#and a sucker for doomed sibling dynamics

[unpun1shable]

icarus was doomed by both sun and sea. A gentle warmth that could turn blistering all too soon- and a salt spray that, with one wrong swoop, could swallow him whole.

lucerys is the icarus we know- the son, in his effort to flee, flying too close to the sun and being chastised by it’s heat instead of caressed in it’s light.

jacaerys is the icarus that could have been- a boy, lost to the waves when he fell too far, when he chased a task far too insurmountable for his own wings and never came back up again.

[astramachina]

Do you like spooky stuff? Do you like cringefail MCs who are both pathetic little men and the worst people imaginable? Do you like anti-colonialist narratives and gothics featuring POC characters desperate to break out of generational cycles of abuse? Then let me tell you about my novel.

The Unbinding of Wicked Things

Mile High Paranormal struck it big as one of YouTube's premier ghost hunting shows of 2021, but following the tragic death of one of its beloved hosts, sibling producers Nick and Kim decide to pull the plug on their beloved post-college project. Determined to go out in a blaze of glory and amidst the throes of internet notoriety, Nick devises the perfect plan for the perfect series finale: an investigation at a location so remote and obscure not even locals dare speak of its existence. Beyond the idyllic hills of Moorwich, England stands Blackthorn Manor, an ancient manor house whose shuttered doors keep the still-festering secrets of the Middleton family locked inside. Rumors of missing children, witchcraft, and illicit familial affairs plague the manor grounds and the neighboring village, dooming any family who dares take up residence on the land where blackthorn bushes grow. Fortunately, the MHP Team does not believe in the paranormal. Unfortunately, vivid nightmares of burning alive and episodes of misplaced time begin to affect Nick during their stay. Phantoms now stand outside the inn's windows, and bipedal hounds chase him towards a monster that screams its lament in the dead of night. The thing about Nick Miller, however, is that he would do anything for the content.

COMING SOON.

I hope you also like unreliable narrators, gay shit, trans shit, and general ghost hunting infodumps. More info under the cut.

The Unbinding is an Adult genre fusion of gothic horror, dark romance, and "epistolary prose". It is also a fake memoir. Kind of like a burrito wrapped inside of another burrito.

Some influences behind the story include Crimson Peak, House of Leaves, Demon Theory, and I hesitate to list Episode Thirteen because that book actually came out after I wrote this, but it has a very similar style (which is in part why I ended up shelving this project for so long). Some less serious influences are Ghost Adventures, Grave Encounters, and a bunch of other ghost hunting related media. I'm just a huge sucker for that kind of thing, okay? I also love fucked up family dynamics, hence why gothics are just so *chef's kiss*.

The cast is mostly QPOC which means the story includes instances of homophobia, transphobia, racism, and general bigotry. Other trigger warnings include themes revolving around suicide, dysphoria, and plenty of death. But this is an Adult Horror, so like, bad things should be expected. Bad tings can and do happen. Explicitly.

Lastly, the tag for this project is "wip: the unbinding". Mostly for my sake.

[recreationalfanfics]

After watching the Penguin, I just think about the tragedy that is Alberto Falcone

*Please be caught up with episodes 1-5 before reading so you don't get spoiled* Not really an analysis, just some of my thoughts about him.

To clarify, the intention of my post isn't to woobify Alberto Falcone. I just think the role he plays in the story of the Penguin and his dynamic with Sofia and his father is interesting.

There is something about his role in the story of Penguin that kind of haunts the narrative. The first and last time we see him alive, he has just finally taken over as the head of the Falcone empire. He's nervous, he's scared that he won't live up to his father's legacy, and he's got a lot of pressure on him. He's a former addict and alcoholic and he was only in charge of the Falcone's for 8 days before Oz shot him to death.

And it makes me think, what if that didn't happen?

What if he came away from that incident and got to meet Sofia, what if he was able to get that drug operation going with her? Would he have stepped down and given Sofia what was originally supposed to be hers after he realizes he's not cut out for it? Would he still be in charge but value Sofia's word over the other words of the Falcone family because he saw first-hand how they all sold her out? Or would the power have gotten to him and would he have gotten cocky?

Another thing too is that, as each episode is released, we get more glimpses into their life and more information about when they were kids. Alberto and Sofia were packed up and ready to leave with their mother "for vacation" until Sofia finds their mother dead. As they got older, Alberto obviously has to deal with Carmine and constantly getting compared to Sofia. But he doesn't hate her. He cares for her, deeply, and he knows that she's not to blame for the way Carmine treats him and doesn't really display that much jealousy or envy.

We don't see him outright call out the family for selling out Sofia but it can be implied that he made efforts by the way he defeatedly told her that she isn't getting that trial and was so desperate for her to not turn away from him, as if he didn't want to feel like he had failed her (I might be reading too much into it though). Not to mention that he could only do so much considering the entire family siding with Carmine but also, if Carmine was willing to put Sofia through all of that torture despite seeing her as a future heir to family, imagine what he would've done to Alberto.

From the first episode, we know that Alberto's death is what starts the events of the Penguin and we watch as it eventually leads to the death of the entire Falcone family by Sofia's hands. Because the only real family that she had that she could trust was Alberto himself. Which makes her discovering his mutilated body so much more tragic.

AND ALSO, I'M SUCH A SUCKER FOR DOOMED SIBLINGS CONTENT. SO THAT'S WHY I CONSTANTLY THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPEN IF SOFIA STILL HAD ALBERTO. Would they have killed the Falcones together? Would they have killed Oz a lot earlier on? What things would've been changed dramatically if Sofia still had the one man she trusted in her life.

[f-oighear]

For the Writer Ask Game with fruits, let me give you some 🍒🍍🍋🍌🍏🍈🫐 for your fruit basket^^

fghjfgjhsd that is indeed a basket. Thanks!

🍒 What’s your favorite character dynamic to write? (Can be romantic or platonic, specific or general!)

I think I've said it several times already but writing Zora and Nebra is always a treat whether it's romantic or platonic. They are so funny.

🍍What kind of AUs do you like? Are there any AUs you hate or just generally have beef with?

I like canon divergence! Both for reading and writing, really. I also love time loop stories or time travel stories.

As for AUs I dislike... it'd be settings I don't understand or lack the knowledge to? (and where it's crucial to have that knowledge) Like some historical AUs or the Omegaverse— I've never managed to understand what was going on in the omegaverse.

🍋 What’s your favorite spicier trope to write?

fhdfhjs none. Spice isn't for me, I'm afraid. Vanilla writer 😂

🍌 In your opinion, what’s the funniest joke/reference/pun you’ve made in a fic?

Ohhh... I like running jokes. Noelle not having a restraining spell is the only one I can think of right now. I also had a lot of fun with Neran in I'll Follow with references and cultural jokes.

🍏 Is there something you overuse, whether it’s a certain phrase, trope, or piece of punctuation?

I think I overuse italics? It was striking in the middle parts of the Soulmate AU (The Agreement, Where The Heart Is, Stargazers). I caught that upon rereading Where The Heart Is a few months ago (and edited some italics out fhdfdsj). I'm also a sucker for stream of consciousness. Love internal monologues. Will never stop.

🍈 Who’s your blorbo and what are some of your favorite headcanons/ideas about them that repeatedly show up in your fics? Free pass to rant about blorbo opinions.

I'd say the Silvas, although I've worked much less with Solid than the other three (I have arguably worked more with the dead OCs than him which is appalling— I'm sorry, Solid).

My favorite head canon about House Silva as a whole is that they are fundamentally seen as 'cursed' by the other two royal houses. I hc that there's only the four Silvas remaining— everyone else is dead or gone— and that's why the current Silva siblings are all so pressed about their reputation. They're alone to fend for themselves.

I think Nebra was clingy as a child. Nozel had a few hiding places in the castle and Nebra found every single one of them. The poor boy could get no peace unless Acier kept Nebra busy to get her eldest some reprieve.

Nebra is messy. She is a pacer, she is a klutz, she is constantly embarrassed by it and hides it behind the usual confident front. It also shows up in several fics of mine but she is absolutely awful at any type of paperwork she attempts on doing.

Nozel doesn't trust his siblings and I think he will tend to fix his siblings' mistakes himself without telling them he did. Especially if it involves squad work. There's also what happened after the dinner of doom in Your World.

Solid was a fussy baby and then a fussy child. Asking for one thing and then crying and yelling because he didn't want that or he wanted it before or he wanted it differently. Fussy.

All Silva siblings have a little box with things that belonged to Acier. Noelle got a few scraps like post cards Acier sent. She has spent so much time trying to copy her mother's handwriting.

Aaaand I think I'll stop here because we're going to sad territory 😂

🫐 What’s your favorite underrated thing in your fandom? (A ship that only you seem to write for, a character there’s almost no fics about, a trope that criminally hasn’t been written yet, etc.)

Mmmh... It's a tough one because I don't usually focus on what's not there or not there enough? I think the good thing about BC is that dspite having loads of characters, they're all fleshed out enough for people to get interested in them? You see fans of different characters or minor characters everywhere (so you see head canons and analyses and fics and art about those characters or ships too). So I don't think there's anything lacking or underrated.

Went on a ramble here and digressed, so I'll just answer the question. Favorite underrated thing in my fandom: Early Black Bulls fics! The chaos it must have been. (also, we thank @acacia-may for the ones she wrote, they are incredible)

[thjstorm]

something that isn't quite talked about and that i personally think it is is underrated from Butcher's lore is Lenny. i've always been a sucker for a sibling dynamic cause hey! i also have a younger sibling whom i love to death, so when that was revealed i was absolutely shattered. what's more bitter about it, however, is the fact that he manages to find someone just like him; he sees his little brother in that person, and he promises that he won't let that happen again but the narrative is already doomed. it's bound to happen anyways. even if he tries to deny it.

[hobbitwrangler]

Tell me more about “The last house of the Steward”! 👀

Thank you for picking this one, anything to express more of my House of Steward feels!

The idea for this fic came about because a) I wanted to write about one of Denethor's sisters and b) because Faramir never reacts to his father's death or grieves in the books. So far I've really enjoyed writing it, particularly Faramir and Aunt Caeveneth's conflicting views of who Denethor is and how he should be remembered. I'm also a sucker for emotionally screwed up sibling dynamics. I've written a fair bit of this but I am dreading having to reshuffle it and make it a single coherent piece.

“He was a great man,” said Faramir. Aunt Caeveneth heaved a deep breath, rubbing at her eyes. It did nothing to stem the tears. “You know I haven’t cried in so long,” she gasped. “And now I can’t stop. Don’t hug me, I think I’ll die.” She turned and for a moment Faramir thought she was about to leave, but she only walked about the tomb, her hands on her hips, breathing deeply as the tears trickled down her face. When she finally returned to Faramir’s side, she spoke, her voice somewhat calmer. “I have always hated that term. A great man. He was my little brother. And I watched them crush him, that shadow in the east and those people who so love you. The weight of them … he never had any hope. He was doomed from when he was a child. And all he will be remembered for is what he gave this cursed city. How he was worn away, to the very soul, how it killed him in the end. How he held on just long enough to succumb to despair moments before hope triumphed.” Faramir frowned, although he could feel tears pricking at his eyes. “My father and I disagreed on many things, but the importance of our duty to our people was always paramount.” “Oh, it always is for you lot,” Aunt Caeveneth scoffed. “All of you, throwing your lives away for the good of others. A people who traded us in for a grubby ghost king before your father’s ashes were cold.”

wip title ask game

[silly-dwea]

Writing WIP

(this might be one of the first things I wrote in years. I don't know if I'll ever get the energy and creative surge to continue this but have it either way. This was sparked because of my lovely DND characters, my first one ever being a cleric of Selûne named Kh'li (pronounced Kali, like the goddess). In that campaign Selûne puts Kh'li's morality and views towards the undead to the test and Kh'li loses both the test and then her powers (also unknowingly her fiance for the second time) for following what she knew to be Selûne's disapproval of the undead. They have a big falling out and while Kh'li does receive her moon based powers back, it is not from Selûne but from the Moon itself. In the future Kh'li ends up as a goddess in her own might with a known disdain for Selûne. And I guess that whole arc which my lovely DM crafted for me made me think about Selûne and Shar and their dynamic. I'm a sucker for black and white things ending up being actually varying shades of grey. So I went and did some research on what their OG lore was and started putting my own spin on it. I decided to make Shar my protagonist because it felt like the most natural choice. Also I loved the idea of seeing how they were kind of "doomed" from the start from a human aspect. This is their purpose as a godly being, this is what they were born to be and think but there is still that humanity in the way they think they have a choice. I'm rambling a lot so I apologise but I think I'm just finding out how passionate I am about these characters and it's exhilarating. Enjoy reading)

There's something almost comical about getting into a cosmically altering war with your twin soon after being birthed by the remnant primordial essences of the universe and creating The Earth Mother together.

Granted, it's not something that happens immediately. It does not even remotely flow in the recesses of our shared thoughts during the beginning of our becoming. In those few days, there's very little that distinguishes my wants and desires from Selûne's. I am Selûne and Selûne is me. We are One. The Hidden One does not interfere, eternal observer as they are, except when they need the deities within their purview to abide by the rules of the cosmos. Of which there are none yet. The Dawn Titans and Elder Gods know nothing of our existence and so do not offer a helping hand.

We move in a single minded focus, with an intrinsically shared purpose of creating more life. We travel the rivers of the Abyss, bearing witness to the expansion of Space. Everything we touch and everywhere we go, what once was a hazy swirling mist of shadows, becomes the ebb and flow of Light and Darkness. Once we are satisfied with the distance traversed, we stop and take our eternally locked hands and face eachother. For the first time since our birth I am struck with the realisation that I have a sibling and we are not One and the same. This would mark the first time I would feel a sense of Loss.

In the moments before our shared labour I take in the sight of what I now know to be Selûne - skin a lovely dark copper haloed by long strands of bright white and striking grey eyes - taking my hands in theirs. I know not what they feel. We close our eyes, taking a deep breath in as we do, and blow our breaths in the space between, intermingling and forming a furious tornado that spins with the help of our powers and the chaos of the Abyss. It spins for aeons and no time at all until it settles into the shape of a slightly flattened crystal sphere. Within it, tiny sparks begin lighting up.

[triibutes]

(  KRISTINE  FROSETH ,  CIS  FEMALE ,  SHE / HER .  )    introducing  karma  oren ,  TRIBUTE  of  the  74th  hunger  games ,  representing  district  twelve .  my  sources  say  that  they  are  twenty - two  years  old ,  &  that  they’re  pretty  handy  with  hunting  /  tracking   and   a  slingshot .  wonder  if  that  will  do  them  any  good  in  the  arena ? 

catapults  this  intro  out  into  the  world  like  it’s  been  shot  from  kar’s  slingshot .  hey  everyone  !!  i’m  alli ,  she / her  in  the  cst  and  i’m  absolutely  obsessed  with  this  group .  seriously ,  it’s  everything  i  didn’t  know  i  needed  and  i’m  so  excited  to  be  here .  

AESTHETICS : 

dirt  stained  clothing  that  hangs  off  a  too  slender  frame .  large  doe  eyes  filled  with  worry ,  with  dread ,  with  determination .  silent  screams ,  the  red  string  of  fate  dangling  just  out  of  reach .   PINTEREST .

GENERAL : 

full name ;   karma  pepperdine  oren 

age / dob ;   twenty - two ,  september  9th . 

zodiac ;   virgo 

gender ;   cis  female 

pronouns ;   she / her

district ;   twelve 

occupation ;   awaiting  work  in  the  mines  ,  tribute 

face  claim ;  kristine  froseth 

sexuality ;  demi 

weapon  of  choice ;  a  slingshot 

BACKGROUND :  

born  in  the  seam  of  the  poorest ,  least  advantaged  district  of  TWELVE ,  karma  has  struggled  for  most  of  her  life .  she  has  a  brother ,  pick ,  born  six  years  her  senior ,  and  a  now  deceased  younger  sister ,  who  was  named  cornith .

her  parents  are  both  miners ,  and  it  was  always  expected  of  the  oren  children  that  they  would  follow  in  their  parents  footsteps .  pick  works  in  the  mines  presently alongside  them ,  and  karma  full  expected  to  join  them  in  just  three  years . 

the  three  oren  siblings  were  always  particularly  close ,  spending  most  of  their  childhoods  exploring  the  alpine  terrain  of  their  unimpressive  district .  the  children  would  often  pretend  to  hunt  and  track  game  in  the  woods  near  their  home ,  armed  with  only  slingshots ,  though  they  never  actually  killed .  rule  followers ,  they  feared  the  peacekeepers  who  ran  their  district  with  iron  fists .  

karma  was  an  extremely  fearful  child ,  often  led  through  life  by  her  far  more  outgoing  brother .  though  the  idea  made  her  sick ,  she  would  sometimes  tell  herself  he  would  bode  well  in  the  games ,  if  he  were  ever  reaped .  

she  wasn’t  well  known  around  the  district ,  and  she  had  very  few  friends .  she  has  watched  one  close  acquaintance  die  in  the  games  before ,  her  neighbor  mint ,  who  was  reaped  for  the  70 th  games .  

death  tw  ;   she  often  found  herself  left  behind  by  her  more  adventurous  siblings ,  including  the  day  that  molded  her  into  the  tribute  she  is  today .  pick  and  cornith  went  too  far  in  the  woods ,  tracking  the  hoof  prints  of  an  elk .  they  didn’t  know  about  the  electric  fence  that  outlined  the  district ,  held  them  captive .  cornith  perished .  

this  was  four  years  ago .  pick  and  karma  don’t  talk  about  it ,  but  karma  experienced  real  anger  and  grief  for  the  first  time .  what  had  once  been  feelings  of  mistrust  evolved  intro  a  fierce  hatred  for  the  capitol .  like  caged  animals ,  with  no  where  to  put  the  ferocity ,  karma  took  to  illegal  hunting ,  pick  to  the  mines .  

this  was  life  until  the  74 th  reaping .  is  karma  ready  for  everything  to  change  again ?  

PERSONALITY :  

positive ;   resourceful ,  driven ,  nurturing ,  adaptable 

negative ;   meek ,  incensed ,  distrusting ,  fearful

WANTED  CONNECTIONS :  

for  tributes ;   unlikely  allies ??  she  definitely  fears  and  despises  the  careers  going  into  these  games .  i  think  it  would  be  a  really  interesting  dynamic  to  have  an  alliance  with  one  or  a  few  of  them  due  to  a  surprisingly  closeness  during  training .   doomed  romance ??  i’m  such  a  sucker  for  the  angst  that  this  plot  allows ..  seriously  obsessed .  love  to  yearn  and  crave  and  all  of  those  richard  siken  adjectives .  they  know  likely  one  or  both  of  them  will  die .  enemies ??  on  either  end ,  or  mutual .  on  sight  or  due  to  their  interactions  in  training .  bred  from  jealousy  or  stereotyping  of  the  districts .  anything  that  would  lend  to  bad  blood  in  the  arena .  betrayal ??  friends  in  training  who  will  turn  on  each  other  come  game  time .  sad  and  dramatic ,  soap  opera  esque  twist . 

for  victors / stylists / game makers / escorts , capitol  citizens ,  etc . ;   those  who  underestimate  her ??  they  look  down  on  her  small  stature ,  the  fear  in  her  eyes ,  the  district  that  raised  her .  she’s  something  feral  to  them .  a  sure  death .  could  bring  pity  or  disgust .  allies ??  they  see  some  sort  of  fire  in  her ,  some  sort  of  something .  or  maybe  they  just  really ,  really  pity  her  and  they  want  to  give  her  all  the  help  she  can  get .  friends ??  maybe  someone  to  help  her  navigate  the  capitol ,  to  calm  her  nerves .  

for  district  citizens ;   i  know  this  one  will  be  harder  to  plot ,  but  maybe  anyone  whose  visited  twelve  ??  i’m  not  sure  why  anyone  would ,  perhaps  for  work  or  illegal  trading .  a  strange  run  in ,  and  now  they  see  the  small  and  timid  girl  they  met  in  the  hob  on  tv ,  preparing  for  a  fight  to  the  death .  

anything  else ;  i  love  to  fill  connections  and  my  brain  is  small  so  let  me  know  what  you’re  craving  and  i’m  so  excited .

[taiyodoroki]

@hosttrick​ replied to your post:

tell us abt ur ships foole

@dragonwilled​ replied to your post:

tell us… abt the ships…

@verumheart​ replied to your post:

tell me frond

tell me and ship with me

// are you sure you want that...?

most of these could be both platonic and romantic, but i’ll list my preferences owo

kingdom hearts ships first!

aquapollo (aqua ; romantic) - i already liked the idea of it, but after chatting to @spellweaverbladed​ about it, call mcdonald’s cause badabababa, i’M LOVIN IT!! it’s just.... aqua’s been through so much... this ‘misguided master’ has so much pressure on her, needing to carry on eraqus’ legacy... and. then here’s apollo, who’s trying to get out of phoenix and kristoph’s shadows, trying to carry on dhurke’s legacy... oh god please lean on each other i nEED IT

terrapollo (terra ; platonic) - terra’s already the big bro type, and this tol boi with my smol son? like?? PLEASE PROTECC HIM??? apollo would also be like. REALLY beneficial to terra, helping him with his inner turmoil and self hate. imagine the two doing chords of steel exercises ooo..m .g...

sorapollo (sora ; can’t decide which i like more lol) - okay so like. we all know apollo “grump” justice but... what if... we gave him a precious sunshine boy..? who counters his gloom and doom with cheeriness?? and then when sora’s sad, he gets tHE I’M FINE?? LIKE. PLEASE SUPPORT EACH OTHER I’M SUCH A SUCKER FOR HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND

honourable mentions (aka let’s not make this post too long) - apollarx/apollrena (apollo and larxene/elrena), xipollo (apollo and xion ; not romantic jUST SIBLINGS NOW I DON’T MAKE THE RULES THANKS @verumheart​)

fire emblem now! (mainly 3h hELP ME)

kampollo/corpollo (kamui/corrin ; equal parts ; i’ll need to find a better ship name i think lol) - this is mostly because of @darkswore​, aka @pariahlaw​, aka my sister luci. they’re both really, REALLY selfless, and fight for the greater good in their own ways. please.... help your dragon wife love reach peace... please do it apoll o

apollix (felix ; romantic) - prickly boi + prickly boi = ??? lemme tell you. it equals PRICKLY COUPLE. not to each other (okay maybe a little) but to other people. they don’t judge each other they judge other people together. to be fair my pre skip apollo is a ray of sunshine, only becoming grumpy post. but yanno. also what if.... felix shows his vulnerable and soft side... to apollo? and the other way around too? please??

sylpollo (sylvain ; can’t decide again lmao) - apollo smacking syvain upside the head because DAMN SON STOP SKIRT CHASING pre skip apollo kind of ehh with the whole thing, much more lax about sylvain than others, and then post skip, turns lax into indifferent. (okay he hates the skirt chasing but he doesn’t say everything cause everyone does already??) but sylvain’s got that... thing happening and i just want someone to understand how alone he feels sometimes, and what better person for that than apollo, an unwanted orphan?

sylpollix (felix and sylvain ; either way but let’s say romantic I’M TRASH I KNOW) - okay before you roll your eyes and stop reading this post hEAR ME OUT!! i’ve already explained the dynamic between apollo and felix, and apollo and sylvain, so?? what if you took those.. and.. put them toge the.. r ...? just a trio and they all love each other v much and.. maybe? hold hands a little but felix will never admit it the absolute bastard

lysipollo (lysithea ; platonic LOOK WHO ADOPTED ANOTHER SIB) - much to lysithea’s chagrin, apollo is going to protect her wITH HIS LIFE!! well if one is recruited onto the same team hehe whoops... but the angst factor if they dON’T-

honourable mentions - apoleonie (apollo and leonie), apollgard (apollo and edelgard, wow that angst just slapped me thanks 3h), apollgate (apollo and the gatekeeper.... ily gatekeeper.... call me sometime), any child unit and apollo bc you know he’ll adopt them on the spot

i have more but.... this is already long af LMAO so enjoy just kh and fe for now uwu;; thanks for listening to me gush about these ships omg

anyways tl;dr most of my ships can be both platonic and romantic, also i’m a sucker for people supporting each other and showing their vulnerability and being loved despite their flaws

[douxreviews]

Charmed - Season One Review

"A toast to the Power of Three, whether we like it or not."

It's strange looking back on the series Charmed used to be. There's such a stark difference between the fun, family-centric early episodes, and the trashy, offensive later ones. Despite the questionable dialogue, woeful guest stars, and plotting blunders that became signature for the series post Season Four, Charmed was often home to some sharply written family drama, enthralling mythology, and an incredibly likable core cast. This all fell apart long before the doors of Halliwell manor closed for the final time in 2006, but nearly two decades later I still find myself attached to these three imperfect, yet strong women who are thrown headfirst into this wacky world of witches, demons and bad leather get-ups. Spoilers ahead!

In Season One, Charmed faces the same growing pains that a lot of similar high concept dramas do when they start out, struggling to get the mix of fantastical ingredients just right. Though series opener 'Something Wicca This Way Comes' is a solid and compelling hour, episodes like 'Thank You For Not Morphing', and series low 'The Wedding From Hell', serve as lessons learned for the writing team, with the latter episode in particular feeling like some sort of unintentional parody of the series Charmed was trying to be. Think 'I Robot, You Jane' from Buffy's debut season; the general concept of the series is solid, but elements chosen for a particular episode just don't work the same way they did on paper. Even the first antagonists the girls face seem to be ripped right out of some trashy straight-to-video horror film, and the likes of recurring villains Rex and Hannah feel like more of a wasted opportunity rather than a taste of what the larger big bads in this universe have got in store for the Halliwells.

In the face of some questionable choices elsewhere, the series is forced into relying on the strength of the three leads, something that's immediately evident from the outset. The Halliwells are all well-crafted, relatable characters, with the appeal of each sister buoyed by the charisma and talent of the three lead performers. Prue may be a little stiff initially, but Shannen Doherty's star power comes off in spades even in the drabbest of scenes; Alyssa is the perfect choice for the fun-loving/work-hating youngest sibling, filling Phoebe with endless charm and wide-eyed optimism; and Holly is similarly likable, though Piper's signature surliness doesn't get to come out and play until her first "centric" episode, 'The Wendigo'.

The supporting characters aren't nearly as appealing, though lack of choice feels like a huge factor where that's concerned. Prue's ex, Andy, who just so happens to be a SFPD Detective, serves as a solid love interest for Prue, and temporary foil for the sisters, though at times his presence feels clumsily written in. He's killed in the crossfire of a Halliwell/Demon battle at the close of the season, something that, while sad for Prue, is somewhat of a relief given how repetitive his role in the show was getting. Andy's partner, Darryl Morris, feels like he's there (and I hate to say this) to tick a box in terms of cast diversity, because as a character in his own right he's fairly vacuous. Andy's death gives him the chance to step into a more prominent role in Season Two, but he has very little to do this year. Leo is only a recurring character here, though it's quite obvious that he will be sticking around following his reveal as the sisters' whitelighter – a sort of guardian angel for witches. He's got charm, for sure, though he fails to really stand out as much as you would expect given how heavily featured he ends up becoming later on in the series.

The show is admittedly clunky in a lot of the early episodes, but by the time the season reaches the halfway mark it starts to hit its stride. 'That '70s Episode' is the pinnacle of Charmed's debut season, pairing the rich history of the Halliwell family with the dynamic relationship between the three leads, as the girls travel back in time and meet their late mother and younger selves. 'Deja Vu All Over Again' also plays with the time-travelling element, resulting in the first sucker punch of the series; Andy's death. It's a twist that ups the stakes and leads to some wonderful character work in the following season. 'Out of Sight', another highlight, is the perfect blend of the real world threats the girls face (an overly nosy reporter) and the more sinister otherworldly ones (the Grimlocks). The antagonists greatly improve in the second half as well, culminating in a surprising but wonderful guest spot from David Carradine as time master Tempus in the season finale.

The confidence of the latter episodes leads into a stronger sophomore season, but the first year always felt like the purest representation of the show's original mantra: "three sisters who happen to be witches, not three witches who happen to be sisters". This is especially true of how wonderfully the sibling drama is played from the beginning. With a complicated history already in place thanks to Prue's distrust of Phoebe and her supposed role in Prue's breakup with her "chardonnay-slugging" fiance Roger, there's a well of drama ready to be bled dry the second Phoebe walks into the manor in the first episode. Piper's role as the middle sister holds remarkably true, as she spends a lot of her time playing referee between Prue and Phoebe, with the youngest sibling's proclivity for a more carefree lifestyle driving the older, more sensible sister crazy. Almost every episode is deeply rooted in the sisters' relationship, with their bond growing tighter the stronger their magic gets. It's a great concept that is, at least in these early episodes, executed beautifully.

Potions and Notions

The casting of the Halliwell women remains impeccable. Finola Hughes and Jennifer Rhodes were so great as the girls' mother Patty, and their Grams, Penny; it's no wonder they came back in many different instances throughout the show's eight years.

I always get a kick out of Rebecca Balding's appearance as Aunt Jackie in 'The Fourth Sister', knowing about her role as Elise later on in the series. Hurray for double casting!

Speaking of casting blunders; I wasn't a huge fan of the original version of Victor Halliwell (later re-named Bennett). Thankfully this incarnation is retconned further down the line.

Spells and Chants

Piper: "Don't tell me you spent the night in a conical hat flying around the neighbourhood on a broomstick."

Piper: "Don't put me in the middle." Prue: "I'm not, you were born in the middle."

Phoebe: "We're the Charmed Ones, Prue, not the Doomed Ones."

Prue: "Some of us have a job." Phoebe: "Some of us have fun." Piper: "And some of us are having a really bad hair day."

Grams: "What was the name of my husband?" Prue: "Which husband?"

Prue: "We do good things together, helps offset the bad things."

Best Episode: That '70s Episode.

Honorable Mentions: Something Wicca This Way Comes, The Wendigo, Is There a Woogy in the House?, Out of Sight, Deja Vu All Over Again.

Worst Episode: The Wedding From Hell.

With strong characterization at its heart, Charmed's debut season is a wonderful, if slightly uneven start to the Halliwells’ journey.

7 out of 10 Power of Three spells.

Panda

[medschoolash]

Some Jonsa commentary

So I’m pretty new to the Jonsa fold but I’m already a sucker for their relationship. This is my first time writing anything in depth about Game of Thrones and Jonsa so I hope this all makes sense. here goes nothing!

I was talking to a friend privately about Jon and Sansa and their tension so far this season and it really started to make some see some of things about Jon and Sansa and about why they have this tense dynamic with each other. It’s easy to put it all off on them having differing opinions on their situation but honestly that’s just….basic, for lack of a better word. Their is so much nuance to their dynamic so putting it all off on different opinions just doesn’t work for me. There is more to it than that.

I think that a lot of the tension between then from Jon’s end comes from Jon being confused about how he’s supposed to function with her and feel about her. Now I’m not saying he’s secretly in love with her and can’t handle it because their isn’t enough support for that idea yet BUT I think he does feel a connection to her and something that’s beyond brotherly affection towards her and it’s confusing and affects his behavior with her. On the surface it might seem weird for Jon to be confused but when you really think about it, it makes a whole lot of sense.

Jon and Sansa didn’t have a very close relationship growing up. We know he was much closer to Arya. Even Sansa admitted that she was awful to him growing up. I’m sure they both shared a very basic affection as siblings but that affection never materialized into a close sibling bond like it usually does among siblings. Basically there has always been a wall there between them that never allowed them to truly connect with each other in a strong and healthy sibling way.

Then Kings Landing happens.

Jon and Sansa split up as well as the rest of their family. Sansa heads south a happy naive girl who still believes in knights and wants to be a perfect queen loved by all and give her loving king heirs like she’s been taught. She wants to be the princesses in the songs and she believes her knight awaits her. Her perfect fairytale life comes crashing down quickly and she ends up in the clutches of vipers like Joffrey and Ceresi who manipulate and lie to her and take her father’s head right in front of her. Her world changes and there is no going back. From there she’s forced from one abusive and precarious situation to another. Never finding stability or peace. The optimism and hope she once had gradually fades as she realizes that the only thing keeping her alive is her name, the only thing that gives her any value to the people around her is the name that is synonymous with treason, death, and pain now. She believes she has no family left except Jon until she later learns that Bran and Rickon are alive. By the time Sansa makes her way to the wall in season 6 she’s become disillusioned and has hardened but she’s also blossomed into a strong young women with a unique intelligence due to her surroundings. She’s very different from the Sansa Stark that was awful to Jon and wanted to leave winterfel

Jon heads to the wall where he’s isolated from his entire family but he thinks he has found a place to belong, a place among fellow outcasts. Much like Sansa, his ideas about his new home and his future are quickly shown to be nothing more than delusion. Immediately he’s placed In the middle of things far greater and dangerous than he ever imagined. His isolation from his family also starts to gradually hit home as as he learns of the deaths of his father, Bran and Rickon, and Robb and Catelyn one by while he is powerless to do anything about it. His sense of duty to the nights watch grows even greater as he’s forced to put his feelings about his family away. He matures into a warrior, a knight who feels a profound duty to protect his brotherhood and the rest of the realm from the dangers he now knows aren’t just found in stupid songs and tales they tell children. His life becomes about one battle after the another. He’s drawn into fight after fight. He’s thrust into leadership positions that he never wanted and has to carry the burden of the entire nights watch and the realm on his shoulders as the threat of the Walkers gets greater and greater. He gives everything to the Nights Watch, only to end up being killed by his own brothers.

Jon is resurrected and his entire world changes. His already broody personality is amplified. Nothing about his existence makes sense anymore. He’s forced to kill all the men who betrayed him, even Ollie who was just a boy. At this point Jon is completely disillusioned with his life and no longer feels like he has a purpose. He’s tired. He’s exhausted with trying to be a hero. Minutes before Sansa arrives at castle black Jon is packing his bags His friend tries to convince him to stay, tries to remind him of the great threat out here and how they all need Jon to keep leading and fighting but Jon doesn’t want to hear it. He can’t stay with the nights watch anymore after what happened. He feels he has no purpose there anymore and is planning to head south. We doesn’t even know what he’s going to do in the south. He feels lost and the only thing he knows to do it get away from the place that’s taken everything from him. It’s a jarring for the audience to see Jon being content with a purposeless life of drifting because we are used to Jon being our hero. The man who always finds the courage to keep going despite the odds. A man who carries the burden of saving everyone even if he doesn’t want to or feels like he can’t. The hero never stops fighting. The hero never gets tired.

Right as this debate his happening Sansa arrives at Castle Black so we never get to hear the end of it. When she comes it’s the first time Jon has seen her or anyone in his family since season 1. I won’t rehash their reunion but the timing of Sansa’s arrival is not a coincidence.

Sansa was the one who gave Jon purpose and motivation to be our hero again. This was crucial for him because as I mentioned above he has lost it all after all he’s been through.

Sansa’s presence reignites the knight in Jon. It wasn’t a complete transformation right away but it starts to happen for him almost instantly. As soon as she’s back with him he immediately feels a duty to protect her. When she asks where he is headed he corrects her and says “where will we go”. When he wanted to just drift south alone he immediately changes his plans to accommodate her. There is no way he’s leaving her behind. Where he goes she will go and we know that Jon will protect her until his last breath. That’s the hero we all knew and loved starting to rise to the surface again and it’s all because of Sansa.

When Sansa comes we see Jon smile again, laugh again. In their first sit down conversation after the reunion Jon is hesitant and regretful about what ended up happening to them all, but for the first time since he was resurrected he’s not dwelling on what happened to him at the wall. Being around Sansa starts to give him his identity back, the identity he had lost when he died and came back to life.

Despite this welcomed return of some of the shades of his former self, when Sansa suggests they go back to Winterfel his softened and light hearted demeanor changes back to the worn out former hero that he’s become now. I won’t get into that scene too much but Sansa is the first person Jon shows his exasperated feelings about war to. When he takes to his friend he said he couldn’t stay at the wall because of what happened, but when he talks to Sansa he’s much more transparent. I believe he decides to finally tell his truth to her because she’s one of the few people who doesn’t see him as the hero who is supposed to save them all from doom, and because he knows that this is important to her.

Jon was tired of fighting. He was tired of death, The destruction, the politics, the way war corrupts good men, the way war claims the lives of not only men but when children. He tells her that he’s been fighting since he left winterfel and he can’t do it anymore. He fought and he lost. Like I said he’s a broken hero, an exhausted man who can’t bring himself to be the knight that everyone wants him to be anymore.

When he tells her he’s tired of fighting she can see the exasperation and the exhaustion in his eyes, and I believe she felt great empathy for him. She can probably relate since I’m sure she’s also tired of the cycle she’s been on since she left her home, but Sansa still has a cause to champion, her own cause, her families cause. She reminds him that their survival depends on taking the North back. They will never be safe out their drifting in the south. Never. And she tells him that she will do it herself if she has to.

Those words are what shook Jon out of his funk. Sansa is the person who inspired him to be the hero again. She was his motivation to fight again when he wanted to give up for good. When she stormed back into his life he found a purpose again, protecting her, and when she said she would take their home back he found his resolve to fight again because he couldn’t let her go to war with the boltons alone. Sansa was determined, and if she was going to do this he had to do it with her because he loved her and it was his duty to protect her. She needed him to fight for their home and their survival so he did what he said he was tired of doing. He rallied an army for her, found his inner knight and went to battle despite negative odds because Sansa (and Rickon) needed him. By doing so he found his purpose again, he became a leader again, he becomes the hero that the North needed again.

This is a major turning point for Jon and almost all of it is motivated by Sansa. It’s important because that caused this experience together formed an emotional bond between them, a bond that was nothing like what they would have had if they had been close as siblings growing up. Sansa wasn’t his delicate little sister anymore, she was the rightful Lady of Winterfel, a fearless and determined partner, a smart and cunning woman who does things like boldly tell to her abuser to sleep well because he will die come morning and publicly undermines him

The circumstances by which Sansa came back into his life and the timing created this dynamic between them that didn’t feel like siblings to Jon, it felt like something else, something neither of them quite understood or knew how to manage. That’s why once the fighting is over and the war is won they don’t know how to truly handle it. Jon struggles with it the most because he wants to put her back into the little sister box but she clearly doesn’t fit in it. He tries to be her “brother” but she’s not the “sister” he knew and he can tell. She’s not delicate, she’s not the gently naive girl anymore. When she reaches for his drink the first time they talk he’s surprised that she drinks because the Sansa he knew was just a girl who didn’t do such things. When she’s assertive as they plan their attack he’s a little taken back because the girl he knew wasn’t a part of military strategy.

He doesn’t know how to function as a brother with her because that role clashes with everything he knows and feels about her now. It’s confusing for him because his head says she’s his sister, duty says he she’s his sister and he should treat her as such, but she feels like a partner when they interact, their bond feels more like one you would find with two spouses, bit too siblings and he can’t turn that feeling off because they never had a strong sibling like relationship to begin with. Sansa functions and feels like Queen to him, not like a sibling and he can’t quite wrap his head around it. He had difficulty embracing it because the idea of Sansa as something other than his sister is too jarring for him.

It’s also hard for him because Sansa doesn’t need a brother she needs a King and a partner. She doesn’t need him to protect her in the typical brother like way. She even tells him that he can’t, that no one can protect her. She doesn’t need him to hover over her and make sure the boys don’t mess with her and she doesn’t hurt herself. She doesn’t need him to shield her from the bad things of the world and treat her like she’s made of porcelain glass. She needs him to lead the North and let her be at his side as he does it. She needs him to be a smart, brave and fierce leader that stands at her side to protect their home and their family. She doesn’t need him to replace Ned, she doesn’t need him to replace Robb, she needs him to be the opposite of all the men she’s been with since she left her home. She needs him to function not like a brother, but like the antithesis of who Joffrey, Ramsey, and Littlefinger were in her life. He senses it, and he is reluctant to do it because having a bond with your sister that’s more like the bond of a spouse just isn’t what’s supposed to happen. It’s not how they are supposed to be with each other, it’s not how they should be on some level they both know that it’s not normal but it’s their reality. Sansa needs him to be the Ned to her Catelyn, and to him she already feels like the Catelyn to his Ned, but he can’t embrace that because what does it mean? Your sister Isn’t supposed to feel like your wife. So he is distant from her. He is reluctant to listen to her, he tries to assert his authority over her and his kingdom to get her to back off and to try to force her into a role she doesn’t want and he knows she can’t fit.

So they clash. They clash because Sansa can not be boxed in and Jon is confused about how he’s supposed to function with her. It’s too late for them to go back and make their relationship into something that it’s clearly not, into something that resembles a proper sibling relationship. Jon is forced to embrace it because if he doesn’t he will alienate her and hurt her, and he doesn’t want to do that, he cares too much about her and respects her too much to treat her that way. He’s also aware that he needs her just as much as she needs him and If they are going to make it together he needs to let go.

Episode 2 was Jon finally giving up his futile fight to keep his relationship Sansa in a place that he’s comfortable with, in a place that’s safe and not confusing and dangerous. He finally treats her like a partner, he asks for her advice, considers her opinions. He gives her what she needs, what she craves from him. He decides to be the man she needs, the man she’s been missing from her life all this time. It’s no coincidence that this culminates in him practically embracing her as his Queen publicly. I know her official title isn’t “Queen in the North” But symbolically that’s exactly what she is and most important it’s what she is to Jon. There is no one else in the North he would trust to run Winterfel and the North as he travels south. He leaves their Kingdom to her. He could have left it to anyone of those male Lords but he didn’t because Sansa is his partner, Sansa is the one who rules at his side and Sansa is the one who shall rule in his stead. When he announces that he’s going south his only real priority is Sansa. She was the one he wanted to understand, she was the one he wanted to support his risk to save her and everyone. She was the one whose fears and apprehensions he wanted to tame before he left. Sansa is the most important person in his life and the only opinion that truly mattered. Just like her affirmation was the only affirmation that truly mattered when he needed to break free is the stigma of being Ned Stark’s bastard, just like her affirmation is the affirmation he needed the most when he came to how he was doing as a leader, just like Sansa was the one who motivated him to become the leader that he is once again.

All roads lead back to Sansa for Jon which is why It was never even a question for him when he made his decision to leave. His kingdom belongs to his queen, Sansa Stark.

It’s going to be interesting because after this there is no going back for the two of them. Even if they never get romantic they will never be able to pretend they are just siblings. They will never play that role for each other.

I suspect that Jon knows this, which is why it’s no coincidence that Jon’s brewing confrontation with Littlefinger comes after he has finally embraced her role in his life and why Jon looses control and violently acts out aganist him when he tells him that he loves Sansa. His rage towards Littlefinger can can’t hide behind this tameness of “brother” since he’s officially shed that role. What we see instead is the rage of a King, a king who will not stand for anyone, especially someone like Littlefinger, breathing near his Queen.

[boo-cool-robot]

X-Men Fic Recs

X-Men fandom is mildly to moderately cursed but here’s some good fic. Mostly movie-verse, mostly Charles/Erik because of like, who I am as a person. My favorites are marked with an asterisk. I’ve tried to add warnings for untagged stuff that might be upsetting, but I make no guarantees. (Also reccing a fic is not an endorsement of the author.) 

Updated 11/25/18, new additions are bolded. 

Under the cut because it sure has gotten that long!

Canon Compliant [Through The Last Stand or XM:A]

*The Building of the House by kvikindi (Peter & Erik): A take on Peter and Erik’s relationship while they rebuild the mansion post-Apocalypse. If you read one fic from this fandom, it should be this one. It’s absurd and exuberant the way any Peter fic should be, but it’s also delicate and and deeply engaged with the intergenerational trauma sunken into the bones of this family. Just, god. Probably the best cultural trauma fic for any fandom I’ve ever read. (Reading on mobile is highly recommended because of formatting.) 

*Tehillim by kvikindi (Erik-centric): Post-Apocalypse. Erik wanders around Haifa in a dissociative state, thinks on his past, and calls Charles. Sequel to The Building of the House, though it can stand alone. Luminous and beautiful and every word painful to the touch. 

the sea, the sea, by disenchanted (Charles/Erik): If you know disenchanted’s other work, you’ll know this is lovely--a dizzyingly romantic portrait of their love during First Class, even as they feel the edges of it falling apart

To Breathe Again (Impossibilities Remix) by Unforgotten (Charles/Erik): Erik returning as the world collapses in the wake of The Last Stand. I’m just a sucker for longing!!

nuclear winter by honey_wheeler (Charles/Erik): Erik watches Charles get a lapdance on the eve of Cuba and it is stunningly sad, clicking home with all inevitability. 

*Fear the Rest by Penknife (Charles/Erik, O5 ensemble): The decades leading up to being who they are in X1. Really, really strong sense of politics and place in time. Excellent, complex Erik interactions with the students. Additional warnings for serophobia. 

Anthem for Doomed Youth by Fahye (Mystique & Charles): Mystique before and during the events of First Class. Good relationship work and exploration of how their powers have shaped them. 

Canon Divergence 

*Fathers and Sons by M_Leigh (Peter & Erik): Post-DOFP, Erik realizes Peter is his kid and comes by the mansion to tell him, it goes about as well as you’d think. Line for line probably the funniest fic in this fandom, and has an vicious view of Charles that is my favorite. 

*Synthesis (Scenes from an AU) by Starlady (Charles/Erik): Snapshots from a universe where Erik came back after Cuba to help run the school. Unlike most of this kind of fic though, everyone is still political and contentious and awful as they need to be. Also, has an extremely good Jean Grey. 

the end of the world (just not ours) [INCOMPLETE] by hiyashi (Erik-centric): Where Erik does a lot of drugs instead of embracing his rage. I cannot explain in the least why I’m so into this characterization of Erik in this unfinished crackfic, but I super am.

Third Law of Motion by arcapelago: Magneto lives at the school but the students are determined to keep him away from Charles. This one is just really funny, idk. 

tel aviv series by mnabakov (Charles/Erik): AU where they met on a beach in Israel after all. Very atmospheric, languid fics. Warnings for untagged Holocaust mentions and internalized homophobia stuff. 

The Way Things Break by GrayJay (Alex and Scott): God I love good sibling fic. This is an attempt to reconcile Summers family comics backstory with the Alex of the XMCU and it comes out really well. Everyone feels extremely dimensional in their trauma, and this Scott is a darling. 

defined by my logic by lloydsglasses (Jean-centric): Sketches from the life of trans girl Jean Grey. Very sweet. 

sparkle and fade by sabinelagrande (Charles/Erik): Phew. One where Erik stays after Cuba but they fall apart anyway. Pretty much unmitigated tragedy. 

Complete AUs

*Limited Release by rageprufrock (Charles/Erik, Alex, First Class Ensemble): Modern still-powered AU where Erik and Raven are FBI agents, Charles is a controversial professor, and Alex is on parole because his brother has been kidnapped by Shaw. Exceedingly well-constructed and well-plotted. Everything is fraught and also hilarious. 

Knowledge Management by phalangine (Charles/Erik): A still-powered modern AU where Erik is a scary librarian and Charles is an amused patron, though it quickly extends much broader than that. Languid and complicated, with especially good Charles characterization. Most importantly, it’s got that good good disability content. 

*”Lessons” ‘Verse by Red (Charles/Erik): Still-powered modern AU where Charles and Erik are both super traumatized and little shits and they have Issues while they do a bunch of kinky shit. One of the rare extremely good portrayals of disabled Charles. 

If You Liked the Book, You’ll Hate the Movie by paperclipbitch (First Class ensemble): Nonpowered high school AU. Irritating that it doesn’t have disabled Charles because otherwise the characterization is great. Raven Had A Weird Childhood and has a drunk brother. Erik is a guidance counselor who has definitely killed a man. Everyone is the worst. 

Shovel Talks and Other Hazards by Unforgotten (Charles/Erik): I can’t believe this ship has 12k fics on AO3 but there’s only one good fake dating fic and this is it!! Erik is Charles’ hot neighbor that he asks to be his pretend date for Raven’s wedding, you know how it goes. Warning for an untagged CSA mention. 

*i guess i should say thanks or some shit by orphan_account (Charles/Erik): The world’s best characterization of college AU-ish Cherik: drunk, depressed douchebags with questionable morals. In Amsterdam. 

New Beautiful Things Come by raven (Charles/Erik, First Class ensemble): Modern still-powered AU where Charles is a professor and Erik runs a kosher bakery and they have a contentious romance. Notable for being one of the few AUs where it feels like queerness and mutantdom have real political weight, even if that’s not the focus. 

*Six Lessons in Living in Sin by Penknife (Charles/Erik): Canon era-ish AU where they move in together and it’s difficult. Quiet, atmospheric, sad with a deep love between them. Warnings for Holocaust mentions. 

Condonare by etirabys (Charles/Erik/Hannibal Lecter): Uh well it’s a fic where young Nazi hunters Erik and Hannibal shack up with uni student Charles. *buries face in hands* It’s really good. Warnings for violence and internalized homphobia. 

after all the breath and dirt by magneticwave (Charles/Erik, First Class Ensemble): Both dynamically fun and deeply sad characterization, all in an Inception AU where Erik haunts Charles. Nondisabled Charles. 

Non-Movie

*Scott’s Life is Hard series by yellow_caballero (X-kids ensemble; Scott; Kitty, Peter; Emma): Sometimes a family is like thirty mutant youth wannabe superheroes, all screaming, in one mansion. Also Magneto is there. Based in part on Evolution, the high school AU cartoon, but is still highly enjoyable without knowledge of that canon. Ditto for the New Mutants/X-Force stuff. The third fic in this series has an exceptional Emma Frost voice. 

Camp Xavier by captainpeggy (Kitty, Bobby, gigantic-ass ensemble): Charles and Erik run rival mutant summer camps and Kitty is going to make this her year. 

*That Would Be Enough by Wish_I_Had_A_Tail (Kitty & Erik): Modern AU where Kitty spends Passover with Magneto. Kitty just feels like SUCH a clever, overthinky teen and I love this relationship. 

That Which We Are by GrayJay (Scott-Centric): Deeply sad comics-compliant trans Scott Summers. Really really good fucked up medical stuff. (Also read all of GrayJay’s Scott fic. It’s that good.) 

Five Times Someone Questioned the Brilliance and Resolve of the Writer, Director, and Producer of the Annual Theatrical Production of the Xavier School for Gifted Individuals bystoriesfortravellers (Jean, X-kids ensemble): Tiny crackfic about iron fisted theater director Jean. There’s a line in there that absolutely murders me. 

The World Outside Was Hungry by tzigane, Zaganthi (Caffiends) (Charles/Erik): Still-powered comics AU where they meet at Columbia as students and slowly build a life together. This Erik’s sense of the world feels so appropriately odd and lovely. Warnings for Holocaust imagery and homophobia. 

Five Sleeping Arrangements by seriousfic (Scott/Emma/Jean): Scott and Jean drag Emma into having a semi-functional relationship. Everyone is a terrible delight, particularly Emma.