences I've had as a viewer this year. I am amazed that we got this, Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo, and Love in the Big City all at the same time.

I clearly just need to hold out for fall every year.

[nanaosaki3940]

Korean Manhwa/Webtoon Recommendation List (Romance-Fantasy Genre)

I recently got into the romance-fantasy (rofan) genre of Korean manhwa/webtoons and wanted to make a recommendation list about it. This is a recommendation list but I want to briefly talk about some newly released rofan manhwa that I really liked.

(My recommendation list will be divided into different categories so you'll be able to understand what kind of stories they are...)

So recently, I got into these newly released rofan manhwas:

The Wicked Ladies in Waiting 

The Promise Isn't Mine 

Turning the Mad Dog into a Genteel Lord 

Fallen to Paradise 

I Swear We're Just Friends 

Please Don’t Reply!

High Society 

The Wicked Ladies in Waiting

Yulia, who was born an orphan, was killed in exchange for falling in love with the Young Master of the Marjoram Family and was left on a snowy mountain. But when she opened her eyes, at the same location as any other day, she was rescued by the Commander of the Imperial Army, Carus. She was hit by a curse of being unable to die, and this is now her 8th life. After realizing that she would be stuck in the loop forever if she didn't take down the Marquis, she became a servant (2nd prince's lady-in-waiting) within the Palace to utilize the Royal Family’s power to demolish the Marjoram Family in her 8th life. I really love both the FL and the ML here. At first, the ML was suspicious of her when she revealed the truth to him in her 8th life that she had regressed back to the past 8 times, and each and every time she died in various ways, she encountered the ML and he somehow always tried to save her each and every life (even though he doesn't have the memories of his previous 7 lives like the FL). To make him believe her, she offered him help by predicting some future events that were going to occur later on because she had already seen or known about those events from her previous 7 lives. In this way, the FL saved the ML and his comrades' lives in this 8th life, and because of that the ML believed her regression story and offered to help her lifetime. Their relationship progressed well from suspicious strangers to trustful allies. Although we haven't seen much of them yet, I'm still waiting for some romance and fluff to happen in their relationship. The 2nd prince whom she works for and the 1st lady-in-waiting who is her colleague are also interesting characters and have immediately become the FL's good friends and strong allies just like the ML. The FL is strong, smart, and lovable, and the whole revenge plot is really interesting. You would love to see her succeed in her missions. Highly recommend this manhwa/webtoon.

The Promise Isn't Mine

When her twin sister Leyla, the Holy Maiden, suddenly disappears one day, the ordinary Elena finds herself having to marry Crown Prince Kyle, a man infamous for his ruthlessness, in her stead. After a dreadful marriage ceremony, Kyle demands that a certain promise be fulfilled, to Elena’s confusion. Elena and Kyle are actually childhood sweethearts btw. They've both been in love with each other since their younger days. The ML immediately realized who she was, but she didn't recognize him; although she does vaguely remember him from her past, but doesn't know that the man she married is the same boy from her teenage days. I can't wait for her to realize who he actually is; that he's her childhood sweetheart. Also, it's kinda funny how the ML and FL look like Iske and Ruby from "How To Win Over My Husband". However, this ML is a whole lot different from Iske since the ML is genuinely nice, kind, and caring towards the FL from day one. And not to mention that he's still in love with her and immediately recognizes her after meeting her so many years later again. Highly recommend this series.

Turning the Mad Dog into a Genteel Lord

Diarin, a priestess without any noteworthy family background or connections, always gets the toughest assignments. So when her boss tells her to help Ceres, a war hero, reintegrate into society, she decides to stop being a pushover and get as much as she can out of it, including a juicy promotion. But upon reaching Ceres’ manor, she’s greeted by a growling hound instead of a human. Tasked with the impossible job of turning the mad dog into a proper gentleman, she dedicates herself to caring for him. But his unexpected obsession with her was never part of her plan. This one is my No. 1 personal favorite at the current moment!! You can tell by the pictures how funny and hilarious this series is. I won't tell you guys anything more. Just go and read this one as quick as possible!! STRONGLY recommend this series!!!

Fallen to Paradise

Ange, the daughter of Duke Glaster, believes her life is all planned out as she is set to marry Philip Cardiner, the rightful heir to the throne. However, her plans are disrupted when Philip's brother, William Cardiner, schemes against him and removes him from the line of succession. In order to secure his power, William forces Ange to marry Aiden Fitzroy, an illegitimate child born between the emperor and a commoner. Will Ange learn to love the humble stranger she was forced to marry? Another hilarious yet very cute manhwa!! At first, the FL didn't like the fact that she was getting married off to the illegitimate son of the emperor and that the ML lived in the countryside and was also a farmer. The ML also found her a nuisance in the beginning because of her whining and throwing tantrums, but as time went on and they started to understand each other, they began to fight less and tried to get along. Romance also started to blossom between the two as they went on with their lives in the countryside on the farm by planting crops and vegetables and raising cows and pigs. I love how the FL, who was the Duke's daughter and was once the next crown princess, is now just a military officer/farmer's wife, and yeah sure, in the beginning, she used to complain about everything and anything, but she quickly went through a major character development, and now instead of whining and throwing tantrums, she tries to understand her husband and even willingly participates in the farming works. The ML was cold at first and found her annoying, but eventually he also later tried to understand her and her situation and started warming up to her. Very cute manhwa!! Highly recommend this!!

I Swear We're Just Friends

When Rienne transfers to the elite Alena Academy, she never expects Karcion, the most popular mage in school, to recruit her into his club and she definitely doesn't think he'll fall for her! But the grumpy Karcion soon makes it clear how much he adores her, and she starts finding him too cute to ignore. Still, he's a future duke and she's a commoner, so Rienne knows his feelings won't last. Can Karcion magic his way out of the friendzone? Or will Rienne prove they're just friends after all? A typical high school setting kinda story with enemies to lovers troupe; the only twist is that it's a historical fantasy story, not your typical modern high school romance. The FL is a cool smart girl and I loved her from the start. Meanwhile, at first, the ML is also shown to be this cool smart dude and is very popular in school but later it is revealed that he's actually a big tsundere crybaby and is very expressive when showing emotions which makes the FL want to tease him more and more whenever they interact. Since it's a high school romance in a historical fantasy setting, it has a different spin to it and has made the read very much enjoyable which was unexpected. Definitely check this one out! Highly recommend this series.

Please Don't Reply!

What’s worse than someone who leaves you on read? How about someone who doesn’t know when to end the conversation? Mira Hexen is cursed to always be the last one to reply for a whole year or she will be turned to stone. But that’s a bit difficult when you’re the chief of a company that produces a massively successful messaging device. Mira’s latest VIP client is Euryx Deyra, an extremely friendly duke who feels the need to respond to every little thing she says. If only she could just tell him to shut up already...! By reading the synopsis you can already tell where this story is going. Read only 4 chapters and found it really cute, funny, and wholesome. Definitely worth checking out. Highly recommend this as well!!

High Society

While scheming to get out of an arranged marriage, Cesare runs into Adele, a shoeshine girl from the slums. The two make a 3-month deal to help Cesare elude marriage. However, Adele is so different from the women he's met before that he can't help but be drawn to her. Okay, so this series might not be everyone's cup of tea since the ML is a super red flag, and the FL is kinda like a doormat. Sure she fights back from time to time, but since she's under a contract with the ML and he's the Duke of a powerful ducal family, she always can't say anything she wants to him. At first, the ML didn't care that much about her and didn't see her as a woman with whom he could have a potential romantic relationship but as time went on, he fell more for her beauty and personality, but there was a problem - the ML had already introduced the FL to the high society that she was his blood-related little sister. Now how could he have a romantic relationship with his so-called "blood-related little sister"? The thing is, the ML was trying to get out of this arranged marriage alliance that was set with this crazy woman from another powerful ducal family. But this marriage alliance was very important for political reasons and also to maintain a good relationship between those two families in the empire. But the ML didn't want to marry that crazy woman, so he found the FL (who was willing to help him out btw) on the streets one day, took her in, and used her as a shield to stay away from that marriage. How so? By offering the FL as the bride of that crazy woman's little brother. The FL would get married off to that crazy woman's brother while the ML won't have to marry that crazy woman anymore, and therefore with that, the alliance would still be made between the families without him getting married, of course. But what is he gonna do about this situation now that he's falling for the FL? Is he gonna let the FL go and let her get married to that crazy woman's little brother? Or is he gonna seduce her and make her his and only his?? The ML is super toxic and a huge red flag, but he's so fucking beautiful that I just can't, y'all!!! Like, look at his dimples OMG!!! Although the ML is super toxic and a major scumbag at times, the story is still super engaging not gonna lie. Highly recommend this to check it out!!

Also, here's the link to the photo gallery of Cesare Bonaparte, a toxic yet sexy and beautiful male lead - Link

Now the entire recommendation list I mentioned earlier:

Regression Genre (the FL goes back to the past):

The Fantasie of a Stepmother 

The Redemption of Earl Nottingham

Marriage of Convenience 

Baroness Goes on Strike 

Please Marry Me Again!

June Peach

Saving My Sweetheart 

My Sweet Enemy, Thy Name is Husband

I'm the Queen in This Life

I Am the Real One

The Contracted Grand Duchess 

The Villainess Lives Again 

The Taming of the Tyrant

Leveling Up My Husband to the Max

Why Are You Obsessed With Your Fake Wife? 

Adeline's Darkest Night

I Tamed My Ex-husband’s Mad Dog 

The Empress of Ashes 

The Tyrant Wants to Be Good 

The Duke's Bored Daughter is My Master 

Rewriting My Husband's Tragic Ending 

You Mustn't, Your Majesty! 

I Shall Master This Family 

My In-Laws Are Obsessed With Me 

The Villain’s Daughter Plans To Run Away 

The Grand Duke is Mine 

Seducing the Lady's Lover 

The Villainess Needs Her Tyrant 

Crazy Like a Fox 

So I Married the Abandoned Prince 

While I'm Back in Time, I'll Get My Revenge 

Are We Still in Love? 

I Accidentally Tamed the Duke 

I’m Done Being Your Best Friend 

I Tamed the Male Lead Who Tried to Kill Me 

The Villainess's Road to Revenge 

The Villainess Behind the Mask

The Crimson Lady

Please Obsess Over Me

Let Me Die in Peace!

Libera Me

What the Duke Picked Up in the Forest

Peony: Dreaming of the Dangerous Grand Duke

Reincarnation/Transmigration Genre (the FL is reincarnated/transmigrated into a novel/webtoon/otome game)

I Am the Villain (Sejji) 

My Little Tyrant

Secret Lady 

Not Your Typical Reincarnation Story

The Villainess is a Marionette

Author of My Own Destiny

Father, I Don't Want this Marriage

The Monster Male Lead Living Under My Bed

Behold the True Villainess

Beware the Villainess!

Villains are Destined to Die

I Fell Into a Reverse Harem Game!

I Met The Male Lead in Prison

An Extra Stole the Male Leads

I Will Become the Villain's Poison Taster

Elissa's Whirlwind Marriage

Fortune-Telling Lady

How to Win My Husband Over

The Villainess's Maker

Viola Tames the Duke

The Beloved Bashful Villainess

My Ray of Hope

Who Made Me a Princess?

The Heiress's Double Life

The Villainess's Blind Date Is Too Perfect

Why Raeliana Ended up at the Duke's Mansion

Writing My Male Lead's Happily Ever After 

Villain Duke's Precious One

My Sister Picked Up the Male Lead

I Bought Land, Not a Man!

Just the Male Lead's Friend

The Villainess Flips the Script!

I Met the Male Lead in Prison

The Viridescent Tiara

Philomel the Fake

I Married the Male Lead's Dad

The Villainess's Stationery Shop

The Rules of Rose Ivy Manor

The Tyrant's Only Perfumer

Your Ultimate Love Rival

I Hold the Tyrant's Heart

I’ll Become the Heroine in This Life

I Became the Tyrant's Dishonest Adviser

Divorcing My Tyrant Husband

Contractual Marriage to a Surly Duke

It Was Love at First Sight, Mr. Villain! 

Lia's Bad Ending

The Villainess Just Wants To Live In Peace!

How to Tame the Merciless Villain 

Grand Duke of the North 

The Monster Duke Mistook Me for His Wife

The Fake Saintess Awaits Her Exit 

The Terminally Ill Villainess Refuses Adoption 

Wicked No More 

I Became the Young Villain’s Sister-In-Law 

I Became the Villain's Mother 

I Became the Mother of the Evil Male Lead 

The Sea Captain's Bride 

Living as the Villain’s Stepmother 

The Rewards of Marriage

Flirting with The Villain's Dad

Childcare Diary With the Villain 

I Became The Stepmother Of An Irrevocable Dark Family

Beloved by the Male Lead's Nephew

I Ended Up Raising the Children of the Female Lead and Male Lead 

I've Become a True Villainess 

I Didn't Mean to Seduce the Male Lead!

Becoming the Obsessive Male Lead's Ex-Wife

My Personal Favorite Transmigration Stories:

Kill The Villainess

Charming the Duke of the North

The Strong Empress:

Remarried Empress 

I Abdicate My Title of Empress

FL as Knights:

The Age Of Arrogance 

The Night Without Shadows 

Runaway mothers:

How to Hide the Emperor's Child

The Vanished Duchess

Smutty or Spicy Goods:

Please Kill My Husband

Winter Wolf

Beast’s Flower 

Tempting My Salvation 

The Bondservant

Toxic MLs:

My Husband Who Hates Me Has Lost His Memories

Bitten By The Dog I Abandoned

The Mistress Runs Away 

The Problematic Prince 

Others:

I Belong to House Castielo

Obsidian Bride

It Was All a Mistake

My Secretly Hot Husband 

Taming the Marquess 

Royal Marriage

Lady Evony

A Royal Princess with Black Hair

When You're in Love

Raising My Fiancé with Money

Catherine's Key to a Happy Life 

Lips Upon a Sword's Edge 

Little Rabbit and the Big Bad Leopard

I Stan the Prince

Becoming the Lady of the Cursed Ducal House

Betrayal of Dignity 

My Beloved Oppressor 

Your Eternal Lies

What It Means To Be You

Lies Become You

The Psycho Duke and I 

From BFF to Obsessive Hubby

I Listened to My Husband and Brought In a Lover

My Husband Changes Every Night

The Elegant Sea of Savagery

My Unexpected Marriage 

Seducing the Monster Duke

The Duke's Cursed Charm

Here Comes the Silver Spoon! 

I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

Married to a Duke Called Beast

I Don't Love You Anymore

Disobey The Duke If You Dare

When Fate Finds Us 

Like A Wind On A Dry Branch 

The Price of a Broken Engagement

My Three Tyrant Brothers

Searching for My Father 

A Tipsy Marriage Proposal for the Emperor

The Villainess Empress's Attendant 

Trash Will Always Be Trash

The Last Straw

Carnephelia's Curse is Never Ending

To My Husband's Mistress 

Go Away, Romeo 

Ones that came out this 2024, but I haven't check them out yet (but I will do it very soon...):

A Beast Swallowed by a Flower

Traces of the Moon

I Was Tricked Into a Fraudulent Marriage by the Obsessive Villain

An Unexpected Proposal

No, I Only Seduced the Princess?

Until The Real One Shows Up

I’m Unmarried With a Time-Limited Lover

The Youngest is Trying to Prevent the End of the World

Reasons for Avoiding the Perfect Guy

Confined Together with the Horror Game’s Male Lead

I Became The Tutor of The Royal Twins

Till Divorce Do Us Apart

I Thought You Were A Time-Limited Husband

Now Come and Regret

The Villainess Captured the Grand Duke

Corrupting the Heroine’s First Love

[tjalexandernyc]

All these books feature trans and nonbinary main characters. All these books got jokes. All these books have painfully earnest queer love stories that end happily 🌈😘

Some quick rundowns!

Chef's Kiss (2022) is the story of grumpy pastry chef Simone and her new sunshiney coworker Ray working at a gourmet magazine that's trying to pivot to video. They end up being forced to collaborate on a series while Ray comes out as nonbinary at at work. It's a slow burn with lots of hurt/comfort and craft beer. I have been told reading this has made people very hungry.

Chef's Choice (2023) is a sequel to Chef's Kiss but can stand alone. Luna, Simone's roommate, loses her job and is approached the same day by a French guy named JP who needs to hire a fake girlfriend. For inheritance reasons, they have to learn to cook a specific menu of haute cuisine to appease his culinary empire family. There is only one bed and lots of cheese plates. I THINK this is also the first (only?) T4T romance published by a big 5 house. (If anyone knows of any others, please tell me!)

Second Chances in New Port Stephen (2023) is about Eli, a trans man who returns to his hometown in South Florida for Christmas after many years away and the first time post-transition. He reconnects with his first boyfriend and childhood best friend, Nick, who is now a divorced single dad. This is a dual POV second chance romance about memory and trauma but I promise it's funny. It's also a tribute to elder millennials turning 40 and probably my most personal book so far. I have been informed that Nick's father, Mr. Wu, is the only perfect man and I tend to agree.

Triple Sec (2024) is about Mel, a bartender at a swanky NYC cocktail bar, who has an instant connection with a beautiful patron, but is crushed to find out Bebe is married. Luckily, polyamory exists and Bebe and Kade, her genderqueer wife, have an open marriage. Told in three parts, the story covers the budding romance between Mel and Bebe, the unexpected attraction between Mel and Kade, and finally all three of them getting together, with Mel's citywide cocktail competition happening in the background. It's fluffy, steamy, and has a fun little tie-in for fans of the Chef's books. This might also be the first poly romance published by a big 5? Contemporary, at least.

If you want to support my queer, trans books, please pick up a copy at your local indie bookstore or online, or get one from your library, or tell a friend you think might dig them. I want to keep writing books for queer and trans people for a very long time, and the only way I can do that is with your help!

[merlincersei]

Merlin BBC UK TV Show - Opinion Piece Part 23 - Who Is Arthur Really Talking About In This Scene?

Time and again when I revisit this particular scene between Arthur and Merlin (referenced below) I can't help but notice how much "Merthur" has been implicitly queer coded in this show.

______________________________________________________________

The scene I am talking about is in the Season 2 Episode 4 titled "Lancelot and Guinevere" .

This episode can be summarized as follows:

Gwen is mistaken for Morgana and is kidnapped by Hengist. Uther refuses to pay the ransom or send a rescue party to save a servant. Arthur defies his father and sets out with Merlin to rescue Gwen. ______________________________________________________________

After Arthur and Merlin escape from the Wilddeoren, they have the following scene:

While the casual viewer will look at this scene and state it is Arthur confessing his love for Gwen, however LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT THEME PLAYS FROM 0:55 SECONDS ONWARDS IN THE BACKGROUND OF THIS SCENE.

The theme it plays is Merlin's Arrival to Camelot:

Now ask youself why would the show put in "Merlin's Arrival to Camelot" theme in the background of a scene where Arthur is confessing his love for Gwen?

Especially when Arthur and Gwen already have a theme song called Gwen & Arthur Romance Suite.

Shockingly, the Gwen & Arthur Romance Suite is actually played in the background of a scene between Gwen and Lancelot when they kiss for the first time and Gwen states " As long as I live, my feelings for you will never fade."

Refer scene at 1:22 in the clip below:

____________________________________________________________

Going back to the scene between Merlin and Arthur, dont you think Arthur's description of Gwen can also be used for Merlin.

[EXT. FOREST, STREAM – DAY] [Arthur and Merlin wash off the Gaia berries by a stream.]

ARTHUR Gaia berries worked. Huh.

MERLIN You didn't know if they worked?

ARTHUR Not for sure.

MERLIN Now you tell me?! Oh! Oh, what's that Wildren eating? It's all right. It's just Merlin. You trying to get us both killed?

ARTHUR I'm sorry. I shouldn't've risked your life like that.

MERLIN Well, they do say love makes you do strange things.

ARTHUR What are you talking about?

MERLIN Why can't you just admit your feelings for Gwen?

[Arthur scoffs.]

MERLIN It's so obvious. A blind man could see it. Is it really that hard to admit you like her? Just say it. (MERLIN THEME STARTS TO PLAY)

ARTHUR I can't! How can I admit that I think about her all the time. Or that...I care about her more than anyone. How can I admit that...I don't know what I'll do if any harm comes to her?

(DID ARTHUR NOT RISK HIS OWN LIFE FOR MERLIN IN SEASON 1 EPISODE 4 THE POISONED CHALICE.

DID ARTHUR NOT FOLLOW MERLIN TO EALDOR IN SEASON 1 EPISODE 10 THE MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR A MERE SERVANT)

MERLIN Why can't you?

ARTHUR Because nothing can ever happen between us! (HOW TRUE! BBC SIMPLY WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED MERTHUR TO HAPPEN!) To admit my feelings knowing that...hurts too much.

MERLIN Who's to say nothing can happen?

ARTHUR My father won't let me rescue a servant. Do you honestly believe he'd let me marry one?

(IN SEASON 1 EPISODE 4 THE POISONED CHALICE. UTHER FORBADE ARTHUR TO RESCUE MERLIN AND EVEN HAD HIM IMPRISONED WHEN HE BROUGHT BACK THE CURE FOR MERLIN)

MERLIN You want to marry Gwen?

ARTHUR No! No...I...I don't know...It's all talk, and that's all it can ever be.

MERLIN When you're King, you can change that.

ARTHUR I can't expect Guinevere to wait for me.

MERLIN If she feels as you do, she'll wait for you.

(IN THE END OF THE SERIES, IT IS MERLIN WHO HAS BEEN WAITING FOR ARTHUR FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS!!)

ARTHUR We don't even know if she's still alive.

MERLIN No, she is. We will find her.

ARTHUR Come on. We've got a long trek ahead. Oh, and Merlin...if you dare tell anyone about this, I promise I will make your life a living hell.

MERLIN You mean, more than you already do?

ARTHUR Yeah.

MERLIN We could talk about your feelings while you walk.

ARTHUR Shut up, Merlin.

______________________________________________________________

I also managed to get a snapshot of a commentary Bradley James and Colin Morgan did for this particular episode and it is available on the DVD. Bradley's commentary is indeed very telling.

I REST MY CASE !!!

[insomniac4000]

Harry Lewis was never one to frequent coffee shops, preferring a tea especially if it was made with Guernsey milk but on this particular Wednesday morning, the cosy little café around the corner from his flat in London had called to him. Maybe it was the smell of freshly ground coffee before a shoot, or perhaps the allure of a quiet moment away from the endless hustle and bustle that defined his life as part of the Sidemen. He wasn’t sure. But as he stepped into the café, shaking the last remnants of sleep from his mind, he certainly hadn’t expected to be thrust into a whirlwind of nostalgia.

The place was nearly empty, save for a couple of people scattered around. Harry ordered his usual a chai latte and stood off to the side waiting to collect. As he waited he pulled out his phone, intending to catch up on messages or maybe scroll through Instagram, but before he could even unlock the screen, a voice from the past broke through the low hum of background chatter.

“Harry?”

He looked up, his heart skipping a beat as his eyes fell on a face he hadn’t seen in years. There, standing just a few feet away, was Violet, the girl he’d dated well, sort of dated back when he was 17 and still living in Guernsey. Time had softened her features in a way that made her even more beautiful than he remembered, with her warm brown eyes and that same infectious smile that had once brightened his days.

“Violet?” he stammered, his surprise evident.

She laughed, and it was a sound that immediately transported him back to those carefree island days. “What are the chances?” she said, stepping closer.

“Small world, huh?” he managed to say, standing up awkwardly, unsure whether to go in for a hug or just keep his distance.

They settled for a brief hug, the kind you give an old friend you haven’t seen in far too long. When they pulled apart, Harry couldn’t help but smile.

“What brings you to London?” he asked, genuinely curious.

“I moved here a couple of weeks ago for work,” she explained. “Needed a change of scenery. Guernsey started to feel too small after a while, you know?”

Harry nodded, understanding the sentiment all too well. “Yeah, I get that. London’s a different beast though. How are you finding it?”

“It’s overwhelming, but in a good way,” she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “And it’s been a bit lonely, to be honest. I don’t really know anyone here.”

“Well, you know me,” Harry said, the words tumbling out before he could second guess them. “We should catch up properly sometime.”

Violet's smile widened. “I’d like that.”

They exchanged numbers, promising to set up a time to hang out soon. As Harry picked up his drink and left the café, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something significant had just happened. He sipped his coffee, his thoughts lingering on the past, but now also considering the possibilities of what might lie ahead.

True to their word, Harry and Violet arranged to meet for dinner that weekend. Harry had picked out a small Italian restaurant tucked away in a quiet corner of the East London, a place that was cosy enough to talk but not too fancy to feel pretentious. As he waited for Emma to arrive, he couldn’t help but feel a flutter of nerves, a sensation he hadn’t experienced in years. It was ridiculous, he told himself they were just old friends catching up. But a small part of him wondered if this dinner was something more.

When Violet walked in, all doubts were momentarily pushed aside. She looked effortlessly chic in a simple black dress, her hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders. Harry stood to greet her, feeling that same rush of familiarity and attraction he’d felt in the café.

They talked and laughed over plates of pasta and glasses of wine, reminiscing about their teenage years in Guernsey. They recounted old memories skipping stones on the beach, late night chats on the cliffs, the awkwardness of their teenage romance. But as the evening progressed, the conversation naturally shifted to the present.

“So, what’s it like being in the Sidemen?” Violet asked, swirling the last of her wine in her glass.

Harry chuckled. “It’s mad, to be honest. I never imagined things would blow up like this. We’re always busy, always filming or planning something. But it’s fun, you know? The guys are like family at this point.”

“That’s amazing,” she said, genuinely impressed. “I’ve watched some of your videos—my little brother’s a huge fan.”

Harry grinned remembering the then six year old. “I’ll send him a shoutout in the next one.”

Violet laughed, shaking her head. “He’d love that.”

They continued to talk late into the evening, long after their plates had been cleared and the restaurant had started to empty out. There was a comfort between them that made the hours slip by unnoticed, a feeling of rightness that neither of them had expected but both felt.

As they left the restaurant, stepping into the cool London night, Harry walked Violet to her flat. They stood outside the building for a moment, the conversation lulling to a comfortable silence.

“I had a really great time tonight,” Violet said, looking up at him with a soft smile.

“Me too,” Harry replied, and for a second, he thought about leaning in to kiss her. But something held him back a mix of uncertainty and the remnants of his own insistence that this was just a friendly reunion. So instead, he simply smiled back. “We should do this again sometime.”

“I’d like that,” she echoed her words from before.

With a final smile, she turned and disappeared into her building, leaving Harry standing alone on the pavement. He walked back to his flat, his thoughts swirling. What had started as a casual dinner with an old friend had left him with more questions than answers. He liked Violet—more than he’d anticipated. But was he ready to explore that, especially with how complicated his life had become?

Over the next few weeks, Harry and Violet began hanging out more regularly. They went to museums, explored different neighbourhoods, and even attended a couple of small gigs together. It was easy and fun, and Harry found himself looking forward to their time together more than he wanted to admit.

Of course, the rest of the Sidemen began to notice.

One afternoon, Harry was at the studio ready to record a Sidecast, when Simon walked in, a knowing smirk on his face.

“Hey Bog”

Harry glanced up from his phone. “What’s up?”

Simon plopped down on the couch next to him. “How's your new girlfriend?”

Harry felt his face heat up slightly. “We’re just friends catching up.”

“Sure, mate,” Simon said, drawing out the words with a teasing lilt. “But you’re not fooling anyone. We’ve all seen how much you’ve been smiling recently. And the fact she's a woman and you're actually talking to her”

Harry rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the small grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. “It’s not like that. We’re just having fun, that’s all, and I already know her which helps with the awkwardness.

Simon raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Uh-huh. And how long do you think that’ll last before one of you catches feelings?”

“We dated ages ago, man,” Harry protested. “We’re past all that. We’re different people now.”

“Yeah, well, just be careful,” Simon said, more seriously this time. “You know how these things can get complicated. But if you like her, don’t be a muppet about it.”

Harry didn’t respond immediately, instead pretending to focus on his laptop screen. But Simon’s words echoed in his mind long after their conversation ended.

Weeks passed, and as summer turned into autumn, Harry found himself increasingly conflicted. Despite his insistence that his relationship with Violet was purely platonic, he couldn’t ignore the way his heart beat a little faster whenever she was around, or the way his thoughts drifted to her whenever they were apart. Still, he pushed those feelings aside, determined not to ruin what they had by overcomplicating things.

Then came the night that changed everything.

It was a Friday, and the Sidemen had decided to hit the town for a rare night out. They invited Violet to join them, and she agreed, much to Harry’s excitement and slight anxiety. The group met at a trendy bar in Soho, and as the drinks flowed, so did the laughter.

Violet fit in effortlessly with the group, charming everyone with her wit and easy going nature. Even JJ, who could be notoriously hard to impress, seemed taken with her. Harry watched as she bantered with his friends, a warm feeling spreading through his chest. For the first time in a long while, he felt content, like everything was exactly where it was meant to be.

As the night wore on, the group decided to move to a club nearby. The music was loud, the lights flashing in time with the bass that reverberated through the floor. The alcohol had loosened Harry’s usual reservations, and he found himself dancing with Violet, their bodies moving in sync with the rhythm.

At some point, they drifted away from the rest of the group, finding a quieter corner of the club. The mood shifted subtly what had been light and fun all night suddenly felt charged with an undercurrent of something deeper.

Violet looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the colourful lights of the club. “I’m glad we bumped into each other that day,” she said, her voice barely audible over the music, leaning into Harry's body more.

“Me too,” Harry replied, his voice low.

They stood there for a moment, the world around them fading into the background. Then, before he could talk himself out of it, Harry closed the distance between them and kissed her.

It wasn’t a planned or carefully considered move just a moment of clarity in the middle of a chaotic night. And as soon as their lips met, Harry knew it was the right thing. Violet responded immediately, her arms wrapping around his neck as they deepened the kiss.

When they finally pulled apart, both of them breathless, Harry couldn’t help but smile. “Well, that changes things, doesn’t it?”

Violet laughed softly, her forehead resting against his. “Yeah, I guess it does.”

The next morning, Harry woke up with a sense of calm that he hadn’t felt in a long time. He and Violet had left the club together, talking and laughing all the way back to his flat.

Now, in the early light of day, the reality of what had happened began to sink in. But instead of the panic or confusion he might have expected, all Harry felt was a quiet certainty. He liked Violet a lot. And maybe it was time to stop pretending otherwise.

He turned to see Violet still asleep beside him, her face peaceful and content. Harry watched her for a moment, feeling a swell of affection that took him by surprise.

Just then, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. He picked it up, seeing a string of messages from the Sidemen group chat.

Simon: “So, Harry, you and Violet, huh? Called it. 😏”

JJ: “Don’t mess this up.”

Ethan: “About time, lad! Proud of you. 😂”

Harry chuckled, shaking his head at his friends’ teasing. But instead of feeling embarrassed or defensive, he found that he didn’t care what they thought. This was his life, and for the first time in a while, he felt like he was making the right choice.

He set his phone down and turned back to Violet, who was beginning to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, and when she saw him, she smiled.

“Morning,” she said, her voice still thick with sleep.

“Morning,” Harry replied, leaning in to kiss her forehead.

They lay there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the warmth of each other’s presence. Eventually, Violet shifted, propping herself up on one elbow.

“So, what happens now?” she asked, her tone light but with an edge of seriousness.

Harry took a deep breath, knowing that this was the moment to be honest, not just with Violet, but with himself. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “But I do know that I don’t want to pretend anymore. I like you, Violet. I’ve liked you for a while now, and I want to see where this goes if you do too. Ever since I saw you in that coffee shop I just keep thinking back to us. We never really gave it a serious go when we were kids and then I moved, I think I want to take this more seriously.”

Violet's smile widened, and she reached out to take his hand. “I’d like that.”

[justanotherflemethstan]

I have finally finished Veilguard. I have already voiced my critiques (critique 1, critique 2, critique 3 & critique 4) and I largely stand by them. so instead, here are 5 things I absolutely loved about Dragon Age The Veilguard.

1. Mourn Watch

Mourn Watch, Mourn Watch, Mourn Watch. Wow. wwowowowow. Everything, from Rook's background, their interactions with Emmrich and unique Mourn Watch dialogue options throughout the game, to the location and the lore and Myrna & Vorgoth, was Perfect. I wouldn't change a single thing and the only difficulty I have with the Mourn Watch faction is not making all of my future Rooks Mourn Watchers too. If bioware makes Mourn Watch themed merch I will buy ALL of it. if any of you are making Mourn Watch themed merch please hmu.

(also, can I just say, I bet that at least one of people responsible for Mourn Watch has read The Locked Tomb. you just can tell, and I say that as a compliment)

2. Grand Necropolis

Is it a cheat to have the first two points be kind of about the same thing? Who cares. The Grand Necropolis was AMAZING. I could spend an entire game within its walls and never leave. In fact, I WANT to spend an entire game within its walls. We need a Grand Necropolis DLC. I want to know EVERYTHING there is to know about its lore and its customs. I am truly obsessed. Special thanks to all the level artists and level designers involved in making Grand Necropolis happen.

3. Davrin and his romance

Davrin's romance was just breathtaking. Him and my Rook felt like soulmates and I loved loved loved every interaction they had. Everything from Davrin's character and his story arc to the voice acting and the way his romance with Rook was written is just fantastic. I probably won't be able to romance him again bc I ship him with my canon Rook so hard. Davrin easily goes into my Top 5 favourite Dragon Age characters of all time.

4. Combat

I've played a sword and board warrior and I had a blast. I was playing on Normal/Adventurer difficulty and admittedly by the end of the game my Rook became a bit OP and was insta killing almost everything that moved and bosses took about 8-10 hits. But I'm really really looking forward to experiencing the other classes and experimenting with different builds/party comps/difficulty settings. The combat was truly a highlight of this game for me and I'd say that it's probably my favourite Dragon Age combat system of all the 4 games now. Which is really not something I expected to say going into the game.

5. Companions and their personal quests

The devs promised us a diverse and lovable set of companions and imo they truly delivered. I liked doing companions' personal questlines the most, and I loved how they were all very different and didn't follow the same structure or story beats. Companions also all had different personalities and quirks and their interactions with each other were memorable and kept me engaged with the game even when I was struggling through some of the slower parts. The Veilguard did indeed deliver on The Veilguard.

___

I know all these are pretty subjective and I appreciate that everyone might have a different experience with any or all of the above points. I just felt it'd be only fair to be as vocal about the parts of the game I enjoyed as I was about the things I didn't like.

[optimistic-violinist]

Hot Take: Magnifico learning magic and learning how to protect the wishes would've been a better plot for Wish.

Think of it. We start with a town on fire and see Magnifico running away. Maybe he gets caught by the villain. "Any last wishes?" Maybe we see his parents or siblings tackle the villain and tell him to run only for him to watch them be killed (off screen of course).

We get a shot of our villain. I'm thinking a very Shan Yu-like from Mulan. Just, evil. Pillager. Bad Guy.

Magnifico escapes. Since he's gonna be voiced by Chris Pine still (of course), we get the ROTG voice over. "I never saw them again. I never saw my home again. And I vowed that that would never happen again. But that was a long time ago." Cue musical sting, pan up to the night sky and wishing star, title.

Fast forward, Magnifico is now a teenager. Has an adopted mother, living in a cottage in the woods or something near town. He's trying to study magic in his free time, his mother is worried about him getting in over his head. He wants to apply for the magic school in the town. Cue song a la "When Will My Life Begin."

He takes the magic exam and isn't bad, but isn't good enough. Maybe they're snobs, maybe it's really that he failed fair and square.

Note: Amaya also lives in this town. They're friends.

Breakdown that night. Cue "So I Make This Wish," almost verbatim and summons... STAR!

Humanoid Boy Star from the concept art, specifically.

They get talking. Magnifico is obviously starstruck (ba dum tish).

M: "you're, you're---"

S: stupendous, extraordinary, splendiferous?

M: magnificent

Cue discussion about why he's out there wishing, the magic exam, why he wants to learn magic, and Star offers to teach him.

Not sure what happens here. Probably mini-quest to get magic books or items. Upbeat montage song. At the end, hint that the bad guy is coming to destroy this town now.

Somewhere in here, we befriend Amaya more and Magnifico starts to fall in love with her. Cue cute romantic song, something about wishing for each other. Star in the background a la Eponine from Les Mis. NOW we can either go romance or friendship route: either way, there is pining about how he is a cosmic entity, ageless, can't stay forever, and Magnifico is going to grow up and do great things without him.

Oh no!! Bad guys are suddenly a lot closer! We've got to prep and do something! Potentially an ensemble/town song. Culminates in Star asking Magnifico what his wish really is. We see his wish is founding Rosas with Amaya at his side. Star reassures him that that's exactly what he's going to do and teaches him how to take and protect wishes. We got a duet a la "For Good" between them. Star tells him that he's going to be magnificent.

Big battle against the bad guys! Magnifico with his really cool sorcery powers! He takes the Bad Guy's wish to harm people and makes him forget it. Magnifico also gets a cool "Defying Gravity" song here with some line about promising to protect people's wishes and if he should ever fail or use that power for evil, may he be cursed or something. Foreshadowing, y'know?

We get one last goodbye as Star goes to leave. Do they kiss? Maybe. Do they have A SUPER TIGHT TENDER HUG FULL OF LOVR AND CARE. ABSOLUTELY. I LIVE FOR THAT. Probably a reprise of one of the songs here.

Fast forward once more to Magnifico as a young adult with Amaya, sailing on a ship as they discover the island that will become Rosas.

Fin.

[blackbird5154]

Fanfiction masterlist

Hey! I'm Blackbird, She/Her, and I'm a Ghost fic-writer and artist! I write texts in Russian and then translate them into English. If you read in Russian or are ready to use an automatic translator, here is my main account with all my works. For English-speaking readers, I've made this masterlist with my translations.

The Third Advent [ru] [en]

Summary: After Papa Emeritus III was deposed and killed by his fellow believers, he laid in a coffin for five years. But nothing in the world lasts forever, not even death. After returning from the dead, Papa intends to take revenge on everyone who betrayed him. It's time to check the common statement that revenge is sweet.

Tags: Gen, Action/Adventure, Revenge, Resurrection, Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, Mysticism, Friendship, Romance, Character Study, Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Majesty [ru] [en]

Summary: Just two words: a glove kink. If you don’t have it yet, now you will. Yes, THOSE gloves.

Tags: Papa Emeritus III x fem!Reader, Smut, 18+, priest kink, hand kink, glove kink, petting, foreplay, soft dom

Pleasures of Hell [ru] [en]

Summary: Papa Emeritus has decided to give you a little lesson in arithmetic. It promises to be a long night.

Tags: Papa Emeritus III x fem!Reader, Smut, 18+, Heartbeat Kink, Cunnilingus, Petting, Oral Sex, Dirty Talk, Manual stimulation, Mention of sexual trauma

Hide and Seek [ru] [en]

Summary: Something about Terzo's irresponsible attitude to work meetings. The fic is dedicated to the kink "silent sex".

Tags: Papa Emeritus III x fem!Reader, PWP, smut, oral sex, silent sex, church sex, toe flirting, Papa is a little bit a dominant bitch but it won't be for long))

The stars go out at dawn [ru] [en]

Summary: This fic is written under the impression of the song by Spiritual Front 'Choose Death'. Please listen to it, it's just amazing.

Tags: Papa Emeritus III x Cirice, 18+, Angst, Loss, Farwell, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Love, Foreplay, Petting, Manual stimulation, Mention of Religion

Black Mass (In Freestyle) [ru] [en]

Summary: While researching materials on sexual magic, I came across what is known as “energy pumping”. Never has a ficwriter gotten better carte blanche on the justifiable use of the “orgasm control” kink. So… satanic sex instructor Terzo Emeritus at your service!

Tags: Papa Emeritus III x fem!Reader, PWP, smut, Vaginal Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Nipple Play, Begging, Orgasm Control, Cunnilingus, Oral Sex, Soft Dom, Manual stimulation, Foreplay, Overstimulation, Mention of Religion

Herodias [ru] [en]

Summary: These are musings inspired by looking at one particular music magazine cover. Warning: a realistic description of a severed head.

In a Kingdom by the Sea [ru] [en]

Summary: What if we imagine that Terzo was not only a Papa, but also a papa...?

Analytics

I also write analytical notes. It's important to me to not only fantasize, but to research the character!

Encyclopedia of Terzo

Thanks to the research of concerned fans, there is quite a lot of material about Terzo's personally. It occurred to me to collect them in one post for those who want to get acquainted with the canonical image of Terzo. This catalogue uses materials from two users, Cityofmeliora's and myself. You can use them for fanfiction or just for your own amusement.

Papa Emeritus III: The analysis of mythological references [ru] [en]

This analysis is based on the Prologue to Meliora written by Peter Bebergal. At first glance, this text may seem like a set of nonconnected paragraphs, as well as the music video "From the Pinnacle to the Pit" can be considered as a simple cutting of scenes from old movies. But together these two materials can shed light on the mythology of the Meliora Era and the story of Papa Emeritus III - his origin, background and motives. Let's try to understand how it happened that in the image of Papa combined three mythological characters: Prometheus, Icarus and Lucifer.

Some possible sources of inspiration for Meliora design [ru] [en]

It is known that when creating Meliora, Tobias Forge was inspired by the movie "Metropolis" and the art deco style of the 1920-30s. Here I want to share my findings of some borrowed elements in the third era.

I am always interested to hear your feedback and love to debate. If you have something you'd like to say, please leave comments. It helps to keep writing!

Also, here is my fanart archive.

[gingergofastboatsmojito]

It was a documentary, not a series, that's why we were not satisfied because we wanted fiction, not a docuseries.

This only solidifies my POV, which I have already gone over on the Under The Table Podcast and in many previous entries on my blog, about the whole problem with S3 being in the WR. Coming from a very solid S2 and amazing S1 award season, only made matters worse, of course.

Viewers appreciate realism, as a matter of fact the kind of audience The Bear appeals to is the kinda public that digs realism and adult content, with lots of cussing, raw directorial style, fast-paced, etc. We are not the typical rom-com or even drama series audience. The Bear became a hit show back in 2022 because its eps were fast-paced, with a dramedy quality that made it original, lots of adult language, and with a hint of sexual tension that was "promising" if explored in future seasons, that at that point were not confirmed yet. S2 was ordered in July 2022 in the middle of the momentum the show was starting to get, and shot from February to April 2023, then it premiered in June 2023, only to compete now, in this award season that opened a few weeks ago at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Meaning: the reason why S3 didn't work as expected, and the numbers back that up that is why they haven't released them yet, is because the writers were not able to write a BALANCED plot. Yes, it hit all the realistic marks in terms of mental health struggles and fine dining 7th circle of hell, but at the same time, it lost every other "ingredient" that it used to have. THERE IS A WAY to write the best of both worlds, and I certainly expected that coming from who I considered the best script writer out there, the sadist. And his right hand wired for romance, Miss Calo. They didn't do it. They disappointed me. They went all in with the docuseries' raw realism style of Carmy hitting rock bottom, which if you were really paying attention in S2 was nothing but PREDICTABLE → as I proved even before S3 premiered here and here but they didn't build towards a cliffhanger that left you wanting more, actually, 03X10 is altogether hard to watch, there's no balance like in FISHES 02x06, for instance, just one punch after the other, all below the belt, no comedy, no breather, just tragedy and more tragedy and more sense of doom and more PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! THAT'S IT, END THIS, PULL THE PLUG, STOP IT! etc... Like I said: No balance.

Storer only focused on Carmy's background story, but didn't give us anything we couldn't have figured out on our own anyway, he didn't explore Syd's background story, which should be a collection of gems and absolutely Sydcarmy friendly because the more we know about her, the better we will be able to figure out how will Sydcarmy happen and when (I already know when, but still) and he also focused on Tina's background story, IMO that was completely unnecessary as T is not a central character, what he showed there was also easy to guess anyway and could have been summarised in a couple of scenes, not an entire bottled episode, not when other characters are UNEXPLORED after 3 seasons. So basically, all the decisions made in terms of SCRIPT were WRONG. The acting was perfect, the direction was too, the soundtrack, the cinematography, all of it, but the foundation wasn't there because in the WR the creative decisions made for S3 were completely fucked up, we were served a docuseries as opposed to the fictional show with a realism bouquet we were watching the previous 2 seasons.

WE WANT TO WATCH FICTION, write it realistically, sure! BUT DON'T LOSE WHAT YOU HAVE SO FAR, DON'T MUTATE INTO A DOCUMENTARY OF ALL THAT'S WRONG IN THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR IN SOCIETY OR IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY, we already know that and if we don't, we can always tune in the motherfucking news, not FX, and certainly not Disney+. Thank you very much.

[wangxianficfinder]

In the mood for...

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1. Hiii~ hope you all are well!! for ITMF, do you know of any fics where lwj or wwx is chubby/fat? and maybe some body worship of their fatness?

check out the chubby!Wei ying tag!

Do Not Eat More Than Three Bowls by GalliumYttriumArsenicFluorine (E, 6k, LWJ & WWX & OCs, Belly Kink, Weight Gain, Stuffing, belly stuffing, Feeding Kink, Feeder LWJ, Feeder WWX, Feedee LWJ, Feedee WWX, fat appreciation, pudge love, Body Worship, Body Image, Body Positivity, Consensual Kink, Verbal Humiliation, Humiliation kink, POV Alternating, Feedism, unintentional weight gain, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Chubby LWJ, Chubby WWX, Light Bondage, Dom/sub Undertones, Switch wangxian, WIP)

🔒 in your hands by everythingispoetry (T, 11k, wangxian, modern, Fluff, chubby LWJ, Weight Gain, Body Image, Body Positivity, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Secret Marriage)

Cessation by devinokaze (T, 6k, wangxian, canon divergence, YLLZ WWX, fluff, LXC pov) mentioned slightly in regards to LWJ

🔒 everything’s going to be discovered by everythingispoetry (M, 98k, wangxian, F/F, modern cultivation, reunions, soft wangxian, family feels, angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, disability) this is a pretty heavy cisswap fic involving disabling injury, so be mindful of that but it does feature chubby lwj and a positive attitude toward that from the important people.

~*~

2. Hello! ITMF mute!Wei Wuxian? Preferably canon era. Thank you!

you're the right time (at the right moment) by carmiemaybe (glazedlilies) (G, 1k, wangxian, Modern, Post-War, Soldier LWJ, mute WWX, Historical, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Feels, Crush at First Sight, Pining, Short & Sweet, Romance)

The Untamed Retelling by DCandMARVELnerd (T, 86K, WIP, WangXian, Chronic Pain, Chronic Illness, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Injury Recovery, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Dysfunctional Family, Abuse, Retelling, Canon Rewrite, Friends to Lovers, Romantic Friendship, Developing Friendships, Love, Fluff, Angst and Feels, Selectively Mute WWX)

Muted by Akabara_13 (T, 46k, WIP, WangXian, Muteness, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Psychological Trauma, Panic Attacks, Anxiety Attacks, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Angst, For Want of a Nail)

~*~

3. Itmf fics where lxc (or another character, just not people who already knew about truth of bm etc) become aware of the dangerous lying politics that lead to wwx demise (untamed verse) as its happening. And it's like a political intrigue. Like I know there are some 'x-person goes to the burial mounds and sees the truth', but what about fics where people find out because of a dif reason?

ask until your heart gets it right by Stratisphyre (G, 6k, XuanLi, Implied XiYao, Background WangXian, Canon Divergence, Fluff and Humor, Unreliable Narrator JZX, Minor surprise pairing at the end, Fix-It, Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies) not sure it quite fits, but here's a (great!) fic where JXZ wins JGY's loyalty and the latter kinda spills the beans on the Qiongqi Path stuff. It doesn't get into the politics that much though.

~*~

4. I'm in a mood to know what you all are reading right now :D

backfire by spookykingdomstarlight (E, 53k, wangxian, LWJ/MXY, one-sided MXY/WWX, MXYY/NMJ, modern, BDSM AU, Biologically Determined Dom/sub Roles, BDSM, Bad BDSM etiquette, Sadism, Masochism, Past Sexual Abuse, Sexual Slavery, Self-Harm, BDSM as a Form of Self-Harm, Minor Character Death(s), Arson, Shades of Black Widow WWX, Extremely Dubious Consent, Rape/Non-Con Elements, Normalized Homosexuality and Bisexuality, Normalized Polyamory, Nonsexual BDSM, Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Pining WWX, Jealous WWX, Touch-Starved WWX, Professional Dominant WWX, Sex Worker WWX, Gentle Dom LWJ, Mean Dom LWJ, Oblivious LWJ, Past WC/WWX, Minor JGY/WWX, Mentioned WWX/Others, Emotional Infidelity, Angst with a Happy Ending, Endgame Wangxian, MXY Also Gets a Happy Ending, the tags are scary but i promise there's some lightheartedness too, wangxian love one another so much, WWX is healed by the power of nonsexual bdsm and friendship, and then gets bdsm'd quite sexually and happily by the love of his life, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, WIP) currently reading backfire over one squidgeworld!

🔒🧡 Rule Number One: Never get attached. by KizuKatana (E, 130k, WangXian, Modern AU, A/B/O, Criminal underworld AU, Fluff and angst, Crime boss LWJ, Rouge criminal genius WWX, Explicit Sex) Rereading this!

~*~

5. Itmf what is ur fav unexpected combo yet coolest crossover or fusion fic that you've read? Bonus points if it's not crossed with another MXTX work. I once read a rise of the guardian fusion that was very neat. Esp the begining.

🔒 and having a marvelous time by varnes (E, 108k, WangXian, Yúnmèng Siblings, Sound of Music AU, (i know!!! i know. stay with me on this.), Slow Burn, Mutual Pining, Family Feels, spies to lovers???, Protective Siblings, Sometimes You Just Want Your Dads To Admit They’re Your Dads, Angst with a Happy Ending)

🔒 some lovely, perilous thing by varnes (E, 24k, WangXian, Inception Fusion, Criminal Associates To Lovers, Heist Case Fic)

Wei Wuxian Makes a Wish series by natcat5 (M, 119k, wangxian, major character death, underage, madoka magica au, modern w/ magic, time travel, high school au, body horror, self-harm, angst w/ bittersweet ending, time loop, mental instability, suicidal thoughts) have not stopped thinking about this fic since I read it

If also love to see that rise of the guardians fic 👀👀👀

Castle in the Wastes by ailuridae (abigailnicole) (T, 41k, wangxian, Howl’s Moving Castle fusion, personified Chenqing, canon typical violence)

Diplomatic Incidents by Ariaste (M, 35k, WangXian, IB/DP, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Getting Together, Linguistics, Translation Spells, canon-typical borderline alcoholism, Fluff, a touch of angst for spice, being in love but not admitting you want to sleep together, Versus, sleeping together but not admitting you’re in love, Post-Canon, post-canon for MDZS anyway, during-canon for DAI)

Wei Wuxian is the Actual Bogeyman (no, really) by chatonnerie (T, 57k, WangXian, Rise of the Guardians AU, Crack, not gonna lie, i mean they literally call wwx the bogeyman my poor brain could not resist, TW:Death, I mean, Jack Frost cannonically dies)

🔒 Come by it Honestly by ladyshadowdrake (M, 25k, Geraskier, WangXian, The Witcher Crossover, Crossover, Adventure)

🔒Light Bearing Lord and The Patriarch by Anonymous (G, 3k, WangXian, Rise of the Guardians Crossover, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Relationship Reveal, Established Relationship, kind of crack, Crack Treated Seriously, WWX and LWJ are Guardians, but not just of Childhood, Implied Sexual Content, WWX and LWJ being Shameless)

🧡 Of Ghosts and Heroes by The Silverfish (ZephyrAndTheSilverfish) (T, 51k, AS & WWX, AS/YH, WangXian, BNHA/MHA Crossover, Dimension Travel, POV Outsider, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Angst)

❤️ More Questions than Answers by tiniestawoo (T, 2k, Sterek, WangXian, Teen Wolf Crossover, Curses, Curse Breaking, Modern with Magic, (alternate for CQL I GUESS?), Full Shift Werewolves, Beta DH, Demonic Cultivation, Crack Treated Seriously, Crack Crossover)

The Return Of the (Yiling) Sith by Zephyr (ZephyrAndTheSilverfish) (T, 23k, WangXian, SongXiao, Star Wars Setting, Hurt/Comfort, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Canon-Typical Violence, POV Alternating, The Force, Kidnapping, Pining, IN SPACE!) (Link in #7)

mountains, we met by fruitys (E, 79k, WangXian, Historical, The Handmaiden (2016) Fusion, Enemies to Lovers, Misunderstandings, Secret Identity, Touch-Starved, Sharing a Bed, Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Angst with a Happy Ending, falling for the person you’re supposed to be swindling: the love story, getting revenge on the people who manipulated you: the saga, and some cws……., Implied/Referenced Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Mental Health Issues, Emotional Manipulation, Blow Jobs, Rimming)

A Long Road by Vathara (T, 187k, WangXian, Fluff and Angst, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Scheming NHS, Necromancy, Fire, Ghosts, Accidental Child Acquisition, is it an accident if the ghosts keep bringing them?) a Heralds of Valdemar fusion! Caveat that it's necessarily butchered MDZS canon to fit into the Valdemar fantasy series, but it works.

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6. Are there fics where Madam Yu just really gets told off for how she treats people, though especially Wei Ying? I'd especially love to see Lan Zhan do it. Thanks!! @eebee

leading tone by silencemostofall (G, 32k, WangXian, Modern AU, Soulmates, with a lil twist, Eventual Happy Ending, lesbian wq rights, Music, Orchestra, platonic and romantic pining) it's pretty small part (but w big impact) near the end but it's there

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7. Hii ! For this time's itmf , I'm looking for a fic with a concept of there being a 'chosen one'

Kinda similar to this fic "So You Accidentally Kidnapped A Qilin by Mikkeneko" . It can be alternative universe or Canon , thank you♡ @karinasnowwwx

The Return Of the (Yiling) Sith by Zephyr (ZephyrAndTheSilverfish) (T, 23k, WangXian, SongXiao, Star Wars Setting, Hurt/Comfort, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Canon-Typical Violence, POV Alternating, The Force, Kidnapping, Pining, IN SPACE!)

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8. itmf a well-written role reversal fic where lan wangji dies instead of wei wuxian/ jiang yanli. Basically lan wangji dies, and the fallout

If I Could Go Back in Time by Runningbarefoot (M, 122k, WangXian, Canon Divergence, Role Reversal, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Pining, Angst with a Happy Ending, Grief/Mourning, YLLZ WWX, Eventual Happy Ending, The Twin Jade Brotherhood, Hurt/Comfort, Character Study, Twin Prides of Yúnmèng Dynamics, Slow Burn)

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9. Are there any fics in which wangxian fight/quarrel a lot?

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10. itmf lwj being roofied @jawla-mukhi

To keep you safe by Lookeri (T, 3k, wangxian, rape/non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Protective WWX, Drunk LWJ, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, No War AU, Hurt LWJ, WIP) Only one chapter posted so far though

The Lines of your Soul by athena_crikey (M, 24k, wangxian, LXC/NMJ, rape/non-con, Modern with Magic, photographic cultivation, sects as fucked up as ever, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, for blackmail purposes, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, stigma/judgement, Trauma, Emotional Whump, hurt/comfort, Yu-furen back on her bullshit, politics over people, WWX will always have a traumatic past, Panic Attacks, everyone! needs! THERAPY!)

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11. Hello! I was wondering if anybody knows a fic where LWJ and LXC have to switch places (the concept was mentioned in another fic I've read and I'd love to see what them attempting to act like the other could look like)

Two-Faced by nirejseki (Not Rated, 2k, LXC & NHS, LXC & JGY, Mistaken Identity, early reveal) probably not exactly what you're looking for but maybe worth a look. LXC pretends to be his brother as ?a prank? and it goes disastrously off the rails

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12. Hello! I'm in the mood for a wangxian fic that focuses on Lan Wangji's grief after Wei Wuxian's death and then his feelings throughout their reunion

hold me close by gentil-minou (Flyingsuits) (E, 13k, wangxian, Post-Canon, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Relationship, Porn with Feelings, Emotional Sex, Grief, Mental Health Issues, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, tender husbands being tender, 13 years of grieving followed by a life time of healing from it, Do you ever think about how lwj spent 13 years thinking he’d never get this, and then he gets it and how hard that must be to accept, because how could it be real how can he prove to himself, that it’s not all just another dream waiting to shatter is he being cruel to wy, for not believing it some days?, no? just me?, Character Study, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Working Through Grief With Sex, Grieving Your Husband While Fucking Him)

New Perspective Series by mrcformoso (T, 35k, WangXian, Angst, Hopeful Ending, Fatherhood, Regrets, Flashbacks, POV LWJ, LWJ-centric, Canonical Character Death - WWX, Pining LWJ, LWJ Has Feelings Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī Needs a Hug, Character Development, Dead WWX, Introspection, LWJ is Bad at Feelings, Character Study, Regretful, LWJ Breaking Toxic Cycles, Canon Compliant, LWJ in Seclusion, Post-LWJ in Seclusion, Child LSZ)

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13. hii, thank u for doing imtfs, can I get some fics which deal w additcion?? thanks @mercurygirlwt28

Say More by lettered (E, 95k, wangxian, LWJ/MXY, modern, Pining, Slow Burn, non-graphic drug use, non-graphic withdrawal, Drug Addiction, one suicidal thought, negative thought, wwx struggles with Mandarin and feeling connected to Chinese culture, Compulsory Heterosexuality, wwx kisses a girl, Sexuality Crisis, Gay Panic, some gender confusion and questions without serious gender questioning, incorrect definition of omnisexuality, Open Relationships, Masochistic Fantasies, non-graphic sadomascochistic realities, humiliation fantasies, Submission Fantasies, some D/s realities, one condomless blowjob, suggestions of some unhealthy co-dependence, Possessive Behavior, Slight Consensual Non-Consent, Frottage, the open relationship is not wangxian)

something so flawed and free by verseau (E, 59k, WangXian, Modern AU, College/University, Graduate School, Dom/sub, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Non-Sexual Submission, Kink Negotiation, Biting, Overstimulation, Cock Warming, Consensual Non-Consent, Spanking)

Lifelong Confidant by saved (E, 42k, wangxian, modern, Fluff and Angst, Past Character Death, Families of Choice, Explicit Sexual Content, Idiots in Love, Misunderstandings, Oblivious WWX, playing fast and loose with basic real life things, references to past alcoholism/substance abuse, Alcohol)

Cloud Nine Series by mssdare (E, 86k, WangXian, Modern AU, YouTube, Depression, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, Mental Health Issues, Mental Breakdown, Suicidal Thoughts, ASMR, youtuber LWJ, youtuber WWX, Social Media, Getting Together, getting better, Happy Ending, Intercrural Sex, Shower Sex, Sleepy Cuddles, Videoblogging, Sexual Dysfunction, Erectile Dysfunction, Medication, Touching, Anal Sex, Domestic Bliss, Nightmares, Cuddling & Snuggling, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, side effects of medication, Slow Pace)

🔒 watching my heart go round by typefortydeductions (E, 77k, wangxian, modern, developing relationship, grief/mourning, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, implied/referenced suicide, mental health issues, past alcoholism, dom/sub, BDSM, impact play, consensual non-con, dirty talk, objectification kink, dom LWJ, sub WWX, building a family, the work of getting better, sex in SSRIs, happy ending, breathplay, rimming, orgasm denial, safe word use)

The Life and Times of a Rock Star in Crisis by Hammsters (M, 62k, wangxian, Celebrity au, Modern, Hurt/Comfort, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Rehabilitation, Dysfunctional Family, Memories, Fluff and Angst, Rock Star WWX, Librarian LWJ, Libraries, Social Media, Paparazzi, WWX has earned his highly publicized mental breakdown, he worked hard for it, Grief/Mourning, Mental Instability, JC being a good brother)

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14. heyyy thanks for all your hard work! itmf any fics that involve lwj being jealous. :) @aquiver-heart

The Epic Lie of the Yiling Laozu and His Wife by JaenysBloodcourt (T, 9k, WangXian, XianQing, NieYao, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fake Marriage, Misunderstandings, Lies, Jealousy, A really tiny bit of jealous LWJ and JC, Assisted reproduction (mentions of insemination with talismans and other things), Implied/Referenced Sex, Implied Mpreg, yiling wei, WWX Has a New Golden Core, More like a red core, BAMF WWX, Canon Divergence, dialogue heavy in some parts, A little angst, Top/Bottom Versatile | Switch WangXian)

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15. hello again! thank you for your most recent itmf post. i’ve been thoroughly spoiled with amazing fics.

i’ve been reading 🧡 Stunted, Starving Juvenility by TomatenMark for the first time and seeing nie huaisang and wei wuxian’s friendship has inspired me to return to ask for more. the nie clan’s secret cultivation techniques always make me think of how invaluable wei wuxian’s knowledge or help could be to them if only a certain order events happened during canon. so, i was wondering if there were any canon divergent wangxian fics out there that specifically touch on nie huaisang and wei wuxian’s mutually beneficial friendship? preferably pre-nightless city fall/burial mounds raid? anything will do but i really enjoy seeing nie huaisang’s genius completely f*** over jin guangyao specifically. (although jin guanshan, su she, jin zixun, or xue yang downfalls are also lovely to see as well.) thank you in advance ♥️

no one ever said the single-plank bridge had to be walked alone by rosemu (T, 124k, wangxian, Canon Divergence, Yílíng Wèi Sect au, Fix-It, Not Everyone Dies, LWJ Stays at the Burial Mounds, Fluff, Angst, Domestic Fluff, Canon-Typical Violence, Found Family, Slow Burn, LWJ and WWX get to be Dads together, the healing power of homoerotic flute/guqin duets, Happy Ending) NHS helps out the Burial Mounds settlement & absolutely destroys JGY

The Core Issue by Hauntcats (T, 21k, WangXian, Angst with a Happy Ending, Not JC Friendly, Canon Divergence) Has WWX dropping in on NHS & helping NMJ with the Nie Clan's cultivation issues

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16. Hiiiiiii 👋, Firstly, I love this blog so much - it's really amazing. For the next itmf blog, i was wondering if there are any fics where:

A] Wwx is overprotective of lwj and possessive. It can be in a dark wwx vibe but more so like just normal wwx being so defensive and concerned about lwj in front of others.

B] Some royalty au where wx is in an arranged marriage and wwx is smitten

C] any fics where wwx did something wrong and has to work hard to get lwj back (they dont have to break up/ separate- maybe he just has to work to get back in lwj's good graces)

- please let all have happy endings with wx as the main couple

Thaaaank you💕

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17. Hey, guys! For ITMF, are there fics where WWX has to rebuild his spice tolerance in MXY's body? I refuse to believe that they both have the same tolerance when WWX likes his food saturated to a point that other spice-enjoyers think is a bit much & MXY barely got food at all. (Bonus if he now finds Lan food tasty & is just So Offended about that. Extra bonus if his alcohol tolerance is gone too.) @thispatternismine

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If you didn’t get an answer to your ask here, don’t forget to make use of @mdzs-kinkmeme and MDZS KINK MEME on Dreamwidth. Authors actually do use them for ideas. You may get what you order!***Your prompt doesn’t have to be kink! Fluff, crack, whatever - it’s all good!***

[lovergirl072013]

Midnight Kisses

Pairing: Chan x reader

Genre: fluff, suggestive, romance, friends to lovers trope

Summary: You pay Chan a midnight visit in his studio, one thing leads to another and confessions get made.

Warnings: none

Word count: 1.3k

Author's note: Hii, this is my first work so it's not perfect haha. Also, english is not my first language so I apologise in advance if there are any mistakes, I've tried my best guys. I hope you enjoy!

It was a quiet night at the studio, Chan was working on some of his tracks, the lights were dimmed and the only sounds in the studio were the clicking of his mouse and some background music he had on, it was the perfect ambiance, it was so quiet and relaxing that he wasn't wearing his usual headphones, that's probably why he was able to hear the quiet knocks at his door, he looked at the time, wondering who could be knocking on his door at midnight, he reached to open it, when he saw you, all confusion was dissipated and his chest was filled with nothing but happiness, he smiled at you and he motioned to come in, to which you complied smiling warmly at him, that smile, that freaking smile that made him forget all of his problems.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”. He said teasing you, “I just came to make company and maybe, share a midnight snack? Honestly Chan, how long have you been working for, hm? Everyone needs a little break, especially an old man like you,”. You answered, teasing him back. “You’ve been hanging out a little too much with Seungmin”. He said looking at you with accusatory eyes, to which you just simply smiled at him, god had you missed him.

It wasn’t unusual for you to show up at his studio late at night, you also worked at the company as a songwriter and producer and spent a lot of time with the boys, especially with Chris, you participated in the making of a lot of their songs. Because of that, you found yourself spending a lot of time at the studio, staying until late working with Chan, to which Jisung and Changbin also joined you a lot of the time, but mostly it was you and Chan alone who stayed up until late in the night. Chan because he was a workaholic and because of his insomnia, and you because you liked to spend time with him.

Because of the time you two spent together, falling in love with him was bound to happen, and you tried so hard not to, but how could you not, his caring nature, his kind heart and his beautiful smile that made his eyes look like half moons made it impossible for you not to fall head over heels for him, and his dad jokes, how could you forget to mention his dad jokes. But you weren’t a fool, you knew how hard it was to date an idol, you swore yourself to never date an idol when you got in the industry, you swore it. But you also didn’t know a Bahng Christopher Chan back then, and if you were honest with yourself, Chan was worth it, Chan was worth breaking that promise, he was worth everything, if there was one boy who would ever be worth your tears, it was Channie.

When you came back from your thoughts you looked towards him, he was so focused on his computer, he had a slight frown and his lips were pouting just the tiniest bit, he looked so… ethereal, the dimmed lights showed his sharp features, you couldn’t help but stare.

“You’re staring”. You blinked, “No, I'm not”. “Yes you are”. He said, smirking slightly, “Shut up”. “Do I make you nervous darling?”. “You’d love that, wouldn't you Christopher”. You told him, smiling sarcastically, you didn’t receive an answer but you felt his piercing eyes on you, “Who’s staring now?” you retaliated, still you didn’t receive a response, when you looked at him, you noticed the darkness in his eyes, when your eyes connected with his, he looked away and coughed a little, “Wanna come check on the song?”. He said changing the subject, to which you gave a slight nod and sat by his side, he passed you his headphones and when his fingers brushed yours you swore your heart skipped a beat, you ignored the feeling and put on the headphones while he played the demo, you thought that the melody felt familiar until you realized it was red lights, confused, you looked at him, receiving only a sly smile back from him, you continued listening. You gasped when you heard the lyrics, the mutherfucker had literally recorded the explicit version of the song. When the recording came to an end he looked at you expectantly while you took off the headphones and handed them back to him.

“If you release this song you’ll no longer be able to tell stay that red lights is about traffic lights, you know? Also, I fucking knew you were the one who wrote it and not Hyunjin”. You told him, receiving a big laugh from him. “Shut up, no, but really, what do you think?”. “I think it's great, but do you really think that jypapi will let you release it?”. “Well, it won’t be easy, but with the right amount of convincing anything is possible.” 

While the clicking sounds clouded the little studio again, you decided to remain seated by his side, you didn’t notice the time passing, getting lost watching him work. When you turned to the clock you saw that it was already 3am, you didn't even notice that you had been there for three hours already, when you turned to look back at Chan you found him already staring back at you. But there was something different in his eyes, in the way he looked at you, you didn't know if it was the late hours, the quiet atmosphere or the tiredness, but something had changed, it was more tense.

You didn't even have time to think before his lips were on yours, it was soft, his lips moved slowly on yours, he was testing the waters, to see if you would pull away, when he felt you returning the kiss he deepened it, his lips felt like heaven on earth, you felt like the air was kicked out of your lungs, it was too much; his breath, his lips on yours, the warmth of his body embracing yours. His hands went from cupping your face to your waist where he rested them for some seconds before lowering them towards your hips, which he grabbed and dragged you, situating you on his lap, you couldn't help but moan slightly at his sudden move, earning a groan from him. His lips then kissed your jaw and went down to your neck, nibbling at the sensitive skin there, getting whines from you in return while you locked your hands on his hair and pulled his roots, his hands tightened even more on your hips due to your actions.

When he finally looked back at your eyes you couldn’t bother to hide the smile that creeped on your lips, mirroring his.

“I know we skipped some steps in the middle but I would really like to take you on a date”. He whispered while tucking a few strands of your hair behind your ear. Suddenly, you were at a loss of yours, it felt like a dream, everything was so perfect, you couldn't help but imagine that this was really happening, unable to say anything you just nodded lightly. “Words darling, I need you to use your words”. “Sure”. Your voice broke while saying that simple word, receiving a chuckle from him that you copied, that chuckle became a soft laugh until you both were laughing loudly in each other's arms. It was perfect, maybe tomorrow it wouldn’t, but today it was, and that is what matters, everything was perfect, he was perfect.

[monstrousproductions]

Ace rep in Monstrous Agonies!

Monstrous Agonies may be deservedly famed for its monsterfucking, but what if you're more in the mood for monster cuddling? Monster hand-holding? Painting miniatures with your monster while you listen to a podcast together?

Have no fear - there's plenty of asexual and aromantic rep to be found in Monstrous Agonies too! Here are four big ace moments in the show so far, with quotes from the transcripts.

You can listen to Monstrous Agonies wherever you get your podcasts, or check out monstrousagonies.co.uk to listen online and for full transcripts for every episode!

Episode Twenty One - Love in the Ace-pocalypse

The first time a character describes themselves as something akin to asexual is an admittedly blink-and-you'll miss it moment in Episode Twenty One, during a letter from someone worried the relationship that seemed so promising during the apocalypse now seems to have stalled a little...

I don't mean sex. Well, I don't not mean sex. I mean, look, I don't even know if he- Personally, I can take it or leave it, but- [sighs] I just thought there'd be something, alright? Something different.

It's a small enough mention, but a gentle acknowledgement that sex is not actually what makes a relationship special! There's also a little easter egg in this episode for fans of a certain book/TV show popular on tunglr dot com, if I tell you that this letter, which mentions wielding a sword at the apocalypse-averting showdown, was tagged in the planning document as "ethereal/occult"... 😇😈

Episode Twenty Eight - Human Juice Box

The first unambigious, canonical declaration by a character of their asexual identity comes from a letter-writer affectionately known as Human Juice Box, with a question about how to make their queerplatonic partner feel more comfortable with the inherent intimacy of drinking another person's blood directly from their chewy meaty neck.

We already hold hands and cuddle and sometimes even shower together. But because neither of us intended it as romantic or sexual I've never considered it to be!

The letter-writer describes themselves as aromantic but not asexual, while their partner is asexual but not aromantic, and their letter explores what physical closeness and intimacy look like when sex is off the table. It also includes some fun world-building about NHS blood-bank deliveries for persons of haematophagic background 🧛

Episode Forty One - Mothman says Ace Rights!

Monstrous Agonies is largely made up of listener submissions, with some people writing in to riff off previous episodes and continue their ideas. Episode Forty One was one of these, where the in-universe letter made mention of hearing about QPRs on the radio, and having their interest piqued.

You're not alone in wanting intimacy without sex, devotion without romance.

Let this be a reminder to us all about the importance of being open about the diversity of sexual and romantic identities. Hearing the writer of Episode Twenty Eight talking about their relationship reassured this reclusive creature (I'm not saying it's Mothman but it's totally Mothman) that they can be non-monogamous and sex-repulsed, and still be as loved and cherished as they deserve 💖

Episode Fifty - Sex-Worker Succubus

For this letter-writer, sex itself wasn't the problem. As a sex worker who happened to be a succubus, they could see how useful sex could be as a way for their clients to blow off steam, while bringing in a steady income and energy source. But they weren't interested in doing it when they were off the clock - something their romantic partners could struggle to understand.

Yes, I feed on sexual energy; yes, I have sex for a living; yes, I enjoy sex. And no, I don't want to have sex with you, my romantic partner.

They're feeling the pressure of other people's expectations about them, both as a sex-worker and as a succubus. But as long as they stay true to themselves and communicate their needs, they're sure to find someone who can love them and celebrate them exactly as they are.

These are just four canonical mentions of aspec identities in the show - but as always, every character is up for interpretation! Who are your aspec headcanons? Is there anyone I missed? Does the existence of asexual vampires problematise the ace community's use of garlic bread-based humour? Let me know! 🖤💚🤍💜

[tpuckerupbaby]

The Implications of Tripol

I think a key issue with Enterprise is they didn't plan Tripol from the start - and once it was in motion, the writers didn't see what they had on their hands.

I know initially Jolene and Connor didn't like or understand Tripol. She couldn't see why T'Pol would be drawn to someone so emotional. He couldn't see why Trip would fall for someone so repressed or be willing to limit sex to once every seven years. Since then, he seems to have changed his mind and now wishes the show had more time to explore their relationship. I don't know about her, but her cameo in The Lower Decks suggests (to me) that she's accepted it, too.

As a viewer, I think that relationship had to happen. I know initially it seemed like T'Pol and Archer might develop something, but that's just too obvious. It certainly would've united Vulcans and humans - but Tripol do more. They symbolically embody the entire point of the show (and maybe all of Star Trek) - learning about others, overcoming perceived differences, and becoming something more yourself. Tripol work because they are so different.

However...this moves Trip into the role of a reluctant political figure. He didn't set out for it, but there he is, facing people like Terra Prime. And that kind of xenophobia doesn't just go away overnight. In reality, Tripol would have definitely dealt with that kind of thing again, eventually becoming something like Sheridan and Delenn in Babylon 5.

This makes Trip especially important amongst the human crew - probably more important than the writers foresaw. They spent the first 2 seasons building up the captain as the person of significance, but the Tripol romance arc changes everything.

Archer fades into the background, almost a bystander who never really seemed aware of Tripol happening on his own ship. A captain who turned sharply to the dark side, maybe even more so than Janeway, and no longer feels like the inspiration he could have been.

After all of Archer's questionable decisions, including committing acts of torture, it makes more sense to have Trip make that all-important final speech about interplanetary coalition. He's become a very public example of someone who has lived the message. Unfortunately, they'd already spent 4 seasons promising us Archer made that speech. By the end of the show, this only makes sense if there is no Trip.

Cue Trip's death - rushed, forced, and lacking all plausibility. And they didn't even show the speech.

But even if Trip had lived, breaking up Tripol at the end sends a frankly disgusting message that you can't overcome cultural differences. After 4 seasons, we're told that interspecies marriage isn't possible after all. How did the writers not see what they were doing, there? It isn't just some breakup. It undermines the whole premise of the show. And bearing in mind the post-911 climate of Enterprise when it first aired, it also undermines any hope that we could overcome the very real xenophobia in our own world.

And there's no canonical need for the breakup - or Elizabeth's death, for that matter. TOS never says Spock was the first human-Vulcan child, or Sarek and Amanda were the first Vulcan-human pairing. They're rare but not necessarily unique.

Thematically, Tripol needed to stay together - and Trip needed to grow in importance. If the writers didn't want that, they should have planned out Archer's character differently.

The writers tied themselves in knots they didn't know how to unravel. They hit the end, saw that none of it matched what they'd planned at the outset, then attempted to hammer it painfully back into shape. But it doesn't work - at all. They should have just listened to the characters and let them guide the way - logically.

[small-z24]

Shadows of Fate 10

Summary: Y/n, Cassian's shy and quiet sister, prefers to keep to the shadows. Unbeknownst to her, she is Azriel's mate. His shadows are inexplicably drawn to her, and as they grow closer, a slow-burn romance ensues. Cassian, ever protective of his sister, watches over her as the bond between Y/n and Azriel deepens.

Word Count: 927

Warnings: This chapter contains scenes of intense emotional distress, graphic descriptions of battle and injury, and moments of vulnerability. Readers should be prepared for significant angst and themes of war and combat.

Chapter 10: Shadows of Forever

Weeks had passed since Azriel's return and the harrowing night of his injuries. With Y/n's care and the support of the Inner Circle, he had slowly regained his strength. Their bond had deepened even further, forged through the fires of pain and recovery. Yet, the threat of war still loomed, and they knew they had to face it together.

One evening, as the sun set over Velaris, casting a golden glow over the city, Y/n and Azriel found themselves walking through the gardens. The flowers were in full bloom, their colors vibrant against the darkening sky. They walked hand in hand, enjoying the peace of the moment.

"Do you remember the first time we walked through here?" Azriel asked, his voice soft.

Y/n smiled, leaning into his side. "How could I forget? It feels like a lifetime ago."

"It was the beginning of everything," he said, his eyes reflecting the golden light. "And now, here we are, stronger than ever."

Y/n looked up at him, her heart swelling with love. "We've been through so much, Azriel. But we’ve faced it all together."

"And we’ll continue to face everything together," he replied, his voice filled with determination. "No matter what comes."

They found a secluded bench and sat down, the sounds of the garden surrounding them. Y/n leaned her head on Azriel's shoulder, feeling the steady beat of his heart.

"There's something I want to ask you," Azriel said after a moment, his tone serious.

Y/n sat up, looking into his eyes. "What is it?"

He took her hands in his, his gaze unwavering. "Y/n, we've faced danger, pain, and uncertainty together. You've stood by me through everything, and I can't imagine my life without you. Will you marry me?"

Tears filled Y/n's eyes as she stared at him, her heart overflowing with love and joy. "Yes, Azriel. A thousand times, yes."

Azriel smiled, his own eyes glistening with emotion. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple yet elegant ring, slipping it onto her finger. "This is a promise," he said softly. "A promise that I will love you and stand by you for the rest of our lives."

Y/n threw her arms around him, kissing him deeply. "I love you so much," she whispered against his lips. "And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

They sat there for a while, wrapped in each other's embrace, the world around them fading into the background. In that moment, nothing else mattered but the love they shared and the future they would build together.

The following weeks were filled with preparations for the war, but amidst the tension, there was also a sense of hope. The bond between Y/n and Azriel gave them both strength, and their engagement brought a glimmer of joy to the otherwise grim atmosphere.

On the eve of the final battle, the Inner Circle gathered in the war room, their faces solemn but determined. Y/n stood beside Azriel, her hand tightly clasped in his.

"We're ready," Rhysand said, his voice steady. "We've planned and prepared for this moment. We will protect our home and our people."

Azriel looked around at his friends, his family, and then down at Y/n. "No matter what happens, remember that we stand together. We fight for each other."

Y/n nodded, her heart filled with a mixture of fear and determination. "We'll come through this. Together."

As they prepared to head into battle, Azriel pulled Y/n aside. "I need you to promise me something," he said, his voice urgent.

"Anything," she replied.

"Promise me you'll stay safe. I can't lose you," he said, his eyes filled with worry.

"I promise," she said, cupping his face in her hands. "But you have to promise me the same."

"I promise," he said, leaning down to kiss her. "We'll both come back. And then we'll start our life together."

With one last lingering look, they joined the others, ready to face whatever awaited them.

The battle was fierce and chaotic, but the Night Court fought with a unity and determination that could not be broken. Y/n stayed close to Azriel, their bond guiding them through the fray. They fought side by side, their love giving them the strength to push through the darkest moments.

At one point, Y/n found herself surrounded, but Azriel's shadows sprang to life, defending her with a ferocity that took her breath away. Together, they carved a path through the enemy, their connection an unbreakable force.

As the sun began to rise, the tide of the battle turned in their favor. The King's forces were pushed back, and victory was within their grasp. With a final, powerful strike, Azriel and Y/n brought down the enemy leader, the battlefield falling silent around them.

Breathing heavily, they stood together, the weight of their triumph settling over them. Azriel looked down at Y/n, his eyes filled with pride and love.

"We did it," he said softly.

"We did," she replied, her heart soaring.

As the dawn broke, casting a golden light over the battlefield, Y/n and Azriel stood hand in hand, ready to face the future together. They had faced darkness and emerged stronger, their love a beacon of hope and strength.

And as they walked back to their friends and family, they knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together, bound by a love that was stronger than any shadow.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this final chapter of Y/n and Azriel's story. Feel free to leave comments and let me know your thoughts!

[whineandcheese24]

so i posted a couple days ago about some buddie predictions for s7 but my thoughts have changed so here's my final answer before s7 airs.

I don't think we're going to get buddie together this season. HOWEVER, i do think there will be some seeds planted. based on the way Oliver and Ryan are talking about their characters and their self-discovery it seems like there might be some sexuality/romance self-discovery, at least for Buck, maybe for Eddie. but the way they're talking also feels like they don't want fans to get over excited, if only so we don't get disappointed. Oliver saying "I know how that's going to be taken", and Ryan's comments about men just being vulnerable with friends make me think that there isn't going to be much romance between them this season. also the fact that they're moving to a new network means they get new creative freedoms, but also means that they have to reintroduce these characters, which means going back to their (the characters') roots a bit, and spending some time just establishing who these people are to a new audience. combine that with the fact that this season is only 10 episodes (3 of which are about the cruise ship), and this is an ensemble show, I don't think they're going to have two major characters completely change their ideas of themselves, and get involved together.

that being said, TM also promised buddie dynamics in each episode, starting off with Buck and Eddie trying to help Chris with dating. and of course we have the madney wedding (and suspiciously burnt/ripped/missing clothes) so romance is in the air.

So here's where I'm at tumblr: I think that this season Buck will have some sort of sexual/romantic awakening, be it a bi awakening or an Eddie awakening. I don't think we're going to get much on Eddie's side, or if we do it will be much less blatant. between the two of them, Buck is the one who always wears his heart on his sleeve and is constantly open about his life, while Eddie is more quiet and closed-off, and this tends to reflect in their writing. I think the beginning and middle of the season will reintroduce them as best friends, maybe with a little something more in the background, but not too much to be undeniable. then, the last couple episodes will possibly (hopefully) lay on a bit more subtext so that the last episode ends with 1. a kiss/confession/date bathena style where the first few months of their relationship happens between seasons, or 2. enough to imply that their romance will be at the forefront of their arcs/relationship next season

(personally, I'm hoping for the second one because even though we might have to wait longer for confirmation, we'll get more of the beginnings of their relationship)

Edit: So I wrote this before "I love you to the core" dropped and now I'm leaning a bit more towards buddie becoming canon this season, but in the sense that they are coming to terms with their feelings for each other, not necessarily getting together. I don't think there needs to be a period of dating men to try it out for either of them, but I do think that best friends to crushes to boyfriends is a bit too fast for a 10-episode season of an ensemble show