#basically the premise of this is that there were more truth lovers than anyone originally anticipated

[mvshortcut]

In another world, the Mysterious Benedict Society lost and the Improvement went ahead as planned. Now, MASTER Ledroptha Curtain must face his toughest challenge yet: The Internet...

[tiramisiyu]

【未定事件簿】Tears of Themis: Main Story 6-11 Translation

Translation Masterlist | Video

Chapter 6 – Tiger’s Accomplice Ghost (Parts 1, 2): 6-1 / 6-3 / 6-5 / 6-7 / 6-9 / 6-11 / 6-13 / 6-15 ♦️ ♦️  6-16 / 6-18 / 6-20 / 6-22 / 6-24 / 6-26 / 6-27 / 6-28 / 6-29

--

Restaurant

Just as I’d guessed, Fu Qiao came to the side of Stellis River to burn the paper cranes. According to him, what Zhou Nan liked the most were paper cranes, so he’d fold some each month, take them to the riverside, and burn them.

--

[Flashback]

MC: So they were folded for Zhou Nan. Then why did you come to the riverside to burn them?

Fu Qiao: I don’t really have any special way to explain it – it’s just that I feel like if it’s on the riverside, it’ll be easier for her to get it.

Fu Qiao: Wasn’t the Ghost Festival* of the past, when people would put out lanterns for lovers that had passed, done at the riverside too?

 TL Note:

*Occurs on the 15th of the 7th lunar month – offerings are made to those who have passed.

[Flashback end]

--

MC: Looks like the relations between Fu Qiao and Zhou Nan really were good.

Zuo Ran: At least as of now, there are no obvious flaws.

Fu Qiao expressed that he wanted to be on his own for a while on the riverside, and for us, it was indeed difficult for us to trouble him. So Zuo Ran just brought me to eat first. We agreed with Fu Qiao that we’d visit him after eating dinner.

MC: Zhao Fei believes that the person who murdered Zhou Nan is Chen Hanzhang, but it seems like you’ve been paying a lot of attention to Fu Qiao, Lawyer Zuo.

The privacy of this restaurant was very good – Zuo Ran and I were in a private room, so it wasn’t inconvenient for us to talk about the case.

MC: What’s the basis for your reasoning?

Zuo Ran: I don’t have substantive evidence. From the start, asking for Fu Qiao’s information was also just routine inspection.

Zuo Ran: Although, after meeting Fu Qiao just now, I feel like he is more suspicious.

MC: Did Fu Qiao do something that did not fit within common sense just now?

Zuo Ran: From my point of view, him burning paper cranes monthly to commemorate Zhou Nan is exactly what doesn’t fit within common sense.

Zuo Ran: Do you still remember when Zhao Fei said that Fu Qiao didn’t know that Zhou Nan was a bar waitress, and he always thought that she was a bar singer?

Zuo Ran: If this is the truth, then the blow dealt to Fu Qiao from Zhou Nan’s death would not only be from losing his girlfriend.

MC: He lost his girlfriend, while knowing that his girlfriend had hidden something the whole time.

A job like a bar waitress…

Zuo Ran: I think that there probably isn’t anyone who is willing to share their love with others. At least, I would not allow other people to long for my lover.

MC: …

We were clearly talking about the case, but the atmosphere in the room became somewhat off.

Zuo Ran: Ahem ahem…

Zuo Ran: So, even if Fu Qiao had excellent relations with Zhou Nan before, he would not be indifferent after finding out that he had been lied to.

Zuo Ran: There’s even the possibility that the depth of his love from before would be as deep as the hurt he suffered after knowing about the truth.

Zuo Ran: Under these conditions, he still burns paper cranes for Zhou Nan each month…

Zuo Ran: I keep feeling like there is something odd about this.

MC: That’s true. But if we consider the situation outside of deep emotion…

MC: If he was involved in Zhou Nan’s death, it seems to make more sense for him to make offerings to his girlfriend every month out of guilt.

Zuo Ran: That’s right.

MC: It was already very hard to get material evidence from Chen Hanzhang. Now if Fu Qiao is involved, this case sure is intricate and complex.

Zuo Ran took a spoon, filled a bowl with soup, and placed it beside my hand.

Zuo Ran: Don’t stop moving your chopsticks as soon as you start talking about the case.

MC: Thank you. But my mind’s loaded with things to think about, and I kind of don’t have an appetite.

Zuo Ran: When you feel confused, you can try shaking off the conclusion you already have, jump out, and re-examine the entire case, to find a breakthrough point from the original place.

MC: Original place?

Zuo Ran: Right now, we have no way of obtaining more information about Chen Hanzhang…

Zuo Ran: We might as well try setting aside Zhao Fei and the police’s conclusions, then, based only on the premise that Zhou Nan’s death was because of intentional murder, we can think about characteristics the murderer might have.

MC: That’s true. Right now, we have no way of confirming whether Zhao Fei’s identification of Chen Hanzhang is tenable, and the police don’t acknowledge his conclusion…

MC: If we don’t jump out, our investigation will be a dead end, and we have no way of sorting through the information we have now.

Zuo Ran: Then the first point, who would have a motive to kill Zhou Nan?

MC: It’s obvious that this person must have had a direct conflict with Zhou Nan.

MC: Not only this, this conflict must be severe enough for it to be unresolvable without Zhou Nan’s death.

Zuo Ran: This is only one possibility. There is another possibility.

MC: Eh? Let me think…

Zuo Ran: You just said a “direct” conflict. What other kind is there?

What other person might have murdered Zhou Nan?

>Someone for whom Zhou Nan’s death had utilitarian value >An unexpected incident, a crime of passion (incorrect, scroll for right answer)

MC: An unexpected accident? The murderer originally did not want to kill Zhou Nan, but something unexpected occurred, resulting in Zhou Nan’s death?

Zuo Ran: This wouldn’t be able to be called a premeditated murder. Think again.

  >Someone for whom Zhou Nan’s death had utilitarian value >An unexpected incident, a crime of passion

MC: It’s indirect value!

MC: Zhou Nan’s death might have no value to the murderer. But this might be a method for the murderer to achieve another objective!

Zuo Ran: That’s right.

Zuo Ran: Zhou Nan’s death might have been a sort of condition used to exchange for some other benefits.

MC: Though we’ve thought of this kind of possibility, I can’t think up of a detailed case for it to be tenable.

I understood the implication of what Zuo Ran said, but this was an empty space in my past case experience. So I had a very hard time in thinking about the possible practical applications for this situation.

Zuo Ran: Have you heard of “pledges of loyalty”*?

MC: Ah, I know about these!

During ancient times, if people wanted to escape to a group that set themselves against the imperial family**, they would sign a document of life and death and even kill an official from the imperial family to express their loyalty. Because, once they did this, there would basically be no possibility of them betraying the group – they would have cut off their opportunity to become an ordinary person again.

MC: So you mean, Lawyer Zuo, that Zhou Nan might not have any relation with the purported reasonings like “running into business transactions”.

MC: It’s just that she just happened to appear at that place at that time, so she became the sacrifice of some people who sought help from some group?

Zuo Ran: Yes. If it were a typical criminal case, I would very rarely consider this kind of situation.

Zuo Ran: But Zhou Nan’s case involves an illegal gang trafficking prohibited drugs – thus, the “pledge of loyalty” might have happened.

Zuo Ran: Plus, think about how Yan Wei said that the evidence the police have that points to Chen Hanzhang have all been avoided by her.

Zuo Ran: This indicates that Chen Hanzhang’s methods are very clean, and it’s very hard to catch any leverage against her.

MC: Under such situations, if what happened to Zhou Nan was as Zhao Fei guessed, Chen Hanzhang would not murder to silence her if she only ran into the transactions.

MC: After all, if Zhou Nan tattled, no one would believe her, and murdering would instead create additional trouble.

Zuo Ran: Thus, on the night of the incident, something even more complicated than we have imagined must have happened.

MC: Based on this, it’s even more necessary for us to inquire the boss of the bar, as I suggested before.

Especially under the precondition that Chen Hanzhang definitely wouldn’t take the initiative to confess.

Zuo Ran: Yes. A murder occurred and illegal drugs were found in the bar, yet the bar is still operating. This boss must also not be simple.

Zuo Ran: Aside from the murderer’s motive, the second point we must consider is the method of crime.

MC: The most direct method would be the injection of the illegal drugs. Plus… Zhou Nan might have been moved after death.

Zuo Ran: Your conclusion is correct. Then, what is your reasoning?

Zhou Nan might have been moved after death, because…

>External injury (incorrect answer, scroll down for correct one) >The location where her body was noticed

MC: There were external injuries on Zhou Nan’s body. Those scratches might have been created when she was being moved.

Zuo Ran: Based on the positions of the scratches and the degree of severity, it doesn’t seem to have resulted from moving the body.

Zuo Ran: Regardless if she were dragged, carried, slung over a shoulder, or things like that, it’s unlikely that there would only be a thin scratch on the outside of her wrist.

Zuo Ran: The probability is too low, think again.

 >External injury >The location where her body was noticed

MC: Because her body was noticed at a booth between the first-floor dance pit and the stairs.

MC: Lots of people come and go at this place, so it probably isn’t where the incident occurred.

MC: In the file, the testimony of the person who reported the case indicated that the last time he saw Zhou Nan was when she went to the washroom after drinking a lot.

MC: It’s obvious that Zhou Nan was able to move, and she didn’t die from drinking.

MC: When the murderer acted against Zhou Nan, she could not have gone down without a fight. This was bound to attract the attention of other guests.

Zuo Ran: That’s right. So it’s more probable that Zhou Nan was injected with the illegal drugs in some hidden location…

Zuo Ran: After the drugs took effect, the murderer moved her.

MC: If we analyze it like this… I feel like the murderer seems more and more like Chen Hanzhang.

Zuo Ran: Think about the manpower around Chen Hanzhang. She could indeed have done this.

Zuo Ran: In contrast for Fu Qiao, with his physical fitness, I’m afraid that it’s very hard for him to move Zhou Nan without taking help from external force.

Zuo Ran: In addition, Chen Hanzhang is able to obtain high-purity illegal drugs, but Fu Qiao is probably unable to do this.

Zuo Ran: To sum it up, all clues point towards Chen Hanzhang.

MC: But we just analyzed it – if it’s just to silence her, Chen Hanzhang does not need to do this.

Zuo Ran: Thus, under the premise that we don’t exclude Chen Hanzhang from having committed the crime, I suggest adding Fu Qiao into the category for consideration.

Zuo Ran: Or, we can also find other, more direct suspects with conflicts of interest with Zhou Nan to replace Fu Qiao’s function in this.

MC: Then according to our inference of indirect benefit, Fu Qiao, or someone else with conflicts of interest, should have had contact with Chen Hanzhang after Zhou Nan’s death.

Zuo Ran: This just might involve the illegal drug trafficking case that the police has continuously been unable to find evidence for.

MC: Then when we see Fu Qiao in a moment, the first thing we need to ask him about must be to prove that he wasn’t on the scene, on the night of the crime.

MC: Only him saying that he’s never been to Xunye before doesn’t count for anything.

Zuo Ran and I spoke about the case as we finished off dinner. Looking at the time, it was almost time to go to Fu Qiao’s house.

MC: Lawyer Zuo, you’re tired, so I’ll drive when we go to Fu Qiao’s place.

Zuo Ran: I’ll do it. To me, driving also counts as a sort of joy – I can relax with it.

MC: I almost forgot that Lawyer Zuo is a leisure driving expert.

Zuo Ran: What kind of title is this?

MC: It’s obviously admiration for your driving skills.

I stood up, took my purse, and walked towards the outside.

MC: Now that I think about it, driving in the wind really is a good way to relieve pressure…

MC: Ah!

Maybe because I sat for too long, but there was little strength in my legs as I walked. My feet tripped, and I fell forward.

Zuo Ran: Careful!

With quick eyes and hands, Zuo Ran caught me from behind. I hung in the crook of Zuo Ran’s arm, shaken from fright as I was, and let out a long breath.

MC: …

MC: (Falling on flat ground… it simply can’t get more embarrassing…)

Zuo Ran: Oh you, didn’t you notice that your shoelaces became untied?

MC: Ah?

I lowered my head to look at my shoelaces. They really were…

Before I could tie up the shoelaces, Zuo Ran had already set the briefcase he was holding aside, crouching down beside me.

Zuo Ran: This pair of shoes looks quite nice. The shoelaces must be decorative?

Zuo Ran: I see that there are zippers on the side.

MC: Mm… mhmm, yes.

His hand slid past the zipper outside my ankle. Although it was separated by the leather upper part of the shoe, I still felt a burst of numbness.

MC: …

Zuo Ran: No wonder it untied. If it were practical-function shoelaces, you would definitely tie it well, with how meticulous you are.

MC: Not really, sometimes my hands are pretty clumsy.

The dark brown hair reflected in my eyes. I heard my voice get quieter until it was nearly inaudible.

He… was this much taller than me…

Regardless if it were height, or typical demeanor…

And right now, as he lowered himself like this, it gave me a subtle sense of safety that I had never experienced.

As well as…

A feeling of being treasured, as if cupped in one’s palms.

Zuo Ran: I’m the one with clumsy hands. I always did my best to buy Velcro running shoes when I was little.

He was probably joking on purpose, just to ease my awkwardness.

MC: Lawyer Zuo, you’re lying – I won’t believe you.

MC: The meals you make are so good, and even the carvings placed on the dishes are ones you make yourself, so how could your hands be clumsy.

Zuo Ran: They’re all some simple carvings – plus, that’s different from tying shoelaces.

I inexplicably felt like touching his hair. And I followed my thoughts, raising my hand. My fingertips accidentally brushed past his ear, its temperature scorching. Zuo Ran… his face must be red…

MC: Thank you. Regardless of how you appear in others’ eyes, I’ve always felt that you… are a very gentle person.

Kind to the point that under any situation, he would make the most comfortable surroundings for me.

MC: If Lawyer Zuo is also not skilled at tying shoelaces, then I don’t feel that I’m shameful.

Zuo Ran raised his head and looked towards me, with his calm and kind eyes that anyone could sink into.

Zuo Ran: Don’t worry when falling. It’s hard to avoid encountering all sorts of challenges and frustrations as one grows.

Zuo Ran: But… it must be where I can see.

MC: Eh?

Zuo Ran: In a place where I can reach in time. Even if the road is rugged and you fall, I can still protect you.

Zuo Ran: At least, give me time to reach out my hand.

This was a promise.

Zuo Ran’s solemn eyes told me that this promise might not just be because he was my partner. Aside from work, he could also become my most trustworthy person.

MC: Okay.

--

TL Notes:

*Original term “投名状” (tou ming zhuang). These were used to ensure strong bonds within the group while maintaining little relations with those outside. My translation here (”pledge of loyalty”) is a very loose one. 

**I am not too certain about my translation here about exactly what the pledges of loyalty were;;

[egelantier]

Yuletide Recs

Having had two days of more or less nothing but reading fics, I come bearing recs!

First of all, my amazing gifts:

The Goblin Emperor

For Thy Principles

The nohecharei of Edrehasivar VII were unparalleled in their defense of his person, but there were limits to even their prowess. When Maia first developed the fever, Cala quickly determined that it was not the end result of a magically-based assassination attempt – and from there it had to be left to the court physicians.

Maia falls ill, and Csethiro protects him as best she can.

Beautifully gentle Maia sickfic, with Csethiro holding him together. For me all for meeee.

Benjamin January Mysteries

Dry as a Bone

“Oh. Well, I’ve been better, maestro, been a hell of a lot better to tell truth.” Shaw stared at him for a long moment, and he was stunned to see honest to God grief in his eyes. Even when Shaw had just lost his brother he had been so much more himself than this lost man currently standing before him. “Not that I mean to put anything extra on your shoulders, I’m sure you’ve got enough of your own shit going on at present moment, but it seems like I’ve just lost my job.”

Shaw loses his job, and finally confronts Ben about trust (and lack thereof) between them. It’s GREAT.

The Tarot Sequence - K.D. Edwards

A Distraction Worth Losing

They may never be together, but the gods would have to move heaven and earth to split Rune and Brand apart.

Brand, Rune and The Kiss incident. (Poor messed up babies, somebody save them.)

And fics of the collection:

17776, Astreiant, Raksura, Frederica, The Gentlemen, The Goblin Emperor, Hades, Innkeeper Chronicles, Jeeves, Kate Daniels, King Arthur the movie, My Next Life as a Villainess, Nirvana in Fire, No. 6, Psmith, The Secret Garden, The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty, Swordspoint, The Tarot Sequence, Teixcalaan Series, The Temple of the White Rat verse

17776: What Football Will Look Like in the Future

so far, so fast

When Manny gets a craving for some fancy meal he had once, over ten thousand years ago, Nick decides he’s gonna fulfill that craving, no matter how hard it is. Because real romance is about making the impossible happen for his husband.

Goddamn transcendental.

Go Get It

Sometimes you start out just planning to get some groceries with your husband, and next thing you know, you’re committing to join the most hopeless team in college football.

Nick and Manny decide to play. It’s perfect.

Afterlife

A young man dies six months before the end of human death; his loss saves five lives, which end up much longer than anyone expects. (A series of worldbuilding vignettes about original characters in the 17776 setting.)

Made me cry, in a very cathartic way.

Astreiant Series - Melissa Scott & Lisa A. Barnett

April dressed in all his trim

A quiet evening in spring.

Sweet little slice-of-life with lovely sensory details.

Books of the Raksura

The Second Consort

“When Glow arrives, be friendly and welcoming,” Ember said. “Not scary.”

“Why does everyone think I’m going to scare him?”

Chime said, “They can see your face when you look at him.” He paused, glancing over at Moon. “That face, that’s the one.”

Ember sighed. “I remember being in his position. It’s pretty nerve-wracking coming to a new court and not knowing what’s going to happen to you there - whether they’re going to welcome you or shun you, whether you’ll make new friends, whether a queen is going to claim you…” He came and put a sympathetic hand on Moon’s shoulder. “Glow is probably worried about all of those things, and missing his home and clutchmates, and it’s our job to try and help him relax.” For a moment Moon thought he was just being soft-hearted, until Ember added, “He won’t open up and tell us what’s really going on unless he’s relaxed.”

Jade takes in a new consort, on Moon’s permission, and everybody is delightfully adult about it.

Frederica

Lady Alverstoke

Frederica commences her first Season as a married woman by planning a ball, promising most straitly that her husband will have nothing whatsoever to do …

Sweet and funny slice-of-life post-happy-ending for canon.

**The Gentlemen (2019) **

Even

The week after he intercepts Fletcher, that squirrelly little cunt, outside the London Miramax office, Raymond reluctantly ventures down to Brixton.

Under normal circumstances, Raymond tends to give this part of Brixton a wide berth, but he has unfinished business that needs attending to. Of course, that doesn’t mean he has to like being accosted by the overwhelming smell of greasy fish and chips when he pushes the car door open, doesn’t mean he has to be pleased about stepping into a piece of chewed-up gum the moment he sets a foot on the kerb.

But then, he can always take a shower after an errand in Brixton. The deep-seated discomfort of unfinished business doesn’t wash off that easily.

Raymond tries to pay Coach back for saving his life, and it doesn’t quite go as planned :D

The Goblin Emperor

The Archduke’s Discovery

Prince Nemolis goes on a journey, and learns a bit more than he wanted to know.

Really great point of canon divergence, and true and precise character voices.

Hades

all the spaces between us

For a place full of the dead, crammed with ghostly shades and nothing but the endless lull of eternity unchanging, gossip sure travelled fast in the Underworld.

Or, Zagreus mulls over his relationship with Thanatos while the rest of the Underworld get overly invested.

Slow, slow, slowest of burns.

Innkeeper Chronicles - Ilona Andrews

A Quick Trip

“It’ll be a quick trip,” Maud said, more to herself than to Arland. “No one will even notice we’re gone.”

Pirates are plaguing an ally, just outside of vampire space. Maud and Arland don some aesthetically beat-up armor and try to get more information from the pirates themselves. Of course, plans only last until you meet your enemy. Or your enemy’s giant alien attack boar.

Excellent canon voice, action/adventure sprinkled with badassery and hilarity.

Jeeves & Wooster

August Thirteenth

Discovering that this is not the first August thirteenth that he’s lived through, that certainly was a head scratcher. Luckily Bertie has the stalwart presence of his man’s man, Jeeves.

Very, very great and satisfying use of the time loop.

Kate Daniels - Ilona Andrews

lookin’ like a snack (cake)

It took Barabas a while to figure it out, because he wasn’t used to not being taken seriously.

Barabas considered several ways to phrase it, and finally settled upon, “Do you have a thing for twinks?” Christopher knocked his head back against the headrest: once, then again. “Is that a yes?”

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

When Goosefat Bill finds himself in a difficult situation, the last thing he wants is the King to show up and “help”, in his own unique and unexpected way.

Goosefat Bill does not need to be rescued by his King. But he might just enjoy it a little.

My Next Life as a Villainess (Anime)

All I Have To Bring Today

Catarina and Sophia had been discussing the latest in the Devilish Count series, and Sophia had mentioned how romantic the surprise picnic the count had planned for his lover was and how she wished for someone to surprise her like that.

“What about you, Catarina? Have you ever wished for someone to sweep you off your feet?” Sophia had asked.

Catarina makes a choice! As sweet and as hilarious as the canon.

Nirvana in Fire

Adverse Event

What a pitiful man must he have become, if the only thing he could provoke in bed was a monologue on his character flaws.

: or, the famous strategist mei changsu plays xanatos speed chess against truth serum: the fic.

Mei Changsu gets hit with an accidental truth serum; it doesn’t stop him from lying to himself, but it does buy Jingyan a clue.

Records of the Land of Xiang

There was something of Xiao Jingyan there, in the firmness of his jaw, the unforgiving slash of his brows, and most clearly in the eyes that neither saw nor conveyed deception. But Long Zhan was not Jingyan, could never be, no matter how much Changsu might wish otherwise, because Jingyan was dead.

In service to a very-much-alive Prince Qi, Jingyan dons a Jianghu-typical disguise and infiltrates the Jiangzuo Alliance to suss out this Mei Changsu fellow and see if he might be useful in helping them re-open the Chiyan conspiracy case. Basically, a slightly ridiculous premise where everyone is running around the Jianghu with masks, multiple identities, and secret agendas.

Fascinating and fun AU scenario that delves, among other things, into Mei Changsu the jianghu chef, not Sir Su the court schemer.

suffering as I suffer you

The first time Jingyan stays the night at Su Manor, he discovers an uncomfortable truth about Mei Changsu.

Excellent extrapolation of Mei Changsu’s illness into his nightly routine - with Jingyan watching…

Here, In Our Arms

With the world put to rights, however briefly, Xiao Jingyan and Mu Nihuang take the opportunity to make a fuss over their beloved Lin Shu, and will not take no for an answer.

Sweet moment of comfort.

Find the Coals Amid the Ashes

Despite Changsu’s assertions, Lin Chen is a well brought up person. He would never violate his host’s privacy during a social call. It would be inexcusable, for example, to break into a marquis’s private alchemy lab in the middle of said marquis’s birthday party, in order to search said alchemy lab for certain hard to find medicinal herbs, which one has reason to believe can be found therein. These would be the actions of a man without honour, of a man who has only desperation to his name.

Lin Chen crashes a party and makes a new friend.

The best team up ever :D

Dead Letters

Mei Changsu isn’t the only schemer in Da Liang.

Fei Liu fixes things, in the most Fei Liu way imaginable, and it’s great.

No. 6

All Good Things

In the midst of a crisis for No. 6, Nezumi returns to Shion’s side.

A reunion! And cuddling.

Psmith

The Psky Is The Limit

“As this ship’s Orator, my mission is still as it was in the beginning and shall ever be, world without end. It is to hail any message sent by comrades from outer space and pass it on to you verbatim. Well! The hour, I say, has come. The Word has come into being. Here comes Psmith, bearing news of great mirth: the intercom has spoken.”

(A Mike and Psmith Space AU)

Psmith in space! Hysterically funny Psmith in Pspace, at that.

Psmith Pops In

Psmith reached over and solicitously loosened Mike’s scarf, his fingers brushing the skin of Mike’s neck, and that young man, to his horror, felt heat creeping up from where gloved fingers brushed his bare skin. Really, this blushing nonsense was getting out of hand. Ever since Psmith had tried to take the blame in the case of the painted dog, Mike had developed an inexplicable habit of turning hot and cold around him, and these odd responses had become more and more frequent.

Very funny! And then very tragique! And then jussssst right.

The Secret Garden

The Space Garden

When Meri La Nix was sent from the Mars colony to live with her aunt at Missiles Wait Manor, nobody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. But some of them thought it.

Beautifully inventive space retelling - with gardens, still.

The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty

The sky spinning above him

In which there’s a jewellery thief on the loose, Tang Fan plays dress up, gets a mild concussion and also a boyfriend.

Frothy, sweet, well-grounded and hot. Also hilarious (check the end note!)

truth in fiction

Three days after Wang Zhi leaves the capital, bits and pieces of his extensive library begin arriving at Sui Zhou’s house.

Sui Zhou is really committed to research and accuracy in Tang Fan’s porn. It’s delightful.

Time don’t fool me no more

“The electrician is a Tang dynasty spy,” he says, dumping some of his eggs in Tang Fan’s bowl.

Tang Fan nods, shovels more food in his mouth, and starts talking again.

Past or future, Tang Fan has Priorities. And Sui Zhou is weak.

Meeting at the End

Sui Zhou knew he never should have let Tang Fan go alone. He knew he should have gone with him.

Really, really great and desperate whump. Super satisfying.

clever boy

Tang Fan never spares a smile for any of the girls at Wang Zhi’s establishment, he’s noticed. That’s alright, though. It means Wang Zhi gets his attention for himself.

Wang Zhi falling, falling hard; it’s delightful.

a bold and brilliant sun

“You’re sure you didn’t do something to it? They don’t usually stall out,” Sui Zhou says. He looks away from Tang Fan, out the windshield at the endless rust-red of the planet.

Tang Fan pouts at this, and slumps down on the edge of the console, feet propped up at an absurd angle against the pilot’s seat. “You think I’d fake a mechanical issue just so that they’d send a sexy Fleet crewman out here to rescue me?” As soon as the words are out of his mouth, he giggles. “Okay, I would do that, but I promise that this time the problem is real.”

Space AU! Most excellent space AU condensing all there is to love about the canon in one perfect package.

Blind Taste Test

Wang Zhi invites Tang Fan to evaluate Joyous Brothel’s chefs — but it’s Tang Fan and Sui Zhou who are really being tested.

Wang Zhi, ever helpful :)

Authorial Intent

Sui Zhou and Tang Fan end up in hot water yet again. Kinky sex ensues.

Hilarious, kinky, heartfelt, and in character.

Swordspoint Series - Ellen Kushner

Chrysopoeia

It struck Alec that this would have been much easier if their positions were reversed. Richard would have known what to do if he’d been dragged back here with a hole in his gut. He was quite simply not supposed to be the one on this end of the equation. In fact, it was possible he had done something very bad to deserve this.

Richard is wounded, and Alex is coping. Excellent h/c and excellent bloodplay and sharp, painful slice of Alex’ POV, excellently rendered.

At first — this was just like him — he thought he was hearing god. But it was only the man in the bed, whose face had turned toward him on the ragged pillow.

The Tarot Sequence - K.D. Edwards

Third’s a Charm

Addam asks a favor of Brand.

Addam asks Brand for help, which ends up being exactly what Brand and Rune need.

Pretty good

Five times Brand crawls into Rune’s bed and one time Rune crawls into Brand’s.

Brand and Rune, through the years.

Teixcalaan Series - Arkady Martine

Also in the Act of Reaching

When Three Seagrass arrived at Lsel Station, she was, officially at least, traveling as a private personage. She had missed Mahit and the possibilities they’d both chosen to turn away from. She also had– would always have– a gaping hole in her life where Petal had once stood.

It was simply that, left on her own, Three Seagrass wouldn’t have let either absence drag her to the ass-end of beyond.

Reunion, metaphors and realigment. Subtle and clever and just right.

The (concept of the) World Was Wide Enough

Yskandr Aghavn comes to the world like a drowning man comes to shore, but he is living on borrowed time. Teixcalaan has so many wonderful things to choke on.

Teixcalaan has had his heart for all of his life, has elevated him, corrupted him, and discarded him.

It is Lsel that he thinks of as he dies.

Temple of the White Rat Universe - T. Kingfisher

If Grace Is Too Much

Zale is given a case by Bishop Beartongue which turns out to be more complicated and personal than a holy advocate-priest would prefer.

Clever and sweet and carefully shocking, but in a very right way.

Outreach

“We don’t generally assess the… cursédness… of objects, trees or otherwise,” Beartongue said.

Utterly delightful.

[bibbleboo]

Could we get some headcanons/more background on Abbey and Doyle’s kids? 🥺👉👈 I love the premise of this AU

YEEEEE (im just gonna ramble a bunch about the backstory i have so far but ill put it in bullets so its easier to follow lol i apologize for it being long as fuck-)

OKAY SO,,, first of all,,, doyle and abbey timeline,,,, [i am looking respectfully]

in this au, they get back together and have a sort of ‘lovers pretending to be enemies’ chaotic on again/off again hookup thing off to the side just between the two of them thru like Most of the final season, they try to keep it a secret (especially doyle who doubts the saturdays would be hAPPY if he was seeing her again) but in the end, saturdays ofc find out, probably are unsure about it at first, but she gains enough of their trust to be there for the big finale battle in the weird world mansion.

when shit goes down and argost becomes the vessel for the two opposing kurs (regular kur, and the anti kur from zak monday) and they like. explode his matter or w/e, i imagine instead of kur just completely disappearing, the ‘anti kur’ gets shot back to its universe, while original kur gets forced into a new vessel in this universe... the closest of which happens to be the unborn child abbeys unknowingly carrying. basically, what if the two kurs just LOOKED like they evaporated but actually did what happens when you try to like tape two same sides of a magnets together and they YEETED-

So thats how we have Parker, their firstborn daughter! and this... also implies ‘Parker Monday’ exists which. 8^) i havent thought about yet so forgive me on that but hoo, 

they dont know parker is kur, they got no idea and rly just assume kur is gone for good. but after they find out abbeys pregnant (which is a huge emotional trip for both of them in its own right) they do eventually sort of agree they dont want their kid exposed to that whole world of mystery. like, ik its a vital thing to the whole family, and ik these two people were probably voted least likely to ‘settle down’ in high school, but i cant imagine they didnt escape the kur/zak situation without a LOT of trauma, so while the saturdays stay in the cryptozoology field, doyle and abbey slowly pull away from the mystery and mercenary stuff, and also instead of going for big dollar lifestyle settle with ‘independently wealthy’ parenting.

also, neither of them really . grasp the concept that theyve even started a family, and are ‘together’, and that this is REAL, until around when she gets pregnant with their second daughter, Kendall. and then theyre like. oh nooo wait are we actually like boyfriend and girlfriend EWW-

when kendall is born parker is 3, and the next like 10+ years are pretty smooth sailing. as far as what the kids know/see, they probably know the cryptids when theyre little but. (tw animal death sORRY TO BE DARK I JUST??????) idk,, how long komodo dragons live/how old komodo already is and i definitely dont know Anything about giant prehistoric birds and am not even sure if science knows that lifespan, so. im not sure how long they could really be in each others lives??? i almost imagine parker would have memories of them that she assumes she remembers wrong, like “oh yeah they used to have a lizard and a bird... my imaginative little kid brain thought they were a komodo dragon and a dinosaur”, and as for fisk im still working on it but i . actually kind of imagine he might have a much longer lifespan (since lemurians are like ancient or w/e? and also if hes by dna like a gorilla cat or w/e gorillas at least live long af) and also feel like once he got older and settled down a bit he might live somewhere in the woods, maybe even his old tree? and the saturdays see him ALL the time obviously, but hey zaks gotta go to college eventually, a gorilla cats gotta eat bugs in forest, we all have to grow up and leave the nest sometime,

so idk the last time parker has actually seen fisk and she might assume he was an imaginary friend or smth but, 1. if i do write a fic they absolutely have to meet again, 2. overall the vibe is they know the saturdays are cryptozoologists, like, the same way josh gates does destination truth, seeking answers and studying, they dont really. know that theyre REAL. to them its like, a hypothetical science. (this is also part of why they dont realize parker is kur, she isnt around cryptids and therefore whenever her powers would actually show up they wouldnt be recognized) anyways parker isnt embarrassed or put off by it but just thinks its a little wacky, meanwhile kendall is obsessed with the world of mystery/paranormal/cryptic lol

speaking of the girls personalities;;;

parker is like. not really normie/preppy, even if she seems it at first glance, shes nice and has a good head on her shoulders but also is a teenage girl (inherently unhinged) and shes THEIR teenage girl (+5 feral) so despite her success and charm shes also very witty/crass when she wants to be, and deep down shes closer to the kind of person that would on pure inexplicable instinct put something random in your mouth when you’re yawning so you bite down on it afterwards. or like. that video of the girl singing in the bathroom while her friends curl their hair and she grabs the curler to use as a microphone before realizing its burning hot??? shes. the voice of reason, but the voice is usually shrieking in fear, making a cursed joke, or half the time whatever shes saying is actually smart. she kinda wants to go to college and travel, but struggles with indecisiveness and anxiety, so she has no idea where to go, what to major in, etc. and is again kinda just livin thru the typical teen life in that regard

kendall on the other hand is like. weird kid culture, the kind of kid that believes they are secretly a new supernatural creature each year (mermaid phase, werewolf phase, alien phase, etc), probably completely accidentally starts cults or witch covens at school (didnt realize teaching peers how to become ‘blood brothers’ and ‘make potions’ from puddles and stolen school supplies would be taken so seriously by parents) , very into emo/scene/punk/alt culture but not rly in an overtly dark/edgy way, more of a having fun and expressing self way. she wants answers for everything, really loves mysteries and being open minded, and definitely a rebel/adventurer at heart, even if she gets naive or in over her head sometimes.

the girls get along well! parker is not dismissive of kendall she just. isnt really into the same stuff/is more freaked out by it most of the time, but she would tag along on certain adventures, especially if it was to keep her safe. and kendall definitely directs gentle mockery towards parker a lot but does see her as a good role model and guiding figure, their bond is really strong!

other details !

doyle and abbey prob decide to say fuck it and get married after kendall is born, they probably have a few rough patches but nothing is more important to them than the kids now and in the end they understand each other better than anyone else so . canon tension idk her! family ftw! power couple! they intimidate the teacher during parent teacher conferences together hand in shady little hand !

their parenting style is exactly what one would imagine, 70% fun and sass and controlled chaos where theyre the bigger children than their children, 15% ‘this is how you hack the government and dual wield swords-- i was not supposed to teach you that im sorry’, and 15% actual guidance / emotional depth / etc. flaws might be overcoming their own immaturity for the first few years, and then being lowkey overly protective (while claiming they arent, but just bc you semi jokingly tell parker she should join the football team doesnt mean you dont actually hide 60% of ur life from her and check that her bedroom windows are locked every night and have 24 people listed in her school emergency contacts and used to cut up her food till she was 7 and-)

so abouT THE BABY BOY (Phoenix), 1. his middle name is leonidas bc im gay and i love emotional turmoil babes , 2. fully unironically the idea behind such a late pregnancy is abbey would be mid fourties when hes born right. so like. [has two kids] ‘ok birth control time’ [when theyre teens many years later] ‘ok im old enough to stop taking this’ [the hyperfertility curse that plagues many women rears its ugly head with one last hoo-rah]

and finALLY a very quick elevator pitch of what id write an actual fic to focus on;;; kendall sneaks into the attic to look for old shit bc they BOTH know their parents have been hiding stuff over the years, she finds things like a cryptopedia (now offline), the claw, maybe even a piece of the kur stone, and ropes parker into the long haul of figuring out what all this stuff is. and ofc the second they ever find the naga relic and parker comes face to face with it, [rest in rip] time for mom and dad to find out and all this kur shit to start ALL over again-

[danvssomethingorother]

Fanfic Recs

In honor of fandom fic rec days, just want to take a few minutes to just recommend my favorite fanfics from around the web. Please head the warnings because I like angst so rape, torture, and just all sorts of unpleasant stuff does appear in some of these stories (which I say beside the fic). I also listed the pairing, if there are any as well. I have been in fandoms for a very long time and have quite the extensive amount of recs, so I will not list all of the stories I enjoy, just my favorite stories I have read and re read the most when I am at my lowest or am just bored. 

Please do not be upset if I don’t rec your story fellow fanfic writers! If I have read your stuff and commented on your work, I do love it but these stories are my favorites and stories I don’t only love and enjoy but stories I don’t think I would be capable of living in a world without and some are so old they helped shape my own writing style as you know it today.

Batman 

In Re Robin

Warnings: Some blood and child abuse

Summary: After the extent of Robin's injuries from Harvey Dent comes out, Child Protective Services decides to save Robin from a vigilante lifestyle. Follow up to Robin, Year One.

Why I love it so much: Its not uncommon to use the story line from my favorite comic, Robin Year One by Chuck Dixon, but this one does it in a way that is special and captures the feel of why I loved that comic to begin with and made Bruce and Dick’s relationship more realistic and fleshed out then most stories dealing with them being father/son. 

Broken Glass 

Warnings: Eating disorder

Summary: Dick Grayson has always been a perfectionist.  But what happens when perfectionism goes too far?

Why I love it: This fic has been in my life for a long time, while all my other angst fics either got deleted or I grew out of because I realized they were bad, this one has stayed with me because its extremely in character and despite its kinda weird premise for a super hero story, it freaking works. Its so good and I love it.

Daddy, Not Bats

Warnings: Some violence (its a super hero fic)

Summary: AU, continuation of 'A Father's Request'. Join one 'retired' Batman as he raises his kids all together while trying to still save the world with this version of the Justice League.  One Shots, mini-series, and headcanons, life for the Waynes is always interesting to watch, especially since they can't leave crime fighting behind them. T for paranoia

Why I love it: I had to choose one story out of all the fics where Bruce raises all the Robins at the same time and this one is my favorite and it actually remembered Bruce’s daughter Cass, which most of these AUs don’t. You don’t need me to keep telling you about, I don’t want to give much away, go read it!

Miss Congeniality and the Bad Ass Ninja

Warnings: some language

Summary: Dick pays a visit to the Wayne Manor gym, where he meets the /delightful/ new addition to the family. Brother bonding fic. K plus for Dick's potty mouth.

Why I love it: This is another case of I had to only choose one out of the hundreds of stories I like about Dick and Damian bonding and I think this one is my favorite. Its in character and feels like something they would talk about and I really love it.

Teen Titans 

With this fandom, I have a theme, so I am going to just dump it down now. If you want really well written Robin being Slade’s apprentice fics, these are my favorites:

Basic Skill

summary: Slade might have Robin blackmailed into working for him, but he can't get him to kill anyone. That's no good for an assassin's apprentice. NOT SLASH 

Northern Star  (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6478556/1/Northern-Star)

Summary: Life as Slade's apprentice is hard for Robin, but even harder for those trying to save him. Murders, schemes and hatred flourishes as the Titans, Batman, and the JLA struggle to help him. Meanwhile, Slade has a nefarious plan in mind for the Batman... 

Since it is my favorite theme, I have more stories I like with this theme but they are too many to list and some of my favorites have been deleted over the years which is just disheartening. Also these two authors are great go read all their work.

But my favorite author in this fandom has to be melimash

All of their teen titans work is jaw dropping and wonderful, I love it all so damn much. I can’t even express how much I love every single one of their stories, I wish I had half the talent they do. They are amazing and I have been looking up to their skill for years now.

Harry Potter 

Casting Moonshadows

Summary: Lonely and outcast by his classmates, Remus wishes on a moonshadow for a friend who understands him. To his amazement his wish is answered not once, but three times, by his former enemies, the Marauders. SBRL and some JPLE as well, of course 

Warnings: Child abuse

Pairing: Wolfstar

Harry Potter and the Nightmares of Futures Past

Summary:   The war is over. Too bad no one is left to celebrate. Harry makes a desperate plan to go back in time, even though it means returning Voldemort to life. Now an 11 year old Harry with 30 year old memories is starting Hogwarts. Can he get it right?

Warning: Child abuse and PTSD symptoms, this story was also written Pre- The Deathly Hallows, so Snape is presented as evil. I don’t mind because I don’t like Snape but I can see how Snape fans would hate it.

Pairing: Harry/Ginny

Another Prisoner, Another Professor

Summary:  AU. In Harry's third year he must learn the many truths about the new DADA teacher, Professor Black, and an escaped convict, Remus Lupin. Eventual SBxRL.

Pairing: Wolfstar

Harry Potter and the Something Something

Summary: Hey, wouldn't it be cool if someone took as many fanfic cliches as possible and stuffed them all into one story?  No?  Well, I went ahead and did it anyway.  Multi-chapter Mockfic.  This summary is actually a lot better than I originally thought.

Pairing: None

Against the Moon

Summary: The odds were stacked against him: a child from a blended home with no friends, no social skills to speak of, and a terrible secret. Yet slowly Remus Lupin began to realize there was a place for him in the world, if he could find the courage to claim it. 

Warnings: Canon prejudices, blood, child abuse 

Pairing: I believe the author has said you can see it as wolfstar but it won’t be official in the story. 

HP is my biggest fandom and I have read hundreds of stories with these same ideas and themes over the years but these are my favorites because they are just that damn good.

Lord Of The Rings 

Devoted (http://mariole.livejournal.com/23137.html)

Warnings: RAPE, I mean graphic stuff, please do not read if you this subject upsets you or you are underage.

Summary (there isn’t one so this is from the author’s note of the first chapter): This is a disturbing fic. Frodo is raped in his home (post-Bilbo, pre-Quest), and has to deal with that. I don't know why this topic has been pulling at me, but it has and there you go. I know this fic will not be for everyone. Frodo is basically a het character, so there are some het references and scenes. There is also slash, both requited and un-, throughout the piece, as various characters explore their sexuality and feelings for each other. The main hobbits are Frodo, Sam, and Merry. Pippin pops up now and then, but he's only 13 when the main action starts, so we don't see as much of him (sorry, Pip lovers!).

Pairing: frodo / sam

Why I love it: I tried not to put too many questionable stories I have enjoyed onto this list but I can’t leave this one out. This is the best characterization I have ever seen for the hobbits. 

Treasures (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/854350/1/Treasures)

Warnings: lots of child abuse and its abandoned, never to be completed

Summary: AU - Gossip ran through the Shire that Bilbo Baggins possessed a great fortune in the depths of his home. Several ruffians attempt to seize that fortune by kidnapping his beloved nephew and holding him for ransom. 

Why I love it: Its just so good. I love Bilbo and Frodo’s relationship, I love all the angst, and I will always mourn we never get to see the conclusion of this fic. 

My favorite authors I can’t pick a favorite from: 

MBradford (Some warnings for this author they ship Frodo/Sam and made cute stuff with them and their main series involve attempted rape and kidnapping)

shirebound

Gravity Falls ( my current fandom) 

This one is a little harder for me to pick my favorites and keep the list somewhat small. Since most of you are following me for this fandom, I’m gonna break up this one into categories and list my favorites from those categories since I know most of you are GF fans following me and care more about these recs then the other fandoms.

Ciphford 

Cold 

Warnings: THIS IS MATURE. DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE UNDER AGE. It involves Non Con and psychological abuse. 

Why I love it so much: It is so chilling and breath taking how they set up and conclude this angst filled masterpiece. I feel like if any story inspired me to make ciphford abuse, its this one. 

Not One to Forget 

Warnings: Non con elements

Why I love it: Its just so good and full of emotion that always manages to hit me right in the feels, please consider reading!

Nonconsensual

Warnings: Non con (duh with a title like that)

Why I love it: Its just so sad and such a punch in the gut every time I read it. I love it so much...

Fiddauthor 

Fresh Start  (you should just read all of @memyselfandyoutube ‘s work but this is my favorite by far)

Warnings: Technical kidnapping, memory loss, mental health problems

Why I love it: I loved it so much I even wrote a companion piece to it but I feel like the original should get more attention then my work. The build up to the reveal, the tension, the characterization are all just so spot on and perfect. I love this little piece and implore everyone to read it.

You Have A Home 

Warnings: Child neglect

Why I love it: This story has just started but like everything @amydiddle-fanfiction writes its looking to be a great story, that I am excited to read. 

Gloves 

Warnings: None

Why I love it: Its one of the cutest fiddauthor fics I have ever read and I adore it. 

The Vandals 

Warnings: Bullying

Why I love it: Ford protecting Fidds is just so good, so very good.

Fiddlestan 

In Which Stan Occupies A Certain River In Egypt

Warnings: Mental illness, physical illness

Why I love it: I have a weakness for stories where my favorite is ill and needs to be taken care of and this is everything I could want and more. God, its just so good. I’m not even a huge fan of the AU this is set in (where Stan raises Mabel without Dipper) but oh my gosh, everything is just so perfect from the characterization, set up and build up of the relationship and so forth. I love this fic, I have read it a dozen times already will likely read it a few more times before I am finished. 

A Helping Hand 

Warnings: None

Why I love it: Its so unique to find a story that jams this much character into a story with out a single line of dialogue (as a writer I know how hard that is to do so this is a big deal for me) and this story just gives me goosebumps on every re read.

Brawl Brawlers

Warnings: Jimstan and some violence

Why I love it: I’m not a fan of jimstan, so the fact I’m recing anything that implies it should tell you why I love this. Its just cute and I can like when Fidds shows his more abrasive side. Logical book thief is a great writer and I highly recommend all her work but this is just the one I read most, I think. 

Fool's Paradise 

Warnings: this story is rated M and there are sexual themes and violence, so any one underage shouldn’t read

Why I love it: How could I not love it? It is packed with great characterization, fidds suffering, and an AU where the mystery trio all end up happy together. This is my favorite fiddlestan and I would be incomplete without it.

Good Days and Bad Days (http://nuttersincorporated.tumblr.com/post/120295190724/good-days-and-bad)

Warnings: Panic attack, self harm (harm pulling)

Why I love it: Its just so good, I love the hurt comfort, its so well written and good. Also worth checking out is this author’s longer story ( Memories ) but it is sadly incomplete and may be abandoned

Gen 

Fiddleford's Secrets (this one is part of a series that you can find the rest on the author’s page Topaz88)  

Warnings: None

Why I love it: Its an interesting take on Fidds origins I have never seen before and really enjoyed it, along with the rest in this series. Its a series about if the mystery trio and I recommend everyone read.

We're All Broken

Warnings: Mental illness, homelessness, its incomplete and I fear it might be abandoned

Why I love it: Its just so enjoyable and an interesting idea of Stan coming to town and helping out a broken and homeless fiddleford and his brother who is going down hill because of Bill. 

Wednesday, 12 Dec. 1979 

Warnings: Injuries, mental trauma

why I love it: Do you know how hard it is to find a good story that deals with Fiddleford’s canon trauma after the gremlobin? Because as a Fiddleford fan, I do and this story was absolute perfection and the author was a saint for creating it. 

We Made It Through The Night 

Warnings: None

Why I love it: Its a very beautiful story filled with wonderful characterization and so much emotion to punch you right in the feels. Mabel and Fidds bonding over trauma is an interesting idea and is executed masterfully by @forest-of-stories like all her work I highly recommend. 

http://biteinsane.tumblr.com/post/156126664230/i-have-always-wanted-to-read-something-with-tate

Warnings: None

Why I love it: Its very short but its so sweet. I never really read stuff involving Tate and Fidds and it was a joy to read.

Authors

Princessedelarue  (all fiddlestan)

 theblindtorpedo (all fiddlestan)

  Logias (Meggletron) (all Fiddlestan)

   CeslaToil (fiddauthor and gen but really just read her work, its all great and you won’t regret it)

tallykale (all fiddauthor but sadly not active anymore)

Hannahbette (an archive of Hannahbette’s old fanfic that have now been deleted from this site, all are fiddauthor and all are great)

And you know, you can always support me here, if ya want to of course. I’m egotistical enough to like my own work, so you might like it too.